Oracle Thorpe Bay April 2016

April 2016

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Oracle Restaurant Review is back!

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April 2016

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Whilst out looking for suitable photographs for this month's front covers, I couldn't help noticing that Spring was well and truly in the air. This time of year we are more likely to venture outside socially and businesses such as restaurants become busier. We have a plethora of restaurants locally and before deciding where to go, it helps to have a little inside information before you book. With this in mind, you will be pleased to know that after many years, I have decided to bring back Oracle's much loved restaurant review. Read about our Italian experience at Il Palazzo.

This month's competition has been kindly donated

by GRT Concerts Ltd. This year, SOS Live will be holding a 3 day concert in Priory Park from 1–3 July, featuring Peter Andre, The Real Thing, Odyssey, Heatwave, Rose Royce, the British Philharmonic Orchestra, Antonio Pérez Iranzo and more. There will be one lucky winner drawn for each night, who will win a pair of tickets. Please see www.soslive.co.uk for more details of this great event.

To enter, simply send your contact details and the night you wish to attend by 30 April 2016 to: Oracle/SOS Live Competition, 11 Clarence Road, Southend, Essex SS1 1AN or email: info@oraclepublications.co.uk Good Luck!

Emma Wynne-Morgan Publisher

01702 393838

Oracle House, 11 Clarence Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1AN www.oraclepublications.co.uk info@oraclepublications.co.uk oracleessex oracle_essex

Printed by Printwize Ltd, Witham, Essex CM8 3BN

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April 2016 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

3

CONTENTS The health of our healthcare

9/10

Local Issues by Cllr James Moyies

Track(ies) of my years

16

Salon advice by Craig Smith

Tunnel vision?

22

Council news by Cllr Ron Woodley

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Il Palazzo - Ristorante Italiano

36/37

The Oracle restaurant review returns to wine and dine.

Chocolate and Raspberry Creams

42

Judy's Recipe Page

The devil is in the detail

46

Grass roots by Katrina Kieffer-Wells

Brainbox 54 What's On

60

Useful Numbers

68

Advertiser Directory

70

Advertorials Essex Equity Release Advice Centre

21

The Anchor

30

Cliff House Clinic

40

Oracle Estate Planning

51

Shoeburyness High School

58/59

All rights reserved. No part of Oracle Publications UK Ltd may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means either wholly or in part without prior permission of the publisher. Oracle Publications UK Ltd is editorially autonomous and the opinions expressed are not those of the publisher unless expressly stated.

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April 2016

LOCAL ISSUES

The health of our healthcare The health system in Essex is on the point of collapse. It has been identified as being in severe financial difficulty and if nothing is changed, will be over £200 million in the red every year from 2019.

likely that one of these new hubs will be based in Shoebury and another two or three hubs will serve the rest of the town.

The Government has instigated something called 'the Success Regime' to rectify the problems. There is a public consultation taking place but the general direction of travel will include a few clear outcomes.

All three hospitals will remain open and, on the whole, people will be treated and recover in their local hospital. However, for some specialist procedures – where outcomes are better when a clinician performs them on a regular basis – one hospital may be identified as the centre of excellence.

Emergency treatment

Spin doctors There are some changes that may raise concerns but should be understood before we automatically protest against them.

Firstly, it is likely that three hospitals – Southend, Broomfield and Basildon – will move towards working as one. The advantages of this are that backroom teams, such as Administration, Finance, Procurement and Human Resources, will merge and systems and processes will become standardised.

Basic requirements like the purchase of standard uniforms or rubber gloves, etc. will become more cost effective. Staff are also likely to be employed on the same terms, improving the ridiculous situation where staff at Basildon can receive a London weighting and where local hospitals are competing with each other for staff.

It would be easy for politicians to stir up scenes of elderly people travelling to Chelmsford to visit sick relatives but if your chances of a good life or survival were significantly better by being treated in Chelmsford rather than in Southend, who wouldn’t take that choice? Already there are situations where an emergency ambulance would drive past Southend to take a patient to Basildon because the specialism is located there. After the specialist treatment it is likely the patient would return to their local hospital if a longer stay was required.

The second positive move is that there will be more treatment 'in the community'. Hubs serving around 40–60 thousand people will have GPs working with clinicians and social workers to provide more tests and treatments close to home, removing the need to make a journey to the hospital. It seems

Until now, I have supported the success regime, but I do have some areas of concern. Currently, the ability to reduce the projected spend by £200m per year seems to rely on two things – a focus on prevention work to reduce the number of ill people and a move from acute (hospital) to community services.

An ill wind

April 2016 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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Sculptures at Broomfield Hospital I have just overseen a huge cut to our public health budget and that is projected to continue in the years ahead. I am also making cuts of several million pounds in adult social care and these cuts will continue. We are already under severe strain and additional work will need to be followed by more investment. I worry that the increased demand from an aging population – many of whom have multiple long-term conditions – along with the cuts and additional responsibilities, will mean that we can’t give the care and compassion that is expected. The recent events surrounding disability allowances and the resignation of Sir Iain Duncan Smith highlights the fact that there comes a point where the personal pain austerity brings to individuals is too high a price to pay for the financial reward.

Nursing back to health Life as a councillor/cabinet member is much more demanding than expected but it also very rewarding when you achieve something. I began my stint two years ago and entered a chamber that had been dominated for 14 years by a Conservative group that had become remote and arrogant. The current administration is made up of Conservative minded people along with Independents, Labour and Lib Dems. I believe this mix focusses us all on

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what is best for Southend and hope that Southend continues to be run by people who care more about Southend than a Political party.

Two more years of the current administration would enable us to ensure that the sea wall at Shoebury is completed to residents' satisfaction, that we retain our care homes rather than closing them and that we build on the huge amount of investment we have attracted to the town.

Heart-to-heart I have an apology to make. I fought alongside local residents the plan to build office blocks and 172 houses on the floodplain in old Gunners Park.

We delayed it, won a vote, then eventually the Conservative and UKIP members on the Development Control Committee buckled and pushed it through.

We lost and I am sorry I could not stop it.

This shows that no matter what local people want – and despite good logic – when this Government wants overdevelopment to deal with the huge increase in population, their local representatives will fall into line with them.

by Cllr James Moyies

O

Portfolio Holder for Health and Adult Social Care Chair of the Southend Health & Wellbeing Board

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Track(ie)s of my years

SALON

A friend of mine came in the other day and showed me a sneaky photo he’d taken at the velodrome in Stratford …

yearning for the effortless-cool look of jeans teamed with a tracksuit top and boxfresh trainers. Well, now you can recreate it without fearing of looking like a throwback as it’s officially back in vogue. I said so.

It was of a gentleman from a well-known Communist super power wearing a bright red and very shiny tracksuit. Some things never change, he said. Eastern Bloc countries love a trackie.

Shell out

But in the 90s, didn’t we all? Whether you were in the Blur or Oasis camp, the funnel-neck, zip-up tracksuit top was cool. And it’s back.

Of course, it’s now been given a designer makeover, so you don’t quite have to go about looking like Renton in Trainspotting, but today’s take on the tracksuit still achieves that look of egalitarian cool.

Seeing red Ironically, Russian designer Gosha Rubchinskiy has been praised for tapping into the Soviet-era vibe and has had his (male) models sporting number one crops. Long hair on women is still in, but several fashion houses have also had models taking to the catwalks with very close-cropped hair. This could a unisex trend perfect for the hot summer months.

Fans of Deutschland 83 – and more specifically, lead character, Moritz Stamm – may also have been

The classic tracksuit top does tend to have footballing connotations but Prada has referenced cycling so their zip tops have a close-fitting, shallow neckline. This means that for the first time ever, MAMILs (middle-aged men in Lycra) are officially cool! This can, however, be negated in an instant by asking for a PJ and Duncan haircut. If you are even vaguely tempted, then please consider Leo DiCaprio’s front-curtained style. It needs mediumlength hair, but still rocks.

Another 90s look making a comeback is the blonde top highlight. It’s another style that works for both men and women. Alternatively, try the slicked back heartthrob hairstyle. Easy to manage, medium length hairstyles for men have fallen out of favour in recent years but this pushed-back-with-a-fewartfully-dangling-strands do has genuine sex appeal.

And that never goes out of fashion.

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Advertorial

These are a few of my favourite things …

Spangles, Black Jacks, Sherbet Dabs, aniseed balls, gobstoppers and Jubblies.

12' tellies and the new adverts – Murray mints, Farrow's peas, Shell and Esso Blue.

Beat the Clock, Open the Box, and Hancocks’ Half Hour. Cowboys and Indians, 'Hi-Ho, Silver – away!', The Lone Ranger and Tonto. Saturday morning pictures and Sunday school. Welfare orange juice, the lemonade van and the winkle man. Airfix kits, Meccano, Hornby train sets and scoubidous. Steam trains and trolley buses. Radio Luxembourg, The Ovaltineys, Two-Way Family Favourites, Billy Cotton Band Show and Round the Horne. Conkers, knock down ginger, hopscotch and jumpers for goalposts.

The Dandy, The Beano, The Eagle, Desperate Dan, The Bash St Kids and Dan Dare. Spam fritters, proper pie and mash, and Wagon Wheels. Waiting outside the pub with a glass of lemonade and a packet of Smith's crisps with the blue twist of salt!

I simply remember my favorite things All those things will be recalled by us of a certain age, but I guess it’s okay for us Baby Boomers to look back with affection to those halcyon days of childhood – much better than looking forward with trepidation to the straitened days of old age!

With the ever increasing cost of living to be met from an ever decreasing income, depleted pensions, unpaid mortgages and credit cards, perhaps we should start recalling the other 'orrible things from the past – freezing cold lino, ice on the inside of windows, coal, fog, outside lavs, hand-me-downs, a spoonful of malt, Vicks and Beechams powders! This nostalgia ain’t what it used to be, you know!

And then I don't feel so bad But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom – if you’re having trouble making ends meet, want to make later life more comfortable, or maintain the lifestyle you’ve become used to, then why not unlock the cash tied up in your home with an Equity Release Scheme? It’s not suitable for everyone, but don’t you owe it to yourself to find out?

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Tower Bridge

Blackwall Tunnel Silvertown

Belvedere

Essex Gallions Reach Rotherhithe Tunnel

Lower Thames Crossing

Kent

London

COUNCIL

Dartford Crossing

Figure xx showing the importance of the Dartford crossing in the Strategic Road Network

Tunnel vision?

Fixed river crossings Proposed Transport for London crossings Proposed Lower Thames Crossing

Firstly, I’m pleased to announce that next year’s budget was approved on Thursday 25th February.

Balancing the books was not an easy task but the fact that we have a joint administration means we have to discuss and listen to many differing views and priorities, and ensures that we end up with a fair and balanced budget for the residents of Southend-on-Sea, despite £8.5 million of government cuts and having to make a further £2 million of departmental savings.

The budget allows us to spend on certain projects that help towards improving and regenerating our seafront. One of these is a lagoon – on which work has now started – to allow residents and visitors to swim in safety even when the tide is out, and will be a popular tourist attraction.

A crossing to bear This month, I want to mention the proposed Lower Thames Crossing – a road crossing through a bored tunnel under the Thames, located east of Gravesend and Tilbury, connecting Kent and Essex, which should reduce congestion at the Dartford Tunnel

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and support the development of homes and jobs in the region. The proposed scheme would be a dual carriageway connecting the M2 at junction 1 to the M25 between junctions 29 and 30, providing a 70mph motorway-to-motorway connection. Costs are estimated to be between £4.3 and £5.9 billion and it is anticipated that the crossing would open between 2025 and 2027.

Personally, I believe that to connect straight back on to the M25 is a short term view and lacks vision. We know already that the M25 exceeds its maximum daily vehicle use on a regular basis and I’m sure we can all envisage that by 2027 the number of vehicles would have increased significantly.

This plan doesn’t open up the East of England for growth opportunities, development and job creation. We keep hearing about developing a northern power house but this is a great opportunity to develop an eastern power house, which I believe will be missed with the current plans. Again, we have a government that continually ignores the East of England and the opportunities that could be created by supporting improved infrastructure in the East. Maybe they are too complacent about the support it receives, not only in political terms, but the East of England are a net contributor to the nation’s budget. Planned correctly, this would increase the contribution into the Government.

by Cllr Ron Woodley

O

Leader of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

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Advertorial

Dan raises Anchor to new heights The Anchor Riverside Pub & Restaurant in Hullbridge has received a Bib-Gourmand award – the highly prestigious accolade awarded by the Michelin Guide.

Just 25 new Bib's were awarded in 2016, 18 of which were served up to establishments in the UK. This proud figure includes five in Ireland, two in N. Ireland and five in London. Hullbridge's The Anchor was the only venue in the whole of the South East to receive the decoration! With Nuno Mendes (Taberna do Mercado, Spitalfields) and Tom Kerridge (The Coach, Marlow) among the other chefs whose restaurants have received a Bib Gourmand for the first time, it really is a testament to The Anchor's stunning venue and its outstanding food.

All hands on deck Over the past five years, The Anchor, Hullbridge has built an outstanding reputation for exceptional food throughout Essex, created by its talented head chef, Daniel Watkins.

Dan and his team work incredibly hard to develop menus that are balanced and diverse, and pride themselves in producing creative, beautifullypresented, affordable dishes that are ethicallysourced from the very best, seasonal produce locally available. With a passion for the 'field to plate' philosophy, Watkins' believes that by working with the seasons and sourcing produce that is as local as possible, every fresh ingredient is used when it’s at its very best. This practice not only creates a variety of flavours, textures and definition in each dish, but also means that menus are regularly updated to offer exciting, seasonal dishes. This is something that has been received with great acclaim, winning The Anchor an Exquisite Essex award for 'outstanding experience' as well as the illustrious Michelin Bib Gourmand – rewarded to pubs and restaurants that serve 'exceptional food at moderate prices'.

Ship-shape and Bristol fashion Dan Watkins' attention to detail and culinary skill, along with The Anchor’s enviable location in Hullbridge – enjoying a superb waterfront position, overlooking the Essex Riviera – makes it the perfect destination for every occasion, whether having drinks with friends, or dining with family; it provides the perfect balance of location and gastronomy, with its stunning views, great food, warm welcome and perfect location.

O

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WINE & DINE

Il Palazzo ® – Ristorante Italiano

'Anything we can't source locally, we get direct from Italy!' says Servet Kilic – former chef at Il Gattopardo and one of the four brothers behind family-run Italian restaurant, Il Palazzo – before letting us in on a little secret …

Despite their Turkish background and Cypriot training bestowing them with gourmet skills in a number of cuisines from around the world (and no – that's not the secret), Servet and his brothers believe that Italian cooking rules supreme. 'It's the most simple, honest food,' he says with obvious passion, 'It's all about uncomplicated freshness – fresh, and bursting with delicious flavour. Nothing else can beat it. It fills you up and you're good for the rest of the day!'

A feast for the eyes Our starters arrive swiftly and it is immediately apparent that they have been prepared with a loving attention to detail. The Frito Misto – fried, floured, fresh squid, whitebait and courgettes served with a sweet chilli dip (£6.95) – is a veritable rainbow of colours. The baked goat's cheese (£5.75) is perfectly set over vibrant, marinated beetroots, the dish lightly decorated with thyme vinaigrette and rocket leaves. To the tongue, it is a wonderfully delicate combination, with the sweetness of the beetroot offsetting the strength of the cheese. Highly recommended, even to the goat's cheese-wary.

We cleanse our palates with a 200ml mini bottle of Prosecco (£6.95) which is easily matched by the brothers' own-branded, Italian, white and red house wines (£3.95 per glass), both of which are excellent and without a hint of tannin. Servet divulges that they also intend to produce their own lagers, bottled

This we have yet to prove, but first, we take a look around our bright, contemporarily furnished, airconditioned surroundings. Clearly, the food isn't the only thing that's fresh – tall, potted greenery screens the vast, glass walls whilst allowing the sun to stream in, illuminating the clean, crisp decor. The wood-clad floor and bar create a cosy ambience and the seating provides generous comfort. A full-size statue playfully reigns over us, complementing the restaurant's regal name.

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The royal treatment And by now – fed, watered, and very much sated – we are convinced that everything Servet claimed is true. There is care and attention lavished upon every aspect of the food and, indeed, their choice of staff, who are likewise well-presented and professional.

Compliments must also go to Chef Richard in the kitchen and specialist pizza chef, Giuseppe for dishing up such high-quality, value-for-money, honest, fresh, Italian food. locally to their own, Italian recipe (no – that's not the secret either!).

No Italian meal would be complete without pasta, so we opt for the Linguine Granchio e Gamberetti – linguine with crab meat, prawns and a hint of chilli (£11.95). 'We only use dry pasta – in the South Italian tradition – made here with ingredients sourced from Italy,' confirms Servet.

We may not have room, but we can't leave without trying the home-made tiramasu (£4.95). Once again, we are not disappointed – the stunning presentation impressing just as much as the creamy, subtle flavours which wash down perfectly with the fullbodied Italian barista coffee.

Roll out the red carpet For mains, we try the Sardinian fish stew (£11.95) – one of Il Palazzo's most popular dishes. Served in a presentation bowl with garlic toasted ciabatta, this historically humble miscellany is packed with whole king prawns, mussels, squid, cod, a selection of vegetables and plenty of flavour, yet is never overpoweringly fishy.

We also order the more traditional Pollo Arabiata (£7.95), bedded in a sumptuously rich, spicy, tomato sauce and it is here that Servet's secret is revealed – 'The tomatoes must be plum, tinned tomatoes!'

Tinned tomatoes? Whatever happened to fresh?

'The longer they are on the vine, the redder and less acidic they get.' he explains. 'That's what makes the sauce so rich. Either you go to Italy in the Summer season and pick your own, or you get them tinned and sent over – the next best thing.'

As we set to leave, the cordial locals on the neighbouring table are enthusiastically toasting life and friendship. They have clearly enjoyed the food, wine, atmosphere and service as much as we have.

Il Palazzo may be a palace only in name but it certainly serves a meal fit for a king.

• Good disabled access and facilities.

• Open: 10.30am till late, 7 days a week.

Follow us on Facebook & Twitter

O

1 West Road, Westcliff SS0 9AU (opp. Palace Theatre) 01702 341888 513 Southchurch Road, Southend SS1 2PH 01702 467793

www.ilpalazzo.co.uk LUNCHTIME SPECIAL: Starter + main course – only £9.95 SUNDAY–THURSDAY EVES from 7.30pm: Choose any 2 courses, get a FREE glass of house wine!

SUNDAY LUNCH: 4 courses – only £18.95 April 2016 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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April 2016

GRAND OPENING OF THE BRAND NEW TIDES BALLROOM You are invited to view the Roslin Beach Hotel’s brand new Tides Ballroom.

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Roslin Beach Hotel, Thorpe Esplanade, Thorpe Bay, Essex SS1 3BG April 2016 www.oraclepublications.co.uk

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Chocolate and Raspberry Creams

FOOD

Because April and May are not the best months for seasonal fruit, frozen raspberries are perfect for this stunningly simple recipe. Mixing custard and yoghurt is a great cheat and the whole thing can be ready in minutes.

Enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 300g/10oz frozen raspberries (no need to thaw) • 1 tbsp brandy (optional) • 3 tbsp raspberry conserve • 175g/6oz dark chocolate, plus extra grated chocolate to decorate

• • 300ml/½ pt fresh vanilla custard

2 x 150g pots thick, creamy raspberry yoghurt

For the chocolate macaroons (optional, makes 12) –

• 2 egg whites • 100g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting • 100g ground almond • 25g cocoa • 6 blanched almonds

ORACLE estate planning

In association with Countrywide SE LLP 42

Method: 1.

Mix the raspberries with the brandy, if using, and raspberry conserve, then spoon into 6 glasses.

2. Break the chocolate into a Pyrex bowl, then melt in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water.

3.

Stir in the yogurt and custard, then spoon onto the berries. Cover and chill until ready to serve, then top with grated dark chocolate.

4. For the macaroons, preheat the oven to 190°C/ fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5. Whisk 2 egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in 50g of icing sugar until thick and glossy.

5.

Mix 100g of ground almonds and 25g of cocoa with another 50g icing sugar, then stir into the egg white mixture.

6.

Divide the mix into 12 balls. Place spaced apart and slightly flattened on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Top each with a blanched almond, then bake for 10 minutes until firm but still soft in the centre.

7. Cool, then dust with icing sugar.

by Judy Barden Next month: Spiced Shoulder of Lamb with Aubergine Relish Will Writing • Power of Attorney • Trusts • Funeral Plans Will Updating & Storage Facilities • Probate Administration

t: 01702 393838 head office: 01277 202233 e: crowe@countrywide-se.com w: www.countrywide-se.co.uk Oracle House, 11 Clarence Road, Southend SS1 1AN

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The devil is in the detail

GRASS ROOTS

When it comes to modern garden design, it's the little things that count. Adding just a few small pockets of pizzazz can really bring a theme to life.

This technique is particularly useful when applied to basic hard landscaping features. If you have your heart set on a Moroccan style garden but your purse strings won’t allow, a few little touches, such as lanterns or ornamental fixtures, can transform the space affordably. Simply adding a tiled border to a white wall is like drawing round things with a yellow highlighter. It shouts, ‘pay attention – look at me!’

Whatever the style or theme of your garden, adding small details to existing features can make all the difference. Modern spaces can be made to seem slick and contemporary by adding metal trim to a raised bed, while copper slate tiles along the top of a wall will help make a rustic garden extra special.

Most spaces will be enlivened with the easy addition of a few bold materials such as perspex panels or coloured aluminium chain curtains which will grab the eye and give the garden an energy boost.

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Concept-to-Completion Garden Design & Build to help you realise the garden of your dreams

the area interest and definition. This also works well for lawns. Another way to make a bland patio stand out is to remove a few slabs here and there and replace them with decorative aggregate (coloured glass gravel or polished pebbles) or walk over plants such as sedum or creeping thyme.

Good things come in small packages If you want to give your garden a mini-makeover with minimal effort then make strategic use of pots and planters, particularly ones that challenge the space.

Oversized pots or the contrast of tall planters with short plants are both effective, and can be used to divide the garden, giving it an instant designer feel.

The great thing about ‘adding detail’ is that it can be done retrospectively to give most gardens a simple and fairly cheap facelift.

Look at your garden and think what areas you could most easily improve. Can you change the colour of the walls? Install a couple of Perspex panels?

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April 2016

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Advertorial

A fine state of affairs Who will manage your affairs if you lose mental or physical capacity? Who will make decisions on your behalf, control your assets and organise your care?

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When estate planning, it is important that you can rely on the adviser that you choose to put your trust in. Oracle Estate Planning offers a friendly and professional estate planning service, including Will Writing, LPAs, Trusts and Funeral Plans. We offer a confidential, reliable and professional service that will give you the best possible advice at the time you need it most.

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Advertorial

Shoebury High – building better futures together The Shoeburyness Community Projects scheme was established in September 2015 to provide opportunities for children and adults to access a variety of educational and talent-enhancing activities in a relaxed, fun and exciting environment.

It offers a range of activities suited to toddlers, schoolchildren, adults and families, and is aimed at broadening already existing talents, developing new talents and enhancing future aspirations. Committed to providing high-quality and educational sessions

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We hope that our links with Essex Police will help to create a safer neighbourhood and we currently host a Community Police Station on the school site, making local police response in the area quicker for our residents. This initiative was developed through 'Extended Schools' and was a response directly from the community of Shoeburyness. Shoeburyness High School’s drive to be at the forefront of such an initiative allowed this development to occur.

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Band together We would love you to come along to our Community Open Day, and see what we, at the Shoeburyness Community Projects, have to offer. Taking place on Saturday 2nd July 2016 from 10am–3pm at Shoeburyness High School, it will showcase many of the activities we provide and talents we have grown.

There will be live music from a range of local bands, performances by dance troupes, arts and crafts, as well as toddler play activities and inflatables. There will also be cookery lessons, sports taster sessions and even a Community Fun Run too. Everyone is welcome to attend and it’s absolutely free!

Look out for more event days coming up and keep up-to-date by logging-on to our Community website at: www.shscp.co.uk

Partner up The Southend East School Sports Partnership has been based at Shoeburyness High School for the past twelve years. It provides coaches who deliver high-quality PE lessons in local primary schools, professional development courses for local teaching staff, and runs over 50 local sports competitions a year, involving over 7,500 pupils from the borough.

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Community Project Manager, Shoeburyness High School

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WHAT’S ON Fund Raising Concert for Freda Parry Saturday 16th April at 7.30pm. St Saviour's Church, Kings Road, Westcliff SS0 8LL. Featuring 2016 winner, Chloe Treharne. Tickets £10/£8. Tel: 01702 580413 / 07890 340279.

The Songs of Tom Lehrer and Others FREE Sun 3 April, 7–9pm. Piano Pavilion, 747 London Rd, Westcliff SS0 9ST. An eve of vintage wittiness sung by Martin Wood, accompanied by Adam Ramet on piano.

Barling & Little Wakering W.I. Every 1st Monday of the month, 2pm. St Mary's the Virgin, North Shoebury Rd (near Asda). All welcome.

Bedtime Reading Night Tues 5th April, 6–7.30pm. Children's Library, The Forum, Southend SS1 1NE. Stories for children aged 6+. Come in your PJs, bring your pillow and a grown up! Take part in games and family fun. Tickets available from: http:// southendlam.eventbrite.com Folk and Ale Festival 2016 9th–10th April, 12–7pm. Southend Pier. Scores of performers and plenty of ale. Contemporary, traditional, shanty, cajun music and everything in-between. Pier admission charges apply.

W.I. Southchurch Village Friends Meeting Every 2nd Monday, 7.30pm. The Hamstel Children & Families Centre, Hamstel Road, Southend SS2 4PQ. 11th April: AGM and 3rd Birthday Party. Guest speaker: Oracle's own Emma Wynne-Morgan.

Southend Art Club Spring 2016 Exhibition FREE 15th–24th April, 10am–9pm. Studio 11, 11 Station Rd, Westcliff SS0 7RA (opp. Cliffs Pavilion). Over 250 paintings to browse at the art exhibition.

Buccaneer Bess Queen of the Seas Sat 23rd April, 7pm. Leigh Community Centre, Elm Road, Leigh SS9 1SP. Blending film, live performance, opulent Elizabethan Courts and swashbuckling battles. Tickets £10/£7.50 include performance, tasters and option to attend pre-performance presentation. Call: 07527 945467 or email: inspiretheatrecollective@gmail.com Southend RNLI Gala Dinner & Dance Sat 7th May, 6.30pm. Park Inn Palace, Church Road, Southend SS1 2AL. Black tie event. 3 course meal, live entertainment, auction, raffle etc. All profits to Southend RNLI Station. Tickets: £40. Call: 07517 979 350 or visit: southendlifeboat.org/activitybase

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April 2016

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