The Vine Villages December 12 January 13 - Issue 5

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December 2012 & January 2013

Issue 5

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Editors: Scott Nightingale Shelly Nesbitt

Advertising: Shelly Nesbitt 01525 222379 07852 453043 Mailthevine@yahoo.co.uk

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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.

Copy deadline for our next issue - 15th January 2013

This Month...

Shop Local This Christmas Town At The Crossroads It’s Christmas ‘Elf & Safety Competition A Travellers Tale What’s Best For You Aged Concerns At Home In The Garden Big Garden Birdwatch The Nutrition Coach Natural Health Hair Couture: Winter Hair Puzzles Out & About

4 6 8 10 14 16 20 22 26 28 30 34 36 38 42 44

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Traditional Builder with 30 years experience Who can cater for all your building requirements TEL/FAX: 01582 602365 MOBILE: 07958 319213 Family Run Business With Over 30 Years Experience!

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3

shop local Christmas Shopping Crawl Celebrate an Independent Christmas Dunstable is holding a ‘Christmas Shopping Crawl’, part of the Independent Christmas campaign which will run for six weeks from 12 November 2012. A shopping crawl is a planned route around participating shops and businesses. To begin you will need a Shopping Crawl Route Map that lists all of the businesses taking part and a suggested route around them. The maps are available from all of the participating businesses or to download at: www.dunstable.gov.uk When you have your map you need to visit a minimum of fifteen of the twenty businesses and collect a letter to note down on the map. Once you have visited the required number of businesses all you have to do is return the map to Dunstable Town Council where you will be entered into a prize draw to win £200 that can be spent at participating retailers here in Dunstable.

Completed forms must be returned to: Dunstable Town Council 76 High Street North Dunstable LU6 1NF All completed forms must be received by 7 January 2013 and the winner will be announced shortly after.

Please note that to take part in the crawl there is no requirement to spend. However, did you know that for every £1 you spend with a local, independent business, between 50-70p circulates back into your local economy.

Shopping locally supports local traders, their suppliers and the people they depend on to run their businesses. Buying locally boosts your local economy, rebuilding confidence in the community, enabling local businesses to prosper and grow

4

Free Parking Park for Free, Shop for Christmas!!

Following the success of the Free Parking Saturdays last year, the Dunstable Joint Committee has agreed to fund a two FREE PAKING DAYS in the important run up to Christmas.

Saturday 8 December 2012 Saturday 15 December 2012 On the 8 December in the Quadrant Shopping Centre there will be a Christmas Craft Workshop 1pm to 3pm in the Stead and Simpson unit, £1 per child.

On the 15 December is the Priory House Christmas Cracker and also meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse in the Quadrant Shopping Centre.

So visit Dunstable to Park for Free, Shop for Christmas!!!

The car parks included in the scheme are: Ashton Square (Wilkinson) St Mary’s Gate (West Street) Church Street Matthew Street (Eleanor’s Cross) Please note that car parks not mentioned are NOT included in the scheme and charges will still apply.

Further information on town initiatives, events and activities are available on the website website: www.dunstable.gov.uk

Toddington Area Helping Hands urgently needs

Volunteer Drivers Can you help?

Can you offer an hour a week?

Could you take someone to the doctor, dentist or hairdresser?

Would you take someone to a hospital appointment?

If you would like more information about this opportunity to volunteer and help your local community please contact us on

07882 988270

Parkfields School in Toddington Beds is going to be 50. So on Saturday 27th April 2013 we are celebrating.

We would love as many ex Pupils and Teachers to come along for a trip down Memory lane between 12.00 to 16.30. From 19.00 to 23.30 there will be a memories Disco and a Hog roast.

We need to get lots of memorabilia so if you have old Uniform, School work or Photos please get in touch asap they will be well looked after.

Katie Perch -07817 317241 kate.perch@sky. com To keep up to date with details join our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/parkfeldsis50 Please spread the word to your friends and family.

Satu rd ay 27th Ap ril 2013 Ho w ca n YOU be in vo lve d?

Jo in us on th e day:

Le nd us any of th - Pho tos

- 12:00 to 16:30 for a mdow n Me mor y Lan trip e

- 19:00 to 23:30 for a mMemo ries Disc o and Hog Roa st

e fol low ing:

- Old Sch ool wor k (bo oks, techno logy pro ject s, mmode ls, fab rics and art wor k) - Old Par kfie lds Sch ool and PE uni for m

(All items will be reco rded and care fully look ed afte r whil st in our poss essio n) Cont act - Kat ie Perc h: 07817317241 Cont act - Kate Voyc katie.pe rch@sky.com e: 07947034347 Cont act - ww w.fa kate .voyce@ntlworld cebo ok.c om/park field .com sis50

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

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5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Parkfields At

5 5 5 5 5 5 CE LE BR ATE 50 Y EA RS W ITH US

5 5 5 5 5 5

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5

as a Robin Hood figure, he is usually regarded as an outlaw and brigand who terrorised the locality and that King Henry had become sick of the murder and mayhem caused by Dun and his gang and resolved to stop him. He positioned a tall stake – a staple – at the crossroads, placed a valuable ring on top, put soldiers on guard and challenged Dun to pinch it. But Dun was a master of disguise lthough and the name after a while, Dunestaple officially when nothing had translates to “the happened market in the hills”, and the persistent local legend suggests sentry on guard otherwise and bases name fed up, wasthegetting upon a 12th century character a severely crippled called Dun. Apart from one old him widow account which paints as woman came a Robin Hood figure, heand is chatted to usually regarded as an outlaw him.

After a couple and brigand who terrorised the of minutes, howevlocality and that King Henry had er,murder the crippled old become sick of the and crone mayhem caused by Dun suddenly and his begang and resolvedcame to stop him.sprightly very He positioned a tall stake –slashed a sta- the soldier’s throat, shinned up indeed, Women are very clever like this: ple – at the crossroads, placed a the put stake and ranand off Matilda with the(Henry’s ring. Tofirst this day, wife) valuable ring on top, soldiers part of Dun Dunstable’s of arms shows a tall was coat no exception.

She wanted on guard and challenged to toestablishWhat a greatodds (= really pinch it. But Dunstake was awith master ring attached. willbig) you house at Dunestaple of disguise and after givea while, for the storyreligious being true, after all? and suggested that it would be when nothing had happened But to return to a“proper” history, andcap as any real feather in Henry’s and the sentry on guard was getmarried man will women andverify, would set his new(especially town off ting fed up, a severely crippled a treat – the icing his cake. old widow woman came and wives) are devious creatures in on getting their a while, thought rechatted to him. After couple They of After owna way. make subtleHenry suggestions this idea of his was really good minutes, however, the crippled garding what they want but without actually old crone suddenly became very and at some time – most likely saying so sown a seed, they– plans leave between 1110 and 1120 sprightly indeed, slashed the and, having drawnthink up and workhis started their husband gradually it was idea soldier’s throat, shinned up the to were stake and ran off with thefirst ring.place! on a site opposite his existing in the Kingsbury.

To this day, part of Dunstable’s Women are verypalace cleverof like this: and Matilda Totternhoe stone again was chocoat of arms shows a tall stake (Henry’s first wife) was no exception.

She sen and ordered for the building with ring attached. What odds wanted to establish great (= really canons big) reliand aa few Augustinian will you give for the story being assembled under the leader-that true, after all? gious house at Dunestaple and suggested

Dunstable Dunstable

were drawn up and work started on posite his existing palace of Kingsbur Totternhoe stone again was chose dered for the building and a few A canons assembled under the leaders nard. Then, in 1131, Henry

By By Paul Paul Heley Heley “gave” ple to Bernard who thereby became Lord of the Manor allowing him to co and tith port the this very project. tunately, generosi go down with the gesses w quite pr pay thei the King happy to the bene comparatively unknown upstart hav prepared to pay their dues to the do with King, butthe lessfinancial happy toactivity do so forof the t disagreement was the first of many d the benefit of some comparatively unknown having– little tween townupstart and gown but since to dothat’s with the financial activity said how it should be, that’s h of the town. This disagreement In thethe1100s, didn’t argue with t was first ofyou many disputes Work ontown the Priory continued between and gown – but – but since compared Henry had said pace withthat’s todayhow (Wemble it should be, that’s how it was. excepted!).

But eighty years later, In the 1100s, you didn’t argue was ready for consecration by Hu with the King! of Lincoln, the reign of King Work on theinPriory continued – John but atthe a snail’s compared to the P gave Palacepace of Kingsbury with original today (Wembley This buildingStadium looked nothing excepted!). But eighty years we see today and was built in the Ro later, in 1213, it was ready for style whose only surviving consecration by Hugh, Bishop part is Door with in itsthe rounded opposed t of Lincoln, reign of(as King John (who also gave the Palace arch.

The Town At The Crossroads - Part IV

A

But to return to “proper” history, and as any married man will verify, women (especially wives) are devious creatures in getting their own way. They make subtle suggestions regarding what they want but without actually saying so and, having sown a seed, they leave their husband to gradually think it was his idea in the first place!

6

ship of Bernard. Then, in 1131, of Kingsbury to the Prior).

Henry “gave” Dunestaple to Ber- This original building looked 28 nard who thereby became Prior nothing like what we see today and Lord of the Manor allowing and was built in the Romanhim to collect taxes and tithes to esque style whose only surviving support the building of this very part is the West Door with its ambitious project. Unfortunaterounded (as opposed to pointed) ly, Henry’s generosity didn’t go arch. down at all well with the local Unfortunately, in medieval burgesses who were quite times, architects and builders didn’t have the advantage of

www.thevinemagazine.co.uk

n a site opry. en and orAugustinian applied mathematics, stress In 1259, the Priory had severe cember, 1290. Queen Eleanor ship of Berand strain analysis or computer competition in that a Domini(consort of Edward 1st) died ” Dunestaaided design packages: it was can Friary started up on the near Lincoln and, rather than a question other side of South Street. The bury her in Lincoln Cathedral, e Prior and of fingers tightly two groups went about their Edward insisted she should be ollectcrossed taxes and hope for the best (because things often went religious business in very difburied at Westminster Abbey. hes towrong sup-in the architectural ferent ways and the ordinary Consequently, her cortege was e building of world). townsfolk tended to prefer the carried, on foot, from Lincoln 1222, for example, can go Friars who were not so aloof to London. It took twelve y ambitious down as a particularly bad as the Canons and much more days, ie eleven overnight stops Unforyear. First, the church suffered down to earth. There were where, at each resting place, , Henry’s a partial roof collapse in the often heated rows and, on a large cross was erected by ity summer didn’t and then one occasion, there was an Edward in commemoration of in December, a tornado undignified punch up and one his beloved Eleanor. n at all well brought of the Canons was thrown in On the 12th December, 1290, e local bur- the rest down causgreat damage to much of the pond which stood outside the cortege rested at Dunstable who ing were the main church (but not the the Saracen’s Head.

Priory: and for something like repared to outbuildings).

It was back to The Friary lasted until it was 350 years, an Eleanor Cross ir dues to one for the church and square dissolved in 1536 by Henry stood in the centre of Dunstamuch 8th. ble’s crossroads. g, but lessof the original had to But something of great imporo do be so rebuilt for – in a totally new Gothic style – and finished in tance happened which made Why isn’t it still there? efit of1240. some the Ten o’clock News in Deving little to town. This disputes beHenry had how it was. the King! t at a snail’s ey Stadium in 1213, it ugh, Bishop Local Family run business – Not a franchise n (who also All chemicals Eco-friendly, non-toxic, non caustic and non allergenic Prior).

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It’s Christmas At Priory House Heritage Centre

Christmas Cracker

Saturday 15 December 10.00am to 4.00pm shop will be running again Its back!!

The Priory House Christmas this year with more amazing Christmas craft ideas then Cracker is taking place on ever before. The workshop Saturday 15 December is £1.50 per child and will between 10.00am and be supervised by our CRB 4.00pm. checked elves.

There will be Children's The Priory Gift Shop will crafts, performances by the be in the festive spirit too.

Priory Girls Choir, and a With a large selection of special festive menu in the Christmas gifts, Cards and Priory House Tea Rooms.

Ornaments your Christmas PLUS Shopping experience just A visit from Santa got easier.

He will be in his Grotto all Our signature glass ornaday waiting to hear what ments are back by popular you would most like for demand with even more Christmas and giving out styles and sizes for your presents to all of the girls collection. and boys.

So come along and join in Visits to Santa's Grotto are the festive fun at the Priory £2.50 per child with a gift.

House Christmas Cracker!

The children's craft work-

Tea With Santa Saturday 22 December 2.00pm to 4.00pm Come and have tea with Santa at Priory House Sit with Santa around the fireplace in our 13th century Undercroft and listen to stories while having sandwiches and cakes.

Hear all about his busy days and his favourite tales from his adventures with his reindeer.

Tickets are £7.50 each and must be purchased in advance from the Priory House Gift Shop.

Each child will receive a gift from Santa and accompanying parents will be entitled to a cup of tea or coffee at a reduced rate from the Priory House Tea Rooms.

Numbers are limited so be sure to contact Priory House on 01582 891420 or emailprioryhouse@dunstable.gov.uk to reserve your space.

8

Christmas Cupcake Decorating Workshop Saturday 22 December 10.00am and 11.00am Join Hayley from award winning local cake shop The Cake House and decorate four Christmas themed cupcakes.

During the one hour workshop Hayley will talk you through the steps needed to decorate four cupcakes which you can take home with you.

All of the materials are provided and anyone is welcome. Places are limited so be sure to book yours as soon as possible.

Tickets cost £6.00 and must be purchased in advance from the Priory House reception.

For more information or to book tickets please contact Priory House on 01582 891420 or email prioryhouse@dunstable.gov.uk

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9

Elf & Safety W

e’ve all met them - those odd souls who bound up to us on the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, informing us that there are just 358 days until next Christmas. They seem thrilled at the prospect of another season of peace and good will to all men, whilst we’re still recovering from the last one, grateful to have emerged unscathed.

There are health warnings about any number of things, but Christmas rarely features. Yet there are all kinds of dangers lurking behind innocent looking fairy lights and seemingly innocuous novelties. A whopping 31 people have died since 1996 from watering their Christmas tree while the lights were still on, others have suffered broken arms from pulling Christmas crackers (really?!), and each year a couple of people die after testing 9 volt batteries on their tongue!

These facts and figures are not for the faint hearted, nor is paying a visit to Father Christmas apparently. Experts say that small children often find a trip to Santa ‘terrifying’ and that responsible adults should take appropriate action to lessen the trauma. I must admit, I do possess a photo of my daughter looking highly distraught, whilst a white haired, bearded stranger desperately tries to wrestle her back on to his knee.

We all know the dangers of drinking and driving, but did you know that accidents have occurred involving out of control toy racing cars? The police warn us to stay at home when the weather is bad, but not if there is a novice Scalextric driver on the loose! Incidents with unfamiliar toys rate in the top three causes of accidents at Christmas.

When my sister and I dropped the odd Lego brick, we knew dad had found it when we heard a loud howl and saw him hopping around on one foot. Treading on broken toy parts, or being stabbed by pins left in shirts, may result in a trip to casualty. Nothing less than total vigilance is called for.

10 8

Do not open beer bottles with your teeth, or leave fairy lights on unattended, nor should you use a knife as a substitute for a screwdriver, pair of scissors or tooth pick. Every year, dozens of people are admitted to Accident and Emergency departments over the Christmas period having done one, (or in some cases more than one) of these.

And finally... the Food Standards Agency tells us that some ten million turkeys are sold every year at Christmas. They also tell us that 20 percent of all cases of food poisoning are poultryrelated, so you can see there is a capacity for disaster lurking inside almost every oven in the land. How many of us check our oven temperatures using a thermometer? And how many more of us are still eating left-overs a week later. Make an oven thermometer top priority this year, and freeze left-overs or dispose of them after three days.

Wherever you are, and whatever you’re up to this season, take care and have a very happy (and safe) Christmas, then exhale because it’s a full 358 days before you have to do it all again.

Last Posting Dates

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Our Chef will prepare a sumptuous selection of dishes depending on the number of people in your party Please inform us of any special requests. only £14.95 per adult 1 Tring Road,

Dunstable. LU6 2PX

Tel: 01582 660541

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11

Send a Letter from Santa Make Christmas magical with a personalised Letter from Santa and help the NSPCC support children all year round.

WIN

a trip to

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ChildLine is a service provided by the NSPCC. Registered charity numbers 216401 and SC037717. © 2012 Illustration by Jason Chapman. 0829/12

Happy ‘new’ New Year

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The celebration of New Year is the oldest of holidays, starting in Ancient Babylon 4000 years ago. Although they had no written calendar, Babylonians celebrated the beginning of the new year on what is now March 23rd. The Romans have a lot to be responsible for and indeed the changing of the beginning of the year from March to January is totally down to them! It could be argued that late March is actually a better time for new year - spring begins, crops are planted and January has little significance other than an arbitrary date.

12

03/09/2012 11:2

However, January gets its name from Janus, the two-faced god who looks backwards into the old year, and forwards into the new year. The Romans chose to celebrate it at midnight on December 31st and this tradition has continued to today. As well as the change of date, the Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year’s Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year’s gifts.

27

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13 11

WIN

JOE BROWN THE UKULELE ALBUM

Joe Brown can justifiably lay claim to being the current King of the Ukulele. He has been cited by some of the world’s biggest rock performers as a world class player.

The top two ukulele performed favourites world-wide are ‘Over The Rainbow’, recorded by thousands of people, and ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’ – recorded and popularised on uke by only Joe. Anyone who saw Joe close the George Harrison Tribute concert with ‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’ can be in no doubt as to his skill set and feel for a song. No stranger to this particular one though he has actually been performing it for over two decades.

(Joe may have even introduced the uke to his good friend George, he certainly used to buy them for him whenever in Nashville.)

The ukulele has been an instrument Joe has always loved and played. In 1963 it even got him into big trouble. Joe was one of the very first artists to have a record banned by the BBC - his recording of the old George Formby song ‘With My Little Ukulele In My Hand’ performed on the ukulele was deemed way too risqué!

In 2006 Joe was approached by major USA ukulele manufacturer KALA, the direct result of ukulele sales having increased world-wide more than tenfold since the Concert For George. Kala credited Joe with much of that success and they asked him to design and endorse his own Signature Series. The Joe Brown Signature Series appeared in 2009.

So this Autumn sees the release of an album long overdue – “The Ukulele Album”.

As its name suggests it features the ukulele on every track, but not as a novelty. It is given its full weight as an instrument alongside raunchy electric and acoustic guitars, mandolins, banjo and lap steel and slide guitars with surprises galore. It’s generally a long way from George Formby (whom Joe met) though one of George’s songs is

featured.

‘Ace Of Spades’ (the first single), ‘Pinball Wizard’ and the ELO hit ‘Mr Blue Sky’ are just three to get the inimitable Joe treatment. Full track listing follows.

Joe is joined on the album not only by his band, including his producer son Pete, but also by his daughter Sam Brown. Unable to sing through operations going wrong, Sam has since developed her own ukulele clubs in Henley and London and 35 of her ukulele pupils, under her expert tutelage, make group contributions to several tracks on the album.

Joe was brought up in the music hall tradition, segueing into Skiffle and then fully embracing Rock ‘n’ Roll. He spans the musical divides and is possibly the last British artist to do so.

His career has covered all aspects of entertainment – TV and radio broadcast, film, musicals, concerts – and his popularity has never waned. His music is contemporary while his shows embrace both new and old. Recently awarded an MBE and a Mojo Award for services to music, Joe tours regularly playing sell-out dates across the country. This Autumn sees him on the road again in support of the album.

Joe makes the perfect world ambassador for the Ukulele. He has long expounded that it should replace the recorder as the starter instrument of choice in schools.

‘I’ll See You In My Dreams’, Joe’s version, recently featured world-wide in the hit TV series CSI and the song is now the unofficial anthem for this humble, globally appealing instrument.

Joe’s new CD has already been called the Definitive ukulele album. The first single from it, “Ace Of Spades” was released in October.

We have 3 copies of “The Ukulele Album” to give away! to be in with a chance of winning one simply tell us

What would Joe buy George Harrison In Nashville?

Email your answers to mailthevine@yahoo.co.uk before 7th January 2013 Usual rules apply.

14

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Before

Before

After

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Most repairs can be undertaken in your home by our qualified leather technicians, or larger jobs brought into our fully equipped

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15

Y

A Traveller’s Tale

By Paul Paul Heley Heley By

Castles, Cathedrals & other Antiquities, quick look look at at No.3 AA quick

Geddington and and Geddington its Eleanor Cross its Eleanor Cross

ou've most most likely likely heard heard about about ou've the twelve twelve original original Eleanor Eleanor the Crosses erected erected by

by King King Edward Edward II in in Crosses the early early 1290s 1290s -- but but perhaps perhaps you you the don't know know how how and and why why they they came came don't into being being nor nor what what happened happened to to into the one one which which stood stood on on Dunstable's Dunstable's the crossroads for for something something like like 350 350 crossroads years. years.

For starters, starters, only only three three remain:remain:- at at For Geddington in in NorthamptonNorthamptonGeddington shire, at at Hardingstone Hardingstone just just outside outside shire, Northampton, at at Waltham Waltham Cross Cross in in Northampton, Hertfordshire. Of Of these, these, the the one one at at Hertfordshire.

Geddington isis in in the the best best condition. condition.

Geddington Edward was was born born in in 1239 1239 the the son son Edward of Henry Henry III III and, and, when when only only 15 15 of years old, old, was was married married to to Eleanor Eleanor of of years Castile for for purely purely political political reasons reasons Castile (as was was customary customary at at the the time). time). (as However, and and rather rather surprisingly, surprisingly, However, this arranged arranged marriage marriage developed developed this into aa genuine genuine love love match match and and they they into were rarely rarely separated separated -- Eleanor Eleanor even even were accompanying her her husband husband on on one one accompanying of the the Crusades Crusades to to the the Holy Holy Land.

Land. of Edward was was aa fine fine figure figure of of aa man, man, Edward exceptionally tall tall (nicknamed (nicknamed exceptionally "Longshanks"), athletic, athletic, sporting, sporting, and and "Longshanks"), fond of of tournaments. tournaments. After After he he was was fond crowned in in 1272, 1272, he he typified typified the the imimcrowned age of of the the medieval medieval warrior warrior king king and and age brought the the rebellious rebellious Welsh Welsh and, and, in in brought particular the the Scots, Scots, to to heel. heel. For For this this particular he earned earned the the extra extra soubriquet soubriquet "The "The he hammer of of the the Scots".

Scots". hammer He was was on on his his way way to to sort sort the the Scots Scots He out once once more more in in 1290 1290 when when he he out heard that that his his beloved beloved Eleanor Eleanor had had heard been taken taken sick sick of of "a "a slow slow fever" fever" been near Lincoln Lincoln and and so so he he abandoned abandoned near his latest latest plans plans and and rushed rushed to to her her his bedside. But But itit was was all all in in vain vain and and bedside.

Eleanor died died on on the the 28th 28th November, November, Eleanor 1290, at at Harby.

Harby.

1290, Edward was was devastated devastated and and he he isis Edward quoted as as saying saying "my "my harp harp isis turned turned quoted to mourning. mourning. In In life life II loved loved her her to dearly, nor nor can can II cease cease to to love love her her dearly, in death". death". in Although itit was was assumed assumed that that Although Eleanor would would be be buried buried in in nearby nearby Eleanor Lincoln cathedral, cathedral, Edward Edward would would Lincoln not hear hear of of itit and and insisted insisted that that she she not should be be buried buried at at Westminster Westminster AbAbshould bey, and and further further stated stated that that he he would would bey, accompany her her coffin coffin and and would would accompany walk every every step step of of the the way. way. RememRememwalk ber that that this this was was December December with with its its ber attendant rain, rain, snow, snow, fog fog and and mud; mud; attendant so we we can can appreciate appreciate that that this this was was aa so genuine and and heart heart felt felt gesture gesture of of true true genuine love and and showed showed aa more more gentle gentle side side love

to Edward's Edward's character. character. to The journey journey took took 12 12 days days with with 11 11 The overnight resting resting places, places, either either at at overnight prestigious religious religious houses houses or or royal royal prestigious manors/hunting lodges. lodges. Starting Starting manors/hunting with Lincoln, Lincoln, the the other other stops stops were were with at Grantham, Grantham, Stamford, Stamford, GeddingGeddingat ton, Hardingstone, Hardingstone, Stony Stony Stratford, Stratford, ton, Woburn, Dunstable, Dunstable, St St Albans, Albans, Woburn, Waltham and and Charing.

Charing. The The coffin coffin Waltham rested at at Dunstable Dunstable on on the the night night rested of the the 11th/12th 11th/12th December, December, 1290, 1290, of during which which aa mass mass was was conconduring ducted by by the the then then Prior, Prior, William William de de ducted Wederow.

Wederow.

At each each of of the the resting resting places, places, Edward Edward At instructed that that aa cross cross be be erected erected instructed in Eleanor's Eleanor's memory memory so so that that the the in people could could pray pray for for her her soul soul and and people speed its its way way through through purgatory purgatory to to speed paradise. These These crosses crosses were were erected erected paradise. in the the early early 1290s 1290s and and the the one one at at in Dunstable stood stood in in the the centre centre of of the the Dunstable crossroads until until itit was was destroyed destroyed -- as as crossroads were many many of of the the others others -- by

by ParliaParliawere mentary troops troops (who (who hated hated anything anything mentary remotely ornate ornate or or "papist") "papist") in in 1643 1643 remotely roughly 350 350 years years later. later. roughly The one one at at Geddington Geddington isis complete complete The apart from from the the small small cross cross which which apart originally surmounted surmounted the the structure. structure. originally The edifice edifice isis triangular triangular in in design design The and separate separate effigies effigies of of Eleanor Eleanor (to(toand gether with with the the arms arms of of Castile, Castile, Leon Leon gether and Ponthieu) Ponthieu) are are found found on on each each and side. And And underneath underneath the the cross cross isis aa side. spring whose whose water water might might have have been been spring chosen for for religious religious significance. significance. chosen mass isis still still conducted conducted annually annually AAmass in the the village village in in Eleanor's Eleanor's continued continued in memory. memory.

Geddington isis aa stone stone village village situsituGeddington ated between between Kettering Kettering and and Corby, Corby, ated built from from the the local local ironstone ironstone and and built limestone and and isis full full of of charming charming limestone old houses houses together together with with the the parish parish old church of of St St Mary Mary Magdalene.

Magdalene. The The church river Ise Ise runs runs through through the the centre centre river and one one can can either either drive drive through through and the ford ford or, or, ifif small small enough enough (as (as on on aa the motorbike), ride ride across across the the old old stone stone motorbike), bridge which which dates dates from from c.1250. c.1250. bridge Just to to the the north north of of Corby Corby isis RockRockJust ingham Castle Castle whose whose original original was was ingham built by

by William William the the Conqueror Conqueror over over built 900 years years ago. ago. ItIt has has been been in in private private 900 hands for for the the last last 500 500 years years but but isis hands occasionally open open to to the the public. public. occasionally So, ifif you you can can find find aa suitable suitable day day So, when itit isis open, open, you you could could have have aa when veritable historyfest historyfest at at Geddington Geddington veritable and Rockingham Rockingham without without having having to to and travel too too far! far! travel

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15 17

Mabel’s News

from Appledown

Hello again!

It’s me, Mabel, I am the resident dog at Appledown Rescue and Rehoming Kennels in Eaton Bray. I can’t believe we are nearly at the end of another year and what a busy one it has been! We have had lots of new arrivals, many of whom have gone on to settle happily in new homes, but for some it is a longer wait to find the right family.

One of those still waiting is my chum, Kai, a 4-5 year old collie cross. He is a very bright, friendly boy who has been here for some time now and really needs a loving home of his own. He is sociable with other dogs but could not live with cats. Kai needs patience and understanding to help him overcome his separation anxiety issues. He has been responding well to training here and we would offer ongoing advice and support to help him settle into his new home.

If you are able to offer a loving and secure home to Kai or any of our dogs why not come and visit us? We are open every day between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and our friendly staff are always happy to give information and advice. Please note that we have restrictions on rehoming dogs to families with children under 7 years of age, so please ask for details.

CRAFT FAIR

12th May 2013.

We are holding a Craft Fair in conjunction with our popular Fun Dog Show.

If you would like to book a pitch (£15) to sell your craft items please phone the kennels or e-mail ilshad@live. co.uk for more information.

Appledown Rescue and Rehoming Kennels, Harling Road, Eaton Bray, Beds LU6 1QY. Call 01525 220383 or e-mail appledown.kennels@btinternet.com (Reg. Charity No. 1116848).

18

WANTED! OLD BIKES

The Rotary Clubs of Dunstable and Dunstable Downs are collecting adult bikes from the community which are sent to the Bikes4Africa hub in Swindon. The bikes are then sent on to UK prisons for refurbishment and ultimately to the Gambia in containers of 300 bikes at a time.

Once in the Gambia they are allocated to schools who lend them to students that may have as much as 10 miles to commute daily to their lessons.

The cost of transporting the bikes to the Gambia is met

by Rotary. But they need bikes please! So now is the chance to clear out your garage / shed!

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19

What’sBestForYou

By Andrew Hagger – Money expert from www.Moneycomms.co.uk

A Good Deal... Don’t Bank On It! Part II

Just because you know the names Need a loan £5,000 less?looking for Why not give the high streetof banks a missor if you’re Why not give the ofhigh street banks a miss? a loan £5,000 or less Despite bank base rates being stuck fast at 0.5%, some lenders are still charging interest at a staggering 20% APR plus if you want a personal loan of £5,000 or less.

The battle for our personal loan custom is as intense as it’s ever been, but the problem is that many lenders are cherry picking and concentrating on the higher value end of the market.

Five lenders currently fighting to be top dog and advertising record low interest rates of between 5.6% APR and 5.9% APR, but only for sums of £7,500 and above.

For lower value loans it’s a very different story, with the majority of lenders charging double digit rates on a £3,000 advance and NatWest and Halifax amongst the most expensive at 20.9% APR and 24.9% APR respectively.

There are cheaper options available, but my research shows you’ do well to steer clear of the established providers if you want get the best deals.

20

Just because you’re not familiar with the names, it doesn’t mean you should discount them – the peer to peer market has quickly established itself as a credible alternative to the big banks – and the low interest rates are much better than you’ll find on the high street.

Another option to consider is the Rate for Life card from MBNA, although this isn’t strictly a personal loan, there’s nothing to stop you using this long term fixed rate credit card in the same way you would as a loan.

If you transfer your balance to the card and set up a monthly standing order for your current account, it works exactly the same as a personal loan. The interest rate is 5.9% APR for as long as it takes you to clear the balance and even including the one off 1.5% balance transfer fee, it remains one of the cheapest ways to borrow.

The potential cost savings on a loan of £3,000 with the low rate options mentioned here could save you up to £22.79 per month and as much as £821 in total over a three year term when compared with the personal loan with Halifax, charging 24.9% APR.

There are three borrowing options that stand out, if you want to borrow £5,000 or less, as follows:

For £3,000 over five years the cost savings are even greater at up to £24.88 per month and more than £1400 over the full term.

Zopa, the first peer to peer lender in the UK is now in its eighth year and RateSetter one of the more recent lenders in the peer to peer market both offer some of the best value deals at 9.5% APR and 9.7% APR respectively for a £3,000 loan over 3 years.

Shop around for the lowest rate, as there are some cheaper options out there and by thinking outside the box or taking advantage of deals from new lenders you can save yourself a small fortune in interest charges.

For more information or advice go to www.Moneycomms.co.uk

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rs View

A Pensione . .. s n r e c n o Aged C

Means Testing Pensioners Benefits Right or Wrong?

By Mike Newman

W

hat benefits do I refer to?

The ones that all pensioners receive, namely, free bus pass, winter fuel and for the over 75's free television. The present coalition, in its never ending quest to pay 'the deficit' has now began to consider a proposal to means test these benefits that are available to all senior citizens, regardless of amount of the total pension backed up by private pensions etc. If this goes ahead then the paying of the TV license, the excessive price of fuel and the bus pass will soon put these senior citizens back to living on the edge of poverty. Surely this can not be tolerated by a caring society?

If we look at the other end of the scale for the top earners of the salary scale, who by quite legitimate means of constructive accountancy and off shore banking can maintain their standards and even better them, whilst those who are the better off pensioners who have reached this state by prudent living and paying for pensions and annuities are to be taxed even more.

Perhaps they could ask themselves - was it worth it? In my opinion it was, but one never expected a government to renege on what is a fair reward of a life time of work.

If the coalition wants to beat the deficit bogey then it really must get the rich to pay a percentage increase in taxation as that

faced by working class, particularly those who live on the poverty level.

But it has always been that way, look at the bad times during the great depression of the 30's. Rather than, as promised, "a land fit for heroes to live in" the said heroes were selling boot laces and matches in the street, scratching a bare living and made to sell furniture, clothing etc. to put food on the table. Oh yes! The working class has been there before. Why? Because it is easy to squeeze those who do not have the protection afforded to the rich.

But one question could be raised. That is the National Insurance Fund, that all present day pensioners paid into, is suppose to be ring fenced, it is not a tax as such, it is there to ensure benefits and pensions for the elderly, the out of work and the disabled. The fund is a very large one, worth many millions if not billions of pounds. Why then, does the government not use more of this fund to maintain bus passes, winter fuel and free TV? The money is there, use it. It is completely wrong to expect the pensioner to be robbed to pay the deficit, which was not of their making. National Insurance should be paid in conjunction with money earned, everyone should be expected to help other members of society according to their means, i.e. the more you earn or own, the more you pay.

Mike Newman is a member of The Dunstable And District Senior Citizens Club.

If you have a view on any of the issues raised why not attend one of their monthly meetings, held on the last Thursday of the month at St Marys Catholic Social Club, West St., Dunstable.

22

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25

&

At Home In The Garden Save Money On Energy British Gas has warned customers the price it pays will go up by 15%, and this could push up folks’ bills by £50 come Christmas.

Act NOW and many could cut £100s off their bills and prevent hikes.

Here are 10 things you need to know.

5

If possible, pay by direct debit to save an additional 5% to 10%. Paying by direct debt gives a further discount. Although dual fuel deals (gas and electricity from one supplier) are usually cheapest, it’s not always the case. So, when doing comparisons, check the cheapest separate suppliers too.

6

FREE insulation - energy efficiency can seriously cut bills. Installing loft and cavity wall insulation can cut £300 a year from bills. Each normally costs around £175, but currently EDF and Tesco Energy are giving and installing it free to anyone with a suitable home, not just their own customers. Other suppliers will even pay you £200 to get insulation if you’re on certain benefits, including pension credit.

7

1 Take two minutes to check what you can save

Got electricity only? If you don’t have gas, don’t think the rules are any different – you can still save.

Use the comparisons above.

2

What if you're on a prepay meter? Over three million UK homes use prepayment meters that allow you to pay for your gas or electricity on a pay-as-yougo basis. You top up your energy via a key or card, which you can credit at newsagents, post offices and garages or, sometimes, online. They can help to budget, but you usually pay more for energy, so if you want to ditch them, follow these steps.

– often more than £250. Millions of people are overpaying. A typical home on a standard tariff pays £1,320, the same home on the cheapest pays £1,030.

Not checking's like chucking a wad of tenners on the fire to keep warm.

Compare, switch, get cashback, save £100s.

Your cheapest deal depends on the tariff, region and usage. The easy way to find what you can save is plugging your details into a www.consumerfocus.org. uk approved comparison site. Do this via the links on www.moneysavingexpert.com/gaselec and if they switch you, after three months you get cashback or freebies. Energyhelpline pays £15 per gas, electricity or dual switch. For dual fuel deals, MoneySupermarket pays £30 cash and uSwitch a crate of wine – you don’t get these going direct. Those not online can these to compare: Energy Lynx 0800 849 7077 and Uswitch 0800 0515493.

3

How to guarantee no price hikes. A clever tariff launched last month. EDF’s Blue is nearly, but not quite, the cheapest, so most customers save large amounts, but it's easy to miss in comparison results.

I’m highlighting it as it has three big advantages. The rate's fixed until Sept 2013, so it guarantees no hikes.

There are slightly cheaper fixes, but the key's there's no exit penalty for leaving before the fix ends. Finally, it promises to email you if anyone launches a tariff that saves the average user over £1 a week (£52 a year).

4 Fix NOW if you can't afford rises. With price

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26

8

Step 1: A credit meter (where you get bills) is cheaper, so see if you can convert. Some allow it for free. See www.moneysavingexpert.com/prepayenergy for a list and more help Step 2: If it's unaffordable, compare and switch. Energyhelpline, uSwitch and Moneysupermarket all let you do comparisons for prepayment tariffs.

Step 3: When switching, favour companies that may convert you to bills for free.

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27

throughout the growing season, eventually using the earth from the sides to form a long heap. This way the potatoes should always be well underground.

In containers, fill with soil/compost to about a third full and plant the potatoes half way down. As the foliage grows add more compost to nearly cover the leaves and so

In The Garden

Growing Your Own Veg Fancy a bit of ‘The Good Life’?

the eyes (small sho about 3/4 inch. I’ve using thick potato s t a rt e d t o the kitchen!

A beginners guide to...

Potatoes

There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh, home grown produce or the satisfaction you get watching it grow from seed.

With prices soaring, more people are opting to grow their own veg no matter how big their plot.

This is the ideal time to start planning for the year ahead.

Gardening may be the last thing on your mind in the cold weather but if you’re thinking of starting your own veg garden, no matter how big or small, then this is the perfect time to plan what to grow and where.

It’s easy to get carried away when looking at catalogues or impressive displays of seed packets - but remember that it only makes sense to grow what you are likely to eat!

If that still leaves you with a list that exceeds the space available then it may be wise to trim back on crops that take up a lot of space or are easily and cheaply available from local sources.

Think about concentrating on plants that will crop quickly allowing the space to be used again.

Remember also that you can use patio containers and grow bags if that’s all you have room for or to add extra growing space.

Once you have your list split your available space into 3 (or 4) areas and then group your crops together by family so that they can be rotated around the areas in a 3 or 4 year cycle. Group the cabbage family together, then the onion family along with the pea and bean family, and finally potatoes, tomatoes and the carrot family.

I would seriously consider making some raised beds, if you don’t already have them, and this is the perfect time of year to do it. Make sure that they are not too wide for you to easily reach the middle from either side and that there is sufficient room for easy access all the way around. The deeper you can 28

make them the better and higher beds will mean less bending when you are planting out seedlings, harvesting or weeding.

If you have large areas of bare soil, awaiting planting, then you may like to think about covering them with black plastic, or cardboard, to protect the soil against the harsh January weather. If you already have crops that are still growing, such as purple sprouting broccoli, these will benefit from protection against hungry pigeons - try covering with wire mesh, fleece, or some homemade bird scarers (try stringing up some old CD’s).

For those who are keen to get sowing, you can try a few lettuces.

Start off on a bright, sunny windowsill, thinning down when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in frost free conditions such as a shed, or polytunnel before finishing off under cloches. If you haven’t already planted shallots then it’s not too late to think about that either, but don’t put them in when the ground is too wet or they may rot.

It’s also worth saving empty egg boxes ready to chit your seed potatoes before planting. Just pop them into the egg boxes, sprout end up in a cool but frost free place and wait for the shoots to appear.

You’ll also find the boxes useful for starting tiny seedlings off in months to come - as they grow they can be planted straight out with no disruption as the box will simply rot down.

And finally, if you have space, think about starting off some new rhubarb crowns towards the end of January.

Potatoes can take up a lot of room in a garden but you can get quite a sizeable crop in even the smallest area if you use deep containers.

The idea is to keep the new potatoes (tubers) away from the light or they will be green and inedible. There are several ways of doing this. In the vegetable garden, prepare the ground by digging trenches, with the earth piled up each side. The seed potatoes should be planted a few inches deep in the trench and as the foliage grows to about 9 inches nearly cover it with soil. Keep doing this throughout the growing season, eventually using the earth from the sides to form a long heap. This way the potatoes should always be well underground.

In containers, fill with soil/compost to about a third full and plant the potatoes half way down. As the foliage grows add more compost to nearly cover the leaves and so on, as above, until the pot is full.

Another method, particularly for early potatoes, is to plant under black plastic sheeting, which cuts out the light and makes ‘earthing up’ unnecessary. Pin down the edges of the plastic in the soil and cut cross shaped slits where the spuds are to be planted. Pull the greenery through as it starts to grow.

The potato crop will be near the surface, ready for gathering.

Potatoes for planting should be started off indoors. Place seed potatoes in a shallow tray in a light, well ventilated place until the eyes (small shoots) have grown to about 3/4 inch. I’ve even had success using thick potato peelings that have started to sprout in the kitchen!

oots) have grown to e even had success peelings that have s p ro u t i n

11

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Big Garden Birdwatch

Take part on January 26th-27th Did you know that British gardens occupy twice the area set aside for nature reserves? This means they play a vital role in wildlife conservation.

    Only   5 Minu tes 

How you can help?

Put up nest boxes and roosting pockets.

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Sunday 10.30amGranyte to NEW, 4 pm BIGGER, BETTER RANGE!  Normal Price £114 STOP NEW BIGGER DEPARTMENT OPENING Jobman Pro-lite Fitters Trousers2012 x 1 10% OFF* ESS.. FEBRUARY OP PR Come and sample our full range of T NEW OPENING HOURS SRANGE COME AND TRY THEIR FULL OF ENGLISH OAK, WOODLAND Once you’ve created a welcoming environ LANDJobman G Belt x 1 N All JAck Pyke BOX PRICE £84 E F GRASSLAND & PROJack HUNTER COUNTRY WEAR E O5.30pm, Pyke English Oak,Woodland, YKto Monday to Friday 9am Saturday 9am to 5pm      *With10% this Jobman advert ACK P : GET LAUNCH off ALL JACK PYKE PRODUCTS WITH THIS ADVERT Kneepads Pair VExRT1 ment it’s time to sit back and take part in ..JEVENT S AD S IS E Jobman Granyte Fitters Trousers x 1 or TH & Pro Hunter PRESS..JACK PYKE OF ENGLAND STOPCountry PRESS..

PR STOP Grassland wear W ITH Sunday 10.30am to NEW, 4TSpm BIGGER, BETTER RANGE! STOP Jobman x 1 or ODUC Dry-Tech PRPro-lite NEW BIGGER DEPARTMENT OPENING FEBRUARY 2012 Jobman FittersPolo Trousers x 1 10% OFF* PYKE The Big Garden Birdwatch run by the RSPB JACKTHEIR Come and sample our full range of LTRY AL COME AND FULL RANGE OF ENGLISH OAK, WOODLAND f INSTORE BARBER Jobman Dry-Tech Shirt x 1 of 10% Jobman Belt x 1 WEAR Pyke : GET All JAck GRASSLAND & PRO HUNTER COUNTRY Jack Pyke Oak,Woodland, EVENT (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).    O PRODUCTS PEnglish ExN1    N SITE: GET LAUNCHLAUNCH OSHOP *With this Jobman advert LOGO 10% off ALL JACK PYKE WITH THIS ADVERT Kneepads Pair SHOPEVENT SALE ON up to & 75% off Summer W NEWNOW SPRING SEASON STOCK NOW Grassland Pro Hunter Country wear LOGO K NO TuSE eJobman sASdON aStock y,STTOCSTOP hDry-Tech u&r sARRIVING d a y & F r i dLines axy 1 or 9am - 5.30pm ON SITE PYKE OF ENGLAND PRESS..

Simply spend an hour recording how many STOP PRESS..JACK Polo Clearance NG RI NG VI SP W OPENING NEW BIGGER DEPARTMENT ARRIFEBRUARY 2012 Embroidery &NE Print LOGO SHOP ON SITE INSTORE BARBER Jobman Dry-Tech x 1 & Saturday NCEShirt TRY THEIR FULL RANGE OF ENGLISHPlUS! OAK, WOODLAND birds and which species visit your garden on COME ANDGRASSLAND EARA EMBROIDERY & PRINT Logos TER CL S LINES 9am - 2.30pm WIN TE HUNTER  & SI PRO COUNTRY WEAR O PWINTER E to N 5pmCLEARANCE N UNRUED LOGOS FROM inc vat OSHOP TI O FINAL LOGO NFINAL HOWITH FROM inc VAT£4 PYKE m SC SHOPoff£4 G SALE NOW ON up to 75% off Summer DI 9a IN LAUNCH EVENT : LO GET ALL JACK PRODUCTS THIS ADVERT GO10% NEW SPRING SEASON STOCK NOW FF ay N either the 26th or 27th of January and submit  OWINTER WORKWEAR, TEAM WEAR FINAL tu 60 OeP Sa Tu sE d%a5. y,30Tpm h u,& r60% sARRIVING dCLEARANCE ard yOFF& DISCONTINUED F r i dLines a y 9 a m -LINES 5.30pm ON SITE Workwear, Teamwear, STOP PRESS..JACK PYKE STOP PRESS..

EWENGLAND CLUB KIT, EVENT KIT to Stock NOF Clearance pm 4 m ALL LADIES WORKWEAR to2012 9a60% BIGGER DEPARTMENT FEBRUARY OFF Discontinued Lines Embroidery &OFFS Print ay Club Kit,SHOP Event Kit ONE TO 100s  your results online at the address below. Not COMENEW idOPENING & Saturday LOGO ON SITE .30am to Fr ay 10 OAK, WOODLAND TROUSERS & POLO SHIRTS day UP AND TRY THEIR FULL OFnd ENGLISH on NO SET CHARGES Su M AllPlUS! Ladies Workwear EMBROIDERY & PRINT Logos One Offs to RANGE 100’s 9am - 2.30pm  GRASSLAND & PRO HUNTER COUNTRY WEAR RSShirts 40% OFF TO CLEAR WINTER U LOGOS FROM inc vat only will the results will be analysed and O Trousers &FINAL Polo H to 5pmCLEARANCE NO SET CHARGE! FROM £4UP inc VAT£4 PYKE  m G 9a IN LAUNCH EVENT : GET 10% off ALL JACK PRODUCTS WITH THIS ADVERT y NWINTER  da WORKWEAR, TEAM WEAR FINAL CLEARANCE NEW SPRING SEASON NOW AM 60% OFF DISCONTINUED LINES atur OPESTOCK S 40% To Clear  Workwear, pm,OFF CLUBTeamwear, KIT, EVENT KIT NEW 5.30 published on the site but you’ll get the warm NEW OPENING HOURS ARRIVING to pm 4 m ALL LADIES WORKWEAR to 9a60% OFFm Club ONE Kit, Event Kit OFFSFr TOay 100s  0a Discontinued Lines LOGO SHOP ON SITE to idto Friday y 10.3 New Opening Hours TROUSERS & POLO9am SHIRTS Monday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday to 5pm day UP on NO SET CHARGES Sunda M All Ladies Workwear glow that comes from knowing you’ve done One Offs to 100’s EMBROIDERY & PRINT Mon-Fri 9am to 5.30pm 40% TO CLEAR Sunday 10.30am toOFF 4 pm LOGOS FROM £4 inc TrousersCLEARANCE & Polo Shirts NOvat SET UP CHARGE!FINAL WINTER  Sat 9am to 5pm your bit for bird conservation.

WORKWEAR, TEAM WEAR SEASON 38NEW SPRING60% OFFSTOCK DISCONTINUED LINES 40%NOW OFF To Clear  CLUB KIT, EVENT KIT NEW OPENING ARRIVING ALL LADIES WORKWEAR HOURS Sun 10.30am to 4pm OFFSON TO 100s Visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch LOGOONE SHOP SITE Monday to Friday New Opening Hours TROUSERS & POLO SHIRTS 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm NO SET UP CHARGES

WINTER

SALE

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27th December

30

EMBROIDERY & PRINT LOGOS FROM £4 inc vat WORKWEAR, TEAM WEAR 38 CLUB KIT, EVENT KIT ONE OFFS TO 100s Monday to Friday NO SET UP CHARGES

ALL & POLO SERS EAR TROU TO CL % OFF 40 SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY AND WHILST STOCKS LAST STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS

EAR WORKW IRTS DIES SH ALL LA & POLO SERS EAR TROU TO CL F OF % 40 SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY AND WHILST STOCKS LAST

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Reliving the California Ballroom at Priory House Heritage Centre

Refurbished exhibition space to host new California Ballroom Exhibition.

Olympian Productions, a theatre production company based in Bedfordshire have teamed up with Dunstable Town Council to present the long awaited – California Ballroom Exhibition. To be held in Priory House Heritage Centre Exhibition Gallery from Saturday 27 October 2012 to Saturday 8 December 2012 as the newly refitted gallery opens its doors to the public.

The California Ballroom was a music / concert venue based at the bottom of Dunstable Downs, and originally hosted swimming baths during the 1940’s, followed by go-karting, car racing and roller-skating. The Ballroom itself was built during the late 1950’s and its official opening was 12 March 1960. Once the doors opened, the crowds flocked in their thousands to see all the biggest and best bands/musicians of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

These stars included the likes of: Stevie Wonder, Ike and Tina Turner, Ben E King, Diana Ross, Lulu, The Rolling Stones and Al Green - plus later on, the likes of; Elton John, the Jam, Slade and hundreds more.

Cllr Liz Jones Chairman of Community Services Committee said “As a centre to celebrate the town’s Heritage, it is fitting that Priory House is hosting this new exhibition which celebrates a recent and very important part of the Town’s history. It’s important that as a town we don’t just look back a few hundred years at Dunstable’s history, but that we also look back at more recent historical chapters in the town’s heritage. The refurbishment of the exhibition space will also mean that Priory House Heritage Centre will be able to accommodate a variety of other exhibitions over the years to come, attracting more people to this jewel in the town’s history.“ This FREE exhibition holds many interesting artefacts from original posters, wall décor, Stevie 32

Wonders cufflink, signed contracts and photos. An original signed Bob Marley album, original fashion from the era, newspaper articles, music and much more…

This Exhibition is aimed at anyone who went to the California Ballroom and to everyone else who has a passion for music, old and young.

For info go to www.california-ballroom.info The refurbished exhibition space has been redesigned to enable different exhibitions to be displayed in the future, whilst protecting the static ‘history of Dunstable’ exhibition which has been in situ since Priory House was opened to the public.

Tea specialist teams up with Priory House Heritage Centre Following their successful bid earlier this year to become members of the prestigious Tea Guild the staff at Priory House Tea Rooms will be working with Malcolm Ferris-Lay of the Tea Consultancy to develop the Tea Rooms and a range of Dunstable Tea. Malcolm will be delivering specialist training sessions for the staff which will cover knowledge of the teas on offer , how to present Afternoon Tea and good customer service practices.

In addition to the training, Malcolm and Helen Walker-Sygrove, the Priory House Manager are working to develop a range of teas, branded as Dunstable Tea, to be used in the Tea Rooms and packaged for sale through Priory House.

The blends will highlight important people, events and places from Dunstable’s history so look out for the first tea which will be served with the Christmas Afternoon Teas and will be available as taster packs and as part of Christmas gift hampers to go with the Priory Pantry range of preserves or just buy for yourself to enjoy.

Malcolm and Helen are also exploring options for developing specialist courses based at Priory House for promoting excellence in the field of tea knowledge and to encourage wider enjoyment and appreciation of tea in all its guises.

Being from a family which, as he says, are “steeped“ in tea and having over 40 years specialist experience in the tea industry, Malcolm is passionate about sharing his knowledge and encouraging people to learn about and enjoy a wider variety of different teas.

In the New Year groups will be able to book talks by Malcolm at Priory House and enjoy an Afternoon Tea as part of the experience and in 2014 he hopes to be sharing his knowledge through an exhibition covering the history and customs of tea growing, trading and culture in the main exhibition galleries.

01582 521430

www.thevinemagazine.co.uk

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39

33

The Nutrition Coach

Banish The

Hangover

Was your Christmas a little too merry? Get a bit too happy at new year?

Did you wake up with a throbbing headache, a general feeling of physical misery, a tiger in your bathroom and a bit of left over turkey stuck somewhere on your shirt?

Before you choose to finish that cold turkey or opt for the Bloody Mary, try these tips instead.

Rehydrate Alcohol is a diuretic – a chemical that kicks your urinary system into overdrive, and unless you managed to alternate your alcoholic beverages with water in between (which never works does it?), your post-drinking symptoms are most likely due to dehydration. Rehydrating is key when it comes to recovering from a hangover and cannot be stressed enough. But I’m not talking coffee, Red Bull or hair-of-the-dog here. Caffeine is an acknowledged stimulant, and while you might hope caffeine can perform its miracles of giving some much needed focus and alertness, it’s another diuretic. Red Bull isn’t much better (and requires another column), and choosing the hairof-the-dog option would only be advisable if you want to pass out to forget what you’ve done the night before. Coffee will not help your stomach either, so the best option is water at room temperature. You may add some fresh lemon or fresh orange juice to give you additional Vitamin C for energy, and for soothing your upset tummy.

Top Up When you drink excessively, you lose a lot of key minerals and vitamins including potassium, magnesium and B-Vitamins, all of which need to be topped up. Bananas are a great hangover food; they are like nature’s own little hangover cures. Not only are they full of fructose (natural fruit sugar) to help with energy, they contain a nice amount of potassium. Bananas are also natural antacids – which will help your nausea and stomach pain – and they also contain magnesium, which helps to relax pounding blood vessels in your head. Have a banana on toasted 34

wholegrain bread (for the carbohydrates and B-Vitamins) with organic peanut or almond butter (great sources of magnesium and protein), and you get a good dose of all those key minerals and vitamins you lost the night before. Drinking vegetable bouillon soup or coconut water are two other good sources of vitamins and minerals, and easy for a fragile stomach to digest.

Eat Do eat. Yes, it might be the last thing you want to do, but you will feel a lot better the minute you get your blood sugar levels up after having had some food. There is no one-and-only hangover food cure, but you can’t beat a good fry-up.

It gives you the greasy fat to coat your stomach, and the bread and eggs will give you the carbohydrates and protein for energy and blood sugar support. All I can say there is no perfect food cure for a hangover, so if you’ve found one that works for you, stick to it. My advice, though, would be to opt for a well-balanced meal, including all groups of macronutrients: complex carbohydrate, lean protein and healthy unsaturated fats. A toasted wholegrain bagel with cream cheese and salmon is another good option, and so is porridge with natural yoghurt and strawberries, giving you enough fibre for blood sugar balance, selenium to boost liver function, and Vitamin C for energy and soothing your tummy.

Sleep But for the best cure of all (and if you have the luxury of not having to get up), go back to bed after your breakfast and sleep it off!

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35

Health

natural Health natural H Stocking up for Winter

Squirrels burying their acorns on Autumn Watch and thoughts of millions of people in New York without lights and heating set me thinking, as I began writing this article, about stocking up rather than Christmas shopping.

So here are some of my suggestions

By Sue Blain

Naturopathic Practitioner

36

1

Keeping Warm

Most of us have loft insulation so why not boost your own inner central heating by adding warming spices such as cayenne, chilli, turmeric, ginger, cumin and various herbs to soups, casseroles and hot drinks?

But don’t just add herbs to soups, antiseptic Thyme is great for gargling sore throats, garlic too! Sprinkle cinnamon on porridge and sweeten with anti-bacterial Manuka honey.

Use effective insulation to conserve your heat by wearing thermals! They’re quite popular now, not just for hikers and the elderly.

And don’t lose all that heat through the top of your head by not wearing a hat!

2

Stock Up On Supplements

Vitamin D3 1000iu to boost your mood and immune system, found in oily fish and eggs but mainly obtained from sunshine on your skin. A good reason to exercise outdoors but, given the sun is now in short supply, most people become deficient, hence the abundance of winter colds and flu. Vitamin C 1000mg to help mop up the toxins should you come down with a cold or flu, found in fruit and veg. Ester-C is best.

Homeopathic remedies, a must this time of year; Aconite 30c if you feel really chilled and can’t seem to warm up, perhaps the first sign of a cold, and Gelsemium 30c if suffering muscular

aches and pains associated with the early signs of flu.

Echinacea, to boost the immune system.

3

Essential Oils

Pine, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon and Thyme have marked anti-microbial effects and some can stimulate an immune response. They can be used to clear airborne germs by adding them to an oil burner or a room spray, in steam inhalations or applied to the skin (all, except Lavender and Tea tree, will need to be diluted with a carrier oil first, such grapeseed oil). Do a patch test first.

4

‘Feel-Good’ Foods

Reduced light levels can cause a decrease in the ‘feel-good’ brain chemical serotonin, which can make us crave sugary carbohydrates. The best way to boost levels of serotonin is by eating foods such as turkey, chicken, fish, cottage cheese, bananas, eggs, nuts, avocados and legumes, together with small amounts of wholemeal bread, pasta, brown rice or root vegetables.

5

Light Candles

Candles brighten gloomy afternoons, create a warming Christmas atmosphere and of course are perfect in case of power cuts. Oh and don’t forget the matches! Wishing you a healthy, happy Christmas, from Sue Blain.

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HaIR Couture ----------

Hair Now celebrity hairdresser Richard Ward gives his hair tips on reviving tired, winter hair.

---------In winter, we need to repair hair damage and nurture it back into good condition. Hair is more likely to naturally shed in winter time (like animals losing their coats) as new hair is growing in its place, many clients rejuvenate their hair by coming in for a good blunt, thickening cut after the ravages of the beach.

If you do opt to change your hairstyle during winter months, lustrous locks need to follow a maintenance programme and home-care regime such as my Couture Hair Seasons Winter/Hydrate Treatment Programme to keep them looking perfectly groomed and keep straggly ends at bay. Long hair and extensions only look great when moving and swingy - too straight and ends look frazzled and splintered. Ditch the styling irons and keep chunky by regular trimming to make hair look and feel full and bouncy.

Going for a darker colour winter is a great way to revive hair and reflect the key fashion trends. Darker, richer hair reflects light better, so going for a deeper take on your current tone and a chunky cut to get rid of your aged summer beach hair will make hair feel healthier and revived. Go for a clear colour gloss to add shine and lustre or a vegetable colour glaze.

To get the most out of your hair there are certain things you can change in your daily routine to make hair healthier and shinier. For example, when 38

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----------

washing your hair, use the flats of your fingers (the spongy pads) not your fingertips or nails, which is more beneficial for scalp and blood flow stimulation.

Rinse your hair for 2 minutes – time yourself. Hair will shine if rinsed really well. Avoid excessive heat damage – don’t use the straighteners every day when you do use a protective product such as my Couture Hair Memoriser Holding Serum. Get in the habit of holding your dryer at least 5 inches away from your hair. If you hold it any closer it will damage your hair – test it on your hand and see how fast you pull away when holding it close to your skin!

Make the most of steam! Steamy hot baths and showers are great for leaving on a regular conditioning treatment. The steam and moisture opens the cuticle to allow the product to be penetrated into the cortex (internal structure) where hair can be most seriously damaged.

HAIR REVIVING TRUTHS

• 100 brushes per day will make hair healthier.

There is some fact in this, as brushing this much would stimulate the scalp therefore stimulating blood production and encouraging faster growth.

• Eating gelatine will strengthen hair and nails.

Gelatine is protein rich and is actually made from collagen which is proven to encourage healthy new growth.

• A cold rinse will make hair shine.

Actually lukewarm water is what we advise for oily hair so as not to stimulate the scalp, so any extreme of temperature will stimulate the blood vessels encouraging healthy hair growth.

For appointments at the Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, call 020 7730 1222 or visit www.richardward.co.uk.

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

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               Answers   on page 46             9 7 1        6     3   6 9   8 

Puzzled Page....

Sudoku 数独

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3 4

5

9 3 5

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                                      Step from the bottom to the top rung  by changing one letter at a time           DAMES                

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2

4

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

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Down

Locally Produced

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ump suddenly (7)

42

onal (9)

20. Enjoy to excess (7) 21. Temporary (7) 23. Exculpation (5)

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Out&About

• Clubs • Groups • Events THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB • Community

“The more you put in, the more you get out” is certainly true for the members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the club has raised thousands of pounds for local and national charitiesEvery from events DUNSTABLE such as quizzes, race nights, stalls GARDEN CLUB made by local volunteers.

HARLINGTON PERFORMS WATLING STREET CLUB at Carnivals At our October a month we donate our profits there toetc. a is more presents and thesocial Beanstalk” However, to Orbit than meeting the comradeship We are an“Jack independent club for ex-Rotarians and representative Blom’s Bulbs, orfor local group at Harlington Sundon andsupporting teamwork involved in organising of fundraising events. similarly mindedVillage people Hall, and have been in charity existence local people.

Road.3 years. We are named ‘The Watling The emphasis is very Melchbourne, much on havingBedfordshire fun in all theirgave nearly Street Club’ a very interesting on the See Street. and LIKE our Facebook page 7.30p.m. on Friday activities including a wide range of social talk pursuits such as as our members form December a link along7th the Watling cultivation of tulips and growfor Hunter’s examples of ourarchery, previous Cafebowling, 10-pin cinema/theatres, guided walks, andmeet 2.00p.m.

7.30p.m. on at the ‘Old We every and Thursday evening progressive meals etc.ing The club for planthe events to suit all Lodge’ Whipsnade for 8th a meal and speaker.treats, and to receive them Chelsea Flower updates on Saturday December them are free or at a low cost. their New members are welcome.

For more information - this year they gained our openings. Lookbudgets out for and our many of Show £7 adults £5 children and senior is only £10 annually. contact John Stevens 01582 668033 62nd Gold medal! On November posters around the Membership village. citizens.

Tuesdays 12thand thethird Chairman of of theeach Midland Everyone WelcomeMeetings are on the first Box Office D.A.W.G. 01525 758874 SOCIAL CLUB month at the Dunstable Rugby Club, Bedford Road , Branch of guaranteed the National Vegetable Houghton Regis 8pm.

You’ll be a warm We are a small and friendly Dunstable based social Society will tell us how to have THE BOGTROTTERS EDLESBRAY welcome. group meeting once aPLAYERS month with a wide variety of homegrown The (Dunstable and on 01582 present Sherlock Holmes and the Contact Mark 539379, vegetables on our speakers during the winter and outdoor events Bogtrotters and plate every day of the year. The and Hostelling Caseduring of thethe Missing Panto Julie on 01582 535761 www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable visits summer.

EachEaton year we alsoDistrict arrangeWalking two Christmas meeting on December Group) are a group of about 90 Bray Village 24th, entertainment. evenings with aHall, meal Thursday and professional DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUBevening.

10th will be a sociable walkers, hikers and hostellers.

We We would welcome new members (couples and singles).

Friday 25thand Saturday 26th JanuFor andSaturday a free visit whyrun nota contact We(except start 2013 January in with a surprisingly diverse range of Monday aryfurther at 7.30information p.m. and on We meet every bankinholidays) Chews Brian 01525at754189.

by Dunstable, English Heritage about activities, includingHouse half and full Street talk 26th on January 2.00 p.m. There’ll in High South, from 1pm to the recently at Wrest day walks, hostelling trips, 5pm.

Wemeals would welcome newrestored membersgardens of all standards be a bar available in the evenings, DUNSTABLE GARDEN CLUB and you do not need Park, a partner.

Silsoe. and evening activities. and refreshments at the matinee.

If anyone is interested please call: 01582 664485 Dunstable Garden Club meet on the second Monday Meetings are held on the 2nd New members are always welTickets prices are £6 for adults, £4 evening of eachThe month 7.30pm at the Salvation Monday of each winter month at come. Army Prospective members are for children.

BoxatOffice is at Community Hall, Bull Pond Lane, Dunstable.

The Club BLOWS DOWNS theCONSERVATION Salvation Army Hall,GROUP Bull Pond invited to get in touch via the 96A High Street, Eaton Bray, LU6 has been in existence for many years and maintaining Lane, Dunstable and commence website, give us a ring or just turn 2DP and opens on 10th DecemJoin our friendly guided walk at blows downs dunstable on a steady membership. The subscription is only £10 per sunday July 3rd. the walk will be aVisitors short 2welcome miles but at unduat 7.30pm. £2 upwinter to an event or walk. ber.which Phoneentitles 01525members 220201(6-9pm) year to attend eight lating, at a leisurly pace. themembers way we talk about the is and on new subscription Enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk or text 07985 936994and or email meetings with speakers a selection of summer flora and fauna of this£10 wildlife trust owned nature reserve a year. www.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk panto.tickets@sky.com outings from May onwardstotobook various interesting and will include theMary area of the chalkTel:pits where Chapman 01582the wild well-known garden venues.

01582 865966 Suewhich or Julian your tickets. orchids should be in abundance.

Visitors are very welcome at £2 each so why not come 603710 Meet at the far end of Half moon lane , dunstable at 3pm. along andCHILDREN’S meet some ofPROM the members whoDUNSTABLE would love DOWNSIDE W.I. details, tony bliss 01582 704664.

Tel. for further to2.30pm see fresh faces. 9 February, D.A.W.G. SOCIAL CLUB Dunstable Downside WI meet two Saturday We are a small and friendly DunSt Mary’s Church, Eaton Bray: CHILTERN CEILIDHSevenings a month on the 2nd and stable based social club who meet 4th Thursdays at Watling Lower featuring Aylesbury Concert Band. dance Chiltern Ceilidhs - a regular ceilidh/barn on the once a month in Houghton Regis Bullpond Lane at 7.30pm.

FREE TICKETS accompanied 2nd Friday of thefor month.

All ages welcome,School no experiSt Fremund’s Church with a wide variety of speakers Weband are friendly group and like to children. ence required and live music from our house every The including dances start at 8pm (doors open at during the winter and outdoor enjoy ourselves.

We have a wide Prommonth! favourites Sailor’s Westfield Road, Dunstable 7.30pm) andand tickets (£5 and conc) withrange underof 10s events during the summer. speakers with different Hornpipe Landare of£7 Hope getting in free.

Venue: The Polish Club, Albion street, We would welcome new members talents and crafts, and also Quiz Glory - other music may include Dunstable, LU6The 3AZJungle Book, (couples and singles). For further nights to test our brains. We welextracts from Contact: 01582 475655, information and a free visit why come Chittychilternceilidhs@googlmail.com Chitty Bang Bang, Harry email: or visit ournew members so join us and not contact Brian on make new friends Potter, Aladdin, Pirates of the Carwebsite: www.chilternceilidhs.info 01525 754189.

For more information telephone ibbean, Nelly the Elephant, Mary THE BOGTROTTERS Chris Brewin 01582 520361 Poppins.

Contact: Mrs Nicola Talbot TEA TIME TALES Tickets for adults £7.50 from the Walking and HosThe Bogtrotters (Dunstable and District telling Group)- are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and SENIOR CITIZENS 01582604847 Priory House Heritage Centre DUNSTABLE Box Office 01525 222283 hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activities, Tel: 01582 890270 What age would you like to live to? admin@dunstableswimmingpools.co.uk including half and full day walks, hostelling mealsyou andlike to live Local History Talks Would it with TODDINGTON COMMUNITY CAFE trips, evening activities. with Tea/Coffee Dignity, Financial peace of mind, Toddington Community Cafe aims New members are always welcome.

Thursday 2.30pm, - 4.00pm Withmembers a voice to bring Toddington together andProspective are invited to get touch via the website, us aare ringa or £4.50 per person local group fighting the raise funds for in our community.

The giveWe just turn up totwice an event or walk.

January 10th fight for the over 50’s Café opens a month: enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk Revives the weary, relieves the Interested in finding out more? on the first Monday of the www.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk thirsty and reassures those in need Come to a meeting month,from 01582 8659669.15-11.30am Sue or Julian in Todof solace - a tale about tea. By We meet the last Thursday of each dington Baptist Church, and Dunstable Town Guide, Ann on the thirdTHE Thursday of the month HEALING TRUSTmonth at 2pm January 24th In the Social club of The Catholic from 9.15-11.30am in theRoad, WilkinArdley Hill School, Lowther Dunstable, each Children Of Henry VIII. Church in West Street Dunstable son Hall,evening, beside 7.30 St. George’s Thursday - 9pm. No charge, donations

By Dunstable Town Guide, Paul.

Or call for more information on Church. NFSH contact Pam Hill on accepted.

01582 534357 All our Cakes and Bakes are home01582 606182.

Come for interest or healing.

HALL FOR HIRE Regular slots available or for family parties

44

CHILTERN GATEWAY CENTRE Learn The Art Of Wreathmaking

8 December Sessions at 10.30am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm - 3.30pm Join us and learn how to make your own beautiful Christmas wreath with expert guidance.

Booking is essential. Workshops cost just £25 (incl. all materials) Christmas Bazzar

Sunday 9th, 16th and 23rd Dec 11am - 4pm Get in the festive mood at our Christmas Bazaar. Find Father Christmas’s magical grotto and treat the kids to a sleigh ride.

Carriage rides available on 9th and 16th December only.

Christmas Lunch

Enjoy a sumptuous Christmas lunch in our festive function room overlooking Dunstable Downs, and enjoy the magnificent views while you dine.

Available Monday to Thursday from 3rd until 13th December.

Bookings taken for lunch between 12pm and 1.30pm.

• Booking is essential. Please call 01582 500920 for further details and to book.

•All bookings must pre-order by 30 November.

• Private parties catered for Boxing Day Walk

Wednesday 26 December 11am - 1pm Walk off those extra calories from Christmas. Join our countryside team for a guided walk over Dunstable Downs while you admire the spectacular views and enjoy the fresh air. £2 DUNSTABLE NETBALL CLUB The Club’s objective is to foster and promote the sport of netball, providing opportunities for recreation and competition.

Dunstable Netball Club Junior

session is held at All Saints Academy, Houghton Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU5 5AB from 6pm till 7.15 on Thursday evenings.

Children are required to wear suitable training shoes, bring a drink and £3.00 subscription fees per week.

The adult session is held at All Saints Academy, as above from 7.30 - 9.00 on Thursday evenings.

It is open to all ages and abilities and is a great way to get fit, have fun and make new friends. £3.00 subscription fee per week Junior membership of the Club is open to : Boys in School years 5 & 6 Females in School Year 5 to adult Children aged 8 (school year 4) will be accepted if a Club Coach deems them to have exceptional development qualities and on the agreement of the committee.

For further information, find us on Facebook(Dunstable Net-ball Club) 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

meeting people and occasional trips out then why not join us!

Our next three meetings are on 14th November Cake Icing Demonstration (just right for Christmas), 28th November Slips, Trips & Falls (hope this does not happen to any of us) & then on the 12th December Christmas Revels and Dutch Supper. We look forward to seeing YOU.......

For further information please telephone Monica 01582 667030 or Barbara 01582 606300 THE FRIENDS OF STUDHAM COMMON We are a friendly,voluntary group whose aim is to conserve,maintain and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place for everyone to enjoy.For this purpose we meet as a work party on the third Saturday of each month (except Dec.) The work is not onerous and we enjoy the exercise and the good company –and a picnic lunch is provided! Details from Pam on 01582 872608 pamrumfitt@ btinternet.com

Are You Out & About?

Listings for non-profit making clubs, charities & events are FREE in The Vine

ROTARY CLUB A Festival of Christmas Songs presented by local choirs and music groups (with audience participation) will be held at the Dunstable Methodist Church on Saturday mailthevine@yahoo.co.uk 1st December 2012 between 4.30pm and 6pm.the Admission is free and programmes sses going on in Let to uslocal knowbusine what’s local people are £1. There willConne be acting retiring collection for the the community.

Join us on Advertise Here Dunstable and District Disabled Sports and refreshments will beAs Little As For served after the concert.

Vine

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45

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