March 2012 Discover Meon Valley

MARCH 2012

Your comprehensive reference guide for events, useful numbers and businesses serving the Meon Valley

Mothering Sunday Celebrating Mums on 18th March

Hampshire Heritage Strange Pub Names in South Hants

Alfie Boe Factory Floor to Stage Door

Delivered by Royal Mail into the Meon Valley community

01489 660022 When I started up in business for myself back in 2004 there weren’t many homes with broadband and those that did have it were being charged around three times as much as you have to pay today, but speeds were much slower.

Almost everything I did then used traditional methods of communication, apart from the design part. Post was our mainstay and to get our magazine file to the printer involved a car journey to deliver a disk.

But development in technology has meant that remote working is part of my life now. Before Christmas I was on holiday in France and managed to work on the January edition of Discover, with business partner Melanie still in England, my designers in Derbyshire and Scotland, my assistant in Kent and writers all over the place, including one in Australia.

So is that it? No need to leave our homes now? Well no, what actually happens is that we fit more into a shorter space of time, but not everything can – or should – be done remotely. You can’t have your hair cut on the internet, or go out for a meal, or show someone where you want a new plug fitted in your home. And you still cannot beat meeting someone face to face to build a relationship (whatever Facebook would have you believe). The internet does make it easier though to arrange all of these things.

I noticed when researching the What’s On this month that many of the libraries had sessions or courses introducing internet and email to people. So if you have the time, and it does all seem a bit daunting I’d recommend finding out when the next course near you runs.

And of course we have two advertisers in here that can help you with all aspects of technology – and they will come and fix your computer in person!

Tania Houston, Editor

Sales & distribution: melanie@discovermeonvalley.co.uk Everything else: tania@discovermeonvalley.co.uk

Tania

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Melanie

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Page 20

CONTENTS Mothering Sunday

4

Hampshire Heritage

6

Advertiser Feature – Lawn Tech

9

St David's Day

14

Advertiser Feature – Avalon Financial Services

17

The Handy Household - The Virtues of Vinegar

18

Home & Interiors - Open Sesame

20

Health - Relieving Pain Naturally

26

Puzzle Page

30

Becoming More Like Alfie

32

Working From Home - Dad's Taxis

34

Fun Quiz - Poems

36

Proverbial Life... - Waste Not, Want Not

38

Follow Me Puzzle

40

What's On

42

Distribution - Discover Meon Valley is published every month and distributed by Royal Mail to two alternating areas. In January, March etc it goes to homes and businesses in the SO32 1, SO32 3 and GU32 1 sectors. In February, April etc it goes to SO32 2, PO17 5, PO17 6 sectors. This is a total of around 13,300 properties over the two month distribution.

Advertising - We understand that the needs of a small business are quite different to those of a big company, and our advertising service is very much targeted at independent and local businesses. From advert design to general advice we are here to help you grow. For more details call Melanie on

01489 660022 or email melanie@discovermeonvalley.co.uk

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER SE A SONAL

Mothering Sunday Mother’s Day is commemorated worldwide although the dates differ from country to country. In the UK, the correct name for Mother’s Day is Mothering Sunday and it always falls on the 4th Sunday of Lent, three weeks before Easter. Because the dates of Easter and Lent vary from year to year, the date of Mothering Sunday also varies. This year it falls on 18th March.

Although mothers have been revered since Prehistoric times, this particular tribute day to mothers has been recognised since the 17th century.

In those days, it was common for children to move away from home at an early age to work in service or on apprenticeships from as young as ten years old. They lived in their employers’ houses and rarely had time off to see their families.

They would worship regularly in their nearest church, known as their ‘Daughter’ church. However, it was considered extremely important for everyone to return at least once a year to worship at their ‘Mother’ church, the one in which they were baptised.

Servants were given the day off to return home and spend some time with their family and to worship at their Mother church. This day became known as Mothering Sunday.

As this would probably be their only holiday of the year they would take gifts for their family. There might have been a Simnel cake (a marzipan covered fruit cake) from a generous employer to save until the end of Lent and posies of wild flowers gathered from the hedgerows. The luxurious fruit-filled Simnel cake signified an end to the austerity of Lent.

During the 19th century, Mothering Sunday celebrations started to wane but after World War 2 the tradition was picked up again, with influence from America, and has continued to be recognised in the fairly original way ever since.

Although it is customary to give Mum a present on the day, if you ask any mum, she will probably say that the best present for Mother’s Day is the presence of her offspring—although bearing gifts of chocolates and flowers is definitely appreciated!

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Mother’s Day Quotes On Mother's Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You're my mother, I would have no other! ~Forest Houtenschil Insanity is hereditary; you get it from your children. ~Sam Levenson A suburban mother's role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after. ~Peter De Vries When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER HERITAGE

HAMPSHIRE HERITAGE Strange Pub Names in Southern Hampshire The Red Lion is said to be the commonest pub name in England. Hard on its heels are the Royal Oak, the White Hart and the Rose and Crown. But what of those strange pub names, some of them unique, that you encounter from time to time? We have our fair share in southern Hampshire.

Bitterne and Sholing offer the Humble Plumb and the Spike Islander. My visit to the Humble Plumb in Commercial Street in Bitterne revealed a spickand-span and friendly pub but yielded no explanation for the name other than that ‘Plumb’ appears to mean plumber, as its sign suggests. In days gone by the pub was called the Commercial Inn, but when and why its name was changed seems to have become lost in the mists of time.

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The Spike Islander, in Sholing, refers to an early nickname for the Sholing area, Spike Island. There are various, disputed explanations for the nickname. One refers to the spiky gorse that once covered the area; another refers to the settlements of gypsies (‘pikeys’) around Woolston, Weston and Netley; yet another suggests the name is derived from the spike shaped peninsula formed by the rivers Itchen and Hamble.

No Red Lions or White Harts for the village of Horton Heath, which seems to be making a speciality of unusual names. The pub known for many years as the Rising Sun at some point became the Lapstone, possibly the only pub in England with that name. The dip in which the pub lies has long been known as Lapstone Bottom. According to my dictionaries, a lapstone is a stone held in a cobbler’s lap when beating leather to make shoes. But the pub’s sign suggests that the name refers to a tree stump on which cattle stood to drink from a stream.

Only a mile or so down the road from the Lapstone is a pub called the Brigadier Gerard, once the Old New Inn. Readers of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will know that Brigadier Gerard was a comic character in a series of adventure stories. But the pub is named after the famous and much loved racehorse of the early 1970s. Brigadier Gerard won 17 of his 18 races, always ridden by Joe Mercer.

The Flower Pots in Cheriton, near Alresford, is, I believe, the

DISCOVER HERITAGE only pub with that name, though there is a Flower Pot (singular) in Hounslow. The pub was once a farmhouse and home to the head gardener of nearby Avington Park. This is said to be the origin of its name. It is a very traditional and popular pub, much appreciated by those who remember what pubs used to be like and prefer them that way. No piped music or big screens here, just good beer and genuinely home-prepared food.

One of the most interesting of all our local pub names is the Trusty Servant in the village of Minstead in the New Forest. Its sign depicts a composite creature with a pig’s snout, an ass’s ears, stag’s feet, what look like fire irons in his left hand, and bearing a sword and shield.

The picture appears to have its origins in a painting in Winchester College, but apparently there are similar, and earlier, depictions of the same creature elsewhere in Europe.

There used to be a board beneath the sign bearing this rhyme: A Trusty Servant's portrait would you see, This emblematic figure well survey.

A porker's snout not nice in diet shows; A padlock shut, no secret he'll disclose; Patient the ass his master’s wrath will bear; Swiftness in errand, the stag's feet declare; Laden his left hand, apt to labour saith; The vest his neatness, open hand his faith; Girt with his sword, his shield upon his arm, Himself and master he'll protect from harm.

A little explanation may help. The rhyme catalogues the virtues of the perfect servant.

The pig’s snout shows that he is not a fussy eater, but willing to consume his master’s leftovers. His ass’s ears show his patience when beaten by his master, while his stag’s feet indicate how fast he will run on his master’s business. Other characteristics are mentioned in the rhyme.

The prize for the most unlikely conjunction of pub name and location must surely go to the

long gone Sociable Plover pub in the Paulsgrove area of Portsmouth. The Sociable Plover is an internationally endangered wading bird of west Asia that has made only a few appearances in Britain and just one in Hampshire. In October 1986 one appeared for a few days in the Titchfield Haven area before moving on for a couple of weeks to HMS Daedalus airfield at Lee-on-Solent. What made someone decide to name a pub in Paulsgrove after this rare and handsome bird? We may never know. But you certainly couldn’t make it up.

by Stephen Harvey

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER MONTHLY FEATURE

St David’s Day Stick a leek in your hatband, it’s St David’s Day! Maybe not as well-known as St Patrick’s Day or St George’s Day, but still a point in the rankings above St Andrew’s Day and hey, a party is a party, right?

Now, I was brought up Roman Catholic, and although the Holy Office would hardly recognise me as a kosher Catholic now, it’s still hard to shake off some of the attitudes.

And as both a Catholic and an ex-Catholic I have always found it ironically amusing that the Welsh – by and large, as even they would admit, nonconformist – had such a devotion to a saint. They don’t believe in canonisation, for a start, and they certainly don’t share the monastic tradition; and David (son of the Prince of Powys and the Princess of Menevia) was not only canonised (in 1160 by Pope Callixtus II) but was also the Abbot of a large, aristocratic, and wealthy monastery. So, not exactly a Baptist role-model, then.

Mind you, David himself would have had problems if interrogated by the Holy Office about his orthodoxy. He was born in about 500, just as the Saxons of Kent were being converted by St Augustine, and died by tradition on 1st March 589 (hence, celebrated on 1st March). By contemporary Roman standards his tonsure would have been all wrong, and he would have celebrated Easter on a date that would have horrified the Pope.

In fact many of the tenets he would have adhered to were overturned by the Synod of Whitby in 664, when the old Celtic church pretty much capitulated to current Roman (and Saxon) practice. That makes him a heretic to just about everybody – contemporary Romans and subsequent nonconformists alike. To think, the Welsh defenders of early Christian tradition were, by comparison with their johnny-come-lately Saxon oppressors, heretics.

Ah well, that’s history for you. Full of ironies!

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But these were ironies that wouldn’t go away.

Samuel Pepys, more than a millennium after David’s death, records that on 1st March there were annual street processions in honour of the Saint by dissenting London Welsh, aggressively opposed by protestant Anglicans; and in the 18th century Anglican London confectioners were satirising St David’s Day by producing gingerbread St David’s riding goats, known as “taffies” – hence our word “toffee”.

The ironies continue even into our own time.

St David’s stock, it is true, was not particularly high in the 19th and most of the 20th centuries when Wales was still largely Chapel. Only with the resurgence of less sharply denominational nationalism in the last 20 years has he been more widely adopted as a Welsh standard-bearer.

In 2000 the Welsh Assembly voted to make 1st March a national holiday. In 2007, that notorious Catholic convert Tony Blair vetoed a bid to make it a Bank Holiday, despite 87% of the Welsh population being in favour.

So: a proto-Catholic tells the culturally nonconformist Welsh that their sort-of Catholic but by the standards of his own times heterodox patron saint doesn’t merit a celebratory nationalist day off. Chew on that as you wish.

I would rather chew on laver bread, bara brith, and (if you can find it) proper Welsh mountain mutton (a single leg of which, in my childhood, easily fed a family of seven at Sunday lunchtime with leftovers for Monday’s cottage pie). Washed down with a few pints of Brain’s SA from Cardiff or (again, if you can find it) Gwynt y Draig cider from Gwent.

Or should that be Monmouthshire?

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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One man, two wheels, 8000 disadvantaged youngsters With the Olympics just around the corner we can look forward to our own athletes taking part in the challenge, hopefully winning medals on ‘home turf’. But the event is more than just an intensive two weeks of challenges; the aim is to inspire people to take up sports and to find new athletic talent for future years.

For those that do have a talent though it’s an expensive job to make their way to the top, and undoubtedly many parents will have to make their own sacrifices to help achieve that goal.

But what about the talent that goes unnoticed?

With no monetary support, no access to facilities or ability to travel to the big events, those from a less affluent background could easily be overlooked.

The William Wates Memorial Trust (WWMT) is a grants giving registered charity set up in 1998 with a mission to help disadvantaged young people fulfil their potential, and stay away from a life of crime, using the mediums of sports, arts and education. The Trust exists to celebrate the life of William Wates (1977- 1996) who was tragically killed when travelling in South America. His family set up the trust to shine some light into the lives of young people who have not had the advantages that Will enjoyed and reflects where Will’s interests would have been if he was alive today. Since 1998 the Trust has donated just over £1M and helped over 8,000 disadvantaged young people fulfil their potential.

The WWMT have set up a team of people called Tour de Force to cycle the route of The Tour de France. This will be an epic challenge for everyone who takes part, whether they are cycling one, two or twenty stages. All the cyclists will go above and beyond their personal limits, requiring herculean levels of stamina, mental

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strength and humour. They will battle through adversity in the form of sleep deprivation, awful weather, aching bodies and km after km of challenging terrain!

Meon Valley business owner Glen Belcher who is Managing Director at Avalon Financial Associates Ltd is one of these team members. He tells us a bit about what he’s going to be doing, and why.

“It is something I passionately believe in and I have been involved for a number of years in local communities supporting youngsters through the medium of sport. So in July 2012 I will be completing my own Olympic event, completing the last 5 stages of the Tour De France. This will be painful enough but some colleagues are completing the whole tour, over 2,000 miles in three weeks.

I’m appealing to residents in the Meon Valley to support me in my endeavours. Help us mad fools and I mean mad. I came off my bike in January and dislocated my collarbone, but in true Olympic /Tour De France spirit I was back training two weeks later.

Please help me and my colleagues to help others by looking at the web sites and donating no matter how small an amount. Every penny raised will go to supporting this fantastic cause. Thank you.”

This is certainly not something for the fainthearted. But it’s a great cause and by encouraging disadvantaged youngsters to develop a talent it takes them out of a situation which could have lead them to a life of crime and gives them a real future. You can donate to Glen’s fundraising page at www.Bmycharity.com/GlenBelcher2012

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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The Handy Household - The Virtues of Vinegar

Most of us use vinegar to make salad dressings or to splash on our chips, but it is far more versatile than that. For instance, white distilled vinegar can be used to tenderise meat, a dash added to cooking pasta will prevent stickiness and adding a splash to a poaching egg will keep the white better formed. When you’ve finished cooking, you can even mix it with water to make a cheap, but effective, detergent.

What’s more, if you’re finding it hard to lose weight, mix a tablespoon of any type of vinegar into a glass of water and drink daily. It will regulate your blood sugar levels and curb your appetite.

It’s also worth keeping some white distilled vinegar in the bathroom, where you can use it as an antiseptic on cuts and grazes, to soothe painful sunburn or even, mixed with equal parts water, as a skin toner.

Even the car can benefit from this ancient ingredient. Use it neat on a soft cloth to polish chrome or wipe clean dirty windscreen wipers and if you need to get rid of unpleasant odours from inside your car, just leave a bowl of white distilled vinegar on the car floor overnight.

White distilled vinegar is equally as useful in the garden. Poured neat onto weeds and unwanted grass growing up through drive and walkways, it acts as an effective but non-toxic weed killer. It will also discourage cats and ants from congregating where they’re not welcome.

So, whether you’re cooking, cleaning, gardening or even trying to lose weight make sure your home is never without this economical, versatile and totally natural product.

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DISCOVER HOME & INTERIORS

Open Sesame Why have several small, dark rooms when you can simply knock down some walls and live in a gorgeous, airy, bright and huge space? But there are eight key issues you should bear in mind when decorating your open-plan home, says Katherine Sorrell A comfortable seating area can be based around a rug and finished with oversized lighting.

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1. Creating a focal point While traditional rooms often work around a fireplace or TV, larger, multi-purpose rooms can lack visual focus. By introducing colour, pattern and/or texture on one wall – perhaps above a sofa or behind a dining table – you’ll add character, interest and even drama. The easiest solution is to use a strong paint colour or to hang a large painting, photograph or print, while boldly patterned wallpaper also works well.

2. Using colour Pale colours are generally considered best to emphasise the airiness of large open spaces. But should you go for one shade all over, or choose different colours for different areas? Using the same colour throughout gives an unbroken look and emphasises space, but if one end of the room is to function separately from the other – a living and dining space, a living and work space – you can zone these areas by varying their

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colour. A tonal scheme, with colour going from light to darker from one end to the other, can be particularly effective.

3. Planning your lighting Use lighting to delineate different areas within your open-plan space, and illuminate different parts to suit your needs, whether it’s a living area or working space, a kitchen or a dining area. Layer in different types of light in different areas, using a mixture of concealed lighting (in ceilings or under shelves, for example) and eye-catching, oversized fixtures that suit the extra-large space.

4. Choosing a floor Choosing flooring for a multi-purpose space such as an open-plan cooking/dining/living area can be tricky, as the kitchen area needs to be able to cope with splashes and spills, while you’ll want the sitting area to feel cosy and comfortable. You have two choices: either run the same flooring throughout for a sleek, flowing look, or choose a variety of types of flooring which will differentiate between areas. If you go for the former option, consider stone or wood, both of which can be softened with rugs where necessary, or consider high quality vinyl, which is spill-proof and forgiving underfoot.

5. Separating spaces Not all open-plan spaces need to be entirely open all of the time, so for truly flexible living it’s advisable to include some sort of flexible division. In a period property, panelled doors that can be folded back against the walls when not in use are perfect; in a more modern house a moveable screen, or perhaps ceiling-mounted panels (on a track) that can be pulled to one side when desired, would be enormously useful. ...Continued on page 22

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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think local | shop local |

c o n t a c t u s @ d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o .u k

stay local

21

...Continued from page 20

Here, a subtle difference in colour separates the dining area from the living space. The dramatic wenge wood shutters are on a track, so are ideal for large windows and as room dividers. £280 per sq m, Santa Fe Shutters, 0845 076 0109; santafeshutters.co.uk.

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6. Linking spaces Open-plan kitchen/living areas are ideal for entertaining, but how do you successfully blend the spaces seamlessly? One solution is to continue the style of your kitchen units for storage used in nearby areas, choosing a design that looks as good for a TV stand, say, as for a cutlery drawer.

Versatility is key and you should consider not just colour but also texture, and even handles – long, slender handles tend to look better in modern living spaces than dumpy round ones, for example.

7. Solutions for storage Knocking two rooms together gives you a gorgeous open area – but, because you’ve lost wall space for cupboards and shelves, much less room to hide your clutter. One solution is to use tall, open shelving that doubles as a room divider as well as somewhere to display your stuff, while if you have a flat-screen TV, mount it on a media wall with storage for DVDs concealed behind it. In fact, make the most of every tiny corner, building storage into sloping ceilings, around windows or in any alcove you can find.

8. Buying and arranging furniture Conventional furniture won’t necessarily have the right proportions to work well in open-plan living areas, so you may have to look for larger-thanaverage pieces, and bear in mind that they have to look good from all angles, not just the front. Avoid the temptation to place all the furniture around the edges of the room (it will look like a nursing home); instead, create cosy sitting areas within the main space – with two sofas facing each other, with tables and lamps behind, perhaps, or else use modular furniture which creates sociable corners.

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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28/04/2011 15:18

DISCOVER HEALTH

Relieving Pain

Naturally Health experts advise that natural alternatives to over-the-counter pain relief are often the best solution. Julie Penfold looks at natural pain relief options for common health complaints.

It’s an instant reaction for so many of us when pain first strikes; we simply take something to relieve our symptoms. Popping a pill is frequently our default setting and our usual answer is to take paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin to relieve symptoms – the most popular over-the-counter painkillers.

The main pain-killing ingredient in aspirin is salicylic acid, which is found naturally in the herbs willow bark, poplar and meadowsweet.

While willow bark and poplar are only available via a herbalist, meadowsweet can be found in natural health stores. Meadowsweet can be drank as a tea and is very effective at tackling pain fast, says natural medicine practitioner, Susse Wedel. “For general pain-killing use, ginger, turmeric and cayenne pepper are very good options. You can ingest these by adding to a hot water drink or sprinkling on food as and when required,” adds Susse.

Tackling Headaches For headaches brought on by stress or tension, the herb rosemary is Susse’s top tip for relieving nervous tension, and just inhaling the aroma can help to ease tension. Rosemary essential oil can also be rubbed directly onto the temple for instant relief. Lavender and chamomile are two of the best relaxation herbs around and are a super option for easing headache pain. As stress headaches are commonly caused by a constriction of blood vessels in the head, rosemary and lavender can help to ease this pressure. These herbs are all available as herbal teas and are equally effective when consumed as a drink. Herbs which have an affinity to the head tend to have a high content of calcium, magnesium and potassium, which are all naturally powerful against headache pain. For migraine sufferers, ginkgo can help to provide relief from painful symptoms.

Drinking plenty of water and cutting out stimulants in the diet such as caffeinated drinks, sugar, tobacco and chocolate can also help, as these foods can trigger migraines, as well as prolonging them.

Muscle Strain Adding several handfuls of fresh thyme to a bath can be an effective alternative to over-the-counter pain relief for muscle strain, as thyme eases both muscular and rheumatic pain. St John’s Wort oil and rosemary oil can also help to ease muscular aches and pains. Foods containing magnesium such as wholegrains, bananas,

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spinach, broccoli, tofu, nuts, seeds, beans and pulses can also assist in minimising painful flare-ups.

Menstrual Pain Ginger helps to relax the uterine muscles and stops painful cramps, spasms and contractions. Drinking a ginger herbal tea, or creating your own tea by grating ginger and adding to hot water, can provide fast relief from severe period pain. As an additional tip, Susse recommends topping up with hot water regularly as this renews the active painkilling properties and provides longer relief. Raspberry leaf tea is also effective for balancing hormones, relaxing muscles and relieving menstrual cramps.

To ease bloating and pre-menstrual tension symptoms, Susse recommends yarrow tea.

Other super relievers for period pain include: chamomile as it is high in calcium, minerals and contains muscle relaxant properties and valerian as this helps to reduce cramping and relaxes stomach muscles. In addition, taking a vitamin B6 supplement can also help to tackle muscle spasms associated with period pain.

by Julie Penfold

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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DISCOVER PUZZLES

Calcudoku

x12

4

3

Fill each cell with a number from 1-6. No number can be repeated in any row or column. The numbers in the heavily outlined set of squares (cages) must combine in any order to produce the target number in the top corner, using only the mathematical operator specified: +, -, x or /. Numbers can be repeated within a cage, but not in the same row or column.

Pictograms Pictograms 6 words

DUTY ALL

3 words

BLO D N NAD

5 words

2 = ltd 3 = mob Drop Down

The letters to the left belong in the squares immediately to the right, but not necessarily in the given order. When entered correctly, they reveal five words associated with the armed forces, reading downwards.

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ABFSU

→

DINOR

→

GIILM

→

DFGHI

→

AIORT

→

ADEER

→

ELMRR

→

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

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↓

Sudoku

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9, with no repetitions!

You solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic.

There’s no maths involved and no adding up.

It’s fun, it’s challenging, it’s addictive.

Answers: Page 46 w w w. d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o.u k

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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Becoming More Like

Alfie

From the factory floor to the stage door – Alfie Boe’s eyeing up further adventures It’s a farfetched notion more likened to the dreamy desires of an opera character than a frustrated car mechanic working in the rather unforgiving surrounds of Fleetwood.

But for Alfie Boe, the realisation of some lofty Broadway ambitions can do nothing but offer hope and belief to others striving to realise their potential.

Having just released his self-titled fifth album, with a UK tour coming up, and appearing nightly in Les Miserables, all is good in the life of the 38-year-old, even if his new Covent Garden surroundings do nothing to rid him of his ‘Lancashire lad’ ways.

“I live just off Neal Street in the heart of Covent Garden,” he begins. “That, in itself, is dangerous because I’m amongst such amazing shops. I’m always tempted to go and spend money, but most of the time I end up gravitating towards Neal’s Yard Dairy Shop, which is no more than a couple of minutes from my front door.

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“They sell the most incredible cheeses and I’m often found sampling the many flavours they import from around the world... before leaving the shop without buying anything! I think it’s fair to say my card will soon be marked if I carry on with this sort of behaviour,” he jokes.

“But I’ll defend myself by blaming the intense aroma that wafts out of the shop. It hits you like a big cheddar punch in the face and you can’t help but to venture inside!”

Boe moved to Covent Garden almost a year ago, primarily for the convenience of walking the 10 minutes home from the Queen’s Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue, where he’s appearing in Les Miserables. He admits he’s grown rather fond of the south and the new lifestyle his incredible success has delivered.

“It’s all still a bit surreal for me. My career has exploded and there’s a very grounded part of me that’s still not so sure what’s going on.

“I’ve had to work very hard for my breaks. When I first decided to pursue my dream full-time I came to London and attended the Royal College of Music. I was there for nearly two years and

DISCOVER MARCH 2012 it was hard. I didn’t have any money and was moving from one place to another. Sometimes I had nowhere to go at all; I was virtually homeless, sleeping on mates’ couches and worse. They were hard, hard times, and London seriously kicked my behind in the beginning. I feel I came through it, but it was like going 14 rounds.

“Now it’s being very good to me, though. And I’m grateful for that. Travelling around the south of England has shown me that it’s a place of opportunity. People do have different approaches to those in Fleetwood. It’s inspiring, but the differences can be difficult to get your head around at times.”

If the south of England is a challenge then confronting America – where he will have returned to by the time you read this interview must be something altogether different.

“We have a place in Utah – it’s serious Mormon country and a nice place to be - it’s safe and the weather’s fantastic. My wife’s family live there and when we had our daughter, I was on the road travelling a lot so it made sense for her to be near people she knew. America has taken to me well – I think they ‘get’ me... you can never be quite sure, but the novelty of who I am and what I can produce seems to convey.”

You’re left to wonder if there’s anything that’s not good about being Alfie Boe at the moment.

But with the type of candour you’d expect from someone with such grounded roots, he admits he was disappointed not to be invited to play a part in the forthcoming release of ‘Les Mis: The Movie’.

“Obviously I think they’ll do an amazing job but I’m disappointed I’m not involved in it; it would be a wonderful opportunity to transfer my role of Valjean to the big screen. But when you’re up against Hugh Jackman, there’s not much you can do.

“I don’t think there’s any shame in losing out to him. I auditioned for it but, in the end, they decided to go for the big name. There’s a lot of

money that goes into these movies and they can’t be taking any chances.”

That, in the space of a decade, Boe has swapped fitting front axles to going shoulder to shoulder with the acting and singing elite is remarkable.

Though he’s not one to look back...

“I don’t look back - I can’t really afford to do that, I just keep looking forward. If I hadn’t been spotted I’ve no idea what I’d be doing now - still working as a mechanic probably.

“But I knew this was the path I wanted to take and I made sure I was up for the journey. I genuinely believe others can do the same, but always make sure there’s a cheese shop en route!”

By Richard Aldhous c o n t a c t u s @ d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o .u k

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DISCOVER HOME

Working from home Dad’s Taxis Some time ago I was ruminating in a slightly melancholy vein about what life would be like as empty-nesters. Would my wife and I be a bit sad? A bit lonely? Would we miss our little chickadees?

Well, no we won’t. Because they’re NOT GOING! We always knew we’d be stuck with the boy, who has started tech. But what I didn’t realise (admittedly, because I never listen) is that he’s only going three days a week. Further, he’s studying music technology, so his homework seems to be very loud indeed. When I was his age I did try my best to make as much noise with my music as he manages with his, but since I was stuck with the discarded family Dansette while he seems to have the equivalent of The Who’s PA system I failed to make quite as much impact as he does.

Also, the music of my teens was slightly more melodic than the thumpy stuff his generation favours – rock’n’roll may not be noise pollution, but dubstep most certainly is.

Then we learnt that the girl isn’t going either.

She was one grade off her first choice, but was offered a place for next year – yeah, that’s right, when the fees go up – and rather than settle for her second choice she decided to take a gap year. So, is she off backpacking around the Far East? No. She’s taking her gap year at home, that’s what. At least she’s not as noisy as he is, but we’re still lumbered with the pair of them.

Well, I suppose it’s quite nice really, having them around the place. I’m kind of used to them, in a way, and there’ll certainly be a big them-shaped hole in our lives when they finally do go. In the meantime, though, Dad’s Taxis is not going into liquidation, and the home laundry service remains as gargantuan an enterprise as ever.

In fact Dad’s Taxis seems to be expanding. The

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boy is supposed to take a ludicrously early bus in the morning for his hour-and-a-half journey into college, which seems a ridiculous amount of time for a 20-mile trip. Not surprisingly, he doesn’t always make it, and as he has to be there by 9am, that means the dog is still waiting to be walked by the time the taxi-driver arrives back. So that’s an hour off the working day for starters.

In her case, it’s job interviews. Although the town I live in has some 30,000 souls it doesn’t seem to have anything in the way of facilities, not even a job centre. Nor does it have any buses, or at least none of them seem to go where we want them to, and the timetables appear to have been devised by someone who thinks that while everybody wants to flee the town, nobody wants to come back. Or not on the same day that they left, at any rate. So it’s Dad’s Taxis to the rescue, and more hours lopped off the working day.

When my generation came to this point in our lives, we were simply taught to drive and bought an old banger (a pale-blue Ford Anglia, in my case). But things have changed, and not for the better. We took one look at how much it would cost to insure them to learn to drive with us and turned deathly pale. And that’s before paying for driving lessons (that’s the drawback with twins – double bubble!) and then insuring them once they pass. You’d have to be a millionaire. And we’re not.

So Dad’s Taxis it is.

by Ted Bruning

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

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Kubla Khan Ode To A Nightingale The Waste Land The Charge Of The Light Brigade A Red, Red Rose The Owl And The Pussycat Gunga Din The Pied Piper Of Hamelin 'Twas The Night Before Christmas Jabberwocky

Choosing from the list below, can you work out who wrote the poems above?

Alfred, Lord Tennyson Clement Clarke Moore Edward Lear John Keats Lewis Carroll

Robert Browning Robert Burns Rudyard Kipling Samuel Taylor Coleridge T. S. Eliot Answers: Page 46

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

FREE SEMINAR Make 2012 the year you finally get on top of your pension options at retirement.

Don’t go into retirement ill prepared. Take the worry and guesswork out of planning for retirement by attending our free seminar.

You will learn: • • • •

What options are available to you at retirement How to cut through the pension jargon See if you could boost your retirement income at no extra cost The importance of keeping your options open throughout your retirement to handle any unforeseen expenses that may occur • How to find out what the State will pay you and when • The value of independent advice at this crucial time If you are over 50, we would be delighted if you could join us at the The Solent Hotel & Spa, Fareham on Thursday 29th March 2012 at 6.30pm.

To claim your free place, please ring 01489 878300 and speak to one of our friendly team or register on our website www.retirementis.co.uk, quoting DISPO1.

Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.

Retirement and Investment Solutions Specialist advisers to the over 50s giving you clear financial advice for a stress-free retirement Telephone: 01489 878300 | Email: advice@retirementis.co.uk | www.retirementis.co.uk Retirement and Investment Solutions, The Rumpus, St Clairs Farm, Wickham Road, Droxford, Hampshire SO32 3PW

Retirement and Investment Solutions is a trading name of Meon Valley Financial Planning Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. FSA Registration No: 185205

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DISCOVER A PROVERBIAL LIFE...

A Proverbial Life...

Waste not, want not I’ve developed a rather odd passion for glass.

Not just any old glass, but those items we normally toss into the recycling bin without a second glance...glass jars. Actually, it’s not just glass jars that have taken my fancy but also yogurt pots. So far I’m managing to resist the urge to collect the wonderfully perfect plastic pots - but my glass jar fetish is getting out of control.

I used to casually put all such items into the recycling bin, where they would eventually be re-incarnated by the local facility. However, I now seem to have decided that I can cut out the middle man and perform an alternative recycling role myself.

I have discovered a whole new world of beauty in the simple glass jar. I covet glass jars and will not assign them to a cruel crushing and grinding. Instead I soak off labels, clean with hot soapy water, rinse and leave to dry on the window sill. Once they have passed the ‘sniff test’ (quick sniff to ensure there is no lingering hint of previous contents), they join their fellow jars in one of several boxes stored in the garage. I’ve been collecting now for nearly six months and I’ve got lots of lovely clean jars.

Lots and lots and lots.

I’m not the original purchaser of all of these jars; many of them have been donated to me by family and friends. All it took was a simple request to ‘save all your jars for me’, and I’ve been inundated.

My mother in particular took this request to heart. She is my most enthusiastic glass jar collector, and has dragooned many of her friends into saving their jars for me. At least once a month I get summoned to ‘Mummy

Towers’ to pick up the latest batch of jars.

There’s always at least 30 waiting for me, stacked in a cardboard box, washed and looking suspiciously like they’ve been polished to a high gleam.

I’m always delighted to receive them and she’s always delighted to give them to me.

However, the oddest thing is that no-one ever questions why I want so many jars. An initial explanation that I was going to make jam has continued to ensure a never ending supply of lovely jars. The jam making season has long gone. Despite my best intentions I didn’t make any jam. Neither have I made any chutneys, relishes or pickles but I will...next year.

If I don’t make jam I will find some other use for them. I may take up glass painting and turn them into psychedelic vases for sale on eBay; or pop nightlights into them and use them in the garden, or fill them with sweets for the tombola at the local W.I. Or I could turn them into pen holders, paint pots or mini incubators for seedlings...the possibilities are endless.

Indeed my husband has suggested that they would be a particularly useful place to keep the marbles he thinks I’ve lost. I shall ignore him.

by A. O’Brien

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

Your nearest Aveda products salon

INCREDIBLE SHINE Free 30 minute hair design consultation No Obligation. Book Today

Does your style suit you? Treat yourself to a complimentary half hour consultation on the best style, cut, shape and colour to suit your face shape, your skin colour and lifestyle. For availability call 01329 835991 (Wickham) or 01489 896841 (Bishops Waltham). We’re open 6 days a week and late on Tuesday and Wednesday.

At Head Masters, our talented and experienced stylists take pride in creative colour, organic and 97% chemical free Aveda hair products, come to a Head Master salon.

3 Merlin Mews Houchin Street Bishops Waltham SO32 1AR

01489 896841

head masters Late nights Wickham Weds and Fri Late nights Bishop’s Waltham Thurs and Fri For more information visit our website

www.hmhairdesign.co.uk

The Square Wickham PO17 5JT

01329 835991

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Counselling with Julie Chivers: We have all lost something. Hopefully for most of us it is generally a case of losing our car keys, or the TV Licence or maybe the remote control. And how frustrating! But it is generally manageable, and the items are generally found or at least replaceable.

However, loss can have life changing consequences for some of us. Frustration gives way to intolerable pain, feelings of devastation, unsettlement, hopelessness and loneliness, just for starters. This loss leaves us with feelings that are much more unmanageable, and often there is just no replacing what we have lost.

Losing loved ones who have died, or losing loved ones to an illness such as dementia is devastating. Losing a pet who has been our soul mate and confidant is heart breaking.

Loss

Losing a job is frightening.

Grief and mourning are natural processes following such loss, but this can be a lonely journey. There is no fixed time frame for this process and everyone we have for support have their own lives, and so they should, but the fact the world carries on can feel so unfair - and that is where counselling can help.

As a counsellor I can sit alongside during this journey, providing somewhere to talk about the feelings and fear, until a less painful future becomes clearer.

Julie can be contacted at Homewood Chiropractic Clinic – 01329 280283 Next Month: On being a Carer

Quote DM02 for 10% discount on counselling taken up before April 2012 Appointments Available On Saturday Mornings

Counselling with Julie Chivers (MBACP)

at Homewood Chiropractic Clinic

Counselling provides a unique, supportive relationship to explore reasons behind mental discomfort or distress. It can be a place to share this discomfort and feel less isolated with difficult feelings, or a place to understand possible causes, and with that understanding make choices to change patterns and make different decisions.

FOLLOW ME

Starting top left, follow the arrows. The last letter of each word is the first letter of the next. The 5 shaded arrows spell out the Keyword and the Keyword clue should help if you get stuck.

Fully qualified, member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists, which in particular governs the code of ethics I operate under.

Free Parking, Reception and Waiting Room Comfortable, quiet, confidential, central Fareham Saturday Appointments available 30 Osborn Road, Fareham, PO16 7DS

01329 280283

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admin@homewoodchiropractic.co.uk www.homewoodchiropractic.co.uk

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1. Loft (5) 2. Tent Site (4) 3. Print machine (5) 4. Parchment roll (6)

5. Heavy metal (4) 6. Hate (6) Keyword Clue Change

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

“My aim is to provide not only the best Whether you need a simple scale and polish, dentistry possible using state-of-the-art your teeth whitening, missing teeth replaced equipment, materials and techniques but also with implants or a complete new smile, “My aim is to provide not only the you and needI awill simple scaleyou andwith polish, to deliver it in a personal andbest caring manner.Whether my staff provide the dentistry possible using state-of-the-art your ‘Ultimate teeth whitening, missing teeth replaced Care’ in modern dentistry.” equipment, materials and techniques but also with implants or a complete smile, my BDS Drnew Simon Smyth to deliver it in a personal and caring manner. staff and I will provide you with the ‘Ultimate Care’ in modern dentistry.” Dr Simon Smyth BDS

www.discovermagazines.co.uk

17 Discover Magazine 31 c o n t a c t u s @ d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o .u k

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DISCOVER WHAT’S ON butterflies such as the Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. Please wear old clothes and sturdy footwear such as walking boots (trainers not advisable) and waterproofs in case of rain and bring a packed lunch. We will provide all tools, gloves and tea and coffee. Mobile number to use on the day if you are unable to make the task or can’t find us is: - 07917 460477. Please meet at Junction car park on the corner of Farley Mount road and Sarum road, grid reference SU417292.

02380 402593

what’s THE ALTON WORKHOUSE 29 Feb, 7:30pm Alton Library Come along to a talk by Jane Hurst about Alton Workhouse.

Further information available from the library, or telephone 01420 85734. Cost: £4 DR PHIL'S RUDE HEALTH SHOW 1 Mar 7:30pm Winchester Discovery Centre Phil Hammond is a GP, writer, broadcaster and possibly the only comedian to have appeared at a public inquiry. He is Private Eye's medical correspondent and has appeared on Have I Got News for You, The News Quiz, The Now Show Countdown and The One Show . He is rude about everything (politicians, doctors, death, drugs, sex.) £12, £9 Concessions. 01962 873603 COMPUTING TUITION AT WEST END LIBRARY 1 Mar 9am West End Library Free IT tuition for beginners on Thursday and Friday mornings at West End Library. Free.

JOHN PILKINGTON – GEORGIA TO AFGHANISTAN 2 Mar 7:30pm Winchester Discovery Centre In an exciting sequel to his 2009 'Axis of Evil' trip, John follows

42

the ancient trade route from the Caucasus across the Caspian Sea to Samarkand, then turns south-east to the High Pamirs of Tajikistan and Afghanistan before finishing in Kashgar, China's so-called 'Crossroads of Asia'. Mountains, deserts and an insight into Central Asia's unique position on the Silk Road make this a show not to be missed.

Cost: £10 WINCHESTER BY LAMPLIGHT FREE GUIDED WALK 2 Mar 8pm Starts outside Winchester Tourist Information Cent An opportunity to enjoy our city at night. Tickets from Tourist Information Centre or from the guide on the night if still available. Details of other walks on www. winchestertouristguides.com.

Free but numbers limited to 25.

01962 840500 BLUES & JAZZ NIGHT 3 Mar, 7:30 Greyladyes Art Centre, Bursledon, SO31 8BX An evening of blues and jazz from former Yardbird Alan Glen and The Barcodes. The group, which also features Bob Haddrell and Dino Coccia, mixes Blue Note Jazz and Chicago Blues in the style of Georgie Fame, Zoot Money and Mose Allison.

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Cost: £12.50, Young Person £6, 023 8040 4649 OPEN MIC NIGHT Every 1st Sunday of the month, 7pm The Thomas Lord PH, West Meon Bring your talent and showcase your stuff. 7PM TILL 10PM. Please contact Dave Sweetenham ON 07584 495 540 to book your space. www.thethomaslord.co.uk Historical Lectures 6 Mar 7:30pm Greyladyes Arts Centre, School Road, Bursledon, SO31 8BX The winter lectures are going to be held at GAF on the following Tuesday evenings at 8 o’clock.

The theme for this year is going to be ‘Maritime Matters’ Tuesday, 6th March - ‘Titanic’, Vicky Green of Soton City Library Tuesday, 3rd April - The Lost Village of Itchen Ferry, Dr Mary South Book with Sue Osmond susanosmond@hotmail.com, 02380 40 4649 PRACTICAL CONSERVATION TASK 6 Mar 10am Farley Mount Country Park BTCV are looking for volunteers to help cut back vegetation and small trees, in order to encourage more butterflies into the area. The park is home to rare

MEET THE AUTHOR 7 Mar 7:30pm Winchester Discovery Centre Justin Cartwright's novels include the Booker-shortlisted In Every Face I Meet, the Whitbread Novel Award-winner Leading the Cheers, and The Promise of Happiness, selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club.

Join us as Justin talks about his latest novel Other People's Money, a tale of great families, great fortunes and even greater secrets. A gripping, satirical and acutely observed story of our time. £3 - No Concession. 01962 873603 ONE BIG SLEEPOUT 9 Mar - Various Locations Sleep out to raise awareness and funds for Hampshire homeless charity, the Society of St James. You sacrifice your bed for the night in exchange for sponsorship. The funds you raise will help The Society of St James to continue to provide accommodation and support to the county s most vulnerable adults. 023 8063 2524 ONE MAN SHOW 9 Mar 2012, 7:30pm Winchester Discovery Centre A riveting and critically acclaimed one-man show performed

by Robert Lloyd Parry. Oh, Whistle, and I ll Come to You, my Lad is a tale of nocturnal

DISCOVER WHAT’S ON horror on the Suffolk coast, considered by many to be James masterpiece. It is beautifully complemented here by The Ash Tree , a spine-chilling story of witchcraft and vengeance down the generations. (110 minutes including interval). £7.50. 01962 873603 TWILIGHT TOUR 10 Mar & 14 Apr 7:30-11:45pm Hinton Ampner National Trust Hear about Hinton’s ghost stores with a local medium. £25 or £35 including a light supper. 01962 793512.

WINCHESTER REAL ALE & CIDER FESTIVAL 16th and 17th March, Winchester Guildhall http://www. winchesterbeerfestival.org.uk Ticket info line: 07587 242797, email: info@ winchesterbeerfestival.org.uk BOTLEY CHORAL SOCIETY’S SPRING CONCERT 24/25 March Location see below Established for nearly 90 years, Botley Choral Society performs concerts of very high standard throughout South Hampshire, attracting large and appreciative audiences. Following the success of its recent Christmas concert when it performed Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, the choir will be presenting its Spring Concert, with Bach’s Magnificat and Dvorak’s Mass in D, at St John’s Church, Lock’s Heath on Saturday 24th March 7.30pm, then at All Saints Church, Botley on Sunday 25th March 7.30pm. The choir, with nearly 100 members, is one of the largest in the area and aims to present high standard choral works not just in its “home” Church in Botley, but also in venues around South Hampshire. Tickets and more information on 01489 890007 or at www.botleychoral.co.uk.

BEAR HUNT 29 Mar, 10:30 to 11:30 Itchen Valley Country Park Join us for a walk round the woods based on Michael Rosen's book followed by a craft. If you would like to read the book before the session, visit West End Library who will be ordering copies in especially. £2 per child. BOOKING ESSENTIAL 023 8047 5080 GENTLE GIANTS & WILD EGG HUNT 31 March – 15 April Marwell Zoo Meet our stunning herd or ‘tower’ of giraffe and enjoy encounters, feeding sessions and fascinating talks – find out why a giraffe’s tongue is purple and why male giraffe like “necking”… Also enjoy family crafts where you can make your very own giraffe to take home! Plus, for the Easter bank holiday weekend (6 – 9 April) enjoy our Wild Egg Hunt - meet our egg-layers and follow the Wild Egg Trail! The Easter Bunny will be giving away a free chocolate egg with every completed trail along with the chance to win a monster chocolate egg. Come along for an egg-stravagantly wild Easter experience!

WICKHAM CHARITY BEER FESTIVAL 14 Apr, 11am – 4pm & 6pm – 11pm Wickham Centre Good selection of local Ales, music Saturday evening, dood available all day. Evening BBQ by the Meon Valley Lions. See www. wickhambeerfestival.co.uk (B) = Booking essential Remember to tell us about your events, so we can tell our readers! email tania@ discovermeonvalley.co.uk or call us on: 01489 590024 c o n t a c t u s @ d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o .u k

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DISCOVER INFORMATION

local groups WALKS FOR HEALTH Every Thursday 10.15 BishopsWaltham Square, contact Lydia Lockhart 01962 848925 UNIVERSITY OF THE 3RD AGE Tuesday twice monthly 1.30–3.30 Wickham Community Hall Contact 01489 892499 THE HEALING TRUST Healing Centre, Priory Park Hall, Bishops Waltham.

Every 4th Saturday of the month 10am til 12.30pm noon. Marjorie Nutland 01329 832637 SOUL CONNECTIONS – SPIRITUAL GROUP Priory Park Hall, Bishops Waltham. 3rd Sunday each Month, £5.00 Sue Murray 01489 799740 www.suemurrayhealing.co.uk NETBALL GROUP We train every Wed 5.30pm -7pm at Swanmore College of Technology. First session would be free. Call Dee 07979917202 LUNCH CLUB Every Monday Jubilee Hall 1 - 2pm Christine Argyle 01489 894054 Tuesday Gwyn West 01489 891663 Thurs Gill Stainer 01489 893384 JUBILEE WRITERS Thursday (Twice Monthly) 2pm – 4pm Stables Hall, Bishops Waltham Elizabeth watt 01489 892224 MEON VALLEY FLOWER CLUB Demos, workshops at Meonstoke Village Hall Ann Hammant 01730 829469

ART CLASSES Every Wed 9am - 4pm Helena Hines COMMIT TO GET FIT Tuesday 7.30pm-8.30pm Circuits Tuesday 6.30pm-7.25pm Pilates Wed 10.30am - 11.15am Active Seniors Wed 6.30pm - 8.30pm Body Blitz See page 12 for more info or call Carole Batten-Rutter 02380 695136 COUNTRY MARKET Every Friday 9.30 – 11.00am Jubilee Hall, Bishops Waltham DRAMA GROUP Every Monday at Jubilee Hall 4pm - 5.15pm (Junior) & 5.15pm - 6.30pm (Senior) Second youth centre-Helena Fox 01962 844600 BW YOUNG FARMERS CLUB 14-26 yrs – Thurs Anne 860236 MEON VALLEY CARERS GROUP The Meon Valley Carers Group is a support group for the carers of people with Dementia.

We meet every month for a pub lunch and also for a support group meeting. Cared for are welcome.

Phone Debbie on 01489 895444 Mon or Thurs 9.00-13.00 for details.

GARDENING CLUB Memberships only £6 call Keith Fry 01489 893755 MOBILE LIBRARY WICKHAM SQUARE Wednesday 9.20am – 12.20pm

WICKHAM CENTRE www.wickhamcentre.org.uk Three Bears Playgroup every morning 9am – 12.30pm Scouts Monday 7 – 9pm Keep Fit Monday 6 – 7pm Rifle Club Mon 7.30-9pm, Sat 10am-12noon Ladies Circuits Tues 10 – 11am Scallywags Dog Training Tues 6.30pm Wickham Indoor Bowling Tues & Fri 7.30pm Brownies Tuesday 4.45pm Church Room Lunch Club 11.30am Wed, Church Room Cubs Wednesdays 6.30 – 8pm Beavers Thursday 6 – 7pm Home Start Mother & Toddler Fri 9-12 noon Poppins Play Group Thursday Yoga Class (Wickham & Swanmore) Wed 10am - 11.30am, Thur 7.45pm - 9.15pm.

Events also held at Swanmore Village Hall, Thur 10am - 11.30am Paula Dixon 01489 891079 EVENTS AT SWANMORE Swanmore Baby & Toddler Group Every Tuesday (term-time only) 10am-11.30am Swanmore Village Hall Contact Wendy Pilton 01489 890694 EXERCISE CLASSES Monday 8 - 8:45pm Salsafit Thursday 6:30 – 7:30 Legs, Bums, Tums Thursday 7:30 – 8:30 Circuit Training (Men & Women) Priory Park Pavilion, Bishops Waltham Friday 9:40 – 10:25 Salsafit Durley Memorial Hall More details call Belinda Butler, 07889 419681

Charities, free or very low cost events are listed above without charge and can be submitted by emailing Tania@discovermeonvalley.co.uk For other events a small charge is made starting from just £7 a month. For more details email Melanie@ discovermeonvalley.co.uk or call 01489 660022 44

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DISCOVER MARCH 2012

useful numbers

LOCAL DOCTORS NHS Direct (24hr helpline)

Acorn Medical, Church Lane, Curdridge Fareham Health Centre

Gudge Heath Lane, Fareham Hemming & Partners, Lower Lane, Bishop’s Waltham West Meon Surgery, Doctor's Lane, West Meon Wickham Group Surgery, Station Road, Wickham

0845 4647 01489 782488 01329 823456 01329 280887 01489 892288 01730 829666 01329 833121

LOCAL CHEMISTS Birchall & Haydock, The Square, Wickham PO17 5JQ Tel: 01329 832115 Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm, Saturday 9am - 5pm, Sunday – closed Boots Pharmacy, High Street, Bishop’s Waltham SO32 1AB Tel: 01489 892603 Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri 9am – 6pm, Wed & Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun – Closed Lloyds Pharmacy, High Street, Bishop’s Waltham SO32 1AB Tel: 01489 892499 Mon to Fri 8.30am – 6pm, Sat 8.30am – 5pm, Sun – Closed Rowlands Pharmacy, 7 High Street, Botley Tel: 01489 782065 Mon to Fri 9am – 5.30pm, Sat 9am – 1pm PARISH COUNCILS Bishops Waltham parishclerk@bishopswalthamparishcouncil.co.uk www.bishopswalthamparish council.co.uk Upham uphampc@homecall.co.uk Durley durleypc@homecall.co.uk Soberton norman@soberton.org.uk Droxford clerk.droxford@parish.hants.co.uk Shedfield shedfieldparish@btconnect.com www.shedfieldparishcouncil.org.uk Swanmore clerk@swanmoreparishcouncil.org.uk www.swanmoreparishcouncil.org.uk West Meon Parish Council (Tracy Predeth, Clerk) westmeonpc@googlemail.com Hampshire City Council Winchester City Council Wickham Council clerkwickham@parish.hants.gov.uk Boarhunt clerkboarhuntpc@btinternet.com Southwick & Widley swpc@logosoft.biz

01489 892323 01489 860236 01489 860236 01489 877378 01489 877470 01329 830060 01489 890651 01730 301606 01962 841841 01962 840222 01329 835019 01489 891321

LOCAL SCHOOLS Bishop’s Waltham Infants

Bishop’s Waltham Juniors Curdridge Primary Droxford Juniors Durley Primary Kings School Meonstoke Newtown Infants Rookesbury Park St. Johns Primary Swanmore Primary

Swanmore College Upham Primary West Meon C of E Primary School Wickham Primary Wyvern Technology College

01489 892375 01489 892368 01489 782613 01489 877537 01489 860207 01962 861161 01489 877568 01329 833161 01329 833108 01329 833141 01489 894555 01489 892256 01489 860355 01730 829213 01329 833065 02380 692679

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS All dates taken from http://www.hants.gov.uk/education/schools/holidays.php Spring Term Easter: Mon 2/4/12 - Fri 13/4/12 Summer Term Half Term: Mon 4/6/12 - Fri 8/6/12 Summer Holiday: Tue 24/7/12 - Fri 31/8/12 LOCAL LIBRARY www.hants.gov.uk/library/bishopswaltham Bishop’s Waltham Library, Bank Street, 0845 603 5631 Mon/Thur: Closed, Tue: 1pm – 7pm, Wed/Fri: 9.30am – 5pm, Sat: 9.30am – 1pm CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU Bishops Waltham Wickham Community Centre, Fareham

01489 896376 01329 223119

EMERGENCIES Police, Fire or Ambulance Services 999 0845 045 45 45 Police (Incident Reports) Portsmouth Water - Fresh Water Supply 02392 499888 Portsmouth Water - Leaks to Report (Out of hours 24hr) 02392 477999 Southern Water - Sewage 0845 272 0845 Southern Water - Tech Support 0845 278 0845 Gas – National Grid 0800 111 999 (If you smell gas, then call us immediately) Electricity 0845 7708090

023 8046 3228

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DISCOVER INDEX For Advertisers offering multiple property services look under Property Maintenance, otherwise see specific trade e.g. electrician, carpenter etc.

Appliance Repair: JP Appliances Bathrooms: See Plumbing Beauty Treatments: Essential Beauty Bedrooms: Deanes Interiors Swan Systems Blinds & Curtains: Pont Furnishings Solent Blinds & Curtains Co Ltd Waterside Blinds Builder: R & G Gamblin General Builders Carpenter: Mint Kitchens & Carpentry Simon Pretty Furniture Chimney Sweep: Pebble Beach Sweeps Computer Services: Plates PCS TeknoIT Conservatories: Britannia Conservatories Counselling: Counselling with J. Chivers Dentist: Simon Smyth Dentistry Drain Services: Cleansing Service Group Electrician: Assure Electrical Ltd D.Daniel Electrical Svcs Ltd Financial Services: Avalon Financial Services Newman Cozens Financial Management Retirement & Investement Solutions

8 27 48 25 28 24 22 21 5 29 18 35 12 47 40 41 11 5 35 17 15 37

Florists: Hazel's Florist Funeral Services: Town & Country Mem. Ltd Furniture: Deanes Interiors Pont Furnishings Simon Pretty Furniture Swan Systems Furniture Ltd Garage Doors: Fix Quick Garage Doors Solent Garage Doors Garden Design & Services: Adtree Care AW Paving Specialists Jon Curtis Tree Surgery & Garden M. Lawn Tech TreeScapes Winchester Garden Machinery Woodleigh Landscapes Gas Services: See Plumbing Grocers: Budgens Hairdresser: Altered Image Hair Salon Head Masters Hair Design Health & Fitness: Birch Tree Yoga Commit 2 Get Fit Health Services: Colten Care Counselling with Julie Chivers Interior Design: Pat Staples Interiors Kitchens: Dream Doors Kitchen & Bathroom Transformations

4 10 48 28 29 25 18 8 36 10 8 9 11 10 11 3 36 39 27 27 13 40 23

FUN QUIZ - POEMS - 1. Kubla Khan - Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 2. Ode To A Nightingale - John Keats, 3. The Waste Land - T. S. Eliot, 4. The Charge Of The Light Brigade - Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 5. A Red, Red Rose - Robert Burns, 6. The Owl And The Pussycat - Edward Lear, 7. Gunga Din - Rudyard Kipling, 8. The Pied Piper Of Hamelin - Robert Browning, 9. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Clement Clarke Moore, 10. Jabberwocky - Lewis Carroll PICTOGRAM - 1. All in the line of duty, 2. Fair and square, 3. Two's company, three's a crowd Follow Me Attic Camp Press Scroll Lead Detest Keyword: Alter

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CALCUDOKU

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SUDOKU

5 29 23 35 12

18 19 18 29 23 19 21 5 23 21 29 31 36 15 24 28 12

23 21

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

DROP DOWN - Admiral, Brigader, Fighter, Soldier, Uniform.

Kitchens cont: Mint Kitchens & Carpentry Simon Pretty Furniture Loft Conversions: Charrett & Sons Office Furniture: Haywood Office Svcs.

Pet Services: Wagging Tails Plumbing Services (including bathroom installation and gas and boiler services) see also Property Maintenance: Pipe Dreams Tom Mitchell Plumbing The Oil Boiler Company TP Watts Property Maintenance & Improvements: Dream Doors J.S. Roofing Kitchen & Bathroom Transformations Mint Kitchens & Carpentry Pat Staples Interiors R & G Gamblin General Builders Simon Pretty Furniture Solar Panels: Finesse Energy Ltd Sweet Shop: Sweet Corner Taxi Services: Exec Transfers Tile Floor Cleaning: Tile Doctor Ltd Tree Surgery: See Garden Upholstery: Pont Furnishings Veterinary: Shield Veterinary Centre Waste Disposal: Rubbish Clearance & Waste Removal

Although every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by error or omission in the printing of an advert.

Discover Meon Valley Ltd does not officially endorse any advertisers included within this publication.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise – without the prior consent of the publisher. Publisher: Discover Meon Valley Ltd, 57 Wood End Way, Chandlers Ford SO53 4LN.

9

from

£2375

Victorian +VAT

+VAT

from

+ VAT

£519

+ VAT

Berkshire (BP3 401) + VAT

Ulster (UP2 405)

£519

c o n t a c t u s @ d i s c o v e r m e o n v a l l e y.c o .u k

Starting from

+ VAT

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£715

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FREE parking right outside

£595

Email: pm@britanniawindows.co.uk • www.britanniawindows.co.uk

023 8027 0606

Visit our Chandlers Ford showroom

Essex (EP2 G02D)

+ VAT

£490

Cheshire (CP2 02B)

WINDOW WINDOW RANGE RANGE

45% OFF

UPTO UPTO

Starting from

£721

+ VAT

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COMPOSITE DOORS - PRICES INCLUDE FITTING!

£2656

Georgian

UPVC DOORS - PRICES INCLUDE FITTING!

£2399

£482

from

Lean To

VAT

+

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Quality self build Conservatories

DISCOVER MARCH 2012

47

Made to measure... bedrooms

l

wa r d r o b e s

l

h o m e st u dy

Need more storage space or considering a new bedroom?

Visit our extensive showroom for lots of ideas and options, and the very latest colours and designs for sliding wardrobes, fitted bedrooms and home studies, all made exactly to measure by a local family company.

Showroom Sweep!

Our popular ‘blank cheque’ offer has been extended!

We give you a whopping 20% of the value of your furniture order to spend on any accessories in our showroom!

You could choose a free carpet, stunning lighting or luxury bedding and soft furnishings from our boutique range.

Showroom opening hours: 9am-5pm, Mon-Sat

Visit our showroom (M27, J9 next to TGI Fridays) or call 01489 574274 to arrange a design visit.

87 Southampton Road, Park Gate, Fareham SO31 6AF. www.deanewardrobes.co.uk