October/November 14 Connection Magazine by Sarah Banks

The

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Oct/Nov 14 Issue 60

connection magazine Inside this issue... ✶ Money saving ideas ✶ Local artists ✶ WivWords ✶ Recipes ✶ Humour ✶ V.Festival review ✶ Gardening

The Connection is delivered free to homes in Aldham, Fordham, Great Tey, Chappel, Wakes Colne, White Colne, Colne Engaine, Countess Cross, Pebmarsh, Earls Colne, Bures St Mary, Bures Hamlet, Mount Bures , Wormingford, West Bergholt, Eight Ash Green, Copford, Braiswick, Lexden, Coggeshall, Kelvedon and Feering. Also available in Halstead, Sudbury, Assington, Stoke by Nayland, Nayland, and Waitrose in Colchester.

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Hello

Inside

It only seems like five minutes since I was writing my last editor’s letter and here I am again, and it won’t be long before the next issue comes out and I’ll be talking about Christmas!

6 - Art Events 7 - Cover Story 8 - The word is out 10 - Pizza Express 12 - Country Mutters 14- Codeword 16 - Walk 18 - 23 - What’s On 28 - Saving Money 30 - V.Festival 32 - Notice Board 37 - Recipes 40 - Gardening 44 - Sudoku 50 - Spot the Difference 52 - Useful Numbers 54 - Index of Advertisers

Talking of Christmas, see there you go, I’m doing it already. If you have an event you want promoting in the Christmas edition, please let us have the details by 24th October . Now back to this edition. We have all our usual community entries in the What’s On pages, plus news on some forthcoming literary and art events coming up on pages 6 and 8 . As usual we have Lady Muck on page 12 who always makes us laugh with her female perspective on family life. We also have Tom Hughes giving us a male insight on living in a‘blended’household on page 34. Plus, for the first time, and hopefully not the last, I’ve got a teenage budding journalist on board. Charlotte Lascelles tells us about her evening at the newly refurbished Pizza Express in Colchester and her V.Festival experience in Chelmsford. Charlotte hopes to have a career in journalism and we wish her lots of luck on that journey. If you know a teenager who has similar aspirations, then take a look at page 33 . Finally, I hope you like our front cover which features part of a painting by local artist Brin Edwards. You can read about the inspiration behind this lovely piece of work on page 7. Enjoy the remnants of this lovely weather and I’ll see you in November.

Sarah Editor and Publisher: Sarah Banks Editorial Assistant: Amanda Findley Contributors: Amanda Findley, Derek Keeble , Tom Hughes, Pippa Greenwood and Charlotte Lascelles. Advertising and Editorial: 01787 210701 / 07527 489847 Email: editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk Address: Applegarth, Whitestreet Green, Boxford, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 5JL All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical , photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission of the publisher.

Competition winner

£25 cash sudoku winner - Mr Bluett from Great Cornard

Next issue: December/January 2015 Publication date 13th November 2014

Please get in touch if you want to advertise your business. Call me on:

01787 210701 or email:

editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

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Advertise from £25 plus VAT

Deadline date for advertising: 24th October Delivered to over 20 villages www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk Deadline date for What’s On entries : 24th October See map on page 54

This year’s Big Draw takes place from 1st October to 2nd November across the UK and in twenty other countries. The Big Draw offers drawing activities in different spaces. Drawing can be a powerful tool for invention, communicating complex concepts, and connecting people and places. This year the Big Draw is also celebrating our environment with it’s theme,‘It’s Our World’, exploring urban, rural and coastal landscapes. To get involved visit the website to find out how to add your drawings to the Big Draw’s online gallery or you can find an event, such as The Waiting Room’s Big Draw event with artist Mandy Roberts on 22nd October. These events are for those who love to draw, as well as for those who think they can’t! The Big Draw www.thebigdraw.org The Waiting Room www.st-botolphs.org

Pictures from Big Draw events in 2013

The benefits of working together on a shared activity is shown by a group of local artists who met on a printmaking course at Gainsborough House in Sudbury. Anne Townshend, Miranda Chapman, Georgie Finn and Sally MacIver were all at a point in their lives where they wanted to devote more time to art. They realised their diverse styles and different printmaking techniques complemented each other so they came together as 4PRINTmakers and now have their first exhibition on view at Elsey’s Gallery in Bury St Edmunds.

Elsey’s Gallery www.hadleyexhibitions.co.uk Worldwide Urban Sketchers

Local Urban Sketching Group

Urban Sketchers are a worldwide group with a mission to ‘See the world one drawing at a time.’ The idea is to draw on location and capture what you see. The drawings tell the story of your own personal surroundings and become a record of time and place. Once uploaded to the website they can be shared by everyone to create a picture of the world. Urban Sketchers www.urbansketchers.org

Our editor, Sarah Banks, is in the process of forming a local group of urban sketchers. If you are interested in joining in on a monthly urban sketch then please email : editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

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Cover Story - The Full Picture Brin Edwards is a local wildlife artist and illustrator who takes his inspiration from the Suffolk countryside where he lives. He provides illustrations for wildlife exhibitions and information boards as well as books and magazines and also runs wildlife art courses from his straw bale studio in Assington.

But Brin’s passion is his oil paintings of birds in their natural environment. He is particularly interested in the effects of light and shade and uses areas of pure colour to create simplified forms and patterns. He says;

The beautiful painting featured on our front cover and below is called Fieldfares – A windy day in the cherry orchard. Brin explains how the inspiration for the painting came about. “At the end of October last year we had a big storm which stripped the last leaves off the cherry trees out the back of my studio. I watched as the wind tore through the trees, taking with it a flock of fieldfares. In the painting I’ve tried to capture the energy and drama of those few minutes.”

“The process of painting is a kind of stripping down and putting back together of the subjects which results in something akin to but not a copy of the natural world”. www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

Brin’s paintings can be seen at The Pinkfoot Gallery in Cley, Norfolk, The Wildlife Art Galllery in Lavenham, The Southwold Gallery and Cambridge Contemporary Arts. For further information go to www.brin-edwards. com 7

The Word is Out As colder weather approaches what better excuse for sitting comfortably in the warmth than a good book. But what to read? Joining a book group is a good way to expand your reading horizons and then share your opinions with other readers. Red Lion Books in Colchester are regular tweeters who keep their followers up to date with new titles and reading suggestions. They also host free ‘Meet the Author’ evenings with readings and Q and A sessions with writers. Or how about a Literary Dinner Date? Adventures With Words take over The Waiting Room in Colchester every fourth Wednesday of the month, bringing with them a whole menu of booktreats to whet your mental tastebuds. Books are divided into starters - light bites to grab your interest, main courses - meatier reads to get your teeth into, and desserts - sweeter and fluffier, guilty pleasures. You can read in, take away, or if there’s nothing you fancy, you can ask for some recommendations from the friendly book waiters.

And if you’re in search of inspiration, how about ‘wild writing’? Local author Petra McQueen has teamed up with Dr Sian Needwell, a marine biologist, to create a workshop which explores creative writing through reading, writing and walking the Wivenhoe Trail. And finally, lest we forget, a quote by the late, great Robin Williams, ‘No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world’. Red Lion Books www.redlionbooks.co.uk Literary Dinner Date at The Waiting Room in Colchester www.st-botolphs.org/literarydinner-date/ Wiv Words wivwords@gmail.com Creative writing courses: www.essex.floodlight.co.uk and www. trainingandcourses.com/ Nature writing www.newnaturewriting. blogspot.co.uk/

Wiv Words is Wivenhoe’s festival of the spoken, written and sung word. Over the weekend of October 11th - 12th there are workshops and events featuring writers and performers both local and beyond. Have a look at their facebook page for more details. Everyone knows the saying ‘everyone has a book inside them,’ so if all that reading inspires you to start writing, there is plenty of help out there to get you started. There are websites listing a large selection of creative writing courses, from online, full-time to evening classes whether you fancy journalism, blogging, stand up comedy writing or writing the next bestselling novel. 8 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts

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Full marks for starry new Pizza Express Teenager Charlotte Lascelles chose Pizza Express as a venue to celebrate her exam results. Here’s her account of the evening. Opened only a few weeks ago, the newly refurbished Pizza Express, located oﬀ the High Street in Colchester, is sure to be massive hit with the locals, which is shown to be evident based on how busy the restaurant was when we visited. Opened in the town where the famous nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” was written, the restaurant has paid tribute to English poets and novelists Jane and Ann Taylor by including star inspired furniture, such as screens and light shades, reﬂecting on the famous lines of the poem. This individual style certainly adds much sophistication to the venue.

and desserts Strawberry and Cream Glory and Lemon and Blueberry Glory; dishes certainly worth trying to expand your tastes. The staff at Pizza Express were incredibly helpful and friendly over the course of the evening, which follows the promise made by the restaurant; “We have a friendly and enthusiastic team who are looking forward to welcoming everyone to our beautifully refurbished restaurant over a delicious pizza.” The restaurant also offers a “Create Your Own” pizza on the Piccolo menu for children starting from £3.50 and a Pizza Making Party for the birthdays of any young budding chefs - available for adults too! Not only this, but the restaurant also welcomes free visits for all primary schools in the local area, giving the chance for the pupils to practice their cooking skills. After going there to celebrate my AS results, I found the venue certainly appropriate for the occasion. Surrounded by a friendly, buzzing atmosphere, staff,, I good food and helpful staff can tell that this restaurant has a bright future and is a great addition for the town. Overall, me and my family certainly had a smashing time.

The food itself was delicious. From the signature dishes that Pizza Express has been serving since 1965, known and loved worldwide, to the newly introduced dishes such as the Risotto Fresco, Emilia and the cocktail Hugo. Amongst these dishes include new gluten-free options, a cheese-free pizza for vegans, and a range of summer inspired treats from a Leggera Summer Salad

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Country Mutters

Larder Palaver.....by Lady Muck

There’s something about Autumn that makes me go all Little House on the Prairie. As soon as I feel that first nose-pinking nip in the air - which incidentally seemed to happen in the middle of August this year, but don’t get me started on climate change again - I feel the need to start laying in provisions for the winter ahead. I would hesitate to use the term ‘glut’ of any produce in my garden, but I persuade myself I can’t possibly use all those runner beans before they go bendy, so take great delight in blanching, cooling and filling tiny bags of meal-ready packages to use straight from the freezer. I faff around scalding myself with much paraphernalia bottling fruits in brandy syrup, ignoring the mutters from Husband about better uses for brandy than drowning fruit in it and imagine spooning their summery ripeness over sponge puddings in the depths of winter. I make pounds of jam and chutney. The boys take to wearing scarves over their faces in a vain attempt to block the heady fumes from bubbling vats of piccallili and pickled onions. The reality is of course that my handy mealready portions are small enough to get lost in the drifts of permafrost in my freezer, only to become inconvenient discoveries when it’s time to defrost the thing. Or, like last year, the wrong kind of twig falls on the power lines resulting in a 3 day blackout at the end of which you have to throw out the entire contents of the freezer. My bottled fruits disappear to the back of the cupboard,

their rich colours fading to uniform khaki, forlornly forgotten. And why do we never seem to finish a jar of jam in my house? After the first taste, everyone seems to lose interest, then I start a non jam-friendly diet and before I know it I’ve got 6 jars of cultured penicillin. And I’ve given up freezing herbs in ice cube trays ever since I accidentally made myself a Martini which was neither shaken nor stirred but with the unusual addition of oregano. What I really need is the right space - a capacious larder with proper shelving would mean all those jars would be looking at me reproachfully whenever I opened the door - I would be compelled to plan meals around them, not wanting to waste them. I want a root store, whatever that is - somewhere to squirrel away my potatoes and onion gleanings where they won’t go green and soggy. Needless to say the menfolk in my family do not share my yearnings - they’d much rather go to the nearest supermarket for their provisions, where veggies come without mud, slugs or any need to wield a spade in anger. But as I tell them, come the next ice age/peak oil/zombie apocalypse (delete according to your personal fear) where will they be without me? Taking up residence in the nearest supermarket, they respond, and further point out that if I want to be ready for a world disaster I’d be better off spending my time learning how to fire a Kalashnikov. Anyone know of an evening class...?

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Codeword

Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a different number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. Once you have filled these throughout the grid you can start guessing words and reveal other letters. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

19 11

22 5

20 2

10 2

13 1

21 10

25 2

11 3 23

21 7

20 24

11 12

11 10

2 2

24 15

23 2

15 7

2 4

6 25

24 14

11 10

2 20

Solution on page 50

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The George & Dragon is situated between the villages of Coggeshall and Kelvedon. The restaurant offers ample parking as well as two spacious dining areas, the perfect setting for experiencing the food on offer. Celebrate the festive season at the George & Dragon with your family, friends and colleagues. A warm welcome awaits you in the bar area with wood burning stove upon your arrival.

Daily specials Light lunches Large selection of seafood

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Walk on the Wild Side Leiland Register

Derek Keeble’s Autumn walk is a 4 mile loop around Nayland. ‘Leiland’ refers to ‘Castille de la Leiland,’ now known as Court Knoll. The only visible remains of this building are an earthwork and mound close to Nayland Bridge and The Anchor pub. Wendy Sparrow, the Parish Recorder has researched many aspects of local history in Nayland and the surrounding area. She discovered the startling fact that from the 15th century to the present day there were 20 licensed premises in the village! These were called inns, taverns, alehouses or beerhouses depending on what type of alcohol they were licensed to sell. Of course, not all of them were open at the same point in time but the 1901 census seems to confirm that around 1900 there were 9 pubs in the village. If you’re interested to find out more about this historical pub crawl visit www. naylandconservation.org.uk. The walk begins and ends at The Anchor, which is now the only pub in Nayland. The map and description of the walk can be found at www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk/category/ magazine-features/walks/

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What’s On General

Line Dancing Aldham Village Hall every Thursday morning 10.a.m. to 11.a.m. from 9th October. Beginners and absolute beginners. Friendly, Fun and gentle Fitness. £5.00 per session.

25th Annual Book Fair At Holmwood House School, Chitts Hill. Colchester CO3 9ST Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 9.30am - 4.00pm 35,000 books, games, jigsaws, cds and dvds will be on sale, freshly stocked on both days. All proceeds go to NSPCC and Childline.

White Colne Craft & Gift Fair

Events at Marks Hall, Colchester IncrEdible Walks With Claudio Bincoletto Saturday 18th October 10.30am Join Claudio as he embarks on a fungus foray at Marks Hall, he will identify and gather as you explore. £10 per person. Deer Safari Sunday 19th October 6.00am - 9.00am A robust walk to explore the early morning habitats of the deer at Marks Hall during the fallow rut. £20 per person includes freshly cooked breakfast of local produce. Late Autumn Walk with Curator, Jonathan Jukes Saturday 8th November 10.30am Join our Curator Jonathan Jukes to discover a stunning spectrum of colour. £12 per person. Pop up Restaurant with Mark Peters Friday 14th November 7.00pm An evening to tantalise your senses with seven courses of seasonally inspired dishes, all in the stunning setting of the Visitor Centre Barn with local Chef Mark Peters. £55 per person For more information or to book please contact Louise Dover at events@ markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org.uk or call 01376 563796.

Craft Weekend Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 10.00am 4.30pm each day. Lots of stalls selling a variety of goods on both days. Entrance £1 with children under 14 free. Light snacks and refreshments available on both days. Table Top Sale Saturday 8th November 10.30 - 12.30pm Free Entry. If you would like to book a table, please contact Anne Fulcher on 01206 211624. Tables £5 each. Christmas Quiz Night Saturday 6th December. Doors open at 7.00pm. Quiz will start at 7.30pm. Tables of 4 to 6. Entrance £4 per person. Bring your own nibbles and tipple. Bumper Christmas Raffle. Book in advance or just come along on the night. For all enquiries please call Anne on 01206 211624.

Early Christmas Market

Winter Fair November 2nd at Marks Tey village hall. In aid of animal rescue centre Poppy’s Place.

Nayland Bonﬁre & Fireworks Wednesday 5th November 6.45 for 7pm at the Village Hall Playing Field, Church Lane, Nayland CO6 4JH. Hot Dogs, Sparklers, Luminous Necklaces, Soft Drinks & Adult Drinks. Adults £4, Children £1.

Nayand Christmas Fayre Sunday 7th December at 12 noon-2pm at Nayland Village Hall Church Lane, Nayland CO6 4JH. Fun for all the family, Father Christmas, Traditional Stalls, Festive Goodies, Raffle & Tombola, Great Atmosphere. Free entry. 01206 263619

Not Warriors – Just Men Art exhibition

At the Lavenham At Earls Colne Village At White Colne Village Hall Gallery, Hall Rd, Hall, York Rd, Earls Colne Hall, Bures Road CO6 2QA Lavenham CO10 9QX Saturday 1st November Saturday 8th November Saturday 26th October 9.30am – 12.00pm 10.00am - 4.00pm - Sunday 2nd November Range of stalls selling Fabulous local craft and 11.00am - 6.30pm a variety of gifts, cards, gift stands including hand Scenes from the Battle produce, home and garden made greetings cards, wares. Refreshments turned wooden gifts, Front – 1914 and 2013 available plus raffle, patchwork, jams & pickles, by Ron Olley and Anna jewellery and much more. tombola and face-painting. Redwood, wartime artists. Events at Aldham Scrummy homemade Gallery profits to Help Village Hall cakes, teas & coffees for Heroes. For more Rummage and Plant Sale served throughout the information please contact Saturday 11th day. Raffle. Free entry. For Anthony Faulkner on 01787 October 10.30am more information contact 249841, 07710 329050 or 18 Rita on 01787 221919 or Please mention Thewith Connection when responding to adverts Entrance 20p email adhfaulkner@aol.com children under 14 free. chrisandritap@tiscali.co.uk

What’s On East Bergholt Preservation Society Charity Golf Day At Hintlesham Golf Club Tuesday 7th October 9.00am start Teams of 4 players, 18 hole Stableford. Entry fee £45 per person including 2 course lunch. Winners prizes. For enquiries or to booking please contact Val Ayton on 01206 298692 or email ebchurchpres@gmail. com. Proceeds go to St Mary’s Church East Bergholt Preservation Society to support the maintenance of the historic parish church and its unique bell cage.

30YRS of 12PM Art Exhibition At The Minories Now until Saturday 1st November 10.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Saturday. An exhibition representing work by a group of twelve printmakers on the 30th anniversary of the formation of the group. A variety of techniques, including etching, lithography, wood engraving, silk- screen, lino/wood cutting and mono printing. A series of talks and demonstrations will take place every Saturday at 2.00pm during the exhibition and one of the artists will also be resident in the gallery, working for a week and using it as his studio.

cakes, textiles, children’s games, sweets and treats, tombola and a raffle. Admission is 50p to include a tea or coffee. Stalls are £10 plus a raffle prize. For further details or to book a stall please contact Brenda on 07814 788508 All proceeds to Village Hall funds.

Kelvedon & Feering Art Soc. Annual Art Exhibition At Feering Community Centre, Coggeshall Rd, Feering, CO5 9QB Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th October 10.00am - 4.30pm KFAS is hosting its 24th Annual Exhibition with over 300 paintings by local artists for sale. Also a number of unframed originals (folios) and prints at even more affordable prices. Tea/coffee and homemade cakes available all day. Free entry, catalogue 50p. For more information please contact Pam Johnson on 01376 519648.

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4PRINTmakers Exhibition At Elsey’s Gallery, off Risbygate Street, Bury St. Edmunds Now until 5th October The first exhibition of four printmakers with complimentary styles who met through membership of the Print Workshop at Gainsborough’s House. For information please visit www. hadleyexhibitions.co.uk

Drama and Dance

Looking for Love by Raymond Hopkins

At The Institute, High Street, Kelvedon Friday 24th, Saturday 25th, Friday 31st October and Saturday 1st November 8.00pm. Doors open 30 minutes before performance. After twenty-one years East Anglia’s of marriage, James Beale Childrens Hospices walks out on his wife, Molly. She is devastated and Family Fun after four months of being and Dog Day alone, she has reached rock At Layer Marney Tower, bottom. Her best friend near Tiptree, CO5 9US persuades her to try the Sunday 28th September “six-step miracle cure”for 12.00 noon - 5.00pm abandoned wives. The twist A fun-filled afternoon and turns, the intrigues, of activities including the misunderstandings on dog show with agility Molly’s road to recovery, and dog displays, all add up to a hilarious petting zoo, dancing, evening’s entertainment. Christmas Fair donkey rides, bouncy Directed by Lesley Hill castles, face painting, At Mount Bures with royalties in aid of Village Hall carousel rides, BBQ, Multiple Sclerosis. refreshments, raffle, Saturday 29th November Tickets £7 and £5.50 tombola, fete stalls 1.30pm – 4.00pm concessions (no and lots more. concessions on 8pm Various stalls including Adults £5, under 16’s free performance on Saturday, Phoenix cards, accessories, www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk entry. For more information bric-à-brac, homemade 1 November). Box Office

at The Master Butcher, High Street, Kelvedon, call 07742532192 or online at www.kelvedonplayers.co.uk

All My Sons by Arthur Miller At Earls Colne Village Hall Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October. Doors open 7.30. In the aftermath of World War II, two families struggle to come to terms with the brutal reality of what they have lost and gained. The confrontations that ensue lead to the uncovering of a shameful family secret. A compelling story of love, guilt and the corrupting power of greed, one of the true classic plays of the 20th Century. Tickets are £10 to include a glass of wine or a soft drink and are available from our box office at www.stanestreetplayers. co.uk/box-office/ or by calling 07866 404715.

Productions at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza translated by Christopher Hampton, Headgate Theatre Productions Wednesday 1st - Saturday 4th October 8.00pm Comedy about what happens when two sets of parents meet up to deal with the unruly behaviour of their children. Tickets £10, £8 (conc) Ground Rules by Eric Chappell, Outloud Productions Monday 13th October 7.45pm

What’s On continued 19 over page

What’s On When an evening in the pub turns into something completely different, a couple realise that perhaps they should have let sleeping dogs lie. A new comedy. Tickets: £10, £8 (conc) The Hypochondriac by Molière adapted by Roger McGough, Colchester Theatre Group Wednesday 22nd Saturday 25th October 7.45pm. Saturday matinée at 2.30pm Molière’s classic comedy. Tickets: £10, £8 (conc) Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Headgate Theatre Productions Wednesday 5th Saturday 8th November 7.45pm. Saturday matinée at 2.30pm Estragon and Vladimir are tramps who are waiting for Godot, who may, or may not, come today - or tomorrow. Tickets: £10, £8 (conc) Look Back in Anger by John Osborne, Chameleon’s Web Theatre Company Wednesday 26th Saturday 29th November 7.45pm. Saturday matinée at 2.30pm Jimmy Porter, an educated disillusioned university graduate comes to terms with his grudge against middle-class life and values. Tickets: £10, £8 (conc) All enquiries and tickets from the Headgate Theatre Box Office on 01206 366000 or www. headgatetheatre.co.uk

Performed by The Russian State Ballet and Opera House, a compelling legend of tragic romance performed to a large live Orchestra suitable for the whole family. Visit www. ballet-tickets.com for information and tickets or call 01206 282020.

Hammond. Tickets: adults and seniors £10, under 16’s £3 to include interval drink. Programmes £1. Tickets are available on the door, from our box office on 01206 210933, online at http://www.colnephil. org.uk/tickets or by writing to The CPO Box Office, 9 Church Grove, Aldham, Colchester, Essex, CO6 3SA.

Colchester Organ Society

Music

East Anglian Single Reed Choir concert At St Mary’s Parish Church, Kelvedon Sunday 12th October 6.30pm A varied programme of light classical music played by this ensemble of clarinets and saxophones, conducted by Anthony Bailey. Tickets (including refreshments) £10, £8 (concessions), under 16’s £1, are available at the door or in advance from Carol and Andrew Taylor on 01376 573923.

At Alderman Blaxill School, Paxman Avenue, Shrub End, Colchester On the first Friday of each month 7.45pm - 10.15pm Live keyboard concerts with music to suit all tastes, featuring top musicians from around the country.Friday 3rd October – Tony StaceFriday 7th November – Andrew Nix £4 members, £6 non members. Refreshments and raffle. Ample parking inside school grounds. Free entry for two non members upon production of this advert. Contact Alan Pilgrim on 01787 269458 or email alanwpilgrim@tiscali. co.uk for further details.

Cabaret Evening

Productions at the Headgate Theatre, Colchester

Two Kool Kats, Dancing Giraffe CIC Saturday 11th October 7.00pm Performance by Aindre Reece-Sheerin, an opera singer from Guernsey. All proceeds will go to helping disabled people in the community. Tickets: £15, £12.50 (conc) Sing for their Supper, Richard Brazear Saturday 1st November 7.30pm A concert in support of Christian Aid and their work to assist communities throughout the world. Tickets: £8. £6 (conc) All enquiries and tickets from the Headgate Theatre Box Office on 01206 366000 or www. headgatetheatre.co.uk

We Will Remember Them

At St. John’s Methodist Church, York Road, Sudbury Saturday 8th November 7.30pm A concert by The Stour Valley Singers and guests Stephen Varcoe and Evie Press in memory of all those who were affected by World War 1. In aid of the British Legion and the Bridge Project. Tickets £8 (includes nibbles and a glass of wine or soft drink) from Compact Music in Sudbury or on the night at the door.

At The Institute, High Street, Kelvedon Colne Philharmonic Saturday 29th November Orchestra 25th 7.30 for 8.00pm - 11.15pm Anniversary An evening with Delvis Concert and supporting artistes At Braintree Arts Theatre presented by Kelvedon Saturday 25th Community Association. October 3.00pm Raffle. Tickets £15, bring In celebration of our Cinema your own food and drink. first concert in October Leavenheath Tickets available from Anne 1989, a family-orientated Village Hall on 01376 572944, Sue ‘Hurrah’! Music from SaintSwan Lake on 01376 570720, email Digital Cinema Saens - Dance Macabre, At Charter Hall, Cowdray jeremydoughton@hotmail. At Leavenheath Village Lord of the Rings Suite, Avenue, Colchester com or The Box Office, Hall, Wrights Way, Pirates of the Caribbean, 2024th OctoberPlease mention Master Butcher, High Street, Connection when responding to adverts Friday (signposted from Nielsen -The Aladdin Suite. Kelvedon. Proceeds to KCA. 7.30 pm the High Road) Conducted by Tom

What’s On Doors open 7.00pm for 7.30pm start. Refreshments (wine, beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee) will be available before the film starts and during the interval. Tickets £3.50 per adult and £2 per child. You can now reserve your seat online at www.leavenheath. org.uk or please call Lesley 01206 262505 or Ken 01206 263266 for tickets. Saturday 4th October ’The Love Punch’(12A). Pierce Brosnan stars as a businessman selling his company, only to run into problems – troublesome enough that he requires help from his ex-wife, Emma Thompson, to catch the culprits. Saturday 1st November ‘The Railwayman’(15). A true story starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. A victim from World War II’s‘Death Railway’ sets out to find those responsible for his torture.

Things for Children

Events at Marks Hall, Colchester Children’s Chocolate Workshop Tuesday 28th October 11.00am - 12.30pm and 2.00am - 3.30pm Chocolate Planet will be returning to hold a children’s workshop, the children will be able to design their own Halloween treats to take away with them. Halloween Trail Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November 10.30am - 4.00pm The beasties have been busy at Marks Hall and

are on the loose in the Arboretum, can you find them for us? Normal admission charge.

Halloween Hoo Ha Wednesday 29th October 10.30am - 4.00pm for a day of activities with Zoo 4 You and storyteller Mike Dodsworth discovering all that is magical and mythical about Marks Hall. The event is free. Booking is essential for Zoo 4 You. For more information or to book please contact Louise Dover at events@ markshall.org.uk or visit www.markshall.org.uk or call 01376 563796.

Archaeology Workshop At Wormingford Community Education Centre, The Old School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6 3AZ Tuesday 28th October 10.00am-3.00pm Enjoy a day of archaeology accredited by the Children’s University, open to children between the ages of 8 and 12, cost £20 per child. For more information email Jane Crone or Ellie Mead travelsintime@live.com

the Primary Years”by Sarah Rowledge, Principal. Purley Farm, Colne Road, Coggeshall, CO6 1TH. If you are unable to attend on this day then please contact Kathryn on 01376 564392 to arrange an alternative time.

Talks and Workshops Chaucer Civil Servant and Poet At Christchurch, Coggeshall.

Come and join our Little Treasures Classes. Based in a calm, quiet environment in Christ Church URC, Stoneham Street, Coggeshall we offer a wealth of everyday natural objects and resources chosen to stimulate the different senses for children from 6 months to 3 years of age. Wednesday mornings during term time. Please call Julie on 01376 562 000.

Thursday 25th September 2.00pm The Workers Educational Association Coggeshall Branch presents a 10 week course by tutor Graham Platts to cover Chaucer’s life in Suffolk and London before turning to events in his life and literature. Fee £48. For more information please contact Nancy Powell Davies on 01376 562657 or email powell. davies@btinternet.com

North East Essex Decorative and Fine Arts lectures Thursday 16th October 11.00 a.m.

Parenting courses

Empowered Parenting Course Giving you and your child a head start. Five-week Soaring High evening course starting Montessori Primary October 6th, continuing School Open Day on 13th, and 20th plus 3rd and 10th November, 7pm on Saturday 8th 9.30pm (£150 per couple). November 2014 from 10.00am – 1.00pm. Absolute Angels Nursery www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk in Coggeshall. Contact Introductory talk at 11.00am“Montessori in Hannah: 01376 562 603.

Are You Sitting Comfortably? - The History of the Chair, presented by Janusz Karczewski-Slowikowski The development of the chair in terms of its construction and style from ancient times through to the 19th century. Its social significance and

What’s On continued 21 over page

What’s On its use as a symbol of power and authority in both religious and courtly ritual will be discussed. Thursday 20th November 11.00 a.m. The History of The Harp, presented by Sarah Deere Jones Using illustrations from carvings, paintings, sculpture, pottery, mosaics and stained glass Sarah will trace the history of one of the world’s most ancient and beloved musical instruments. She will also demonstrate by performing on a number of instruments. Guest places are available at £5 to non-members. To book a place please email secretary@needfas. org.uk in advance of lecture. For full lecture information please visit www.needfas.org.uk

Events at Wormingford Community Education Centre Yoga, Tuesdays 10.00am – 11.30am Pilates, Thursdays 10.00am – 11.15am Felting Workshops, Saturday 11th, Saturday 25th October and Saturday 15th November 10.30am - 3.30pm Digital Photography, Tuesdays 7.00pm – 9.00pm All enquiries to WCEC, The Old School, Church Lane, Wormingford CO6

3AZ, email wcec12@ gmail.com or call 01206 337338.

Talk: Around the Flower Shows Tuesday 21st October Church Hall, Bear Street, Nayland CO6 4HY at 7.40pm. Entry free. Richard Ford will share his knowledge in an illustrated talk on ‘Around the Flower Shows’. All welcome. 01206 262807 http://www. naylandhortsoc.org.uk/

Talk: The River Stour Monday 10th November Village Hall, Nayland CO6 4JH at 7.40 for 8pm. Matt Holden, Dedham Vale & Stour Valley Project, will share his knowledge in an illustrated talk on ‘The River Stour’. Entry free, all welcome. www.naylandhortsoc.org.uk www.naylandconservation.org.uk

Farmers Markets

Please note that some dates may be liable to change so for more information contact individual markets for details.

Lavenham Farmers Market At The Village Hall, Lavenham Sunday 26th October and Sunday

Feature your not for profit, village, community or charity events FREE OF CHARGE in our What’s On pages by emailing your listing to info@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

23rd November at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Colchester Farmers Market The Arts Centre, Colchester Friday 3rd October and Friday 7th November at 9.30am - 1.00pm Contact Rowley Castiglione 01206 367776

Wivenhoe Farmers Market Congregational Hall, Wivenhoe Saturday 18th October and Saturday 15th November at 9.00am - 12.00 Contact Rowly Castiglione 01206 367776

Brightlingsea Farmers Market At the Community Centre, Brightlingsea Saturday 25th October and Saturday 22nd November at 9.00am - 12.00 Contact 01206 302055

Friday 31st October and Friday 28th November at 9.30am - 2.00pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Hedingham Farmers’ Market At The Baptist Church, Swan Street, Sible Hedingham (next to the Sugar Loaves pub) Saturday 18th October and Saturday 15th November at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Roy Reece 07513 464567

Nayland Farmers Market At Nayland Village Hall Saturday 11th October and Saturday 8th November at 10.00am - 1.30pm Contact Justine Paul 07704 627973

Long Melford Farmers Market At Long Melford Village Memorial Hall

Sudbury Farmers Market

Saturday 18th October and Saturday 15th November at 10.00am - 1.00pm

At St Peters Church, Sudbury

Contact Daryl Turner 07780 258202

The Connection has listed all the events in What’s On in good faith. We cannot accept responsibility for inaccuracies, changes to events or cancellations. It might be advisable to check with venues before attendance.

Next issue: December/January - published 13th November

Deadline date for entries in the next issue 24th October 2014

We also welcome details of slimming groups, keep 22 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts fit classes, language courses, farmers markets, boot sales and regular clubs, groups and societies. www.facebook.com/TheConnectionMagazineColchester

What’s On Mind, Body and Spirit Festival in Marks Tey Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October sees Life Arts’ 2nd Mind Body and Spirit Festival in Marks Tey Parish Hall

   



Colchester

Sat 25th Sun 26th October 2014 10am-5pm

Marks Tey Parish Hall, Old London Road, Colchester, Essex CO6 1EJ

Life Arts is providing a weekend  International TV Psychics, Readers, Clairvoyant’s  Many stands packed with complementary  FREE workshops & talks by gifted speakers  Wellbeing therapies; therapies, spiritual guidance, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology, Crystal Healing, Reiki & much more health advice, meditation space,  Oils & Incense  Mystic Art  Aura Photos  Astrology  Meditation workshops and healing music.  Spiritual Gifts  Stage Performances On offer will be a range of  Crystals & Gems  Jewellery treatments including Reflexology,  Healthy Food & Drink Colour Therapy, Alexandra Technique, Crystal Healing and Indian Head Massage, gifts such as jewellery, books and healing herbs and psychics and readers with specialties such as Kevin Doe’s aura photography, Channel 4’s astrologer Demian Allan, International medium Maureen Flynn, clairvoyance with Joyina and psychic artist Jennifer Lynch. There will also be free workshops Adults: £3.50 on subjects as diverse ‘5 easy tips Concessions: £2.50 to instant youthful skin’ by beauty 16 and under: FREE expert, Debs Scott founder of b2 For information visit: ‘Feng Shui for a healthy home’ www.lifearts.co.uk by Jackie Tyrrell of Feng Shui Pathway, ‘Knowing Your Purpose’ Organised by Chris Cozens of Life Arts by Rami, ‘Geopathic Stress’ by Sarah Payne, ‘Core Energetic Despecial ‘World Healing Harmonic Concert’ by Ramivana will follow cording’ a process of removing the festival on Saturday 5.30 to 7.30pm as negative ties or cords created part of their European tour. To find out from life’s experiences and karmic more visit www.ramivana.com influences by Keith Goodwin and Chris Cozens, who established Life Arts a ‘Mediumship Demonstration’ by in 1998, has been organising Mind Colchester’s very own legendary Body and Spirit Events since 1999 and International medium Maureen ensures all exhibitors are selected Flynn. by merit, integrity, experience and The main stage will play professionalism. host to demonstrations and The festival is at Marks Tey Parish Hall, performances from, Kevin Doe’s just off A120, Colchester CO6 1EN from Aura Interpretations, Kula Tribal 10 till 5 each day. Parking is free and this Belly Dance, Ramivana playing event is wheelchair friendly. harmonic instruments from around Entrance is £3.50 for adults, £2.50 for concessions and 16s and the world, composer and pianist under are free. 23 Ian Haywood, to name butwww.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk a few. A For more information about the event visit www.lifearts.co.uk

Colchester Film Festival 2014 Firstsite Visual Arts Gallery, Colchester Wednesday 22nd – Sunday 26th October Colchester Film Festival is an international film festival dedicated to showcasing the best new short and feature films from the UK and around the world. The festival has an excellent track record of selecting films that have gone on to be nominated for Oscars and BAFTAs making it a must see event for film fans and makers.

premieres. Audiences will have the chance to meet find out more about the films, as the film’s makers will be attending the festival to speak about their work For those wanting to learn more about the film industry the festival hosts a series of workshops, master-classes and panel discussions. Audiences will be able to network and ask top industry professionals questions in Q&A sessions. There are events for all ages with a FREE family filmmaking activities including film screenings, animation stations and green screen workshops. For more information please visit: www.colchesterfilmfestival.com facebook.com/colchesterfilmfestival twitter.com/ColFilmFestival #ColFilmFest

The festival brings you a selection of great films from a wide range of genres created by the next generation of filmmaking talent and featuring the best acting talent around so whatever your taste in film there will be a screening for you. Films are selected from over 4,500 submissions from more than 100 countries. Festival audiences will be the first people to see these films, as the vast majority of the films screened are UK

‘The Phone Call’ starring Sally Hawkins, which will be screened at this year’s festival.

Pilates and Yoga

Classes are available day�me and evenings, Monday to Saturday. We have four people per class. We have many diﬀerent levels of class, whether you are a beginner or experienced we will have the class for you. Call us now for some more informa�on and to book into one of our classes. For more informa�on Call: 01787 220141 or email: info@evergreenclinics.com www.evergreenclinics.com 24

We have many diﬀerent styles of exercise here at Evergreen so you never get bored! Suspension Pilates Yoga (mat) Pilates (mat) Reformer Pilates (1-2-1) 1-2-1 Fitness Pilates Ante Natal Pilates Over 60’s Pilates and Yoga

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THE SHABBY SHED

Come and see our collection of antiques, vintage and collectables at: 87a West Street, Coggeshall, CO6 1NT

WE ARE OPEN: Wed – Sat 11am-5pm Sun 12-5pm Decorating your house or refreshing a room? Come and find that original item to make a statement. Prices start at just £5, and our stock changes all the time.

Telephone: 07852 960067

www.the-shabby-shed.co.uk

ICKSU HAIRDRESSING LTD

Wonderful looking hair every single day

SPICE UP YOUR COLOUR TO MAKE HEADS TURN 25% off COLOUR SALE 21st October - 15th November 2014 Permanent colours, semi-permanent colours, highlights & lowlights. Offer available when you have cutting and styling at regular prices.

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45 Church Street | Coggeshall | 01376 562160 54 High Street | Earls Colne | 01787 224437 www.ricksu.co.uk

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transform your bathroom You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to pay out a fortune to have your perfect bathroom - Locally based Quirk, will design, plan, supply and fit your ideal bathroom for much less than the well known brands and larger high street stores. Have a browse through our website, read about how we work and how you could benefit from using our company. Contact us to discuss your project.

www.quirkrefurb.com

01376 326642 / 07732 726500

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9 EASY WAYS TO CUT YOUR OIL COSTS THIS WINTER With fuel poverty on the rise and cold weather just around the corner, energy eﬃciency is more important than ever. If you’re on heating oil and would like to make your supply go further this winter, check out our useful tips for easy ways to stay warm for longer! 1. Insulate 60% of the heat that escapes from your home is lost through the walls and roof. By insulating your property, using draft excluders and even closing your curtains in the evening, you can retain heat and reduce your fuel use. 2. Shop Around You might have a regular energy supplier, but are they offering you the best price? By shopping around or using an instant, impartial comparison service such as BoilerJuice, you’ll always get the best quote for your oil. 3. Grab a gadget Pop an insulation panel behind your radiators to reflect heat back into the room, or invest in a radiator booster, which will circulate any warm air that would have been lost behind the radiator, around your home. 4. Add an additive As well as upgrading your fuel, oil additives can help to improve the efficiency of your boiler, which in turn reduces the amount of oil required to heat your home.

7. Bleed your radiators By removing excess air from your central heating system, you can make sure that your boiler isn’t working harder than necessary (and burning more fuel than necessary) to heat your home. 8. Protect your tank As winter creeps in, heating oil thefts increase. By using CCTV, installing a security light or adding a padlock to the opening of your tank, you can take steps to deter thieves and keep your oil supply safe. 9. Spread the cost with a payment plan Payment plans give you the ability to spread the cost of your winter fuel throughout the year, by allowing you to deposit a regular amount of money each month. Although a majority of plans are with a specific supplier, if you sign up for one with an impartial comparison site such as BoilerJuice, you’ll still get the best quote for your order from a range of suppliers across the UK.

5. Book a service The best way to make sure that your boiler is working efficiently (and not using more oil than necessary to heat your home) is to have it serviced annually. Book a service with an OFTEC registered technician through BoilerJuice, to make sure that your boiler is in full working condition, before the cold weather hits. 6. Dial it down It’s important to stay warm during winter, but by throwing on an extra jumper and turning your thermostat down by just one degree, you can cut your fuel use by up to 10%!

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My V.Festival Experience Music fan Charlotte Lascelles was very lucky to attend Chelmsford’s V Festival in the Summer. Here’s her account of that very special weekend. My weekend at V Festival simply made me want to try and visit every year if possible, as there was such a wide range of artists that you just didn’t know who to go and see next. To kick off the weekend, old time rockers The Stranglers opened up the stage. Performing a collection of their hits, including Golden Brown, they soon proved that they were still in great form. Taking to the stage next was Irish Indie band, Kodaline. Following them was Critic Choice Award 2013 winner, Tom Odell who delivered such a passionate performance. Showing off his talent when performing songs like Hold Me, Grow Old With Me and Another Love, he proved to be a very exciting artist; one we should all be looking forward to hearing in the future. British rock band, Kaiser Chiefs certainly had the spotlight on them for their set. Ricky Wilson was just simply insane and had the amazing ability to keep the crowds energy going constantly, whether that being getting the crowd to do a Mexican Wave or simply giving the whole front row a high five (me being one of them, whoop!) This was also included when they played their hits Ruby and I Predict A Riot. Next were Bastille, lead singer Dan Smith delivered an amazing set which included their biggest hits such as Of The Night, where you could feel crowd lifting you up as they jumped, Pompeii and Things We Lost In The Fire. Dance-House singer, Example certainly kept the crowd going during his set, performing a range of hits. Certainly a very fun set and one where I had my first moshing experience (when everyone just went crazy), something I would love to experience again. The final act whom we saw on the main stage that day was Ed Sheeran. It was just him, his guitar and a loop pedal, and the fact that he was able to capture the crowd and sound amazing with only these factors just proves how talented he is. Performing old and new material, Ed always had the audience in the palm of his hand and was able to create the right mood, whether sentimental, happy or excited, he had that power.

The last band we saw that night was Elbow. We weren’t really fans of Justin Timberlake, so we left before he came on. Sorry Justin! Lead singer, Guy Garvey, delivered a family friendly performance that was enjoyable and a lovely end to the day, After good night’s sleep in our Octopod in the V Style section and fuelled by Brioche and coco pops, we were ready to start our day. We first checked out Sam Smith who delivered a beautiful performance with several surprises such as Nile Rodgers coming onstage. Along with performing songs from his debut album which included Money On My Mind and Stay With Me. We also went to go and see husky voiced Indie artist Nina Nesbitt who, in front of a small crowd, delivered a fun, energetic performance. At the main stage we watched Rudimental attempt to deliver an energetic set, but in some areas failed. They just couldn’t quite get the crowd going and the energy just wasn’t quite there. However Lily Allen soon made up for that. Recently making a comeback, she proved that she was missed as she performed some of her hits such as The Fear, Smile and LDN, along with new songs like Somewhere Only We Know and Sheezus. Following her was Indie Soul singer Paolo Nutini, who was certainly a very interesting person to watch live and highly popular amongst people in the crowd. To end the weekend, we watched The Killers. filled With their set fi lled with all of their hits in support of their greatest hits album, the crowd was always excited and on their side. The most amazing moment for me out of the whole set was hearing my favourite song of all time, Mr Brightside, performed in front of me which all I can say is the most incredible feeling ever, the best way to end an amazing weekend.

Words - Charlotte Lascelles

Photos - Imogen to Lascelles Please mention The Connection when responding adverts

KulaLifeYoga A new term at Kula Life Studios…

•• •• •• •• •

Beginners courses Workshops Day retreats Hatha yoga Meditation Restorative Yoga for Sports Vinyasa Flow Pre and Post Natal Yoga

A dedicated yoga studio 2 miles from the A12….. A tranquil and inviting space to begin or develop your practise. Qualified, experienced and supportive instructors and teachers. A wide range of classes for everyone.

www.kulalifeyoga.com 07720 285 660

Kula Life Studio, Easthorpe, Colchester CO5 9HD

tory@kulalifeyoga.com www.facebook.com/KulaLifeYoga

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Notice Board Aldham Village Hall Fundraising Report

Despite the fact that we now have a brilliant new hall, we are still on the fund raising trail. Our car park is in need of some urgent attention and extension to accommodate the increased use, and we are now waiting to hear if we have been successful with our application to the Big Society Lottery for a £5,000 grant. We now host a variety of activities including ballroom dancing, line dancing, indoor bowls, square dancing, together with our local Clog Dancers. We do have a few slots available if you would like to introduce a new activity to the hall, at very reasonable hire rates. If you would like further details about this or any activity currently taking place in the hall, please talk to our booking clerk, Sue on 01206 240682. Thank you once again for your support in the past, and we hope you will continue visiting us in the future. Please see What’s On pages for our next fund raising events we would be very pleased to see you.

St Mary’s Church East Bergholt Preservation Society

We would like to thank everyone who attended the village Open Gardens Day in June. We had a wonderful day, with over 1000 tickets sold and £10,023 raised to support the maintenance of the historic parish church and its unique bell cage.

Kelvedon & Feering Art Society

The Club meets on a weekly basis (Thursday evenings 7.30pm 9.30pm) at Feering Community Centre. There is no tuition as such

but we try to learn from DVD’s, demonstrations and workshops as well as from each other. A weekly programme is provided for inspiration but members are completely free to do whatever they want to. It is simply 2 hours in a week that you can dedicate to painting. Please come along to our exhibition to find out what we do (see What’s On pages) or for more information please contact Pam Johnson on 01376 519648.

Hospice appeal for donations

St Helena Hospice is appealing for more donations to their retail shops to help increase vital funds for patient care in the local community. Good quality donations can include a wide variety of goods, including clothes, shoes, bric-a-brac, books, records, toys, furniture, musical instruments, gardening items and home ware. Small donations can be taken to any of their twelve shops. Larger donations can be brought to their Donation Centre at Angora Business Park, Peartree Road, Stanway, For more information, go to the Shops page at www. sthelenahospice.org.uk/getinvolved or call the retail team on 01206 791740.

Nayland Farmers Market

From November Nayland Farmers’ Market is being taken over and re-launched by Suffolk Market Events, who run the award winning Farmers’ Markets in Lavenham and Sudbury. Over 25 of the best local, small scale producers will be filling Nayland Village Hall with local pork, game, lamb and beef, Suffolk

apple juice, freshly grown local vegetables, home baked cakes and bread and lots, lots more! Contact Justine on 07704 627973, email justine@suffolkmarketevents.co.uk and check out the website at www. suffolkmarketevents.co.uk

Looking after your future

St Helena Hospice will be holding their annual Wills’Week from Monday 3rd to Friday 7th November. We’re giving you the opportunity to make that important appointment with a solicitor and get a standard Will made or amended, while making a valuable donation to St Helena Hospice. Several firms are participating, including Hanslip Ward, John Fowlers, Birkett Long, Powis & Co, GoodyBurrett and Sparlings Solicitors. They’ve all kindly offered to waive their fee and give up their time in exchange for a suggested donation to St Helena Hospice of £75 for a basic Will and £125 for a mirror Will. For more information on Wills’Week, please call Annie Adamson, Gifts in Wills Officer at St Helena Hospice, on 01206 791740.

Colchester Film Festival An international film festival bringing you a selection of great films from a wide range of genres created by the next generation of filmmaking talent.

See page 24 for more details.

Deadline date for Christmas events in the next issue

If you need to promote your village community Christmas event in the December/January issue, you will need to ensure that we have all relevant copy by 24th October . Publication date is 13th November.

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Regular Clubs and Societies Essex and Suffolk IVC

A social club for singles and couples meeting every month in Coggeshall. Contact Brad on 07587 004207.

Coggeshall Patient Participation Group

For patients interested in finding out more about Coggeshall surgery and contributing to the development of local health services. Contact 01376 561840 or 01376 561943.

Kelvedon Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institute

Various activities and outings. Monthly meetings at the Kelvedon Institute. Contact www.kelvedonwi.org.uk, email contact@kelvedonwi.org.uk or call Joanna Puczkowski on 07855 369516.

Coggeshall Heritage Society

Regular talks, outings and meetings for anyone interested in the history and development of Coggeshall. Contact Mr. R.Creswell on 01376 561570 or visit www.discoveringcoggeshall.co.uk

Circle of Friendship

Friendly monthly meetings in the Jubilee room at The Venture Centre, Lawford to include speakers, sing alongs, quizzes, outings and meals. Contact Gwen on 07949 496723.

Teenage writers

In this issue we have a guest contributor in teenage budding journalist Charlotte Lascelles. Charlotte who is an enthusiastic music fan has given us the low down on some of the acts she saw at V.Festival, and has written about her chosen restaurant to celebrate her exam results. Do we have any other budding teen writers out there interested in submitting an article to be published in the magazine? Would you like to voice your opinions on subjects such as music, books, films, Facebook, bullying, overpriced cinema popcorn, education, family life, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games etc ? Articles can be light hearted or serious. Please email us to express your interest and we will get back to you. editor@theconnectionmagazine.co.uk

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And Another Thing....by Tom Hughes I have a blended family. I don’t mean one night I went mad, chopped them all to bits with an axe then heaved their dismembered corpses into a giant Moulinex. What I actually mean is Sarah and I have four kids between us. And no, it’s not Piccadilly Circus in our house, it’s Grand Central Station.

“No problem, where to, your girlfriend’s? The cinema?”

Delirious, I rang my insurance company.

“Glasgow.”

“Good morning, I’d like to add an additional driver to my policy.”

“Glasgow?” “I’ve got tickets to see The Sausage Knotters.”

“But Rob, you’ve just come in.” “Yes I know, I’ve come in to say I’m going out. Bye.” (slam). “Dad, will you take me to the cinema?”

“I’m going to watch The Hunger Games.” “Half way through the movie, will I feel like a Lyons hot dog?” “A what? Dad you’re not coming, you’re just giving us a lift.” I get ready to take Emma to the cinema in my trusty Mondeo Ghia (half leather trim, heated seats). Now, do I have everything? Keys, coat, shoes, glasses…. ready. Beep! Beep! Hang on, who is that outside sounding their horn? “It’s OK, Rebecca’s Mum’s here, she’s taking us now, mix up, bye!” (slam). I sit back down in my coat. Ollie (the dog) sees that I am now wearing my anorak and trots off to retrieve his lead. He drops it at my feet and gives me his, “Well, come on!” look. We make it to the front porch just as the heavens open. “I’m taking Ollie out, bye!” (slam). Don’t think door banging is confined to the entrance to our castle; all the internal doors take a hammering. I am an expert in counting down the slams. “Dad! That’s so unfair! Right! Fine.” “Three, two, one …(slam!) Ooh, right on the money.” Sarah was impressed. “You’ve got that down to a tee.”

Eyebrows up, chin down, “So…that’s a no?”

“Two hours.”

“I’m not entirely sure the Mondeo is up to it.”

“That will be an additional premium of one hundred and thirty pounds.”

“Fine!”

“Emma, what are we going to see?”

two (slam), oh damn!”

Sarah delayed her countdown just a touch too long - “Three…..

Amateur. And so another week begins - football, gymnastics, swimming, cinema, proms, cheerleading, sleepovers, horse-riding. Have you ever tried to organise a parent’s lift rota on Facebook? It’d be easier to start a protest flash mob outside a G8 summit. No one tells me who is picking up who. Emma was in the back seat ready to go to Duke of Edinburgh (It was a meeting about his Award, he hadn’t called round to see if she was playing out) and I was just about to set off when a Chelsea tractor with blacked out windows skidded to a halt on the pavement in front of us. A strange creature with Gucci bug eyes and a mouth like a salmon was at the wheel. I shrugged. The creature shrugged back. Emma looked at me and shrugged. We all shrugged. Then the creature sped off, beeping her horn and pouting rude words at me. “Who was that?” “Rebecca’s Mum, I think she was supposed to take.” “Well nobody told me.”

“Seventeen.” “How long licence held?”

“Glasgow?”

“Dad, I’m just going out.”

“Additional driver’s age?”

“One moment please”. A pause while the computer flicked over into improbability mode.

“Really? That’s very reasonable.” Long summer nights at our local watching other couples throw car keys at each other filtered into my mind. “Yes, that additional premium takes you to your renewal date which is next Saturday.” “Ok, and how much is it for the year? “One moment please…five thousand eight hundred and fifty nine pounds, and thirty one pence.” “You what?! Five thousand – “ “..Eight hundred and fifty nine pounds thirty one pence. With a nine hundred pounds excess.” “But….the car is only worth eight hundred quid. So, what am I actually paying for?” “…Peace of mind?” It was my birthday last week. I came home and everyone was in the front room grinning. I sat down, Rob pushed Olly off my lap and handed me my present. A pair of driver’s gloves and some furry dice. Everyone fell about. A car horn blared outside. “That’s not that Rebecca’s scary Mum again is it?” “No. Come on Dad, we’re taking you to dinner.” Outside, a minibus. We all piled in. What’s this - free food and a lift home? Priceless. You see, it doesn’t take much….

Then, a miracle, a gift from the gods. Rob passed his test. We were so proud, “OK” his Mother was overjoyed. A whole new Follow Tom’s family life at Right on cue, Evan popped his head world opened up. Lifts to the pub, lifts groomsdaybook.com round. to the game, lifts to the pub; my life was 34 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts coming back to say hello! “Dad, can I have a lift on Friday?” “Here, do you want a go?”

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Apple & Blackberry Crumble Cake

Mushroom & Chicken Pot Pies

Makes 8 Slices

Makes 4 Ready in 1 hour

•

25g dried porcini mushrooms

•

25g butter

•

2 tbsp olive oil

•

2 shallots, peeled and chopped

•

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

•

400g mixed mushrooms, chopped if large

•

250g chicken breast fillet, diced

•

200g tub crème fraiche

•

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

•

300g puff pastry

•

Beaten egg, to glaze

Place the porcini in a heatproof bowl and cover with 150ml boiling water. Leave to soak for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C, Fan 200C, Gas Mark 7. Heat the butter and half the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the shallots for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further 3-4 minutes then stir in all the mushrooms and fry over a high heat until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the rest of the oil to the frying pan and fry the diced chicken for 5-6 minutes until golden brown all over. Drain the porcini mushrooms and add the soaking liquid to the chicken. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes until reduced. Meanwhile, finely chop the porcini mushrooms and stir into the fried mushrooms and shallots. Return all the mushrooms and shallots to the pan and stir in the crème fraiche and thyme leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Divide the mixture between four individual ovenproof pie dishes. Brush the rims of the dishes with water.

Ready in 1 hour 20 mins, plus cooling

• 350g self-raising ﬂour • 2tsp ground mixed spice • 175g unsalted butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for greasing • 150g golden caster sugar • 2 medium eggs, beaten • 2 large dessert apples, peeled cored and diced • 200g blackberries • 50g Demerara sugar • 50g roasted hazelnuts, chopped

TIP You can vary the fruit filling, try pears with blueberries or thickly sliced plums and replace the hazelnuts with chopped blanched almonds.

Preheat the oven to 190C, Fan 170C, Gas Mark 5. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Grease a 20cm x 24cm cake tin and line the base and sides with baking paper. Sift the flour and mixed spice into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Remove 175g of the crumble mixture to a second bowl and set aside. Stir the caster sugar and beaten egg into the larger amount of crumble to make a soft and slightly sticky dough. Press into an even layer in the base of the cake tin using floured hands. Scatter over the diced apple and berries. Stir the Demerara sugar and chopped hazelnuts into the rest of the crumble mixture and spoon over the fruit, pressing down gently.

Place the cake tin on the hot baking sheet in Roll out the pastry to about 4mm thickness. Cut the oven and bake for 40-50 mins until the out four circles of pastry big enough to fit on top cake is risen and golden brown (cover the top of the dishes with a little pastry overlapping the of the cake loosely with foil after 30 mins if it edges. Drape the pastry circles over the filling. starts to overbrown). Leave the cake to cool Decorate the tops with leaves cut from the pastry in the tin for about 20 mins then remove by trimmings and brush the pastry with beaten egg. gently lifting the parchment. Serve warm or Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes cold. until the pastry is crisp and golden. www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk 37

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Mind Designs

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Gardening Conifers

by Pippa Greenwood scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’, Thuja plicata ‘Fastigiata’. Pyramid-shaped Conifers - With their relatively wide bases and narrow tops, pyramidal conifers can bring welcome shape, texture and evergreen colour to your garden and if carefully position are often useful to hide an

Conifers are a great way to add colour, texture and living sculpture to your garden 365 days of the year. With several hundred different cultivars of conifer to choose from in the UK, there really is one to suit every situation.

Dwarf Conifers

There are many conifers which reach a maximum height of 1m (3ft). These are obviously particularly useful for small gardens and will often add a great extra dimension to a rock garden or a small-scale border. They may need an occasional trimming, but generally hold their shape well. Recommended: Picea abies ‘Little Gem’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Gnome’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Minima Aurea’, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmoriniana’, Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’

Tall and Narrow

Very stylish, many of the columnar or tall, slim conifers look especially stunning when used to create a screen, or to add height to a mixed border or a shrub border. Being rather like a living sculpture they are also good grown as a single specimen tree in a lawn. Recommended: Taxus baccata ‘Fastigiata Aurea’, Juniperus

eyesore. Recommended: Picea albertiana ‘Conica’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Yvonne’ or Thymus occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbon’

Spherical Conifers

With their prominently rounded shape these conifers naturally produce a sculptured look and are perfect for growing either side of a gateway or house entrance. They also look great in a mixed border, adding colour, texture and interest when many of the other border ingredients are below ground. Recommended: Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Sunset’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Minima Glauca’, Thuja occidentalis ‘Danice’

Ground-Cover Conifers Great for hiding low-lying eyesores such as manhole covers, an evergreen groundcover hides them all year long. Low growing conifers also work well for covering steep slopes and edging paths and beds. They will help to keep weeds at bay and are very low maintenance. Recommended: Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Coat’, Juniperus conferata, Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’.

Conifers for Containers

around their roots, to add splashes of seasonal colour) or in a mixed planting where they help to bring structure, texture and offseason colour. Recommended: Juniperus compressa ‘Compressa’, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwood’s Gold’, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan-Sugi’ , Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Springtime’, Pinus leucodermis ‘Schmidtii’

Conifer Planting and Growing Tips

Make the planting hole a minimum of 1m wide by 30cm deep and incorporate plenty of bulky organic matter such as garden compost, proprietary planting mix or well-rotted manure. Tease or spread out the roots well and backfill the hole with garden soil mixed with planting compost. Make sure that only the roots are below the soil surface, water in well. Keep the soil moist at all times, especially during late spring and summer when drought is likely. Feed in April using a proprietary fertiliser to keep the growth good and ensure it is a good colour. Trim conifers regularly but remember if you cut back into old or brown growth you’ll end up expose all the old growth as they don’t produce dormant buds. Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com for a great range of gardening-related items including‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ Gift Cards, handmade pottery herb planters, Pippa’s favourite weeding tool, signed books and lots of useful garden items.

Conifers can look great either on their own (especially when planted with a few small bulbs

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Alexese Katherine

Horticulturalist Tutor Designer BSc Horticulture - Writtle

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Thinking Nursing Home?

Think Again…

Our Chief Executive – Anne Thain has 25+ years’ senior nursing experience supporting people at home. We offer a personalised ‘no obligation’ care assessment Clients who choose us are fully involved in the selection of their personal assistant. Whether you are looking for Companionship or

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Need help with Probate or Letters of Administration? Probate

can be a very complex task but we can help you and we offer guaranteed fixed fees. We provide a complete solution helping you deal with the emotional aspects of losing a loved one whilst we deal with the practical aspects.

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Sudoku Competition

How to play

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9, with no repetition! That’s all there is to it. You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic - there’s no maths involved and no adding up.

WIN £25 Fill in and cut out and send to: Sarah Banks, The Connection, Applegarth, Whitestreet Green Boxford, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 5JL The first correct entry out of the hat will win the prize.

Closing date 24th October 2014

CHIMNEY SWEEP Have your chimney or solid fuel burning stove swept to ensure it remains safe and efficient to use. If you have a chimney fire, your household insurance provider may refuse to settle all or part of any claim if you have not had the chimney or stove flue pipe swept on a regular basis by a professional chimney sweep. My name is Bob Gliddon and by using the latest equipment I will provide you with an efficient and professional service, leaving you free to use and enjoy your fire this winter and beyond.

Call 07552 238536 for an appointment Member of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps Fully insured.

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Colchester Workhorse Paul Richardson

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Spot the Diﬀerence

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Come and explore East Anglian Railway Museum Open daily and fun for all the family

October 5th - Miniature Railway Gala – range of motive power on our 7¼” railway – with

Gauge 0 model railway layout and other 00 layouts. The ever popular Driver For a Fiver returns plus rides on the Tramway Engine and Coach. November 1st and 2nd - Spooky Days Out with Thomas – all the usual Thomas fun with four character trains and children’s entertainment hosted by Sir Topham Hatt. Spooky Fun with our witches and ghosts (suitable for young children) plus a prize for the best child Halloween costume each day.

November 30th, December 7th, 14th and 21st - Festive Days Out With Thomas – Three character trains running whilst Toby and Henrietta host Santa Claus’s Grotto. Miniature Railway in operation plus all the usual children’s activities.

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Useful Numbers Local Schools

West Bergholt Surgery

Rivers/Floodline

Tel: 01206 241137

Tel: 0845 988 1188

Marks Tey Surgery

Citizens Advice Bureau

Tel: 01206 213513

Tel: 0870 126 4065

Tollgate Health Centre

Samaritans/Colchester

Tel: 01376 561231

Tel: 01206 710030

Tel: 01206 561234

Kelvedon St. Mary C of E Primary School

Stanway Surgery

Volunteering Opportunities

Tel: 01206 572372

Tel: 01206 505250

Tel: 01376 570411

The Pump House Surgery/Earls Colne

Al Anon Family Groups Helpline

St. Peter’s C of E Primary School Tel: 01376 561328 Honywood Community Science School

Feering C of E Controlled Primary School

Tel: 01787 222022

Tel: 01376 570296

Drs Hayhow & Barker/Bures

Earls Colne Primary School and Nursery

Tel: 01787 227529

Tel: 01787 222205

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Colne Engaine C of E (Aided) Primary School Tel: 01787 222717 Bures C.E V.C Primary School Tel: 01787 227446

Branch Surgery, Hardwick House Group Practice Tel: 01787 310000 Dr Baldwin & Partners, Nayland Surgery Tel: 01206 262202

Chappel C of E School

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Police Contacts

St. John the Baptist C.E.V.A Primary School

Support Crimestoppers

Tel: 01787 269300

Tel: 0800 555 111

Great Tey C.E Controlled Primary School

ChildLine

Tel: 01206 210415

Samaritans

Fordham All Saints C of E Primary School

Tel: 08457 90 90 90

Tel: 01206 240251 Copford C of E Primary School

Tel: 0800 1111

Cruse Tel: 0844 477 9400 NSPCC

Aldham Village Hall Tel: 01206 240682 Mount Bures Tel: 01787 228055 Bures Community Centre Tel: 01787 227278 Nayland Tel: 0774 895 3175 Dedham Assembly Rooms Tel: 01206 323921 Stoke by Nayland

Essex Police (non-emergency calls to all stations and departments)

Tel: 01206 262943

Tel: 0300 333 4444

Tel: 01787 227631

Ministry Of Defence Police Tel: 01206 782917

Councils Colchester Borough Council

Tel: 01787 222296

Village Halls

Tel: 01206 282222 Braintree District Council Tel: 01376 552525 Kelvedon Parish Council Tel: 01376 570285 Feering Parish Council Tel: 01376 572882 Coggeshall Parish Council Tel: 01376 562346 Stanway Parish Council

Wormingford Little Horkesley Tel: 01206 271841 Leavenheath Tel: 01206 263301 Assington Tel: 01787 211162 Stanway Village Hall Tel: 01206 545062 Feering Community Centre Tel: 01376 572467 Marks Tey Village Hall Tel: 01206 213250 White Colne Village Hall Tel: 01787 221919 Colne Engaine Village Hall

Tel: 01206 542221

Tel: 01787 223668

Tel: 0500 700 700

Post Offices

Tel: 01787 224370

National Debtline

Fiveways Post Office

Tel: 0808 808 4000

Tel: 01206 330451

Tel: 01206 574849

National Domestic Violence Helpline

Holy Trinity C.E. Primary School

Tel: 0808 2000 247

Tel: 01206 210314

Eight Ash Green & Aldham

Victim Support

Tel: 01206 240880

Tel: 0845 30 30 900

Soaring High Montessori Coggeshall

Inland Revenue

Fordham Village Store and Post Office

Tel: 01376 564392

Tel: 0845 010 9000

Tel: 01206 240391

RSPCA

Earls Colne Post Office

Tel: 0870 55 55 999

Tel: 01787 222258

Stansted General Enquiries

AA Breakdown

Wakes Colne Post Office

Tel: 0870 000 0303

Tel: 0800 887 766

Tel: 01787 222449

Stansted Express

Floodline

Bures Post Office

Tel: 0845 850 0150

Tel: 0845 9881188

Tel: 01787 227252

Gatwick General Enquiries

Transco emergency service

Stoke by Nayland Park Street Stores and Post Office

Tel: 0870 000 2468

Tel: 01206 262335

Tel: 0845 850 1530

Tel: 01206 210439 Stanway Primary School Tel: 01206 574819 St. Mary’s Lower School Tel: 01206 211242 Stanway Fiveways Primary School

Stoke by Nayland C.E. V.C.P School Tel: 01206 262418 Nayland Community Primary School Tel: 01206 262348

Doctors

Kelvedon Surgery Tel: 01376 574560

52 Surgery Coggeshall Tel: 01376 561242

Missing Persons Helpline

Tel: 0800 111 999

Kelvedon and Feering Health Centre Tel: 01376 572906

Tel: 0808 800 5000

Rail Enquiries Tel: 08457 484950 AA roadwatch Tel: 09003 401100 BT Faultline

Marks Tey West Bergholt Tel: 01206 240355

Nayland Post Office Tel: 01206 262210 Stratford St Mary Post Office Tel: 01206 322150

Earls Colne Village Hall Bures Community Centre Tel: 01787 227278 Eight Ash Green Village Hall Tel: 01206 562860 Copford Village Hall Tel: 01206 211235 Chappel and Wakes Colne Tel: 07771 622525

Airports

Gatwick Express Heathrow General Enquiries Tel: 0870 000 0123 Heathrow Express

Tel: 0845 600 1515 Please mention The ConnectionDedham whenPost responding to adverts Office Tel: 0800 800 151

Tel: 01206 323543

Respite, Rehabilitation or Convalescence? We tailor support to your individual lifestyle Filling in for a family member or carer who needs a break. Supporting people through a period of recuperation or convalescence, e.g.in the few weeks after returning from hospital. This form of support it is often the preferred alternative to staying in a residential or care home. (t) 02081 236286 (e) info@eachlife.co.uk (w) www.eachlife.co.uk

For a Confidential chat and to find out your options Call Anne direct on 07971 499411

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Index of Advertisers Accountancy Alcohol store Antiques Architect Bathroom Fitter Beauty Therapist Bookkeeping Building Services Cafe Car Sales Car Tuning Carpet Cleaners Caravan Storage Care Support Services Carpenter Cheese Making Kits Childrens Nursery Chimney Sweep Chiropractor Chocolate Parties Craft Centre

16, 44, 47 36 25 16 27 4 16, 44, 47 47 49 16 48 53 41 42 38, 42 36 2 44 38 27 33

Computer Services Counselling Cleaning Services Decorators Dental Clinic Designer Radiators Dog washing service Electrician Estate Agent Florist Flooring Funeral Directors Garden Design Garden Tutor Garden Services Hairdressers Heating Heating Oil Health Club Interior Design IT Specialist Joinery

48 39 45 51 56 36 45 46 3 13, 39 14, 35 51 41 41 41, 45 25 48, 46 29 11 4 48 38, 42

SUDBURY

River

Assington

Stour

A131

Stoke by Nayland

Bures

Pebmarsh

Riv er

HALSTEAD Coln e

Greenstead Green

Nayland

Colne Engaine

Earls Colne

White Colne Wakes Colne Chappel

Great Tey

A131

Fordham River

Aldham

Colne

Stratford St Mary Dedham

Little Mount Horkesley Bures Wormingford

Boxted

A12

West Bergholt

Kitchen Fitters Kitchenware shop Ladies Fashion Lawn Mower Repairs Lodge Accommodation Oven Cleaning Pest Control Planning Services Plant Nursery Podiatrist Public House Property Maintenance Probate Service Psychic Medium Plumber Radiators Railway Museum Removals Restaurant Respite Care Retirement Apartments School Storage Swimming Pool Travel Agent Therapies Tree Surgeon Used Car Sales Vintage Furniture Window Repairs Will Writing Wedding Venue Yoga and Pilates

42 36 13 45 11 47 45, 46 46 49 45 7 45 - 48 55, 43 39 48, 46 36 51 39 10, 15 53 17 33 41, 39 50 9 24, 39 41 16 25 47 55 11 24, 31

A120

Eight Ash Green

COLCHESTER Copford

A120

Coggeshall Feering Kelvedon

Lexden A12

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Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. The Connection does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinanyretrievalsystemsortransmittedinanyform - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission of the publisher

Willwriting & Probate Services Did you know: You can protect your property from being sold to pay for your Care Home fees. Did you know: That the 40% inheritance tax is voluntary and you can legally take steps to mitigate the tax?

Members of The Society of Will Writers, The Heir Hunters Association and approved Probate Supplier for the Forces Pension Society

IWC

If you need help or advice please call us on 01376 349366 or freephone 0800 612 6105 You can also email us at www.iwc-ltd.co.uk enquiries@iwc窶人td.co.uk www.theconnectionmagazine.co.uk 55

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“Thoroughly recommend Neel. I have followed him from his previous practice and would have travelled many miles to continue treatment with him.” W. Beazley January 2014 “It was a very unrushed and very caring treatment from the dentist, they are very sympathetic to your fears, I would recommend to all who are worried about dental treatment.” P. Barnard May 17th, 2013

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Find out how we’re making fear of the dentist a thing of the past at www.dentistdirectcolchester.co.uk 01206 593 122 56 Please mention The Connection when responding to adverts The Centre, Colchester Business Park, Essex, CO4 9QQ (next to mimosa)