The Yateley Magazine 2014

Page 1

1  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


2  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


A Note from the Editor For a long month it has certainly gone quickly here at The Yateley Online Magazine HQ. We have been working tirelessly to bring you this month’s magazine, full of the most interesting stories around. We’ve been chatting with electric vehicle experts about the advantages of electric taxis, quizzing social media gurus about how you should use social media in your business, and getting to know a local musician and his struggles with the music industry and illness. The Farnborough Air show has been one of the biggest local events to take place this month, and we have compiled a fantastic pictorial piece about the show, along with a brief look into its history. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend celebrating aviation at its finest, as well as the celebration of flight in the first world war. We’re very excited to share with you our local business spotlight, where this month we will be talking to Nicola, owner of the newly established ‘Sew Busy’ about her dream and how she made it a reality. We feature another talented young journalist, Jo Archer, and a wonderful article from her about the technology takeover, all along with our tasty recipes and local interest stories. Take a look at our ‘What’s On’ section to see what activities are on in the local area this month and get involved. As always, if you have a story or event you would like to be featured, or if you would like to contribute to the magazine, please do get in touch with us and see how we can help. Join in the conversation! Follow us on Twitter: @YateleyMagazine

3  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


July 2014 6

An Appeal For Pickle

A local couple is devastated to say goodbye to their beloved cat after he was shot for the third time since March. 8

Fantastic Farnborough

The spectacular Farnborough International Airshow had a lot to celebrate this year, with the 100th anniversary of the Great War as well as the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. 13

You Dont Have to be on Social Media

We talk to local social media consultant Kirsty Pitkin about her experiences with businesses, how they interact with social media and more importantly, when they should avoid it altogether. 18

Electric Cars, a Green Step to the Future

Maybe not - as expert electric vehicle consultant Robert Sharpe from Evergreen explains how this revolutionary milestone doesn’t belong in the future - its already here. 21

Are you Sew Busy?

This month we talk to local business owner Nicola Bradshaw about her journey to setting up her business, and how she made her dream a reality. 4  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


July 2014 23

Fact or Fiction - Myths Surrounding Yateley

For anyone who has lived or grown up in Yateley, the myths surrounding our lovely town are common knowledge. But for those who don’t, we thought we would take you on a journey into the past - to what may or may not have been. 28

Kristian’s Story - Music and Determination

This month we interviewed Kristian Wilkins, a local musician and front man for Watching Planes (who you may have seen performing at Gig on the Green) about his journey through illness and multiple misdiagnosis, and how focusing on his musical career has helped him to cope. 30

Are You Ready for a Tweet Up?

31

Recipe of the Month Chicken with Lime & Ginger Mayo

33

Photo of the Month

35

Student Journalism - Technology Takeover

40

What’s on in Yateley

43

The Yateley Directory

5  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


An Appeal For Pickle

A local couple is devastated to say goodbye to their beloved cat after he was shot for the third time since March.

Local couple Ellie RobsonFrisby and her husband Stuart have been left devastated after their cat Pickle was shot with an air rifle and later died. The beautiful 5 year old cat was well loved in the neighbourhood, with everyone knowing his name and how friendly he was, and it a tragic blow to lose him. But this is not the first time this has happened. In the 5 short months since March, Pickle has been the target of 3 such attacks with an air rifle in our town. In March he was shot in the ear, and just 2 months ago he was shot in the bladder. Pickle was lucky, and after a series of expensive medical treatments and some time, the loveable and friendly cat recovered well from his injuries. But for the assailants, this wasn’t enough. Around 7pm on the 26th of July, Pickle returned home after some time and collapsed in front of his owners. They rushed him into an out of hours vet, where a wound was discovered in his abdomen. The vet was saddened to say that the pellet had gone 10cm into his abdomen, and this was too much for an animal of his size to survive. It was a terrible time for Ellie and Stuart as they made the decision to put Pickle to sleep. 6  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


We spoke to Ellie about this tragic event. ‘We are heartbroken and urge anyone with information about who is responsible for the repeated attacks to get in touch. We’d also like to that the community for their overwhelming support at this horrible time.’ Ellie has been reaching out through social media to try and discover the identity of the killer, and now we are joining in her campaign to bring them to justice. PC Caroline Owen, who is running the investigation on behalf of the Yateley Safer Neighbourhood team commented: “This is the third time that this cat has been attacked in this way with further incidents in March and May of this year. It is not illegal to own an air riffle in your own home but possession in a public place or the use of these items in any unlawful way will be dealt with robustly.” She continued to explain her steps once the crime was reported: “We have carried out house-to-house enquiries and will be again making contact with local residents via letter to ensure they are aware of this incident. There have not been any other reports of this nature in the area.” We are urging anyone who has any information about Pickle or the attackers to come forward and help us find the person responsible for this unjustified and brutal attack. Anyone who can assist with the investigation should contact Yateley safer neighbourhoods team on 101 or call Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555111.

7  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Every two years we are greeted by the whooshing of planes overhead and increased traffic and we know one thing - it’s time for the Farnborough Air Show. Thousands flock to the Farnborough air fields to follow a weekend of unrivalled aviation excellence, coupled with a fantastic selection of family entertainment, games, displays, news and interviews, and this year was certainly no exception. The 19th and 20th of July saw one of the best air show’s to date, with a host of new activities and exhibits to thrill every aviation lover. However this year’s show was extra special for another reason, as we celebrated 100 years of aviation history and the anniversary of WWI. Visitors to this year’s show got to witness a huge salvo of the good and the greats in aviation history, from the fighters of WW1 all the way to the advances of modern day technology. Their star attraction, their historical catwalk of the skies, lasted over 4 1/2 hours, and was worth every second.

8  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014Photo

kindly provided by Alexander Moor.


Highlights of the weekend were spectacular performances from the Red Arrows, the Vulcan and the Super Constellation (which some of you may have seen flying very low over Yateley earlier in the week on its way past Blackbushe. There was also an all star performance by the Great War Display team, who marked 100 years since the beginning of WW1 with their amazing displays - showing that the fighting spirit of Britain is still going strong. We also got the joy of a special display the Douglas DC-3 Dakota aircraft commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. However it wasn’t all sunshine and roses, and many aviation enthusiasts were left disappointed when the US F35B Lightening II Jet (which will soon become a gem in the Royal Air Force) didn’t make an appearance. While it had been planned that the F35 would make its debut appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo at the RAF Fairford the previous weekend and follow on with the Farnborough Air Show, the famous jet never made it into the sky. It seems that it didn’t even make the Royal International Air Tattoo, as the entire fleet were grounded due to concerns about their safety. Overall, a fantastic day well worth remembering - but we know that pictures speak louder than words, so we have prepared a selection of our favourite images donated by Yateley residents of their time at the air show.

9  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014

Photo kindly provided by Simon Bool.


The beautiful Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation was a highlight for many of the aviation enthusiasts that had assembled in and around the Farnborough Airshow. Yateley residents were treated to a great look at 50’s vintage aircraft earlier in the week when the crew performed a flypast over Blackbushe Airport. This image was kindly provided by Alexander Moore.

The always popular Avro Vulcan XH558 once again entertained the crowds on both days of the display. The story of the restoration and return to flight of this magnificent aircraft is detailed over at the wonderful ‘Vulcan to the Sky’ website. Fast jets are usually big crowd pleasers and displays by the F18 Super Hornet (pictured above right) and the RAF Typhoon didn’t dissapoint. These two photos were kindly provided by Jo Ayres.

10  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


This photo & cover image were The Yateley Magazine | July 2014 kindly11 provided by Simon Bool.


12  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Don’t worry... You don’t have to be on social media!

We talk to local social media consultant Kirsty Pitkin about her experiences with businesses, how they interact with social media and more importantly, when they should avoid it altogether. Many small businesses are feeling under pressure to make use of social media. However, the pressure to have a Facebook page or Twitter account (at the very least!) can lead some small businesses to take unnecessary risks, waste time and ultimately fail to gain any useful benefit from the exercise. So, when is it ok NOT to be on social media? 1. When your target market simply isn’t there Just because everyone seems to be on Facebook or Twitter does not mean that your specific target audience uses these websites. It is worth taking the time to research whether the people you actually want to reach are really using these tools. If they are, look at how they are using them. You may find that the people you want to reach are on Facebook, but don’t use it for business purposes and will resent the intrusion into their social space. 13  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Don’t stop researching at Facebook and Twitter. Look at other sites, such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Quora or the many smaller, specialist online social networks to see if there is a place online where your customers go to network and share information. That’s where you need to be. 2. When you think it is just free advertising Businesses that see social media as a free advertising platform tend to post repetitive broadcast messages and then wonder why they see little engagement and few leads as a result. Remember, this is social media not billboard advertising. Successful social media users build relationships, engage in conversation and share valuable insights. Their prospective customers come to respect them and remember them when they have a need for their services. There is a cost, but it is not financial. The cost is time and effort. If you’re not prepared to put in that time and effort, online social networking may not be for you. It is also important to remember that some social networks, including Facebook, are not completely free to use. On Facebook, only a small percentage of people who ‘like’ your business page will see any updates from you in their Facebook news feed unless you ‘boost’ a particular post. This costs money, but can be effective in certain circumstances. You can experiment by boosting posts with small amounts of money if you want to dip your toe in the water to see if this approach might work for you before you. 3. When it won’t improve your customers’ experience of doing business with you Social media has the power to dramatically improve your customers’ experience of doing business with you. It can give you the opportunity to monitor what people are saying about your business, respond to their questions, offer competitions, start conversations and even get creative by designing interactive games to help customers engage and win rewards. Many small businesses are pressed for time and resources, so any activity must really pull its weight. This means that engaging with social media either has to deliver increased sales, or improve your customers’ experience 14  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


of your business. If not, this could be time and effort wasted. If the primary purpose of setting up a social media channel is to improve your customers’ experience, then think carefully about how you will measure success before getting stuck in. 4. When you don’t have time to properly assess the risks and security issues Engaging with social media is not without its pitfalls, and there are many, many horror stories out there about accounts being hijacked by disgruntled staff, or businesses failing to deal with customer service issues raised via social media and the associated backlash. Often these problems arise when businesses do not understand the etiquette of a particular social networking space, or when they leave an enthusiastic junior member of staff to just get on with it without any support. Tools such as Hootsuite (http://hootsuite.com) that allow you to give access to social media accounts to certain members of staff without sharing the passwords can help to relieve some of these risks, and allow you to see who has posted a particular comment if there is an issue. However, business owners and managers still need to do their homework to understand the risks before setting up a social media account. Failure to do so can have consequences for your business, in the same way as leaving any other activity unchecked. 5. When you don’t have a plan It is really easy to run out of things to say and lose momentum on social media if you are simply broadcasting promotional messages about your business ad hoc. You can also end up spamming your followers with a flurry of activity when the mood takes you, followed by long periods of silence. A clear social media plan will allow you to spread out key messages and build in time to listen and respond to others. A plan will also allow you to see how time spent updating social media fits in with other business activities so you can manage your time more effectively.

15  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Conclusion There is a lot of pressure on small businesses to engage with social media because everyone else seems to be doing it and it is supposedly ‘free’. However, there are lots of businesses that are not getting much benefit out of their efforts, and in some cases may be damaging their business reputation online in the process. Social media can be a powerful tool for small businesses, but only if used effectively to meet the specific business needs. Bowing to pressure and setting up a Facebook or Twitter account will not magically yield results, so take a deep breath and remember that it’s ok not to be on social media if it’s not right for your business. However, if you do take the plunge, make sure you choose the social networks that are right for your business and plan how to use them to meet your needs. Kirsty Pitkin is a social media consultant. She specialises in using social media and online tools to amplify the reach of events, such as conferences and workshops. She works for Yateley-based consultancy firm TConsult Ltd and blogs about social media at eventamplifier.com

16  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


17  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Maybe not - as expert electric vehicle consultant Robert Sharpe from Evergreen explains how this revolutionary milestone doesn’t belong in the future - its already here. Anyone who once scoffed at the idea we’d be driving around in electric vehicles needs to think again. With fossil fuels running out, the cost of fuel rocketing, and the well-documented environmental risks of carbon emissions, both national and local governments are taking the idea of electric vehicles very seriously. But it’s not only that - the private hire business is also affected by this new tide of interest. Recently, Basingstoke & Deane Council became the first in Hampshire to back the introduction of an electric taxi service, and has since successfully bid for a rapid electric charger to be installed. Other councils have seen the success of this and are now following suit. All this is very worthy, but what’s the incentive for taxi drivers to ditch their perfectly good petrol or diesel motors for electric models? What use are electric cars on the more lucrative airport-style runs, which taxi drivers prefer to the gas-guzzling shorter journeys? And don’t they just run out of charge halfway and leave you stranded? 18  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


For starters, here’s one good reason for an electric taxi: it saves money. With modern electric vehicles you can reduce operating costs by up to 90 per cent, which translates into increasing profits by around £100 per week, per driver – that’s £5,000 per year. This saving on fuel means that the short fares are no longer uneconomic, and drivers won’t need to rely on airport runs to make a profit. Add to this the fact that the servicing is cheaper, there’s zero road tax, you get 100 per cent capital allowance on the first year, and the Nissan Leaf purchase price isn’t that much more than a Nissan Note - it’s hard to resist. In fact, the electric taxi is perfect for a city environment. But what about charging the cars? With access to a local rapid charger it’s possible to achieve 160 miles per day, with two, half-hour rapid charges. There is a movement, as evidenced by Basingstoke & Deane Council, to install more chargers in rural and city areas, and we’d urge taxi drivers to put pressure on their own local authorities to do the same. Some £32m of Government funding is available for the installation of rapid chargers, but only to local authorities who have signed up for it. Currently, there are at least four taxi companies in England running the electric Nissan Leaf as part or even all of their fleet, so what’s their experience been? Very positive, according to Cornwall-based C&C Taxis, which invested in its first Nissan Leaf a year ago, and now has expanded to five. The company has cut more than £40,000 from its annual fuel bill and attracted new business, particularly from bigger hotels in the area, whose guests often opt for an electric vehicle. Owner Michelle Williams said: “When we took our first Leaf a year ago we could never have imagined how successful it would have been. The fact we now have five and have hit the 150,000-mile mark says it all. Investing in the Leaf has probably been the best decision we’ve ever made as a company.” If all this doesn’t convince you, then bear this in mind. By investing in electric taxis ahead of your competitors, you’ll bag some nice publicity as the first to forge ahead in your area. In the eyes of the public, it’s good to be green. For more information contact Robert Sharpe of Evergreen Consulting on 08432 890641, email info@evergreen-consulting.co.uk or visit www. evergreen-consulting.co.uk

19  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Do You Run Your Own Business? Whether you have been running your own business for years or you have just started Abstract Print & Design can help promote your business to potential customers!

Contact us to find out how! • Logo Design • Flyers • Leaflets

• Brochures • Business Cards • Banners

• Posters • Postcards • Adverts

• Letterheads • Calendars • Newsletters

T: 01252 690143 M: 07805 013412 E: info@abstractprintanddesign.co.uk

www.abstractprintanddesign.co.uk

20  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Are You Sew Busy? This month we talk to local business owner Nicola Bradshaw about her journey to setting up her business, and how she made her dream a reality.

2 months ago Fleet high street saw a new addition to its ranks, in the form of a beautiful little sewing shop. Sew Busy opened its doors on the 17th of May a little earlier than owner Nicola had perhaps planned, but the warmth of summer has brought her massive success in her new venture. Sew Busy’s specialty lies in its vast supplies of fabrics and patterns. ‘I’ve always loved fabric’ Nicola says, ‘it’s a beautiful thing, and the versatility is endless. You can make something beautiful out of it with very little skill or effort, because the fabrics speak for themselves.’ And walking through her shop, it’s clear that Nicola’s passion for fabric and dressmaking is what has pushed her into making this life-long dream a reality. ‘I started sewing at 12, when my Aunt started to teach me all the basics. I then went on to do an O Level in dressmaking, but my career ended up moving elsewhere for a while.’ Elsewhere is right, as Nicola qualified to be an accountant, and practiced with one of the big firms until recently. ‘A big spate of redundancies hit and unfortunately I was one of the ones to go. I started working on the idea to open my own sewing shop then - and when the unit in Fleet became available, I couldn’t resist. It was one of those ‘life’s too short’ moments.’ 21  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


The shop is best described as ‘shabby chic’, with a delightful blend of modern patterns and fabrics and vintage decor that mixes the old and the new into something fabulous. It’s obvious that a lot of love has gone into every stitch in the place, and defiantly achieves the goal of being a very inspirational and warm place to be. It certainly inspired me to get the sewing machine out of the loft again! On sale Nicola has a variety of dress making patterns, fabrics and fantastic gift ideas, all with that vintage, classy style that emanates from both the shop and Nicola herself.

As well as selling fantastic fabrics and inventive patterns, Sew Busy runs a collection of workshops and short courses that can help anyone learn to sew. Nicola welcomes any age and skill level, from complete beginners who don’t know how to thread a needle, to ex dressmakers who need a confidence boost and to learn some new techniques. The atmosphere is one she has affectionately named a ‘Sewing Social’, and at the moment she is encouraging any mums out there with an interest is sewing to come along and have an hour of ‘you’ time. Later in the year, she will be running some more festive workshops, helping you make gorgeous gifts and decorations for Halloween and Christmas. A list of her upcoming workshops can be found in our ‘What’s On?’ section at the back of the magazine, or online. Nicola commented that she sees the shop as an extension of herself, and her love of fabric, and she hopes to inspire people to start creating their own unique and homey items for themselves. When the shop is quiet, you can often find Nicola behind her sewing machine making something new and keeping her passion alive. If you are interested in what you’ve read here, why not pop in for a chat and cup of tea, and see how she can help you? 22  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


23  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


For anyone who has lived or grown up in Yateley, the myths surrounding our lovely town are common knowledge. But for those who don’t, we thought we would take you on a journey into the past - to what may or may not have been. The Highwayman Darby Green is a small village on the outskirts of our own, and a lot of Yateley residents enjoy journeying into it for visits to the pubs or the large green fields. But Yateley may have more in common with Darby Green than you think - in that we were victims of its infamous highwayman. This centres around one Parson Darby, a local vicar who was pastor to Yateley and Eversley in the 1800’s. During the day he would preach and look after his flock in the local churches, but by night he was a much more formidable man. The famous image is one of his riding slowly up to Monteagle House dressed in his vicars garb, under the ruse of visiting one of his flock for a counselling call. However when he reached the shadows of Monteagle House, he would change his clothing, donning a mask and pistols and transforming into a highwayman. Here he would switch his horse for a faster specimen and ride out, holding up coaches and carriages on the main roads and robbing them of everything they had. It didn’t always go smoothly, and there is a record of him shooting the driver of a Royal Mail coach dead. Once he had gathered his loot for the day, he would store it in cellars, to be collected later. He would them change back into a vicars clothing and ride quietly back to town. After years of this lifestyle he was caught and hanged from a tree in the garden of the Yew Tree Inn at Darby Green in 1841. Local tradition says that Pastor Darby used to do his drinking in the Yew Tree Inn, and this is where he was caught (following the betrayal of one of his lovers) and immediately hanged from the tree outside, exactly where the bus stop is now. Bull Baiting It is thought that the vicious practice of Bull Baiting was one that took place in our own town during the 1800’s. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept - bull baiting is quite similar to bear baiting. A bull is placed in a hole in the ground, it’s nose blown with pepper to enrage it and then it is set upon by specially trained dogs one at a time. An attack was deemed 24  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


successful when a dog has fastened its teeth strongly on the bull’s snout. It may interest you to know that the bulldog was bred especially for this sport. But bull baiting was more than just a vicious blood sport- and thee may have been some legitimacy to its place in Yateley. In early modern day England, a lot of towns had bylaws which regulated the sale of meat. Many of these stipulated that a bull’s flesh must be baited before any bull was slaughtered and sold - as it was believed that baiting improved the quality of the meat. These laws carried on until the early nineteenth century, when they died out due to the baiting causing a public nuisance. In Yateley, there is a firm record of correspondence regarding bull baiting between Mr Richards and Colonel Butler. An extract of this letter states: ‘Mr Richards presents his compliments to Col. Butler, and will do what he can to prevent the disgraceful Bull Baits taking place at Yateley this afternoon. Mr R. knows of no other way, than by ordering the Peace Officers to make the attempt.’ And we must assume that, unless the Peace Officers (the early version of police) were successful, this event took place on this, and many more occasions. A Bronze Age Burial Ground This is a more modern myth in Yateley, and one that was quickly proven to be true. A Bronze Age burial site was found during some digging and gravel workings in local fields behind Moulsham Lane and Chandlers Lane. During these works in 1926 several cinerary urns were found by workman, and while they were smashed in the process, their shards were taken to Reading Museum and identified as Bronze Age ‘Bucket urns’. It was mentioned in the reports that there was a domed chamber in the gravel that was home to the urns, making this a very defined burial ground. These chambers were later used by the workman to store tools. During later works in 1927 and 1928 more evidence of Bronze Age cremations and even loom weights, which is indicative of a settlement were found in the same and surrounding fields. More recently, more artefacts have been found in other parts of Yateley following the contour of the Moulsham site, and this confirms that there was, in fact, not just a Bronze Age burial ground, but also a settlement and village where we now live today.

25  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


The Gunpowder Plot You may be familiar with Monteagle House, one of our local landmarks, known to most by its mysterious association with Lord Monteagle, and his dealings with the famous Gunpowder Plot. There are many different variations on this particular local myth - and we will endeavour to tell you all that we know of them. While the versions all vary slightly in their details, the central part of the myth is that Lord Monteagle lived at Monteagle House (before it was given the name) through the Gunpowder Plot. To give you a bit of background - Lord Monteagle was a member of the House of Lords, and one of the few who escaped the assassination attempt in 1605. He was also one of the members who helped to unravel and expose the attempt to assassinate King James I of England and VI of Scotland. Lord Monteagle was a close relation to some of the key plotters in the gunpowder plot - and he escaped the blast with his life after receiving an anonymous letter on the 26th of October 1605 advising him not to attend the opening of parliament. It is rumoured that Lord Monteagle received this letter while living in Monteagle House. One set of rumours follows how Lord Monteagle was actually one of the conspirators himself - and the plan which formed the Gunpowder Plot was actually hatched in Monteagle House (although it is sketchy whether Lord Monteagle was actually involved in the plot or whether they just used his house). Another version of the myth is that it was at Monteagle House that he received the letter from his brother in law, warning him not to go to parliament. A third version stipulates that the gunpowder used in the assassination attempt was hidden in the cellars of Monteagle House. The one thing all of these theories have in common is that Lord Monteagle lived in this house at the time of the events, and that’s why the house was named after him. While some believe that Lord Monteagle was resident here, and that his actions while living in Yateley were integral to the gunpowder plot that made Guy Fawkes famous, some insist that this isn’t true at all. And while there is evidence that Lord Monteagle may have rented a house in Yateley for some time, there is no further evidence than this.

26  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


27  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Kristian’s Story - Music, Illness and Determination This month we interviewed Kristian Wilkins, a local musician and front man for Watching Planes (who you may have seen performing at Gig on the Green) about his journey through illness and multiple misdiagnosis, and how focusing on his musical career has helped him to cope. Kristian has been battling with both the NHS and his own health issues for nearly a decade, and still has managed to turn to music in a remarkable coping mechanism for what can be a debilitating health issue. It has taken 8 years of battling with NHS doctors, barrages of tests, multiple misdiagnosis and a lot of research, and only this month has he since been diagnosed with a rare kind of sleep apnea, caused by a hypogonadism and a pituitary tumour. Due to his encounters with some arguments about his early music and it’s similarity to Julian Lennon, Kristian was forced to enter a detective style role to solve the problems and counter the arguments made (full details of this can be found on their website). It was this that sparked the realisation that if he could solve this riddle, then he could start looking into his own health issues, and it spurred him on the continue creating spectacular music. Because the illness Kristian suffers from isn’t a visible one, he found that he is struggling to be taken seriously - not just by the folks in the industry, but by doctors as well. His thyroid issues were initially not viewed to be related to the tumour, making the process of getting tests extremely difficult for him. In battling his symptoms, which include lethargy an forgetting words, it’s a continuous struggle for him to continue as he does with his music. ‘Every day is like a hangover’ he says, ‘It’s all I can do to get out of bed in the morning.’ Yes still he does, and through all of this he managed to not only form Watching Planes, but also to write the songs and put on a fantastic 28  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


performance at Gig on the Green last month, featuring as one of the biggest local bands on the bill. In struggling with this for the last 8 years, Kristian has written over 100 songs and played at various open mic nights and other events. His illness had made it very difficult for him to cope, as raising a family, paying the bills and even permanently damaging one of the fingers on his fret hand, it’s been very hard for him to get out and play - but he has continues to write songs and record demos. For Kristian, music is the thing that keeps him fighting through his symptoms and through the roller coaster that is his journey with the NHS. It’s the inspiration for everything he has done, and allows him to do something creative while he begins the journey to recovery. His latest endeavour, Watching Planes have been incredibly successful in the local music scene, and are set to take the local stage by storm. Their sound is regularly compared to Crowded House and Squeeze, and were formed specifically by Kristian to play at Gig on the Green Yateley in 2014 and help him push his music career forwards in spite of his health issues. Now looking to expand further, they are beginning to play locally in pubs and clubs, and are definitely worth watching out for! http://www.watchingplanesmusic.com/

29  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Are You Ready For A Tweet Up? If you are a business owners or resident in Yateley and you frequent the world of twitter, then you may know of a new event sweeping the local internet. It has been a twitter staple for a long time now, and the #hour has finally found its way to us with the creation of #yateleyhour. Twitter group ‘@Yateley Hour’ set up the twitter hour as a way of connecting the Yateley community, and to help connect Yateley businesses. Still in its infancy but growing fast #Yateleyhour is a place for any Yateley resident to go and contribute to the community, make suggestions, get their voices heard or just chat and share pictures. But, determined to be different and stand out from the crowd of other ‘townhours’, #yateleyhour will soon be breaking the mould to hold it’s very own ‘Tweet Up’. This event will mark a new beginning in internet networking by bringing an entirely twitter based network of people into the same room for a few hours in an evening. The event will be held on a weekday evening and will give local businesses a chance to meet each other face to face, chat and network freely. Details are still being confirmed, so stay tuned and keep an eye on our What’s On section for more details. For now however, log into twitter between 8 and 9pm on a Monday evening, search for #yateleyhour and get involved in the conversation - we can’t wait to see you there!

30  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


This month to help you cope with the heat we present a refreshing and easy to make dish - Chicken with Lime and Ginger Mayonnaise. This easy to make chicken salad is one of our favourite summer dishes. It’s perfect for an evening meal in the garden - it’s light but still filling, refreshing and flavourful - and doesn’t require you to spend hours over a hot stove in the already sweltering heat. This recipe serves 6-8 and only takes 20 minutes to make, so it’s a great dish to serve at a barbeque or for friends. 31  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Ingredients: An 8cm piece of fresh ginger 1kg skinless chicken breasts 1 bouquet garni 300ml dry white wine 4 limes 1 little gem lettuce 4 spring onions 210ml good quality mayonnaise 150ml double cream To Garnish: 2 ripe pears Baby leaves

Preparation: • Cut off 1/3 of the ginger, peel and grate • Crush the remaining ginger with a rolling pin • Cut one of the limes into wedges • Grate the zest of the remaining limes • Finely chop the spring onions and lettuce • Whip the double cream into soft peaks

Steps: Put the chicken in a deep pan with the crushed ginger, bouquet 1. garni, white wine and the juice and zest of 1 lime. Add enough water to cover the chicken.

2.

Bring the liquid to the boil, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, then leave to cool.

3. Remove the chicken and strain the liquid into another pan. Reduce it down to 150ml. 4. Add the lettuce and spring onions to the liquid and boil for 1 minute, then blend to a smooth puree and allow to cool. 5.

Mix the grated ginger, lime zest, lime juice and puree into the mayonnaise, then fold in the double cream.

6.

Cover the chicken in the mayonnaise mixture, Serve on a bed of salad leaves and pear wedges. 32  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Photo of the Month This month we celebrate the photo of the month winner with this beautiful image, and a bit about the man behind the lens.

My name is Declan Foster, I am 17 years old and presently studying at Yateley 6th Form College for my A - Levels in Graphic Design, Photography and Travel and Tourism. What does photography mean to me? When someone asks me why the aesthetics of the photo mean so much to me it’s because what it represents is as important as what it is - it’s a tool for the heart and when you can touch someone’s heart that’s limitless. My interest in photography began with an old film camera (Olympus point and shoot) that I was given when I was about 8 years old. When I purchased my IPad about 3 years ago it introduced me to digital photography. It produced immediate pictures ‘on the go’ and resulted in good quality images that were easy to edit to fine tune the subject. My mother allowed me to use her Olympus SP-800uz bridge camera, which then opened up the opportunity for me to take photos in a totally different way, i.e. being able to zoom much closer to a subject and much higher quality results than the IPad. 33  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


I had the opportunity to study Photography at A - Levels and purchased a DSLR Canon EOS 1100D camera for the course. This camera enabled me to learn how to use different modes such as manual, aperture and shutter priorities together with the introduction of different size lenses. In January 2014 I won the Year 12 Photography award for my outstanding performance from Yateley 6th Form College. I was also the recipient of a Highly Commended Award in Photography at the 2014 Young Designers Exhibition at Yateley School for my mini planets photography work that I completed for the AS exam project for Year 12. I have a keen interest in taking photos around nature in general, particularly landscapes, trees, flowers and wildlife. I also like portraiture, macro photography and architecture. I like to think I have a wide number of themes that appeal to me at the moment before I maybe settle for one particular theme. I am extremely fortunate to have Yateley Common so close to me as this enables me to expand my photographic skills. On one of my recent visits I ended up walking through Castle Bottom where I know there are horses that are allowed to roam free. However, on this occasion, they were not in the familiar place that I have seen them before and decided to walk along the track towards Coopers Hill. Suddenly, all six of them appeared extremely close to me and I was able to take this photograph of the white horse, using a 50mm prime lens, which seemed to capture the composure of him and the lighting was just right. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my photography tutor, Nella Parish, for all her help, support and encouragement in the past year. Without her guidance, I would not have been able to have achieved so much over this academic year. If you are interested in seeing more of my work then please visit my website at https://www.fostersfotography.weebly.com/. You can also follow me on my shoots through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fostersfotography/.  

34  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Student Journalist Spotlight Bio - Jo Archer Once again we dive into the realms of Yateley School to present you with this months’ student journalist for the spotlight - Jo Archer. This month we are happy to present the enthusiastic and talented Jo Archer, who has submitted one of her pieces of AS Level coursework to be published. Jo is 17 and has lived in Yateley all her life, now about to start her second year of A Levels at Yateley School. She has been studying English Language, English Literature, Art and French for the past year, and hopes to take this even further by going to Royal Holloway University to study English Literature next year. Jo cites her favourite author as Charles Dickens, who she says is an inspiration for a lot of her creative work, which she writes when she is not studying or working part time at the local Waitrose. 35  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Student Journalist Spotlight - Technology Takeover? By Jo Archer

Why grumble if it’s making life stress-free? A future reliant on robots may not be so dandy after all. Whilst technology is seemingly ‘improving’ our day to day life, it is becoming increasingly more like a ‘war of the world’s’ style invasion. Think about it. Just over ten years ago your average Joe Bloggs would not have access to the internet without a computer. On your phone, the connection would be hit and miss and the rates mind-numbingly high. Now, it is considered a basic human right, up there with breathing and eating, to be able to connect on the go. Even when we step outside our cushy homes and (brace yourself ) experience face to face interaction, we feel a constant itch to check for notifications and to browse through twitter. Many learning institutions now insist that either a laptop or other mobile device is a critical piece of equipment for every student. It has been tagged on the end of every essential school shopping list up and down the globe. Children as young as eight are now being taught how to read on these miniscule devices that are far beyond their grasp. When I was eight, I could 36  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


barely look after a Tamagotchi, let alone a piece of kit that retails at around £500. What will happen when a kid falls over in the playground only to completely obliterate the delicate screen? Let’s hope mummy and daddy can dig deep, they’re going to need to. The devices are causing a literal pandemic. Younger children who have been brought up with new technology may never encounter a book again. They will never be able to indulge in the smell of a new book or the texture of a thick cracked spine. It is possible that they will never even know how to turn a page. Cafes, restaurants, pubs and shopping centres have all cleverly bought into ‘free Wi-Fi’ for customers in the hope that passers-by will be swept in by the all too tempting offer, regardless of the extravagantly high price tags attached to their products. The owners set out like spindly spiders weaving webs of ‘relief ’ and ‘comfort’. A trap I have fallen for. Last year, I was forced into a mandatory camping trip the day after a red carpet event and had to take refuge in a local pub in order to catch a quick glimpse at the photos that were smothered all over Facebook. I had never felt such a strong sense of paranoia and isolation. And though it may seem to be true, the internet is not the only form of technology that we consumerists have become heavily reliant on. “What happens in the horrifying event of a power cut?” I hear you cry. Imagine the horror after what little battery life is left on phones and laptops dies and you are left plunged into social darkness. Even the landline is dead. “No television?” How am I meant to catch up on ‘I’m a celebrity?’ Surely it couldn’t get any worse than that? The oven is rendered useless, as is the microwave, the kettle, the washing machine, the fridge, the hoover, the printer, the CD player and the lights. Every little piece of technology we take for granted. Everything but the kitchen sink. The whole of Britain breaks out the otherwise idle torches, even digging out the candles for ‘I will never again take electricity for granted ambience’ and adopts a feeling of abandonment; like lost puppies. And what will happen when we eventually run out of electricity? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a tree hugging hippie but it does bother me that we are spending more time developing new electricity gobbling devices and not focusing on how to generate cheap, renewable energy. Sometimes technology does go a little too far and without sounding like a complete technophobe, it does scare me a little. In recent news, it was announced that robot ‘cow herders’ were invading farms courtesy of Sydney University. Not content with traditional methods, researchers built a quad bike style machine known as ‘Rover’ to move the herds. Robots were also being used to keep tabs on the progress of fruit 37  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


production. Perhaps the creepiest concept; the ‘Rover’ has the potential to stalk the cows at night, manoeuvring about in the darkness, all of its own accord. Am I the only one who sees an issue? Whilst currently a human is required to breathe life into the mean machine, soon they hope it will have a mind of its own. If that wasn’t ludicrous enough for you, imagine a machine gun with a mind of its own. The future of the military is also thought to be in mechanics. The aim is to exchange soldiers in combat and subsequently save lives. Within no time at all the biggest cause of the lack of jobs will be robots and wars will be ongoing. But that’s not all! Whilst not as scary a concept, the human race is becoming a lethargic group of idle button pushers. A hoover has already been invented that simply requires the push of a button. It can be left to work its magic, cleaning your entire home, even avoiding stairs and skirting boards. What’s next? Maybe a dish loader for the dishwasher? Technology isn’t developing. It is spreading like the plague. How many of us text friends and family members who are in, if not the same building, then the same room as us? The answer is too many. How long will it be until addiction to technology is considered a mental health problem? We should all start to find real hobbies, like sky diving, or if you’re a little less extreme, perhaps knitting.

38  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


39  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Whats On In Yateley? Every Thursday and Friday in August - Fruition Youth Summer Programme - Every Thursday (Darby Green) and Friday (Yateley Green) from the 7th to the 29th of August, Yateley and Darby Greens, 3-7pm Join the folks at Fruition Youth for a selection of fun afternoons on the Green’s of Yateley. Each day will be a different and fun activity, and is free for children ages 11-18. Activities include football, softball, rounders, music, food, arts and crafts, hockey, graffiti, a DJ and so much more. No booking needed, just turn up and have fun! For more information contact Sarah Franklin (sarah.franklin@yateley-tc. gov.uk or Maillla Tolfree (marilla@fruitionyouth.co.uk). Every Saturday Morning, Little Dippers Swimming Classes - Every Saturday morning, Yateley Community School, Take a dip into the pool with your little ones with the Little Dippers swimming classes. Suitable for children 2 and a half years and over, your children will learn to swim like ducklings in no time. Spaces are limited and are already being booked, so don’t miss out! Call 01252 418250 to book your place! 11th August, Sew Busy Workshop (Taggie Blanket) - 11th August, Sew Busy, Fleet, 7-9.30pm This beginners workshop will show you how to make a Taggie Blanket, a small, soft fabric blanket with colourful ribbon tags that you can take home at the end. The cost for this workshop is £25 with a £10 deposit beforehand. Please arrive 20 minutes before the start time if you need to purchase materials. 13th August, Yateley Common Summer Fun: Bug Hunt Bingo - 13th August, Yateley Common Country Park, Session 1) 10-12am and Session 2) 2-4pm Explore the weird and wonderful world of bugs, and be the first to shout bingo! Join the Yateley Common Rangers and explore the weird and wonderful world of bugs and beasites amongst the trees, grass and soil on 40  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Yateley Common and be the first to find all the creepy crawlies on your bingo card! Meet at Wyndhams Pool car park (off Cricket Hill lane). Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress for the weather. Cost is £4 for children, book before the 11th of August to avoid disappointment! 14th August, Sew Busy Workshop (Lined Shopper) - 14th August, Sew Busy, Fleet, 2-4.30pm In this intermediate level workshop you will be taken through the basics of how to make a sturdy lined shopping bag, and you will take away your very own at the end! The cost for this workshop is £25 with a £10 deposit beforehand. Please arrive 20 minutes before the start time if you need to purchase materials. 20th August, Yateley Common Summer Fun: Adventure Trail - 20th August, Yateley Common Country Park, Session 1) 10-12am and Session 2) 2-4pm Follow the trail set up by the Yateley Common Rangers. Try your hand at map reading or follow clues as you explore the woodlands and heathlands on Yateley Common, and find challenges along the way. Meet at the Gravel Pit Car Park (the car park nearest Blackwater) off the A30. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress for the weather. Cost is £4 per child, book by the 18th of August to avoid disappointment. 24th August, The Ely Party in the Car park - 24th August, The Ely Pub Car Park, 4pm start Once again it’s time to get together and raise money for local charity, Adams Hoofing Hut. The charity is dedicated to a local resident who sadly lost his life while serving in Afghanistan. All proceeds go towards the charity so get the family down, invite your friends and enjoy a night of entertainment for a good cause. Children’s bouncy castle is from 4-7pm, and the BBQ, live music, raffles and auctions kick off at 6. 27th August, Yateley Common Summer Fun: Nature Detectives Pond Dip - 27th August, Yateley Common Country Park, Session 1) 1012am and Session 2) 2-4pm Be a nature detective and help the Yateley Common Rangers, solve a crime 41  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


whilst exploring the underwater world on Stroud Pond. Meet at Stroud Pond Car Park, off the A30. All pond dipping equipment will be provided. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please dress for the weather. Cost for children is £4, please book by 25th August to avoid disappointment 31st August, Yateley Common Sunday Conservation Volunteers - 31st August, Yateley Common Country Park, 10am Join the Yateley Common Conservation Volunteers for 3 hours practical conservation on the last Sunday of every month. The group meet at 10am at Wyndham’s Pool Car park, off Cricket Hill Lane, and help with practical tasks such as scrub clearance, boardwalk building and path maintenance. This is a great opportunity to meet other local volunteers and get some fresh air and exercise! Just turn up on the day or for more information email northern.sites@hants. gov.uk 18th September, Yateley Society Monthly Meeting - 18th September, Red Cross Centre, Monteagle Lane, 7:30pm Join the Yateley Society in one of their fun and educational monthly meetings, covering everything and anything about Yateley. This month features a visit from Mayor Gerry Crisp, who will be talking all about the youth of Yateley and the tie ins with local businesses.

42  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Clubs & Societies Music in Yateley: Flute Salad - The ‘Salads’ offer flautists of any age and ability the chance to play a wide variety of music in a fun, friendly and safe environment. Vivace Cantamus - We are a ladies choir based in Hawley. We sing a varied repertoire form Mozart to Show Tunes and everything in between. We rehearse in the Hawley Church Hall on Sundays between 5.30 and 6.30, and are now recruiting new members for the choir, all abilities welcome. Yateley Sports Clubs: Yateley Cricket Club - Established 1881 and now located at Sean Devereux Park. Catering for players of all standards, with four teams in between divisions 1 & 9 of the Thames Valley League and Sunday friendlies with 16 ECB qualified coaches. Sean Devereux Park, Chandlers Lane, Yateley, GU46 7SZ – enquiries@YateleyCricketClub.co.uk Yateley United FC - YUFC was created by the merger of local football clubs: Beaulieu Football Club, Beaulieu FC, Yateley Green Football Club, Yateley Green FC, Yateley Football Club Adults and Yateley Football Club Youth Contact: chair@yateleyunitedfc.com Activities in Yateley: Yateley Camera Club - The club now has an ongoing membership of between 60 and 70 individuals and provides both beginners and more experienced photographers a place to meet and exchange ideas. All types of photography, from traditional to digital, are used. New members are very welcome and current members are always willing to give help and advice to beginners. If you would like more information, please visit our website. Frogmore Dance School - With nearly 40 years of proud history in providing dance and musical theatre training to both children and adults, Frogmore Dance School is the areas premier teaching centre fit to meet all your needs. Contact: info@frogmoredanceschool.com 43  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Yateley & District Gardening Society – The Yateley and District Gardening Society (YDGS) was established in 1967 by a few local amateur gardeners who were keen to get together and share gardening knowledge and experiences. Yateley Charities: Yateley Conservation Volunteers - Join us for 3 hours conservation on the last Sunday of every month. The groupmeet at 10am at Wyndham’s Car park, off Cricket Hill lane, and help with practical tasks such as scrub clearance, boardwalk building and path maintenance. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help maintain the town’s natural beauty. The Ranger’s House, Cricket Hill Lane, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6BB - tel: 01252 870425 - northern.sites@hants.gov.uk Happy Hedgehog Rescue - We are a small, self funded, local animal rescue in Yateley on the borders of North Hampshire, West Surrey and South Berkshire. Our work is funded entirely from the kind donations of website visitors and friends of the rescue. Vulcan to the Sky Club – The ‘Vulcan 558 Club’ was launched in May 1997 in response to the public’s continuing interest in the conservation of XH558 – the last Avro Vulcan to be retired by the RAF. Contact Jo Ayres – joayres.ayres@gmail.com Camberley Cats Protection - The Branch is run by cat mad volunteers who are dedicated to helping make the lives of cats and kittens in our area better. Our webpages are updated regularly to make sure we provide up to date information on our cats and the activities going on in the charity to help the welfare of cats and kittens. Yateley & Yateley Green WI – Contact: Sheila Farmer – sheila.farmer3@ ntlworld.com Yateley Townswomen’s Guild – Contact: Robyn Kent – bob.robyn@btinternet.com

44  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Yateley Scouts / Guides etc: Yateley District Guides – Contact: Susan Brennan – 01252 665250 – aw10340@yahoo.co.uk 3rd Bramshill Scouts - Scouting in Yateley has been part of the local community now for 100years. However in the seventies Yateley was experiencing growth with families moving to the area with young children. Scouting was to prove so popular that the existing Yateley Scout Group, now called the 9th Bramshill, could not accommodate all those boys wanting to join. Every night of the week was used for some meeting and the Group had three Cub Packs, two Scout Troops and one Venture unit. 2407 Sqn Air Cadets - Are you up for fun, adventure, incredible experiences and making new friends? Are you looking for something to give you the edge in life? Then welcome to the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO). Better known as the ‘Air Cadets’, we’re a UK-wide cadet force with more than 40,000 members aged between 13 and 20 years. Contact Flt Lt Lynda Bradley: oc.2407@aircadets.org The information above is provided by the clubs and societies of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content.

45  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Yateley Businesses Abstract Print and Design - With our design service we can work with you on any project, whether you’re in need of a logo design, business stationery or marketing materials we can create bespoke and professional artwork to meet your requirements. Assure Mortgages - With 25 years experience in mortgage advisement and assistance, Assure Mortgages Ltd is your first port of call for highly personalised mortgage services. We limit our operations to a small area, ensuring that we have detailed local knowledge that you can use. Why not call and talk to one of our brokers today? Bluebella - Bluebella is an award-winning and fast growing social selling Company that creates fabulously fun and flexible earnings opportunities for women. Our mission is to give every woman the means to confidently enjoy her sensuality and our beautiful collection of lingerie and lovestuff does just that. The collection is available exclusively through our fast growing team of Bluebella Consultants and online. Come Die With Me - Come Die With Me is the next level of murder mystery party dinner experience. Using your iPad and your guests’ iPhones, you can play a new breed of fun and compelling role playing murder mystery game. Charlotte McGill Writing Services - Need a writer, editor or proof-reader? Look no further! Charlotte McGill Writing Services offers high quality writing, editing and proof-reading services to individuals and businesses alike. With over 4 years of experience writing in both corporate and creative environments, I can help you create and perfect the words that represent your business Chris Haye Photography - Chris Haye is a commercial corporate photographer based in Yateley. He specialises in photography for business, still life and product photography as well as corporate headshots. Chris is known for producing beautiful advertising and editorial images for web and print. Dowthwaite & Partners - Founded in 1986, the business provides general taxation and accountancy services to the local area. We pride ourselves with being able to provide a personal service to clients at a competitive rate. Hart Taxis - Fleet & Districts only 24/7 taxi service. Executive travel, 1-8 46  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


passengers. Local & Long distances. Corporate accounts welcome. Airport transfers. Lady drivers available. 4, 6 & 8 seater vehicles. HM Forces discounts. Phone Joan - If you live in or around Fleet, Hampshire, PhoneJoan will take the stress out of your life by organising and completing the tasks that stop you doing what you really want to do. Our services are designed to enable you to delegate your least enjoyable tasks, safe in the knowledge that they will be carried out smoothly, efficiently and reliably. When your spare time is at a premium, we can help you get your lifestyle back in balance. Prestige Wigs - Prestige Wigs, mobile wig specialists, serving Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. Offering a professional wig service for hair loss due to Alopecia or Chemotherapy, and the chance for our clients’ to restore their confidence and self esteem from our caring and sympathetic wig consultants. Pastelesta – Drawings and paintings of the people and pets you love made to order with pastel, pencil or paint. You just need to send a photo. We also sell paintings and greetings cards from our original art. Prints Charming - Photobooths are becoming incredibly popular in the UK party scene having seen success in the wedding/engagement, birthday, club and corporate event areas for a few years.These portable booths enable you to pick a venue of almost any size and capability and have a record of your “do” like no other! Sew Busy - At Sew Busy, you will find fresh fabrics, beautiful buttons and a selection of threads and ribbons. We will also have sewing machines which you can come and use for a low cost rate. Or sign up for one of our classes where we can teach basic steps to make a beautiful new delight to freshen up your home, with a fabric that you particularly enjoy. Feel free to visit your local sewing social. Tilsmere Catering - High quality executive catering for private and corporate functions. Tilsmere has been catering to the local Yateley community for over 18 years, providing delicious food for weddings, birthdays, parties and more. Contact: catering@tilsmere.com, 07976513765 The information above is provided by the businesses of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content.

47  The Yateley Magazine | July 2014


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.