Web kcn issue 18 apr may 16

Kings wells Community News a gazette magazine

Issue 18 April - May 2016 Free bi-monthly magazine gazette magazines has been introducing local people to local businesses since 2005!

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Sandra MacPherson, Depute Head Teacher at Kingswells School

It is with great sadness that we share with the Kingswells community the very sad news that Sandra MacPherson, Depute Head Teacher at Kingswells School peacefully passed away on the evening of 3rd March with her husband by her side.

For the last two years Sandra had made significant changes to her lifestyle in order to fight against cancer; a battle she undertook with courage and determination.

She will be fondly remembered by so many youngsters and their families for her nurturing and kind-hearted ways.

Mrs. MacPherson worked at Kingswells School for 10 years, firstly as Depute Head Teacher for Upper Stages, before making the change to Early Years Depute in 2010.

Sandra’s patience, kindness and warmth contributed to her huge success as Depute Head Teacher. Sandra forged excellent relationships with families and had a genuine passion for helping children. An area of particular interest was supporting those pupils with additional needs, making sure our school gave them the skills they need to succeed.

Sandra gave her time willingly and supported numerous school and community events over the years. She had incredible organisational skills and pupils over the years benefitted from this in whole school events such as Olympic themed Sports Day, outings to the cinema, residential trips and Mrs. Glover’s retirement events. There was no surprise to the school community when former Head Teacher, Mrs. Glover, chose Sandra as the first winner of the trophy for any pupil or member of staff who demonstrates outstanding kindness. To mark Sandra’s remarkable contribution as Depute Head Teacher, the school intends to plan a commemorative event in the summer term; details will be shared on our website.

We thank the local community for cards sharing your happy memories of Sandra and your kind thoughts for all of us at Kingswells School. These have helped us immensely to come to terms with our sadness. Colleagues will miss her witty sense of humour but most of all her warmth and compassion, which she gave willingly. Sandra has brought lots of happiness to the school over the years and will be very sadly missed by the staff and pupils. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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landline: 01224 949085 mobile : 07813 964 875 email : kingswells@gazettemagazines.com web : www.gazettemagazines.com

independent publisher All enquiries : Sue Simpson Disclaimer : Whilst we’d be flattered if you would like to borrow something from the gazette be polite and ask first! Thank you.

We try our hardest to ensure accuracy of editorial content but no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. The views expressed within the gazette are not necessarily those of the publisher or advertisers. When replying to offers, competitions and other correspondence, we would strongly recommend that you check published information with each organisation beforehand. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. We thank you for taking the time to read the small print.

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A note from Sue ...

It is with sadness that we had to kick start this magazine with the sad passing of Sandra MacPherson, a prominent member of the Kingswells community who will be sadly missed. But keep a lookout for an event being organised in her memory in the very near future.

This magazine brings joy too in the form of all the spring flowers popping through. The lovely longer evenings and there was a hint of some sunshine!

With Easter holidays almost over, it will be heads down and study time for the Academy pupils about to sit their important exams. I wish them well.

Fancy a bacon roll and a coffee? Fresh Café have their special offer on until the end of May. Why not take a nice brisk walk with a friend over to the café and then walk it off on the way back. Cults Scouts have their jumble sale in May so a great opportunity to de-clutter. Advance notice of the dance group’s annual fund raising extravaganza is also listed so you get your tickets in plenty of time.

AGM at the Community Centre if you have time remember to pop in.

Next magazine will be for June/July so if you have any events coming up in that time or over the summer then get in touch and let us know. Any new clubs and classes let us know too and I’ll start compiling a proper list for the autumn edition.

As a final note, I have been asked to mention about the lovely deposits that our dog walking community appear to be forgetting to pick up! Please remember to bag it and bin it. As the lighter nights bring more children out and about, they do not want to be standing in it whilst they are out enjoying the fresh air. So again, remember, bag it and bin it! It takes but a moment of your time.

Go grab that cuppa and enjoy the magazine.

Until next time,

Sue x

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Shorts and Shades at Kingswells On Friday 4th March Kingswells School had a shorts and shades day to raise money for the Gathimba Edwards Foundation. This charity helps children in Kenya who need help. They also support families in need.

The Charities Committee asked the pupils to bring one pound to wear shorts and shades or summer clothes for the day. A lot of children participated in this event and really enjoyed themselves dressing up in holiday clothes on such a chilly day. Myles Edwards, the leader of the Gathimba Edwards Foundation, came to help the charities committee organise the event.

The Charities Committee also organised a magic square game where pupils and teachers could choose a lucky square on a map of the school for 50p. The map was divided into a grid and Myles secretly chose the winning squares.

The lucky winners were Anna Lamb in P5, Katie McGrory in P3 and another winner was

body appeal

Miss Wiseman the teacher of P4. The winners’ prizes were a BonAccord centre gift card of £10. So a big well done to all the winners!

After all the event the Charities Committee counted the money to find out that amazingly, thanks to all the children and adults that took part, we had raised £576 and 16p!!! Isn’t that just great?

Thank you everyone who took part. We now have a big cheque to present to Myles at assembly when he comes back from this trip to Kenya.

With all this money that we raised we had to decide what to spend it on. So the Charities Committee had a meeting and decided to use the money for warm blankets for every child at the Pavilion Children’s Home. We can also pay for the education, food, clothing and shelter for one primary school child for a year. By doing this we will get to know this child and even make friends with them. Last of all we decided to get a

bunk-bed, mattress, blankets and bedding for one family in Kenya.

Myles was very impressed with our effort and has suggested that maybe the Shorts and Shades fundraiser could even become a yearly event. We really enjoyed working with him.

Natasha Cox P5 with Keira Thomson P7 The Charities Committee

Myles visits Kenya to see how the charity’s work is coming on.

Myles Edwards of the Gathimba Edwards Foundation with the Kingswells Primary School Charities Committee.

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A little bit of Italy... ...in Little Belmont Street

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wee reminder from Adventure Aberdeen 5 minutes walk from His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall – special lunch and pre-theatre aboutmenus. its Community Freshly baked home mode home made pizzas with lashings of toppings. meeting room. is Seafood, prime Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingredients and lusciousThis cream sauces. steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra touch of genius which is true Italian cooking! within the main body of the building and is hireable 7 Little Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG by community groups at www.poldinos.co.uk a very competitive rate.

The room is the old gym ... in Little Belmont Street hall of the school and We have been serving fine Italian cuisine since 1977. can accommodate up to Extensive à la carte menu for lunch and dinner.

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Extensive à la carte menu for lunch We have been serving fine italian cuisine since of formal and informal baked home-made pizzas with lashings of toppings.

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Freshly baked home mode home ma microwave, dish washer, Open Monday to Saturday 12 noon to 2.30pm and 5.30pm to 10.15pm Tender pasta dishes full of tasty ingre steaks, chicken dishes, all with that ex Freshly home mode home made pizzas with lashings of toppings. crockery, therebaked are two 01224 647777 Tender dishes full of tasty ingredients and luscious cream sauces. Seafood, primeGift toilets, one withpasta disability 7 Little Belmont Street | Aberdeen | AB10 1JG Open Monday to Saturday: 12 no steaks, chicken dishes, all with that extra touch of genius which is true Italian cooking!

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Excellent Edinburgh Adventure Students from P6SH and P6AC went on a school trip to Edinburgh. The trip happened on the 10th and 11th of March 2016. The students stayed in a lovely Premier Inn. It took about two and a half hours to get there and it took roughly the same amount of time to get back too. They went to Dynamic Earth, Bowling, Edinburgh Zoo, The Portrait Gallery and Pizza Hut. On the bus most pupils played on their Nintendos or their Apple devices.

Everyone was really excited when they got into Dynamic Earth. The pupils saw lots of interesting objects such as a part of a Mammoth tusk, a Sabertoothed Cat statue and much more! All the pupils got divided into three groups, all the groups participated in lots of different activities.

After Dynamic Earth they went to the lovely Portrait Gallery, all the paintings there were absolutely stunning. Once again there were three groups and there was also lots of activities to do. The groups were lead by three very nice ladies.

After the Portrait Gallery the children went to a lovely Premier Inn which had stunning rooms. Emma said “The rooms were very nice and big,” the rooms had three beds one big and two small. The beds were very nice and comfortable.

Next they went to Pizza Hut and ate some very tasty pizzas. You got a main, side, a drink and a dessert.

Everyone said the meal was delicious.

After Pizza Hut they went bowling, it was lots of fun.

Most people bought a drink or a snack. The bowling balls were quite heavy. After the bowling everyone was

P3 Open Afternoon

a very busy

On the 11th February 2016, the Primary 3 children at Kingswells Primary School had a ceilidh. The Primary 3 children invited their families to the ceilidh. Abigail and Sophia’s Dad, Mr Mitchell plays the bagpipes and he piped the guests into the gym hall. It was

gym hall! The children learnt two Scottish dances: Strip the Willow and The Gay Gordons.

The children sang the Scots version of ‘Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ and some children recited Scots poems.

The parents and families then joined their children for a Gay

www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

basically shattered, so they all went back to the hotel and to bed.

The next morning the pupils had a delicious breakfast, there was a variety of food and drink to have. Everyone enjoyed their breakfast. Then they checked out of the hotel and went to Edinburgh zoo.

There were lots of cuddly and fierce animals at the zoo. Everyone had an amazing time and a big laugh there. After the pupils left Edinburgh they got on the bus and headed home.

All of their parents were waiting for them with tears in their eyes.

The reason that the P6 classes went to Edinburgh was because they needed preparation for being away from home when they go to Loch Insh next year.

Written by David Bruce, Primary 6.

Gordon’s dance. At the end of the ceilidh all the families finished with Auld Lang Syne. It was an excellent afternoon and everyone enjoyed themselves.

If you wish to see us at our ceilidh then you can look us up athttp://kingswellsprimary. co.uk/2016/02/19/ceilidh/

By Jamie, Abigail, Robbie, Erin and Sophia.

e : kingswells@gazettemagazines.com

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Police Report

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responsible when out and about with friends, and of being considerate to those living nearby whom should not have to tolerate anti-social behaviour on their doorsteps.

ow that spring is here and the nights are getting longer, the importance of securing your home, garages, sheds and cars remains fundamental. The Kingswells area, in general, continues to be targeted by opportunistic offenders who try and find unlocked doors that allow them to gain entry to properties, your belongings and keys to your vehicles.

This should especially be considered when front doors are insecure during the day when the family are enjoying time together in rear gardens, and of course also later in the evening when retiring to bed as this is often the time when the checking of doors becomes forgotten.

Your local policing team remain committed to carrying out regular evening and night time patrols in the area to ensure that any anti-social or suspicious incidents can be fully checked out, but we need your assistance to keep yourself and your community safe.

Please do not hesitate in contacting the Police should you witness or be victim to any anti-social behaviour or similar.

The lighter nights and improving weather will hopefully encourage local youths, families and groups of friends to be out enjoying the recreational areas in your community.

Consideration should always be given to nearby residents, specifically in relation to excessive noise later in the evening. We would please ask all parents to remind their children of the importance of being

Should you have any need to contact Police Scotland, please let us know on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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will give their 60th Anniversary Concert in Queens Cross Church, Aberdeen on Friday, 27th May, 2016 at 7.30 p.m. A special Guest for this Concert will be one of the finest contemporary British choral composers, Bob Chilcott, Guest Artistes will be Rachel Groves on Flute and Harp and Christopher Smith on oboe and Cor Anglais.

T

he year 2016 is an important milestone in the history of Aberdeen Orpheus Choir. The Choir gave its first performance in Aberdeen in April, 1956 in the Music Hall, under its founder Conductor Alexander Elrick, and so this year marks the Diamond Anniversary of the Choir.

This year the Choir with Conductor, Jane Murray and Accompanist Erika Fairhead

An interesting and varied programme has been chosen to include arrangements

by Bob Chilcott of Londonderry Air and Shenandoah and his composition Songs and Cries of London Town plus the first performance in the U.K. of excerpts from a piece

by Australian Composer Ben van Tienen, " Across the Dark".

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Photo courtesy of Michelle Brookes - Brillbird

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The programme also includes modern and classical items to suit all tastes.

Tickets for this concert are priced at ÂŁ10:00 with a concession rate (over 60's and under 16's) of ÂŁ8:00 to include refreshments and may be purchased from Top Note Music Shop, 123 Crown Street, Aberdeen or from Choir Members and will be available at the door on the night subject to availability.

On the following day Bob Chilcott will lead a Choral Workshop at the International School of Aberdeen, Pitfodels.

The participation fee is ÂŁ18:00 and anyone with an interest in choral music will be made most welcome. Further information

regarding this event and a booking form can be obtained on the Choir Website www.aoc.org.uk. Early booking is advised.

Aberdeen Orpheus Choir is a Charity registered in Scotland, number SCO 45709.

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News from Councillor Delaney...

Well, spring has sprung at last and the clocks have changed. Longer days are uplifting after a dreary, albeit mild, winter. I certainly find that spring gets rid of the scunnert feeling and gets you ready for the year ahead.

Unfortunately this year has not got off to a promising start for many in Kingswells. I do of course refer to the untimely passing of Sandra MacPherson, Depute Head at Kingswells Primary School and the sorrow felt by all who knew Sandra.

Sandra’s funeral was the largest turnout I’ve seen in years with almost as many people standing as sitting in the larger West Chapel. People from different walks of life, different organisations, people whose lives she had made a difference to. I got chatting to two young local lads from Bucksburn Academy who wanted to pay their respects to Sandra who was their teacher when they were 6 or 7 years old, so much was her impact on their lives. I was moved by their courage and their respectfulness.

I only knew Sandra MacPherson for four years, but I always found her to be a ray of sunshine, always smiling, always upbeat and with an enthusiastic and positive outlook on life. As an integral part of the team she helped mould Kingswells School into the happy, friendly, high achieving community school it is today. Sandra was also an active member of the Parent Teacher Association, which raises tens of thousands of pounds for the school each year, further building on the good working relationship with parents in our community. She was also an enthusiastic fund raiser for a number of other good causes. Many, many people will miss Sandra and I offer my sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

Turning towards local issues, matters are now much clearer regarding changes to the Nos 11 and X40 bus routes, which were finalised as I sat down to write this column. There were lots of rumours and counterrumours and a fair amount of people made their views known to First. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the consultation as the end result isn’t nearly as bad as the rumours would have suggested.

With regard to the route, it runs unchanged through the village to Derbeth but misses out the section of Kingswood Crescent on the return leg. It also misses out the ARI bus port in both directions, instead using the No 23 stop on Westburn Road. The daytime frequency remains unchanged but the hope is that punctuality is improved and journey length reduced.

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My own preference was to drop the P&R from the route as this is well served by the X18 and now the X17 but First seem wedded to the P&R. The twice daily school bus to Hazlehead Academy is to be axed due to very low usage and the evening No 11 service moves to hourly from the 19.59 Broad Street departure (currently it doesn’t move to hourly until the 21.02 from Broad Street). With the hourly evening buses now starting earlier I would not be surprised if these get cut further at the next review so I would encourage people to make more use of the service, especially in the evenings.

Looking at fares, day ticket prices are frozen with the exception of child day tickets which have risen for off-peak travel (primarily affecting holiday times), but child tickets are down if travelling before 09.30. Some season tickets have increased, others have not, and a new £8 family ticket now covers unlimited journeys on Saturdays and Sundays. Fares change from 27th March, routes from 17th April. More details on First’s website.

Another topical issue which came as an unwelcome shock was the traveller encampment at the Kingswells Park & Ride. This has always been a popular location for them, despite a number of security measures having been put in place over the years. However, the opening up of the site for through access for the X17 has left it a bit more vulnerable. As a result, the Council will now look at how access was gained to the site and determine appropriate measures to try to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence. I will of course be working alongside officials to address this.

I’d now like to end my column by returning to Sandra MacPherson’s funeral. Something Sandra’s husband said really struck a chord with me when he summed up Sandra with the words “she was nice”, so in memory of Sandra lets all try to be a bit nicer to each other.

As always, please get in touch to raise any concerns you may have.

Councillor Steve Delaney Home Tel: 01224 694469 Work Tel: 01224 346614 Email: sdelaney@aberdeencity.gov.uk Web: www.delaney.org.uk Facebook: CllrDelaney Twitter: CllrDelaney

B

ased in the coastal town of Portsoy (famous for the annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival) the Sutherland Family have been using traditional methods to provide the highest quality smoked fish to the local area for over 100 years.

Our specialities include Oak Smoked Portsoy Kippers, Smoked Scottish Salmon, Oak Smoked Haddock, Hot Roast Smoked Plain & Peppered Mackerel and Hot Roast Smoked Salmon.

In addition to our smoked range we also carry a large variety of wet fish, shell fish and frozen seafood.

Always happy to accommodate customers’ requirements and we would welcome advance orders and special requests. eg live locally caught lobsters are a popular request in the summer months.

Kevin our retail van driver has already identified a small but loyal customer base in the short time he has been visiting Kingswells on a Saturday.

Kevin will be located at Kingswells Community Centre on Saturday mornings from 9 – 10.15am and again from midday - 2.30pm. Between 10.15am – midday he will be going door to door in the Derbeth, Wellside and Concraig areas.

Anyone interested in having Kevin bring the fish van to their street in Kingswells are welcome to call the office on 01261 842448 or Kevin himself on 07434 674 636.

www.sutherlandsofportsoy.co.uk Harbour Head, Shore Street, Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, AB45 2RX www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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BucksburnAcademy news Ski USA 2016

After two years in the planning our Ski trip to the USA took place in the middle of February.

We visited two resorts in New Hampshire where instructors were on hand to support the whole group no matter what their skiing ability. After five days of skiing and activities the group returned via New York for sightseeing and shopping before returning to Aberdeen tired but excited about the experience (and bruised in a couple of cases!). For more information see the pupil blogs on our website at www. bucksburnacademy.org.uk. Sticking with the skiing theme we are very proud that two of our pupils have been selected to compete in the downhill skiing competition at the Special Olympics in France in March. We wish them all the best. What an achievement!

Careers Fair 2016

Each year our Parent Council organise a Careers Fair which is open to all of our pupils and parents and is designed to support our pupils make important choices for their future pathways, get up to date careers information and inspire them to think about possible choices for the future. This year was the biggest yet with almost 50 exhibitors from a wide range of employers, training providers and further and higher education institutions. It was another very busy evening and we’d like to thank all those who supported the event and the Parent Council for their hard work in organising such a successful event.

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donations and sponsorship. You have helped us make a difference to our pupils.

Bucksburn Academy takes delivery of new minibus

Did you hear us on Northsound taking delivery of our new minibus? After months of hard work; fundraising and with the support of our partners, our new minibus has arrived. The minibus will support our pupils in the ASN Wing to access learning opportunities across the city and beyond and has been custom built to meet the needs of all of our pupils. We are very grateful to the Friends of the ASN Wing and all who have supported us with this through

Oscar Night 2016

The Expressive Arts faculty recently put on the annual Oscar Night. The school’s Drama club put on a performance of Porridge, their take on popular nursery rhymes with a twist, while Drama and music classes showcased performances they have been working on over the course of the session. There was some great talent on display and plenty of positive feedback from the audience.

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Latest News

Readers are reminded that a full account of Community Council business and other local and Aberdeen news is available on our website at http://www.kwells.org

Changes to First Bus Service From 17 April, First Group will operate a revised service. They are trying to attract more passengers by reducing journey times in and out of town. New timetables will be available online, at the First Travel Centre and on buses.

X40 – The route around Kingswells will be changed. A map of the new route can be found on our Community Council website (see above). Waiting times at the park-and-ride will be reduced where possible. During the day, the service will no longer operate to the bus port at ARI, but passengers can alight for the hospital on Westburn Road at Foresterhill Road.

We understand that certain evening journeys will still call at ARI.

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11 – School day journeys between Kingswells and Hazlehead/Woodend will be withdrawn due to low passenger numbers. Otherwise, it appears that the No11 service to Kingswells will stay the same.

Wellbeing Exhibition The Westhill and District Community Sport and Leisure Hub (WDCSH) is organising a “Wellbeing in Westhill” event on Sunday 22 May from 10am to 4pm at the Westhill Holiday Inn. Residents of Kingswells are cordially invited and will be made most welcome. At the time of writing there are 35 confirmed exhibitors covering a range of activities and organisations involved in sport, wellbeing, health, leisure pursuits, care in the community, etc. The event is being hosted during Mental Health Week 16-22 May as part of Aberdeenshire Wellbeing Festival which is being promoted by Aberdeenshire Council, Mental Health Aberdeen and the NHS amongst others.

The event is free for both exhibitors and attendees.

Cycling Routes Along with Scottish Government and local authorities, Kingswells Community Council is keen to encourage cycling and walking as ways of promoting good health and reducing congestion on our roads.

Official cycle routes in our area are shown on a helpful map produced by Aberdeen Cycle Forum and Aberdeen City Council. The Kingswells section is shown in the centre page spread overleaf. (text cont pg 22)

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Cycling Routes contd fm pg 19 As a general rule, cyclists should be using the road and not footpaths. If you are cycling on non-designated routes that are footpaths, please remember that pedestrians have priority and there may be youngsters learning to cycle or playing on or beside the path. Remember to make your presence known to pedestrians and be considerate towards other path users.

With a bit of care and tolerance we can make Kingswells a safe place to both walk and cycle.

New Benches At the time of writing, the five granite benches generously donated to Kingswells by Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd are being installed at the following locations: o Beside the consumption dyke near Kingswood Mews. o At the foot of the big field above Midmar View. o Beside the wooded area above Concraig Park.

o Overlooking the playpark between Wellside Wynd and Wellside Avenue. o Derbeth Grange.

We’ll include more about the benches in the next edition of KCN. Children’s Play Areas We would like to express our thanks to Aberdeen City Council for refurbishing the play areas at Corse Gardens and Callum Wynd. They are looking so much better ! Good quality, outdoor physical play is so important for young children. The play areas at Wellside Place and Callum Park will be refurbished in financial year 2016/2017.

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Litter and Recycling At the request of the Community Council, workmen from Aberdeen City Council and Prime Four have recently cleared litter from some ‘hotspots’ around the village. However, our litter problem is persistent and there is much cleaning-up still to be done. We are very grateful to Claire Burt for organising another community litter-pick on Saturday 16 April.

These twice-yearly events make such a difference to our community. We hope to see a good turnout of local volunteers.

The recycling facility in the park-and-ride has drawbacks as well as benefits.

Unfortunately, an irresponsible minority of people continue to dump rubbish beside the skips when they are full up. Some items left are not even recyclable. This waste often blows around the car park and into the landscaped areas round about. The Community Council has asked Aberdeen City Council to erect a fence around the skips but to no avail.

However, the Council has agreed to reinstate monitoring of the area for litter. Given the proximity of the excellent recycling centre on Hazlehead Avenue, the Council is thinking about removing the skips from the park-and-ride altogether.

Recycling days can be a particular problem when it is windy. The new mixed recycling bins (which are coming) should help to contain everything better. In the meantime, please try to ensure that your recycling is not able to blow about the area.

Ground Maintenance Issues In many parts of Kingswells, the communal planted areas are well maintained. In these areas, trees and shrubs are kept neat and tidy without being pruned within an inch of their lives. Unfortunately, however, some communal trees are still being cut badly or illegally.

We seem to be getting a constant flow of leaflets through our doors from businesses claiming to be experts in tree felling or pruning. Such claims need to be treated with caution. If you are having a tree pruned in your own garden, it’s always a good idea to see examples of the company’s previous work, and make it clear to them how you want the tree to look after it is pruned. If badly pruned, some trees never recover their natural shape and can make an area look unsightly.

Residents living near tree belts should know if the trees are protected by law (Tree Preservation Order or TPO). In such cases, Aberdeen City Council needs to be consulted before any work is done. Clearly, it is also illegal to fell trees on someone else’s land without permission.

Some landscaped areas of Kingswells are maintained by contractors employed by the housing developer or by residents’ associations. The Community Council already has good links with Aberdeen City Council with regard to ground maintenance. It wants now to forge closer links with developers and residents’ associations over ground maintenance and tree management to help to ensure the best possible standards or work.

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Lock Block Repairs The Community Council met with an official from Aberdeen City Council to discuss the replacement of broken or defective lock block in several streets in Kingswells. Filling the spaces with black asphalt is completely unsatisfactory due to the colour contrast and because some of the asphalt laid is already breaking up. Budgetary constraints were said to be the problem but it was agreed that the City Council would try to find a more acceptable solution. Unfortunately, this is likely to be a long-term problem in all areas paved with lock block, and not just in Kingswells.

Path Funding The Community Council is applying for £1500 of funding from the Community Paths Grant Scheme to develop or improve a selected footpath in Kingswells. We would be very grateful to receive the funding although it may only be enough to improve some sections of a path. More information will follow in the next edition of KCN. Derbeth Pond We are pleased to say that Stewart Milne Homes are now looking at ways to resolve the problems with drainage that we raised with them.

Telecommunications Mast Did you notice this very tall telecommunications mast that appeared without notice at the northern boundary of Prime Four ? Apparently, this was allowed under ‘emergency’ legislation to enable a clear line of sight to the mast at the top of Brimmond Hill. The Community Council has complained to Aberdeen City Council about it on the grounds of its excessive height and its location overlooking the historic consumption dyke. We have been assured that the current mast is temporary and will be replaced by a lower one. However, the mast needs to be re-located to a less visually intrusive site within Prime Four.

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Fairley Road Adventure Park Adventure Aberdeen’s imaginative plans for this development have been approved by Aberdeen City Council. The detailed plans can be viewed online at http://www.kwells.org/proposed-plans-for-adventure-park-in-fairleyroad/ The Community Council approved the adventure park in principle whilst making a few suggestions. The challenge now is to raise the £330k needed to make it all happen.

Travellers On 17 March a group of travellers took up residence at the lower car park in the park-andride. They managed to go around one of the barriers put in place to deter such groups.

The Community Council alerted the Council, our local councillors and Prime Four about the situation. The travellers were due to be evicted on 23 March but they departed the night before leaving behind a caravan and some bags of rubbish.

The Community Council warned the Council some time ago that this could happen. We will now be pressing the Council to make further improvements to the security of the car park.

Land-grabbing If you thought that this only happens in Crimea or the Wild West then think again !

Very occasionally in Kingswells we have had individual residents trying to extend their properties by fencing-in extra bits of land that don’t belong to them. Recently, we have received complaints about such a situation which we believe is still under investigation.

Clearly, if a resident has the landowner’s approval and any necessary planning permission, then that’s fine. However, if the land is communal then that is a different matter. Such land may be owned by Aberdeen City Council or the housing developer. It doesn’t matter, in our view, whether or not the land is actively maintained and manicured by the landowner.

Green spaces that are untended or wild are often left that way for a purpose and are part of the local amenity.

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Pork Jambalaya Cooked in just one pan and on the table in less than an hour this is a great midweek family supper. Serve with garlic bread or a mixed green salad, if liked.

Serves 4 Ready in 55 minutes Ingredients

1 tbsp groundnut oil 100g chorizo sausage, sliced 350g pork loin steaks, cut into chunks 1 onion, peeled and chopped 3 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 2 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling 2 tsp Cajun seasoning 225g easy-cook long grain rice 700ml vegetable stock 100g fine green beans, chopped 1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and diced

Method

Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large deep frying pan and fry the chorizo over a high heat until golden and the fat starts to run. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Add the diced pork to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring all the time until browned.

Remove and set aside with the chorizo. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and fry the onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes until beginning to soften.

Stir in the spices and rice and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for 2 minutes then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Return the pork to the pan and cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the chorizo, green beans and yellow pepper into the pan and cook, uncovered, for a further 6-7 minutes until the rice and vegetables are tender, adding a little more stock if necessary. Serve sprinkled with a little more smoked paprika and freshly ground black pepper.

Tip

You can replace the pork in this recipe with diced chicken breast fillet or boneless thigh fillets. Alternatively use large raw king prawns and add them to the pan in step 4 and cook until pink. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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Kingswells SWI February The Rev Neil Meyer of Kintore Parish Church gave a talk & slide show on his previous Church & work in South Africa.

Competition results.

Carrot cake 1st M Farquhar 2nd M Sheran 3rd K Hendry.

Pin cushion 1st M Farquhar 2nd M Sheran.

All eye examinations covered by NHS Optical Coherence Tomography for early diagnosis of Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration and Retinal Conditions.

Digital Retinal Photography Visual Field Analysis Emergency Eye Appointments Large range of Designer frames and specialised spectacle lenses Accredited by RACH for Children’s Eye Examinations

Home Visits Free Car parking Open Late night Tuesday - 7pm & Saturday - 4pm Scott Gilmour BSc(HONS) MCOptom Dip Tp (IP)

5 The Courtyard, Cults, Aberdeen AB15 9SD info@sgoptom.co.uk www.scottgilmouroptometrists.co.uk

Telephone : 01224-863344 28

March “Something Corny” Elaine Lindsay gave a talk & slide show on straw craft.

Elaine brought along samples of her beautiful work which was very much admired.

Competition results Meat roll 1st K Hendry 2nd A Nicol 3rd S Cameron.

Prettiest Bracelet 1st M Bruce 2nd M Sheran 3rd A Nicol.

Afterwards members & guests enjoy tea & homebakes.

A warm welcome awaits new members.

Meetings are held in the Kingswells Church hall on the second Tuesday of the month.

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Schönbrunn Palace

Vienna

From a modest hunting lodge to a breath-taking palace and now a museum, Schönbrunn ranks among Austria’s top attractions, claiming seven million visitors a year. Restored, extended and embellished over time on the edge of Vienna, it survived a turbulent past to become the favourite summer residence of Austrian emperors for almost three centuries. Named ‘beautiful fountain’ after an artesian well, it will soon celebrate 20 years as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its ‘remarkable Baroque ensemble and synthesis of the arts’.

Beyond the wrought iron gates, the elegant façade, painted ‘Schönbrunn yellow’, rises across a vast courtyard where horse-drawn carriages invite visitors to explore the grounds in style. But first of all, the palace beckons with over 1,000 rooms filled with chandeliers and gold, paintings, tapestries, imperial portraits, Rococo furniture and more. Much of what we see today is the legacy of Maria-Theresa, the 18th century empress and only female ruler in the Habsburg dynasty. So Schönbrunn enjoyed a golden age as palace and gardens were remodelled for the pleasure of the empress and her court. Most impressive is the dazzling Hall of Mirrors where, they say, six year old Mozart performed for the empress before ‘springing onto her lap and kissing her heartily’. The Blue Chinese Salon with its rice paper hangings, the Porcelain Room and the Millions Room decorated with Indo-Persian miniatures are also due to Maria-Theresa, reflecting her love for all things exotic.

A day would barely suffice to do justice to every room opened to the public, but of special note are the Walnut Room, used as audience hall by Emperor Franz Joseph, his wife Sisi’s apartments where a secret staircase allowed her to escape from the pressures of the Court, the 43 metre long Great Gallery which hosted banquets and balls, the Hall of Ceremonies and its monumental www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

paintings, the Chapel and the Napoleon Room where the French Emperor stayed when he occupied Vienna.

Beyond this palatial treasure-filled interior, the Habsburg displayed their wealth and power in extensive grounds, from the botanical garden and Europe’s oldest zoological park to the orangerie, the palm house and the English and French gardens, the latter by a disciple of Le Nôtre who designed Versailles. Nature reserve, pristine gardens and recreation area all in one, the figures speak for themselves: 25 km of trees along the avenues, 30 km of hedges, 300,000 plants and 20 hectares of lawns mowed up to 21 times in season.

Entry to the gardens is free and locals and visitors alike come to relax, gazing in wonder at the blazing colours of superb flower beds, listening to the cool gurgling of Neptune’s fountain or rambling through dark mysterious woods. There’s a manicured maze, a set of 18th century follies named ‘Roman ruin’, 32 neo-classical sculptures and a triumphal arch, or gloriette, on the hill top with panoramic views over palace and garden and the city beyond. It’s no wonder this is acclaimed as the best preserved Baroque garden in the world.

The Austrian Empire came to an end after the first Word War but with its palace and gardens, Schönbrunn remains for all to enjoy and an enduring magnet for television and film crews, as seen in James Bond ‘The Living Daylight’ or the legendary Sisi trilogy.

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Step into Scott Gi

S

cott Gilmour optometrists is a family friendly opticians which was established in Cults in 2003.

Over the last 13 years the practice has always prided itself on keeping up-to-date with technology whilst maintaining their caring values. The above photos show the results of the recent extensive refurbishment.

The new found space has opened up an area for even more glasses and sunglasses to be out on display. In fact there are over 600 frames and

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o the new look ilmour Optometrists 100 sun specs to choose from! Something to suit every budget and includes frames covered under the NHS. The space created makes it as comfortable as possible for all ages to pick new eye wear.

The test room has been enlarged too and now incorporates the latest sight testing equipment ensuring your eye examination is completed with maximum efficiency and comfort.

The two new dispensing areas allow the trained dispensers to offer personal and impartial advice on lenses and frames, plus complimentary adjustments for the lifetime of your eye wear as a nice wee extra. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

The feedback from existing patients has been very favourable and for passers by the window displays always attract attention.

Why not pay a visit to the shop in Cults and experience it for yourself. We don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Scott Gilmour Optometrists 5 The Courtyard Cults, Aberdeen AB15 9SD Tel: 01224 863344 email: info@sgoptom.co.uk www.scottgilmouroptometrists.co.uk e : kingswells@gazettemagazines.com

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Westhill Bowling Club invite you to come along and try bowling, the green is situated in the Denman Park Westhill and will open on the 16th April for the outdoor season.

If you are interested come along to the club or contact Isobel McLean on 01224 742745 for more details, all ages are welcome. Look forward to seeing you on the green.

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Kingswells Community Centre The Heart of the Village

Our Annual General Meeting

Our AGM is on 19th April at 7.00pm.

Please come along and support your local community centre. If you would be interested in joining the committee please pop into the centre for an application form.

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Scout Centre, South Avenue, Cults Admission £1 Adults 50p Children

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Please bring jumble donations to the Scout Centre from 9th to 13th May (1300-1500hrs or 1900-2100hrs)

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Local Stockists:- Auchenblae Stores & Laurencekirk Post Office. Castleton Farm Shop, Fordoun.

Costcutters, Victoria Street, Dyce. Cults Stores - Keystores, Kirk Brae, Cults.

L & A Stores, Summerhill Court, Aberdeen. Mitchells Dairy, Inverurie. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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Go On, Grow Your Own! Enjoying a delicious meal which includes some home grown ingredients is a wonderful feeling – it fills you full of just the right sort of pride (and maybe even a little bit of smugness!). That meal might be a dinner party, a family supper or even a quick sandwich grabbed whilst you go about your daily work; it makes no difference, it simply feels good to indulge in a bit of Grow Your Own and then reap the rewards.

If you’re a hardened vegetable grower you may well have been sowing and potting on for a while now, but if you’re a bit behind schedule or if you’ve simply not dared to venture into vegetable production to any extent before, don’t panic – there’s still time to grow just about any crop in your plot this year.

If you want to raise some plants from seed yourself then most could be sown now, but there are a few that are likely to produce a much better yield if given an earlier start. I’d give seeds of crops such as tomatoes, sweet peppers, chilli peppers, melons and aubergines a miss now, but buy in a

34

few plants over the next month or so and you’ll be going great guns in no time at all.

Some vegetables can be directly sown now (i.e. just sow the seed into a well-prepared area of garden soil in a suitable spot) in all but the coolest gardens – beetroot, lettuce, beans, peas, carrots, rocket, spinach to name but a few. Other slightly more tender crops such as sweetcorn, squash and courgettes would fare better if given a bit of extra heat when you are germinating the seeds.

That’s where an electrically heated propagator comes into its own, and you will also find it really useful if you are trying to make up for lost time as it will speed up germination of many seeds by several days. The seedlings may then need pricking out and potting on until they are sturdy enough to live in the great outdoors. With these more tender crops, try to ‘harden off’ the young plants before you put them into their final positions: having been raised and grown on inside (either in a greenhouse or on a warm, sunny windowsill) they will be a little ‘soft’ and tender, and easily damaged by cold, wind or rain. Hardening off isn’t difficult, just put the trays or pots of young plants outside on warm days once the weather has stabilised, and bring them back under cover at night. Do this for a week or so and then leave them outside, covering them with some fleece at night. The resulting plants will now have had the chance to acclimatise to ‘real’ conditions and will grow far better, whilst also being much less likely to suffer from weather damage.

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If you find seed sowing and the subsequent pricking out and potting on too much when juggling with a job or other commitments, then buying in some small plants is a great plan as it gets you past the high-input bit at the beginning and allows you to just get on with the growing on, maintaining…and eating! You will get a good range from seed merchants or garden centres, but if you like the idea a bit of at-your-elbow-advice from me to ensure great results, don’t forget that you can still order garden-ready plants, accompanied by weekly advice and tips emails specific to the vegetables you’ve chosen to grow.* Garden-ready plants can be planted out as soon as you get them and, provided you follow the instructions, keep them well-watered during drier weather and apply feed at regular intervals, it won’t be long until you will be harvesting crops such as climbing French and runner beans, tomatoes, sweetcorn, sugar-snap peas, peppers, chillies, onions, melons, butternut squash, beetroot and courgettes.

Most vegetables need a good fertile soil and a sunny or only partly shaded spot if they are to perform well, so choose your growing area with care. If space is short or your garden is limited to a paved back-yard, patio or balcony, there is no need to go without the delights of Grow Your Own – most vegetables will do well in good sized containers (minimum 30cm x 30cm x 30cm) with good-quality compost. If you can manage even bigger pots, then maintenance will be easier as they will need watering slightly less frequently.

But, whether you plant and sow vegetables in pots, tubs, greenhouses or open ground, the end result will be gorgeous tasting, super-fresh vegetables to be enjoyed on your own or with company. So go on, get growing!

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ - fantastic UK grown vegetable plants of your choice plus weekly advice and tips emails from Pippa *(don’t forget your offer code 12419-E7SPS for a £4 discount), Nemaslug, biological controls, pop-up crop covers, signed books and lots more besides. www.gazettemagazines.com t : 01224 949085

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Alison McLeod

Afterschool Football

Kingswells Community Centre Monday 2.00-2.30 3.30-4.15

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Tuesday 3.30-4.15

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Wednesday 9.30-10.00 Pre School 1.30-2.15 Pre School Plus 3.30-4.15 P1/2 4.15-5.00 P1/2

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For more info contact Alison McLeod on 07824 631 221

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Easter Holiday Fun! ‘How To’ keep your pets cheerful over Easter) With the surplus of Easter chocolate lurking in the house we thought it would be helpful to talk about some of the common problems that vets see over this period, so that you and your pets can have as happy a time as possible.

We frequently see dogs that have eaten chocolate over the Easter festivities. Small quantities of white or milk chocolate are not usually a concern, but dark or baking chocolate is highly toxic to dogs, as is milk chocolate when eaten in large quantities. Always check with your vet if your dog has eaten chocolate, and they can let you know if you need to bring your dog in for emergency treatment.

Other hazards for dogs in terms of food include onions, grapes, raisins, sultanas and food

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including the artificial sweetener xylitol (which includes some peanut butters). Hot cross buns are widely available at this time of year but hidden dangers such as dried fruit can cause serious problems including renal failure.

Cats and especially kittens seem to be drawn towards Easter grass, usually green or yellow in colour and is the fake grass that often is found in Easter baskets. When your cat or dog ingests something “stringy” like Easter grass this can cause severe intestinal problems if swallowed, again necessitating a potentially dangerous operation to remove them.

Flowers are blooming and it is nice to add to your home a lovely bouquet but it could prove toxic to cats, these include many plants, especially Lilies, Daffodils, Tulips, Chrysanthemums, Foxglove and Azaleas. Dogs love to spend time in the garden but make sure your garden is safe. Be careful when using pellets, pesticides and other chemicals. Slug and snail pellets are a common poison we see, metaldehyde can cause significant poisoning with only a small amount of pellets. Not all slug pellets contain metaldehyde, please check packaging for all products in these items.

We hope that you and your pets have a happy and safe Easter break. Please pop in to the surgery to see our range of pet accessories, to help provide a safe way to include your pet in the celebrations.

(Article from Town & Country Vets)

YOGA m-07527 801575 or e-mail brittastahlmann@googlemail.com

Mondays at Kingswells Church Hall, 19:30-21:00 Suitable for all abilities. Please contact Britta for further information, see contact details above.

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Compu-Care

Call Neil 07539-462-064 Laptop & PC upgrades/ repairs/internet Collect & return service New computers available Laptop and PC training available £20 per hour

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Electrolysis the permanent removal of unwanted hair

Unwanted facial & body hair is a common problem affecting as many as 80% of ladies in varying degrees. Most areas can be permanently cleared of unwanted hairs with electrolysis including hair on the upper/ lower lip, chin, cheeks, neck, chest, abdomen, underarms, bikini line and the eyebrows.

Majority of clients will be happy, well balanced people with hair growth concerns that are purely ‘cosmetic’; others may be self-conscious or even quite distressed when they take their first tentative steps through the door.

I may frequently encounter the perceived problem of hirsutism (male pattern hair growth on females) I can offer helpful and objective advice plus information to the client. In some cases where I feel there may be some abnormal systemic condition I will refer the client to their gp who may make a referral to a specialist, but in the vast majority of cases there is no underlying medical pathology and treatment at my centre is the usual outcome.

The advice and treatment offered should be sufficient to resolve any normal problem, and the result is usually a restored sense of confidence and wellbeing in the client.

• Causes of hair growth • Mechanical Stimulation Plucking, (including waxing, threading, sugaring), abrasion • Normal Systemic Puberty, pregnancy,

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menopause, ie times of normal hormonal changes in the body.

• Abnormal systemic Hormone influencing medication ie steroids, contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), fertility drugs.

• Disease eg endocrine disorders affecting hormonal secretions from the glands of the body.

• Operations eg hysterectomy, removal of ovaries.

• Stress (may only stimulate hair growth when severe and subsequently triggers hormonal imbalance eg in anorexia.

Electrolysis the only proven method of permanent hair removal of unwanted hair, having been around since 1875. With the use of the Apilus computerised system I can offer differing treatment methods to best suit your hair growth and skin type. Unlike laser or IPL, electrolysis is ideal for sensitive skins, dark, light and grey hairs and any colour of skin as it is not affected by pigment in the hair or skin! Electrolysis targets only the unwanted, individual hair and so the skin remains unaffected. It is a progressive treatment resulting in permanent removal of the hair and not just hair reduction!

A very fine needle (equal diameter to the hair to be treated) is inserted down the side of the follicle and a mild current is applied. This causes localised destruction at the root of the hair allowing the hair to be lifted out of the follicle. A mild tingling sensation is felt but soon passes with the application of a soothing gel!

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re you one of the 80% of women affected by unwanted facial and body hair?

Apilus Platinum Pure Electrolysis treatments can put YOU in the 20% The APILUS PLATINUM PURE - 100% PERMANENT RESULTS MORE RAPIDLY » State-of-the-art technology - 27Mhz radio frequency to permanently & rapidly eliminate ALL hair types of ANY colour » more effective - works twice as fast as any other epilator by optimising energy concentration in the hair follicle » more comfortable - the 27Mhz radio frequency so swift & concentrated that treatments are much more comfortable than conventional electrolysis » incomparable effectiveness & comfort

Jenny former nurse, anelectrologist electrologist specialist with 14 Jennyaaformer formernurse, nurse, isisan specialist withexperience.

15 years Jenny, is an electrologist specialist with 13yrs experience.

Book an£10 appointment today and with get results yourself! years experience. £10 off first first treatment this postcard off treatment THE AGE OF ULTRA COMFORTABLE ELECTROLYSIS IS FINALLY HERE!!

Finally say goodbye to unwanted facial/body hair

m nu i t Pla een s u d il Ap Aber t s Fir re in Pu

tel : 594 777 mob: 07843 054 393

Indoor Poster Sample 3.indd 1

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4/23/2014 3:23:45 PM

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