Issuu

e h T

ORACLE

THE

APR 2022 SWANAGE

Oracle

VIEW ONLINE

Fancy a break? A selection of locations to choose from...

Seaviews Weymouth - Spacious one bedroom apartment on Weymouth Esplanade with stunning views across the bay - airbnb.com/h/seaviewsweymouth

Retreat @ Rockley - Cozy and relaxing two bedroom park home with views across Poole Harbour and close to beach airbnb.com/h/retreatatrockley

Waterfront @ Rockley - Cozy and relaxing waterfront two bedroom park home with uninterrupted views across Poole Harbour airbnb.com/h/rockleywaterfront

Theta Glade - Homely, quiet, semi-rural location near forest. Three/four bedroom property with spacious lounge/dining room and large garden to rear - airbnb.com/h/thetaglade

For more information about any of these locations, please visit their respective web pages or give Stephen a call on

07886 860570

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

SELF STORAGE UNITS TO LET (for private use)

Insulated, Individually Alarmed for Furniture, Classic Cars or Documents

East Stoke, Wareham

Tel: 07836 369969 E: mb@malcolmbarnes.co.uk www.purbeckselfstorage.co.uk Natural Gas, LPG and Oil qualified and registered engineer • All aspects of Plumbing and Heating undertaken • Boiler and Cylinder Installation / Service & Repair • Landlords Gas Safety Certificate • Central Heating System design & installation

Call Rory on: 07980 805157 / 01929 761688 Email: rory@fxrheatingandplumbing.co.uk

www.fxrheatingandplumbing.co.uk

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

THE SWANAGE Oracle

Edition 160

It is with great pleasure that we give you the April issue of your local community magazine. We are really pleased that the magazine is so well received and used by yourselves each month and that you continue to support your local trades and services. At this time of increasing costs and some uncertainties it is as vital as ever that we back up our local companies and keep the economy in our areas thriving. If you know of a company that needs help with their advertising or a local club or society that needs some good local promotion, then please let them know of us. We are here to help them, help you, whether that is in the Advertise with us home, work or for yourself personally. Take your business to new heights We are here. The April issue is our Anniversary in fact. It is 17 years this month since we published our first edition! I cannot believe it. We are very proud to have helped so many companies, some of which have expanded hugely due to all your calls and bookings. Stephen, myself and all the girls in the office want to thank you for your support. It means everything to us, that you pick up the phone or walk into the office and let the advertiser know that you found their details due to all our hard work. This is hugely appreciated by us and the advertisers themselves! Wishing you a wonderful Easter. May the sun shine and we all get out and have some fun! Best Wishes,

with our aﬀordable advertising packages! Supply your own artwork or use our in-house design and brand expert. To chat to Debbie or the sales team, give us a call:

01929 408080

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

enquiries@modernmagazines.co.uk Copy deadline for May edition: 11th April 2022 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 Swanage Oracle does not oﬃcially endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in ant retrieval systems or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the publisher.

A publication by

Debbie, Stephen & Daichi 4

SALE OFF

Spring Sale • •

15% off

Space saving Fully insulated Fully automatic No maintenance Reduced draughts So simple to operate Simple key fob operation All doors fitted with bottom safety edge system in compliance with trading standards regulations

Full range of colours Single/Double doors all made in our Bishops Waltham factory

WE SURVEY WE MANUFACTURE WE INSTALL NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED Covering Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire & Dorset

01962 600777

info@skandoor.co.uk | www.skandoor.co.uk

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing to hold their properties as tenants in common to reduce inheritance tax and help protect their share from care fees The Property Protection Trust Will package is based around how you hold the ownership of your home. All good estate planning nowadays considers the difference between owning your home as joint tenants or as tenants in common. If you own your home as Joint Tenants; when one of you dies the ownership of the home passes by the Law of Survivorship and not by your Will. Therefore, the surviving partner will automatically own 100% of the property. This sounds right to most people. BUT should the surviving partner need care in the future, the Local Authority can take everything they own (including their home) to pay for the care fees, leaving just £14,250 to be inherited by children and grandchildren.

There is an alternative.

Nowadays many couples choose to own their home as Tenants in Common where each partner will own 50% of the family home. This provides for many benefits. Firstly, it allows you to legally leave your share of the property in your Will to whoever you wish. A properly written Will can ensure that your half of your house will eventually pass to your children even if your widow re-marries. Unmarried cohabiting couples or relatives living together can also use this means of ownership as a way of minimising their Inheritance Tax exposure. It can also help with long-term care costs. If one of you is still living in your home the Local Authority can’t include its value in the means test if one of you has to go in to long-term care. This also applies if the husband or wife still living at home dies while the other is in care as their share will go into the trust.

Dorset and Wight are your local experts in Property Protection Trust Wills. 6

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

www.dorsetandwight.co.uk

LASTING POWER of ATTORNEYS Probably the most important documents you will ever own. Wills: £140 each - Single Power of Attorneys: £150 each

Special Offer 1: All four Lasting Power of Attorneys for a couple £570 (save £30)

Special Offer 2: All four Lasting Power of Attorneys & two Wills for a couple £840 (save £40)

Special Offer 3: A complete Property Protection Trust, Wills and all four Lasting Power of Attorneys for a couple - Limited time offer £999 (save £501) Are you concerned about care fees and other risks?

Special Offer 4: The “Ultimate” Family Protection Package includes All Trust Wills and LPAs for a couple - Limited time offer £1,279 (save £881)

If you are concerned about care fees and protecting your children’s inheritance from divorce and other risks.

We are specialists in providing for the elderly or less mobile. Everything is dealt with in the comfort of your own home. Members of the Society of Will Writers and Estate Planning Practitioners.

EXPERTISE • EXPERIENCE • EMPATHY Dorset 01202 065953 Hampshire - 01264 252900 Isle of Wight - 01983 623900 All subject to deliberate deprivation guidelines

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Finding a place of peace A voyage into the emotions of the mind this month, with three engaging and intriguing books to look out for.

Be Yourself and Happier by Will Young Will Young has written an accessible A-Z guide on mental health, Be Yourself and Happier. The platinum-selling and double-BRIT Award winning singer/songwriter has long been a mental health advocate, and counts his experiences within the industry as a catalyst for various voyages of self-discovery that have led him to where he is today. “I have been at the coalface of depression and anxiety - a state of mind that’s always under threat, and only by exploring the reasons and causes behind this can we look to make changes.” In the book, Will discusses his breakdown in 2011, and how extensive therapy helped the star to unpick and interrogate everything he thought he knew: how he formed his identity, what he relied on for selfesteem and how he behaved and communicated. Everything he has learnt over the past 10 years is now condensed into this accessible A-Z guide. Published by Bloomsbury on April 21st

A Diﬀerent Kind of Happy by Rachaele Hambleton Author Rachaele Hambleton - a full-time mum to three daughters and one baby boy, step-mum to two boys and married to her ‘birdboy’ Josh – has certainly earned her status as one of the most honest and sincere modern writers out there, largely through the success of her Part-Time Working Mummy, Sunday Times bestseller from 2018. Using the strength of her persona as a trusted parenting personality, she returns with A Different Kind of Happy, a book that explores the trials and successes of a blended family situation. The book is a soaring and purposeful guide to modern parenting, with a few catastrophes thrown in along the way! Published by Penguin Random House on April 14th

A Family Aﬀair by Robyn Carr Anna McNichol knows how to take charge. Raised by a single mother, she’s worked to ensure her three children have every advantage she didn’t. And while her marriage has its problems, she values commitment and believes in ‘till death do us part’. Now an empty nester, she’s at the peak of her career and ready to seize the opportunity to focus on her future. But life can change in an instant, and when her husband dies suddenly, Anna’s carefully constructed world falls apart. The mysterious young woman at the memorial service conﬁrms her husband had been keeping secrets, and Anna is determined to get to the truth. Published by MIRA on April 5th

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Email: info@philiptrimcontractors.com

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Puzzle Page Quick Crossword Across Clues:

13. Dishearten (11)

1. Parallel games (10)

15. Spread (7)

8. Slayer (8)

17. Boil (4)

#014 3

7 8

9. Large brass instrument (4) 20. Disappear (4) 10. Be paid (4)

21. Yellow spice (8)

11. Written account (7)

22. Straightforwardness (10)

Down Clues:

7. Island (4)

2. Changing order of word (7)

12. Associated with eastern Asia (8)

3. In addition (4)

13. Duke (7)

4. Aloof (8)

14. Snake (7)

5. Terrace (5)

16. Symbol (5)

6. Part human, part machine (7)

18. Pause (4)

11 12

19. Crocodile (4) 20

Word Ladder

Make your way from THAW to MELT by changing one letter on each step to make a new word!

THAW

Egg Head 1. What day of the week is Easter traditionally celebrated on? 2. What was the name of the apostle who betrayed Jesus? 3. And how many pieces of silver did he trade for Jesus’ life? 4. In which country did the easter bunny originate from? 5. What is the traditional ﬂower of Easter? 6. What colour was the ﬁrst easter egg dyed? 7. Name the Sunday before Easter

MELT

8. How many chocolate bunnies are produced each year? 9. Easter Island belongs to which country? 10. What is the Egg a symbol of?

ANSWERS: (THAW, THAT, TEAT, TELT, MELT)

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

MALLWOOD ROOFING LTD Fixed quote work Replacement Doors Laminate Flooring Decking Truss & Cut Roofing General Carpentry General Building Maintenance Call Peter Albin

Mobillee 07834 983022 me 01929 425048 Hoom

A local family business with over 45 years experience. High Performance Felt, Cold Applied Liquid Systems, Single Ply Membranes, Tiling & Slating. All new work fully guaranteed. Full Public Liability Insurance. For a no obligation quote call Matt:

01202 020063 / 07950 972289 www.mallwoodroofing.co.uk

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

All the World’s A Stage One of our greatest creative filmmaking forces, Kenneth Branagh, looks back over three decades of big-budget production. Kenneth Branagh is a behemoth of the major film project – a man who subscribes to the ‘more is less’ principle of movie-making, and who has absolute faith in the essence that big budgets make successful movies. That alone, offers a peculiar contradiction. After all, the 61-year-old is someone so creatively and artistically enriched, from within, that a script and a stage would all but suffice given the Belfast-born actor, producer and director’s ability to connect an audience to an idea. How else can you explain his effortless excellence across so many Shakespeare projects, from Henry V (1989) – for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor

and Best Director – through to Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Othello (1995), Hamlet (1996), Love’s Labour’s Lost (2000), and As You Like It (2006). And yet, his big-screen work away from the Bard goes the other way, with high-quality, mass-scale projects that refuse to be held back by budget – consider Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Valkyrie (2008), the blockbuster superhero film Thor (2011), Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) and Murder on the Orient Express (2017) (2017), and of course Death on the Nile, this year. “Death on the Nile is an immense project and I have always been confident that all the investment and commitment would pay itself back, both financially and artistically. “It’s one of those films that could have been made on the cheap, but it’s the fine details that really begin to shine when you have a bigger budget to play with. It’s the luxury of doing

something really good and knowing you have the time to go back and take another look at something if it hasn’t quite come through the way you had expected. It’s quality control. “Ultimately, I feel extremely lucky to be making the sorts of movies I have over the past couple of decades, and to find the backers who believe in these projects, because it’s not always been like that,” he says, referencing the industry’s lack of money and interest in filmmaking when he was first getting started. “It was a real famine back in the Eighties - so few movies were being made. These days there are sets the size of Soho and investment in filmmaking is so huge, and I would like to think the output validates that; but as ever, it’s the audience who are there to judge, and that’s the way it should be.”

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

REFRESHINGLY HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY At Humphries Kirk Solicitors we like to keep it simple, and we like to keep it personal. It’s an approach that has served us and our clients well for almost 300 years.

Get in touch with our experts. Bournemouth 01202 421111 Cranborne Chase 01258 840507 Crewkerne 01460 279100 Dorchester 01305 251007

Parkstone 01202 715815 Poole 01202 725400 Swanage 01929 423301 Wareham 01929 552141

www.hklaw.uk

Low Cost Secure Self Storage

• Rent from £27.50 per week • CCTV, Palisade Fencing & 24/7 access • Conveniently located on the Puddletown Road just outside of Wareham

Call us on 01929 401585 to discuss your requirements Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

QUIRKY FACTS by Mica Bale True or false? Dorset was once home to Frankenstein? Who fancies another delve into the region’s quirkiest facts this April? With the warmer weather promised and longer days and nights, our beautiful county has plenty to enjoy this Spring. In fact, why not grab a glass of something in your awakening garden and enjoy another handful of interesting facts?

One of the very first people to send a message using a new telegraph machine invented by Marconi was Alfred Downing Fripp, born in Blandford Forum. Fripp was in the company of Queen Victoria herself! A royal surgeon later to King Edward VII and George V. Reportedly, Fripp was a highly dedicated doctor. During his honeymoon, the Dorset local was called back to attend the young Prince of Wales who had injured his knee. The Fripps would go on to become favoured by the royal householder before becoming fast friends with Marconi. Together with the Prince of Wales, Fripp would be the first to make use of Marconi’s newest invention.

It could be said that Dorset was home to its very own Bloomsbury group! The county has always been praised for attracting authors and artists however Chaldon Herring in particular is known for its creative inhabitants. Essayist Llewelyn Powys and his wife suﬀragist Alyse George. The village was also home to Elizabeth Muntz, Valentine Ackland and Philippia Powys (Llewelyn's sister) among many others.

Did you know that the face of the original Frankenstein lived out his days in the village of Bramshott? Renowned for playing the instantly recognisable title character in the original 1931 Frankenstein film, Boris Karloff had had several roles in the era of silent movies. It was not until his role as the immensely popular Frankenstein that Karloff began to gain fame with audiences and in the years that followed, Karloff went on to reprise his role several times. No doubt the residents of Bramshott were well used to Frankenstein wandering their village!

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Have you visited the ruins of Rufus Castle? Located on the Isle of Portland, the castle is believed to be the oldest on the island. The remains that can be seen today largely date back to the 15th century however the castle is thought to have been named after King Wiliam II who was also known as William Rufus. Although the castle is not in its former glory, the Grade I listed structure is still a fine example of a so-called ‘Bow and Arrow’ keep which was designed especially for skilled archers to be able to defend the structure without risking themselves.

Did you know that Queen Joan, the daughter of King John and wife of Alexander II of Scotland was buried in Tarrant Abbey? Dying relatively young, her place at court had never been strong. Her marriage alliances had always been a matter of great contest and as the daughter of a king, the question of who she would marry was not a simple matter. Eventually she would marry Alexander II of Scotland however the marriage produced no children and was not believed to have been a happy one. Dying before she'd even reached the age of 30, Joan was buried, reportedly now in a golden tomb, at Tarrant Abbey which at the time was considered to be one of the richest Abbeys in the country. The precise location of her tomb is believed to be unknown despite its historical prominence. A sad end for the daughter of one of England's most famous kings.

ENJOY THIS FEATURE IN EVERY ISSUE!

ENJOY THIS FEATURE IN EVERY ISSUE! Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Money on my mind... the Martin Lewis column He’s the UK’s leading money saving expert - a journalist and presenter who has kept millions of pounds in people’s pockets as well as lifting the lid on the threats and dangers we need to be aware of as consumers. In this month’s column, Martin Lewis looks at budgeting. Here’s an uncomfortable fact for you - many people are appalling ‘budgeters’. We all know what we earn, but we don’t know what we spend, and you cannot balance the see-sawing budget without being clear on both. The biggest problem that people have is they look across the month at what they typically pay for things. So, they’ll look at their food bills, their utilities, their mortgage, car lease and all those things, and that’s all good and well. But you know what, the average family in the UK spends £600 on Christmas, which is £50 a month. They buy a new sofa every three or four

years for maybe £1,000. They buy a television that is £300. They go on holiday, and so on. The fact is, rarely are these costs factored into monthly spend, but they should be. We need to break down those big amounts into a monthly cost, across the whole year, and add that to our monthly ﬁgures. I have a tool called the ‘Budget Planner’ which is free to use on my website – have a look. Ultimately, the way I suggest people manage their money is by using a system I call ‘Piggybanking’. It involves moving things into hypothetical ‘accounts’. So, let’s say you have your ‘Standard Bills’ account, which is all the regular bills you need to pay each month; you have your ‘Holidays’ account - you know you spend £1,000 a year on a holiday and that’s about £85 a month. You have

your ‘Christmas’ account and you have your ‘Big One-offs’ account. Those are examples, but use whatever is personal to you. Each month when you get paid, you siphon the right amount of money into the Bills account, you put the right amount of money into the Holidays account, the right amount of money into the Christmas account, and so on. So your Holidays account will categorically confirm to you that you have, say, £512 to spend. If you’re spending more, you cannot afford it, so you have to cut your cloth accordingly. Many people swear by this technique, lots of people swear at it too, but it truly works! In the current climate, we can’t compensate for what’s around the corner, but being equipped to confront it will make you feel good about your finances, your life, and your prospects of overcoming that financial bump in the road.

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Do you have a water softener? We are your local supplier for all your salt requirements! Tablets

Granules

Blocks

Car Paint Repair & Valeting/ Detailing Express Centre • Bumper scuff/dent repairs • Scratches/paint repair • Small to med dent repair • Stone chip repair • Valeting /detailing services • Ceramic coating specialist

Telephone: 01929 425412 / 07568 195926

FRLIVEEERY DE

Hygienic and safe deliveries

01202 627185 nigel@wessexsalt.com www.wessexsalt.com

Now only

£895

for a fully fitted electric garage door.

Email: nick@colessmartrepair.co.uk Unit 3, Jaden Centre, Prospect Business Park, Swanage, BH19 1EJ

www.colessmartrepair.co.uk Garolla garage doors are expertly made to measure in our own UK factories, they’re strong and solidly built. The electric Garolla door rolls up vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside your garage, maximising valuable space. Our experienced installers will fit your new door and they’ll take away the old one too, so there’s no mess. Give us a call today and we’ll come and measure up FREE of charge.

WAS £1,354 INCLUDING VAT.

CALL US TODAY ON:

01202 805 920 MOBILE:

07537 149 128 *Offer valid for openings up to 2.6m wide & including 2 remote controls, 55mm white slats, internal manual override.

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Barn Owls: The Return... The silent flight of a barn owl is a majestic and wonderful sight for any nature lover. With the features of their heart shaped faces and deep black eyes, they are an unmistakable icon of the countryside in the UK. However, it may surprise you to hear that the odds are stacked against these wonderful creatures, with a long list of challenges and problems they face daily. Firstly, there’s the two things we all need: food and shelter. Declining or unsuitable habitat means that both of these vital elements to their survival immediately puts them at threat. Suitable roosting sites, and then good quality unimproved grassland for their prey to live (such as voles and mice) can be hard to come by if the quality of the habitat close to them isn’t good enough. During the breeding season, they need to have a plentiful food source within 1km of their roost – their chicks can eat their own body weight in food in one night! The next challenge is overcoming the physical limitations of the barn owls’ wings, which aren’t waterproof so they can be adversely affected by the weather. They are also unable to store a lot of body fat, and therefore are particularly prone to starvation during prolonged periods of severe weather or when there is shortage of prey. However, there are sites where barn owls can thrive. One of those is 18

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve, Lorton Meadows, in Weymouth, where we have seen many chicks fledge each year as a result of the excellent habitat surrounding the barn owl box. Careful habitat management carried out all year round by DWT conservation staff and volunteers means that this site can provide the food and shelter barn owls need to survive. This year we are streaming the latest pair of barn owls which are roosting and preparing for breeding, live on our webcam which is sponsored by PFM Associates. You can watch the barn owls here, and hopefully, enjoy many hours of witnessing the true beauty of nature as they raise their chicks at the Lorton Meadows nature reserve. Watch now at: www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/ wildlifewebcam By Sally Welbourn Communications Team Dorset Wildlife Trust Photo: Barn Owls at Lorton by Paul Williams

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Near Corfe Castle (on main A351)

Tel: 01929 480098 Spring IS coming! Large selection of Roses, Shrubs, Perennials, Bulbs, Herbs, Flower & Vegetable Seeds, etc Terracotta Pots – Ornaments Composts – Bamboo Canes Locally coppiced bean poles and pea sticks

Due May 2022 – Summer Bedding and Basket Plants – Herbs and Vegetable plants Local produce, including:

• TRAILER SALES • TRAILER PARTS & SPARES (next day delivery) • TRAILER SERVICE & REPAIRS

01929 462534 WADDOCK CROSS, DORCHESTER, DT2 8QY Please visit our eBay shop for the best prices search ‘Wessex Trailers’

Click link on our site www.wessex-trailers.co.uk

Georgian Gems Est 1970

Free Range Eggs – Bread – Cakes Honey – Jams – Chutneys – Meat Ales – Cider and Wines Equestrian – Animal and Pet feeds & accessories Wild Bird Feed & Feeders Nestboxes - Bug Hotels Hedgehog Houses Please check our website for updated stock and prices: nordenfarm.com

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Ample Parking & Assistance with loading

28 High St, Swanage, BH19 2NU Items for verbal valuation, proceeds to RNLI £2 per item.

Tel: 01929 424697

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Greenfingers… the Alan Titchmarsh column He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh talks about the advent of spring, and how our gardens are beginning to open back up again. There is something about spring that just feels like the world is alive and fertile and rich again. You can usually sense it on a particular day – that day when you can smell the season has arrived; when you see those first shoots breaking on an apple tree branch or a hawthorn hedge.

Where the garden is concerned, there are a few basics to look on and check you need to remind yourself of your plot in terms of sunshine and shade, and its capabilities. Remember, poor soil isn’t a barrier - you can grow all kind of things in tubs and pots and troughs. And just because what you have may be small, it doesn’t mean it’s hard to find things to grow in it. It’s easy to grow salads in a small space, or tomatoes in summer. Even dwarf fruit in large pots. No, you won’t be self-sufficient, but you know that you grew it.

It’s like all those months of dampness, coldness and struggle have just flitted away on the breeze – the world feels like a different place. And as a gardener you always have a little moment in February when you think maybe this year it won’t happen, but it always does, and I love it when the first green haze comes across the horizon. Of course, that’s the signal to formulate plans and consider the things you want your garden to represent this year, and that’s very exciting. A big part of that is anticipation, which is an underrated commodity. People want everything instantly now because they are able to go into a supermarket and have what they want, when they want it. I quite like looking forward in life, I enjoy anticipation because, of course, when it does happen, it’s that much more enjoyable.

Personally, I’m looking forward to the first sight of asparagus in April. And from this point forward, there will be something new poking its head out every few weeks – the garden is like a theatre production playing out in front of you as things gradually come into their natural season… from winter snowdrops through to daffodils, then tulips, summer strawberries into autumn raspberries. It’s all there in front of you, so make the most of your garden this year by planning for each month now.

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

• • • • • • • •

Renovations Alterations Extensions Kitchens Fitted New Cut Roofs Loft Conversions UPVC Windows & Doors Carpentry & Joinery

Need a Plumber? Swanage Based

Wasps • Bees

• Rats Mice • Ants Squirrels •Birds Fleas

All Purbeck areas covered

Mobile: 07831 351 877

Call Chris Hilton

07802 259 885

Installation & repairs. Bathrooms, central heating & general plumbing work undertaken. Fully Insured. 35 years experience. Labour is guaranteed for 12 months. E: candcplumbing@btinternet.com www.candcplumbingservices.co.uk

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van Daichi is delighted to have bought an Ice-cream parlour! Seriously we did not see this on the cards. Here we are in Weymouth with a wonderful sea view, a holiday flat we rent out on the first floor, with equally magnificent views, and an American style parlour we have renovated. Fuchsia pink benchlike diner seats, American juke box, delicious waffles, sundaes, milk shakes, thick shakes, ice-cream, cornets, organic coffee, cake and deluxe hot chocolate. What more could you want from a beach front location? It has been an exciting if nerve racking experience. With no previous knowledge or skill in this area, taking on a new challenge is both exhilarating and all consuming. Fortunately, we have Emma working with us who has done this before and she has developed the mouthwatering menus and has been able to train Hayden into a connoisseur (well not quite yet…) of what makes an inviting and tasty sweet treat. Daichi of course loves the seaside. His image of swimming with dolphins and diving through white capped waves is what

Proud Biker Grandfather feels 20 again! 22

Beautiful view... and amazing waffles! this is all about. There are indeed dolphins in Weymouth Bay, but we have yet to see one. There is time yet… Apart from living the beach life and all that excitement entails, what is also good is that we now understand ‘Retail’ and ‘Hospitality’ so much more. The joys of customers coming in and liking what you sell cannot be underestimated. One biker gentleman, who tells me he will definitely be back with his biker friends (and with parking right in front of us for bikes - it could not be easier), came in with his grandson. It was a total delight to serve him his Banana Splitz and a Knickerbocker Glory for the young boy. To then be told, with a huge, delighted grin, that he felt 20 again was just the icing on the cake! Or should I say the whippy ice-cream on the top? Two couples staying in a local hotel came back for more the second day and devoured our delectable apple pie waffle as well as succulent strawberry sundae. There were smiles all round. Dog friendly as we are, it is a delight to see the four-legged friends come

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

bouncing in with their very happy owners and be given a well-deserved doggie ice-cream as well as a dog biscuit. The Marshfield Ice-cream for dogs is actually good for them! That was a revelation for me. So, meeting and greeting puppies, mature dogs, middle aged dogs as well as two legged very young, old and middleaged holiday makers is fun to say the least! You can see their cheery, beaming faces on our Facebook page @WaffliciousWeymouth. Serving all of them has been a sheer delight! Then there are those days when it pours with rain, there are storms, sand blown in everywhere… and no-one on the beach! Yikes that is totally different. We shut the door, kept the “closed” sign out and were pretty miserable. That is a seasonal business for you, and it takes some getting used to. The veterans around here, those that have had holiday businesses for some time, don’t bat an eyelid. They know the score, they are completely calm. That was not me or Daichi! Oh no, time to panic, worry and wonder what on earth have we done? Sat watching palm trees swaying in the gusts of flying air, sand springing energetically in the air, the very few people we did see, fighting to walk, the white topped waves desperately pushing against

Takeaway Bubble Waffle!

It is ‘my’ Scoops treat! the ongoing wind looking like scared people running away from a ghost. It was quite exciting really and I am smiling while writing this, so please don’t be too alarmed on my part. It is part of life’s learning - and patience is a virtue… so I have been told! The people will be back, the jumping puppies will return, the appreciative and wideeyed children will come bounding in, the sun will once again shine and the world, at least here in Weymouth and along our amazing south coast, will once again be vibrant and highspirited. We are so looking forward to a busy, and electrifying summer, as John Travolta sings to his hearts content on our wonderful juke box which I absolutely love! With Easter just around the corner, I am told it all starts with a vengeance! We await with sheer pleasure, to be able to serve you. Daichi has certainly not had far to travel recently as it is all too exciting at home! He would love you to come in and say “Hello” and perhaps sample one his new delights. Mention the magazine and his name and you will receive a free whippy ice-cream! I wonder what he will do and where he may go next month? Let’s see… By Debbie Corney

Takeaway Bubble Waffle!

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

A Design for Life… The Kevin McCloud Column Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner talks about taking ownership and responsibility for the villages, towns and cities in which we live. I think people sometimes look at me simply as someone focused on developing and building houses, yet I feel much more passionate about the idea of making places; I ﬁnd it is much more important to make communities and to see people ﬂourish in where they live. For years and years development has been top down - it’s been an industry where people have bought and sold land, upping its value through the planning process only to build rather crappy homes and buildings in the end. I’m much more interested in the Gandhian approach, which is from the bottom up. It’s a democratic approach whereby people and communities work together to empower themselves to take control.

That is often just down to a handful of individuals having a conversation with a landowner or a local authority or a local organisation and ﬁnding that, yes, they could do something. It’s discovering the fact they can take matters into their own hands, and there’s nothing more exciting than seeing people taking control for where they live. We’ve all got used to this idea that if the

paving stone outside our house is broken then it’s the council’s fault; or perhaps if the light doesn’t work it’s someone else’s fault; whereas actually, no, where we live is ours, and we should be taking responsibility. We should be taking ownership and we can do this through Community Land Trusts and kinds of other ownership models and initiatives; and I think it’s fundamental that we do this because that way we create

a much more sustainable, coherent civic society. We create a world we are living in that can be shared, for the good of the people who invest in it and live in it, not for the faceless developers and entrepreneurs who are using the concept of home merely as a vehicle for making money. It’s important because we are now seeing transition towns across the UK really ﬂourish. These are places that have adopted this concept and are now moving on with a practical, architectural and community vibe and approach that knits together and unites so many different and important facets of what it is to live somewhere. So next time you see something broken or tatty or perhaps just a bit shabby in your street, step forward, pick it up, take it into your workshop, or do whatever it is that’s needed to replenish it and make good.

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Puzzle Page Answers Quick Crossword Solution #014 Answers: Across: 1. Paralympic, 8. Assassin, 9. Tuba, 10. Earn, 11. Memoirs, 13. Demoralises, 15. Scatter, 17. Brew, 20. Melt, 21. Turmeric, 22. Simplicity. Down: 2. Anagram, 3. Also, 4. Yonderly, 5. Patio, 6. Cyborgs, 7. Isle, 12. Oriental, 13. Duchess, 14. Serpent, 16. Totem, 18. Wait, 19. Croc.

Egg Head answers

1) Sunday 2) Judas 3) 30 pieces of silver 4) Germany 5) Lily

6) Red 7) Palm Sunday 8) 90 million 9) Chile 10) New life and rebirth

Computer Problems? For prompt and friendly help call Alan on:

01929 480529 or 07710 835905 E-mail & internet support • Wireless network & printer setup • PC & Laptop repairs • Virus removal Custom-built PCs • Home & Small Business visits No call-out charge • Over 20 years experience

www.ajvcomputing.co.uk

KDL

PLUMBING & HEATING

KDL Plumbing and Heating Immersion heaters • Cylinders

Immersion heaters, Cylinders, Cold Cold tanks • Balltanks, valves • Taps Overflows • Showers • Bathrooms Ballvalves, Overflows, Showers, Bathrooms, Radiator replacement Washing machine and dishwasher Taps, Radiator replacement and more. installation and much more Free estimates and advice given

Free Estimates and Advice

NO CALL OUT CHARGES ADDED NO CALL OUT CHARGES

01202 675016 374156

07475 128249 07475 Mobile 0747 512128249 8249 (01929) 421632

Ref : 22303

LOCALLOCKSMI TH CALL:01 929503000 Swanage Emer gencyLocks mi t h •NoCal lOutChar ge!•1 / 2HourSer vi ce! * •Fr eeHomeSecur i t yCheck! * * uPVCDoor& Wi ndows Spec i a l i s t s ! Ful l yAs s es s ed& Ac c r edi t ed L oc k s mi t hs ! Al l L oc k sSuppl i ed a ndFi t t ed! * wher epos s i bl e * * onceaj obhasbeencompl et ed

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

What’s On: The Mowlem Making Memories: Future dates & ﬁlms

Over the next few months, Swanage Area Dementia Friendly group will be taking over the management of Making Memories and adding a fortnightly café as well as continuing with the monthly café and screening. Please keep this page as a reminder of the dates: Tuesday 19th April - Cafe only Tuesday 3rd May - Cafe & Film Some Like It Hot Tuesday 17th May - Cafe only Tuesday 7th June - Cafe & Film Showboat Tuesday 21st June - Cafe only Tuesday 5th July - Cafe & Film Annie Get Your Gun Tuesday 19th July - Cafe only

Movies: The Bad Guys (PG)

Sing 2 (U) Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd at 2.30pm

Phantom of the Open (12A) Every day from Friday 22nd to Thursday 28th, except Sunday 24th at 7.30pm Monday Matinee on 25th at 2.30pm

Clubs & Societies:

Thursday, April 21st - The monthly Flower Club meets in the Community Room from 9.00am through 5.00pm.

Weekly:

Health Qui Con Community meets every Wednesday at 1.30 pm in the Community Room. We welcome the Swanage Arts & Crafts Market back every Saturday and Sunday outside the Mowlem from April 16th through to October. Slimming World is back every Thursday from April 21st, meeting at 6.00 pm in the Community Room.

Every day from 8th to 14th at 2.30pm

The Batman (15) Every day from 8th to 14th at 7.30pm

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (PG) Every day from 15th to 21st at 2.30pm 26

Enquiries: 01929 422 239 Tickets: 0333 666 3366 www.themowlem.com

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

BLOCKED DRAINS CLEARED FAST Drains Internal / External

► ► ► ►

NO CALL OUT CHARGE

High Pressure Jetting Manual Rodding Pipe Laying Non Excavation Relining

► Insurance Work Undertaken CCTV Surveys

► No Additional Charges on evenings and weekends ► Fully Qualiﬁed Engineers covering your area ► Emergency Plumbing Blocked Toilets and Leaks

CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAMRodding 24/7 evenings

01929 498688

► Pipe Laying ► Fully Qualified Engineers ► Non Excavation Relining covering your area ► Emergency Plumbing ► Insurance Work Blocked Toilets & Leaks Undertaken

SENIOR CITIZEN & NHS

CALL

DISCOUNTSOUT

CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM 24/7 FOR FREE

01622 617312

Ng PHD PLUMBING HEATING & DRAINAGE

1$;/##1

*Trustpilot ouoTEs EXCELLENT: NOV 21

&ADVICE

Company No; 11927404, VAT No; 334028724. Reg in England & Wales

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Rachel Khoo Chocolate Bark Introduction Making your own chocolate bark couldn’t be simpler. Great for a snack, after-dinner chocolates or the perfect edible gift, and it will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Method 1. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of ‘just simmering’ water, but don’t let the bowl touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted. 2. Line a tray with baking paper and pour the chocolate on to it, then spread with a spatula or palette knife into a rectangle about 18x22cm and around

0.5cm thick. 3. Immediately sprinkle the seeds, pistachios and cranberries evenly over the top. 4. Transfer to the fridge to set for at least one hour. Once set, break the bark up into jagged pieces.

Ingredients (serves 4) • 200g dark chocolate (70%) broken into pieces • 15g mixed seeds (e.g. sunﬂower, pumpkin and sesame) • 15g pistachio kernels • 20g dried cranberries

Top Tip The toppings you can use for this are endless. I usually see what I have left over in my cupboard – from dried apricots, ﬁgs or freeze-dried fruit (great for colour), to hazelnuts, pecans and sugar sprinkles.

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

Grand Opening 46 The Esplanade, Weymouth, DT4 8DH 01305 759652 eat@wafflicious.co.uk Waffles - Ice cream Sundaes - Shakes

Plant Based Options Available

GET 10% OFF!

We are offering an exclusive offer to our Swanage Oracle readers.

Simply, tear off this strip and bring it along with you, or mention the magazine while ordering. @WafﬂiciousWeymouth

Enjoy!

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Advertisers Index

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your magazine... Blinds, Curtains & Shutters

Jewellers

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Ashley Blinds 3 ................................................................................................................................. Georgian Gems 19

Builders

Locksmiths

Jim Baggley Building Services ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 ................................................................................................................................. Key Tek 25 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Purbeck Home Improvements 1

Pest Control Services Cafes & Coffee Shops

................................................................................................................................. Terminator Pest 21 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Wafflicious 29

Plumbers Carpenters

................................................................................................................................. C + C Plumbing 21 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Peter Albin - Total Woodwork 11 ................................................................................................................................. FXR Plumbing & Heating 3 ................................................................................................................................. KDL Plumbing and Heating 25 ................................................................................................................................. NO.1 PHD 27

Computer Services

Property Maintenance

Peter Albin - Total Woodwork ................................................................................................................................. 11 ................................................................................................................................. Purbeck Home Improvements 1 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... NO.1 PHD 27

Drainage Services

Removals & Storage Driveways

................................................................................................................................. Purbeck Self Storage 3 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... County Block Paving 11 ................................................................................................................................. The Waste Group Ltd 13

Electricians

Roofing Services

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Pinks Electrical 9 ................................................................................................................................. Mallwood Roofing 11

Farm Shops

Salt Suppliers

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Norden Farm Shop 19 ................................................................................................................................. Wessex Salt 17

Foot Care Services

Solicitors

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... West Dorset Mobile Foot Clinic 25 ................................................................................................................................. Humphries Kirk LLP 13

Garage Doors

Telephone Systems

Garolla ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 ................................................................................................................................. BIPCOM Voice and Data Solutions 31 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Skandoor 5

Trailers Garage Services

................................................................................................................................. Wessex Trailers 19 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Coles Smart Repair 17

Waste Services Holiday Accommodation

................................................................................................................................. Dorset Council 32 ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... The Location Collection 2 ................................................................................................................................. Philip Trim Contractors 9

Home Care Services

Will Writing Services

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Bluebird Care 5 ................................................................................................................................. Dorset & Wight Wills 7

To advertise in this magazine, call 01929 408080

We are an established telecoms company with over 25 years experience, providing a high quality and reliable service. • • • • •

Telephone Landlines Fast Broadband Services Mobile SIMs 4G Broadband Services No Long Term Contracts

• • • • •

VoIP Phones We help all size businesses Network Support Computer Support Data Storage & Backup

Call: 01202 069692

Email us today to get started info@bipcom.co.uk

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Trying to reduce your single-use plastic? Nappies: it’s time for a change! Choosing reusable nappies helps fight climate change, reduces your rubbish, and saves up to £600 off your nappy bill!

Ditch single-use nappies and make reusables the new norm!

New starter pack option available

Save £30 from the cost of purchasing reusable nappies Visit: dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/reusablenappies