January Leigh Oracle

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Leigh-on-Sea

January 2012

ORACLE

Leigh at a glance

Est. Oct 2006. Circulation 5,500

Local Issues

A Cause for Concern

NEW! Planning

Understanding Architecture

Recipe British Onion Soup

Oracle Motoring Winter Driving Tips

Hair & Beauty Guns ‘n’ Poses

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Leigh Tutoring Leigh

OR ACLE

11 Plus Tuition - taught by well qualified & experienced teachers - CRB checked

publisher’s letter

B

y the time this hits the streets the New Year celebrations will be behind us and if you are anything like me, will be very happy to get the house back to normal and start thinking about the year ahead.

Classes for children in years 4, 5 & 6 Maximum 4 children per class Lessons are held in our classrooms at 1301 London Road, Leigh-0n-Sea

A word of warning! Everybody is well aware business is tough and to get it, then maintain it, is hard. However, during December I learnt that a new local magazine, launching in the New Year, had been using my name and business name in order to get business. I want to make it quite clear that Oracle Publications UK Ltd., is not associated with any other publication so please don’t be fooled and check with my office before confirming any space or worst of all parting with any monies.

Please call Keely 07588 393 590 www.leightutoring.co.uk

Be

Within this issue there is a new article written by local architect,Tim Knight who will be giving guidance during the next few months on finding your way around planning and development issues for either your business or home.

Psychotherapy and Counselling

Lastly, a happy and prosperous New Year to you all.

Talking in confidence with a therapist can help you: • increase life satisfaction • come to terms with distressing events • work through depression & anxiety • change unhelpful behaviour • evening and daytime appointments

Emma Wynne-Morgan Publisher

01702 393838

39 Alexandra Street, Southend, Essex SS1 1BW

Deborah Newcombe (UKCP Accredited) T: 07969 803 771 deborah.newcombe@freedomtobe.info

www.oraclepublications.co.uk info@oraclepublications.co.uk

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ORACLE contents Local Issues A Cause for concern

By Rosemary Scofield

9/10

Guns ‘n’ Poses Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

14

Understanding Architecture NEW! Planning by Tim Knight

18

British Onion Soup Judy's Recipe Page

20

How to win the battle of the Bulge Health & Beauty by Amanda Turner

24

Greenfingers COMPLETE GARDEN SERVICES "

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Winter Driving Tips Oracle Motoring by Stuart Winder

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Diary Dates

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Useful Numbers Advertiser Index

32 34

Advertorials Chalkwell Auctions 4

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Advertorial

Interview With An Auctioneer C

halkwell Auctions have been established catalogue in advance and have the sales live on in Southend for over 20 years but last line.” year relocated to a new premises. We caught up withauctioneer Trevor Cornforth to see what What difference does that make? difference it’s made.

“Well, it means that items in our sales are now Let’s start with your career. How long have you available to people all over the world, as they are from the big London auction houses. In addition been in the antiques trade? to a loyal local following we now have a hardcore “An awful long time! Almost 50 years in fact. I of regular buyers in over 30 countries. began dealing when I was about 8 years old and then became an auctioneer just after my 18th birthday.I was acting as rostrum clerk for my boss Customers don’t just view the catalogue on line and he just passed me the gavel and said, “You’re they can bid too.They listen to the sale live and if they have registered can bid from their arm on”. chairs.It makes it much more complicated for the auctioneer because we get phone bidders too, That must have been quite daunting? but opens up a whole new market for our sellers.

“Yes, but no time for nerves. Being on the rostrum is like doing a one man show. It’s not enough to Almost 50% of each sale is now to online just sell the lots, you have to keep people bidders. At a recent meeting with ATG Media, who operate www.the-saleroom.com , they interested”. told me that after only a year online we have one You were pretty well established at the Arling- of, if not the, highest number of return online ton Rooms. What impact did the move have on customers in the country. I’m very proud of that business? because it means they are satisfied customers.It’s a “It opened up a whole new market for us. We lot of extra work answering emails and phone have lots of space and can easily accommodate calls for condition reports but that makes it over 100 people seated , but it also enabled us to worthwhile”.

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J U LY

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What do you put that down to?

“I , and all my staff, work on the basis that we are there to help not to hinder.We try to engage both room buyers and internet buyers in the sale so that they enjoy it. We have the same policy with our sellers. We try to give them accurate advice and low charges.”

You must have seen some interesting items over the years.

“Yes, lots but over the last 18 months it has become more exciting. A porcelain screen went to China at £15,000, a Russian bronze to New York at £9,000 as well as a Constable Oil and a Picasso.

We now handle items you would usually only see in the West End and at a fraction of the cost to the sellers.”

Thanks Trevor, I’ll pop in and take a look.

O 01702 613260 chalkwellauctions.co.uk

Trevor Cornforth

2 Baron Court, Chandlers Way, Southend on Sea, Essex, SS2 5SE

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8 Westcliff Drive, Leigh-on-Sea Essex SS9 2LB

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Local Issues

A cause for Concern A

ge Concern has had a presence in the town for over 35 years (in those days we were Southend Old Peoples Welfare).

We became Age Concern in 1993.

Our offices are very central and situated on the 3rd floor at Queensway House, Essex Street, Southend on Sea. SS1 2NY. The opening hours are Monday – Thursday 9.30 – 4.30 and Fridays 10.30 – 4.30, with an hour for lunch between 12.30 – 1.30. We are very pleased to welcome callers, many who come have a variety of issues to be dealt with which our friendly and helpful staff are pleased to assist with.

Services Some of the services we provide are befriending – this being one of the most important services we offer. An Age Concern Volunteer visits a lonely old person for an hour or two per week in their home for a chat and a cup of tea. Often this is the only face to face human contact that our elderly clients receive from week to week.

It is therefore hugely welcomed, it is also very satisfying for our befrienders who say how much they get out of such visits.

JANUARY

2012

Another very in-demand service we provide is that of our drivers for medical transport – this includes GPs, Hospital, Chiropody and other clinics. The Age Concern driver picks the patient up at their own home, transports them to the place of their appointment and takes them home afterwards. A small mileage charge is made for this service to cover the drivers out of pocket expenses.

We also have a number of high quality wheelchairs available for temporary hire at a small charge.

Hearing Aid batteries may be exchanged either in our office or by post – please send a SAE for this service.

We also provide occasional social events for older people, such as our Summer Garden Party and Christmas Bazaar. In October 2011 as a new venture we held an Autumn Get-together at Nazareth House, this was a free event (refreshments very kindly provided by Nazareth House) and over 100 persons and residents attended and enjoyed a varied programme from Cecil Jones College with their wonderful choir performing, also some vocalists. Sylvia our resident organist played to the delight of the guests.

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The event was also visited by Mr David Amess meetings – just a phone call away on 01702 MP and Cllr Sally Carr Deputy Mayor, adding 215780.

We also print a magazine 3 times a year, this is to the pleasure of the afternoon. entirely free so if you would like to receive a A blessing was given by two priests, Father copy get in touch with us. – especially if you Brian of Nazareth House and Father James of could write an article – it could be past St Lukes Church. Father Brian in the talk experiences, work experiences – even writing reminded everyone of the curse of loneliness a poem for us! So you may discover some and the devastating effects it can have upon hidden talents! people. We at Age Concern can certainly vouch for this from the many phone calls we Other assistance receive from elderly lonely people.

We welcome offers of help in our office, to We have had a big campaign to increase our provide assistance in our fund-raising befriender volunteers and are very pleased to activities, including the organisation of Social say we now have almost 90 people going events and in any other ways. We look into the community visiting elderly people. forward to hearing from you.

I do hope you have found this article informative and helpful – it there is We are currently looking for more volunteers anything we can do to assist please and equally importantly people to visit. So feel free to contact us. our appeal for help is twofold – firstly if you have an hour or so please contact the office Rosemary Scofield on 01702 215780 to discuss with Cathy who Manager will arrange an informal interview followed by references being taken up and a CRB check. Once this is sorted “you are on the road”.

Volunteers Wanted

O

Also, we are looking for people to visit – either yourself or if you know a lonely elderly person please get in touch – it as simple as that and could transform your entire life as many rich friendships are formed from these 10

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Oracle Hair & Beauty

Guns ‘n’ Poses W

ow! What did you think of the Downton Abbey Christmas special? I absolutely loved it and not just for the storyline. Downton’s huge success must, in part, be due to the amazing backdrop of Highclere Castle and the clothes, not just the great acting.

Men are getting the Abbey habit also and abandoning sweatpants and hoodies in favour of more gentlemanly lounge wear. John Lewis has seen a 100 per cent year-onyear increase in sales of silk dressing gowns and two-piece cotton pyjamas as favoured by the Earl of Grantham.

The hit TV series has sparked a revival in the nation’s obsession with class and how the upper crust liked to dress and enjoy itself. It also coincides with the increase of interest in country sports, which requires all manner of outfits.

Sales of cravats are up 28 per cent at Debenhams and waistcoats, the must-have for all Downton men, have also seen a sales spike of 21 per cent.

Aristocratic chic is very much back in fashion but you don’t have to shop in London’s famous St James district or hunt down vintage pieces across the internet to get the Downton look – it can be found on the High Street.

The trick to capturing Edwardian elegance is to take some of the key essentials; fur capes, a cloche hat, pearls, simple but elegant dresses and elbow length gloves, and give it a modern, slightly dressed-down twist.

George at Asda is currently selling a hat that would not look out of place on Lady Mary’s head, whilst BHS and Top Shop both sell faux fur stoles at prices that are every bit as good as they look. Dorothy Perkins – who sounds like a character in the show – plus Monsoon and Wallis are also stores that have embraced the rebirth of the Edwardian era’s glamour.

Of course, giving your wardrobe an aristocratic edge isn’t just about fur, hats, jewellery and corsets. Teaming a crisp cotton shirt with a tweed jacket, jeans and knee length country boots is the perfect way to look like posh totty.

M&S has seen sales of men’s British fabric tweed blazers rise by more than 750 per cent on some styles. They put it down to popular films, such as The King’s Speech and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy along with Downton all combining to give men the confidence to wear classic British heritage styles. Ironically, the concept of the ‘quintessential English gentleman’ is something the Italians have long-embraced as a fashion starting point, re-packaged and sold to the rest of the world as the gold standard of male cool.

And if that isn’t enough, you can also surround yourself with Downton style - Past Times is selling a range of mugs, calendars and cushions, emblazoned with some of the best quotes from the hit show.

The memorabilia will feature one-liners and famous putdowns from characters like the Dowager Countess of Grantham including “What is a weekend?” and “Oh good, let’s talk about money.”

For all your hair and beauty issues write to beauty@oraclepublications.co.uk Sponsored by

And don’t forget the statement hair! Backcombing and then piling up your tresses into an elegant beehive with a loose curl on either side is very sexy and looks great as an everyday style or when out for a sumptuous dinner with Lord Fabulous. And for your make-up, keep it light and fresh with lots of subtle browns and pinks – less is most definitely more.

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Planning

Understanding Architecture T

he home is a unique and individual environment offering an opportunity to create a style, warmth and security that allows us to live our daily lives. The physical representation of our distinctive character and personality, it is often the single largest investment of finance, time and design most people experience in their lives. When coupled with our place of work we often spend the vast proportion of our lives occupying, experiencing and observing the built environment that surrounds us Within our small part of the country the housing stock tends to be traditional in style and size and is becoming less suited to modern living. Homeowners are now more than ever looking to extend and modify their houses to create their ideal homes. In addition the economics of such construction works leads many to consider demolition to design and build their perfect dream homes.

The decision to undertake extensive building works should be exciting, stimulating and challenging, and offers a rare chance to develop your design style within the most public and historic of art forms…Architecture.

However the development process is often shrouded in mystery and clouded with anecdotes of poor planning decisions, ‘cowboy builders’, spiralling costs and delays. This should not be the case and over the next few editions I hope to dispel some of the myths and provide an insight into the process of designing, approving and

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constructing your ideal home or business The first and possibly most important decision is employing the correct professionals. Structural Engineers, Party Wall Surveyors and M&E Engineers may be required but the process invariably starts with the Architect, who must be registered with the A.R.B. A full list of your local architects is available at www.architecture.com Architects come in all shapes and types and it is important to choose one who recognises your aspirations and with whom you feel you can work closely. An Architect will help create a totally tailored solution for your living needs and steer your project through to completion, overseeing the design, planning and building regulations, the builders and your budget. Make this decision carefully as a close working relationship often produces the best results.

In the next issue I will discuss the design and planning stage of work and how to best realise your ambitions within a planning approval.

Should you have questions you would like me to address please email: info@oraclepublications.co.uk

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recipe of the month

British Onion Soup Serves 4

In the Kitchen with Judy Barden

Ingredients 50g/2oz butter or dripping 1kg/2lb 4oz onions, finely sliced 1 tbsp golden caster sugar Few sprigs fresh thyme 3 bay leaves 150ml/ ¼ pt cider 1 litre/1 ¾ pt stock, vegetable or chicken For Topping 4 thick slices from a round country loaf 100g/4oz mature cheddar Handful chopped fresh parsley Method: 1. Heat most of the butter or dripping in a large pan. Add the onions, sugar and herbs.

Season and cook, uncovered, over a low heat, stirring occasionally. You want the onions to go lovely and soft and then turn sticky and a rich golden brown colour, this will take about 45 mins.

2. Pour in the cider and reduce by half. Pour in the stock and cook for 20 mins. Season again taking care if it needs more sugar as well as salt and pepper.

British Onion Soup

A

lthough we usually associate France with onion soup it could also be a very British dish. Add a little bit of cider to bring out the sweetness of the onions and cheddar on top of the croûtes to give it that British twist. It also freezes very well without the topping.

3. When ready to serve, heat the grill to high. Spread the bread on both sides with the remaining butter or dripping and then toast both sides until golden. Scatter with the cheese and place back under the grill until melted. Serve the soup in bowls with a slice of the cheesy toast floating on top and scatter with parsley.

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Next month’s recipe:

Make your own Marmalade

Enjoy!

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Health & Beauty

How to win the battle of the bulge

By Amanda Turner

W

e love him, but Father Christmas does sometimes bring extra, unwanted gifts: that midriff bulge, the muffin-top, the wobbly love-handles, the bingo wings.

Getting rid of these unwelcome lumps and bumps isn’t rocket science: just take in fewer calories than you use up. Eat less, move around more. Simples, as the meerkat might say. But unless you’re in the right frame of mind, losing weight can be a constant battle.

While yoga isn’t a magic weight loss button, it puts you in touch with your body and makes you much more aware of how you treat it, adding an important extra dimension to your decision to get in trim.

Take the example of Sheila, (not her real name) who started doing yoga last January because she wasn’t as flexible as she wanted to be. After her first class, she felt relaxed and energised; she loved the stretches, the deep breathing and the calm feeling that stayed with her long after the class was over.

She went home and had the best night’s sleep she’d had in years, and made up her mind to make yoga a regular part of her life. Over the next few weeks, Sheila established a routine, attending yoga classes and practising some poses at home. She began to feel better and better, with more energy and more flexibility and far fewer aches and pains.

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One day, as Sheila reached for a second slice of cake she got a mental picture of her spare tyre getting in the way of one of her yoga stretches.

“I just thought, no, I’d prefer to be able to stretch more. I didn’t have that extra piece of cake, and I didn’t even feel I was missing out.”

In time, Sheila found she could indeed stretch a little further without her midriff stopping her.

She slowly and steadily lost weight and felt more toned and trim. “I didn’t go to yoga with the intention of losing weight, but it’s been a wonderful side effect,” says Sheila, who has dropped a dress size over the course of a year without really noticing it and, more importantly, without counting calories or battling against cravings for food.

O

Amanda Turner is a qualified British Wheel of Yoga teacher with more than 25 years experience in yoga.

Contact her via Shambhala, Leigh on Sea’s premier yoga studio, on 01702 478924.

Sponsored by:

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Oracle Motoring

Winter Driving Tips

By Stuart Winder ADI

F

ollowing on from last month’s article on preparing your vehicle for winter, this month I thought I would give you my top tips for safely dealing with the worst the winter weather can throw at us.

Is it worth it?

Firstly, and most importantly of all, If conditions are particularly bad, ask yourself whether you need to travel or not. If it’s not an essential journey I suggest staying in and warming your hands on a hot toddy*. Before there is visible snow, the integrity of the road surface may not be obvious. As a general rule of thumb though, temperatures below three degrees centigrade are likely to be accompanied by ice of some sort.

Hitting skid row The sight on the morning news of cars pirouetting down the high street can make for titters at the breakfast table, but finding yourself in a skid can be frightening and, if you panic, quite dangerous. With ice on the ground, any vehicle – even a four wheel drive – can lose traction and end up in a skid. To avoid this, follow this simple set of rules: n n n n

Slow and steady Stopping distances are ten times longer in snow and ice so keep your distance from traffic ahead and manoeuvre gently. Try and keep to major roads rather than smaller, quiet roads. If the steering feels unusually light or the sound of your tyres on the road changes, you could be driving on ice, so take great care and slow down by easing off the gas, rather than braking.

Avoid revving the engine in thick snow - this could cause the wheels to dig deeper into the snow. Drive as slowly as you can in as high a gear as possible, higher gears have greater torque, meaning your wheels are less likely to spin.

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Drive slowly and carefully Brake early and steadily on approach to corners Avoid over-steering and accelerating suddenly mid-turn If your lose grip while turning, depress the clutch and turn into the direction of the skid.

Avoid braking suddenly - this can lock the wheels and prolong the skid.

(*Hot Toddy recipes are available on request.)

Stuart Winder Planet Leasing

O

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Winter Sale Starts 10am Boxing Day

What is it that makes County Unique?

County Interiors are one of the very few companies who can offer our customers a fully bespoke service.

Simply choose the sofa you like, then tell us how long, how wide and how high you would like it made. If you favour a soft, medium or firm sit, this can be arranged. Sofa and chair arms can be designed to match your exact requirements as can any part of your sofa. With a glorious choice of leather and fabrics to select from, the possibilities are endless. You tell us what you want, then we create it.

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