Life in Buckingham February 2017 issue

inbusinessmags.co.uk

February 2017 FREE

BUCKINGHAM IN BUSINESS

Life in

WIN T ICKETS

BUCKINGHAM Distributed to Buckingham & Many Surrounding Villages

Fully qualified 25 years experience No job too small

Fully insured Local tradesman All building work undertaken

For all your home maintenance needs.

• Brickwork • Stonework • Garage Conversions • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Extensions • Patios • Landscaping • Fencing • Roofing etc For your free no obligation quotation call: 01280 423847 or 07701073720 www.homefixbms.webeden.co.uk e:homefixbuilders@googlemail.com

2

The aim of the monthly Life in Buckingham Magazine is to support businesses in order that the local community can flourish.

Website: www.inbusinessmags.co.uk

Mandy Johnson Editor

FEBRUARY 2017 ISSUE

Welcome...

Office: 0844 6933228 Home: 01386 555038 Mobile: 07899 757473

...to the 1ST 2017 edition of the Life in Buckingham

ADVERTISING Mandy Johnson

magazine. This year I will be filling the magazines with new ideas, editorials and lots more... May 2017 be a prosperious year for all.

Mandy Johnson x

4

6

9

5

6

2 8

7

FEATURES EDITOR Kate Martin NEXT ISSUE COPY DATE

15th FEBRUARY 2017 Š 2017. All artwork and copy appearing in this publication is copyright and may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

SUDOKU

8

6

Email: inbusinessmags@gmail.com Events email: lifeinbuckingham@gmail.com

7 5 4

4

7

3

More inside...

2 8

4

5

1

All information published is correct according to those who supplied it and no responsibility is taken if it is not. Care is taken to ensure all advertisements are truthful and no liability is accepted for errors or omissions. The right to refuse advertisements is reserved. The use of this publication for canvassing, direct marketing or any other activity apart from sourcing local goods and services is strictly prohibited.

The above title is a division of The Best Area Magazines Ltd 3 CHECKETTS CLOSE, PINVIN Worcs, WR10 2LE

5 9

LOOK INSIDE 3

4

5

WHY SKIP? GRAB!!

Reliable, Friendly Service with a Personal Touch

Oxfordshire & Surrounding Counties

www.bicestersweepers.co.uk sales@bicestersweepers.co.uk

TEL: 01869 277410 MOB: 07710 707174

38 Tanners Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5BP

Tel: 01908 218875

Unit 12, Beachampton Business Park, Nash Road, Beachampton, Milton Keynes, MK19 6EA 6

www.EandEservices.co.uk

7

Family focus

A little kindness goes a long way......

We all love a treat, surprise or a helping hand when life’s a bit tough, and it’s just as nice doing a kind deed for a friend, and seeing their happiness – so how about paying it forward?

The idea is that, if we all stop and think of someone else, perhaps a random stranger the person in front of you in the newsagents’ queue, perhaps someone with no change on the bus or at a parking meter, and help them out, that the kindness will come full circle and we will benefit both spiritually and practically, by helping another and by receiving help when we need it.

It’s really a modern take on the old sense of family and community

values, revamped for the age – so many people live alone or well away from family, may work long hours and not speak to their neighbours, so we have less ability to be

helpfully involved in each others’ lives. The idea of helping a

stranger out, or just doing a kind thing, with the only requirement that the recipient also does something kind for another, spreads the feeling of a world-wide community, where we all help each other out and are kind to everyone.

This fits with most organised systems of belief and religion, where when you pare away the deities and worship, all equate to the same guidelines – live gently, be kind and help others. An excellent set of moral principles for us all to live by.

• Oil boiler installation, servicing & repairs

• LPG boiler installation, servicing & repairs

• Gas boiler installation, servicing & repairs

• Landlord certification for the above

• Unvented & Vented hot water systems

www.gatesplumbing.com

• Plumbing & Heating refurbishments

Specialists in all types of Heating - Gas and Oil 8

Health, Beauty & Fashion

9

10

Health, Beauty & Fashion

PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING

PAT THOMPSON

MA in Psychotherapy and Counselling UKCP Registered Psychotherapist.

•I am a registered Psychotherapist with 25 years experience, the last 20 years being in private practice in this area.

•I work with a broad range of people from many walks of life including: - Some who are deeply unhappy, without knowing why.

- Some who cannot break out of abusive patterns of behaviour which are damaging to themselves or others.

- Some who are overwhelmed with powerful feelings, thoughts and emotions and cannot make sense of them.

- Some who have lost their way and a sense of who they are.

These different issues show up as:

STRESS, ANXIETY & DEPRESSION, EATING DISORDERS, RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, PHOBIAS & OBSESSIONS,

to name a few...

•I believe that people’s present day problems are often rooted in the past and can be ingrained, I can help to resolve these and put them into perspective.

For an initial appointment please contact

Tel.01869-811241 or E-Mail: pt.thompson1@gmail.com www.pat-thompson.co.uk

11

Schools urged to 'go

Schools across Buckinghamshire are being invited to make a New Year resolution to save energy, cut carbon emissions, and save money.

In the latest round of RE:fit, a three-year County Council programme started in 2015 to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions by 10%, schools are being offered a package of new lighting, along with heating and energy controls. Annual cost savings could amount to 12%.

Four schools - at Great Horwood, Waddesdon, Hazlemere and High Wycombe - took part in a pilot with a total investment of ÂŁ115,000.

Annual energy cost reductions of more than ÂŁ11,000 will save the County Council around a quarter of a million pounds within 25 years.

They have had new economical LED lighting and sensors installed, and one - Millbrook Combined, in High Wycombe - has had stateof-the-art efficient heat and pool pumps fitted.

The RE:fit programme is now being opened up to all schools. Up-front costs come from interest-free Government-funded Salix loans, which the Council repays over eight to ten years with some of the guaranteed energy savings.

Warren Whyte, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, said RE:fit was part of a longer-term commitment to drive down carbon emissions and energy costs.

Michael Arnold & Son Painting & Decorating

Interior & exterior Free quotations

Fast, friendly service Fully insured

Established for over 25 years

Tel: 01280 812431 07812 716661

12

Bespoke Interiors

green' to save energy

We set ourselves an ambitious reduction target of 10% by April (2017) as part of our Carbon Management Plan, which will be good for the environment, create better public spaces, and reduce running costs,' he said. 'This is a great opportunity for schools to get more efficient and reliable heating and lighting, and create brighter classrooms.'

Improvement work will start as soon as the first 10 schools sign up to the programme.

The RE:fit programme has already invested £800,000 in roof-mounted solar panels, LED lights and energy management controls in 19 council buildings with annual savings of around £84,000, and an annual reduction in carbon emissions of nearly 700 tonnes - equivalent to the carbon footprint of 63 people. During the coming year, 11 libraries across the county will get new LED lighting, heating controls and timers at a cost of around £130,000. Annual savings are expected to be more than £15,000.

The RE:fit programme builds on the success of a previous energy and carbon reduction initiative, including a schools wall, loft and pipework insulation scheme, a biomass boiler replacement programme, and the replacement of all traffic light bulbs with LEDs. It also included installation of solar panels on five council buildings to generate more than £300,000 in feed-in tariff over 25 years.

by Kevin Weakley

Kitchen & Bathroom TRANSFORMATIONS

Individual Kitchens

Affordable Prices

Get your ideal kitchen at a price you can afford this Spring. Whether you want a brand new kitchen or to simply freshen up your existing one with replacement doors and worktops, we can create the perfect kitchen for you.

www.bespokeinteriorskw.co.uk

01296 733833 07855 851004

13

Use Leaflets?

Let us distribute them for you

We design and deliver leaflets or can distribute your ready-made materials.

A maximum of 2 slots per month are available per magazine 10 times a year

Please contact Kate or Mandy 0844 693 3228 inbusinessmags@gmail.com 14

‘7’ Year Warranty on All Worcester Boiler Installs

Full Heating Installation - Boiler Replacements Solar Hot Water Systems - Hot Water Cylinders Boiler Servicing

C a l l To d a y F o r Yo u r N o

Obligation Quotation

maxheat@sky.com

All Building Work Undertaken

All types of Domestic Electrical Work Carried Out

General Servicing & Plumbing

No call out charges Free Quotations Friendly Local Electrician Part P Approved Additional Sockets / Lights, Full Rewire, Exterior / Lighting, Fault Rectification, Electric Showers, Consumer Units.

Insurance Work Extensions Groundworks Conservatories Landscaping Roofing Kitchen Fitting Gas Boilers,

Bathrooms & Ensuites etc... also specialists in GARAGE CONVERSIONS

T: 01280 700692 or Mobile: 07771863495

88 Westbrook End Newton Longville

Tel Home: 01908 649143

Mob: 07541 025351 www.evelingelectrical.co.uk 15

ALL TYPES OF FLAT ROOFING TILING, SLATING, RE-POINTING, REPAIRS AND RE-ROOFS FASCIAS AND GUTTERS REPAIRED OR REPLACED CHIMNEYS RE-POINTED A L L W O R K C A R R I E S I N S U R A N C E WA R R A N T Y

F R E E E S T I M AT E S

Tel: 01280 730831 MOBILE: 07956 114001

Credit Cards Accepted Established 20 Years www.PBROOFING.co.uk

COMPETITIVE

RATES

Winterhills, Silverstone, Towcester, Northants NN12 8UG

www.grahamchurchillplant.co.uk

LEE’S PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

Everything you need for your home & office improvements PAINTING, DECORATING, KITCHENS, BATHROOMS, CARPENTRY, TILING, WOODEN FLOORING, & MUCH MORE ...

CALL FOR A FREE QUOTE

Tel: 01280 701504

16

Mob: 07956 039268

www.centraleisure.co.uk

Motorhome & Caravan Service Centre

Brackley

MOTORHOME HOLIDAY HIRE Buckingham

SERVICING ACCESSORIES

TYRES

All Insurance & warranty undertaken

All Motorhome & Caravan Accessories supplied and fitted to the highest of quality

FOR ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES AVAILABLE

@centraleisure

Unit 2 Greatworth Hall Greatworth Banbury Oxon OX17 2DH

central.leisure@hotmail.co.uk

T el: 01295 760800 17

SERVICE

07454 191807 paul@ecocleancare.co.uk

Call us NOW for the latest SKY offers

01295 250206 01280 702922 0500 36 46 46

ECO-Friendly Carpet Cleaning in your home or business that wont cost the earth

Experts at getting rid of waste

Blackpitts Barn, Welsh Lane, Helmdon, Nr Brackley, Northamptonshire,NN13 5QY

• SKIP HIRE • CONTAINER HIRE • WASTE MANAGEMENT • RECYCLING • WASTE DISPOSAL

T: 01280 851081 18

PLUMBING & HEATING Over 30 years Experience

FULLY QUALIFIED PLUMBERS &

GAS ENGINEERS

New Boilers / Power Flushing Full Heating Installation / Boiler Servicing Landlord Certificates / General Plumbing Bathrooms / Licensed to install Megaflo & Unvented Cyclinders

T: 01280 841035 Mobile: 07831 898705 Leaks & Repairs Gas Safe Registration No.35528

www.samooreservices.co.uk

CLARKE'S PLUMBING AND HEATING

OVER 28 YEARS EXPERIENCE OF DOMESTIC PLUMBING AND HEATING

• BOILER SERVICING • REPAIRS • GASWORK • INSTALLATION • HEATING/HOTWATER Brackley Based

07549 618609 www.clarkesplumbingandheating.co.uk

584690

19

SUDOKU Give it a go.....

8

3 9

7 2

9 1 6

9 7

4 6 8

2 4 1

3 4 9

2 6

5 1

TOTAL ASPECT PLUMBING

7 2

8 5

3

216955

Boiler Replacement Full Heating Systems Complete Bathroom Installations All Plumbing & Heating Work Undertaken Fully Insured

Vaillant Approved Installer

Woodlands Logs & Kindling DELIVERED LOCALLY 0844 4141174 20

Call for a FREE Estimate on:

T: 01296 730441 M: 07791 525210

E: goward77@googlemail.com

www.totalaspectplumbing.co.uk

Thank goodness it’s officially the last month of Winter, and Spring is just around the corner the cold weather and short, dark days are disappearing, filling us with that lovely sense of hope for the new season. For wildlife, too, Spring can’t come soon enough, and on sunny days later this month, you’ll see birds pairing up and perhaps nestbuilding, those sure signs that nature’s year is about to start again.

It’s National Nestbox week starting on 14th, Valentines Day, and I’m sure we can all find a spot, on the side of the house or trunk of a tree in the garden, perhaps on the shed, for a nestbox or three, to help the smallest garden birds have a safe, cat-free place to raise their young.

As always at this chilly time of year, it’s important to keep feeding garden birds, and to ensure there’s water out for them as well, when it’s icy, to help keep them in good condition until nature is more generous in the

Pets Corner Wildlife in February

warmer months.

In ponds, slow-moving streams and deep ditches, there are signs that frogs and toads are thinking along the same lines, as those jellylike clumps and strands of spawn appear – it’s great fun to borrow a little bit and keep it in a large jar of pond water, where kids can see the tadpoles hatch and watch them grow.

Once they’re out and wiggling, the tadpoles may start to need additional food, and a tiny piece of bacon, dangled from a thread to keep it floating on the water’s surface, will nourish them, and they’ll soon start to grow little legs – a fascinating process for both kids and not-so-kids to watch!Wild mammals are out and about looking for food, too – on

frosty mornings, or when snow is on the ground, you can clearly see the tracks across parks and gardens, and it’s interesting to identify these footprints, and find just how many nocturnal species come visiting each evening. Fox, badger, rabbit and rat are the most common, along with those pretty pawprints left by neighbourhood cats, patrolling their patch, and it’s quite interesting to see how much wildlife your garden hosts overnight!

21

GARDENING THIS MONTH

Five fabulous plants for February

expect for the time of year. Our plants, on the other hand, have revelled in what I think we can describe as ‘a normal winter’. There are some plants which, as light levels increase and temperatures rise, really shine out in our beds, pots and borders. Already displaying their pure glory are the Hellebores and Oriental hybrid Hellebores which bloom before virtually anything else in the garden.

The Helleborus niger forms have been particularly fantastic this

Someone once said that February is the border between winter and spring and in our gardens its certainly the case, says Buckingham Garden Centre’s Chris Day..

As I write this in mid January there’s a threat of some snow, ice and gales – weather conditions you sort of

winter, especially the named varieties such as ‘Christmas Carol’ and ‘Wintergold’ (pictured). Look out for Helleborus x ericsmithii and its varieties as they are worth growing for the foliage alone. Fifty years ago, Eric Smith managed to combine three hellebores to produce an unusual and gorgeous plant which still retained the essential demureness and modesty of the originals. Smith was a nurseryman who worked first at Hilliers, later at the Plantsmen nursery and finally at Hadspen House. The varieties ‘Jonas’, ‘Shooting Star’ (pictured), ‘Snow Frills’ and ‘Marlon’ are amongst the

Established 1992

Local Garden Construction Specialist with a reputation built on lasting quality Blocked Paved Driveways, Patios & Paving, Walls, Steps, Fencing and all aspects of Garden Construction

AM Cater Landscaping-Ltd

22

many varieties of H x ericsmithii offered and you certainly won’t be disappointed by their performance!

Growing wise Helleborus x ericsmithii thrives in well-drained soil in an open, sunny situation. If you garden on clay soil, dig lots of horticultural grit into the planting position, or grow it in a pot. Hellebores produce very dense root systems, so the pots should be deep, and they will die during their first winter if simply planted out in cold, heavy clay.

All gardens, no matter what the size, can accommodate a dogwood (Cornus) or two.

The striking stem colour provides a wonderful foil for other evergreens and they look lovely underplanted with the likes of early dwarf spring bulbs. We sell a good range as bare-rooted Dogwoods which are quick and relatively inexpensive way of creating some serious winter garden impact into

Whilst the common or garden primroses attract a lot of interest from gardeners wanting to create a worthy splash of colour, do check out the growing number of named garden forms appearing in Garden Centres this year. Their names are as tempting as the plants themselves - ‘Cherry Blossom’ - a distinctive cherry pink with a yellow centre; ‘Firecracker’, a particular eye-catching new Polyanthus bearing yellow blooms with a fiery orange-red edge; ‘Stonewash’ – an unusual inky white and blue stripy flower and ‘Woodland Walk’, a pure white with pink tinges through to stronger pink/mauve floral markings set against bronze foliage.

your plot. Cornus alba ‘Siberica’ (sometimes called ‘Westonbirt’) is one of the more popular varieties we sell bare root. Good ones to look out for include Cornus ‘Baton Rouge’ (a compact, bushy form with striking red stems), Cornus ‘Bud’s Yellow’ (bright yellow winter stems) and ‘Midwinter Fire’ (brilliant flame-coloured stems).

Dogwoods perform best in full sun in well prepared moist soil, but they don’t mind our Buckingham clay.

B.B.B Home and Garden Property Maintenance Interior & Exterior * Painting & Decorating Home Improvements * Garden Renovation Projects All aspects of gardening Fencing * Hard & Soft Landscaping Drives * Patios * Paths Fencing * Turfing Brickwork * Re-pointing Planting * Pruning Local reliable service Please call:01280 Local reliable815636 service/ 07754054651 or email: ELEANOR.FENABLES@sky.com Please call:01280 815636 / 07754054651 Find us at yell.com or email: ELEANOR.FENABLES@sky.com

23

These primulas are very accommodating and will grow in both full sun and part shade. They do prefer a moisture retentive soil so careful mulching after flowering to help conserve moisture in the soil doesn’t go amiss. One of the best wall shrubs to brighten a difficult north or east facing wall or fence is the winter jasmine, Jasminium nudiflorum.

This much-underrated shrub really comes into its own through the winter months when those distinctive and cheerful dainty yellow flowers appear on the bare green stems - perfect to lighten the winter gloom. You do need to think

about giving the plants some support either setting up wires or a trellis work to enable the stems to be ‘trained’ to fill the area. Jasmine can be a little slow in getting established so make sure the newly planted shrub is kept well-watered and fed regularly through the main growing season (MarchSeptember) to help those blooms develop from November onwards.

Hamamelis mollis or the Chinese witch hazel is our final February contender to the list and what a stunner. There’s no doubt that the sheer presence of a witch hazel in full flower is a sight to behold. Varieties over the years

have moved on and again its worth searching out some of the very best if you can. Hamamelis are grafted plants and are typically more expensive than the conventional deciduous and evergreen shrubs but this shouldn’t put you off! Their colour and especially their fragrance is likely to make this your biggest February show stopping plant, so it’s worth a little extra!

Here’s a few to watch out for Hamamelis ‘Diane’, sweetly scented, rich coppery-red flowers; H ‘Sandra’, delicate, honey coloured, fragrant flowers; H. ‘Brentry’, pale yellow petals with maroon centres; H. ‘Magic Fire’ (pictured above), clusters of crinkled flowers in a beautiful coral red to orange and H. ‘Aurora’ bright golden orange, spidery, sweetly scented flowers.

WIN A Buckingham Garden Centre Gift Voucher worth £25!

Snowdrop, hellebores and early primrose colour are now beginning to brighten our late winter plots so here’s hoping that spring is just around the corner. So, banish those winter blues by entering our easy-to-enter competition.

To win, simply answer the following question and TWO lucky readers will have the chance to win a Buckingham Garden Centre voucher, worth £25 – perfect for giving the garden a much deserved treat or two!

Question: Which famous garden did Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time broadcast from late last year for a special programme?

A. 10 Downing Street B. 221B Baker Street C. 46 Harley Street Pop your answer A, B or C together with your name and address to:

competition@buckingham-nurseries.co.uk Or by post to: Buckingham Garden Centre, Tingewick Road, Buckingham, MK18 4AE. The closing date for entries is 28th February 2017. www.buckinghamgardencentre.co.uk Tel: 01280 822133 www.facebook.com/BuckinghamNurseries Open 7 Days a Week.

24

Potato Day & Late Winter Scion Wood Swap Day

Our Special Weekend is in two halves - Saturday 4th February is our celebration of the Potato with our annual Potato Day headed up by Thompson & Morgan's top vegetable expert, Colin Randel. We are also welcoming members of the Buckinghamshire branch of the National Vegetable Society to help answer your vegetable questions from the allotments and show bench prospective. Kings Seeds’ Jason Breed will be on hand to offer vegetable growing advice too!

On Sunday 5th February, its scion wood swapping and apple grafting with The Mid Shires Orchard Group together with their apple experts. Moulton College’s top fruit expert, Fritz De Zutter, will be able to give one to one grafting demonstrations to those keen gardeners wanting to do their own grafting. A wide range of rootstocks will be on sale.

Vincent Landscapes of Buckingham est1990

FREEPHONE: 0800 6951944

www.vincent-landscapes.co.uk

Specialists in Landscape Design and Construction, from an idea to your Dream alfresco living space, where you work rest and play.

•Patios •Walling ( brick and natural stone) •Bespoke timber buildings •Fencing •Garden timber constructions For a free no obligation quote call or email Darren on

07918 193315

01280 817944

vincent-landscapes@hotmail.co.uk its not a job, its our passion!

MOBILE: 07788 513780

FULLY QUALIFIED AND INSURED TREE CARE AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE Leylandii & Conifer problems solved Hedges reduced and trimmed Pruning, thinning and felling Large or small jobs welcome

10% DISCOUNT FOR OAP’S

25

North Bucks Carers Support Group

Social Mornings at Buckingham Community Centre Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday's of the month 10 am until 12 noon Come for a coffee ,cake and a chat Also speakers, demonstrations and outings Contact Ann 07473766365 or

01280 308398

A WINTER WARMER CONCERT Saturday 11th February at 7.30pm In the Radcliffe Centre, Buckingham.

With classical guitarist MANUS NOBLE Music by Vivaldi, Barber, Bruch & Bach Tickets £15 from TIC at Old Gaol or www.buckingham summerfestival.org

Buckingham Yoga every Wednesday

Lace Hill Community Centre 6:30pm; 7:30pm & 8:45pm

Contact Julia on 07514498053

email julia@buckingham-yoga.co.uk Visit www.buckinghamyoga.co.uk

Every Monday/Thursday Buckingham & Stowe Running Club.

Please see our website for more information http://www.buckinghamrunningclub.com or email buckinghamrunningclub@hotmail.co.uk

BRACKLEY MORRIS MEN TASTER SESSIONS Thursday evenings, 8.15pm Brackley CE Junior School, Manor Road Brackley Further details from Stephen Ferneyhough 07764 799947

Buckingham Railway Walk Conservation Group

Meets on the first Saturday of each month 10am in the University Car Park Chandos Road. http://buckinghamrailwaywalk. btck.co.uk/ or https://www.facebook. com/Railwaywalk

Alternate Wednesdays

'Just Friends' social club for single people aged roughly 45 70+ Meet 8.00pm Villiers hotel lounge Walks, theatre, eating out & much more. justfriends2004@gmail.com

First Thursday of the Month

OPEN HOUSE

Sunday Morning

Every Sunday morning the Swan Wheelers have bicycle rides for all abilities. Starting from The Swan Pool 08-45. & Wednesday 9.15am See Swan Wheelers website

cskravmaga@sky.com

07526629955

BUCKINGHAM LIBRARY

Bucks Integrated Sensory Advice Service Advice and information on sight and hearing loss, home assessments, hearing aid maintenance and support.

Second Tuesday of the Month 10.00-12.00am

(part of Community Care North Bucks) Living on you own?

Join us at The Centre, Verney Close, Buckingham.

10.30am - 12.30pm for coffee and cake.

Occasional speakers and trips out

07473766365

Self Defence Classes every Wednesday at Maids Moreton School.

Kids and Teens 6.00 Adults 7.00

Aylesbury Vale Community Bank Want to save and borrow? Free drop in session for advice on saving and affordable loans 1st Wednesday of the month 10-11am

Reminiscence Coffee Morning Share your memories over a cup of coffee 3rd Thursday of every month 10.30-11.30

Learn my Way Get on Line Sessions Improve your computer and Internet skills One to one sessions at a time to suit you

Knit and Natter Group Enjoy a coffee and a natter while improving your crafting Every Thursday 2-3 pm

Men in Sheds Buckingham

Meet every Tuesday (10am to 1pm) and Friday (10am to 2pm) behind the Cote at the Woolpack in Well Street, Buckingham email: buckmshed@ btinternet.com

Bank Holiday Monday 1st May 2017

Thornborough Fun Run and 10 mile race, Thornborough A very friendly, popular and well organised event which takes place in and around the beautiful village of Thornborough.

For more details go to www.bucksinfo.net/tssc or email race-secretary @tssc-mail.org.uk

01280 823020.

www.buckinghamoldgaol.org.uk FEBRUARY 2017

Wednesday 1st 19.30 Talk on Roger Keyes, Tingewick’s Admiral by Andy Plumbly. Tickets £5 Buckingham Old Gaol Friday 3rd 10.00-13.00 Buckingham Library Open Day Tel 01296 382415

Saturday 4th Evenley Wood Gardens season starts with snowdrops. www.evenlywoodgarden.co.uk Evenley Wood Gardens, Nr Brackley

Saturday and Sunday 4th/5th Buckingham Garden Centre Potato weekend POTATO DAY Don’t forget our Spud-Tastic Potato Day, 4th February 2017, 10am-4pm . We will have top experts including top potato guru Colin Randel from T&M Seeds, vegetable growing tips from Jason Breed of King’s Seeds together with Members of the National Vegetable Society. Fritz De Zutter from Moulton College demonstrating fruit tree grafting. The event will also be raising money for Thrive, the Garden Centre’s chosen charity for 2017. We look forward to seeing you there!

28

TOWCESTER RACECOURSE

Thursday 2nd Feb Wednesday 15th Feb-

FREE ADMISSION Sunday 5th 19.30 Comedy Night. Over 18’s only. Tickets £12.50 on sale at TIC @Buckingham Old Gaol Old Towm Hall

Saturday 11th 19.30 ‘Winter Warmer ‘Concert. Tickets on sale at TIC @ Buckingham Old Gaol or on the door Adults £15 or £5 for under 18’s Radcliff Centre Monday 13th 14.00-15.30 Buckingham Access for All Group meeting Buckingham Library

Tuesday 14th Pancake Races (organized by Buckingham Town Council 816426) Parish Church Green

Thursday 16th 13.30-15.30 Children’s Activities. Tingewick Shops of Old.£15 for members. £3 for nonmembers Buckingham Old Gaol

Saturday 25th 10am Food Fair (organized by Buckingham Town Council – 816426) B’ham Community Centre

BUCKINGHAM & DISTRICT WALKING GROUP

Wed 8 February Watts Arms Hanslope Figure of Eight 10.00am Watts Arms At Old Stratford roundabout on A5

take A508 to Northampton. Take 2nd turning right to Cosgrove and then next left to Castlethorpe and Hanslope. At Castlethorpe turn left to Hanslope. The Watts Arms on the left at end of road.

Please park on road or pub CP. The morning walk is approx’ 4.5 miles to Border Gr’ and then Pinden End, returning to Hanslope. The afternoon loop is to Hatton Court. Everyone is invited back for tea and cake.

Leaders: Ann & Geoff Ellis 01908 511435 07470 060291

Sun 12 February Annual London Walk 7 Miles Linear 10.45am Near Lords Cricket Ground St John’s Wood This year we embrace the watery charms of Little Venice and the Serpentine before moving on through affluent Mayfair to the bright lights of Carnaby St’, Soho and Chinatown, thence via Westminster to finish our walk at the Royal Festival Hall. Bring sandwiches and a drink for lunch (we cannot guarantee a PH stop). There will be a café for morning coffee and refreshments at end of walk before boarding coach for return journey. Our coach will leave Buckingham Bus Stand at 8.30am with a pickup at Market Sq’ Stony Stratford at 8.45am. The return coach fare is £17. Cheques to be sent to the leaders and made payable to BDWG. When booking please advise where you want to be picked up or if you are joining the group in London. Leaders: Peter & Julia Bowtell 01280 815946, 07532 295408

Sat 23 February Grafham Water 10 Miles Circular 10.00am Mander Park From Buckingham take the A421 to Bedford and Cambridge. You will join the A1 at the Blackcat roundabout east of Bedford. Follow signs for A1 North. After about 6 miles leave A1 following signs for Grafham Water (B661). Ignore all signs for Grafham Water and alternative parking until you reach the village of Perry. Drive through the village passing The Wheatsheaf PH. After passing through the village the Mander Park CP is on the right (£3/day). Toilets and café open until 4.00pm. The walk is round the perimeter of the lake, no hills or stiles, maybe mud. We pass through several nature reserves and the main visitor centre, before reaching the PH for a quick drink. The café may still be open at the Mander Park CP for hot refreshments. Leader: Gill Scott 01908 567636 07910 756519

29

2nd prize...Win 2 x Tickets for Holmes & Watson on the 22nd March 2017 Richard Wells,

Buckingham

Silverstone Rally School advert on page 24

30

31