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Sittingbourne Magazine

Autumn 2015

Third Edition

29/2/2016.

29/2/2016.

Kitchens. Bedrooms. Bathrooms.

Vine Farm, Stockers Hill, Boughton-under-Blean, ME13 9AB | 01227 751130 | www.rootsfaversham.co.uk

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Don’t leave it too late to properly prepare for next year’s 11+ tests, GCSEs and A levels. Secure your place in one of our new classes. Including preparation for the 2016 11+ test, GCSE and A levels.

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Welcome ... to the third edition of the Sittingbourne Community Ad Magazine.

In this edition of the magazine we have articles from Swale Community and Voluntary Services, Home-Start Sittingbourne and Sheppey, as well as international artist Dean Tweedy.

We also have helpful tips on keeping warm this winter and your guide to a happy retirement.

If you’re a local club, charity or event organiser please feel free to send your details through and we can include these in our next edition.

If anyone has local issues or concerns that they would like highlighted please send details through by email to jon@community-publishing.org or post to 7 Cecil Square, Margate, Kent CT9 1BD. You can also call us on 01843 200016.

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PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

A big thank you goes out to all the local businesses that have advertised and supported the Sittingbourne Community Magazine To advertise please call Nick 01843 221898 Published by Community Ad Web Ltd 01843 834160 email info@communityad.co.uk web www.communityad.co.uk The views expressed in any published content are solely those of the contributors. The Publishers accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any information contained in the publication. The contents of this magazine including images may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, downloaded or displayed in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Community Ad Web Ltd. Unless otherwise specified, the authors of the literary and artistic works in the pages in this magazine have asserted their moral right pursuant to Section 77 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of those works. The Publishers reserve the right not to publish a submission or part of a submission that they consider defamatory or otherwise inappropriate for publication. CommunityAd wishes to advise all readers that it does not endorse or recommend any products or services contained herein. CommunityAd does not, therefore, take any legal responsibility for the advice given by any of the advertisers.

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Festive Lights for Sittingbourne The centre of Sittingbourne will once again be lit up this festive season, thanks to the generosity of the townsfolk and the hard work of the Sittingbourne Christmas Lights Association.

This year’s Grand Switch-on will take place on Saturday 28th November and the day promises to be fun-packed with something for all the family.

There will be entertainment all day at the stage in Central Avenue and the High Street will have fairground rides, refreshments and festive stalls selling everything from tasty treats to handmade gift ideas. The event officially opens at 11am and visitors are recommended to make sure they leave plenty of time to explore the many shops in Sittingbourne as well as the special events for Switch-on day.

Santa’s parade will take place from 4.15pm in the afternoon starting outside Wilkinsons and working it’s way down the length of the High Street. After the parade two lucky children from Teynham Primary School will join Santa on the stage to switch on the lights. The Grand Switch-on will be at 5pm.

The festive lights in Sittingbourne have been put on for the last 50 years by the Christmas Lights Association who receive no official funding and work all year to raise the £18,000 needed for the display. Fundraising events include a monthly cash draw, quiz nights, publicity stalls at local events and of course the ever-popular Santa Sleigh Rounds. The Sleigh rounds see Santa visiting as much of the town as possible on his sleigh accompanied by willing volunteers and collecting buckets throughout the month of December !

A The current committee of the SCLA

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consists of only a handful of members and they are always looking for more helpers especially as the busy festive season approaches. Anyone interested in helping, even in a small way, can find out more at www.sittingbournechristmaslights.org

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SCVS Swale Community and Voluntary Services

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Companionship at Christmas is an annual event helping to reduce the growing number of people that face the Christmas period alone.

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This could include those that are elderly, those with family further afield, or those with lower income and so are unable to celebrate. With the local community centre, Phoenix House, opening its doors on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day, we invite those who are alone to join us for a Christmas meal, music and entertainment. The event is entirely free of charge to attend, but pre-booking is essential.

Therefore, if you would like to join us as a guest on Christmas Day, Boxing Day (or both!) then register via the details below.

www.receptiontech.co.uk

This event is run entirely by volunteers, and if it wasn’t for their hard work and dedication over the years, the event could not continue.

Could you help? Now in its 24th year, we ask that anyone wishing to volunteer registers their interest via the details below. This year we are in particular need of a cook – so if you would like to put your culinary skills to the test then please let us know!

Kent’s big night out

A To volunteer your time or attend as a

guest, please contact Swale CVS, asking for Julia or Charissa, on 01795 473828

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St Mary of Charity The congregation and ‘friends’ of St Mary of Charity, the parish church of Faversham, have been fundraising since the beginning of Lent this year to enable the Church to improve the access in the South Porch, which is used as the main entrance. At present people with any kind of mobility problems need to negotiate a step into the porch and then several more steps into the church itself. If no one associated with the building is there, then the ramps which the church has have to be located and set out. The ramps themselves are too steep to walk down comfortably (even for those without mobility issues) and can be interesting if they are being attempted in a wheelchair. The various ramps which the church has were intended as a temporary measure - which has been in place too long!

The designs which have been approved and which the Church is putting out to tender involve a gentle sloping stone floor inside the porch; once inside the building there will be a gentle fixed ramp leading off to the left and

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returning to floor level by the first pillar. For those who want to use steps, there will be a small flight on the right, with a handrail. Other improvements to the social space at the back (or west end) of the nave will also be made.

The fundraising has involved concerts, bake sales, sales of home made cards and pictures, hand made items for sale and bespoke catering and tailoring services.

With the current fundraising and grants acquired, it is hoped that work will begin in early 2016, but as with all ancient buildings, the more funds which can be raised to give access to this important and much-loved place, the better!

St Mary of Charity’s next task will then be to tackle structural problems in the north transept.”

A Please visit www.AmandaRussell.co.uk.

Amanda is selling high quality prints and cards and donating 20% of profits to the St Mary of Charity Improved Access Fund.

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Home-Start Sittingbourne & Sheppey Home-Start Sittingbourne & Sheppey provides a unique service responding directly to families’ individual needs providing a lasting and positive impact on the development of children, and health and welfare of families.

Being a parent, whatever your situation, can be very difficult, especially when children are young. Many parents feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the stresses of family life, particularly if they have little support from family and friends when they need it most. For some parents it’s a particular struggle because they are also having to cope with issues such as post-natal depression, their or their child’s illness or disability, isolation or multiple birth.

A carefully selected volunteer, who has parenting experience themselves, regularly visits a family, in their own home, offering emotional and practical support through difficult times for as long as it is helpful or needed. This friendly parent-to-parent support is a simple yet effective way of enabling families to get back on track.

Primarily funded by Kent County Council, HomeStart Sittingbourne & Sheppey keeps factual and statistical information about all the families it supports. These families are referred to us through the Swale Early Help process by the Early Help Team, Social Services, local primary schools and Children’s Centres. All

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information is treated as confidential and will only be shared with other agencies involved in the family.

Our Family Advice Worker, and in some cases a volunteer, will visit a family in their own home to provide advice about services in the community and will accompany them to these if needed. They will be able to give parenting advice and assist with coping strategies, helping to manage the family’s day to day lives and develop positively, working in partnership with Children’s Centres and other local organisations to provide the best possible outcomes. They would normally visit a family once a week for a maximum of 12 weeks where needed.

If you feel you would benefit from some support from Home-Start, then you will need to speak to an Early Help Practitioner – your school Family Liaison Officer, a social worker, health visitor or Children’s Centre staff. They will discuss with you what type of support you feel you need, and will then make an Early Help referral.

If you are a parent of twins you are welcome to join us at our Twins Club, held weekly (term time) at Milton Court Children’s Centre.

For more information please contact us on 01795 429007, or email home-startsitt@btconnect.com.

Alternatively visit our new website www.home-startsittingbourneandsheppey.org.uk

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International Artist De International artist and 15 year resident of Milton Regis, Mr Dean Tweedy is a man on a mission. He has a burning desire to inject colour into everyone’s lives and transform our towns and villages with public art.

As a renowned mural artist Mr Tweedy travels the world painting the interiors of expensive restaurants, corporation headquarters and private residencies which certainly pays the bills, but he is also getting quite a reputation as a street artist.

Street art is something that Dean has always practised. Growing up in East London Dean was heavily influenced by graffiti art and spraypainted many buildings with colourful artwork.

In the early 1980’s his family left the city to move to the little village of Higham, in Kent which came as a bit of a culture shock. Living in a little village where everybody knew everybody meant there was little scope for graffiti which was extremely frowned upon. Inspired by the natural beauty of the acres of countryside he found himself in Dean took to the woods making sculptures out of fallen branches and leaves for his public art fix.

At the age of 16 Dean exchanged painting walls for painting huge canvases at Canterbury Art College, then went on to concentrate in Illustration at Medway College of Art & Design, graduating with honours.

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Dean started his career as a freelance illustrator working back in the city. He had some illustrious clients such as Lexus, BMW and MTV but then the profession started going computerized at about the same time as a deep economic depression hit. With the work drying up Dean decided to go back to the brushes and, on the strength of the few children’s nurseries he had painted for friends and family, he set up Marvellous Murals as a business in 1994.

At first it was nearly all children’s rooms but before long orders were coming in for all kinds of mural projects. With a good on line portfolio work came from all across Kent and further afield. After some experiment and finding the right materials Dean found that he had the ability to paint virtually anything anywhere.

Soon Dean found himself back painting on the outside walls again as he had as a child, but this time he had permission and didn’t have to run from the authorities anymore. He could take time to stop and chat to passers-by. When people see something being created by hand they often stop to watch and ask questions, and Dean is always happy to engage people in his work and talk about art.

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ean Tweedy

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ANTHONY GRAY CLOCKS Since 1975, our team of skilled craftsmen has been restoring and conserving fine 17th, 18th and 19th century clocks and barometers for discerning collectors and members of the trade in several countries.

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www.anthonygrayclocks.com The projects that really fire Mr Tweedy’s imagination are the community projects.

Working in different communities painting murals exploring local cultures and heritage has shown the artist how street art can transform and rejuvenate an area. The uniqueness of each mural gives an area identity and many become local landmarks or meeting points. They can also be great conversation pieces. If local people are involved in the design process it also gives community groups ownership of the area making them more likely to care for their environment.

By engaging people Mr Tweedy is trying to put forward the message that art is for everyone and needs to be in our everyday lives. It not just a thing found in elitist galleries. It’s inside every single one of us if you look hard enough.

It binds us together and keeps us sane. It is the mark of civilisation and the thing that makes us human.

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Sittingbourne Library

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Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 4AH 03000 41 31 31 | Fax: 01795 428376 email: sittingbournelibrary@kent.gov.uk www.kent.gov.uk/libs Open Mon-Wed & Fri 9am-6pm; Thu 9am-8pm; Sat 9am-5pm

The Beat Project The Beat Project charity based in Sittingbourne are pleased to be able to offer one to one and small group music and arts lessons at their venue in Park Road, Sittingbourne.

Please visit www.thebeatproject.org.uk) and click on lessons for more details or contact the Beat Project on info@thebeatproject.org.uk or call 01795 478401 All money raised goes back into our local charitable work.

Woodpeckers Short Mat Bowls Club Woodpeckers have two teams in the Swale Short Mat Bowls League. We won division 3 in our first season and won division 2 and 3 in the 2014/5 season. We have a team in the N W Kent Summer League and compete in various competitions and winter leagues.

You don’t have to be competitive to join as we have numerous members who just enjoy the ‘roll ups’ and friendly banter who mix well with those more serious. We have experienced members who will teach previously non bowlers the basic game skills. It’s all about enjoyment. We arrange various social outings throughout the year.

New members welcome - no experience necessary, any age…come along and make new friends. It’s very good social activity and no equipment required to start.

For further information call either 01795 422296 or 01634 360906 - or just turn up to Bobbing Village Hall every Tuesday 7.15-9.30pm and every Thursday 2-4.15pm.

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Brands include: Vox, Hughes & Kettner, Hartke, Ashdown, Tanglewood, Crafter, Cort, G&L, Breedlove and many more!

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Sittingbourne and Sittingbourne and Milton Sea Cadets have been serving the young people of their community for 73 years.

Having been set up in 1942 as part of a nationwide campaign to regularise the hundreds of local Naval Lads Brigade units in the UK.

challenging youth organisation whilst retaining its core ethos and heritage. In 2015 the unit is very successful and active Training Ship which offers a great Sea Cadet Experience for Girls and Boys aged 10 to 17 years old from all backgrounds.

The opportunities for life changing and life enhancing experiences are many and cover a wide range of interests.

From Sailing, Canoeing, Rowing and Power Boats to Adventurous/Expedition Training, Cooking, Music, Marine Engineering. It also includes Sports, 1st Aid, Foreign Exchange visits, Ships visits and voyages with the Royal Navy and some Merchant Navy operators.

Whilst enjoying all these activities they are also learning key life skills such as Self Confidence, Self Respect and respect for others, Leadership, Teamwork and Problem Solving.

Since that time Training Ship (TS) Wyvern has seen many changes as she adapted to the changes, aspirations and expectations of society and the young people who make up their ranks.

The unit and the wider organisation is constantly evolving which gives it a unique set of challenges as modern, stimulating and

Just this July Two Cadets went to Snowdonia for a one week adventure. With the Sea Cadets; Rock Climbing, Caving, White Water Rafting and flying down the longest Zip Wire in the UK. Many cadets have spent several weekends and school holidays on HMS Cavalier at Chatham Historic Dockyard. Learning about life at sea on board a British Warship. Learning Communications from semaphore to radio procedure, Seamanship (Knots and rope

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Milton Sea Cadets handling) 1st aid, Meteorology, Chart Work and lots more. Also they attended courses up and down the country at RN establishments and Sea Cadet Training Centres.

Last year 5 cadets went to sea for a week on board one of the Sea Cadet’s Offshore Power vessels TS Jack Petchy. Travelling round the southern coast of the UK and Isle of White.

There is just so much on offer and barely enough time to fit it all in. Despite the hectic pace the cadets still get time to relax and enjoy the social side. With trips out to places of interest and fun. Sometimes organised by the unit and sometimes as a group socially, by themselves.

Unit Chairman Ivor Riddell said “the Sea Cadets is a place where everyone is welcome and the possibilities are endless. But we do require commitment from the young people as most of our activities are very low cost or free. To ensure anyone can have a go. We are a local registered charity and constantly looking for ways to raise more funds. To do that we need good people to support us.”

Sittingbourne & Milton Sea Cadets is a registered charity in England and has no financial support other than that which it can raise through fundraising, grants and legacies. They are run by a committee of volunteer Trustees who are currently looking to recruit two more people, to help run this successful and dynamic unit. The commitment is around 6 hours a month including meetings. But the payback L

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Sittingbourne and Milton Sea Cadets (continued)

L in seeing the young people of our community develop into the good citizens of tomorrow is beyond measure.

The unit is regularly assessed each year for efficiency and compliance and this year 2015 for the first time since the 1960s they achieved Burgee status. Which means it is one of the top performing Sea Cadet Units in the country. This however means that because we are successful that we are taking on more cadets and so need good people to volunteer as Adult Instructors.

They don’t need any previous experience.

Just a common sense, a mature outlook and a willingness to learn. Many of the qualifications they will gain are recognised, accredited and transferable to life outside of Sea Cadets.

There is a commitment required of two evenings a week and some weekends.

Mayor of Swale Councillor Anita Walker said

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at the Royal Naval Parade Evening last month “Young people today often get a bad press, which is undeserved and the cadets at TS Wyvern are a shining example of what young people can do with good leadership and role models. Sittingbourne Sea Cadets are a great resource for the community and provide a great hope for the future of our borough.”

Anthony Hartridge who was a cadet for 7 years and has just left to go to university at Plymouth studying for a career in the maritime sector said.

“Sea Cadets has massively impacted on my life and helped me to progress into my future career choice. But it did much more than that. It gave me a focus outside of school work, a network of friends across the country as well as at the unit and the confidence to take on whatever the world has to offer. If you are between 10 and18 years old. Why wouldn’t you join?

Sittingbourne Sea Cadets meet throughout the year, on Monday and Wednesday evenings between 19.15 and 21.30. If you want to know more, or join them for more than just an adventure, check out their website www.sea-cadet.org, call 01795 439334, or email tswyvern307@gmail.com. They are also on Facebook f Sittingbourne Sea Cadets

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Working out a repayment It’s crucial to work out the total cost of the credit you’re taking out, including interest payments, and not just the amount you’re borrowing or how much you can afford to pay every month. Taking the time to work out the full cost of any borrowing lets you plan your finances and ensure that you really can afford it.

What affects your borrowing costs How much you’ll pay to borrow money depends on how much you need and how quickly you plan to repay it. For example, if you want to borrow a small amount over a short period of time with a low interest rate, you may well pay very little interest (or none at all if you use a credit card charging 0% interest). On the other hand, borrowing a large amount of money over a long time will cost you more.

In general, use the APR to compare products. The lower the APR the better, but also look at how much it will cost overall. This will usually be more for a longer-term loan even if the APR is less, and will show as the total amount payable.

Find out more in Deciding on the best type of credit for you

Borrowing options Let’s look at an example. John needs to borrow £1,000 to replace his old boiler. He gets a quote from a big energy company for the boiler and the installation, including paying back the cost over two years. However, when he reads the contract he notices that if he takes out their credit for two years he will pay more than £300 in interest.

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plan for your borrowing John looks around at other options. As he has a good credit rating, he considers: • Taking out a credit card with an introductory interest-free period of 15 months on new purchases, or • Applying for a personal loan with an interest rate of 10% that he can pay back over two years

This is how much John may have to repay each month and overall: Option

Interest rate

Monthly repayment

Total amount repayable

Credit card over 15 months

0%

£66.67

£1,000

Personal loan over two years

10%

£46.14

£1,107 (£1,000 borrowed + £107 interest)

Energy company credit agreement over two years

30%

£55.91

£1,342 (£1,000 borrowed + £342 interest

In the end, John takes a look at his monthly budget and decides that he can afford to take out the credit card and pay the extra £10.76 each month to avoid having to pay any interest.

It means he will have paid off the balance in 15 months and he won’t have been charged interest. John will only save money because he knows he can make the payments within the 15 months. If you don’t think you would be able to do that, a credit card could cost you more.

What this table shows is the difference in repayment plans over different periods of time

PROFESSIONAL BUILDERS IN KENT & SURROUNDING AREAS

and how being able to pay a little more each month may mean you’re able to take out a much cheaper form of credit. It also highlights the importance of shopping around for credit and not just taking the first product you are offered.

Always spend some time shopping around for credit. Use comparison websites to look at different deals. Be aware of any extra charges or fees. All loans should tell you how much you will pay back overall, including any interest.

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Keep warm this winter Follow these tips to keep you, your family and those around you warm and well in extremely cold weather.

To keep warm and well during spells of cold weather f Draw your curtains at dusk and keep your closed to block out draughts. f Have regular hot drinks and eat at least one hot meal a day if possible.

Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter. f Wear several light layers of warm clothes (rather than one chunky layer). f Keep as active in your home as possible. f Wrap up warm and wear shoes with a good grip if you need to go outside on cold days. f If you have reduced mobility, are 65 or over, or have a health condition such as heart or lung disease, you should heat your home to at least 18C. It’s a good idea to keep your bedroom at this temperature all night if you can and make sure you wear enough clothes to stay warm. During the day, you may prefer your living room to be slightly warmer f If you’re under 65 and healthy and active, you can safely have your house cooler than 18C, if you’re comfortable.

Protect your health in the cold Public Health England’s cold weather plan has tips on how to protect your health during cold weather.

Make sure you are receiving any benefits you are entitled to, such as the Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment The Met Office has advice on getting ready for winter and some suggestions for practical things you can do to prepare for winter weather, including cold, ice and snow, high winds and flooding.

The advice also tells you ways you can save money.

Look in on vulnerable neighbours and relatives Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be more vulnerable to cold weather. Cold weather is especially dangerous for older people or people with serious illnesses, so check in on them if you can.

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THE FIREPLACE A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS

Read about how to spot and treat hypothermia People with heart or respiratory (breathing) problems may have worse symptoms during a cold spell and for several days (up to four weeks) after temperatures return to normal.

Travel carefully in icy weather f Icy pavements and roads can be extremely slippery. Take extra care if you go out, and wear boots or shoes with good grip on the soles. f The Met Office advises putting grit or cat litter on paths and driveways to lessen the risk of slipping. f It adds you should wait until the roads have been gritted if you’re travelling by car. f Bear in mind that black ice on pavements or roads might not be clearly visible, and compacted snow may turn to ice and become slippery.

How to find weather warnings f The Met Office provides the weather forecasts for broadcasts on radio and TV, so listen in to these bulletins regularly to keep up-to-date with the weather.

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f Severe weather warnings are also issued on the Met Office website, through the Met Office Twitter feed, or you can ring the Weather Desk on 0870 900 0100.

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Your guide to a happier If you want to know how much money you need in retirement, whether you will run out of money, or whether you will be able to afford to do your ‘Bucket List’, you need to gain clarity on your future.

Your required income will be different to anyone else’s, because your life is different to anyone else’s. Rather than accepting the hand that you are dealt in retirement, like so many people do, make sure you know how much money you need in retirement, and how you can best generate it from the money you already have.

This is best achieved by carrying out a few exercises. The first is to create a retirement budget, so you know what your essential and your luxury expenditure will be in retirement.

Only once you know what your monthly expenditure currently is, therefore what it will be, can you plan for it.

Secondly, you need a Lifetime Cash Flow Forecast to tell you whether you have accumulated enough or are saving a sufficient sum to deliver that required income when you plan to retire. This could be a basic spread sheet that you put together yourself, a tool you find online or a more detailed analysis from a Financial Planner. As long as you have factored in inflation, realistic growth rates and tax, you are off to a pretty good start. The more sophisticated you go though, the more accurate the plan is likely to be and the more different scenarios you can model.

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Balance risk vs reward The money you have saved for your retirement, whether it is currently in a pension, savings account, property or NISAs needs to deliver you the best return possible for a level of risk that you are comfortable with. Some people will say that they won’t take any risk; the problem is there is no such thing. If you put your money into a bank account, your capital is (almost) guaranteed not to go down, but this is not ‘no risk’. If you are getting 2% interest and inflation is 3%, your money is falling by 1% a year in real term, i.e. what you can actually buy with it.

Join our Dream Retirement™ community for FREE and get instant access to our Risk vs Reward Help Guides Most people take too much risk with their investment choices because they do not spread the investments diversely enough.

Understand your own tolerance to risk and then use the asset allocation and the spread of the investments to generate you the best returns possible for that level of risk. Don’t have all your eggs in one basket, so make sure you don’t just have property, shares or cash, as otherwise you will get a nasty shock in the future.

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retirement by Charlie Reading

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Prescription spectacles from £9 Free home visits and fitting

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sales@favershamoptical.com 01634 261414 07585 603232 BOOK YOUR SERVICE TODAY!

Minimise tax through your income strategy By understanding the way the tax system works, you can manipulate your retirement income to minimise the amount of tax you pay. By doing this, you can draw out the income you need whilst making the least possible impact on your assets. The tax system changes each year, so this is where flexibility and a balance of different tax wrappers really will help.

For example, having a balance of State Pension, Flexible (Drawdown) Pension and NISAs allows you to changes your income each year in line with the tax regime, thus minimising the damage your required average retirement income has on your L portfolio as a whole. continued overleaf

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EXCEPTIONAL

WINDSCREEN services

1st Call Windscreens the windscreen specialists www.1stcallwindscreen.com 01795 473107 | 07958 344072 Unit 11, The Glenmore Centre, Castle Road, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3GL

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ELECTRICIAN A Thornton (LCGI) Electrical Installations

Extra sockets & lights Q Testing Lights installed Q Faults New circuits & alterations Rewires Q Fuseboards Q Part P Over 30 years of experience

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Happier Retirement (continued)

L

Time is our most precious resource, so use it!

Time is our most precious resource; after all, without it no amount of money, love or fast cars will be of benefit to you. Retirement creates a huge shift in what you do with your time. Some people excel with this new found freedom, and some people curl up into their shell and become a shadow of their former selves.

To really create a Dream Retirement™, you need to plan what you are going to do with your time.

There are several things you can do here, and I cover them in a lot more detail in the book, but here are 3 key areas to success: • Build the ‘Bucket List’ of your dreams, so that you have some exciting things to plan and tick off.

• Make sure you know what your purpose is in retirement, as otherwise you will feel rudderless.

• Design your Ideal Retirement Week, so that you structure your week into great ‘Focus Days’ and ‘Buffer Days’, where you pick off the must do jobs that don’t excite you.

Be the healthiest you Countless amounts of research show that if you want to live long into retirement you need to look after yourself. If you want to spend more time on the golf course than the in the hospital, then now is your chance to get yourself into the best shape possible. Take small simple steps to achieve this, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve over time.

There are so many ways you can do this, and in the Dream Retirement™ book we go through

the ‘Six Simple Steps to an Energised Life’, but before you look at the more practical side of that, you need to get the mental side right.

Give serious thought and visualise the worst extreme of what your life will look like 20 years from now if you don’t get/keep your body and mind in shape. Only once you truly understand the implications of not taking action will you be compelled to make significant strides to being the best you that you can be.

A To read more about how to positively impact your wealth, health and happiness in retirement, download your FREE preview of Charlie’s book, The Dream Retirement: How to Secure Your Money and Retire Happy by visiting www.efficientportfolio.co.uk and clicking on the image of the book. You can also join the online community for free health and wellbeing guides, video tutorials and webinars, and downloadable templates and tools.

Contact charlotte@efficientportfolio.co.uk for more details.

Carl M Sutton Ltd

J.B.S. TREE SERVICES Certified and Insured Arborist

Complete Building Services

Covering all aspects of Tree Surgery In Medway and Swale.

Mob: 07878 049505 Tel: 01795 536409

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Plumbing & Building Services

wConservatories wConservatory Installations wComplete Building Service wDouble Glazing wWindows & Doors

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DRaIn SERVICES H Drain Jetting H Drain Cleaning H De-scaling H Drain Repair H Installation H CCTV Surveys

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BATHING A PROBLEM? WE CAN HELP • • • • • • • •

Slip-resistant safety flooring Call Product & labour guarantee for a free Walk-in showers (inc level access) survey and Wet rooms • Walk-in baths quote Waterproof wall panelling Grabrails, shower seats & raised toilets Grants & council work Discounts for OAPs, WI members, ex-service personnel, SSAFA & British Legion members NO PRESSURE TO BUY ON THE DAY

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COOKING Christmas

Cream & Chocolate Cheesecake Our resident foodie Chris gives us this wonderful festive offering that will have your mouth watering as you prepare the Christmas Cream & Chocolate Cheesecake

dd d

Ingredients

Method

100g / 3½oz butter

Melt the butter in a pan and add the crushed digestive biscuits. Mix well until the biscuits have absorbed all the butter.

250g/8¾oz digestive biscuits, crushed 600g /1lb 5oz cream cheese

25ml/1fl oz Baileys or other Irish cream liqueur 100ml/3½oz icing sugar 300ml /10½oz double cream, whipped 100g/3½oz grated chocolate

dd

To garnish

200ml /7¼oz double cream, whipped Cocoa powder, to dust

Remove from the heat and press into the bottom of a lined 18cm/7in springform tin. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for one hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

Lightly whip the cream cheese then beat in the Irish cream and icing sugar.

Fold in the whipped cream and grated chocolate. When smooth, spoon evenly onto the biscuits.

Refrigerate and allow to set for a further two hours. Once set, remove and decorate with whipped cream and cocoa powder dusted over the top.

d

d

Serve.

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PC, COMPUTER & LAPTOP REPAIRS VIRUS REMOVAL from £35

Managed by Les Mitchell who has been working in the computer repair industry for over 10 years Sittingbourne, Kent 10am-6pm Mon-Fri 10am-2pm Sat 999PCRepairs@gmail.com

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07547 254 541

naturally Celebrating 10 years of beautiful hair & skin Unit 2 Grovepark Shopping Centre Sittingbourne 01795 425888 jowgriff@googlemail.com

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Swale Community Centres

PHOENIX HOUSE Sitting snugly between the Library and Swallows Leisure Centre in Central Avenue, Phoenix House, with its own car park, is a comfortable, spacious and friendly community centre. It provides the perfect atmosphere for the many activities and meetings which take place there.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.

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TOWN & COUNTRY BUILDING SERVICES

For all your building requirements, from ground to roof works, total renovation, whatever you need - all under one roof Free estimates • Very competitive prices All grant & insurance work • Plastering • Brickwork Timber & damp approved contractors

YOU NAME IT - WE DO IT!

Full PLC insurance • A very reliable friendly service Just call Damon

01795 661481 • 01795 870550 • 07792 954563

COMPUTERS NO FIX NO FEE, NO CALL-OUT FEE! • Computer Repairs & Upgrades • Laptop Repairs & Screen Replacements • Data Backup & Recovery • Great Deals on New PCs • Over 15 years of experience Call Ben on 01634 302125 or 07772 843544

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ken.reeves@senatorintegrated.co.uk

www.senatorintegrated.co.uk

Helping you keep your premises under control We design, install, repair and maintain bespoke integrated access control, intruder detection, video and audio door entry systems, fire safety, CCTV systems and data networks, with over 40 years in the security and safety sectors.

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unity Street Salon SpecialiSing in children’S haircutS Shampoo and sets, cutting, tinting and general hairdressing · loyalty cards and various offers available · Oap rates Mondays & thursdays · reductions on Wednesdays Open until 7pm Wednesdays & Fridays 88 unity Street, Sittingbourne, Me10 1hX

TO ADVERTISE please call Nick 01843 221898

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SATEDA Swale Action To End Domestic Abuse The ethos of SATEDA is to provide direct access to support, advocacy and advice for victims of domestic abuse, through a range of service provisions.

Professionals from any agencies, or clients themselves may refer directly to us.

Alongside our adult support services, we also offer a Young Persons Support service. SATEDA support young people who are in abusive relationships or those who have witnessed abuse and therefore could be affected by this.

We also run The Freedom Programme.

This is a group, which offers women an insight into abuse and controlling relationships, and its effects on the family. It is a 2 hour weekly session, run over 12 weeks. For further information please come to one of our One Stop Shops/ Drop In’s or contact us on the number, below.

A

For more information please contact admin@sateda.org or telephone 01795 417251 Please note that we are not an emergency service. If you are in immediate danger, please call 999

Sittingbourne One Stop Shop This is held every Tuesday at Phoenix House, Central Avenue, Sittingbourne, 9.30-11am. Attendees can be risk assessed and signposted to appropriate support where required. SATEDA strive to have legal advice and other multi-agency partners such as the CAB and housing specialists available each week.

Sheerness One Stop Shop This is held every Wednesday at Sheerness Gateway, Sheerness High Street, from 1-3pm. Attendees will be risk assessed and signposted to relevant support as required. We also have our multi-agency partners available at our Sheerness One Stop Shop.

Faversham Drop-In Runs every Tuesday at Amicus Horizon Area Office, 41 Stone Street, ME13 8PH from 3-5pm.

Attendees will be risk assessed and signposted to relevant support as required.

Leysdown Drop-In Runs every Wednesday at Beaches Children’s Centre, from 9.30-11am. Attendees will be risk assessed and signposted to relevant support as required.

01233 840624 CLEANSING SERVICES LTD

The largest independently owned liquid waste management company in the UK

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TONY PETERS

MOTOR SERVICE Independent Garage for Servicing & Repairs

A small, friendly, garage, offering a personal service to both private and business customers. All work is fully guaranteed and carried out to the highest standard, using top quality parts with a service schedule often exceeding that of the manufacturer.

01795 470665

Worktops Vanities Hearths Fireplace and Bath surrounds Window Sills Floors steps and more...

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Periwinkle Court Church Street, Milton Regis, Sittingbourne ME10 2JZ

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Insight Specialist Behavioural Service JOB TITLE Opportunities Co-Ordinator SALARY ÂŁ14,001 per annum (inclusive of unsocial hours enhancements and sleep-in duty).

FULL TIME HOURS 37.5 per week plus a sleep in duty. Hours are worked in accordance with a 2 weekly rota.

PART TIME HOURS Negotiated at interview and dependant on vacancy factors.

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Are you looking for a fresh start and a rewarding career?

Are you already working in care and looking to join a service that is ahead of the game?

Insight provides a highly skilled service to people who have challenged services and help ensure they lead a life that is fulfilling and meaningful. We employ enthusiastic individuals who enable the people who live within the service the opportunities necessary to acquire the skills needed to live a fully participative lifestyle within the community.

Insight Specialist Behavioural Service | 01795 424823 Aspley House, 204 London Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 1QA

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Top Girlguiding award Trailblazing young Sittingbourne woman celebrates receiving top award for guides A member of the 2nd Sittingbourne Guides is celebrating after receiving the highest accolade for Guides – the Baden-Powell Challenge Award.

Jade Dowsett, from Sittingbourne chose to complete a range of exciting activities to achieve the award, including playing life-size Monopoly around Canterbury while away on her adventure weekend and Co-ordinating and presenting a fashion show with her fellow Guides.

Jade said: “I’m really proud to have completed my Baden-Powell Challenge Award because it has taken more than a 18 months of hard work to get it.

“As part of the award, I had to work with lots of new Guides which I found very daunting. Our unit was very small but has grown dramatically over the time it has taken me to complete the award. I was pretty nervous, but I took time to get to know each of the younger Guides and gain their respect, this has given me so much confidence and lots of new friends!”

The group’s Leader, Lesley Taylor said: “I’m very proud of Jade for completing her Baden-Powell Award. I was overwhelm with pride as I have never had the honour of presenting a BP award before” “She has been truly dedicated to achieving this award, and I’m sure this is something she will look back on with pride for years to come.”

Jade aged 16yrs received the award during a special presentation event on 23rd October 2015 at Kemsley Community Centre.

The Baden-Powell Challenge is the highest award available to Guides – Girlguiding’s section for girls aged between 10 and 16.

The challenge is divided into five sections, including healthy lifestyles and global awareness.Girls can choose which activities 30

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they want to do within each section, from researching the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to giving a presentation on a world issue of their choice.

To complete the award, Guides take part in an adventure weekend, during which they face various set challenges, trying new things and pushing themselves outside their comfort zone.

Girlguiding opens up a world of opportunities to girls and young women aged five to 25, offering a hugely varied programme incorporating everything from world issues and science to social action, adventure sports and international travel.

The charity builds girls’ confidence and raises their aspirations, giving them their own space to have fun and build friendships.

A

For further information about Girlguiding and how to get involved call 0800 169 5901 or visit www.girlguiding.org.uk

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