Potton March 2020

VILLAGER The

Issue 163 - March 2020

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Britain’s

Strangest Museums Win tickets to see

Mark Thomas Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People Every Month in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages

ur Yo EE FRco1py

WHAT’S ON AT THE MILL 14th & 15th March THE BIG BREAKFAST WEEKEND

10% off breakfasts with our all new menu, served 9:00-11:30.

From Full English to Pancake Stack. The choice is yours.

2 2 ND M A R C H

2nd - 8th March

BRITISH PIE WEEK

Help us celebrate the pie and try our “Holme-made” daily specials.

from

22nd March

AFTERNOON TEAS

Easter holiday

EGGSTRAVAGANZA Kids Activity Trail

18th - 25th April

Our traditional afternoon teas are back and even more delicious than before.

EASTER WEEKEND

2 COURSE SPRING TIME SPECIALS Follow us on: /JORDANSMILL

MOTHER’S DAY MEAL FWOITR HMAUMGIFT ENGLISH TOURISM one get one FREE WEEK Buy on all Mill tours.

For full details of all our events please visit our website, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

KEEPING OUR FOOD HERITAGE ALIVE @JORDANS.MILL

www.jordansmill.com 2

Jordans Mill, Holme Mills, Southill Road, Broom, Nr Biggleswade SG18 9JY

Inside this issue...

Trends we will be wearing this spring/summer

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How the Computer Began.................................................................. 4 Saints Days......................................................................................... 8 Britain’s Strangest Museums............................................................ 10 Win Tickets to see Mark Thomas....................................................... 12 Fire Blessing Bhutan........................................................................ 14 Potton Playhouse............................................................................. 16 Dining: Royal Lancaster Style........................................................... 18 Join the BDCPS Team........................................................................ 21 30 Years On: Poll Tax Riots Revisited................................................. 22 To a Special Mum............................................................................. 26 More Fool Us.................................................................................... 29 Greensand Country Festival 2020..................................................... 32 March into Spring............................................................................. 35 EAAA Update.................................................................................... 36 Respite at Home Volunteers............................................................. 38 The trends we will be wearing this spring/summer......................... 40 Hair We Go....................................................................................... 43

Get Motivated. Get Fit...................................................................... 46 Top Tips for Verruca Treatment......................................................... 48 Surf’s Up! Over-50s Sites.................................................................. 53 Stepping Stone Investing................................................................. 54 Easy Veg Growing............................................................................. 58 Solutions4Gardens........................................................................... 60 An Annual Fiesta.............................................................................. 63 Three Essentials for Dog-Proofing your Home.................................. 65 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal................................................................ 66 Brexit and Animal Welfare................................................................ 69 Ask Alan - Potton Vets...................................................................... 71 7 Cars you can finance for less than the weekly shop....................... 75 Easy Tips to Improve your Driving..................................................... 77 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe........................................................... 78 Introducing a New Baby to the Family.............................................. 81 Is it Time for a New Vacuum Cleaner................................................. 84 What’s On......................................................................................... 86 Update your Home for 2020............................................................. 88 Puzzle Page...................................................................................... 92 Prize Crossword.............................................................................. 100 The Sandy Show............................................................................. 103 Book Review.................................................................................. 106

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Solutions4Gardens

Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £37.50 +VAT per month Editorial - Catherine Rose, Eloise Constantine, Kate McLelland, Solange Hando, Trevor Langley, Nadia Houston, Kate Duggan, Jennie Billings, Robert Grant, Dr Daisy Mae, Leeds Day Solicitors, Ann Haldon, Pippa Greenwood, Rachael Leverton, RSPCA, Potton Vets, Nick Coffer, Iain Betson, Tracey Anderson, Katherine Sorrell and Jackie Brewster.

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

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 nigel@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.

Front Cover Photography - jreika Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 • www.design9marketing.co.uk

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3

History

By Catherine Rose

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

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

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

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

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Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine No 1.

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

Babbage’s computer was never used in anger.

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

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

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

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

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

COBOL was the first computer language, invented

by Grace Hopper in 1953. This was closely followed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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7

History

By Eloise Constantine

Saints Days - Why do we have

them and how are saints chosen?

March 1st is St David’s Day and March 17th is St Patrick’s Day. Most of us know they are the patron saints of Wales and Ireland respectively. But why do we have saints? Who chooses them and to what purpose?

Saints derive from the Catholic Church; they form no part of Protestant faiths. The process the Church uses to name a saint is called canonization. Prior to the tenth century saints were chosen by public acclaim but gradually bishops and finally the Vatican took over the authority.

Canonization is a complex and lengthy process which begins after the death of a catholic regarded as particularly holy.

Mostly it starts many years after the death to allow for perspective on their life and work. Initially the local bishop investigates the candidate’s life then the case is referred upwards to a panel of theologians at the Vatican. If approval is granted the pope proclaims the candidate ‘venerable.’

Beatification is the next step and requires evidence of one miracle or act of martyrdom. A miracle must have taken place after the candidate’s death as a direct result of an appeal made to them. They are generally related to recovery from a deadly medical condition. For such a recovery to be declared miraculous, it must be complete, instantaneous, durable (so it can’t return) and scientifically inexplicable. If the pope bestows beatification the person may be venerated by members of the catholic faith.

Canonization can only occur, even for martyrs, after a further miracle. The title of saint means that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven and is to be honoured by the Church. Canonization does not make someone a saint; it is simply recognition by the Pope of what he declares God has already done.

St David and St Patrick are both patron saints. These are saints chosen as special protectors or guardians over certain areas of life. The areas can include occupations, illnesses, countries or causes. While the Pope decides whether someone can be canonized, patrons may be chosen by individuals or groups

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of people. Patron saints are often chosen because an event in their lives or a talent overlaps with a particular area. For example, David, a Welsh bishop who helped to spread Christianity across the continent was born in Wales and served his country through the church. Patrick, though not born in Ireland was taken there in slavery after being kidnapped by pirates. He became fluent in Gaelic, turned to God and helped to bring Christianity to the island of Ireland. For many people saints are still relevant in the 21st century as they act like mentors, providing people with an example of a good life to follow.

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No appointment is necessary so please feel free to drop in for a guided tour, coffee and cake!

We look forward to meeting you...

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9

Quirky Britain

By Kate McLelland

Britain’s Strangest Museums

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Book for Mother’s Day Sun 22nd March We are offering a free Gin & Tonic and Gin glass for all Mums eating with us on Mother’s Day

The oldest pub in the historic town of Potton, “The Royal Oak” has had a well deserved refurbishment and is under new management since November 2019.

Its warm open fire welcomes you as soon as you walk through the door. Our friendly staff, will serve you with fine ales, good quality wines and spirts.

But is doesn’t end there...

Our restaurant is cosy and comfortable and serves homemade food Wednesday-Sunday, with weekly specials to complement our menu, our homemade pies and Sunday roasts are not to be forgotten.

In January we will be enhancing our lunchtime menu, and bringing back the popular set menus

2 course = £10 or 3 courses = £15

The Royal Oak, 4 Biggleswade Road, Potton SG19 2LU T: 01767 449326 E: bookings@royaloakpotton.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Photo: Steve Ullathorne

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

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

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

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

MARK THOMAS COMPETITION ENTRY

How many Channel 4 series did Mark have?



For a chance to win tickets simply answer the question and complete the form below and send to: Mark Thomas Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. Deadline: 16th March 2020

Name: Tel: Email: Address:

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Travel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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By Solange Hando

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

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

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

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Local News

Potton Playhouse Potton Playhouse is a friendly group of people who love putting on a good show! We perform a variety of shows every year, including full scale pantos, farces, murder mysteries and sketches. Last year we staged a Comedy Cabaret evening, featuring songs, funny routines and hilarious sketches that had the audience in tears (of laughter!). You may have seen “The Curse of the Red Scarab”, a murder mystery written by one of our own members.

Last month we returned with an ever-popular Panto, “Beauty and The Beast”, and we are currently rehearsing the comedy “Out Of focus” which you can see on 28,29 and 30 May. Tickets are available at www. ticketsource.co.uk/potton-playhouse.

So, if you’ve always fancied giving it a go, please join us! There are always plenty of small parts to play as well as the main roles, and we welcome juniors as well as adults.

And it’s not just about the acting – there is lots to do behind the scenes including props, costumes, make-up, set building and of course front of house. No previous experience necessary!

We are a social lot and can be found the second Friday of every month in the Rising Sun. We also host a number of gatherings throughout the year so it’s a great way to make new friends. If you’d like to join, follow us at www.facebook.com/PottonPlayhouse. Or feel free to pop along to our AGM on 17 March, upstairs in Potton Community Centre at 7pm. Hope to see you there!

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CHEESE & WINE NIGHT TUESDAY 7 APRIL 2020

Join us for an open house evening while you enjoy some cheese and wine. The House will be open from 17:00 – 20.00 explore the rooms, the grounds and see areas not normally open to the public. £10.00 per person Pre-book via: www.shuttleworth.org/cheese-and-wine Shuttleworth House, Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, SG18 9EA

Villager - Cheese & Wine Night advert Mar 20.indd 1 To advertise in The Villager andFPTown Life please call 01767 261122

01767 627970

23/01/2020 14:55:38

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Food and Drink

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As always, Enjoy!

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ey Trevor Langl

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RASOI of Sandy Tel: 01767 680807 Fine Indian Cuisine in stunning surroundings. Free delivery within 5 miles.

Order Online: rasoiofsandy.co.uk and receive 10% discount* Book your table online and receive 25% off your meal - Code: Vill25Dine* 22 Market Square, Sandy SG19 1JA (* For a limited period only) To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Mother’s Day

Open all day - 12 noon to 9pm

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This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. One voucher per table.

Cheapest main course is free.

Tel: 01767 448090

Web: www.osarracinopotton.co.uk

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Local News

BDCPS are looking for people to join the team BDCPS are looking for people to join our award winning organisation and dynamic team, for an exciting, fun and life changing experience you will never forget! We are a small, local charity who provide holiday schemes and clubs for young people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.

At BDCPS we ensure that we have a 1:1 support for our young people, ensuring that all of their care needs are met, meaning that we rely heavily on bank staff and volunteers to be able to offer out the services to our families.

Genevieve, now 18 and a paid member of staff, was just 14 when she began volunteering with BDCPS. “Working with BDCPS is the thing I am most proud of. My confidence has improved, I have met so many amazing people and I always leave with a smile on my face. You are making a difference, no matter how big or small, in someone’s life. Worth every moment’.

What we offer: •Excellent training and induction • Reward Scheme • Room for progression • DBS check You will gain: • Valuable life skills • Experience for future careers • A new perspective on life • New friendships Location: Bedford. Scheme weeks: 22nd July - 16th August (including training) Hourly rate (inc. holiday pay) starts from £6.61- £9.90 (depending on age and experience) Find out more information and apply today by calling 01234 351759, emailing cp.enquiries@bdcps.org.uk or visiting our website www.bdcps.org.uk to download an application pack.

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Special Report

By Nadia Houston

30 Years On: Poll Tax Riots Revisited Thirty years ago, in March 1990, the ‘poll tax riots’ marked the beginning of the end of Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime Minister.

The premise behind the ‘Community Charge’, otherwise known as poll tax, was that it was a flat fee regardless of income. Each person paid a fixed amount set by their local authority, with the idea being that it would replace previously used domestic rates which were levied according to a property’s value. However, this unfairly penalised those worse off in society and very obviously benefited wealthier property owners.

The Community Charge was defended on the principle of marginality: that all voters should have to cover the costs of additional council spending, and that those who benefitted from this expenditure should also pay their fair contribution.

Despite protest, some from MPs themselves, the poll tax was introduced in Scotland in 1989 and was announced to come into effect in England and Wales in April 1990.

This was a deeply unpopular policy which resulted in riots and protests breaking out across the UK. The largest demonstration was attended by 200,000 people who came together on 31st March 1990 in central London.

Although mainstream media and politicians condemned these activities, there was widespread support from the public for the protestors.

Beginning in Kennington Park, thousands of people headed for Trafalgar Square where they were met with police who tried to prevent them from reaching Downing Street.

Mounted riot police were also brought in to clear the protesters from Whitehall, resulting in the majority of the group becoming completely stationary around the area. According to reports, officers then advanced at the crowds at speed, moving protestors back into Trafalgar Square.

Contradictory reports exist regarding the nature of the events during the afternoon; some claimed that the mounted police intentionally antagonised protestors and that police riot vans were driven into the crowd, which further escalated the riots.

As a consequence, underground stations in the area were closed which also made it harder for people to disperse.

The rioting left more than a hundred people hurt and resulted in more than four hundred being arrested. Damage to property was extensive

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Poll Tax Protestors, Picture credit: James Bourne

throughout key areas of central London, including Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden.

During the day, protestors had thrown debris at police, set fire to a builders’ cabin and climbed scaffolding. By night this had escalated to looting and setting of fires in cafes and wine bars in Covent Garden, with events continuing into the early hours of the next morning.

The unpopularity of the Community Charge undoubtedly contributed to Margaret Thatcher’s downfall. When the tax was introduced, 17 million refused to pay. In opinion polls, 78% were opposed to it. For the first time, Thatcher’s popularity as Prime Minister was seriously questioned.

As a consequence, Michael Heseltine, who had always been an outspoken critic of the poll tax, triggered a leadership contest in November 1990 from which John Major emerged the winner.

Major appointed Heseltine as environment secretary, increased VAT to generate extra cash for councils, announced the abolition of the community charge and introduced its replacement – council tax – in March 1991.

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Islands 1. Which group of 12 large islands and numerous small islands has a name that literally means “twelve islands”?

2. Who sings the first line of the 1983 hit single Islands In The Stream?... Kenny Rogers or Dolly Parton?

3. Which American state was named after the largest of the Channel Islands?

4. In the book Gulliver’s Travels, there are two islands in which the inhabitants are about onetwelfth of the height of a normal human. One of these is called Blefuscu. What is the other island called?

5. On each episode of the radio show Desert Island Discs, how many recordings is a guest allowed to choose when deciding what they would take if they were to be cast away on a desert island?

6. Found in a number of Indonesian islands, including the island it is named after, what is the world’s largest living species of lizard?

7. Behind Great Britain and Ireland, what is name of the third largest island in the British Isles?

8. True or False… the official International Bartenders Association recipe for a Long Island Iced Tea cocktail contains tea?

9. A villa on which island was used as the setting for the TV show Love Island when the show was revived in 2015?

10. What term, that was first created by Sir Thomas More to refer to a fictional island society off the coast of Australia, is now used as a general term for an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect?

1. The Dodecanese . Kenny Rogers 3. New Jersey 4. Lilliput 5. Eight 6. The Komodo dragon 7. Lewis and Harris 8. False 9. Majorca 10. Utopia

Potton & District Club Keeping LIVE MUSIC live every week!

New members welcome to apply for membership. Call in for an easy to complete membership form.

MARCH

Saturday 7th March - Gangsters Saturday 14th March - Simon Baker Saturday 21st March - The Retros Saturday 28th March - RESONANCE Female Vocals

APRIL

Saturday 4th April - DeLOREAN Friday 10th April (Good Friday) - Rob (Karaoke) Saturday 11th April (Easter Saturday) - The Two Tones Sunday 12th April (Easter Sunday) - tbc Monday 13th April (Easter Monday) - Open from 12 Saturday 18th April - Jam 69 Saturday 25th April - The Lonely All info is provided in good faith, always check the web page pottonclub.co.uk for changes.

When you see this * an ENTRY FEE will apply.

Potton CIU Club, Charities Hall, Station Road, Potton Tel: 01767 261465 (Evenings) Website: www.pottonclub.co.uk 24

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Mothers Day

To a Special Mum

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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bath without screaming, drowning us or flooding the house!

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

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

You are special.

To mothers of additional needs kids everywhere.

Happy Mothers’ Day Love from, Loraine

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Time of Year

More Fool Us

S ee our F a ce

bo

ok

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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When the time comes, and you need to look into nursing care for a friend or relative, come and see us at the Park House Nursing Care Centre in Sandy.

With our team of dedicated carers and support staff, we provide specialised 24 hour care to adults of all ages in a homely and friendly atmosphere.

Some of the people in our community may be living with dementia, whilst others may have complex care needs requiring the intervention of our qualified nurses.

And we place a great value on socialising, with a varied programme of activities.

You’ll find visiting very easy with parking on site and a warm welcome from our staff.

Come and see what we are about. You are welcome any time.

Park House Nursing Care Centre, Mill Lane, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1NL T: 01767 692186 E: office@parkhousesandy.org W: www.parkhousecare.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Local News

2020 Festival will celebrate Greensand Country landscape and its connection to communities The Greensand Country Festival 2020 is the third annual event organised by the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership, which includes a wide variety of events and activities provided by partners, local business, special interest groups and visitor attractions.

Taking place across the landscape, from Leighton Buzzard to Gamlingay, throughout May, the festival is a celebration of the distinct, beautiful and loved Greensand Country, and helps to encourage those living within the area to get out and explore the outstanding countryside on their doorstep.

The festival will showcase a diverse and exciting programme of events and activities, with something to suit every interest, from forest bathing, animal workshops and guided walks, to trail running, horse-riding and children’s activities.

Claire Poulton, Programme Manager at the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership explains: “We are very proud to have established such a successful and popular Greensand Country Festival over the past two years. We are now in

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the final year of the National Lottery Heritage Fund programme; and are keen to ensure that the positive changes and additions that we have made to this special landscape, continue into the future.

“Our lead organisations, Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and The Greensand Trust are committed to the continued delivery of the Greensand Country Festival, and I can’t wait to see how it will continue to evolve.”

Gill Welham, Chief Executive of The Greensand Trust, says: “We have been overwhelmed by the fantastic response to the Greensand Country Festival and once again have more than 200 events taking place across the landscape in May 2020. As the co-lead of the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership, we look forward to shaping the future of this fantastic community events programme.”

For further information about the Greensand Country Landscape Partnership visit www.greensandcountry.com and for regular updates follow @greensandsocial on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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By Kate Duggan

March into Spring

Beauty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Local News

Help to save lives by donating your time to East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) It’s just not donations that keep the East Anglian Air Ambulance flying and saving lives, the charity also rely on an army of helpful and passionate volunteers too, who can give us much or as little time as they like.

From volunteering to be an EAAA ambassador in your area to an occasional volunteer at one-off events, there is a lot you can do to help raise funds and awareness for this lifesaving charity.

From giving talks to local groups, representing the charity at cheque presentations, monitoring collection tins in local pubs and centres and banking the monies, there are lots of different ways you can help to save lives on a regular basis, and this can be completely flexible to you and your schedule.

EAAA are currently looking for a volunteer collection tin coordinator in Biggleswade, could you help?

Or, if you’d like to help out but not so often, EAAA has several fundraising events throughout the year where occasional volunteers are needed to lend a hand on the day and help with things like car parking, marshalling, cheering on participants at the finish line, handing out refreshments or helping to pack goody bags ahead of an event, there are so many different ways to help!

There are also periodic events, such as National Air Ambulance Week in September, when EAAA try to organise as many different bucket collections across the region as possible, and this is a time when volunteers really do make all the difference.

If you’d like to learn more about the charity and join a friendly, fun loving team of people that take pride in knowing they make a difference by volunteering their time to EAAA, contact Debbie Howland in the Volunteering team for an informal chat about how you might be able to help.

Call Debbie on 07703 684 599 or email debbie.howland@eaaa.org.uk

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37

Local News

Fancy using your super hero powers to help others?

Respite at Home Volunteers are a charity which have been coming to the rescue of hundreds of families across Central Bedfordshire over the last 20 years. The charity provides a befriending service to families living with life limiting illnesses.

We are calling for new Super Hero Friends everywhere to join our lively team. If you enjoy spending time chatting and listening, have a sense of humour, and enjoy the occasional trip out to a local garden centre, then this could be a real life changing opportunity for you.

No capes required, but full training and support are given and no prior experience needed, just your extra special powers of warmth and empathy to help others.

You really could help to change someone’s world for the better and make a family’s life a little bit easier by giving them some of your super free time each week.

For more information about our Super Friends service or to make a referral then call 01234 743063 or email: respiteathomevolunteers@aol.co.uk Respite at Home Volunteers West Mid Beds and Ivel Valley is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity Number 1161178

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David Diep HCPC Registered Podiatrist

The Biggleswade Podiatry and Chiropody Clinic provides treatments for all conditions of the lower limb. We are fully equipped to help with any problem which is presented in the clinic.

We offer professional advice and provide specialist treatment for a wide range of common foot problems such as: • • • • • • • • •

Diabetic assessments Biomechanical assessments Sports injuries of the lower limb Custom made Orthotics Verrucas and warts In-growing toe nails surgery Fungal infections of skin and nail Corns and calluses Nail cutting service

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House of Colour

The trends we will be wearing this Spring/Summer 1. Minimal Futurist is a clear trend for the season with clean lines, block colours, minimal details, fluid movement and drape. Think layering simple blazers and sheath dresses with wide and slim leg trousers, finish the look with architectural accessories.

2. Elegance as Staple – Classic wardrobe staples have added feminine elegance for a balance between fluidity and structure. Tailored suits are worn with soft bow blouses, city shorts, and feminine dresses in simple and elegant shapes.

3. Modern Utility – Safari, shirt dresses, utility jackets, and trousers with utility style pockets and details continue to update modern silhouettes especially with waist definition.

4. Paradise Island – Perfect for your holiday wardrobe, blend exotic prints and textures with your safari colours and utility details.

Alternatively choose voluminous maxi dresses, crochet details, palm prints and handcrafted accessories.

5. Neo Victoriana’s fanciful ruffles and volume are underpinned by decadent florals. Puff and bishop sleeves on dresses and blouses, peplum jackets, refined ruffles and Victorian style accessories give a nod to historical influences.

On trend styles to keep in mind on shopping trips: • Short suits – for a contemporary look consider high waisted and longer length shorts teamed with a blazer.

• Texture is increasingly important. From soft buttery leather to light chiffons and crochet, layering is key. Satin continues as a must have fabric, reworked for SS20 in blazers and summer dresses in pastel shades.

• Environmental influence - Focus on investment pieces and trans-seasonal dressing for wardrobe staples so you can wear again and again appealing to those who want to buy less and wear more. Especially important when considering overcoats, blazers, classic shirts and trench coats.

• Versatile enough to be worn casually with sports shoes or dressed up with heels, the patterned midi remains the go-to dress shape. Puff sleeves, deep V and corset necklines or off the shoulder designs offer something different.

• Romantic puff sleeves and elasticated balloon shapes are still very in vogue as simple strings

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and long sweeping ties replace buttons as fastenings for a more natural feel.

• Layering midi dresses and longline shirts over trousers taps into the mood for seasonal dressing so you can wear your favourite dresses earlier in the season.

• Cardigans become a fashion favourite with matching cardigan and knitwear top sets in tight fitting to oversized options.

• Consumers still want comfort and style in their clothes but SS20 is the season of the blazer as the key item perfect for a smart/casual look. A wardrobe staple item that can be layered and worn between seasons. Adapt to suit your personality from simple tailoring to exaggerated shoulders or peplum details, there is a blazer for everyone.

• The Pantone Colour Institute has announced their colour of 2020 is the beautiful ‘Classic Blue’ so expect to see it all over the shops. Here are some other key colour trends:  Soft green – from autumn light sage to moss green  Bold red – the vibrant reds for all season  Yellow – yellow ochre, canary yellow and corn yellow, saffron and tangerine.  Pastel shades – the summer pinks, purples and greens  White – across all seasons from cream to bright white  Aqua  Lilac

By Jennie Billings, Colour and Style Consultant, House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/jenniebillings e:jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk

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Luisa

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Welcome to Savills. I’m Luisa and I’ve recently taken over Savills, my family’s hairdressing salon, which has been serving Potton for over 30 years.

Redecorated, rebranded and relaunched, Savills has an amazing new team of hair stylists who have fantastic knowledge, talent and experience in the hairdressing industry.

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2

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Technology

Hair we go

Top tech to tame your tresses and sort your stubble

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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keep it in tip-top condition.

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

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

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Local News

Let’s Fight Fatigue & Pain!

If you or someone you know has exhaustion and chronic pain, come along to a free drop-in event on Saturday 21st March.

Between 12pm and 2pm anyone is welcome to find out more about Fighting Fatigue & Pain, a project run by Letchworth charity Herts MS Therapy Centre.

Extreme fatigue and chronic pain can result from many conditions, including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and ME – and many others.

The Herts MS Therapy Centre in Letchworth helps anyone with a long term condition, not just Multiple Sclerosis. It offers Physiotherapy, Oxygen Therapy, APS Pain Reduction Therapy and specialist exercise sessions to help people improve their quality of life.

Oxygen Therapy helps some people recover faster after injury, surgery and cancer treatments. It’s also great for increasing energy. Some people find it reduces pain, especially people with Fibromyalgia and CFS. On 21st March, free test sessions of Oxygen Therapy are available.

Rachel B says: “Without my Oxygen Treatment in Letchworth I would still be in agony from Fibromyalgia and probably jobless and depressed.

I can’t even begin to explain what a difference it has made for me.”

Nicki H has MS. She adds: “Also, it’s great to meet other people who have an idea of what you’re going through. It’s nice to have a chat with other people at the Centre.”

Mark Boscher, the Chief Executive of Herts MS Therapy Centre added: “If you, or someone you know, lives with long term pain or fatigue – from any condition - maybe we can help them to gain more energy and feel less pain. Please come on Saturday 21st March.”

To book your free test session, call Claire on 01462 684214 or email openday@hmstc.net

01462 684 214

Fighting Fatigue & Pain: Free Event Saturday 21st March 2020, 12pm – 2pm Visit to find out about:

• Oxygen Therapy

(may accelerate healing, boost energy, reduce pain)

• APS Pain Reduction Therapy • Specialist physio and group exercise sessions (tailored to people with medical conditions)

Free test sessions available – book your place now!

Fighting Fatigue & Pain

We’re at Herts MS Therapy Centre, 30 Campus Five, Letchworth, SG6 2JF. Just turn up! For more details call Claire on 01462 684 214.

www.hertsmstherapy.org.uk

Hertfordshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre is Charity 299524 and Company 2215165 Registered Office 30 Campus Five, Letchworth, Herts SG6 2JF

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Fitness

By Robert Grant

Get Motivated. Get Fit Reinvigorate your fitness routine It’s several weeks since my New Year resolution to lose weight and get fit. It’s cold and damp outside.

The gym is miles away, and there’s a TV program on about a knitting group in Nicaragua that looks interesting, and this sofa is ever so comfortable.

My self-motivation tank is empty!

Does your determination and energy to get fit after New Year’s Day seems to run out sooner each year? Do you need to get fit? Do you need to lose weight? Do you know you’ll feel better if you do?

It’s so much easier to fall back into old habits than to actively make a difference to our health isn’t it?

So how do we stay motivated?

Motivation is all in the mind. There is no physical difference between those who get fit and those who get fat. The fit people are just those who manage to leave the house and move their bodies.

We need to help our mind overcome the inertia currently preventing us moving from the couch.

Get up, get dressed, get out.

It sounds simple but getting out of the door is the biggest hurdle. If you can force yourself to go through the motions of getting into your exercise kit, walking to the door and out of the house you’re 90% of the way towards actually exercising.

If you’re standing outside dressed for exercise it’s harder to change your mind and sneak back inside for another slice of cake.

Set an alarm to tell you when it’s time for your exercise class, run, etc. Make sure you’ve got workout gear that makes you feel good.

Something stylish, comfortable, colourful, or high-

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tech; it doesn’t matter, use whatever works for you.

Make the getting dressed part something to look forward to. Baggy, stained, holey jogging bottoms will put you off the idea of stepping outside.

Then just grab your keys, open the door and step outside.

Start slowly.

It’s important to pace yourself. Just because your neighbour can sprint 5 km in 20 minutes doesn’t mean that you have to. Whatever exercise you are doing find a pace that is comfortable while still pushing you. As you exercise more you will gradually increase your exertion. Push yourself too hard at the beginning and exercise will seem exhausting, painful and make it harder to get going the next time. Once you begin to see your performance improving, you’ll get excited about beating your personal best and want to prove to yourself just how good you are.

Set a short-term goal.

The ultimate goal might be to fit into a size 10 dress, or have a perfect six pack with matching biceps, but realistically that’s probably more than a few months away. Pick a goal that you can achieve within the next two months. Dropping one dress size, being able to run non-stop for 1 km, being able to do a proper pull-up. Achieving goals is as important as setting them when trying to keep your motivation high. Small successful steps build one on the other until all of a sudden, your ultimate goal is just within reach.

Keep on keeping on. Don’t over-think it, just do it.

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47

Health

By Dr Daisy Mae

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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www.helpinghandsofficeservices.com Tel: 01767 690075 / 07966 554304 Email: maureen@helpinghandsofficeservices.co.uk

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Phone Photo Tricks

Are your smartphone photos just not good enough? Simple tricks can make a huge difference – for example, if something’s too far away, don’t use your camera app’s digital zoom but get closer for sharper pictures.

An important factor in getting a good photo is lighting. That changes throughout the day: on a bright day, noon is usually the worst time to take pictures because there’s not much shadow, and if the sun’s in front of you your subjects will appear much darker and more indistinct than when the sun’s behind you. If you’re shooting in the evening, get as much light as you can onto your subject: if things are really dark you’ll often end up with noisy, poorly detailed pictures, or you’ll have to use the flash and end up with unnatural results.

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Leeds Day Solicitors

You Can’t Always See Bruises People often wonder how they come to find themselves in an abusive relationship. It can happen to anyone, regardless of their sex, wealth or background.

Abuse is not always physical; it can also be emotional, psychological or financial.

It usually starts off slowly through a process of manipulation, which can go unnoticed until it becomes unbearable for the victim, causing them to feel powerless, dominated and alone.

Financial abuse in particular is often the precursor to other forms of abuse and has nothing to do with money but instead, is all about controlling the other person and using money to do so.

The Family Team at Leeds Day see many cases where one partner has complete control of the finances. Often one spouse has given up work to look after the family and is given ‘pocket money’ to pay for things such as bills, groceries and after-school clubs, leaving nothing for themselves.

Often this role is taken on by a wife but this is changing over time. Sadly many wives endure the situation until a certain point in their lives, such as when the children leave home, when they feel that they can then focus on their own needs. However, the long lasting effects of abuse should not be overlooked.

There is no doubt that it is a difficult subject to talk about. Many clients are a shell of their former selves when they come to us, having

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

not spoken to anyone about their situation during their marriage but no one should suffer in silence. Often clients feel liberated and empowered following their decision to divorce their controlling spouse.

There are also various remedies available through the Courts to protect against domestic violence, including orders regarding harassment, threats of violence and the occupation of the home. A breach of these orders can result in a fine or even imprisonment.

To make a successful application to the Court for a protective order or an injunction, called a non-molestation order, time is of the essence.

The Court can also make an order that a violent partner must leave the family home immediately in circumstances where there has been actual harm. Either way, it is vital that the person seeking help speaks to a legal advisor as soon as possible.

If your partner makes you feel threatened or anxious or if you feel you are in an abusive relationship, please call our Family Team on 0844 567 2222, email us at family@leedsday.co.uk or call the National Domestic Violence Helpline, which is open 24 hours a day and can be reached on 0808 2000 247.

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Trustworthy Friendship with a Caring Approach Days out: Shopping, Cinema, Bowls, Garden Centres, Visiting Friends etc We provide wheelchair access and transport.

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Life Begins...

By Kate McLelland

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy surfing!

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Finance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What about a monthly saver?

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

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

By Ann Haldon

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A FREE WILL for Homeowners Protect your home and legacy for your children • • • • • •

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57

Gardening

Easy Veg Growing

By Pippa Greenwood

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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59

SOLUTIONS4GARDENS For the past few years, Solutions4Gardens has cemented its local reputation as a design and landscape company that specialises in top quality work and products. Now fully accredited by Marshalls and Trex, helmsman Mark Woodman examines 2020 trends in garden design and explains why the strong relationship they have with their suppliers is so important to their success.

Happy to tackle any sized landscaping job, Solutions4Gardens loves nothing better than the challenge of large scale, high end garden projects that encompass decking, pathways and patios.

“It’s where we have been moving in terms of the type of product and services we offer” explains Mark.

Those products include paving and stone manufactured by Marshalls who has recently

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awarded them with professional accreditation meaning their work has been inspected and found to be of the highest standard.

“Our new connection with Marshalls was a natural move for us” Mark says. “The range of products they offer allows us to meet the diverse needs of our customers, whether we are asked to build a contemporary garden or simply create a traditional path in a cottage garden.

“In addition, their products and service have the quality that matches our ideals and standards. It is a commitment we share because Marshalls inspects their accredited landscapers to ensure our quality meets their standards too.”

Solutions4Gardens understands that when looking for someone to design and build your garden space, trust is a vital factor in the selection of a contractor.

“Personal recommendation is a big part of where our commissions come from, but we also wanted to find a way for new clients to be able to have trust in our capabilities.

“There are lots of ways to be accredited but we decided to go with industry-led experts rather than just relying on general trade review companies” says Mark. “Being accredited by Marshalls now allows us to guarantee our work. We are inspected at least twice yearly to maintain standards. We also benefit from Marshalls’ technical support and help with more challenging projects.”

The Marshalls Register is a national network of

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Accredited Landscape Contractors and Driveway Installers” explains Danny Laino, Installer Development Manager for Marshalls plc. “For a homeowner, it’s important to source the right installer as you will rely on their advice, product knowledge and workmanship to achieve the desired end result.

That’s where the Marshalls Register comes in. Although Solutions4Gardens is not employed by Marshalls, they have been vetted for their levels of competence and performance when installing our products and are an installer you can trust.”

Thanks to the accreditation, Solutions4Gardens can offer a 5-year labour and 10-year product guarantee.

The mandate for quality and reliability extends to all aspects of any project the company undertakes.

As such, Solutions4Gardens only works with top class suppliers too; consequently, they obtain their Marshalls products from local stalwart Henlow Building Supplies.

“We rely on reputable and reliable suppliers for the kind of projects we do” says Mark. “HBS not only offers us guaranteed delivery but we never have to worry about product quality. It is vital in our type of projectmanaged business that deliveries arrive on time, as expected and when needed. Having the support of suppliers like HBS helps us achieve that.”

Although Solutions4Gardens still undertakes traditional landscaping projects, they are seeing a growing trend towards more contemporary design.

Porcelain tiles are now becoming popular for outdoor landscaping and despite the traditional belief that porcelain is fragile, these state-of-the-art tiles are very durable with the bonus of being nonslip and algae resistant.

“Porcelain is really taking off” Mark says. “As with anything, it is important to use a quality product and install it correctly, but if that is done, porcelain

is extremely hard wearing and easy to look after. There are so many different colours and styles that it can be used in virtually any kind of garden. You can achieve some stunning results mixing these newer materials with natural stone.

“People often want a Mediterranean feel to their garden in keeping with it being more of a social space these days” he adds.

Mark is also designing gardens with more geometric lines and sculptural touches, for example, walling made with sawn sandstone.

Porcelain fits with the modern requirement of low maintenance, but there has been a recent move towards quality artificial turf as a component of a full garden design. Although Mark thinks a natural lawn is hard to beat, he considers Marshalls’ artificial grass to be by far the best.

“I was genuinely surprised at how good the Marshalls lawn products are” says Mark. “The depth and quality of the pile, along with the colour, was by far the best I have ever seen. It was the real surprise product of 2019 for me.”

As well as being accredited, Solutions4Gardens has earned numerous commendations with Marshalls for its expertise. These include recognition for customer service, horticultural qualifications and specialisms such as walling, paving, installing artificial lawns and water features.

“We had a really super 2019 with some amazing projects for some great customers” Mark says. “We’re looking forward to an even more exciting 2020.”

Solutions4Gardens‘ spotlight on DECKING will appear next month.

Tel: 01767 348 028 Email: info@solutions4gardens.com Web: www.solutions4gardens.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Garden View

By Rachael Leverton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Happy Gardening!

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Pets

Three Essentials for Dog-Proofing Your Home If you’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of your new dog, or are simply looking after someone else’s pooch for a while, it’s vital to make your home a safe environment. Dogs are naturally curious creatures and will root out food or other items that aren’t always healthy for them.

So here are three must-dos to avoid an emergency visit to the vet.

1. Tidy up Dogs can’t tell the difference between items you’ve accidentally left lying around and the toys you intended them to play with. It’s important to tidy up the clothes, papers, magazines and other paraphernalia that’s often strewn around the typical house, so your dog doesn’t chew or ingest anything harmful.

2. Use a safety gate Fixing a child safety gate keeps your dog safe and offers you peace of mind that they’re not getting up to mischief. You might choose the bottom of the stairs, for example, or across the hallway to

give them access to the back or front of the house only.

3. Check cables and wires Dogs are renowned for chewing through cables and wires, so make sure any trailing or loose cables are tucked away out of sight, or use cable protectors for added safety.

Dog-proofing your home takes some time and thought, and it’s an ongoing process rather than a one-off, but once you spot the potential for mischief or misdemeanour it becomes second nature. www.saga.co.uk/magazine/home-garden/pets/ dogs/dog-proof-home-and-garden www.purina.co.uk/dogs/getting-a-new-dog/ welcoming-your-dog/dog-proofing-home-andgarden www.vets-now.com/pet-care-advice/dog-proofyour-house/

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Pets

Rehoming Appeal Butter and Scotch

Butter and Scotch are a pair of beautiful Lop cross rabbits. They are 3 years old and very friendly. They were handed in to our vet as strays and have now been vaccinated, wormed and neutered.

Since they have been in our care, Scotch has been diagnosed with Pasturella (Snuffles) so they will have to be the only rabbits in the home. Could you be the family to give this lovely pair the special home they will need?

If Scotch needs any treatment in the future for his (Snuffles) Rats will cover the cost.

For more information please contact Zoe on 01234 342150 Alternatively, please email Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry onto the team.

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

You can also see photographs and details of the animals in our care in our charity shop in Hitchin Street, T&G131x93AdvertReady.pdf Biggleswade SG18 8AX. Open Monday to07/06/2015 Saturday from13:34:43 10.00 am until 4.00 pm.

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WORDWHEEL

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

TARGET Excellent: 23 or more words Good: 19 words Fair: 16 words

E P I

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T U

DISPUTE

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Pets

Brexit and Animal Welfare It has always been our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion. Every day, with the help of our people and our generous supporters, we take steps to achieve our mission. From rescuing a stranded deer to changing the law, we’ve already achieved so much and come so far.

Animal welfare has been in the news a lot recently with regards Brexit, and has become a hot topic of debate. We’re campaigning to ensure animal welfare isn’t compromised when we leave the EU on 31 January, and that our high standards are protected.

We’d like to see the process of leaving the EU as an opportunity to improve animal welfare.

Our Concerns Around 80 percent of current animal welfare legislation comes from EU law (with over 40 animal welfare laws) EU animal welfare laws cover four key areas - there are 17 laws relevant to farm animals, 11 laws for wildlife, eight laws covering animals used in research, and four laws about companion animals Current EU law, known as the Lisbon Treaty (a binding agreement between EU member countries), recognises animals as sentient beings, this means they’re understood as having the capacity to feel pain and suffering.

Depending on which trade framework is agreed post-Brexit, there’s a possibility that new trade agreements will be made with countries which have lower animal welfare standards. For example, the USA gives growth hormones to their cows, still uses conventional battery cages (in most states), don’t have species specific slaughter regulations and still uses sow stalls in most pig production.

The UK farming industry currently receives over €3 billion in EU subsidies and the UK Government will now be exploring a new support system for farms.

Our Recommendations In the lead up to Brexit, the UK government will decide which EU laws we’ll keep and carry out all trade negotiations, then the devolved governments will implement across the UK. During this process, we’d like to ensure the following is maintained or improved upon.

• All current animal welfare laws, at the very least, to be kept to the same standard • All animals to still be recognised as sentient beings • A new system of farm subsidies - rewarding the farming industry for higher welfare standards • Free trade agreements that prohibit products being imported with lower welfare standards • Improvement in key areas of animal welfare, such as long distance transport, food labelling, trade of endangered species and puppy imports.

Interesting documents There are a number of key reports and documents regarding Brexit and animal welfare that can be found on our website. You can find a more detailed summary of animal welfare laws in the UK before and after Brexit in a report entitled ‘Brexit - Getting The Best For Animals.’ A second document ‘Into The Fold; Targeted Financial Support To Improve Farm Animal Welfare’, another very worthwhile read.

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Ask Alan

Pets

This winter, we do seem to have seen more cases of vomiting and diarrhoea than usual. The theory is that there is a new vomiting bug. So although this is possible, bear in mind there are many causes of vomiting and/or diarrhoea.

The most common cause is dietary indiscretion (eating something they shouldn’t), but food intolerances, infections, pancreatitis, kidney disease, obstruction, neurological problems, tumours and diabetes are all on the very long list of potential causes.

Diarrhoea can resolve by itself, so if your dog is well in himself and holding water down, then resting the stomach for 24 hours (free access to water), is often all that is needed. Persistent vomiting is, generally, more serious. If they are off colour, can’t hold water down, have pain or you see blood, then they should see a vet.

The health of the gut is controlled by the normal bacteria that live there. If the normal environment is disrupted, then pets are much more likely to have vomiting and diarrhoea. Feed a good quality dog food and do not make sudden dietary changes, especially avoid fatty foods. Maintain good hygiene when preparing their food. Try to avoid dogs who are ill. Ensure your dog is up to date with his vaccinations and worm control.

Best wishes,

Alan

If you have any questions you would like answered, please email them to villager@pottonvets.co.uk For more information visit www.pottonvets.co.uk or pop into the clinic in Potton Market Square.

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• • • • • •

Swimming Lessons

Private pool - Tadlow ASA qualified teachers Beginners & stroke technique classes 1-3 pupils per class 10 week courses (term time only) Mother and Toddler classes

Call Heather on Tel: 01767 631053 Mob: 07511168499

Email: tadlowswimming@btinternet.com

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Motoring

7 cars you can finance

for less than a weekly shop The average weekly shop is about £60, so what cars are available for less than £240 per month?

To give some context to car finance deals we look at cars that are available for £240 per month, the monthly amount that figures suggest the average family spends on food and drink.

Each of these deals is based on a personal contract hire (PCH) deal, where you pay an initial rental or deposit plus your monthly fee, which usually includes servicing. At the end of the agreement you return the car at no extra cost, assuming it’s in good condition and below the pre-agreed annual mileage limit.

The prices here are just a guide, as monthly payments vary depending on the deposit amount.

Volvo S90 £229.55 per month x 47 Initial rental: £2,065.95 Additional fees: £360 Mileage limit: 5,000p/a Total over 48 months: £13,214.80 The S90 is an ideal, fairly large, good-looking executive saloon that drives well and has a sophisticated road presence and excellent on-board technology.

For low-mileage drivers, just over £13,000 across four years for a Volvo S90 is good value.

Skoda Superb £212.31 per month x 35 Initial rental: £1,910.79 Additional fees: £298.80 Mileage limit: 8,000p/a Total over 36 months: £9,640.44 The Skoda Superb is a fantastic alternative to the Volvo as it’s almost £3,000 cheaper and has less restriction on distance travelled. It’s well-equipped, spacious and has a decent interior, making it perfectly practical for most families.

DS 3 Crossback £134.79 per month x 17 Initial rental: £1,213.11 Additional fees: £99 Mileage limit: 5,000p/a Total over 18 months: £3,603.54 The DS 3 Crossback is a new crossover from the premium French brand, sporting quirky styling and efficient powertrains, but priced lower than rivals.

Great deals are available, even paying just one month up front. The lower mileage limit is less of a concern because smaller car buyers usually travel lesser distances.

DS 3 Crossback

Hyundai Ioniq Electric £237.03 per month x 23 Initial rental: £1,422.18 Additional fees: £199 Mileage limit: 5,000p/a Total over 24 months: £7,072.87 This deal proves you can get a good, practical EV with a decent range at an affordable price.

The up-front cost isn’t prohibitive, and it’s reasonably priced over the two years. When you factor in fuel savings, it makes a lot of sense.

Honda Civic £171.45 per month x 47 Initial rental: £1,028.70 Additional fees: £360 Mileage limit: 5,000p/a Total over 48 months: £9,446.85 The Honda Civic is a great-to-drive small family car for those who don’t want full EV ownership.

This price is for the 1.0-litre petrol, but performance is reasonable and it’s one of the best handling cars in this segment.

Nissan Qashqai £181.55 per month x 47 Initial rental: £1,089.30 Mileage limit: 5,000p/a Total over 36 months: £9,622.15 The original crossover from Nissan is available with some enticing finance deals right now, with a respectable mileage limit and well-specified versions coming in below £200.

Seat Ibiza £135.41 per month x 47 Initial payment: £1,218.69 Mileage limit: 8,000p/a Total over 48 months: £7,582.96 The popular Seat Ibiza supermini stands out, sporting Volkswagen Group build quality in a fun and stylish package. It’s an excellent alternative to the Fiesta.

Offers correct at time of writing and are subject to change.

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Motoring

Easy Tips to Improve Your Driving Part 3

This time we look at how to deal with those that are less attentive to their driving – by allowing for ‘challenged’ drivers.

No one is a poor driver, at least not if you ask them. We all have our reasons for driving as we do but, judging by the numerous examples seen in dash-cam footage online, I think some drivers’ idea of what is acceptable on the road would be considered by the majority as somewhere between ignorant and downright dangerous.

And, as the number of vehicles on our roads increase, I can’t see this situation improving.

Of course the majority of drivers are courteous and safe. It’s the maniacs we all want to stay away from. The lesson here is to keep a sharp eye out for them ahead and in your mirrors, and the golden rule is to maintain adequate space between you and them. Whether it’s better to be in front and getting away from them, or

vice-versa so you can keep an eye on them and let them zoom off ahead will depend on the situation. Yes, it can be annoying that the space you have so carefully created is then taken up by another car, but just ease off and create a bit more space again. After all, the few seconds you will lose are nothing compared to the hours you will spend sorting an insurance claim out – or the eternity if something far worse should happen.

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By Iain Betson

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Food & Drink

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

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

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

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

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

Finish by mixing in the BBQ sauce.

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

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

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IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A HIGH-QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVER FOR UP TO 50% LESS THAN A NEW FULLY FITTED KITCHEN, WHY NOT PAY A VISIT TO DREAM DOORS EAST HERTS SHOWROOM IN WARE Highly-experienced owners Carly and Tom promise you a warm welcome.

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

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

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

Our experienced kitchen designers can then talk you through our extensive range of products and help you narrow down your selection.

No matter if your style is traditional, contemporary, exclusive, modern or classic we have a range of doors and worktops that will suit you and your style.

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Parenting

By Kate Duggan - www.kateduggan.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Vacuum Cleaners

Suck it up!

By Tracey Anderson

Is it time for a new vacuum cleaner?

My previous vacuum cleaner was over a decade old, a bit unwieldy and mostly held together with duct tape. I hadn’t realised that the world of vacuum cleaners had moved on so much in the intervening years. Different shapes, sizes, colours and features.

Perusing my local electrical retail establishment felt like a bizarre speed-dating event for dust-busters, complete with its own jargon, ‘bagless, HEPA, light ball, and Roomba.

But I did the research, so you don’t have to. Here’s what I discovered: Upright vacuums remain popular because they’re easy to use and don’t involve much bending. They are great on carpets and rely on a spinning brush bar.

Cylinder vacuums are smaller, lighter, mostly cheaper, and take up less storage space. They are good for cleaning stairs, upholstery, and small spaces.

Dust bags capture and store dust, dirt, and hair picked-up as you clean. Some can be emptied and re-used, but most are disposable. Bags are hygienic, airtight and good for asthma and allergy sufferers.

Obviously, the downside of disposable is that the bag has to be replaced when full, which could prove costly over time. There used to be a loss of suction as a bag filled up, but this is less of a problem with newer vacuum models.

Bagless vacuum cleaners tend to possess a filter within the dust canister to trap the dirt, dust and hair. Some, like the Dyson use a cyclonic action to separate the dust from the air and trap it inside the canister. Bagless means you never have to replace

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the bag and can see when the cannister needs to be emptied, or whether you’ve sucked up a mislaid earring or a prized Lego piece. They can be messy though when emptying out and are often more expensive to purchase than cleaners which use bags.

If you’re a pet-owner, you might want to consider a vacuum which targets pet hair and odour. Miele produce one with a high intensity motor and a turbo brush to make it easy for to get rid of stubborn clumps of pet hair. It also has an ActiveClean filter to capture odours to keep your home smelling fresh.

Trailing cables are a trip hazard for older people, and those with poor eyesight. You might want to consider a cordless vacuum cleaner. Some of these are very light too, weighing in at just over 3Kg, making them easy to carry upstairs. A couple of models even have LED lights, like little headlights to improve dust visibility. They run for between 40-60 minutes and then have to be recharged which can take 4 hours.

Finally, you might want to consider the vacuum of the future, a robovac. The Roomba sets the standard though there are cheaper models available. They trundle around your house using sensors to detect the dirt particles. They are even stair-aware, so they don’t take a tumble! They connect to an app meaning you can schedule a time for them to clean, and even programme them to stay out of certain rooms. They return to their charging port on their own after 90 minutes. Truly a 21st century cleaning experience!

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BRIAN BONAS Property Maintenance

 Decorating (Interior and Exterior)  Plastering Over  Plumbing 30 Years  Electrical Experience  Gutters Cleaned  Pressure Washing  Gardening Work  General Building Work

T:07597 349883

E: b.l.bonas@hotmail.co.uk Brian Bonas_Quarter_Feb2020.indd 1

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13/01/2020 17:27:29

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n O s ’ t Wha In March

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

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Biggleswade Walk 4 Health 9am Meet by the Beeston Notice Board on Beeston Green, Nr. The Crescent, Beeston Regular weekly walks for beginners and those looking to improve. Walks of approx. 30-40mins. No need to book – why not try all the walks?

Tel: Janette Sibley 07771 540117 or Mike Fayers Bedfordshire Health Walks Manager 01234 832619 Email: janette@sibley.me.uk

4 March Sandy Night Owls Women’s Institute 7.30pm Sandy Conservative Club Visitors £4. Meets on the first Wednesday of each month (except August) where we have a varied programme of interesting speakers and activities arranged for 2020. If you would like a fun evening out amongst friends then come along and join us.

We also provide refreshments including homemade cake! Email: sandynightowlswi@gmail.com

3 March Hatley Coffee Morning 10am-1pm Hatley Village Hall Come along for a chat, drink and a slice of cake.

Everyone welcome. Donations on the day. All donations split between Hatley Village Hall and Hatley St George Church. First Tuesday of the month.

4 March Gamlingay & District Gardening Club 7.30pm The Kier Suite, Eco Hub, Stocks Lane, Gamlingay Visitors £3 inc. refreshments & raffle ‘The Gardens of East Anglia’ with guest speaker Simon White, Garden Centre Manager from the famous Peter Beales Roses of Norfolk.

3 March Potton Ladies Club 7.30pm Mill Lane Pavilion, Mill Lane, Potton Visitors £5. Cheese and Wine social evening. Visitors welcome. Tel: Sarah Burgoine 01767 631415 Email: sarahjburgoine@gmail.com

4, 11, 18 & 25 March Mums and Dads Coffee Break 9-10am Moggerhanger Church Toys available in the church for pre-school children.

Tea/coffee, juice, biscuits £1 with fruit juice for children. A good time to meet friends, have impromptu meetings, plan your next commitments.

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 March Walking with Janette For those looking to do a serious walk of 5 miles plus – walking for approx. 90 mins. Booking essential.

This walk is not part of Walk 4 Health you walk at our own liability/risk. Start points vary . Tel: Janette Sibley 07771 540117 Email: janette@sibley.me.uk 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 March Biggleswade Board Game Group 7.30-10.30pm George’s Hall, 67 High Street, Biggleswade Meets every Tuesday to play modern board games in a friendly atmosphere. New and experienced players welcome - bring your own games or try something new, there are always plenty available to play.

Facebook: Biggleswade Board Game Group 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 March Biggleswade Ivel Badminton Club 8-10.30pm Biggleswade Recreation Centre (Stratton Leisure Centre) £3 per night. Seeking competitive badminton players wishing to play in local leagues. Visitors welcome.

Email: IvelBC@hotmail.com Facebook: Facebook.com/IvelBC 4 March Aircraft Enthusiasts’ Group 1pm Princess Charlotte Room, Shuttleworth Visitors £5 inc. raffle ticket AGM and Members Remember. ‘The Canberra in RAF Service’ with Ray Lindsay. The group meets on the first Wednesday of every month. Enjoy lunch in the Shuttleworth restaurant before the meeting. Lots of free parking. Email: 99aegr@gmail.com Web: www.a-e-g.org.uk

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4, 11, 18 & 25 March Biggleswade Walk 4 Health 10am Meet Dan Albone Car Park, Shortmead Street Regular weekly walks for beginners and those looking to improve. Walks of approx. 30-40mins and 60 mins. No need to book – why not try all the walks? Tel: Janette Sibley 07771 540117 Email: janette@sibley.me.uk 4, 11, 18 & 25 March Moo Music Sandy, Biggleswade & Shefford 10-10.40am Sandy Methodist Church Music and movement classes for 0-5 year olds.

Original moosic, lots of moovement, dancing, sensory and role play. Tel: 07981 825654 Email: Heather sandymoo@moo-music.co.uk Web: www.moo-music.co.uk/sbs 4, 11, 18 & 25 March Ivel Bereavement Support Centre 10am-12 noon The Community Rooms, Baptist Church, 24 London Road, Biggleswade Has a loved one died? Are you struggling coming to terms with it? Perhaps we can help you at our drop in centre on Wednesdays. Tel: Linda 07704734225 5 March Moggerhanger Walkers 10am Moggerhanger Walking Group will be holding a charity walk from St John the Evangelist Church in Moggerhanger. Gentle walk with two options at the end - the short route goes directly back to the Church (to put the kettle on) and the slightly longer walk will end at the church where the coffee and cake will be waiting. Donations to Sue Ryder Hospice. Make sure you are on their email list for future walks.

Tel: 01767 640798 E: lindaheath10@hotmail.com

5 March Sandy Astronomical Society Mama’s Coffee Shop General meeting.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/ SandyAstronomicalSociety

5, 12, 19 & 26 March Biggleswade Walk 4 Health 10am Meet Stratton School, Eagle Farm Road Regular weekly walks for beginners and those looking to improve. Walks of approx. 30-40mins and 60-mins. No need to book – why not try all the walks? Tel: Janette Sibley 07771 540117 Email: janette@sibley.me.uk 5, 12, 19 & 26 March Amici Singers 7.30-9.45pm Trinity Methodist Church, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade Membership £15 per term (£45 per year) The Amici Singers, a women’s chorus of 60 voices, meets on Thursday evenings under the Direction of Douglas Coombes MBE. All voices and ages welcome and there aren’t any auditions. You will be assured of a warm and friendly welcome.

Tel: Carole Lindsay-Douglas 01767 2603661 6 March Quiz Evening 7.30pm St. Swithun’s Church Rooms, Sandy £2.50 per person. Teams of up to six persons. Please book in advance. In aid of The Leprosy Mission.

Tel: Colin Osborne 01767 682032 6, 13, 20 & 27 March Get Fit Keep Fit 9.30-10.30am Moggerhanger Village Hall £5. Join Tina as she takes you through a lighthearted sequence with a warm-up, exercises designed to improve muscular fitness, brain co-ordination, balance and general well-being, then a cool-down. It’s not over-strenuous; it’s fun and makes you feel good. Why not come and join us?

Tel: Tony or Judith on 01767 640124 6, 13, 20 & 27 March LEGO Club 3.45-5pm Potton Library Love Lego? Come along and get building! Every Friday afternoon.

7 March Coffee Morning 10-11.30am Potton Salvation Army, Chapel Street Coffee, tea, bacon butties, homemade cakes, cards, bric-a-brac, books, jigsaws etc. Coffee Mornings are held on the first Saturday of every month except January. All welcome. Tel: 01767 261138 7 March Everton Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Everton Village Hall Homemade cakes, sweets and preserves. Books, produce and raffle. Warm welcome to all. Proceeds for St Mary’s Church Everton.

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n O s ’ t Wha In March

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

What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

7 March Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade ‘Plants of the Season’ with Paul Green of Greens Leaves nursery. Paul grows a wide selection of home-grown choice, rare and unusual plants. Plants for sale. Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk

7 March Friends of Dunton Church Spring Supper 7pm Dunton Village Hall Tickets £12. Food consists of casseroles and delicious desserts. Entertainment by Phil Wright on the organ.

Phone: Enid Grout 01767 313168 9 March Sandy Flower Club 7.30pm Conservative Bowls Club Pavilion (rear of the Conservative Club, Bedford Road) Visitors £5. The Flower Club meets second Monday in the month (excluding Aug. Dec. & Jan). New members and visitors welcome. Raffle and tea/ coffee. Call for more information or follow us on Facebook. Tel: Sue Alexander 01767 699729 10 March Sandy Historical Research Group 7.30pm Beeston Methodist Church Hall, The Baulk, Beeston Entry £4, members free. ‘The Swiss Garden – Restoration of a Regency Gem’ by Corinne Price.

Parking available.

10 March Sutton WI 7.30pm Sutton Village Hall The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month. Ellie Seymour will give a talk entitled ‘The Sales Girls 1940’s to 1960’s’, her experiences in a ladies department store in Cambridge.

11 March Business Buzz Biggleswade 10am-12 noon George’s Hall, Biggleswade £5. Drop-in session on the second Wednesday of the month for local small businesses from in and around Bedfordshire. No membership, no booking, just pay on the door.

15 March Locrian Chamber Choir St Hugh of Lincoln Church, Letchworth Tickets £12, under 18s free. Classical concert with string orchestra. Gloria: Vivaldi and Stabat Mater: Pergolesi. Tickets available from Cameron’s Newsagents, Market Square, Potton or by telephone.

Tel: 01767 261431 16 March Biggleswade Women’s Institute 10am Visitors £4 The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Meets on every third Monday of the month except August. Annual Meeting plus a talk by Biggleswade Fire Brigade. Visitors welcome.

Email: biggleswadewi@gmail.com

17 March Sandy Women’s Institute 10am Sandy Conservative Club Meets on the third Tuesday of each month (except August). ‘Good Morning Lords and Ladies’ an illustrated talk on some of the more unusual English customs, with songs and pictures, presented by Barry and Gill Goodman. New members welcome. If you would like to give us a try before committing to full membership, visitors are welcome (£4).

Tel: Valerie Haygarth 01767 691711 for more info Email: sandywibeds@gmail.com 17 March Potton Writer’s Club 7-9pm Potton Community Centre £3. Theme: ‘Otherness’. The dictionary says this is the quality or state of being different. But who or what is different, what are they different from, and is the difference for better or worse? Meets on the third Tuesday of each month. All welcome - please call or email in advance so we know to expect you. Light refreshments.

Tel: Tracey 07778 148030 Email: pottonwriters@gmail.com

17 March Sandy & District Horticultural Association 7.30pm Sandy Conservative Bowls Club Pavilion, off Bedford Road Members £2.50, non-members and guests £3.50 ‘House of Spies’ with Roger Leivers. Raffle and 12 March light refreshments. Optional two course meal will Biggleswade Evening Women’s Institute be available @ £7.50 per head, following the talk.

7.45pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Please call or email to book. Parking available Biggleswade adjacent to the Pavilion, approx. 50m down Bedford A new group which meets on the second Thursday of Road from the main entrance. each month (except August). Guests welcome.

Tel: Mrs Lynda Scott 07894 476808 Email: scott729@btinternet.com 14 March Table Top Sale 10am-3pm Eyeworth Village Hall 19 March Free entry. Come along, grab a bargain, browse the Stamp Collectors’ Meeting quality merchandise and help us raise money for All 10am-12 noon Potton Library Saints’ Eyeworth. Refreshments and tombola. Tables Interested in stamps? Come along for a chat and available £10. Tel: Wendy 01767 631283 meet other like-minded people.

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

19 March Coral’s Afternoon Tea 2.30-4pm Moggerhanger Church Proceeds will be split 50/50 - half to the church and half to the fund for the church loo.

19 March Sandy Astronomical Society Blunham Playing Field Public outreach viewing (weather permitting) using telescopes. Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/ SandyAstronomicalSociety 19 March Biggleswade Poetry Table 7.45-9pm The Courtyard Centre, 6 High Street, Biggleswade Grab a drink and join us to share poems. We look forward to hearing any poem you’d like to bring.

Email: leah@leahkstewart.com 20 & 21 March Gamlingay Players presents The 39 Steps 7.45pm Gamlingay Eco Hub Tickets available online or from the Eco Hub. Web: www.gamlingayplayers.org 21 March Coffee Extra 10-11.30am Potton Salvation Army, Chapel Street Coffee, tea and cake. All welcome. Tel: 01767 261138 21 March Dancing Into Spring 7.30pm Stratton Upper School, Biggleswade Adults £10, Children £5, family £25 (2 adults and 2+ children). East Beds Concert Band present ‘Dancing Into Spring’ an evening of music from Coldplay to Cowboys! Featuring Shannon Music Express.

26 March Biggleswade and District Flower Arrangement Society 7.30pm The Weatherley Centre, Biggleswade If you love flowers, we invite you to join us on the fourth Thursday of the month. Relax with fellow enthusiasts and our guest demonstrators. All you need is the sense of joy in the beauty of flowers.

Tel: Moira Fuller (Chairman) 01767 316104 26 March Biggleswade & District Camera Club 7.30 for 8pm Sullivan Room, The Weatherley Centre, Orchard Close, Biggleswade Non-members £3. ‘A Family Portrait Talk’, a digital presentation by Jayne Goodhall ARPS (EAF).

Tel: 01767 316176 Email: secretary@biggleswadecameraclub.co.uk 27 March Sandy Historical Society 7.30pm Stonecroft Hall, St Swithins Way, Sandy Members & students free, non-members £2.50 ‘The Tudor History of Hatfield House’ by Eric McClaughlin. Tel: 01767 680171 for further info

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Interiors

Update your home for 2020 1

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

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

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

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

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

Add plenty of bright white for a

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clean, fresh update.

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

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

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

COUNTRY STOVES & SWEEPS STOVE/GAS FIRE INSTALLATION • Wood Burning/Multi Fuel Stove & Gas Fire Installation • Chimney Lining • Twin Wall Flue Systems • Free Survey & Quotation

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Misted up double glazed units replaced Discounts for pensioners available on windows FENSA Certification 10 Year Insurance Backed Guarantee

01767 260626 sales@pottonwindows.co.uk www.pottonwindows.co.uk

Unit 2-6 Shannon Place, Potton SG19 2SP To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

89

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Window Doctor Repairs to Windows, Doors & Conservatories • • • • • • •

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0800 046 1080 hello@thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk www.thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Codeword 1

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

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

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Extensions New builds Rewires Smoke alarms Landlord certificates Fault finding and repairs Consumer unit replacements Lighting and power (internal & external) Boiler controls Inspection and testing Free quotations Part P approved All types of electrical work undertaken

Tel: (01767) 641575 Mobile: (07881) 627423 Email: cmfelectrical@hotmail.co.uk

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We clean your oven‌. ....so you don’t have to.

Call today to have your oven, hob, extractor or Aga professionally cleaned

Rob Radford contact details Tel: 01767 640594 Mobile: 07960 467805 www.ovenwizards.com

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SC Heating Services Oil Boiler Servicing Oil Boiler Installation Oil Tank Installation Heating System Installation Bathroom Installation Pipework & Drainage for Kitchen Appliances General Plumbing Works and Maintenance

Free Quotes Based in Cambourne M: 07972 867 298 H: 01954 718 130 E: scheatingservices@gmail.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Short Story

The Runaround “Excuse me, is this your car?” Barron asked the silver-haired lady leaving the opticians laden with a large parcel. “It just so happens that I’m looking for a reliable runaround for my daughter.”

“Lucky girl!” The lady smiled warmly, putting the parcel on the back seat. “Would you like to have a look at it at some time?”

Barron had been strolling down the high street when he noticed the ‘For Sale’ sign taped to the bonnet. He’d bought and sold enough motors to know the asking price was a fraction of what this car was worth.

“How about now?” He didn’t actually have a daughter but knew all the tricks to get his hands on a bargain. “Is there anything wrong with it?” he asked suspiciously. The car seemed immaculate inside and out.

“I have to be honest,” the lady grimaced, “it does have one very annoying fault. It makes a dreadful beeping sound when I’m driving,” she said apologetically.

“Have you taken it back to the dealership?” He frowned.

“They said there’s nothing wrong with it.” She shrugged. “They said the only way to stop it beeping is to put my seatbelt on.”

Barron rubbed his chin. “I might be willing to overlook it if the price is right.”

“Perhaps a test drive would help?” she suggested optimistically.

“Are you free now?” Barron pounced. “How about I drive you home and we can go over the paperwork?”

“I suppose so!” The lady seemed surprised. “If you’re genuinely interested?”

“Perfect!” Indeed it did seem almost too perfect.

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With a great display of chivalry, Barron helped the lady into the passenger seat.

He adjusted the mirror and turned on the ignition.

The engine purred like a kitten.

“Seatbelts on!” he said cordially. “Before the car starts beeping.”

“Very wise,” the lady said. “It really is most annoying.”

“I’ll get my man to look at it,” he said, and pulled away. “Though I imagine it will be costly to fix. Where are we heading?”

“I live at the end of Barrow Common,” she said. “Do you know it?”

“I’m sure I can find it,” Barron said. The ten-minute drive was most enjoyable as he contemplated how he was going to knock a few more pounds off the asking price.

“What do you think?” the lady asked, as they pulled up outside her house. “Would she like it?”

Barron was about to agree that his imaginary daughter would like it, when he noticed a young man coming out of the house.

“Mum you’ve done it again, haven’t you?” the man said. “You can’t keep conning people into driving you home.”

“But I’ve taken my driving glasses in for repair,” the lady said, retrieving her parcel from the back seat.

“How else was I going to get this home?”

“What?” Barron was taken aback. “So isn’t the car for sale after all?”

“Sorry mate,” the man said, “she’s given you the runaround.”

“Thank you for the lift, very kind.” She smiled. “There’s a bus stop just up the road.”

By Jackie Brewster

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DRIFTWOOD JOINERY LTD Specialists in Bespoke Joinery

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Conservatories • Doors • Windows Staircases Handmade Kitchens Handmade Bedroom Furniture

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T&R Roofing Ltd

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February’s Puzzle Solutions and Winners Last Month’s Crossword Winner Donald Brightley from Hitchin Bluesky Competition Winner Peter Jennison (Hitchin), Adam Brookman (Sandy), Cheryl Jeffrey (Shefford), Carol Clapham (St Neots), Suzanne Kay (Stevenage) and Yvonne Sowerby (Bedford)

Easy

Hard

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

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

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

ÂŁ25

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

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

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

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

Name: Tel:



Address:

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KEMP GARAGE DOORS SALES • INSTALLATION • REPAIRS • Family Run Business • 25 Years Experience • Up and Over • Sectional and Roller Doors www.kempgaragedoors.co.uk • Security Shutters

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101

Electrician

www.hertsandbedselectrical.co.uk

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

Fault finding/repairs Extra lights and sockets New fuse boards Electrical testing and certificates Qualified electrician  Fully insured Reliable service  Tidy work Free quote  Satisfaction guaranteed

Call Nigel on: 01767 834024 / 07941295883 Email: nigelrooney@hotmail.co.uk

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C.S Roofing Services Limited

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The Sandy Show In 1868 the Sandy Show was born after several leading gentlemen in the locality wished to showcase the quality of the crops and produce being grown in our local area, to the widest audience. A cat, dog and bird show was added over the following years to create the Feather & Fur Festival with the Flower & Produce Show, and this lasted up until the start of World War II, apart from a break during the World War I. Following World War II the Show was restarted until 1954. Then in 1966 the Show was resurrected once more at the now-defunct Bickerdike’s Nurseries, and it remained there for a number of years before moving back to its original home at Sandye Place.

During recent years the Show has grown to be known across a wide area of the country, with entrants coming from many neighbouring counties to exhibit their produce, flowers and crafts and be judged to exacting national standards.

Local News

In the summer of 2019 the Sandye Place Academy closed and the unavailability of the Academy’s premises to anyone has caused a loss of venue to the Horticultural Association who promote and organise the Show. Since last August we have been searching for an available site within the town. Many locations have been discussed but none have been found which is of a suitable size and standard. Options outside of the town have also been considered but no satisfactory venue has arisen that has appeared to be financially viable. We have also considered changing the day of the week and also the month of the Show, in an effort to continue with the event.

Also, the number of available helpers to run the event is decreasing as age catches up with us all.

It is therefore necessary to say that the Horticultural Association will be unable to put on the Sandy Show in 2020. If more help can be found and a suitable venue then we would hope to return with a re-invigorated Sandy Show.

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Environment

Don’t be Water Wasteful

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City

Accra Amsterdam Ankara Athens Beirut Belgrade Berlin Bern Bogota Cairo Hanoi Kabul Lima Macau

Moscow Muscat Nicosia Oslo Ottawa Paris Riyadh Rome Seoul Tehran Tokyo Tunis Victoria Warsaw

Find the names of cities in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase

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Mark Dilley Electrical Part P Registered Company 22386 Extra sockets - Lighting Extensions - Re-wires Security Lighting - Showers Inspections Electric Vehicle Charging Points

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Tel: 01767 261008 Mob: 07990 895430

mark.dilley@btinternet.com

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

Covering Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

01438 211302 info@eastanglianloftladders.co.uk eastanglianloftladders.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Call now for a free, no obligation quotation 105

Books

Book Review

By Kate Duggan

Accountants

The Binding

by Bridget Collins

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

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

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

Grandmothers

by Salley Vickers

Aerials and Satellites AERIALS & SATELLITES T/A Broadband Communications Established 1993

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

Aerials & Satellites • Digital Aerials Freesat & Satellite Installations Commercial IRS Systems All Work Guaranteed • CAI Approved C.1616 Based in Stotfold www.broadbandcommunications.co.uk

Tel: 01462 732 628 • Mob: 07860 436 217

Our Planet: The One Place We Call Home

by Matt Whyman and Richard Jones

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

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01767 699252 07901 985123

Haberdashery

S Classified advert.indd 1

07870 428357 adamstaniforth35@gmail.com

Painter & Decorator

14/04/2015 21:23

Buttons Haberdashery 40 High Street, Biggleswade, SG18 0LJ

•Dress Fabrics •Yarns •Haberdashery •Husqvarna Sewing Machines •Gift Vouchers Tel: 01767 448 290 facebook.com/buttonsbiggleswade Mon, Tues, Fri, Sat - 9.30-17.00 Wed-11.00-19.00 Thurs, Sun-Closed

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RICHBAW

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

Painting Services

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07511725559

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Bathroom installations FREE estimates Over 35 years experience Based in Gamlingay

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M. Philmore (Phil) - General Plumber Now semi retired but still available for general plumbing.

A professional property maintenance service

57 Green Acres, Gamlingay, Beds. SG19 3LR Tel: 01767 650619 Mobile: 07870366414

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GB

Roofing

GARY BERRIDGE Plasterer & General Maintenance Including UPVC Doors and Windows Tiling, Painting and Decorating Free Quotes

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CJ Property Maintenance

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Free Estimates

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MARK CURRELL CERAMIC TILER All tiling undertaken Kitchens, Bathrooms and Conservatories Free Quotations • All Areas Covered Telephone: 01767 680081 / 07952 499002 Email: markcurrelltiling@masjcurrell.co.uk

Window Cleaner

MUSCLE & MOTOR Jumbo van with up to 3 men.

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Call Richard on: 01767 317387 or 07968 787496 Email: muscleandmotor@gmail.com www.muscleandmotor.co.uk

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Wood Suppliers

MANOR FARM RIDING SCHOOL Sutton, Beds - SG19 2ND Lessons for all abilities TASTER LESSONS AVAILABLE Pre-school rides - £ 12.50

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