Essex Central - The Loop - Jan 15 - Issue6

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DELIVERED TO THE ESSEX TOWNS OF THE CENTRAL LINE AND BEYOND

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THE LOCAL MAGAZINE FOR LOCAL PEOPLE - ISSUE 6 JANUARY 2015

GET ACTIVE

55 Ways Ways To To Get Get Fit Fit Locally Locally

MEET THE LOCALS

Showcasing Showcasing Local Local Independents Independents

WORKOUT WEAR

New New Year Year Fashion Fashion

BEAUTY RESOLUTIONS Look Look After After Yourself Yourself This This Year Year

WIN!

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iTech Store, 175 Cranbrook Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 4TA

Lo ON THE COVER ug B hto uc 14 Meet the Locals kh n u 18 Get Active Hil rst l 27 Workout Gear Ro Men’s fashion d V all ing 31 Beauty Resolutions ey 57 Competition Win a case of B by Black Tower Wo HEALTH & FITNESS od for 21 Fitness d Classes Ch So Wo uth igw FASHION & BEAUTY od 25 Let’s Get Physicalell for d Women’s fashion

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ton e COMMUNITY 6 Your CommentsW an ste 10 Local News ad 47 Spark Featured charity 49 What’s On

Editor: Darren Perry Email: Darren@essexcentralmagazine.co.uk Tel: 01279 319 318 Advertising: advertising@essexcentral magazine.co.uk Features Editor: Victoria Grace Journalist: Devon-Elizabeth Tabersham Design: Sharon Butler-Felby @SketchDesign, Lauren Brown, Matt Brace.

Sales Manager: Dennis Hutton Contributors: Sarah Mackie, Victoria Robertson, Josie Stevens, Emily Talbut.

Publishers: 3 Blue Worldwide Ltd Facebook: EssexCentralMag Twitter: @EssexCentralMag 46,000 copies distributed to homes, businesses and station locations, along the Essex section of the Central Line and surrounding areas: South Woodford, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell, Loughton, Debden, Abridge, Theydon Bois, Epping, North Weald, Ongar, Wanstead, Redbridge, Ilford, Gants Hill, Newbury Park, Barkingside, Fairlop, Hainault, Grange Hill.

Although every care has been taken to ensure accuracy, 3 Blue Worldwide Ltd take no responsibility for any errors, or the advertisements within this magazine.

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FOOD & DRINK 42 Make Your Own Sushi 45 Restaurant Review

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HOME & GARDEN 32 Transform Your Home 37 January Gardening Guide Sn Fa are irlo TRAVEL sb p roo 38 Costa Rica k

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PARENTING Ga 54 Mum’s nt Corner

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irstly let me say Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great Christmas and got some lovely presents, we certainly enjoyed a little break and it was lovely to catch up with friends and family.

In this issue we look at how to make great sushi with our friends at Sumo Fresh as well as reviewing the beautiful Marina restaurant in Woodford. We also travel to Costa Rica and discover why it’s known as the happiest nation on Earth, as well as giving you our top 5 ways to get active in 2015. So, we hope we can help you get a little fitter, eat well and have a fantastic new year!

Darren Perry Editor/Owner

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YOUR COMMENTS We love hearing from you!

ach month we trawl through our mailbox and social media sites to see what you are thinking. Here are a few of our favourite messages that we have received recently. Keep your comments coming in for a chance to win £20 if we pick you as our ‘Star Comment’ and £10 for the ‘Reader’s Photo’.

READER’S PHOTO

oad’ pen r o & t e Don P ‘Suns

Dear Darren, ust wanted to say that I absolutely loved your Christmas edition of The Loop. There were so many great features this month and every page looked lovely and festive, with

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so many local events to visit we were spoilt for choice. I am looking forward to next month’s issue already.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and all the Essex Central team!

Rachel Matthews

t

Congratulations to Laura Ritchie (right), from Woodford who was the winner of our La Sala competition.

STAR

Another great issue of EC just landed on my doormat!

Thank you x Poppy Daniels Thank you for our features this month especially #dylansxmasappeal @HavenHouse CH Thanks for the feature on #lasalauk @lasalauk

I love the magazine; I keep them all, you never know when you’re going to need them! I’ve used lots of the advertisers in there, thank you so much.

Theresa Tunbridge

We’re on your December front cover of The Loop. Tremendous! @AbbottsTravel

Check out my interview in Essex Central Magazine this month. @lab_designs

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CONTACT US Address: Essex Central Magazine, Brickfield Business Centre, High Road, Thornwood, Epping, Essex CM16 6TH @EssexCentralMag EssexCentralMag editor@essexcentral magazine.co.uk

Carthy's Plumbing & Heating Services Ltd

Carthy's Plumbing and Heating is a highly qualified company based in Essex, we pride ourselves on providing great business rates whilst ensuring a second to none service of work. We provide a quick, reliable and approachable service in all conditions may it be an emergency or not. Our Essex based plumbers provide design, installation, repair and maintenance services to customers covering the whole of Essex and some of Greater London.

Gas/Heating Installations Emergency gas leak repair • Boiler Servicing Annual Boiler Safety Check All Electrics (NIC EIC Approved Contractor) Mobile: 07850 411868

Landline: 01992 570286

Carthys, Bailiffs Cottage, Gardeners Farm, Fluxs Lane, Epping CM16 7PF

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Welcome to Vanity, an aesthetic and beauty lounge which prides itself in creating a haven for relaxation whilst presenting our clients with high quality treatments.

At Vanity we strongly believe that everyone deserves to look their best and should not have to pay the prices to do so.

Our motto is to provide you with Harley Street treatments at High Street prices.

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PAST AND PRESENT WEST HATCH STUDENTS PERFORM AT CHARITY CONCERT

Modality Youth Choir

Past and present West Hatch High School students took starring roles in a charity concert organised by the Rotary Club of Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell at St Mary’s Church, Loughton.

The concert featured solo performances from former West Hatch student Charlotte Jaconelli, who with fellow ex-West Hatch student Jonathan Antoine, was runner-up in ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent programme.

Also performing at the concert, which raised over £1,400 for the Loughton Foodbank, Friends of Jubilee Lodge and other charities, was the Modality youth choir which features 12 past or present West Hatch High School students as well as others from Trinity, Chingford Foundation and Woodbridge High Schools.

The Modality youth choir is conducted by director Jenny Ewington, a singing teacher at West Hatch.​

LOCAL NEWS

A short roundup of what’s been going on

The Dream Factory volunteers

THE DREAM FACTORY CHARITY BALL RAISES OVER £70,000

The Dream Factory charity’s fundraising ball looks set to have raised over £70,000.

X-Factor singer Lydia Lucy and acrobatic and dance act Donovan and Rebecca provided the entertainment at the star-studded event held at Orsett Hall.

An auction hosted by EastEnders actor and comedian Terry Alderton included a host of donated ‘lots’ including signed football shirts from Pele and David Beckham and signed memorabilia from Olly Murs and Kylie Minogue.

The Monte Carlo-themed ball also saw a Funky Casino, Roulette and Black Jack Tables and a Formula One car simulator.

The Dream Factory founder Avril Mills said: “I am delighted that we have raised so much money. A lot of hard work went into organising the ball as we had so much going on but lli Charlotte Jacone it all paid off and as a result so many

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more dreams will now be granted.”

She added: “Everything was donated - all the prizes and auction prizes. We also had a life-size cocktail glass with a gorgeous girl dancing, a DJ, casino and the F1 simulator.”

Also among the 280-plus guests were charity supporters Colin McMillan, the former world welterweight boxing champion, television presenter Lisa Nash, actress and DJ Mel Cameron and Iain Duncan Smith MP. Avril added: “This was the best ball ever! The best part of the evening was listening to Private Mark Allen, Grace Woolstenholme and Aiden Boland talk about their ‘dreams’.

The charity has granted some 300 dreams with another 60 on a waiting list.

For more about The Dream Factory visit www.yourdreamfactory.org

REDBRIDGE COLLEGE AND THE METROPOLITAN POLICE JOIN FORCES

The Dream Factory founder Avril Mills with daughter Emma

Avril Mills with Ia Duncan Smith in M Terry Alderton P, and Colin McMill an

COMMUNITY

A groundbreaking pilot programme called Metgirlz was launched on 25th November at Redbridge College as a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Police Service and Redbridge College to inspire and create opportunities for young women.

Metgirlz winner, Louise Redif Metgirlz is the first scheme of would its kind to pair selected participants be fighting tooth and nail to get with MPS officers as part of an ongoing programme to train, coach into a programme like this. It will and mentor young women between make such a difference when you’re applying for a job or to university.” the ages of 15 and 19.

Students from Blue Orange, Key supporters of the scheme Redbridge College’s arts and media attended the launch to explain the department, created logo designs benefits of Metgirlz. Redbridge’s for a competition that was open to borough commander, Det Ch Supt all students and the general public.

Sue Williams said, “You can do anything you believe in. We want to Louise Redif received the first place award from the MPS for her give you the confidence to believe Metgirlz logo design, which won the in yourselves and your ideas. We competition with over 12,000 votes. are the first borough in the country The programme is an excellent to create a scheme like this, and if opportunity for young women we succeed, we will be expanding to find out about the variety of this programme to the rest of the opportunities available in the MPS country.”

Redbridge College Chief Executive and explore future career paths.

Participants will benefit from Theresa Drowley OBE said, “This bespoke workshops, seminars, is an incredible opportunity for the master classes, campaigns and students. There wasn’t anything like this when I was a student and I personal development programmes.

A NEW HOME FOR THE BOX After almost 10 years serving young people in Epping, The Box faced a crisis in June when the lease on their High Street premises was not renewed. Following an extensive search for new premises, they were relieved to be able to sign a 15 year lease on the former church hall on St John’s Road. Extensive renovation work began towards the end of September, to provide a high quality environment to continue the charity’s valuable youth work and education programme for vulnerable young people in our community from February 2015.

The opportunities and facilities that this new home will provide are truly exciting. The internal space of the building is being redesigned and refurbished and the front aspect is being given a well-needed facelift.

The new space will provide several teaching spaces, a large social space, counselling rooms, a teaching kitchen, new offices, a secure outside area and room for the further growth and development of the work of The Box.

Tim Dolan, Project Manager for The Box, said, “When we discovered our current lease would not be renewed, we faced the terrible prospect of closure. We are very excited about the opportunity to redevelop and rent the Church Hall. This lease ensures a stable base for our work for the next generations of young people and allows us to meet the growing demand for our services.”

Alison Dolan, who manages the Alternative Education Programme which provides daily education for 13 students, said, “There is a growing demand from secondary schools for places on our programme for young people who are unable to stay in mainstream school. This move is fantastic as we will be able to offer more places on our programme and better facilities.”

One of the many challenges faced was raising the funds for the refurbishment. They were able to secure the initial £75,000 but faced a shortfall of £50,000. With three months to raise this sum they undertook a

Artists Impr ession

fundraising appeal across the community, and were blown away by the generosity of the community, with £21,000 donated in just over 3 weeks.

If you would like to give to our appeal to raise £50,000, you can donate online at www.TheBoxEpping. org.uk, by texting THBX34 £10 to 70070 or by sending a cheque to 134, High Street, Epping, CM16 4AG.

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Train the Trainer We are now enrolling for

‘Train the Trainer’

Become an approved trainer with our 1 or 2 day course.

Contact us for more info

Interpreter Training Courses The ‘Language Communication Training Centre’ is currently running short workshops for billinguals who are interested in becoming face to face interpreters to work for various public sector departments.

All languages welcome!

Courses for: Beginners, Intermediatesand Advanced

For further information please call:

07572 362 762 or email: info@languagecommunication.co.uk Olympic House, 28-42 Clements Road, Ilford IG1 1BA

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COMMUNITY

MEET

THE LOCALS Devon-Elizabeth Tabersham visits four local businesses.

DOVE & OLIVE BRANCH

W iTECH STORE

S

ituated on Cranbrook Road, iTech Store was opened in 2006 after founder Ali Khan gained years of experience as an Apple technician. They provide repairs for Apple products including iPhones, iPads and iPods and in store they supply USB cables, dock plugs, ear phones and iPhone and iPad protective covers. iTech has a staff of nine including Asad who has been with them for three years. All of the staff are able to repair Apple products, this could be anything from a cracked screen to a full refurbishment. iTech perform while you wait repairs and take

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around 15-20 minutes which is a blessing in a time where technology is so important to our everyday lives. You can also mail your product to them by booking online and it will then be fixed and returned to you within one working day.

They receive a lot of their business through advertising and especially online and maintain that, “If you break it, we’ll fix it.” iTech are open seven days a week and repairs will cost between £25- £50.

175 Cranbrook Road, Ilford, IG1 4TA. www.itechstore.co.uk, Tel: 020 7998 9338, Mob: 079 070 999 66

ith 20 years of experience, chef Boris Halpin opened Dove & Olive Branch in May 2014 with his wife Jerusa, they are a modern European restaurant who place a high importance on creating fresh, quality food.

Boris said, “Everything is made in house from stocks and sauces to desserts and ice cream.”

Boris and Jerusa live locally and it has always been Boris’ dream to build a local, independent restaurant in a world full of chain eateries. Dove & Olive branch change their menu as per the season and are always happy to create a meal that the customer will love, Boris spends a lot of his time creating and researching dishes which can be prepared for the menu. On the current menu, popular dishes include scallops

Bori

CARTHY’S PLUMBING & HEATING SERVICES LTD

C

arthy’s Plumbing & Heating Services Ltd opened their doors over 25 years ago, they are a family owned and run business. Thomas Carthy is their Director and George, his son, assists with plumbing and maintenance as well as heading up marketing. The Carthy family live locally in Epping and cater for West Essex, Greater London and parts of Hertfordshire.

Carthy’s have strong local affiliations and use local trades people and businesses wherever possible. As well as being a main contractor for the Diocese of Chelmsford, they also carry out a lot of work for letting agents and other commercial businesses.

Private and residential customers make up a vast percentage of their work and 80% of their work comes via word of mouth and recommendations.

Fully insured, with Gas Safe Registered Engineers, Carthy’s are Check-A-Trade vetted which creates peace of mind for potential customers that their work will carried out professionally and be finished to extremely high standards.

With eight people on staff, Carthy’s are able to perform a plethora of plumbing and heating jobs including boiler services and replacements, drainage and gas leak repairs, bathroom and kitchen fit outs, as well as providing a 24 hour emergency callout.

Sister company, Carthy Construction Limited provide all types of building and maintenance work including loft conversions, decking and roof works. Carthy’s place strong value on customer satisfaction, reliability, punctuality and producing high quality work which they have built up with over 25 years experience.

Bailiffs Cottage, Gardeners Farm, Fluxs Lane, Epping, CM16 7PF Tel: 01992 570286, Mob: 07850411868

thy

George Car

is Halpin

in shallot puree and slow cooked beef cheeks with horseradish mashed potatoes.

While having a well cultivated menu, they also have a balanced wine list and drinks menu. Dove & Olive Branch have stuck to European wine and have a selection of cocktails, mocktails, soft drinks and cordials, all of which can be paired with food, “the elderflower cordial is particularly good with sea bass.”

Dove & Olive Branch are open Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch from 12.30-4.30pm and dinner from 6-11pm. They receive a lot of their business through word of mouth and returning customers.

219 High Road, South Woodford, E18 2PB www.doveandolivebranch.co.uk, Tel: 0208 506 2327

THE WILLOWS

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Sheetal, M he Willows is a wedding aros, Julio , Jas function venue, owned by Sewa Aktar, which includes a Grill exhibiting & Cocktail bar on the first floor professional showmanship located on Forest Road, Ilford. They on the day of the event. Their opened their doors in September services are extensive including 2014 and have been curating awe event management, security inspiring events for up to 800 people and parking facilities as well ever since. The Willows provides as a variety of cuisine for all of for each wedding party, being your dining needs and through able to create its own bespoke sub-contractors they are able to design to the layout including an offer floral design, music and DJs, ability to replicate the wedding lighting and limousine rental. They in the same style and manner will also be hosting The Dukes as would be traditional in India Polo in 2015. itself. Julio Marques is the general While providing service to the manager and has a background in highest quality, The Willows offer deluxe hotels and large corporate competitive prices and will not stop and luxury events, with this until their client’s needs are met experience and knowledge, The and exceeded.

Willows has thrived.

Forest Road Ilford, IG6 3SL The Willows take pride in www.thewillowsilford.com, exceeding client expectations and Tel: 0208 500 5580

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a new year, a new start!

Courses are starting in January and February.

Are you ready for a new start? Apply today! n

Hair & Beauty

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Teacher Training

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Computing & IT

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Hospitality & Catering

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Sports Studies

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Access to Higher Education

pectus download your pros and apply online at: redbridge-college.ac.uk 16 

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GET

ACTIVE

Our top 5 ways to improve your fitness in 2015

WALK IT OFF

If group exercise fills you with dread, or sweating it out in the gym is not your cup of tea then walking could be a great choice to help you reach your fitness goals this year.

Walking is free, simple, and one of the easiest ways to get active, and get fit. All you really need is a comfortable pair of shoes or trainers (and possibly a raincoat!) and you’re set.

Health professionals recommend at least 30 minutes of walking at a moderate pace per day if walking for fitness is your aim. Aiming for 10,000 steps per day is also a good goal to set yourself, and purchasing a cheap pedometer or using a mobile phone app makes this easy to track.

The website www. walkinginessex.co.uk has a number of fantastic, free, downloadable walks available of varying distance, including walks through Epping Forest and Hainault Forest.

GET MILITARY FIT

Military Fitness or Bootcamp groups are gaining in popularity and can add so much to your current training as well as being perfect for first time exercisers.

Pegasus Military Barry Watkins, owner and instructor at Bootcamp in act ion Loughton and Chingford based Pegasus Military Fitness spoke to us about the benefits of outdoor group exercise. “The advantage I’d stress first is that exercising with others is so much more motivating and fun, everyone shares a common purpose and supports and encourages each other. Also our instructors are there to help you achieve your personal goals and will always strive to nurture your determination and to build it up to keep you training regularly. Training in this environment is exceptionally good for wellness and your mental health too, add in sunlight, fresh air, nature and the great British weather and literally every session is different! What’s not to like!”

He went on to say, “We incorporate cardio, bodyweight exercises, boxing, kettlebells and a whole host of other training methods and equipment into our sessions to keep it fresh, new and exciting”. www.pegasusmilitaryfitness.com, Tel: 07866658735

JOIN A GYM

Every January, people join a gym as they want to lose weight, tone up or just get fitter. Finding the right gym is important – especially if you are new to using them. Synergy pride themselves on being friendly and approachable with qualified gym instructors and male and

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female personal trainers to help you attain your goals.

They have a large range of free weights, static equipment and cardio machines, including rowers, cross trainers and bikes.

They also have showers for customers use.

At Synergy Café, you can enjoy a cup of coffee or protein shake or even

H E A LT H FITNESS

&

CrossFit Class

TRY CROSSFIT

Jez Godlonton with client

GETTING PERSONAL

20 years ago Jez Godlonton rescued his body from a self-destructive lifestyle, lost 4 stone & today teach others how as a qualified Personal Trainer.

Whether you’re new to Fitness, want to learn better techniques or just need motivating, then hiring a Personal Trainer can be extremely rewarding and will add another dimension to your health & fitness goals.

A good advantage is that a Personal Trainer will book you a regular time slot, meaning that unless there’s something serious then you will be training whatever happens. You will also be taken to a level that you would not be able to do by yourself.

Personal training sessions will include; setting achievable goals, learning new skills, motivation and a nutritious balanced meal freshly cooked to order by a dedicated chef.

The Personal Trainers are able to assist with diet and exercise programmes to help you lose weight and tone up or for those looking to increase muscle mass they can work with you to improve your nutrition and build those muscles.

“Exercise is not all about looking good, although that is a great confidence booster.”

nutrition and weight management guidance. By assessing your current levels of fitness, a Personal Trainer will devise an individually tailored regime to help you achieve your goals successfully and through knowledge and experience will teach you new skills as well as give you support and guidance to help you maximise results and avoid injury. Most Personal Trainers are qualified nutritional advisers. So you will receive a highenergy weight loss and vitality food programme, with weekly updates to help you manage your nutritional intake to maximise your health and fitness goals. If motivation is your downfall then a Personal Trainer will make sure you’re encouraged and motivated to train regularly, find new limits and have fun! www.fat2fit.me.uk, Tel: 07714484720

Exercise is not all about looking good, although that is a great confidence booster. It has been proven to have a number of benefits to your health, such as reducing stress, prevention of illness such as type two diabetes, strokes and improving your ability to sleep.

Synergy is within walking

distance to Fairlop Station making it convenient for commuters. Call in and ask one of the friendly staff to show you around and don’t forget to ask about their new year offers.

Synergy Fitness, Lake Forest House, Barkingside, IG6 3HJ www.synergy-fitness. net, Tel: 020 8114 2222

CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program.

The quickest, safest, and most effective way to train!

Fat loss, muscle gain, wellness, mobility, athleticism, whatever your goal is, CrossFit will help you achieve and exceed it.

The CrossFit programming is not specialised, workouts are designed to elicit a broad and optimal physical response in each of the 10 fitness domains: cardio respiratory, endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.

The aim is to enhance competency at all physical tasks. The workouts can be tough but are completely scalable depending on the individual’s level of fitness. A perfect blend of gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting and metabolic conditioning are used to increase capacity at controlling the body both dynamically and statically whilst maximising strength to weight ratio, flexibility and development of power and control.

CrossFit teaches you how to move your body safely, effectively and efficiently.

All coaching is backed up with a comprehensive nutritional assessment that is essential to your physical development and performance.

At Crossfit Battlebox you will not only find a great place to train but be part of a fantastic intrinsic community of like-minded people to support you in and out of ‘The Box’! www.crossfitbattlebox. com, Tel: 0208 518 0606

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020 8114 2222

FANTASTIC OFFERS FROM YOUR LOCAL GYM

www.synergy-fitness.net

KICK START YOUR NEW YEAR WITH A NEW GYM MEMBERSHIP

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TRAIN FOR FREE DURING JANUARY (Sign up for a 12 month contract to start 1st February 2015 and train absolutely free during January) *

365 Day membership for just £250**

Why not try us out?

Pay as you Go only £5 Lake Forest House, Forest Road, Barkingside, IG6 3HJ

* 1st payment taken by Direct Debit 1st Feb 2015 offer valid throughout January 2015 ** Offer valid til 19th January 2015 when paid in full upfront only

H E A LT H

“There are a number of fitness classes suitable for all ages and abilities.”

FITNESS

&

FITNESS

Y

CLASSES

ou will have seen Synergy Gym featured in the artical about ways to get fit this year earlier in this magazine. In addition to the fantastic facilities in Synergy Gym, there are a number of fitness classes suitable for all ages and abilities.

Looking for a self-defence class?

Check out Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) or Krav Maga.

Arlans Siquiera’s Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Synergy has been running for almost two years and there are now several national champions in both the adults and kids classes.

BJJ is primarily a sport with self-defence applications, rather than rely upon strength, a series of techniques can be used to overcome a bigger aggressor and gain control. This is particularly good for children as it does not use kicks and punches that can cause injury and inflame a situation.

Krav Maga is the ultimate selfdefence system that is very popular with celebrities. The system was originally designed as unarmed combat for Israeli Special Services, using the best elements of Jiu Jitsu, Thai Boxing and other martial arts.

You may have seen its techniques

At Synergy Gym

used in films such as ‘Taken’ and on TV in NCIS. Effective against the use of weapons in close proximity, the chief Krav Maga instructor at Synergy Fitness is Ricky Manetta, founder of MMA Krav Maga.

Krav Maga

If you want to get fit and tone up your body without the fighting, try a Kettlebell class with Jane Maddern.

Kettlebells are used by followers of MMA, BJJ and compliment all other sports as the training helps improve core strength, cardio vascular fitness and endurance.

Because of the way in which you swing a kettlebell a class will

use every muscle in your body – including the most important one, the heart. It is also helps build bone mass and could help to protect against osteoporosis.

Burning up to 20 calories a minute, it could be the answer to that extra helping of Christmas Pudding!

Try something very different - TRX Suspension Training.

Popular with Mark Wahlberg and Liverpool Football Club, using the support of two straps suspended from the ceiling to vary the resistance your body uses, you can increase your core strength, muscle mass and tone up your body with less risk of injury. It will also improve your co-ordination and agility.

Our TRX instructor, Michael Cowling, is one of only four qualified TRX instructors in the UK, he has clients of all abilities ranging from 15 to 63 years.

Synergy is also able to assist with weight loss programmes through personal training and diet advice, or a system combining nutritional/diet advice and classes.

For full information on classes at Synergy Fitness call Andrew on 07725 544867 - don’t forget to ask about our New Year offers.

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STUDIO MG

Runners up of London Lifestyle Awards 2014

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR OFFERS Wash, Cut & Blow Dry Wet Cut Wash & Blow Dry (Short) Wash & Blow Dry (Long) Highlights & Lowlights T-Section Full Head Colour Roots Brazilian Blowdry Hair-Up Make-up

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£25 (was £30) £10 (was £15) £20 (was £25) £20 (was £25) £15 (was £20) £15 (was £20) £25 (was £30) £5 (was £10) £3 (was £5) £18 (was £23)

Mon-Wed: 9:00 - 18:00 / Thu-Fri: 9:00 - 20:00 Sat: 9:00 - 18:30 / Sun: 10:00 - 16:30 020 8550 7747 120 Barkingside high St, Ilford Essex, IG6 2DU

Like us /StudioMGHair Follow us @studiomghair Follow us @studiomghair

RUNNERS UP, LONDON HAIRDRESSING SALON OF THE YEAR 2014 AT LONDON LIFESTYLE AWARD

STUDIO MG GENTLEMAN’S GROOMING

Cre ate d wi t h me n i n mi n d

Mon-Wed: 9:00 - 18:00 / Thu-Fri: 9:00 - 20:00 Sat: 9:00 - 18:30 / Sun: 10:00 - 16:30

020 8550 9274 66A Barkingside High Street, Ilford, Redbridge, Essex, IG6 2DJ

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• Matchless hot towel face mask • Luxurious manicure & pedicure • Waxing • Sports massage • Facials • Crystal clear micro dermobration • Ipl permanent hair reduction • Tattoo removal

"You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great" -Zig Zigler

Join for 1 class per week and receive a FREE T-SHIRT! Join for 2 classes per week receive your third class FREE FOR 1 MONTH! Join for 3 classes per week and receive our unlimited membership upgrade FREE FOR 1 MONTH! *conditions apply

0208 518 0606 www.crossfitbattlebox.com info@crossfitbattlebox.com Newbury Park, 728-730 Eastern Avenue, Newbury Park, Illford, Essex IG2 6PE

 

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The Closet January sale – starts Monday 5th

A new concept boutique, bringing you all the things you wish to find in your dream closet, with some added French flair!

Wanstead High Street E11 2AA 2448

• 07415 983 181 • The-closet23@outlook.com

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FASHION

LET’S GET

BEAUTY

PHYSICAL!

By Josie Stevens www.notjustadress.com

£20 Long Tall Sa ings £40 & Vest Digital Print Legg

t There is nothing more annoying than working out in a pair of leggings that constantly need pulling up.

These leggings from Mirelle Activewear are incredibly stylish and functional, offering a high compression fabric that’s breathable too.

Here it is, the ho tly Year! We’ve all en anticipated New jo drink and be mer yed the eat, ry bit, now is the time to focu s on what we want 2015 to be ab many the New Ye out. If like ar symbolises the start of a “n ew you”, that m ay involve getting fit and healthy in some way, shape or fo rm. I believe look ing good helps you feel good, and wearing the right clothing whilst getting hot and sweaty is definite ly a part of that. So here are my top picks to help yo u blitz through January no mat ter that motivates yo the activity u.

lly

9 r 69-8 gs £ ivewea n i g t Leg lle Ac Mire

Wo Ho rkout lda ll £ Sport 6P rim Mesh ark

t Footwear is probably one of the most important kit purchases. If you want to run, buy running trainers, but for general gym workouts Kirsty G a trainer like this is will give you great support for Zip Ho allagher O odie £35 V range high impact workouts. ery

ts

t

it imsu 88 Sw Activ at Face £35 F

reath Nike B s £64.99 r Traine e Label Get th

If you want to swim for fitness gains that itsy bitsy bikini just won’t do, this colour block swimsuit will, and those panels of colour will give you a flattering silhouette.

You can’t beat a sports brand that knows how to combine functionality with street styling. This sweatshirt is a classic, and perfect for keeping your muscles Ellesse warm to £45 B Sweatshirt ank Fa shion and from workouts. t

The key to any good outfit is what goes on underneath, and it’s just as true when it comes to your gym kit. There is no chest too big or too small that won’t benefit from a good sports bra.

Nam £45 aska Y Sw eat oga Ve yB etty st

Wome n Nike R ’s u Traine nning rs Get th £39.99 e Labe l

t

or Sp t c pa S h Im M& Hig £25 Bra

High Force Hydration Belt £21.99 Ultimate Perfo rmance

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FASHION BEAUTY

WORKOUT GEAR FOR THE NEW YEAR

By Josie Stevens www.notjustadress.com

Main image - Topman

raphic ool G as C t fi h Adid Tec s £30 Tight

Tapered A Pants £ thletic 40 Adid as

t

t

The New Year has finally arrived, and after seeing the New Year in with style it’s time to blow away those cobwebs and stic k with that New Years resolution - to get fit!

We’re lucky enough to live in an area that offers us the chance to make the most of Canterb u being outdoors, so Shirt £5 ry Rugby 5 if hitting the treadmill of Fras House er doesn’t fill you with exc itement, there are t These tights are plenty of other ways to keep more like a workout you on track when it comes to gadget than an item improving that physique. So of clothing! With having the gear and all the Climacool ventilation idea is impo ts rtant, here Shor to keep you dry, are my top picks to Clima didas Techfit compression ensure you look £28 A for muscle focused and feel the support and an part. eye-catching design you couldn’t ask for t A decent bag will much more! ensure you can have Arc your workout kit to Th tic W hand at all times. This e O ee rig ken rucksack is spacious ina d B enough for all your l M oo ks uc t £8 e Soc e training essentials, kB 0 Breez 1000 Mil Making oo and will easily see you 11.99 t £ C the most o from office to gym.

Light of the great w Jack eight Wa outdoors et £1 40 Sa terproof t this season lomo With double layer n doesn’t construction to help have to reduce wear and prevent mean cold, blisters you’ll be able to wet feet. The walk more than 500miles Original Muck Boot in these socks.

Company offer style, comfort and warmth, even Vulpine only launched in temperatures as low as ksack in 2012 but with n Ruc o t r -29ºc, probably not what u B utfit their use of high we’ll experience in Epping £30 O end fabrics, and Forest but who knows with influences from the British weather!

Vulp classic British Mor Mer ine Sho e tailoring, you get ino rt S Brig Mile R H T l o e u ht H o eve p £8 a fit and style that use Glov at & n 5 of F e work whether s rase £ Get r the 9.99 you’re on the bike, Lab s r el e or stopping off for a t Train if h s n w k o o spot of lunch.

D o eL Nike Get th 27 £39.99

ENIGMA Hair & Beauty

Welcome to Enigma - a luxury salon brand on Wanstead High Street, offering a wide range of hair and beauty services, conveniently under one roof.

We pride ourselves on excellence in all of our treatments, offering the very latest in both pamper and maintenance, to suit your needs and believe the Enigma customer experience should be constantly second to none.

20% OFF

selected services throughout January

• Cut & blow dry • Highlights & colouring • Ombré • Brazilian keratin • Hair extensions • Threading / waxing • Manicure / Spa pedicure • Gel manicure • Facials inc Crystal clear MD • Eyelash extensions • Semi permanent make up • IPL laser hair removal • Massage

Tel: 0208 530 7198

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/enigmabeautyandhair

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FASHION BEAUTY

BEAUTY

RESOLUTIONS Essential habits we should all live by

“N

ew year, new me” - we’ve all said it! Read our resolutions below to ensure 2015 is the year it finally happens.

By Emily Talbut

Total Effects Day Moisturiser (£14.99 Tesco) gives even, healthy looking skin as well as a sun-kissed glow that builds up over time.

I WILL TAKE CARE OF MY HANDS

Applying hand cream after washing is essential to hydrate and nourish skin.

Just as you should use moisturiser on your face, use cream on your hands to fight early signs of ageing. Try Botanics Nail Strengthening Hand Cream (£3.49 Boots), a non-greasy formula containing an active plant extract, Rosehip; a rich source of omega oils to maintain suppleness and a healthy appearance. In addition, remember to wear gloves in cold weather as it helps nail polish last longer.

I WILL REMEMBER TO TAKE MY MAKEUP OFF BEFORE GOING TO BED

Leaving your makeup on overnight means your skin holds onto free radicals in the environment (exhaust fumes, the sun, general germs), leading to fine lines on the skin as well as dead skin cells building up and clogging pores. Use Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Makeup Remover (£2.99 Superdrug), enhanced with plant extract and Pro-vitamin B5, to leave skin feeling supple and soft to touch.

I WILL APPLY MOISTURISER WITH SPF ALL YEAR ROUND

UV rays can be damaging to our skin even on the cloudiest January days, so make sure you buy a moisturiser with SPF to use throughout the year. Not only do moisturisers build a base for makeup, but they contribute to anti-ageing. Olay’s

and giving time to wind down, leads to deep muscle relaxation. The heat promotes perspiration to remove toxins from the body and kills many strains of bacteria. Enhance the experience with Champneys Mineral Detox Bath Salts (£8 Boots) to revive tired skin, leaving it cleansed, smoothed and refreshed.

I WILL TREAT MY HAIR AS WELL AS MY FACE

Invest in a good shine boosting spray or serum for truly luscious locks. Schwarzkopf’s Diamond Color Shine Boost Spray (£5.49 Superdrug), developed with Claudia Schiffer, can be sprayed onto damp or dry hair for dazzling catwalkworthy results as well as reducing potential hair breakage and split ends. In addition to this, aim to go for a regular trim every 6-8 weeks to maintain shape, strength and style, and go without a blow-dry one day each week.

I WILL DRINK 2 LITRES OF WATER A DAY

Dehydration makes skin look dry and wrinkled so drink more water to keep it fresh, smooth and soft. Water is also useful for promoting weight loss by removing by-products of fat and reducing food intake by making you feel fuller when drunk with a healthy meal. However, if you require taste in your beverages, try low calorie Vitamin Water (£1.45 Waitrose), available in a variety of flavours and packed with additional health benefits.

I WILL ALLOCATE TIME TO RELAX AND TAKE A BATH A good hot bath, aside from being psychologically beneficial

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2015 Events Now taking bookings for and..

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A first class venue for Ban

nqueting & Events

Tel: 0208 500 5580 Email: enquiry@thewillowsilford.com Aquesta Ltd, Unit 1, Newbury Central, 17/18 Regal House, Royal Cresent, Ilford, Essex IG2 7RH

 

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TRANSFORM YOUR

HOME

Save £££’s on your energy bills with new double or triple glazing.

D

id you know that 20% of your homes heat is lost through the windows and doors? Double glazing can cut heat loss by half, saving you money on fuel bills and reducing your carbon footprint.

WHAT IS DOUBLE GLAZING? Triple glazing

“Double glazing is also a good way to increase your home security” 32

Window frames contain two panes of glass, with an air filled cavity between them which acts as a natural thermal barrier. Double glazing therefore improves the U-Value of your windows, which measures the rate at which heat is lost through them. The cavity between panes can also be filled with a gas such as argon, which is even more insulating.

Sometimes the glass is coated to further prevent heat loss and increase durability.

WHAT IS TRIPLE GLAZING?

Put simply, triple glazing is 3 panes of glass instead of 2. We already know that double-glazing makes a significant improvement over single glazing and

triple glazing will take it one step further and return significant savings against your home fuel bills and also in the reduction of unwanted outside noise.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DOUBLE AND TRIPLE GLAZING?

Installing double or triple glazing can save you money on fuel bills and could increase the saleability and value of your home. According to the EST, glazing can save you up to £135 a year on your heating bills; it can also cut your home’s carbon emissions by around 720kg a year, significantly helping the environment.

Glazing will improve the comfort in your home keeping it warm, cosy and draught free.

Double glazing is also a good way to increase your home’s security; an extra pane of glass not only makes it more difficult for an intruder to break in but acts as an instant deterrent, providing you with peace of mind. Glazing also

HOME GARDEN

provides sound proofing, noticeably reducing noise pollution, especially if you live near a main road.

Many un-glazed homes suffer from damp caused by condensation. This occurs when warm, wet air meets the cold surface of the window and turns to water. Glazing helps prevent this by keeping the inside pane of glass at a similar temperature to the room.

Triple Glazing adds a third panel of glass to the window frame, creating two insulating air barriers between the outside and inside of your home. Triple glazing reduces heat loss by a third more than double glazing does and is ideal for homes in extremely cold places.

As you might expect, triple glazing is more expensive than double glazing by around 20% - 40%.

STUNNING WINDOWS TO ENHANCE YOUR HOME

Everbrite offer an amazing range of windows to suit every home whether it be uPVc windows, aluminium windows

&

or timber windows.

All of their window designs are offered in a full range of styles, sizes and colours to allow the customer to make the correct choice when replacing old windows.

HOW MUCH DOES DOUBLE GLAZING COST?

Prices for double glazing will vary, depending on how many and what type of windows you need glazed.

However Everbrite are local preferred glazer as they are a local highly recommended family run business with over 35 years of experience in the trade. Everything is manufactured on site in their Harlow based premises, plus if you call Everbrite for a quote before the end of February 2015 and quote ‘Essex Central’ they are offering a 50% discount to all customers across their range of windows, doors, and conservatories. So don’t take the risk, go with a family run trusted company offering you a wealth of knowledge.

Above: Range of energy saving windows and conservatories available at Everbrite Windows and Doors.

EVERBRITE

Everbrite House, Greenway, Harlow Business Park, Harlow, CM19 5QJ www.everbrite.co.uk Tel: 01279 427777.

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Fitting Service

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“My bottle garden idea will get your green thumb active”

HOME GARDEN

&

WILDLIFE WATCH

on Victoria Roberts

Tomato ‘Berry’ F1 Hybrid Solanum lycopersicum L

GARDENING WITH VICTORIA ROBERTSON

A seasonal guide to help you get the most out of your garden.

H

appy new gardening year! While many people are recovering from the Christmas celebrations keen gardeners are planning and thinking ahead bringing fourth fresh ideas for the seasonal months to come.

Seed catalogues are jam packed full of exciting new coloured flowering plants and produce to help inspire you, and can be ordered online. Challenge yourself more this year, think about trying to grow something new such as a different variety of tomato like Tomato ‘Berry’ F1 Hybrid Solanum lycopersicum L, or an exotic orchid like bloom such as Alstroemeria ‘Inca Smile’ Peruvian Lily, Alstroemeria ‘Koncasmile’.

If one of your plants grew well last year think about

entering it into one of your local horticultural shows this year.

Our homes can often feel quite bare now that the Christmas tree and decorations are no longer on display. My bottle garden idea will get your green thumb active. It is very easy to create and maintain and it will be a great addition which will help fill the empty space.

BOTTLE GARDEN

You will need: _ A glass bottle with a wide neck - big enough to fit your hand inside _ Fine gravel - alpine mix, or something similar _ Houseplant compost _ 3-5 Miniature plants they can be bought from most garden centres 1. Line the bottom of your bottle with 2 inches of gravel then add 3 inches

of compost spread out evenly on top.

2. Plant your mini plants evenly spaced into the compost, place large ones at the back.

3. Spread a 1 inch layer of gravel on top of the compost. This will make your plants visible, and it will act as a mulch to prevent drying out.

4. Water in, making sure you don’t over water them. A cupful of water three times a week should be enough.

5. Place your bottle garden in a light position.

You will need to repot your plants in the summer when they become too big for the bottle.

Written by Amenity horticulturalist & gardening committee member of Copped Hall and Epping Horticultural Society Victoria Robertson.

Many of the berries, seeds and natural food sources that birds rely on have been exhausted by this stage in the winter so feeding the birds in your garden therefore becomes even more important. Hang bird feeders out if you have not done so already. You will see many birds in the garden this month such as blackbirds, thrushes and robins. A bird bath can be a vital source of drinking water for birds during the winter. Keep yours topped up, and kept free of ice.

PESTS AND DISEASE

Foxes living in your garden? Foxes can cause great damage both if they live in your garden, or just visit as they dig and bury food. They love to raid compost heaps too.

If foxes are a problem in your garden try installing more secure fencing and invest in a secure closed lid compost bin. They pick suitable sites to live within gardens underneath sheds and outbuildings.

As they come out at night you may not even realise one is living close by.

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COSTA RICA

THE HAPPIEST NATION ON EARTH

It’s not travel agent hype, but statistical fact. The Happy Planet Index puts Costa Rica top of 151 countries.

Visit, and you may discover why.

I

t’s a small country with dense rainforests, hundreds of colourful bird species and the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans lapping on its shores.

Much of the country has national park status and the scenery is fantastic with active volcanoes and beautiful beaches. Offering the ideal opportunity for exploration and relaxation, you can visit jungle waterways, pristine beaches and somewhere so special we have chosen to share it with you.

PACUARE JUNGLE LODGE

Tucked away deep in the heart of Costa Rica’s most pristine rainforest environment, on the banks of the Pacuare River, the Pacuare Jungle Lodge has 19 bungalows designed to blend in with the surrounding environment.

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Their palmthatched roofs are dotted throughout the reserve. Illuminated by candles and lanterns, rooms offer a romantic glow at dusk and feature a canopied king size bed, sustainable wood furnishings, a private terrace and alfresco shower. The Honeymoon Suite is set high above the forest canopy with access to a hanging bridge connected to a private tree top platform overlooking the rainforest.

This plush suite also features an indoor and outdoor shower, private deck and terrace with hammock and a spring-fed infinity pool.

The palm-thatched, two-story Main Lodge boasts solid teak floors and is candlelit by night. On the ground floor, there is an openair restaurant with chefs preparing gourmet dishes, wholegrain breads

TRAVEL C O S TA R I C A

E XPLORING

C

OSTA RICA The lodge is a m destination, be ust-see st of a wider Cos enjoyed as part ta Rican trip.

We recommend a nu essential expe mber of other riences:

Adventure Canopy Tour Arenal Volcano

and fresh desserts. Freshly brewed coffee and an assortment of organic teas are available throughout the day and evening. Upstairs, there is a spacious, yet cosy open-air lounge and bar with sitting areas and hammocks and amazing views of the river and surrounding lush rainforest.

AN ADVENTUROUS ARRIVAL

The lodge can only be accessed from the Pacuare River. After arriving at the river by road, the expert guides will explain safety precautions and provide you with the necessary rafting gear before the rafting adventure begins.

It takes just over an hour and a half, passing through scenic canyons where crystal clear waterfalls plummet down into the rapidly coursing river below. Tall trees and dense green vegetation come right

down to the water’s edge. The thick undergrowth of this protected area provides shelter for a variety of tropical animals and birds, including some endangered species.

The rafting on your return journey is arguably even more thrilling as you take a mixture of class III and class IV rapids. You will raft until around midday when you can then enjoy a tasty lunch on an overturned raft along the water’s edge. On disembarkation there are private facilities to change into dry clothes before transferring by road back to San Jose.

A TYPICAL DAY AT THE LODGE

You’ll wake up to bird song and the soothing sound of the river nearby.

Then head over to the main lodge for a delicious breakfast of home-made bread, tropical fruits, yoghurt, eggs,

* Rejuvenate in hot springs while looking up at the magnificent Ar en * Look out fo al Volcano r the Resplen dent Quetzal in the cloud forest of Monteverde * Raft the ra ging waters of the Reventazon R iver * Explore th e jungle-fringe d waterways of To * Experience rtuguero the wilderness wildlife of the remote Corco and vado National Park Abbotts Trav el, 134 Georg e Lane, South Woodf or Tel: 0208 989 d, E18 1BA 94 www.abbotts 45 travel.com pancakes, cereal, juice and coffee.

The lodge employs a resident naturalist guide who will provide you with unique insights into the plant and animal world.

Choose from exciting optional tours that include guided hikes through an emerald rainforest, the Cabecar Indian tour (where visitors may participate in a cultural exchange with a shaman), and the Adventure Canopy Tour, where visitors glide atop the rainforest.

ITINERARIES

Pacuare Lodge features as part of Abbotts Travel’s comprehensive and fantastic ‘Distinctive Costa Rica’ itinerary. This is a 15-day itinerary from £3995.00 per person.

An alternative, ‘Explore Costa Rica’ 11-day itinerary is available, costing from £1895.00 per person.

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Safe as Houses Peace of mind for your home and business... guaranteed!

CCTV Locksmiths Intruder Alarms

PROVIDING SAFETY & SECURITY SINCE 1989

Call us now: 020 8500 0014

Showroom open Monday - Friday 09.00am - 17.00pm

24/26 Fowler Road, Hainault Business Park Hainault, Ilford, Essex IG6 3UT

French,Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin . . .

Classes for: Parent & Toddlers 6 - 8 year olds 9 - 11 year olds Clubs in Nurseries and Primary Schools Tuition all ages and levels Teacher training for KS2

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Why not learn a new language for the New Year!?!

Free Trial Available! www.LingoZingo.co.uk

Highly qualied and experienced Language teachers Small classes Local, friendly and not a franchise Please call Jo Schwartz T: 07726 949215 joschwartz1@gmail.com

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FOOD & DRINK SUMO FRESH

D: YOU WILL NEE g mat llin ro i sh su mboo

Ba r mat) Cling-film (to cove Sharp knife d as per Sushi rice prepare s packet instruction ts ee sh d Nori seawee nts die re Selection of ing

SUSHI

Step 1 Futomaki

Step 2 Futomaki

Step 4 Futomaki

SAVVY

Fresh sushi recipes for a healthy new year treat

S

umo Fresh serves expert cuts of sushi, maki and sashimi along with a selection of hot dishes in the heart of Wanstead.

Head Chef Philip

Rabio has over 15 years experience in the art of sushi making and his talent has taken him all over the world to work.

Here Philip shows us how to prepare a sushi feast with some of the most popular dishes from their menu.

Duck Roll

DUCK ROLL

TOP TIP Dampen hands before handling sushi rice.

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All of the ingredients can be found in a Japanese shop or you can customise with your own fillings and combinations.

TIGER PRAWN FUTOMAKI

1. Cover two thirds of a Step 2

Duck Roll 1. Cut a sheet of Nori seaweed in half and lay it vertically on top of the bamboo mat.

2. Press a handful of sushi rice evenly onto the seaweed and stop once you have covered two thirds of the sheet.

3. Sprinkle some ainore onto the rice and then flip the sheet over.

4. Slice some crispy duck, cucumber and spring onion and arrange across the centre of the seaweed, halfway down the rice.

Tiger Prawn Futomaki

for fillings

Step 2 Sumo Roll

Step 4 Sumo Roll

TOP TIP Cover your bamboo mat with cling film to prevent sticking.

Step 5 Sumo Roll

Step 6 Sumo Roll Sumo Roll Nori sheet with sushi rice and then flip the sheet over so that the and crab meat. edge without the rice is 3. Roll using the mat and facing you. firm into a square shape.

2. Cut a tempura king 4. Top with thinly sliced prawn in half lengthways raw salmon and and arrange across the slithers of avocado and centre of the seaweed the reshape using the with sliced cucumber mat again.

Step 4 Duck Roll

Step 5 Duck Roll

5. Fold the excess Nori over the filling then use the mat to roll the sushi tightly so that the rice completely encases the filling.

6. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 5 portions and serve with hoisin sauce.

5. Use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 8 even sections.

6. Top with shiso cress and serve with chilli mayonnaise.

SUMO ROLL

1. Cut a chunk of cucumber to approximately 5 inches in length.

2. Using a sharp knife carefully remove the skin from the flesh in a continuous sheet and then continue to slice around the flesh until you reach the watery core.

You should be left with a thin sheet of cucumber,

one third skin and two thirds flesh.

3. Arrange chunks of fresh salmon, tuna and white fish (sea bass or yellow tail) onto the inside of the skin.

4. Add an asparagus top and sliced burdock root.

5. Roll up tightly by hand with the flesh of the cucumber on the outside and use five toothpicks to hold the roll securely in place.

6. Slice between the toothpicks into 5 even sections and serve topped with masago (shrimp egg caviar).

Sumo Fresh, 141 High Street, Wanstead, E11 2R www.sumofresh.com Tel: 020 8530 7500

 

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20% OFF FOOD with this advert

117 High Rd Chigwell, Essex, IG7 6QQ TEL: 020 8500 6282 www.thebluebellrestaurant.co.uk

Have a Happy New Year for 2015!

Midweek Lunch Menu (Served Tuesday - Saturday)

£18.95 for Two Courses / £22.95 for Three Courses Daily Market Soup with toasted Brioche

Roquefort & Apple Terrine with Spiced Red Pepper Cutney, Olive Tapenade & Garlic Toast Chicken & Duck Liver Pate with Pear Chutney & Toasted Broiche ~~~ Roasted Rump & Slow Cooked Breast of Lamb with Mini Shepard’s Pie & Aubergine Caviar (£1.95 supplement) Roast Breast & Braised Winglet of Suffolk Chicken with Bow Tie Pasta, Parsnip, Leeks & Cepes Market Fish of the Day ~~~ Dark Chocolate Orange Fondant with Marmalade Ice Cream Fresh Fruit Salad with Seasonal Sorbet

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SPECIAL OFFER

10% OFF MID WEEK LUNCH MENU throughout January

RESTAURANT

WE ORDERED:

FOOD & DRINK MARINA MEZE GRILL

REVIEW Marina Meze Grill

4.50 Mix Hot Meze £1 .50 £4 h us Baba Gano ish £14.50 Sh Mixed Seafood Kebab £15 Assorted Mixed Tiramisu £4.50 rasi Rose / Kayra Kalecik Ka Turkey £19.50 Starter

Mains

T

he painted seagulls atop the dome of the old bank building on Woodford High Road have been an intriguing sight for a couple of months now, but if you have not yet ventured into this new restaurant then you are missing out!

Many restaurants have come and gone in recent years at this location but upon our visit it seems that Marina Meze Grill may have just found the recipe for success with this new venture.

The staff were all very professional, friendly and welcoming and Manager/ Co-owner Semih Kamalak was on hand to greet diners with a warm reception.

The beautiful interior of the restaurant is very impressive and it is clear that no expense has been

spared on the renovation, with wood panelling, a large seaside mural and a stunning fish tank above the main dining area as you walk in. The atmosphere was buzzing and the restaurant was busy with happy diners even though we visited at 6pm.

It was almost impossible to choose from the large selection of meze dishes available so we found the Hot Mixed Meze platter to be a good choice for our starters. It arrived promptly with a large bread basket and also hummus which wasn’t mentioned on the menu so was a nice surprise. Every aspect of the dish was fantastic from the sucuk (Turkish sausage) to the spinach and feta borek. Our main meals were equally delicious, the fish shish tasted very fresh with succulent swordfish and salmon cubes and a large prawn

Dessert

grilled to perfection. The meat on the mixed kebab was tender, juicy and flavoursome and the rice was perfectly cooked. We shared a tiramisu for dessert as we were too full for one each and again were very happy with our choice. The whole meal was enjoyed with a bottle of their Turkish Rose which went down a treat.

Overall we would highly recommend Marina for any occasion and will definitely be returning for the reasonably priced, authentic tasty food and impeccable service.

Marina Meze Grill, 352 High Road Woodford Green, IG8 0XQ www.marinamezegrill.com 020 8505 8999

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61

COMMUNITY

SPARK

WORTH UNLIMITED IN WEST ESSEX

By Devon-Elizabeth Tabersham.

Students studying and participating in activities

S

park (until recently known as Grace Academy) was founded initially as a Youth Club in 2009. Working with the national charity Worth Unlimited, they developed to become a place where children could pursue their education in a smaller, more nurturing environment than a secondary school could provide. Based in Loughton at Valley Hall, they have recently rebranded as Spark and their mission statement is to, “Provide young people with a nurturing and supportive environment where they can develop life and learning skills, and prepare them for the world beyond compulsory school.”

Spark offer alternative education to children who have difficulties attending mainstream secondary school full time. The students are mainly in Year 9-11 and, working closely with the secondary schools, Spark offers COPE (Certificate of Personal Effectiveness) as well as teaching ASDAN Maths and English and providing GCSE support.

Spark support 6-8 young people per day which allows for a more patient, focused and encouraging environment than in a class of 30.

Students at Spark are referred through their local school and will spend time here as well as at school.

In recent months, Spark have been developing new innovative programmes in order to further engage with young people in the local area. Spark Mentoring is a new initiative aimed at young people between ages 11-19. With one on one sessions Spark aim to encourage young people to challenge themselves and become the best that they can be. Mentoring sessions take place after school hours with qualified youth workers who are able to help with problems at school, with the aim of preventing children from having to leave school. Parents are able to speak to mentors, which provides a peace of mind that their child is receiving the best help possible.

Spark Post 16 is another recently launched project. At the drop in sessions in Valley Hall people aged

“Spark aim to encourage young to challenge peoplethe mselves.”

16-19 who are no longer in full time education can come and develop employability skills, create a good CV and look for work and college opportunities.

While Spark Education is funded by participating schools, Spark Mentoring and Spark Post 16 require funding in order for their work to continue so that they can reach every person who would benefit from them. Spark do a lot of fundraising themselves, this includes quiz nights and recently, a clothes swap which was held in conjunction with Noah’s Ark Pre School in Buckhurst Hill.

In January they will be holding a music evening in the local area as a re-launch under their new name.

Spark have great local affiliations with local schools as well as support from local council people and they are eager to create higher awareness of their charity.

For more information visit www. worthunlimited.co.uk/branch_ spark. For enquiries, please contact spark@worthunlimited. co.uk or call 020 8508 6743.

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is a brilliant way to get fit, lose weight, increase energy levels and meet new friends - all out in the fresh air! £10 PAYG or £8 to £8.50 per class for a six week block.

Contact Michel Glendinning on 07789795847.

WHERE: Sylvestrian Leisure Centre, Forest School, Snaresbrook

WHEN: Mondays, 11.30am-1pm WHAT: My Yoga - A yoga class for all ages and abilities. Bring a mat, stretch, relax and enjoy, £7. Contact Surjit Nandra on 07788252746.

WHERE: St John’s Church, IG2 7BB

WHEN: Tuesdays, 6.30pm-8pm WHAT: Write Next Door - A local writing group offering friendly advice and support and welcomes all types of writers - short stories, poetry, novels, songs, plays etc.

WHERE: Schools’ Library Service, Redbridge Central Library

WHEN: Thursday 1st January, 11am-6pm WHAT: Vintage / Retro / Antique Fair - Admission £1. Homemade refreshments. For more details, ring Sandra on 07856 221710.

WHERE: St John’s Church Hall, High Road, Buckhurst Hill WHEN: Wednesday 7th January, 10am-noon WHAT: Decoding Stonehenge - A WEA course exploring the hidden meaning of the Stonehenge and Avebury Monuments of 4,500 years ago through anthropology, archaeology and by decoding European fairy tales and myths with tutor Lionel Sims. For more details, email mrspdale@googlemail.com or ring Mrs B.Bock on 020 8508 4919.

WHERE: Lopping Hall, High Road, Loughton

WHEN: Saturdays, 9am WHAT: Parkrun - A free weekly timed 5km run open to everyone!

WHERE: Valentines Park, Ilford WHEN: Saturdays, 10am-11am WHAT: Thrive Fitness Bootcamp - Catering for all fitness levels and with no monthly contract fee, it

WHEN: Thursday 8th - Saturday 10th January, performances start at 8.00 pm WHAT: Up Pompeii, Comedy by Miles Tredinnick - Based on the original characters devised for the

Frankie Howerd BBC comedy, this hilarious romp through ancient Pompeii brings back all the television favourites. This production contains adult humour and is not suitable for children. Tickets £8, box office - Mr and Mrs James - 01992 812250. www.theydondrama.org.

WHERE: Theydon Bois Village Hall, Coppice Row, Theydon Bois, Essex WHEN: Saturday 17th January, 10.30am WHAT: West Essex Ramblers - A six-mile circular morning walk around Wanstead Flats, Wanstead Park and Bushwood.

For more details ring 020 8502 1628.

WHERE: Meet outside Leytonstone Underground Station WHEN: Friday 30th January, 11am and 2pm WHAT: Images of Uphall Promenade theatre performance

by Year 5 children from Uphall Primary School and elders from the Redbridge Pensioners Forum, exploring the history of the Uphall area from 1906 to the present day.

WHERE: Redbridge Central Library WHEN: Saturday 31st January, 7.30pm WHAT: Epping Church Choirs Association Winter Concert: Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle conducted by Simon Winters.

Accompanists - Anne Reece and David Pickthall. Soloists- Julia Wilson-James, Susan Devlin,Philip Bell and David Wood. Entrance free, Retiring collection. www. eppingchurchchoirs.org.uk WHERE: St John’s Church, Epping.

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PARENTING that can be divided into 10-15 minute intervals during the day.

Just be prepared to sweat! (A good example is skipping with a rope.)

“Bring some outdoor toys and set up a little circuit while they play. ”

MUM’S CORNER

Journalist and post-natal fitness coach, Sarah Mackie, gives some useful fitness tips that are relevant all year round.

H

appy New Year readers!

What better time to kick-start a healthy regime after the festive indulgence! Whether you have a new baby, are a busy working mother or fall somewhere in between, fitting in exercise can seem like a real challenge!

I don’t believe in new year’s resolutions, they go hand in hand with diets. The sanctity of both are short-lived, unrealistic, ridden with guilt and self-punishment and essentially, they set you up to fail.

So this is not about losing weight or putting pressure on yourself to reach a goal, it’s about leading a

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healthy, active and fit life, whatever your work or family demands may be. We all know the advantages of looking after your body are numerous and not only does it pay dividends to your long term health, exercise can make you feel better and perform better at home and work. But how do you fit it in to your already hectic daily schedule?

TIP 1 It is quality over quantity.

Recent research studies show that shorter intense bursts of exercise are actually more effective than slogging for hours in the gym.

Intense exercise for 20 minutes is optimum but as a busy mum,

TIP 2 Choose compound exercises that use several muscles together.

An example would be the basketball squat. Get into a wide squat position, pick up your (imaginary) basketball from the floor by your left foot, and jump up to throw the ball in the hoop, which is high up on your right side. Land back in a low squat and repeat. Do 10 basketball jumps on your left and 10 on your right.

Tip 3 Incorporate exercise in your daily schedule with your little ones.

Push the buggy rather than drive where you can, and if you have mobile beings, take them to the park and run around with them. Bring some outdoor toys and set up a little circuit while they play! If you can’t get out to the gym in the evenings, fitness DVDs when the children are in bed are fab alternatives.

PLEASE NOTE: New mums must have their 6 week GP check before starting to exercise. And to safely exercise in the first three months after birth, it is a good idea to pretend you are still pregnant.

In terms of hormones, you almost are. Your body still has the hormone relaxin floating around, which loosens your joints and ligaments.

This means you still have to take extra care not to over-stretch, especially through the pelvis.

Your pelvic floor might be feeling particularly weak and another issue to be aware of is carpal tunnel syndrome, so go easy on your wrists. Breastfeeding may be taxing on your upper back and sleep deprivation may make the whole situation seem a lot harder than you imagined. Be kind to yourselves mummies!

THINGS TO DO:

POSTNATAL PILATES

Karen’s post natal classes at Bababoom in Loughton focus on easing your body back into exercise the right way. With a special focus on

rehabilitation of the pelvic floor and core muscles, Karen’s classes aim to get you back on track, strengthening your body from the inside out.

Each set of classes runs for 6 consecutive weeks on a Thursday evening 8.15-9.15pm.

Contact Karen on 02031740418 or admin@ bababoom.co.uk.

JAZZERCISE LITE

A fantastic dance-based exercise programme brilliant for easing you back into shape after having children. It is enormous fun, but can be hard work. There is a huge age range at the Lite classes so you are never too old or young. Monday and Wednesday mornings 10am, IRDSA Hall, Craven

Gardens, Barkingside, IG6 1PS. Contact Nikki on 07717 155074 or jazzerciseworkout@ gmail.com.

BABYMUMMA BOOTCAMP

Debbie is a personal trainer, specialising in pre and post-natal programming.

She runs a postnatal fitness class in Harlow, on Wednesday afternoons at 1.30pm. The class is low impact, fun and designed to work on post-baby bodies, getting you back to your best, after birth.

Contact Debbie on 07956 439798 or Butterfly training75@ gmail.com.

BODY-BACKAFTER-BABY

The post-natal fitness class where you can take your baby along too! Fridays from 10am, Woollard Centre, Buckhurst Hill.

Contact Jo Gosling on 07771 992367 or jogosling@ thebodyconsultancy. co.uk.

The Box We are a small local charity that has provided vital services for vulnerable young people in our community for almost 10 years, including alternative education, counselling and a safe social space. We are moving to larger premises which will help our services expand to meet a growing demand.

Help us to raise £50,000 to complete the refurbishment of an old church hall to create contemporary and high quality facilities for vulnerable young people.

Please give generously You can find out more about our work and

Donate online at:

www.TheBoxEpping.org.uk Follow the progress of our refurbishment on Twitter @theboxepping

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DAD’S DIARY

In Partnership with

ENTERING FATHERHOOD

WITHOUT A MAP

I

’m writing this a few days before Christmas, so the excitement is high in our household (between us adults) but the little fella doesn’t have a clue on what’s about to arrive. His mother is running around excitedly, telling me how, “He’s going to love these presents!” but I’m quite sure it’s the wrapping paper where most of his fun will come from (certainly if last year is anything to go by). In the run up to the big day our little lad has taken a turn for the worse by getting a bug, apparently there’s a lot going around, but it’s meant he has been waking up throughout the night and sleeping in our bed once again. This results in not so much ‘sleep’ but more ‘sitting on our heads’. I’m unsure why he finds this position comfortable, but it’s either this position, or ‘head on our throats’.

In this lovely manoeuvre he decides to lay across our pillows horizontally, whilst we’re on them, so his feet are in the face of my lady, whilst his head pushes against my throat and stops me breathing. Happy Christmas! I’d probably have more comfort being dressed as Santa and getting stuck in a chimney. His vocabulary continues to expand, and recent additions are “Hannah” and “guck”. Translated, these are actually “hand” and “stuck”.

So after weeks of thinking he had a mystery lady named Hannah that he wanted to lead us to, it turns out that he just wanted to hold our hand and lead us to the fridge. Once there he would try vigorously to pluck some food from the shelves, if this was a bit tricky then his second new word “guck” would come into play, by grabbing our “Hannah” and moving it to the food, pleading with us to get it because its currently... “guck”.

It’s these little things that often get you guessing for a few days (as anyone who spends a lot of time

56

with kids knows) where they come out with a word you just can’t quite decipher, yet they are adamant you should know it. Standing in front of you, exasperated that you can’t understand them, pleading with you with a face of frustration, yelling “shraga... shraga!” You look at them puzzled, “shraga? shraga? What on earth does he mean?” He’s pointing frantically, at nothing, yelling more “shraga” as if to say, “For the love of God you fool! Why can’t you understand me!? Shraga, shraga!

How many more times can I say it?!

Don’t you speak English??” You just continue to stare back, confused, until he finally leads you to something that doesn’t even sound remotely

“Son! Wait!!

My words meant nothing.” similar, and holds up a shoe “shraga!”

“Ah... hey Love, his word for shoes is shraga!” and another entry goes into his vocabulary dictionary.

With the cold weather lately it’s been a little bit awkward to try and bounce on the new trampoline we got him, each time he looks at the back garden he excitedly points and pleads “Bounce, bounce,” but doesn’t quite seem to see the frost across the matt or ice crystals that have built up around the netting, “Not now kid, maybe tomorrow,” and we try to shoo him away. I’m thinking about painting an image up on the back windows of a brick wall, just to stop him asking to head out and play on the trampoline in -8 degrees weather. He even tries grabbing my ‘hannah’ and moving a pair of ‘shragas’ towards me, so he can go out. “I’d love to get out there and have a bounce Son, but

unfortunately the door is ‘guck’.” I can imagine that once the huge Xmas day meal, and boxing day feast are done and dusted, I may well find myself climbing onto the trampoline in order to work some off, and no doubt the little lad will be bouncing with me. I just need to make sure we wear about 18 layers of clothes (might help sweat some turkey out).

I leave this update by mentioning a recent visit to a kids soft play centre. There were different levels, slides, ball pits, and more. His eyes lit up and he leapt in before I’d barely removed his first shoe “Son! Wait!!” My words meant nothing to him as he ploughed through the foam shapes and flew down a slide head first and out of view “Waaagghhh!!” I leapt in and managed to reach down and catch his foot, but it came off in my hand. Initially I thought I’d removed a part of his body, then I quickly recalled I’d only removed one shoe before he jumped in... I now had the other one in my hand. He was laughing his head off at the bottom of the slide and I tried to gently ease my way down. Unfortunately I picked up a lot of speed and both our faces filled with fear as I was plummeting ever quicker towards him. Then from out of nowhere he managed to levitate as I slid underneath him, it was a miracle!

However, it was only when I looked back and saw his mum holding him in her arms that things suddenly fell into place, “What are you playing at?!” she said, giving me a dressing down in front of the other kids.

I didn’t even have the breath in my lungs to explain myself, I just looked at him and he smiled. That’s my boy! Haha. ...TO BE CONTINUED

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CLUB FOCUS

B

SYLVAN BADMINTON CLUB

By Devon-Elizabeth Tabersham

adminton is a great form of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and is the fastest racket sport with shuttlecock speeds travelling up to 200mph at professional level. In badminton, hand-eye coordination, footwork, reflexes and tactics are tested. A match ends at 21 points and depending on the players and points scored, can last between 10 and 15 minutes.

Four years ago, Willy and Roger played badminton regularly with a group of friends and decided to create Sylvan Badminton Club in order to meet like-minded people who enjoyed playing badminton on a regular basis.

When they first started out, there were fourteen players in the club however with the popularity that it gained they now have forty people on their distribution list. Due to the limitations of court space, attendance is restricted to around 26 people per session.

Sylvan Badminton Club specifically target intermediate and advanced players, as they don’t have the infrastructure for training up beginners. “The aim of the club is to enable everyone to have a balanced and good game,” said Willy. The nets are provided by Bancrofts School, where the club meets, and Sylvan BC provide shuttlecocks. Good quality Yonex AS30 shuttlecocks are used, which provide better stable flight path as compared to their plastic counterparts.

There are around twenty members who play on a weekly

58

basis and then there are other players who play alternate weeks. Sylvan Badminton Club have observed spikes in interest especially in January and throughout the summer. The club allocates one of the four available courts for women only play to assist in building up ladies’ standard of play and confidence. The club plays men’s doubles, mixed doubles and ladies doubles games. Sylvan Badminton Club is a doubles only club in order to promote continuous play. Sylvan play between 7.30pm and 10pm on Wednesdays and if people leave before the end then single play will commence.

Sylvan Badminton club play from ages 18 and up and their oldest player is 68 who is still a very consistent player. Willy and Roger are both from Singapore and they find that their club attracts people from all different nationalities who come together to play badminton, from England, Asia and other European countries.

A typical session would include a warm up and then matchplay. Willy says it is important to regulate turnout in order to ensure that court waiting time is kept to a minimum. Sylvan BC works on a pay as you go basis, for men £7.20 and for women, £6.

For further information please visit www.groupspaces.com/sylvanbc.

CBG

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