Priceless - Ouse Valley Living Magazine

Transcription

Ouse Valley Living
MAY 2014
&
Food
THE OUSE VALLEY’S NO.1 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE • 16,000 COPIES HAND DELIVERED
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ic
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es
s
Drink
HOLIDAY
ACTIVITY COURSES
Join in the fun at Bedford Modern School
Monday 28 July - Friday 29 August
With over 50 courses to choose from, BMS is the
place to enjoy your Summer holidays this year
Our courses are open to all children aged 4 - 14
For your 2014 Holiday Activity Courses Brochure please contact us on:
(01234) 332667 or go to bedmod.co.uk
Bedford Modern School, Manton Lane, Bedford, MK41 7NT
Bedford Modern School is part of The Harpur Trust
Spring 2014 launch items now in store.
Over 100 new Lovelinks beads available.
MILLMAN
JEWELLERS OF DISTINCTION
2 Church Arcade Bedford
Tel: 01234 354026
MAY 2014 ISSUE 94
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Food & Drink
Regular Features
And more
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DRINK wine orient
RECIPE rhubarb bellini
INTERVIEW Hairy Bikers
RECIPE pastry tartlets
QUICK CHAT Jane White
RECIPE slow roast lamb
RECIPE lemon dessert
CHOCOLATE eat more!
SHOPPING elevenses
GARDENS Rosemary’s tips
NATURE the great outdoors
STYLE go for grunge
BEAUTY let’s nail it!
IN GOOD CO get writing
INCIDENTALLY commuting
HISTORY WW2 memoirs
MOTORS Bentley GT
MUSIC Milky’s scene live
WIN! Good Food tickets
WIN! a shoulder of lamb
BOOKS Jojo Moyes
FILMS Divergent
OVL where do you read yours?
HOROSCOPES it’s in the stars
DIARY DATES what’s on when
WIN! whose ad it?
BRAIN TEASER Sudoku
Meet the OVL writers...
Sarah Abbott MW
Feature: Drink
Sarah has been in the wine trade for nearly 20 years and became a Master
of Wine in 2008. She specialised (accidentally, but joyfully) in France, Italy
and Australia. Sarah’s aim is to empower consumers and harness the power
of wine to bring people together. She is the director of Swirl Wine Events, an
international wine judge and a consultant to Rude Wines.
Milky
Feature: Music Matters
Milky’s first records were Special Brew by Bad Manners and Kings of the
Wild Frontier by Adam & the Ants. He still stands by them. With no musical
talent his obsessions were gigs, the music press and records. He published
the fanzine Skotch for Breakfast, started djing alongside touring bands and
for the last 11 years has been promoting gigs in Bedford. If you hear EMF’s
Unbelievable in a club, he’ll be the one decimating the dance floor.
Richard McCann
Feature: Motors
Richard was plucked from relative obscurity by OVL having worked
as assistant car correspondent for The Beano since 1966. Through a
combination of hard work and lies he became a race driver and instructor
and was elected to MENSA and the International Guild of Motoring Writers.
Richard survives on a diet of real ale, cream crackers and Havana cigars.
He lives with his civil partner, a one-eyed cockatiel called Alan.
4
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Sharnbrook House
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See what we get up to: www.sharnbrookhouseblog.blogspot.com
An eighteenth century listed property in extensive grounds, near the centre of Sharnbrook. It is owned and
operated by The Greensleeves Homes Trust, a “not for profit” charitable organisation providing care
for older people. Our aim at Sharnbrook House is to provide comfort and companionship in a
supportive environment. A qualified and experienced staff team provide twenty-four hour care, ably assisted
by catering and domestic staff.
If you would like to know more please contact us
on 01234 781294 or email [email protected]
Visit www.greensleeves.org.uk
May 2014
May is full of anticipation for food lovers with blossom and new shoots flaunting a promise of
the delicious treats to come later in the year. This month also delivers its own treasures with
delights such as local asparagus. Warrington House Farm have been selling these delicate
spears for over 35 years. Read about their Farm Shop on page 20.
We celebrate this time of year with mouth-watering recipes, interviews with local and celebrity
chefs and the happy news that chocolate is good for us! Talking of celebrity chefs, our wine
writer Sarah Abbott heralds the revolution in exciting, high quality Eastern mediterranean
wines which she attributes to the Ottolenghi effect. See Sarah’s recommendations on page
12 and be among the first to try them.
This month’s irresistible prizes are a shoulder of new season lamb with a jar of mint sauce
from Browns of Stagsden and five pairs of tickets for the BBC Good Food Show.
Good luck!
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advertisers. Reproduction, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. ©Ouse Valley Living Ltd 2014
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SHOP ad half page:Sporting Targets 13/03/2014 23:12 Page 1
SPORTING TARGETS SHOP
Clothing and Footwear
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Sporting
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Knotting Lane, Riseley, Bedfordshire MK44 1BX. Tel: 01234 708893 www.sportingtargets.co.uk
8
letters
Your
Dear OVL
I am writing to thank you so
much for the photograph of
my late husband Bill Knight.
Everyone seems to agree with
me that it is probably the best
picture we have of him. He
always enjoyed contributing
to OVL and I always enjoy
your excellent publication
- especially the lovely
photographs by Ant Hagen
and the village walks by Ann
Hagen, who wrote the lovely
tribute to Bill.
With all good wishes
Deidre Knight
Dear OVL
I always enjoy reading OVL.
Thank you for your quality
magazine, which is always
well-written and beautifully
presented.
Best wishes
Jenny King, Great Denham
Dear OVL
At this very moment, I am
in the middle of reading this
month’s OVL magazine and,
as usual, I must congratulate
you on its marvellous content.
I wish you continual success
in publishing such a beautiful
magazine and I look forward
to each issue.
Ronnie Kinsella
Dear OVL
Great little magazine, keep up
the good work!
Regards
Tom Wells
Dear OVL
I have just enjoyed perusing
the March edition of OVL
magazine and liked the look
of the Embroidered Insect
Cushion featured on page 19.
I have just been on the M&S
website but cannot find it
listed.
Regards
Helen Brown
The beautiful insect cushion
is now available online at
www.marksandspencer.com
Dear OVL
Wow! I never win anything!
And this is a prize that we will
really appreciate, as I have
looked at the BMS courses
in the past and thought how
good they looked. Thank you
so much!
Yours, Rachel Lord
Dear OVL
Great, fresh looking format,
enjoyable and informative
magazine to receive through
the door. Please enter me in
the draw for Sicily, you never
know your luck!
Many thanks!
Lyndsay Maguire
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X Men: Days of Future
Past. Due for release in UK
cinemas on 22 May, this
highly anticipated film starring
Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh
Jackman and Ian McKellen
promises to be action packed
and exciting. Watch the X
Men save themselves from
the future.
Loose waves: Just in
time for summer, beach chic
waves have been spotted
making a comeback. Try salt
spray to create natural looking
waves with volume.
FA Cup Final: On 17 May,
we’ll see Arsenal face Hull at
Wembley in perhaps a pivotal
game for Arsène Wenger.
Hull may be considered the
underdogs but can they stop
Arsenal winning their first
piece of silverware since
2005?
Skorts: Highly on trend for
the summer, this fashion item
offers the best of both worlds
- the glamour of a skirt and
the practicality of shorts. Opt
for bold colours or florals to
stand out this season and, to
be bang on trend, go for an
asymmetric hem.
Quality
children’s
clothing &
accessories
Bags for a Big Life
Handcrafted Locally in Lavendon
Shop open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm
01234 712266
www.tusting.co.uk
TUSTING
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www.little-spa
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Tel: 07594 9924 .com
45
Wine Orient - the Ottolenghi effect
Spring Cocktail - rhubarb bellini
Interview - The Hairy Bikers
Spears of Joy - local asparagus
Simple Canapé - puff pastry tartlets
Labour of Love - handmade preserves
Slow Roast - sweet & succulent lamb
Win! - BBC Good Food Show tickets
Win! - a shoulder of lamb & mint sauce
Luxurious Treat - frozen lemon dessert
Chocolate - 7 reasons to eat more!
Shopping - heavenly elevenses
&
Food
Drink
DRINK
Wine orient - the Ottolenghi effect
Sarah Abbott, Master of Wine
The UK is the centre of the world wine
trade. And the UK wine trade is rather
proud of its reputation as the global ‘shop
window’ for wine. We have adventurous
consumers and (until relatively recently)
no national wine production. The result,
over centuries, is that we have the most
diverse, inclusive range of wines from
across the world.
But UK consumers are also very fashion conscious.
And, increasingly, we are swayed by well known
brands and (often fake) price promotions. So
the countries whose wine producers take a cooperative, market-led approach do best here.
Australia, New Zealand, Chile have all challenged
12
the dominance of our nearer neighbours France,
Italy and Spain. New World wines are hugely
successful in the UK, from thousands of miles
away. They offer bright flavours, new grape
varieties, and versatile wines.
But closer to home there is a revolution in exciting,
high quality wines, offering fantastic value (but not
rock bottom prices).
Wines of Eastern Europe, the Baltic and Eastern
Mediterranean are enjoying a quiet renaissance
in the UK. Some Eastern European countries,
such as Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria are well
known as wine producers to UK wine drinkers.
(Well, at least to those of a certain age.) But they
have an unfortunate and undeserved reputation for
basic wines at rock bottom prices - a legacy of their export
strategy of the 1980s. More recently, these three countries
have been refocusing on high quality and championing their
delicious native grape varieties. Hungarian Furmint is a dry
white wine of fresh but creamy fruit which reminds me a bit
of a fuller version of Chablis. Romanian Feteasca Neagra is
a silky, gorgeously plummy red that is now being stocked
by Waitrose. Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon was the fuel of
many a student party in the 1980s, but the industry there is
working hard to raise quality and champion native varieties.
They still have a bit further to go.
Further east, Georgia has a winemaking heritage that is
8000 years old. This small country makes delicious crisp
whites and some serious reds (Saperavi is the most exciting)
that are renowned through Russia and the CIS states. Until
recently they were pretty much unknown in the UK. Celebrity
chef and restaurateur Yottam Ottolenghi has done much to
popularise Georgian wines. They are now for sale online and
in his chain of upmarket restaurants.
The Ottolenghi effect has also benefited the wines of Greece
and Turkey. Greece has an unbroken winemaking tradition
for thousands of years. Forget retsina - good Greek wines
(of which there are many) come from stony mountain
vineyards yielding dry wines of amazing depth and intensity.
Assyrtiko is a major white variety of very high quality, now
becoming more widely available in the UK.
Tbilisi, capital of Georgia
Turkey has a long but interrupted relationship with wine.
A Muslim country, but with a secular state, Turkey has a
trove of native grape varieties, and a well organised and
technically sophisticated wine industry. On the Aegean
Coast, juicy, seductive reds are made from native varieties
such as Okuzgozu. Further north, near the border with
Hungary, come dry, delicate whites made with Sauvignon
Blanc. In the centre of Turkey, in the ancient country the
Turks call Anatolia, both whites and reds are made from
national and local varieties. Narince is one of my favourite
whites from this area.
Israel and Lebanon, despite the challenges, are also
producing superb wines that are breaking out of the “ethnic”
shops and restaurants and into the mainstream. (Bedford’s
own Reem restaurant lists some very nice Lebanese wines.)
All of these wines have a depth and liveliness of flavour that
make them delicious with the full-flavoured, herby, spiced
and chargrilled foods that are now so popular. Of the major
supermarkets, Marks and Spencer has pioneered the import
of these exciting wine countries. Waitrose also has a modest
selection. Morrison offers some great value examples.
Otherwise, the best way to get hold of them is through the
specialist online wine merchants, or in one of the lovely
restaurants.
Celebrity chef, Yottam Ottolenghi
Follow us on twitter @OVLMagazine Find us on Facebook OVL Magazine
13
Rhubarb Bellini
A refreshing and fruity spring cocktail
Ingredients:
900g rhubarb
2 tbsp orange juice
175g caster sugar
Bottle of Champagne
Method:
Wash and trim the rhubarb. Cut into 2cm pieces and place in a
pan with the sugar and orange juice. Bring to a gentle simmer
and then cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until
the rhubarb is tender.
Strain over a bowl and set the rhubarb aside to use in a
dessert of your choice. Allow the syrup to cool and then chill
until needed. Divide the syrup between 6 champagne or
cocktail glasses and top up with Champagne to serve.
Where you can relax and enjoy quality
local produce, a wide selection of drinks
and the company of others.
Proprietors: Darron & Sarah Smith
Church End, Ravensden
BEDS, MK44 2RR
01234 772 319
[email protected]
Opening Hours:
Monday to Friday
12.00 to 3.00pm 5.00pm to 12.00
Saturday & Sunday
12.00 noon to 12.00 midnight
Siemens Home Appliance Cookery Demonstration
Peter Crisp Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Design
Studio Church Street Rushden is hosting a Siemens
Cookery demonstration on Saturday 17 May 2014.
There are two
sessions at 10.30am
and 1pm when you
can sit, relax and
watch the Siemens
home economist in
action demonstrating
the benefits of the
induction hob, the
multi function oven
and the combi steam
oven. You will have
an opportunity to
sample the food
cooked.
Places are strictly
limited so prebooking is essential
by contacting 01933
356424 or info@
petercrisp.co.uk
16
The Hairy Bikers
David Myers and Simon King on home cooking, dinner parties and celebrity chefs
Were you always passionate about food?
Dave: I have always been passionate about food, probably because I am a bit greedy! At home we
always knew the difference between good food and bad, which makes you care about what you
eat. Food is fun.
Where is your favourite place in the world to go for a foodie holiday?
Si: Australia, Italy, India… couldn’t choose. Different places have different things to offer!
What occasions do you find yourself cooking outside of work?
Dave: I cook all the time at home. I want to show off what I have learnt, and use our own
cookbooks.
What is the most exciting recipe you’ve created recently?
Dave: Best recent recipe has been stuffed lotus leaves for Chinese dim sum recipe.
What food would you rather buy and not make?
Si: Puff pastry.
Which ingredient could you not live without?
Si: Salt and pepper.
How should a novice go about putting a dinner party menu together?
Dave: The secret for novice cook and expert for dinner parties is to think like a restaurant, prep
everything thoroughly and leave the minimum to be done on the night.
What is your biggest restaurant displeasure?
Dave: Biggest restaurant displeasure is basically chefs who cater, chefs who are lazy and depend
on pre-prepared food. After all, we can all open a packet at home.
What is your favourite thing about cooking live?
Dave: The best thing about cooking live is being able to meet people who actually watch you on
the telly. Numbers mean little but a smiling face says it all.
Who is your favourite celebrity chef?
Si: Dave Myers! And Keith Floyd.
IVY LODGE NURSERIES
EST 1955
Countrywear
OPEN 7 DAYS
9.30-5PM
10-4PM SUNDAYS
We endeavour to inspire our customers
with new varieties and ideas
for the home and garden
All our summer plants are grown on site
We are passionate about care
and quality of our plants
SPRINGWEAR
Visit us for inspiration and advice
perennials, herbs, shrubs, trees
for Ladies & Gentlemen
Now in Stock
Hanging baskets
- new and refilled
www.lodgeway-countrywear.co.uk
01462 816122
OPEN: MON-FRI 8pm-5pm SAT 8am-12pm
SPECIAL OFFERS ON COMPOST
Chicksands, Shefford, Beds SG17 5QB
A6 RUSHDEN ROAD, SHARNBROOK, MK44 1ND
01234 782108 / 07775 713215
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Carpets
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Wood floors
• Professional installation
• Electric curtain tracks & motorised
blinds
Furniture
• Sofas & Armchairs in any fabric of
your choice
C l a s s i c Tr a d i t i o n a l
We are not just a shop. Every week our
long established family business supplies
commercial soft furnishings to interior
designers, businesses, and institutional
clients. Our workshop makes up most of
the jobs we sell. Local customers benefit
from our wide experience which always
produces the home of your dreams
Visit our showroom
97a Howbury Street, Bedford MK40 3QT
Tel: 01234 327 109
Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
www.coolandclassic.com
Home, Office or Site
Consultations
Individual service from a talented team
with in-depth product knowledge
18
Browns of Stagsden...
A proper farm shop on a proper working family run farm...
Open Farm Sunday
8th June
10am – 4pm
• Entry by donation to a
local charity
• Great day out for all the
family
• Come and find out how your food is produced
from field to fork
• Meet the farm animals and baby turkeys
• Sit on a tractor and combine, and see all the
other machinery used throughout the year
• Visit our farm shop
• Craft stalls, demonstrations, bouncy castle,
face painting
• BBQ or bring a picnic
Farm Shop
normal opening
times:
Tues-Thurs 9-5pm
Fri 9-6pm
Sat 9-4pm
01234 822330
www.brownsofstagsden.co.uk
Follows us on Facebook and Twitter
Manor Farm | High Street | Stagsden | MK43 8SQ
Spears of Joy
Local Asparagus at Warrington House Farm
In 1976 Robert Stevens sowed his first
asparagus seeds at Warrington House
Farm with four acres of Lucillus, one of
the first Dutch Hybrid available in the UK.
Everyone thought he was mad. Back then
most people couldn’t spell asparagus, let
alone know how to cook it.
The following year, when the seeds had
germinated into crowns, they were lifted and
replanted and grown on for another year. It wasn’t
until 1978 that the first asparagus was ready to
harvest and sold in the farm shop.
The asparagus was so successful that Robert
sowed more seeds and increased the acreage
year on year until he had 22 acres. By this time
not only was he selling the asparagus through
the shop but he was also supplying local hotels,
restaurants and wholesale vegetable markets
including Covent Garden and Leicester. After
experimenting with different varieties such as
the French Cito, Robert settled on the Hybrids
Dariana and Gijnlim, planting new crowns every
Warrington House Farm
Seasonal Farm Shop
(May to August)
& Tea Room
Selling Own Grown Rhubarb,
Fresh Vegetables, Breads, Cakes,
Local Honey, Jams & Chutneys
Specialist Asparagus Growers
Open Daily 9am to 6pm
Tel: 01234 711464
Situated just off the A428
on way to Northampton (MK46 4HN)
20
few years as the crowns only produce enough
spears to grow commercially for around 10 years.
Until 2003 the asparagus spears were harvested
by people walking along the rows and bending
down to cut the spears at ground level, but
Robert acquired electric trollies for the cutters to
ride on which made the work less back-breaking.
The English asparagus season is quite short,
traditionally starting on St George’s Day and
finishing on Midsummer’s Day. This leaves the rest
of the summer for the asparagus to take enough
nutrients and sunshine to enable re-growth the
following year.
Warrington House
Farm Shop has
evolved slowly
over the last 35
years from selling
asparagus and
home grown
soft fruit such
as strawberries,
rhubarb,
gooseberries and
blackcurrants to
stocking breads,
cakes, free range
eggs, local honey,
jams and chutneys
plus lots of other
delicious foods.
This year Warrington
Farm Shop is
starting a small Tea
Room selling teas
and coffees and
homemade cakes.
Warrington Farm QP May 2014.indd 1
16/04/2014 12:47
Puff Pastry Tartlets
A quick and easy starter or canapé
Ingredients:
320g ready-rolled puff pastry
165g tapenade
75g parmesan, grated
8 small tomatoes
olive oil to drizzle
Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using
a 6cm pastry cutter, cut out 16 discs and place them on two non-stick baking
trays. Using a 4cm pastry cutter, make a 1cm border around each pastry disc
(do not cut all the way through). Prick the centre of each pastry disc all over.
Keeping within the border, spread 1 teaspoon of tapenade over each disc and
sprinkle over a teaspoon of parmesan. Top with half a tomato and drizzle with
olive oil. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
A QUICK CHAT WITH.....
Jane White
can be foraged responsibly. Always pick from an area
away from traffic, take only what you need and never
uproot plants. Look for: crab apples, blackberries,
wild damsons, rose hips, wild garlic, elderflowers
and berries, sloe berries, raspberries, dog roses and
dandelions.
Labour Of
Love was launched in the
summer of 2011, fulfilling Jane White’s long
held ambition of creating her own range of jams, jellies,
chutneys and liqueurs. Previously Jane spent years
working within the speciality food business.
Q: What sparked your interest in food?
A: My love of food is intrinsic. My mother was my
inspiration. She was an exceptional woman who cooked
professionally and then came home and cooked for her
family. I have many happy childhood memories such as
gathering wild bilberries where we grew up in Yorkshire
for my mother’s bilberry tarts.
Q: What would you say is the biggest challenge of
working in the food industry today?
A: Trying to make a living! There are lots of challenges
facing small food producers including threats from
supermarkets that are offering some artisan products.
Your kitchen has to be registered and approved by
Environmental Health and products have to be labelled
to comply with Trading Standards requirements.
Q: Why the name ‘Labour of Love’?
A: The whole process is very laborious, from picking the
fruit, preparing it, making the jam or chutney, preparing
the jars and potting up. It is then hand labelled, gift
boxed and decorated and then there’s the washing up!
Someone once told me I ‘cooked from the heart’ and on
reflection she was right.
Q: What is the best thing about having your own
cottage industry?
A: Creating something beautiful and continuing the
tradition of preserving. I am often invited to help myself
to friends’ and neighbours’ fruit and vegetables that
would otherwise go to waste. I meet lots of lovely foodie
people and have learned to be patient as preserving
takes time and can’t be rushed.
Q: What is your favourite chutney?
A: Chutney isn’t always aesthetically pleasing but I
refuse to produce something brown and boring! I love
big, bold flavours - chutney with attitude! My Chilli Jam
is vibrant red and ticks all the boxes. Another winner is
Spicy, Indian Apple Chutney which tastes like curry in a
jar. Both are fab as dips, with poppadoms, cheese and
cold meats.
Q: Tips for someone making their first jar of jam?
A: Choose a simple recipe using high pectin fruit such
as plums, apples, gooseberries etc which will set easily.
Start by making a small amount and do not use overripe
fruits as the pectin content decreases. You will need
a large saucepan and some long-handled wooden
spoons as jam ‘spits’ when reaching setting point. Your
jars will need to be sterilised and have twist-on, lined
metal lids. Enjoy, experiment and have fun.
Q: Which goes on the scone first, cream or jam?
A: Jam first every time - it’s definitely the star of the
show. I love their jewel colours and heady scent. I have
always loved geranium, violet, rose, lavender and lemon
balm and use them whenever I can. I would choose
dainty, plain scones, smothered in jam and topped with
a little clotted cream.
Q: Describe your perfect Sunday morning.
A: I get up as soon as it’s light to feed my pets and
open the hen house. After a mug of hot water and fresh
lemon I take Florence, my English pointer, out for a walk.
I am always happiest surrounded by open countryside
and love to hear the birds’ morning chorus. After a
breakfast of smoked salmon and my girls’ eggs, it’s
coffee and the Sunday papers followed by a trip to the
local Farmers’ Market with family and friends.
Q: What delicious ingredients can be found in the
hedgerows of Bedfordshire?
A: There is an abundance of fruits and berries which
Go to www.labouroflovepreserves.co.uk to find out more about Jane’s handmade produce
22
What does your
kitchen mean
to you?
What does your
kitchen mean
for you?
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Anglia House, Wolseley Business Park,
7 Railton Road, Woburn Road Ind Est, Kempston,
Bedford MK42 7PN
Telephone: 01234 843000
Huntingdon Showroom Anglia House, Unit 2, Stone Hill,
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 6ED
Telephone: 01480 398018
Bedford is a solus SHERATON studio
Proud to be backed by KBSA. Buy with confidence and have peace of mind through to completion. www.kbsa.org.uk
YOUR WARM WELCOME HOME
– AGA VALE FARM
For decades, one of the most defining characteristics of an AGA cooker was the fact it was
on all the time. Not so now, with the launch of the new electric AGA cookers – the AGA Total
Control and AGA Dual Control. Both are built for the 21st century, with programmable features
that are flexible to your lifestyle. What’s more, you can save a huge amount of money on
running costs and these new cookers can be sited anywhere in the kitchen, including an island
unit.
AGA Total Control
The innovative AGA Total Control is designed for those who want ultimate flexibility. Its ovens
and hotplates can be controlled independently and there’s even an additional feature which
allows some models to be controlled remotely via a mobile phone, tablet or laptop.
AGA Dual Control
The new AGA Dual Control is designed for those who like flexibility but still want to take
advantage of the indefinable AGA warmth in the kitchen. With this clever model, the hotplates
can be switched on and off as the owner pleases and the ovens can either be on full or set at
a lower economy setting.
Taste the AGA difference…
A great way to experience AGA cooking is by attending
a demonstration at AGA Vale Farm. You’ll learn AGA
cooking techniques, meet other AGA owners, taste the
delicious food that’s been cooked and receive some
great recipe ideas.
The team at AGA Vale Farm is also on hand to offer
expert advice on AGA refrigeration, AGA stoves and
kitchen essentials from the AGA Cookshop collection.
Call or visit AGA Vale Farm for more information.
AGA Vale Farm, Woburn Road, Nr Lidlington,
Bedfordshire, MK43 0NL
01234 765792
agaliving.com
Slow roast shoulder of lamb
A sweet and succulent crowd pleaser
Ingredients:
1 large onion
1 large bunch fresh rosemary
8 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 kg shoulder of lamb
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp flour
500ml lamb or chicken stock
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Peel the onion and cut in half. Place the two halves and 4 garlic
cloves in an oven dish large enough to hold the lamb. Top with half the rosemary sprigs.
Score the fatty side of the lamb and rub all over with olive oil. Season well and place on top of
the onion, garlic and rosemary. Top with the remaining rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves and
cover tightly with foil. Bake for 4 hours.
Transfer the lamb to a board, cover with foil and allow to rest. Remove the rosemary and garlic
and skim off most of the fat. Place the dish on the hob and whisk in the flour. Gradually add the
stock until you have a smooth gravy. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the pan
along with the redcurrant jelly. Season and serve alongside the lamb.
We are a family run business with
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• Conservatories
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Our Hardwood
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TEL 01234 818299 or 07779 302761
Visit our web site for more details
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quater page.indd 1
26
18/10/2013 16:27:54
20 Keeley Lane
Wootton
MK43 9HR
01234 854 112
[email protected]
www.thelegstraps.com
@TheLegstraps
Open: Tues to Thurs 12pm - 3pm & 5.30pm - 11pm;
Friday and Saturday, 12pm - 11pm; Sun 12pm - 4pm
WIN! WIN! WIN!
5 PAIRS OF
BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW
TICKETS
12–15 JUNE
NEC BIRMINGHAM
The BBC Good Food Show Summer
returns to Birmingham promising to be
one of the best days out this summer. To
celebrate we have teamed up with the
organisers to offer you general admission
tickets as a fantastic prize!
See some of the nation’s TV favourites
including John Torode, Mary Berry,
Paul Hollywood and The Hairy Bikers
and many more all cooking live in the
Supertheatre. Pick up tips and ingredients
from some of the country’s top speciality
producers in the Producers’ Village,
be inspired by the Good Food Bakes
& Cakes Village, and enjoy fabulous
shopping opportunities from the 100s of
exhibitors.
Visitors to the show also gain free entry to
BBC Gardeners’ World Live, packed with
ideas for growing your own deliciously
fresh ingredients.
Not a winner? To book tickets and for
more information on the BBC Good
Food Show Summer please visit
bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com or call
0844 581 1341.
Terms and conditions:
All tickets are general admission excluding Saturday.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Ticket
terms and conditions apply. Tickets do not include a seat
in the Supertheatre.
To enter our competitions:
Email [email protected] quoting
Good Food Show or Browns of Stagsden
in the subject box and we will enter you into the
prize draw. The winners will be drawn at random
and notified by Friday 23 May. Closing date
Friday 16 May.
OVL brings you FANTASTIC prizes every month!
WIN! WIN! WIN!
A SHOULDER OF NEW SEASON LAMB
& JAR OF MINT SAUCE
We are delighted to offer our readers the chance to win a succulent
shoulder of locally produced, new season lamb and a jar of tasty
mint sauce from Browns of Stagsden.
Browns of Stagsden, a proper farm shop on a proper working family
farm, is situated in the middle of Stagsden by the church. They sell award
winning sausages, bacon and beef from home reared pigs and cattle plus
home reared turkey and local lamb, all highly acclaimed by their customers.
Browns of Stagsden, who opened their first farm shop in 2005, offer a full range
of quality fresh meats and meat products all year round. They also stock a wide range
of local produce, including fresh vegetables.
Following the extension and refurbishment of their premises in 2009, Browns of Stagsden
also offer home reared ham and a wide variety of cheeses from their deli counter.
Opening times:
Tuesday - Thursday 9-5pm
Friday 9-6pm
Saturday 9-4pm
Browns of Stagsden
Manor Farm, High Street, Stagsden MK43 8SQ
01234 822330
www.brownsofstagsden.co.uk
LAST MONTH’S OVL COMPETITION WINNERS
Congratulations to Joan Thomas who won 4 nights’ bed & breakfast at Casa Dei Sogni in Sicily
and Peter Pack who won an Excursion Claret Waxed Canvas Washbag and Raspberry Goodie Pouch from TUSTING.
Entrants’ contact details will only be given to the provider of the prize and will not be passed on to any third party.
New Sharnbrook
practice now open
at Millhouse Hotel
Please call for
details
North Beds Osteopaths
has been established in
Bromham since 1990.
We are experienced in
treating both adults and
children.
We can help with many
problems including:
Back, neck, joint &
muscular problems
Sports injuries
Work strains
Headaches
Back pain, etc during
pregnancy
Cranial osteopathy
available
You
only
have one
spine –
look after
it well!
Open Monday to Saturday
in Bromham
Male and female
practitioners (in Bromham)
Experienced, fully-qualified
osteopaths
Registered with the General
Osteopathic Council
Jason D. Pinny ND, DO
Joanne E. Pinny ND, DO
& Associates
2a Grange Lane, Bromham
Bedford MK43 8NP
Phone:
01234 823621
www.northbedsosteos.co.uk
supporting your well-being
Get ready for Summer with our
tasty free from foods
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A test will give you instant results on over
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Now available weekly in Bromham, Bedford,
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Please call Samantha Thompson
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or email [email protected]
www.allergytest.co.uk
@granovitaUK
30
granovita UK
shop.granovita.co.uk
www.granovita.co.uk
Follow us on
@allergytestuk
Frozen Lemon Dessert
A luxurious treat, perfect for entertaining
Ingredients:
225g digestive biscuits
15g melted butter
225g icing sugar
60g butter, softened
Method:
3 eggs, separated
2 tbsp lemon juice
300ml double cream,
whipped
Finely crumble the digestive biscuits and mix with the melted butter,
reserving 1/4 cup for the topping. Press the remainder into a loosebottomed tin.
Cream together the icing sugar and softened butter and then beat in the
egg yolks and lemon juice. Fold in the whipped cream and stiffly beaten
egg whites. Pour onto the biscuit base, top with the reserved crumbs
and freeze. Serve straight from the freezer.
LOVE to work
for OVL?
An opportunity has arisen for an Advertising Consultant
The successful applicant will sell advertising space for this popular lifestyle magazine
through face-to-face, email and telephone contact with new and existing clients. Some leads
will be provided although applicants should be motivated to source new business.
The Consultant will have a proven track record in sales, excellent interpersonal and IT skills
and the use of a car. Knowledge of local companies would be an advantage.
This home-based role will be on a self-employed basis and requires approximately 30 hours
per week for 10 months of the year. Remuneration is by commission with an additional
basic payment to cover expenses.
Please email a letter of application and CV to [email protected]
Sharnbrook
Summer Fete
Monday 26 May 2014 2-5pm
Sharnbrook Playing Field
Gates £1 - Pensioners 50p - U16 Free
Car parking only £1 + entry charge
y
fanc
en’s heme
r
d
il
Ch
ny t
s - a ative
dres
e
r
c
Be
ize!
a pr
n
i
-w
•
•
•
•
Dog display • BBQ • Bar • Ice-creams
Raffle draw (top prize £100) • Dog Show
Games • Bouncy Castle • Tug of War
Stalls & more
In aid of the SHARNBROOK PLAYING FIELD ASSOCIATION Charity No 300062
32
Yay! 7 reasons to eat more chocolate
Feeling guilty about all that chocolate you’ve gorged on over the Easter
holidays? Taunting yourself with the image of a fatter, spottier, insulindependent you? Pledged never to so much as glance at the melt in the
mouth snack again?
Well, fear no more. My name is Olivia and I am here to tell you that chocolate
may actually be good for you! I have encountered surprising volumes of research
into chocolate’s many health benefits - all presumably conducted by a team of
chocoholics seeking solace - but, nevertheless, here’s what I found…
1
.P
lain chocolate is high in antioxidants; these
molecules are linked to a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease, one of the NHS’s
biggest burdens. Antioxidants inhibit lipid (fat)
oxidation in the blood reducing the risk
of atherosclerosis (the clogging of
arteries which has potential
to lead to heart attack or
stroke).
2
. Although it is not
yet known why,
regular cocoa
consumption has
been associated
with lower blood
pressure.
3
. Chocolate prompts the production of
serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain
linked to feelings of wellbeing, calm and stress
relief.
6
. There is a speck of evidence to
show chocolate increases blood
flow to the brain, potentially
reducing the risk of developing
neurodegenerative disorders
like dementia.
7
. A recent study
has linked
chocolate with
increased oxygen
delivery to the
kidneys, perhaps
suggesting
renoprotective
properties.
However, more
research into this is
required.
.F
lavonols, a
chemical in
chocolate,
increase
nitric oxide
production;
this dilates
blood vessels,
other cocoa
components
decrease platelet
stickiness; the
two combined can
reduce the risk of
blood clotting.
4
5
Olivia Waker
.C
ocoa is one of the greatest
food sources of polyphenols,
thought to inhibit aberrant crypt
foci formation; these are abnormal glands
that can develop in the colon and rectum
predisposing to colon cancer.
Unfortunately,
the majority of this
applies only to dark/
plain chocolate.
After much research
(believe me I looked)
there is little to say about
the health benefits of milk
or white chocolate. So, for
guilt-free munching look for a
cocoa percentage greater than
35%.
Olivia Waker is a 2nd Year Medical Student
at Leeds University
33
2
1
4
3
5
6
7
8
11
10
9
12
14
13
15
1. Homesense Cake Tin, £7.99
2. Monsoon for Oxfam, £12.99
3. Marks & Spencer Cake Stand, £15
4. George at ASDA Cake Tins, £7
5. Homesense Rose Tea Cup, £7.99
6. Oliver Bonas Alphabet Mugs, £10
7. Next Tea Cup (set of 2), £8
8. Homesense Cake Stand, £12.99
9. Debenhams Butterfly Tea Pot & Cup, £22
10. Next Heart Coasters, £7.50
11. Next Hummingbird Mugs, £12
12. House of Fraser Biba Teapot, £30
13. Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Infusion, £9
14. Marks & Spencer Metallic Spot Mug, £7.50
15. Marks & Spencer Luxe Cup & Saucer, £19.50
16. Marks & Spencer Nordic Espresso Set, £6
16
35
GARDENS
Rosemary’s
Garden
Plant veronica in your May garden and enjoy spikes of blue, purple, pink and white flowers
all summer long
Veronica has an amazingly
long flowering season from
early summer until autumn.
The plants come in many
sizes and types from small
ground-covering varieties
to taller clump-forming
ones with impressive spikes
of flowers that can reach as
high as 90cms. The flower
spikes are composed of
lots of small florets that
open progressively from the
base upwards to form their
long-lasting display.
Also known as speedwell,
veronica is a valuable addition
to any garden not only for its
very long flowering season but
also for attracting butterflies
and bees. There are about
500 species of herbaceous
perennials or annuals that are
easy to grow. Some creeping
varieties are excellent in a rock
garden or for edging borders or
pathways.
Veronica prefers full sun in
well-drained soil. It can be
planted at any time during the
growing season 30-60cms
apart, depending on the variety.
The plants should be watered
regularly. Apply a thin layer of
compost each spring, followed
36
by a 2cm-layer of mulch to
retain moisture and control
weeds. Stake tall varieties and
divide clumps every three to
four years.
If you love blue flowers you
can’t go wrong with veronica
as it will give you the clearest
and brightest blues from pale
tones to deep violet hues.
‘Crater Lake Blue’ has deep
gentian blue flowers and is
45cms tall while ‘Georgia Blue’
has small, white-eyed, deep
cobalt blue flowers and is
30cms tall.
‘Ulster Blue Dwarf’ has a
profusion of intense violet blue
flowers all summer long while
‘Sunny Border Blue’ is one of
the best upright veronicas for
sunny gardens. Its 18cm dark
violet blue flowers are eyecatching. It grows to at least
60cms tall.
‘Bicolor Explosion’ has
stunning two-toned violet
flowers streaked with violet
blue. It forms dense plumes
with masses of upright spikes.
‘Blue Explosion’ has longer
spikes of blue flowers.
‘Hocus Pocus’ is incredibly
showy with long, violet purple
wands of brilliant colour while
‘Royal Candles’ has masses
of violet blue spikes. ’Sunny
Border Blue’ is another violet
blue variety.
‘Waterperry Blue’ is a ground
cover type with sky blue
flowers growing to 15cm and
‘Aztec Gold’ forms a wide,
low, spreading mound of short
spikes of sky blue flowers.
‘Baby Bomb’ has plumes of
tightly bunched blue flowers
while ‘Tidal Pool’ has short
bright violet blue flowers with
white centres.
Varieties with bright pink
flowers are ‘Red Fox’ which
has dense, upright spikes of
tiny flowers and ’Pink Bomb’
which forms unique rounded
plumes of pink flower spikes.
Or try ’Baby Doll’ or ‘Eveline’.
‘First Love’, 30cms, forms
compact mounds with dense
spikes of rich pink flowers.
‘Pink Explosion’ has plumes
with longer spikes of white
flowers with a soft pink blush.
‘Fairytale’ has silvery pink
flowers with dark pink stamens.
‘Dick’s Wine’ is a ground cover
variety with soft pink flowers.
You can add contrast with
‘Icicle’, 60cms tall, or ‘First
Lady’, 55cms tall, both of
which have pure white flowers.
TOP TEN
Jobs for May
In early May, plant begonias,
canna, crocosmia, dahlias, galtonia,
gladiolus, lilies and nerine for summer
flowering.
Plant perennials such as phlox,
delphiniums, euphorbias, helianthus,
sedum and poppies.
Put supports in place for herbaceous
plants before they grow too tall and
also for those with heavy blooms
such as peonies.
Mow your lawn regularly now,
changing direction to prevent ruts
and ridges. If the weather is dry mow
less frequently and raise your mower
blade as the extra length will shade
grass roots.
Prune shrubs such as forsythia and
flowering currant when they have
finished flowering by completely
cutting out a third of the oldest
shoots. Then trim the flowered tips.
Lift and divide polyanthus and
double-flowered primulas after
flowering.
Use a general purpose fertiliser
around clumps of spring-flowering
bulbs to encourage flowering next
year. Allow the foliage of daffodils
and all spring-flowering bulbs to die
down naturally.
Plant herbaceous climbers so that
you can enjoy displays later in the
year. Choose summer jasmine to face
west and winter jasmine to face east.
At the end of May plant out your
summer bedding plants in tubs,
troughs, borders and baskets. Try
fuchsias, geraniums, petunias,
begonias and lobelia.
Early-flowering roses will be open
by the end of May. Feed them with a
rose or tomato fertiliser to encourage
flower production. Repeat this in
midsummer but do not feed roses
after mid-July.
37
NATURE
The Great Outdoors
Will Anthony on May’s flora and fauna
May is my favourite month, and not just
because my birthday falls in the middle! As I
age gracelessly each spring, conversely the
signs of new life are everywhere right across the
Great Ouse valley. The hedgerows of blackthorn
and hawthorn have become green again and
are in full leaf. If there is a more beautiful colour
than the verdant green of the young leaves that
crisscross our area then I haven’t seen it.
May is a great month to get out for a stroll along
some of our many footpaths or around one of the
many Wildlife Trust sites local to us. Last month I
wrote about chiffchaffs - you might be able to see and
hear some at the Felmersham Gravel Pits. Don’t get
them confused with the similar willow warbler; you
can tell the difference by looking at their legs. Willow
warblers have pale legs while those of the chiffchaff
are dark grey. You should also look out for England’s
earliest-flying dragonfly, the Hairy dragonfly. If you
can get close the small hairs all over the black body
are a giveaway to its identity. I’ll be out looking for
damselflies too, my favourites, with their delicate flight
and tiny, intricate bodies.
Summer migrants like swifts and swallows will be
here by now, as will cuckoos, although sadly I didn’t
hear any in Sharnbrook last year. I’m hoping that will
change this month especially as 2014 has been a
good year so far for new species in our little garden.
Long-tailed tits and thrushes are both new visitors.
Many garden birds will have chicks by now and will be
eating frantically in order to keep them fed. Blue tits
especially start to look straggly and frazzled once they
are into their second brood. Enjoy the month and if it’s
your birthday too, enjoy the cake!
If you have any sightings or photos of local wildlife
please get in touch. You can find us on twitter @
OVLwildlife.
Photography by Ant Hagen
A wildlife walk is always more rewarding with an expert
and this month I’ve been enjoying a book written by
one. Friend of famous twitcher Bill Oddie, local man
Tim Sharrock has published Wildlife through the Year,
a wonderful collection of articles written mostly about
Bedfordshire’s rich fauna and flora. Tim’s insight and
light-hearted writing are a treat.
39
TINSLEYS
RIDING SCHOOL
Established 1977
www.tinsleysridingschool.co.uk
SHORTNESS OF BREATH? CONSTANT COUGHING?
TIGHTNESS IN CHEST? LACK OF ENERGY?
Try Salt Therapy
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The treatment’s efficacy is estimated at 75 - 98%.
• Friendly and professional experienced instructors
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Green Lane, Clapham, Bedfordshire MK41 6ET
Telephone 01234 268556
Ask in store for special promotions and offers
) 01908 888 480
Unit A Old Stratford Local Centre,
Falcon Drive, Old Stratford,
Milton Keynes, MK19 6FG
www.saltcave.co.uk
OAKLEY OPEN GARDENS
Sunday 29th June
1.30pm to 5.30pm
Tickets £4 each (under 16s free),
including a minibus to take you around the village (optional)
Tea and ticket profits going to St Mary’s Church Oakley
FIFTEEN BEAUTIFUL GARDENS TO VISIT
Plants for sale
Address for tickets and minibus pick up point is:
Town Farm, Westfield Road, Oakley MK43 7SU
OakleyPlease
Gardensremember
AD HP May 2014.indd
1 OVL when responding to adverts
40
to mention
23/04/2014 15:06
My Wonderful Father
In 1979, aged 16, I was totally consumed at the expense of my
studies with the forthcoming purchase of my first motorcycle. I
decided to wait the extra year and opt for a Kawasaki KH 100EL,
brand new and shining in its blue livery from K Motorcycles of
Bedford, missing out the Fizzy stage which all my schoolmates
were screaming about at the time.
In the intervening months before being legally allowed to ride it,
my dad would don a spare lid and take us both to an abandoned
wartime airbase at Stow Longa, near Kimbolton, and teach me to ride
safely, keeping a watchful, paternal eye on my inept wobblings and
probably ruminating on the lecture he would receive from my mum if
I so much as scraped a knee in the learning process.
My dad, the consummate professional airline captain, worked long and uncivilised hours often far from
home but he would always find the time on his precious days off to take me as pillion for my riding
lessons.
Off we would go in a cloud of blue haze, the little 99cc making a huge fuss, hauling Senior and Junior
off to our destination on those cloudless spring and summer afternoons.
I lost my beloved father to a sudden heart attack just over a year ago and the pangs of loss have
turned my memory back to that golden time.
I have over the years owned a BSA Lightning, BMW R80, Triumph NL (1929) and currently ride a
Hinckley Bonneville T100 and 1978 Honda CB400 Four but the giant chasm in my garage is that little,
otherwise unremarkable, Kwaka… what I wouldn’t offer to bring it back home.
The DVLA tell me it is out there somewhere, maybe rotting gently under a tarpaulin, and I would jump
at the chance to purchase it back and restore. In that two-stroke haze I’ll have something tangible to
go alongside those memories of my wonderful father.
Kawasaki KH 100EL
– first registered Bedford 1980
– registration LVS 877V
Paul Wilmot
0777 600 7534
[email protected]
41
STYLE
Stephanie Sofokleous
The word grunge is riddled with dark
and gloomy connotations so it might
surprise you to find that it’s a major
trend for the upcoming summer
months. This year for grunge, the focus
isn’t so much on the colour black and
the variety of ways in which it can be
worn, but what it can be added to in
order to bring a hard edge to an outfit,
so that means any colour you like can
be pulled into this look, even pink!
This is a style that’s all about cool, clean
silhouettes, and a variety of textures from
silk to organza. Think 90s Kate Moss
and you’re certainly on the right track. In
fact, the incorporation of sensual fabrics
and shapes, as well as the importance of
glamorous accessories has led to this trend
being named ‘luxe grunge’, making it more
accessible and sophisticated.
90s fashion is making a massive comeback
at the moment so a nostalgic mix of plaids,
muted pallets and stonewashed denim is
nothing new. However, the glamorous twist
comes from the inclusion of moody florals,
sheer fabrics and delicate layering.
Midi skirts are replacing the maxi skirt of last
year for this summer and teamed with one
of this year’s crops and a pair of Dr Martens,
you’re basically there.
This is a style that can be created with
accessories alone, such as black knee-high
socks, beanie hats, choker necklaces and
some items from the emerging spiritual
jewellery trend, for example, crystal
pendants.
Grunge being grunge, there are no real
rules. No matter how updated it may be,
this is still a trend that harks back to 90s’
rebellion, whether it’s pairing your clumpiest
pair of black boots with your prettiest frock,
or adorning your look with a darker lipstick
than usual. The level of your rebellion is
completely up to you.
1
2
3
4
5
7
6
8
9
10
12
11
14
13
16
15
17
1. Missguided Kiara Mesh Flower Print Skater Dress, £24.99
2. Missguided Aleksandra Floral Eyelash Cami Slip Dress, £29.99
3. Missguided Aldara Scuba Playsuit with Floral Contrast, £24.99
4. Missguided Virgilia Striped Mesh Bodycon Midi Skirt, £14.99
5. Missguided Jaime Abstract Floral A-Line Skirt, £9.99
6. Matalan Black Buckle Monk Strap Shoe, £15
7. Matalan Flower Printed Pencil Skirt, £10
8. House of Fraser Vivienne Westwood Metallic Tote Bag, £440
9. F&F Metallic Swing Camisole, £9
10. Bank Fashion Ginger Fizz Orchid Floral Dress, £50
11. Asos Airplane Shoes, £55
12. Asos Clutch Bag in Blurred Lines, £25
13. Asos Airtex Sleeve Square Top, £32
14. Accessorize Chunky Geo Perspex Necklace, £17
15. Accessorize Cross Stacking Ring Set, £6
16. Accessorize Cut Out Cross Ring, £6
17. Accessorize Embellished Deco Gem Hard Case Clutch, £35
Proud new stockists- up to 8 years!
Beautiful children’s clothes for
Special Occasions!
65A -67 High Street
SHARNBROOK
MK44 1PB
Tel: 01234 781077
www.twinkletwinkleboutique.co.uk
Where excellence is our standard,
designed with you in mind
* Massage
* Beauty
* Reflexology
* Acupuncture
* Osteopathy
* Wellbeing treatments
Tel: 01480-869404
www.holistic-hands-online.com
HolisticHandsWellbeingCentre
Find us on the B660 between Kimbolton & Catworth
44
TO RENT
BULGARIA, Black Sea Coast
5* Kaliakria Resort Apartment (near Kavarna)
Ground floor, spacious apartment, corner plot
2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (sleeps up to 6 adults)
Stunning views overlooking spectacular infinity pool,
Black Sea Coast and Championship Golf Course
Rental May-Sept £300 p/w · Oct-April £200 p/w
· Luxury finishes and high specification throughout
· Large terrace, utility room with washing machine
· Fully air conditioned with heating also and open fireplace
· Swim-up-to pool bar and children’s area in pool
· Restaurants, bars, BBQ, shop, gym, wellness centre
· 3 Championship golf courses within easy reach
· Visit www.kaliakria.com for more details of the complex
For bookings/enquiries email
[email protected] or call 07712 001732
Ideal for golfers, families or couples wanting to get away from it all
BEAUTY
Naomi Jones shares more secrets from the salon…
Let’s nail it!
Gorgeous nails - we all want them! From indulgent
luxury manicures and professional false nails right
through to budget options, we all desire smart
hands. And let’s be honest, we do form our initial
opinions from the way people look.
So first of all let’s investigate a bit of manicure history.
The word manicure comes from a combination of
the Latin words ‘manus’ (hand) and ‘cura’ (cure or
treatment) and the process has a history stretching
back 3000 years. Although I doubt whether the people
of ancient Rome or Egypt imagined the possibilities of
our contemporary manicures.
Jumping ahead to China some 600 years ago there
are tales of gold and silver nail paint made from egg
white, gelatine and rubber. Yuk - it hardly sounds as
glamorous as the gorgeous pots of colour we now
collect, does it?
At the beginning of the nineteenth century it is said that
women would shape their nails and polish them using
essential oils; this eventually led to the first nail care
system being developed. Note, though, one common
thread: throughout all those centuries of history nail
shapes and colours have always been symbols of
social status.
Early commercial nail polishes were all based on
varying shades of red with Max Factor and Revlon
leading the way. This was followed by the revolution
that was ‘nail varnish remover’ with the late 1930s
bringing us nail strengtheners. By the 1950s the
manicure branch was one of the strongest in the
cosmetic industry and the 70s witnessed the start of
acrylic nail work. Nowadays the modern manicure has
become a work of art with glamorous designs and
jewels applied to either the natural or false nail.
Whether it’s a good scrub with a nail brush and
generous squeeze of hand cream, a nail file and buff
finished with a gorgeous lick of nail paint, or indeed
some glamorous falsies with extravagant nail art, just
remember what granny always said: ‘Keep your hands
smart as this is the first impression people will have of
you as they shake your hand’.
… and remember, when you look good, you feel great!
Jargon in the salon:
What is…?
A manicure - Nail trimming and shaping,
cuticle maintenance - essential for healthy nails and a relaxing hand massage.
A deluxe or spa manicure - All the
manicure work mentioned above along with
deep exfoliation and moisturising of the hands
and nails. Perfect for neglected hands to
encourage nail growth.
Acrylic, fibreglass, silk, gel nails - These
3 Top Tips for Nails
1. Fingernail or toenail abnormalities can be
an indication of what is going on with our
health. They’re often a sign of a fungal
nail infection or injury but can sometimes
indicate a more serious underlying disease.
If your nails have dramatically changed in
colour, texture, shape or thickness it may be
worth a visit to your GP.
2. For a smart, well-groomed look that takes
very little time trim and file the nails,
remembering to file in one direction only so
that you do not weaken the nail, then gently
push back the cuticle using an orange stick
tipped with cotton wool. Do not over-soak
the nails in water as this will encourage them
to swell slightly, decreasing the life of the nail
polish. Finally, massage in some cuticle oil.
3. For an intensive treatment at home this oldfashioned remedy works wonders. Gently
exfoliate the hands using a spoonful of salt
and olive oil, massage into the skin and rinse
well. Carefully dry your hands and apply a
generous amount of rich hand cream before
putting on a pair of white cotton gloves; it
is best to wear them overnight. Now I know
this isn’t an attractive night-time look, but it
does work.
are all types of nail enhancements that may
include the use of nail tips or nails sculptured
using specific products that create a false nail.
Gel or super polish - This is a coloured coating
that’s like a long-lasting nail polish. The product
is applied and then cured under a uv lamp so
that it sets. This treatment can last up to three
weeks. Provides strength as well as colour.
Great for nail biters!
To Self-Publish or Not To Self-Publish.
The Question Is: Are You Game?
This month our book-writing mum-on-a-mission Suzy Bashford
tries to persuade us to join the online publishing revolution and
get writing
They say there’s a book in everyone. I
certainly felt there was a book inside
me. And now, after almost two years, it’s
(nearly!) out and living online. Perhaps there
is a book inside you too? Perhaps you have
read my previous columns on the power of
creativity and have been wondering how to
unleash yours?
The biggest barrier I faced was self-doubt.
Hearing stories of how other people had found
the time and commitment to self-publish their
own stories motivated me hugely. One of the
most inspirational, in fact, was Sharnbrook Upper
student Caleb Adesina (18) who I met when the
48
careers service referred him to me for advice on
journalism. He had just published a science fiction
ebook on Amazon called Zodiacs which he had
written in his spare time around revision.
So many things impressed me about Caleb. His
vivid imagination (he reads a lot of manga and his
book idea came to him in a dream). His drive (he
worked on it in the evenings, at weekends and
during the holidays). His immaculate manners (I’m
a sucker for those).
He talked about how much he had enjoyed the
process, how surprisingly easy it was to upload
his work to Amazon and start selling it and
how “thrilling” it was to see it displayed there,
alongside hundreds
of other authors. “It
was really worthwhile
doing, and not as
stressful as you
might think,” he
says. “And selfpublishing means
you have complete
freedom and power
over your own work.
If you believe you
Caleb Adesina
have a good idea,
get it out there! A good idea is always worth the
effort.”
Another barrier for me was guilt. I kept worrying
that I shouldn’t be spending so much time writing
a book when I had small children to look after
and a mortgage to pay. That’s when hearing
Tracy Bloom’s story really helped me keep going;
her self-published book No One Ever Has Sex On
A Tuesday shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list and she’s now a fully-fledged, full-time
author.
Tracy, like me, found that writing actually kept her
sane in the midst of motherhood (or muddlehood,
as I prefer to call it). She started working on her
book when she had to move to America because
of her husband’s job and suddenly found herself
“with a brand new baby and no mates and no
career anymore”.
“Writing gave me an escape when everything
around me changed. It also proved a cunning
way to avoid domestic duties and people who
didn’t understand my
Derbyshire accent,”
she tells me.
Another mum who
self-published and is
also now an Amazon
best-selling author
is Sophie Nicholls,
who echoes what
Tracy says about
writing to order the
Tracy Bloom
chaos. The nudge
that she needed to
write her first book was her dad being seriously ill
in hospital. “When I visited him we had long chats
and we talked about the dreams we’d had but
never fulfilled. He asked me about writing a book,
as I’d always written since I was a little girl. I was
39 at the time. It was a ‘now or never’ moment.
I wanted to meet my dad’s challenge and make
him proud of me,” she says.
Sophie then got up at 5am every morning for a
couple of months to write for two hours before
going to work. She did more in the evening. But
instead of feeling tired, she felt energised. And
the story ends happily. Very happily. Sophie’s dad
recovered and her book, The Dress, rose to the
top 5 in Amazon UK’s Kindle charts.
But, while success stories are greatly inspiring,
the best thing for me is the adventure of the
journey. As Sophie advises: “I just let myself enjoy
the process and take a playful approach rather
than thinking, ‘I must write a great novel’. The
most important thing is to have fun”.
Suzy’s Top Tips
• When thinking of an idea, start by considering subjects you’re really interested in rather than,
say, what genre traditionally sells best - that way the writing process will be much more fun and
you’ll produce better content
• Enjoy the adventure - you may not find fame or fortune but, with the right attitude, you’re bound
to have a good time and learn a new thing or two
• Focus your efforts on Amazon’s Kindle self-publishing platform - it has the lion’s share of the
market and gives you back 70% of any profits made on the sale of your book
• Don’t worry if you’re not a techie - it’s not as hard as you might think to get your book up online
• When you’ve done it, tell your friends and family about it on social media. This is the best way
to spread the word and even if only your mum buys it, it’s still a massive achievement!
Follow Suzy on Twitter for news of the imminent launch of her book, Wondering Woman,
via @suzybashford, or email [email protected] to be added to an early alert list
49
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50
Based in Harrold, Bedfordshire
Sally Abbotts
Commuting is a skill. Some people have been doing it
for half a lifetime and have it down to a fine art – others
have been giving it a go for three weeks and can’t cope
(*cough* me). After an insight into travelling as one of the
masses, it’s funny to observe the little quirks of commuting
etiquette.
Some (the well versed commuters) have got it sussed. They know
exactly where the train doors will stop on the platform and huddle in
specific spots. We mere amateurs are oblivious, spreading out like
fools, only to sheepishly join the back of the huddle when the train
pulls in. As the train arrives, everyone cautiously scans the windows,
surveying the number/whereabouts of empty seats.
Then it’s on to the tricky business of actually sitting in said seats. The
first few on (the wise ones at the front of huddle) take their pick, a few
others filter into those awkward spots by the window and the rest of us
stand in the aisle avoiding eye contact.
A few stops down the line and people begin to filter off, leaving a few
seats spare. Those still standing perform the quietly eager shuffle for
a seat - a silent attempt to slink into the seat that at least three other
people have their eye on.
But as luck would have it, you’ve got it. The seat’s yours, you can rest
your weary legs and enjoy the scenery as you gaze out over suburbia.
The time is nearing – your stop is approaching. It’s not quite time
to leave your seat, but near enough that you need to signify to your
unsuspecting fellow passenger that you will soon need to get off and
they are going to have to move out of your way.
The indicators are fairly subtle – closing your book with a little more
force than necessary, heaving your bag onto your lap with a little
more vigour. Then the time comes. Ideally, at this point no words are
exchanged as your fellow passenger has picked up on your silent
prompts. If not, a small shift in movement and a ‘sorry, do you mind if
I…’ does the job.
It’s a tiring world for the commuter, made no easier by our awkward
British your-bag-is-in-my-face-but-I’m-still-pretending-you-don’t-exist
manner. And all this before 9am. Phew.
51
Aunt Ginny
Gilly Winser fondly remembers her great aunt
who had very little but wanted nothing
Aunt Ginny was old - or that’s how it
seemed to me.
Mother visited Ginny Coleman frequently and I
enjoyed going with her. I liked my aunt who was
small with grey hair wound into a bun secured with
hairpins. She was wrinkled, laughed a lot and often
dressed in black. I was fascinated by the way she
touched everything as she moved around her tiny
living room; the only downstairs room in the railway
cottage that she rented in Sharnbrook.
One day I asked my mother why Aunt Ginny
touched the furniture when she walked around.
“She’s blind. She has to feel to know where she is.
If you close your eyes everything looks black and
that’s how it is for Aunt Ginny all the time”. I closed
my eyes and I didn’t like the black so I opened
them again quickly.
The cottage, a ‘one up and one down’, was as
fascinating to me as my aunt. The toilet was in
a small wooden building in the garden. It had a
wooden seat with two round holes in it, one big
enough for an adult and one for a child. There were
two galvanised metal buckets underneath. On the
side were small squares of newspaper. There was
always a faint smell.
The water for the heavy black kettle on the kitchen
range, which heated the room as well as cook food
and boil water, came from a tap outside.
Inside the cottage the tiny bedroom was reached
by a small spiral staircase with uneven steps. The
little living room was crowded with furniture; there
was a scrubbed table, a chaise longue, a wellpolished chest of drawers and two dining chairs.
There was a black fender in front of the grate with
sparkling brass fire irons resting in it. My mother
always insisted that I wore my warmest jumper
when we visited in the winter because there would
52
only be a couple of
small pieces of coal
burning, even if it was
snowing outside.
Aunt Ginny’s favourite armchair had a seat made
of rushes from the river. From it she entertained
us with her stories; sometimes it was a letter from
her brother in America that made her reminisce
about when he left for ‘the land of milk and honey’.
Her face wrinkled even more with the laughter
that punctuated her tales. “He left with all his
possessions tied in a neckerchief fixed on a stick.”
“What made him go?” I would ask and she told
me how Mr. Choate, the American Ambassador
to Britain, was so pleased with ‘our Ted’ that he
took him to be a butler. She would laugh and say,
“And do you know, Mr Choate, when he wrote a
book, mentioned how Ted Coleman raised and
lowered the Star Spangled banner for him. So my
brother is rich and famous now”. I met Uncle Ted
on several occasions, an upright man who wore
cream-coloured trousers with razor-sharp creases
and smelt of scented soap. He brought large bags
of sweets for my sister and me and gave us two
half crown pieces each. It was the only time we had
such a lot of money.
Aunt Ginny told other stories over and over again;
how she sat on the same chair always because
first her husband and then her son had claimed
it as theirs and they both died and it made her
sad. There was no laughter when she told me
this and although I didn’t understand the lingering
pain caused by the death of someone you loved, I
always felt quiet inside when this story was told.
Whilst I listened I would gaze around the little
room. There was a mantelpiece with a couple of
ornaments and a picture on the wall of a fiercelooking old lady. She seemed to insist I looked
at her although she sometimes made me shiver.
On the opposite wall was a stuffed owl in a glass
surround and on the chest of drawers a wooden
box with a pattern on it made from small pieces
of differently coloured wood. “My treasures are in
there,” she told me, and one day opened it and
brought out a pair of earrings. “My favourites,”
she said, “and when I kick the bucket I want my
neighbour to have them. She is very kind to me”.
My visits to Aunt Ginny stopped when I left home
at the age of 15 to go to work until I married 14
years later and returned to live locally. My mother
had died a year earlier and my husband joined me
on my visits. The same small fire was burning in the
grate. Not a thing in that little room had changed
and the fierce lady was still staring at me from
the picture. The toilet remained a little way up the
garden path and the water tap was outside the only
door.
One day I realised that something had changed.
We were huddled around what little fire there was
when I mentioned that the green vase with a rose
painted on it was exactly the same as one that
used to belong to my mother. “I want you to have
that one to put with it,” she said. “This way I have
the joy of giving and knowing that you will treasure
it along with your mother’s is a comfort to me.”
I thought how little she possessed and here she
was happily giving a piece away, and how she
had refused her brother’s offer to pay for electricity
‘Our Ted’
for her cottage.
“I’m happy with
my oil lamp and
candles,” she
told him.
Some weeks
later there was
a little flame in
the grate which
reflected in the
brass fire irons.
I complimented
her on keeping
them sparkling.
“Do you like
them?” Aunt
Ginny asked.
Aunt Ginny and her husband
“They are lovely
and make your
fireplace nice and bright”. “I want you to have them
and treasure them,” she said, “and I’m tired of
polishing so you needn’t feel guilty for taking them”.
“That’s a lovely frame around the picture of the old
lady,” I said about a year later, forgetting how it
all worked. “You like it, do you?” “Yes, I’ve always
liked gilt frames”. “That’s my mother. ‘Our Ted’ had
her picture painted by an artist in London. I’d like
you to have it but you’ll need to promise you’ll look
after it for ever”. Using her favourite expression she
added, “But you’ll have to wait for it until I’ve kicked
the bucket.” “I think it’s important you keep it,” I
answered then added, “Until you kick the bucket”.
She threw her head back with laughter.
Over the next few years Aunt Ginny became
more frail and was taken into hospital. She was
breathless as she talked saying, “Please God take
me. I’m so tired”. But God didn’t take her and she
was transferred to an old people’s home. I went
to see her. “I’m sorry you, can’t see all the bright
yellow daffodils outside your window,” l said. “Don’t
be sorry I can’t see because I’ve always got music
in my head,” she said and laughed. There was an
uncomfortable feeling in my throat as I left.
Aunt Ginny died a few days later aged 101. Her
cousins rang to say my name was on the picture
and wooden box and would I like the scrubbed
table, chaise longue and the chair with the rush
seat. Of course I would and I treasure them as she
did. They remind me of a strong, happy, great aunt
who had a rich brother and little else, not even her
sight. Yet she never grumbled, wanted nothing
more than she had and in her contentment was as
rich as ‘Our Ted’.
53
HISTORY
WW2 Memoirs - Bill Knight
May 1945 Rangoon - part one
Bill Knight was born in Bedford in 1921 but spent much of his life at his beloved
Middle Farm, Oakley, which had been his grandparents’ home. During World War
2 he served in Africa and the Far East. Bill passed away, aged 93, on 16 January
2014. He delivered the last sections of his memoirs to OVL just before Christmas as
promised and we feel honoured to continue to print them. Here he continues
his account of the landing on the Burmese mainland.
Having seen newsreel pictures of the ferocious
Japanese defence of various Pacific islands, it
was natural to expect a similar reaction from
them in defence of their major supply port for all
their forces in Burma.
I had been given a young Lieutenant as 2i/c,
fresh out from England, replacing the still
injured Rex Crompton, and another driver for
the jeep and trailer, Raymond Elliott, who had
been in No.5. C.O.B.U. for about a year, but
then aged between 19 and 20. With regret I
cannot remember the name of my 2i/c; we did
not have many days in each other’s company.
I remember him for a request he made a few
days before our “D” day. I was due to land with
the first wave of infantry, still the F.F.R., from the
smaller landing craft, while Elliott, 2i/c and Jeep,
etc, would come ashore later in a much larger
vehicle landing craft. He asked me if I would
exchange places with him as he had done
nothing yet and I had survived seven landings
so far. I thanked him for his offer but could not
accept as my orders were to be in charge of the
Forward Observation Party, and whatever would
his family think of me if he stopped a bullet and
I got off scot-free, and that he had to accept.
The great River Irrawaddy flowed into the
estuary known as the Rangoon River. The city
lay some 20 miles inland. Huge amounts of silt
were deposited into the Bay of Bengal and with
Japanese occupation it had been impossible
for there to be any depth recording done
close inshore. That meant that the troopships
had to lie some miles out at sea and, most
unfortunately, the Monsoon had arrived a week
or two earlier than usual with a particularly
rough sea. This made the journey in the L.C.A.
(Landing Craft Assault) with its flat bottom
exceedingly unpleasant with most of the F.F.R.
being seasick.
Eventually we got to land in an area of paddy fields,
each of which was full of water, and the only way
across was along the top of the paddy bunds,
narrow and slippery with mud. We made about 10
miles that day and managed to find an old barn in
which to spend the night. We reported progress
on our wireless and got the most welcome news,
“JAPS GONE”, on the roof of Rangoon jail. Other
news was that one of our landing craft had hit
a mine in the Rangoon River. That made little
comment, bearing in mind the adage, “If you go to
war you must accept casualties”.
Next morning the full news gave us a body
blow. The landing craft involved was carrying the
remainder of our own party. Raymond Elliott, the
driver, was below deck when the mine was struck.
The explosion blew him up and smashed his
head on the steel deck above killing him instantly.
My 2i/c was on the open deck, went up in the
air and landed on the canvas roof of a lorry. The
canvas may well have saved him from more severe
damage, but the steel ribs holding the canvas were
instrumental in causing a broken arm, broken ribs
and other damage to be checked in the Hospital
Ship.
We had no more walking to do as all Japanese
forces had gone, and a larger landing craft came to
the river bank to give us a lift to Rangoon where we
met up with the rest of our Unit. My friend Hector
Emerton had been travelling alongside our landing
craft and he and his crew managed to get the
wounded 2i/c off as well as Elliott’s body, but not
before all our worldly goods, dry clean clothing, etc.
had gone to the bottom of the river.
My next necessity was to get some clothes for
myself and the Naval telegraphists. I found out
that there was a Quarter Master’s Store nearby
belonging to the I.N.A. (Indian National Army), a
pro-Japanese force of slight military use. We all
went there. The Q.M. was sitting at his desk and
I gave him a list of all our requirements: “four of
everything”. To my amazement he asked me for
my authority. I remembered that King Charles I
asked the same question of Cornet Joyce and
Joyce indicated a troop of Parliamentary cavalry
outside, which was enough, so I produced my
Sten gun, cocked it and pointed it at him, “This is
my authority”. There was no magazine in it but he
obviously wasn’t aware of that. One of the Indian
telegraphists spoke to him in one of the local
languages to make it absolutely clear, and within a
quarter of an hour we had all that we needed.
Then we returned to our unit (5.C.O.B.U.) which
had arrived at billets in the city, and settled for a
more civilised way of life.
To be continued in the June edition of OVL
Troops land near Elephant Point South of Rangoon, 5 May 1945
55
Crossing Continents by Bentley GT
MOTORS
Is that McCann in Coco Chanel’s Private
Apartment? What Were They Thinking Of?
Richard McCann
We’ve been fortunate at OVL to be favoured
with all Bentley’s latest models for test and
I confess to a particular love of this great
Marque – 1920s’ tradition brought right
up to date. Time behind the wheel of the
consummate British Grand Tourer – the
Continental GT – is always an enjoyable
experience and I’m always pleased to see
that the roads of the Ouse Valley have far
more than our fair share of this model.
So I’m guessing that plenty of readers will
be interested to know that Bentley is offering
enthusiasts a range of driving experiences as
unique as their cars; from exclusive luxury breaks
in partnership with some of Europe’s finest
hotels, private houses and luxury brands to
bespoke routes around the world designed by the
company’s driving experts.
The Secret Britain tour begins with the cream
of London’s fine dining and hospitality, including
a private lunch in the Bentley Room at the
award-winning Mosimann’s restaurant. After
leaving the capital the tour covers the best of
56
The Cotswolds and a rare opportunity to stay at
the imposing Eastnor Castle and take part in a
range of countryside pursuits. The tour concludes
at Bentley’s Crewe Headquarters, witnessing
the craftsmanship skills that make every Bentley
unique.
The Guest of Chanel tour is a tempting
combination of great Bentley touring through
France with a range of indulgent breaks en route
to Paris hand-picked to showcase the best of
French culture, fashion, cuisine and hospitality as
exemplified by the iconic Chanel fashion house.
Selected highlights include driving to St Emilion,
taking in the Chanel-owned Chateau Canon and
vineyard before exploring the beautiful hilltop village
(a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and enjoying
a private dinner at the spectacular Chateau de
Chenonceau as well as visiting the famed Margaux
vineyards. The tour concludes in Paris with a
memorable evening as guests of Chanel and a
privileged peek inside the private apartment of
Coco Chanel followed by dinner at the company’s
headquarters overlooking the spectacular Place
Vendome.
My personal favourite is The Italian Legend which
pays homage to an extraordinary race. The five-day
tour is inspired by the epic 1,000-mile Italian road
race, the Mille Miglia, won by Sir Stirling Moss. In
more recent years I was honoured to compete six
times for Bentley myself and much of the original
race route through Italy can still be traced. For the
modern driver travelling at a more leisurely pace
than I did, it offers an enticing combination of
relaxed touring with stop-overs in fine hotels and a
range of cultural highlights including private tours of
the Sistine Chapel and The Coliseum.
I’ve noticed that many owners of other supercars
rarely use their machinery – but Bentley owners
DRIVE! So for those driving enthusiasts who want
the freedom to travel at their own pace and in their
own time, Bentley is also publishing some great
drives selected by the company’s road-testers. The
series begins with two routes from opposite sides
of the world. There is a 130-mile drive through the
Mediterranean sunshine on the island of Mallorca
and also a classic 745-mile American road trip from
San Francisco all the way through to the bright
lights of Las Vegas. Upcoming additions to this
series of inspiring drives include a desert adventure
in Oman, an Australian drive from Melbourne to
Adelaide and routes in Malaysia, Scotland and
Canada.
OVL and the Sunday Times
There’s an interesting little item buried deep in the Finance Bill’s draft clauses. Lack of space
obviously prevents me from repeating the notes here but, in essence, when you buy a car that’s
taxed the remainder of the tax left will no longer be transferred to you and you will need to tax
it again. Risibly, the government claims this is to stop you worrying about whether it’s taxed or
not but as their own website allows you to check this online in two minutes that argument simply
doesn’t stack up.
The Sunday Times picked up on our news and ran the jointly-researched story:
End of paper tax disc nets chancellor £50m windfall
Drivers will be paying tens of millions of pounds extra in tax to the government from October thanks to a
flaw in new rules governing vehicle excise duty, reports the Sunday Times which goes on to say…
The anomaly means that the buyer and seller of any second-hand car will each be paying road tax on the
same vehicle for up to three weeks — in effect doubling the Treasury take for that period. Although the cost
to the individuals is low, averaging around £20, multiplied over the millions of transactions that take place
each year, the result is a multimillion-pound windfall for the Treasury.
Motoring groups say it is another example of hard-pressed drivers being squeezed by a stealth tax. “Drivers
already pay a disproportionate amount of tax and contribute more than £38bn to Treasury coffers,” said
Edmund King, president of the AA. “This ‘creative’ reworking of the road tax system will irritate drivers
who already feel that they are seen as wallets on wheels.”
Under current rules, when a person sells a car, the paper tax disc can be transferred to the new owner. From
October 1, however, paper tax discs will be abolished, with the DVLA keeping details
electronically instead, and a new owner must start to pay the tax immediately.
The seller is able to reclaim tax from the DVLA, but the organisation will
refund only whole months’ worth. That means that unless the car is sold on
the last day of a calendar month, tax will be paid twice on one vehicle.
Last year 6,806,187 used cars were sold in Britain. Assuming an
average tax rate of £200 a year, or £4 a week, it means that drivers
would be paying almost £54.4m in extra tax.
The DVLA confirmed the anomaly, which was noticed by
Dr Richard McCann. The DVLA denied it would receive extra
money, saying it only administered the duty on behalf of the
government and that all tax went straight to the Treasury. The
Treasury said that the rule change — and its consequences —
was “an administrative decision”.
57
MUSIC
Milky’s Music Matters...
Sponsored by stuffagogo.co.uk
With regard to your rather magnificent album, was
it written separately, some old tracks from previous
bands or a totally collaborative effort?
It’s made up of songs which Mike’s been working on for
years. It became more collaborative once in the studio.
Champs, AKA brothers Michael and David
Champion hail from the Isle of Wight or, to be
precise, the Victorian seaside resort of Ventnor.
Originally in different bands, they eventually joined
forces and soon developed a unique and striking
depth to their vocal harmonies. Working with a pair
of tape machines, they worked out how to multitrack by listening to The Sleepy Jackson, Flaming
Lips, Arcade Fire and ‘Revolver’-period Beatles.
Their debut album ‘Down With Gold’ is really rather
special so a quick chat with David will hopefully
lead to OVL readers checking them out…
Growing up together did you have the same musical
tastes? Were either of you influenced by your parents’
taste?
We did indeed. Our parents had quite a few cassette
tapes which they used to play in the car. They were into
early REM and me and Mike listened to the cassettes of
Murmur and Out Of Time religiously. We also listened to a
lot of Kirsty MacColl and The Beatles.
Were you musically competitive when younger... did
you form rival bands?
Not at all. We both started learning guitar at a similar
time and we helped each other. Mike was in quite a few
different bands growing up and then started some more
serious bands. I was also in a couple of bands but they
were more about thrashing it out in my mate’s attic and
drinking lager.
What made you decide to join forces on a musical
level?
There was no specific moment, it just sort of made sense.
I joined Mike’s band (The Shutes) which was going for a
couple of years before Champs and then we just started
working on Champs as a kind of side project.
How do you reach decisions... does your manager
have the casting vote?
Mike and I both have a very clear vision of what we want
to achieve and we like to steer the ship as much as
possible. We like to make the decisions.
How did the label interest come about? Was the album
recorded before PIAS became involved?
There were about four songs done before PIAS became
involved. There’s a guy at PIAS who’s always been
keeping an eye on what Mike’s been doing and so when
he heard the four tracks he was pretty excited. It was all
quite straightforward really!
A gently haunting mood pervades the record with
some deliciously spooky atmospherics. Any strange
occurrences when recording it?
The place where we recorded it is definitely haunted. The
studio is in an old water tower in the grounds of Osborne
House on the Isle of Wight, which was Queen Victoria’s
holiday home and the place where she retreated to mourn
the death of Prince Albert. There’s a few sounds on the
album which we can’t account for so I think the spirit of
Albert might have been pottering about while we were
recording. I hope he liked it. The producers who own the
studio have got some pretty spooky stories about the
place.
How did you “get into the mood” for recording? The
vocals are wonderfully melancholy...
You just have to wait until that mood occurs naturally.
There’s times when we’ve been recording and had to stop
because we weren’t feeling it. I think it’s quite important to
feel the emotion of what you’re singing about, as it helps
the delivery. I like music which is sincere.
You’ve been out touring quite a bit recently, how
did your live band come together? It must be quite
challenging for a band from the IOW, you can’t exactly
pop home mid-tour.
Yeah touring’s been absolutely amazing but you’re so
right. We have to stop off and sofa surf in London when
we have a break. The band is made up of local legends.
We’re very fortunate to have the three most incredible
musicians on our doorstep. Two of the guys are from the
same village as us.
Admit it, with ‘F*cking Champs’ taken as a band name
you went for the next best thing!
Yeah we were gutted when we saw that had already been
taken. Believe it or not, Dermot O’Leary actually named
us. He got sent one of our demos, and it was saved as
‘champs’ which was just a working title we had for the
project as our surname is Champion. Dermot then played
the demo on his Radio 2 show and referred to us as
Champs so it stuck!
MILKY’S ALBUM REVIEWS
Pixies – Indie Cindy
Music lovers rejoice for Pixies are well and truly back and Indie Cindy
more than embellishes their wonderful legacy. After several years of
thrilling audiences with their return to the live circuit they’ve finally
got round to piecing together (this is essentially 3 EPs compiled) an
album that yields proper full-on PIXIES tuneage, an intonation that no
other band can reach. The album is basically a 50/50 split between the
raucous elements of their sound and the weird sci-fi lullabies that they
excel at. Packed with the staples of their signature ‘loudQUIETloud’
sound, intriguing lyrics (sample “picked up from dead things that you
licked”) and planet conquering choruses, well… it’s just genius.
Kylie – Kiss Me Once
The UK’s favourite Antipodean songstress unfurls her first album
since 2010 (work-shy!) and goes for the full glitterball bubblegum
pop treatment with a succession of espresso-doused tunes that are
as good as they are instantly forgettable, hey that’s pop in a nutshell
right? The cool producers and writers still queue up to associate with
Miss Minogue and more often than not it works gloriously well with a
few stand-out moments (the ones with SEX in the title). The gist of it
really is how good the singles are and they effortlessly deliver with a
21st century disco shimmer that may yet herald another revision of her
greatest hits.
Embrace - Embrace
How we fretted and scoffed in disbelief when the likes of The Stone
Roses and Elastica went five years between albums. Well that’s nothing
compared to Embraces eight year gap. It’s great to have them back
as they execute bombastic skyscraping hymns as if it was a perfectly
natural thing to do with every song seemingly developed with cinematic
sound as default. With a clear shift towards an electronic accompanied
groove they enhance some songs with an oscillating thrum and several
gear shifts mid-song (Quarters, Refugees) which succeed in adding a
new layer to their appeal.
Ben Watt – Hendra
Being one half of acclaimed alt-pop duo Everything But The Girl was
Mr Watt’s day job for around 20 years and in-between times he’s built
an admirable reputation as both a DJ and record label boss. Forward
to 2014 and he serves up a first solo record in, cough… 30 years that
gives flight to a series of heartstring-pulling compositions which work
brilliantly with his hushed tones. Dave (Pink Floyd) Gilmour stops by for
extra gravitas on ‘The Levels’ adding backing vocals and slide guitar
leading the album into a majestic closing triumvirate of songs that
elevates this album above 97% of other singer/songwriter fare. Time to
take the Hendra Experience?
SUPPORT THE BEDFORD LIVE SCENE - UPCOMING BEDFORD GIGS FOR YOUR DIARY
Thursday 15 May – Wolf Alice + Superfood @ Esquires
Friday 23 May – Teleman @ Esquires
Sunday 18 May – Big Country @ Corn Exchange
Sunday 25 May – Crocodiles @ Esquires
Sat 11 July - Inspiral Carpets @ Corn Exchange
Tickets from: www.wegottickets.com / www.seetickets.com / Danny’s Bar (Esquires) / Corn Exchange Box Office / Luscious Juice Bar.
WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE BIG COUNTRY AT THE BEDFORD CORN EXCHANGE ON SUNDAY 18 MAY
Simply answer the following question: What song achieved their highest chart placing of no.7 in 1985?
Email your answer to [email protected]
Did you know Big Country scored 17 top 30 UK singles achieving 5 gold and platinum statuses along the way
and played at Live Aid. Well worth going to see then!
SMOKIN’ DURRYS
BOOKS
BEDFORD ESQUIRES 10 MAY
The One Plus One, currently listed in The Sunday
Times bestsellers, is the latest novel from Jojo Moyes,
bestselling author of Me Before You and The Girl You
Left Behind.
The main character, Jess Thomas, is a single mother
who is struggling to make ends meet. Life is hard
for her and she receives no financial help from her
ex-husband. She works both as a cleaner at an elite
holiday park on the coast and also in a pub.
Jess’s daughter, Tanzie, is a mathematical genius
and is offered opportunities to take up a scholarship
at a top school and to enter a maths competition
in Scotland; the prize money could help fund her
education. Jess also cares for Nicky who is actually
the son of her husband’s ex-partner. Nicky wears black
eyeliner, is badly bullied at school and spends most of
his time on his Nintendo. The family has a large dog
called Norman, loved by them and loyal but a drain on
their limited resources.
By chance, Jess meets wealthy, good-looking Ed
Nicholls, a software designer, when she is cleaning his
house. His life is also in chaos, both personally and
professionally. It is Ed who, by a twist of fate, ends
up driving the family, and dog, in his immaculate and
expensive cart to the Maths competition in Aberdeen.
It is a very slow journey with many stops on the
way. They travel at no more than 40mph, avoiding
motorways due to Tanzie’s tendency to travel sickness.
The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional
novel, funny and sad, about two people living in
totally different circumstances who meet and fall in
love. Although essentially a romance, the novel has a
serious side in drawing attention to important social
issues.
Reviewed by Roz Masters
Smokin’ Durrys (Ash Caws & Max Felts) is a blues/
rock duo originally from Bedford but currently
studying popular music at Falmouth University in
Cornwall. Through discovering a shared interest
of Blues music Smokin’ Durrys was born. After a
few open mic sessions and an evening recording a
demo ‘SD’ is now starting to grow and branch out
of their seaside town.
‘SD’ is for fans of Jack White, The Black Keys
and Graham Coxon. At the start of May they are
embarking on a small tour of south England,
playing Bedford Esquires on 10 May.
Smokin’ Durrys’ debut EP Problem Girl
is available from
www.smokindurrys.bandcamp.com and you can
like them on
Facebook www.facebook.com/smokindurrys
Review of
the Month
Divergent
FILMS
Daisy Jayne Crisp
Director: Neil Burger
A hundred years after a devastating war, a
segregated society has formed within the
decimated, bleak confines of a cordonedoff Chicago. The city’s inhabitants have
been divided into five factions according to
their personality traits: Erudite (intelligence),
Dauntless (bravery), Abregation (selflessness),
Amity (friendship) and Candour (honesty).
Failure to perform well within your designated
group renders you an outcast – factionless and
forced to fend for yourself.
When wide-eyed teen Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior (Shailene
Woodley) undergoes compulsory testing she fails
to align to just one faction. She falls into the rarest
category of all – Divergent.
Due to their multiple capabilities, Divergents are
unable to conform within the regimented sectors of
a divided society and, as a result, are considered a
threat to the established order.
They are fated for death upon discovery.
Confused and sworn to secrecy, Tris conceals
her identity and opts for Dauntless where she,
alongside other newbies, undergoes brutal
training that would make even the most daring of
adrenaline junkies shudder.
As testing intensifies, Tris’s secret becomes
apparent to her tough-yet-tender leader (and love
interest), ‘Four’ (Theo James) who harbours a dark
past and secrets of his own. As whispers of an
impending conspiracy emerge and violence erupts,
the pair soon realise that the key to their survival is
each other.
Entertaining and action-packed, this first instalment
of the action-adventure trilogy (likened to The
Hunger Games) based on the
young-adult novel series, by
author Veronica Roth, takes no
prisoners. While it’s unlikely to
match the mania surrounding
its fellow franchises (The
Hunger Games, The Twilight
Saga), Divergent offers a classact in its leading lady, Shailene
Woodley, who gives a sterling
grace-saving performance.
WHERE do you read yours?
Email your pictures to [email protected]
and show us who’s been reading your OVL and
where they were. Pictures will be printed each month
and our favourite entry of the year will win £50 to
be announced in the December/January edition.
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Thank you for your many entries.
If your picture isn’t here check next month’s issue of OVL.
HOROSCOPES
Alison is an astrologer with BBC and American TV and radio credits and three
published books. In her personal one-to-one telephone readings she looks deep
into the soul or character, revealing underlying motivations and influences on a
person’s life. They are acclaimed as “incredibly inspirational, healing and insightful”.
Go to www.alisonchesterlambert.com or www.midlandsschoolofastrology.co.uk or
phone 01827 68288 / 07767 810889. £59 for over 1 hour recorded.
Gemini
Virgo
Life seems a bit
restricted as the
month opens, something
is limited or you may
decide to accept a
loss. But after the 12th
normal service resumes
and you are out there,
chatting, connecting and
buzzing with ideas again.
Be gentle and wise with
yourself and others around the 17th.
This looks like quite a
good month, despite
the hardships at the
beginning of it, for
these encourage
consolidation and
you probably needed a bit of that anyway.
If there is a complaint then, it’s more to do
with the amount of words that you have to
deal with after the 10th!
may22-jun21
Cancer
jun22-jul23
The recent eclipse probably
caused a bit of a shake-up
in your world, but hopefully you
came off best? Things will at last
start to calm down now, with
the most focus being on the
Full Moon around the 14th.
This may highlight money and
passion – the abundance or
the lack of!
Leo
jul24-aug23
The recent solar eclipse
temporarily removed your power
which isn’t nice for a royal lioness,
but work quickly around the 4th and
you can transform things. The time
around the 11th is sobering, but
you needed to axe a few things to
get good growth in the future, so
don’t worry about it.
64
aug24-sep23
Libra
sep24-oct23
Potentially an interesting and
eventful month relationship
wise. If you are in one, things
could get exciting mid-month,
or if you are not in one
and you would like to be,
then this may be a month
that you see some action. A
Significant Other is important
either way.
Scorpio
oct24-nov22
For many months things have
been changing and hopefully
improvements were made. But
now things are at last settling down
and you can start getting used to
the new terrain in peace. You have
entered fertile territory and finally you
get time to explore and see
where your advantages lie.
Sagittarius
Pisces
The last two weeks
of April should have
put things into place
for the future and now you
can look forward to a calmer
month. You may not be able
to please everyone or
anyone around the 18th,
so just please yourself instead.
Relationships improve after the
21st.
If a parent or child
requires some
assistance as the
month opens it
would be best to just
get on and do what
you must. For
then you are
free to enjoy
an exchange
or potential
between you and
a Significant Other around the 10th
even though communication may be
challenging.
nov23-dec22
feb20-mar20
Capricorn
dec23-jan20
After what may have been a
fairly disruptive April for some, it
would perhaps be good to settle a few
things. But your period of review will
take another month or so, so don’t
consider anything set in stone yet.
Sunshine enters your world on the
10th, so plan for a good day.
Aquarius
jan21-feb19
The last two weeks may have seen
another round of action, but that
should be the last time now. From this
month forward it should be
about consolidating all the
recent gains and striding
out purposefully into new
territory. You now reap what
you planted, or at least, get sowing
some seeds.
Aries
mar21-apr20
The last week or
so of April contained
a lot of action one way
or another. Are you happy with
the results? If not, there will be a
chance to rearrange the furniture
again in June, but until then you
have the chance to go over old
ground, review and reflect.
Taurus
apr21-may21
And here it is… your favourite month! And probably this is very
welcome after the recent issues. Be philosophical and prepare
to come back fighting around the middle of May, when you
might wish to champion a cause or even cut off from a few
things around the 15th.
65
CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED • CLASSIFIED
ACCOUNTANTS
CRAFT FAYRES
Craft, Gift and Vintage Fayre
The Masonic Hall,
Wellingborough Rd, Rushden NN10 9YJ
1st Saturday of every month10am - 4pm
Lots of interesting Crafts
and Handmade items
Hot & cold refreshments available
Disabled facilities
Free entrance & off road parking
Further details [email protected]
CAR MAINTENANCE
ELECTRICIANS
Extensions
New builds
Rewires
Smoke alarms
ELECTRICAL
Landlord certificates
Fault finding and repairs
Consumer unit replacements
Lighting and power (internal & external)
Boiler controls
Inspection and testing
Free quotations
Part P approved
All types of electrical work undertaken
CMF
Tel: (01767) 641575 Mobile: (07881) 627423
Email: [email protected]
CLOCK REPAIRS
YOUR LOCAL
ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTOR
Part P Approved
Free Estimates
New Builds, Full Rewires, Consumer Unit Replacements, Kitchen/Bathroom
Works, Extra Sockets & Lights, Garden Lighting, Electric Room &
Water Heating, Energy Saving Installations, Electrical Testing, Condition
Reports and Fault Finding.
Please call Simon
Tel: 01234 823565 (Oakley) or Mob: 07554 700939
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.scp-electrical.co.uk
GARDEN SERVICES
66
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
K H Garden Services
• All garden maintenance undertaken
• Grass cutting, hedge cutting etc
• Regular maintenance and contract work
• Reliable, professional, friendly service
• Locally based company - Fully insured
Contact: 07708 594746
THE LADY GARDENER
Garden design and landscaping
Country and cottage garden specialist
Restoration and planting schemes
Maintenance – regular or occasional to suit you
Experienced, knowledgeable and reliable
ALISON WALLBANK 01234 304935 07795 246558
www.bedfordshiregardendesigners.co.uk
Tel: 01234 783589
Mob: 07900 677851
Driveways & patios professionally cleaned/sealed from £2.00 per square metre
• High tech equipment used producing outstanding
results (far superior to jet-washing)
• Renovation of tarmac driveways
Brighten up your dull & dreary driveway/patio Before
Contact us for a free makeover assessment
T: 01234 783589 M: 07900 677851
E: [email protected]
W: www.a6drivewaycleaning.co.uk
After
Heritage Drives
• Drives • Patios • Tarmac • Gravel
• Block paving • Fencing • Decking
Fully insured
Free quotation
01234 363243 or 07788 438135
HOLIDAY HOMES
67
HOME IMPROVEMENTS CONT.
Extensions and all General Building Work
From Whole House, Flat or Bungalow Refurbishments, Kitchen & Bathroom
Fitting, Decking, All Aspects of Carpentry to Plumbing & Electrical Work.
Visit our website to see what services we offer or contact us with your requirements.
[email protected]
Office
Paul mobile
www.soulbrook.co.uk
01234 781836
07731 818990
All work guaranteed and we are fully insured via Nat West
MARQUEE HIRE
SPEECH THERAPISTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
TUITION
French in Beds
French daytime and evening classes in
Bromham. Private lessons for individuals or
small groups.
Thea Hughes BA (Hons) MA
 www.frenchinbeds.com
 01234 822965 or 07941 869424
 [email protected]
fourpawsandatailphotos.org
01234 343725 / 07528 310180
PLUMBING & HEATING
Qualified professional engineer
25 years experience
I specialise in solving all your plumbing, gas and
heating problems
All work guaranteed
Your local recommended engineer
No job too small
68
VEHICLE HIRE
Self Drive Hire & Contract rental
Standard & Minibus & Refrigerated vehicles
01234 339 008
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What our advertisers say:
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Ciro Ciampi, The Sharnbrook Hotel & Vesuvio
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especially with how popular your magazine is.”
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finish, quality and content.”
“May we thank you both for the beautifully presented article
and advert.”
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“Just seen a copy of OVL, thank you for the ad. As you said a
great position and you did a great job on the set up. Thanks.”
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“Many thanks for another wonderful edition of OVL. I always
look forward to receiving my copy and find the articles and
features fascinating. Please keep up the great work.”
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diarydates
Thursday 1 May
The Panacea Museum
Thursdays 11-3.30 & first Sat of
month 10.30-4. Story of the unique
religious community. Free admission.
Private visits for 8+ 01234 353178 or
[email protected]
Family stroll around the proposed
Heritage Trail. Tea & cakes from 3.30pm
(donations welcome). In aid of The
Friends of St James. Peter 01234
353662.
Friday 2 May
Bedford Art Society, 7.15pm
Putnoe Heights Church
Demonstration by award winning
illustrator Amanda Hall. Members
free, £5 visitors. Jean Paterson 01234
307210 or www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
Saturday 10 May
Coffee Morning, 10.30am-12
Sharnbrook Methodist Church
Traidcraft selling fairly traded goods.
Summer bedding & hardy plants.
Collection for Bedford Food Bank: milk
(UHT), sugar, teabags, instant coffee,
tinned food & also used stamps for
CLICSargent.
Saturday 3 May
Gagliano String Ensemble of
London
St Owen’s Bromham, 7.30pm
Adult £8, conc £6, u16 free. 01234
825454.
Nursery Plant Sale, 2.30pm
Village Hall, Pavenham
Buy from the growers; quality, unusual
plants, keen prices & good advice.
£1.20, parking, plant crèche, tombola,
children’s playground.
Sat 3 to Mon 5 May
36th Rushden Calvacade of
Transport
A6, Bedford Rd, South of Rushden,
NN10 0SN
Over 1,000 exhibits, fair rides, trade
stands, arena events, real ale, model &
craft tent. www.cavalcade.org.uk
Bedford Town Band 7.30pm
Addison Centre, Kempston
Concert by all bands of Bedford Town
Band organisation to celebrate the life
of Kempston supporter Nigel Nichols.
Tickets £8 & £5.
Sunday 4 May
Sharnbrook Evangelical Church
Sharnbrook Upper School
Services 10:30am every Sunday.
Creche & children’s activities.
Refreshments.
Mowsbury Park Bowls Club
Open Day
Wentworth Drive, 2pm
Following Wednesday free trial sessions
2pm. Equipment provided. Flat shoes
required. Fiona Mowe 01234 771416 or
[email protected]
Monday 5 May
Sharnbrook Bowls Club Open Day
Lodge Road, 2pm
For details call Penny on 01234
781660.
Stagsden Open Door
Every Monday, 2.30-4.30pm
St Leonard’s Church
Free admission and free tea, coffee,
squash & cakes. stagsdenopendoor@
outlook.com
May Bank Holiday Ramble, 2.30pm
St James’s Church Barn,
Biddenham
70
Quiz night, 7.30pm
Blunham Village Hall
In aid of teddybears playgroup. Teams
of up to 8, £5pp. Fiona Hodgson 0796
8028615 or Louise Day 07899 795155.
Bar & hot dogs.
Sunday 11 May
Cambs & Beds Hardy Plant Society
Annual Plant Sale, 10am
Stratton School Eagle Farm Rd,
Biggleswade
In the School Farm Open Day. Huge
selection of reasonably priced hardy
plants.
Stevington 12k Road Race, 11am
1 lap through Oakley & Pavenham,
starting & finishing in Stevington Village
Hall. Min age 17.
http://stevingtonroadrace.co.uk.
Changing facilities, refreshments. An
affiliated UK Athletics Race.
Monday 12 May
Cercle Français, 7.30pm
6 Rothsay Gardens, MK40 3QB
Social evenings 2nd & 4th Mondays of
month for those interested in French.
[email protected] or
Frank 720692 or Katharine 888811.
Thursday 15 May
Carlton & Chellington Historical
Society
Carlton Village Hall, 7.15pm
AGM & talk by Roger Powell at 8.15pm
on ‘Royal Mistresses’.
Bedford RSPB, 7.30pm
ARA Social Club, Manton Lane
Robin Potts presents Hope for Malta’s
Birds. 01234 822035 or
www.rspb.org.uk/groups/bedford
Friday 16 May
Indulgence Evening, 6.30-9.30pm
Alban Academy, Great Barford
Evening of tranquility and shoppers’
paradise. Refreshments. £5 in advance.
[email protected] 07732 473396.
Saturday 17 May
Zero Carbon Castle, 10.30-2.30
Community Herb Garden Open Day
Rothsay/Castle Rd roundabout
Plant sale, beekeeper with
demonstration hive, plant swap, cake
stall, proceeds to upkeep of the garden.
Bedford Art Society Exhibition
Art Centre, 7 Howard Street
Opening at 11am with wine &
refreshments. Exhibition until Sat 31
May (excl Sundays). Free entry. All work
for sale. www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
Bedford Sinfonia, 7:30pm
Bedford Corn Exchange
Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Prokofiev,
Rachmaninov. £13/£10, conc. £12/£9,
students & children £3 01234 718112
or on door.
www.bedfordsymphony.com
Sat 17 & Sun 18 May
Hinxworth Art Society Exhibition
Sale of Works, 10am-4pm
Hinxworth & Edworth Village Hall
Free admission and parking.
Refreshments.
Sunday 18 May
Bedfordshire Open Gardens,
1.30-5pm
Eaton Ford, Cross Hall Manor
Entry £4. Parking and teas at the house.
Monday 19 May
Save the Children
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust
Camelot the Musical
Charity performance. Tickets £11 Andy
Evans 782523 or Sharnbrook PO.
diarydates
Tuesday 20 May
Kimbolton Flower Club
Mandeville Hall, 7.30pm
Demonstration A Blooming Good Read
by Gill Shanks. Visitors £6, including
refreshments.
Tue 20 to Sat 24 May
Camelot the Musical, 7.30pm
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre Trust
Nightly 7.30pm & 2.30pm on Sat. £1113 from Sharnbrook PO or
www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
Thursday 22 May
Cowpers Oak
Weston Underwood, 7.30pm
Launch party for The Patrick Castell
Morris 10/6 Special from John
O’Groats to Lands End in aid of Help
for Heroes. £12.50 01234 711382 or
07767 600188. Music, buffet & raffle.
Friday 23 May
Charity Fashion show & Nearly
New Sale
Ravensden Village Hall, 7.15pm
Entrance £3 includes a free drink.
Saturday 24 May
St.Owen’s Church Annual Fayre
Bromham Village Hall, 2-4pm
Free entry. Children May Pole Dancing,
bouncy obstacle course, stalls & side
shows.
Sunday 25 May
St Mary’s Church Oakley
Teas from 25 May to 21 September
between 3.30-5pm.
Monday 26 May
Sharnbrook Evangelical Church
Visit our stall at the Sharnbrook Village
Fete. Cakes & children’s activities.
& Kymbrook Pre-school. £10 includes
glass of wine & pudding. 01234
378839 or ladiesgardenparty@yahoo.
com
Tues 27, Wed 28 & Fri 30 May
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre, 7.30pm
Miss Saigon (school edition) workshops
for 16-19 & younger. Auditions Sun
1 June, 2pm. Show 14- 22 Nov Paul
Wildman [email protected]
Great Barford Fun Day, 1-5pm
Village Hall & Playing Field
Free entry. Climbing wall, archery,
jousting, hog roast, real ale, music &
entertainment with medieval theme.
Louise 01234 870443 or geared@
tiscali.co.uk
Friday 30 May
SS Philip & James Golf Society
24th Annual Charity Golf Day
Mowsbury Golf Course, Bedford
In aid of Bedford & District Cerebral
Palsy Society & Bedford Food
Bank. Mike Chappell 07973 703340
[email protected]
Friday 6 June
Bedford Art Society, 7.15pm
Putnoe Heights Church
Demonstration by David Wells,
international award winning artist.
Members free, £5 visitors. Jean
Paterson 01234 307210 or
www.bedsartsociety.co.uk
Saturday 7 June
Concord Singers 35th Anniversary
Concert, 7pm
St. Owen’s Church, Bromham
£7, students £5 including after-concert
party. www.bromhambenefice.org or
07535 055932.
Friday 20 June
Ladies Garden Party, 7-9pm
Spring Hill, Little Staughton
In aid of the Primrose Cancer Care Unit
Summer Concert with The Arts
Quartet
St James’s Church, Biddenham,
7.30pm
Mozart, Haydn and Dvořák for strings,
piano, trumpet & percussion. £10 (£7
members of The Friends of St James)
from Peter Leverkus 01234 353662.
Sunday 22 June
Haynes Village 100
Playing Field, 12-5pm
Classic motoring event with sideshows,
stalls, displays & refreshments.
www.thehaynesvillage100.org.uk
Saturday 28 June
Party in the Park, 3-10.30pm
Blunham Playing Fields
Live bands & entertainment. Bring
picnics – gazebos welcome. BBQ, bar
& refreshments. Tickets in advance
www.blunhampfa.co.uk
Sunday 29 June
Oakley Open Gardens, 1.30-5.30pm
Profits to St Mary’s Church. £4 (under
16s free), including minibus around
village.
Charity and fundraising events for the June edition to be supplied by 10 May 2014 to
[email protected]. Please provide a maximum of 40 words & quote Diary Dates in the subject box.
71
CHILDHOOD COMMUNICATION
Independent Speech
and Language Therapist
Jacqui Wright
answers your questions
about childhood
communication
Dear Jacqui
I suspect that my child is dyspraxic. Please
can you explain more about this?
Dyspraxia is an inability or difficulty with three
aspects of completing a motor action: ideation,
sequencing, and/or motor execution. Ideation is
the ability to generate new ideas, sequencing is
planning out the steps needed to conduct the
idea, and execution is implementing the motor
plan i.e. carrying out the action to complete the
idea. Once a child can execute an activity, for
example, tying shoelaces automatically, a plan
is no longer needed. The lower brain has taken
over and higher cognitive processes are no longer
needed to complete that task. The following can
be symptomatic of dyspraxia:
• Clumsy, awkward movements and difficulty
climbing
• Difficulty finding one’s way around a new
environment
• Poor body awareness
• Poor sequencing of tasks
• Difficulty dressing, putting clothes on in the
correct order
• Slow motor reactions
• Difficulty playing ball games
• Difficulty with handwriting and fine motor skills
• Difficulty timing movements
• Difficulty with organisational skills
• Difficulty with oral-motor muscles for eating and
speech
• Difficulty with social communication, may have
low self-esteem
Jacqui Wright
Childhood Communication Consultant
Independent Highly Specialist Speech and
Language therapist
CHILDHOOD COMMUNICATION CONSULTANCY
www.childhoodcommunication.co.uk
[email protected]
01234 721 775 / 079 566 855 81
Find us on Facebook:
Childhood Communication Consultancy
Twitter: @JacquiSLT
If you have any questions for Jacqui
please email [email protected]
and she will endeavour to answer your
concerns in this column
SUNDAY 13 July 2014
Plans are well ahead for another exciting
event for all. Once again, it will be held in
the beautiful grounds of Kimbolton Castle
and the date for your diary is Sunday 13 July.
In addition to the hundreds of classic cars,
the Sealed Knot and the intrepid Flying Ryan
we are delighted to confirm once again the
Galaxy Swing Band & Lindyhop along with
both Irish & Morris dancers and new for this
year a ferris wheel.
In the meantime, why not have a look at our
website www.kimboltoncountryfayre.com for
all the latest updates on the Fayre or follow us on
Twitter @KimboltonFayre.
WIN!
Whose Ad is it?
T
his image is part of an
advert which can be
found somewhere in this
edition of OVL. Do you
know whose ad it is?
Email your answer to
[email protected] quoting
Whose Ad in the subject box. The
winner will be drawn at random and
notified by Friday 23 May. Closing
date Friday 16 May.
Two day passes for
BODYFLIGHT
Leisure Centre
Bodyflight Bedford
Twinwoods Business Park
Clapham
0845 200 2960
www.bodyflight.co.uk
Answer to last month’s
Whose Ad is it?
Tree Specific Ltd
Congratulations to Sue
Simpson who won a 45
minute golf lesson with PGA
professional Sam Smith at
The Bedford Golf Club.
Sudoku
Fill in the grid so that every row,
every column and every 3 x 3
box contains the digits from 1
to 9, with no repetition!
Answers in next month’s OVL
Last month’s answers
73
Do Your Feet Often Hurt?
Our foot clinic specialises in painful conditions in the feet and
lower limb. For over 15 years we have achieved success with
‘difficult to treat’ ailments such as heel spur, plantar fasciitis,
Achilles tendonitis, metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, bunion
pain, repeated ankle sprains and shin splints.
We have treated thousands of people successfully and prevented
some from having surgery. We are medically registered.
Wendy Russell-Rayner BSC(Hons) BA(Hons)
Wini Thomas BSC(Hons) BA(Hons)
Jayne MCDaid BSC(Hons) Registered Nurse
Foot Clinic : Osteopathy : Sports Injuries Clinic : Colonic Clinic
I had Achilles pain in both feet for most of my adult life and had operations
on both Achilles tendons to help relieve the pain. These operations were not
successful and if anything made the problem worse. My heels hurt in
normal walking. I am really pleased I went to the Bedford Clinic as I am
now pain free. I recently joined a hiking club and regularly do 10 km hikes
without pain. Ms A Armstrong, Milton Keynes
220 Castle Road, Bedford MK40 3TY
01234 294954 www.achingback.co.uk
74
Come and join us for an exciting new demonstration
with Sue Eggleston
Summer Picnics made easy on the AGA
On Saturday 21st June 11.45am - 2pm
£25 per person, call now to book
For more information simply visit or call:
AGA Vale Farm, Woburn Road (old A421)
Nr. Lidlington, Bedfordshire MK43 0NL
Tel: 01234 765792

Priceless - Ouse Valley Living Magazine

Transcription

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