Henlow Nov 2018 by Villager Mag

VILLAGER The

Issue 120 - November 2018

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Win a Spa Day for two at

Champneys Henlow The History of the

Remembrance Day Poppy Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People in

Langford, Henlow, Shefford, Stanford, Hinxworth, Caldecote, Radwell, Fairfield Park, Shillington, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Gravenhurst, ur Holwell, Meppershall, Baldock, Stotfold, Arlesey & Letchworth Yo EE To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

FRco1py

The Old White Horse • 1 High Street • Biggleswade • SG18 0JE Tel: 01767 314344 www.lolineinteriors.co.uk e: dave@lolineinteriors.co.uk 2

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Inside this issue... The Great Cover-Up.......................................................................... 40 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is 40..................................................... 42 Restoration Project Regenerates Areas of Heathland....................... 45 Leaf Matter, Leaves Matter............................................................... 46 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal................................................................ 51 Animal Stories.................................................................................. 53 How to deal with pothole damage to your car................................. 54

Win Tickets to see The Overtones

Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe........................................................... 56

Puzzle Page...................................................................................... 60

Making a Difference......................................................................... 59 What’s On......................................................................................... 64

The History of the Remembrance Day Poppy...................................... 4

Local Trademen and Women targetted by Thieves............................ 71

Britain’s Quirkiest Bonfire Night Celebrations..................................... 8

Prize Crossword................................................................................ 74

Win Two Tickets to see The Overtones............................................... 10

Book Review.................................................................................... 77

Win a Spa Day for Two at Champneys Henlow.................................. 12 SAD Times........................................................................................ 15 Flavours of the Levant...................................................................... 17 Great Health, Wellbeing and Fitness Gifts........................................ 18 Time for some TLC............................................................................ 22

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is 40

Making an Entrance......................................................................... 25 Tips on how to work your denim with style...................................... 29 Why Wear a Poppy?.......................................................................... 33 Save with a Service.......................................................................... 34 How do you get to Wimbledon?....................................................... 36 Can you still get a mortgage as an older borrower?.......................... 38

Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £35.00 +VAT per month

Editorial - Catherine Rose, Kate McLelland, Louise Addison, Trevor Langley, Alison Runham, Kate Duggan, Katherine Sorrell, Jennie Billings, Sarah Davey, Tom Hancock, Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Ann Haldon, Pippa Greenwood, Rachael Leverton, RSPCA, James Baggott and Nick Coffer

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

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

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

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History

By Catherine Rose

The History of the Remembrance Day Poppy With celebrations to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War, the humble but striking poppy will once again be evident as a symbol of hope and remembrance. But what is its history? Over the four years that the Great War raged, the fields of Flanders in Belgium that saw much of the bloody trench warfare were decimated. Stumps were left in place of trees and the once lovely landscape turned into acres of bare earth, muddy craters and barbed wire. But like some miracle of life triumphing over death, out of this devastation grew hundreds of field poppies. Part of the papaver family (papaver rhoeas) and a wildflower that is as delicate as it is hardy, it is a plant that seeds best in fresh earth. The Flanders Poppy, as it came to be known, therefore thrived in the barrenness. Its poignancy was not lost on all those who saw it – its bright red colour echoed the bloodshed of all the lives lost and the fact it

could grow in such devastation made it the perfect symbol of hope for the future. Canadian WW1 soldier and poet John McCrae wrote the now famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ about their significance in 1915. (Incredibly, this poem was rejected by The Spectator when it was first submitted.) But it was an American University Professor from Georgia, Moina Michael, who first set out to make wearing the poppy a symbol of honouring the war’s dead. After reading a copy of McCrae’s poem, she was so moved that she promptly went out to Wannamaker’s – a department store in New York – and bought all the artificial poppies they had. She then went about selling them as souvenirs of remembrance under the banner ‘keep the faith’. By the end of 1918, Moina was working with a designer to produce a poppy design that could become a national emblem. The initial drawing

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was of a poppy made up of all the colours of the Allied flags which was intertwined with the Statue of Liberty. The original design was abandoned but, due to Moina’s efforts, the National American Legion adopted the poppy as their symbol, agreeing to wear it on Armistice Day, 11th November. At this point, a French lady named Anna Guérin who was a member of the French Young Women’s Christian Association, takes over the story. While attending an American Legion Convention in 1920, she was so taken with the idea of the poppy not only as a global symbol of remembrance but also as a way of raising funds, that she decided to start mass producing artificial poppies to sell as badges in France. The funds from the sale of these poppies would be used to help war widows and orphans. After they proved a success in France, Anna took them abroad, working with Moina Michael on distribution across the US. In England, she met Field Marshall Douglas Haig, who was also the first president of the (Royal) British Legion, founded in 1921. Haig was sympathetic to her idea, knowing that there were many veterans suffering financial hardship. The first British Legion Poppy Day Appeal took place in 1921 with nine million poppies being sold. It raised over £100,000. The other allied countries soon followed suit. In 1922, Major John Howson opened the first UK poppy factory in London. Howson had received the Military Cross during the First World War and had subsequently set up The Disabled Society to help provide employment for disabled veterans.

His initial staff were five disabled ex-soldiers. Today there are two poppy manufacturers in the UK – The Poppy Factory in Richmond (the original poppy factory that relocated) and The Lady Haig Poppy Factory in Edinburgh. The Scottish poppy is slightly different to the English in that it has four petals instead of three and no leaf. Both are staffed by ex-servicemen and women and produce millions of poppies annually. The Poppy Factory also does free tours which are open to all and where you can purchase special poppy souvenirs, including china. Over the years, the paper poppy badge we all know so well has diversified and you can now buy silk and enamel versions as well as giant poppies to fix to your car. An initiative set up by the RBL also encourages communities to knit poppies for local fundraising and there is a knitting pattern on their website. Between July and November 2014, the moat at the Tower of London was filled with ceramic poppies in an art installation by Paul Cummins and Tom Piper entitled ‘Blood-swept Lands and Seas of Red’ to honour the centenary of the start of the Great War. They were a stunning sight and many thousands of visitors went to see them. Along with the crosses and wreaths that will be placed on war memorials across the country on Remembrance Sunday in this centenary year, armies of volunteers will sell millions of poppies in the run up to 11th November. The idea behind them remains the same – a non-religious, noncultural symbol of remembrance that helps to raise money for veterans and their families.

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Quirky Britain

Britain’s quirkiest

Bonfire Night Celebrations

November is the month for firework displays, when adults and children gather together on a chilly field to spend half an hour ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ as fiery fountains erupt, Catherine wheels spin and rockets light up the night sky. It’s a fun family event, but our 21st century firework displays seem like pretty tame stuff when compared to the bonfire festivities enjoyed in times gone by. Fire festivals have been held for thousands of years but the practice of marking 5th November with bonfires and fireworks began as a rowdy celebration to mark the deaths of the conspirators who tried to blow up England’s parliament in 1605, with activities calculated to make any modern-day health and safety officer run for cover. While it’s no bad thing that firework displays are now controlled and regulated to avoid accidents, some of the devil-may-care spirit that was once the hallmark of November 5th seems to have been lost. However, there are certain parts of the UK where risk and excitement are an essential part of the enjoyment. Anarchic fun in Sussex Welcome to Bonfire Night in Lewes, Sussex, where the smell of burnt gunpowder is always accompanied by a faint whiff of anarchy. It’s a night of celebration that promises activities that are – to quote the website lewesbonfirecelebrations.com – “not suitable for very young children … the frail or if you have breathing problems.” Each year this bonfire event turns the normally sleepy town of Lewes into a heady combination of raucous street bands, rowdy processions, heaving crowds and huge effigies – usually in the form of

hated public figures of the day – made for the sole purpose of being consigned to the flames amidst cheers, jeers and cat-calls. The town uses Bonfire Night as an opportunity to uphold the traditions of free speech and to remember the dead, particularly the seventeen Protestant martyrs who were burned at the stake in Lewes between 1555 and 1557 under the reign of ‘Bloody Mary’ (Queen Mary I). Their martyrdom is marked annually by a procession of 17 burning crosses. Tar Barrel Racing in Devon Another place you might prefer to avoid on Bonfire Night if you are of a nervous disposition is Ottery St. Mary, in Devon. This tranquil West Country town changes character on the night of 5th November, becoming the stage for a perilous and fiery race through the streets. This exhilarating and risky spectacle involves setting light to huge wood and iron barrels soaked in tar. The barrels are then carried through the town at great speed. Some families have been taking part in the races for many generations and almost 10,000 people turn up each year to cheer them on. Another quirky and high-spirited bonfire event is Shetland’s Viking fest Up Helly Aa, which takes place at the end of January. These celebrations – tapping into our primitive feelings about fire as something to be loved, feared and respected – are a powerful way of bringing communities together. Although no-one would want to return to the days when members of the public could be injured when activities got out of hand, it’s good to know that some UK communities are still prepared go to such lengths to let their hair down and celebrate together.

By Kate McLelland

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Win 2 tickets to see The Overtones Wed 5th Dec 2018 at Cambridge Corn Exchange

The Overtones are back on the road with a 22 date UK tour starting on November 22nd at Watford Colosseum and ending with a special festive show at London’s Indigo at the O2 on December 20th 2018. Promising “a night to remember” the group will be joined on stage by their band to perform favourites from their previous Top 10 albums as well as songs from the new record. Tickets for the tour are available from gigsandtours.com with VIP packages from sjm-vip.com. The group – Lachie Chapman, Mike Crawshaw, Darren Everest and Mark Franks also announced their sixth studio album ‘The Overtones’ October 19th 2018. The first track to be shared, ‘You To Me Are Everything’, - with the group’s signature old-school cool, modern vintage vibe and trademark vocal harmonies - is a perfect teaser for the new album.

“a brilliant night out” Daily Record Since bursting onto the scene in 2010 with their debut ‘Good Ol’ Fashioned Love’, the group has sold over a million records. This self-titled album, however, will be the first release as a four piece following the passing of their bandmate and friend Timmy Matley in April. Teaming up, once again, with producer Julian Hinton and engineer Simon Bloor, the album – a collection of thoughtfully chosen covers and originals - is a tribute to Timmy, a celebration of everything that the group has achieved together, a thank you to their loyal and supportive fans and a statement of intent for the future.

Competition

THE OVERTONES COMPETITION ENTRY

Which Overtone appeared on British comedy drama series on Channel 4 ‘Crashing’? 1. Darren Everest  2. Mike Crawshaw  3. Lachie Chapman  4. Mark Franks 



To enter, answer the question and complete the form below and send to: Overtones Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. Deadline: 16th November 2018.

Name: Tel: Email: Address:

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Win a Spa Day at Champneys Henlow for two Make time for some well-deserved rest and relaxation at Champneys Henlow. Set in 150 acres of beautiful Bedfordshire parkland, Henlow Grange serves as an idyllic countryside spa escape. Experience the delights of a full day of pampering with a delicious three course buffet lunch to enjoy half way through. Get comfortable in the cosy Champneys robe and flip-flops that you’ll be given for the day and try out the spa facilities, including swimming pool, steam room, sauna, and whirlpool. It really is the perfect way to unwind. Henlow in Bedfordshire, offers sumptuous accommodation in elegant surroundings, delicious cuisine, treatments and therapists focusing on both inner health and outer beauty, not to mention the latest fitness trends. Spend a day with us, and you’ll get a feel for how much we have to offer. A Day to Remember. For more information visit: champneys.com Terms and conditions apply. Valid Monday to Thursday only. Prize must be booked and taken within 6 months from the date of issue, subject to availability. Guests must be 16 years or over, non-refundable and non-transferable. Travel to the spa is not included. Prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Competition

To enter, answer the question and complete the form below and send to: Champneys Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. Deadline: 16th October 2018. The winner can choose which date they wish to attend.

Champneys Henlow Grange is set in or how many acres of parkland a) 200  b)150  c) 300 



CHAMPNEYS HENLOW COMPETITION ENTRY

Name: Tel: Email: Address: Please tick this box if you wish to receive further information from Champneys  12

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Time of Year

SAD Times

As many as one in six people suffer with a low mood in Winter and a small number of these will suffer with the more serious Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) SAD sufferers are less able to control their serotonin levels in the absence of sunlight and if serotonin levels drop too low, so will your mood. Here are five ways to raise your serotonin levels even in the coldest, darkest months. Lighten up - As lack of sunlight is the problem, more light could be a solution. Light boxes are available that provide levels of brightness which can elevate your brain’s serotonin levels. Exercise - There’s evidence that aerobic exercise not only boosts your brain’s levels of serotonin but also keeps those levels elevated for hours after your workout. Laugh - A study in Norway found that laughing with friends, watching a funny movie or doing something that briefly improves your mood may stoke your brain’s levels of serotonin. Step outside - Research shows that walking in nature — especially with other people — is an effective way to combat depression. Spending at least 30 minutes a day outdoors even during the cold winter months may offset the seasonal drops in serotonin. Physical contact - Massage has been proven to increase your brain and body’s levels of serotonin. The soothing experience significantly reduces the blues.

By Louise Addison

Tel: 01462 711667 Email: info@crownshillington.com Website:www.crownshillington.com 104 High Road, Shillington, Bedfordshire, SG5 3LP

Combining quality food and drink with quality service, all within a traditional country pub where old fashioned styles mix with modern trends. A home from home with a welcoming cosy atmosphere. Also available to host meetings, clubs and workshops in our comfortable lounge bar area. We are family friendly, dog friendly and, above all, community friendly! We are now taking bookings for Christmas parties between 26th November and 24th December. With our “Early Bird Deal” weekday tables of ten or more booked in between Monday 26th November and Thursday 6th December will receive a FREE bottle of house wine (NB: not applicable to Friday, Saturday and Sunday bookings). OPEN: MON-THURS: 12pm- 11pm, FRI-SAT: 12pm- 12am, SUN 12pm- 11pm SERVING FOOD: MON-FRI: 12pm- 3pm & 6pm - 10pm, SAT: 12pm- 10pm, SUN AND BANK HOLS: 12pm- 9pm

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IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE... FES

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Food and Drink

Favours of the Levant

The Levant, located in the eastern Mediterranean, has a very long and interesting history. The traditional, flavoursome cuisine of the Levant is enjoyed a lot and widely available in a number of countries in that area, including Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Cyprus, for example.

The Ceru restaurant opened during December 2016, in South Kensington, London and its popularity grew from the outset. The much-anticipated second Ceru restaurant opened in February 2018, within easy walking distance of Oxford Street and Regent Street, in London. Utilising authentic ingredients and cooking methods and cleverly blending spices, Patricia and Barry Hilton, plus their brigade of talented chefs and kitchen personnel have a lot of knowledge and experience of Levantine cuisine. All dishes are freshly prepared and Ceru is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day. The All-Day Menu is available daily, from 12 noon. An array of dips and salads has something for everyone, to start. Pancar (Roasted beetroot, yoghurt, garlic, crushed pistachio) and The Sultan (Ottoman-inspired salad of dried fruits, wholegrain rice, toasted almonds and olives) are popular selections, for many. Mains seafood dishes include Sea Bream, Cod and Prawns. Meat and poultry dishes have perfectly cooked slow-roasted Lamb Shoulder and Beef, plus Chicken variations and gain regular ‘devotees’. Often-selected side orders have Orez Ceru (Arabic scented fried rice, crispy onions, sultanas, parsley) and Spiced Polenta & Feta Fries, with coriander and chilli. If time is pressing, then ‘Express’ (served weekdays 12 noon – 3pm) is no problem. Desserts offer tempting Dark Chocolate Mousse and Flavours of Baklava – good choices – amongst a selection. The wines/drinks list has something for all and includes superb, high-quality wines, champagnes and craft-brewed beers. All dietary requirements can be catered for, plus parties, celebrations and occasions arranged and accommodated. The Ceru restaurants offer diners the opportunity to ‘explore’ and enjoy very impressive cuisine, with rich, vibrant flavours of the Levant. Booking is advisable, particularly at popular times. Ceru Soho 11 D’Arblay Street, London W1F 8DT Tel: 44(0)20 3195 3002 Email: soho@cerurestaurants.com www.cerurestaurants.com Ceru South Kensington 7-9 Bute Street, London SW7 3EY Tel: 44(0)20 3195 3001 Email: southken@cerurestaurants.com

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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Health

Alison Runham ww.alison.runham.co.uk

Great Health, Wellbeing and Fitness Gifts

If you’re stuck for gift ideas for your nearest and dearest, here are some suggestions for presents that could bring them a happier, healthier new year. Mindfulness Gifts Mindfulness has gone mainstream and NHS doctors are now recommending it as a useful technique to help in the management of mental health issues and long-term pain. • The Introduction to Mindfulness Gift Box breaks down mindfulness techniques to create simple task cards and a week-long challenge that helps users integrate mindfulness into their day simply but effectively. It includes four token gifts to help them celebrate their successes. Available from Amazon, priced at £4.95. • Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman is on the NHS ‘Books on Prescription’ list. It’s based on MindfulnessBased Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), which can deliver great benefits when practised for just

a few minutes a day. It’s a powerful path to wellbeing and better mental health, not just for those struggling with mental health issues but for anyone wanting to improve their wellbeing amid the demands of hectic modern life. Available as a book, eBook, audio CD and CDROM from various retailers including Amazon and WHSmith. Weight Loss Gifts Warning: Only to be given to someone who has stated they need, want and plan to lose weight! • Slimming World offer gift vouchers. A 6-week gift card for a new member is £34.75 while a 12-week card is £59.50. Prices are lower if your recipient is an existing member or over 60 years old. Available on www.slimmingworld.co.uk/ downloads/gift_vouchers.pdf. • Weight Watchers don’t offer gift cards or subscriptions, but you can purchase a gift subscription for their magazine, starting from £8.25 for three issues. They also sell accessories,

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various Weight Watchers cookbooks and their handy SmartPoints Kitchen Scales, priced at £39.95, which automatically calculate the SmartPoints in food. Available from www.weightwatchersshop. co.uk. • LighterLife don’t offer gift vouchers either, but you can buy various food packs for a friend interested in trying the plan, starting from around £15. A larger starter pack costs £75. Available from www.lighterlife.com/shop/ foodpacks/bundles.html. Wellbeing Gifts • Spa Days Red Letter Days have spa days starting at around £39 for one person and £50 for two. While these lower-budget options include full use of spa facilities, they only include 25 minutes of treatment. Or what about a floatation tank experience for one for just £25? If you want to splash the cash, though, there are more expensive options and you could even treat a special couple to a spa break. The cheapest at the time of writing is a two-night break in a luxury Mongolian yurt in Suffolk, including a light lunch and one-day passes to the nearby Atlantic Spa, for £390. Available from www.redletterdays.co.uk, who promise to refund 150% of the difference if you see the identical experience cheaper within 14 days of purchase. • The Positive Planner This luxury, hardback 12-week planner and journal describes itself as “the mindful gratitude journal that inspires you daily and encourages mental wellbeing.” It features original artwork, inspirational quotes, art therapy, mindfulness activities and tools and a mood tracker; by noting what they do each day and how they feel, your recipient can connect cause and effect and make positive changes. There are also meal planners, shopping lists and monthly diary spreads to organise daily life and reduce mental clutter. Available from www.thepositiveplanner.co.uk and www.notonthehighstreet.com at £23 plus p&p. Fitness Gifts • Gaiam Beginners’ Pilates Kit This kit includes a body-sculpting ball, resistance band and an instructional workout DVD – everything a first-timer or improver needs. Available from John Lewis, Amazon and other stores, priced at around £26.49.

• Weight Training Equipment We don’t have to harbour a desperate desire to be a bodybuilder to use weights as part of our fitness regime. Fitness and health experts recommend weight training for those who are physically able, as it’s scientifically proven that muscle burns more calories, even when you’re at rest, than body fat – and even active people can begin to lose muscle tone as they age. For beginners, some light dumbbells and/or wrist and ankle weights are a good gift, while kettlebells are a good choice for improvers. For more serious weight lifters, weight sets with a bar included (‘barbell sets’), which allow the user to add or remove weights to suit them, might be ideal. Dumbbells, kettlebells, wrist and ankle weights and barbell sets are available from many major retailers such as Argos, Amazon and John Lewis, although for more sophisticated or weighty equipment, consider a fitness specialist store or website. Pairs of low weight vinyl dumbbells, 2 kg kettlebells and pairs of wrist and ankle weights all start from around £5. Dumbbell ‘tree sets’, which usually consist of tree-shaped stand and three or more pairs of dumbbells, start at around £19.99. Expect to pay at least £28 for a barbell set but do check reviews, as some poorer quality sets have issues with their fixtures, meaning weights may slip off. Who knows? Your gift-buying might inspire you to make a purchase for a happier, healthier new year too.

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BICKERDIKES

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Health & Beauty

By Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

Time for some TLC Central heating and cold weather can take their toll on your skin, so make the most of the darker evenings by indulging in a well-deserved pampering session.

Relaxing in a warm bath with music, candles and a glass of wine is one of my favourite winter experiences. If you’re the same, check out Tisserand Aromatherapy’s Ascot Bath Oils Collection (£35). As you’d expect from Tisserand, each of the five bath oils is fragranced with pure essential oils, so they smell lovely but aren’t overpowering. Choose between Misty Mellow, Sweet Solace, Hope & Cheer, Blissful Joy and Happy Elation, depending on which mood you want to create. My personal favourite is Hope & Cheer with its uplifting blend of ginger, lemongrass and rosemary. The Ascot range launched earlier this year and also includes a body wash, hand lotion and more. See www.tisserand.com/ascot-collection. Many of us suffer from dry skin patches, chapped lips and sore hands in the winter. A multi-purpose balm can work wonders. Weleda’s Skin Food (£12.50) is my usual go-to balm, but I’ve been reaching for ESPA’s Skin Rescue Balm (£29) lately. It’s made from beeswax and a long list of plant and seed oils, including castor, orange peel and blackcurrant. The balm

is incredibly moisturising and a little goes a long way, see www.espaskincare.com. I generally prefer a wash-off cleanser in the summer and a wipe-off one in colder months. I’ve switched to Odylique’s Creamy Coconut Cleanser (£18) for winter. The cleanser has won multiple awards and for good reason. The blend of extra-virgin olive oil and coconut oil do a great job of removing makeup (even waterproof mascara), and they also nourish the skin as they cleanse. Rose extracts help to soothe inflammation, while lemon detoxifies. The cleanser is suitable for all skin types, even those prone to eczema, rosacea or other skin complaints. It’s very light so won’t clog pores, but it’s still rich enough to leave skin feeling pampered, softer and more hydrated. Massage the cleanser in and then remove it with a damp muslin cloth for a daily cleanse and exfoliation session in one. See www.odylique.co.uk. Fancy a full spa experience? If a weekend away is out of the question, why not look into a day spa experience with a friend? Spas often offer 2 for 1 deals that work out at around £20 a person. You’ll usually get use of the pool and other facilities, as well as a dressing gown and slippers. Or why not splash out on a package that includes a treatment and lunch? Try searching for offers on www. spaseekers.com as you’ll often get a better deal than going direct to the spa itself. Buying a gift for someone who deserves a bit of pampering? Spa Seekers offers vouchers, or try www.buyagift. co.uk for gift experiences. The Smartbox Indulgent Pamper Treat costs £39.99 and gives the recipient the choice of a wide range of treatments at venues across the UK. So whether they fancy a spa day in Berkshire or a massage in Manchester, they’ll have you to thank for the experience.

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Interiors By Katherine Sorrell

Making an Entrance Your hallway is an introduction to your home, the first thing you and your visitors see when entering. A well thought-out design, combining good looks with functionality, will help make the best impression. Hallways can often be an overlooked space but, in fact, they are crucial to the look and feel of a house, acting as a ‘welcome home’, a connection between rooms and – unless you are fortunate enough to have a separate boot room where everything can be kept neatly out of the way – a vital storage area for all sorts of necessary gear, from shoes, boots and umbrellas to coats, hats, gloves and scarves. Sometimes the entrance way is the best place to keep other items, too: maybe bottles of sun lotion for putting on just before you leave the house, a first aid kit, torches, dog leads, tennis rackets or other sports equipment… all kinds of things, in fact, that may not really have a specific place elsewhere. A carefully designed hallway, then, should be as much of a priority as a beautiful living room, kitchen or bedroom, and it is worth giving consideration to all the usual elements of interior design, including walls and floors, lighting and furniture, as well as finishing touches such as soft furnishings, books and art. On the wall In a narrow hallway (which, let’s face it, most of us are stuck with), using pale colours is a good idea in order to emphasise a sense of space. Specialist light-reflecting paints, now available in a range of

colours, may help, or look for patterned wallpaper with a metallic sheen. Add large mirrors (ideal for checking your reflection just before you leave the house, too) in a style that complements your overall look. For halls that see a lot of wear and tear, choose an extra-tough paint, or add a dado rail and clad the walls below it with tongueand-groove panelling, tiles or hard-wearing vinyl wallpaper. Period-style tiles or embossed wallpapers look particularly good in older properties with period features; their patterns could echo other elements of the house such as cornices or fireplace surrounds. Durable floors When choosing flooring for this high-traffic area bear in mind that it should be non-slip, durable, dirt-resistant and as easy as possible to maintain. While a good doormat will help, darker colours are generally a better choice than anything too pale, especially if you have pets and children. Stone, ceramic or quarry tiles, or Victorian encaustic tiles, are all easy to care for, while solid wooden boards or parquet simply require regular polishing or waxing (wood laminates, though cheaper, may not last long in such a well-used space). Linoleum or vinyl can look impressive, especially when laid in patterns. Carpet is more problematic. Choose a colour or pattern that won’t show the dirt, and make sure that the composition is suitable for a hallway: an 80:20 twist classified for heavy domestic use is often the best.

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Lovely lighting A welcoming light in the hallway is ideal and, while it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be bright enough to read by, it should illuminate any steps, stairs and thresholds clearly and help provide an even flow of light through your home. If your hallway has a high ceiling, a beautiful chandelier, or a series of interesting pendants, makes a great statement; if not, a row of downlights set into the ceiling will do the trick. Wall lights look great, too, but unless very flush-fitting they are best avoided in a narrow hall where they will simply act as obstacles. Sensible storage For hallway furniture, built-in storage makes the most of every inch of space. Shallow, floor-toceiling cupboards with doors painted the same colour as the walls, or mirrored to maximise light, will hold masses yet be barely noticeable. On the other hand, you could make a statement with a choice of free-standing cupboards, sideboards, tables, benches, hooks or racks, chosen to suit your floor layout and your style. Urban cyclists might want to install a high-up hook for their bikes, while spacious country hallways suit umbrella stands, boot racks and dog beds. Whatever your style, somewhere to keep post and keys is always a good idea: perhaps a bowl and rack on a console table,

radiator cover or shelf, or a small, wall-mounted cupboard and set of hooks. Finishing touches Not all halls have windows, but those that do will benefit from shutters, blinds or curtains that complement the rest of the space. When selecting fabric, co-ordinate with cushions or upholstery on seating. A long, thin floor runner works beautifully on hard flooring, adding softness, pattern and texture. If you have lots of books, or delicate items you wish to show off, you could fit shelving above doorways or run a slim shelf along the length of the hall above head height. And, finally, add a personal touch with paintings, photographs or other artworks, arranging them so as to create a display that adds an extra touch of interest and flair to your practical, versatile space.

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House of Colour

Tips on how to work your denim with style Denim suits everyone, it is universal, genderless, ageless and adaptable, but we definitely don’t all suit the same colours, lengths, cut or styles. Add to that that sizes and styles differ hugely from brand to brand, so it is hard to stick to any hard and fast rules. Here are my top tips on how to choose the best denim to suit you. 1. Firstly, don’t expect finding the perfect jeans to be easy. Cropped, ankle grazers, wideleg, low-risers, mid-risers, high-waisted, slim, skinny, super-skinny, straight, boot-cut, relaxed, boyfriend, girlfriend jeans – it is literally a minefield out there. Be prepared to try lots of different jeans on. 2. Don’t just choose whatever seems to be in current vogue, always consider your body shape and flaunt your best assets. Straight, skinny or slim silhouettes will look better on straighter body shapes, whereas, straight, bootcut or wide leg jeans look better on curvy body shapes. Badly fitted jeans will ruin your entire look. 3. It is essential that you know which colour denim suits you. Spring and Autumns should stick to warmer colours e.g. Spring a brighter blue, and Autumns a warm navy. Summers can wear cooler denim blue such as a French navy or an airforce blue and Winters should opt for a deep cool navy. Go beyond blue and try coloured jeans from your palette. Be careful with white jeans; they will only look great if they are crisp, clean and well-fitting and for the right body shape and season. 4. You may have a pair of jeans in the right colour and style, but they just never seem quite right. Sound familiar? The stitching could be the missing link. Spring and Autumns suit warm stitching (yellow) and Winter and Summers suit cool coloured stitching (white or grey). If your jeans have faded into a colour you don’t like you can dye them but bear in mind the stitching will also be dyed and this may change their look.

5. Speaking of washing denim. Always turn denim inside out when popping it in the washing machine to help preserve the colour for as long as possible. 6. It is all in the detail. Ripped or deconstructed denim looks better on naturals whilst classic finishes suit those who like well-cut timeless styles. Dramatic personalities could try shiny or coated textures and gamines can have great fun with coloured jeans from their palette. Ingenues are those who love detail like pretty embellishments, and romantics will like fitted jeans to show off their curves. 7. Even the pockets, stretch and fastening make a huge difference. Elastic waist, zipper or buttons all alter the overall look of the jeans. Generally smaller pockets make your bum look rounder and bigger pockets are more slimming. 8. Choose high, mid or low waists carefully. Get it wrong and you could create a small muffin top but get it right and you could look in perfect proportion. 9. Make sure you know your inside leg length when choosing a new pair of jeans. There is nothing worse than wearing jeans that are too short or too long for you. Think about what shoes you normally wear with your jeans and try them on together. I can’t stress it enough. The jeans and shoe or boot combination is key. Turn-up jeans add a different dimension to this. If skinny jeans are your thing - pair with knee high boots for style points. 10. Think beyond the strides! Denim looks fantastic as a shirt, jacket, skirt, shorts, dress or jumpsuit, as long as the look is really YOU. 11. Do you suit hard or soft denim? If soft denim is your thing, stand out from the crowd by sewing on some embellishments to make it more you. This might also be a great thing for younger children to enjoy doing. Buy some jewels and let them get creative with clothes glue. Harder denim is less versatile but more structured. 12. If you are fashion forward thinking you might want to try head to toe, double-denim. Keep to the denim shades that suit you and blend denim together rather than two sharply contrasting colours or styles. By Jennie Billings Style and Colour Consultant at House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/jenniebillings jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk

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Local News

Let’s Fight Fatigue, Pain… and Brain Fog!

Letchworth-based charity The Herts MS Therapy Centre helps people to fight chronic pain and the exhausting tiredness that often accompanies it. We understand how debilitating pain and fatigue can be. We know all about brain fog too. We aim to help as many people as we can, welcoming people with any long term or neurological condition. Increasingly, we help people who have Fibromyalgia, CFS or ME. We work closely with our local FMA UK (Fibromyalgia Association) coordinator. Do you, or someone you know, have Fibromyalgia? We offer two therapies that help many people with Fibromyalgia: Oxygen Therapy – involves breathing in pure oxygen under gentle pressure. It helps many people via pain reduction, energy boosts and accelerated healing. Steve N has Fibromyalgia. He says: “Hyperbaric oxygen has made a significant difference, helping with my chronic tiredness and alleviating some of the joint and muscle pain, generally making life a whole lot more pleasant.” Pain Reduction Therapy - is an effective, drug free treatment for less pain, more energy and faster healing. Research shows beneficial results in around 80% of people with chronic pain. Brian H says: “I did the six week Pain Reduction Programme. It worked well for me. I have had pain free mobility for the first time in nine months.” Give it a go! Try Oxygen Therapy or Pain Reduction Therapy for free. Call Claire on 01462 684 214 – or visit www.hertsmstherapy.org.uk for more details. Let’s fight fatigue and pain!

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Time of Year By Sarah Davey

Why wear a Poppy? It’s over a century since more than nine million soldiers were killed during the First World War. The last of the veterans from that era are dead and many young people know little about the causes and devastating aftermath of the conflict. Many refuse to wear a poppy because they think it glorifies war. Perhaps it’s more important than ever that we discuss the poppy’s place in history. Much of the worst fighting in World War 1 took place in Flanders, the western part of Belgium. The area suffered terribly, with homes, farms, roads and trees all completely destroyed. The land became a bleak, muddy graveyard for the thousands of soldiers who fell there. One plant, however, thrived in the disturbed soil and that was the poppy. Year after year, as the warm weather arrived, the poppies bloomed and turned the grim bare ground into a sea of red. At that time, fighting in Flanders was a young Lieutenant, Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian physician. In May 1915, his close friend and fellow soldier was killed in action. Seeing the poppies growing alongside his grave moved McCrae to write the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’, which was later published in Punch magazine. The idea to use the poppy as a symbol of remembrance for dead soldiers came from an American professor and YWCA worker, Moina Michael, in 1918. She wrote a poem in reply to McCrae’s called ‘We Shall Keep the Faith’ and

started to sell silk poppies. The idea was adopted by the American Legion in 1920 and she became known as ‘The Poppy Lady’. In 1921, Anna E Guerin started making artificial poppies in France and gained the support of Field Marshal Douglas Haig, founder of the Royal British Legion. The first poppy appeal was held on Armistice Day 1921. It was hugely popular and, despite a recommended selling price of threepence per poppy, single petals sold for £5. In all, the appeal raised £106,000 – that’s nearly £30 million in today’s terms! In recent years some people have chosen to wear a white poppy, either instead of or alongside a traditional red one. White poppies symbolise pacifism and also remember the civilians killed in conflicts past and present, as well as the soldiers. The idea is not a modern one as I originally assumed; it was initially put forward in 1926 by the No More War Movement, and the first white poppies were sold by the Cooperative Women’s Guild in 1933. They are now distributed by the Peace Pledge Union, a British pacifist nongovernmental organisation that works for a world without war. However you choose to wear your poppy this year I hope you now have a greater understanding of the interesting and complex story behind this iconic flower.

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Time of Year

By Tom Hancock

Save with a Service

Why an annual boiler service is important Sometimes we might wonder if it’s worth arranging a boiler service, especially if everything seems to be working fine. It’s one expense we can do without when Christmas is looming. Here are five reasons to book your service now. IT SAVES LIVES - A faulty boiler is dangerous. According to government statistics, each year in the UK, 50 adults and children die from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning; 200 are hospitalised and around 4,000 people end up in A&E with symptoms due to leaking boilers. A Gas Safe qualified boiler engineer will check for and fix any leaks or weak points during a service. IT SAVES MONEY ON FUEL BILLS - A qualified boiler engineer will check that your boiler is running as efficiently as possible and isn’t wasting energy. IT SAVES THE ENVIRONMENT - If your boiler isn’t wasting energy your carbon footprint is reduced.

IT SAVES ON REPAIR BILLS - That annual service to make sure your boiler is working correctly will save money on future repairs by letting the boiler engineer fix minor issues which might have caused significant problems later. IT SAVES ON INSURANCE HASSLES - Most boiler warranties and some home and business insurance policies require that you ensure your boiler is safe to use. An annual boiler service meets most insurance policy requirements.

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DO YOU NEED TO MAKE OR UPDATE YOUR WILL?

We offer a FREE initial appointment to discuss your circumstances, offering advice on Wills including ring-fencing your home from care and guidance regarding Inheritance Tax Nil Rate Bands. HOME VISITS are available at NO EXTRA CHARGE within a 20-mile Radius of Royston. Saturday morning appointments also available at the office* FREE WILL SERVICE for the over 55â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through the Cancer Research Free Will Scheme. For more information please contact:Fish Hill Chambers, 2-3 Fish Hill, Royston, Herts. SG8 9JY Tel: 01763 241 121 t.pilcher@walkerspartnership.co.uk Wills | Probate | Lasting Powers of Attorney | Conveyancing | Commercial Property

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Tennis

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

How do you get to Wimbledon?

No the answer isn’t practice, unless you have designs on the trophy of course! I’ve always been a fan of Wimbledon, and ever since my older brother came home from a school trip, excitedly describing his visit to Centre Court, I’ve had a dream to visit the championship myself. If a visit to Wimbledon is on your bucket list too, here’s what to do. There are four options. The first is the Public Ballot. To take part, send a SAE to AELTC, PO Box 98, London, SW19 5AE by 19th December latest and you will receive an application form. This needs to be returned by 31st December and grants you entry into the draw for a pair of tickets, but you can’t select which court or day you will visit. Successful entrants will be chosen by random by computer and will be notified by post. Once an offer of tickets has been received, you will need to pay for them online by debit or credit card. If you’re unsuccessful with the Public Ballot, all is not lost! You can still buy tickets online at Ticketmaster. Several hundred tickets for Centre Court and Court 3 go on sale one and two days before the day of play. They can sell out in seconds and are issued strictly on a first come, first served basis, with a maximum of two tickets allowed per person. If you’re particularly gutsy, you could join The Queue. A limited number of tickets for Centre and Courts 1 and 2 can be purchased on the day, along with several thousand Grounds Passes for courts 3-18. The earlier you join the queue, the more likely you are to get the best tickets, so if it’s one of the show courts you’re after, don’t forget your tent! Finally, you could purchase a hospitality package. This is expensive but offers you the VIP treatment and would really make your visit a day to remember! For more information on how to plan your trip to Wimbledon, visit www.wimbledon.com.

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Finance

By Ann Haldon

Can you still get a mortgage if you are an older borrower? Whether you are moving house or remortgaging an existing property, you may find it difficult to secure a mortgage as you get older. Some mortgage lenders are reluctant to take pension income into account, which means you could be refused if you have already retired, or want a mortgage term that continues past your retirement date. Is there an age limit for getting a mortgage? Officially there is no upper age limit for a mortgage, but providers use their own in-house criteria when assessing a mortgage application. They may apply an age limit for older people taking out new mortgages, and another for when the mortgage must be paid off. These limits are typically 65-70 years of age, and 70-85 years old respectively. This means that if you are aged 60, for example, and looking for a mortgage term of 25 years, your options may be limited. Is there anything you can do to increase your chances of securing a mortgage? • Reduce your outgoings By reducing your spending, and paying down debt over six months or so prior to your mortgage application, you stand a better chance of success and may be able to access a wider choice of products that offer better terms. • Use a mortgage broker Obtaining the services of a mortgage broker who understands this particular market is a good idea. If too many mortgage applications are rejected, it can adversely affect your credit status, which then has a knock-on effect to any future applications you make. Mortgage affordability checks New regulations introduced following the 2008 recession, known as the Mortgage Market Review rules, mean that lenders must make more stringent affordability checks prior to lending. As a result, all regular payments leaving your bank account will affect the affordability calculation, and reduce the amount you are able to borrow. Acknowledging longer life expectancies There has been a trend in recent years for longer life expectancies to be acknowledged, along with the fact that, for a variety of reasons, people need

to borrow money later in life. The higher cost of housing, helping children onto the property ladder, or late entry into the housing market, can all result in the need for a mortgage after you have reached 50 years of age. Mortgages for older people It is often smaller building societies that offer flexibility with regard to age, with high street banks remaining steadfast in their cautionary approach to mortgages in retirement. • The Family Building Society offers mortgage terms of up to 25 years for a 70 year old, and up to a five-year term for someone aged 90 years old.¹ • Aldermore Bank is a specialist mortgage lender that allows repayments to continue up to the age of 99.² According to the Building Societies Association (BSA), some building societies operate with no upper age limit at all for mortgages. These include, but are not limited to, Cumberland, Bath, Chorley, Cambridge, Ipswich, and Buckinghamshire Building Societies.³ ¹ familybuildingsociety.co.uk/Mortgages/Later_Life_ Lending.aspx ² www.aldermore.co.uk/mortgages/later-lifelending-mortgages ³ www.bsa.org.uk/information/consumer-factsheets/ mortgages/building-societies-lending-age-limits

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Garden

The Great Cover-Up By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com

Any garden will look more interesting with some variation in the height of the plants. By all means include some tall plants but don’t forget how attractive and useful ground-cover planting can be, covering the soil with good-looking foliage plus, in some cases, flowers or berries. Some ground-cover plants are available as ‘bare root’ plants, lifted from a field and ready for putting in to the ground whilst they are dormant. Now is a great time to buy them, ready to plant during suitable weather over the coming months. Ground-cover plants are also often available in potted form, especially the smaller, less woody plants. These can be planted now too, or – as their roots are well-encased in compost – at any time of the year, though for best results avoid extremely cold and wet weather or the very hottest and driest period in summer. A ground-cover bed is an excellent way to reduce your gardening workload – once planted, it needs little maintenance and almost looks after itself. It will need watering during the first year or two, especially in dry weather, so that the roots can establish. One of the best uses for ground cover is on a steep slope, where access is difficult or even dangerous. Once installed, a ground cover-clad slope will be simpler to look after than a grassy one. Sloping gardens or windswept spots can suffer soil-slippage or erosion if left unplanted. The roots of your ground-cover planting will help secure the soil and the stems and foliage will help protect the soil surface. Ground cover will also prevent weeds from thriving, by starving them of light and providing competition in open spaces.

Twelve Great Ground Cover Plants

Taxus baccata ‘Repens Aurea’ , Hypericum calycinum moserianum, Hedera, Lonicera pileata, Pernettya mucronata, Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’, Euonymus fortuneii, Ceanothus prostrates thyrsiflorus var.repens, Cotoneaster horizontalis, Cotoneaster ‘Gnom’, Vinca For best effect choose plants which are evergreen and so hold their leaves throughout the year. A ground-cover plant such as Cotoneaster horizontalis lets you enjoy attractive berries as well as the neat foliage. Ground-cover planting like this will often offer a useful source of shelter to local wildlife and food for berry eaters too. Sometimes it can be difficult to spot suitable ground-cover plants unless the nursery or garden centre has a designated area for them, so, when searching out plants always carefully read the information provided. Ideally you want those where the stated height is smaller than the stated spread – it is outwards not upwards you are after! Look for clues in the plants’ Latin names too – those with words suggesting spread out or horizontal are often useful e.g. prostrata (prostrate), horizontalis (horizontal), repens (creeping). Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com and you’ll find some great gardening items and perfect Christmas gifts for gardeners: a ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ gift card (great vegetable plants and weekly advice from Pippa), stylish cloches, the fantastic SpeedHoe, raised bed kits, gardening tools, Grower Frames, signed books and more! Or why not book Pippa for a gardening talk at your gardening club?

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Local News

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is 40! (26-28 January 2019) Celebrating 40 Years of Counting Garden Birds in Bedfordshire • The RSPB is celebrating 40 years of its’ famous Big Garden Birdwatch. • Over 8 million hours have been spent watching garden birds since the Birdwatch began in 1979 with more than 130 million birds counted in the UK. • Taking part in the world’s largest garden wildlife survey takes just one hour and provides the RSPB with an annual snapshot into how our wildlife is faring. • To mark the event, the RSPB is asking participants ‘How will you #BigGardenBirdWatch?’ and share their stories of how they take part. The RSPB is eagerly anticipating who will be top of the pecking order for a very special anniversary of its’ world famous Big Garden Birdwatch in January. Just one hour every year, for the last 40 years, has made the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch the largest garden wildlife citizen science project. During that time, hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered their time providing the RSPB with over 8 million hours of monitoring garden birds around the UK. To mark the event, the RSPB is encouraging participants to share their Big Garden Birdwatch stories. How will you #BigGardenBirdWatch? will showcase some of the best examples of how people take part from building their own birdwatching den, baking birdseed cakes and dressing up as Batman to see Robin. This year’s event takes place on 26, 27 and 28 January 2019. The public is asked to spend just one hour watching and recording the birds in their garden or local green space, then send their results to the RSPB. Close to half-a-million people join in the Birdwatch every year, around 5,000 of whom, are in Bedfordshire. Over the last 40 years, 130 million birds have been counted giving the RSPB an astonishing amount of insight into how our wildlife is faring. For four decades, Big Garden Birdwatch has highlighted the winners and losers in the garden bird world. It was first to alert the RSPB to the decline in song thrush numbers. The song thrush was a firm fixture in the top 10 in 1979. By 2009, its numbers were less than half those recorded in 1979, plummeting to 20th in the rankings. In Bedfordshire, the house sparrow was top of the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings in 2018, with starling and woodpigeon rounding off the top three. Mike Clarke, RSPB Chief Executive, said: “Everyone has a role to play in saving nature and protecting our wildlife. Big Garden Birdwatch participants have made

Photo: Louise Greenhorn

a significant contribution to monitoring garden bird numbers over the past four decades. Those taking part work together as part of a community with thousands of other Big Garden Birdwatchers to help the RSPB’s work to protect birds, other wildlife and the places they live. Reaching 40 years is a huge achievement and shows just how passionate people across the UK are about their wildlife. The survey started as a winter activity for our youth members. It’s now the largest garden wildlife survey in the world and appeals to both children and adults because it’s an enjoyable, easy, inclusive activity that anyone can do and a great opportunity to connect with nature.” The survey has also shown the increases in collared dove and wood pigeon numbers and the alarming declines of the house sparrow and starling. While the overall decline in house sparrow numbers, reported by participants, since the Big Garden Birdwatch began is 57% (1979 – 2018), in the most recent decade (2009-2018) numbers appear to have increased by 17%. As well as counting birds, the RSPB is once again asking participants to log some of the other wildlife they have seen throughout the year. This year, people are being asked to look out for badger, fox, grey squirrel, red squirrel, muntjac deer, roe deer, frog and toad. To take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2019, watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour at some point over the three days. Only count the birds that land, not those flying over. Tell us the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not the total you see in the hour. The parallel event, RSPB Big Schools’ Birdwatch takes place during the first half of spring term (2 January – 22 February 2019). More than 60,000 schoolchildren spent an hour in nature counting birds in 2018. Further information can be found at www.rspb.org. uk/schoolswatch For your FREE 40th anniversary Big Garden Birdwatch pack, which includes a bird identification chart, plus RSPB shop voucher and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden, text BIRD to 70030 or visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch Registration for Big Garden Birdwatch 2019 opens 12 December 2018.

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Local News

Restoration Project Regenerates Areas of Heathland across Greensand Country A project funded by the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership is working with the RSPB, The Greensand Trust and The Wildlife Trust to create better habitats and improve the chances of colonisation on heathlands across the landscape. Greensand Country, an area of distinct, beautiful and loved countryside stretching from Leighton Buzzard to Gamlingay, has already seen some exciting results from the landscape partnership’s Living Heathlands project. Last month, The RSPB announced that, thanks to the restoration of heathland on the reserve, nightjars are breeding at The Lodge in Sandy for the first time in 45 years. In partnership with the Wildlife Trust, the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership is restoring the largest surviving area of heathland in Bedfordshire, at Coopers Hill, by removing scrub, bracken and trees so that underlying heather can thrive. Meanwhile at Rushmere Country Park, The Greensand Trust is introducing grazing cattle to help manage the heath, as well as creating guided walks to help people explore the new heathland. In addition to the three sites identified for regeneration at the beginning of the project, the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership, has supported The Greensand Trust in acquiring an additional 17acre site, Shire Oak Heath, adjacent to Rushmere Country Park, which has almost reached its £50,000 fundraising target, in order for it to begin restoration work. Claire Poulton, Programme Manager at the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership explains: “We are thrilled with the huge successes that the Living Heathlands project has seen so far. The objective of this project is to create better habitats for wildlife, which provide sustainable homes for a number of species and improve the chances of retention across Greensand Country. “This outcome is important nationally as well as on a local level, as our landscape creates a stepping stone between habitats in the south and north of Great Britain.

“As well as continuing to work with partner organisations, we are keen to engage farmers and landowners to create islands and corridors between habitats, in order to establish strong ecological networks that will ensure the long term growth and success of these sites.” The Greensand Country Landscape Partnership has grants of between £500 to £15,000 to help communities and landowners improve the natural and community heritage of the Greensand Country. We can cover up to 70% of a project’s total cost. Living Heaths & Working Woodlands Projects could include: • Small woodland/hedgerow planting • Creating wildflower meadows • Creating nature corridors • Restoring heathland or acid grassland • Managing woodlands • Introducing conservation grazing For further information and to apply for a grant email: team@greensandcountry.com with a brief description (no more than 200 words) of your project and location. To find out more about Greensand Country visit greensandcountry.com, and for regular updates follow @greensandsocial on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Greensand Country Landscape Partnership is led by the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and the Greensand Trust and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is made possible by National Lottery players. Without them we couldn’t fund the project.

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Garden View

By Rachael Leverton

Leaf Matter. Leaves Matter!

Oh, those autumn leaves. So pretty on the trees but they can be rather inconvenient in the garden. If they drift too deep on the lawn the grass underneath will die so there’s nothing to do but rake them up. However, these fallen leaves are a little autumn gift from nature and with them you can create leaf mould. Leaf mould is free garden nourishment, and it’s it’s like feeding your soil with the finest fillet steak. Leaf mould is what’s left when the dead, fallen leaves from deciduous trees and shrubs are heaped up and allowed to rot down. As they slowly decompose, only the toughest bits remain, eventually forming crumbly, dark brown crumbs, a bit like chocolate sprinkles. Leaf mould is easy to make, a delight to handle, and you can’t possibly overfeed your soil with it. Micro-organisms are the driving factor, performing an alchemy that gives the finished product an almost magical quality. Its fibrous nature retains moisture and enables free drainage, which means it also makes a great mulch for trilliums or wood anemones, whose natural habitat is woodland. I adhere to a policy of only collecting leaves where necessary. Where they have fallen and are not obscuring the grass I leave them for the

earthworms to pull into their burrows (I wrote last month about how I think of earthworms as my friends and so do nothing to discourage them). Simply sweeping leaves off paths and decking or patios will keep the garden looking cared for. I also remove any that have drifted around my herb garden because herbs like to be able to breathe. These tasks alone give me enough leaves to create plenty of lovely leaf mould. If you have enough room, create a separate leaf heap rather than simply adding leaves to compost. It’s quite simple to construct a leaf cage using chicken wire and posts. You can even bag your leaves in punctured black bin bags and put them in an out-of-the-way corner. The puncturing is necessary to allow air to circulate. A leaf heap made this autumn will be ready by next autumn. While you’re tidying up the leaves it can be tempting to cut down faded perennials. But if you leave them, in a month or so you will find they have turned into wonderful sculptural winter skeletons which look incredibly beautiful in the frosts. It’s all down to personal taste of course, but I often leave perennials standing until February or March simply to provide a bit of interest over the winter.

Happy Gardening

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Rehoming Appeal

Pets

Eric

Eric is an 10 year old Jack Russel Terrier but despite being an older dog, he is still very active and enjoys his walks and is house-trained. He is a sweet, gentle dog. A thorough vet check has shown that Eric has no physical problems and is very healthy for his age. He does, however, have some night-time issues caused by canine cognitive disfunction (often known as Sundowners Syndrome). This means that in the evenings he can begin to pace and become restless, sometimes barking. Because of this, he follows a night-time routine which involves him being crated with plenty of soft bedding which helps him to feel secure. With the aid of some herbal supplements he will relax and fall asleep. Eric just wants to be with someone all the time, so is looking perhaps for an older couple who are at home all day or can take him with them when going out. He loves nothing more than to sit on someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lap and be stroked. Eric is not a fan of cats and although he gets on well with other dogs, he prefers the attention he gets being an only dog. If you could offer this lovely boy a home, please contact Julie on 01763 289827. Alternatively, please e-mail Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry on to the team. Website: www.rats-animalrescue.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/ratscharity

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Pets

Animal Stories We would like you to meet Amy. Amy came into our care back in January earlier this year, after she was found abandoned in a cardboard box in Bedford’s Priory Country Park. She was advertised in the hope of finding a previous owner, but sadly no one came forward which made it apparent that Amy had been dumped. Unlike most of our neglect or abandonment cases, who come in to us weak and underweight, Amy was a fat cat weighing over 6kg! She had obviously been over-loved and was in need of a diet. Since she has been in our care she has done incredibly well on her diet and is now a healthy weight. Amy, 8 years old, is a loving girl who likes nothing more than a cat nap. She enjoys a fuss as long as it is on her terms and you have made friends first. Over the 10 months Amy has been in our care she has had only one enquiry, which unfortunately quickly fizzled out. She is getting fed up in the cattery, seeing all the other cats come and go, leaving her to patiently wait for her chance at finding a happy home. We would love to find her a loving new home before the year is over, so she doesn’t have to celebrate her year anniversary! Bedfordshire North Branch is an independent, selffunded RSPCA charity and our main aim is to take in, rehabilitate and rehome cats and small furries from RSPCA Inspectorate. Our charity shop is the biggest and most important source of income to fund this, and after sadly losing our beloved Bus Station shop back in spring this year due to lease

expiration, we are delighted to announce we have opened a new shop, and only three doors down from the old one! Our 6 Thurlow Street, Bedford Bus Station shop used to be a café, so after a month of hard work and determination, with an incredible team of carpenters, plumbers and volunteers, the renovation was complete and we have now opened our doors. Although the new shop is slightly smaller than our last, it has been fitted out beautifully with a more modern and up to date look, but still with plenty of room. We have so far received an amazing amount of donations and public support, and we’re so pleased to be back up and running, raising vital funds for our animal welfare work. If you would like to enquire about rehoming our beautiful Amy, or would like some more information on how you could support our new charity shop, whether by donating or volunteering, we would love to hear from you. You can call our office on 01234 266965 or email us at info@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk. To keep up to date with our Branch animals or fundraising, visit our website www.rspca.org.uk/ local/bedfordshire-north-branch.

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

By James Baggott

How to deal with pothole damage to your car Winter is the season of snow, woolly clothes and — at least on poorly-kept UK roads — potholes. All motorists will know the struggles of trying to avoid potholes, but sometimes they’re either impossible to get around or go unnoticed. This can result in a little discomfort at best, and plenty of damage to your car at worst. We look at how you can report a pothole and, should you pick up damage, how you can claim money to cover repair costs. Why do potholes form? Potholes are most commonly created when water creeps into the cracks in the roads and freezes. The expansion and contraction of water moves the asphalt around, weakening it as a result. The stress of vehicle movement over the road eventually causes the asphalt to give way, thus forming a hole. Although potholes can form at any time, colder winter temperatures make them much more likely. What can a pothole do to my car? The uneven, sudden drop of a pothole puts significant stress on a vehicle’s tyres and suspension. As tough as modern cars are, there’s a chance a pothole could damage a tyre to the point of puncture,

add excess wear to suspension components or break them entirely. Extreme holes could even damage alloy wheels and components underneath a vehicle. How can I report a pothole? To report a pothole on a local road, you should contact the relevant council and inform them of the location of the hole. As for A-roads and motorways, the Highways Agency must be notified by calling 0300 123 5000. How can I claim for damage costs? At the risk of sounding like an insurance advert, you could be entitled to compensation should your car be damaged due to going over a pothole. If the pothole has been previously reported, you’re more likely to receive some compensation that if it has not. Councils have a statutory defence that they cannot be held liable for defects they’re unaware of. There are some steps you can take before making a claim to increase your chances of a payout: • Make notes — write down key details, such as location, time of the incident, and the size and depth of the pothole if

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possible. You should also take a photograph as evidence. • Witnesses — if anyone else has seen the incident, get details from them. It could help your claim. • Get repair quotes — having accurate quotes for repair bills could help to ensure you get as much of the damage repairs covered as possible in a claim. • Research — before making a claim, you should check to see what your council is and isn’t liable for. To make a claim for pothole damage, contact the local council for local roads and the Highways Agency for A-roads and motorways Can I claim pothole damage on my insurance? Your insurer may provide cover for pothole damage, and this is more likely if you have a comprehensive policy. It’s worth checking your policy documents and contacting your insurer before making a claim.

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Local & Reliable

Three Counties Radio

Guinea Fowl stuffed with curry leaf butter with corn and coconut puree and chilli popcorn One of the things I love most about my Weekend Kitchen show is the colorful character of my guests. To put it bluntly, you don’t get to be a top chef by being a shrinking violet. You need charisma, creativity, passion – and eyes wide open to the world around you. Cat Ashton fits this bill. She is originally from Australia and has travelled extensively honing her craft at Michelin starred restaurants. She is also a brilliant character and her vibrant and comforting food reflects her personality. She has just landed in St Albans as the head chef at the new Abbey Restaurant and this fancy looking – but easy to execute – dinner party dish is her creation. You will need (Serves 4) 4 large Guinea fowl or chicken supremes (skin on) Curry leaf butter 250g butter, softened 1 clove garlic, finely grated 1 tablespoon fried curry leaves ½ teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon sea salt 1. Place all the butter ingredients into a food processor. Whip until light and fluffy (note: this recipe makes much more than needed but can last in the fridge for a few weeks and be used for all sorts of dishes). 2. Stuffing the breast: Using your finger, create an air pocket between the skin of the fowl and the breast meat. Evenly pipe about 2 tablespoons worth of butter inside the cavity and place in it the fridge to set for 1 hour. 3. Season the supremes and heat a little oil in a pan. Cook them skin side down for 2-3 minutes, to get a golden skin. Flip them over and pop them in an oven at 180C/ Gas Mark 4 to finish them off for 6-8 minutes. You want them to feel moist and slightly bouncy, not rock hard.

Corn and coconut puree 1 shallot, diced 1 clove garlic, chopped 25ml olive oil 250g corn kernels (tinned or fresh) 200ml coconut milk 1. Heat the oil in a pan and sweat off the shallots for 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and continue to cook for a further minute. 2. Add the corn and mix well. Fry for 2 minutes and add the coconut milk. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until softened. Puree in a blender until smooth. Serve warm Popcorn 50g corn kernels 10ml rapeseed oil Salt Garlic powder Chilli powder 1. Cook the popcorn as per the packet instructions. Then dust with salt, garlic powder and chilli powder to your desired spice level. To serve; Serve the puree on the plate, topped with the guinea fowl and finish off with the popcorn around the plate. This goes particularly well with spiralised raw yellow courgette, served just between the meat and the puree. Add a few final corn kernels on the plate for decoration

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

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Electrician

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Alan George Painter & Decorator Interior and Exterior Work Wallpapering and Coving Reliable and Local Specialist City & Guilds trained with 30 years experience Sole trader No VAT Free estimates Call Alan on 01582 454604 Mob:07760198256 or E-Mail: george-a6@sky.com

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Local News

Making a Difference

It is within living memory that Polio was the most worrying of all childhood diseases because it caused muscle weakness resulting in permanent disability or death. Many of us can still remember children in leg callipers and the ‘Iron Lung’ which was the machine that enabled a paralysed child to breathe. Rotary International decided to do something about polio, to eradicate it in the same way that Smallpox had been eradicated from the whole world. Polio vaccine is cheap to produce and easy to administer as a drop by mouth, so in 1979 the first project to vaccinate children began. In 1985 the Rotary Polio Plus programme was launched and in 1988 the World Health Organisation, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF joined in. At that time Polio was present in 125 countries and it affected 1000 children every day. By 2017 the incidence of Polio had plummeted by 99.99 % to just 22 cases in that year from only 3 remaining countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, and up to the end of August 2018 there have only been 15 reported cases in the world. It is very important not to be complacent now that the end is in sight. It would be so easy for Polio to take hold again with global travel and military personnel moving backwards and forwards from Afghanistan. World Polio day is 24th October every year. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have joined the campaign and now donate £2 for every £1 raised by Rotary, and even when there are no more reported cases the vaccination programme must continue for another 3 years, just to be sure. Purple for Polio was made a slogan because every child vaccinated has their little finger dipped in purple dye as a way of making sure that no child has been missed. Rotary clubs would welcome your involvement as we need help in any way to finish what was started all those years ago. For more information telephone Pamela on 07817 014865

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Codeword 1

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Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles. 60

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Painting & Decorating

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63 20/02/2017 16:40

n O s ’ t Wha In November

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

1 November World War I Lecture 11am & 2pm Spirella Ballroom, Bridge Road, Letchworth £7 on the door. Hosted by The Arts Society North Herts in the year of the 100th Anniversary of the end of WW1. Amongst the carnage of war flourished an outpouring of Poetry, Music and Art which is represented by a multimedia lecture on World War I by Denis Moriarty. All visitors welcome. Email: theartssociety.nh@gmail.com Web: www.theartscocietynorthhert.org.uk 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 November Toddler Tales 2.15-2.45pm Baldock Library Free event. Toddler Tales is a mix of lively stories and rhymes. The stories chosen are aimed at toddlers and preschool children. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 November Baldock Community Orchestra 7.15pm Knights Templar School (Room CS1), Baldock £7 per week or 10 week term £50. A friendly group of musicians. Come and give us a try, first session free! Tel: Rachel Dawson 07818 480332 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 November Roundabouters Country Dance Club 8-10pm Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage Friendly club for English country dancing. We welcome new members, both beginners and experienced. All dances walked through; club and guest callers ensure a varied programme. Tel: 01438 727 239 Email: roundabouters@live.co.uk Web: www.roundabouters.org.uk 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 November 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 Web: www.sapphiresocialsinglesclub.co.uk 2 November Vintage Coffee Morning 10-11.30am Aston Village Hall, Near Stevenage, SG2 7ED Admission £3. Aston Cake Committee holds these events twice a year to raise money for charity. Admission charge includes a huge choice of homemade cakes, unlimited tea and ‘proper’ coffee. There is a mega raffle with a star prize luxury hamper and several craft stalls. In aid of PoHwer, a charity providing advocacy services for the disabled or disadvantaged. Why not also enjoy a lovely country walk along one of our many local footpaths or simply gaze at our beautiful views of the Beane Valley? Tel: Margie 01438 880248

2 November ‘Cuckoo, Cheating by Nature’ (Professor Nick Davies) 7.30pm ‘The Settlement’, Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City RSPB Local Group members free, Visitors £3 Hitchin & Letchworth RSPB Local Group. The sight of a little warbler or pipit feeding an enormous cuckoo chick has astonished human observers for centuries. Field observations and experiments reveal a continuing evolutionary arms race between host defences and cuckoo trickery. Tel: 01763249459 Email: martinrjspc@hotmail.com 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 November Baldock Health Walk 11am Tesco car park, 58 High Street, Baldock Mind in Herts Health Walk every Friday. Walking is a great way to get active and get away from the stresses and strains of everyday life. Tel: Stephanie Flint 01438 369215 Email: stephanie.flint@mindinherts.org.uk Web: www.mindinherts.org.uk 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 November Springfield House Friday Bridge Club 1.30pm Springfield House (the home of the Old Stevenage Community Centre) To play cut-in Chicago Bridge. Play is informal and friendly. Tel: Richard Bean 01438 221517 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 November Rainmakers International Folk Dance Club 8-10pm The Parish Hall, Broadway, Letchworth Rainmakers is a friendly club for all. We enjoy folk dances of all styles from many countries around the world and meet most Fridays. Come on your own or with a friend. Tel: Roger 01438 812766 Web: www.rainmakers.org.uk 3 November 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 3 November Jumble Sale 2pm St. Mary’s Church Hall, Stotfold Refreshments and Raffle. Hall open from 9am to receive jumble. Please telephone to arrange collection locally. Proceeds for Cancer Research. Tel: 01462 834108 or 01462 835585. 3 November Weekend Stories 10.30-11am Baldock Library Free event. Stories chosen are aimed at toddlers and preschool children.

3 November Come and Sing Faure’s Requiem Come & Sing 10am-4pm, Concert 7.30pm Adults £12, Concessions 10, Children in education free. Vivace Choir is inviting singers to Come and Sing Faure’s Requiem followed by a concert ‘For the Fallen’. The ‘Come and Sing’ and concert will be led by Vivace’s conductor Robert Bunting. The choir are enjoying an in-depth study of the Requiem and are looking forward to working alongside other singers during the day. The concert in the evening, with the Requiem at its core, will include songs by Ivor Gurney and George Butterworth, anthems by Douglas Guest and Parry along with readings of the time. It will be a fitting tribute to those who fought and those who were left behind 100 years ago. All details for the Come & Sing Day are available from the Vivace Choir Secretary. Tickets for the concert are available from the Ticket Manager or on the door. The Secretary, Vivace Choir, 2 Regent Street, Stotfold, Hitchin SG5 4ED. Tel: 01462 730022 Tel: 01462 685249 4 November Charity Fun Quiz Night 8pm Five Bells, Henlow Village £2 per person. In aid of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Teams of up to 8 members are invited to take part. Cash prize for the winning team and a suitable prize for last place. Plus some ‘spot prizes’ and raffle Tel: John 01767 680974 Email: quizzesforcharity@outlook.com 5, 12, 19 & 26 November Moo Music Sandy, Biggleswade & Shefford 10-10.40am Shefford Baptist Church Moosical fun for your little one! Music & movement classes for 0-5 year olds in Shefford, Sandy & Sutton. Come and join in the fun with your little moover. First session free. Email: Heather sandymoo@moo-music.co.uk Web: www.moo-music.co.uk/sbs Facebook: www.facebook.com/moomusicsandy 5, 12, 19 & 26 November Baby Rhyme Time 10.30-11am Baldock Library Free event – voluntary contribution of £1 per family welcomed. Baby Rhyme times are a fun half hour session of songs and rhymes suitable for babies and toddlers of all age. 5, 12, 19 & 26 November Café Connect 1-4pm Arlesey Resource Centre, High Street, Arlesey An exciting new community project in Arlesey! We want to bring the community together with a series of events chosen by YOU. Come along to Meet new people, Share your skills, Explore your interests, Learn something new, Develop your community and all with free tea, coffee and cakes! This project is delivered by Community Action Bedfordshire and NOAH Enterprise, and funded by Central Bedfordshire Council and Public Health. Tel: Priya 07814 704203 for more info

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n O s ’ t Wha In November

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

5, 12, 19 & 26 November Baby Rhyme Time 10.30-11am Letchworth Library Free event. Baby Rhyme Times are a fun half hour session of songs and rhymes suitable for babies and toddlers of all ages.

8 November Baldock & Clothall WI 7.30pm United Reformed Church, Whitehorse Street, Baldock Visitors £3 including refreshment and raffle ticket Facebook: www.facebook.com/baldockclothallwi

5, 12, 19 & 26 November Staplers Country Dance Club 8-10pm St John’s Community Hall, Hitchin Staplers is a social folk dance club. It’s easy to start as all the dances are walked through first then called and you don’t need to come with a partner; lots of us come on our own. We are a friendly group and you will be made very welcome. Car parking is available next to the hall. We meet every Monday apart from Bank Holidays and the school summer holidays. Tel. 01462 895567 or 01462 624144 Web: www.staplers.org.uk

8 November Stevenage Floral Art Society 7.45pm High Street Methodist Hall Visitors very welcome.

6, 13, 20 & 27 November Stevenage Bridge Club 7.30pm Priory Nursery, Stanmore Road, Old Stevenage To play Duplicate Bridge. A host system is run to find partners, if required. A wide level of ability play at the club. Tel: Phil Cooper 07957 813434 7 November North Herts Association of the National Trust 7.30pm Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin Non-members £2 on the door. David Saunders will talk about his bike ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats. Non-members welcome. Membership of the National Trust not necessary. Tea and coffee served during the evening. Second-hand books and homemade preserves are on sale. Tel: Secretary Mrs Colette House 01462 815585 Email: colettehouse@gmail.com 7, 14, 21 & 28 November Toddler Tales 2.15-2.45pm Letchworth Library Free event. Toddler Tales is a mix of lively stories and rhymes. The stories chosen are aimed at toddlers and preschool children. 7, 14, 21 & 28 November 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 8 November CRUK Fashion Show 7pm Cancer Research UK, Unit 2 Oaklands Retail Park, London Road, Stevenage Cancer Research Stevenage for Stand up to Cancer Fashion Show. We are having our own volunteer models and are working with the local college students who will also be helping us to raise funds for Research in to Cancer. Tel: 01438 359207 for further info

9-24 November Letchworth Art Society Annual Autumn Exhibition. 10am-4.45pm Nov. 9-24th (But not Sundays). Community Museum Gallery, The Arcade, Letchworth Not open Sundays. 12 November Icknield Quilters 7.30pm for 7.45pm start Baldock Community Centre Visitors £4. Speaker will be Lynne Edwards on “My Life in a Patchwork World”. Visitors welcome. Web: http://icknieldquilters.co.uk for more info 13 November Transition Tuesday: I’m Dreaming Of A Green Christmas 7.30-9.30pm Upper Hall, Mrs Howard Hall, Norton Way South, SG6 1NX Free admission. Join us for an evening where we will be sharing ideas for environmentally friendly presents to create or buy, including ideas from our local retailers. You could even win our own Christmas hamper on the night. All welcome, admission free, but a £2 donation is welcome. 13 & 27 November Hitchin & District Probus Club 12 noon for 1pm Priory Hotel, Hitchin Social club for retired and semi-retired professional and business-men which meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month for lunch. Organised visits and events throughout the year. New members welcomed. Tel: Roger Burt 01438 351891 Email: roger@mazda20.plus.com 14 November Letchworth Chamber Music Concert 7.45pm Howgills Friends Meeting House, 42 South View, Letchworth Tickets £12, £6 for children under 18 & students Don’t miss the next concert to hear the Dou b!z’art Geoffrey Baptiste and André Roe piano duet who will be playing a uniquely varied repertoire of Mendelssohn (Andante and Allegro Vivace Op. 92), Brahms (Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann, Op. 9), Grieg (Four Norwegian Dances, Op. 35), Schumann (Bilder aus Osten, Op. 66) and Tchaikovsky (The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a). Tickets at the door. www.letchworthmusicclub.co.uk

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17 November The Village Market 1-4pm Shillington Village Hall, High, Road Shillington Free admission. Shillington WI hosts the Village Market with 31 local contributors all selling their products. These will include crafts, plants, cosmetics, jewellery, knitted items, wood turning, sewn items and food. The event includes adult and children’s tombolas and home-made refreshments. 17 November Weston Music Society Concert 7.30pm Weston Parish Church, SG4 7DJ Tickets £16. The Fieri Consort of Voices. The Bells of Paradise, an a cappella programme of music celebrating the Christmas story. Tel: 01462 790573 Email: felicitylowe@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.westonmusicsociety.org.uk 18 November WW1 Commemoration Service 9.30am All Saints’ Parish Church, Shillington. Composite Commemoration Service marking the Centenary of the ending of the Great War. Remembrance Service for every name inscribed on the Shillington village War Memorial who lost their lives in the Great War. Web: www. allsaintsshillington.org/WW1memorial.htm 20 November Stevenage RSPB Local Group 7.30pm The Friends Meeting House, Cutty’s Lane, Stevenage RSPB Members £3, Non-members £3.50, Under 16s 50p. Martin Davies, conservationist and ex-staff member of RSPB, presents a talk entitled Wild Turkey. Bring-and-Buy Cake stall at this meeting. 29 November Stevenage RSPB Local Group visit to Rye Meads 9.30am A morning visit to this RSPB Reserve in the Lea Valley. Meet in the car park at 9.30am. OS Map Ref: 166/TL389102. Postcode SG12 8JS. Tel: Leader Graham Beevor 01438 232055 30 November Carl Couzens Memorial Quiz Langford Football Club £5 per person. In aid of Asthma UK in Carl’s memory. Teams of up to 8 members are invited to take part. There will be a prize for the winning team and a suitable one for last place, together with ‘spot prizes’ and a raffle. There is a licensed bar, but feel free to bring your own picnic. Tel: John 01767 680974 Email: quizzesforcharity@outlook.com Hitchin & Surrounding Areas - Fun & Social Stuff A Social Group based in Hitchin. The aim of the group is to enable a variety of people who are over 18 years old to get to know each other in a social and friendly setting whilst enjoying a variety of events & activities. Web: www.meetup.com/meetupgroup-HVr

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Crime

By Dr Ken German

Local Tradesmen and Women Targeted by Thieves

Tradesmen and women are currently under attack from criminals who are destroying their vehicles to gain access and steal the tools necessary for them to carry on with their businesses. Our local services including builders, mechanics, engineers and many others who help with house improvements, car repairs, deliveries and emergencies have all been affected at some time many losing all their working tools and equipment and often being left with vehicles so badly damaged that they are subsequently ‘written off’ by their insurance companies. Every town and city across the country appears to have their own plague of ’tool thieves’ responsible for causing hardship and havoc to van owners with reports posted on social media almost every day of at least 6 tradesmen’s vehicles being damaged with contents stolen often culminating in the demise of sole operators and small businesses being forced into bankruptcy. Ironically the police who of course are initially blamed on various social media sites for not arresting those responsible or recovering this stolen equipment have rightly responded offering their own pictures depicting large quantities of identical stolen property they have collected from various searches and raids they have conducted all of which they cannot identify and desperately want to restore to their rightful owners. Indeed as one local officer suggested ‘a suspect who is often unemployed and found in possession of 93 electric drills, saws and hammers, 14 Jet washers, 17 MIG/spot welders, 19 compressors and thousands of tools all stacked in his living room offering no good account to his possession of the items might reasonably expect us to assume he had stolen them. ‘ This ‘Catch 22’ conundrum does appear to have a simple solution however. Owners must mark their tools and equipment with their own individual identification (Initials/post code) that would establish enough information to allow the police to search crime reports and national databases and identify and restore items to their rightful owners whilst at the same time giving them the opportunity to charge those responsible and obtain a conviction for theft. The sad irony is that should the police fail to find owners for any of their acquired stolen property they could be forced to return all of it back to the thieves who could boast that it was returned to them by the police having been through their identification process and they are therefore entitled to declare they are legitimate owners.

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Books

Book Review By Kate Duggan

Accountants

Stuck for the perfect present? Our literary gift guide might help…

For crime lovers Girl On Fire by Tony Parsons

A terrorist attack on a shopping centre sees DC Max Wolfe on the hunt for the culprits before they can strike again. He also has battles closer to home to deal with in the form of his ex-wife, who wants custody of their daughter. A gripping story with plenty of twists to keep you guessing.

For family saga fans The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

A long-lost letter sets Edie on a quest to uncover more about her mother Meredith’s experiences as an evacuee. Meredith was taken in by the three Blythe sisters, including the enigmatic Juniper. As Edie soon discovers, her mother isn’t the only one who’s been keeping secrets. An enjoyable, atmospheric novel that treads the line between family saga, gothic mystery and historical fiction.

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For young readers Alice Dent and the Incredible Germs by Gwen Lowe

In Alice’s world, cleanliness is crucial, illness is not tolerated and laughter is strictly forbidden. So when Alice gets a cold and a case of the giggles, she’s in big trouble. She manages to escape the clutches of the Best Minister for Everything Nicely Perfect, but for how long? Alice Dent and the Incredible Germs is very funny and perfect for sharing at bedtime.

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USEFUL NUMBERS

VILLAGER The

and Town

Life

Alcoholics Anonymous...................... 0845 769 7555 Anglian Water................................... 08457 145 145 Bedford Hospital................................01234 355122 Lister Hospital....................................01438 314333 Addenbrooks Hospital........................01223 245151 Benefits for people with Disabilities.... 0800 882 200 Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue.............01234 351081 Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue............01438 729041 Carers Line........................................ 0808 808 7777 ChildLine..................................................0800 1111 Citizens Advice.................................. 0344 245 1292 Cocaine Anonymous................................0800 689 4732

Bringing Local Business to Local People Your local full colour A5 monthly magazine delivered free of charge to 1000s of homes and businesses in your local area. The Villager and Town Life is dedicated to promoting local businesses, charities, community groups and everything else in your local area.

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