Village Eye Magazine March 2021

VILLAGE

Issue 98 March/April 2021 reaching 11,500 households

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UK Southern Business Awards

Winner Best Regional Lifestyle Magazine

2019

PRICELESS

The area’s favourite magazine

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Page 42

ople, Local pe ess in local bus

Lose the LOCKDOWN LARD!

WIN A L’ORTOLAN GOLD HAMPER DISCOVERING LOCAL MUMS RUN OUT OF GIN! WIN A £50 JUST EAT GIFT CARD

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2019

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LOCAL 36 LOCKDOWN MUMS

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10

WHAT JUGGLING WORK & HOMESCHOOLING HAS

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REALLY BEEN LIKE!

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March

Contents

4. Community News Who do you know in our Community News round-up?

We’ve been finding out all the news around the villages to make sure we keep you up-to-date!

6. A Seasoned Performer Local accomplished wedding pianist Lewis Bolland tells us what life’s been like without an audience.

8. Ready, Set, J-Lo Celebrating three decades in the spotlight, Jennifer Lopez is proving she is as popular and relevant as ever.

22-23. On the Move Are you planning a home move in 2021?

Perhaps your dream home is right here. Take a look at what’s on offer with David Cliff this month.

28-35. Pink Pages Electrician? Roofer? Windows?

Whatever you are looking for, check here first! All of our advertisers are following PHE guidelines and wearing PPE when necessary.

Gold Member

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UK Southern Business Awards

Winner Best Regional Lifestyle Magazine

2019

PRICELESS

The area’s favourite magazine

TM

Local people, local business

Lose the LOCK DOW LARDN !

Page 42

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Helle n & the Team xx olds

keep it local!

Have a great March

11,500 househ

The Village Eye is brought to you by Pinktomato Ltd, a local, independent creative design and marketing company. All content within the publication is copyright of Village Eye. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for views or opinions expressed by contributors or for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers.

All dates, times, URLs and telephone numbers are understood to be correct at the time of submission to print. Registered Address: Butlers Lands Farm, Mortimer, RG7 2AG

Also, and very importantly, please do use our local advertisers - they need you, - and remember to tell them you saw them in Village Eye!

2021 reachin g

41. On TV with Rob Barnes Our film and TV reviewer, Rob Barnes, brings you the much awaited comedy thriller, Promising Young Woman available to stream.

In this issue, we also take a look at which holidays may be available to us later this year (p.18), find out how some local mums have been coping with homeschooling, and find out why Spiderman has been spinning some local smiles for our kids.

Please hang on in there and let’s look forward to brighter times ahead (especially after March 28th when the clocks go forward!

March

38. 10 Minute Boredom Busters You spoke, we listened!

By popular demand, we are introducing a few things to get your grey matter going. Have a go at our new regular crossword and wordsearch.

We are missing our friends in the hospitality sector right now too - especially the gastropubs and fine dining experiences we are all so lucky to have in this area. But did you know that many of them are offering a takeaway service? We’ve rounded up a selection of what they’re offering on page 12 - and you could even win a L’Ortolan Gold Hamper!

Our cover sponsor this month is Totally Smashed It, Personal Training and BoxFit Classes.

If you’ve been looking at yourself in the mirror and not liking what you see and want to do something about the ‘lockdown lard’ before the summercheck out their incredible body transformation success images of real local women on page 42.

VILLAGE

12. WIN A L’ORTOLAN GOLD HAMPER If you’re bored of the usual or don’t fancy cooking we tell you which fave local restaurants are offering a dine at home service.

21. Free Help For Local Businesses Find out how giving back might just turn your company into a local star without breaking the bank!

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elcome to the March issue of Village Eye magazine. It’s been a strange few weeks here at Eye HQ. The team are working from home and I miss them terribly. Hopefully soon, the schools will start to return, workplaces can begin to reopen - and the usual giggles and daily hustle and bustle of the office can resume (including our daily go at the BBC Popmaster Quiz!)

Issue 98

7. Take Part in our Reader Survey Tell us what you think we do well & what we can improve on to make sure that your favourite local magazine gets even better. You could win a £50 Just Eat Gift Card!

15. The Not So Secret Seven!

The end of the tax year looms... check out our valuable Financial Advice from Mark Penston

WIN A L’O GOLD HA RTOLAN MPER DISC OVER

LOCAL MUMS

RUN OUT OF

PEMF

ING

GIN! WHICH DIE FAV ARE OPEFOO N FOR TAK ES THERAPY EAWAY

Burghfie

ld Commo THIS MONTH’ Ufton Nervet n | Burghfield S COVER Village | Alderm | Beech SPONSO aston | R Hill | Mortime Padwor r | Theale th | Pambe | Spence r Heath | Tadley rs Wood | Silchest | Baughu er | Sulham rst | Three Mile Cross stead | Bramley 1

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Editor: Hellen Shaw Sub Editor: Jackie Stuart Advertising: Lindsey Barker Social/Design: Holly Chrisp Beauty: Amelia Baird Motoring: Adam Tudor-Lane

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news - please call the team 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Film Buff: Gardening: Finance: Travel: Wellbeing:

Rob Barnes Jordan Curtis Mark Penston Michelle Goulding Karen Hartshorn

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A BENCH FOR THE

DUCHESS

As popular landlady Polly Bavin left on her last journey in November, dozens of people stood outside the Six Bells in Burghfield Village to pay their respects. Many others lined the road around the Hatch, the green in the centre of the village, as the hearse slowly passed by.

MORTIMER SCHOOLS

QUACKY RACES

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FIRST VIRTUAL DUCK RACE

ho needs a great night at the races and a chance to win some amazing prizes?

On Saturday 20th March at 6.30pm Mortimer Schools PTA is running a VIRTUAL DUCK RACE! Anyone can take part you don’t need to be a pupil or even a resident in Mortimer!

There are 14 races, each with a prize of £50 and a grand finale Champagne Race with a chance to win a luxury Fortnum and Mason Hamper, a bottle of champagne plus a CASE of wine!

After the race, the children will then be invited into a special

Zoom Room for a Dolly Duck Disco - with some special guests! If you own a duck costume, now is your chance to wear it! Buy your ducks and find out more by searching ‘Mortimer Schools Quacky Races’ on Facebook.

But don’t forget, ticket sales close 11th March.

Your duck will be randomly allocated a numbers. You will be notified of your duck’s number by email. You can then watch all the races LIVE on Saturday 20th March, looking out for your duck, at 6.30pm on their YouTube channel! What a quacking idea!

When Mortimer resident, Helene Smit, suggested setting up a Seed Swap on a local Facebook page, she was overwhelmed with the enthusiasm from the local community.

Not only was there general agreement that there is often too many seeds in one packet for one household, meaning a constant surplus of seeds, there have also been suggestions to share surplus seedlings and young plants and to extend the scheme to Burghfield. To start things off though, there are plans to set up a ‘swap station’ at the Free Little Library book exchange in the Street opposite the Avenue in Mortimer, so if you have surplus seeds and would like to swap them in return for something else, pop along and see what you can find.

FIND DOLLY THE DUCK ?

Get your kids ready for the Quacky Races with Mortimer Schools on Saturday 20th March. Get them to hunt through this magazine & find the other SIX pages where Village Eye’s Dolly Duck is hiding. Sorry, no prizes - just a bit of peace & quiet!

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Polly ‘The Duchess’ Bavin as she was affectionately known, had been the landlady of the Six Bells for over twenty seven years. During this time she had made herself a friend to all who knew her. It was not unusual to hear people say, ‘I will see you in Polly’s’, rather than, ‘Meet you in the Six Bells’. That was how regular patrons of the pub recognised and felt about their local pub and the landlady.

Losing an icon like Polly Bavin is a loss to the village of Burghfield and certainly to the patrons of the Six Bells. Whilst the Six Bells public house, now taken over in partnership by three of the regulars, will still offer the same friendly service, there will be a space at the end of the bar that was usually occupied by Polly. It was here she sat providing advice and creating an atmosphere which ensured a friendly welcome to all who visited the Six Bells.

To ensure Polly ‘The Duchess’ Bavin would not be forgotten funds were raised to purchase a bench in her name to be installed on the Hatch in a position as close possible to the pub she ran for so long. The amount of money donated far exceeded the amount required and the surplus is to be given to one of Polly’s favourite charities, ‘Wooden Spoon’. A ‘cutting of the ribbon’ is planned to officially open the bench to the public, after which everyone is invited to adjourn to the Six Bells and drink to the memory of Polly ‘The Duchess’ Bavin , a very special person. Follow Village Eye on social for updates.

Time for Summer The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time (called "Summer Time" in many places in the world) is to make better use of daylight. We change our clocks during the summer months to move an hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. A time we all look forward to. Don’t forget to put your clocks forward an hour on 28th March and welcome the summer!

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Follow us to keep updated, locally

LOCAL WINDOW CLEANER SPINS A WEB OF

eye Community News

When Burghfield-based mum, Natalie Kennedy, and eldest son, Deacon, heard squeals of excitement coming from their sitting room on a dreary February day, they knew why. The special visitor they had been expecting had arrived. Deacon’s little brother, Laurie, had his nose pressed up against the living room window and was creating a very special lockdown memory; one that will remain with him – possibly for life. The day that Spiderman appeared in their garden and cleaned the windows!

For Chris Smalley-Ward of CSW Windows, going about his daily business dressed as Spidey is fast becoming the norm. Quite what his teammates at Burghfield FC think of his new identity, we just don’t know! Chris is now being inundated with requests to visit other families and make their child’s day! His antics have also caught the attention of local media and there are even rumours about him appearing on daytime TV! They say that ‘behind every great man is a great woman’ and this was, indeed, the idea of Chris’s wife, Linny. It was she who persuaded him to don the Spidey costume and spin a web of smiles to all the children stuck at home in the area. Chris told us that he’s only been doing this for a few weeks and cannot get over how fabulous the reaction has been. His first outing as the Marvel superhero was at his niece’s birthday and the costume has been getting a lot of wear since! To book Chris, find him on facebook.com/cswwindowclean or call: 07774 321561

MICHELIN STAR FOR 19 YEARS! THEALE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS...

Theale Library has been delivering a superb service to its users during lockdown, with their Order & Collect service being welcomed by local residents. Browsing the shelves looking for that perfect read has not been allowed, of course, but the library has come up with a great alternative.

Members of the library can fill out a form online to tell the librarian which authors and genres of books they like to read. All you need is your library card number and PIN. The librarian then selects five books that they think you will enjoy, based on the information that you give them. You receive an email when your books are ready for collection and on arriving at the library, you will find everything set up to be Covid-secure for collecting your books.

This really has been a welcome service during these ‘stay at home’ days when there really is nothing better than cosying up with a good book.

L’Ortolan have done it again! They have retained their coveted Michelin Star for another year - 19 consecutive years in total.

What an achievement. And this is all down to Head Chef, James Greatorex and his hardworking team.

James began his career at just 15 years old, washing the pots in a gastro pub, and at just 16 he was running the kitchen on the head chef’s days off. This was the first indication that James was cut out for a leading role in the world of gastronomy.

He went on to win Young Chef of the Year and was taken on by one of the competition judges, working 7 days a week around his college course. Now that’s dedication!

To search out his big break, James sent CVs to renowned restaurants around the country. He was offered a position at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and spent 2 years there learning modern techniques and Michelin star standards.

James Greatorex came to L’Ortolan in July 2018 as a Junior Sous chef. Then head chef, Tom Clarke, encouraged James to develop his own creativity and style, earning him the position of current Head Chef at L’Ortolan.

L’Ortolan’sHead Chef, James Greatorex

Through sheer hard work, passion and dedication, his team continue to deliver impeccable food, drink and service, even during this global pandemic!

Congratulations to you all!

If you would love a taste of L’Ortolan at home, you could be in with a chance of winning one of their Gold L’Ortolan at Home hampers (see Page 12) which are proving to be very popular indeed!

DON’T MISS OUT! FOLLOW US NOW

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Lewis Bolland

Seasoned Performer Life in Lockdown

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hen you talk to friends and family about what they have missed the most over the last year, top of everybody’s list is live music. Concerts, gigs, theatre performances and music festivals are being appreciated and longed-for like never before and it seems we just cannot wait to get back and enjoy them once again.

But where have all the performers, technicians and events managers gone and how have they been coping?

It’s been well-publicised that the last year has been incredibly tough for the industry. In an instant, venues closed and events were cancelled resulting in professional livelihoods dramatically upended. But ‘the show must go on’ and these people are among the most resilient you will meet, finding ways to keep going through the pandemic – and staying creative!

We spoke to local pianist and performer, Lewis Bolland and asked him what life in lockdown has been like for him.

“I was extremely lucky to find myself in the best possible place during the outbreak,” he told us.

“Just before the first lockdown started, all my performances were cancelled and just a few days later I had to cancel all my students’ piano lessons. It was really tough.

“Alongside running my own piano school, I play the piano for the Four Seasons Hotel, Hampshire, and perform for luxury weddings, cruise ships, celebrity events and I had even played for royalty. I absolutely love my work so I didn’t know what to do with myself. I quickly realised it was time to adapt to the situation and remain positive. I decided to get creative and put together an online forum for all my students and expand my repertoire.

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“As restrictions began to ease in June, a socially distanced walk and a catch-up with my good friend Rich led to a decision that changed my experience of restrictions and lockdown for the better. We were both living back home with parents so we spoke about potentially renting a place together. It made perfect sense.

“From that seed of an idea, it all moved very quickly. Rich found a lovely place in Swallowfield the following day and booked a viewing.

The house turned out to be beautiful - there was even a soundproof room above the double garage at the end of the garden which perfect for a recording studio!

Two weeks later we moved in with our partners and Rich’s brother Tom (a drummer). My girlfriend, Sophie, is a professional dancer and Rich is in an award- winning duo with his girlfriend Natalie under the name ‘Bella River’.

They’ve had an incredible career including a publishing deal with EMI, performing on the main stage at the F1 Grand Prix and most recently performing in Japan for two years.

They have played all over the world on luxury cruises, river cruises and hotels. They were living in Osaka when the outbreak happened and had to fly home.

Being like-minded performers and creatives, the house is a really special place to be and I feel that we’ve all helped each other massively, exactly the reason we moved here. I absolutely love it.

During the second lockdown in November, we kept teaching online and composing in our home studios.

When restrictions were eased, Rich and Natalie went back to London to Bookhouse Studios, I performed for multiple weddings and events, and Sophie was busier than ever teaching.

We’re very excited for the future of performing and we’re confident that with the media constantly referring to the ‘dawning of a new jazz age’ we’ll be busier than ever. Live music will be back!

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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Are you in it

eye

yet?

WIN ONE OF 3 £50 Just Eat Gift Cards!

DO YOU FANCY WINNING A £50 JUST EAT GIFT CARD? Readers, WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! We'll soon be putting on our party hats to celebrate 10 years of Village Eye Magazine, and we want to know that we are doing everything we can to give you an enjoyable lighthearted read about everything 'local' and connect you to local business, goods & services.

To find out, we are undertaking our biggest ever readership survey and need your help.

It's your opportunity to tell us what you think we do well, and very importantly, what we can improve on to make sure that YOUR favourite local magazine is even better.

To thank you for taking part and helping us, your feedback is invaluable.

It takes about 2 minutes - if anything, it's something to do! Complete the survey before 31st March and we'll enter your details into a draw to win one of three £50 Just Eat Gift Cards. To take part visit:

www.villageeye.co.uk/readership-survey-2021

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Website instsa.

need Dentures? we can help!

h a V om va is e ila its bl e

Paul Moorcroft, a clinical dental technologist.

Paul has over 39 years of experience in providing new dentures and denture repairs.

• Professional Advice

Food Hacks for Busy Mums

• Dentures • Partial Dentures • Denture Repairs • Suction Dentures

by Karen Hartshorn

We may be stuck at home, but that’s not making family life any less busy. We’re working, teaching and keeping home life together, so why not make that last one as easy as possible?

Try these food tips and tricks for the month of Mother’s Day (or any other month, for that matter).

SCREENTIME FOR KIDS = MEAL PREP FOR MUM

A tip from a military wife, logistical experts at this kind of thing. Try to delay the ‘fun’ screen time for 5pm, so you have a hassle-free window to prep meals.

MAKE A MEAL PLAN FOR THE WEEK

We have a big whiteboard in the kitchen which all the meals for the week get written on. This means the shopping list writes itself, we save money buying just what we need, and no thinking is needed when it comes to meal prep time.

No more standing in front of the fridge wondering what to make!

ALWAYS MAKE DOUBLE OR TRIPLE RECIPES

Plastic Indian takeaway containers are the perfect size to store about two portions of risotto, bolognese sauce, stew and other leftovers. They also freeze well. Cook once, and eat two or three times. And, don’t forget to label your container, or you may be playing Mystery Dinner.

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PRE-PREP VEGETABLES

At the weekend, spend an hour chopping and roasting vegetables like butternut, onion, cauliflower and sweet potato. You’ll have an instant store to add to stews, turn into soups or heat and eat during the week. Do the same with fresh vegetables: dice and store carrot, celery and peppers; just plunge them into cold water to refresh.

About Karen Based in Burghfield Common, Karen offers confidential coaching sessions in person or via Zoom. She will help you to develop a healthy, positive relationship with food and exercise so you never have to diet again!

For a free initial conversation, please contact:

0118 983 6358 07834 466090 www.tarragonnutrition.com karen@tarragonnutrition.com

To make an appointment please call:

0118 930 3965

www.abacusdentalstudio.co.uk

Abacus Dental Studio | Ground Floor | 15 High Street | Theale | RG7 5AH

ONLINE & VIDEO Mortimer CONSULTATIONS

AVAILABLE NOW Physiotherapy practice

BACK OR NECK PAIN? SPORTS INJURIES? MUSCLE/TENDON STRAIN?

ONLINE & VIDEO CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE NOW

POST OPERATIVE REHABILITATION? * NHS referrals are accepted from all West Berkshire GPs - just ask!

Tel: 0118 933 3896 Text: 07951 840643

www.mortimerphysio.co.uk info@mortimerphysio.co.uk ESTABLISHED FOR 15 YEARS, YOUR LOCAL PRIVATE PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC. NOW ACCEPTING NHS REFERRALS

Follow Karen for more tips @tarragon_nutrition

(NHS REFERRALS ACCEPTED FROM WEST BERKSHIRE GPs)

* NHS referrals are accepted from all West Berkshire GPs - just ask!

A PAIN IN THE NECK?

Or back, shoulder, elbows, or knees?

Maybe not anymore, with local NASA-validated tech.

PEMF therapy is a safe and non-invasive way to reduce pain, improve sleep, alleviate stress and more. With a brand new studio operating in Mortimer, this innovative technology is now accessible to West Berkshire residents and beyond - and it’s open in lockdown, too.

Hands up if you leap out of bed every morning full of the joys of spring?

Sadly, most of us don’t. Instead, we accept feeling under-par with aches, pains, fatigue, and sometimes more debilitating ailments. To add insult to injury, stress (stemming from the global pandemic and lockdown restrictions limiting access to health and wellbeing support) have exacerbated many mental and physical conditions.

Despite being backed by over 2,000 clinical studies, PEMF remains a closely guarded secret, used primarily by elite athletes, NASA astronauts and A-list celebrities. Nick is passionate about making PEMF therapy available to everyone.

One local man is on a mission to boost our wellbeing with a surprising piece of technology, which may be the answer for long-term pain sufferers who have tried everything, and people who are suffering from poor sleep and mental health.

“...I’m a 69 year old retired hairdresser and was taking prescription medication for severe arthritis and asthma. Since using PEMF, I’m now free of pain and medication...”

“Everyone should have access to it, without having to travel hundreds of miles like I did,” he says.

MARY JACOBS

“...After suffering with back pain for many years, I no longer need my strong painkillers to get through the day - and it’s all thanks to PEMF...”

DANNY CHAMBERLAIN

Nick Elvery, PEMFiT

What is PEMF? PEMF uses top-of-the-range technology, imported from the leading PEMF manufacturer in the US, to gently pulse natural energy through your body. This helps to relieve chronic pain, improve sleep and alleviate symptoms of stress and other mental health conditions. PEMF is also highly effective for reducing injury or post-op recovery time.

Mortimer resident and PEMFiT studio manager Nick Elvery told us: “Every single one of our body’s 100 trillion cells contains and conducts an electromagnetic charge.

However, the demands of modern life disconnect our bodies from the revitalising natural rhythms and charges of the earth, and drains our cells of energy. With gentle stimulation, PEMF recharges your cells and replenishes their energy, allowing your whole body to do its job so much better.”

“...After booking sessions to help with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Palindromic Rheumatism, I experienced immediate improvements to both my pain and energy levels...”

DAWN BRAMWELL-SMITH

What does a PEMF session look like?

With dimmed lights, soothing music and a comfortable massage-style bed (or chair depending on personal preference and the area requiring attention), a PEMF therapy session is safe and relaxing from start to finish. Plus, you’re in good hands with Nick, who is a fully certified PEMF practitioner and former personal trainer. Sessions are contact-free, and the studio is COVID-compliant and operating through lockdown.

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Meet Nick Nick is 37 and a lifetime Mortimer resident. Over the past eight years, he’s been busy learning from the brightest minds in health, fitness and psychology to become his best and highest performing self. He studied Cognitive Hypnotherapy and NLP, qualified as a personal trainer, then collated his extensive knowledge and experience to become a Performance Coach, helping CEOs and entrepreneurs from all over the world.

In 2020, Nick met Pete Marroni, who founded the PEMFiT brand and recently established the UK’s first pulse centre in Lancaster.

Having spent years researching advanced performance devices and techniques, Nick quickly realised that Pete had unearthed one of the most powerful wellness technologies on the planet, and knew he had to get involved. Now, he’s putting Mortimer on the map as the UK’s second pulse centre, behind the Corner House on West End Road.

We are giving away 5 sessions of PEMF therapy in our competition this month. Turn to Page 38 for details.

eye Win

Find out more...

Discover the power of PEMF! Contact Nick on: 07885 979 166 info@pemfstudios.co.uk

www.pemfstudios.co.uk Follow us to keep updated, locally

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eye Celebrity

READY, SET, J.LO Celebrating three decades in the spotlight, Jennifer Lopez is proving she is today as popular and relevant as ever.

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S

he is a musician, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman who divides opinion. Some view Jennifer Lopez as something of a comedic character – famously condescending from the moment Jenny from the Block hit the charts, with its “I’m still one of you” notions coming from someone who has greater individual wealth than almost anyone else who has originated from the Bronx.

To others though, she is the very epitome of the great American story – someone who has risen up from the streets, who has invested and entertained on her way to global acclaim. In short, she is an inspiration.

While the heady days of pop stardom are some distance in the past, J.Lo remains a headline grabber. “You know, I look at the charts now and they are so far removed from who I am… in fact, they’re removed even from who I was back when I was at the top of them.

“The whole image of music and fashion has evolved so much in the space of a couple of decades, and yet, that’s fine,” she adds. “We all evolve and we all chase new dreams.

“We all want to be that person who is there making the machine work in a slightly different way, and I have nothing but admiration for those fuelling that machine today.”

In those words, the 51-year-old almost takes herself out of the equation, and in that she is doing herself a disservice.

The truth is J.Lo, in 2021, is still at the very height of relevance. While it’s true she may have swapped focus from the music scene to the film industry, her star has never dipped for long enough not to see it reignited.

Take new movie Marry Me, for instance. At a time when many stars are holding back, determined to play it safe in much the same way as the distributors, J.Lo is still happy to push new projects and ideas. The movie is a romantic comedy, telling the story of a singer so disgusted that her on-stage partner and fiancé – the Colombian musician Maluma – has been having an affair behind her back, that she takes an alternative sort of revenge by marrying a random member of her adoring fanbase… random in all but the fact he is holding up a ‘Marry Me’ sign at her concert.

“It’s fun – it’s a story of taking ridiculous moves and making ridiculous decisions and seeing just how that pans out,” she says. “I like this idea of pushing boundaries and having fun with ideas that are usually just left in our minds as dreams or fantasies.

“And the fact it’s Owen Wilson holding up the sign makes it a bit easier for me,” she laughs.

The movie – which, like most others, continues to experience release delays, but is in the can, at least – is further evidence that Jennifer Lopez is happy, uplifted, and as ambitious as she ever was. It’s worth noting as well that the entertainment icon is also looking fitter than ever.

This is the person who decided a few years ago that it was time to take stock of her life in the lingering aftermath of her divorce from Marc Anthony. Not only did she return to the studio to work on a new album – A.K.A., released in 2014 – she also decided to embark on a rigorous fitness campaign. And the fruits of that labour have equated to much more than would be caught in a photographer’s lens.

As a result, critics raved about the Lopez's fabulous form almost as much as they have her return to the small screen with Shades of Blue, and in film with last year’s Hustlers. Although the former concluded after season three, the Bronx-born icon has rediscovered a sense of purpose that was noticeably bereft in much of her work post-Millennium.

“I continue to learn about myself and try to keep evolving as a woman and as a person and as a human being,” she begins. “And yet, I think that the most important lesson I've learned is to love yourself first.

“I am not unique in going through a great many things, nor am I unique in, at times, struggling to find the answer to the puzzle. I believe we all get there in the end though.”

Such buoyancy in her career has, ultimately, deflected attention away from a haphazard love life that, while providing elation in some quarters – in 12-year-old twins Maximilian and Emme – has left the performer downtrodden in the past.

Sure, her perspective now is rather different – she is in a loving relationship with Alex Rodriguez and the couple announced their engagement in March 2019 – and living a full life that includes acting, singing, and serving as judge on the final season of American Idol.

“I will never give up on my dreams, on my ambitions, and on trying to make a difference, across various avenues,” she says. “We all go through rough times and I think I am past mine now, so it’s time to get back out there and have fun, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Follow us to keep updated, locally

11

MISSING YOUR FAVOURITE LOCAL RESTAURANTS & CAFES? DON’T DESPAIR, THEY’RE STILL HERE FOR YOU! PLEASE USE THEM OR RISK LOSING THEM. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE STILL THERE FOR US ALL AFTER LOCKDOWN

♥

From full English breakfasts to filled paninis, dinners and scrummy home baked sweet treats, Gourmet Queens can be ordered for collection from their cutsie coffee shop in Baughurst or delivered (for a small fee) locally.

Open Mon-Sat, find their hours & menu at: Facebook/ gourmetqueens19

LA CAPANNA

Ciao Bella! As well as traditional Italian pizzas, did you now that some of La Capanna, Brimpton’s favourite restaurant dishes are available for collection - or for delivery (within 6 miles)? How about going full-on Italian for the night with Fresh Calamari Fritti, Penne Pasta Alla Siciliana (Freshly Cooked Penne Pasta with Tomatoes,Basil and Aubergine Sauce) & Tiramisu to finish. é Delizioso! www.francospizzadelivery.co.uk

Long day & don’t want to Cook?… The Bull & Bladebone Inn is proud to offer their most popular dishes as a take-away option for those who want to try thier amazing food & drink but in the comfort of their own homes…

Visit www.thebullinnpub.com or call 0 118 974 4582

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Burghfield

Buddy’s

fine indian cuisine

WIN A L’ORTOLAN GOLD HAMPER FOR 2

A

s well as retaining thier Michelin star for 19 consecutive years this January, did you know that you can still dine with L’Ortolan... At home? Through sheer hard work, passion, and dedication, Head Chef James Greatorex and his team, have adapted and diversified so that they can continue to deliver excellent food, drinks, and service to diners - in hamper form!

We are not talking picnic hampers either. L’Ortolan hampers are the next best thing to actually having James in your kitchen with you!

Each hamper contains a full three or seven course meal (there are several hampers to choose from) and comes complete with the finest of ingredients, which are pre-prepped and ready to cook (with minimum effort) at home. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring chef in the kitchen or a complete novice - each hamper comes with easy to follow instructions.

eye Win

Since launching them, L’Ortolan’s range of hampers have proved to be a real hit - with so many of you creating memorable lockdown dining experiences yourselves. If you have a special occasion coming up (like Mother’s Day, for example - or that you’re gals another week is over), why try one!

Hampers are available from Tuesdays-Saturdays, with* children special under 10 years Sunday Roast hampers on Sundays.

For details, visit www.lortolan.com and follow them on social media for upcoming information about their Mother’s Day selection.

How to Enter

L’Ortolan have kindly offered a Gold Hamper to give to one lucky Reader in our competition this month. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, visit www.villageeye.co.uk and answer the following question: How many years have L’Ortolan retained their Michelin Star? Tc’s & C’s apply

GEORGE & DRAGON SWALLOWFIELD Now, the G&D at Swallowfield is renound for its succulent fillets steaks and Beer Battered Fish & Chips. If you are a foodie missing some decent gastropub dishes, you can now order your favourites from them for collection daily. Delivery is available in some areas, just ask. Visit www. georgeanddragonswallowfield.co.uk for the takeaway menu and to place an order by phone, call 0118 988 4432

The

ElmTree

in 2021

PIZZAS & ELM BURGERS

If you are hankering after a fresh, delicious handmade wood fired pizza and want to help support Jim and his team at The Elm Tree at the same time, how about sinking your teeth into one of their (fast becoming legendary) pizzas this weekend. Made with basil-infused tomato sauce and traditional mozzarella, they offer a range of mouthwatering toppings to suit every palette. They have also added some of the Elm Faves to the menu including The famous Elm Burger, Asian Sticky Ribs & a selection of scrummy puddings.

You can pre-order via Whatsapp on 07503 773181 or call 0118 988 3505 after 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Full menu on FB. Pizzas can be delivered locally or collected from The Elm in Beech Hill.

Burghfield Spices

THE BEST

INDIAN

FOOD IN THE AREA! also English Menu & Pizzas

FREE DELIVERY TO ALL VILLAGE EYE AREAS ORDER ONLINE OR BY PHONE CARD PAYMENTS ACCEPTED

open daily 11:30-2:30 5:30-10:00 www.burghfieldspices.co.uk

0118 983 4040 The Hatchgate, Burghfield Common *FREE DELIVERY to most loacl areas. (check website for details)

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WILLS DURING A PANDEMIC

You may have been putting off making or updating your Will until you can have a traditional face to face meeting with your solicitor at an office. However, as we are now in our third national lockdown, the vaccine is not yet widely available, and it is far from clear when such meetings will resume, perhaps it is time to act, and fulfil one of your New Year’s Resolutions.

As solicitors, we have adapted to working from home and we use video calls, on all platforms, with clients to discuss their wishes and tailor the Wills to their circumstances. We also provide full instructions to make sure the Will is signed and witnessed properly. Despite social distancing, the testator and witnesses must be in each other’s presence to sign the Will, which can include watching through a window.

You may have seen that the law has recently changed to allow Wills to be witnessed using video calling technology. However, we would only advise attempting to execute a Will this way if no other options exist because there are strict rules to follow, the same document must still be signed by all parties, and the Will is not valid until the second witness has signed it.

Please contact a member of the Private Client Team at Rowberry Morris who will be happy to assist you in preparing your Will.

Tadley Office Sherfield House Mulfords Hill Tadley RG26 3XJ 0118 981 2992 info-tadley@rowberrymorris.co.uk FREE car park at rear of office

PERSONALISED FINANCIAL PLANNING FOR AN INITIAL CONSULTATION CONTACT US ON: 0118 987 6655 INFO@BLUESKYIFAS.CO.UK WWW.BLUESKYIFAS.CO.UK

BLUESKY Charted Financial Planners is a trading style of BLUESKY Financial Planners LTD which is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority

14

ent

Reading Office 17 Castle Street, Reading, RG1 7SB TEL: 0118 958 5611 E: info-reading@rowberrymorris.co.uk Offices also at Richmond and Staines www.rowberrymorris.co.uk

Secret Seven The (not so)

eye Finance

The end of the tax year looms...

The 2020/21 tax year ends on Monday 5th April 2021.

This is the date when many allowances reset and it could be your last opportunity to make use of some of them.

Many of these allowances fall into the ‘use it or lose it’ category and if you extrapolate some of the current views of the economy and growing UK debt it could well be the case that taxes will increase and allowances will fall.

Space here cannot do full justice to the things that you should be considering so do call if you need more information. Suffice to say that we recommend you all review your financial positions and seek advice as appropriate.

The seven allowances that I will focus on here are:MARRIAGE ALLOWANCE • The personal allowance is currently £12,500 and is the amount of income that you can earn without paying tax on it.

• If you earn below this level, you can pass up to £1,250 of your allowance to your spouse.

• You can apply for the marriage allowance on-line with HMRC and currently backdate the claim for up to 4 years.

ISA ALLOWANCE • Create a tax-efficient savings fund by investing up to £20,000 each year.

• Lifetime ISAs can qualify for a 25% government bonus if you use the money for buying your first home.

• Junior ISAs allow you (or grand parents) to save up to £9,000 per year for under 16 year olds.

PENSION ALLOWANCE • Probably the most tax efficient of all investments.

• Individuals can fund up to 100% of annual earnings up to £40,000 per year.

• Even non-tax payers can currently invest up to £2,880 net per year in to a pension and receive tax relief.

GIFTING ALLOWANCE • If you are concerned about Inheritance Tax, each individual can gift £3,000 per year with it immediately falling outside their estate.

• The £3,000 allowance can be carried forward one year.

CAPITAL GAINS ALLOWANCE • Many people do not realise that they are able to realise a capital gain of £12,300 this year without paying any tax.

• The rules can be complex but if you have investments that have made a gain, now might be a good time to review them.

GIFTS FROM INCOME • If Inheritance Tax is a concern, gifting from your income is an other way to reduce the liability. However, these need to be made regularly and must: * Be made from your regular income. * Be part of your normal expenditure. * Leave you with sufficient income to maintain your current lifestyle.

•

•

•

•

•

DIVIDEND ALLOWANCE Dividends are payments made by companies to their shareholders as a way of distributing profits.

The dividend allowance means that you can receive up to £2,000 of dividend payments tax free.

If you hold investments it may be that you are receiving dividends that qualify for this allowance.

If you are a director of a company you can pay yourself £2,000 in dividends to use this allowance.

When added to the personal allowance and the CGT allowance this can mean some people can enjoy an income of up to £26,800 without paying any tax.

Apologies for the brief details and please do not act on any of this information without seeking advice first.

Mark Penston is a Chartered Financial Planner at Bluesky Financial Planners

REGULAR ROUTINE SERVICING! www.Arkleys.co.uk

Email: Info@arkleys.co.uk

Phone: 01189 888 400

London Court Farm, Beech Hill Road, Spencers Wood, RG7 IHT

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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15

Adam Tudor-Lane

DRIVes...

Skoda Superb

If there's one car that's left a lasting impression for 'comfy luxury' on a budget, it's the Skoda Superb. So when I needed to make a 300 mile, 6 hour round trip, it was the obvious car of choice.

Several things have changed since I last steered a Superb in 2017, largely that there's been a minor facelift outside but a fairly significant overhaul once you get in.

Prices start at £25,000 for the entry-level SE model, rising to £38k for the L&K version.

From the outside there have only been a few small tweaks. These happened in 2019 and include a new front bumper with a wider grille, while the back end features a chrome strip joining the full-LED rear lights. LED's are now also standard at the front across all models.

With diesel losing favour I plumped for the 1.5 TSI engine with a DSG automatic gearbox. It still has plenty of torque thanks to the turbo, 250 Nm should be enough for towing most things. The 0-62 time is a relatively average 9.2 seconds; it seems the 148 BHP has been tuned more in favour of efficiency than outright pace.

You might think a 1.5 litre engine is paltry for such a big car, but not so. Matched with the silky smooth DSG, you'll never be left wanting for power. The Skoda gets up to speed quickly, despite that 0-62 time, and there's plenty of go for overtakes when you're up to motorway speeds.

What's pretty astounding is the economy, over 280 miles, mostly around the M25 at 60-70 MPH or diving into the outskirts of London the Superb managed 44 MPG, and did all that on a quarter of a tank. Upon returning home, the range was still showing the same 300 odd miles as when I left that morning.

After nearly 6 hours of driving, I hopped out of the Superb feeling better than if I'd have sat in my office chair for a day’s work. It really is that comfy, the miles melt away as the suspension takes up the lumps and bumps beneath you with ease, and that's without the clever adaptive setup that the fancier models get.

Along some country roads, the Superb's size doesn't make it unwieldy. Yes there's body roll, but it's always well controlled, and you can place the Skoda expertly thanks to the decent weighting of the steering.

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Inside you find new chrome splashes, revised seat fabrics and contrasting stitching. All models have a touchscreen infotainment system as standard with DAB, voice control and SmartLink+ to allow you to hook up your phone.

Opt for the SE Technology and up, and get the svelte 'Amundsen' infotainment system which features sleek, touch-sensitive buttons instead of the old-fash push buttons found in the older model.

This Superb featured the £475 'Virtual Cockpit', so a large LCD screen replaces the dials. This can be easily customised to the nth degree with all sorts of data and metrics if you so wish.

All those handy little things are still there, an umbrella in the driver’s door, a removable torch that functions as the boot light, parking ticket clip on the windscreen. All small additions that make you wonder why they aren't standard across all vehicles?

Rear seat legroom is still long haul first class. The only thing missing is the heated option for those in the back.

Boot space is nothing less than gargantuan at 625 litres; you'll lose luggage in there before you fill it.

It's tough to advise against the SE L trim; it brings decent levels of kit to what is one of the comfiest, affordable, long-legged cars on sale today. Yes, you could go for the 'Sportier' Sportline Plus, but it's not a sporty car, forget those 19-inch wheels, the 18's do a stunning job.

The range-topping L&K or Laurin & Klement is the pure luxury model, but do you need on-board WiFi and a Canton stereo?

Just make sure you plump for the Virtual Cockpit and at around £30,000 you'll have the luxobarge of your dreams.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you’re thinking of changing your car right now, you still can. Many dealerships including Spratley’s are offering contactless click collections & delivery, making your next car purchase as easy as getting your weekly shop.

Facts at a glance: Top Speed: 137 MPH Performance: 0-60 in 9.2 secs Power: 148 BHP Economy: 44 MPG (37.7 - 43.5 claimed)

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Follow us to keep updated, locally

We are still open for you

(and we thank you for your custom) Whatever you drive, Spratley’s friendly team of qualified technicans will keep you safely motoring.

We’re also your local MOT testing centre.

Servicing Repairs MOT Testing Diagnostics Tracking Tyres Car Sales call or book online now:

0118 933 2338 www.spratleys.co.uk e: service@spratleys.co.uk

*MOT testing by appointment only.

60/62 Victoria Road | Mortimer | RG7 3SG

Service | MOT | Repairs | Car Sales

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This time last year, the world started to close its borders in an attempt to stop the spread of Coronavirus. A whole year on and nothing much has changed. Despite a few people managing to take advantage of the travel corridors to certain Caribbean islands, the Canaries, Cyprus and the UAE last year, international travel has largely been put on hold.

The uncertainty over lockdowns, fear of catching the virus, changes in travel corridors, quarantining, PCR tests, talk of a “vaccine passport” and the stress caused by the fight for refunds, have all had an impact on consumer confidence to book their holidays.

The big question on everyone’s lips is “Will I be able to get away this summer?” This is a question that is very difficult to predict. Early indications would seem that parts of Europe and certain Caribbean islands may be a possibility from the end of May onwards. If you are desperate to get away, don’t forget that we also have some really beautiful spots to explore closer to home on our own little island.

There has been a glimmer of hope with a surge in bookings for the second half of 2021 and into 2022 from the over 50s, who have been assured by the vaccine rollout and have a new attitude of “never putting off until tomorrow what you can do today” – there is no better time to plan those once in a lifetime trips to the Galapagos, Japan or the Northern Lights.

I’m often asked about the impact of lockdown on the type of trips that people are booking.

There has definitely been a change in the trends, with lots of multi-generational travel and groups of families/friends wanting to spend time together in self-contained villas overseas or in cottages in the UK. The lockdown has also made us more appreciative of the world around us with people opting for train travel and requesting hotels with strong sustainability policies. Being closer to nature has been a solid theme, with more trips to countries with outstanding natural beauty and unforgettable wildlife (such as Costa Rica).

Over the past year, many of us have become more outdoorsy and this has been reflected in the numbers wanting to continue their newfound love of cycling, kayaking and walking away from their homes.

Now is the perfect time to contemplate where you would like to go next (and with whom) and to get it booked in your calendar to give you something to look forward to. When you do get to booking, I would urge you all to remember some failsafe top tips below for booking with confidence.

If you’d like some travel advice or a natter about your dream holiday - to any destination give her a call: 0118 329 0066 michelle.goulding@travelcounsellors.com

Book a package with a company who has a minimum of ABTA/ATOL protection – if they also have a trust account you have even further protection. The package protection will cover you against any FCDO changes in guidelines and the UK tier system.

Insurance – make sure you have insurance in place at the time of booking. You need to ensure insurance covers testing positive for COVID and contracting COVID overseas. If you’re booking in lockdown for later in the year, ensure the company covers your trip once lockdown has ended – some (not many) aren’t covering bookings made during lockdown.

Book with a real person, rather than online – they will guide you through the process of PCR testing, quarantining, Government guidelines and Brexit developments.

eye l

eye

Trave

TOP TIPS FOR 2021

Do some due diligence on the company you book with – check out both financial security and how they treated clients during the pandemic.

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I NEED A BLIMMIN’ HOLIDAY! Along with phrases like “Good grief, Boris needs a haircut” and “I’m getting a bit fed up now”, “I need a holiday” is probably something we’ve all said to ourselves with increasing frequency recently.

Our resident travel columnist, Michelle Goulding, gives us an insight into what we can expect in 2021.

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es ani p m o C Local

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E C N eye B U ine z a ag M h t wi K C A B 2020 reaching

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Local people, local business

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Is Hallow Cancelledeen in 2020?

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B

y now, you’ll know that the team here at EyeHQ are BIG on giving back to the communities we serve. Giving back will pay dividends in so many ways including growing your reputation, and very importantly, your business! If you’re in business and in need of a little bit of guidance or ideas on how you can help your company fully bounceback in the coming months, this may well be one of the most helpful thing you’ve read so far this year!

Your local community is a stakeholder in your business, and every business no matter how big or small can and should make corporate social responsibility (CSR) a core part of its business model.

You don’t have to be a huge corporation with a budget of millions. Even a small or micro business can make a difference by giving something back.

Why? Because not only is it good for your reputation, it also makes you and your employees feel good, generates goodwill, and makes your community a better place to live. Giving back is great publicity and PR too. It’s an ideal way to establish your business within your local area and create valuable networking opportunities.

Your business name and brand become more visible and you can attract new customers just as effectively as the smartest advertising campaign.

Donating cash to a local charity is a fine undertaking, but it’s by no means the only way. Here are five cost-effective ways to promote your small business for those on even the tightest of budgets:

1

Sponsor a local youth sports team: You can add your

WHY GIVING BACK CAN TURN YOUR COMPANY INTO A LOCAL

STAR!

5 cost-effective ways your company can support our local community... And it needn’t break the bank. brand name to the team kit, take advertising space in fixture programmes, offer to host an annual prize giving, or even provide the pizzas after the game!

2

Sponsor a fundraising event: You can donate money to help offset the cost of the event or donate products that can be given away to participants. This can be anything from fresh fruit to branded reusable water bottles.

3

Donate your skills and time: We are big advocates of this one. You can lend a few hours of your time in a “pro bono” capacity to help a local charity or non-profit organisation by using your expert skills.

For example in marketing, accounting, or building and decorating.

4

Use local services: By using other local small businesses you’re demonstrating your support for them, and

they will reciprocate. If it’s a positive experience tell others and recommend them. When businesses are more focused on supporting each other than competing the entire local economy will flourish.

5

Encourage your employees: Make it easy for your employees to take part in fund raising events or donate their time by giving them paid time off (up to a limit). This boosts morale while also increasing your business’s community involvement. This can be to support your preferred charity, or for a cause of their own choosing.

Please remember that supporting your community requires a continuous effort and should not be considered a one-off activity. After all you would never run a single advertisement and expect it to produce constant results, would you?

You should treat your charitable giving as a regular business undertaking. That’s how you will create a long-lasting impact and build a positive local reputation.

And remember, no matter how much or little you can contribute, it all helps.

FREE BOUNCEBACK MARKETING GUIDE

eye

As experts in branding, Magazine marketing and advertising, we’ve put together a free guide on how you can market your business out of this mess.

Full of easy (and often free) ideas which will help you to get back on your feet and help your business bounceback Just email hello@villageeye.co.uk and ask & we’ll whizz it over in a flash.

Call us on 0118 933 3311 for a chat about the weather or some free marketing advice!

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Reading Extended & Improved Family Home This stunning 5 bedroom home is situated on a private drive within a most sought after development close to the M4 Junction 11 and within easy reach of Green Park. This home offers extremely versatile accommodation for all the family • 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms • Kitchen/breakfast/family room • Study • Lounge and open plan dining • Gated parking • Corner plot gardens • EPC rating C

£799,950 Shinfield Executive Bedroom Home This luxurious detached home sits in a tucked away select development within Shinfield Village. This is the first time on the market since it was bought from new circa 5 years ago. Offering both spacious and flexible living accommodation for the modern family and finished to a very high standard.

• 5 double bedrooms • 2 en suites • 3 reception rooms • Beautiful kitchen/dining room • Utility and cloakroom • Landscaped rear garden • EPC rating B

£800,000 guide contact our mortimer office: phone: 0118 467 7999 email: mortimer@davidcliff.com visit: davidcliff.com

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A selected member of The Guild of Property Professionals

Offices also at Wokingham, Binfield and Park Lane, London

what’s

property of the month

new Mortimer

Period Home withgreat potential

£500,000

Burghfield Village Flexible family living

This detached 4 bedroom residence is in need of updating and sits on a good sized plot within the heart of this most desirable village. This is an opportunity to create your dream home and offered for sale with no onward chain.

• 4 bedrooms • 2 receptions • Kitchen • Driveway parking • Garage • Enclosed rear gardens • EPC rating F

Mortimer Extended and improved family home

£725,000

Mortimer Refurbishment required

£699,950

• 4/5 bedrooms • Circa 0.25 acre gardens • Living room • No onward chain • Kitchen/dining/family room • EPC rating D

• 4 double bedrooms • Lounge/dining room • Open plan family room

Mortimer For Sale or To Let

Shinfield No onward chain

• Garage and parking • South west facing garden • EPC rating D

£500,000 • Detached bungalow • 3 bedrooms • Garage and parking

• Mature plot • No onward chain • EPC rating E

Got a property to let?

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landlords & tenants £475,000 £1295 pcm • Updated and improved • No onward chain • 3 bedrooms

• Walk to the station • EPC rating E

£335,000

£• 2 bed bungalow • Open plan living • Kitchen

• Bathroom • Enclosed rear garden • EPC rating E

• Personal • Professional • Thorough

• Attentive • Detailed • Unique

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CUSHION CREATIONS Who says cushions should be boring?’

They are a really inexpensive way of reflecting the seasons. A bit like a spring or summer wardrobe, you can change your look by accessorising accordingly. This cushion is around £37 www.thecushionshop.com

DIY GRADIENT SPRING VASES If you are a little bit crafty, how about having a go at creating your own gradient vases. All you need is a few tall glasses, some different spray paints and imagination. To make your vases, turn the vase/glass upside down on a protected surface outdoors.

Begin at the base of the vase and slowly work your way to the top adding rings of colour that gently overlap the previous colour. Try keep the spray paint around 8-10″ away from the vase to avoid drips.

Once the paint is dry, your vase is ready to use. That’s it!

Spring vibes

WELCOME SPRING We hang one at Christmas, so why not all year round?

A spring door wreath will brighten any front door!

Search: Spring Door Wreaths. From £11

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Little changes make a BIG difference!

BED SPRINGS Not the kind that bounce, the kind that really says fresh and funky. Liven up the bedroom department with some new bedding.

Go for bold florals and imagine you’re sleeping in a beautiful Tuscan villa!

Google: Bluebellgray Taransay Bedding from £16

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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FLOWER POWER Don’t underestimate the power of flowers. They can have a magical, evocative effect. A simple selection of spring flowers in a selection of clear glasswear (any glasses will do) will have you smiling all day long.

Don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day too this month. If you haven’t ordered a bouquet for delivery locally yet, visit georgiesflorists.co.uk SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW Start searching online for rainbow glasswear and you’ll be surprised at the array of vibrant and eye catching glasswear you’ll find.

Just a few pieces on display will brighten your room as quick as you can sing “over the rainbow).

eye

FRAME YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGES Whether it’s a poster from your all time favourite band, or an original masterpiece like this original from local artist, Latchezar Zarkov, a vibrant image set in a white frame can really lift an otherwise plain wall. facebook.com/ Latchezar Zarkov

LIGHT IT UP In more ways than one, you’ll brighten any space with a flash of yellow.

2020 saw a huge demand for grey decor.

In 2021, it’s all the rage to combine the two colours together.

Yellow Geometric Lampshade £22 Amazon

MAKE IT SMELL LIKE SPRING Smell is one of the most powerful senses we have.

A simple ‘whiff’ can transform you in an instant to memories of your favourite holiday or of a fresh spring day. With hundreds of scent oils available on the market, a few drops into an aroma diffuser will almost certainly complete your spring update.

GOING FOR BOLD Let’s face it, we are all sick of the gloom. Be bold and add a splash of colour into your living space. Whether it’s a feature wall, a piece of furniture, cushions or throws adding some vibrancy into your life is possibly the spring lift you need.

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Call 0118 933 3311 hello@villageeye.co.uk

COVID-19 - SAFEGUARDING CUSTOMERS & COLLEAGUES

FREE*

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Bathing a problem? – we can help • Wet rooms • Walk in showers and baths • Waterproof wall panelling • Slip resistant safety flooring • Grab rails, shower seats & raised toilets • Automatic bidet loos • Disabled Facilities Grants • Discounts for over 60s and EX Service personnel Call for friendly advice and free survey and quote

01189 111 062

www.ahminstallations.co.uk

Terms and conditions apply, visit our website for more details.

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29

Pink Pages: Trades & Services

TADLEY HEATING SERVICES

• • • • • • • •

EXPERIENCED SERVICE AT COMPETITIVE RATES

New Boiler Supply & Installation All new gas boiler installations performed to the manufacturers instructions.

Boiler Repair

If your boiler or central heating is not working we can assess and repair it using top quality branded parts and components.

Professional certificated arborists.

25 years experience.

Fully insured.

Free quotations and advise.

25 years no claims.

All types of tree work and hedge work All types of tree planting.

All types of commercial and domestic in fencing.

Boiler Servicing

Using state of the art combustion analysers we can service your boiler and help you comply with all necessary gas safety regulations.

Call Phil Capel on:

07760 759318

ths.ltd@outlook.com /tadleyheatingservices

Tel: 0118 970 0525 Mob: 07414 793015 Email: nasharbltd@gmail.com

19 Hamble Drive , Tadley, Hampshire, RG26 3UN

QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS BY LOCAL PROFESSIONALS

www.nasharborists.co.uk

DO YOU DREAM OF A NEW KITCHEN? by simply replacing the doors and worktops THE UK’S # 1 KITCHEN MAKEOVER EXPERTS.

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• Huge choice of doors, worktops appliances, sinks & taps • Free planning & design service • Door swaps to full kitchens – tailored to your needs

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Covid-19 - Our showroom is open on an appointment only basis. Home appointments are available on request. Social distancing & hygiene regulations are implemented in our showroom, on appointments and during installations.

Social icon

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For more details check out our Brand Guidelines.

AVERAGE SCORE

9.98/10

30

®

www.dreamdoors.co.uk

Visit our Showroom: 86-88 Chapel Street, Thatcham, Berks EST.RG18 19994QN Free Parking VISIT at rearOUR SHOWROOM NOW. CALL LESLEY FOR A FREE ESTIMATE ON:

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11,500 copies, 17 local villages, estimated 32,000 readers - monthly!

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CALL US NOW ON 0118 3801544 07972189648 info@combatpestsolutions.com

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CRAWLING PESTS RODENTS Bed Bug Control Mice Control Flea Treatment Rat Control Cockroach Control Squirrel Control Ant Treatment Spider Control OUR SERVICES Silverfish Treatment Woodworm Treatment COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL

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If you urgently need a Gas or Heating Engineer in Berkshire, look no further than Theale Gas.

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Pink Pages: Trades & Services

ASHLEYS

ASHLEYS

REMOVALS & STORAGE 0118 983 1311

REMOVALS & STORAGE BIG ENOUGH TO COPE BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE

CALL YOUR LOCAL REMOVALS COMPANY ON

0118 983 1311

07850 738950 or 0778 7535014 PACKING - STORAGE - REMOVALS - RELOCATIONS - PIANOS

ASHLEYSREMOVALS@BTCONNECT.COM WWW.ASHLEYSREMOVALSANDSTORAGE-READING.CO.UK

OKEElectrical

All aspects of electr ical work from a light switc h to a complete rewire

Fully insured • Fully qualified • Pa rt P complia nt

d . o k e @ m e . c o m w w w. o ke e l e c t ri c a l . c o . u k

0 7 7 6 9 0 1 1 8 9

5 5 6 8 5 2 3 3 2 8 6 7

Berkshire Design Build Ltd

& telephone: 07836 751 072

email: davidling007@sky.com | 31 Longworth Avenue, Tilehurst, RG31 5JU

www.trustedtraders.which.co.uk/businesses/berkshire-design-build-ltd

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11,500 copies, 17 local villages, estimated 32,000 readers - monthly!

eye

To advertise HERE, call 0118 933 3311

Miles & Daughters Funeral Directors Serving Tadley and surrounding areas

Miles & Daughters Funeral Directors are here to support and guide you.

We offer a friendly, professional service to families.

Tadley

0118 391 3575 UPVC & Aluminium: Windows - Doors Conservatories - Fascias - Soffits & Guttering For a friendly, no obligation chat about your windows, please call:

0118 930 5757

Windows & Doors www.tailormadewindows.co.uk

5 Old Forge, Heath End Road, Baughurst, RG26 5LX

Call us for immediate support, advice or to arrange a home visit. We are here to help 24 hours a day.

Geoff Church, Business Principal & Funeral Director

• • • • • • • •

24-hour service Bereavement advice Transparent pricing Private chapel of rest Floral tributes Memorial masonry Home visits Prepaid funeral plans

www.milesfunerals.com

Windows & Doors

Registered in England: Tailormade Windows & Doors of Berkshire Ltd. Unit 2 James Lane, Burghfield, RG7 1NB

Funeral homes also in Winnersh, Reading, Twyford, Binfield, Crowthorne & Maidenhead.

Windows & Doors - Berkshire

springwoodceremonies.co.uk

Roller Garage Doors Centre

Fitting Garage Doors since 1995

✓✓Visit our showroom or request a home visit ✓✓We provide our own professional engineers ✓✓Fully insulated 7 YEAR ✓✓Custom made & British built MOTOR WARRANTY ✓✓Free no obligation quotations ✓✓Best Price Guarantee ✓✓Free 7 year motor warranty ✓✓A huge range of styles and colours ✓✓Police secured by design and insurance approved option available

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Contact: Alison on 07766 750446 or alison@springwoodceremonies.co.uk At Springwood Ceremonies we’re here to create a service that comes from the heart.

Roller Garage Doors Centre (Part of Access and Security Systems Ltd)

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Manufactured by SWS UK

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• Baby naming and welcoming ceremony • Weddings and renewal of vows • Funeral ceremony E: hello@springwoodceremonies.co.uk

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Showroom: Unit 7 Bacchus House, Calleva Park, Aldermaston, Berkshire, RG7 8EN

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Pink Pages: Trades & Services MTJ PLASTERING We’ll get rid of unsightly ceilings & walls YOUR LOCAL

With more than 20 years of experience, you can expect the highest standards and an excellent finish every time.

Whether you're looking for a newly plastered ceiling or external rendering, we provide a wide range of plastering services.

To request a free quote, or to discuss your requirements, contact us today. We'll be happy to help.

11 New Street | Strafield Saye | RG7 2EN

www.mtjplastering.co.uk info@mtjplastering.co.uk

07789 902 091 0118 933 2121

Garden Garden Maintenance Garden Buildings Grass Cutting Gutter Clearance Household Decorating Basic plumbing Household Repairs

Fence Maintenance Hedge Cutting Patio Cleaning Leaf Clearance Spring Preparation Fully Insured Competitive Rates

07568 570802 or 0118 405 0031 /handyhomesgardens

TREE SERVICES

CATKINS . Tree removal

. Tree felling

. Crown lift

. Hedge trimming

. Crown reduction . Tree thinning . Pollarding

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a FREE quote,please please contact us: us: For a For FREE quote, contact

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Registered office: Field Close, Burghfield Common

34

11,500 copies, 17 local villages, estimated 32,000 readers - monthly!

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To advertise HERE, call 0118 933 3311 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

DESIGNED FOR YOU NEW BUILDS EXTENSIONS PROPERTY RENOVATIONS KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS DISABILITY ADAPTATIONS COMMERCIAL BUILDING WORKS LOFT CONVERSION and much more....

Contact us now for an estimate!

0118 437 7789 07500 888164

info@ajtgroupservices.com www.ajtgroupservices.com

COLD SHOWER THIS MORNING? Fed up with there not being enough hot water at home?

Complete Bathroom & Kitchen Installation An independent family owned and run business with almost 30 years of experience of delivering the highest level of craftmanship for the supply, installation and design of quality kitchens,bathrooms, ensuite bathrooms and wet rooms in North Hampshire and West Berkshire.

aFree Design & Consultation aDisability Bathrooms - Our speciality a Highly trained, qualified craftsmen

Let us take a look at your system, we might be able to help. We can make sure you never run out. Endless hot water on demand whenever you want it, let’s make that cold shower a thing of the past!

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Call in or contact us, we are happy to help and give our expert advice

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0118 981 3777 tadleybathrooms@aol.com www.tadleybathrooms.co.uk

29

Please call David White on:

Foxcombe Drive, Reading, England RG31 5HS

07939 131553 /falconheatingltd

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35

eye on Mums!

Local Working

Lockdown Mums 1

What it’s really been like!

st m

Best Mu

If there’s one thing we still have, it’s our sense of humour.

We might not have much gin left in our cupboards, and our eyebrows, bikini areas and nails have seen better days. We haven’t got dressed for two days but we’re laughing where we can and trying to find the lighter moments.

We caught up with how some local Mums have been coping and some of the things they’ve learned.

Happy Mother’s Day!

36 36

Lisa, Burghfeld Common As a keyworker, mum of a 17-yearold daughter and 14-year-old son, Lisa Harrison-Evans works for Little Tots Nurseries. She told us that the hardest part was at the beginning, consoling her daughter Anya, who, like many, had seen her time at school come to an abrubt end. No goodbyes, no signing of shirts, photos, party, or prom, it was tough.

“As we settled into things, we all did what quickly became normal things – Joe Wicks, yoga, baking, art projects, photography, long walks and of course Tiger King. Being a musical family, we immersed ourselves in lockdown music projects and produced fun music videos filmed around the house and on woods walks too. Soon we got used to our new life and I wondered if I would ever wear a bra or jeans again whatever happened to lipstick?!

As an essential worker, I am the only one leaving the

house to go to work, leaving a husband and 2 teenagers in 4 corners of the house on their own Zooms.

They’re coping.

Also, my kids appear to have turned nocturnal, and now tuck me in at bedtime. I do not know where they have learnt how to move around the house at 4am like a ninja on a snack hunt, but they seem very good at it!

What I have learnt in this current lockdown is happiness is very important, and your own happiness is not the same as someone else’s, so if that means staying up until 4am chatting and having belly laughs with friends online, or playing on Xbox, planning strategies, shouting and laughing at a game with friends, playing guitar or bingeing Bridgerton in one day, that’s fine, if it means when we all come together we are happy. That’s all we can do at the moment.”

Michelle, Mortimer Meet Michelle Nicholas who runs dog care company, Mortimer Go Walkies. In NC (non-COVID) times, she would normally be flat out walking pooches whilst her customers are at work. Naturally, the demand for her services has slowed slightly whilst the majority of the nation works from home, but it’s just as well, because running a business, homeschooling and adopting the role as chief cook, teacher and entertainment officer to a 6½ year old is a juggling act. Here’s what she told us: It's been over 7 weeks since the 3rd full lockdown was announced in the UK but it seems like an eternity.

The days have all blurred into one, any downtime is now taken up with homeschooling, tidying up after Molly,running my own business and being a fulltime unpaid kids entertainer.

I'm blessed with a beautiful, sunny, strong, amazing 6 year old but the last year has taught me kids never sit still unless on a device, they love talking non stop about poo and never,ever listen.

I’ve learnt there is never enough hours in the day and too many hours in the day.

Holidays don't need to be expensive as Molly has more fun camping in the lounge, definitely more civilised and my kind of camping.

We have all enjoyed home spa sessions which Ian, my husband, is very happy about as it's saved him a fortune not paying for regular Nirvana visits.

We felt it was really important to keep fit and active during Lockdown so we introduced Molly to cycling.

At first she wasn't keen but queen negotiator mum stepped in and the promise of a doughnut and sausage roll from a very popular bakery in Bramley works everytime. We are keeping fit but my waistline is struggling with the weekly visits.

I've never been someone to have lazy days but I've become ok with being in pj’s all-day.

I never thought I'd hear myself say it but The Masked Singer became the highlight of our week. How life has changed.

Whilst homeschooling, I learnt very quickly that when your 6 year old looks at you blankly they are being lazy and trying to manipulate you to do the work for them. I discovered this the hard way whilst watching her participate eagerly in her regular Teams meeting with her teacher, answering all questions correctly which she refused point-blank to do for me. I have become a queen of homeschooling negotiations and bribery, extra 10 minutes on Minecraft works wonders to get work finished.

I would like to thank Molly for teaching me about contractions, suffixes, noun phrases, Venn diagrams and biodiversity. All has proved very useful whilst out walking the dogs.

Lindsey, Spencers Wood

It’s ok to wear pjs/onesies for the for the whole day.

Lindsey Barker, mum of three and Sales Manager at Village Eye, has been working from home on a flexi-furlough arrangement recently. Juggling homeschooling and making calls to customers has been challenging. She said she’d fleetingly contemplated getting the kids involved with customer calls - call it work experience. If you’re in business and get a call from one of her extended team, be kind - they’re learning new skills.

I rock at ‘Just Dance’ on Nintendo Switch... Megastar, right here!

We asked: Has your relationship changed with your brood? Have you learned anything about them - or yourself? Here’s her take on the past few months.

“I’ve learned that I’ve got really lovely, funny, well adjusted children, that are also incredibly lazy and LOUD (who knows where they got that from).

Contrary to how it looks when they have each other in headlocks and are throwing basketballs at each other’s head, and despite their age differences and completely different interests and personalities, they get on really well and can sit in their den together giggling for hours!

I’ve learned it’s a good idea to go for a wee before joining the kids on the trampoline!

I can prepare lunch, help with algebraic equations, respond to emails, read a 7 year old’s fairytale and drink coffee simultaneously...

I’m crowning myself queen of multitasking!

My daughter Zuri loves giving me a makeover - her skills are ‘interesting’ as you can see in the picture on the left!

If you’re out of the room children will always ask Siri for the answers to their work.

Headphones are your and your kids best friend, 3 different White Rose Maths Lessons blaring at once makes your head spin!

Bribery works and I’m not adverse to using it! Excellent home learning for the week = Robux/Xbox credit. This = peace and quiet when I need some ‘me’ time.

I drink too much coffee, I think at this point I’m 90% caffeine (probably why I think I’m a wonderful multitasker).”

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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37

eye Win

Win

WIN 5 SESSIONS OF PEMF THERAPY

ial feature on page 9 for full details) PEMF in a nutshell (please see our spec imported from the leading PEMF gy, nolo tech PEMF uses top-of-the-range natural energy through your body. manufacturer in the US, to gently pulse ove sleep and alleviate symptoms of This helps to relieve chronic pain, impr s. PEMF is also highly effective for ition cond th heal tal stress and other men . reducing injury or post-op recovery time a course of five PEMF sessions to Courstesy of PemFit, Mortimer, we have ing, visit www.villageeye.co.uk winn of ce chan a give away. To be in with and answer the following question: table space progamme?

PEMF has been validated by which repu A NAS c: , March 2021. eX Spac b: tition closes at midnight on Wednesday 31st a: Space Force, Compe Terms & conditionass apply

Can you find all the Greek Gods?

Aphrodite Apollo Ares Artemis Athena Ceres Demeter Diana Dionysos Hephaestos Hera Hermes Juno Jupiter Mars Mercury Minerva Neptune Poseidon Venus Vesta Vulcan Zeus

38

Across

1. Grand house (7) 5. Verifiable truths (5) 8. Dividends, earnings (5) 9. Ghoulish, spooky (7) 10. Evened the score (7) 11. Coach, teach (5) 12. Animosity, hatred (6) 14. Stick, attach (6) 18. Permit (5) 20. Sincere (7) 22. Beasts (7) 23. Belief (5) 24. Ledge (5) 25. Pudding (7)

Down

1. Important business person (7) 2. Sound (5) 3. Brilliance, astuteness (7) 4. Wanderers, travellers (6) 5. A side of a many-sided object (5) 6. Savoy, Red, or Napa (7) 7. Severe, sombre (5) 13. Depression, sickness (7) 15. Ridicules (7) 16. Drain, take out (7) 17. Stopped (6) 18. Collect, compile (5) 19. Dock, levee (5) 21. Bald, Golden or Pygmy (5)

THE CEDARS SCHOOL, EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION IN EXTRAORDINARY TIMES Educating Boys & Girls ages 4-11

Answers on page 41

eye 10 Minute Boredom Busters!

To find out more about The Cedars please call, email or book at place at the Open Morning.

come to our

Open day

Saturday 20th March 9:30 – 12:00 Please email vicky@thecedarsschool.co.uk to book a place.

Follow us on Facebook: @thecedarsschool

www.thecedarsschool.co.uk 0118 971 4251 Church Road, Aldermaston, RG7 4LR

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

Follow us to keep updated, locally

Dear Grandma,

We Love You! Nursery children write heart-warming letters to cheer up loved ones Pre-school children at Jubilee Gems nursery in Padworth, Berkshire, have been bringing smiles to the faces of their grandparents, friends and family with thoughtful handwritten letters.

With lockdown upon us and not being able to see loved ones, what better way to spread some cheer than by sending ‘happy post’.

Supported by their early years teacher, the children used their personal, social and emotional skills to talk about their family, friends and loved ones.

They were encouraged to talk about how they feel when they see them and how they will feel when they receive their ‘happy post’.

Using their physical and literacy skills, along with their creative imaginations, the children created heart-warming pictures and letters.

Once completed, they placed a stamp on their post and enjoyed walking to the nursery’s local post box to post their letters.

/ JubileeGems

“We really hope that our friends and family are excited to receive our letters and drawings and can’t wait to receive some of our own happy post replies from the postman.

From everyone at Jubilee Gems.”

Jubilee Gems is a small and friendly, independent term time nursery set in rural West Berkshire with a passion for outdoor learning and play. From three months to five years of age, babies and children are part of a unique experience centred around our ethos of ‘learning by doing’, inside and out, every day.

Children are free to discover, imagine and - crucially - to play, which is the most important way in which a child can learn in the early years.

Jubilee Gems Nursery continue to adhere to the Government’s protective guidelines regarding COVID-19.

Jubilee Gems is now offering virtual tours of the nursery!

To book yours call: 0118 983 4018

For more information, please visit:

www.jubileegems.co.uk

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

School Road, Padworth, Reading, RG7 4JA |0118 983 4018

facebook.com/villageeyemagazine

@villageeyemag

39

WAS

CartriVision THE

GRANDADDY OF

Eye Geek eye TECH

H

ands up who has watched a box set, movie or caught up with your favourite show on demand recently. Chances are, it’s almost impossible to find someone who hasn’t.

Remember what the world was like before Netflix and Amazon Prime? Seems almost boring right? The world of Video on Demand started life way before the services we know and love today.

Some readers may remember using DVD players or VHS Video recorders.

Others may even remember traipsing into a dedicated video rental shop - like Blockbuster - to hire out your favourite movies. But it may interest you to know that the birth of this kind of VOD technology dates back some 50 years.

Back in 1972, an entrepreneur by the name of Frank Stanton created something called CartriVision with his Company Cartridge Television Incorporated. Preceding DVDs and the old VHS tapes, CartriVision was in essence, the word’s first video cassette recorder for the home. The technology was revolutionary.

Made in the United States for American consumers, the technology didn’t really reach beyond the shores of the Atlantic or Pacific… And that is because CartriVisions were huge. They were so big that the manufacturers had to style machines as household decor, disguising them as large pieces of furniture.

?

It wasn’t cheap When it was first released, a CartriVison unit would set you back around $1600 which after inflation equates to around $10,000 today (that’s around £7,000) in today’s money. The visionaries behind CartriVision worked out that they could make even more money by renting ‘movie’ content to consumers on dedicated cartridges at $3-$6 a time.

Some of the classics released on this analogue format included movies such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Dr. Strangelove, and High Noon.

By November 1972, the system was being introduced nationally and whilst the sales weren’t spectacular, the company was really starting to realise their dream of seeing one in every home.

Later that year though, the company hit a snag. For some strange reason, and almost simultaneously, all of the tape the company had sitting in warehouses and in stores all over the country spontaneously began to decompose.

And in 1973, the company did attempt to make a comeback with an aggressive marketing campaign to assure consumers knew that they could still source content - and it seemed to work for a while… But sadly, investors in the visionary tech were nervous and unconvinced of its future. By June of that year - CTI had no choice but to file for bankruptcy.

So you may be wondering if there are any units left. Well, there are a handful of units out there, but it is unlikely you’ll find a working one. CartriVision units are now rare iconic collectors pieces, often only found in museums…

So, the next time you’re watching the latest box set or Hollywood blockbuster on your device, screen or smart TV, think about how this even became possible and be thankful for reaping the benefits of being able to watch something new during lockdown. Thank you CartriVision!

In a very short space of time, almost all of the inventory of tape became defective and had to be recalled because it was found that all of the faulty tape could actually destroy the machine’s tape heads. This effectively meant that the company had all of the machines out there, but nothing to play on them. The company worked hard to rectify this as you’d expect.

Contact Toby on 07737 784 244

for a free quotation or email: info@bluebanana.tv

• • •

No Signal? we’ll fix it

www.bluebanana.tv

40 40

• Digital Television Aerials • Radio Aerials, (DAB and FM) • Sky HD & Freesat

Home cinema systems IRS Systems Hidden cables

• Multiroom systems • Repairs to existing systems, • European satellites • Domestic and Commercial Work undertaken • TVs mounted on walls

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk Follow us to keep updated, locally To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk facebook.com/villageeyemagazine

@villageeyemag13

eye

ON TV with ROB BARNES

Cary Mulligan dazzles in this deliciously dark and twisted revenge thriller Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut is an irresistibly provocative film delivering a power punch commentary on predatory behaviour and sexual assault. Cassie’s (Cary Mulligan) life could have been so different. A bright high school student with a career in medicine beckoned. But one night changed that forever when she experienced the rape of her best friend Nina by jock classmate Al, and her subsequent suicide. Now she is 30 years old and living with her parents, without a boyfriend and devoid of any professional ambitions.

However this life of boredom conceals a secret vocation we are introduced to in a tense opening. By night she glams up, goes to nightclubs and is found passing-outdrunk by men pretending to help her. Predictably on each occasion a taxi home is interrupted by a stop off at their place where they proceed to get frisky and take advantage of her. It’s uneasy viewing, made more uneasy when she suddenly turns out to be stone cold sober, leaving them thinking twice about repeating any such predatory action again.

When an old classmate and all round nice guy Ryan (Bo Burnham) asks her out on a date her faith in men appears to be restored until she learns of Al’s arrival in town for his impending stag do. The urge for revenge is too strong to ignore setting up a delicious finale with surprises at every turn.

This is not your run of the mill rape-revenge thriller where a psychotic anti-hero picks off her victims with a simmering rage. Fennell instead gives us a more nuanced and thoughtful experience that really gets under the skin of ‘he said, she said’ rape culture. Rather than physically punishing her victims she instead mentally scars them by holding a mirror to their past misdemeanors.

Whilst there are brief elements of rom-com this is an exploitation thriller fizzing with a bleached colour canvas best exemplified by Cassie’s caked on make-up and rainbow coloured hair.

A fine ensemble cast cannot take away from what is a whirlwind performance by Mulligan fully deserving of the Oscar buzz she’s received. A must see movie.

4.5/5

CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE MONTH

THE WEREPUPPY

BY JACQUELINE WILSON

Mickey has four sisters, and three of them are older than him. He doesn’t get on with them and is frequently teased. Then on night his parents go out, leaving the three older girls, Meryl, Mandy, and Mona, in charge.

Delighted to have the house to themselves the girls decide to watch Savage Snarl a scary werewolf movie.

And it really IS scary. Even the older girls think so.

But for Mickey it has a lasting effect: he becomes scared of dogs. Unsure what to do, his mum decides that the only real solution is to buy Mickey a puppy of his own!

Dragged to the dog rescue home Mickey would rather be anywhere else until he encounters one puppy who bites his younger sister’s finger. Could this be Mickey’s very own werewolf – or werepuppy!

Wolfie, as he is called, is no ordinary puppy and turns out to be the best pet that any boy could ask for!

Did you find all six Dolly Ducks?

She was hiding on pages 7,8,20,27,29,36

41

eye Fitness

L

IF YOU DON'T HATE ME, I’M NOT DOING MY JOB PROPERLY!

ocal Personal Trainer and BoxFit instructor, Steve Buchanan of ‘Totally Smashed It!’ has a great deal to be proud of right now.

During the first lockdown, when we were all rather shell-shocked – remember that? – Steve moved his clients online and 90% of them moved with him.

In a time when we were all feeling overwhelmed, this is testament to the relationship and results that Steve has worked on with his clients in the preceding months and years. He told us that he can be tough but speaks the truth to his clients, reminding them that you cannot out-train a poor diet. He also says that if, at times, his clients don’t hate him during a session, then he’s not doing his job properly! He is committed to helping his clients focus on weight loss, strength,conditioning and flexibility which has led to impressive results and many great success stories to share - from local people, just like you.

Even better, in this most recent lockdown, Steve’s client base has actually grown. And not insignificantly, either. He has increased his clients

by 25%. Now that’s good going!

With only a couple of spots available now for Personal Training, Steve is launching some small group fitness sessions online. By taking part in a small group PT session, you get all of the benefits but the cost is shared. That means Steve can reach more people with his training format by working in these small, friendly like-minded groups.

The groups will be made up of 3-5 members and will be grouped by age (including an over 40s and over 50s group). There will also be a group set-up especially for Mums. Clients have been losing 2lbs per week in weight on average by eating healthier and doing regular PT. So, if you need to get rid of the lockdown lard, shed your winter blubber and get fitter, more toned and happier, why not give it a go?

Steve also runs larger group exercise classes.

His challenging BoxFit classes have run online since November. They are hard work, but great fun and have not only massively increased fitness levels, but made a vast improvement to

the participants mental health, confidence and self-esteem, too, which is more important than ever before. Fitness really can make a difference and everyone is welcome.

As Steve’s fitness business continues to go from strength to strength, he has some exciting plans in the pipeline. So, what does the future look like?

First up is the addition of Kick Box Fit classes, which will perfectly complement the existing BoxFit classes but with a slightly different twist. And on top of that, Steve will be launching a Warrior Camp and Warrior Games.

Those who love fitness and those who are just re-starting their fitness journey will love the variety that these new sessions will offer, but why wait? Get on-board with Steve today and start seeing the results more quickly.

t

Don’t just take our word for it.

Here’s an example of real local people who have Totally Smashed It recently. You can do it too. You’ve just got to want to...

Jo Day 1

Jo 12 months later

Rachel Day 1

Rachel 7 months later

To book a class or to find out more about how Steve can help you lose your lockdown lard, please call Steve in confidence on: 07855 015685

BoxFit Online: Tuesdays 19:00 — 20:00

To book a class or to find out more about how Steve can help you lose your lockdown lard, please call in confidence or visit:

Thursdays 19:00 — 20:00

www.totallysmashedit.com

To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email hello@villageeye.co.uk

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