Village People Norfolk / Suffolk border editon – April / May 2018 (Late Spring) by Village People Magazines Ltd

APRIL / MAY 2018

Norfolk/Suffolk border edition

COMMUNITY / LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

CILLA THE MUSICAL

All things Bright & Musical Diss Organ Festival

ISCN W RIPT THE

S AT TICKET RD O THETF T E FOR S

Creative Easter treats in our fine city Sportswear to spring into action Walk down memory lane in Hinderclay

NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST

30 days of wild

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Contents

APRIL / MAY 2018

Out & About

50 Behind the scenes at the

10 Good news from our region 16 Ladies who lunch visit

52 30 days wild with Norfolk

1066 at The Chequers in Bressingham

Chelsea Flower Show Wildlife Trust

57 A Hard Life – new short story from Attleborough Writers’ Group

20 Take a walk around Wymondham

27 Latitude Festival returns for

59 63 67 69

29 Cilla the musical arrives at

73 A regal experience in

23 WIN – tickets to Forest Live in Thetford Forest 2018

Norwich Theatre Royal

Village notice board Memories of Hinderclay New – poetry corner Amazing creative Easter treats in our fine city Wymondham

75 Seasonal recipe for

asparagus & crab linguine

76 Norwich hits the jackpot with lottery funding

Health & Beauty 79 Health Q & A – helping

Home & Garden 30 What’s in season – produce for April & May

33 How to make your

conservatory an all yearround space

36 Delicious recipe for a tiramisu cheesecake

38 On your plot – get ready to

painful stiff joints

81 Skincare – drinking your way to younger skin

Shopping 83 Lolita Owl – short story by Neil Lanham

84 Fashion – spring into action 87 Refreshing Waters talks to mental health champion Steve Foyster

Jobs, Money & Business 88 All aboard! – Tackling

loneliness in Wymondham

91 Smart money secrets –

bagging the best mortgage deals

92 Find a local business in our directory

94 Exercise your brain cells with our crossword

grow!

41 Book reviews – what we are loving this issue

43 Give goat a go! 45 Thoughts of a Norfolk author

47 Garden Jottings from Ken 49 All things bright and musical

– Diss Organ Festival returns

Are you looking for a particular product or service? Check out our Local Business Directory on pages 92 & 93 5

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Welcome

WIN TICKETS TO FOREST LIVE in Thetford Forest

ith everyone’s diaries being super full in December, we decided to have our work Christmas ‘do’ in February so here’s a pic of Karen, Sarah and myself painting the town red! And can you believe it, this was taken at the end of the night so we were really pleased with ourselves for being able to take a selfie… ha ha!

Forest Live in this region takes place in Thetford Forest, near Brandon, Suffolk and this year’s headline acts are: • The Script with special guest Tom Walker on Thursday 7 June • Gary Barlow on Friday 8 June • Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott with special guest Billy Bragg on Saturday 9 June • Kasabian on Sunday 10 June. This issue, we’re offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see The Script gig on 7 June. To enter, visit www.village-people.info and tell us the name of their lead singer. The closing date is 30 April and usual Village People rules apply.

For more info about Forestry Live events and to buy tickets, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/music or contact 03000 680400.

WIN THE SCRIPT TICKETS AT THETFORD FOREST LIVE ADVERTISE WITH US!

This issue, we look at some fascinating old photos of Hinderclay so be sure to check out the history of this wonderful village. Meanwhile, our ‘Ladies who Lunch’ took a trip over to Bressingham.

Reliably delivered by Royal Mail, reaching 50,000 homes every two months. Three editions of Village People provide unrivalled coverage of South Norfolk, reaching more homes than ANY other local magazine. For more information, call our friendly team on 01284 788623 or send an email to office@village-people.info

And for all the foodies we have two recipes; one of course has to feature the delicious asparagus that we are so good at growing in our region and for all you sweet-toothed readers, we’ve got a new cake recipe devised to combine two favourite puds into one delicious no-bake cake. Don’t miss it! With Chelsea Flower Show around the corner we talk to a local business on how they prepare for the biggest gardening event of the year. With seasonal fashion, local book reviews, community news and events, we are packed as usual so do keep your magazine handy for the full two months. We’re also the best way to find a local business or service so let’s continue to ‘keep it local’!

Lily

Lily Goulder editor@village-people.info 01284 788623

Visit our website to find out more www.village-people.info

APRIL / MAY 2018

South Norfolk edition

COMMUNITY / LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

Cilla

THE MUSICAL

All things Bright & Musical

Diss Organ Festival

NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST 30 days of wild

APRIL / MAY 2018

South Norwich edition

COMMUNITY / LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

ALL THINGS BRIGHT & MUSICAL

Diss Organ Festival

Cilla

THE MUSICAL

APRIL / MAY 2018

All things Bright & Musical

Diss Organ Festival

THE AT TICKETS RD THETFO FOREST

WIN

Creative Easter treats in our fine city Sportswear to spring into action Walk down memory lane in Hinderclay

Norfolk

Wildlife Trust 30 days of wild Creative Easter treats in our fine city Sportswear to spring into action Walk down memory lane in Hinderclay

Norfolk/Suffolk border edition

COMMUNITY / LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

CILLA THE MUSICAL

INIPT WSCR

PT SCRI THE ETS AT TICK FORD THET ST FORE

KAREN,

With the spring weather around SARAH & LILY the corner, it’s time to fill our diaries with exciting events and to kick start the season we have a pair of tickets to give away to see The Script at Forest Live in Thetford Forest.

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NORFOLK WILDLIFE TRUST 30 days of wild

NEXT DEADLINE June / July (Early Summer) 2nd May

IPT THE SCR AT TICKETS RD THETFO FOREST

Creative Easter treats in our fine city Sportswear to spring into action Walk down memory lane in Hinderclay

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Good News from our region GET ON YOUR BIKE FOR THE DISS CYCLATHON This summer Diss will become the cycling centre of the region once again with the third annual Diss Cyclathon on 24 June. It will include organised rides for all ages and abilities along with lots of stalls and entertainment for the

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whole family. Cyclists will have the chance to enter the Nine Town Sportive, which challenges riders to tackle 25, 50 or 100 mile routes around the beautiful lanes of Norfolk and Suffolk with the 100 mile route taking in nine

‘East Anglia’s Finest’ Specialist Plant, Food & Craft Fair

Saturday 5th May 10am – 4.30pm

Held in the gardens of

Peter Beales Roses London Road Attleborough NR17 1AY

Good News

STAR THROWERS MAKE A GREAT START TO 2018

of the area’s market towns. Organiser Alan Franks said: “We had such a positive feedback from last year’s Cyclathon that we simply didn’t have any choice but to run it again in 2018. We’re also aiming to raise even more money to support local cycling as well as our partner charity East Anglian Air Ambulance. More than anything, however, it is about celebrating all the fantastic things about cycling in Norfolk and Suffolk and getting all the family into Diss to enjoy the day.” Find out more at disscyclathon.org and sign up for the Nine Town Sportive. For more information contact Jess Wythe on jess.wythe@disscyclathon.org or 07832 188598.

In January, Star Throwers opened their second charity shop, located on Church Street in Attleborough. The first shop was opened in Wymondham in 2012 and has provided essential funds for the charity, which supports people with cancer. Local 5-year-old, Airlie Pigg, took on the challenge of a sponsored haircut for Star Throwers. Airlie donated 22cm of her hair to ‘The Little Princess Trust’ for children who have lost their hair through illness, as well as raising a fantastic £555 for Star Throwers cancer charity. If you have a fundraising idea please get in contact with Victoria on victoria@starthrowers.org.uk. If you would like to find out how Star Throwers can support you or a loved one at any stage of a cancer diagnosis, call 01953 423304, email info@starthrowers.org.uk or visit www.starthrowers.org.uk.

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Good News

GISLINGHAM DAD RUNS MARATHON IN MEMORY OF HIS SON A 47-year-old father is preparing to run 26 miles to raise thousands of pounds for a cancer charity in memory of his teenage son Jack, who died from leukaemia aged just 18. Novice runner Kevin Cook, who has never run a marathon before, is delighted that family and friends have already raised nearly £3,000 in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. The latest fundraiser, a quiz at Gislingham Village Hall, raised £1,250 and Kevin was delighted with a recent donation of £1,000 from the Ichiban sushi manufacturer in Suffolk. Now Kevin is hoping to raise a further £3,000 by running the London Marathon on April 22. “I know this marathon will be an emotional event for me,” said Kevin. “I am running in the memory of my son Jack and I can almost hear him saying, ‘You are going to do what?” “My name will be on the front of my running top and his name will be on the back. My wife Julie hopes to be at the finish line with the charity.” The fundraising will be supported by Kevin’s employers Malthouse Security, based near Diss. Peter George, owner of Malthouse Security said: “The loss of Jack was a tragedy that was felt by all of us here and we think it is admirable that Kevin, who admits that he is not a natural runner, is giving up so much time and effort to run the gruelling 26.2mile race.’ If you would like to donate to Kevin’s run please go to: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ kevinandjackcook

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A HARE FOR HARLESTON You may have read about the Norwich GoGoHares Project in aid of Break charity, which follows hot on the heels of the hugely successful GoGoDragons trail around Norwich. This year, 18 special hares will be sited outside Norwich and the local community group, Harleston’s Future, is raising funds to host a Harleston Hare between 24 June and 8 September. To make it happen the group needs to raise £5,000. Chairman Robin Twigge said: “We have already had pledges from local businesses and organisations totalling almost £2,000 and we are confident that others will want to help once they hear about it.”

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Good News The Harleston Hare, as it has been dubbed, will be decorated by local artist ScribblyRoo, a member of Harleston & Waveney Art Trail Collective, with swifts, magpies and magical animals in an idyllic landscape inspired by the Waveney Valley. The hares will be auctioned in October and the proceeds will go to Break to support their valuable work with young people in East Anglia. If you can help please visit www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com and search for Harleston GoGoHare or call 01379 85523.

WALKERS TO UNITE AGAINST PARKINSON’S Residents of Suffolk and Norfolk are being asked to unite with thousands of people across the UK and Walk for Parkinson’s at Blickling Estate on Saturday 12 May or Glemham Hall on 10 June. The events will raise vital funds for the charity Parkinson’s UK, and are two of many walks taking place all over the UK throughout 2018. Two people are diagnosed with the condition every hour in the UK and Walk for Parkinson’s events aim to raise over £500,000 for research to step closer to a cure. There are longer and shorter distances to choose from, so whether you’re up for a challenging walk or a gentle stroll, there’s something for everyone. Last year, 330 people took part in the walks in Suffolk and Norfolk to raise £32,000 between them, and Parkinson’s UK hopes to raise even more this year. The registration fee is £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s. Everyone who registers will receive a free Parkinson’s UK t-shirt, fundraising pack and at the end of the walk, a finisher’s medal. The charity suggests that walkers aim to raise at least £50, all of which will fund research into finding a cure for Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s UK is also looking for volunteers to help register people at the start/finish area, or to be a walk marshal at various points on the route during the day. To find out more, visit www.parkinsons.org.uk, call 0207 963 9367, or email fundraising@parkinsons.org.uk

IF YOU HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TO SHARE EMAIL US AT editor@village-people.info

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Eating Out

Ladies Who Lunch

1066 @ THE CHEQUERS Low Road, Bressingham IP22 2AG

Tel: 01379 688175

here is a reason it’s called the 1066 – the Chequers pub is on the A1066 road from Diss to Thetford. It is a busy road and it is very easy to swoosh straight past, so from the Diss direction, start looking as soon as you have passed the Bressingham Garden centre complex. From the Thetford side, drive through South Lopham and look out for a sign on either side of the road saying ‘Bressingham’ with a 50 mph on top. I had booked a table by filling in an online form and the lady phoned me back soon after to confirm. Early as usual, we found the elegant place almost empty, but it soon started filling up. We chose our table and consulted the menu which offered Smørrebrød (Danish open sandwiches) in addition to the usual starter/main/dessert and sides. I am a fish-lover and instinctively chose the yellowfin tuna with béarnaise sauce which was fabulous, beautifully cooked and a decent size. I ordered a green salad to accompany it and was entirely satisfied. My companion chose the sweet and sour chicken on a bed of champ (mash with spring onions mixed in) and a side dish of asparagus. She was relieved that the sweet and sour sauce wasn’t over-sweet, which it sometimes can be. Drinks were a glass of merlot and, for me, lime and soda water; very refreshing! Real linen napkins were a bonus. And then puddings! Having been told I must reduce my cholesterol and bearing in mind the rich béarnaise sauce, I decided to avoid several comforting favourites (treacle and ginger sponge pudding, bakewell tart and bread and butter pudding) and chose the chocolate cheesecake with amaretto, thinking that it would probably be a fairly small portion. Oh, how wrong can you be? It was so deep and dense and deliciously dark and surpassed all my expectations. My friend chose the crème brûlée served with shortbread and cream, and said it was wonderful and very rich. We ordered two double espressos: strong and hot, and

www.1066chequers.com

A1066

Image capture: Jun 2017

England Google, Inc. Street View - Jun 2017

then ventured into the little shop part of the pub to view the selection of goods on offer.

1066 @ The Chequers Low Road, Bressingham, IP22 2AG Table 24

Chk*111

Guest:2

This place is a cut Espressos 5.50 Merlot 5.60 above the usual Cheesecake 6.50 pub lunch, offering Crème Brulee 6.50 Tuna 14.95 attentive service Salad 3.25 from host and Chicken 13.50 Soda water & lime hostess, and other 3.00 Total elegantly turned£62.30 out staff members. THANK YOU FOR DINING WITH US! Well-behaved dogs PLEASE COME AGAIN are allowed, and if you are lucky you may catch sight of the house dog asleep in front of the wood burning stove. I don’t know if the jazz music is a regular item, but it was on a low enough volume to be unobtrusive. Toilets are immaculate, and there is a special disabled one. Give this place a try; it’s not the cheapest but what you pay for is very good.

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Celebrity TV presenter loses a stone in just 5 weeks with the Cambridge Diet Celebrity Martine McCutcheon overcame her health issues to lose a stone in just five weeks. Now the Loose Women presenter says she has regained her confidence John at 21 stone and is happy with her body after slimming down a dress size and a half. Her weight loss with the Cambridge Weight Plan was all the more dramatic since Martine had to lose weight while suffering from the chronic illnesses of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), Lyme disease and an under active thyroid. “It couldn’t be more effortless to follow. I still have the odd bump here and there but I am really happy with my body,’’ said Martine, who is an Ambassador for the Cambridge Weight Plan. We all need help sometimes, I could never have lost my own seven stone ten years ago without one to one support from someone who had also lost weight.

We all like treats or the odd glass of wine and sometimes it’s important to enjoy a special occasion or meal out. Gentle exercise is an excellent way to burn off any extras during your weight loss. A gentle walk will boost your metabolism and burn up calories – swimming and cycling will use even more.

Award winning diet coach John Howard lost 7 stone after 5 months, 10 years ago

It really is possible to lose a stone a month with the right approach and the right one to one support from someone who understands.

Award winning diet coach John Howard and his fiancée Katie, a nurse, support dieters on a one to one basis at Eye and Stowhealth centre in Stowmarket to lose about a stone a month and no longer be unhappy with their weight. They can be contacted on 0787 231 4653, or by email at john@live-everyday.co.uk

Walk

Wymondham via Kett’s park

WYMONDHAM WALK Wymondham via Kett’s park

Walk

Start point Parking Bus stop Distance Details

via Kett’s Park

Wymondham Library, Back Lane Grid ref: TG111015 Various town centre pay & display car parks Market Place, Wymondham 3.2 (1 mile around the park perimeter) Minor gradient, 75% firm

Walk instructions

Enter Kett’sat Park andpedestrian walk clockwiselights around the edge. En paths, cross the road the walk around perimeter and turn left to walk to the Kett’s Park.of the park; this starts near the park.

Enter Kett’s Park walk around Leaveand the park at clockwise the main entrance again and turn left. Cr the edge. Enjoy woodland around theapedestrian lights walk again and walk to the the end of the path trees.park; this starts near the top perimeter of the Turn left onto Norwich Road and cross at the pedestrian l end of the park. before the garage, turn right onto a vehicle track and pass

Leave the park at thebollards maintoentrance wooden the pathway.again Walk instructions and turn left. Turn Cross at take thethe pedestrian left the at theroad end and footpath leading into an o Start at the library; walk through the car park to the pathway in the bottom lights again and walk to thefield end of the pathway Cross this playing to the opposite exit and continue to right corner leading to the playing field. Pass between the children’s play Bellrope Lane. through the trees. area and the football field, turn left at the end and follow the pathway to Orchard Way.

At the T-junction turn left into Folly Road and then right at

Turn left ontoNorwich Norwich Road and cross the right onto O Road. Return to the start at by turning Turn right in Orchard Way, pedestrian lights. Immediately the first left. Bear left at thebefore corner signposted to the library a right again at the T-junction (still the football to the start point.and pass garage, turn right ontopitch a vehicle track Orchard Way) and continue to the between the wooden bollards to the pathway. end. ● It’s recommended we should walk 10,000 steps per day; it takes 20 minutes to Cross Norwich Road into PostmillTurn left at the end and takeapproximately the footpath walk around perimeter Kett’s Park and an Close (almost opposite). Bear leading into an open green space.of Cross this average of 1800 steps. A daily walk of a couple right through the medical practice playing field to the opposite exit and continue of circuits around Kett’s Park will help reachtothat car park to the exit pathway leading the end of Bellrope Lane. 10,000 steps goal! down to Harts Farm Road. Turn left and walk beside Harts At the T-junction turn left into Folly Road and Farm Road; after a short distance then right at the end into Norwich Road. Return the pathway leads between an avenue of trees. Turn right at the to the start by turning right onto Orchard Way, junction of paths, cross the road at then first left. Bear left at the corner signposted the pedestrian lights and turn left to to the library and return beside the football walk to Kett’s Park.

Start at the library; walk through the car park to the pathway in the bottom16 right corner leading to the playing field. Pass between the children’s play area and the football field, turn left at the end and follow the pathway to Orchard Way. Turn right in Orchard Way, right again at the T-junction (still Orchard Way) and continue to the end. Cross Norwich Road into Postmill Close (almost opposite). Bear right through the medical practice car park to the exit pathway leading down to Harts Farm Road. Turn left and walk beside Harts Farm Road; after a short distance the pathway leads between an avenue of trees. Turn right at the junction of

pitch to the start point.

l It’s recommended we should walk 10,000 17 steps per day; it takes approximately 20 minutes to walk around perimeter of Kett’s Park and an average of 1800 steps. A daily walk of a couple of circuits around Kett’s Park will help reach that 10,000 steps goal!

Walk

pe llro

njoy a woodland e top end of the

 Kett’s Park

l Fo

open green space. o the end of

t the end into Orchard Way, then and return beside

 Start P

Fa rm

rts

Or c Wahard y

lights. Immediately between the

i rw

ross the road at hway through the

Postmill Close Key Walk Bus stop 0

Parking P ½km ¼mile

This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Norfolk County Council. Licence No: 100019340. 2010.

Town walk linking green spaces.

l Hidden behind the trees at the far end of

Kett’s Park is Moot Hill. This large ring motte, an artificial steep-sided earth mound with a castle on top, was built by the d’Albini family between 1088 and 1139. The wooded mound is now a County Wildlife Site (please note: there is no public access to Moot Hill – it’s just nice to know it is still there).

l The walk passes through Postmill Close, named after the site of a nearby windmill. A mill is shown on a map of 1836 and was last used in 1925.

A WARM WELCOME AWAITS YOU AT THE QUEENS HEAD We’ve fabulous ales direct from the cask and welcoming log fires to warm you up in the cold (when the weather means you can’t use our lovely beer garden). Chef/manager Leigh’s food ranges from traditional pub grub to the ever-popular daily specials board. Watch out for speciality evenings, live music and other events. Look on our website or Facebook The Queens Head, Eye, Suffolk.

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WIN TICKETS TO FOREST LIVE in Thetford Forest

Forest Live is a major live music series, managed by the Forestry Commission. Held every summer in seven beautiful forest locations across the country, over 1.5 million people have attended a gig in the programme’s seventeen year history. With everything required for a great night out, including delicious food and drink, the concerts are renowned for their informal and relaxed atmosphere set in a spectacular forest backdrop. Income generated from ticket sales helps to look after the forests’ sustainably, for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. Forest Live in this region takes place in Thetford Forest, near Brandon, Suffolk and this year’s headline acts are: • The Script with special guest Tom Walker on Thursday 7 June • Gary Barlow on Friday 8 June • Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott with special guest Billy Bragg on Saturday 9 June • Kasabian on Sunday 10 June. This issue, we’re offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets to see The Script gig on 7 June. To enter, visit www.village-people.info and tell us the name of their lead singer. The closing date is 30 April and usual Village People rules apply.

For more info about Forestry Live events and to buy tickets, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/music or contact 03000 680400.

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Security

BURGLARS CAN TAKE £1,000 FROM YOUR SHEDS AND YOUR GARAGE– don’t let them Spring is here and our minds turn to our lovely gardens, with our sheds typically full of bikes, tools and gardening equipment worth more than £1,000 – easy prey for burglars. Our outbuildings often have ladders and tools and a thief can use these to get into your home too. This spring you could beat the burglars by installing a lockable secure shed chest for your valuable equipment and a wireless home intruder alarm can be extended to cover your sheds, outbuildings and garages. Once in to your shed or garage, burglars can not only steal your bicycles but use what they find to help them get inside your home. If you fit a visible wireless intruder alarm, it can protect your home and be extended to cover all your garden sheds, outbuildings and garage too. Install outside security lighting and put any tools inside a secured, lockable chest.

"You can place locks on shed windows too and we advise padlocks for oil tanks so you don't lose your valuable heating oil to thieves. "Don’t make it easy for the burglars. Contact us and we can help you and your family stay safe this year,” said a spokesman for Malthouse Security at Rickinghall, near Diss. Call security system installer Malthouse Security today on 01379 890 606, email sales@malthouse-security.co.uk or visit the website www.malthouse-security.co.uk for more details of how the company can help your home or business stay safe.

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Live Music With: The Claire Barker Band Smart dress code no jeans Ticket Only Fox & Hounds, Frith Way, Great Moulton, NR15 2HE Tel: 01379 677506 Email: foxandhounds@greatmoulton.com Web: www.myfoxandhounds.co.uk @foxandhoundsgreatmoulton

What’s On

LATITUDE FESTIVAL

uffolk’s biggest music event, Latitude Festival, will take place on 12-15 July in the stunning grounds of Henham Park. Recently awarded Best Major Festival, Latitude returns with an eclectic line-up of exciting music, comedy, theatre and arts.

Alt-J, the Sunday headliners, are returning to Latitude after performing on the Lake Stage in 2012 as an up-and-coming act, returning to headline the BBC Music Stage in 2013, and then closing the Friday night of Latitude’s 10th anniversary in 2015.

The headliners this year include Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Solange, who performs her first-ever UK festival headline slot on the Friday evening. Bold, exciting and innovative with a creative energy like no other, Solange is the perfect Latitude headliner.

But Latitude has never been just about the music and this year’s comedy, theatre and arts roster is set to be the festival’s most diverse and forwardthinking yet.

On Saturday, The Killers will headline Latitude for the first time. Part rock show, part art extravaganza, Brandon Flowers et al are sure to bring something very special to this year’s line up with much loved hits ‘The Man’, ‘When You Were Young’, and of course ‘Mr Brightside’.

Families looking for quality time together can make some magic at Latitude’s Enchanted Garden, while the Kids Area hosts live music, puppetry and children’s authors. With so much happening, some serious refuelling will be in order, and the festival is upping the grub game with street food organised by London’s Street Feast. See you there!

Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk/latitude

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APRIL/MAY BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00 Sun 1 April CHAMPIONS OF MAGIC Britain’s top magicians £8 - £30 Mon 2-Wed 4 April RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA The Snow Maiden, Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet £8 - £36.50 Thur 5-Sat 7 April CIRQUE BERSERK Adrenaline-fuelled circus action £10 - £29.50 Tues 10-Sat 14 April THE JUNGLE BOOK Exciting new adaptation of classic adventure £10 - £23 Sun 15 April CZECH NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Schubert, Beethoven, Dvorak £8 - £36 Tues 17-Sat 21 April CILLA THE MUSICAL Heart-warming musical adaptation of Cilla’s early life £10 - £42.50

Mon 30 Apr-Tues 1 May DANIEL O’DONNELL Easy-listening singing superstar £10 - £45

Wed 16 May LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO* Joyful, powerful vocal music £8 - £32

Fri 25-Sat 26 May CINDERELLA IN HOLLYWOOD English Youth Ballet £10 - £23.50

Thur 3-Sat 5 May ENGLISH TOURING OPERA Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Puccini’s Il Tabarro & Gianni Schicchi £10 - £37.50

Thur 17 May MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER* Award-winning singer songwriter £8 - £32

Sun 27 May BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES 4 & 5* Britten Sinfonia with Thomas Ades £8 - £34

Sun 6 May LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! Stella School of Dance £10 - £18.50

Fri 18 May MISHA GLENNY: MCMAFIA Renowned investigative journalist with international crime expose £10 - £18.50

Monday 28 May JUSTIN HAYWARD The voice of The Moody Blues £10 - £38.50

Tues 8 -Sat 12 May THIS HOUSE Biting and criticallyacclaimed drama of 1970s politics £8 - £28.50 Sun 13 May JIMMY CARR Greatest Hits tour £10 - £28.50 Tues 15 May GRAND FINALE* Hofesh Shechter’s ambitious new dance £8 - £26

Sat 19 May BEN FOLDS* Multi-platinum-selling singer songwriter £8 - £28 Sun 20 May IAN WAITE & OTI MABUSI Strictly favourites £10 - £26.50

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Theatre

CILLA – The Musical

he legendary Cilla Black brought a ‘lorra lorra laughs’ into the lives of so many during her long and varied career in the music and entertainment industries. Before her sudden death in August 2015, an ITV mini-series charted her rise from teenage girlhood friendships with the Beatles, singing in The Cavern Club in Liverpool and achieving her first No. 1 hit at the age of 21, to becoming one of primetime television’s most successful female entertainers with shows such as Blind Date and Surprise Surprise. Now that TV drama has been turned into a musical which comes to the Theatre Royal stage from 17-21 April. We spoke to Robert Willis, Cilla’s eldest son and the show’s executive producer. “I knew it could be good. We had all the ingredients, but you can never be totally sure until you see it all come together,” Robert said. He is talking about the launch of Cilla The Musical which opened in Cilla’s home town of Liverpool at the beginning of September and is now touring the UK with the eventual aim of bringing it into the West End.

Beatles, California Dreamin’ by The Mamas and The Papas, and many more. “We have aimed high with the show – it’s a wonderful cast, the script is so brilliant, the sets are beautiful, the lighting, the orchestration and the dancing are all fantastic. The actors and musicians are incredibly enthusiastic. It’s such a talented young company.” The production team decided to put the lead role out to public audition, a decision which Robert feels has paid dividends in uncovering a star in the making in Kara Lily Haworth, who fought off thousands of other hopefuls to step into Cilla’s shoes. Kara queued for four hours at London’s Dominion Theatre to audition in the first rounds, making it through to the final 30 before being chosen to do her final audition at The Cavern Club in Liverpool.

“Kara is incredible. I’m so happy we found her,” Robert said. “It is a very big role but she really captures what Mum was all about. Mum had determination – she wasn’t there for her looks, although she was pretty, but it was her spirit that people liked. “Kara proved herself in audition. She stood out immediately. She’s physically very different to Sheridan Smith, but I wanted to have a distinct difference between the musical and the TV show. I think Kara is very similar to how my mum was in the 60s. There’s something about her and it is an interpretation, not an impersonation. She really manages to capture my mum.” Tickets are available from the box office on 01603 630000 or online at www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk

“We’re very pleased with the show and excited at how it has all come together. It’s been quite an experience!” The musical score is the ultimate soundtrack to the 60s and includes Cilla’s own greatest hits such as Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie and Something Tells Me, to Twist and Shout by the

Seasonal food

Seasonal Food

WHAT’S IN Season? Keep an eye on what’s in season and you’ll get the most out of all the fresh local produce that Norfolk and Suffolk have to offer. This issue, Juliette from Fredrick’s Fine Foods in Diss shares her favourites for April and May. VEGETABLES

FRUIT

n Rocket is a deliciously peppery salad leaf, but don’t just use it in salads! Try making rocket pesto – a punchy change from basil for pasta sauces or stuffing chicken breasts.

n Gooseberries don’t just make wonderful fools and jams; they are great partnered with mackerel and chicken and make particularly delicious vodka!

n Watercress is another nutritious and peppery salad ingredient and good in stir fries, pesto and soups too.

n Elderflowers are just coming into season. These delicate flowers make a refreshing cordial and an equally delicious alcoholic champagne – have a go, they are both easy and fun to make.

n Wild garlic has quite a short season but it’s a really lovely treat if you can get hold of it – the flowers are pretty to use too. It pairs well with meat and fish so why not give it a go. n Asparagus is just starting to come into the farm shops or up in your veg patch – eat it as fresh as you can in salads, with butter or hollandaise, or cooked as a vegetable accompaniment. Enjoy it while its here! n Radish – the French love to eat radishes with an aperitif – just washed and dipped in salt – crunchy and refreshing. n Samphire is a real treat from the seaside. I like it quickly cooked and served with butter, or served in stir fries.

Outside catering is our speciality

FISH n Local Cromer crabs are a treat not to be missed – why not try a crab linguine or a quiche using crab and leeks? n Sardines are great with new season Jersey Royal potatoes and a fresh herb sauce vierge – delicious!

MEAT n For the most tender lamb choose the early season meat, but why not give the flavoursome hogget or mutton a try?

Juliette at

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BRING AN OLD CONSERVATORY Back to Life

Chris Whitehall of Projects 4 Roofing talks about the possibilities for changing a conservatory into an all year round living space

hese days a conservatory can become much more than a room to relax in occasionally and enjoy views over the garden. There are new ways to make a conservatory an all year round living space which keeps the benefits of a conservatory whilst making it a useable office area, dining space, playroom or even a cosy evening snug. Traditional conservatories are normally at least 75 per cent glass and so can be very cold at some times of year, whilst being too hot in the summer months. Some people experiment with blinds or special coatings on the windows to try to minimise the temperature changes, and these do help. However, a better option is available which significantly improves the insulation of the room. Conservatory roof conversion A conservatory roof conversion is the replacement of a glass or uPVC roof with a solid structure. The whole roof is removed and is followed by the construction of a lightweight aluminium frame retaining the original doors, windows, walls and frame. A new high performance insulated roof is installed in a matter of a few days. The finished room has an insulated plastered ceiling, into which can be installed

spotlights. It’s also possible to have roof light windows. The exterior roof is covered in lightweight synthetic slates or tiles that come in a wide range of colours and finishes. What are the benefits? The main benefit is thermal efficiency, which means there will no longer be large fluctuations in temperature in the conservatory. It will be comfortable on hot days and

easy to heat in winter. A solid roof also cuts down significantly on sun glare and furniture fading, removing the need for blinds. The new roof also creates new design options: you can create an open plan look by removing the interior conservatory doors. That’s great for making a bigger entertaining or dining space and improving the flow of the house.

Questions to ask before buying a conservatory conversion ✔ Is my conservatory structure sound? ✔ How will I know if the finished roof meets building

regulations? (Insist on a pass certificate from the local authority for the whole new room).

✔ What guarantees are offered on the new roof? ✔ How will the new roof be ventilated to prevent condensation? For more information about a conservatory roof conversion, call 01638 507730 or visit www.projects4roofing.co.uk/guardian

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LAST YEAR WE NEVER USED THE CONSERVATORY - IT WAS FAR Too Cold!

Last Christmas was the final straw! We had spent quite a considerable sum in 2010 building our new conservatory but we found in the winter it was freezing cold and in the summer it was just boiling hot. I think we used the conservatory a couple of months of the year. We had spent £15,000 on the conservatory to keep beer in! £15,000 for a fridge, can you believe it! We had to get more use out of it and then our family came over for Christmas dinner. One of the family asked why we were not using the conservatory as a dining room and we explained it was just too cold. Then Steve’s

mum said that you could now insulate conservatories and we did some research and got three different companies in to give us quotes.

Soliroof were very competitive and the work took two days to complete. They insulated the roof and installed light weight tiles. We had lots of options offered to us including roof windows & LED lights. The conservatory is now more like a normal room and it’s no longer freezing cold in the winter; the temperature is the same as the rest of the house! We would be happy to recommend Soliroof and can honestly say we wished we had had this done years ago. Soliroof were around 25% cheaper than the other quotes and they did a great job.

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705kcal

INGREDIENTS Base 300g dark chocolate digestives, crushed 90g butter, melted 3 teaspoons good cocoa powder 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water Sponge layer 12 Savoiardi (sponge finger) biscuits 100ml of strong coffee (instant or espresso) 125ml Marsala

03. While the chocolate melts, prepare the sponge layer. Combine 100ml coffee and 125ml Marsala in a shallow dish, then dip each sponge finger. Lay these on the biscuit layer in the cake tin. Break up the final few to fill in gaps. 04. For the filling, briefly beat the cream cheese and mascarpone in a large bowl until combined. Add the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of whipped double cream. Gently fold in the melted white chocolate. Pour into the cake tin, level the top, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least six hours. 05. Make the syrup. Put 100ml coffee with 20ml Marsala and the caster sugar into a pan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil for five minutes or so, until it becomes syrupy. Cool completely. 06. To finish the cheesecake, carefully run a knife around the edge of the tin, then gently remove the ring. Dust with a thick layer of sieved cocoa and pipe cream around Tip: If y the perimeter. Add chocolate don’t h ou ave an shavings, drizzle with coffee espres so mak syrup and decorate with er, strong instant coffee beans. Keeps 4 days, coffee works refrigerated. perfe

ctly we

ll.

Filling 250g white chocolate, chopped 500g cream cheese 250g mascarpone 300ml double cream, whipped for piping ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Syrup 100ml strong coffee (instant or espresso) 60g caster sugar 20ml Marsala Cocoa powder, chocolate shavings and chocolate coffee beans, to decorate

METHOD 01. Combine the crushed digestives, instant coffee mix and cocoa powder with the melted butter. Press this mix into the base of a 23cm springform cake tin taking it slightly up the sides. 02. Melt the white chocolate slowly in a bowl set above a pot of just-simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted, take off the heat and allow to cool slightly.

The Pennoyer Centre’s volunteer BakeForce make delicious cakes for sale in the café, which in 2014 won the EDP Norfolk Food & Drink Best Baking Award. The café in Pulham St Mary is open Mon-Sat from 9.30am to 3.30pm. www.pennoyers.org.uk 01379 676660 The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, IP21 4QT

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Gardens

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Get ready to grow! JOBS FOR APRIL & MAY

Late spring is a good time to plant water lilies and there’s a huge range of choice on offer. As well as different colours and shapes, you can also choose from large or dwarf varieties, making water lilies a great choice regardless of the size of your pond. Water lilies need still, calm water which is undisturbed by pumps or fountains. Choose a spot with full sun and plant them in aquatic baskets, lined with hessian and filled with loamy soil. Cut back any damaged leaves and water the plant well before placing it in

the pond, submerged so that 15-25cm of water covers the crown. Water lilies need a lot of food so you may like to consider adding aquatic slow-release fertiliser to the soil during spring and summer. At the beginning of spring, you may notice that the water in your pond turns a murky green. Don’t worry, this is the natural effect of algae beginning to grow. It should clear up in a few weeks, if not, you can add oxygenating plants such as frog’s lettuce or water crowfoot to clear the water.

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Gardens

GARDEN DESIGN IDEAS The RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes place on 22-26 May and it’s a great opportunity to get some inspiration for your own garden. When planning a new design for your garden think about how you normally use the space. Do use your garden for entertaining? If so, then you could consider a new seating area, perhaps arranged around a fire pit, chiminea or pizza oven. Add a pergola and climbing plants to soften the look and give the impression of being inside a room – outside! If you like your garden to be awash with colour and flowers, then a traditional cottage

garden design might appeal. Winding brick pathways can add a sense of romance and mystery to your cottage garden, while heavily scented flowers like lavender and rose provide interest for all the senses. If you like to relax in a more orderly environment, then a contemporary garden design may be for you. You can use natural materials like stone and wood to create crisp, clean lines in borders, paths and paving, and plant in neat, geometric shapes. Water features will add movement to your garden, not to mention that lovely, relaxing sound!

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WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY GARDENING If you want your garden to be buzzing with life this spring, then provide lots of nectar rich flowers to encourage bees to nest. Some of the most attractive plants for bees include foxgloves, honeysuckle, marjoram, sweet William and lavender. The beautiful scent from these plants will be attractive to human visitors, as well as the bees! Flying insects such as bees perform an important pollination service in our gardens. Without them, many plants cannot be fertilised which means they will not produce a seed, or in some cases, fruit. With many reports saying that bees are in decline, planting nectar rich plants is a great way to ensure pollination can continue, allowing fruit and vegetable crops like apples, strawberries and tomatoes to thrive. It is unlikely that you will be stung in your garden if you treat bees with respect. All female bees have stings but they are not aggressive and will only use the sting for self-defence. To avoid this happening, don’t stand too close to a nest and leave bees to their business of collecting nectar when you see them buzzing around your flowerbeds.

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Books

Regional Reads

THIS ISSUE WE L VE THE WITCH FINDER’S SISTER Beth Underdown 9780241978054 Penguin £7.99

View our region from a different perspective with this facinating selection of local titles from Chris Rushby of Jarrolds’ Book Department SOPHIA: PRINCESS, SUFFRAGETTE, REVOLUTIONARY

Anita Anand Bloomsbury 9781408835470 £10.99 Sophia Duleep Singh was born into royalty and god-daughter of Queen Victoria. Her father, Maharajah Duleep Singh, was heir to the Kingdom of the Sikhs until the British arrived and plundered everything, including the fabled Koh-I-Noor diamond. Exiled to England, the dispossessed Maharajah transformed his estate at Elveden in Suffolk into a Moghul palace. Sophia travelled to India and returned a revolutionary. This is her story.

A debut novel with East Anglian history at its heart. The year is 1645. When Alice Hopkins’ husband dies tragically she returns to Manningtree, the small Essex town where her brother Matthew still lives. But Matthew has changed, home is no longer a place of safety and Alice will need to make some difficult choices when she finds herself at the very heart of his plan.

DOROTHY JEWSON, SUFFRAGETTE AND SOCIALIST Frank Meeres Poppyland £10.95

2018 marks the centenary of women’s right to vote. Frank Meeres examines the life of local suffragette and one of the first female Members of Parliament, Dorothy Jewson. Dorothy played an important role in the battle to obtain the vote for women and worked tirelessly to support the disadvantaged.

TIMECRUISER

Chris Crowther 9781999811105 £4.95 A Norfolk Broads holiday goes awry for Max, Jenny and Faru when they turn up to the most rundown boatyard on the Broads to find their boat isn’t ready. When another boat catches their eye, Max forgets the warning not to touch and what follows next is a whistle-stop adventure transporting them through time. The trouble is, the time machine boat takes them to some of the most dangerous days in the history of the Broads.

FERGAL IS FUMING

Robert Starling Andersen 9781783445905 £6.99 Fergal is a nice chap, but when someone tells him what to do, Fergal gets very, very angry. A dragon with a short temper is not a good combination so he soon discovers clever tricks to help him cool down and win back his friends.

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Stories from our region

Food trend

GIVE GOAT A Go!

Katrina Gowing of Netta Goats near Eye explains why goat is latest food trend to hit the UK

ne of the latest foodie trends is the deliciously delicate and exotically named cabrito. Cabrito (or kid goat meat) is similar to lamb but much less fatty and has a more subtle, sweet taste. Contrary to some beliefs, cabrito doesn’t need to be heavily spiced to be palatable and doesn’t have the strong tang of goats’ cheese or milk. Cabrito can be cooked in similar ways to lamb so most recipes adapt well. The low fat content means that the meat benefits from ‘low and slow’ cooking. Flavours that complement lamb will complement goat well but equally, goat holds spices really well and will accentuate any spiced dish. Cabrito is incredibly lean (quoted as leaner than chicken), full of protein and high in iron. Worldwide, goat meat is incredibly popular but it seems to have taken the UK a little while to catch on. However, thanks to the efforts of some high profile chefs, people are starting to realise not only the benefits of this healthy red meat, but also the taste sensation and beautifully tender texture. Sourcing cabrito can be tricky – goat meat production is a relatively small industry. In the first instance, contact your local butcher. Cabrito will be a similar price to lamb, although expect to pay a little more for good quality. Buying direct from local smallholders/farmers is another option, particularly if you want reassurance about the way the animals are reared. There are two main sources of goat kids. One is from breeding herds that are made up of Boer goats or crossbreeds. This breed is the only ‘meat goat’ in the UK and originates from South Africa. If you see a chunky goat with a white body and brown head, it’s likely to be a Boer.

The other source is surplus billy kids from the dairy goat industry. Many unwanted males are born each year and will be despatched at birth without a ready market to make use of them. Some producers are buying the male kids and rearing them on with success. Goats have particular needs, such as year-round shelter and lots of browse rather than grazing. They are incredibly athletic so fencing needs to be good and they need a reason to stay. A bored goat will inevitably be a naughty goat! Their intelligence and affection makes these creatures particularly endearing, along with their cute looks and positive, happy outlook on life. For this reason, people often baulk at the idea of eating kid but not lamb. Perhaps we’ve been conditioned to accept lamb and not kid? Maybe it’s time we changed that! To support this emerging industry in the most sustainable way, look for local or, if you can’t do that, look for British. Give goat a go! To find out more, visit www.nettagoats.co.uk

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Stories from our region

Local author

THOUGHTS OF A Norfolk author Published local author, Keri Beevis, shares her thoughts on home improvements.

ighteen months ago I became a homeowner for the very first time, buying the property I had been renting for the past ten years. There were improvements to be made and much of the winter was spent liaising with builders and doing the dreaded decorating. I say dreaded because decorating and I do not get on (well, unless it’s a Christmas tree) and I tend to end up covered in more paint than the walls.

should keep it low key. Tubs instead of plants (as the last shrub I put in took over most of neighbour’s garden and I spent much of last summer desperately trying to regain control), maybe a few hanging baskets and a couple of pretty lanterns.

Now the inside of my house is nearly finished and warmer days are beckoning, I am turning my attention to the garden. Well… I call it a garden, but really it is a postage stamp sized space outside of my lounge window. It is my outside space though and it is just about big enough for a tiny table and chairs. I have visions of sitting outside on balmy evenings with a glass of wine and my laptop, penning my new novel, surrounded by summer flowers and bathed in the glow of twinkling lights.

Not that she is particularly green fingered herself. Her house is where plants go to die and I am sure the last one she took home visibly gulped when she carried it into the living room and it saw all of her dead orchids and spider plants.

Of course I may have this vision, but am conveniently forgetting I am rubbish at anything gardening related. In fact, it’s possible I am worse at gardening than I am at decorating. Hell, let’s cut to the chase, when the DIY fairy was handing out domestic skills to the Beev family, my sister got them all. Cooking: tick, wallpapering: tick, building things: tick. As for me, unless it involves writing, wine drinking, pizza eating or pussycat cuddling, I am fairly useless at most things in life. I want a pretty garden though, so I am figuring I

My mother is already excited at the prospect of gardening centre trips. She used to drag me kicking and screaming so is thrilled that I will now willingly visit them.

Yes, seriously, she managed to kill the terminator of all things green: the hardy spider plant. Garden centres of Norfolk: we are coming your way. I apologise in advance.

Find out more about Keri and her new mystery thriller, The Darkness Beneath, at www.keribeevis.com.

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Gardens

Garden Jottings from Ken

hat a sight to behold - overflowing pots, sinks filled to the brim, sheds barely visible through the vegetation, no bare earth to be seen. Who would want a garden that looks so… stunning! A true cottage garden is a thing of outstanding beauty, originally created when large gardens were for the landed gentry, while farm and estate workers toiled long days for little return and so their small enclosed plots became an opportunity to provide extra food. Plants were raised from saved seed and exchanged cuttings, most plots contained fruit trees as well as herbs, aromatic flowers, and vegetables. New plants were inserted as others were lifted, no space was wasted, compost was made, and a few free-range hens scratching about offered eggs, pest control and fertiliser. Over the years the balance between food and flowers changed, but the essential nature and form continues today. This style of gardening is very relaxed, no straight lines, no formal lawn or regimented planting plan, but a ‘random effect’ cannot be achieved without work or an uncared-for disaster will emerge! Almost any mix of plants can be used, a few good clumps will add a sense of maturity, interspersed with single dot plants of the same variety to give a self-sown impression. Include delphiniums, lupins, foxgloves,

hollyhocks and verbascum for towering height, add aquilegia, scabious, asters, campanula, border phlox and the golden heads of rudbeckia for a long season of insect-friendly colour. Low down, elephant and lambs ears (bergenias and Stachys byzantina) mixed with mounds of aubrieta, saxifrage, cushion phlox, pinks and dianthus, plus hardy sprawling geraniums will soften path edges. Most of these plants are herbaceous (dormant in Winter) so include shrubs such as fragrant lavenders, philadelphus, lilacs and viburnums, as well as fruit trees and bushes. Boundaries need clothing with scrambling honeysuckles, roses and other climbers, clematis look great winding through established plants or hoisted up on obelisks and arches. Now intermingle patches of herbs and vegetables, plus a scattering of hardy annual flower seed and it’ll soon be looking the part! If you think that this all seems a bit old fashioned for you, think again - cutting edge design may be ultra-modern to the eye, but it draws many of its elements from old cottage gardens!

Cheers Ken,

The Garden Enclosure, Banham - plants of all shapes and sizes for cottages or castles!

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Stories from our region

Diss

ALL THINGS Bright AND Musical “Diss at its best!” was one of the many compliments received following last year’s Diss Organ Festival.

he festival was a great success with over 6000 people attending during the day. By popular demand, the festival will return this year on Sunday 20 May, from 10am to 5pm. The streets and park will be alive with the joyful sound of over 40 mechanical organs; from magnificent concert and fairground organs to Dutch street organs where you can have a go at becoming an organ grinder, to cafe organs and the bijou busker organs with their delightful melodies. This free event is being organised by Alan Smith of Hoxne and Jonny Ling of Palgrave on behalf of the Mechanical Organ Owners Society whose members are bringing these amazing instruments from across the UK and Holland for your enjoyment. One of the headline organs visiting from Holland is the world famous 90 key, Carl Frei Dutch street organ “De Hagenaar”, which translates as “from the Hague.” The organ, made in 1936, will be presented by Fabian Krul of Leiden – a real treat!

The Musical Box Society will present a fascinating exhibition of superb musical boxes and mechanical music. There will be organ recitals by concert organists and the Theatre Organ Club will present a nostalgic 1920s silent movie to dramatic organ accompaniment replicating early cinema, before sound tracks were incorporated in the film. A display of vintage vehicles on the park from the Austin 7 Club will be accompanied by the Diss & District Rotary barbecue, stalls and refreshments throughout the town. Please come along and be serenaded on the new mere board walk, meet lots of visitors from across the UK and our continental friends – it really will be “Diss at its best!”

Gardening Theatre

Gardening

Behind the scenes AT THE CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW Jody Lidgard of Bespoke Outdoor Spaces in Harleston explains how he prepares for the biggest gardening event of the year

he start of the year has been amazingly busy and productive here at Bespoke Outdoor Spaces as we plan our 15th RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden build. This year we are delighted to be working alongside Jo Thompson, who has been asked by Wedgewood to design their garden for the show in May. A Chelsea Flower Show garden is a huge accolade for us and one which we take very seriously. Planning usually starts at least twelve months prior to the show. As a landscape design and build company we are aware of the intricacies and cadence of a build at Chelsea. Our part in the project is to support the designer and deliver the garden on time and to the highest standard possible. As an RHS

judge myself I can see the game from both sides. We are looking for horticultural, design and construction detail to a jawdropping standard that leads the world in terms of quality and excellence. As the contract lead, I work with a team of highly motivated and passionate people. The pace is gruelling from day one as we only have twenty days to build the garden. By the time we hit the ground every member of the team is fully briefed on their role in the process. Of course, there are occasional issues and challenges that arise during this period, so my role is to see these coming, manage them and turn every situation into a win for the team. Hours-wise, every day is a 12 hour stint on site with around an hour each way for travel time so physical and mental fitness is paramount. Logisticswise, we programme a

military style delivery system that relies on minute to minute timetabling. A delivery that is even an hour late will impact on the schedule further up the line. If I’m being honest with myself the biggest thrill I get out of the whole project is during the build phase. It’s as stressful as you make it, with a “drop dead finish line” which can’t be extended. In fact, our aim is always to complete 24 hours before judging begins to allow the garden to take a breath and exhale! Once the garden is completed I prefer to make my exit and contemplate next year’s build; the period between finishing the garden and receiving word on the judging results is a strange sort of limbo. Of course, everyone wants the best results, but experience shows me that remaining sanguine and a little humble throughout the project is the best way for us.

Nature

30 DAYS WILD Would you like to deepen your connection to nature and add a pinch of wonder, awe and wildness to your everyday experience? David North from Norfolk Wildlife Trust might just have the answer.

here is much talk today of the benefits of ‘mindfulness’ as a way of coping with the stresses and strains of modern life. But ‘wildfulness’ – simply spending time in nature – also brings great rewards. Becoming more connected to nature, tuning-in to the sounds, smells and textures of the wild world around us brings unexpected benefits: a different sense of perspective, feeling part of something bigger than ourselves, seeing things in new light, discovering that the boundary between you and the wild is perhaps not where you expected. The Wildlife Trusts have a saying: ‘All our lives are better when they are a little bit wild’. They have developed hundreds of ‘Random Acts of Wildness’ which are easy and free to do and can help you engage with nature wherever you are.

This June, Norfolk Wildlife Trust is challenging people everywhere in Norfolk to spend ‘30 Days Wild’ and commit to taking just a few minutes every day for 30 consecutive days to build a connection to the natural world. Just step outside into your garden to begin. Whether you live in a town or in the country there is wildness all around you to be discovered. There are free resources for families, schools and individuals and we would love you, whatever your age or interest in nature, to give it a try. Whatever the time of year, taking just a few minutes every day to spend time outdoors can help us feel happier, healthier and more connected to nature. Try it! You can also use 30 Days Wild as the perfect excuse to visit some wild places or have a go at seeing a wild species you have never seen before.

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Nature Images Courtesy of David Tipling

To get you started here are our top suggestions for ways for to connect with nature in Norfolk: 1. Find wildlife, peace and tranquillity in a Norfolk churchyard – churchyards can be havens for wildflowers, butterflies and bees and are beautiful places to spend a few quiet moments 2. Take a few minutes on a clear night to head outside and star watch – somewhere away from artificial lights is best 3. Visit a Norfolk common and discover its wildlife – Norfolk has more commons than any other county in England and they can be great places to discover wildlife 4. Walk bare foot on a lawn, a beach, or best of all on soft moss – notice how cool or warm different areas feel and if you try this in the early morning feel the tingle of dew on your skin. 5. Talk to the birds – listen to bird song and try and whistle back. If you are good at imitations then the bird may even answer! 6. Talk a walk in a wood – enjoy walking under a canopy of soft green leaves. NWT has some great woods to explore including NWT Lower Wood, Ashwellthorpe, a wonderful ancient woodland in South Norfolk. 7. Stand on a bridge and watch a river flow below – you never know what you might spot, even a kingfisher or an otter if you are really lucky. 8. Reflect on the water’s edge – spend five minutes sitting quietly at the water’s edge and let

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wildlife come to you. June is a great month to look for dragonflies and damselflies at ponds. Try the ancient pingo ponds at NWT Thompson Common in South Norfolk. 9. Smell a wild scent – on warm, muggy June evenings smell the scent from honeysuckle or jasmine. It’s strongest at night to attract visiting moths. 10. Take a wild photo and capture the day – get creative and take a really wild photo and send your image to wild@norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk Norfolk Wildlife Trust is here to help you and our website www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk has details of nature reserves across Norfolk, the wildlife you can see and how to get there. Take our 30 Days Wild challenge and commit to a Random Act of Wildness each day in June. Register now at www.mywildlife.org. uk/30DaysWild/ to let us know you are joining in!

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23/02/2017 13:50

At The Tilting Sky Gift Shop and Cocoa Mama Chocolate Café we are happiest when we are making and serving chocolate. Whether it is chocolate to eat, to drink, to comfort, or to celebrate; we take chocolate seriously. Cocoa Mama started out in our Chocolatier’s home kitchen, here in Eye, selling to Farmers Markets, hotels and restaurants. Today we have a delightful Gift Shop selling a wealth of unique gifts and treats, a wonderful Café serving delicious homemade soups, salads, bread and heavenly cakes, and now we have a website selling boxes of our deliciously fresh handmade chocolates; www.cocoamama.co.uk Helen, Cocoa Mama’s hard-working chocolatier, has been busy developing new recipes focusing on single estate chocolate from around the world, intense natural flavours, dairy free, low sugar and in some cases vegan (sorry bees - she does love to use local honey). Treat yourself to a trip out; enjoy one of our acclaimed hot chocolate melts, mochas or our own blend cappuccinos, and browse the wonderful gifts and treats we offer.

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Story

Writing

A HARD Life

A short story by Ron Brewer of Attleborough Writers’ Group

y life has been pretty hard in the past but things have sorted themselves out and now I am living in relative comfort. Hopefully things will stay this way for a long time so I’d better make the best of it. Family life meant that I didn’t get the best of starts in this world. My father had disappeared off by the time I was born. Seemed he was looking for another woman, well that’s what we were told. With two brothers and two sisters at home as well, mum was always on the scrounge for more food. She did her best but just trying to get enough nourishment to even put on weight was difficult. Even worse, we lost our home because of some local development, were separated from each other and it was a matter of the survival of the fittest.

I was wandering around, having to just use my wits to get by. No one seemed to have any sympathy for those who were down on their luck. I soon found it was easier to hide away during most of the daylight hours, perhaps spending the time sleeping and then to travel around at dusk. I’d pick up odd bits of food that I might come across, even to the point of eating stuff that had been left around for pets and farm animals. But as time went on I got weaker and weaker, even walking around was getting too difficult. One day I found my normal route had been blocked off and I had to cross a busy road that I was not familiar with. I went as fast as I could but I was injured by a passing car as I couldn’t get out of the way quick enough. The car driver came back to have a look and kindly put a blanket around me, carefully positioned me in her car and took me straight off to hospital.

The staff at the hospital were wonderful. They must have dealt with many similar cases before as I was cleaned up, given some nutritious food, something to drink and settled down in a comfortable bed. I think I fell asleep almost immediately and woke up later feeling much, much better. I was determined to try to turn my life around, to grasp this opportunity to live in a more normal world. My past life had been hard and I was determined not to go all through that again. So I was a ‘perfect patient’, cooperating with the staff, putting up with the regular baths and the weighing routines. The great day came and I was discharged, taken away from the hospital and given my freedom in what seemed like a countryside heaven. I’ve settled down now, even found a girlfriend. And I’ll always be grateful to those people at the Tiggywinkle’s Hedgehog Rescue Centre who made my past life into a thing of the past. © Ron Brewer Attleborough Writers’ Group

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What’s on this month

VILLAGE NOTICE BOARD EVENT

CRAFTS

HISTORY

FELINE CARE EASTER OPEN DAY

BORDER CRAFT COLLECTIVE MASTER CRAFTS FAIR

MEMORIES OF DISS A SHOPKEEPER’S TALE

Join the cats of Feline Care this Easter Sunday at their sanctuary. Easter eggs to win, meet plenty of our fluffy residents, close magic from Alan Nunn, plenty of scrumptious homemade treats to feast upon, bric-a-brac stalls plus live music from the Ukulele orchestra of Spalding. Entry £1 for adults, 50p for kids and under 3’s are free. felinecare.org.uk

Come and meet local crafters Free admission

SUN 1ST APR 12PM TO 3PM Feline Care, Roudham Road, East Harling NR16 2QN

JUMBLE SALE

SAT 14TH APR 10AM - 3PM Diss United Reformed Church, Mere Street, Diss IP22 4AD

PLANT SALE PLANT SALE

SUN 15TH APR 10AM-3PM Redgrave & Lopham Fen, Low Common Road IP22 2HX

Annual event with a wide variety of plants, second hand tools & donated plants. £1.50 adults, children free. Hot & cold refreshments available. Dogs on leads welcome.

CRAFTS SILVER SOCIAL: STAMP & COLLAGE PRINT MAKING WORKSHOP

JUMBLE SALE

SAT 7TH APR 2 - 4 PM Flordon Community Centre

Good quality clothing and footwear for all.

CHILDREN CHILDREN’S WILDLIFE ACTIVITY DAY

WED 11TH APR 10AM Peter Beales Roses, London Road, Attleborough, NR17 1AY

A variety of fun wildlife themed activities suitable for children of all ages. Swallow Aquatics will be bringing along plenty of reptiles to handle!! Bug hunts, Face Painting, seed sowing, build a wormery, photography competitions, more! Admission is free - small charge will apply for face painting.

MON 16TH - WED 18TH APR Various Libraries across Norfolk call 01362 656852 for details

Life is too short for ordinary biscuits, come & design your own fancy biscuit at your local library! Create designs using paint, collage & stamping - all materials, guidance (& biscuits!) are provided. Everyone is welcome - no experience necessary! Free entry.

FRI 20TH APR 19:30 St Mary’s Church Hall IP22 4QQ

Derek Potter has lived in Diss all his life and started running the general stores on Fair Green in the 1960’s. Come along and hear his recollections. Members £3, non members £5.

ARTS DISSFEST’ LAUNCH FAMILY ARTS DAY

SAT 21ST APR 1 - 4.30PM Diss Youth and Community Ctr, Shelfanger Road IP22 4EH

Come and join us in making fish-themed decorations which will be displayed at our Festival in Diss in July. There will also be a local storyteller too! It’s a drop-in workshop, so pop along anytime between 1.004.30pm. Under 16s go free, Adults £1 per entry.

EVENT WYMONDHAM HERITAGE SOCIETY MEETING

THU 26TH APR 7:30PM Fairland Hall, Fairland Street, Wymondham

Talk entitled “Ethel Gooch Wymondham’s First Lady” by Georgette Vale. Non-members (£2) welcome.

CINEMA HARLESTON CINEMA: GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN

THU 26TH APR 2PM & 7.30PM Harleston Masonic Lodge, Throughfare, Harleston

A rare glimpse into the relationship between

Village Notice Board author A.A.Milne & his son Christopher whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Poo. Tickets £4.

EVENT A CLAIRVOYANT EVENING FRI 27TH APR 7PM Palgrave Community Centre, Upper Rose Lane IP22 1AP

EVENT

CRAFTS

CHARITY FUNDRAISING AND COFFEE MORNING

BORDER CRAFT COLLECTIVE MASTER CRAFTS FAIR

SAT 12TH MAY 10 TIL NOON Tasburgh Village Hall

Cakes, Raffle, Tombola, Bric a Brac & various other stalls. All proceeds to Breast Cancer Now (reg charity no. 1160558)

Wayne McHugh, a gifted psychic will be at Palfrave Community Centre engaging with the audience.

JUMBLE SALE

EVENT

SAT 12TH MAY 2PM Lincoln Hall, Hingham NR9 4HW

THE ROYAL NAVY PRESENTATION TEAM TUE 1ST MAY 7.30PM Diss Cornhall

This is a unique opportunity to engage with the Team & find out more about today’s Royal Navy. After their presentation there will be a Q&A.

BUCKENHAM HOUSE RIDING FOR THE DISABLED GRAND JUMBLE SALE Jumble, bric-a-brac, books, cakes, tombola, raffle draw & refreshments.

PLANT SALE GIANT PLANT SALE 26-30TH APRIL AND

17TH-20TH MAY 9AM-4.30PM Foundry Plant Centre, Trinity Park, Ipswich, IP3 8UH

Quality plants at competitive prices. 1000’s of plants, roses, trees & perennials all under one roof. FREE ENTRY

EVENT SAT 5TH MAY 10AM Rickinghall Village Hall, Hinderclay Road Diss, IP22 1HD

EVENT BECCLES ANTIQUES STREET MARKET SUN 6TH MAY 8AM Beccles Town Centre

Host to a hundred general and specialist dealers. Many local shops and restaurants open and local ‘street food’.

Eye Town Hall, IP23 7AF

Come & meet local crafters. Free admission.

ARTS BUNWELL AND DISTRICT CAMERA CLUB ANNUAL PHOTO EXHIBITION

New Buckenham Village Hall, Moat Lane NR16

A selection of images taken by our members over the last year. The exhibition is on both Sat 19th May 10.30am - 5pm & Sun 20th May 10.30am - 4pm.

EVENT WYMONDHAM HERITAGE SOCIETY MEETING

THU 24TH MAY 7.30PM Fairland Hall, Fairland Street, Wymondham

Talk on tracing a house history by Gill Blanchard. Nonmembers (£2) welcome.

RICKINGHALL MODEL RAILWAY SHOW

Featuring 17 layouts from across East Anglia. Model traction engine trailer rides and a children’s play area. This is a show for all the family.

SAT 19TH MAY 10AM - 3PM

ARTS EVENT THE R34 ADVENTURE WORK IN PROGRESS

FRI 18TH MAY 7.30PM St Mary’s Church Hall IP22 4QQ

Diss Museum Manager, Basil Abbott will give a report on his work so far for next year’s airship centenary. The R34 did the first double airborne crossing of the Atlantic & came back to Pulham. Members £3, non-members £5. Pay at the door, all welcome.

NORFOLK AND NORWICH OPEN STUDIOS

26 MAY - 10 JUNE 10AM-4PM Woodview Farm, Church Lane, Wicklewood NR18 9QH

Exhibition of contemporary Landscape Painting & Fine Art Photography by local artists.

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For more information on all events including ticket purchase please see www.village-people.info/whats-on

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Large safe and secure outside play area

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LOCAL HISTORIAN

MEMORIES OF HINDERCLAY Local historian, Dennis Cross from Diss, shares with us his fascinating collection of old postcards, focusing on a different village in every issue. This issue, we take a walk down memory lane in Hinderclay.

St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church, Hinderclay, has a lofty embattlement tower containing six bells. The church was restored in 1904 costing over ÂŁ600. The register dates from the year 1567. This image is from 1910 when Edmund Farrer was the rector.

Hinderclay Public Elementary School was erected in 1873 for 54 children. Florence Williamson was headmistress when this 1912 postcard was taken. This one-time school closed many years ago and is now a private house.

Grove Farm is one of the bigger farms in the area. At the time of this 1913 picture the farm employed many villagers who helped grow wheat, barley, beans, peas and clover.

The Crown pub was situated just up the road from the post office in the main street. James Mole was landlord at this time. Note the transport of the day outside this delightful building which has long since closed.

History

This 1909 view of New Farm, Hinderclay, is by photographer Mailing Of Diss. Thatched houses like these needed re-thatching every 20-25 years whereas wheatstraw only needed replacing every 50 years.

Hinderclay used to have a lot of thatched cottages 100 years ago. Poplar Cottage used to house many farmworkers. This postcard shows a thatched roof still needing to be replaced. Many were re-roofed with tiles or slate.

The Six Bells Inn was one of two pubs in the village. This view is dated 1912 and Robert Scarfe was landlord. Today no pubs exist in Hinderclay and once again the building has been converted into private accommodation.

The Norfolk Postcard Club meets regularly in Trowse in Norwich and new members are very welcome. The next meetings are on 11 April and 9 May. Dennis is also the author of several local history books that can be purchased by contacting him direct.

Hinderclay Post Office in 1915 was run by Richard Peach. The post office has long since closed and is now a private house.

If readers have any local postcards of Diss or the surrounding villages, please get in touch with him after 7pm on 01379 651897. ÂŠ

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Poetry

Poetry Corner Our new poetry page begins with a collection of poems from Hannah Williams, a young poet from East Barsham in Norfolk. Since she started writing at the age of 10, Hannah has filled her notebooks with hundreds of poems inspired by nature and the power of words.

TH E PO ET ’S M US E

Sunlight paints the pat h with golden stains Wildflowers peep in shi mmering spring hues Pearly dewdrops ado rn country lanes And the sky stretches ever on in lyrical blues Oh, untamed nature is the poet’s muse.

AUTY N A T U R E ’S B E ws n-kissed meado

lash against su ls Wildflowers sp immering peta ies flutter on sh rfl ches; an br g Painted butte rin h quive ms drip throug air e th Golden sunbea in ns oo r sw ushed lavende The scent of cr sweet pollen g fragrance of sin ali nt ta e th ent And with it nt ssful co entm ul to sigh in bli Causing my so st pa es e breeze waltz Whilst the elusiv us nature, , nature, glorio re tu na Singing of ed beauty. In all its untam Are you a poet from Norfolk or Suffolk? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email a selection of poems and a bit about you to editor@village-people.info for the chance to be featured in the next issue.

Hannah Williams East Barsham in Norfolk.

IN KY RA MB LIN GS

blings Give breath to my inky ram bone, and cle Breathe into them mus g bein r thei of core the Seep into dows Stained with sun-kissed mea

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Arts

Creative EASTER TREATS Kristy Campbell is on the hunt for creative Easter treats in our fine city of Norwich. chocolate making. The famous Caley’s Chocolate Factory dates back to 1883 and served the country and its troops with ‘Marching Chocolate’ throughout World War I. The factory may be now be closed but the brand lives on and many people will have enjoyed its hot chocolate drinks and chocolate eggs every Easter. This month, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Ria Ewles, a contemporary independent baker on the Norwich scene who brings mouthwatering creations to the table. She crafts edible designs tailored to her customers’ requests and posts them online for the world to see.

standout feature of Easter is that its date changes each year due to different calendars that various churches follow. The date is calculated in relation to the full moon after the vernal equinox so we can celebrate anytime between March 22 and April 25. This year Easter Sunday falls on 1 April. Regardless of the date, it is a time for reflection, thanks and celebration of our friends and families near and far. Over the years, new traditions and customs have entered our society. Easter egg hunts and baskets of treats have been adopted by this inclusive holy day, while remaining symbolic of the sealed tomb of Christ.

Other festive treats include Easter bread, hot cross buns, butter lamb, salted herring and ham. If you’re looking for sweet treats this Easter, then Norwich has a lot to offer. There is an abundance of small businesses in the lanes preparing to delight your taste buds. Cupcake & Co (Upper St Giles, Norwich) has a delicious selection of cakes, including gluten-free and vegan options. Another favourite is without a doubt Macarons & More (Royal Arcade, Norwich). If you want something that is pleasing to the eye and packed full of flavour, you’ll be sure to find the perfect gift. Norwich has a strong history of

Looking back to a blissful youthful time that lay down the foundation for her love of baking, Ria says, “As a little girl I have fond memories of baking gooey chocolate cakes with my mum and sisters. We’d cover them with a huge amount of chocolate frosting and cut a big slice off for Dad to try”. This delightful scene is such a magical example of one that gives birth to a lifelong passion. Ria’s journey as a baker has both developed and been inspired by her becoming a shop assistant at Macarons & More. “I’m surrounded by the most amazing pastry chefs and bakers,” she says, and this undoubtedly motivates her to experiment more with her production line.

Arts

best thing I can advise is to bake, bake and bake some more! Baking is definitely a science and it’s taken me countless failed recipes to figure out what works for me and my oven. Bake at every opportunity and get ready to have wrinkly fingers – the washing up is ENDLESS!” If you’ve got an idea in mind and want to bring it to life for a special occasion, get in touch with Ria. She is friendly, enthusiastic and she cares passionately about baking!

While Ria has shaped commissions for friends and family, she tells us how her most dramatic challenge so far has been a two-tiered wedding cake for close friends Skyee and Bee. “With seven layers of rainbow sponge in each tier and three hours of washing up, it was hard work, but it gave me huge sense of pride to see my cake in their wedding photos!” Though her classic cakes are delectable, Ria is always eager to try something out of her comfort zone. Of late, she has been pairing together some unusual but elegant flavours, including a raspberry sponge cake with prosecco buttercream, and raspberry and rose cupcakes, decorated with edible rose petals. So, what’s her top Easter bake? “My top Easter treat has got to be the Creme Egg Scotch Egg,” says Ria. “These consist of a whole Creme Egg, which is rolled in chocolate sponge, dipped in melted chocolate and finally

covered in chocolate sprinkles. I made lots of these with my partner Frankie for our Village Easter Fair last year and they sold out before the fair was even open to the public!” A little advice from the expert: “If you want to get into baking the

Contact Kristy on kristycamp17@gmail.com, visit her website www.axisweb.org/p/ kristycamp or find her on Instagram @kristycamp. Contact Ria on riaree@live.com or see her amazing cakes on Instagram @riabakesxo.

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Stories from our region

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Stories from our region

Wymondham

CINEMA LOVERS ENJOY A ‘Regal Experience’ IN WYMONDHAM

hen 1952 Ealing comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt was shown at Wymondham’s former Regal Cinema in July 2000, it was meant to be a one-off screening… The Regal Cinema had closed down in 1993, over 50 years after it was constructed, and the building was being used by the Wymondham and District Ex-Services Social Club. With the aid of Cinema City in Norwich, the first screening to be held at the Regal in 7 years was arranged to celebrate 100 years of cinema in the county. It attracted wonderful support and everyone involved decided to try another couple of classic movies the following year. A small group of dedicated movie buffs was formed under the chairmanship of Michael Armstrong, who had been associated with the Regal since 1958 and was once the projectionist there. The Regal Experience was up and running! The group now put on up to ten classic movies a year on Sunday afternoons. With some patrons travelling from as far away as Cambridge and London the shows have proved most popular. The Regal Experience presents traditional shows with supporting shorts, adverts and trailers. Occasionally there is a display of memorabilia, perhaps relating to one of the film’s stars. A bar is open before the start and during the interval when ice-creams are also served from “the original Regal tray”. It’s all pure nostalgia and Regal picture-goers certainly get their money’s worth!

Over the years there have been personal appearances by a galaxy of stars, among them June Whitfield, Virginia McKenna, Sylvia Syms, Susan Hampshire, Shirley Anne Field, Helen Fraser, Dora Bryan, Maddy Smith and even Fred Astaire’s daughter Ava. The Regal Experience is not-for-profit and supports various charities from Star Throwers to the RSPCA. All shows are at Wymondham Ex-Services’ Club (the old Regal Cinema). Tickets are available from Michael Armstrong on 01953 603246 or at Simply Cards, Market Street, Wymondham. They are £5 with concessions £4. Sunday 8 April, 2.30pm, A special show to commemorate 100 years of the Royal Air Force. Sunday 13 May, 2.30pm The African Queen (1951) Oil Tanks Supplied and installed Pipe Work Gauges Fuel Pumps Spares 24 hour call out

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01. Cook the linguine in plenty of boiling salted water for approximately 10-12 minutes. Drain the majority of the water and add the olive oil, stir through the pasta and keep warm. 02. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sautĂŠ pan, add the onion and asparagus and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 03. Sweat over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes then add the chilli and garlic and cook for another minute. 04. Add the crab along with the vegetable stock and cook for a further 2 minutes. 05. Stir in the chopped parsley, chives and lemon juice then add the pasta and make sure all the ingredients are mixed together thoroughly. Season if necessary to taste and serve immediately. Tip: Leave a little bit of the cooking water in the pasta to prevent the linguine from sticking together. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen to have any chives then an alternative could be to use the tops of spring onions finely chopped.

Stories from our region Norwich

NORWICH HITS THE jackpot WITH LOTTERY FUNDING

ew figures show that more than £4,373,138 of National Lottery funding was awarded across the Norwich area in the last year alone.

68 lottery grants were given out in the city during 2017, providing a vital boost to arts, sports and heritage projects alongside community groups helping those most in need. A wide variety of local projects received National Lottery grants last year, including: n

£10,000 to Rooted in Nature – The funding will be used to run outdoor activities and experiences for vulnerable young people. This could be because they’re in emergency housing, needing alternative education provision or have additional learning needs. £9,995 to Pilling Park Community Association –The funding will be used to carry out building work on the community centre and carry out a community outreach consultation.

£9,939 to Opening Doors – The funding will be used by the charity to purchase equipment to improve their office which is run by and for people with disabilities.

These examples, or any organisation that has ever received National Lottery funding, has the possibility of gaining nationwide acclaim by entering The National Lottery Awards 2018. Projects can be nominated for a National Lottery Award in seven categories; arts, education, environment, health, heritage, sport and voluntary/ charity to reflect the breadth of funding that the National Lottery invests in. To enter your favourite project in this year’s National Lottery Awards, tweet @ LottoGoodCauses with your suggestions or call 0207 293 3599. Entries must be received by midnight on 6 April 2018.

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You don’t need private medical insurance to get private treatment at your local Spire hospital Did you know that you can get private treatment, when you want, without having private medical insurance? You can be seen and treated quickly. You can even choose your consultant and the times of your appointments and treatments. Private self-pay treatment at Spire Norwich Hospital lets you pay for medical treatment when you need it.

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Drink your way to younger skin WITH LIQUID COLLAGEN Geraldine Walters shares her top skincare tips

ext time you look in the mirror and despair at your baggy eyes and fine lines, or feel that your bones are creaking, maybe you should put your face cream down and think about what you put into your body instead of what you put onto your skin. The current buzz word is collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It’s found in muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, digestive system and tendons. It’s what helps give our skin strength and elasticity, along with replacing dead skin cells. When it comes to our joints and tendons, it’s the “glue” that helps hold the body together. Our body’s collagen production naturally begins to slow down as we age. We can thank this degenerative process for signs of aging, such as sagging skin and joint pains. Other lifestyle factors like sun exposure and smoking also contribute to depleting collagen levels. New research shows that collagen is fast becoming the leading ingredient of ingestible beauty supplements. Studies found that a daily dose of liquid collagen among women aged 35–55 significantly improved all the premature signs of ageing – even stretch marks and cellulite – as elasticity improved. But men can benefit just as much from increased collagen too. The best source is marine collagen which enters

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Stories from our region

LOLITA Owl

A short story by Neil Lanham

n the easy days of the Albion Fairs of the 1970s, there was a magnificent little local newspaper known as The Waveney Clarion. This paper in turn carried an equally magnificent cartoon strip simply entitled Coypu. Coypus were massive South American rodents brought here to be bred in captivity for their fur, which was known as ‘nutrea’ in the fashion industry. These massive brutes had escaped and were undermining the river banks. There was a bounty put on their heads which eventually eliminated them from the shores of Blighty at about the same time, sadly, as the admirable Clarion seemed to drift into oblivion.

Well, I have no idea where Henry got his inspiration from this time but the resultant drawing was certainly of a more shapely creature all round, not only having the prescribed rounded head, but eye lashes that could probably carry mascara, most shapely owl type legs and nails that looked as though they needed to be enhanced by owl nail varnish. When Henry brought his drawing round to show us, memories of those halcyon days of Albion and The Clarion came flooding back for I could not help thinking: “It’s Lolita Owl.” Thanks Henry!

The irascible coypu and its cartoon antics were taken to the heart of all Waveney Clarion readers and he became a cult figure. In one issue, no doubt to further spice things up, a female of the species was introduced. She was more Marilyn Monroe than Marilyn herself, if you get my meaning, and was duly given the title ‘Lolita Coypu.’ Now recently I taught my grandson, Henry, how to draw stylised creatures such as a frog, a hare and an owl. About a week later, Henry’s school mistress asked the class to draw an owl. Henry obliged as he thought he knew from my instruction how to draw owls. But no! “That’s not an owl,” said his school mistress. “Owls are more shapely with round heads!” And she put a cross over the owl that Henry had drawn from my inspiration. “Do it again.”

Neil Lanham runs www.oraltraditions.co.uk, a website devoted to spoken word history, traditional folk song, story, wisdom, history and cultural identity. You can contact Neil on 01379 890568 or traditionsofsuffolk@gmail.com

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Real Lives

SUICIDE SURVIVOR IS

mental health champion Norfolk journalist, Sandie Shirley, spotlights the inspiring stories of men and women from the region and beyond that have seen them reach for victory. For more stories visit www.refreshingwaters.co.uk the therapies and the hindrances, so others can relate and open up as a way of healing. His failed suicide meant six months in hospital with eight weeks in traction as he recovered from a punctured lung, multiple ankle fractures, a ruptured sciatic nerve and vertebrae compaction. “I was told I would never walk again or have children but my survival and turnaround has been hailed as miraculous by a former GP”, explains Steve, who has since remarried and has two grown-up sons. Steve’s mental health began to improve when he found someone who would listen to him. Meanwhile his Christian faith developed and when he was confirmed and later joined a church bible study he learnt about the suffering of others. “I realised everyone had been broken at some time in their lives,” says Steve.

teve Foyster, manager of Norwich’s Christian resource centre, Revelation, has become an ardent champion for mental health sufferers after his life was changed following the ‘miraculous’ survival of an attempted suicide. Steve jumped from the top of a multi-storey city car park 30 years ago. That terrible event, after a year of pain, loss and depression, has forged empathy and concern for others that is being outworked decades later as the scars have healed and life is restored. He hosts regular evenings at Revelation that look at the thorny issues of mental health such as suicide. They are a platform for understanding and shared experience, attracting a wide audience including eminent authorities. Steve has talked about his own experiences with 60 junior doctors as part of a training seminar and last year trained as a peer tutor with the Recovery College – part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Mental Health Trust. As a tutor, he re-tells his story of desperation that has turned to hope and purpose, to enlighten small groups of sufferers. He recalls the sorrows and joys;

Steve doesn’t draw a veil over his past. “It is incredibly important to raise awareness of mental ill health and break down the taboos which still exist. The night before I jumped I did not know where home was although home is where the heart is; I felt completely lost with no security and no boundaries. I no longer had the capacity to love anyone, least of all myself. “Mental health issues never leave completely but I am learning to stay away from the ‘black hole’ of past trauma with the help of cognitive therapy and the use of an eight-week mindfulness course about choosing to live in the moment – which is essentially what Jesus asks us to do.” On 27 April, Revelation will host Dr William Armstrong, former Norwich district coroner and patron for children’s bereavement charity, Nelson’s Journey to talk about grief, bereavement and trauma and their differing effects in individuals. The event will take place at St Michael at Plea Church, Redwell Street, Norwich, NR2 4SN between 6–7.30pm. There is no charge for attendees but light refreshments can be purchased. To book, email norwichcrc@btconnect.com

Home Wymondham

ALL ABOARD! Tackling loneliness in Wymondham J

anuary is traditionally a time when we think about planning our holidays for the year and gathering family and friends for fun and adventure. However, some in the community simply have ‘no-one to go with’. Hub Community Project, a Wymondham based charity, is launching a new project for those who feel lonely or isolated to meet up with others for companionship, food and fun. They are running a ‘holiday at home’ with three days of activities and entertainment including a coach outing. Refreshments and lunch will be provided. The project is supported by two local shops, One Stop and the Coop, each making a grant towards the costs from their 5p carrier bag charges. Loneliness can affect people of all ages but for the elderly in particular it can lead emotional and mental health problems. Many older people live alone and are not often visited by their children or other relatives. They can also often lose touch with their other contacts, as they or their friends become increasingly ill and less able to leave their homes, or they suffer bereavements which leave them feeling less able to make connections with new people.

as 13% of over 75 year olds admitting that they are either often or always lonely. The new project, called All Aboard, will take place from 10-12 April at the Hub, Ayton Road, Wymondham, NR18 0QJ. The aim is to gather older people and help them to form Linda Bradbeer friendships with people Linda Bradbeer with similar interests. At the close of the project people will be signposted to local activities and encouraged to attend with their new friends. The project costs £30 per person inclusive of refreshments, lunch, coach and entry fees. Booking is essential. Please call 01953 798505 for a booking form or contact Linda for more information on 01603 812619 or linda.bradbeer@lineone.net

This isolation is widespread among those over 75, with nearly half saying that television or pets are their main form of company, and with as many

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W: www.ajbriceaccountancy.co.uk T: 01379 308832 M: 07592 146144 Home Farm Barn, Burston, Diss, Norfolk IP22 5TJ E: anthony@ajbriceaccountancy.com W: www.ajbriceaccountancy.co.uk

Home Farm Barn, Burston, Diss, Norfolk IP22 5TJ

VINYL RECORDS WANTED FOR CASH!

Based locally and always looking for new stock. GOOD CASH PRICES PAID! Please Call or Email Racheal on 07495 817809 toptracksmusic@aol.com www.toptracksmusic.co.uk or find us on Facebook

andrew p r love architecture . design . planning cherry tree farm wymondham road norfolk nr16 1nb bunwell 

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planning applications & building regulations submissions alteration works, extensions & conversions architectural design consultation & drawings specialist in listed buildings & conservation work site supervision & management excellent local knowledge and contacts domestic & commercial projects

South Norfolk

K J ACCOUNTANCY

A friendly and efficient service for the self-employed & small to medium business  Bookkeeping ~ Accounts ~ VAT Payroll ~ CIS ~ Tax Returns

Tel: 01379 890502/01284 763687

Mob: 07788 408916/07718 257517

Design Award winner 2011 & 2013 for innovative and ecologically aware architecture please contact us on

t: 01953 789911 m: 07771 855225

e: info@andrewprloveadp.co.uk www.andrewprloveadp.co.uk

SUPPLY TEACHERS NEEDED IN NORFOLK & SUFFOLK *Daily, short term & long-term positions available *Enjoy a work-life balance *PAYE – no umbrella companies *Established independent agency with a small friendly team

01440 764430 (24/7)

Newman & Co Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors have been serving local businesses and individuals in East Anglia for over 20 years. We offer a range of services to suit our clients’ individual needs that include: * Tax returns advice and planning * Preparation of annual accounts * Bookkeeping services and management accounts preparation * Business start-up advice * Payroll services including real-time processing * VAT returns and advice We provide an efficient and friendly service through our professionally qualified staff and believe that there is a real value in developing long-standing professional relationships with our clients.

Please contact us to arrange a free initial consultation.

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Self Assessment always a headache? Don’t worry, give it to us and get on with running your business. We speciﬁcally support the smaller business in all accountancy and tax matters. For a free, no obligation initial meeting call us today

Contact Graham Cormack

T: 01953 630 004 E: grahamcormack@taxassist.co.uk Exchange Street, Attleborough, NR17 2AB www.taxassist.co.uk/attleborough 89

Recruitment that works for you

Whether you are looking for temporary, permanent, full or part time work – we have local opportunities that are right for you

Diss: 01379 777877 Norwich: 01603 764044 Thetford: 01842 750222 www.contract-personnel.com

Make the most of your retirement Michael Boon is your local Equity Release Council member for professional independent advice. If you are interested in releasing a tax-free lump sum from your home then Michael will be delighted to guide you through the different types of equity release schemes available to find the best plan for your needs.

To find out more call Michael on 01508 483983 or visit www.boonbrokers.co.uk

with equity release

Equity release schemes allow you to release tax-free cash from your home to boost your finances in later life • Many clients use this money to repay an existing mortgage, make home improvements, buy a new car and even go on a holiday of a life time, while others may wish to offer financial assistance to their children or to improve their own quality of life in retirement. • Boon Brokers is qualified and registered through the Financial Conduct Authority to offer a valuable equity release service for homeowners aged 55 or over. • Boon Brokers only recommend approved schemes from The Equity Release Council.

This is a lifetime mortgage, to understand the features and risks ask for a personalised illustration. Boon Brokers is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority No. 301141.

Money

A SMARTER WAY TO BAG THE

Best Mortgage Deals

p until very recently if you wanted to find a new mortgage deal you’d go to your bank, perhaps take a look at a comparison website or even trudge down to the local mortgage broker in the high street. However things are moving on at pace in the new smartphone era, and it is now much easier, more convenient and less time consuming to pinpoint the best mortgage offers. Agile new tech providers have recognised mortgages as an area that’s ripe for an overhaul and have launched clever apps which give customers a quicker, more streamlined service when searching for a new home loan. With mortgage rates on the up since the recent base rate increase, many people on tracker and Standard Variable Rates (SVR) will be shopping around for a better deal. With the average SVR at 4.67% and some lenders charging way over 5% (e.g. Kent Reliance 6.08%, Newcastle Building Society 5.99% and Leeds Building Society 5.69%), there are big savings to be made – and now at the click of a mouse at a time to suit you. The key providers in this booming new sector include Burrow (www.letsburrow.com), Trussle (www.trussle.com) and Habito (www.habito. com) – they all enable you to search online or via smartphone at a time that’s convenient for you 24/7, not just when the local broker is open for business.

Using one of the new online mortgage brokers helps eliminate some of the elementary problems mortgage customers have faced up to now. For example, if you look at a best buy table on a comparison website it may be ranked based on the interest rate alone without factoring the impact of the product fee, plus you don’t know if it’s the best deal based on your specific set of circumstances or even if you’re eligible for that particular mortgage. Similarly, if you use the services of a face to face broker, you may eventually find the best mortgage deal, but slow manual processes mean the journey will take far longer than a with digital broker who will be able to point you in the right direction in a matter of minutes. We are all guilty of criticising some apps and new online services which seem little more than frivolous gimmicks, but these new breed of mortgage brokers are the future and can deliver tangible benefits, so don’t dismiss them without giving them a go.

By Andrew Hagger, Independent personal finance analyst from www.moneycomms.co.uk

STOP PRESS very limited space left in the

LOCAL DIRECTORY ACCOUNTANTS Anthony James Brice 88 KJ Accountancy 89 Newman and Co Accountants 89 Tax Assist Accountants 89 ANIMAL SERVICES Diamond Dogs Canine Creche 62 Norfolk Dog Training 61 Uplands Way Vets Ltd 11 ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING Andrew P R Love Architecture 89 Keith Day Architects 45 Nick Clarke Architect 66 ARTS & CRAFTS Susan’s Work Basket 40 BATHROOMS AHM Installations 56 Creative Bathrooms 37 Norwich Bathroom & Kitchens 18 Supreme Bathrooms 27 BEDS Sound Sleep Beds 4 BUILDERS, HANDYMEN & SUPPLIERS Jeff West 13 Building Plot For Sale 45 VSF Ltd 86 CARE & MOBILITY All Hallows Nursing Home 74 Able Care Agency 78 Culrose Residential Care Home 79 EACH 82 Contact Care 66 CARPENTERS & JOINERS R B Joinery 53 CARPETS & FLOORING Eye Flooring 3 Fibres Carpet Care 12 CARS, CARAVANS & GARAGES Anglia Caravan Engineering Services 37 Caravan & Trailer Services 8 Glenn Parker 40 SLM Toyota 85 CHIMNEY SWEEPS Anglia Chimney Sweeps 61 CLEANERS Crystal Clean 61 Maid2Clean(Suffolk) Ltd 58

COMPUTER, WEB & GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES Bailiwick IT Ltd 66 Centiflex 66 Philippa Green Web Design 66 CURTAINS, BLINDS & SHUTTERS Bury Blinds 46 The Curtains & Blinds Lady 27 DAYS OUT, TRAVEL & HOLIDAYS Cynthia Grimmer 37 Eastons Holidays 14 Galloway Coach Travel Ltd 17 Go Ape, Forestry Commission 9 Parkinson’s UK Walk 26 Peter Beales Garden Centre 10 Planet Laser 24 Redwings Horse Sanctuary 26 Simonds 17 Suffolk Open Studios 8 DENTISTS & DENTURES Marlborough Dental Practice 82 ELECTRICIANS Dave Ramstead Electrician 40 Harling Electrical 40 ESTATE AGENTS, LETTINGS & PROPERTY Howards (Estate Agents) Ltd 58 FINANCIAL, INSURANCE, BUSINESS & LEGAL SERVICES Boon Brokers 90 TMFL 66 FUEL MERCHANTS Diss Firewood 58 FUNERALS Rosedale Funeral Home 82 Susan Whymark Funeral Services 78 GARAGE DOORS, GATES, SHUTTERS & AWNINGS Cooks Blinds & Shutters Ltd 65 Exclusive Garage Doors Ltd 73 GARDEN SERVICES A. Waterfield 56 Bespoke Outdoor Spaces 51 Cabinville 31 Diss Garden Centre Ltd 44 Eclipse Gardening 46 Eye Gardens 46 Foundry Nurseries Ltd 44 G B Driveways 76

Gard n Cox Garden Care Hollyoake Landscapes Ltd J H Garden Maintenance JDMA Paving & Landscaping Lake and Pond Aquatics LG Tree Services Moorestone Paving Ltd Nigel Payne Noble Paving East Anglia P.D. Garden Services Resin Drives The Garden Enclosure The Lady Gardnener Tree Fellas GROUNDWORKS, DRAINAGE & SEPTIC TANKS R&A Driveways 4Site Design & Drafting Ltd HEALTH, BEAUTY, IMAGE & FITNESS Coltishall Clinic Ltd Geraldine Walters Jane Dow Live-everyday Ltd Lucy Keil Footcare Michelle Denny Image Coach Nicola Clarke Chiropody Shaakrii Spa HEALTHCARE Spire Norwich Hospital HOLIDAY HOMES Norfolk Country Park HOUSE CLEARANCE Diss House Clearance IRONING SERVICES Ironed4U Pressed-to-Go JOBS Contract Personnel Ltd Hales Group Ltd Key Education Services Ltd The Banqueting Hire Service KITCHENS Kitchen Sense of Harleston Napier Kitchens Voyager Kitchens Norwich Bathroom & Kitchens Supreme Bathrooms

Village People is a trading name of Village People Magazines Ltd. Village People accepts no liability for loss, damage, or difficulties resulting from contracts made through the magazine, nor from errors, omissions or claims made by advertisers. Publication of any entry does not imply a recommendation. Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry. Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content Copyright © Village People Magazines Ltd. 2008-2018

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Crossword

CROSSWORD Exercise your brain cells

CLUES ACROSS

CLUES DOWN

What follows in a second connected tale (6)

Where a sailor might be when separated from his ship (6)

2 One of those that Cromwell had a go at knocking (4)

9 Turn filaments into a web, politics into policies (4)

Service sung in the evening (7)

10 Making of something from nothing (8)

3 Silent recorder in the cockpit made for disaster (5, 3)

11 Small sectional building for emergency use (6)

4 Track by which a ship may be followed (4)

13 Very funny barrier constructed in a ditch (2-2)

5 Light conversation imparting gossip (4-4)

14 You should feel woe about those to whom you should pay money (3)

6 Coming before in order of importance and time (5)

16 When an issue is discussed, this is the point of it all (4)

12 Not the hind leg of a donkey (8)

17 Exercise tact in changing your mind for unbroken friendship (6)

13 Usually passed down through several generations (8)

19 Motivation coming from within makes a person act (4-4)

15 Red, leggy predator found in the sea (7)

21 Pulled over the eyes for deception (4) 22 Spring back in horror or disgust (6) 23 Energy produced by fire or machine (6)

18 Yield and make concessions to another (5) 20 If you lied about your work, you probably don’t (4) 21 Keep them about you or you’ll not know what you’re doing (4)

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1) Cut in, 4) Homburg, 8) Thin air, 9) Bacon, 10) Obey, 11) Pullover, 13) Meek, 14) Stir, 16) Old-timer, 17) Undo, 20) Inapt, 21) Meeting, 22) Element, 23) Sweep. DOWN: 1) Cut down to size, 2) Tripe, 3) Neat, 4) Hard up, 5) Mobility, 6) Uncover, 7) Generation gap, 12) Belittle, 13) Mediate, 15) Pelmet, 18) Naive, 19) Mess.

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