Gloucestershire issue 28

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JUNE - AUGUST 2016

GLOUCESTERSHIRE EDITION 28

Barry Manilow ONE LAST TIME: THE TOUR

Home Comforts FROM JAMES MARTIN

Care Visits at Home

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THE SUMMER TRIANGLE . . . . . . AND A LOVE STORY CAST AMONG THE STARS Brian Jones The summer night sky is dominated by the three constellations Lyra (the Lyre), Cygnus (the Swan) and Aquila (the Eagle), brilliant Vega forming a large and conspicuous triangle with nearby Deneb in Cygnus and Altair in Aquila. Known as the Summer Triangle, this formation is very prominent in the evening skies at this time of year.

Stars from two of these constellations feature in a Japanese legend which tells of two lovers – the beautiful Orihime and the shepherd Hikoboshi. After their marriage, they began to neglect their work to be with each other. This angered the gods who punished the couple by sending them to opposite banks of the heavenly river. They are only allowed to meet on one night – July 7th – which is celebrated as a holiday by children in Japan.

If you want to see Orihime and Hikoboshi, look high overhead after the sun has set. The first star to appear will be Vega, the brightest star in the small but distinct constellation of Lyra and which represents Orihime. Halfway between Vega and the south-eastern horizon will be the bright star Altair in Aquila which represents Hikoboshi. If the night is dark and clear you may see the pearly glow of the heavenly river stretching between them. Running from the north, extending across the sky and meandering down towards the south, this heavenly river is in fact the Milky Way. Our Sun is a member of a gigantic spiral formation of stars called the Galaxy. The faint misty band of light we see crossing the night sky is our view as we look down along the galactic plane, the Milky Way being formed from the combined glow of countless thousands of stars. Although the vast majority of the individual stars within the Milky Way are invisible to the naked eye, their combined light produces the faint luminous band we see spanning the heavens.

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The astronomers of ancient Greece identified the constellation Lyra with the lyre given by Apollo to the musician and poet Orpheus to accompany his songs. Deneb, whose name means ‘tail’ in Arabic, depicts the tail of Cygnus, a large, cruciform-shaped constellation which also bears the unofficial title of the Northern Cross. From Deneb the rest of Cygnus can be picked out easily, the swan’s outstretched wings and long neck prominent as it flies southwards along the Milky Way. The Summer Triangle is completed

by Altair, the brightest star in the

constellation Aquila. Located over the southern horizon during summer evenings this constellation, its leading star Altair in particular, is fairly prominent. The area of sky around Aquila and Cygnus is rich in star fields and will repay sweeping with binoculars on really dark, clear nights.

Now that the warm summer evenings are upon us, why not venture outdoors and check out the Summer Triangle? When you do, perhaps you can spare a thought for the two starstruck lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi.

Happy stargazing!

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DATE

HOTEL

DAYS

PRICE

PICK UP

Don’t miss these coach inclusive breaks!

JULY

05 pick up points Devonshire – Torquay 5 £214 Local from,Hotel Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud,GB 05 Russell Hotel –make Weymouth 5 £239 GS1 Tewkesbury and Worcester it easy to get away.

DATE

10

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth

DESTINATION HOTEL 13

COACH DAYS BOARD Devonshire HotelINCLUSIVE –PRICE Torquay DATE

January 14 08 12 16

5

£239

COACH

DESTINATION HOTEL 5

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth March

DAYS BOARD GS1 INCLUSIVE £219 PRICE

5

£239

Devonshire Hotel – Torquay

5

Half

£89

01

Devonshire Hotel – Torquay

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

5

Half

£104

09

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

5

Half

£109

11

17 20

Russell Hotel – Weymouth

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

GB

GB

5

Half

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

5

Half

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

5

Half

5

5

£249 £249

£124

GB

£164

GB

£129

17

26 Sands Hotel – Bournemouth Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay 5 Half £89 12

Sands Hotel – 5 Bournemouth £2495

Half

GS2 £139

23

Russell Hotel – Weymouth 4 Hotel Half – £89 29 Devonshire Torquay 14

Barrowfield Hotel 5 – Newquay£2245

Half

£129 GB

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth

24

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

6

Half

30

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

5

Half

23

29

February

5

Half

£104

Russell Hotel – Weymouth

5

£259

5

£269

01

31 Somerset5 Hotel Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne Half– Llandudno £124 April

02

Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay

5

Half

£99 AUGUST

02

Devonshire Hotel – Torquay

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth

5

Half

£119

06

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth

Devonshire Hotel – Torquay

5

Half

£109

09

Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay

04 05 11

03

Sands Hotel – Bournemouth

05

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

5

Half

£109

5

Half

5

Half

5

£254

£154

GB

£144

GB

5

Half

08 Barrowfield Newquay 23 Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne 5 Hotel Half – £139

Daish’s Hotel –6Isle of Wight

£2646

Half

GB £184

22

Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay 5 Half 10 Devonshire Hotel –£109 Torquay 24

Russell Hotel – Weymouth

5

£2244

Half

£114 GS1

5

£264

27

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

5

Half

£139

May

Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight

5

Half

£124

05

14

Russell Hotel – Weymouth

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne

£214

17

25

22

Half

£254

£169

GS1

7

5

£174

GB

Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay

5

Half

£179

GS1

£154

22

Devonshire Hotel – Torquay 20

Daish’s Hotel –5Isle of Wight £2245

Half GB £184

27

Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne21

Claremont Hotel 5 – Eastbourne £2696

Half

£244 GS2

June

Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a Standard Room. Supplements apply on twin/double rooms Price includes return coach travel from: 04 Devonshire Hotel – Torquay 5 Half £174 with sole occupancy. Optional local excursions can be booked GB: Worcester, Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Bristol. GS1: Gloucester, at the hotel. Many more coach or self-drive holiday dates 09 Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight 6 Half £244 available in 2015. If Swindon, you would prefer to self-drive, deduct Cheltenham, Calne, Chippenham, Bristol. GS2: Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, £20 per person from prices shown.

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T w i tt e r i n g O n w ith G raham S mith

Old Smokey meets his match Match making through social media is perhaps nothing new but taking a couple of 50-plus silver surfers and an ageing cat acting as introducer has to be something of a first! But it has worked out just purrfectly for everybody.

Old Smokey is something of a media star on Facebook. He’s the mouthpiece of a former top national newspaper photographer who decided to launch the page for pet lovers, their stories and their photographs. Little did he know that unwittingly the site was to be the meeting place for a couple then living 150 miles apart but whose lives and careers had started right on his own Lancashire doorstep.

As Old Smokey strolled the green acres of his adopted home little did he know that behind the scenes a romance was unfolding with all the ingredients of Wuthering Heights, a story set very close to his own doorstep, where, ironically, our modern day Heathcliff was living. His Cathy was many miles away but through the humour and banter which the couple shared on the Facebook page a friendship and more was forming as Smokey catnapped his way through far more than his standard nine lives.

We read so much about Internet love stories now. They are usually the province of the young but our lovers are beyond the first flush of youth and kept their true feelings hidden among the pictures of Spring lambs and cuddly puppies on Old Smokey’s page. Few knew their secret and Old Smokey was oblivious to the fact that he was the catalyst (go on, groan then) in a blossoming relationship, a meeting of minds and a fabulous friendship which neither of our anonymous lovers had been looking for but which fell naturally into their laps as both had been victims of unhappiness before.

It became obvious to the couple that destiny decreed they must be

Graham Smith

together and they met one day in the shadow of the legendary Pendle Hill, an area where they had both worked many years ago, but which still held a magic for both of them. The meeting confirmed all that they already knew… and more. Old Smokey had done a catastrophic (more groans) piece of match making. He probably sat back in the sun and knew he’d done a scratch job (I don’t care how much you groan any more).

The couple are now together and very happy, proof that social media can bring fulfilment to all ages, can bridge the miles, can bring like minds together and Old Smokey knows his master’s page wasn’t such a daft idea after all.

The players in this piece met up recently…Old Smokey was asleep on the coffee table. He cast an eye towards the couple as though he was the cat that got the cream. He didn’t…….I did.

Big John and the pc brigade Irregular readers of mine will know the pc brigade gets up many of my orifices.

Recently the mentally challenged of the USA have decided there can’t be a national John Wayne day because of racist comments he made when he was alive. What?

inside HOLIDAYS...

UNUSUAL HOLIDAY JUST FOR ADULTS PAGES 10-11

BARRY MANILOW ONE LAST TIME: THE TOUR PAGES 12-13 8

INTERIORS...

YOUR DREAM HOME PAGES 14-15

JAMES MARTIN home comforts PAGES 28-30

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

As I recall John shot thousands of Indians as an actor but never killed one in his own right. What a load of bloody wigwams. I interviewed John many years ago. He was drunk, belligerent, drawling and a pain in the proverbial but I loved him, as I had loved him in every film he ever made.

He was a larger than life character with vices. He had opinions, he wore a wig but he was a lovely live human being who gave pleasure to so many.

So who are these twerps who say he cannot be commemorated? Get on your horses and drink your milk.

He was an actor who played a part. These twits cannot even be themselves without a script written by lunatics.

Enough to make you ill As the years advance I find myself in need of a little medical attention, and that’s exactly what I get…little.

Arrive at the surgery and no one at reception speaks to you. You have to punch your date of birth into a machine and it tells you if you have an appointment. It’s also bloody ignorant and doesn’t say “Good Morning”.

Alternatively you can have a telephone appointment. By the time the doctor phones you you’ve

Googled your symptoms and know more about the prognosis than she or she does. I spoke to a doctor recently and got more drugs over the phone than I could have done with a machine gun raid on a pharmacy. Scary.

What happened to the good old days where the doctor pricked your boil?

The final curtain We’re running out of stars and icons.

So many famous names and wonderful entertainers are leaving us this year, and some not so wonderful who are praised as being icons, a much overused word in the media.

Terry Wogan, Cilla Black and Paul Daniels are three who spring to mind as having contributed much to not just the world of entertainment but far beyond it. Their talent was honed at a grass roots level with real people, not electronically enhanced and wrapped in a brick to throw at the unsuspecting public.

Hair raising Being follically challenged I should probably keep my mouth shut, but what’s this coloured hair thing all about?

I’m almost used to the younger generation having tattoos and metal

protruding from every bodily orifice but green, blue and red hair. I don’t get it.

It is not attractive in any way and makes them look like frustrated orang-utans who are in need of a banana.

Recently I saw three apparitions in the supermarket with varying shades of top knot. It put me right off my breakfast of quails’ eggs in octopus pee and thoroughly spoiled my frogs’ leg sandwich.

We’ll meet again One of the true icons of British entertainment, Dame Vera Lynn, is now 99. She seems to share the longevity of the Royal Family to whom she is so close.

Is it really 21 years since we last heard her sing in public? And 60 plus years before that since she was the Forces sweetheart It’s some years now since we sat and reminisced in a small French restaurant, her eyes wistfully looking out to the sea surrounding the country she helped to liberate.

Keep smiling through the years you wonderful lady , the inspiration of so many memories.

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50 Plus Travel

sponsored by and booked the beautiful Arosmari Village Hotel in Western Crete, through Simpson Travel, who have several properties in Europe with a no-child policy. It was a good decision! Small cottages dotted around charming grounds, with a pool, hammam, spa and restaurant for breakfast, ensured privacy and quiet. Having always been busy chasing around after children, sun cream and hats on, water packed, snacks at the ready, it was a relief to pick up ourselves, a beach towel and head out with little effort. The village was small and sweet, with a few restaurants serving traditional food and pleasingly well priced drinks in the square. We chatted to other holidaying couples, who were, without dissent, rather revelling in this time together, child-free.

HOLIDAYS JUST FOR ADULTS

By Jennie Carr from Silver Travel Advisor Over the last couple of years, we have enjoyed several holidays and short breaks on our own.

Yes, we have travelled without our lovely children, all of whom have had the decency to leave home, or truth be told, head for establishments of learning around the country. So we have intermittent returnees, with bags of washing, boxes of books and objects of little discernible use to my eyes, that cannot be parted with! And we do still enjoy our holidays as a family however the trips a deux are rather a highlight, unexpectedly so in some ways!

Close to Home It all started with a break at Thoresby Hall in Nottinghamshire, one of Warner Leisure Hotels 13 splendid properties.

Most determinedly for the over 21s, and hazarding a guess, most guests were over 50, there was not a Barbie or a tank engine in sight. Nor indeed

10

a grumpy teenager with earphones lurking in a corner. No, Thoresby Hall is proud of its adult only approach, recognising that, at times, grown ups like to be in the company of other grown ups, no children allowed.

Which does not mean a boring, stuffy environment at all. There is much play on offer: fencing, archery, Zumba, yoga and snooker just for starters. And an exceptional spa, with treatments and a pretty indoor pool for a little pampering.

Warner’s particular speciality is the evening entertainment and despite, being based within a magnificent Grade 1 listed building, the theatre, part of a sympathetic extension, hosts shows, musicians and comedians of repute.

We took a Friday to Monday break, wandered in the extensive grounds, dined at the Blue Grill restaurant (2 AA Rosettes) and gently boogied to the tribute band, Abba Fever. All in all, a good beginning to our time away as a couple!

Spreading our Wings

Simpson provide a car on this trip as exploring is definitely part of the holiday. I can certainly say that we made the best of this, visiting monasteries, beaches, the towns of Chania and Rethymno. And there wasn’t a single moan from the back seat – it was empty apart from my trusty Panama.

Another island triumph After a really busy 2 week summer family holiday, three girls and mother as well, which frankly felt like running a marathon in flip flops and failing dismally at my own version of Mary Berry, it was most certainly time for another break on our own. An island again, this time Cyprus to Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa Resort, just for grown ups. We booked through Adults Only Hotels, great name and does what it says on the tin: holidays without children in over 30 destinations, across a range of hotels 3* to 5*+. They organised flights, transfers, car hire and the hotel. Our hotel was a decidedly relaxing spot, deep in the mountains behind the bustle Paphos, surrounded by forests and mountains. It is well known as a spa, with natural mineral springs and was replete with soft-shoed therapists who looked like models.

However, do not be fooled, those girls can make grown men wince when they get cracking (quite literally) on a sports massage.

Emboldened by this success, I suggested we try the Med for a week

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TRAVEL

Ayii Anargyri Natural Healing Spa Resort, Cyprus

We visited in the autumn, so it was quiet which was what we wanted. And most comfortably warm, still swimsuits-on-thebeach weather. The hotel is created from wood and stone, neutral colours throughout, so it’s very much in tune with the environment. Big panoramic windows are everywhere, bringing the utterly restful outside in and reinforcing the calm. In fact, it’s so tranquil that we fell asleep after a hydrotherapy treatment, in comfy loungers facing the woods. Not a child in sight (or sound) to disturb us.

ARCHAEOLOGY & TRAVEL

Where next?

We are certainly getting the hang of our adults only holidays, and the plan is Italy next, with Florence and Rome in mind. So, two city centres likely and a little touring as well. I am excited and looking forward to visiting the Uffizi again, indulging in Duomo gawping and divine Italian food. Staying, of course, in hotels just for grown-ups!

Silver Travel Advisor Fact Box: For more information about the companies mentioned in the article: Warner Leisure Hotels.

Visit www.warnerleisurehotels.co.uk or call 0330 100 9774 and quote PHC Silver for special discounts.

Simpson Holidays Visit www.simpsontravel.com or call 0203 642 4697 and quote Silver Travel Advisor to enjoy a £50 reduction on each booking.

Adults Only Holidays Visit www.adultsonlyholidays.co.uk or call 01529 298 117. Quote

Silver Travel Advisor to enjoy free shuttle transfers.

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Perfect Combinations of Leisure and Interest • Minoan Crete & Santorini • Cyprus: North & South • Pompeii & Campania • Malta's Millennia • Ancient Greece

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11

Barry Manilow “One Last Time” BARRY Manilow’s latest UK tour may be entitled “One Last Time” but it’s very unlikely that the British public will ever let one of their favourite artistes simply disappear from view.

At 72, the singer who specialises in lush, sentimental ballads and orchestrated upbeat songs and has long been dubbed the consummate showman, is still as popular as ever on both sides of the Atlantic – and in many other countries around the world.

He will play only eight dates in the UK – from Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena to the Manchester Arena and London’s O2 Arena – which will no doubt each be a sell-out. But his music is an enduring currency that few fans will ever stop needing, and that ensures that, even if this is “one last time” on tour, his records and TV appearances will be as much-prized as ever.

His life has been all about the music.

As he explains: “I am a musician. My passion for music has obliterated everything in its path for my entire life.

“Whenever there was a choice between music and anything else, music won hands down every time. No one person or material thing could ever come close to the feeling I get when the music is right.”

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Barry was born to Edna and Harold Pincus, of Russian-Jewish descent, in Brooklyn, New York, in 1943. His father left when he was just two and young Barry later adopted his mother’s maiden name of Manilow.

His musical interest started early: at the age of seven he learned to play both the accordion and the piano, preferring the latter, and was singing by 13.

After graduating from high school, he was accepted into the well-known Julliard School of Music and paid for his own schooling by working in the CBS mailroom.

It took time for Barry to meet the right people but he was eventually given the chance to become musical director of CBS show “Callback”. To supplement his income, he also wrote, produced and performed advertising jingles for clients including Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds.

In 1971, a then unknown singer, Bette Midler, hired him as her pianist, arranger and musical director and it was a collaboration that brought the young

man his real break into the music world.

He supervised Bette’s first two albums - her debut album won a Grammy award - and in 1972 at the Carnegie Hall, had the chance to showcase some of his own material. This led him to a new label, Bell, offering a record deal; his debut album “Barry Manilow” was released in 1973 although it didn’t sell well.

After Bell itself underwent a transformation and became Arista, however, his fortunes changed. New label head Clive Davis asked Barry to record pop tune, “Brandy”, a UK hit for Scott English. Barry altered the tune to a ballad and renamed it “Mandy”, to avoid confusion with a similar-sounding hit. The haunting song really struck a nerve with the record-buying US public and went to No.1 in early 1975, remaining one of Barry’s best-loved songs of all time even today.

His second, equally successful offering in early 1976 was “I Write The Songs” from the “Tryin’ To Get The Feeling” album which went triple platinum. Barry was becoming an established star.

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CELEBRITY NEWS His concert double LP “Live” in 1977 was his first and only No.1 album with sales of more than four million copies. ABC aired his first prime-time programme “The Barry Manilow Special” in 1977, for which he won a Grammy award, and the same year he won a Special Tony award for his Broadway show.

The following year, he had another triple platinum album with three Top Ten singles including the legendary “Copacabana”, and his reputation as an entertainer who delivered was made.

Seven albums and five years later, he inevitably decided to change musical direction and released a swinging jazz album, “2:00 AM Paradise Café”, featuring big jazz names including Sarah Vaughan, Mel Torme and Gerry Mulligan. He continued to show his versatility with swing, vocal jazz and traditional pop through various albums including “Manilow Sings Sinatra” – proving the man can sing anything from standards to showtunes and give it that Manilow magic.

As he admits: “My style of music is the great American songbook meets the pop world of the Seventies and Eighties.”

In 1985, he played the role of Tony Starr in the TV series “Copacabana.”

In 1994, he enjoyed stage musical success with a show of the same name and followed it with another musical, “Harmony”, which toured both the US and UK extensively.

Since then, the hits, the touring and the TV appearances have all continued in large amounts for the boy from Brooklyn. He’s performed in two-hour “specials”, and guested in popular shows like “Ally McBeal” and “Will & Grace.” His career has also been littered with awards; in 2002, he was inducted into the US National Academy of Popular Music’s Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside Michael Jackson, Randy Newman and Sting.

At the same time as these glittering accolades, though, and the millions of fans he attracts, he has always had his detractors who never saw his brand of music as being contemporary enough.

Go to any of his shows or conventions, however and Fanilow Fever is strictly

Barry Manilow with Leron Gubler and Dave Koz at the ceremony honoring Dave Koz with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Vine Street, Hollywood, California.

the order of the day. The singer makes himself very accessible to fans, and many of them have followed him for the nearly three decades of his career and are intensely loyal.

He’s had a couple of health scares and, like many artistes before him, probably finds extensive, regular touring exhilarating but tiring. However, Barry himself is keen to point out that the title of this latest tour does not mean he is quitting his singing career.

As he told the American newspaper the Kansas City Star just recently: “I’ve

been roaming the earth for 40 years, and it’s not that I’m retiring.

“I will still make albums and do onenighters here and there. This is the last of the big tours that keep me away from home and living my life. It’s time to stop the big tours, not time to stop.”

And that’s good news for the millions for whom Barry Manilow is their singer, their showman of choice. And when worldwide pop trends of all kinds have come and gone – for them, Barry is still No.1.

Photos: Mary A Lupo/Shutterstock.com s_bukley/Shutterstock.com

To find out more about tickets for the One Last Time Tour go to www.manilowuk.com www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

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HOME builders. You can either visit websites like the National Federation of Builders on www.builders.org.uk or the Federation of Master Builders on www. fmb.org.uk Again, it’s always best to try to see something they have already built and find someone who can recommend them.

You may want to improve your GARDEN by having it landscaped by professionals, creating wonderful areas to sit and enjoy beautiful plants and flowers in peace and tranquillity. You might want to install a HOT-TUB for both relaxing and socialising – just imagine lying in that bubbling warm water without a care in the world! A CONSERVATORY or ORANGERIE is another brilliant way to both extend your home and improve your quality of living. These days, they come in all sizes and styles to suit your property and your needs, adding extra space and light.

DREAM HOMES

By ANGELA KELLY

WE’VE all seen beautiful homes on TV and in magazines and thought “if only I could have that” and plan happily for the items that you definitely would buy funds permitting.

Start on the outside. Would you like an EXTENSION building onto your home to create an extra lounge or maybe one or two more bedrooms? If you like the location of your current home and you have the room on your present property, this is always a good choice because it means you don’t have the stresses of moving to another area and life can go on as always, only better.

Like most major buys in life, though, we can often work towards buying one specific item or addition to our home. So, it’s definitely worth having a “wish list” of improvements that you would like if you could raise the money for them.

Check first whether you will need planning permission or building control approval by visiting the Government website www.planningportal. gov.uk If you need an architect either go to national bodies like the Architects Registration Board on www.arb.org. uk or ask among friends and neighbours for a recommendation, and try to see something they have designed previously.

Itemising these improvements by priority is a helpful way forward, and creating that plan can brighten up even the gloomiest day. Working around the house to see how you would improve it in the best possible way is definitely something worth doing – even if the cash to do it seems very far away!

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And forget about those old conservatories that were freezing cold in the Winter and too hot in the Summer.

Today’s conservatories have the latest glass technology which keeps the heat in and the cold out to create a comfortable oasis of extended living.

Internally, you might want to open up rooms, getting rid of walls and changing the shape and layout of your home.

OPEN-PLAN living is very popular now and very convenient, whatever your lifestyle. Discuss this one with your local builder and discover new ways to maximise the home that you already like into one that you love.

HALLWAY and STAIRCASE. An often overlooked part of the home is the hallway and staircase. There’s only so

The same applies to

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many times you can paint over the walls or hang new pictures up. This sadly neglected space also happens to be the first thing people are likely to see when entering your home, and as we all know, first impressions count. You don’t need an entirely new staircase to make an impact. Bury based company - renovateyourstaircase.com offer the perfect solution to revamp the staircase in your home, offering bespoke designs to suit you in a whole range of materials including oak, walnut and even modern stainless steel.

Although they do supply and fit complete staircases from new, a simple renovation may be just what your home needs to get a fresh, modern look that will impress. The procedure is carried out by joiners who are experienced in staircase renovations, with minimal disruption and can also undertake all aspects of bespoke joinery to add finishing touches to your living spaces.

The latest decorating trends could influence your luxury plans, and WALLPAPER figures large in 2016 in more ways than one. The minimalist approach is waning and maximalist

rules! So, instead of just one feature wall, experts suggest papering whole rooms again – and in strong geometric patterns or vibrant jungle designs which could bring your lounge or living room alive.

Is it time to get rid of that old SOFA and treat yourself to a magnificent new three-piece suite? Choose the style with which you feel most at home, whether it’s a luxury leather or a deep, soft material you can sink into.

It may be that you just love your current furniture but it’s looking a bit the worse for wear. So your dream furniture might involve re-upholstering your sofa in a smart new fabric to suit the new décor of your room.

Style experts predict that rattan furniture is making a big comeback in homes this year so you might opt for the latest styles in this flexible and popular material. An enjoyable tour of furniture shops and warehouses will no doubt reveal some new favourites for you, including modern sideboards and cupboards to help with storage space.

How modern is your TELEVISION? Technology is very apparent in the range

of TVs now available to buy, whether you want a huge screen and the very latest Ultra HD 4K TV or something more modest. The reality is that TV is now part of our lives and, if money isn’t the main drawback and you really enjoy everything from the latest cookery shows to sports events across the globe, then there really are some fabulous TVs out there at local dealers with a good reputation for understanding this important entertainment field.

New CARPETS or other flooring could be high up on your dream home list, and are more affordable than you might think. Whether you want a smart, plush new carpet to bring warmth and style to your rooms or you prefer the latest hardwood or luxury vinyl, it’s worth shopping around.

Consider your lifestyle and what you want from your flooring. If you’ve got pets, for example, it’s worthwhile looking at the latest hard-wearing, upmarket designs in vinyl or wooden flooring.

Discuss this with a well-known local company and get their expert advice on what is likely to suit your home best.

Your Chair Designed for You Family run since 1901 & offering Birmingham’s largest selection of recliners & ortho chairs all with matching settees

1182 Warwick Road

Tel: 0121 706 1577 www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Acocks Green

Birmingham

B27 6BT

www.dennettsfurniture.co.uk

Your Chair Designed for You

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OUT AND ABOUT The Enid 16th July

Following their recent ground breaking audio-visual production promoting new album “Dust”, The Enid are about to embark on a limited time only intimate club tour. Their new shows celebrate the 40th anniversary of debut album “In the Region of the Summer Stars”, and the band will be performing this album in its entirety for the first time in decades.

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050 Livewire - The AC/DC Show 22nd July

Live/Wire is The AC/DC Show. The unique six-man tribute to rock music’s greatest band AC/DC, complete with cannons, a wall of Marshalls’ and over two hours of High Voltage Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050

Rene Rhythm and Blues Festival 25th July to 31st July.

To compliment the event Cafe Rene’s Real Ale and Cider Festival will run throughout the week as well as our full menu. Also look out for a Pig Roast, Rene BBQ and other sumptious treats on Greyfriars Green 30th & 31st July.

CAFE RENE, 31 Southgate Street Gloucester, GL1 1TP Tel: 01452 309 340

Birmingham Caribbean Festival 29th to 31st July

The Caribbean Food and Drinks Festival started in 2011 in response to a desire for Caribbean food to be more widely available to diverse communities in the UK.

The festival creates an environment in which Caribbean arts, culture, food and drink, in their various forms, are promoted and made accessible to an increasing proportion of the British population.

The Festival Objectives are to:

Showcase, champion and celebrate Caribbean food, drinks, arts and culture Support and market Birmingham’s local and diverse food and drinks’ industry Promote Caribbean food, drink and culture, along with a range of activities and entertainment for the whole family

www.birminghamcaribbeanfestival.org

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Birmingham Caribbean Festival 29th to 31st July 2016 Beatrix Potter and the Tailor of Gloucester 3rd to 6th August

The Everyman Theatre Company, along with the EveryVoice Choir and local community actors bring Beatrix Potter’s personal favourite story to glorious life on stage.

A poor old tailor sits in his shop in Gloucester, making a wedding coat for the Mayor. But what happens when he catches a cold and has no choice but to take to his bed for the weekend? Will the coat remain unmade? Don’t worry the world is full of magic; and, when the tailor returns to work, he finds the coat has been findshed. But who or what has completed the coat (almost)?!

EVERYMAN THEATRE, Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ. Tel: 01242 572573 Chantel McGregor 04/08/2016

In 2014, Chantel was voted by the British Blues Awards as Guitarist of the Year for the second consecutive year.

Chantel was recently nominated again in the Guitarist of the Year category in 2015’s British Blues Awards. In 2014 Chantel began writing and recording her second album Lose Control, this being due for release in October 2015.

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050 42nd Gloucestershire Steam Vintage & Country extravaganza 5th - 7th August

The Stroud Vintage Transport & Engine Club stage their 42nd Annual show at South Cerney Airfield on the outskirts of Cirencester in Gloucestershire on August 5th, 6th, & 7th 2016. A great family fun day out

Northmoor Lane, South Cerney, Cirencester, Glos, GL7 5QD 01453 890891 Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Festival + Beer, Cider & Perry Festival 20th and 21st August

Following on from previous year’s successes, the 2016 H&G Canal Festival - coupled with the Saturday evening Beer, Cider & Perry Festival - is expected to bigger and better than ever before.

The Wharf House Over, Gloucester, GL2 8DB Tel: 01452 332 900 enquiries@thewharfhouse.co.uk Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Wed 7 - Sun 18 September

Audiences of all ages will be flying high with its mixture of madness, intrigue and exuberance.

Watch out! The most Fantasmagorical musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, lands in Birmingham in 2016.

One of the world’s favourite musicals, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will have audiences of all ages flying high with its mixture of madness, intrigue and exuberance.

Price From £23.50 Tickets & Information, Memberships, Restaurant Bookings Box Office: 0844 338 5000 Birmingham Hippodrome Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB The World Famous Elvis Show Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st August

Chris Connor is back!

Sold out in 2015, direct from the West End, world-leading Elvis performer

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Chris stars in this huge production with his 12-piece energetic live band The Sweet Harmonies!

Voted ‘The Worlds Best’ in a world-wide Elvis Presley fan poll, audiences are left speechless by his voice, looks, movies and mannerisms. It really is as if Elvis is performing in front of your very eyes.

You won’t want to miss the Elvis show of the year!

Suitable for ages 10+ “Wow that boy is good! He looks like Elvis and very energetic like him too!” Joe Esposito (Elvis’ best friend and road manager)

The Core Theatre, Solihull Box office 0121 704 6962 The Core Theatre Solihull Theatre Square, Touchwood Homer Road Solihull B91 3RG Emily Lee & Band 3rd September

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050 Giffords Circus 8th - 19th September

Since 2000, when it was formed by Nell and Toti Gifford, Giffords Circus has delighted fans from far and wide with good old-fashioned entertainment.

Loved by all the family, young and old and complete with acrobats, jugglers, horses, magic, puppeteers, dancers and comedy. Giffords Circus tours much of rural Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and London. To book tickets and for full show details please visit our online Box Office at www.everymantheatre.org.uk/event/ giffords-circus/

Stratton Meadows, Fennells Farm, Lypiatt, Stroud GL6 7NE 0845 4597469

Born in Cheltenham and currently living in London, this marks Emily’s biggest ‘home-county’ show to date and the first to include her new full live band as well as the acoustic performances that have become her trademark.

NOISES OFF 3rd-12th September 2015

“The funniest farce ever written!”

Noises Off is a play within a play, hailed as “the funniest farce ever written!” It is about an ambitious director and his troupe of mediocre actors. The cast and crew are putting together a silly sex

comedy titled, Nothing On - a singleset farce in which lovers frolic, doors slam, clothes are tossed away, and embarrassing hi-jinks ensue. As tempers flare, backstage passions are also alight with clandestine affairs, jealousies and thwarted ambitions melting in a crucible of exhaustion and first- night nerves. Things have not improved when the touring production reaches Goole, and by the time the shattered company reach Stockton-on-Tees, it is not only the sardines that are disintegrating.

Written by Michael Frayn; in memory of Davina Barnes.

Sutton Arts Theatre South Parade, Sutton Coldfield West Midlands, B72 1QU Box Office: 0121 355 5355

Turandot on Sydney Harbour 15th September

Turandot is the beautiful and powerful princess, who challenges her many suitors to answer three riddles on pain of death. Calàf is a brave prince from a foreign land, who falls instantly in love with the princess. Despite the wishes of his exiled father and the pleas of a slave-girl who loves him, he rings the gong and declares his love for the princess. She presents her riddles,

BOX OFFICE: 01242 572573 BOOK ONLINE: everymantheatre.org.uk A fully restored Victorian theatre, offering the best in live entertainment. For a complete list of events visit everymantheatre.org.uk.

Book a backstage tour of our historic, Frank Matcham designed theatre along with your tickets by calling Sally-ann Rhodes on 01242 695574, or email sally-ann.rhodes@everymantheatre.org.uk.

Tue 4 - Sat 8 October

Featuring a spectacular 16 piece orchestra plus sensational performers and dazzling choreography.

Highlights of the new season include...

THE SOUND OF MUSIC Tue 12 - Sat 23 July

Starring Lucy O’Byrne and Andrew Lancel

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THE DRESSER

Tue 27 Sep - Sat 1 Oct Starring Ken Stott and Reece Shearsmith

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OUT AND ABOUT and in triumph, the unknown prince answers. Turandot despairs and the prince takes pity - offering the ice-cold princess a riddle of his own. But Calàf’s riddle risks more than his own life everyone else’s hangs in the balance.

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050

Alvin Ailey “Unbelievable. Go see Ailey. It’s change-your-life good” NBC’s Today Show

Fri 23rd - Sat 24th September The irresistible dancers of Ailey are back in Birmingham after their sellout visit in 2010 with a dazzling array of offerings. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Robert Battle, this allstar line-up continues to wow audiences and critics around the world.

Experience beautifully different repertoire over two days, which include Ailey classics as well as new works by some of today’s most acclaimed choreographers.

Price From £10 Tickets & Information, Memberships, Restaurant Bookings Box Office: 0844 338 5000 Birmingham Hippodrome Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB G2 Definitive Genesis 7th October

G2 perform classic 1970’s Genesis from the ‘Seconds Out’ era and earlier Gabriel years.Ripples, Los Endos, Blood

On The Rooftops, Afterglow, mixed up with classics, Firth Of Fifth, Cinema Show and Suppers Ready, this is vintage Genesis, performed by G2 to a level Genesis themselves would be proud of!

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester GL1 1NS Tel: 01452 503050

Blood Brothers “Exhilarating... one of the best musicals ever written” Sunday Times

Mon 10th - Sat 22nd October

Written by Willy Russell, the legendary Blood Brothers tells the captivating and moving tale of twins who, separated at birth, grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with fateful consequences.

Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning Blood Brothers. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in Londons West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical, as inevitably it brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval’ (The Daily Mail).

Price From £18 Tickets & Information, Memberships, Restaurant Bookings Box Office: 0844 338 5000 Birmingham Hippodrome Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB A VISION OF ELVIS Friday 21st October 2016

A Vision Of Elvis is one the world’s leading touring Elvis productions.

Celebrating all the music of Elvis Presley from Sun Studio’s through to ‘68 Comeback with the finale being the Concert Years engaging audiences with an uplifting and authentic Elvis experience.

WIN A £25 M&S GIFT CARD! SIMPLY VISIT OUR COMPETITIONS SECTION ON WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK TO ENTER

The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Station Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B5 4DS. secure.atgtickets.com

Four Tops & The Temptations GREATEST HITS TOUR 2016 26th October

Motown’s timeless legends The Four Tops and The Temptations have

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announced a UK tour for October 2016, with special guests Tavares. The three iconic bands will play 7 shows together, one of which at the Genting Arena, Birmingham!

This is not the first time The Four Tops and The Temptations have joined forces in the UK. Throughout several co-headlining tours they’ve built a lasting relationship with their British audience, winning them over with their unmissable arena-sized parties.

The Four Tops’ ground-breaking sound includes soul, R&B, disco, doo-woop and jazz influences; they strongly contributed to define the Motown sound. Their hits include I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) and 1966 number one Reach Out (I’ll Be There). The line up for the tour includes original member Duke Fakir plus Ronnie McNeir, Lawrence Payton and Harold ‘Spike’ Bonhart.

Barclaycard Arena King Edwards Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2AA www.theticketfactory.com Disney On Ice 25th - 30th October 2016

Enter a fantastical winter wonderland beyond imagination when Disney On Ice presents Frozen.

The heartwarming Academy Award®winning tale you love is now a full length production live on ice and skating into Birmingham. Be magically whisked away to wintry Arendelle by dazzling special effects and astonishing skating as you sing and dance along to inspiring songs including “Let It Go.” Join royal sisters Anna and Elsa, the hilarious snowman Olaf, Kristoff and Sven, as they journey to discover that true love is the most magical power of all!

Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, with special appearances by beloved Disney Princesses and characters from all-time favourites like Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Disney’s The Lion King. This unforgettable celebration of love and friendship will leave your family with memories to last a lifetime.

Experience the Full Story – Live on Ice!

Barclaycard Arena King Edwards Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2AA www.theticketfactory.com

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JIM DAVIDSON

Sunday 13th November 2016

Guest Starring Mathew Horne Age Guidance; 12+

Barclaycard Arena King Edwards Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2AA www.theticketfactory.com

Jim is a well-loved, albeit rather risque, entertainer and star of stage and screen. He is guaranteed to give an excellent performance whether he is entertaining the troops or advertising second-hand cars.

Rod Stewart FROM GASOLINE ALLEY TO ANOTHER COUNTRY 2nd - 3rd December

The New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Station Street, Birmingham, West Midlands B5 4DS. secure.atgtickets.com

The Catherine Tate Show GUEST STARRING MATHEW HORNE 30th Novmeber

The critically acclaimed, award-winning comedian and actor, Catherine Tate, will bring ‘The Catherine Tate Show - Live to Birmingham this autumn.

In never seen before sketches, the tour will unite some of Catherine’s best-known characters from her hugely successful BBC series ‘The Catherine Tate Show’. The cast will include ‘Nan’ Taylor, Irish nurse Bernie, Geordie Georgie, Essex girl Sam... and the return of a certain argumentative teenager...

Rod Stewart, international rock star has announced the ‘From Gasoline Alley to Another Country Hits 2016’ arena tour that is set to delight fans up and down the UK as he takes to the stage from 12 November – 13 December 2016 heading to the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham on the 2 December 2016!

Bringing with him his biggest hits from 1970 to 2016. Demand for Rod Stewart’s spectacular live shows are as strong as ever following the recent release of musical legend’s 29th critically acclaimed platinum selling album ‘Another Country’, which shot straight to #2 in October 2015.

Barclaycard Arena King Edwards Rd, Birmingham,

THUR 15 SEPT 7.30

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND

FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS FOR AUTUMN

BOX OFFICE

01527 65203

SAT 24 SEPT 7.30

TONY CHRISTIE

The Music of Carole King & James Taylor £20.00*& £18.50*(disc)

The Golden Anniversary Tour £25.00*

FRI 16 SEPT 7.30

THUR 13 OCT 7.30

STARMAN DAVID BOWIE A Musical Celebration £21.00

WED 21 SEPT 7.30

THAT’LL BE THE DAY

Madness are an English ska band from Camden Town, London, that formed in 1976. One of the most prominent bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s 2 Tone ska revival, they continue to perform with their most recognised line-up of seven members.

Madness achieved most of their success in the early to mid-1980s. Both Madness and UB40 spent 214 weeks on the UK singles charts over the course of the decade, holding the record for most weeks spent by a group in the 1980s UK singles charts. However, Madness achieved this in a shorter time period (1980–1986).

Madness have had 15 singles reach the UK top ten, one UK number one single (“House of Fun”) and two number ones in Ireland, “House of Fun” and “Wings of a Dove”.

Barclaycard Arena King Edwards Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2AA Ticket Hotline 0844 33 88 22

NOW BOOKING FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON !

£21.00*

WED 19 OCT 7.30

JOE McELDERRY

£22.00* & £20.00*(disc)

THU 22 SEPT 7.30

WED 26 OCT 7.30

£15.00* & £13.00*(disc)

Madness 17th December

AN EVENING WITH BARRY FRY & ‘BIG’ RON ATKINSON

£25.00*

DOREEN’S GRAND NIGHT OUT

West Midlands B1 2AA Ticket Hotline 0844 33 88 22

LES McKEOWNS BAY CITY ROLLERS £25.00*

For performance schedule and ticket prices please check the theatre’s website

Online booking www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk *inclusive of booking fee 75p per ticket up to a max of £3

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R O B E RT POWELL A MODERN KING? FOR a lad from Salford, playing the King of England is quite a step up – but it’s just a further page in the very varied history of actor Robert Powell...

Even anyone who didn’t recognise that strong face and haunting eyes would know the wonderful, warm tones of his voice.

A combination of that and a prodigious and chameleon acting talent have also helped ensure a lengthy and successful career in both theatre and TV. But Robert as a modern king? Well, audiences from the Cheltenham Everyman Theatre to the Manchester Opera House are able to tell you that this characterisation in the fascinating play “King Charles III” is brilliant entertainment.

Written by Mike Bartlett, who also wrote last year’s TV hit “Doctor Foster”, it looks at Prince Charles as he takes over the throne and reveals the people whose names are so familiar to us.

Oddly, it’s a role tailor-made for Robert Powell because he does actually know the Prince; he’s met him several times socially as an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust.

“Prince Charles is an absolutely delightful man,” he explains. “He has a conscience and he follows it. He’s very principled but he’s also very charming.”

As to Robert’s own interpretation of the Prince, when he first started in the role he realised that it could not be an impersonation. “I do a bit of a party piece for fun being Prince Charles, actually,” he laughs, “But the role had to be played in a different way, so that the audience aren’t so busy with an impersonation that they are distracted from seeing the character.”

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As he is explaining this, however, he does unconsciously sound very like the Prince. Audiences, though, have accepted his interpretation so well that they have stayed entranced throughout.

Challenging roles are nothing new for Robert Powell, now 71, as his career is littered with a varied catalogue of parts.

He was born in Salford in 1944 and started his acting career while attending Manchester University. He made his film debut in 1967 and landed his first starring role in “The Italian Job” in 1969.

His film career has included Franco Zefirelli’s “Jesus of Nazareth” in 1977, which for many was a defining role for Powell. He has been quoted in the past, though, as saying: “I hope Jesus Christ will be the last in my line of sensitive young men for quite a while.”

He’s certainly not been typecast. When he took the lead role of Richard Hannay in the re-make of “The Thirty Nine Steps”, this sparked an eponymous TV series for him in the ‘80s which not only went straight to the top of viewers’ favourite programmes but which, as he admits, was really his favourite role in his career so far. “The writing was wonderful and I really loved being Hannay,” he says. “Today, all the crime heroes are flawed beings with problems, but Hannay saw the world in black and white and was very straightforward, rock solid – I liked that.”

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“I did feel that we could take that formula to a new series and have The Gardeners, The Chefs or The Doctors with two incompetent, idiotic characters but it’s just an idea.”

Robert Powell is married to former Pan’s People dancer Babs Lord and they have two children. It’s plain that he’s very much a home-bird, and that he really doesn’t enjoy touring “although it’s good for the bank balance.”

Sadly, Thames TV which made the programme lost their licence not long afterwards and any further series disappeared.

“When I’m driving and I get fed up with Radio 4, I switch on Radio 4 Extra and listen to all those old comedy programmes for miles, laughing away,” he states.

He’s had numerous other TV roles, including the popular series “Doomwatch” and he enjoyed a lengthy role as the hospital boss in “Holby City.”

So, is there no chance of “The Detectives” coming back? “You can never say never,” he says, “but it’s finding the writers. Steve Knight,

He’s generally fit and healthy. “I had an NHS check-up and the doctor said I’m fine. He did ask me, though, if I’d ever smoked and I said I had but I’d given up 30 years ago. He said that my lungs were actually a lot younger than I was, which is strange!”

He’s always enjoyed sport and only gave up cricket 10 years ago. These days, he plays golf “although not in the Winter.”

Robert does, however, talk fondly about probably his most unusual career move, when his pal and golfing partner comedian Jasper Carrott suggested he join him as two incompetent detectives in sketches for Carrott’s own hit TV series. This proved so popular that a separate series, “The Detectives”, resulted , showcasing Robert’s humorous side and acting skills even further.

For what could often be classed as a “serious actor”, he admits that humour plays an important part in his life. He loves the old Goon Shows – something he has in common with Prince Charles – and ‘50s and ‘60s radio favourites like Round the Horn and Ray’s a Laugh.

He comments: “You tend to eat out a lot – I usually have a good breakfast in the hotel and that lasts me until after lunch. In the past, I’ve gone out to eat with chums in the cast after the performance but these days the cast are mainly young and just want to go to the pub!”

At the end of March, “King Charles III” opened in Sydney. He’s been to Australia many times and likes it so he’s happy about that, and afterwards he’s taking three months off.

I do a bit of a party piece for fun being Prince Charles, actually... who helped write the original series, is a famous screenwriter now and very busy so I don’t think he’d want to do this again.

Then, he’s going to tour with his good friend actress Liza Goddard in the Alan Ayckbourn comedy “Relatively Speaking” – “and Liza and I will go off in her car in the daytime to visit museums and castles, which is what we always do, “ he says.

All of which seems perfectly fitting for an actor who currently daily slips so easily into the role of our future monarch.

For more details about the UK tour of “King Charles III” go to www.kingcharles3play.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

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HEALTH & FITNESS norm. Simply eating from a smaller plate and getting portions back into perspective will help you shed the pounds with minimal effort.

3. Ditch the sugar The ‘buzz’ word of the moment; But, the fact remains, sugar is full of calories yet totally lacking in nutritional value.

Sugar can be addictive, with effects on our brain similar to hard drugs and may contribute to diabetes, as well as obesity.

Ideally, ditch it completely, or at least try sticking to the recommended limit of 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day.

4. Keep hydrated A glass of water before meals has been shown to reduce the amount of calories we consume. What’s more, we might think we are hungry, when in fact we are thirsty. But don’t reach for a fizzy drink or juice, which are both high in sugar.

Instead, get a taste for pure water and your body will thank you for it.

TOP TIPS

5. Sleep well

FROM DR SALLY NORTON How do I lose weight?

As a nation, we are getting heavier and heavier, despite decades of yo-yo dieting. With gradual weight gains, our risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, breathing problems, infertility and much more, increases.

So face the facts – are you ‘tripping the light fantastic’ or ‘packing a hefty punch’? And more to the point, how do we stop the numbers on the scales and importantly, our levels of fat, increasing?

likely to be providing your body with premium fuel and it will function far better as a result.

2. Beat portion distortion – choose a smaller plate!

Portions are out of control – we are consuming larger quantities of food every year. Super-size high street drinks and buckets of popcorn are now the

1. Avoid processed food where possible

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How can I really manage my blood pressure?

High blood pressure affects one in four adults, putting their health at risk. It increases our risk of stroke, heart disease and more. The scary thing is, over 5 million of us In the UK don’t know about it as it doesn’t always cause symptoms initially.

So, firstly, the NHS recommends we get our blood pressure checked by a GP, particularly if you are overweight, smoke, have relatives with a history of high blood, or if you are worried about health in other ways.

Dr. Sally Norton’s top five weight loss tips:

If you have to study a label to find out how much sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and other additives there are – it is best avoided. Processed food is often stripped of fibre, low in vitamins and minerals, as well as being packed full of nutrient-poor calories. If you cook and prepare real food from scratch, you are

Studies show we are more likely to reach for high-sugar, high-fat foods when tired.

So, a good night’s sleep is an easy way to help your weight-loss efforts.

Weight loss expert & brand ambassador for Kinetik Wellbeing www.kinetikwellbeing.com

Home monitoring with an easy-to-use blood pressure measuring devices, then allows you to keep a check on your own blood pressure at different times of day or night, in different circumstances – exercising, stressed, relaxed, standing or lying. Monitoring at home, also avoids the stress and anxiety of visiting the doctor.

So, how do you achieve and maintain a healthy blood pressure?

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simply be moving more. Fitness – i.e. making time to move, should be an essential part of our day, in the same way we might pick up the kids from school, or get to work on time. Instead of seeing it as an optional extra, we should see it as something that is vital to keeping us healthy, that way we’ll do our best to find the time, the energy, and the ways to fit it in.

2. Find an activity that works for you Take a look at your lifestyle, likes and dislikes and find an activity that is going to work best for you. Choose something you’ll be able to find the time for, that you’ll enjoy and that you can easily incorporate into your life (e.g. brisk walking or perhaps a dance class). Then you are more likely to maintain it longterm.

3. Be prepared

Dr. Sally Norton’s top five tips for achieving and maintaining a healthy blood pressure: 1. Weight control Keep your weight in the healthy range – and your waist to hip ratio 1 (or 0.85 for women) 2. Keep active If you are fit and get plenty of exercise, your blood pressure is likely to benefit too.

3. Eat a healthy diet without too much salt A healthy diet is likely to help weight control, with the added benefit of being low in salt. Salt is one of the greatest influences on our blood pressure and reducing salt is one of the quickest ways to reduce blood pressure. But remember, 75% of the salt we eat is already in foods like ready meals, bread, breakfast cereal, sauces and processed meats. So, avoid processed food where possible, cooking from scratch is preferable.

5. Get help Finally, if your blood pressure is high, take advice from your doctor as further treatment may be needed.

How can I improve my fitness - without hitting the gym five times a week?

‘Sitting is the new smoking’, we are told.

Why? More and more evidence is suggesting that sitting for hours on end is bad for our health. We weren’t designed to spend long periods of each day slumped on the sofa or hunched over our desks, gazing at computer screens.

Studies have shown that compared to more active people, the risk of early death is 15 per cent greater for people who sit more than eight hours a day. Long periods of inactivity can increase your risk of heart and cardiovascular disease, weight gain and type 2 diabetes, as well as some cancers. You may also become prone to headaches, visual fatigue, neck and low back pain.

So what can you do?

4. Stop smoking and cut right back on alcohol

Dr. Sally Norton’s top five tips for improving your fitness

Both of these affect our blood pressure – and much more besides – so binning the fags and slashing the alcohol consumption will do us a lot of good.

1. Make moving a priority

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We’re all super busy, juggling jobs, family, housework etc., every minute counts.

So make sure that whatever activity you choose, you’re fully prepared. If you commit to a regular brisk walk, keep your walking boots by the front door, ready to throw on whenever you plan to head out. If you are prepared, you have fewer excuses.

4. A few minutes is better than nothing Without doubt, moving is better than staying still, even just a few minutes can make a difference. No matter how busy we are, we can always find a few spare minutes to get our heart rate up and blood pumping. So squeeze in whatever time you can find and it’ll make all the difference when it comes to your health.

5. Moving should be part of everyday Busy at work? Why not suggest a walking meeting? It will also get the creative juices flowing! Daily commute? Use your journey to work as a chance to inject some fitness into your day – ditch the car and cycle to work, or park a little further away and walk in. Meeting with friends?

What a about a catch up combined with a walk in the park? Combine your socialising with some exercise rather than a coffee and cake.

The problem with exercise is that we often think that means visiting the gym five times a week – when it fact we should

25

CARE

Live-In Care Keeps Older People In The Community Many frail and older customers’ face delays in being discharged from hospitals due to the lack of immediately available care in the community. The number of district nurses has fallen in England alone as a result of funding cuts. Live-in care not only reduces the risk of needing hospital treatment but, crucially, it allows individuals to return home to recuperate as quickly and as safely as is possible, with the comfort of having a carer available around the clock. The medical profession widely acknowledge that recovery within the home, if circumstances allow, is more beneficial for a patient, and live-in care grants an older person the freedom to choose that option.

Britain’s older population is set to increase dramatically, with the number of over 65’s increasing by 51% by 2030. Public services are already feeling the pressure and care homes are over-crowded and under-staffed as it is. With the impending influx of those needing an extra hand looming large, alternatives to residential care need to be considered, live-in care being one such solution.

Nearly half a million older people are hidden away in care homes, out of sight and out of mind. Not only damaging for those kept from their loved ones but we also suffer as a whole community, missing out on the invaluable voice of experience that our older generation provide. Caring for older people within their own home allows them to retain as much independence as possible as well as to continue being part of their muchloved communities.

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The NHS is already straining under pressure caused by an increase in older patients, with age related ailments such as dementia and arthritis being among the most common reasons for hospitalisation. Providing the older generation with adequate care that can handle these conditions by staff who receive appropriate training could easily prevent many hospital admissions.

Care homes are struggling as it is with tight budgets and often specialist training is over-looked causing quality of care to suffer as a result. Live-in care professionals, such as those provided

by Bluebird Care, are hand-picked for each unique placement and are given training tailored to meet the specific requirements of the client. With just the one customer to care for, the carer is able to devote more time to carry out the basic tasks that are so often forgotten or overlooked in residential care homes.

When you need continuous care, you may not want the added stress of having to leave familiar surroundings.

Bluebird Care gives you the option of high quality care without moving to a care home. Our live in care service offers the reassurance of 24 hour care and support in the comfort of your own home.

We never take a one-size-fits-all approach to care, our customers’ unique needs are considered every step of the way, meaning you stay in control of your care and support at all times.

A member of our team will ask what is important about the way you live your life so we can provide the care you want, the way you want it.

Choosing Bluebird Care means: • No need to move to a care home •

A personal service where your unique needs are considered every step of the way, available as and when you need it - day or night

• Fully trained, compassionate staff who respect your home and your privacy • A flexible service, where every day can be different

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trusted and dedicated live-in carer allows the person to pursue interests with the comforting knowledge that there is someone on standby should they need a little extra help, giving the person the peace of mind to thoroughly enjoy their twilight years.

• A wide range of care and support– personal care, housework, social activities – you choose • A proper introduction to make sure we have found the right person for you

As a nationwide provider, Bluebird Care work to accredited training and induction standards and are able to provide full support and supervision in person with the management team on hand to oversee any issues and to offer a fully supported care service. Bluebird Care completes all the necessary employment checks, such as with the police or criminal records authorities and care worker references. Each care worker receives on-going training and support while they are looking after you at home

• Regular follow up from a Bluebird Care manager to check you are happy with our service Retaining pets and possessions and continuing with everyday activities and hobbies such as meeting up with friends, attending church and gardening provides a quality of life they would struggle to match in a residential home where regulations render many of these activities unfeasible. The residents in care homes often have to rely on relatives visiting to maintain a social life and with today’s pressures on many working families these visits can be few and far between. Having a

Live in care - keeping your familiar friends, family and belongings around you.

No upheaval. No stress. No trouble.

CARE VISITS AT HOME Good Old Fashioned Service Bluebird Care (Gloucester) Suite 4 Westgate House, The Island, Gloucester GL1 2RU Telephone: 01452 414952

Bluebird Care (Stroud) 3b Nelson Street, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2HL Telephone: 01453 757 937

What we offer We offer everything from personal care to shopping, cleaning or social visits.

In fact everything you need to stay in the comfort of your own home.

Alternative Bluebird Care offers a realistic cost effective alternative to residential care.

With familiar friends, relatives and possessions around, Bluebird Care ‘just happens’.

Our staff Our staff are caring, trained to give medication and police checked.

www.bluebirdcare.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

27

FOOD & DRINK JAMES MARTIN’S

HOME COMFORTS C hicken cordon bleu It’s ham, cheese and chicken: that’s all. It’s a simple dish, but like many things in life, the simplest are the best. Cook the escalope in plenty of butter, not oil. By the time the butter is nut- brown, the chicken should be ready to turn over and cook on the other side. You need to allow the middle to become hot, to melt the cheese inside.

Serves 4 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 175g Emmental cheese, cut into 8 chunks 4 good-quality thick ham slices 75g plain flour 3 eggs, lightly beaten 150g panko breadcrumbs sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 150g unsalted butter 300g French beans, trimmed 25g flaked almonds Cut the chicken breasts in half widthways nearly all the way through then open out to a heart shape.

Lay a large piece of clingfilm on a work surface, and place the chicken on top. Cover with another sheet of clingfilm and gently bat out with a rolling pin until about double the size and 1cm thick.

Remove the clingfilm and lay two pieces of cheese over one half of each chicken breast, then fold the ham on top. Fold the other half of the chicken over to enclose the cheese and ham, and press down lightly.

Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls, each big enough to take a chicken breast.

Season the flour and eggs with salt and pepper, then pass the chicken first through the flour, then the eggs, then the breadcrumbs, coating fully.

Put 125g of the butter into a large frying pan and set over a medium heat. When the butter is just melted, add the chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes on one side until the butter is golden brown, then turn and cook for another 4–5 minutes. Baste the chicken with the melted butter as it cooks, keeping it over a medium heat. You don’t want the butter or breadcrumbs to

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burn, and you want the chicken to be cooked all the way through and the cheese melted.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for 3–4 minutes until just tender, then drain. Put the pan back on the heat and add the last of the butter and the flaked almonds. Heat until the butter is melted, then toss the beans into the butter and warm through.

Season well.

Serve the chicken with the beans alongside.

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O yster and sea f ood pie with samphire I don’t know that ‘posh’ is the right word for this really, as although it uses oysters and lobster, you can get hold of both of these easily nowadays. It does use a fair bit of champagne, but you can always use prosecco instead. The grated potatoes make a great topping – just give them a thorough squeeze to remove any excess water.

Serves 4–6 140g unsalted butter 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour 600ml double cream 350ml champagne sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 500g salmon, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks 400g smoked haddock, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks 1kg cooked lobster, shelled and cut into chunks 8 oysters, shucked 350g raw king prawns, shelled and deveined 100g samphire 1kg white potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated 3 egg yolks 200g frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.

Put 75g of the butter into a saucepan and heat until melted, then add the flour and cook for 2 minutes until thickened and light golden-brown.

Add the cream gradually, whisking all the time, and cook until thickened and smooth. Pour the champagne in a steady stream into the sauce, still whisking all the time, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the salmon, smoked haddock, lobster, oysters, prawns and samphire in a large ovenproof dish. Pour the sauce over the top to coat everything.

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Put the grated potato into a clean tea towel and squeeze all the liquid from it. Place in a bowl. Melt 50g of the remaining butter in a saucepan, then mix with the potato and egg yolks and plenty of salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle over the top of the fish, then place on a baking sheet in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden and hot through.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the peas and cook for 2–3 minutes until tender. Drain and return to the pan, add the remaining butter and season to taste. Serve with the fish pie.

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FOOD & DRINK

E nglish apricot and almond bake

Roll out the pastry to 5mm thick and about 2cm larger than your tin. Roll it onto the rolling pin, then roll it over the tin.

Press gently into the corners, then trim the excess from the edges. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

When you make the frangipane, make sure to mix the butter and sugar together until they are white, and then fold in the flour by hand to help keep it as light as possible. It’s best not to keep the bake in the fridge, as the butter will harden up – if you have to, warm it through in a low oven before serving.

Place the butter and sugar in a food mixer or a large bowl, and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Remove from the mixer and fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder.

Cover the pastry with the apricot jam, then spoon over the filling and smooth out to the edges. Lay the apricot halves gently on top, in rows, and bake for 35–40 minutes until golden-brown and risen. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean; if it doesn’t, return it to the oven for a further 5 minutes and repeat.

Makes 15 pieces 375g shop-bought sweet pastry 200g unsalted butter, softened 200g caster sugar 3 large eggs

Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then cut into rectangles to serve.

200g plain flour 125g ground almonds 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

More Home Comforts by James Martin (Quadrille £20) Photography: Peter Cassidy

150g apricot jam 8 fresh apricots, stoned and quartered Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 30 x 23cm traybake tin.

THE EDGEMOOR INN Traditional Pub and Restaurant in the Cotswolds Approximately half way between Stroud and Gloucester, The Edgemoor Inn overlooks the beautiful, picturesque Painswick Valley and the village of Painswick, a quintessential English village known as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’.

It has a rich history with a particularly colourful period during the Civil War when the Roundheads took refuge in the parish church of St.Mary, which dates from the eleventh century.

The late 19th century Inn, constructed from Cotswold stone, has picture style windows and is well known for its pretty panoramic views.

Our property boasts an extensive terraced patio overlooking Painswick & surrounding countryside.

Edgemoor Inn sources as much fresh meat, fish & vegetables from local suppliers.

An extensive range of home cooked meals and daily specials are served each day lunchtime and evening.

Vegetarian menus are always available. We serve the finest selection of local real ales from Uley, Wickwar and Stroud.

The Edgemoor Inn offers the very best in traditional Cotswold pub and restaurant dining - a warm welcome in delightful surroundings with wellpresented home-cooked food. This is a combination that’s hard to beat.

Indulge Yourself!

Tel: 01452 813576 www.edgemoorinn.com Edge, Near Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 6ND 30

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At V.S.F. Ltd we have been helping people turn their old, impractical garages into modern and useful spaces for the last decade. Our experts can take on pretty much any project, from refurbishing your rundown concrete garage ensuring you have a secure storage space for years to come, to erecting a completely new one for you, or transforming your garage into an up-to-date and ultra-functional utility room.

It doesn’t matter how old your garage is or what condition it is in, V.S.F will give it a new lease of life or totally transform it to add value to your home.

Whether it’s just a replacement roof that is needed or a full refurbishment, V.S.F. will take care of every aspect, from the technical survey through to the installation.

You don’t even need to empty your garage we will empty it for you if necessary, do the job and then leave everything spotless when we have gone. You won’t even know we have been there, apart from the wonderful space that we leave behind.

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V.S.F. can reduce or extend your garage, block up doors with panels, take out panels and add new doors.

We can reduce or increase garage door sizes, install new windows or change your roof from flat to apex. The options for your garage are virtually endless - and we will work with you at every stage to ensure you get just what you want.

Marcus Jeffreys, strategic consultant for the company, said: “We are absolutely committed to ensuring that from your initial contact to completing your installation, whether it be a refurbishment or a replacement garage, every aspect of your installation is managed correctly, ensuring that the installation and completion dates are met.

“In present times, when the building industry has a reputation for not fulfilling deadlines and shoddy workmanship, we take pride in offering you a pleasant buying experience.

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waste carriers licences to allow legal transportation of your asbestos to our depot. And on top of all this, we offer a free, no-obligation consultation. So, for the best storage, utility or living space you can get, contact V.S.F. For more details, visit our website at www.vsfgaragerepairsuk.com or give us a call on 0800 917 9550.

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