the
October | November 2013
Dairy, The Debate continues
Views from the Train Pension Liberation Plus our usual features and what’s on guide
Delivered free through 10,000 doors in Bletchley, Fenny Stratford, Newton Longville, Soulbury, Stoke Hammond, Drayton Parslow
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and Great Brickhill
Welcome to this Autumn edition of The Vine Magazine. One of the advantages of being the editor is being notified of all the upcoming events in the area, it is then my job to fit as many of these as possible into the What’s On Guide. I also receive plenty of posters and updates from charities and I try to include as many of these as I can too. There is never enough space for them all and inevitably some come in after our print deadline. If you haven’t already done so, please visit the What’s On calendar on our website. I include pictures, weblinks, and lots more information plus many more events Andrena
CONTENT 6 Traveller Part 1 8 A View from the Train 12 Pension Liberation 13 Food Banks 14 Roast Sea Bass 16 Big Moostake 18 What’s On 20 Auto Biographies 22 A Garden Plan 24 Spousal Maintenance 26 Puzzles 27 A Guide to Ebay 28 Book Review 30 Puzzle Solutions
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0797 155 4604 andrena@thevinemagazine.com Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the content of advertising and articles is 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 permission.
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There will also be a formal series of open mornings in the week Monday 18 – Friday 22 November between. 9.15 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Please telephone the school and speak to Jenny Robinson to make an appointment. You are also welcome to visit us at other times and during the school day.
We look forward to welcoming you to our school!
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A ers Travell Tale
Bolting Round The Baltic : Part I
T
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his year we thought we'd do what a lot of other people have done for many years and go on one of the Baltic cruises and see some of the historic cities before they become indistinguishable from each other in the ever increasing drive towards global uniformity. Previous cruises for us have always been to out of the way, often tiny, scenic places which insist that the ship be small - really small otherwise they can't get into the little coves, fjords and rivers. But this time, because we were going to large cities instead, we opted for a ship described as "small" but which still carried approximately 600 passengers - absolutely huge in comparison! A definite bonus for us was that the cruise started and finished at Dover which meant that our journeys there and back were no more than 3 hours each way. And since we could park the car only yards from where the ship was berthed, this made things even easier. Our first destination was Copenhagen. Mercifully, the sea was very calm so there were no problems on that front (I'm not a good sailor!). At dinner in the restaurant on the first evening, we found ourselves with a group of four Canadians from Vancouver Island who all knew each other and we feared we might be "guinea pigs". But they immediately invited us into their world so it was all very friendly (and something of a relief!) But the cafeteria (with its amazing selection of food) rather than the restaurant was our usual choice for breakfast and lunch. During the
By Paul Heley
fortnight we met all manner of interesting people from UK, America, Canada, Australia and many other parts of the world and what was so noticeable was the easy going attitude everywhere - most likely because this was an American ship. But having said that, it was not a complete free for all where anything goes and I had to endure three Captain's Dinners where dress was very formal. Personally, I hate this sort of thing - but the ladies love it! Arriving in Copenhagen, the weather was dull and overcast with a hint of rain. However, it cleared as we were taken on a coach trip around the city. We were shown the Little Mermaid the emphasis is on Little! - and buildings of civic importance but I'm afraid the Danish capital didn't really set my juices racing. No doubt, it's my fault. Other people found it fascinating. On our return, we went for Afternoon Tea - a trip down Nostalgia Avenue with little fingers in the air, delicate sandwiches, tiny cakes, and scones with strawberry jam and cream. As Oscar Wilde once said "I can resist anything except temptaion" - and we found it very difficult not to succumb at these times. In the evenings there was always a show of some sort given either by a troupe of singers and dancers (who were very slick and well rehearsed) or by solo performers. I was pleased to discover a little jazz duo who played until quite late each evening and caused me to lose a lot of sleep (why is it always assumed that jazz fans are insomniacs?!) After Copenhagen, there followed
three places in quick succession :Klaipeda (in Lithuania), Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn (Estonia) - the so called Baltic States. Each one greeted us with absolutely wonderful weather with the blue skies and sunshine which lasted throughout the entire trip. We were so lucky. Although Riga and Tallinn are capital cities, Klaipeda is simply a port on the Baltic. But it has a large central square where a local band in regional costume performed Lithuanian folk music. Very enjoyable. There were also lots of small stalls selling amber jewelry and hand made wooden toys. I already knew that the Baltic region is where most amber originates but had always thought it to be purplish brown. But, in fact, it comes in all colours with the cream coloured variety (apparently) the more valuable. However, if an insect is trapped inside, this adds further value (amber is fossilised tree resin). Val bought a bracelet from a handsome and persuasive young man who spoke very good English! Riga was very different to Klaipeda. It's a big capital city with impressive buildings to match. We went ashore fairly early in the morning and went round the cathedral. Having seen many Anglican and a goodly number of Catholic cathedrals, I was interested to see how the Lutherans did things.
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R
oger Mason’s London to Birmingham by Rail is a fascinating record of forty
sites that can be viewed from the window of a train on the 115 mile jouney. The descriptions, stories and photographs bring to life many local views. Roger shares with The Vine how he came to write the book.
I subtitled MK Dons Stadium ‘The House That Pete Built’. This is in recognition of Pete Winkelman’s role in having the stadium built and bringing top flight football to the area. The subtitle is also a nod to Yankee Stadium in New York, often known as ‘The House That Ruth Built’ and a tribute to the great baseball player Babe Ruth. Bletchley Park is of course well known and is one of the most interesting sections of the book. I tell of the magnificent work of the codebreakers that many people believe significantly shortened World War II. The
I make the rail journey from Leighton Buzzard to London about 40 times a year and I also regularly travel to Birmingham. I generally enjoy the journeys, which is just as well. I never work on the train, which is an awful waste of time, so I often gaze out of the window at the fascinating sites that flash past. Some, like Wembley Stadium, are very well known, whereas others are not, but deserve to be. The grave of the last highwayman to be hanged at the scene of his crime comes into this category. This is clearly visible and is just north of Hemel Hempstead station. I found the sites so interesting that I wrote the book Great Railway Journeys: London to Birmingham by Rail. It describes 40 of the sites and contains a picture of each, all but two of them taken by me. Quite a number are in our area and three are actually in or just north of Bletchley. These are Bletchley Park, Watling Street and MK Dons Stadium.
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story includes the breaking of the Enigma codes and the development of Colossus, the world’s first programmable electronic computer. It was all done in the utmost secrecy. Churchill paid tribute to the codebreakers as ‘The geese that laid the golden eggs – and never cackled’. This book would make a great Christmas present: Great Railway Jouneys: London to Birmingham by Rail is available from bookshops at £14.99 and also from Amazon. It can be purchased with a 10% discount at www.amberley-books.com.
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Your Money Matters THE REALITIES OF ‘PENSIONS LIBERATION’
T
he ICAEW have issued a warning that individuals are being approached by firms offering to help them ‘unlock’ their pensions or access them early. Some unscrupulous firms are using misleading information and in some cases offering personal loans or cash incentives to entice savers to cash in their pensions early. This is known as pension ‘liberation’ or pension ‘extraction’. What many people aren’t aware of are the implications of cashing in on their hard-earned pension before retirement. Those taxpayers who decide to take the initiative themselves and access their pensions early will find that some or all of their hard earned pension savings may be at stake. This is because the normal rule is that you cannot generally access pension savings before you reach the age of 55. The ‘liberation’ schemes are designed to try to get around this, however, at extremely high cost. Those opting for pension ‘liberation’ will generally be liable to pay a tax bill of more than half of their pension savings and may have to pay further tax penalties as well. Additionally, the provider usually imposes significant charges, sometimes up to 20%. The
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result is the loss of the majority of the pension in tax and charges, and the pension-holder being left with a fraction of the original fund. You can read the full list of potential taxes and charges on our website – www.clarkhowes.com and also a link where you can report any ‘pension liberation’ schemes you might become aware of to the ICAEW. When can pension liberation become fraud? Pension liberation can be illegal where members are misled about key consequences of entering into one of these arrangements. This could be because they’re not informed of the tax consequences, fees involved or how the remainder of their pension savings are invested. www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk
Please do get in touch on 01525 887534 or email info@clarkhowes.com if you have come across a pension ‘liberation’ scheme or if you would like any further advice on this area.
Pensioners A . .. s n r e c d Con
Age
F
ood banks are not an 'aged concern' because the food banks were formed by the Trussell Trust for those, who in these hard times, found themselves without a job and quite a long delay before they obtained the credits they were due from the benefits scheme. The original idea was to tide a person, or family, over a lean financial period where, in a lot of cases, the money was not readily available to feed oneself or family. The maximum number of food bank supplies to any one person is three, by then, it was hoped that benefits would be available to take care of the problem of not being able to purchase food without borrowing money to do so. That is how it was, but things have changed over the last seven months since I became a volunteer working in the Dunstable & surrounding area's of Bedfordshire. The rules remain the same but the conditions have worsened as far as claimants are
‘
View
The
Foodbank concerned, due to benefit cuts , the need to pay a portion of council tax, where at one time this was not required and other various caps and cuts to the benefits schemes means that ever more are using food banks to help them feed themselves and their families. When we first started our food bank in the Dunstable Downside area, on some days nobody would come in with a voucher for food, this was back in March this year, at today's session we were working the whole of our opening time. As it is with all such schemes the poorer members of the working class are those who make up the most of our customers. It was ever thus, Look at all our past National financial calamities. It is the poorer members of the public who suffer, ask anyone who was around in the 1930's, maybe your grandparents were the ones who were promised 'A land fit for hero's to live in' found that they were forced to sell their furniture and other household goods
By Mike Newman
to put food on the table. They relied on charity, the same as we do today. Food banks are a necessity at the present time and will be for a considerable time to come. To feed those with insufficient income to feed themselves or family, then charity is the only answer and the food bank is a charity. It relies on its food supplies from donations from people like you either donating food or money with which to purchase food and there is no doubt that people, local people, do support the food bank principles. Collections are made at the local super markets, you may have seen them in operation, there have been several collections over the last few months. Next time you see one perhaps you would consider buying a couple of extra tins or donate some cash. Or if you want to know more, phone 01582 248410 you will be helping someone, or a family, who because of governments austerity at all costs, cannot help themselves.
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.
Tastes so good... Tastes so Tastes so good... good... Tastes so good... ROAST SEA BASS WITH A LEMON & GARLIC CRUST POTATO & TOMATO HERB GALETTE ROAST SEA BASS WITH A LEMON & GARLIC CRUST
ROAST SEA BASS WITH A LEMON & GARLIC CRUST
This simple is a real or crowd pleaser and makes a great lunch in its own right orcrowd a delicious side Perfect forfor arecipe simple this main maincourse course easy pleaser, Perfect a simplelunch lunch oraadinner dinnerparty partywith with friends, friends, this isisananeasy crowd pleaser, dish. looks Use fresh herbs if possible but you can substitute with dried if necessary. The galette may be great ononthe to serve servewith withvegetables vegetablesororsalad salad alike. looks great theplate plateand andisisaawonderful wonderful dish dish to alike. made in a pie dish or individual steel food rings. Ideally floury potatoes should be used for this recipe asfor they have more whichparty holdswith the galette have food rings Perfect a simple lunchstarch or a dinner friends,together this mainbetter. courseIfisyou an don’t easy crowd pleaser, thisgreat can be in a pie exactly Small the way with but takeand longer to cook. looks onmade the plate anddish isEquipment: a in wonderful dishsame to serve vegetables or salad alike. processor orwill mortar pestle Equipment: Small processor or mortar and pestle
Ingredients Ingredients : :
for sea 4 servings 4 skinned fillets sea bass, 4Ingredients skinned fillets bass, washed under runningwater water washed under Ingredients : running 3 unwaxed lemons large tomatoes 32 unwaxed lemons 4 cloves garlicsized or 4 medium floury 43 cloves garlic skinned fillets sea bass, Small bunch washedfresh fresh potatoes* Small bunch of of washed washed under running water parsleyof fresh thyme and parsley 3Handful unwaxed lemons 25g butter 25g butter 4chives cloves garlic 30g wholemeal bread 60g butter 30g wholemeal bread fresh Small bunch of washed 50ml extra virgin olive oil Salt &extra pepper 50ml virgin olive oil parsley Salt & pepper Salt pepper 25g & butter * King Edwards bread are a good 30g wholemeal choiceextra - Maris Piper work 50ml virgin olive oil too although they’re not as floury. Diane Johnson Salt & pepper Diane Johnson Diane Johnson Diane Johnson
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Equipment: Food5,processor Oven: Gas Gas Mark Mark 190°c Oven: 190°c with slicing disc or mandolin. Sharp knife. Small Food processor rings and aorbaking Equipment: mortartray and pestle Oven: Gas Mark 7, 220°c with Method: Brush undersides fish allall Method: Brush undersides witholive oliveoiloiland andseason season fish overwith with salt and one squeeze Method: the5,pepper. butter a pan. Using some ofand the butter over salt and pepper. Zest oneof ofthe thelemons lemons and squeeze Oven: GasMelt Mark 190°c inZest juice. Wedge Wedge theand other for garnish. garlic with grease the rings thelemon baking tray whereWhizz the rings will sit. juice. the other lemon for garnish. Whizz garlic with lemonrings juice andundersides zest. Once no large pieces can be seen, Place onto greased area. Wash andand chop the herbs, lemon juice and zest. Once nomore more large pieces can be seen, Method: Brush with olive oil season fish alldry addkitchen the parsley, and totothe processor. on rolland tobread stop them sticking together. Reserve a small add the bread andbutter butter the processor. over withparsley, salt pepper. Zest one of the lemons and squeeze amount for garnish. Thinly slicefortomatoes a sharp juice. Wedge the other lemon garnish. with Whizz garlic knife with Quite quickly shouldtray produce a moist andliquid very tasty and leave ayou cooling to excess totasty drip. Thinly Quite quickly you should produce a moist verycan lemon juiceonand zest. Once noallow more largeand pieces be seen, breadcrumb mixture. Press this mixture firmlyand onto the upper slice theparsley, potatoes using thebutter food processor use breadcrumb mixture. Press this mixture firmly onto the upper add the bread and to the processor. side of the fillets. immediately. Layer 2 or 3 slices of potato in the rings. Using a side of the fillets. pastry brush or the back of a teaspoon, paint the layered Quite quickly you should moist Roast for approximately 20produce minutes,a or untiland thevery crusttasty is brown. potatofor with the meltedPress butter. lightly, Roast approximately 20 minutes, or until thesprinkle crustthe issome brown. breadcrumb mixture. this Season mixture firmly onto upper herbs and top with tomato. Repeat until you have filled the side ofwith the fillets. Serve whatever takes your fancy! rings, with finishing with atakes potato layer which should be buttered to Serve whatever your fancy! brownfor nicely. Pop in the20 oven for 30-40 minutes and remove Roast approximately minutes, or until the crust is brown. when the crust is golden brown and the potato feels tender with awith knife. Scatter with garnish and serve piping hot. Serve whatever takesherbs your to fancy!
The Night Sky Looking Up In Beds & Bucks! in October & November 2013 Image: Torben Bjorn Hansen
By Seb Jay
Watch the Sky for 3 Meteor Showers:
October 7th, October 20th-21st and November 16th-17th are your meteor-watching diary dates this autumn. Of the three showers the Leonids on 16th17th November could be the surprise package if the 1000+ meteors-per-hour storm of 1966 is repeated!
Galaxy Hunting from the Chilterns:
Autumn nights are a great time to go galaxy hunting. All you need is a pair of binoculars or a small telescope, and a dark location. Up on the Chilterns, away from town lights, is ideal. The Andromeda Galaxy is on show in the early evenings. At 2,500,000 light years from Earth it is one of our closest neighbouring galaxies. Look for an arc of 3 bright stars high up in the east after dark, just below the ‘W’ of Cassiopeia. The Andromeda Galaxy is located a small distance above the central star in the arc.
Good Evening Jupiter:
November sees Jupiter climb into the evening sky in the East. At the start of the month it rises by 9pm and is well-placed to view in binoculars or a telescope by 10:30pm. As November progresses so Jupiter rises earlier each evening. By the end of the month it is up above the horizon by 7:30pm. To identify it look for a bright ‘star’ like object in the East in the constellation of Gemini. Dark Sky Telescope Hire www.darkskytelescopehire.co.uk seb@darkskytelescopehire.co.uk
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The Nutrition Coach
Is Dairy Good? The Last Dairy article...
was it a MOOstake? Is Dairy Good? The article we printed in the August/September issue of The Vine has certainly had you writing in, some with positive comments and some not so. Firstly, although it was not specifically stated that cows in this country were injected with growth hormones, a local (anonymous) dairy farmer has pointed out that growth hormones have not been used in this country for over 30 years so we are very sorry if that was implied. Secondly, the same farmer also points out that antibiotic injections, at £120 for a small bottle, are used only as a treatment when necessary, they are not and cannot afford to “be jabbing cows left right and centre” so again we apologise if this was implied. We certainly do not want to cause further problems to our already financially squeezed dairy farmers and the reducing prices they get per litre of milk is for another article, however there is an ongoing debate about the benefits of dairy in our diet. Andrena Carden-White Bsc Nutrition, Health & Exercise Behaviour
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The British Dietetics Association (BDA) is the advisory body for diet in the UK and its recommendations are clear; we need sufficient calcium from diet to prevent osteoporosis as well as from weight bearing exercise and Vitamin D which we can get from the sun (with sufficient exposure). The BDA have fact sheets on its website www. bda.uk.com that explains why we need it and alternative sources if, for whatever reason, you do not wish to have dairy products. It is important to remember that the efficient absorption of calcium is dependent on a complex interaction of other nutrients such as iron and vitamin C and that some of the less researched evidence around dairy often look at results in isolation from other factors. It is very difficult to get unbiased and well researched evidence to support the non-dairy debate so I must be honest and say that whilst I will list the “for and against” for both camps, I feel excluding any food group should not be undertaken lightly.
FOR • Rich in calcium and good for prevention of osteoporosis (BDA) • Aids in weight loss (research papers on www.nationaldairycouncil.org) • Reduce blood pressure (www.mayoclinic.com, DASH diet) • Reduction in Metabolic Syndrom Dairy consumption and metabolic syndrome: a systematic review of findings and methodological issues. , Chrighton GE, Brian, J, Buckley J, Murphy KJ (Obes Rev. 2011 May;12(5):e190-201. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00837.x. Pub 2011 Feb 23)
AGAINST • Osteoporosis caused by calcium being used to reduce acid from our high protein diets: • Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Hip Fractures in the Elderly (American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol 1. 139, No 5, 1994). • Skin Problems from whey protein “Paleo Diet” Dr Loren Cordain • Cassein and cancer risk The China Study, T,Colin Campbell's The China Study (2005) tests on rats. • Mucus formation, no research found to substantiate this. The Vine trys to provide a variety of articles that reflect the lifestyles and interests of our readers but without turning this article into a scientific essay I have found very little well researched evidence to substantiate the debate against dairy except for the already established and undisputed evidence around lactose intolerance. Most anti-dairy websites use out-dated or anecdotal research. For evidence based research the well respected Mayo Clinic has listed the latest from which you may wish to draw your own conclusions.
DoINTOLERANCE you have an FOOD
‘unhappy tummy?’ Could It Be Your Problem!
SoThe many suffercountries from digestive UKpeople is onethese of thedays top three in the difficulties; such as bloating, world forissues the highest incidence ofstomach allergy! pain, An constipation, diarrhoea and flatulence have almost estimated 21 million adults in the UK suffer become commonplace. from at least one allergy and an estimated 10 The first thing you must do,than if you have had any of million suffer from more one. these symptoms for more than a couple of weeks, or These they seem tolatest be getting worse, is given to seebyyour GP. are the startling figures If you are UK, thenbut given diagnosis of IBSto and there Allergy youamay be surprised learn arethat no the other underlying there are many figure of peopleissues, affected adversely by things can do and for yourself help the may situation, food,you chemicals airborne to substances be whether or not as you are figures given medication. much higher, these only cover those
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Have You Been There Yet ? Art Galleries Tea Rooms Art & Craft Workshops
www.thestanigallery.co.uk 61 High Street. Stony Stratford
FINE PRINTS + BESPOKE FURNITURE + SCULPTURE
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Remember that stress a major for actually suffering fromisaoften different type trigger of allergic digestive so it’s important to try and reactiondisturbance, known as ‘intolerance ‘or ‘sensitivity’. minimize, deal withvariety stressful situations. inOften, This canor give a wide of symptoms, stress can’t be avoided (we NEED an amount cluding fatigue, joint pain, dark circles under of the stress ordersweats, to function properly butsymptoms when we eyes,innight migraine, digestive have too or deal with it ineffectively it can such asmuch bloating or diarrhoea, skin problems cause formore. a form of relaxation suchproblems), as eczema so andlook many that suits you. meditation, hypnotherapy, massage, floating, orsymptoms perhaps you counselling totodeal As these can need take up to 72 hours with a specific issue.it can sometimes be difficult show themselves, to work out what is causing your low mood or
Avoid foods tobut which aretryintolerant. fuzzy brain, you you could keeping a Eat foodregularly! Make sure are you eating ‘mindfully’. Meals diary. If you findyou a food suspect, try leaving should taken in as calm a manner possible it (andbeeverything containing it) out ofasyour diet and must beleast chewed properly. is recommended for at 2 weeks. If youIt feel better, then that each mouthful is chewed LEAST 30 times before continue to avoid it for atAT least another 10 weeks swallowing. Trybody it – time you may not always do it,itbut it to give your to forget the reaction willhad make you aware of just how quickly you (and previously, before reintroducing it slowly. most us!)find boltthat your food foods down.seem to be a Youofmay several problem and the quantity you eat may also be
Don’t drinkso water or soft within 30 with minutes relevant, you have to drinks be quite vigilant of this. your meal – they can dilute your natural digestive juices, giving your body a more difficult job to do. Supplements such as Vitamin C, Quercetin and Natural supplements from a good health food shop Bromelain can act as a very effective natural anti may also help. A good probiotic can be useful, as can histamine for some people who suffer with this a digestive enzyme product. We start to make less type of reaction and be very helpful, as can takenzymes naturally from the age of 35 and producing a good digestive enzyme product from your tion can also be slowed by many things, including local health shop, as low natural levels of these stress - THAT word again. (Enzymes must NOT be chemicals can be a factor in digestive issues. taken with gastritis or a history of, or current peptic Jacquey O’Brien or Libra duodenal ulcer). Health Jacquey O’Brien, Libra Health 01525 378894/07990 976207 01525 378894 / 07990 976207
WHAT’S ON? so much we can’t fit it all in! October
2nd Family History Talk Pressed or Volunteered, Judy Davies traces her ancestors through naval records, archives and voyages of 19th centure. Non members welcome, donations appreciated www. bucksfhs.org.uk 6th Leighton-Linslade Concert Band, Harvest Festival Service 2:30pm at Pitstone Memorial Hall, Pitsone. www.llcb.co.uk Tel 07707 995812 12th Model Railway Exhibition at The Cottesloe School, Aylesbury Road, Wing, LU7 0NY. 10am to 4.30pm. Over 20 layouts, traders, model making demonstrations, a train simulator to test your skills. Refreshments available & disabled access. £6 adult, £3.50 child, £14 family (2 adults + 3 children) www. tdmrc.co.uk. 12th & 13th Organ Festival, Milton Keynes Museum. A selection of small and very large Fairground organs on display and playing. Miniature steam engines, antiques and bygones. http:// mkmuseumevents.weebly.
com/organ-festival.html 19th Stindberg’s Miss Julie - a new translation for 21st centure the Grove Theatre Dunstable 7.30pm. www.uktouringtheatre.co.uk. 20th Craft Fair at Woburn Village Hall 10am-4pm Free admission. www.ccc-craftfairs.co.uk 26th Mayor’s Charity Ball at Leighton Buzzard Golf Club. 7.30pm. contact Christine Barrow, Town Mayor’s Secretary 01525 531921 christine.barrow@ leightonlinslade-tc.gov. uk
MAKERS MARKET HANDMADE ARTS & CRAFTS FROM OVER 40 LOCAL ARTISANS
SATURDAY 2ND & SUNDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2013
PANTONE 253 C
PANTONE 299 C
10:00am - 4:00pm at
BARNFIELD COLLEGE, NEW BEDFORD ROAD, LUTON
Come, mingle and help us celebrate our community by buying local for Christmas
26th Strictly Milton Keynes Spectacular Charity Ballroom and Latin Dance Competition for Willen Hospice and MacMillan Cancer Support. www. strictlyMK.co.uk at the indoor arena, Bury Farm Equestrian Village. Slapton
November
2nd & 3rd Makers Market for Keech Hospice Care, Barnfield College, New Bedford Road, Luton 3rd Fireworks and Fair Campbell Park (no parking at park
Registered Charity No. 1035089
For more info email events@keech.org.uk or call 01582 707940
Admission - Adults £2 Concessions £1.50 Accompanied Children (under 14) FREE FREE PARKING Refreshments served throughout the day
9th Poppy Prom Concert 7:30pm in aid of St Mary’s Church, Eaton Bray and Help for Heroes. The evening
www.thevinemagazine.com lots more fun events for all 18
The online calendar is updated regularly StrictlyMK-A5-Flyer-w-sponsors-Final-Print-Ready.pdf
1
01/07/2013
16:43
Olney. Buckinghamshire MK46 4AA 9th St Barnabas Christmas fair; 11.00am to 3.00pm in the Church & Linslade Community Hall. Grand draw at 3.00pm; Father Christmas & various stalls. Refreshments available all day. 17th Craft Fair at Woburn Village Hall 10am -4pm www.ccc-craftfairs.co.uk
in aid of
SATURDAY 26th OCTOBER 2013
SPECTACULAR CHARITY BALLROOM AND LATIN DANCE COMPETITION
Pro & Local Celebrity Dancers International Indoor Arena, Bury Farm Equestrian Village MC: TV Presenter, Andrew Castle Special Guest Judges: TV Presenters, Matt Baker & Richard Arnold After show party hosted by top DJ from Ibiza and V Festival
Doors open: 6:45pm Show starts: 7:30pm
Tickets Available Now @ StrictlyMK.co.uk
22nd and 23rd 10am - 5pm Town Farm Art show 6 Town Farm, Cheddington, LU7 0TT. Parking on High Street. 8 artists showingpaintings, textiles, ceramics, sculpture, wood carving and craft, basketry and jewellry. Plus mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas cake. www.townfarmartshow.blogspot.com. FREE entry. donations for refreshments in aid of Rennie Grove Hospice Care.
Craft Fair CCC
Crafts - Cake & a Cuppa
facebook.com/StrictlyMK | www.StrictlyMK.co.uk | twitter.com/StrictlyMK
combines the solemnity of words and music from The Festival of Remembrance with the joyful music of The Last Night of the Proms. South Beds Concert Band, St Mary’s Choir and Dagnall Community Choir plus soloists Min-Min Peaker and Barbara Morton. £12.50 and £10. Tel: 01525 222283 Don’t foget to bring your flags. 9th Olney Vintage fair The fair takes place in the pretty stone built Church Hall, just yards from the busy Market Place/starts at 11am and will close at 4pm .St Peter & St Paul’s Church Hall, Church Street,
10.0 0AM - 4.0 0PM
Woburn Village Hall, Beds All Local Handmade
SUNDAY
items
OCTOBER 20th
also Nov 17th & Dec15 same as Farmers’ Mar
ket
th
FR EE AD MI SSI ON
FRE E CUP PA WIT H THI S ADV ERT ISE ME NT www.ccc-craftfairs.co.uk
Tell me about your event: andrena@thevinemagazine.com
auto Biographies ŠKODA Rapid 1.6 TDI Elegance
By Tim Barnes-Clay www.carwriteups.co.uk
ps
T
he new comfortable behind the wheel too; the height adjustable seating andhatchback from ŠKODA has space for fivetoo; the height adjustable adaptable reach/rake steering column makes up and, in 1.6 TDI guise, seating and adaptable reach/ this possible.
can extract up to 64.2mpg out rake steering column makes THIS MOTOR is of a tank. Also, with emissions this possible. If you more opt for budget the Elegance modelofyou’ll also the car is cost- auto just 114g/km, benefitthan from 16-inch alloys, cornering front effective tofog run as a company BIOGRAPHIES If you opt for the Elegance bling, but vehicle. modelRapid you’ll lamps, rear electric windows, and chrome ŠKODA 1.6also TDI benefit Elegancefrom 16-inch alloys, cornering that in itself is By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writer interior detailing. But no matter which variant www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups When to it comes front fog lamps, rear electric of the no Rapidproblem. you drive, you’ll find access the to thrills and spills the ŠKODA Rapid isn’t re- windows, and chrome interior THIS MOTOR is more budget than bling; but boot easy and the load space square and ally quite as speedy as its name that detailing. But no matter which in itself is no problem. practical in this, the seventh car suggests. in ŠKODA’s new hatchback ŠKODA has drive, space for The oil-burner under Thevariant of thefrom Rapid you and, in 1.6 TDI guise, can extract up to award-winning range. the bonnet of the Czech-made five-up you’ll find access to the boot 64.2mpg out of a tank. Also, with emissions of
motor powers it from rest to 62mph in 10.6 seconds and Crucially, With Benefit in Kind (BIK) ratings upwards to 118mph. It’s fairly from only 14 percent, the ŠKODA Rapid is slow going, and with only five expected to provide a shot in the gears arm it’s to annoyingly the easy to FAST FACTS brand’s rapidly growing fleet sales. On-thecrunch the gearstick up into a speed: 118 mph road Max pricing starts from £12,900 for the Rapidsixth cog. non-existent 0-62 mph: 10.6 secs 1.2-litre 75PS in entry level S trim, rising to Combined mpg: 64.2 As 105PS well as the £17,850 for1568cc the 4Rapid 1.6 TDI CR in less than prompt Engine: cylinder performance the Rapid feels flagship Elegance 16 valvespec. turbo diesel skittish at motorway speeds Max. power (bhp): and the steering is too light to 103 at 4400 rpm inspire confidence. The plastic Max. torque (lb/ft): trim is disappointing compared 184 at 1500 - 2500 rpm with, say, the more executiveCO2: 114 g/km focused ŠKODA Superb but, in its favour the flagship ‘EleFASTPrice: FACTS£17,850 on the road
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PROS ‘N’ CONS
Max speed: 118 mph PROS & CONS
gance’ grade, Economical √ on test here, come stacked Stacked with kit √ with kit.
Max. torque (lb/ft):
enthit comes car intoŠKODA’s awardWhen thrills and spills the ŠKODA Rapid isn’t really quite as speedy as its name winning range. suggests. The oil-burner under the bonnet of the Czech-made motor powers it from rest to Crucially, Benefit in 62mph in 10.6With seconds and upwards to 118mph. It’s fairly slow going, andonly with only Kind (BIK) ratings from five gears it’s annoyingly easy to crunch the 14 percent, the ŠKODA gearstick up into a non-existent sixth Rapid cog. is expected to provide a shot
As well as the less than prompt performance in the arm to the brand’s the Rapid feels skittish at motorway speeds and the steering is too light to inspire rapidly growing fleet sales. confidence. The plastic trim isstarts disappointing On-the-road pricing from compared with, say, the more executive£12,900 the but, Rapid focused ŠKODAfor Superb in its1.2-lifavour the flagship ‘Elegance’ grade, level on testShere, tre 75PS in entry trim,does come stacked with kit.
wheel controls, Bluetooth and air conditioning. It’s easy to get
If yo bene lamp inter of th boo prac awa
Cruc from expe bran road 1.2-l £17, flags
rising to £17,850 for the Rapid
Key features cruise control; electrically 1.6 TDI include CR 105PS in flagship heated door mirrors, multi-function steering Elegance spec. wheel controls, Bluetooth and air conditioning. does It’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel
Economical √ secs 0-62 mph: 10.6 Practical load area √ Stacked with kit √ Combined mpg: 64.2 Key features include cruise Practical load area √ Less than ’rapid’ control; electrically heated door Engine: 1568 cc 16 value 4 Less than ’rapid’ performance X performance X mirrors, multi-function steering cylinder diesel Interior turbo plastics X Interior plastics X
Max. power (bhp): 103 at 4400 rpm
easy andthe the space square just 114g/km, carload is cost-effective to run as a company vehicle. in this, the sevand practical
too; adap this
FAS
Faced with the COST OF PAYING FOR care? Help with planning – for older people, their families and friends Contact PayingForCare by freephone on
0808 208 9994* *Telephone calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes. PayingForCare offers help, information and advice about long term care and enables those that need regulated financial advice to make contact with specialist care fees financial advisers. PayingForCare Limited (“PayingForCare”) is registered in England and Wales (Company no. 7866192). The registered office is Regent House, 1-3 Queensway, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QT. PayingForCare is part of the Partnership group of companies which includes Partnership Life Assurance Company Limited, an authorised insurer.
In The Garden
A beginners guide to…
Now is the time to...
Make A Plan!
As we creep into Autumn it is a great time to make a plan for next year's garden and you don't need to be a professional landscaper to do it! Nearly everyone has access to a digital camera or phone camera, either our own or a helpful family member. If you are lucky enough to have an upstairs room that overlooks your entire garden, take a photograph and print it out as large as possible on normal office paper. If not you can still take a series of pictures and use them for different areas, or draw a rough sketch. Now use your printout or drawing to mark where there are gaps in your planting, while it is still fresh in your mind from time in your garden during the summer
months. Note where you needed more colour, places where plants are not thriving and parts of the garden that would be better off hidden. You may think you will remember what you had in mind when next Spring comes around but you will thank yourself for this handy reminder. Now think of the colours you would like to see and research the plants to buy in the Spring or you can even buy the seeds now.
sheds, statues and water features, gazebos and pergola. With a birds eye view of your garden you can see where these will fit best. If you are planning to make a pond you will need to do this when the ground is still soft before the hard frosts hit otherwise digging can be impossible November time is great and March if we are lucky.
Finally don't forget that bright coloured pots and winter flowering pansies can still add This is also the time to splashes of colour in the plan more ambitious projects such as decking, darker months, plant patios and ponds as well them before the end of November. as purchases such as
Other jobs to be getting on with... October
• Clear up fallen leaves regularly • Cut back perennials • Divide herbaceous perennials for more plants • Move tender plants to green house • Harvest fruit • Prune climbing roses • Give the lawn its last mow
November
• Protect outdoor containers with bubble wrap or fleece • Plant tulip bulbs ready for Spring • Put out bird food
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Planning For Autumn Good planning and preparation can make this time of year a dramatic moment in the garden, but if you feel your outside space lacks autumn pizzazz, the work for next year’s spectacle begins right now. You still have time to plant late flowering herbaceous perennials and hardy grasses, both of which have beautiful flowers in bloom right now, but aim to do this at the beginning of October. Experiment with vivid red Helenium such as 'Rubinzwerg' which look fantastic when planted in front of the biscuit coloured flower spikes of Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', or try the much lower, but no less dramatic double pink flowers of Colchicum 'Water lily' towards the front of the border. I would challenge anyone who does not favour grasses to find another species which offers colour and texture to match this diverse range of plants. As I sit in the autumn garden right now, perched on a cold metal bench, I can admire the wonderful tall arching stems of Stipa gigantea swaying in the gentle breeze. Standing proud since July, this majestic grass will carry on performing until the heavy snow flattens the delicate oat-like flower spikes. If the subtlety of the grassy flowers are not enough to sustain your need for autumn colour, then try Aster 'October Skies' for a splash of late season lilac. The daisy like flowers are produced in abundance over a long period of time, and the great news is that it’s happy growing on dry poor soil in sun or even part shade. It won't get much bigger than 45cm tall so doesn’t need staking and the colours seem to intensify as the light levels fall. As we progress further into the month, the bright yellows, oranges and reds synonymous with October, slowly deepen before fading to a muddy brown.
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ore yl
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whereabouts
www.whereaboutsboardgame.co.uk Whereabouts board game with over 1000 questions in six categories, Rivers, Cities, Motorways, Counties, General Knowledge, Correct Place Names with multiple choice answers. Test your knowledge of Great Britain. Ages 12+
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IT’S THE LAW Spousal Maintenance – Unravelling the Mystery People often talk about the importance of obtaining a ‘clean break’ from their spouse in divorce proceedings, in other words a complete financial cut from each other. Sometimes however, a clean break is not appropriate particularly where one of the parties has on-going income needs that they cannot meet on their own. Where this situation arises, consideration should be given as to whether or not that spouse has a claim for ‘spousal maintenance’, i.e. monthly maintenance paid from one spouse to the other following divorce. There are however many factors to be considered in calculating whether or not there is a claim. The length of the marriage is relevant; where the marriage has been short it is more difficult. The age and working capacity of each party is important, for example where one party is aged 60 and is a low earner they may have more of a need to claim maintenance as opposed to a spouse who is aged 30 and a high earner. After the right to a claim has been established, the spouse with the claim must be able to properly quantify their income needs. This will mean looking at exactly what his or her monthly expenses are and ensuring that, in particular,
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housing needs, such as mortgage or rental payments are included. These monthly expenditure needs are then compared to their monthly income received in order to assess the deficit.
If, however, the other spouse does not have the means to meet the deficit the matter may end there. At this point a similar exercise is carried out so that a proper assessment of the other party’s income can be made. If there is a “surplus” to their needs, the client has proper grounds for a claim. A ‘Spousal Maintenance Order’, if made, can be limited in time e.g. payable for 2 years or can be for life and in some cases duration of the Order can be a critical factor. Sheena Shah is the Head of Matrimonial Law at Osborne Morris and Morgan Tel: 01525 378177 sheena.shah@OMMlaw.co.uk www.ommlaw.co.uk
Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles
3 2 4 3
2 9 7 8 2 9 3
Sudoku 数独 1 6
7
9 2 6
8 4 3
C E S A M B L R Unscramble the letters to find types of Car Brands. Unscramble the letters to find the names of types of Each one has an extra letter. Find something that you will find on your CAR. Unscramble theone letters to find types of Car Brands. car. Each has an extra letter: WEGODD Find something you will find on your car. Each one has an extra letter. Find something that you will find on XLUSIE 6 WEGODD UBSAUNR SNSADIN XLUSIE AZWAMD UBSAUNR DUWAI
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Crossword
CERAMICS + PAINTINGS + JEWELLERY
SPOT THE58ADVERT High Street. Stony Stratford
Whatwww.thestaniarthouse.co.uk advert Is This? >>>>
Have YouDown Been There Yet ?
Across
FINE PRINTS + BESPOKE FURNITURE + SCULPTURE
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!
DUWAI
PHOTOGRAPHY + GLASS + PICTURE FRAMING
1. Austere, firm (6) 1. Hottest desert (6) 4. Chomper, nibbler (5) 2 Eviction (7) 8. Mr. Simpson (5) 3. Non-commissioned army 9. All the same (7) officer (8) 10. Italian filled pasta (7) 4. Enticement (4) 11. Wham, bang (4) 5. Molar (5) 12. Crusty bread roll (3) 6. Cure (6) 14. Blood-sucking insect (4) 7. Loose-fitting top (5) 15. Iridescent gem (4) 13. Small shop (8) 18. Untruth (3) 16. Amphibious (7) 21. Polite cough! (4) 17. Devastation (6) www.thestanigallery.co.uk 23. Seedless orange 19.Stratford Written work (5) 61 High(7) Street. Stony 25. Branch of mathematics (7) 20. Glossy green leaf used EVERY CAR PARKING 26. OPEN Arab state (5) DAY + FREE in wreaths (6) 27. Foe (5) 22. Bird of prey (5) 28. Sketching tool (6) 24. Do as you’re told (4)
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Art Galleries Tea Rooms Art & Craft Workshops
E
What’sBestForYou
m LE
By Martin Lewis
ebay
Bill Sh By M
It’s the financial nightmares you never though The ubiquitous giant online auction site eBay may seem a relatively happen that really hurt. So here’s how to fight the top 10 hidden bill perils. simple beast. Yet beneath the shiny shop front there are a host of hidden 1. “My six-year-old spent £3,200 on an iPhone secrets enabling you to pay less. Letting youngsters sit on your knee while you u
smartphone or tablet means they’re likely to k
It all stems from the fact eBay’s a mammoth marketplace with millions of goods and hordes of buyers competing for the same items. It’s all too easy to get sucked into bidding wars, with your finger quivering on the mouse, and then just overpaying at the last minute. Yet a host of hidden tools and websites allow you to hone in on hidden uber-deals overlooked by rival bidders. Here are my top eBay buyer’s tricks…
Exploit Speiling Mistakes Typos and errors on eBay are incredibly common. Of course, that means fewer people searching for things, so the prices you get are rock bottom. A host of mistake spotters, such as www.fatfingers.co.uk, www.goofbid.com and www.bargainchecker.com trawl eBay for all possible spelling mistake combinations which have lower prices. While we’re on it, if you’re selling remember to use spell check.
Find Collection Only Bargains Near You From designer sofas to skis and scooters, sellers often specify items are ‘collection only’. This means fewer competing bidders and serious local bargains. You can’t yet search for this on eBay, but if you go to my eBay Local Deals Mapper tool www.moneysavingexpert.com/localebay it finds these bargains for you and maps how close they are. There’s also an Android and iPhone app version. Results can be powerful, such as this from my site user Jen_Jen1985: “Had been looking for a double buggy, but most ended up selling for around £40. I found one via the Local Deals tool and ended up winning it for £1.24!”
Bag No-Bid 99P Items Often sellers start auctions at 99p or less, hoping a tug of war will break out between buyers. Many items go unspotted and stay at these super-low prices. It’s possible to scour eBay just for these with 99p spotter www.lastminute-auction.com.
password which in turnsellcan be pretty expensiv Double-check delivery charges, as some ers hope to recoup costsRecently, by charging Englandlittle playerextra. Sam Vesty got smack Though eBay has now set maximum delivery £3,200 bill after his six and eight year olds bou virtual farm animals a mountain of food, with charges for many categories.
Do You Need It?
£70 a pop over three hours. This is just one of examples I’ve heard of. It’s disgusting that a ki allows this, but it happens, so protect yourself
Before I go to much further withgoing this, quick If you’re to just let theakids use your tech, th to follow. Protect your password—your kids m word of warning about not getting carried away you knowing so change it regularly. Pl with bargains. It’s worth without following my money manyour phone’s “app purchases” setting is restric tra before you spend cash. needs a password. Most phones let you do thi If you’re skint, first ask yourself “Do I need it?, Can to your networkit’s about financial and parental c I afford it? Have I checked whether available cheaper elsewhere?!” If the answer with to any of those An alternative iPhones is to delink your cr is no, don’t buy it. card from your account and buy vouchers inste
never go over the top. And, finally, if all goes w
you’veCheap been stung by a massive charge due to Buy Stolen Goods On The
call up and explain. Often they’ll wipe it on a ‘o
and you’re out’ they did for the rug Well, nearly, but great headline, youpolicy—as must admit. dad. but is worth checking This one isn’t actually eBay, - it’s legal via police auction sitepaying www.bumble2. Avoid £150 a month for busting you beeauctions.co.uk. Forces in England and Wales Break your overdraft limit by even £1 and you use this eBay-style site tocharges sell lost property or goods up to £5 a day or, at Clydesdale, up to seized from criminals when they can’t find the transaction. It’s very easy to get caught out, bu rightful owner. costly, so ensure you stay in the black. If you h It’s cracking for bicycles,caught among withother a heftythings—for amount of bank charges, m example a high-spec Specialized bike went will remember a few yearsfor ago £50 I was urging pe (similar ones were £200 reclaim on eBay). larger items them. Most Some got thousands back. While needs to be collected in person from local nicks. Some smaller items can be delivered, though check postage prices before buying.
Find Auctions Closing In The Dead Of Night Listings that finish at anti-social times often get fewer bids (a warning for sellers there too). Pick a time slot and a www.baycrazy.com’s Night Time Bargain Searcher cruises for these vampiric bargains. If you don’t fancy burning the midnight oil, combine this trick with auto-bidding tools on the next page, which can bid on your behalf while you’re deep in the land of nod.
A Good Read For You
The Crow Road By Iain Banks
‘He’s away the crow road.’ So says Prentice McHoan’s grandmother before she takes that path, and sadly, so now is Banks himself. What better way to recognise the enormous contribution he made to modern fiction than to revisit some of his work, and what better place to start than ‘The Crow Road’? For a start, it has one of the best opening lines in modern literature: ‘It was the day my grandmother exploded.’ In the aforementioned Prentice, it has an engaging, honest and endearing hero, and in his family it has a complex, disturbing and fascinating cast of characters. There is drama, humour, mystery and philosophy in equal measure. What’s not to love? The central strand of the story is the disappearance of Prentice’s Uncle Rory – presumed dead by many, but presumed alive by Prentice’s father, Kenneth. Rory’s unfinished papers include the idea of ‘Crow Road’ – a novel? a factual account?
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Nothing is clear. As Prentice attempts to unravel the thread, Banks moves his own story backwards and forwards in time, switching perspectives and retelling events from different angles. For a novel which is frequently about death, there is an awful lot of humour too – often dark, but equally hilarious. Fans are divided on which of Banks’ novels is his best. It’s a hard choice. How do you choose between say ‘The Wasp Factory’ and ‘Complicity’? Many readers would stake a claim for his science fiction, written as Iain M Banks, and ask you to ‘Consider Phlebas’. I have a great deal of affection for his whisky-logue ‘Raw Spirit’, which is not only well written, but has been responsible for a lot of good drams – cheers Iain. However, whether or not it is his ‘best’, ‘The Crow Road’ is certainly my favourite – and I know I am not alone.
For The Kids
The Enchanted Wood By Enid Blyton Enid Blyton has been out of favour for many years, but has recently undergone something of a renaissance. A major exhibition of her work has led many to revisit their childhood favourites – and believe me, some of them have stood the test of time remarkably well. The Enchanted Wood is the first in the Faraway Tree series, in which three children find themselves living close to the most amazing tree you have ever seen. It grows different fruits at different points, depending on how it is feeling. It is inhabited by all manner of strange folk – Silky the fairy, the old Saucepan Man, Dame Washalot and the Angry Pixie. At the top lives Moonface, in a perfectly round little house with a slide that runs right to the bottom of the tree. And best of all, there is a small ladder through the clouds which leads to a different magical land every time... Joe, Beth and Frannie (the names have been modernised from Blyton’s originals) have all manner of adventures there. Sometimes the lands are full of fun – The Land of Birthdays, for example – while others are slightly more threatening – Dame Snap may no longer be Dame Slap, but her school is still somewhere no-one would like to visit! If you remember loving Blyton as a child, then now might be the time to dig out those old copies. A six and four year old I know rather well, are enjoying these stories just as much as I ever did, if not more!
What’sBestForYou Build Amazon 75% bargain basements Of course, eBay isn’t the only fruit. Amazon’s range and selection is huge, and therefore it is impossible for everyone to see everything. Yet there’s a trick you can use to manipulate its URLs (web addresses) to build section pages organised purely by the biggest discounts, for example, beauty discounted by more than 75% or TVs by 25%. You can do this by carefully reconstructing its links with a bit of savvy. Easier, I’ve built a tool that does it for you—just go to www.moneysavingexpert.com/ amazon, put in what you’re looking for and how big a discount you want and it builds the page instantly.
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A Travellers
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In essence, they - perhaps not surprising considering the founder of their Church - are far more sparse. One might say that Catholic cathedrals are dripping with elaborately decorated features whilst Anglican cathedrals are examples of soaring Gothic splendour. Lutheran cathedrals, in contrast, exude an elegant simplicity. Riga, a former Hanseatic city, is also famous for its Art Nouveau area where many of the buildings (often foreign embassies) are splendidly embossed. We eventually ricocheted to the particular area of town and were suitably impressed. But having got lost once or twice, our return to the ship became something of a stampede since we had to sail again in the early afternoon destined for Tallinn; where we arrived around 9.30 next morning. Of all the Baltic states, Estonia is the "must see" one because of Tallinn - a definite honeypot. We joined a coach trip and went first to an open air amphitheatre where Estonians gather in vast numbers to sing their hearts out on special days. We were told about the history of the country - only fairly recently independent - and learnt that, like the other Baltic states, Estonia had been occupied by, and part of, just about every other power in the region at some time (especially Sweden and more latterly Russia). The Estonian language is close to Finnish - which means that it's nothing like any other Baltic language, or German, or Russian, or Scandinavian. How strange! There is also a large minority of Russian speakers and, reflecting this strong Russian presence, there is the Nevsky Cathedral; a kaleidoscope of icons and colour outdoing even the Catholics. A walking tour around the Old Town - made difficult by the large cobblestones found in each of the Baltic states - showed many medieval buildings complete with sections of the original city walls and defensive towers. It's not surprising that Tallinn is regarded by many as the most interesting of these three countries - it certainly was with me. Sadly, Tallinn had been another quick look since, once again, we sailed out in the late afternoon headed for what most people regarded as the highlight of the entire cruise, namely St Petersburg. (To be continued)...
Answers Scramble DODGE (W) LEXUS (I) SUBARU (N) NISSAN (D) MAZDA (O) AUDI (W)
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USEFUL NUMBERS Chemists Cox & Robinson 13 Melrose Avenue 01908 372651 Lloyds Pharmacy 127-129 Queensway 01908 373 674 Tesco Instore Pharmacy Watling Street 01908 854 247 P&I Smith Ltd 206 Whaddon Way 01908 372 161 Boots Store 1 The Concourse, Brunel Centre 01908 372 888 Cox & Robinson, 239 Queensway 01908 373 135 NHS 111 service NHS 111 is a new service that’s being introduced to make it easier for you to access local NHS healthcare services. You can call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones. When to use it You should use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a lifethreatening situation. Call 111 if:you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency or you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service or you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call or if you need health information or reassurance about what to do nextFor less urgent
health needs, contact your GP or local pharmacist in the usual way.If a health professional has given you a specific phone number to call when you are concerned about your condition, continue to use that number. For immediate, life-threatening emergencies, continue to call 999 Dentists- emergency 111 Bletchley Dental Practice 295-297 Whaddon Way Bletchley 01908 373445 Dental Specialists MK, 259 Queensway, Bletchley – 01908 630169 Oxford House Dental Surgery, Aylesbury Street, Bletchley – 01908 373614 Doctors Bedford Street Surgery 01908 658850 4 Bedford Street, Bletchley, MK2 2TX Drayton Road Surgery 01908 371481 20 Drayton Road, Bletchley, MK2 3EJ Red House Surgery 01908 375111 241 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2EH Water Eaton Health Centre 01908 371318 Fern Grove, Bletchley, MK2 3HN Westfield Road Surgery 01908 377103 11 Westfield Road, Bletchley, MK2 2DJ Whaddon Medical Centre 01908 373058 25 Witham Court, Tweed
Drive, Bletchley MK3 7QU Hospitals Milton Keynes 01908 660033 Milton Keynes Urgent Care Centre 24/7 walk in service for patients with urgent medical problems Milton Keynes Hospital Standing Way, Eaglestone MK6 5NG Walk in or ring the NHS 111 service Stoke Mandeville 01296 315000 Council Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council 01908 649469 Library Bletchley Library 01908 372797 Police Bletchley Police Station Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, MK3 6TP Call 101 - (always call 999 in an emergency) Monday: 0900 - 1700 Tuesday: 0900 - 1700 Wednesday: 0900 - 1700 Thursday: 0900 - 1700 Friday: 0900 - 1700 Saturday: Closed Sunday: Close MP Iain Stewart Tel: 01908 686830 / Fax: 01908 686831 Email: iain.stewart.mp@ parliament.uk Web: www.ias4mks.com
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