Potton may 18

VILLAGER The

Issue 141 - May 2018

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Win a one night break for two people at

Dunston Hall RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Results

Win £25 in our Prize Crossword

Bringing Local Business to Local People

in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages 16,000 copies delivered to over 30 towns and villages every month To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

ur Yo EE FRco1py

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Inside this issue...

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Win Tickets to Battle Proms

Jewels of our Past................................................................................... 4 Why we love a Royal Wedding............................................................... 8 Win Two Tickets to the Battle Proms at Hatfield House......................... 10 Win a One Night Break for Two at Dunston Hall.................................... 12 Winning Wines: Macedonia.................................................................. 14 Shuttleworth Spitfire Fires Into Life..................................................... 17 Cambridgeshire County Show.............................................................. 18 Local Elections...................................................................................... 20 Morris Dancing May Day....................................................................... 23 Cusco - The Inca Capital in Peru............................................................ 24 Wonderfully Windsor........................................................................... 28 Wordsearch.......................................................................................... 33 Sense of Summer................................................................................. 34 Secrets to Successful Shopping............................................................ 37 Are you in pain? Does it affect your daily life?...................................... 39 Biggleswade Community Agent........................................................... 40 Travel Fraud - Don’t be a Victim............................................................ 43 Make Procrastination History............................................................... 45 MAGPAS Air Ambulance....................................................................... 46

Ground Control..................................................................................... 48 Rural Ramblings................................................................................... 51 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results...................................................... 52 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal.................................................................... 54 Ask Alan - Potton Vets.......................................................................... 57 Animal Stories...................................................................................... 58 Three Tips for Looking After Your New Guinea Pig................................ 60 Children’s Page..................................................................................... 63 Ashwell at Home.................................................................................. 65 Infiniti QX50......................................................................................... 66 Green Tech: Gadgets for your Garden.................................................... 68 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe............................................................... 70 What’s On............................................................................................. 74 British Sandwich Week......................................................................... 77 A Plea: Please Stop Being so Courteous................................................ 78 Puzzle Page.......................................................................................... 80 Prize Crossword.................................................................................... 86 Fun Quiz............................................................................................... 89 Book Review........................................................................................ 92 Useful Telephone Numbers................................................................... 95

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Shuttleworth Spitfire

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, Tracey Anderson, Trevor Langley, Hannah Fenton, Solange Hando, Kate Duggan, Jennie Billings, Kirstie Timmins, Suzanne Roynon, Rachael Leverton, Geoff Wharton, RSPB, Potton Vets, RSPCA, Ann Haldon, James Baggott and Nick Coffer.

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

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

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

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History

Jewels of our Past

By Catherine Rose

There is no doubt that antique jewellery has a fascination like no other. Worn close to the skin and often commissioned for an individual, it exudes an aura of its original wearer from across the centuries.

Walking around the Victoria and Albert Museum’s jewellery section is a kleptomaniac’s paradise. On display in a darkened hall, gold and precious jewels from civilisations past are illuminated like the treasures of Aladdin’s Cave.

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Humanity’s universal desire to craft mined metals, stones, and natural treasures like shells, horn or bone into beautiful adornments dates back to primitive times. Jewellery makers have long been skilled artisans, able to work with materials at levels of delicate intricacy.

In early times, jewellery was often worn in the form of amulets for power or protection against evil, and as a status symbol. Gold jewellery was buried with the dead as payment for their

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passage into the afterlife and to ensure the person’s continued importance. We are most familiar with this from the discovery of ancient Egyptian tombs, but other civilizations such as the Incas and the ancient Greeks also buried jewellery with their dead. Gold ceremonial collars have been found when unearthing Celtic Bronze Age burials.

One such collar known as the Shannongrove Gorget (800-700BC), uncovered in Ireland in the 1700s, was deliberately folded in half, perhaps in a ritual to prevent someone else from wearing it.

Much of the archaeological jewellery on display in museums today comes from ancient tombs.

Crowns made of precious metals and stones to indicate royalty began as ceremonial wreaths in Greek and Roman times, or possibly earlier. They were made of flowers, twigs and leaves (such as laurel, oak and ivy) and would be placed on the head of someone who had been valiant in battle or excelled as an athlete. The word ‘crown’ comes from the Latin ‘corona’ meaning wreath.

Alexander the Great is said to have established the crown as a symbol of royalty in 356-323BC. Over the centuries, crowns continued to become heavier, more elaborate and bejewelled, forming a key part of the monarch’s coronation ceremony.

Precious stones have long been symbolic, for example, pearls once represented purity.

Originally, diamonds and rubies weren’t faceted but would simply be polished as roundels or ovals – a style known as cabochon. It wasn’t until the Renaissance that the skill of cutting stones developed. These sparkling gems became popular and were at their most spectacular seen in the glow of candlelight. Sadly, little diamond jewellery from the 17th and 18th centuries survives, as diamonds had become so prized they were often removed from old jewellery and reused.

During the medieval era, jewellery was very much about status and religion. Royalty and nobility wore gold, silver and precious metals while lower ranks would wear jewellery made of pewter or copper set with semi-precious stones, or translucent enamel made using melted ground glass set into metal.

Centuries later, this notion was subverted by Art Nouveau, a radical movement that began in 1895 and went on to shape our modern world in many

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ways from marketing to furniture design. Art Nouveau jewellers saw no hierarchy of materials, meaning gold and diamonds were combined with base metals and enamel. Symbolism was as important as it had been in medieval times.

During this time, as in the past, wearing large pieces of jewellery on the bodice continued to be popular. Today, this fashion along with the general wearing of brooches – still popular up until the mid-20th century – is now seen as dated and has largely fallen out of favour.

The 17th century heralded increased importation of a variety of gems. As a result, a wider range of coloured stones such as citrine and pink topaz began to make an appearance. Jewellery was often tailored to the individual and included the use of cameos and miniature portraits of the wearer or their loved one. It is believed that during this century, opaque enamel was invented by a Frenchman, Jean Toutin de Chateaudun.

The Victorians were as ostentatious in their jewellery as they were with all other forms of ornamentation, favouring flowers and birds which reflected their interest in the natural world and tied in with their ‘language of flowers’ symbolism. Jewellery became largely worn by women, whereas in previous centuries men had frequently worn it too.

Although today’s jewellery makers still use ancient techniques in metalwork and stone setting, contemporary jewellers are reinventing the way we see and wear jewellery. These innovations are being led by designers like Wallace Chang who produces cameo jewellery from 3D images of the human face and has invented a new stone setting that does away with the traditional obtrusive claw technique.

Prague-based jewellery designer Janja Prokic, who has showcased at London Fashion Week, designs symbolic fairy-tale jewellery that links directly back to the wearer. She often uses pearls to represent womanhood and says: “As they become polished by contact with human skin, each appears to absorb nutrients from the skin. The result is that this gives them a particular glow peculiar to the wearer.”

And in the end, don’t we all want our jewellery to be a reflection of ourselves?

By Catherine Rose

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Time of Year

By Tracey Anderson

Why We Love A Royal Wedding Unless you have been living on a desert Island with no Wi-Fi for the past 12 months it cannot have escaped your notice that a wedding is scheduled for this month.

Now whether you are a flag-waving Royalist or consider them to be a bunch of elitist parasites, you can’t avoid the discussions over the dress, the guest list and the entertainment booked for the reception.

It was when I heard a colleague (who I know is anti-Royal) gleefully speculating over the dressdesigner Meghan may or may not have chosen that it occurred to me to wonder why even the least sympathetic among us somehow get sucked into the celebrations.

The fairy tale: Children’s stories where the handsome prince marries the beautiful princess are perennially popular, and the big white wedding is still the way many women imagine their big day.

In this instance the prince in question is a real-life action hero too! A Royal wedding is the chance for us to live it vicariously, or conversely marvel at the spectacle of it all while muttering darkly about the cost to the public purse.

Being part of something bigger: There is a strong drive among humans to want to feel part of something important or monumental. We want to weave historic events into our own personal history. It’s why we bought tickets to The London

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Olympics, fly out to World Cup Finals, and lay flowers at the sites of tragic events.

Shared History: The celebrations surrounding the Silver Jubilee, or the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana may have been part of our childhood. Maybe we attended a street party or received a commemorative coin. The desire to recreate and share these memories with our own children is strong.

We love a party: Go on...who doesn’t love an excuse for a party? I have friends who throw Eurovision parties, and Strictly Come Dancing parties and X Factor parties, so why not a Royal Wedding party, complete with champagne and Union Jack cupcakes?

They are not like us…or are they? We feel we know the Royals. We’re there for the births, the engagements, the weddings, the divorces. We know lots about them, but there’s always more we don’t know. It’s human nature to be hungry for more information or gossip about the rich, famous and (preferably) scandalous. A Royal wedding feeds into this, from the venue – the smaller St George’s Chapel rather than Westminster Abbey – to the guest list – who made the cut and who was snubbed. It’s like our own family but lived large… on our TV screens.

And just as if they were members of our own family…we wish them well.

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Win 2 tickets

to a Spectacular Summer Concert

We have 3 pairs of tickets worth £88 each to be won for the 18th annual Battle Proms at Hatfield House on Saturday 14th July, as the UK’s premier picnic concert series returns for a packed afternoon and evening of entertainment!

Treat yourself and a friend or loved one to a full programme of captivating classical music from the 60-piece New English Concert Orchestra, complemented by toe-tapping vintage vocals, breathtaking Spitfire display to Elgar’s Nimrod, sensational freefall demonstration

by The Red Devils parachute team, dramatic WWI cavalry display and groundshaking live fire from over 200 cannons!

All set in the historic and leafy surrounds of the Queen Elizabeth Oak Field at Hatfield House, this quintessentially British ‘party in the park’ features magnificent musical firework displays, culminating in a flag waving, sing-a-long spectacular including all the ‘last night of the proms’ finale favourites such as Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory!

Simply send your entry by 16th May 2018 to: Battle Proms Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. The winner will be drawn randomly from the correct entries.

BATTLE PROMS COMPETITION ENTRY

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



Don’t want to leave it to chance? Simply order online at www.battleproms.com.

Order by 30th April and enjoy the Early bird price of just £36 per adult for an afternoon and evening of sublime music and dramatic displays!

Address:

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Win a One Night Break for Two including dinner, bed and breakfast and 36 holes of golf The four-star Dunston Hall, in Norwich – managed by Redefine|BDL Hotels (RBH), the UK’s leading hotel management company – offers guests a firstclass, all-round golf experience in fabulous surroundings.

Its 6,275 yard, par-71 USGA-rated course is beautifully contoured around the estate and features magnificent parkland fairways dotted with trees and strategically placed bunkers. With its other golf facilities also including a 22-bay floodlit driving range, an undulating pitching green with bunkers, and even a nine-hole Footgolf course, this is golf at its best.

Dunston Hall’s Elizabethan-style mansion, dating from 1859, has been lovingly restored to all its former glory as a four-star hotel. Built against 150 acres of stunning wooded Norfolk parkland, the setting is just as unique as its history. The hotel boasts spacious bedrooms and a well-equipped health club with a cardio gym and recently refurbished pool, sauna, and spa, as well as a choice of eating and drinking options.

Dunston Hall is located just four miles from Norwich city centre and train station, and eight miles from Norwich Airport.

www.qhotels.co.uk/our-locations/dunston-hall Villager Magazines has partnered with Dunston Hall to offer its readers the chance to win a one night, dinner, bed and breakfast break for two at the four-star resort, with 36 holes of golf included.

The winner will be drawn at random from all the correct answers.

DUNSTON HALL COMPETITION ENTRY

For a chance to win simply correctly answer the following question and post your response by 16th May 2018 to Dunston Hall Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP. Dunston Hall is in Norwich. For which reason is the city well known?

A: Its coal mines  B: The home of Colman’s mustard  C: The birthplace of actress Jenna Coleman, star of TV drama Victoria 



If you’re not lucky enough to be the winner, a two-night DB&B break at Dunston Hall, with 36 holes of golf, costs from just £159 per person, based on two sharing. Call 01508 470444 for more details or to book.

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GARDEN WALK & TALK

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Food and Drink

Winning Wines: Macedonia

Macedonia has a lot to offer. This republic, in south eastern Europe and successor state of former Yugoslavia, has a very interesting history, boasting beautiful architecture, amongst many attributes. The climate is hot and dry, during the summer months. Skopje is the capital of Macedonia and tourism brings many visitors to the country, every year.

The region of Tikveš is recognised and famous for the production of high-quality grapes, which, along with much knowledge and expertise, produce excellent wines. Numerous grape varietals are grown, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Merlot and Pinot Noir, plus many others. The Stobi winery enjoys perfect conditions and produces multi award-winning wines utilising modern technology. The Stobi Winery continually seeks to create new vineyards and expand, as their splendid wines become known and available worldwide, including the UK, with an excellent distribution and delivery organisation.

Stobi Žilavka, is produced using a local grape variety. A pleasant bouquet and very good mouthfeel, with a peppery finish, make this a popular light to medium-bodied, dry white wine. Stobi Chardonnay, is unoaked, dry and medium-bodied. Elegant and intense, again, this is another extremely popular choice, for many. Stobi Muscat Ottonel, is aromatic on the bouquet, which leads, enticingly, to the very acceptable mouthfeel and floral palate sensation, of this intense, dry, white production, with a fresh finish. Stobi Cuvée, I found as a medium-bodied, dry, white wine. This is produced using a blend of local grapes and delivers a very good bouquet.

Elegant and intense on the palate, a crisp finish adds to the pleasures of this wine. These wines accompany many dishes, including white meats, fish, seafood, salads and antipasti, perfectly.

These selections are just some of the wines available in a splendid range from the Stobi Winery, which has something for everyone’s palate, including exceptional red wines that are aged in oak. Stobi multi award-winning wines are available in the UK. Tel: 0845 370 2255 Email: sales@signature-wines.co.uk www.signature-wines.co.uk www.stobi.co.uk

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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Authentic Italian Pizza Traditional Pasta Dishes Home-Made Desserts Our dough is made in house daily and proved for 48 hours to obtain a crispy, highly-digestible pizza.

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Local News

AR501 with pilot Stu Goldspink Wednesday 21 March 2018 © Darren Harbar

Shuttleworth Spitfire fires into life The Shuttleworth Collection’s Spitfire AR501 soared successfully into the skies for its maiden flight, following a full restoration project, at 15.47 on Tuesday 20 March 2018, in the hands of experienced warbird pilot Stu Goldspink.

The pilot reported that the aircraft is handling beautifully and all systems functioning correctly with just a couple of minor adjustments required.

A second, longer, test flight was carried out the next morning confirming the aircraft is behaving well. The flight test programme will continue over the next few weeks.

This Spitfire is an original aircraft that saw active service in the Second World War and is wearing the livery of No 310 (Czech) Squadron, where it served in operations in 1942-1943. Sporting its original ‘clipped’ wing tips that gave Spitfires a better roll rate rather than the standard elliptical tips most are familiar with.

The painstaking restoration which took over 10 years to complete by the Collection’s fulltime engineering team and skilled volunteers, involved completely dismantling the airframe into its smallest components to inspect and refurbish all the parts. The project included the complete overhaul of the 1,440hp Rolls Royce Merlin V12 engine, also carried out ‘in house’, and a new propeller and spinner.

Chief Engineer Jean-Michel Munn said, “This is a very original aircraft, and one that served in combat during the Second World War. It’s a privilege for The

Collection to be able to return it to airworthy status and have it back flying for visitors to experience the sight and sound of this iconic type.”

AR501 is intending to display for the first time since restoration at The Collection’s Season Premiere and RAF 100 airshow on Sunday 6th May. Stu Goldspink will be giving the pilot chat with the aircraft at 11.00 before the air display begins at 14.00. Veterans over 85 have free entry to this show.

For more details see www.shuttleworth.org/premiere The Shuttleworth Collection is based at Old Warden aerodrome is just off the A1 at Biggleswade, postcode SG18 9EP. AR501 can also be seen onscreen (static) in the RAF at 100 with Ewan and Colin McGregor on BBC One, screening Sunday 25 March at 20.30!

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AR501 first test flight flown by pilot Stu Goldspink © Darren Harbar

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Local News

Cambridgeshire

County Show Sunday, 3rd June 2018 Wimpole Home Farm, Wimpole, near Royston, SG8 0BW 10.00am to 5.00pm FREE Car Park Admission: Adults: £10, OAP’s/Under 16’s: £6 Under 5’s: FREE Family (2 adults & 2 children): £28 Dogs on leads welcome.

Celebrating its 19th anniversary in 2018, this is a traditional county show with its roots firmly in agriculture and the rural community. Organised by supporters of the local Young Farmers clubs, it has evolved from the traditional annual Young Farmers rally to become one of the most successful one day agricultural events in the county.

The Show aims to promote British food and farming, provide visitors with an insight into countryside crafts and create an arena for Young Farmers to demonstrate their skills in a variety of competitions and activities. The organisers strive to create a really

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enjoyable family day out, with lots of things for everyone to see and do.

This year visitors can enjoy main ring displays including sheepdogs and terrier racing and the return of the Welsh Axemen. The popular Sheep Show will be performing throughout the day in the livestock area where visitors will also be able to get close to various breeds. There will be a great variety of trade stands, from country clothing, flowers and shrubs and activity toys to agricultural dealers, wrought iron work and garden furniture.

There will also be a craft marquee full of wonderful gift ideas and a food hall selling a variety of local produce to enjoy as well as country crafts such as thatching, vintage tractors and a traditional fairground.

If you like the countryside, you’ll love the County Show and with something for everyone it is an event not to be missed. www.cambscountyshow.co.uk cambscountyshow@btconnect.com 07758 676017

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19

Time of Year

By Hannah Fenton

Local Elections On May 3rd the first local elections will take place since the dramatic General Election last year.

Voting in local elections is almost more important than voting in a general election because the decisions local councillors make have a greater impact on our day-to-day lives.

Here are some frequently asked questions.

What are local elections for?

To elect the people who run our local services.

What do they mean to me?

Local councillors are consulted on everything which happens in your area and thus everything which affects you directly.

Like what?

Things like parks, footpaths, street lights, public toilets, car parks, allotments, bus shelters, community centres and the future of local schools.

They also have a hand in road improvements, street signs, planning applications and deciding what sort of facilities your area has access to.

Yes but the Government controls 80% of the money spent by local councils so their vote doesn’t count for much does it?

It counts for a lot. Councillors elected now will affect your life and the life of your family and neighbours for the next four years.

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I don’t even know who’s standing in our local elections.

The information is generally displayed on parish notice boards and in local post offices and newspapers.

They won’t do anything for me Have you asked them?

Local councillors live in your community, are easily contactable and are directly answerable to you.

I don’t like any of them. I could do better. How do I become a councillor and what would my responsibilities be?

Good question. Most councillors work around three to six hours a week in their post depending on their other commitments. The duties include: attending meetings of organisations, taking up issues on behalf of the general public, and running surgeries so that residents may bring up any issues bothering them.

It’s a largely unpaid post but is a rewarding way to become involved in your local community.

A good place to begin if you’d like to be a councillor is the NALC website www.nalc.gov.uk/ becomeacouncillor/howtobecomeacllr.html It might be said that ‘people get the local council they deserve’. If you don’t vote, those who do are making decisions which may change your life.

Think about it!

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Morris Dancing MayDay Morris dancing is a part of the May Revels, or May Day celebrations. It dates back to late mediaeval times and the earliest mention is from 1458.

The origins of the name are unknown. There is speculation that it has Spanish Arab roots and comes from ‘Moorish Dancing’ but this is not provable. Many of the earliest known records relate to the early 16th century English Royal Court, so it is possible that there may be some connections with the courtly Morisco dances seen in continental Europe at that time.

The church had been a great supporter of the Morris traditions until the Reformation. After this it was considered frivolous and frowned upon by the authorities for many decades until the restoration of Charles II in 1660. ‘Merrie Englande’ saw traditional festivities experience a renaissance TCH Sat brunch VA_ppl.pdf 1 to 13/04/2018 and the dances we see today are believed have

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Time of Year

By Tracey Anderson

mostly developed in the hundred years or so after this date.

Changes in social patterns, social mobility, and types of recreation in the Victorian era meant that by the end of the 19th century the Morris had become rather unfashionable. It came very close to dying out completely, then by chance, the folk song and dance collector Cecil Sharp saw the Morris at Headington on Boxing Day 1899, and 14:41 a revival which continues to this day. started

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Travel

By Solange Hando

Cusco The Inca Capital in Peru The Incas got it right. Up in the Andes, this was a great location for their capital, a remote plateau ringed by mountains and blessed by fertile valleys.

Even today Cusco appears almost unreal, a hidden city basking in subtropical highlands at 3,400 metres. Eucalyptus rise in the thin mountain air, redroofed houses clamber up the lower slopes and the sound of Andean flutes echoes along the streets.

Little is known about the early Killke settlers but the first Incas arrived in the 1200s, led by Manco Capac whose origins remain shrouded in legend. The city reached its apogee from 1438 onwards when, after defeating the Chacas, Pachacuti came to power.

Ninth ruler and ‘world shaker’, he transformed the Inca kingdom into one of the world’s greatest empires and rebuilt the capital with highways, irrigation channels, terraced gardens, ceremonial plaza with a gold-covered altar, magnificent Temple of the Sun and other major buildings near the Saphi stream, the mythical origins of Cusco.

That’s where the Spanish conquistadors entered the heart of the city in 1533, described by their leader Francisco Pizarro as ‘very noble and great’ with palaces, regular streets and a temple studded with gold, ‘fabulous beyond belief’. The Incas attempted to regain control in 1536 but failed after a ten months siege. Now the time had come to build churches, convent, cathedral and more, using the old Inca walls as foundations. Earthquakes have often damaged the Spanish buildings but Inca walls survived and in 1983 Cusco became a Unesco site for its combined Inca and colonial heritage.

The Santo Domingo Convent and Church is a striking example, built originally on the sacred site

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of Coricancha and the most important Temple of the Sun. Today one can still sense the haunting presence of the Incas drifting along the pre-Hispanic walls.

Other popular churches include La Merced and the Jesuits’, both famous for their Cusco Baroque style, while in the cathedral the Quechua builders, descendants of the Incas, made sure they left their mark. Guides will point out the suggestive phallic symbols, dear to the Incas, carved on the choir stalls but most surprising of all is the 18th century painting of the Last Supper. Forget bread and wine, here Jesus and the apostles are sharing Andean cheese, local fruit and a guinea pig, the traditional Peruvian dish.

The cathedral opens on the Plaza de Armas, the colourful central square, which hosts two stunning festivals in June, the religious Feast of Corpus Christi and on the 24th - the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere - the Inca Festival of the Sun. A gentle stroll from the plaza, the artisans’ district of San Blas is a different world, winding through a maze of steps and alleyways where a mysterious twelve-angled stone holds pride of place in one of the bestpreserved Inca walls.

But on the hilltop above town, the largest stones of any Inca archaeological site are found in the Saksayhuman fortress, built by the Killke then massively extended by Pachacuti. Meanwhile, just along the path, a giant statue of Christ looks down on the old capital still shaped like a puma, the sacred animal of the Incas. With its rich heritage and vibrant colours, Cusco is indeed a lovely place to explore before heading to Machu Picchu on the scenic rail journey or one of the high altitude treks for the truly adventurous.

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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: 80 or more words Good: 68 words Fair: 55 words

S D

V E

A A L

N I

VANDALISE

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.

Guests and visitors always welcome.

MAY

Saturday 5th - Disco Night Friday 11th - Race Night for East Anglia Air Ambulance Saturday 19th - 12 noon The Royal Wedding, 5pm FA Cup Final 8.30pm The Sandy Ukulele group (a Keech Cottage fundraiser) 10.30pm: Live Band “A Bit Of Blues” “A Bit Of Soul” playing mainstream classics, as heard from The Commitments & Blues Brothers TILL LATE BAR Friday 25th - The Soulman

JUNE

Saturday 2nd - Rockola Rockets (Rock-n-roll) Saturday 9th - Bubounce (SkaNight)* Saturday 16th - Melody Beats Saturday 23rd - The Numbered (Chris O’Connor’s 60th Birthday party) 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 26

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27

Travel

Wonderfully Windsor With a variety of attractions, activities and a vibrant history, The Royal borough of Windsor is the prime location for a weekend retreat.

A Classic Castle The first notion that comes to mind when thinking of Windsor is of course, its famous castle. The oldest castle in the world, Windsor Castle has been home to 39 monarchs, including our current royal family.

It’s highly recommendable to take the Precinct Tour, which explores the outside areas of the castle and is absolutely free. The tour briefs visitors on the history of the castle, its role in contemporary society and has stunning views of the surrounding countryside.

Every Saturday throughout the year and during school holidays, special drop-in family activities are included in the price of admission to the castle and there is also a free family trail for children aged 5-11 which educates them on the marvellous history of

the castle. At the end of their visit, families can ask a warden to stamp their ticket (if bought directly from Royal Collection Trust) and convert it into a 1-Year Pass, which allows them to enjoy free re-admission for 12 months.

For more information, visit: www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle

Historical Hotels Forty acres of stunning parkland span across the De Vere Beaumont Estate in Old Windsor. The estate consists of an 18th century mansion, a chapel, a Georgian White House and 75 event spaces.

Following a recent renovation, the hotel itself offers a unique blend of original features reflecting its rich heritage perfectly mixed with a contemporary style.

The 1705 Restaurant and Bar is great for wining and dining during a stay, the restaurant promises

Photos: Royal Collection Trust Š Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

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Our package includes: • Home Selection • Free Measuring and fitting • Friendly and impartial design advice • All blinds supplied meet current child safety regulations

New Dawn is a local, family run business, why not give us a call and be inspired by our ideas?

We start with a visit to your home and a chat about your needs. We’ll bring along a comprehensive range of samples in a range of styles, colours and materials. While you are viewing the samples we will take measurements so we can provide you with a written quotation.

We keep up to date with modern technologies so we can create the perfect solution for your home from a simple roller blind through to blinds and curtains for kitchens, living rooms, 01763 243894 bedrooms, bathrooms, conservatories even www.newdawnblinds.co.uk awnings for outside. Whatever your needs, we info@newdawnblinds.co.uk can deliver the ideal result.

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Picture Framing By

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Fine Art Picture Framing Choose Picture Framing in the comfort of your own home Consultation, collection and delivery included in the service Established 19 years Please call Sue on: 01954 719467 For a no obligation appointment nesan.arts@btinternet.com www.nesanarts.co.uk

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only the freshest of ingredients produced by the finest British suppliers. Many rooms have been recently refurbished with a modern style, and the White House itself offers 400 luxury suites including spacious family rooms with ample sleeping quarters for two adults and two children.

For more information, visit: www.phcompany.com/de-vere/beaumont-estate/

Family Fun A Quacking Day Out Take a one hour Duck Tour through the heart of Windsor, exploring all of the famous landmarks.

There are two types of tours- Swan and Mallard, which vary in time spent on the road and water.

Starting by road, the “Duck” incredibly travels down the slipway and splashes into the River Thames, a real excitement for small children and offering

unforgettable views of Windsor Castle and Eton. The amphibious tour comes with live entertainment and a knowledgable guide on hand.

For more information, visit: www.windsorducktours.co.uk A Treasure Trail The Windsor Mystery Treasure Trail is targeted at children as young as six and as it’s self-guided, they can take as long as they like to amble through the two mile walking route.

The trail is downloaded via PDF and is great for getting youngsters active. Every signpost, building and statue potentially hides a clue- explore the Bachelor’s Acre and see Windsor on foot all the while cracking clues, solving mysteries and best of all, having fun.

For more information and download a PDF map, visit: ww.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/the-windsormystery-treasure-trail

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33

Health & Beauty

By Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

Sense of Summer Say hello to your summer beauty essentials, from the perfect tinted moisturiser to your new favourite lip balm.

While most of us are pretty good at slapping on the sun cream these days, it’s all too easy to forget about protecting our hair. Sun damage can make hair frizzy, dry and hard to manage, as Anabel Kingsley, Trichologist at Philip Kingsley, explains, “UV rays act on hair in a similar way to bleach; they degrade its protein structure, leaving strands weaker and more vulnerable to breakage and further damage.” Philip Kingsley’s Sun Shield, £22, can help to keep your hair healthier. As well as offering sun protection, this lightweight spray also helps to prevent damage caused by chlorine and salt water. And, as an extra bonus, it reduces colour fade, and smooths and conditions to boot.

See www.philipkingsley.co.uk Skin does a pretty good job of renewing cells but a helping hand is always appreciated. Green People’s Age Defy+ Soft Buff Skin Exfoliator, £22 from www.greenpeople.co.uk, uses pineapple extract and finely ground bamboo stems to gently remove old, dead skin cells and stimulate cell renewal. The exfoliating cream also includes bentonite clay to unblock your pores. In all, there are a whopping 24 beauty-enhancing active ingredients, including orange peel oil and extracts of rosemary leaf and hibiscus flower. Use it two to three times a week for softer, smoother skin that looks and feels healthier.

If you’re looking for a new tinted lip balm, Bobbi Brown’s Extra Lip Tint (www. bobbibrown.co.uk) should be on your wish list. It’s super nourishing and works wonders on dry, chapped lips. There are four shades to choose

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from, all of which work to accentuate your own natural lip colour. So Bare Pink, for example, gives your lips a flushed glow, while Bare Popsicle adds a hint of deeper red. Think moisturising lip balm combined with a lightweight gloss. At £25.50, this is certainly not a budget buy, but it does feel like a real treat so is well worth splurging on.

It can feel like there’s a new super-ingredient being touted in the beauty world every week.

However, sometimes the old, tried and tested ingredients really are the best. Retinol, for instance, is probably the best ingredient for stimulating collagen production. It’s pretty potent, so most creams only include 1% or less of retinol, to avoid irritation. However, IMAGE skincare have found a way to formulate an overnight mask which includes 3% retinol, without any of the usual side effects. The results of regular use are impressive – firmer, softer skin, with fewer visible lines. Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque retails at £80.

Call 0345 504 0461 to find your nearest stockist.

If you’re ready to swap your foundation for a tinted moisturiser, check out Weleda’s new Beauty Balm Tinted Day Cream, £18.95. It’s packed with botanical goodness, including shea butter, jojoba oil, organic iris and cucumber extract, so is really nourishing. You won’t get the full coverage of a foundation, but the balm is lightly tinted and does a good job of covering imperfections and evening out skin tone. All in all, it’s perfect for summer, as it’s lightweight, doesn’t clog pores, and saves you time in the morning. What’s not to like?

See www.weleda.co.uk

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EMERGENCY DENTURE REPAIRS 1 HOUR SERVICE 01767 651439 07973 141862

REPAIR OR A CLEAN AND POLISH ON YOUR DENTURES BY A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN

Personal or Group coaching 9 Different Plans to Choose

COLLECTION AND DELIVERY ALSO AVAILABLE

Call me for more details: 07769 977639 Or email me: teresa.bellmaine@practicallyslim.com Or go online: www.practicallyslim.com

Denture repairs 1/4 page.indd 1

09/09/2016 16:42

Yvonne Siudak

BSc (Hons.) in Podiatry, MChs, HCPC Reg

Podiatrist / Chiropodist Private Podiatry / Chiropody Care in Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK A comprehensive service for all your Foot Care needs Hard Skin • Corns • Nail Cutting • Ingrown Toe Nails • Fungal Nail Infections • General Foot Care • Verrucae Treatment • Laser Treatment • Diabetic Assessments • Biomechanical Assessments

Full details of our specialist treatments are available, call Yvonne for an appointment: 2 Belfry Court, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1JR M: 07841 033 014 E: yvonne@yourfootclinic.co.uk

T: 01767 692 822

www.yourfootclinic.co.uk

Also Cambridge Foot Clinic Tel: 01223 358 431

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Welcome to the New You! Wouldn’t it be nice to turn back the years?

Well, now you can.

My exciting range of non-surgical treatments may be just the answer. I offer the very latest dermal fillers and wrinkle removing treatments that will leave you feeling revitalised with a new air of confidence. Simply phone me to arrange a free and no-obligation discreet consultation at my private clinic in the rural Bedfordshire village of Cople to discuss your personal requirements.

Wrinkle removing treatments Dermal fillers Lip enhancements

Arrange a free consultation 01234 838980 07773 553055

Call me on either or email hello@donnasmall.com or visit my website at www.donnasmall.com where you can see my before and after pictures along with testimonials from very satisfied customers.

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House of Colour

Secrets to Successful Shopping 1. Most major shopping mistakes come from buying outfits. That’s how clothes are displayed in the shop so that’s what we think we should buy, but that way we end up with loads of clothes and only ever have a few outfits. Buy individual items that are the perfect colour and style for you and they will all work together to build an amazing wardrobe that really works for you and your lifestyle.

2. Before you go shopping be ruthless! Keep garments only if you feel good wearing them and remove those that you never wear, especially ones you haven’t worn for over a year, or that you have several similar versions of.

Your clothes should accentuate you and your personality, not cover you up. By reviewing your wardrobe and removing rogue garments you can identify what is required pre-shopping.

3. When shopping online always choose by colour, size, style and the detail. Read the reviews, be clear on the return policy, check the size chart and look at the detailed photos. Vitally always edit your basket and only buy what you need, and what will fit and suit you! Remember that the colours you see on screen, may not be accurate to what arrives in the post – if it’s wrong, send it back!

4. Buy smart: a bargain is only a bargain if you actually wear it. Many people make the common mistake of buying an item just because it is on ‘sale’. Don’t buy on impulse.

Never buy anything in the sale you wouldn’t pay full price for! Similarly buying the season’s latest fashion could be a waste of money if it doesn’t suit you! There is nothing wrong with being interested in the latest trends but only if they suit your shape, colour and clothing personality.

5. Be colour confident by knowing what colours truly suit you. Learn which colours brighten your eyes, make your skin look radiant and

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7.

8.

9.

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create a glowing, healthy and confident you.

These may not be the colours that you have been wearing for the last 10 years! You will be amazed at how many compliments you get when you wear the right colours!

Always bear in mind if a new piece you are considering buying needs dry cleaning or hand washing. Does it fit with your lifestyle? Will you wear it enough times?

A Capsule Wardrobe is a timeless clothing collection which you can use to make unlimited combinations to suit any occasion and stops those moments of panic about what to wear!

Before you decide to keep or buy any garment, think does this make me look and feel fabulous?

Does it flatter my shape and colouring? Does it work with my lifestyle – will I actually wear it? Is the price acceptable?

Make your clothes work hard for you by investing in some timeless pieces that will last for years, such as coats, handbags and shoes.

Choose some accessories that will transform an outfit. Be aware of what accessories really suit you. Is gold better for you than silver? Chunky or dainty bracelets? Big or small earrings?

Many people buy the wrong size. Buy for the size that you are now and resist the urge to buy for the shape you think or hope you might be in the future! If you don’t like the number on the size label – cut it out!

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By Jennie Billings www.houseofcolour.co.uk/ jenniebillings jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk 37

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Local News

Are you in pain? Does it affect your daily life?

Letchworth’s APS Pain Clinic may help you…

APS Pain Reduction Therapy is safe, drug-free and easy to try. Many people find that it helps them to: • Feel less pain – sometimes becoming completely pain-free • Enjoy improved quality of sleep • Feel more energised • Reduce swelling and inflammation “I have had pain free mobility for the first time in nine months. I finished three weeks ago and so far I am still pain free, despite moving furniture last week!” says Brian H About 80% people who try APS Pain Reduction Therapy say that they feel less pain – or even no pain at all.

What is APS Pain Reduction Therapy?

It’s a micro-current therapy which simulates the body’s own healing systems. The treatment is comfortable and involves placing tiny electrodes on your skin.

“I’ve had Sciatica for months. APS Pain Therapy has been fantastic. The pain no longer stops me in my

tracks – I can move and sleep so much better now,” says Cathy M Try APS Pain Therapy for FREE Your first session at the APS Clinic is free! To find out more and arrange to book your free session, call Claire on 01462 684 214 – or email aps@hmstc.net.

Find out if the APS Pan Clinic can help you!

The APS Pain Clinic is part of registered charity Herts MS Therapy Centre in Letchworth. The Centre welcomes people with any long term or neurological condition.

For more information, visit: http://www.hertsmstherapy.org.uk/aps-pain-clinic/

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39

Local News

Biggleswade Community Agent I work part time (15 hours a week), helping Biggleswade residents. My role is largely funded

by Biggleswade Town Council and I work for Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity. I can help with issues you may be struggling with, by giving advice or signposting you to the relevant organisations or agencies. I can support you by visiting you at home, helping to fill out forms such as Attendance Allowance or Blue Badge applications. I can advise on benefits, local groups and clubs, budgeting, aids to daily living and much more. Recently I have helped individuals connect with Mind BLMK’s Services, which helps those who are struggling with mental health problems; Social Services to enable the person to maintain their independence at home; Occupational Therapy to request hand rails, making the environment safer for the person, plus many more things.

If you need more information about an issue ring Gill to discuss it or to make an appointment on 07534 484750.

Gill is DBS checked and maintains confidentiality.

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VIRTUAL PA / GIRL FRIDAY

DO YOU EVER WISH YOU HAD AN EXTRA PAIR OF HANDS? NO MONEY OR TIME TO EMPLOY THAT EXTRA PERSON! WHY NOT CALL ME!!

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Travel

Travel Fraud – Don’t be a Victim!

Fraudsters stole £6.7 million from 4,700 unsuspecting holidaymakers and other travellers in 2017, a new report revealed in April.

ABTA, the City of London Police and Get Safe Online are once again joining forces to warn the public about the dangers posed by holiday booking fraud.

The new report, compiled by the City of London Police’s National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, reveals the scale of reported crime, and exposes common tactics used by fraudsters.

The average amount lost per person was over £1,500, an increase of 25% year on year. These individual losses are substantial, but this form of fraud also has other severe effects with almost half (2,245) of victims saying that it also had had a significant impact on their health or financial well-being. Most worryingly of all, 575 people said the impact on them was so severe that they had to receive medical treatment or were at risk of bankruptcy.

The most common types of fraud relate to the sale of airline tickets (47%) and accommodation booking (38%).

4,700 people told Action Fraud that they had been the victim of a travel related fraud in 2017 though the three campaign partners believe that the actual figure is much higher, with many victims not realising that they should always report the fraud to the police.

Top tips to avoid becoming a travel fraud victim The City of London Police, ABTA and Get Safe Online have published advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of holiday booking fraud – and on how victims should go about reporting it. This advice includes the top tips below: • Do your research: Don’t just rely on one review - do a thorough online search to check the company’s credentials. If a company is defrauding

people there is a good chance that consumers will post details of their experiences, and warnings about the company.

• Look for the logo: Check whether the company is a member of a recognised trade body such as ABTA. If you have any doubts, you can verify membership of ABTA online, at www.abta.com.

• Pay safe: Wherever possible, pay by credit card and be wary about paying directly into a private individual’s bank account.

• Check documentation: You should study terms and conditions and be very wary of any companies that don’t provide any at all. When booking through a Holiday Club or Timeshare, get the contract thoroughly vetted by a solicitor before signing up.

• Use your instincts: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Report it: Victims should contact Action Fraud via www.actionfraud.police.uk.

• Get free expert advice: For further advice on how to stay safe when booking or researching travel online, go to https://www.getsafeonline. org/shopping-banking/holiday-and-travelbooking/ Remember cheap holidays are not always the best way to spend your hard-earnt cash, and whilst the internet affords ease of accessibility, the knowledge of a agent is second to none.

Please be vigilant! Happy Holidays!

If you have any questions for our resident travel expert contact Kirstie on kirstie@timminstravels.co.uk or call on 01767 654890

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Discover the true value of your home.

For tips on how to present your home and improvements that may enhance its value, call your local property expert to book your free market appraisal.

Biggleswade: 01767 313256 49 High Street, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 0JH email: biggleswade@satchells.co.uk Lettings, commercial property, mortgages and conveyancing arranged.

www.satchells.com

44Satchells Biggleswade Ad PPSJ11676.indd Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts 1 04/08/2017 13:26

Life Coaching

By Suzanne Roynond

Make Procrastination History

When you distract yourself with almost anything to avoid what you ‘should’ be doing, procrastination is making itself at home in your life.

Cleaning a cupboard rather than dealing with your finances or spending all day watching TV when you promised to finish something for your partner might seem harmless, but each time you put something off, you drain your energy and damage your self-esteem.

Low level procrastination is easy to combat with a little determination, a list and a sense of achievement for each accomplishment.

However, a skilled procrastinator can always find a reason not to do something. Procrastination becomes a habit and broken

promises cause hurt, arguments, disappointment and resentment.

It’s frustrating for friends and family and ultimately the procrastinator loses the respect of those closest to them.

What the procrastinator doesn’t realise is each tiny avoidance strategy damages them too.

The knowledge they are letting themselves and others down chips away at their emotional and physical wellbeing. The outcome can be lethargy, stress headaches and even depression.

Life Coaching can make a difference for a habitual procrastinator. The client takes responsibility for their own actions and by working with a coach to set and commit to achievable goals, excuses and procrastination can

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become a thing of the past.

Of course, if getting around to calling a coach is another subject of procrastination – read a little book called “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy, then pick out the biggest and ugliest frog you can find and have it for breakfast!

Suzanne Roynon is a personal performance life coach www.yoursuccess.coach

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Local News

“I never thought I’d become a volunteer, but it turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done!”

Magpas Air Ambulance is a charity which brings crucial lifesaving care, by land and air, to patients in life-threatening emergencies across the East of England and beyond. The charity is not a statefunded service and relies on generous public donations and committed volunteers to continue saving lives.

Sandy based Emily, 22, is a truly dedicated volunteer at the Magpas Air Ambulance charity shop in the Bedfordshire town. However, this wasn’t always what she wanted to do.

“I had lots of plans but life gets in the way sometimes. I was in a really bad place last October, I was just sitting at home feeling sorry for myself, my anxiety had got the better of me and I didn’t feel like I could do anything. I knew I had to get out of the house and in the end it was my auntie that helped me do that.

“She’d been volunteering for Magpas Air Ambulance in their Sandy charity shop for a while and just persuaded me to go along one day. I was really nervous at first, but I soon got into it and started to really enjoy my time there.

I did a lot of work on the shop floor such as helping customers, sorting donations and being on the till. One of my favourite things about volunteering is getting to know new people, especially the customers. You come to know the regulars so you can build up a relationship with them and get to know what they’re after.

“A little while had passed when I heard that Magpas were looking to hire a part-time Assistant Shop Manager. After doing the voluntary work, my confidence had already been boosted and

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I knew what I could bring to the shop, so I just went for it – and got the job!

“Despite securing a paid role, I still volunteer with Magpas Air Ambulance regularly. I have a 16 hour position but volunteer for another 16 hours a week on top of that. Volunteering with Magpas Air Ambulance has helped me both in and out of the workplace; other people should definitely get involved if they can. It looks good on your CV, you can learn new skills and you’re helping a really worthy cause.

“Ultimately, volunteering with Magpas Air Ambulance has massively boosted my confidence. I now have a job and independence and I feel good about myself. All my friends and family say I’ve completely changed now, and that’s all down to volunteering here.”

As a volunteer at Magpas Air Ambulance, any time you can donate will help save lives 24/7.

If Emily has inspired you to start volunteering, get in touch at fundraising@magpas.org.uk or call 01480 371060 (option 2).

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EBAY COLLECTIONS

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Local & Reliable

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Garden View

By Rachael Leverton

Ground Control You can’t go wrong with a geranium. They grow well where other plants struggle, particularly those shady areas, or parts of the garden with poor soil. And they are so useful - they provide hundreds of pretty flowers and also smother the ground with a welter of leaves that prevent weeds from taking hold.

Don’t confuse these hardy geraniums with the tender bedding plants with the horseshoe leaf-markings. They may be commonly called geraniums but they are in fact pelargoniums and not hardy so would perish in a hard frost. True geraniums are as tough as old boots. There are loads to choose from offering a wide range of colours and habits.

If you want a carpet of tiny pale pink saucer flowers try Geranium sanguineum striatum. It’s great for growing in the crevices of a garden path, or even in a shallow tub or sink where its finely cut leaves show of the flowers to their best advantage.

Geranium macrorrhizum is probably the most reliable ground cover of them all. It creates a low dense mass of aromatic hairy leaves about 30cm /

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12 inches high. The flowers open in late spring and there are varieties in white, pale pink or magenta.

These are followed by bright red seedheads providing interest well into the autumn.

Propagation is ridiculously easy. Simply rip up a clump of the thick creeping stems and push them into the ground where you want them to establish.

Make sure they don’t dry out and you can be assured of success.

If you’d like a plant with a bit of height go for Geranium psilostemon. This grows to about 1.5m / 5 feet. It has deep magent flowers with a black eye, and is a great self-seeder.

If you struggle with a patch of denser shade I can recommend the blue-flowered Geranium himalayense, and also ‘Johnson’s Blue’. Both will form clumps about 30cm / 12 inches high.

Whether you have a new garden which needs to be filled with colour, or an established garden with a few bald patches, plant hardy geraniums and you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Gardening

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BICKERDIKES

SURECLEAN DRIVEWAY AND PATIO CLEANING SPECIALISTS ROOF MOSS REMOVAL AND GUTTER CLEANING We use a revolutionary industrial pressure rotary cleaning system to restore exterior hard surfaces to as new condition.

Block Paving, Pathways, Patios Garden Wall and Stone Ornaments Ponds and Pools Also Re-sanding and Sealing Local Company

01767 400127/07870 338074 www.surecleancarpetcleaning.co.uk

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Gardening & Wildlife

Rural Ramblings Live Performance

As soon as the birds start to sing as the day-length increases, I start to think about all the jobs to be done outside and always I am too quick to start sowing seeds and visiting garden centres to see what tempting offers they have in stock. This year, of course, was no different and I sowed my onion seeds before the sharp frost of late February and off I went to the garden centre to have a look around. The onions managed to struggle through eventually, but the garden centre was almost empty of plants and visitors.

Disappointed, returning to the car, the exit happened to pass by the river which was meandering slowly along it’s curved embankments. The sight was truly stunning in the crisp air and watery sunshine. I could not resist stopping to further admire this scene and was rewarded with the sight of two birds, one snow white and the other small and brown. The latter was bobbing along on the surface and the other tip-toeing along the margins. Every so often, the white one would shake the mud along the river bank with its seemingly over-large yellow feet in order to expose any potential food to it’s sharp eyes.

I had previously seen one of these wading bids before, exploring a water-filled drainage ditch nearby and identified it to be a Little Egret.

This species is mainly found in Mediterranean countries, I believe, but is slowly starting to move into more northerly habitats, presumably as our winters become less harsh. It grows longer feathers from it’s head and was once hunted for these so it is quite a looker!

The other little fellow, with it’s rather drab brown plumage, contrasted greatly with the egret, but it was still an unexpected bonus to see. I think it was a Little Grebe or Dabchick and I hadn’t seen one since I was a child so it brought back happy

memories of flicking through the “I Spy” book in order to identify.

These two sightings, to some people may not seem to be of great significance, especially as the wild-life programs on the TV today are so impressive. I remember them because they turned a disappointing day into a special day and impressed upon me the difference in experience between the live and the passive. No wonder there is such a massive following for all live events such as sport, music, or wildlife, even though the broadcasting of these events is so good these days. The trouble is, like many people, I am a bit lazy and find it so much easier to slump in front of the telly and see what is

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51

Wildlife

John Bridges (rspb-images.com)

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results reveal a golden year for the goldfinch • Favourable conditions lead to a surge in sightings of goldfinch, long-tailed tit and coal tit, along with many other smaller garden birds.

• The results revealed a dip in sightings of our more solitary species like blackbird and robin as the mild winter meant they spent more time foraging for food away from our gardens.

• Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, including over 5,200 people in Bedfordshire, spent an hour watching the birds that visit their garden or outdoor space as a part of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.

• Over 1 million birds were counted in the East, contributing to an impressive 6.7 million birds counted nationally.

The latest results from the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch have revealed a golden year for the goldfinch along with a number of other small birds after a surge in sightings in gardens across the country.

Now in its 39th year, the Birdwatch is a chance for people of all ages to count the number of birds that visit their garden helping the RSPB build up a picture of how they are doing. This year, over 5,200 people across Bedfordshire, joined nearly half-amillion people nationally in counting an impressive 6.7 million birds.

The event held over the last weekend in January revealed an increase in sightings of smaller birds, such as goldfinch, long-tailed tit and coal tit that can usually be seen visiting gardens and outside spaces in mixed flocks. In Bedfordshire, recorded sightings of the brightly coloured, sociable finch rose by 12% on 2017 figures and its bright red face was seen in 35% of the county’s gardens. Other small birds that are thought to have benefited from the mild January weather include long-tailed tit (+26%), coal tit (+24%), and blue tit (+9%).

It also proved to be a good year for the greenfinch after an 18% rise in sightings regionally, a welcome sign for a species that has undergone a 60% decline in UK sightings since the first survey in 1979.

The influx of these species to our gardens is thought to be linked to the favourable conditions during their successful breeding season in 2017. This, combined with the kind autumn and winter weather in the run up to the Birdwatch, will have contributed to the rise in sightings.

Daniel Hayhow, RSPB Conservation Scientist, said: “Our garden birds are a part of our everyday life, whether it’s the robin perched on the garden fence or

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the flock of starlings you see on your way to work. To have hundreds of thousands of people spend an hour watching the wildlife in their garden isn’t only great to see, but it also helps us build up a picture of how our garden birds are doing, which is really helpful.

“Last summer was a really good year for many breeding birds with warm weather creating great conditions for many smaller birds to raise their young to adulthood.

The rise in sightings of goldfinch, long-tailed tit and coal tit, along with chaffinches and greenfinches, goes to show that in the absence of cold weather they can survive the winter months in good numbers. Looking at the results it is likely that across the UK this is what people are seeing in their garden.”

It is likely that the warmer temperatures during the autumn and winter will have made it easier for these birds to find food, like insects, in our gardens, which in previous colder winters would have been harder to come by because of frosts and snow.

The survey also highlighted a county-wide dip in the number of recorded sightings of blackbirds (-26%), robins (-18%) and wren (-21%) on last year’s figures.

Dr Hayhow explained: “We all will have noticed that the weather earlier in the winter was slightly warmer than we’re used to, and our garden birds have felt this too. It’s usual for there to be more food available in the wider countryside during a mild winter meaning birds are less reliant on the treats we put out on the garden feeders. However, unlike the finches and tits, robins and wrens did not have a good breeding season in 2017 and data from other surveys indicate that their numbers may be down overall this year.”

In Bedfordshire, the house sparrow remained at the top of the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings in the region. Starling held onto the second spot once more, and the woodpigeon moved up one rank from 2017 to round off the top three.

Throughout the first half of the spring term the nation’s school children took part in the RSPB’s Big Schools Birdwatch. The UK-wide survey of birds in school grounds saw over 1,200 school children in Bedfordshire spend an hour in nature counting the birds. Despite a drop in Big Garden Birdwatch sightings, the blackbird remained top of the Big Schools Birdwatch rankings with one being spotted in 88% of schools – a 22% increase on 2017.

For a full round up of all the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch results and to see which birds were visiting gardens where you live, visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

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Local News

Rehoming Appeal Lulu and Lottie

Lulu and Lottie are 6 years old. They came in together and have been with us for a few weeks now which has given us time to assess them. We feel that they would probably be better homed separately.

Lulu (white) is quite outgoing, very lively and playful.

She loves to be fussed and have the occasional cuddle.

We feel that she will make a nice companion in an adult only household where she is the only pet.

Lottie (tabby) is much more cautious in her approach. It will take her time to fully trust so we are looking for a patient, experienced cat owner. Lottie does like to be fussed and will allow gentle brushing of her long coat.

She is a lovely girl who needs a quiet, adult only household where she can feel safe and gain her confidence.

Lulu and Lottie are not used to living with either children or dogs.

If you would like to find out more about these pretty girls, please contact Liz on 01767 681157. Alternatively, please e-mail Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry on to the team.

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

You can also see photographs and details of the animals in our care in our charity shop in Hitchin Street, Biggleswade SG18 8AX. Open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm.

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Ask Alan

Pets

My dog does not like dog food. What is the harm in feeding him what we eat?

Dogs have different needs and digestive systems than humans.

Dogs do not have the enzyme for digesting starch in their saliva (as humans do) and their intestines are much shorter, so they do not digest starch/carbohydrate very well.

They, therefore, do much better on a meat-based diet.

Dogs are quite inclined to get digestive upsets if their food is changed suddenly so they do better if they are kept on a stable diet.

They are also more inclined to get pancreatitis if they have fatty food. Pancreatitis is a very painful condition and can be life threatening.

It is always best to feed a dog more than once a day. Generally, twice a day but some dogs like to nibble through the day, so measuring a day’s amount of good-quality, meat-based kibble, and splitting it into 2 or 3 meals works well.

It is difficult to get home cooked meals balanced to meet a dog’s needs, even if you are cooking the food specifically for them. Scraps are very unlikely to give well-balanced nutrition.

Dogs’ wellbeing and length of life are very dependent on good nutrition, so come and talk to us about the best diets to feed your dog.

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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Pets

Animal Stories An amazing story In the last edition, our letters article highlighted the importance of micro-chipping cats. Our vet wrote about how adventurous cats can be and the dangers this can lead to. Only weeks later, we’ve been involved in an amazing story which should have every loving pet owner booking their own fur baby in for microchipping.

Recently, we received a message from a member of the public about a stray white cat who had been visiting her Aunt’s house for about 2 weeks. They lived in Scotland.

The cat was friendly and in good condition – but these lovely ladies were concerned about the cat and where she had suddenly appeared from.

As a result, one of our volunteers went to scan the wee cat in the hope that she was microchipped.

Amazingly, they found that she had been registered as missing since 5th February 2018.

Even more amazing was that she had gone missing from Bedford, England. She was found in Hamilton, Scotland!

After a very tearful phone call to the cat’s relieved owner, arrangements were made to get the wee girl home.

This amazing story goes to show that you should never rule out distance when looking for your lost cat. We will never know how this gorgeous cat travelled over 350 miles to end up where she did. It’s highly likely that her curiosity led her to being trapped in a delivery van. This isn’t as unusual a situation as you might think. However, the likelihood of cat and owner being re-united is made infinitely more possible if they are microchipped.

Microchipping most animals is easy and relatively cheap. It simply involves a vet injecting a tiny microchip (the same size as a grain of rice) into the loose skin on their neck. Most animals don’t even notice.

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This microchip gives your pet their own unique code. They can then be scanned and matched to your contact details, which are kept on a database. Make sure you update these details every time you move.

If you do lose your pet you can also help by registering them with www.petslocated.com.

This wonderful website continually, automatically matches lost dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, ferrets, guinea pigs, snakes/reptiles (or any other lost pet) with animals which are listed on the site as ‘found’ and e-mails registered owners as soon as a potential match is made. They cover the whole of the UK. So, thankfully, this story has a very happy ending. But it does highlight the importance of microchipping your beloved pet. Heartbreakingly, thousands of pets are lost every year, and many are never reunited with their owners.

Microchipping can change that. The RSPCA also run regular microchipping events – so keep an eye out for one in your area.

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

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59

Pets

Three Tips for Looking After

Your New Guinea Pig Guinea pigs are relatively low maintenance pets, and can be a good choice for families with young children. They’re very social animals, and careful handling from an early age not only helps to their build confidence, but also encourages human interaction.

Their needs include a warm, dry and safe space to live, plenty of room to run around, and a nutrientrich diet – here are a few tips to help your guinea pig feel loved and at home.

1. Living Guinea pigs can live indoors or outside, but will need protection from direct sunlight and the winter cold if they’re outdoors. Make sure their hutch is protected from predators in the garden and has a separate sleeping area that’s out of sight.

2. Eating Good quality, non-dusty hay should form the major part of a guinea pig’s diet, with grass, leafy greens, fruit, and small quantities of guinea pig

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mix added every day. It’s worth remembering that a guinea pig’s teeth grow constantly and need to be ground down on the hay or grass that you provide.

3. Play According to the RSPCA, guinea pigs are active for up to 20 hours a day¹, so providing plenty of toys is key to keeping them entertained, especially if you choose one guinea pig rather than a pair.

Guinea pigs can live for up to eight years, so this is a long commitment regardless of the lower level of daily care they require when compared with cats and dogs. ¹ www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/ rodents/guineapigs www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/caring-yourguinea-pig

By Ann Haldon

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Local News

Ashwell at Home

A Fun Day Out for All the Family Sunday 13th May – 11am to 5pm The picturesque village of Ashwell welcomes visitors to its popular annual event ‘Ashwell at Home’, where you can enjoy a wide range of things to see and do, with entertainment for all the family.

In addition to the traditional programme with open gardens, musical performances, craft stalls and activities for children, this year Ashwell at Home will be commemorating the centenary of two highly significant moments. Women’s Suffrage finally became law in February 1918 and on 11th November in the same year came the Armistice which ended the fighting on the Western Front in the First World War. Both events will be marked with a series of performances, events, activities and workshops during the day, many of them making particular reference to the part played by the people of Ashwell at the time.

What’s On? The programme includes: • Open gardens • Fun for children including free workshops • Musical concerts and live music around the village • Morris Men and Tudor dancing • Walks and Talks • Arts and Crafts • Archaeology: bring your own garden finds • And many other attractions

With special activities around this year’s theme: • A Bagpipe Tribute to the Fallen • Poppy Walking Trail • Make and Plant Poppies • Suffragette March • Lest We Forget: poetry and readings from WW1 • Ashwell Bury as a WW1 Convalescence Hospital • Hospital Walk: following the trail the convalescing soldiers would have taken • Celebrating the Women of Ashwell A wide range of refreshments will be available throughout the day.

Tickets are £7 per person, under 18’s free.

Available on the day or in advance from the website www.ashwellathome.org.uk (earlybird tickets £6 when purchased online before the day) Ashwell is in north Hertfordshire, easily accessible from the A1(M) Junction 10 and the A505.

For more information visit www.ashwellathome.org.uk

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65

Motoring

Infiniti QX50 What is it?

Launched in the UK less than 10 years ago, Japanese luxury brand Infiniti is still attempting to establish itself as an alternative to the German trio and struggling to top 3,500 sales a year.

The firm’s latest attempt to change that is a mid-size SUV to tempt buyers away from the BMW X3 or Audi Q5. With smart technology, a distinctive design and a clever new engine, Infiniti is hoping the QX50 will rapidly become the brand’s best-selling car.

What’s new?

The QX50 debuts a number of world-first gadgets. These include dynamic noise-cancelling technology in the engine, seats designed in conjunction with NASA, and a petrol engine that promises sports performance with the economy of a diesel.

What’s under the bonnet?

That clever new VC-Turbo engine is a world-first variable compression ratio engine, offering the power of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with the torque and efficiency of a four-cylinder diesel. Currently there are no plans to offer a diesel engine.

The 2.0-litre engine produces 268bhp and 380Nm of torque, whereas a petrol-powered BMW X3 20i offers 184bhp and 290Nm – thus apparently giving the QX50 the upper hand.

What’s it like to drive?

The engine generates impressive performance, hitting 60mph in 6.3 seconds – two seconds faster than the equivalent BMW – and gives a top speed of 143mph.

Much of the noise it makes is synthetically generated, teetering on the edge of deeply satisfying and incredibly annoying. There’s also a CVT automatic gearbox, which becomes very audible at higher revs.

Although Infiniti’s drive-by-wire steering allows the car to do clever things – like independently steer individual wheels, hundreds of time a second – it lacks feel, particularly at slow speeds. Whether that’ll bother the average buyer remains to be seen.

The QX50’s new chassis and groundup design has certainly resulted in a quiet and comfortable ride, and a dynamic noise-cancelling engine mount, which stops noise entering

the cabin, means it’s calm inside too.

Hit the car’s ProPilot button and it’ll steer for you (but you’ll need to keep a hand on the wheel), speeding up and slowing down with traffic. The Forward Collision Warning system uses radar to spot traffic slowing down and Infiniti says it can even detect a slowing motorbike hidden in front of an HGV. How does it look?

The QX50 has a welcome and genuinely different design, and the quite hard-on-the-eye look of Infiniti SUVs of past has been toned down.

What’s it like inside?

Inside is where the QX50 really shines. Hand-stitched leather panels, alcantara and a swooping dash give it a luxury feel, and it’s far better packaged than early Infiniti models.

What’s the spec like?

The QX50 is slated to arrive either late this year or very early in 2019, so as such Infiniti is remaining tight lipped about specification and pricing. Executives did tell us that it would undercut BMW and Audi rivals and it’s likely much of the new technology will be included as standard.

Verdict Infiniti believes the QX50 is the best car it has ever made – and we’d find it hard to argue with them.

The clever new VC-Turbo engine is impressive, the ride quality and interior finish excellent and we even like the looks. Quite how Brits will react to a petrol-powered SUV with no diesel option remains to be seen, though, and its success will hinge on just how much it undercuts established rivals from the German brands.

By James Baggott

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67

Technology

Green tech: gadgets for your garden

The technology that can get your garden ready for summer It’s nearly that time of year again: the short period when we stop complaining about the cold and complain about the heat instead. But while the British summer might not be totally tropical, it does mean we can enjoy our gardens, allotments or anywhere else Mother Nature does her stuff. And increasingly, technology can give her a helping hand.

One of the most important summer tasks is to keep everything hydrated, which isn’t always possible if you’re spending time away. Enter the Hozelock 20 Pot Watering Kit, a watering kit for up to 20 pots courtesy of an electronic timer. It’ll water patio pots or greenhouse plants, baskets or borders, and it’s 90% more efficient than a spray or sprinkler.

That’s important when your water costs money.

If that isn’t high-tech enough, the same firm offers a Cloud Connection Kit that enables you to control your watering system – whether it’s a single sprinkler or a 20-pot pourer – from your phone, and it works from anywhere you can get a data connection. It’s expensive

(around £88) but if you’ve valuable plants it might be a wise investment.

Technology can also help with more furry threats. An ultrasonic cat repeller has a motion detector so it only works when needed, and it uses ultrasonic sound that annoys cats but not people. It also works with other visitors: squirrels, foxes and even some insects. Expect to pay £25 for two.

We’re still waiting for really affordable robot gardeners, but in the meantime we can make do with a robot lawnmower.

They’re still pricey, but prices are plummeting: what cost £2,500 or more two years ago is now around £550. For example the £549 (on special offer) Worx Landroid is smartphonecontrolled, suitable for lawns of up to 450 square metres and can cope with gradients of up to 19 degrees. If someone could also invent a robot to pick up after the dog we’d be delighted.

Cordless mowers have been getting cheaper and better too. Flymo’s Mighti Mo has a whopping 40V 2Ah Li-ion battery and at £189 it’s comparable with good quality corded or petrolpowered models. It should cope with up to 250 square metres

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before needing a recharge.

The same kind of power is now available in chainsaws too, such as the Greenworks 40V cordless chainsaw. For £179 it offers a 12” cutting area and promises ‘ferocious’ performance – and despite the battery pack it weighs a very reasonable 3.4kg.

There’s a larger sixteen-inch version on Amazon for £139, but you’ll need to buy the battery and charger separately.

Advances in battery technology and power management means that pretty much anything that used to need a cable doesn’t any more, which is great news for those of us prone to accidentally cutting through live electrical cables. It’s particularly handy for tools such as hedge trimmers and branch loppers (or ‘jawsaws’ as they’re sometimes called), as those jobs tend to be at the very edges of your property – usually as far away from your power point as you can get. Just make sure you remember to charge them in advance: sadly it takes a lot longer to charge the battery for a chainsaw than it does to charge your phone, and the last thing you want is a power tool that runs out of power just when you need it most.

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Three Counties Radio

GUVEC

TURKISH CHICKEN COOKED IN A CLAY POT Sometimes someone walks into the Weekend Kitchen studio and one of their dishes just brings with it all the aroma and flavour of its country of origin. This Chicken Guvec (pronounced ‘Goo-Vetch’) has all of the evocative elements of classic Turkish cooking. The meltingly tender meat and the unmistakable flavour of sweet peppers.

The recipe was created by Yuksel Couling, who set up her catering company in Wilstead near Bedford (http://www.pomegranatesumac.com) when friends and family made it clear to her that her talents were being wasted just cooking for them! She uses the exact same principles her Turkish upbringing gave her - cook generously, simply and deliciously with fresh ingredients.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a clay pot to use. Any form of oven proof dish will be fine. If you can get to a Turkish shop, buy proper Turkish pepper paste for this. If not, supermarkets have plenty of acceptable variants.

To serve 4, you’ll need 500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into slightly smaller pieces 1 large onion, thickly sliced 2 large green peppers thickly sliced. You can use any peppers you like here but the long green Turkish peppers are the most authentic 1 tbsp hot pepper paste 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 tsp dried thyme or oregano 1 tsp salt 50 ml sunflower oil 100 ml water

1 Place the chicken and the rest of ingredients (except for the oil and sliced tomatoes) into a mixing bowl. Mix everything well.

2 Pour the oil into your pot (it doesn’t have to be a clay pot). Add the chicken mixture and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the water and stir.

3 Place the sliced tomatoes on top of the chicken mixture in the pot, and cover. Cook in the oven at 180C/ Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes. To cook on the hob, simmer it for 30 minutes.

4 Serve with plain rice and salad.

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

Ovens Grills ● Extractors

£5 OFF* All oven cleans booked

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Filters BBQs ● Microwaves

Hobs Ranges ● AGAs

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I’m simply delighted at how sparkly clean my oven and hob look now! It really does look like the cooker is brand new again!

07513 439 604 *£5 discount offer until July 2018, please mention this advert at time of booking.

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71

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

SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

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

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

info@cromwellstoves.co.uk 01480 812281

www.cromwellstoves.co.uk

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Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Tel: 01767 261622 Mob: 07947 732883 Email: dialporter01@tiscali.co.uk

The Perfect Access Solution for you 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 enquiries@anglianloftladders.co.uk anglianloftladders.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Call now for a free, no obligation quotation 73

n O s ’ t Wha 1 May Hatley Coffee Morning 10am-1pm Hatley Village Hall Come along for a chat, coffee/tea and a slice of cake. First Tuesday of the every month.

2, 9, 16 & 23 May Mums and Dads Coffee Morning 9-10am Moggerhanger Church Bring your pre-school children with you. Toys available in the church. Tea/coffee, juice, biscuits are available at 50p per cup.

1 May Potton Ladies Club 7.30pm Mill Lane Pavilion, Mill Lane, Potton Visitors £5 inc. light refreshments. Meets on the first Tuesday of the month. Amanda Sutherland with a talk entitled: “From Costumier to Running an Accessories Empire”. Visitors always welcome.

Tel: Sarah Burgoine 01767 631415 Email: sarahjburgoine@gmail.com

2, 9, 16 & 23 May Moo Music Sandy, Biggleswade & Shefford 10-10.40am Sandy Methodist Church Music & movement classes for 0-5 year olds in Sandy & Sutton. New sessions in Shefford! First session free. Web: www.moo-music.co.uk/sbs Email: Heather sandymoo@moo-music.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/moomusicsandy

1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 May Phoenix Chorus 7.45-10.15pm Potton Lower School Have you loved the a capella singing shows on TV? Phoenix A Capella Chorus meets every Tuesday. Tel: Sarah 07842 101799 Email: pro@phoenixladies.co.uk Web: https://phoenixladies.co.uk

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 May 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: Carole or Jill 07704734225

1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 May 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.

Email: IvelBC@hotmail.com Facebook: Facebook.com/IvelBC

3 May Cancer Support Group Biggleswade and Area 1-3pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade The group meets on the 1st Thursday of the month. All are welcome to attend this support group - recently diagnosed, undergoing treatment, cancer survivors, caregivers, family and friends. For additional information please call Gina Tel: 07812 796581 Web: www.cancersupportgroup.org.uk

2 May Aircraft Enthusiasts’ Group 1pm Princess Charlotte Room, Shuttleworth Visitors £7 inc. raffle ticket. The Group meets on the first Wednesday of every month. Rod Dean will give a talk on Displaying Jet Aircraft.

Lots of free parking.

Email: 99aegr@gmail.com Web: www.a-e-g.org.uk 2 May Gamlingay & District Gardening Club 7.30pm Kier Suite, Gamlingay Visitors £3. Talk by Andrew Ward on ‘The Astounding Asteracae’. Visitors welcome.

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3-7 May The Rising Sun Beer Festival 11 Everton Road, Potton 40 Real Ales, Real Ciders and Craft kegs on offer.

Entertainment includes Thursday evening Quiz, Friday music from rock covers band ‘Lost 4 Words’, Saturday Performers & Pints Presents: Two music acts The Cardinal Kings and Leon Bratt and Sunday music from rock band ‘The Mojo Slide’.

Music starts at 9pm on all three nights.

Tel: 01767 260231 during normal opening hours Web: www.facebook.com/TheRisingSunPotton

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

What’s on entries to whatson@villagermag.com

In May

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 May Amici Singers 7.30-9.45pm Trinity Methodist Church, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade Membership £15 per term (£45 per year) The Amici Singers are a non-auditioning female ensemble with a focus on fun! We do lots of tours, rehearse once a week and work hard/ play hard. No auditions - we only ask that you love to sing, love to make friends and like new opportunities. Tel: Ann 01767 650630 4 May Hitchin & Letchworth RSPB 7.30pm The Settlement, Letchworth, SG6 4UB John Dingemans talks about a quest to see and photograph the three species of hummingbirds in Texas.

4, 11, 18 & 25 May Lego Club 3.45-5.00pm Potton Library Every Friday afternoon.

4, 11, 18 & 25 May Sandy Ukulele Group 7-9pm Baptist Chapel Hall, Bedford Road, Sandy Meets every Friday. Visitors welcome.

Email: sandyukulelegroup1@gmail.com Web: www.sandyukulelegroup.com 4 & 18 May Craft and Chatter 7.30-10pm St Marys Church Hall, Potton £2.50 inc. refreshments. Bring your own project. Cross stitch, sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery or something else. Meet like-minded people and make new friends, help each other out with tips and advice and chat at the same time. Web: www.facebook.com/craftandchatter 5 May Performers & Pints 8.30pm for 9pm Start – Midnight The Rising Sun, 11 Everton Road, Potton Free entry. A great community night out of fresh live music for all. Two singer songwriter music acts: The Cardinal Kings and Leon Bratt (Beer Festival Special). Twitter: @PerformersPints Web: www.facebook.com/performerspints

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n O s ’ t Wha 6 May National Dawn Chorus Day Sounds of Spring at The Lodge 6.30-8.30am RSPB, Potton Road, Sandy Adults £8, RSPB Members £7, Children £5, RSPB Wildlife Explores £4 – inc. tea & coffee. An early morning walk listening to the chorus of birds and experiencng the magic of an English woodland.

Booking essential. Meet at car park at RSPB HQ. Tel: 01767 693333 Web: www.rspb.org.uk 6 May Season Premiere and RAF Centenary 9am-6pm Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome Shuttleworth’s Season Premiere is proud to be part of the RAF 100 celebrations marking the Centenary of the Royal Air Force (RAF) throughout 2018. Enjoy a thrilling air display, ground activities with a STEM focus, live music, activities in our children’s discovery zoneand more. Tickets available online.

Web: www.shuttleworth.org 7 May Potton’s May Day Fête 11am-3pm The Hollow, Biggleswade Road, Potton Adults £2, Children £1, Family £5. Great family day out with funfair, live band, dog show, archery, kids drama workshops, BBQ, bar, craft stalls and car boot. Tel: 01767 261431

12 May Potton Show Annual Plant Stall 8am Potton Market Square Good quality shrubs, plants, flowers, basket plants and bedding plants. Fundraiser for the annual Potton Show in September.

12 May Spring Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Everton Village Hall Homemade cakes and preserves; plants; produce; books, raffle and refreshments. All welcome.

14 May Sandy Flower Club 7.30pm Conservative Bowls Club Pavilion (rear of the Conservative Club, Bedford Road) Visitors £5 – on the door. Demonstration by Kathleen Doggett. Meets every second Monday.

Tel: Sue Alexander 01767 699729 14 & 21 May Moo Music Sandy, Biggleswade & Shefford 10-10.40am Shefford Baptist Church Music & movement classes for 0-5 year olds in Sandy & Sutton. New sessions in Shefford! First session free. Web: www.moo-music.co.uk/sbs Email: Heather sandymoo@moo-music.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/moomusicsandy

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

In May

19 & 20 May Annual Art Exhibition 10am-4pm Northill Village Hall Free entry The Biggleswade and District Art Society annual exhibition. Over 150 original artworks for sale, together with refreshments and a raffle.

Web: www.biggleswade-art-society.co.uk 26 May English Wine Week Tour 10.30am-2pm Warden Abbey Vineyard, Old Warden Adults £10, Friends of Warden Abbey Vineyard + 1 guest £6, Accompanied children free The volunteers at Warden Abbey Vineyard are doubling the number of public vineyard tours and tastings this year. As well as general tours, their “Walking in the Monks’ Footsteps” walks round the vineyard are led by volunteer Margaret Roberts who is writing a book on the history of the abbey. On the walk, as well as telling the story of the abbey, she’ll interpret the landscape features surrounding the vineyard and what they reveal about the life of the abbey’s occupants.

Advance booking essential. Gift vouchers available for tours.

Web: www.wardenvineyard.org.uk

26 & 27 May Gillian Flack Open Studio 10am-4pm St Marys House, Everton Road, 16 May The Heath, SG19 2YQ ‘Poetry Table’ Club Local artist Gillian Flack Open Studio in 8 May 8pm The Pembroke Arms, Biggleswade conjunction with Eagle Gallery Bedford. Come Sandy Historical Research Group Third Wednesday of the month for any locals who and see Gillian’s latest landscape paintings 7.30pm Beeston Methodist Church Hall wish to share and hear poems in the fabulous Members Evening. Exhibition with Pies and Pembroke Arms pub. Tel: Leah 07954 708988 27 May Pickles. Ample parking. https://shrg.uk/ Web: www.tinyletter.com/poetrytable Garden Golf in Old Warden Start times 12.3-1.30pm Start from the 12 May 18-20 May Cricket Club Pavilion, Old Warden Three Billy Goats Gruff and other Furry Tails Moggerhanger Plant Sale Adults £20, Juniors £5 inc. refreshment at 2pm & 4.30pm Fri & Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 12 noon-4pm everyone hole. Village Hall & Cricket Club event.

RSPB, The Lodge, Potton Road, Sandy Little Orchard, Chalton Teams of up to 6 people or just turn up and be Adults £8, Children £6. Amazing puppets, singing Ploughman’s Lunches, Cream Teas each day. All teamed up. Pay cash on the day. Great prizes, and storytelling by Theatre of Widdershins. proceeds to St. John’s Church, Moggerhanger. presentations and BBQ at the Hare & Hounds Pub Suitable for ages 4 upwards. Held in the RSPB who are sponsoring the event.

Yurt. Advance booking essential. Eventbrite 19 May Tel: John Purcell 07710 731408 or Mike Marshall booking fees apply. Children must be Evergig 7.30pm Sandy Conservative Club 07889 900558 accompanied by an adult.

Live Music with Woo and the Fuel.

Email: john.purcell@btinternet.com or mike. https://rspb3billygoats.eventbrite.co.uk Email: pta@evertonheath.org.uk marshall45@hotmail.com

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Sureclean

COUNTRY STOVES & SWEEPS STOVE/GAS FIRE INSTALLATION

DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING

• Spot stain and odour removal • Anti-stain protection • Leather suites cleaned and reconditioned EPS • Tile and grout cleaning • The very latest equipment used • All work guaranteed • Fully insured • Local company

01767 400127 or 07870 338074

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

Misty Units New Locks Draughty Windows Dropped Doors Broken Hinges/Handles Extra Security Installation of New Windows, Doors and Conservatories

25 Years Experience Contact Stewart Gyles on T: 0798 444 1638 or

01767 221 057

E: stewy_133@msn.com 76

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

CHIMNEY SWEEPING • Brush & Vacuum Sweep • Smoke Test

£

• Clean & Tidy • Insurance Certificate • Bird Guards Fitted

From

40.00

£ T:

01767 627591 - Northill, Beds

E: countrystovesandsweeps@gmail.com

www.countrystovesandsweeps.co.uk

DRIFTWOOD JOINERY LTD Specialists in Bespoke Joinery

Conservatories • Doors • Windows Staircases Handmade Kitchens Handmade Bedroom Furniture

Unit 12, Gracious Farm, Southill, Beds SG18 9JB T: 01462 816695 F: 01462 850915 E: info@driftwoodjoinery.com

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Time of Year

By Hannah Fenton

British Sandwich Week May 14th–20th

Ever since John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich ordered cold beef between slices of toast, to avoid getting up from his card game, his name has become synonymous with our favourite lunchtime choice. But what makes a good sandwich?

Start with good bread. Any bread you’re using for a sandwich should be delicious enough to eat on its own. Make your own or buy a high-quality artisan loaf. If you only have supermarket bread, try toasting it or charring it on a griddle. It should be crisp enough to provide some structure to the foundation of the sandwich but yield in the centre.

Rolls are good for sloppy fillings if you carve out a little bread from the dome of the roll to create a little space for them. This stops the filling sliding out when you take a bite.

When it comes to selecting the right bread for your sandwich it comes down to personal preference. A good place to start is balance of texture. A soft roll complements crisp lettuce or crunchy coleslaw, or hot chips. A thick-crusted toasted bread is great with pulled pork or roasted veg. But these are guidelines only - a soft rolled filled with mashed egg and mayonnaise is a joy and yet has almost no contrast in textures.

Soggy sandwiches divide people. I think it’s down to intention. Consider the deliciousness of a sloppy stewed steak and onion filling where the gravy soaks into the bread. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then consider a soggy

cheese and tomato sandwich from a bad buffet.

I think you’ll see where I’m going with that. Yet nearly everyone I spoke to while researching this article said a dry sandwich is unacceptable. Lack of butter, or filling is a sandwich crime.

To avoid sandwich sogginess...or dryness, a good layer of fat such as butter or an olive oil spread will resist moisture and keep it in the sandwich rather than letting it soak into the bread.

On to the vegetables. Wash and dry them then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

This extra step is small but makes sure the veggies pack a flavourful punch with every bite. Creamy but sharp coleslaw, or tangy pickles add a vivid brightness to the ensemble.

A nutritionally well-balance sandwich will probably contain protein. From ham to egg to tofu the protein is better if it’s well flavoured and thinly sliced, diced or mashed. Too thick and it becomes difficult to bite through and chew.

Think about the position of the individual elements within your sandwich too. Would the meat be better placed in the centre or on the bottom? would cold elements be better layered on top of hot elements? My personal bugbear is thick slippery slices of tomato in the middle of a sandwich, so when you bite into it there is a tectonic plate shift and one slice of tomato shoots out of the far side and lands in your lap!

We take the humble sandwich for granted yet we know when we’ve had a great one. So, let’s hear it for National Sandwich Week. Smell the bread, admire the layers, season the filling and take a bite.

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77

Motoring

A Plea: Please Stop Being So Courteous This is a plea to all well-meaning drivers out there, who act with intended courtesy but are rewriting the Highway Code in doing so.

Here are two examples that regularly happen to me: 1. You are turning right off a main road, your exit is clear and you are waiting for the oncoming car to go past on a clear road. But the other driver stops on the carriageway and flashes their lights to let you go.

2. You approach a roundabout and stop to give way to the car on the roundabout, but the driver stops on the roundabout to let you enter it.

These actions may appear to be well meaning as the driver is interrupting their journey to let you continue yours, but these “unselfish” acts contravene the Highway Code.

Rule 172: “You must give way at a Give Way” sign”.

Rule 185: “When reaching a roundabout

you must give priority to traffic approaching from the right, unless directed otherwise by signs, road markings or traffic lights” (Note: not a car slowing and flashing its lights).

Apart from the confusion caused, these actions are classic “bash for cash” ploys too: the ‘well-meaning’ driver slows and flashes lights, you go, they floor it, you drive into them. They say it’s your fault. Over to the insurance companies.

The Highway Code may appear to be clunky in places but it’s a set of rules that means we all know what to expect and can act accordingly.

Please, please stick to the Highway Code.

I’ll happily wait for you to pass and we all know where we are.

Safe driving!

3 Windows 3 Doors 3 Conservatories 3 Orangeries 3 Bi folds 3 Repairs T: 01767 765440 78

E: sales@i-glaze.co.uk

W: www.i-glaze.co.uk

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T&R Roofing Ltd

Family Business Est. 1985

• Felt Roofing Specialists (10 year & 15 year guarantee on high performance felts) • Tiling, Slating, Guttering • UPVC Facia/Soffits • Chimney Work

All NEW work guaranteed Fully insured for employer & Public Liability Call Tony Simpson for a FREE estimate on:

01767 314847 mob. 07831849847

CARPENTRY & BUILDING • • • • • • •

KITCHEN & BATHROOM INSTALLATIONS FULL PROPERTY REFURBISHMENT END OF TENANCY REDECORATION GARDEN BUILDING ASSEMBLY GARAGE CONVERSIONS FLAT PACK ASSEMBLY NEW BUILD CARPENTRY

phe

proactive heating & environmental services

Commercial and Domestic

01767 652102 07967 184163

dlewis.carpentry@gmail.com

Fully Insured Established 1990 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

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

81

CJ Property Maintenance YOUR LOCAL EXPERT PLUMBING & DRAINAGE SERVICE

No call out charges • Pre-fixed price 24/7 • 365 days a year

Call your local plumber today Biggleswade, Sandy & Surrounding Areas

01767 662040

Interior and Exterior Painting Gutter Cleaning & Repairs uPVC Fascia Board Cleaning Fencing, Gates and all Repairs Patios and all Garden Work Double Glazing & Repairs Concrete Bases, Paths & Steps Chimney & Wall Pointing Brick Work & Repairs Driveway Cleaning Broken Roof Tiles & Pots

All jobs undertaken

Free Estimates

Tel: 01767 680532 Mob: 0774 600 8188

cjpainting@hotmail.co.uk 15 Years Experience

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Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

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83

Mark Dilley Electrical Part P Registered Company 22386 Extra sockets - Lighting Extensions - Re-wires Security Lighting - Showers Inspections No job too small Free estimates All work to BS7671 regulations City and Guilds qualified

Tel: 01767 261008 Mob: 07990 895430

mark.dilley@btinternet.com

UALITY

UALITY

UALITY

UALITY

P.E.JAMES

UALITY

UALITY

UALITY

Domestic Plumbing, Heating & Gas

Reg No. 193542

• All Aspects of Plumbing, Heating & Gas Works Undertaken -

OVER 30 YEARS IN THE TRADE CITY & GUILDS CERTIFIED REFERRALS & RECOMMENDATIONS AVAILABLE NO VAT

Call Pete:

01767 317 356 • 07816 586 777 Guaranteed Friendly Service, look out for the ...

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Blue Van &

Big Smile

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April’s Puzzle Solutions and Winners Last Month’s Crossword Winner Mr T Blunt from St Neots Winner of the Classic Ibiza Competition Andrea Rawlings from Hitchin

Winner of the Harpenden Blues Competition Kathy Cox from Biggleswade

Easy

Hard

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Prize

£25

Across 7 Starchy vegetable (6) 8 Keep hold of (6) 9 Dish (4) 10 Quickly (8) 11 Modified (7) 13 Shell (5) 15 Swivel round (5) 17 Type of sword (7) 20 Semi-darkness (8) 21 Serene (4) 23 Jail (6) 24 Idea (6)

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



16th May 2018 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Down 1 Single handed (4) 2 Hit very hard (6) 3 Bragged (7) 4 Star sign (5) 5 Artist’s workroom (6) 6 Local languages (8) 12 Toward a lower place (8) 14 Fastenings (7) 16 Dash of liquid (6) 18 Find (6) 19 Extreme pain (5) 22 Stolen valuables (4)

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

• Remote Control Door

SANDY • POTTON • All Major Brands

Supplied and Serviced

BIGGLESWADE • Call for a Free AND SURROUNDING AREAS

Quotation

• OAP Rates Available

01767 260165 Sandy

01480 210410 Eaton Socon To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

87

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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Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

Fun Quiz - Dancing 1. Which dance has a name that means “two step” in Spanish?

2. The title characters in which famous poem went “hand in hand on the edge of the sand” and “danced by the light of the moon”?

3. In 1996, which song gave Los Del Rio their biggest hit and led to a new dance craze?

4. Name the two dances that feature in the NATO phonetic alphabet 5. In which 1980s film does a teenager called Ren McCormack move to a small town where dancing has been banned?

6. Who created and choreographed the original Riverdance?

7. Which 1980 hit single by the Gap Band is typically danced to by sitting on the floor in rows and performing a rhythmic rowing action?

8. With over 1,000 complaints, an advert featuring “Gary the bodyguard” was the most complained about TV advert in the UK in 2016, with viewers saying Gary’s dance moves were overtly sexual and not suitable to be seen by children. What website was this advertising?

9. Which Spanish dance features in the lyrics to the number one hit singles A Whiter Shader Of Pale by Procul Harem and Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen?

10. The Infernal Galop from Jacques Offenbach’s Orpheus In The Underworld is a tune that is most associated with which dance?

1. Paso Doble 2. The Owl And The Pussycat (by Edward Lear) 3. Macarena 4. Foxtrot and Tango 5. Footloose 6. Michael Flatley 7. Oops Up Side Your Head 8. MoneySuperMarket.com 9. Fandango 10. The can-can

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C

W.G.THIRKELL & SONS LTD Quality Painting, Decorating, General Building Maintenance and Repairs.

Renovations, Alterations, Plastering & Ceramic Tiling.

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Established 1948

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Fully Insured for all works including Commercial and Listed Buildings.

Free Estimates and advice.

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MY

Telephone: 01767 682570 07966 389212 (Mobile) Email wgthirkell@aol.com

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PK Cleaning Services Est. since 1988

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• • • • •

Professional Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Leather Cleaning Window Cleaning UPVC Fascia Cleaning Patio and Driveway Cleaning Gutter and Soffit Cleaning

Free Estimates Friendly and Reliable Service

Paul Kaiser Home 01767 222822 Mobile 07812 335860 Visit us on

www.pk-cleaningservices.co.uk 90

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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: 80 or more words Good: 68 words Fair: 55 words

V E

S D

A A L

N I

VANDALISE

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Books

Book Review

By Kate Duggan

Accountants

Curl up with a book Make the most of the longer evenings by curling up with one of this month’s top reads.

The Witchfinder’s Sister

by Beth Underdown

Domestic Repairs

Alice Hopkins finds herself caught up in her brother Matthew’s war against witches in 17th century England. How far will she go to draw suspicion away from herself and those she loves? When a birthmark can be seen as evidence of witchcraft, no one is safe. Tense, atmospheric and chilling in its reimagining of historical events, The Witchfinder’s Sister makes for a gripping read.

Domestic Appliance Repairs Washing Machines • Cookers Fridges • Vacs • Dryers

Bill Tangye

Beds Tel By or appointment only - 4 Stratford Road, Sandy, Mob 01767 650750Tel: 07711 07802 393331 257105

Electricians

Only Child

by Rhiannon Navin Seven year old Zach Taylor’s world changes forever when his brother is killed in a mass shooting. As his parents struggle to cope with their grief, Zach finds his own ways of dealing with his loss. A beautiful story that is as much about forgiveness and family as it is about loss. We can’t guarantee you won’t cry, but you certainly won’t forget Only Child in a hurry.

Garden Specialist

Local, honest, professional service

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Classifieds Garden Specialist

Pet Services

Hillier Garden Services All general garden maintenance jobs undertaken Over 20 years experience For all your gardening needs call Steve

HOUSE/DOG SITTER CASSIE MARSDEN

Experienced mature reliable house/dog sitter.

Leave your dogs happy and calm in their own homes while away.

Lots of walks & cuddles.

Tel: 01767261670 Mob: 07765116384 Email: cassie@simonmarsden.co.uk

01767 699252 07901 985123

Handy Man

HGS Classified advert.indd 1

Painting Services

Plastering Services

14/04/2015 21:23

Plumbing

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

57 Green Acres, Gamlingay, Beds. SG19 3LR

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Tel: 01767 650619 Mobile: 07870366414

Pet Services

Plumbing and Heating

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93

Classifieds Private Car Hire

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

01767 313230

enquiries@stephensremovals.com

Riding School

Property Improvements

Stephens Dinky ad_03.indd 1

Property Improvements by

A professional property maintenance service

Gary Hare Carpentry • Kitchens • Bedrooms Decorating • Flooring Bathrooms •Tiling • and more...

Tel: 01767 651821 Mob: 07773 973420

MANOR FARM RIDING SCHOOL Sutton, Beds - SG19 2ND

Lessons, Hacks - Pony Club Centre Pre-school rides - £12 Schooling livery available 07875 192662 You can also find us on facebook

Roofing

Property Improvements

GB

3/12/12 11:45:18

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

T: 01767 316485 M: 07582 485155 E: garyberridge@ymail.com

Tiling

Removals

MUSCLE & MOTOR Jumbo van with up to 3 men.

Helpful, efficient and friendly service for all your moving, carrying, and domestic disposal needs, including house and garage clearance.

MARK CURRELL CERAMIC TILER

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

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

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