the vine dunstable february & march 2015 issue 63
DESCRIPTION
A free community magazine local to the Dunstable area of Bedfordshire. Packed with an engaging variety of articles, news, puzzles, Competitions and local what's on guide. The Vine is also a local business directory, offering affordable and effective advertising to local businesses - "connecting local people to local businesses". 12,000 copies delivered to homes throughout Dunstable and the surrounding villages. www.thevinemagazine.comTRANSCRIPT
VineConnecting local people to local bus
inesses
Sponsoring
Delivered free to 12,000 homes Dunstable • Whipsnade • Studham • Kensworth • Houghton Regis
Vinethe Feb / Mar 2015 Issue 63
FREE
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Beds Food & Drink Awards 8The Guided Busway 10A Travellers Tale 14The Martin Lewis Money Page 16Consumer Clinic 18Aged Concerns 20Bedfordshire’s Night Sky 22At Home 26In The Garden 28Auto-biographies 32Health, Beauty & Wellbeing 38Beanstalk 40Puzzles 42 Out & About 44
VineThis Month...
Editors:Scott NightingaleShelly Nesbitt
For advertising & Editorial: Shelly Nesbitt 01525 22237907852 [email protected]
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the content of advertising and articles published in this magazine are accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept and hereby disclaim any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors.Neither do they reflect the opinion of this publication. The Vine does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission.
Copy deadline for our next issue - 18th March
the
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THEWHITEHORSEEATON BRAY
■ Children’s play area
■ Warm and cosy restaurant and bar with character fireplaces
■ Jazz on the first Sunday of every month 4-7pm
■ Beautiful village location with ample parking
See website for our latest offers...www.thewhitehorseeatonbray.co.uk
Market Square, Eaton Bray, LU6 2DGTel: 01525 220 231
December Christmas menu and Christmas Day menu
now availableextensive wine list, friendly service
and a great atmosphere on your doorstep
THEWHITEHORSEEATON BRAY
■ Children’s play area
■ Warm and cosy restaurant and bar with character fireplaces
■ Jazz on the first Sunday of every month 4-7pm
■ Beautiful village location with ample parking
See website for our latest offers...www.thewhitehorseeatonbray.co.uk
Market Square, Eaton Bray, LU6 2DGTel: 01525 220 231
December Christmas menu and Christmas Day menu
now availableextensive wine list, friendly service
and a great atmosphere on your doorstep
Price Bottle Of House Wine
When 4 people dine from the main menu
Cannot be used with any other offers.
Throughout February With this voucher
1/2
TH
EW
HIT
EH
OR
SEE
AT
ON
BR
AY
■Children’s play area
■Warm
and cosy restaurant and bar w
ith character fireplaces
■Jazz on the first Sunday of every m
onth 4-7pm
■Beautiful village
location with am
ple parking
See website for our latest offers...
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w.thew
hitehorseeatonbray.co.ukM
arket Square, Eaton Bray, LU
6 2DG
Tel: 01525 220 231
Decem
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as Day m
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availableextensive w
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8
The Vine Magazine sponsors search to find
Bedfordshire’s Best Pub
“Our vision is to highlight the very best of Bedford-shire’s quality food and drink sector,” said Damian Cummins, director of the Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards. “From pubs to brewers, from coffee shops to butchers, we are galvanising a mass movement of the most important people, the customers, who know the true meaning of quality when they taste it, drink it and are served it so well.”The winners will be decided solely by votes from members of the public that have been lodged on the awards website http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk Karen McGeeney, communications director for the awards, said: “Voting is at the centre of the action but even General Elections won't have seen any-thing like this!
“We're already busy campaigning across Facebook and Twitter as well as traditional media generating excitement and encouraging nominations and votes. Look for Bedfordshire Food and Drink Awards on Facebook and follow the hashtag #BedsFinest on Twitter for the latest updates.“We're so excited about championing the best of the best and promoting quality in Bedfordshire.”Awards could not happen without sponsors and Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards is proud to be associated with brilliant brands such as The Vine Magazine.
Visit the awards website to find out more about the categories and sponsors, to nominate and to vote at http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
An exciting new set of county food and drink awards have been launched in Bedfordshire – and The Vine Magazine is delighted to announce that we're proudly sponsoring one of the categories – Best Pub of the Year.The awards call on the public to scour the nooks and crannies of the counties for the best independents and vote for them on the websites mentioned in the article below.
nominees and sponsors with Bedford’s Mayor
Dave at the launch of the awards
www.bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
the
The Vine Magazine sponsors search to find
Bedfordshire’s Best Pub
“Our vision is to highlight the very best of Bedford-shire’s quality food and drink sector,” said Damian Cummins, director of the Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards. “From pubs to brewers, from coffee shops to butchers, we are galvanising a mass movement of the most important people, the customers, who know the true meaning of quality when they taste it, drink it and are served it so well.”The winners will be decided solely by votes from members of the public that have been lodged on the awards website http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk Karen McGeeney, communications director for the awards, said: “Voting is at the centre of the action but even General Elections won't have seen any-thing like this!
“We're already busy campaigning across Facebook and Twitter as well as traditional media generating excitement and encouraging nominations and votes. Look for Bedfordshire Food and Drink Awards on Facebook and follow the hashtag #BedsFinest on Twitter for the latest updates.“We're so excited about championing the best of the best and promoting quality in Bedfordshire.”Awards could not happen without sponsors and Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards is proud to be associated with brilliant brands such as The Vine Magazine.
Visit the awards website to find out more about the categories and sponsors, to nominate and to vote at http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
An exciting new set of county food and drink awards have been launched in Bedfordshire – and The Vine Magazine is delighted to announce that we're proudly sponsoring one of the categories – Best Pub of the Year.The awards call on the public to scour the nooks and crannies of the counties for the best independents and vote for them on the websites mentioned in the article below.
nominees and sponsors with Bedford’s Mayor
Dave at the launch of the awards
www.bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
the
The Vine Magazine sponsors search to find
Bedfordshire’s Best Pub
“Our vision is to highlight the very best of Bedford-shire’s quality food and drink sector,” said Damian Cummins, director of the Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards. “From pubs to brewers, from coffee shops to butchers, we are galvanising a mass movement of the most important people, the customers, who know the true meaning of quality when they taste it, drink it and are served it so well.”The winners will be decided solely by votes from members of the public that have been lodged on the awards website http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk Karen McGeeney, communications director for the awards, said: “Voting is at the centre of the action but even General Elections won't have seen any-thing like this!
“We're already busy campaigning across Facebook and Twitter as well as traditional media generating excitement and encouraging nominations and votes. Look for Bedfordshire Food and Drink Awards on Facebook and follow the hashtag #BedsFinest on Twitter for the latest updates.“We're so excited about championing the best of the best and promoting quality in Bedfordshire.”Awards could not happen without sponsors and Bedfordshire Food & Drink Awards is proud to be associated with brilliant brands such as The Vine Magazine.
Visit the awards website to find out more about the categories and sponsors, to nominate and to vote at http://bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
An exciting new set of county food and drink awards have been launched in Bedfordshire – and The Vine Magazine is delighted to announce that we're proudly sponsoring one of the categories – Best Pub of the Year.The awards call on the public to scour the nooks and crannies of the counties for the best independents and vote for them on the websites mentioned in the article below.
nominees and sponsors with Bedford’s Mayor
Dave at the launch of the awards
www.bedsfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
the
the Vine
9www.thevinemagazine.co.uk
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Valentine’s Day
Friday 13th February & Saturday 14th February
Treat that special someone to a romantic candle lit meal
Three Delicious Courses from our special Valentines Menu
£30.00 per person Please book your table for these evenings
Sunday 15th March 2015
What better way is there to thank Mum for everything, than giving her
the day off?!Treat her to a special three course
meal at The White Lion
£21.50 per person
Please book your table for this Sunday
Mother’s Day
10
Luton and Dunstable Guided Busway
Playing a part in the regeneration ‘jigsaw’
Imagine a scheme that would bring improved con-nectivity between Dunstable and Luton and on to national and international destinations; that would at-tract key employers to locate in our town; dramatically cut journey times between Luton and Dunstable; get people out of their cars and on to public transport and be part of a plan to put Dunstable firmly on the map while restoring it to the pleasant market town we all know and love. No need to imagine, it’s already here: the Luton Dunstable Guided Busway.The busway launched in September 2013 and increas-ingly residents and businesses are recognising it as a huge benefit. However, the value cannot be measured in terms of ‘bums on seats’ alone but is a key part of a jigsaw of regeneration in Dunstable. Central Bedfordshire Council recently made a film about the regeneration of Dunstable which gave me the opportunity to travel on one of the buses and gauge public reaction. Passengers reported that journey times to Luton and beyond were quicker and more convenient with one airport worker telling us he is now able to reach work in just 15 minutes. The busway has halved journey times between the centre of Dunstable and Luton and I frequently use the service to connect to London via Luton Interchange. The door to door journey can sometimes be an as-tonishing 55 mins! The busway effectively functions in the same way as a train or London’s Tube, picking people up locally and taking them at speed to the two major local centres. The service is a commercial, non subsidised operation which the bus operators view as a success. Indeed some are extending their services in response to demand. Arriva, for example, are putting on services in the early morning and late evening and their 70 service from Luton and Dunstable to Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes now operates on the Busway.)As news of the busway’s impact on Dunstable spreads, businesses are beginning to look favourably on the town as a location, bringing with them much needed employment. Prologis recently opened a massive 310
sq foot distribution facility on the Woodside Industrial Estate, citing the busway as part of their decision to move to the town as it offers tenants access to a wider pool of local labour.The busway has also been a big part of BBC Three Counties decision to locate in Dunstable as it allows staff, not just in Luton and Dunstable but further afield, to travel quickly and efficiently to and from their planned new base in Grove Gardens. Staff from North London currently has a long walk once they reach Luton but now they’ll be able to catch a busway bus and be dropped off outside the door. The improved connections to key destinations across the town such as Central Bedfordshire College and the White Lion Retail Park are also bringing inward investment and further infrastructure developments to Dunstable. The presence of the busway has paved the way, for instance, for branches of Next and Marks and Spencer Simply Food to seek planning permission to locate at White Lion. The busway isn’t a static project but will continue to improve and develop. CBC, in conjunction with Luton Borough Council, recently secured government funding via the Local Sustainable Transport Fund which will be used to improve access to the Busway path, used by many walkers and cyclists, and to create new stops.The Luton and Dunstable Busway is one of the most exciting developments in Dunstable for many years and its impact cannot be underestimated. It won’t happen straightaway but I believe the Busway is a key part of a brighter future which, with measure to reduce congestion such as the de-trunking of the A5 and the development of the Woodside Link, will restore Dun-stable’s market town feel while also making it a town fit for a prosperous future. By 2017 we should see the pieces of the jigsaw fall into place to make Dunstable a vibrant place to live, play and work. I’d be very happy to talk to any readers about plans for Dunstable. Please email me at: [email protected]
By Nigel Young, Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development, Central Bedfordshire Council
St Valentine’s Day | Saturday 14th February
HQSportsBar @HQSportsBar1
01582 675 464 [email protected]
FACEBOOK TWITTER
FEBRUARYThe month of Love!
BUY ONE,GET ONE HALF PRICE!
EVENT!
SINGLE OR TAKEN- IT DOESN’T MATTER!
COME AND CELEBRATEST VALENTINE’S DAY AT OUR
DJ 8pm‘til late...
Celebrate with the one you loveat HQ Sports Bar
Terms and conditions apply. Ask staff for details.
ALL MEALS (INCLUDING BREAKFAST) BETWEEN 10AM - 6PM
BRING THE KIDS...GET ONE KID’S
MEAL HALF PRICE WITH EVERY ADULT MEAL PURCHASED!
JUST QUOTE ‘HQVAL’
JUST QUOTE ‘HQKIDS’
THROUGHOUTFEB & MARCH!
SATURDAY 14TH FEBRUARY
St Valentine’s Day | Saturday 14th February
HQSportsBar @HQSportsBar1
01582 675 464 [email protected]
FACEBOOK TWITTER
FEBRUARYThe month of Love!
BUY ONE,GET ONE HALF PRICE!
EVENT!
SINGLE OR TAKEN- IT DOESN’T MATTER!
COME AND CELEBRATEST VALENTINE’S DAY AT OUR
DJ 8pm‘til late...
Celebrate with the one you loveat HQ Sports Bar
Terms and conditions apply. Ask staff for details.
ALL MEALS (INCLUDING BREAKFAST) BETWEEN 10AM - 6PM
BRING THE KIDS...GET ONE KID’S
MEAL HALF PRICE WITH EVERY ADULT MEAL PURCHASED!
JUST QUOTE ‘HQVAL’
JUST QUOTE ‘HQKIDS’
THROUGHOUTFEB & MARCH!
SATURDAY 14TH FEBRUARY
12
Discover Ashridge
The Natural History Museum at Tring was built in 1889 to house the incredible zoo-logical collections of Walter Rothschild. Come and discover animal specimens from around the world, from tiny beetles to enormous bears.Explore exhibitions and events atwww.nhm.ac.uk/tring.
Akeman Street Tring
Hertfordshire HP23 6AP
For Infomation Tel: 020 7942 6171
Bird FeedersThursday 12 February30-minute workshops at 11.00 and 14.00Especially for under fives.Tickets £1.50
Funky Photo FramesMonday 16 and Tuesday 17 February30-minute craft workshops at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15,14.30 and 15.00Suitable for ages five and over.Tickets £1.50
Den Building in Tring ParkWednesday 18 February45-minute activity at 10.30 and 14.00Suitable for ages five and over.Free, advanced booking required
The Natural History Museum at Tring was built in 1889 to house the incredible zoological collections of Walter Rothschild. Come and discover animal specimens from around the world, from tiny beetles to enormous bears.
Explore exhibitions and events at www.nhm.ac.uk/tring.
ExhibitionsLast chance to see
A Shot in the ParkUntil 16 November Free
Admire the wonderful winning images from this local photography competition, in partnership with Tring Brewery and the Woodland Trust, sponsored by Millican.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year29 November to 8 March Free
An international showcase for the very best nature photography, this annual exhibition continues to amaze and inspire with beautiful and thought-provoking images from around the world.
Polar Bear CraftMonday 29 and Tuesday 30 December 30-minute workshops at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.00
Suitable for all ages.
Tickets £1.50
Potato Print PenguinsThursday 8 January 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Buying event ticketsUnless otherwise stated, tickets can be bought in person on the day of each event.
For bookable events please call 020 7942 6163. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 16.00.
Telephone bookings can only be made with a debit/credit card.
Bookings open Thursday 23 October.
Family activitiesToddler TuesdaysEvery Tuesday in term time from 14.00 Free
Borrow something special from the collection and help your toddler explore and play around the Museum.
Autumn HedgehogsThursday 13 November 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Animal CalendarThursday 11 December 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Christmas Holiday Challenge20 December to 4 January
Search the galleries for the lost polar bears on this trail.
Free
Events for adults50 Years of Measuring Change: The Rothamsted Insect SurveyThursday 6 November 19.00–20.00
Join chief ecologist Chris Shortall to discover the results of a long-running survey of UK moths and aphids, and the relevance of this unique dataset to understanding environmental change.
Tickets £4.50, advance booking required
Behind the Scenes in the Rothschild LibrarySaturday 17 January 30-minute visits at 10.15 and 11.00
A rare opportunity to visit Walter Rothschild’s personal library, not usually open to the public, and see some of its beautiful natural history volumes. Please bring proof of address, details provided on booking. There is no step-free access to the library.
Tickets £4.50, advanced booking required
Tring Mansion from Wren to the Performing Arts SchoolThursday 19 February 19.00–20.00
Mike Hutchinson has delved into the darkest corners of the mansion’s history to discover all its previous owners, from Henry Guy to the Performing Arts School, and tracks the changes associated with them and the building.
Tickets £4.50, advanced booking required
Bird FeedersThursday 12 February 30-minute workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Funky Photo FramesMonday 16 and Tuesday 17 February 30-minute craft workshops at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.00
Suitable for ages five and over.
Tickets £1.50
Den Building in Tring ParkWednesday 18 February 45-minute activity at 10.30 and 14.00
Suitable for ages five and over.
Free, advanced booking required
Build a Bird BoxThursday 19 February One-hour workshops at 10.15, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.30
Group activity, one box per group, suitable for ages five and over.
Tickets £8 per box, eight boxes per workshop.
The
wat
chfu
l che
etah
© L
eon
Petr
ino
s
Build a Bird BoxThursday 19 FebruaryOne-hour workshops at 10.15, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.30Group activity, one box per group, suitable for ages five and over.Tickets £8 per box, eight boxes per workshop.
The Natural History Museum at Tring was built in 1889 to house the incredible zoological collections of Walter Rothschild. Come and discover animal specimens from around the world, from tiny beetles to enormous bears.
Explore exhibitions and events at www.nhm.ac.uk/tring.
ExhibitionsLast chance to see
A Shot in the ParkUntil 16 November Free
Admire the wonderful winning images from this local photography competition, in partnership with Tring Brewery and the Woodland Trust, sponsored by Millican.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year29 November to 8 March Free
An international showcase for the very best nature photography, this annual exhibition continues to amaze and inspire with beautiful and thought-provoking images from around the world.
Polar Bear CraftMonday 29 and Tuesday 30 December 30-minute workshops at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.00
Suitable for all ages.
Tickets £1.50
Potato Print PenguinsThursday 8 January 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Buying event ticketsUnless otherwise stated, tickets can be bought in person on the day of each event.
For bookable events please call 020 7942 6163. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 10.00 to 16.00.
Telephone bookings can only be made with a debit/credit card.
Bookings open Thursday 23 October.
Family activitiesToddler TuesdaysEvery Tuesday in term time from 14.00 Free
Borrow something special from the collection and help your toddler explore and play around the Museum.
Autumn HedgehogsThursday 13 November 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Animal CalendarThursday 11 December 30-minute craft workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Messy play especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Christmas Holiday Challenge20 December to 4 January
Search the galleries for the lost polar bears on this trail.
Free
Events for adults50 Years of Measuring Change: The Rothamsted Insect SurveyThursday 6 November 19.00–20.00
Join chief ecologist Chris Shortall to discover the results of a long-running survey of UK moths and aphids, and the relevance of this unique dataset to understanding environmental change.
Tickets £4.50, advance booking required
Behind the Scenes in the Rothschild LibrarySaturday 17 January 30-minute visits at 10.15 and 11.00
A rare opportunity to visit Walter Rothschild’s personal library, not usually open to the public, and see some of its beautiful natural history volumes. Please bring proof of address, details provided on booking. There is no step-free access to the library.
Tickets £4.50, advanced booking required
Tring Mansion from Wren to the Performing Arts SchoolThursday 19 February 19.00–20.00
Mike Hutchinson has delved into the darkest corners of the mansion’s history to discover all its previous owners, from Henry Guy to the Performing Arts School, and tracks the changes associated with them and the building.
Tickets £4.50, advanced booking required
Bird FeedersThursday 12 February 30-minute workshops at 11.00 and 14.00
Especially for under fives.
Tickets £1.50
Funky Photo FramesMonday 16 and Tuesday 17 February 30-minute craft workshops at 10.15, 10.45, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.00
Suitable for ages five and over.
Tickets £1.50
Den Building in Tring ParkWednesday 18 February 45-minute activity at 10.30 and 14.00
Suitable for ages five and over.
Free, advanced booking required
Build a Bird BoxThursday 19 February One-hour workshops at 10.15, 11.15, 14.30 and 15.30
Group activity, one box per group, suitable for ages five and over.
Tickets £8 per box, eight boxes per workshop.
The
wat
chfu
l che
etah
© L
eon
Petr
ino
s
13
Discover Ashridge
Discover this area of outstanding natural beauty
right on our doorstep.
Visitor Centre, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. HP4 1LT
February and March is a great time to go for a walk on the Estate and try and spot some of our more unusual winter bird visitors. Wrap up warm and see what you can discover! Many birds fly to the UK to spend the winter here, where the weather is warmer than in their Scandina-vian breeding grounds. In the mixed finch flocks look out for some of the more uncommon species such as brambling. Similar to chaffinch, but with an orange rather than pink colouration, the bramblings are particularly fond of beech mast.Another finch to look out for is the crossbill. You may find these amongst the conifer trees. Crossbills have specialised beaks which enable them to extract seeds from pine cones. The numbers of ground-dwelling woodcock are boosted in winter by migrants from NE Europe. With their long bills, woodcock probe in the wet mud to find invertebrates to feed on. They are secretive and hard to see, but you may come across them in quiet corners of the woodland.
Get InvolvedAre you interested in getting involved in volunteering at the Ashridge Estate and joining the team? Here are some of the opportunities we currently have.
Countryside volunteers – Our rangers have two regular groups of volunteer who help with scrub clearance and other maintenance and monitoring across the Estate. Meeting every Thursday and once a month on Sundays.
Maintenance Volunteer – Help us keep the presenta-tion of the Visitor Centre and surrounding area in tip top condition.
Litter Pickers – Help us keep the Estate clean and tidy. This essential job takes place one Sunday a month.
Mobility Scooters – Help provide this valuable service to our less mobile visitors. Volunteers work in pairs to loan out scooters to visitors who want to explore the Estate but can’t do so on foot or by bike. Training on how to use the scooters is provided
LIGHTEN UP YOUR HALF TERM16th - 20th Feb £1 per child 10am - 4pmMake and decorate your own jam jar lantern to take home with you or bring it along to our Candle-lit walk on Friday 20th February. No need to book just turn up.
CANLELIT WALKFri 20th Feb 5.30pm - 9pm £1Follow our trail around Meadley’s Meadow, lit by candles. At various points there will be featured lighting effects such as floodlit trees and sweed-ish candles. Suitable for all the family. Walk on a surfaced track. No need to book, just turn up. Bring a torch along with you. For youngsters: Come along during the week to make your coloured lantern in the Visitor Centre and then bring it with you to help you light your way along the trail.
ASHRIDGE SPRING TRAIL16th Feb - 30th May Daily 10am - 5pm £1Take a stroll through the woodland discovering more about Spring time at Ashridge. Visit the Ashridge Visitor Centre to collect your trail map and follow the trail, answer the questions and return to collect your sticker reward.
Classic Motorcycles, The Old Bakery, Watling Street, Hockliffe, Beds, LU7 9LP
Tel: 01525 211922 Mob: 07799 294754
Classic MotorcyclesHockliffe
We’ll put your bike back together
www.classicmotorcycleshockliffe.co.uk
Service, Repair, Parts & Restoration
We now carry out Motorcycle MOT’sat our premises in Hockliffe
Of ALL Bikes - Classic & Modern at very reasonable rates
14
A Travellers
TaleCastles And Cathedrals
In KentBy Paul Heley
Rochester Cathedral from the keep
Leeds Castle.
A couple or so summers ago, I leapt (but, to be true, I don't do much "leaping" now!) on my trusty steed of a motorbike and headed for the south-east cor-
ner of the country (a place I rarely visit because London gets in the way). I was aiming at Rochester for starters because it has both a castle and a cathedral - what more could I wish for?Apart from its association with Charles Dickens, Roches-ter's history goes all the way back to having been one of the first Roman strongholds in AD43. It was later a Saxon village in the kingdom of Kent and it was then, in AD604, that the Kentish King Ethelbert built a wooden cathedral. Following the Norman Conquest, a stone cathedral was built in 1088 boasting a central spire, two towers at the rear and four turrets at the front in a wonderful Roman-esque style. It's interesting to note that its west door bears a remarkable similarity to that of our own Priory church.Just across the road (so to speak) is Rochester Castle standing on the banks of the River Medway and offering splendid views over the surrounding area from the tallest keep in England at 115 feet. Like the cathedral, it is of Norman origin having been built in the reign of William 2nd in 1088. Throughout its considerable history, it has been a line of defence against invaders from the conti-nent as well as having undergone sieges during various civil wars in this country. Consequently, its walls and other buildings are in a rather sorry state and it is only the keep which still stands proud and from which a wonder-ful view overlooking the cathedral is possible.Next day, I continued along the old Watling Street to Canterbury and visited the cathedral - the home of Anglicanism. Its history reaches back to AD597 when a "cathedra" and monastery was first set up by St Augustine who had been sent as a missionary by Pope Gregory the Great. The Venerable Bede records that Augustine used the remnants of a former Roman church as a base; but it was not until Norman times that the first "real" cathedral was started very soon after the Conquest in 1070. Since then it has undergone many changes and alterations before we arrive at the magnificent building which we have today.Canterbury cathedral is best known as the scene of the murder in 1170 of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, by four knights acting (so they thought)
Rochester Castle keep
Canterbury Cathedral
15
on the orders of King Henry 2nd. The killing was never Henry's actual wish, and his fevered outburst "will nobody rid me of this turbulent priest" was completely misinterpreted. However, as penance for the outrage and for his part in it, Henry submitted himself to a serious flogging by the monks and underwent various other acts of remorse. But he was never truly forgiven and the spot where the murder took place is com-memorated in the area called the Martyrdom.The cathedral has the usual abundance of exquisite areas, rooms and anterooms such as the Nave and Chancel, the Chapter House, the Cloisters, the tomb of Thomas Becket, and the Crypt which dates from the 11th century. They are each very special and beauti-fully presented. Something very unexpected happened while I was in the cathedral. I noticed that the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was sitting by himself against the wall - so I went and spoke to him. He was very approachable and we chatted for a few minutes and he told me he was waiting for a film crew to come along and complete a documentary which was being made. He is the only person of international acclaim I've ever spoken with - a better choice than some of today's so-called "celebrities"!The next day it was back to castles again; this time Leeds Castle (which many people assume, for obvious reasons, to be in Yorkshire but, in fact, is near the small village of Leeds near Maidstone).It has been described (but much disputed by rival attractions) as England's loveliest castle. It is certainly very grand and has been in existence since having first been built during the reign of Henry 1st in 1119. Since then it has been the favoured residence of Edward 1st, sieged and captured during the reign of Edward 2nd, and refurbished as a private residence for Catherine of Aragon by Henry 8th (when they were on friendly terms!). During the English Civil War of the 1640s it was not ransacked (as many other castles were) because its owner at the time sympathised with the Parliamentary forces. Since then, it has undergone many alterations and improvements as a private home.Built on an island in a lake, it has a beautiful setting and is a very popular tourist attraction.
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Martin LEWIS Tackle your bills
Winter is coming. Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in the white stuff to sort your bills. Here, prevention truly beats cure – tackling your bills now means you can take the financial bite out of winter chills…
Free loft insulation and even boilers (for some). While the loft insulation free-for-all's ended, some will still be entitled to some serious free energy-saving measures. Most of the big six energy firms offer free boilers, typically worth £2,000, and free insulation, usually worth about £300. Crucially, you don't need to be with the energy provider to get it, but you do generally need an income under £16,000, and to be on income-related benefits or pension credit. I can’t definitely say you’ll qualify, but it is worth checking. Alternatively, the well-meaning but stuttering Green Deal initiative is designed to let you pay for things like underfloor heating, double glazing and solid wall insulation, from the 'savings' you make on energy bills. Deciding whether it’s right for you is complex, so for full help read www.moneysavingexpert.com/greendeal
Save £100s and beat the hikes. Rather surprisingly, fixing energy, where you lock in a set rate, is now cheaper than a normal switch. Five of the big six energy providers have now announced hikes, and their best new prices are costlier than the cheapest fixed tariffs. So right now you can get the very cheapest deals available, and it comes with no-hike certainty. The only exception to this is a variable (ie, subject to hikes) tariff from minnow Spark Energy – though it hasn't hiked (yet?), needs paying upfront, and feedback ain't great, so I’m ignoring it.
The cheapest fix comes from E.on for a year, but slightly longer and only a touch more are deals from EDF or Npower. Crucially, these two have no exit penalties. So on the off-chance the Prime Minister delivers the price cuts he’s promised, and the even more unlikely event that they’ll be so substantial that other tariffs elsewhere are cheaper, you'll be free to leave.
However, always do the numbers for your own circumstances. To check if you can save (you may be on an older, cheaper deal), and who your winner is, you can use my Cheap Energy Club top fixes comparison at www.cheapenergyclub.com, or do a standard
comparison on any Ofgem-approved comparison site – just search for The Confidence Code at www.ofgem.gov.uk to see the full list. If you're not online, use a comparison with a phone service, such as Energyhelpline on 0800 074 0745, or uSwitch on 0800 051 5493.
Paying energy bills by monthly direct debit’s up to 6% cheaper. If you can, do, as it’ll usually mean discounted bills of up to 6% less, so contact your provider to check. Though always do regular meter readings for accuracy, as your bill is estimated. If it’s too high, you have a right to ask for it to be lowered.
Got electricity only? You can still save. With electricity only, you can still get a cheap fix to save - just follow the info above. For those on Economy 7, assessing is trickier. It’s only really a boon for those who use at least 40% of their energy at night. If not – don’t bother. Full help to decide at www.mse.me/eco7
Can you find your stopcock? No sniggering - winter frozen pipe bursts can create an average £7,000 of damage, often worsened as many scrabble round searching for their stopcock - the mains water off switch - for ages as their home floods.
Take the time to find it now – mine is under the kitchen sink. Others find theirs in the bathroom or inside a cupboard. If yours isn’t working, you may want to call a plumber now, before it’s a problem.
Choosing between heating and eating? If you're seriously behind, or in general financial hardship - as far too many are after the hikes - you may be eligible for special help. Call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to check. Plus if anyone in your home was born on or before 5 January 1952, you're due up to £300 in tax-free winter fuel payments. Payments should be made automatically, but if you’ve never had it before then you may need to register - see www.gov.uk.
Plus anyone on specific income support, jobseekers' allowances or pension credit gets £25 in cold weather payments for every 7 days it's sub-0 C.
@MoneySavingExpert
Car insurance prices have fallen 40% over the past two years, according to the AA. But with a rise in fraudulent claims, its latest index predicts an increase of up to 8% in 2015; others
think 10% is possible. So to help you drive down costs, let me answer your most common questions…
Car Insurance
Q. Is this only something you can do if you’re at renewal?
A. No, everyone should be checking their price right now, even if you only signed up to a new deal a few months ago. Unless you’ve claimed, you can usually cancel a policy for a fee of around £50 and get a re-fund for the rest of the year (though you won’t earn no claims for that year). It’s worth checking if it’s worth it.
Q. My renewal’s only six weeks away, should I just wait?
A. It’s likely if you did try and cancel and get a new policy now, the cancellation fee will diminish any savings – so that’s a bit futile. Yet there is another trick - www.aviva.co.uk, www.postoffice.co.uk and www.lv.com quotes last 60 days, so why not grab them now and you’re effectively locking in those prices in case they rise in the meantime.
Q. Are the savings that great? Can’t you just auto-renew?
A. Never just auto-renew without checking elsewhere, often it just lets insurers smack a price rise on you, as it knows apathy means many will keep paying more and more.
I’m not saying auto-renewing will never be your cheap-est option, just that it should never be done without checking and comparing elsewhere first.
Q. So it’s just a question of getting on a comparison site?
A. That’s the route many use, but there are steps to re-ally kick it up. It’s important to understand that there’s no one cheapest provider, so it’s a case of following a system. Never just do one comparison, you need a benchmark of a few comparisons to find out where’s cheapest. There’s a system to follow fully explained at www.mse.me/carinsurance. In a nutshell…
Combine comparison sites. They don’t all cover the same insurers, so combining a number of sites is the best way to really make a meaningful saving. My cur-rent top picks for a typical driver are -www.moneysupermarket.com, www.confused.com, and www.comparethemarket.comCheck insurers that comparisons miss. Comparison sites let you compare 100s of insurers quickly but they don’t capture the entire market. The biggies, including Aviva, www.directline.com and www.zurich.co.uk only offer their products directly.
More than one car at home? Comparison sites can only cope with one car at once so don’t include multi-car discounts. Therefore you should always manually check those that offer it. The big one is www.admiral.com multi-car, but www.churchill.com, www.direct-line.com and www.privilege.com also offer it. I’m not saying they’ll win, but that you should check.
Difficult to insure? Use a broker. If you’ve difficult cir-cumstances (eg, past bans or big accidents) that make getting insurance difficult, a comparison site is less likely to help as these are mainly focused on ‘normal’ policies. You may be better off finding a local broker - see the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website (www.biba.org.uk), as these can sometimes find a cheaper deal for you.
Q. So it’s all pretty straightforward?
A. Ah if only. Common-sense doesn't always do the job… - Third party's not always cheapest. Merely select-ing comprehensive makes some insurers see you as a lower risk. So always check both.
- Adding a responsible second driver can cut your costs. This can bring down your risk average and price - of course, it must be someone who may drive your car. As Mazzyb5 tweeted: "Took your advice and added mum - saved £500."
16
The Martin Lewis Money Page- Tweaking your job description can cut costs. I'm not saying lap dancers should call themselves cabinet ministers (or vice versa, heaven forbid). But these days many people have such specific job descriptions car insurers don't list them, as Fabsternation tweeted: "Thanks. Changing from creative director to marketing manager saved £300." See my fun car insurance job picker tool www.mse.me/jobpicker.
- Beware paying monthly. A monthly payment plan for your insurance is essentially a high-inter-est loan. For example, if your premium is £1,000 but you’re paying an APR of 25%, your insurance will actually cost £1,140 once you factor in the interest. So either pay in full, or if you can't afford it, use a credit card with a lower APR or better still, a 0% credit card for spending, ensuring your repayments are big enough to clear it within a year.
Q. And any special tips for young drivers?
A. With the average premium for a 17-22-year-old at an eye-watering £1,194 per year, young car drivers can be priced out - all the techniques above will help, but if you’re not getting there, check ‘pay how you drive’ (telematics) this involves a device being fitted inside your car that monitors your actions behind the wheel. Full info in www.mse.me/youngdrivers.
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The Martin Lewis Money Page- Tweaking your job description can cut costs. I'm not saying lap dancers should call themselves cabinet ministers (or vice versa, heaven forbid). But these days many people have such specific job descriptions car insurers don't list them, as Fabsternation tweeted: "Thanks. Changing from creative director to marketing manager saved £300." See my fun car insurance job picker tool www.mse.me/jobpicker.
- Beware paying monthly. A monthly payment plan for your insurance is essentially a high-inter-est loan. For example, if your premium is £1,000 but you’re paying an APR of 25%, your insurance will actually cost £1,140 once you factor in the interest. So either pay in full, or if you can't afford it, use a credit card with a lower APR or better still, a 0% credit card for spending, ensuring your repayments are big enough to clear it within a year.
Q. And any special tips for young drivers?
A. With the average premium for a 17-22-year-old at an eye-watering £1,194 per year, young car drivers can be priced out - all the techniques above will help, but if you’re not getting there, check ‘pay how you drive’ (telematics) this involves a device being fitted inside your car that monitors your actions behind the wheel. Full info in www.mse.me/youngdrivers.
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By Jonathan Vernon-Smith
You can listen to The JVS Show every weekday morning from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio
Consumer Clinic
How to Get Ripped Without Being Ripped Off
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have completely overindulged during the festive period. In fact, I think I ate about 17 turkeys and drank my bodyweight in Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Sadly, the result of this gluttony is that the New Year requires a little vigorous exercise and
healthier eating to get back in shape.
Indeed, it’s generally this time of the year when many of us look in the mirror and race to the nearest gym, happy to sign ourselves up to expensive, long term contracts. But how do you protect yourself against getting ripped off in the process? Over the years, I have dealt with many complaints about gym membership deals. Sometimes this is because gyms are unreason-able in their approach but sadly, more often than not, it's down to pure naivety from consumers. Gyms are businesses, not chari-ties! They have sales advisors in most gyms whose sole responsibil-ity it is to sign up new customers. They are generally paid by com-mission, and are highly trained to persuade you to sign yourself up for at least a years’ worth of keep fit expense. They seem so nice, so friendly, so understanding and so kind. However, don’t underesti-mate them. Without you agreeing to join the gym, they don’t get paid. That is their motivation. Be aware that when you sign up to a gym membership, you are entering a legally binding contract. Unless there is a cancel-lation period outlined in the terms and conditions, you are legally
obliged to pay your membership fees for the entire length of the contract. If you're concerned that you'll only bother to go for the first two months, then agreeing to a year long (many contracts are 18 months or two years) is a pretty stupid thing to do. If you decide to cancel, you'll probably be liable for hundreds of pounds worth of fees. What about exceptional circum-stances though? Often consumers will come to me saying "I took out gym membership and then lost my job the following week" or "I signed up to a gym but had a bad car accident and haven't been able to use it for 6 months". Of course exceptional circumstances can help your case when attempt-ing to cancel, but unless it states that cancellation is allowed under exceptional circumstances in the terms, you'll still be liable for the full membership costs. So when CAN you cancel a gym membership? Obviously if the service you receive from the gym is poor (for example many of the machines don't work) then you can make a good case for cancellation of the contract. Also if you can prove that some of the terms and conditions in your membership agreement are
unfair you may stand a chance, but be prepared for a fight. In my experience gyms can be some of the most aggressive organisa-tions to fight as a consumer. They often have legal departments that are very used to arguing with unhappy gym goers who want a quick way out. If you are uncertain over your motivation to attend the gym, it is worth noting that many gym chains will offer special member-ships that can be cancelled easily, or are on a pay as you go basis. It may be best to start with one of these until you've properly de-cided whether you like it or not. You may conclude from this month’s article, that I'm an anti-gym person. I'm not! Honestly! If you are motivated, they can be fantastic places to fight the flab, feel better about yourself and im-prove your health. Just approach gym membership with your eyes open and you'll not come unstuck months down the line. Happy Fat fighting!
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By Mike Newman
Aged Concerns... A Pensioner’s View
Mike Newman is a member of The Dunstable And District Senior Citizens Club. If you have a view on any of the issues raised why not attend one of their monthly meetings,
held on the last Thursday of the month at St Marys Catholic Social Club, West St., Dunstable.
The Telecare ServiceShould you Pay VAT ?
The answer in accord-ance with her majesty’s Revenue and Customs (H.M.R.C.) is, in some
cases yes, in other cases no. The organization that operates tel-ecare is the Central Bedfordshire Council (via Aragon Housing As-sociation) it is they, the council, that bills the telecare customer in accordance with H.M.R.C. requirements.The association that I represent is, with the help of our M.P. Mr. Andrew Selous, questioning the government whether VAT ex-emption applies to some telecare users and not to others and is the reason valid. The exemption to VAT on telecare is not granted to a frail elderly person who is otherwise able bodied as quoted in the VAT act 1984.If you are a telecare user you will have signed a declaration to the effect that you do have a social care requirement granted by the council or suffer from some chronic illness as quoted in H.M.R.C. guidelines, or are terminally ill, otherwise VAT exemption will not apply to you and you will meet that cost plus the cost of the service. Note, these are government guide lines
and not those of our council or councillors.A question we must ask ourselves is, what is a telecare service used for? It is a life line to ensure that should an accident occur at home, or you are taken ill etc., the touch of a button will get you instant help and two of our elderly members have used the system several times and it is a life saving service. It is a service for the disabled and the pensioner, many if whom are frail and elderly but otherwise deemed able bodied and yet I know of at least one case - in their nineties, holding a blue badge and yet is not exempt from VAT on his telecare bill. Does not make a lot of sense to me.So what are our senior citizens doing about this very unfair system of some paying VAT and others not, for what is a life saving service? Frailty has to be taken into account with an emergency life saving service an argument must be if you are frail and old you cannot be called able bodied in many cases. We are trying to make the service fair to all. One of the questions we ask is, surely a holder of the blue
badge comes under the councils care system? You do not get a badge that easy, you are checked very thoroughly by a council care worker and yet one of our members has a blue badge but still pays VAT on the telecare. Does this make sense? Perhaps Central Bedfordshire Council should have a think about this apparently two faced coin?What can you do to help your-selves and others who might have a blue badge and yet is not exempt for VAT on the telecare service? At the time you got tel-ecare and perhaps met the none exemption from VAT criteria, have circumstances changed, have you been diagnosed with an ailment that the medical profession consider chronic, have you recently gained a blue badge? If so, contact Social Services at Chicksands, the Headquarters of our council and put your case. A letter to your M.P. perhaps? It will all help the pensioner.Dunstable Senior Citizens will fight on but a letter from you to the council or your M.P. would not harm our cause and we would welcome any help in this direction. Thank you.
www.thevinemagazine.com 2120
By Mike Newman
Aged Concerns... A Pensioner’s View
Mike Newman is a member of The Dunstable And District Senior Citizens Club. If you have a view on any of the issues raised why not attend one of their monthly meetings,
held on the last Thursday of the month at St Marys Catholic Social Club, West St., Dunstable.
The Telecare ServiceShould you Pay VAT ?
The answer in accord-ance with her majesty’s Revenue and Customs (H.M.R.C.) is, in some
cases yes, in other cases no. The organization that operates tel-ecare is the Central Bedfordshire Council (via Aragon Housing As-sociation) it is they, the council, that bills the telecare customer in accordance with H.M.R.C. requirements.The association that I represent is, with the help of our M.P. Mr. Andrew Selous, questioning the government whether VAT ex-emption applies to some telecare users and not to others and is the reason valid. The exemption to VAT on telecare is not granted to a frail elderly person who is otherwise able bodied as quoted in the VAT act 1984.If you are a telecare user you will have signed a declaration to the effect that you do have a social care requirement granted by the council or suffer from some chronic illness as quoted in H.M.R.C. guidelines, or are terminally ill, otherwise VAT exemption will not apply to you and you will meet that cost plus the cost of the service. Note, these are government guide lines
and not those of our council or councillors.A question we must ask ourselves is, what is a telecare service used for? It is a life line to ensure that should an accident occur at home, or you are taken ill etc., the touch of a button will get you instant help and two of our elderly members have used the system several times and it is a life saving service. It is a service for the disabled and the pensioner, many if whom are frail and elderly but otherwise deemed able bodied and yet I know of at least one case - in their nineties, holding a blue badge and yet is not exempt from VAT on his telecare bill. Does not make a lot of sense to me.So what are our senior citizens doing about this very unfair system of some paying VAT and others not, for what is a life saving service? Frailty has to be taken into account with an emergency life saving service an argument must be if you are frail and old you cannot be called able bodied in many cases. We are trying to make the service fair to all. One of the questions we ask is, surely a holder of the blue
badge comes under the councils care system? You do not get a badge that easy, you are checked very thoroughly by a council care worker and yet one of our members has a blue badge but still pays VAT on the telecare. Does this make sense? Perhaps Central Bedfordshire Council should have a think about this apparently two faced coin?What can you do to help your-selves and others who might have a blue badge and yet is not exempt for VAT on the telecare service? At the time you got tel-ecare and perhaps met the none exemption from VAT criteria, have circumstances changed, have you been diagnosed with an ailment that the medical profession consider chronic, have you recently gained a blue badge? If so, contact Social Services at Chicksands, the Headquarters of our council and put your case. A letter to your M.P. perhaps? It will all help the pensioner.Dunstable Senior Citizens will fight on but a letter from you to the council or your M.P. would not harm our cause and we would welcome any help in this direction. Thank you.
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Bedfordshire’s Night Sky Looking Up!
February & March 2015 Image by Jeff BartonBy Seb Jay
See Venus & Mars tango over the western horizon: February sees a celestial encounter fit for Valentine’s night romance as Venus and Mars tango over the western horizon at dusk. On 14th February look low to the west from an elevated location like Dunstable Downs. Bright Venus is unmistakable in the fading twilight. By 6:20pm Mars will be obvious too as a dull orange ‘star’ located slightly above and to the left of Venus. The two planets draw even closer together over the ensuing week, so do keep watching them if you have the chance.
Discover amazing Jupiter in a telescope: As darkness falls over Bedfordshire in February and March this year another bright ‘star’ will be shin-ing over towards the east and south-east. Jupiter is a must-see object in a telescope. Even a small telescope reveals Jupiter’s four Galilean moons in orbit around the giant planet, while larger telescopes let us glimpse cloud detail in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Don’t miss out on the March Solar Eclipse! Friday 20th March 2015 sees the UK experience a deep par-tial eclipse of the sun. From Bedfordshire just over 85 per cent of our warm yellow friend will be temporarily consumed by the moon’s disc. The event begins at 8:30am and lasts until 10:30am. Mid-eclipse, and the deepest darkness, is at 9:30am.
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At Home&In The GardenThe Art Of Wallpaper
Paint 1Make sure all your paper has the same lot number so that it matches.
2 Use a lining paper to prevent the top paper from creasing or stretching and help the
paste to dry faster.
3 Apply a one-inch stripe of white paint along the top of the wall before papering over dark
paint or wallpaper. It won't be as noticeable if the wallpaper fails to align exactly at the top.
4 Use a special plumb bob to get paper straight.
5 Your first strip should be about four inches longer than the height of the wall. Strips after
that should be at least two inches longer top and bottom and may need to be more to ensure a pattern match.
6 Turn off the power before papering around switches and receptacles. Remove cover
plates and paper over them. Then make a di-agonal slit from opposite corners. Trim away the triangular flaps and replace the cover plate.
7 Double check newly hung strips for bubbles and seam matches.
8 Use a sponge to wipe excess adhesive and rinse the sponge often.
9 Use a sharp utility knife to trim paper
10 A special paste is needed to hang a border on top of wallpaper.
Go along to any DIY store or specialist decorating shop and you will see lots of different types of wall coverings, but how did they originate?
The first type of paper was introduced in Egypt around 4000 BC and was called papyrus. It was from about 200 BC that the Chinese started to put glued rice paper onto their walls, and around 105AD that they began to make paper from textile waste. Knowledge spread from the Chi-nese to the Middle East via prisoners in the eighth century. It took until the twelfth century for papermaking to reach Europe.English manufacturing methods became world famous, and in the eighteenth century wallpapers from London work-shops were highly sought after. Initially, hand painted papers imitated architectural details or materials like marble and stucco, but eventually other patterns emerged.The 1920’s are known as the Golden Age of Wallpaper as some 400 million rolls were sold during that period. The industry was revolutionized after WW2 when plastic resins were added to make wallpapers stain resistant, washable, and more durable. Whilst the popularity of wallpaper has ebbed and flowed in the intervening years, there is now more variety than ever and a wide price range. The choice of wallpa-per can affect the mood and style of a room and can influences the selection of furnishing. To get the best effect from any paper however, it is important to hang it correctly, so we have ‘pasted’ some great tips opposite...
26
27www.thevinemagazine.com26
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In The Garden
The Greenhouse Effect
People often ask me, “Is there something in your garden you
couldn’t live without?”... My reply is always, “My greenhouse.”
A greenhouse has many benefits, chief of which for me is that it extends the gardening year.
With a greenhouse you can potter in your gar-den all year round, and grow a range of plants which simply wouldn’t thrive without the extra protection.Before choosing a greenhouse you will need to check whether your local planning author-ity imposes any restrictions. While you don’t normally need planning permission, building regulations do have to be adhered to.Buy the biggest greenhouse you can afford that will fit comfortably on to your plot - you will always fill it! But even if you can only afford a tiny one - my first one had a base of just 4’ by 5.5’ (1.2m by 1.7m) - it will still be a worth-while investment.The aluminium- framed types are very sturdy and relatively cheap. Wooden-framed construc-tions are more attractive though, and often better in a small garden where everything has to earn its keep. Western red cedar is good because it lasts a long time and weathers really well.Greenhouses are even more useful if they are heated. I started out with paraffin heaters, but found they produced a lot of condensation and were messy and smelly. Electric heating is best, and very economical if you fit a system thermo-stat so that it only switches on when necessary.Apart from heat the most important factor is ventilation. In high summer this is vital to prevent your plants from cooking. Automatic arms which open the vents at a pre-designated temperature are really useful. External blinds are also very good as they prevent sun scorch.Finally, fit staging along one edge of the green-house for your pots, and dig a soil or gravel bed on the other side for things like tomato plants.Now all you have to do is plant some seeds and invest in a few tender perennials.
Fit your greenhouse to level foundations.
Orientation isn’t important , but make sure it isn’t in the shadow of the house, or overhanging trees.
Ventilate well.
Any electrical work must be carried out or certified by a qualified electrician to comply with part P of the building regulations.
Don’t be tempted to use a household electric heater. It won’t cope with the damp conditions in a greenhouse.
Fit a water butt to the down pipes at either end of the greenhouse to conserve water.
Great Greenhouse Tips
Nest Boxes
28
Do not put nest boxes of the same type close to each other.
Open fronted boxes should be hidden from view.
Make sure cats cannot get into the boxes.
Consider putting a metal plate around the hole to deter squirrels.
Boxes should be sheltered from the weather.
Keep the boxes away from bird feeders.
Place between 1 and 5 metres high.
Use screws that will not rust.
This year, National Nest Box Week takes place from 14th-21st February. The event is organised by the British Trust for Ornithology. The idea started in 1997 following fears about
birds losing their natural nest sites because of lots of trees being cut down,
old buildings disappearing, gardens being ‘tidied’ and old houses being repaired. The Trust wants us to put up nest boxes so that we can protect the wildlife we have, and encourage even more birds to come into our gardens. It is estimated that there are now over 5 million nest boxes in the UK designed to help everything from Robins to Owls. Different types of nesting box attract different birds. So in a box with small holes, you might get Blue Tit’s, Nuthatches, Redstarts or House Sparrows. Boxes with larger holes may encourage Starlings, Spot-ted Woodpeckers and perhaps even Little Owls; and in very big boxes you might see Kestrels, Jackdaws, Stock Doves and Tawny Owls. There are also open fronted boxes which appeal to Robins, Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Wagtails. Imagine how lovely it would be to watch the birds go-ing in and out of your boxes and hopefully some young ones hatching there. If you are careful and quiet, you can even peek inside the box from time to time when the eggs are incubating, as most birds will sit tight. If you want to count the eggs, observe in the early morning and wait until the female bird flies off for a quick meal. You can choose to buy some nest boxes from your local pet store or garden centre, or make some. Instructions for building boxes are available on many internet sites including www.bto.org/ the British Trust for Ornithol-ogy site.February is an ideal time to put boxes up, because pairs of small birds prosper towards the end of the month. You are also helping however if you put boxes up at any time of year, although 1 August to the 31 January is the time under Bird Protection Law when nests can be cleaned out, and any dead eggs found destroyed.
Nest Boxes
Handy Hints
29
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28
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Tel: 01582 862245 or 07914879178
For all your BrickworkBlock Paving, Patios, Re-pointing
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PLASTERING SERVICES30 Years Experience In All Aspects Of Plastering
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250 High Street NorthDunstableBedsLU6 1BE
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LEWIS BUILDINGCONSULTANCY SERVICES
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Drawings for extensions & Conversions
to pass Local Authority requirements
101 Leighton Rd, Toddington
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C. LEWIS MCIOB
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Mitchell Mayling-Brown
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DOMESTIC APPLIANCE REPAIRSWashing Machines, Dishwashers,Tumble Driers, Electric Ovens &
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Willow Nursery School• Highly Experienced Staff
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OFSTED judged our school as OUTSTANDING!
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Tel/Fax: 01582 662 600 Email:[email protected]
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Several awards for our work in Literacy and Numeracy
15 hours of government funded provision for three and four year olds
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Fully insured. Free quotations.Tel: 01582 608684 or 07825 185745Email: [email protected]
32
auto Biographies
By Tim Barnes-Claywww.carwriteups.co.uk
The 1994 Geneva motor show signalled the arrival of a new kind of vehicle, one that would revolu-tionize the world mo-tor market. At the time few people could have predicted the effect the Toyota RAV4 would make.
The initial Recreational Activ-ity Vehicle with 4-wheel drive (hence RAV4) opened up a new sector for compact, manoeuvrable sport utility vehicles (SUVs).Toyota had unpresumptuous aspi-rations for its new car, expecting worldwide sales of only around 4,500 models. When 8,000 orders swamped the Japanese automaker in the first four weeks alone, production volumes had to be doubled.To begin with, it was avail-able only as a three-door with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Measur-ing just 3.96m long (little more than today’s Toyota Yaris), it was unlike anything else at the time.The public had an appetite for the new kid on the block, however, and in 1995 RAV4’s first full year on sale – almost 6,800 were sold, quickly establishing it as the fourth best-selling car in Toyota’s 14-strong British line-up.Twenty years on, and the RAV4 is almost unrecognisable. That’s because the compact SUV mar-
ketplace has evolved and matured in line with customers’ changing requirements and preferences. Generally speaking, two decades ago, this type of car was regarded as a substitute to sporty hatch-backs and coupes. Today its pop-ularity is among families wanting a more fun car over multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and estates.Over the years, Toyota has worked hard to keep the model firmly at the heart of its segment, without forfeiting the entertaining-to-drive quality that defined the original RAV4. When it came to creating the latest model, Toyota talked to existing RAV4 customers around the globe to understand what was best about their car. They named its manoeuvrability, ease of ac-cess, lofty view of the road ahead, ingenious packaging, versatility and reassuring capability, even when the going gets tough.As a result, 2014’s RAV4 points towards an even stronger focus on family use. The result is a car that is more refined with better exterior styling, a more airy cabin and load-space, greater comfort and higher levels of safety. The only drawback with the cur-rent RAV4 is the old-fashioned interior. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a major issue – but it is notice-able all the same. The car is un-doubtedly luxurious, especially in ‘Invincible’ 2.2 D4D Auto guise, but the cabin still looks at least a decade old. It’s not poor quality or anything. In fact it all looks very hard-wearing. It’s mainly the switchgear that looks really dated.
Behind the wheel, much of that is forgotten once the pure pleasure of driving takes over. The RAV4 is smooth and gracefully punchy. Indeed, its all-wheel drive capabil-ity is more sophisticated than ever before. Toyota’s Integrated Active Drive System has been developed to offer a more engaging “sport” mode, with gadgetry to automati-cally adjust the amount of twisting power distributed between the front and rear axles. It’s easy to see why the RAV4 was, and is, such a hit. It is undoubt-edly thanks to this car that the SUV market developed from a niche to become a vital feature of the motoring majority.
Toyota RAV 4
Max speed: 115 mph 0-62 mph: 10.0 secs Combined mpg: 42.4Engine: 2231cc 4 cylinder 16 valve turbo diesel Max. power (bhp): 148 at 3600 rpm Max. torque (lb/ft): 250 at 2800 rpm CO2: 176 g/km Price: £29,305 on the road
FAST FACTS
PROS & CONS Spacious √Punchy √Grip √Driving Position √Dated Interior X
auto BIOGRAPHIES Toyota RAV 4
By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writer www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups
The 1994 Geneva motor show signalled the arrival of a new kind of vehicle, one that would revolutionize the world motor market. At the time few people could have predicted the effect the Toyota RAV4 would make. The initial Recreational Activity Vehicle with 4-wheel drive (hence RAV4) opened up a new sector for compact, manoeuvrable sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Toyota had unpresumptuous aspirations for its new car, expecting worldwide sales of only around 4,500 models. When 8,000 orders swamped the Japanese automaker in the first four weeks alone, production volumes had to be doubled. To begin with, it was available only as a three-door with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Measuring just 3.96m long (little more than today’s Toyota Yaris), it was unlike anything else at the time. The public had an appetite for the new kid on the block, however, and in 1995 RAV4’s first full year on sale – almost 6,800 were sold, quickly establishing it as the fourth best-selling car in Toyota’s 14-strong British line-up. Twenty years on, and the RAV4 is almost unrecognisable. That’s because the compact SUV marketplace has evolved and matured in line with customers’ changing requirements and preferences. Generally speaking, two decades ago, this type of car was regarded as a substitute to sporty hatchbacks and coupes. Today its popularity is among families wanting a more fun car over multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs) and estates. Over the years, Toyota has worked hard to keep the model firmly at the heart of its segment, without forfeiting the entertaining-to-drive quality that defined the original RAV4. When it came to creating the latest model, Toyota talked to existing RAV4 customers around the globe to understand
what was best about their car. They named its manoeuvrability, ease of access, lofty view of the road ahead, ingenious packaging, versatility and reassuring capability, even when the going gets tough. As a result, 2014’s RAV4 points towards an even stronger focus on family use. The result is a car that is more refined with better exterior styling, a more airy cabin and load-space, greater comfort and higher levels of safety. The only drawback with the current RAV4 is the old-fashioned interior. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a major issue – but it is noticeable all the same. The car is undoubtedly luxurious, especially in ‘Invincible’ 2.2 D4D Auto guise, but the cabin still looks at least a decade old. It’s not poor quality or anything. In fact it all looks very hard-wearing. It’s mainly the switchgear that looks really dated. Behind the wheel, much of that is forgotten once the pure pleasure of driving takes over. The RAV4 is smooth and gracefully punchy. Indeed, its all-wheel drive capability is more sophisticated than ever before. Toyota’s Integrated Active Drive System has been developed to offer a more engaging “sport” mode, with gadgetry to automatically adjust the amount of twisting power distributed between the front and rear axles. It’s easy to see why the RAV4 was, and is, such a hit. It is undoubtedly thanks to this car that the SUV market developed from a niche to become a vital feature of the motoring majority.
FAST FACTS Max speed: 115mph
0-62 mph: 10.0 secs
Combined mpg: 42.2
Engine: 2231cc 4 cylinder 16valve turbo diesel
Max. power (bhp): 148 at 3600 rpm
Max. torque (Ib/ft): 250 at 2800 rpm
CO2: 176 g/km
Price: £29,305 on the road
PROS ‘N’ CONS
Spacious √ Punchy √
Grip √ Driving Position √
Dated Interior X
• Servicing • Mot’s + Class 7 • Repairs • Air Conditioning
• With Full Diagnostics Available
&
Unit A3, Portland Close, off Townsend Farm Road , Houghton Regis, Beds. LU5 5AW
:01582 472117 :01582 472116
All Ladies
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VW / Audi Specialists& all other makes & model vehicles
Land Rover & 4x4 Specialists
33www.thevinemagazine.com
www.tn2security.co.uk
Family owned Fire and Security Company established in 2004 Providing burglary prevention and fire detection solutions for you, your home and business
INTRUDER ALARMS CCTV AUDIO/VIDEO ENTRY GATE AUTOMATION LOCKS SAFES FIRE ALARMS FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
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Please visit our web site to see our full range of services
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Family owned Fire and Security Company established in 2004 Providing burglary prevention and fire detection solutions for you, your home and business
INTRUDER ALARMS CCTV AUDIO/VIDEO ENTRY GATE AUTOMATION LOCKS SAFES FIRE ALARMS FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
ONGOING SERVICE PLANS
For free no obligation consultation/ quotation Please call 0800 023 2894 or 01582 604488
Please visit our web site to see our full range of services
www.tn2security.co.uk
Family owned Fire and Security Company established in 2004 Providing burglary prevention and fire detection solutions for you, your home and business
INTRUDER ALARMS CCTV AUDIO/VIDEO ENTRY GATE AUTOMATION LOCKS SAFES FIRE ALARMS FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
ONGOING SERVICE PLANS
For free no obligation consultation/ quotation Please call 0800 023 2894 or 01582 604488
Please visit our web site to see our full range of services
www.tn2security.co.uk
Family owned Fire and Security Company established in 2004 Providing burglary prevention and fire detection solutions for you, your home and business
INTRUDER ALARMS CCTV AUDIO/VIDEO ENTRY GATE AUTOMATION LOCKS SAFES FIRE ALARMS FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
ONGOING SERVICE PLANS
For free no obligation consultation/ quotation Please call 0800 023 2894 or 01582 604488
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For free no obligation consultation / quotation
Please call 0800 023 2894 or 01582 604488Please visit our web site to see our full range of services
3534
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- customer review
PLEASE CHECK OUR REVIEWS ON TRUST A TRADER
GJ Smith Roofing A6 Flyer.indd 1 23/03/2012 13:31
Approved installer of fascias and soffits.
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We supply & fit: ✓ Velux Windows ✓ Skylights ✓ Sun Tunnels
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Friendly staff, honest work, highly recommended...
- customer review
PLEASE CHECK OUR REVIEWS ON TRUST A TRADER
GJ Smith Roofing A6 Flyer.indd 1 23/03/2012 13:31
Approved installer of fascias and soffits.
30 year colour guarantee.Friendly staff, honest work,
highly recommended...Customer review
PLEASE CHECK OUR REVIEWS ON
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Experts in all aspects of
Roofing & General Maintenance
✓ Tiling ✓ Slating ✓ Gutters & Down Pipes ✓ Lead Work ✓ Chimney Repairs ✓ Fascias & Soffits ✓ Flat Roofing ✓ Rubber Roofing ✓ Built-Up Felt Roofing
We supply & fit: ✓ Velux Windows ✓ Skylights ✓ Sun Tunnels
✓ Free Estimates
✓ Repairs & New works undertaken
✓ “Trust A Trader” and “EDS” approved
✓ All repair work undertaken
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✓ Insurance backed guarantee available
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Friendly staff, honest work, highly recommended...
- customer review
PLEASE CHECK OUR REVIEWS ON TRUST A TRADER
GJ Smith Roofing A6 Flyer.indd 1 23/03/2012 13:31
Experts in all aspects of
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35www.thevinemagazine.com34
No Job Too Small
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36
MJB Conservatories LtdUnit 3 Westbury CloseTownsend Industrial EstateHoughton RegisBedfordshire LU5 5BL
ANY DOOR
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£660Inclusive of VAT The New Standard in
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COMPOSITE DOORS
Tel: 01582 665032 Fax:01582 667274
Website www.mjbconservatories.co.uk
Chiltern Tradeframes DirectFactory address:Unit 3 Westbury CloseTownsend Industrial EstateHoughton RegisBedfordshire LU5 5BL
Tel: 01582 665032 Fax: 01582 667274
ANY DOOR
No Hidden Extras
Also available in Oak/Dark Wood options
Inside and frame White as standard
Fitting service availableIn association with MJB Conservatories
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Diabetes is the third leading cause of sight loss in the country (source: www.RNIB.org.uk). In the UK alone there are 2.9 million sufferers, according to the NHS and about 850,000 people who have the condition but are undiagnosed (source: www.NHS.co.uk). How would you know? Of course, seeing the GP would be the most obvious answer. But don’t worry if you are one of many who don’t like paying the GP a visit, there is another answer. That answer is to have an eye test with your local optician.When was the last time you had a health check? For most people visiting the GP for regular health checks is a bit daunting. Nevertheless visiting the local opticians can be more comfortable and can also answer many health related questions you may have. Going to the opticians isn’t just about checking if you need glasses or not. Many people think it’s expensive. There are many opticians that provide free eye tests and offers or discounts on the frames. Nowadays seeing the optician is more than just glasses, it’s about taking care of your eye health.There are various tests that can be done by the optometrist. One of them includes looking into the back of the eye and checking for health problems and eye diseases. Health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can all be detected just by checking the back of the eye. In most opticians now they have a ‘Fundus Camera’ this is a clever piece of equipment that allows the optician to take a photo of the back of the eye. Optometrists can then sit down and talk to you about your photos and show you if there is any problem. Pretty clever right?
Eye diseases are also a common find at the opticians. They can occur at the back of your eyes, without causing any symptoms for you to be aware of. It is only in the late stage of eye diseases, like, glaucoma and retinal detachments that you notice sudden problems in your eye. This just shows how vital it can be to get your eyes checked out. For example retinal detachment is when a layer at the back of the eye slowly begins to peel away. Sounds creepy right? It doesn’t happen in everyone, but the risk factors
include being very short-sighted, or playing a lot of contact sports. The only changes
a person may be aware of is bright white flashes of lights in the corner of their vision and an increase in black dots that come in different sizes and shapes and appear to float about in
the vision. Usually when optometrists see these signs you can expect to sit in
hospital on the same day. Now don’t start panicking, the treatment the hospital will give is
highly successful so it should be alright.It is very important to get children tested as well. Eye tests usually start at 3 years old. The tests done will probably be slightly different to an adult test. Looking at 3D pictures, and checking colour vision is all part of the eye examination. Tests can be done to spot early signs of a lazy eye. If your child is getting fre-quent headaches, an eye test should be done to rule out glasses. Children don’t always know if what they see is blurry or clear, and the sooner they are seen by an optometrist the better it is. Eye tests should be done every two years for adults unless specified by the optometrist. Children should be seen every year. So if you haven’t had a test yet, get yourself to your opticians!
Health Beauty Wellbeing&
By Maulia Selvarajah, BSc (Hons) MCOptom
Seeing
the optician isn’t
just about glasses,
it’s about
taking care of your
eye health
3938 www.thevinemagazine.comD
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DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SNDUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
DUNSTABLE EYE CENTRE01582 608 449 www.decopticians.co.uk
5 Ashton Square, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3SN
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Help support some of the 75,000 children that leave primary school every year in England struggling with their reading.
Could you help children learn to read? Could you inspire a love of reading and books in children?
You could help today by contacting Beanstalk Charity on 01604 720969 or visiting www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/reading-helpers
and apply to become a Beanstalk Reading Helper.
Unfortunately many children can not, with 75,000 children in England leaving primary school last year struggling or behind with their reading. Would you enjoy developing a love of books and reading with children in the Luton and Dunstable areas, providing children with a lifelong skill? Beanstalk Charity is looking for Reading Helper volunteers to support children with their reading in schools and you could help.
Beanstalk is a national charity that has recently launched in the Luton and Dunstable areas to support some of the 75,000 children that leave primary school every year in England behind with their reading.
There is a strong need for volunteers in the Luton and Dunstable areas and if you feel you could help in any way please get in touch. Each Reading Helper works with 3 children, for 30 minutes each, twice a week and continues to work with the same children throughout the school year, enabling the Reading Helper to see the children grow in their enjoyment and confidence of reading.
If you feel you could make a difference to a child’s life or to find out further information about Beanstalk you can call us on 01604 720969, email [email protected] or visit our website www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/reading-helpers.
Cna yuo raed tihs?
Help support some of the 75,000 children that leave primary school every year in England struggling with their reading.
Could you help children learn to read? Could you inspire a love of reading and books in children?
You could help today by contacting Beanstalk Charity on 01604 720969 or visiting www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk/reading-helpers
and apply to become a Beanstalk Reading Helper.
41www.thevinemagazine.com40
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DUNSTABLE LADIES CHOIRLadies - new members are wel-come to join our choir. If you enjoy singing why not come to a Tuesday evening rehearsal from 7.30-9.30pm at Houghton Regis Baptist Church, Hammersmith Gardens LU5 5RG and give us a try. No audition neces-sary. We also have a lively social life including meals out, get-togethers and trips to concerts and shows. Further details from Pat Jackson 01582 520302.
HOUGHTON REGIS BOWLS CLUBOpen day on the 4th may from 11am to around 4pm The only thing needed is flat soled shoes. All ages and abilities are welcome. Children over 12 years must be ac-companied by a parent please.Light refreshments will be available.Please come and have a go, look forward seeing you all, any enquiries please ring me on 01582518645
DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUB
We meet every Monday (except bank holidays) in Chews House in High Street South, Dunstable, from 1pm to 5pm. We would welcome new mem-bers of all standards and you do not need a partner. If anyone is interested please call: 01582 664485
DUNSTABLE PROBUS CLUBDunstable PROBUS Club meets on the second Monday of the month and membership is open to retired or semi-retired professional and business men. The Club’s main object is the promotion of good fellowship. Members enjoy a variety of social activities and organized visits throughout the year and at their regular monthly meetings they are entertained by after-lunch speakers. If you are interested in joining the Club, please contact the Secretary Malcolm Partridge 01525 222711
LANGDALE CHURCH‘HATTERS TEA’- informal neighbour-hood group meets monthly on a Wednesday pm. Free tea/coffee & home-made cakes, quiz and raffle.
Friends and Neighbours- monthly on a Thursday pm. Speakers and free tea/coffee. At Langdale Church.Other groups- table tennis, walking group and drawing for beginnersMake the most of our community activities and meet new people in our community. Tel Colin, Community Worker01582602980
BREAKOUT SOCIAL CLUBWe are a club for the over forty fives, not a singles club but a social club for people who enjoy going out but are on their own, where they can meet like-minded people, with a varied monthly programme covering Disco’s, Pub lunch’s, walks, parties and much, much more, we meet once a week in the front bar at the Conservative Club, High street North DunstableFor more information please contact Sandy on 07813 262556
DUNSTABLE SENIOR CITIZENSWhat age would you like to live to?Would you like to live it withDignity, Financial peace of mind, With a voice We are a local group fighting the fight for the over 50’sInterested in finding out more?Come to a meetingWe meet the last Thursday of each month at 2pmIn the Social club of The Catholic Church in West Street DunstableOr call for more information on01582 534357
THE BOGTROTTERSThe Bogtrotters (Dunstable and District Walking and Hostelling Group) are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activities, including half and full day walks, hostelling trips, meals and evening activities.New members are always welcome. Prospective members are invited to get in touch via the website, give us a ring or just turn up to an event or walk.Enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.ukwww.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk01582 865966 Sue or Julian
TOTTERNHOE QUARRY VOLUNTEER WORK PARTIES
Would you like to spend a day work-ing in the fresh air and help look after this nature reserve?For more information or to confirm your attendance please contactRichard Knock on 07872 [email protected]
BEDFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Tuesday 17th February, MauldenTalk by Stuart Warrington: ‘The National Trust and Nature’, the chal-lenges of the 21st Century. Special wildlife places in East Anglia. At Maulden Village Hall, TL048380, MK45 2DP at 8.00pm
Saturday 21st February, BroomDragonfly exuviae ID workshop by Steve Cham. Examine dragonfly exuviae under microscopes. Meet at Jordans Mill Education Centre. off Southill Road, Broom, TL184430, SG18 9JY 2.00pm - 4.30pm.
Saturday 14th March, MauldenSmall Mammal Trapping, at Duck End NR, Moor Lane, Maulden, TL051374, at 8.30am. See mice, voles & shrews up close. Families welcome. Leader: Richard Lawrence.For more info visit our websitewww.bnhs.co.uk
DUNSTABLE W.I.Dunstable W.I. Meet two evenings a month on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays atWatlling School Bullpond Lane at 7.30pm. We are a friendly group and like to enjoy ourselves. We have a wide range of speakers withdifferent talents and crafts, and also quiz nights to test our brains. Wewelcome new members so join us and make new friends.12Tth FEB KEIRON STEVENS – HEALTH26th FEB - MEMBERS EVENING12th MARCH - JEWELLERY26th MARCH - BIRTHDAY OUTING
44
THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB Out About&• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community
PRIORY HOUSE Tel: 01582 891420
Mothering Sunday Afternoon TeaSaturday 7 March to Sunday 15
MarchCelebrate the Mother figure in your life with a Mother’s day Afternoon Tea at the fully licensed Priory House Tea Rooms. £17.50 per personIncludes a complimentary posy for each tableMust be booked in advanceBookings available Monday to Saturday 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm and Mothering Sunday 12 noon to 3.30 pmA 20% non refundable deposit is required at the time of booking to secure the reservation. Please ensure to advise of any specific dietary requirements in advance, as this may incur a small charg For more information telephone Barbara Fisher on 01582 665252
Spell Binding StoriesThe Story of Mulan
Wed 18th Feb 2pm - 3.30 pm & Sat 10.30am - 12pm
£8.50 per child including a gift to take homeTo celebrate the Chinese New Year the Priory House Word Witches invite you to take a trip to ancient China and follow the adventures of Mulan; the brave and head strong daughter of a General who defies her father and heads off to war.Spell Binding Story sessions will run throughout the year and will last approximately 1 hour 30 mins. Children will be entertained by one or both of the word witches and will get lunch and a gift to take home.Tickets must be purchased in advance. Contact Priory House on 01582 891420 or email [email protected] for more information and to book tickets
TEA TIME TALESTalks of local and nationalinterest with tea or coffee
and a pastry.Alternate Thursday afternoons
2.30 - 4.00pm £4.75 per person5th February
Brooke Bond Tea Factory Red-bourn - Pauline Ridgwell
19th February William Booth’s Army & Dunstable
- Major Carol Evans5th March The Religious Houses of
Bedfordshire - Vivienne Evans19th March
Women of The Special Operations Executive - Bryony Norburn
THE HEALING TRUSTArdley Hill School, Lowther Rd, Each Thursday evening 7.30 - 9pm. No charge, donations accepted. NFSH T: Pam Hill on 01582 606182Come for interest or healing.
BREATHEASYDo you suffer from a lung condition? Then why not come and join our local Support group - breatheasy - Part of the British lung foundation. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at peter newton pavilion (Behind tesco) 2 - 4pm carers also welcomeAs well as supporting each other we have a variety of speakers and also arrange day trips out.New members most welcomeMore info phone michael on 01582 602348
DUNSTABLE & DISTRICT ORBIT CLUB
Since its inception over 25 years ago, Orbit has raised nearly £60,000 for local charities. We also give our time to help organisations and people in the community.Orbit offers an active social calen-dar, with wide-ranging events to suit all budgets and tastes. Annual membership is just £15.We meet on the first and third Tues-day of the month at Dunstablians Rugby Club, Bidwell Park, Bedford Road, Houghton Regis, LU5 6JW from 8 pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome.For more information please visit www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable or contact Mark on 01582 539379 or Julie on 01582 535761.
TODDINGTON HELPING HANDSWe are a group of about 30 volunteers who provide lifts to the doctors, dentists, hospitals, hairdressers etc for the residents of Toddington, Chalgrave, Wingfield and Tebworth.We also carry out the delivery
of prescriptions, shopping and gen-eral errand running to those who are not able to do so themselves.During the last quarter we com-pleted in excess of 400 jobs in the local community.We urgently need more volunteer drivers. Tel: 01525 633660
THE NATIONAL TRUST2nd Feb 2.30pm
Migration Mysteries - Chris ward, wildlife photographer
4th March 7.45pmA Touch Of Glass, A Victorian
Lantern Show - Gordon Casbeard & Tony Brown, Magic Lantern Society
members.
All meetings are held in the salva-tion army centre, dunstable.Guests are welcome at £3.We also run outings in the summer and a holiday once per year.If you would like to join the local group please contact: -Lynda Power 01582 696193
SIGHT CONCERN BEDFORDSHIREVolunteers Needed
Sight Concern Bedfordshire is a local charity which aims to enhance the independence and quality of lifeof blind and partially sighted people in Bedfordshire and Luton Current volunteering opportunities includes:Home visiting and telephone befriendingWe offer full training and the chance to become a member of our friendly supportive teamContact Joanna Clark 01234 [email protected]
FRIENDS OF STUDHAM COMMONWe are a friendly,voluntary group whose aim is to conserve,maintain and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place for everyone to enjoy.For this purpose we meet as a work party on the third Saturday of each month (except Dec.) The work is not onerous and we enjoy the exercise and the good company –and a picnic lunch is provided! Details from Pam on 01582 872608 [email protected]
45www.thevinemagazine.com
• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community
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