Best ways to watch TV
AUTO-BIOGRAPHIES
Private P Consumer Easter Monday saw the Champion for a generation. The p
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pensions’. Yet more ch
Broadband so here’s what eve
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Plus by accessing your funds e than needed you can reduce y ability to make future contribut Yet you’re saying if I want to, just take out all the cash? If y choose to yes, but remember o of it is tax-free. The rest is taxed current income tax rate like sala if you take a huge whack, just li earn more, some of it will push the higher tax bracket. See the tax calculator at www.mse.me/t to see the various levels. If I don’t want to take it all ou can I do? There are many opt some of them can be combine here’s the main ones. Option 1: Leave it in your pens when you need it. Then each t withdraw, 25% of that amount free. Eg, if you had £100,000 a took £20,000 out you’d get £5, it tax-free, the rest would be ta your current rate. Option 2: Take 25% tax free, th a flexible income drawdown product. This is a product you keep the rest invested so it can hopefully grow, but you can als to take income when needed. you get the first 25% you withd free and then the rest is taxed you take it – possibly useful if likely to be in a lower-tax brack you’re older. Option 3: Take 25% tax free, th an annuity. This gives you a guaranteed income each year rest of your life. There are diffe charges on all of these, and it’ important to check them out an always compare different prov Eh, I thought annuities were dead as a dodo’s granny? Ac annuities are a decent concept get the security of knowing exa how much you can spend each and that it’ll last for the rest of y The problem is the rates have TM crap, and 60% of people just g from their pension provider rat than checking for better deals, especially people with poor he who could’ve got much better rates. Yet done right, with som your pension, it can be a usefu for security of income for life.
My Local Magazine Pension freedom sounds like something from Braveheart – what’s actually happening? I suspect George Osborne does picture himself as a financial freedom fighter. Yet only time will tell whether these reforms will paint him as the man who liberated older savers, or who exposed them to huge risk. This is all about how you use your pension savings. As always you can
®
takeNews, a quarter ofReviews it as a tax-free lump 65 | October/November | The BEST and To-Do’s My local Issue April 2015_Layout 1 30/05/20152016 15:16 Page 1 of Stockton’s Business, sum. Yet for decades most people
Review Pages 22 & 23 Porsche Panamera Diesel
An Interview with Andy Preston
have effectively needed to use the remainder of the money to buy an annuity – a product that pays you an income each year until you die. Now anyone aged 55 and over can take the whole amount as a lump sum, paying no tax on the first 25% and the rest taxed as if it were a salary at their income tax rate.
Martin Lewis
Bank Local Stories Switch Account Earn £100s Local Businesses Page 24 Gardening Recipe Car Reviews Page 6 Health & Beauty Home Horoscopes Does it apply to all types of pension? No, we’re only really talking private pensions where you and/or your employer saved up a pot of cash for retirement. Technically these are known as ‘defined contribution’ or 'money purchase' pensions.
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It doesn’t apply to the state pension, nor in the main part does it apply to pensions where what you’re paid is a proportion of your final salary – known technically as ‘defined benefit’ pensions.
News - 5 minute catch up Pages 14 & 15
My Local Magazine There are ways to convert these final salary pensions into a pot of cash (be very careful of scammers), but don’t do it without genuine independent financial advice
Is it worth taking out my pot as soon as I can? Usually not. If you’re in your 50s or early 60s you’re probably still working towards retirement and should be focusing on putting yourself in a position to have enough income when you do retire – so you want your pension to keep growing.
April/May 2015 | The BEST of Middlesbrough’s Business, News, Reviews and ToDo’s
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how to save £1,000s and get a new kitchen in just 48 hours Buying aa new newkitchen kitchencan canbe a Buying be a stressful experience. stressful experience. HighHighpressure are followed pressure salessales are followed by by lengthy delays, then lengthy delays, then one one of the of theused mostrooms used in rooms in theis most the home home out is totally out offor bounds totally of bounds a weekfor or a week or more. more. But But customers customersininthe thenorth northeast east have have another anotheroption. option.AAwelcome welcome alternative alternativethat thatisishalf halfthe thecost costofof an average averagenew newkitchen, kitchen,can canbe be an delivered within withinthe themonth, month,and and delivered fitted in in as aslittle littleas asaaday. day. fitted From From its its showroom showroomininYarm, Yarm, Dream Dream Doors DoorsTeeside Teesidesupplies supplies time time and and money-saving money-savingkitchen makeovers – as well–as kitchen makeovers as well
as appliances complete appliances and and complete kitchens fitted ifkitchens requiredif–required all fitted –byallapproved by approved installers. It is local installers.local A family-run also part owned of a national franchised business by Kevin and networkClarke, of Dream Katrina it is Doors also part of a showrooms that stretches national franchised networkall of the way down to Cornwall. Dream Doors showrooms that stretches all the way down to “Major home improvement Cornwall. projects always seem daunting. “Major homefar improvement But there's less upheaval projects always daunting,” with our kitchenseem makeovers. For says Kevin. there's farout less a door swap“But we're in and upheaval ourakitchen in a day, with and for facelift, with makeovers. Forand a door swap new worktops a sink, we'll we're in and out in a day, and for probably need an extra day. a facelift, with new worktops and aDream sink, we'll probably need Doors asks for justan a 50 extra day.deposit from customers percent
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Welcome Welcome to My Local Welcome to the first issue of Magazine My Local Magazine. October Ramblings Traditionally Wear Valley always Sometimes in had a strong life, you just and thriving retail / business sector as you look have to stop andand rethink a decision you made fewissue yearsI'm ago or you through thisa first sure weeks is correct and still relevant will agree there are some great now? shopping experiences still to be A few weeks ago I decided that had. we just were not watching TV programmes other than ITV or the Everything fromhad where to top updish BBC. I already a Satellite yourItan to where youacan get the and decided to buy Freeview Recordable Satellite very best windows forBox yourwhich home.was around £179. This was great choice, it paid this magazine to be I hope youafind for itself in aand fewamonths and to informative useful guide we are now watching better TV the best Wear Valley has to offer I because we are not channel thankSee everyone flwould ickinglike as to much. page 8who if you are your TV viewing has considering supported me in making my options. dream become a reality and look Also a few months our ago, the bank forward to growing business's of England reduced the base rate. together in future issues and This has had a good impact on making Wear Valley the place to borrowing if your shopping around be. a new mortgage. Martin Lewis for offers some sound advice on what your options Until next timeare. ... Page 13
Regular Features
Regular Features Puzzles
7 & 30
Recipe Motors
622&- 14 23
Recipe It’s all childs play
Hot Trends for 2015
107
Porsche TV Guide 8 Panamera Diesel 24 & 25
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Gardening Antiques on the Green 24 - 25
Molly’s Tea Room
Trades
Health
16 & 17
28 - 32
18
Garden View
Martin St Andrews Day 10 Lewis
26 - 27
Money Saving Expert 28
Consumer Champion - Broadband 13
Russell Grant 16
Horoscopes 12 & 13 Russell Grant
Maybe another rethink could be looming...
Gillian
Learn to Dance
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Jeremy Middleton Managing Director My Local Magazines Ltd, Office 4, Walker House, 3rd Floor, High Street West Auckland, County Durham T: 07538 947039 Stockton on Tees TS18 1BG E: mylocalmagazinewearvalley@gmail.com T: 01642 924847 M: 07533 265475 E: jeremy@mylocal-magazine.co.uk www.mylocal-magazine.co.uk
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Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we The company, based locally, say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, offers homeowners the opand Value in that we offer portunity to maximise their our services at a price people storage space with a loft can afford. Our business ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding relies on referrals and we got and a light all fully fitted in a huge amount of our calls less than a day from just £277 + VAT. But it’s not just from people who have been the affordability of the pack- referred to us by our existing customers - that simply age the company offers that wouldn’t happen if we didn’t makes Yorkshire Loft Ladadhere to our overriding ders stand out as manager principles. Paul Robson explains: These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in.
‘Our watchwords are Quality, Integrity and Value.
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lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’ So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however
At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers
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big or small, call Paul on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!
Tastes so good... Mini Apple Pies Ingredients: 350g Plain flour 200g butter 100g golden caster sugar Pinch of salt 1 egg 2 caps of vanilla extract 3 large apples (chopped and peeled) Juice of one orange 1 tsp. mixed spice 2-3 tbsp. light brown sugar Method: Preheat the oven to 180c. Rub the flour and the butter together in a bowl until you have a breadcrumb like mixture. Stir in the sugar and the salt. After separating the egg, put the yolk and vanilla extract into the mixture and
stir with a knife. Add 2 tablespoon of water one at a time, and mix with a knife until the mixture clumps together. Knead with your hands until smooth. Keep the pastry in the fridge for one hour. Put the apples in a bowl, put the orange juice, spice and sugar over the top. Mix with your hands until the apples are covered. Roll the pastry out until half a cm thick and cut out circles to fit cupcake/muffin tray. Add apple mixture to cups then cut out circles to fit the top. Glaze with milk cook for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
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TV Guide What’s the best way to watch TV? By Kate Duggan
Most of us enjoy curling up infront of the TV on a cold winter’s night. And, as long as you have decent broadband, these days there’s plenty of ways to watch your favourite shows. If you’re feeling a bit flummoxed by all the options available, our quick guide might help to make your mind up. Freeview – Free As the name implies, Freeview gives you access to more than 60 TV channels, for free. You can also watch hundreds of programmes that have aired in the previous seven days. With most TVs, you shouldn’t need any extra equipment, but TVs bought before 2010 might require a set-top box, which costs from £30. You will need a TV aerial, and not all channels are available in all locations, so it’s worth checking what you can get before you buy anything.
There are a range of providers to choose from, including Sky, Virgin Media, BT and Talk Talk, all of which give you access to a wide range of digital channels. You will need a set-top box, and in some cases a satellite dish, which is normally included in the cost of your subscription, and you’ll need to take out a 12-18 month contract. Most providers have different packages to choose from, and you can add on bundles, such as sports channels. Some providers offer wider phone and broadband packages. BT, for example, offers 80 channels, unlimited broadband and free weekend calls from around £10 per month. Netflix – £5.99-£8.99 per month
Satellite TV – from around £7.50 a month
Netflix is a subscription service that allows you to watch thousands of films and TV shows through your smart TV, laptop, phone, tablet and other devices. You can choose what you want to watch from a huge menu, including
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programmes made by Netflix, such as the award-winning Orange is the New Black. You don’t need any extra equipment; there are no adverts and you can pause, rewind, fast forward and watch again as much as you like. There’s also no contract, so you can cancel whenever you want. Amazon Prime – £79 per year Like Netflix, Amazon Prime is a subscription service that allows you to watch films and TV shows through a multitude of digital devices. With some older TVs, you’ll need to buy a fire stick (which costs around £30). There doesn’t seem to be quite as much choice with Amazon Prime as there is with Netflix, but if you take into consideration the other benefits of Prime, such as free music, next-day Amazon delivery and cloud-storage for photos, it is a great price. If you don’t want the extras, you can opt for Prime video, for just £5.99 per month.
Supporting Stockton’s unpaid carers Sanctuary Supported Living’s
welcome new members to all our
Stockton Carers Service offers
meetings and activities.
a wide range of support to adult
17 November: Peer support session 24 November: Carers Assessment
The following events take place
support – what does this mean for
on Thursdays from 1pm to 3pm at
carers?
Five Lamps, 32 Dovecot Street,
Carers Rights Day, Friday 25
Stockton, TS18 1LN.
November
helping to arrange adaptations
6 October: Guest speaker: Julia
We will have an information
to the home. We can support
Cardill form the mobile library
stand at Splash on Church Road
carers in many ways so that they
will be re-visiting us to do a
in Stockton at 1.30pm to 4pm.
have time to do other things
reminiscence session
Drop by for information on how
carers in Stockton, including practical day-to-day support, accessing training courses, providing benefits advice and
that are important to them such as work, training, education or
13 October: Peer support session
unpaid or informal carers can be supported. The Citizens Advice
leisure activities. We have a new
20 October: Group discussion
Bureau, Stockton Advocacy
carers’ room where carers can
on current affairs using daily
Service, Tilley Bailey and Irvine
receive private and confidential
newspapers
solicitors, Stockton Personalisation
one-to-one support with our experienced staff.
27 October: Guest Speaker - Jackie Edwards, Occupational Therapist
Our autumn events programme includes talks, free advice and information to help carers cope with
from the Independent Living Centre 3 November: Peer support session
Team and many more will also have information stands. For more information on Stockton Carers Service call 0800 917 0204 or visit us at 70-74
the various demands of looking
10 November: Arts and crafts -
Brunswick Street, Stockton on
after a friend or loved one. We
Poppy making
Tees, Cleveland, TS18 1DW.
Stockton
Carers Service
Supported Living
Free confidential information and support for adult carers who live in Stockton.
0800 917 0204
www.sanctuary-supported-living.co.uk/carers Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Clinical Commissioning Group
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Five Top Old Movies By Debbie Singh-Bhatti
T
here are several movies I could watch over and again. Here's my pick of the
oldies! In It's a Wonderful Life (1946) James Stewart stars as a troubled family man, about to commit suicide on Christmas Eve, feeling that his life has amounted to nothing. He is saved by his guardian angel who shows him the lives he has touched and the difference he has made to his community. Who couldn't resist Gene Kelly, sloshing his way through puddles and swinging from lamp posts in the 1952 film Singin' in the Rain? Set in Hollywood at the end of the
(1962) stars Bette Davis as a failing actress who holds her sister (Joan Crawford) captive in an old Hollywood mansion. Full of menacing twists and turns, it has a shock ending that will keep you guessing!
Ever Happened to Baby Jane
Steven Spielberg's 1975 film Jaws is about a killer shark that makes repeated attacks on New England residents and how it is finally tracked and disposed of. The atmospheric music adds to the
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silent movie era, the score also features Donald Connor's iconic performance of Make 'Em Laugh. The psychological thriller What
tension and the interaction between the three male leads is sharply observed. Finally, Disney's Beauty and the Beast (1991) is a heart-warming cartoon about a beautiful young girl who wins the affection of an enchanted beast. The animation is stunning and the score is beautiful. A new version starring Emma Watson is due for release next March.
St Andrew’s Day By Susan Brookes-Morris St Andrew’s day is the 30th November. An annual bank holiday has taken place in his honour since 2007, in Scotland. The day is marked with musical celebrations, dancing and special food. There is also free entry to many castles and attractions on that day. St Andrew is a busy chap; he also the patron saint of Cyprus, Greece, Russia, Bulgaria and several other countries as well as gout, sore throats and spinsters! Before leaving to follow Jesus, Andrew was a fisherman. Amongst his notable acts are: bringing the first foreigners to meet Jesus, and getting a crowd of people to share food with those beside them. He became one of the twelve disciples. Andrew’s brother was Peter, the founder of the church. This relationship helped the Scots appeal for protection from the Pope against the English in 1320. St Andrew was crucified by the Romans on an ‘X’ shaped cross. This is reflected in the white of the Scottish national flag which is known as the Saltire. Some of St Andrew’s relics can be found at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, others are in Amalfi, Italy. Whilst now famous as the birthplace of modern golf and for having a notable university, St Andrews the town is believed to be so called because it once housed some of St Andrew’s relics. To advertise call Jeremy T: 01642 924847 M: 07533 265475 E: jeremy@mylocal-magazine.co.uk
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1. Madame de Pompadour was the mistress of which French King?
Q.
2. Who was also known as the ‘Demon Barber of Fleet Street’? 3. What is Champagne mixed with to create Bucks Fizz?
A
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1. 2. 3.
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CONSUMER CHAMPION Broadband providers ordered to stop misleading ads – your rights if you feel you’ve been duped James Walker With the Advertising Standards Authority ordering the broadband industry to stop advertising deals that hide how much contracts really cost, I look at how to get the best from your broadband Research by the ‘Advertising Standards Agency’ and broadcast industry regulator ‘Ofcom’ has revealed that most of us are confused about the actual cost of our broadband contracts. It found that 80% of us could not work out the full cost of a given broadband package, while just a quarter could understand the price of a package after being shown a TV ad for it. As a result, the ASA says providers will have to display up-front costs, monthly fees, contract lengths and post-discount prices in all their marketing and advertising. The new rules come into force at the end of October… so what can you do until then if you feel you’ve been mis-sold? Complain! If you’re not happy with the price you’re paying, raise the issue with your provider. They will be under no obligation to change your payment structure, but may be happy to move you to a cheaper tariff (but be aware that this might be slower and/or have a data cap on it, limiting your internet usage). So what are the rules regarding cancelling a contract? When can a company impose a penalty on leaving and when can’t they? You should get a 14-day cooling-off period, depending on the type of contract, where you can leave with no extra charge. After that, a company does have the right to say that if you’ve signed up for something that you do have to pay a termination charge. This is often the period of time you’ve been locked into the contract for. However, if you feel you’ve been mis-sold, or you’ve been signed up without consent, you have the right to cancel without being charged. Things need to be cleaner and clearer for the consumer to be able to better understand these situations.
In addition, if a consumer is not getting the service they expect, we believe they need to be offered the opportunity to be able to cancel their contract. For example, if you’re not getting the broadband service you believed you’d signed up to, or your mobile phone’s not working, why should you be tied into a contract that you didn’t want and that is not right for you. Help, my broadband is too slow! Ancient copper phone lines are throttling our home internet speeds. According to an MPs’ report, 5.7 million of us are saddled with connections so slow they could be breaking regulations. So what can you do to get a better service? Know what speed you’re supposed to have • Know your speed – there are plenty of free online checkers that allow you to test your broadband speed. The law says a broadband provider only has to deliver 10 per cent of advertised speeds. This means that if you’ve signed up to a 17Mb service, they’re only required to give you 1.7Mb.
• Check your service provider has signed up to Ofcom’s Code of Practice. If so, it has to give you an estimated speed of what you will ACTUALLY receive. How to get a better connection • Upgrade to a higher-spec package. This sounds obvious, but you’ll get faster broadband if you sign up to a faster deal. And it needn’t cost you more if you shop around. • Find out who’s fastest in your area – ask your neighbours. If one provider is consistently faster than others, think about switching to them. Remember, though, that the speed you get depends how far you are from the telephone exchange, thanks to BT’s old-fashioned copper wire (that everyone has to deal with). How to make the most of your connection • Use good wire – and keep it short. Long, poor-quality leads from your socket to your router will slow you down. • Microfilters – these split your phone line from your internet. And you must have them plugged into every phone socket you use.
How to make your Conservatory Feel like a Proper Room If you’ve ever tried to use your conservatory in the winter, you’ll know that it can feel like a cold, damp and dismal part of the house. In all the glossy conservatory sales catalogues, the sun is always shining, the garden is blooming and everyone is having fun being in the bright and clean ‘new room’. The reality is that most conservatories are too hot to use in comfort in the summer, and certainly too cold to use in the winter. Condensation can be a problem in the winter, and it’s too bright to watch a tv in there in the summer. And when it rains, the noise can be deafening! Most conservatories have been built as temporary structures and usually as a less expensive alternative to an extension. This means that they don’t comply
with the building regulations that an extension would have to do especially in terms of the thermal efficiency. The team at local specialists Inceil talk to homeowners every day who want to be able to use their conservatory all year round and not on the handful of days when the temperature is just right! Their cost-effective solution is to fit an insulated ceiling fitted to the existing roof structure in just 1 or 2 days. The new plastered ceiling follows the contours of the existing roof and uses the most thermally dynamic insulation available. Your conservatory will feel like a proper room with a better temperature year round. And you don’t have to do anything to the external roof. It’s important when having any works done that you are happy with the people working in your home.
Customers frequently comment on how polite and friendly everyone is in the Inceil team – and that they cleaned up when they had finished! On the Inceil informative website www.inceil.co.uk you can watch an installation video which shows exactly how the process works, and request a free survey and quote. Or give them a call on 01904 891936. In just one or two days, your conservatory can be transformed into a comfortable and usable part of your home.
Is your conservatory TOO COLD to use this winter? An insulated ceiling from Inceil will transform your conservatory so it is warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer - so you can enjoy your conservatory all year round. Affordable, effective and fitted in just 2 days
Call 01904 891936 now to arrange a FREE quote and survey.
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For November 2016
Scorpio
By Astrologer Russell Grant
ARIES March 21st - April 20th Your love life will sizzle with excitement in the early days of November. If you don’t have a partner, you could find one at a theatre, concert or gallery. There’s a good chance you will fall head over heels in love with a powerful executive. Are you already in a relationship? Be receptive to your amour’s overtures. The two of you will have fun reconnecting. An impressive amount of money could land in your bank account on the 14th, thanks to the Full Moon. Use some of this cash to further your career. A smart interview suit, new computer and advertising campaign are all good professional investments. Beware of making promises you can’t deliver during the second half of the month. Setting up a loved one for disappointment will create tremendous resentment. The New Moon on the 29th will force you into unfamiliar territory. Ask for guidance when you’re not sure what to do or how to behave. TAURUS April 21st - May 21st Your love life will be enriching at the beginning of November. This is the best time of the entire year to get engaged or married. Entering a business alliance is also looking good. Two heads are better than one at the beginning of November. The Full Moon on the 14th will prompt a loved one to give you a beautiful gift. Be sure to show your appreciation for this generous token. Work could feel oppressive during the second half of the month, due to an annoying repair project. It may be difficult to find peace and quiet. Exercise patience with a colleague who wears on your nerves. Show respect for their superior knowledge and expertise. You may need their help on the 29th, when the New Moon makes you aware of limited resources. By teaming up, you can produce impressive work on a tiny budget. Summon your creative powers as November turns to December. GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st Work will be financially and emotionally rewarding in the opening days of November. If you’re unhappy with your job, look for another. An influential friend will write you an impressive reference. The Full Moon on the 14th will prompt you to withdraw from public life. Solitary pursuits like reading, writing and communing with nature can energise you. It’s also possible you will be spending more time with a beloved pet. Your romantic partner will give you the strength to take a bold risk. Abandon the status quo for something new and daring. 16
You may experience a setback, but treat it as a learning experience. The next time, you will be better prepared to meet challenges. The New Moon on the 29th warns against mixing business with pleasure. If you’re looking for love, find it with someone who doesn’t work with you. Similarly, it isn’t a good idea to form a professional alliance with a friend. CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd An exciting opportunity to travel will arrive at the beginning of November; there’s never been a better time to take a dream holiday. If you’re single, you will meet someone special on this journey. Are you already in a relationship? You and your amour will enjoy a second honeymoon. If you’re looking for work during the first half of the month, you’ll have to be particularly aggressive. Don’t be afraid to discuss your talent and accomplishments during job interviews. The Full Moon on the 14th brings a successful conclusion to a group project. As a result, bigger and better opportunities will be offered to you. Be selective about which jobs you accept. It’s important to hold out for work that offers a creative challenge. Don’t let your romantic partner eclipse your needs towards the end of the month. The New Moon on the 29th will prompt you to get attention for a health matter. LEO July 24th - August 23rd Money from a grant, loan or scholarship will become available in early November. These additional resources will allow you to lead a more comfortable life. Having more time for creative pursuits will give you an attractive glow throughout the first half of the month. If you’re single, you could meet someone special at a sporting event or gym. You’ll have to play the aggressor in this relationship. The Full Moon on the 14th marks an exciting turning point in your career. You could land a high profile job, get a big pay rise or be given an impressive promotion. During the second half of the month, you should be as discreet as possible at work. Don’t discuss your personal life with colleagues or you will later regret it. The New Moon on the 29th warns against taking emotional and financial risks. It’s best to maintain the status quo as November turns to December. VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd Your love life will sizzle with excitement in early November. This is a great time to embark on a romance. Getting engaged or married is
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also possible. If you’re already in a serious relationship, take your amour on a glamorous trip. A financial windfall makes it possible to purchase some new technical equipment during the first half of the month. The Full Moon on the 14th brings the satisfying conclusion of a legal matter. As a result, you’ll have more time for your favourite hobbies and creative pursuits. The second half of November could put some strain on finances. Be as frugal as possible. Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have fun with your nearest and dearest. Spend quality time with friends and family, preparing big meals and playing board games. Launching a home based business could be profitable on the 29th, thanks to the New Moon. LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd Moneymaking opportunities will abound in early November. Take this opportunity to apply for a dream job or ask for a pay rise. If you work for yourself, this is the best time of the entire year to raise your prices. Good customers are willing to pay extra for superior products and services. The Full Moon on the 14th will pave the way for a passionate encounter. Let down your defences with someone who has proven their loyalty. There’s also a good chance you will get a significant financial windfall from an inheritance or legal settlement. The second half of the month should be devoted to building solid relationships with your neighbours. Having a good standing in the community will pay off in unexpected ways. Changes to your domestic routine are inevitable at the end of November. Be open to make adjustments for the sake of a relative. The New Moon on the 29th could put extra chores on your plate. SCORPIO October 24th - November 22nd You’re feeling good and looking good in early November. Take this opportunity to embark on a passionate romance. If you’re already in a relationship, you and your amour will be especially affectionate throughout the first half of November. This would be a lovely time to give your partner a beautiful token of your affection. The Full Moon on the 14th marks a turning point in a close relationship. A business or romantic partnership will dramatically improve your social stature. You will have to spend money to make money during the second half of the month. Invest in a new car, computer or smartphone. Don’t listen to petty criticism as November turns to December. A jealous rival will do everything in their power to shake your confidence. If the New Moon on the 29th results in a loss of income, remain positive. This will be a welcome opportunity to find more rewarding work. SAGITTARIUS November 23rd December 21st Solitary pursuits will give you a welcome chance to recharge your batteries in early November. Working on a compelling creative project will be lots of fun. Don’t show your work to others until you’re completely happy with the results. The Full Moon on the 14th will attract a terrific job offer. Having regular pay will allow you to build financial stability. If you’ve been struggling to sell a property, you’ll be successful during the second half of the month. Turn a deaf ear to friends who tell you to hold out for more money. The New Moon on the 29th
warns against adopting a different look. If you want to make a change, devote more time to creative pursuits. Playing sports can be another way to let off steam. Being outdoors never fails to lift your spirits. Head outside even if the weather is bad. Fresh air will have a therapeutic effect. CAPRICORN December 22nd January 20th Spending time with friends and family is strongly advised in the opening days of November. You have a tendency to be reclusive when the chips are down. Learning to ask for help will be empowering. Call a sympathetic friend when you feel overwhelmed. Their words of encouragement will keep stress at bay. The Full Moon on the 14th could cause a legal decision to be rendered in your favour. Once this issue has been resolved, you’ll have an opportunity to satisfy your own agenda. Make more time for the artistic pursuits you love. Going to the theatre, watching movies and listening to music will give you an attractive glow that’s hard to resist. Be ready to set healthy boundaries with a demanding employer. In the past, you were willing to do the work of three people. Now you want more private time. The New Moon on the 29th will allow you to take an all too brief break. AQUARIUS January 21st - February 19th An opportunity for career advancement will arrive in early November. Don’t be afraid of taking a job that involves a great deal of responsibility. You’ll enjoy assuming a new challenge. It may be necessary to intimidate detractors who poke fun at your unorthodox methods. The sooner you establish you mean business, the more successful you will be. The Full Moon on the 14th will find you spending quality time with your family. This is a wonderful chance to reconnect with your nearest and dearest. Attending a recital, game or performance will be lots of fun. The second half of November will be a wonderfully social time. Attend as many parties and casual get togethers. The New Moon on the 29th will cause you to question your priorities. Devoting more time to the activities you love will create a scandal. People who have come to rely on you to perform their dirty work will protest. Ignore these complaints. PISCES February 20th - March 20th The opportunity to travel, study or write will arrive in early November. Expanding your horizons will give you an attractive glow that is hard to resist. Assuming a more public role at work could be in the cards. Don’t hesitate to step into the spotlight during the first half of the month. The Full Moon on the 14th will allow you to capitalise on expert knowledge. Providing training for a group of professionals will be a stimulating challenge. It will be easier to command respect during the second half of the month, when people will be more receptive to your creative approach. Resist the temptation to lend or borrow money in late November. Nothing will destroy a relationship faster than mixing finance with friendship. The New Moon on the 29th warns against accepting additional work responsibilities. It will take more time to master your existing duties. Don’t rush to climb the ladder to success too soon.
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GRAHAM & BROWN BRINGS INTERNATIONAL WALLPAPER WEEK TO DALTON PARK On behalf of wallpaper lovers everywhere, we are delighted to introduce International Wallpaper Week 2016. Born out of a burning ambition to get the world shouting about wallpaper, for the week of the 3rd – 9th October Graham & Brown will be celebrating all things design, colour and pattern. International Wallpaper Week is brought to Dalton Park by the Graham & Brown Outlet – discover exclusive in-store offers throughout the week, plus special events. Now is the time to revamp that tired room and discover how the humble roll of wallpaper can transform a space within a matter of hours.
For the children of The Ribbon primary school in Murton, a creative competition has a fabulous, personalised prize. In honour of International Wallpaper Week, the pupils will be given the opportunity to win a bespoke wall mural for their home designed by their very hands. The winner will be announced on Not only will there be must-have special offers Monday 10th October when the school are due to visit Dalton Park. in-store all week, Graham & Brown Outlet will be creating a hive of wallpaper-themed activity around Dalton Park. For the weekend From thousands of wallpapers and hundreds of paint colours to choose from, trend-led of the 8th and 9th October, children (and cushions and wall art, whether you’re looking big kids too) have the creative freedom to doodle, draw and make their mark on a huge to transform your home or simply update a room, you can find all of the wall decoradoodle tower located inside the park. On tion solutions you need to at the Graham & Sunday 9th October you’ll have the opporBrown Outlet. Get involved with International tunity to try your hand at Superfresco Easy Paste the Wall wallpaper to see just how easy Wallpaper Week and visit the store for some practical tips on wallpapering and let the wallpapering can be, plus meet Graham & knowledgeable staff advise those important Brown’s ‘Doris’ the wallpapered Morris Minor interior décor decisions. who oozes 1960’s style.
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Martin LEWIS
Mortgages By Martin Lewis @moneysavingexpert
I
s now the perfect time to cut the cost of your mortgage? Rates are at historic lows - for the first time a two-year-fix is below 1% and a ten year fix is 2.39%. Many people can cut their mortgage costs by £1,000s. Yet after Brexit many are asking if could it get even cheaper. My mailbag’s been rammed with messages from nervous mortgageholders wondering whether they should do anything with their mortgage due to the uncertain economy right now. I don’t have a crystal ball and don’t know what the future holds, but in short here’s my analysis on the situation… 1) Will fixes get cheaper? The rate at which fixes are set is based on complex ‘long-term City swap rates’. And the markets’ gloom has pushed those down, so fix rates could (there’s a lot of crystal-ball gazing here) trickle down a touch further. 2) What about variable rates? There’s certainly pressure on them to drop, Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, has indicated cuts that may happen, though the last meeting of the bank it kept them on hold. So should people wait? The big picture... mortgages are at historically cheap rates already. If you can slash £1,000s off your cost and get peace of mind that you can afford it (and if you’re worried about uncertainty, go for a longer fix), then do it. Yes, there’s a chance it could get even cheaper, but if you’re bagging something that’s easily affordable, that safety and certainty has a value too. Playing the market is never a sure-fire win.
Just how cheap are mortgages? HSBC is offering a 0.99% two-yearfix, though you’ll need a good credit score, to be borrowing less than 65% of your house’s value and pay a huge fee of £1,499. Yet see this is an example of the type of rates available. At 90% of your house’s value you could get 2.49% fee-free for two years, or if you want to fix for longer, there are five-year-fixes in the 2%s too. So examine what your rate is now; many people are on their lender’s standard variable rate, the rate you go to when a fix or discount ends. So for Barclays, RBS, Halifax, NatWest and most Nationwide customers, it’s around 4%, though this is likely to drop if there is a rate cut. And just remember, every 1% point you cut off your mortgage is around £80/month less per £1,000 of mortgage. How to find the cheapest mortgages For easy benchmarking, to see what’s out there, start with a comparison site that includes all deals, including ‘direct only’, those that aren’t offered by broker. These include my Mortgage Comparison at www.mse.me/mortgagebestbuys or sites such as TotallyMoney.com. Yet it’s not just the rate that counts: these days getting accepted isn’t easy. Both your credit score and whether you’re deemed able to afford the mortgage count. (The latter is often calculated as if interest rates are far higher than they are, so you can still pay if rates do rise.) Matching your characteristics to available mortgages is something a good mortgage broker can do that you can’t do yourself.
And big savings are possible, such as Kperat’s, who emailed me: “Following your email we did some research, fixed at 1.24% for 2 yrs, reduced term to 13 yrs without paying much more a month. Will be saving about £20,000, even after fees. THANKS.”
But do ask if the broker will check all deals available to them and not just a panel of lenders. Also, check how much using a broker will cost and ensure you use a qualified one. Some phone-only brokers such as www.LandC. co.uk are fee-free but if you want face-to-face help, ask friends for
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a local broker recommendation or use www.Unbiased.co.uk or www. VouchedFor.co.uk to find one. Don’t ignore the fees The smaller your mortgage, the bigger the impact of fees, especially on smaller mortgages. A good way to compare mortgages is to divide the fee across the discount or fixed period. So a £1,200 fee on a two-year (i.e., 24-month) deal is £50 a month – add that to the monthly repayment. And if you use www.mse.me/mortgage bestbuys to compare, the ‘total cost’ function does this automatically for you. Fix or variable rate? The advantage of a fix is you get price and budgeting certainty that the rate won’t move for a set time. Variable deals move with UK interest rates – and sometimes just at the provider’s whim. Generally, you pay a little more to fix, but not much. Ask yourself how much you think rates will rise over the period. If safety’s what counts for you, err on the side of fixing, and fixing for longer. Got savings? They could get you a better mortgage For this, you need to find your current loan-to-value (LTV), the proportion of the value you’re borrowing. E.g., £80k on a £100k property is 80% LTV. At every 5% LTV threshold from 95% down to 60%, deals tend to get better, so a little extra can have a big impact on your rate. For example, if you’ve a £150,000 home, and want a £137,000 remortgage, that’s 91% LTV, and the top 5yr fix is 4.49%. Yet use £2,000 of savings to reduce the borrowing, and you’d then be at 90% LTV – where the top 5yr fix is 2.84%, saving c. £1,600/year in payments. Martin Lewis is the Founder & Editor in Chief of Money Saving Expert. To join the 10 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to www. moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip
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Motoring
AUTO-BIOGRAPHIES Volkswagen Golf GTI
By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist
The splendid VW Golf GTI has been in the motoring arena for over four decades, and its appeal is still red-hot.
they are not the celebrity that is the Golf GTI – and Volkswagen knows motorists will fork out more for that reason alone.
The word ‘hot’ is significant here, because the Golf GTI is the original ‘hot-hatch’ and it has generated many copycats.
The modern day Golf GTI is just such awesome fun behind the wheel. It is a grin-making motor that makes every mile travelled an utter delight. Toss the Golf along motorways and it stays as planted as a 100-year-old oak tree at 70mph. The 2.0-litre TSI 220PS five-door version, on test here, has wads of power on tap, masses of grip, alert and meticulous steering, and virtually no body roll. Regardless of this, the suspension is efficient enough to keep the hothatch comfy. So, as well as being a champ of commuting on the straight sections, picking its way along snaky country roads and making mincemeat of tight bends is where the VW Golf GTI really comes into its own.
This obviously means the VW Golf GTI isn’t the only one in the hothatchback division anymore, and it has to try even harder to thrash the (relatively) young new comers that try and knock it down from its perch. Curiously, key adversaries come from inside Volkswagen Group’s inner sanctum. These motors include Skoda’s Octavia vRS and SEAT’s Leon Cupra. Both cars are brilliant in every respect, apart from the absence of the ‘VW Golf GTI’ badge. And, to be blunt, they produce comparable performance for less cash. But, that’s because 22
Under the hood, the 2.0-litre turbowww.mylocal-magazine.co.uk
charged petrol engine, adjoined to a six-speed manual gearbox, gets you from 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds on the way to a maximum speed of 152mph. Stimulating as these numbers are, they’re accompanied by extraordinarily meagre running costs. The GTI manages an average fuel consumption of 47.1mpg, while discharging only 139g/km of CO2 emissions. This mix of parsimony and performance makes the appeal of the present Golf GTI even more delicious. You can instantaneously tell a VW Golf GTI from a standard Golf by the larger 18-inch alloy wheels, the red styling on the lower front bumper, and the attractive roof spoiler. Peep inside and there’s a suggestion of retro, with the archetypal Golf GTI tartan upholstery and the gear knob formed to look like a golf ball. Regardless of the Volkswagen Golf GTI’s sporty standing in the
Motoring
automotive amphitheatre, the fivedoor car is as practical as any other hatchback. The cabin and load space are the same as the ordinary VW Golf. This means the car will seat five people and the boot is big enough to accommodate anything from a baby’s pushchair to familysized bags of shopping. The Golf GTI comes festooned with interior gadgetry and kit, too. Included is a touchscreen infotainment system, sat-nav, a DAB radio and Bluetooth. Automatic lights, parking sensors adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and automatic windscreen wipers are also part of the standard paraphernalia. At the end of the day, we like a family vehicle to be safe. Well, on top of the rapidity, driving dynamics, economy, pragmatism and comfort, I’m pleased to say that the latest VW Golf GTI scored the maximum five-star rating possible under Euro
NCAP crash safety assessments. So, what’s not to like about the modern day Volkswagen Golf GTI? It stirs the spirit as much as it ever did – and it still warrants the respect it first netted forty years ago. PROS ‘N’ CONS • Performance √ • Handling √ • Efficiency √ • Practicality √ • Costly to buy X FAST FACTS • Max speed: 152 mph • 0-62 mph: 6.5 secs • Combined mpg: 47.1 • Engine layout: 1984cc 4-cylinder 16v turbo petrol • Max. power (PS): 220 • CO2: 139 g/km • Price: £27,700
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23
Pension Doctor
Too Old to Work, Too Young to Retire There comes a point in all of
the Depression in America, and her
our lives where we feel too old
father’s redundancy from the FBI
to work but too young to retire.
further compounded the family’s
The daily grind is taking its toll;
financial plight. But this didn’t stop
we feel stuck on the treadmill
them getting on with living. Her and
of work, plodding along without
her family made everything they
going anywhere, unable to get
needed, except shoes and glasses,
off because we simply cannot
and Barbara made all of her own
afford to retire. Sound familiar?
toys. As a child, Barbara knew
It’s a sad reality that many of the
that her passion was to use her
people I meet are in exactly the
creativity to invent and innovate.
same boat and there is a whole generation of people who have lost their purpose, passion and joie de vivre.
In a modern, post-feminist, context, I have no doubt that Barbara would’ve gone to university, studied to be an engineer and had a truly
So are you too old to work but too
fulfilling career. But this was nearly
young to retire? The truth is, that
70 years ago; Beskind’s Careers
feeling of being stuck in purgatory is
Councillor told her, in no uncertain
self-imposed. And I don’t apologise
terms, that women were not
for saying so. That feeling boils
accepted by engineering schools,
down to one important factor- you
so Barbara joined the army and
just haven’t found the right job! I
became an occupational therapist
firmly believe that once you find
instead.
your passion in life, whatever your age, work no longer feels liked a daily punishment, instead it becomes something you live, eat and breathe and love doing.
I’m not saying that Barbara didn’t have a rewarding career, but I’m certain that she always carried a sense of regret with her. To have found her passion but to have not
But what if you really are too old to
embraced it is a saddening thought
work? Well I’m here to tell you that
and one that I fear so many of us
you are never too old to work! Don’t
can empathise with.
believe me? Well sit back and listen to the tale of Barbara KnickbockerBeskind.
But Barbara’s tale doesn’t end on a dismal note; quite the contrary in
much-loved member of the team, offering feedback to designers who are working on products for the elderly, and sharing her own design prototypes with her colleagues. Barbara says “Age is not a barrier to performance. Live life as an adventure and expect change and endorse it, embrace it”. Good on you Barbara! I don’t think you are ever too old to work. Barbara, a nonagenarian, suffers from a macular degeneration and uses modified ski poles to walk, but she’s still doing it. Once you find something you are deeply passionate about, your life will have purpose and you won’t want to stop. I urge you to take the best leap of your life- follow your dreams and love what you do. By Charlie Reading
fact. Barbara didn’t think she was
If you’d like to know more about
When Barbara Beskind (let’s drop
too old to work, but she did think
how to boost your health, wealth
the ‘Knickerbocker’, if you’ll excuse
she was too young to retire. At 89
or welling in retirement, please call
the pun) was a child she found her
years old she saw an advertisement
Charlie on 01572 898060 or email
passion in life. As a child of the war,
for Silicon Valley based IDEO,
charlie@efficientportfolio.co.uk.
she knew that being a resourceful
who were recruiting for someone
Alternatively, you can read more
problem solver was a life skill.
to add diversity to their design
of Charlie’s articles and guides at
Money was incredibly tight during
team. At 91, Barbara is now a
www.dream-retirment.com/blog
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Firework fiestas! Top tips for making your fireworks party go off with a bang… By Kate Duggan
Food and decorations A warming autumnal soup is sure to go down well with guests, and mini sparklers are a great way to liven up sandwiches. For pudding, you could decorate cakes with coloured icing in the shape of fireworks or rockets, and don’t forget the toffee apples! To make an easy firework rocket, roll a rectangle of coloured card into a tube and stick in place with double sided tape. Cut out a circle of card, with a wedge missing, roll and tape to make a cone for the top. Stick it on and attach a wooden barbeque skewer (with the point cut off) to the inside of the tube. Fill the tube with sweets, close the bottom with a circle of card, and glue on some paper streamers. Display several in a tall glass vase. Decorate the table with layers of coloured tissue paper in red, yellow and orange, rather than a table cloth, and string party lights
around the walls. You could also try attaching streamers to colourful paper lanterns to hang from the ceiling. Drinks Hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows is sure to prove popular with children and drivers. You could also make a warming alcoholic drink for adults, such as mulled wine, liqueur coffee or hot toddy. Games If you have children coming, why not keep them busy making a Guy? You’ll need to provide plenty of old material, plus stuffing. You could also pre-make a papier-mâché head using paper, glue and balloons, or buy it from a craft store or eBay. Alternatively, you could have a Guy making competition, where everyone makes a smaller Guy, or decorates a gingerbread man, with a prize for the winner.
Kids and adults alike love a piñata, and you can buy them in a variety of shapes. Fill yours with sweets or small treats, such as stickers and balloons, and hang it outside from a tree. Make sure you give whoever’s swinging the stick plenty of space! Fireworks Most people will want to watch the fireworks from outside, so you might want to dig out some spare blankets, gloves and hats for anyone who isn’t prepared. If you’re setting off your own fireworks, take time to explain the danger to children, and make it clear how far back they need to stand. You’ll also want to ensure that any pets are safely inside. Of course, it’s safer and cheaper to take advantage of a nearby firework display. They can be seen for miles, so you may well be able to stay in your own garden, avoid the crowds and make the most of those warming drinks...
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Gardening
Garden View This month - Hedges By Rachel Leverton Garden boundaries are emotive subjects. There have been any number of feuds between neighbours over this very issue down the years and the main cause of aggro seems to be the humble hedge. Actually, in spite of the improvements in fancy fencing panels over the years, there really is nothing nicer than a well kept hedge. Suburban hedgerows not only soften an otherwise built-up landscape, they provide a lifeline for the wildlife which lives in towns and cities. Hedges provide shelter, privacy and - if chosen for fruit and flowers - food. Even the much maligned Leyland cypress has a part to play. It can provide a brilliant buffer against traffic noise for a start, and will screen unsightly views very quickly. Unfortunately it can easily become an out-of-control monster
if left unchecked. Some have reached 36m/120ft! The trick with Leylandii is to remove their tops about 1m/3ft before they reach the desired height then clip them twice a year: once in April, once in September.
This keeps them looking very smart but makes them rather highmaintenance hedges. Fortunately there are many slower growing hedging plants which don’t require such intensive care. On the whole, it’s best to choose a hedge which is in keeping with the style of your house and the area in which you live. So smart Victorian terraces look great fronted by evergreen privet or box while rural properties might consider a more natural hedge of holly, hawthorn, beech, rowan and blackthorn. While not entirely evergreen, a mixed hedge like this will provide beautiful autumn colour and plentiful food for wildlife. I’ve seen gorgeous fuchsia hedges on my trips to the south coast, while slow-growing Yew is attractive and works well on poor, chalky soils. Euonymus does well even in polluted areas or coastal regions plagued by salt winds. November is a great time to plant a new hedge. No matter which type you choose, the secret of success lies in the soil preparation. Dig over the
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Gardening
Plant of the month
Crocus
During Autumn, we think we will only see colourful flowers again when Spring returns but that’s not strictly true.
blue, yellow and white. There are also many different varieties of Crocus including niveus and serotinus.
The Crocus is a genus of plant in the Iris family and many bloom in Spring and even during Autumn and Winter! They come in many different colours such as violet,
They’re native to woodland areas and easy to care for and very low maintenance. They prefer welldrained soil and can grow up to 4inches tall.
ground thoroughly and don’t skimp on the organic matter. Decide on the planting line and dig out a trench about 12 inches/30cm deep. Fill the base with well-rotted manure or compost then replace the soil, adding in more organic matter as you go. Make sure you mulch around the young plants to help suppress weeds and retain moisture. You can trim the hedge even when it is young. It encourages stronger growth and a denser hedge structure. Plus a well maintained hedge will ensure that you and your neighbours stay on good terms for years to come.
For a FREE No Obligation Quote
Quality Lawn Care from £6*
T: 01642 242784
www.greensleeves-uk.com
* When paying by Direct Debit
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11/07/2016 11:16
A Good Read By Willow Coby Fortune’s Rocks by Anita Shreve It is the summer of the final year
must carve out a new place
of the nineteenth century in the
in society as she finds herself
New Hampshire town of Fortune’s
ostracised by those around her.
Rocks on the east coast of America.
Late Victorian society does not take
Women are expected to behave in
kindly to her behaviour and there
a certain way and young Olympia
are elements of a feminist struggle
Biddeford is no different. An
as she forges a new life.
impressionable 15 year old she is about to discover what it means to grow up. She meets John Haskall, a physician and friend of her father. Despite the fact that he is married and 26 years her senior, Olympia falls madly in love with him. Finding herself pregnant Olympia
The prose is eloquent and the descriptions of Olympia’s life and environment are spell binding. Shreve went on to write two more novels set in this town, ‘Sea Glass’ and ‘The Pilot’s Wife’: each dealing
But it is here, with Olympia, that the
with unique struggles of women over
story of the converted convent in
the course of the twentieth century.
Fortune’s Rocks really begins...
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild “I wonder, if other girls had to be one
The Children’s Academy of Dance
of us, which of us they’d choose to
and Stage Training.
be?”
What ensues is a glimpse into life
The three Fossil sisters are growing
on the stage in 1930s London.
up in London. They aren’t really
Since it was first published in 1936
sisters, but adopted by ‘Gum’, a paleontolgist. Each one is a treasure he brought home from his travels. And each is very different. When Gum disappears on one of his expeditions money gets tight and the family take in lodgers. One of them, a dancer, spots a talent for dance in Posy, the youngest, and before they
generations of children have indeed considered which of the girls they would like to be. Is it Pauline, who discovers a talent for acting? Or Petrova who would much rather be fixing car engines than performing on stage. Or Posy, the budding ballerina?
know it, all three girls are enrolled in
This children’s classic, though a
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bit dated in its language and style, never fails to entrance readers and no doubt will continue to do so for years to come.
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