Issuu

e h T

GAZETTE

APR 2022

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

01962 707183

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

SENIOR CITIZEN & NHS

DISCOUNTSOUT

CALL OUR FRIENDLY TEAM 24/7 FOR FREE

01622 617312

Ng PHD PLUMBING HEATING & DRAINAGE

1$;/##1

*Trustpilot ouoTEs EXCELLENT: NOV 21

CALL

&ADVICE

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

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

B O U R N E M O U T H

Exceptional Platinum Award-Winning Care Gold Standards Framework 2022

Lasting companionship

Elegant interiors

LUXURY SENIOR LIVING Delicious food

Spacious en-suite rooms

A warm welcome awaits you at Glenhurst Manor

Call us today to arrange a viewing... a warm welcome awaits you. 01202 761175 www.glenhurstmanor.co.uk Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

April

Edition of your local Winchester Gazette Community Magazine! Dear Residents, 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 home, work or for yourself personally. 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,

Debbie, Stephen & Daichi

Contact Debbie: debbie@modernmagazines.co.uk or Tracey: 07500 592584 tracey@modernmagazines.co.uk

IN THIS ISSUE... 6

Wildlife: Seagrass

Money Matters: Martin Lewis

10 Puzzle Page 12 Interview: Kenneth Branagh 14 Monthly Walk: Bursledon 18 Kevin McCloud Column 20 Alan Titchmarsh Column 22 The Adventures of Daichi 24 Quirky Facts about Hampshire 26 Community Info Hub 28 Recipe: Rachel Khoo’s Chocolate Bark 29 Puzzle Answers

Advertise with us Take your business to new heights with our aﬀordable advertising packages! Supply your own artwork or use our inhouse design and brand expert. To chat to Debbie or the sales team, give us a call on the number below...

01264 316499 ®

Our magazines are printed in a factory that is FSC & ISO 14001 certiﬁed. Sustainable and environmentally friendly printing is part of our ethos. Using vegetable-based inks and recycling nearly 100% of our paper waste means you can be conﬁdent that this publication is not harming the planet.

Modern Magazines Ltd reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit material prior to publication. The opinions expressed or advice given in this publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the publisher. Every care is taken when compiling this magazine, however we cannot accept liability for misprints or mistakes. Dates and information quoted are believed correct at the time of going to press, but are subject to change and no responsibility can be taken for loss, damage or omission of material due to error. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure they have permission to use any artwork which they supply to us or request for us to reproduce. Unless prior consent of the publisher is given, no part of this publication is to be reproduced.

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @modernmagazines

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Seagrass: The Solent’s superhero Beneath the waves of the Solent are hidden underwater gardens of seagrass. These marine flowering plants are known for increasing biodiversity in our coastal waters. However, they are now beginning to gain widespread recognition for their potential to reduce the effects of climate change and what better time to celebrate this superstar marine plant than during Seagrass Awareness Month, which spans all of March. Seagrasses typically occur along shallow, sheltered marine coastlines and estuaries, from the Tropics to the Arctic Circle. They have roots, grass-like leaves and produce flowers and seeds. Under the right conditions, these plants can grow to form flourishing, green underwater meadows which provide food and shelter for an array of wonderful marine life. The seagrass meadows in the Solent are of international importance. They support rich biodiversity, including amazing species such as sea anemones, stalked jellyfish, sea slugs, pipefish and seahorses. They act as nurseries for commercially important fish species, such as cod and sea bass, the latter of which spend up to seven years growing in the Solent before joining the migratory adult population. Cuttlefish visit the seagrass meadows to breed as well, attaching their black eggs known as ‘sea grapes’ to the seagrass leaves. Seagrass also provides a major food source for brent geese, which make the 3000-mile journey from Siberia to the Solent every year for a milder winter. Seagrasses are incredibly important allies in the fight against climate change. They

absorb massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the surrounding seawater and their long leaves slow the flow of water, which encourages settlement of carbon-rich sediment down into the seabed where it is then buried and locked away. This amazing plant also improves our water quality and protects our shores from coastal erosion by slowing wave energy with their leaves and by stabilising soft seabed sediments with their roots. Sadly, seagrass is disappearing. We’ve lost over 90% of our seagrass meadows in the UK over the past century. Disease, physical disturbance from dragging anchors and chain moorings, as well as human-induced threats such as pollution are putting seagrass under significant pressure. At Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, we’re working to protect and restore our seagrass meadows. By monitoring and surveying existing seagrass beds and planting sustainably collected seagrass seeds, we hope to restore these amazing habitats towards their historic levels and create a wilder Solent, for both people and wildlife. To learn more and find out how to get involved, visit: hiwwt.org.uk/seagrass-restoration Photo: Seagrass bed by Paul Naylor

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

Looking for more space?

How about an orangery extension from...

With prices from £19,950, contact HomeBrite today to get your FREE quotation and see their tailored approach for your property

0800 246 1490

info@homebrite.co.uk

homebritedorset.co.uk 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 01264 316499

Input Joinery - Portrait ad 2015 - outlined.indd 1

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

04/11/2015 09:18

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 01264 316499

Whole-body Cryotherapy Romsey

Book online today! Sports recovery - Wellness & beauty benefits - Single or couples sessions available

www.cryofixwellness.co.uk Free Home Assessments Cosyfeet Stockists Walking Aids • Daily Living Aids Electric Wheelchairs • Scooters Walking Aids • Manual Wheelchairs Rise Recliners • Electric Beds Service and Repairs

Scooter and Wheelchair Hire Now Available 5 Swan Court, East Street, Andover, SP10 1EZ

T: 01264 748120

E: info@dfmobility.co.uk • www.dfmobility.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 01264 316499

F AI HEA RE D R E TR IN IA G LS *

Hear CLEARLY again... Never miss out on the sounds you love

with the latest comfortable and invisible hearing aids INVISIBLE RECHARGEABLE & SPECTACLE HEARING AIDS

FREE

HEARING TESTS

WAX REMOVAL SERVICE

*o ns ele ct ed

pr od uc ts

FREE parking HOME visits available FREE aftercare 5 YEAR warranty * 5 YEAR FREE batteries * INDEPENDENT family business

BRING THIS ADVERT IN TO CLAIM YOUR SPECIAL HEARING AID DISCOUNT* or quote ref WTVLM

rin

We are now open again &

ids don'

t ha v

! e to be seen

Covid-19 Compliant

TROUBLE HEARING THEN CONTACT US TODAY! www.winchesterhearing.co.uk

68 Parchment St, Winchester SO23 8AT

01962 865500

Designing & building beautiful gardens for 150 years We can work with you to turn your dream garden into a reality with our garden design and construction service, which includes any or all of the following:

• Garden Design • Planting Plans • Soft Landscaping • Plant Supply

We also offer garden maintenance to help you get the best out of your garden. To find out more call us 01794 368855 or Email us at info@hillier-landscapes.co.uk Quote ref: WINCH

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Monthly Walk:

waters edge for now. Firstly we meet the river pontoon (photo 4) that was formerly opened by Princess Diana in 1983, along

Burseldon This month’s walk offering moves East of Southampton to Bursledon, for a classic outing that traces large elements of the River Hamble as well as passing through a popular visitor park location.

The suggested start point is Bursledon Station, Station Road, SO31 8AA (photo 1), which is a very popular drop off point for both walkers and cyclists. During the week this free car park tends to fill quickly, but over the weekend there is likely to be plenty of space.

The walk is just under 5.5 miles (9Km) with only a little climbing and excellent paths along the entire way; thus a 2 hour trip beckons the regular walker and as a bonus the vast majority of the walk is good for dogs (and their owners)!

2 14

Heading out from the car we turn right along Station Road, which, sadly lacks a footpath for around 200 metres, going up as far as the A27 (Bridge Road). We need to cross this very busy road, very carefully, to enter Blundell Lane opposite and aim down towards the boatyard with the evident footpath sign (photo 2), just after the road itself turns sharp left.

In a while the road passes under the 8 lane M27 with it’s massive girder bridge construction as we aim towards Brixedone Farm, but turn right over the footpath stile (photo 3) just before reaching their border and traverse across a field that skirts some of the river marshes. Once across this field we clear a stile and enter the River Hamble Country Park. It would be wise to recall that early route as we will be returning that way in a while for the return journey. By turning right we now follow the shores of the river for some time until moving into the other half of this Nature Reserve at Manor Farm later. Along this route there are a myriad selection of footpaths to select, but we maintain contact with the

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

with other disabled facilities on site. In another 500 metres we turn right down a slope, then up again and in approximately 400 metres we drop down right over a narrow footbridge clearing a muddy gully. Once through the gate we should select the right hand path option that eventually takes us over a railway sleeper style bridge and veers uphill as it goes leftwards. Pushing on for a further 400 metres we come to the top and drop down right at the corner. This is a fairly muddy stepped path that leads to another narrow footbridge and then steps up the far side (photo 5). We are now moving away from the Hamble shores as we pass a wooden gate, move on for 200 metres with a hedgerow on our left to meet a path T junction, where we turn left and trace the well used path as far as Manor Farm. At this point it is possible to halt briefly for a coffee (take out or stop in) before taking the left hand track back towards the neighbouring park.

In around 600 metres we greet a double gate across the way, but please do not take this, instead take the right hand that crosses the entrance road to Manor Farm and step out up the slope towards a gravel road that eventually becomes Tanhouse Lane. Just as the road improves underfoot, after some 600 metres, we should take the metal gate on the left; immediately before the riding stables (photo 6).

This path combines both gravel and mud as it drops down slowly, passes buildings on the right and then meets the entrance road to both Parks. This road we cross and with a slight veer to the left, pass through a gate on the right and progress straight ahead aiming towards the River Hamble once again. In another 600 metres we once more see the marsh flats and the exit path on our right, which brought us into the park a while earlier. Provided the earlier passage is not forgotten the return trip should be simple; over the field, under the M27, through the boatyard, out onto Blundell Lane, then up to and carefully across the A27; followed by a short trip down Station Road; taking the left hand fork in 200 metres then up into the station car park. The final bonus on this walk is a trip for refreshment to the Jolly Sailor, the iconic pub that featured in the 1980s soap, Howards Way. This pub is only 300 metres away from our car up the waymarked path at the rear of the car park and will offer the perfect end the outing.

By Malcolm Price

waters edge for now. Firstly we meet the river pontoon (photo 4) that was formerly opened by Princess Diana in 1983, along

By Malcolm Price

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. 16

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

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

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 01264 316499

FREE* FREE* FREE*

COVID-19 CUSTOMERS & COLLEAGUES COVID-19 - SAFEGUARDING CUSTOMERS & COLLEAGUES Mirrored cabinet Georgia toilet Georgia toilet - SAFEGUARDING & basin with & basin with or high raised every bathroom every toilet with any bathroom order full bathroom order installation

Bathing a problem? We can help Bathing a –problem? – we can help Bathing a problem? we can help • Wet rooms • Grab rails, shower seats & raised toilets

• Wet rooms • Disabled Facilities Grants • Wet rooms Facilities Grantsfor over 60s and • Walk• in showers and baths • • Disabled Disabled Facilities Grants Walk in showers and baths • Discounts • Walk in showers and baths • Discounts over 60s • Waterproof wall panelling • Discounts forfor over 60s, andand EXpersonnel Service personnel • Waterproof wall panelling EX Service • Waterproof Service • panelling Slip resistant safety flooring • wall Slip resistant safety flooring • EX Charity work personnel and• Charity grants work and grants • Slip resistant safety flooring • Charity work and grants • Grab rails, shower seats & raised toilets • Grab rails,Call shower seatsadvice, & raised toilets for our friendly

0196202382 589928 543308 02382 543308

Call friendly advice and free survey andfor quote free and survey and quote Call for friendly advice info@ahminstallations.co.uk www.ahminstallations.co.uk free survey and quote info@ahminstallations.co.uk www.ahminstallations.co.uk Terms and* conditions apply, visit our website for more details. Terms and conditions apply, visit our website for more details. info@ahminstallations.co.uk www.ahminstallations.co.uk *

Terms and conditions apply, visit our website for more details. Discover 134 x94.indd 4

03/11/2020 08:04

Discover 134 x94.indd 4

03/11/2020 08:04

Storm Damage Flat Roofs Tiled Roofs Roof Investigations Roof Condition Reports Fascias, Soffits & Guttering Systems Chimney Repairs

Insurance works Asbestos surveys & Removal Planned maintenance Total building refurbishment Commercial/dilapidation works Management & design Garden Rooms & Office Space

Emergency Call Out Service 07809 116605 Contact our office on 023 8073 9259 or 07809 116605 for a FREE no obligation quote or visit our website:

www.centralpoint-services.com 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 01264 316499

Ye a

O rs ver Ex 50 pe rie nc e

KS LEA D X I F Eteed!

PARKING SENSORS WITH AUDIBLE WARNING FITTED

ran gua x no fee) (no

Specialists in roof repairs • New Roofs • Repairs • Flat Roofs • Guttering • Roof Cleaning

• Coatings • Chimney’s • Valleys • Lead work • UPVC Items

£5 million public liability, reference available Free estimates, competitive rates.

Emergency Call Out: 07515 161616

Rear set colour coded: from £160 Front set colour coded: from £190 Both Front & Rear Sensors: from £280 CRUISE CONTROL FOR MOST VEHICLES £425 FITTED PRICE.

www.rightroofcompany.com

FREE PHONE: 0800 160 1600 Metatrak insurance approved vehicle trackers fitted from £330 Rear view cameras for Cars £190, Vans from £225 & Motorhomes from £245 Dash cameras starting at £145 fully fitted or FRONT & REAR cameras for just £245 Andover

uk or.co. o d e garag fix my

Repair Specialists Andover

Andover 01264 337711

Mobile Service - We Come To You!

Tel: 01489 449020

Mobile: 07979 353696 www.reversepark.co.uk

Winchester

01962 715200

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers Andover

01264 337711

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 01264 316499

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

Spot the Difference!

There are 10 differences between the two images below. How many can you spot?

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

Renovations Ltd

 Loft conversions  Garage conversions  Extensions  Listed building works  General plumbing and carpentry   Patios, block paving and ground work  Kitchens  Bathrooms  For a free no obligation survey contact us on:

01264 392507 / 07523 281179 www.sbrenovations.com All Major Credit Cards accepted

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

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

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 01264 316499

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.

Spot the difference solutions

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

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

Advertisers Index

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Gazette... Bathrooms

Health Clinics

Bicycle Sales

Hearing Services

Builders

Mobility Products & Services

Homebrite ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 ............................................................................................................................... DF Mobility 11 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ SB Renovations 25

Plumbers Carpenters

............................................................................................................................... NO.1 PHD 2 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Input Joinery 9

Residential Care Homes Drainage Services

............................................................................................................................... Glenhurst Manor 3 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ NO.1 PHD 2

Roofing Services Driveways

............................................................................................................................... Central Point Services Ltd 19 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ County Block Paving 24 ............................................................................................................................... Right Roof 21 ............................................................................................................................... Work Smart Roofing 1,32

Garage Doors

Will Writing Services Fix My Garage Door ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Skandoor 25 ............................................................................................................................... Dorset & Wight Wills 17

Garage Services

Windows, Doors & Conservatories

........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ReversePark 21 ............................................................................................................................... G S Windows Ltd 5 ............................................................................................................................... Homebrite 7 ............................................................................................................................... Outlook Window Systems Ltd 31

Garden Services

To advertise in this magazine, call 01264 316499

The sign of quality, service and satisfaction

Outlook Established over 35 years

WINDOW SYSTEMS LIMITED

TEL: 023

8073 7866

www.outlookwindows.co.uk

20% ofOfWS &

WIND ORS DO

 Tailored-made orangeries, conservatories, windows and doors to suit all properties

 We provide a full service including all building works, floor tiling, electrics and planning when necessary

 Full 10 year insurancebacked guarantee

Unit 5/6/7, Baddesley Park Industrial Estate, Botley Road, North Baddesley, Southampton, SO52 9NW Email: enquiries@outlookwindows.co.uk OPENING HOURS: Mon - Fri • 9am - 5pm / Sat - by appointment / Sun - closed

Reg No 16450

Please mention Modern Magazines when contacting advertisers

HIGH QUALITY WORK FOR LOW CUT PRICES! New Roofs • Flat Roofs • Tile & Slate Roofs • Leadwork Re-pointing Chimney Stacks • All Roof Repairs New UPVC Fascias & Gutters • External Painting • Moss Removal

LIMITED OFFER FOR APRIL Find & Repair Leak from £150 Moss Removal from £250 Repointing Chimneys from £275 Valley, Gable & Ridge Repointing from £375 We are proud members of CORC (Confederation of Roofing Contractors) Established in 1985, CORC is the premier roofing trades association in the UK. All new works carry our fully insured 10-20 year back up guarantee.

Ask Work Smart for a FREE no obligation quote today! 37-39 SOUTHGATE CHAMBERS, SOUTHGATE STREET WINCHESTER, HAMPSHIRE, SO23 9EH

Office: 01962 920133 Mobile: 07367 112303 info@worksmartroofing.co.uk • www.worksmartroofing.co.uk