Preston & Fylde 44

FREE Please

PRESTON & THE FYLDE COAST

take on

e

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2015

EDITION 44

John Torode The Master Chef Shares some recipes with us

Paul Nicholas

The Eastender heads for Blackpool

The Azores An amazing archipelago

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GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE ONLINE

all is

calm

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Christmas & New Year 2015 at The Spa Hotel

a sparkling occasion Treat yourself over the festive period to a luxury getaway like no other. Voted Lancashire Life’s Hotel of the year The Spa Hotel at Ribby Hall Village offers stunning spa facilities, amazing service and first class dining. Let us put the SPArkle in to your Christmas or New Year.

Festive Spa Breaks 1 – 23rd dec 2015 Includes access to the spa facilities, breakfast, dinner and an overnight stay in a luxury room.

From £99 per person

3 Night Christmas Spa Break

2 Night New Year Spa Break

24th - 27th Dec 2015

Arrive 31 dec 2015

Includes selected meals, access to the spa facilities and a luxury room.

Includes selected meals, access to the spa facilities and a luxury room.

From £385 per person

From £330 per person

New Year’s Spa Break AvAilAble 31st Dec 2015 or 1st JAn 2016 Includes overnight stay, breakfast and access to the spa facilities.

From £245 per room

Visit ribbyhall.co.uk/spa-hotel or to book call 0800 107 1932 Terms & conditions apply, £99 Festive Spa Break price valid for stays Mon – Wed. Overnight stays based on two people sharing a luxury room.

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CONTENTS

INSIDE...

6-7

10-11

14-15

23-24

DESIGN & PRINT 34-35

26-29 6-7

The Azores An amazing archipelago.

10-11

Canal Cruising An indulgent treat and education rolled into one .

14-15

John Torode The Master Chef.

23-24

Changing Rooms Take a fresh look at your home.

26-29

My Kind Of Food John Torode shares some of his favourite recipes.

34-35

Paul Nicholas The laid-back high-achiever.

WE give you the best care & attention over your design & print projects at the lowest prices possible. � business stationery � leaflets & FLYERS � brochures, reports & NEWSLETTERs � Logo design � Advertising � banners, stands & signage � mail-outs

www.mcgrathmedia.co.uk 6th Floor | 120 Bark Street | Bolton | BL1 2AX T: (01204) 860 194 | F: (01204) 860 213

artwork@mcgrathmedia.co.uk t: 01204 860 194

e: admin@mcgrathmedia.co.uk

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3

TWITTERING ON “The lions had killed the other two or three cubs inside the cage, and the mother abandoned the remaining cub.

She was very tiny, maybe 10 days old,” Gruener says.

The farmer, Willy de Graaf, asked Gruener to try to save her and so he took her to a wildlife park financed by de Graaf and became her adoptive mother, “feeding her and taking care of her”.

“You have this tiny cute animal sitting there and it’s already quite feisty,” he says. “It will become about 10 times that size and you will have to deal with it.”

She’s much bigger now, but when Gruener opens her cage she still rushes to greet him - ecstatically throwing her paws around his neck.

Bear hug from a lion!

Just every so often along comes a story to warm your heart, this is such a story.

In 2012 Valentin Gruener rescued a young lion cub and raised it himself at a wildlife park in Botswana. It was the start of an extraordinary relationship.

Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener and holds him in an affectionate embrace.

“Since the lion arrived, which is three years now, I haven’t really left the camp,” says Gruener.

“Sometimes for one night I go into the town here to organise something for the business, but other than that I’ve been here with the lion.”

The lion he has devoted himself to is Sirga - a female cub he rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer who was fed up with shooting animals that preyed on his cattle.

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“That happens every time I open the door. It is an amazing thing every time it happens, and it’s such a passionate thing to do for this animal to jump and give me a hug,” says Gruener.

“But I guess it makes sense. At the moment she has no other lions with her in the cage and I guess for her I’m like her species. So I’m the only friend she’s got. Lions are social cats so she’s always happy to see me.”

The companions spend their time hanging out in the Botswana bush, doing the kind of things that cats enjoy, such as lying around under trees, playfighting, and hunting.

“I don’t believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough,” Gruener says.

“I’m definitely giving her that opportunity to hunt, about three times a week at the moment. Each walk takes five hours - sometimes up to nine. We sort of hunt together and I’m helping her sometimes, trying to show her how to kill something rather than catch it.”

After Sirga’s first kill Gruener wasn’t sure if it would still be safe for him to get close to the lion. But “she let me come in”, he says. Now he despatches animals the lioness fails to kill quickly enough.

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Graham Smith

“It’s a bit cruel because she will catch an antelope and hold it down, and when it gets tired she could simply go and bite it in the throat and kill it. But because it’s so exciting she’s like a cat that keeps on playing with the mouse.

“It’s not so lovely to watch when a lion has an antelope in front of her and she’s having fun playing with this antelope.”

Willy de Graaf has handed Gruener 500 hectares (two square miles) to create a “miniature park” in which Sirga can roam freely, but she will not be released into the wild. Not because she could not survive, Gruener says, but because she has lost her fear of humans.

Under those circumstances she is likely to get too close to humans, and if there is an accident she will end up getting shot. “And that’s not really the whole point of raising a lion,” Gruener says.

In the park Sirga can live like a wild lion, but remain safe, he says. “That’s the plan for her future.”

And what of his own future? Gruener has put aside work on a PhD while he has been raising Sirga, and has hardly ever left her alone.

“If she gets into a bigger enclosure and gets more space, and maybe another lion to give her companionship, I’m sure I would be able to leave for longer periods of time - which is required for me to finish my studies.

“But as long as she needs me, and as long as I feel I want to be there to make her life better, I will have that as my priority.

“I doubt anything will change much between me and her.”

TWITTERING ON

Crazy news Traditional newspaper circulation is plummeting like a stone and it seems some will stop at nothing to spin a crazy yarn to attract readers.

It all began years ago with the “Freddie Starr ate my hamster” farce, conjured up by a ne’er do well publicist now residing at Her Majesty’s pleasure.

Looking at some of today’s offerings that story almost becomes believable. The Daily Express, once a highly respected broadsheet newspaper, is now the epitomy of tabloid tack. Only recently they reported that aliens found just 25 miles above the earth could hold the secret of life. Well of course they could, any fool knows that. They’ll be telling us next that 650 elected MPs in Westminster are good for the country, we’d believe that as well wouldn’t we?

But this has to be my favourite. One fan of the treat pease pudding alarmed security at Newcastle Airport who were concerned by its apparent similarity to the dangerous explosive Semtex.

The passenger was taking tubs of the treat on an easyJet flight to Gatwick when he was stopped during routine searches of hand luggage.

The 58-year-old, an actor from Newcastle who now lives in Sussex, offered to let staff taste the dish but they declined.

“I love my pease pudding,” said the passenger, who wished to remain anonymous.

“I think the resemblance to Semtex was pushing it a bit far as it was in containers marked pease pudding.

them on the flight.

Pease pudding is made from boiled legumes and traditionally loved in the North East of England.

“But I did have six tubs to take back down south with me.I told them that they could taste it if they wanted to.

“One of the security guys said to me that it had come up on the scanner. He told me ‘technically, this could be classed as Semtex’.

“I told them that they could taste it if they wanted to.

“At that point they said ‘next time put it in the hold’.”

After airport staff further examined the six tubs the traveller was cleared to take

The anonymous passenger added: “I was very glad that they allowed me to keep them in the end.

“It is quite hard to get your hands on pease pudding down south.”

An HM Customs spokeswoman said: “There is no customs policy with regard to pease pudding so far as I am aware.”

A spokeswoman for Newcastle Airport said they did not comment on security matters.

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5

50 Plus Travel

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The Azores – an amazing archipelago

By Jennie Carr from Silver Travel Advisor Islands are fascinating places, and none more so than The Azores, an archipelago of nine islands in the mid-Atlantic.

The result of a volcanic ridge, they are in fact, Portuguese, officially discovered in 1432 by Goncalo Velho Cabral, even though Lisbon is nearly 1,500 kilometres to the east.

And why on earth would you visit these somewhat isolated islands? Ben Fogle, adventurer, explorer and broadcaster, waxes lyrical about The Azores due to the contrasts that occur within them – other worldly landscapes as you would imagine on the moon, with pumice stone and frozen lava formations, then a hillside away, lush, dense plants growing in the fertile volcanic soil producing magnificent azaleas and hydrangeas.

The volcanic craters are now filled with deep blue, green lakes and steaming,

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bubbling fumaroles, a reminder that whilst the local volcanoes are dormant, they are certainly not extinct! A trip to the Furnas Valley will swiftly provide evidence of this. Another great fan of The Azores, Noel Josephides founder of Sunvil Holidays, compares them to New Zealand, both in their startling geographical features and also their ambiance, more of which later.

The British are famous for their love of gardens and plants, which are some of the greatest attractions here, with the hydrangeas producing stunning displays across the islands in June and in April, the azaleas are at their best.

The wild agapanthus grow with gusto and rather gorgeous tree ferns add to the remarkable list of self-seeding plants here. It seems as if the climate, which is mild and temperate due to the Gulf Stream, where even on winter days it never gets colder than 14C, with the summers reaching about 27C and rain

TRAVEL always a possibility, combined with the rich earth provide growing conditions in which almost anything can flourish.

The unexpected Gorreana tea estate and plantation, over 125 years old, is certainly testament to this as are the pineapple greenhouses on Sao Miguel, where the Ananaz (the specific pineapple grown on the Azores) is celebrated.

So apart from the horticulture, what is there to do? These islands are certainly a draw for the outdoor types, there is walking and hiking aplenty to enjoy, just so long as you take a good waterproof jacket as a shower is never far away. The UNESCO heritage site at Santa Luzia vineyards is certainly worth a visit and if your legs are up to it, Mount Pico can be climbed! For those who are happy in or on water, kayaking and canyoning are on offer, the former a gentle way to explore the coast line of dramatic cliffs and the latter a type of coastal obstacle course which really gets you up close and personal with nature. There is no getting away from the fact that The Azores are in the middle of the Atlantic, so a boat trip is a must, with the strong possibility of seeing whales, sharks and mantra rays. And swimming with dolphins is an option too.

To return to the ambiance of The Azores, they are proclaimed to be ‘homely’ rather than sophisticated, no designer clothing needed, sturdy footwear essential, running at a leisurely pace and on ‘island’ time, which does sound relaxing and rather calming.

Accommodation here is comfortable, with small family hotels and charming quintas, giving the opportunity to get to know the locals and understand the way of life. International hotel chains have yet to arrive here, no bad thing perhaps for preserving a special place.

And whilst the islands are based on historic volcanic activity, it seems that

the current tranquil, laid back lifestyle is doing all it can to counteract this. Ben Fogle’s infectious enthusiasm for the Azores encourages all active travellers to pay a visit and find out more.

Visit silvertraveladvisor.com and type Ben Fogel into the Search box to listen to his radio interview with Jennie Carr.

Visit the Azores with the experts - Sunvil Discovery The unspoiled beauty of the Azorean archipelago, the warm and welcoming nature of the local people and the abundance of wildlife – whales, dolphins, turtles and migrating birds to name a few captured the heart of independent tour operator, Sunvil Discovery, 25 years ago.

With first-hand knowledge of the nine islands, the team at Sunvil can carefully craft a holiday to meet your individual requirements.

Whether you are searching for a whale and dolphin watching holiday; a multi-island adventure; a trip incorporating visits to fascinating sites of geological importance and botanical gardens, a climb of MountPico – Portugal’s highest peak or walking, jeep touring, canyoning and kayaking, they can help.

Prices from £543 per person including return direct flights from London Gatwick, transfers and 7-nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation on Sao Miguel.

For more information visit www.sunvil.co.uk/discovery Or call + 44 (0)20 8758 4722

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

WHY CHOOSE US? The Robinsons Difference ....

4 Good quality hotels 4 Coach seating with extra legroom 4 Air-conditioning and washroom /W.C. on all tour coach 4 Reserved coach seats on main tour coach at time of booking 4 Regular comfort stops en route 4 Home pick up service available 4 Interesting excursions 4 No single supplements at our own hotels and many other hotels 4 Excellent selection of great value checked hotels 4 Friendly drivers and porterage services to help with your luggage 4 Pay in convenient instalments at no extra cost 4 All holidays Bonded for passengers financial protection 4 Friendly & informed reservations staff to take care of all your booking arrangements 4 Freephone telephone number to save you money 4 Full group booking service with great offers for group organisers 4 Optional insurance cover for 2015 now available

We offer you ...

4 Accommodation with dinner, bed & breakfast 4 2 included excursions 4 All rooms have private facilities

SINGLES ....

COME ALONG AND MEET NEW FRIENDS LOTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Imperial Hotel Eastbourne

Ocean View Hotel Isle of Wight

Abbey Lawn Hotel Torquay

INCLUDES: WELCOME RECEPTION AFTERNOON TEA DANCE WITH OUR RESIDENT ENTERTAINER FESTIVE GALA DINNER (ON 1 NIGHT) 2 LOCAL EXCURSIONS

14th De c 5 Days

£149

5 DAY TOUR

4 NIGHTS DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

Robinsons Own Hotels October Madness ...

NEW TOURS at reduced prices

Imperial Hotel 5 DAY TOUR

4 NIGHTS DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

Date Imperial Ocean View Abbey Lawn 03-Oct £189 £189 £189 07-Oct £189 £189 £189 11-Oct £179 £179 £179 17-Oct £179 £179 £179 21-Oct £179 £179 £179 25-Oct £179 £179 £179 31-Oct - - £179

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Ocean View Hotel 7 DAY TOUR

6 NIGHTS DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

Date Imperial Ocean View 11-Oct £239 £239 25-Oct £239 £239

Abbey Lawn £239 £239

Abbey Lawn Hotel 9 DAY TOUR

8 NIGHTS DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

Date Imperial Ocean View 03-Oct £289 £289 17-Oct £279 £279 31-Oct - -

Abbey Lawn £289 £279 £279

ALL 5/7/9 DAY TOURS INCLUDE 2 LOCAL EXCURSIONS

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Celebrate Christmas and New Year in comfort and free from stress at one of Robinsons own hotels

Imperial Hotel Eastbourne

£399 Thursford Christmas Market 5 DAYS Set in the magical surroundings of mechanical organs and fairground carousels, word of this amazing show has spread and it is now generally recognised as being the largest show of its kind in the country, if not Europe.

A three hour fast moving celebration of the festive season and the largest Christmas show in the country, with a cast of 130 professional singers and dancers.

Link Park Hotel 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast.

Mon 09 Nov £399 Mon 07 Dec £399

£275 BABBACOMBE Seabury Hotel | 5 DAYS Situated on the north eastern fringe of Torquay, Babbacombe boasts stunning views of the coastline and harbour. A holiday destination with its own charm and character, colourful promenade, a wide selection of shops, restaurants and bars, Babbacombe offers something for everyone. Spend your days relaxing on the charming beach beneath the cliffs, or discover the rock pools and coastal walks. For interesting and scenic walks, the South West Coastal Path is a popular route, or why not visit the historic cliff railway, one of the few original funicular railways still in working order.

Seabury Hotel 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast.

Mon 16 Nov

£275

Christmas & New Year

Ocean View Hotel Isle of Wight

BABBACOME, SEABURY HOTEL Wed 23 Dec

£399

£295

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast. 3 resort lunches and 1 mystery excursion

BOURNEMOUTH, MAYFAIR HOTEL

Abbey Lawn Hotel Torquay

Wed 23 Dec

£485

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast. 3 resort lunches and 1 mystery excursion

Llandudno, situated between the Little Orme to the east and the Great Orme to the west, is the largest resort in North Wales and incorporates some of the most beautiful scenery in the Welsh mountains and coastline. The long flat promenade which possesses one of the finest piers and its town centre, with excellent shopping facilities, contribute to making Llandudno a very popular tourist resort.

WESTON SUPER MARE, SANDRINGHAM HOTEL

Kensington Hotel 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast.

Includes:

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast. 3 resort lunches and 1 mystery excursion

bed & breakfast d 3 resort lunches d 1 mystery excursion

LLANDUDNO, KENSINGTON HOTEL

d 4 nights dinner,

LLANDUDNO Kensington Hotel | 5 DAYS

Wed 23 Dec

Wed 23 Dec

£475

£519

Mon 07 Dec £295

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast. 3 resort lunches and 1 mystery excursion

LANCASHIRE & RIBBLE VALLEY TOUR

Wed 23 Dec £399 Wed 29 Dec £349

Wed 23 Dec

£399

Includes 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfast. 3 resort lunches and 1 mystery excursion

www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk

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Canal Cruising alongside the Severn is no bore

By David Graham from Silver Travel Advisor.

David has worked for much of his professional life as a journalist for national newspapers. Now retired, he is an advisor and writer for Silver Travel Advisor, the only information and review website for mature travellers.

Time and tide being what they are, we didn’t manage to see the Severn Bore but then again, cruising gently alongside the River Severn on Britain’s first-ever ship canal wasn’t a bore, either.

It turned out to be a really indulgent treat and an education rolled into one, travelling on the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal in splendidly-catered comfort on board the 153-tonne MV Edward Elgar, thanks to English Holiday Cruises.

Leaving the car in Gloucester, we headed for the boat, the largest hotel boat on Britain’s inland waterways, for 6pm, in nice time to find our cabin and then muster for a welcome drink and introductions all round, before dinner and a table quiz.

Sleep is on the lower deck, with berths for 22 passengers in 11 outside twin cabins with a window well above the waterline, all en-suite with a walk-in ‘wetroom’ shower and all mod cons, and

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with everyone looked after by a fivestrong crew, led by Captain Nick.

begins to form before racing upstream at certain times of the year.

Nick has been a mariner all his working life and his skills were evident on our first morning, when he deftly pulled away from the West Quay mooring, before heading off to exit the docks under Llanthony Bridge, lifted bang on time to let us start our journey along the canal.

We moored up here, boarded a small coach and headed past Frampton’s charming canal-side church dating from 1086 and were driven inland alongside the longest village green in England, before arriving at picturesque, poundnotes-and-pedigree Berkeley Castle.

Steeped in history and home to the same family line since the 12th century, the castle in its eight acres of gardens is well worth a visit.

This gave us time to practice waving to the people we held up, a rehearsal for our meticulously-timed arrival at Two-Mile Cut and the huge, modern Netheridge Bridge, which carries Gloucester’s south west bypass and swung open to allow our stately progress. There are a good many more bridges en route, both manual and machine-operated, each with a smiling bridge keeper.

Fuelled up with a ‘full English’ from the galley, it was time to retrace the route of the tall ships that used to carry goods between Gloucester and all parts of the world. Standing on the upper deck we did get a tall-ish view over the lush, rolling countryside to the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds. We headed through Saul Junction, and pressed on to Frampton-on-Severn, looking across the stretch of river where the notorious Bore

Back at the Elgar, there was time for a stroll before captain’s cocktails and dinner – pate with chutney; slow-cooked blade of beef; followed by summer fruit terrine, then cheeses and coffee and another diverting table quiz.

After a good night’s sleep, we carried on to Sharpness, still with its connection to the sea into the Bristol Channel, and a skilled U-turn was called for to start the return trip. This brought us back past the remains of the old Severn railway bridge, before we moored up to see the Purton Hulks – an astonishing site where redundant barges have been beached to form breakwaters and protect the vulnerable banks of the canal from the fierce tidal flows of the Severn Estuary.

TRAVEL

REEVES COACH HOLIDAYS Autumn at the Hydro,

TEL: 01254 830545 Scotland

Aerial surveys have revealed at least 80 historic hulks in this nautical graveyard.

Then it was time to move on to the nearby Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre founded by Sir Peter Scott, seen as the birthplace of nature conservation.

It was easy to have a lively conversation over dinner, as for much of the trip there were only12 people on board, although there are berths for 22 in the 11 en-suite, outside cabins, as well as the live-in crew. It’s also worth noting at this stage that coffee and tea are available all day and night, and there’s also a daily happy hour in the bar from 6 – 8pm, with bargain wine and 20 per cent off all drinks.

Glass in hand, there was no quiz on our final night, but excellent live entertainment from swing and jazz duo Ain’t Misbehavin’ – an unexpected treat.

A late, great night, and our last day dawned all too early, but then breakfast set us up for a sail to Saul Junction and the Cotswold Canals Trust Visitor Centre where enthusiasts Clive and Jill Field told of the splendid project to restore two historic waterways and connect the Severn to the Thames.

Then on board again for a lunch-on-the-move as we headed back to the docks in the heart of Gloucester – timed to the second, like our departure, to negotiate both swing and lift bridges on the approach.

Time for goodbyes all round as skipper Nick spun the Elgin on its axis to moor up inch-perfect at Alexandra Quay. Hands-on company chief Richard was soon on board to help make way for the afternoon arrivals for the next cruise down the canal.

I was sorely tempted to ask him if there was room for a couple more.

www.reevescoachholidays.com Dates: 5th - 9th October Crieff Hydro Hotel info@reevescoachholidays.com £329.00 Turkey and

The Autumn Colours of Tinsel Break KENT and SUSSEX Trouville Hotel, Bournemouth 26th - 30th October 17th-21st November Mercure Great Danes Hotel

£259.00 £359.00

NEWQUAY - Superior Festive Special

2nd - 6th November Fistral Beach Hotel & Spa

£309.00

Worcester Victorian CHARMING LUDLOW Christmas Fair and the Good Food Show 12th - 15th November at the TheNEC Feathers Hotel 29th-30th November

£139.00 £239.00

More Holidays...

RELAXING SCOTLAND

Quite Simply...

SANDBANKS

16th - 20th November

2nd-6th February 2015, Crieff Hydro Hotel ..............................£299

NEWQUAY SPECIAL

Sandbanks Hotel, Poole

£349.00

9th-13th February 2015, Fistral Beach Hotel ...........................£289

CYCLAMEN AND SNOWDROPS

20th-23rd February- 2015, Park Hotel .................£279 ALL-INCLUSIVE LOCH Cheltenham Worcester Victorian Christmas LOMOND and the TROSSACHS Fair and the Good Food Show

KENT (SINGLES SPECIAL)

Factbox David Graham was a guest of English Holiday Cruises aboard their 4-Star Hotel Boat ‘Edward Elgar’. He took a 4-day/3-night ‘Historic Canal’ cruise along the Gloucester-Sharpness canal.

Several canal cruises are available in October and April each year at special rates starting at £230pp for a weekend cruise.

The Edward Elgar also offers longer ‘mini-Rhine’ style cruises out of Gloucester on the River Severn from May to September, including a new 7-day ‘Severn Wonders’ cruise in 2016.

All cruises include 3 meals daily, wine with dinner, free-flow tea/coffee, outside tours at every stop, one night of live entertainment, WiFi and more.

For a free brochure and bookings, call 01452410411 or visit www.englishholidaycruises.co.uk

- 29th 22nd - March 26th November 2nd-6th 2015, Mercury Hythe28th Imperial HotelNovember ..............£339 Ramada Hotel, Solihull & NEC Winnock Hotel, Drymen for the Food Show

European Escapes... £330.00 APRIL IN ITALY...LAKE GARDA

£145.00

10th-19th April 2015, Liberty Hotel ..........................................£699 Bournemouth

SPRINGTIME ON THE RHINE Turkey and Tinsel

R E E V E S 2015 HOLIDAY DEAL

25th-30th May 2015, Rhine Hotel .............................................£559

30th November - 4th December Suncliff Hotel

COACH HOLIDAYS £289.00

£10 off UK holidays and £20 off Tel: Freephone 0800holidays...

9172862 European and Irish TEL: 01254 830545 or 01254 830545 www.reevescoachholidays.com www.reevescoachholidays.com info@reevescoachholidays.com info@reevescoachholidays.com

When you book and pay your deposit before 24 December 2014 Visit www.reevescoachholidays.com for more information

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Be the ďŹ rst to see this exclusive, prestige development of luxury lakeside homes.

There will be just 19 modern, stylish and sophisticated luxury caravans sited on this peaceful new avenue by the lake and nature reserve.

Call now to register your interest

01253 811306 www.willowgrovepark.co.uk

Show Homes Opening in September 2015 Willowgrove Leisure Park & Fishery Sandy Lane, Preesall, Knott End-On-Sea, FY6 0RB

Email: sales@bartonsgroup.com

John Torode

The Master Chef

BY A N G E L A K E L LY

IF ever there was a guest to whom you would be distinctly nervous at serving your home-made vegetable lasagne John Torode is probably it.

It’s not that the MasterChef judge and food expert would be automatically rude about your efforts – he’d probably be sparing in his remarks. It’s simply that he would only have to fix you with that so-familiar steely glare for you to realise that there was a chance your food might not pass his strict standards.

All of which is probably both what you would expect from a renowned foodie and from a high-profile cookery guru used to imparting the judgement of Solomon when it comes to individual would-be chefs and their creations.

But, of course, it’s also what helps make TV’s MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef such compelling viewing. And what has

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Doing your own cookbook is a personal catalogue of life, and I’m very lucky to have done it. catapulted the likeable Aussie into the nation’s consciousness as the go-to expert opinion on good and bad dishes.

Born in Melbourne, John Torode’s early interest in cooking led him to work as an apprentice in restaurants around his home city. He began his cooking career formally at the age of 16 by attending catering college, and then – like many young and ambitious Antipodeans before him and since - moved to the UK in 1991.

A year later, he began working at Le Pont de la Tour and Quaglino’s as a sous chef for the Conran Group under Terence Conran. It’s also where he first met fellow MasterChef judge Greg Wallace, whose company supplied the vegetables for the restaurant.

John’s reputation grew swiftly and this, combined with an engaging manner, soon prompted him to become the regular chef on ITV’s This Morning show from 1996 until 2000.

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW It goes without saying that he’s a big fan of cooking from scratch, but I wondered how important he felt food was in bringing people generally - and the generations in particular together.

“Everyone in the world has to eat,” he stated. “Sitting with friends and family is vital. It is where conversation happens and knowledge is shared. It’s where values and morals are learnt. It’s important, really important.”

And what kinds of culinary expertise can be learned from older people? “With age comes wisdom and with wisdom comes calm,” he said. “The older the cook, the more confident and more knowledgeable they are.

“Just watch an old Chinese chef through the windows in China town and that will teach you more than you would ever think possible.”

John Torode with fans.

His 1998 cookery book The Mezzo Cookbook won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Food Photography – something he is happy to accept as a highlight of his career so far. “Getting the chance to write a book is a pretty special thing,” he explained, “be it my first one at Mezzo or my latest My Kind of Food. Doing your own cookbook is a personal catalogue of life, and I’m very lucky to have done it.”

In 2000, John opened his first London restaurant, called Smiths of Smithfields. The BBC show MasterChef was being re-launched with an updated format, and Torode and Wallace were chosen as the new presenters. This entertaining combination helped create a winning formula and by 2011, the show had been sold to 25 countries.

Perhaps it was always the unscripted nature of the show, combined with the kitchen banter of Torode and Wallace, but viewers across the world were fascinated by what MasterChef had become. The spin-offs – Celebrity MasterChef and Junior MasterChef – also became hits and John continued his restaurateur success, opening another capital venue called The Luxe, near New Spitalfields Market.

Last year, he fronted John Torode’s Australia – the highest rating TV show of the year on UKTV Good Food Channel - retracing the flavours of his childhood, and this year he presented A Cook Abroad: John Torode’s Argentina for BBC2.

While he is now a familiar face on TV, I asked him how anglicised he had become after so many years living in the UK and what Australian traits he still retained.

“My brothers and Aussie mates think I sound like a pom!” he told me. “But I feel as Aussie as I always have. I love my Australian passport and, of course, the cricket and the rugby – where I will always side with the Aussies!”

As for how influential cookery programmes like MasterChef have been in improving the standard of British cookery, John Torode is very definite. “The more that people watch MasterChef and similar programmes, the more knowledge they have,” he added. “The knock-on effect is that the public become more demanding and worldly wise.

“I think the shows are quite influential. Restaurants and eateries of all kinds have sprung up everywhere in the UK, and the standard has to be high or they do not survive!”

So what makes a MasterChef winner? “Tenacity and real want,” explained John. “Being a good cook is one thing, but wanting to feed people without an ego is a rare thing and something all the MasterChef winners have had.

“They are people without egos, who love to watch people smile because their food is delicious.”

As to what culinary disasters the TV audiences doesn’t see, the famous presenter asserted: “None. You get to see everything – including Gregg’s dancing!”

And who has been your favourite Celebrity MasterChef contestant? “Now that would be a little unfair …. But I do, however, have a soft spot for Lisa Faulkner!”

As for what the future holds for him and whether he would like to appear in any other kind of TV programme, John was happy to elucidate. “To travel the world, discover and cook is what I want to do.

“So take me anywhere and point a camera in my face and I would be as happy as Larry! I have just got back from filming in Malaysia and that was awesome.”

And that tempting morsel of information about what comes next for our culinary hero has only whetted our appetites for future appearances of the man who has helped encourage thousands of would-be cooks in their own kitchens. Even when vegetable lasagne is on the menu.

John’s latest book is My Kind of Food: Recipes I Love To Cook at Home by John Torode, published by Headline priced £25.

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...plans and planning together as one or both of you enters this phase of your life is essential...

Planning for Retirement Retirement in 2015 means different things to different people with each perception as individual as they are.

Many may have looked forward to retirement for years as the natural end to a satisfying career – or the welcome finish to a job they’ve hated.

It’s also worth, though, factoring in other, perhaps less obvious potential expenses, like needing transport if you’re not well enough to get around under your own steam, or having some extra available for unforeseen situations.

If you can, look at your living costs up to 10 years before you actually retire and allow for extra increased utilities, bills and possibly more frequent holidays. On the other hand, you can exclude bills like travel to and from work and, possibly, mortgage payments.

They look on the lack of someone else’s superimposed routine, the unstructured days and the more relaxed lifestyle as halcyon days ahead. And, indeed, this is often the case for many people who have had the foresight to plan ahead to ensure that retirement gives you exactly what you want.

It’s worth adding your pensions together to see if there is a shortfall. Consult past providers or employers for up-to-date pension statements and get a forecast of your State Pension through the Government’s pension site www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service

Early financial planning may certainly be the key to that golden retirement, provided you take a realistic look at your day-to-day living expenses and ensure that you have enough money to cover everything.

See if you can save more, perhaps paying in more, and monitor whether your current savings are working hard enough.

Check out the new auto-enrolment scheme as it’s also usually worth starting.

Up to five years before retirement, look at moving any stock market investments, including pensions, to safer havens to

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avoid losing out in case of any last-minute falls. Check your National Insurance contributions are up to date, track down any old pensions or other accounts and start investigating Annuities.

Six months before retirement, check your final pension and how it will be paid to you. Major changes are now in place relating to how you can take your pension; again, go to the gov.uk site to find out more.

Make an appointment with a specialist Independent Financial Adviser for advice on getting the most income out of your pensions. Either go on personal recommendation from someone you know well or go to the Association of Professional Advisers (APFA) to find one at www.apfa.net Consider your daily running expenses and see what you can shave off and still enjoy life. Look at where you live – do you want to downsize and is this more realistic financially? Get expert advice on these life-changing decisions at the Age UK website www.ageuk.org.uk Psychotherapist Anne Marie Alger warns that, although retirement is seen as a positive new life phase by some, for others there is a loss of role, loss of structure to the day, week or year, loss of financial security and a loss of work friendships, contact and companionship.

“Although leaving work is supposed to remove us from the stress and anxiety, adverse effects can quickly increase, particularly if your social life is very much

LEGAL + FINANCE tied up with work,” she explains.

“Retirement can have a detrimental effect on both mental and physical health.

Indeed, there has been a Anne Marie Alger drive towards Psychotherapist Work Longer Live Healthier – a study illustrating the link between economic activity, health and Government policy, suggesting that in the long term, retirement can be ‘bad’ for your health.

“What happens if you’re not ‘ready’ to finish work, and it feels enforced, or you don’t feel prepared? Does it raise a question of ‘who am I now if so much of your life has been tied up with your employment, your job role, your position, hand in hand with your confidence, your value and your self-worth?”

There are also the expectations of those around you to cope with now that you have “all this time on your hands.” Are you now perceived as a carer, a childcare

provider, and will there be increased demands from family and friends about how you spend your time?

type of dog you keep. Cats, birds and rabbits can also provide company, and a reason to get up and on with your routine which includes caring for them.

All these factors can become the everdarkening cloud that moves across your lovely, bright retirement sky and dims it substantially. However ….. we are back to planning here and how you can banish that cloud forever.

If you can’t have a pet at home or prefer not to, how about volunteering at a local animal shelter or dogs’ home? Volunteering generally is great in retirement because you not only get out of the house and meet new people but also genuinely give back to your local community. This may be in a charity shop or local hospital or as a volunteer regularly helping with children’s reading in school. Become a reading mentor through charity Beanstalk (formerly Volunteer Reading Help) at www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk or ring for more information on 0207 729 4087.

Anne Marie points out that, for couples “plans and planning together as one or both of you enters this phase of your life is essential, so that you can communicate your wishes, needs and desires effectively.”

She advises planning for the potential challenges “but also plan for the pleasurable things in life so that you are making time for you to do what you want to do.”

Talking about your concerns, your hopes, your feelings with loved ones, family and friends before actually retiring, during the transition and once you are embedded in retirement is vital.

Pets can often prove real friends in retirement. Dogs make sure you get some healthy exercise, although it’s worth being realistic about the size and

Taking up a new hobby, joining a walking group or learning a new sport like badminton or bowls are all positive possibilities now that you have the time. So why not just enjoy life?

by Angela Kelly

PROFESSIONAL, IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVICE

On all aspects of your Pensions, ISAs and Investments

Tel: 01253 739196 The Coach House, 55 Blackpool Road, Lytham FY8 4EJ Email: david@woodcravenperkins.co.uk www.woodcravenperkins.co.uk

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| 17

If there is a will there is a way to avoid Intestacy Pitfalls A well drafted will can ensure that your chosen beneficiaries will inherit your estate...

Changes to the law of intestacy from 1st October 2014 mean that surviving spouses stand to inherit everything from an estate even if they are estranged.

they did not think they had anything worth leaving.

This means that if a person dies who is separated, and

Dying without a will can leave an estate liable to

their divorce is yet to be finalised, and they haven’t

inheritance tax. In 2013 the government received £8

made or changed their will, their spouse stands to

million as a consequence of people dying intestate. It

inherit everything as they are still legally married.

is estimated that HMRC will claim nearly £6 billion in

Couples who are not married or who are not in a civil

inheritance tax before 2018. Leaving money to charity

partnership have no entitlement at all to each other’s

in your will is just one of the ways to help reduce

estate on death if they die without a Will.

the amount of tax payable on an estate, and this is

23% of respondents also believed that without a will their possessions would automatically go to their family.

According to Law Society Research there are 30 million adults in the UK who are intestate (without a Will).

something a solicitor can advise you on. In addition Figures from the Office of National Statistics suggest

there are a number of lifetime exemptions and reliefs

that there are more than one million unmarried couples

which can be taken advantage of. Life insurance cover,

with dependent children living in the UK. Research

death in service benefits and pension funds can all be

carried out by the Law Society found that 34% of people

dealt with in a tax efficient way on death.

surveyed stated that they had not made a will because Your will is one of the most important personal decisions you will ever make. Nobody likes to think about it too much because it is a reminder of their own mortality, but it is vital that they make their final wishes clear and legally binding.

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LEGAL + FINANCE A well drafted will can allow you to appoint executors to take responsibility for dealing with your affairs and to nominate guardians for your children. Executors can also appoint trustees to manage your assets for the benefit of other people, including the set-up of trusts and the

Roland Robinsons and Fentons LLP

management of assets for the young people in your

85-89 Adelaide Street, Blackpool, FY1 4LX

family who might be below the legal age at the time of

4 Church Road Lytham FY8 5LH

your passing or those with a disability. Ultimately they

www.rrfsolicitors.co.uk

can dictate the terms of distribution of your assets and your estate.

Don’t risk using an unregulated will-writing company.

Solicitors are regulated and they are also required to have insurance to protect clients. Once a will is drafted a solicitor will oversee the correct execution of the will and often store the will free of charge. A solicitor who specialises in wills, or a Wills and Probate specialist, will have years of experience dealing with clients, and will be able to draft a will to take into account all of your personal circumstances, no matter how complex they may be.

A YouGov survey found that 71% of people stated that they would be more likely to use a wills and inheritance quality scheme accredited law firm. As Benjamin Franklin quite rightly stated ‘In this world nothing can be more certain except death and taxes’. It is extremely important for people to put their affairs in order. The cost of a simple will remains very reasonable especially when you think how much trouble and heartache it can save, and that in itself is priceless.

The private client department of Roland Robinsons and Fentons provides all these services and more. Our specialist Wills and Probate solicitors will help you to plan for the management of your estate and assets on your death and take into account your individual and financial circumstances. We will guide you through all the different options and advise you of the tax implications of your decisions to ensure that your wealth

Roland Robinsons and Fentons Solicitors have been trusted by Blackpool and Fylde clients for over 100 years.

They choose us for our expertise in...

• • • • • • • •

Wills and Inheritance Tax Planning Lasting Powers of Attorney Probate and Administration of Estates Court of Protection Residential Conveyancing Commercial Property & Leases Advice for Auctions Sales Divorce (including financial and children matters)

Roland Robinsons and Fentons LLP would like to invite our present and future Clients to a free meeting to discuss your Will and associated matters with Mrs Zoe Fleming.

Zoe Fleming is a member of both SFE and STEP. Contact Zoe at our Lytham Office: 01253 734253 or e: zf@rrflytham.com or Clare Jackson at our Blackpool Office on 01253 621432

is transferred to the people of your choosing.

Roland Robinsons and Fentons is a Member of the Law Society Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS) which provides a best practice quality mark for Wills and Estate Administration

For further information and advice please contact 01253 734253 WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

| 19

Implanting

confidence

Ann Knight was so impressed with her husband’s new dental implants that she turned to the same expert team – and the retired business duo from Cheshire are delighted with the results!

Leading the way in UK implant technology is Lancashire-based Douglas Lee, who was one of the first dentists in the country to adopt the highly successful pioneering ‘Fast and Fixed’ technique.

Highly experienced in this same-day implant procedure, Douglas Lee Dental Associates, have a team of professionals, including in-house dental technicians, to replace teeth permanently – omitting the need for dentures.

It was Douglas Lee’s national reputation for excellence that originally led Barry and Ann Knight to the practice two years ago.

Barry was referred to Douglas Lee by another implant dentist who had attempted to replace Barry’s top

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teeth, which had been damaged by a serious car accident, with implants.

Barry explains: “The original implants were loose, they weren’t right so the dentist said he could not go any further with it and referred me to Douglas Lee. “I travelled over from our home in Cheshire to see Dougie and he immediately said he would be able to help but he was totally honest and said it would take some time.

In the lead up to the ‘Fast and Fixed’ day Dougie and the team were fantastic. It’s not like going to the dentist, it’s like visiting a friend.

They explained everything so I wasn’t at all nervous about the procedure.

I had got to know them and it is obvious that they are experts in their field,” adds Barry, who is now retired from his manufacturing business.

Implant expert Douglas Lee explained what would be necessary and reassured Barry that the problem could be fixed.

On the day of the procedure Barry arrived at Douglas Lee Dental Associates early in the morning.

Sedated, Barry was painlessly fitted with a completely new set of upper implants in a procedure that has made Douglas Lee Dental Associates a flagship practice and a teaching surgery for the German pioneered ‘Fast and Fixed’ technique.

“To become a teaching surgery for ‘Fast and Fixed’ is a real compliment.

It is a massive boost to us and it gives us the chance to show other dentists what can be achieved,” says Dougie.

Testament to their high level of skills, Douglas Lee Dental Associates were the first team in the UK to carry out a full set of upper and lower jaw implants within a day.

During their years of experience, the team has refined the procedure and have state-of-the-art in-house technology including a Cone beam CT scanner, a Helbo laser that eradicates over 99 per cent of harmful bacteria and an on-site dental lab with a technician who custom makes the teeth implants so patients can benefit from this amazing same-day procedure.

Preparation is key to the success and the team of dental nurses, cosmetic dentist Usman Riaz, dental technicians and Dougie himself, all play their part on the day.

Sedation ensures that no pain is felt and the patient remains relaxed.

“I didn’t feel a thing,” says Barry. “It was a long day and I was a bit tired but it was completely painless. I had slight bruising afterwards but that soon disappeared – and the implants are fantastic!

In Ann’s case, she was so delighted with the results in her upper jaw that shortly before Christmas, she had her lower set of implants done under the same ‘Fast and Fixed’ procedure.

“They feel like my own teeth, the sensitivity is still there when you are biting and chewing. I am thrilled with them and I can’t thank Dougie and the team enough.”

“When I looked in the mirror and smiled it was unbelievable!” recalls an emotional Ann. “I have always covered my mouth when I smiled because of my teeth, but now I smile all the time as it has given me so much confidence.

Barry’s wife Ann underwent major dental work around 30 years ago, however her teeth were beginning to fail and she was too nervous to consult her dentist.

“Barry told me I had to go and see Dougie, so I plucked up the courage and went. I was adamant that I wanted a good set of dentures as there was no way I was going to undergo any pain with implants,” recalls Ann.

“They don’t look fake, or overly white, they just look totally natural and I am thrilled! I am 110 per cent happy with them – and I told Dougie and the team that I don’t take this for granted, I am very grateful to them all.”

When she went to see the team at Douglas Lee Dental Associates, Ann was told, following an x-ray, that the news was not good. Her gums were in bad shape and she had several failing teeth.

FINALIST

2014

I have always looked after myself and losing my teeth was my idea of hell. It was a terrible shock.

Dougie said I wouldn’t like dentures but left the decision totally to me.

“He explained the procedure and reassured me it would be pain free so I eventually made the decision and said ‘yes’.”

Douglas Lee A S S O C I A T E S

Douglas Lee Dental Associates 115 Whalley Road Accrington BB5 1BX 01254 237517 hello@douglasleedental.co.uk

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| 21

Transform your existing conservatory into a whole new room ... the way you intended strengthened and insulated, rain noise is reduced by up to 95 per cent, so you can enjoy that dinner party without worrying whether it's going to rain!

Amazingly it has all these benefits, whilst at the same time costing less on average than ceiling blinds and a quarter of the

Conservatory Roof Insulation.com is a new insulation solution that transforms the inside of your conservatory roof to give it a full insulated, strong and smooth plastered ceiling, whilst keeping the original shape of your roof i.e. not a flat ceiling, hence there is no light reduction.

It does all this without even having to change anything on the outside of your conservatory, so no planning permission is required.

The family-run business, based in Lytham St Annes, was founded in 2009 and is one of the first companies to offer this product in the UK, alongside its original inventor.

After cross-ventilating the ceiling, Conservatory Roof Insulation.com installs a high performance composite insulation to the inside ceiling of the conservatory, combining multiple layers of reflective and insulating materials to reduce heat loss by up to a stunning 90 per cent.

No other conservatory insulation solution can deliver anywhere near this figure.

Your conservatory will stay warm in the winter and prevent the 'greenhouse effect' during summer. You'll therefore need to use far less energy to keep your conservatory warm, drastically reducing energy costs.

After the support framework, cross ventilation, insulation and panelling is installed, the conservatory ceiling will then be plastered to perfection, allowing it to be painted in the colour of your choice or you can opt for a upvc finish.

The entire process takes just two days to complete. Your conservatory ceiling will no longer look like a conservatory ceiling, but instead will match perfectly with all the other rooms of your house. And because the entire conservatory will be

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cost of plastic tile effect replacement roofs. Every installation now also comes with an IBG 10-year insurance-backed guarantee, making it the most costeffective solution available.

For more information contact Beverly on 01253 846663.

by Angela Kelly

Changing Rooms

TAKING a fresh look at our homes gives us the opportunity to re-evaluate lifestyle and try to improve it.

This can happen at any time in our lives but often when we have more time, like when we retire, or simply find that our daily routine is more homebased.

You may want to undertake major change like an EXTENSION. Building a CONSERVATORY can also add space and style to a home. There are some fabulous designs and deals around currently, but do look first at what you want from this extra space and communicate this properly to your chosen provider. You might also need planning permission or building control approval so it’s worth checking first on the Government website www.planningportal.gov.uk If you’re looking at revamping rather than rebuilding, interior designer Sharon

Rodriguez suggests that you start at your front door and work forwards.

That means taking a hard look at your HALLWAY. “This is one part of the home we tend to forget about,” she says, “but it’s very important and reflects the rest of the interior. It should set a style for the rest of the property.”

It’s worth keeping your hallway light and bright. Narrow hallways can be opened up by using mirrors to give the illusion of doubling space, and they allow light to reflect back in.

If you’ve got a large hallway, which can look cavernous and unwelcoming, Sharon suggests artwork and framed photos can be showcased to create an interesting and eye-catching feature. There also needs to be functional space – shelving, cupboards or a console table to store items – “this will break up the space and act as a focal point,” she says.

Consider the colour scheme here. A bold patterned wallpaper with a light-coloured backdrop (a feature wall) can look good in a hallway. Avoid dark colours generally unless you have a long, narrow hallway, and if you do and want to make it appear shorter, paint the short wall furthest away in a darker colour.

The hallway is a high traffic area so carpets aren’t always the best choice here. Try hard or wooden floor surfaces but soften them with a runner or rug, which can work well against plain-coloured walls.

The LOUNGE is often a central spot for day to day life but if you’re having a revamp and want to invest in new furniture, draw a rough floor- plan of your room first, advises Sharon, measuring furniture to ensure it fits. “Think about access and how you’re going to get into the room,” she adds. “This will save time and one big headache.”

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HOME

you have a bay window, consider window seats and keep floor covering cohesive with your décor whether you’re choosing carpets, wooden floors or tiles.

Sharon also believes that most of us are too scared to try out colour and so often end up with large amounts of neutral décor.

“Using colour is about confidence,” she states. “Try using a colour wheel and/or paint manufacturers’ swatches to choose the right colour combination. Colour inspiration comes from all sorts of sources – artwork, photographs, a favourite piece of fabric or nature.”

It’s also worth keeping in mind that colour looks different throughout the day and under artificial light. “Buy swatch pots and paint lining paper with your chosen colours and place them on the wall. Move around during different times of the day, and look at it under artificial lighting.”

If you’re choosing patterned wallpaper, match the pattern and place the two pieces side by side on the wall to see how it looks.

Paint radiators the same colour as the walls for a cohesive look.

Alternatively, they can be boxed in if you don’t want them to show. And if you’re using pattern in fabrics or wallpaper, think about scale and colour continuity. Take a look at home interior magazines and see what is currently in favour when it comes to themes and designs.

“I love botanical designs,” says Sharon, “and they seem to be popular this year. There are some lovely floral and leafy prints available to bring a fresh look to any room.”

Investing in new furniture will always change a room, but if you’re on a budget you can instantly refresh and update your lounge with new cushions and throws which can be colour-matched to your chosen décor. “Neutral décor can be brought to life by layering different textures, adding rugs and using reflective surfaces such as glass-topped tables and mirrors which give a sense of space.”

Don’t dismiss buying second-hand furniture out of hand. Try flea markets, car boots or charity shops. “You can pick up some fabulous pieces here,” adds Sharon. Existing pieces of furniture can also be updated and re-used with a lick of paint and new handles.

Window treatments depend on the style you want to create and space in and around the windows to hang or tie-back. If you don’t want to open and close curtains, window blinds might be more suitable. However, curtains tend to insulate, absorb noise and dress the room.

Voile curtain panels are another option, and come in a great range of colours, allowing a nice, diffused light to enter the room. If

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If you love to collect items, display them in an organised way.

White shelving with a bold background colour and lighting, possibly in a recess, accentuates a collection like glass.

The KITCHEN is probably the most important space in the home and needs to be functional. If you’re looking to install a new kitchen, consult a reputable design company who will cleverly design and maximise space and storage.

To update your kitchen units if they’re in good condition, try some new doors or paint existing ones. They could match or contrast with the colour of the walls, and new handles can quickly update them.

Back-splashes are an alternative to tiling and are stylish and easy to maintain, and worktops can be replaced without breaking the bank.

Ceramic tiles are popular in kitchens but Sharon suggests that trying vinyl or cork tiles can be more comfortable “especially if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen.”.

The DINING ROOM is best kept practical, particularly if it doubles as a study or office. Choose furniture that adapts, such as an extending dining table and folding chairs. Shelves and cupboards are perfect for display and storage, and add a pop of the colour red here and there – “It’s said to promote conversation and appetite!” adds Sharon.

If you’re investing in new units for your BEDROOM, make sure they suit your lifestyle and provide plenty of space and storage.

Soft grey can be a restful and relaxing colour for bedrooms, with splashes of colour added for contrast in quilt covers, lampshades, rugs and draped curtains. Table lamps add mood and ambience to this space.

And another place for relaxation is the BATHROOM. Soothing greens and blues are always a good choice here although keep sanitary ware white for a clean look.

If your bathroom is small, try using larger floor and wall tiles as they make the space look bigger (plain not patterned) as do mirrors or mirrored vanity cupboards.

“Slate tiles are a good choice in a bathroom because of their durability and slip-resistance, they’re also non-porous and warm.

And don’t discount the use of artwork in the bathroom.” * For more advice email Sharon Rodriguez from Urbano at sharon.0022@hotmail.com

FREE & Y ENTR ING K PAR

O

Heskin Farmers Market & Craft Centre

TUES-S PEN A SUN 10 T 10am-5pm .30am4.30 & BANK HOLIDA pm YS

FOOD HALL - CRAFTS - GIFTS - TEA ROOM

Wood Lane, Heskin, Chorley PR7 5PA

l

07599 831907

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M S FRO 5 MIN6, 2 MINS K M J27 CHARNOC FROM ICHARD R ICES SERV

www.heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk

Relax, dine & shop at Heskin Hall Estate

Over 40 shops and businesses including: leading art gallery, high quality butchers, florist and plant centre, food shops, ladies & gents clothing, gifts with a difference, handbags and jewellery, children’s clothing & toys, hair & beauty, furniture, Fredericks ice cream, the Crafty Potter Craft Studio, Charnock Richard Stoves & Installations (with multi-fuel stoves) and much more...

The Two Birds Tea Room Why not relax and enjoy our freshly made paninis, toasties, sandwiches, soups and salads made using our fresh local produce. Winter Specials including our signature dish Water Buffalo Casserole now available.

Bridalwear now available from Brides Gallery

Heskin Hall Estate Butchers We have a wide range of high quality meats and products including beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, venison, water buffalo and selection of game.

Try our freshly made quality sausages, tasty meat balls, beef burgers, buffalo burgers and stir-fries. Our beef and lamb comes from our own free range herds, 100% grass fed, producing the highest quality meats and the very best natural flavour. All of our other meats and products are also carefully sourced from free range farms and producers.

Christmas Preview Shopping Night Thurs 12th November 6pm - 9pm

Units available, email: info@heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK | 25

FOOD + DRINK

Cook with John Torode!

Delicious recipes from his new book - My Kind Of Food GLAMORGAN SAUSAGES My search for a great vegetarian sausage recipe took me far and wide, from Australia to Asia to Ireland, with Europe in between. I finally stumbled across these little beauties closer to home – in Wales. They’re simply made with some cheese, breadcrumbs and a couple of eggs and they are grand. To my mind, they taste a bit like the stuffing you get from a good chicken. They are moreish, so beware.

Feeds 4 175g Caerphilly cheese or Cheshire cheese, grated 225g fresh breadcrumbs 1 banana shallot, grated 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon chopped chives 1 egg, beaten 20ml milk 1 teaspoon hot English mustard plain flour, for dusting 300ml vegetable oil, for frying salt and freshly ground black pepper jar of apple sauce or apple chutney, to serve

rode John To

For the coating 1 egg, beaten 50ml milk 50g plain flour 1 teaspoon paprika Prep the sausage mixture In a large bowl, mix the cheese, breadcrumbs, shallot and herbs and season with salt and pepper.

In a jug, beat together the egg, milk and mustard. Pour the egg mixture over the cheesy breadcrumbs and mash together until you get a dough.

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On a lightly floured worktop, roll out the mix into long sausages roughly 2cm thick and then cut the sausages into 8cm lengths – you should get about eight.

Coat them

Beat the egg and milk together in a shallow dish. Spread out the flour in another dish and season with the paprika.

Roll the sausages in the egg mixture and then in the seasoned flour. Leave on a tray in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.

Cook the sausages

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and gently fry the sausages over a medium heat for about 4–5 minutes, turning, until brown all over. Drain well on kitchen paper. Serve with apple sauce or apple chutney.

For a non-vego version

Add bits of crisp bacon, flaked smoked haddock or shredded ham and chopped-up peas to the sausage mixture and then coat and cook as above.

FOOD + DRINK

Your perfect recipe needs top quality ingredients...

PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI, LINGUINE, CHILLI AND PINE NUTS This is one of my quick, quick, the kids are starving (so am I) recipes. The amount of chilli you use is up to you; I serve some on the side for those who like it. Chopped sausages are a good addition: push the sausages out of their skins and cook them with the chilli and onions for a more blokey type of feast.

Feeds 4–6 50ml olive oil, plus extra for the pasta water 500g linguine 1 red onion, sliced 4 garlic cloves, sliced 2 long red chillies, split in half, de-seeded and sliced (optional) 300g purple sprouting broccoli, boiled for 2 minutes 20g pine nuts salt and freshly ground black pepper a big hunk of Parmesan, to serve Bring a really large pan of water (about 5 litres) to the boil with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a low– medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cook gently and slowly for a few minutes until they are soft; keep the temperature low.

Season the onions well with loads of salt and pepper. Drop in the chilli (if using), and cook for a minute or so. Now drop in the cooked broccoli, give it a good stir and cook for a couple of minutes so that the broccoli gets hot. Add the pine nuts.

Drain the pasta and pour it into the pan with the onion and broccoli.

Turn up the heat and toss everything together.

Spoon onto plates or pile into a large heated bowl, and make sure there is loads of Parmesan to grate over the top.

Or try...

For grown-ups you can add a few anchovies.

Use different varieties of broccoli or Romanesco cauliflower, or even add some bitter leaves, like radicchio.

Bury Market, winner of BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards (Best Food Market) really has it all.

With over 350 stalls open every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday you will find our friendly traders sell everything you need for making delicious home-cooked meals.

Great quality produce at great value prices, brought fresh to market every day!

Bury Market Tel: 0161 253 6520

: @BuryMarket

Email: burymarkets@bury.gov.uk Web: www.burymarket.com

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| 27

FOOD + DRINK

TOMATO AND PESTO TARTS I have always been a sucker for anything cooked in, or with, puff pastry. These deep tarts are topped with the concentrated flavour of sweet tomatoes and the kick of a punchy pesto. Serve with peppery watercress. If you like, just make smaller individual ones as snacks for your hungry hordes.

Makes 4 tarts* * 1 each as a starter

500g block puff pastry (all-butter, if possible) plain flour, for dusting 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons pesto (see page 160 for home-made, or just use a jar) 8 plum tomatoes, sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve 100g watercress 10ml peppery olive oil

Prep the pastry Heat the oven to 220°C/gas 7. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

On a lightly floured worktop, roll the puff pastry out until it is about 2cm thick.

You will need to cut four circular discs from the pastry so you need to find a small plate or saucer that’s about 16cm in diameter to use as a template. Place the plate over the pastry and run a sharp knife around the edge to cut out the first disc. Repeat until you have four.

Now you need to lightly score a margin about 1.5–2cm in from the edge of the pastry discs, so find a smaller plate or bowl that you can use as a template.

Place the smaller plate in the centre of each pastry disc and lightly run a sharp knife around the edge, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Lift the disks onto the baking sheet and brush with the beaten egg. With a fork, prick the inner circle but not the outer edge – this will stop the pastry from rising in the middle but will allow the outer edge of the tart to rise up.

Build the tarts Take a good amount of the pesto and spread it over the inner circle of each tart. Place the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes in the centre of the tarts, then start to lay the slices on top of the pesto so they overlap and create a swirl effect – it should look a bit like a Catherine wheel. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the tarts in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until well risen and coloured. Mix the watercress with the olive oil and serve with the tarts.

Tip

Cut out pastry discs, stack them between layers of cling film and keep them in the freezer – ready in case of an emergency!

Just take them out of the freezer 10 minutes before you want to cook them, then make the tarts and bake as above.

Find these recipes and more in John’s latest book is My Kind of Food: Recipes I Love To Cook at Home by John Torode, published by Headline priced £25.

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FOOD + DRINK

PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE My Nanna used to grow lots of fruit in her back garden – ladyfinger bananas, passion fruit, apples, limes, lemons, mulberries and strawberries – but my favourite were the peaches. Whenever I cook this cake I feel as though I could be 9 years old again, standing next to Nanna on a sunny Saturday, peaches just picked from the tree at the side of the house and the smell of her perfume and the wood-burning stove.

Makes 1 cake

Experience the 5 star taste!

5–6 peaches, cut in half and stones removed 400g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out 200g plain flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder 200g butter 4 eggs 30ml milk icing sugar, for dusting Heat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.

Prep the peaches

Pop the peaches in a large pan with 200g of the sugar and the vanilla seeds and pod, cover with water – just enough to cover the fruit – and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid and leave them for 20 minutes.

Make the cake batter

Sift the flour and the baking powder together into a bowl three times to aerate.

Beat the butter and the remaining sugar until white and doubled in size (an electric whisk is good for this). Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well mixed, then add the sifted flour and milk and mix well.

Lift the peaches out of their cooking liquid and arrange the wet peaches, cut-side down, over the base of the cake tin.

Pour the cake batter over the peaches and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin a little – about 10–15 minutes – then gently turn out onto a plate and carefully peel off the paper.

Leave to sit for 30 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

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| 29

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OUT + ABOUT

Heskin Farmers Market now fully re-opened following fire in May.

Cooking with Maurizio Hoghton Tower, NR PRESTON PR5 0SH - Sun 18th October 2015

Bury Market has a well deserved reputation for friendly service, fantastic produce and great value.

Come and join Maurizio Bocchi from the award winning Italian restaurant La Locanda, Gisburn.

Located off J2 of the M66 and with over 350 stalls open every Full Market Day it’s easy to find and even easier to enjoy!

Pasta Masterclass Learn how to make home made tagliatelle, pappardelle, gnocchetti sardi, farfalle, lasagne, ravioli, tortelloni and tortellini

Bury Town Centre is also home to the Fusilier Museum, East Lancashire Railway, Bury Transport Museum and Bury Art Gallery.

Classes starts at 10am with a walk around our monthly farmers market to buy ingredients followed by a 2 hour master class in our kitchens. Then enjoy a 2 course meal in our tea rooms £60 per person per session Follwing a fire in May on the first floor of one of the buildings at Heskin Farmers Market, the refurbishment of the roof and 1st floor is now complete and all shops have re-opened.

Booking Essential very limited availability www.hoghtontower.co.uk for more details

Throughout the works, the affected shops were relocated to temporary space within the barns until they could move back to their original shops.

Bury Market Hall: Open every day except Sunday Full Markets Open: Wednesdays, Fridays & Saturdays “Winner National Coach Tourism Awards” Coach Friendly Shopping Destination of the Year

Owners of the centre, Angela and Sarah Ruttle said 'It has been a difficult time for all concerned, but we are happy to say that no-one was hurt in the fire, damage was limited and now we are very pleased to have the whole centre back up and running. we had a great party weekend to celebrate, thank you to all who have supported us throughout'.

For more information please visit www.heskinfarmersmarket.co.uk

“Winner NABMA’s” Best Market Attraction

Bury Market Management: Tel: 0161 253 6520 Email: burymarkets@bury.gov.uk Web: www.burymarket.com : @BuryMarket

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE

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Knott End and Preesall - Wildlife and History - Friends of Garstang Walking Festival 29 Nov 2015. 10am-1pm Knott End Cafe, Knott End. Stalmine FY6 0EA Tel: 01995 602125 A circular walk along the Wyre estuary and inland along lanes and paths looking at a hall built by a Scandinavian, winter wildfowl, a bygone industry and its associated railway.

Grade: easy (relatively level ground, fields, lanes and tracks, possibly with some gentle slopes, stiles or livestock), 6.5 miles, tramper accessible, dogs.

Booking essential please ring 01995 602125 or email garstangtic@wyre.gov. uk.

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| 31

OUT + ABOUT

Halloween Ghostly Evening Hoghton Tower, NR PRESTON PR5 0SH - 31st October 2015 www.hoghtontower.co.uk What is ever better than to spend the Halloween night expecting a knock on one of the mysterious doors inside Hoghton Tower? As you ascend the long drive of reputedly the third most haunted house in Britain we will be waiting for you.

A glass of mulled wine to take away the chill prepares you for what is to follow.

Silent torchbearers guide you on the ghost tour through the darkened halls of the Tower, where you will encounter spectres from the past who regale you with ghostly happenings from across the centuries.

ABBAMANIA - LIVE! Saturday 26th September at 7.30pm Preston Charter Theatre Tickets £19.50 Re-live the memories of ABBA with this the Official ABBAMANIA Tribute Show.

Please ensure that you wear warm clothing and sensible shoes as there are uneven steps, staircases and very cold underground passages!

Tickets priced at £28.95 (plus booking fee) are available only through Ticketline – phone 0844 888 9991 or book online at www.ticketline.co.uk/aghostly-evening-at-hoghton-tower

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.

Celebrating 40th Anniversary of ABBA ABBA are one of the most popular groups in the world today, from ‘Dancing Queen’ to ‘Waterloo’ their record breaking catchy songs, melodies and lyrics are timeless and continue to thrill generations.

ABBAMANIA are widely regarded as the UK’s Top ABBA Tribute Show with countless sensational live performances to their credit which has taken them throughout Europe to places such as: Denmark; England; Portugal; Scotland; Belgium; France; Ireland; Germany, Philippines and Holland.

No-one can deny that the group have hit GOLD with their representation of ABBA at the height of their supremacy.

ABBAMANIA will have you dancing in the aisles, creating nearly 2 hours of pure ABBA nostalgia.

So dust off your platforms, put on your flares and come and enjoy an unforgettable night with ABBAMANIA. To book call 01772 80 44 44 or visit www.prestonguildhall.com

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CINDERELLA

Lowther Pavilion, West Beach, Lytham St. Annes FY8 5QQ 10th-30th December 2015 www.lowtherpavilion.co.uk Following the amazing success of the 2014 pantomime “Aladdin” Lowther Pavilionis bringing you the next Christmas extravaganza “CINDERELLA” which will take place at the Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St Annes from Thursday 10th to Wednesday 30th December 2015.

There will be new scenery, new costumes, and new faces in the professional cast.

CINDERELLA is a traditional family pantomime that children will know and love from various film and television versions! There will be fantastic singing and dancing, a large dose of comedy, lots of sparkle, magic and spectacular fun thrown in for good measure!! What’s more the show will feature REAL ponies who will escort Cinderella to the ball!

Book now, you’re sure to have a ball!

Presented by Polka Dot Pantomimes

Christmas Twilight Tour – A Unique Christmas Event in Lancashire Hoghton Tower, NR PRESTON PR5 0SH - December 2015 (see website for details) www.hoghtontower.co.uk Book your place for a Twilight Tour and festive Tea.

Standard prices Adults £12.50 , Seniors £11, Children £10 Family of four £40 Golden Period Adults £13.50, Seniors £12, Children £11, Family of four £44 Group prices £9 plus 1 free ticket for every 10 tickets purchased.

Take a magical journey through the lower floors of Hoghton Tower all beautifully decorated for Christmas. Find out how Christmas was celebrated, from food to decoration, from 1565 onwards…some time travel involved. Tudor, Georgian and Victorian Christmas traditions will be relived in these historic rooms.

Special performances: BSL Signed performance: Monday 15th December 1pm Wednesday 23rd December 6.15pm

Please call the Hoghton Tower office on 01254 85 2986 to book your place.

Numbers limited to 25 per tour.

For more information please visit www.lowtherpavilion.co.uk

Relaxed Performances: Friday 11th December 10am Tuesday 22nd December 6.15pm

OUT + ABOUT

What are you asking for this Christmas and New Year?

Festive two night energiser breaks in December and January start from just £239 per person, including an aqua thermal journey, dinner, full English breakfast, an overnight stay and seasonal stress buster treatment.

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The SPA Hotel at Ribby Hall Village has most things a grownup could ask for in a festive hotel break. For those looking to escape and relax why not try the unique spa facilities including the aqua thermal journey and its outdoor terrace hot tub – to be enjoyed during the daytime or underneath the stars and surrounded by gorgeous countryside views?

Don’t just take our word for it, join the conversation and see what others guests have said about their stay.

Expect delicious food and discerning service. Enjoy intimate and candle lit dining in The Orangery. There’s a fabulous array of wines and Laurent Perrier champagnes to help you celebrate; as well as the tantalising afternoon tea for two.Choose from a whole host of luxurious treatments for both men and women and seek sanctuary in a luxurious and spacious hotel room with 24 hour room service.

For those who prefer something a little more active there’s a gym within The SPA Hotel itself with the option of booking your own personal trainer. Also, an awardwinning health club within The Village welcomes all hotel guests to their adult only 25 metre swimming pool, numerous racket sports and more than 80 group fitness classes a week. Alternatively, on a crisp winter’s day perhaps you’d prefer to simply wrap up and take a gentle meander throughout our 100 acres or explore the Woodland Trail?

Gift vouchers from The SPA Hotel at Ribby Hall Village The perfect Christmas gift!

For more information regarding The SPA Hotel’s Christmas & New Year Breaks visit Ribbyhall.co.uk/spa-hotel or Call FREE on 0800 107 0336

For all your Christmas shopping with over 150 stalls

Santa’s Christmas Grotto

5, 12, 19, 22 & 24 December 10am - 4.30pm £2 per child

/WyreMarkets Victoria Street / Adelaide Street, Fleetwood, Lancashire FY7 6AB 01253 887651

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| 33

Paul Nicholas Laid-back high-achiever Paul catches up with us to discuss his long career, from Just Good Friends right up to his current roles as Gavin Sullivan in Eastenders and Scrooge in A Christmas Carol which runs from December 4th - January 3rd at Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

It's quite likely that one of the keys to actor Paul Nicholas’s success is a no-stress policy that extends to most parts of his life.

When we talked, he was in the middle of a lengthy run of the Agatha Christie play “And Then There Were None”, and had been playing in Westcliff on Sea that day. “We’re somewhere else next week but I’m not sure where,” he replies

34 | WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

in the familiar and friendly tones that have endeared him to TV and theatre audiences for the past 40 or so years.

The exact tour location wasn’t somewhere he was particularly worried about but the play – in which he is a judge “typically serious and quite posh, actually” – was one project sandwiched among several. For example, he had also just come back from a stint directing the musical “Tommy” in Blackpool with Joe McEldery – “who is brilliant and really can sing”.

These commitments had made another facet of his recent career, as Kathy Beale’s husband, Gavin Sullivan, in TV favourite “EastEnders”, a little difficult to achieve as filming had to be arranged around the hectic Nicholas schedule.

So, was he enjoying this new TV role.

“Oh yes,” he asserts, happily. “I love doing different things and this is great.” And is Gavin nice or nasty?

“He’s not one or the other, really,” he states. “Just highly strung.” So we’ll have to wait and see how this interesting character develops.

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW It ended in 1986 with the couple marrying and afterwards Paul starred in major drama series “Bust” and another “Close to Home” - a sitcom about a vet.

In fact, during this period he became a small screen regular and favourite for millions, especially women.

Since then, he has returned to the theatre to play numerous roles, notably as the Pirate King in “The Pirates of Penzance” and in the lead role in “Barnum”.

He has both toured and had West End runs. His mercurial nature means he doesn’t mind touring too much, although he was hoping that his EastEnders’ character would have some longevity as “it’s only half an hour away from home for filming and so it’s easy.”

...we all need to continue doing the things we like, and also doing a variety of things.

I think that’s what keeps you healthy.

This laidback but high-achieving approach has stood Paul Nicholas in good stead ever since he first came to public attention as a pop singer called Paul Dean in the late 1970s. He had two Top Ten hits but then decided to combine singing with acting and headed for the stage, taking the role of Rum Tum Tugger in the original London cast of the musical “Cats” in the early 1980s to great success.

He also had a film career around this time with appearances in the Beatles’ film “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and followed that up with “The World is Full of Married Men.” He then went against his perceived nice-guy type as the loutish punk singer in “The Jazz Singer” before starring with Joan Collins in “The Nutcracker” in 1983.

What many TV fans remember Paul most for, however, was the role of Vince in the gentle romantic comedy “Just Good Friends” with Jan Francis, written by John Sullivan. Millions tuned in each week to see how the engaging romance, and its two charismatic central characters, fared.

He’s canny enough to know that appearing on TV also sells theatre tickets – “well, people like to come to see you when your profile is high, don’t they?”

But he has plainly been offered plenty of high-profile theatre roles and is naturally viewed as a box-office safe bet.

He doesn’t feel the need for labourintensive pets these days, “but I have a tortoise called Toby that I’ve had for 20 years who is wonderful,” he states.

“He goes around our walled garden all day and I bring him in at night, if I can find him. He’s perfectly happy – I bought him a little lamp the other day and he loves keeping warm!”

Ask him to name his own favourite roles and he immediately plumps for Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” and King Arthur in “Camelot.” “I like playing King Arthur,” he confides. “You know, Lancelot runs off with his wife Guinevere. We always get a few sniffles from the audience at the end, which tells you that it’s working.”

He’s 69 now, with six children and 11 grandchildren, but he’s retained a youthful look and still has that glint in his eye. He appears to refuse to take most things in life seriously. He doesn’t exercise – “that’s not true, really. My house has a basement and three floors so I try to run up the stairs. Well, I run up the first few!”

He doesn’t drink alcohol much, likes a “meat and two veg” kind of diet with no spicy food and is unlikely to die from stress. His mother lived until she was 92, which he takes as a positive sign – “it’s in the genes” - but his workload continues to be quite full-on.

Does he feel like slowing down a bit as he gets older? “Not really,” he says, mildly. “I’m sure that, like most of your readers, we all need to continue doing the things we like, and also doing a variety of things. I think that’s what keeps you healthy.”

With most information that Paul Nicholas gleefully imparts, you feel you should be taking it with a large pinch of salt. But there is no denying that he has a relaxed philosophy on life that has stood him in very good stead over the years.

He has no real desire to play particular roles, although was looking forward to a four-week stint as Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” at Blackpool Winter Gardens from December 4th to January 3rd. “Yes, it’s an exciting production,” he enthuses. “It’s quite an adult show but it’s got ghosts for the children and families do love this show.

“I like Blackpool,” he adds. “It’s a great place for all ages. It doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t and people have a good time.”

And, actually, that general description could be extended to Paul Nicholas himself. He’s a talented actor and singer, not to mention a director and producer, whose life just seems to go from one success to another – all quite by some mysterious quirk of fate.

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| 35

HEALTH

Quality dentures mean a quality lifestyle The Importance of Dentures The eyes, nose and teeth are the focal points of every face; they give the first impressions of your personality.

Natural teeth grow in proportion and in harmony with your facial features and your dentures should be made accordingly.

Your teeth, or your dentures, have many important functions: to support your facial muscles, to help formulate your speech, and most importantly to chew your food and start the digestive process.

It is very important to chew food properly, as poorly chewed food will take longer to digest, especially for the elderly who could risk problems in the digestive system.

Choice of Dentures There are four main quality standards in denture materials.

The denture base (gum coloured on which the denture teeth sit).

36 | WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

• • • • •

Standard Quality High Impact Acrylics (much stronger) Injection Pressure Formed (Premium Denture Base) Flexible (Partial Dentures) Metal Denture

The Denture Teeth • • • •

2 Layer Acrylic (economy) 3 Layer Acrylic (harder wearing) 4 Layer Reinforced (hard wearing, natural look) N.F.C. (Nano filled composite) premium teeth.

Of course, the materials alone will not make a good denture. In the hands of a skillful and experienced Clinical Dental Technician the best results are achieved.

Dentures Need Regular Servicing Dentures are in constant use almost 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They are also in a pretty hostile environment in the mouth, being attacked by strong acid, bacteria, hot, cold and spicy food.

Denture material absorbs liquids and food odour.

Daily cleaning is essential as well as professional ultrasonic cleaning in a dental laboratory at least once a year. Due to constant bone resorbtion dentures will become loose sooner or later.

Loose dentures will increase damage to the gums and bone structure, and increase the risk of breakage. Have them re-lined as soon as possible to get a good fit. It only takes a day or two.

Have your dentures inspected by a Clinical Dental Technician at least every two years, or more frequently if necessary.

Your Dentures need Attention 1. When they become loose.

2. When teeth or denture base discolours.

3. When tooth surfaces become flat.

4. When denture base does not fit around natural teeth (in partial dentures).

HEALTH 5. When you develop deep lines around your mouth.

6. When your chin sticks out, and the corners of your lips are constantly wet, developing sores.

7. When you stop smiling and feel embarrassed.

Major improvements in Facial Features

My Dentures have become loose!

Should I have a spare set of Dentures made?

This is easily remedied by a procedure know as Re-lining. A new layer of Denture base is added to your existing Denture, improving the fit and restoring confidence.

Dentures with worn down teeth Teeth excessively worn, require a new set of dentures.

Dentures on Implants

This type of Denture is constructed in conjunction with the Dental Implant Surgeon. This is a very good procedure when the patient has limited control and retention of their Dentures. The finished Dentures ‘click’ into position offering the ultimate in Denture Retention.

Padding dentures to reduce lines and fill up sunken cheeks will require a new set of dentures. It is advisable to have a new set of dentures made every 5 to 10 years.

Yes, it is very important to have a spare set of dentures for emergencies in case of breakage.

Difficulties in Constructing a Good Set of Dentures Constructing a functional and aesthetically pleasing set of dentures is one of the most difficult task in dentistry. We are not only replacing lost teeth, but also lost tissue matter and bone. In other words, we have to recreate your facial features as they were before the loss of your natural teeth.

In most cases we do not know what your teeth looked like, what size they were or what position they were in originally. We have a few indications but mostly we have to rely on our visual and artistic judgement.

At the same time we have to use our technical expertise in order to make the denture stable and functional. Denture construction is more art than science.

What is a Clinical Dental Technician?

Professional Clinical Dental Technicians are members of the Dental Health Care Team. They have undergone specific training and education in the skills and knowledge necessary to provide a removable appliance service directly to the community.

Equipped with solid technical training as a Dental Technician - plus posttechnician training in sciences, clinical skills, and interpersonal skills - the Clinical Dental Technician can design, create, construct and modify (repair and rebase) removable appliances to ensure optimal fit, maximum comfort and general well-being of patients.

These skills enable the Clinical Dental Technician, whilst remaining a member of the Dental Health Care Team, to work independently of other Dental Health Care providers.

LEYLAND DENTURE CENTRE for your next quality denture

• Qualified Clinical Dental Technicians • New Dentures and Relines • Dental Repairs • Free Consultations

NEW DENTURES MADE AT THE CLINIC

PREVIOUS DENTURES

Contact us at:

01772 623 623

Independence House | Golden Hill Lane | Leyland | PR25 3NP Registered with the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL

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| 37

We help hundreds of people live independently in their own homes every day.

Progress Lifeline offers remote monitoring in your home and emergency personal assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to help to make your life easier, safer and more comfortable.

We can help support you to stay in your own home for longer and also provide much-welcomed reassurance and peace of mind, not only to yourself but also to your family, friends and carers.

FREE installation and first four weeks free

Get in touch For more information call today on 01772 678910 or email lifeline@progressgroup.org.uk (please quote ‘50Plus’) www.progresslifeline.org.uk www.facebook.com/ProgressLifeline

Progress Lifeline is an easy-to-use personal alarm system that can enable you to remain independent and more confident in your own home.

Prices start from £3.60 per week.

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To receive the next two issues of 50 Plus Magazine hot off the press, either for yourself or to treat a friend, please fill in the form below and post with a cheque for £3.40 made payable to McGrath Media: 6th Floor, 120 Bark Street, Bolton BL1 2AX Tick here if you wish to keep up to date with our email newsletters!

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holidays | HEALTH & FITNESS | HOME & GARDEN | CELEBRITIES | FOOD & DRINK & MORE...

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What will youryour legacy be?

What will legacy be?

Leaving a gift in your Will ensures we can continue our work giving shelter to over 1,000 animals each year.

We depend totally on the generosity of our supporters.

ANIMAL CARE has a long history in the Lancaster & Morecambe area so by remembering us in your Will you are supporting a local charity in a lasting way.

About Lucy...

Lucy (AKA Lucky) is a beautiful girl who we would need to rehome with someone who has had Akita's or Husky's before. She is a little shy around new people but once she has got use to you she is fine.

Lucy has come to us as her owner has moved into a home where she is not settling and howling when left alone.

Lucy is fine around dogs once she gets to know Akita C them but would be best suited as an only dog in ro 8 years ssbreed , Fe her new home. Lucy is looking for a home with ma 5 mont older children and someone who can give her hs old le lots of exercise. Lucy has her own special personality and is quite a sensitive lady she enjoys walks and loves to be brushed but on her own terms she's not a dog that likes to much fuss and attention and enjoys her own company. Š Image by Janine Bebbington

ANIMAL CARE is a small rehoming centre helping stray, unwanted and ill treated animals until caring new homes can be found for them.

Registered Charity No. 508819

Animal Care

(Lancaster, Morecambe and District)

Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster, LA2 ORD | Telephone: 01524 65495 | Fax: 01524 841819 Email: rehoming@animalcare-lancaster.co.uk | www.animalcare-lancaster.co.uk

WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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4th December 2015 - 3rd January 2016 BOOK BY PHONE:

0844 856 1111 (BOOKING FEES MAY APPLY)

BOOK IN PERSON:

WINTER GARDENS BOX OFFICE

CHURCH STREET BLACKPOOL (OPENING HOURS VARY)

www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk