VILLAGER The
Issue 102 - February 2015
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Inside this issue
Camp Peru
Stratton Sutdents Volunteer
The Barns Fitness Studio
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in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages 11,000 copies delivered to over 30 towns and villages every month
ur Yo EE FR1copy
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Contents The Barns Fitness Studio
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The End of the Line..........................................................4 How to Get Ripped Without Being Ripped Off..................8 World Book Day..............................................................10 Gifts the say ‘I Love You’..................................................13 Don’t Worry, Be Happy...................................................17 Celebrating the County of Bedfordshire..........................18 Understanding Bits and Bytes........................................20 Camp Peru......................................................................23 Jersey Delights...............................................................26 Pilates - Part One...........................................................29 Slimmers of the Year 2014..............................................30 Where Am I?..................................................................32 It’s a Wonderful Life.......................................................35 Fun Quiz.........................................................................36 Wordsearch....................................................................39 4 Legs and a Tale............................................................40 Sandy Tourist Information Centre...................................43 The Barns Fitness Studio................................................48 Editor - Catherine Rose Editorial - Catherine Rose, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Sarah Davey, Kam Patel, Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Tim Saunders, Trudy Cambridge, Nooshin Hassan, Pippa Greenwood, Geoff Wharton, Ted Bruning, Andy Mydellton, North Beds RSPCA, James Baggott, and Bruce Edwards
VILLAGER The
Issue 102 - February 2015
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Inside this issue
Camp Peru
Stratton Sutdents Volunteer
The Barns
Fitness Studio
Win £25
in our Prize Crossword
Bringing Local Business to Local People
in Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Gamlingay and all surrounding villages 11,000 copies delivered to over 30 towns and villages every month
ur Yo EE FR1copy
Preparing for Warmer Winter.........................................50 Rural Ramblings.............................................................53 Beer at Home.................................................................56 Dragonflies....................................................................59 Ask Alan - Potton Vets....................................................61 Animal Queries...............................................................62 Woodentops Pre-School.................................................64 Mobile Motoring Madness.............................................67 Spotlight on Paul Pibworth............................................69 Volunteers Required for Talking Newspaper...................73 What’s On.......................................................................74 Author Focus..................................................................79 Puzzle Page....................................................................80 Searching for Girtford’s Churches...................................83 Puzzle Solutions from January Issue..............................85 Prize Crossword..............................................................86 The London Cruise Show Competition............................90 Book Review..................................................................92
Woodentops Pre-School
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Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com
Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any Advertising Sales responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the Photography - Anastasy Yarmolovich and Catherine Rose editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122 3
History
The End of the Line
By Catherine Rose The Oxford to Cambridge Varsity line closed nearly 50 years ago due to lack of use. Now, there are proposals to re-open it. In so doing, it will once again link Bedford to Cambridge via Sandy and Potton. Catherine Rose takes a look at some local railway history. In 1862, twelve years after the opening of the Great Northern Railway (GNR), the Bedford and Cambridge Railway opened. It was the second part of what became known as the Varsity Line. The first section of this line, from Oxford to Bedford, had already been completed in 1845 by the Buckinghamshire Railway. The inaugural Bedford to Cambridge train contained directors and shareholders of the company and departed from Bedford at 9.04am on 4th July 1862, arriving at Cambridge at 1.30pm. Three days later the line was officially opened for freight and started taking passengers on 1st August. It finally linked the two university cities of Oxford and Cambridge which earned it its nickname. The section that connected Bletchley to Bedford had actually been completed in 1846 but the extension provided an important cross country Ox-Cam link forming one of the few east-west routes that to be able to reach the east coast ports. Most of the train services ran from Oxford to Bletchley and from Bletchley to Cambridge. Stations were built at Blunham, Potton and Gamlingay, as well as on the old North Road, and
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a bay was included for the Oxford and Bedford trains at the newly rebuilt Cambridge Station. An additional station at Willington was added in 1906, and in 1938 a new halt at Girtford (between Blunham and Sandy) was opened although it closed in 1939. The Bedford to Cambridge railway was built by engineers Liddell and Gordon and contractor Joseph Firbank. The line had a single track between Bedford and Sandy which crossed over the Great Northern Railway using a lattice bridge that curved down into the new Sandy station located alongside the Great Northern station. The track then followed Captain Peel’s Railway. This Sandy to Potton line ran for three miles between the two towns and had been built five years earlier to connect Peel’s private estate to the GNR. The new line then continued through Potton to Cambridge. Orignally, Potton Station was situated in a field west of Biggleswade Road. It was very basic with no booking office or passenger waiting room. There was simply a goods shed, a small staff office and a locomotive shed. Today this first station building is a private house. Three years after its opening, the Bedford to Cambridge Railway was taken over by the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) whose livery was dark grey and black for freight, and maroon and yellow for passenger trains. In 1917, LNWR and GNR were amalgamated. Subsequently, the railway
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Celebrate good times,
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Photography: courtesy of BLARS
Sandy Station
groups were restructured and the line taken over by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Then in 1948, the railways were nationalised under British Rail. In 1955 The Railway Modernisation Plan put forward improvements for the Varsity Line with the aim of updating links between the major mainline railways outside Greater London which had become very congested. In those days the bulk of the goods going out of Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire into London were vegetables, flowers and fruit as the counties were predominantly market gardening regions. Coal and fertiliser would also be brought back from the capital. Improvements would have allowed freight traffic to be transferred between three railway regions therefore easing pressure on the London marshalling yards. However, the plans for this upgrade never took place. In 1963 Dr Richard Beeching famously undertook a survey of all railway lines producing his ‘The Reshaping of British Railways’ report. Although the Varsity Line was not specifically marked for being axed by Beeching, the introduction of fast passenger diesel trains between Oxford to London, and London to Cambridge meant that use of the Varsity Line was declining and the decision was made to include it in the shutdown. There was particular local opposition to the closure of the link between Sandy and Potton. With the support of Sandy Urban District Council, The Sandy
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Former Potton Station
and Potton Steam Railway Society was formed to try and save it. Unfortunately it could not raise the sum asked for by British Rail to keep this section open. The Varsity Line was finally closed in 1967/8 with the exception of the track between Bletchley and Bedford. But the story does not terminate here. A scheme to resurrect the Varsity Line won backing from the Government in 2013, the western section of which already has funding. Serviced by Network Rail, the line would link Bedford to Cambridge once more by upgrading existing trains and building new track along with an interchange station. Caryl Jones, a spokesperson for the East West Rail Consortium has said: “By connecting centres of economic activity and growth, East West Rail will make the region more attractive as a place to do business, for employers and employees and for inward investment. It is expected to boost the regional gross domestic product by some £38m per annum and create 12,000 new jobs.” Currently it is hoped that the new line may be in place between 2017 and 2019. However, the Bedford to Cambridge railway is also the most problematic, particularly between Bedford and Sandy where land has been substantially redeveloped since the 1960s. The Bedford bypass also severs the original route. These problems would need to be overcome before the new Varsity Line project can go full steam ahead.
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Three Counties Radio
By Jonathan Vernon-Smith
How to Get Ripped
Without Being Ripped Off
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have completely overindulged during the festive period. In fact, I think I ate about 17 turkeys and drank my bodyweight in Harvey’s Bristol Cream. Sadly, the result of this gluttony is that the New Year requires a little vigorous exercise and healthier eating to get back in shape. Indeed, it’s generally this time of the year when many of us look in the mirror and race to the nearest gym, happy to sign ourselves up to expensive, long term contracts. But how do you protect yourself against getting ripped off in the process? Over the years, I have dealt with many complaints about gym membership deals. Sometimes this is because gyms are unreasonable in their approach but sadly, more often than not, it’s down to pure naivety from consumers. Gyms are businesses, not charities! They have sales advisors in most gyms whose sole responsibility it is to sign up new customers. They are generally paid by commission, and are highly trained to persuade you to sign yourself up for at least a years’ worth of keep fit expense. They seem so nice, so friendly, so understanding and so kind. However, don’t underestimate them. Without you agreeing to join the gym, they don’t get paid. That is their motivation. Be aware that when you sign up to a gym membership, you are entering a legally binding contract. Unless there is a cancellation period outlined in the terms and conditions, you are legally obliged to pay your membership fees for the entire length of the contract. If you’re concerned that you’ll only bother to go for the first two months, then agreeing to a year long (many contracts are 18 months or two years) is a pretty stupid thing to do. If you decide to cancel, you’ll probably be liable for hundreds of pounds worth of fees. What about exceptional circumstances though? Often consumers will come to me saying “I took out gym membership and then lost my job the following week” or “I signed up to a gym but had a bad car accident and haven’t been able to use it for 6 months”. Of course exceptional circumstances can help your case when attempting to cancel, but unless it states that cancellation is allowed under exceptional circumstances in the terms, you’ll still be liable for the full membership costs. So when CAN you cancel a gym membership? Obviously if the service you receive from the gym is poor (for example many of the machines don’t work) then you can make a good case for cancellation of the contract. Also if you can prove that some of the terms and conditions in your membership agreement are unfair you may stand a chance, but be prepared for a fight. In my experience gyms can be some of the most aggressive organisations to fight as a consumer. They often have legal departments that are very used to arguing with unhappy gym goers who want a quick way out. If you are uncertain over your motivation to attend the gym, it is worth noting that many gym chains will offer special memberships that can be cancelled easily, or are on a pay as you go basis. It may be best to start with one of these until you’ve properly decided whether you like it or not. You may conclude from this month’s article, that I’m an anti-gym person. I’m not! Honestly! If you are motivated, they can be fantastic places to fight the flab, feel better about yourself and improve your health. Just approach gym membership with your eyes open and you’ll not come unstuck months down the line. Happy Fat fighting!
Jonathan Vernon-Smith not only offers you his consumer advice here but you can listen to The JVS Show tackling your consumer problems every weekday morning from 9am. 8
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Time of Year
World Book Day By Debbie Singh-Bhatti
‘There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.’ So said Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and in support of this philosophy, more than 100 countries worldwide will be commemorating World Book Day on Thursday 5th March. This year marks the eighteenth anniversary of the event, which is designed to encourage children to explore the pleasure of books and reading. How exactly the occasion is celebrated is up to the individual school or library, with ideas and resources for activities available from the website www.worldbookday.com, but regardless of the outcome, every child in participating schools will receive a book token that can be exchanged for a free book. There are ten specially selected titles on offer, with the option to use the token to receive a £1 discount on an alternative book if you prefer to
choose your own. There are many benefits to encouraging a healthy attitude towards reading from an early age. The main one is that it exercises the brain. “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body,” stated Joseph Addison. It improves concentration, builds vocabulary, develops imagination, teaches about the wider world, is a great form of entertainment and helps relax and calm the body and mind. So, enlarge not only your child’s world but your own too, by discovering the joy of books!
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01767 682286
Don’t forget the one you love this Valentine’s Day. Saturday 14th February Call us or visit our website to see our range of bouquets and arrangements handmade by our florists Add a box of delicious chocolates, a cute teddy or foil balloon for that special finishing touch. 27 Market Square, Sandy, Beds SG19 1JA
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Time of Year
Gifts that say ‘I Love You’ What to buy the one you love on Valentine’s Day The year was 1969 and they were hopelessly in love. As two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and arguably the most famous couple in the world, Richard Burton decided to prove his undying passion for his wife Elizabeth Taylor by purchasing a huge 69.42 carat pear shaped diamond with a £1m price tag to match. Though this extravagant act hit the headlines, it is by no means unique. In 1648 emperor Shah Juhan built the Taj Mahal, the “crown of palaces”, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. More recently, Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich gave his girlfriend a bronze sculpture worth $14m - one of
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the most expensive gifts ever made. At the other end of the spectrum, the less rich and famous have earned themselves a place on the Internet if not in the history books, by presenting their loved ones with less salubrious offerings. An empty suitcase, with not a hint of surprise tickets to a romantic destination, a deep fat fryer with left over Christmas chocolate hidden inside, and divorce papers delivered while dining out, are just a sample of these gift-giving gaffs. With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, you may be wondering what to buy your loved one. Apart from the usual flowers, chocolates and jewellery, is there anything else out there a little more unusual that will keep you in their good books, whilst avoiding one of ‘those’ looks? If togetherness is your thing, you can buy a pair of love gloves for around £20, but if you fancy something more thrilling, how about a lovers leap bungee jump at around £120? That will certainly add some excitement to a relationship! If adrenalin rushes are your lover’s thing, why not consider indoor sky diving, flying lessons, dumper truck racing, and a super car thrill experience where you get to drive a real sports car? Cricket, snooker and other sports coaching lessons can also be purchased for around £150 a time. If pampering is more palatable, how about a spa package, or a make-over followed by a photo shoot, or for around £25 a “design your own perfume” set? If food is the way to a man’s heart, then chocolate is definitely the entry to a woman’s! For something different, why not get her a pizza made entirely of chocolate, or chocolate-shaped spoons that melt in hot milk making a deliciously smooth drink? Finally, what could be more romantic than naming a star after your loved one, or giving them the chance to name one themselves? You can purchase this privilege for around £20. If you haven’t found an idea here to suit your taste or your pocket, try searching some for yourself. The following websites are a good place to start: thepresentfinder.co.uk; prezzybox.com; notonthehighstreet.com.
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Health
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
When the weather is bleak and grey, how can we lift our mood? Exercise - When we exercise our brain releases feel-good endorphins, making us happier. Even a short 5 minute stroll round the block can boost your mood. Think how you might add just a little more movement into your daily life: Maybe a few morning yoga poses, or an evening walk. Get Immersed - Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, renowned psychologist found that immersing ourselves in an activity we love, which also requires skill, makes us happy. Try reading, playing the guitar, writing a blog, or cooking, immerse yourself in a hobby and your mood will brighten.
Laugh - Laughter changes the energy of a situation immediately and lightens our mood. Try watching a DVD of your favourite comedian. Better still, visit a comedy club and give yourself permission to laugh-out-loud. Meditate - Scientific studies have proved that emotions, and happiness in particular, can be trained. Even a few minutes of meditation per day have a positive impact our brain and sense of well-being. Be part of a community - Research shows that people involved in their community are happier. Communities foster emotional support and a connection with others, which leads to a greater sense of well-being. The community could be a group of like-minded people such as a choir, or art-group. By Sarah Davey
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Local News
Celebrating the County of Bedfordshire The Friends of Bedfordshire Society is a new organization which has been set up to promote and celebrate the county. Since their success in September 2014 to get our county flag officially recognised with the flag institute they have moved on to find a county day for which all residents can rightly celebrate Bedfordshire. The society has been asking the public for suggestions as to what date Bedfordshire Day should be. They have taken the best twelve ideas, all with historic interest and relevance, to the county and have since opened an online public vote for the date that will become Bedfordshire Day. Voting runs for three months until midnight on 28th February 2015. The dates for voting options are: 19th January This was when the Earldom of Bedford was created who would go on to be the Dukes of Bedford, 1550. 31th March The last day Bedfordshire County Council existed. 1st April The date Bedfordshire County Council came to be in 1889 and ceased to be in 2009. 12th April Bedfordshire County Council was officially granted a coat of arms, 1951. 20th June The start of the great siege of Bedford Castle in 1224. 13th August The Battle of Blenheim (1704) – the regimental anniversary of the Bedfordshire Regiment. 26th August The foundation of Bedford Bridge in 1811. 2nd September Birthday of prison reformer, John Howard, 1726. 14th October The first flight of R101 airship from Cardington hangers, 1929 6th November When the 1st and 2nd battalions met outside Ypres, 1914.
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15th November The date Bedfordshire got its own high sheriff in 1575. 25th November St. Catherine’s Day, patron saint of spinners, weavers and lacemakers. 28th November The birthday of preacher and writer John Bunyan, 1628 15th December Birthday of athlete, Harold Abrahams, 1899. A spokesman for The Friends of Bedfordshire Society said: “Bedfordshire Day isn’t just a day for flying a flag, it should hopefully become a day for the celebration of the county and all that is good about it. It should be a day that helps promote the county and the pride people have in it.” The society emphasises how important it is that people vote, pointing out that the more people that take part, the more validity the poll has as a county day. Some of the suggested dates are already county days for other parts of the UK and that while there is nothing wrong with sharing a date, people should be aware of this, these dates are marked on the voting form. Voting is quick, and easy. You can vote for your favourite date online at: www.friendsofbedfordshire.org.uk/vote.php For further information, contact the Friends of Bedfordshire Society via Facebook (www.facebook.com/BedfordshireSociety) and Twitter (@FriendsofBeds).
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Bold Imaginative Reflective Three words to define your daughter’s future. Add three more:
Open Morning Wednesday 11th March, 10am Telephone: 01234 361918 www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk Bedford Girls’ School is part of The Harpur Trust
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Technology
Understanding
Bits and Bytes By Kam Patel
Over the years I have been asked how much information can be stored on a floppy disc, CD or DVD. How do you quantify the storage space on such media? The following explanation shows the values of bits and bytes and how much equivalent storage they give. A computer stores information using binary code, which is in 1s and 0s.
Look up, look down, The Collect ion is hom e
to historic
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1 Bit (b) = 1 Byte (B) = 1 Kilobyte (KB) = 1 Megabyte (MB) = 1 Gigabyte (GB) = 1 Terabyte (TB) = 1 Petabyte (PB) =
1 or 0 (on or off ) 8b 1024B 1024KB (approx. 870 pages of plain text) 1024MB (approx. 895,000 pages of plain text) 1024GB (approx. 916,260,000 pages of plain text) 1024TB (approx. 935,250,000,000 pages of plain text)
Currently with the varying different operating systems that are being used, the storage of a blank Word document would vary. For example, with Windows Vista using Word 2007, a file called 1.docx was 10KB, whereas in Windows 8 using Word 2010, the same file was 14KB. Both documents were totally blank. So going back to the question of how much can be stored on media can vary depending on the operating system and software being used. The table above provides a rough guide. I hope that this has been informative and that you now have some understanding about bits and bytes.
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Reg Charity No 307534
19/01/2015 12:53:38 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts
The idea of giving up tobacco products is something that the vast majority of smokers would love to accomplish. Not because they don’t enjoy smoking, but because they don’t want the health implications and the financial drain. I know this because I have smoked from a young age and could easily see 40 disappear in a day. I tried most of the ‘traditional’ methods but failed at each attempt, because I wanted to give up for the wrong reasons. The reason that electronic cigarettes are becoming so popular is because you don’t give up, You simply switch to the healthy alternative that has the bonus of very impressive savings. Vaping is very personal and my shop caters for all. Some people do start vaping just to cut-down but the vast majority have no intention of ever smoking another tobacco product, and it works. There are a lot of products on the market now due to its popularity and my shop has it covered. I will happily take time to explain the products, what’s in the juices and why I only use the top names in the industry which, along with my juices, are governed by a regulatory body. Feel free to come down for some friendly advice and sample some of the 70+ flavours I stock.
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Local News
Camp Peru This summer a group of 17 students from Stratton Upper School along with three teachers and an expedition leader spent a month in Peru volunteering with three rural communities through an organisation called Camps International. Each of the communities had entirely different projects but they were all really rewarding. The students also went on a hiking expedition to and up Mount Machu Picchu. Here, one of the students who attended the trip has given her account. ‘Our first camp was based in the rural mountains in Cusco. We were there for three nights and did two and a half days project work. The camp was a school so we slept on mattresses in the classrooms. Our project work was to build a wall around the school to make it safer for the children. To build the wall we had to make the cement (cemento), collect the rocks and work with local builders to actually build it. On arrival to the camp we were greeted by the children singing their national anthem and other traditional Peruvian songs. However for the leaving ceremony local women sold items they had made and then we were dressed up and taught a Peruvian dance. For our second week in Peru, we undertook a five day hike called the Salkantay Trail ending with a tour at Machu Picchu. We climbed from 2900m to 4650m and walked nearly 40 miles. We were led by three guides from a company named Llama Path. The trek was tough but extremely rewarding. We spent seven nights based on the shore of Lake Titicaca. Our project work here was to plan, design and build bathrooms for the local people. This
involved sketching out measurements and blueprints for the bathrooms, making mud bricks, and installing plumbing. There were three groups who went to Peru this summer with the final aim being for all three groups to have four toilet blocks completely finished. We were the first group to arrive at the camp so we started from scratch while the other groups continued what we were building. We were at our final camp (in Colca Canyon) for six nights. While there, we helped build a kitchen for the two local schools, installed dust prevention sheets onto the ceilings inside classrooms of the secondary school, and re-laid the playground surface in the primary school to prevent flooding. While in Colca, during the afternoons we often joined in with the local community. For instance one afternoon we helped with ploughing and farming, and on another we joined the locals in their once yearly clean of the water channels. The whole month was an entirely different experience emotionally and physically to anything else, living with a group of people I barely knew in a country halfway around the world. Originally I was nervous that I wouldn’t get along with anyone or fit in. But apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought that. In fact, everyone who went and all the people we met were amazing. At the end of the month I was extremely proud of the work we had achieved, and I hope that the communities there are now receiving the full benefits.
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VILLAGER The
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Flexible position Working from home Hours to suit All expenses covered Commission only role with great earning potential If interested please send or email your current CV to: Nigel Frost, Villager Publications Ltd., 24 Market Square, Potton SG19 2SG Email: nigel@villagermag.com
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Travel
Jersey Delights
By Tim Saunders
“Little bits of France dropped into the sea and picked up by Britain.” This is how Victor Hugo, the French poet, referred to the Channel Islands. We discover this at Jersey’s Living Legend Village (www.jerseyslivinglegend. co.je) where a fascinating video featuring Tony Robinson, John Nettles and other celebrities provide an insight into Jersey’s past. From smuggling through to German occupation, this is a land rich in history. There are only two ways to travel to Jersey: air or sea. We opted for Condor Ferries, sailing from Poole to St Helier which takes around four hours. In Club Class it feels as if we are in a cosy coffee shop with waitress service. The children’s video room is certainly much appreciated by our daughters as is Mr Colours, the resident balloon maker.
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During our long weekend we spend time in St Helier not least because we are staying at the four star Hotel de France. The wonderfully decorated hotel used to be a French chateau and has artwork from sculpture to figurative paintings. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly hotel staff who provide a mobile phone charger because we forgot ours. They also source a dividing curtain to help our little daughters get to sleep at night… and us. It is the hotel’s hearty breakfast that really scores highly: a choice of continental or full English, which does set you up for the day. And then we discover the softly lit luxurious swimming pool: well designed, warm and not too busy. Suffice to say it is difficult to get out of the hotel itself before midday. Walking rather than driving helps introduce the visitor to the true feel of a place. There are a rich variety of accents and while a few islanders speak French it is difficult to actually pinpoint the true native patois. A great many Europeans are drawn to Jersey including the Spanish and Polish. For instance,
at the Seafish Café in Liberty Wharf where we enjoy crab cakes and posh fish and chips, we find our waiter emigrated to the island from Madeira 26 years ago. “There are so many more opportunities here,” he tells me. The Channel Isles have the reputation of being a tax haven too and while we mooch along St Helier’s streets a new Lambourghini roars past us. Sunday lunch at Sumas Restaurant overlooking fishing boats and the coastline provides the opportunity to savour the views around St Martin. Afterwards we drive to Jersey Lavender (www. jerseylavender.co.uk) where we see Maillette lavender imported from Provence and planted here in 1996. There are also other types from Norfolk and even their own home-grown variety, Elizabeth. I didn’t know that lavender had so many uses but it can always be relied on for a good night’s sleep. We visit the attractions with The Jersey Pass, which can be bought in advance from £42 for two days and allows access to 11 attractions on the island www.jerseypass.com
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22-26 MARCH 30 MARCH-3 APRIL 3-6 APRIL 17-20 APRIL 1-4 MAY 13-17 MAY 23-27 MAY 5-8 JUNE 24-27 JULY 27-31 JULY 3-7 AUGUST 16-21 AUGUST 18-20 AUGUST
THE ‘PALACE’ HOUSE PARTY – BUXTON BARGAIN BREAK TO WORTHING EASTER IN LLANDUDNO HEREFORD & THE WYE VALLEY HARROGATE & THE DALES THE ENGLISH RIVIERA – TORQUAY SHANKLIN – ISLE OF WIGHT SOMERSET IN THE WEST COUNTRY TATTON PARK FLOWER SHOW SUMMERTIME IN TENBY WESTON SUPER MARE SUMMER IN BOURNEMOUTH ROYAL EDINBURGH TATTOO
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PLUS MANY MORE DESTINATIONS RING FOR YOUR FREE COLOUR BROCHURE ON 01767 677395 OR 677923
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APampering ROM ATICS & Beauty Holistics Welcome to Aromatics – a haven of peace, pampering and relaxation in the heart of Potton.
check out our Valentine packages
off any treatments for service people ie police, fire, ambulance, available any day of the week!
Senior citizens discounts available every Friday!
Treatments include: • • • • •
Facial & Body Treatments Holistic Treatments Waxing Eye Care Lash Perfect Eyelash Extensions • Teen treatments
• • • • • • •
Manicures & Pedicures Pregnancy Massage Spa Packages Hen & Bridal Packages Bio-Sculpture Sports Massage Pedicures
Tel: 07711 204409
www.aromaticspotton.co.uk 58 King Street, Potton SG19 2QZ
Potton & District Club
matics Villager advert Feb15.indd 1
16/01/2015 16:32
NEW MEMBERS WELCOME. Keeping LIVE MUSIC live! every week! 2015 Membership is now due: Early Bird Pomotion get free bar credit for a limited time only
FEBRUARY 2015
Saturday 7th February - Bu-Bounce (local awesome SKA, 2Tone & Reggae) Saturday 14th February - Tess & The Durbevilles (exciting and versatile 4 piece female fronted, covering 6 decades) Saturday 21st February - Nick Moyster solo artist Saturday 28th February - Tatanka (female fronted popular rock covers 70-now)
MARCH 2015
Saturday 7th March - Touched by the hand of Soul (fantastic duo of Soul with Della & Carl) loving Soul classics Saturday 14th March - Rock-out (spin off from Soulweaver) Saturday 21st March - The Rockface Band (awesome live band with “Podge” Smith Saturday 28th March - Reggae Fever (new) All information is provided in good faith, always check the web page pottonclub.co.uk for changes/updates.
Potton CIU Club, Charities Hall, Station Road, Potton Tel: 01767 261465 (Evenings) Website: www.pottonclub.co.uk 28
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Pilates
Pilates – Part one
(Nothing to do with flying or thieves on ships!) Like many people, you may have no idea what Pilates is all about. Maybe you think it has a vague connection with yoga. Or did you say pilots or was it pirates? I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight and explain what Pilates is and how you can benefit from this very gentle but effective exercise regime. Pilates was originally developed by a man called Joseph Hutertus Pilates in Germany in 1880. Joseph was a very sickly child with rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. Determined to overcome his health problems he developed an exercise programme based on techniques used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Eventually he got better and become an accomplished body builder, diver, skier and gymnast. In 1912 at age 32 he moved to England, using his skills to teach self-defence to the police and became a professional boxer. When WWI broke out he was interned by the British as a PoW. After the war he returned to Germany and was asked by the Government to train the army but he refused as he wanted to use his skills to heal not harm. In 1926 he sailed to New York and opened his own studio which became popular with dancers, gymnasts and athletes who realised the benefits of his programme of mental and physical conditioning. Joseph Pilates died in 1967 but his wife and apprentices trained by him have developed the original Pilates principles which are now Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
practiced all over the world. So now you know the history and where the name Pilates comes from, you might be wondering how it can help you keep fit in modern day life. One of the best things about Pilates is that anyone can do it, from eight to 80, and you don’t need any special equipment or clothing: just something stretchy and comfortable to wear, bare feet and an exercise mat or a large towel on the floor. Most Pilates exercises are mat-based so they don’t put stress on your joints and are good for people with arthritis and other orthopaedic conditions. Pilates can help improve body tone, flexibility, mobility, and posture. It can also increase muscle strength and help define body shape. It has been known to improve sleep and relaxation. I am a fully qualified Level 3 Pilates Instructor (REPs certified) with my own business Personal Pilates in Buckden. Over the next six publications I am going to give you Pilates exercises to try and practice at home. Each month I will focus on one or two exercises with instructions and helpful imagery for achieving each one. I will include modifications for those who are new to Pilates or may be less active and progressions for those who have tried Pilates before or would like more of a challenge. If you can’t wait to get started there are some exercises on my Facebook page ‘Pilates with Trudy’. By Trudy Cambridge
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Health
Glenn
Neil
Slimmers of the year 2014
Cambridge Weight Plan
Couple Of the Year Both Glenn and Neil were overweight and unhappy. They were both homebodies, preferring evenings in watching TV to going out socialising. While watching their favourite shows they would indulge in nibbles and snacks which caused the pounds to creep up. When Neil read a story in the paper about a lady who had lost a significant amount of weight with Cambridge Weight Plan, it prompted him to take action. He approached Glenn about the two of them losing weight together. Glenn wasn’t sure at first as he’d tried other diets with little success. Nonetheless, Neil booked an appointment for the two of them with a consultant. The choice of consultant was based on the training
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Before and After days she had done in order to be able to give all the information they required and provide the necessary support. They both followed through and achieved a combined weight loss of 15st. They are both far more confident, have increased energy levels and most important of all, Neil no longer has problems breathing while sleeping what is a relive for both of them. They feel better about themselves and shopping is no longer an issue as they can go into any shop knowing that they will have something that fit. Inspired by their success they became fully accredited Cambridge Weight Plan consultants and have opened their own Weight Plan Centre in Potton since the end of January to help people with their weight problems.
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PrivateCounselling Struggling with depression, stress or anxiety? Relationship problems? Addictions? Problematic childhood? Trauma or bereavement? Looking for couples counselling? Perhaps you want to re-discover who you are - find out more about yourself. Looking for someone to talk to - someone to support and help you?
Call me (Eeva) on 07852 801 283 eeva@private-counselling.co.uk www.private-counselling.co.uk Counselling rooms in Gamlingay (SG19) and North London (N11) Free initial session To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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2
Where AM I?
Do You Know?
1
3 Do you know where these pictures were taken?
Last month’s answer
Last month’s images were taken in Shillington. Our Where Am I photography is by Adam Bent.
Where Are we? The Villager and Town Life magazine is delivered door to door throughout:
Abbotsley, Beeston, Broom, Caxton, Cockayne Hatley, Cople, Croydon, Dunton, Eltisley, Everton, Everton Heath, Eyeworth, Gamlingay, Haynes, Henlow, Ickwell Green, Ireland, Langford, Lower Caldecote, Moggerhanger, Northill, Old Warden, Potton, Shuttleworth, Southill, Stanford, Sutton, The Gransdens, Thorncote Green, Upper Caldecote, Waresley and Wrestlingworth
and can be found in most shops, pubs, garages in all of the above and more including Biggleswade and Sandy. Booking your advertising space is easy just call Nigel on 01767 261122 or e-mail nigel@villagermag.com
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VILLAGER The
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class. Check our website for any cancellations before you leave. Classes also in other areas For more info go to www.jazzfitness.co.uk jazzercise@btinternet.com | 01480 216090 For more info go to www.jazzfitness.co.uk or call 01480 216090
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Well Being
It’s a Wonderful Life!
By Nooshin Hassan
I recently had the pleasure of watching (for about the fifth time) the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life with my family. For those who haven’t seen it, the essence of it is that a man, George Bailey, who believes all those around him would be better off if he’d never been born is given the chance to see what life would be like if indeed he had never existed. This opportunity is provided to him by an angel named Clarence who is an equally good character as the protagonist, with his innocent charm and determination to help the disheartened George. What I love about this film is the illustration of how one person’s life touches so many others in so many positive ways. In the film we see George as a child rescuing his brother Harry from the icy waters of a partially frozen pond. Harry later goes on to be a vital part of the war effort, earning a Medal of Honour thanks to saving the lives of a number of men. In a world where George never existed, all those men died because Harry was not there to save them (as George was not there to save him from drowning as a child). It’s an amazing example of how the things we do naturally in our own life – perhaps very simple things at times – can have such a huge impact in the wider society. It’s unlikely that we will ever have angels coming to explain how different everyone’s’ life would be without us, but I would guess that each individual plays a positive role in the life of a number of others. We might not realise that the things we say and do can have such an outcome, but I am sure that if we were aware of these effects then many of us would realise we have more wonderful lives than we might have imagined. Wonderful lives can be created by simple actions. My dad regularly visits some elderly
neighbours in the name of kindness, respect and humanity. He offers help but they never ask him for anything, he simply spends half an hour chatting with them over a cup of tea. He perhaps doesn’t consider this gesture to be much in the grand scheme of things, but having visited them myself I know what a great deal this brief call means to them. That small chat distracts them from any health ailments they might be experiencing and gives them a great lift. If my dad didn’t pop round to see them occasionally then they would miss it. It’s both gratifying and astonishing that simple actions can have such enriching effects. If you haven’t seen the film then it’s worth a watch, even if black and white films are not really your preference. Realising that we can bring help or happiness to one person or a community, sometimes by quite easy gestures, is truly life-affirming.
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Fun Quiz - The Internet 1. Inspired by a Monty Python sketch, what term is used to refer to unsolicited email that is normally sent in bulk? 2. What colour is the letter “e” in the eBay logo? 3. In 2012, the music video for which song became the first YouTube video to achieve one billion views? 4. Named by removing the letter “v” from a word that means “a collection of historical documents or records providing information about a place, institution, or group of people”, what was the first ever internet search engine? 5. The 2010 film The Social Network is centred around which website? 6. What does “AFK” normally stand for when used in an internet chat room? 7. Who invented the world wide web and, in 2004, who was knighted “for services to the global development of the internet”? 8. What name is given to a file that a website sends to your computer to store information such as your user name, personalised settings or shopping cart contents, and that can be used when you return to that website to present you with custom content? 9. In 2013, Martha Lane Fox became the youngest female member of the House of Lords. Which website is she best known for founding in 1998? 10. Increasing difficult to find, what is a Googlewhack?
Before
After
1. Spam 2. Red 3. Gangnam Style 4. Archie (named after the word “archive”) 5. Facebook 6. Away from keyboard 7. Tim Berners-Lee 8. A cookie 9. Lastminute.com 10. A google search on two valid words that results in just one result
EBAY COLLECTIONS
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Local & Reliable
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WoburN ForeSt HoLiday ViLLage
Housekeeping oppoRTuniTies Flexible working hours available Competitive rates of pay plus benefits Nestled in a 365 acre forest, Woburn Forest boasts beautiful undulating forest landscapes, the largest Subtropical Swimming Paradise, magical views over the lake and forest with modern Lodges bringing guests closer to nature. We welcome thousands of guests and offer a first class spa, dining and leisure facility that caters for every eventuality. We have a variety of housekeeping positions with flexible hours to fit around your lifestyle. There are contracts available from early mornings to school hours and you will come into regular contact with our guests so you will need to have a pleasant and helpful nature. Transport is available for some of our positions in the local area.
To apply for a housekeeping position or any of our other vacancies visit centerparcscareers.co.uk, click on Job search, then choose the Woburn location. Center parcs, Woburn Forest Holiday Village, Millbrook, Bedford, Mk45 2HZ
www.centerparcs.co.uk
Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
at Center Parcs, we want our people to share in the success their hard work brings, enjoy a sense of wellbeing and a good lifestyle, and make the most of their time with us. We offer unique benefits such as: • discounted Center Parcs breaks • day visitor passes • Free use of village facilities along with more classic benefits such as profit share and management bonus schemes, life insurance cover, 30 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays) and company sick pay.
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Ash Tree Financial Services Independent Financial Advisers For friendly and expert advice in your financial planning including: Mortgages and Home Insurance Life assurance Critical Illness Cover Income Protection Pensions and Annuities Investments and Savings Contact Christopher Goodwin Ash Tree House, 48 Sutton Mill Road, Potton, SG19 2QB Tel: 01767 262760
goodwin@ashtree.uk.com www.ashtree.uk.com
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Astrology Aries Aspects Cancer Capricorn Conjunction Forecast Gemini Leo
Libra Mars Mercury Moon Neptune Opposition Pisces Pluto
Saturn Scorpio Sextile Sun Taurus Trine Uranus Virgo
Find the names associated with Astrology in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase
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39
Local News
4 Legs and a Tale Biggleswade Sandy Lions Club
Hello my name is Ozzy and I am a 2 year old Golden Labrador who met my partner Tony through Canine Partners, a registered charity started in 1990 to train dogs like me to help injured servicemen and women, veterans and civilians. Did you know that in our country over 1.2 million people use a wheelchair and a significant number of them would benefit from a canine partner? Currently there is an ever increasing demand, at any one time there are 120 puppies in training and Canine Partners has placed 70 dogs so far in 2014. We dogs are carefully assessed to make sure we are suitable for our work and that we match the needs of our partner and lifestyle whatever they may be. We give more independence and greater confidence because before we arrive on the case many disabled people are reluctant to go out on their own. Not only are we carefully checked, but so are our prospective human partners, they visit Canine Partners for the day. As well as chatting about why they need a dog, a dog is brought out to see how they
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react to each other and some basic tasks are gone through, such as feeding and grooming. Then comes a 2 week residential course, which is where I met Tony. This covers lots of different tasks we do together, including for example negotiating doors, wheelchair positions, picking up dropped items, feeding me and me getting my bowl from a stand. Also Tony got to choose a task for me to learn, which was taking off his shoes which I learnt very quickly. I got my bronze certificate but it doesn’t stop there, I’m now working towards my silver award by learning new things – I’m now training to give Tony his phone and bring him his shoes. Our trainer now comes once a month, but if there is a problem will come more often, so we have that back-up and support. To fully train a dog and its partner costs £20,000, but Canine Partners receives no government funding and relies solely on public donations and gifts in wills. For information visit www.caninepartners.org. uk or call 0845 580 480.Biggleswade Sandy Lions supports Canine Partners, to find out more about your local Lions visit www.biggleswadesandylions. org.uk or call 08458 833 9749
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Quintessential...
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Anstee Gorst
Chartered Certified Accountants
- Accounts preparation for Sole traders, Partnerships and Limited Companies - Self assessment tax returns - Cash Flow Forecasting - Vat, Payroll & Bookkeeping - Business Start Up Free Initial Consultation Phone: Antoinette Gorst ACCA or Sally Anstee FCCA 01767 650700 Ground Floor Offices, Unit 30, Green End, Gamlingay, Sandy, Beds, SG19 3LF Email: office@ansteegorst.co.uk Website: www.ansteegorst.co.uk
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
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Call locally based divorce & family lawyer Abby Smith on 01480 270499 or email abby.smith@family-lawfirm.co.uk
6 FREE downloadable guides available on our website
Call locally based divorce & family solicitor Tamara Glanvill on 01767 660466 or email tamara.glanvill@family-lawfirm.co.uk
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
42 W&Co_131.93LS_T.Glanvill&A.Smith.indd
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Local News
SANDY TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
February 2015
The snow recommences; The buried fences Mark no longer The road o’er the plain So wrote William Wordsworth about the month of February. This month can have dismal and dreary weather with snow, frosts, ice, rain and high winds. But some winter days are cold, with blue skies and beautifully sunny In the news recently it was confirmed one of the best ways to transform our health is by a brisk daily walk - “I think people need to consider their 24-hour day. Twenty minutes of physical activity, equivalent to a brisk walk, should be possible for most people”. Most of us don’t consider how much brighter it is outside than inside unless we are taking photographs indoors and realize we need a flash, or we are hunting for our sunglasses for a trip to the beach. There are many examples of plants and animals with sensitivities to such variation in light intensity. Think of cockerels who crow at dawn or houseplants that won’t flower unless they are near the proper window. It should come as no surprise that humans also need certain light requirements to thrive. So now transform your health and get into the fresh air and into the daylight and enjoy a brisk winter walk or enjoy the delights of a walk in the grounds of a local attraction – for instance this time of year – those that include a winter garden.
There are three gardens nearby which have wonderful winter gardens and have displays of snowdrops and other winter flowers, trees and shrubs. The following are well worth a visit
WINTER GARDENS TO VISIT MOGGERHANGER PARK
The nearest garden to Sandy with a wonderful display of snowdrops is the Woodland Walk at Moggerhanger Park. Moggerhanger is a Grade I-listed Georgian country house, designed by Sir John Soane and standing in a small park landscaped by the famous 18th landscape gardener, Humphry Repton Pay a visit and enjoy the snowdrops in Garden Wood. The walk is a circular route taking you through the wood, into the Orchard area and onto the Lawn at the rear of the house. The wood is full of the snowdrop galanthus nivalis florepleno. One visitor commented “I’ve never seen so many snowdrops in one place”. The grounds are open daily between 10am and 4pm. Located next to the Woods and adjacent to the Walled Garden, the Woodland Cafe is open daily and offers freshly made hot drinks, snacks, homemade cakes and Afternoon Tea. For further details contact Moggerhanger Park on 01767 641007 enquiries@moggerhangerpark. com www.moggerhangerpark.com
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ANGLESEY ABBEY
Close to Cambridge stands the magnificent grounds and mansion of Anglesey Abbey, now in the ownership of the National Trust. The house and gardens were bequeathed to the Trust by Lord Fairhaven after his death in 1966. At the age of 30, the future Lord Fairhaven began to create his first home and wanting to inspire and surprise visitors, he created a spectacular garden with planting for all seasons and a cosy house in which to entertain. Life revolved around horse racing and shooting, and guests enjoyed 1930s luxury. The Winter Garden was created by the National Trust which was specially designed with plants that are at their best during winter, when colour is in short supply elsewhere. The Winter Garden is long and narrow so the meandering path allows new surprises on every bend. Its position takes full advantage of the low winter sun which picks out the details of the unusual plants along the way. Glorious colours are displayed by plants such as Scarlet Willow and Red-barked Dogwood which dazzle with orange and red respectively. It is not only through the eyes that pleasure is found. The air is full of the scent of Christmas Box, Mahonia, Chimonanthus and the very sweet perfume of winter-flowering honeysuckle. Ground cover is used extensively throughout the winter garden to add to the display including Bergenia and Periwinkle. Bulbs and flowers include Crocuses, Tulips and Hellebore and well as Anglesey’s famous Snowdrops. There are many trees which special winter interest to be seen as you walk through the garden, including the grove of Himalayan Silver Birch with their pure white trunks. There is a large restaurant and Gift Centre at Anglesey. For further details contact Anglesey Abbey on 01223 810080 angleseyabbey@nationaltrust. org.uk www.nationaltrust.org.uk/anglesey-abbey
BENINGTON LORDSHIP
Situated just four miles east of Stevenage in the picturesque village of Benington stands the fine Georgian manor house of Benington Lordship with its Norman Castle remains and moat.
Surrounding these are the wonderful seven acres of gardens that offer unspoilt views over the surrounding Hertfordshire countryside. The gardens are famous for the huge drifts of naturalised snowdrops that cover most of the moat and the grounds around the Norman castle and house . Once overgrown the moat is now carefully managed so the Snowdrops can thrive. Two species make up the spectacular display, single Snowdrops Galanthus nivalis, and doubles, Galanthus nivalis “flore pleno” with more varieties found scattered around the garden. New borders are being created in the gardens to allow further expansion and planted with winter interest plants such as Cornus and Helleborus. Over 200 named varieties of snowdrop now grow in the gardens. During February only refreshments including hot soup, teas, coffee and cakes are available in the Lordship’s tea rooms (08701 261709 garden@beningtonlordship.co.uk www.beningtonlordship.co.uk)
LOCAL WALKS
The Tourist Information Centre has a large range of local walk leaflets available. Please call in and see the range that we have and take advice about these routes over the Bedfordshire countryside. Details of the TIC Guided Walks for 2015 will be published shortly
Sandy Tourist Information Centre, Rear of 10 Cambridge Road, Sandy Telephone 01767 682728 – email tourism@sandytowncouncil.gov.uk OPENING TIMES Monday to Friday 10am – 3pm Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays Closed
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ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND BUILDING DESIGN SERVICES
Friendly, Independent, expert advice on your personal and
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Wayne Bacon
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For free estimates and advice, contact Jason Dixon on:01767 677540 or 07908 004816
Review Needs & Objectives For advice please call:
T: 01767 650 477 M: 07738 120 127 E: wayne.bacon@2plan.com
e-mail: JTDixon101@aol.com
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No VAT payable for design and drawing services on residential projects
2plan wealth management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It is entered on the Financial Services Register (www.fca.org.uk) under reference 461598. Registered office: 2plan Wealth Management Ltd. Bridgewater Place, Water Lane, Leeds, LS11 5BZ. Registered in England Number: 05998270 VAT Registered: 894679251
Jason Dixon, 101 Meadow Road, Great Gransden, Sandy, SG19 3BB.
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Biggleswade and Sandy Gateway Club are looking for your help on Thursdays 5.30pm until 10.00pm We are desperate for volunteer drivers for our mini buses, on a Thursday evening, once a month. To drive a 17 seater mini buses. Drivers must be between 25 and 70 years of age and must hold a clean driving licence.
Please contact Kath Giles on 01767 260749 or Dawn Baker on 01767 221627
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Computer Supply & Repair Fast, friendly and local support for all your computer and technology needs. Repairs, Upgrades, Custom Builds etc. Virus and Spyware Removal, PC Health Checks, Software/Hardware Sales, Networking and Wireless
No Call Out Fee Why pay shop prices when you can have a faster, cheaper and more personal service to your door available? With work guaranteed and a No Fix, No Fee motto, why shop anywhere else for your Computer needs?
The Gadget Guy Phone: 01767 641680 Mobile: 07776 497004 Email: sales@thegadgetguy.co.uk Web: www.thegadgetguy.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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The Barns Fitness Studio The Barns Fitness Studio has just opened a new purpose-built facility at The Hollow in Biggleswade Road, sharing the building with Potton Cricket Club. Catherine Rose spoke to founder Anne Jordan about her unique brand of ‘focus on fitness and fun’. Anne can empathise when it comes to really wanting to lose weight and get fit. “When I married 18 years ago, I was a size 18” she says. “I tried every fad diet going but what sorted me out was changing my lifestyle. It’s about the whole package - nutrition and exercise.” And Anne should know. She has now worked in fitness training for twelve years and has run five marathons. “Eighteen years ago, I could hardly walk up the stairs!” she quips. Anne originally set up her fitness studio behind The Coach House in Potton three years ago but when she was approached by the cricket club to see if she wanted to share new larger premises there, she saw it was a great opportunity. The facility itself is still being finished but Anne, her husband and friends worked like Trojans over Christmas and New Year to be able to open the
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studio upstairs by their deadline of 5th January. Specialising in fitness classes, she explains: “We do everything here including Pilates, yoga, strength training, weights, circuits, Fitsteps and body conditioning. We have special classes for the over 60s and for teenagers. In fact we cover the complete cross spectrum from 13 to 130!” There are 46 different classes a week to choose from and the studio is open seven days a week. Anne has also found that she has a pretty even mix of sexes attending with a 60/40% split between women and men. “I think what makes us special is that it is my own business and I am there all the time” says Anne. The studio is open from 6am until 9pm Monday to Friday, and in the mornings at weekends. Unlike other gyms, there is no annual membership fee and you are not tied into a fixed term contract. You simply pay £27.50 for the month and for that you can come to as many classes as you wish. Nor do you have to pre-book. If Anne sees that a class is popular and beginning to fill up, she simply puts on another. The studio has capacity for up to 20 people at a time. She will also accommodate mums who need to bring babies along. Anne works with a “fantastic team” of nine others: three male and six female, who between them
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have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the fitness industry. “All of our instructors are accredited with REPS – the Register for Exercise Professionals – which is a worldwide governing body. You can look up any of them on the register and we have to undergo further training every year otherwise we lose our accreditation. It helps keep you fresh and up to date with current legislation and fitness developments.” The team also offers personal training and a tailormade programme that includes nutritional advice following an initial meeting to discuss goals. The studio has produced an 80-page nutrition manual that advocates what Anne describes as “clean eating”. “But I know people need to live” she says “so we aim to fit the diet into your lifestyle.” The personal training package offers a complete body statistics package that includes weight and measurements including percentage body fat all included in the price. This monitoring is also standard for all boot camp members which is aimed at those wanting to kick start their goals. Boot camp costs £60 per month and comprises three high intensity workout sessions a week with monthly body stats, regular motivational texts and dietary advice and tips. “We focus on different muscle groups and fat burning during the sessions” says Anne. Anne is planning to walk the London to Brighton 100km hike for St John’s Hospice this year. She
The Life Change Programme
Would you like to undergo a body transformation free of charge? Anne is looking to take on three or four people who need to turn their life around and are committed to completely changing their lifestyle. The programme is for six months and you will need to have the commitment, drive and determination to succeed. Anne will give her time to these individuals and there will be a monthly progress blog. Anne is inviting people to contact her now for interview and selection using the details below. loves challenges and has raised thousands of pounds for the hospice and Air Ambulance over the past three years. “We go out on army assault courses” she says “and I have done a 12 hour exercise-a-thon which raised about £1500. I didn’t’ stop at all, even while I was eating. People paid extra to turn up the treadmill a notch at a time until in the end I was walking almost the equivalent of a vertical incline!” There is a large outdoor area at the new facility and Anne is planning to add her unique touch by getting some large ‘army assault course’ outdoor equipment for the summer. “We had a new male member join recently whose mate had told him in the pub how we had worked wonders. It’s great to have such a good reputation” says Anne.
The Barns Fitness Studio, The Hollow, Biggleswade Road, Potton SG19 2LX Tel: Anne Jordan - 07968 731083 Email: anne@thebarnsfitnessstudios.co.uk www.thebarnsfitnessstudios.co.uk www.facebook.com/TheBarnsFitnessStudios www.facebook.com/TheBarnsBootcamps Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
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Garden By Pippa Greenwood
Preparing for warmer weather
The combination of the poor weather in February and the very fact that gardens tend to be at their least appealing this month, means the chances are yours is receiving nothing much more than a fair helping of neglect at the moment. But spring isn’t far away so get your gardening gloves on for a bit of preparation. Start by clearing up any remaining fallen leaves, broken twigs. Twigs and woody debris are best binned or burned or perhaps even heaped up in the corner of the garden to act as a sheltering spot for wildlife, but fallen leaves, and the top growth of herbaceous perennials, can be added to the compost heap. When it comes to tackling herbaceous or flower borders, don’t make things look too clean and tidy, as you may well cut down on the protection that faded top-growth can provide. I tend to leave most of the remains of herbaceous plants in place until spring, but the most ugly, straggly or unkempt bits could certainly be cleared up now. Keep a particular look out for slugs and snails and collect them up while they are snoozing! It is too early in the year to cut your lawn and indeed you should try to keep off it as far as possible, but you can clear twigs and leaves and cut back any weeds which have grown faster than the grass itself. You can use any pots or other containers which have been left around the garden to create spots of colour and interest by clearing them out, using fresh compost and then replanting them. If you choose temporary winter plantings such as winter flowering pansies or pompom winter daisies, then
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these can simply be removed when it is time to replant with summer bedding. Scrubbing down the outer surfaces of pots and containers will also help to clean them up again, because by now they have invariably accumulated a good helping of algae and soil and can look quite a mess. Check fruit trees for signs of any dead shrivelled fruit still on the branches and cut these out, as they often harbour brown rot disease and can cause a lot of problems in the future. However these definitely shouldn’t be composted - bin or burn any you find. Use a stiff brush to clear off surface debris from your terrace or patio and then once it is clear, if it still looks in need of a bit of a facelift, use the stiff brush or yard broom to scrub it over thoroughly. Provided freezing weather is not forecast, wash it over with a few buckets of water. A trip to your local garden centre is bound to give you plenty of ideas for what’s looking good this month. Some of my favourites include the small trees or shrubs which have a delicious fragrance during the winter months. These include winter sweet, hamamelis (witch hazel) and sarcococca. You can now buy pots of snowdrop bulbs which are not far from flowering so ‘cheat’ a little and pop a few of these into the ground. Winter flowering heathers and winter flowering pansies can also be used to great effect right now. Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ veg growing system , biological controls, fleece, copper tape and lots more besides.
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The Story of the Broken
Rural Ramblings. By Geoff Wharton
The day started as usual. Into the van and off to work. It was a warm day, nothing unusual or different. Locked up the van and got started. After a few hours I decided on a little water to quench my thirst. The bottle I carried was inside the van hopefully keeping cool. I inserted the old key as usual and then it happened – the key snapped off inside the lock!! Total disaster - and a period of panic followed. Everything I needed was inside the vehicle and there was no spare key available here. Thoughts flashed through my head as to the options available and all seemed to end up with a walk home to get the spare which I thought was hanging up in the cupboard and then I could get the old key out and get back to normal. After a long walk back home and after a few minutes of searching, I fortunately finally managed to find the spare key among all the others but I was not out of the woods yet as I could only get into the vehicle by the side door and I still had to get the tip of the old key out of the lock. This was a totally new problem to be solved as I had never before had to deal with a broken key. I wracked my brains how I could poke out a tiny piece of metal from a barely accessible slit in a lock I tried for hours with a piece of wire then a magnet (only to find out later that the key was not magnetic!) then a small knife. I was about to give up when I had a brainwave - I would use a pair of tweezers. However, yet again failure as I found out that they were far too big. I was at my wit’s end and even contemplated taking the door off and somehow trying to shake the thing out!! I thought there must be a way of doing this somehow and somebody must have had this problem before… then I remembered You Tube and that people sent in videos to show how things could be done. Off I rushed to the computer, typed in “broken key” and almost instantly had access to at least a dozen personally verified suggestions to solve my problem. One of them showed how to make a small tool which could be used to hook out the offending piece of obstruction, so I decided to give it a go. It didn’t take long to find a piece of wire and modify it into a specific shape and then I rushed off to the offending lock, inserted it and started to wiggle it about as in the video. After half an hour of frustration I was beginning to think that this also had been a waste of time when all of a sudden the wire seemed to latch onto a piece of foreign metal inside the lock and the offending broken key Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
Garden
Key
emerged. I was absolutely ecstatic and so grateful to the people who had made the effort to produce the videos showing how a key could be extracted. Many thanks again to all these people who voluntarily produce these extremely helpful instructions. Of course the list of topics on how to do things is vast and can be especially helpful in gardening and DIY. So my advice is, if you want to try to do something new, but you feel you could do with a little personal tuition, sit down at your computer first and have a look at some of the advice given on You Tube. You can concentrate on which video is most relevant to your particular situation as there are plenty of alternatives and ideas. Nowadays doing something new can be so much less stressful when you have a host of instructional videos to watch and show you how it can be done. Now you only need to find the time and effort - no excuses are acceptable!
Geoff Wharton Gardening Services Reliable, experienced, well qualified. General and specialist garden work: Jungle clearing, Pruning, Hedge and grass cutting, Regular maintenance, Licensed waste disposal. Full public liability cover. Geoff Wharton - BSC honours Hort.Science Email:geoffwharton@hotmail.com
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All your needsTininHire decorating celebration cakes,help cupcakes etc. • Books etc… With friendly and advice. Professional quality icing. Special offer on all cake boards. Stand and tin hire. Celebration & Wedding cakes made to order Special offer: Renshaws white newA1 covering sugarpaste only £3 per kilo Based at Seddington Nursery, Northbound (while stock lasts) between Biggleswade/Sandy SG19 1NZ Flower and modelling classes now being booked for February Tel: 01767 680 983 in our special built classroom. Open 9.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m EVENING APPOINTMENTS BY ARRANGEMENT. |
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Food & Drink
Beer at Home by Ted Bruning February: dank, gloomy, and utterly surplus to requirements. Couldn’t we abolish it and have 11 months of 33.18 days each (33.27 in leap years)? But no – we’re stuck with it. Don’t fret, though – there’s a beer for everything. February does have one high point: St Valentine’s Day. That’s the day when we prove that we love each other by buying flowers and fizzy wine and stuff like that. But if we really love each other, we prove it with chocolate, and indeed beer. Here are two rich, warming chocolate beers that will drive away the February shivers and help demonstrate our love. The first contains no chocolate. But Fuller’s London Porter (5.4% alcohol) is made of pale, crystal, brown, and chocolate malts and Fuggles hops, which between them produce the
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overall effect of a very sophisticated dark chocolate. The colour is – well, chocolate, but with amber glints if you hold it up to the light. The nose is somewhat surprising: caramel from the crystal malt, with a slightly acidic green-fruit freshness from the Fuggles. The palate, though, is all chocolate and very rich chocolate at that, but with a balancing bitter tang. The finish has strong overtones of coffee but with more bitterness. Meantime Chocolate Porter (6.5% alcohol), by contrast, does contain chocolate alongside its grist of roasted malts. Pitch black in colour, it has a strong aroma of dark chocolate with a deep, slightly earthy undertone. The palate is similarly complex, with very strong chocolate offset by a delightfully delicate floral note, like parma violets. The finish is more of the same, lingering, and with a more-ish bitterness. A masterpiece!
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WORDWHEEL
Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.
TARGET Excellent: 60 or more words Good: 48 words Fair: 40 words
R E
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D T S
O D
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Wildlife
Dragonflies Every year I see some of Britain’s larger dragonflies at Millstream Fork - rarer visitors to the garden than other smaller net winged insects. Apart from their beautiful and striking colours, one reason for their fascination is that dragonflies are the Earth’s oldest flying creatures and appeared millions of years before birds. This is evident in the fossil records of the Carboniferous Period, about 280 million years ago. Life first emerged from the sea in the earlier Silurian Period and some creatures evolved into ground insects, crawling around the fern forests. They developed mouth parts for biting and chewing which all herbivores and decomposers need. After millions of years, some of them evolved to grow wings and take advantage of flying in the empty skies. This new ability gave early dragonflies unlimited mobility for three main reasons: • First, escape from their predators which could not follow them off the ground. • Secondly, ability to hunt their land-based prey without hindrance and with greater speed.
By Andy Mydellton
• Thirdly, finding a mate more easily by flying over a number of territories in their quest. Despite being hugely successful, all of the prehistoric species became extinct including salt-water dragonflies and one giant species which grew to a staggering 70cm. However similar species have replaced them, adapting to the Earth’s ever changing environmental conditions very effectively. All modern day dragonflies are different sized invertebrates with long three-part slender bodies, three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings. Instead of speeding away from their predators, they avoid them by darting from side to side. In inclement weather, they hide and sometimes use the better places they find for hibernation. One of the largest British flying insects is the Emperor Dragonfly, a member of the Hawker family, which grows up to 80mm and I have witnessed them inside the Millstream Fork. Another more common sighting is the Common Red or Ruddy Darter, sometimes easier to photograph than other larger dragonflies.
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Chasers are not seen as much because they are less common in Britain. However, they can be distinguished because they have shorter abdomens and seem squatter than the others. Most dragonflies experience regular aerial skirmishes to gain or keep their territories. These hovering creatures may seem serene and elegant enough to us but in reality there is ongoing warfare to obtain areas which have the best prey and egg laying possibilities. Because their eyes form a large proportion of their head, they process information so quickly that it is like seeing the world in slow motion which helps them catch their prey. Dragonflies have a remarkably high hunting success ratio of about 95%. This is true with many large dragonfly species I have seen across the world in such diverse places as Nepal, Brazil and Portugal. And when I see a larger dragonfly here I view it as a culmination of millions of natural history years as well as an animal searching for secrets hidden at Millstream Fork.
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Ask Alan Frank asks: My dog has arthritis but the pain tablets make her sick. She is very stiff and sore. Is there anything else I can do for her? Dear Frank Arthritic pain is common in older pets and is often treated with chondroprotectives and antiinflammatories, as you have mentioned. There are also drug free treatments like the K-Laser and hydrotherapy. The K-Laser (a class 4 therapeutic laser) is a safe, effective, drug free way to reduce pain and inflammation. We have had amazing results using the K-Laser, and in some cases, have completely stopped using anti-inflammatories! The treatments last a few minutes each and are generally enjoyed by the pets as they produce soothing warmth in the sore tissues. The laser works by improving circulation, which removes waste products and allows increased energy production in cells that promotes healing. It also modulates pain
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Pets
and reduces inflammation. In chronic pain, an initial course of 6 treatments over 3 weeks is required with top up treatments every 4 to 8 weeks. Arthritic pain is manageable but not curable. While effective treatments for pain are essential, keeping the joints moving with regular, low impact exercise and reducing your dog’s weight will also help to improve their quality of life. Best wishes,
Alan
If you have any questions you would like answered, please email them to villager@pottonvets.co.uk For more information visit
www.pottonvets.co.uk or pop into the clinic in Potton Market Square.
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Pets
Animal Queries RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch Dear RSPCA vet, This is a general question about vaccinations. When money is a bit tight surely I don’t have to vaccinate my pets every year? Hassan, Henlow Dear Hassan, You didn’t tell me what pet you have, but as a general rule – ALL pet owners should make sure they protect their pets and keep them safe by keeping up to date with their vaccinations. If the number of pets protected by vaccines drops our animal companions could be at risk from an outbreak of infectious diseases, some of which can be transmitted to humans. When to vaccinate Puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and 10 weeks, kittens at nine and 12 weeks, with an initial course of two injections. Your young pet should then be given a booster 12 months after their first vaccination. Rabbits need regular vaccinations too.
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Older pets need protecting too, as their immunity can decline. Speak to your vet as the regularity of your pet’s vaccinations can vary depending on the diseases prevalent in your area. Vaccines against infectious diseases • Dogs should be routinely vaccinated against: Canine parvovirus, Canine distemper virus, Leptospirosis and Infectious canine hepatitis. If your dog will be spending some time in kennels they may also be given a kennel cough vaccine. This vaccine is usually given intra-nasally (into a nostril) and protects against Parainfluenza virus and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Dogs travelling abroad may require a rabies vaccination. • Cats should be routinely vaccinated against: Feline infectious enteritis, Feline herpes virus, Feline calicivirus and Feline leukaemia virus. (Current recommendations are that only at risk cats are given vaccine against Feline leukaemia virus.) • Rabbits should be routinely vaccinated against: Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD). When deciding to become a pet owner you need to consider not only the cost of food, bedding and equipment – but the cost of veterinary care too (both maintenance and emergency). Vaccinating a beloved pet often costs less than a course of antibiotics or vet treatment to fight a disease. For more information about your pets’ health, have a look at the RSPCA’s website. ANIMAL QUERIES is one of a series of articles brought to you by the RSPCA Bedfordshire North branch www.rspca-bedfordshirenorth.org.uk
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Broadies Walkies Professional Dog & Cat Grooming Hydro Massage Bathing Bespoke Dog & Cat Grooming Handstripping Specialists De-shedding Treatments Open Plan Grooming
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04/11/2014 14:4
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Local News
By Catherine Rose
Woodentops Pre-School Based at Potton Town Football Club since February 1990, Woodentops Pre-School has given generations of young children a great start. It was set up by professional nannies Carol Leggatt and Helen Miles. Carol ran it until her retirement in September last year and current head Jackie Noakes’ own children attended Woodentops. There are around 24 on roll with eight wellqualified members of staff. Taking children from the age of two up to five (although children in Potton usually start school in the September after they are four), National Education Funding ensures that every three to four-year-old is given 15 hours of free childcare a week. Open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8.45am until 3.45pm, and on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 8.45am until 1pm, the youngest child on their role is just two. These days, children don’t have to be ‘dry’ to start preschool and Jackie feels this is an improvement as parents and children are not under pressure to potty train before the child is ready. There have been some big changes over the past 25 years, mainly with the introduction of OFSTED where previously inspections were made by Social Services. “There is a lot more administration now” says Jackie. “We have to adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory document which has seven different areas that we need to cover. This helps children to achieve the required milestones so that when they start school they have the basic skills needed. We also have a sports coach who comes in once a week on a Wednesday. He brings different coloured balls and plays games with the children, even when it’s raining. We have a trunk full of wellies for children to borrow!” Free milk is now given to children up to the age of
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Celebrating 25 Years seven, and even snack time is an opportunity for learning. Healthy choices are offered like cheese, fruit, vegetables and bread sticks. Dietitians come in as part of physical development, and the children are also taught health and safety. Woodentops works closely with its feeder schools. “It’s really important that we work with them” explains Jackie. “We have regular meetings to see if we can make any improvements.” During May, the children who are going up to lower school visit with the pre-school staff to have lunch. In turn, the schools allow Woodentops to borrow lunch trays so that the children can practice with them. The emphasis is very definitely on healthy, physical and imaginative play. In Party on Potton last year, Woodentops came third in the carnival with their 1950s themed float. They have now re-used the boxes from the float to make a den in the classroom. Other activities include cooking once a week. “We loosely plan activities around themes according to what the children are interested in” says Jackie. “At the moment, they are all into Frozen so we are hoping for snow!”
Woodentops is based at The Hollow, Biggleswade Road, Potton, SG19 2LU. Telephone 01767 449443.
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“Where learning is fun� Has vacancies for children aged 2, 3 and 4 years old Based at Potton United Football Club, The Hollow, Biggleswade Road, SG19 2LU Website: woodentops-potton.com Email: woodentopspotton@gmail.com Mobile: 07947 892823 Tel: 01767449443 or 01767 261100 Ball skills every Wednesday provided by Premier Sports
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18/11/2014 10:02
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Motoring
Mobile Motoring Madness
By James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine (CarDealerMag.co.uk) Next time you’re sitting in a traffic jam, or waiting at the lights, or on a motorway even, take a little look around you and – especially if it’s during a dark commute home – I’m willing to wager you’ll be surrounded by countless illuminated, bowed heads of motorists checking their phones. You can spot them easily, like rule-breaking beacons. With music streaming services like Spotify working through car audio systems, social media streams constantly pinging away with notifications, not to mention text messages and emails, the temptation to not touch the phone is too hard for most to resist. Can you honestly say that you’ve never touched your phone while driving? I can’t. British Car Auctions recently quizzed 445 motorists and 95 per cent of them said they’d seen another driver using a mobile phone. Some 82 per cent of them had seen someone texting or emailing too and 42 per cent admitted to doing it themselves. The official advice is to turn it off, but the problem with that is phones have become intrinsically linked to our cars. Most modern models offer Bluetooth connectivity that lets you take calls at the wheel, stream music from your handset, while some even let you access the web from the car using your phone’s signal.
While I can’t deny all these features are handy, could it be the case that car manufacturers are sending out the wrong message? Are they condoning the use of a mobile phone behind the wheel by implementing all this technology? A report from Canada found drivers talking on handsfree devices were ‘far more likely to make errors on the road’. And, come on, admit it, when you’re having a conversation on handsfree are you REALLY paying attention properly? I contacted the Association of Chief Police Officers to ask them what would happen to a driver who had an accident while talking, perfectly legally, on a handsfree kit. A spokesman said the likelihood was that the driver would be prosecuted for driving without due care and attention or, in more extreme cases, for dangerous driving. And it’s already happened. One case in 2008 involved lorry driver Mervyn Richmond, 49, who had been talking to his mother for 23 minutes using Bluetooth in his cab when he ran into back of a Transit van, killing its passenger. He was jailed for fourand-a-half years for dangerous driving.
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Roger Vincent, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, told The Daily Mail at the time: ‘When you are using any mobile while driving you are four times more likely to have an accident.’ FOUR times. So here’s my idea. I think it’s time for a manufacturer to introduce a device that stops your phone working when the engine is on. A sort of enforced airplane mode that means no calls, texts, emails or data can be received, but music can still be played if it’s plugged in. It would take a brave manufacturer to make the move, but marketed correctly it could be a winner. With mobile phone use behind the wheel increasing, despite the threats of points and fines, now has to be the time to take drastic measures. But is there a car maker brave enough to make the move first? Who knows… What do you think? Tweet me @CarDealerEd and let me know.
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By Catherine Rose Spotlight on Paul Pibworth
Artist, Sculptor, Journeyman
It is often believed that artists can’t be engineers and vice versa, but Pottonbased Paul Pibworth is that rare combination of both. With the recent unveiling of his Wilstead Man sculpture, Catherine Rose talked to him about his art and philosophy that “anything is possible”. When I arrive at Paul’s, he has just been working on the letter G. Customers often ask him for his beautiful polished laser cut steel letters as ornaments. Here is a man who is bringing the art of the typeface back. There is evidence of his creative talent all around from the unusual jagged steel mantelpiece to the metallic coffee table he perches on for our interview (he makes furniture but describes it as a “sideline”). Paul is an artist and works primarily in steel sculptures, artefacts and installations, often using concrete in his work. Locally, his most well-known sculpture is ‘Spread your Wings’ at Potton Recreation Ground – a swallow with an exoskeleton of steel lettering. It is in the midst of taking flight, seemingly in defiance of its concrete structure. The sculpture was inspired by rock band Queen’s song of the same name, and incorporates some of its lyrics, including in braille. Paul wanted to give his hometown the message that from your beginnings, there is no limit to what you can achieve, just like a swallow migrating. Potton Council was more than happy for him to do it with financial backing from the Beds Rural Community Charity and a private sponsor. Working out of his garage and in bigger workshops elsewhere, such as the Sculpture Factory in Bow, Paul is a firm believer in artistic collaboration. He is a member of the London Artist Collective and through the organisation works with other artists that have included Sophie Dickens (great granddaughter of Charles Dickens) who made the Nurture Sculpture in John Lewis at Cambridge. “As an artist, it’s important to be in a group as you can become quite solitary” he says. “You can take a long time to think about something but if you are working with others, your ideas are often quickly validated. This is why for the Wilstead Man project I was keen to “Skill share” with three select students from Bedford College.” Leaving school in 1979, Paul started out as an apprentice sheet metalworker but soon found that his creative ideas and his uncanny ability to help others realise theirs, was something he wanted to follow. He took an HND in 3D Design at Bedford College, followed by a B.A. in Spatial Arts and Arts Management at London Metropolitan University where he was encouraged to work with architecture students. “When I went to university I decided to do anything as long as it wasn’t engineering. But there are certain things as a sheet metalworker you can make. And you can bend plastics in the same way as metals, so I work with both.” Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
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How did his fascination with the marriage of words and metal come about? “It started at university” explains Paul “when we were being asked to be more descriptive in our writing.” It is now a feature of his work. His Wilstead Man sculpture was unveiled last November. The project had been in the pipeline for 10 years, with part funding from Persimmon Homes, but it was only three years ago that the introduction to Paul came about through the Happen project, hosted by BRCC (Bedfordshire Rural Community Charity). Aiming to depict the Bedfordshire heritage of farming and market gardening, it shows a man driving a horse-drawn scuffle or hoe. In preparing for the sculpture, Paul took names from the 1901 census and interviewed two elderly residents and the family of late farmer Eric Crouch, who donated the hoe. Paul then took phrases from their accounts to produce the lettering for the sculpture’s framework. The whole was formed around the concept of putting into the land, working on the land, and taking out of the land, so covering the whole cycle. The horse has been suggested by using four horseshoes placed on the ground in front. “Frank Boston heading toward 80s and still working on what was his parents’ farm” says Paul of one of his interviewees. He also spoke to his own father, Clarence Pibworth who is 90 and was once a young “hoss-man”. And visiting Eric’s widow and their son Alan, he discussed the orchard Eric planted. “That is where the real strength of the work is” explains Paul. “You talk to the people who worked on the land and it seems like a dark art now. I don’t even know anyone who grows potatoes any more. I wanted to portray what it was really like to live on the land.” The hoe is painted red and blue in keeping with the period. Paul believes tools were brightly coloured so that they could be seen at dawn and in twilight. “I would love to know if this is the case” he says. Paul believes steel was of a much better quality then than it is now. Nevertheless, it is an expensive material for an artist to be working with but as Paul explains: “By mixing media, someone is not going to steal a statue for its metal content”. Currently he is working on a piece destined for London with stone mason and woodcarver, friend and mentor Andrew Tanzer of Guilden Morden. But the latest project in the pipeline is centred on his love of creating single nail crosses and crowns of nails – simple pieces that are both evocative and resonant. With advice from Creative Bedfordshire, a group run by the Bedfordshire Creative Arts programme, Paul is currently seeking funding from the Arts Council to make a giant 3D crucifix out of folded metal mesh sheet made from a mass of these crucifix. He is then hoping to obtain crowd funding for a pilgrimage through religious landmarks around Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Some of the money will fittingly come from selling his single nail crosses and crowns of nails. For now, he has a retired friend that renovates old London Routemaster buses who Paul likes to help out. “Now winter’s here I hope to get back to doing that a couple of days a week” he says. “But I would love to do another piece for Potton though” he adds. www.paulpibworth.co.uk FB: Paul Pibworth, Artist, Journeyman, Sculptor Twitter: @paulpibworth To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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Local News
Volunteers Required
Biggleswade Talking Newspaper The BIGGLESWADE TALKING NEWSPAPER produces a FREE weekly MP3 Memory Stick version of that weeks Biggleswade Chronicle for the Blind and Visually Impaired Listeners, in Biggleswade, Arlesey, Shefford, Stotfold, Sandy, Potton, and surrounding villages in East Bedfordshire.
Training is available for all posts. The Editors role entails approximately three hours hours work per month on a Friday during the day, and the Sorter an hour per month on a Friday night. More information can be found on our web site and by phoning 07840 504940
Every Friday since January 1981 one of our five teams of eight volunteers have met to record, stories, articles, etc. of that day’s paper at our studio in Biggleswade.
The BIGGLESWADE TALKING NEWSPAPER Local news, for Local Listeners by Local Volunteers, supported and funded by Local organisations
Currently we have the following vacancies for volunteers to join our existing teams. We require an EDITOR and a SORTER.
www.biggleswadetalkingnewspaper.org.uk We are a registered charity No 281316 established in 1981
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n O s ’ t Wha In February 1 February Charity Fun Quiz 8pm Five Bells, Henlow Village Charity Fun Quiz in aid of St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger. Cash prizes and spot prizes. Raffle Tel: John 01767 680974
4 February Gamlingay & District Gardening Club 7.30pm WI Hall, Gamlingay Visitors £2.50 ‘Pests’ with Andrew Sankey.
3 November Potton Ladies Club 7.30pm The Pavilion, Mill Lane, Potton Guests £4 including light refreshment The speaker will be Suzanne Davison, who will be sharing her “China Experience” including with photos. Suzanne has been a popular speaker at the Club on previous occasions.
6 February Bedfordshire Family History Society Doors open 7.15pm Mark Rutherford School Drama Hall, Wentworth Drive, Bedford, MK42 9RX Members free, Visitors £2 Illustrated talk is “Records of the Great Courts”. Library and bookstall. Next meeting Friday 6 March. www.bfhs.org.uk
4, 11 & 25 February Mums’ & Dads’ Coffee Break 9am-10.00/10.30am Moggerhanger Church If you haven’t been before why not give it a try? It is a relaxed atmosphere, we have toys your toddlers can play with and if you are a new parent at the school it is a chance to get to know some of the others. Cup of tea/coffee and biscuits 50p. 4 February Folk Evening 7pm Moggerhanger Village Hall First Wednesday every month. Open floor folk session evening. Tel: Chris 01767 640242 for more information 4 February Everyman on the Western Front: Robert Clamps War 7pm for 7.30pm Comrades Club, Godmanchester The Cambridgeshire branch of the Western Front Association is pleased to present a talk by Dave Griffiths. Non-members most welcome. Web: www.westernfrontassociation.com
6 & 20 February Whist Drive 7.30pm Moggerhanger Village Hall Every other Friday evening. All welcome. Refreshments included. Carolyn 01767 640727 for more information 7 February The Signals Museum 10am-4pm The Signals Museum at RAF Henlow is open to the public. Entry is free but official photo ID such as a driving licence, passport or over 60s Bus Pass is required to get an entry permit from the Guardroom. See website for full information. Web: www.rafsignalsmuseum.org.uk 7 February Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Hardy Plant Society 2pm Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade Speaker will be Russell Bowes, ‘The Inexhaustible Mr Paxton’. Russell is an experienced garden lecturer and keen practical gardener. May be plants for sale. Visitors welcome - small charge which includes refreshments.
7 February Caribbean Night 7-11pm Tickets £12 in advance Sandye Place School Hall With Steel Band and fish/chicken & chips. Beer and wine on sale. Dress: Hawaiian shirts and colourful clothes! Tel 260287 organised by Sandy Twinning Association 8 February R.A.T.S. (Re-homing Animal Telephone Service) Fundraising event 1-3.30pm Cotton End Village Hall, Wood Lane, Cotton End, MK45 3AP Stalls, Tombola, Home-made refreshments, Crafts, etc. All proceeds used for the animals in our care. Web: www.rats-animalrescue.co.uk 9 & 23 February Biggleswade Cancer Support Group 1-3pm The Meeting Room, Biggleswade Baptist Church Sessions free – donations welcome An informal, confidential group for cancer patients, families and friends in the Biggleswade area. It is a place to meet with others and provide mutual support. The group meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month. Tel: 07812 796581 Email: csgbiggleswade@gmail.com Facebook: Biggleswade Cancer Support Group 13 February Bingo Night 7.30pm Moggerhanger Village Hall Monthly Bingo Friday night with cash prizes, a raffle and licensed bar. Also open the box. Tel: Carolyn 01767 640727
Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month. 74
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n O s ’ t Wha In February 13 February Gamlingay Photographic Society 8-10pm Gamlingay Village College, Station Road, Gamlingay “Digital Workshop” with Dr Ian Wilson ARPS. Non-members welcome - free of charge. Refreshments and optional raffle. Tel: Nick or Jackie 01767 651025 for more info about the evening/the Society Email: Jackie on nickbruce7@btinternet.com 14-22 February Children’s Woodpecker Trail RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy £1 per trail sheet plus non-RSPB members entry and car park fee Pick up a trail sheet and head out to search for the woodpecker pictures hidden around the reserve. Look out for the real woodies as well and listen out for their noisy drumming as you walk around! 15 February 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, lunches and afternoon tea. Tel: 01480 382432 or 07906 647346 Web: www.madisonevents.co.uk 17 February Gamlingy W I 7.30pm Gamlingay W I Hall Speaker Mr H Parsons on “Building the Tower at St Edmundsbury Cathedral”. Visitors Welcome.
18-20 February Potton Playhouse proudly presents Tomb with a View Bar opens 7pm, performance 7.30pm St Marys Hall, Hatley Road, Potton Tickets Weds £7, Thurs & Fri £8 This hilarious black comedy had been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, but it is worth waiting for and will keep you on the edge of your seats as members of the cast are “done in” throughout the evening. To ensure you get a ticket, buy early from Camerons in Potton Market Square, or telephone 01767 261431. 20 February Give Nature a Home. Make a nest box in National Nest Box week 11am-12.30pm RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy £8 per nest box Birds will soon be searching for places to make a home to nest in. We can help them do this in our own gardens by making and putting up a safe and cosy nest box. We supply the nest kit and tools and have information available on where to best site your box to encourage birds to bring up their young. See if you can guess the creature’s homes in our Natures Homes quiz. Booking essential - limited nest box kits. Tel: 01767 680541 20 February Quiz Night 7.30pm Sandy Conservative Club £5 per person Organised by Sandy Horticultural Association in conjunction with Sandy Allotment Association. Teams of 4-6 people. Tel: 01767 682796 Website: www.sandyshow.org
21 February Blunham Book Sale 10am-3pm Blunham Parish Church A selection of second hand and nearly new books, homemade cakes, teas and coffees, homemade soup, bread and a raffle. All proceeds to Blunham Church Fabric Fund. 24 February Knit & Natter 10am-12 noon Moggerhanger Church The group meets on the 4th Tuesday of the month. 26 February Potton History Monthly Meeting 8pm The Community Centre, Brook End, Potton ‘Potton’s Record Office Revelations’. The Bedford & Luton Archives have upgraded their Potton pages with a fascinating range of material; some are new to the Society. Visitors are always welcome. Light refreshments provided. Web: www.pottonhistorysociety.com 7 March Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 7pm Trinity Methodist Church, Shortmead Street, Biggleswade Advance tickets £5, On the door £6 including refreshments. An Evening of Praise and Entertainment with Pam Rhodes. Tickets available from Biggleswade Express Shop, Shortmead Street. 7 March The London Welsh Male Voice Choir 7pm St. Paul’s Church, Bedford Tickets £15 The Rotary Club of Bedford Castle presents The London Welsh Male Voice Choir. Soloist: Matthew Jones. Conductor: Edward-Rhys Harry. Accompanist: Annabel Thwaite. The Concert is to raise funds for Road Victims Trust and Bedford Day Care Hospice. Tel: Bedford Tourist Office 01234 718112, Rotarian Richard Owen 07711 293913, Road Victims Trust 01234 843345 or Bedford Day Care Hospice 01234 352015 for tickets
Deadline for What’s On entries is the 12th of the previous month. To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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Author Focus
Old Warden: Tales of Tenants and Squires at Home Tracing the history of the village of Old Warden, its inhabitants and their relationship with the Ongley and Shuttleworth landowning families, Old Warden: Tales of Tenants & Squires covers the period from the eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries and includes many amusing tales. Above all, it shows how community life was inextricably linked to the Old Warden estate and looks at the development of its well-known Regency-style Swiss Garden, which was designed by the obsessive visionary Lord Ongley. To visit the picturesque village of Old Warden today is to step back in time. This book guides readers through its unique and intriguing features and explores its rich history. Born and raised in Old Warden, author Christine Hill is proud to be descended from a long line of village “peasantry”. With a lifelong passion for the past in general and Old Warden in particular, early retirement from a career in the Civil Service at last
by Christine A Hill
provided the time for her to immerse herself in historical research. Her first venture into writing has been supported by the Heritage Lottery funding of the recent restoration of the Swiss Garden, Old Warden. Launched in 2008, Amberley is a rapidly growing local and history specialist publisher. It has been featured in The Bookseller’s ‘Review of the Year’. Old Warden: Tenants and Squires is published in paperback by Amberley Publishing price £14.95. Also available in Kindle, Kobo and i-book format. ISBN: 978-1-4456-4058-7 www.amberley-books.com Twitter: @amberleybooks Tel: 01453 847823 Email: A.Sore@amberley-books.com
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Codeword 1
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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. 80
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Searching for
Girtford’s Churches Members of the Sandy Historical Research Group (SHRG) are on the lookout for photographs of the former places of worship in Girtford. At the close of the 19th century there were three places of worship in Girtford, which was then a village in Sandy Parish. But by the end of the 20th century they had all been demolished. SHRG Chairman, Mick Reynolds Chairman says:“Our group has an archive of over 2500 historic photographs of old Sandy and its neighbouring villages, but we do not have a good photograph of any of the three former religious buildings in Girtford. Many people alive today remember these
Girtford Mission Church Site
Local News important places of worship. If anyone can help by supplying us with photographs we would be able to preserve the memory of these buildings for future generations.” The buildings are:1. Girtford All Saints “Mission”’ Church. Opened in 1884; last service 1981. The site was opposite the junction of London Road and Allhallows. This was an Anglican ‘daughter’ church of Sandy Parish Church (St Swithun’s). 2. From 1886 the Primitive Methodists had a chapel on London Road, Girtford “near the junction with St Neot’s Road”. This was closed in 1910, when the present Methodist Church was built on St Neot’s Road. 3. The Salvation Army had a “barracks” on land on the corner of Church Path and Bedford Road. This was registered in November, 1888. It is not known when the Salvationists left the building, but a rating assessment of 1927 listed the “Old Salvation Army Hall” as ‘vacant’. Offers of help to:SHRG Chairman:- Mick Reynolds, 01767680887, chairman@sandy-history.org.uk or SHRG Secretary:- Richard Barlow, 01767226392, secretary@sandy-history.org.uk
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Crossword Solution for The Villager January Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Mike Keating from Alconbury
January’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions
Easy
Hard
Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com To Visit advertise our newincommunity The Villagerwww.beds-local.co.uk and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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The Villager Prize Crossword
Prize
ÂŁ25
Across 7 Not occupied (6) 8 Musical dramas (6) 9 Vehicle for hire (4) 10 Opposite (8) 11 Not as dark (7) 13 Old coin (5) 15 Regularly (5) 17 Culinary herb (7) 20 Very cold (8) 21 Relax (4) 23 Large fight (6) 24 Hinder (6)
1 Mother (4) 2 Disappear (6) 3 Piled up (7) 4 Connects (5)
Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before
18th February 2015 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP

Down
5 Closer to (6) 6 Railway coach (8) 12 Casual (8) 14 Haggle (7) 16 Votes for (6) 18 Scratch (6) 19 Repairs (5) 22 Fizzy drink (4)
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KEMP GARAGE DOORS SALES • INSTALLATION • REPAIRS • Family Run Business • 25 Years Experience • Up and Over • Sectional and Roller Doors www.kempgaragedoors.co.uk • Security Shutters
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For more info contact Gary on 07758232068 or 01462 701701 Tranquilsea13@gmail.com
1st Glass Window Repairs
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30
years experience
FULLY INSURED! Local company who can fix all types of problems with your double glazing, call us now for a free quotation. Steamed Up Glass Faulty Windows, Door Locks or Hinges Draughty Windows or Doors Leaking Conservatory Roofs Fascias and Gutters New Conservatory Roofs We also supply and fit NEW Windows, Doors and Conservatories
DISCOUNTS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS EMERGENCY SERVICE AVAILABLE
07511 906161 88
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DRIFTWOOD JOINERY LTD Specialists in Bespoke Joinery
Conservatories • Doors • Windows Staircases Handmade Kitchens Handmade Bedroom Furniture
Unit 12, Gracious Farm, Southill, Beds SG18 9JB T: 01462 816695 F: 01462 850915 E: info@driftwoodjoinery.com
Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
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N O I T I T E P M O C The London CRUISE Show Olympia 14-15 February 2015 www.cruisingshow.com Discover a whole world of voyages at the 7th annual London CRUISE Show... As Europe’s leading cruise event, The London CRUISE Show at Olympia will host the largest collection of major cruise lines and specialist operators all under one roof for one weekend! Whether you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition cruise to a far-flung destination, a sumptuous ultra-luxury voyage, maybe a relaxing cultural river cruise or a tropical family cruise-holiday with lots to entertain all ages - the February show at Olympia will have it all. Packed with information and inspiration visitors can enjoy exclusive money-saving show offers and upgrades, be inspired by the informative free talks, gain essential expert advice that you won’t find in the brochure, discover different ship styles and incredible destinations and hear directly from the cruise lines about what’s new for 2015/2016. So, if you’re completely new to cruising and intrigued to discover what it’s all about, or you’re a seasoned cruiser wanting inspiration for your next adventure, then make sure you head to The London CRUISE Show at Olympia on 14-15 February. For more show information, talk timetables and a full exhibitors list please visit www.cruisingshow.com.
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We are giving 10 lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets to the show! Just answer this simple question below: Where is The London CRUISE Show taking place? a) Olympia b) NEC c) The local village hall Send your answer with your name, address and telephone number to: Cruise Show Competition, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP READER’S TICKET OFFER: We are also offering reduced price advance tickets to the show! Get your tickets for only £4 (that’s saving £6 off the door price!!) by quoting ‘VILLAGERMAG’ when booking tickets online at www.cruisingshow.com or when calling 0871 620 4024. (Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras).
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Window Doctor Repairs to Windows, Doors & Conservatories • • • • • • •
Misty Units New Locks Draughty Windows Dropped Doors Broken Hinges/Handles Extra Security Installation of New Windows, Doors and Conservatories
25 Years Experience Contact Stewart Gyles on T: 0798 444 1638 or
01767 221 057
E: stewy_133@msn.com
J. Jenkins
Building Services Extensions New Build Renovations Garage Conversions Loft Conversions Kitchen Fitting Driveways and Patios
For all your building needs Call John on 01767 222219 or 07831 283296 Email: chippyjenkins@gmail.com References available on request To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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Books Aerials and Satellites AERIALS & SATELLITES
BOOK REVIEW
By Bruce Edwards
T/A Broadband Communications Established 1993
‘Goodbye Piccadilly’
Aerials & Satellites • Digital Aerials Freesat & Satellite Installations Commercial IRS Systems All Work Guaranteed • CAI Approved C.1616 Based in Stotfold www.broadbandcommunications.co.uk
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles Pub: Sphere p/b £7.99 ISBN: 978-0-7515-5628-5
Tel: 01462 732 628 • Mob: 07860 436 217
Do you get a distinct feeling of relief once the festivities have died away, the cards have been taken down, ‘The Tree’ is recycled, the last of the turkey disposed of one way or another, family spats are fading into oblivion and we’re booking holidays? Are we sad we’ve seen the last of Strictly, (or X Factor, dependent on one’s taste) and the historical soap of Downton Abbey has disappeared for a while? Well, if you’re suffering from withdrawal symptoms, try this wonderfully deep new saga from the writer of the Morland Dynasty novels. It’s a nicely involved tale, very realistic, has excellent word-pictures and revealing insights into the minds of the well-drawn characters of the era. It can well get you hooked - Downton with its distorted storylines will disappear into the mists as the flirty flighty girls and the gentlemanly men of Northcote get all mixed up in the flurry of society’s adaptation to changing times as war looms. Like it or no, we’ll have recall of World War One for some time yet, so what better way to maintain a link with the on-going remembrances than a good book? Christmas may have gone, we’re into the New Year - and holidays are ahead once we get past poor weather and winter blues. Pack this one in your case - for the story will read much better in hard print than on a screen.
Builders “YOUNG’S BUILDERS” “YOUR LOCAL PROFESSIONAL MASTER BUILDERS” “QUALITY AND VALUE FROM START TO FINISH”
Garage conversions from £5.9K
Extension - Sunrooms
Call 07811 985568 or 01767 261803 www.youngsbuilders.co.uk “Free quotes • Excellent references”
• • • • •
Extensions & Sunrooms Garage & Loft Conversions Walls, Patios & Decking General Building Work Property Maintenance
Suggestion and queries to: writerselect@gmail. com. 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.”
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Classifieds Domestic Repairs
Chauffeur Cars
JB Domestic Guaranteed Repairs To: Washing Machines Tumble Dryers Electric Ovens/Cookers Dishwashers No Call Out Charge! Tel: 01767 680621 Mobile: 07778 891490
Electricians
Decorating Services
DECORATING SERVICES
• Over 25 years experience • No job too big or too small • Free estimates T: 01767
222 028
M: 07887
618 832
email: topcoat@ntlworld.com
Domestic Repairs
Domestic Appliance Repairs Washing Machines • Cookers Fridges • Vacs • Dryers
Bill Tangye
Beds Tel By or appointment only - 4 Stratford Road, Sandy, Mob 01767 650750Tel: 07711 07802 393331 257105
Business gone a bit slow? Let us help! Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com Visit our new community www.beds-local.co.uk
Garden Machinery Service/Repair Garden Machinery & Mowers Expert Service and Repair Collection & delivery available Unit 12a Whites Farm, Great North Road, Biggleswade SG18 9BE Tel: 01767 600085 Mob: 07593 553581
Handy Man
MIKE NEIGHBOUR Carpenter and Joiner Glass Splashbacks for Kitchens Cupboards, Fitted Wardrobes, Loft Ladders etc 30 Years Experience
01767 677898 or 07711 311956 93
Classifieds Handy Man
Pet Services
Kitchen & Bathroom Fitter
Plastering Services
M. Philmore (Phil) - Kitchen and Bathroom Fitter
Steve Swain
Plastering, Painting & Decorating
Disabled showers supplied and fitted. General plumbing.
Painting & Decorating Plastering, Pebble Dashing Rendering, Screeding
57 Green Acres, Gamlingay, Beds. SG19 3LR Tel: 01767 650619 Mobile: 07870366414
Mob: 07887 861881 Tel: 01767 226404
Painting Services
Private Car Hire
Pet Services
Private Car Hire
Mobile Dog Grooming Service • Fully customised van • Shampooing and conditioning • Clipping and grooming • Less stress for your dog • One on one treatment Shefford
Kind, caring and convenient service
Call Susannah on: 01462 811975 Mobile: 07794 067748 www.dialadogwash.com
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Mats Cars Private Hire Potton Based
4+7 Seater Cars Available
Airport/Stations/Nights Out etc Local and Long Distance Tel: 01767 261871 Mob: 07983 218367 www.mats-cars.co.uk All major credit/debit cards accepted
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Classifieds Riding School
Property Improvements Property Improvements by
A professional property maintenance service
Gary Hare Carpentry • Kitchens • Bedrooms Decorating • Flooring Bathrooms •Tiling • and more...
Tel: 01767 651821 Mob: 07773 973420
Property Improvements
GB
MANOR FARM RIDING SCHOOL Sutton, Beds - SG192ND
Lessons, Hacks and Livery All Ages and Abilities BHS Qualified Staff 07875 192662 manorfarmridingschool@hotmail.co.uk
Storage
GARY BERRIDGE Plasterer & General Maintenance Including UPVC Doors and Windows Tiling, Painting and Decorating Free Quotes
K.D. Secure Container Storage 20’ x 8’ x 8’ containers Electronic Secure Locked & Gated Area Domestic and Commercial Storage Short and Long Term Rates
Please call Gamlingay 01767 650777
T: 01767 316485 M: 07582 485155 E: garyberridge@ymail.com
Property Improvements
Window Cleaning Services Chris’s Window Cleaning, Gardening and More Window Cleaning & Gutter Cleaning Hedge Trimming Gardening Fascias & Soffits Painting & Decorating Carpet Cleaning 07539770121 Most areas – Call for quotes are free
Removals & Storage
Wood Suppliers
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removals, storage, archive and shipping • House and office moves • Large and small vehicles • Local/long distance and overseas removals • Containerised storage • Extremely high quality customer service Call for a no obligation quotation
01767 313230
enquiries@stephensremovals.com
To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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01767 682789
Offer 1
20% off Mondays and Tuesdays
with selected stylists and for Cut & Finish services and higher, Must quote “20% Villager” when booking
Offer 2
Full head high/lights from £45
with our Graduate stylist - only finish included with a tiered system for short or long hair. Must quote “Graduate Offer” when booking DOWNLOAD OUR NEW SALON APP. Keep up to date with our weekly promotions and news with our salon app. Search in either the App store for Apple devices or Play Store for Android devices
Friends5star
Well done to Michaela on passing her Redken colour exams. We’re proud to have 2 certified hair colourists who have the highest colour knowledge within Friends Five Star Hairdressing Opening Hours: Mon, Tues & Fri 9.30 - 6.00pm, Wed & Thurs 9.30 - 9.00pm, Sat 8.30 - 4.00pm www.friendsfivestarhairdressing.com facebook.com/friendshair Friends Five Star Hairdressing 1 Market Square, Sandy, Beds SG19 1HT Tel. 01767 682 789