The Christchurch Directory - February 2014

The Christchurch

Directory

The independent directory of local businesses serving the residents of Christchurch, Mudeford, Friars Cliff and Burton

Christchurch

Delivered FREE around the town

February 2014

In this issue: Win tickets to see One Night of Elvis Pancake Race to launch Food & Wine Festival Photography Competition Adventures of Nellie Recipe: Parsnip Quiche with Blue Cheese Money saving tips from Martin Lewis

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Voucher valid until 28 February 2014 for new or used car sales.

Limited slots available – book now to avoid disappointment.

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                    

   



Christchurch

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The Christchurch Directory Welcome...

Edition 89

Published by:

Debbie & Stephen Corney at Dorset Publications

Telephone:

01202 894397

Email:

info@thechristchurchdirectory.co.uk

Copy deadline for the March 2014 edition: 20th February 2014

Disclaimer: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that data in this publication is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The Christchurch Directory does not officially endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the publisher.

Cover Photo: Boat on the river

By Chris Becker - see page 38

Dear Christchurch, Bargates, Mudeford, Burton and Friars Cliff!

Welcome to your February edition of The Christchurch Directory! Despite the mixed weather we did manage to get out in Nellie, The Dorset Publications Campervan, and this month she took us to The Solent Sky Museum.

Hayden was so thrilled!

Nellie, actually has her own Facebook and Twitter pages now. There is also a new fun page right here in the magazine where you can test your knowledge of the South and see if you can recognise where she is‌ so Where is Nellie?

Have you got trees that need attention after the high winds? Do you have a party coming up? Would you like to make better use of your wardrobe space? Could your hearing be better? Are the drains blocked? Is the roof in need of repair? Would new dentures give you more confidence? Well, you can find all of these companies and much more inside The Christchurch Directory!

There are also articles for you, including a pancake race to launch the Food Festival. There is also a quiz night and a nearly new sale at the Portfield Hall as well as stunning photography at Moors Valley. Finally there is a puzzle page as well as a recipe, so do get that all important cuppa and have a read. If you run a local club or society, please let me know, as I can promote you for free! If you have a business and would like to be included in The Christchurch Directory, then please give me a call. We offer free editorials with three month packages. Oh yes, do enter our own photographic competition. You could have your photo printed on the front cover!

Stephen and I hope that you have a good month and that the sun will return soon!

Best wishes,

Debbie & Stephen Corney Useful Numbers

Local Police Southern Electricity Transco Gas Emergency Christchurch. Hospital

101 08457 708090 0800 111999 01202 486361

Train Enquires Christchurch Council Sembcorp Water Christchurch Library

08457 484950 01202 495000 01202 590059 01202 485938

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Christchurch

Community News

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Pancake race to launch the 2014 Christchurch Food & Wine Festival Christchurch Food and Wine Festival will offi cially launch its new website and dates for the 2014 festival with the revival of a well-known event that originally was held in Christchurch for many years – a pancake race in Church Street.

Shrove Tuesday, Tuesday 4 March 2014, will see teams of chefs, local businesses and local celebrities battle it out to win the golden frying pans!

Relays will kick off at 11.00am and, after the result has been declared, spectators will have the chance to visit and support chefs at Splinters, Cheese and Alfi es and James and White who will have made delicious pancakes especially for the occasion. These restaurants are adjacent to the pancake race course, in front of the Priory, in Church Street.

This charity event, in aid of the Christchurch Food Festival Education Trust and Autism Wessex, will attract a business entry fee of £20 per team for a team of four people. Individual chefs will be entered for a modest fee of £5 per chef. A collection bucket to share between both charities will be circulated on the morning.

Everyone is come along and give the event their support which promises to be a fun event with lots of thrills and spills. Chefs already participating include representatives from The Jetty, Christchurch Harbour Hotel, Kings Arms Hotel, Crooked Beam Restaurant, Captains Club Hotel, Lord Bute Hotel & Restaurant, Cheese and Alfies, Splinters and James and White.

Any teams and chefs who are interested in taking part should contact Tim Lloyd by email at tim@captainsclubhotel.com for an entry form.

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Christchurch

Here’s a new FUN page for you!

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Where is Nellie?

Do you know the South of England? Can you recognise these places? These are just some of the sights that Nellie, the rather large Dorset Publications Campervan has travelled to in the last few months. The answers are at the bottom of the page so you can immediately see if you are right. Most are easy, but one or two maybe a challenge…? Have a go and see how many places you know! You can also follow her...

whereisnellie

@whereisnellie 2

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3

5

4

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1. Compton Abbas Airfield 2. Brighton “Eye” and Pier 3. Wareham Quay 4. Town Quay, Southampton 5. Bournemouth Air Festival 6. Swanage Beach

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Planning for your future care Throughout our busy lives, we make arrangements for life events such as getting married, having a baby or writing a will. But most of us will not have thought about planning our end of life care, or having these discussions with our loved ones so that they know what we would want. This would be particularly important if we were to go on to lose the ability to make decisions for ourselves.

At The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust we want to provide good end of life care for our patients. This might mean they spend their last days in their place of choice, comfortable, and with their families and friends.

For us to give good end of life care, we need to know about your wishes so that we can do our best to meet them. If you are able to make your wishes known, we will do our best to follow them wherever possible.

The Macmillan Unit at Christchurch Hospital offers specialist inpatient care to patients at the end of life, and support to their families. The team based at the Macmillan Unit also offer specialist advice 24 hours a day to help deal with problems in the community and in the acute hospital, which is where people are cared for through their final days.

Advance care planning involves talking to your family, friends and health professionals (GP, nurse or hospital doctor) about what is important to you, so that they are able to work with you to plan for what you want. This becomes particularly important if you later become less well and are unable to tell people your wishes.

You may want to talk about: • where you would want to be cared for - some people say that they would want to stay at home if they become less well. However, this may not be a realistic choice in some circumstances, for instance, if you live alone

Christchurch

• are there certain treatments that you would not want? Do you need to find out more about your options? Some treatments may cause more harm than good. For example, cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a frail elderly patient is rarely successful and frequently causes harm such as fractured ribs • your wishes and preferences - how do you prefer things? - would you rather have a side room or share a bay with others?

• do you like to sleep with the lights on? Is there anyone in particular that you would want to visit you?

• do you have religious beliefs that are important to you and that you would want to be considered if you were at the end of your life?

• who you would like to be consulted on your behalf if you were unable to make your own decisions?

• practical things, such as who would look after your pets • how to let people know your wishes Regardless of where you may spend your final days, good advance care planning is important so that others can take your wishes into consideration. It ensures that your preferences are known and gives you a degree of control.

At our hospitals there are a number of things we are doing to ensure that we can provide good end of life care and support to our patients and their families: • we have appointed a dedicated nurse to support patients at the end of life • all wards have an end of life care champion - a member of nursing staff with particular expertise • there are monthly teaching sessions open to all staff • the Macmillan Unit is providing advance care planning training for staff in the community The NHS in Dorset has produced an advance care planning guide to help you prepare for the future and assist with practical arrangements. To download a copy visit our website at www.rbch.nhs.uk or call us on 01202 704271.

Wildlife News

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Talking about Wildlife...

The Common Dormouse Despite its elusiveness, the common or hazel dormouse, with its fairy tale looks, is one of the most popular British mammals. It is famous for its penchant for a good sleep, and, being arboreal, spends most of its active time up in the tree canopy searching for food. Dormice are also nocturnal and hence even more difficult to spot.

The tiny dormouse’s round body is covered with golden coloured fur, and large black eyes are an indication of its nocturnal existence. The adults only grow up to 6 to 9 cm in length, with a slightly shorter bushy tail, and weigh from about 25 to 40 grams at their heaviest, right before hibernation. The hibernation period generally lasts from October to April or May, in a hibernation nest built on the ground.

This is a vulnerable time for the dormouse, and not all survive it. The dormouse diet mainly consists of nuts, berries, owers and pollen, as well as small insects.

Hazelnuts are of particular importance when they prepare for hibernation by building up body fat.

Dormouse is most often found in deciduous woodland with plenty of undergrowth, hazel coppice and thick hedgerows, and its current stronghold is in the southern counties of England and Wales. Once widespread in Britain, the dormouse population has decreased dramatically in the last 100 years, despite the fact that they have few natural predators. Dormice are extremely vulnerable to changes in habitat and the decline in numbers is mainly due to changes in woodland management and the resulting habitat loss. Today, dormice are a rare and endangered species. They are strictly protected by law and it is illegal to even handle one without a license.

By Niina Silvennoinen Common Dormouse

Photo: Anna Muckle

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         

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Law Spot ...providing the answers

to your legal questions

Every month the solicitors and lawyers at Harold G Walker will be providing answers to your questions about the law.

Do I have the right to work flexibly, when I return from maternity leave?

No, you do not have an automatic right to return to work and work in a more flexible way. What you have is a right to request to work more flexibly.

If your request is in respect of the child you have given birth to and you have or expect to have responsibility for the child’s upbringing and are making the application in order to care for that child; then provided you are also employed, have 26 weeks’ continuous employment at the date of your request and have not made another request to work flexibly within the preceding 12 months, you will be eligible.

You can then make a formal request to change the hours you work, the times you are required to work and/or to work from a different location, i.e. home.

You should submit your written application to your employer setting out the work pattern that you

My father died recently leaving shares worth £20,000. Do I need to get a Grant of Probate in order to sell them?

Mia Prashad

Probate Solicitor

Obtaining a Grant of Probate is the responsibility of the Executors of your Late Father’s Estate. The Executors can appoint a firm of solicitors to handle probate administration and

would like, specifying your entitlement to make it, together with any effect that you anticipate the proposed work pattern would have on your employer’s business and how such effects might be accommodated or addressed in practice.

Within 28 days of receiving your request, your employer must arrange a meeting with you to discuss the application and within 14 days of the meeting your employer must write to you to either agree to the new work pattern, or provide you with grounds of rejection and set out the appeal procedure.

If you are unsuccessful you will have 14 days to Dee Woodcock appeal the decision and 14 Employment Solicitor days thereafter you should receive a final decision. to take on the responsibility for these assets. A Grant will be required when the person who died leaves over £5,000, stocks and shares, insurance policies, property or land in their own name or as tenants in common. However a Grant may not be needed where the deceased left less than £5,000, they owned everything jointly with someone else or everything passes to them. A solicitor can help wind up an Estate, a process which can be complex. In this scenario it would appear that your Father’s Executor would need to take out a Grant of Probate in order to access the shares.

Send your questions by email to LawSpot@hgwalker.co.uk

Law Spot is brought to you by

Harold G Walker Your Friend-in-Law

There is no guarantee that your question will be used and you will not get a personal response.The answers in this feature are for guidance purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

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Private villa with own swimming pool overlooking the famous Valderamma Golf Course. Sleeps 6 + 1. Ideal for family holiday. Relax around the pool and villa. There is also the sea and beach, golf, horseriding, bike hire, paintball, dolphin watching and fishing to do nearby. Close to restaurants, Sotogrande port and other ports along the coast.

Fly from Bournemouth or London to Malaga or Gibraltar.

Bahia Dorada

Private villa on seafront with access directly onto beach. Six communal swimming pools and a tennis court. Near Estepona. Sleeps 6 + 1. Every window has a sea view! Outside eating area overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Fantastic views of Africa, Gibraltar and Estepona.

Ideal family holiday, whether just to relax by the pool or on the beach, or as a base for activities such as golf, horseriding or dolphin watching.

Fly from Bournemouth or London to Malaga or Gibraltar.

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Christchurch

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Community News

Wildlife Wonders on my Doorstep One of the joys of Wildlife Photography, particularly if working with “macro” or close-up equipment, is the never ending wealth of suitable subjects within easy reach of your own doorstep. When introduced as a Wildlife Photographer you can see that people’s mental picture is of you wrestling with a crocodile or swinging an elephant round by its trunk. Scarce a thought is given to the myriad smaller life forms that surround us in whatever our chosen walk of life and which serve to make up that inter-connecting living web that we call “Wildlife”.

After many years of working with Nature in this way I am delighted to be able to share some of the wonderful images I have accumulated with a double-bill of Wildlife Wonders at the Barrington Theatre in Ferndown on the 15th March.

The afternoon presentation is devoted to “Wildlife Wonders of the British Isles” and depicts a wealth of species from the length and breadth of Gt Britain and the evening show covers a small section of the British Isles but as its title of “Wildlife Wonders Home and Away” implies there is also some dramatic coverage of other parts of the world with Zimbabwe and the Falkland Islands especially featured together with many images from the mountain tops of Mainland Europe.

Prices have been kept deliberately low so that as many as possible can have the chance of sharing these images with me.

For those wishing to join, the Wildlife Trusts and RSPB membership teams should be in attendance.

Brian Pettit

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Winter Sale We work with all local and major brand kitchen suppliers including: Homebase, B&Q, Magnet, Sydenhams, Howdens and Wrens We Guarantee to Beat Any Genuine Like For Like Quote Free Sergio Sink and Tap with all Worktop Orders We offer a quality and personal service at competitive prices. All our products can be viewed in our showroom and factory in Christchurch Home Visit and Design Input Available Unit 16, 12 Airfield Road, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 3TG 01202 484340 | duncan@portmanstone.com

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Christchurch

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A Staggeringly Good I-Deer!

Do you have a dog chew that will satisfy your dog’s need to munch? You may have just found the answer!

Demand for deer antler dog chews is exploding across the UK. Retailers and chain stores are finding everyone is talking about them. With 8 million dogs in the UK a recent report says that dog owners love to treat their pets to safe, environmentally friendly pet products.

This is where John Palmer-Snellin’s new family run business, Staglers (Stag + Antlers!), are proving to be a local success story for Dorset. John recognised an idea as a potential business that fitted so comfortably with his interests, skill and his network of rural and countryside contacts. With his first-hand knowledge of deer, Staglers was born.

John explained: “I source top quality (magnificent A grade) red deer antlers.

Every one is unique and demands a different approach when it comes to cutting out specific size chews for particular breeds - exacting work!”

So what’s so great about them?

Every deer antler is unique! After allowing the wild male to impress and fight for his females, the antlers simply drop off every spring. Deer are the only mammals to regenerate hard bone structure, a complete new set within 8 months, year after year! This totally sustainable use of the fallen antler is keeping the deer alive and well to grow new ones each year, as well as finding a way to recycle a natural product.

Totally sustainable, although obviously seasonal!

Why do owners love Staglers?

Watching your dog’s passionate satisfaction ticks all the boxes – Chewing releases fee-good chemicals from the brain and keeps dogs happy, busy and occupied. They wear down slowly too, lasting longer than other dog chews Nutritious, natural and odourless to humans, Staglers are a pure quality, unprocessed, delight. Did you know they clean the dog’s teeth, rather than bung them up and they’re great for dogs with sensitive tummies. Even dogs on a diet can enjoy Staglers because they only contain a tiny amount of fat. Just when you may be getting curious they are also good for puppies teething, but supervision is always recommended.

With a great Facebook page and online website to purchase, here are some of John’s happy customers’ comments:

17 • Staglers dog story: My cross St Bernard / Rottie loves these chews.

She gets through the toughest of chews within minutes. These may seem expensive but they are value for money as they last for ages. My dog could smell it in the parcel and wouldn’t leave me alone. I could do with a whole antler but she might take the telly out or something when she is playing with it!

• The Staglers I bought at Bournemouth Show proved to be a BIG hit, so much so, I had to buy some more on-line!

(EXCELLENT service - they arrived less than 24 hours later!!!) Doing a lovely job of cleaning their teeth up - thanks. x • Our Border Terrier has just been given his first Stagler and LOVES it! We bought a half antler (lazy chew) although he has chomped his way through it so I will be getting an original one next. Great value compared to similar products and local to us in Wiltshire. Will be getting lots more and recommending to all and sundry!

• Hi, I live in Wareham. Well done on starting such an enterprising business!

• I only could afford to buy one big one and so pleased as my dogs share it, they ‘kill’ it then have a chew fall asleep then the other takes over.

TRADE: The Little Pet Biscuit Company • Sold loads of Staglers at our fi rst event with them today and several ordered through our website...a great start *very happy face* • Someone came along and rummaged around in our box of Staglers for about 10 minutes. Eventually he found one he liked and bought it. I put it in a bag for him and asked: ‘what’s the name of the lucky dog?’ to which he replied: ‘It’s not for the dog...it’s a new handle for my walking stick’!!!!! Go figure! Versatile Staglers!

The husband and wife team have found the demand for their deer antler dog chews quite astonishing. Trade accounts are opening up around the country and they flew off Pets Corner’s shelves. Staglers are now available throughout the Country but as nature intended, antlers may be in short supply around March & April as we await new “stock” to drop off.

The brand is yet another success story from Dorset achieved with the help and support of their friends!

www.staglers.co.uk

Christchurch

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Recipe

Tastes so good...

PARSNIP QUICHE WITH BLUE CHEESE

This dish can be eaten hot or cold and it’s great for lunch boxes. You can use up leftover cooked veg from the Sunday roast instead of the freshly cooked parsnip. Sweet potato or carrot can be exchanged for the parsnip.

Ingredients: Shortcrust pastry: 100g salted butter 200g plain flour 4-5 tbps cold water Filing: 200g parsnip, peeled & sliced 1 shallot, diced 3 eggs 175ml crème fraiche 290ml milk 1/2 tsp mixed spice or korma curry powder 50g good blue cheese 50g ham or cooked bacon Diane Johnson

Equipment: 23cm / 9 inch buttered/greased loose bottomed flan dish. Rolling pin Method: Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Add sufficient water to bring the pastry together into a ball without it being sticky and leave to rest for half an hour covered in the fridge.

Cook the parsnip in boiling water until soft. Leave to cool. Fry off the shallot until soft. Set to one side to cool. Line a 9 inch greased flan dish with the rested pastry. Prick the bottom of the base gently with a fork to stop air bubbles forming. Bake blind (this will avoid the famous "soggy bottom"!) by crumpling baking parchment and placing it in the pastry case being careful not to tear the pastry. Then fill with ceramic baking beans spreading them out evenly. Cook at 450º F for 20 minutes until lightly brown and a little crisp.

Remove the paper and beans. Whilst the pastry case is cooking beat the eggs together and add the creme fraiche and milk, incorporating all together with a whisk. Puree or mash the parsnip with the spice or korma and gradually add to the egg mixture until thoroughly mixed. Once the pastry case has come out of the oven dot the base with the blue cheese, onion and ham. Pour the egg mixture into the pastry case and bake on 180ºC for 45 minutes, or until the centre doesn’t wobble.

Art class starts soon

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Absolute Beginners to Improvers will love this course! explore 4 different media; pencil drawing & sketching, Oil pastel painting and techniques, painting and blending with water colours and acrylics. Step by step tuition in the basic techniques and secrets needed to create beautiful pieces of art.

INCREDIBLE SEASIDE VISTAS GREAT NEWS for all our readers looking for something fun to do over the next few months! There is a 14 week part-time Art Class (3 hours a week, mornings or afternoons) starting soon in your area. Easy access by bus or free parking if you come by car.

ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS TO IMPROVERS JUST LIKE YOU!

The course is designed to be fun for Absolute Beginners who have never picked up a brush before through to Improvers.

STEP BY STEP GUIDANCE

We adapt to each student’s needs and give them all the guidance and help they need to develop their artistic skills.

The curriculum is fun, comprehensive and interesting. Over 14 weeks we will

YOUNG AT HEART

This course is a brilliant way to learn new skills you will be able to enjoy forever. It is also a great way of meeting new friends and to have a fun experience you will always remember and cherish! It is open to adults of all ages.

LIMITED PLACES

To maintain a high standard to our classes and the tuition you will receive, classes are kept to small numbers – so places available are limited! We recommend that if you are interested, you call now.

FOR INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS, CALL NOW ON 01202 580 909

Bring out your inner artist s Beginners to Intermediates

ARTCLASS ART

Part-time 14 Week Course, 3Hr Classes Once a week

SUNCLIFF HOTEL, BOURNEMOUTH

STARTS SOON U LIMITED SPACES

CALL NOW FOR DETAILS: 01202 580 909

Christchurch

SA0025_14

NEWSS CLA

By the end of the course, students have created a minimum of 8 pieces of their very own original art they can enjoy forever, from Beautiful Countryside Landscapes Scenes to Incredible Seaside Vistas

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Little acorns to mighty Oaks!

Tree and hedge care specialists Broadoak Tree Care, who are based in Christchurch, provide a full range of tree surgery and hedging services to the local community and surrounding areas of Bournemouth, Poole, Highcliffe, Ringwood and further afield.

Established over 15 years this family owned and run company prides itself on attention to customer care and provision of a full range of high quality tree and hedging care services. From the pruning of the smallest Japanese Maple using secateurs, to the sectional felling of a large Monterey Pine by use of crane and large chainsaws, no job is too large or too small.

Tidiness is a high priority in all our work and our team are committed to clearing away all debris and leaving all work areas tidy. It is this attention to detail, along with first class, quality work which has earned us a reputation as one of Dorset’s leading tree and hedge care companies.

Our team of friendly tree surgeons are fully qualified with a wealth of practical experience and carry out the highest standards of tree surgery in accordance with best industry practice. This coupled with our use of the most up to date tree surgery techniques and equipment ensures that we deliver the most efficient and cost effective services to our customers. In addition we hold full liability insurance for your peace of mind.

We offer all our customers a free, no obligation consultation and written quotation along with highly competitive pricing. Our offices are

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manned Monday to Friday and our friendly office staff are more than happy to deal with any enquiries you may have. High winds and adverse weather can cause instability and fractures in trees and in this instance we offer a fast response 24 hour emergency call out service.

We can be contacted out of office hours on 07990 511416 if you have a hazardous tree or are concerned about the safety of a tree.

In addition to our range of tree surgery services we also supply amenity woodchip and split seasoned hardwood logs.

Visit our website to see full details of our services: www.broadoaktreecare.com

Christchurch

Or telephone 01202 477310 for a free quotation.

Alternatively an enquiry by email to broadoaktreecare@msn.com will receive a timely response.

So whatever your tree or hedge care needs, contact Broadoak!

Community News

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Wildlife enthusiast reveals secrets of creating stunning photography Award-winning photographer Tony Moss revealed an impressive knowledge of local wildlife at Moors Valley Country Park, near Ringwood on 24th January. Speaking at a special preview of the British Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition,Tony, whose photograph of a Bearded Reedling was Highly Commended in the competition, took a packed audience on a journey to some of his favourite locations as he explained how he works with the natural rhythms of each animal to capture his stunning imagery.

His Highly Commended shot was taken at Weymouth’s Radipole Lake.

“I like to set myself a project,” said Tony. “I heard the birds during a summer visit to the Park and their stunning call really stuck in my mind. It has a ringing, zinging quality that once heard is never forgotten.

However with 80 hectares of reed bed I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get the photograph I really wanted.

I also knew it would have to be a winter shot as the birds feed on ground insects in the summer and are rarely seen. It took me several visits to the Park, in some pretty cold weather to secure this shot so I was really delighted it was Highly Commended in the competition.”

Tony’s advice to would be wildlife photographers included pointing out that there was an awful lot of luck in photography, “But the more time you put in the luckier you get!”

Around 90 stunning images of British wildlife form the British Wildlife Photographer Awards exhibition and can be seen at Moors Valley Country Park until 8th March. The exhibition opens daily and admission is free, but parking charges will apply.

For more information go online to www.moors-valley.co.uk or call 01425 470721.

Katie Davies Countryside Interpretation Ranger at Moors Valley Country Park with Tony Moss and his Highly Commended image

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                   



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

   

 

Christchurch

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Portfield Community Hall Porfield Community Hall in Portfield Road, Christchurch has been running as a community centre for over 40 years. We receive no funding or financial help and are very proud that we are able to manage the hall in this way and continue to run it as a viable business. All the profits ploughed back into the buildings up keep, running costs and modernisation.

The building itself is over 100 years old and was originally an army barracks, until put into trust by the army for the benefit of Christchurch. Christchurch Sports and Community Association was formed in the early 1970’s and a community centre emerged. The current committee has been running the hall for around 4 years and have in the last few years undertaken major modernisation projects including a brand new kitchen, brand new conference room, major floor resurfacing work and state of the art fire and intruder alarm system. However this is just the tip of the iceberg and we are looking at many other ways we can improve the building over the next few years.

Portfield Hall has over 40 regular user groups using its large hall and 3 meeting rooms and also takes bookings for birthday parties and social events. For all the details of the groups currently running

at the hall please visit our website www. portfieldhall.co.uk.

Portfield Hall is now also a donation point for Christchurch Food bank. Donations can be left in the collection box just inside the front door. A list of Christchurch food banks shopping list can be found on our website.

Portfield Lunch Club for the over 50’s runs on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. It is a friendly club, and for just £5 you can come and have a 2 course lunch which is prepared on site followed by coffee and biscuits and a raffle. Anyone is welcome, but you must book before hand by giving Annette a call on 01202 257424.

Portfield Bears Parent and Toddler Group have been running at Portfield Hall for over 30 years. We are currently raising money to have new gates fitted at the side of the building as the old ones collapsed last year and had to be removed. Hence when the weather is good enough for the children to use our garden, there is no chance of them running out into the road.

We are planning 2 fundraising activities; firstly a table top sale on the 1st March from 2.30pm – 4.30 pm. There will

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Portfield Lunch Club Christmas Lunch with entertainment from the year 2 choir at Christchurch Infants School

be an abundance of children’s toys, clothes and equipment for sale, as well as refreshments, a raffle and some children’s entertainment to amuse the little ones whilst you browse the items for sale. Entrance for buyers is free (but any donations to our fundraising are welcome). There are a few tables left for sellers which cost £6 each.

The second is a quiz night on the 8th March at 7pm. It is a team entry quiz with teams up to 6 people; the cost is £6 per person and includes interval food of jacket potato with a filling and salad (please bring your own drink – glasses are provided). The quiz is being run by DJ Ashley Hooper, and there are prizes for the winning team as well as a raffle. It has always been an entertaining night, and this year I am sure will be no exception.

If you would like to book a team for the quiz or a table at the nearly new sale please call Beth on 07771 276807, or email info@portfieldhall.co.uk.

We are always on the lookout for volunteers, to help out at lunch clubs, toddler groups, events and in general around the hall. If you have any spare time and would like to help please contact Beth on 07771 276807, a cup of tea is always on offer.

Christchurch

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Community News

Church members peak with charity donation Members of the Church of Scientology in Poole presented Lewis-Manning Hospice with a cheque following last year’s Welsh 3 Peaks challenge, which saw the group raise money for the charity by climbing to the summit of Wales’ highest 3 peaks in as many days.

wife had need of their help a few years ago. She had cancer and came to the hospice for some treatment briefly. That was in 2009. She did lose her battle, sadly, and passed away in 2010. So, from a personal point of view at least, supporting your work is something I am very willing to do.”

The very physical challenge saw the team complete all the routes and collectively raised over £1200 for the hospice, which supports over 650 local people living with cancer and other lifelimiting illnesses.

Martin adds, “Lewis Manning Hospice, through their work, are clearly an asset to us and often we need them for some harrowing times in life.

I can’t imagine a tougher job to do every day.”

The Poole branch undertake a challenge at least once a year for a local charity and this year picked Lewis-Manning for quite personal reasons.

Martin Budden, one of the group, explains, “We picked Lewis-Manning as they are known for what they do, and it is something that takes quite some courage. From my own point of view, my

Sara Johnson, Community Fundraiser at LewisManning, said, “We are so thankful to have been supported from this tremendous effort by Martin and Megan and the group. It is humbling when members of community push themselves to take on such physically demanding challenges to help support our patients and their families during very distressing times.”

Sara Johnson (centre), Community Fundraiser at Lewis-Manning Hospice, receiving the cheque from Martin Budden and Megan Parkinson of The Church of Scientology in Poole

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Quality rental properties required in the BH23 & BH25 postcode areas Contact us on:

01202 588 920 01425 282 911

www.belvoirlettings.com Christchurch

28 28

Adventures of Nellie

The Adventures of Nellie The Dorset Publications Camper Van We had a real treat this month when Nellie, the rather large Dorset Publications campervan, took us to see the amazing planes on display at The Solent Sky Aviation Museum in Southampton.

A very good neighbour of ours arrived on our doorstep one Saturday morning after reading about Nellie’s adventures at Compton Abbas. In that article I had said that Hayden, our ten year old son, keeps telling us he wants to be a pilot.

Martin, our neighbour, had won tickets to the Solent Sky Museum in a local raffle and very kindly offered us the tickets to take Hayden for a day out. Well Martin, I can tell you that I have never seen Hayden quite this excited! It is possible to actually sit in the cockpit of some of the planes and you can see the sheer delight in Hayden’s glinting eyes, as he holds the controls! He was literally in his element.

I wonder what he will be like after his real trip behind the controls and his first flying lesson? (Funnily enough that hasn’t been arranged yet. We don’t fancy being blown over to France in pouring rain!)

I loved the morning at the museum and

Hayden strapped into the Harrier cockpit

WW1 Tiger Moth on display particularly enjoyed sitting in the Flying Boat cockpit with Hayden as well as watching the footage of the S6a which won the Schneider Trophy - Fascinating!

I have to admit that I am no expert at all when it come to planes, so Chris Smith, the Supervisor from the Solent Sky Museum has provided us with some information which I thought you may find interesting.

It gives you an impression of just how important the south of Britain was to the aircraft industry – and how that heritage is quickly being lost and forgotten…

Here’s Chris: “The Solent region (which we define as roughly a diamond shape with corners at Bournemouth, Eastleigh, Portsmouth and Isle of Wight) was the centre of the world for aircraft development between about 1910 and 1960.

“There were 26 aeroplane companies locally, and they built everything from Spitfires to jet fighters, space rockets, hovercraft and helicopters. Solent Sky Museum has roughly 20 airframes representing these companies, including our recently completed Schneider Trophy exhibition, including the Supermarine

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Sat in the cockpit of “Beachcomber” S6a which broke the world closed-circuit air speed record in 1929, at 325 mph.

The Spitfire was designed and built just down the road from the museum. 22,000 were built during WWII, 8,000 of those in Southampton – even after the factory was bombed, production moved to carpenters’ workshops and bicycle shops. In the museum we have a Mk24 Spitfire – one of the very last to be built, and the fastest and most powerful of them all.

“The Sandringham flying boat represents the Empire Airways flying boats which flew from Southampton to the British Empire. Southampton was the world’s largest flying boat port, and the very word “airport” comes from here. Built as a Sunderland bomber in 1943, our flying boat, ‘Beachcomber’, was modified to carry Chariot submarines and was later

Nellie outside the Solent Sky Museum

Christchurch

converted to a passenger aircraft. She flew the world’s last scheduled flying boat service in 1974, making her the last of the great flying boats.

“We have two jet fighter cockpits – a Harrier jump jet and Supermarine Swift. Visitors are encouraged to strap themselves in, and then flick all the switches and pull all the levers while making jet-fighter soundeffects, thus fulfilling our EU requirement to have ‘interactive’ exhibits. Our jet fighter collection includes the world’s only jet-fighter-flying-boat, the Saunders-Roe SRA/1.”

The museum is jam packed with exhibits If you want more information about the Solent Sky Museum please do visit their website, which can be found at www.solentskymuseum.org. I believe they are in need of some sponsorship too, so if you have a passion for planes and want to help, please let them know!

Of course we had our customary cuppa in Nellie by the sea at Town Quay watching the very active port in action. We were lucky this time with the weather, having blue skies and a warm day. Did you recognise where the photo on page 8 was taken?

Where will Nellie go next? Find out in the next issue of The Christchurch Directory!

By Debbie Corney whereisnellie @whereisnellie

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Dream Doors (Poole & Christchurch) Win Checkatrade Award for 2013!

2013 was a fantastic year for us. At our annual conference we were awarded the top award for year on year growth, runner up for overall sales for 2013 but most importantly Checkatrade gave us their award for Dream Doors Franchisee of the year! This prestigious award is reflective of what many of our customers have independently said and scored us on the Checkatrade feedback forms.

Celebrating the opening of the Christchurch showroom

This was a huge achievement for us, and one that we didn’t expect, particularly since we have only just completed our 3rd year of trading.

We commenced trading as Dream Doors Poole in January 2011, opening our first showroom in Broadstone in March. Despite this been at the height of the recession, we built on quality products and services, to offer customers a real alternative to the normal kitchen replacement.

As a Franchise business we cover the whole of the BH postcode district and soon realised that in order to fully support our customer base we needed to expand. After careful consideration we decided Christchurch would be an ideal location for us, so in October 2013 we became the first Dream Doors Franchise to

open a second showroom. We have carefully designed our showroom to optimise the space and incorporate a wide selection of our products to show our customers how we can transform their kitchen.

Since opening the new Christchurch showroom we have continued to go from strength to strength. Already we are building a strong customer base which is reflective in our rapidly expanding Checkatrade results.

Looking forward, we are excited at the prospects of making the Christchurch branch as successful as the Broadstone branch, and providing our new customer base a real alternative.

Award presentation by Kevin Byrnes (right), founder of Checkatrade, at Dream Doors Annual Conference December 2013

Why not drop in for a chat and see what we have to offer… If you are lucky you might even get to meet Lilly the dog…

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Up to 40% less than a new fitted kitchen

ST R NO YLE AN NEW W S & GE AV C O AI OL F LA OU BL R E S

with made to measure replacement doors

Transform your tired kitchen in just a few days from start to finish Have you always wanted the kitchen of your dreams, but can’t quite justify paying the expensive price tag that comes with it?

Now you can by just swapping the doors and worktops.

• Huge choice of Doors, Worktops, Appliances, Sinks & Taps • From doors to complete kitchens • Free Estimating and planning • Installed in 1-2 days by professionals

Visit our showrooms; 185 Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone, Poole BH18 8DH. Tel 01202 695856 17 Bargates, Christchurch. BH23 1QD. Tel 01202 483129

www.dreamdoors.co.uk Christchurch

View our credentials at

Photography Competition

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Photography Competition!

Are you an amateur photographer?

Do you have photos of scenery in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Southbourne, Ferndown, Wareham, Swanage or even the New Forest?

Would you like to see your photo on a front cover, in print on thousands of magazines as well as have your own photo with a small article about you inside the magazine?

Well, then this competition is for you!

If you would like to enter please email, in a high resolution, your photos to photos@dorsetpublications.co.uk. I have already had some remarkable photos given to me, so go on give it a go. Every month there will be a different photo featured and we look forward to featuring your photo!

Plant of the Month

A reassurance that spring is on the way and sunshine will appear in our gardens again, the trusty little snowdrop provides so much hope nestled beneath bushes and trees. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes but are recognizable by their pure white flowers on delicate stems of green.

If you pick a small bunch and pop the posy into an egg cup ‘vase’ you’ll enjoy a beautiful sweet scent like honey.

Snowdrops are ideal for the fronts of beds and also in pots although they will need repotting each year. They enjoy a well drained spot in light shade similar to their natural woodland habitat.

SNOWDROP

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HOME COMPUTER TUITION Lessons in your own home with a friendly local tutor

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Christchurch

Community News

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The Regent Centre appoints Greg Rawlings as Manager The Board of Directors of the Regent Centre are pleased to announce the appointment of a new Manager, Greg Rawlings, who has grown up in the area and now lives in Ensbury Park.

Greg Rawlings comes from the LifeCentre in Winton near Bournemouth, where he oversaw the conversion of the former Moderne cinema into a multi-purpose conference centre. The Moderne, much like the Regent, was built in the 1930s as a 1,500 seater Super Cinema. It closed in the 1980s and again, just like the Regent, became a Bingo Hall. Today it is the LifeCentre multi-purpose conference centre and is an object lesson in architectural restoration with much of its white stucco interior and exterior designed to reflect its original glory days as an Art Deco palace of the silver screen. The project is an award worthy tribute to Greg and the team at the LifeCentre.

Greg brings his considerable experience of project management to the Regent at just the right time, when the Centre is undergoing a rolling programme of improvements to the building. The Regent has only just, on 2 December 2013, re-integrated the Christchurch Information Centre next door as its new Box Office. There are plans to convert the flat above the CIC into new offices. This will free-up the existing office at the top of the Foyer, so that the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s toilets can be enlarged and redecorated. The Foyer itself will shortly become home to a permanent bar facility and this will mean a complete re-decoration of the Foyer in Art Deco style to reflect the Regent’s 1930s heritage.

Meanwhile the Auditorium has already had a new lighting booth installed and a new sound booth is near completion. This will allow the installation of extra seats in the Circle in place of the old light and sound desks, bringing the Regent’s capacity up to 480 seats.

There are even more improvements in the pipeline at the Regent and the Board and the Town are very fortunate to have in Greg, a new Manager who will lead the modernisation of Regent, whilst protecting its historical and architectural integrity and without losing that unique retro atmosphere, which everyone loves and which always makes a visit to the Centre such a memorable occasion.

Greg says, “I cannot wait to get involved at the Regent Centre, which is such a wonderful gem in the community of Christchurch and a vital part of the cultural scene in the wider area. I have always had a passion for the theatre, musicals, concerts and films, so to be given the opportunity to be part of its success is like a dream job for me.”

Greg’s predecessor as the Regent Manager, Eliot Walker, is leaving to manage the Citygate conference centre in Bournemouth. Eliot leaves the Regent with a proud record of achievement, notably the introduction of Digital Cinema and Satellite broadcasts of international arts events from around the world, including The Metropolitan Opera in New York and Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow.

Eliot has been associated with the Regent, first as a volunteer from the tender age of 11 and latterly as the Manager. The Board, volunteers and staff at the Regent Centre wish him every success with his new appointment.

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Prize Wordsearch

Y A D S E N I T N E L A V N R

E B J O O D R A C Y T R A E H

L O G T N E V O L W Z C U U X

Q B R E Q P K U J C A R P Z R

A G O C E C N A M O R P Q R Q

H D U R B L M A P K Q P M R N

B M N S F X T O L S M O Y K W

U L D I I F R Y V V E R N K U

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The Christchurch Directory Prize Wordsearch LOVE MARDI GRAS VALENTINES DAY GROUNDHOG DAY HEART FLOWERS POEM CARD ROSE ROMANCE

This month, the prize is a pair of tickets to see One Night of Elvis on Sunday 9th March at 7.30pm at The Regent Centre, so complete this page by 25th February and send to:

February Prize Wordsearch Name: The Christchurch Directory, Address: 1 Moorlands Rise, West Moors, Ferndown, BH22 0JR Telephone:

Christchurch

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Bournemouth Bach Choir Community News

perform

“Nelson Mass” by Joseph Haydn, “Dixit Dominus” by Handel and “Furchte Dich Nicht” by J S Bach at Christchurch Priory on 15th March at 7.30 pm Conducted by Tim Hooper with orchestra Soloists include Abbi Temple and Daniel Rudge both Dorset-born singers.

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Tickets available from Regent Centre on 01202 499199 or Nigel Spratt on 01202 824413

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Don’t bin it - create with it!

My name is Barbara Becker; I love the coast, nature and snippets of scenes. I enjoy capturing the essence of what I see.

Making use of recyclable materials such as cardboard, tissue from shoe boxes and newspaper to build layers and texture, I then paint using Acrylics. I’d say my work is ‘eco friendly’!

Sometimes my inspiration comes from good composition I’ve seen in a postcard or photo. My paintings can be viewed and bought from Bistro on the Beach at Southbourne or contact me by email on: creativity128@yahoo.com I look forward to hearing from you...

Barbara Becker

CID2443 DORSET ELEC ADVERT 2011

Local, family company with over 30 years experience. Help with all your electrical needs.

Rewires.

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Testing & Inspection.

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For a FREE estimate and advice

Tel: 01202 670003 OR Mobile: 07779 430525 OR e-mail sales@defaltd.co.uk visit www.defaltd.co.uk

14/9/11

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          

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Christchurch

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Photographer of the Month!

Our Photographer of the Month for February is Chris Becker.

This is what Chris has to say: “Since our move from mid Wales to the Dorset coast last May I`ve been like a kid in a toy shop! So many new photo opportunities!

Dorset has a stunning coastline, heaths, old towns, piers and modern harbours and all offer something for ever y one.

Even though I`ve been taking photographs for over 30 years I still enjoy it immensely. It’s all about trying to capture the magic of the moment! Whether that is

trying to show a lovely sunset, a colourful butterfly or the joy in someone’s face, photography can do that. It can be a challenge but with more camera equipment now available than ever, there is something for everyone and at every budget.

I use mostly digital gear but film is far from dead!

Whatever you use, enjoy it!”

Chris Becker

Crossword

Across 9 Strange or rare objects (7) 10 Promoting nasal discharge (7) 11 Drop (7) 12 Squeezed tightly between the fingers (7) 13 Gullet (9) 15 Piloted a vehicle (5) 16 Capuchin monkey (7) 19 Rode on a sleigh (7) 20 Pertaining to sound (5) 21 Backpacks (9) 25 The omission of a vowel (7) 26 A city in Ontario Canada (7) 28 A country in western Africa (7) 29 Brain-teasers (7) Down 1 Interfere (6) 2 A tuna-like fish (6) 3 Cashbox (4) 4 Buxom (6) 5 Hates (8)

6 Criminals (10) 7 Retain (8) 8 A transit bus travelling empty (8) 14 Commandeering's of vehicles (10) 16 Apprehensiveness (8)

17 Retirement benefits (8) 18 Mean spirited (8) 22 Clothing (6) 23 Waterways (6) 24 Wife or husband (6) 27 Disposes (4)

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Host Families Required Can you accommodate International Students in a safe and happy family environment?

ETC International College requires caring host families to accommodate students in any of these areas: Town Centre | Charminster | Westbourne | Talbot Woods Winton | Branksome | Parkstone | Westcliff | Ensbury Park Littledown | East Cliff | Southbourne | Pokesdown | Boscombe Moordown

Please contact us on: Tel | (01202) 544161 or (01202) 559044 Email | accommodation@etc-inter.net

Christchurch

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Money Saving Tips

Martin

LEWIS Tackle your bills

Winter is coming. Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in the white stuff to sort your bills. Here, prevention truly beats cure – tackling your bills now means you can take the financial bite out of winter chills…

Free loft insulation and even boilers (for some).

While the loft insulation free-for-all's ended, some will still be entitled to some serious free energy-saving measures.

Most of the big six energy firms offer free boilers, typically worth £2,000, and free insulation, usually worth about £300. Crucially, you don't need to be with the energy provider to get it, but you do generally need an income under £16,000, and to be on income-related benefits or pension credit. I can’t definitely say you’ll qualify, but it is worth checking. Alternatively, the wellmeaning but stuttering Green Deal initiative is designed to let you pay for things like underfloor heating, double glazing and solid wall insulation, from the 'savings' you make on energy bills. Deciding whether it’s right for you is complex, so for full help read www.moneysavingexpert.com/greendeal

comparison on any Ofgem-approved comparison site – just search for The Confidence Code at www.ofgem.gov.uk to see the full list.

If you're not online, use a comparison with a phone service, such as Energyhelpline on 0800 074 0745, or uSwitch on 0800 051 5493.

Paying energy bills by monthly direct debit’s up to 6% cheaper.

If you can, do, as it’ll usually mean discounted bills of up to 6% less, so contact your provider to check. Though always do regular meter readings for accuracy, as your bill is estimated. If it’s too high, you have a right to ask for it to be lowered.

Got electricity only? You can still save.

With electricity only, you can still get a cheap fix to save just follow the info above. For those on Economy 7, assessing is trickier. It’s only really a boon for those who use at least 40% of their energy at night. If not – don’t bother. Full help to decide at www.mse.me/eco7

Can you find your stopcock?

No sniggering - winter frozen pipe bursts can create an Save £100s and beat the hikes. average £7,000 of damage, often worsened as many Rather surprisingly, fixing energy, where you lock in a set scrabble round searching for their stopcock - the mains rate, is now cheaper than a normal switch. Five of the big water off switch - for ages as their home floods. six energy providers have now announced hikes, and their best new prices are costlier than the cheapest fixed Take the time to find it now – mine is under the kitchen sink. Others find theirs in the bathroom or inside a tariffs. So right now you can get the very cheapest deals cupboard. If yours isn’t working, you may want to call a available, and it comes with no-hike certainty. plumber now, before it’s a problem.

The only exception to this is a variable (ie, subject to Choosing between heating and eating? hikes) tariff from minnow Spark Energy – though it hasn't If you're seriously behind, or in general financial hardship hiked (yet?), needs paying upfront, and feedback ain't - as far too many are after the hikes - you may be eligible great, so I’m ignoring it. for special help. Call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 The cheapest fix comes from E.on for a year, but slightly longer and only a touch more are deals from EDF or Npower. Crucially, these two have no exit penalties. So on the off-chance the Prime Minister delivers the price cuts he’s promised, and the even more unlikely event that they’ll be so substantial that other tariffs elsewhere are cheaper, you'll be free to leave.

However, always do the numbers for your own circumstances. To check if you can save (you may be on an older, cheaper deal), and who your winner is, you can use my Cheap Energy Club top fixes comparison at www.cheapenergyclub.com, or do a standard

66 99 to check. Plus if anyone in your home was born on or before 5 January 1952, you're due up to £300 in taxfree winter fuel payments. Payments should be made automatically, but if you’ve never had it before then you may need to register - see www.gov.uk.

Plus anyone on specific income support, jobseekers' allowances or pension credit gets £25 in cold weather payments for every 7 days it's sub-0 C.

@MoneySavingExpert

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Christchurch

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on your Gardening Tips

PLOT

Now is the time to go undercover

It’s still pretty chilly during February but planting seedlings under glass (or plastic) can give you a great start for the season ahead.

A bit of time and money invested now in a polytunnel or greenhouse will give you benefits for years to come.

Can’t wait for Spring to come? There’s plenty of vegetables that can be started off indoors now.

Jobs for February:Erect a cold frame, polytunnel or greenhouse.

Plant out onion sets Sow tomatoes indoors Chit seed potatoes Sow early beetroot and summer cabbages Plant soft fruit bushes

The days are getting a little longer, green shoots are starting to appear and we’re all just itching to get out in the garden now. Just one problem it’s still likely to be blooming cold!

With both greenhouses and polytunnels you need to remember that they can become very hot in the summer and ensure that adequate ventilation is available.

Extremes in weather are typical for this month so even if we do have a warmer spell I wouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to start sowing seeds outdoors. It’s at this time of year that having some undercover growing space is a real boon - not least because it’s so much more of a pleasure working in a protected environment, basking in the glory of those few rays of sun, than it is feeling a gale force wind that seems as it if’s come straight from the arctic! If you don’t have a greenhouse, polytunnel or cold frame then why not think about investing in one now? Get it built in February and you can get a head start on many plants for the season to come.

So, now that you have this great new space what can you plant in it? Early tomatoes can be started off in pots and if you plant some summer cabbages now you can get them established and benefit from a crop by late spring or early summer.

Cucumbers, beetroot, leeks and lettuces can also be sown indoors and if you want to try something a little more exotic why not plant some peppers, aubergines and even a melon?

Which is best? Consider the space available - if space is limited then a cold frame, may be a good option.

Green houses can offer lots of benefits but are generally not a great idea if your garden is also the kids play area and they can be hugely expensive. On the plus side, they are not easy to get rid of so if you’re prepared for a bit of work you may be able to pick up a second-hand one very cheaply providing you are happy to dismantle and move it yourself (try free cycle).

We opted for a polytunnel, which was very reasonable in price and gave us several weekends of entertainment building it. Follow the instructions carefully, don’t rush it and you’ll need at least 2 of you when it comes to putting the plastic on.

This is also a good month to think about soft fruit . Most fruit bushes, trees and canes need time to get established before you start to get a good yield and it is easy to overlook them in favour of crops that give a quicker return.

If you don’t have any fruit growing on your plot how about adding just one type of fruit each year? You could plant raspberry canes this month, or incorporate a gooseberry or blackcurrant bush into your border. If you have pot grown strawberries that have spent the winter indoors then place them outside as they will only flower after exposure to cold weather.

Plants that have over wintered outside can be brought in now.

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Are you having trouble with your trolley or ride on buggy? Pulling to one side?

Battery not lasting the full 18 holes?

We are able to oer a repair facility for just about any make of electric golf trolley. Most repairs done while you wait!

Let us help keep you on course - give us a call today!

Online store for spare parts, accessories, batteries and chargers:

www.golftrolleyworkshop.co.uk Monthly Free Battery Raffle on all repairs!

Golf Trolley Workshop Keeping you on course

T: 01425 627564 M: 07836 637608

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Christchurch

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Heritage News

“Christchurch, where time is pleasant” It’s what the local council says, so it must be true! It is true of many parts of the borough but there is much more to Christchurch than its pleasant environment. This charming little town is brimming with history, both ancient and modern.

Its ancient history begins sometime around 650 AD. St Birinus, the fi rst bishop of the new Diocese of Dorchester, not Dorchester the County Town of Dorset but Dorchester in Oxfordshire, sent missionaries to bring the Word of God to the wild pagans of Wessex.

The missionaries were astute, practical men and when they found the high ground in the confluence of the rivers we know as the Avon and the Stour, the estuary forming a natural harbour; they recognised its value as a site for development. These early property developers soon established a new settlement on the spot and called it Tweoexneam which became “Twynham”.

Alfred the Great, recognising its strategic importance, created a “burgh” with fortifi ed walls in about 890 AD for defence against the Danes. The founding missionaries’ small mission

Boat on the river by Chris Becker

church on the site was developed further in 1094 when Ranulph Flambard, Dean of Twynham began building the famous priory. Not long after that the town adopted the new name, “Christchurch.”

During the civil war between Empress Matilda and King Stephen, a stone castle was built to resist King Stephen’s troops. This castle played a part in the Civil War between King and Parliament from 1642 to 1651.

Christchurch was taken and re-taken by both sides several times. Time cannot have been pleasant then! In 1645 Parliamentary forces holding the castle were besieged by the Royalists.

Cromwell’s men prevailed and the castle and town remained theirs. In 1652 the castle was destroyed to prevent it falling into Royalist hands again. Little remains of it today.

The harbour’s importance declined as ships became larger leaving it to just small fi shing boats. During the 18th and 19th centuries it became the haunt of smugglers. Smuggling became a most lucrative industry which was viciously defended, culminating in the infamous “Battle of Mudeford” with the murder of a Royal Navy officer and the subsequent execution of a local man for the crime.

Christchurch had lawful industry too however. Cox’s fusee chain factory started in 1790 in premises in High Street. Cox’s enjoyed a monopoly supplying fusee chain to watch and clock makers until Hart’s fusee chain factory opened in Bargates in 1845.

Both factories had closed by 1875 as

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Tourists began to visit Christchurch following the patronage of King George III during the 1790s. The coming of the railway to nearby Holmsley in 1847 encouraged this trade. 1883 saw Christchurch on the main line from London with a station of its own within the town.

Co-operation between Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole enabled the newly introduced electric trams to operate from Christchurch High Street to Poole High Street. A power station was built in Bargates in 1903 to contribute electricity to the system with surplus power used for street lighting. In 1926 the National Grid made the station redundant. The building now houses Britain’s only museum dedicated to the history of electricity.

The development of British aviation and manufacture of aircraft was the town’s principal industry for much of the 20th Century, employing large numbers.

Famous names such as De Havilland and Airspeed are forever woven into the fabric of the town’s story.

Naturally this meant that in World War II, Christchurch’s contribution to the war effort was disproportionate to its size. The Military Engineering Experimental Establishment in Barrack Road did sterling work for the ground forces including the famous Bailey Bridge, created there by Donald Bailey in 1941/42 and manufactured in large numbers.

As well as Christchurch Aerodrome itself, established in 1926, the war necessitated the building of several new and mostly temporary airfields in

Christchurch

Christchurch Priory by Richard Lock the surrounding area, all long gone.

Christchurch Aerodrome itself closed in 1970. The only surviving airfield in the borough, opened in 1944 as RAF Hurn, is now the busy Bournemouth International Airport which is in fact in Christchurch!

The town continued to grow with industrial and commercial sites at the airport and elsewhere providing employment for its people. Tourism too has continued to expand.

In 1974 county boundary changes took Christchurch from Hampshire into Dorset, another milestone in Christchurch’s long and varied history, at which we have only taken a peep.

There is so much of interest in and around the town, so much to discover and explore, that time there really is pleasant.

By Peter Hopper of Write For You www.dorsetcopywriter.co.uk

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Index of advertisers

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Directory...

Art Classes The Seasons Art Class.......................................19 Bedrooms Custom World................................................... 5 Flair Interiors....................................................47 Blinds, Curtains & Shutters Ashley Blinds..................................................... 3 Builders New Forest Home Improvements.....................11 Business Opportunities Diana Devereux................................................ 3 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners Cleaning Doctor................................................37 Cars — New & Used Keith Motors..................................................... 1 Community News Adventures of Nellie.........................................28 Christchurch, where time is pleasant................44 Church members peak with charity donation....26 Don’t Bin it... Create with it!.............................36 Dorset Wildlife Trust: The Common Dormouse....10 LawSpot............................................................12 Pancake race to launch Food & Wine Festival.... 6 Photographer of the Month: Chris Becker........38 Regent Centre appoints new manager.............34 Wildlife Photography Exhibition.......................22 Wildlife Wonders on our Doorstep...................14 Computer Training Silver Training IT...............................................33 Denture Services Dorset Denture Clinic........................................11 Drainage Services All Drains Cleared.............................................11 Drain & Plumbing Solutions..............................43 Electricians Dorset Electrical & Fire Alarms.........................37 Fitted Furniture Custom World................................................... 5 Garage Doors Skandoor...........................................................23 Garage Services Keith Motors..................................................... 1 Garden Services Ashley Tree Surgeons........................................23 Broadoak Tree Care....................................20, 33 Golf Trolley Maintenance & Spares Golf Trolley Workshop......................................43 Health & Wellbeing Bournemouth Careline.....................................15 Hearing Aids & Services Kellear Hearing.................................................23

Holiday Villas Costa del Sol Villas............................................13 Hospitals Bournemouth & Poole NHS Trusts.................... 9 Hot Tub Hire Party Tub Hire...................................................37 Kitchens Dream Doors....................................................31 Flair Interiors....................................................47 Kitchen Transformations..................................13 Portman Stone..................................................15 Language Colleges ETC International College.................................39 Letting Agents Belvoir!.............................................................27 Lofts Loft Services......................................................37 Mobile Vehicle Repairs Up-2-Scratch.....................................................43 Party Stores Peeks................................................................ 2 Pet Products Staglers.............................................................16 Plumbing & Heating Engineers Drain & Plumbing Solutions..............................43 Puzzles & Competitions Crossword.........................................................38 Photography Competition................................32 Prize Wordsearch..............................................31 Sudoku..............................................................37 Where is Nellie?................................................ 8 Renewable Energy Solutions Nick Good Property Maintenance.................... 7 Roofing Broadway Roofing............................................ 3 Forest Park Roofing..........................................13 Solicitors Harold G Walker...............................................48 Takeaways Sunny’s Fish & Chips.........................................41 Tree Surgeons Ashley Tree Surgeons........................................23 Broadoak Tree Care....................................20, 33 Venues Portfield Hall.....................................................24 Windows, Doors & Conservatories Allglaze.............................................................33 Dorset Windows............................................... 2 New Forest Home Improvements.....................11 Worktops Portman Stone..................................................15

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Your Team of Specialists in Christchurch Alan Fairley

Jennifer Miles

Conveyancing

Family

Mia Prashad

Dee Woodcock

Probate

Employment

Broadstone:

01202 692448 Verwood:

01202 823308

Christchurch:

Harold G Walker

01202 482202

hgwalker.co.uk

01202 881454

Your Friend-in-Law

Wimborne:

The Christchurch Directory 1 Moorlands Rise, West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0JR