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ISLE OF WIGHT SPRING 2014 EDITION 2

Rick Stein In search of the perfect curry...

Robert Lindsay

Talks about the Northwest Premiere of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...

THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR THE OVER 50s

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For Fun and Fitness

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CONTENTS

inside...

6-7 Portugal ...

Two of the most traditional and interesting regions

of the country 8-9 The Great British Holiday ...

Discover Wonders of the World on your doorstep 12-13 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...

Robert Lindsay talks about the Northwest Premiere 14 Ageing Beautifully ...

Tips on staying younger for longer 32-33 Top Tips ...

Art Deco 16-17 Rick Stein ...

In search of the perfect curry 22-23 How Colours can Change a Room...

Make your home look brand new 25 Upgrade your Security Lighting ...

Special Offer for readers of 50 Plus 36-37 Beautiful Dentures ...

Part of your Personality.

8-9

6-7

14

16-17

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TWITTER

To lick or not to lick?

Social media shrinks the world When I began my career it was with a three-ton Remington typewriter that deafened the street, now I can find friends in Louisiana with the flick of a finger.

Graham Smith Twitter Column

Social media has shrunk the world, technology is advancing at such a pace that it is difficult to keep pace with the latest developments and new inventions that were once the stuff of science fiction are an everyday occurrence.

But at what cost is all this in terms of progress? Sales of printed books have plummeted as the world spends an increasing portion of its life on computers, tablets and mobile phones and I worry sometimes that there is a danger of losing the power of joined up thought. Recently I was reading a piece sent to me on the Internet and half a dozen of the sentences written didn’t even begin with the standard capital letter. Worrying.

I know people who are closing their Facebook accounts now because they have almost taken over their lives, and I have to say that on Twitter some of the most inane facts and comments are creeping in now. Do you really need to say, "Goodnight tweeps”? Just turn the thing off!

Neither is the net and social media the province of the young, as it was. Increasing numbers of older people are using the social interaction on offer and in many cases it can provide a relief for loneliness and replace a social life lost due to immobility or loss of a partner, so no bad thing there.

Drives you mad Motorists are often an easy target but I notice that recently some have been getting away with blue murder.

Did you read about the idiot who was caught driving with his hands behind his head? The clot was doing 62mph on a major road in a large four-wheel drive and argues in court that he was in full control of the car. Fortunately the court didn’t agree and banned him for a year and imposed a hefty fine and community service order. But what possesses these people?

There are also cases of motorists still driving with over 30 and sometimes 40 points on their licences because magistrates have shown leniency towards their circumstances. Why? If you’ve clocked up that amount of points you’re quite simply not fit to drive a vehicle and I have serious doubts whether you should be using a wheelbarrow without stabilisers.

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Do you seal your envelopes? Apparently whether you should or not has been the subject of a major and no doubt costly operation. Many older people labour under the misapprehension that you can send an unsealed envelope with a second class stamp on and it will be delivered first class. Err, no.

The younger generation have other ideas. One Internet observation reads, “ Whilst I do seal my envelopes the first thing that came to mind when I saw the headline was the story that went round when I was at school and later repeated on a viral email about cockroach eggs being laid on the glue and when you lick it if you get a paper cut they can hatch in your lip.”

A quick Google showed this story is still on the urban legends websites but it wouldn’t surprise me if that was the reason for people around early 30s.

Health and Safety nonsense Yes I know I’ve twittered about this before but here goes again.

Our village church clock was stopped for several months recently because the Health and Safety ogres decreed that the ladder used to reach the mechanism was too short.

This was despite it having been used for years by a six-foot plus ex-policeman.

Consequently it was twenty past three in Haworth for eight months until a grant was raised to provide a longer ladder!

You couldn’t make it up could you? The bell ringers swung on ropes every Monday night during that period but the poor chap couldn’t wind the clock up because some mentally challenged twerp had nothing better to do than condemn the ladder.

Have these people nothing better to do? How come one of them was lurking in Haworth Church clock tower to see the ladder in the first place?

And he was back at Christmas to chuck Santa Claus out of the boiler room because there might have been asbestos!

Poor chap had to cuddle customers in a gazebo outside the building. Talk about no room at the inn, and the donkey had to wear a coat.

These chaps would have been a riot in Bethlehem.

There’s have been no stable accommodation, too draughty and get those sheep of the bedclothes. You cannot bring your camel in here and stop swinging that foul smelling stuff under the baby’s nose….and has that chap with the wings got a Civil Aviation licence? The mind boggles.

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Home estate agency is a modern, independent company providing a superior residential sales service to Ryde and the surrounding area. Whether you are buying or selling, by combining traditional estate agency values with modern technology and marketing techniques we deliver an effective solution to your property needs.

An attractive modern detached home within a peaceful cul de sac and a short walk from the sandy beaches at Seagrove Bay. Accommodation comprises six bedrooms, two reception rooms, two bathrooms and kitchen/ breakfast room with utility adjacent. Outside are the lawned rear garden and double width integral garage.

This three bedroom detached bungalow is located at the end of a small cul de sac and stands centrally on a good size plot.

Located between Ryde and Nettlestone it is a short distance from the seafront and local pub. Further accommodation comprises a spacious reception room, 17ft kitchen/breakfast room, bathroom and conservatory.

Outside the property has generous gardens, detached garage and studio room.

Seaview £360,000

Pondwell £269,950

A detached chalet style bungalow located just 500 yards from Ryde seafront and offering well planned accommodation over two floors. In addition to a spacious through reception room, fitted kitchen and conservatory, the accommodation features two double bedrooms and bathroom to the ground floor and a large master bedroom suite to the first floor with en suite bathroom. To the rear of the house is a lovely lawned garden whilst to the front is an ornamental garden and large driveway leading to a detached garage.

Ryde £255,000

This detached 1930’s built bungalow is set on the edge of Ryde close to a major supermarket and just a short drive from town or seafront. Three bedrooms, two reception rooms, kitchen, utility room and modern bathroom. Attractive mature garden to the rear and off street parking to the front.

Ryde £229,950

01983 616000 www.50plusmagazine.co.uk www.homeiow.co.uk

home estate agency

Newly built detached three bedroom chalet bungalow set within a small development on the edge of Ryde close to both town and open countryside.

Through reception room, large kitchen/breakfast room, two bedrooms to the first floor and one bedroom to the ground floor. Two bathrooms (one en suite). Off street parking.

Ryde £225,000

Modern detached three bedroom house tucked away within a private road. Built approximately five years ago the house also offers a bright living room, kitchen/breakfast room, two bathrooms and cloakroom. Outside the house has both front and rear gardens and off street parking.

Ryde £209,950 Newly built mid terrace house forming part of a smart modern development and set within the popular village of St. Helens with its central green and close proximity to Bembridge Harbour. Comprises three bedrooms, large reception room, two bathrooms and kitchen with complete range of fitted appliances. Rear garden with countryside views and off street parking.

Top (second) floor apartment built just six years ago and set in the heart of Ryde town.

Two double bedrooms, large reception room, fitted kitchen and bathroom. Well presented the flat has an outstanding view of the Solent and is ideal for the purchaser seeking a central location.

St. Helens £199,950

Ryde £124,950

186 High Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 2PN 5 e-mail: info@homeiow.co.uk

50 Plus Travel

sponsored by

By Noel Josephides, Managing Director of Sunvil www.sunvil.co.uk

to a considerable degree upon this wonderful natural product. Portugal is the largest cork exporter in the world.

NASA uses Alentejo cork to insulate the cones of its space capsules and to protect them from heat damage on reentry to the earth’s atmosphere. And cork is not only for wine bottles – you can buy cork jewellery, cork umbrellas, cork i-Pad covers - in fact, just about anything and everything can these days be manufactured from cork.

The Alentejo and the Centro Region of Portugal Visitors to Portugal who fly into Lisbon Airport tend either to head south to the Algarve or north to Estoril, Cascais, the city of Porto and the Douro Region.

In doing so, they inadvertently miss out on two of the most traditional and interesting regions of the country. Both the Centro region - immediately north of Lisbon - and the Alentejo region - between Lisbon and the Algarve - are areas that tend to be driven through quickly yet, together, they make up half of Portugal, and both deserve to be visited in their own right.

The Alentejo was known as the bread basket of Portugal and it boasts some of the country’s tastiest dishes. The countryside is made up of wide, sweeping plains interspersed with medieval hilltop villages topped by dramatic castles. In spring the region is awash with colour - the fields are full of flowers of red, yellow, white 6

Evora, just a 75-minute drive inland from Lisbon on uncrowded roads, is the capital of the Alentejo (which means below the Tejo, or Tagus, river).

It is steeped in history, yet really alive and buzzing courtesy of the university within its ancient walls. It was the seat of the Kings of Portugal in the 15th and 16th centuries and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its entirety.

The Atlantic coastline, south of Lisbon, is like that of the Algarve 50 years ago and much of it is protected by law. Coastal villages like Porto Covo and Vila Nova de Milfontes are firm favourites yet have escaped mass development and still have great character; they are ideal for a lazy summer holiday and perhaps a little gentle coastal walking on a wellmarked pathway, the Rota Vicentina, if that appeals. The coast is a few degrees cooler than inland, often with a pleasant breeze in the height of summer. Beaches are many and seldom crowded, even in the peak of the season.

and purple or blue hues. The Alentejo produces 46% of Portugal’s excellent wine but has a mere 6% of its population. It is quiet, it is uncrowded and it is beautiful.

In the summer it’s very hot - in fact, the hottest place in Portugal. Around May/June, depending on the weather, they harvest the cork trees; this is the region of the cork oak tree and the economy of the Alentejo still depends

So why have so few people heard of this region? It’s a very rural area with some excellent accommodation of character but local politics has meant an initial lack of interest in tourism, making it a latecomer to the travel game. This very fact will stand it in good stead – it has been able to learn from mistakes made elsewhere.

The north of the Alentejo region is next-door to Centro, the central region of Portugal or, as I prefer to call it, the

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That permission can be refused because, within the ancient walls, the Dean wields as much power as the President of the Republic.

Needless to say, Coimbra is a must but there are also other interesting ancient cities to explore, like Aveiro on the coast and Viseu, the gateway to the Estrela National Park. Each area has its own local cuisine and specialities.

Some of the most famous and delicious Portuguese cheeses come from the Estrela region.

Heart of Portugal. This is an area that stretches from its Atlantic coastline, with long beaches stretching for miles, into a mountainous region with some historic fortified villages and castles along the border with Spain that defended Portugal from invasion in the Middle Ages. The most impressive are Almeida, Castelo Rodrigo, Monsanto, Sortelha, Piodao and Idanha-A-Velha.

These castles and villages conjure up images of knights in armour, of damsels in distress and heroic deeds.

Legends abound in this area which, in turn, was overrun by the Romans, Moors and Spanish. Tales are recounted of epic battles and ancient rituals, and religious festivals are still very much part of daily life. The Serra da Estrela national park is snow bound in winter and, in the summer, ideal for walks with breathtaking views across forested landscapes.

The capital of the area is Coimbra, recently awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. This is a thriving, vibrant city, with a population of

2.3 million, and it is the seat of the oldest university in Portugal, dating from 1290. Since then, it’s been at the centre of Portuguese intellectual life. A visit to the university is a must and the 18th century Baroque library is one of many priceless historical monuments. There are three exquisite gilded chambers housing 300,000 leather-bound texts behind imposing wooden doors, probably some 30 feet tall. The precious books in this library are safeguarded from insect damage by resident bats, which sleep behind the serried rows of ancient tomes by day and eat insects by night; the mahogany reading tables are covered in cloth overnight to protect them from bat excrement. I would visit Portugal simply to re-visit the library - it is so fascinating and so totally extravagant.

The university is nicknamed the ‘Little Vatican’ as it is protected by ancient charter and even the police have to request permission from the Dean before they enter the campus.

These two provinces, the Centro/ Heart of Portugal and the Alentejo, together make ideal fly-drive holiday combinations. There is some stunning accommodation, too, with two of my personal favourite hotels found in the adjacent regions. The Casa da Insua is a wonderful 18th century Baroque confection, located on the outskirts of Viseu in Centro, where you can try your hand at making cheese in the dairy if you wish, afterwards exploring an excellent in-house museum and art gallery. In the Alentejo, just outside Evora, is the Covento do Espinheiro, a historic monument once lived in by the Kings of Portugal - a superlative hotel that manages to be friendly while offering the best of cuisine and comfort. The manager’s tour of the hotel and a wine tasting in the former monastery’s water cistern is not to be missed.

The true character of Portugal lies very much within these two regions and yet so many of us simply drive through on our way south or north. I urge you to spend a little time exploring them; you’ll enjoy a relaxing and inspiring taste of the real Portugal.

Vist www.sunvil.co.uk for further information about holidays to this region or call 0208 568 4499.

Silver Travel Advisor is a travel review, information and advice website exclusively for over 50’s, packed with articles, suggestions, tips and ideas. For free and independent travel advice as well as reviews about holidays, hotels, restaurants and days out, please visit www.silvertraveladvisor.com or email service@silvertraveladvisor.com. It’s free to register as a member of Silver Travel Advisor, and you could win a fabulous holiday prize.

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7

TRAVEL AND LEISURE And there is just so much to see and do in this country!

You can sample local ales in Devizes in Wiltshire, enjoy international arts in Salisbury and explore stone circles and Iron Age forts in the countryside.

Consider an escape to the country’s largest oak forest in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, see Dover’s stunning white cliffs or visit the beautiful cathedrals of Rochester and Canterbury. Then there’s the glorious ancient woodland of the New Forest where William the Conqueror once hunted.

The Great British Holiday When it comes to choosing a break away many of us automatically go online or get brochures from the travel agent to look beyond our own shores to possibly sunnier climes in other parts of the world.

That blinkered approach to homegrown charms means we may not appreciate the best of what this country has to offer. But, for the discerning, The Great British Holiday has become THE way to enjoy time away from home.

Look at the basic reality: you don’t have to worry about changing money to a different currency or learning a foreign language, agonise over flight delays, spend long hours at the airport doing nothing or deal with the often baffling laws and customs of another country.

By discovering the genuine wonders of the world on your own doorstep, you plug into a much more relaxed holiday that can quickly awaken all of us to just why so many visitors

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from other countries converge on the UK each year as their destination of choice.

For a start, there are all kinds of holidays we can take in this country – ranging from active adventure holidays to tailor-made tourism around fascinating towns and villages, to ultra-relaxing breaks to allow mind and body to rest and recharge to face the rest of life.

There are few countries in the world where so many holiday choices are available. You can hire a cottage in a remote rural spot, take over a country lodge for a family break, stay in a piece of English history, or just put your trust in a reliable travel company and let a coach whisk you away on a scenic route to a super hotel homefrom-home.

When you’ve got past the family holiday style of seaside breaks or activity holiday parks, you may just love the luxury and sheer lack of responsibility of being taken on a coach tour holiday.

Our first National Park in the Peak District is the scenery which inspired the Brontes, or you can view Creswell Crag’s stunning Ice Age legacy. Little around the world is as beautiful as our own Lake District and Cumbria, while the Yorkshire Dales offer mile upon mile of unspoiled landscape as a feast for the eyes and the senses.

Explore the historic streets of Salisbury and Stonehenge and tuck into tasty local farmers’ produce, or wander the banks of the River Wear in Durham.

Spare some time, too, to visit its iconic cathedral there before appreciating the wild and lovely countryside of the Durham Dales.

Our cities have much to fascinate – from stunning landmarks in Norwich spanning the Norman, Medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras to Windsor Castle, bursting with a thousand years of history.

Soak up the atmosphere in Bath and visit the fascinating Roman baths or wonder at York’s

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remarkable old buildings and visit the Shambles, voted the country’s most picturesque street.

Make a pilgrimage to Canterbury and discover the bloody history behind Chaucer’s tales. Or travel to our historic seats of learning and culture to stimulate the intellect and the imagination. Stratford upon Avon is home to all things Shakespeare; see works

by Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, or study Charles Darwin’s specimens at the Zoology Museum in Cambridge.

Of course, holidays don’t all have to be about sitting around or simply strolling about looking at tourist spots. You might prefer your walks brisk, exploring the Cornish coast, or hiking over the many English hills and dales.

You might be one of the thousands of people who love caravan holidays, taking your accommodation with you to the hundreds of well-organised camp sites and their useful facilities to structure your own days. You might prefer to try out well-appointed static caravans at holiday parks which also offer entertainment on your independent holiday.

Boating holidays are more popular than ever, with the country’s wonderful network of canals and rivers introduced to new fans every year.

The Lancaster Canal, for example, is one of our most scenic and gentle waterways, running for 42 lock-free miles through pleasant pasturelands, overlooked for most of the way by the foothills of the Pennines.

Today’s narrowboats come fully-equipped, some with central heating, full-size shower and TV, appealing to all.

Affordable Holidays to Great Destinations Isle of Wight ~ Ocean View Hotel, 3H Being about five miles off the south coast, the Isle of Wight is only approximately a thirty minute sail from either Portsmouth or Lymington.

An elegant hotel commanding magnificent views across Sandown Bay, Golden Beaches and a quaint collection of shops.

Facilities at the Ocean View Hotel include: l l

Indoor Heated Pool Indoor Bowling Green

Table Tennis Snooker Room l Sea View Rooms available* l Lift l Porterage. l l

Torquay ~ The Abbey Lawn Hotel, AA3H With its mild climate and trademark palm trees, Torquay is one of the UK’s premier seaside resorts and has been fashionable since the 19th century.

Stylish hotel located in the grounds of the former Torre Abbey.

Facilities at the Abbey Lawn Hotel include: l Indoor Heated Pool/Outdoor Pool l Lounge

l

Large Conservatory Sea View Rooms available* l Lift l Porterage. l

Eastbourne ~ Imperial Hotel, 3H Eastbourne is an ‘all the year round’ holiday destination with one of the best sunshine records in the UK. An impressive Victorian building set amidst a beautiful tree lined boulevard.

Facilities at the Imperial Hotel include:

As Robert Foulkes of Crabtree Narrowboat Hire explained: “Last year we had people in their early 20s, grandparents with their grandkids and 50-somethings whose children had left home and this was their first holiday on their own for 20 years.”

The Great British Holiday – in all its forms, price-ranges and activities or lack of them offers the freedom to choose exactly how YOU want to spend your break. And the bonus is that it’s often a brand new voyage of discovery of the fabulous place that is our country.

Two Residents’ Bars Ballroom l TV & Complimentary Tea & Coffee in all Bedrooms l l

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PICK UP POINTS l Ventnor l Shanklin l Lake l Sandown l Binstead l Ryde l Newport l East Cowes l Yarmouth

Please call FREEPHONE Monday - Friday

0800 988 1546 Get up and Go Holidays by Coach 1-5 Park Road, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, PO37 6BB

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How to stay living at home and so avoid care costs Future CARE COSTS are one of the biggest causes of anxiety for older people and for their families.

The cost of residential care for the elderly can cost £500 to £1000 or higher per week and live in care at around £750 a week. It can result in an elderly person losing the only asset they have left, the family home, that may have been in the family for generations.

There are three main ways to stay at home and so save care fees. The last two have legal implications which need to be considered. All enable family members or friends to provide at least part of the care, if not all, and so save costs. These three are:-

1. Adapt your home if that will enable you to stay there long enough at least to recoup the cost of adaptation – ie installing a downstairs bathroom or merely widening doors for wheelchair access or putting up support rails etc.

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2. Share accommodation with wider family.

This could take various forms such as • •

•

The parent moving in with the children or vice versa, A financial contribution made by the elderly person to purchase a property to house the enlarged wider family Paying or contributing to the cost of a granny flat annexed to the children’s property.

Each have their legal implications. One of the greatest dangers of a family sharing solution is that the family or caring relationship later breaks down. This can cause huge problems but some at least of them can be avoided if the arrangement is properly legally documented so as to foresee and provide for as many issues as possible.

The first of the three scenarios is often the most dangerous as it is often only informally started and then grows into a longer term undocumented arrangement.

Suppose a ‘child’, (usually very adult by that stage!) has put themselves at a disadvantage by giving up their own home to go and care for their parent or parents. They would lose their position on the property market and their protection from later property price rises or, if in rented accommodation, any security of tenure they might have had. This risk can sometimes be met by the parent promising, in return for the child or other family carer

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having to their detriment given something up, for the property to be given (usually by will) to the family carer when the elder person dies. Or if that is too much, the value of the carer’s loss can be quantified and they can be given a proportion of the value of the property to reflect that. This needs to be covered by a formal Declaration of Trust. If there is no documentation,, the Court can in certain circumstances enforce such promises but only at great risk and expense for those involved.

after’ values, and so justify the parent’s percentage of ownership. Otherwise on the parent’s death, the Revenue might claim that there was an element of gift, which could create Inheritance Tax or pre-owned asset tax complications. Taking full and specialised legal advice at this stage may save a lot of money on otherwise unnecessary legal fees later.

3. Have a live–in carer.

Such a Declaration of Trust is also essential for the second scenario of buying a bigger house together. In the absence of proper legal documentation there will always be questions. Is the parent’s contribution considered as a loan, a gift, was it in lieu of paying rent, or was it intended that the contribution made was in exchange for a percentage share of the ownership of the property? If there is a trust deed, shares in the new property can be carefully defined and all contributions clearly set out. As with going to war in Iraq you need an exit strategy! There need to be specified trigger events enabling either party to end the arrangement and require a sale. Otherwise, as indeed in scenario one, you are at the very expensive mercy of the Court to provide an exit. All this needs to be carefully thought through.

This is a halfway house solution where the stage is reached where the family carers no longer have sufficient resources to give what is needed.

A ‘Granny’ annexe is a popular solution as it gives a degree of mutual independence. The parent will often have paid for the addition of the annexe. That capital contribution will need to be protected by way of a similar trust document. This should clearly state ‘before and

ALL these solutions will be considerably cheaper than full time residential care and I will be very happy to guide you through the pros and cons of every option, pointing out all the necessary legal safeguards and choices available to you.

Such a carer may be provided by a care agency in which case there will need to be a contract with the agency.

If outside an agency, ie through private advertising or recommendation, you will need a formal employment contract. This is important so as to prevent the carer acquiring occupation rights and to avoid difficulties with EU working hours directives and so on. It is important to recognise that the live-in carer can’t be on call all the time.

They need clear fixed periods of time off. It is possible that family members would be able to cover these periods but otherwise alternative arrangements may be needed.

MICHAEL EDWARDS WEALTH MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

A wealth of expertise on your doorstep We provide an experienced wealth management service and offer specialist We provide an experienced wealth advice in a wide range of areas including: management service and offer specialist advice in a wide range of areas including: Investment planning l Retirement planning • Inheritance Investment planning l Tax planning • LongRetirement planning l Term Care planning • InheritanceTax planning For further details contact: Kevin Wetherick DipPFS, For further details contactCerts CII (MP & ER) l

Michael Edwards on:

Tel: 01983-822232 / 07967-015544

Tel: 01285 878650

Email: kevin.wetherick@sjpp.co.uk Email: michael.edwards@sjpp.co.uk Website: www.wetherickwm.co.uk Website: www.sjpp.co.uk/michaeledwards

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11

INTERVIEW: ROBERT LINDSAY

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS Robert Lindsay had been out walking his dogs and taking the opportunity to learn his lines for his latest show.

The fact that it’s the musical version of the 1988 hit film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, set to premier in Manchester before going into the West End, was exciting for the 63 year-old actor. But not because he was reprising the role Michael Caine took onscreen as the suave Riviera conman Lawrence Jameson whose life is suddenly disrupted by Steve Martin’s character, the anarchic Freddy Benson.

“I’ve never seen the film,” he admits, “but it’s a wonderful show. The script is incredibly funny and the score by Yazbek (award-winner David Yazbek) is amazing – the man’s a genius.”

The show did run for a time on Broadway where it won awards, “but it seemed to fade away,” adds Lindsay. “This is a totally different show, and there’s a fantastic buzz about it already. I think the plan long-term may be for it to go back to Broadway.”

All of this is a long way from the very first time the Great British Public became aware of young Robert Lindsay when he played a Cockney layabout in the ITV series Get Some In! However, it was when he headed up the Tooting Popular Front as likeable but inept urban guerrilla Wolfie Smith in the hit comedy TV series Citizen Smith that the public really noticed him.

This ran for three years, from 1977 to 1980, and established the actor firmly in viewers’ consciousness. He felt pretty comfortable in the role as he’d come from a council estate in Ilkeston, Derbyshire before graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and had admittedly leftwing views.

An early flexibility and desire to take on other, different roles – “as well as wanting to play posh people,” he quickly points out – steered him towards more serious productions.

He played Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing in the BBC’s

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Shakespeare series, and then moved up to Manchester to play Edmund in a Granada TV version of King Lear alongside Sir Laurence Olivier.

He happily admits that his first love, though, is musicals and he famously played the role of Bill Snibson in the acclaimed 1984 London revival of Me and My Girl. This role not only won him an Olivier Award but, when it later transferred to Broadway, a Tony Award as well.

“I find musicals easier because you’ve always got the music, it’s familiar,” states Lindsay.

He has, however, also enjoyed plenty of film roles.

Interestingly, he was at the same place making a different film (Strike It Rich with Mollie Ringwald and Sir John Gielgud) where Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was being filmed.

“I met Steve Martin one day – we’d met previously when I’d been in the States and had dinner together – and he told me about the film he was making,” explains Lindsay. “He seemed to have some reservations about the script and I got the impression that they were adding to it quite a bit themselves.”

Television has proved a remarkable showcase for Lindsay’s talents over the years. Although he believes that he wanted to get away from his roots for a long time – “I lost my way

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The Generation Game with Bruce Forsyth – have three sons and he also has a daughter from his relationship with actress Diana Weston.

It’s plain he doesn’t like being away from his home and family. “But sometimes they have to understand that you have to be, you’re doing it for them,” he states.

For the most part, his children don’t like roles that take him away from them, or his being acknowledged as an actor rather than “just Dad” when he’s with them. “When I was in Hornblower and picking them up from school it was different. Normally, they don’t want me to walk with them and disown me, but suddenly I was cool!”

Ask about the highlights of his career and he swiftly points to the work with Alan Bleasdale and Me and My Girl. “I suppose Citizen Smith, The Entertainer at the Old Vic and Cyrano de Bergerac at the Haymarket were also special,” he adds.

He’s still regularly on TV and had just recorded Have I Got News For You as programme presenter. “You have to watch Mr Hislop and Mr Merton, though,” he says light-heartedly.

“They’re very quick but I think they like actors because they understand timing and not hogging the lines.”

“I find musicals easier because you’ve always got the music, it’s familiar,” a bit in my 30s,” he says – he particularly enjoyed working with gritty Northern writer Alan Bleasdale. Lindsay was in his dark comedy serial G.B.H. (for which Lindsay won a BAFTA) as well as another Bleasdale play, Jake’s Progress with Julie Walters, and recalls both experiences with genuine affection.

He played another posh character when he took on the role of Captain Pellew in the long-running and very successful series of Hornblower with Ioan Gruffudd as the young midshipman of the title.

Was this largely sea-going adventure a fairly physical experience for Lindsay? “Not so much for me, but definitely for Ioan,” he laughs. “What was interesting was that it was the first time I had played a father character.”

His longest running role was also as a father: as dentist Ben Harper in the popular BBC sitcom My Family – this ran for 11 years and still surfaces on Sky channels. “Zoe (Wannamaker) and I had a great time making that,” he states.

Lindsay himself is very much a family man. He and second wife Rosemarie Ford – she was a dancer and a presenter on

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Is there any TV he’d like to do, like Downton Abbey? “No,” he states, “that’s not my bag.

“But I’ve just done a cameo role in Atlantis as the father of Icarus – that was good fun. It’s a very well made series and the boys there were great. My children were also very impressed!” * Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is at Manchester Opera House from February 12 to 22, 2014, in Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from February 26 to March 1 and then at the Savoy Theatre, London from March 10. To find out more go to www.scoundrelswestend.com

To keep up with demand, antiageing treatments with immediate and dramatic anti-ageing results newly being offered at Belmore Centre, include a Diamond Peel Hand Treatment which includes microdermabrasion techniques in addition to Hydro Regulators; and a Chromatherapy Facial which uses a combination of colour light therapy and rejuvenating gels and serums to help to boost elasticity and stimulate collagen production; CACI, the effective non-surgical facial which redefines facial contours, and plumps out deep lines and wrinkles; and Microdermabrasion combining both crystal and diamond tipped ultra-advanced facial scrub to soften skin surface irregularities, leaving a polished, smooth surface.

Caron Vetter’s anti-ageing beauty tips:-

1. Use a moisturiser that suits your skin type rather than one which has marketed at a certain age profile.

AGEING BEAUTIFULLY With anti-ageing continuing to grow as a business sector giant, The Belmore Centre in Stoke Mandeville has seen growth of over 30 % in clientele over the age of 50 in the last five years, including an increase of 20 % of male clients over the age of 50.

As the population ages and the desire to look fabulous continues, forecasts have suggested the market will increase fourfold in the 10 years to 2024, to an annual value approaching £4 billion in Britain alone.

MD of the Belmore Centre, Caron Vetter explains the anti-ageing movement. “People don’t just want to look younger, they want to look amazing. They want to hear about the latest treatments and products, they take great care of themselves and they are not having beauty treatments 14

to look good for their partners but for themselves!” Vetter argues that mature women are simply better at, and more interested in looking after their skin than ever, in particular favouring full anti-ageing facials, eye treatments and eyebrow shaping at the Belmore Centre.

So where do men feature in the growing mature beauty or grooming market? Vetter says she is seeing an increase in more mature men visiting Belmore but conversely they are choosing treatments such as back massages and waxing. “Having spent 25 years in the beauty business I have seen the spectacular growth in antiageing treatments desired by women.

Men are catching up and there isn’t a stigma now for men who want to buy anti-ageing retail or have regular grooming or beauty treatments.”

2. Defining your eyes brings attention away from fine lines and wrinkles, but do this with a softer shade of liner that compliments your make up as solid black lines aren’t flattering for older skin.

3. Don’t try to cover sun spots with dark heavy foundation. Use a lighter foundation to give skin a fresher feel instead of weighing skin down.

4. Treat your skin to regular face masks and moisturise, moisturise, moisturise at home, but have a monthly salon facial specifically designed to revitalise skin and even out your complexion.

5. The skin on our hands often ages faster than the skin on the rest of our body so regularly moisturise hands with a strong moisturiser. Gorgeous looking gel or Shellac nails can take years off how a woman’s hands look. www.belmorecentre.co.uk

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Do you enjoy eating out? beauty treatments, theatre, sporting activities, spa days, afternoon tea, activities and so much more ...

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FOOD & DRINK

RICK STEIN - IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT CURRY

PRAWN FRITTERS WITH CHUTNEY AND KACHUMBER FROM THE ALLEN KITCHEN, KOLKATA I couldn’t work out why these prawn cutlets were so delicious; there seemed to be nothing to them, just a simple batter, a bit of lemon, some onion rings and a bottle of mustard sauce.

But the very enthusiastic blogger from Calcutta called Kaniska was keen to point out that this tiny little hole in the wall was one of the most popular foodie spots in the city. They may have put a secret ingredient in the batter, but I expect the success lies in using chickpea flour and frying the battered prawns in pure ghee. I consumed a few plates of them while having a thoroughly enjoyable conversation about the almost infinite possibilities of street food in that city. Later I woke up in the middle of the night in my hotel with my head spinning, thinking the pace of life was so frenetic that I was surely locked into a madhouse, albeit with some of the tastiest food I’ve ever found. This makes a quite soft batter, not a thick, crisp batter like you’d get with fish and chips.

METHOD To prepare the prawns, pull off the head and peel away the shell, leaving the tail intact. Use a small, sharp knife to run down the back of the prawns and pull out the black intestinal tracts, if visible. Then use the knife to cut almost all the way through the prawns and butterfly them open. Flatten them out a little with the palm of your hand. Pat dry with kitchen towel.

For the batter, mix the flours and salt together, whisk in the egg and enough of the water to give a smooth batter the consistency of single cream.

Serves 4 12 extra large unpeeled Raw prawns For the batter 60g plain flour 60g chickpea flour ¼tsp salt 1 free-range egg 150–225ml water 70g ghee, for frying To serve Lemon wedges, Mustard chutney Tomato chutney or Chilli garlic relish and Kachumber salad

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Heat the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. Once hot, dip 2 or 3 prawns in the batter and carefully lower into the ghee. Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining prawns. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over and chutney and kachumber salad on the side.

KACHUMBER SALAD - SERVES 8 -10 300g vine-ripened tomatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 cucumber, sliced 100g red onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped 1/2 tsp toasted ground cumin seeds 1/4 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder Large handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped Freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice or white wine vinegar Lime wedges (optional), to finish Layer the ingredients, or gently toss together, just before serving. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

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MADRAS FISH CURRY OF SNAPPER, TOMATO AND TAMARIND I have written at some length in the main introduction about finding this curry, which I have nominated as my favourite. I’ve used the same fish it was cooked with on that day in Mamalla puram – snapper – but in the UK I recommend using any of the following: monkfish fillet, because you get firm slices of white, meaty fish; filleted bass, preferably a large fish, because although you’ll get softer flesh it has plenty of flavour; or gurnard. I think more than anything else that this dish typifies what I was saying about really fresh fish not being ruined by a spicy curry. I can still remember the slightly oily flavour of the exquisite snapper in that dish because fish oil, when it’s perfectly fresh, is very nice to eat. I always think oily fish goes well with curry anyway, particularly with the flavours of tomatoes, tamarind and curry leaves.

Method Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds, then stir in the onion and garlic and fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the curry leaves, chilli powder, coriander and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, tamarind liquid, green chillies and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes until rich and reduced. Add the fish, cook for a further 5 minutes or until just cooked through, and serve with plain rice.

SERVES 4 – 6 60ml vegetable oil 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds 1 large onion, finely chopped 15g/3 cloves garlic, finely crushed 30 fresh curry leaves 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp turmeric 400g can chopped tomatoes 100ml Tamarind liquid 2 green chillies, each sliced lengthways into 6 pieces, with seeds 1 tsp salt 700g snapper fillets, cut into 5cm chunks Boiled basmati rice to serve

Extracted from Rick Stein’s India by Rick Stein, BBC Books hardback £25 Photography: James Murphy

The perfect sport for something to eat and drink Fisherman’s Cottage at the foot of Shanklin Chine Isle of Wight Telephone: 01983 863882

HOME - GARDEN

“Planting flowers among the vegetables will attract pollinators.”

Companion PLANTING The idea is to grow two or more plants close together for the benefit of at least one and usually all. As well as being a form of natural pest control, judicial companion planting can be used to provide support and shade, and is a great way to make the most of limited space. Planting flowers among the vegetables will attract pollinators that may not otherwise venture among the greenery - cosmos, larkspur, zinnia, cornflowers and sweetpeas are good choices.

Besides the practical advantage, the mix-and-match approach to a planting scheme is an opportunity to turn your garden into an unusual and colourful place. Experiment to see what works in the soil and conditions in your area, and bear in mind that not all plants are happy in each other’s company.

PEST CONTROL If you would rather not use pesticides in your garden, one simple way to avoid your flowers and vegetables 18

being subject to pest attack is to plant some deterrents among them. A few garlic bulbs among the roses should keep your blooms aphid-free, and also discourage blackspot. Sage among your cabbages and carrots keeps cabbage and carrot fly at bay. However, don’t be tempted to include garlic or chives among the peas or beans stunted growth may be the result.

Some plants may compete for habitat, or have chemical components that don’t mix. Fennel, for instance, is a favourite of ladybirds and deters aphids, but it has a harmful effect on many plants, inhibiting growth and causing them to bolt. One of the few plants that can tolerate growing in close proximity to fennel is dill.

French marigolds protect against pest nematodes. A chemical produced by the flowers’ roots kills the harmful varieties of these worms. Turn in the marigolds at the end of season so the roots decay in the soil to prevent further infestation. Do it several years running

and pest nematodes should vacate the territory forthwith. Tomatoes, potatoes, roses and strawberries are among vulnerable plants.

SCENT Strong smells can confuse or repel insect pests. It seems that aphids don’t like the odour of onions, or of any other plants belonging to the allium family.

Plant your chives among tomatoes and chrysanthemums to deter greenfly and blackfly, and attract hoverflies, those greedy aphid eaters. Siting onions between rows of brassicas, such as cabbages and broccoli, is said to be effective because the onions’ aroma confuses insects intent on eating up their greens. Onions also mask the smell of carrots, as do leeks, and so reduce the threat of carrot fly; and returning the favour, carrots tend to repel onion fly and leek moth.

Tansy’s strong scent puts off ants, and the lovely smell of French marigolds is anathema to whitefly, greenfly and blackfly. Lavender confuses insect pests while attracting pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, and it looks wonderful, but don’t plant any strong-

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smelling herbs near cucumbers because they will make the cucumbers taste bitter.

“Onions’ aromas confuses insects intent on eating up their greens.”

CAUTION: Some combinations are best avoided, including the following: Alliums (including chives, garlic, leeks, onions, shallots) with peas, beans, parsley or asparagus.

l

l Brassicas (including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cauliflower) with tomatoes or peppers. l Carrots with dill, parsnips, radishes or tomatoes l Runner beans with alliums, beetroot, chillies, tomatoes, sunflowers or French marigolds. l Potatoes with cucumber, squashes, tomatoes, sunflowers or asparagus.

INSECT ALLIES Many insects are beneficial, of course, and another way to control those that aren’t is to include plants that attract hoverflies, ladybirds, lacewings and predatory and parasitic wasps, all of which positively feast on aphids, as well as taking mites, mealybugs and other plant damagers. Daisies, for example, are favourites of hoverflies, ladybirds love coriander and yarrow and dill are beloved by them all.

It may not be usual to preserve nettles among your vegetable and flowers, but if you can, keep a small patch of them because they will attract ladybirds to lay the eggs, and ladybird larvae eat huge numbers of aphids.

DECOYS Nettles are also favourites of cabbage white butterflies, attracting them away from your brassicas. In fact, planting one species right next to another one with the specific intention of decoying pests is a recognised ploy.

Nasturtiums keep aphids off runner beans, for instance, and planting nasturiums and French marigolds among cabbages and lettuces protects

the vegetables from caterpillars and slugs - caterpillars find nasturtiums hard to resist whilst slugs prefer marigolds. Various mints have the same effect on slugs.

However, you do need to keep a careful watch - if too many caterpillars and slugs flock to your decoy plants, you may have to remove the creatures to stop them wandering over to the main crop that you are trying to protect.

Sunflowers can act as decoy in a rather different way - ants herd aphids on to them, away from neighbouring plants. The aphids seem to do little damage to the sunflowers, and as an added advantage the seedheads attract birds to the garden.

SHADY BENEFITS

one can provide support or shade for another. Sunflowers and sweetcorn are ideal tall plants.

Cucumber, all sorts of peas and beans and parsley benefit from the shade.

Some say parsley makes sweetcorn grow bigger and produce more. In another combination, runner beans provide shade for spinach.

This is far from being a new idea.

Native Americans, apparently, used to employ a system known as ‘three sisters’, which involved sweetcorn or sunflowers, runner beans and a squash, such as pumpkin or courgette.

The corn is sturdy enough for the beans to climb up; the beans fix nitrogen in the soil for the squash and corn; the squash’s big leaves provide shade for the roots, suppress weeds and keep the soil moist.

Another strategy is to grow plants of different heights together, so that

GARDENER’S FRIENDS Some plants are said to improve yield and resistance to disease and even enhance the flavour or their neighbours. For instance, parsley increases the vigour of tomatoes and asparagus, horseradish does it for potatoes, and cabbage and broccoli love the company of rhubarb. Some also fulfil pestcontrol duties. These are among the best all rounders.

Basil Borage Chamomile

Chervil Coriander Garlic

Geraniums Lavender Lovage

Marigolds Nasturtiums Yarrow

Feature taken from the 2014 Dairy Diary, Britain’s favourite home diary. This fabulous week-to-view diary is packed with useful information and delicious recipes, and is available to buy for £7.25 (plus P&P) at www.dairydiary.co.uk, by calling 0845 0948 128 or from your local milkman.

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19

Looking for a quirky and unique gift for family and friends or something special to decorate your home and garden with, but not sure where to find them. Garden Gems, based in the seaside resort of Sandown, may be able to help.

The shop, opened in October 2008, sells a wide range of gifts and collectables, as well as a number of Isle of Wight souvenirs for tourists visiting the area.

The store is easy to find. Based on Sandown High Street, opposite the local Co-Op, close to the Ocean Hotel, and the beach, you can’t miss it and it is open all year round.

Best described as an ‘Aladdin’s cave of unusual gifts for the home and garden’, there is no limit to the sorts of items you may find inside. It can include anything from decorative wall art, wind chimes and gnomes, to humorous plaques and signs for the garden, as well as special outside lights and scented candles, just to name a few.

There is something for everyone inside, no matter your age and Garden Gems may be the only place you can find that specific something in the Sandown area, with very few shops selling garden ornaments.

Novelty and decorative bird feeders and houses are also a popular seller, and the business stocks plenty of good quality plants and flowers for hanging baskets and bedding during the spring and summer months to brighten up your garden.

Currently owned by Dave Hayden, who took over the business from his brother in 2011, customers can expect a high quality, helpful and friendly service when visiting.

Mr Hayden said: “The shop receives many good comments from both local people and visitors from the mainland and beyond.”

“Many gifts have even found their way abroad to places such as the USA and Canada, Russia, South Africa, and even as far as Australia. So there is a big demand for our products and they are well liked by our customers.”

But don’t worry about money; most credit and debit cards are accepted, and for those people further away, telephone payments are also available.

“No brief description of what we sell can really do us justice,” said Dave. “New products are arriving all the time.

The best thing to do is pop in and have a good browse of what we have on offer.”

“Many customers return to us time and time again because of the interesting, unusual items you can purchase. Next time you’re in the area, come in and see us, as you never know what you might find.”

Why not visit the local Sandown information sites such as sandown-bay.co.uk or islandeye.co.uk, for more about the shop and a huge list of all the different products on offer and get to know more about the area where Garden Gems is situated.

They are well worth a visit.

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Winter Opening Times: Mon 1.30pm-4pm, Tues-Sat 10am-4pm, (Sun Closed).

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IN THE HOME

HOW COLOURS CAN CHANGE A ROOM It’s surprising how much the colours and fabrics in a room can vastly improve and change the look of it. Picking a new colour for the walls, or buying a new rug or carpet can mix up the style of your home and make it look brand new.

Colours in the living area are so important and have a big impact on the feel of the room and the mood of the people within it. Painting a room is a much quicker and cheaper way of decorating because it is then easier to change and redecorate in the future, without the hassle of removing and replacing wallpaper.

If you are looking for a warm and energetic environment, try a red or orange tone. This may not be suitable for those wanting to relax with the family as they are loud colours, but if you are the type of person who likes entertaining, then the warmth will brighten up the vibe of the room. Yellow is the perfect warm colour for livening up your space, but try to keep it to a feature or accent wall. Too much of it can be overpowering.

For those folk who want to feel laid back and relaxed, a cooler blue or green room might be more suitable. Do be careful of the shades you pick however. An icy blue may make visitors feel unwelcome. A warmer shade, such as turquoise, may give the desired effect you want, but make others feel more welcome as well.

For a more sophisticated feel, stick to neutral tones, whites and creams. Not only do these provide a blank canvas to incorporate furniture and patterns, but allow the room to become a peaceful setting, which looks elegant and refined.

Combinations of fabrics and patterns are also hugely inspiring when it comes to decorating and can create a theme for your house that you may wish to follow; from a cosy cottage to a Tuscan villa. If your tastes cater to soft pastels, floral fabrics and rustic wood furnishings, then a cottage style home may be your cup of tea, where as finding wallpapers with an old plaster texture, tapestry style rugs and cushions with gold, coppers and greens infused can give the feel of Tuscany in your home.

Carpets are a highly important part of a room. Many people prefer plain, block colour materials on their floors,

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which are great for flexibility when designing and changing styles. However they can make a large room look empty.

Going for a patterned carpet might seem a bit risky, but if the right one is selected, it can make a big difference.

Patterns can create a focal point in a big room if you feel like keeping the furniture quite simple, but try and avoid busy patterns in a small room as this can make the space seem closed in and cluttered.

FINAL TIPS...

• Fabrics can easily change up a room, don’t be afraid to experiment.

• Be aware of light and colours. Warmer light coming into your house allows for cooler colours. With colder light, try a warmer colour.

Fabric texture is also important. Kristen Schmitt says on Better Homes and Gardens that: “Texture adds dimension to a room. It appeals to our senses, both visual and tactile, which makes the room interesting.” Add some pillows and cushions to your bed and sofa; fluffy, ruffled, floral,tartan, anything that takes your fancy. Even a textured throw for the end of the bed can provide a contrast in a room. Bring in a patterned rug to create a focal point and make small rooms look larger. Round shapes in a square room can also soften the space. Don’t be afraid of contrasting patterns and colours either, but try not to go beyond three and use samples to decide on the best combinations.

• Something as simple as adding a mirror can instantly make a room look bigger.

• Patterns are good, but don’t go overboard.

• Buy a signature piece of furniture or rug you like and base the colour scheme around that.

You may think that adding a splash of colour to your home will get expensive but that isn’t the case. Paint is a much cheaper option than wallpaper, but how about just repainting and wallpapering one wall in a vibrant colour or pattern to add some variation. If you can’t afford a new sofa or lounge chair, find some new fabric you like and get the existing furniture reupholstered.

• Bright ornaments and furniture can look great in an otherwise plain, white room.

Wooden furniture is easy to transform too. Take an old chair that needs a make over, or buy a cheap one from a second hand shop. All it needs is sanding down and a coat of paint, to fit whatever mood you are going for in the room, and you have a brand new piece of furniture. The same can be done with tables, cupboards, and fireplaces.

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23

The Mobile Vet bringing the Vet Surgery to your doorstep

The MOBILE VET is a brand new concept in veterinary care where the entire veterinary practice is brought to your home aiming to remove the stress and inconvenience of taking your pet to the vets.

Isle of Wight local husband and wife team Dan and Kirsty Forster can bring their National Award-Winning Mobile Vet service to your doorstep and you won’t pay anymore for the privilege.

The innovative business launched in June last year, was recently named Best Business to Consumer Start Up at the national Ready for Business awards.

Experienced veterinary surgeon Dan and his wife Kirsty, a qualified, registered veterinary nurse work Islandwide in their custom-designed mobile surgery, which includes a fully equipped operating theatre and on-board pharmacy.

Dan says “The Mobile Vet is really about offering people an alternative veterinary experience. There are many animals that struggle to gain the much needed veterinary care required and our mobility offers them an opportunity to access this much needed care. The service is personalised and there is more time with the vet, providing that one to one care that owners and patients need.”

Whether your pet requires routine vaccinations, dentistry, neutering or emergency surgery, the Mobile Vet service means initial assessments and any treatment can be performed in your own home, leaving you and your pet relaxed. If further diagnostics or surgery are performed, the mobile unit is on hand with all the mod cons required. They also offer 24/7 emergency service to all registered clients.

After a busy 2013, Dan and Kirsty are now expanding the business so that more patients can benefit from the service. To this effect they have developed a brand new Mobile Vet First Response Unit, a fully equipped 4 x 4 which will be utilised to perform home visits in inclement weather. They have also expanded their workforce and employed another veterinary surgeon.

To become part of the Mobile Vet Family and register, please visit the website at www.mobilevetsurgery.co.uk and follow them on facebook to see their day to day activities.

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d Home visits in our fully equipped Mobile Vet Surgery / 4x4 4x4; vaccinations, dentistry, operations, dignified euthanasia, fully stocked pharmacy, 24hr emergency service for our clients.

‘Bringing the Vet Surgery to your doorstep’ h Take the stress out of a visit to the vet and let us come to you.

U Competitive prices with extra savings for multi-pet households.

01983 212 999 07896 260 370 www.MobileVetSurgery.co.uk Dan@MobileVetSurgery.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Success of ElectriCall firm helps Island residents feel safe and secure in their homes……

ElectriCall are going from strength to strength since launching back in August 2013. The ‘bright sparks’ are an independently owned, fast growing company who offer Electrical Services on the Isle of Wight.

ElectriCall pride themselves on building good relationships with their customers and this is proven by their repeat business. Mike Cottier who leads the Company says “Customer and job satisfaction is of utmost importance to the ElectriCall Team.

We want people to trust us and feel at ease when we’re in their homes.

We just want to make an honest living out of helping people, all at affordable prices.”

Approved Electrical Contractors and Domestic Installers are required to issue a safety certificate for all their electrical work to confirm that the installation has been designed, constructed, inspected and tested in accordance with the national

electrical safety standard, BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations.

ElectriCall can and will provide these safety certificates for you.

Whether you require a new installation, a refurbishment or an addition/replacement to an existing installation ElectriCall can help.

Accreditation by the NICEIC and Buy with Confidence ensures compliance of the highest workmanship.

All their engineers have been CRB checked enabling them to work with vulnerable people.

It is their aim to provide you, the customer with an honest, professional, friendly and reliable service. From the initial contact to the completion, you will be assured that you are receiving a quality service with no hidden charges.

Fitting Security Lighting Evidence does suggest that people

feel safer at night in well lit public places when they can see everything around them and it is probably true that the same can be said about your home if you can look out onto your lit back garden from the safety of an upstairs window or the patio doors.

Dark pockets in a yard can present an undertone of fear, whereas a well lit landscape provides a more relaxing environment. How you feel about a space can be just as important as how it looks.

Not only does lighting deter prowlers, it creates a feeling of comfort for guests as well. Without doubt security lighting is a major deterrent against burglary.

If you’re looking at upgrading your current security lighting why not take advantage of ElectriCalls offer below, and get a new 10W LED Low Energy PIR Floodlight which will also save you money on your energy bills.

Your Friendly and Reliable ISLANDWIDE Electricians At ElectriCall we like to stand out! That’s why you can always expect us to pick up the phone, keep our appointments, be punctual and provide a reliable and honest service with no hidden costs.

Tel. 01983 616961

www.electricalliow.co.uk

ElectriCall is a five strong company who have built a first-class reputation for being fast, friendly, reliable and honest. The team consists of Mike Cottier, Lisa Gordon, Steve New, Danny Roberts and Lee Scott. We are fully qualified electricians, testers & inspectors who specialise in fault finding and maintenance.

“The Golf Club’s relationship with Mike & Lisa at Electricall has benefited us as a club beyond expectation as nothing is too much trouble and the service we get is second to none.”

Lee Dixon, Ryde Golf Club

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

info@electricalliow.co.uk

for all your ElectriCall needs

We provide many electrical services including: • New electrical installations and • Rewires and electrical upgrades electrical refurbishments • New builds • Reactive and planned • Lights and sockets electrical maintenance • Cable containment systems • Electrical testing, inspections & • Switch gear, panel boards and sub condition reports mains distribution • Domestic, commercial and industrial • Boiler controls wiring installations • Emergency and escape lighting • LED and low energy lighting systems and upgrades We will also give you a FREE no obligation quote when requested.

Electrical Installations Domestic Commercial Industrial

Reactive Maintenance Pre-planned Maintenance Testing & Inspection

Upgrade Your Security Lighting

Replace your existing Halogen PIR Floodlight to a new 10W LED Low Energy PIR Floodlight.

This can have cost savings on your energy bill and provide more reliable lighting around your property.

No more changing light bulbs!

ElectriCall can supply and fit these for a

special offer price of each!

£70

Offer valid until 31/03/2014 Price is inclusive of VAT This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer

al i ec fer p s of 25

OUT and ABOUT Places to visit and things to do around the Island ...

18 -21 April EASTER FUN ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY - HAVENSTREET Treat yourself to a relaxing day out over the Easter break and enjoy the spectacle of some of the Island’s blossoming Spring-time countryside from the comfort of your seat on one of our steam trains! through Tai Chi and Meditation or find that special someone through Speed Dating, the Walking Festival has it all.

There’s a full menu of meals and light bites in our Refreshment Rooms, and plenty to keep the youngsters occupied with entertainment, colouring, crafts and an Easter Treasure Hunt.

Family Discovery Walks: Short walks with plenty of exciting things to see and do, in town, country or on the beach. Walk in the footsteps of prehistoric dinosaurs or learn about the secret life of rock pools. For children, join in the Pram and Toddler walks – a great way to enjoy a stroll with the family.

Alternatively join in one of our fascinating Story walks where children can walk along the shore at low tide searching for sea glass, driftwood and limpet shells – which will be woven into further tales.

Our friends from Haven Falconry will be presenting displays from our new Woodland Stage, plus we’re asking children to come in their Easter bonnets and join in our Easter Bonnet Parade each day at 1.45pm. (Children need to make bonnets in advance).

Buy Online: Adult £10.50, Child (5-15) FREE, Infant (0-4) FREE. Tickets, which include Steam Train Fares: Adult £12.00, Child (5-15) FREE, Infant (0-4) FREE.

Ghost Walks: We won’t let you rest when darkness falls!

Keep close behind our guides as they regale you with tales of mystery and suspense!

Admission to Havenstreet Station for non-travellers £5.00.

Please see booking Terms and Conditions. www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk

Food Walks: The guilt free way to have your cake and eat it!

Honey for Tea and Chale Tea Party walks will burn off enough energy to enjoy guilt free indulgence of tea and cakes.

3-18 May Isle of Wight Walking Festival Various locations on the Isle of Wight

Garden Walks: The Garden Isle offers an abundance of breathtaking flora and fauna. Take in the stunning scenery and historical gardens on one of the many garden walks – Changing the Beds at Osborne, Bedding and Bluebells.

With more than half of the Island recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and 500 miles of wellmaintained footpaths , it’s no wonder the Isle of Wight is home to the UK’s largest walking festival. There are over 300 walks, many of which are themed including heritage trails, fossil hunting and even a speed dating walk.

The festival culminates in ”Walk the Wight” a challenging 26.5 mile walk around the Island in aid of The Earl Mountbatten Hospice. Shorter walks and a flat walk are also available.

3 - 5 May REAL ALE FESTIVAL ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY - HAVENSTREET

Whether you’d like to build your confidence through Fire walking, increase your mental and physical wellbeing

Relax in the ambience of Havenstreet Station with a pint of

Learn to drive on the Isle of Wight with Mike’s School of Motoring 3 3 3

3

3

High pass rate Manual and automatic lessons available Established as an Isle of Wight driving school for over twenty years Excellent, patient driving instructors and good value for money Drive at 16 School.

Give us a call: 01983 522 300 or visit www.msmiw.co.uk

your favourite tipple as you watch the trains go by!

Our 9th Isle of Wight Real Ale Festival features beers sourced from brewers on the Isle of Wight, from the North West of England and from across the Border, plus there will be a range of hot and cold food available.

There is free admission to the Festival which is open from 11am till 8pm on Saturday and Sunday and from 11am till 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday. The unique setting of Havenstreet Station makes our Festival a really pleasurable experience, and each day you can enjoy a display from Haven Falconry.

A full service of steam trains will be operating and there will be a special timetable featuring later trains on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets: FREE Admission Steam Train fares: Buy on the gate: Adult £12.00, Child (5-15) £6.00, Infant (0-4) FREE, Family £30.00 (2 Adults and 2 Children) Buy online: Adult £10.50, Child (5-15) £5.50, Infant (0-4) FREE, Family £26.50 (2 Adults & 2 Children All tickets are valid for one day. Please see booking Terms and Conditions. www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk

30 May - 01 Jun 2014 Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival, Yarmouth During the Festival, Yarmouth’s picturesque harbour will be filled with life and colour with more than 100 visiting traditional sailing, steam and motor vessels, including the cream of the Old Gaffers fleet.

5 July - 6 July 2014 6th Annual MIDSUMMER JAZZ The 1940s EXPERIENCE ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY HAVENSTREET Enjoy an open-air summer festival of jazz, swing, R&B and a little boogie-woogie featuring the frenetic Mike Sanchez & His Band, the impossibly talented Swing Commanders, and the trad-jazz rhythm aces The Bill Bailey Band.

Now in its 6th year and firmly established as the Island’s big summer jazz party event, make this a night to remember! Immerse yourself in a special evening of superb music in the beautiful setting of our natural tree-lined arena, while you and your family, friends and colleagues enjoy a picnic under the stars!

Gates open from 4.00pm and you can bring your own picnic and drinks, or delve into the Station Refreshment Kiosk and BBQ which will be serving hot and cold food throughout the evening.

Our Jazz Bar, serving Real Ales from Island breweries plus a selection of wines, cider and lager, will be open all evening.

TICKETS: Midsummer Jazz 'Advance' Tickets (Available until 5pm on 27th June 2014) £17 Midsummer Jazz 'Standard' Tickets (Available on 28th June) £20

PLEASE NOTE: There is NO Booking Fee! Online Bookings end at 5pm on 20th June SPECIAL OFFER With your Midsummer Jazz ticket you may travel on our trains throughout the day on 28 June for just £5 For full details please contact: 01983 882204 www. iwsteamrailway.co.uk or www.midsummerjazz.net This event is kindly sponsored by Wightlink and The Isle of Wight County Press

23 - 24 August THE ISLE OF WIGHT CHALLENGE AROUND THE COASTAL PATH West Cowes - Saturday morning - Bank Holiday weekend. The tented village has woken, the sea air is heavy with anticipation; hundreds more adventurers arriving from the mainland - all eagerly awaiting their start. Groups set off heading west to join the coastal path - runners out first hoping for a sharp time - joggers and walkers close behind - and on towards the first rest stop en route to the Needles. Ahead lies 106 km of coastal paths, breathtaking scenery, great rest stops with food, drink and support, new friends and camaraderie. Whatever your goal - the full coastal loop or the 56 km ‘half’ Island - as a walk, jog, or run - your Isle of Wight Challenge will be remembered for many a Bank Holiday to come!

walk it, jog it, or run it?

Walkers could be stepping up from the charity 20k, or veterans of long distance trails. Runners may be occasional marathon’ers looking to ‘up’ their distance, or hardened ultra competitors out for sharp time. Joggers will be those in the middle - walking parts / running parts - all up for a tough challenge! Your start time slot is flexible on the Saturday morning to enable travel arrangements that suit you over the holiday weekend - there’s an early start time for the ultra runners to enable a daytime finish on the full loop.

choose your challenge...

The full 106 km loop is split into four 23-30 km stages with main rest & food stops at the end of each + further drink

BRADING ROMAN VILLA

& snack stops at the ~13 km mid points in between. The Needles is the first major rest stop at 30 km, and then on to Chale in the south & the 56 km stop - the finish point of the ‘half Island’ Challenge. Onwards to Bembridge in the East at 79 km for the full Island challengers - and then the final stage back to Cowes and a welcome finish line. Choose the distance that suits you - choose a start time that fits with your travel arrangements!

join as an individual or a team?

Join on your own or as a team of friends or family. As an individual - meet others en route - or go it alone at your own pace if that’s your style. Teams work well for walkers & joggers - train together, support each other on the day, and share a memorable Bank Holiday weekend experience. Either way, our team will support you every step of the way.

choose your charity to support?

Your challenge helps others. Sign up & pay an initial Registration Fee online, AND also pledge to fundraise for a charity of your choice. Registration Fees are £60 (56 km) & £85 (106 km); Minimum Fundraising targets are £250 (56 km) & £375 (106 km). Over 200 charities to fundraise for - and if your’s isn’t listed, just nominate them, and we’ll contact them.

If you want to speak to our team, or if you have any questions about the challenge, please ring on 0207 609 6695 or email on info@isleofwightchallenge.com

The Warren Cup is a luxurious silver cup that would have used at dinner parties. As a work of art it’s a masterpiece - its fine decoration achieved by beating the silver into shape from the inside using fine hammers and chisels.

Luxuriant fabrics and musical instruments indicate a world heavily influenced by Greek culture, which the Romans admired and adopted.

So what is so special about the decoration that made it one of the British Museum’s highest profile and most controversial acquisitions?

What kept the piece out of permanent museum collections until 1999 and ensured that its purchase earned it a place in all the British media? Sex.

This little cup embraces the Romans’ love of banqueting, their passion for conspicuous shows of wealth, their love of beautiful things and their skill in creating them. It also allows a glimpse into the private life of Romans, challenging our traditional view of how they lived and loved.

Roman Sexuality: Images, Myths & Meanings is at Brading Roman Villa until 4th May and features over fifty objects from the British Museum collection including the world famous Warren Cup which featured recently in the BBCs ‘History of the World in 100 Objects’. In fact, this exhibition will be only the second time that the Warren Cup has left the British Museum! It brings together a wide variety of artefacts and images from Roman art and archaeology and investigates what they meant to those who made and used them.

BRADING ROMAN VILLA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

ROMAN SEXUALITY: IMAGES, MYTHS & MEANINGS. 14th FEBRUARY - 4th MAY MORTON OLD ROAD BRADING ISLE OF WIGHT PO36 0PH 01983 406223 www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk 28

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

I live to keep up with my grandkids

vívofit acts like a faithful friend around the clock, greeting you daily with an attainable goal, counting calories, and nudging you when you’ve been sitting around too long.

Whether taking a Sunday stroll, going for a run or playing with the kids, this fitness band will keep you on the move, at your own pace. Make every step count. garmin.com/vivo

vívofit™ fitness band

PROSTATE NEWS

As we get older, we have an increasing risk of prostate cancer.

Researchers have shown that Lycopene (the red colour in tomatoes and one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants) is beneficial for those at risk as well as those who already have the disease.

For example, the following studies all point towards positive benefits: Harvard Medical School, USA A study of 50,000 men showed a significant reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer for men on high (tomato) Lycopene diets.

“Frequent consumption of tomato products is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.”

Kings College Hospital, London A 12 month trial involving men with confirmed prostate cancer found that about 70% of those consuming Lycoplus, a dietary supplement containing Lycopene, benefited from a much reduced rate of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) increase or an actual reduction in their PSA. “Our clinical study lends weight to the probability that dietary supplementation with Lycopene [from Lycoplus] slows disease progression in men with prostate cancer.”

Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, USA Amongst a group of men with prostate cancer who were to have radical prostatectomy, some took a Lycopene supplement, some not. Following surgery it was found in the Lycopene group that more than two-thirds had the cancer confined to the prostate whereas in the other group more than half found the cancer had spread. Similarly, in the Lycopene group less than 20% had tumours larger than 4cc but in the other group the equivalent number was approximately 50%.

“Lycopene as tomato extract may not only help prevent prostate cancer but also may be useful to treat prostate cancer.”

Although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, it is known that Lycopene accumulates in the prostate gland. Many researchers think that Lycopene’s antioxidant properties help to protect the body’s DNA from damaging free radicals. Others believe that Lycopene improves cell-to-cell communication, reducing the risk of the uninhibited growth seen in cancer cells.

In all likelihood, several mechanisms are at work simultaneously and there is much research currently being conducted across the globe to understand these interactions.

In the meantime, many men are not waiting for full scientific explanations but are turning to Lycopene to reduce the risk of prostate disease. Humans possess no mechanism to make Lycopene; instead we accumulate it from our diet. Furthermore, natural Lycopene is hardly taken up at all from the consumption of raw tomatoes and only becomes “bioavailable” if the fruit is cooked and/or processed prior to eating. Consequently, supplements such as Lycoplus EXTRA are an increasingly attractive option.

Reactivating Lycopene with Vitamin C Every time a damaging free radical is removed by a Lycopene molecule, the antioxidant becomes “spent” – in essence, the Lycopene sacrifices itself to protect the body’s DNA. However, research has shown that the presence of plenty of vitamin C allows the “spent” Lycopene molecules to be reactivated, rejuvenating them and preparing them to quench another poisonous free radical.

Thus, vitamin C is believed to prolong the antioxidising effects of Lycopene.

STOP PRESS Diet rich in tomatoes may lower breast cancer risk In work to be published in 2014 in the Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Dr Adana Llanos from Rutgers University, USA shows that a tomato-rich diet could help to protect at-risk post-menopausal women from breast cancer because Lycopene affects the level of hormones that play a role in metabolism and cancer risk. The risk reduction was clear for older (50+) women after only 10 weeks of 25mg Lycopene per day – approximately 2 capsules of Lycoplus Extra daily.

Staying Informed George & Partners is committed to providing readable, up-to-date, scientifically robust information about lycopene research, particularly that related to prostate cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and skin health. To sign up for our free newsletter, please call 08000 234 235 or visit www.lycoplus.co.uk.

Based at Keele University Science Park, George & Partners is the collective brainchild of three internationally renowned professors who have published more than 800 scientific papers over the last 30 years.

Natural Lycopene Supplement Each Lycoplus EXTRA one-a-day capsule contains 15mg of natural Lycopene plus 60mg of vitamin C which reactivates “spent” Lycopene, enhancing and prolonging the effect of the supplement.

One box of 30 capsules (one month’s supply)

£17.95

Save £5

2 boxes for

£30.90

Save £16

4 boxes for

£55.80

All prices include free UK postage & packing

To order call Freephone 08000 234 235 or visit www.lycoplus.co.uk

George & Partners Limited, Keele University Science Park, Staffordshire ST5 5NL 30

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Lancasters Estate Agents - Cowes Ross - Sales

Georgia - Sales

For results that move you Lancasters Estate Agents is situated in Cowes Old Town, opposite the Island Sailing Club; formerly Bob Lancasters; Ben Hollis took over the business two years ago and transformed not only the look and feel of the agency, but it also looks like the type of property on offer has had a facelift too. Beautiful houses from all corners of the Island adorn the pretty building inside and out.

Ben has also started a Lettings department to the business.

"Selling and letting properties is what we do best, we have atrusted reputation for selling faster and for stronger prices.

Our lettings department continues our theme of performance, often letting a property within 24 hours of having it on our books."

in-depth topics like planning permission, design, project management, building regulations, help to buy etc... so what what ever your needs their friendly and capable team can help.

Lancasters' the Islands estate agent, offers all the usual services you would expect from an independent local agent, but their vast knowledge of the Island and the property industry gives them the edge over many other agents and they will happily offer honest, impartial advice on any property.

Lancasters understand that we live on a small Island and that bad news travels fast, so the services they offer will always be in your best interest.

They want you to recommend them to family and friends and be safe in the knowledge that you are passing on not just a great service as an agent, but someone who will be there for you in the years to come should you need their expertise in any form.

Not content with the increasing success of the quaint little Cowes agency, Ben can also offer an architectural design service. "We want to offer our clients a choice, if they buy or have a property which they love but maybe it is not quite Buying, selling or even buy-to-let, right, we can help them realise their they can help, if you are looking to dreams�. update, extend or modify your home The Lancasters’ team has a vast in any way give Lancasters a call or knowledge of property, from the day to pop in to the comfortable Cowes day selling and letting, to the more office and have a coffee and a chat.

Crista Architectural Consultant

Ben Hollis - Director Architectural Consultant

Michelle - Lettings

Donna - Admin

Steph - Admin

01983 209020 www.boblancaster.co.uk The Estate Agents

65 High Street Cowes PO31 7RL

Step two You should consider whether you would like to impose any restrictions on what your attorney can do or to include any guidance for your attorneys. We can advise you about this.

Step three You can specify people who should be notified before your attorneys register the LPA and use it. This adds a layer of protection should you want it.

Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) We often have the foresight to make a will, we consider what we would like to happen when we pass away and who we want to benefit from our estates. Often people get peace of mind knowing that things are in order for the family that they are leaving behind.

• A Health and Welfare LPA – this enables your attorneys to make decisions about social care issues and medical treatment, including life sustaining treatment. This type of power of attorney can only be used when you no longer have capacity to make those decisions for yourself.

However, what we find less than easy is to contemplate a chapter in our lives where we may be living but unable to manage for ourselves, this could be due to a physical impairment or because our mental capacity becomes diminished. One solution is to put in place a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA).

You do not have to appoint the same people on both LPAs and it is important to bear in mind that some decisions such as long term care arrangements may require both powers.

By making an LPA you decide what would happen if you could not make decisions for yourself or if you became physically frail and needed support managing your affairs.

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

An LPA is a legal document that allows you to appoint another person or persons to make decisions on your behalf, your attorney(s).

There are two types of LPA: • A Property and Financial Affairs LPA – this enables your attorneys to make decisions on your behalf in relation to your financial affairs and your property.

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What does making a Lasting Power of Attorney involve?

Step one Once you have decided which power is appropriate for your needs you should choose your attorneys. It is important to choose someone you trust. It could be a family member, friend or a professional such as your solicitor. If you choose more than one attorney you may choose them to act jointly on all matters or have the authority to act individually (jointly and severally) or you can appoint your attorneys to act jointly in respect of some decisions and joint and severally in respect of some decisions. We can advise you on this.

Step four You will need a certificate provider who will sign your LPA and state that they are satisfied that they believe you understand the document and that you are not under any pressure to make an LPA. Where appropriate we can act as certificate provider. If your health is in question it may be wise to ask your doctor to give the certificate.

If you choose not to serve notice on anyone as outlined in step three, you will need two certificate providers in line with the legislation.

Step five An LPA cannot be used until it has been registered at the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). As a matter of good practice I would advise registering your LPA straight away and placing it into storage until such time as you may need it.

You can revoke your LPA at any time as long as you still have the required mental capacity to do so.

Is there an alternative?

If you lose the ability to make decisions for yourself and have no LPA in place then a deputy would need to be appointed by the Court of Protection to make decisions on your behalf. This may not be the person you would have chosen.

This can be an expensive procedure and it would require someone stepping forward on your behalf.

The best option is to plan ahead and choose for yourself.

Instructions If you want to find out more about making an LPA or discuss any other aspect about dealing with someone else’s affairs please contact Walter Gray & Co Solicitors who will be able to discuss this in more detail with you.

Your attorneys are under a duty to act in your best interests.

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

SOLICITORS COMMISSIONERS FOR OATHS Probate & Trusts Wills Lasting Powers of Attorney Elder Client Matters and General Management Service Conveyancing Property Disputes 3-4 St Thomas Street, Ryde Isle of Wight PO33 2ND Fax: 01983 617102 Email: ryde@waltergray.co.uk

Martin Heptinstall LL.B (Lond) Solicitor and Director

l Rosemary Hardwicke B.A. (Hons) MA, T.E.P Solicitor and Director

l Anthony Norgate MA. Cantab. MICM Solicitor

l Trine Kvinnesland B.A.(Hons) (UEA) Solicitor – Cowes Office

l Amanda Pardey & Margaret Elcome Senior Legal Assistant & Paralegal Private Client Department

l Teresa Redstone Senior Legal Assistant Conveyancing Department l

Baring Chambers 13 Denmark Road, Cowes Isle of Wight PO31 7SY Fax: 01983 200719 Email: cowes@waltergray.co.uk

Tel: 01983 563765

www.waltergray.co.uk

HEALTH Hearing loss is usually the result of some sound signals not being able to reach the brain. There are two types of hearing loss. The first is where there is damage to the sensitive hair cells in the inner ear caused by either age or injury, known as sensorineural hearing loss or there may be a problem with the auditory nerve or with the brain’s ability to interpret the signals received. The second is where sound cannot pass through the ear due to a blockage, such as those caused by a build-up of earwax or by an ear infection. This is called conductive hearing loss.

Some people may experience both of these types simultaneously and this is known as mixed hearing loss.

Vastly improve your quality of life for years to come

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The main symptoms of hearing impairment are not hearing people speak clearly or misunderstanding what someone says, having to ask someone to repeat themselves several times and finding yourself needing music or the television on a high volume to be able to hear.

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Experts say that age is the most common cause of hearing loss.

Everyone will experience some form of this as they get older and by age 80 most people will have significant hearing problems.

However, noise induced hearing damage is very common. People who find themselves regularly exposed to very loud noises, usually at work, are most at risk, such as construction workers using pneumatic drills, or those who are employed in bars and nightclubs. Those regularly attending loud music concerts and events can also be at risk.

Hearing loss can also be associated with tinnitus, which is where a person experiences a constant noise, often ringing or buzzing, inside their ears.

If you think you are experiencing hearing loss, you should see your GP as soon as possible as there are many options out there to help. They will give you a simple hearing test and examine the inside of your ear to look for any problems. You may be referred to a specialist at the ear, nose and

throat department at the hospital or to an audiologist.

The specialist will do further tests to determine what is causing your hearing loss and recommend the best form of treatment for you.

Mark Georgevic, former President at the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists says: “The average person will only request help 10 years after they first experience the symptoms of hearing loss, yet the earlier people recognise there is a problem and seek help the more they will benefit.”

In most cases, people who are experiencing hearing problems will be fitted with hearing aids. There are many types available depending on the person and the problem.

Figures show that around four million people in the UK could benefit from hearing aids but do not wear them.

Choices: “Many people are put off by the idea of wearing hearing aids because they think they are unsightly,” “We need a new attitude to hearing aids. Wearing them should be as unremarkable as wearing glasses.”

Most people may be able to find the hearing aids for them on the NHS free of charge, as there is a wider range than there used to be.

However, private hearing aids are available but can cost anything from £300 to £3000, depending on their style and how advanced they are.

It is important that if you are experiencing any issues with hearing loss that you get the necessary help you need. There are many options out there to make your hearing better and vastly improve your quality of life for years to come.

Written by Kelly Spencer 50 Plus Magazine.

Action On Hearing Loss audiology specialist, Crystal Rolfe, told NHS

Do you have problems using the phone, TV, Hi-Fi or other technology because of: a hearing difficulty?

a physical disability? or a combination of the two?

West Wight Audio can help you!

Do you have a problem with using today’s technology because of a disability? West Wight Audio can offer you help and advice when the more commonly available equipment doesn’t meet your needs.

With over 30 years experience in telecommunications, including 15 years in the specialist disability sector, a tailormade solution may be possible for you. Please feel free to contact us for a chat about your needs or for a no-obligation assessment. We will arrange to visit you to see what you need (we are based on the Isle of Wight so mainland assessments may be carried out remotely).

Call free on 0800 118 2484

www.westwightaudio.co.uk

e: info@westwightaudio.co.uk or write to us at: PO Box 34, Freshwater, Isle of Wight PO40 9ZJ

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

35

Modern Preventative Dentistry in Ryde Aesthetic & Cosmetic Restorative Dentistry

Specialist Prosthodontist & Implant Placement

Minimally invasive preventive treatment, root canal treatments and tooth whitening

Will Grotepass - Specialist Prosthodontist

For patients who would like to be treated to the same high standard and with the respect that dentists and their families expect to be treated Ian Lochner offers a vastly diverse range of cosmetic and general dental procedures.

This ranges from smile makeovers to minimally invasive and aesthetic general dentistry which is based on preventive care. Tel: 615108

Will has special interests in affordable implants, occlusal rehabilitation problem dentures, facial pains and occlusion.

He is a former clinical dean of the Dental Faculty of the Medical University of Southern Africa and we are very fortunate to have him here in the Ryde practice.

Ian Lochner Dental Surgeon

Specialist Orthodontics in Ryde without delay

Will can be contacted directly at our practice in Ryde – tel: 615108

Children’s Preventive Care James Spence BDS LDS RCS has since 2004 run a large children’s section in the practice which is dedicated to prevention and holistic planning so your child can avoid decay and tooth loss. We encourage you to attend when you are pregnant for dietary advice, and when your baby is born to discuss the diet and preventive techniques.

We strive to ensure treatment is painless for your child, and that they enjoy their visits to the dentist.

While many I.W. children are kept waiting for over 3 years for braces we can currently provide Specialist Orthodontics within 2 months or so privately in the practice.

Dr Patricia Webley and her team strive to ensure that all patients are provided with a comfortable, relaxed and friendly environment. Our approach to orthodontics is founded upon tailor made treatment plans, which focus upon the patient as an individual and wherever possible without extracting teeth.

Patricia Webley Specialist Orthodontist

Patricia can be contacted directly on tel: 02380 442100 or via our practice in Ryde – tel: 615108

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Prospective new families can be shown independent patient review databases on request. Tel: 615108 We have worked hard to still be able to maintain this provision under NHS contract for 2,300 children, but are pleased to also offer Denplan for Children, leaving the choice to you.

Our private specialist orthodontist avoids long delays for your child, but we can also offer NHS orthodontics on referral should you prefer.

James Spence & Colleagues 1 Victoria Street, Ryde PO33 2PU www.50plusmagazine.co.uk www.iwdentist.co.uk tel: 615108

Our Dentist explains; Beautiful Dentures - part of your personality James Spence explains;

In these days of high tech and people keeping their teeth for life it can be easy to forget those who lost teeth in a previous era and who sadly still do, via untreated gum disease. We welcome such patients and offer denture reviews for only £25 and are even able to make small dentures for children following complete early tooth loss. At a denture review we will assess your tissues and explore whether a reline of the denture (like new soles on your comfy old shoes) can help you. If your child is about to lose all their teeth it is best we take the impression of the denture before the hospital extractions.

I moved to the island as a recent graduate in 1980 for a two year stint from lovely Dundee where I had had access to fabulous technology and was enamoured of the ability of C&K Laboratory who had been trained by a local dentist Bill Audsley, also then the IW NHS consultant oral surgeon. I still care for patients for whom Bill made gold inlays some 30 - 60 years ago and his inlays are still in place. I was so enamoured of C & K’s work that it was an easy professional decision to settle here, as I loved the community and amenities, in any case. The sailing is wonderful, the countryside and beaches are as good as Scotland’s, and most people are loyal and steadfast.

In 1983 I opened James Spence & Colleagues in Cross St, Ryde, where we stayed till 2000 when we moved to a lovely Victorian building in Victoria St adjacent to a good car park which is where we remain to this day 14 years later, still working with C&K, where two of the three original partners remain with a new younger partner.

When we have tricky denture cases Nick Jones the denture technician partner from C&K will join us at your impressions clinic appointment and we will plan and engineer the design together; you, Nick and me.

Nick and I have done this together for over 33 years. That long joint experience in Ryde is invaluable in allowing us to create for you the exact shapes and facial support that you require and the precision system we use is different from the old fashioned standard impression technique you will likely remember. These precise engineering techniques allow us to take fewer and smaller impressions, and give you a denture that is realistic and comfortable. You may fear this is going to be expensive but with this magazine feature we are offering* the dentures for £395 for one arch and £595 for both arches, including the examination fee *Offer ends 31 June 2014 and is subject to appointment availability.

So whether (like I was all those years ago) you are new to the island, or an islander, if your dentures are a problem we will be pleased to see you to discuss your requirements and craft for you beautiful dentures that are made to look natural and not like Tom Lehrer’s piano keyboard.

Same Day Toothache Appointments

We know how much toothache hurts so if you call in pain between 7.40 - 8.40 am and speak to Jasmine or Maxine we’ll always try to fit you in the same day for a fixed fee of £85.

www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Are you 35 years old and fed up with your broken painful teeth and could you have dentures?

Even today, once or twice a year, I will still offer to remove all or most of someone’s teeth when this is the best plan and provide immediate dentures. These are fitted at the extraction visit and resemble your own ideal tooth shape so no-one will know what has happened. This is an invaluable service to those people whose mouths are very badly diseased and/ or are so psychologically distressed by routine visits that this is for them the best option and teeth are removed under General Anaesthetic.

So, young or old if this interests you, please call our office between 7.40 am and 2.20 pm Mon - Fri for an appointment with me, and I’ll look forward to meeting you. Tel: 615108.

If you have good teeth a yearly visit to our hygiene team will ensure that gum disease does not start.

If your grandchild plays contact sports, bring them in for a mouthguard, custom made for them and so help protect their teeth for life. Book with Mr Lochner for this please

Advice is free: if you want to ask us any questions prior to the next issue by e-mail please contact ask@iwdentist.co.uk

C & K Laboratory Denture Repairs Tel: 565670 [for repairs only]

C & K Dental Laboratory in Ryde is a longestablished firm of dental technicians.

C & K are able to repair your broken dentures on a same day basis.

Open Monday ~ Friday 8.30am ~ 4.00pm

Registered with the GDC 163273.

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Savannah Computers can help These are the questions that have been continually asked of us over the last 20 years Why does my computer / laptop crash?

Why is my computer / laptop so slow?

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What is malware?

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The answers to any of these issues / problems are: It could be overheating.

It could be an integral piece of hardware that is failing or failed.

Your hardware might not have the power to do the job.

You have not installed or updated security software.

All of these are a nuisance and cost money in downtime if you are a business and spoil the fun of having your own computer if you are a home user.

Just think if you lost all your photos of the grandchildren and loved ones.

To remedy some of these problems can be very inexpensive.

We can help and advise you with all of these problems and more, replace any faulty hardware you may have. We will show you how to save your data safely and securely. We will also set up your printers, scanners, network storage and network your computers in your home or business.

Need HELP with your PC? l

Over 20 years experience

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Contact DAVID at Savannah Computers

T: 07432 099124

E: david@savannah-computers.co.uk

www.savannah-computers.co.uk

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www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Health Matters

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