Your Local Link Magazine December 2011 by Your Local Link Ltd

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n A-Z Edition / January 2011

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Win a food intolerance test kit

YorkTest Laboratories, one of Europe’s leading food intolerance and allergy testing companies, is offering two First Step testing kits, which usually retail at £20, as competition prizes. If any of the two winners receive a positive result from their First Step test, they will be invited to embark on the company’s comprehensive food intolerance test for a discount price of £199 – a saving of £46.

Win a copy of The Choirgirl’s new album A 12-year-old choirgirl who sings at York Minster has signed a deal with Decca Records after coming top in a nationwide search to find Britain’s most talented choirgirl. Isabel Suckling – known as ‘The Choirgirl’ – is managed by Britain’s favourite choirboy, Aled Jones who found fame 25 years ago with the top-five hit ‘Walking In The Air’. Aled says: “On hearing Isabel’s voice I wanted to be involved in

nurturing her special talent.” Decca Records, is part of Universal Music - home to the likes of Lady Gaga, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse and U2. Isabel’s début album includes two carols, In The Bleak Midwinter and The Virgin’s Slumber Song, as well as Pie Jesu by Faure, All Things Bright And Beautiful, The Ash Grove, and John Lennon’s Imagine. It also features Lux

Aeterna, a track written for Isabel by Gareth Malone, of BBC TV’s The Choir. She also duets with Aled’s original vocal track of All Through The Night which was recorded in 1986 but never released.

Up to 45% of the UK population suffers from food intolerance; symptoms include headaches, itchy skin and abdominal pains, bloating and IBS. The food intolerance test, recommended by leading medical charity Allergy UK, helps identify the foods that may be contributing to your symptoms through finger-prick blood samples.

Decca Records has given us 10 albums, entitled The Choirgirl Isabel, to give away as competition prizes. For a chance of winning one, answer the following question:

Ross Macleod, director of sales and marketing, says: “Our food intolerance test has helped hundreds of thousands of people find relief from their symptoms. The blood tests are processed in our clinically accredited laboratory, providing you peace of mind that you are receiving high quality, laboratory analysed results in the comfort of your home. The test includes a comprehensive aftercare service, involving telephone conversations with nutritionists.”

Who is The Choirgirl’s manager?

To enter the competition, simply answer the following question:

Send your answer on a postcard to The Choirgirl Competition, Your Local Link, Oak Tree Farm, The Moor, Haxby YO32 2LH to reach us by Friday, January 21. Please include your contact details.

Which medical charity recommends kits by YorkTest Laboratories? Send your answer on a postcard to YorkTest Competition, Your Local Link, Oak Tree Farm, The Moor, Haxby YO32 2LH to reach us by Friday, January 21. Please include your contact details.

great british Fish and chips restaurant and take-away

Win a pampering package from Kuki!

Feeling a bit down after Christmas? In need of a spot of post-festive pampering? Then why not head along to Kuki Hair and Beauty Spa on Huntington Road? Once the family home of York businessman William Sessions, the 1920s building is the perfect haven of peace and tranquility. Relax in luxurious surroundings while their team of fully qualified hair stylists, beauty therapists and cosmetic doctors offer you the very best treatments available. With their top to toe treatments from hairdressing to facials, massages, pedicures and tooth whitening, you’re guaranteed to emerge energised, glowing and glamorous! And because we know money’s a bit short for treats come January, we’ve got together with Lisa at Kuki to offer a great pampering package as a prize in this month’s competition. The lucky prize winner will receive a back, neck & shoulder massage, a 30 minute manicure, conditioning treatment, plus a cut & blow dry. To win the prize, all you need to do is answer the following question: Kuki Hair & Beauty Spa was once the home of which York businessman? Send your answer on a postcard marked ‘Kuki Competition’ to the address on page five, to reach us by Monday 17th January. Don’t forget to include your own name and a daytime telephone number.

welcome... went to interview the Lord Mayor wearing her standard winter uniform of shabby old boots and anorak, another visitor spotted her hugging a heater in the Mansion House and almost mistook her for a homeless person the Lord Mayor had brought in from the cold.

We knew it was a mistake to allow the editorial department near the festive sherry. Did you spot our not-so-deliberate mistakes in our December issue? We’ve had a few queries from sharp-eyed readers about the mistake we made in our First Aid Quiz. Just in case you’re wondering, the answer to question 4 should have been (b) not (c) as stated. Also, in our feature on the wonderful work of our new infomercial maker Dave Tew, we forgot to put in an email address for you to contact him. Duh! Anyway, you can reach him on info@yourlocallink. co.uk. If you’re looking for someone to put your business in the picture, Dave is definitely your man! Sorry about that. It’s not often the team at Your Local Link get it wrong (which is why so many people trust us to promote their business). We have some of the most dedicated staff in the city, as was proved during the recent snowy weather. Somehow they battled their way in – Rachel, our

When we weren’t comparing frostbite and travel tales, we managed to put together our bumper January issue. This month is bigger and better than ever, packed full of information about local services for you to keep all year round. Keep it by the phone or computer - it’s the only reference you’ll need!

Studio Manager. even dug herself out of a snow drift with an ice scraper to get here! The office rang with tales of travel nightmares, not least from Robin who had to come in – horror of horrors – by bus (Robin Doesn’t Do Public Transport). It led to some serious sartorial issues, too – when Donna

Finally, we’d like to wish you a very Happy New Year from all at Your Local Link. We’ve had a brilliant year, but we couldn’t have done it without you, our lovely readers and advertisers. Don’t forget to keep in touch with all your news and views throughout 2011!

Advertising: Gini, Tracy, Sarah, Mim, Emily, Kelly, Richard, Zoe & Lee Accounts: Helen & Robin Distribution: Dean, Jon, Ronnie & Chris Design: Rachel, Lisa & Jerry Editorial: Donna & Richard

Call: 01904 767

881

Email: info@your locallink.co.uk Fax: 01904 7648 43 Web: www.your locallink.co.uk Write: Your Loca l Link, Oak Tree Farm, The Moo r, Haxby YO32 2L H

Space booking, copy and cancellation deadline for the February edition is 14th January 2011 and 21st January 2011 for recruitment. Please book early - space is limited! Publishers: Tracy Outram and Gini Guttery

Learning made easy at home Email, Google, Skype & more! Computer set-up

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Holgate windmill wins

£46,500

Members of Holgate Windmill Preservation Society are celebrating after winning £46,500 in a TV competition. The High Five For Holgate project was bidding for the Lottery cash against an arts project in Rotherham on ITV Yorkshire’s Calendar news programme. After watching films about the two projects, viewers voted for their favourite scheme. The Holgate Windmill Preservation Society attracted the most votes, and it will use the money, plus £20,000 it already has in the bank, to replace the windmill’s five sails. Bob Anderton, chairman of the preservation society, said the cash windfall was a huge boost for the project. It means the landmark building will be able to work as a windmill for the first time in almost 80 years.

Brian hands over the club keys to Heidi

New leader for youth club

A youth club in York has appointed a new manager after attracting about 30 high-calibre candidates from a recruitment advert published in the October edition of Your Local Link. Heidi Waddington is now preparing to reopen YBC Young Groves at Lowther Street, which caters for boys and girls aged between eight and 17. The revamped club will boast an internet cafe, a new refreshment area, a wide-screen TV with Wii facilities, and music production. Brian Houghton, chairman of the club’s management committee, says: “We were very pleased with the response to our advert in Your Local Link; it attracted some excellent candidates. Heidi is a very enthusiastic young lady who is well qualified to take the club forward.” Heidi, who has worked with youngsters in New Earswick and Fulford, starts her full-time job on January 3. She is planning to hold an open day at Lowther Street in February before YBC Young Groves resumes its weekly sessions, opening between 5pm and 8pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The youth club wants to open its facilities to other members of the community, such as senior citizens, and there are plans to recruit two part-time support workers. YBC Young Groves is also on the look-out for volunteers; anybody interested can call Heidi on 623177.

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The way I see it... The ups and downs of life as seen by our very own Grumpy (very) Old (almost) Woman

Man’s best friend? My sister has a new baby. It weighs ten stone, drools and has ousted her husband from the marital bed.

Its name is Summa and it’s a Great Dane. A huge Great Dane. Seriously, it looks like Scooby Doo’s evil twin. She sent me a photo and its nose is actually bigger than her head. She found Summa on the internet. It’s a former child actor (you might have seen its screen debut in the movie Marmaduke – its gigantic paws appear in the ‘Dance Dance Revolution’ scene). But the pressures of stardom got too much for it; it went into meltdown , and was forced to retire from Hollywood. A bit like the canine equivalent of Macaulay Culkin. After four homes, it ended up with my sister and brother-in-law in Vancouver. Pampered pooch Talk about falling on its freakishly large feet. Overnight my sister has become one of Those People. You know the kind I mean. It’s only a matter of time before she starts wearing a paw print fleece and posting photos of Summa sporting comedy hats on the internet. The dog already has its own Facebook page (I kid you not. Favourite TV shows, The Dog Whisperer and Dog the Bounty Hunter. Favourite Book, Hound of the Baskervilles). When her husband takes it for walkies he wears a £10 jacket from the local discount store; Summa wears a £150 sheepskin lined raincoat. They also bought a new bed for themselves because Summa found it a struggle to get on to their old one (Personally, I find that one hard to believe. A dog that size could probably occupy Poland if it had a mind to). She didn’t even mind when Summa caught a skunk in the garden and managed to spray herself, my brother-in-law and the new sofa in foul-smelling spray. I once accidentally dropped half a Jaffa cake on her sofa and she still brings it up in every conversation.

An artist’s impression of how the big wheel will look behind York Art Gallery

York Art Gallery wants to play host to a giant observation wheel to generate funds for a major revamp. RICHARD FOSTER reports

Big wheel

bid to help fund gallery expansion York Museums Trust is planning a £6 million refurbishment of York Art Gallery – thanks to an anonymous legacy. The trust is banking on a profit-share from a proposed 60-metre observation wheel to help fund the project. If planning permission is granted, the wheel will replace derelict buildings behind the gallery at the corner of Marygate and Bootham.

Cats are cool She isn’t the only besotted dog owner I know. My friend never really saw the point in pets until she and her husband acquired a black Labrador from the local rescue centre. Now life centres on the dog and its needs. When her daughter came back from uni she found the throw from her bed spread over the living room floor “because the dog likes it”. Last time we visited, the dog was sprawled on the sofa while the daughter sat on the throw on the floor. I swear it’s only a matter of time before the dog is occupying her bedroom and having friends round for sleepovers. I just don’t get it, probably because I’m a cat person. Dog owners say cats are too aloof and independent, but that’s what I like about them. Our cat Trevor is cool to the point of disdain. I love the fact that I don’t have to attend to his every need. He doesn’t need me to turn out on a freezing cold morning to give him exercise. And if I’m late with his dinner, he’ll fetch himself a takeaway (and leave the remainder semidigested in the kitchen, as a punishment) Not everyone has the self esteem to cope with a cat. Trevor makes it seems as if he’s doing us a massive favour by taking the best chair. Sometimes he’ll sit and stare at us, just to make us feel unnerved. He’s bossy, he’s noisy, and he throws himself under our feet when we have a hot cup of tea in our hands. But at least he doesn’t weight ten stone or kick anyone out of bed. And he wouldn’t be seen dead in a comedy hat.

DAW £340

DAW £360

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It is hoped the wheel, operated by Great City Attractions (GCA), will be in place for Easter 2011. It will have 21 capsules seating up to eight people each. These will be fully enclosed, air conditioned and heated, allowing for use year around. The wheel will be similar to the one sited at York’s National Railway Museum from April 2006 until November 2008, which attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. The “substantial” legacy has been donated to the Trust on condition it is invested in York Art Gallery which has one of the best Fine Art collections outside London. The £6 million revamp aims to double the public space within the building by creating more display galleries and public facilities. A major feature will be the opening up of a 'Secret Gallery' situated above the Main Gallery.

‘We were honoured to receive such a significant donation that will enable us to continue to improve York Art Gallery.’

During 2011 a major fundraising campaign will be launched with the aim of securing further funding from trusts and foundations, private donors and possibly the National Lottery. Janet Barnes, chief executive of the Trust, said: “We were honoured to receive such a significant donation that will enable us to continue to improve York Art Gallery. The timescale for the project is at this stage uncertain because of the current economic climate. Major capital projects of this size usually take several years to complete.” A spokesperson for GCA says: “We are the world’s leading owner and operator of very high quality giant observation wheels. At no direct cost to the city, our wheels can generate great economical and educational benefits along with creating jobs. At a time when cities are competing intensely to improve their offer to visitors and are seeking ways to mitigate the effects of the global recession, hosting a giant temporary observation wheel is the perfect way to give York a visible edge, as well as providing the ideal vantage point for tourists to see all the other attractions on offer in the city. “Our wheels are technologically advanced, virtually silent in operation and subtly lit with only white lights; they have been located next to scheduled monuments and in two World Heritage Sites.”

winner Business awards 2010/2011

Barbican

‘to reopen in May’ The future of York’s Barbican Auditorium has been secured thanks to an agreement between City of York Council and one of the world’s leading venue operators, SMG Europe Holdings Limited.

Under the terms of the 30-year agreement, the 1,500 seat venue, due to reopen in May, could host more than 350 entertainment events and 50 conference days each year. The Barbican will offer a diverse programme of events, taking advantage of the venue’s seated and standing formats. The opening season will include comedy, a range of music events, snooker, family shows and community events. Annual events, such as the Festival of Remembrance and the Lord Mayor’s Carol Concert, will return to the Barbican along with the Guildhall Orchestra. Tickets will go on sale at the box office from January 4. SMG’s £2 million revamp of the Barbican features a restaurant, meeting rooms and improved public and back of house spaces. Construction work will start in early January. Once completed, the Barbican will employ more than 60 staff. The venue will boost York’s business tourism offer by hosting a range of events from large conferences to smaller meetings and private events. Charlie Croft, assistant director for Communities and Culture, City of York Council, says: "It is great that we now have a firm plan for the Barbican to reopen in May, with improved facilities and an exciting programme for everyone in York." Nick Reed, Theatres Director, SMG Europe, says: “We are confident there is a bright future ahead for the venue.”

New tools for Minster apprentices The Works Department at York Minster has received £600 from the Rotary Club of York Vikings to purchase tools for joinery and stonemason apprentices working at the cathedral. Rebecca Thompson, Superintendent of Works, says: “We are hugely grateful for the investment in our craftsmen and women. Tools are an essential investment for our future development of the stone and joinery craft skills.” Ron Gatenby, of the Rotary Club of York Vikings, says: “We are very sensitive to the skills that the apprentices are learning and the tools available to them. This donation will help develop those skills that will contribute back to the heritage of York Minster.”

Welcome to

CSI York JORVIK Viking Centre is embarking on a £150,000 project to create two new galleries using the latest scientific techniques to bring Coppergate’s archaeological discoveries to life. Work starts in January on the galleries, which will bring new scientific research to the public for the first time to explain more about the objects and human remains excavated at Coppergate more than 30 years ago. Sarah Maltby, York Archaeological Trust Director of Attractions, says: “Using ‘real life’ remains from the original excavation – including two human skeletons – the new exhibits will tell people a lot more than we previously knew about the Vikings including what they ate, the diseases they suffered from - and even what they looked like.” The two galleries have been funded by the Wolfson Foundation, a charity that supports work in science and medicine, health, education and the arts. The new ‘Investigate Coppergate’ gallery will present – amongst other things detailed examinations of what the Viking-age citizens of Coppergate ate. The final gallery at JORVIK will be transformed to reveal ‘The Last Vikings of Jorvik’, looking at the final battles of the Viking-age in York that heralded the coming of the Normans. It will feature skeletal remains showing battle wounds and a full skeleton with evidence of severe trauma, alongside scientific discussion about how they died. The Viking Centre in Coppergate, York, will remain open for the duration of the work, but access will be limited to some galleries at times through January; the ride will be unaffected. The centre will reopen fully to the public in time for the 26th annual Viking Festival, which runs from 19th to 27th February.

RICHARD FOSTER looks forward to a season of ambitious drama ‘in the round’ at York Theatre Royal

York Theatre Royal unveils new season

Last summer York Theatre Royal transformed its main stage into the round for a family production of The Wind In The Willows.

Such was its success that artistic director Damian Cruden has devised an adventurous season of drama for 2011 that involves the main stage being transformed in a similar fashion, this time for seven months. A repertory company of 12 actors will perform in both Studio and Main House shows between May and November. The season is a mix of dynamic new writing, classic tales and new adaptations and promises to have something for everyone to enjoy. It will open with Arthur Miller’s The Crucible (7–28 May). In June, there will be a new adaptation of Gerald Durrell’s popular novel, My Family And Other Animals (3-25 June). Although it’s been adapted for the screen and radio, this is the first stage adaptation of Durrell’s much-loved book. From the 1-16 July the theatre presents Anthony Minghella’s Two Planks And A Passion with Riding Lights Theatre Company. This marks the start of a partnership between Riding Lights, York Museums

Trust and York Theatre Royal which will culminate in the York Mystery Plays returning to Museum Gardens in 2012. The season’s big family production will be a new adaptation of J.M Barrie’s Peter Pan (29 Jul – 3 Sep). Mike Kenny (The Railway Children, The Wind In The Willows) returns once more to sprinkle his magic on a classic family tale of adventure and discovery. Alan Bennett’s Forty Years On (23 Sep – 15 Oct) and Laurel & Hardy (21 Oct – 5 Nov) are two comedies guaranteed to raise a laugh. The ensemble cast will also perform in two studio productions. The first is Parlour Song (30 Jun – 23 July), by award-winning playwright Jez Butterworth. This black comedy explores deceit, paranoia and murderous desires that lurk in a typical suburban street. Then a co-production with Pilot Theatre brings David Harrower’s Blackbird (20 Oct – 12 Nov). Winner of the 2007 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play, it is an unflinching portrait of two people trying to make sense of a painful past. n For more details, go to www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. Box office: 623568.

Venue calls for

volunteers

A community centre in York is appealing for volunteers to do a variety of jobs. Roles at Clements Hall, Moss Street, include reception duties, including evenings or weekends, organising events, fundraising, making people welcome and brewing tea. Regular support and training will be provided, and there will be opportunities to contribute your ideas. The venue was built as a church hall in the 1930s, following public subscription, but had fallen into disrepair. The building was set to be converted into housing until a successful campaign by the St Clement’s Hall Preservation Trust to bring it back to community use. Thanks to a £977,155 Government grant and £144,000 from City of York Council, the Grade II listed building has had a £1.1 million refurbishment, and now offers top-class facilities, including rooms and offices for hire, lighting, sound, film and internet access. The venue is accessible to wheelchair users. The hall, owned by the city council, has been transferred to the preservation trust on a 99-year lease. Spaces available to hire include: • Large hall with wooden suspended floor, suitable for dancing, yoga, parties, wedding receptions, film shows, theatre and conferences. • Fully equipped kitchen. • Meeting/board room suitable for community groups, business meetings, small film shows or social events. • Arts/crafts room equipped with Belfast sink, but also suitable for training/education or meetings. • Small interview/counselling/breakout room. • Clements Hall also contains offices to rent by the voluntary or private sector. n Pauline Buchanan, chair of the preservation trust, says: “Come and see the hall. Tell us what you want and let’s see if we can do it.” For more details, call 466086.

Do something new in 2011 Make 2011 the year you…

start your own business, get fit, master a musical instrument or learn to speak a foreign language. Whatever challenge you adopt, follow these tips to make your New Year resolution stick: 1) Be realistic: The surest way to fall short of your goal is to make your goal unattainable. Strive for a goal that is attainable. 2) Plan ahead: Don't make your resolution on New Year's Eve. If you wait until the last minute, it will be based on your mindset that particular day. Instead, it should be planned well before December 31 arrives.

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3) Outline your plan: Decide how you will deal with the temptation to skip that exercise class or have one more cigarette. This could include calling on a friend for help, practising positive thinking, or reminding yourself how your bad habit adversely affects your life. 4) Make a ‘pro’ and ‘con’ list: It may help to see a list of items on

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paper to keep your motivation strong. Develop this list over time, and ask others to contribute to it. Keep your list with you and refer to it when you need help keeping your resolve. 5) Talk about it: Don't keep your resolution a secret. Tell friends and family members who will be there to support your resolve to change yourself for the better or improve your health. The best case scenario is to find

Top four resolutions: 1) Increase exercise. 2) Be more conscientious about work or school. 3) Develop better eating habits. 4) Stop smoking, drinking, or using drugs (including caffeine).

yourself a buddy who shares your New Year's resolution so you can motivate each other. 6) Reward yourself: This doesn't mean that you can eat an entire box of chocolates if your resolution is to diet. Instead, celebrate your success by treating yourself to something that you enjoy that does not contradict your resolution. If you've been sticking to your promise to eat better, for example, perhaps your reward could be going to the cinema with a friend. 7) Track your progress: Keep track of each small success you make toward reaching your larger goal. Short-term goals are easier to keep, and small accomplishments will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing 30lb, say, focus on losing that first 5lb. Keeping a journal may help you stay on track. 8) Don't beat yourself up: Obsessing over the occasional slip won't help you achieve your goal. Do the best you can each day. 9) Stick to it: Experts say it takes about 21 days for a new activity, such as exercising, to become a habit, and six months for it to become part of your personality. 10) Keep trying: If your resolution has run out of steam by mid-February, don't despair. Start over again! There's no reason you can't make a ‘New Year's resolution’ any time of year.

Learning4Life The Adult and Community Education Service offers a wide range of adult education programmes at more than 70 venues throughout York. Courses range from those that are just for fun to those that will improve your job prospects and give you the opportunity to brush up your skills. For more details about the courses on offer, check out the Spring & Summer 2011 Learning 4 Life guide that is being distributed with this month’s bumper A to Z edition of Your Local Link magazine. Learning 4 Life brings together the main organisations offering part-time adult education courses at venues across York and surrounding areas.

How to sign up By phone: City of York Council courses: 552806. For courses run by York College, call 770400 In person: Visit the York Explore Library Learning Centre in Museum Street and speak to a member of staff. York Explore is hosting two information days: Thursday, January 13, between noon and 6pm; and Saturday, January 15, between 11am and 3pm. Sign up on either of the days and be entered in a free draw to win a £90 course voucher. For more details, call 552806. You may also be able to enrol on the first night of the class, but you should check with the organisation providing the course.

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Sarah Roberts, right, with her staff at Dutch Nurseries, Haxby.

Say it with

flowers

The Dutch Nurseries flower shop in Haxby, is under new management.

Trained florist Sarah Roberts has bought the business from Dutch flower man Jacob Verhoef, who set up the venture more than 50 years ago. Sarah, who has moved from Aberdeen, has kept on six staff to ensure continuity of service as well as revamping the shop to make it more light and airy. She has also maintained its Interflora membership She specialises in design-led floristry for weddings and other events and has introduced home fashion accessories, glassware, cards and gift wrappings at the shop. Sarah says: “It’s business as usual at Dutch Nurseries. I am excited by the prospect on building on the success of a well-established business.” n Dutch Nurseries, Wyre Court , The Village, Haxby. Tel: 768439.

Disgraced gladiator thrown out with the rubbish? A skeleton of a huge Roman who was stabbed to death could be a clue in the search for York’s Roman amphitheatre. Experts have revealed the skeleton found beneath the Yorkshire Museum during its £2 million refurbishment is that of a powerful, athletic male who was stabbed at least six times in a fatal attack, including a powerful sword blow to the back of the head. They believe it is possible the Roman found could

be a disgraced gladiator who was thrown out with the rubbish after his brutal death.

gladiator who was brutally killed and then left to rot.”

Andrew Morrison, head curator of the Yorkshire Museum, says: “This was a huge man for the Roman period who died a violent and bloody death. The physical evidence reveals he was a swordsman and that his body was literally dumped with the rubbish – there was no hint that he had been buried in a ceremonial way.

The skeleton was found in January 2010 by builders carrying out work on the museum, as part of its £2 million refurbishment.

“But what is really interesting to us is that he was found in this area, which is not associated with Roman burials and that many believe could be where York’s amphitheatre was located. It is far from certain but it could well be the case that this man was a disgraced

Following analysis by experts from York Osteoarchaeology Ltd, it has been revealed that the skeleton was of a middle-aged adult male, aged between 36 and 45 years. He was very tall for a Roman at 179cm and of muscular build. His arms are well developed and bear all the hallmarks of repetitive sword training. The most notable clues on the skeleton are the six blade injuries which, because there are no signs of healing, were delivered at death.

A month in the life of the

Lord Mayor In 2010, Councillor Sue Galloway became the new Lord Mayor of York. We’ve been following her and the rest of the civic party as they go about their duties and bringing you her personal account of the highs and lows of being York’s first citizen... “The recent snow caused a problem when it came to attending civic events, but fortunately we haven’t had to let anyone down due to the weather. We left the civic car at home and either walked or caught the bus! “One event I attended during the cold spell was playing host to a business delegation from China. They had recently signed a contract with the largest pig breeding company in the UK – JSR Genetics in Driffield – and we entertained them at an informal reception in the Red Chilli restaurant. They were very impressed by the restaurant – and by my snow boots, which happened to have been made in China! “Another chilly event was the Regimental Homecoming for the Royal Dragoon Guards at York Racecourse. I had two coats on but I still needed a blanket around me! I presented around 50 medals to soldiers returning from Afghanistan. They had been through so much, but their positive attitude and their pride in what they had done made me feel very humble. “We also attended the memorial service for the 4th Mechanized Brigade, remembering 72 servicemen who had fallen in Afghanistan, which was held in the Minster. The Prince of Wales, who is their Commander in Chief, attended the event and Russell Watson sang. It was an extremely moving event. “Earlier in the month we also sent off our Christmas card to the members of 2 Signals Regiment who are out in Afghanistan. We invited members of the public to come in to the Mansion House to sign the card. We hadn’t expected the response we received – people were queuing up to sign! “Christmas is a busy time for the civic party, with lots of carol services coming up. One I’m particularly looking forward to is the service on Acomb Green. A group of residents have got together and carried out lots of improvements in the area. Earlier this year they held a summer fair and this is the first time in at least 40 years they have held a carol service on the Green. “I’m also looking forward to our own Carol Service on Christmas Eve. It’s a tradition for the Lord Mayor to hold a service outside the Mansion House with the Salvation Army. It’s free, so I’m hoping lots of people will turn up. It starts at 7.30pm. “We have a couple of other events coming up which we’re hoping will attract a lot of interest. The Association of Voluntary Guides has organised a Treasure Hunt during the Residents Festival on 29th and 30th January. Just pick up a sheet of clues between 10am and 12 noon at the Mansion House on either day. Return your finished sheet by 4pm on Sunday 30th, and you could win a prize! Proceeds go to my nominated charities, Our Celebration and the British Heart Foundation. n Tickets for the Annual Valentine Ball are still available at a price of £59 each. They make a great Christmas gift! Further details are available from the Civic Office at the Guildhall, email civicenquiries@york.gov.uk, or call 551049.”

Make the most of York

York Residents Festival is being held this month to give you the chance to experience what your city has to offer... go to our Events Pages to find out what’s on. Organised by Visit York, the city’s official tourism organisation, with backing from City of York Council and Welcome to Yorkshire, the festival is expected to attract about 20,000 people. You will be able to gain free and discounted entry to many of the city's world-class attractions and exhibitions as well as enjoying special rates at some restaurants and shops. You will need a valid YORKCard to gain admission. To obtain one, residents are required to take two forms of identification – one of which must show a current address – to their nearest library. The event takes place on the weekend of January 29-30 – with some attractions and restaurants running ‘festival offers’ up to February 4. n For more details, see the events section of this edition or go to www.visityork.org

York heritage bid

Leading lights from York’s archaeological and heritage groups, together with representatives from City of York Council, have raised awareness of the city’s bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the House of Commons. Members of the World Heritage for York Steering Group presented the city’s case to MPs and peers as well as business and civic leaders at a briefing led by the council’s archaeologist, John Oxley, and the council’s chief executive, Kersten England. York has submitted an application for designation as a World Heritage Site along with 37 other schemes hoping to be accepted on the UK’s Tentative List of potential nominations. A panel of experts will assess the city’s application before a final Tentative List is announced in 2011. The first nomination on the UK list will be submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 2012. York’s bid focuses on the quality and importance of archaeological deposits found in the city and the unique preservation of wood, leather and wax artefacts as a result of the area’s waterlogged conditions. Archaeologist Dr Peter Addyman says: “The fact that York is not a World Heritage Site comes as a major surprise to most people. We are making York’s case based on our unique waterlogged archaeological deposits.”

RICHARD FOSTER talks to an artist whose cityscapes have shaken up the art establishment

Capital An artist with links to York University has enjoyed stunning success at the National Gallery in London. Thousands of visitors queued to see three London "cityscapes" painted by Clive Head, aged 45, who lives in a village near Filey with his wife and four children.

fame as their work sells for millions of pounds.

The oils were put on display at Room One, the gallery’s small temporary exhibition space, to give a contemporary twist to a major exhibition entitled ‘Venice: Canaletto and his Rivals’ which ends on January 16.

Clive believes his success at the National Gallery has shaken up the art establishment. He told me as builders were renovating his manor house in the village of Gristhorpe: “What’s satisfying is my art is very popular, but not populist. It’s not dumbing down, it’s very difficult to make; it requires a high degree of skill and people like it; they engage with it, they find it mesmerizing and hypnotic. It’s a triumph for painting.”

Clive’s three London cityscapes created a huge impact at the National Gallery, astonishing staff there. One shows Haymarket, seen through almost 300 degrees; another is of a cafe near the Natural History Museum; and the third shows a stairway in Victoria Underground station.

Colin Wiggins, the National Gallery's chief curator, agrees, saying: "Head's work seems to be the kind of painting that people really love. There's a sense of delight in discovering that it is alive and well, alongside what might be seen as ‘Turner Prize art’ and the work of more highly-publicised artists.”

The paintings attracted 7,300 visitors in the first week and 9,300 in the second, breaking the record for a contemporary artist in Room One.

Clive’s work has been described as “photo-realism” but the artist himself believes he has more in common with Cubism. Instead of depicting objects from one viewpoint, as a photographer would, Clive depicts his subject from a multitude of viewpoints.

This success is seen as a reaction to socalled “Turner Prize art” which gets the lion’s share of public money and media attention, creating a market where artists who “can’t draw” enjoy international

views

viewpoints. “One said looking at my paintings was akin to cycling around the space on a bike – I particularly like that image,” said Clive. The artist produces about four paintings each year. He does numerous sketches on location as well as taking photographs. He then returns to his studio in Yorkshire where he does more detailed drawings which he works up into oil paintings. In 1994 Clive founded and became the Chair of the Fine Art Department at York

Viewers find themselves moving around the painting, taking in different

Fostering... Thought about it?

Do it!

Call for a chat on 01904 555 333 Who can be a foster carer? Foster carers are ordinary people who open their homes to children and young people who need to be cared for away from their own families.

Where can I find out more? If you would like to find out more about fostering, please call the number above or the council’s duty family placement worker on 01904 555333 or email: adoptionandfostering@york.gov.uk

University's Scarborough campus. About five years later he gave up teaching to earn his living as an artist. In 2005 he was debilitated by a neurological disease that had a devastating effect on his muscles, and it took another five years for him to be diagnosed. “It was a difficult time but my art helped me get through it. My condition is now controlled by drugs,” said Clive

BOOK REVIEWS with York author donna hay

Looking for a bit of escapism in dull, dark January? Let these authors take you away from it all... Let’s start with a biggie. And they don’t come much bigger than mega bestseller James Patterson. His latest, Tick Tock, takes us to New York City, where a cold-blooded killer is recreating the crimes of infamous killers from New York’s history. The city is in terror, and Detective Michael Bennett is summoned from his seaside retreat to deal with the menace. Newly widowed Bennett enlists the help of a former colleague, FBI Agent Emily Parker. As his affection for Emily grows into something stronger, his relationship with his children’s nanny Mary Catherine takes an unexpected turn. All too soon, another appalling crime leads Bennett to a shocking discovery. Lots of tension and drama to make you forget the winter chills. Jasper Fforde has been slowly but surely making a name for himself as an eccentrically brilliant author with flair for mystery – think Douglas Adams mixed with Conan Doyle. In his latest novel, Shades of Grey, he invites us into a world several hundred years in the future, where life is lived according to The Rulebook and social hierarchy is determined by your perception of colour. Eddie Russett is an above average Red who dreams of moving up the ladder by marriage to Constance Oxblood. Until he is sent to the Outer Fringes where he meets Jane, a lowly Grey with an uncontrollable temper and a desire to see him killed. For Eddie, it’s love at first sight. But his infatuation will lead him to discover that all is not as it seems in a world where everything that looks black and white is really shades of grey. Take a trip back in time with Susanna Gregory’s gripping crime novel, Murder on London Bridge. The year is 1664, and Thomas Chaloner has forged a living as spy to the Lord Chancellor since the early days of the Restoration. But there is an undercurrent of restlessness on the streets of London. And when infamous church-smasher Dick Culmer is killed among the ramshackle buildings of London Bridge, Chaloner uncovers a web of intrigue that takes him to the heart of the royal court. It seems the ringleaders of a rebellion are planning an explosive climax to achieve their goals. Desperately racing against time, can Chaloner thwart them? A fascinating insight into an often overlooked period of history. Rose Tremain is brilliant at drawing readers into her world. And her latest novel, Trespass, is no exception. In a silent valley stands an isolated stone farmhouse, the Mas Lunel. Its owner is Aramon Lunel, an alcoholic haunted by his violent past. Meanwhile, his sister, Audrun, alone in her modern bungalow, dreams of exacting retribution for the unspoken betrayals that have blighted her life. Into their world comes Anthony Verey, a wealthy but disillusioned antiques dealer looking for a new life in France. His arrival at the Mas Lunel triggers a frightening and unstoppable series of consequences that will change all their lives. A powerful and unsettling novel.

Join

club the

Speaking out

Do you have a presentation to make at work? Does the prospect of speaking in public terrify you? If so, help is at hand from York Speakers Club which has been honing the speech-making skills of individuals for nearly 30 years. Club spokeswoman Lindsay Dutch says: “Speaking in public terrifies many people and most of the current members joined because they also experienced this fear. Many members felt they were being held back at work or in other aspects of their life by their lack of confidence in this important skill. Being promoted at work or being able to put this on a CV is among the reasons people join.” Members are helped in all the aspects of presentation skills such as use of the voice, gestures, speech construction and use of notes. Certificates are presented after the completion of five successful speeches and a Masterpiece certificate awarded after ten. Competitions are arranged with other clubs in the Association of Speakers Clubs for those who want to test themselves. Club members have reached area and district finals and some have even won national championships. n The club meets every second Thursday in the Railway Institute in Queen Street, York. For more details, call Lindsay on 416308.

Does your club or group need new members? Or maybe you have some news you’d like to share. If so, get in touch with us. Write to us at the address of page three, or email us at info@yourlocallink.co.uk. Mark your message ‘Club News’.

Join a choir

New year, new hobby? How about singing in a choir? Join the York Rose Singers for an open rehearsal, under the direction of conductor Tim Knight, and find out what it's all about. Spokeswoman Victoria Dibbs says: “We are a warm, friendly group of men and women who sing a wide variety of music. We would love you to come and sing along with us.” The open rehearsal will be fun and informal with refreshments provided. It will be held on Wednesday February 2nd at 7.30pm at All Saints’ School, off Nunnery Lane, York. n For information, call Victoria on 799453, or just come along.

Get in the swim

Do you have a child four years and older who wants to learn to swim? York City Baths Club is a highly successful local swimming club with a proven track record of teaching kids to swim; every year 200 – 300 learn to swim to a level well beyond that demanded by the National Curriculum. They are now looking for new members. There are limited spaces available around York. n For more details, email ycbc.enquiries@googlemail.com or visit their website – www.ycbc.org.uk

RICHARD FOSTER talks to a York grandmother who has helped budding businesses to bloom and kept the lights shining at the Rowntree Theatre Brenda Batty points out her younger self in the Rowntree Youth Theatre’s 1968 production of The Minstrels.

All the world’s a stage

When Brenda Batty joined the Rowntree chocolate factory as a 16-year-old trainee secretary more than 40 years ago, little did she realise she would play a key role in helping fledgling businesses get off the ground. In 1987 she took advantage of a secondment to help set up York Enterprise Ltd and stayed there 18 years. She recalls: “After a few years training I became business manager. I found it

fascinating and I really enjoyed my time at the enterprise centre. I am very proud of the fact that some of the businesses we helped to set up years and years ago are still going strong.” Away from the office, Brenda devoted a great deal of her time to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in Haxby Road, York. She has appeared in numerous shows as a member of the Rowntree Youth Theatre and the Rowntree Players as

well as helping back stage, sorting out the props and costumes. Brenda, a mother-of-two from Heworth, also put her office skills to good use as secretary of the Rowntree Players; fulfilling that role for about 40 years. It was her devotion to the Rowntree Theatre that prompted her to become one of the leading members of the campaign to save the community venue

ten years ago.

After David Bushby, the theatre’s manager retired, Nestle decided not to replace him and there were fears the Art Deco venue, built in 1935, would be bulldozed to make way for a car park. Brenda recalls: “We simply could not allow that to happen. A group of us got together and asked Nestle to give us a chance and let us run the theatre as a team, on a voluntary basis. Fortunately,

Nestle backed us and, ten years later, we’re still here.”

GET CYCLING

The Rowntree Theatre is going from strength to strength – thanks to the efforts of nearly 100 stewards and more than 30 backstage staff – all of them volunteers.

with get cycling

“The only person who gets paid is the

‘It’s marvellous how the Rowntree Theatre has brought so many people together and created so many friendships.’ cleaner and she deserves every penny,” quips Brenda who is on the board of directors, responsible for front of house and sales. She adds: “So many people love this theatre; I am amazed by their commitment to keep it going. All the money we make is ploughed back into the theatre to improve its facilities; we don’t even declare expenses.”

It’s sale

A black-tie ball was held at St Peter’s School, York, to celebrate the theatre’s 75th anniversary. Brenda, now a grandmother, recalls: “It was a wonderful occasion. I met up with a lot of people I hadn’t seen for years. They had travelled far and wide to get there and we regaled each other with happy stories about the theatre. It’s marvellous how the Rowntree Theatre has brought so many people together and created so many friendships.”

Bag a bargain during the popular New Year sale at Fenwick’s in York.

time

The Coppergate department store has something for all the family. The first floor is the place to go for women’s clothing and the excellent café/restaurant. Exclusive beauty and fragrance brands occupy the ground floor, together with menswear, cards and accessories. For linens, cookware and toys, head for the basement.

Cycling holidays By Jim McGurn from Get Cycling

For me the choice is clear. You can fly out to a boring hotel in the sun, be totally inactive, meet no locals, cause lots of pollution, put on more weight, and risk sun cancer. On the other hand you can go on an organised cycling holiday: have active fun, meet local people, help save the earth, and come back feeling great. There is now a huge range of cycling holidays: some of them offer no more than bike hire and pre-booked bed and breakfasts. Others are posh hotel-based jobs. At Get Cycling we put on a very unusual cycling holiday; for just one week in the year. We hire an historic public school in wonderful cycling country. We’ve been doing these for 20 years or so, and it’s always a good mix of beginners and experienced cyclists, old hands and newcomers, which gives these holidays a unique, inclusive atmosphere. We have around 80 guests and bring 15 of our staff – it makes such a change from our usual local authority work. We put on four or five sociable, fully guided rides each day, and bring extra bikes for guests to try out, including our seven-seater megabike. There are social activities (for adults and children), cycle skills sessions for children, maintenance classes, and talks from cycling personalities. There’s also an indoor swimming pool, which is so refreshing after a summer´s day on your bike. We’re in Somerset for the 2011 Get Cycling Week. We’re busy planning the routes already, using a fine network of country lanes. Accommodation is in single, twin and family rooms. There is no en suite, but then we don’t charge hotel prices. Get Cycling 2011 is at Millfield School near Glastonbury, from the 13th to 20th August. Details are on www.getcycling.org.uk, or phone 636812 for a brochure. Get Cycling is a registered community interest company based in Hospital Fields Road, Fulford, where it also has its bike shop. n Jim McGurn is Chief Executive of Get Cycling, a registered community interest company based in Hospital Fields Road, Fulford. www.getcyclingshop. org.uk

Horoscopes for January 2011 by James Christie

ARIES You enter the New Year warily, one eye on the past, the other on your future, knowing some things have got to change but not knowing how to change them. January serves you well, giving you a breathing space to define priorities. Some frustration on the work scene but a sense of sanctuary at home.

York named University of the Year

TAURUS Despite a flurry of domestic activity between the 21st and the 30th January is an easy month which leads you into a gentle New Year which, providing you can be flexible, will bring progressive change where careers and finances are concerned. Stretch your muscles, trust your instincts and take a few risks.

The University of York has been named University of the Year in the 2010 Times Higher Education Awards.

GEMINI January is a month for listening to your head rather than following your heart, which is a mood that sets the tone for the rest of the year – a year in which, despite what might be happening with careers and businesses, it is the emotional aspects of your life that demand the greater degree of attention!

The Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Cantor received the award at a ceremony in London

CANCER January is a positive month which brings clear indications that 2011 is going to be a brilliant year for you. Your confidence and aspirations are very high but you need to aim for the stars to capture the moon! Travel aspects are in the ascendant, as are pregnancies and births, especially for older parents! LEO Whether you want to make them or not, decisions will be taken in January which will affect the shape of the rest of the year. You can’t stand still, so must go forwards, even if this means cracking a few eggs and standing on a few toes. You might not be popular but you will be effective. VIRGO There might not be much happening in January, but make the most of it because 2011 looks like being a very busy year in which you’ll have to fight hard to maintain your position. Business partnerships auger well providing you don’t mind mixing business with pleasure. Other peoples’ children become something of an issue. LIBRA An uncompromising January in which a number of complex work related decisions are made which will push you forwards into a financially lucrative New Year (especially the summer months!) New business ventures should be successful providing you don’t get sidetracked by affairs of the heart. Unexpected pregnancies might not be a blessing… SCORPIO Successful emotional relationships can be rocked by third party interference, so right from the 1st of January be on your guard against this threat and you can look forward to a romantically rewarding New Year! 2011 is an “unwinding and unravelling” year that will bring a new sense of freedom and purpose to your life. SAGITTARIUS,January brings a deep feeling of satisfaction. You know who you are, you know where you’ve been, you’re in charge and you know where you’re going – even if it’s only a Saturday morning trip to Tesco! Throughout 2011 there is great stability within family affairs which provides the foundation for the development of new career opportunities and ambitions. CAPRICORN Starting in January and then increasingly over the year, you will feel that at long last you are taking control of some of the key aspects of your life. This generates deeper feelings of security ( both financial and emotional) and enables you to start exploring other important issues of interest, including matters artistic and spiritual. AQUARIUS January represents a tricky start to the year and it’s a month in which your responsibilities weigh heavily on your shoulders. Trying to do the “right thing” for other people is never easy and this will be your ongoing challenge in 2011. There are some notable financial rewards and great pride can be taken from the achievement of children. PISCES January is a Machiavellian month of plotting and planning, forming friendships and keeping secrets! A renaissance of energy propels you forward, both in the boardroom and in the bedroom, and 2011 looks like it will bring a couple of major turning points in your life, guaranteed to broaden your horizons. n For private readings please phone 01937 831161 or 07884 107100 Email jcp@magepublishing.co.uk Web: www.magepublishing.co.uk

The judges were impressed by the university’s drive to combine academic excellence with social inclusion and its record in scientific discovery. They also said York was investing more in the arts and humanities than any other university.

York was also shortlisted in two other categories: Widening Participation Initiative of the Year; and the International Collaboration of the Year. Dr Nicola McDonald, of York’s Department of English and Related Literature, was also shortlisted as Most Innovative Teacher of the Year.

Clements Hall means business Many small businesses need to be close to the city centre, but office space is scarce and often too expensive. One aim of the recent £1.1 million refurbishment of Clements Hall was to provide affordable office accommodation for both the voluntary and private sector within walking distance of York station. The venue, in Moss Street, has a number of small, fully-equipped offices suitable for between one and four people which can be rented at competitive rates. One office is already occupied by Charity Bank. In addition, the hall also has other rooms and facilities to hire in which training sessions, meetings, conferences, interviews and presentations can be held, and catering can be arranged to suit every budget. n For more details, call Clements Hall on 466086 or email enquiries@clementshall.org.uk.

The Culture Column with RICHARD FOSTER

Memories in the

frame Sculptor Michael Lyons at work, ‘Germination Embracing the Light’, one of the sculptures on loan to York Hospital

Artist thanks hospital for saving his life An acclaimed North Yorkshire artist has thanked York Hospital staff for saving his life by staging an open-air exhibition. Four large sculptures by Michael Lyons will be on display in a courtyard at the hospital for the next 12 months. He says: “This exhibition is a heartfelt, if inadequate, expression of gratitude to the nursing staff at York, and especially the medical team under Mr Wingzou Wong, without whose skill and dedication I doubt if I should have been here to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.” The sculptor, who lives in Cawood, has exhibited widely since the 1960s and gained an international reputation as a sculptor and lecturer. His work ranges from monumental works in steel, stainless steel, copper and bronze for public sites, both rural and urban, to medium and small-scale pieces for gallery and domestic settings. The former Vice President of the Royal Society of British Sculptors has held residencies in many countries, and represented Britain in cultural events around the world.

Life

drawing class Do you fancy having a go at the challenging discipline of life drawing? If so, contact Studio 58 at the Old School House, Mill Lane, Wigginton, York, where artist Patrick Smith and his wife, Nicola, run art classes. Tuition is on a one-to-one basis and the course fee includes basic drawing materials and access to a professional model. Two life drawing classes take place on Thursdays, 11am-1pm and 2pm-4pm. Meanwhile, on Mondays two Painting & Drawing for Pleasure classes are held between 10am and 12.30pm and from 1pm to 3.30pm. n For more details, call Patrick on 339461 or 0795 479 4393.

Former stage manager Peter Jackson at the Rowntree Theatre’s open day. Picture: Richard Foster Annie (1985) Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure (1935)

The Joseph Rowntree Theatre is full of magical memories – thanks to the hundreds of shows it has staged over the years. Now, to mark the venue’s 75th anniversary, volunteers have put up a permanent exhibition of archive photographs, adding a touch of nostalgia to the stairwells. They include a scene from the theatre’s first play – Ambrose Applejohn’s Adventure which was presented by the Rowntree Players in 1935. Another photo shows TV personality Jimmy Savile being on stage with members of the Evelyn Witcombe School of Dancing during a show called Dance Rendezvous in 1975. Evelyn herself graces a 1948 picture of the Lorna Tutte Dance School while another features David Bradley (Argus Filch in Harry Potter) in the Rowntree Youth Theatre’s 1964 production of West Side Story. The exhibition was officially unveiled at an open day where people were invited to have a look round the theatre. Peter Jackson, aged 76, and his wife, Sheila, battled through heavy snow to get there from their home at Crambeck, a village near Malton. He’s been delighted by the theatrical aroma of greasepaint for most of his life. Even when serving as an air defence radar operator with the RAF in the 1950s he used to pay colleagues to do his shift so he could work backstage at Nottingham Playhouse. “I used to get 10 bob (50p) each performance,” he recalls. As this moonlighting was taking place during the Cold War, it was fortunate for Peter that the balloon did not go up when he was at the theatre rather than watching his radar screen at the RAF base! After 12 years in the RAF, he left to train as a teacher at Ripon and spent 17 years at Joseph

Rowntree School, eventually becoming head of drama. He recalls one particular year of students, a golden generation, that included three pupils who went on to enjoy showbiz success as adults – actor Mark Addy who found fame in The Fully Monty, TV actor Nigel Betts and Patrick Murphy who worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Really Useful Theatre Company.

“I used to get 10 bob (50p)each performance” After retiring as a teacher Peter became stage manager at the Rowntree Theatre, an unpaid labour of love that took up a great deal of his time. He says: “I worked eight nights a week and all day Sunday. It was hard work, but great fun as well.” After 11 years he decided to bow out. He recalls: “I was doing 12/13 hour days and when my wife realised I was climbing 20ft ladders to change light bulbs at the age of 70 it was time to call it a day.” Ten years ago the theatre was in danger of closing, until a group of enthusiasts banded together and, backed by Nestle, succeeded in keeping the venue going. Dan Shrimpton, managing director of the Rowntree Theatre, says: “Our watchword for 2011 will be consolidation to ensure the theatre gets through a tough climate with people spending less. We will continue to improve facilities at the venue. Having spent around £11,000 on 12 radio microphones, we now want to raise about £5,000 to pay for a new lighting control system.”

SPORTS REPORT with DAN TAIT Luck of the draw

New Year and new expectations. 2011 will be a significant one for York City Knights who will compete in the championship following their dramatic promotion in 2010. Their football counterparts will hope that this will be the year that they finally reclaim their football league status. New manager Gary Mills has made a promising start to his York City career, picking up November’s manager of the month as reward for his efforts, but this up turn in form will have to be maintained if the Minstermen are to catch up with the play-off pack. Early January however, will see the trip to Bolton’s Reebok Stadium and Premiership opposition in the FA Cup third round for the second consecutive season. Watching the draw is such a rollercoaster experience in itself; seeing Manchester United drawn as the home team, you pray for Noel Gallagher to pick out number 64, and York City as the away team. Alternatively, you cringe at the prospect of travelling to Dover Athletic, or Burton Albion to continue to the road to Wembley.

Fighting back

2011 will hopefully see the boxing bouts on everyone’s lips - Haye against a Klitschko brother and, even more appetising, Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather. No doubt either of those would make up for the total mismatch that was David Haye versus Audley Harrison. Harrison will hopefully use 2011 to retire from the sport. A man whose mental strength consists of a mixture of the lion off The Wizard Of Oz and Gillian McKeith should never set foot back in the ring, unless it was indeed to fight the woman who is scared of bugs and insects, but seemingly not of human wastage. York’s three boxing amigos, Harry Matthews, Matthew Doyle and Graham Fearn, will all be looking to build on their progression in 2010. Fearn will be in his last year as a professional, Doyle wanting to make up for lost time following his late cancellation on the Haye – Harrison/McKeith bill, and Matthews still smarting from a British title defeat in November. Rumours of another boxing bill taking place in York continues to do the rounds.

Sing when you’re winning

2011 will also see Take That play Hampden Park and, such has been Scotland’s decline, Gary Barlow & Co are favourites to beat Craig Levein’s bravehearts. 2011 should have been seven years and counting until the World Cup would reach these shores. Instead Russia took first prize in a farcical competition where Wagner gained more equivalent votes than poor old England.

Speeding Down Under

January will see the conclusion of cricket’s Ashes series. England, at time of writing, had sprung into a 1-0 series lead after a massive innings and 71-run victory over the ‘mighty’ Aussies. Kevin Pietersen was one of the key architects in this famous win, smashing a record 227 in Adelaide. A few days later he was caught doing 121km in a sports car and fined for speeding, though Australia, no doubt, wished they had caught him at 121... then the score might have been more respectable.

sports Tennis for tots The Tennis Tykes programme has arrived in York. These fun, indoor tennis play sessions for pre-school age children teach tennis and ball skills while also incorporating lots of games and nursery rhyme music for added fun. The lessons are taught by LTA trained and qualified coaches and use specially adapted mini tennis equipment. Caroline Buncall, an LTA coach who teaches on and runs the classes, says: “Our approach is a fun, play-based programme, teaching and developing agility, balance and co-ordination, social, language and numeracy skills. The children hit balls over a mini tennis net from the very first session and the Tennis Tykes characters, Tommy and Tessa, are always around to bring the programme to life with stickers and reward charts for every child to celebrate their achievements.” n To book your free taster session, call Caroline on 0784 334 2662, email caroline.buncall@tennistykes.co.uk or go to www.tennistykes.co.uk

Turf-cutting ceremony York City manager Gary Mills turned the first sod at a ceremony to mark the start of building work on a £375,000 clubhouse for Poppleton Tigers JFC. When complete, Millfield Lane will boast a new four-changing room clubhouse, with meeting and training facilities, as well as officials changing rooms, a kitchen and toilets. These improvements will benefit over 300 footballers and more than 20 teams who play at Nether Poppleton, York. The project was made possible thanks to a £225,000 grant from the Football Foundation and an additional grant of £150,000 from the FA.

In good hands The Effect a

Hearing Loss

can have on your lifestyle

Excellent care

Independent inspectors have rated social care services for adults in York as ‘performing well’, with an ‘excellent’ rating for its work to involve customers and their carers in shaping services and getting involved in community life. The Care Quality Commission’s report represents significant improvement for services in the city and praises the council for consistently providing services above minimum requirements and that benefit the wider community. The annual inspection, which rates councils’ performance on a scale of poor, adequate, well, and excellent, said the authority continued to perform well overall.

There are many reasons why we stop hearing as we’d like to, and everyone can be affected, regardless of age. Hearing loss often occurs gradually, so that we tend to forget how things sound and therefore your lifestyle can be affected in a number of different ways. Instead of doing something positive about it, many people just start to live in a quieter world and with the difficulties caused by not hearing properly – some of which can include: • People seem to be mumbling • You strain to hear when someone talks quietly or you often find yourself asking people to repeat themselves • Following a conversation is difficult when in a group of people • You have to turn up the volume on the TV or radio – often so that it is too loud for other people in the room • You have difficulty hearing someone call from behind or another room

Lord Mayor’s Valentine Ball

• You find it increasingly difficult to hear clearly on the telephone

York Racecourse is hosting the Lord Mayor’s Valentine Ball on Saturday, February 12, featuring live music by popular party band HUGE.

• You have begun to limit your social activities due to hearing difficulties and therefore feel isolated from the world

As well as a four-course meal, there will be an auction, casino and raffle.

Instead of just trying to cope with a hearing loss, even if it is only a slight loss, if it is affecting your quality of life then do something positive – even if it means just going to see your local, professional, friendly hearing aid audiologist at Ebor Hearing’s centre at 30 Walmgate, York or at The Duchy Hospital in Harrogate and talk through the options available.

The Lord Mayor of York, Susan Galloway, is supporting local mental health charity Our Celebration and the British Heart Foundation and all the proceeds from the event will be donated to the two charities.

• You find it hard to hear at the Theatre, Cinema or Church

n Tickets are on sale now, priced at £59 each and can be bought from the Civic n Call 01904 626623 to book your FREE no obligation hearing test today. Office at York Guildhall which is also seeking gifts to be auctioned or raffled on the night. Call York 551011 if you can help, or email civicenquiries@york.gov.uk.

Surecare rewards

Time and time again job vacancies advertised in Your Local Link are filled in record time with the right candidate. This is in part achieved through the understanding between the magazine and the companies who are searching for staff. Sometimes a company needs a particular type of person to work for them. Surecare, an established home care provider in York, certainly have a particular person in mind when they recruit for carers. They need someone who is flexible, compassionate and understands the needs of the people they may care for. Surecare work with a variety of clients ranging from the elderly to young people with learning difficulties and even those who require palliative care. They maintain the person’s independence, working with them not simply doing for them.. Jane, Surecare Manager in York points out that it takes a special person to work with these special people. “It might be surprising to some to learn that we don’t need someone who has any experience in this industry, it is more important to get the right personality” In return Surecare certainly rewards the right person. Training is vital and leads to an NVQ Level 2. The initial 6 week training is done through e learning making it flexible for staff to do at home. Once the right person has been chosen to join the team, a bespoke care schedule is put together in the persons own local area where possible and at times to suit the individual around their family commitments. Additional to those conditions and benefits are a CRB check is paid for on behalf of all new staff and a uniform provided. Surecare has fantastic career progression for the right people and are looking ideally for staff who have their own transport. All staff are supported by the management team and can feel secure that while they are the local branch dealing with local issues they have the backup of a National Company behind them. n If you feel you could be the special person Surecare are looking for call Jane today 01904 520192.

January can be a depressing month for anyone, especially if you’re elderly and live alone. Luckily, there are groups and organisations all over the city which provide the chance for older people to socialise and make friends.

Out about

It’s a Sunday afternoon, and a group of friends are meeting for tea. As the cakes and sandwiches are passed around, there’s a lot of laughter and chat as they catch up on what they’ve been up to over the past month. But this is a tea party with a difference. The guests are all from Contact the Elderly, a charity which arranges for people over 75 who live on their own to be driven to the homes of volunteer hosts in order to enjoy a few hours socialising. There are 30 groups in the Yorkshire region, three of them in York. “Sunday is the loneliest day of the week for those elderly people who are unable to get out without a helping hand, and so miss the social contacts they had once had,” says Mary Robinson, Development Officer for Yorkshire. “We form small groups for monthly Sunday tea parties in a lively family environment, bringing laughter, conversation and friendship back into their lives.” Tim Beaumont has been a driver for CTE for eight years. “You can see the difference it makes to some people,” he says. “They get dressed up, and when you pick them up they’re full of excitement about where they’re going and who is going to be there.

Clubs and groups for older people Heworth Without Over 60s Club meets on a Tuesday from 6.30 – 8pm at the Community Centre, Applecroft Road, Stockton Lane. Over 60s Monday Club meets at Poppleton Road Memorial Hall from 2 – 4pm (except for Bank Holidays). Dringhouses Dance Club is held on a Thursday afternoon from 2 – 4pm for sequence dancing and socialising. It meets at the Moor Lane Youth Centre, Wains Road. These are just a few of the clubs that meet regularly all over the city. For more information, log on to the Yortime website – www.yortime. org.uk. If you have a club you think we should mention, call us on 767881 or email info@ yourlocallink.co.uk and we’ll be happy to tell people about it!

“It’s fun for the drivers, too. We get to join in with the tea parties and chat to the guests. You hear some fascinating stories.” Contact The Elderly desperately needs more volunteer drivers, either on a regular or reserve basis, to take the elderly folk to and from their various social events. If you would like to offer your services or join a Friendship Group, they would love to hear from you. Call Mary on 01535 632592 or email mary.robinson@contact-theelderly.org.uk. St Sampson’s Centre for the over 60s is a local landmark in the city centre. On average, around 700 people use the centre every day, stopping off after shopping for a coffee or lunch, meeting old friends and making new ones, or joining in one of the many social activities on offer. “A lot of local people use this as a meeting place,” says Centre Manager Malcolm Whittaker.Kettleys “But we alsoGENUINE get lots of visitors fromaoutside city. People can come in once yeartheSALE starts and have something to eatth or drink, or they can just come in to sit down and read December 27 absolutely everything reduced the papers or enjoy a chat.”

St Sampson’s is a busy place, with a monthly tea dance on the first Friday of the month, a jumble sale every two weeks, and regular entertainment from a pianist or musical trio. If you’d like to find out more about the activities on offer, pick up a guide from the centre, or call 01904 652247. Age Concern York also run day centres around the city where older people can get together and enjoy a hot lunch, refreshments and interesting activities. Clubs are held at Alex Lyon House, Tang Hall on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; Lincoln Courts Acomb every day, and Acomb Methodist Church every Wednesday, and Marjorie Waite Court, Clifton every Thursday. Call the Day Clubs Co-ordinator on 627995 for more information, or log on to www.ageconcernyork.org.uk for more information. Age Concern York also provide a Befriending Service to provide companionship and support to people living on their own or in care homes who have few visitors. Contact the Community Befriending & Support Service Organiser on 627995 for more information.

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Wilf Ward Family Trust Chief Executive Richard Pick, Gill Barker, Fiona Lees, Christine Watson-Adams and Matthew Topping

Awards for TLC

It was a great night for the Wilf Ward Family Trust at the Great Yorkshire and Humberside Care Awards Care Awards celebration in York. The Trust scooped the Care Home Activity Organiser Award with Christine Watson-Adams accepting the award on behalf of The Paceys short breaks service in Swillington, Leeds. Support worker Matthew Topping was runner -up in the Dignity in Care Award; East Riding Area Operations Manager Fiona Lees accepted the runnerup award for Putting People First/ Personalisation Award; and Selby Area Operations Manager Gill

Barker was runner-up in the Care Innovator Award for her work with the Selby and District Carers. Richard Pick, Chief Executive of the Trust, says: “Christine, Matthew, Fiona and Gill clearly impressed the judges with the high quality of the work they have been carrying out”. A duo from City of York Council also enjoyed success at the awards, held at the National Railway Museum. Resident Lis Johnstone won the Carer's Award for her unstinting and unpaid work, while Val Sutton, the council’s manager responsible for its care homes, received the Dignity In Care Award.

Frances Perry, the council’s Carers’ Strategy Manager, says: “Lis’s success has highlighted her unique commitment and perseverance as an individual carer, as well as her contribution to the valuable work of CANDI – the parent carer forum – and in York Carers’ Forum.” Val Sutton was nominated by a colleague, council care home manager Andy Hart, who says: “The training she designed and delivered has redefined the delivery of care provision not only in Haxby Hall care home, but the other eight homes as well.”

Special Wedding

Wedding Fairs

Need inspiration for your big day? Head along to a wedding fair and you’ll find all the suppliers you need under one roof. Here’s our comprehensive guide to the best in our area throughout 2011

A bride’s best friend

If you’re planning a wedding, you’ll know just how much there is to do. From the cake to the cars, choosing the right photographer to planning the reception, it can all be a bit bewildering! So wouldn’t it be nice if you had a friend in the bridal biz who could help you every step of the way, give you some ideas and maybe even point you in the direction of the biggest bargains? Well, now you have! One of York’s top wedding planners, Claire Streeton, has launched York Bride, a comprehensive online wedding planning guide. You’ll find checklists to keep track of your plans, tips and tricks to make life easier, and lots of lovely pics to inspire you. You can get advice from the experts or even share your woes with the wedding agony auntie! And you can also get your hands on an exclusive York Bride privilege card, which offers a discount from top local suppliers. As well as bringing together local brides and businesses, there are also special privilege deals for the groom, too. n For more information, log on to www.yorkbride.co.uk and start saving!

Sunday 2nd January Wedding Open Day, York Pavilion Hotel 45 Main Street, Fulford YO10 4PJ. 11am – 3pm Sunday 16th January The Wedding Show, Doncaster Racecourse Wedding Show, Leger Way, Doncaster DN2 6BB. 11am – 4pm Sunday 23rd January National Railway Museum, Leeman Road YO26 4XJ. 10am-5.30pm Wedding Fair, The Grange Hotel, 1 Clifton YO30 6AA 12 noon - 4pm.

Sewerby Hall Wedding Fayre, Church Lane Sewerby Bridlington YO15 1EA 11am - 3pm Lightwater Valley Theme Park, North Stainley,Ripon HG4 3HT. 11am3.30pm Sunday 10th April The Wedding Affair at Swinton Park, Masham, Ripon HG4 4JH. 12 noon - 4pm The EXECUTIVevents Doncaster Wedding Show, Doncaster Dome. 11am - 4pm

The EXECUTIVevents Doncaster Wedding Show, Doncaster Dome, 11am - 4pm

Sunday 17th April Wedding Open Day, York Pavilion Hotel 45 Main Street, Fulford YO10 4PJ. 11am – 3pm

Sunday 30th January The Wedding Affair at The York Marriott, Tadcaster Road YO24 1QQ. 11am to 4pm.

Sunday 10th July The EXECUTIVevents Doncaster Wedding Show, Doncaster Dome. 11am - 4pm

Friday 11th February – Sunday 13th February Ripon Cathedral Wedding Show, Ripon HG4 1QS. 6.30 - 8.30pm

Sunday 7th August ‘I do’ Bridal Fair, Beverley Racecourse. 11am-3pm

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th February Wedding & Lifestyle Show at Leeds United, Centenary Pavilion Off Low fields Road Leeds. 10am - 4pm Sunday 13th February Wedding Fair, The Parsonage Hotel, Escrick Nr York. 11am - 4pm Sunday 20th February Hazlewood Castle Hotel Nr Tadcaster LS249NJ. 11am - 4pm Wedding Fair, York Pavilion Hotel 45 Main Street, Fulford YO10 4PJ 11am – 3pm Sunday 6th March The EXECUTIVevents LEEDS Wedding Show, Hilton Leeds City Hotel, Neville Street, Leeds. 11am - 4pm Sunday 13th March The Spa, Scarborough, South Bay, Scarborough, YO11 2HD. 11am 4pm Wedding Fair, The Glasshouse, Doncaster. 11am – 3.30pm

Sunday 18th September Doncaster Racecourse Wedding Show, Leger Way, Doncaster DN2 6BB 11am – 4pm Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th September The UK Wedding Show Harrogate, Harrogate International Centre King's Road, Harrogate HG1 5LA. 10am - 5pm Sunday 9th October Wedding Fair, Hazlewood Castle Hotel Nr Tadcaster LS249NJ. 11am - 4pm The EXECUTIVevents LEEDS Wedding Show, Hilton Leeds City Hotel, Neville Street, Leeds. 11am - 4pm Sunday 16th October The EXECUTIVevents Doncaster Wedding Show, Doncaster Dome. 11am - 4pm Sunday 23rd October Sandburn Hall, Scotchman Lane, Flaxton, York, YO60 7RB. 11am – 4pm

Sunday 27th March Spring Wedding Fair, The Riley Smith Hall, Tadcaster LS24 9JB. 11am – 3pm.

York Wedding Show Whether you’re recently engaged or you just need a few final details to complete your wedding planning, the York Wedding Show has something for everyone. Come and enjoy a day seeing the latest in bridal fashions and formalwear, listen to wedding band and DJ showcases, and get ready to win some fabulous prizes. Having access to some of the best wedding professionals in the area under one roof is a great way to maximise your time and meet the people who can make your big day even more special. The Show takes place at the National Railway Museum on 23rd January from 10am to 5.30pm.

The perfect place

If you’re looking for a wedding venue that offers great value while not compromising on quality, look no further than Dunnington Sports Club. The team at Dunnington have vast experience in both event organisation and hosting, and can offer a range of facilities and services to that can be tailored to meet your needs. This includes an expansive function room and bar capable of seating 110 people. The room can be fitted out to your exact specifications, and, if you require catering, the team can provide you with a variety of menus. So whether you're looking for buffet style food, a formal sit down meal or even a BBQ, they can help! n If you’d like to know more, call Dunnington Sports Club on 481039. Dunnington Sports Club, Common Road, Dunnington, YO19 5NG.

advertiser’s announcement

It’s magic!

Looking for an original way to entertain your wedding guests? Then why not try something truly magical! Close-up mind blowing magic from Impossible Magic. Andrew Lee MMC* is an award-winning magician who has performed at hundreds of events worldwide, his unique brand of close-up magic is guaranteed to wow any audience and get gasps of disbelief as the laws of science cease to apply. Leave the entertainment of your guests to a professional who guarantees to get people talking, laughing and mingling! “Magic is a great ice breaker and brilliant way to bring people together at weddings,” he says. “The effects I perform will have people talking, laughing and mesmerised!” Andrew can perform for guests during the welcome drinks and throughout the course of the meal or at any other time you choose, it’s really up to you. He can produce a memorable illusion especially for the bride and groom, leaving them with a very special souvenir of their big day. As an experienced professional magician, Andrew will tailor his act to meet your needs, taking into account your day, your wishes and the venue. From formal to informal he will bring the house down and guarantee your guests are talking, laughing and having fun. Whatever the venue, whatever the time, his act will always have the wow factor! As one of only 1500 people worldwide to be a member of the prestigious Magic Circle you can be assured of the highest quality act.

n Watch Andrew’s SHOWREEL and see people’s reactions firsthand at www.impossible-magic.co.uk or call 0800 009 6100 for more information on how Impossible Magic can make your event truly magical *Member of The Magic Circle

Say ‘I do’ Restored to its former glory, York Register Office is a grade II Georgian

listed building set a few hundred yards from the Minster. Couples have the choice of two room settings - either the intimate and less formal registrar's office which accommodates up to eight people or, for larger parties, a spacious reception room that seats 50 people comfortably and has French windows opening out onto landscaped gardens, providing the perfect backdrop for photographs. You can tailor your day to suit your needs. Walk down the aisle to music of your choice, customise your ceremony with poems and readings or compose your own vows. You can personalise the format and content of the ceremony to suit you as long as any changes comply with the legal restrictions. n For more information, call York Register Office on 654477 or email registrar@york.gov.uk.

The Complete Wedding at

The Dean Court

Who says weddings should only happen on a Saturday? The Dean Court Hotel have come up with a great Midweek Wedding Day package that promises to take the hard work out of planning your special day – and ensure you get much more for your money. The package includes the services of a professional photographer and an album; a hand-crafted wedding cake; the Bride’s bouquet and six corsages. Then of course there’s the Wedding Breakfast (three course menu and drinks package, with complimentary table flowers and Toastmaster) and an Evening Party with Buffet and Jazz Trio. Also included is overnight accommodation at the Dean Court, or a First Anniversary Dinner. n The Package launches in March 2011 (conditions apply). For more information on weddings at the Dean Court Hotel, call 625082.

Your

Big Day From wedding planning to the perfect venue, we’ve got everything you need to make your day special Ox Pasture Hall Ox Pasture Hall is located in one of Britain’s most beautiful settings. As one of Yorkshire's premier wedding venues, it prides itself in helping make your special day truly memorable. For 2011/2012 you could receive up to 30% DISCOUNT depending on your chosen Day or Date. n See www.oxpasturehall.com for details. Tel. 01723 365295 Pinwheel Production Pinwheel Production, run by Megan and Lucy, set themselves up knowing that they had the kowledge and background to help brides and grooms on their special day. They offer various levels of service to suit the couple. n Call 471325 or 07796 263766 or log on to www.pinwheelproduction.co.uk Jo’s Cupcakes n Bakes Jo creates fabulous bespoke cupcakes and celebration cakes from her home kitchen in York, freshly made to order on the day of delivery or collection using high quality ingredients. They’re guaranteed to give your special day the perfect finishing touch. n Call Jo on 07967 338375 or log onto www.joscupcakesnbakes.co.uk

Smiths Events Smiths Events supply stylish mobile bars and a complete bar service for your wedding. All bars are fully equipped and can be staffed or set up for you to go it alone. They’re fully licensed and ideal for indoor and outdoor functions and they also offer hog roast machine hire. n Call Josh on 07813 620514 or log on to www.smithsevents.co.uk Ian Martindale Photography Ian Martindale provides quality photography at an affordable price. His style encompasses both formal and informal and he concentrates on capturing natural moments that occur throughout your day as well as more traditional posed shots. He tailors his services to best fit your perfect day. n Log on to www.ianmartindale.co.uk

Coach House Hotel Coach House Hotel is one of the finest hotels in York offering close to York Register Office and opposite Museum Gardens n Call 652780 or log on to www.coachhousehotel-york.com Cassie’s Cupcakes Cassie’s Cupcakes are recognised for their exquisitely decorated couture cupcakes and wedding cupcake towers, each one a unique edible work of art, that will give your wedding or celebration the extra special touch. And, since all their cupcakes are freshly made to order, they can help make your wildest wedding cake dreams come true! n Call Cassie on 400559 or email cassie@cassiescupcakes.co.uk Boss Hog Roast For wedding catering with a difference, you can’t beat Boss Hog Roast. They provide tasty hog roasts, BBQs and outside bars to make your wedding truly special. All their services come with professional efficient staff, all working to make sure you have a memorable day. n Call 0793 084 7553 or log on to www.bosshogroast.co.uk. Every Occasion Balloons Every Occasion is now your ‘One Stop Company’ for all your wedding essentials. They now provide, along with their wonderful balloons, a wide range of bridal stationery and accessories. Whether you are looking for unique favour boxes or Wedding invitations, they have it covered. n Call them for more information on 01723 871870 Paul Batty Wedding Photography Paul Batty Wedding Photography provides both formal and informal ‘reportage’ style images of your wedding. Their goal is to produce a complete and meaningful photographic of your big day. All packages include two DVD-ROMs, one with high quality JPEGs for your personal use, the other disk has a TV slideshow. n For more information, call 448663 or log on to www.pbphotography.co.uk

Paul Batty

Wedding Photography Tel: 01904 448 663

www.pbphotography.co.uk 36

health beauty

Discover new talent

Fancy some post-Christmas pampering that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make a dent in your festive overdraft? Then head along to York College. Their hair and beauty students are always looking for new clients to attend their Hair, Beauty and Holistic Therapy training salons. By giving up a few hours of your time you can help students to succeed in their training and assessments whilst at the same time benefitting from the latest hair and beauty treatments, offered at competitive prices. And who knows, you could help discover the new Nicky Clarke! n For further details, or to make an appointment, either for yourself or a group booking, please telephone the York College Hair & Beauty Spa on 770254. Appointments are available during term time.

Hair removal without

tears

Down with

dieting!

If you find waxing painful but you’re looking for a long term solution to hair removal, why not try sugaring? It’s an age old practice that’s been around for hundreds of years. It’s similar to waxing, but as the name suggests it uses a thick sugar paste instead of standard wax. As the solution sticks to hairs not the skin, it tends to be less uncomfortable than waxing, and therefore ideal for more sensitive areas such as the face. And since the hairs are removed in the direction of growth rather than against it, there is more chance of getting the hairs out by the root, leading to slower and finer regrowth.

Are you determined to get slim in 2011? Maybe you’re starting yet another diet, and hoping it won’t end up like all the others – fine for a couple of weeks, then forgotten as you pile the pounds back on again.

Jean from Feelgood Factor in Wigginton discovered sugaring while she was living in Germany. “I had eczema and not only was sugaring kinder to my skin, I also found it actually relieved my condition.” She was so impressed that when she returned to England she learned how to do it herself. She now believes she is the only beauty therapist in the area to carry out the technique. “I get lots of clients who have moved here from the south and really struggled to find someone qualified to do it. Once they’ve tried sugaring they never want to go back to ordinary waxing!”

Angie Doig-Thorne is one of the first hypnotherapists in the country to introduce the procedure. “I’m looking for people who have yo yo dieted all their lives and are really committed to losing weight,” she says. The four week course consists of four hypnotherapy sessions, as well as a back-up CD to listen to at home. You’ll also have to commit to some very simple rules, such as exercising for half an hour a day, eating three small meals and being conscious of what and how you eat.

n Jean also offers manicures, pedicures and massage at the Feelgood Factor. To book, give her a call on 760347.

Or perhaps you’ve reached the point where you’re considering something more drastic, like a gastric band operation; the British Medical Association has reported a ten-fold rise in people seeking surgery as a last resort. But there is another way. A pioneering local hypnotherapist is offering a ‘virtual’ gastric band that promises to be as effective as an operation, but at a fraction of the cost and with none of the risks.

The course costs £350, which is just 20% of the cost of a ‘real’ gastric band procedure. There are no side effects, and the results are impressive; in a three week trial, 25 people lost 14 stones between them! n If you’d like to be free of dieting forever, call Angie on 01904 489 142 or check out her website – www.angiedoigthorne.com.

‘Salsa saved my life’ A York dance teacher who collapsed while out jogging believes his life was ‘saved by salsa’.

Simon Taylor, aged 43, was left fighting for his life in intensive care following ten hours of emergency heart surgery to mend an aortic aneurysm - a rip in his aorta that prevented blood from reaching vital organs. During his convalescence, he spent five weeks in hospital learning to walk again. Two years later, after moving from Derby to York, Simon recalls: “The doctor told me that because I was so fit through dancing, it played a big part in saving my life.” The former kick boxer founded Flip & Bounce Promotions to promote salsa dancing and has built a reputation over the past ten years as a salsa instructor and DJ, event organiser, choreographer and performer. He originally started teaching in Howden as part of the East Riding Dance Festival. His teaching has taken him around the country as a guest teacher and performer at various salsa events. Simon has been involved with most of the major congresses in the UK, and has experienced congresses and festivals in New York and Barcelona. Simon, known to his pupils as Mr Mambo, runs salsa classes at York Hospital Social Club, White Cross Road on Monday evenings and is also launching a 10-week salsa course on Tuesday evenings at Huntington School Dance Studio on February 1 as part of York’s Learning 4 Life programme. He recently undertook training to become a Zumba fitness instructor, and is planning to launch Zumba classes in York. n For more details, call 07977 491272 or go to www.flipandbounce.co.uk

New year, new you! Make 2011 your most beautiful year yet with our new year’s beauty resolutions

Start exercising. Nothing makes you look and feel as good as a regular exercise programme. But that doesn’t have to mean becoming a gym bunny. Find something you actually enjoy doing, whether it’s swimming, dancing or playing volleyball, and stick to it. Give up smoking. You don’t need us to tell you smoking is bad for your health, but it does nothing for your looks, either. Who wants those tell-tale smoker’s wrinkles around their mouth? You can find tips on giving up from your GP, or log on to www.smokefree. nhs.uk. Or why not try a course of hypnotherapy? Have a makeover. When we the last time you took a good, long look at your make-up routine? If

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you’re stuck in a beauty rut, now’s the time to change. Make an appointment at your local spa for a make-up lesson to help make the most of your looks. Or find a new hairdresser; sometimes being stuck with the same stylist for years means you get stuck with the same style, too. A makeover could take years off you, so why not try it? Eat well. Don’t just focus on losing weight; rethink your diet to maximise your energy levels instead. Cut out processed and junk food, lower the amount of fat you eat and up your intake of fresh fruit and veg. You’ll look and feel a whole lot better!

Drink water. It’s the simplest and cheapest of nature’s beauty secrets, and it works. Drink two litres a day, and you’ll flush the toxins out of your body and rehydrate your skin better than any expensive moisturiser. It can even help you lose weight (research has shown that hunger pangs are often caused by dehydration).

Get enough sleep. We all need different amounts, but at least seven hours is ideal. It will boost your energy levels and reduce stress, not to mention getting rid of those dark circles under your eyes! Early nights are better than morning lie-ins; the old wives’ tale that an hour’s sleep before midnight is worth two after actually holds true!

Use an SPF moisturiser. Stress, smoking and the sun are all hugely ageing for your skin. You need at least factor 15 moisturiser all year round, with anything up to factor 30 during the summer months when the sun is at its strongest.

Go to a spa. Go on, treat yourself. It might seem like an indulgence, but a visit to the spa can help recharge your batteries and set you on the road to some brilliant new health and beauty habits. As the ad says – you’re worth it!

Blood donor sessions 12 JanuarY Poppleton Community Centre (1.30pm-4pm, 5pm-7pm) 25 January York National Centre for Early Music (2pm-4pm, 5pm-7.15pm) 31 January Copmanthorpe Recreation Centre (2pm-4pm, 5pm-7.30pm)

Have a healthy new year! January is the time of year when we start thinking about changing our lifestyle and ditching unhealthy habits. If you’ve made a resolution to adopt a healthier way of life, what better way to get your resolutions off to a good start than with a health MOT?

We sent our journalist Donna along for a Well Woman Screening from Ebor Medical Service. “Before my appointment I had to fill in a questionnaire giving details of my general health,” she says. “I also had to fast for at least six hours as I would be having a blood test. “I first spent half an hour with the nurse for blood tests, an ECG, blood pressure and height and weight checks. “Next I saw the female GP. We discussed my test results – all okay, thank heavens – and any health concerns I had. We discussed my migraines and the GP gave me lots of useful advice about current treatments available. “It was good to be able to spend time talking to a doctor. My own GP is great, but I never feel as if I can take up too much of her time. Also, we only tend to go to the doctor when we have a specific problem. This check helped highlight some issues – like the fact that I was low on iron, for instance – that aren’t causing a problem but could in the future.” Ebor Medical Services is owned by 85% of the GPs in the York area. It is committed to using local GPs in local GP premises. This cuts costs for you and provides a better quality and more thorough service. Ebor’s GPs also have knowledge of the best local private services if you require referral to secondary care. n For more information on the range of screening clinics on offer, call 721878 or email info@ebormedicalservices.com

Beauty magic!

Whether it’s fine lines and wrinkles, double chins, love handles or bingo wings, we’ve all got some beauty problem we’d like to change. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a magical machine that could smooth and tighten your skin and contour your body instantly without going under the knife? Well, now there is. MABEL Plus is a revolutionary system which uses Rapid Frequency (RF) technology to stimulate your body’s natural collagen renewal for incredible skin-tightening results. Even better, the results are instant and long-lasting, so you’ll see the benefits from your first treatment! n And the best new of all is, Marcelle at Heavenly Nails & Beauty is now offering MABEL Plus. So give her a call on 07710 669945 and book your treatment today!

Wanted: Nordic walking volunteers

City of York Council is looking for volunteers to be trained in Nordic Walking. The volunteers will each receive a free one day training course in January and will play an important part in bringing the activity to others in York. They can be any age and should be happy to lead a weekly Nordic Walk in York lasting one to two hours following their training.

Shelley Wilson

mobile hair

Modern & Affordable Qualified & Experienced Friendly & Relaxable

Tel: 07709 156520

The volunteers are being sought to help launch a Nordic Walking programme for those aged 50 and over, which will start in February. It is hoped that Nordic Walking will then be rolled out across York as part of the existing York Health Walks timetable, which is available to everyone. n Nordic Walking, which uses poles to enhance walking style, gives a full body workout. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, call Catriona Sudlow on 553440 or email catriona.sudlow@york.gov.uk

Looking good

with Kuki

When local businessman William Sessions built himself a substantial family home in Huntington Road back in 1920, little could he ever imagine that one day his house would be home to a unique hair and beauty spa. But 90 years on, Kuki has lost none of its homely appeal. From the moment you step into the cosy, wood-panelled hall, you’re enveloped in the warm atmosphere, with roaring log fires, comfy sofas and always a welcoming pot of coffee waiting. The welcome is just as warm. “I wanted to create a spa with a friendly atmosphere where everyone could feel at home,” says owner Lisa Carlyle, who opened Kuki just over a year ago. Kuki Hair & Beauty Spa offers the widest choice of health and beauty treatments and packages in the whole of York. There are six large treatment rooms in all, plus a relaxation area with a balcony, and hairdressing stations. Treats on offer range from luxury facials, manicures, pedicures, massages and body wraps, to complementary therapies such as reflexology, Hopi ear candles and hypnotherapy. Add to that hairdressing, semi-permanent make-up, Botox, dermal fillers, teeth whitening and their very own personal trainer, and you’ll see why so many clients choose Kuki. Why go anywhere else when you have everything you need for top to toe glamour all under one roof?

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In the coming months, we’ll be highlighting just a few of the great services that Kuki Hair & Beauty Spa offers. But because we could all use a bit of post-Christmas pampering, during the month of January they’re offering 10% off all their hair and beauty treatments and products. Or alternatively, you could go for their two for one offer – buy one detox package (including facial, detox body wrap and blow dry) for £95 and get one free. So why not bring a friend and try Kuki for yourself? n Call 659007 today to book your appointment, www.kukispa.com.

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fitness Have you over-indulged during the festive season? If you’ve piled on the pounds over Christmas and you’re looking for a way to get in shape for the new year without working up a sweat, head for Stepping Stones in Fossgate. Their exclusive toning tables trim away unwanted inches, improve mobility and flexibility without any pain or strain – just relax and let the table do all the hard work for you! They also have a state of the art vibrostation, which reduces fat, attacks cellulite and improves body shape. Experts reckon that a ten minute workout is as effective as one hour in the gym. The A-listers swear by it, apparently – and if it’s good enough for Madonna, it’s good enough for us! Unlike the gym, there are no membership fees or expensive subscriptions – just pay as you go. You can even have a free trial to find out if it’s right for you. n So what are you waiting for? Step away from those mince pies and call Stepping Stones today on 611467.

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Family & young people Food Allergy & Food Intolerance Week (24-28 January) gives us food for thought

Dealing with

food allergies At a time of year when most people are looking to shake off the excesses of Christmas or are attempting to get fit, little thought is given to those with food allergies or intolerance. Deciding whether you should have a salad or a burger for lunch seems insignificant compared with the choices that someone with a life-threatening allergy or a debilitating food intolerance have to make each day. A slip-up in eating a food that you are intolerant to could leave you bed ridden with migraines or unable to leave the toilet. More frighteningly, if you are allergic, it could be fatal. Too often allergy or intolerance sufferers become labelled as being fussy eaters or just thought to be following the latest fad; this could not be further from the truth. Allergy UK says it is difficult it is to live with a food allergy and intolerance. The most simple of choices, such as what to make for dinner or what to put in their child’s packed lunch, becomes a nightmare. The mother of a son with a food allergy says: “It affects our family a lot. I am actually terrified of him dying, which sounds extreme, but it’s the worst fear of any parent; when a tiny mistake like food, especially when he is with other people, can be fatal. The risk is a reality we face every day.”

of understanding in supermarkets and restaurants surrounding the needs of the allergy or intolerance sufferer.” Allergy labelling on foods is frustratingly confusing and needs clearer guidelines, adds Allergy UK. This, along with a much better choice of healthy tasty foods that are easily available in the supermarkets, was paramount in people’s desire for improved services. The lack of understanding regarding food intolerance within the medical profession leads many to search for a reliable test to identify the cause of their problems. A staggering 88% of respondents to an Allergy UK survey said they had suffered for years before they found help in managing their food intolerance with little or no help from their GP. n YorkTest Laboratories Ltd, of York Science Park, specialises in testing for food allergies and food intolerance. York. Tel: 410410

A survey by Allergy UK highlights the importance of labelling. Allergy says:Local “It was all Quarter too clearPage_Layout that there is a definite lack Welly UK Boots Link 1 08/06/2010 12:14 Page 1

Welly Boots crèche is a warm, friendly and exciting place for children to learn and develop. Located next to Energise, it plays host to fantastic toys for children from birth up to 5 years and has a great outdoor area that can be used all year round. Opening times: Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm To arrange a show around and speak to a member of Welly Boots please call Energise 01904 552424 or visit www.energiseyork.com

Food test helps Linda York mental health worker Linda Schumacher suffered a weekly migraine attack for two years.

“I was beside myself. Then a friend, who was a nutritionist, suggested that I took a food intolerance test.”

She underwent a series of medical tests at York Hospital in an effort to find out what was causing the headaches.

YorkTest Laboratories Ltd discovered that Linda had an intolerance to dairy foods. For the last 12 months she has been on a diary-free diet and her quality of life has improved dramatically. She has started running again, resumed her gym sessions and started learning to play the piano.

Her quality of life was blighted as the pain forced her to curtail her activities, including moving from full-time to parttime work. Linda, of Holgate, York, recalls: “As well as the headaches, I was suffering from bloating, joint pain and chronic fatigue. I was so tired that I had to stop running and going to the gym and I reduced my hours at work.

Linda says: “The food test helped me get my life back. It’s a powerful tool when used in conjunction with your GP.”

If you are a mum, dad or carer of a 0-19 then you can get free information about… Finding and paying for childcare Returning to work Working in Early Years Free places for 3 and 4 year olds Find out what’s on at your local children’s centre Services for disabled children and families Family groups and activities Services and support for young people Local parenting support Got a question but not sure where to start? Then contact York Family Information Service!

01904 554444 fis@york.gov.uk Text ‘info’ to 07624 802244

www.yor-ok.org.uk 47

Childcare the choice is yours

Planning to go back to work in the new year? You’ll need to find the right childcare. But how do you know what’s right for you and your child? We’ve been taking a look at the options available, and talking to parents about what works for them Childminders

Day Nurseries

Nursery schools and classes

Childminders are trained, self-employed carers largely based in their own homes. They are registered with Ofsted and both the childminder and their home are regularly checked. A childminder can look after up to six children under eight years (including their own), but only three of them can be under the age of five.

Day nurseries offer childcare, and in some cases early education, for children between the ages of six weeks and five years. Some day nurseries will also offer out of school care for children over five.

Nursery schools offer early education for children between the ages of three and five. They are open during school hours, normally only in term time for full or half-day sessions. Nurseries are free if part of a state education system (excluding meals and trips).

“I chose a childminder because I don’t work regular nine to five hours, and I find my childminder can be more flexible than a day nursery,” says Carole from Stamford Bridge. “I also prefer my children to be looked after in a more homely environment.”

“I only have one daughter, so I wanted her to mix with other children to learn skills like sharing and playing with others,” says Michelle P. “She really looks forward to meeting all her new friends every day, which as a working mum, is a weight off my mind.”

“I work part time from home, so it’s not a problem for me that the nursery school is only open during term time,” says Paula from Haxby. “The fact that it’s free is a big help, too.”

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Pre-school and playgroups Organised by community or voluntary groups, often with the help of parents, these usually offer early education places. Sessions last between two-and-a-half to four hours and take place either every day or several days a week, during term time. They are for children aged between two and five years. “I’m a stay at home mum, but while my son’s at his twice weekly playgroup I have time to do the supermarket shopping and run other errands,” says Jessica from Dringhouses. “He’s also made lots of friends locally, too.” Out-of-school care Some clubs are open before and after school and all day during school holidays. They offer a quiet space for catching up with homework as well as plenty of fun activities for children between the ages of three to 14 years (up to 16 for children with special needs). Many breakfast, after-school and holiday play schemes are linked to schools. Some of which offer a variety of activities on top of the normal school day such as music, art, sport or additional study support. “People forget that older children need looking after too,” says Kelly J. “Now I don’t have to worry about my ten year old during the school holidays. I just wish it had been around when my grown-up children were small!” n The York Family Information Services has lots of information for parents on making the right childcare choices, and also how to cut the costs of childcare. Give them a call on 554628 or text ‘info’ to 07624 802244 and they’ll call you back.

Watch out for the three bears! All nine of York Children’s Centres are hosting a celebration event on Thursday, February 3, so parents and carers can find out about the services they offer. There will be a variety of activites taking place between 10.30am and 2.30pm, including the toy bus, movement play sessions and story time to mark National Storytelling Week - look out for the three bears! City council locality manager Paula Richardson says: “This is a great opportunity for families to come and find out about the work that we do within the city. There are lots of exciting opportunites that you can engage with. The celebration event will give you the opportunity to meet staff at the children’s centres, join in with fun activites and find out about other organisations that work in partnership with children’s centres across the city. The event will be a celebration of the continued work and successes of the children’s centres.” n For more information, go to www.yorkchildrenscentres.org.uk, visit your nearest children’s centre or call the York Family Information Service on 554444.

A great future at Pocklington School Just 12 miles from the city of York, the Pocklington School Foundation offers pupils the opportunity to enjoy outstanding facilities in a forward-looking educational environment.

They aim to provide their students with a relaxed home from home environment, which was recently rated good or excellent in all areas by OFSTED. They are now registering day and boarding applicants. Contact Admissions on 01759 321200 for information on scholarships, means tested sixth form bursaries and boarding options, as well as forthcoming open events. n Pocklington School, West Green, Pocklington YO42 2NJ.

Queen Margaret’s Open Days Excellent teaching, superb facilities and varied opportunities for learning are the hallmarks of a Queen Margaret’s education. Around 90% of girls are boarders and they also welcome day girls from York and the surrounding villages. At Queen Margaret’s, girls are encouraged to aim high and exceed their expectations. Exam results in 2010 were their best ever: at A Level 25% of entries gained the new A* grade and 93% of entries achieved A*, A or B and at GCSE 92% of all entries were awarded grade A*-B. In addition to Academic Scholarships, they also offer Scholarships in Art, Dance, Drama, Music and Sport. n You can find out more at their next two Open Days, on Saturday 12th February and Saturday 26th March from 10:30am. They are also pleased to welcome families for individual visits at any time. Please contact Mrs Jackie Hallewell on 01904 720072 to arrange an appointment.

Education&Schools

West Learn woodworking skills Master craftsman Bob Lambert, who is passionate about teaching woodworking skills, is holding an open day at his workshop on Saturday, January 8, between 10am and 5pm, as well as ten courses this month. Bob Lambert’s January courses 10 Router basics 11-12 Two-day router course 14 Bowl turning 15 Turning for beginners 17 Basic woodturning 18-19 Two turning projects 22 Tool sharpening 26 Router basics 27-28 Two-day router course 29 Router basics n The Woodwork Room, York Riding School, Clifton Road Business Park, Wigginton Road, York YO32 2RH. For more details, call 348343 or email bob. lambert@woodworkingacademy.co.uk

End boys and girls

Students from Stagecoach Theatre Arts School in York are buzzing after performing on a West End stage. Sixteen budding stars, aged between 13 and 16, performed their version of Romeo & Juliet at Her Majesty’s Theatre – home to Phantom of the Opera.

School principal Sally Thrussell says: “It was done in the style of a fastpaced movie trailer, incorporating song and dance. The eight-minute show was well received.”

n Stagecoach meets at Archbishop Holgate’s School each Saturday in term time between 9am and 5.30pm. Tel: 672662.

Calling tomorrow’s techies

The three York Rotary Clubs have confirmed that the 2011 Schools Technology Tournament will be held at the National Railway Museum on Tuesday 15th March. Teams of four students working against the clock will design, build and demonstrate a practical solution to a technical and engineering problem. The tasks will be set at basic, intermediate and advanced levels to conform to elements in the national curriculum. All the materials required to meet the challenge will be provided by the three rotary clubs.

“This will be the sixth annual tournament held at the Railway Museum and nearly a thousand youngsters from 17 schools in the York area have competed,” says Mike Fieldsend,

Chairman of the organising group. “The youngsters really get focussed and competitive and it’s great to see the way they work as teams. The teachers also enjoy the way their pupils respond to the challenge in the marvellous atmosphere of the railway museum and turn the theory into the practical solutions. So far we have 36 teams taking part and I would encourage schools to get their act together and register their interest before all the 50 places are taken up.” n Application forms are available online at www. yorkvikingsrotary.org.uk and should be submitted to Peter Brooks,5 Gill Croft Court, Easingwold Y061 3GX by 21 st January.

Choosing a

Training Class

Was your New Year’s resolution to stop your dog jumping up at visitors; or come back when called even if there are squirrels? Choosing a training class can be confusing and it is important to find the right class for you and your dog. Always go to watch a potential training class without your dog first and look for: • Happy and relaxed dogs and people • Plain buckle collars or harnesses and leashes - methods like choke/check chains, tight slip collars and prong collars are not necessary and suggest old fashioned teaching methods • Peace and quiet - shouting is not necessary and lots of barking can indicate the dogs are stressed or overexcited • Approachable instructors - do they appear friendly and helpful? • Reasonable class sizes - bear in mind the size of the venue, as well as the number of assistants. Can the instructor keep an eye on everyone? • Suitable methods for each dog and handler - the instructor should be able to adapt techniques as needed. Food and toys are excellent motivators. Not many dogs work for praise alone.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) aims to improve the welfare of dogs and the competence of dog owners through the promotion of training skills. Accredited trainers are committed to using up to date, researched methods that are kind, fair and effective. You can find a list of registered trainers and more information on choosing a training class on the APDT website: www.apdt.co.uk n Call Morag (Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers 01101) on 07786 864 700, or visit www.wellconnectedcanine.co.uk

Connie may look cute, but the little pup has a very big future ahead of her. She’s been selected to train as a Hearing Dog for Deaf People. But before Connie can start her hearing dog training, she is spending her first year with socialiser Sheila Pilliner in Copmanthorpe, learning the basics of good behaviour. We’ll be following her progress over the coming year and picking up some puppy training tips along the way. Connie’s had a hard time lately, as she’s been teething and going through puberty the same time! “It’s been a real trial getting her to eat as she’s having trouble with her teeth and off her food because she’s come into season for the first time,” says Sheila. “Coming into season has also meant we can’t go to puppy classes, and if I take her for a walk I have to carry her away from the house so she doesn’t leave a scent trail. We don’t want to come home to find a bunch of eager suitors waiting on the doorstep!” For obvious reasons, Connie wasn’t able to go with Sheila and her other dogs to a recent weekend dog show. Which meant she had to stay with another foster couple, Peggy and Michael. “It’s good for Connie because it gives her a chance to stay in another home and get used to other people, which is something she’s going to have to do when she starts training,” says Sheila. “Peggy and Michael don’t have any other dogs and Connie slept in their bedroom, so it was a complete change for her, but she took to it very well. And being an only dog it was nice for her to have all her toys to herself for a change!” Connie made more new friends when she paid a visit to Copmanthorpe Rainbows and Bishopthorpe Beavers. “The children all made a fuss of her and they were all very keen to help her practise her commands. She was very good at coming to whoever called her name, which again is excellent practice for when she goes to live with other people.” Now Connie is approaching six months old, she is ready to develop her skills further. “As a Hearing Dog, she needs to be alert and aware of different sounds,” says Sheila. “I’ve started by praising and rewarding her whenever she responds appropriately to a sound, such as the phone ringing or an alarm. At the same Give a pup a home time I have to discourage her from barking because a deaf Hearing Dogs for Deaf person wouldn’t hear her and People are always looking for it might prove annoying to socialisers to look after puppies other people. It’s a hard part until they begin training. of her training but she’s getting n If you have plenty of time there!” and commitment to give, call 01759 322299.

Cuddly or just plain fat?

A recent study has shown that up to 50% of pets are overweight, with 20% being clinically obese. Over-feeding your pet or giving them too many treats is cruel, not kind; obesity can make daily tasks such as grooming themselves difficult, as well as aggravating all sorts of other problems, including arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes. Astonishingly, a recent study by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association revealed that 62% of dog and 72% of cat owners believed they could personally do little about their pet’s weight. Yet animals can’t open fridges or cupboards to help themselves when no-one’s looking. The responsibility for keeping them trim is down to owners. If you want to check whether your pet is overweight, a good rule of thumb is to put your hands around its mid section. If you can feel its ribs easily with a minimal covering of fat, it should be okay. If you’re not even sure where their ribcage is, you’re in trouble! If your pet does gain unwanted weight, see your vet for advice. Some surgeries run obesity clinics for pets. Special low-calorie diets are available to make it easy for animals to lose weight in a steady, controlled fashion. Choose adult maintenance food which is low in fat. Feed your pet the amount recommended for their target weight rather than their actual weight. Exercise is vital. It goes without saying that you should walk your dog regularly, but playing with your cat is just as important. It’s also estimated that a third of pet rabbits are overweight because their hutches are far too small and do not allow the rabbit space to move around. Rabbits should be allowed several hours a day of exercise in a run or in a ‘rabbit-proofed’ house. The run should include plenty of ramps, boxes and tunnels to encourage activity including jumping, which is excellent exercise for the skeleton.

Give us a home

All over the city there are cats and dogs looking for loving homes. Could you be the one to offer them the love they need? Poor lad CHUCKY is rather shy on first meeting, so he’ll need a quieter home where he can get used to his surroundings and settle himself down. Once his confidence is built, he’ll soon come out of his shell. Just don’t let him sleep in your bed – he has a naughty habit of playing with bare feet! Having been cruelly dumped outside the adoption centre, KERRYN is now very much in need of someone who will take care of her. She suffers from nerve paralysis in her right front leg, so she needs an experienced owner who’ll give her gentle physiotherapy every day. Not that Kerryn will mind – she’s a very lovable cat who puts up with her treatment with great patience. n If you’d like to offer either of these cats a loving home, please call York Cats Protection, 582 Huntington Road. Tel: 760356.

ZACH, a two-year-old Rottweiler, would thrive in the home of an experienced dog owner where there are no children, say our friends at the RSPCA home in Landing Lane, York. If you prefer smaller dogs, how about LOKI, an 18-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier? The RSPCA says Loki is very friendly and would make an ideal family pet at a home where there are no children under the age of ten. n If you can offer any of these dogs a home, call the RSPCA on 654949.

With overweight dogs, cats and rabbits you should consider throwing away the feeding bowls. There are several feeding toys available for all three species which allow the pet to work for its food. Some of these toys include balls or cubes which when rolled release one or two pieces of food at a time. This makes feeding more fun and helps burn calories as the animal moves around. You may also consider scattering the dog food around the garden to encourage foraging or hiding pieces of vegetable under the hay for rabbits to sniff out as a fun activity.

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Ask Chris... Got a gardening problem?

Chris Brown from Brown’s Nurseries can help I have tried without success to grow sweet peas. Could you help, please?

The best sweet peas are grown on well-drained, fertile soil. For the best flowers, add well-rotted manure the season before planting. Site in full sun or partial shade. Feed with a balanced fertiliser fortnightly when in growth. Then, when the buds start to form, feed with a high potash fertiliser. Dead head or cut flowers for the house regularly. Support the climbing stems by training on a pyramid of canes or trellis, or scrambling through shrubs and perennials. It’s also a good idea to grow sweet peas in a vegetable garden as they attract pollinating bees and other beneficial insects. Can you suggest some plants that have decorative seed heads and look nice in winter?

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Most gardeners now recognise that taking too tidy an approach to the garden at the end of the growing season can rob them of some striking winter effects. Any perennial that has a dried superstructure of seed heads can provide attractive winter interest, and their architectural beauty will be further enhanced by a covering of snow or hoar frost. Achillea has flattened seed heads and provides a ready platform for snow and frost. When covered in frost, the globular, spiky seed heads of Echinops Ritro sparkle in the morning sun. Monarda ‘Bergamot’ bears crowded heads of pink flowers with purple bracts that turn a warm brown in winter. Phlomis, throughout winter, has striking clumps of tall, leafless stems carrying dense brown seed heads that sway in gentle breezes. I have a hydrangea in my garden that didn’t flower last year. Will pruning help to make it flower next year? Hydrangeas will flower better if pruned correctly. Leave the old flowerheads on over winter to protect the stems below and prune in mid spring. Little formative pruning is needed. On established plants, cut back thin, weak shoots and one or two of the oldest stems to the base of the plant. If the hydrangea is three feet tall you should remove about a third of the stem to fat buds. These will produce flowering shoots. Neglected or badly cold-damaged plants may be cut to base in spring, but there will be no flowers the following summer. Could you please recommend a nice shrub that will flower in winter? You will not find a better shrub than Sarcococca. This hardy evergreen shrub is easily overlooked in the summer months, but in winter it earns its place in the limelight. No matter how grim the weather, Sarcococca – otherwise known as Christmas Box – will produce an abundance of creamy white, vanilla-scented flowers from December to March. These are followed by long-lasting glossy black or red berries. It is happiest in a shady border of woodland garden in moist but well-drained soil. It also makes a wonderful container plant to keep by the front door, where it will give off a beautiful perfume. If you have a question for Chris write to him c/o Oak Tree Farm, The Moor, Haxby, YO32 2LH Browns Nursery, Corban Lane, Wigginton, York YO32 2RD. Tel. 766266.

When should you take down your

Christmas

decorations?

Christian tradition tells us that Jesus was born on December 25, but the Magi did not arrive in Bethlehem until January 6, known as Epiphany. This is the day the Three Wise Men met the new-born King, presenting him with gifts. It is explained to children that, if you take down your festive lights before January 6, the Magi may not be able to find their way. Taking down ornaments on January 6 is a European tradition that dates before 1900 when ornaments were often fruit, nuts and marzipan and would be eaten.

Long ago it was thought that leaving the decorations up would cause a disaster. People believed that tree-spirits lived in the greenery (holy, ivy etc) they decorated their houses with. The greenery was brought into the house to provide a haven for the treespirits during the harsh mid-winter. Once this period was over it was necessary to return the greenery outside to release the tree-spirits into the countryside. Failure to do this would mean that vegetation would not grow again (spring would not return), leading to an agricultural disaster. It was also thought that, if you left the greenery in the house, the tree-spirits would cause mischief until they were released. Today people still feel uneasy about leaving the Christmas

decorations up after Twelfth Night; even though the tree-spirits are long forgotten, the superstition still survives.

After Christmas is over, make sure you properly dispose of your Christmas tree. A spokesman for City of York Council says: “By recycling Christmas trees residents can make a real difference to the amount of rubbish which ends up in landfill. People can either put their trees in their garden waste bin or take them along to one of the household waste recycling centres at Hazel Court, York; Beckfield Lane, Acomb; or Towthorpe/Strensall.” For more details, call 551551. Why is Twelfth Night on January 5th and not January 6th (Twelfth Day)? It is only with our modern understanding of astronomy and time keeping that we start a new day in the middle of the night. To our ancient ancestors, the end of day was when the sun went down. The oncoming night was the beginning of the next day. Christmas, therefore, started at sunset on December 24. They considered this to be Christmas Evening (or Christmas Eve). Christmas would then continue until nightfall on December 25, which started St Stephen’s Day, (Boxing Day) the first of the 12 days of Christmas. To our ancestors, the 12th night after Christmas would have been the evening before January 6, the 12th and final day of the Christmas season. The actual date for Twelfth Night still causes confusion because our modern understanding of the words ‘eve’ and ‘night’ mean something different to what our ancestors considered them to be. For us today the night or evening follows the day; to our ancestors, it was the other way round.

Feed the birds! Don’t forget our feathered friends this winter. With sources of food scarce, they need your help more than ever...

There are different bird seed mixes available. Look for one that contains plenty of flaked maize, sunflower seeds, and peanut granules. Avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils, which are added to some cheaper seed mixes to bulk them up. Any mixture containing green or pink lumps should also be avoided as these are dog biscuit, which can only be eaten when soaked. Fat balls and other fat-based food bars are another excellent winter food. Unlike humans, birds need the high energy content of saturated fat to keep warm in the winter weather. If they are sold in nylon mesh bags, always remove the bag before putting the fat ball out – the soft mesh can trap and injure birds. Never give milk to any bird, as it can result in serious stomach upsets, or even death. Birds can, however, digest fermented dairy products such as cheese. Fresh coconut in the shell is fine, but avoid desiccated coconut as it may swell once inside a bird and cause death.

owers Vegetables and Fl will give an illustrated talk entitled

Wright East Yorkshire garden consultant Steve and Colour’ to members of Askham Food of Year a for ers Flow ‘Vegetables and Hall, January at 7.30pm in The Conference Bryan College Gardening Club on 18th Askham Bryan College, near York. 707208 or Peter Powell on 795059. n For details, call David Whiteman on

in the garden’s Make sure everything Dean’s lovely with the team at

Sarcococca

The garden in January can seem bleak and somewhat uninspiring, but there are a variety of evergreen shrubs that can add some much needed colour to the garden in winter and one in particular that not only has year round colour but also gives off a beautiful vanilla scent.

Sarcococca, more commonly known as Christmas box or Sweet box, is a hardy evergreen shrub with dark green foliage and produces an abundance of creamy white, highly scented flowers from December through to March. These are then followed by glossy black or red berries. A word of warning however, the berries are poisonous if eaten and sap may cause skin irritation so handle with care. Originating from the forests of Southeast Asia and the Himalayas, these plants thrive in shaded or partial shaded areas such as under trees, where generally other plants would languish and wither from lack of light. A very versatile shrub, they can be planted directly into the ground and used as groundcover (suckering types such as confusa or hookeriana var. humilis are best) or used as a low, informal hedge. They also make wonderful container plants that can be kept in areas where their beautiful scent can be appreciated by visitors, such as by the front door. Once established, Sarcococca will prove to be a generally trouble free shrub. Easy to grow and very robust, you will hardly ever need to prune these plants, other than the occasional snip here and there to keep a good shape. After pruning, apply a generous amount of mulch (about 5-7cm) of well rotted garden compost around the base of the plant. Mix in a handful of multipurpose fertiliser to give an extra feed. Though they prefer well drained, moist soils they will also grow quite happily in lime, chalk or acid soils. Keep sheltered from cold, drying winds. Sarcococca confusa has a dense, suckering habit which makes it ideal for groundcover. This is the largest and bushiest of the varieties, growing to around 6ft, with dark green glossy foliage, heavily scented white flowers and black berries. For a touch of added colour try S. hookeriana var. digyna ‘Purple Stem’. Narrow leaves, the young shoots are tinged purple and produces pink flushed flowers and black berries. This variety is also slightly more restrained than the confusa variety reaching heights of around 5ft. Smallest of the Sarcococca varieties is S. hookeriana var. humilis. This variety is ideal for use as a low hedging plant instead of box (Buxus). Densely branched, dwarf form with pink flowers and again has a suckering habit making it ideal for groundcover, the overall height reaching approximately 3ft. For a non-suckering variety S. ruscifolia var. chinensis has a low-growing, horizontal branching habit and like the other Sarcocooca’s has green foliage and white flowers but produces red berries rather than black. This particular variety is popular with flower arrangers as it can last for up to 2 weeks in water, when cut and the perfume from the flowers will permeate the whole house. A winter border in the garden can create a colourful and scented display and the use of these plants along with some good companions can give a dull, neglected corner a new lease of life. Try planting your Sarcococca with Daphne mezereum, Lonicera x purpusii and Hamamelis x intermedia (Witch Hazel) and underplant with crocus and snowdrops.

Dean’s Garden Centre, Stockton Lane Stockton on the Forest, York • Tel: 01904 400141

Grow your own with Sandra Geere

Growing your own fruit and veg is rewarding, good for the planet – and your pocket. Here’s how… There is no comfort food quite like a fruit crumble and a rhubarb crumble is hard to beat. Rhubarb is the first fruit of the season and its long, pink, tasty stems are a welcome site in spring. These early stems are produced by a process known as forcing, covering the crowns with a bucket or forcing pot to exclude the light. That first crop of rhubarb is expensive to buy in shops or markets so it 's a good crop to grow yourself. It 's an attractive, low maintenance, perennial plant with long pink to dark red stems and large green leaves. It acts as an occasional, welcome shelter for toads and frogs and you will be surprised how many people reveal themselves a closet rhubarb lovers once they know you produce it! JOBS FOR JANUARY Rhubarb contains oxalic Plant fruit trees and bushes acid, although this is Check tree ties and guards mainly concentrated in Force rhubarb the leaves. Never eat the leaves although they are LOCAL SUPPLIERS safe to put on the compost Mr Thomas 01759 371549 heap. Some people who Spent mushroom compost suffer from arthritis find that £11 for 5 bags delivered free eating rhubarb can cause a flare-up of their condition whilst others can tolerate a small amount without problems. Rhubarb needs to grow in the open ground ideally on a sunny site with a little shade from the west. It needs a period of cold to break its dormancy but do not plant in a frost pocket or where the crown can become water-logged. It needs a moist, free-draining, acidic soil with a PH of 6. It is possible to grow rhubarb from seed but it does not always come true to variety. The best way to grow it is from crowns which die in the centre as they age so cut sections with small pink buds from the outside of the crown to start new plants. Plant about one inch below soil level, mulch well but do not bury the buds or the crowns will rot. Keep the plants weed-free at all times. Buds appear in early spring. Re-plant in mid-autumn to early spring but do not pick stems in the first year - however tempting - as it gives the plants a chance to build up strength for the following year. For the same reason it is advised that only half the stems are harvested from all the plants each year. You will get continual healthy crops as a result. Never cut rhubarb but gently grip the stem at its base and gently twist and pull to remove. Some reliable varieties are Timperley Early (good for early forcing), Valentine (especially tasty) and Glaskins Perpetual which produces red, tasty stems over a long period. n Sandra specialises in creating sustainable organic kitchen gardens in small spaces and can show you how to grow crops all year round. Contact Sandra Geere Kitchen Garden Design & Consultancy 01904 655366 or email kitchgard@ geere.demon.co.uk

Top 10

gardening tools Using the correct tool makes any gardening job easier. Here are the top 10 garden tools that you need to store in your shed. 1) Spade: The right spade allows you to dig up weeds, properly plant seeds, and provide your garden with the TLC that it needs. 2) Fork: The right garden fork allows you to get into places that a spade cannot and makes it far easier to dig up weeds, cultivate flowers, and spread soil around evenly. 3) Rake: This essential tool can be used to rake leaves, spread soil, and provide all kinds of garden maintenance. 4) Shears: Garden shears are one of the best ways to create evenly-trimmed bushes, hedges and trees. Even the most beautiful bushes can look out of place if they are not cleaned up and growing evenly. 5) Hoe: This tool is essential for controlling weeds in your beds and borders. A garden hoe comes in two types â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a draw hoe which pulls the soils towards the gardener and a push hoe which pushes it. 6) Gloves: Gardening gloves are a must to prevent cuts and scratches and even stings while you work in your garden. 7) Trowel: This tool, with its pointed, scoop shaped metal blade, makes it easy to mix fertiliser and comes in handy when plotting plants. 8) Lawn mower: This useful machine, which comes in all shapes and sizes, ensures the lawn looks as good as the flowers and bushes. 9) Hedge trimmer: This gardening tool can allow you to get jobs done that would normally take hours to do. It can help you even out the entire garden area. 10) Pressure washer: For those extra hard tasks and stubborn stains that can be evident in any outdoor area, a pressure washer is an absolute must. Reaching areas that are difficult to clean, it will rid your patio and driveway of any dirt and grime.

Taking bookin gs for 20 11

Carbon Counter launched Solarwall is telling the world how it is helping customers reduce their carbon emissions. The York-based renewable energy company has produced ‘The Carbon Counter’ to show the amount of carbon emission tonnage it is helping to save. Since opening for business in 1977, Solarwall has reduced carbon emissions across Yorkshire and Humberside by installing loft and wall insulation and, more recently, solar energy systems as well as ground and air source heat pumps. It has been estimated that Solarwall has saved more than 1,500,000 tonnes of CO². This equates to roughly the same amount of carbon that the entirety of Russia produces each year.* The Carbon Counter can be viewed at www.theenergycentreyork.co.uk - a website dedicated to Solarwall’s Energy Centre at the Green Lane Trading Estate, Clifton. It is updated each week as the company completes yet more alternative energy projects. Renewables director Grant Henderson says: “After working for many years on thousands of insulation and energy projects, it is extremely rewarding to see the actual figure of what Solarwall has achieved. I look forward to seeing the amount on the website increase each week and believe it will be a big help for people looking to save energy and money on their heating bills.” * Figure from Wikipedia for 2007 global carbon emissions.

Slim your wheelie bin Community composting group York Rotters is encouraging people to make a New Year’s resolution to slim their wheelie bin. Catherine Bamford, York Rotters Project Officer, says: “Composting is nature’s way of recycling and is about turning garden and kitchen waste into compost, not only helping protect the environment but helping save money too. Composting is really easy and does not take a lot of time or require a large garden, in fact you can compost even if you only have a small yard.” York Rotters is holding a free course on ‘How To Compost’ on Saturday, 12th February, from 10am to noon, followed by a free lunch. From 1pm to 3pm there will be a session on ‘Using Your Compost to Grow Your Own in a Small Space’ run by gardening expert Sandra Geere. n To book a place on either one or both courses, call Catherine on 412861 or email rotters@stnicksfields.org.uk.

Out with

the old…

Has Santa brought you a new gadget this year? If you’ve been lucky enough to get an MP3 player, digital camera or set of hair straighteners in your Christmas stocking, don’t forget you can recycle your old ones. Electronic goods contain precious materials such as copper, iron and gold. Recycling these precious materials means that we can make good use of scarce natural resources, preventing more or being mined in the future. It’s estimated that if every household recycled just one item each, the UK could reprocess over 24,000 tonnes of unwanted electrical items into brand new goods. Recycling is not only eco friendly, you could also make a bit of extra cash, too; many websites pay cash for unwanted items. Digirecycle.com buys digital cameras, MP3 players, consoles and games, digital radios and speaker systems, sat nav and computer equipment. They can either pay cash or they can make a charity donation on your behalf. Log on to www.digirecycle. com. Boots also has its own recycling site. Payment is in the store’s Advantage Points rather than cash. Log on to www..bootsrecycle. com/consumer/ for more information on the kind of goods they’re looking for. Kids get through computer games like we get through tins of Quality Street over the festive season. Tradeyourgames is a new site that allows you to sell games, Blu-Rays and games consoles in return for a cash payment. They also allow users to trade in their unwanted games in return for credit on purchases of games from their site. Log on to www.tradeyourgames.co.uk. Finding a buyer for your old hair straighteners can be difficult. But after being inundated by GHD fans wanting to get rid of their old straighteners so they can buy the latest limited edition version, weeebuy.co.uk have added them to their list of recyclable items. They will also buy or recycle laptops, MP3 players, mobile phones, games consoles, digital cameras and E-Book readers (for those who have finally discovered that you can’t beat a good paperback). Find out more from www.weeebuy. co.uk. There are many companies that will recycle your mobile phones for cash. But if you’re feeling in a generous mood, www.recyclingappeal.com will recycle your phones and PDAs for charity.

SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEY with graham from solarwall

Wrap your home up warm this winter. With the recent spell of bad weather and the temperature regularly dropping well below freezing many people have found that their old boilers just can’t meet the demand needed and are now considering replacements. But before you rush out and replace your old out of date system, make sure that you have carried out other checks on your home first. A few energy and heat saving tricks could save you a lot over these cold months: • Swap old incandescent light bulbs for energy saving CFL or LED alternatives. Just replacing one traditional 100W light bulb in your home with a low-energy 100W equivalent bulb will save you the amount of electricity required to boil 210 litres of water in the kettle to make 1,200 cups of tea. With a standard incandescent bulb, only 10% of the energy is converted to light, meaning 90% is wasted. CFLs also last longer, meaning less money spent replacing them. • Make sure your windows and doors are draught proofed – up to 25% of heat escapes this way. If you can, replace old windows and doors with uPVC alternatives and make sure all holes properly sealed. If this isn’t possible, you can buy draughtproofing strips from any DIY store. Use a letterbox cover and a keyhole cover on an external door. Curtains are also a useful way of stopping draughts from both windows and doors. But remember that all rooms with gas or solid fuel appliances must be properly ventilated. All fires and boilers need air to burn safely and efficiently. • Ensure your home is fully insulated; A massive 35% of heat is lost through your walls and 25% through your roof. By simply ensuring your loft insulation is up to current regulations (270mm/11 inches) and your cavity is filled you can save up to £240 per year – that’s £20 a month on your heating bill! If your home doesn’t have a cavity you can still benefit from installing internal or external wall insulation, making a difference to your wallet and your warmth. If you have ticked the boxes on all the above then it might be time to consider changing your boiler; a more efficient boiler can save you up to £200 per year. And if you are interested in a greener alternative why not consider Heat Pumps, they can free you from fossil fuel dependency as they replace your existing boiler. An air source heat pump is just as easy to fit and run as a conventional boiler and with government incentives such as the Renewable Heat Incentive you can benefit from annual guaranteed cash back payments for up to 18 years. n Solarwall offer many energy & heat saving solutions for your home and workplace. If you want to find out more call free on 0800 127 005 or visit us at our show room

Green Lane Trading Estate, Clifton, York, YO30 5PY. 61

Property

with paula matthews

ROOM to improve Find out more about these and other village properties from YOUR MOVE ANSCOMBS in King’s Square, York

Terry Street, off Bishopthorpe Road

£170,000

Moorgarth Avenue, off Mount Vale £200,000

£200,000

Paula Matthews at Opus Estate Agents has been chatting to buyers and sellers all over York answering their concerns and queries. Q. How do I pick the right legal person to handle my proposed move? A. I believe recommendation is always the best way to choose anything; we deal with a reputable conveyancing firm in York who we have regular dealings with and would highly recommend to our vendors and buyers. Your estate agent will more than likely have solicitors they can put you in touch with but it is always wise to ring round a couple of others and then make your own mind up. Q. I have had a few viewings this week, but I’m worried the cold weather will put off buyers. Will this happen and what can I do about it? A. Buyers will view everything in their price bracket regardless of weather conditions. They must be serious buyers if they’ve come to see your property in the bad weather we’ve been having recently, so it sounds like you should get your buyer very soon! Q. We would prefer our estate agent to do viewings on our property for us. This is what we agreed when we put our house on the market, but our agent seems increasingly reluctant. What are your thoughts? A. It is definitely better for your agent to do the viewings as it is a very personal thing. You should insist they do the viewings if this is what you agreed when you went on the market. The agent is more likely to get an offer from a buyer than you are, as they will ask very specific questions whilst showing them round your property. Q. Why use an Estate Agent at all? I could put up a board in my garden and save on the fees that Estate Agents charge. A. Estate Agents have the experience and expertise to achieve the best price for your property and could save you thousands of pounds by negotiating. They are the professionals; equally as important as achieving a sale, they will then manage your sale through to completion liaising with solicitors, surveyors etc. Opus Estate Agents Tel: 01904 790070 www.opusmove.co.uk

Askham Fields Lane, Askham Bryan

£180,000

Fulford Road, Fulford

£200,000 For more information or to arrange a viewing call 621532

REDUCED TO SELL

£375,000

Property of th e month

£140,000 THIS SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD PROPERTY, is within 250 meters of York's Historic City walls giving easy access to the centre and all its amenities. Located on Penley's Grove Street where a new development has just been completed opposite replicating the style of properties in the area. Set over three floors the house briefly comprises an entrance hall, lounge, down stairs cloakroom, dining room, kitchen and utility room, to the first floor are two double bedrooms and a W.C and to the second floor are two further double bedrooms and a bathroom. The property is fore-courted to the front with an enclosed rear garden. NO ONWARD CHAIN Apply York Office. 4 BEDROOMED, GUEST CLOAKROOM, MINSTER VIEW BATHROOM, FRONT FORECOURT AREA ENCLOSED REAR PAVED COURTYARD, SEATING AREA

Tel: 01904 621026 www.huntersnet.co.uk

A four bedroom family home for £140,000 in York? Surely it can’t be done? But those great people at OPUS Estate Agents have a real gem on their books at the moment, and they can’t wait to tell you all about it. The property, in Rowntree Avenue, has been tastefully modernised and well maintained and is close to local shops and amenities as well as the Hospital, York St John University and the city centre. It comprises a smart and stylish living room, modern kitchen and three bedrooms, plus a very useful fourth loft bedroom with Velux windows. Outside there’s a fully enclosed rear garden, and a front garden with potential for off-street parking (subject to planning permission). It’s a fab house in a good location. And for offers over £140,000, it’s a great price too! n For more details or to arrange a viewing contact OPUS on 790070.

THE COMPLETE REFERENCE GUIDE TO YORK 2011

your Hundreds of telephone numbers and addresses

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Enjoy days out and events at local attractions

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10/12/10 11:16:09

GET IN TOUCH

information

Your first stop for any queries about City of York Council’s services should be the York Customer Centre at Guildhall, YO1 9QN. Tel. 551550. The centre offers access to information and advice on the council’s services. The office opening hours are Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm. You can also access information via the website – www.york.gov.uk For more specific queries, try one of the council’s four Directorates. These are: -

1. Adults, children & education

Children’s Centres

Fostering

Sure Start Children's Centres give all parents and their children a place to go and a one-stop shop to find the services they need - from maternity checks to child care and advice on getting back to work. There are nine Sure Start Children’s Centres in the city: -

City of York Council is always looking for people to offer long or short term foster care for children who are unable to live with their own families for any reason. Foster carers come from all different walks of life. The main concern is that you can offer a child a safe and secure environment and can understand some of the child's feelings and worries. n For more information, contact the Family Placement Team on 555310 or email adoptionandfostering@york.gov.uk

Hob Moor Children’s Centre Green Lane, Acomb YO24 4PS. Tel. 555066 Carr Children’s Centre Ostman Road, YO26 5QA. Tel. 555066 Westfield Children’s Centre Askham Lane, Acomb, YO24 3HP. Tel. 555066

This deals with all matters relating to schools, young people and childcare. They are also responsible for fostering and adoption; services for the elderly and the disabled, including respite and residential care.

Haxby Road Children’s Centre 154 Haxby Road, YO31 8JN. Tel. 552323

Schools admissions call 554248 or email education.queries@york.gov.uk

Clifton Children’s Centre Kingsway North, Clifton, YO30 6JA. Tel. 552323

Services for the elderly including Warden Call and Telecare services – call 555111 or email adult.socialsupport@york.gov.uk

St Lawrence’s Children’s Centre Heslington Road, YO10 5BW. Tel. 551250

Mental health services Emergency out-of-hours duty team call 762314 Social services emergency duty team call 0845 034 9417

Family Information Service York Family Information service provides free and impartial information to all mums, dads and carers of 0-19 year olds (up to 25 with a disability or additional need). They can give advice on finding and paying for childcare in the city; working with children; parenting; holiday activities; Children's Centres and family activities; returning to work and services and support for young people. Contact York FIS on 554444, or text 'info' to 07624 802244 and they’ll call you back. You can also call in to their offices at Mill House, North StreetYO1 6JQ or log on to fis@york.gov

The Avenues Children’s Centre Sixth Avenue, YO31 0UT. Tel. 551250

New Earswick Children’s Centre Hawthorn terrace, YO32 4BY. Tel. 552323 Knavesmire Children’s Centre Trafalgar street, York YO23 1HY. Tel. 630129 n You can find out more about York’s Children’s Centres by logging on to www. yorkchildrenscentres.org.uk School governors Schools need governers. They set targets for pupils and encourage them to aim high, take general responsiblity for the school and manage its budget. They ensure the curriculum is balanced, appoint staff and monitor them. Almost anyone aged over 18 can become a school governor; you don’t need to be a parent or have professional skills and qualifications; as long as you care about improving education, can work as part of a team, open to new ideas and willing to accept training, you may be just what local schools are looking for. n For more information, contact the Governance Service Manager on 554258, or email governance.service@york.gov.uk

Sharing Care Most families with disabled children need a break from time to time. With Sharing Care, fully trained adults look after a particular child on a regular basis in their own home. Sharing Care is open to any child or young person living within the City of York boundaries who has a disability and has been assessed by the Children's Services as needing a short break or sitting service. To become a Sharing Carer you do not need any formal qualifications but you do need to understand and like children, have plenty of common sense, patience, a willingness to learn, a sense of humour and the flexibility to adapt to different situations. n For more information, contact Sharing Care on 551550 or email sharingcare@york.gov.uk

2. City strategy This department deals to all matters relating to the city’s future development. This includes transport and emergency planning, tourism and visitor information and training opportunities. n For planning permission matters, call 551553 or email planning.enquiries@york.gov.uk

Trading Standards n If you have a problem with goods or services you have bought, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. n Businesses in the City of York seeking advice on complying with the law should contract Trading Standards 551562 or email trading.standards@york.gov.uk.

3. Communities and neighbourhoods Deals with anything relating to our day to day lives, from housing, street cleaning and environmental health to problems with parking and trading standards. They also deal with civic amenities such as libraries, sports centres and public parks. Transport: 551429 Transport for disabled people: 551403 Dial and Ride: 624455 York Wheels: 630080 Cycling: 551608 Cycle training: 551646

4. Customer & business support For information on council tax, housing and welfare benefits. It’s also home to the York Customer Centre, a one-stop shop for residents’ queries. Council Tax You can pay your bill by Direct Debit, by Debit Cards and online payments, by cheque or postal order, or using a 'Council Tax allpay card' at any PostOffice, shop or garage displaying the 'PayPoint' sign. If you get into arrears with your instalments you will receive a reminder showing how much you need to pay to bring your account up to date. If you do not pay, or you bring your account up to date but fail to make future payments on time, you will lose the right to pay by instalments, and the full charge will become due. n If you have a problem paying your council tax, call 551558 or email council.tax@york.gov. uk - don't wait until you receive a reminder.

need to call? Courts:

Useful bodies and helplines:

The Coroner's Office Sentinel House, Peasholme Green, York Y01 7PP (01904) 716000

Domestic violence national helpline:

0808 2000 247

Samaritans:

08457 909090

Crown Prosecution Service United House, Piccadilly, York, YO1 9PQ 01904 545 400 www.cps.gov.uk

Gas (leaks):

0800 111999

Yorkshire Water:

08451 242424

NHS Direct:

0845 46 47

Floodline: Environment Agency

0845 988 1188 0800 807060

York County Court Piccadilly House, 55 Piccadilly, York YO1 9W 01904 688 550 www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk York Crown court York Castle, Tower St, York, YO1 9WZ 01904 645 121 www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk York & Selby Magistrates Court Law Courts, Clifford Street, York YO1 9RE 01904 818300 www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk

Police & Emergency numbers Crime prevention & community safety In an emergency situation, if there is a crime in progress or if there is a threat to life. Police, fire and ambulance: 999 For all non-emergency enquiries, to contact an officer or police station or to report an incident that does not require immediate attention call the non emergency number North Yorkshire Police: 0845 6060247 Safer York Partnership: 669069 Community policing:

Retailers Against Crime: 651837

Benefits service – call 552240

Shopmobility:

Useful numbers York Register Office

0845 6060247

654477

Homelessness: Emergency out-of-hours duty team

762314

York Pride Action Line

551551

Roads, highways & pavements: Traffic management 551450; Traffic signals 551652 24-hour traffic signal hotline 654871 To report any problems with roads or footpaths, including potholes, obstructions, damaged street furniture and dumped rubbish. Tel: 551551. To report a faulty street light or illuminated sign. Freephone: 0800 9 1515 22 Sports and leisure centres Energise:

552424

Yearsley Swimming Pool:

552424

Tennis, bowling and football facilities:

553400

Walking:

553372

Coaching:

553440

679222

Health & Safety at work: 0845 345 0055 Childline:

0800 1111

RSPCA Cruelty Line:

0300 1234999

Anti-Terrorist Hotline:

0800 7890321

Ombudsmen: The Parliamentary and Health Service Investigates complaints about government departments and certain other public bodies. They can also look into complaints about NHS hospitals or community health services Tel: 0345 015 4033 Local Government Iinvestigates complaints about local councils and some other local organisations. if you need any help – call 0300 061 0614 or 0845 602 1983 or contact their York Office at: Beverley House 17 Shipton Rd, York, North Yorkshire YO30 5FZ Tel: 01904 380 200 Financial Ombudsman Service Deals with consumer complaints about most personal financial matters

British Transport Police: 0800 405040

Tel: 0845 080 1800

Crimestoppers

Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints about services provided by legal advisers.

0800 555111

Neighbourhood Watch

Tel: 0300 555 0333

Neighbourhood Watch first came to York as "The Good Neighbour Scheme" in the late 1980’s and then changed its name to Neighbourhood Watch in 1994. Today in York there are around 1,600 schemes covering over 40,000 households - easily the largest Neighbourhood Watch group in North Yorkshire.

Property Ombudsman. All estate agents must belong to a regulatory scheme approved by the Office of Fair Trading

There are over 3,000 watch schemes operating in York including Neighbourhood Watch, School Watch, Shop Watch, Pubwatch, Farm Watch, Allotment Watch and even Golf Watch. Community Watch and Neighbourhood Watch are voluntary organisations supported by the Home Office, Police Force, Council, Safer York Partnership and other voluntary and business groups. In addition, the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network for England and Wales aims to link schemes across the country. n You can find out about Neighbourhood Watch from the police on 0845 6060247 or the Safer York Partnership on (01904) 669069

Tel: 01722 333 306 Housing Ombudsman Deals with complaints about maladministration by social housing landlords such as housing associations, housing trusts and co-operatives. Tel: 0300 111 3000 Prisons & Probation Ombudsman Considers complaints about most aspects of a prisoner’s treatment in prison, including disciplinary hearings. They also deal with complaints by people on probation. Tel: 020 7276 2876 or 08450 0107938 Energy Supply Ombudsman Set up to sort out disagreements between gas and electricity companies (energy companies) and their domestic and small business customers. Tel: 0330 440 1624 or 01925 530 263 69

Term times Term Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Summer 2011 Summer 2011 Summer 2011 Autumn 2011 Autumn 2011 Autumn 2011 Spring 2012

Primary schools Acomb Primary West Bank, York YO24 4ES tel: (01904) 798453 Archbishop of York's CE Junior Bishopthorpe, York YO23 2QT tel: (01904) 706272 Badger Hill Primary Crossways, Hull Road, York, YO10 5JF tel: 01904 410213 Bishopthorpe Infant Sim Balk Lane, Bishopthorpe,York,YO23 2QQ tel: 01904 707506 Burton Green Primary Burton Green, Clifton, York, YO30 6JE tel: 01904 655028 Carr Infant Ostman Road, Acomb, York, YO26 5QA tel: 01904 798266 Carr Junior Ostman Road, Acomb, York, YO26 5QA tel: 01904 798996 Clifton Green Kingsway North, Clifton, York, YO30 6JA tel: (01904) 627270 Clifton with Rawcliffe Junior Rawcliffe Lane, Clifton Without, York, YO30 6NS tel: (01904) 624568 Copmanthorpe Primary Low Green, Yorkfield Lane, Copmanthorpe, York, YO23 3SB tel: (01904) 705400 Derwent Schools Federation Osbaldwick Lane, York, YO10 3AX tel: (01904) 413231 Dringhouses Primary St. Helen's Road, York, YO24 1HW tel: (01904) 706493 70

Dunnington CE Pear Tree Lane, Dunnington, York, YO19 5QG tel: (01904) 489615 Elvington CE Dauby Lane, Elvington, York, YO41 4HP tel: (01904) 608398 English Martyrs' RC Primary Hamilton Drive, Holgate, York, YO24 4JW tel: (01904) 791370 Fishergate Primary Fishergate, York, YO10 4AP tel: (01904) 623511 Haxby Road Primary 154 Haxby Road, York, YO31 8JN tel: (01904) 653218 Headlands Primary Oak Tree Lane, Holly Tree Meadows, Haxby, York, YO32 2YH tel: (01904) 762356 Hempland Primary Whitby Avenue, York, YO31 1ET tel: (01904) 421065 Heworth CE Primary 53 Heworth Road, York, YO31 0AA tel: (01904) 424742 Hob Moor Community Primary Green Lane, Acomb, York, YO24 4PS tel: (01904) 555000 Huntington Primary North Moor Road, Huntington, York, YO32 9QT tel: (01904) 768636 Knavesmire Primary Campleshon Road, York, YO23 1HY tel: (01904) 653279 Lakeside Primary Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, York, YO30 4YL tel: (01904) 691473

1st half of term half-term holiday 2nd half of term 1st half of term half-term holiday 2nd half of term 1st half of term half-term holiday 2nd half of term 1st half of term

Begins Tue 4 Jan Mon 21 Feb Mon 28 Feb Tues 26 Apr Mon 30 May Mon 6 June Thurs 1 Sept Mon 24 Oct Mon 31 Oct Tue 3 Jan

Ends Fri 18 Feb Fri 25 Feb Fri 8 Apr Fri 27 May Fri 3 June Fri 22 July Fri 21 Oct Fri 28 Oct Fri 16 Dec Fri 10 Feb

Lord Deramore's Primary School Lane, Heslington, York, YO10 5EE tel: (01904) 410457 Naburn CE Primary Naburn, York, YO10 4PP tel: (01904) 633287 New Earswick Primary Hawthorn Terrace, New Earswick, York, YO32 4BY Osbaldwick Primary The Leyes, Osbaldwick, York, YO10 3PR tel: (01904) 411036 Our Lady's RC Primary Windsor Garth, Acomb, York, YO24 4QW tel: (01904) 791646 Park Grove Primary Park Grove, York, YO31 8LP tel: (01904) 659727 Poppleton Ousebank Primary Upper Poppleton, York, YO26 4UP tel: (01904) 795930 Poppleton Road Primary Poppleton Road, York, YO26 4UP tel: (01904) 798789 Ralph Butterfield Primary Station Road, Haxby, York, YO32 3LS tel: (01904) 768325 Rawcliffe Infant Eastholme Drive, Rawcliffe, Clifton, York, YO30 5TA tel: (01904) 624772 Robert Wilkinson Primary Strensall, York, YO32 5UH tel: (01904) 490306 Rufforth Primary Wetherby Road, Rufforth, York, YO23 3QF tel: (01904) 738347 Scarcroft Primary Moss Street, York, YO23 1BS tel: (01904) 653569

Skelton Primary Brecksfield, Skelton, York, YO30 1YB tel: (01904) 470344 St. Aelred's RC Primary Fifth Avenue, York, YO31 0QQ tel: (01904) 422800 St. Barnabas' CE Primary Jubilee Terrace, Leeman Road, York, YO26 4YZ tel: (01904) 653323 St. George's RC Primary 1 Winterscale Street, York, YO10 4BT tel: (01904) 636427 St. Lawrence's CE Primary Heslington Road, York, YO10 5BW tel: (01904) 625131 St. Mary's CE Primary Askham Richard, York, YO23 3PD tel: (01904) 707125 Stockton on the Forest Primary The Village, Stockton on the Forest, York, YO32 9UP tel: (01904) 400366 St. Oswald's CE Primary Fulford, York, YO10 4LX tel: (01904) 555421 St. Paul's CE Primary St. Paul's Terrace, Holgate, York, YO24 4BJ tel: (01904) 625240 St. Wilfrid's RC Primary Monkgate, York, YO31 7PB tel: (01904) 659726 Tang Hall Primary Sixth Avenue, York, YO31 0UT tel: (01904) 424765 Westfield Primary Community Askham Lane, Acomb, York, YO24 3HP tel: (01904) 798451 Wheldrake CE Primary North Lane, Wheldrake, York, YO19 6BB tel: (01904) 448564 Wigginton Primary Westfield Lane, Wigginton, York, YO32 2FZ tel: (01904) 761647 Woodthorpe Primary Summerfield Road, York, YO24 2RU tel: (01904) 705462 Yearsley Grove Primary Yearsley Grove, Huntington, York, YO31 9BX tel: (01904) 656681

Secondary schools All Saints’ RC (Lower Site) Nunnery Lane, York, YO23 1JG (Upper Site) Mill Mount Lane, York, YO24 1BJ tel: 01904 647877 Archbishop Holgate's CE Hull Road, York, YO10 5ZA tel: 01904 411341 Burnholme Community College Bad Bargain Lane, York, YO31 0GW tel: 01904 415906 Canon Lee Secondary Rawcliffe Drive, Clifton Without, York, YO30 6ZS tel: 01904 560000 Fulford Secondary Fulfordgate, Heslington Lane, Fulford, York, YO10 4FY tel: 01904 633300

Huntington Secondary Huntington, York, YO32 9WT tel: 01904 752100 Joseph Rowntree Secondary Haxby Road, New Earswick, York, YO32 4BZ tel: 01904 552100 Manor CE Millfield Lane, York, YO26 6PA tel: 01904 798722 Millthorpe Secondary Nunthorpe Avenue, York, YO23 1WF tel: 01904 686400 York High Cornlands Road, Acomb, York, YO24 3DX tel: 01904 555500

Libraries

Special schools

Rawcliffe Lane, Clifton, York YO30 5SJ. n Tel: 627464.

Hob Moor Oaks School Green Lane, Acomb, York, YO24 4PS tel: 01904 555000 Applefields School Bad Bargain Lane, York YO31 0LW tel: 01904 553900

Independent schools Bootham School 49 - 57 Bootham, York Y030 7BU Tel: 01904 623261 Bootham Junior School Rawcliffe Lane, York Y030 6NP Tel: 01904 655021 The Minster School Deangate, York YO1 7JA Tel; 0844 939 0000 The Mount School Dalton Terrace, York, North Yorks YO24 4DD Tel: 01904 66750 St. Peter’s School Clifton, York YO30 6AB Tel: (01904) 527300 St Olave’s School Clifton, York YO30 6AB Tel (01904) 527416 Clifton Pre-prep School Clifton, York YO30 6AB Tel (01904) 527361 Queen Margaret’s School Escrick Park, YORK YO19 6EU Tel: 01904 728261 York Steiner School Danesmead, Fulford Cross, York YO10 4PB Telephone: 01904 654983

Higher Education York College Sim Balk Lane, York YO23 2BB Tel: 01904 770200 University Of York Heslington, York YO10 5DD Tel: 01904 320000 Askham Bryan College Askham Bryan, York YO23 3FR Telephone: 01904 772277 York St John University Lord Mayor's Walk, York, YO31 7EX T: 01904 624624

Explore York Museum St, Y01 7DS n Tel: 655631

Explore Acomb Front Street, Acomb, York YO24 3BZ. n Tel: 552651.

Bishopthorpe Main Street, Bishopthorpe, York YO23 2RB. n Tel: 705386.

Clifton

Copmanthorpe Village Centre, Main Street, Copmanthorpe, York YO23 3SU. n Tel: 709457.

Dringhouses Tadcaster Road, Dringhouses, York YO24 1LR. n Tel: 706046.

Dunnington The Reading Room, Church Street, Dunnington, York YO19 5PW. n Tel: 488456.

Fulford St Oswald¹s CE School, Heslington Lane, Fulford, York YO10 4LX. n Tel: 555444.

Haxby Station Road, Haxby, York YO32 3LT. n Tel: 768811.

Huntington Garth Road, Huntington, York YO32 9QJ. n Tel: 768991.

Explore New Earswick New Earswick Children¹s Centre, Hawthorn Terrace, New Earswick, York, YO32 4BY. n Tel: 552629.

Poppleton The Village, Upper Poppleton,York YO26 6JT. n Tel: 794877.

Strensall 19 The Village, Strensall, York YO32 5XS. n Tel: 490876.

Tang Hall Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall, York YO31 0PR. n Tel: (01904) 416429.

The 24/7 automated renewals line is

01904 552833 71

Waste Recycling Centres

Askham Bar - White Line • Tel: 883100 • YO24 1LW

York Council provide a service for collecting bulky household waste, such as furniture, domestic appliances and bags of waste (asbestos is not collected by bulky household collections but separate asbestos collections are available). You can book a collection for up to ten items to be removed. Fridges, freezers, pianos and cast-iron baths are booked separately.

Monday - Saturday From First Bus Last Bus Askham Bar 06.00 19.45 Tower Street 06.15 19.15

There is a charge for these collections: General bulky waste: £29 for up to 10 items. Fridge or freezer: £15.50 per item. Cast-iron baths & Pianos: are assessed on an individual basis.

Buses run every 10 minutes and more frequently at busy times

Sunday First Bus 10.00 10.15

Last Bus 17.45 18.00

Bus Stops Blossom Street for Micklegate Bar Railway Station for National Railway Museum Rougier Street for Minster • Tower Street for Castle Museum/Jorvik

Grimston Bar - Yellow Line • Tel: 883090 • YO19 5LA Monday - Saturday From First Bus Last Bus Grimston Bar 07.00 19.45 Piccadilly 07.10 20.00

Sunday First Bus 10.00 10.10

Last Bus 17.45 18.00

Bus Stops Morrisons Supermarket Peasholme Green (inbound only) for City Walls Piccadilly for City Centre Shops • Walmgate (outbound only)

Rawcliffe Bar - Green Line • Tel: 883990 • YO30 5XZ Monday - Saturday From First Bus Last Bus Rawcliffe Bar 07.00 19.45 Museum St 07.10 20.00

Sunday First Bus 10.00 10.10

Last Bus 17.45 18.00

Bus Stops Leeman Road for National Railway Museum Station Avenue for Railway Station Museum Street for Minster, City Centre shops & attractions

Designer Outlet - Red Line • Tel: 883000 • YO19 4TA Monday - Saturday From First Bus Last Bus McArthur Glen 07.00 20.00 Clifford Street 07.10 20.00

Sunday First Bus 9.30 9.10

Last Bus 18.20 18.00

Bus Stops Clifford Street for York Dungeon & City Centre Shops Rougier Street for Minster Railway Station for National Railway Museum

Monks Cross - Silver Line • Tel: 883993 • YO32 9JU Monday - Saturday From First Bus Last Bus Monks Cross 07.00 19.45 Rougier Street 07.20 20.00

Sunday First Bus 10.00 10.10

Last Bus 17.45 18.00

Bus Stops Peasholme Green, Stonebow (inbound) for City Centre Rougier Street for Railway Station & National Railway Museum Pavement - Marks & Spencer (outbound)

Bus information You can call the Bus Info

(01904) 551400 number for bus information. Calls are answered by Traveline Yorkshire, who will be able to help with all public transport enquiries. Lines are open between 8.00am and 8.00pm, seven days a week. 72

An asbestos collection service is available to York residents for the removal of asbestos items such as corrugated roofing sheets, guttering and pipes.

Beckfield Lane

Beckfield Lane, York YO26 5PW April to September: Monday to Friday 5.00pm to 7.00pm Saturday and Sunday: 10.00am to 2.00pm October to March: Monday: 5.00pm to 7.00pm, Friday: 5.00pm to 7.00pm The site is closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during winter Saturday and Sunday: 10.00am to 2.00pm Recycling facilities Paper, glass, cans, textiles, cardboard, plastic bottles, wood, scrap metal, garden waste, soil and rubble, household batteries, fridges and freezers, electrical equipment.

Hazel Court

James Street, York April to September: Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 7.00pm Sundays 8.30am to 4.00pm October to March: Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 5.00pm Sundays 8.30am to 4.00pm Recycling and disposal facilities Facilities are available to recycle and compost the following materials: Paper, cans, glass, cardboard, cartons, car oil, wood, plastic bottles, textiles, shoes, books, garden waste, soil, electrical equipment, fluorescent tubes, mobile phones, ink cartridges, DVD's, CD's and household batteries, fridges and freezers and general waste for disposal to landfill.

Towthorpe/Strensall Moor Lane, Strensall, York YO32 9ST March: Monday to Sunday from 8.30am to 5.00pm April to September: Monday to Sunday from 8.30am to 7.00pm October: Monday to Sunday from 8.30am to 5.00pm November to February: Monday to Sunday from 8.30am to 4.00pm Recycling facilities The following items can be recycled or composted at this site: Paper, glass, cans, shoes, textiles, cardboard, cartons, car oil, fluorescent tubes, electrical items, plastic bottles, wood, scrap metal, soil and turf, brick rubble and household batteries. Household Waste Recycling Centre Permit Scheme York householders with vans, trailers or hire vehicles will need a booklet of free permits to take rubbish and recycling to any of the sites. Landlords and students are also affected by this scheme. Please note: Your permit booklets do not have an expiry date. Please only reapply when you have used all of your 12 permits. How does the scheme work for households? If you use a hire vehicle (van), trailer or larger vehicle such as a 4x4 you will need a permit each time you use the site. You will be provided with 12 free permits, these permits have no expiry date. For each visit you make in a vehicle that needs a permit you will have to hand 1 permit into the site staff All permits for householders are FREE of charge. Permits will only be issued to York Residents

Waste & Recycling Household waste special collections

Tel: 551551 Commercial waste:

Tel: 553270 or 553282 Hazardous and clinical waste:

Tel: 551551

Recycling banks in York Recycling banks in the city centre Recycling bank What you can recycle Union Terrace Car Park, Clarence St Sainsbury's Car Park, Foss Bank Monk Bar Car Park, Lord Mayors Walk Marygate Car Park, Marygate Nunnery Lane Car Park, Nunnery Lane St George's Field Car Park, Tower St National Railway Museum, Leeman Road

Paper, glass, cans, textiles Paper, glass, cans, textiles, books, foil, shoes, music Paper, glass, plastic bottles, cans, books, music Paper, glass, cans Paper, glass shoes, books Paper, glass, shoes, cans Paper, glass, cans, books

Recycling banks in the east of the city East Parade Car Park, Heworth Magnet Inn, Osbaldwick B & Q Store Car Park, Hull Rd Grimston Bar Park & Ride, Hull Rd Netto Stores Car Park, Layerthorpe Derwent Arms Public House, Osbaldwick Deans Garden Centre, Stockton on Forest Fox Inn Car Park, Stockton on Forest Scout hut, Wheldrake Rd, Elvington

Paper Glass Paper, glass, cans, shoes, plastic bottles, textiles Paper, glass, cans, Paper, textiles Glass Paper, glass, cans, textiles Paper, glass, cans Paper

Recycling banks in the north of the city Bell Farm Social Hall, Roche Avenue Tesco, Clifton Moor Ryedale Court Co-op Car Park, Haxby Flag & Whistle Public House, Huntington Yearsley Grove Pub, Huntington Asda Supermarket, Monks Cross Sainsbury's Supermarket, Monks Cross Manor Lane Caravan Park, Rawcliffe Rawcliffe Bar Park & Ride Dunelm Mill Shop, Clifton Moor

How to apply for household permits Call the City of York Council Customer Centre on (01904) 551551 or download the application form from their website www.york.gov.uk You will need to provide supporting documentation, which is detailed on the application form. Return the form by post only to Neighbourhood Services, PO Box 643, York, YO1 0EY. All application forms will be processed and if approved permits will be posted out within 10 working days.

Landlord's permits If you are a landlord you can take any waste, left on site by your tenants, free of charge to the sites. You need to apply for free permits to do this. Each landlord will be provided with three permits per house.

Students at the end of term If you are a student clearing your rented house at the end of term in readiness to leave the property and you want to use a household waste recycling centre with a trailer, hire van, van or other large vehicles, you will be able to do this without a permit. You will, however, have to produce your up to date student union card which must bear a photograph of you on it. This must be produced when you enter the site.

Paper, glass, cans, plastic bottles Paper, glass, cans, textiles, foil, plastic bottles, cardboard, cartons Paper, glass, cans, textiles, shoes Glass, textiles Paper, glass, cans Paper, glass, cans, textiles, books, foil, shoes, music, cartons Paper, glass, cans, textiles, books, foil, shoes, music, plastic bottles, card. Paper, glass, cans Paper, glass, cans, textiles, shoes Textiles

Recycling banks in the south of the city St Andrews Church Car Park, Bishopthorpe Paper, Cartons Bishopthorpe Road Car Park, South Bank Paper, glass, cans, textiles, books Broadway shops, Fulford Paper, textiles Designer Outlet Store, Fulford Paper, glass, cans, textiles Recreation Ctre, Barons Cres., Copmanthorpe Plastic bottles Wheldrake Village Hall Paper, glass

Recycling banks in the west of the city Acomb Wood Drive Car Park Paper Morrisons Car Park, Acomb Paper, glass, cans, textiles, shoes Ainsty Car Park, Carr Lane Glass Puss 'n' Boots Public House, Hamilton Drive Glass Cambridge Street, Holgate Rd Paper Livingstone Street, Leeman Rd Paper Tesco's Car Park, Askham Bar Paper, glass, cans, textiles, books, shoes, plastic bottles, card, cartons Red Lion Inn, Knapton Glass Maxi's, Ings Lane, Nether Poppleton Glass Red Lion Hotel, Upper Poppleton Glass Wyevale Garden Centre, Upper Poppleton Paper, textiles Rose & Crown Public House, Askham Richard Paper, glass Wains Grove Shops, Dringhouses Paper Poppleton Community Centre, Plastic bottles

Parks & Nature Reserves York boasts a great variety of green spaces. There are formal parks and gardens, informal spaces such as ancient strays, commons, woods and river meadows. Below is all the information you will need to make the most of these wonderful open spaces……

Clarence gardens

These small, traditional public gardens, enclosed by mature trees, offer a breathing space in a busy urban setting. They are situated adjacent to York District Hospital. Facilities Formal gardens with rose beds and plenty of benches, three bowling greens and a well equipped children's play area.

Dean's Park

Dean's Park is to the north side of York Minster. It is one of York's best loved places, with magnificent views of the Minster and is home to the Cathedral Library. Facilities Refreshment stand for ice-cream and soft drinks during the summer months.

Glen Gardens

A traditional neighbourhood park on Heworth's main street, one mile east of York city centre. Facilities Rose gardens, two bowling greens, tennis courts - county standard a basketball court and a well equipped children's play area, toilets

Homestead Park

Avenues and groups of ornamental trees give spring and autumn colour. This well-maintained park is a popular place for picnics. Facilities Herbaceous borders, under 12’s play area including equipment for children with disabilities and toilets

Hull Road Park

A varied, traditional 25-acre park, alongside Osbaldwick Back in Tang Hall. A good place for ball games and picnics. Facilities Woodland walk with mature tress and spring bulbs, bowling green, 2 tennis courts (recreational standard) basketball court, toilets

Rowntree Park

Managed by the City of York Council. Rowntree Park has been awarded a Green Flag Award each year since 2004. Sites with Green Flag Awards are considered to be the best in the country. Facilities Woodland walk and tree trails, ornamental lake with ducks and geese, half of the lake available for use by model boats, 2 bowling greens, 6 tennis courts, skate park, basketball court, cafe, toilets, well equipped children's play area

Treasurer's House Garden

The Treasurer's House is a National Trust property in central York. It has two very different gardens, tucked away in a secluded, peaceful area behind York Minster. The Treasurer's House front garden has plenty of benches from which to admire the simple, architectural design laid out in 1900 by the owner, Frank Green. The terrace walls contain architectural fragments from the many re-buildings of the Minster and visitors to the garden can enjoy full views of the striking Minster Chapterhouse. The Organic Herb Garden, to the rear of the 17th century house, will delight with its sights and smells. Facilities There are toilets, a tearoom and art gallery in the house. Admission is free to these facilities. See the Treasurer's House website for admission charges to view the house.

West Bank Park

This beautiful urban 20-acre park is an unexpected find in the middle of Holgate, occupying the former site of the 19th century Backhouse Nurseries. It boasts a mature woodland and former arboretum at the top end of the park (off Acomb Road) with many specimen trees including dawn redwoods and a giant redwood. The woodland attracts many bird species, including the long tailed tit, goldcrest and greater spotted woodpecker. Facilities woodland walk and tree trails, meadow picnic area, rose terraces and pergola walk, 2 bowling greens, basketball court refreshments, toilets, 2 play areas - for under 11 years and over 11 years old.

Yorkshire Museum Gardens

The ten-acre botanical Museum Gardens, around the Yorkshire Museum, stretch from the River Ouse up to the back of York Art Galley, and from Marygate on one side to Museum Street on the other. The gardens are a popular picnic spot. They were planted in the 1830s, when the Yorkshire Philosophical Society opened the museum. The gardens are a listed Botanical Garden and contain many varieties of trees, deciduous and evergreen, native and exotic, and were laid out to show off the buildings and plant specimens as they were introduced. Look out for the Common Pear Tree, close to the river, which is thought to be the oldest of all the trees in the gardens. Or examine the trunk of the magnificent Oak Barked Beech planted in 1840s /1850s and see where the bark changes from smooth grey to rough pear bark tree. Buildings within the Museum Gardens

St Mary's Abbey

The ruins of St Mary's Abbey, first built in 1088, are all that remain of one of the wealthiest and most powerful Benedictine monasteries in England. Abbey Walls and Gateway The stone walls that surrounded the abbey were built in the 1260s and they remain the most complete set of abbey walls in the country. Hospitium The ground floor of this timber and stone building is medieval and would have served as a guest house or barn to the monastery. St Leonard's Hospital St Leonard's Hospital was the largest medieval hospital in England and cared for the ill and infirm of York. Roman Fortress When the Romans arrived in York in 70AD, they built this fortress to house the 5000 men of the VIth legion. The fortress was rebuilt in the third or forth centuries. York Observatories The York Observatory was built in 1832 and 1833 and is the oldest working observatory in Yorkshire.

Informal spaces Acomb Green

A local green space, a short distance from Acomb Front Street. The site is three acres in size and surrounded by roads on all sides. Facilities Play area, grass area for sitting or informal games, War Memorial with seating area

Bachelor Hill

A well-hidden site which is worth seeking out. Grassy slopes and a hill top copse of pine trees make this an attractive place for a picnic. Entering the site from Askham Lane brings you to the top of the sandy knoll. Facilities Panoramic views across the city to the Yorkshire Wolds and North York Moors nature conservation site with many species of butterfly

Bootham Stray

Bootham Stray is an important part of the historic landscape of York and a link to the surrounding farmland. There is a great sense of space but the busy Wigginton Road, cutting through the stray, makes this a piece of countryside in the city. There is more than 100 acres of grassland, with large parts grazed by cattle.

Fishponds Wood and Beech Grove

Fishponds Wood is hidden behind the houses of Danebury Drive and Rosedale Avenue. The developing woodland of mixed trees and shrubs provides food and cover for songbirds. There is an area of wetland that is the site of an old fishpond. Beech Grove is a narrow unfenced area alongside the road, with informal paths between the trees. The grove of veteran beech trees is a remnant of an avenue planted when this area was part of the grounds of Acomb Hall.

Heworth Holme

Six acres of wet grassland alongside the Tang Hall Beck, and a small wood on higher ground. It is a remnant of old countryside in the town, protected from development by its regular winter flooding. Facilities Mown grass area - good for summer games but wet in winter. Woodland walk for snowdrops in early spring

Heworth Stray

The stray was part of the ancient Heworth Moor, before it was acquired as stray land for the Freemen of Monk Ward. This is a pleasant, open area of mown grass with a variety of trees giving welcome shade in summer; a good place to kick a ball about or fly a kite.

Micklegate Stray (The Knavesmire)

This is the largest and best known of York's historic strays. Micklegate Stray is made up of distinct areas: Scarcroft Green, Scarcroft, Hospital Fields and Hob Moor Allotments,Hob Moor, Little Hob Moor and the Knavesmire, home to the city's famous racecourse, and the Little Knavesmire. Facilities Children's play area on Scarcroft Green, croquet lawn and bowling greens on Scarcroft Green, allotments sites at Scarcroft, Hospital Fields and Hob Moor, 30 football pitches

home to Hamilton Panthers Football Club and Ovington Cricket Club

Rawcliffe Bar Country Park

Some 2000 trees and 1,500 woodland shrubs were planted during the establishment of the Country Park. Developing woodland includes willow, birch and pine with oak and ash. Hawthorn, blackthorn and dog rose thickets give nesting cover and food for an increasing range of birds. The country park office is the focus for activity days and special events and can be booked for use by school parties. Contact City of York Council, Parks and Open Spaces on 01904 553392. Facilities Country Park office/classroom children's play area, toilets at Park and Ride

Walmgate Stray

Walmgate Stray, commonly known as Low Moor, is a remnant of York's historic landscape. It covers the marshy area of Low Moor and two sections either side of The Retreat. Low Moor is criss-crossed by informal paths, and in winter the going is often wet and muddy. It is, however, worth putting on your boots for a walk which will give you the sense of getting away from the city and meeting the cattle which graze this area for part of the year. Chapmans pond This former clay workings is the one of the five remaining flooded brick pits in the York area with free public access. The pond is well stocked with a variety of coarse fish species and has 3 fishing platforms, one recently adapted for wheelchair access. It is surrounded by meadow grassland and scrub woodland. Rawcliffe lake A hidden treasure in Rawcliffe with entrances off Kentmere Drive, Beaverdyke and Oakdale road. The lake is available for fishing (rod licence needed) and is bordered by a tarmac path for easy access.

Nature reserves Acomb Wood and Meadow

Designated in March 2007, this is York's newest nature reserve. The ten acres of mixed woodland and ancient meadow is a green oasis in the middle of a large housing estate. Parts of the wood have had a chequered history with plantation planting and periods of neglect. Old ridge and furrow suggest the area was planted with trees in the 18th century, after a time as arable fields. Across Acomb Wood Drive is West Wood managed by theWoodland Trust. Uncommon woodland wild flowers, including sanicle and twayblade, suggest this is an ancient woodland site. Wildlife Birds great spotted woodpecker, treecreeper, nuthatch, coaltit, long-tailed tit, robin, thrush, willow warbler, tawny owl. Butterflies small skipper, common blue, small copper. Wildflowers a wide variety of wildflowers in the Old Hay Meadow.

concrete airfield paths that provide level access today and the old blast shelters. Wildlife Birds warblers, blackbirds, field flares, redwings, herons and kingfishers Animals water voles, fox, deer and field mouse Wildflowers / Grasses dog's tail, knapweed, red clover, great burnet, pignut Waterside plants watercress, water forget-menot

Hob Moor

Hob Moor Local Nature Reserve is part of the Knavesmire, one of York's ancient commons. The land is unimproved pasture which is traditionally grazed over the summer months by cows. This has ensured that a special floristic habitat thrives and provides valuable breeding habitat for skylark and meadow pipet, both of which are endangered species in the United Kingdom. Hob Moor Local Nature Reserve has some great archaeological features, including two types of ridge and furrow. The broad medieval type which covers the majority of the central areas, and the narrow Napoleonic ridge and furrow, is evidence of cultivation on site up to recent times. Across on the Little Hob Moor is the Plague Stone and the Hobstone. Wildlife Birds meadow pipit, skylark (several pairs breed each year), whinchat, wheatear, yellow wagtail (pass through during migration periods), merlin (recorded most years). Wildflowers/Grasses buttercup, bulbous buttercup, common sorrel, pignut, common bent, cats ear, harebell, heath bedstraw, tormentil, sheep's sorrel, heath grass, English elm, guelder rose, hazel.

St Nicholas Fields Facilities York Environment Centre, is a sustainable community centre with many energy saving features and sustainability display. The centre is open most days subject to staffing Base of community recycling and composting projects. Toilets in York Environment Centre Description This 24-acre site, was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2004. In the Middle Ages, this land was open fields, grazed by the cattle belonging to the monks from St. Nicholas Hospital. Since then it has been a brick works, the city rubbish dump and an unofficial wild site. Now reclaimed and home to a wide range of species, developing habitats including meadows and woodland. Wildlife Birds goldfinches, chaffinch, bullfinch, brambling, siskin, robin, wrens, sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, song and mistle thrushes. Migrant redwings can be seen in winter. Butterflies common blue butterfly, holly blue butterfly, orange tip butterfly, ringlet butterfly, meadow brown butterfly.

Clifton Backies

Clifton Backies was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 2002. It is situated between Bootham Stray and Water Lane in Clifton Without. This area has seen varied use over the centuries, from arable fields in monastic times to an airfield in World War II. Surviving historic features include the ridges and furrows created by medieval ox ploughs, the 75

Business2business Here’s a list of useful organisations with their contact details

Other useful numbers Advertising Standards Authority Deals with complaints regarding misleading or offensive advertising. Call: 020 7492 2222 Financial Services Authority (FSA) An independent organisation that regulates the financial services industry and protects consumers’ rights. Tel: 0845 6061234 Gas Safe Register Allows you to check whether your appliance installer is registered.

Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber

York Professionals

Innovation Centre, York Science Park, Innovation Way, York YO10 5DG. Head: Susie Cawood. Tel: 567838. Web: www.ynycc.com

This members’ organisation, puts you in direct contact with the individuals and companies you need. With over 100 members, we make it easier for you to communicate with York’s vibrant business community, through both business and networking events.

The Chamber ensures that business interests are being recognised at all levels of national, regional and local policy making and organises networking events.

Institute of Directors (IoD) Yorkshire office, 3 Albion Place, Leeds LS1 6JL. Regional administrator Susanne Foxley. Tel: 0113 243 0152. Web: www.iod.com The IoD represents directors and equivalent status members from a wide range of business disciplines.

Federation of Small Business Regional office, Christine Wright, Tower House, Fishergate, York, YO10 4UA. Tel: 629777. Web: www. fsb.org.uk The Federation is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms.

Tel: 435363. Email: hjackson@york-professionals.co.uk

Science City York Enterprise House, Innovation Way, Heslington, York YO10 5NY. Tel: 870040. Email: science.city@york.gov. uk. Web: www.sciencecityyork.org.uk Science City York promotes the creation and growth of business and employment opportunities within bioscience, IT & digital and the creative industries.

York, Selby and Malton Business Advice Centre (YBAC) York Eco Business Centre, York Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4AG. Tel: 699590 Email: info@ybac.co.uk. Web: www.ybac.co.uk YBAC gives impartial advice to business owners across York and North Yorkshire area.

Tel: 0800 4085500

WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise)

York Economic Development Unit

Job Centres : Stonebow 682100 Monkgate 682100

Visit www.wireuk.org or email yorkwire@hotmail. co.uk. Tel: 01952 815338

City of York Council, 9 St Leonard’s Place, York YO1 7ET. Tel: 554433. Email: York.economy@york.gov.uk Web: www.york.gov.uk/business

Tourism Visit York, 1 Museum Street, York. Tel: 550099 Voluntary organisations York Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) York CVS helps voluntary and community organisations to work more effectively, offering information, advice, financial services and liaison with public bodies. It also runs York Volunteer Centre and offers office space and room hire at the Priory Street Centre. Tel: 621133. Email: yorkcvs@yorkcvs.org.uk York Tax Office HMRC Enquiry Centre - Inland Revenue / Customs & Excise, 23 Piccadilly, York YO1 9PG. Tel: 0844 4740101

2011 BANK HOLIDAYS New Year's Day Good Friday Easter Monday Royal Wedding May Day Spring Bank Summer Bank Boxing Day Christmas Day 76

January 3 April 22 April 25 April 29 May 2 May 30 August 29 December 26 December 27

This UK networking and business club for rural women in business offers members practical business services. The York branch meets on the first Tuesday evening of each month.

York races

Dante Festival 11th - 13th May 2011 May Spring Meeting 21st May 2011 June Meeting 10th - 11th June 2011 John Smith’s Cup Meeting 8th - 9th July 2011 Music Showcase Weekend 22nd - 23rd July 2011 Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival 17th - 20th August 2011 September Meeting 4th September 2011 October Finale 7th - 8th October 2011 Thirsk 9th April, 30th April, 7th May, 14th May, 23rd May, 14th June, 2nd July, 29th July, 30th July, 8th August, 15th August, 26th August, 3rd September Catterick Races National Hunt 1st January, 13th January, 21st January, 4th February, 14th February, 28th February, 9th March Flat 30th March, 13th April, 3rd May,

This city council department promotes the York economy.

20th May, 28th May, 3rd June, 29th June, 6th July, 13th July, 20th July, 2nd August, 12th August, 24th August, 17th September, 4th October, 15th October, 25th October, 30th November, 13th December, 28th December Beverley races 6th April, 14th April, 2nd May, 10th May, 25th May, 28th May, 8th June, 16th June, 21st June 1st July, 2nd July, 12th July 18th July, 26th July, 10th August, 11th August, 27th August, 28th August, 14th September, 20th September. Doncaster races 12th January, 28th January, 29th January, 23rd February, 4th March, 5th March, 2nd April, 3rd April, 16th April, 29th April, 30th April, 14th May, 3rd June, 4th June, 12th June, 24th June, 25th June, 1st July, 7th July, 14th July, 21st July 30th July, 13th August, 7th September, 8th September, 9th September, 10th September, 21st October, 22nd October, 5th November, 25th November, 9th December, 10th December, 29th December

2011 race days Redcar Races 18th April, 2th5 April, 9th May, 30th May, 31st May, 7th June, 17th June, 18th June, 17th July, 27th July, 6th August, 27th August 1st September, 21st September, 1st October, 14th October, 24th October, 1st November Ripon Races 15th April, 24th April, 7th May, 16th May, 25th May, 2nd June, 16th June, 17th June, 5th July, 17th July, 2nd August, 14th August 21st August, 30th August, 31st August

2011

Sports fixtures York City FC (Blue Square Premier fixtures in 2011) January Sat 1 (A) Gateshead Mon 3 (H) Fleetwood Town Sat 8 (A) Histon Sat 22 (H) Forest Green Rovers Sat 29 (A) Southport February Sat 5 (H) Mansfield Town Sat 12 (A) AFC Wimbledon Sat 19 (H) Crawley Town Sat 26 (A) Hayes & Yeading March Sat 5 (A) Barrow Sat 12 (H) Luton Town Sat 19 (A) Cambridge United Sat 26 (H) Histon Tue 29 (H) Eastbourne April Sat 2 (A) Kettering Town Sat 9 (H) Newport County Sat 16 (H) Tamworth Sat 23 (A) Darlington Mon 25 (H) Cambridge United Sat 30 (A) Crawley Town

Yorkshire County Cricket Club April Fri 8 Thur14 Wed 20 Sun 24 Wed 27 May Mon 2 Wed 4 Sun 8 Wed 11 Sun 15 Wed 18

Worcestershire, New Road (LVCC 1) Durham, Headingley (LVCC 1) Nottinghamshire, Headingley (LVCC 1) Netherlands, Headingley (40L) Durham University, Durham UCCE Derbyshire, Headingley (40L) Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge (LVCC 1) Kent, Canterbury (40L) Hampshire, Headingley (LVCC 1) Kent, Headingley (40L) Lancashire, Liverpool, (LVCC 1)

Sun 22 Worcestershire, New Road (40L) Tue 24 Somerset, Taunton (LVCC 1) Sun 29 Sussex, Hove (LVCC 1) June Fri 3 Warwickshire, Headingley (T20) Sun 5 Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge (T20) Thur 9 Worcestershire, Headingley (T20) Fri 10 Lancashire, Old Trafford (T20) Sun 12 Northamptonshire, Headingley (T20) Fri 17 Lancashire, Headingley (T20) Sat 18 Durham, Riverside (LVCC 1) Wed 22 Derbyshire, Headingley (T20) Fri 24 Warwickshire, Edgbaston (T20) Sun 26 Worcestershire, New Road (T20) Wed 29 Leicestershire, Grace Road (T20) July Fri 1 Northamptonshire, (Away) (T20) Sun 3 Nottinghamshire, Headingley (T20) Wed 6 Leicestershire, Headingley (T20) Fri 8 Durham, Riverside, (T20) Sun 10 Durham, Scarborough (T20) Mon 11 Worcestershire, Scarborough (LVCC 1) Fri 15 Derbyshire, Derby (T20) Sun 17 Middlesex, Headingley (40L) Wed 20 Lancashire, Headingley (LVCC 1) Wed 27 Sussex, Hove (40L) Sun 31 Netherlands (TBC) (40L) August Tue 2 Hampshire, Rose Bowl, (LVCC 1) Wed 10 Middlesex, Lords (40L) Sun 14 Derbyshire, Chesterfield (40L) Wed 17 Sussex, Scarborough (LVCC 1) Sun 21 Sussex, Scarborough (40L) Tue 23 Warwickshire, Headingley (LVCC 1) Mon 29 Worcestershire, Headingley (40L) Wed 31 Warwickshire, Edgbaston (LVCC 1) September Wed 7 Somerset, Headingley (LVCC 1) Key to competitions: LVCC1 – County Championship division one; 40L – Clydesdale Bank 40 League; T20 Friends Provident Twenty20 Cup.

York City Knights December Mon 27 (H) York Select (F) January Sun 16 (H) Castleford Tigers (F) Sun 23 (H) St Helen’s (F) February Wed 2 (H) Leeds Rhinos (F) Sun 6 (A) Barrow Raiders (NRC) Sun 13 (H) Featherstone Rovers (NRC) Sun 20 (A) London Skolars (NRC) Sun 27 (H) Keighley Cougars (NRC) March Sun 13 (A) Hunslet Hawks (CC) Thurs 17 (H) Sheffield Eagles (CC) Sun 27 (H) Barrow Raiders (CC) April Sun 3 (A) Widnes Vikings (CC) Fri 22 (H) Hunslet Hawks (CC) Mon 25 (A) Toulouse Olympique (CC) May Sun 1 (H) Dewsbury Rams (CC) Sat 14 (A) Barrow Raiders (CC) Thurs 19 (A) Batley Bulldogs (CC) Sun 29 (H) Leigh Centurions (CC) June Sun 5 (A) Featherstone Rovers (CC) Sun 12 (H) Widnes Vikings (CC) Sun 26 (A) Dewsbury Rams (CC) July Fri 1 (H) Batley Bulldogs (CC) Sat 9 (H) Toulouse Olympique (CC) Sun 24 (A) Halifax RLFC (CC) August Fri 5 (H) Featherstone Rovers (CC) Sun 14 (A) Leigh Centurions (CC) Sun 21 (H) Halifax RLFC (CC) September Sun 4 (A) Sheffield Eagles (CC) (fixtures 2011 F – Friendly, NRC – Northern Rail Cup, CC – Co-operative Championship)

York attractions & Days out Bar Convent Museum 17 Blossom Street, YO24 1AQ. Tel. 01904 643238. www.bar-convent.org.uk. The Museum tells the early history of Christianity in the North of England. Barley Hall 2 Coffee Yard, Off Stonegate. Tel. 01904 610275. www.barleyhall.org.uk. An impressive piece of history right in the middle of York, this fully restored building now looks and feels like the fifteenth century home of a famous Lord Mayor of York – which of course it once was! Beningbrough Hall & Gardens Beningbrough, York YO30 1DD. Tel. 01904 472027. This striking 18th-century Georgian mansion boasts National Portrait Gallery paintings, a walled garden and an adventure playground for the children. Clifford’s Tower Tower Street, YO1 9SA. Tel. 01904 646 940. www.cliffordstower.com. This imposing tower is almost all that remains of York Castle, originally built by William the Conqueror. It’s served as a prison, a royal mint – and the place where Henry VIII had the bodies of his enemies put on public display! Cold War Bunker Monument Close, off Acomb Road YO24 4HT. Tel. 646 940. Fascinating bunker that formed part of a secret network built during the Cold War. Dig St Saviourgate. Tel. 615 505. www.digyork.com. Four excavation pits filled with Roman, Viking, medieval and Victorian finds, so you can grab a trowel and dig up the clues that show how people lived in these times. Fairfax House Castlegate YO1 9RN. Tel. 01904 655 543. www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk. Created in 1762 as a dowry for the daughter of Viscount Fairfax. Now houses the impressive Terry Collection. The Farmer’s Cart Towthorpe Grange, Towthorpe Lane, Towthorpe, York. Tel 499183. www.thefarmerscart.co.uk. Seasonal events, school tours and a farmhouse atmosphere combine to bring you a taste of the countryside on the outskirts of York. Ice Factor (Open until 9th January 2011) York Designer Outlet, A64/A19 interchange. Tel: 01653 619169. www.theicefactor.co.uk. A festive must for all the family, and even bigger and better than ever since it moved to its new home.

Jorvik Viking Centre Coppergate, York. Tel 615505. www.jorvik-viking-centre. Experience life in Viking York and meet the inhabitants on your journey through reconstructed Viking streets inspired by the famous dig Merchant Adventurers’ Hall Fossgate, YO1 9XD. Tel: 654818. www.theyorkcompany.co.uk One of Europe’s finest medieval guildhalls hosts a museum where you can learn about the merchants who conducted business and dined in the magnificent Great Hall. Micklegate Bar Museum Micklegate, YO1 6JX. Tel. 615505. www.micklegatebar.com. Explore the grisly history of York at one of the city’s newest and most unusual museums. Murton Park Museum of Farming Murton Lane, Murton, York. YO19 5UF. Tel 489966. www.murtonpark.co.uk. From Celtic history to the Second World War: Murton Park certainly packs a lot into one day out. A treat for all the family. National Railway Museum Leeman Road, York. YO26 4XJ. Tel: 08448 153139. www.nrm.org.uk. With something for the whole family, the NRM is a treasure trove of railway history and memorabilia, including full sized trains to explore, and a kids’ activity area. And it’s free! Quilt Museum & Gallery St Anthony's Hall, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PW. Tel: 613242. www.quiltmuseum.org.uk. Regular exhibitions from craftsmen all around the world, as well as demonstrations and workshops Richard III Museum Monk Bar, York YO1 7LQ. 01904 634191. www.richardiiimuseum.co.uk. Was Richard a victim of bad press? Judge for yourself! Treasurer’s House Minster Yard, York. YO1 7JL. Tel: 624247. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through this historic house before you relax in the tearooms – keep an eye out for the ghosts of the Roman legion! York Castle Museum Eye of York, York. YO1 9RY. Tel: 687687. www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk. Demonstrations and activities to suit all age groups combine with eerie journeys along cobbled Victorian streets.

York Model Railway York Station, Station Road, York. YO24 1AY Tel: 01904 630169. An interactive experience at York Station. Yorkshire Museum and Gardens Museum Gardens, York. YO1 7FR. Tel 687687. www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk. Situated in beautiful grounds close to The Ouse, the Yorkshire Museum offers superb collections of archaeological and geological materials and a variety of stunning historic buildings. York MAZE Elvington Lane, York, YO19 5LT. Tel: 607341. www.yorkmaze.com. Do you fancy your chances in what is believed to be the largest maze in the world? Themed designs will challenge, baffle and bemuse. York Minster Deangate, YO1 7HH. Tel 557216. www.yorkminster.org. This magnificent symbol of York’s religious and political significance is a stunning architectural achievement with a fine collection of stained glass. Yorkshire Air Museum Halifax Way, Elvington, York. YO41 4AU. Tel: 608595. www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk. Historic planes and vehicles, other exciting displays and special events throughout the year. York Art Gallery Exhibition Square, York YO1 7EW Tel: 687687. www.yorkartgallery.org.uk Combines a distinguished history of displaying fine paintings and ceramics with a modernday welcome to all through a busy calendar of exhibitions and events. YorkBoat Cruises The Boatyard, Lendal Bridge YO1 7DP. Tel. 628324. www.yorkboat.co.uk. Take a trip down to Ouse and see York at its best, as well as learning about its history. Various day and evening cruises available. York Dungeon 12 Clifford St, YO1 9RD. 632 599. www.the-dungeons.co.uk Experience the gory side of the city’s history, from Guy Fawkes to the Great Plague. Yorkshire Museum of Farming Murton Lane, Murton, YO19 5UF. Tel. 489966. www.murtonpark.co.uk. Enjoy a trip to the 14 acre site where you’ll find livestock paddocks and a duck pond and an area for the children to play while you enjoy a picnic.

THE COMPLETE REFERENCE GUIDE TO YORK 2011

Bespoke kitchen and bedrooms

Richard James is a family business that offers a complete bespoke service to meet all your kitchen, bedroom, study and furniture needs. The company produces high-quality work at affordable prices; so why go for a flatpack kitchen when you can get a bespoke one for a comparable price? Whether it’s a handmade kitchen, bedroom or individual item of furniture, every Richard James piece is carefully crafted by its time-served cabinet makers in the company’s workshop in near York. Richard Patterson, who has been making bespoke furniture for more than 20 years, says: “We have an excellent reputation for quality and a friendly personal approach with all our clients.” He is involved in every project from design to making and through to the final fitting and completion. He adds: “Our design team will arrange to meet you in your own home at a time that suits yourself to discuss your every need. Then we go away and produce floor plans and full elevation design drawings to give you an idea of how your dream kitchen, bedroom, study or individual piece of furniture will look. “We pride ourselves on using only the best materials that are available to create a high-quality finish” n Richard James Handmade Interiors, The Willows, 71 The Village, Strensall, York YO32 5XA. Tel: 499662

Energy rated

windows

During the last 12 months Millennium Windows has rebranded, moved premises and expanded its skilled fitting teams that are working hard to improve the homes of customers in the York area. Customers in the market for new windows, doors and conservatories, as well as facias and soffits, are welcome to tour the company’s new factory on York Business Park at Poppleton. A spokesman says: “We have achieved the British Fenestration Rating Council accreditation for Energy Rated Windows. All our windows are B-rated as standard and we can offer A-rated windows as well.” The company has also joined the Double Glazing And Conservatory and Ombudsmen, which offers protection to customers, ensuring they get a square deal. n For more details, call Millennium Windows on 691122 or go to www.millenniumwindows.co.uk

The clear solution to heat loss Are you sitting comfortably? Or have you spent the last month shivering as the winter wind whistles through your poorly insulated windows? There’s nothing like a spell of winter weather to show how much heat can escape through windows and doors. Even if your home is already double glazed, modern advancements in window technology means they still might not be as efficient as they could be. Improved double glazing could also save you money; the Energy Saving Trust estimates that the average home could save around £130 a year by switching to modern double glazing. So it’s a worthwhile investment to have your windows supplied and fitted by a reputable company. Minster Windows has years of experience working in York and the surrounding areas and has built up a good reputation with thousands of satisfied customers. Their PVCu products are manufactured to the highest standard using the technology of the REHAU Profile System, renowned in the industry as the very best. They are a FENSA registered company, which ensures all suppliers meet the highest accreditations. All their products and installations are fitted with an exclusive and comprehensive guarantee combined with the PWF insurance backed guarantee. n The good news is, Minster Windows are also offering special discounts depending on your order. So give them a call on 0800 591 332 for a free, no obligation quotation.

New kitchen showroom opens Instyle Kitchens & Bedrooms is marking its 20th anniversary by opening a showroom at 45 Front Street, Acomb, to complement the one it already has at Haxby. To celebrate, the company is offering a 30% discount on kitchens and bedrooms ordered before the end of February. The company was started in 1990 by Gary Langley and moved from Huntington to its existing showroom at Haxby in 1994.

free

Gary says: “We pride ourselves on our quality of work and after-sales service, with 90% of kitchen installations completed within a week. With thousands of satisfied customers, 85% of our work comes from recommendation.

Measuring & fitting service

“We will survey your kitchen and produce a plan and computer-aided design picture. When you are ready to place an order we will arrange for our qualified installers to carry out the work, which is usually completed within five days to ensure minimal disruption.” Instyle Kitchens & Bedrooms keeps its overheads low. “This allows us to sell high quality kitchens at low prices. All our products are from UK-based suppliers with a good reputation for quality,” says Gary. Instyle Kitchens also does kitchen facelifts, fitting replacement doors and drawers; new appliances; replacement sinks and taps; and new worktops.

20% Off All stock materials

n For more details, call 764383.

no:1

Choice for Blinds

ALSO

Sell your house for

£150 (+ VAT) Window cards displaying external images and brief summaries of homes no longer suffice in today’s property market.

This is the view of Sellers of Distinction, a family-run estate agency that has opened alongside its successful lettings company, Letters of Distinction. Sales manager Hannah Roberts says: “Our fresh and modern approach to marketing is far more suited to today’s complex market. Following extensive research, we have developed a service to provide a flexible approach, allowing you to control how you manage the sale of your home.” Sellers now have the option of only paying for the elements of the service they use rather than a percentage of the house price on completion of the sale. “You can sell your house for as little as £150, plus VAT,” says Hannah. n Sellers of Distinction, 169 Holgate Road, York. Tel: 529530.

Are you looking to refurbish your home and don’t know where to start? That’s where we can help! The

Home Design Consultants

For your free initial consultation please call; 01904 443344 / 07895 654773 email; info@homemakers-design-consultants.co.uk or see us at; www.homemakers-design-consultants.co.uk

Any room, any style, any budget

Sorting the men from the (cow)boys

We’ve all heard the horror stories about builders who abandon a job halfway through or end up causing expensive damage to your home. So how do you make sure you choose the right one? One way, of course, is to choose a builder from the pages of Your Local Link; our trades and services section is full of excellent, reliable tradespeople. But there are other steps you can take to make sure your chosen builder is right for the job. Ask around Talk to friends and family for their recommendations. If you’re using an architect, they may have a builder they work with regularly. Get references Talk to previous clients who have had similar jobs done. Check if they were happy with the builder’s work. Ask for quotes Get three written quotes. Don’t automatically go for the lowest; it may be that the builder will charge you for added extras later. Get it in writing A written agreement should include a description of the work that is to be done, the timescale, an estimated breakdown on costs, hours of work and payment terms. Some builders have software that enables them to produce a very accurate breakdown of costs. Many happy returns? Check if the builder has had to go back to previous sites after he has finished the job. This may be a sign of poor work. Don’t pay in advance If it’s a long project or specialist items are needed, your builder may ask for staged payments. But don’t pay the whole amount upfront before work begins. Staying power Where possible, make sure the builder will stay for the duration of the job. There’s nothing worse than a builder disappearing off your project to finish another, leaving you in a building site for days on end. Will they project manage? If it’s a bigger job involving several tradespeople, your builder should take on the project management to make sure it all runs smoothly and on time.

Let daylight

flood in

More and more homeowners are opting to do home improvements to increase the value of their property.

This includes adding extensions and conservatories, decorating, re-designing the layout, upgrading the lights as well as adding roof lights and folding sliding doors to create an orangery effect. Roof lights can be a cost-effective way of letting light into your home. Properties in urban areas can benefit from the extra light and privacy that a roof light can offer. Roof lights are also ideal for urban areas because they won’t take up any space, which helps when space is at a premium. Roof lights come in a large selection of sizes to suit any space and shape. They are made out of glass and aluminium and have different colour options to suit any style of property. Some are available in a variety of glasses, including self cleaning, tinted, solar control, frosted and priva-lite glass which allows you to switch from clear to a frosted glass with one flick of a switch. Modern blinds are also very versatile. Whereas once windows were thought of as an afterthought, many now consider them to be the main focus for a property. Large windows allow light and

bespoke design

scenery to enter a property, making the house feel more exciting and luxurious.

Developments in technology have made window frames themselves more streamlined, thereby enlarging the area devoted to the glass. This helps to create a light and airy atmosphere throughout the home. Modern architects are using considerably more glass in their designs, and larger window spaces to appeal to the fashion conscious and their desire for houses to look futuristic. They also understand that the use of glass as a material for a property itself as well as the window significantly maximises the appearance of space. Bright idea Many houses have bathrooms, hallways and other rooms where daylight only enters when you open the door. Dim and dark, these rooms are unwelcoming places until you turn on the light. Now that has all changed. Sunlight tubes signal the end of dim and dismal spaces in the home. They bring natural light into even the darkest and most isolated spaces through a specially designed tunnel from roof to ceiling. What’s more, the light is free! Sunlight tubes are supplied and fitted by York company Solarwall. n For more information, call 0500 127005 or visit www.solarwall.co.uk

manufacture

fitting

KITCHEN WORKT WORKTOPS K OPS KT We design, manufacture and fit domestic and commercial worktops in Granite, Marble, Quartz Stone and Corian®

Over 100 Corian® colours available. Granite & Quartz in polished, honed & textured finishes

Samples & free estimates available to public and trade

www.dalesofthirsk.co.uk 86

James Street Morrisons

Foss Islands Road

Lawrence Street

Telephone: 01845 522523 Fax: 01845 527198 info@dalesofthirsk.co.uk

Layerthorpe

watermark LT D

Your Property Owning Year

Hi-tech mobile property service York-based estate agency Hunters is helping house hunters search for property on the move with two new mobile phone applications. The software for the Android operating system and the iPad joins the agency's existing iPhone app. Kevin Hollinrake, managing director of Hunters, says: "More and more of our customers are using mobile devices to view property. Our negotiators are increasingly taking calls from buyers who are on the go, discovering property via GPS on their mobile devices, using our apps. "This is an area where we at Hunters are putting ourselves ahead of the game. All our negotiators have iPhones with which they can demonstrate properties to our customers in an attractive way. But it's even better if customers can do their property research themselves on the move. That’s where these apps really come into their own." The Android app makes it easier for users of some of the most popular mobile phone handsets to access the agency’s property listings, while the iPad app looks to capitalise on the popularity of the new Apple device. n Hunters Estate Agents, 18-19 Colliergate, York. Tel: 621026

The dawning of a New Year often brings with it a need or desire for change, shall we book holiday or move house?

With the snap of cold and snowy weather before Christmas a change of climate and scenery sounds attractive. Moving house, on the other hand, can also be an attractive option and not just attractive, but also daunting, challenging and resulting in permanent change. Property Agents will tell you, preparing your property for sale can make all the difference to saleability and price. Therefore, if you do decide to sell make one of your New Year’s resolutions to do all those little jobs around the house and de-clutter. Even if you don’t move it’s great to have a good sort out! Spring with its lighter days and warmer weather is often seen as an ideal time to sell property. Investors may be keen to sell residential investment properties before the end of the tax year to realise their capital gain. Certainly in rural areas properties look their best with the daffodils in full bloom and people are so much more cheerful once the sun comes out! “Putting you house on the market for Easter.” is a common old saying underlining this popular time to sell and means buyers benefit from more choice. Summer and often properties must be bought in time to move before the start of the new school year, with investor buyers equally keen to catch bargains for the last of the student letting before university terms start. Be aware of frustration for everyone when transactions become protracted due to holiday commitments of those in the chain. No matter how early a property is secured, it can often result in a last minute scramble. Autumn ushers in some sanity to the year: schools are back, people are more focused and there’s a marked increase in sales agreed. At this time of year sellers may be more willing to negotiate if a property is unoccupied, as owners try to avoid the upkeep of an empty property over winter. Winter and the lead up to Christmas is a busy time to buy and move with many developers offering special deals if you can commit to exchange and complete before the year end. But remember, no matter what time of the year you decide to sell or buy or both, you only need one buyer and one property to buy. Trust a good local solicitor to help you achieve your dreams; here’s to 2011 and to the success of all the changes you choose to make.

Energy-efficient

domestic appliances In an era of rising electricity prices, it makes sense to invest in energy-efficient domestic appliances, such as cookers, fridge/freezers, washing machines and dishwashers.

All the manufacturers have had their research and development teams working hard to introduce energy-saving technology into their latest designs, from freezers and washing machines to kettles and toasters. When you’re buying new appliances, it pays to think about the running costs as well as the purchase price, says Matthew Todd, of York electrical retailer Herbert Todd & Son. A small monthly saving from a more efficient appliance could add up to a substantial saving over its lifetime. When buying a new appliance, there are two key energy labels to look out for: • the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo can only be used on the most energy efficient products, usually the top 20% of those available • the EU energy label grades products from A (best) to G (worst) for energy use, with the scale going up to A++ for fridges and freezers. Matthew says the most energy-efficient appliances are better engineered than their budget counterparts. This means they will last longer. They are also backed up by a robust after-sales service which means any faults can be quickly rectified. If saving energy is a top priority, you could also look at how water efficient a new appliance is. Often, the more energy efficient a machine is, the less water it will use. You can check water consumption on the EU energy label which, for washing machines and dishwashers, shows litres of water used per wash: • when choosing a washing machine, look for a machine that uses less than 50 litres per wash • for dishwashers, look for one that uses less than 15 litres per wash. The old adage “buy cheap, buy twice” certainly applies to domestic appliances, says Matthew. Members of staff at Herbert Todd & Son are more than happy to compare the typical running costs of household appliances to enable their customers to make an informed choice. n Herbert Todd & Son has been providing high-quality appliances and excellent service in York since 1936. It has shops in Percy’s Lane and York Road, Acomb. Tel: 628676.

Pizza Choice | Delivery Service | Fantastic offers available | Tel: 622022 or 631818

finefood&drink New tea room opens The Village Tea Room, next to the Royal Oak public house in Main Street, Copmanthorpe, opens on 3rd January, serving hot and cold food as well as drinks. The opening hours are 8.30am to 2pm, Monday to Friday; and 8.30am to 1.30pm on Saturday. n Tel: 07738 513743.

Students 15% discount Istanbul Grill at Fishergate, York, is offering free delivery on orders of more than £8. Serving pizzas, kebabs and burgers as well as beer and wine, its motto is ‘No gimmicks – just quality’. It is also offering students a 15% discount on pizza deliveries of at least £10. n Tel: 646411.

Home-made food The White Swan Inn & Restaurant at Deighton, on the A19 between York and Selby, enjoys a fine reputation for its home-made food and fine cask ales. Take advantage of its early bird menu. n For details, call 728287.

Lunchtime legend Lady Anne Middleton’s Hotel, in Skeldergate, York, is offering ‘four for three’ on all meals, including dinner and Sunday lunch. The city centre hotel’s restaurant is open for dinner every evening and its Sunday roast is a legend in its own lunchtime. n For more details, call 611570.

15% discount

Organic produce delivered

The Akash Tandoori Restaurant & Takeaway has been serving diners authentic Bangladesh cuisine in York for 20 years. The North Street establishment, known for its relaxed atmosphere and friendly service, is offering a 15% discount to readers of Your Local Link – just show the advert in this month’s magazine when ordering your meal.

SB Organics was set up in March by Steve Brown, who took over the box scheme from Richard Hudson and Catherine Bell who wanted to concentrate on running Paradise Farm in Howsham. Steve says: “We provide customers with an affordable and convenient way to eat locally-grown organic produce. The produce can be delivered for free, with prices starting from only £7.”

n Tel: 633550.

n For more details, call 765385 or 07882 223103.

Pizza Choice | Delivery Service | Fantastic offers available | Tel: 622022 or 631818

Special occasions Small, informal weddings are a specialty for the Coach House Hotel, Marygate, York. Close to York Register Office and opposite the Museum Gardens, the hotel also offers an excellent choice of menus for wedding anniversaries. n For details, call Julie on 652780.

Fine food and wine

Big fat Greek party The Greek-style New Year’s Eve party at Il Treno Restaurant, near Skelton, features plate smashing, Greek dancing and a traditional four-course GreekCypriot Meze plus fireworks at midnight to herald 2011. Il Treno usually hosts Greek nights on the second Friday of each month. n For details call 470221.

Lively restaurant Situated in High Petergate in the shadow of York Minster, Plunkets is a lively restaurant offering a wide variety of food between noon and 11pm. The stylishly decorated restaurant is known for cuisine originating in Mexico and the American south west, while the upstairs bar is a comfortable place to rendezvous. n Tel: 637722.

Few settings can rival DCH, the elegant restaurant at the Dean Court Hotel that boasts views of York Minster. Known for its superb food and fine wine, it has received two AA Rosettes for the fifth consecutive year. Lunches are available between 12.30pm and 2pm with dinner served between 7pm and 9.30pm. n Tel: 625082.

Hospitality software RestaPOS has been developed by restaurateurs for restaurateurs. Whatever kind of restaurant - fine dining, bar, fast food or takeaway - RestaPOS can fulfil its needs The software is easily learnt by staff members and efficient in its operation. n Call J & J Solutions on 652893.

Chinese flavours The Oriental Pearl, a Cantonese restaurant at Tower Court, Oakdale Road, York, prides itself on serving wellprepared and tasty food to sit-down diners as well as take-away customers. n Tel: 693737.

3 cOurse sPecial valentine dinner Menu

£19.95

Saturday 12th and Monday 14th February ALSO

Bookings now been taken

£15.00

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Food doesn’t come much fresher or more local than the produce on sale at Home Farm Beningbrough. There’s home-grown Aberdeen Angus beef, outdoor reared pork from Sherriff Hutton, and local dry cured bacon, chicken and venison. There’s also a huge selection of breads, pies and preserves as well as specially selected cheeses from around the region including Yorkshire Blue, Ribblesdale Goats Cheese and Admiral Collingwood (washed in Newcastle Brown Ale !). Or choose from a mouth watering selection of cakes, flapjacks, cakes, buns and scones all freshly baked on the premises. And when you’ve finished shopping, why not relax with a piece of cake and their award-winning Coopers coffee while enjoying stunning views over the Beningbrough parkland? It beats struggling around the supermarket! n Home Farm, Beningbrough YO30 1DB. Tel. 470562.

Set for the Chase The Chase Bar & Grill at York Marriott Hotel, which overlooks York Racecourse at Tadcaster Road, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. n Tel: 701000.

Friendly pub The Woodman Inn is a friendly pub in Main Street, Bishopthorpe, near York, offering a range of traditional ales, wines and spirits with a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. It serves traditional pub grub consisting of soup, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, grilled meats, curries, home-made pies and giant filled Yorkshire puddings. All the food is freshly prepared on the premises. The Woodman also does a fantastic Sunday lunch with a choice of meats. n Tel: 706507.

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theatre Hooked on panto Having never been to the Berwick Kaler Christmas panto before, I was full of great expectations. I was not disappointed, writes Your Local Link team member Helen Birley.

The baddies were brilliantly bad and the goodies had us guffawing from the start. I never knew that Jack And The Beanstalk could be so hilariously funny, or that it starred an alien from outer space and a giant chicken. Berwick is the ideal pantomime dame with his wonderful outfits and an endless amount of slapstick comedy. No wonder the people of York have been welcoming him back to the Christmas stage at the Theatre Royal for more than 30 years. The rest of the cast and chorus, along with the obligatory men in tights, add to the fun and madness of the evening, performing fantastic dance routines and making this a must-see show! Seasonal panto regulars and first-time viewers alike can expect to be booing and hissing whilst clapping and laughing along to all the stage action. With a beanstalk more magical than the beans, this is a fun-filled family show not to be missed. And, to top it all off, I caught a Wagon Wheel. My tip to those of you going... make sure you shout the loudest! This is one panto novice who has been converted and will be back for more next year. n Jack And The Beanstalk, until 29th January at York Theatre Royal. Tel: 623568.

Cinderella (Until 2 January) York’s Grand Opera House stages the spectacular family pantomime Cinderella. Following his popular appearance as Muddles in last year’s Snow White, Stuart Wade once again dons his pantomime costume, as well as directing the show. Tel: 0844 847 2322.

Jack and the Beanstalk (Until 29 January) One of the most popular stories ever told gets the full panto blockbuster treatment. Spectacular sets and costumes, laughs galore and slapstick in abundance. Expect mad-cap mayhem and lunacy. Above all, expect the unexpected as panto legend Berwick Kaler wreaks his zany anarchy on yet another York Theatre Royal classic. Tel: 623568.

Cinderella (16 January) This new production of the classic ballet Cinderella tells the evergreen rags-to-riches story. Ballet Theatre UK promises to enchant you with this fairytale production of breath-taking beauty and delight, showcasing a company of young and talented international dancers. This production at Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, promises to be a dance highlight. Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York; 7.30pm. Tel: 623568.

Chinese State Circus – Mulan (20 & 21 January) From the land of legends and warrior Shaolin monks comes the new Chinese State Circus production – the live acrobatic spectacular Mulan. A breathtaking fusion of precision acrobatics, Shaolin martial arts, dazzling

circus skills, colourful characters from Peking Opera, physical theatre and drama choreographed to an original music score, Mulan is based on the legend of one of China’s greatest heroines. Entertainment for all the family - from the world’s leading Chinese acrobats. From gravity-defying gymnastics to the seemingly impossible body manipulations of the hand-balancer; from the leaping, rolling somersaulting repertoire of the hoop divers to the lavish tradition of the Lion Dance – the undisputed masters of physical theatre will delight York’s Grand Opera House. Box office: 0844 847 2322.

Chase The Dream (9 February) Get ready to be blown away as the award-winning dance sensation Flawless perform their breathtaking show Chase The Dream at York’s Grand Opera House. Along with the spectacular street dance routines for which they have become famous, this inspirational show incorporates contemporary jazz, modern ballet and jump jive. After making it to the finals of Britain's Got Talent in 2009, the 10-strong dance troupe starred in the hit movie StreetDance 3D as well as appearing in music videos for the likes of Madonna, Beyonce, Leona Lewis and Westlife. Box office: 0844 847 2322.

The Drowsy Chaperone (23-27 February) York Stage Musicals is presenting The Drowsy Chaperone at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York. The curtain rises on a present-day musical theatre fanatic eager to tell you about his favourite Broadway musical. Box office: 623568.

Crazy For You (1-12 March) This Gershwin musical played for 1,622 performances on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre, winning three Tony awards. It’s a high energy comedy which includes mistaken identities, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music. Bobby Child, a banker, is banished from New York by his father to a family-owned ranch where, it is hoped, he will mend his ways and become a more responsible person. Stage-struck Bobby travels west to Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a rundown theatre, where he falls in love with Polly Baker. But if he forecloses he will lose Polly, so he convinces her to put on a show that will pay of the debt her father owes on the theatre. The plot involves mix-ups and misunderstandings, disguises and improbable appearances but, eventually, everything is happily resolved. The fantastic score includes I Can’t Be Bothered Now; Bidin’ My Time; I Got Rhythm; Naughty Baby; They Can’t Take That Away From Me; But Not For Me; Nice Work If You Can Get It; Embraceable You and Someone To Watch Over Me. Members of York Light Opera are presenting Crazy For You at York Theatre Royal with music and lyrics by George & Ira Gershwin. Box office: 623568.

Jesus Christ Superstar (15-23 April) Jesus Christ Superstar was the first musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice to be produced for the professional stage. Released to celebrate its 40th anniversary, York Stage Musicals is thrilled to perform the show at York’s Grand Opera House in the week before Easter Sunday 2011. Box office: 0870 770 5741.

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York

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York Residents Festival is being held this month to give you the chance to experience what your city has to offer. Organised by Visit York, the city’s official tourism organisation, with backing from City of York Council and Welcome to Yorkshire, the festival is expected to attract about 20,000 people. The organisers stage the festival to thank you for the warm welcome you give to York’s seven million annual visitors and the support they show for the city’s tourism industry. During the festival residents will be able to gain free and discounted entry to many of the city's world-class attractions and exhibitions as well as enjoying special rates at some superb restaurants and shops. The festival will also include a range of daytime and evening activities, such as live music, family entertainment, exhibitions, shows and free entertainment in the city centre.

Retail Offers

The event takes place on the weekend of January 29-30 – with some attractions and restaurants running ‘festival offers’ up to February 4. Minster FM will stage a roadshow in Parliament Street between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and between noon and 5pm on the Sunday. For the first time, out-of town businesses are taking part in the festival, including Beningborough Hall, Scarborough Sea Life and Marine Sanctuary, Eden Camp and Castle Howard. You will need a valid YORKCard to gain admission. It is available free of charge to residents over the age of five living within the City of York Council area. To obtain a YORKCard, residents are required to take two forms of identification – one of which must show a current address – to their nearest library. Festival brochures will be available from the Visit York Information Centre as well as libraries, attractions, city centre shops, restaurants cafes and bars. A Visit York information point will be located in Parliament Street on January 29-30 and manned from 10am-5pm and noon-5pm respectively. For more details, go to www. visityork.org

Giftag Chocolate Box Fossgate 29 January, 10am- 5.30pm Gifttag Chocolate box offer the perfect gift or treat. Buy 3 slices of fudge and get one free.

Visit York Information Centre 1 Museum Street, 01904 550099 29 January – 4 February, Mon-Sat 9am-5pm and Sun 10am-4pm You’ll find all the services and advice you need at the new Visit York Information Centre, call in for attraction information and a 15% off all merchandise (excluding tickets/stamps), on production of a YORKCard.

Twenty Two Interiors 22 Goodramgate, 01904 620090 29 January, 9.30am-5pm & 30 January, 11am-5pm 10% discount on production of a valid YORKCard or proof of address.

Treasure Trails York & Humber 29 January – 4 February, Available at the Visit York Information Centre, 07989 957207 The trails will be available through Visit York for £3.50, as opposed to their usual £5 price, Various City Centre Trails on offer – currently York Minster area, Clifford’s Tower and Museum Gardens.

York Designer Outlet Fulford, York, 01904 682700 29 January, 10am-6pm & 30 January, 10am-5pm Residents will be able to receive a 10% discount card at York Designer Outlet for York Residents Weekend only. The card entitles shoppers to a further 10% discount in a number of participating stores on day of issue only. The discount card can be claimed from

the Customer Information desk on presentation of a valid YORKCard. See discount card for full terms and conditions. The Braithwaite Gallery 42 Low Petergate, 01904 655707 29 January, 9.30am-6pm and 30 January, 10.30am4.30pm 10% discount on production of a valid YORKCard. Spa at The Grand The Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa, Station Rise, 01904 380038 31 January – 4 February, 9am-6pm 20% discount on all Spa treatments Guests must pre book an appointment and must book a 30 minute treatment.

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The Whisky Shop Burns’ Night Tasting Brigantes, Micklegate, 01904 640300 28 January and 4 February, 8pm –onwards Sample five single malt whiskies and enjoy a Burns’ night supper of ‘haggis, neeps and tatties’, whilst listening to a talk on Robert Burns himself and the whiskies you are sampling. Tickets are available to buy in store and over the phone at a discounted price of £25, to YORKCard holders (a reduction of £5 per person). The Whisky Shop 11 Coppergate Walk, 01904 640300 29 January – 4 February, 10% discount on GlenKeir Treasures, an exclusive range of single malts

Free Admission Attractions, events And exhibitions York Minster – Central Tower York Minster, 0844 939 0015 29-30 January, Last Tower trip at 3.45pm Tower Trips are light and weather permitting, tickets are allocated first come first served on the day. York Minster – Undercroft York Minster, 0844 939 0015 Saturday 29, 9.30am – 6.30pm Sunday 30, 12.30pm-6.30pm With a Minster Card the Minster and Undercroft Museum is free all year round to all residents of York. York Castle Museum The Eye of York, 01904 687687 29-30 January, 9.30am – 5pm Take a tantalising trip through time as you step into the world famous recreated street – Kirkgate. Experience the sights and sounds of Victorian Britain and meet the fascinating folk who work in the shops. York Castle Prison – Discover the truth and nothing but the truth.... Yorkshire Museum Museum Gardens, 01904 687687 29-30 January, 9.30am-5pm From prehistory to the city’s medieval splendour, this amazing place tells the whole story in its fantastic new galleries. The Bar Convent 17 Blossom Street, 01904 643238 Saturday 29 January, 10am-4pm The Chapel, Cafe and Gift Shop will be open on Saturday 29 January. York Cemetery Cemetery Road, York YO30 7DN 01904 620279 Sunday 30 January, 10am-4pm Chapel open, Cemetery garden walks, visit to catacombs, genealogy, refreshments, Friends stall. Merchant Taylors Hall Aldwark Sunday 30 January, 10am-4pm Discover one of the most remarkable memorials to the City’s Medieval past, built in 1416.

Quilt Museum and Gallery St Anthony’s Hall, Peasholme Green, 01904 613242 Saturday 29 January, 10am-4pm Free admission to exhibitions 10am-4pm Free workshops 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.30pm3.30pm (pre booking required) Haunted 35 Stonegate Monday 31 – Friday 4 February, 10.30am-5.30pm A real haunted house over 700 years old Barley Hall 2a Coffee Yard, Off Stonegate, 01904 615505 29-30 January, 10am-3pm Discover the medieval townhouse of the Priors of Nostell and Mayor of York. Bedern Hall Bartle Garth, off Goodramgate, 07749 269435 Sunday 30 January, 10am-4pm 14th Century Hall belonging originally belonging to the Vicars Choral of York Minster. Presentation of Guild/Company regalia, archives etc and hands on demonstrations from the Builders. National Railway Museum Leeman Road, 08448 153139 29-30 January, 10am-6pm Discover York’s important railway heritage as told through objects, images and documents held in Search Engine – the National Railway Museum’s library and archive centre, opens to York residents. A special opportunity for the people of York to find out about their industrial past.

National Railway Museum – Road Train Leeman Road, 08448 153139 29-30 January, 10am-6pm Free NRM road train ride for all YORKCard holders Jorvik Viking Centre Coppergate, 01904 615505 29-30 January, 3pm-5pm During January, Jorvik Viking Centre will be undergoing a refurbishment, please be aware your visit may be affected by this. Central Methodist Church St Saviourgate, 01904 612171 Saturday 29, 11am-4pm Sunday 30, 1pm-4pm Built in 1840 as the Centenary Wesleyan Chapel, the Central Methodist Church is a 1500 seater preaching house with fine box pews, and an impressive mahogany pulpit. Penn House, A Rowntree Home for Seventy Years Penn House (on the corner of Bootham and St Mary’s) 29-30 January, 10am-4pm A rare chance to visit a major Rowntree home in York, built by Joseph Rowntree Senior in 1852, and owned by Bootham School since 1920. MY Open Weekend Millers Yard, off Gillygate, 01904 655550 Saturday 29, 9am-5pm, Sunday 30, 10am-4pm Millers Yard is offering a wide selection of classes, workshops and treatments for you to enjoy throughout the weekend.

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York Army Museum 3 Tower Street, 01904 642036 29-30 January, 10am-4pm This joint Regimental Museum features the pageantry and history surrounding two famous regiments. Richard III Museum Monk Bar, 01904 634191 29-30 January, 9.30am-4.30pm Housed in Monk Bar, one of York’s four Medieval Gatehouses, the Richard III Museum offers an entertaining and informative look at the Richard III controversy. York Dungeon 12 Clifford Street, 01904 632599 29-30 January, 10am-5pm and 31January-6 February, 10.30am-4.30pm York Dungeon invites you to a unique feast of fun with history’s horrible bits. Explore Library Learning Centre Fun Day Museum Street, 01904 552828 Sunday 30 January, 11am-4pm There will be a whole host of events for everyone including online activities, authors, storytellers and the opportunity to find out more about your family history. DIG St Saviourgate, 01904 615505 29-30 January, 10am-4pm Visitors can grab a towel and get their hands dirty whilst going on a fascinating archaeological exploration of Roman, Viking, Medieval and Victorian. Micklegate Bar Museum Micklegate Bar, 01904 615505 29-30 January, 10am-4pm Visit the ancient gateway to explore the pageantry and barbaric history that has unfolded between these walls through the centuries.

Monks of Micklegate Exhibition Holy Trinity Church, Micklegate 29-30 January, 10am-4pm Visit the Monks of Micklegate interactive exhibition based in Holy Trinity, Micklegate and explore the life and achievements of the Benedictine monks who once created a remarkable community here. York Art Gallery Exhibition Square, 01904 687687 29-30 January, 10am-5pm York Art Gallery’s nationally acclaimed permanent collection represents over 600 years of British and European art. Black Swan Folk Club Peasholme Green, 01904 632922 Sunday 30 January, 2pm-6pm Sunday Afternoon Folk The New School House Gallery Peasholme Green, 01904 653603 29 January, 10am-5pm and 30 January, 12pm-3pm Special Exhibition: ‘I Am Human’, marking Holocaust Memorial Day 2011.

St Saviourgate Unitarian Chapel St Saviourgate, 01904 656504 29 January, 11am-4.30pm and 30 January, 12.30pm4.30pm Saint Saviourgate Unitarian Chapel was built in 1692. The only church or chapel in England with equal ‘arms’ in the form of a Greek Cross.

Tours York Minster – Bell Towers York Minster, 0844 939 0015 Saturday 29, 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm Pre-booking required. Booking opens 17th January 2011 York Minster - Old Palace, book making workshops York Minster, 0844 939 0015 Saturday 29, 10am-12pm Pre-booking is required, numbers are limited due to space. Booking opens 17th January 2011. York Minster – East Front York Minster, 0844 939 0015 Saturday 29, 9.30am, 11am, 12.30am, 2pm Pre-booking is required. Booking opens 17th January 2011 Bedern Glaziers Studio Bedern, York, 01904 557228 29-30 January, 10.30am, 12pm, 2pm & 3.30pm In the shadow of York Minster, England’s treasure house of stained glass, Bedern Glaziers Studio offers York residents a chance to see the Minster’s Great East Window, To request a ticket email info@yorkglaziers. org.uk or send an sae to YGT, 6 Deangate, York YO1 7JB.

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York Minster – Stoneyard York Minster, 0844 939 0015 Monday 31, 9am, 11am, 3pm Pre-booking is required. Booking opens 17th January 2011. A rare chance to see the Stoneyard in action. Yorkboat The Boatyard, Lendal Bridge, York YO1 7DP, 01904 628324 29-30 January, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm & 3pm Daytime city cruise (30 minutes) Sit back, relax and enjoy the sights of York City and countryside sail onboard a daytime cruise with live Captain’s commentary. Ghost Hunt of York The Shambles Saturday 29 – Friday 4 February, 7.30pm 50 free tickets available every evening, call into the Visit York information centre to collect York CitySightseeing Join the tour at Exhibition Square, Clifford’s Tower, Pavement & Railway Station (or any other designated bus stops), 01904 655585 29-30 January, 100 FREE tour tickets* are available on both Saturday 29 Jan and Sunday 30 Jan from Visit York information centre at 1 Museum Street. Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa Station Rise, 01904 380038 29-30 January, 12.30pm and 2.30pm Enjoy a grand tour of the hotel conversion from former GNER headquarters to luxury 5 star hotel. The Ghost Trail West Doors of York Minster, 01904 633276 Saturday 29 January, 6pm prompt The multi award winning Ghost Trail! Dare you travel back in time across centuries and experience the spine tingling stories of York’s ghostly tradition. York Theatre Royal St Leonard’s Place, 01904 623568 Sunday 30 January, 12pm-4pm Guided tours of the Theatre Royal, bookable in advance

Exploring York St Helen’s Square, 07981 242764 29-30 January, 11am and 2pm An entertaining guided walk presenting stories and images about York’s development and the lifestyle of its people through the ages. Association of Voluntary Guides Exhibition Square 29-30 January, 10.15am Two hour walking tour of the City from Roman Times in the Museum Gardens to the Shambles. YorkWalk Museum Garden Gates, 01904 622303 29-30 January, 10.30am and 2.15pm Saturday 10.30am ‘Essential York’ and ‘The Walls & Snickleways’, 2.15pm ‘Secret York’. Sunday 10.30am ‘Essential York’, 2.15pm ‘Snickleways’

Complete Yorkshire – Family Treasure Hunt 29-30 January, Follow the clues around the City to claim your prize and certificate. Pick up your free ‘map’ from the Visit York information centre or Festival information point and hand in your completed form to enter the free prize draw . York’s Roman Fortress Meet in Library Square, Outside Explore Library, 01904 654678 29 January, 10am & 2pm, 30 January, 2pm A guided walk organised by GARLAND (The Garden and Landscape Heritage Trust), looking at the layout and location of the Roman legionary fortress of York. Lord Mayor’s Charity Treasure Hunt Starting Point, The Mansion House, 01904 551011 29-30 January Take part in the Lord Mayor’s Charity Treasure Hunt, compiled by the Association of Voluntary Guides.

Out & About Beningbrough Hall & Gardens Signposted off A19 & A59, 7 miles NE of York, 01904 472027 29-30 January, 11am-3.30pm National Portrait Galleries in the House, Gardens, Shop and Restaurant. Castle Howard Nr Malton, 01653 648333 29-30 January, from 10am-5pm Free admission to York residents on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th January from 10am. Scarborough SEA LIFE and Marine Sanctuary Scalby Mills, Scarborough, 01723 373414 29-30 January, 10am-4pm (last admission 3pm) Take the plunge and visit Scarborough SEA LIFE and Marine Sanctuary.

Discounted Admission Clifford’s Tower Tower Street, 01904 646940 29-30 January, 10am-4pm £1 per person with a valid YORKCard, accompanied children free Eden Camp Nr Malton, 01653 697777 29-30 January, 10am – 5pm (last admission 4pm) £1 per person – with a valid YORKCard Grand Opera House York Cumberland Street, 01904 678700 Sunday 30 January, 12pm-4pm £1 per person with a valid YORKCard, £1 per child, otherwise £2 per person Roman Bath Museum St Sampson’s Square, 07871 561172 29-30 January, 11am-4pm £0.50 per person with a valid YORKCard, children five and under free Walk Talk Tours City Centre Audio walking tour, 07870 873791 29 January – 4 February £2.25 use offer code YV631 on walktalktour.com York Brewery 12 Toft Green, 01904 621162 29-30 January, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3.30pm, and 5pm £1 per person with a valid YORKCard, children under 18 free York Cold War Bunker Monument Close, 01904 646940 28-30 January, 10am-3pm Pre-booking is required as capacity on tours is limited. £2 per person with a valid YORKCard York Model Railway Tea Room Square, York Station, 01904 630169 29 January – 4 February, 8.45am-5pm £1.50 per person with a valid YORKCard, children five and under free

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Do just a few minutes more phys

Visit the website for fitness prizes, promotio become more active. www.justafewminut Ghost trail: Traditional tales,

Victorian tragedies and accounts of modern day ghostly phenomena interweave to create a spinetingling experience – thanks to the Ghost Trail of York. The 70-minute tour starts from the West Doors of York Minster at 7.30pm each night, whatever the weather. Tel: 633276.

Hidden gem: Discover one of York’s hidden gems by taking a guided tour of the Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York. The tours take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tel: 552036. Market days: Prominent in York since the Middle Ages, Newgate Market is full of traders selling their goods between Shambles and Parliament Street. The market offers a wide variety of dried goods, fruit and vegetables, as well as a good selection of fresh fish and meat. It is open from 9am to 4pm (4.30pm Saturday and Sunday). The market only closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. 650 years of history:

Discover the secrets of the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall – a stunning medieval guild hall in Fossgate, York, which boasts a 650-year history. To check opening times, call 654818.

Until 31 December Christmas exhibition:

Visit Fairfax House and see the spectacular Christmas decorations based on evidence from the Georgian period during its exhibition entitled ‘The Keeping of Christmas’. Tel: 655543.

Until 9 January Ice Factor: York’s annual ice-rink has moved to the city’s Designer Outlet where it is 50% bigger than its predecessor at the Eye of York. Located on the A64/ A19 interchange, the Ice Factor offers a Winter Wonderland theme, including log cabins, stunning lighting and Christmas trees. With a public viewing area, heated skate hire marquee and the heated ice bar & café for rink-side spectator comfort, the Ice Factor at York Designer Outlet also offers free parking, with more than 120 shops 98

offering up to 60% discount next door. For more details, call York Ice Factor on 01653 619169.

Winter fun: Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, is a magical place where young and old can have festive fun together whilst enjoying the great British outdoors. Visitors can ice skate on the outdoor rink, walk or Nordic ski through the 1.2km Enchanted Forest, or get lost in the Snowflake Maze which features a Castle Turret Viewing Tower. Stockeld Park also has a vast Christmas shop, the Woodland cafe and guests can buy a fresh Stockeld Christmas tree, grown on site. Call 01937 586101. Until 29 January Quilt exhibitions: The

Quilt Museum and Gallery at St Anthony’s Hall, Peasholme Green, York, is hosting two exhibitions: ‘Freedom to stitch – The Emergence of Embroiderer as Artist’; and ‘In Memory of Barbara’. The latter is a tribute to Barbara Bailey, a founding member of The Quilters’ Guild who combined her passion for gardening with her love of patchwork. Tel: 613242.

Mid-west images:

Pocklington Art Centre is hosting an exhibition of photographic art by Elaine A Gladstone inspired by the USA mid-west. Web: www. elainegladstonephotography.co.uk

30 December & 13 January Jazz night: Enjoy a three-course dinner at the Churchill Hotel, York, while listening to Karl Mullen’s Jazz Band. Tel: 644456. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 & 30 January Abbey tour: Join a free tour to discover fascinating facts about Fountains Abbey, the National Trust property near Ripon. Meet at Porter’s Lodge at 1.30pm. Tel: 01765 608888. 2 January Physics Pantomime: Dr

Yvette Hancock, of York University, will give a Christmas family lecture at 2.30pm in the Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York. Call 656713.

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Do just a few minutes more physical activity every day.

Visit the website for fitness prizes, promotions and loads of local ideas to become more active. www.justafewminutesmore.com

5 January

7 January

Play the game: Beyond Monopoly, a boardgame club, meets at Orgasmic Cafe, off Coney Street, York, between 5pm to 11pm UK.

Wood turning: Syd Godfrey will give a talk entitled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Thread Chasingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to Jorvik Woodturning Group at Earswick Village Hall, Earswick Chase, Earswick, York, at 7.30pm. Tel: 704092.

6, 13 & 27 January Speaking out: Members of York Speakers

Club meet at the Railway Institute, Queen Street, York, at 7.30pm. Tel: 416308.

8 January Soul music: A charity soul night is being

held at the Royal York Hotel to support York Against Cancer. To book call Lynne on 799545.

Book fair: The York January One-Day Book Fair, organised by the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, is the largest one-day book fair in the UK. More than 100 booksellers will be offering more than 40,000 quality secondhand and antiquarian books, as well as a wide selection of prints, maps and ephemera, at York Racecourse between 10am and 4.30pm. There will be a free all-day shuttle bus service between York Railway Station and the racecourse. Tel: 794711.

For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

Performing arts: Tread The Boards classes resume for children aged between three and 16. The performing arts academy meets at Clifton Moor, York, on Saturday mornings during term time. Tel: 08458 124421.

13 January

16 January Stage and screen: Kirkbymoorside Town

8 & 15 January

Apprentice opportunity: If you are interested in becoming an apprentice sterile service technician you should attend an open day at York Hospital’s Postgraduate Centre at 3pm. For more details, call 725472 or 725328.

Join the board: Beyond Monopoly, a

13 & 15 January

friendly boardgame club, meets at the Railway Institute, Queen Street, York, 10am - 6pm.

10 – 16 January Film Week: Enjoy a taste of nostalgic

cinema during Film Week as York’s National Railway Museum screens many famous British Transport Films. Highlights include Elizabethan Express which tells the story of one of the first non-stop rail journeys made from London to Edinburgh, shortly after the coronation in 1953. Films will be showing in the Gibb Theatre. Admission is free although numbers are limited. For more details, call 0844 815 3139

11 January Spooky engineering: Dr Irene D’Amico,

of York University, will give a lecture entitled ‘Engineering spookiness’ at 7.30pm in the Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York. For more details, call Society on 656713.

Story time: Heslington Flower Lovers’ Guild will meet for a story in Heslington village hall at 7.30pm. Call Lilian on 653267 or Kathleen on 631982. Show tales: Members of Haxby &

Wigginton Flower Club will listen to a talk entitled ‘The Ups and Downs of Show Work’ by Mavis Hammond at Wigginton Recreation Hall at 7.30pm. Tel: 765676.

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Adult education: Find out about adult

education courses on offer in York by attending one of the two information days at York Explore between noon and 6pm on the Thursday and 11am and 3pm on the Saturday. Sign up on either of the days and be entered in a free draw to win a £90 voucher to be used on the course of your choice for Autumn 2011. Call 552806.

14 January Piano recital: Pianist Alessandro Taverna

performs at Sir Jack Lyons Hall, York University, at 8pm for the BMS York Chamber Music Series. Tel: 704052.

Motorhead night: York indie rock ’n’ roll club Up The Racket is presenting an exclusive Motorhead LP playback at Ziggys, where there will be giveaways and chances to win rare Motorhead merchandise.

15 January British premiere: The Academy of

St Olave’s performs the British premiere of Schubert’s Symphony in D (fragment) as well as his Symphony No 10 in D Major with an introduction by Professor Brian Newbould. Members of the academy will also perform Mozart’s Horn Concerto No 3 and Beethoven’s Overture Coriolan Op 62. The concert starts at 8pm. Tel: 550099.

Brass Band will perform a concert at 7.30pm in Helmsley Arts Centre based upon music of the stage and screen. It features works by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rogers and Hammerstein, John Williams, Ron Goodwin and Malcolm Arnold. Tel: 01439 771700.

18 January Garden talk: East Yorkshire garden

consultant Steve Wright will give an illustrated talk entitled ‘Vegetables and Flowers for a Year of Food and Colour’ to Askham Bryan College Gardening Club at 7.30pm in The Conference Hall, Askham Bryan College, near York. Tel: 707208.

19 January Jazz concert: This concert sees Dave

Smyth’s Timecraft Jazz Orchestra perform a blend of strong melodies, twisting bass lines and rhythmic contortions. The concert starts at 7.30pm in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, York University. Box office: 01904 432439.

20 January By the book: What turns an ordinary British teenager into a Muslim radical? Writer Sunjeev Sahota, who works for Aviva in York, talks about his new book Ours Are The Streets at 7pm in Explore York Library. Tel: 552828. 21 January Railway King: Chris Cade will give a talk entitled ‘George Hudson -the Railway King’ to members of Haxby and Wigginton U3A at Wigginton Recreation Hall at 2pm. Tel: 764688.

For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

Comedy night: Tony Simpson acts

as compere during a comedy night at York Racecourse featuring Steve Day and Alfie Moore. To book your ticket, call 638971.

21 & 22 January Stamp fair: York Racecourse is hosting the largest stamp and coin fair outside London. There are upwards of 95 stamp dealers, plus more than 60 coin, banknote and medal dealers, buying and selling between 11am and 6pm on the Friday and between 10am and 4pm on the Saturday. You can buy or sell, get valuations or just browse. There are often specialist society meetings to which everyone is welcome, whether member or not. There is a bar for alcoholic drinks plus a self-service restaurant serving hot and cold meals. Free admission.

22 January My Darling Clemmie: Following the success of The Gathering Storm, starring Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave, Hugh Whitemore has written this new play about Clementine Churchill - the remarkable woman who married Sir Winston Churchill. It is staged at 7.30pm in Helmsley Arts Centre. Tel: 01439 771700. 22 & 29 January Party band: HUGE will be in action at the Grand Opera House to celebrate 20 years of raising the roof. Tickets are available at the venue. Both concerts will be sponsored by Your Local Link. It is 20 years since HUGE guitarist approached a chunky frontman at a St John’s RAG revue and said “Your band are rubbish mate but you’re quite good ...fancy doing a

band?” Little did either of them know that 20 years, six children and many laughs later they would still be performing with acts such as Girls Aloud, Katy Perry, Florence & the Machine, Justin Timberlake and Rolf Harris. Over the years, Big Ian, Phil and the boys have performed to hundreds of thousands of people at university balls, charity events and parties all over the UK and abroad having gained high-profile admirers along the way from Hollywood A-listers Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Bill Nighy to sporting legends such as Alan Shearer and Frank Bruno. www.hugepartyband.co.uk

23 January Bird walk: Spot the beautiful winter birds on this two- mile walk at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, the National Trust property near Ripon. Tel: 01765 608888.

Children’s Centre Celebration Event If you go down to St Sampson’s Square on the 3rd February you’re sure of a big suprise... Health Visiting Team Free fruit and gifts!

Storytelling

Toybus York Family Information Service

Libraries

Family Learning

And much much more! Come along for free activities for 0-5 year olds and to have your say about your local children’s centre!

St Sampson’s Square 3rd February 10.30 till 2.30 To find out more call York Family Information Service on 01904 554444, ask at your local children’s centre or visit www.yorkchildrenscentres.org.uk

For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

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25 January Modern refugee: Holocaust

Memorial Lecture by Professor Peter Gatrell, of Manchester University, will give the Holocaust Memorial Lecture at 7.30pm in the Tempest Anderson Hall, Museum Gardens, York. Call 656713.

Philosophy course: A 10-

week course in practical philosophy starts at King’s Manor, next to York Art Gallery, between 7.15pm and 9.30pm. Call 643586.

Bistro sounds: Enjoy the

music of York singer-songwriter David Ward Maclean as he sings, plays and chats - and introduces a fellow-musician/singer. Music from 8pm at the Dean Court Hotel’s bistro. Tel: 625082.

26 January Musical journey: Time and

Ball website www.ggtcelebrityball.btck.co.uk Bookings on line at www.ggt.org.uk £55pp or £500 for a table of 10 or send payment to 2 Little Garth Nether Poppleton York YO26 6NH. Tel: 01904 780880

place mean nothing to The 24; step aboard their musical Tardis for a whirling journey through a universe of arbitrary juxtapositions and mind-bending coincidences. The concert starts at 7.30pm in the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, York University. Box office: 01904 432439.

27 January Crime fiction: Dead Like You,

sixth in the Roy Grace detective series, shot straight to No. 1 in both hardback and paperback charts. International bestselling crime

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thriller novelist Peter James talks about his writing and research at 7pm in Explore York Library Learning Centre. Tel: 552828.

28 January Hidden Minster: See parts of York Minster usually inaccessible to visitors: The West End and Bell Towers; The Chapter House Roof & Masons’ Loft; or Early Minster. Tours start at 7pm and 8.30pm. Tel: 0844 939 0011. 29 January Let’s dance: Showcase 2011 by

Anna’s Academy of Dance at Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, 2pm & 7pm. Tel: 416751.

An Evening With The Humour Of Bob Newhart & Tom Lehrer: Peter Gill

and Andrew Meller present a 90-minute show dedicated to the satirical humour of American comic legends Bob Newhart and Tom Lehrer. The show is staged at 7.30pm in Helmsley Arts Centre. Tel: 01439 771700.

Missa Pange Lingua:

Experience Josquin’s masterpiece alongside a new Mass by student composer George Haynes in York Minster’s magnificent Chapter House. Call 0844 939 0015.

29 & 30 January Sketch & Stitch: Learn stitch

For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

techniques with an experienced embroiderer at the Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York, between 10am and 4pm. Call 650333.

Table tennis: York & District Table Tennis Association is holding its annual championship at the Railway Institute, Queen Street, York, between 1.30pm and 9.30pm on the Saturday and from 9am to 9.30pm on the Sunday. Tel: 704743. 1 February Jazz supper: Enjoy an evening with

good food and live music from guest jazz trio Bejazzled, Court Cafe, Dean Court Hotel, York, from 8pm. Tel: 625082.

2 February Sing out: Join York Rose Singers for a fun and

informal open rehearsal, under conductor Tim Knight, that starts at 7.30pm at All Saints’ School, Nunnery Lane, York. Call Victoria on 799453.

4 February - 2 May Quilt show: Quilt Art, an international

group of 20 textile artists, celebrates its 25th anniversary with an exhibition in the Great Hall of the Quilt Museum and Gallery in Peasholme Green, York. Also showing is ‘The Averil Colby Legacy’, an exhibition devoted to the work of an influential quilter, gardener, designer and author. Tel: 613242.

5 February Studio open day: The Jam Factory is

hosting an open day for those thinking about forging a career in the music business. Doors open at 11am at the recording studio in Eldon Street, York. Access To Music runs two courses at the Jam Factory ¬- Performing Musician and Digital Musician. Both last two years and are the equivalent of three A-levels; there is also an

option to do a one-year Foundation course in digital music. Tel: 655290.

Comedy night: Peter Kay tribute act Lee Lard performs at York Racecourse. The evening includes a two-course meal and disco until 1am. To book a ticket, call 638971. 9 February Minster lecture: Baroness Haleh Afshar will present an Ebor Lecture on Theology & Public Life in York Minster at 7pm. Her talk is entitled ‘The Politics of Fear’. Book your free ticket by phone on 876474 12 February - 12 June Hockney art: The largest painting David Hockney has ever created will go on show in York Art Gallery, for the first time outside London. Bigger Trees Near Warter, measuring 12m by

4.5m, is made up of 50 smaller canvasses of a landscape near the East Yorkshire village of Warter. Its arrival in York marks the start of ‘Art in Yorkshire - supported by Tate’, a year-long celebration of the visual arts in 19 galleries throughout Yorkshire. Works from Tate’s collection of historic, modern and contemporary art will be showcased through a compelling programme of exhibitions and events.

19 – 27 February Viking festival: The annual JORVIK Viking

Festival, now in its 26th year, is a city-wide celebration of York’s Viking heritage organised by York Archaeological Trust. More than 40,000 visitors flock to York to take part in familyfriendly events, lectures and guided walks and watch Viking re-enactors stage battles. For more details, go to www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk

Still More Magic at Stockeld Park

Home of

The Christmas Adventure

Open daily until Sunday 9 January, then Fri, Sat & Sun until 30 January Maze • Skate • Nordic Ski • Enchanted Forest • Shop • Cafe An inspirational day out for all ages at Stockeld Park. Near Wetherby on the A661. Open 7 days a week.

w w w.thechristm a s a d ven tu re. c o m For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

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The King’s Speech

King George VI became a national hero when he and his queen Elizabeth bravely led the country through the nightmare of World War II. But the story could have been very different. Shy, plagued by a dreadful stutter and considered by many to be unfit to be king, George (Bertie) was thrust unwillingly into the limelight after the abdication of his brother, Edward VIII. This engaging tale tells the story of his unlikely friendship with unorthodox speech therapist Lionel Logue, the man who helped him find his voice and the courage to be king.

The Next Three Days

6 January

Hollywood has an obsession with remaking foreign movies. Why? Can’t anyone read a subtitle? They’re already making mincemeat of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy, and now they’re at it again with this remake of the 2007 French film Pour Elle. Russell Crowe stars as a professor whose wife is falsely accused of murder. Crowe enlists the help of a hardened criminal and prison break specialist (played by Liam Neeson) to free her from jail. With the expert’s help he devises a daring plan, but does he have the nerve to carry it off? It’s a high octane thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Johnny Dickinson, Black Swan Folk Club

7 January Hungry Ghosts, City Screen

8 January Chameleons Vox, The Duchess

11 January The Acoustic Project, Last Drop Inn

13 January Singers & Musicians Night, Black Swan Folk Club

14 January Red Chevrons, The Duchess

True Grit Adam Dawson, Yorkshire Terrier

Justin Currie, Pocklington Arts Centre

17 January Tragedy, Fibbers

25 January

18 January

Olly Salisbury, Last Drop Inn

Dave Smith, Last Drop Inn

20 January

David Ward Maclean, Dean Court Hotel

27 January

Urban Voodoo Machine, Fibbers

Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Black Swan Folk Club

15 January

22 January

4Square, Black Swan Folk Club

Huge, Grand Opera House

The Standbys, The Duchess

I Am Kloot, The Duchess

Steve Wynn & Chris Cacavas, City Screen

Godsized, Fibbers

29 January

23 January

Huge, Grand Opera House

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac, Grand Opera House We Could Be Astronauts, The Duchess

16 January Richard Thompson Band, Grand Opera House

Direct From The West End, Grand Opera House

Walter Schreifels, Fibbers

Another classic movie getting a Hollywood makeover. This time around Jeff Bridges takes on the daunting task of filling John Wayne’s cowboy boots as lazy, hard-drinking US marshal Reuben J ‘Rooster’ Cogburn. Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross enlists Cogburn’s help to capture the killer. As they trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney, they’re joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio find danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her grit tested. But it is really as good as the original?

The Green Hornet

When ne’er-do-well playboy Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) inherits his father’s media empire, he also inherits a sinister employee called Kato with a secret cache of weapons and utilities. Rather than running a mile as most sane people might, Britt decides the pair should become a crime-fighting duo. As you do. With the help of his new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), Britt – aka the Green Hornet – takes on arch villain Chudnofsky, who controls the city’s criminal underworld. As you might guess, the action comedy is definitely old school, but with fast-rising comedy genius Seth Rogen as a scriptwriter, there are plenty of laughs.

Morning Glory

A film about a failing breakfast show called Daybreak? That’s got to be an embarrassment to Chiles, Bleakley and Co. This one stars Harrison Ford as Mike Pomeroy, an award-winning news anchor who is drafted in by desperate new producer Becky (Rachel McAdams) to breathe new life into the dying show. But jaded newsman Pomeroy reckons he’s a cut above the breakfast TV diet of celeb gossip, fashion and crafts. And he’s definitely too good for his co-anchor, former beauty queen Colleen Peck (Diane Keaton). Can Becky cope with the clashing pair long enough to save the show – and keep her job?

cinemas:

Vue: 08712 240 240 www.myvue.co.uk City Screen: 0871 902 5726 www.picturehouses.co.uk/york Reel Cinema: 0870 801 0870 www.reelcinemas.co.uk 104

For a healthier, happier you visit www.justafewminutesmore.com

Turn clutter

into cash

Do you have an unwanted item cluttering up your home that you want to turn into cash? You have heard about the popular auction website eBay but you don’t know how to go about making an online sale; anyway, you could do without the hassle and you don’t really have the time. The solution to your problem can be found at The Loft Antiques at Market Place, Pickering, which has been named as an eBay top-rated seller and trading assistant.

Need more

space?

The Loft Space Company can help you make the most of your home’s roof space by transforming it into an easily accessible, dust-free area from only £395.

A company spokesman says: “Our beautifully-crafted wooden loft stair ladders So how do you turn your clutter into cash? Daniel Froggatt, owner of The Loft are designed for comfort and safety; they Antiques, says: “Together with our valuer, we decide with you the ‘value’ of your item take just a few hours to fit and come with (£30 minimum). The item is then listed on a seven-day auction. We then answer a manufacturer’s 10-year parts guarantee. questions about it, sell it, pack it, post it and collect the money for it. If the item has They are incredibly easy to use, quick and still not sold for its minimum price (reserve) we will then continue the listing in our convenient, folding out of sight when not in use. online eBay shop for a further 30 days (free of charge) where members of eBay can “We provide a full range of boarding services, including bespoke eave-to-eave make offers on your item. Any offer matching or exceeding your minimum price will boarding. Regardless of the area, we’ll offer you the most efficient and effective use be accepted.” The Loft Antiques charges £6 per item (payable in advance) for this of your available space and budget, with a high-quality finish. service. For this modest outlay you get a listing for 37 days. When a sale is completed, “We can also help maximize the energy efficiency of your home, reducing the loss 20% of the sale price is deducted to cover all fees and VAT. of valuable energy through the roof with various insulation products.” n The Loft Antiques, 43 Market Place, Pickering. Tel: 01751 472700. Email: n Call 0800 5876662 for a free, no-obligation quote wesell4u@frogworthantiques.co.uk. www.frogworthantiques.co.uk/ebay.htm

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Mr Briq

Wood Briquettes Mr Briq wood briquettes are a cost-effective, clean, convenient and environmentally-friendly alternative to logs and coal. They are perfectly suited to use with Woodburning and Multifuel stoves.

Mr Briq wood briquettes are made from 100% virgin timber blended with recycled hardwood and softwood. They are chemical and additive free. The shape of the briquette is created during the manufacturing process and is maintained through a naturally occurring binder within the wood called Lignin. Mr Briq wood briquettes have proved to be a cost-effective, environmentallyfriendly alternative to logs and coal. The wood used in the manufacturing process is dried to a moisture level below 10% (seasoned logs are often in excess of 30%). This ensures a typical heat output in excess of three times that of logs, so the financial benefits are obvious. Mr Briq wood briquettes provide a consistent heat output, from your first pack to your last. Low levels of moisture are guaranteed. When used in a stove, this promotes high-combustion temperatures, clean glass and, on average, an eight-hour burn time.

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Why Mr Briq? • Clean burning - clean glass • Wet logs & tar no longer a problem • Less than 10% moisture • Easy to light • 100% recycled • High calorific energy • Packaged for easy storage

Remember the misery of condensation and mould last winter? The time it took to clean? The money spent redecorating? The puddles of water and the musty smell throughout the house? With winter approaching, the mould you thought had been covered up is more than likely going to strike again. If you want to save yourself from the hassle of condensation and mould, but want the solution to be cost effective, EnviroVent is the answer.

Mr Briq Wood Briquettes are made in the Yorkshire Wolds, thereby reducing transport pollution, landfill and CO2 emissions; this should give you a double warm glow – one from sitting beside a cosy stove, the other from knowing you are doing your bit to help save the planet!

reduced our heating bills immediately when switching from logs to Mr Briq."

Many customers who have purchased Woodburning and Multifuel stoves from the Stove Barn in Langtoft have achieved the same results, saying: "We

n For more details, call Mr Briq on 01377 267900 or order online at www.mrbriq.co.uk

Another happy customer, Wold Stoves Ltd, based in Foxholes, says: “Using Mr Briq Wood Briquettes ensures all of our stoves run as cleanly and efficiently as possible. Our stoves have never looked better."

EnviroVent can provide a lifetime cure to the problem and they’re so confident they can help you, they even offer a money back guarantee! They’re the experts in solving these problems and have been doing so in homes for over 20 years. So why not call now for your free home-check, before it’s too late? n Contact EnviroVent on 0845 2727807.

classifieddirectory Local trades & services at your fingertips

A picture is worth a thousand words

A video production is an effective way of getting your business message across to potential customers. This is the view of videographer and website designer Dave Tew, who works for Your Local Link magazine. He says: “Video is very versatile. Thanks to sites like YouTube, people are waking up to its potential for promoting small businesses.” For example, it can be used as an introduction video for a business website. “Customers find it reassuring to see the faces behind the names and to know who they are dealing with,” says Dave, who has been helping small businesses promote themselves successfully online for ten years.

“A short introductory video tells people you’re human, and not just a faceless website full of jargon. People remember pictures more than words, so it’s a memorable way of getting across your company’s image and values.” Video can also be used to demonstrate products and services, so customers can see them in action before they buy. Estate agents, hotels and guest houses can use it to post virtual tours of their property. Dave can also create event videos and DVDs, which are powerful promotional tools. It isn’t too expensive, either. “A lot of people are put off by the potential cost, but depending on their requirements they can actually have a professional video created and edited for less than £500,” says Dave. He will discuss clients’ requirements before developing a promotional solution to suit their needs. “Having had a wealth of experience I can often make suggestions that are more cost-effective and get their message across in the way they would like.” He will then shoot the video, and edit it into a three or four minute film. “There’s no disruption to the working day, as I work very unobtrusively – most of my clients forget I’m even there!” says Dave. Your Local Link can testify to that after inviting him to film the team for our own promotional video. You can check it out for yourself on www. yourlocalweblink.co.uk n To find out how a video can make your business shine online, call us on 767881.

WAYNE LAST

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n “My three year old had been learning The Lord’s Prayer at Sunday School and insisted on reciting it to me. He did really well, until he reached the last line. ‘And deliver us some emails - Amen,’ he said. I wonder if God has broadband?” n “I work as a teaching assistant and the teacher was trying to persuade the children to buy a class photograph that had just been taken. ‘Just think how nice it will be when you can look at the picture and say, “There’s Becky, she’s a doctor,” or “There’s Ryan, he’s a lawyer,”’ she said. Then a small voice at the back rang out, ‘There’s the teacher – she’s dead!’”

A woman got on a bus with seven children. The bus conductor asked: “Are these all yours? Or is it a picnic?” “They’re all mine,” she replied. “And it’s no picnic!”

ELECTRICIANS

n LAUGH OUT LOUD

n “When my daughter was about four years old, she had a hard time grasping the concept of marriage. So my husband got out our wedding album and explained the entire service to her. Once finished, he asked if she had any questions, and she replied, ‘Oh. I see. Is that when Mummy came to work for us?’” n A father was talking to his son. “Now listen, my boy, from now on you do your own home-work,” he said. “I'm not going to do any more for you - it's not right.” “I know,” said the boy, “but have a shot at it just the same.” n Twelve year old's response to the question, `why does a surgeon wear a mask when he performs an operation?': `So if he makes a mess of it the patient won't know who did it.'

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the

IRONING

meet

advertiser

Angie Doig-Thorne & Mark Thorne Everyone remembers their wedding day. But Angie Doig-Thorne and Mark Thorne will certainly never forget theirs.

JOINERY

“We were supposed to be going on a cruise for our honeymoon but on the night of our wedding Mark slipped on the dance floor, cracked his kneecap, tore his cruciate ligament and ended up in casualty!” says Angie, who offers hypnotherapy and EFT from her clinic in Dunnington. “I have a photo taken by the ward sister of Mark in a gown and me in my wedding dress at 3am! Needless to say, we missed the boat – we got married in October and ended up going on honeymoon in January.”

HANDYPEOPLE

It isn’t the first time Mark, who runs flat roofing specialists Fibretech Ltd, has made an impression on the dance floor. “Mark used to DJ at a disco at New Earswick Folk Hall when we were teenagers,” Angie recalls. “I remember one night seeing this guy come through the doors and across the stage on a motorbike, thinking how cool he was.” The pair didn’t get together until years later, but it’s a match made in heaven. “He is my soulmate,” says Angie, a former bodybuilding champion and personal trainer. “I’ve never met anyone as kind-hearted or as hard-working as him. His only fault is he spends too long in the bath!” n Angie Doig-Thorne (Insight York) Tel. 01904 489142 or log on to www.angiedoigthorne.com n Mark Thorne (Fibretech Ltd) Tel. Telephone 01904 489142 or log on to www.fibretechltdyork.com

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JOINERY

n LAUGH OUT LOUD Out of this world? Census bosses in Serbia have included a new section for extra-terrestrials to declare their presence in an upcoming population questionnaire. Space visitors will be able to list themselves as ETs/ aliens but will not have to give details of sex, religion or ethnicity, the country’s Statistical Office confirmed. Water, water everywhere A trapped woman was finally freed by rescuers after being stuck in her bathroom for three weeks. The 69 year old survived the ordeal by living off tap water, after accidentally breaking the lock. Her second floor flat in Paris had no window, so she tried to raise the alarm by banging on her wall. “We moaned about the noise, but we had no idea where it was coming from,” says a neighbour. The woman – who has not yet been named – kept her spirits up by taking lots of showers and repeatedly brushing her teeth, before police finally arrived.

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Christmas

Crackers

What’s the worst Christmas cracker joke you’ve heard this year? Here are some of our favourites Q: What is Santa's favourite pizza? A: One that's deep pan, crisp and even. Q: What's brown and sweet and glides around an ice rink? A: Bourneville and Dean Q: What's a specimen? A: An Italian astronaut Q: What do you call a short sighted dinosaur? A: A do-you-think-he-saw-us! Q: What do you call a man with brown paper trousers? A: Russell Q: What do you call a man with a pole through his leg? A: Rodney Q: Why would you invite a mushroom to a Christmas party? A: He's a fun guy to be with. Q: Why was Santa's little helper feeling depressed? A: He had low elf-esteem. Q: What's the longest word in the English language? A: Smiles, because there is a "mile" between the first and the last letters.

Q: On which side do chickens have the most feathers? A: The outside Q: What kind of paper likes music? A: (W)rapping paper Q: What's white and goes up? A: A confused snowflake Q: What do you call a woman who stands between two goal posts? A: Annette Q: Did you hear about the man who bought a paper shop? A: It blew away Q: What's furry and minty? A: A polo bear Q: How do snowmen get around? A: They ride an icicle Q: Who hides in the bakery at Christmas? A: A mince spy Q: What do you call a penguin in the Sahara desert? A: Lost Q: Who was England’s first chiropodist? A: William the Corncurer

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PLUMBING / HEATING

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n LAUGH OUT LOUD

Weird and wonderful news Stiff competition A baker has been forced to reveal the secret ingredient in his pies after three were stolen recently. The pies were on their way to the World Pie Eating Competition in Wigan when a batch was stolen. Baker Vince Bowen then confessed that he added Viagra to his pies as a preservative to keep the potatoes firm. Event organiser and bar owner Tony Callaghan has warned police they may be searching for a gang of hardened criminals.

Feline hot, hot hot A cat has survived a 30 minute car journey in its owner’s engine. Giggs crawled into owner Cerian Griffith’s Vauxhall Corsa for warmth. Cerian was unaware of her pet’s incredible journey, until colleagues at Ysgol David Hughes secondary school in Menai Bridge heard meowing noises coming from her car. Unbelievably, the cat was fine apart from a few missing claws. “He was just sitting there and I can’t understand how he managed to stay there as my journey involves going round a few roundabouts and along the A55,” says Cerian. Even more unbelievably, Giggs tried the same stunt two days later – but this time he was spotted by Cerian’s mother.

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n LAUGH OUT LOUD "This is the sixth book I've written, which isn't bad for a guy who's only read two." George Burns. "When I am dead, I hope it may be said: 'His sins were scarlet but his books were read." Hilliare Belloc. "Most rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read." Frank Zappa. "I inherited a painting and a violin which turned out to be a Rembrandt and a Stradivarius. Unfortunately, Rembrandt made lousy violins and Stradivarius was a terrible painter." Tommy Cooper "A good sermon should be like a woman's skirt: short enough to arouse interest but long enough to cover the essentials." Ronald Knox. "I used to sell furniture for a living. The trouble was, it was my own." Les Dawson.

“Don’t you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There’s one marked ‘Brightness,’ but it doesn’t work.” Gallagher.

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Drive on home...

Sponsored by JJB Motors , Unit 1, The Raylor Centre, James Street, York, YO10 3DW Tel: 01904 426691

Meet Simon...

Audi and Alfa specialists JJB Motors have expanded their successful team with an award-winning local mechanic.

Simon Brockless’ extensive experience working on high performance cars, combined with his dedication to excellence in customer service, made him the ideal choice for JJB owner Johnny Barber. “Simon is qualified to a very high level, and he has a proven track record for the kind of cars we deal with and the level of customer service we demand,” he says. Simon’s passion for motors goes back to his schooldays. “When I was at school, my cousin worked for a garage and one of the other mechanics was a local rally star,” he recalls. “While walking to school I would often scrounge a lift in the rally car. Turning up to school in a car capable of over 150mph soon gets you hooked on all cars and things with engines.” After leaving school, Simon enrolled on a YTS scheme at a local auto-electrical and diesel specialist. “It was one of the best things that I could have done,” he says. “A lot of technicians are wary of working on vehicle electrical systems but at that time that's all I worked on so it became second nature to me, and has stood me in good stead since.”

Simon then moved on to work at a Rover dealership, where he quickly developed in to an all-round technician with a passion for the more difficult diagnostic and in-depth repair jobs. “It became apparent and instilled in to me at this point that it’s the customers that are the important ones. They’re the ones who keep you in a job and so it’s paramount that you look after them.”

Since then, Simon has had experience working on high performance cars such as BMWs, Lotus, Porsche and Jaguar. While working for an independent Land Rover specialist as service manager, they were awarded Independent Garage of the Year 2005 by the Motor Trader magazine. In his spare time, Simon enjoys working on high performance cars, especially rally cars. “My two brothers-in-law both have rally cars, one of which I have co driven for on the Tour of Mull on a few times. If not competing I am usually looking after the car on events, and we have had awards for the standard of preparation.” He applied to join JJB Motors after seeing an advertisement in Your Local Link. “I have regularly seen their ad in the magazine and the information Johnny writes for your readers and have always been impressed with their focus on customer service. So

when I saw they were advertising for staff I couldn't wait to apply. “I would hope that with my previous experience I could bring along some of the Independent Garage of the Year award winning ways to JJB Motors and help to grow the business to be the best in the area.” n JJB Motors is located close to the centre of York within easy walking distance of the railway station and town centre. So for specialist service with a friendly, professional approach, give them a call today on 426691.

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B &S

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MOTORCYCLES

Find a family friendly car

Okay, so your fantasy might be cruising behind the wheel of a sporty BMW with the top down, but if you have kids you have to be a bit more practical. So how do you choose the right car for your family? Here are some tips to help you get it right â&#x20AC;&#x201C; plus some advice from our readers What will you use it for? If you only do the school run and a few trips to the supermarket it may mean you have different needs to someone who travels on motorways to see the grandparents frequently. Compare fuel efficiency to the kind of mileage you would do in all the car models you are looking at to see which works best for you.

NEW MODEL FOR 2011

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Size matters. Even one child generates a hell of a lot of stuff, such as buggies, travel cots, scooter and bikes, not to mention space for their friends when you become a taxi service (and you will). If you have three or more children, you’re definitely going to need something bigger. Can you fit three car seats across the back seats? Do you travel a lot or need extra boot space for camping equipment or golf clubs? It might be useful to write a list of the kind of journeys you are likely to make in your new car. A place for everything. Unless you like driving around in a mobile tip, make sure there’s storage for all those crayons, stickers, toys, snacks, baby wipes etc. Cup holders are another must. Also bear in mind that a family car is likely to experience a fair amount of wear and tear, from baby sick, raisins stuck to the floor or muddy wellies, so avoid cream leather interiors until your kids have cars of their own. Check flexibility. Can the seats be taken out to make more boot space? Can more seats be added for your children’s friends? Sometimes it’s the little extras that make a car easy for a family to use.

It worked for me “Check the engine size. Our first car had a big engine, which was totally uneconomical for the school run and short trips to the supermarket.” K.F., Strensall It worked for me “Make sure your interiors are childproof. I found this out the hard way after my daughter left her crayons on the back seat last summer. Scraping melted wax out of your upholstery is no joke!” Lisa P, Rawcliffe It worked for me “Check reviews on the internet. All that technical information can be confusing – sometimes you just need a clear, honest opinion from someone who’s been there.” Claire Davies, Acomb

Safety first. It goes without saying that you should make sure family car as safe as possible. Check aspects such as such as air bags, child locks, etc. Also check the car’s alarm system and safety records.

New or used? This depends on your finances but if you go for used, be sure to buy it from a reputable used-car dealership. Weigh up the downsides of buying second-hand (for example, wear and tear, how many miles it has on the clock and what problems it may have had in the past, the fact that it probably won’t be under warranty or be attached to a garage) against the cost of a brand new car which may come with deals such as free insurance for a year, extras like sat nav and free repairs for a certain amount of time. Always make sure a used car has an up-to-date MOT certificate, tax and has a logbook.

Safe Motoring with

NORTH EASTERN TYRE & AUTOCARE

Richard Loft Store Manager

Checking your tyres – 1, 2, 3. I’m still amazed at how few people regularly check their tyres and even more amazed at the number of people who aren’t sure of the legal minimum tread depth.

The tyre industry does need to do more to educate the public about the safety issues around tyre tread, wear patterns and inflation. A properly maintained tyres will save you money, could save you from getting 3 points on your licence and in the most extreme situations, your life. In the UK all vehicles are required to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, however whilst this is the legal requirements anyone who knows anything about tyres and safe driving will strongly advise that tyres are replaced once the tread depth reaches 3mm. 3mm is the legal minimum requirement in many European countries. Remember – your tyres are the only thing in contact with the road – no matter what car your driving. What’s the difference? Tests show that if you are travelling at 50 mph and apply full brakes, you will stop within 35.5 metres with 3mm tread remaining. If your tyres are at 1.6mm tread depth, this increases by another 7 metres to 42 metres. How do I check my tread? Almost all tyres come with tread wear indicators, usually six or more small ribs across the bottom of the main tread grooves. When the tread surface is level with these ribs, the tyre needs to be replaced. Many people carry a tread depth gauge to help them check their tyre tread. Call into the store and we’ll give you a gauge for free! What other factors are important? Wheel alignment – this refers to the geometrical relationship of the wheels to each other and the road. All four wheels should be straight ahead, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the road and their respective axles. Phew! Basically they should be straight. If they are not then the tyres can wear unevenly at the edges, which means you could have perfectly good tread on one edge of the tyre and be worn on the other edge. Resulting in your tyres needing to be replaced sooner. Inflation – The correct level of inflation in your tyres can have a tremendous impact on how efficiently the tyre operates. Under or over inflated tyres will result in an uneven wear pattern, again meaning tyres need replacing sooner. Correct wheel alignment and inflation will make the vehicle more fuel efficient and give you the longest possible life from your tyres. We can carry a full tyre safety check for free, you just need to drive in. We will give you honest, impartial advice about how your tyres are performing and whether they require re-alignment or replacement.

£15

Call: 01904 692500 www.nete.co.uk

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Our very own ‘Stig’ looks at the latest hot topics in the land of cars and petrol heads Drivers face £250 bill to switch to digital radio

Four out of five car radios will be useless in fewer than five years, according to research by CAR magazine FM and medium wave radio signals are due to be switched off in 2015 and taken over by digital systems, but the majority of new cars are still being sold with oldfashioned radios. Drivers will have to spend an average of £250 for a new stereo that can pick up digital radio signals. A cheaper alternative is available in the form of an adaptor, but the total switchover bill for motorists is expected to top £1 billion. The move also means that a number of satellite navigation systems that rely on traditional analogue radio signals for traffic updates will also become obsolete. Car manufacturers have promised to offer DAB digital radios as standard with new vehicles from 2013. It is believed that 75% of them will be fitted with DAB radios in about 12 months.

Vauxhall’s unveils ‘snow sock’

Vauxhall has released a set of ‘snow socks’ for tyres that are as timely as they are clever. They are effectively a pair of fabric snow chains that slip over the driven tyres of your car to provide extra grip. Designed to be used

for vital journeys at speeds of less than 50mph, Vauxhall says the socks are more effective over ice and snow than winter tyres, but far less cumbersome than snow chains. They are made from a fabric with fibres that dig into the snow. A set of two snow socks costs £49.99 from any Vauxhall retailer, though they can be used on any make and model of car.

Speed cameras ‘save lives’

Eight hundred more people could be killed or seriously injured each year on Britain’s roads if all the fixed and mobile speed cameras operational before the road safety grant was cut this summer were to be decommissioned. The benefits of speed cameras are detailed in a report by Professor Richard Allsop, of University College London, for the RAC Foundation. He says speed cameras have offered continuing road safety benefits since their widespread introduction between 2001 and 2005. These benefits, Professor Allsop concludes, are not just to be found at camera sites but across the wider road network. He also points out that a large majority of the public have consistently backed the use of cameras. And he dispels the myth that penalties generated by cameras are a significant source of revenue, showing that in 2007 just £4 out of every £60 raised in penalties was net income to the Treasury and there was no surplus for local authorities or the police.

Motorcycles - Quads

£26 M.O.T.

MOTs Petrol & Diesel Servicing all makes Alarms & In-Car Entertainment Full Tyre & Exhaust Fitting Service Engine Management/Emission Warning

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Listings highlighted? Childrens Activities Baby Swimmers 01757229880 Blue spoon theatre company 07923 359470 C Saunders Swimming School 01757 709703 CYC family information service 551550 CYC fostering 555333 Energise 552424 Heslington & Badger Hill 410787 Home to Home Nursery 490339 Imaginative Beginnings 407803 Little Badgers Preschool 422396 Painty Party 07981 205539 Play Football 0845 2579000 Poppleton pre school 782047 Pretty in Pink 07849 329251 Stagecoach Theatre Arts School 672662 Strensall Preshool Playgroup 492937 Swimsters 744766 Talking Tots 07521 680949 Tennis Tykes 07843 342662 Tread the Boards 08458 124421 Tumble Tots 412381 York Dance Works 07981 553465 Y Hoque School of Dancing 783703 Cleaning A & M Cleaning 07754 285742 A & M Cleaning 07754 285742 Claires Cleaning Services 07717 756431 Complete Cleaning Services 07917 137221 Dave The Sweep 07761 083072 Dolly Char York 07929 452904 Dolly Char York 07929 452904 Domestic Divas 07754 549801 Haxby Cleaners 490769 Igloo Cleaning 401752 Maid 2 Clean 0800 0439370 Mighty Maid 07818 044567 Proactive facilities 07724 042513 Synergy cleaning 0800 1522101 Synergy cleaning 0800 1522101 Tim Stockdale 413612 Top 2 Bottom Cleaning 07849 518899 Ultra Clean 01759 371741 Ultra Clean 01759 371741 Computers/Web Design Aldwark Computers 654954 1st Byte IT Solutions 446554 Computer Start 07944 717019 Gemini PC Solutions 639488 GF Computer Services 07545 021322 JRA Services Ltd 01751 432142 Local Fix 07843 053820 Mac Man 215002 We R Your IT 08000 470181 York Mobile Computer Repairs 07506 321911 York PC Solutions 07729 291234 curtains Carolines Curtains 332949 Christine Alker 339214 Curtains Up 627239 Cycling Bob Trotter Cycle Centre 622868 Get Cycling 636812 damp proofing Holland Damp Proofing 0808 1552571 Holland Damp Proofing 0808 1552571 Envirovent 0845 2727807 Dance Classes Salsa Classes 635663 decorators Alan Kitson 07801 346218 Almsford painting & Decorating 07930 483350 Andy Powell Painting 705082 Bright Interiors 07952 947536

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Buckle Decorators Ltd 07775 876822 114 C Mcleod Decorating 07789 816602 113 Callum Anderson 07969 521475 113 Chris Roper 07762 791221 113 CKW Decorators 07803 936905 114 Durrant Decorating 07847 676901 113 Freshstart Painter & Decorator 07817 823532 114 Gary Ambler 07762 551845 113 Gary Roe Painter & Decorator 07717 116489 113 Indigo Painting & Decorating 07899 896336 113 Jeff Wright 703824 113 Jeffersons Painting 701229 114 John Hall Decorating 651892 113 K Walton Painting & Decorating 07535 004212 113 Marks Decorating Services 449869 113 N Shields Decorators 07712 599707 114 NG Decorators 07790 015966 113 Peter Heald Painter 07795 438027 113 Quality Decorators 778466 113 Ray Webster Painting 07742 077743 113 Richard Cole Interior Decorator 07979 571012 114 Richard Driscoll 332030 113 RJH Decorating 07833 105296 113 RPS Decorating 7873132540 113 SJB Painting & Decorating 07876 782020 113 S Brigham Specialist Painter 07917 467833 83 Dentists Blossom Street Dentures 653278 38 Crystal Clear 0800 9549010 41 Denture Care 626629 23 Fresh Dental 01904 623687 39 York Denture Solutions 659022 30 Domestic Appliance Repairs Clyde Electrical 768698 114 drainage Commercial Services 625751 114 MB Plumbing & Drains 07921 760727 122 MW Maintenance 651500 114 driving schools Happy Driver 792641 131 Richard SOM 07904 142108 131 education/tuition Access To Music 655290 49 Kumon Maths 01757 268114 48 Little Fidgets 706565 50 Pocklington School 01759 321200 51 Queen Margarets School 728261 55 Ryedale & York Piano Services 01653 696390 48 Spanish Talk 07800 634510 48 York College 770200 37 York College 770200 2 York St John University 876598 48 Maurice Ridge Music Tuition 07818 085021 23 Quartz Travel 411188 25 Drawing & Painting 07789 277382 18 Goodmans Piano Tuition 636340 48 The Wood Work Room 348343 15 Electrical goods Domestic App Warehouse 692275 8 Electricians ACB Electrical Installations 762048 115 Active Electrical Solutions 07999 357647 114 Ape Electrical 07766 837684 114 Clifton Moor Electrical Services 07866 433309 114 Cooper Woods Electrical 07764 251088 116 Court Electrical Services 07766 887179 114 D Carrington Electrical Services 07809 534791 116 Electric Blew 07980 054547 115 Electrical Connections 07724 177824 115 HC Engineering 477623 115 Herbert Todd 628676 116 Jamie Heard 07762 662156 116 JCT Contractors 07872 932762 115 Judge Electrical Ltd 07919 033113 114 Judge Electrical Ltd 07919 033113 114 Majestic Electric 07957 638224 114 Martin Clancy 767480 114 Martin Starkey Electrical 750893 115 MDB Electrical 337071 115 R.J.S Electrical 07790 518222 115 S Electrics 795205 114 Yorvik Electrical Services 422157 22 Estate/letting agents Hunters 621026 64 Hunters 621026 1 IG Property 629929 80 Northwood Residential Lettings 638999 63 Opus Estate Agents 790070 3

Sellers of Distinction 529530 63 Williamsons Estate Agents 01347 822800 80 York Property Co 640900 80 Your Move Anscombs 621532 65,66,79 Fascias/soffitts Polyplas 07966 373525 116 Financial advisors Pen-Life Associates Ltd 661140 137 The Purple Advice Co 626555 16 fireplaces Gas Flair 658333 84 Hot Box Stoves Ltd 289202 10 Flood Sax Solarwall Flood Sax 0500 127005 60 florists Dutch Nursery Haxby 768439 13 Dutch Nursery Haxby 768439 35 Funeral Services Co-operative Funeral Service 643936 32 J Rymer Funeral Service 624320 32 JG Fielder & Sons 654460 32 Furniture Restoration Furniture Tec 414777 82 Paul Lea Upholstery 470910 85 Garage Doors Garage Door Repairs 416284 116 Haxby Garage Doors 07889 152242 116 Hobman Garage Doors 608951 85 Premier Garage Doors 07887 940084 116 Premier Garage Doors 07887 940084 116 SJL Garage Doors 416284 80 Gardening Andrew Kent 738646 57 Apex Shed & Fencing 415735 55 Arborwise 07841 719672 59 Ascot Fencing 337225 58 Aztek Landscapes 07803 257347 56 Bradshaws 696960 59 Brighter Gardens 790112 58 Browns Nursery 07711 634812 55 C& C Contracting 448239 56 CRW Driveways 07745814563 55 D Waudby Fencing & Treework 670711 55 Deans Garden Centre 400141 57 Direct Driveway Company 07711 230892 56 Eden Landscapes 07737 825621 54 Eden Treescapes 07737 825621 59 Fencing,Paving and Decking 07813 752954 58 Future Landscapes 07969 354674 55 Grumbleweed 750157 54 Horse Manure 4 Sale 01347 811202 59 Just Gardens R Humphries 07949 589376 58 K.S.Paving 413434 54 Lewis Tree Surgery 0783 1692275 57 M & M Landscapes 07967 656142 59 Malcolm Collins Fencing 01347 878275 54 Mick Lambert Landscaping 07702 126380 56 Mike Walmsley Landscapes 700921 56 Paradise Gardens 692238 56 Rachels Garden Services 07724 131107 57 Rock n Stone York Ltd 608300 58 Rowan Tree Garden Design 411487 59 Sandalwood Gates 608542 59 Spectacular Driveways 07737 190150 54 SRB Fencing 07841 187928 56 The Cottage Gardener 07933 460184 59 Top Soil 4 Sale 07702 126380 56 Trev’s Garden Service 07825882577 59 Trevor Smith Landscaping 489998 57 Waterdale Landscapes 07960 603025 56 York Sawmill 705198 58 gates/railings Acaster Forge 701513 54 PH Fabrications 07984 737084 57 SR Fabrications 07711 359620 56 Groundworks Groundworks & Digger Hire 07702 126380 58 Guttering Former Glory Cleaning 07957 863962 Guttering Of York 07711 222307 116 Heworth Guttering 07957 901639 116 Mark Leslie Roofline 423300 117 PD Plastics 07947 144681 117 Plasti-Fit 07765 142505 116 Rawcliffe Guttering Solutions 07725 857621 116 Handypeople DIY Guy 07946 296731 117 Handy Al 07958 571219 117

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Neil Jackson Joinery 07800 588172 P Sturdy Joinery 07769 962915 R Oxby Joinery 07742 116613 Redberry Joinery 07501 144383 RGS joinery 07721 785800 SH Joinery 07944 413842 Stairway Joinery 07754 804988 Wood `n All 07947 001520 leadwork Mark Winters Lead Work 07976 845678 locks/Security/Alarms AAR Locksmiths LTD 07523 505999 Access All Locks 410069 Afford A Lock 625635 Lockfix Security 623108 Neil Webster Locks 07732 822525 logs/fuel Dry Logs 652742 Quality seasoned logs 07885 594303 Wood Warmth 0844 3356473 Magicians Impossible Magic 0845 0524755 mobility/hearing/care Age Concern (Befriending) 627995 Age Concern (In Safe Hands) 627995 Grave Care Services 07514 279601 Home Helping Hands 438107 Lloyds Outside Clinic 0800 9549100 Wiltshire Farm Foods 01423 339666 York Family Mediation Service 646068 Ebor Hearing Healthcare 626623 Forward Mobility 769300 Minster Mobility 788592 MV Mobility 01937 558604 St Johns House 01423 330480 motor parts/services A Ivinson Autos 767675 Automotive Solutions 792652 B&S Motorcycles 622793 Birch Park Vehicle Test Centre 627444 C & M Auto Services Ltd 796718 Car Care Centre 412724 Chips Away 07900 804003 Chips Away 07810 243444 Copmanthorpe MOT`s 700755 D & J Woodcock 430130 Dave Woods Motorcycles 633000 Hammerton Specialist Services 01423 331170 Hometune 07802 722330 HP Maintenance 792899 Incartec Ltd 479907 JB Auto Cosmetics 693101 JJB Motors 426691 Moto Mania 01423 331929 North Eastern Tyres & Exhausts 692500 Project Parts 789090 R Walker Cars 797720 Transit Motorcycles 637169 U Pull It 0844 8751914 Wigginton Car Repairs 750272 York Auto Recyclers 07518 021259 York Vehicle Test Centre 541888 opticians Halls Opticians 479555 oven Cleaning Cookerburra 672859 Oven U 471517 Pet Care 4 Positive Paws 706882 A Cut Above Dog Grooming 422629 Alisons Dog Grooming 422905 Foss Feeds 706376 Groomingdales 468721 Leaping Lizards 422588 Precious Pets 07565 758214 Purrfect Pals 07732 952981 Sweeney Dog Ltd 890666 The Dog Walker 07956 040661 Top Dog 07846 794257 Well Connected Canine 07786 864700 Well Connected Canine 07786 864700 Your Local Dog Walking Service 400582 picture framing Steve Garnett 761624 plastering Colin Hardgrave 07881 733344 Ernie Jeffrey Plastering 639619 GW Plastering & Tiling 07813 965885

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118 118 117 118 118 118 118 118 124 119 119 119 119 126 54 56 105 35 32 32 30 32 67 29 32 29 32 32 32 31 128 128 128 131 130 131 131 131 131 144 130 131 131 131 131 130 127 28 129 131 128 128 129 131 130 131 40 113 113 52 52 53 52 58 53 53 53 53 53 52 52 53 52 15 119 119 119

M Simpson Plastering 332568 119 Oak Tree Plastering Contractors 07579 189942 119 Paul Bell Plastering 07904 203537 119 SM Bradley Plastering Services 07826 270335 119 Williams & Son 07879 071943 119 Plumbing/heating 1A Rapid Response 708000 122 All Cisterns Go 07946 346928 123 Alpha Plumbing & Heating 422385 120 APD Plumbing Services 07900 603113 121 Aquatec Utilities Ltd 07977 133061 121 BPH Services 07973 542283 123 C Hudson Plumbing & Heating 789447 122 C N Jewitt 07890 952347 120 Carl Potter Plumbing 07734871932 122 Chris Murray Plumbing 07912 575963 121 Chris Myers Plumbing 07860 434643 122 CHS Complete Home Services 07885 934535 120 Clarkes Plumbing 07739 165681 120 C Bell Plumbing & heating ltd 07885 514332 123 Dave Cook Plumbing 07885 400469 122 David Kaloczi Plumbing 07778 631713 121 DJC Plumbing 07770 754215 120 DRS Installations 499247 121 DRS Services 07894 164606 120 E Martin & Sons 07966 486329 123 Foss Controls 07941114788 122 G.P.E. Services 07501 465392 123 Gas Servicing 07793 355168 120 G Sloane Plumbing & Heating 07966 438722 123 George C Stone & Son 659476 122 Gideon Dale Heating 07712 651908 122 Glen Plumbing & Electrics 424169 121 GW Plumbing 07525 858008 120 HC Engineering 477623 120 Ian Taylor Plumbing 339877 120 Key Plumbing 07888 705347 121 Luke Mitchell & Craig Gallagher 07974 025903 121 MB Plumbing & Drains 07921 760727 122 MB Plumbing & Drains 07921 760727 120 Melbourne Heating York 07984 742264 120 Nunthorpe Services 07906 592872 123 Pipe solutions Plumbing Svs 07969 826130 122 Pocklington Boiler Service Ltd 01759 304789 120 Poppleton Plumbing & Heating 07903 979712 122 Skelton Plumbing Services 07766 625584 120 Sleepsafe Gas Services 07799 474565 120 T P Plumbing 07709 711137 121 T Whitelam Plumbing & Heating 07729 980253 120 The Direct Boiler Co 07711 230892 121 TJM Plumbing Services 07841 192272 122 Tom Plumb 07971 437359 120 Websters` Plumbing Services 07704 858144 121 Whiterose Plumbing 07549 628691 122 Williams Plumbing & Heating 07716 788680 120 Yorkshire Central Plumbing 780780 120 recycling York Rotters 412861 60 Removals/Storage 1 Van 1 Man 0800 955 0200 123 2 Anywhere 07952 843398 123 Andy Vans 422268 123 DAW Logistics Ltd 07836 684718 107 Move It Removals 07971 048729 123 Mr Shifter 07710 450672 123 Ridings Removals 07854 747129 123 Riverside Removals 07979 523076 123 renewable energy Solarwall 0500 127005 61 roofing Able Roofing (York) 07908 558954 124 Alan Robinson Roofing 07702 814746 124 Alans Property Maintenance 07725 574860 124 BMB Flat Roofs 769762 125 clifton Roofing 07881 867242 125 Elite Roofing 655066 124 Flat Roof Company 0800 212548 82 Future Roofs 777094 124 Future Roofs 777094 124 Haxby Roofline Company Ltd 0845 4671947 125 Ian Young Roofing 07906 590626 124 Lowery Roofing 420022 124 Phil Summerbell 07919 021994 125 Roofs Above ( Kevin Garnett ) 0800 0855 688 125 SD Roofing 337263 124 SSV Roofing 890278 107 Sash Windows Sash Windows 01751 431449 126

Shop/stores/furniture Army & Navy Stores 622855 Barnitts 625601 Fenwicks 643322 Fletchers Fabrics 692984 Herbert Todd 628676 Kettleys 01133 560151 Supersave 625735 The York Bed Co. Ltd 777070 The Yorkshire Bed Co. 636754 Vickers Hi-Fi 691600 Whitby Oliver Furniture Ltd 652424 York Community Furniture 426444 Dress Circle of York 761806 Time Out 626949 Vintage Emporium 619899 skips/waste removal D Boswell 488632 Ebor Skip Hire 400997 Wrights of Crockey Hill 620626 A - Z Waste 07802 434349 Acomb Waste Disposal 07724 441630 Solicitors Barbara Jacobs & Co 786012 Coles Solicitors 679990 Denison Till Solicitors 0800 2797500 Harrowells 558600 sports Centres York Martial Arts Academy 783459 Tilers 3R Tiling 07817 847992 Dockers Tiling Services 731638 Doug Taylor 07881 826331 K C Tiling 766096 travel/holidays Armchair Travel 766239 Peter Hopwood (Travel) 07769 896902 Upholstery A Kamara Upholsterery 781613 Weddings Boss Hog Roast 07930 847553 Burn Hall Hotel 01347 825400 Dunnington Sports Club 481039 Every Occasion 01723 871870 Ian Martindale Photography 07732 978481 Joâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cupcakes 07967338375 Mariott Hotel 701000 Ox Pasture Hall 01723 365295 Paul Batty Photography 448663 Pin Wheel Production 01904 471325 Revive 430612 Riley Smith Hall no number Smith Events 07813 620 514 The York Wedding Show 0843 2898811 York Bride 794162 York Pavilion 622099 York Register Office 654477 Window Cleaning Claires Cleaning (Windows) 07717 756431 Former Glory 07786 927592 Shine Windows 07817 641314 window Repairs Access All UPVC Repairs 410069 Windows/Doors/Cons David Elks Windows 0800 0135959 DR Glazing 654274 Lockwood Window Company 289048 Martin Dyson Sash Windows 07931 775974 Minster Windows 01347 811022 Roof Revive 492244 Square Deals Ltd 692255 Square Deals Ltd 692255 UPVC Window Doctor 077328 22525 Value Doors 295396 Window Solutions 07842 532133 York Door Services 07973 889232 York Millenium Window Centre 691122 York Trade Windows 541919 worktops Dales of Thirsk Ltd 01845 522523 Granite Transformations 01924 373055 J W Hardcastle Granite Services 01430 827795 Work Top Man 07891 858873

19 21 15 13 6 31 24 80 7 12 3 26 15 16 19 60 56 58 54 56 87 136 138 11 28 125 125 81 125 23 19 81 34 91 33 36 35 35 34 35 36 36 33 36 36 36 33 34 36 112

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Business

Business is buoyant in York, despite what some people are saying. Here’s your chance to tell the city about your successes, talk about new products or services, offer tips and praise the people behind your business. Call Your Local Link (01904) 767881

We did it

our way! Time was when having a family meant giving up work or finding full time childcare. These days times have changed, and more and more mums (and dads too) are opting for part time or flexible working that they can fit around their children.

Other enterprising parents are opting to start their own businesses, either by selling their skills on a freelance basis, taking on a franchise or becoming part of an established business such as party planning or

direct selling.

lot more since going it alone.

Mums who set up businesses from home have become a powerful force within Britain PLC, with a combined turnover of £4.4 billion according to a recent study of working mothers from the London School of Economics, 74% of women who started their own business were motivated by a need for greater work flexibility at the birth of their first child. And two-thirds say they enjoy their work-life balance a

Working from home and becoming your own boss has real advantages. You can go on earning – very important in these uncertain times – you don’t lose your independence, and you can build and interesting, satisfying and successful career while still not missing a moment of precious time with your family.

“We move our hours around to suit our lives”

“I needed something more flexible”

“I was too tired to play, too tired to do anything”

Sarah James and Jette Emsley met while working for Hunters Estate Agents in York. But while Jette returned to work after becoming a mum, Sarah opted to stay at home. Ultimately, they both wanted a career they could combine with bringing up their family. So when Hunters offered them the chance to take on a Personal Agency in Strensall, they were very interested.

Solicitor Emma Birrell began looking for a new career last year. “I had three small children and although I was working from home I needed something more flexible,” she says.

Tammy Hobson thought her life in the Armed Forces was tough, until she became a working mum. “Early mornings, childminders, household chores, shifts and training were too much for me,” she recalls. “I was too tired to play, too tired to do anything.”

As Hunters Personal Agents, they are responsible for selling property in their particular area. They can work from home or out of an office, choosing their hours to suit themselves and their clients. “It’s not part time work – sometimes we work longer days and weekends,” says Jette. “But we can move our hours around to suit our lives.” There are advantages for clients as well as their own work-life balance. “Buyers and sellers know they can contact us outside normal office hours,” says Jette. “And because we’re local we know the area well and can build up a relationship with our clients. We get to know our buyers well and understand what they’re looking for.” n If you’re buying or selling a property in the Strensall area, contact Sarah or Jette on 491313 or email strensall@huntersnet.co.uk

The answer came when she discovered Phoenix Trading, a direct selling organisation selling greeting cards, gift wrap and stationery. Since launching her business, Emma has gone from strength to strength. “I work the equivalent of three days a week, but not necessarily from nine to five. I can take my work wherever I go.” Now she’s looking for people to join her successful team. “There’s no target and no hard selling involved – the cards are so gorgeous and such good value that they really sell themselves. It’s perfect for anyone, whether they’re looking to build up a successful career or they just want to a hobby that will make a bit of money.” n For more information, call Emma on 07921 259106 or check out the website – www.phoenix-trading.eu/web/emmabirrell.

When her second child was born, Tammy was determined to do things differently. A friend introduced her to the concept of Mumpreneurs, a flexible way of working from home. “You’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself,” she says. “You build your own business in your own time.”

“You build your own business in your own time.”

She finds she’s approached by a lot of mums on maternity leave. “They’ve either realised they don’t want to go back to work full time, or they’re worried their job isn’t going to be as flexible as they were promised,” she says. “We can help them build the life they want, with a secure income.” n For more information, call Tammy on 0800 610 2090 or visit www.mumpreneurs.biz

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Museum promotion Museum group NMSI has promoted Sam Owen to the role of Senior Events Manager for all of its sites, including the National Railway Museum in York. Owen says: “I am delighted to accept this new challenge and head up the team across the whole NMSI family. It has been a superb year all round, with all sites achieving World Class Service accreditation and the National Railway Museum scooping the Gold accolade at two major regional industry awards. 2011 promises to be an equally exciting and prosperous year.”

Travel industry award Quartz Travel in Heworth Road, York, has been named top regional travel agent in the Travel 2 Awards, sponsored by British Airways. Owner Paul Smith, who received the award at a ceremony in London, said his company’s success was down to his customers and his hard-working colleagues. ....taking pride in everything we do

Quartz Travel beat six rivals on the shortlist to win the prestigious title after impressing the judges with its sales and customer service. Paul says: “It’s a great start to 2011 and we are now looking to build on our success.”

YORKSHIRE’S PERSONAL INJURY SPECIALIST

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CITY WALL

BUSINESS DIARY

WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) York Branch meets on the first Tuesday evening of every month. Visit www.wireuk.org or email at yorkwire@hotmail.co.uk. Federation of Small Businesses York Branch meet on the third Monday of each month. Call Christine on 629777. York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce 12th January Chamber Business Lunch, Maxi’s Chinese Restaurant, Nether Poppleton YO26 6RA. 12 noon – 2pm. 25th January Chamber Networking Breakfast, Middlethorpe Hall YO23 2GB. 7.30 – 9am. York Professionals Call 01904 435363 or email hjackson@york-professionals.co.uk for details York Women In Business Members will meet on Tuesday 18th January, between noon and 2pm at York Cemetery when Victoria Pritchard will show them how to improve their communication skills. For more details, call Ann Petherick on 656507 or go to www. yorkwomeninbusiness.co.uk n If you have a business networking event coming up, email details to info@yourlocallink.co.uk

INVESTMENTS Advice with Julie Wilson

What a difference a year can make As one year ends and a new one emerges I think it’s a good time to reflect on the previous 12 months and turn your attention to the months and years ahead. Over the years, it has become apparent to me that the vast majority of individuals have, at best, a sketchy understanding of financial planning issues. With over 50 different forms of taxation to contend with, it is now more important than ever to get your financial affairs in order so you can stop worrying about your finances and get on with enjoying your life and achieving your goals. Here’s my guide to a financially secure future”: • Plan for the unexpected. A sudden illness or incapacity can have a disastrous affect on your finances. If you had a machine that churned out money – would you insure it? You are that machine. Get insured. • Take cover. If anything happens to you, what happens to your family? Life assurance needn’t cost a fortune, and can make a whole world of difference. Sort yours out today. • Check your personal allowances. Most people are entitled to a “tax-free” level of earnings before tax becomes payable. How much depends on earnings and age. Make sure you are getting the right amount. • Use tax efficient investments. Different investment plans have different tax treatments to suit different circumstances. Individual Savings Accounts are not always the answer. Higher rate taxpayers will have particular problems in the new taxation regime. Most people don’t use their annual capital gains tax exemption. Doing so can produce significant returns without a tax liability. • Look at your pension savings. Often old pension funds are not performing as well as they could. A simple review could get them working again. • Review your mortgage(s). As the mortgage market returns to something like normal it makes sense to review your mortgages and borrowing to make sure you have the best deals. • Couples who have uneven income can often achieve tax advantages by moving assets from one name to another. Moving savings from a taxpayer’s name to a non-taxpayer’s name can increasing income by 20% or even 40%.

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• Many people think they won’t be affected by Inheritance Tax, but property values can push you over the threshold and your beneficiaries can end up having to cough up 40% of your estate to the Tax Man. Take action now if you think this affects you. • Use tax efficient specialist investment arrangements. Certain investments attract tax relief at 20% or even 30%, and some can even be used to wipe out a capital gain. You need to seek specialist advice on such schemes. • Keep an eye on the interest you are earning on your cash deposits. Moving to a better rate can make a massive difference to your finances. • Plan for nursing home funding. Having to pay for long term care can completely wipe out an entire lifetime’s savings. Effective strategies take time to become effective. Don’t leave it too late. n Julie Wilson is a Fellow of the Personal Finance Society and director of Pen-Life Associates Ltd, Chartered Financial Planners, who advise individuals and small businesses on all aspects of financial planning including residential and commercial mortgages, individual and business protection, pensions and retirement planning, savings, investment and tax planning and long term care planning. Pen-Life Associates Ltd, Chartered Financial Planners, Equinox House, Clifton Park, York, YO30 5PA. Tel: 01904 661140, email: office:@pen-life.co.uk. www.pen-life.co.uk

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THE ROYAL ENGAGEMENT The engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton has ended months of speculation about their relationship. It is reported that the pair, who have been together for 8 years, are desperate to tie the knot hence their decision to marry early next year. Cynics may argue that the short engagement will also give Kate less time to change her mind. Who could blame her given the track record of Royal marriages? For many couples, getting engaged is a demonstration of their love and life long commitment to one another. But they could risk more than a broken heart if they don’t consider the legal implications should they break up. The contract In the UK an engagement is not seen as legally binding. You cannot force someone to either stay engaged or proceed with a wedding ceremony. You also cant be sued for breaking off an engagement. The ring Poignantly for avid Royal watchers, Prince William proposed to Kate with his mother Diana’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring. In this country, an engagement ring is presumed to be an absolute gift. This means that the person giving an engagement ring usually cannot require it to be returned unless, at the time it was given, it was specifically said that it should be returned if the wedding is cancelled. This would also apply in the man’s case if he was given a ring by his fiancée. Where the ring is a family heirloom, a court may imply that there was an agreement between the couple that the ring should be returned if the marriage did not take place. However, each case will depend on its own facts. The home If you are buying a property together, you should ensure that both your names are on the title deeds. If not, the person not named on the title deeds may have few legal rights if the relationship fails. If you cannot agree about entitlement to property, either person can apply to a court to decide the issue. In certain cases, this must be done within three years of the end of the engagement. The children For any child born after December 2003, fathers named on their child’s birth certificate will automatically have parental responsibility irrespective of whether they are married. This means both parents have legal responsibilities towards the children. If you are unmarried and have children born before that date, the father does not have parental responsibility but this can changed by agreement. Make a Will If you are unmarried and you die without making a will, you may find that your loved one do not inherit any assets which you own when you die. Make a Will. This can be changed if the engagement breaks off. n For legal advice on this or any aspect of family law, contact Nina Banerjee at Denison Till on 01904 611411 (nsb@denisontill.com) . Nina is an Associate Solicitor and an accredited member of Resolution – First for Family Law. She is also a Collaborative lawyer ( www.yorkcfl.com).

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Secret of my Success

Sharon Moore is the owner of the extremely popular Face etc medispa in York city centre For most new businesses, their main concern is how to maximise profits. But Sharon Moore admits she had a somewhat different problem when she started her own business in York “After working in the NHS for over 20 years, the hardest thing for me was the idea of taking money from people,” she says. “At the end of the day I was a nurse, not a businesswoman.” Fortunately for her bank manager, Sharon has changed her perspective since she opened Face etc medispa. But she still likes to offer customers value for money. “You have to provide an absolutely excellent service because people are spending their hard earned money with you,” she says. “You have to look after your clients. We’ve introduced a loyalty card, and we also have special offers. We don’t have many complaints but if we do we deal with them quickly.” She feels this level of customer service is very important in what has become a highly competitive industry. The beauty business is big business, with salons and spas opening – and closing – at an alarming rate. Face etc differs from the rest in that it is a medispa – an American concept which means it offers a whole range of treatments, from beauty basics such as manicures and eyebrows shaping, right up to the new generation of non-surgical procedures, such as Botox and dermal fillers. These procedures have become commonplace, but

Sharon was ahead of the game when she opened the first Face etc medispa on Bootham more than six years ago. And unlike many new businesses which have to rely on visiting nurses to offer treatments, she also has the expertise to back up her business. After leaving the NHS, she worked for a cosmetic surgery company offering the new wave of injectable treatments before setting up on her own.

Now, three years later, her hard work has paid off. The Coppergate medispa has 14 rooms and a team of 17 staff.

She began as a mobile business, but after building up a substantial client base, she decided to move into her first premises in Bootham. “I wanted to be able to provide continuity for my clients,” she says. “I also wanted to control the environment. The sort of treatments I offer need to be done in a clinical setting. Having my own premises meant everything could be done to a certain standard.”

“I have a life coach in regularly to talk about things like customer service. I also have mystery shoppers to make sure standards are maintained. Training is very important, too. I believe it motivates the staff.”

She remained at Bootham for more than three years. “There was just me, a beauty therapist and a receptionist in four rooms,” she says. “It was a good start, but it soon became cramped.” Three years ago she moved closer to Coppergate – just as the recession started to bite. The building had been empty for seven years, so it needed complete refurbishment, and there were additional financial complications with the Bootham premises. “It was a very stressful time,” she admits. “But I just kept my head down and worked as hard as I could. I had to keep going for the sake of my team – I had too many people depending on me.”

Taking care of her staff is as important as looking after clients. “You really are only as good as your team,” she says. “All the girls who work here are incredibly different, but they all bring something to the business, and I hope they all feel valued.

Tips from the top Offer value. There are a lot of greedy people in business but you have to offer value to the customer or they will go elsewhere. Toughen up. I’ve been quite soft in the past but you have to make some awkward decisions in business so you do need to be tougher. Choose the right team. You can’t do everything so you have to find the right people and trust them to do their job. Keep up to date. This is especially important in a fast-moving industry. You need to be aware of the latest advancements, even if you don’t take them on board.

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Employment Law with ingrams solicitors

Are appraisals

necessary? Whether or not you have a formal appraisal system or not, the likelihood is that you will be monitoring how your staff are performing on a regular basis, be it weekly, monthly or annually. However, if it is not something that you do formally, we would suggest that the review is one which is done either once or twice a year and on a more formal basis. This is because it gives both the company and the employee an opportunity to discuss the employee’s performance, plan development and highlight any training needs. In order to get the most from the process, it is important that both the manager conducting the appraisals and the members of staff prepare carefully for the meeting. The main objectives are to review past performance, to help improve current and future performance, to identify training needs, to improve communications and to give the employee the opportunity to raise any concerns or issues they may have. It is important to remember that this meeting should not develop into a capability disciplinary meeting or a grievance meeting. If the employee does raise concerns which could be classed as a grievance, it may be more appropriate to deal with this via the company’s grievance procedure. TARGET SETTING Prior to the meeting both parties should complete an identical performance review form. Points to be discussed could include performance statistics from work carried out during the year (output, targets, error rate, etc.); specific details of achievements and/or problem areas; specific details of any new knowledge and skills acquired during the year; feedback from clients (specific, not vague or hearsay evidence); feedback from team members and/or other departments; and training. The manager should consider what comments they intend to make with examples of the particular behaviours they have observed and based their assessment on. At the same time they should consider what objectives they will set for the employee, any changes they wish to see and any training/development needs they have already identified. It is important that the meeting is not just seen as a form filling exercise and that the meeting is as productive as possible. At that meeting make notes of the discussion and make sure that the objectives for the coming year have been agreed, including both business objectives and personal development goals. These should be both specific and measurable in all cases. The completed joint appraisal form should be signed by both the manager and the employee to say that it is a correct record of what was discussed. The employee should be given one copy for their records. Following the meeting, continually assess the employee’s progress toward goals agreed and ensure that the timescales and dates set for further action and discussion are set and reviewed at appropriate points. n If you would like to discuss any aspect of employment law please contact Ingrams Solicitors on 01904 520600 and ask for a member of our Employment Law team.

Ingrams Solicitors 10 Great North Way, York Business Park, York YO26 6RB

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From left, Keith Brighty, Greig Mill, Irene Chu and Martin Pliener, newly-appointed lecturers at York St John Business School

Business school hires four lecturers

York St John Business School has appointed four new lecturers after launching its first MBA programme. Keith Brighty, Martin Pliener and Greig Mill are senior lecturers and Irene Chu takes up the post of lecturer in business management, teaching undergraduate and post graduate students. Jackie Mathers, dean of York St John Business School, says: “The business school is going from strength to strength, gaining UK and international recognition, and I am delighted to appoint such high-calibre lecturers. Their blend of academic research, teaching and meaningful business experience will be a real asset to our students.” Keith Brighty has 15 years teaching experience and previously ran his own small manufacturing and construction business. Martin Pliener has been teaching and leading higher education courses in accounting and finance for more than 20 years. Greig Mill has degrees in environmental and conventional economics and a PhD in economics and finance. He was previously head of teaching at the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University in Leicester. Irene Chu has worked for more than 10 years in the public and private sectors in Taiwan and her areas of expertise include marketing and tourism. After gaining her MBA degree she developed her teaching experience in the further education sector.

New chairman for YBAC The York, Selby and Malton Business Advice Centre (YBAC) has appointed York businessman Bob Scrase as its new chairman. Founded over 20 years ago as York Enterprise Ltd and now based at the York Eco Business Centre at Clifton Moor, YBAC dispenses impartial advice to business owners all over the York and North Yorkshire area. Its team of advisors offers help to both new and existing businesses, including informal discussions with those in the pre-startup stage, ‘healthchecks’ for existing businesses, mentoring programmes and advice on a range of specific business issues. “We are delighted that Bob, who has been a board director since the company was formed, has agreed to become chair of YBAC,” says Norman Whyte, Chief Executive of YBAC. “He has a wealth of business experience that will prove invaluable to us. Not only has he run his own company successfully for many years, but as a former long-standing councillor and previous Sheriff of York, he has a unique insight into how the public and private sectors can work together. I am looking forward to working with him on formulating YBAC’s future strategy and activities.” n For more information on how York Business advice Centre could help your business, contact them on 01904 699 590 or email www.ybac.co.uk.

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