Soarvalley aprmay14 issuu

Happy Second Birthday Soar Valley Life

Your award winning

Sileby, Mountsorrel, Seagrave, Cossington, Rothley, Thurcaston & Cropston Edi on 20,000 Copies delivered by GPS Tracked Distribu on team every two months

Win a Ragdale Hall Spa Day for Two

Over 10,000 copies delivered this month to: Sileby, Mountsorrel, Seagrave, Cossington, Rothley, Cropston and Thurcaston Plus a further 10,000 copies delivered next month to: Barrow upon Soar, Quorn, Woodhouse Eaves, Su on Bonington, Long Wha on, Woodhouse, The Wolds, Swithland, Zouch, Hoton, Cotes, Hathern, Prestwold, Normanton & Stanford. Further copies available in libraries, pubs, surgeries, tourist informa on centres, newsagents, Great Central Railway sta ons and major places of interest

Win a Posh Dogs Voucher Win a Picnic Bench Country Walk Recipe Puzzles What’s On Trades & Services

Highly Commended Best New Magazine 2012/13 Independent Magazine Publishers Awards October 2013 Member of the Federa on of Small Businesses www.soarvalleylife.co.uk

Copy deadline for May Tuesday 29th April

Issue 25 April/May 2014

Priceless

Soar Valley Life

Happy 2nd Birthday to us!

Editors Steve & Mary Johns

Crikey! Has it really been two years since we started?

Happy Second Birthday Soar Valley Life

Adver sing Sales Manager Tracy Dixon

features, over 80 adver sers and will be delivered to more than 10,000 homes.

HOW to ADVERTISE:

Within the next few months we’ll be increasing our distribu on yet again to include some of LE 11 ­ Loughborough ­ bringing our combined distribu on over every two month period to more than 25,000 copies.

See page 5

Telephone 01509 813125 Email enquiries Adver sing info@soarvalleylife.co.uk Editorial editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk Web www.soarvalleylife.co.uk Facebook www.facebook.com/ SoarValleyLife Address 1 Burton Road, Sileby LE12 7RU Copyright © Fantas c State Limited trading as Soar Valley Life.

The Publisher reserves and controls all rights to the work presented in this magazine. Any applica on for any use of any of the work, features, adver sements, quota ons, photographs, images or other work within this publica on must be made directly to the publisher. No part of this publica on may be reproduced, storedin a retrieval system, or transmi ed, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Front Cover Photo: © Bill Allsopp July 2013 “A Watchful Eye” Taken at the confluence of the Erewash, Trent and Soar Rivers Sawley No nghamshire

We’ll be needing to recruit some extra help to distribute the magazine too, so if you or someone you know would like to get out and about and earn a few quid just get in touch with any one of us.

In the mean me, enjoy the read, enter the compe ons, use the traders and businesses we introduce to you and enjoy the coming summer, we’re off for some chocolate ripple cheesecake...

Steve & Mary Johns 1

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page 15

Recipe ­

Chocolate Ripple Cheesecake page 20

GCR Drive Day Draw page 53

Walking

Melbourne Parks

page 44

Contents

From Small Beginnings Do you need to register for VAT? Quiz – Connec ons Easy Sudoku Quick Crossword Win a Ragdale Hall Spa Day for Two Bring the Garden Indoors Life on the Ocean Weave Do you know someone who may need an eye test at home?

Recipe – Chocolate Ripple Cheesecake Leather – Under the Microscope Stepping Stones Bank Holidays Footprints Local Chiropractor Wins Na onal Quality Award All wrapped up with somwhere to go Win a Posh Dogs Voucher There is a Green Place not far away Everything under the Sun Lady Jennifer Gre on at Wes ield House Spring, Snowdrops and Sparrowhawks Is it me to create a Las ng Power of A orney?

Walking – Melbourne Parks Posh Dogs now in Sileby Spot the Difference Ac vity4all Celebrate 1st Birthday Are You a Procras nator?

Driving a Straight Line Win a Picnic Bench Meal for Two Winner What’s in my Camera Bag? What’s On Answers to Puzzles

7 9 11 13 15 16 17 18

page 16

Win a Spa Day For two at

19 WIN 20 A £25 23 Posh Dogs 25 Grooming 26 28 Voucher 30 Page 32 31 32 34 Win a Picnic Bench 36 38 worth £120 40 43 Page 44 50 45 46 47 48 49 50 50 Everything 51 under the sun 52 page 36 53

Soar Valley Life is an independent community publica on. Please note that while the publisher takes care to be accurate, no liability will be accepted under any circumstances whatsoever, should any of the contents of the magazine be inaccurate or incorrect.

Page 3

Soar Valley Life Trades and Services Arts and Cra s The Gallery ­ Su on Bonington The Green Place

22 35

Builders and Builders Merchants Charnwood Oaks Roofing & Building John A. Stephens Ltd

45 6

Child Care and Educa on Rothley Park Kindergarten

46

Courier Services MyParcelShop.Com

31

Entertainment A all the Way Discos Great Central Railway

27 24

Garden A 2 Z Cleaning Services Anne’s Plants Charnwood Tree Services Claire Jones Gardens Concrete Pa ern Imprinted Driveways George Walker Tree Care Harrison Landscaping

9 7 6 7 7 33 42

Hair and Beauty Colours Hair and Nails Hair Today... Locks Tomorrow Mansi Beauty & Bridal Vintage Soul Ta oo Studio

14 17 14 31

Health Care Ac vity 4all Cambridge Weight Plan Charnwood Hearing Aid Centre Gareth Hudson – Foot Health Professional H S Foot Care Services Leicester Reiki Loughborough Chiroprac c Clinic Oooh... My Feet Reed Wellbeing ­ Complementary Health Vintage Soul Studio Visual Answers Op cians / Optometrists Walk­in Physio Ltd

47 25 10 45 29 50 30 13 48 31 19 48

Home A 2 Z Cleaning Services Ablu ons Luxury Bathrooms Acacia Curtains and Blinds AMW Kitchens Beacon Property Services Bunny Appliance Warehouse Carpets of Choice Colourful Blinds

9 12 17 11 14 21 8 13

Informa on is included in our What’s On sec on subject to space being available. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publica on is accurate, Soar Valley Life cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions and neither do we endorse companies or adver sers or their products and services appearing in this magazine.

Page 4

Custom Conservatories & Windows DCI Kitchens Delta Aerials Fab Plumbing Fine Finish Furniture Fluid­Fix KR Electrical LockXpert Ocean Designs Conservatory Furniture Richard Watson Painter and Decorator SJS Professional Carpet Cleaner SJS Leather Cleaning Expert Soar Valley Aerials The Oven Cleaning Company The Soot Buster UK Gas Services Ltd Ultraclean Whelband Windows

50 27 27 14 41 17 14 47 18 9 10 23 25 11 32 2 32 54

Home Care Services Icare Community Meals

55

Motoring and Travel Argosy Autocra Mr P’s Driving School Tech 2 Car Body Repairs Tyrex Ltd

15 27 23 49

Pet Care Dial a Dog Wash Posh Dogs Woodside Animal Centre

13 45 13

Professional Services Bill Allsopp Photography Crea ve io Crea ve Wedding Services CP Accountancy Ltd Intelligent Financial Advice Ltd iPaq Repair & Parts Leicestershire County Council Moss Solicitors

51 42 42 9 27 25 47 43

Pubs, Restaurants & Catering The Wedding Cafe The Free Trade Inn The Restaurant at The Mountsorrel The White Horse Inn

42 19 39 51

Residen al Care The Abbeyfield

38

Sports and Leisure Cyclops Cycles Pillings Lock Marina

10 56

Timber Merchants George Walker Ltd

33

Wholesalers Costco Leicester

37

All adver sers appear in our online business directory with a link to their own website – go to www.soarvalleylife.co.uk

SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES

Adver sing in Award Winning Soar Valley Life

for community enterprises

This size advert from

£28 + VAT per month

Adver se in Soar Valley Life and get your message to 20,000 homes and businesses every two months.

Soon we’re increasing our distribu on area to include LE11 postcodes around Loughborough town.

This means we’ll be delivering more than 25,000 copies every two months to the best areas in Charnwood.

Adver sing is Simple

Give us a call on 01509 813125 or email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.

Our professional designers help to create the maximum response from your enterprise ­ and for a limited period we’ll even design your advert for

FREE!

Leaflets: We can now deliver leaflets with Soar Valley Life and you can choose an area from as small in number as 500 at a cost of £30.00 Call Steve for more details You can download all the details from our website www.soarvalleylife.co.uk

20,000 copies delivered every two months to all of the following Charnwood villages: Quorn, Barrow, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Swithland, Walton & Burton on the Wolds, Su on Bonington, Zouch, Hoton, Cotes, Prestwold, Hathern, Long Wha on, Normanton and Stanford on Soar, Sileby, Mountsorrel, Rothley, Thurcaston, Cropston, Seagrave & Cossington. Plus further copies available in Great Central Railway Sta ons, Pubs, Libraries, Costco, tourist informa on centres and major places of interest

Quarter page from

£44 + VAT per month

Like us on facebook to further promote your business www.facebook.com/SoarValleyLife

Page 5

01509 414 169

BUILDERS MERCHANTS

Main Branch/Stockyard: Castle Meadow Road, Nottingham NG2 1AG Tel: 0115 941 2861 Satellite Branch: 45 ~ 55, Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford NG2 5FX Tel: 0115 981 4313

The widest range of hard landscaping products from the East Midlands leading independent builders’ merchant Choose from: Marshalls (the UK’s leading landscape product supplier) and Stonemarket (arguably the trendsetters for innovative hard landscape products) Next day delivery for most popular products – large fleet of 20+ vehicles for prompt delivery Professional design and layout guides free to download from our website

www.johnastephens.co.uk Page 6

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

From Small Beginnings

Anne’s Plants Loughborough Road, Rothley LE7 7NH

Anne French of Sileby has always had a passion for plants...

“Beautiful & Different”

Ten years ago she started selling her own grown plants from a small display at Cossington Open Gardens. Then a year or so later she added Rearsby Open Gardens and a stall at Syston Methodist Church on Saturdays. Since then she has sold her plants at special plant sales all around the region; now this year sees her opening her very own nursery in Rothley ­ go 400 yards past Woodcock Farm Shop towards the A6 and turn le .

Alongside all the popular bedding and perennial plants you’ll find some rare and unusual ones like the Aeonium Schwarzkopf, pictured above; Echivera and Aliums too.

Selling direct from her new nursery from

Tuesday 6th May

and thereafter Tuesday to Saturdays 10 ‘til 5 and Sundays 10.30 ‘til 4.30

All home grown bedding, perennials and summer flowering bulbs.

Aeoniums, echivera and alium specialist

Her new nursery opens on Tuesday 6th May at 10 am ­ hope to see you there!

Just a few of the 1000s of new plants at Anne’s Plants

rn Imprinted Driv e t t a P e eway ret c n o s C

by M. Morgan DRIVEWAYS • PATHS • PATIOS

Whatever your choice of surface We cover all aspects of:

• DESIGN • PATTERN • TEXTURE • COLOUR

Commercial and Domestic Professional and Friendly

Tel: 0776 555 7009 7 Days a week

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 7

Good choice of rugs always available in store

Do you need to register for VAT? If your turnover for the last 12 months reaches the VAT registra on threshold, currently set at £79,000, it is likely you will have to register for VAT. There are other reasons you may have to register: for example if you expect your turnover to exceed the registra on threshold in the next 30 days alone or if you are taking over a business as a going concern. You may also apply for voluntary registra on if you meet certain criteria.

Once you have applied to register for VAT you must account for VAT from the date stated on your applica on. In between registering and receiving your VAT number you should increase your prices by an amount equivalent to the VAT you will be charging in order to avoid reducing your net income. You should explain the situa on to your customers that a proper VAT invoice detailing your new VAT number and the amount of VAT charged will be provided once you have received the VAT number from HM Revenue & Customs.

CP Accountancy Ltd End of year accounts, Bookkeeping, VAT, PAYE, CIS, and Tax Returns for Sole-traders, Partnerships and small Limited Companies

You may also want to consider if an alterna ve VAT scheme may be be er for your business than the standard VAT accoun ng system. Other schemes will be discussed next me but if you have any ques ons in the mean me please do not hesitate to contact me.

Caroline Dinsmore

Office 9 Lazarus Court, Woodgate Rothley, Leicestershire LE7 7NR Tel: 01162 303 973 Mobile: 07749 650129 Email: info@cpaccountancyltd.co.uk

Caroline Dinsmore is licensed and regulated by the AAT under license number 5865

Richard Watson Professional Painter and Decorator out from internal to external

Quality service with a professional finish • Free Estimates For a full personal service call

T: 01509 815753 M: 07880 754011 Sileby Based

A2Z CLEANING SERVICES • •

Professional, friendly, fully trained & above all great value for money.

• • •

Carpet Cleaning Gutter and UPVC Cleaning Window Cleaning Patios & Driveways Cleaned Home Cleaning

Pressure Washing A2Z can clean any hard surface with the latest in Pressure Washing equipment the results are spectacular. We can clean Car Parks, Car Dealerships, Forecourts, Driveways, Patios, remove Graffiti and much more.

2 Abbey Business Park, Friday Street, Leicester LE1 3BW

T: 0116 2629596 • E: sales@leicestercleaners.com • www.leicestercleaners.com

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 9

Carpet Cleaner Dry in 1hr

- email or call Stuart for

*

• Carpet Cleaning • Suites - Leather and Fabric • Oriental Carpets/Rugs • Curtain Cleaning

FREE ADVICE Before

Stuart Simpson carries out the cleaning himself with all the care and skill you would expect from someone with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

After

call 01509 412797 0116 298 7082 *when patented Texatherm cleaning system used

email stuart@the professionalcarpetcleaner.co.uk visit www.theprofessionalcarpetcleaner.co.uk

Charnwood Hearing Aid Centre Ltd Lynne Leeming, MSc RHAD MSHAA

Your local hearing specialist 5 Stadon Road, Anstey Leicester, LE7 7AY Existing hearing aid users welcome Hearing protection for both children and adults Friendly and professional service

Telephone: 0116 236 6633 Email: charnwoodhearing@btconnect.com www.charnwoodhearing.co.uk

For people who care about their hearing Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri 9.30am - 4.30pm Wed & Sat 9.30am - 12.30pm

Page 10

1120 Melton Road, Syston

0116 260 8500

ROAD,SPORT,HYBRID &MOUNTAINBIKESFROM MERIDA&DAWES

PRICESSTARTINGFROM£299.99

ALTURA , MERIDA & LUSSO clothing In Stock.

Many items at SALE prices 10% DEPOSIT SECURES A BIKE UNTIL REQUIRED

Cyclescheme Tax Free Bikes Member

SPARES & REPAIRS

Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Quiz – Connec ons

1. What connects the pop groups Duran Duran, McFly and Travis?

2. What connects cards, lies and wolves?

3. Lordi, Alexander Rybak, Niamh Kavanagh and Nicole have each had just one UK top 40 hit single. What connects these singles?

4. What connects King George VI, Porky Pig and Albert Arkwright?

5. What connects the words “old”, “ink”, “range” and “lack”?

6. What connects Singapore, Zanzibar, Morocco, Utopia, Rio, Bali and Hong Kong?

7. What connects Gordon Brown, Lord Nelson, Nick Griffin and Sammy Davis, Jr.?

8. What did the companies Gille e, Accenture and TAG Heuer all do in 2009 following the acts of a famous sports star?

9. What connects Michaela Quinn, Mar n Ellingham and John Finlay?

10. What connects the following mes?... 12:48 am, 5:20 am, 12:01 pm and 5:54 pm?

Answers on page 53

Food tastes better from a clean oven!

Doesn’t your oven deserve a spring clean too?

Let us restore your oven to near showroom condition!

Kitchens Fitted

Have your kitchen how you want it at a budget you can afford

SPECIAL OFFER

• Kitchens and worktops supplied at trade prices

from £38

• Having invested in your dream kitchen ensure that it is fitted to an exacting standard

Get your oven professionally cleaned 10% senior citizen discount

• Professional oven cleaning • 100% biodegradable materials • Local, friendly service • We also clean hobs, microwaves, extractors & even BBQs! Call now for a free quotation

07969 135210 or 0800 043 7861 info@theovencleaningcomp.com

www.theovencleaningcomp.com Offer price based on single residential oven with average use.

This advert must be produced to qualify.

• Worktop replacements, pelmet/cornice only through to full kitchen fits • Granite supplied and fitted • Gas Safe plumber Please call Andy Webb on

07904 987234 / 01509 414484

www.amw-kitchens.co.uk Where bespoke really means..

Your kitchen made to your order!

Feature your business in Soar Valley Life – contact steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 11

It’s not big... (but it is clever!)

It’s a designer bathroom* - and it’s in a space less than 6 feet square.

It’s easy to use, it’s easy on the eye, it’s easy to clean and it’s easy on the pocket!

It’s another award winning idea from Ablutions.

Find out the true potential for your bathroom - call 01530 215034 to arrange a free design consultation.

*You can see this bathroom in our showroom along with many other unique design solutions including our easy access baths and showers, bespoke shower enclosures and Glazztech our new and exclusive one piece glass shower walls.

Unit 7 Stephenson Court, Brindley Road, Stephenson Industrial Estate, Coalville LE67 3HG Open 10am to 5pm. Saturdays 10am to 3pm. Closed Sundays

www.ablutions.net

ADOPT AN ANIMAL

Professional Mobile Pet Grooming

Delivered to your Door

Woodside Animal Centre 190 Scudamore Road, Leicester LE3 1UQ

Our fully comprehensive services include:

0116 233 6677

info@rspcaleicester.org.uk www.rspcaleicester.org.uk

Oooh…

MyFeet ... is the answer to happy feet!

Mobile Foot Health Care Relieve the Pain and Discomfort of Corns • Callus • Ingrown Toenails • Verrucas • Cracked Heels ... in your home or by appointment with

Gillian Brierley DipCFHP MPSPract Foot Health Practitioner Vintage Soul Holistic and Beauty Studio, 8 Brookside, Syston LE7 1GG 07816 113259 or 01509 216155 www.ooohmyfeet.co.uk

Hydro bathing • Nail clipping Flea treatment • Hair de-shedding Shampooing • Coat conditioning & deodorising • Turbo drying Clip or trim • One to one attention All in our purpose built heated vans

Tel: 0116 272 0066 Mob: 07875 725576 Under new management with additional trained © SVL staff and vans

Easy Sudoku

A member of the Alliance of Private Sector Practitioners

THE BIGGEST BLIND SALE EVER! verticals • rollers • wood & aluminium venetians romans • conservatory • skylight

60% OFF

Made to Measure Blinds • Free Quote • Free Fitting • Large Selection • Evening/Weekend Appts

Plus an

Extra

10% OFF

orders until end of May 2014

Tel: 0116 316 9866 www.colourfulblinds.com

Answers on page 53

For how to play go to h p://www.sudoku.name/rules/en

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 13

MA S I

Colours

Hair and Nails

Beauty and Bridal

Why not have your Hair and Nails done at the same time?

Kelly’s NEW SALON NOW OPEN in MOUNTSORREL

10% off on first treatment when you mention this advert

Please feel free to pop in for a coffee and a chat about a new style

0116 319 2090 • 07855 962 811

83 Leicester Road, Mountsorrel LE12 7AJ

To make an appointment call

www.colourshairandnails.co.uk

1 Highgate Road, Sileby, LE12 7PN

Plumbing Carpentry Design

Professional service at a sensible price

KITCHEN AND BATHROOM SPECIALISTS

Kitchen and bathroom supply and fit or fit only wall and floor tiling • underfloor heating • plastering • laminate and vinyl flooring

Call Phil Blount – 07970 137550 email: pdjblount@yahoo.co.uk – Avon Road, Barrow upon Soar

Plumbing or Heating Problem?

A local professional service for all your gas, plumbing and heating requirements Boiler breakdown and upgrade specialists Full range of work undertaken (free quotes) Installations • Breakdowns • Repairs • Service Fully insured • Qualified Engineers Part L • Part P • WRAS • City & Guilds Vented and Unvented heating systems Safety certificates/checks • Power flushing

24 HOUR EMERGENCY CALL OUT Contact Darryl now for obligation free assistance

info@fabplumbing.co.uk

www.fabplumbing.co.uk

0333 456 7080 07867 301862 Page 14

• • • • • •

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

Re-wires Fuse Board Upgrades Extra Sockets & Lighting New Builds & Extensions Inspection & Testing Garden & Security Lighting • Electric Showers • Burglar Alarms

ALL WORK GUARANTEED

For a FREE quote: M: 07970 893250 T: 0116 2303166 Saxon Drive, Rothley, Leicestershire LE7 7SR www.krelectrical.com Info@krelectrical.com

Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Quick Crossword 1

2

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5

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8

10

7

9

11

12

Across

Down

1 Denied (7)

1 Disagreements (5)

5 Not ours (5)

2 Supporter (3)

8 Amazing (9)

3 Used for cleaning (7)

9 Spot (3)

4 Insistence (13)

10 Nap (5) 13

12 Replies (7)

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13 Nearly (13) 15

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15 Mum's mother (7) 17 Healed (5)

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19 Lodging house (3)

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5 Sailboat (5) 6 Vests, boxers (9) 7 Fulfil (7) 11 Made clear (9) 13 Fishing (7) 14 Sale by bidding (7)

20 Ethereal (9)

16 Covered with fine powder (5)

22 Dizzy (5)

18 Hold up (5)

23 Convent (7)

21 Employ (3) Answers on page 53

es S-ETC c i rvT-TYRE e o r S RetcycleAIRS-MO t r E-REP f o t a r OT s MoSERVIC C to RS-Mtorcycle u A I o A als - M y P s E eric o R g E t Comm r C A RVI s - Ligh SE

Car

All Makes & Ages including MX5 Mini/Cooper-Classics & Sports

66b Wymeswold Industrial Park, Wymeswold Lane, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 5TY

Telephone 01509 880545 • Mobile: 07967 128975 argosyautocraft@aol.com Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 15

WIN a Ragdale Experience Day

for two people at award winning Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa worth £174

The Spa Traveller Readers’ Awards - Ultimate Wellness Spa, Best Wellness Spa UK & Best UK Spa to Recharge – 2013, Best UK Spa 2011 & Best UK Retreat for Solo Spa Travellers 2012 TripAdvisor - Awarded Certificate of Excellence 2012 & 2013 Candis Magazine - Best Spa 2013 New! Magazine Spa Awards 2012 - Best for Fitness Fans Good Spa Guide Awards 2012 Best UK Destination Spa Mumsnet Best Spa in the UK 2012 - Great for a girls day out. Spa Finder Readers’ Choice Awards 2011 & 2012 - Favourite UK Spa

You could spend a relaxing day (valid Monday – Friday) at Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire on a Ragdale Experience Day to include:

Available in monetary amounts from £25 or for days or overnight breaks, they are the ideal gift.

Light lunch in the Verandah Bar. Plus use of all of Ragdale’s facilities including the multimillion pound Thermal Spa featuring candle pool, indoor/outdoor waterfall and a series of heat and water experiences plus two further pools, including whirlpool bath and cascade.

Gym, exercise classes and outdoor facilities.

dispatched upon receipt of full payment.

To make a purchase or for further information contact Voucher Sales on 01664 433030 or visit our website on www.ragdalehall.co.uk and view our video brochure

All vouchers are valid for a year from

How to Enter

NB 10.30am arrival - 6.30pm departure

Simply send your name, address and telephone number marked Ragdale Hall Prize Draw to editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk or by post to Soar Valley Life, 1 Burton Road, Sileby, Leicestershire LE12 7RU

If you are not the lucky winner, then maybe a Ragdale Hall gift voucher would be the perfect present.

The first entry out of the hat after the closing date of Tuesday 29th April 2014 will win.

Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa Ragdale Village, Nr Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE14 3PB Tel: 01664 434831 www.ragdalehall.co.uk

Bring the Garden Indoors

Made to Measure Curtains, Blinds and Shutters For expert advice and a free, local ‘At Home’ measuring service Contact Judy Andrews Telephone 01509 650832 Mobile 0788 1681556

www.acaciacurtains.com

Hair Today...

Locks Tomorrow

Mobile Hair Extensionist Fully qualified hair extension technician in 3 types of non-damaging hair extensions • Micro Rings • Fusion Bonds (nail tip) • Fusion Shrinks (I tip)

It’s easy to create a fresh new look by bringing a touch of floral elegance to your home with the new collec ons from Pres gious Tex les...

Wild Garden

The 'Italian Garden' range of fabrics combine delicate flower prints with watercolour stripes brought right up to date with zesty colour ways. Or, why not consider the 'Wild Garden' range from Clarke and Clarke?

Inspired by the countryside with delicate embroidered foxgloves and cowslips on so linens or a contemporary block printed fern design as a complete contrast.

All of these fabrics are perfect as Italian Garden curtains, blinds and cushions and we can supply a range of matching ebacks, trimmings and poles; also suitable for upholstery they can be ordered by the metre.

Simply call us for a no obliga on quota on in the comfort of your own home and let Acacia bring a fresh new look to your windows this Spring. Acacia Curtains and Blinds Tel 01509650832

Fluid-Fix

Plumbing/Heating & Electrical Services Drips to Drains • Bursts to Baths Cisterns to Showers Installation • Servicing • Repairs Replacement and Maintenance of Domestic Water Services FREE QUOTES No Emergency call out charge NO job to small

‘Mates Rates’

For all serving and Ex Navy, Army, RAF, Police, Fire and Ambulance

OAP Discounts

Please contact Gina 07584 136490 ginamaypage@hotmail.com https://www.facebook.com/gina.page7583

City and Guilds Level 2 NVQ Plumbing and Heating 6189-11.

BPEC Hot Water Storage Systems. Water Supply Regulations. Part "P" Electrical. Public Liability Insured. All work guaranteed.

Call Steve

T 01162 303578 • M 07749 954869 OR EMAIL fluid-fix@outlook.com

Based in Mountsorrel, Loughborough, Leics LE12 7DS

All adver sers appear in our online business directory with a link to their own website – go to www.soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 17

Life on the Ocean Weave...

Mixing Bri sh and Far Eastern Cra smanship, Ocean Designs offer a unique selec on of woven furniture for both the home and garden. You’ll find this No ngham based company on Castle Boulevard, just on the way out of the city centre. There you will see the widest range of conservatory and garden furniture in the region, in a variety of different materials and colour treatments, including stunning dining and occasional pieces.

Page 18

Ocean Designs manufacture all their upholstery in house to the highest quality standards and they actually design all their products themselves, so you won’t find them anywhere else except in the shops they supply. Choose your upholstery from up to 1,000 fabric op ons including Malabar, John Brown, Warwick, Osborne & Li le, Nina Campbell and Swaffer, in a comprehensive range of styles allowing you to create your perfect look. Ocean Designs also

manufacture all their own luxury lounge and occasional upholstery furniture, so are unique in being able to offer a made to measure, bespoke service complete with a 10 year guarantee. Are you looking for a beau fully made, unique piece of furniture? Then take a visit to Ocean Designs.

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Do you know someone who may need an eye test at home?

Visual Answers have a range of the latest portable diagnos c equipment to examine pa ents’ eyes at home and in residen al care homes...

Typically we would be with you for just over an hour, providing a comprehensive eye examina on with checks for cataracts, diabetes and glaucoma and a spectacle dispensing service that includes: • FREE fi ng and delivery appointments • FREE all year round a ercare • FREE telephone advisory service • FREE ‘goodie bag’ with lens cleaner & cloth with any glasses We also have an excellent range of stylish, illuminated and electronic magnifiers ideal for hobbies and those with reading difficul es from as li le as £9.95. We can arrange a FREE trial of these to our exis ng pa ents. Call us for more informa on.

FREE home hearing tests available too...

Visual Answers also work with a leading local independent hearing aid audiologist who can provide FREE home hearing tests. RNID latest figures show 40% of the over 50’s have some form of hearing loss. Hearing is an important sense and one that contributes greatly to our quality of life, which is why we believe it should be checked regularly, just like your eyesight.

Call us today on 01509 414151 to check your NHS en tlement for a home visit or to arrange an appointment for a friend or family member.

Visual Answers Optometrists www.VisualAnswers.co.uk

Overall Winner – Loughborough & North Leics. CAMRA Pub of the Year 2014

2nd to 4th May 15 Beers and Ciders Live Music on the Friday and Saturday Night

THE FREE TRADE INN 27 Cossington Road, Sileby, Leicestershire LE12 7RW 01509 814494 www.thefreetradeinn.co.uk

Recipe This month’s recipe sponsored by

Bunny Appliance Warehouse

Chocolate Ripple Cheesecake This baked cheesecake is a must for chocolate lovers – it has a really rich flavour without being too sweet. It’s perfect to serve as a dessert or sweet treat over the Easter weekend as you can make it in advance. Keep the cooled cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

1

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Mix together the crushed biscuits, melted bu er and cocoa powder and press evenly into the base of a well bu ered 23cm round spring­ form or deep fluted flan n. Chill the base in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, Gas 3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl beat together the so cheese, caster sugar and vanilla extract un l smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs then fold in the soured cream. Spoon about half the mixture over the chilled biscuit base.

Gently fold the melted chocolate into the remaining mixture (it will be quite thick) and drop spoonfuls of this mixture on top of the vanilla layer.

Using the blade of a thin knife gently swirl the chocolate mixture through the vanilla mixture.

Place the n on a baking sheet and bake for 45­ 55 minutes, un l the filling has just set. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven.

Serve the cold cheesecake sliced, lightly dusted with cocoa powder and with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, if liked.

Tip

For a chocolate orange version add the zest and juice of 1/2 orange to the so cheese mixture instead of the vanilla extract.

Page 20

Serves 10 ­ Ready in 1½ hours, plus chilling & cooling

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • • •

225g diges ve biscuits, finely crushed 75g unsalted bu er, melted 1 tbsp cocoa powder 200g good quality plain chocolate, broken into pieces 400g so cheese, such as Philadelphia 100g caster sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 3 medium eggs, beaten 300ml soured cream Cocoa powder to dust Chocolate sauce, to serve (op onal)

Recipe sponsored by Bunny Appliance Warehouse See their full range of fabulous cooking appliances at www.appliancecity.co.uk

Leather ­ under the microscope When visi ng a client who has asked for advice on cleaning their leather suite, the first thing Stuart Simpson does is take out his microscope...

It’s not un l you start to look a li le closer that you begin to realise the complexity of certain processes; what at first seems straight forward really isn’t quite so simple. Stuart showed me what a sample of leather looks like really close up through his special microscope. He then began to explain why it was necessary to understand the different types of leather and how they came to be that way.

“There are two main types: aniline ­ which is colour dyed in the vat a er tanning, and pigmented ­ which is colour printed a er tanning. It’s important to find out which it is right at the beginning. Most leathers can be repaired, recoloured and refurbished to original standards as long as you know what caused the damage and what substance discoloured it. We can sort out most problems on site: splits and tears, remove nail varnish, jean dye, pen marks, cat scratches, shoe scuffs and wear and tear abrasions.”

Stuart then showed me another piece of equipment vital to leather restora on. “We ascertain the original colour of the hide by careful cleaning and then measure that colour with this special spectrometer. This will then tell me exactly what propor ons of paint or dye to mix together to recreate an exact match and then we can restore any damaged areas to that original colour.”

I asked Stuart what was the best piece of advice we can give to someone who wants to look a er their leather.

“Protect it with a special leather protec ve coa ng as soon a er you have bought it as you can and have it cleaned and re­protected every year a er that.

This is what your leather might look like under Stuart Simpson’s microscope. The holes are where the animal’s hair once grew...

That way you can keep your leather looking as good as new for ever ­ and don’t forget your designer leather handbags ladies ­ and those leather car seats too; they can receive the very same care and a en on from us as everything else ­ we are the experts.”

Tech2 Body Repairs Classic vehicle restoration Sports and performance car specialists Fleet and commercial vehicles Please call in for your free no obligation quotation

www.tech2bodyrepair.co.uk

have moved to

44 Sparrow Hill, Loughborough

T: 01509 769043 M: 07976 477152 E: paul@tech2bodyrepair.co.uk

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

© SVL

Page 23

Great Easter Sale Great Central Railway LEICESTERSHIRE

Just £25 for family of 5 Ride the Easter Bunny Express Tues 15th,Wed 16th,Thurs 17th April Tues 22nd,Wed 23rd,Thurs 24th, Fri 25th April

Hop on and off at any of our four stations and ride all day for just £25 for the whole family Free sweets for boys and girls from the Easter Bunny Easter egg hunt with a prize for the winner Colouring in and craft activities Ride on the mini funfair Spot the hidden eggs at the Miniature Garden Railway, Rothley

Fares (all day travel):

2 adults and up to 3 children £25 1 adult and up to 3 children £15 Adult runabout £10

Enquiries & Bookings 01509 632323 www.gcrailway.co.uk NB: All tickets include unlimited rail travel and all entertainment except mini funfair

Stepping Stones

As the old saying goes, “ You’ve tried the rest, now try the best!”

These days it seems that every me you open a newspaper, turn on your computer or look at a community no ce board, there’s some new­fangled weight loss programme claiming instant results whilst s ll gorging on a full fat diet with cream cakes or five square meals a day doubling up your puddings on Sundays!

Okay, I exaggerate, but you get my point...

As far as I know the only way to lose weight successfully is to consume less calories. The problem is that we usually feel hungry if we don’t eat enough, health problems occur if we don’t get the right nutrients and then ­ bang goes the diet.

In 1970 a Cambridge University doctor, Alan Howard, developed a weight

reduc on plan that allowed for consuming less calories whilst replacing the nutrients in a balanced way.

Cambridge meals are intended to combine all necessary food groups to sa sfy a body’s nutri onal needs in order to allow a person to stop craving foods and overea ng. The Cambridge Weight Plan has a step to suit everyone from 17 ­ 70, male or female, depending on medical history, and can be adapted to all lifestyles. Ini ally, the diet only makes use of meal replacement supplements in the form of porridges, shakes and soups.

Gradually solid foods are introduced into the meal plan, and step by step you reach your goal. Combine this with one to one support in your own home and you can begin to see why this plan has far outlived the rest. It has evolved over the years and is now be er than it ever was in helping you to achieve the weight you want to be.

I talked with Janet Humber, Independent Consultant for the Cambridge Weight

Plan in the Soar Valley area: “Trying to lose weight on your own can be pre y tough. In the past you’ve no doubt tried following other diets and the chances are you’ve given up in the first two weeks. I had a weight problem all my life and had tried many different diets. It wasn’t un l I tried the Cambridge Weight Plan that I succeeded. There are no secret ingredients, every step is carefully planned, researched and en rely safe.

Your first consulta on is free and without obliga on ­ there’s nothing to lose ­ except that extra weight you’re carrying of course…”

Contact Janet, day or evening, on either of the numbers below or by emailing her at: jan.mel@talktalk.net

No group meetings No joining fee Just one to one support in the privacy of your own home at a day and time to suit you.

Independent Consultant

Janet Humber

Tel: 01509 880 023 Mobile: 07968 726 717 Email: jan.mel@talktalk.net

DIGIT FREE TV W CCTV NET TW W

015

w

www.cambridgeweightplan.co.uk

Call 0116 286 6447 FOR AN INSTANT QUOTE

Unit 33, King Street Buildings, George Street Entrance Enderby, Leicester LE19 4NT

www.ipaqrepair.co.uk

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 25

Bank Holidays is why we have Easter – was on the first Sunday a er the full moon that followed the vernal equinox. Which this year happens to be on 20 April.

Geddit?”

Got it.

I don’t know – you wait for weeks and weeks for a day off work and then four come along all at once. And I blame the Pope.

He is, a er all, the man who decides the date of Easter. This year it’s on 20 April – which is almost as late as it can be and means that we have four Bank Holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Spring Bank Holiday – except in Scotland – and the May Bank Holiday) within the space of six weeks.

So if you like your precious days off well spread out, you might ask the Pope: why is Easter so late this year? And he’ll tell you the following: “The date is calculated thuswise. The ancient Jewish feast of Pesach or Passover, for reasons best known to ancient Jewish people, falls on the full moon on or immediately a er the vernal equinox. The Last Supper was held on Passover, or so it says in the New Testament; the Crucifixion took place on the following Friday; so ipso facto the Resurrec on – which Page 26

But the dates of public holidays have always been conten ous, with various people having various reasons for wan ng them shi ed. Some don’t want them at all: patriots to the bone they may be, but many industrialists really didn’t like the Government awarding us extra hols for the Royal Wedding in 2011 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. “Two days’ lost produc on!” they wailed.

“That’ll cost us a bomb!” On the other hand the retailers of beer and bun ng were over the moon.

Bank Holidays, you’d think, would be fairly firmly fixed. Not a bit of it. Un l 1834 the Bank of England used to observe all 33 Roman Catholic Holy Days of Obliga on. “This is da !” said the directors eventually, and cut it to four – Good Friday, May Day, All Saints (1 November), and Christmas Day. But come on, that wasn’t enough. So in 1871 the Bank Holidays Act added Easter Monday, Whit Monday (the seventh Monday a er Easter), the first Monday in August (instead of All Saints), and Boxing Day.

And for nearly a century that seemed to suit. We all went on charabanc excursions to the seaside or (if posh) had long weekends in the country or just stayed home and sorted the garden, and un l 1965 we were very happy. That year, the August Bank Holiday was moved to the end of the month.

In 1971 Whit Monday, the last moveable feast apart from Easter, was fixed as the last Monday in May. In 1975 Harold Wilson made New Year’s Day a Bank Holiday in England and Wales (it already was one in Scotland); and in 1978 Jim Callaghan, dyed in the wool le ie that he was (!) made May Day – which had been le out of the 1871 Act – official.

Now the nkerers are out in force again. Some want na onal Saints’ days – St David’s Day and St Piran’s Day (is Cornwall a na on? You decide) in March, St George’s Day in April, St Andrew’s Day in November – to be made official holidays.

There’s also a move to scrap one or other of the May Bank Holidays and move it to October to mark Trafalgar Day. Someone even proposed a Margaret Thatcher Day… I’ll say no more!

By Ted Bruning

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT ­ See page 5

01509 768831 • • • •

In business since 1983 5 year warranty We’ll beat any like for like quote High Quality Digital TV, DAB & FM Aerials • LCD/Plasma Wall Mounts • OAP Discounts • Tune-in & System set ups 133 Highgate Road, Sileby LE12 7PW www.deltaaerials.co.uk

Call/Text 07786 961 326

www.mrpsdrivingschool.co.uk

MORTGAGES

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

• Mortgages • Life assurance • Commercial loans & insurance • Buildings and contents insurance • Accident, sickness & unemployment insurance Telephone Charles Barrett

01509 231335 or 07752 312145

Westgate House, Royland Road, Loughborough, LE11 2EH

Email:c.barrett@ifalimited.co.uk

Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate some aspects of commercial mortgages and some aspects of commercial finance.

There will be a fee of £550 for mortgage advice payable on completion; we will offset © SVL this fee against any commission we receive from the lender where available.

All adver sers appear in our online business directory with a link to their own website – go to www.soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 27

Footprints Adorning the wall of HS Foot Care Services new surgery in Mountsorrel are cer ficates awarded to three genera ons of foot care professionals from the same family...

HS Foot Care Services was founded by Alan Postlethwaite, following in the footsteps of his wife’s mother who had graduated from the School of Chiropody in 1954. Alan began with a small clinic at his home in Mountsorrel in 2008. Such was his success that on March 6th of this year he was able to extend his services into a new enlarged surgery, at the same address, offering all the foot care treatments you would expect from a professional podiatry prac ce together with nail surgery and gait analysis.

Both Alan, and his daughter Maxime, now have a podiatry degree which permits them to offer clients a full range of

Maxime, analysing Mary’s gait with the podoscope next to the state of the art SIDAS system

Page 28

treatments including correc ng in­growing toenails surgically under local anaesthe c. They also have state of the art equipment which, a er analyzing your gait, is used to create a correc ve insole without sending your prescrip on away to a laboratory saving a lot of me and giving them more control.

Alan says, “Many people from all walks of life can benefit tremendously from adjustments to their gait and posture that comes with the fi ng of correc ve ortho cs (insoles).

There’s a whole host of complaints that arise from problems with our feet and gait ­ foot pain, plantar fascii s (policeman’s heel), shin splints (medial bial stress syndrome), knee/hip/lower back pain, Achilles tendoni s, runner’s knee (patella femoral syndrome) ­ and most can be alleviated simply and effec vely with a combina on of our ortho cs and some mes stretching/ strengthening exercises. Surprisingly a lot of condi ons require correc ons to the forefoot so we focus on full length ortho cs allowing correc ons to be made where needed most, not just arch and heel.

With our investment in the world class SIDAS system, analysis and manufacturing of the ortho cs takes less than two hours ­ so you walk out the same day with your new ortho cs! Our new facili es give us much more space and

allow us to really focus on becoming an all encompassing foot care centre making the most of both mine and Maxime’s skills sets. We already treat quite a few sports people, aiding them in recovery from injury and helping them to improve their performance.”

Alan and his family invited a number of local people to a splendid (Ed!) buffet lunch to celebrate the opening of the newly expanded business. Among the invited guests was Alan’s very first pa ent Mr Rich Palmer and Mr Brian Allard, Chairman of the Mountsorrel Relief in Need Charity, who opened the proceedings.

Mr Brian Allard opens the new HS Foot Care Surgery

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

HS Foot Care Services opens new surgery in Mountsorrel

The new surgery is in the same premises on Halstead Rd but now caters for nail surgery and the added size means that gait analysis can be combined in the same room.

SERVICES GENERAL CHIROPODY Cutting nails, reducing callus & corns, ingrowing nails (conservative management) treating verrucae

NEUROLOGICAL & VASCULAR TESTING All new patients are tested – check condition of nerves and circulation to feet

FOOT & HEEL PAIN Assessment, advice, treatment

NAIL SURGERY Full / partial nail removal under local anesthesia at a time convenient to you

BESPOKE ORTHOTICS Gait analysis, biomechanical assessment, exercise advice, manufacture of bespoke orthotics onsite Specialist creams supplied Specialist creams & fungal treatments not available from pharmacies

Foot Care Services

34A Halstead Road, Mountsorrel LE12 7HF. Tel 0116 210 6413

Local Chiropractor Wins Na onal Quality Award Loughborough Chiroprac c Clinic situated at 3, The Coneries, Loughborough, has been awarded the Pa ent Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM) by The Royal College of Chiropractors...

The PPQM is awarded to chiroprac c clinics that demonstrate excellence in mee ng pa ent expecta ons in a range of areas including accessibility, cleanliness, safety and pa ent communica on. The decision to award the PPQM is made by a panel of pa ents and public who form the Royal College of Chiropractor’s Lay Partnership Group. Loughborough Chiroprac c Clinic, a family owned business, has been trading since 1998. The partners Hayley Smith, Jeane e Chalmers and Leanne Smith, are pictured receiving the award at a ceremony in London on 29th January from Lay Partnership Group member Mr Paul Shorten.

Clinic Principal and chiropractor Hayley Smith said: “The award of the Pa ent Partnership Quality Mark recognises this clinic’s commitment to mee ng the expecta ons our pa ents have when they visit us for

Hayley, Jeane e and Leanne from Loughborough Chiroprac c Clinic receiving their Prac ce Pa ent Quality Management award

advice and treatment. Our aim is to con nually improve our levels of service and we always welcome feedback from our pa ents to help us achieve this. We are extremely proud of the clinic and the work the whole team con nues to do to provide a high level of care for all pa ents.�

Loughborough Chiropractic Clinic

01509 219800

www.loughboroughchiropractic.co.uk info@loughboroughchiropractic.co.uk

Contact us at Loughborough Chiropractic Clinic for expert advice and treatment.

Sports Massage

also available at the clinic call 01509 219800

to book your sports massage with Jenny Flowers BSc (Hons) MSST

Page 30

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Commercial Parcel Network Now available to the general public:

1KG to 30KG parcels delivered on 24 hour insured network Items up to 20KG sent direct from our base in Loughborough – we collect from you for a small fee or you deliver to our base by 4.30pm and your parcel will be delivered by 6.00pm next day 21KG to 30KG we collect from your address – still delivered next day All Packaging goods available in store All UK (Except Highlands) 24 hours Highlands 2 days Europe 3 – 5 days

1-5 KGS 6-10 KGS 11-15 KGS 16-20 KGS 21-30 KGS

£8.99 £10.99 £13.99 £15.99 £17.99

All prices include VAT Prices correct at time of print (UK price only) © SVL

38 Baxter Gate, Loughborough, LE11 1TQ sales@myparcelshop.com

Tel: 0333 600 2122

All major credit/debit cards accepted

All wrapped up with somewhere to go Last week Soar Valley Life received an A3 poster from Royal Mail showing the new prices they will be charging from April 1st 2014. For 2nd class delivery in the UK a 2.5 kg parcel taken to your local post office will cost you £13.75p...

Now just check out the price on the le that My Parcel Shop charges to deliver the same parcel. That’s right!

Nearly £5 cheaper! And what’s more, in most cases, they’ll pick it up from your home or office in the Soar Valley free of charge. The Royal Mail guarantee a 48 hour delivery but would charge extra for a tracking service. With My Parcel Shop it’s all included at £8.99. And you get full insurance too! (Yep, RM charge extra for insurance) On checking through the list My Parcel Shop comes out loads cheaper across the board. And in their shop at 38 Baxter Gate, Loughborough, they have all the packaging goods you’re ever likely to need. I think these guys really are going places...

Vintage Soul Studio Meditation Coaching and Holistic Therapies

Meditation Massage Reiki Reflexology Indian Head Massage and much more...

Contact Lyndsey Burton on: 0116 319 0455 vintagesoulinfo@gmail.com

8 Brookside, Syston, Leicester LE7 1GG

www.soul-ution.co.uk

Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 31

THESOOTBUSTER

Chimney Sweeping Services

MR MUSSELL

your local oven cleaner

• Member of the Guild of Master Sweeps •

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• Fully insured

Call Dave Morris on

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Returns your oven to show room condition!

• Racks and rings tank dipped, back to their original condition • Grease and burned on carbon removed from all interior surfaces • Oven exterior degreased, cleaned and left shining • Non-caustic, non-toxic and bio-degradable • Prices from only £45.00

Ultraclean

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WIN a Posh Dogs Grooming Voucher!

For your chance to win a £25 grooming voucher to spend at Posh Dogs Canine Grooming just send your name, address and telephone number with the answer to the following question to

editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

or by post to Soar Valley Life, 1 Burton Road, Sileby, Leicestershire LE12 7RU

QUESTION

POSH DOGS HAVE MOVED FROM BARROW UPON SOAR – WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The first correct answer out of the hat after the closing date of Tuesday 29th April 2014 will win.

Editor’s decision is final.

Terms and conditions apply.

Page 32

Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

See Page 45

#"! " # "

# " # ! " "

There is a Green Place not far away...

A few years ago No. 6 Cossington Road, Sileby was empty with the gardens over grown. It had been the offices of the Gas Board at one me but it then looked as if the place would become derelict, to eventually be demolished and lost forever.

Enter the Green Place...

Darren Po er and Deborah Parker had founded a company in 1996 to recycle and refurbish old computers; making them available to those who couldn’t afford to buy new. The business itself grew out of an opportunity given to the couple to clear up and recycle waste le on site a er a summer weekend concert at De Mon ort Hall.

In the mid 90s the world wasn’t anywhere near as environmentally aware as it is today, with most governments and councils having no green

Page 34

policies at all. We are now much more concerned about how much waste we produce and it seems that society en masse is turning against consumerism and wasteful prac ces. Sure, we’ve had the backlash from the discovery of Al Gore’s “inconvenient” sta s cs being manipulated by oil producing na ons for their own ends, in order to push up the price of energy whilst forcing us all to use less, but, as Darren said to me when I visited the Green Place the other day, “It just makes sense that we look a er what we have and use everything more wisely, doesn’t it? Climate change may well come about without human interven on at all, but it sure isn’t for the good of our world that we carry on crea ng more and more toxic waste, landfill sites and environmental pollu on.”

Having been successful in obtaining grants from the Shires Council and a community support grant from B & Q in 2005, Darren and Deborah began work at 6 Cossington Road and opened as The Green Place in December that year.

And there you’ll now find an amazing number of things to interest you, along with the Coffee Shop serving snacks and the gardens using more eco friendly growing methods than I ever knew existed. There’s the Yurt (a semi round permanent tent) where they hold workshops and demonstra ons most Saturdays; there are garden ac vi es and a whole host of green volunteering projects to get involved in.

And, a favourite of mine, the new book emporium ­ an octagonal greenhouse selling second hand books. We’ll keep you posted on this li le gem!

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

6 Cossington Road, Sileby Loughborough LE12 7RS info@completewasters.co.uk

Tel: 01509 815181

Fairtrade café • Ethical gifts Cosy yurt space and kinder café Craft days + workshops + events Children’s parties • Green living ideas Wildlife garden • Treehouse + willow dens 2nd hand book stall • Summer plant sales Yurt + venue hire

Events and workshops’ 2014 Some of the events for the coming year

Music at The Green Place • Outdoor pizza lunches Den making • Hazel chair making • Animal handling Wizard day • Camp cooking • Apple pressing Groovy record workshop • Herbal plant workshop • Bellydancing

Free Entry To find out more visit our website

www.completewasters.co.uk Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am-5pm The Green place is run by Complete Wasters, a not for profit social enterprise dedicated to showcasing good green ideas.

Everything under the sun ...and then some!

Sunrise & sunset mes and phases of the moon Date

Sun Rise

Sun Set

Hours of Daylight

7­Apr­14 14­Apr­14 21­Apr­14 28­Apr­14 5­May­14 12­May­14 19­May­14 26­May­14 02­Jun­14 09­Jun­14 16­Jun­14

06:23 06:07 05:53 05:38 05:25 05:14 05:03 04:55 04:48 04:44 04:43

19:44 19:55 20:07 20:19 20:30 20:41 20:51 21:01 21:09 21:16 21:20

13h 20m 48s 13h 47m 54s 14h 14m 25s 14h 40m 07s 15h 04m 38s 15h 27m 31s 15h 48m 14s 16h 06m 11s 16h 20m 53s 16h 31m 11s 16h 37m 32s

Date

Moonrise

Moonset

Phase First Quarter@09:31

7­April­14

11:46

02:31

15­April­14

20:25

06:05

Full Moon@08:43

22­April­14

02:19

12:04

Third Quarter@08:52

29­April­14

05:48 2

0:46

New Moon @ 07:15

07­May­14

12:35

02:05

First Quarter @ 04:15

14­May­14

20:28

05:07

Full Moon @ 20:16

21­May­14

01:30

12:25

Third Quarter@13:59

28­May­14

04:58

20:40

New Moon @19:40

5­Jun­14

12:27

00:57

First Quarter@21:40

13­Jun­14

21:23

05:18

Full Moon@05:12

The Planets ­ looking South at 11 pm mid month (take an hour off at the beginning and add an hour on at the end) April: Mars roars on to the celes al stage this month and is brighter than the brightest star in our night sky. On 15th April you’ll find it to the right of the full moon.

May: Saturn is a tad overshadowed by all the compe on from its siblings but look at the full moon on the 14th of the

month and you’ll see Saturn just to it’s right June: With the long daylight hours this is not the best month for stargazing.

But Jupiter is splendid at the beginning of the month next to the crescent new moon, and Mars is the king of the evenings un l brilliant Venus takes over at about 3 am.

The Eta Aquirid Meteor shower falls on 5/6th May

Bits of Halley’s Comet fall to earth every year…

It will be 2061 before Halley makes it’s next closest approach.

It has been a regular visitor, appearing every 75 years or so since ancient mes ­ the earliest records of observa on date back to 240 BC. We pass through the orbit of the comet twice a year­ once when we see the Eta Aquirids and again in October when we see the Orionid Meteor shower

There could be a meteor storm on the evening of 23/24th May. The Earth will run into debris shed by an obscure comet that was discovered in 2004. Comet Linear; predic ons are quite uncertain, but a er midnight there could be over 1000 meteors falling per hour

Did you know?

Galileo Galilei is o en incorrectly credited with the inven on of the telescope. Instead, historians now believe the Dutch eyeglass maker Johannes Lippershey was its creator.

Galileo was, however, probably the first to use the device to study the heavens.

Sponsored by For everything under the sun (almost!)

Lady Jennifer Gre on officially opens Abbeyfield’s 1000 sq extension to Wes ield House Abbeyfield’s flagship, demen a registered, residen al care home on Wes ield Drive Loughborough, was officially opened on Thursday 13th March 2014 by the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Lady Jennifer Gre on...

The thirty one residents of Wes ield House now enjoy more space in their day me communal area which represents a considerable investment from the Abbeyfield charitable trust.

Julie King, General Manager said “The extra space allows us to improve upon the person centred care we have

The new communal area at Wes ield House

always concentrated on. We’ve brightened up the décor, fi ed a new big screen television and created a be er family atmosphere. We are planning to have a small shop where residents can access the li le extras they may want which they are able to choose for themselves. Addi onally, the bigger space allows us to make more of our themed meal mes and daily ac vi es. We have a dedicated Ac vi es Organiser and Ac vi es Worker to engage our residents in such things as cake decora ng, kni ng, ski les and cra s and on Mondays we have Tippy the Hairdresser. There’s a new Quiet Lounge too, which can be used for more private mes and where Communion can be held. The new garden room, which is an extension of the old lounge, really has made a big difference; on warm sunny days in the summer we can open the doors onto the large newly created pa o which leads to the sensory garden, bringing the outdoors inside so to speak.

If you’d like more informa on about

Lady Jennifer Gre on cuts the ribbon (Courtesy of Bill Allsopp Photography)

volunteering at Abbeyfield you can either download an applica on form from the website ­ go to www.abbeyfieldloughborough.co.uk and click on the “Join us” link on the le ­ or talk to Julie or any of her staff by calling her during office hours on 01509 266605.

Loughborough

Specialist Dementia care home The Abbeyfield Society offers a range of care and support solutions which reflect the changing expectations of older people; that we all deserve to enjoy our later years and get the most out of life - whatever our individual circumstances.

As a not for profit organisation we welcome the support of volunteers especially in the following areas: Gardening, Befriending, Craft workshops/demonstrations, Baking, Flower arranging, Christmas Decorations, Fundraising, manning our Christmas Market stall

The Abbeyfield Loughborough Society, 44 Westfield Drive, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3QL 01509 266605 www.abbeyfieldloughborough.co.uk

Page 38

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

The Mountsorrel restaurant now open to non-residents Head chef Joshua Allen offers a fine mix of traditional and contemporary cuisine catering for all tastes.

Open Tuesday to Saturday evenings from 5pm.

Booking advisable to avoid disappointment

THE MOUNTSORREL GUESTHOUSE OPENS ITS RESTAURANT TO NON RESIDENTS 217 Loughborough Road, Mountsorrel, Loughborough Leicestershire LE12 7AR

01509 552 789 Email:info@mountsorrel-guesthouse.co.uk

Š SVL

www.mountsorrel-guesthouse.co.uk

Spring, Snowdrops and Sparrowhawks be washed away with tea and cake in the priory’s pleasant if pricey tearoom.) It is a magical place, well worth the visit though I understand that because of the mild, wet winter the snowdrops have been in situ at Hodsock, as elsewhere, since December.

Phillip Mark McGough

A Medieval legend tells that when Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise they found only winter and snow, seemingly without end. Just as they were about to abandon any hope that they would ever again see a blue sky or feel the caress of the sun on their skin, an angel appeared, took a fis ul of snow, and opened his hand to reveal a marvellous alchemy: The snow had become the snowdrop flower ­ a guarantee that winter always ends and that Spring is impa ent to begin...

I men on this because in February I went to see the famous Hodsock Snowdrops at Hodsock Priory near Blyth in No nghamshire. Here the snowdrops carpet five acres or so of grass like a sheet of frost, with a healthy surplus spilling over onto the footpaths, so that there really is no way to avoid mangling a good few dozen with every step. (The guilt can Page 40

The snowdrop is emblema c of nature’s changing of the guard at this me of year, part of our seasonal heraldry if you will, always ahead of the daffodils and bluebells, and a sure indica on that the world is about to get greener. This makes it all the more surprising to learn that there is no reliable record of their growing wild in Britain before about 1780; though they occur naturally across Europe as far north as the Low Countries. In all probability they only began to proliferate here as ornamental escapes in the age of the great landscape gardens of the late 18th Century. It’s also worth no ng that the “drop” in the name refers not to a drop of snow, but to an eardrop, the old term for an earring. This was also around the me when Britain was convulsed in an increasingly violent debate over Catholic emancipa on, and the innocent li le snowdrop, significant in Catholicism as the flower of Candelmas, was duly conscripted into the war and damned as unlucky by more extreme Protestant opinion.

The lesson of history is clear: floristry and bigotry do not mix.

A happier thought on which to end: At the same me I was admiring and trampling snowdrops at Hodsock, I saw my first ever sparrowhawk in the field. There was a commo on in the canopy, the diverse and discordant admoni ons of rooks, woodpigeons, ts and blackbirds – like a stressed orchestra in warm­up – and, looking up, there it was, gliding out of the trees, through a clearing and back into the trees again. A female, I think ­ larger and fa er than the male ­ but unmistakably a sparrow hawk.

A welcome encounter, corona ng a perfect day out and about in nature, and one that seems to underline in bold a thought I’ve o en had: The most successful moments in bird watching ­ and nature­ watching in general really ­ are more of a gi than anything else. They cannot be planned.

In other words, and in my experience, if you set out with a definite intent to see a par cular bird, you almost certainly won’t. If you expect nothing, you will be rewarded.

The sparrow hawk has been high on my list of birds to see for years now ­ and there it was, unexpected, unsolicited, a gratuity at Hodsock. Enjoy the coming Spring...

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Huge Selection of Stockist Furniture

Also bespoke furniture to your own requirements including fitted bedrooms and studies View our vast range of “Second Nature Kitchens” on display and in stock.

As a kitchen manufacturer we also offer bespoke elements to suit all customer requirements. The best of both worlds…

We give a unique design without the fully bespoke cost and can also deal with those awkward spaces that some companies leave alone!

Full bespoke manufacturing service at our new factory in Bunny – Next to Bunny Appliance Warehouse.

Bunny Trading Estate, Bunny, Notts, NG11 6QJ Showroom open 6 days a week

F U R N I T U R E

© SVL

SAVE YOUR MEMORIES Transfer your old VIDEO tapes & CINE to DVD also PHOTOS / SLIDES to DVD / DIGITAL DIGIT AL STORAGE ITTA

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Page 42

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Is it me to create a Las ng Power of A orney?

None of us want to think about what would happen if we become unable to manage our own affairs. Those who are well prepared will have put into place a Las ng Power of A orney which will take care of any financial decisions and possibly any health and welfare ma ers...

The great advantage of this is that you are able to choose for yourself the people who will have the authority to make decisions and take ac on on your behalf if you are unable to do so. It gives you peace of mind knowing that even if you fall ill your affairs will be handled properly by those you trust.

Crea ng a Las ng Power of A orney puts you in control. In addi on to enabling you to choose who will act for you, the process also allows you to clearly direct how your A orneys should manage your affairs through carefully documented guidance and restric ons. It is important to make such decisions early because if you are involved in an accident or have a sudden illness you may be unable to understand the fairly lengthy forms and registra on process that is required to put Las ng Powers of A orney into effect and therefore it may be too late.

If you would like to create a Las ng Power of A orney then

we would be delighted to help you through the forms and registra on process. We prepare Las ng Powers of A orney, including applica ons for registra on, on a fixed scale fee which can be viewed on our website. Alterna vely call our private client department on 01509 217770 and one of us will be pleased to talk the process through with you. For more informa on or to make/update your Will please contact: Anthony Benskin a.benskin@moss­solicitors.co.uk Anne McGuiness a.mcguinness@moss­solicitors.co.uk Katrina Greenwell k.greenwell@moss­solicitors.co.uk

MOSS SOLICITORS LLP Twice awarded winner of Leicestershire Law Society’s County Law Firm of the Year 80-81 Woodgate, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2XE

01509 217770 and Whitwick Business Centre, Stenson Road, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 4JP

01530 815747

www.moss-solicitors.co.uk Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 43

Walking ­ Melbourne Parks Walk instruc ons 4 Miles

2 Hours

Park in Melbourne, on the B587 between the A42 and the A514. All facili es available in the town. Start from the church.

1 Take the roadside path of Blackwell Lane towards Wilson for 400yds to the footpath signpost on the right and go through the kissing gate. Con nue up the track bearing le to a narrow gate. Go through and bear le through the next gate.

2 Keep direc on over the s le and the field ahead, which may be under cul va on although a track should be visible within any crops. Cross the ca le grid and the s le ahead on the right, con nue uphill and go over the s le and the farm road. Keep ahead down the short field entry and down slope across the field; a track should be well marked within any crop, to the road.

3 Turn right, along this potholed tarmac track and carry on along the lesser grass track, passing right of the dyke and the trees. At the marker post con nue direc on on the field edge with the hedge now right and the tree lined track. Carry on and bear right and le to the road, close to the aerial.

4 Take the road right for 230yds to the signpost and step over the s le, bear slight le over the next s le and right down to the right hand bo om. Go through the gate and cross the stream; bear right, through the gate and keep ahead to the right of The Coppice.

5 Con nue ahead over the s les and join the farm road straight on, carry on with the hedge le and then between trees, passing le of Quarry Wood. Cross the s le and keep ahead over the field (a track should be well marked), to the wooden kissing gate. Go through and take the road le /straight on, leading to the church and the star ng point.

© Clive Brown ­ All our walks are compiled by Clive Brown who holds the copyright. You can order any of his 74 walking guides at: www.walkingcloseto.com. Or email Clive directly at walkingcloseto@yahoo.co.uk

Page 44

Interested in sponsoring this page? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Posh Dogs now in Sileby Posh Dogs Grooming was set up in 2010 on the outskirts of Barrow by Beth Kalmus...

Canine Grooming and Spa • Safe, clean and friendly environment • Teacup to large breeds catered for • Fully qualified and experienced New Posh Dogs Grooming Salon

Mon - Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm Sat 9.30am to 5.00pm

NOW OPEN AT:

41 Swan Street Sileby, Leicestershire LE12 7NN

41 Swan Street, Sileby LE12 7NN

Call 01509 767420 / 07592 594000 bethklg@hotmail.co.uk

© SVL

www.poshdogsgrooming.com

After getting her National Diploma in Animal Management at Brooksby College, Beth continued her training at a specialist animal grooming school on the Costa del Sol in Spain. There she learnt various grooming methods, salon management and general canine care as well as getting lots of hands on experience. She has furthered her development since setting up Posh Dogs and now has a Canine First Aid Certificate together with a Level 3 certificate in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning sector.

Having outgrown her salon at Barrow, Beth opened at 41, Swan Street, Sileby, in February and now offers grooming and treatments for all dogs - miniature to large breeds and puppies to older pets.

If you have a new puppy who you feel may be a little nervous at being groomed and clipped for the first time Posh Dogs offer a free 15 minute puppy session - after they have had their vaccinations, of course. This gets them used to coat brushing and nail trimming and involves lots of play and fuss.

This session will help them feel at ease for the rest of their lives when being groomed.

You can contact Beth at Posh Dogs on 01509 767 420 or by email: bethklg@hotmail.co.uk.

Gareth Ga a Hudson MCFHP MAFHP

Fo oo Health Professional Foot Visiting Practice For all your foot care needs in the comfort of your own home: + Nails + Corns + Calluses + Ingrown toenails + Fungal infections + Diabetic foot care Registered Member Of The British Association Of Foot Health Professionals

Tel: 01509 844461 Mobile: 07896 945156 Email: garethhudson82@live.co.uk Advertise in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT - See page 5

Page 45

Spot Ten Differences

Answers on page 53

Open: 8am - 6pm Mon - Fri 51 Weeks of the year Mon - Fri 51 Weeks

Celebrating Celebrating 10 10Years Years of of Success!

Success!

Rothely is a well RothleyPark ParkKindergarten Kindergarten isvery a well established private day care nursery established dayof care nurseryOur bright, spacious, air-conditioned celebratingprivate 10 years success. celebrating 10 years of success and classrooms are designed and equipped to provide quality childcare in a continuing to deliver an enhancing stimulating and learning environment. We offer 113 childcare places environment to allenjoyable the children and their for children between the ages of 6 weeks to 5 years. parents.

We provide quality maintained standards of such high calibre within the provision.

Nursery manager Narinder Kaur and her team of professional nursery

Our bright spacious and air conditioned classrooms designed and to equipped to practitioners deliver a second-to-none childcare are service tailored your child’s provide a quality child care provision, delivering a stimulating and enjoyable learning individual requirements. environment. We offer 113 childcare places between the ages of 6 weeks to 5 years.

Limited Government funding is available for 3 and 4 year-olds. We also offer full

From the beginning Narinder Kaur, the nursery manager togetherfor with or part-time sessions as required, depending on availability, allher children professional nursery practitioners continue to deliver a quality childcare service, under the age of 5 years throughout the year and during school holidays. tailoring to your child’s individual requirements.

A warmGovernment welcome awaits you no appointments necessary as all new Limited Funding is–available for 3 and 4are Year olds. We also offer fulland and prospective parents are invited to visit us at their own part time sessions as required depending on availability forconvenience. all children under the age

www.rothleyparkkindergarten.co.uk | tel: 0116 230 3888 info@rothleyparkkindergarten.co.uk | mob: 07813 021410 Rothley Park Kindergarten, Loughborough Road, Rothley, Leicestershire LE7 7NL

Page 46

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Ac vity4all Celebrate their First Birthday!

Ac vity4all Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic have had an extremely successful first year in business; founder Claire Lidstone, Chartered Physiotherapist, was grateful for the opportunity to join the premises of Julie As ll, Podiatrist at The Foo ngs on High Street in Barrow upon Soar...

RAPID RESPONSE

Claire says, “Being local and easy to get to is a huge factor in our success and an impressive referral rate tells us people are happy with our service and the results. There are so many things we can offer to reduce the experience of pain; keeping runners running, golfers golfing, computer users in work and the elderly on their feet. We’re excited to be working with podiatrist Julie to provide a full bio­ mechanics assessment and correc on service as well as our normal clinic sessions for massage and injury or pain management."

The clinic is growing with Sara Utect, massage therapist, Daragh Lahiff, Chartered Physiotherapist, and Chris Beall, Sports Rehabilita on Therapist, working closely with Claire to provide an expanded service into the weekends and evenings.

“Our pitch side support at Barrow Town Football Club is ongoing with plans for Chris to run prehab and rehab classes and one to one fitness sessions for children and adults at the club itself and at Physfit Gym in Sileby.”

X

LOCK For peace of mind while you’re away – call LockXpert – don’t delay!

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01509 412 412 07860 456 474

Put these numbers in your phone in case of emergency.

EMAIL: lockxpert@tiscali.co.uk 21 Welland Road, Barrow upon Soar, Loughborough LE12 8NA

Want your business featured for free? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 47

Are you a Procras nator?

Henry Miller said, “Life, as it is called, is for most of us one long postponement.” So why do we put things off and procras nate?

There are many reasons, most of which are held in our subconscious. Each individual is different but some common reasons are: Fear of failure, fear of being good at something and standing out, fear of isola on or fear of star ng something which could be stressful or may result in work overload. Not all procras na on is nega ve but psychological studies have shown that in the majority of cases people who procras nate tend to have an increased level of depression, anxiety and lower self­esteem. In the workplace procras na on is o en seen as laziness or unproduc ve behavior which can have devasta ng consequences.

So what do we need to do to overcome it? There are several techniques, all of which help to change the way we think by tapping in to the subconscious. One very effec ve way is EFT which gets to the root of the problem and enables one to let go of nega ve emo ons a ached to it. These can then be replaced with posi ve emo ons to enhance and improve performance. EFT is just one of the therapies on offer at Reed Wellbeing.

For physical and emotional wellbeing

Complementary Health Practitioner REFLEXOLOGY Relieving stress using gentle pressure strategically applied to your hands and feet, helping to alleviate symptoms and improve overall health - especially where conventional medicine has failed.

REIKI Holistic healing helping to integrate your body’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual components by balancing your energy centres, stimulating natural immunity and promoting relaxation.

HOPI EAR CANDLING Reduces congestion in the ear and sinus area inducing a feeling of general tranquillity, composure and comfort.

EFT ‘Acupuncture without needles’ creating balance within your body’s energy system, particularly successful with addictions, weight, pain, anger management, severe trauma, stress and phobias.

Paula Reed is a member of the NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners All treatments delivered in my professionally appointed clinic in Barrow-upon-Soar

Telephone: 01509 415125

Paula Reed: www.reedwellbeing.co.uk

Email: info@reedwellbeing.co.uk Website: www.reedwellbeing.co.uk

For appointments call or text: Physiotherapy & Acupuncture

07884493809

www.walk-inphysio.co.uk • info@walk-inphysio.co.uk

Page 48

Interested in sponsoring this page? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Driving a straight line...

Did you know that 90% of cars on the roads today suffer from some form of mis­alignment?

Four digital cameras (one for each wheel) measure the posi on and orienta on of alignment targets.

And 58% of cars suffer mis­alignment on the rear wheels ­ so just having a front alignment/tracking/toe & go will not detect or solve the whole problem. The average car is driven about 12,000 miles per year. A car with a toe (tracking) alignment which is just 0.34 degrees out of specifica on, has in effect done exactly the same as having dragged its tyre sideways for more than 68 miles by the end of the year. If the tyres last that long! And that would cost you more than a few quid in extra fuel usage to boot...

Tyrex have been providing the latest solu ons and best brands of tyres in Shepshed for more than three decades.

They moved to Sta on Close 22 years ago, expanded their premises by buying the depot next door, and these days they offer everything you need to keep your car well maintained and safe to drive.

They also arrange MOTs and for many of their services you don’t need an appointment.

Unlike many recep on areas I’ve hung around in whilst having my tyres changed, at Tyrex you’ll be able to sit on

The Hunter HawkEye™Proalign digital imaging system available at Tyrex of Shepshed a comfy seat in the warm with a proper cup of tea or coffee and a wide screen TV whilst you wait. You’ll find Tyrex at 6, Old Sta on Close, Shepshed, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 9NJ which is just off Junc on 23 of the M1 then right at the 2nd set of traffic lights travelling towards Ashby.

TYREX 01509 508 001 www.tyrexltd.co.uk

TYRES, BRAKES, CLUTCHES Servicing and General Repairs

All Leading Brands from Goodyear, Dunlop, Semperit & Hankook Comfy waiting room

Best Value in Charnwood

BATTERIES AND EXHAUSTS Local Independent Family Run Straight off Junction 23

01509 508001

tyrexshepshed@aol.com • www.tyrexltd.co.uk Old Station Close, Shepshed, Loughborough LE12 9NJ

We now offer full 4 wheel alignment Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT – See page 5

Page 49

WIN A PICNIC BENCH WORTH £120 “At George Walker Ltd all of our timber is pressure treated with ............ to protect against fungal decay and insect attack, ensuring a longer service life.”

See page 33

For your chance to win this picnic bench, which comes as a flat pack, just send the missing word from the above sentence with your name, address and telephone number to editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk or by post to: Soar Valley Life, 1 Burton Road, Sileby, Leicestershire LE12 7RU The first correct answer out of the hat after the closing date of Tuesday 27th May 2014 will win.

Editor’s decision is final. Terms and conditions apply.

Reduce Stress – bring calm and tranquillity to your busy life.

Treat yourself to a Reiki session to promote emotional and physical wellbeing and encourage relaxation.

Overcome Fears and Phobias – tap them away!

Try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or ‘tapping’ to rid yourself of those irrational, but real, fears.

Enhance your personal development – try NLP. NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is a great tool to help you develop and boost your confidence as well as make you an effective communicator.

Leicester Reiki offers all of the above therapies either in your own home (within 25 miles of LE12) or at The Attic, 68 High Street, Barrow on Soar (above Indigo Hair Design), or at Wymeswold Pharmacy. For more info visit my website: www.leicesterreiki.co.uk

tel 01509 881999 mob 07977 837532 email sally@leicesterreiki.co.uk www.facebook.com/LeicesterReiki

@LeicesterReiki

Meal for Two Winner

Congratula ons to Karen McDermo of Mountsorrel whose all correct entry was the first to be drawn out of the chef’s mixing bowl at the Restaurant at The Mountsorrel on March 1st 2014. The answers were as follows: The postcode of The Restaurant at The Mountsorrel is LE12 7BH The Head Chef is Joshua Allen The restaurant opens at 5pm Page 50

Adver se in Soar Valley Life from £28 per month plus VAT ­ See page 5

The White Horse Inn, 6 Church Street, Seagrave, Leicestershire, LE12 7LT

01509 814715

What’s On At The White Horse?

Tuesdays, 6pm-8.45pm – £5 Menu

The White Horse is a great pub to visit all year round, whether you choose to enjoy the delightful views in our garden in the summer or relax by the fire with a newspaper during the winter.

Whenever you come to visit, you will always find friendly staff, excellent food and drink and a great atmosphere.

The Stables Shop

Selling a wide range of gifts, tea and coffee, homemade produce and everyday essentials.

Open Tuesdays-Saturdays (10am-12pm & 3pm-6pm) and Sundays (10am-12pm).

The Stables Function Room

Available to hire for parties of up to 60 people (standing) or 30 (seated). Catering and bar also available.

Choose from a range of fantastic £5 specials!

Wednesdays, 6pm-8.45pm – Back To School Night

Enjoy a delicious old-fashioned meal and a pudding for just £7.50!

Thursdays, 6pm-8.45pm – Steak Night

Two rump steaks or specials with a bottle of house wine for just £25! Individual deal for just £13!

Fridays, 6pm-8.45pm – Normal Menu Choose from a wide range of delicious home-cooked meals and daily specials.

Saturdays, 6pm-8.45pm – Takeaway Night Collect any main meal as a takeaway and get a free pudding!

Sundays, 12pm-2.15pm – Sunday Lunch

Sample our delicious, locally-sourced Sunday roasts.

The Stables Shop and Function Room at The White Horse are now open!

Visit www.whitehorseseagrave.co.uk for more details.

© SVL

What’s in my camera bag?

Years of trudging the countryside and coastline of beau ful Britain as a landscape photographer has taught me that you can definitely have too much kit – at least in the bag you’re carrying. I have owned many bags over the years and the larger ones have all been sold on...

These days I have four small bags and never take more than one when I walk away from my camper.

Some mes I only take a camera with lens a ached, tripod, cable release and spare ba ery ­ that’s the best way to travel! The bag you see here is my ‘daily’ bag, the one I take out most. Inside is a Canon 5D Mk3 with 17­40, 24­105 and 70­200 lenses and filters ­ simple, light and not much of a burden.

The other bags? One has a backup camera with a long telephoto, another holds flashguns and related equipment and the last is a ny reporter style bag that will hold one spare lens and a drink when I want to travel really light.

Remember, lots of gear doesn’t make a good photographer, it’s knowing how to use it!

May the light be with you...

Bill Allsopp

For a range of photographic services.

Beautiful pictures of Britain to decorate your home or as gifts.

Available online or from Sutton Bonington Gallery. www.billallsopp.co.uk bill@billallsopp.co.uk

01530 230 360

Interested in sponsoring this page? Email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 51

What’s On in and around The Soar Valley: Compiled by Claire Stevens – Soar Valley Life events and news reporter

Easter Card & Basket Making at The Wedding Café Leave the little ones with Amy and let them create a masterpiece to take home!

Ages 5 and up, supervision is not required. £4 per child, from 11.00am – 12.00pm and 1.00pm – 2.00pm, call or email to book.

Dates: Thursday 17th April 2014 The Wedding Café, 8a High Street, Syston, Leicestershire, LE7 1GP Telephone: 0116 3191819 Website: www.creativeweddingservices.co.uk Email: theweddingcafe@live.co.uk Hawkwise Easter Fun at Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre Come and meet Hawkwise Falconry’s birds, dogs, and ferrets at this all day programme. Child admission also includes an Easter egg hunt.

Sessions held throughout the day, price is £2 per person for all events.

Dates: Good Friday 18th April to Easter Monday 21st April 2014 Bosworth Battlefield and Heritage Centre, Ambion Lane, Sutton Cheney, Nuneaton, CV13 0AD Telephone: 01455 290429 Website: www.bosworthbattlefield.com Retro Gaming Weekend at Snibston Discovery Museum In partnership with Retro Computer Museum, Snibston will be hosting a fantastic hands­on opportunity to discover and play on computers and consoles from the last 35 years including; Acorn, Sony, Amstrad, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, Sega, Sinclair, dragon and Apple amongst others. Adult tickets £7.95 and Under 16 tickets £5.50.

Friday 11.00am – 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday 10.00am – 5.00pm Monday 10.00am – 4.00pm Dates: Good Friday 18th April to Easter Monday 21st April 2014 Snibston Discovery Museum, Ashby Road, Coalville, LE67 3LN Telephone: 01530 278444 Website: www.snibston.com St. George’s Festival The annual celebration takes place on Orton Square in the Cultural Quarter in Leicester. The event features the appearance of Mike the Knight, who is back by popular demand. The family friendly festival also includes music, dancing, and live performances taking place on the square and throughout various venues in the area. You will also have the chance to meet the friendly 5 metre long smoke breathing dragon, accompanied by the knight. The day will be filled with fun activities for everyone to try, and with a fancy dress parade demonstrating the knights and princesses theme. This free event starts at 12.00pm.

Dates: Saturday 26th April 2014 Cultural Quarter, Halford Street, Leicester, LE1 1TR Telephone: 0116 454 3600

Page 52

Knitting, Nattering and Sewing at The Gallery, Sutton Bonington Tea, Coffee Cake & Biscuits provided to fuel your knitting and sewing! A friendly group for both beginners and veterans.

Needles, wool and patterns are also provided if you wish to try your hand at something new.

Price: £3 Starts at 6:00 and ends 8:00pm Booking essential Held the last Wednesday of every month!

The Gallery ­ Sutton Bonington, 119 Main Street, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5PE – 01509 678867 On The Water @ Pillings Lock Marina Trade Exhibitors, Free Boat Trips, Kids Activities, Hog Roast, Holiday boat hire, Live bands Dates: Saturday, Sunday & Monday 3rd 4th & 5th May 2014.

Pillings Lock Marina, Flesh Hovel Lane, Quorn, Leicester LE12 8FE. 01509 620990 Swithland Steam Gala This event sees the Swithland Station opened to the public for the second time.

The gala allows you to get close to four tracks of action, with guest locos turning up as well. There will be a frequent bus shuttle service allowing you to get the trains to the tracks. The event will be open from 9.00am until 5.00pm on both days.

Dates: Saturday 10th May and Sunday 11th May 2014 Great Central Railway, Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1RW Telephone: 01509 632 323 Website: www.gcrailway.co.uk Classic and Vintage Vehicle Festival The Great Central Railway will be hosting a weekend festival with a great selection of classic cars and vintage vehicles. As well as the passing steam trains and stations providing a unique venue for the festival, the event also includes a real ale tent with retro music that will be playing all day. Contact the station’s telephone number if there is a vehicle you would like to take along. Event is open from 9.00am until 5.00pm.

Dates: Saturday 17th May and Sunday 18th May 2014 Great Central Railway, Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 1RW Telephone: 01509 632 323 Website: www.gcrailway.co.uk The Secret Gardens of Cossington There will be more than 20 gardens to visit and explore, as well as a plant clinic run by Ady Dayman, presenter on East Midlands TV & BBC Radio Leicester’s Down to Earth. As well as that there will be live jazz on Sunday by the Hiss & Boo Band, and demonstrations and advice.

Learn about hedgehogs at the hedgehog hospital, find out all about the wildlife of

Cossington Meadows and visit hidden allotments and follow the church’s historic trail. Refreshments are also available and lots of stalls selling plants, cakes, country produce and other crafts.

11am to 5pm both days, tickets are £4 (children under 16 free) all proceedings go to All Saints Church.

Dates: Sunday 25th May and Monday 26th May 2014 (Bank Holiday Weekend) Telephone: 07754892842 Website: www.opengardens.co.uk Newtown Linford Early Summer Fair The fair will include lots of local produce, arts and crafts, gifts, demonstrations, and much more. Starts at 10.00am on both Saturday and Sunday, hosted at Bradgate Park. New stallholders are welcome, contact the Estate Office for a booking form on 0116 236 2713.

Dates: Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June 2014 Bradgate Park, Newtown Linford, Leicestershire, LE6 0HE Telephone: 0116 236 2713 Email: estate­office@bradgatepark.org The Rites of Spring: Folky fun day and Evening Ceilidh Rites of Spring ceilidh with the Red Fox Ceilidh Band will be an evening of energetic music and traditional English dancing. There will be a folky fun day for all the family with maypole, Morris dancing, crafts, trails, and lots more, as well as a night of fun with a unique opportunity to dosey doe the night away in the Guildhall’s beautiful grand old Great Hall. All ages and experience welcome. Fun day tickets are £2.50 and Ceilidh tickets are £8 or £6 for concessions, no booking required.

Fun day: 11.00am – 3.00pm Ceilidh: Starts at 7.00pm Dates: Monday 5th May 2014 The Guildhall, Guildhall Lane, Leicester, LE1 5FQ Telephone: 0116 253 2569 Museums at Night: Murder Mystery Jewry Wall Museum is hosting a murder mystery night, which starts with a tour of the Roman Baths, and then moves into the museum where things won’t go quite according to plan, with the tour of the new gallery resulting in a gruesome discovery! Can you figure out who did it? £10 per ticket, event not suitable for children. Advance booking is essential, the bar will be available and a light buffet is included.

8.00pm – 10.30pm (Doors open at 7.30pm) Dates: Friday 16th May 2013 Jewry Wall Museum, 156­160 St. Nicholas Circle, Leicester, LE1 4LB Telephone: 0116 225 4971

Include your club or society’s future event on our What’s On page for free – email mary@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Solu ons Connec ons Quiz Answers 1. They are all named a er film characters (from Barbarella, Back To The Future and Paris, Texas) 2. They can all come in a pack 3. They all won the Eurovision Song Contest 4. They all spoke with a stu er (note: Albert Arkwright is Ronnie Barker's character in Open All Hours) 5. Add a le er to the start of them can turn them into colours (gold, pink, orange and black) 6. They can all be prefixed by "Road to" to give the tles of a series of films starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour 7. They are/were all blind in one eye 8. They dropped Tiger Woods from adver sing campaigns 9. They are all fic onal doctors ­ be er known as Dr. Quinn, Doc Mar n and Dr. Finlay 10. They are the mes of day when the shipping forecast is broadcast

Spot Ten Differences

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2.

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4.

5.

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10.

Jumper Colour Fish Body Red Fish Eyebrow Missing Fin Missing Wink Blond Moustache Mouth Changed Cuff Link Ear Missing

Sudoku Solu on

Quick Crossword Across: Refused, 5 Yours, 8 Fantas c, 9 Dot, 10 Sleep, 12 Retorts, 13 Approximately, 15 Grandma, 17 Cured, 19 Inn, 20 Spiritual, 22 Giddy, 23 Nunnery.

Down: 1 Ri s, 2 Fan, 3 Shampoo, 4 Determina on, 5 Yacht, 6 Underwear, 7 Sa sfy, 11 Explained, 13 Angling, 14 Auc on, 16 Dusty, 18 Delay, 21 Use.

WE HAVE A WINNER! Our 'Drive a Train Experience Day on the Great Central Railway' compe on ended on Friday 31st January. It was, by far, our most popular compe on ever...

We gave each correct entry a number, put all the numbers in an engine driver's hat and Fred Franklin, senior driver on the GCR, drew the winning cket on the footplate of BR class 2 steam locomo ve 46521 just before we set off pulling the evening dining train out of Loughborough Central Sta on on Saturday 1st February.

Congratula ons to Mrs. D. Su on of Hathern who answered all three ques ons correctly and was the first number drawn from the hat: 1. Class 04 2. "Right Away!"

3. Island Pla orm Layout

Fred Franklin, Driver, and Steve Johns & Colin Ferguson, Firemen on the footplate of BR Iva Class 2, 46521, on Saturday 1st February 2014.

Photo courtesy of Bill Allsopp Photography

Anything of interest you’d like to see in the next issue?

Call 01509 813 125 or email editor@soarvalleylife.co.uk

Page 53

Community Meals

community meals

Enjoy a

Hot Lunchtime Meal & Sweet delivered to your Home

Would you like a hot meal delivered to your home or do you have a friend or relative who would enjoy a hot lunch?

ÂŁ6.95

Or have our delicious meals and desserts delivered frozen straight into your freezer by one of our DBS checked careaware community assistants.

ÂŁ3.75

Give our friendly Customer Service a call on -

Phone

01509 415559 to order a

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for a Hot Meal & Sweet for a Frozen Meal & Sweet If you are looking for peace of mind - our wellbeing trained Community Assistants will keep an eye on your friend or relative during their daily visit.

01509 415559

Or visit our website at www.icarecuisine.co.uk www.icaregroup.co.uk