VILLAGE

Issue 66 March 2018 Circulation 11,000

FREE

Lifestyle magazine

for the RG7 area and beyond

MAY 25-28

IRE

PADWORTH, BERKSH

introducing a new FAMILY FESTIVAL!

GET READY PADWORTH, THE MUSIC IS COMING!

eye

? Are you in it yet

BIRTHDAY

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

KatTyribPuteerry Mini Mixx

Murdochâ€™s Crazy Eyes

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Consultation Day

20 March 2018 Event-only discount on the day Book your free consultation today info@aspireclinic.com 0118 931 3575 www.aspireclinic.com “My CoolSculpting treatments were a total success for me, with minimal discomfort during treatment and only some tingling/bruising afterwards. CoolSculpting has allowed me to focus on creating a healthier lifestyle whilst quickly achieving specific body goals in difficult areas, boosting my overall confidence. I'm so pleased with my results, thank you Sarah!”

Asprire Clinic | Madejski Stadium | Reading | RG2 0FL

This Month...

34 10 31 8

eye Happy Mother’s Day!

? Are you in it yet

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Like us on facebook to keep up to date in your area!

2. Community news Find out

what’s been going on in your village this month. Spot anyone you know? Tell them they’re in it!

4. EPIC music festival comes to town Not since Burghfest have we

been this excited to bring you news of what is likely to be the most exciting event the area has ever staged! Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls.... We bring you SUN SHINE MUSIC FESTIVAL!

7. Phantom Smells

17. All set for Easter Sunday Lunch Multi award winning butcher Jon Thorner’s serves up a treat this Easter in Mortimer!

20. Homes, Trades & Services

Need a plasterer, builder, gardener, solicitor, roofer... or even a house to use them in? Look no further than our pink trades and services pages to ﬁnd local, reliable professionals.

36. Common CV Mistakes

If you are looking to bag that perfect role and want to make sure your CV is at the top of a prospective employer’s pile, we have some helpful hints to ensure your resume is read!

This month, we’re very excited to welcome The Sun Shine Festival as our cover sponsor. A brand new music festival right on our doorstep in Padworth, with a mix of tribute bands and original artists, taking place over late May Bank holiday. We can’t wait! Tickets are on sale, so turn to pages 4-5 to ﬁnd out more. There are lots of other events taking place before then, too, including cycling events, a drama and writing competition and guided country walks, so do take a look at our Community News section and if you see someone you know, make sure you tell them!

Circulation 11,000

no longer removes moles and lesions on the skin that do not pose a health risk? We discover how to ‘get rid’.

Dale Winton shut up shop has there been a cashless supermarket without tills where customers ‘just walk out’... Until now!

FREE

Lifestyle magazine and beyond

VILLAGE

9. Getting rid of all those moles! Did you know that the NHS

16. Supermarket Sweep Not since

ven if the weather outside our window is still a little miserable, here at Village Eye HQ we know we’re on the road to spring when this issue rolls around.

This month we really have something for everybody. Whether you’re looking for local things to do, need to ﬁnd some local trades to work on your home or just want to curl up with a cup of tea and read something entertaining, you will ﬁnd it among these pages.

Issue 66 March 2018

Imagine if your nose decided to invent smells, often at random. Yes, it’s a thing.

10. Fire Fire...Call on YOU

How do you fancy becoming a parttime ﬁreﬁghter? We tell you how!

OCTOBER EYE

Lov all ingly these deli villagvered с! to

March Contents

for the RG7 area

MAY 25-28

BERKSH PADWORTH,

introducing a new FAMILY FESTIVAL!

it y? A you

BIRTHDAY

KEEPING IT LOCAL

PINKTOMATO

Editor: Hellen Shaw Sub Editor: Jackie Stuart Advertising: Zahra Willis Beauty Editor: Megan Curtis Motoring: Jack Worboys

Film Buff: Finance: Careers:

GET READY PADWORTH, THE MUSIC IS COMING!

eye 11

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

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, URLʼs and telephone numbers are understood to be correct at the time of submission to print. *Not including stock images - advert release fee charged. Registered Address: Butlers Lands Farm, Mortimer, RG7 2AG

IRE

y Perte ry KatTribu Mini Mixx

News | Business | Sport

Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes

| Health | Homes | Entertainm

Rob Barnes Mark Penston & Rob Starling Claire Desai

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

ent

As ever, we extend a huge thank you to all of our advertisers and contributors for helping to make Village Eye the area’s favourite local magazine, and please if you are responding to any advert or feature, don’t forget to mention the magazine to them! Until next time.

Helle n & the Team xx 1

n the drivin’ dow I’m juﬆRoad La La a L Bath ROUTE 66

MORTIMER BURGHFIELD THEALE

Could the A4 have the same reputation in rock as Route 66?

Perhaps it doesn’t have quite the same ring to it but local musician, Andy Lavery has put

Drivetime sing-a-long-a Mortimer... La La la

together The Mortimer Tapes, a collection of songs about none other than our sleepy village of Mortimer. Andy says of his first track, Mortimer, I’m Coming Home, “American music is full of songs about American places and journeys. This is an attempt to redress the balance with a not entirely serious English road song about driving back to Mortimer from the A4!” The local references continue with Dance The Titanic. Andy says, “When our kids were at St Mary’s there was an end of year disco and the

Can you act, sing or write? From its humble beginnings in 2014, the not-for-profit Berkshire Music & Arts Festival has gone from strength to strength, offering amateur writers, singers, actors and musicians the chance to celebrate their talent and perform in front of a small, encouraging audience, gain immediate feedback from a well-respected adjudicator and compete for medals and trophies. All ages are welcome from 5 to 95! Several local schools are keen entrants, as are individuals. All of the categories available to enter can be found at www.berksmusicandarts.org.uk but bear in mind, the deadline for entries for all categories is 16th March! This year, the Drama and Creative Writing Festival will be taking place at the beautiful DaVinci Space at Denefield School, Tilehurst on Saturday 12th May. (Music will be returning in 2019.) So if you have an actor, singer or writer in the house, take a look online and get entering!

last dance was always a slow one to My Heart Will Go On, the theme from Titanic. In the weeks leading up to it, particularly in year 6, there was always a lot of excited speculation as to who you were going to ‘dance the titanic’ with. Hence this song which attempts to capture this rite of passage!” Other references to The Turner’s Arms and another hilarious track about what happens when a truckload of Viagra crashes into Mortimer’s water supply make this a hard-toresist purchase! The Mortimer Tapes CD is now available directly from The Baobab in Mortimer or on eBay!

ON !

e r i h s Berk RIDE

Fancy a little cycling jaunt through the Berkshire countryside? This yearʼs Berkshire Ride Event is on 15th April and starts at the Guide Dogs HQ in Burghﬁeld Common. If you fancy taking part, there are three distance options available; a 41.5km Fun Ride, a 84km Classic and a 125km Epic. All the facilities you would expect will be provided including chip timing, a fully sign posted course, aid stations, a mechanic on site, on course support, a sag wagon and refreshments on site. The cycle course takes cyclists through our beautiful

countryside, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, passing through our traditional villages. You will need to negotiate a selection of short punchy climbs while you experience the stunning scenery and quiet country lanes of our local area. The event organisers are, of course, encouraging participants to cycle in aid of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Visit www. dengieevents.co.uk to enter.

The team came away with the West Berkshire Young Enterprise Dragon’s Den Award 2018.

ALTO Launches

Determined to raise awareness about mental health in teenagers When we heard of a local group of young people showing entrepreneurial spirit, we had to give them a shout-out. The group came together to form a team for the Young Enterprise project and as part of that project, the clothing brand ALTO was launched.

The team had a desire to raise awareness of teenage mental health issues, so the development of a clothing brand made sense due to the proven link between mental health and self-confidence. All 7 members of the team attend The Willink sixth form and were led by Jordan Curtis who has a great reputation locally for fundraising. Making up the team is Daniel Grantham, James McClellan, Joe Porter, Josh Pennington, Sharaf Mohammed Ali and Stephanie Osun. The project is now continuing life outside of Young Enterprise with its official launch taking place last month at Kennet Shopping, Newbury. Their clothing brand , ALTO, has motivational words such as “strength”, “power” and “believe” to motivate teenagers to get through the day. They are now retailing their T-shirts for £20 and jumpers for £25-£30 so if you would like to support their cause, email altolondonye@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/ ALTOclothingYE/

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MILO GETS STAR TREATMENT

ity

un on comm

Who knew that we had a ‘Pup Star’ in our midst? Whe n we found out that local dog owner, Charley Henkey had got all the way to the final of Scruffts, with her beloved dog, Milo, we just had to find out more!

cruffts, the crossbreed competition, is run by Crufts, the biggest dog show in the world! Throughout the year, heats for Scruffts, take place at events around the country in search of crossbreeds with that extra special something. One of these heats was held at the All About Dogs show in Newbury last summer. Charley took Milo along and - out of 50 dogs - he won, qualifying him for the next round at London Excel back in October. Charley told us, “We

weren’t expecting much, as he is an anxious dog and it was a big event, but by some miracle he won the class, winning us a year’s supply of James Wellbeloved Dog food and qualifying us for the final of Scruffts at Crufts 2018!” Since winning, Charley and Milo have had Channel 4 filming their journey for a documentary. This included some time spent with comedian Alan Carr who is the guest judge for Scruffts this year. A huge dog lover, Alan will spend time to get to know each of the six dogs who made it to the final and the documentary will be aired the night before the final takes place on 10th March 2018. Milo had a tough start in life. As an Anatolian/German Shepherd

Husky mix, Milo should have weighed in at around 38k, but when Charley saw him at the rescue centre (looking for a Jack Russell, we should add!) he was just 12kg, skin and bone, petrified of everyone and everything. He took three days to come out of his cage. Of course, life is very different now, with Milo slowly overcoming his fears and learning to trust those around him. Charley says, “Fame hasn’t quite gone to Milo’s head yet, he continues to face dive every smelly swamp and ditch he can find, and spend most of his time napping on the end of the bed!” Good luck Milo! We’re all rooting for you!

Walk for Health If you want to get out and about more this Spring, why with West Berkshire Walks for Health.

not join in

and one Each Tuesday three walks - one long, one short imer Mort the from begin will le somewhere in the midd The Horse site oppo t, Stree The in park car e Centr Community miles 5.25 d aroun & Groom public house. The long walk a 3.5 on off head will walk d secon will set off at 9.45am, the at leave will walk er gentl er, short the and 10am mile route at 6th, on h Marc in imer 10.30am. Walks will take place in Mort back at The Horse 13th, 20th and 27th. Walkers meet together for am 11.30 d & Groom, at aroun coffee. Everyone is welcome. If you are new to the group, just turn up 10 mins before the relevant walk and make yourlself known to one of the walk leaders. Best of all, all walks are free of charge!

To contribute, advertise us know please 3311 or email info@villageeye.co.uk To contribute, advertise or letorusletknow youryour newsnews please call call 01180118 933933 3311 or email info@villageeye.co.uk

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g n i p m a g c glampinkend tickets ts wee e k c ti y da ets k c ti p i v

MAY 25-28

PADWORTH, BERKS

HIRE

introducing a new FAMILY FESTIVAL!

Mini Mixx

KatTyribPuteerry

Murdoch’s Crazy Eyes FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION VISIT

www.sunshinemusicfest.co.uk 3 AWESOME DAYS OF NON-STOP FAMILY MUSIC & FUN

Sun Shine Music Fest is a brand new family festival in Padworth, Reading. Join us to welcome the summer of 2018 with some of the greatest all-time family music, multi-million selling original 80s artists, the UKs favourite tributes, silent disco, ﬁlm tent, fun fair and a range of boutique concessions. 4

full terms & conditions apply. Lineup subject to change.

Line up

Whatʼs On

eye

introducing a new FAMILY FESTIVAL!

MAY 25-28, 2018 PADWORTH, BERKSHIRE

3 DAYS OF FAMILY FUN & LIVE MUSIC N ot since Burghfest have we been this excited to bring you news of what is likely to be the most exciting event the area has seen in decades! Ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls.... We bring you SUN SHINE MUSIC FESTIVAL! With the success of many local gigs, parties and beer festivals under their belts, some of the clever chaps behind Burghfest and Mortimer Music Live have stepped up to the plate and arranged and event so epic, it can only be described as WOW! Sun Shine is a brand new family festival for 2018, held over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend: Friday 25th – Sunday 27th May 2018, with camping available until Monday 28th. The organisers have taken the best elements of all the festivals and combined them in to one fabulous event with something for everyone. There will be real ale and cider from award winning breweries plus prosecco and spirits bars, and for the kids thereʼs a fairground and entertainment all weekend, plus all your favourite food stalls from around the county. The music lineup is rocking with headliners Katrina (Ex Katrina and The Waves), Dave Finneganʼs Commitments and multi-million selling, British glam rock band, Doctor & The Medics. In support are some of the countryʼs favourite tributes to: Ed Sheeran, Duran Duran, Little Mix,

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

Take That, Katy Perry, Coldplay and the awesome covers band Murdochʼs Crazy Eyes. After dark, the Silent Disco will keep the party going till the early hours. If this isnʼt enough to whet your appetite, this is an affordable event too. With ticket prices starting at £25 for adults, a special rate for teens and kids under 13ʼs free, we are sure the low cost will get you excited! Full weekend camping and campervan tickets available – come and stay with us and have a minibreak without having to travel too far. This event will really be the highlight of your festival year, in support of some great local causes too! Tickets available from www.sunshinemusicfest.co.uk or ﬁnd us on Facebook!

Tickets on Sale Now!

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PKY SS18 210x148mm copy.pdf

13/02/2018

12:03

www.shopatparkway.com

IMAGE COURTESY OF MONSOON

Buying a box of chocolate can really improve lives...

ith Mother’s Day (11 March) and Easter (1 April) coming soon, one thing often comes to \ mind... Chocolate!

One of the Baobab’s suppliers, Kim’s Chocolates (also known as Cachet) have been raising funds for villagers in Tanzania to build schools, buy books and help local farmers to sustain growth of their crops. Please take the time to watch their “Cocoa for schools documentary” on YouTube. It is truly incredible what they are achieving!! The Baobab will be selling these chocolates in the hope

that we can all contribute to this great cause, simply by buying a delicious bar of chocolate!! As always there will be a huge range of cards and gifts and spring flower arrangements available for both occasions. With recycling at the forefront of many of our minds at the moment, The Baobab are running a nonprofit incentive for all their customers to help reduce plastic waste too by selling packs of 100% degradable bags for £2.35. Bring this article to The Baobab to stand a chance to win one of five packs of 100. Why not enjoy a lovely cup of coffee in a relaxed environment while you’re there?

The Baobab | West End Road | Mortimer | 0118 933 2444 | facebook.com/thebaobabmortimer 6

Health

When you start to expereience

eye

Phantom Smells Imagine if your nose decided to invent smells, often at random. This is called phantosmia — olfactory hallucinations — and it can make your life a living Hell.

Most people, if asked which sense they would most be willing to jettison, would pick their sense of smell. Although it certainly does help people know when something’s burning on the stove, and though it does add richness to your sense of taste, it’s just not as prevalent as any other sense. It’s possible to go for days without consciously even noticing a smell. One of the reasons it’s so easy to not notice smells, is they come from the outside and are factored through a weak sense. Olfactory hallucinations, on the other hand, are not from an outside source. They originate inside the brain, and the brain is a very powerful organ. People with no sense of smell report a drop in quality of life — but it’s nothing compared to people who are parosmic or phantosmic. Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell. Whenever someone hands you a ﬂower you smell rotten ﬁsh. Baking bread smells caustic. Phantosmia is when smells hit you out of the blue, with no possible trigger. Unlike real smells, hallucinations of smells don’t go away. People can’t turn away from them or open a window to dispel them. Some don’t even

have the ability to get used to the smells.

Smell is a notoriously difﬁcult sense to measure. Indeed, there is still a strong controversy about how it works! Some scientists maintain that it is the shape of molecules that allow them to connect to particular sensors in the nose and so stimulate a nerve. Others, a growing minority, say it is to do with the quantum state of the molecule being sensed. As with other senses, odour perception varies between individuals. This can lead to disagreement between people on the identity or even the presence of a particular smell. Despite an image of being poorly developed in humans, our sense of smell is surprisingly sensitive. One thing is for sure, for that those that expereince phantasmia, it is no laughing matter.

A healthy Reassurance

Spooky Stuff Many reported ‘haunting’ cases involve witnesses smelling unlikely or unusual smells with no obvious source. The range is wide, from the odour of ﬂowers and perfumes to foul or putrid smells. Though often part of a wider set of 'symptoms' of a ‘haunting’, unexplained smells on their own are sometimes interpreted as indicating a 'ghostly presence'. Ooo, errr.

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

Although phantom or distorted odours are often the result of malfunctioning noses, plenty of cases are brought on by serious infections that damage the lining of the nose. In some cases, only one nostril picks them up, and anesthetizing it can cure the problem. In almost all others, the less a nostril can process real odours, the more likely it is to make them up. On a more serious note, these Olfactory hallucinations, can sometimes be signs of a brain injury - and as such, they are always taken seriously as they be can one of the warning signals for a stroke, a seizure, or a tumor. For example, it is widely reported that smelling burnt toast can often proceed a stroke. Our advice is not to panic and visit your GP with any concerns.

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Megan’s Moments On Beauty

CH EEKY

T I S E O D

s been huge s, contouring ha slimmer en re sc TV r ou of a e onto the appearance Kardashian cam wouldn’t want contouring Ever since Kim ho g w in n do ea n m ee I . dustry rence betw ffe di ve si rong and as in the beauty in w m it a t there is ready, do Bu et ? rp ce ca fa d ss re le ok aw od look! and ﬂ d you lo otsit’…Not a go t. Do it right an ‘W gh a ri d ith w an e ng ttl ro ba w a like you’ve had your face looks

o how is best to contour? The easiest way is to get a make up brush and placing the handle of the brush just under one of your eyes roll it down your cheek until you get to the dip under your cheekbone, this hollow bit where your cheekbones are is where you apply the contour powder/ cream. Another place where you can also contour for a bit more extra definition is on your nose, either at the top of the bridge of your nose (each side nearest your eyes) and then at the tip of your nose for that added flawless look. However, if you don’t fancy setting Clinique has revolutionised contouring with its recently back your purse £19 and want a cheaper launched Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour, its pen-like alternative then look no further than design makes for a flawless application. Simply apply Sleek. Sleek are most known for their to the areas needing depth – namely the hollows of your range of amazingly pigmented blushes cheeks and edge of your nose and blend, blend, blend. and contour powders. Don’t be put off that the colour as it looks extremely dark because even on my fair skin the creamy formula allows it Sleek’s Makeup Face Contour Kit for to be blended in seamlessly, leaving the illusion of a shadow just £6.49 is a contour powder and and contoured cheeks as opposed to a few orange streaks. highlighter and comes in a range Alongside this contouring stick is also the Chubby Stick of shades to suit each skin tone. Highlight which when applied to the tops of your cheeks leaves a very natural yet Jubilee dewy finish – one step Cadets provides 5 to 11 year-olds with plenty of adventures and exciting closer to that Kim-K all of which take place in our wonderful woodland - the best way for children to activites, contoured look. spend their school holidays! To apply Available from way is to grcontour powder th House of Fraser, brush (my ab a slightly anglede easiest Debenhams, Boots Contour Bfavourite is Real Techmake up rush) and contour pow and John Lewis for lightly app niques ly d w it h the depth er until you are hap the £19 each these new py fluffy brush and then takin beauty items are streaks dis blend it in so the g a large ap ob p v ea io r. us set to be a staple Available fr and Super d om cheaper alrug this Sleek kit is a Boots for every woman’s ternative much make up Chubby Stto the Clinique ic k. collection.

Woodland Holiday Club

Love Megan x

Brush Tip

Book online for the Easter Holidays at:

www.jubileecadets.co.uk

New ventures and more adventures from our team! On the back of our hugely successful woodland school holiday club, two new ventures are due to be launched after Easter.

Mortimer

Mini Cadets will offer sessions for pre-schoolers who will enjoy a range of activities such as bug hunting, denbuilding, campfires and cooking with their qualified Forest Schools Leader.

Jubilee Cadets’ intrepid adventures can now continue during term time with a new activity club which will take place after school for primary aged children. It’s good old fashioned fresh air and fun in a magical woodland with a range of Forest School pursuits on offer.

Physiotherapy practice

To findMUSCLE/TENDON out more go to www.jubileecadets.co.uk or call 0118 970 1300 STRAIN? BACK OR NECK PAIN? POSTinfo@jubileecadets.co.uk OPERATIVE SPORTS INJURIES? www.facebook.com/JubileeCadets REHABILITATION? Located in Padworth - just a few minutes’ drive from Mortimer, Burghfield, Aldermaston and Tadley. ESTABLISHED FOR 15 YEARS, YOUR LOCAL PRIVATE PHYSIOTHERAPY CLINIC. NOW ACCEPTING NHS REFERRALS (NHS REFERRALS ACCEPTED FROM WEST BERKSHIRE GPs)

Tel: 0118 933 3896 Text: 07951 840643

www.mortimerphysio.co.uk info@mortimerphysio.co.uk

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

Virgin

Diary of an aesthetic

with Christina Cullen

Getting rid of all those moles! Did you know that the NHS no longer removes moles and lesions on the skin that do not pose a health risk? These days, if you have a mole, wart, skin tag or other lesion that is totally healthy, but you would like removed, then you need to get treated at a private clinic.

The Forever Program can help you jumpstart your journey to a slimmer, healthier you. This effective, easy-to-follow cleansing program will give you the tools you need to start transforming your body today. If you’d like to ﬁnd out more, please contact in conﬁdence: Melanie Marshall 07972 032166 or email foreverbe22@gmail.com

And having done my fair share of sun worshipping over the years, I have quite a few moles, many of them visible. So for my last treatment as an Aesthetic Virgin (because let’s face it, after six wonderful months of trying out the latest in non-surgical cosmetic treatments, I can no longer call myself a virgin), I decided to try out cryotherapy, a procedure that uses freezing temperatures as part of its treatment. Back at Aspire Clinic, my nurse, Laura agreed with my doctor that the moles I wanted removed were totally benign and perfectly suitable for cryotherapy using CryoPen. CryoPen is exactly what it says on the tin – a pen-like implement that emits a fine jet of nitrous oxide (dry ice) through a tiny nozzle, enabling the clinician to work with millimetre precision so that no surrounding tissue is damaged. It also means that no matter how small the skin imperfection is, CryoPen can remove it.

Now Open!

This was the fastest of all the treatments I have tried out. Quite literally seconds! The Cryopen blasted each mole I was having treated for about five to 30 seconds depending on the size. The initial blast of nitrous oxide was no more than a sharp sting lasting seconds. It also didn’t feel particularly cold, again, always a bonus in my book.

Lash Extensions Russian Lashes Lash Lifting Nail Treatments

Hair Removal Spray Tanning Facials Microblading

The treatment works simply by freezing the cells, thereby destroying them. My moles took about three weeks to fall off, and the skin looked totally normal and blemish-free thereafter. There was no downtime or aftercare, making it a really convenient treatment with great results.

eye Beauty

Find us at 18-20 West End Road, Mortimer, RG7 3TF (Opposite the Mortimer Methodist Church)

www.ajbeautyandtraining.com 07990 013 946

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eye

Spring Forward

Don’t forget to put your clocks forward on March 25th

March...The start of spring. The sun keeps poking its head out, flashing a hint of what's sure to come soon. Well, certainly after March 25th at least - the date this year when we should all adjust our clocks ready for British Summertime -YIPEEE.

Each year when the clocks go forward, is it me or is there really a general ‘uplifting’ feeling detected in people’s mood? Though most of us would ordinarily be unhappy about losing an hour of our precious weekends, the longer days signify the beginning of British Summertime, something we seem to happily welcome after the cold winter we've had. Coupled with the fact that it's still light at 7 o'clock at night puts a big smile on our faces. If only those grey rain clouds would stop lurking menacingly... We’re ready to get our summer wardrobes out of hiding!

When Europe first enacted Daylight Savings Time in 1916, the goal was not for us to get more or less sleep, or longer farming days as it is popularly believed. It was in fact to conserve expensive coal burning during World War I by maximizing daylight during labouring hours. After much of the rest of the world followed suit with the twice yearly clock change that became known as “Spring forward, Fall back,” effects began to emerge among them, factors that can even affect how you look and feel too. So come on summer, bring it on - we are ready for you!

Putting Something

Back

Each retained firefighter carries a pocket alerter, which is activated when they are needed and they have a maximum of 6 minutes to report to the fire station and mobilise the necessary appliance(s). That is why applicants must live or work within 6 minutes of the fire station on West End Road. Retained firefighters usually have other occupations, but when the call comes they drop whatever they are doing. Depending on the type of cover agreed, a retained firefighter may respond from home and/or work, day and/or night.

o you live in Mortimer (or within 6 minutes of it?) If you’ve been thinking about playing a more active role in the community then this is definitely something that you might want to consider. How do you fancy becoming a part-time firefighter? Not only would you be serving your community, you could also be saving lives – and getting paid for it! Mortimer fire station are currently recruiting part-time firefighters. New firefighters will receive full training in all aspects of firefighting. This includes water rescue , breathing apparatus, working at height ,first aid and LGV. You will be trained to the same standards as a full-time firefighter. Apart from a few hours a week for training sessions and to carry out other pre-arranged duties, retained firefighters only attend the fire station when they have received an emergency call-out.

On average you can expect to be called out 2 or 3 times a week for perhaps a couple of hours. And, because the ideal is to have more firefighters available than are needed to crew each appliance, you won’t have to attend every call. In addition when you really can’t spare the time, you can sign off duty, providing there are enough staff available to crew the appliance for that period. You will be paid a retainer for “being on call” as well as being paid for training and call outs. The application process includes an application form, written tests to ensure a basic level of literacy and numeracy, physical tests to ensure a decent level of physical fitness and rule out certain conditions like claustrophobia, an interview and a medical. For more information please come along on a Monday evening to the fire station on West End Road or email geoffb7@btinternet.com .

Bridle Eye Care your local independent Optician Looking after all of your Eye Care needs. A frame for every face, and a price for every pocket...

0118 930 2312

& getting paid for it!

www.bridleeyecare.co.uk

find us on THEALE High Street Eye Tests | Children’s Eye Tests | Glasses & Sunglasses | Designer Frames | Contact Lenses

Happy Birthday

As Barbie enters her 60th birthday year, we invite you to celebrate International Barbie Day on Friday March 9th!

or many, some of the fondest memories of childhood involve their very own Barbie doll. Ken and Barbie and all their friends have helped generations of children fill hours of creative play. Barbie Day celebrates all the strides this doll has made in the over sixty years of bringing joy to the world. Did you have a Barbie doll growing up? History of Barbie Day The history of Barbie Day is the history of Barbie herself as the day marks her official birthday. Barbie debuted on March 9, 1959 at the American International Toy Fair in New York. She was a labour of love from Ruth Handler who was the wife of the cofounder of the toy giant Mattel, Inc. After watching children playing with baby dolls and paper dolls, she thought that the toy market needed something more.

memories, your collection may be worth preserving or handing down to your own children. You can show them all the joys of playing dress up with all the designer fashions that have been offered through the last sixty plus years. Some people like to take their celebrations into the culinary arena. A quick search on the internet will reward you with ideas for Barbie cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more! Are you skilled in the kitchen? Why not make the day one spent making something sweet and playing with your Barbie collection? It can be a wonderfully bonding time with your children!

After a trip to Germany where she saw a doll that was in line with what she wanted, she convinced her husband and the company to make the first ever mass produced doll with adult features. While there have been small changes through the years, Barbie came off the production line much like we know her today. There were some who objected to her figure, but as you can see with her success, those thoughts were in the minority. Do you know the background story for Barbie? Her parents, George and Margaret Roberts, named her Barbara Millicent Roberts. Her nickname is the famous Barbie. What about Ken you ask? His mother, Edna Carson, named him after her father, Kenneth. After a time, Barbie gets a host of siblings, cousins and friends! To learn more, you can head over to your handy search engine and find all the details. It is very interesting to see which dolls are no longer produced and who is newest to the group! Celebrate Barbie Day! To celebrate Barbie day, let your inner child run free! Do you have a collection of dolls gathering dust in your attic? Head on up there and bring them into the light of day. You may find that more than just

Let’s pretend that Barbie was a real lady! THE AVERAGE UK WOMAN Average woman’s height is 5’4” Their weight is approximately 10 stone They wear a size 12/14 dress Their bust is between 36” and 37” (Bcup) Their waist is between 30 and 34” Their hips average between 40” and 42” Their esimated shoe size between 5 and 6

AVERAGE BARBIE Barbie’s height would be 7’2”! Her weight would be 7 stone 2oz She would wear a size 6 Her bust would be 39” (FF cup) Her waist would be 19” (same as her head) Her hips would be 33” Her shoe size would be a size 3

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on Business & Finance

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Meet some of the people in businesses we’ve helped...

Run your own business?

Get that work life balance... ...and flourish!

Howard Howard runs a scaffolding business. He used to spend most of his weekends writing out sales invoices, posting them out to his customers and then trying to get paid. We moved Howard to the cloud. Now he raises quotes and invoices on the go from his Ipad and emails them straight to customers. His customers can even click on the email and pay straight away using Paypal. Endless paperwork is now a thing of the past.

Jenny Not just accountants but business growth specialist too. Melanie Curtis can help you with all of your planning, budgeting and monitoring needs as well as moving your business to the cloud. So you run your own business. You got rid of the boss and now you are the boss! It’s great being your own boss, you can take charge of your own destiny, you can do what you want when you want to do it and you have no-one telling you what to do, right? Wrong … Now you’re doing all the jobs! You’ve got to be an expert at everything from marketing to sales to finance and that’s before you start doing what you set out to do in the first place. Where did the dream of work life balance go? Life is so hectic! Stop! If you keep running your business the way you’re doing now then you’re just going to get more of the same. If you want something different you need to make changes. Drowning in paperwork and the dreaded Vat return? Stop getting bogged down with invoicing and bookkeeping. Embrace modern technology and move your business to the cloud! Invoice from your phone, convert quotes to invoices and let the software do the work. Growing your business Do some planning. Prepare a cash flow forecast so that you can plan for the year ahead. A forecast profit and loss is great too so that you can project your future sales and expenses to minimise any surprises.

Systems Write down the way you do things into a systems manual. Others can then follow what you do and take pressure off of you. Did you know a business with systems is worth up to 50% more if you come to sell it than a business without?

Jenny runs a marketing company. She won a tender for a huge new project. We sat down and talked about what extra resources she would need to carry out this project. We then prepared a 3 way forecasted proﬁt and loss, cash ﬂow and balance sheet for her business. We then implemented a monthly monitoring service to keep track of the numbers as the year progressed to avoid any nasty surprises.

What’s your end game? Is your business your retirement fund? Have you planned your exit? If you don’t have a plan for this then how do you know if you are heading in the right direction and how do you know if you are going off track? Some Free Advice for your business If you’d like to find out how we can help your business to really flourish, we are offering a free appraisal service during March and April. These sessions will take around an hour and are not subject to any commitment going forward. What have you got to lose? To book yours, please get in touch with us at hello@melaniecurtisaccountants.co.uk or call on 01256 883012. It may well turn out to be the best decision you ever make for your business.

Pete & Dan Pete & Dan run an electronics company. They moved across to us as they were tired of greeting “old news” from their accountant being last years ﬁgures. We introduced an FD service to their business whereby we prepare quarterly management accounts and then sit down to talk through numbers and plan for the next quarter. Old news is now a thing of the past, our client is now fully armed with all of the important numbers to run their business.

BY MELANIE CURTIS

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Business & Finance

How big is your pot? And is it

Enough

A recent government review highlighted that to maintain lifestyle in retirement individuals need to aim generate two-thirds of their pre-retirement income from pensions. (Interestingly, this is exactly what most final-salary pension schemes aim to provide for full service).

by Mark Penston

Aegon have built on this and propose that to maintain lifestyle those on higher incomes could survive on less than twothirds of pre-retirement income, but those on lower incomes need more than this. So what does this mean in terms of pension pot size?

The below is of course riddled with ‘ifs and buts’ and all sorts of assumptions so think of it as just a ready reckoner, or even maybe a prompt to dust off those pension statements and get them looked at by someone who can help you put some meaning around what retirement might look like for you. With the end of the tax year not that many weeks away there may be advantages for some to review this area now if you are thinking of either paying more money in to a pension or even taking money out. Don’t sleepwalk in to retirement!

Mark

Mark Penston BSc, APFS is a Partner & Chartered Financial Planner at Bluesky

Target retirement income

Monthly income needed on top of full state pension

Pre-retirement earnings

Percentage to maintain lifestyle

£13,000

80%

£10,400

£175

£65,300

£27,000

67%

£18,000

£809

£301,500

£56,000

50%

£28,000

£1,642

£612,700

Average UK Salary

Make provision for the things you love

Fund size needed to buy this at age 65

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124 SPIDER

Abarth is a legendary name within petrolhead circles, but one that is rarely thought about by the general public. Even with its huge growth in recent years it is still a fairly niche brand, sitting under the umbrella of Fiat, to which it has always been associated. The company burst back onto the scene when they overhauled the new Fiat 500. This car has proved very popular, and for good reason. I drove the Abarth 595 for the magazine a while back and was very impressed. Although it was in no way perfect, I don’t think you could find anything that feels more special for anywhere near that price. The mix of Italian flair and exciting dynamics made it hard to hand the keys back at the end of the drive. Now the modern incarnation of the brand has matured a little and taken on the newly revived Fiat 124 as a base car, can they cement their position with a truly desirable car in the modern age? The Fiat 124 is a re-bodied Mazda MX5, which is a great car in itself, but lacking a little excitement. Using the MX5 as a base proved to be a great idea as it immediately offered a reliable and cost effective platform. The styling is not drastically different between the Fiat and Abarth versions, both of which do a good job of bringing the iconic 124 name into the modern age. Inside, you can see the similarities with the MX5, which is no bad thing. I love the simplicity of the cabin and there’s no shortage of leather and soft-touch plastics. The only place where the designers fell foul of the accountants is in the cheap, scratchy plastic that surrounds the multimedia controller dial in the centre console. Being somewhere that your hand will spend a lot of time, I would have liked to see them use a more tactile material here. On a more positive note, the lower portion of the dash and the armrest are clad in dark grey suede and areas like the doors and steering wheel are all clad in a nice soft leather. It really gives a quality feel to the interior, which makes the plastic centre console all the more of

a shame. The red rev-counter and stripe on the wheel, Abarth logo on the armrest and great seats add flair while maintaining an air of sophistication, something that Toyota sadly didn’t manage with the GT86. I will say that the cabin is not spacious; I felt big and I only measure 5’ 9”. Nevertheless, the driving position was good and I could easily get comfortable in the car. One thing that struck me as soon as I started driving was the exhaust. Most cars at this level don’t have a very exciting sound, you could rarely tell them apart from a family hatchback. The Abarth, however, comes with the ‘Monza Record’ exhaust, which is calm enough for cruising around town, but as you push up through 3,000rpm, it delivers a rough, thick growl that is a delight to listen to, if a little childish. I found myself holding onto gears longer than necessary just to enjoy the sound. It’s not the fastest car on the road, but very good for this price. The engine, a 1.4L turbo petrol four cylinder, offers 170bhp, giving a 0-62mph time of 6.8s. The gearbox of choice for me is a slick 6 speed manual (automatic with paddle shift is also available) with a really nice precise, short throw. The speed is not shocking, but its definitely enjoyable and it means you can use all of it on the road, something that is sadly missing from too many performance cars now. The ride is obviously firm, but it is well damped and feels comfortable, smooth and controlled at all times. The 124 will sit at speed on a rough surface without breaking a sweat, meaning it won’t be taxing on long drives. High speed refinement is not bad for a convertible, but there is a fair amount of road and wind noise at motorway speed. When you push on in the corners the car stays flat and holds the road well. I went out on a very greasy morning so the tyres had little chance to grip the road, but I could always feel what was happening with each wheel. I was able to monitor understeer at the front and feel when the rear wheels broke traction under power. The chassis Fiat/ Abarth inherited from Mazda is a very good one and is combined with brakes

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made by Brembo and coilers from Bilstein. I thoroughly enjoyed the sensations of driving the car and would love to spend more time in one. The 124 Spider comes with most options as standard, excluding the Sat Nav, Bose sound system upgrade and a ‘visibility pack’ including auto-wipers, auto-lights and rear parking sensors. Interestingly you will get the SatNav as standard on an MX5 from little more than £20,000, where you’ll be touching £30,000 before you add any options to the Abarth. The infotainment system is lifted straight from Mazda and is easy enough to use. It’s still a step behind the top systems from other manufacturers with trackpads where you can scribe out letters for addresses etc, but if you’re focused on the driving it should be more than enough to keep you going. The 124 Spider starts at £29,620, which is undercut by the Toyota GT86 at just over £25k and the Mazda MX5 from just over £22k. If it is pure driving experience you’re after, the Toyota is likely to be a little more refined and offer a little more pleasure. If you are just looking for open top driving without too many frills the MX5 is a very good option which will have much of the same feel as the Abarth. Finally, however, if you are looking for that little something extra, the Abarth 124, as with the 595, does just make you feel special. The extra bit of noise and beautiful interior really do make this feel more than just your average car. And that is now backed up with real quality. The interior improves on that in the Mazda and blows the Toyota out of the water. It will have to watch out if the next generation GT86 brings a much better interior, but for now the Abarth is the car I want to be in. If they plan on bringing out a handsome coupé then you may well find me fishing for my wallet.

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Drives... @villageeyemag

Supermarket sweep “Lafford & Leavey, experts in bringing the outside - inside”

Not since Dale Winton shut up shop has there been a cashless supermarket without tills where customers ‘just walk out’...

online has doubled in recent years. As many as 14% of Brits currently do all of their grocery shopping online. And almost one in three (29%) online shoppers say that in the past 12 months they have done more of their grocery shopping on the web. Whilst the online trend is rising, it seems people still like to ‘go’ the the supermarket and browse. Contrary to popular belief, we still like the good ol’ fashioned human interaction!

Last month Amazon officially opened its first cashless supermarket, Amazon Go, a cashless supermarket without tills where customers ‘just walk out’! NO, we’re are not advocating theft... More like a glimpse into how we may well be doing our ‘real-life’ weekly shop in the future.

How does it work? At the Amazon Go store, tills have been replaced with smart turnstiles that scan people’s phones to charge for grocery items. When entering the store, shoppers must scan their Amazon Go smartphone app at a turnstile, browse the shop, pick up their items from the shelves, and “just walk out”.

Back in 1997 I remember excitedly enrolling onto the waiting list to trial a new concept in grocery shopping with Tesco... I was asked to click the items I wanted, and they would deliver them to me the next day. Back then, the idea seemed very novel and kind of - err cool. And, if I could only learn to ‘trust’ that their ‘picker’ would only select the ripest tomato and the freshest cut of meat for me, then my weekend drudge-jaunt to the supermarket would be spared and I’d have more free time. Roll forward twenty years and the concept is commonplace with shoppers who choose to forgo their trip to the supermarket.

There are weight sensors on the shelves to help indicate if an item has been taken or put back. And some items carry a visual dot code, like a bar code, to help cameras identify them. After shoppers check in by scanning their unique QR code, overhead cameras work with weight sensors in the shelves to precisely track which items they pick up and take with them. When they leave, they just leave. Amazon Go’s systems automatically debit their accounts for the items they take, sending the receipt to the app. Amazon isn’t offering any information on how accurate the system is. One thing we do know: they’re on to the less-than-honest. A New York Times journalist had a go at shoplifting some cans of soft drink, but the system spotted it and put them on his bill.

According to Mintel, the proportion of Brits who say they do all of their grocery shopping

According to the world’s largest online retailer, their real-life store is cashless and will run with just a staff who will be on hand to ‘assist’ shoppers and verify IDs for those who wish to buy alcohol or any other age-restricted products. They will also been seen stocking shelves (not yet done with a robot, but give it time) and prepare food. Yes prepare food... Not content with entering the grocery arena, it looks like they may be trying to muscle in on the fast food market too. Not quite a Maccies or a KFC Drive Through, but we understand that the company will be offering ready-to-eat breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks - to go. It will also sell Amazon Meal Kits (Hello Fresh watch out), which contain ingredients and recipes for particular dishes, and grocery staples such as bread, milk, cheese, and chocolates. Fixing glitches Whilst the company had announced plans for the artificial intelligence-powered store over a year ago, the roll out of the concept has been delayed while Amazon ironed out glitches with the technology. The store has been open to Amazon employees since December 2016, but problems arose with technology when it became confused by shoppers who had similar body types and children who picked up items from one shelf and put it back on another, the BBC reported.

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The project, which is designed to modernise physical retail, currently has only one store but, looking ahead, you can bet that Amazon didn’t spend five years building this technology to only use it in one store. We shall see. In the meantime, I’ve run out of milk... I’m off to Budgens.

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LAFFORD & LEAVEY by LTD Eye Geek

ARROWHEAD ROAD, THEALE, READING, RG7 4AZ Tel: Reading (0118) 9303333 Fax: (0118) 9323707 Email: lafford.leavey@btconnect.com To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email info@villageeye.co.uk facebook.com/villageeyemagazine 16

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A HAPPY EASTER WITH JON THORNER’S Multi award winning butcher serves up a treat this Easter in Mortimer!

pring is ﬁnally here - just about! - and Budgens Mortimer have been working hard to provide you with everything your family needs to celebrate Easter in style. For many, this means a beautiful roast dinner on Easter Sunday with seasonal spring lamb. The in-house butchery at Budgens, Jon Thornerʼs, is all set to offer you a traditional leg of lamb, or perhaps something a little different this Easter..? British lamb is acknowledged as some of the best in the world and

even barbecue it if weʼre blessed with a bit of sunshine over the Easter weekend!

new-season lamb is a true herald of spring and the perfect choice to enjoy at Easter. At this time of the year the flavour is at its most delicate and as the season progresses, the flavour gradually develops. If you are cooking for a large group, what can beat a leg of lamb? Simply roasted with garlic and rosemary and served with all the traditional accompaniments, it will be delicious. As an alternative, why not ask your butcher to butterfly the leg? This removes the bone, opening up the meat to an even thickness. It will cook more quickly this way in the oven, or you could Monday Saturday 7am–9pm

For smaller or individual gatherings, a rack of lamb is a fabulous showstopper. They roast quickly and with a herb crust, offer an even more intense ﬂavour. Interestingly, there has also been a resurgence of Hogget and Mutton over recent years – lambs kept on farms beyond a year old become ʻhoggetʼ and over two years become ʻmuttonʼ. The meat from both of these has a more pronounced ﬂavour, the meat is slightly darker and richer in colour

Sunday 10am–4pm

and requires slower cooking to ensure tenderness. So, there are lots of choices for your Easter roast - what will you choose? Of course, Budgenʼs are stocked up ready to provide all that goes with it; your potatoes, vegetables, drinks - alcoholic and soft drinks - and a good range of Easter eggs and other chocolate treats. And donʼt forget, there is always the delicious COOK range if you donʼt fancy cooking from scratch yourself! Why not pop in this month and see what Budgens Mortimer has to offer this Easter?

15 Victoria Rd, Mortimer Common

0118 933 2488

Theale 0118 930 3133 eye Burghﬁeld Common 0118 983 3897

mс & 0118 981 0494 Ho Tadley Gardнs www.parkersproperties.co.uk

n a e l C g n i r p S A Property of the Month r u o y s e d Clay ncHilllu iBeenham Chimney! 5 bedroom period barn conversion

Theale Ofﬁce

A rare opportunity to acquire a 5 bedroom period barn conversion set within 1.5 acres, that beneﬁts from outstanding countryside views, equestrian facilities and a 6 car garage that could have annexe potential. Offering seclusion but not isolation the property is positioned on a a quiet lane and is surrounded by It’s wonderful to enjoy farmland. Believed to date back to the early 1800s the property was converted crackling fire when it’s an outstanding family home. The 30 years ago by master craftsmen to create property has been in its current ownership the last 20 years and has been cold outside. But afterforthe lovingly caredwinter for and improved duringare this time. The property is full of character long months with exposed beams and brickwork.

over, many of us get into the spring-cleaning mood. Spring cleaning your home feels great.

£1,250,000

£420,000

£785,000

Throwing open the windows after Theale officeare often overbooked then. Theale if office for any damages. And remember, sweeps the house has been closed up for the your chimney is in need of repair, you Having your chimney swept in the coldest months and getting dust and • 4 bedroom • 5 Bedroom semi detached have plenty of time to organise the Detached spring means there’s a much better Family dirt out of your home feels great, but work before you will need to useHome the chance you can schedule the cleaning • Workshop often the last thing on your mind when at a time that’s convenient for you.” chimney again. • Four Bathrooms garage you’re spring cleaning is getting the • Detached Getting your fireplace cleaned now • Double Garage chimney swept. Gavin Williams from • Open Gavin Williams is a qualified member willplan help to eliminate kitchen/dining room fireplace smells, Williams Home Heat tells us why there which get much worse the warmer the of the Guild of Master Chimney • Impressive Master Suite bathroom are several reasons why spring is the • 4 piece anyRear Views weather is. It is the creosote deposits Sweeps and is qualified to• identify Far Reaching perfect time to have it cleaned. • Wood burning stove issues which need to be addressed. created when your fi replace is used Theale Padworth • Rarely Available Burghfi Burghfi eldeld Common - that are to blame. Creosote buildseld Common Burghfi Gavin told us, “Most people wait And there is no need to worry about up in the liner of the chimney and can until the autumn to schedule their the chimney cleaning spoiling your produce a sour smell in your home. annual chimney cleaning and that spring clean - there is no sooty mess £440,000 £289,000 means that chimney sweeps are often A clean at this time of year will also after your chimney has been cleaned. office office overbooked! “It’s easier to schedule a Theale A professional company likeTheale Williams reduce the possibility of corrosion cleaning at a time that’s convenient for• 2 caused and by emissions such as creosote. Home Heat will thoroughly• clean bedroom house Desirable Village location you at this time of year. Homeowners When the deposits are left on the flue inspect your chimney and fireplace • Completely refurbished • Walking distance usually think of chimney maintenance liner and moisture gets in, it can cause without leaving behind a mess of any to all amenities throughout in autumn, when cold weather is • Beautifully landscaped and serious damage. A spring cleaning will kind. Happy spring cleaning! around the corner. Local chimney • Close mainline station maintained setting get torid of these deposits and check • South facing garden

Theale

• Ample parking • Ideal ﬁrst time purchase

Services we offer: £245,000

• No onward Chain

Theale

Williams

Theale ofﬁce

Williams Chimney Services is an detached • 4 bedroom established, professional family run • 28ft lounge/dining room chimney sweeping Business.

Making sure chimney flue • 2your bedroom ground ﬂooror maisonette system is clean and efficient. • No Onward Chain

• Smoke test• Driveway and Draw testing. parking

• 16ft master bedroom

We also supply Coal & Seasoned• Firewood Driveway parking

• Garage • Bird and vermin nest removal.

Chimney sweeps by a qualified member of the Guild of Master • Noinstallers onward chain Sweeps, we are also HETAS approved Stove

• Rear garden

• CCTV inspections. • Walking distance of High Street • Advice on fuel types.

• Designed exclusively for the over 55s

£465,000 Chimney serviCes

• A complete clean sweep service.

Theale

• Private balcony

Theale

• Close to village centre

www.williamshomeheat.co.uk

0118 971 0201

BPS Plus Ltd t/a Williams Home Heat Units 1-2 Padworth Saw Mill, Rag Hill, Padworth RG7 4NU

Burghfield Common Mortimer Burghfield Village Aldermaston Wharf Beenham Midgham Woolhampton Sulhamstead Beech Hill Aldermaston Theale Bradfield Stanford Dingley Baughurst Tadley Ufton Nervet Spencers Wood eldinfo@villageeye.co.uk Southend Englefield facebook.com/villageeyemagazine Pamber Heath Little London Brimpton Padworth Silchester Tutts Clump To contribute, advertise or let us know your news pleaseTidmarsh call 0118 933 3311Bradfi or email @villageeyemag

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Higher Rate Stamp Duty (an additional 3% duty over normal rates) does not just apply to the purchase of buy to let/ holiday homes. It can apply to most property purchases where you (or a spouse) own another property (or an interest in one over £40,000) here or abroad. It does not apply where you sell your main residential home and buy another main residence at the same time or later. But the following ʻquestion and answerʼ examples show some situations where additional stamp duty is payable:

Call Roy Ward or Dermot O’Sullivan Call Roy Ward or Dermot O’Sullivan Contact Roy Ward or Dermot O’Sullivan

01189 820300 01189 820300 0118 982 0300

email: office@amberwooddesigns.co.uk www.amberwooddesigns.co.uk email: office@amberwooddesigns.co.uk office@amberwooddesigns.co.uk www.amberwooddesigns.co.uk Youngs Industrial Estate, Paices Hill, Aldermaston, RG7 4PW Youngs Industrial Estate, Paices Hill, Aldermaston, RG7 4PW www.amberwooddesigns.co.uk Where quality, professionalism and value count Youngs Industrial Estate, Paices Hill, Aldermaston 4PW Where quality, professionalism and valueRG7 count

Where quality, professionalism and value count

Q. I am buying my first property to live in, but I already own a buy to let property. As a purchase of my first home, will the additional duty apply? A. Yes, as you already have an interest in another property and your purchase is not ʻreplacingʼ an existing main residence. Q. I am helping my daughter buy her first house. I own my own house. I will have a percentage share in my daughterʼs house. Is additional rate duty payable? A. Yes it is payable on the full purchase price of the house. If you made an outright gift to your daughter or a loan not linked to the value of the house in any way, additional duty would not apply. Q. I am buying a shop which has a residential flat above. I will rent both out. Will additional duty be payable? A. No, the duty does not apply to commercial or mixed residential/commercial property.

Handy L OCAL Andy Man!

Q. We are buying our new main residence before we sell our existing main residence, which we are going to renovate before we sell. Will additional duty apply? A. Yes, as at the time of purchase you will not be replacing your previous main residence. If you subsequently sell your previous main residence within 3 years of the purchase, you can then claim back the extra stamp duty from HMRC.

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NO JOB TOO SMALL

Higher Rate Stamp Duty Land Tax for Residential Properties By Neil Henson

The rules surrounding additional rate Stamp Duty are quite complicated and the additional rate is payable in many situations. If in any doubt, take professional advice.

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Email andypropertymtce@gmail.com

Handy Andy 1/4 July 2015.indd 1

FREE car park at rear of office Offices also at Reading and Staines EMAIL office@rmtadley.co.uk WEB www.rowberrymorris.co.uk

29/06/2015 11:19

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Rtals

www.parkersproperties.co.uk

Property of the Month Bere Court Road Pangbourne Four bedroom family home

£2,500pcm £1,195pcm Theale ofﬁce

(Tenant’s fees apply)

Situated in one of the regions most sought after roads is this substantial 4 bedroom family home that benefits from a private drive and large gardens. Set back from Bere Court Road, and accessed via its own private drive, the property provides peace and tranquillity but not isolation, with the villages of Pangbourne and Theale being a short drive away. Believed to have been built in the 1920’s the property offers generous accommodation over two floors. Downstairs accommodation is comprised of a large tri aspect living room and a separate dining room. Further downstairs accommodation is comprised of a study a cloakroom and a boiler room. On the first floor there are four bedrooms and a family bathroom.

£895pcm

(Tenant’s fees apply)

• Two Bedroom Flat • Recently Refurbished

• Modern Kitchen & Bathroom

• Close to Junction 12 of M4

• Close to Bus Routes

• Mainline Station Nearby

• Close to J12 of M4

• Offered Unfurnished

• Available April • Offered Unfurnished

£1,300pcm

Beenham (Tenant’s fees apply)

Burghﬁeld Common ofﬁce

Theale ofﬁce

• Converted watermill

• Two Reception Rooms

• Two bedrooms

• Close to local amenities

• En-suite shower room

• Good size garden, off road parking

• Top ﬂoor apartment

Burghﬁeld Mill

£1,095pcm (Tenant’s fees apply)

(Tenant’s fees apply)

Tadley ofﬁce

• 3 bedrooms

• 3 Bedroom mid terrace.

• Lounge/Diner

• Quiet cul de sac

• Kitchen

• Allocated parking

£995pcm

Tadley ofﬁce

Tadley

(Tenant’s fees apply)

• Lift and entry phone access

• En-suite shower room

• AVAILABLE MARCH 2018

• Available Immediately

£995pcm

• Three bedrooms

Burghﬁ Burghﬁeld eldCommon Common

(Tenant’s fees apply)

Theale ofﬁce

• Three Double Bedrooms

Calcot

Theale Ofﬁce

• Driveway parking

• Within walking distance of local amenities

• Unfurnished

• Upvc double glazing

• Garage

Tadley Burghﬁeld Common

• Gas radiator central heating • 2 allocated parking spaces.

Burghfield Common Mortimer Burghfield Village Aldermaston Wharf Beenham Midgham Woolhampton Sulhamstead Beech Hill Aldermaston Theale Bradfield Stanford Dingley Baughurst Tadley Ufton Nervet Spencers Wood Little London Brimpton Padworth Silchester Tutts Clump Tidmarsh Bradfield Southend Englefield Pamber Heath

Make the with Parkers Tadley Thinking of selling? Did you know that in 2017, 1 in 5 houses with the RG26 postcode was sold by Parkers? Interestingly, weâ€™ve just received figures from Rightmove which reveal we sold more properties than any other of the other 33 agents serving the same area. The figures also reveal that we had fewer price reductions on our properties too - with 50% fewer price reductions in asking price than other agents*. This meant that our vendors were more likely to achieve sales closer to their original asking price. Thinking of buying? With record numbers of new instructions on our books too, the chances are - if you are looking for a new property - statistically, you are more likely to find one with us. If you are thinking of buying or selling in 2018, give us a call.

If you live in RG26, we would love to hear from you. 0118 981 0494 Tadley@parkersproperties.co.uk www.parkersproperties.co.uk

* Data received from rightmove, closest comparable agent.

Theale 0118 930 3133 Burghﬁeld Common 0118 983 3897 Tadley 0118 981 0494 www.parkersproperties.co.uk

Property of the Month Clay Hill Beenham

5 bedroom period barn conversion

Theale Ofﬁce

A rare opportunity to acquire a 5 bedroom period barn conversion set within 1.5 acres, that beneﬁts from outstanding countryside views, equestrian facilities and a 6 car garage that could have annexe potential. Offering seclusion but not isolation the property is positioned on a quiet lane and is surrounded by farmland. Believed to date back to the early 1800s the property was converted 30 years ago by master craftsmen to create an outstanding family home. The property has been in its current ownership for the last 20 years and has been lovingly cared for and improved during this time. The property is full of character with exposed beams and brickwork.

£1,250,000

£420,000

£785,000

Theale ofﬁce

• 5 Bedroom Detached Family Home

• 4 bedroom semi detached • Workshop

• Four Bathrooms

• Detached garage

• Double Garage

• Open plan kitchen/dining room

• Impressive Master Suite

• 4 piece bathroom

Theale Burghﬁ Burghﬁ eldeld Common

• Wood burning stove

• Far Reaching Rear Views

Padworth Burghﬁeld Common

£440,000

£289,000

Theale ofﬁce

Theale

• 2 bedroom house

• Desirable Village location

• Completely refurbished throughout

• Walking distance to all amenities

• Close to mainline station

• Beautifully landscaped and maintained setting

• South facing garden

• No onward Chain

• Ample parking • Ideal ﬁrst time purchase

Theale

• Designed exclusively for the over 55s

Theale ofﬁce

• 4 bedroom detached

• 2 bedroom ground ﬂoor maisonette

• 28ft lounge/dining room

• No Onward Chain

• 16ft master bedroom

• Driveway parking

• Garage

• No onward chain

• Rear garden • Walking distance of High Street

• Private balcony

£465,000

£245,000

Theale

• Rarely Available

Theale

• Close to village centre

Burghfield Common Mortimer Burghfield Village Aldermaston Wharf Beenham Midgham Woolhampton Sulhamstead Beech Hill Aldermaston Theale Bradfield Stanford Dingley Baughurst Tadley Ufton Nervet Spencers Wood Little London Brimpton Padworth Silchester Tutts Clump Tidmarsh Bradfield Southend Englefield Pamber Heath 22

Theale 0118 930 3133 Burghﬁeld Common 0118 983 3897 Tadley 0118 981 0494 www.parkersproperties.co.uk

Property of the Month Brook House Burghﬁeld Common Spacious 4 bed family home

£775,000

One of two distinctive, detached 4 bedroom executive homes set in a sought after, quiet and secluded private road; backing onto beautiful Wokefield Common woodland. Unique and contemporary design which on first impression presents as a single storey which then extends to a ground floor below. Fully double glazed with lockable, dual position windows and Oak internal doors throughout.

£650,000

£700,000

Burghﬁeld Common ofﬁce

• Immaculate individual home

• Six bedroomed detached home

• Bright and ﬂexible accommodation

• Private drive overlooking wooded copse

• Three spacious reception rooms

• Exceptionally spacious

• Quiet location overlooking wooded copse

• Three bathrooms

• Four bedrooms

Mortimer

• Walking distance to village centre

• Double and single garage

Burghﬁeld Common

£460,000

Burghﬁeld Common ofﬁce

• Open-plan kitchen diner

• Three bed detached

• Garage and driveway parking

• Fitted kitchen, two bathrooms

• Master with ensuite

• Immaculate condition

• Four bedrooms

• Excellent location

• Separate utility room • Quiet cul-de-sac location

Burghﬁeld Common

• Convenient for local schools

£415,000

Burghﬁeld Common ofﬁce

• Burghﬁeld St Marys catchment

Burghﬁeld

• Garage and drive

£800,000

£550,000

• Brand New 5 bed Luxury home

• 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

• Cleverly designed over 3 ﬂoors

• 21ft Fully equipped kitchen

• Nearly 2,500 sq ft of living space plus garage

• 3 Reception rooms

Burghﬁeld Common ofﬁce

• Ample off road parking

• Exceptional quality ﬁttings

Burghﬁeld Common

Burghﬁeld Common Ofﬁce

• Quietly situated near to schools and amenities

• Generous gardens

Burghﬁeld Common

• Centre of village location

• Large south westerly garden

Burghfield Common Mortimer Burghfield Village Aldermaston Wharf Beenham Midgham Woolhampton Sulhamstead Beech Hill Aldermaston Theale Bradfield Stanford Dingley Baughurst Tadley Ufton Nervet Spencers Wood Little London Brimpton Padworth Silchester Tutts Clump Tidmarsh Bradfield Southend Englefield Pamber Heath 23

“Lafford & Leavey, experts in bringing the outside - inside”

Windows - Doors -Conservatories UPVC or Timber

LAFFORD & LEAVEY LTD ARROWHEAD ROAD, THEALE, READING, RG7 4AZ Tel: Reading (0118) 9303333 Fax: (0118) 9323707 Email: lafford.leavey@btconnect.com

F_BAR_16228 Cherry Blossom Manor advert – Village Eye – HP.qxp_Layout 1 12/02/2018 13:15 Page 1

Personalised Care

At Cherry Blossom Manor we understand ﬁnding the right care home can be a daunting decision, that’s why our friendly team are on hand to offer advice and guidance at a time to suit you.

Our home offers a range of care services whilst supporting independence and maintaining individual interests. With a varied activities programme and freshly prepared home-cooked meals, we pride ourselves on making everyone feel at home.

Nursing Care • Residential Care • Dementia Care • Respite Breaks Whether you need urgent care or just some help and advice, our friendly team at Cherry Blossom Manor are here when you need them.

Call: 01256 442 699

www.barchester.com

German Road, Bramley Green, RG26 5GF

RELIABLE DOMESTIC CLEANING & HOUSEKEEPING SERVICES Fitting Garage Doors Since 1995 Visit our showroom or request a home visit We provide our own professional engineers Fully insulated Custom made & British built Free no obligation quotations Price guarantee R O L L G A R AG E D O O R S Free 7 year warranty A huge range of styles and colours Police secured by design and insurance approved option available

4 Domestic cleaning 4 End of tenancy cleaning 4 One-off cleaning

CENTRE

4 Office cleaning

T: 0118 981 7300 Roller Garage Doors Centre (Part of Access and Security Systems Ltd)

Secured by Design

For quotes please phone Lucy on

Unit 7 Bacchus House Calleva Park, Reading RG7 8EN

POLICE PREFERRED SPECIFICATION

Police Recommended and Insurance Approved

www.rollergaragedoorscentre.co.uk

Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

At Cherry Blossom Manor Care Home

07768 639762

www.tidytimeservices.com

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

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

• FREE COLLECTION & DELIVERY SERVICE • • • • • •

MOT TESTING While-you-wait testing available (by prior appointment) SENIOR CITIZENS CLUB Great discounts and helpful advice MECHANICAL REPAIRS FREE SHOCK ABSORBER TESTING BULBS & BATTERIES FITTED FREE WHILE YOU WAIT* VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS AND SPECIAL OFFERS

FREE VEHICLE HEALTH CHECK! FREE BATTERY & ALTERNATOR TEST, CHECK LIGHTS, CONDITION OF TYRES & FLUID LEVELS, COOLANT LEVELS & WIPER BLADE CHECKS

We’re a LASSA Tyre Agent!

BOOK YOURS TODAY!

With our extensive range of facilities and FREE services can you afford to go anywhere else for your vehicle maintenance needs?

3D Wheel alignment computer system

Mobility Specialists | Delivering Your Independence Fully reconditioned All with new batteries

Used Mobility Scooters

Please contact SERVICE RECEPTION on

0118 970 2222 www.mendemmotors.co.uk

New In Stock! The Amazing Super Lite Supa Scoota

Free assesment & delivery for all chairs

Electric Riser-recliners

Use your mobility allowance to lease a scooter from £13 pw with insurance & servicing included

Mobility Scooter Lease Scheme

Large range in stock

Showroom demonstrations available

Extensive range

Wheelchairs

Walkers

Toilet Incontinence & Bathing

Full safety training given Servicing/Repairs Batteries/Tyres

New Mobility Scooters

Unit E4 Grafton Way, West Ham Ind Est, Basingstoke 01256 335900 Open 9.30 - 4.00pm Mon - fri 9.30 - 12.30 Sat

With you every step of the way

Stairlifts

pictures for illustration purposes only

24 26

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Providing exceptional healthcare for your pets

big smiles Your local vets in Tadley give

Expert advice for individuals, families and businesses. Call 0118 951 6800 or email law@blandy.co.uk

BLANDY & BLANDY solicitors

www.blandy.co.uk Reading | Henley-on-Thames | London

appointments available throughout the day TADLEY

BASINGSTOKE

0118 981 3668

01256 465409

17 West Street, Tadley, RG26 3ST

65 Worting Road, Basingstoke, RG21 8YX

e: tadley@gpvets.com

e: basingsoke@gpvets.com

www.gpvets.com

Get new windows from us in 2018

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Donâ€™t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

One of the Thames Valleyâ€™s leading law firms.

@villageeyemag

Plasterer ?

Want to rid your home of your old Artex ceilings?

Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

Need a Good, Local

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.

With more than 10 years of experience in plastering, you can expect the highest standards and an excellent finish every time.

• • • •

info@mtjplastering.co.uk

www.mtjplastering.co.uk

Experienced team of specialist plasterers

07789 902 091 0118 933 2121

Friendly and professional service Free quotes Will take on any plastering job, domestic and commercial

MTJ

Plastering Services

Before

After

New Street, Strafield Saye

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

& tel: 0118 983 4164 or mob: 07836 751 072

email: davidling007@sky.com | 9 Chervil Way, Burghfield Common, RG7 3XY

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

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No Job too Large or Small If you don’t have the time or experience to take care of your garden and have it looking the way you would like, let this local, experienced gardener take the strain so you can sit back and relax this spring! Spring lawncare, mowing, digging, sowing, planting, weeding, pruning, hedge-cutting, tree management, sympathetic makeovers and soft & hard landscaping.

Plenty still needs doing during the spring!

For a friendly chat and advice, please call Tim Sillince:

0118 988 7590 or 07768 764908 tim.sillince@gmail.com

www.topdogtrainingclubreading.co.uk info@topdogtrainingclubreading.co.uk

07775 715 298 0118 974 4747

Helping you understand and improve the behaviour of your dog or puppy in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Classes are held on Thursday evenings from 7pm at Grazeley Village Hall, Church Lane, Grazeley, Berkshire, RG7 1LD

NEXT COURSE STARTS: THURSDAY 15TH MARCH 2018 Our instructor Ian Scu�er is also available for ONE-TO-ONE DOG AND PUPPY TRAINING. Ian trained with The Ins�tute of Professional Dog Trainers, and has over 35 years’ experience. Problem dogs are a speciality! Home visits can be arranged. Call Ian on 0118 974 4747 or 07980 076 269

Need a Solicitor? Contact John L Banky Solicitors A traditional and friendly law firm based in Theale, just off Junction 12 of the M4 offering a professional approach over a comprehensive range of Legal Services.

•

All areas of conveyancing

•

Commercial Property

•

Wills and Probate

•

Contested Probate/Inheritance Claims

•

General Litigation

For advice please call:

0118 930 4630 john@johnlbankysolicitors.co.uk

Experienced legal consultancy

Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm 18a High Street, Theale Berkshire, RG7 5AN www.johnlbankysolicitors.co.uk

James W Fisher Property Maintenance

PAINTING & DECORATING All interior and exterior decorating, carpentry and small building work. 25 years experience. CONTACT JAMES TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTATION. No job too small:

OFFICE: 01189 831246 Mobile: 07766 646430 Email: info@jwfisher.co.uk www.jameswfisher.co.uk The Forge, Reading Road, Burghfield Common, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 3BL

Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number 538444)

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling! Keep it it local ! !Trades && Services Pages. forget toto mention Village Eye when calling! Keep local Trades Services Pages.Don’t Don’t forget mention Village Eye when calling!

Kite

Garden Services

What can I do for your Garden this spring?

@villageeyemag

Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages. Don’t forget to mention Village Eye when calling!

Windows Doors Bifold doors Conservatories & Orangeries Porches Soffits Fascia Guttering & Repair Service

• • • • •

Established 1990 Over 33,000 installations Quality Products Competitive Prices Excellent Service

Up to

30%

discount quote VE1

Atkinson & Sons

• • • • • •

UPVc Fascia Soffits Guttering Lead Work Chimney Work Fully Insured

Tel 0118 971 1960

Email: sales@castlewindowsnewbury.co.uk www.castlewindowsnewbury.co.uk

For local friendly help, advice or a quote, please contact us

info@atkinsonandsons.co.uk www.atkinsonandsons.co.uk

0118 983 5924 07568 330034

registered office: Field Close, Burghfield Common

Castle Windows, Black Barn, Unit C, Fronds Park, Frouds Lane, Woolhampton, Berkshire RG7 4LH

CATKINS BOARDING CATTERY

Short & long term secure storage for home or business Open 7 days a week 8am – 8pm Easy access, all on one level Security alarms, CCTV cameras and 24 hr surveillance

Covered fresh air pens, Insulated & heated cabins (personal inspections welcome)

Established 32 years

0118 982 0788 e: tadley@barn-store.co.uk

www.barn-store.co.uk

0118 970 0296

Threeways, Silchester Road, Pamber Heath

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

New Roofs Re Roofs Tiling Slating Flat Roof Moss Removal

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• • •

No Signal? we’ll fix it

www.bluebanana.tv

• 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

TADLEY PET SUPPLIES

Free local delivery service! We Deliver!

You name it, we stock and sell it and probably for the best prices in the area. We provide FREE DELIVERY, have some great promotions and guarantee friendly service. You name it we sell it.Just call and ask!

0118 981 9996

www.tadleypetsupplies.co.uk 4-5 THE FORGE (next to Tesco’s) HEATH END ROAD, BAUGHURST

READING

Alloy. Batteries. Braisery. Brass.Copper. Copper Tanks. Car Radiators. Dirty/Irony Alley. Electric Motors.Elements. Gun Metal. Household Wire. Lead. Iron. Low Amoured. Old Rolled/Clean Alloy. Stainless Steel. Experts in metal recycling We accept everything from small domestic jobs to full factory clear outs. We are a Licensed waste carrier based in Burghfield.

Recycling

WANTS YOUR METAL

Demolition Site Clearances We can come and collect your scrap from site or you can bring your scrap to us and use our 50 ton weighbridge! Residential Scrap Metal Drop in your scrap metal from home, old copper pipes, washing machines, power cables etc. We will pay you top prices.

0118 950 0470 / 0781 3443 763 Weirside, Green Lane, Burghfield Bridge Industrial Estate, RG30 3XN

Helping you achieve the lawn you’ve always wanted.

Lawn Fertilising

Moss Control

Weed Killing

Scarification

Aeration

Lawn Mowing

WE’ll buy your SCRAP METAL! Mon-Sat 8am-6pm

www.readingmetalrecycling.co.uk

(Opposite the Cunning Man)

Phil Adshead runs Supagrass in the Hampshire and West Berks area. He has helped over 1000 customers improve their lawns, and has looked after the greens at two of the top 10 golf courses in the world including Augusta National. For a FREE lawn assessment and quote with Phil call 01256 461388 or email rbf@supagrass.co.uk

www.supagrass.co.uk

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

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Keep it local ! Trades & Services to mention Eye when calling! Keep it local ! Trades & Services Pages.Pages. Don’tDon’t forgetforget to mention VillageVillage Eye when calling!

Contact Toby on 07737 784 244

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

@villageeyemag

Woodland Holiday Club Jubilee Cadets provides 5 to 11 year-olds with plenty of adventures and exciting activites, all of which take place in our wonderful woodland - the best way for children to spend their school holidays!

Book online for the Easter Holidays at:

www.jubileecadets.co.uk New ventures and more adventures from our team! On the back of our hugely successful woodland school holiday club, two new ventures are due to be launched after Easter. Mini Cadets will offer sessions for pre-schoolers who will enjoy a range of activities such as bug hunting, denbuilding, campfires and cooking with their qualified Forest Schools Leader.

To find out more go to www.jubileecadets.co.uk or call 0118 970 1300 info@jubileecadets.co.uk

www.facebook.com/JubileeCadets

Located in Padworth - just a few minutes’ drive from Mortimer, Burghfield, Aldermaston and Tadley.

St. Patrick’s Day March 17th

eye

INGREDIENTS 1 cup stout/Guinness 10 tbsp unsalted butter ¾ cup cocoa 1 ½ cups ﬁne sugar ½ cup dark sugar ¾ cup sour cream 2 eggs

re on Leisu

1 tbsp vanilla extract 2 cups plain ﬂour 2 ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt 1 tub Betty Crocker ready made frosting

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 8 or 9-inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

2 In a large saucepan place the beer and butter. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Add the cocoa powder and sugars and whisk together. Take off heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Prep time: 10 mins, Cook time: 1hour, Serves 8-10

3 In another bowl beat together the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until very, very well combined. Add to the butter-beer mixture and whisk together.

4 In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the beer-butter mixture and whisk together until it just comes together. Pour into the prepared pan and give the pan a few short drops onto the countertop to shake the air pockets in the batter to the surface and out of the cake. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Run a knife around the edge to separate the cake from the pan and pop the ring off the springform. 5 Spread frosting on the cooled cake and serve.

Even if you are not a big chocolate person or a huge stout drinker, the combination of the two together is sensational! The two ingredients have a lot of dark, husky flavour notes in common and combined with a bit of flour, sugar, and sour cream they blend into a rich as old money dessert that’s perfect for any St. Patrick’s day party. A simple cream cheese frosting blends perfectly with the slightly bitter crumb and makes it all the better. This cake is best served with a pint of stout or porter beer, such as Guinness, so be sure to buy a six pack so you have enough to drink with your slice of cake. This recipe is a riff on the classic Nigella Lawson recipe, but with some of the white refined sugar replaced with dark brown sugar which brings out some of the malty, twangy flavors of the beer; and a bit of salt added to highlight the chocolate. For something sweeter use all white sugar and add a tablespoon more of cocoa powder.

DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT OR PARTY COMING UP? With creative flair and strong attention to detail we can provide eye catching excellent food at affordable prices. Don’t spend hours shopping, and fretting before your big event, let us take care of your catering !

For a chat about your event call:

www.cuttingedgecatering.co.uk rosalie@cuttingedgecatering.co.uk

Weddings l Christenings | Birthdays | Funerals l Corporate l Parties To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email info@villageeye.co.uk

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eye On Leisure

From the moment you ﬁnd out you are ‘with child’, life changes - forever. Entering a whole new world, the pressures of your regular day job take you to a whole level of competitiveness and perceived expectant conformity... Happy Mother's Day to you all!

ou see, our cherubs WILL be perfect. They will not eat sweets/chocolate - ever. They will, instead live on a diet of only organically sourced produce. They will be perfectly behaved too. They will never throw themselves onto the floor in the aisle of the supermarket because they cannot have the cereal with the toy in it. As perfect mothers, we will never forget their gym kit for school and, for playdates, their chums will only be entertained in a home which is fit for a ‘Hello Magazine’ photoshoot (and there will most definitely not be a chicken nugget in sight). Children must be perfect. Stephanie

Calman, Author of bestseller ‘Confessions of a Bad Mother’ asks a question of all the Stepford mums of children out there who look as if they just might be perfectly groomed, perfectly behaved and perfectly brilliant... How you do it? The reality of motherhood, as we all know, encompasses a home which looks like it’s been burgled most of the time, sleepless nights, no sex for years, baby sick on your best cashmere cardigan, the terrible twos and then, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the sitting room, teenagers whose only means of communication is texting, snapchatting and facetiming from the next room to see if ‘dinner is ready’,

We’ve found some hilarious confсsions into Mothрhood too... juﬆ to make you feel ‘normal’... Enjoy the read! Confessions of a Mother Inferior. by Erika Waller.

A laugh-out-loud story of love, betrayal, friendship, baking and loss. Peta has three children under five, a job she hates and a tummy that looks like Jabba-The-Hut. Her (quirky) daughter has just started school and it’s not going very well. Her husband comes home less and less since employing his young blonde secretary and the only person she wants to talk about it all with is no longer around to hear her. She tries to keep up with a village full of perfect mothers and happy marriages but quietly her chaotic world is falling apart by the second. Can she save it and herself in time?

Confessions of Mother Inferior is available on Amazon

Confessions of a Bad Mother:

In the aisle by the chiller cabinet no-one can hear you scream

by Stephanie Calman.

If you try your best but frequently feel a failure, if you – or your children – are in any way imperfect, then join the club: the Bad Mothers Club. Stephanie Calman has broken every rule and done it all ‘wrong.’ From giving birth with her pants on to making her kids watch more telly, she has persistently defied all accepted wisdom and professional advice. Outrageous, funny, & hideously true, Confessions of a Bad Mother is her story. Read it, and know – at last - that you are Normal!

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

slamming doors or the odd grunt. To all of the mothers who are immaculately dressed on the school run, how do you do it? We are not talking about those of you who are dressed in jeans and have you hair brushed, although, we do think that you deserve a round of applause. We are talking about the ‘Mummies’ who are dressed immaculately, with perfect day-time make up applied, hair styled, coordinating bag and shoes and look so calm and collected at 8.30am in the morning. You are usually accompanying children who always look immaculate too, sporting tidy ponytails and polished shoes. Just how do you do it? You are also the mummy who produces perfectly presented homemade cakes when called upon for the Children in Need/Comic Relief school bake-sale - when all we’ve managed to do is hide the packaging, bash up the edges (for homemade effect) and replate our offerings. Could it be that you don’t sleep? Maybe you get up every day at 4am, clean the house, do the washing/ironing. Maybe you put your little ones to bed in their school uniforms and all they need is a quick run of the GHD’s over their clothes in the morning (before running them over yourself). Do you spend all day on Sundays preparing perfectly balanced, healthy and nourishing fayre for the week’s evening meals ahead? Do you make the packed lunches the night before - and set out (a non messy) breakfast at the same time? Do you have staff? A wand? Are you really a cybermum from outer space? Or are you, simply uber organised? So, our plea to you if you are one of the amazing ladies who manage this feat every morning. HOW? We’d love to know. Please. We won’t try and emulate you, unless of course it’s magic you use and are willing to share how it works, we just need to know. With love, from the sometimes ‘clothes over pyjama wearing’, messy-haired, Weetabix encrusted, wild-eyed, in awe of your skills, mothers everywhere. You rock xx

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Eye on Families

Hello

eye

perfect mother Just how do you do it? 35

LIVE MUSIC AT HORSE & GROOM If live music is one of the things you love, then make sure you check out what’s on at The Horse and Groom in Mortimer this month. As a muchloved local pub, The Horse & Groom is known for its warm welcome, good food and great beers. You would be forgiven for thinking that it would be hard to improve upon that, but it seems that the Horse & Groom is adding another string to its bow - live music. Following really positive feedback on recent acts that the pub has had in to play, landlord, Craig, is booking more acts to please his punters. So grab a pen and make sure you get these dates in your diary: on Sunday 4th March, why not go along for a Sunday roast followed by some live lunchtime jazz from 2pm - 4pm. Or just go along for some drinks and enjoy the music.

Just what we all need - a mellow, chilled out Sunday before the working week begins again. But the Horse & Groom offers a whole spectrum of live music now, so if you’re a party animal and looking to really let your hair down and enjoy a sing and a dance, then perhaps Joe Holler fits the bill. Joe is playing on Friday 16th March from 9pm til late. He plays anything and everything, from 1960s to present day. You can expect to hear a real mix of music including the Beatles and the Killers! Live music continues later in the month, too, so keep a look out for What’s On at the Horse & Groom to make sure you don’t miss out!

Mortimer St. John’s CE Infant School Would you like your child to attend a warm, welcoming school where nurturing and learning are key to educating your child?

Don’t fancy cooking tonight? Come and dine with us instead! From Steaks, Burgers and ‘Mortimer Sausages’ to Halloumi, Salads and Lock Duart Salmon. There’s something for everyone on our new menu. And, if the weather permits - dine alfresco in our garden too!

TOP 0118 933 2813 BOOTY d Serve here!

Food Mon-Sat: 12-14:30 & 17:30-21:30 served: Sunday: 12-17:00

The Horse and Groom | The Street | Mortimer | Berkshire | RG7 3RD

A school set in the heart of the village

An education based on Christian principles

A well-resourced, bright learning environment

Warm, caring staﬀ

Creative, fun curriculum

We foster a love of learning

Visit us anytime.

“We Learn Together, Grow Together and Shine Together” Please contact the Headteacher: Nicola Sumner 0118 933 2242

Tigers are now in Theale! With established nursuries in Thatcham, and Swindon, we are delighted to announce that Tigers at Theale is now open from 7:30am-6pm, ďŹ ve days a week and caters for children aged 3 months to 5 years. We provide amazing facilites and quality care for your little ones which include: French, Dance, Science lessons and Baby massages. All meals are freshly prepared and cooked on site by our Nursery Chef. We pride ourselves in being a very parent friendly nursery and invite you to come and see our wonderful staff at any time.

www.tigersdaynurseries.co.uk | 0118 930 3000 16 Church Street, Theale, Berkshire, RG7 5BZ

eye On Leisure

Choices Career

Clare Desai

Avoiding

common CV mistakes If you are looking to bag that perfect role and want to make sure your CV is at the top of a prospective employers pile, here are some helpful hints to ensure your resume is read!

Social Media

You may not realise it, but a public profile can and will be checked out by potential employers. Check your privacy settings and remove anything that you think might reflect badly on you

Keep it chronological

Personal details

Just your name, email address and contact number(s) are enough, you don’t need to list your full address

Email address

Remember that whatever email address you put on your CV is being read by potential employers. If your email address is funny/rude/tongue in cheek/dramatic/ or just plain long, create a new one that you can use for work purposes. A combination of your name and surname works well as an email address for work

This means putting your most recent work history and education first and working backwards from there

Your personal paragraph

This is the mini write up that goes at the top of your CV. Try to avoid using sentences such as “I am a conscientious and passionate individual who is selfmotivated, able to work well as part of a team and able to work on my own initiative. I am flexible, adaptable with a can do attitude”…These words are just nonsense unless you can quantify them. For example, “being part of my community football

team has helped me develop strong team working skills”.

Keep it relevant

Write your CV around the role you are applying to. A general CV tends not to work as well as employers want to see that you are keen to secure THAT job, not just any job. Keep it truthful - don’t make up any “relevant experience” or “qualifications” because you will be asked to prove them.

Keep it short

Your CV shouldn’t be longer than 2 sides of A4. You do not need to include every single detail of every single role you have ever had. A summary that you can elaborate on in interview looks far better and is much easier to read.

There is a better way... Join up and let us help you achieve your ﬁtness goals. Whether you want to improve your fitness, drop a dress size, become more active or simply play more sport, it’s tough trying to do it on your own. At Bradfield College Sports Complex, you can join like-minded people to swim, hit the gym, play tennis, or try one of our many exercise classes.

BRADFIELD COLLEGE SPORTS COMPLEX BERKSHIRE’S MOST WELCOMING HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUB

At the Flicks

eye on Leisure

with ROB BARNES

An exquisite and bewitching romance - a cut above the rest.

f, as Daniel Day Lewis recently announced, Phantom Thread is his acting curtain call then he has bowed out in fine style. Paul Thomas Anderson’s glamorous high society tale of unrequited love is both exquisite and beguiling.

The setting is the House of Woodstock, a luxury fashion house of 1950s London where renowned designer Reynolds Woodcock (Day-Lewis) dresses the crème de la crème of aristocracy and royalty. His sister Cyril (Lesley Manville), who manages the house, advises him to take a weekend break after debuting a new piece for one of his clients, where he meets young waitress Alma (Vicky Krieps). She instantly falls under his spell, besotted by his charm and the attention he pours on her as his new-found muse. After her initial reservations, Cyril is won over by Alma as her love for her brother blossoms. But, after a whirlwind romance, the relationship begins to turn sour. Reynolds’ obsession with his work becomes an unwanted distraction for Alma who becomes increasingly sidelined, and as tensions fray she resorts to desperate measures to rekindle his affections. This is a mesmerising gothic tale of dark secrets, spells and curses. It seduces you right from the first frame thanks in no small measure to another masterful performance from Day-Lewis. Like so many of his previous roles his study of the fastidious and eccentric tailor is typically precise and committed. It comes as little surprise that in preparation for the role he worked as

a costume apprentice at the New York City Ballet. Reynolds is a man at the top of his profession brimming with confidence, but so steeped in his own rituals and traditions that he is fast becoming a man out of step with the world around him. His spellbinding gaze is totally disarming but behind his eyes lies a far more unsettling character that you can never fully trust. Vicky Krieps deserves accolades herself as femme fatale Alma, who is no less complex. At first glance she’s an innocent and doeeyed young woman, but the threat of entrapment exposes a far more sinister and obsessive side. However, amid the chaos and curiosity of this most unlikely relationship is a deeply rooted bond that never that refuses to die, and this its biggest secret. Director Paul Thomas Anderson reunites with Day-Lewis ten years after There Will Be Blood, and fifteen

Children's book of the MONTH

years since his last acclaimed crazed romance Punch Drunk Love. Phantom Thread though has a stamp all its own, dazzling with elegance and grandeur and made with the craftsmanship and passion of a man at the very top of his game. The sweeps and swoons of the camerawork are perfectly complimented by Jonny Greenwood’s luscious orchestral score, and the costume design is impeccable. Phantom Thread is a beautifully spun yarn that is quite simply cut from a different cloth. Its limited release means it’s unlikely to dominate the box office but is well worthy of the critical acclaim it has received. So whether or not you’re a fan of Paul Thomas Anderson or Daniel-Day Lewis (who isn’t?) be sure to add this to your watchlist. 4.5/5

War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo

This book is one of Michael Morpurgo’s best loved stories. It is set in the First World War. The main character is Joey, the horse, who is adopted and trained as a farm horse, but then gets taken away from his owners and sent off to work in the war. Joey makes many friends on his journey, and loses a few too. The book shows the damage that the war caused to everyone and it helps you to think about the lives lost in the war. War Horse is a great book because it is from the horse’s point of view which is quite rare in books for older children. This book is very emotional so I would recommend it for readers 10 years and over. The book is beautiful because it shows if you love someone, human or not, you will do everything in your power not to lose them. This book is definitely worth reading if you like emotional stories or even if you just like to read books by Michael Morpurgo. All in all War Horse is a great book to read. I would definitely rate this book five stars. It is a fantastic book and I hope you enjoy reading it.

By Lucy McKeeman Age 11 To contribute, advertise or let us know your news please call 0118 933 3311 or email info@villageeye.co.uk

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eyere On Leisu

WHAT”S NEW AT

It’s easy to take the things on our doorstep for granted. Driving by each day and getting on with our busy lives...sometimes we need to look again and make the most of our local facilities.

old and tired, it can take away from the enjoyment of a visit. And if it’s a first visit then it makes that first impression all wrong.” Feedback has been really positive and the centre is now gearing up for the spring and summer season when so many of us want to get back to fitness.

The Willink Leisure Centre has recently undergone some impressive refurbishment to its changing rooms following feedback from its users. Centre Manager, Leigh Rosier, told us, “The changing rooms in a leisure centre can make all the difference to a user’s experience. If the changing rooms feel

There is so much on offer that it’s hard to know where to start. Most local families already know about the swimming pool, swimming birthday parties and the swimming lessons on offer throughout the week and at the weekend. But did you know about the group fitness classes that run in the sports hall, pool and the activity hall? Whether its Zumba, Aqua Aerobics or Insanity classes, you’ll find loads going on across the week. As a member, these classes are free of charge, but you can also pay-as-you-go. Perhaps you prefer working out on your own? Well, there’s a 27-station gym waiting for you. Membership starts from as little as £34 and includes the gym, the classes and you can also hire court So if you are looking to get the whole family fitter and spend more time together, why not hire a tennis court or a badminton

court for a knock about? You can hire a court at The Willink Leisure Centre by the hour, so why not get down there and have some family fun! And when you can’t spend time with your little ones and need to organise some school holiday activities, check out Sports Xtra, the sports camp which runs in school holidays at The Willink for children aged 5 - 12. This activity camp offers great value from just £24 per day. With a day packed full of activities, there really is something for everyone. Check it out by visiting www.sports-xtra.com

So, what are we waiting for? For more information, call reception on 0118 983 4845 or visit www. leisurecentre.com

Learn to Tumble! AT BERKSHIRE’S NEWEST ACADEMY OF GYMNASTICS, TUMBLING & CHEERLEADING

For further information on classes, workshops for children and adults, please find us on /BerkshireTA or call

01635 550014

At Berkshire Talent Academy, we offer Gymnastics, Tumbling, Cheerleading (recreational and international), Dance, Adult Fitness, Birthday Parties, Discos, Gym Hire and More! Unit 14 Turnpike Industrial Estate, Thatcham

The Village Eye is a privately owned magazine and bought to you by Pinktomato Limited, a local 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, URL’s and telephone numbers are understood to be correct at the time of submission to print. To feature your business in this publication please call 0118 933 3311

Spratley’s

Your local WHILE-U-WAIT MOT (by appointment) Testing Station

MOTs only £40 Having your car MOT’d every year can be a bit of a ‘faff’... At Spratley’s, for your convenience, we can do this for you whilst you wait on one of our comfy chairs enjoying a nice cup of tea or coffee whilst catching up on-line using our complimentary WiFi or watching the latest ‘what’s on’ TV in our showroom. Or, if you don’t have time to wait, and subject to availability, you might prefer to take advantage of our free courtesy car offer. Just ask us for details.

0118 933 2338

w: www.spratleys.co.uk e: service@spratleys.co.uk

Service | MOT | Repairs | Car Sales

60/62 Victoria Road | Mortimer | Reading | RG7 3SG

www.parkersproperties.co.uk

Buying, Selling or Letting? Parkers will make your property stand out from the others.

other agent

Burghfield Common 0118 983 3897

Tadley 0118 981 0494

Theale 0118 930 3133

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Published on Feb 14, 2018

Village Eye Issue 66 Mar 18

Published on Feb 14, 2018

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