Local News - The Villager Magazine
Transcription
Local News - The Villager Magazine
VILLAGER The Issue 48 - March 2016 and Town Life LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS Inside this issue Walking Football VerticalwithCover Climbers Win £25 in our Prize Crossword Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month ur Yo EE FRcopy 2 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Contents Artisan Food Tour - Win Tickets 15 The New Forest........................................................4 North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail...........................10 Fun Quiz.................................................................10 The Children’s Society Needs Volunteers.................12 Artisan Food Tour Competition...............................15 Reliable Local Handymen.......................................16 Employment Matters.............................................19 Divorce Myths Dispelled.........................................21 Dividend Taxation 2016/2017................................22 Proposed Stamp Duty Land Tax..............................24 VILLAGER The Issue 48 - March 2016 and Town Life LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS Inside this issue Walking Football VerticalwithCover Climbers Win £25 in our Prize Crossword Bringing Local Business to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month ur Yo EE FRcopy Know Your Number................................................25 Vertical Cover with Climbers..................................26 Animal Know-How.................................................28 Mad March Hair......................................................31 Walking Football in Yaxley.....................................32 Nick Coffer’s Recipe................................................34 Puzzle Page............................................................36 What’s On...............................................................38 Prize Crossword......................................................42 Beer at Home.........................................................45 Book Review..........................................................47 Walking Football 32 11,000 copies delivered free of charge in the following areas: Abbots Ripton, Alconbury, Brington, Buckworth, Bythorn, Catworth, Covington, Dillington, Grafham, Great Staughton, Hail Weston, Keyston, Kimbolton, Kings Ripton, Leighton Bromswold, Little Staughton, Lower Dean, Molesworth, Old Weston, Perry, Pertenhall, Ramsey, Riseley, Sawtry, Shelton, Stonley, Stow Longa, Swineshead, The Stukeleys, Tillbrook, Upper Dean and Warboys (We also have over 150 distribution points, including pubs, garages, most shops, post offices, Supermarket Chains in all of the above as well as in Huntingdon, Lt Staughton, Grafham Water Visitor Centre’s and Kimbolton) Editorial - Melanie Hulse, Carol H Scott, Abby Smith, Ian Melville, Tony Larkins, Pippa Greenwood, RSPCA, Nick Coffer, Ted Bruning and Bruce Edwards Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Scott - 01767 261122 [email protected] Photography - Famveldman and Darren Harbar Photography Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 [email protected] www.villagermag.com Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 3 History By Melanie Hulse The New Forest The New Forest has always been one of those places that everybody else raves about. Having managed to avoid the place on perverse principal thus far, I finally conceded defeat and agreed to a weekend’s camping trip last September. After all, given the route, the forest lies within easy reach of Bedfordshire, there are ponies (always exciting), plenty of quiet, off-road cycling, a beautiful coastline and cows that are allowed to amble at will – what could be more appealing? Having to pitch our tent in after dark only to discover the fact that we had chosen to put it in the middle of the pony’s favorite bathroom stop and that the car was so lodged in the resulting midden that we had no choice but to curl up in the cold without going out for the delicious meal I’d been promised, did nothing to endear me to the place. We had chosen the last permissible weekend of the year for camping in the forest and the site was far from quiet - only the issue was not people but deer! All our fellow happy campers were cosied up well before the 11pm curfew but I don’t think the animal residents had read the rules. It was that time of year when testosterone levels go through the roof and the male population of red deer feel compelled to clash horns repeatedly and with boyish enthusiasm and all night. They obviously favoured the midden too, as our tent was definitely the centre of the trouble, either that or some canny youngster had set up his betting shop within a spit of our zips and was marshalling the next hot studs into line for the how-loudlycan-you-yell competition. Sleep? Well, we didn’t want any of that anyway… The next morning dawned sickeningly bright so 4 I dragged my aching bones to the nearest washhouse before setting off into the forest to seek a heartening breakfast. How wonderful it was, even in my bleary-eyed and definitively grumpy state, to sail off on the broad, smooth footpaths with not a thought of cars - even our own. In no time my sleepless night was left far behind and we were tucking into a traditional breakfast in a Brockenhurst café, whilst planning a day in the wilds. Apart from cycling there are plenty of other activities available in the New Forest. With information available from the tourist information centre or local information points it would be possible to stay for weeks and still have a list of pastimes left. Archery, canoeing, kayaking, mountain bikes adventure trails, walking and of course the inevitable horse riding to name but a few. Thankfully, our visit to the New Forest coincided with one of those particularly lovely autumn weekends when the sky is clearest blue and the sun shines high and bright right up until the spectacular, painted dusk. The whole forest lay before us and armed with maps and full bellies we set off towards Beaulieu in un-squashably high spirits. The wonderful thing about the forest is that it isn’t actually a forest – in the way I would define a forest anyway. There are broad areas of open scrub where graze rabbits, ponies and deer and the sun warms one’s shoulders and there is not another person in sight. There are small, woodland clearings where squirrels chuckle and woodpeckers laugh and the absence of man-made noise is complete enough to be breathtaking. Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 5 There are rows and rows of Scots pine sheltering the brightest, thickest emerald moss and stands of ancient, stag-headed oak that tower like the kings of the forest and shelter the sweetest, purest streams. The history of the New Forest is an interesting one. Despite it’s name the area was in fact designated as forest land by William the Conqueror. Prior to the Norman conquest the area had been called Ytene and was an infertile heath-land with heavily thicketed lowlands, large areas of bog. The population was sparse as the land was considered uncultivatable but the people that did live there probably foraged for meat and edible plants as well as eating the vegetable crops that they were able to grow in pockets of more fertile ground. Artifacts of pre-Norman times have been found and are principally Bronze-age and Romano-British. Bronze-age field enclosures indicate some cultivation of the ground and the keeping of livestock. The forest had about 200 barrows, or ancient burial mounds, 100 boiling mounds where water was heated using a system of fire and flints and the used flints were discarded and heaped up leaving a mound. A large number of pottery kilns have been excavated which date from the 3rd and 4th centuries. William, Duke of Normandy invaded England on 28th September 1066. He defeated Harold Gowinson, the king of England, at the Battle of Hastings and was crowned on Christmas day of the same year. In 1079 William ‘afforested’ the area of the New Forest, which means that he brought it under forest law in common with 21 other large areas of the country. In this context ‘a forest’ denotes an area subject to special laws designed to protect the hunting rights of the monarch and those assigned to this task by him. It does not mean a wooded area as we have come to assume and in fact the New Forest was about half woods, half heath even in William’s day. It was a place for the keeping of deer and certain other animals defined thus by Manwood in his Treatise of the Laws of the Forest: 6 “A forest is a certain territory of woody grounds and fruitful pastures, privileged for wild beasts and fowls of the forest, chase, and warren, to rest and abide there in the safe protection of the King for his delight and pleasure.....” This designation brought the few inhabitants under strict laws that required them to preserve and protect game of all species, especially animals of the hunt – red deer, fallow deer, roe and wild pig, which together were referred to as ‘the venison’. Thus, the forest was made a kingdom within a kingdom which had laws that ran in parallel with Common Law. There was distinct legal system with its own courts and officers whose sole aim was to protect the venison and vert (the green food the venison fed on) for the king’s pleasure although it is likely that he rarely hunted there but employed professionals to do so in his stead. Royal edicts could be and were issued by the Crown with no appeal or redress. William justified the severity of this system by producing a document – the Charter of Cnut (now discredited) which apparently declared that the exclusive rights of the chase were vested in the king. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle explains the situation in this way: “....set many deer free, and laid a law upon it, that whoever slew hart or hind should be blinded. As he forbade the killing of harts he forbade the killing of boars, and he loved the stags as if he were their father. He decreed also that hares must go free. The rich complained, the poor lamented; but he was so hard he set their hate at naught...” In fact, no sovereigns before William including Cnut had claimed royal prerogative for hunting the woods of their subjects. Trespassers and poachers of the kings own woods had been punished by common law, not a Forest Law which was a Norman institution brought over from the continent. In the eyes of the English it was unprecedented tyranny. Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts QUALITY KITCHEN FACELIFTS A new look for your old kitchen this Spring EST. 1999 ® Why replace when you can reface? • Huge choice of doors worktops, appliances, sinks & taps • Senior citizens discount • Low cost with minimal hassle and disruption • From a simple door swap to a complete kitchen refit CALL FOR A FREE ESTIMATE: 01480 877249 dreamdoors.co.uk Visit our showroom: 3, The Causeway,Godmanchester PE29 2HA To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 7 Imagine the effects of Forest law upon the local population, however sparse. They were no longer allowed to enclose land in any way nor ‘interfere’ with the vert by grazing their own livestock. They could not gather fuel for fires as the underwood was considered the property of the king. Some were even evicted from their homes while others moved of their own accord in order to cultivate land outside the afforested area. In an attempt to compensate for the harsh restrictions that afforestation imposed, the common inhabitants were allowed to turn their livestock onto the unwanted or waste-land of the forest if they made claims for Common Rights at the forest court. This too was restricted, during the winter months to protect the whole place for the foraging needs of the king’s deer and in the month when the fawns were born resulting in the actual grazing rights on the common land stretching to only about five months of the year. These harsh laws were only made more severe during the reign of William Rufus or William II. He made death and mutilation the punishments for interfering with the king’s deer. Killing a deer was punishable by death, those who shot a deer had their hands cut off and blinding was the penalty for mere disturbance of the herd. After Rufus died after being shot (most probably murderously) with an arrow in the Forest, Henry I was made king. He promised to modify the severity of the Forest Law but in reality maintained it, although he did grant rights of warren to those under Forest Law which enabled them to hunt fox, badger, rabbit, cat, hare, wolf and squirrel. The next few hundred years saw the borders of the forest moved numerous times, the decline of the forest and then the enclosure of large areas used to grow timber which was of great value to the Navy for ship building. During 1851 Queen Victoria sanctioned the Deer Removal Act. Deer were by this time considered a threat to plantations. The cost of keeping the deer and compensating local private estates for the damage they caused was high. The act required the destruction of the deer (the fallow deer alone were estimated at 4,000 head). This was 8 the first formal acknowledgement that the crown were no longer interested in the deer. Victoria also approved the “Commoners Charter” which enabled commonable stock to be grazed all year round on the common land and appointed a Court of Verderers to protect the rights of the Commoners. Many measures were taken to contain the animals which roamed freely around the forest and regulate the breeding of the New Forest ponies to ensure they remained healthy and a recognized pure breed. 1903 saw the first death of a commonable animal in a road traffic accident and in 1963 the most recent grid mapping and fencing of the perambulation of the forest was begun. Some of the busier roads were fenced too and car parks and camping sites were organized. In 1971 the Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act abolished prerogative rights of the crown to wild creatures (except swans and royal fish) and so prevented the Forest Keepers claiming rights to the land by firing a single shot on each encroachment once a year. In 1997 an initiative called “Life” financed a four year programme to restore the ancient woodlands and in 2005 the forest was designated as a National Park ensuring the protection of this beautiful place. Our glorious weekend was full of adventures cycling – dodging crazy cows in Beaulieu, a reckless ride along the estuary bank to Buckler’s Hard for delicious picnic lunch on the slopes overlooking the waters and then the return to the camp site across purple heathland dotted with groups of pretty ponies. Our cycling legs more than worked-out we spent Sunday on the beach at Milford, gazing over the Solent at The Needles off the coast of the Isle of Wight. The pebbles sloped gently down to the softly rolling waves and the attractive streets of nearby Lymington provided a much needed fish and chip supper. My only regret is that we didn’t have longer than a weekend. Since our return I have regaled our children with enthusiastic stories of our escapades and now we are all longing for the return of summer so that we can throw the tent in the car, load up the bikes and take on the forest once more. Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 9 Local News North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail IVEL VALLEY WALKERS (IVW) have re-produced and up graded the North Bedfordshire Heritage Trial (NBHT). This follows in a long tradition where the Ivel Valley Walkers have always been active in supporting and promoting walking in Bedfordshire. The North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail was originally devised by the late Gordon Edwards around the year 2000 and published in the form of an A3 double sided leaflet. The purpose was to design a trail that attracted walkers from near and far to discover the underrated area of North Bedfordshire and its wonderful heritage. This new publication updates his work and provides a brief history of local interests along the eleven sections of the trail. The North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail is described in a clockwise direction, starting from St Paul’s Square in Bedford and is a circular route of approximately 70 miles divided into 11sections. For walkers’ convenience the route is also signposted in both directions. Following existing rights of way throughout, the Trail includes no fewer than twenty three villages, two country parks and a reasonable number of public houses, so plenty of refreshment stops can be taken on the way. Each of the 11 sections can be printed separately from www.ivelvalleywalkers.co.uk and each section includes a route description, Ordinance Survey route map and a brief history of the heritage to be found in each section. Visit our website www.ivelvalleywalkers.co.uk, and download the North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail to explore and enjoy the county of Bedfordshire. Thanks are due to all those Ivel Valley members who helped with updating the North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail and also the Bedford Borough Council Rights of Way department. Fun Quiz - Catchphrases 1. The first three words of which famous movie catchphrase literally translate as “until the viewing”? 2. Which company was privatised in 1986, with adverts featuring the catchphrase “if you see Sid, tell him” being used to encourage individuals to buy shares? 3. In 2010 the BBC issued an apology to which TV presenter after Jon Culshaw poked fun at his weight on The Impressions Show using the catchphrase “I was fierce hungry, so I was”? 4. Which TV dating show features the catchphrase “No likey, no lightey”? 5. Who coined the catchphrases “say what you see” and “it’s good, but it’s not right” on the TV show Catchphrase? 6. What is the best known one-word catchphrase of the double act whose real names are Janet Tough and Ian Tough? 7. In 2011, who attempted to trademark a number of his catchphrases, including “duh, winning”, “tiger blood”, “rock star from Mars” and “I’m not bi-polar, I’m bi-winning”? 8. How did the TV character Daffyd Thomas refer to himself in his best known catchphrase? 9. Which cartoon character’s catchphrase was originally derived from the Brylcreem advertising slogan “A little dab’ll do ya”? 10. Which famous character’s best known catchphrase was originally written in a script as “annoyed grunt”? 1. Hasta la vista, baby (from the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day) 2. British Gas 3. Eamonn Holmes 4. Take Me Out 5. Roy Walker 6. Fandabidozi (Janet and Ian Tough are the Krankies) 7. Charlie Sheen 8. The only gay in the village (on the TV show Little Britain) 9. Fred Flintstone’s (“Yabba dabba do”) 10. Homer Simpson’s (the catchphrase is “d’oh”) Before 10 After Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Could there be more in your life? We have a shortage of foster carers. ® safelocaltrades.com Recommended & Appro ed Not sure who to trust? Need a recommendation? ...see our recommended list, with local feedback over e are Ther looked 0 1,20 children n, after rthampto nd in No rdshire a e o r Bedf ridgeshi b Cam Be fos come andter ca a pro mak rer diff fessio e a a c erenc nal hild e t ’s li o fe Tel: 0808 1680 180 www.alliancefostercare.co.uk Wedding Car Hire Established 1985 WINNER The award-winning Best New Business Idea www.safelocaltrades.com 2008 is your trusted local website, providing you with a register of highly recommended tried and tested tradesmen in your area. All members are interviewed, criminal record checked, vetted and approved, have agreed to abide by a Service Charter and are monitored on an on-going basis, giving you complete peace of mind. of Our aim is to protect YOU from cowboy and rogue traders. in association with … Peterborough Neighbourhood and Home Watch Looking out for the community Lady B wedding car hire takes pride in providing a professional and personal service at competitive rates www.ladybweddingcarhire.co.uk [email protected] 07809 873267 www.facebook.com/weddingcarpeterborough Just go to … www.safelocaltrades.com or phone 0800 014 1832 The safest way to source a local tradesman To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 11 Local News The Children’s Society needs volunteers just like you... In the late nineteenth century, Edward Rudolf, a young Sunday school teacher and civil servant in South London, found himself confronted by the brutal effects of poverty on the lives of children. When two young boys failed to turn up for his Sunday school, he went to look for them and was shocked to find them begging for food on the streets. Their father had died, leaving their mother struggling to bring up seven children under 11 years old. Theirs was not an isolated experience and Rudolf was moved to act. He approached an Archbishop, and expressed his concern for children living on the margins of society, and suggested that the Church of England should be the driver of social action for such children. The Archbishop agreed enthusiastically and, soon after, the Church of England Central Home for Waifs and Strays was established. By 1919, with support from parishes and individuals across the country, Edward Rudolf had established the Children’s Society at the forefront of providing services to vulnerable children. Not much has changed. Not a week goes by where 12 there is not a story of child neglect, poverty, injustice or exploitation. That’s why the Children’s Society needs people like you to volunteer, and help us deliver meaningful change for Children across England. Fundraising volunteers are urgently required to organise their own events, from cake baking to coffee mornings. Fundraising Groups are required: Why not band together and raise money together, whilst having fun! Volunteer Speakers: To talk about the work of the Children’s Society in schools, businesses and churches. No experience is required, just drive and tenacity. Full training will be provided. If you want to help, please contact Russell Rolph (Regional Fundraising Manager) on 07713 101897,or at Russell.rolph@childrens society.org.uk. You will be glad you did…… Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 13 ROOFLINE FASCIAS, SOFFITS AND GUTTERING PROFESSIONAL, RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE FROM AS LITTLE AS £25 PER METRE FITTED Tim Karl For more information ring Tim or Karl on 01480 216677 [email protected] www.eastanglian-group.com 14 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts COMPETITION Explore Cambridge through the eyes of a foodie Win two tickets for our Artisan Food Tour Imagine strolling through Cambridge in the bright sunlight, passed colleges which look like they are made out of sugar,, wandering through quaint passages around the historic Market Place, getting your culture kick at interesting museums and art galleries or spreading out your picnic on one of the many parks or commons? However, wouldn’t it be nice to see Cambridge in a different light? One of the oldest historic towns in England was once labelled as the worst clone city in the UK. Cambridge definitely has turned a page since then as the local food scene is booming and new exciting foodie enterprises are popping up all the time. The Cambridge Food Tour is one of them, which kicked off in September 2012. Gerla, the founder, decided, that it was time to introduce Cambridge to this new way of exploring a city. Dutch born Gerla is a globetrotter and as a real foodie, food is always high on on the agenda on her travels. She is of the opinion, that through food and people, you get under the skin of a country. Making your way through Cambridge, sampling tasty food such as the famous sticky Chelsea bun, Sicilian pizza and pastry, local street food, pies, British cheeses and of course Scotch egg washed down with craft beer is just a small taster of one her award winning food tours. The Cambridge Food Tour runs scheduled tours 6 days per week. Keen to have a personalised tour? Get a group of 10 together and Gerla and her team will create a tour around your favourite food and drinks. We can assure you, that it will be a day you won’t soon forget! The Villager and Town Life have 2 tickets to giveaway for the Artisan Food Tour. To enter, simply answer the following question Which food can only be eaten by the Queen and one Cambridge College? and email your answer to email: [email protected] with the heading ‘Artisan Food Tour Competition Entry’. Please include your name, address and tel no. A winner will be picked at random. Deadline for entries is 18th March 2016 Artisan food in Town & Gown Experience delicious Artisan food, craft ales, local gin and if in season, black truffle in Central and North Cambridge and Mill Road and it’s back streets. A perfect tour for the lover of food and wine. Our last stop will not just be a tasting of this deliciousness, but we have thrown in small challenge too. All these areas are packed with local foodie haunts away from the tourist crowds, that visitors don’t usually get to discover. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 15 Local News Reliable Local Handymen Retired police officers in Cambridgeshire are pioneers in an ambitious national network of highly vetted handymen launched by ‘Blue Local Handymen’. Helping to combat the ongoing problem of cowboy builders and dodgy tradespeople, local retired police officers with a passion for home maintenance are taking up tools to provide peace of mind to the residents and businesses of Huntingdon, Alconbury, Kimbolton and surrounding areas. Typically police officers retire after 30 years service and a huge number are still eager to continue playing an active and productive role in their communities. All handymen prove themselves 16 capable and experienced in home maintenance works before joining the network and carry recent CRB Checks. Managing Director, Nick Orde-Powlett, hopes that the company’s rigorous selection process will bring security and peace of mind to people in Cambridgeshire: “Our vetting process is second to none. All of our handymen are friendly retired police officers with many years working in the community under their belt – they understand peoples’ concerns and fears better than anyone else and they genuinely care.“ Handyman Jim Lias states: “I have always had a keen interest in home maintenance and now I have the opportunity to spread the skills I have developed for the benefit of the local community” More information can be found on the website www.trustinblue.com and bookings can be made either by calling freephone 0800 255 0 255 or emailing [email protected] Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 17 EBAY COLLECTIONS 18 Local & Reliable Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Employment Carol H Scott HR and Business Consulting Ltd Employment Matters The countdown to the National Living Wage has started, are you ready? The National Living Wage (NLW) applies to all qualifying employees in every company, and all organisations should be getting prepared now because - just like the Auto Enrolment Pension scheme - the changes on 1 April 2016 are not just a ‘nice to have’ but a compulsory and legal responsibility. It is a welcome change to workers, but higher payroll costs are a challenge for SMEs. What do employers need to know? The National Living Wage of £7.20 per hour is being introduced for employees aged over 25 years old on the 1st April 2016. The National Minimum Wage increased to £6.70 per hour for employees aged over 21 years old on the 1st October last year. What do employers need to do? 1. Know the correct rate of pay for every one of your employees. 2. Find out which employees will be aged 25 or over on 1st April. 3. Update the company payroll in time for 1 April 2016. 4. Communicate the changes to your employees as soon as possible. 5. Ensure your payroll is set up to increase employees’ rate of pay when they reach the age of 25. The new National Living Wage is a key part of the government’s plan to continue to move to a higher wage, lower tax and lower welfare society, building a more productive Britain and giving families the security of well-paid work. So how will SMEs cope with the additional salary bill? The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants says many SMEs already pay their staff at or above NLW levels, so are unlikely to react adversely but anticipate that small firms may decide to employ fewer people than planned. SMEs may opt to pass on all or part of the increased cost to customers or if demand for products is very elastic, to decide that absorbing the imposed increased costs is the least damaging option. All employers need to attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive market. Some may decide to make capital investments to increase production capacity rather than ongoing recruitment. Some will be telling their customers about the NLW increases so they understand why prices will be going up in April 2016, others will be reviewing their costs and negotiating reductions wherever possible. Involvement of your Employees is essential! Whatever the plan is for dealing with the impact it will certainly mean a review of ‘the way we do things around here’ and this is where involvement of the entire workforce is essential as who knows better than those who deliver the business service about any time wasting/resource wasting practices or bureaucratic rules that get in the way? Ask for suggestions, have brain storming sessions or organise team meetings to generate ideas and allow people to come up with creative solutions. One team member will write down all ideas - no matter how off the wall - and importantly there must be no criticism or rejection including the old standard ‘that won’t work’ or ‘we tried that before and it didn’t work’. Ideas can be sorted through afterwards to find the best ones and then analyse how they could work. Being involved in the decision making encourages the team to commit to solutions because they have provided input and played a role in developing them. Use the NLW as a way to encourage your team to feel positive and motivated at work and give a valued contribution to improving the business they work for. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 19 THE COMPUTER MAN Local, Qualified & Experienced Getting I.T. right the first time, every time. Make your PC or laptop fast again! • SLOW COMPUTERS RESOLVED • VIRUS & SPYWARE REMOVAL • BROADBAND INSTALLATION • UPGRADES & REPAIRS • IPOD, IPHONE, IPAD & MAC • MOST ISSUES RESOLVED ON SITE • HIGHLY COMPETITIVE RATES • NO EXPENSIVE SHOP TO RUN • ALL MAKES, MODELS & AGES Contact Stuart on: Tel: 01480 354 937 Mob: 07734 652 239 E-mail: [email protected] Whether your computer is not working at all or just needs a boost, we can help. Your local divorce & family law specialists Caring, confidential legal advice 3 Divorce and separation 3 Getting a fair financial settlement 3 Seeing your children after you split 3 Legal arrangements before you marry or live together FREE telephone appointment Call locally based divorce & family lawyer Abby Smith on 01480 270499 or email [email protected] 6 FREE downloadable guides available on our website Local meetings arranged at a time and place to suit you www.family-lawfirm.co.uk Woolley & Co is a member of the Law Society and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Head office: Warwick Enterprise Park, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF 20 W&Co_131.93LS_AbbySmith.inddPlease 1 04/12/2014 14:22 mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Family Law Divorce Myths Dispelled By family lawyer Abby Smith of Woolley & Co, Solicitors www.family-lawfirm.co.uk Divorce is now so commonplace in modern society that many people believe it to be simple and uncomplicated, but in reality matrimonial law is not always easy to understand which has caused many popular misconceptions and myths. Whilst you might think these myths are harmless and misunderstandings have no consequence, that isn’t always the case. 10 common divorce misunderstandings and myths “We can get a quickie divorce” This phrase seems to be used whenever a celebrity couple are getting divorced. BUT - there is no such thing as a “quickie divorce”, for celebrities or anyone else. In reality proceedings for divorce usually take around 4 to 6 months once the petition has been issued at court. The “common law spouse” King George II abolished the doctrine of common law wives in 1753. Therefore, however long you may live with your partner you will not gain any status as their spouse, and have not been able to do so for 260 years. The law relating to cohabitants is complex and very different to the law that relates to division of assets for spouses upon divorce, so don’t think when you split from a long term partner you’ll have the same rights as a divorcing friend. “It’s not adultery if we’re separated” Actually, it is. If you are still married and have sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex whether you are separated from your spouse or not, it is adultery in the eyes of the law although if you are no longer living together you may not be able to rely on this fact as a ground for a divorce. “You have to obtain your spouse’s agreement to proceed with a divorce” This is not true. “We want to divorce based on irreconcilable differences” It is common for people to want to divorce on the basis of their irreconcilable differences. It is possible to do this in other countries where no-fault divorces are available, but not currently in England and Wales. “Fault affects the financial settlement” Apart from in extreme cases, the reasons for the relationship ending are usually irrelevant when deciding what share of the family assets each spouse receives. The court is not usually interested in punishing the person allegedly at fault or having caused the marriage to breakdown; instead it is concerned with finding a fair solution that meets the family’s needs. “I will lose the rights over my family home if I move out” No, you will not be penalized if you chose to move out of the family home. Lots of people assume that they will give up any legal rights to the property or equity in the property by moving out but that is simply not the case. “I can keep any money, property or business that’s in my sole name” Sorry, not true. Even if you have been careful with money during the marriage, building up savings in your sole name, keeping all money separate from your spouse, by virtue of marriage all assets become joint assets, regardless of whose name they are held and claims for a share of those savings can be made by your spouse within divorce and financial proceedings. “Children always live with their mother after divorce” That is not the automatic position. However, in most marriages or relationships the mother tends to be the children’s main carer and there is an assumption that this arrangement will continue post-separation. If both parents have had an equal role in looking after the children on a day to day basis, then no presumption would exist in favour of the mother. “Lawyers want to get you into court” This is not generally the case. Family lawyers, like all those at Woolley & Co, who are members of Resolution, sign up to a code of conduct that ensures a nonconfrontational approach is taken wherever possible. Whilst there are cases where court may be the best, or the only option, many cases can be resolved through mediation, arbitration, negotiations or a collaborative approach. “You need a solicitor to get divorced” Not always. You can represent yourself, and we are seeing more people doing this. Whether it is wise for you to do so is another matter. If you have any questions about representation or the divorce procedure, do get in touch. Abby Smith of Woolley & Co is an experienced family lawyer and will work hard to assist clients to find an amicable solution wherever possible. For advice on any family law issue contact Abby Smith for a FREE initial telephone consultation. Call 01480 270499 or email [email protected] To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 21 Finance Dividend taxation and other changes to tax laws in 2016/17 A change to the dividend taxation laws is to be implemented from April 2016. Pension and ISA dividends will not be affected by the new regime and will remain free of tax, but the new dividend rules are likely to have an adverse effect on directors and shareholders of small incorporated companies. The new proposals will reportedly bring in an extra £2.54 billion in revenue for the 2016/17 tax year,¹ with smaller amounts continuing to bolster the public purse in future years. The changes are an effort by the government to equalise tax laws for those who run unincorporated businesses. Here’s a summary of the changes to be introduced • A maximum annual Dividend Allowance of £5,000 is to come into force (after taking the personal allowance into account) • The existing 10% notional Dividend Tax Credit will be scrapped • Dividends over the £5,000 annual limit will be taxed at the following rates: - 7.5% on dividend income in the basic rate band - 32.5% (for the higher rate band) - 38.1% (in the additional rate band) People with a low dividend income will see a reduction in their tax bill, but the new measures are likely to hit family-run small businesses the hardest. So why has the Treasury decided to overhaul the current system? The government is attempting to discourage taxmotivated incorporation, which means setting up a business as a limited company simply to enjoy a lower rate of tax on income. In the past, directors/shareholders of a limited company have been able to take a small salary from their business, which attracted enough tax to maintain their entitlement to the state pension. The government’s objection, however, is that company profits are then used to extract a further dividend taxed at the much lower rate of 10%. Strong objections from the business community With the inherent difficulties facing small businesses, fears have been expressed that the government is making it much harder for people 22 in business to survive financially. This includes both individual contractors who have incorporated their businesses, and family-run companies. In fact, an online petition has been started, objecting to these new rules. Company directors/ shareholders say that the rewards of low dividend taxation compensated for the long hours and risks they took when starting their business, and that their overall contribution to the economy needs to be more widely acknowledged by the government. Are there any other changes to UK taxation in the forthcoming financial year? Other announcements made in last year’s Budget include: • Pension tax relief changes Restrictions on pension tax relief for those with an income of £150,000 or more will come into force from April 2016. A fixed rate of 33% will apply for all in the new tax year, regardless of the rate band. • Savings interest Said to be an acknowledgement of recent poor returns for savers, George Osborne also announced in last year’s budget that savings interest of up to £1,000 will no longer be taxed. • Digital tax accounts The ‘account’ will be similar to online banking in that details on how much is owed will be available to view at any time, and taxpayers will be able to make payments throughout the financial year rather than meeting a specific deadline. These are all significant changes to taxation laws in the UK, and are set to bring in considerable sums for the Treasury, but the new dividend tax rules seem to be attracting the most concern and criticism. ¹http://www.itcontracting.com/new-dividend-taxapril-2016/ Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 23 Jeffrey Mills Proposed Stamp Duty Land Tax The new proposed Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is scheduled to take place from April 2016, subject to the Government completing their consideration of responses to the consultation, which will be confirmed in the Budget this March. The proposal will apply to most purchases of additional residential properties where the buyers own two or more residential properties (not replacing their principal private residence) making them liable to higher rates. A higher rate of duty may also apply if the buyer is a company and if the buyer also owns a property outside of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Generally speaking, first time buyers acquiring their first and only property, or existing home owners moving from their principal private dwelling to another, will not be affected by the changes. Where a second home is purchased with the intention of replacing the existing home, but without simultaneously completing the sale of the existing main residence, the higher rate will be charged, although a refund may be claimed; provided the existing main residence is sold within eighteen months. 24 Ian Melville Licensed Conveyancer, Head of Conveyancing Department The following chart gives an indication of the effect of the changes in real terms: Band Current SDLT Rate Proposed SDLT Rate £0- £125,000 0% 3% £125,001-£250,000 2% 5% £250,001-£925,000 5% 8% £925,001-£1,500,000 10% 13% £1,500,001 + 12% 15% As you will see from the above, the proposed changes will have significant financial implications for all those affected. The proposed changes are complex to say the least. If you are considering purchasing a second property and believe you may be affected by these provisions, I urge you to obtain specialist advice from the outset, and certainly prior to exchange of contracts. Should you require legal assistance from a firm with family values and a fresh approach, contact Jeffrey Mills Solicitors. If you have a question, e-mail: [email protected] Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Know your Number (and to your number be true) So what does the headline mean? Quite simply, decide how much you need to live on both now and in the future, and remember inflation. Once you know this number you can work out where it will come from and when, be it State or Private Pensions or Investment income. If you have more income than you need (and believe me many clients do), you need to decide either how you will change your lifestyle or how you will dispose of/gift it. If there is a shortfall you will need to re-examine your need to see if it is accurate, and then work out how you will reach the shortfall. This could, for example be by saving more into Pensions or ISA’s and having them managed better, or it could be via an inheritance. As a guide, average inflation has been 4% and over a 10 year period a value increases by about 50%. So if you need £3,000 now it will be £4,500 in 10 years’ time. With changes to Personal Tax on Savings and Dividends from April 6th we are likely to see a change to saving habits, plus if the pension changes proposed occur in the budget, you may Beacon Wealth Tony Larkins CFP APFS CMgr FCMI Managing Director / IFA Chartered and Certified Financial Planner find many people who did not react before 16th March get caught out and are financially worse off. Having been re-elected to work with the Personal Finance Society as the Chartered Champion for postcode stations PE, CB and MK I urge you to seek advice from a Chartered Financial Planner, who are typically more technically qualified and no more costly than a non Chartered Financial Planner. I also encourage your Adviser to become Chartered. I have been Chartered for about eight years and my knowledge is greater because of this. There are over 5000 Chartered Advisers in the United Kingdom, but I accept our area is not blessed with many. If you need help you can give me a call. Finally take Pension action before the budget on 16th March and other financial matters before the new tax year, beginning 6th April. You should always seek qualified advice from an IFA, preferably a Certified (CFP) Or Chartered Financial PlannerCM (APFS). If you have a financial question, e-mail: [email protected] To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 25 Garden By Pippa Greenwood www.pippagreenwood.com Vertical Cover with Climbers If the boundaries of your garden are uninteresting or drab, then it is time to think about some vertical gardening. Upright surfaces are itching to be clothed in glorious climbers or wall shrubs, and if you have several vertical sites then so much the better. A visit to your local garden centre will reveal a plentiful supply of suitable plants. Start by looking at the surface you have, the size, the direction it faces and the amount of sun or shade the plants growing on the wall or fence are likely to receive. Soil type is important as the plant you choose must be suited to the site. Some climbers are quite quick growing and will look good later this year, and improve as the years pass. Many provide strong colour and others will be a useful backdrop for the garden as a whole. Most buildings can have climbers grown against them, so if you have an unsightly shed, garage or even a fairly uninteresting looking back to your house, then consider erecting some sort of support system on which to grow your climbers. Break up the monotony of a long stretch of wall with a range of different plants, and make a tall, narrow building seem broader by only allowing them to reach the height of the first floor. A climbing hydrangea, Hydrangea petiolaris, or self-clinging plants such as ivies are ideal, but make sure the mortar on your wall is in good shape before planting. Climbers are best planted in open ground as they tend to have sizeable root systems. If grown in containers you must re-pot regularly and ultimately plan to use a big container such as a half barrel. Use a loam-based potting compost and add extra grit for drainage, and place a deep layer of crocks at the base of the container. Add controlled release fertilizer granules to the compost, to ensure that plants get adequately fed for the first few months. A triangular or V-shaped trellis panel at the back will give initial 26 support for the plant to climb up before moving on to your wall or fence. Tie the top section of the trellis into the wall or fence, so that it does not rock about. For ground planting, dig a large hole at least 18 inches (45 cm) from the wall or fence and incorporate plenty of compost or well rotted manure. Soak the plant’s root ball and place in the hole, ideally at a 45 degree angle so that it leans towards the wall, then spread out the roots and plant. If your climber came already attached to bamboo canes, untie the stems from any central stake and train the best looking shoots towards your new support system, using the bamboo canes to help it on its way. Keep climbers well watered, particularly if they are on or near a sunny wall. Any good garden centre will have a range of plants, but here are some suggestions: Vigorous climbers for a quick effect: Actinidia chinensis, Akebia quinata, Clematis montana, Clematis montana ‘Rubens’, Vitis coignetiae Climbers for clay soils: Campsis, Celastrus scandens, Clematis, Ivies, Golden hop, Climbing hydrangea, Honeysuckles (most), Vitis coignetiae Climbers for an alkaline or chalky soil: Actinidia kolomikta, Akebia quinata, Clematis, Ivies Climbing hydrangea, Jasminum officinale, Honeysuckles, Trachelospermum jasminoides, Wisteria Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ - fantastic UK grown vegetable plants of your choice plus weekly advice and tips emails from Pippa, Nemaslug, biological controls, pop-up crop covers, signed books and lots more besides. Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 27 Pets Animal Know-How Why a baby isn’t always a blessing….. The RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch is a small local charity entirely responsible for raising its own funds and supporting itself, and the animals it cares for. Sadly, each year we experience a crisis in the number of unwanted kittens requiring our help – over 30 each week during the summer months in 2015! These are unwanted kittens produced by family pets, or from homes with a number of cats, as well as kittens being born to stray cats. All these kittens are undoubtedly cute and cuddly (although some are very poorly when they come to us). But they also all need to be found caring homes. Neutering (males), or spaying (females), means that the animal can no longer reproduce. It can help prevent many illnesses, some unwanted behaviors and it reduces the huge number of unwanted pets already in Bedfordshire. The RSPCA advises that all responsible pet owners should seriously consider this – not just for cats and dogs – but also for other small animals such as rabbits and ferrets too. • Neutering prevents the risk of testicular cancer in male animals and uterus infections and cancers in females. • In male cats and dogs, neutering can reduce behaviors such as urine marking and roaming. • Neutering prevents female animals coming into season, when they may attract unwanted male attention, become pregnant or have false pregnancies. • Unneutered female animals can be messy when they come into season – during this time, females can bleed for up to three weeks. 28 • Animals don’t respect family relationships – siblings will mate. This increases the risk of offspring being born with birth defects and deformities. • If an unneutered pet becomes pregnant and there is a problem during or after the birth, vet fees can be very expensive. Offspring might need veterinary attention too. Babies are blessings when each one is born into a loving forever home. But Bedfordshire already has enough to share already! So, for the health of your pet, sound financial reasons, and to help the wider problem in this County – the RSPCA says that neutering really is the best solution. Act now, before it’s too late. ANIMAL KNOW-HOW is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts III SHIRES PEST CONTROL Call Matthew 07836 754014 / 01480 811330 Control of Wasps, Ants, Bees, Fleas, Bedbugs, Moths, Carpet Beetles, Cockroaches, Rats, Mice, Squirrels and Birds Suppliers of UV Fly Killers CRB Checked and Fully Insured Prompt and Discreet Professional Service Residential - Commercial - Industrial - Agricultural E: [email protected] W: 3shirespestcontrol.co.uk Plant Hire 3 ton and 13 ton operated excavator hire Can be fitted with hydraulic grab Low loader hire available for transport of excavators increasing accessibility and reducing costs Groundworks, Landscaping, Demolition Waterscapes, Ditching, Drainage Sand Blasting Fencing, Timber Decking, Tree Surgery Fully insured and qualified. Friendly - Reliable - Professional Contact David on 01487 493012 for a free no obligation quote Email: [email protected] Web: www.sparkcontracting.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 29 DISCOVER YOUR PATHWAY TO A GREAT CAREER. HRC OPEN EVENT WEDNESDAY 16TH MARCH 5.30PM TO 8PM www.huntingdon.ac.uk/openevents 01480 379106 /HuntingdonshireRegionalCollege @HuntsCollege 30 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Mad March Hair Technology The high-tech gadgets for every kind of hair Whether you’re trying a bold new look or just trying to tame tangles, gadgets can help - and some of them promise to do everything from straightening to styling. Take the Oprahrecommended InStyler Wet 2 Dry, for example: it looks like a typical curler but its rotating barrel means it can straighten, curl and add volume and shine while it dries your hair. At £79.99 it’s quite pricey for a styler and some users found it a bit awkward to use, but if you get the hang of it it promises to style and dry five times faster than other devices. If you’re a fan of hair straighteners you’ll know that some models are smoother and less snaggy than others. The £44.95 Glamoriser reckons it has the answer: its ceramic floating plates are designed to glide over your hair, and something called Black Diamond Oil in the plates apparently helps keep every strand nice and shiny. We’re not entirely sold on those claims, but as a straightener the Glamoriser works really well and is a great buy. Fancy spending a bit more? The £165 T3 SinglePass X uses a microchip to constantly measure and adjust the temperature of the plates so that you can smooth and style without frazzling your hair. It’s particularly good for very long or coarse hair and it styles very quickly, although the price tag is likely to put plenty of people off. Another Oprah recommendation is the Bed Head Deep Waver, which is currently the number 1 best-selling hair waver on Amazon US. Over here it’s called the Toni & Guy Deep Waver, and the £25 styler offers 25 heat options for the perfect wave. Sometimes hair needs to be removed rather than restyled, and technology has a place there too: IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removals promise to remove unwanted hair without the discomfort or outright pain of traditional hair removal. It isn’t very effective on light hair colours but it does a good job on dark hair, and while £225 for a Philips Lumea Precision Plus sounds pricey, it’s a lot cheaper than getting a course of IPL treatment at a beauty salon. Just one word of warning: don’t use it if you’ve been tanning. Like any kind of light therapy, IPL can have side-effects on skin that’s been exposed to the sun or to To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 self-tanning products. So far we’ve concentrated on products for women, but there are gadgets for the boys too. The rise of the hipster hasn’t escaped the notice of grooming device manufacturers, and dull old clippers have been eclipsed by all kinds of male grooming products. There’s even a hairdryer designed specifically for blokes: the BaByliss Pro Italia Brava (£120), which has been developed in association with Ferrari so it goes round your head faster. Joking aside it does differ from normal unisex dryers as it can be set to run much hotter than traditional dryers. Men will also find all kinds of gadgets for manscaping their body hair. One of the best is Braun’s Cruzer 6 Body (£33), a showerproof trimmer with attachments ranging from 0.6mm to 8mm for every conceivable location and a Gilette blade for when you want to shave everything off. If you’d rather just take care of your beard and bonce, the Cruzer Beard&Head is currently £25 online and comes with two sets of blade guards: 1-11mm and 10-20mm. 31 Local News Walking Football in Yaxley Rekindle Your Love Of The Beautiful Game Walking Football is growing in popularity across England and ICA Sports FC & Yaxley Parish Council is proud to be introducing Walking Football sessions in Yaxley. Two FREE taster sessions will run on Friday 11th March & Friday 18th March from 7pm to 8pm and anybody with an interest in playing would be very welcome to come and join us. Regular weekly sessions will then commence in April. CD Existing sessions in other areas are attracting players, both men and women, that are not at the peak of physical fitness of all ages right up to people in their mid-80s, so age is no excuse. If you would be interested in coming along to see what Walking Football is all about then come along to the Astro Pitch at Middletons Road Recreation Ground or you can get in touch on 07964 496259, [email protected] or have a look at our website http://goo.gl/JT4ZUP Garage Door Problems? Garage Doors All leading Makes of Doors Supplied, Fitted & Repaired Manual & Automatic Over 20 Years Experience Phone Chris Day On: 07899 903973 32 01480 459 721 High Street, Brampton Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 33 Three Counties Radio By Nick Coffer Succulent Apricot and Cumin Pork Shoulder There are few traditions I love more than a meltingly soft, slow-cooked roast. Whether it’s a shoulder of lamb, slathered with olive oil and its skin pierced with garlic and rosemary or a shoulder of pork, simply seasoned and covered with foil, and left to fall off the bone for 3 hours in the oven. Pork shoulder lends itself particularly well to slow roasting, its natural fattiness ensuring that the meat stays moist. It also means that pork shoulder is almost foolproof to cook and impossible to mess up. Plus pork remains good value from butchers and supermarkets alike - and there are always leftovers to take into the rest of the week too. My Weekend Kitchen programme on BBC Three Counties Radio features recipes every week which pull together all these key elements - very tasty food, easily cooked and suitable for tight budgets. This lovely take on a pork roast was created by one of our regular guests, Theo Michaels, who you may well have seen on Masterchef in 2014. He stuffs his pork shoulder with a fruity sweet filling which makes the roast extremely moreish. Serves 4 - 6 Ingredients: 1 kilo pork shoulder, de-boned 1 large onion, thinly sliced Several cloves of garlic, still in their skin Stuffing: 2 ripe apricots, chopped 5 dried apricots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped Large pinch of rosemary leaves, chopped 4 sage leaves Salt and pepper Glaze: A squeeze of lemon A pinch of ground cumin Olive oil 4 tbsp apricot jam A squeeze of honey Cornflour, for the sauce Method: Pop the sliced onion and garlic cloves into a roasting tin. Unroll your deboned pork shoulder. Mix up the stuffing ingredients and layer the mixture on to the pork. Roll the pork back up together and tie it up with some string. Lay the pork, cut side down, in a roasting tin and add 125ml of water. Cover it tightly and roast at 170C/ 150C fan/ just below gas mark 4. Roast it for around 2 1/2 hours. It will be ready when the meat is meltingly soft. Take it out of the oven and leave it rest on a board for 20 minutes. While it’s resting, sieve the juices from the pan, pop them on the hob, bring them to a simmer then add a little cornflour. Keep stirring well and leave the sauce cook and thicken. Mix together the glaze ingredients, pour them over the rested pork then pop it back in a hot oven (230C/ 200C fan/ Gas Mark 8) for 10 minutes to crisp up and go golden. Serve with roast potatoes, your favourite vegetables, the cloves of garlic from the pan and the lovely gravy. Hear Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen every Sunday morning on BBC Three Counties radio at 11am. You can also join Nick every weekday afternoon at midday for brilliant local guests with great stories to tell and all the music you want for your early afternoon. 34 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Nick Bussey Interior & Exterior Painter & Decorator All aspects of decoration undertaken. Over 20 years of experience. Fully Insured. References available on request. Call for a FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATION 07780 642238 Email: [email protected] To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 35 Codeword 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Easy Suduko Hard Suduko Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles. 36 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Before After For all your window, door and guardian roof requirements call Tim or Karl 01480 216677 Tim Karl [email protected] www.eastanglian-group.com To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 37 n O s ’ t Wha In March Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month. 2, 9, 16 & 23 March Little Fishes 10-11.20am Grafham Village Hall Stay and Play Tots Session (babies welcome too) - just turn up. Sessions include free play and craft activities, bible story and sing along. Tel: Jean Clark 01480 890033 Email: [email protected] 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 March Hardwick New Mums & Tums Group 11am-12.30pm Portacabin behind St Mary’s Church, Main Street, Hardwick A group for parents-to-be and parents/carers of babies up to the age of being mobile. We meet every Wednesday. Come and have a chat with other parents and share experiences. Baby play mats, seats and toys provided. Changing facilities. Drinks and biscuits - donations welcome. Tel: Stella 01954 210049 or 07903229296 or [email protected] 2 March Film and Photography on the Western Front 7pm for 7.30pm The Comrades Club, Godmanchester The Cambridgeshire branch of the Western Front Association is pleased to present a slideshow by Professor Stephen Badsey of the official cameramen and some of their famous images. Non WFA members most welcome. A small donation is encouraged. www.westernfrontassociation.com 2 March Gamlingay & District Gardening Club 7.30pm Kier Suite, The Eco Hub, Stocks Lane, Gamlingay Visitors £2.50 Speaker will be Graham Spencer on ‘New Plants the future for your garden’. Visitors welcome. 2 March Huntingdon Royal Naval Association 8pm Falcon Tavern, Market Hill, Huntingdon The Huntingdon & District branch of the Royal Naval Association meets on the first Wednesday of the month. Email: [email protected] 3 March Forest School Level 2 Assistant Leadership Training Course Forest School Level 3 Leadership Training Course Ferry Meadows Country Park The NOCN Certificate of Leading Forest School Level 3 qualification is the professional standard needed to lead and create your own Forest School Project. The Level 2 qualification is for people who wish to assist a Level 3 Leader at Forest School. This qualification does not qualify you to lead a Forest School project. Booking essential. Tel: Sarah Klaes 07807 620976 Email: [email protected] 4 March Suspected of Witchcraft - Free event 2-3.30pm Huntingdon Library A talk by local historian Annie James with Some Sad and Sorry Tales. Booking required. Tel: 0345 045 5225 4 March Bumpkins Quiz Night 7.30pm Little Paxton Village Hall Tickets £6 each including supper Maximum 6 people per team. Licensed Bar. Closing date for tickets is 2 March. Tel: Lee Duncan 079313 15648 Email: [email protected] 5 March Art & Craft Fair 9.30am-4pm Free Church, St Ives Free admission Quality handmade art and craft stalls and tombola. 5 March Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Speaker will be Fergus Garrett on ‘Succession Planting in the Mixed Border’. Fergus is head gardener/custodian of Great Dixter. Plants for sale. Visitors welcome - small charge. 2 March Little Paxton Gardening Club 8pm Little Paxton Village Hall Members £1, Guests £2 Diana Boston will be talking to us about the 4 acre garden at The Manor Hemingford Grey. The garden that inspired the Green Knowe in the children’s books written by her mother-in-law Lucy Boston. 5 March St Neots Sinfonia Concert 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Eaton Socon Tickets £8 Featuring a number of works including Haydn’s Symphony no. 104 and guest soloist Gregory May, a Year 9 student at Bedford Modern School, who will be performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A, K488 with the Sinfonia. Tickets available in advance or on the door. Tel: Tickets Eileen Raggatt 01480 213884 3 March EngAGE in the Afternoon 1.30-3pm Huntingdon Library Free event Join John Shippey, Director of this year’s production The Tempest, for a talk on Shakespeare at the George. Booking required. Please speak to library staff or telephone for a ticket. Tel: 0345 045 5225 6, 13, 20 & 27 March Kingfisher Church 10.30am Little Paxton Primary School Every Sunday - all welcome! Services include children’s groups and crèche. Refreshments served. Tel: 01480 476811 Web: www.kingfisherchurch.co.uk 38 7, 14 & 21 March Comrades Chess Club 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester Keep your mind active and play chess. Over 18s only as it’s a licensed premises. Every Monday except Bank Holidays. 7, 14, 21 & 28 March Scottish Country Dancing 8-10pm Queen Elizabeth School, Godmanchester Mondays from September to May. Tel: Mrs Pat Crowe 01480 453774 Email: [email protected] 9 March The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust 7.30pm Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton £2.50, Accompanied children free Illustrated talk entitled ‘Are New Developments Ever Good for Wildlife?’ by Martin Baker who is The Wildlife Trust’s Conservation Manager for Cambridgeshire. Martin will explain that Cambridgeshire is one of the fastest growing counties in England, with plans for many new towns and extensions to our existing towns. Tel: Tim 07941 261346 for further information 12 March Tidying Little Paxton 2-4pm Queen Elizabeth II Playing Field, Little Paxton Tidying Little Paxton ready for the Queen’s 90th Birthday. The Parish Council is organising a village litter pick starting and finishing at Queen Elizabeth II Playing Field. Volunteers will be supplied with a high vis jackets, litter pickers, gloves and black bags and allocated areas to litter pick. If you would like to help, please come along. 13 March Huntingdonshire Philharmonic Concert 7.30pm Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre, Huntingdon Tickets £14/12, Student Concession £7/6 Hunts Phil orchestra and choir perform Handel’s oratorio “Messiah”, with Mozart’s charming classical re-orchestration, in this delightful Sunday evening Spring concert. With soloists: Nicola Ihnatowicz, soprano, Harriet Webb, mezzo-soprano, Nick Allen, tenor, and Dominic Sedgwick, bass. Conductor: Adrian Brown. Tickets available by telephone, email or on the door. Tel: 01480 861591 Email: [email protected] Web: www.huntsphil.org.uk 15 March Kimbolton Flower Club 7.30pm Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Visitors £6 including light refreshments Flower arranging demonstration by Julie Woods entitled ‘Bud to Bloom and Beyond’. All welcome. Please Villager Town Life when responding adverts Please mention Themention VillagerThe and Townand Life when responding totoadverts n O s ’ t Wha In March This is a small selection of the What’s On for the full listing please go to our website www.villagermag.com 16 March Carers Coffee Club 2.30-4pm The White Horse, High Street, Tilbrook Are you caring for a loved one with a memory loss? Then come along and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee whilst chatting with others in a similar situation. Our informal group meets on every third Wednesday of the month. No need to book, just turn up. Tel: Neil Silby 07889 319888 for further details Email: [email protected] 16 March Huntingdonshire Family History Society 7.30pm Women’s Institute Centre, Waldon Road, Huntingdon Huntingdonshire Family History Society talk by Bridget Flanagan on ‘Some Eighteenth Century St Ives Merchants’. Bookstall or helpdesk. Nonmembers most welcome. £1 donation at the door is appreciated. 18 March Race Night with Supper 7pm Eaton Socon Ex Service Club Tickets £7.50 inc. chicken or fish & chips or veggie option Friends of St Neots Library event. Cash bar with reasonable prices. Own and name a racehorse (£2) or simply place a bet. All profits to Friends of St Neots Library. Tickets in advance only from St Neots Library or Eaton Socon Ex Service Club. 18 March Suffragette (12A) 7 for 7.30pm The Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton Kimbolton Community Cinema presents Suffragette. A drama tracking the story of the early feminist movement. Tickets from Watson’s, Yellow Bird, Bytes Café or on the door if available. Tel: 01480 860297 Web: http://e-voice.org.uk/ themandevillehallkimbolton/community-cinema/ 19 March Wherefore ART thou? 11am-2pm Huntingdon Library Free event National Shakespeare Week Create your own masterpiece! Artist David Brown will help you draw or paint your own portrait of Shakespeare. Drop-in event for all ages. Tel: 0345 045 5225 for more information 19 March Early Easter Children’s Workshop 3-4.30pm St. James Church, Little Paxton Lots of stories, songs, cooking and fun things to make with an Easter theme. Preschool children to be accompanied by an adult. Tel: Canon Rev Annette Reed 01480 211048 to book a place 19 March Come and Sing Carmina Burana with St. Faith’s Singers Rehearsal 5-6.30pm, Concert 7pm Ashburton Hall, St. Faith’s School, Trumpington Road, Cambridge Singers £10, Audience £5 Conductor Mark Gotham. Limited scores available (£10 deposit). Drinks will be served afterwards. 20 March Biggleswade Antiques Fair 9.30am-4pm The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Entrance £1.50 This antiques fair offers a diverse range of antiques and collectables so whether you are a professional dealer, an avid collector or just looking for something special, this monthly fair is the place to visit. Café serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Tel: 01480 382432 or 07906 647346 Web: www.madisonevents.co.uk 20 March Sport Relief - Little Paxton Mile 10.30am & 10.45am QEII Playing Field FIT FOR FUN - that’s the motto for this years’ Sport Relief event. There’s still time to register to take part in the Little Paxton Mile. Little Paxton Parish Council invite you to take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile. Take in the beauty of the Nature Reserve and soak up the community atmosphere. Three routes to pick from - 1, 3 and 6 miles Web: http://www.sportrelief.com 20 March NSPCC Spring Concert 3.30pm Church of St Helena & St Mary, Church Lane, Bourn Adults £15, Concessions £10, Under 16s free – includes glass of fizz and canapés All proceeds to the NSPCC and Bourn Church. Tickets on sale at Bourn Village Shop and on line Web: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/springconcert-tickets-20708610010 concerts and services are broadcast on BBC Radio 3. A service recorded for television, ‘Easter from King’s’, is broadcast by BBC2 over the Easter period. Members of the public are welcome to attend all services at King’s College; no tickets are required for any listed here. Doors open approximately 15 minutes before a service starts. Please be aware that large numbers of people come to the Good Friday and Easter Day services; you should expect to join a substantial queue which often forms in the main court of King’s College well before a service is due to start. Tel: Box Office: 01223 769340 Web: www.kings.cam.ac.uk/events/easter-at-kings/ 22 March Hemingford Grey Flower Club 10am The Hemingford Grey Reading Rooms £3 including refreshments Demonstration by ‘Flowers by Penny’. All welcome. 22 March Easter Concert 7pm St James Church, Little Paxton Little Paxton School proudly present their Easter Concert. Refreshments, Raffle and Retiring Collection. 24 March St Neots & District Gardening Club 8pm St. Mary’s Church Hall, Brook Street, St. Neots Members £2, Non-Members £2.50 including refreshments and a raffle ticket ‘Lawn Care’ by David White. Competition is ‘A vase of Spring Flowers’ 21 March Gamlingay St Mary’s Church Ladies Guild 7.30pm Gamlingay Church Hall Visitors £4 Speaker is Jane Pavey on Westminster Gowns. All ladies welcome. Tel: 07749 676426 for more details 27 & 28 March St Ives Antiques Fair 10am-4pm each day Burgess Hall (One Leisure Centre), Westwood Road, St Ives Adults £2, Concessions £1.50) An excellent fair with around 50 dealers offering affordable quality antiques including ceramics, glass, maps, small furniture, silver, china, jewellery, paperweights and other interesting pieces at prices to suit all pockets. Dealers welcome from 9 am upon production of business card. On-site catering, wheelchair access and free parking available. Tel: Day Out Events 01480 896866 Email: [email protected] 21-27 March Easter at Kings, Kings College, Cambridge Ticket costs vary A festival of services and concerts for Holy Week and Easter from performers including Sophie Bevan, Iestyn Davies, Eamonn Dougan, James Gilchrist, Roderick Williams, Academy of Ancient Music, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Singers, Britten Sinfonia, Hanover Band and King’s College Choir. Some of the 28 March Craft & Gift Fair 10am-4pm Roxton Garden Centre, Bedford Rd (off A1 roundabout) Free admission A wide selection of hand crafted crafts and gifts not found on the High Street. Tel: Stallholder enquiries 01536 675000 Email: [email protected] To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 39 FLOORED By Ian Light Haulage & Removals House & Office Removals Collections/Deliveries Your local supplier of fitted floors in carpet, vinyl, laminate or Karndean Free visits to estimate or advise. Best prices and quality with a friendly service. Enquiries to 01480 475486 or (Mobile) 07876 238308 Free Quotes Luton Tail-lift Van Covering all of the UK Fully Insured Service No Extra Charge for Evenings/Weekends Call Trevor Tel: 07782 359050 Email: [email protected] RICHARD KENYON MASTER THATCHER Of Bluntisham, Cambridge T: 01487 843377 M: 07873 549872 E: [email protected] Richard Kenyon 1/2 page advert.indd 1 08/05/2015 16:12 40 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Crossword Solution for The Villager February Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Mrs A Brown from St Neots Last Month’s Selector Winner - Steven Webb from Northill Last Month’s Derek Jarrett Signed Book Winner - Mr Phil Holiday from Pirton February’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions Easy Hard Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email [email protected] To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 41 The Villager Prize Crossword Prize £25 Across 1 Tidy (4) 3 Uneducated (8) 9 Not man-made (7) 10 Tummy button (5) 11 Premature (5) 12 Pacific and Atlantic (6) 14 Stitching (6) 16 Not present (6) 19 Vegetable (6) 21 Big cat (5) 24 Heartbeat (5) 25 Frightened (7) 26 Less than twenty (8) 27 Second-hand (4) Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before 18th March 2016 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP Down 1 Rubbish (8) 2 Performer (5) 4 Faster than canter (6) 5 28grams approx. (5) 6 Move forwards (7) 7 Cash register (4) 8 Used for drawing (6) 13 Surprised (8) 15 Made from fleece (7) 17 Double-cross (6) 18 Hot beverage (6) 20 Representative (5) 22 Presents (5) 23 Unlocked (4) Name: Tel: Address: 42 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts • • • • • • • • Wood Burning Stoves Multi Fuel Stoves Chimney Lining Twin Wall Flue Systems Installation and Supply Fireplace Renovations Stove Accessories Trade sales welcome SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Monday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday – 10am – 5pm Other Days/Out of hours by prior arrangement Unit 2 Home Farm Court, The Street, Diddington, St Neots, PE19 5XT [email protected] | 01480 812281 | 07786 854946 www.cromwellstoves.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 43 G.B.BUILDERS NO JOB TOO SMALL FOR ALL MAINTENANCE, RENOVATIONS AND DIY WORK All general building repairs and odd jobs Specialist in Painting and Decorating & Groundwork and Grass cutting • Brickwork & Plastering Tiling Driveways • Paths & Patios Slabbing • Concreting Blockpaving • Fencing, Carpentry • Roofing Guttering • Drainage Plumbing Plumbing & Heating Specialists Boiler ● Servicing ● Repair ● Replacement ● General Plumbing ● Heating ● Bathrooms Call today 07877742420 or 01480 437511 Email: [email protected] We accept debit and credit cards CRAFT AND GIFT FAIR BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 28th MARCH ROXTON GARDEN CENTRE FREE ENTRY CRAFTERS TEL: 01536 675000 EMAIL: [email protected] 44 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Beer at Home March is spring. It may not always feel like it, but the hares are boxing in the fields and daffodils and magnolias and crocuses and whatnot are blooming their heads off and the hedges are heavy with pussy willow, so it’s definitely spring. And to celebrate it, here are two classic pale ales for you. Timothy Taylor Landlord at 4.1% alcohol is from a long-established family-owned brewery in Keighley, West Yorkshire. Founded in 1858, Taylor’s rubbed along for more than a century, like dozens of similar neighbourhood breweries up and down the country, on the back of a tiny tied estate and what free trade it could get within spitting distance of its own front door. In the 1950s, local breweries like Taylor’s started selling up as their owners were made offers they couldn’t refuse by bigger competitors. Taylor’s, though, opted for independence, and distanced itself from its accountant-led rivals by refusing to cut corners and building a reputation for Food & Drink By Ted Bruning quality. Landlord, launched in 1952 as a best bitter following the end of wartime malt rationing, quickly established a name for itself and in more recent decades has won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition four times. It’s a complex yet beautifully balanced ale, with aromas of both toffee and fruit, a light and spritzy body, a hoppy and quenching palate, a long, dry, hoppy finish. Open a bottle on the first really nice day of spring! Ridley’s of Chelmsford was superficially similar to Taylor’s but with a larger and more scattered pub estate. It, too, tried to survive; but in 2005, weighed down with debt, the family sold up. Greene King, which bought the firm, closed the brewery but kept on brewing what had become its flagship beer: Old Bob strong pale at 5.1% alcohol, an example of what used to be called a Burton ale. It’s darker than landlord – almost bronze – and much sweeter, with biscuit malt on the nose, a rich, warm, slightly caramel, but clean palate, and a lingering hop bitterness developing in the finish. Similar in some respects to Landlord – but for a colder day! To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 45 Let us help you get your business off to a flying start VILLAGER The VILLAGER The V The ILL AGEToR wn Life and L PROD 2015 ITIES • LOCA LOCAL CHAR Issue 39 - June SERVICES • LE • LOCAL S • LOCAL PEOP LOCAL NEW Issue 37 - April 2015 LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE Inside this • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL The Elba Tuscany’s Best Kept Secret a good estate agent Win £25 Win tickets and Town in our Prize Crossword to see some Music Maestros! Inside this issue to Ghost The Musical F You coRE r py E Alconbury, every month and all surrounding areas mber 2014 S • LOCAL PEOP LE • LOCAL SERVICES • and Town LOCAL CHAR ITIES • LOCA Life L PRODUCTS Inside this Win £25 The Histor issue y of Bonfire Nigh t Beware Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton, Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month Bringing Local Busines , Riseley, The Stukeleys Grafham, Kimbolton Issue 32 - Nove in our Prize Crossword of Buying Onlin e Bringing Local Business to Local People in s to Local People in S LOCAL NEW in our Prize Crossword VILLAGER The Life The End of the Line Win Tickets £25 Win Prize Crossword 5 Win £2in our h Grafh Alconbury, every mont nding areas and all surrou VILLAGER Issue 35 - February 2015 Huntingdon How to find UCTS issue Life The History ofLOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCT S Inside this issue to Pen l The Bringing Locaam, Kimbolton, Riseley, and Town Inside this issue CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCT kets Win toTic see Parklife From Poldark le in Local Peop leys Business to Stuke Issue 30 - September 2014 LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS and Town Life ur Yo EEy FRcop Win £25 ur Yo EE y FRcop Bringing Local Busines s to Local People in Alconbury, Grafham, Kimbolton , Riseley, The Stukeleys and all surrounding areas every month in our Prize Crossword ur Yo EE py FRBrin co ging Loca l Business Alconbury, to Loca Grafham, Kimb and all surro olton, Risele l Peop le in unding areas y, every mont The Stukeleys h ur Yo EE FRcopy Our award winning magazines offer a unique local advertising platform. Printed on high quality paper we are still able to offer incredible prices along with a second-to-none service, professional advert design and a team just waiting to help you. With over 11000 copies being delivered door to door every month can your business wait any longer to be in The Villager? Advertising in The Villager and Town Life could not be easier, for further information or to book your advertising space please call Nigel on 01767 261122 or e-mail [email protected] or visit our website www.villagermag.com Why advertise anywhere else? 46 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Books Book Review By Bruce Edwards Antique Furniture Restoration How to Make a Home Edward Hollis Pub: Macmillan p/b £7.99 ISBN: 978-1-4472-9333-0 A perfect example of the interconnection betwixt different levels of creativity can be found within this pocket sized ‘textbook’, one of a series from ‘The School of Life’ (which you may explore within a website of the same name). At first one would assume this tidy volume would be very down-to-earth, a guide to practicalities, something to take with you on a shopping trip to a d-i-y store. Not so; it’s far more an insight into the basic concepts of ‘why a home’, ‘what is a home’, a physcological examination of why we live in a ‘container’ of some sort, be it a mansion or a tent in the Jungle of Calais. One phrase picked from the density of text: home is “an unstable, temporary meeting place of all sorts of things ... (and the Jungle a perfect example) ...a suggestion made that one shouldn’t seek the perfect but rather the imperfect to allow for constant movement and thus access the creativity we should all enjoy, whatever its format. Try it - it’s rather fun. Suggestion and queries to: [email protected]. We’re always happy to consider specific titles for review, though without obligation. Can’t find a title? E-mail your details and we’ll try to help.” Cleaning Services Stainstop Cleaning Services Your Local Carpet, Upholstery, Curtain & Rug Cleaning Specialist FOR A HOME VISIT Call : 07753 939 901 e. [email protected] www.stainstop.cleaning Pet Services Removals, Delivery & Storage For All Your Storage, Delivery and Removal Requirements Based in Alconbury Weston Freephone - 0800 689 0894 Use your local removal company Tony Webb - 07850 293540 Lee Eastlake - 07906 072096 www.move-plus-safe.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 47 Getting the balance right for a faster sale Price your home too high and it will take longer to sell. Too low and you’ll lose money. We won’t flatter you with an over-inflated valuation or sell you short. not all estate agents are the same... Contact us today on 01480 860600, or visit www.simpsonandpartners.co.uk