April/May 2017 by Local Zest Ltd

APRIL / MAY • DUDLEY • SEDGLEY • LOWER & UPPER GORNAL • HIMLEY • SWINDON • BRIERLEY HILL • AMBLECOTE • ASHWOOD • KINGSWINFORD • WALL HEATH • WORDSLEY • STOURBRIDGE • WOLLASTON • ENVILLE • KINVER • STOURTON • HAGLEY • PEDMORE • BELBROUGHTON • KIDDERMINSTER • CHADDERSLEY CORBETT • BLAKEDOWN • COOKLEY • HARTLEBURY • HABBERLEY • BEWDLEY • WOLVERLEY www.localzest.co.uk

FIESTA ST-LINE FIESTA ST-LINE INTRODUCING THE NEW INTRODUCING THE NEW INTRODUCING THE NEW

Your adrenaline’s rushing, and you haven’t even stepped inside the car yet. A full body styling kit, 17˝ rock metallic alloys and a sports interior. Your adrenaline’s rushing, and you haven’t even stepped inside the car yet. The ST-Line has all the practicality of a Ford Fiesta with the exhilarating styling A full body styling kit, 17˝ rock metallic alloys and a sports interior. of a performance car. There’s just one thing left to do – start the engine. The ST-Line has all the practicality of a Ford Fiesta with the exhilarating styling Your adrenaline’s rushing, andjust you one haven’t even inside the car yet. of a performance car. There’s thing left stepped to do – start the engine. A full body styling kit, 17˝ rock metallic alloys and a sports interior. The ST-Line has all the practicality of a Ford Fiesta with the exhilarating styling of a performance car. There’s just one thing left to do – start the engine.

Contents

Home & Garden

Pages 6-18

Leisure & Lifestyle

Page 19 - 35

Business & Finance

Pages 36 - 38

Food & Drink

Pages 40 – 45

Beauty

Pages 46 - 49

Health & Fitness

Pages 51 - 61

Motors

Page 62 – 67

Horoscopes

Pages 48 & 49

Just for Fun Puzzles

Pages 39 & 40

All Advertising & Content Enquiries Sam Richards: sam@localzest.co.uk

£1000 CUSTOMER SAVING 0% FINANCE AVAILABLE

Local Zest Magazine Office 28 – Suite 2 28 Cleveland Street Wolverhampton WV1 3HT Tel. 01902 906020 Mob. 07738 237153 www.localzest.co.uk

FREE METALLIC PAINT UPGRADE PLUS FREE SATELLITE NAVIGATION UPGRADE T Wall Ford T Wall Ford High Street, Pensnett

Kingswinford, DY6 8XB High Street, Pensnett Tel. 01384 288333 T Wall FordDY6 8XB Kingswinford, www.twallford.co.uk Tel. High01384 Street,288333 Pensnett www.twallford.co.uk Kingswinford, DY6 8XB Tel. 01384 Important Information288333 www.twallford.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for Ford Fiesta ST-Line range: urban 50.4-65.7 (5.6-4.3), extra urban 72.4-88.3 (3.9-3.2), combined 62.8-78.5 (4.5-3.6). Official CO2 emissions 104-94g/km. Important Information

The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience. Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for Ford Fiesta ST-Line range: urban 50.4-65.7 (5.6-4.3), extra urban 72.4-88.3 (3.9-3.2), combined 62.8-78.5 (4.5-3.6). Official CO2 emissions 104-94g/km. The mpg figures quoted are sourced from official EU-regulated test results (EU Directive and Regulation 692/2008), are provided for comparability purposes and may not reflect your actual driving experience.

Important Information

The small print We gratefully acknowledge the support of businesses whose adverts appear in Local Zest magazine and whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, Local Zest cannot take responsibility for loss, damage or omission in an advert or editorial. All artwork is accepted on strict condition that permission has been given for use in this publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descriptions of good and services are fair and accurate. Local Zest Ltd does not endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without prior consent. All rights reserved.

Welcome Note from the editor

o finally we’ve sprung forward and with the sporadic few bright sunny days we’ve had, it’s a sure fire way to make people feel better, am I right? Plus, we have three bank holidays on the horizon, fingers crossed the improved weather sticks around!

ow if your home is anything like mine, you will have what feels like a million Easter Eggs hanging around well after the Easter weekend? Well if you’re like me, this is a recipe for disaster for the old diet then take a look at our chocolate inspired recipes this month which will help you use up that abundance of chocolate a little bit quicker.

Time For SomeZest! Welcome to your Local Zest magazine

April/May

Once again, a huge thank you to all the local businesses who continue to support Local Zest. If the need arises for you for one of their services, pop them on the shopping list and don’t forget to give us a zesty mention!

In this edition of Local Zest we are talking allergies. This may be or may not be a subject you personally are familiar with but with Allergy Awareness Week from the 25th April – 1st May, we caught up with Allergy UK and Lisa Taylor, a parent of an allergy sufferer about how life has changed and what to look out for. Calum, the cover star this month is almost seven years old and suffers from severe allergies and has done since he was born. Check out page 52

Take a look at our chocolate inspired recipes this month which will help you use up that abundance of chocolate a little bit quicker.

on the scales and measurements seven months since my last Hypoxi treatment and find out how I’ve done so far in round two on pages 56-57 LVL Treatment Plus check out on page 47 how the lovely Emily from Rejuvenate, Kidderminster got my lashes looking lovely and holiday ready! Don’t forget we absolutely love to hear from you here at Local Zest, so if you know something that we don’t, let us know and we can help share it with the 10,000 homes we deliver to each and every month. If you have a local news story or an event that you are helping to organise, maybe you are looking to promote your own business, drop us email and let us help! Enjoy your read, see you next month!

Sam xx

So with Summer fast approaching and the holiday season looming I was delighted to hear from my friends at Rejuvenate Kidderminster who wanted to help me get in shape for Summer. Now some of you may remember this is something I tried last year and had a really positive experience with but never managed to complete the recommended six week programme which I was so disappointed about! Anyway, the important thing is I am well and truly back on the wagon and you can read all about how I faired

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Home & Garden

Home & Garden ADVERTORIAL

Rose

the Plant of Month

Garden roses are one of the most popular and widely cultivated groups of flowering plants yet they vary immensely in colour, scent and flower shape as well as growing style. Rose flowers are available in a host of colours and shades, from bright pinks and reds through to crisp whites; always popular and classic choice for bridal bouquets all year round. In the garden, roses are grown as bushes, climbers or shrubs yet most garden roses prefer well-watered, rich soil in areas of full sunlight. Adding special rose fertiliser in spring will help to ensure they flower profusely and remain healthy. Pruning is vital to encourage new growth and is best performed late February to early March.

Househ old Tips

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years of experience Cloudy2Clear have a wealth of knowledge and are recognised as a Which Trusted Trader, plus our work is backed by an industry leading 25 year guarantee. Cloudy2Clear also replace faulty locks handles and hinges on all windows and doors. Your friendly local Cloudy2Clear specialist is Brian Stanley and he services the Black Country region. So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Brian a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118.

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Cooking Spaghetti

Oven Cleaning

Whilst cooking, spaghetti, rice or noodles, add one teaspoon of cooking oil or one teaspoon of butter to the water in the pan.

To reduce the frequency of oven cleaning, try lining the bottom of your oven with aluminium foil cut to size.

This will prevent the water from boiling over and help to stop the grains or strands from sticking together.

The foil catches drips and grease and can be easily replaced when dirty. Saving you time and effort !

April/May

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ALL CHANGE Spring Has Sprung!

For many, Spring is their favourite season, with its wealth of sights, smells and sounds - just right to give our Winter-cossetted bodies a wake-up call! Specks of bright green shoots poke through the frosty cold ground and, as if by magic, begin to blossom into brightly coloured flowers. Gauzy blossom and bird song fill the air and a sense of change and new beginnings are amplified by the appearance of cute baby animals, big and small. The weather does its bit too in making us want to get outside to discover and explore. So, if you’re tired of being cooped up indoors and need an excuse for an adventure, why not try these fun-filled activities with a focus on exploring change, which will have adults and children alike exploring a host of why’s!

Ice Eggs Put mini plastic dinosaurs or insects in

hollow plastic eggs (available from a range of educational stockists). Stand in an ice cream tub then fill with water and freeze. Provide the frozen eggs in a container or water tray together with some utensils, a meat tenderiser and a container of salt for children to excavate the creature in each egg. Explore together what happens when they sprinkle the ice with the salt and what are the best ways to excavate the creatures (www.playtoz.co.uk).

Ice Pictures

Collect or make thin panes of ice, like the ice that forms on top of puddles. Provide food colouring and pipettes for the children to drip onto the ice. The resulting patterns make a thrilling spectacle as the dye travels through the tiny holes in the ice making amazing patterns as it does so. Experiment with adding more than one colour to different parts of the ice to see if they meet and mix. Talk about what they think is happening as the colour spreads into the thin capillaries in the ice. Experiment with what happens if they use powder paint and sieves or spoons to sprinkle the colour instead.

Spring Sensory Shaker Go on a hunt out-

doors to pick flower or leaves. Put these in a plastic drink bottle then fill to the top with water. Add some glitter, sequins or beads, before firmly securing the lid with tape. Gently shake the bottle to create a windy Spring day!

Icy Magnets Freeze some magnets in an

ice cube tray then add to a container of water for children to explore attraction with magnets. Include some ice cubes with plastic mini beasts inside instead to introduce surprise and talk about what happens and which objects the magnets attract and why.

The Early bird catches the Worm

Watch birds scavenging for food and you’ll probably spot one pulling a fat juicy worm from the ground. You can make your own jelly worms by pouring liquid jelly into a bundle of drinking straws stood upright in a jug. The challenge is getting them to set before the jelly runs out so you will need to pack the straws tightly! Provide in a tray or container for the children to gently squeeze the hidden worms out! Children will have great fun exploring the slimy jelly with clean hands, before trying a few like the birds! If you don’t have time to make these, you can simply add some food colouring to cooked spaghetti for some great tactile fun)

Cress Provide cress seed, cotton wool or kitchen towel and either recycled margarine tubs or empty egg shells for children to grow cress. Even the most impatient gardeners will be captivated by their crop of cress, especially if it’s planted in the shape of a picture or their name or trimmed to look like a haircut! Raindrop Races If you can’t find a river or sticks for pooh sticks why not play raindrop races instead? Have a raindrop race with a friend? Each pick a raindrop at the top of the window and see which one makes it to the bottom the first. Whatever the weather this April, there’s no excuse not to be outside exploring a world of change and wows! By Sue Gascoyne

sue@playtoz.co.uk Sue is a published author, trainer and educational consultant. She is the founder of Play to Z Ltd, specialist providers of award winning Sensory Play resources. For more fun, sensory play activities, Sue’s latest research, resources and training go to www.playtoz.co.uk.

Home & Garden

GARDEN VIEW Blooming Baskets!

It’s hanging basket season! They can be a source of delight but also a source of stress. It’s easy for a hanging basket to fail badly. Too sparsely ﬁlled and they look bedraggled. Too little water and death is swift! The secret to growing a successful basket lays both in the way it’s planted but also in sensible aftercare. Plant the basket with bedding plants at the beginning of May but don’t plant them out for a couple of weeks, especially if you live in a more exposed area. Instead give them some shelter in a porch, or unheated greenhouse, or even under polythene at the side of the house. This allows the new plants to grow and toughen up a little before they are hung in their final position. Check that your bracket and chains for signs of rust and also check that the bracket is securely fixed to the wall. Hanging baskets are extremely heavy, especially when they are wet and you really don’t want your lovingly-planted 10

orb of flowers to be deposited unceremoniously all over the floor! Planting is easiest if you balance the basket on a large flowerpot or bucket. Fibrous liners help to retain water and look nicer than polythene. For extra moisture retention place a circle of polythene in the base of the basket before filling with soil. The best planting medium is soilless multi-purpose compost, mixed with water-retaining granules. Place a layer of compost in the base of the basket and push the first layer of plants through. Trailing plants such as lobelia, bidens and ivy-leafed pelargoniums look lovely but you can be as creative as you like. Water the plants in their containers before planting them and

April/May

squeeze the rootball firmly to make it small enough to push though the mesh from the outside. Plant quite densely and gradually build up layers of plants and soil. When it’s full to within 3 cm of the rim you can plant up the top with more upright, compact bushy plants like begonias, petunias and pelargoniums. Make sure your basket never dries out. It will be reliant on you for all water and nutrition. If you water it at least once a day and feed with dilute tomato fertilizer once a week I promise it will be blooming basket in the best possible way. Happy gardening By Rachael Leverton

Home & Garden

Dream Doors

The kitchen is the heart of every home, from the chaos of getting the children off to school, the grabbed coffee before work, preparing the Sunday roast with family and friends round or maybe a quiet moment to yourself with a cup of tea. Is it any wonder that so many of us spend time dreaming of our perfect kitchen?

arriving back to a completely transformed kitchen. The beauty of using a professional company such as Dream Doors is that everything will be properly fitted for you and tidied up afterwards without a huge upheaval and overnight you have increased the value of your home and saved yourself £1000’s off the cost of a new kitchen. Can’t be bad!

A new kitchen is also said to add between 2-5% to the value of your home but with new kitchens costing above £10,000+ for a bespoke solution, you may need to re-mortgage just to afford one. Not to mention living off takeaways for weeks and the dust, noise and disruption of the builders. Fortunately a new and growing trend is to avoid the mess, disruption and huge costs by having a kitchen makeover and it is not hard to understand why.

If you are looking at a makeover purely to increase the sale value of your home then pick a neutral colour and use less expensive accessories to bring the look together. The current fashion is creams for doors and marble look laminate worktops finish and if you look around any show home at the moment there are reflective surfaces everywhere so steal their ideas and go light, bright and shiny to increase your chances of a quick sale.

Most kitchens have already maximised the space available and all that’s needed is a facelift. Replacement kitchen doors and perhaps a new sink and worktops can transform a kitchen in 1-2 days. Imagine staying away for a day and

For ideas and inspiration book your FREE consultation today with Gary at Dream Doors, Stourbridge on 01384 375224.

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Home & Garden

A Good Read

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Noughts and Crosses by Marjorie Blackman

Authors draw inspiration from many places and it has been said that there are only so many stories to be told. Very often the skill of the storyteller is not in the story but in how it is told. Ancient mythology is a common source of inspiration and it is from the old Celtic myths of Ireland that this New Zealand author has turned for this historical fantasy fiction. Based loosely on the legend of the Children of Lir and elements of the German fairy-tale ‘The Six Swans’ Marillier manages to conjure up the rich and mystical landscape of ancient Ireland.

For today’s teenagers the mid-20th century really is history, and the attitudes of that time are alien to their lives. Young people today are exposed to such a range of cultures and people that segregation (South African apartheid or the Jewish ghettos) can seem unimaginable. Yet even a cursory glance at the news reveals that it is perilously real for some, and not just those in foreign lands.

Sorcha is the youngest of seven children and is raised largely by her six older brothers following the death of her mother during her birth. Her father remarries but his new wife is jealous and attacks the children. Sorcha escapes but her brothers are all turned into swans. Desperate to save them she learns that they will be freed if she weaves six shirts out of nettles without speaking a word to anyone. Retreating into the forest to complete her task she is cared for by the faerie-folk and visited twice a year by her brothers in human form. But if Sorcha thought that this seemingly impossible task was all that awaited her she was very much mistaken. This engrossing story will completely transport you to a magical landscape, evocative of Tolkien and ancient mythology.

This is why Marjorie Blackman’s award-winning teen novel is so unsettling. It tells of a divided society with two groups. The Crosses are the lucky ones: born into privilege and wealth. They run the country and have the best funded schools. But the Crosses couldn’t function without the other half – the noughts. The noughts are the bottom half of society. Their purpose is to work for Crosses and to keep the country ticking over. They are suppressed at every opportunity. This is segregation taken to the extreme: and it doesn’t work along the lines you might think it does. At the start of the story 13-year-old Sephy (a Cross) is secretly continuing a childhood friendship with Callum (a nought). This is a friendship that seems to be on a path to self-destruction as their feelings for each other grow. Fuelled by the growing uprising among noughts and the Liberation Militia the two teenagers are destined to be pulled apart. Blackman presents many echoes of the past: America in the 50s, South Africa under apartheid, and even the IRA of the 70s and 80s. Add to this some inspiration from Romeo and Juliet and you have a novel that will challenge the way you view the world.

By Willow Coby 14

April/May

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Home & Garden

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Choosing a new fridge

The fridge has come of age. Gone are the days of a squat little white cupboard with a tiny freezer compartment. Fridges have gone large! Some even come with custom panels that exactly match your kitchen cabinets. There are six basic types of fridge: Top Freezer - A traditional fridge, that's good for a fairly tight spot. These tend to offer the most space for their size but need space for a wide swing of the doors. They also require you to crouch to reach the lower shelves which may be an issue if you are tall or have arthritic knees.

French Door - This has two narrow doors on top, opening from the centre, and the freezer below. The space-saving small-swing doors have the added value of opening only half the fridge when stashing smaller items. They tend to be wider than top or bottom freezers. Side-by-Side - With the fridge on one side and freezer on the other, these usually have through-the-door ice and water dispensers and temperature-controlled. The narrow doors can be useful if your kitchen is small abut some donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t open wide enough for large boxes, and the tall, narrow compartments can mean some items disappear to the back, never to be seen again! 16

April/May

WE DO KARNDEAN

Compact or Mini - Perfect for a bedsit or a kitchenette. Keep in mind these models may have only one quarter the capacity of a regular fridge, but cost just as much to operate. Always measure where you plan to put the fridge before you buy. Check too that it can fit through doorways and remember that you will need space to open the swing doors and for a one inch clearance around sides and back for adequate airflow. Bigger is probably better as it means you can shop in bulk, and smaller models do not necessarily mean smaller running costs. Energy efficiency - All new fridges are a lot more efficient than they were a decade ago. They all have to be A+ rated now. Yet even between A+ models running costs can vary widely. Your fridge runs for 24 hours per day so it makes sense to d your research. Compare the Energy Guide labels of your favoured fridges, and then compare the annual operating costs and the kilowatt-hours used per year. Do all this and you will be a very cool customer when it comes to making your purchase. By Tony Ashcroft

ER ST S EA FFER O

Bottom Freezer - We tend to use the freezer less so it might make good sense to have the fridge shelves at eye-level. You tend to need a larger model to get the same useable capacity as a top freezer.

Built-In - These are made to fit almost flush with cabinets and counters. They are typically bottom-freezer or sideby-side styles and match your cabinets.

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Home & Garden

Leisure & Lifestyle

Pet Health

St George’s Day Did you know that St George never actually set foot in Britain? It’s believed he was born in Lydda in Palestine, or in Cappadocia (now in central Turkey), and brought up in Palestine. His father was a Roman soldier, and when his parents died, George decided he would travel to Nicomedia (Turkey) to join the Roman army. He served for several years, progressing up the ranks to become an imperial guard of the Emperor.

Pitter Patter Paws (Part 2) A guide to choosing your pet - what next? Long before you bring your pet home, on top of the research you undertook to ensure which pet was the right one for you and your family, you now have more homework and decisions to make. So, let this guide you to know the things that you need to do to make the transition from breeder/rescue centre to home. Hopefully this will give you the chance to get things in order so that it is as stress free as possible for you and your newcomer. Finding a good veterinary surgery has always been my number one priority as a pet owner. I have always wanted the peace of mind that should I need a vet in an emergency I can just pick up the phone and know that my pet will be in trusted hands. Now practices come in all shapes and sizes; from sole practitioners, multiple sites and hospitals. Some big, some small; some provide an adequate service and others a premium service. The choice is yours, but do your homework. Ask your friends who they use, look at websites and look on social media sites. Who grabs you? Read testimonials, yes there will be those that gripe, but overall what are people saying? How many reviews are there? Even just a handful speak volumes. How long are their consultation appointments; 5 minutes or 15 minutes? Is preventative care high on their agenda or do you visit when you have a problem? Every practice should have a brochure or literature on who they are and what they do. Though I also find the practice website to be a great source of information. Who works there? What level of staff do they have? Kennel maids or registered Veterinary Nurses? Are there any certificate holders amongst the vets, and how long have they been qualified?

April/May

One last thing, is the surgery an accredited practice? Not all are and some owners feel this is very important. When you find the practice for you, register your pet. This is where you can now take your pet for his/her vaccinations, routine healthcare, advice and emergency treatment. Most practices offer a healthcare scheme which helps to spread the cost of vaccination, worming and flea treatments etc. and is very cost-effective to the owner. Vaccinations in pets is essential to protect them from potentially fatal illnesses, not to do so will put them at risk. Most animals from rescue centres are now microchipped. It is now required by law in England and Wales that all dogs be chipped which should reduce the number of abandoned and abused pets. It is a simple, safe permanent method of identifying a pet and reuniting it with its owners should it get lost or stolen. It is highly recommended that for the same reasons cats are microchipped though they are not legally required to be done. Your vet will talk to you about neutering your pet as this prevents unwanted litters and provides health benefits to your pets. Do look up insurance as emergency care is expensive; after all we insure our cars not because we want to have an accident but because should one happen we are prepared. Your veterinary practice will be able to advise you. Finally, your puppy or kitten, adult cat or dog is ready to join you at home. Remember this is very stressful period, leaving mum and litter mates or the security of the kennel/ cattery. Provide a crate for security and a calm welcoming environment for your fur baby. Give him/her time to adjust and rest away from the hubbub of family life and you will be amazed how quickly he/she will fit in. Is that the pitter patter of paws down the hallway?! Enjoy... Danielle Giles, Heathside Veterinary Surgery www.heathsidevets.co.uk

George was a devout Christian, and was tortured and executed for refusing to give up his Christian faith. It’s believed that he was killed on 23rd April 300AD, which is why St George’s Day is celebrated on April 23rd each year. So where does the dragon come into it? The legend of George and the dragon dates back hundreds of years, to the 11th century, if not earlier. According to the legend, a dragon was terrorising a small village. The villagers would sacrifice their children to appease the dragon. One day George was riding past the village and met a young princess, whose turn it was to be sacrificed. George rescued

the girl and offered to slay the dragon for the villagers, if they would convert to Christianity. They agreed, so he killed the dragon. Today the Feast of St George is celebrated in countries across the world, including Palestine, Syria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. If you’re taking part, perhaps you could adopt the old English custom of wearing a red rose in your lapel on St George’s Day.

By Kate Duggan

Shakespeare Day Shakespeare Day will be celebrated on 23rd April.

The date is linked to the date he died; as no one knows when Shakespeare was born because there is no record. It is known however that he was baptized on 26 April 1564 and died on 23 April 1616. Those celebrating may choose to attend the festivities held in Stratford Upon Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace. This is where Shakespeare, who was one of eight children, spent much of his early life and where he married Anne Hathaway who bore him three children. He is also thought to have retired to Stratford in 1613. The bells of Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare attended as a child will be rung and the Mayor will lead a procession which includes bands, other civic leaders, school children and actors. This will culminate with the Mayor putting flowers on Shakespeare’s grave. There will be activities for the whole weekend 22-23 April in celebration.

38 dramas and 154 sonnets. Here you can also visit buildings, houses and museums associated with the ‘Bard.’ It’s a great destination for Spring break.

By Susan Brookes-Morris

The Globe theatre in London is associated with the time Shakespeare spent in the Capital as a playwright, actor and poet and houses an exhibition in honour of him. In Warwickshire’s Stratford, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre brings to life his work which includes www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

Kinver Jewellers SUCCESSFUL DATING The Secrets to Successful Dating (part 2/3) By Sophie Personne - www.successful-dating.com In Part 1, we looked at the reasons why the traditional dating information available to us should be taken with a pinch of salt and mainly invites people to ‘play games, as opposed to being themselves. The tips below are what I would class as real advice, which will hopefully give you a better understanding of what you should do, and help to take you on your very own journey. Be Happy Single Actually, finding a partner should not be the only thing you aim for. Some people have an air of desperation about themselves, which they are not even aware of. It is also often one the main reasons why they feel they can’t meet anyone. Taking time out before rushing into another relationship is - without a shadow of a doubt - a must so you can reassess what you want from life. Learn from the past, look at what didn’t work for you and what did work. Be honest to yourself about what you truly want and focus on it. So many people just settle on the first person that shows them some interest and enter the vicious circle time and again. Don’t be obsessed with the fact you are single and don’t be afraid to be alone. Enjoy your life and the rest will follow - ‘If

you aren’t happy single, you won’t be happy taken’. Be Honest About Who You Are We have probably all been there at some point in our lives but it really isn’t about getting someone to think that you are ‘good enough’ or changing your personality for them... Again, this will only lead you to nowhere and is normally a sign you are not attracting the kind of person you need. Look at whether the two of you are really suited, have the same desires and vision in life. Don’t tell white lies just because you want someone to like you and once again, be yourself - you will save yourself a lot of heartache that way. Remember that you are only wasting your time but theirs too. Relationships often do not work because people change - they don’t really change, they just remove the front and become their true selves. We all have ﬂaws Don’t get hung up on the other person’s annoying little quirks... We all have them and should expect them in others too. They should only become an issue if some of the behaviours displayed show the signs of future lack of respect or abuse. Only then should you run for the hills.

On the same token, if someone says they are ‘too damaged’ or ‘too anything’, they probably are so take their word for it. Do not try and fix them as these people are normally happy as martyrs and don’t really want to be better. Besides, if they really want to change, only they can do the work required when they are ready to.

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The more you worry, the less you will enjoy the experience for a start but if it doesn’t work, it just means you are not suited. Just take the rejection gracefully, there’s nothing wrong with you or them for that matter. It’s just not right so just be happy you had the chance to enjoy some time with that person and find out. Relax and have the confidence to be yourself. Relationships that do not work should not be regarded as failures but as learning opportunities.

(near Stourbridge in the West Midlands), you’ll find one of

More tips to come in Part 3…

Sophie Personne is a Relationships Expert and Author. Her ﬁrst book ‘Your Other Half – The Guide to Better Relationships with Others & Yourself’ is available now. 20

April/May

Kinver Jewellers offer

a kind pieces, a friendly service, professional repairs and remodelling, as well as expert knowledge of the craft. Bespoke handmade jewellery design • In house workshop Quality diamond and gem set jewellery Remodelling and restorations • Valuations • Repairs and cleaning Watch and clock repairs • Gold & silver buyers

01384 877881 www.kinverjewellers.com

Open Tuesday – Saturday 9.30am – 4.30pm 3 Chenevare Mews, Kinver, DY7 6HB

Leisure & Lifestyle

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE. Where is your nearest comedy club? Current research suggests it’s worth knowing where you can get a good laugh as it may improve your health. Laughter is like a good massage - A good belly laugh relaxes the muscles for up to 45 minutes. It lowers stress and wards off colds - Stress hormones take a toll on our bodies making it difficult for us to fight off illness. Studies suggest that laughing not only reduces levels of these hormones, it boosts the immune system. So dig out those old episodes of Father Ted or Dad’s Army!

Flashback @ the Manor 2nd June 2017 £27.95 per guest

Join us for a two course dinner a night of music taking you from the 70’s, right up to date with our house DJ

It increases pain tolerance - According to neuroscientist Robert Provine, pain reduction is one of the biggest benefits of laughter. Studies have proved that those who watch or experience comedic content are able to tolerate more pain, probably due to the release of hormones called endorphins. It’s good exercise - The body’s response to laughter is quite similar to the body’s response to exercise. After several seconds of laughter, your heart rate elevates. We don’t recommend that lie about watching reruns of Seinfeld all day but as part of a healthy lifestyle comedy is a great addition. It’s a heart-friendly activity - Scientists at The University of Maryland determined that subjects with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in many situations compared to those without heart disease; and in fact were more prone to anger and hostility. I can’t say for certain that laughter really is the best medicine, but it certainly won’t hurt you to book a ticket to see your favourite comedian. Take a friend because research also suggests that we laugh even more when we are in the company of others, so you both get a double dose of healthy happiness. By Tracey Anderson

BANK HOLIDAYS I’m in two minds about bank holidays. On the one hand it’s a holiday, yay, and there are two of them in May…another yay; on the other it’s a prescribed holiday so most people are off work at the same time, so there are queues and traffic jams wherever you go. It would make more sense to me if bank holidays were rolled into an additional 8 days of compulsory leave which could be taken anytime we like. In the UK we actually fair pretty badly in the bank holiday stakes anyway. 8 public holidays is not a lot. The Italians have 12 days; the Austrians 13, while Spain and Portugal enjoy 14 public holidays per year! There has been a long-running campaign for an extra bank holiday in the UK somewhere around October. This is favoured because the period from August Bank Holiday to Christmas is a long time to work without a break! Past Prime Ministers have on occasion indicated this might be a possibility. It occurred to me that we might get a bonus ‘Brexit’ Bank holiday if the current incumbent of No. 10 feels she needs a popularity boost. Not everyone would welcome it though. The Confederation of British Industry calculates that just one extra day could cost the nation £6.5 billion. It sounds a lot but they also calculate that the cost to the economy of work-related stress and mental health problems is somewhere between £4-5 billion, and that sick-days cost over £12 billion per year. Given those figures it might be presumed that a couple of extra days’ holiday per year could prove beneficial over all. However you plan to spend your two bank holidays this month make sure you check the travel news. I plan to stay local. There are loads of great things to do on our doorstep and I really don’t want to spend my extra day off stuck in a traffic jam! By Sarah Davey.

April/May

70 vs 80 Disco

80s vs 90 Disco

Join us for a two course dinner a night of music taking you from the 70’s, right up to date with our house DJ

Join us for a two course dinner a night of music taking you from the 80’s, right up to date with our house DJ

28th July 2017 £27.95 per guest

22nd September 2017 £27.95 per guest

For more information please contact the hotel 01562 777 555 or email sales@stonemanorhotel.com

www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

Enter the Save-Zone, from 3-9pm Pre-register online at intu.co.uk/merryhill; for your chance to win a £300 intu Gift Card (T&Cs apply).

INTU MERRY HILL GEARS UP FOR A BRAND NEW BUS STATION Earlier this year, intu and Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, began a refurbishment programme to remodel the bus station at intu Merry Hill shopping centre. With the ﬁrst stage of the redevelopment programme complete, and phase two currently in progress, the project is due to be completed by late Spring 2017. The project will see brand new enclosed shelters being built at the station, with covered walkways between each terminal to keep visitors warm and dry, and automatic doors that open upon arrival the bus to improve the safety of the station. The improvements will also include real-time information boards, so

visitors can keep up-to-date with exactly when their bus will be arriving. With work currently underway and the redesign taking shape, Dan Murphy, the general manager at intu Merry Hill said “the modernisation of the bus station is the first stage of an on-going scheme of improvements here at intu Merry Hill, which shoppers will experience over the coming STUDENT SHOPPING UK years”. He explained; “around one-in-five shoppers to the centre arrive by bus, so we want the bus STUDENTthey SHOPPING UK station to meet the high standards have come to expect from the rest of the centre.”

STUDENT SHOPPING UK 24

April/May

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SHOPPING

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UK www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

Out and About

Whether you are planning a well earned night out with the other half or something with friends we have scoured the area to ﬁnd out what’s happening and where during April and May. With Spring ﬁnally sprung and a few days of sunshine reported, I don’t know about you but I am much more inclined to get out and about! Here’s our top picks!

The Grand Theatre Rock of Ages 25th – 29th April

It’s the tail end of the big, bad 1980s in Hollywood, and the party has been raging hard at The Bourbon Room, one of the Sunset Strips last legendary venues. Aspiring rock star (and resident toilet cleaner) Drew longs to take to the stage as the next big thing. He also longs for starry-eyed smalltown girl Sherri, fresh off the bus from Kansas. But the rock and roll fairy-tale is about to end when developers sweep into town with plans to turn the Strip into a mall. Can Drew, Sherri and the gang save the strip–and themselves–before it’s too late? Only the anthems of 80s bands Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Europe and more hold the answer.

Cookery Demonstration by Simon Smith 28th April – 9th June

A light-hearted and informative demonstration of dishes from around the globe. Vietnam to

April/May

Morocco and everywhere in between, easy and stunning dishes for the home chef to broaden the repertoire with lots of ‘cheffy tips’.

The Solid Silver 60’s Show – 30th April

Over 30 years, the SOLID SILVER 60s SHOW has entertained the nation and celebrated history’s most successful decade of music.

The Palace Theatre, Redditch Sweeney Todd 25th-29th April

Unanimously acclaimed by the critics as one of Stephen Sondheim’s most powerful scores, this black comedy concerns the infamous homicidal career of Sweeney Todd

An Audience with Martin Kemp 4th May

Join us for an up close and personal evening of conversation with Martin Kemp.

Jasper Carrott’s Stand Up and Rock – 10th – 13th May JASPER CARROTT - BEV BEVAN - GEOFF TURTON Phil Tree – Tony Kelsey – Abby Brant and introducing Suzi Woo. Stand Up & Rock is back…. The 2017 tour will see the legendary Jasper Carrott back with a new stand up show before introducing his musical compatriots that have been ‘rockin’ audiences all over the world. Bev Bevan, as well as being Jasper’s mate has rock star credentials that most dream of…founding member of The Move and ELO Bev’s band are one of the finest around. Joining them are Geoff Turton from the Rockin Berries and Suzi Woo.

For more information and to buy tickets visit www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk

Repair Café Wyre Forest

6th May (The Youth House, Bromsgrove Street, Kidderminster) The Repair Café is a friendly, relaxing and social meeting space where you can bring broken, damaged or torn household and personal items for advice or repair free of charge. Run entirely by volunteers, anyone can pop in even just for a cuppa and a slice of cake served from the kitchen. Repairs are free but donations are encouraged to ensure the Repair Café can keep running in future.

For more information contact Alison Burton on 01562 824490.

Dudley Zoo 23rd April

The perfect family day out with the little ones. Celebrating their 80th birthday this year, Dudley Zoological Gardens is home to more than 1300 animals including some of the worlds rarest creatures. DZG is much more than a zoo surrounded with rich geological history around the ruins of the 11th century Dudley Castle.

St George’s Day Celebrations Bargain tickets are available now for St George’s Day celebrations at Dudley Zoological Gardens. Dudley Council and Dudley Zoological Gardens have teamed up to host a fantastic day to celebrate the legend of St George. To mark the occasion, the zoo has a limited number of tickets for people to gain admission to the attraction from 3pm at just £2.50 per person.

Book you visit online at www.dudleyzoo.org.uk

Dudley Town Hall

Jenny Éclair How to be a Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane) 18th May

You are most welcome to join her, just button your cardi up properly and wipe that lipstick off your teeth.

For more information or to buy tickets visit www.boroughhalls.co.uk .

West Midland Safari Park Discover your wild side with family at West Midlands Safari Park, visit the Land of the Living Dinosaurs and drive through safari! Admission includes four mile safari, Discovery trail, Sea Lion Show, Reptile World plus much more. The Adventure Theme Park and SEGA Prize Zone will also be open (charges apply).

Book online at www.wmsp.co.uk

Professional grumpy old woman, Splash survivor, amateur soup maker, and novice knitter, Jenny Eclair is younger than Madonna but eats crisps and likes wine. Semi-bearded and suffering from outbreaks of gout and hysteria, Eclair puts middle age under the microscope and decides whether to laugh, cry or buy a dachshund!

www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

IT’S ALL CHILDS PLAY Making a Splash

Returning to my local pool after an extended closure for refurbishment, I found myself playing spot the difference and feeling disappointed at how little appeared to have changed. I don’t know what I expected, but the plastic gaudy additions to the pool side were more nightmare than oasis! Swimming round the narrow channel, usually a mass of swirling rapids, I dodged sprays of water spewing from all quarters. Like the aftermath of a Western gunfight, it gave the impression of bullets having sprayed everywhere so that walls had sprung leaks and jets seemingly erupted everywhere! Uncharacteristically, I inwardly huffed as I negotiated the jets and sprays in an attempt to keep my hair dry. (In my defence, I had foolishly forgotten to bring a towel so getting dry was going to take some creativity!) Ten minutes later and resigned to being wet, my opinion of these ugly gargoyles slowly began to change. Picture an eclectic mix of Dr Zeus and Andy Warhol and you’d get an idea of what these brightly coloured weird fish-like creatures looked like. With water gushing from their wide-open mouths they had been cleverly positioned to spray two thirds of the water channel. These three plumes of water, injected not just spray but playfulness into a family swim. Circling the jets, a variety of playful reactions could be seen. For some adults, the child within had surely been reignited as they whooped noisily and emerged like swamp monsters from the jets. For others, it triggered spontaneous dancing, as they whirled Viennese waltz style round and round with their child on outstretched arms, narrowly missing the water jets. As parent and child spun, their dancing eyes fixated on each other and the approaching jets, the anticipation and excitement built to a crescendo. Watching this spectacle, I drank in their squeals of anticipation and delight, eagerly watching them emerge the other side of the jets, dry, sprayed or drenched by the plumes. At times the tension between whether to laugh or cry was palpable, as the shock of the water registered and the child tried to wipe water from their stinging eyes. Then in that space familiar to parents worldwide, somewhere nanoseconds between tears and joy, the magic of the child carer bond kicked in, as with smiling eyes locked upon the child, their worry, fear and stinging subsided and both whooped with delight and glee.

April/May

Each circuit of the looping channel elicited more anticipation, surprise and delight. Sometimes the adult plunged themselves into the jets, sometimes the child and some-

With a wealth of event and marketing experience combined with a true passion and ability to connect with his audience Niel Jackson is just what you need to make your event or occasion go with a bang! Niel has a wealth of experience presenting shows on some of the area's largest radio stations, as well as hosting a wide range of live, indoor and outdoor events as well as hosting at top nightclubs. A hugely successful event host, MC and compere, Niel’s engages and entertains audiences of all ages. It is so important to not underestimate the importance of having a true professional host for your event. They are the glue that holds everything together and provide continuity and entertainment throughout your event, ensuring the audience remember your name, brand and service.

times both, but always with the child safe in their arms. Even for those adults (like me) keen to keep their hair dry or who obviously had never recovered from the frightening feeling of being submerged by water, these ugly fountains of fun enabled them to playfully whirl their child into, or narrowly escape the jets, whilst remaining dry-ish too! And so, by my tenth lap of the pool I had to admit that these ugly fountains were nevertheless brilliant for bringing out adult’s playfulness, a quality that sadly often gets lost in the pressures of daily life. As importantly, these adult’s playful interactions will help ensure that swimming conjures up fun memories for life. Like creativity, playfulness is a skill and a way of looking at things that will become increasingly important to mankind as we strive to find ways of coexisting on our fragile planet. Playfulness is also a fundamental foundation of close attachment between a carer and child. Of course, in the hands of a playful adult everything can become fun, be it pegging out washing, hoovering the floor, washing up, posting a letter or doing the weekly shop. What matters most is us adult’s taking the time to notice children’s interests; understand their needs; appreciate the potential for discovery, apprenticeship and fun in everyday activities; and be in the moment, not on our smart phones, so that we can share precious moments with our children. If we can do our bit to make May the month of play, then it won’t be just our children who reap the rich rewards but their children too! Sue Gascoyne is an author, Certified Play Therapist, Early Years trainer whose keynotes around the world help inspire and engage Early Years practitioners.

With his knowledge of media and experience in hospitality, Niel works effectively with clients to ensure the smooth running and success of their event. Niel Jackson's media, marketing and presenting experience means that he truly understands what a client's needs are. He will make sure your event stands out from the others!

BOOK YOUR EVENT NOW!

Niel Jackson events can supply and also supply and set up a full PA to help promote the launch of a store, event, service or product from a small in-store PA to large scale systems for outside events.

NIEL JACKSON

EVENTS

CALL: 01902 680939 E: info@nieljackson.co.uk W: NielJackson.co.uk www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS FOR SPRING 2017 BOX OFFICE 01527 65203 www.redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk

*inclusive of booking fee £1.00 per ticket up to a maximum of £4

THUR 13 APRIL 7.30

THUR 18 MAY 7.30

MARTY WILDE AND THE WILDECATS

THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY

FRI 21 APRIL 7.00 SAT 22 APRIL 3.00 & 7.00 Easter Panto starring Gareth Gates as

SAT 20 MAY 7.30

£19.00* & £18.00* (disc)

£20.00* & £19.00* (disc)

THE PALACE THEATRE –THE PLACE TO GO… If you are looking for a night out packed with frivolity and laughter then we have the very thing for you here at the Palace Theatre on Friday 26th May. SERIOUSLY DEAD starring CRISSY ROCK (Benidorm and I’m A Celebrity), FRAZER HINES (Emmerdale and Doctor Who), LEAH BELL, comedian BILLY PEARCE and PAUL DUNN take to the stage in this brand new show which will have you rolling in the aisles. When small time crook Albert Blunderstone returns home to attend a funeral, a chain of events is set in motion which places the lives of Betty, Albert, Billy and the local

Undertaker Tristan de Winter on a path which leads towards the “Pearly Gates” and a disgruntled Angel-inWaiting named Thelma Henderson. “Seriously Dead” is a brand new musical play and a definite “laugh out loud” comedy combining a terrific musical score with a cleverly written plot which blends drama, comedy, pathos and farce into one hilarious night at the theatre.

Tickets are available now from the Box Oﬃce on 01527 65203 or online at www. redditchpalacetheatre.co.uk priced £22.00* *inclusive of booking fee £1 per ticket up to a maximum of £4.

April/May

SIMPLY MORE RED The More Love Tour

ROBIN HOOD £16.50* & £15.00* (disc) £56.00 (family)

£17.00*

THUR 4 MAY 7.30

WED 24 MAY 7.30

AN AUDIENCE WITH MARTIN KEMP

THE FAAABULOUS CERI DUPREE SHOW

£26.00* & £41.00* (VIP meet & greet)

£18.50*

WED 17 MAY 7.30

FRI 26 MAY 7.30

JOE LONGTHORNE

SERIOUSLY DEAD

A roller-coaster ride of songs and impressions £22.00*

Starring Chrissy Rock & Frazer Hines £22.00*

www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

MARTIN LEWIS

TRAVEL London By Tim Saunders – www.travelwriter.biz A day out in London’s going to be expensive. Right? Wrong. Well, you’re not going to have much fun then… Not so. My family and I live in Hampshire, under 100 miles away from the capital. One Sunday we get in the car and see what awaits us in the city. And we are pleasantly surprised. With two little daughters dictating what happens and when, we can end up feeling frustrated that our days do not show many achievements. Arriving in London at gone 1pm we expect this is probably going to be another of those occasions. We park near Southwark and are surprised to find free road side parking. The weather is cloudy and overcast but there is a distinct air of calm about the place; not something that I have previously associated with the capital. It could be because most of the city types have packed up and taken their leave and now the tourists are in charge. As we amble down the road a scruffy Spaniard asks if we are locals and where hotel Ibis is. Unfortunately, his pronunciation of Ibis sounds much more like Ritz to me and I cannot help but Caroline assures me he is looking for Hotel Ibis and that it’s just around the corner. Anyway, when in town we always like to head for Covent Garden, the area near all the theatres and the cultural heart of London in many ways. Fortunately, the grey skies are clearing; a sunny day is finally ours. Eldest daughter Harriett (two-and-a-half years) really does not like sitting in the front of our tandem pushchair and behind her sister Heidi (six months) seems to be getting the same idea. So, for much of the way we carry our little ones while trying to push this monstrous buggy along London’s streets. But then Harriett decides to walk. “Wee wees,” she soon exclaims. Our hearts used to sink on such occasions but since we became the proud owners 32

April/May

Holiday Bookings

By Martin Lewis of a Carry Potty our nightmares have been banished. It does become dangerously full though by the end of the day! Covent Garden is no more than five miles from where we have parked and we arrive, it seems, just as the afternoon’s entertainment is getting in full swing. Harriett instantly sits on the warm cobbles and beckons us to join her. It’s not long before an Australian Houdini takes centre stage and mesmerises us all. You can see a little of what he gets up to in the video at travelwriter.biz. An afternoon of completely free street entertainment follows, featuring everything from jugglers to comics. It really makes us realise what a richness of talent we have access to and that London is the venue for showcasing this. We’ve paid to see shows in theatres that were not even half as good as what we have just seen. Caroline’s mum and dad reckon they have seen these very acts in Florence, so perhaps they travel around the world wowing audiences. As we head back to our car with our spirits high we all become hungry. We decide to be extravagant and pop into a restaurant. Even here we are to be surprised. Vapiano, in Southwark, specialises in affordable Mediterranean dishes. Usually in London you’ll have to go a very long way to find a decent main meal in convivial surroundings for under £10 but this is Vapiano’s forte. There’s a good selection of dishes and the interior is spacious and comfortable. Because it’s self-service with all items charged to a single debit style card, the price point has been brought right down. Tim Saunders is an author, journalist and businessman. He meets celebrities, goes on holiday and road tests cars. Tim Saunders is an author, journalist and businessman. He meets celebrities, goes on holiday and road tests cars

moneysavingexpert It’s cold, wet, and miserable, so no wonder this is the peak summer holiday booking period. However, with the pound recently at a 32 year low against the dollar, and matching the awful rates of 2013 against the euro, this year it’s likely to be a challenge to get a decent price. The weak pound not only hits holiday spending, but hotels, car hire and more, so here are my 10 top tips for keeping costs down. 1. Pocket the perfect plastic to make the pound perform. Spend abroad and most credit cards add a 3% ‘non-sterling transaction fee’ which means £100 of euros costs £103 and some then load other charges on top. However, there are a range of specialist cards that don’t add that fee. So, you get that day’s same near-perfect rate that the banks do, in every country. My top two long term picks, as well as good exchange rates, have low cash fees the www.creation.co.uk Everyday card and www.halifax.co.uk Clarity. Spending on these is super cheap, usually easily smashing the best bureau de change rates. Yet only do this if you’ll repay the card IN FULL each month, to avoid the 18.9% ish representative APR. It’s worth noting if instead of spending on the card you withdraw foreign cash and spend that, you will pay interest even if you clear in full, but even with that added they’re still not that costly. For full info on top cards, and an eligibility calculator so you can see which you’re most likely to be accepted for go to www.mse.me/ payabroad. 2. One hotel room can have hundreds of prices. Once you know what hotel you want, always check to see if it’s being sold cheaper elsewhere, use comparison sites www.trivago.co.uk and www.travelsupermarket.com for a wide-ranging search (and always call the hotel to see if it’ll beat the price). The difference can be £100s.

3. With car hire book it early and buy insurance elsewhere. If hiring abroad, generally early booking is cheaper, what costs £10 a day now can be £40 a day when you get there. Here’s the three key steps: a) Do a comparison to find your cheapest. I’d try www.kayak.co.uk, www.carrentals.co.uk and if needed www.skyscanner.net too. b) Check stealth fuel charges. Some try and make you pay for a full tank and return it empty - adding £80ish if you don’t drive far. The above, apart from Kayak, let you filter by fuel policy. c) Don’t fall for their insurance upsell. When you pick up a car they’ll often try and fear sell you up to £25/ day insurance on top – to cover the large excess if you have any claims. If you’ll pay for this, instead use excess insurance comparison site www. moneymaxim.co.uk before you go and you can often find a policy from £2 a day. Yet if you do this, or don’t get the insurance, the car hire firm will ask you to leave a deposit on a credit (not debit) card which can be €1,000+. 4. Find best holiday cash in seconds. Just use my www.travelmoneymax.com site which compares 30 online bureaux to find which gives you the best rates in seconds, factoring all fees. 5. Speedily find the cheapest flights. The obvious start point again are comparison sites. My top picks are www.skyscanner. net, www.kayak.co.uk and www. momondo.co.uk which include most airlines and booking sites like Expedia and ebookers. Yet if you really want to slash flight costs, you need to get clever, such as using ethnic specialist travel agents and checking out airline code sharing deals. For full help see www. mse.me/cheapflights. 6. Don’t forget the good old fashion package holiday. Package holidays are where you usually get flights, hotels and transfers in one. They can still be the cheapest especially if you’re going away for 7, 10 or 14 days in a traditional holiday destination like Benidorm. Both www.travelsupermarket.com and www.icelolly.com have comparison sites. Then once you’ve got up a price, if you

want to shave a little off, you can call up other agents to see if they’ll sell you the same holiday at a cheaper price. 7. Book travel insurance AS SOON as you book the holiday. Every year people email me saying something sadly akin to, “I’m due on holiday in a few months, but I’ve just been given a cancer diagnosis and can’t go, the airline won’t let me cancel, what can I do?” The answer is ‘that’s what travel insurance is for’. Yet many people only book it just before they go. Waiting defeats half the point of having the cover – which is to protect you in the event cancellation is needed due to illness, a death in the family or something else. Full help on the cheapest policies, including for over 65s in www.mse.me/travelinsurance. 8. Booked EasyJet – keep checking the price. If your EasyJet price drops after you’ve booked it – excluding in a sale – you can just call it up to ask for the difference back in vouchers. Jo emailed: “We got an £803 voucher... all thanks to you.” 9. Check if your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is still valid. The free EHIC means if you’re in an EU (and a few others) country you can use a state GP or hospital for the same price as a local, so if it’s free for them, it’s free for you. It’s valuable extra protection (alongside travel insurance). Yet it’s not valid for millions, this is nothing to do with Brexit, but simply that it has a valid until date and 5.3 million expired in the last year. Check yours, if it is, go to www. nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/ EHIC to get a new one for FREE (don’t Google this, you’ll find shyster sites trying to charge you to do it who add nothing to the process). 10. Be careful boozing on holiday. A final thought. If you’re going to drink on holiday (and let’s be honest, for many people that’s half what it’s about), remember this may invalidate your travel insurance claim. So, take it easy, and if you won’t take it easy, at least think about what belongings you’re taking with you! Martin Lewis is the Founder & Chair of Money Saving Expert. To join the 12 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to www.moneysavingexpert. com/latesttip

www.localzest.co.uk

Leisure & Lifestyle

Leisure & Lifestyle Easter Eggstravaganza runs from 8 - 23 April and includes a whole host of Easter activities.

EGGSTRA EGGCITING TREAT FOR MEERKATS… Staff at West Midland Safari Park are gearing up for their annual Easter event and even the animals are getting involved with the celebrations.

eggs so Easter is probably their favourite time of the year. In the wild they will climb up to bird’s nests to steal and eat the eggs, so will go to great lengths to find these treats.

For this year’s Easter Eggstravaganza which starts on 8 April and ends on 23 April, keepers have been tasked with making Easter-themed enrichment for the animals in their care.

“Here at the Park, we use eggs for enrichment as well as a food source. We make large papier-mâché eggs and fill them full of tasty treats, such as meal worms and the meerkats have to figure out the best way to get the worms out. Not quite the same as our chocolate eggs but you can see how much they love it!”

The Park’s mob of mischievous meerkats have a well-planned enrichment schedule, which includes ball pits, hessian sacks and shedded snake skin. They also receive food hidden in empty ostrich eggs. Enrichment is used to encourage natural behaviours such as foraging, playing and hunting. For an extra special, early Easter treat, keepers boiled and decorated some chicken eggs, then hid them around the enclosure. The meerkats then had to find the eggs and use their sharp teeth and claws to crack the shells, to get to the yummy insides. Beth Cheshire, African Village Keeper, said, “Meerkats love 34

April/May

As well as the meerkats, the Park’s other animal residents will be receiving Easter enrichment over the next few weeks, so visitors are encouraged to see if they can spot it as they journey around the Safari. The two-week-long Easter Eggstravaganza event will include a whole host of exciting activities, such as an Eggsplorer’s Trail to help the Easter Bunny find the giant missing eggs. There will also be a variety of competitions to take part in, to win some amazing prizes, an Eggsplorer’s Craft Club and themed shows and encounters.

Your Chance to WIN a family pass to West Midland Safari Park Discover your wild side at West Midland Safari Park. Located in Bewdley, West Midland Safari Park opened in Spring 1973 and is now home to some of the world’s most beautiful and endangered exotic animal species, Safari DriveThrough, theme park and more!

Local schools and youth groups will also be getting involved with the Easter fun, as they have been invited to enter an Easter egg decorating competition. All the entries will be on display at the Park during the event. Easter Eggstravaganza activities are included in the standard admission charge of £23.00 for adults, £18.00 for children aged 3-15 and £21.00 for concessions. Children under the age of three years are admitted free of charge. Admission includes a voucher for a return visit or safari gift. Adventure Theme Park rides are charged extra.

See the UK’s largest animatronic Dinosaur attraction and get ready to be transported back in time and see the story of the Dinosaurs unfold over millions of years in the Land of the Living Dinosaur, then come face to face with some of the fastest, tallest and cutest animals on our Safari Drive-Through. Plus visit the African Village which houses lemurs and meerkats, plus a walk-through area where you can feed the friendly Somali sheep, pygmy goats or Cameroon sheep. If all of this sounds right up your street answer our simple question below and you could be in with the chance of winning a family pass to enjoy all of the attractions at West Midland Safari Park.

In what year did West Midland Safari Park open? 1971

1972

1973

All competition entries need to be received by 1st May 2017 and sent to sam@localzest.co.uk or posted to Oﬃce 28 – Suite 2, 28 Cleveland Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 3HT. One winner will be chosen at random from all the correct entries. No cash alternative to the prize. The competition is free to enter but in doing so you agree to the terms and conditions.

Further information and tickets are available from the Park’s website www.wmsp.co.uk or by telephone 01299 402114. You can find out more on the Safari Park’s official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ WestMidSafari.

www.localzest.co.uk

Business & Finance

CONSUMER CHAMPION

JAMES WALKER – “FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS” Consumer Champion – the man who helps you resolve your consumer complaints!

“I didn’t give a meter reading and now I’ve got a massive bill.”. In a perfect word: Grit your teeth and pay it, it’ll come down soon. In practice: Why did your energy provider leave it so long? If it’s been ages, they’re responsible too - and they might be willing to reduce the bill or tariff given their mistake. Get them to talk you through what they can do to help with energy saving options. “I don’t open my bills”

Confessions

In a perfect world: If you don’t open your bills, you won’t know if things have gone wrong.

Confession, they say, is good for the soul. I’m often out and about around the country meeting people and talking to them about the problems they’re experiencing. It’s a great way to find out about the issues that matter to you - but I sometimes feel that I should be bringing a confessions box with me.

In practice: Whether you’re in denial about money you owe or you make a regular payment so you’re assuming that everything’s okay, it’s easy to let the bills build up. The same goes for going paperless and never checking your online account. As long as you don’t bin them unopened – or lose your password – you can refer back to them if something goes wrong. But every 3 months’ minimum, grit your teeth and open them when it’s not too late to turn a problem around.

Pretty much every week, someone will approach me and say “I’ve got a problem with [insert company here], but it’s all my fault”. All too often this is the reason they don’t make a complaint.

“I haven’t checked my pension in years”

So, I’m flinging open the doors of the Resolver confession box and giving you all a forgiveness pass!

In a perfect world: You pension is so important to your retirement you can’t ignore it.

Loads of people don’t make complaints about important things because they blame themselves. Being realistic about things you could have done better is important when making a complaint. But that doesn’t absolve the business of bad behavior either. Here’s a few confessions and my response:

In practice: Let’s be honest, would you understand your pension if you did check it? Pensions are complicated. So, every once in a while, get your pension provider to explain what’s happening in plain English terms. What to do if you’re not paying enough in and how much you’re paying in charges. Speak to a financial adviser every few years to decide if there’s a better, cheaper option too.

“I didn’t read the terms and conditions”

“I don’t update my insurer”

In a perfect world: You should always try to read the T&Cs so you know your rights.

In a perfect world: You need to tell your insurer about ‘significant events’ from illnesses to expensive purchases.

In practice: T&C’s have become like War and Peace in some circumstances! Businesses aren’t allowed to bury key facts in them. If the term is fundamentally important, it should be flagged up (insurers have key facts documents to do this). If it isn’t, you could have been misled.

In practice. Insurance contracts work both ways. The insurer should give you enough information so you understand what your obligations are. This ranges from asking you key questions when you take out the policy to making their documents and written requirements clear.

“I borrowed some money but I can’t afford to pay it back”.

I hope you feel suitably forgiven enough to not suffer in silence. Remember, if you encounter unforgiving customer service - get in touch and we’ll help you get the problem sorted.

In a perfect world: You’ve entered in to a contract and you have to pay the money. In practice: Life sometimes throws a spanner in the works. From mortgages to credit cards, if you get in to difficulties, speak up. The lender should try to give you little breathing space with charges or talk you through your options. If they don’t, get in touch with Resolver.

If you’ve got a problem and you need to confess, Sister Financia, the Resolver Mother Superior of forgiveness is on hand to help you on our Facebook and Twitter pages. @WalkerResolver @resolvercouk or go to facebook. com/resolvercouk www.localzest.co.uk

Puzzles

It’s not just about the AER AER stands for Annual Equivalent Rate. It shows you the percentage of interest you’d earn if you left your money in an account for a year. While the AER is certainly an important deciding factor, it’s not the only thing you’ll want to consider. Other questions to ask yourself include: • Whether you want to be able to get to your money straight away if you need it. • How long you’re planning to save for. Whether you’re saving for a holiday or a rainy day, there are lots of ways you can earn interest on your money, from peer-to-peer lending to ﬁxed rate bonds. The most popular options include: Cash ISAs Cash ISAs let you save up to £20,000 a year tax free. Fixedrates ISAs tend to earn you more interest than easy-access ones, but you will have to pay a penalty if you withdraw money early. The new Lifetime ISA is for people under 40 who are saving for their pension, or for a first house. You can save up to £4,000 a year and the government will top it up by 25%. Bank accounts Some bank accounts are currently offering higher rates of interest than savings accounts. At the time of writing this article, Nationwide was offering 5% 38

interest on balances up to £2,500, for the first year, for people paying in at least £1,000 every month. However, to use a bank account to save money in, you might want to open a separate account. That way your savings won’t disappear on paying the bills. Keep an eye open for offers. Lots of banks will offer you a bonus for opening an account, but you might have to pay in a minimum amount each month. Savings accounts Savings accounts aren’t paying huge levels of interest at the moment, but they are still worth a look. Regular savings accounts, where you put a fixed sum away each month, usually pay a little more. And ones where you lock your money away for a set time pay more again. The interest rate is still pretty low in most cases though, so you might want to consider other options first.

April/May

• Whether you want a guaranteed return or are prepared to take a risk in the hopes of making more money.

Cycling Word search

Find the hidden words in the word search grid

wheel pedal chainset frame chain

helmet mountain tyre handlebar mud

forks spoke puncture lever hub

Word mix up Unscramble the letters to make a word

naperin

leaderluri

narck

dum ragdu

trolcreef

carer

ginflod

stilhg

eclectir

ninre betu

pannier, crank, reflector, folding, electric, derailleur, mud guard, racer, lights, inner tube

SAVINGS ACCOUNTS EXPLAINED

Answers

Business & Finance

• Whether you want to save regular amounts each month, or lump sums. • How you want your money to be invested. • Whether the organisation aligns with your values (e.g. will it invest your money in animal testing, or green energy projects)? • How good the customer service is. www.moneysavingexpert.com is a good place to visit to ﬁnd out the latest ‘best-buys’. It also gives information about customer satisfaction rates. By Kate Duggan

1 5

7 4

3 5

9 8

Each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9 just once. This can be done by applying logic - you don’t have to guess!

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Food & Drink

Food && Drink Drink Food

Cheeky Charlie

Lucy’s recipe corner INGREDIENTS 250g (9oz) defrosted, frozen puff pastry

Marmite & Cheese Swirly Pastries

Order now at www.cheekycharlies.co.uk or call 0800 9545680

1. Lightly grease a baking tray with oil and preheat the oven to 220C, 425F, Gas Mark 7.

Flour for dusting ½ tsp marmite Oil for greasing 1 egg, beaten 50g (2oz) grated mild cheese of your choice

2. Sprinkle flour onto a board and roll out the pastry to a large rectangle about 35 x 25cm. 3. Use a knife to evenly spread the Marmite over the pastry, leave a border of about 1cm.

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4. Brush the border edge with beaten egg and cover the marmite with sprinkled grated cheese. 5. Roll the pasty up tightly like a sausage roll shape, start with the longest edge. Brush the outside of the rolled pastry with beaten egg. 6. Cut the roll into thick slices – approx. 16, then place well-spaced apart on the baking tray and cook for between 13-16 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and well risen. Serve warm or cold.

1. 2.

LAMB HOTPOT ROAST CHICKEN

MAIN COURSE

COTTAGE PIE

CHEESECAKE

ICE CREAM

APPLE CRUMBLE

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COTTAGE PIE

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FIRST NAME

SURNAME

MAIN COURSE

DESSERT

April/May

PACKED IN BOXES OF 10, INDIVIDUAL OR MIXED BOXES.

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DESSERT

ANNE

Mrs Green’s favourite dessert is cheesecake TRACIE The woman who prefers cottage pie also has a LORNA liking for ice cream; her first name is not Tracie Anne, whose surname is APPLE CRUMBLE not Sunday, does not care for lamb hotpot Lorna Hilton’s favourite ICE CREAM main course is not roast chicken, she avoids apple CHEESECAKE crumble as she thinks it may have too many calories

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With 5 amazing flavours available for home delivery including Chicken Tandoori, Tikka, Peri Peri, BBQ and Chicken Kebab. These wonderful flavours are perfect for family meals, parties and the perfect option as part of healthy balanced diets.

DESSERT

MAIN COURSE

FIRST NAME

CLUES

GREEN

Three women sitting in a hospital waiting area discovered that they all received a weekly supply of frozen meals and compared notes about their favourite main courses and desserts. Can you work out each one’s full name and her favourite dishes?

HILTON

SUNDAY

SURNAME

Celebrating 25 years

PERFECT WHEN YOUR STUCK ON WHAT TO COOK OR FANCY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. www.localzest.co.uk www.localzest.co.uk

55 41

Food & Drink

Tastes so good...

CHOCOLATE FONDANT TART

Preparation time: 45 mins (plus chilling time)

Method For the pastry Place the flour and icing sugar in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

Pastry

100g/3½oz plain flour 50g/1¾oz icing suga 50g/1¾oz chilled butter, diced

Add the egg yolk and water and mix quickly so that it comes together to form a firm dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Yolk from 1 large egg 1 tbsp water

Filling

Preheat the oven to 200C/ Gas 6 (180C fan).

100g/3½oz butter 150g/5½oz dark chocolate (70%) 150g/5½oz golden caster sugar 75g/3oz plain flour 6 medium eggs

To serve Icing sugar

Strawberries or raspberries Cream

Cooking time: 30 mins

Dust the work surface with flour and then roll out the pastry to form a circle about 5cm/2in larger than your flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry. Pop it into the fridge to chill for a further 15 minutes. You now need to blind-bake the pastry. To do this prick the base of the pastry with a fork then line the pastry case with a circle of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans (these are ceramic beads, but you can use lentils or dried beans if you don’t have any). Bake the pastry for 10 minutes,

April/May

Serves: 6-8

or until just lightly golden-brown, then remove the paper and the beans and return the tart to the oven to cook for a further 5-7 minutes, or until golden-brown and dried out. For the ﬁlling Melt the butter in a medium pan over a low heat, then add the chocolate and stir until melted, smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and beat in the sugar and flour, then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Place the pastry case on a baking tray. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pastry case, filling it almost to the top then place in the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until just set around the edges and still slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven. You can serve it warm with raspberries or strawberries, or allow it to cool and dust with icing sugar

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All your Grandpa's favourite traditional and

Food & Drink

SWEET SHOP retro sweets plus more

All your favourite traditional and retro sweets plus more

Sugar free sweets Retro gifts Greeting Cards Party Bags and Gifts Grandpa’s SWEET SHOP Sweet / Chocolate Bouquets Sugar free sweets Retro gifts Greeting Cards Party Bags and Gifts Sweet / Chocolate Bouquets

EASTER CHOC FUDGE CUPCAKES Fun to make with the kids Preparation time: 15 minutes + marinating time

For the cakes:

Cooking time: 12-15 minutes Makes: 12-16 (depending on case size) Ingredients Cakes •

140g soft unsalted butter

•

140g caster sugar

•

3 medium eggs

•

100g self-raising flour

•

25g cocoa powder

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and put the cases into a fairy-cake tin. Sieve the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for 2 mins with an electric hand-whisk until smooth. Divide between the cases so they are two-thirds filled, then bake for 12-15 mins or until risen. Cool on a wire rack. For the frosting:

Icing

Method

•

85g milk chocolate / or plain if you prefer less sweet icing.

•

85g softened butter (I actually like salted butter for the icing but unsalted works well).

•

140g icing sugar (sifted)

•

Mini chocolate eggs of choice for decoration.

April/May

Microwave the chocolate on High for 1 min. Cream the butter and sifted icing sugar together, then beat in the melted chocolate. Spread over the cakes and decorate with mini chocolate eggs of choice!

Tastes so good...

Grandpa's Sweet Shop is located in Wall Heath and is home to an extensive array of sweets from your traditional favourites to more modern varieties…over 200 in fact! We give you the chance to take a walk down memory lane as you scour the shelves for your favourite treat as well as having the chance to try something new! As a parent or grandparent bring the kids and watch their face light up as they see the wonders we have in store!

Grandpa’s

13 Enville Road, Wall Heath DY6 0JT 01384 270146 www.grandpassweetshop.co.uk

For those not allowed sugar, you need not miss out...we have a whole SUGAR FREE selection ranging from jellies to toﬀees, liquorice to traditional boiled sweets and even chocolate too! In a time where many people are more conscious of the ‘healthier’ options or have to take into account medical conditions we have found this range to be particularly popular and are always looking to enhance the range.

SWEET SHOP We are currently working on our online store where you will be able to purchase many of our items directly but why not also keep up to date with us using our Facebook page where you will ﬁnd all our contact details, plus current and seasonal items plus much, much more, many of which are instore or to order by contacting us directly.

13 Enville Road, Wall Heath DY6 0JT 01384 270146 www.grandpassweetshop.co.uk

If you’re looking for a gift we have some great ideas including a selection of jars which you can ﬁll with your favourite sweets or why not choose a sweet hampers or gift boxes to include those favourites instead? And if your looking for something really special we even do bouquets!

Keep your eyes peeled for the launch of our brand new website where you will be able to order directly from www.grandpassweetshop.co.uk!

Pop in today!

Whatever the reason pop down to Grandpa’s for all your favourites!

13 Enville Road, Wall Heath DY6 OJT CALL: 01384 270146

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Health & Beauty

Lovely Lashes Something I have mentioned before now in Local Zest has been the difficulty I’ve had finding a mascara that I absolutely love and go on to religiously buy. I’ve tried what feels like a million, from every price range and while I do prefer some to others none have ever made me think I could not possibly live without this in my make-up case. I have my go to foundation, bronzer, eyeshadows, blushers, you name it but not mascara.

Skin Deep The skin is our largest body organ. It works quietly away, constantly renewing itself, shedding dead cells every 28 days. It also provides a barrier against the environment and keeps our insides where they should be! The skin on our face and hands is more exposed than other areas so it’s unsurprising that the combined effects of pollution, UV exposure and stress mean these are the places which show signs of aging first. There are thousands of product on the market that promise us all manner of miracles but do any of them work and is there anything we can really do to hold back time? What about facials? Having a facial is a luxurious but is it really doing anything? Beauticians say yes. Although the skin self-renews, dead cells on the surface make it look dull. Facials help by physically removing dead cell build-up, to reveal younger fresher skin underneath. There are a bewildering array of facials to suit skin type, age and budget they all follow a similar pattern. The first step is a deep cleanse, followed by exfoliation then, depending on which treatment you’ve agreed with your beautician it can include steaming, blackhead and whitehead extraction, massage, face mask and moisturiser. Variations include aromatherapy oils and acupressure.

April/May

Your face should never feel sore or puffy when the treatment is over. You should look like a cleaner, shinier, healthier version of you! I’m up for that.

Now mascara is a must for me, you see I have quite long eyelashes but they are super straight and go very fair towards the tips which means they look shorter. I have had individual eyelash extensions before now and I did love the look they gave but I also found them quite high maintenance and when I had them removed, my own lashes were quite short and took some time to get back to normal. Now, I’ve heard of LVL lashes before and have been really tempted as I am by all products that promise to make you thicker, longer looking lashes so when I got chatting with Emily at Rejuvenate, Kidderminster about exactly what LVL Lashes promises and she showed me some of their before and after pictures, I was sold!

Which skin technologies really work? Alpha-hydroxy acids These are present in many moisturisers. Their effectiveness depends on concentration. Between 8-15% they are a very effective skin smoother. At strengths of over 15% they are used in chemical peels which should only be carried out by a Dermatologist. Trans-retinoic acid It’s been proven to reduce wrinkles, increase epidermal thickness and stimulate collagen deposition. It is effective in serum at very low concentrations but the effect is cumulative, so you will need to view it as a long-term strategy. It’s also very sensitive to sun light and breaks down on exposure, and can cause a mild skin reaction so should only be applied at night. Vitamin C serum This is a highly effective anti-oxidant and wrinkle-reducer but needs to be concentrated (10% or more) and stabilised in order to work. Keep it out of the light and use in the morning. It breaks down on exposure to sunlight so use it under a moisturiser with a high SPF. Use only stabilised, colour-free preparations. If there is a yellow tinge, it’s no longer effective. By Louise Addison

LVL stands for Length, Volume and Lift and an LVL treatment can give you longer looking lashes without the need for lash extensions. Your lashes are gently lifted and separated to give you a fabulous wide awake look that is completely natural and all yours and eyelashes are also then tinted to make them darker and more prominent. The effect can last for 6-8 weeks. The treatment lasts around one hour and you did need to have a patch test 48 hour prior to ensure you do not have an

adverse reaction to the ingredients used. Now, eyes for me really are quite sensitive area, I tend to blink an awful lot if there is anything by my eyes and they can get quite watery so, an entire hour with my eyes shut and being messed with is not my idea of relaxation. However, how surprised was I, I could have fallen asleep once the treatment was underway. An hour later and as if by magic my lashes were transformed. Without a scrap of make up or an eyelash curler in sight, my lashes were lifted to perfection and looked so long! I couldn’t believe the difference and they are all mine! After 24 hours I was able to apply my mascara in the usual way but found just a quick slick with the first mascara I put my hands on and my lashes were amazing! To say I am pleased is an understatement, I can’t believe how long my own lashes feel plus any old mascara made them look even more amazing for an even more pronounced look. These really would be perfect for a holiday, waking up and being pool ready almost instantly. No worries about whether its waterproof or if your mascara will smudge in the heat… perfect! If you are interested in knowing more about LVL Lashes give Emily at Rejuvenate, Kidderminster a call on 01562 740840.

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Horoscopes

Russell Grant’s Monthly Horoscopes May 2017 ARIES March 21st - April 20th

You should consider putting a stalled plan back into motion at the beginning of May. Promoting an idea or pressing an agenda will result in a raise or a better paid position. The Full Moon on the 10th draws you close to someone with a powerful personality. Letting down your guard with this charismatic individual will be empowering. Two heads are definitely better than one at this exciting time. Toward the middle of the month, you’ll get a chance to sign a contract or enter into a business agreement. If you’re not satisfied with the initial terms, lobby for better ones. Your powers of persuasion are strong. On the 25th, you’ll get good news about a romantic or business prospect. You’ll have to fight to get more time away from work. Although your employer’s need for you is pleasing in its own way, it’s better to pour most of your energy into personal relationships as June draws near.

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st

Surrounding yourself with creative people is a good idea during the opening days of the month. Take this opportunity to develop an intriguing idea that’s been tugging at your subconscious for the past few weeks. If you play your cards right, you’ll be able to travel overseas. Experiencing a different culture will inspire you. On the 10th, the Full Moon will assist you in wrapping up a partnership matter. Signing papers, submitting work or fulfilling the last part of an obligation will be liberating. Don’t be surprised if you’re offered a very different role once this arrangement is finished. Toward the middle of the month, it will be much easier to get an audience for your ideas. Take this opportunity to go on a job interview, ask for a date or submit your work for review. The New Moon on the 25th attracts an exciting moneymaking opportunity. Be totally forthcoming with any prospective employer.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st

The first days of the month will find you working behind the scenes for an extremely creative person. Put your assumptions aside for the sake of absorbing new information. Look, listen and learn. The Full Moon on the 10th will finally begin to show results from a health regimen. Give yourself a handsome reward for strengthening your system. Resist the temptation to get pushy with an authority figure at the middle of the month. Be a team player instead. The second half of May could find you steering a friendship into romantic waters. If you’ve already got a steady partner, encourage them to pursue a lifelong dream. On the 25th, the New 48

April/May

Moon will inspire you to adopt a new look. Changing your style, splashing out on clothes or even undergoing a cosmetic procedure could underscore your natural good looks. The final days of the month will find you in the arms of an adoring admirer.

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

The early days of May could potentially bring impressive career breakthroughs. You’ll finally get the attention of someone who can increase your budget or green light a plan. Working with a partner will be the way forward during the first half of the month. Don’t be afraid to challenge your colleagues when you feel strongly about an issue. News of a birth, engagement or marriage will arrive on the 10th, when the Full Moon sets off a string of festivities. The second half of the month will find you very busy at work. Taking an original approach to your duties will win the attention of those who can give you a career boost. The New Moon on the 25th finds you moving into a more spiritual dimension. Devoting more time to solitary activities will cultivate contentment as May turns into June. When you start feeling stressed, head for a quiet haven where you can hear yourself think. Slowly, but surely, your muscles will unclench.

LEO July 24th - August 23rd

Taking on a more prominent role will be rewarding. There will be many perks associated with this position and you should take full advantage of them. On the 10th, the Full Moon will give you a chance to wrap up a property matter. Buying or selling property will be profitable. This is also a good time to new place or sign a lease. At the middle of the month, you should attend as many parties and casual get togethers as possible. Talking with friends and meeting new people will give the intellectual stimulation you crave. On the 25th, the New Moon will inspire you to pursue a lifelong dream. With the help of a relative or neighbour, you will gain access to the resources you need to succeed. The final days of the month are ideal for assuming new job responsibilities. The more skills you acquire, the greater your value will be to your employer.

VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd At the start of the month, you’ll feel a powerful, potent connection with someone close to your heart. This is a great time to ask someone for a date or plan a luxurious outing for the one you love. If you’re asked to go on an important business trip, accept. Getting paid to see the world will be highly enjoyable and great for your career prospects. The Full Moon on the 10th will find you passing a test, graduating from a course or relocating to a fun neighbourhood. Toward the middle of the month,

you’ll get a chance to move up the ladder of success. Don’t be afraid of the competition. You’ll easily outperform your rivals. The New Moon on the 25th will put you squarely in the spotlight. Take this opportunity to show off your abilities, make a presentation or go on a job interview. As May draws to a close, you’ll be torn between professional and personal responsibilities. Err on the side of family.

SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd May begins with an astral emphasis on all health enhancing ideas and strategies. Taking up a fitness regimen, changing your diet and getting more sleep will increase your stamina. Encouragement from an attractive person will prompt you to work even harder and dramatically improve your health. The Full Moon on the 10th will put you squarely in the spotlight. Take this opportunity to promote your agenda or showcase your creative work. The second half of the month is best spent with an intimate partner. Working together will result in some dramatic breakthroughs. On the 25th, the New Moon brings a financial windfall in the form of an inheritance, insurance refund or royalty payment. Spend this money on a spiritual pilgrimage you’ve been yearning to take. Visiting a place known for its beauty and culture will give you a new lease on life. You’ll start seeing possibilities where you once only saw brick walls.

SAGITTARIUS November 23rd - December 21st

The start of May makes it easier to finalise arrangements for an upcoming vacation. The delays and snags that held you back will magically disappear. Your home life will be rewarding during the first half of the month. Spend as much time in your domestic comfort zone as possible; it will help you cope with stress from public life. The Full Moon on the 10th brings the end to a period of seclusion. You’ll welcome the chance to make more money. Check out opportunities involving sports, entertainment and leisure in general. Getting involved in a serious romance is possible during the second half of May. There may be a big age difference between you and your amour. On the 25th, the New Moon will prompt you to enter into a serious partnership. Although you’ve always prized your independence, you’ll feel very comfortable working as a team with someone who is cultured, polite and artistic.

CAPRICORN December 22nd - January 20th

It will be easier to smooth out and defrost family relationships at the beginning of May. Getting a loan or signing refinance papers are other possibilities at this stage. On the 10th, the Full Moon will allow you to finish a group project. Those you work with will be so impressed by your work that they’ll give you even more room to take the initiative and make unilateral decisions. Don’t discuss the details of your private life in mixed company toward the middle of the month. It’s best to be discreet, especially with colleagues. Try not to neglect your family during the second half of your month, even if exciting career opportunities beckon. Be sure to attend a game, recital or performance. The New Moon on the 25th marks a job offer that sounds too good to be true. Accept it anyway; this will put you on a positive professional path. Don’t let friends discourage you from going in an unconventional direction. Break out of your shell.

AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th

Working from home will be genuinely pleasant and productive in the early days of the month. It’s much easier to develop ideas when you’re in familiar surroundings. The Full Moon on the 10th will bring about a changing of the guard at work. When an executive leaves, you’ll feel able to take over their duties with ease. At the middle of the month, you could travel for pleasure. If you’re single, you could meet someone special on this journey. Do you have a partner? It will feel like you’re having a second honeymoon. Good news about a lifelong dream will arrive during the second half of May. Take a bold risk of some kind. On the 25th, the New Moon will attract opportunities for love, romance and adventure. Take a break from your work to have some fun. Head for a private retreat as May winds to a close. You’ll really need and enjoy the seclusion.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th

In the opening days of May, finances will flow more freely. It will be a relief to have more income at your disposal. Being with a group that is happy to share ideas and discuss theories and prospective projects will set your brain buzzing with new initiatives. You’ll enjoy picking the brains of people who share your artistic, cultural and political interests. On the 10th, the Full Moon will be a time when legal and official matters can be wrapped up and put to bed. It will be a relief to have a case decided in your favour. Home improvement jobs will go smoothly toward the middle of the month. Upgrading a kitchen or bathroom will greatly improve the value of your investment. If you don’t own your home, approach a lending institution for money; you’ll get terrific terms. The New Moon on the 25th could find you relocating. Moving into a beautiful place near lots of cultural diversions would be your best option.

LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd

The opening days of May will make it much easier to work with a partner. Take this opportunity to sort out misunderstandings or misconceptions and build a plan for moving forward. Big improvements will occur on the domestic front; use the first half of the month to launch repairs and rearrange rooms. On the 10th, the Full Moon will bring a boost to your bank balance. Spend it on furniture, artwork or appliances. This is your big chance to create a home that uplifts and inspires you. Toward the middle of the month, you’ll find yourself facing off with someone who insists on always taking the lead. It’s important to assert yourself instead of getting pushed aside. The New Moon on the 25th invites you to expand your horizons. Going on an overseas trip, starting a writing project or attending an advanced professional course will be extremely stimulating. Push yourself harder than usual as June approaches.

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Health & Fitness

Did you know from 25th April to 1st May is Allergy Awareness Week? A national event specifically to promote the daily challenges faced and experienced by individuals with things most of us take for granted. Allergies are very common and it is thought that they affect more than one in four people in the UK at some stage in their lives. They are particularly common in children which can become a lifelong issue or something that becomes more manageable with age. It is estimated that in the UK up to 50% of children are diagnosed with an allergic condition whether that’s an intolerance, sensitivity or allergy and it is also possible for adults to develop allergies to things they weren’t previously allergic to, making Allergy Awareness extremely relevant to many of us, even if we don’t know it yet. Allergic reactions are caused by substances called allergens and some of the most common allergens include grass and tree pollen, dust mites, household chemicals and food. Allergic reactions usually happen very quickly within just a few minutes of exposure to an allergen. You may recognise some of the symptoms yourself, sneezing, wheezing, red itchy eyes and rashes and worsening of asthma or eczema symptoms. Whilst most allergic reactions are mild and can be medicated 50

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or relieved with at home or prescribed remedies occasionally on the other end of the spectrum is when an allergy is so serious, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock can occur which is a medical emergency and requires urgent treatment.

This is a topic and condition, that if I am really honest I genuinely needed educating on especially when this months cover star, my nephew was born and diagnosed with extreme allergies in particular the most severe being eggs, milk and soya. Alongside those were additional allergens but on a smaller scale and included grass, dogs, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi and pineapple, the list felt endless! It really is quite difficult to begin to comprehend just how many “normal” products contain these allergens until you start reading every label in the supermarket making the usual shopping trip twice as long as usual.

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Health & Fitness

There have been significant strides forward in terms of ways, treatments and products to make allergy sufferers lives more manageable and comfortable as well as more understanding and empathy to quite how difficult managing severe allergies can be but again this something that I have only become more aware of due to first hand experience. I can only talk from my own experience with Calum my nephew and how my sister, even now, almost seven years later still has to carry a special bag around for Calum which includes his own treats, snacks and most importantly his epi pens and antihistamine should the unfortunate incident occur if he came into contact with any of the above named allergens. The lack of understanding in public establishments made eating out as a family really difficult and before even being seated my sister would have to view the entire menu and the allergy book (a legal requirement in an eatery) from the staff to check that there was something Calum could even eat. This I something I truly took for granted with my own two daughters. Schooling was also a major worry and concern for my sister as at one stage just a simple touch from another child who had been in contact with one of these allergens, could result in a hospital visit and Calum requiring immediate urgent medical attention. “As hard as coping with Calum’s allergies has been for me as a parent, I am immensely proud of my son and his acceptance and understanding of his condition. This has been a challenging process through his early years as something as simple a children’s birthday party has been an absolute minefield for him as a sufferer and for me as a parent. It has taken time and patience but when your six year old understands he can’t have a slice of his friends birthday cake and asks mommy to bake him a special one, I could burst with pride. I’ve had to learn how to cook differently and as I just mentioned I have also had to learn to bake and this continues to be a work in progress. Calum is my biggest critic and is quick to tell me if my latest recipe experiment is a keeper! The biggest change for me as a parent has been taking organisation and preparation to a new level to ensure my child gets to live his life to the fullest and stays safe.” Lisa Taylor, Parent

and I specifically called my sister about was one of Morrisons latest adverts promoting their range of foods available for allergy sufferers. Now, if you haven’t seen it, I definitely recommend you pop onto YouTube and take a look as the inclusiveness and positivity should definitely be applauded. This type of marketing not only works for the business as my sister is now a converted Morrisons shopper but is fantastic at helping to raise awareness and understanding of how other people can feel isolated and alone in everyday situations such as choosing foods in a public arena. If you feel you may be suffering with an allergy, please book an appointment with your doctor for the necessary checks to be made. They will be able to advise and carry out the required tests to confirm if there is something that needs to be addressed and advice on the best ways to do so.

Something that really struck a chord with me in recent weeks 52

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Health & Fitness

SPINAL PATIENT PATSY IS BACK TO HER BEST FOLLOWING HOSPITAL SURGERY A patient who has undergone spinal surgery is delighted to be back at work after the most frustrating time of her life. Patsy Bustin says she feels like a new person again following the life changing procedure at West Midlands Hospital. The 47-year-old had suffered with back pain for several years but put it down to sciatica – pain caused by irritation or compression to the sciatic nerve. She made several trips to see her GP and was prescribed painkillers to numb the discomfort.

Take control of your Take ofpain yourwith backcontrol or neck back or neck pain with the help of our experts the help of our experts Specialists at West Midlands Hospital can help you understand the causes of back pain and recommend an appropriate programme of treatment. Specialists at West Midlands Hospital can help you

understand causes of back pain recommend • Book anthe appointment directly or and be referred by your GP an appropriate programme of treatment. • MRI and CT Scans, Ultrasounds and X-Rays provided on site • Book an appointment directly or be referred by your GP • Physiotherapy, spinal injections, complex spinal • MRI and CT Ultrasounds and X-Rays provided on site surgery allScans, available • •Physiotherapy, injections, complexforspinal Speed up thespinal process – pay privately your treatment surgery all available • Speed up the process – pay privately for your treatment

Find out more about all our Spine and Neck Services by visiting www.westmidlandshospital.co.uk/spine Find out more about all our Spine or by calling 01384 123 and Neck Services by560 visiting www.westmidlandshospital.co.uk/spine Information orPublic by calling 01384 560 123 54

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But as the pain intensified, Patsy knew that something wasn’t right and it was much more than the sciatica she was familiar with. Patsy switched to another GP and it was then that she was referred for an MRI scan and gained a quick referral to see a specialist at West Midlands Hospital. She met with consultant Mr Mushtaq Ahmed at the Halesowen site and he diagnosed a prolapsed disc in her lower back which he described as being ‘as bad as it gets.’ Initially, Mr Ahmed gave Patsy a course of spinal injections but he explained at the consultation that full surgery to replace the disc was the next step to resolve the problem. Patsy, of Wolverhampton, said: “I felt I was going round in circles for a time because I kept visiting my GP and the pain and discomfort wasn’t getting any better and the painkillers weren’t working. “I’ve had sciatica before but this was different. I’m very much a doer with everything in life but I was struggling to do even the most basic of tasks like the shopping or walking to the car.” Patsy was forced to take time off from work as a children’s nanny but she was supported throughout a trying time by her husband Bernard and her family.

Patsy’s date for surgery was brought forward when a theatre slot became available and she grasped the opportunity with both hands. She spent a night on the hospital ward after her operation before returning home and has been supported in her recovery by the hospital’s dedicated physiotherapy team. Patsy, who has a young grandson called Alvie, added: “I feel so incredibly lucky. The consultant Mr Ahmed is like ‘God’ to me. He has literally saved my life because I was in such a bad way. “West Midlands Hospital is an absolutely fantastic place to go for your surgery or treatment and I can’t thank all the staff that looked after me enough.” For more information about Spinal Surgery at West Midlands Hospital, please call 01384 560123 or visit www.westmidlandshospital.co.uk/spine

Patsy said: “I have had other operations in the past but I think I was more nervous about this surgery because it was my back.

West Midlands Hospital

“It was the only way that it was going to get better. I wasn’t even too interested in what the problem was or what the surgery involved, I just wanted it doing so I didn’t have to put up with the pain any longer.”

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Health & Fitness

Get in Shape for Summer with Rejuvenate, Kidderminster So, with the Summer holidays within sniffing distance I caught up with Dianne from Rejuvenate, Kidderminster who our readers may recall was a friend Local Zest made last Summer. Back in July 2016 I embarked on my first ever experience of HYPOXI.

Now, originally the programme was meant to be six weeks long but unfortunately, I allowed life to take over and did not complete my full six-week programme. This was really disappointing at the time because I had enjoyed fantastic results in first three weeks losing just over a stone and almost 40cms in my measurements! But the important thing is, I have got back on the wagon and was delighted upon returning to Rejuvenate over seven months later that I had not only managed to maintain those losses but also had lost a bit more weight and those all important measurements had gone down too! This really motivated me to get started as I was excited that I hadn’t undone all of the good work HYPOXI had started last Summer and I could pick up where I left off!

So, before I got started, I sat with Dianne and planned in the full six-week course of treatments. Now this may seem regimented but has given me the clarity I need to plan and focus to ensure this time round I complete the course and am then able to share with you all my own personal results and journey. I got straight to it the very next day and as soon as I walked in the studio I was greeted with the same lovely feeling I had left in July. Dianne and the staff at Rejuvenate are just so down to earth and really put you at ease even with the dreaded before pictures and measurements. I recommend if you ever try HYPOXI that you go ahead with the before pictures as painful as it feels, it really is over very quickly and the difference is phenomenal and really keeps you motivated.

Now, if you have never heard of HYPOXI before now, let me try and explain as best I can. HYPOXI is a targeted method of body shaping. It was developed at the end of the 90’s by Dr Norbert Egger in Salzburg and is now successfully in use in over 40 countries worldwide. The HYPOXI-Method has a unique effect on typical female but also male problem areas; legs, bums, tums, cellulite and weak connective tissue. The HYPOXIMethod uses the natural principles of lipid metabolism to systematically reduce undesired fat deposits, an effect that does not usually occur when losing weight using the more traditional methods.

So, with week one under my belt, I was thrilled with my half a stone loss. I found it so much easier this time round to find a rhythm and quickly settle in a routine with how and what to do before and after a HYPOXI session. The key is preparation, planning those meals will make all the difference and ensure you avoid any danger zones. Hypoxi promotes a healthy balanced diet, particularly foods naturally high in protein such as lean meat, fish and eggs after Hypoxi sessions to accelerate the targeted fat burn process which lasts 6-8 hours after your Hypoxi session. Yes, you read correctly, burning fats whilst you do nothing! It is also really important to keep well hydrated and

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aim to drink at least 2-3 litres of water especially on Hypoxi days. The team at Rejuvenate advise on how to eat yourself thin and missing meals and starving is not an option to look and be healthy. Two weeks and six sessions in, its weigh and measure time. Now my weight loss plateaued in week two despite sticking to the plan but to be honest with half a stone in week one, I was more than happy to wait to hear the measurement results and not just focus on the scales. I feel different and I have had so many people comment on how much weight they think I have lost so was ecstatic when Dianne delivered my results and I had lost a fantastic 8lb in weight and 35.7cm!! Since my first round of Hypoxi last year and this one in Spring 2017, I managed to more than maintain the progress I originally made in Summer 2016 so if I combine the two sets of results that’s a huge 75cm and 17lb in weight!! The weigh and measures keep you more focused and looking at the bigger picture not just those numbers of the weight scales. I am feeling good right now and very positive for the next few weeks. I will keep you posted!

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Health & Beauty

Lion Dental Centre Lion Dental Centre is pleased to announce their upcoming open week in April 2017. The open week will include some great offers giving new patients the opportunity to go and give them a try. Dental examinations and hygienist visits are £20 instead of £40. Tooth whitening is also heavily discounted with £100 off. Lion Dental Centre offer Zoom in surgery whitening as well as home tooth whitening. The Dentists at Lion Dental Centre offer FREE CONSULTATIONS so you can chat about your treatment needs and meet the Dentist before embarking on any treatment. Lion Dental Centre have award winning Francesca Dash offering Invisalign treatment to give you the straight white teeth you have always dreamed of. Invisalign is a method of teeth straightening achieved by wearing a set of custom made, almost invisible aligners. Each aligner is worn for two weeks and each differs slightly allowing the gradual movement of your teeth into the correct position. The length of time the treatment takes is dependent on the level of crowding to begin with. Invisalign can treat the most challenging of cases so most patients are suitable candidates. They are one of only a handful of practices in the UK who have attained Diamond status, this award being in recognition of the Clinician’s experience in this field. Francesca Dash has treated over 1000 cases of Invisalign and Fran and her team at Lion Dental Centre pride themselves on providing their patients with top quality service. For their open week Lion Dental Centre are offering an amazing £500 off Invisalign. Invisalign at Lion Dental Centre also comes with FREE TOOTHWHITENING worth £500.

Lion Dental Centre are also pleased to offer FREE CONSULTATIONS with Dr Mario Veltri for Implant Assessments. Implant consultations with their Implant and Periodontal specialist are usually £95 but for the open week they are absolutely FREE! So what are you waiting for? With these great offers only available in the week commencing 24th April book an appointment today. Call 01384 376336. Not only do they have great offers but they have a large free car park, easy access and experienced staff. What’s more they offer 2 late nights and 2 early mornings each week to accommodate patients outside of working hours. Interest free finance is also available. Why not be Lion Dental Centres next happy patient.

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Health & Fitness

CARVER WOLVERHAMPTON CITY MARATHON EVENTS Sunday 3rd September 2017 - West Park, Wolverhampton, WV1 4PS

Race No: OFFICE USE

oCallprint Walk in the Park (10.15am) oMarathon (18yrs+) (9.15am)

oHalf Marathon (17yrs+) (9.15am)

oCousins 20k Cycle Event (8.50am) oCousins 10k Cycle Event (9.00am) oCousins 10k Wheelchair Event (8.50am) oCousins 20k Wheelchair Event (8.50am) oBanksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10k Run

(15yrs+) (9.40am)

About you (entrant or parent/guardian)

Wolverhampton Marathon celebrates 20th Anniversary Incredibly, the Wolverhampton Marathon events will be celebrating their 20th event on Sunday 3rd September this year.

The events, which start and finish at West Park in the centre of Wolverhampon, were resurrected by Roy Carver back in 1998 and sponsored and unwritten by Carvers Building Supplies. During this time they have raised over ÂŁ350,000 for local charities.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Closing date for postal entries is Saturday 26th August 2017 Please send your complete form with cheque payable to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Carver Wolverhampton City Marathonâ&#x20AC;? to: Marathon Office, Carver (Wolverhampton) Ltd, Littles Lane, Wolverhampton WV1 1JY You will receive your entry pack and race number through the post from July onwards. Providing you have received this information, you do not need to register for the event on the day. We do not require a stamped addressed envelope provided you have written your address clearly on the entry form. Entry fees are non refundable.

Cyclists ALL cyclists MUST abide by the rules for cyclists (Sections 59-82) of the Highway Code. In order to avoid congestion at the start, please indicate your expected time for 20k Cycle.

Use of audio headsets and mobile phones by runners IAAF Competition Rules DO NOT permit the use of any form of audio headset or mobile telephone within the competition area. Promoters may restrict use and disqualify any runner found to be contravening the instruction. Find out more about this on our website.

Being an extremely popular sporting event, there is literally a challenge for everyone, including a full and half marathon, Banksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10K, Cousins Cycle Ride, Callprint Walk in the Park and Childens Mini Marathon. Hugely championed by local companies including Angel Springs, Greggs and NJB Physiotherapy, the events are supported by many local organisations offering their goods and services.

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The Wolverhampton City Marathon is a registered charity (No. 1122078)