Henlow dec 17

VILLAGER The

Issue 109 - Dec 2017

and Town

Life

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

Win £100 in our Christmas Prize Crossword

In this issue The History of Clowns Win tickets to see the

Best of Wham Bringing Local Business to Local People in

Langford, Henlow, Shefford, Stanford, Hinxworth, Ickleford, Caldecote, Radwell, Fairfield Park, Shillington, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Gravenhurst, ur Holwell, Meppershall, Baldock, Stotfold, Arlesey, Hitchin & Letchworth Yo EE

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Contents Win Tickets

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The History of Clowns.................................................................4 Let it Snow!................................................................................8 Choice Wines: France................................................................10 Win Tickets to see the Best of Wham........................................12 How to Plan for the Boxing Day Sales.......................................14 Beer and Festive Food..............................................................17 The History of Christmas..........................................................19 The Jigsaw Revival...................................................................20 Tis the Season to Party.............................................................23 Quirky Britain...........................................................................27 Canada - Glimpses of Toronto...................................................30 Kill or Cure................................................................................33 The History of Christmas Traditions..........................................35 Toys, Toys, Toys.........................................................................36 Employment Matters...............................................................38

VILLAGER The

and Town

Issue 109 - Dec 2017

Life

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

Win £100 in our Christmas Prize Crossword

In this issue Clowns

The History of

Win tickets to see the

Best of Wham Bringing Local Business to Local People in

Langford, Henlow, Shefford, Stanford, Hinxworth, Ickleford, Caldecote, Radwell, Fairfield Park, Shillington, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Gravenhurst, ur Holwell, Meppershall, Baldock, Stotfold, Arlesey, Hitchin & Letchworth Yo EE

FRcopy

The Christmas Wreath..............................................................42 Get Real this Christmas............................................................45 Plumb Crazy.............................................................................49 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal........................................................51 Animal Stories..........................................................................53 Children’s Page.........................................................................54 Mercedes-AMG GT C Coupe Edition 50......................................56 Seasonal Delights.....................................................................58 Puzzle Page..............................................................................60 What’s On.................................................................................62 School Readers - Volunteers Needed........................................64 Lights for Flights......................................................................69 £100 Prize Crossword...............................................................74 Book Review............................................................................78

The Christmas Wreath

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9,500 copies delivered free of charge in the following areas: Henlow, Langford, Astwick, Edworth, Hinxworth, Caldecote, Newnham, Radwell, Bygrave, Shillington, Holwell, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Shefford, Ashwell End and Stanford (Further bulk drops are made to local shops and busineses in Arlesey, Upper and Lower Stondon, Shefford, Baldock, Letchworth, Hitchin and Stotfold)

Editorial - Catherine Rose, Monica Cox, Trevor Langley, Sarah Davey, There’s a Beer for That, Kate Duggan, Solange Hando, Alison Runham, Carol H Scott, Rachael Leverton, Pippa Greenwood, Tracey Anderson, RSPCA, Simon Davis and Kate Duggan Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography Darren Harbar Photography Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460

Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 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.

Advert Booking and Artwork Deadline: Thursday 7th December for our JANUARY edition

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History

The History of

Clowns

Love them, loathe them or view them with terror, clowns have been entertaining us for thousands of years. Renowned for humour, with the recent relaunch of Stephen King’s horror classic It and his demonic antagonist Pennywise, clowns have become a scare symbol too. But where did they originate?

Clowns began with royalty and across history and cultures, royal courts have long featured court jesters. The earliest recorded were in ancient Egypt during the fifth dynasty (around 2500BC).

Clowns were even prominent in native tribes and formed an integral part of their social and religious ceremonies. Not only did they provide entertainment, they were also believed to be healers and counsellors. When the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés overthrew central America’s Aztecs in 1520, it was said that the Aztec king Montezuma’s court had dwarf and hunchback clowns whom Cortés took back to Spain with him.

Despite being an object of ridicule, court jesters were in fact highly thought of and the only members of a royal household permitted to openly air their views. When China’s Great Wall was being built around 300BC, Emperor Shih Huang-Ti decided he wanted it painted as well. Hundreds of labourers had already lost their lives constructing the wall but it was his court jester Yu Sze who persuaded the emperor to abandon the painting idea, saving hundreds more lives.

Although rustic fools appear in Ancient Greek and Roman plays, during the 16th century clowns increasingly moved out of the court and into the theatre. Shakespeare often featured ‘the fool’ in his plays. These characters were integral to the play and actors would frequently ad lib for comic effect during performances.

It was around this time that the Commedia del Arte, a structured form of comedy theatre with

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set characters, began in Italy. It quickly spread across Europe and heralded the advent of the pantomime.

The set characters consisted of three servants who would plot to trick their masters. The principal servant or first zanni (which gave us the word ‘zany’) was the modern day ‘straight guy’ who would come up with the clever schemes; his helper, the second zanni was a witless fool or ‘fall guy’ who would become hilariously entangled in them, often either unintentionally thwarting them or ending up being a victim himself, and the third character was the female fonteca who provided the romantic interest.

The clown-like characters of Harlequin and Pierrot grew out of Commedia del Arte. Harlequin was originally the second zanni to a character named Brighella but eventually he grew to become a principal character of his own.

The white-faced clown began with Pierrot but was popularised by Joseph ‘Joey’ Grimaldi (1778-1837) who has been described as ‘the father of modern clowning’. He was well known for his comic songs and theatrical special effects. Wearing a spiky blue wig with white make-up and rouge on his cheeks and lips, his costume was a variation of the Harlequin suit with its trademark ruffles around the neck – a clothing item that has been associated with clowns ever since.

The first circus was created in 1768

by Philip Astley and his equestrian shows that took place in a ring.

It was Astley who created the first circus clown, calling him Billy Buttons. Billy Buttons’ character was a tailor who, in his act, would try and fail to ride a horse in amusing ways.

Billy proved so popular among audiences that he soon became a feature in other circus acts.

This led to the development of the Auguste (or fool) clown, a forerunner of our modern-day clown, who would spend his act tripping over his feet and having all sorts of accidents.

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The iconic American character Uncle Sam was based on a famous circus clown. Dan Rice was a philanthropist and close friend of President Lincoln who made his fortune working as a clown during the Civil War period by using humour and songs to make political observations. Sporting a goatee beard, he wore a red nose and his suit and top hat were decorated with the American flag. When political cartoonist Thomas Nast first drew Uncle Sam, he allegedly based it on Rice.

The Fratellini brothers were famous circus clowns in the early 1900s and although they weren’t the first to invent the white-faced, red-nosed performer, it was the brothers who ensured the clown make-up, costumes (including the oversized shoes of the Auguste clown) and the red nose - still used as a symbol of comedy - became a tradition.

The coupling of skill (such as juggling or riding a unicycle) with slapstick has evolved as hallmarks of the clown. The 20th century may have associated them with hamburgers and horror, but throughout history there have been bad clowns too - sinister masked characters who can feature in our worst nightmares. In fact, fear of clowns is a recognized psychological condition known as ‘coulrophobia’.

But however you view them, no one can deny that clowns have long had the power to entertain.

By Catherine Rose

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Time of Year

Let it Snow!

By Monica Cox

A white Christmas is something many of us dream of, but how much do we know about snow?

Snow is made of a bizarre and complex substance which we take completely for granted – water!

Water is a liquid at room temperature, unlike other substances with similar-sized molecules, such as ammonia or methane – these are gases. Water requires more energy to boil it than other liquids and unlike most substances which shrink as they freeze, water expands as it turns to ice. As it turns out this is rather important. Ice is less dense than water so it floats. If it became more dense like most substances lakes would freeze from the bottom up and aquatic life would die. But because water freezes from the top down, the floating ice forms a layer on the surface which insulates the water beneath allowing it to stay liquid and all the swimming creatures to survive.

Few people know that for snow to fall at temperatures higher than -40C a special particle called an ice nucleus is required. Snow seeds as they are known include fine particles of soil, dust, and volcanic ash. These ‘seeds’ pass through the clouds of water vapour in the upper atmospheres and it is on their surface that ice crystals form which become snow. Snowflakes are all different because of the way they attract new water to their ‘corners’. As the crystals fall through the atmosphere they pass through different layers of temperature and humidity, and get tossed around by the wind. The interplay between the

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snow seeds, random water droplets and their need to grow in a hexagonal fashion means that each snowflake grows rapidly in a unique way until they are large enough to fall as snowflakes.

The perfect snowflakes that we see on Christmas cards are actually quite idealised. Most snowflakes are imperfect, but they do have an underlying symmetry which has been noticed by humans for thousands of years. Most flakes are 1cm or less across but occasionally atmospheric conditions conspire to form giant snowflakes. In 1915 snowflakes 10cm across fell in Berlin, and in Montana in 1887 flakes 38cm (15 inches) across were recorded.

But if snow is made of ice (which is clear or possibly slightly blue), why is snow dazzling white? Well the reason is because of the complex structure of snowflake crystals. Light rays bounce around from one crystal of ice to another, randomly until they find their way out. Because of the very short distances between the reflective surfaces the light rays are efficiently scattered and none are absorbed, and if no light is absorbed then a substance appears white.

If we do have a few flakes this Christmas then you can amaze your friends with how much you now know about snow!

All together now…’I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…’

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Food and Drink

Choice Wines: France Château la Tulipe de la Garde is a much-respected winery that continues to receive prestigious awards for their wine productions and is situated between Saint-Émilion and the Dordogne River, in the Bordeaux region of France. Dating from the middle of the 14th century, the estate was purchased by Dutch rock star, writer-composer, Ilja Gort, during 1994. Having only a small amount of knowledge about winemaking, but wanting to live in a peaceful environment, Ilja developed the family business and can be justifiably proud of all achievements. Located north-east of Bordeaux, the climate of this area enjoys a good amount of sunshine and grows numerous grape varietals, with high-quality grapes, for producing exceptional wines.

Château la Tulipe Bordeaux Supérieur is an excellent blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes. Aged in French oak barrels, this production has an intense red colour. Ripe, dark fruits, are in abundance for the bouquet. The smooth, dry palate sensations follow through, with a most impressive finish, to complete. A very pleasant and popular wine, having a richness to savour.

The Company also produces wines under the ‘Slurp’ label. Slurp Cabernet Syrah Red has Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes utilised to great advantage. Ripe and juicy, this wine has many ‘followers’, being easy-drinking and with positive flavours. Smooth and popular, this production has a good body and is well-balanced. Slurp Chardonnay also has a good number of ‘devotees’.

Again, excellent value and enjoyed both on its own and at many dining occasions, this wine will not disappoint, either. A medium-intense, dry, white production, which has a modest floral bouquet, leading to the mouth’s pleasures and the palate’s appreciated enjoyment. Easy-drinking and pleasing to many wine lovers.

For all details, plus availability and very interesting information about this winery and the impressive productions, which accompany a lot of cuisine, wonderfully, please visit: www.tulipe.co.uk www.tulipe.nl www.slurp.nu

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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COMPETITION

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Sweeney Entertainments Presents

The Best of Wham Bedford Corn Exchange

Saturday 13th January 2018, 8pm Tickets £19.50 in advance

We are giving away 2 x tickets to the show!

Simply send your entry by 16th December 2017 to: Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The winner will be drawn at random.

BEST OF WHAM COMPETITION ENTRY To win 2 free tickets to see The Best of Wham on Saturday 13th January complete your details below:

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A ‘Fantastic’ new show featuring the best of George, Andrew, Pepsi and Shirlie with sensational vocals, choreography, costumes and an awesome live band.

Can it really be 37 years since George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley formed one of the most enduring pop groups of the 80s? In four short years WHAM! sold more than 28 million records, topping the charts with three albums, four number one singles and eleven top ten hits. They featured in the Live Aid concert of 1985 and were the first western pop group to ever tour in China. Their impact and influence on the 80s era and music today really cannot be over emphasised. The Best of WHAM! Show includes all those hits, a few B side favourites and a couple of early George Michael bonus songs.

This fun-loving, vibrant, megamix tribute to the pop sensation of the 80s will be loved by ‘Young Guns’ of all ages, so come along to the ‘Club Tropicana’ (*sorry, Drinks not free!)

This is a fully seated show.

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Hello 2018 Celebrate New Year’s Eve Live music from Encore from 9.30pm No tickets needed Join us for a drink and a dance, or book a table to eat with us 01767 260221 www.coachhousepotton.co.uk TCH NYE 2017 HP ad.indd 1

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13/11/2017 17:27

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Finance

How to Plan for the Boxing Day Sales Boxing Day is generally regarded as the biggest sales day of the year in the retail industry, so if you’re heading to the shops it’s worthwhile taking time to plan well in advance. A practical approach will help you focus on the best deals and take advantage of the fact that goods will be at a fraction of their normal price.

One of the major problems of sales shopping is the sheer number of offers available, and it’s very easy to be distracted once you start. So what steps can you take in advance to help you get the most out of your day, and also protect your finances for the year ahead?

Before you start high street or online shopping • Find out the store opening times before you go - they vary on Boxing Day, with some shops remaining closed. You can find this information from a store’s website and social media pages, along with details of the items that might be included in the sale.

• If you’re shopping online, save the home page of each store into your computer, along with the product codes of any items you’re interested in. This enables you buy quickly, as soon as the goods are available.

• Check out the returns policy for each store as you may have to pay for the returns postage and packing yourself. If you’re shopping on the high street you need to keep all your receipts, and the store’s returns policy should be printed on the back.

Planning your spending According to the Centre for Retail Research¹, the total Christmas spend per household in 2016 was £809.97.

Even if you don’t spend this much on Christmas, it’s an expensive time of year when you also factor in credit card bills for the sales.

If you’re not able to repay the balance at the end of the month, you may find the savings you’ve made are suddenly reduced. So what can you do to alleviate the strain on your finances and make sure you don’t find yourself in unmanageable debt in the New Year?

• Stay within your budget Calculate how much you can afford to spend on Boxing Day, and stick to it. By focusing only on the items you want, you won’t overstretch yourself financially.

• Use comparison websites to find the best price Compare prices online before you head out to the shops if there’s something in particular you’re looking for – this can save a lot of time and money.

• Be wary of signing up for store cards Signing up for a store card at the till can seem like a good idea. You access further reductions on the cost but interest rates on these cards can be extremely

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high, so it may not be worthwhile doing so in the long-run.

Pay off more than just the minimum amount Paying off only the minimum amount from your credit card each month means your sales purchases will cost significantly more than anticipated. Banks and credit card providers set the minimum amount as a percentage of the balance, so as you repay, this minimum required payment drops.

This not only increases profits for the banks but adds considerably to your debt in the long-term, and can be the start of serious financial problems – not an ideal situation when you consider the items were purchased with a view to saving money.

Are 0% interest credit cards a good idea?

Balance transfer cards offering 0% interest for a fixed period of time are a good way to deal with large purchases. If you buy the goods on your ‘standard’ credit card and then transfer the balance over you can save a significant amount in interest, but there are also potential drawbacks: • If you miss a single payment on a 0% credit card, the provider will withdraw their offer and you’re likely to be charged an extremely high rate of interest in its place.

• Fees are charged when you originally transfer a balance – usually a percentage of the amount transferred.

• Credit card providers are often owned by larger banking institutions, and it’s unlikely you’ll be accepted for a balance transfer offer if you already hold a card connected to the group.

At the time of writing, the best 0% balance transfer deals include: • Barclaycard: up to 40 months, with a fee of 1.68% (you’re not guaranteed 40 months at 0%, however).

• MBNA: up to 39 months with a 1.48% fee (as with the Barclaycard example above, there is no guarantee that you’ll be offered the full 39-month term).

• Sainsbury’s: 33 months, guaranteed if accepted, 0.59% fee plus £20 cash back.

• Virgin Money: 30 months guaranteed on acceptance, with a fee of 0.55%.

Whether you’re purchasing a specific item or buying birthday presents for the year ahead, the Boxing Day sales represent a great way to save money. Planning ahead helps you stay in control of your spending in the face of temptation, and manage your finances without entering serious debt.

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Food and Drink

Beer and festive food Christmas is essentially about four things: presents, family, food and drink. Alas there’s not much advice we can offer on family (try and be nice) or the presents but we’ve got you covered for food and drink, with beer claiming a place at the Christmas dinner table.

Aperitif - Before we start gobbling turkey, how about an aperitif? The beer needs to be dry, bubbly and blonde. Lagers, blonde and golden ales offer a range of flavours from herbal, pine and bready to spicy, citrus and tropical fruit. Serve in a champagne flute to match the occasion.

Starters - For festive fish and seafood, you’re spoilt for choice. Wheat beers, particularly Belgian witbiers, are adept at bringing out the best in fish.

Often brewed with coriander and orange peel they’re spritzy, citrusy and perfectly complement any fish that’s enhanced with a squeeze of lemon, such as salmon. Lagers, like wheat beers, do a fine job of complementing delicate flavours and their effervescence cuts through any oily fish and cleanse the palate, leaving you ready for the next bite.

Main - So which beer with turkey? Its soft, easy flavours make great partners for sweet milds, gentle bitters and lagers. Keep it mellow and go for something with bittersweet balance. Saisons are also a very good option. Their herbal, spicy and tart notes complementing, but not overwhelming, the meat. The spiciness scores a direct hit with the stuffing while their sweetness contrasts the bitterness of Brussels sprouts. Finally, along comes sparkly carbonation and a subtle peppery bitterness,

which will cut through the fatty textures and sweep the palate clean. Well done saisons.

If goose is the family festive favourite a full-flavoured Trappist or Abbey beer has the necessary oomph to complement this more gamey bird especially with its bigger flavoured accompaniments such as chestnuts or red cabbage.

If duck is your bird of choice it just has to be a glass of Kwak, a Belgian strong ale. View that one as your very own Christmas cracker joke pairing.

Dessert and cheese - Christmas day desserts vary from house-to-house, but the overwhelming favourite is Christmas pudding. This is heaven sent with stouts and porters, the same creamy dry flavours being present in both. Barley wines are also worth an outing. Not forgetting mince pies, where the warm, complex, sweet and spicy qualities of strong ales will complement these crumbly Christmas classics.

Then there’s the array of cheeses and the beers to match. Not to mention all manner of chocolate delights, where you can complement with the harmonising chocolate notes of stouts and porters, or wonderfully contrast the sweetness with the sour smack of a lambic kriek – which is akin to creating a Black Forest gateau one mouthful at a time.

Find the perfect festive beers with Beer Match, our online tool that matches brilliant beers to your favourite dishes. Having the right beer for your top food has never been so easy.

Discover more at www.beerforthat.com

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The team at The Villager would like to wish all readers and advertisers a very

Merry Christmas

and a

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Happy New Year

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Time of Year

A History of

Christmas Decorations Every year we go with the children to choose a new Christmas tree decoration. We don’t do themed trees in our house so our annual tree is a history of the kids’ eclectic and often eccentric tastes down the years. Traditional inherited hand blown glass ornaments nestle alongside a plastic gingerbread man, a gaudy fairy in striped tights, a robot, a festive dachshund, and a host of other unlikely characters.

Every year is a delight of discovery as my teens and preteens unpack, reminisce and tease each other over their past choices.

But where did the idea of decorations originate and how did they evolve into what they’ve now become?

Tinsel originated in Germany in the early 1600s.

Back then it was made from real shredded silver.

Tinsel makers hammered the silver until it was thin, then cut it into strips. It was so popular that tinsel machines were invented to keep up with demand.

Clearly silver was a little expensive and eventually the plastic variety took over.

We have the Germans to thank for baubles. They were invented in the 1840s by Hans Greiner.

His original glass fruit and nuts developed into beautiful ornate ornaments which so charmed Queen Victoria that she brought them back to Britain.

As they were all hand-crafted the first, baubles were very expensive. Improvements in plastic manufacturing meant that cheaper versions became available, and baubles became available to the masses.

The green fir tree was originally used by Pagans and Christians to celebrate winter. Pagans used branches of the fir tree to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as a reminder that spring would come again. The Christians adopted them later.

The tradition of Christmas trees seems to have originated about 1000 years ago in Northern Europe. They were

often hung upside down from the rafters. In modern times improved manufacturing techniques have allowed for the production of artificial trees which can be very difficult to tell from the real thing!

In Victorian times, Christmas trees were been decorated with candles. In 1895, an American man, Ralph Morris, was so concerned about the fire hazard of candles and Christmas trees that he invented the first electric Christmas lights, which are similar to those still in use today.

Over the years there have been glass and plastic variations of reindeers, stars, fruit, butterflies, birds and even festive dachshunds (see above!) but the debate still rages about whether there should be an angel or a star on top of the tree.

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Merry Christmas

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Lifestyle

By Sarah Davey

The Jigsaw Revival I was Christmas shopping recently and for the first time in many years found myself browsing jigsaw puzzles. I was mesmerised by the number of different types and designs. There were funny ones, quirky ones, puzzles with irregular-shaped pieces, gloriously beautiful reproductions of famous works of art, extra-tricky pictures of boxes of sweets, or baked beans, and some fabulous three-dimensional puzzles. These were not the jigsaws of my youth. The jigsaws I remember came in faded boxes with boring photos of country cottages, or a generic blue-green landscape on the lid. No, these jigsaws looked enticing and exciting.

A jigsaw revival seems to have taken place and I had somehow missed it.

Jigsaws actually originated in the late 18th century, when European map makers pasted maps on to wood and cut them into pieces. They were a useful way to teach children about geography.

Puzzles as an adult pastime emerged around 1900.

They were expensive because each piece was cut individually, but they quickly became popular social pursuits in country houses for weekend parties.

As production became cheaper they became popular with the masses too. In the interwar period of the 1920s-1930s many companies used them as advertising gimmicks. Lots of jigsaws from that period depict black and white photographs of factories and workers or products. We aren’t talking high art here but if you come across them in charity shops they possess their own charm.

Jigsaws can be a silent and calming activity, or

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done in pairs or groups they can be sociable affairs. They are also gloriously cheap compared with other forms of entertainment, which explains why weekly cardboard puzzles became a national obsession in the US after the economic crash of 1929.

In our own current slow economy and extended period of austerity jigsaws seem to be gaining in popularity again. Like adult colouring books they are absorbing and stimulating but not overly demanding so can be seen a mindful activity and as such may be beneficial to our mental health.

Dame Margaret Drabble the author became a fan of jigsaws when her husband was undergoing extensive treatment for cancer. She couldn’t concentrate on books or crossword puzzles but jigsaws helped her to focus. She says they gave her an illusion of control, creating order from chaos during a period of intense stress, and she feels they actually saved her sanity. She wrote a book, ‘The Pattern on the Carpet,’ about her personal experience.

Our own queen is said to be a huge jigsaw fan.

Apparently she borrows regularly from the The British Jigsaw Puzzle Library. This wonderful institution houses thousands of beautiful hand cut wooden jigsaw puzzles, which can be borrowed.

Membership for the jigsaw enthusiast in your life, along with Drabble’s book might be a rather inspired Christmas present this year perhaps?

Happy Puzzling

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Fiddle Daemons Violins, Violas, Cellos, Bass

Contact: Jackie@fiddledaemons.com 01767682693 or 07814970635 Professional repairs, restorations and set ups Quality instruments for sale and hire to suit all ages and experience Part exchanges possible and instruments purchased Free valuations

Red Berry Crafts is a craft supply company based in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, working with local crafters around Stotfold, Biggleswade and the surrounding areas. We supply crafters and creators who want a range of supplies for projects big and small. Our blank craft shapes are cut from either Plywood or MDF in various sizes and shapes for you to create great works in whatever style you decide; whether you want to paint them, cover them, use them to embellish your gifts, make plaques, pictures, decorate your home or garden, use them for pyrography, frames, toys, stands for models, the list goes on and on as far as your imagination takes you!

As we produce the products here we also take orders for custom cut items for all occasions, so if you want something special please contact us to discuss your requirement.

And because we can’t resist making new items, we always have a selection of decorations, signs and one off designs for sale.

www.RedBerryCrafts.co.uk www.facebook.com/redberrycrafts RedBerryCraftsUK.etsy.com 22Red Berry Crafts HP advert.indd

1

Check out our webpage, Facebook, and Etsy shop or ring us to discuss your needs or arrange a viewing.

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts 14/09/2017 11:13

Health & Beauty

By Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

Tis the season to party Handbag essentials to transform you from frazzled office worker to fabulous partygoer in minutes.

Work deadlines plus shopping, wrapping, cooking and dealing with family life can leave you feeling rather frazzled. Try a spritz of Tisserand DeStress Mist to keep the tension down.

The blend of calming essential oils, including geranium, orange, nutmeg, rose and jasmine smells lovely and really does seem to help soothe the senses. Not keen on sprays? The blend is also available as a roller-ball. The DeStress Mist is priced at £8.95 and the De-Stress Rollerball at £5.95, from www.tisserand.com.

Dry, chapped lips are not a good look and matte lipsticks often highlight the problem. Clarins’ Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector is a great alternative.

It’s available in several shades and leaves lips feeling soft, hydrated and plumped, while adding a touch of colour and shine. It is more of a gloss than a lipstick, so the colour and shine won’t last for hours, but it’s well worth the extra applications. A full-sized Lip Perfector is £18, but if you’re quick you may be able to snap up a mini one for a bargain price with one of Clarins’ Christmas giftsets, see www.clarins.co.uk.

You can’t have failed to notice that brows are having their moment in the spotlight. Whether you prefer a bold bushy arch à la Lily Collins or something a bit more streamlined, a good brow pencil is invaluable. High Definition’s Browtec Pencil is a great choice. It has a fine, retractable tip so you can achieve precise strokes; it’s topped with a brush; and the colour stays put all day. £16 from www.beautyinhighdefinition.com.

High Definition has also released a Limited Edition Copper Eyeshadow Palette that’s definitely deserving of a place in your arsenal. The rose gold, copper and bronze shades work beautifully together to create a look that’s perfect for parties.

The three shades come with a mirror and doubleheaded brush, all housed in a very compact case. £23.50, www.beautyinhighdefinition.com.

Don’t fancy carrying your makeup loose in your handbag? Christmas is the perfect time to treat yourself to a new cosmetics bag. On a bit of a tight budget? Lots of gift sets have a case included for free, or check out TK Maxx for luxury options at a fraction of the price. Pencil cases also do the job just as well, with the added advantage of often being waterproof. The Paperchase Glamingo Pencil Case is just £7. The extra pocket at the front is perfect for makeup brushes and other extras.

See www.paperchase.co.uk.

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Beey-uou-t!iful Come and visit us this December in our warm and welcoming salon.

Our new treatment rooms are cosy and modern, watch out for phase 2 refurb in the new year!

We hope to see you for some Christmas sparkle this December.

You can find us at 54 Church Street, Baldock, SG7 5AF and contact us on 01462 894050 or www.belleandbeebeauty.co.uk Like us on facebook to see our latest news and offers.

Give us a call or come in to see us and book your appointment.

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Mobile Foot Health Practitioner

Lucy E. Hobbs-Morris BA (hons), MCFHP, MAFHP telephone: 01462 641113 mobile: 07795 030774 email: hobbs_lucy@hotmail.com

Some of the problems I can help you with Toenail Cutting Thick nails Ingrown nails Corns Callous Cracked Heels Fungal Nails Diabetic Footcare Fully registered and insured 12 years experience

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Local News

Have you or someone you know had a stroke?

Would you like more mobility and independence?

Gift Voucher

Physiotherapy can help stroke rehabilitation enormously.

Our dedicated team of friendly, qualified physios is specifically trained to help stroke patients after a stroke. At The Herts MS Therapy Centre in Letchworth, we understand the physical and psychological effects people can experience after a stroke. You will usually be seen within 48 hours of calling us.

Margaret has had two strokes – the last one was 16 months ago and had a significant impact on one side of her body.

In hospital, she was told that she would never walk again – or stand again.

Her sessions with our physio, Ben, have literally changed her life. After six months, Margaret can stand to see herself

in her bedroom mirror… and she can walk a short way with sticks and supervision. Her refusal to listen to those who said she could no longer improve, and her hard work and determination are making a huge difference to her quality of life. “Coming to the Centre has given me hope again,” says Margaret.

Next year, Margaret will take part in the London Marathon! Karen Ryall, one of the Herts MS Therapy runners, will carry Margaret’s photo with her as she completes the 26.2 miles. Margaret’s strength and determination will motivate Karen to keep going.

The funds that Karen raises will help us to help more people like Margaret.

If you or someone you know would like to maximise their recovery after stroke, call 01462 684 214 to find out more. We are specialists in Physiotherapy and Stroke Recovery. We’re here to help.

To arrange your therapy and redeem your voucher, please contact us on 01462 684 214 or email us at: enquiries123@hmstc.net.

This Voucher entitles the bearer to a free Assessment or Therapy session.

Therapy: Physio / Oxygen / APS Pain Reduction / Specialist Exercise

31st March 2018 Expiry date: .............................................................................................

The Villager Reference: ...............................................................................................

Please visit our website for terms and conditions: www.hertsmstherapy.org.uk/vouchers

Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre (Registered Charity 299524), 30 Campus Five, Letchworth, Herts, SG6 2JF

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Hobbies

Quirky Britain THE HIGH STREET SHOPS WHERE IT’S CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR ROUND Are you one of those people who starts looking forward to next Christmas as soon as the decorations are packed away? Thanks to a growing British shopping trend, you can now enjoy Christmas all year round.

A growing number of retailers are trying out all-year Christmas shopping, with many of the more successful stores located in areas known for attracting tourists. In Stratford-Upon-Avon, The Nutcracker Christmas shop - with its range of festive ornaments - makes a lively contrast to the staid Shakespeare souvenirs on sale elsewhere.

The shop is part of a small family business founded

by Robert Newman in 2001. Robert had intended to open a small gift shop, but a visit to a trade gift show in Birmingham opened his eyes to the huge potential for selling festive goods. He now owns a chain of Christmas stores in England and Scotland.

Lisa Hill-Whyte, owner of the Isle of Wight’s Jingle Bells Christmas shop, was inspired to open her business in 2009 after visiting Christmas stores in Austria and America. She began by filling an adjoining tea room with Christmas merchandise during the winter months, but her idea proved so popular that she was able to realise her dream of selling festive goods for most of the year.

Her Shanklin store now stays open seven days a week, from March to Christmas Eve. Lisa says: “We do as much business in April as we do in December and our busiest months are July, August and September.”

Lisa’s policy is to stock items that are “a little bit special”, so customers can personalise their Christmas tree decorations. As a result she has had some unusual requests: “Some customers ask

for a certain animal that you wouldn’t necessarily expect at Christmas – such as a fish, raccoon, tiger, elephant, sheep, cow or fox. The list is long, but I have found all these and others. I haven’t been caught out yet!”

So what attracts shoppers to buy Christmas items at a time of the year when the festive season should be furthest from our thoughts? Hayley Corden from Bromsgrove sees it as part of the tourist experience. She says: “Whenever we go away we always try to buy a Christmas tree decoration. It’s lovely to look at your Christmas tree and remember all the places you’ve been.”

James Tunstall from Newquay, Cornwall, enjoys the “magical feeling” he gets in a Christmas shop.

He says: “I love to browse out of season. It’s about recalling the Christmasses you had as a child, and these shops bring it all back.”

However, some shoppers are very far from experiencing nostalgia when they see festive goods on sale out of season. Whilst enjoying a summer holiday in Dorset, Tracy Whelbourne from Chesterfield was shocked to find Christmas decorations on sale: “So there we were, enjoying the sunny weather, and what do I see? A Christmas shop, open, with customers inside! Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier these days, and seeing it made me really cross.”

Whether the sight of a high street Christmas shop thrills you with memories of childhood Christmasses past or makes you boil with rage, it seems that from now on - should they so choose - fans of the festive season will be able to shop for Santa stockings, advent calendars and shiny baubles whenever they want.

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Local News

New Yoga & Mindfulness Programmes

for Children & Teens “If you really want to change your life and open up opportunities, learning to practice mindfulness is one of the most dramatically effective things you can do …”

Mental Health Foundation The specialist department for mindfulness at the Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living has, until recently, focused primarily on teaching adults. In the New Year, however, the Centre plans to introduce a range of new mindfulness programmes aimed at children and young people. The courses will teach them effective tools and

techniques for improving concentration, managing stress and anxiety.

Programmes include sessions for 11-16 year olds held on Wednesday afternoons (17.30-19.00) starting 10th January, and sessions for 7-11 year olds held on Friday afternoons (16.30-18.00) beginning on 12th January.

Single session tasters for both age groups will be held in early January.

Very young children, too, can benefit from calming classes at the Letchworth Centre, in particular the new Friday

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morning yoga sessions for 2-4 year olds, which start on 12th January (10.00-10.40).

Find out more about classes, therapies and counselling at www.letchworthcentre.org or call 01462 678804.

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Travel

Canada Through the leafy gorge of the river Don the city rises like a mirage on the horizon, a gleaming cluster of buildings dwarfed by the slender silhouette of the CN Tower. At just over 553 metres, Toronto’s communication tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the Western hemisphere and the city’s most iconic landmark. Lifts take you to the observation platform with its glass floor said to withstand the weight of 14 hippos and provide access to the SkyPod 100 metres above. The view takes your breath away, from the wooded ravines and sprawling city to the meandering shore of Lake Ontario and the lush ribbon of islands where town folks can escape and connect with nature. In clear weather the spray from Niagara Falls, over 70 km away, is visible.

But before making your way to the Falls, as most visitors do, it is worth spending time in this ‘most lovable’ North American city with record temperatures of highs and lows but on the same latitude as the French Riviera. Trams glide through the streets at a leisurely pace, tulips nod in the parks and hundreds of rooftop gardens, now compulsory in all major developments, freshen up the air.

The original settlers, known as First Nation, had long lived in the area when Europeans arrived in the early 17th century. The French set up a fur trade but were later replaced by the British, who bought the land from the First Nation for the princely sum of £1,700 plus merchandise. Yet it was only with the arrival of the railway in the mid19th century that the city truly blossomed.

According to BBC Radio, Toronto is ‘one of the world’s most diverse cities’, home to 230 nationalities, speaking 160 languages and

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By Solange Hando

Glimpses of Toronto accounting for an inner city population of 2.8 million. So Ontario’s provincial capital is larger than Ottawa or any other Canadian city. But laid out as it is on a grid pattern, it is surprisingly easy to explore on foot, from the business centre to Little Italy, China Town, Portugal Village or the bustling Dundas Square on Yonge Street, the place for casual eating, nightlife and cheap theatre tickets. Old and new mingle effortlessly: here the historic Parliament and University buildings, there the old City Hall with a clock tower reminiscent of Big Ben, the stylish harmonious complex of the New City Hall, just steps away, the multi-purpose Rogers Centre, home to the Blue Jays baseball team and concert venue - think Madonna or the Rolling Stones - or the Union Station opened by the Prince of Wales in 1927. Markets beckon with local colour, St Lawrence for fresh produce, Kensington for all things hippy, arty and cool, while the ultimate shopping therapy is found in the vast Eaton Centre. For top designer wear or celebrity spotting, however, it’s the Mink Mile in the Bloor-Yorkville district. Then you can wander the cobbled lanes of the Distillery Historic District, lined with bakeries and micro-breweries, visit the Royal Ontario Museum or the Ripley’s Aquarium where you can pet a stingray, or chill out under pink parasols on the imported sands of Sugar Beach.

Then there are restaurants and ice cream parlours, coffee and cake shops, but sooner or later the lake calls you back with ferries to the islands and boats cruising nonchalantly along the harbour front, past the mighty CN Tower which dominates the skyline wherever you are in Toronto.

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WINDOW REPAIRS

Serving all of Herts - Based in Stevenage Specialising in replacing misted units

BEFORE AFTER email: info@jmlwindows.co.uk website: www.jmlwindows.co.uk 07977 911 926 / 01438 906300 • Misted/broken double glazed units • Sticking doors or windows adjusted • Broken/loose handles • Leaded or Georgian units replaced • Hinges for gapping windows • Leaks fixed • All types of locks replaced • Energy saving Planitherm glass • Cat/dog flaps in glass or panels • Door re-alignments Visit our website for over 30 customer reviews To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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We build our mortgages around you All homes are different. The same applies to the need for home financing.

Therefore we offer individual and flexible solutions for all your mortgage needs and requirements. We can find a financial solution to suit your needs whether buying a new home or remortgaging.

Julie Donnelly - Individual Banking Manager Tel: 01462 441488, email: judo01@handelsbanken.co.uk

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

handelsbanken.co.uk/hitchin Handelsbanken is the trading name of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). Registered Office: Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ), 3 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1WY. Registered in England and Wales No, BR 000589. Incorporated in Sweden with limited liability. Registered in Sweden No, 502007-7862. Head Office in Stockholm. Authorised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.

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Food & Drink

Kill or Cure!

Hangover cures to die for…possibly for real!

It’s the morning after the night before! You feel as though Santa and all his reindeer are performing a festive version of Riverdance on top of your head. So you reach for a hangover cure…

How about pickled sheep eyeballs washed down with a tomato juice and brine cocktail? Mongolians swear by it apparently…rather them than me!

In ancient Ireland hangover sufferers were buried in wet river sand. It was said to cure the worst of the symptoms. I’ll pass thanks.

A college friend swore by a concoction he called ‘Prairie Oyster’: Crack an egg into a glass without breaking the yolk, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and swallow whole. Even watching him drink it was enough to send me and my lurching stomach running for the bathroom.

Personally I have always found that if I’ve overdone the celebrations at a party then drinking a large

glass of water before I turn in for the night really helps. In the morning I drink more water with a recommended dose of paracetamol. If your stomach is a bit sensitive you can try an antacid to calm it down, then if possible go back to bed.

When you are ready to eat something try a banana. They are easily digestible and help to replace lost minerals, though many people do swear by a fry-up. Possibly the saltiness and protein-rich foods (bacon, eggs and beans) help there. The Scandinavian equivalent is pickles and fish but I suspect you really do have to be Swedish to entertain that notion.

The only way to completely avoid a hangover is to avoid alcohol. But most of us like a drink at Christmas so the best advice is to drink in moderation, don’t mix drinks (wine or beer, not both), and alternate alcoholic tipples with soft drinks. That way you’ll enjoy the morning after as well as the night before.

By Monica Cox

Support Workers £8.85 per hour Nurses £18.00 per hour

Team Leaders £11.00 per hour Neuro Rehab and Dementia Care has never looked so good, or been better rewarded, start your new career today Visit www.marbrook.co.uk/recruitment or call 01480 273 273 The Marbrook Centre | Phoenix Park, Eaton Socon, St Neots PE19 8EP | @TheMarbrookCentre | @MarbrookRehab

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33

THE WALKERS PARTNERSHIP SOLICITORS

DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A WILL OR REVISE YOUR EXISTING WILL? If so, please take advantage of our reduced rate wills offer.

Please note that reduced rate wills will be available every week day from 8.00am until 6.00pm, and on Tuesday evenings until 8.00pm, by appointment only.

Also on the Saturday morning of 9th DECEMBER and 6th and 20th JANUARY, again by appointment only: Reduced rates are:Double Wills - £250.00 plus VAT Single Will - £130.00 plus VAT HOME VISITS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT NO EXTRA CHARGE WITHIN A 20 MILE RADIUS OF ROYSTON. For more information please contact:Fish Hill Chambers, 2-3 Fish Hill, Royston, Herts, SG8 9JY Tel: 01763 241121 t.donnellan@walkerspartnership.co.uk

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TEMPLARS CROSS LODGE www.templarscrosslodge.co.uk Close to Baldock town centre in spacious surroundings this motel style Bed & Breakfast offers off road parking.

• CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST • LARGE LUXURY EN-SUITE ROOMS • FREE WIFI INTERNET ACCESS • SKY TV/DVD PLAYER • FRIDGE IN ROOM • PRIVATE LOCATION • CLOSE TO TRAIN STATION • MAJOR CREDIT CARDS TAKEN

Tel: 07970 162753

Email: ami@amcofm.co.uk or sally@amcofm.co.uk North Road, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 5DN

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The History of

Special

Christmas Traditions

Every year, some people mourn the loss of traditional, more faithbased Christmas celebrations. Yet most December 25th traditions are far less Christian and much more recently adopted in the UK than they may think.

Celebrating on December 25th Jesus’ birth date isn’t documented and the gospels of Matthew and Luke, written long after his death, give contradictory clues. Some scholars say the sheep on the hillside and the census suggest good weather, indicating spring to early autumn. So why is Christmas celebrated on the 25th of December?

Midwinter festivals abounded by the time Christianity took hold. There were winter solstice celebrations such as Yule and Koleda, and the Roman festivals of Saturnalia (which included decorating your home with evergreens – sound familiar?) and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, ‘birthday of the unconquered sun’, on December 25th. It was easier for early proponents of Christianity to introduce it into these longstanding festivals than to persuade people to give them up.

The first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine, began celebrating Christmas on December 25th in 336.

A few years later, Pope Julius I declared it the official date to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Some scholars believe he also chose this date to honour Hanukkah and Jesus’ own religion, Judaism.

Orthodox and Coptic Christians celebrate Jesus’s birth on January the 7th - the ‘original’ December 25th. Our December 25th moved when we adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752.

Yule Logs Today, Yule logs have been mainly superseded by logshaped chocolate cakes here, but neither are connected to Jesus’ birth. Yule logs were part of the Scandinavian Yule celebration, beginning at the winter solstice and running into January. Yule logs were burned to mark the return of the sun and festivities continued until they burned out.

Celts also burned a Yule log, believing it persuaded the sun to return and bestowed good luck on those who dragged it from the forest.

Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe Evergreens were used in winter solstice festivals to bring good luck and signify the coming spring. The tradition of hanging mistletoe in the house is an ancient Druid custom to ward off evil spirits, but in Norse mythology it’s also a symbol of love (hence kissing under the mistletoe).

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Christmas Pudding The original ‘Christmas pudding’ was frumenty, a thin 14th century porridge containing raisins, currants, prunes, wine, spices, beef and mutton. However, by around 1650, people ate plum pudding, and by Victorian times, it was similar to the modern-day Christmas pud.

The Christmas Tree Evergreen fir trees have been used in winter festivals for thousands of years to symbolise the coming spring and everlasting life, although they were often hung upside down from the ceiling rather than stood upright. ‘Christmas trees’ emerged in the 1500s in town squares but took time to come into people’s houses. The Royal Family had one from Georgian times, but an 1848 photo of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their family gathered around theirs popularised the idea.

A Merry Christmas Christmas wasn’t celebrated widely in the UK until the Middle Ages, when it was predominantly a time for merrymaking and feasting on animals too expensive to feed through winter. It was later banned for many years by the Puritans for its Pagan origins. It began to recover in Georgian times with a focus on charity and gift-giving, paving the way for the idealised Victorian Christmas described by Charles Dickens.

Alison Runham ww.alison.runham.co.uk 35

Inventions

By Sarah Davey

Toys! Toys! Toys The song goes, ‘It’s the holiday season, And Santa Claus has got a toy, For every good girl and good little boy…’ But which toys?

Luvabella: Unless you are completely doll-phobic (the word is pediophobe people!) this will enchant any little girl and probably a few boys. This is an AI Furby-made-human. The more she’s played with the more she responds. She moves her arms and legs and has an amazingly expressive face.

She will even start saying a few words. The fact I was totally creeped out does not mean this won’t sell-out everywhere between here and Jupiter, so buy early!

VTech Kidizoom Flix: If you are not enamoured with the creepy little Luvabella then try Flix. He’s a funky friendly little alien with face recognition software installed so he can recognise your child.

You can change his eyes and skin colour and he

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has a camera and video so you can carry out secret reconnaissance missions. He detaches from his tripod and comes in pink or blue.

Lego: You cannot go wrong with Lego, for any age and either sex. The trend for programmable toys this year continues with Lego Boost. Five models this is Vernie the robot - which can be brought to life by coding using a free app.

Experimake Sludge and Slime: A great take on the science kit. Icky gooey experiments that kids and lots of adults will enjoy playing with.

SoundMoovz: One for the whole family. Wearable, app-connected motion-activated musical bandz.

Move your wrists and ankles to create beats, rhythms and music, layer your beat onto a song and connect to a wireless speaker for even louder fun. Watching Grandma showing off her moves will add to the holiday spirit.

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We take time to listen and find the best way forward Contact us to arrange your free initial 30 minute visit (We are happy to come to you for a small extra charge)

Wills Our staff have successfully drafted Wills for many years; truly we are experts.

£135 inc. Single Will

£199 inc. Mirror Wills

Probate

Helping you prove a Will after death.

£545 inc. Plus Court fees [unless it is a huge estate] to obtain a Grant of Probate from the Court

Lasting Power of Attorney Arranging for a relative/friend to act on your behalf if you lose mental capacity.

£350 inc. Plus Court fees to draft & register with Public Guardian Office Contact us for some friendly advice: 01462 674767 Abbeyhill 507 Broadway Letchworth SG6 3PT mhprobateservices@gmail.com

Experts in Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury Claims We are a highly specialised firm of solicitors based in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. We were founded in 1988 and we practice exclusively in the fields of clinical negligence and personal injury law. Our highly experienced team of solicitors take on cases concerning inappropriate medical treatment of all kinds.

We deal with claims against GPs, hospital Trusts, dentists and other health care professionals in the NHS and in the private sectors. Director Vicki Seabrook has particular expertise in high value brain injured infant cases.

Director Marc Folgate specialises in high value personal injury claims including claims involving brain and spinal injuries, complex regional pain syndrome, orthopaedic injuries and polytrauma. Marc also specialises in accidents at work.

Call us free with no obligation on

We are happy to be instructed under Conditional Fee Agreements (no win no fee) in appropriate cases and as a niche practice we represent clients nationwide.

www.sslaw.co.uk

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0800 195 9829

16/10/2017 12:31 37

Employment

Good relationships between employees and their managers are a positive factor in employees’ ability to balance work and family.

Employment Matters Employees who rate their organisation’s company’s overall commitment to wellbeing as good to high say this has a positive effect on the work life balance.

Employees who experience negative attitudes from their managers, peers and colleagues at work find it hinders their ability to balance work and family.

Organisations who consider their employees’ happiness and workplace wellbeing can gain the benefit of reduced absence and increased productivity. This is done not by following fad or fashion, but by understanding the real issues impacting all the workforce, and wherever possible, actually doing something about them.

Being a good listener is a positive step to promoting wellbeing at work and active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding.

A good communicator should enter any conversation with a flexible, open mind and committed to listening to and understanding the other person’s point of view, rather than simply getting their own message across. Being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with those who may disagree and have ideas of their own, produces more honest, productive conversations and potential improvements to the ‘way we do things around here’.

All those working in a business will find it easier to be more open to communicating if they are approached with respect for themselves, their skills,

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knowledge and experience and their ideas. Actions like using a person’s name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. If you are talking on the phone, avoid distractions like reading your emails or playing computer games, and stay focussed on the conversation.

Convey respect in every email by planning the content as if it was a business letter. Always use an opening salutation, don’t send a sloppily written, confusing email, or use it as a way of avoiding a face to face discussion on underperformance.

Being able to appropriately give and receive feedback is an important part of wellbeing at work in every role. Anyone with workers who report directly, or even indirectly, to them should continuously look for ways to provide those employees with constructive feedback, be it through face to face meetings, email, phone calls, or weekly status updates.

Giving feedback involves giving praise as well something as simple as saying “ that was a great job” or “thank you for taking care of that so well” to an employee can greatly increase the feeling of wellbeing and motivation.

We all spend a lot of time at work and by everyone committing to building and maintaining harmonious working relationships everyone’s level of wellbeing will increase.

Carol H Scott HR and Business Consulting Ltd

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CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT WESTGATE

Shop Late Every Thursday ‘til 8pm (from Thursday 30 November) OPEN Fri 22 Dec and Sat 23 Dec: 9am-8pm OPEN Christmas Eve: 10am-4pm* CLOSED Christmas Day OPEN Boxing Day: 9am-5pm* OPEN Wed 27 Dec to Sat 30 Dec: 9am-5.30pm OPEN Sun 31 Dec: 10am-4pm CLOSED New Year’s Day Normal trading hours thereafter *Check your favourite stores for individual opening hours

www.westgateshopping.co.uk @Westgate_Centre Westgate Shopping Centre

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Garden View

By Rachael Leverton

The

Christmas Wreath Until fairly recently in history, certainly up to Victorian times, people could never be certain they would safely survive the harsh winter. So they developed rituals and displays to help them get through the darker days. One such symbolic display of hope was the Christmas wreath. The circular shape is symbolic of eternity or everlasting life because it has no beginning or end. From a Christian perspective it represents the unending circle of life, with the traditional Holly as the thorns on Jesus’ crown and the red berries as his blood.

Now we hang them on our doors and use them as table centrepieces because they look wonderfully opulent and festive.

The word ‘wreath’ is linked to the word ‘wrist’, both words describing the form of a continuous circular shape. This became fused with ‘wrethe’ from middle English which means a twisted band or ring of leaves.

At this bleak time of year, it’s traditional to use evergreens and other brightly coloured flowers, foliage, or fruits to adorn a wreath. In past times the addition of expensive and rare fruits such as pomegranates, indicated wealth, but wreaths also included the display of pinecones, seashells and even imported products. Once the decorations

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were taken down, the edible parts would be eaten and the bounty of summer could be enjoyed in the depth of winter.

Making a wreath is fun and relatively easy. You can make a simple and cheap evergreen circle or push the boat out and create an elaborate bauble ring. You can buy a ring of flower-arrangers’ foam. Soak it in tepid water, and then stick sprigs of evergreen foliage from the garden, flowers, berries, dried fruits, nuts, and bows into it using wire if necessary.

Or you can make your own base by taking a ring of string wire and covering it in moss or hay. This will need to be held in place using thinner gauge wire.

You can then wire in foliage and decorations. I will just warn you about holly though; working with it can be a painful experience so wear gloves and maybe have a box of plasters handy!

If you want to try something different you can use a circle of pine cones, dried leaves, threaded popcorn and cranberries or woven red and yellow dogwood cut from your garden and interweaved with battery-operated lights. Use your gardener’s imagination.

Happy Gardening

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Garden

By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com

Get Real this Christmas Christmas is just around the corner and whilst your thoughts may be on gifts, meals, crackers and cards, don’t forget the tree. And I mean a REAL Christmas tree, complete with needles and, if you choose the traditional route, a wonderful aroma.

For those concerned about the impact on the planet, British-grown trees are most definitely not an ecological disaster zone - think of them as a crop plant rather like a field of cabbages, except that typically Christmas trees will use less fertiliser and fewer chemicals than many classic crop plants.

To make sure you get what suits you, there are a few things to think about before buying a tree.

The Norway spruce (Picea abies) is the traditional tree, with gorgeous, short dark green pointed needles and that unmistakable Christmassy aroma, but it is the most likely to drop its needles.

However, if well treated it won’t perform badly and it is the lowest-priced of the real trees.

The Serbian Spruce (Picea omorica) is quite similar to the Norway spruce and is the favourite festive tree in central Europe, with a distinct blueish tint to the underside of the needles. Typically slender, it is a good choice for smaller sitting rooms and has decent needle retention - but no smell.

The Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana) is now the biggest-selling Christmas tree in the UK. Its shiny green broad needles are quite soft and almost impossible to shift, so it’s ideal for those who hate mess!

The Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) is less widely available, but its combination of good looks and needleholding ability makes it worth considering. It has a narrower base than the Norway spruce so is also useful in smaller houses.

So, how do you choose the best tree of the type you’ve decided on and keep it looking good?

• Don’t buy a real tree too early.

• Opt for a tree produced by a member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association - look for the BCTGA logo.

• Choose a tree with a good, full shape, not lopsided and with minimal gaps. Check the needles - they should be glossy (for those varieties where this is a characteristic) and the correct colour. They must be free from pests and diseases - avoid anything yellowed or inclined to shed, or with white fluffy bits. Never buy an already netted tree since you can’t see what you’re getting!

• If you buy one quite early then the most important thing is to keep it outside - recut the end of the trunk and put the tree in a bucket of water in a sheltered spot outside. Remove any net as it is important to get air circulating around the needles.

• When you bring a tree inside, avoid putting it anywhere too warm or close to a heat source, and make sure that you use a stand with a water reservoir that is kept topped up.

When Christmas is over, make sure you recycle your tree - many councils and garden centres now offer this service.

Visit Pippa’s website for great gardening gifts: a stylish ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ gift card (a perfect Christmas present, where the recipient receives their chosen garden ready vegetable plants in the spring), gardening tools, raised bed kits, GrowerFrames, signed books and more!

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Time of Year

By Tracey Anderson

Plumb Crazy!

Within two months of moving to our current home just before Christmas last year, our loo developed a leak so we called a plumber. A fortnight later we developed a problem with the shower and called him back. Then all our radiators started leaking and the ground-floor toilet died. Keith the plumber was horrified at the ‘botched DIY’ which the previous owners had carried out and he carefully and systematically set about sorting out the almighty mess, and in return we parted with enough cash to fund his New Year holiday in Ibiza - only joking Keith!

Plumbing is best left to the experts and not just in an emergency. Changing a tap washer is one thing but DIY interference with plumbing systems can not only result in serious damage and expensive repair bills but a potential health hazard.

If you do fancy a spot of DIY please know that you are subject to the same regulations and controls as a professional. Everything connected to a water supply has to comply with statutory requirements and failure to do this may result in prosecution. In our case a stiff letter from a solicitor helped recoup some of our costs.

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), is the professional body for the UK plumbing and heating industry. Its 12,000 members abide by a code of professional standards.

They agree to: Perform professionally, competently and responsibly (including having adequate insurance) Safeguard the environment and public health and safety

Comply with all relevant laws, regulations, standards and codes Broaden, improve and maintain their skills and knowledge Uphold the dignity, standing of the institute and the plumbing, mechanical engineering services industry.

So how do you find a good plumber?

The best way is to ask around. Who do your friends and family use? We found Keith from a neighbour.

Use a member of the IHPE whose members have to hold qualifications or demonstrate extensive experience.

Get at least three written quotes and find out whether the plumber charges by the hour or per job.

Never pay up front and don’t be scared to ask questions. We actually didn’t have to ask many questions of Keith. He talked through all the issues and options before doing any work each time.

How to help yourself Know the location of and label the stop valve on the incoming supply main.

Locate, identify and label all other stop valves.

Know the location of any drain valves by which your water and / or heating system may be drained.

Properly insulate all exposed pipes.

Inspect your cold water tank regularly and if it is metal make sure there are no signs of corrosion.

Have your central heating serviced regularly. The IPHE recommends annual servicing.

Clean, safe water is one of the essentials of life. Use your local professional. Don’t leave to chance.

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Local News

Rehoming Appeal This month’s rescue animal looking for their forever home is Gizmo.

Gizmo is almost 9 years old and has a lively personality. He has been with us for some time now and it would be lovely to get him the special home that he deserves.

He needs a quiet, adult only home where he will make an ideal companion for someone who has the time and patience to spend with him.

Gizmo gets very anxious around other dogs, so he needs to be the only dog in the house.

If you could give this older boy the chance of a happy home, please contact Julie on 01763 289827 who will be happy to tell you more about him.

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

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

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Animal Stories

Pets

Happy re-homing...

Now that the darker nights are closing in and the cold is making us all a little grumpy – we thought that we’d cheer you up with some recent stories of successful re-homing. Hopefully these beautiful cats will warm the cockles of your heart and help you consider if you could open your home to an animal in need.

Ronald was only a scrawny kitten when he was found abandoned and full of fleas. Despite his tough start, he was cheeky and friendly – and lucky enough to find his forever home. We received this lovely message from his new family: “We just wanted to let you know how well Norman (previously known as Ronald) is getting along. He’s settled in so well with lots of cuddles, gobbling down lots of food and he is also getting along well with our other cat, Gertrude!

They play together, eat together and she’s even recently started grooming her new little brother!”

Another stunninglooking kitten was found trying to get a spray tan from a local salon! Sadly, she wasn’t claimed and so was put up for adoption.

Now called Misty, we were sent this lovely photograph from her new owners. It definitely looks like she’s made herself at home!

Surprisingly, black cats are always difficult to re-home and often find themselves overlooked. Luckily for handsome, fluffball Bruno – his new owners quickly fell under his spell. They sent us this message: “…Bruno has settled in extremely well since bringing him home on Saturday. He is such a sweet natured ella and he very much enjoys fuss and attention!” )

Some of our animals come to us in inseparable pairs and it is too traumatic for them to be split up.

This can mean finding a new forever home is a bit more difficult – but Twyler and Sirrius hit the jackpot. Their new owners write: “Twyler and Sirrius are making good use of our king-sized bed and now prefer this to their basket. We just sleep around them! We have bought them a cat tree which is beside our patio windows so they can get a good view of the garden and birds. We also bought some cat toys. Thank you so much for allowing us to adopt these two lovely cats. They are already very much part of the family.”

It’s wonderful that these are such happy endings, but unfortunately, we always have a constant stream of unwanted animals coming into our care.

Daisy, Maisy and Lacey are around 6 months old. They’ve come from a chaotic house with too many animals and are now looking for a loving forever home. If you think you can offer one of these kittens – or any unwanted animal in our care – a loving home, please contact us.

Supporting the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch ensures that we will always be here for animals such as Norman, Misty and Daisy – protecting them and giving them new beginnings.

Can you help us spread a little more happiness?

ANIMAL STORIES 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

Mercedes-AMG GT C Coupe Edition 50

By Simon Davis

What’s the spec like? Standard spec on the GT C includes 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloy wheels, Burmester sound system, parking sensors and camera, keyless go and an AMG performance steering wheel finished in nappa leather. It’s topped off by red brake calipers with AMG lettering.

Verdict If you can see past the complicated naming strategy to pick the right model, you’ll be rewarded with a technologically advanced, blisteringly fast and characterful GT. It’s cramped inside for taller drivers, and some of the multimedia system can be infuriating, but there’s no denying the GT C is staggeringly quick, exciting to drive and looks the muscle car part. Buyers will have a tough choice between this and the very capable alternatives from Audi, Porsche and McLaren, though – while Mercedes will be hoping its AMG heritage and booming soundtrack will pull in the punters.

What is it? The Mercedes AMG GT C Coupe Edition 50 is the secondhottest model in the sports car line up and sits slightly below the utterly bonkers GT R. Only available currently as a 500-production ‘Edition 50’ special run, it features a monstrous engine, thunderous soundtrack and super GT looks.

What’s new? The engine steals all the headlines, but technical refinements include active rear axle steering, electronicallycontrolled locking differential and a wider track than its lesser powered GT and GT S siblings.

What’s under the bonnet?

All GT models feature the same 4.0-litre V8 with a ‘hot inner V’ – a compact engine design that places the turbos on the inside of the engine’s ‘V’, so they spool up quicker. Power output for the GT C is a whopping 549bhp backed up with 670Nm of torque, which means 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 197mph.

What’s it like to drive? On the road, it feels big and wide. Visibility isn’t great and placing it takes practice. It’s got fantastic levels of grip though and despite those tyre-shredding performance figures, it puts those huge lumps of power down impressively well, aided smoothly by a quick seven-

speed auto gearbox.

The steering feels heavy, perhaps even a little slow at times, but it’s communicative. As the name suggests, this is definitely a performance GT rather than a lithe and supple sports car. On paper, it might be a rival to an Audi R8 or Porsche 911 Turbo S, but both of those would feel far more sports car than this. The GT C is muscle; more raw power and less finesse.

How does it look? That muscle car look might be exactly what buyers are looking for, though. Its long, blunt nose, tight rear and low stance will win the most buyers. It’s a unique look – something that’s pretty unrivalled on the road – and one Mercedes is pegging a lot of the GT’s success on.

What’s it like inside? Inside the driver is surrounded by a focused cabin. A large, somewhat intrusive transmission tunnel is littered with buttons and dials and the multimedia system is frustrating.

The touch-sensitive trackpad is clunky and the graphics look dated, especially when compared to the likes of Jaguar Land Rover.

The interior feels incredibly cramped too. Taller drivers will find their knees butt up against the bulkhead and the seats don’t recline far enough.

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Base price: £139,855 Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo Power: 549bhp, 670Nm Top speed: 197mph 0-60mph: 3.5 MPG: 20mpg Emissions (g/km): 259

EBAY COLLECTIONS

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Food and Drink

Seasonal Delights Salmon and Monkfish Filo Wreath

Serves 6 Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes, plus chilling time This festive wreath makes a great alternative to traditional roast turkey and can be prepared in advance the night before.

INGREDIENTS

Sunflower oil, for greasing 100g butter, melted 270g pack filo pastry, thawed if frozen 450g salmon fillet, skinned and diced 450g monkfish fillet, skinned and diced 225g cooked peeled tiger prawns 2 tbsp lemon juice 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill Salt and freshly ground black pepper Lemon wedges and dill sprigs, to garnish 1 Use the sunflower oil to grease a 1.2 litre capacity ring mould, then line the mould with cling film.

2 Brush the sheets of pastry one by one with melted butter and use nearly all of them to line the ring mould. Overlap the pastry sheets slightly as you go and repeat the layers 3-4 times. Leave the excess pastry to drape over the side of the mould.

3 Mix the salmon, monkfish and prawns in a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice and chopped dill. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Spoon the fish mixture into the pastry-lined mould, pressing down gently. Fold the excess

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pastry in over the filling and top with more buttered sheets of pastry, cutting them to fit and completely cover the filling. Stamp small star shapes out of any remaining sheets of buttered pastry and place on a plate.

5 Cover the ring mould and the plate with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Carefully invert the ring mould onto a large baking sheet and then remove the mould and the cling film. Re-melt any remaining butter and brush all over the pastry.

6 Bake in a preheated oven at 190C/fan 170C/Gas Mark 5 for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden. Bake the pastry stars on a separate baking sheet for 5 minutes until golden.

7 Allow the wreath to stand for 5 minutes then transfer to a serving platter and decorate with the pastry stars.

Garnish with lemon wedges and dill sprigs.

Tip

Filo pastry sheets can vary in size so simply cut to fit. Don’t worry if they tear, just place another piece of buttered pastry on top to cover the tear.

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Hard Suduko

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

What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

n O s ’ t Wha In December 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 December Springfield House Friday Bridge Club 1.30pm Old Stevenage Community Centre To play cut-in Chicago Bridge. Play is informal and friendly. Tel: Richard Bean 01438 221517

2 & 3 December Winter Art Exhibition & Craft Sale 10am-4pm Roecroft Centre, Church Rd, Stotfold Stotfold Art Group Winter Exhibition and Craft sale.

Everyone welcome to browse.

2 December Ashwell at Christmas Many events will be happening in Ashwell including the Christmas Fair in St. Mary’s Church from 9.30am2.30pm. Unique and handmade gifts, cards, cakes, art will be available. Carol singing by the Church Choir. Refreshments available. Winter Wonderland will be at the U.R.C. and the Museum will be open.

3 December A Christmas Carol 5.30-7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Meppershall No tickets - suggested £5 donation on the evening A one man performance of A Christmas Carol from an abridged version of the original text. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served. Seats are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

Web: www.vintageverse.co.uk

2 December 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 such as a driving licence, passport or over 60s Bus Pass is required to get an entry ticket from the Guardroom.

Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk 2 December Cambs and Beds Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Jill and Alun Whitehead, owners of Aulden Farm Nursery, will talk about ‘Aulden Farm - From Conception to Chaos’. Plants for sale followed by Christmas Tea. Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk 2 December A Christmas Carol 5.30-7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Henlow A one man performance of A Christmas Carol from an abridged version of the original text. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served then onto The Engineers Arms for Smoking Bishop and Porter.

Web: www.vintageverse.co.uk 2 December Vivace Advent Concert 7pm St Peter’s Church, Arlesey Tickets inc. refreshments £10, Students & teens £8, Under 13s free Including Bach Cantata ‘Sleepers, Wake’; Pergolesi Magnificat and Pachelbel Canon. Conductor Robert Bunting, organist Geoffrey Boult. Tickets available on the door, online or by telephone.

Tel: Ticket Manager 01462 453 336 Web: www.vivacechoir.co.uk

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4, 11& 18 December 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. It was formed in 1995 to bring together single, divorced, widowed and separated people, aged 40 upwards, from the Herts, Beds and Bucks area, to socialise and enjoy one another’s company.

Tel: Lorna 01438 233657 www.branch-out.org.uk 5, 12 & 19 December Stevenage Bridge Club 7.30pm Priory Nursery, Stanmore Road, Stevenage To play Duplicate Bridge. A host system is run to find partners, if required. Tel: Phil Cooper 07957 813434 6 December North Herts Association of the National Trust 7.30pm Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin £2 on the door inc. mince pie & non-alcoholic punch ‘Man on the Spot’, a talk by Bill Hamilton.

Membership of the National Trust not necessary.

Tel: Colin Cropley 01462 713391 Email: colinecropley@gmail.com 6, 13 & 20 December Vivace Choir 7.30-9.30pm Edgeworth House, 121 High Street, Arlesey We are looking for keen singers to join our fun and friendly choir. Find out more about the choir and its concerts online.

Web: www.vivacechoir.co.uk

6, 13, 20 & 27 December Baby Rhyme Time 10.30-11am Baldock Library Free event 6, 13, 20 & 27 December IT Sessions 3.30-4.30pm Baldock Library If you have an IT issue come and see the IT Champion or book a Taster session; one-to-one with a member of staff. Tel: 0300 123 4049 7 December Lecture ‘From Yuletide to Nativity: Christmas in Early England’ 11am or 2pm Spirella Ballroom, Bridge Road, Letchworth The Arts Society North Hertfordshire presents this lecture on how Modra Niht became Christmas Eve. An exploration of the great midwinter festival in the light of Medieval art, poetry and literature. Lecturer is Dr Sam Newton. Visitors welcome.

Email TheArtsSociety.nh@gmail.com 7, 14, 21 & 28 December Toddler Tales 2.15-2.45pm Baldock Library Free event 7, 14, 21 & 28 December Sapphire Social Club 8.30pm The Orange Tree, Hitchin We are a small and friendly group for single people generally aged 50 and above. We offer 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 and meet us with no joining fee for the first two months.

Tel: Joyce 07952 678021 or Ian 07900 890583 Web: www.sapphiresocialsinglesclub.co.uk 8 December Hitchin Christmas Tree Festival Preview Evening & Concert 6.30-9pm, Concert 7.45pm Holy Saviour Church, Radcliffe Road, Hitchin Tickets £12 inc. mulled wine & light refreshments The Festival begins with the Preview Evening and Concert, giving visitors an opportunity to have a leisurely look at the trees before enjoying a concert of seasonal music performed by the Holy Saviour Church Choir and The Radcliffe Singers.

Tel: Tickets 01462 712212

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

n O s ’ t Wha In December 8 December ‘Winterlude’ a Festive Concert 7.30pm Baldock Arts & Heritage Centre, High Street, Baldock Adults £10, Under 18s £5 Baldock Community Orchestra together with Hatfield Welwyn Community Choir presents ‘Winterlude’ a Festive Concert. Tickets available in advance or on the door. Tel: Roy 01462 730348 9 December Santa Claus’ Float 6.30pm Stondon Proceeds going to Keech Cottage and All Saints Church.

9-10 December Hitchin Christmas Tree Festival 12 noon-6pm Holy Saviour Church, Radcliffe Road, Hitchin Entry £4, Accompanied children free The Festival is a well-established favourite in the town’s Christmas celebrations and a real community event - visitors often say that it starts the Christmas season for them. The event has been held every year since 1997, and is believed to be the longest running Christmas Tree Festival in Britain. Over the weekend the church will be filled with 50 glittering trees, decorated by local families, groups, schools and businesses each to a theme of their own choosing. The range of ideas each year, and the skill and imagination that goes into the decoration never fails to amaze and the overall effect in this striking Victorian Church is magical! Visitors can join in by voting for their favourite tree. Live music is provided throughout the weekend by local musicians, groups and choirs, and excellent homemade lunches and teas are served in the adjoining Festival Cafe.

Email: ctf@holysaviourhitchin.org.uk

13 December Letchworth Music Club 7.45pm Howgills Friends Meeting House, 42 South View Tickets £12, Under 18s & students £6 Come and meet pianist and composer, Richard Sisson and his friends who will entertain us with and evening of music and talk including his work with Alan Bennett on the first production of The Lady in the Van and on his adventures teaching in Zimbabwe. Tickets available on the door.

Web: www.letchworthmusicclub.co.uk 14 December Baldock & Clothall WI 7.30pm United Reformed Church, Whitehorse Street, Baldock Visitors £3 including refreshment and raffle ticket Facebook: www.facebook.com/baldockclothallwi 15 December The Gary Wood Swing Band Christmas Concert Doors open 7pm Parkside Community Hall, Ampthill Tickets £12 Swing into Christmas with popular local Crooner and Trumpeter Gary Wood, as he brings his band together to kick start your Christmas with a Swing Concert. All your favourites by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble et al. Licensed bar. Fundraising concert in aid of the Parkside Community Hall. Tickets from Cambridge Wine Ampthill or online (booking fee applies).

Email: gary@jazzexperience.co.uk Web: www.parksidehall.org.uk

16 December North Herts Guild of Singers Christmas Concert 7.30pm St. Mary’s Church, Hitchin Tickets £12, Students in full time education £8 The choir is accompanied by the Chameleon Arts Ensemble and will be performing Mr. Fezziwig’s Christmas party by Rathbone and Magnum Mysterium by Lauridsen as well as traditional carols.

Tickets from Hitchin Initiative, David’s Bookshop Letchworth or online. Web: www.nhgs.org.uk 17 December Biggleswade Antiques Fair 9.30am-4pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade This antiques fair offers a diverse range of antiques and collectablest. Café serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Tel: 01480 382432 or 07906 647346 Web: www.madisonevents.co.uk 17 December RSPB Stevenage Trip 10am College Lake & Tring Reservoirs. An all-day car trip to these sites near Tring. Meet in the College Lake car park (£3.00 donation) at 10am. Leader Paul Collis Ref: 165/SP935139. Post Code HP23 5QG. Tel: 01438 861547 18 December Stick Man 2-3pm or 3-4pm Baldock Library Stick Man by Julia Donaldson. Children can come and make a stick man to hang on their Christmas tree. Limited spaces so booking required.

Tel: 0300 123 4049

16 December Figgy Pudding Christmas Concert 4pm St. Martin’s Church, Knebworth Tickets £10, Under 16s £5 Figgy Pudding Christmas Concert with Stevenage Choral Society and Roebuck Academy Choir. At Christmas time we have, as normal, a local school with us. We’ll be singing carols old, carols new and some a little different. There are carols to listen to and some to join in with. A family concert which normally sells out very quickly so get your tickets early. Web: www.stevenagechoral.org.uk Web: Tickets WeGottickets.com/StevenageChoral

19 December Stevenage RSPB 7.30pm Friends’ Meeting House, Cutty’s Lane, Stevenage Members £3, Non-members £4, Under 16s 50p Christmas social evening. Join us for a buffet supper, games and quizzes.

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11 December Icknield Quilters Baldock Community Centre Christmas Party – members only.

Web: www.icknieldquilters.co.uk for more info 13 December Henlow Branch R N A 7.30pm Community Centre, The Gardens, Henlow The Henlow Branch of The Royal Naval Association meets on the second Wednesday of each month.

Tel: Jack Stafford 01462 850618 for further info

Hitchin & Surrounding Areas - Fun & Social Stuff A Social Group based in Hitchin, but also aimed at the surrounding areas. The groups arranges drinks, socials, going to Live Music events, charity events, Pub Quizzes, etc.. The aim of the group is to enable a variety of people who are over 18 years old (with no upper age limit) to get to know each other in a social and friendly setting whilst also enjoying a variety of events & activities.

Web: www.meetup.com/meetup-group-HVrvZZiQ

Local News

Volunteers needed to listen to children read in local primary schools Can you spare an hour or two a week to listen to children read in a local primary school? Schoolreaders is looking for more volunteers in Hertfordshire to carry out this important role.

Reading time for many children at home and at school is often insufficient and one in three children are now leaving primary school unable to read to the required standard. This can have a lifelong consequence. No qualifications are necessary, just a good command of spoken and written English.

Schoolreaders is flexible and will match your availability to an appropriate, local school. Our volunteers find the scheme incredibly rewarding, knowing that a few hours helping a child learn to read each week can have such a great impact on their life chances.

Please visit the website www.schoolreaders.org to join or call 01234 924111 for further information.

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COUNTRY STOVES & SWEEPS STOVE/GAS FIRE INSTALLATION

Electrician

www.hertsandbedselectrical.co.uk

• Wood Burning/Multi Fuel Stove & Gas Fire Installation • Chimney Lining • Twin Wall Flue Systems • Free Survey & Quotation

Do you find it difficult to get someone to come and do a small job?

Fault finding/repairs Extra lights and sockets New fuse boards Rewires P.A.T testing Landlord inspections

CHIMNEY SWEEPING • Brush & Vacuum Sweep • Smoke Test

£

• Clean & Tidy • Insurance Certificate • Bird Guards Fitted

From

40.00

£ T:

01767 627591 - Northill, Beds

E: countrystovesandsweeps@gmail.com

www.countrystovesandsweeps.co.uk

Qualified electrician  Fully insured Reliable service  Tidy work Free quote  Satisfaction guaranteed

Call Nigel on: 01462 506076 / 07941295883

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Alan George Painter & Decorator

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

Interior and Exterior Work Wallpapering and Coving Reliable and Local Specialist City & Guilds trained with 30 years experience

SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

Sole trader No VAT Free estimates Call Alan on 01582 454604 Mob:07760198256 or E-Mail: george-a6@sky.com

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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67

James Cullip

Painting & Decorating

• interior/exterior - all aspects • wallpaper hanging

Up to 50% Off

• coving

With our all inclusive priced deals.

Ranges and prices on Facebook Ken Seaby Carpets

• general household maintenance • plastering services available • free estimates

FURNITURE MOVED, OLD CARPETS REMOVED IF REQUIRED

FREE ESTIMATES

• fully insured

References available t: 01462 817 122 m: 07899 888 545 e: go_on_james@hotmail.com www.cullippaintinganddecorating.co.uk 10 Mill Lane, Campton, Shefford, Beds

We call with samples and measure Carpets fitted in about a week

01462 733203 / 07748 532632 CARPET CLEANING SPECIAL OFFER 2 rooms cleaned for £40 Small carpet re-fitting work undertaken

Visit our beautiful

Bathroom Showroom ...With more than 50 displays of bathrooms, furniture & fittings Free in-house 3D design service Quality products from leading manufacturers Experienced staff offering impartial advice Free delivery within a 20 mile radius of our showroom

01438 725309

bathrooms@stevenageplumbing.co.uk www.stevenageplumbing.co.uk

Caxton House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2XS 68

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Local News

It’s fun…

It’s festive….

It’s Lights for Flights You can illuminate your home this Christmas and raise vital funds for your local Air Ambulance!

Lights for Flights takes place over the festive period and it couldn’t be easier: dress up your home, work place, or school, and ask us for a collection tin. You can leave this somewhere safe outside your house or workplace so that people can drop donations – and admiration – in!

Want to be part of the festive fun?

Register your home or business on our website to receive ‘Flight for Lights’ fundraising pack and collection tin.

Just visit.... https://ehaat.org/fundraise/lights-for-flights/ JOB NUMBER

JOB INFORMATION

NUMBER OF PAGES

31093

Lights for Flights Advert

1

CLIENT

JOB SIZE

ORIGINATED BY / DATE

LAST AMENDED / PROOF NO

STUDIO POC

CS POC

EHAAT

126x90mm

SM 17 – 10 – 2017 (v1_AW)

SM

Kurtis

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1st Glass Window Repairs 30

years experience

FULLY INSURED! Local company who can fix all types of problems with your double glazing, call us now for a free quotation.

Steamed Up Glass Faulty Windows, Door Locks or Hinges Draughty Windows or Doors Leaking Conservatory Roofs Fascias and Gutters New Conservatory Roofs We also supply and fit NEW Windows, Doors and Conservatories DISCOUNTS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS EMERGENCY SERVICE AVAILABLE NIL DEPOSIT - BALANCE UPON YOUR SATISFACTION

07511 906161

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LOCAL

CALL NOW ON:

07847 849202 Chase HP advert_ppl.pdf

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CM

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14/09/2017

Mas terCard

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11:15

CHASEHOUSE DEVELOPMENTS LTD All aspects of general building and landscaping undertaken.

Driveways | Patios | Fencing Garden walls | Block paving Turf | Artificial grass | Decking Please contact Dan for more information and for a free estimate Chasehousedevelopments@outlook.com

01438 416872 07717 241701

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● Extensions ● Renovations ● Garage Conversions ● Brickwork ● Patios ● Plastering

Fully Insured 01525 717725 ● 07984 035863 dcpropertyservices2@gmail.com

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PLEASE THAT READING IS THE Please mention The Villager and NOTE Town Life whenPROOF responding torates advertssee For w

November’s Puzzle Solutions and Winners Last Month’s Crossword Winner Mrs White of St Neots Easy

Hard

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ100 Across 7 Light wind (6) 8 Add up (6) 9 Not pretty (4) 10 Take away (8) 11 Tenth month (7) 13 Deprived (5) 15 Two times (5) 17 Remaining (7) 20 Booklet (8) 22 Floats (6) 23 Unlocked (6) Down 1 Horrendous (6)



21 Assists (4)

2 Refute (4) 3 Childhood illness (7) 4 Investigate (5)

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

16th December 2017 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

5 Barely (8) 6 Coerced (6) 12 Engaged (8) 14 Stopping place (7) 16 Gun or knife (6) 18 Bowed (6) 19 Nearby (5) 21 Pinnacle (4)

Name: Tel: Address:

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PLUMBING & HEATING LTD FULLY QUALIFIED — 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

INSTALLATION Boiler installation with 7 - 10 year warranty Boiler breakdown & power flushing Frozen condense pipe rectified Boiler service and landlord certification

PLUMBING Bathroom installation Wetroom installation Mains pressure upgrade General plumbing work & maintenance

BOILER INSTALLATION Combi and system boiler’s upgrade Underfloor heating Warm air and powermax upgrade Boiler breakdown repair

218627

CALL: 01462 292247 / 07753 817469 Email: info@dhplumbinglimited.co.uk

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75

Painting & Decorating

JIM THE SWEEP FOR ALL YOUR CHIMNEY SWEEPING NEEDS

ALL TYPES OF FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY SWEPT

Property Maintenance

OPEN FIRES, LOG BURNERS, STOVES AND INGLENOOKS EVENING AND WEEKEND APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE INSURANCE CERTIFICATE PROVIDED WEDDINGS ATTENDED

JIM TURNER

INSTITUTE OF CHIMNEY SWEEPS REGISTERED SWEEP MILL LANE, CAMPTON, BEDFORDSHIRE

TELEPHONE: 07891 306566

51455

Quality Workmanship Papering, Coving etc.

Interior and Exterior Work Free Quotations Call W Firkins & Partners Ltd 01462 814117 or 07939 267083 Est 1981 20 Clifton Road, Shefford, Beds

Paul Donald

Gas Plumbing & Central Heating

Boiler Changes | Boiler repairs | Boiler servicing Power flushing | Unvented cylinders | Underfloor heating Central heating installations | Bathroom installations Landlords certificates

Free estimates No job to big or small 35 years experience

07973 410957 | 07415 100610 | 01462 815386 76

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LEAK SHIELD

Need A Plumber Fast? No Call out Fee

Call Alex on

07762773796 for friendly advice Blocked Drain • Toilet Overflowing No Hot/Cold Water • Leaks & Tap Repair Bathrooms • Drain CCTV Survey Burst Pipe • Toilet not filling up Stop Cock Replacement

IAN SIMPSON Carpentry and Joinery All aspects of carpentry work undertaken Kitchens, Bedrooms, Doors, Windows 25 years experience Free estimates Please call 01462 851695 or 07967162448 E-mail ij_simpson@hotmail.com

hour Emergency Service Local | Reliable | Qualified

LSP 1/4 page advert.indd 1

12/07/2016 18:03

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77

Classifieds Books

Book Review

By Kate Duggan

Accountants

Indulgent Escapes Looking to escape the in-laws for a couple of hours? We may have found you the perfect book to indulge in.

All the Little Children

Carpentry and Joinery

by Jo Furniss

A family wild-camping trip turns into a fight to survive in this gripping debut novel.

Marlene and her sister-in-law have taken their children to a forest for a short holiday before the start of term.

When they spot columns of smoke in the distance, and not an electric light in sight, they start to suspect something has gone badly wrong. As the enormity of the situation unfolds, and Marlene finds more children in need of protection, she needs to decide how far she’ll go to protect her family. Gripping.

Tim Jordon

Carpentry and Joinery Made to measure quality timber products supply and fit.

Doors, Windows, Stairs, Gates, Kitchen Worktops, Wood staining, painting and varnishing Station Road, Lower Stondon, Beds.

Tel: 01462 850363 or 07544 790071

Firewood

The Betrayals

by Fiona Neill

Sometimes there are four sides to a story. Daisy has just got her life back together after battling through years of OCD. But then a letter arrives addressed to her mother, which threatens to open old wounds and reveal the secrets Daisy has tried so hard to keep hidden. The Betrayals was awarded the Richard & Judy Book Club 2017 Thriller award, and it’s easy to see why. An emotive novel about the complexities of family life, mental illness, betrayals and the fallibility of memories.

Furniture Repairs FURNITURE REPAIRS

Wobbly legs on chairs and tables remedied Jammed and broken doors fixed Tired and marked surfaces brightened up Rejuvenate your wooden furniture both antique and modern Call Jamie Robinson on 01462 835619/07940 400742

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Classifieds Plastering Services

Property Maintenance

Plastering Services

Property Maintenance

James Geekie Plastering All types of plastering - big or small Interior/Exterior Work Undertaken Re-skim Rooms, Walls, Artex & Ceilings Dry Lining and Screeding Tel: 07792 415356 or 01462 490598 Email: james.geekie@hotmail.co.uk

Plumbing and Heating

lutetinoannces o S e m DIY Ho perty main General

pro

All jobs undertaken Call Darren on 01462 850786 or 07710 462544

Property Maintenance

Darren Fripp classified.indd 1

08/03/2017 09:4

R. CHAPMAN

Home & Garden Services

Patio’s Driveways Fencing Brickwork Painting & Decorating Tiling 20 Years Experience - No Job Too Small!

01462 850575 or 07950 311881

Removals and Storage removals, storage, archive and shipping

From just £35.00 per month plus VAT

Call Nigel on 01767 261122 for more information

• House and office moves • Large and small vehicles • Local/long distance and overseas removals • Containerised storage • Extremely high quality customer service Call for a no obligation quotation

01582 572967

enquiries@stephensremovals.com

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