The Yateley Online Magazine - April 2015 by The Yateley Online Magazine

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A N O TE F R O M T HE E D ITOR Hello and welcome to the April issue of the Yateley Online Magazine! This month we have an issue just packed with feel good stories from local Yateley residents and local businesses to kick start your spring. We start off with a story from Square One, and their unrelenting support of the Scottyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Little Soldiers project by providing support for their summer of rugby this year. In an in depth interview with Gurkanwal Dhillon we see how local youth homeless charity Step By Step helps homeless youngsters in our area. We take a trip into literature with a story from Colin Ive from his book of heroic fire-fighter stories. We also take a look at the traditions of Easter, what it means to different cultures and how they celebrate. An interview with ex-sixth form student Kirsty Pitkin will give you an insight into how she set up her own business in event amplification, what it means and why there is a huge demand for the service. After being named the nicest area to live in, some residents of Heart have something to say about the local plan, and how it can be made better by local efforts and support. We also bring you updates from the Yateley District Gardening Society on their next meeting, and Hart Volunteers quest for mentors for the student at Yateley School, helping support them through their GCSE study. Our student journalist reviews popular vholiday spot Lille for our student journalist spotlight, while our recipe of the month will have your taste buds tingling and your mouth watering. As always if you have a story to share or a comment to make, please let us know! Get involved in the conversation. @YateleyMagazine

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April 2015 7

Yateley Fire Station - How It All Began

Along with his many contributions and achievements within the Yateley volunteering community, including becoming head of the Yateley Sports CIC, organising Gig on the Green and so much more, Colin Ive also served our town as a dedicated firefighter for many years. In an expert from his book ‘I Knew You’d Come’ tells the story of how the Yateley fire station all started.

Square One Supports Scotty’s Tigers

Square One, the physiotherapy and sports injury clinic that recently opened in Odiham are delighted to be supporting military charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers and dedicated rugby team, Scotty’s Tigers, for an exciting summer of rugby.

16 What Is An Event Amplifier? Many of the jobs our school pupils will do when they go out into the world of work don’t exist yet. In this interview, former Yateley Sixth Form student, Kirsty Pitkin, discusses her job as an event amplifier – a role that she created in response to an emerging need in the digital space. 21

Easter Traditions

April 2015 28

Step By Step To A Brighter Future

Hart Volunteers

We Love Hart

Berkshire Tai Chi

Student Journalist

Student Journalist, Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On, Directory & Courses in Yateley

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Along with his many contributions and achievements within the Yateley volunteering community, including becoming head of the Yateley Sports CIC, organising Gig on the Green and so much more, Colin Ive also served our town as a dedicated firefighter for many years. In this expert from his book ‘I Knew You’d Come’ tells the story of how the Yateley fire station all started. 7 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

In December 1966, the Yateley Ratepayers and Residents Association made their first bid in a campaign to have a fire station built in Yateley due to the rapidly growing community. An extensive review of the fire cover for the area was conducted resulting in the Chief Fire Officer of Hampshire reporting that there was nothing, at that time, to justify altering the existing arrangements for the area. There was however, recognition given to the likelihood of continued growth in the area and that the situation would have to be monitored. During the 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the area of Yateley and its neighbouring village of Blackwater became the fastest growing area in the UK as substantially more and more housing estates were built and people moved out of South and West London in search of the lower cost housing the area had to offer. At the same time the completion of the M3 motorway made travel so much easier in the tri-county areas of South West Surrey, South Berkshire and North Hampshire. As the population continued to grow so came with it an increase in fires and incidents requiring the services of the fire brigade. In Yateley several significant house fires occurred during the seventies. During the period from the closure of World War II auxiliary fire stations, the Yateley station was located in a building adjacent to the White Lion pub (now its car park) and the opening of Yateley Fire Station in 1982 the fire cover for the our area was provided by Hartley Wintney, Crowthorne and Camberley Fire Stations. Many residents saw this as no longer adequate to meet the needs of the newly developed area. Eventually following continued demands, and the biggest fire in memory when the parish church of St Peters was burnt down by an arsonist on May 5th 1979, that same year Hampshire County Council agreed that a fire station would be built and staffed by retained firefighters. There are two kinds of firefighter. A wholetime firefighter who is located 8â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

on busy fire stations and attends there for 42 hours a week on a shift pattern basis. During this time they train, eat, rest and sleep on the station ready for calls. A retained firefighter is located on a station with just a few hundred calls a year, often a great deal less, and lives close by. They have a fulltime job in some other capacity, and dedicate many hours a week to be available to respond and attend emergency incidents. Often, if able to respond from their normal place or work, this availability can exceed 150 hours per week. They are alerted to an emergency by the pagers they carry. Emergencies which could, and often did, occur at the most inconvenient time and interrupt all types of human functions. Alerted by their pagers they drop everything and respond within a few minutes to the fire station. Here instructions on the location and type of incident await them on a teleprinter. Retained firefighters are the first line of fire and rescue response for their community and, after a great deal of training, become qualified in fire and rescue duties. Although seldom realised by the general public retained firefighters solely staff over 55% of all fire stations in the British Isles which in turn represents 95% of its land mass. They also jointly staff, with their wholetime colleagues, pumps at a great many other stations. In early 1980 recruitment began in Yateley. Advertisements and a recruitment caravan were set up in the shopping area of the town where more information was supplied and people were encouraged to apply. Following acceptance of the initial application, interviews were then held at Fleet fire station. It was at these interviews that I first met Danny Randall. He would become a good friend and subsequently my right hand man for many years before succeeding me as the Officer in Charge. A post that he still holds today. All of those selected had their own motives for applying. My own journey to the recruitment door began several years before when visiting Mildenhall fire station in Suffolk. My wife, Brenda, had family in Mildenhall and three of her uncles were retained firefighters there. Theirs was a lively busy station and I was intrigued by the characters I met. On hearing their pagers they underwent a transformation from relaxed family men to focussed dedicated professionals. With encouragement from Brenda I applied and was fortunate enough to be selected. One of 15 men who met for the first time on August 3rd 1980 to begin their long training and become qualified firefighters. Once this was achieved we were to be based at the then yet to be built Yateley Fire Station, located to the rear of the Royal Oak public house in 9â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Reading Road, Yateley. During two long years of training we learnt about use of equipment, how to fight fire and perform rescues from a range of scenarios, though often focussed upon extraction techniques for cutting victims from car crashes, or Road Traffic Accidents (RTA’s) as they were then referred to. A selection of us passed the HGV qualification to drive the fire engine. Most of these men then went on to the advanced training enabling them to drive ‘under blue lights’, that is to drive to an incident with blue lights flashing and sirens wailing. In addition they undertook extra training in pump operation as at an incident the driver takes responsibility for delivering the water to the hose. All of us became qualified Breathing Apparatus (BA) wearers following an intense and personally demanding course in the stifling heat and smoke filled rooms and rat runs, which were concrete pipes with a diameter of just over a shoulders width, or so it seemed, which all had to be successfully negotiated in order to achieve the qualification. We learned as much about ourselves as we did about the equipment and techniques for its use. During our training time we learnt a great deal about working as a team in all the tasks we undertook. All of those who made it successfully through these years of training owe a personal debt of gratitude to Alan Albury. He was a wholetime firefighter of Sub Officer rank. He taught us so much, not just from textbooks but also from his own personal experiences of many years as a firefighter. He ensured we were good enough to satisfy the inspections and drills by senior officers but also the demands and expectations of our community. Then finally the station was built and became operational, “On the run”, in August of 1982. In the first 25 years of operations these firefighters and those who followed responded to over 7000 emergency calls, ranging from serious fires both within the community and outside, notably the most famous being the Windsor Castle fire, to performing rescues and special services at aircraft incidents, RTA’s, floods, chemical spills, etc. A total of 43 firefighters had been fortunate enough to serve their local community in this way during those 25 years. I say fortunate because for the majority of these years there was a long waiting list of applicants eager to join. But once qualified a firefighter would often serve for many years and so recruitment as a necessity had at that time been low. Right now however, in April 2015, there are vacancies at the Yateley 10 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Fire Station and anyone interested should contact Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. There is little doubt in my mind that the reason for the waiting list we had at Yateley was the high profile we continually gave the station. We promoted it regularly via local, and on occasions national media so that our community knew who we were and never forgot we existed. Prior to my relating in further editions of the Yateley Magazine the true stories from my years at Yateley I hope the following will be of interest to the reader. This is a report and comment of a fire, which took place in Cricket Hill, Yateley in 1904. It has been copied from the June 1904 edition of the Yateley Parish Magazine and held as a reference by the Yateley Society. It is the earliest record of a fire occurring in Yateley that I have been able to find and reflects well even then the demand by the local population for improvements to their firefighting protection. A demand that after many years and considerable increase in the population resulted in the opening of Yateley Fire Station.

Fire at Bourne’s Lodge The fire at Sir A Godley’s lodge, which resulted in the destruction of the house but happily without further loss, again calls aloud to the Yateley Parish Council to provide the parish with a fire hose. If such a hose had been in existence and there had been a hydrant on the main which passes the house probably the fire would have been got under control before the serious damage had been done. We should like to ask the Parish Council how many fires they require before they wake up to the necessity of purchasing a fire hose. If they would only spend £5 a year in hose they would have a good length in four or five years, probably quite enough to cope with any fire they may be called to deal with. At present however there are no hydrants on the Cricket Hill main and their first cure should be to have them fixed. Perhaps it is not generally known that the Insurance Companies are always willing to reduce their premiums if there is a fire brigade and sufficient hose. The Churchwardens of Yateley got a considerable reduction when they bought 50 yards of hose for the use of the church. This extract from the Yateley Parish Magazine was taken from an archived edition recovered after the fire that destroyed St Peter’s Church. The salvaged pages of the magazine were photographed as part of the work of the Yateley Society. Ironically these pages show clear signs of suffering serious fire damage. 11 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

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Square One, the physiotherapy and sports injury clinic that recently opened in Odiham, are delighted to be supporting military charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers and dedicated rugby team, Scotty’s Tigers, for an exciting summer of rugby. Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting bereaved British Forces children. Inspired by the experience of army widow Nikki Scott, the charity honours her husband Corporal Lee Scott’s memory, both as a loyal soldier and a loving father, and provides a practical yet personal way for the public at large to show their appreciation for those brave individuals who make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country. The charity provides opportunities for the children of soldiers to smile again by offering holidays at its Scotty Lodges, gifts at difficult times of the year, special experiences and amazing Christmas parties. As well as these fun activities the charity also provides access to professional bereavement counselling and a range of grants to help with the children’s personal development. These grants can cover the cost of music lessons, swimming clubs, after school activities, driving lessons and even University tuition fees. The charity now supports hundreds of bereaved British Forces’ children across the UK, many of whom are still very young and will rely on the activities offered by Scotty’s for years to come. Scotty’s Tigers is a team of committed and dedicated British Forces personnel working together and playing rugby to fundraise in support of Scotty’s Little Soldiers. Following the team’s success at last year’s events, Square One will be joining the team for a second year as the nominated sports therapy provider for several of the rugby 7s tournaments in 2015. Square One specialises in a variety of professional services to ensure individuals return to full fitness and function as safely and quickly as possible. With highly trained therapists, a unique blend of assessment and diagnostic techniques can be employed to successfully assess, diagnose and treat all sport, lifestyle, recreational and occupational related injuries, as well as provide extensive support through the rehabilitation and recovery process to promote health and wellbeing. To learn more about Scotty’s Little Soldiers, please visit: www.scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk. 13 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

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Many of the jobs our school pupils will do when they go out into the world of work don’t exist yet. In this interview, former Yateley Sixth Form student, Kirsty Pitkin, discusses her job as an event amplifier – a role that she created in response to an emerging need in the digital space.

I always have to take a deep breath when people ask me that question! An event amplifier’s job is to help event organisers reach a wider audience and to encourage an extended, online conversation around the topics of the event. We create resources that help people to share and discuss the event with their online professional and social networks, and capture that conversation so event organisers can see the impact their event has made on the community. In practice, this means providing live Twitter commentaries, live video streaming, session summaries, delegate interviews, photos and videos. We also do a lot of work to help the remote audience (people who cannot attend in person) to access all areas of the event and to take an active part in the networking and discussion sessions.

What type of events do you cover? Most of our events are in the higher education sector, including research conferences, workshops, and hackathons. The majority of our work comes from word-of-mouth recommendations so there are a lot of overlaps. We have covered events in fields such as digital curation, user experience, web management, library and information science, arts research and software development.

How did you become an event amplifier? I was studying creative writing and new media when blogging and social networking tools like Twitter were first emerging and growing in popularity 17 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

in the UK. I was exposed to lots of new ways of telling stories using digital tools and ways of engaging with audiences. At the time I was working for a bus company in a customer service role to pay my way through my MA, so I started applying what I was learning by setting up a blog and a Twitter feed to update people about our bus services. This was extremely popular at a time when most public transport companies were not making use of these tools to engage customers. When I completed my degree and left the bus company, one of our regular passengers invited me to attend a conference he was organising to help ‘amplify’ the proceedings. We came up with a list of ways we could engage people in an online conversation about the event and create materials to document those discussions, including video interviews and blog posts. It was all very experimental, but the feedback was very positive, and before I knew it we were building a business around those techniques.

What’s the most interesting event you have covered? All of the events we have covered since we started in 2009 have been interesting in different ways. Most feature bleeding edge research in their respective domains, so it is fascinating to hear about the advances that have been made and the problems left to solve. One of my favourite events was the Digital Transformations Showcase, organised by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. This featured an array of amazing projects, including a demonstration of The Gloves by Imogen Heap. The Gloves allow the performer to trigger different sounds and effects through arm and body motions. Imogen Heap gave a prerelease performance of her track ‘Me The Machine’ using The Gloves, which has to be one of my highlights. 18 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

What’s the most interesting venue you have visited to amplify an event? We once live streamed a presentation from inside the SS Great Britain, which was technically challenging (Brunel didn’t include an internet connection in the design!). I also live tweeted an event that was held inside Battersea Power Station.

What skills do you need to be an event amplifier? A lot of my job involves what I call ‘high adrenaline writing’. You have to have excellent concentration and comprehension skills to be able to listen to a highly technical talk and break it down into tweet-sized comments or a short summary. It is a lot of fun, but it can be draining when you start out! You also need to be flexible: the social media space changes really rapidly and I spend a lot of my time researching and experimenting with new tools/technologies to make sure we are offering the most up-to-date range of services.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy learning about the exciting range of research going on in the UK in sectors that I would otherwise never know existed.

What advice would you give students today who want to prepare for jobs that don’t exist yet? Be imaginative. There are so many opportunities opening up to create new roles and even entire business models, particularly in the digital space. It is important to see all of your skills as transferrable and to be open minded when looking for opportunities. If you have an interest in a field, don’t feel constrained by the ‘standard’ career path – look for imaginative ways to solve problems in that space. You can follow Kirsty on Twitter @eventamplifier

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With Easter just around the corner it’s not surprising that we’re starting to stock up on Easter eggs and plan our grand Sunday lunch. But what are other families around the world doing in preparations? Easter is a fairly well known time of year in England, and one that makes everyone think of different things. For those of faith, we are remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for nature enthusiasts it is a time for spring and new life, and for anyone under (and a lot of people over!) the age of 7, it’s the time of year a giant bunny rabbit leaves them chocolate eggs. But what does Easter mean to other countries around the world, and how do they celebrate it?

Religious Traditions To Christians, Easter is one of the holiest and oldest traditions, and is related to the even older Jewish tradition of Passover. Both celebrations take place at the same time of year, often in the same week as each other. Passover takes place over one full week, and is done in remembrance of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. For Christians, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion, and often involves special church services, prayers and food. 21 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

In Austria however, there is a unique twist to the religious observation of Easter. While in the UK you will hear church bells ringing all through Easter, in Austria between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday mass you won’t hear a single church bell ringing. This is because, according to religious lore, all church bells fly to Rome, and are instead replaced by ‘Ratschenbuben’ (alter boys with rattles).

Pagan Traditions It may surprise you to know that many things about Easter are neither Jewish nor Christian in origin. For example, the English word for Easter, and the German term for it (Ostern) both have Germanic roots with no religious meanings attached. Also the traditions of having an Easter eve bonfire, or burning Easter wheels and rolling them downhill (particularly popular in Germany) come from a Celtic belief in sun worship. Even the popular symbol of a colourful Easter egg has Pagan origins, where it was seen as a symbol of fertility. Today Pagans in many countries, including Germany, Austria, India and Switzerland all practice their own Easter celebrations. Hard-boiled eggs are coloured with dye, Easter trees are decorated and bouquets made with wooden figurines and hollowed out, painted eggs. Sweet Easter breads filled with raisins, currents and spices are bought and sold, and bonfires are lit and gathered around.

Unique Easter Rituals Around The World Brazil To most of us, Easter is a time for peace and celebration, not a time for violence. But in Brazil, there is an Easter tradition of ‘beating up Judas’ – the apostle known for betraying Christ to Pontius Pilate. Around Easter, people make straw men, designed to represent Judas, hang them on the streets and destroy them. But it’s not all violence – Easter Saturday is host to a festival called ‘Sábado de Aleluia’, and often a carnival is held to celebrate the end of lent.

Sweden The way they celebrate Easter in Sweden is a lot like how we celebrate Halloween. Children dress up as witches with brooms and monsters and prowl the streets in search of candy! They don’t often knock on doors,

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but it often forms a kind of mini-parade on each street, and parents often give sweets and home made treats as a thank you.

The Philippines In the Philippines, Easter starts early – before dawn. Everyone in town dresses up and marches in a parade in 2 processions. The men make up one procession, and are led by an image of the resurrected Christ. In the second procession, women follow a black veil-clad Mother Mary, who is guarded by angels (any young girls in the village). When the two groups meet at the church, it symbolises Christ meeting and consoling his mother after his resurrection. The angels then remove Mary’s lambong (her black veil of mourning), and the procession changes from one of sadness to one of light and festivity. In local slang, this tradition is called ‘Salubong’

Easter Foods Chocolate No matter what country you g to, the favourite celebratory food for Easter is chocolate. In western countries children delight in buying chocolate eggs or rabbits wrapped in foil, in Malaysia they buy anything sweet and chocolatey (even thought it isn’t a big festival in the predominantly Muslim country) ad in Spain they buy beautiful, ornate chocolate sculptures in a wonderful variety of shapes, from a princess castle to a pirate boat.

Hot Cross Buns & Simnel Cakes Another popular favourite, hot cross buns and simnel cakes grace British tables every year. With the fruity buns symbolising the crucifixion and traditionally eaten on Good Friday, hot cross buns have fast become an Easter staple. Not so common now is the presence of simnel cake – a rich and decadent fruit cake coated in a thick layer of marzipan and topped with 12 marzipan balls, each representing one of the 12 apostles (minus Judas) and eaten on Easter Sunday.

Pashka The Pashka is a Russian dish traditionally served for Easter. The pyramid shaped dessert is made from cheese, topped with almonds and served on a bed of rhubarb. It is often decorated with religious symbols using 23 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

almonds, such as the letters XD from ‘Christos Voskres’, which means ‘Christ is Risen’.

Colomba di Pasqua An Italian dish that resembles the Italian Christmas bread Pantone. The Colomba di Pasqua is a peel and fruit stuffed cake that is baked in the shape of a dove and topped with nuts, icing sugar and coconut shavings.

Tsoureki A Greek celebration bread that is baked into the shape of a crown. The brioche-like bread is flavoured with essence drawn from the seeds of wile cherries and decorated with hard-boiled eggs which have been dyed red to symbolise the blood of Christ.

Capirotada A Capirotada is a traditional Mexican dish served at Easter. It resembled a kind of spiced bread pudding filled with raisins, cinnamon, cloves and cheese. It is said in Mexico that each ingredient carries with it a reminder of the suffering of Christ –the cloves being the nails on the cross, the cinnamon sticks the cross itself and the bread Christ’s body.

Chervil Soup In line with tradition, Maundy Thursday is known in Germany as Gründonnerstag (or Green Tuesday), and Germans would normally only eat green foods on this day. Chervil soup, made form chervil, carrots, chicken stock, flour, butter and seasoning is a very popular choice.

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Yateley District Gardening S ocie ty A p r i l Meeti ng Every month Yateley District & Gardening Society meet to get together, discuss ideas and share their achievements in all things gardening related. Take a sneak peak at this months meeting plans, and maybe go along yourself and see what they’re all about! The April Yateley District & Gardening Societies next meeting will be held on Monday the 13th of April, and will include: Our guest speaker Carol Gubler of Little Brook Fuchsias, Ash Green, takes us through the growing and care of the many varieties of Fuchsias. Carol has also appeared on Gardener’s World, local radio, written a book, and produced plants for a number of other books, among other things. Carol presents a most interesting and informative talk demonstrating with plant material. If you love Fuchsias, then this is for you! Get some tips and tricks from the expert! All society meetings are held at Hedgecroft, Bracken Lane, Yateley. Starting at 7.30pm, tea/coffee will be available at just 50p. For full details of the societies programme for 2015, please go to www.ydgs.org.uk

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Step By Step are a charity supporting homeless youths in Aldershot, Basingstoke, Fareham and Gosport. For more information on how you can help them, visit www.stepbystep.org.uk or call 01252 346105 to speak to a staff member.

Step By Step is a local charity that has dedicated their time to helping young people and those facing adversity. They specialise in helping children between the ages of 11 and 25 in a multitude of ways, and this month The Yateley Magazine paid them a visit to see first hand the good that they can do. It’s a terrible thing to a see a young person who is struggling. Issues at home, at school or other personal problems can lead to all sorts of problems, and some of these can have catastrophic effects on their lives and even leave them homeless. However in times of adversity, Step By Step are there to help. Founded in 1992, their objective is simple – to empower young homeless people and those facing adversity across the Surrey and Hampshire areas. Offering a 28 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

wide range of services from CV workshops, job coaching, drug and alcohol counselling, family mediation and even emergency accommodation, Step By Step work tirelessly to ensure no child is left behind and, no matter what the situation, every youth who comes to them for help is supported and encouraged to make the best of their life, and achieve what they could have achieved if circumstance were different... The Step By Step Approach Step By Step have spent a lot of time devising their 3-step method to support young people and help them on their way to living independently and improving their lives. Step 1 - When a young person first enters the programme as a resident, they are placed into Step 1. This step usually lasts around 3-6 months, and offers housing in the facility with other step 1 residents. Residents are encouraged to eat together, take classes, participate in workshops and earn qualifications within curfew hours. The aim of this step is to simulate the home environment and encourage an active interest in improving their lives. Step 2 - Once they have spent some time in step 1, residents are then moved into step 2, where they can cook their own meals independently and the curfew is lifted. This step promotes independence and responsibility whilst still offering the support and tools they need. Step 3 - The third and final stage of the programme is the transition from living within the facility to finding their own independent accommodation. The charity will help every young person to find his or her own accommodation in a house share or flat, attempt to reunite them with their families or place them with a volunteer host family. But Step By Step don’t just offer their services to their residents. They also open their doors to any young person in need of advice, support or help with personal problems. They run regular counselling sessions and workshops on drug and alcohol problems, driving schools, family mediation sessions to help reunite the residents with their families and training to help them find and get a job they will enjoy. Not only that, but they also run sessions on ‘healthy conversations’, which is designed to help the residents to understand the decisions they are making, and encourage healthier decisions in their lives. Topics covered here include healthy eating, living, sexual health and money management. But the thing that makes Step By Step stand out from other youth charities is their outlook and philosophy. ‘We believe that just giving young people everything they need would be counterproductive,’ says Gurkanwal Dhillon, a member of the Step By Step team, ‘instead we try to instil them with a sense of responsibility and encourage independence. They still pay a small amount of rent, cook their own meals and are encouraged to buy their own clothes.‘ Step 29 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

By Step are also working tirelessly to improve and expand their services and offer the best care and support possible to their residents. They actively listen to suggestions from their residents about what services they would like or benefit from, and as a result of this they have recently opened up an LGBT group counselling service alongside breakfast clubs and other activities.

Until recently, Step By Step had been operating out of a single premises in Aldershot, where they sleep around 30 residents at any one time and support a huge number of struggling teens with drop in clinics. They expanded first just 2 years ago to open centres in Gosport and Havant, and now they are opening up new premises in Basingstoke and Fareham, making them the largest provider of accommodation for homeless youths in Hampshire. The problem they are now encountering is that the general impression of Hampshire is that it is an affluent area, and often people are unaware of the struggles young people are facing on our streets. To aid in the opening of their new premises and supporting the young people already using their service, Step By Step are asking for any donation you can make to improve the lives of our young people. After all, they are the future, so why not donate to someone who can really make a difference to the local community? For more information visit www.stepbystep.org.uk, or call 01252 346105 to speak to a member of the Step By Step team today. 30â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

W h at St e p By Ste p Di d Fo r U s … Alongside our visit to the Step By Step premises this month, we also got the opportunity to speak to some of the residents currently living there, and find out just how Step By Step has helped them. Every story is different when it comes to the Step By Step residents. Unfortunately there is a certain stigma that very homeless youth must have a problem with drugs or alcohol, but the truth is that this makes up a very small percentage of the residents supported by Step By Step. Often their stays are the result of a family breakdown, divorces, deaths, family crisis, traumas and other social breakdowns that can cause them to fall through the cracks. The Yateley magazine got the chance to speak to 5 different residents of Step By Step who were all there for different reasons about why they were there and how the system had helped them personally.

We Interview… Jake – Jake is originally from Farnborough, and has been part of the

Step By Step programme for 9 months. He suffered from family problems coupled with debts brought about by payday loans, and needed support to help get back on his feet.

Kim & Aimee with Fiona Bruce (Newsreader) & Nick Hewer (The Apprentice)

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Amiee – Amiee comes from Ash, and has been with the programme for

10 months now and has become a resident ambassador to help support new residents.

Roxy – Roxy has been with Step By Step for 6 months, and has just moved on to Step 2 of the programme. Following a family breakdown and disconnection from her family, Roxy suffered from some drug problems and found herself on the streets. She is now with Step-By-Step and progressing well. Sheryl – Sheryl has been with Step by Step for 6 months, and has

formed a friendship with Roxy during her time there. She is now actively job-hunting, with support from Step By Step, and positive about getting a flat and supporting herself.

Alistair – Alistair is the newest addition to Step By Step, having arrived just 4 months ago. He has stayed with them on 3 previous occasions, and has always appreciated the support network when things go wrong. What The Residents Have To Say… Roxy: It’s quite difficult to adjust to at first, because in Step 1 you are

constantly prompted to do things for yourself and to better yourself. You don’t get much time to just sit and feel sorry for yourself; there is always something to do and some opportunity to be better. They also helped me to understand the issues I had with my family, helped me get off drugs and into recovery, improve my self esteem and have put me back in tough with my family. There’s a long way to go yet, but I wouldn’t have spoken to them again without Step By Step.

Alistair: I’ve come to Step By Step a few times with different issues.

My brother passed away when I was young, and I went a bit off the rails. My family dynamic changed and I wasn’t happy living at home any more. Step By Step helped me talk to the local housing associations and find a flat I could afford to live in, helped me find a part time job in night security and are even helping me start the process of joining the army. One of the support workers is ex-army and he’s helping me with loads.

Aimee: They have helped me to learn new skills and get a better education. I’m now learning mechanics and I hope to get a job as one when I’m good enough. I love the healthy conversations part of the 32 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

programme, as it teaches me things I had no clue about before. They take us on trips, recently to Brighton, and I became a resident ambassador to help get other residents to contribute and work with the programmes. I even went to the Thames Valley Business Awards!

Jake: I ended up here because I got into a lot of debt with those payday

loans and lost my home. Step By Step helped me to figure out a plan, talk to all the agencies and pay them back, so now I’m debt free and I can start working on getting my own place again.

Sheryl: I stayed in a few hostels before I found Step By Step, and I’ve

gotta say I love the fact that we have our own rooms and bathrooms! It’s much better than a hostel here. A hostel just gives you a roof over your head, but here they give you goals and push you to be better and have more independence. The staff are great too – they always work with us whenever we need them to help develop ourselves. With their help I got back into college and I’m looking to get myself a night job – as I’m fairly nocturnal! The staff have helped me get clothes for interviews and given me money to get the train, and they’re always there for one to one sessions if you need them. I think Step By Step have also helped me with my family relationships – I had a pretty bad relationship with my dad, but since I don’t live with him it’s got a lot better. As you can see, Step By Step goes above and beyond to help support these young people in times of need, and that dedication never stops, even during seasonal holidays! The staff wanted us to share with you this lovely letter from resident Roxy about her experience of Christmas at Step By Step.

‘This Christmas at Step By Step was awesome! We all got some cool presents that were donated to us. Guys you made our Christmas day this year ROCK!. Thank you to all that donated gifts for us because without your help we would have nothing. And a big thanks to all the staff for, well… EVERYTHING! From Roxy!’

33 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

time on your hands?

Recently Retired? Empty Nest? Or Just Bored Of Day Time TV?

then give volunteering a go! You can help out once a year, once a month or once a week - itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to you! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! www.facebook.com/hartvolunteercentre 34â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015 @hart_volunteers

contact

01252 627070 / 01252 815652 sue@hartvolaction.org.uk www.do-it.org.uk

H art Vo l un t e e r s

For the past few years Hart Volunteers have been working tirelessly to connect businesses, clubs and societies in need of volunteer help with those who can support their cause. But this month they have a plea for you. Are you a patient person? Do you have good communication skills and a keen interest in the education and development of our young people? If so, then you might be just the kind of person Hart Volunteers are looking for. This month Hart are looking for hard working volunteers to dedicate just a few hours of their free time to help mentor some year 11 students and support them through their GCSE exams. This role will involve getting to know the student, understanding the areas that they are struggling with in their studies and helping them overcome obstacles and achieving their goals. This might include things like helping tem to access online tutorials and support services, planning out a structured revision timetable or helping motivate them to keep going through the difficult hurdles. The mentoring will take place in term time on Mondays between 12.45 and 1.30pm. Volunteers will usually work with 1 or 2 young people and students per session within a small team, which will include a member of teaching staff from the school. Volunteers are fully supported throughout the programme, but an initial chat and taster session is available on request. All volunteers must be over 18 years old. As volunteers are fully supported and supervised at all times, there is no requirement for a DBS check, although references will be required due to working with young people. If you would like to find out ore, please contact Sue on 01252 627070 or 07702 068418

35â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

The We Love Hart campaign can be contacted at: wehearthart@gmail.com

Local community interest group We Heart Hart have been hard at work the past few months to make local people aware of the issues our local plan represents, and how they can make a genuine difference to the area they live in. Hart District Council has a big problem. Its last attempt at creating a Local Plan was rejected by the Planning Inspector because Hart failed in its duty to co-operate with neighbouring councils. This means that Hart is at the mercy of developers who can push through almost any development at appeal because Hart does not have a valid Local Plan in place. The results of this problem are evident by the protests to new housing applications cropping up all over Hart. This means it is vital we get a new Local Plan in place quickly. However, if we are to retain the best of Hart – the essential rural nature – that makes this such a great place to live, then the plan has to be a good one. According to our Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), in the plan period up to 2032, we have to build more than 7,500 houses in Hart. These houses have to be in the right place and have to be of the right type to meet the needs of the changing population. In addition, the councils with which we have to cooperate, Surrey Heath and Rushmoor have said they can’t build all of their allocation on their own patch and want Hart to build an extra 3,100 houses for them, pushing Hart’s total up to over 10,600 dwellings. Hart has decided, on the basis of only 550 respondents out of a population of over 90,000 people that it would seek to place a big proportion of its housing allocation in a new town in Winchfield. We Heart Hart has raised a petition opposing this decision and has already received over 750 signatures – more than the total number of respondents to Hart’s consultation. We believe Hart’s decision is flawed for a number of reasons. Firstly, a new town anywhere in Hart will make it impossible to fight off the demands for an extra 3,100 houses from Surrey Heath and Rushmoor. Secondly, a new town will turn the northern part of Hart into a single continuous urban sprawl, coalescing the towns and villages of Fleet, Church Crookham, Crookham Village, Hartley Wintney, 36 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Hook, Odiham and Winchfield into one large dwelling area and limiting greenery. Not only that, but it will destroy our environment by concreting over our green fields and putting in danger the Thames Valley Heath SPA, our SSSI’s and sites of interest to nature conservation. Finally, there will be intolerable pressure put on our existing infrastructures, such as road, rail, hospitals and schools for which there is already substantial funding gap of over £78m. But there is another way. We need to oppose the overall housing allocation by pushing back on Surrey Heath and Rushmoor and challenging the housing numbers in the SHMA. Careful examination of the numbers reveals that the overall allocation has been pushed up using some dodgy data. They have used inward migration data that covers the time when Hart was already building over the regional and national averages and assumed that we will have a rate of jobs growth nearly twice that achieved during the boom times of 1998-2008. Making more realistic assumptions could push our housing allocation back down to around 5,000 houses. We also need to focus much more on brownfield development. The council’s approach to this is patchy at best with many of the vacant office blocks and shops not even appearing in their land database. All of the councils also assume very low housing density on brownfield land of around 30 dwellings per hectare (dph). Studies in London have shown that vibrant communities can be created with their own green space if housing density is pushed up to 160-400dph. A study by a local architecture student has shown that if Rushmoor were to take up this type of scheme, they could build all of their housing needs and those of Hart without touching a single green field. Moreover, if Hart were to follow suit, most of our housing needs could be met by building on the existing brownfield sites. This has to be a better way forward than concreting over our green fields and destroying what makes Hart such a great place to live. If you would like to ask Hart to think again and make our Local Plan the best it can be, then please get involved with our campaign at wehearthart. co.uk and sign our petition at you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/we-hart or contact us at wehearthart@gmail.com.

37 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

If you’re a bit bored, need a new hobby or want to try something new – Berkshire Tai Chi might be able to help you. As a welcoming gesture to the Yateley community, from the 2nd of April Yateley residents will be able to learn self-defence in Tai Chi taster classes! On Thursday the 2nd of April, Yateley Village Hall will open in doors in warm welcome of a new club, Tai Chi. The new classes will be available to anyone who wants to try Tai Chi for the first time, or who has tried it before and wants to re-join. The company, originally from Berkshire are branching out into new areas, and are offering Yateley residents a 5 week ‘taster session’ to experience the world of Tai Chi. Berkshire Tai Chi have been teaching various other sessions in Yateley since 2006, when their ‘Balance For Life’ classes began, and were met this enthusiastic support from local GP surgeries and the Yateley Town Council. 38 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

The taster session now being offered will be lead by a professional instructor with over 20 years of teaching experience, and costs just £25 for the 5 classes. In addition to the instructor, more experienced students will be on hand throughout each session to support newcomers and make them feel welcome. If you enjoy the classes then you will be free to join one of the existing groups in the area.

What Is Tai Chi About? Tai Chi is a form of martial art that is very well known for its defence techniques and health benefits. However unlike other martial arts, the primary focus of Tai Chi is to improve posture, balance, leg strength and joint mobility, as well as improving concentration and endurance levels. The martial art has evolved significantly over the years, and has become an incredibly effective means of alleviating stress and anxiety. It is commonly known as a refined form of ‘meditation in motion’, and promotes the ideals of serenity and inner peace. The taster sessions run from 10am every Thursday morning, and prebooking is advised. To find out more or to reserve your place, email info@berkshiretaichi.co.uk or call 07814969540

39 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

This mouth watering dessert is light and refreshing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and just perfect for those early spring barbeques. A healthy alternative to the usual indulgent chocolate desserts, panna cotta is an Italian inspired dish with a creamy texture packed with flavour. We have used the basic recipe here, but you can add all sorts of flavourings and dressings to really make it your own. 40â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Ingredients: 375ml double cream 115g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste) 10g gelatine powder 500g greek yoghurt

Prep: Split the vanilla pod down the centre lengthways and scrape out the seeds

Method: 1) Place the cream and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Add the vanilla seeds and pod.

2) Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is just below boiling. Remove from the heat. 3) Put 125ml of the cream mixture into a small bowl. Sprinkle in the gelatine powder and whisk with a fork until it has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. 4) Add the yoghurt and whisk until smooth. 5) Pour back into the pan along with the rest of the cream mixture and whisk until completely dissolved. 6) Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and divide between 8 small moulds. 7) Cover with cling film and chill for 3 hours, or until set.

41â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

42â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

43â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

This months student journalist spotlight goes to 17 year old Jodie. Jodie lives in Yateley and went to Lille on school trip, which inspired her to write a review for her coursework. She studies French and Art as well as English, and wants to study something creative when she leaves. In her spare time she works part time in a cafe in Finchampsted After enduring a four hour coach trip we finally arrived. It was one of those soul destroying journeys where everyone but you thinks it would be fun to sing as loudly as they can the whole way there and slowly you go insane. The only bit of peace and quiet I got was when everyone’s ear popped in the tunnel (if you’re thinking of going yourself, Euro star prises start from about £70 or about £30 if you prefer ferries). I would have been glad to get off anywhere even if we had stopped in the middle of the Sahara desert. I would have run from that metal tank of madness as fast as I could. But we hadn’t stopped in the Sahara (thank goodness, because on second thoughts I had not packed for a desert) we had arrived in the beautiful town of Lille, in northern France. It was early November but already the town seemed to be frozen in 44 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

the month of December, in some sort of Christmas wonderland. It was like Santa Claus had decided to pack up his workshop and set up in France this year bringing all the lights and joy and snow with him. Snow? I hear you ask. Yes, snow, well artificial snow to be exact, the type that disappears quickly and leaves the ground all slippery. Some people may think that this tacky fluff is a pointless addition to this beautiful town, but personally I think it added that extra bit of Christmas magic to a town that was already so wonderful. Yes it was slightly cheesy, but what French Christmas market would be complete without cheese? The first thing that hit me was how packed it was with people. It was only November and already all these people were busy running round the market buying precious gifts left, right and centre. I usually turn right around and start walking in the opposite direction when streets are that busy, but this was an amazing sort of busy, a kind I’d never seen before. It sounds like a cliché, but laughter was actually filling the air, jolly looking people chatting as they walked past, smiling faces everywhere. There was even the sound of bells and singing as you walked around the town. I will forever refer to that sound as the sound of happiness. Though it is hard for me to imagine how, this town gets even busier in the first week of September, each year Lille holds a flea market, La Grande Braderie de Lille,which attracts around 2 million people and happens to be the largest flea market in Europe. As I wondered around this historic town I couldn’t help but be taken back by the amazing architecture, these marvellous buildings just oozed elegance. Even when they were stores like McDonalds, they were still stunning. The shopping scene in Lille was an intense one:there is a wide variety of shops that stay all year round, including well known designers such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Yves St Laurent. There are also the shops, Memento moi Lille, an adorable boutique, Meert, known for its chocolate and the popular Quiksilver. I found two impressive book shops; L’Olivier was small, cosy and sold the most beautiful books and vintage maps (from all prices). The secondshop that I happened upon, Furet du Nord, turned out to be one of the largest book shops in the world, and I quickly found myself lost, walking round in circles in what I think was the history section. I didn’t mind too much because what better place is there to be lost in than a book shop. Eventually I started following people to try and find an exitafter I heard my stomach growl in need of food for the fifth consecutive time. I didn’t need to go far at all for that food. There were stalls everywhere selling the most comforting of dishes and snacks. There were crepes and special chips (I’m not quite sure what 45 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

made them so special but I have a sneaky suspicion that they had fried them twice). The restaurants serve the best of the best food. Lille is known for its love for mussels and fries, with restaurants taking part in the odd tradition during the Grande Bragerie of piling empty mussel shells in the street to see which restaurant sold the most. In fact the most famous restaurant in Lille is called “Aux Moules”. This doesn’t surprise me in the least when you know that that translated is roughly ‘with mussels’, and what delicious mussels they were too! Almost as good as the crème brulée I ate there for dessert (overall it was about £30 a head for two courses). Other wonderful places to eat are the traditional ‘Broc’, the sea food restaurant ‘L’Huitriere’ and the stylish ‘L’arriere Pays’. After a meal that was good enough for gods I continued to explore. I kept seeing people with purple lips stroll pass, which puzzled me for quite a while until I saw the large “vin chaud” stall (that’s mulled wine) where crowds of jolly people stood around sipping down the £4 warming treat, glass by glass, or plastic cup by plastic cup in this case. It’s no wonder everyone was so cheery. At this point in the year the large Christmas tree was up and sparkling in all its glory. Standing next to it was the most beautiful big wheel. Beautiful though it was, I point blank refused to get on (you see I am scared of heights). My companions however, went round and round till the sun went down, admiring the quaint town from the sky. After a magnificent day, I could barely get back on that nightmare of coaches, but what I found to my surprise was the singing was pleasant and the chatting was hushed. It seemed this little town had changed my view into a more optimistic one; at least it did for the first 2 hours of travelling.

46 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Wh a ts On In Yatele y? Every Monday Morning, Craft and Chat at Yateley Library Yateley Library, 10am

Bring along any craft you like and enjoy a gossip and a natter with likeminded crafters!

Every Tuesday Afternoon, Storytime at Yateley Library - Yateley Library, 2.15-2.45pm

Stories, songs and crafts for 2-5 year olds.

Every Friday Morning, Baby Rhymetime at Yateley Library Every Friday Morning, Yateley Library, 10.15-10.45am Enjoy songs and entertainment for 0-2 year olds.

Every Friday Lunchtime, Eversley Lunch Club - Every Friday

Lunchtime, St Mary’s Church

Join the residents of Eversley in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary’s Church for lunch and chat.

Every Friday Night, Bingo at Hedgecroft - Hedgecroft in Bracken Lane, 7.30 - 10pm

Run by the Lions, our weekly bingo night at Hedgecroft is perfect for anyone in Yateley looking for something to do on a Friday night come along and enjoy the fun! Bingo cards from £2.50 to £4 (including admission) with cash prizes ad a raffle. Tea, coffee and biscuits available throughout the night.

Every Saturday Morning, Little Dippers Swimming Classes – Every Saturday morning, Yateley Community School

Take a dip into the pool with your little ones with the Little Dippers swimming classes. Suitable for children 2 and a half years and over, your children will learn to swim like ducklings in no time. Spaces are 47 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

limited and are already being booked, so don’t miss out! Call 01252 418250 to book your place!

6th April, Easter Trail At Yateley Common – 6th April, Yateley Common Country Park Follow the Easter trail around the woodlands and heathlands of Yateley Common, collect all the clues to tell the Ranger and collect your Easter Surprise. Join us anytime between 11am and 1pm at Wyndham’s Pool Car Park (off Cricket Hill Lane, Yateley) Booking is essential as eggs are limited, all Children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: £4.00 per child - this includes an Easter Egg to take home! £3.00 for Friends of Yateley Common.

8th April, Jenny Éclair: how To be A Middle Aged Woman (Without Going Insane) – 8th April, The Harlington, 7.30pm Friday 8th April Doors: 7.30pm Show: 8pm Bar: 7pm Tickets: £17.50

17th April, Roller Disco – 17th April, The Harlington 6pm9.30pm Enjoy an all ages roller disco for just £6! The Harlington have combined with DiscoSkate to bring the joy of roller disco to Fleet.

25th April, The REME Museum: Last Big Bash! – 17th April, The REME Museum, 10am-3pm The REME Museum of Technology is moving to Lyneham, Wiltshire in 2015 to begin a new stage in our history. To celebrate the successes and developments over the years, the Museum is hosting a farewell event on Saturday, 25th April 2015. There will be a range of activities for all ages including score-a-goal, face painting, food, stalls and the ever popular assault course. The event will also feature modern and historical vehicles. Entry to the event is free. Please note that some stalls and activities will incur a small charge. 48 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

About the REME Museum of Technology

The REME Museum of Technology, currently based in Arborfield, Berkshire, tells the history of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from their birth in 1942 until the present day. The Museum displays vehicles, weapons, medals and a range of equipment used by REME soldiers. Why we are moving

As part of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Defence Technical Training Change Programme (DTTCP), all military training at Arborfield and Bordon garrisons will relocate to Lyneham, Wiltshire by the end of 2015. This includes the Museum and its collections which are currently located at both sites. To facilitate this move, the Museum will close in Arborfield in April 2015 to allow staff time to pack and move the many thousands of objects in the collection. For more information about the museum move, see our news article on the topic.

26nd April, Step By Step Walk The Path – 26nd April, Sandhurst Join Step By Step in walking with family and friends from Sandhurst to Swallowfield to raise sponsorship and support the Step By Step charity for homeless youths.

26th April, Sunday Conservation Volunteers - Yateley Common Country Park,10am - 1pm Join the Yateley Common Conservation Volunteers for 3 hours of practical conservation on the last Sunday of every month. The group meet at 10am at Wyndham’s Pool car park, off Cricket Hill Lane, then relocate on to the site. Help with practical tasks such as scrub clearance, boardwalk building and path maintenance. This is a great opportunity to meet other local volunteers and get some fresh air and exercise! Just turn up on the day or for more information email northern.sites@hants. gov.uk

49 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

28th April, Yateley Networking Evening Event – 28th April, La Galleria, 6-8pm The event will run from 6pm and will start with relaxed, open networking to begin with as people arrive. From 6:30pm we will begin with a 60 seconds introduction. La Galleria will be providing freshly baked pizzas and garlic bread, a glass of wine on arrival. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the evening and the bar will be open should you wish to purchase any further drinks. We will finish with more open networking giving everyone a chance to connect and meet other local businesses. Please bring along pull up banners, business cards and flyers to display. Tickets are available to purchase online through eventbrite for £10

50 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

C l u b s & S oc i eti es Music in Yateley: Flute Salad - The ‘Salads’ offer flautists of any age and ability the chance to play a wide variety of music in a fun, friendly and safe environment. Vivace Cantamus - We are a ladies choir based in Hawley. We sing a varied repertoire form Mozart to Show Tunes and everything in between. We rehearse in the Hawley Church Hall on Sundays between 5.30 and 6.30, and are now recruiting new members for the choir, all abilities welcome. Yateley Music School – If you are trying to encourage your children’s musical side, or just struggling to find things for them to do in the evenings the Yateley Music School may be the answer. If you want more information on the huge variety of instruments and lessons available through the Music School, check out their website. 01252 877190 or by email at info@adultcommunity.co.uk

Yateley Sports Clubs: Yateley Cricket Club - Established 1881 and now located at Sean Devereux Park. Catering for players of all standards, with four teams in between divisions 1 & 9 of the Thames Valley League and Sunday friendlies with 16 ECB qualified coaches. Sean Devereux Park, Chandlers Lane, Yateley, GU46 7SZ – enquiries@YateleyCricketClub.co.uk Yateley United FC - YUFC was created by the merger of local football clubs: Beaulieu Football Club, Beaulieu FC, Yateley Green Football Club, Yateley Green FC, Yateley Football Club Adults and Yateley Football Club Youth Contact: chair@yateleyunitedfc.com

51 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Activities in Yateley: Berkshire Tai Chi (Yateley) – If you have ever toyed with the idea of trying Tai Chi, look no further. Berkshire Tai Chi (Yateley) has been holding daytime classes in Yateley since 2006 when our Balance for Life programme started. We have now relocated our Yang style class to Yateley Village Hall where we meet up each Thursday morning from 10:00 – 11:00. New Beginners classes start every couple of months. Contact: info@berkshiretaichi.co.uk or call 07814 969 540. Yateley Archers - Formed in 1991 we currently have 30 + members of all ages and standards. Members can use Recurve, Compound or Longbow in accordance with GNAS rules. Beginners courses are run during spring and autumn. Our location allows us to provide shooting distances up to 100 yds. In the summer and a full range of indoors distances during the winter. Visitors are more than welcome. For more details please contact us on 01276 600601 or visit our website. Yateley Camera Club - The club now has an ongoing membership of between 60 and 70 individuals and provides both beginners and more experienced photographers a place to meet and exchange ideas. All types of photography, from traditional to digital, are used. New members are very welcome and current members are always willing to give help and advice to beginners. If you would like more information, please visit our website. Frogmore Dance School - With nearly 40 years of proud history in providing dance and musical theatre training to both children and adults, Frogmore Dance School is the areas premier teaching centre fit to meet all your needs. Contact: info@frogmoredanceschool.com Yateley & District Gardening Society – The Yateley and District Gardening Society (YDGS) was established in 1967 by a few local amateur gardeners who were keen to get together and share gardening knowledge and experiences.

52 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Theatre 64 - We are a small drama group at Frogmore Junior School and rehearse most Mondays and Fridays from 8pm to put on 2-3 productions a year. You do not need experience to join we just ask for enthusiasm and commitment in the immediate run up to shows! Everyone (over 16) is welcome. For more details please look at our website.

Yateley Charities: Yateley Conservation Volunteers - Join us for 3 hours conservation on the last Sunday of every month. The groupmeet at 10am at Wyndham’s Car park, off Cricket Hill lane, and help with practical tasks such as scrub clearance, boardwalk building and path maintenance. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help maintain the town’s natural beauty. The Ranger’s House, Cricket Hill Lane, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6BB - tel: 01252 870425 - northern.sites@hants.gov.uk Happy Hedgehog Rescue - We are a small, self funded, local animal rescue in Yateley on the borders of North Hampshire, West Surrey and South Berkshire. Our work is funded entirely from the kind donations of web-site visitors and friends of the rescue. Vulcan to the Sky Club – The ‘Vulcan 558 Club’ was launched in May 1997 in response to the public’s continuing interest in the conservation of XH558 – the last Avro Vulcan to be retired by the RAF. Contact Jo Ayres – joayres.ayres@gmail.com Camberley Cats Protection - The Branch is run by cat mad volunteers who are dedicated to helping make the lives of cats and kittens in our area better. Our webpages are updated regularly to make sure we provide up to date information on our cats and the activities going on in the charity to help the welfare of cats and kittens. Yateley & Yateley Green WI – Contact: Sheila Farmer – sheila.farmer3@ntlworld.com Yateley Townswomen’s Guild – Contact: Robyn Kent – bob.robyn@ btinternet.com

53 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

Yateley Scouts / Guides etc: Yateley District Guides – Contact: Susan Brennan – 01252 665250 – aw10340@yahoo.co.uk 3rd Bramshill Scouts - Scouting in Yateley has been part of the local community now for 100years. However in the seventies Yateley was experiencing growth with families moving to the area with young children. Scouting was to prove so popular that the existing Yateley Scout Group, now called the 9th Bramshill, could not accommodate all those boys wanting to join. Every night of the week was used for some meeting and the Group had three Cub Packs, two Scout Troops and one Venture unit. 2407 Sqn Air Cadets - Are you up for fun, adventure, incredible experiences and making new friends? Are you looking for something to give you the edge in life? Then welcome to the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO). Better known as the ‘Air Cadets’, we’re a UK-wide cadet force with more than 40,000 members aged between 13 and 20 years. Contact Flt Lt Lynda Bradley: oc.2407@aircadets.org The information above is provided by the clubs and societies of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content.

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Ya te le y Bu s i nes s es Come Die With Me - Come Die With Me is the next level of murder mystery party dinner experience. Using your iPad and your guests’ iPhones, you can play a new breed of fun and compelling role playing murder mystery game. Charlotte McGill Writing Services - Need a writer, editor or proof-reader? Look no further! Charlotte McGill Writing Services offers high quality writing, editing and proof-reading services to individuals and businesses alike. With over 4 years of experience writing in both corporate and creative environments, I can help you create and perfect the words that represent your business Chris Haye Photography - Chris Haye is a commercial corporate photographer based in Yateley. He specialises in photography for business, still life and product photography as well as corporate headshots. Chris is known for producing beautiful advertising and editorial images for web and print. FastTrack Fit Camp - Boot camps come and go but we are not just a boot camp. You can exercise all you want but if your diet isn’t right, you won’t get results. That’s why we take a broader view of fitness to include food and attitude too. We aim to improve your overall health not just your fitness. Fiona Barnes Coaching - Fiona Barnes is a highly sought after Career Coach who helps individuals across the world identify their unique passions and motivations, combining these with transferrable skills to identify the career of their dreams which won’t feel like a career at all! Hart Taxis - Fleet & Districts only 24/7 taxi service. Executive travel, 1-8 passengers. Local & Long distances. Corporate accounts welcome. Airport transfers. Lady drivers available. 4, 6 & 8 seater vehicles. HM Forces discounts. Kumon - At Kumon, our aim is for each and every child to become an independent, advanced learner, with a positive attitude to study. By studying the maths and English programmes, our students develop independent learning skills and increased self-confidence as they work out how to overcome challenges by themselves.

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Phone Joan - If you live in or around Fleet, Hampshire, PhoneJoan will take the stress out of your life by organising and completing the tasks that stop you doing what you really want to do. Our services are designed to enable you to delegate your least enjoyable tasks, safe in the knowledge that they will be carried out smoothly, efficiently and reliably. When your spare time is at a premium, we can help you get your lifestyle back in balance. Prestige Wigs - Prestige Wigs, mobile wig specialists, serving Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. Offering a professional wig service for hair loss due to Alopecia or Chemotherapy, and the chance for our clients’ to restore their confidence and self esteem from our caring and sympathetic wig consultants. Pastelesta – Drawings and paintings of the people and pets you love made to order with pastel, pencil or paint. You just need to send a photo. We also sell paintings and greetings cards from our original art. Prints Charming - Photobooths are becoming incredibly popular in the UK party scene having seen success in the wedding/ engagement, birthday, club and corporate event areas for a few years.These portable booths enable you to pick a venue of almost any size and capability and have a record of your “do” like no other! Romans - Whether you’re thinking of selling property in Yateley, Hawley, Eversley or Blackwater the team at Romans Yateley provide a professional and customer focused service with positive results. Our passion for the Yateley property market and dedication to fulfilling our customers’ needs means you will always receive the best customer service. Square One - Here at Square One, our purpose is to ensure individuals return to full fitness and function as safely and quickly as possible. Our therapists are highly trained, allowing us to employ a unique blend of assessment and treatment techniques to successfully treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal injuries. Tilsmere Catering corporate functions. community for over birthdays, parties 07976513765

High quality executive catering for private and Tilsmere has been catering to the local Yateley 18 years, providing delicious food for weddings, and more. Contact: catering@tilsmere.com,

The information above is provided by the businesses of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content. 56 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

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W hy Ad ve rti se i n The Yateley Online Magazine? As well as being a hub for community news and stories, The Yateley Online Magazine is proud to support local businesses by offering an affordable advertising platform. As a monthly online publication, there are many benefits to choosing us over a more traditional, printed advertising medium. We are the perfect way to help you target Yateley business advertising. For local businesses we offer a far higher success rate for your investment over traditional pay-per-click online advertising. Pay per click advertising costs vary between £1 and £3 per targeted hit, while The Yateley Online Magazine receives thousands of views a month from local Yateley residents and those from the surrounding towns, allowing you to target your advertising more effectively and get quality views for significantly less investment. Not only that, but as part of our advertisers package we also include you in our online Yateley business directory absolutely free of charge! Being in our Yateley business advertisers directory helps direct traffic from our website to yours, increasing your search engine ranking and helping more people see who you are and what you do. To be seen not only by the people of Yateley but also increase your visibility online, all you need to do is advertise with us. Over the last 7 months The Yateley Online Magazine has grown incredibly quickly, and we are now pleased to be able to offer accurate statistics of our readership for our advertisers. Our magazine currently has an average readership of between 1500 and 2000 people a month for each issue, and this is growing every month. Our readers spend an average of 5 minutes actively engaging with the magazine, and we are very proud to retain 70% of readers until the final page (this is well above the industry standard 45%). Our website also receives about 1000 unique users every month, mainly visiting our blog and our online business directory, which lists all of our current advertisers. Around 95% of our readers are based in Yateley and the surrounding towns (Fleet, Farnborough, Aldershot etc), so we have a wider reach than other local magazines. We are also one of the most 58 The Yateley Magazine | April 2015

cost effective options to get your business out there - with the cheapest rates you will find in the area. Our rates are charged monthly, with no VAT to pay, and are as follows: 1/4 page - £25 1/2 page - £50 Full Page - £85 Inside Front - £95* Double Page - £140 * Inside front is allocated on first come first serve basis per month. We also offer discounts to any advertiser who orders multiple months in advance. If you chose to advertise in 2 issues, you get 5% off, 3 issues is 10% and 4 issues is 15%. So if you are looking to advertise your business or event to local people, please get in touch and see what we can do to help you.

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