The Vine Magazine Luton - April/May 2014 - Issue 2

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April/May 2014 Issue 2

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Worried about asbestos?

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Asbestos Surveys, Consultancy and Advice To celebrate 10 years of trading we have decided that, for a limited period, we will give advice over the telephone regarding any aspect of asbestos, to any local homeowner or business worried by the possible presence of asbestos in their home, work place or clients premises COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE! What’s more, if we are asked to follow up our advice with a letter, site visit, survey or report on any property then we will reduce our normal fee by 25%* if given the code below: Vine013

Please call 01582 517309 info@developmentsurveyservices.co.uk Development Survey Services have been trading since March 2002 and are proud of our record, carrying out Asbestos Management, Demolition and Refurbishment Surveys and Annual Reevaluations for all types of construction from Single Houses to Housing Association Stock; Care Homes to Hospitals; Single offices to Office complexes: Garages to Motorway Service areas, Workshops to Factories and Nurseries to Schools. All of our survey personnel are P402 qualified and some are qualified to P405. No job is too large (we are currently surveying the housing stock of a large Housing Association amounting to approximately 25,000 dwellings) and no job is too small (we recently carried out a survey of a single garage in Hertfordshire and an annual reevaluation on a small amount of asbestos to a flat in Wales. We carry out surveys and reevaluations anywhere in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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19

the

Vine

Editors: Scott Nightingale Shelly Nesbitt

Editorial: 01525 222379 07852 453043 Mailthevine@yahoo.co.uk Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the content of advertising and articles published in this magazine are accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept and hereby disclaim any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors.

Neither do they reflect the opinion of this publication. The Vine does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission.

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Copy deadline for our next issue - 15th May

This Month...

Keech Hospice Care 6 A Good Read 8 What’s Best For You 10 80’s Mania Competition 12 A Travellers Tale 14 Puzzles 16 Looking Up! 18 Recipe 20 Health, Beauty & Wellbeing 22 In The Garden 24 Auto-biographies 26 Out & About 28

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5

Please mention the Vine when responding to adverts

Keech Hospice Care Addresses Gaps In End Of Life Care Uncovered In Marie Curie Report A leading health charity has warned that some terminally ill patients are suffering unnecessarily because of poor access to pain control at home. In addition it says that the opinions and wishes of terminally ill people and their carers are often disregarded in discussions about end-of-life care. Keech Hospice Care is already addressing this issue and has recently launched a new service for all palliative and end of life care patients in Luton.

Marie Curie Cancer Care commissioned a report based on 26 detailed interviews and found heavily delayed prescriptions and feelings of abandonment by carers, reports the BBC. The report highlights the lack of round the clock help – especially at night and weekends and also highlights the difficulties that people at home face when trying to access pain relief and deal with changes in symptoms.

NHS England has welcomed the Marie Curie report and says that it is developing a programme of action to improve care, reports the BBC. Keech Hospice Care is already addressing this issue and has recently launched a new service for all palliative and end of life care patients in Luton.

The My Care Co-ordination Team service consists of a team that co-ordinates care packages and works with hospital, community, hospice and social care colleagues to ensure care is co-ordinated effectively and responds to a patient’s needs. A rapid response support worker is available between 5pm and 10pm Mon – Fri and all day at 6

weekends to support patients in their own homes. The service also hosts a locality register of all the end of life patients in Luton.

This service will make a huge difference to people across Luton who have deteriorating conditions or who are approaching the end of life.

The service will be provided by a new team who will co-ordinate care packages for patients by working closely with hospital, community, hospice and social care colleagues. They will ensure care is co-ordinated effectively and responds to a patient’s needs, thereby improving the experience of patients and their carers. The team, along with the availability of a rapid response support worker, will enable patients to remain in their own homes and hence reduce unplanned emergency admissions.

This project has been developed in collaboration with Luton Clinical Commissioning Group, Cambridgeshire Community Services, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital and Keech Hospice Care. The partners held the joint launch in order to raise awareness of the new service amongst health and social care professionals.

This service will make a huge difference to people across Luton who have deteriorating conditions or who are approaching the end of life.

Elaine Tolliday Head of Care Services at Keech Hospice care said: “We are thrilled that Luton CCG has commissioned us to deliver this new service that will ultimately support patients to remain at home in their final days. Too many people spend their

final days in hospital, contrary to their wishes. This pathway aims to ensure that patients’ wishes are respected and that support is in place to help them and their families and professionals caring for them.”

Dr Nina Pearson, Clinical Chair of Luton Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Ensuring high quality and compassionate care for patients approaching the end of their life, along with a dignified death in the place of their choice is so important in a civilised society. Luton Clinical Commissioning group are fully committed to continually improving end of life care we offer to Luton residents and their carers and this new service is evidence of that commitment.”

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust has been working with its partners for many months to establish the My Care Coordination Team. Clare Hearnshaw, Macmillan Lead Nurse for Cancer and Palliative Care said: “It is fantastic to see the team launched. End of life care is often delivered by many health and social care providers and sometimes it can seem confusing to patients and families, but now their care will be more co-ordinated which will improve their experience as well as the communication between providers.”

Now Recruiting Volunteer Lifeguards!

Keech can give you a week's training, earning you a nationally recognised qualification in return for a weekly commitment.

Visit www.keech.org.uk/lifeguards for details. www.thevinemagazine.com

7

A Good Read For You

For The Kids

Bridget Jones Mad about the Boy

By Helen Fielding

So Bridget is back. This time with kids and without husband - not really a spoiler, unless you have been living under a rock for the last year.

Mark Darcy is dead, and our heroine is left to ‘keep buggering on’ in her own inimitable fashion.

Most of the headlines as the book was published last year, focused on Darcy’s demise and on the fact that Bridget has found a toyboy. It is the first of these points that sets the tone of the book, which opens four years after the event, tempering the typical comic misunderstandings that result from a return to the dating scene with a resounding sense of the intense sadness of widowhood. Mark Darcy is a constant presence, either in Bridget’s own reminiscences or in the careful efforts of others to avoid mentioning him.

The format is the same as 8

the previous two volumes, (surely there is no-one left in the country who hasn’t read them?). Bridget still counts the calories and has added an obsession with collecting Twitter followers. Some of the old faces are still there too. Jude and Tom continue to provide advice and alcohol, whilst Daniel Cleaver is a not-quite-reformed godfather to Billy and Mabel.

And Bridget’s mum may have retired, but is far from retiring...

Of course, the plot twists may be obvious from the outset, but as ever, the fact that we genuinely care about the characters keeps us reading and keeps us involved. Some readers may never forgive Helen Fielding for spoiling our illusions that Bridget and Mark Darcy would live happily ever after, but others will find this both amusing, moving and, at times, uplifting.

Maps

By Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski Every home should have a good atlas - for a child there is little better than travelling the world by turning the pages.

‘Maps’ is not exactly an atlas, but for any child wanting to embark on their own adventure of the imagination, it is an absolute must have.

For a start it is a big book – in A3 format, almost designed for lying on the floor and gazing at. Each page covers a country, with beautiful illustrations of key cities, wildlife, landmarks and peoples. Two children from that country feature, and there are facts about languages and population. Quite simply, you could stare at each page for hours.

William Morris famously said that you should have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. This book is both.

Buy it.

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It’s the anniversary of The Stani Art Comp a ny which includes 2 A rt G a l l e r ies, Tea Rooms and provides Art & Craft classes in Stony Stratford. As a thank you to their customers and supporters, there will be a week of celebrations with great offers, demonstrations by art tutors from The Stani Studios as well as painting in the shop window by artists from The Stani Gallery and The Stani Art House.

Make sure you visit and join in the fun!

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We met up with Susi Whittaker, Owner and Artist in Residence of The Stani Gallery, to interview her on the 4th anniversary as an artist on the High Street in Stony Stratford.

How would you describe your art ?

Extremely varied. I am best known for my naïve and humorous Ewe paintings. Whilst I do still produce these I have totally changed direction recently to more abstract contemporary work.

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Who inspired you to be an artist ?

I inspired myself ! And I still do now. It’s due to colour, humour and the sense that you can draw or paint anything you wish to, and why not ?!

How has being an artist most benefited you?

Being an artist has given me direction in my life and our businesses now provide a very wide range of art to suit all tastes and budgets. I am also able to paint almost every day, so my life is full of colour … and lovely people !

You can see Susi’s art, discuss her work and watch her paint at The Stani Gallery. www.thestanigallery.co.uk

www.thevinemagazine.com

9

What’sBestForYou Martin

By Martin Lewis

LEWISRecover From Debt

This is a golden time for those in debt. While that may seem a strange thing to say, the best EVER deals for cutting loan, store or credit card costs are now on the market. So if you’ve existing debts, a little bit of action could save you £100s or £1,000s. comparison on any Ofgem-approved comparison site – Winter is coming. Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in

Tackle your bills

just search for The Confidence Code at the white stuff to sort your bills. Here, prevention truly www.ofgem.gov.uk to see the full list. beats cure – tackling your bills now means you can take The aim is to cut the interest rate you pay, so more of You could, of course, find a 0% overdraft. Both First the financial bite out of winter chills… your repayments clear the debt rather than servicing the Direct and Nationwide offer this if you switch to them, If you're not online,offered use a comparison with a phone interest, so you're far quicker. but the amounts are usually limited.

Free loft insulation anddebt-free even boilers (for some). service, such as Energyhelpline on 0800 074 0745, or While the loft insulation free-for-all's ended, some will uSwitch on 0800 051 ALL 5493.DEBTS EQUALLY STOP BORROWING DON'T REPAY still be entitled to some serious free energy-saving Borrowing more just makes the problem costlier and Paying Attack the highest APR first. direct debit’s up to 6% energy bills by monthly measures. longer-lived. You can’t borrow your way out of debt.

Once your debts are as cheap as possible, list them all, cheaper.

The tips below are about getting new products, not borincluding overdrafts, in order of APR. Then focus every If you can, do, as it’ll usually mean discounted bills of up Mostrowing of the big six energy firms offer free boilers, more. penny on clearing the highest APR one as it grows fastso contact your provider to others. check. Though typically worth £2,000, and free insulation, usually worth to 6% est,less, just paying the minimum on the Once that's always domove regular meter aboutCREDIT £300. Crucially, you don't need to be with the & STORE CARD DEBT clear, to the nextreadings highest. for accuracy, as your bill is estimated. If it’s too high, you have a right to ask energyShift provider to get it, butIfyou do generally need an to 31mths 0%. you've debts on cards, do for The it tomore be lowered. income under £16,000, and to be on you income-related a balance transfer. This is where ask a new card you pay off, the better. If you just stick to to pay off debtscredit. on other cards, so you owe it instead, benefits or pension I can’t definitely say you’ll minimum you’ll take years or decades to be Got electricityrepayments, only? You can still save. hopefully a cheaper rate. Alternatively, the welldebt-free (they're designed so you just clear the interest). qualify, but it isatworth checking.

With electricity only, you can still get a cheap fix to save To get card, you must a credit score.

Usually The exception to the ‘highest APR first’ rule is loans with meaning buta stuttering Greenpass Deal initiative is designed just follow the info above. For those on Economy 7, the only way to find out is to apply, which marks your penalties for overpaying early. to let you pay for things like underfloor heating, double assessing is trickier. It’s only really a boon for those who file.

Tosolid get round that, find which card’s most likely glazing and wall insulation, from the 'savings' you to use at least of their energy you with free Eligibility www.mse.

SET UP40% A DIRECT DEBITat night. If not – don’t makeaccept on energy bills. my Deciding whetherChecker it’s rightatfor you bother.

Full help to decide at www.mse.me/eco7 me/eligibility This will help protect your credit score. Forget or make is complex, so for full help read Follow the balance transfer golden rules: late repayments and you Can you find your stopcock?risk losing 0% deals, being www.moneysavingexpert.com/greendeal a) Always repay at least the set monthly minimum, or and suffering hit on pipe your bursts credit score.

So setanup a No fined sniggering - winterafrozen can create lose special direct debit to cover at least the monthly minimum, then Save you £100s and beat rates. the hikes. average £7,000 of damage, often worsened as many b) surprisingly, Always plan fixing to shiftenergy, the debt againyou or fully manually pay more on top each month.

Rather where lockrepay in a set scrabble round searching for their stopcock - the mains 0% ends, cards' rates jump to 18.9% rate, before is now the cheaper thanora these normal switch.

Five of the big water off switch - for ages as their home floods. and 17.9% representative APR. GOT BOTH DEBTS AND SAVINGS? STOP! six energy providers have now announced hikes, and c) Don't spend on these cards – it's usually not at the £1,000 credit £180the a year, while the time to card find itdebt nowat–18% minecosts is under kitchen their best new prices are costlier than the cheapest fixed Take same cheap rate. the same find amount saved in top paying or savings sink.

Others theirs in the bathroom insideearns a just tariffs. So right now you can get the very cheapest deals £15 before tax. Ifisn’t you’re thinking I like cupboard.

If yours working, you“yes, maybut want to some call a available, andDEBT: it comes with no-hike certainty.

LOAN Can you cut the cost? spare cash”, this is often false security.

More at www. plumber now, before it’s a problem.

This is more difficult, as most old loans charge up to two mse.me/ClearDebtsWithSavings The only exception is aearly, variable (ie, needs subjectfactoring to months' interesttotothis repay which in.Choosing between heating and eating? hikes)It's tariff from minnow Energy – though it hasn't worth trying if youSpark can get a much lower APR loan If you're FREEseriously DEBT CRISIS HELP behind, or in general financial hardship hiked(ie, (yet?), upfront, andafeedback moreneeds than apaying fifth off) and have while left ain't to repay - asWhile tips above should help cut themay costbe ofeligible debt, far toomy many are after the hikes - you great,– so I’m ignoring it. credit score's improved since getting for for especially if your somehelp. people enough.

If you're on struggling special Callthat theisn’t Home Heat Helpline 0800 33to the loan. meet minimum repayments and basicwas bills, have to your check.

Plus if anyone in your home born on The cheapest fix comes from E.on for a year, but slightly 66 99 non-mortgage debts bigger thandue a year's salary, ortaxcan’t or before 5 January 1952, you're up to £300 in longer and only a touch more are deals from EDF or OVERDRAFTS/CATALOGUES: Shift to 0% freesleep for fuel worry, you're likely to be in debt crisis. winter payments.

Payments should be made Npower.

Crucially, these two have no exit penalties.

If you've a costly overdraft or need to put moneySo in a If so, ignore the options above and contact a non-profit automatically, but if you’ve never had it before then you on the off-chance Prime the price bank accountthe to pay off Minister cataloguedelivers debts, there’s a way to debt advice service that uses a different set of solutions, may need to register - see www.gov.uk. cuts he’s and use apromised, credit card forthe this.even more unlikely event such as StepChange (stepchange.org), Citizens Advice that they’ll be so substantial that let other tariffs'money elsewhere A few balance transfer cards newbies transfer'Plus(citizensadvice.org.uk) or National Debtline (nationalanyone on specific income support, jobseekers' are cheaper, free to leave. cash intoyou'll your be bank account, so you then owe the card allowances debtline.co.uk).

Don’t worry, to help, not or pension credit getsthey’re £25 inthere cold weather instead. judge. for every 7 days it's sub-0 C. payments However, always do the numbers for your own 10 circumstances.

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11

Get Into The Grove!

80’s

mania

Coming To Dunstable’s

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80’s MANIA, is the UK's Official 1980’s Multi Tribute Reunion Concert!

If you love the 80's - do not miss this show!

Kim Wilde, A-ha, Duran Duran, Wham, Cyndi Lauper, Culture Club, Madonna, Spandau Ballet, Madness, Erasure, The Human League... plus many many more LIVE in Concert!

A massive line up of 25 best selling artistes are authentically recreated to look and sound how they did back in the decade that fashion forgot.

Over 35 non stop hits with over 150 costumes are performed in this fast paced, high energy, feel good show together with the awesome Mania Band, and Dance Troupe, not forgetting the mind blowing huge video screen projection, laser and lighting design.

New Romantics, leg-warmers, stiletto’s, shoulder pads, big hair, neon… it’s all there. Both on and off the stage.

Be sure to arrive early as the party starts half an hour before with our 80's disco road show to get you all in the mood.

With an ever growing cult following and continued European success, 80's Mania has been touring the UK for the past 5 years and is now endorsed by ex Top of the Pops, Radio 1 and Saturday Superstore presenter, Mike Read.

So, dig out your worst 80's fashions, if you dare, (men too, complete with make up!) and come and join us for the best 80's night out, ever!!

Tickets available from www.80smaniashow.com or The Grove Theatre show box office Tel: 01582 602080 or www.grovetheatre.co.uk

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13

A Travellers Tale

A Brief Trip To Poland Part II

By Paul Heley

A

fter our first couple of days in Krakow, if the salt mines were mind blowing, Auschwitz and Birkenau were mind numbing and one comes away wondering how on earth such terrible things could possibly be done by one people on another.

There are information boards everywhere (in Polish, English and Hebrew - but not German) and our guide shot information and statistics at us as though from a machine gun. My head was reeling at the end and the full horror of it all has not yet completely sunk in.

We started at the ironic - and sickening - entrance gate above which the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work makes you free") slogan is seen and then we visited a series of different buildings each covering various aspects of life for the prisoners :separation areas, living quarters, punishment blocks, gas chambers. We were shown collections of clothing, suitcases with people's names still on them, shoes, artificial limbs, masses of hair (approximately 7000 kilograms subsequently woven into

14

cloth). Particularly poignant were babies' and childrens' clothes and bootees - tiny relics of lives extinguished before they had even begun. All personal belongings were removed and taken to a huge sorting area called, for some inexplicable reason, Canada. Anything of value or use was given to the Reich command.

Those who were condemned to be killed were told they were to be given a shower and de-liced.

They were stripped, completely shaven, and tightly crammed into the "shower room"; the door was shut and then five small openings in the ceiling appeared from which granules of ZyklonB impregnated with hydrogen cyanide were dropped. The gas thus given off was sufficient to kill hundreds of prisoners in one go. It was extremely "efficient" and was basically murder on an industrial scale. When in full swing, there were 8000 or 10000 killings each day - an horrific statistic. The bodies were then cremated in the ovens - but a few were burnt whilst still alive.

When the crematorium couldn't keep up with the demand, bodies

were burnt outside for all to see.

After cremation, any gold (as from rings or teeth) was extracted and any jewelry or precious stones were removed prior to burial in mass graves.

We were shown the punishment yard with its "wall of death" for shootings and gallows for hangings. Prisoners disposed of here were "special"; somehow, they were either of higher status and/ or were being killed as a deterrent to others.

Teutonic efficiency recorded much of what went on and, although the Nazis tried to destroy the evidence at the end of the war, surviving records still supply so much information today.

One imagines that it was only Jews who were dealt with at Auschwitz. Not so. Admittedly, Jews made up the great majority but homosexuals, criminals, "antisocials", Roma (gypsies), political prisoners, Polish intellectuals and Slavs in general (eg Russian prisoners of war) were also considered to be "untermenschen" (ie sub-human) so, therefore, needed to be exterminated - for the good of society!

A Travellers Tale

(Continued)

dated wooden sheds housing thousands of prisoners. It is reckoned that somewhere between 1.1 and 1.6 million killings took place at Auschwitz and Birkenau alone: some people think the actual number to be much higher. There are, however, those - some in this country - who claim the Holocaust never happened at all and that stories such as the above have been deliberately fabricated.

I came away feeling completely sickened and wondering how the German people could ever sink so low knowing that some representatives of their country (the SS) carried out these atrocities. The everlasting tragedy is that the majority of the population simply turned a blind eye and condoned them.

I asked our guide what was the reaction of German visitors to the lucky ones since those kept what they had seen. She (a Pole) back for slave labour were subject answered "the correct one" - an to bestial treatment at the hands enigmatic response. I also noticed of the SS guards (or their helpthe usual swarms of Japanese tourers - often other prisoners, or ists and wondered what they might Nazi sympathisers from the local think having had a similar history community), long hours of work, of dealing out atrocity themselves. cruel punishments (including No doubt younger Japanese floggings where 25 lashes was the have no knowledge of this ternorm), appalling accommodation, rible episode in their past since and very little (poor quality) food. it is suppressed and not taught in Some were subjected to barbaric their schools. But what do older medical "experiments" particularly privacy - and billets where prison- Japanese visitors think, ie those old designed for the German Luftenough to know the truth? waffe (Air Force) where the effects ers slept in bunks three deep and two or three persons per individual Being of this generation myself, upon the human body of long bunk. One thin, lice ridden, blan- I find it hard to forget - and even exposure to icy water and super more difficult to forgive - since ket was issued to each bunk. low atmospheric pressure were there are so many horrific pictures discovered: it was carefully noted There were scores of these bunks how long it took people to die on - hundreds of people - housed in a and snippets of information still in single wooden shed with a leaking my mind. I have two books dealing average under such conditions. roof and broken windows both of with Auschwitz and some of the Also experiments involving the which which let in rain and snow quotes, comments and accounts deliberate infection with malaria, typhus and spotted fever were con- so that some froze to death. It must are even more harrowing than the photographs themselves - they turn have been hell on earth. ducted alongside the study of the me inside out with the horror of effect of gas and phosphorus burns, Whereas the buildings at Ausit all. chwitz were brick built (being a attempts at bone transplants and It will take ages for the full story to mass sterilisation of women. Gen- former Polish army camp), each sink in - if it ever does - but I am billet at Birkenau was wooden erally speaking, those who were pleased that to have visited and exand originally meant to stable 50 not killed immediately survived perienced this place. I felt I owed it for three months - another ghastly horses. Eventually, there were to myself to go there. more than 300 of these delapistatistic. But some, miraculously, Upon arrival at Auschwitz, and after having travelled for days in unimaginably squalid conditions in cattle trucks, there was an immediate separation; first into male versus female and then into those fit enough to work - the considerable minority - and those not.

These latter, ie pregnant women, women with children, the young, the old, the sick, the infirm, were immediately taken off to the gas chambers. These were, perhaps,

lived on to tell their horrific story to the world.

After Auschwitz, we went the short distance to Birkenau. This was Auschwitz on a massive scale and was, essentially, nothing more than an extermination camp. We saw the toilet block - disgusting in its total lack of any semblance of

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15

Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles



    

                                  3   2    4 3 

                Answers on   page 30             2        9 7    8    2 9   3

Sudoku 数独 1 6

7

9 2 6

8 4 3

6

                   GROPE   

5 6 7

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

Crossword

16

                                            

CRONE

SPOT THE ADVERT What advert Is This? >>>> Across

Down

1. Careless, offhand (6) 4. Stadium (5) 8. Excuse (5) 9. Ordinary, mediocre (7) 10. Resident of Birmingham (slang) (7) 11. Add (4) 12. Perch, squat (3) 14. Heroic (4) 15. Cereal, porridge (4) 18. Belongs to him (3) 21. Finishes (4) 23. Disclose, reveal (7) 25. Gym shoe (7) 26. Vapour, exhaust (5) 27. Arrive, get there (5) 28. Aggravation, difficulty (6)

1. Tetchy (6) 2. Ramp used in winter sport (3,4) 3. Unreasonable, unfair (idiom) (1,3,4) 4. Elderly (4) 5. Digital message (5) 6. Comfortable, relaxed (2,4) 7. Raises arm in friendly fashion (5) 13. Back and forth (2,3,3) 16. Victory (7) 17. Clown (6) 19. Frighten (5) 20. Not as big, smaller (6) 22. Play, production (5) 24. 2.54cm (4)

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17

Bedfordshire’s Night Sky Looking Up! in April and May 2014 Scetch of Mars through a telescope.

Catch Mars At Its Best For 2014:

April and May this year is a great time to view Mars through a telescope. The Red Planet reaches opposition on April 8th, and so is at its biggest and brightest for 2014. In April look to the south east sky as soon as it gets dark for a bright orange coloured ‘star’. Through the evening Mars climbs higher into the sky and swings over towards the south. By May Mars can be found more than 30-degrees above the horizon towards the south in the late evening twilight. In a telescope you’ll see the Red Planet’s ice cap, and dark markings on the Martian surface. seb@darkskytelescopehire.co.uk

By Seb Jay

Watch The Lyrids Meteor Shower:

The maximum of this year’s Lyrids Meteor Shower falls on April 22nd. Expect to see up to 25 shooting stars per hour flashing across the night sky between midnight and dawn on the 22nd, and again once it is dark on the evening of the 22nd.

Look high up to the east for your best view of the Shower.

Get A Glimpse Of Saturn In The Evening Sky:

Saturn follows Mars into the evening sky this year.

By Mid April the ringed planet is rising in the south east by 11pm. Come Mid May it is already 10-degrees above the south east horizon by the time it gets dark. In a telescope Saturn looks spectacular. You can see the planet’s rings, markings in Saturn’s atmosphere and some of the planet’s

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What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

There may come a time in your life when you lose mental capacity and are unable to manage your financial affairs or personal welfare, owing to some form of general incapacity or illness and you will need someone to act on your behalf. This person is called an Attorney.

Growing older can mean problems for us... and our loved ones.

Lasting Power of Attorney

What is an Attorney?

These documents may be drafted in your home at a convenient time....do not leave it until it is too late!

• Loss of mobility or illness can make it difficult to manage your affairs.

• The prospect of unpaid bills can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety and delay someone’s recovery.

• Even the young can encounter problems due to accident or illness so age is no reason to not have one.

• An elderly relative losing capacity is difficult enough for loved ones to deal with, without the added worry that finances are becoming muddled

An Attorney is a person given power to act on a Donor's behalf, either through a Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Finance or Health and Welfare if the Donor were to lose capacity. (The Donor is the person making the Lasting Power of Attorney).

Appointing an Attorney by creating a Lasting Power of Attorney ensures that if the worst were to happen and you lose mental capacity, you can rest assured that both your financial affairs and personal welfare are in safe hands. Making a Lasting Power of Attorney is the only way to legally state who you wish to look after your affairs if you lose mental capacity.

Without a Lasting Power of Attorney it is up to the Courts to make decisions for you which can be very costly, time consuming and distressing for your relatives.

For a local appointment contact Steven White at Asset and Estate Planning Services Ltd. 01582 515505 or 07954 162522

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19

Recipe

Hot Cross Buns Delicious home-made Easter fare

Ingredients For the buns

500 g strong bread flour, (plus extra for dusting) 1 1/2 tsp salt 75 g caster sugar 7 g sachet dried yeast 300 ml mixed milk and water 50 g sultanas 100 g raisins zest of 2 oranges 80 g mixed peel 2 tsp ground cinnamon 75 g plain flour

For the crosses

75g plain flour Water to make a paste.

For the glaze 50 g sugar 50 ml water

Prep time: 20 min, plus 3 hours proving

Cooking time: 25 min Makes15-20 buns

Method Put the yeast and sugar into a bowl. Sieve the flour and salt into the same bowl. Slowly add enough of the milk and water mix to achieve pliable dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 5 minutes, then put the dough back into the bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Incorporate the sultanas, mixed peel (or substituted fruit), orange zest and cinnamon into the dough and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Divide the dough into 15-20 pieces and roll each into a ball. Put them on a baking tray and leave to rest for 1 hour.

Set the oven to 220°C/gas 8.

To make the crosses for the buns, mix the plain flour with enough water to make a smooth, thick paste. You can either make a piping bag out of parchment paper or use a piping bag with a plain nozzle to pipe the paste onto the buns in a cross-shape.

Bake the buns for 25 minutes until golden brown. Combine the sugar and water together to make a syrup and brush this liberally all over the buns.

Serve immediately.

Many people don’t like mixed peel. In this case try substituting finely chopped dried apricot, or add more sultanas instead.

20

May Day May Day is celebrated on the first Monday of May. This year it falls on the 6th. To most people it is simply a good excuse for a day off work but it is actually a day steeped in tradition.

May Day originates from village celebrations marking the coming of summer (fingers crossed) and these are some of the traditions that often take place amongst a day of festivities.

Maypoles are hung with greenery and ribbons and painted brightly. Local children dress in their finest clothes, with bells and flower garlands, and perform traditional ribbon dances such as Gypsy Tent and The Spiders Web. Originally maypoles were made by villagers using a young tall tree. They stripped off the lower branches, but left leaves at the top to symbolise new life, and then decorated it with flowers and ribbons.

The Crowning of the May Queen is linked to the honouring of Flora the Roman goddess of fruit and flowers. Traditionally she took no part in games or dancing, but sat like a queen in a flower-decked chair to watch her 'subjects.'

Morris dancing is a traditional form of English folk dancing carried out by groups known as sides. Dances are passed down through generations, and involve movements to accentuate the tinkling of bells attached to costumes and coming together to strike wooden sticks. Loud accordion music accompanies the dancing.

Sometimes dancers paint their faces black, and this association with the North African Moors may explain the origins of the name ‘Morris’ dancing.

6

Is it steeped Leighton Buzzard Bowling in tradition or Club Open Day Sat 20th April seeped in 10am-5pm Sun 21st April 10am-2pm Refreshments available tradition? flat shoes or trainers required, all other equipment provided.

01525 371 628 lbbowling@yahoo.co.uk

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Archery Open Weekend Sunday 25th and Monday 26th May 2014 11am - 4pm

• Demonstrations All Work Carried Out To The • Meet our archers • Find out how toStandard get involved Highest • Have-a-go archery

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21

Health Beauty & Wellbeing Laser Hair Removal

nce the real experie I have to admit that I am a total wuss when it comes to undergoing beauty treatments, although I am a fully trained therapist (many years ago) even the experience of having my cuticles tidied gives me the eeby jeebies. As a trainee therapist at Henlow Grange we volunteered our bodies to each other for practice purposes but the minute I qualified I would run a mile if a wax strip was merely waved in my general direction, however, the idea of permanent hair removal was too much of a lure and so I with trepidation I entered Toddington Laser Clinic.

As with my previous articles this one might be best suited to our lady readers, after all I don't want to be the one to destroy any sense of mystery or delusion about our silky smooth bodies and there are some finer points to discuss about the choices you can make when having laser hair reduction that might not be for the gentleman reader. However laser reduction is perfectly suited to men and yes even their beards!

Not to put to finer point on it (excuse the pun) but when using laser to reduce hairs in some areas, it is worth remembering that it will be permanent and therefore you may wish to venture into some careful research about shape. I say careful because it is not a subject that comes up much in conversation and when it does (I dropped it in very subtly) you will be surprised how opinionated others can be. You can, of course, use Google to explore the 22

options but again I urge caution particularly when deciding what to write in the search bar. Again, you may be very surprised at the variety of choice from the very tame, akin to a short back and sides, to arrangements Kew Gardens would be proud of. I think that is probably enough said on the topic but you get my gist – it is permanent, choice wisely.

The Clinic is in an unassuming building through a discreet little door, it doesn't have the highly glossed appearance of some clinics but don't let this put you off; for me it was a bonus; the parking was practically at the door and if, like me, you are prone to getting a bit blotchy a fast and discreet get away is desired.

Verity is the lovely and supremely knowledgeable laser therapist and she has such a calm and approachable way about her you are immediately put at your ease. I am sure she won't mind me saying that she has enough years (and children) to make you feel comfortable talking about the “areas” you would like treated.

The consultation was extremely thorough and I knew exactly what to expect and what to do and not to do, before my test patch. As well as hair reduction I was having treatment to remove red veins and pigmentation from my face.

Before the treatment I had read descriptions of the sensation as being like a rubber band being pinged on you, I suppose this is true but with laser the feeling

lasts for only the briefest second and is far more comfortable and bearable than waxing or epilators. This said I do have to admit that my session was quite a raucous affair.

Who knew that my reaction would be to laugh hysterically and I am afraid quite loudly with each zap. I am ashamed to say there was an element of swearing and other outbursts of noises so much so that a visitor who had waited in the reception during my treatment later reported “I can't even imagine what was happening in there”. Verity did say (I have known her for some time) that I was the worst client she had ever had, although she laughed along quite happily too.

The sensation is “pingy” or “zappy” but it is far more comfortable than waxing and best of all the results are incredible even after the test patch. I have been back for two treatments; at first I was sceptical but two weeks after the first treatment many of the red veins and dark patches on my face had completely gone and as for the hair reduction the results have been fantastic – I won't give you the details!

FOOD INTOLERANCE

Could It Be Your Problem!

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The UK is one of the top three countries in the world for the highest incidence of allergy! An estimated 21 million adults in the UK suffer from at least one allergy and an estimated 10 million suffer from more than one.

These are the latest startling figures given by Allergy UK, but you may be surprised to learn that the figure of people affected adversely by food, chemicals and airborne substances may be much higher, as these figures only cover those suffering from a true allergy, when many are actually suffering from a different type of allergic reaction known as ‘intolerance ‘or ‘sensitivity’.

This can give a wide variety of symptoms, including fatigue, joint pain, dark circles under the eyes, night sweats, migraine, digestive symptoms such as bloating or diarrhoea, skin problems such as eczema and many more.

As these symptoms can take up to 72 hours to show themselves, it can sometimes be difficult to work out what is causing your low mood or fuzzy brain, but you could try keeping a food diary. If you find a food you suspect, try leaving it (and everything containing it) out of your diet for at least 2 weeks. If you feel better, then continue to avoid it for at least another 10 weeks to give your body time to forget the reaction it had previously, before reintroducing it slowly.

You may find that several foods seem to be a problem and the quantity you eat may also be relevant, so you have to be quite vigilant with this.

Supplements such as Vitamin C, Quercetin and Bromelain can act as a very effective natural anti histamine for some people who suffer with this type of reaction and be very helpful, as can taking a good digestive enzyme product from your local health shop, as low natural levels of these chemicals can be a factor in digestive issues.

Jacquey O’Brien Libra Health 01525 378894/07990 976207

36

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23

In The Garden

Up The Wall

. jobs to be h... wit getting on Sow new lawns or repair bare patches.

Protect fruit blossom from late frosts.

If any of your plants need support this year, put the supports in now so the plants grow up through them.

Check any tree ties to make sure the tie is not cutting into the trunk. Loosen any that are tight to allow room to expand.

Once the soil has warmed up, weed borders and apply a moisture-retaining mulch such as compost or bark.

24

If your garden is short on space, rammed with plants, or you simply have an unsightly vertical surface to cover, climbing plants can be used to great effect: from clothing frameworks such as pergolas and arches to hiding sheds and even neighbours!

W

hether it’s as fast growing as a Triffid, a dainty floral twiner, or an evergreen clinger, I’m certain there’s a climber out there for you, it’s just a case of meeting your perfect match.

For those of you lucky enough to have a southfacing doorway, why not spoil yourself with the highly scented fragrance of Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Not only is it evergreen, but it boasts the added benefit of a claret-red leaf colour in autumn.

For those with a north-facing entrance, how about a plant combo starting with an early flowering Clematis tolerant of shade, such as ‘Frances Rivis’, followed by the stunning pink flowers of Rosa ‘Zephirine Drouhin’, perfect in shade with the added bonus of being a thornless variety.

If it’s a shady spot and a fast growing evergreen you require you really can’t beat Ivy, but I understand many people are not huge fans, so why not put in the extra effort and seek out a great alternative known as Pileostegia viburnoides. It’s a bit of a mouthful but not only is it evergreen, it will provide white flowers in summer and like Ivy is a self clinger, but nowhere near as vigorous.

As well as the other common examples, such as Wisteria (only plant this in full sun and if you are prepared to tie it in and prune it twice annually), Honeysuckle

and Pyracantha (great for deterring intruders due to its woody thorns), there is a whole range of other shrubs which can be grown against a wall or fence, not forgetting trees of course, such as the beautiful trained fruit trees we often see in Victorian walled gardens.

Shrubs planted at around 30cm away from the base of the wall or fence can be manually tied in and make excellent wall cover, often with the added benefit of flowers. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ for example, or Garrya elliptica make unusual evergreen wall coverings, and look great with a second flowering climber twining through. Don’t forget the huge variety of annuals available which you can grow from seed, such as Sweet Peas, Morning Glory, or maybe try climbing French beans as an edible wall covering?

Do ensure that you provide sturdy wires for plants to travel up. The best and most cost-effective way is simply to fix vine eyes (spaced horizontally around 2m apart) to the fence or wall and vertically at 30cm intervals. Then use a taught network of galvanised wires to provide support. Be sure to tie climbers in horizontally and not vertically as most people do … this way they will look great in your garden rather than flopping over the fence and delighting your neighbour. Now that really would drive me up the garden wall!

St George’s Day 23rd April

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e’s most famous for slaying a dragon, but how much do we know about St George, the patron saint of England?

Born in Eastern Turkey in AD 270 to Christian parents, George later moved to Palestine where he became a soldier in the Roman army. He subsequently rebelled against the Roman Emperor for his persecution of Christians. Imprisonment and torture followed, but George refused to denounce his Christian faith. Enraged at this, the Emperor had George dragged through the streets, and beheaded him on 23rd April AD 303.

George’s alleged encounter with the dragon occurred in Libya. The dragon is said to have built its nest by a fresh water spring and was offered sheep by townsfolk to distract him whilst collecting water. With all the sheep gone, they decided to offer a maiden instead. The lot fell on the poor crown princess, but at the moment of offering, George supposedly came by on his white stallion, dismounted and slew the beast with his sword.

George is identified with English ideals of charity, chivalry and courage, and thus symbolises the very essence of 'Englishness'. Campaigners are currently working to get St George’s Day recognised as a national holiday, but for now, it is traditionally celebrated by flying the English flag, wearing a red rose and singing ‘Jerusalem’ on the Sunday nearest the 23rd April!

25

auto Biographies JAGUAR F-Type

ps

By Tim Barnes-Clay www.carwriteups.co.uk

I

And just when you think the Jaguar ndeed, the automotive world, exhaust system. With just a touch of a button youincan the note latest into Jaguar is leading the pack. F-TYPE couldn’t possibly release any change an already throaty sounding exhaust The jaguar is the third more endorphins into your bloodone that builds to a thrilling crescendo at the red line.

The two-seater convertible embodies largest feline after the a return to the company’s heartland, Driving theand F-TYPE isn’tlion. rocket science though.

It on hasathleticism, a tiger the focusing dexterity

set of eight closely-spaced gear ratios in and its Quickshift behind-the-wheel involveauto transmission, giving you superior control.

The V6ment. What's more the F-TYPE is a The flesh and blood powered S model also includes a Dynamic Launch of a sporting lineage continuance stretching feature, which optimises acceleration from rest. back over 75 years. big cat has a compact The engineering philosophy

body, a broad head fortifyingthe the F-TYPE is focused on Taking cues from cockpits of fighter aeroplanes, Jaguar’s expertise when it comes to switches grouped byjaws. function. Further aeronautical and are powerful aluminium. The metal is lightweight, inspiration can be found in the joystick-shaped so its use in the car’s architecture This describes perfectly SportShift selector controlling the gearbox. Additionally, helps provide a perfectly balanced thethe attributes of the air vents on top of the dashboard willweight only deploy distribution. That permits the when you instruct them to, or by complex control Jag’s rear-wheel drive dynamics to new F-TYPE from algorithms, staying tucked discreetly outbe ofexploited sight in to the max.

Jaguar Land Rover Ltd. Three types of the Jaguar model are other circumstances. available: the F-TYPE, F-TYPE S and

V8 S. Each The concentration on driver passion andF-TYPE performance in is distinguished the power of its superthe F-TYPE is highlighted by the ‘one plusbyone’ layout output of petrol engine, with all of the asymmetric cabin. This is confirmed charged by the grab them featuring stop/start technology handle whichFAST racesFACTS down the centre console on the to increase efficiency. passenger side, delineating from the driver’s side.

Max speed: 171itmph My press car was the F-TYPE S, powThe F-TYPE is, without doubt, a car that delivers 0-62 mph: 4.9 secs ered by a new 3.0-litre V6 lump. precisely the key mpg: sporting31.0 characteristicsProducing that Jaguar Combined 375bhp and 338lb/ft of intended.

It’s2995c definitely and girls –power), the car has Engine: V6 a big toy for big boys torque (pulling and it’s available from only £58,500 entry more thanlevel, enough horses and grunt supercharged petrol for the get you moving rapidly. The freerisingMax. to £67,520 the F-TYPE S, on to atoprice-tag of powerfor (bhp): revving, willing nature of the engine £79,950 for the V8rpm S. 375F-TYPE at 6500

Max. torque (lb/ft):

encourages you to be, shall we say,

enthusiastic – and I certainly tried FAST FACTS ‘N’ CONS 338 at 3500-5000 rpm PROS to sample the full extent of the car’s CO2:speed:213 g/km 171mph Fast√ abilities. The 0-62mph sprint comes  Max Price: £67,520 on the road in justPowerful√ 4.9 seconds and the top speed 0-62 mph: 4.9 secs  is 171mph.

Looks√ PROS & CONS mpg: 31.0 The feeling you get when you  Combined Driver involvement√ Fast√ accelerate is similar to that of an 2995c V6 supercharged A strict two seaterX  Engine: Powerful√ aeroplane hurtling down the runway

 

petrol Looks√ Max. (bhp): 375 at 6500 rpm Driverpower involvement√

A strict two seaterX Max. torque (Ib/ft): 338 at 3500Priceyrpm X 5000

26CO2: 213 g/km

before take-off. You’re literally pressed into your seatback, and the smile it induces could only ever be outdone by a small child on Christmas morning.

stream – you come across the sports car’s active exhaust system. With just a touch of a button you can change an already throaty sounding exhaust note into one that builds to a thrilling crescendo at the red line.

Driving the F-TYPE isn’t rocket science though. It has a set of eight closely-spaced gear ratios in its Quickshift auto transmission, giving you superior control. The V6-powered S model also includes a Dynamic Launch feature, which optimises acceleration from rest.

Taking cues from cockpits of fighter aeroplanes, the switches are grouped by function. Further aeronautical inspiration can be found in the joystick-shaped SportShift selector controlling the gearbox. Additionally, the air vents on top of the dashboard will only deploy when you instruct them to, or by complex control algorithms, staying tucked discreetly out of sight in other circumstances.

The concentration on driver passion and performance in the F-TYPE is highlighted by the ‘one plus one’ layout of the asymmetric cabin. This is confirmed by the grab handle which races down the centre console on the passenger side, delineating it from the driver’s side.

The F-TYPE is, without doubt, a car that delivers precisely the key sporting characteristics that Jaguar intended. It’s definitely a big toy for big boys and girls – and it’s available from only £58,500 for the entry level, rising to £67,520 for the FTYPE S, on to a price-tag of £79,950 for the F-TYPE V8 S.

Consumer Clinic

By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

Would you like Any Cashback Today?

The internet has of course brought some unwanted problems, but it has also brought some incredible benefits to us consumers.

One of those benefits is the creation of ‘Cashback’ websites.

Gosh I love them! In fact, I frequently bore people senseless telling them about the important of logging on and saving ££££ on your purchases.

If you haven’t come across the likes of ‘Quidco’ or ‘TopCashback’ before, let me explain how they work.

You can listen to The JVS Show every weekday morning from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio

Cashback websites pay you a cash fee when purchasing goods or services via their website.

The amount of cashback is generally a percentage of the total you spend with the retailer.

They tend to make their fee from the companies that they suggest on their site. Many of these are well known high street branches, some are lesser known retailers.

They normally transfer the cashback you’ve earned directly into your bank account as soon as they receive it. So it’s a win win for the consumer.

They also provide voucher codes for thousands of retailers so you can gain discounts at the online checkout.

All you have to do is:

1 2

Register with one or more cashback site.

When you decide you want to make an online purchase of a product or service, log into the cashback site, search the cashback rates available and follow the link to the company’s website.

3

Make the purchase, and wait for the cashback to arrive in your bank account (it normally takes at least a few weeks and should be tracked automatically).

Let me give you a couple of examples (chosen at random at the time of writing): It’s time to renew your car insurance. You get some online quotes and find that Tesco Insurance is offering you the best deal. You could of course just take out a policy with them directly on their website. That would be fairly silly though, because by going to Tesco Insurance via a cashback website, you would receive a cashback lump sum payment of £75 after completing the purchase. By going to them directly, you would have missed out on a £75 saving.

You need a new washing machine. You find one you like at Currys. Again, you could just purchase it directly on the Currys website, but by going via a cashback website like Quidco or TopCashBack, you would stand to make 2% cashback on www.thevinemagazine.com

the total purchase price. That would be £8 back on a £400 washing machine. Better than a slap round the face with a wet fish eh?!

You can make additional money by referring your friends and relatives to the sites as well.

I always say that you don’t get anything in this world for free.

So how do the companies that offer the cashback benefit from this? Well, they gain because you’re more likely to buy from the retailers that are listed with those cashback sites.

The important thing is to remember to use the site. Whichever online purchase you need to make: flights, insurance, electrical goods, perfume, clothes, wine or groceries, always go via a cashback website and start saving. I always remember and since I started using cashback websites 2 years ago and have already made £237.38. So go get yourself some free cashback!

27

Out&About SAPPHIRE SOCIAL & SINGLES GROUP we are a social group for those aged 45+ and unattached. We are not a dating agency or a lonely hearts, our emphasise is on social. We have 38 members at present for those aged 45+ and unattached meet in Hitchin every Thursday at 8.30pm Tel Joyce for details 07960 440417 www.sapphiresocialsinglesclub. co.uk

• Clubs • Groups • Events • Community

Enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters. co.uk www.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk 01582 865966 Sue or Julian

BEDFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY The BNHS was formed in 1946 and its main function is to record the natural history of the county. It has numerous active recorders who cover many branches of natural history, as well as Geology, PalaeontolWARDEN AFTERNOON CLUB ogy and Meteorology, and whose Meets every Tuesday 2 - 4pm reports are published in the annual Warden Hill Community Centre journal, Bedfordshire Naturalist. (rear of the Warden Tavern) We are a recently established group Members also receive a quarterly, less formal, newsletter, Wild About of friendly ladies and gentlemen Beds and there are numerous who meet weekly for companionmeetings held throughout the year. ship, activities and refreshments. If you would like some company, or These include field meetings, mainly know someone who would benefit during the summer, to Bedfordshire from joining us, please come along sites of natural history interest and any Tuesday - everyone is very sometimes to sites out of the county. welcome.

Some of these are particularly aimed For more information contact Sue on 07706895444 or email sueblee@ at families with young children.

During the winter months there are hotmail.co.uk illustrated talks held in the county and the society has a collection of HOMESTART natural history artifacts that it lends Have you got just 2 to 3 hours to to schools. spare each week to support a local The Society, a registered charity, young family who are struggling to depends on annual subscriptions to cope? The charity Home-Start is looking for caring parents and grand- carry out its work, as all officers are honorary. Membership is open to parents. All training and support is given and expenses paid. It’s a great anyone, and is free to junior memway to gain new skills, make friends bers. You certainly do not need to and really make a difference to your be an expert to join, and we are a friendly bunch! community.

Tel: 01582 660061 office@home-startcentralbeds.org.uk If you would like to join please www.home-startcentralbeds.org.uk contact Mary Sheridan, Hon. Membership Secretary, 28, Chestnut Hill, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard LU7 2TR THE BOGTROTTERS Tel: 01525378245.

The Bogtrotters (Dunstable and All details are on the website, District Walking and Hostelling including a section, YounGnats, for Group) are a group of about 90 younger members. walkers, hikers and hostellers. We Website: www.bnhs.org.uk run a surprisingly diverse range of activities, including half and full day Date for your diary! walks, hostelling trips, meals and Sunday 18 May Family Day at evening activities.

Jordans Mill nr Biggleswade New members are always welcome.

Displays, nature walks, craft activiProspective members are invited to get ties, bughunting & lots more. in touch via the website, give us a ring or just turn up to an event or walk.

28

DANESBOROUGH CHORUS SPRING CONCERT ROMANTIC HARMONY FOR EASTER

Spring birdsong will be complemented by Spring harmony in two Romantic performances at the next Danesborough Chorus concert at 7.30pm on Saturday 5 April in St Mary’s Church, Woburn. The choir will perform Liszt’s Missa Choralis and Dvorak’s Mass in D in a concert conducted by Ian Smith. Providing expert accompaniment, organist John Witchell - who recently appeared in BBC TV series Great Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo - will also perform Liszt’s intriguingly-titled Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H. “Musically, both Liszt and Dvorak belong to the Romantic era, and they were also noted primarily as instrumental composers” said Ian Smith. “However, this concert will demonstrate their outstanding skills as masters of choral composition. Whatever the weather, come prepared to be wrapped in a warm blanket of vocal harmony!”

A prolific composer, Hungarian Franz Liszt was a gifted pianist and attracted a huge following of fans as he toured Europe. However, the 1860s were a time of personal despondency for him, and he went to a monastery near Rome. His spiritual turmoil led him to compose Missa Choralis there in 1865, a work inspired by the music of Palestrina and his use of plainsong. This setting of the Latin Mass is largely unaccompanied and exudes contemplative peace and unexpected harmonies.

Antonin Dvorak was a devout Catholic, attending Mass throughout his life. His Mass in D was commissioned for the opening of the private chapel of his friend Josef Hlavka, a distinguished Prague architect, in 1887. It conjures up, as one critic said, “the atmosphere of the Czech countryside: not a stately ritual ceremony .... but the spirit of a smiling, pleasant region of hills and woods, ... the expression of the wisdom and security of his native land.”

Tickets for the concert are £18 and £14 (reserved) and £10 (unreserved), and the price includes a free concert programme. For tickets, call the Box Office, tel: 01908 583460, or visit website http://www.danesborough. org.uk.

STOCKWOOD DISCOVERY CENTRE Visions of the Universe Friday 4th April - Sunday 8th June Mon-Fri 10am - 5pm Sat & Sun 11am - 5pm This dazzling collection of images featuring stars, planets and galaxies have been gathered from NASA, the Russian space programme, the European Southern Observatory as well as the best entries from Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Don’t miss this exhibition of awe-inspiring science and breath-taking natural beauty.

Children’s trail (7+ years) available.

Playing the Dream Saturday 12th April, 2014 11am - 11.45am A free public theatre by Full House, packed full of exciting characters, magical puppets, music, mayhem and madness! Two talented actors use vibrant storytelling and slap stick humour to delight and entertain old and young alike. The play is set deep in the woods where fairies and sprites laugh, joke and play tricks on passersby.

Running Time 40 minutes Stockwood Country Fair Sun 20th April- Mon 21st April 11am - 16pm Adults - £3.50, Children - £2.50 Under 5s - Free Concessions and Culture Card holders - £3.00 Come along and join us for a taste of the countryside at Stockwood Discovery Centre •Rural life demonstrations •Local craft and gift stalls •Animal petting farm •Bouncy castle •Local farmers’ market •Charity stalls •Children’s activities BREATHEASY Do you suffer from a lung condition?

Then why not come and join our local Support group - breatheasy Part of the British lung foundation.

We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at peter newton pavilion (Behind tesco) 2 - 4pm carers also

welcome As well as supporting each other we have a variety of speakers and also arrange day trips out.

New members most welcome More info phone michael on 01582 602348 WARDOWN PARK MUSEUM Object-Handling Sessions Sat 15th Feb - Sat 31st May 10am - 4pm Take part in object-handling sessions on Saturday’s at Wardown Park Museum.

Visitors will be able to get up close and hands on with a range of weird and wonderful objects from the museum’s many and varied collections. Each week the museum will be searching its stores and bringing out objects for people to see and handle, many of which have never been on display.

CHILTERN GATEWAY CENTRE

ture’s daily miracle - the Dawn Chorus. Enjoy an early morning walking to the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral and back along Whipsnade Downs listening to bird song along the way.

Our guide will talk you through the different birds that call the Downs home and help identify bird calls out of the glorious chorus.

Quiz

The Luton Fundraising Committee are h annual quiz night on Friday 9th

QUIZ NIGHT

Enter this fun general knowledge quiz The Luton Fundraising raise funds for Macmillan Cancer S Committee are hosting their annual quizWarden nightHill onJunior School Birdsfoot Lane, LU3 2DN

Friday 9th May

For details of events and demonstrations

throughout the year please contact the CHILTERN GATEWAY Visitor Centre on 01582 500920 CENTRE Spring Craft Fair Chilterns Gateway Centre Shop, 9th-10th April 01582 11am500925 - 4pm Marvellous Craft Fair showcasing our local craftsmen.

Come and browse our craft fair with lots of Daily 18th April tofrom 22 April new springfrom and summer products local craftsmen.

Enjoy the beautiful over the 11am - 4pm £2 perview ticket vale of Aylesbury with a coffee or lunch our Join us for an exciting egg hunt inwith cafe. our sponsors Cadburys.

Children’s Cake Decorating Workshop April 2011 the CompleteWednesday, our trail 13 exploring 10am - 11am Downs and win a yummy Cadburys 11am - 12pm chocolate egg!12pm There’ll - 1pm be lots of Easters Easter here! Why nothappening celebrate by creating family fun too, some yummy treats. all in thecup glorious of Decorate cakes as surroundings Easter bunnies, Easter eggs and more, with Hayley from Crafty CreaDunstable Downs. tions. Price includes tuition and all ingredients and 4 cakes. All tickets £6 Easter Trail and Activities 22nd-25th April 17th & 24th 11am May- 11am - 1pm £2 3pm Comethe andcountryside follow the Easter Egg Trail.

Join team on an Solve the puzzle and claim your chocolate informative walk look prize. Decorateguided an egg and have to your face for painted.

Enter a competition to on design your the butterflies that thrive the rare own Egghead. All Tickets £2 chalk grassland of Chorus Dunstable Downs Dawn Sunday, 01 May 2011 and Whipsnade.

4:30 am - 6:30 am Listen to the Songbirds singing at the start of a new day.

International Dawn Chorus Day is an annual 4th May 4:30 am oldest - 9:45 am £2 celebration of the world’s wake-up call - Witness the dawn chorusandthe the most beauty beautiful of bird song. one of Join us on the Dunstable Downs and listen to nature! the song birdsthings singing in at the start of a new day.

Enjoy a breakfastDawn bap andChorus coffee or tea in the International Day is cafe after the walk. All Tickets £8

Cadbury Easter Egg Trail

Butterfly walk

Dawn Chorus Day Walk

the worldwide celebration of Na-

DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUB

www.thevinemagazine.com

We meet every Monday (except bank holidays) in Chews House in High Street South, Dunstable, from

at 6:45pm, quiz starts at 7 Priory Doors Houseopen Heritage Centre Dunstable Tel: 01582 890270 Teams of 6 Local History Talks At Warden Hill Junior Tickets £8pp School (includes a light supp with Tea/Coffee Birdsfoot Lane, LU3 2DN& glasses BYO drinks Thursday Afternoons 2.30p, - 4.00pm £4.50 per person

Tel: 01582 Raffle &890270 Quiz April 7th

Raffle

email luton.macmillan.fundraisers@g

Boudicca Warrior Queen of the Britons.

Enter thisa maraunding fun generalbarbaric knowledge Was she rebel, or Last forfunds Ticketsfor quiza and help todate raise C1 patriotic freedom fighter?30th April 2 Macmillan Cancer Macmillan Cancer Support,Support registered charity in England and W THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604).

Also operating in “The more you put in, the more you get out” Doors 6:45pm, is certainly true open for the at members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its inception quizago, starts at 7:15pm over 20 years the club has raised thousands of pounds for local and national charities from events such as quizzes, race nights, stalls at Carnivals etc. Teams of 6 However, there is more to Orbit than the comradeship and involved in organising Tickets £8teamwork (includes a light supper) fundraising events. The emphasis is very much on havingBYO fun indrinks all their& activities including a glasses wide range of social pursuits such as archery, 10-pin bowling, cinema/theatres, guided walks, progressive meals etc. The club plan events to suit all budgets andemail many of them are free or at a low cost. Membership is only £10 annually. luton.macmillan.fundraisers@gmail.com The club is keen to expand its social and charity events and hopes newcomers will bring fresh ideas along with them.

Meetings are the first and third Tuesdays © Steria Last date foronatTickets 30th April 2014 of each month the Dunstable Rugby Club, Bedford Road , Houghton Regis , LU5 6JW from 8 pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome.

For more information contact Support, Mark on 01582 Macmillan Cancer 539379, Julie on 01582 535761 or the website at www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable registered charity in England and

Wales (261017), WATLING STREET CLUB Scotland (SC039907) the IsleandofsimiWe are an independent social cluband for ex-Rotarians larly minded peopleMan and have been in existence for nearly 3 (604). years. We are named ‘The Watling Street Club’ as our members form a link along the Street.Ireland.

We meet every Also operating in Watling Northern Thursday evening at the ‘Old Hunter’s Lodge’ Whipsnade for a meal and speaker.

New members are welcome. For more information contact John Stevens 01582 668033 We are also holding a ‘Bridge Evening’ at Eaton Bray Village Hall on 5th February, 7pm until 10.30pm. The tables will be set for 4 players per team and entries are for a complete 29 team at £10 per person.

The format is competitive, in a fun way, with prizes. Supper

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Caritas Harmony

ible INCRed DAY, 18

Luton Ladies Voices Charity, Friendship & Compassion

2012 AUGUST - 10pm

SATUR Gardens 12 ROCKS, House STABLE Grove is that DUN Council’s Sum-s. on the street table Town menal crowd The word g event for Duns t pheno singer Grow food,. magic. places simple pure and and do it in public r of Incredmagic, co founde friend Discover and share food her Mary Clear 2007 withtheir commucook food the words of set up in of ide These are Todmorden with the help a worldw ible into ible Edible rst. Together is for being Incred the world. of my work Pam Warhu have grown all over nity they with 300 IE’s business and mostfolk can be when no some revolutionown gardening to do and how lonely I run my . I have seen everyone has stuffd my neighbour- to the elderlyis out at work, other. I wante to do this than their each better way us all to share, everyone time for I thought what food for one has d so that grows restore garden by writhood beautiful day I started they make a ! winter’s you help, has so I began2013 on a snowyand asking can ner and il ry landow Februa able Counc dshire is our some willing ing to DunstCentral BedforSo together with have 5 raised 8 off with We now said ‘Yes’.huge support. garden. manure topped The beds provided we built this of horse ted for free. volunteers with 40 bags d and collec coriander, mint, , leaves fennel, beds filledtop soil all donate tomatoes, ge, mixed salad free. tonne of strawberries, s, cabba donated for produced Brussels sprout , swede all this year and Mr J kale, radish thyme, in Bloombeen visited by rt spring onion, Anglia lettuce, involved with . We have he is in full suppo rry We were bring home GOLDMayor and e raspbe fruit to Town a massiv helped We had planted over 30 Dunstable . rley Chatte unity gardenholiday and term from of our comm the half students chippings plant overdonated for free. be used for the their Enrichment some free for all will deposit gardener has extrahas comcanes n could the garden ape as the garden all about us if he Next year Vale Academy teaching them ction, in a way a tree surgeo or a landsc remember Maybe these thingsbe produ see the involve to our garden driver could use all of Barnfield This will sustainable foode the box and directly or a grab lorry could We would .

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And it’s Free! to non-profit organisations

Tel: 01525 222379

07852 453043 Email: mailthevine@yahoo.co.uk 30

Formerly known as the award winning Pasque Harmony, Caritas Harmony, is looking for:5

www.thev

17

To join our choir as we embark on rehearsing for our 3rd CD. A chance to experience the joy of making wonderful music, forging friendships for life, and also raising money to help our chosen charity Macmillan. All ages are welcome and the ability to read music is not essential, so why not come along and see for yourself?

We rehearse predominately on a Monday evening at Stopsley Baptist Church Luton from 7.30 -10.00pm.

www.thev

inemagaz

ine.co.uk

An Experienced Rehearsal Pianist Our repertoire is extremely varied and our sense of humour second to none, so we are looking for an accompanist who appreciates good music whilst having fun along the way with the 45 lovely ladies that are Caritas Harmony!

Regular rehearsal commitments would be either a Monday or Thursday evening from 7.30 – 10.00pm at £40 a session at Stopsley Baptist Church, Luton 5

Please contact our Musical Director Margaret Blenkin on 07802 675942 for further details

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