Livinglife - April 2022 - Issue 41

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Issue 41 April 2022

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DIDDY DIRECTORY SCENE BY YOU EASTER PUZZLES

stotfold street watch

Volunteers needed for new local group

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Welcome

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FROM THE EDITOrS A big, warm welcome to the April Edition of the LivingLife Magazine!

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march

a big well done to:

Mark Oswald

Who was the closest to spotting the hidden drone pilot in last month’s photo & won £25.

See below for last month’s location

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home grown - some new listings! *new* golden ticket competition diddy directory time to volunteer! come and sing stotfold streetwatch clifton walking group what is the cinnamon trust? health awareness

DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in LivingLife magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, publisher or their agents. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information included within this publication, the publishers take no responsibility for any errors or omissions in LivingLife Magazine. The content is not to be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher.

| John McBurney | | Andrew Martin | We are very excited this month as we see the return of our fabulous ‘Golden Ticket’ feature. Unfortunately we do have to say farewell to our ‘Spot the Drone Pilot’ competition, but we hope that the search for the Golden Ticket will keep you on the edge of your seat! Inside a randomly chosen magazine, you will discover a Golden Ticket. The finder of the ticket will receive a cash prize of £25! If the ticket is not found and the prize unclaimed, then the prize money will rollover to the following month. We have teamed up with Benedict Funeral Directors - your local family owned, and run, Funeral Directors - who are generously sponsoring the feature. So, please keep your eyes peeled and have a really good look through the magazine… Can you find the Golden Ticket?

Also inside this edition, you will discover where to purchase homegrown produce. Our list of producers is growing and now includes, eggs, honey and cut flowers. Check it out to find out who is selling what and where.

The Cinnamon Trust is a specialist national charity which seeks to relieve the anxieties, problems, and sometimes injustices, faced by elderly and terminally ill people and their pets. Inside you can find out more thanks to the contribution from Anna Maudlin from Campton.

Finally, one of our eagle-eyed readers spotted an error in last month’s March edition of the magazine, in the ‘Fish’ Wordsearch we had ‘Dolphin’ listed as a fish, but we can categorically confirm that a dolphin is most definitely not a fish!

From everyone at LivingLife Magazine, we wish you and your family a Happy Easter!

till next month

John & Andrew Next Copy Deadline 10th April for our May 2022 Issue Phone us 01462 414265 Email us admin@livinglifemagazine.co.uk visit us online www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk Like us on Facebook @Livinglifemagazine Follow us on Instagram @Livinglifemagazine

Please pass to a friend, recycle or compost after reading.

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food & produce

HOME GROWN – HOME PRODUCED! Our listing gets bigger!

Do you sell home produce?

Email us to be in cluded admin@livinglife magazine.co.uk

D

o you sell home-grown or home-produced produce from your driveway or doorstep? This could include anything from eggs, fruit, veg, honey, jams, pickles, flowers, plants, cuttings etc.

We have added some new entries to our home-grown / homeproduced listing…

HENLOW - Alan Frost

4 Chiltern Place Henlow SG16 6BG. I’ve been keeping bees in Henlow for 15 years after picking up the hobby from my father-in-law, the bees forage a two- or threemile radius so if you live close by the honey could have come from the flowers in your garden. Yield can be erratic, but I try to have some available all year round. (07976 390891)

STOTFOLD - Nicola Hutchison

The Nurtured Garden, Hitchin Road, Stotfold I sell cut flowers and plants grown in my garden in tune with nature without the use of chemicals. Please follow my facebook page for updates @nurturedgarden.

STOTFOLD - Phil & Becky Allen

20 Angelica Avenue, Stotfold, SG5 4HH We sell half a dozen eggs for £1. Phil has always wanted ducks & chickens, so he really does look after them very well. Their diet is varied but healthy which I think is reflected in our eggs that we sell. People who buy them always compliment on how lovely the eggs taste and how yellow the yolks are.

UPPER CALDECOTE - Jordan Liversedge

153 Biggleswade Road, Upper Caldecote, SG18 9BD We sell eggs in Upper Caldecote near G&M Growers. We currently get about 80 eggs per week but getting more chickens next month so this will go up. Colour and sizes will vary but each box will be roughly equal, x6 is £1, x12 is £2 (text to 07494 480666 jordan.liversedge16@hotmail.co.uk)

STOTFOLD - Paul Dennison

182 Hitchin Road, Stotfold, SG5 4JE We are currently selling eggs, but we will also be selling surplus plants, apples, pears, plums and lots of different veg depending on season.

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Can you find the Golden Ticket?

Keep a keen eye out in this magazine for this month’s Golden Ticket.

Current priz e

£25

Roll over

If you find it simply give us a call and quote the code on the ticket to claim the prize.

Prize fund Sponsored by...

It looks lik this, and w e ill be attached inside a mag

Monthly cash prize of £25! If this it is not claimed, then the prize fund will roll over to the following month!

Winners agree to being published in LivingLife Magazine. Call must be received before the expiry date on the ticket. The editor’s decision is final.

Insects Ants Aphid Bedbug Beetle Bumblebee Caterpillar Cicada Cockroach Cricket Earwig Firefly Locust Flea Mayfly Flies Mosquito Hornet Ladybird Moth Silkworm Lice

Termite Ticks Wasp Weevil

Find the names of insects in the grid and the remaining letters will spell out a related phrase 8

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The

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the guide to local trades & businesses cost effective, contract free advertising

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Book your advert today - visit www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/diddy

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community

Contribution thanks to

Ann Crome

TIME TO VOLUNTEER?

Girlguiding - Bedfordshire

www.bedsguiding.org.uk @FB GirlGuidingBeds

W

hen is the right time to start that adventure, make lifelong friendships, learn new skills and have lots of fun?

Answer - Right Now! Volunteering isn’t, giving up time, in fact, it is the opposite it is enriching, rewarding and life-affirming - some might say it is time well spent. To see the beaming smile of a Brownie who has just lit her own fire, to hear the laughter of Rainbows playing games in a field, to watch as a Guide overcomes her fears and makes it to the top of that climbing wall and to know that you have helped them reach these victories, made those smiles and given them tools for the future.

Our leaders are mums, teachers, managers, doctors, receptionists, cashiers, accountants, engineers in fact they are you! They come from every walk of life, every background and every culture but they share a common goal, to give girls and young women in Bedfordshire the freedom to learn, create, achieve, explore and express themselves through experiences that will last a lifetime.

There are opportunities Shefford, Clifton, Chicksands, Arlesey, Henlow and Lower Stondon with Rainbows (4-7years), Brownies (7-10years) or Guides (10-14 years), for you to start your volunteering journey today to make a difference in your community.

These are roles that will give you the chance to explore your talents, take on new challenges and make new friends. In return, we offer you the opportunity to gain new qualifications and experiences, take part in adventures and have loads of fun. Plus best of all, you can give as much or as little time as you have.

Girlguiding Bedfordshire have so many great things to get involved in which are not only brilliant for our girls but brilliant for our leaders too. This year alone we have…

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Dragons in Tiaras is our Royal Garden Party designed especially for Brownies and will be hosted in the stately grounds of Wrest Park in Silsoe.

County Camp called Tracks 22 is a fun-filled four-night all-action activity camp for our Guides and Rangers on the Shuttleworth Estate.

A partnership with the RSPB encourages our members to explore nature and have outdoor adventures.

The Shuttleworth Challenge is an A-mazing day out! Explore a beautiful secret garden and the aircraft museum with a surprise around every corner.

Wrest Park Quest. Can you complete the Wrest Park Quest? Explore the historic grounds using a specially designed treasure map, follow the clues and discover the beautiful grounds.

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In short, the question isn’t Why would you volunteer? It is - Why wouldn’t you!

Join @Girlguiding as a volunteer today www.bit.ly/getinvolvedbeds or call Amanda on 07779 810505

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Quick Crossword Across 7 Tradition (6) 8 Collected by bees (6) 9 In this place (4) 10 Sews (8) 11 Elevating (7) 13 Big and solid (5) 15 Take a firm hold (5) 17 Extremely hot oven (7) 20 Preceding all others (8) 21 Entrance (4) 23 Occasion (6) 24 Messy (6)

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Down 1 Certain (4) 2 Capital of Greece (6) 3 Funny (7) 20 4 Gastropod (5) 5 Hanging spike of ice (6) 6 Dignified (8) 12 Flying vehicles (8) 14 Core group (7) 23 16 Communicate information (6) 18 Make ineffective (6) 19 Chemically inactive (5) 22 Rise and fall of sea level (4)

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Answers P21

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arts

Contribution thanks to

Shirley Course Shannon Express Chorus

COME AND SING Learn to sing in harmony with Shannon Express

www.shannonexpress.org.uk

Thursday before the pandemic, 30 men would turn up at Potton Lower ETheyvery School to sing four-part harmony. would learn their music with the help of teach tracks and go out in their stage gear to sing to people. They would practice until they could perform on their chorus risers without music.

Gradually, this has become reality again and now they are gearing up for a National Convention in Harrogate, a spot at the Potton Jubilee concert and several shows.

It’s now time to think about welcoming new singers to try the hobby and so they are planning a 5-week Harmony Singing course during May. Nobody needs to be a music reader for this and there will be a mini concert on the 5th week. This could be just what you are looking for!

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community

CALLING ALL STOTFOLD RESIDENTS Volunteers needed for Stotfold Street Watch!

B

edfordshire Police strives to protect the people within its community and is setting up schemes such as Community Street Watch to provide a visible presence in areas of concern and deter antisocial behaviour, building a community that looks out for each other.

Street Watch assists the Police by promoting good communication between local residents and the prompt reporting of suspicious activity. The presence and activities of Street Watch members will have a significant impact on issues within the community.

Street Watch is about helping keep your community safe by recruiting local residents to patrol in pairs for two hours a month at a time that suits themselves. We provide you with training as well as police identification, hi-vis tabard and other tools to help on your patrols.

All of our members are covered by our Public Liability and Personal Accident Insurance.

To join you would be asked to complete a vetting form and provide proof of identification. Training patrols will be supported by experienced Street Watch members and Bedfordshire Police.

For information on how to join and further enquiries please email: WatchSchemes@bedfordshire.pnn.police.uk

Can you help?

John McBurney, one of LivingLife’s editors, is currently an active member of both the Arlesey and Shefford Street Watch groups, however, John would like to help set up a Street Watch group in Stotfold.

John says, “As a Stotfold resident, it would be great to have some volunteers come forward to help create a Street Watch team for Stotfold. As a volunteer in the Arlesey and Shefford groups, I have witnessed the benefits that Street Watch can bring to the community. When out on a patrol our presence can provide valuable reassurance for the community especially the vulnerable and the elderly. It is also a fantastic way to get out and about and to meet new people.”

If you would like to volunteer and help create a Street Watch group for Stotfold then please contact the email address above.

Lynda Mia, a member of Shefford Street Watch says, “I enjoy Street Watch. I like to feel I’m helping my community and I’m making some great new friends.”

If you live in Arlesey and are interested in joining the Arlesey Street Watch team, then you can contact Alex Morris (alex.landman@ntlworld.com, 07799 353534) who will happily answer any questions you may have.

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ased our:

Tax year end is around the corner. Is your Tax Planning up to date?

Shefford-based Nicholas Turner can help you make sure you have efficiently used all your allowances for 2021/2022.

Nicholas Turner Chartered Financial Planner

e: nturner@kdw.co.uk t: 01462 632260 m:07393 340 029 w: www.kdw.co.uk v: Pensions Investments Tax Planning Equity Release Life Insurance Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the amount originally invested. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

KDW is a trading style of KD Wright Financial Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registration No: 509886.

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community

Contribution thanks to

Bumpa Smith

clifton walking group

Please contact for info:

Suzanne I’ons -07933709006 ionssuzanne@gmail.com

Membership of this group following my retirement was an easy step for me as the vision of the healthcare company I worked for over 40 years was “Movement is Life and Life is Movement”.

As a guide I try to keep fit by walking at least 20 miles a week; the target of 10,000 steps a day I appreciate was arbitrarily set in Japan without clear evidence, but it is a nice round figure to aim for, keep it simple. Sport England on 5 November 2021 quotes, “A major review of scientific evidence and expert clinical consensus has found physical activity is safe – even for people living with symptoms of multiple conditions.”

The NHS website states that walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active, lose weight and become healthier. Walking in a group is a great way to start your walking journey, make new friends and stay motivated;

Why not join us?

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Spend now, save later With the sudden hike in inflation we’ve seen of late, and the pressure to ‘make do and mend’ for ecological reasons, there seems no better time to reduce, reuse and recycle rather than buy new.

But there are some products that may be damaging both the planet and your pocket because you are hanging onto them – not just false economy but also false ecology, too.

Cars Ever hung on too long to a car that’s eventually cost more in total repairs than it did to buy? Buying a new (or even relatively new) car is expensive, but in the long run it may save you money.

ECONOMY: A new car should be more fuel efficient, saving you money on fuel costs. Treat it well and it shouldn’t need major maintenance for years, plus a brand-new car won’t need an MOT until it’s three years old.

ECOLOGY: Greater fuel efficiency and lower emissions mean newer cars tend to be greener, even more so if you opt for fullelectric or even a hybrid.

Tyres Squeezing the last few miles out of your tyres before changing them might seem like the best way to save money. Not always so.

ECONOMY: New tyres help your car run more efficiently and – more importantly than saving money – could save your life. It’s just not worth the risk of a few days more use.

ECOLOGY: Huge tyre companies such as Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear and Bridgestone have invested billions of pounds in making eco-friendly tyres. When it’s time to change, investigate your options.

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challenge. Unless you’re careful, reducing the tyre’s friction on the road will also reduce how well it grips. That makes it less safe. And no tyre maker wants to create a product that has a negative impact on road safety.

Boilers Once again, we can hang on to boilers too long and they can be expensive to repair, particularly if you need to call someone out overnight or during a holiday. Maintenance contracts aren’t always cheap either.

ECONOMY: Boilers account for around 55% of your energy costs; replacing your old one with an A-rated condensing boiler and modern heating controls will ensure your home and water are warm when needed but aren’t wasting energy when not, and could save you up to hundreds of pounds each year on those soaring energy bills.

ECOLOGY: A new boiler will reduce your energy use and carbon dioxide emissions.

Appliances Washing machines, tumble dryers and fridges are just a few of the appliances where starting again is likely to be the better option.

ECOMONY: Not only are later models designed to be more efficient from the outset, age makes these appliances less efficient. Whether it’s a leaking fridge seal or a washing machine clogged with dirt and scale, these white goods have a lifespan that is not as long as you would imagine.

ECOLOGY: The efficiency is better all round, but don’t feel too bad about throwing away an older and less efficient appliance, as most of the materials will be recycled provided you’ve disposed of it properly.

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charity

Contribution thanks to

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE CINNAMON TRUST?

Anna Maudlin

www.cinnamon.org.uk volunteer@cinnamon.org.uk

01736 757900

he Cinnamon Trust is the only specialist national charity which T seeks to relieve the anxieties, problems, and sometimes injustices, faced by elderly and terminally ill people and their pets, thereby saving a great deal of human sadness and animal suffering.

It is widely acknowledged that pets can positively benefit the well-being of elderly, and terminally ill owners. Pets are warm, loyal and constant companions – on hand 24 hours a day, every day, comforting, loving and protecting their owners – not only from outside threats, but also offering the more subtle form of protection from loneliness and despair. They boost morale, and they provide a fixed routine.

However, all the pleasures and benefits can be completely neutralised by intense anxiety regarding the fate of their devoted companion should the owner die, fall ill, or have to move to residential accommodation. If a loved pet dies, elderly owners are often very reluctant to have another pet, and life for them loses much of its warmth, light and purpose.

What does the Cinnamon Trust do?

Its primary objective is to respect and preserve the relationship between owners and their pets, so it works in partnership with owners to overcome any difficulties. A national network of over 18,000 community service volunteers has been established to provide practical help when any aspect of day-to-day care poses a problem – for example, walking the dog for a housebound owner.

A national fostering service is provided for pets whose owners face a spell in hospital – volunteers take pets into their own homes and supply care in abundance until owner and pet can be reunited.

The owner is kept in touch with visits, if possible, or regular photos and letters.

The Cinnamon Trust also provides long term care for pets whose owners have died or moved to residential accommodation which will not accept pets. Arrangements are made between owners and the Trust well in advance, so owners do have peace of mind in the knowledge that their beloved companion will have a safe and happy future. The Trust can also supply a register of pet friendly care homes.

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health

Contribution thanks to

EVENING OF HEALTH AWARENESS

Jaqui Derrick

Care Co-ordinator Ivel Valley South Primary Care Network

bedccg.carecoordinator.ivs@nhs.net

Ivel Valley South Primary Network invites you to an Evening of Health Awareness on Wednesday 20th April from 6.30-7.30pm at Shefford Health Centre.

During the evening, we have a team of specialists, GP’s, and nurses, along with the personalised care team. There will be information areas, along with talks by guest speakers, with time to answer questions about health screening.

Our specialist speakers will offer short presentations including: • Understanding and living with diabetes • Be breast aware (this includes men too)!

• Prostate and PSA testing • Bowel and FIT testing • Cervical Screening …and will cover screening queries such as: • When and how will I be invited?

• How do I decide if I want screening?

• How do I book an appointment?

• What happens at my appointment?

• Can I bring someone with me?

• How will I get my results?

• What are the differences between type 1, type 2 and pre-diabetes?

• How does diet affect diabetes?

• Is blood pressure monitoring important, and what does it tell me about my health?

• When and where can I get my blood pressure tested and can I do this myself at home?

There will be an opportunity to ask your own questions to our specialists, and to gather lots of information to help you make informed decisions.

Our invitation extends to all patients at Shefford Health Centre, Lower Stondon Surgery, Arlesey Medical Centre and Larksfield Surgery - there’s no need to book, just turn up for a free, full evening of heath awareness.

Remember, screening can prevent serious illness. Be aware by understanding your health and wellbeing; by spotting the signs, treatment is more likely to be successful when diagnosis is made early.

You can email any enquiries about this event to

bedccg.carecoordinator.ivs@nhs.net.

We hope you are able to join us.

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SCENE BY YOU Your chance to share your favourite photos

Submit your photo for the next edition www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/myphotos

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2 5 A big thanks to this month’s submissions

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Anna Revell

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Chris Hall

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Dave Hardaway

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Linda Parcell

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Peter Bower

Beautiful January morning in Clifton Stotfold Nature Reserve

A Clifton Bee

Spring is in the air Egret in Shefford millennium park

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