New Year New you. Motors. New Year Homes. Professional services and much more!
Gazette & Diary Magazine
2 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Happy New Year
Welcome...
IT’S the New Year and a time for new beginnings. Like our old friend Gary Barlow said to us whilst furiously munching on a pork pie during one of his frequent binges, “Everything changes but you.” Which isn’t strictly true, we changed our underwear only last week, but you can’t argue with a portly pop star you know. Anyhow, 2016! What a year that was. Bowie! Brexit! Trump! The devastation that was the shrinking Toblerones. It all kicked off! Yet here at the calm which lies in the centre of the storm, the G&D maintained their equilibrium, and aided and abetted by a steady supply of KFC Buckets and bumper bottles of pop, remained unruffled, unrewarded, but bristling with a fierce determination to bring you your monthly dose of the good stuff. Rest assured whatever changes are on the horizon in 2017, it will not prevent us from delivering our usual supply of informing, entertaining, and enriching articles. And this month is no exception. We’ve got a simply wonderful New year New Home, New year New you feature, alongside our usual lowdown on the motors you want and the motors you need. And if that wasn’t enough check out our Call the Professionals feature for any emergencies that may come your way in the next 12 months. We bid you farewell, but before we do, remember what avid G&D reader Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” You can’t say fairer than that. Now get out of here and have a happy new year.
in association with
The Abergavenny Chronicle For information on how to advertise in the next issue, please contact:
Jenna Hopkins 01873 852187 Ext 35 jenna.hopkins@ abergavennychronicle.com
Part of the Tindle Newspaper Group
Published by the Abergavenny Chronicle, Nevill Street, Abergavenny, Gwent NP7 5AA
Dates for your Diary January 19 – Abergavenny Local History Society, Rob Thomas will talk about The Story of Middleton Hall. Borough Theatre, 7.30pm. Non-Members are welcome to join on the night.
Nick Ramsay AM
Assembly Member for Monmouth
Can I hellpp you?
nick@nickramsay.org.uk nickramsay.org.uk 16 Maryport Street, Usk, NP15 1AB 01291 674898
Printed by Trinity Mirror plc
January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 3
Out and About
C
LEAR your head after the Christmas and New Year festivities with a walk through some of Britain's most glorious gardens and estates, taking in the frost-dusted flora and fauna along the way. After all that Christmas shopping, list-making and party planning, it’s now time to take a break and relax by enjoying the best of the winter gardens nationwide. The National Trust offers a wealth of winter wonderlands and the RHS stages a range of horticultural events. Here's just a few of the best gardens to give you space to think after a hectic month‌
Forest of Dean Half Mara athon
19th March 2017
De-stress with a winter walk RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Bodnant Garden, Conwy Bodnant's winter garden has now been open for almost four years. Discover coloured-stemmed birches and enjoy the scent of winter shrubs such as hamamelis, daphne and sarcococca. Highlights for the new year include bright bergenias and bulbs such as snowdrops, iris, cyclamen and crocus. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ bodnant-garden
Adorned with daphnes, witch hazels, birch trees and maples, the striking stem colours and variety of forms, textures and breath-taking scents make this one of the largest and oldest concentrations of winter horticulture in the north of England. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Winter Walk, some 5,000 irises have been planted and will bloom in early spring. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr
Dingle Nurseries and Garden, Frochas, Welshpool, Powys This family-run business has devoted a 4.5-acre area for a spectacular RHS partner garden taking in the mid-Wales rolling hills and is famed for its colourthemed and unusual planting. At this time of year, head for the lake to admire the brightly-stemmed dogwoods and trees with eye-catching bark, including eucalyptus and superb birches, as well as the paper bark maple (Acer griseum). www.dinglenurseryandgarden.co.uk 01938 555 145
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Traffic free signal lap, Wide fo forest trails, TRA Licence, Chip timed d, Fully marshalled, Water stops, On-site free parrking, Race Village, Massage, Med dals. www.forestofdean-halfmarathon n.co.uk
nantyderry garden centre Family business (Established 1956) in beautiful rural setting.
Fantastic range of shrubs and conifers for winter colour
If the weather's too cold for a walk, take refuge in the amazing glasshouses where 10 different climatic zones display stately palms, stunning orchids, architectural ferns, a collection of plants that underlines their importance to our everyday existence and plants from some of the steamiest jungles and driest deserts on planet earth. www.rbge.org.uk
Triley Fieldss Equestrian Cen ntre Upper Triley Farm Tel: 01873 890523 Email: suzanne@trifec.com m (On the A465 to Hereford, 3.5 miles north of Abergavenny)
Take the Chainbridge turn off the A4042 Abergavenny - Pontypool road - and follow the brown signs
Open 7 days a week 10am -5pm
01873 880377 www.nantyderryGC.co.uk
4 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Riding Lessons, BHS Exam training, Live eries and Pony Loans, P L Sh Show J Jumping Shows, Sh D Dressa age Shows.
Cross Country and Working Hunter C Courses available for hire
Homes and Gardens
There’s always room for more storage IF finding room for the Christmas presents you received seems impossible, check out these ideas for increasing your home's storage space. One room where storage is essential is the bedroom, and while many of us dream of a walk-in wardrobe, most homes don't have space for one. The next best thing is built-in wardrobes, as they provide acres of space and are a more flexible storage solution than freestanding wardrobes. Fitted storage is particularly useful in awkwardly shaped rooms, such as loft bedrooms, where builtin wardrobes can make the most of the space, especially in the eaves. They are usually made to measure, so all the available space is used, and the interiors can be customised with drawers, shelves and hanging rails, etc, depending on your needs. The main downside is the price fitted wardrobes typically cost thousands of pounds from a specialist company, although a carpenter will often make them for a lot less. Some of the best storage is, of course, your home's loft. If you need to access it often, fitting a large loft hatch with a built-in ladder will make it much easier. You'll also need to board the loft (if it's not already boarded) before storing things up there. Use sheets of chipboard, or chipboard loft boards, which slot together. 'Soft' insulation (in rolls), such as mineral wool, shouldn't be compressed, though, so use loft legs to raise the floor level above the insulation the recommended depth for mineral wool is 27cm. Another option is to lay rolls of insulation between the joists, but rigid insulation over them and chipboard on top - some rigid insulation has a chipboard top layer.
If your bedroom already has fitted wardrobes but the doors belong to another decade, simply replace them with more up-to-date ones (as long as the wardrobe interiors are fine). It's easy to get standard-sized or made-to-measure replacement wardrobe doors, especially online, giving you a great new look for a fraction of the price of new wardrobes. Alternatively, get a carpenter to make new doors for you.
In the kitchen, lack of storage can drive you to distraction. A larder is ideal, but may not be an option in a small kitchen, where it's really important to have clever storage and a well-designed layout. Kitchen showrooms and DIY stores can offer ingenious ways of making more of the space, including pull-out worktops, pull-out shelves/racks in larder units, carousels so you can easily access the back of corner units, and tall wall units that provide extra storage in kitchens with higher ceilings.
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January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 5
Gazette & Diary Magazine
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S the ground becomes unworkable, sit back with a notepad and plan a new vegetable plot for the New Year. Creating a vegetable patch, whether on a large piece of ground or within a smaller raised bed, can bring rich rewards if you plan carefully. Growing compatible crops together is likely to reap richer harvests, while not treading soil from one bed to another and keeping your tools clean between use will help keep soil healthy and reduce the likelihood of the spread of pests and diseases. The idea behind crop rotation is that you avoid planting the same crop in the same bit of ground more than one year in four to stop root diseases building up and to make the most of resources such as manure, which is only needed for certain crops but not for others (like root crops). Crops which can be grown together include legumes (peas and beans), comprising peas and broad, French and runner beans; the onion family, including garlic, leeks, onions, shallots and spring onions; roots and tubers, including carrots, parsnips, beetroot, potatoes and tomatoes; and brassicas (cabbage family), featuring Brussels sprouts, cabbages, Chinese greens, pak choi, radish,
cauliflowers, swedes and turnips. Green veg which require regular watering can be separated from less thirsty root crops, lettuces are often grown with cabbage family crops as they need organic matter, nitrogen fertiliser and regular watering. Perennial veg like rhubarb and asparagus are best kept out of crop rotation beds. Squeeze quick-growing crops of lettuce and other salad leaves wherever they will fit, using them as a catch crop between slower-growing types such as winter brassicas. By swapping the main groups of
If in doubt, buy a soil tester to test the pH of your soil. The four-year rotation is a good technique which is easy to plan. Divide your plot into four separate sections if you have space, and then operate a four-year rotation on each. Keep a yearly plan as to what you have grown where - and you won't go far wrong.
vegetables around in a regular order, you can make best use of the nutrients in the soil because different crops need different amounts of nutrients. If you're starting a new plot or creating raised vegetable beds, prepare the ground thoroughly, digging to break up compacted soil and weeding thoroughly. Then add bulky organic matter before planting season starts. It may be better to do this in spring, using compost as a surface mulch. If you have an existing vegetable plot, dig it over each winter, inverting lumps of soil to bury annual weeds, but leave the clods intact. Frost and rain will break them down and leave a crumbly soil by spring. On light, sandy soils, wait until spring before digging. Sandy soils may also need liming regularly to give them a neutral pH.
Plan ahead for bigger harvests OU R UT I M AT E
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6 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
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Homes and Gardens
What to do this week in your garden ● Order or buy seeds of plants that need
to be sown in mid and late winter to ensure they get the long growing season they need. Store them in a cool dry place. ● Clean and store bamboo canes in the shed (or other dry place) to ensure they're still in good condition for next year. Broken ones can be shortened, where possible, for re-use. ● Plant brightly coloured winter stems such as dogwood, willow and rubus, to give your garden a boost. ● Prune winter-flowering shrubs over three years old after flowering. ● Regularly check fruit stores and remove rotting and mouldy specimens. These can be left out for birds and wildlife as a welcome winter treat. ● Remove mummified fruit from apple trees but don't add them to your compost bin or they could spread disease.
● Continue to plant bare-root hedging.
Harvest winter brassicas including Brussels sprouts and sprouting broccoli. Pick the largest sprouts from the bottom of the stalk first. ● Dig over and incorporate soil improvers into vacant areas of the vegetable plot. You can cover these areas with thick polythene to keep the soil dry and make it easier to work in the spring. ● If your acer needs pruning, do it now while it is dormant to stop the wounds bleeding sap and weakening the plant. ● Take hardwood cuttings of willow, buddleia and dogwood to increase your stock. ● Check on tender plants outdoors to ensure winter protection is still in place, especially after storms. ●
WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR FUEL? Reading this probably makes Fast Fuel your closest supplier. We have started a drive to reduce our environmental impact, IF WE ARE YOUR CLOSEST SUPPLIER WE SHOULD BE DELIVERING TO YOU. We must acknowledge our industry’s environmental effects and we are leading the way by being more responsible; we are striving to reduce our journey times and therefore our carbon footprint. By switching to Fast Fuel not only will you enjoy our unrivalled customer service, but together we can reduce emissions. We now offer match guarantee for anyone within our area as a commitment to this. Let Fast Fuel keep you warm this winter; join our family and make a difference.
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January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 7
Gazette & Diary Magazine
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Painting over wallpaper is an easy way to transform walls, and using a basecoat emulsion makes it even easier. Basecoats are designed to cover patterns and strong colours in fewer coats than it would take with standard emulsion, saving you time and effort. The problem with painting over wallpaper, especially if it's been up for years, is that it will eventually start to come away from the wall, usually at the seams. If it's already doing this, you can sometimes cut out the unadhered sections with a craft knife and then cover and blend with filler, but it isn't a great long-term solution.
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If you don't mind the fact your walls have seen better days, it's important to use the right type of paint on them. The best way to disguise uneven walls is to paint them with a chalky or flat-matt emulsion. Paint with any kind of sheen, such as silk emulsion, will emphasise the flaws, so avoid at all costs.
New year, new look?
5
You can also, of course, paint textured wallpaper, but this only works if you like the texture. Textured wallpaper is often used to cover less-than-perfect walls, so be prepared to replaster if you want to get rid of the wallpaper. Plaster can come away with the wallpaper when you strip it off and it's usually in a poor state underneath.
3
TIPS FOR PROBLEM WALLS
Dealing with interior walls that have seen better days can be a challenge, but there is a solution suited to your budget and DIY skills.
If you can't face the cost and mess of replastering, filler (or, if the wall's really bad, DIY plaster repair and skim products) can work wonders, but filling and sanding walls in a poor state can be very time-consuming and will only go so far. Some walls are beyond repair and must be replastered, but even this has its problems. Newly plastered walls and ceilings can develop hairline cracks, especially over lath and plaster or if the plaster is 'force' dried too quickly. However much you fill them, cracks have a habit of reappearing and if this happens and you can't live with them, lining paper or wallpaper should do the trick, but it's a shame to wallpaper newly plastered walls.
5 4
Blown plaster (plaster that's spongy and moves slightly when pressed on) can also be held in place with lining paper, as long as you don't put any weight on it, such as tiles, shelves or coat hooks. However, removing the plaster and replastering is a much better and longer-term solution. Blown plaster can be skimmed over (by a plasterer), but this isn't a good idea because the blown plaster isn't adhered properly and may fall off.
HOW-TO TIP If you discover spongy, blown plaster, the best thing to do is remove it - often there are wooden laths underneath, especially in old properties, which can cause cracks in plaster. For the best finish, remove the laths with a crowbar and screw plasterboard to the joists ready for plastering or get a plasterer to do it.
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FREE GUTTERING WITH ALL NEW FASCIAS 8 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Homes and Gardens
A vinyl floor can transform a room in no time, so if you're looking for a quick fix before entertaining this year, it could be for you! ● Sheet vinyl is a practical choice for kitchens, bathrooms, shower rooms, cloakrooms, utility rooms and more, and can be fitted by DIYers. It's usually affordable and comes in a big range of styles and colours, including designs that look like ceramic tiles, wood, stone, etc, but often cost less per square metre than the real thing. Vinyl can look dated, but it certainly doesn't have to, as there are lots of contemporary designs, such as stripes, as well as more traditional ones.
● Vinyl flooring is water-resistant, hard to
stain, and durable. Unlike a tiled floor, it's comfortable and 'warm' underfoot, which is a big plus when you're stepping out of the bath or shower on a cold morning. If you have kids and/or pets, vinyl comes into its own because it's softer, quieter and safer than a hard floor and (generally) stands up to heavy foot traffic well. Best of all, it's easy to keep clean - you can sweep it, vacuum it, mop it and wipe up spills easily.
● Before you fit the vinyl (or get someone in to do it), it's important to ensure that the
● However, vinyl can get scuffed and
scratched and it will deteriorate eventually, especially at the edges, where it can curl up. You have to be careful not to tear a vinyl floor - dragging a fridge across it, for example, can be a recipe for disaster. Vinyl can also be damaged by extreme temperatures, and faded by sunlight. Disadvantages aside, if you think vinyl's a good choice for your home and you're in a hurry to fit it, some designs are available in DIY and carpet shops to take away there and then.
sub-floor's as clean, dry and flat as possible, as vinyl will show up lumps, bumps and other imperfections. Uneven concrete sub-floors, for example, can be improved with self-levelling compound, which is available from DIY stores.
● To prepare a floorboards sub-floor, begin by knocking down
any protruding nails with a hammer and nail punch. Screw down any loose boards, checking first that there aren't cables or pipes underneath. Once the floorboards are secure, fix hardboard on top to provide a good surface on which to lay the vinyl. Both the hardboard and vinyl should be acclimatised in the room before you use them.
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January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 9
New Year New You Wattbike, £1,999 (wattbike.com) Designed for cyclists, this is the creme de la creme of home exercise bikes. Next-best-thing to battling those roads and hills for real, it's packed with smart features too so you can access workout and training plans and connect your apps.
AT HOME? WORK OUT
Want to get fit in 2017, but don't have much time to leave the house? Turning your home into an exercise zone's easier than you think - you don't even need tons of space. And with YouTube full of great workout videos, there really is no excuse. Work out your perfect home workout with this run down of seven top home-gym gems.
Bentley Fitness Kettle Bell, currently reduced from £17.99-£22.99 to £13.99-£16.99 (www.buydirect4u.co.uk) Available in 6kg or 8kg, these neoprene rubber coated kettle bells will help shake up your muscle-building and toning regime.
LINDA J. GARRATT D.O. REGISTERED OSTEOPATH
BROOKS PLACE, 56 UNION ROAD WEST, ABERGAVENNY NP7 7RH
01873 856818
Ab Roller And Kneeling Mat, £9.99 (www.andrewjamesworldwide.com) Hone and tone the whole of your core with this easy to assemble ab roller that requires barely any space and disassembles to store and transport.
Weighted Fitness Hula Hoop, £14.99 (www.andrewjamesworldwide.com) Hula-hooping can work wonders for your core and waist, and weighted hoops - like this 1.2kg loaded version - are apparently easier to master and promise a more beneficial workout.
Vibrostation, £399 (www.vibrostation.co.uk; 0800 999 3340) Boasting maximum results with minimal effort, just 10 minutes on the Vibrostation promises to be the same as an hour at the gym. The vibrating plate engages almost 100% of the muscles in the body, and has been found to improve strength and coordination as well as boosting bone density and weight loss. Great for people needing low-impact workouts too.
Amazon Basics 0.6 mm Yoga & Exercise Mat With Carrying Strap, £12.99 (www.amazon.co.uk) A mat's a must for making those floor exercises more comfortable. This one's great value for money; thick and squishy and easy to store. Comes in a range of colours, too.
Argos Opti Silver Gymball, £5.49 (www.argos.co.uk) Use this 55cm diameter ball to hone those abs and core muscles and improve your balance.
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10 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Education
HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS A life-changing education is closer than you think Reasons to choose the Monmouth Schools:
W
ITH a 400-year track record of delivering educational excellence, the Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools are geared to realise the full potential of girls and boys aged 3 to 18. The Schools passionately believe that:
◆ Girls and boys learn differently, and yet their development is enhanced by interaction. ◆ Each child’s talents and strengths should be nurtured alongside achieving the best academic results possible. ◆ All of our pupils should go on to lead happy, fulfilled lives, gaining access to their first choice universities, 65% Russell Group. ◆ Developing confidence and a love of learning is the key to academic success, with specialist subject teachers and small class sizes.
◆ We strive to deliver the best. ESTYN inspections praised the Schools for their sector-leading practice, declaring them excellent in each category. ◆ Accessibility should be as broad as possible - we offer competitive fees and generous bursaries and scholarships. ◆ Sport enhances life outside academia - over 70 pupils have national sporting honours. ◆ Creativity and outstanding educational opportunities inspire young people to express themselves through music, drama and art.
Entrance to the Schools is selective from seven, but great care is taken to assess children on a wide range of abilities and to look for potential. The Admissions Secretaries are happy to guide each family through the entrance procedure. For more information on the January 21st Open Day or on the 11+ entry assessment on February 4th, please go to www.habs-monmouth.org, call 01600 710 433 for Monmouth School or 01600 711104 for HMSG.
HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS
A life-changing education is closer than you think
OPEN MORNING 21st January 2017 11+ ENTRANCE TEST 4th February 2017 www.habs-monmouth.org/opendays THE GRANGE - 01600 715930
BOYS 7 - 11
INGLEFIELD HOUSE - 01600 711104 GIRLS 7 - 11 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 11
DEAR DIARY... L
If you want your children to get better at writing, buying them a diary could be a big help.
ETTING thoughts and feelings flood out onto the pages of a diary can be a valuable emotional release - but for children, expressing emotions isn't the only huge benefit of diary writing. Pupils who keep a diary are almost twice as likely to write above the expected level for their age as children who don't keep one (27.1% vs 15.5%). In addition, a report by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) found diary writing allows children to choose what they want to write, and 82% of girls and 76% of boys say if they can choose the subject, writing is more fun. Because of the clear benefits of diary writing, the NLT is calling on parents to think about giving children a diary as a birthday gift. "Encouraging children to keep a diary is a great way to get them excited about writing," says NLT director Jonathan Douglas. "Writing about the best parts of their days, their friends, and their hopes and dreams can be fun for children. Diaries are also a great way to help children build resilience as they process their thoughts and express their feelings. "We're encouraging anyone buying presents for a child to give the gift of a diary. You'll be giving them a platform to express themselves through words and the tools to become a better writer and do well at school.
VIVID MEMORIES
The diary campaign is supported by children's author and former Children's Laureate Jacqueline Wilson, who kept a diary herself as a teenager and has included diary writing in her books, including diary entries in her children's fiction series Tracy Beaker, and her own diary entries in an autobiographical account, My Secret Diary. "I still have the diaries I wrote as a teenager. I wince at times when I read them, but they bring back those longago days so vividly and help me remember what it's like to be young," she says. "Diary writing is a brilliant idea for children, because it helps them organise their thoughts and express themselves. They get used to writing every day and become fluent. They often enjoy using a special book and pen and feel grown-up keeping their own private diary."
clined in recent years. Wilson says she always advises would-be writers to keep a daily diary as it gets them into a regular writing habit. "It's also a brilliant way of expressing yourself and confiding special secrets," she says.
DIARY DECLINE
The NLT report found diary writing to be more popular with girls, and more broadly with younger children of both genders - three times as many girls as boys keep a diary (29.5% vs 10.3%), while twice as many pupils in their final years of primary school write in a diary compared to pupils in their last years of secondary school (29.4% of pupils aged 8-11 vs 11.9% of pupils aged 14-16). While the research also highlighted a drop in the number of children writing in a diary over the past five years, from one child in four (24.5% in 2010) to one child in five (20.3% in 2015), it also found that almost half of children (46.8%) are still writing something in private in their free time. Douglas says: "Diaries give children a chance to express themselves and provide a unique opportunity to get them excited about writing - something which is important as the number of children writing in diaries has de-
STRICTLY PRIVATE
But what about those parents who feel compelled to read their children's diaries? "The whole point of a diary is that it's private," stresses Wilson. "When I was young, I wrote pages in tiny writing, confiding all my hopes and ambitions, my secret loves and hates, my daily life and my dream life too. I took care to hide my diary in a secret place." And Douglas adds: "Sometimes children will want to share what they've written in their diaries - perhaps they're proud of a poem and want to share it with their parents, or maybe they want a friend's opinion on some song lyrics. But parents should never read their child's diary without their permission."
Old Hereford Road, Abergavenny NP7 6EP
www.kinghenryviiischool.org.uk
KHS SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING Thursday 19th January 2017 from 6.30pm
If you are considering studying any of the following subjects why not visit our Sixth Form Open Evening?
AS/A Level
AS/A Level
BTEC
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * *
* Applied Science * Business Studies * Health & Social Care *ICT * Sport Studies
Art & Design Biology Chemistry English Literature French Geography Government & Polotics * History * Law * Mathematics
Media Studies Music Philosophy & Ethics Physics Product Design Psychology Religeous Studies Sociology Spanish Theatre studies Welsh
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Certificate
KHS are delighted to be the Monmouthshire hub for the high level sport and education partnership with Cardiff City Football Club. We offer excellent personalised support and guidance for students through our academic mentors as well as access to the Welsh Government “Seren� programme. For further details please contact Mrs E Lewis (Headteacher) on 01873 735373 or Mr Richard Gilson (Head of 6th form) on 01873 736206
12 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Farming
Dog Walkers’ Responsibilities at Lambing Time!
W
ITH lambing season upon us, dog walkers and owners need to take extra care when out and about within the countryside. Around 16 million lambs are born in the UK every year, resulting in January to April being one of the busiest times in the whole farming calendar. Every Spring, fields and mountains across the country are filled with ewes and new born lambs, reminding us that winter is over and that the warmer summer weather will soon be upon us.
Sadly however, the number of attacks on livestock has increased and consequently many sheep are being attacked, injured or killed. The National Sheep Association (NSA) has reported a considerable increase in the number of dog attacks on livestock and this is causing a major animal welfare problem within the UK. The NSA is particularly concerned about heavily pregnant ewes or those that have lambs at foot. As described by the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, the worrying of live-
stock by dogs is illegal and, of course, is of great concern to farmers for many obvious reasons. The word worrying in this context means the attacking or chasing of livestock in such a way that could result in injury, suffering, abortion or loss of produce. Similarly, a dog being at large, in a field where there are sheep (which includes a dog not being kept on a lead or being kept under close control) may also be considered a breach of this act. Of course our four legged companions (although dogs are usually domesticated)
do have a strong predator drive and it is inherent in them to chase livestock, especially sheep! They may chase sheep simply to play with them or sadly sometimes their intent is to kill. As a result, all dogs are described as having the capability to be aggressive. Many dog behaviourists believe that dogs that chase livestock can be trained to stop doing so, with the right training plan and owner commitment. By blog.cherrytreecountryclothing.com
ers Butch nning d Win S K IN DR D AwarCE AN S DS OD OO FO O AL F R LOC NTRE FOR
Taaste the diiffeerence
Dog walkers’ responsibilities It may be difficult to take your dog for a walk in the countryside though and then expect to completely avoid meeting with livestock at some point. Whether dog walking through legal right of ways across open land or perhaps through valleys or over hills, sheep may well be present. So, as a dog walker what steps can you take? Well, there are certain responsibilities to be aware of when you find yourself in the company of livestock, some of which are listed below: • do keep your dog on a lead and under your strict control • ensure your dog is docile and obedient • don’t allow your dog to chase or take an interest in sheep – or cute lambs! • do be in charge and have full control at all times • train your dog not to be aggressive when around sheep • don’t be complacent – and stay alert at all times! Remember, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, dog owners may face prosecution (often resulting in severe penalties) and also a dog may sadly be shot, if it is found to be chasing a farmer’s livestock!
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Farmers’ responsibilities Although farmers may have permission to shoot on sight when they see a dog chasing their sheep, initially they should take action to avoid this situation, by warning dog walkers of the presence of livestock! The killing or injuring of any person’s dog may result in a farmer facing criminal damage charges and possibly further investigations into the legal ownership of firearms. In addition, the RSPCA will carry out investigations into any dog shooting, to ensure that there was no unnecessary suffering caused to these protected animals (i.e. dogs) under Section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act, 2006. Obviously, the shooting of any dog should be the very last resort! Farmers responsibilities include: • putting up RSPCA dedicated signs to warn dog owners that livestock is present or may be grazing • report (however small) all dog chasing incidents to the police, to prevent future incidents • keeping pregnant sheep and young lambs away from public footpaths (wherever possible)
Organic Bronze Free Range Turkeys Welsh Free Range Geese Welsh Free Range Ducks Cashells Hampers
Open Sunday 9-12pm
Wood treatment is a hot topic, and one local, family run company is telling you about their procedures of effectively treating and selling timber for fencing. Woodland Services, based on Hereford Road, Abergavenny, has been trading for over 50 years with the current owners entering their fourth year in the business and are ensuring the quality continues. They specialise in providing quality, locally sourced and appropriately treated wood for both agricultural and domestic use, and pride themselves on their endeavour to bring their treatment process as up to date as possible with a lot of money invested into their programme for machinery and tools. Tracey O’Leary from Woodland Services said, “Before we treat our timber in house in our fully upgraded, computerised treatment plant we ensure that the wood is dried to 28% or less moisture content. It is then pressure treated soil or fresh water contact using Koppers Celcure AC500 – giving it a 15
year life. This whole process is computer linked and closely monitored by our treatment suppliers Koppers who support the projected 15 year life of the product. “Even though certain chemicals have been removed from the treatment solution by EU legislation in the past, this means that it is very important that the wood is dried to 28% or less moisture content then the penetration and the treatment will be as effective as it was prior to the change, and here at Woodland Services we ensure this procedure is adhered to.” Tracey has spoken about her experience with peoples concerned about the treatment of wood, and wants to let the people of the local area know that at Woodland Services they can get properly treated wood from them for a great price. A high percentage of our business is repeat business which makes it even more important that we maintain the quality of our treatment process. Tracey said, “I go to market on
Wednesdays and I hear a lot of peoples concerns about timber treatment, so we wanted to show that we have put a lot of time, money and expertise into our treatment programme and assure people that our service is safe and effective.” They also put a lot of emphasis on locally sourcing their timber that they prepare and treat, to go back to the local community. Tracey said, “When dealing with natural resources, it is important to stay as local as you can, and by using local businesses in our supply chain it benefits the whole community.”
So to find out more about their work, contact Woodland Services (Abergavenny) Ltd on 01873 855431 or email Tracey on tracey@woodland-sa.co.uk.
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Crickhowell 01873 810405 E.mail: mtcashell@bttconnect.com www.cashells.co.uk
January/February 2017 -The New Year Issue 13
Gazette & Diary Magazine
How to strengthen your bones
I
T'S easy to dismiss osteoporosis as an inevitable part of growing old - but understanding the causes, and how to manage the condition, can make a big difference. It's believed that more than three million people in the UK are currently living with osteoporosis, associated with weakened, fragile bones. The vast majority of those affected are over 50, and mostly women - one in two women, and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone as a result of
osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Society (nos.org.uk), with the wrists, hips and spine most commonly affected. While bone density can decrease with age, and for some people osteoporosis may be linked with other health problems or medications, generally speaking, there's a lot we can do to try and prevent it, and ensure those who do develop problems can minimise pain and complications.
DOES DIET PLAY A PART? Nutrition plays a major role in bone health, and this applies from childhood through to older age. The building of healthy bones starts in childhood and it's important to adopt healthy habits to prevent osteoporosis and broken bones later in life. But nutrition's important in adults too and all adults should have 10mcg of vitamin D a day and 700mg of calcium, and eat a diet rich in these things, especially woman after menopause. It can be difficult to get enough of these minerals via diet alone, so adults should consider taking a daily supplement to help maintain strong bones.
WHAT ROLE DOES EXERCISE PLAY? Alongside a good diet and attention to calcium and vitamin D intake, regular exercise will help prevent the development of severe osteoporosis. Understandably, it's not uncommon for people with any type of pain or conditions that affect bones and joints to avoid physical activity, out of concern for doing for damage or triggering more pain. However, this can often be counterproductive and keeping active can play an important part in managing long-term conditions. Your healthcare team should be able to advise on how best to go about this if you're unsure, and always seek advice from your doctor before embarking on any new exercise regimes. Prolonged rest worsens osteoporosis, so maintaining mobility with therapy and pain control is essential.
L
WINE ALLERGY IS NO JOKE
OTS of us have enjoyed a tipple or two over the festive period, but is your penchant for wine leaving you feeling less than 'grape'? It could be an allergy, rather than a hangover, causing those unpleasant side-effects. We'd all sometimes like to blame our sickly morning-after-the-night-before state on a 'wine allergy', but for a very small amount of people, an allergy to wine is a real (and inconvenient) truth. Unlike a sensitivity or intolerance, an allergy is when the immune system reacts to a normally harmless substance. In this case, that normally harmless, though tasty, substance is wine. Fortunately, a true allergy to wine is extremely rare, though as anyone who has ever had a bit of a session will attest, it's entirely possible to display symptoms of it without being allergic.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS? While many of us suffer diarrhoea, headaches and skin flushes after too many drinks, for some, these may be signs of an underlying intolerance to wine and the grapes involved in the production (though the jury is still out on whether skin flushing is indicative of an allergy). Those with the allergy may suffer cramps and difficulty breathing when they drink certain wines - though they may drink others and not have any reactions.
WHAT CAUSES IT? It's bad news for fans of red, as researchers found that those with the allergy tend to suffer more when they drink it as opposed to white wines or roses. Rarely is the reaction caused by alcohol, more often it is the chemicals used in the wine-making process - that's the sulphites and histamines - to keep bacteria at bay and stop the plonk from going sour which are the culprits (though, again, it is very rare to be allergic to sulphites). If you suffer from this allergy, you may also have a similar reaction to certain products that contain sulphites, like dried fruits, cider and pickled food. And while it is very uncommon, allergyuk.org reports that some people with asthma, urticaria and rhinitis might be more prone to allergies to alcohol than others.
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14 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Diced Beef Chilli £3.65
Golden Years
You Snooze,You Lose S
OMETIMES, falling asleep isn't the problem - but staying in that dreamy deep slumber is a different matter. If you often wake up thinking it's morning, only to find it says 02:30 on your radio alarm, you're not alone. According to a new survey by bed company Dreams, 56% of women and 49% of men are bad sleepers. It could be a car alarm, a bad dream, or that old chestnut where your partner's gone for a wee and woken you on their return whatever the reason, you're now doomed to stare at the ceiling until your alarm does actually go off a few hours later. Thankfully, there are ways to limit broken nights, and prise open the gates to the land of nod again...
SNORE THING
PET PEEVES
We all love a fur ball to snuggle up to, but Dreams reveals that 58% of us are woken by pets sleeping in the bedroom. As hard as it might be to give up that living hot water bottle, try and train cats and dogs to sleep in another room, establishing your bedroom as strictly off-limits.
RELAX
More than 80% of people who have restless leg syndrome (RLS) also experience twitchy legs while asleep, according to the research. If this affects you, massage your legs, or try doing some light stretching or yoga before bed. Take a warm bath, or apply a hot compress to your legs to help relax the muscles.
It's so common - as many as one in four people in England snore regularly, say Dreams, with men twice as likely to be culprits. They recommend sleeping on your side, rather than your back, to alleviate gravitational pressure on the airway. Snoring can signal underlying conditions, so consult your GP if it's becoming problematic."
LOSE THE BOOZE
Who doesn't like a night cap? But many of us (it's estimated that around 7.9 million Brits use alcohol to help them sleep, apparently) don't realise it actually makes the quality of our sleep worse. Dreams recommends "avoiding alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime, to avoid suppressing melatonin (the sleep hormone). Try not to stay up past your usual bedtime, as this only increases alcohol's sleep-depriving effects."
Abergavenny C o m m u n ity Ra dio O n Air 2 4 Ho u rs A D a y
LIVE SHOWS M ond ay 1 0 am -1 2 p m D ow n m e m or y l ane w i t h Bi g Bi r d T ue sd ay 1 2 -1 pm P ar t y hour w i t h John D al e T ue sd ay 7 p m -9 pm D ave H ol m an show W e d n e s d a y 1 1 a m - 1 2 p m P a r t y H o u r w i t h Jo h n D al e We d ne sd ay 3 pm -4 p m C hi l l out hour w i t h A l l an Br ow n We d ne sd ay 6 p m -8 p m Joe P ug h T hur sd ay 1 2 p m -2 pm Bl ue s M usi c w i t h Nat han H ol l y T hur sd ay 2 pm -4 p m S op hi e ’ s M i x T hur sd ay 6 pm -8 p m Bi g Bi r d A l l sor t s show T hur sd ay 8 pm -1 0 p m R ob s R oc k show F r i d ay 1 2 pm -2 p m Nat hans Bl ue s show F r i d ay 2 p m -3 pm Johns M usi c al s F r i d ay 8 p m -1 0 pm A i d r i an R oc k and R ol l show S at ur d ay 1 0 am -1 2 p m M ar t i ns 6 0 s S how Sat ur d ay 1 2 p m -2 pm A l ans l unc h t i m e m i x S und ay 1 1 am -1 p m A l l an Br ow ns Bi t s and p i e c e s show Whe n t he r e s no l i ve show t he r e i s 2 4 hour m usi c g oi ng out
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RELAX IN COMFORT THIS WINTER
Home Assist Service
The Home Help is Back! Helping you to remain independent We offer the following services: Escorting to appointments and social activities Cleaning, gardening, ironing and laundry Light meal preparation Bed making/changing Respite sitting service Medication reminders Companionship Shopping Please note we do not offer personal care
01873 859 289 or 07581 747 328 heidi@diamondhomesupport.com
January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 15
16 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
Gazette Motoring
WHAT IS BMW XDRIVE?
W
ITH the winter months here, you might be noticing that the roads are getting a little bit more dicey. Routes can quickly become wet, slippery and tricky to navigate, especially in rural areas. Two-wheel-drive cars can often struggle here - especially those with the power sent to just the rear wheels - which is why many manufacturers offer fourwheel-drive versions of their most popular models. One such car maker is BMW, which applies four-wheel-drive technology to many of the cars in its range. It calls this system XDrive. BMW introduced its first all-wheel drive model in 1985, with the 325i 'Allrad'. This utilised visco locks, which could create a strong connection between the front and rear wheels. It did this by monitoring which wheel slipped and which gripped, and adjusting the power sent to each one accordingly. This was the first time that the German car maker had thought to implement an all-wheel-drive system into a standard road car body, and the idea stuck. Fast forward to 2016, and BMW is now using an all-wheel-drive system that is at the very cutting edge of technology, giving people a car that is usable in all weathers - not just in the dry. XDrive is a system that sends power to all four wheels constantly. This is split as 40%
GOVILON GARAGE of the drive going to the front wheels, with the remainder put through the rears. However, things don't stop there. An on-board computer constantly monitors each wheel for levels of grip and can adjust the power being sent to them accordingly. What does that mean? Well, for example, if you hit a patch of wet leaves on the inside of a left-hand bend, the car's system can send more of the engine's drive to the outside wheels, keeping you stable throughout the corner. It's an ideal solution to winter roads, which can often upset a two-wheeldrive car. And should snow fall, there's a little more traction to be had here, too. Does this have an effect on economy? Yes,
WHEELS & DEALS
but not as much as you'd think. For instance, a standard 320d will achieve around 65mpg combined. For the XDrive model you'll see around a 10mpg penalty, which isn't bad considering the extra capability it affords you. Throughout the range, you won't see too much of a difference between economy figures - in either petrol or diesel models. If you're considering the purchase of a four-wheel-drive, but aren't sure about the size increase that comes with an SUV, then a BMW car featuring XDrive technology might be for you. It allows you to keep the usable size and shape of a standard car, while having greater levels of capability on difficult terrain and in different conditions. Make no mistake however, these cars aren't suited to heavy off-roading, having been designed specifically for the road.
Motorcycle and Car MoT Servicing and Repair
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Service 01600 891201 Fax 01600 891200 Parts 01600 891202 Mobile 07860 843419 or visit www.bg4x4.co.uk email bglandrovers@aol.com
Run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts Here at BG Landrovers we offer more than just great servicing and repair deals on all Land Rover models. Our customers tell us we provide higher standards of service and we save them money.
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Servicing - Repairs - Diagnostics carried out on most makes and models 1460715
January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 17
Legal and Finance PARENTS 'SPEND £7,900 HELPING THEIR CHILD START A CAREER'
MANY PEOPLE 'SELL ON UNWANTED PRESENTS' More than a quarter of people (27%) have either sold or re-gifted items they have received as presents. Popular items which have been "re-homed" include hair straighteners, mobile phones and kitchen appliances, according to a survey from Aviva. The insurer estimates that homes are typically harbouring unused gadgets and electrical devices worth £1,414 on average.
NO MORE LEGAL AID? Competitive Fixed Free Packages are now available for all family work at Gartsides.
Call us on 01873 857555 www.gartsides.com Also with offices in Newport (01633 213411) and Ebbw Vale (01495 302109)
SCAMS WARNING FOR YOUNG ADULTS Young adults could be more likely than the population generally to fall for a scam, research suggests. People aged between 18 and 34 were more likely to believe, wrongly, that their bank might ask them for their full Pin, password or security numbers, or ask them to transfer money out of their account for "security reasons" Santander found. In reality, these are common methods that fraudsters use in cold calls or unsolicited emails when posing as a legitimate body, such as a bank or the police, to trick people into handing over their personal details or cash.
Dorrell Oliver Ltd chartered accountants
Linden House, Monk Street, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 5NF Tel: 01873 852113 Fax: 01873 858523 www.dorrells.co.uk
✦ ACCOUNTANCY ✦ AUDIT ✦ TAX ADVICE FOR NEW BUSINESSES
Pets Corner
Wyndee Kennels Fleas?! But it’s freezing! Individual Care~Attention Guaranteed Open 9am-6pm Newbury, Abergavenny, Blaenavon 01495 790571
I
T’S true! The winter months are often the worst for fleas because although it is cold outside, our houses are warm and just right for them to breed in their thousands. This is why it is important to continue with flea protection at this time of year because just one or two fleas can easily turn into an infestation. In many
Visit our dedicated Small Animal Team
The annual Petplan Veterinary Awards are open now for 2017! You can nominate your favourite members of our team if they have impressed you this year. Entries can be made online or you can pop in to any of our branches for an entry form.
DON’T FORGET ABBEY EQUINE Experts in Equine Health Abbey Vets Abergavenny branch St Arvans Chambers, Hereford Rd, Abergavenny NP7 5PR Tel: 01873 852391 18 January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue
cases new flea problems are caused by flea eggs from old infestations hatching out and reinfesting your pets! Common symptoms of bites include itchiness, red rashes, hair loss and severe irritation, which is particularly marked in pets with an allergy to flea saliva. Some affected pets develop secondary skin infections and may require antibiotics and treatment to relieve their itching. Have a chat to our lovely staff about how to protect both your pets and your house from fleas in winter! For optimum flea control, treatment should ideally be all year round!
Parents can expect to spend almost £8,000 to help their grown-up child reach the first rung of the career ladder, a report suggests. On average, parents who had helped to kick-start their adult child's career said they had spent £7,900 per child. This could include money they had given their child to pay for a course or training fees, equipment or accommodation while studying and smart clothing for job interviews. The findings were made by the Centre for the Modern Family, a think-tank set up by Scottish Widows.
Happy New Year
VIKING LONG SHIP DANUBE CRUISE
I
T was a glorious Sunday in autumn as we sped along the autobhan from Munich towards Nuremburg with the late afternoon sun turning thousands of beech trees to gold, "We Germans call autumn 'Old Granny's Summer," said our driver who was ferrying us from the airport to join the long ship Viking Jarl for an eight day, five hundred mile cruise through Germany into Austria and on to Budapest in Hungry. He did not know why but we were to find out the answer a little later. At dinner onboard my wife Jenny and I sat next to a retired American couple from Philadelphia and it was fascinating to be led down the paths their lives had followed on the other side of the Atlantic. Listening to such stories from fellow travellers over an excellent dinner was another of the benefits of taking a European river cruise. Sitting in a plastic docking station in our stateroom and winking green eyes at us were two TV style remotes which turned out to be an ingenious aid. For on leaving the ship the following morning for a coach and walking tour of Nuremburg, we attached ear pieces, popped the remotes into our pockets and were instantly linked to our 'miked-up' guide.
Having passed the marching grounds where Hitler's demonic oratory roused a nation, and then ironically, the courthouse where Nazi leaders were put on trial, we left the bus, to tour Nuremburg's castle and cobbled old quarter and were treated to a magnificent view over the city. That afternoon we lunched on deck as the Viking Jarl continued her voyage along the tree lined Main-Danube Canal linking the mighty rivers Rhine and Danube en route for the small Medieval city of Regensburg. It was the great bell of St Peters Cathedral ringing out through the misty morning that welcomed us to one of Europe's best preserved cities, the oldest on the Danube and a UNESCO World Heritage site. While the cathedral is considered to be the finest in Bavaria, Regensburg has many fine old patrician houses and its magnificent central square was first a Roman gathering place. And as the festivities drew to a close, our ship slipped her moorings and began her overnight passage to Passau which stands at the confluence of the Danube with the rivers Inn, which flows through Innsbruck, and the Liz. Picturesque Passau, like Regensburg, is a place of a thousand picture opportunities and it was on a walking tour around cobbled streets that our guide revealed that Old Granny's Summer was so called because of all the fine gray spider's webs that appear in autumn. Now time, like the river, was flowing past and it was Thursday and we were cruising through the autumn gold forest and vineyard covered hills of the Wachau Valley, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its pic-
turesque village of Durnstein with its hill top castle where Richard the Lionheart was held captive. That afternoon we toured the hilltop Gottweig Abbey, a working Benedictine monastery for 900 years and sampled their wines before going back onboard for an apple strudel making demonstration. On passing the stately City Hall with its large golden statue depicting the Goddess of Wisdom, we were told that the Viennese often said she was outside but never inside! I was also impressed to learn that university education is free in Austria. That evening our Ukrainian born Captain Vitaly Makarchev threw a cocktail party and farewell dinner because we would be sailing that night for Budapest, our final destination. We tied up at breakfast time right opposite
the parliament, probably the most iconic building in this lovely city, and disembarked for a fascinating four hour coach and walking tour. These included tours led by excellent guides, were among the highlight of the holiday and allowed guests to garnish an all round view of the history and culture of the places we visited and Budapest was no exception. Poor old Hungry, I thought as we learned of successive invasions by the Mongols and Turks, its incorporation into the Austro Hungarian Empire and then the Soviet Union who came as liberators at the end of World War Two but then forgot to go home until after the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Yet despite all this the city has recovered to become probably the most architecturally spectacular on the Danube. Life onboard fell into an easy pattern of breakfast, an included tour, lunch, optional excursions, cocktail hour, a briefing on the following days activities, dinner and live music and other entertainments in the lounge. The cuisine was imaginative and plentiful, the hotel team could not have been more helpful and wines and beers were included with meals. Besides Roger and Candy, our Philadelphia shipmates of the first evening, we also got to know Mary, a mum of six, and her travel agent friend Julie who had left their husbands at home. Fact File Nigel Heath was a guest of Viking Cruises tel 0800 319 66 60 Visit http://www.vikingrivercruises.co.uk/cruise-destinations/europe/romantic-danube/2016-budapestnuremberg/index.html Price: from £1,945 from May 7, 2017 for all meals and drinks (wine, beer & soft drinks only) and 11 included guided tours and based on 2 people sharing a state cabin.
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TELEPHONE 01873 830204 Fernybank, Quarry Road, Clydach, Nr Abergavenny January/February 2017 - The New Year Issue 19
LJH&S
Lyndon J. Hawkins & Son Carpentry & Joinery
Manufacturers of Bespoke Joinery • Windows • Kitchens • Doors • Orangeries • Stairs • Bi-Fold Doors
We now also manufacture in house powder coated Aluminium Windows, Bi fold and Sliding Door Systems Telephone: 01495 785533 Mobile: 07766 600184 Email: Josh@LJhawkins.co.uk www.LH-Carpentry-Joinery.co.uk