Village People Norfolk/Suffolk border Late Spring 2013

Late Spring 2013

HOMES • GARDENS • OUT & ABOUT • JOBS & MONEY • HEALTH • LOCAL SERVICES

Local History Travellers’ Tales

Forage for Food

Community Cinema Scheme

comes to you

Fresh, local and free!

Local

WALK

around Pulham Market

WIN

Blondie Concert Tickets

Plus

q Restaurant review from our Ladies Who Lunch q Pull out & keep menu from Italian Job in Diss q Latest book and film reviews

q Exciting new shop opens in Eye q Get ready to rock at the Theatre Royal q Cliff Richard comes to town

The independent magazine for village people on the Norfolk/Suffolk border

ARE YOU MISSING ONE OR MORE TEETH?

FAILING TEETH?

HATE WEARING DENTURES? An easy permanent teeth solution for people with missing or failing teeth or denture wearers Using state of the art implant technology we can replace missing or failing teeth or dentures with a permanent fixed solution.

You may be just a short step away from eating what you want, smiling again with confidence and living the lifestyle that suits you.

Which would you prefer?

Conventional removable dentures?

Covered closed plate?

Sliding and rocking denture?

Non-removable implant retained bridge?

Uncovered open plate?

Fixed and stabile solution?

Call today to see if you are a suitable candidate to attend a no obligation initial consultation for this life changing procedure Botesdale Dental Practice, Holly Close, The Drift, Botesdale, Diss, IP22 1DH

01379 897 176

www.botesdaledentalpractice.co.uk 2

Haydon-Webb bespoke Furniture Finest craFtsmansHip • Quality • best materials

We pride ourselves at Haydon-Webb on making beautiful bespoke furniture; from a small occasional table to a complete kitchen.

Each piece is made individually at our workshop in Debenham.

If you have an idea or design for a piece of furniture, or a complete kitchen, bedroom or study, come down and see us at our showroom or view our gallery online.

Contact us and together we can turn your dreams into reality.

Haydon-Webb

Unit 2, Meadow Works, Kenton Road, Debenham, Suffolk, IP14 6RP

Showroom open on Saturdays from 10am to 3pm.

At all other times, please call into the workshop and one of our friendly team will be there to show you around.

01728 860219 • www.haydon-webb.com 3

Official Stockist

Official Stockist

4’6 Orthopaedic Divan with 2 Drawers WAS £279

available in full range of sizes & options

NOW

£229 4’6 Memory 800 Pocket with 2 Drawers RRP £549

available in full range of sizes & options

NOW

£399

Why should you come to SOUND SLEEP BED WAREHOUSE?

             

Local Family Business Mattress Specialists for over 20 years Friendly Sales Team Over 100 beds on display in store Fast Free Delivery by our own staff Own Brand Mattresses No High Pressure Sales Ample Free Parking at the door Feel Free to come and Browse No Obligation to buy Brand named products Silentnight Official Stockist Stock available to take away Credit & Debit Cards Accepted

MILE ROAD - WINFARTHING - IP22 2EZ Telephone 01953 861177 Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00 Sat 10:00 - 4:00 Sun 10:00 - 1:00 The Bright family look re forward to seeing you in sto

4

Find us on the main B1077 between Diss & Attleborough Look out for the yellow signs!

17 19 23 24

Good News from our region Local walk at Pulham Market Mums the Word visit Kesgrave Hall Ladies who Lunch visit The Queen’s Head in Eye Time to rock at the Theatre Royal Creative Arts East Local History: travellers’ tales Village Notice Board

Blondie Concert Tickets

HEALTH & BEAUTY

61 63 65 67 Centre Pull out menu from Italian Job in Diss 69

HOMES & GARDENS 27 29 35 39 47 52

Garden Jottings from Ken Meet the experts: Wayne Noble Eye welcomes Practically Perfect Interiors How to sell your house Latest Film Reviews Local Book Reviews

SHOPPING 57 Craft page – make a shabby chic garland 59 Proud owner bids farewell to her shop

In good health Ancient oriental astrology Norfolk diabetes prevention study Village shepherd reaches a world-wide audience Foraging for local food

JOBS, MONEY & BUSINESS 71 Maximising income opportunities 73 Will you be provided for?

SERVICES 77 79 83 84 86

Great recommendations for local businesses WIN tickets to see Blondie Car review: BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe Find a local business or service Two delicious seasonal recipes

35

17

83

Editor’s Letter

I

t’s been an exciting few months at Village People HQ as we’ve just launched our third magazine that will be delivered to another 15,000 homes to villages south of Norwich. With our total circulation now standing at 45,000 it’s amazing to think that we now deliver Village People to more homes in Norfolk and Suffolk than ANY other magazine!

This issue is packed full of fantastic local editorial, stories and features, as well as full details of the best local businesses and services in your area, so don’t miss out on the many exclusive offers just for you! There are some fantastic restaurant deals so treat yourself to a meal out or a free drink at Swallow Aquatics!

Anyone fancy winning tickets to see Blondie at Thetford

Contents

6 9 11 13

Late Spring 2013

WIN

OUT & ABOUT

Forest? Make sure you enter our competition and how excited are we that Cliff Richard is coming to Norfolk!

Keep your copy of Village People handy until we’re back in two months time and as usual we’re always happy to hear from you, our readers, so get in touch and let me know if there’s anything particular that you’d like us to feature in YOUR local village magazine.

Happy reading!

Lily Goulder 0330 660 0325 www.village-people.info editor@village-people.info

5

Good news Easton’s – celebrating 60 years of coach travel

Village People competition winner becomes app designer!

In the winter issue of Village People magazine, Redwood asked the good people of Norfolk and Suffolk to throw their best app ideas our way with the lure of a shiny new iPad 4 as a prize for the best entry. We received some cracking original ideas but in the end it was lucky Ricky Braddon’s “Sports Mate” idea that won the battle for the iPad. His app idea allows people with similar sports interests to hook up and play sports in their local area. We loved this idea and we’re currently in talks with Ricky to develop it into a fullyfledged app!

If you would like to get in touch or you think you have a better idea than this, then why not submit it on Redwood’s website? We reward incredible ideas with incredible rewards.

www.redwoodapps.com 6

Easton’s Coaches are a familiar sight on our region’s roads and this year, they will be 60 years in business. It all began in 1953 when Alfred Easton bought the first coach. During the seventies, following the purchase of two other local coach firms, Easton’s really began to venture into their tour and excursion programme – some of you may remember their first holiday office in Cromer.

Derek and Robert Easton joined the business at the age of 21 and following the death of Alfred in 1987 became joint directors of the family business. At this point the firm was run from the family home in Brandiston, but as the business began to flourish, bigger and better premises were needed. So in 1992, Easton’s moved to their current depot at Stratton Strawless.

Their motto has always been: “not to be the biggest, but to try and be the best at what we do”. This seems like a recipe for success! www.eastonsholidays.co.uk

Authentic Greek food comes to Norfolk

No need to get on the plane to feel like you’re on holiday with Greek Nights at the Italian Job in Diss. You can enjoy a vast selection of superb Greek food, cooked as it should be in an original taverna atmosphere.

Have an unforgettable evening with traditional belly dancing, plate breaking and music ‘til late.

Greek Night is every last Friday of the month so for a great night out, book your table by calling 01953 884141 www.italianjobs.co.uk

from our region Art treasures return to their Norfolk home Britain’s first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole amassed a collection of some of the world’s most famous paintings and treasures, which were displayed in the magnificent surroundings of Houghton Hall over 200 years ago.

Now they are set to return to the historic Norfolk building to give a new generation a once-ina-lifetime chance to see the glorious works of art by the likes of Rubens, Sir Anthony Van Dyck, Velazquez and Rembrandt in their original setting as chosen and placed by the former PM. Houghton Revisted will be open between May 17 and September 29, so don’t miss the opportunity to see paintings like this one by Rubens!

Local Furniture Shop celebrates 30th Anniversary John Doe of Diss started out selling carpets from a small shop in the town centre in 1983. Since then, this successful family business has gone from strength to strength and now operates a home furnishings superstore based in Sawmills Road. John Doe stocks everything you need to furnish your home, from carpets to sofas, beds to wardrobes - there’s something to suit every taste and budget. John Doe prides itself on retaining the same high level of personal service and competitive prices it has always had.

Now, to celebrate 30 years in business, John Doe of Diss are offering genuine 30% discounts on selected stock items over the Easter period.

Discover the new Angles Way walks

www.houghtonhall.com/houghtonrevisted

Leap Taster Courses Prove Popular in Suffolk Earlier this year, Leap successfully hosted a variety of free of charge ‘Have A Go’ activities at selected Leap Centres across the county, offering taster courses in everything from cake decorating, photography and jewellery making to sign language, building your own website, creative writing and computer skills.

Leap was formed in 2007 to provide access to learning and skills to those living in rural areas.

With a number of centres across the Suffolk region, Leap provides access to a range of advice and support; formal and leisure qualifications and training that could help you to achieve your goals!

As soon as spring is in the air most of us can’t wait to take advantage of the longer days and milder weather. And what better way to enjoy the great outdoors this Easter than taking in some of the stunning East Anglian scenery on the Angles Way walking trail, newly refurbished for 2013.

With abundant wildlife, historical treasures and stunning and varied landscapes, the walk also contains many long and short routes to choose from. The unique 93-mile river valley trail is the perfect way to explore the beautiful countryside and intriguing market towns along the NorfolkSuffolk border. www.norfolk.gov.uk/trails

www.leap.ac.uk

7

Out & About

The Royal Gardens of Highgrove - 2 Day Break Sunday 6 – Monday 7 October £109pp (based on two adults sharing a twin/double) Hilton Hotel **** Swindon Price includes: Luxury Coach Travel, 1 night DBB, Use of hotel leisure centre, Free time in Royal Windsor, Guided tour of Highgrove Gardens

ROYAL DAYS OUT (Includes ticket & luxury coach travel) Destination: Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace Including Afternoon Tea Buckingham Palace Clarence House Royal Gardens of Highgrove Royal Gardens of Highgrove Royal Gardens of Highgrove

Date Saturday 13 July

Price £79pp

Tuesday 6 August Wednesday 7 August Thursday 13 August Monday 19 August Tuesday 20 August

£43pp £34pp £56pp £56pp £56pp

Day Excursion Joining Points: Stratton Strawless (free parking), Hellesdon Firs, Norwich John Lewis, Notcutts Garden Centre (free parking), Wymondham, Attleborough, Thetford

8

T

Local Walk at Pulham Market

his walk offers you the chance to stretch your legs on country lanes, before returning through the fields, with lots of wildlife to look out for. Around Pulham Market Green you will find pretty white washed cottages and the medieval church of St Mary Magdalene, which is worth a visit.

1

Start on The Green with The Crown public house on your right, turn left and walk between Pulham Memorial Hall and The Falcon public house on the narrow alleyway between the houses through two sets of white railings.

2

Turn right onto Barnes’ Road and follow the road, pass Street Farm on the left and continue for one mile to a T-junction at the top of the hill.

Turn left at this T-junction onto Duck’s Foot Road. Keep left at the next junction and continue down the hill on the road.

3

At the bottom of the hill, turn left onto a field edge public footpath. Ignore the footbridge on the right and keeping the poplar trees on your right continue back towards Pulham Market following Boudica’s Way waymarkers as follows; walk anticlockwise around this large field still keeping the trees on your right. Just before the far corner turn right into the wood at the waymarker post and walk under a tunnel of trees crossing a footbridge at the end.

4

Turn left onto another field edge path, this time keeping the trees and ditch on your left. Continue in the same direction across the field at the waymarker post in the corner.

Wildlife Watch

The open arable fields provide a good chance of a glimpse of a brown hare or to listen to skylarks.

Starting point: The Green, Pulham Market (parking at the Falcon Public House) Parking: Car park, Falcon Road (opposite The Falcon public house) Distance: 3.3 miles Terrain: Country lanes and fields

7

Again, turn left at the next corner into the final field and walk towards Pulham Market, crossing a final footbridge before walking along a narrow path which becomes a gravel track after passing the Pulham Market Bowls Club. Cross the road to the alleyway opposite, turn right at the end and return to the start point.

Discover more walks at www.norfolk.gov.uk/trails With thanks to Norfolk County Council

5

Cross a second much wider footbridge and walk on another field edge footpath around the left hand side of this second field.

6

Walk over a third footbridge into the wood, turn left at the end to walk around the edge of the third field.

Continue around the edge of the field, passing another wood on the left.

Bear left into a fourth field at the corner.

9

Out & About

Tinkerbells Day Nursery in Thurston has a new baby unit opening April

months fees*

Call us on 01359 232221 www.tinkerbellsdaynursery.co.uk

* terms and conditions apply

O To rder da y

D Yo irec ur t t Do o or

Caring for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years We use the finest locally produced ingredients to offer a very unique selection of fun and delicious vegetable & fruit flavours.

See our online menu or request a copy.

Wedding Cakes

Anytime Cakes & Slices

Celebration Cakes

Flexible sessions throughout the year from 7:45am to 6pm

• Dedicated Baby Room providing a homely environment for babies aged 6 weeks to 18 months • Fully funded sessions for 15 hours a week for 3 & 4 year olds • After School Club & Holiday Club for 5 to 11 year olds • 3 large, safe and secure outside play areas • Nutritious home cooked meals • Indoor heated swimming pool & lessons with a qualified instructor • Highly qualified, experienced, friendly & caring staff • Ofsted inspected & accredited with the ‘Every Child a Talker’ award Please contact us for a prospectus and further information

Langton Green, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7HL 01379 871 412 eye@mulberrybushnursery.co.uk www.mulberrybushnursery.co.uk

10

Mums The Word Kesgrave Hall

Kesgrave, Ipswich • http://www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall • 01473 333741 Carrie Barrett lives in Blo Norton, near Diss, right on the Suffolk/Norfolk border, with her husband and two children Maisie (9) and Olly (5). She has been dining out and about in our area for many years, seeking out restaurants that offer great value, quality and above all else are child friendly. If you would like Carrie to visit a particular pub or restaurant just get in touch with us at village people and we’ll ask her to visit.

W

e have been patrons of Milsoms Hotels and Restaurants for a few years now. Their restaurant Milsoms and Le Talbooth at Dedham was a bit of a trek for us but a great place to stop off on trips home from London.

When I heard that another restaurant in this very successful chain was opening up in Ipswich, I got very excited.

Immediately turning off from the main Woodbridge Road into Hall Road you get the feeling of seclusion and intimacy. On approaching the white hall, you could very well be mistaken for somewhere you could NOT bring children! The building looks very grand, set in acres of woodland, with a beautiful terrace to enjoy dinner al fresco in the summer, whilst taking in the surrounding wildlife.

When walking through the door it is evident that this place is much more relaxed and contemporary than the building and grounds would have you believe, whilst at the same time giving you a feeling of complete luxury and indulgence.

The waiting staff are smartly presented, very helpful and attentive. Nothing is too much trouble. We love the little touches i.e. small writing pads and pencils on each table so you can write down what everyone is ordering!

.

smoked salmon. The main courses vary from £5.25 for pasta carbonara up to £5.95 for haddock fishcake.

Whilst this is not a cheap place to take children, it’s a great treat on a special birthday or family lunch. The food is locally sourced and is of a very high quality.

Children are also offered ‘etch-a-sketches’ to keep them entertained until the food arrives. Highchairs and baby changing facilities are also available.

Adults have a wonderful menu to choose from with lots of choice. Starters start from £5.75 and sandwiches are served all lunctimes except for Sundays. Main courses start at a very reasonable £10.95. In our house, it’s always a must that we save room for desserts! It’s the best part of the meal. The puddings here are truly part of the sumptuous dining experience and certainly not just an afterthought. The extensive wine list offers a range that would satisfy even the most discerning of wine lovers.

If you are looking for somewhere to host a special event, I would challenge anyone to find a better venue.

The hotel offers 23 ensuite rooms so guests of the party can stay and enjoy the surroundings.

I cannot wait to go back here again and only wish they would open another restaurant even closer to us!

The company motto is ‘Open All Day So No Rush’. I love this attitude and it’s very refreshing in this busy modern world when everyone seems in such a rush.

Children and families are ‘positively encouraged’ at this restaurant and I find the children’s menu one of the best around. The menu is laid out like the adults’ menu, which includes the children in the whole experience. The starters range from soup to

11

Out & About

Like traditional pubs?

Look no further than Eye. If your idea of the perfect pub includes cask-conditioned ales, tasty home-cooked tapas, pizzas and bar food, and a truly welcoming atmosphere, you need to visit the Queens Head.

Find us online or in the Good Beer Guide 2013.

See you soon. It could be eye-opening.

QUEEN’S ’S HEAD, EYE -FREE HOUSE-

Cross Street, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7AB Tel : 01379 870153 www.queensheadeye.co.uk

GRE REAT ALES | GOOD FOOD | BEER GARD RDEN 12

Ladies Who Lunch

THE QUEEN’S HEAD, EYE bitterly cold day saw me once again hurtling down the A140 into Suffolk; but not too far over the border.

My companion was driving whilst I was privately wondering if I would be able to get out of her lovely purple sports car without a steam hoist – me being a bulky OAP wearing two coats. We had an unscheduled trip around Eye (which incidentally looked like a really pretty small town full of cottages painted in sugared-almond colours) before locating the Queen’s Head (Boadicea). We were both glad to spot the log fire in the bar and our reserved table which had a clear view of the street outside.

I was surprised when I inspected the menu as one whole page was given over to 17 different tapas options, inspired by the chef’s time spent on the Spanish island of Tenerife. An interesting change from traditional Suffolk pub food. There was also a selection of what I call PGDs (proper gravy dinners) on the menu; lasagne, four-cheese and red onion

tart, chicken breast - and a ploughman’s lunch. Homemade pizzas were also available.

In the end we decided to ‘do a Princess Diana’ and have a starter and a pud. My starter was an extravagance of fish, with smoked mackerel, Gravlax (cured raw salmon, thinly sliced, in a dill and mustard sauce), and a terrine of crabmeat: also a couple of hunks of wholemeal bread and a pot of butter.

My companion’s choice was chicken liver pate with toasted bread and salad garnish dressed with balsamic vinegar and served on a stylish slate rectangle. The pudding selection included caramelised banana with raisins, rum sauce and ice cream; this was my companion’s choice.

Mine was tiramisu which came with a very generous helping of ice-cream.

Two Starters Two puds One Wine One tonic One cafetière

£11.45 £10.45 £4.95 £1.30 £3.60

TOTAL

£31.75

Please note that the restaurant is closed all day Monday.

BOTTOM LINE

A

7 Cross Street, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 7AB • 01379 870 153 • info@queensheadeye.co.uk

We both enjoyed what we had, and it was good value for money. The place was very attractive with its scrubbed pine, beams and log fire. I can imagine a crowd of tapas lovers in the evening transforming the place into a warm and lively location, full of fun. The Queen’s Head has been awarded the prestigious

cask marque in recognition of their outstanding quality ales, so be sure to try a pint or two.

The Queen’s Head is a medieval pub, which was lovingly restored and reopened in 2011. The narrow doors add to the quaint, old-fashioned charm of the place but might make things tricky for wheelchair users.

If you are looking for something a bit more adventurous than your standard PGDs, then The Queen’s Head is well worth a visit.

13

Out & About

R es tau R ant The Perfect Location for

Superb Food • Events • Small Weddings • Conference & Meetings • Accommodation

Using seasonal locally sourced fresh produce every time Norwich Road, Attleborough, Norfolk NR17 2JX e: stay@sherbourne-house.co.uk www.sherbourne-house.co.uk

• Popular Sunday lunches...booking advisable!

• Beautiful large beamed restaurant/ function room for weddings and parties

• Spacious garden with many tables for al fresco eating

Monday-Saturday 11.30am til 3pm and 6pm til 11pm

Sunday 12 til 5pm. (closed Sunday night)

The Green, Old Buckenham, Norfolk NR17 1RE

14

t. 01953 454363

• Simply delicious food prepared by our three chefs and served in our bar, snug or dining room • A courtyard garden for summer dining • Visit us for Sunday breakfast, brunch or supper

Tuesday-Saturday (Closed Mondays) 12noon til 3pm and 6pm til 11pm

Sunday 9.30am til 3pm and 6pm til 10pm.

Chapel Street, New Buckenham, Norfolk NR16 2BB

Out & About

15

Out & About

APRIL/MAY

BOX OFFICE: (01603) 63 00 00 Sun 31 March – Tues 2 April DORA THE EXPLORER Everyone’s favourite explorer with educational fun £5.50 - £16 Wed 3 April THE SOLDIERS Real life heroes and music stars £5.50 - £22.50

Sunday 5 May ENCHANTMENT UNDER A TREE Heather Millan School of Dance & Performing Arts £5.50 - £15.50 Tues 7 – Sat 11 May NEW JERSEY NIGHTS Celebration of the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons £6.50 - £27.50

Thur 4 April THE CHUCKLE BROTHERS Paul and Barry with family fun Sun 12 – Sat 18 May £5.50 - £14 NORFOLK & NORWICH FESTIVAL Fri 5 April SHAOLIN WARRIORS Breathtaking kung fu masters £5.50 - £24

Mon 20 – Sat 25 May NOISES OFF Michael Frayn’s hilarious backstage comedy £5.50 - £23.50 Sun 26 May ELO EXPERIENCE Tribute to the Electric Light Orchestra £5.50 - £20 Tues 28 May – Sat 1 June SLEEPING BEAUTY ON ICE Imperial Ice Stars in classic fairytale set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music £6.50 - £29.50

Sat 6 April THAT’LL BE THE DAY Rock ‘n’ roll variety show £5.50 - £23

Northern Ballet: The Great Gatsby

Tues 9 – Sat 20 April STARLIGHT EXPRESS Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s dynamic musical £6.50 - £39 Sun 28 April SOLID SILVER 60S SHOW Mike Pender, Dave Berry, Wayne Fontana & New Amen Corner £5.50 - £24 Tues 30 April – Sat 4 May THE GREAT GATSBY Northern Ballet with new dance drama £6.50 - £36.50

Book online: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk THEATRE STREET, NORWICH NR2 1RL

16

It’s time to rock at the Theatre Royal!

He is the man who brings classic songs to life in high-energy musical shows worldwide. We caught up with theatrical impresario David King who is bringing two great new shows to the Norwich Theatre Royal.

W

hen it comes to ensuring audiences leave a theatre uplifted and with a smile on their face, David King definitely has the Midas touch.

His productions which celebrate the music of the globe’s best known writers and performers have proved to be box office winners all over the world.

And, as he prepares to bring two of his newest shows to Norwich Theatre Royal plus a revamped old favourite, it is clear he is every bit as passionate about live performance as he was when he first started producing shows.

His latest major project is New Jersey Nights, which will take to the stage from 7-11 May and will celebrate the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

David said: “I have always been a massive fan of them.

I have always loved the Jersey Boys too. I saw it on Broadway when it first opened and I thought it was wonderful. I saw it again in London and I thought I would like to make a show celebrating the music.”

Set in the Sixties, it aims to capture the essence of the decade through the sets, costumes and look of the performers. David said: “We wanted to place it in the correct setting and it is also stylish and classy. There are also various settings including a recording studio and a club.”

The laid-back style of the Sixties is then replaced with the outrageous glam and glitz of the Seventies when David brings Bohemian Rhapsody to Norwich Theatre Royal on June 24-26 which celebrates, as you might expect, the music of Queen.

David said: “Jersey Nights is gentle and lovely and wonderful. Bohemian Rhapsody is much more in-yourface and just crazy. You get to see all of the big musical favourites from the band like Killer Queen and We Are The Champions.”

David is best known for Spirit Of The Dance and cannot believe the high-energy celebration of the best Irish dancing is still going strong 16 years after it began.

“When I first decided to stage it all those years ago, I thought it might last about three months. Now we are still working on it 16 years later,” he said.

David also took the brave decision to appear in Channel Four’s show The Secret Millionaire and was catapulted right into the centre of a troubled part of Leeds – an experience which he admits changed him as a person.

David recalled: “Being on that programme definitely took me out of my entertainment bubble. It was not what I thought it would be when I agreed to do it but I got so much out of it.”

As well as continuing with charity work, David also has a very busy touring schedule in Europe plus tours and theatres to operate in America too. In the meantime, it is clear that a range of iconic musical styles are getting the lavish stage treatment courtesy of David and his team on the Norwich Theatre Royal stage in the weeks and months ahead.

Tickets are available from the Box Office

on 01603 630 000 or www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk 17

Out & About The Forestry Commission by arrangement with X-Ray present

Saturday 15 June

THETFORD FOREST NR BRANDON, SUFFOLK

Tickets: 03000 680400 Buy online/info: www.forestry.gov.uk/music Info: www.blondie.net

WYMONDHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL Wymondham

2013

GREAT PLACE GREAT MUSIC GREAT VALUE

Music Festival Reg Charity no 1081375

Megson award-winning folk duo at The Regal Sat 29 June www.megsonmusic.co.uk ‘Simply Brilliant’ The Sunday Express

FESTIVAL FORTNIGHT SAT 22 JUNE TO SUN 7 JULY PROGRAMMES AND TICKETS AVAILABLE SAT 11 MAY

FESTIVAL OFFICE 01953 601939 WWW.WYMFESTIVAL.ORG.UK

Sunday & Wednesday Night Special Buy One Get One FREE!

Open all day everyday to residents & non residents Dinner dances, Weddings, Birthdays/Anniversaries All parties catered for

* This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Special Offer only to Village People Readers *20%

discount on all Takeaways over £15 Bring a copy of this advert to qualify

*does

not apply to set meals and meal deals.

Food served all day every day

Open 6 days a week (closed Tuesdays)

Sunday Carvery served 12.00-3.00pm

Mon – Thurs 5.30 – 10.30pm Fri – Sunday 5pm – 11pm

Regular live music & themed nights

Tel. 01379 642244

www.parkhotel-diss.co.uk • info@parkhotel-diss.co.uk

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Main dishes only – same or lesser value free Must be accompanied with Rice, Nan or Side Dish

01379 650100/650101 Church Street, Diss , IP22 4DD (behind the main Post Office)

Creative Arts East

Creative Arts East is an arts and community development charity founded in 1994 with the focus of taking the arts into rural communities. Creative Arts East works throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and the East.

Creative Arts East Live!, Village Screen and Arts Round Up are the core strands of what the charity delivers, working across Norfolk and Suffolk and receiving funding from local County and District Councils. The organisation also delivers a variety of projects across Norfolk, Suffolk and the East concerned with creative learning, health & wellbeing and volunteer development.

Creative Arts East Live! is a rural touring scheme which aims to provide memorable and enjoyable live performances that enrich community life.

By working in partnership with local volunteers, the scheme brings high quality and affordable arts events within easy travelling distance to the rural communities of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Village Screen is a rural community cinema scheme providing quality film screenings in community venues throughout Norfolk.

Volunteer promoting groups get together to screen the latest blockbuster or a timeless classic in the comfort of their local village hall or community centre without the travel to, or the cost of, commercial cinemas.

Creative Arts East also manages a portfolio of projects which currently includes “somewhereto_” , a project for 16–25 year olds to help find them spaces to do the things they love, and a young person music promoting project funded by Youth Music.

To find out how to get involved with our rural touring schemes, or to find out more about current projects visit www.creativeartseast.co.uk or find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @CreativArtsEast

Creative Arts East has recently been awarded funding from Arts Council England and Creative England to do additional work focusing on the development of live and cinema touring activity in the west of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Creative Arts East Working in partnership with communities to make exciting events happen

Bringing big screen cinema to the heart of the community

A rural cinema scheme run by Creative Arts East, enabling community groups in Norfolk to put on latest blockbusters, timeless classics and archive films in their local venues for local people.

Showing on Village Screen NOW: Argo

Quartet

Les Miserables

Skyfall

Bunwell Village Hall Advance £4.00, on the door £5.00 Tickets from Bunwell post office

New Buckenham Village Hall £4.00 Tickets available from King’s Stores New Buckenham

Geldeston Village Hall £5.00 01502 712364 or brian@ftfarm.co.uk

Life of Pi

Dickleburgh & Rushall Village Hall Advance £4.00, on the door £4.50 Tickets from Dickleburgh post office

Weston Longville Village Hall £5.00 Tickets on the door

Poringland Community Centre £4.00 Tickets from Budgens Poringland

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Marlingford Village Hall £4.95 01603 880479

To find out more about Village Screen contact Alice on 01953 713394 or alice@creativeartseast.co.uk To find out more about Creative Arts East visit the website, follow us on twitter or find us on Facebook Village Screen is supported by

www.creativeartseast.co.uk 19

Out & About To request a prospectus or arrange a visit telephone 01842 752840 or email: hmsec@thetgram.norfolk.sch.uk www.thetgram.norfolk.sch.uk

3½ to 18 co-educational day school

Together We Learn

An independent co-educational day & boarding school

Junior 5-11 Senior 11-16 Sixth Form 16-18

More than just a school

An ideal learning environment, which offers so much more To view our Outstanding Inspection Report visit our website below OPEN DAY - Saturday 11th May 10.30am - 2.00pm The New Eccles School, Quidenham, Nr. Norwich, Norfolk NR16 2NZ T: 01953 887217 E: admin@neweccleshall.com

www.neweccleshall.com

First class treatment!

Uplands Way Vets is a long established practice with clients throughout Norfolk and Suffolk. We care for all types of animals including household and exotic pets, farm animals and horses.

Call 01379 642 865 for further information.

Uplands Way Surgery Diss 01379 642 865 Connaught Surgery Attleborough 01953 454 945 George Hill Surgery Stanton 01359 251 730

For a full list of services visit www.uplandswayvets.co.uk

20

Out & About

a ll th e biggest h its froM a rock ‘ N’ roll suPerstar

suPPorted bY M i litarY WiVes cho irs

M idsu M Mer N ights Still Reelin’ and a-Rockin’ HAREWOOD lEEDs, Saturday 1 June 2013 OlD TRAffORD CRiCkET GROunD MAnCHEsTER, Sunday 2 June 2013 BliCklinG EsTATE nORWiCH, Thursday 6 June 2013 WARWiCk CAsTlE WARWiCksHiRE, Saturday 8 June 2013 HATfiElD HOusE HERTfORDsHiRE, Sunday 9 June 2013 THE COunTy GROunD, HOvE sussEX, Saturday 15 June 2013 POWDERHAM CAsTlE EXETER, Sunday 16 June 2013 Tickets available at selected venues. Tickets subject to a booking fee and promoter terms and conditions (details on request)

sPECiAlly CREATED All sEATER AREnAs

Book at seetickets.com or phone 0871 220 0260 For Hospitality packages please call 0208 144 5783

“Still Ro kin’ with thce best of them“ Sydney M o rning He rald

Book at ticketmaster.co.uk or phone 0844 844 0444

www.cliffrichard.org

www.cliffrichardtour.co.uk

Logistik Ltd & internationaL entertainment Corporation

21

Out & About

Gardens|Garden Centre|Steam Museum

w w w. br e s s i n g h a m . c o . u k

Open 28th March to 3rd November 10:30 - 5:00 visit www.bressingham.co.uk for further details Tel 01379 686900

22

Travellers’ Tales

In the first of a series of five articles, Sarah Doig follows in the footsteps of William Camden, the first “travel writer” of the modern age to visit East Anglia.

W

illiam Camden wrote the first known geographical and historical survey of Great Britain and Ireland which was published in 1586 under the title “Britannia”. He lived in a great age of exploration and adventure: Sir Walter Rayleigh and Sir Francis Drake both found favour with Queen Elizabeth I for their discoveries on foreign shores. And the first accurate maps of the world were being drawn up. Camden, however, was not an adventurer, but an academic who confined himself to touring the British Isles. He visited East Anglia in 1578; the same year that the Queen herself made an eleven-week summer progress from London to Norwich and back. Of course, Queen Elizabeth didn’t write her own account of the tour. She had other chroniclers such as Thomas Churchyard to do that. His account highlights the age-old rivalry between two counties:

“Before her Highness passed to Norfolk, there was in Suffolk such sumptuous feasting and banquets, as seldom in any part of the world hath been seen before... The Norfolk gentlemen hearing how dutifully their neighbours had received the Prince, prepared in like sort to show themselves dutiful. And so in most gallantest manner assembled and set forward with five and twenty hundred horsemen...”

Turning to William Camden’s “Britannia”, this provides us with a fascinating insight into the counties, towns and villages through the eyes of an Elizabethan gentleman.

Elizabeth I

This is how Suffolk is described: “A large country it is, and full of havens, of a fat and fertile soile (unlesse it be Eastward), being compounded (as it is)

of clay and marle: by meanes whereof there are in every place most rich and goodly corne fields, with pastures as battable [useful] for grazing and feeding of cattell. And great store of cheeses are there made, which to the great commodity of the inhabitants are vented William Camden into all parts of England, nay in to Germanie, France, and Spain also...”

I find it interesting that, in this account written over 400 years ago, the agricultural Suffolk of the 21st century is recognisable. However some of the great country estates such as Sir Nicholas Bacon’s Redgrave Park and Brome Hall, then the seat of the Cornwallis family, have disappeared. Nevertheless, Suffolk is still endowed with many fine country houses as well as plenty of deer and pheasants.

The picture of Norfolk which William Camden paints is also very familiar: “It is a region large and spatious, and in maner all throughout a plaine champion [flatland], unlesse it be where there rise gently some prety hils, passing rich, exceeding full of sheepe and stored with conies [rabbits], replenished likewise with a great number of populous villages. For beside XXVII mercate [market] townes, it is able to shew villages and country townes 625. Watered with divers [many] rivers and brooks, and not altogether destitute of woods. The soile, according to the variety of places, is of a divers nature: somewhere fat, ranke, and full of moisture...; otherwise, but Westward especially, leane, light, and sandy; elsewhere standing upon clay and chalke.”

Camden was not the only traveller over the centuries to remark on the numerous towns and villages in the county: something we take for granted but to an outsider must seem curious if you stop and compare Norfolk with other large counties in England.

Sarah Doig offers a family, house & local history research service (www.ancestral-heritage.co.uk).

In the next issue, Sarah looks at the account written

by Celia Fiennes of her travels around Britain on horseback in the 1690s.

23

Village Notice Board

Talk: Impr oving hild birt h

Strad br oke & Distr ict Branch Pres ents

Pregnancy and C

‘Last Night o f the Pro ENGLAND an ms’ to Celebrate d Saturday 20th ST GEORGE A pril 2013 Stradbroke H igh School A , 7pm dmission £5 Ipswich Hospi ta l Ba nd Musical Direc tor: Peter Gra y Compere: Pete r Celebration dr Holloway ink included Tickets availa ble with a SA E from: Bernard Mills, 21 The Orchar ds, Laxfield, Suffolk. IP13 8EE Tel: 0198 6 798414

shments talk with refre Free informal er Th apy and how Bowen introducing lp. he n Hypnosis ca and ge Hall 10.30 lla Vi on rt ba ul M .30 ril 10 l Ap al H th Sat 27 Village April Wacton 05 or 60 53 8 also Tues 30th 50 en Taylor 01 82 Contact: Kar r 01379 6744 Lynn Baxte

Valuat ion Day at

Saint Peter’ s Church Sw ainsthorp Sat April 20th 10am to 2pm e 1 Item = £2,

Also Avail Horham Post able at: And Stradbro Office Stores ke Spar Store s ‘Prize for th e most patri otically dressed tick et-holder’

Coffee, Teas , an Swainsthor pe

3 Items =£

d refreshmen 5 ts available

Charity Trus

t No 287784

Farmers’ Mar ket

RICKINGHALL V

Ant ique Fair

ILLAGE HALL

l

ll Village Hal

at Rickingha

May Monday 6th Bank Holiday 4 pm from 10am – £1 Admission refreshments & lls of sta Large variety 9 251804 0135

Second Saturday of every month, 9.00am until 12 .30pm Stalls usually includ e fresh and smoked fish, beef, pork, lamb, venison , chicken, local vege tables and fruit in season, cake s and bread, freshly ground coffee, chocolate, ho ney, jams & preser ve s, home-made curries , chilli products, chee ses, apples and apple jui ces, sweet treats, flo ur from Pakenham Mill & ev en locally grown pla nts.

Free admission: enquiries to Monty 07747 84 6605

List your local event for FREE on our Village Notice Board Email details to Lily at editor@village-people.info

24

95t h B omb Gusruouemp Hospital M ORHAM )

TION 119 H ( A.A.F. STA unday of each month

4 pm Open last S ber 10 am to May to Octo open m on Tea roo Free admissi 5EU 1 2 Denham IP Shingle Hill

vening Ladies on ly PamperLEL, NR15 2UH

LAGE HA WACTON VIL :00pm :00pm to 10 7 IL R P A 2 1 Friday N at 6:30pm DOORS OPE night. or £6 on the £5 pre-paid 5 mins S: £10 per 1 TREATMENT the night 023 cash only on : 01508 536 Contact Vera

F l ower Fest ival at

“Gardeners Bunwell Church Glory” June 14th 2p m to

5pm June 15th 11 am to 5pm June 16th 11 am to 4.30pm Finish with a Songs of Prai Refreshments se and Ploughm an’s lunches

P lant Sale

2 2HX pham, IP2 n, South Lo Fe am h p & Lo m – 4pm Redgrave April 10a rseries: Sunday 14 ecialist nu sp d an g in n in es, herbs, -w sh d u ar rns, fruit b fe Over 20 aw s, la u seeds, an lbs, camp rubs, trees, alpines, bu ennials, sh cond er p se , s es lu ss P . l gra and more en d ornamenta ar g . g mulch the cuttin plants and plants for , donated ee fr n re hand tools d il .50, ch Adults £1 available freshments .org re ld co d ildlifetrust w Hot an lk o ff u .s w w w 688333 Tel: 01379

C all ing all C lassic Vehicle Ent husiasts

Bungay Area Lio ns Club is hold ing a Classic Vehicle Rally & Country Fayre in the grounds Earsham Hall, Bu of ngay, NR35 2A N on Sunday 5t h May 2013 Exhibits on disp lay will be class ic cars, motor cycles, tractors and both comm ercial and military vehicle s. Other attract ions on the day will include food and craft stalls, licensed bar, trade stalls, auto jumble, childre n’s games, entertainers an d workshops.

Funds raised fro m the event will go to the Bl adder Scanner Appeal for the Bungay Medica l Practice and lo cal Lions causes .

Gates will open from 10am until with a celebrity 5pm, opening the ev ent at 11am.

Entry to the pu blic will be £3 fo r adults and children ov er 16.

If you have a ve hicle to show yo u can obtain a registration fo rm for free entry from George Eagle, Tel. 0198 6 892902 or email george reagle@live.co .uk

’s Grouplp eased to The Disilds reFrn’ies nd Hospices are ity

ar ia’s Ch aid of the Ch for East Angl ion Show in sh Fa a at on th otel Diss announce at the Park H pm is being held 7pm for 7.30 en pril Doors op A of th s 25 as gl ay a clude Thursd £12.50 to in raffle Ticket price • Pay bar and s le bb ni d an e in s w et g ck in ti kl and spar information 38 For further 09 65 01379 call Pauline ailable from so Tickets al av arleston s in Diss & H Tatters shop

FR

It’s

to list EE evenytour !

25

Home & Garden

Garden Maintenance All types of gardening work undertaken; weeding, grass cutting, pruning, hedge trimming, as well as design and planting plans

Please call Amanda

07732 783572

Gardens, hedges, lawns, fences.

Pressure washing. General repairs.

Delivery / Collection service.

Call Anytime Mobile: 07834 193237 andrewlewis2004@btinternet.com

PD Garden Services Ditch and pond cleaning/clearing Garden clearance/maintenance Small tree work Hedge trimming/removal Fencing Gutter cleaning Gravel driveways Log splitter available • Fully insured

Call Paul 01379 652903 07827015215 pdgardenservices@aol.com

26

T

Garden Jottings from Ken

he garden season is well underway by now and people of all abilities are venturing outside to tend their plots, from small courtyards to majestic acres. Each garden regardless of its size is unique and individual, reflecting the whims and skills of the owner. It is, however, plants that make a garden and one of the best groups to grow are the herbaceous perennials, wonderful plants which simply burst from the ground each year bringing magnificent life and colour to borders within just a few weeks or months of their appearance.

‘Perennials’ comprise a vast range of long-lived plants, and ‘herbaceous perennials’ describes the huge number which mainly die back to the ground for a winter rest, offering great choices for any garden style and any position within a garden, from full sun to deep shade.

Providing they are positioned correctly herbaceous perennials will perform for years, building up into substantial clumps with only general care required such

as feeding, dead-heading and tidying, then splitting up occasionally to maintain vigour.

A mixture of lupins, delphiniums, foxgloves and hardy geraniums in an array of colours conjures up the classic ‘cottage garden’ look. Alternatively, for a sunny freedraining position try Salvia argentea with its large soft woolly leaves, or Sedum ‘Frosty Morn’, an ice-plant with cream margins to the foliage and a real magnet for bees and butterflies when in flower. If you wish to add to the nectar bar intersperse your plants with monarda (commonly known as Bee Balm), Echinacea, and hardy verbenas such as the ever-fashionable Verbena bonariensis with its dark purple flower-heads on tall and unusually square stems which sway gently in the slightest breeze.

Perennials are star performers in a garden, giving great value over many years if chosen and positioned carefully.

If your border is bright but heavy and wet some really bold plants are at your disposal. The mighty Gunnera manicata with leaves the size of fence panels on tall prickly stems definitely makes a statement (although it’s just a bit tender), but for something a little more modest try Lobelia cardinalis ‘Queen Victoria’ with its stunning bright red flowers over shiny maroon leaves, or Zantedeschia aethiopica, a pure white arum lily.

Other choices for damp soils include ligularias, rheums (ornamental rhubarb) and rodgersias, all of which have impressive leaves, plus astilbes which offer great plumes of colour in early summer.

The range of herbaceous perennials available is enormous, from the stately daisy flowers of asters, rudbeckias and Japanese anemones, to the relaxed and lower-growing euphorbias, campanulas and bistorts, and with our prices starting at just £1.99 each, or three choices for £5, having a colourful garden couldn’t be simpler!

Cheers, Ken

from The Garden Enclosure at Banham

for perennial inspiration!

INDEPENDENT PLANT CENTRE & GARDEN SHOP 01953 888043 www.gardenenclosure.co.uk Ha

Inspiring plant selections, plant sourcing and garden advice, gardening and floristry sundries, pet supplies, gifts… and more!

Find us at Banham Zoo, NR16 2HE - outside Zoo ticket kiosks Open Thursday to Monday 9.30am to 5pm (10.00am to 4pm Nov to Feb)

ve you discover ed us yet ?

27

Home & Garden

More than just a Garden Centre! plants & trees • garden care & tools • garden machinery • bbqs • outdoor furniture • sheds • greenhouses • outdoor clothing & footwear • pet & wildbird section • diy tools & accessories • indoor furniture • kitchen & housewares • giftware • books

Cherry Lane Garden Centres are famous for their choice, quality and great value.

Come and visit one of our branches today!

Plus much, much more!

Where GreatValue Grows

STISTED CRANDON CRAFTS

TEL 01787 828252 www.crandoncrafts.com

ROSE AND REE'S BARBERS

Ladies and Gents. Appointments not always needed. Low Prices. TEL: 07902 527388

Long Melford High St, Long Melford, Suffolk CO10 9DH Stisted, Nr. Braintree A120/Coggeshall Road, Stisted, Braintree, Essex CM77 8AE

T: 01787 311889 T: 01376 349007

Fritton Beccles Road, Fritton, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 9EU T: 01493 488212 Pulham Market Ipswich Road, Pulham Market, Norfolk IP21 4XP

T: 01379 676418

THE WOOL SHOP

Stockist of Sirdar and Debbie Bliss Wool, Patterns & all Knitting Accessories. TEL: 07933 351803

Opening Times:

Mon-Sat: 9am-5.30pm SUNDAY TIMES: Fritton and Stisted: 10.30am - 4.30pm (Customer browsing from 10am - 10.30am).

Long Melford: 10.30am - 4.30pm.

Pulham Market: 10am - 4pm (Customer browsing from 9.30am - 10am).

www.cherry-lane.co.uk

A1071

The Restaurant BRAINTREE

at Pulham Market

Lake & Pond Aquatics Water Garden Specialist

Design • Installation • Maintenance Pond Cleaning • Planting Advice

Expert advice - Competitive Rates t: 01379 652720 m: 07900 370304 e: lakeandpondaquatics@gmail.com

28

at Fritton

at Long Melford and Stisted

Open all day, everyday for hot and cold food & refreshments.

AD 1 / 3 / 13

LONG MELFORD

Meet The Experts

Based in East Anglia, Noble Paving East Anglia Limited is run by Wayne Noble, who has over twenty years experience in hard landscaping, garden design and general ground works.

How do you make sure each customer gets a personal service?

Noble Paving East Anglia Limited has a small highly skilled team of professionals all with their own individual skill set. As a standard part of the service Wayne Noble personally manages each project and each stage of the job is carried out in close consultation with the client. This means that we can offer a personal, professional service to each customer.

How do I know that the work will last?

As most of the projects we secure

are through recommendations we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction and therefore all our work is fully insured and comes with an amazing 10 year written guarantee included on completion What services do you offer?

We are specialists in all kinds of garden design and hard landscaping, from turfing and planting to driveways and patios.

Don’t worry about contacting lots of different contractors – our skilled team will take care of everything including fencing, tree surgery and even ponds.

I want to transform my garden for summer. What do you suggest?

Why not try a new brick weave pathway? Or how about some low maintenance raised beds in railways sleepers? Whatever size your garden is, a water feature can be a great addition. Noble Paving provides a garden design service, so make the most of all of our experience and call for a free quote.

Call 01953 887346 or visit www.noblelandscapers.co.uk to see pictures of our work. Get your garden sorted for summer!

paving east anglia ltd

Landscaping & Garden Design Block Paved, Tarmac & Shingle Driveways Patios & All Types of Fencing & Gates Turfing, Plants & Planting We also offer a garden design service with a full scaled drawing or sketch All hard landscaping comes with a 10 year guarantee

call 01953 887346 or 01603 360116

www.noblelandscapers.co.uk

info@noblelandscapers.co.uk 29

Home & Garden

A Complete and Comprehensive Tree Care Service since 1907 For over 100 years, Bartlett Tree Experts has led both the science and services that make your landscape thrive. No matter the size or scope of your needs, our arborists bring a rare mix of groundbreaking research, global resources and a local service approach to every task at hand. Trees add so much value to our lives; Bartlett adds even more value to your trees.

Tree & Shrub Pruning | Planting | Tree Removal Tree Stock Surveys | Woodland Management Health & Safety Reports | Disease & Insect Control For a free consultation please contact your local arborist Elliott Brydon

01245 248 033

ebrydon@bartlettuk.com www.bartlett.com

EyeDesign Gardens

Garden Design and Landscaping Service Contact: Amanda Thomas Mobile: 07732 783 572 Email: info@eyedesigngardens.co.uk

n . Pla t l u s on

C

30

ld , Bui

P lanting Trees

by Joan Garnham, Waveney Tree Specialists

S

pring is officially here and most will have rediscovered their gardens. If you are like me, I always want to make changes and spend the winter months planning. No garden is too small for a tree but there are some points to take into consideration. Trees may look cute in the little pots in the nursery but they are amongst the biggest living things on earth when fully grown. Always ask the nursery staff what height and spread you can expect in 50 years.

For most trees the root system will reach beyond the spread of the canopy; so, please do not plant near buildings or walls; the growth of the roots is far stronger than your foundations. Trees need space and

light just as much as water and food, so don’t plant them too close together.

Choose your trees carefully; they will be with you a long time. Think about all year interest, choose a mixture of greens, shapes and bark colour/ texture. Add in some trees with large blossom, fruit and seeds and you will encourage insects and birds.

Don’t plant the tree too deep – be guided by the soil level in the pot; do put a handful of good general fertilizer in the hole; do put a stake in and tie it loosely to the tree; do put a rabbit guard on the base of the trunk; water every day for at least 2 weeks. A good way is to sink a wide hose down to the roots and pour the water down that.

.

For the very small garden think of miniature trees. It is a good idea to get these from a reputable nursery as all trees start small! Now, sit back and enjoy watching them grow.

31

Home & Garden Mike Smith Gardenworks

hempnall

All types of garden work undertaken

• Grass Cutting • Border Maintenance • Garden Design • Supply & Plant Service • Hedge Cutting • Fencing Services • Garden & Shed Clearance • Pond Maintenance • Odd Jobs • All Aspects of Tree Work

30 years experience • No job too large or small Competitive Rates • Friendly Reliable Service

t: 01379 870140 m: 07860 473518

First for Riding We believe that everybody should have the chance to enjoy horses, regardless of age, ability or background

lawnmower centre

Selling many brands & models of ride-on mowers, lawnmowers, chainsaws, hedge trimmers, snow blowers, log splitters, strimmers and much more Servicing and repairs of all garden machinery Collection service available Our well furnished showroom is open to the public

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Saturday mornings 9.30am to 1pm Please feel free to drop by – no appointments needed!

Check out the full range at www.mowdirect.co.uk

for friendly advice and guidance on selecting the most appropriate machine for your needs, give one of our sales team a call on

01508 473700 Brick Kiln Lane, Morningthorpe, Long Stratton, Norwich, NR15 2LH

COMPETITIVE PRICES • SPECIAL DISCOUNTS £10 TASTER SESSIONS • And much more . . .

EYE EQUESTRIAN CENTRE, CLINT FARM, CLINT ROAD, EYE IP23 7JE 01379 870303 info@eyeequestrian.co.uk www.eyeequestrian.co.uk

andrew p r love architecture . design . planning wymondham road cherry tree farm bunwell norfolk nr16 1nb 





     



planning applications & building regulations submissions alteration works, extensions & conversions architectural design consultation & drawings specialist in listed buildings & conservation work site supervision & management excellent local knowledge and contacts domestic & commercial projects

South Norfolk Design Award winner 2011 for innovative and ecologically aware architecture please contact us on

t: 01953 789911 m: 07771 855225 e: a.love@btconnect.com 32

T

Love Your Lawn!

he simple garden lawn comes in many shapes and sizes but is often taken for granted, neglected, and little cared for. With the right amount of care, it can be a spectacle to be proud of, a beautiful blanket to show off the surrounding plants and buildings. A good looking lawn can improve the saleability of a home, and be the centrepiece of your garden.

So, what does it take to produce the perfect lawn?

Firstly, be clear as to what you want to do with it and how you want it to look. If starting from scratch, this is the fundamental question, as the answers will determine what turf or seed varieties to choose. A family lawn will need to withstand wear and tear, and keep looking attractive. A showpiece lawn will need to withstand droughts, and have a tight sward which shows the stripes from a roller mower.

Most of us will already have an existing lawn which we just want to make better, and the spring is a good time to start. Just as a house depends on the unseen foundations, a lawn is as good as the ground conditions beneath it, so begin by making sure these are conducive to healthy root growth. The soil needs to be able to retain a reasonable amount of moisture but not become waterlogged. Aeration, by fork or mechanically, will get air to the roots. Filtering sand down into the subsequent holes will improve drainage, and loam or compost will improve moisture retention. Bare patches should be scratched and re-seeded, from March onwards. Then tackle the moss and weeds. A product such as ‘Feed & Weed & Moss Killer’ will tackle both, and will also enrich the grass species.

Before long, you’ll be loving the results.

Your local Lawnmower Specialist

Tripp Batt Country Store

Stanton IP31 2BT

Tel. 01359 250268

www.trippbatt.com

Large showroom with over 30 models of lawnmower Sales Service Spares Free local delivery ~ Open 7 days a week

33

Home & Garden

&

Diss Bed Centre Furniture Warehouse

The Number 1 Choice for Style & Comfort

LIvING

NEW SOFA SHOWROOM

1, 2 & 3 seater sofas and sofa beds

dINING

BEdROOM

OpEN 7 dAyS A WEEk Mon to Fri 9am to 5pm Saturday 9am to 4pm Sunday 10am to 1pm

01379 640070 Sawmills Road, diss, Ip22 4GG

Solid wood furniture in Oak, Ash and Pine all ready assembled

www.dissbedcentre.co.uk

34

Friendly & free expert advice

Welcome to Practically Perfect Interiors.. .

If you are tired of characterless contemporary furniture, and want something a little bit different, then a visit to Eye’s brand new shop should be top of your ‘to do’ list!

Local interior designer Georgina West has opened her first ‘vintage inspired’ shop on Castle Street where you will find a wide collection of bespoke furniture and shabby chic accessories on offer as well as unique gifts that are perfect for all occasions including treating yourself!

Georgina also makes beautiful bespoke handmade curtains and cushions and can offer a complete interior design service whether you have a small room to makeover or an entire house. Her upholstery skills also come very highly recommended so if you have a tired old piece of furniture in your home and are a fan of the rustic, vintage look then make sure you pop down to Castle Street and have a chat with Georgina; she’s full of amazing inspirational ideas!

This exciting new shop is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am until 4.30pm and Saturdays 10.30am until 4pm.

The shop is closed on Sundays and Monday when Georgina is available for consultations and deliveries.

1 Castle Street, Eye, IP23 7AN

07875 263047 georgina@practicallyperfectinteriors.com www.practicallyperfectinteriors.com 35

Home & Garden

Your local, family owned, independent Fuel supplier 

Competitive Heating Oil prices



Interest free budget payment scheme



Rix Oil Alert (Automatic Tank Monitoring)

Contact the team today!

01953 457057

www.rix.co.uk

eastanglia@rix.co.uk East Anglia & Suffffolk

Larkins Fuel Merchants Buy with confidence from your local independent approved supplier

Area distributors of

Certainly Wood’s kiln dried logs are recommended by the UK’s major stove manufacturers and distributors

Consistent high quality every time

Coal & Smokeless Fuel also available in pre-pack bags



CERTIFICATION MARK

We also sell Kindling, Firelighters & Coal Bunkers and supply Farm Shops, Convenience Stores & Garages with a range of products

THE UK’S FIRST HETAS APPROVED FIREWOOD SUPPLIER

The Coal Yard, Old Buckenham, Norfolk NR17 1PE

Tel 01953 861145 www.coalandlogsnorfolk.co.uk

36

1.2m3 & 1.6m3 bulk bags small bags also available hiab, tipper & tail lift deliveries

Relight Your Fire

A fireplace has always been seen as the heart of the home and now fireplaces can be a striking focal point in contemporary modern homes as well as traditional period properties.

There is so much scope in style and finish for fireplaces today and one of the best places to see what is on offer is the new showroom of The Fireplace & Plaster Centre at Thetford. A successful local business since the early 1990s, they can offer the consumer over 20 years of professional experience and a wide choice of fireplaces, fires, multi-fuel and wood-burning stoves for their home.

Which style would suit your home?

Whether you prefer wood, marble, limestone or cast iron, experts can help you select the best fireplace to suit the style of your home. They will even carry out a site survey to ensure that your choice is suitable. In the showroom, you will find everything from period and traditional fireplaces, to more modern, contemporary styles.

Multi-Fuel and Wood-Burning Stoves

For a stylish alternative to a fireplace, wood burners are very popular and can potentially provide a cleaner, greener source of heat for your home. The main difference is that you can only burn smokeless coal and wood, rather than other fuels, so make sure you find a reliable, local fuel supplier.

Electric and Gas Fires

If a traditional fire seems like too much hassle, there are lots of natural looking coal effect gas fires to choose from. There is a great choice of electric fires too, including the amazing “Opti-Myst” which is so realistic, you would think it was a real fire.

Installation

It is important that the installer of your fireplace is HETAS and Gas Safe registered, so they to comply with all the current building regulations. The Fireplace & Plaster Centre offers a fully registered and professional in-house installation service and flue lining, so it couldn’t be easier to transform your room.

FIREPLACES & STOVES A warm welcome awaits you... ...at our superb showroom.

Extensive range of Fireplaces in a choice of Stone, Marble, Timber & Cast Iron Wide range of Gas Fires, Electric Fires & Multi-Fuel Stoves all on display

Full professional installation service available

by HETAS and GAS SAFE Engineers

FIREPLACE & PLASTER CENTRE Unit 15 Saint Helens Way, Fison Way Industrial Estate, Thetford, IP24 1HG

TEL: 01842 766999

Open Mon - Fri 9am-5pm Sat 9am - 4pm www.fireplaceandplastercentre.co.uk

37

Home & Garden

EYEFLOORING FOR ALL YOUR FLOORING NEEDS

www.eyeflooring.co.uk

e: info@eyeflooring.co.uk

• Carpets, Seagrass & Sisal • Vinyls & Luxury Vinyl Tiles • Carpet Cleaning • Safety Flooring • FREE fitting, doorbars and grippers g kin ry a • Out of hours visits • Service & Professionalism is key M xu ble Lu rda 01379 870190 • Broad Street, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7AF fo Af

Complete Flooring - With A Wealth Of Experience You Can Depend On! There is no job too big or small for us.

From industrial contracts to laminate flooring for your kitchen,

◆ Laminate flooring ◆ Carpet ◆ Hardwood flooring ◆ Wood flooring ◆ Vinyl flooring ◆ Industrial flooring ◆ Safety flooring

10% Discount if you mention Village People

Call 01379 351188

146 Victoria Rd, Diss, IP22 4JN (off Morrisons Roundabout)

38

How to Sell Your House

Since 2008, the property market has changed dramatically and the number of property transactions in the UK has literally halved in terms of successful moves.

The speed at which sales actually get agreed has also changed. We all know of a few of properties that have been on the market for years, in some cases.

So now, more than ever, your choice of estate agent is of paramount importance. We all know that estate agents are usually viewed as being amongst the top 10 of most disliked professions. They are viewed as only being out for themselves or people who “gain money for old rope” – so how do you choose who to entrust your most valuable asset to?

A good estate agent is someone who dispels the usual comments that people make about estate agents.

In fact, you will relish having the right individual on board and certainly benefit from their professionalism, availability and caring experience. They will have a curious mix of sales, marketing, administration and counselling skills and certainly leave you feeling that you’re right to trust their advice.

In a consensus of major property experts all agreed on one point:

“An independent estate agent should be your preferred option when selling your home.”

your home. Corporate employees are paid by reaching targets on all sorts of merchandise, such as mortgages and conveyancing. So once your property is listed with them, you may well notice their service and commitment to you dwindle. The smaller business can’t sit back once your property is on the books, they will work hard for you on an on-going basis.

Look for an agent that has thoughtfully considered and researched a realistic potential sale price of your home. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for the high valuation – it usually comes from an agent that has a long contract period. Ask the agent for testimonials or better still ask if you can speak with former clients of the agent to get a true reflection on their working method. Beware of agents that make promises of a ‘buyer waiting’, because estate agents share the same buyers!

Most of all, it’s about having an agent that you can get on with and trust to be enthusiastic about selling your home and someone who you feel has the diplomacy to deal with and moderate the sales process professionally. A final bonus to look for is an agent that offers a seven day a week ‘out of hours’ service. Generally it’s the independent agents that allow contact out of hours, so you can rest assured that they are there when you need them!

Here’s why...

Choose an independent agency that is run by the business owner and you will be dealing with a knowledgeable, professional and experienced individual. These business owners know that reputation is everything. The smaller independent businesses have to deliver care and service - they need the sales to pay their overheads. That’s the bare bones of it!

They have to work hard for you. Corporate agents may not have this very real incentive and motivation to sell For a personal service, speak to Andrew or Dawn at Living Property. www.facebook.com/livingproperty/ Download our app

Living www.livingproperty.net 450516 or 07592 105543 Property 07932 01953 453345 or 01379650507 39

Home & Garden

MOVE IN WITH PART-EXCHANGE PLUS

1 - 6 BEDROOM HOMES ACROSS NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK THE CHARLES CHURCH PART EXCHANGE PLUS SCHEME* • We’ll arrange your free valuations • We’ll make you an offer at market value • We’ll pay your estate agent’s fees To find out more call us on 01502 509843 Or visit our website

charleschurch.com Imagery for illustration purposes only. * Part Exchange Plus is available on selected plots at selected developments, subject to status, terms and conditions and using a Charles Church-nominated solicitor and/or financial adviser as necessary.

40

Home & Garden

Visit our Wymondham Showroom

New

Showroom Now Open 17 Victoria Road Diss (next to Merelander Garage)

at Unit 25, Penfold Drive (behind the Police HQ)

www.conservatoriesetc.com

41

Home & Garden

NEW SPRING COLLECTION

For a free ÂŁ20 voucher which you can download visit www.sunblinds.co.uk The perfect time to brighten up a dull conservatory with some new, stylish blinds!

% Up to 40 ed o ff s e le catt o r y conser v s! b li n d27th April Offer ends VP13 QUOTE

www.sunblinds.co.uk

Call today to arrange your free home visit.

made with you in mind 01953 455415

Haverscroft Industrial Estate Attleborough, Norfolk NR17 1YE

01603 615945

8 St. Benedicts Street Norwich, Norfolk NR2 4AG

Replacement of Locks, Hinges, Handles, Letterboxes, Patio Wheels, Double Glazed Units including Velux Windows & Door Adjustments, Cat Flaps and Fly Screens

Call Chris at C&M Glass on

42

pizza - pasta - grills

Restaurant, Takeaway and Home Delivery There is something for everyone at ITALIAN JOB in Diss.

We combine simplicity with innovation and plenty of family favourites, including exciting pizzas, pastas, salads, fresh ďŹ sh, steaks and chicken as well as mussaka and grills, burgers and wedges. Additional dishes like risotto are served all day with many light lunch dishes like pies, ribs and jacket potatoes available too.

Our fantastic takeaway service is available all day and you can call & collect or come in and order, and why not enjoy a delicious glass of wine or a cappuccino while you wait!

Our busy delivery service is available for everything on the menu and it’s FREE (some villages may have a minimum delivery amount).

Give us a try; our pizzas are the best!

Open 7 days a week from 12 noon until 10pm

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37orde njob 1 0 or ia l ita . ww

13B Sandy Lane, Diss, IP22 4GT

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Pul

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Starters & Side Dishes Prawn Cocktail

£4.99

Garlic Bread (4 slices)

£2.20

Stuffed Mushrooms

£3.00

Potato Wedges

£3.90

Chicken Wings (6) Coleslaw

£3.90 £2.50

Side Salad

£3.90

Helloumi Grilled Cypriot cheese

£3.90

Hummus

£3.99

Mussakka

£4.99

Cacik

£3.99

Chick pea puree with tahini, lemon, olive oil & garlic

Layers of aubergine with minced lamb and peppers Creamy natural yogurt and mint mixed with grated cucumber

Stuffed Mushrooms & Prawns

Pasta

£3.95

Garlic Bread & Cheese Chicken Dippers (6) Chicken Wings (10) Brie Wedges (6) Brie cheese coated in bread crumbs

Italian Salad Stuffed Jalepeno Peppers (6) Sesame Prawn Toast (6) Combo 1 6 chicken dippers & potato wedges with a choice of 2 dips

£2.80 £3.90 £5.50

Cheese & Tomato £3.90 £3.90

Norwich

Combo 4

£9.99

Bolognese Cannelloni Vangole

Selection of vegetables served with a pesto and cream sauce Garlic chicken in a pomodorino sauce Mushrooms, chicken and bacon in a very creamy sauce Oven baked layers of egg pasta and our famous bolognese sauce topped with bechamel sauce Our famous bolognese sauce served with spaghetti Spinach and soft cheese filled pasta tubes with bolognese sauce Pomodorino and cream sauce with salmon and prawns

Jacket Potatoes

Plain Baked beans Coleslaw Coleslaw & cheese Tuna, corn & mayo Bolognese

£2.85 £3.55 £3.55 £4.35 £4.35 £5.00

Cheese Ham Baked beans & cheese Ham & cheese Tuna, corn, mayo & cheese Bolognese & cheese

Beef, onions, tomatoes and jalapenos Ham, chicken, mushrooms and pineapple

Rainbow

Ham, sausage and bacon

Farmhouse

Ham, peppers, mushrooms and onions

Hawaiian

Double ham and double pineapple

Barbecue Job

Beef, pepperoni, peppers, spring onions and barbecue sa

Peking Deluxe

Chinese chicken and hoi sin sauce, mushrooms, sweetcorn, spring onions

All pasta dishes are served with garlic bread

Arrabiatta Vegelati Zingara Carbonara Lasagne

Mushrooms, peppers, onions, sweetcorn and fresh tomatoes

£6.00

£8.00

Spicy pomodorino sauce with meatballs

Vegetarian Volcano

Combo 3

4 chicken dippers, 4 brie wedges, 4 sesame prawn toast & potato wedges with a choice of 4 dips

Create it as you like it by adding any combination of extra topp

£3.90

£6.00

6 chicken dippers, potato wedges & garlic bread with a choice of dip

Our pizza bases come in thin o with a cheese, pepperoni or fra stuffed crust - All our pizzas are served with chee Frankfurter, Pepperoni or Cheese Crust

£3.99

Combo 2

6 brie wedges & potato wedges with a choice of 2 dips

Pizzas

Indiana Jones £8.95 £8.95 £7.50 £7.90 £7.90

Chicken tikka, sweetcorn, onions and fresh chilli

£7.90 £7.90 £8.95

Ham, beef, pepperoni, peppers, mushrooms, onions and swe

£3.55 £3.55 £4.35 £4.35 £4.95 £5.60

Sea food

Prawns, tuna, anchovies and onions

Meaty job

Ham, beef, chicken, pepperoni and bacon

Special job Italian Job

Double pepperoni and bacon, peppers and mushrooms

Additional toppings:

Peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomato, spring onion, sweetcor chicken, ham, chicken tikka, beef, chicken, pepperoni, bacon oregano, olive oil, garlic spread, bolognese sauce, frankfurte

Dips Mayo, garlic mayo, BBQ, ketchup, sweet chilli, cranbe

me in thin or deep pan eroni or frankfurter

Piz Desig za ne the Ye r of ar

s are served with cheese on a tomato base

ni or

extra toppings

£1.50

£2.00

£3.00

9” small

12” medium

14” large

£5.50

£8.25

£11.55

nd fresh tomatoes

All Time Favourites

Mixed Grill Chicken breast and 8oz rump steak Chicken Romano grilled chicken breast Rump Steak Sirloin Steak

£11.50 £7.59 £9.00 £9.99

All above dishes are served with salad, mushroooms, onion rings, chips or wedges

De Niro

£6.99

Pavarotti

£7.50

4oz 100% beef burger, two slices of crispy bacon and melted mature cheddar cheese served on a bread roll with onion rings, jalepeno peppers, lettuce, tomato, chips or potato wedges.

Breast of chicken, two slices of crispy bacon topped with melted mature cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion rings, all on a bread roll, chips or potato wedges.

£7.15

£10.95

£13.75

Burger with Ketchup

£1.60

Cheese burger with Ketchup

Quarter Pounder with cheese, salad, onions and burger sauce Half Pounder two quarter pounder burgers with cheese, salad,

onions and burger sauce

FREE DIPS with every

Kofte Burger homemade lamb burger with salad £0.99 Chicken Nuggets 3 nuggets

medium & large stuffed crust pizza

becue sauce

hrooms, sweetcorn,

sh chilli

£8.25

£12.00

£14.95

s and sweetcorn

80p

£1.00

£1.20

pring onion, sweetcorn, pineapple, olives, fresh garlic, Chinese en, pepperoni, bacon, sausage, prawns, tuna, anchovies, capers, ese sauce, frankfurter, meat balls.

up, sweet chilli, cranberry, hummus & cacik - 40p each

6 nuggets

£3.50 £3.60 £4.60 £2.50 £3.00 £5.99

All dishes are served with salad and our special rice

Mussakka

£9.99

Chicken Shish

£8.99

Kofte Shish

£8.99

Mixed Kebab

£12.50

Lamb Shish

£8.99

Layers of aubergine with minced lamb and peppers

nd mushrooms

£3.50 £4.70

£4.70 Chicken Nuggets £2.00

£2.95 Chicken Burger Chicken Nuggets 9 nuggets Half Roast Chicken plain, BBQ or mediterranean coating £4.60 Chicken Breast BBQ Ribs & Chips in a bun £4.60 Onion Rings (8) Cod & Chips £2.00 Cheesy Chips Chips £1.20 Scampi & Chips Add bacon to your burgers – two slices

House Specials

£1.80

Minced lamb with herbs, spices, grilled

Marinated tender lamb cubes, grilled

Tender marinated chicken breast, grilled

Lamb shish, chicken shish, kofte, grilled

Buy One get One Free TUESDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS ONLY Stuffed Crust included

Any One Pizza + 1 large pizza*, 2 chips, 2 garlic bread & a bottle of drink 1 medium pizza*, chips, garlic bread & 2 cans of drink 1 small pizza*, chips, garlic bread & a can of drink

7 DAYS

Two Pizzas for

£10

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY ONLY 2 small pizzas* with up to 4 toppings each

7 DAYS

£19.99 £14.99 £9.99

Any Two Pizza +

2 large pizzas*, 2 garlic breads and a bottle of drink 2 medium pizzas*, garlic bread and 2 cans of drink 2 small pizzas*, garlic bread and 2 cans of drink

£26.00 £17.00

Meal for Two Deal £14 FRIDAY TO SUNDAY ONLY

7 DA YS

Two small pizzas*, garlic bread and 2 cans of drink

£14.00

Any 12” Medium Pizza

£10.49*

Family Feast

£16.99

MONDAY TO THURSDAY ONLY

7 DAYS

Large pizza*, garlic bread, potato wedges and a 1.5 ltr bottle of drink * Extra cost for a stuffed crust base

Film reviews

This issue we bring you all the glitz and glamour of the twenties, our new favourite comic book hero and the latest intergalactic adventure!

Iron Man 3

I know, a comic book movie. But following the worldwide success of Marvel’s The Avengers last summer (which was the third highest grossing film of all time after Titanic and Avatar), Iron Man’s profile has only got bigger and better.

The success of the film character is down to many things - easy to say the splendid action and special effects, but it’s really the character’s humour and humanity and Robert Downey Jr’s wit and charm. If you only follow one comic book series, it should be Iron Man. This one is written and directed by Shane Black, creator of the Lethal Weapon films, and much admired by film geeks. So the signs are good.

Release: 26 April See it if you liked: Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012)

Star Trek Into Darkness

After JJ Abrams masterful reboot of the Star Trek franchise in 2009 a lot of previously sceptical people found themselves enjoying the Star Trek universe.

Trekkies felt due honour had been done to the franchise’s history and ethos. So hopes are high for the second film (well, Star Trek 12 if you are counting, though that would be like calling Skyfall “Dr No 23”). It looks magnificent, shot in genuine 3D (rather than one of those horrible retro-fitted jobs), and, as we know, the strength of the characters will give plenty of opportunity for drama and humour.

Release: 17 May See it if you liked: Star Trek (2009), Tron Legacy (2010), John Carter (2012)

The Great Gatsby Baz Luhrmann’s brave remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story. Why brave? Well the first film was written by Francis Ford Coppola at the height of his seventies powers. And as the reunited lovers it starred Robert Redford at his peak and a luminescent Mia Farrow. Stepping in this time are Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. Will they carry us with them, or will Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge style swamp them and the story? Is this a remake too far? Well, as Gatsby himself says: “You can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!”

Release: 17 May See it if you liked: The Great Gatsby (1974), Moulin Rouge (2001), Bright Young Things (2003)

47

Home & Garden

Visit Norfolk’s Finest Bathroom & Kitchen Centre Call in now for your free home design service on all kitchens and bathrooms

Open Times: Mon - Fri 9.00 - 5.00 Sat: 9.30 - 1.00 T: 01953 600660

Bathrooms & Kitchens

10 Chestnut Dr. Wymondham Business Park (Nr. Fire Stn off London Rd) Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9SB

www.supremebathroomcentre.co.uk for all your glazing needs

PATIO SHADE SOLUTIONS

• energy rated double glazed units at affordable prices • glass cutting service • window frames – upvc & wood • measure & fitting service available • open to the public • you can buy just one sealed unit

01953 888606 gsultd@btconnect.com www.glasssealedunitsnorfolk.co.uk 7.30am to 5pm Mon to Thursday 7.30am to 4pm Fri Unit 21 Oakwood Industrial Estate, Harling Road, Snetterton, NR16 2JU

48

Practical and stylish Chapel Doors awnings outstretch to provide a welcome roof to the outdoor area, offering protection from the ever changing weather conditions.

Shade is provided from the sun’s intense heat to keep you cool on even the hottest summer days whilst shelter is offered from those unexpected and often persistent rain showers* Damaging ultraviolet rays are blocked providing optimum protection to the skin whilst harsh light is filtered to stop unwanted glare.

The adjoining internal room also benefits as our awnings stop the sun’s heat rays reaching the glass, reducing solar heat gain and naturally cooling the internal environment along with protecting furnishings from bleaching by the sun, all whilst maintaining the view.

Optional accessories including strip lighting which gives off a golden ambient glow and infra-red heating where the heat doesn’t blow away allow you to continue to use your awning long into the evening. Choose from an array of vibrant, pastel or neutral colours.

The fabrics feature a TEXgard easy clean coating which is water repellent and prevents dirt from clinging to the surface allowing rain water to easily wash it off.

Protection is also offered against all environmental influences including mould, algae and fungi growth.

Clever unobtrusive sensors that detect changes in the ambient conditions, enable true hands free, convenient operation with our solutions looking after themselves, opening automatically when light or heat levels are exceeded and retracting when high winds pose a danger.

For manually operated awnings, a detachable crank is available.

Call into Chapel Doors showroom and see our samples on display.

Contact us on 01379 651959 Make the most of the outdoors with an awning from Chapel Doors.

Why not pop into our showroom to view our range of awnings.

Unit 21 Court Industrial Estate, Vinces Road, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4BF www. chapeldoors.co.uk

*subject to pitch of 14 degrees or greater as set out in European Directive EN13561 to ensure effective rain run off

hapel Doors guarantee you can enjoy a few drinks, good food and conversation in full shelter this summer with their automatic or manual awning.

info@chapeldoors.co.uk

GET YOUR SUMMER OFF TO A GREAT START WITH AN AWNING

C

Enjoy an Al Fresco Summer

49

Home & Garden

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$OO PDGH WR \RXU VSHFLILFDWLRQV

Call today for a FREE quotation‌ Website coming soon‌..

Owen Barker – 07944 489 635 barkerandwoods@hotmail.co.uk

Wet Rooms • Free Survey • Adaptions • Fully Insured • Extensions • Local Authority approved • Alterations for disability grants For further details contact us today

(t) 01953 601678 (m) 07788 722151 (e) mailbox@clarkbuild.co.uk Unit 15 Penfold Drive, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0WZ

The UK's No1 Letting Agent 50

Home & Garden

Cabinville Garden Cabins www.cabinville.co.uk

QUALITY AT DISCOUNT PRICES Home Office • BBQ Cabins • Gym • Games Room • Teenagers Own Space Garage • Workshop • Art Studio • Music Room • Treatment Room Fast Delivery & Full Support from a company that cares For advice and information contact our friendly expert team Cabins on display (View by appointment only)

01379 687 467

Church Farm, Church Lane, Bressingham, Diss IP22 2AE

Passionate about Stone. . .

Umbrian Collection ªExclusive bespoke stone from Italy ªMaintenance free, stain and scratch resistant ª20 years manufacturer’s warranty ª10 stunning shades in honed & brushed finishes

Price promise We promise you will get the best possible price on all materials and installation

Limestone Collection ªHigh quality limestone ethically sourced from European quarries ªVery hardwearing with a subtle range of white, beige and blue shades ªExtremely versatile and durable & suitable for heavy wear domestic & commercial applications We also supply and install electric under floor heating

For the best stone available talk to us first www.thestoneflooringcompany.co.uk thestoneflooringcompany@ymail.com

Tel 01692 666287 51

The army of servants for a grand estate such as Holkham Hall was essential, but all too often overlooked and undervalued. Who were they? Where did they come from?

What did they earn, eat and wear? From a wonderful series of household accounts these questions and more are answered. In doing so she paints a Frith-like picture of the Coke family from 1697 to1842. In this book the servants, from the steward to the scullery maid, take centre stage.

Wealthy Masters “provident and kind” Mary-Anne Garry Larks Press Paperback 9781904006640 £17.50

This is a fascinating and deeply moving account of Pat’s work in India over the past two decades. She tells of her experiences inside some of India’s very worst slums and of the difference she and her supporters have been able to make to the lives of the Dalits or “untouchables”. This is one of those rare books that might just change the way we view these people who can become an amorphous group, rather than individuals with hopes and fears like all of us.

BOOKS

Touched By Untouchables Pat Atkinson

Connaught Books Paperback 9780955745423 £8.50

This book spans the years from a record lamb sale in 1899, when 19,430 sheep were sold, until the outbreak of the Second World War. David draws on more than 400 photographs, colour images from pupil’s autograph books and school certificates from the First World War, to name just a few items from local people, as well as their memories.

52

Harling Memories David O’Neale

Taverner Publications Large Paperback 9781901470208 £16.50

Maritime Norfolk

Robert Malster Poppyland Publishing Large Paperback 9780946148974 £19.95

V

iew your region from a different

perspective with this fascinating selection of local titles from Roy Futter of Jarrolds Book Department.

Winifred Challis (1896-1990) worked for the Public Assistance Committee and kept a diary for the social research organisation Mass Observation. For several months in 1942-43 she wrote at length about the wartime scene – rationing, the often bleak texture of everyday life, the sometimes disconcerting presence of outsiders in Bury St Edmunds. Her diaries provide an unusual insight into the social and political attitudes of herself and others and a fascinating record of a critical period in Suffolk’s history.

In the first part of a two volume publication, life is recalled on the Norfolk coastline from the Wash in the west to Caister in the east, with a second volume needed for Great Yarmouth.

From journeys on Lynn shrimpers and North Sea drifters, from friendships with longshore fishermen and stalwarts of the lifeboat service, Robert has recorded many aspects of East Anglia’s maritime heritage. Also included is a section on the Broadland waterways, linking maritime activity to the trade inland.

The Cultural Heritage of Coastal Suffolk Peter Willsher

Courtyard Publications Paperback 9780954099138 £17.99

An intriguing account of what has attracted musicians, artist and writers and people of the theatre to the delights of coastal Suffolk over the last 200 years.

Inspiration has been drawn from the constantly changing North Sea, the generously proportioned skies, vast areas of serene marshes and abundant wildlife. Benjamin Britten, Yehudi Menuhin, EM Forster, WH Auden – all found inspiration here, whilst Jill Freud’s summer theatre continues to thrive.

Wartime in West Suffolk The Diary of Winifred Challis

Edited by Robert Malcolmson & Peter Searby Boydell Press Hardback 9781843837022 £9.99

53

Shopping

EASTON

BARN

GRANGE

WEDDING

VENUE

SUFFOLK

Easton Grange is a new barn wedding venue in Suffolk set in unspoilt countryside near the picturesque village of Easton. Currently under construction, this exciting barn wedding venue will be open for weddings from June 2013. www.facebook.com/EastonGrangeWeddingVenue Easton Grange Kettleburgh Road Easton Woodbridge Suffolk IP13 0EL www.eastongrange-weddings.co.uk 01728 440649

54

Shopping

FULL ON FASHION ON TREND | ON NOW | ON YOU

THE HOME OF FASHION IN NORWICH

ONLINE chapelfield.co.uk

/shopchapelfield

55

Shopping Now open for; • • • • •

Delicious hot chocolate melted to order Fresh cakes and light lunches made daily Our own luxury handmade chocolates Freshly ground espresso coffees Fun Chocolate Workshops

Cocoa Mama Chocolaterie (pronounced choc-o-lat-a-ree!)

Open Monday – Friday 9am-4pm Saturday 9am-4pm

4 Broad Street, Eye, Suffolk IP23 7AF 01379 870688 www.cocoamama.co.uk

willow Affordable fashion Opening Times Mon - Tue 9.30 to 2.30 Weds - Sat 9.30 to 4.30

• womans clothing • accessories • gifts Telephone: 01379 658691 6 Cobbs Yard, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4LB (To the rear of Norfolk House Yard)

Beautiful greetings cards Jewellery



Accessories

China 





Handbags

Candles

Toiletries



Toys

Chocolate

2a Lambseth Street, Eye, IP23 7AG 01379 871112 www.tiltingsky.co.uk - Open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm

56



Make Your Own Shabby Chic Gingham Garland What to do…

3. Cut your chosen material into strips of 2cm by 10cm.You will need approximately 300 strips per metre of garland/twine. Cut up half your material to start, just in case you need less than you think. I have chosen a red gingham to coincide with the ‘St. George’s Day’ celebrations.

1. Loop one end of your twine and tie into a knot.

4. Now proceed to tie your strips onto the twine as shown.

5. Once you have a few strips tied onto your twine, push them together towards the end, leaving enough twine on show for your desired look.

6. Continue with steps four and five until your garland is complete.

Enjoy your homemade, shabby chic garland.

2. Repeat at the other end so you have loops to hang your garland from.

You will need…

Garden twine (enough for your chosen project) Scissors Material (approx. 1 metre of fabric per metre of garland)

Caroline Fraser runs the Crafty Ladies of Wymondham.

Find them on Facebook and Twitter if you would like to meet fellow crafters!

With thanks to www.myhillspetandgarden.co.uk and www.needlecraftwymondham.co.uk

57

Shopping Home Furnishings & Interiors Beautiful hand made

roman & swedish blinds, curtains, pelmets, bedcovers & cushions Contact Margaret

For a free quotation

manser92@btinternet.com

01953 681844

Purpose Built Boarding Cattery Fully Licensed, Insured & Heated Collection & delivery service available Call Angela or Mike 01379 388 979 cats@hillcottagecattery.co.uk www.hillcottagecattery.co.uk

Hill Cottage Cattery Worlingworth Road, Horham, (near Eye) IP21 5EF

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

SPRING OFFERS IN STORE NOW

PLANET round transparent glass top (90cm) dining table RRP £526 £447 L’EAU transparent dining chair RRP £125.50 £106.50

58

THE GRANARY 5 BEDFORD STREET NORWICH NORFOLK NR2 1AL www.thegranary.co.uk +44 (0)1603 697107 a Jarrold store

Proud owner bids farewell to her shop ‘She – Ladies Clothes and Shoes’ on Exchange Street in Attleborough has been open since 1976 and has developed an excellent reputation as a luxury ladies clothes shop. We spoke to the owner, Liz Monaghan, about her recent announcement that ‘She’ will be closing its doors for the final time.

“I have been so lucky to have lived the ‘She’ experience”, says Liz. “It’s been great to meet so many interesting people and to play a part in their special occasions”.

Over the past 36 years, Liz has seen many changes in Attleborough, both in fashion and in shopping habits, but ‘She’ has managed to move with the times to suit the needs of the town. “Ideally I would have liked to sell the business so trading could continue”, says Liz, but when that didn’t happen, closing was her only alternative.

Now Liz is looking forward to doing lots of new things, but she knows she will miss the shop. “There have been so many laughs, a few tears, but lots of great memories. Although I will feel sad when I close the door for the last time, I feel proud that ‘She’ has had a positive effect on Attleborough”.

“Most of all, I want to say a big thank-you to all my wonderful customers who have been so supportive over the years!”

             

                    

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Health & Beauty

Ask anything pay nothing Free mini varicose vein surgery appointments If you suffer from aching legs or are unhappy about the appearance of varicose veins our range of minimally invasive treatments could help.

At Spire Norwich Hospital you can talk directly to a vascular surgeon and ask anything you like. There’s no charge and no pressure to take things further.

To book or for more information

01603 255 614 www.spirenorwich.com 60

Q: A:

Health Q&A

Ever since I can remember I have always suffered from hay fever. Are there any natural remedies you would suggest?

“You’re not alone! For nearly 15% of the population, spring and summer are not just about warmer weather, but also the unpleasant symptoms of hay fever. Hay fever is usually an allergy to pollen released by grasses, flowers and trees in spring and summer.

Taking a Homeopathic Mixed Pollen daily will greatly increase your resistance to these pollens.

As with all homeopathic remedies these are completely safe for the very young to the very mature and are easy to take – just allow the remedy to dissolve in the mouth – children love taking homeopathic remedies!

As far as diet is concerned, try to avoid all dairy foods and reduce the amount of wheat that you consume as these two foods act to increase the amount of mucus congestion in the body.

Luffa Complex from Bioforce is a combination of seven tropical plants. Together these plants work to reduce irritation and inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat and airways”.

Do less and achieve more!

Kevin Ivins has been a member at Fit Club Wymondham since September 2009 where he has continually pursued a leaner, fitter body. In the last 8 weeks he has achieved more fat loss than he had done in the entire previous 3 years and 3 months. So what has changed?

He has started instructor led sessions, which are dedicated to short, intense, burst training principles.

Now, he has halved the time he spends in the gym and has achieved the most he ever has done.

In good

HEALTH

Thanks to Trish Stephenson at the Natural Food Store in Exchange Street Norwich. www.shop-naturally.com

Fire Up Your Metabolism Have you ever wondered how some people are able to munch down a large bag of crisps and don’t seem to put an ounce on, while others only need to look at a packet and seem to pile on the weight?

Mick Glynn from MG Fitness Studio says, “There is still a lot we can do to help improve our calorie burning efficiency”. With each passing decade, your metabolism slows down by about 5%.

Hormones are partly to blame, but so is the typical drop-off in physical activity. As a result you lose

All the science points at high intensity training to achieve a leaner, healthier, fitter body and Kevin is a real life example of this. Get on board with the Group Training membership at Fit Club Wymondham. www.fitclubwymondham.co.uk

muscle mass, a major calorie burner.

Based on this figure by the time you reach 35, you’ll burn about 75 fewer calories per day than you did when you were 25 and by the time your 65 you’ll burn around 500 fewer.

To maintain or build bigger muscle no matter what age swap long hours of cardio for shorter and more intense workouts. Circuit training, using weighted exercise or Tabata with short rest periods between exercises are great methods of speeding up your metabolism.

If you would like more information on personal training, exercise classes or gym membership, visit www.mgfitnessstudio.co.uk

61

Health & Beauty

We are a small private dental practice providing treatment in quiet, calm and comfortable surroundings.

This allows us to give you individual and personal attention, plenty of time and an excellent service.

We would like to treat everyone as we would like to be treated ourselves. Our primary goals are to help you achieve and then maintain a preferred level of oral health.

We hope and trust that your visit to the practice will be pleasant and relaxing.

You and your family are welcome here.

General and Family Dentistry Root Canal Treatment Implant Dentistry Partial /Full mouth Rehabilitation Crowns, Bridges and Dentures Tooth Whitening, Smile Makeover, Veneers Orthodontic Treatment

MULBARTON DENTURE CLINIC Denture Services

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Ancient Oriental Astrology

FOR A MODERN LIFE Hello again! I hope you found my last article informative.

Below is your 9 Star Ki forecast for April and May.

9 Fire Star Like a snake shedding its skin, April is a time of rebirth and reinvention. Breaking old unwanted habits can be hard, but by staying grounded and allowing changes one can fully develop into something new. May consolidates those changes giving you focus to carry out and put in to action.

8 Earth Star You

may feel unusually sensitive at this time, and your normally stable energy can become unsettled and spread out.

Take a moment to recap on your goals, breathe deeply and continue on your path. May could hold many opportunities; it’s best to stay still and let things come to you, at this time.

7 Metal Star There’s no stopping you now, and if there is - ignore it! This is a perfect time to start a new job or give birth to a project! As energetic and full throttle as you may feel, take into account those that aren’t, as they could find your impetuous and impulsive nature hard to deal with.

Keep it real.

6 Metal Star Although you are keen to make a head

start on things, April is about readiness and giving yourself a clean slate. It’s a great time to give family issues that have been bothering you some deserved attention. Don’t be frustrated if things are not progressing; leave those impulses for May, when things really get going.

5 Earth Star You may feel a little isolated and left out in April, as you enter a metaphorical mid-winter. Use this time to delve inwards, to develop your spiritual interests and to learn to love yourself. Like a seed waiting for spring, plan and prepare for the path you want to take. Make adjustments and stay warm!

4 Wood Star

April puts the spotlight on you, as you get more attention from others than normal, a great time to put in for a pay-rise or promotion or for that romantic meal for two. You will have a clear head and infectious nature at this time, whereas May brings a more spiritual and slower chi, ideal for self-development.

3 Wood Star With great effort and passion come great rewards. Don’t hide away and turn your back on change, embrace it with open arms and you may just find that in doing so, the mountain that faces you dwindles into the size of a small

hill. Climb it and see with a whole new perspective.

2 Earth Star With all the recent pressures and demands, you can now enjoy a time of relaxation and reflection. This can be a productive time too, but you may be more tempted to spend than earn, watch those purse strings. May brings a chi for studying and inner development.

1 Water Star

This is a great time to make important and necessary decisions, as you’re feeling stronger and more stable than in previous months.

Others will look upon your renewed strength and authority for guidance and reassurance. Be fair and just, not judgemental and over opinionated.

To discover your Ki Star and for more information about Ki Astrology please visit www.freeflow-fengshui.com David Walters DIP. CHIRO Follow me on: twitter - @fengshuiflow facebook - facebook.com/ninestarki

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Health & Beauty

NORFOLK DIABETES

NORFOLK DIABETES PREVENTION STUDY (NDPS) ARE YOU AT RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES? ARE YOU MORE THAN 40 YEARS OLD WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING • • •

Type 2 Diabetes in a close family member Overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over (you can check your BMI at our website www.norfolkdiabetespreventionstudy.nhs.uk ) Your GP has told you that your blood sugar is higher than it should be

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE CHECKED FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK We are currently screening for this study at the following sites • University of East Anglia, Norwich • Cromer District Hospital, Cromer • James Paget University Hospital, Great Yarmouth • Rosedale Surgery, Lowestoft • Healthy Living Centre, Thetford • St James Clinic, Kings Lynn

IF YOU ARE AT INCREASED RISK, YOU MAY BE SUITABLE TO JOIN THE NORFOLK DIABETES PREVENTION STUDY If you are interested, you can get more information and book a screening appointment by calling us on 01603 597300 or through our website

www.norfolkdiabetespreventionstudy.nhs.uk

Find out more at www.norfolkdiabetespreventionstudy.nhs.uk Chief Investigator – Professor Mike Sampson Programme Manager & Senior Researcher – Dr Melanie Dunk Sponsor – Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Funders – National Institute for Health Research

64

Health & Beauty

5000 Volunteers Help to Prevent Diabetes

The Norfolk Diabetes Prevention Study (NDPS) aims to screen 10,000 volunteers over two years. Those found to be at risk of developing the disease may then be invited to take part in a three-year intervention programme involving increased activity levels, diet, weight loss and a personal mentor programme.

Mrs Harriet Redmayne, from Barney near Fakenham, volunteered to be screened after receiving a letter via her GP. “My blood results turned out to be fine but it did make me

think about whether I could be at risk,” she commented. “I agreed to join the NDPS participant advisory board to give feedback on the programme – if my experience can help others then I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Programme manager Dr Melanie Dunk said: “We are looking forward to welcoming our 5,000th volunteer and we are grateful to everyone who has helped us to reach this milestone.

However, we have some way to go to meet our target of 10,000 and we hope people will come forward if they meet the criteria.

“Many of those we screen are found to have completely normal blood sugar levels but for numerous people at higher risk, this programme could be extremely valuable.

“We are enlisting the help of Norfolk and Suffolk GPs and pharmacists to identify patients who may be at risk so we can write to them and invite them for screening. We have screening sites throughout Norfolk and Suffolk.”

If you are interested in participating in the programme you can register online at www.norfolkdiabetes preventionstudy.nhs.uk or call 01603 597300 for an initial assessment.

SAY GOODBYE TO WRINKLES THIS SPRING Specialist in muscle-relaxing injections, dermal fillers & TCA Medical peels Safe aseptic injection technique by an Advanced Nurse Practitioner BSc (Hons), RGN Flexible appointments & realistic prices If you’d like to enhance your beauty quickly, without surgery & in a very natural way, call Catherine TODAY for a free consultation

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65

Health & Beauty

Welcome to a New Era in Dentistry Netherton Dental Practice is pleased to welcome Peter Clark to the team in Long Stratton.

He joins Auriel Gibson and Adam Stacey, adding to the existing wealth of knowledge and experience on offer to patients at the practice.

Practice Philosophy • Many patients come to us because we are known to be a gentle practice.

• Our personal service ensures that a close professional & caring relationship is developed with a dedicated dental practitioner.

• Our preventative team, comprising hygienists & an oral health educator, guarantees that oral health is given top priority.

• We actively listen to you & place great emphasis on thorough investigation sending you a written report & treatment planning options for complex dentistry.

• Children are treated from an early age & advice is given to parents & children on plaque control & preventative dietary habits.

Our Services Complete dental care for all ages & advanced cosmetic dentistry: Professionally Placed Restorations - Implants Tooth Whitening - Telescopic Overdentures Sports Mouthguards - Fissure Sealants - Facial Aesthetics & Veneers - Diagnosis & Treatment of Periodontal Disease - Orthodontic Treatment including Invisalign & Inman Aligners Treatment of Termperomandibular Signs & Symptoms

Netherton Dental Practice The Plain, Long Stratton NR15 2XG

01508 532226 info@nethertondental.co.uk

66

Dr Auriel Gibson BDS. MSc. FDSRCS (Eng), MGDS, FFGDP. Auriel’s focus is on complex restorative treatments & dental implants. She teaches advanced dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons and is a national postgraduate examiner. Auriel is a past president of the British Society for General Dental Surgery and actively engages in postgraduate study.

Dr Adam Stacey BDS (Lond), DPDS (Brist).

Adam has 17 years of experience in general practice including an advanced diploma plus a forsensics now working through an M.Sc in restorative and cosmetic dentistry.

Peter Clark

LDS, RCS (Eng), DPDS (Bris)

Peter graduated from the London Hospital Medical College in 1981 and has worked in East Anglia for 30 years. Three years ago he sold his practice in Eye and went to work in Norwich before taking a year to travel the length of the Americas. He has recently returned to Norfolk and will carry out general dentistry in the practice. Peter has a particular interest in complete dentures.

REFRESHING WATERS

Village Shepherd Reaches a World-Wide Audience Norfolk journalist, Sandie Shirley, spotlights the inspiring stories of men and women from the region and beyond that have seen them reach for victory. For more stories visit: www.refreshingwaters.co.uk

R

ev Janice Scott, a retired minister and one of the first Anglican women priests in the country, is a prolific writer.

Through various websites, novels and a host of children’s stories and sermons, her work is available in book form and on the internet, as the ‘Village Shepherd.’ It goes a long way to putting the gospel into the hands of thousands worldwide and her fiction is proving a gentle, absorbing way to share her faith message with many.

Yet all this would have seemed unlikely a few decades ago when the mother of three, who had sat in the pews since she was a small girl, had a crisis of faith. “I remember being asked to write down what God meant to me during a Lent course and I suddenly drew a blank.”

The former physiotherapist, who had helped at the London Mission, and moved to Fakenham to setup a health business with her husband, walked away from church as her faith was lost in an instant.

“I realised I did not have any evidence of a personal understanding of God’s love but for the first time I felt marvellous and was able to be myself”

It took soul searching and communication, through a new spiritual realisation, before her belief was restored. It came when she recognised her huge, unlocked potential could be given to God, the one that lived within her, for it to be outworked. “That realisation brought into focus all sorts of richness,” she recalls.

It included a call to the priesthood that she initially tried to ignore. But in 1985 Janice began studying theology and her writing began in earnest. “I had always loved to write; together with sport it was the only thing I could do at school and some ten years before I had won a writing competition.”

The essays for her training easily flowed. As a curate in Fakenham and later Eaton, near Norwich, her sermons continued to outpour.

Her writing gained momentum when she took over a rural benefice in South Norfolk for ten years.

Children’s stories, with a simple gospel truth, were unleashed. Her first volume, which will also strike a chord with adults, has since hit the bookstalls and two subsequent ones are due for release.

“They are an ideal resource for school assemblies,” says Janice.

With a hotchpotch of characters and talking animals they also help address the problems that children

face today including bullying,” she explains.

Having retired Janice has put the pen to work again, writing about the ups-and-downs of parish life.

Her latest fiction, including Heaven Spent and Babes and Suckling, is set in a rural Norfolk benefice.

Janice reflects on her real-life adventures as a minister in a country benefice. “I learnt so much from the people there and the collaborative work of encouraging their talents that included joining six churches within two small benefices together for increased unity and strength.” www. janice-scott.com

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Health & Beauty

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From simple repairs to full replacement dentures Home collection service available Contact us for an understanding, unhurried service for any denture related problem

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• Ingrowing Nails • Fungal Infections • Cracked Heels

Activities include: • Bingo, cards and quizzes • Arts and crafts • Talks and entertainment • Knit and natter • Sing-alongs • Luncheon club

Foraging for

Local Food

Try growing your own, foraging and eating locally this season.

You’ll be surprised at how much the East Anglian countryside has to offer, writes David Seddon.

In the Garden

Leafy Greens

The weather is improving, so now is the time to get out into your gardens and allotments!

Spring is a time of renewal, with preparation of the ground, sowing of vegetables and herbs in the greenhouse and then, after the last frosts, in the garden. We can still harvest our brassicas – notably Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower; while leeks and parsnips should continue to provide variety. Spring is a good time to plant permanent crops, such as globe artichokes and asparagus.

It is also the time, when the frosts are over, to plant out radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, purple sprouting broccoli, potatoes, onions, carrots, peas and broad beans with the possibility of early crops of the young ‘baby’ vegetables to look forward to. Rhubarb (initially forced) can provide the first fresh fruit of the year and also makes delicious rhubarb crumble or rhubarb and ginger jam.

As for leafy ‘greens’, common sorrel is one of the first green plants to appear in the spring. It can be cooked on its own, like spinach, although it has a very different taste. Wood sorrel is widespread in woods and shady places. It was used as a salad as early as the 14th century and was being cultivated by the 15th - John Evelyn recommended it as suitable for a kitchen garden.

Next time you are walking in the countryside, look out for chick-weed, a prolific garden weed, which is surprisingly good when sautéed in butter, with spring onions, and finished off with a squeeze of lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper or nutmeg. Even ground-elder, that gardeners’ curse, has an agreeable tangy flavour if cooked like spinach. Nettle leaves can also be picked in spring and boiled to make a puree or a soup. Not only are nettles easy to find; they are rich in iron, sulphur, sodium and Vitamin C. If you like rocket in your salads, then keep an eye out! It can be foraged in the spring. Beech leaves make a fine salad vegetable, as sweet as a mild cabbage though softer in texture.

Fungi Wild food is harder to find in spring than in any other season. Have a look for the Oyster mushroom on the trunks, branches or stumps of beech and ash.

The Oyster tends to be tough, and needs to be cooked long enough to get a good texture. It’s delicious sliced, sprinkled with lemon juice, turned in seasoned flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs and then deep fried until golden. One of the earliest of the fungi usually to appear is Pholiota mutabilis, which like the two varieties mentioned above is also to be found on tree stumps. It has an agreeable flavour and is a good flavouring for stews and soups, giving a rich brown colour.

Sauces The leaves of the hawthorn, when young, have a nutty taste and the buds can be picked earlier. ‘Jackby-the-hedge’ (known in Norfolk as ‘penny hedge’) is also good for its leaves, finely chopped for salads or as a sauce for lamb. For a new take on mint sauce, chop the leaves of penny hedge with hawthorn buds and a little mint, mix well with vinegar and sugar, and serve with lamb. Wild root vegetables like horseradish and wild parsnip can also be made into strongly tasting sauces or relishes.

Start foraging this spring and you will be rewarded with a host of new flavours and textures, all fresh, local and free!

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Jobs & Money & Business

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www.mcp-law.co.uk 01945 464331 KING’S LYNN PETERBOROUGH

THETFORD WISBECH Self Assessment always a headache? Don’t worry, give it to us and get on with running your business.

We specifically support the smaller business in all accountancy and tax matters.

For a free, no obligation initial meeting call us today

Contact Graham Cormack

T: 01953 630 004 E: grahamcormack@taxassist.co.uk Connaught Plain,Attleborough, NR17 2EJ www.taxassist.co.uk/attleborough

Philippa Green WEB DESIGN

Affordable bespoke web sites designed and built to your own specifications and budget using the latest build and design techniques.

Domain names Hosting eCommerce Joomla and Cubecart all available Fully qualified and insured.

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K J ACCOUNTANCY A friendly and efficient service for the self-employed & small to medium business  Bookkeeping ~ Accounts ~ VAT Payroll ~ CIS ~ Tax Returns Tel: 01379 890502/01284 763687 Mob: 07788 408916/07718 257517

Maximising income opportunities

I

FROM YOUR INVESTMENTS

ncome is important, even more so in today’s difficult economic climate. The difficulty is, that in an uncertain world, investment income is hard to find right now.

It is harder to profit from investments Investors looking for income have faced great challenges since the beginnings of the financial downturn in 2008.

Dividends came under pressure, bond markets were unnerved and commercial property fell from grace. In short, there are currently few places for income-seekers to turn.

Shares are a safer bet History shows that investing in equities, or shares, has provided investors with a better chance of outpacing inflation over the long term versus other asset classes, particularly if the companies are able to increase the dividend payments year after year.

The latest data from Capita Registrars Dividend Monitor, July 2011, shows that a total of 247 companies paid a dividend in the second quarter of 2011, compared to 221 in the same period of 2010. Of these, 210 companies increased, reinstated or started paying dividends. The increases and reinstatements outnumber the cuts and cancellations by 6.5:1.

With dividend payouts on the turn, the outlook for equity income funds could also be on the up. Equity income funds have a strong track record for delivering attractive, sustainable income and steady returns over the long term.

Many equity income funds were heavily exposed to the big banks, but the banks’ obligations to rebuild their balance sheets meant their dividend distributions were reduced. Payouts are still lower than they used to be; UK listed banks account for just 10% of all dividends paid by FTSE100 companies in 2010 compared to 30% in 2007.

Choose what sort of income you need There has been a new increase in the demand for overseas equity income funds, following improvements in the dividend yield of companies across Continental Europe and Asia-Pacific, as they have moved to accommodate the demands of a global shareholder base.

Corporate bond funds, income producers by nature,

Anglian Wealth Management 124 Thorpe Road Norwich NR1 1RT

www.anglianwm.co.uk

remain popular, particularly with cautious investors.

However, choosing which bond fund to invest in is less clear-cut.

Investment grade corporate bonds suffer at times of inflation (as the fixed interest rate means that the real value of the income is eroded over time), while noninvestment-grade bonds, which pay a higher yield, tend to struggle during a recession (as more companies default).

Commercial property is also beginning to regain attention after it felt the full effects of the credit crunch - the fall in property values left investors nursing significant losses.

History suggests, however, that commercial property will keep its place in a portfolio for income investors. Its long-term track record is strong and it offers important diversification from shares.

Exercise Caution Commercial property, like other investments, is not without its risks. Property prices rose by 14.5% over 2010, but most of those gains were made in the first half of the year. If the UK economy does fall back into recession, the property sector could come under pressure again.

Those investing for income need to remember that no one asset class is the panacea. With interest rates likely to remain low for some time to come, a well diversified, well-managed portfolio which blends different forms of investment remains the most suitable strategy for investors taking a longer-term view of their income needs.

No-obligation, FREE Investments and Pensions Review For a limited time only we’re offering free of charge an Investment and Pension Review. So, if you’d like to make sure you’re getting the most from your existing investments or you’d like to discuss what other options are available to you, contact Ian Farrant of Anglian Wealth Management on

01603 752500 or email Ian@anglianwealthmanagement.co.uk

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Jobs & Money & Business

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Your new employment opportunity is waiting for YOU

01379 642276 Diss branch 01502 582000 Lowestoft branch www.halesgroup.co.uk

72

Will you be provided for?

A

dam Blenkinsop, a solicitor in Steeles Law’s dispute resolution team, outlines how family members can ask the Court to intervene if a close relative’s Will leaves them in the financial lurch.

Although we are free to leave our assets to anyone we like in our Wills (including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home if that’s your wish), the law does provide a safety net to ensure that immediate (human) family members are not left

without “reasonable financial provision” under the deceased’s Will. Examples might include an elderly wife left with no means of income to pay her future bills, or a disabled child with specialist care needs.

An application to Court under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (“the IHA”) can be made by a surviving spouse/civil partner, a former spouse/civil partner if they have not remarried, children (or those treated as children) of the deceased, and non-family members who were maintained by the deceased (such as cohabitees).

In order for an application to succeed, the applicant will need to satisfy the Court that the deceased’s Will did not make “reasonable financial provision” for them. When assessing whether that is the case, the Court will

consider a number of factors including: the current financial resources and future financial needs of the applicant, the financial resources and future needs of any other applicants and the beneficiaries under the Will, the size and nature of the deceased’s estate, and any other circumstances which the Court might consider relevant, such as the age of the applicant, the duration of the marriage, etc.

If the application is successful then the Court has the power to make a wide range of orders, including lump sum or periodical payments from the estate and/or the transfer of property or other assets in the estate.

An application under the IHA must be made within six . months of Grant of Probate, and must be supported by detailed evidence.

The Court will expect the applicant to have made reasonable efforts to reach an acceptable negotiated settlement with the executors of the estate before resorting to making an application. It is therefore crucial that anyone who considers that they might be entitled to make a claim (or who acts as executor of an estate facing a potential claim) starts the ball rolling and obtains legal advice as early as possible.

Steeles Law Solicitors

If you require advice in relation to the issues covered in this article, please do not hesitate to contact Steeles Law’s dispute resolution team on 01379 652141 or disputeresolution@steeleslaw.co.uk

You can also visit our website at www.steeleslaw.co.uk

2 Mount Street, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4QE 01379 652141

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A caring service from your independent mobility experts

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www.mobilitynorwich.co.uk

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WE ARE HERE

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Mobility Superstore has everything you need in two great stores - Norwich, and now Hales.

We’re here to help you with good old-fashioned service and unbeatable prices.

YTO DRA

RK RD DON PA

HELLES

AD RO IAR BR ET E SW

We offer Roofing solutions for all your roofing requirements EST. 1975

and we cover the whole of Norfolk and Suffolk

offers you an alternative choice of remaining within the comfort of your own home by providing a supportive care service helping you maintain independence and choice.

Please telephone Sharon to arrange an appointment for a FREE no obligation visit to discuss our services or alternatively to request an information pack.

We will listen and we truly care Call now for a competitive quote

Tel: 08456 777035 Dedicated in the provision of Quality Care and Support

Tel 01379 741116 Mob 07710 255363 Email sharon@firstchoicehomecare.co.uk www.firstchoicehomecare.co.uk

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At Scofield & Lait we cater to both commercial and domestic clients, we are sure to offer you quality and service at a competitive price, be it a pitched or flat roof.

The Coach House, The Old Rectory, School Lane, Stratford St Mary, Suffolk CO7 6LZ Fax: 08456 777034 E-mail: enquiries@scofield-lait.co.uk

Services

A Unique Care Home in a Unique Setting Offering Long Term Residence, Convalescence and Respite Care for Elderly Residents with Dementia.

The Beeches is an elegant country house set in two acres of wooded and meadow style gardens which provides peaceful surroundings and yet is close to all local amenities.

The majority of our bedrooms are on the ground floor and have the benefit of en-suite facilities.

Please call or email for further details or to request a brochure.

“We are here to help” West Harling Road, East Harling NR16 2NP Tel: 01953 717584 Email: thebeecheseastharling@btconnect.com Website: www.beechesresidential.co.uk

Care in the comfort of your own home and support when you want to go out

“You don’t need to go into a care home to be cared for. Stay in your own home, surrounded by the things you love and where you feel secure” We can help with your shopping, washing, cooking, housework, support you on day trips and to attend appointments Our carers are CRB checked, experienced and really do care Help is available hourly, daily, weekly or to meet your needs

For more information call us for a friendly chat TODAY 01842 780000 Thetford branch 01603 765281 Norwich branch www.halesgroup.co.uk 75

Services FoR all youR REmoval & SToRaGE REquiREmENTS

REmovalS & HouSE ClEaRaNCE SPECialiSTS

John Ryder Removals and light Haulage is a local family business based in Wymondham, offering reliable removal services throughout the uk along with light haulage and house clearances.

• Removals & stoRage • Domestic Homes oR office moves • fRee estimates & aDvice • 3.5 ton & 7.5 ton veHicles • full Packing seRvice • fully insuReD • 7 Day seRvice

Call 01953 605553 www.johnryder.co.uk

Est 1987

3 White Horse Street, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0BJ

Is your garden over run with Moles ?

Do you have a wasp nest ?

Are your paddocks over-run with rabbits ?

All typical Pests controlled.

For ALL your Domestic / Commercial Pest Control.

Garden Maintenance undertaken.

No obligation – free survey/quotes.

Pest infestation can damage your health and your home.

Recent surveys show that numbers of mice/rats and bed bugs found in UK homes are on the rise.As Local Authorities are cutting back on free pest control services. We are here to offer you a service at the right price.

Please call for a chat on

01379 788865 • 07809 226109 • 07518 731106 www.safeandsoundhygieneandpestcontrol.co.uk

76

Supporting Local Business Great recommendations from your area Here is what you had to say about some of the local businesses which advertise in Village People. With great recommendations like this, why look further afield?

Les Auto Services

“

Thank you for your work in sorting out the problem with my daughter’s car. I appreciate your experience and ability to identify the problem, which seemed to be beyond the capability of the main dealership. I would not hesitate to use your services again or to

”

Land Army Designs

“

Very impressed with the plans drawn up for my garden and especially for thinking ‘outside the box’ and giving us so much more exciting stuff to consider than just a range of

”

plants and patios!

recommend you to others.

G V, Hemel Hempstead Anglia Chimney Sweeps

“

As well as efficient first class service with a

”

smile, David gave me lots of good advice on my stove.

“

Miss G, Great Barton

Chapel Doors

I’ve never written a letter of this type before. We had a problem with our electronic garage door, so we telephoned Chapel Doors. The result was astonishing. An engineer called within 48 hours and a quote was telephoned through the next morning. A week later the door was fully functional. This is, without doubt, the best customer service we have experienced in the last ten years. We thank you

”

very much for a job well done!

Mr and Mrs M, Fakenham

“

Mr & Mrs W, Norfolk

Cutstone Ltd

We would like to thank Bow at Cutstone Ltd for his excellent, flexible, friendly service, and for the finished results which we are absolutely delighted with. We were so pleased with our Cutstone granite top in the boot-room that we “engineered” a reason for another – this time on a kitchen island. On both occasions Bow made the whole process a real pleasure and we have no hesitation in highly recommending him

”

to anybody.

Mr and Mrs G, Banham

Mike Smith Garden Works

“

Mike, thank you so much for all the hard work that you have put into our garden.We now have the weed-free, neat and tidy garden that we have been yearning for since we moved here 4 years ago. We appreciate your design suggestions as we quite frankly had

”

not got a clue where to start. We love it. Thank you.

Mr and Mrs F, Fressingfield

Would you like to recommend a service which you found in Village People?

Or are you a local business owner who has had some good feedback? If so, get in touch!

You can call us on 0330 660 0325 or email office@village-people.info

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Services

The local specialists for containers and mobile space solutions CONTAINER HIRE on your premises

SELF STORAGE at our premises

Can store the contents of an average 3 bedroomed house from as little as

Long and short term hire from only £5 per week

20ft and 40ft containers available Delivery throughout East Anglia

Secure on-site storage Free transport available for long term storage

£10 per week

OFFICE CONTAINERS

NEW

Office cabins, Sanitary cabins, Storage & Shipping containers Service Containers for hire in various sizes, Direct Delivery and assembly Multiple uses including site offices, sales offices, storage rooms, health and medical centres, classrooms, canteens, media centres, military camps, first aid rooms, nurseries, laboratories, antivandal units, toilets and washrooms, marketing suites, show rooms, changing facilities, drying rooms, community centres, clubhouses, refrigerated containers and many more

SHRINK WRAPPING

NEW Service

Suitable for small products

Delivery throughout East Anglia Find us just off the A11, only 20 minutes from Norwich

www.squaredealstorage.co.uk

Hereward Way Business Park, Roudham Road, East Harling, Norwich, Norfolk NR16 2SR

Tel: 01842 762143 • Mobile: 07801 837227 78

Win tickets to see Blondie!

Blondie has confirmed a very special tour of the nation’s woodlands this summer as part of the Forestry Commission’s annual concert series Forest Live.

Blondie emerged from New York’s celebrated new wave scene producing innovative music with their rock/disco, reggae and hiphop influenced songs. Fronted by pop icon Deborah Harry, their ground-breaking material brought them a stash of hit singles and few acts can match their 20 year span of No 1’s from ‘Heart Of Glass’, ‘Sunday Girl’, ‘Atomic’, ‘Call Me’, ‘The Tide Is High’ to ‘Maria’. Special guest each evening will be The Lightning Seeds performing an acoustic set of their perfect pop songs like ‘Pure’, ‘Lucky You’ and ‘Change’.

Forest Live is an independent programme organised by the Forestry Commission bringing music to new audiences without commercial branding or sponsorship. Income generated from ticket sales is spent on improving the local forests for both people and wildlife. With everything you need for a great night out, including full catering and bar facilities, the gigs are renowned for their relaxed atmosphere.

Else Heating & Plumbing

You can experience all this on Saturday 15 June in Thetford Forest, near Brandon, Suffolk.

To win tickets to this fabulous concert just answer this simple question: What colour hair does Debbie Harry have? a. Brown b. Blonde c. Red Send your answer, along with your name, address and daytime phone number to competition@village-people.info

before Friday 17th May.

Tickets (£36) are available from the Forestry Commission box office on 03000 680400 or online at www.forestry.gov.uk/music

Acorn C a b i n e t s

Oil and Gas Installation * Breakdowns * 24 hr call out * Servicing * Powerflush

C a b i n e t s

Bathroom & Kitchen Fitting Fully Insured

Makers of Bespoke Interiors

Contact Eugene Else

01379 688183 07787 854923

Handmade Kitchens, Bathrooms & Studies

elseheatingandplumbing@gmail.com ■

Oil Tanks Supplied and installed

Pipe Work ■ Gauges Fuel Pumps ■ Spares ■ 24 hour call out ■ ■

Established over 30 years

01508 570629 07979 846139

info@panddoiltanks.co.uk Watton Road, Hingham, Norfolk, NR9 4NN

www.panddoiltanks.co.uk

Domestic ■ Agricultural ■ Commercial

Luke Huggins on 07894 988380 Phil Morgan on 07947 779908 info@acorncabinets.co.uk

www.acorncabinets.co.uk 79

Services

R. Oldfield

Carpenter and General Builder -Property Maintenance - Carpentry and Joinery - Plastering and Rendering - Kitchen Fitting - Patios, Paving and Decking - Replacement Doors and Windows -Roofing, Roof repairs - Fascia and Barge Board replacement - Guttering - Painting and Decorating - Timber Flooring Wall and Floor Tiling - Extensions and Renovations - Conversions and Restorations - Timber Framed Buildings - Fencing

Free estimations, advice and written quotations upon request

Call 07979 361 682 or 01379 783 458

DJA Handyman Services Fencing www.djahandyman.co.uk Painting 07786 991333 Decks and Patios dave@djahandyman.co.uk Tiling Dave Allison General Garden maintenance Flat pack assembly Handyman, Property Garden Features and Garden Maintenance Kennels, Cat houses, Hutches, etc Bathrooms Kitchens Carpentry Electrics

And more

Pressed to go Established family-run ironing & dry cleaning business Local Delivery

Tel Karen: 01379 652767 or 07984512275 www.pressedtogo.co.uk

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Services

Affordable Pricing • Same Day or A.S.A.P Power Flushing • System Health Checks Leaks and Repairs • New Installations Green Alternatives • Free Estimates

Anglia Chimney Sweeps • Fully certified and insured • Smoke draft tests as standard • Triple-filtered vacuum • No mess, no dust, no fuss • Insurance-recognised safety certificates

Tel 07711 458575 Or 01379 644770

www.angliachimneysweeps.co.uk

AA Utilities Limited 01379 650671 07766770553 a.aldous@tiscali.co.uk

Got a water leak? Old lead piping need replacing?

We carry out all work to the highest standards causing minimal impact to your driveway or garden using thrust boring methods

• Leaks Repaired • New services installed: adding water services to outbuildings, old services renewed, especially old galvanised piping or lead • Thrust boring • Burst mains & more!

All work guaranteed and fully insured Working throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex & Cambridgeshire

For all vehicle electrical faults & installations 30 years experience M 07764 352214 T 01379 388548 Email info@lesautoelectrics.co.uk www.lesautoelectrics.co.uk

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Services

Looking for a reliable caravan and motorhome service engineer?

• Complete on site breakdown service available 7 days a week • Indoor caravan storage facility • Fully insured, friendly, no fuss services and repairs at your home • Motor Movers and other accessories fitted

Classic Vehicle Hire Classic Vehicle Hire provides unique and distinctive chauffeur driven vehicles for hire, whatever the occasion. Our vehicles are genuine restored originals that are beautifully presented, professionally maintained and will add a touch of class to your special day.

Whether it be a wedding, prom, anniversary, theatre night, race day, corporate event or any kind of special occasion, travel in style, make a memorable first impression and your special day one to remember.

www.classicvehiclehire.co.uk Tel: 01359 252232 Email: info@classicvehiclehire.co.uk Please contact us to discuss your vehicle requirements and to arrange a viewing of our vehicles at The Workshop, Maltings Farm, The Street, Hepworth, Diss, IP22 2PX

82

CAR REVIEWS New BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe

By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Journalist Twitter@carwriteups - www.carwriteups.co.uk

F

ollowing the convertible and the Coupe in the BMW 6 Series, the Gran Coupe is the true embodiment of aesthetics, sportiness, comfort and luxury.

.

The lean elegance of this vehicle, the very first four-door Coupe in the history of BMW, is an exceptional phenomenon.

The low and graceful lines are impressive, but especially so when looking at the car’s side profile. The recessed passenger compartment appears low and smoothly stretched because the window silhouette extends deep into the C pillar. The frameless door windows are also a design element indicative of a muscular Coupe.

Inside, the distinctive character of BMW is unmistakable. The cabin is sophisticated and wellappointed with leather upholstery and electrically operated seats.

Roominess for rear passenger contentment is remarkable and folding rear seatbacks, as well as an auxiliary third seat, are among the design features that contribute to the car’s versatility.

Driving dynamics, effortless performance and efficiency are the hallmarks of the TwinPower Turbo engines available for the big BMW. The 650i I drove is the

first model offered with a new and more efficient V8 engine that delivers impressive shove: 0 to 62 mph comes in just 4.6 seconds.

This lump, just like the six-cylinder power units in the 640i Gran Coupe and the 640d Gran Coupe, is offered in conjunction with a creamy smooth eight-speed Sport automatic transmission and proven BMW EfficientDynamics technology.

Safety features include front airbags, side airbags integrated into the seatbacks, head airbags for front and rear seats, three-point automatic seatbelts for all seats, belt force limiters and seatbelt tensioners at the front, as well as ISOFIX child seat fasteners at the rear. What’s more, intelligent lightweight construction reduces the vehicle weight, and the doors and bonnet are made of aluminium.

The front side walls consist of thermoplastic material, while the boot lid is made of fibreglass composites.

The wide range of optional equipment available is also impressive: adaptive LED headlights

and a Bang & Olufsen High-End Surround Sound System are just a couple of examples of what you can add to the car. And then, of course, there is always the legendary M Sports package.

Optional extras on a BMW look and feel great, but there’s always a downside – they tend to make the total price of the car eye-wateringly high. But, if you’re a BMW fan, and you have the cash to splash, then this won’t put you off the 6 Series Gran Coupe – it’s one of the best four door coupes on the market today.

PROS ‘N’ CONS Good looking √ Luxurious √ Fast √ Safe √ Spacious √ On the pricey side X FAST FACTS Max speed: 155 mph 0-62 mph: 4.6 secs Combined mpg: 31.7 Engine: 4395 cc V8 32 valve petrol Max. power (bhp): 450 at 5500-6000 rpm Max. torque (lb/ft): 479 at 2000-4500 rpm CO2: 206 g/km Price: £70,650 on the road

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Local Directory:

Getting Your Business Noticed Accountant / Book-keeping TaxAssist KJ Accountancy Animal & Veterinary Services Swallow Aquatics Hill Cottage Cattery Norfolk Dog Training Uplands Way Vets Ltd Smylee Pets Architect Andrew P R Love Keith Day Arts & Crafts Susan’s Work-Basket Bathrooms & Wetrooms ClarkBuild Ltd Acorn Cabinets Supreme Bathrooms & Kitchens Beds Diss Bed Centre & Furniture Warehouse Sound Sleep Ltd Building / Roofing Glenn Wilson Ltd N.S. Hughes Construction Scofield & Lait Roofing

70 70 87 58 20 20 59 32 32 56 50 79 48 34 4

80 28 74 R. Oldfield General Builder & Carpenter 80 DJA Handyman Services 80 Car / Caravan Repairs Les Auto Electrics 81 Anglian Caravan Eng. Services 82 Care Home The Beeches 75 Age UK 68 Carpets, Flooring & Rugs Eye Flooring 38 The Stone Flooring Company 51 Complete Flooring 38 John Doe of Diss 88 Catering CMA Hire 62 Chimney Sweeps Anglia Chimney Sweeps 81 Cleaning Chris Cottrell Cleaning 76 Computer, Internet, Web & Design Services Philippa Green Web Design 70 Bailiwick IT 70

Curtains, Blinds, Awnings & Shutters

Norwich Sunblinds Cooks Blinds Margaret Manser Ballantines Blinds & Awnings Chapel Doors Days & Nights Out Bressingham Village Screen Banham Zoo Forestry Commission Wymondham Music Festival Cliff Richard Concert Dentists & Dentures Botesdale Dental Practice Marlborough Dental Practice Netherton Dental Practice Mulbarton Denture Clinic Financial Services Anglian Wealth Management Food Veggie Berry Bakery Cocoa Mama Chocolaterie Fuel Merchants Larkins Fuel Merchants Rix Furniture Haydon-Webb

Diss Bed Centre & Furniture Warehouse

Oakcraft John Doe of Diss Garden Services, Landscaping & Supplies The Garden Enclosure Waveney Tree Surgery Noble Paving East Anglia Ltd Land Army Designs P.D. Garden Services Clive Lewis Garden Services Nigel Payne Fruit Tree Pruning Bartlett Tree Experts Mike Smith Gardenworks Tripp Batt Country Store Cabinville Garden Cabins Lake and Pond Aquatics Hempnall Lawnmower Centre

42 48 58 34 49

22 19 15 18 18 21 2/62 68 66 62 71 10 56 36 36 3 34 50 88

27 31 29 26 26 26 26 30 32 33 51 28 32 Amanda Thomas Garden Maintenance 26 Eclipse Home & Garden Services 26 Cherry Land Garden Centre 28 Eye Design Gardens 30

Gates, Railings & Doors The Smithy 81 Chapel Doors Ltd 49 Cooks Blinds 48 Health and Beauty Spire Norwich Hospital 60 Dr Gaye White Foot Health 68 Nicola Clarke Foot Health 68 Rejuvenescence 65 Bombshell Lashes 68 Norfolk Diabetes Study 64 Homecare & Personal Assistance Hales Group Health & Social Care 75 First Choice Homecare 74 Age UK 68 House Clearance & Removals John Ryder 76 Interior Design Practically Perfect Interiors 35 Jobs, Recruitment & Training Key Education Services 72 Maid 2 Clean 72 Hales Group Recruitment 72 Kitchens Acorn Cabinets 79 Haydon Webb 3 Supreme Bathrooms & Kitchens 48 Barker & Woods Joinery 50 Laundry Services Pressed-to-Go 80 CMA Laundry 76 Mobility Mobility Superstore Ltd 74 Pest Control Safe & Sound Pest Control 76 Plumbing, Heating, Tank & Boiler Services Pat the Plumber 81 AA Utilities Limited 81 Else Heating & Plumbing 79 Complete Plumbing 81 P & D Tank Services 79 Chris Clarke Oil Boiler Services 80 Printers Francis Cupiss Ltd 70 Property / Estate Agents Martin & Co 50 Charles Church 40 Living Property 39

Village People is a trading name of Village People Magazines Ltd. Village People accepts no liability for loss, damage, or difficulties resulting from contracts made through the magazine, nor from errors, omissions or claims made by advertisers. Publication of any entry does not imply a recommendation.

Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry.

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Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content Copyright Š Village People Magazines Ltd. 2008-2013

Village People

contact us today on 0330 660 0325 or email editor@village-people.info website www.village-people.info

Restaurants, Pubs & Hotels The Park Hotel Sherbourne House Hotel

18 14 Gamekeeper/Inn on the Green 14 Il Divo 20 Italian Job Centre The Queen’s Head, Eye 12 Indian View 18 Riding Eye Equestrian Centre 32 Schools, Colleges & Nurseries New Eccles Hall School 20 The Mulberry Bush Nursery 10 Thetford Grammar School 20 Tinkerbells Day Nursery 10 Shopping She Ladies Clothes & Shoes 59 The Granary 58 Chapelfield 55 Willow 56 Bundles of Joy 58 Tilting Sky 56 Solicitors Steeles Law 73

MCP Solicitors Stone Masonry Cutstone Ltd Storage Square Deal Storage Stoves & Fires Raven Stoves Fireplace & Plaster Centre Theatre Theatre Royal Travel Eastons Holidays Tyres etyres Vehicle Hire Classic Vehicle Hire Wedding Venues Easton Grange Window Cleaning Chris Cottrell Cleaning Windows & Conservatories C & M Glass Glass & Sealed Unit Centre Ltd Conservatories etc

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85

Seasonal Recipes

for Spring

We’ve got two seasonal recipes for you this edition! One recipe is in eager readiness for the season of outside eating, and one because the seasonal freshness of watercress available now should be indulged and enjoyed.

Both recipes, as ever, are deliciously easy and easily delicious.

Watercress Soup INGREDIENTS

Lemon Roasted Chicken Wings with cracked black pepper

2 bags of watercress (approx 170g) 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 250g potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks 1 pint of chicken or vegetable stock A splash of cream, or milk if you prefer Salt and pepper 1. Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onions until nicely translucent.

2. Add the stock and potato chunks, and cook on a high simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 1520 minutes depending on the size of your chunks – keep a check) 3. When the potatoes are almost cooked add the watercress for just 3-4 minutes. Liquidize the soup, and add the cream or milk until you have the desired thickness. Season to taste, and serve hot.

So simple, and good for you too!

Pre-heat the oven to 200˚C/ Gas mark 6 1. Put the wings in a large roasting tin or dish; squeeze the lemon juice all over. For extra lemony flavour, chop up the squeezed lemon halves and add to the dish, along with the bay leaves.

2. Crush the pepper corns in a morter until they are nicely cracked but not too ground and fine. Mix with the olive oil and toss with the wings, then sprinkle the salt over.

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Roast for 40-45 mins, turning once, but avoiding any other unnecessary turning! They are best left to almost become stuck to the tin.

INGREDIENTS

A dozen chicken wings 1 large lemon 1-2 tablespoons of black peppercorns (for an Asian hint to this recipe try using Szechuan peppercorns) 2 teaspoon of sea salt 4 or 5 bay Leaves 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Serves 2

SPRING 4 SITES ACROSS THE SOUTH EAST

Aquarium

Ponds

Marine

IS IN T HE

AIR

Pet Supplies Reptiles

Brands

KOI CARP & PONDS

WE STOCK A WIDE SELECTION OF KOI KARP & GARDEN PONDS

MARINE & GOLD FISH

LARGE SELECTION OF COLOURFUL MARINE & GOLD FISH

FILTERS & PUMPS

WE STOCK EVERY PUMP & FILTER YOUR POND WILL NEED

REPTILES & PETS LARGE SELECTION OF REPTILES & PETS/PRODUCTS

Harling Road, East Harling, Norfolk NR16 2QW

Tel: 01953 718184

www.swallowaquatics.co.uk

FREE Tea or Coffee with this voucher Postcode to validate

VP ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

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From leading brand suites to contemporary furnishings, at John Doe of Diss we stock them all.

Visit us today to view our impressive range of carpets, beds and furniture.

Howard House, 46–50 Sawmills Road, Diss, IP22 4DA

Tel:01379 644081 www.johndoediss.co.uk