Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

52
Adam Shaw: Our exclusive interview with BBC2’s Working Lunch money expert May–June 2009 WARRINGTON’S CANALS AND WATERWAYS We investigate where they lead and what lies along the way The future of Warrington: We talk to Councillor Ian Marks on the council’s upcoming developments Gadgets galore: Our Top Ten covers them all Property | Lifestyle | News Warrington’s FREE M Magazine ovin Issue 2

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Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Transcript of Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Page 1: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Adam Shaw: Our exclusive interview with BBC2’s Working Lunch money expert

May–June 2009

WARRINGTON’SCANALS ANDWATERWAYS

We investigate where they lead and what lies along the way

The future of Warrington: We talk to Councillor Ian Marks on the council’s upcoming developments

Gadgets galore: Our Top Ten covers them all

Property | Lifestyle | News

Adam Shaw:

Gadgets galore:

Warringto

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Magazineovin’

ISSUE 1

FREE

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April Front Cover_v7.indd 1 22/04/2009 21:13:50

Page 2: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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Page 3: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Editor’s Note

3May–June 2009 | Issue 2

AdvertisingIf you are interested in advertising in the next issue of Movin’ Magazine, contact our Advertising Sales Team either by phoning us on 0800 6129 160 or by emailing us at [email protected] for availability and prices.

WebsiteVisit our brand new website at www.movinmagazine.com and leave your questions and comments. We promise to respond within 48 hours and answer your queries.You’ll � nd lots of additional information there, as well as what’s coming up in future issues and how you can get involved. We welcome your thoughts and ideas and would love to hear your news from Warrington.

Editor Adam YoungAdvertising Sales Manager Peter Clarke

Media Sales Executive James McCoyArt Director Sophia Kenwrick-Piercy

Picture Researcher Diane ParkerComments [email protected]

Content design Orchid Designs LtdWeb Design Orchid Designs LtdPrinted by Warners Midland Plc

Promotional Printing by Kwality PrinterSubscriptions & Mailing List [email protected]

Distribution Self Select Distribution;Rendezvous Distribution; Movin’ Distribution Ltd

CopyrightCopyright Movin’ Magazine. All rights reserved. Any part of this publication must not be repro-duced, copied, or transmitted in any form or by any means. Storage of any information on a storage system or retrieval system is not permitted without the publisher’s written permission. Due diligence is applied to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, however, Movin’ Magazine can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the promotions and/or claims made by advertisers. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. All views expressed in this magazine are those of the independent journalists.

DisclaimerAll information, prices and promotions correct at time of publishing, to the best of our knowledge. Movin’ Magazine cannot be held responsible for incorrect details either written by, or published in this magazine.

O� cial media partner of Grassroots Grants, providing

grants for voluntary, community & faith groups in Warrington

Movin’ Magazine is committedto recycling

Welcome to the second issue of Movin’ Magazine! We had a great response to the � rst issue, as well as some really positive feedback from local residents – so a big THANK YOU to all!

If you missed the � rst issue, don’t worry because you can still view it online at our website: www.movin-magazine.com. This month’s issue is jam-packed with the latest upbeat local news as well as the hot-test properties in Warrington, plus more of our regular lifestyle features.

We’re particularly pleased to welcome Wire FM’s Pete Pinnington and his new column to Movin’ (p50), as well as Warrington’s biggest book store, Borders, who is running an online competition through our website for all readers in our Book Review feature on page 49. And don’t miss our exclusive interview with BBC 2’s Working Lunch presenter, Adam Shaw, for an honest and frank insight into what’s happening in our eco-nomic world at the moment (p14).

At Movin’, we’re also keen to look towards Warrington’s future, so this month we met up with the council’s leader, Councillor Ian Marks, to get the lowdown on what the next few years hold in store for our town.

There are some exciting plans afoot, and we predict that things are only set to get better for Warrington!

We’re also proud to announce that we’ll be support-ing, as well as taking part in, the Bike Events’ Manches-ter to Liverpool Charity Bike Ride on Sunday 31 May. This great ride helps raise money for the Mines Ad-visory Group, the humanitarian landmine clearance charity, and at Movin’ we’ll also mainly be supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care. Turn to page 7 to � nd out more, or visit our website to join our team.

Over the coming year, we’ll be bringing you all the latest on more encouraging changes and the positive news coming out of our town. And remember, if you have some exciting news that you’d like to share with Warrington, simply get in touch with us and we’ll al-ways be happy to support your local business, event, or anything else you think Warrington people should know about.

Let’s keep Warrington Movin’!

[email protected] 0800 6129 160

Editor’s note... www.movinmagazine.com

Page 4: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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Page 5: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Contents

5May–June 2009 | Issue 2

ContentsMovin’... on the market Our regular feature of the hottest properties on o� er in Warrington

16

Home SOS Home staging expert, Chrissy Halton, looks at ways to make your home more appealing

24

Should I Rent Out My Home?Part two of our guide to renting out your home

26

Q&A Have your questions about property answered by the experts

28

Movin’... explained This issue, we discuss de� ation

29

Movin’... people Warrington-based Sue Moore talks about her company, Party CrewTM

30

Fashion The latest in men’s and women’s fashion

32Gadgets Our ten best toys36

HomeStyle Give your home a makeover with our guide to stylish rugs

38

Movin’... on the web We look at the top ten most useful websites

40Freecycle How to give your un-wanted items a new lease of life

42

Manchester to Liverpool Bike Ride Join us as we take to the saddle to raise funds for charity

7

Interview with Councillor Ian Marks We interview the Council leader on upcoming develop-ments in Warrington

8

COVER FEATURE: Warrington’s Canals and Waterways A look at what our infamous waterways have to o� er

10

Adam Shaw Read our exclusive interview with the Working Lunch & Today programme presenter

14

20 mph Scheme Debate We hear about the new pilot scheme across the town

12

Love Food Hate Waste How to make your food budget stretch further and reduce waste

43

Diet Our � ve simple steps to getting your health back on track in time for the summer

44

Travel Andrea Wren looks at value-for-money African safari and beach holidays

47

Book Review Borders reviews Tell Me Something by Adele Parks and The Other Hand by Chris Cleave, plus a competition for our readers!

49

Pete Pinnington PresentsIn our � rst instalment of this regular feature, Pete reports on the success of the Baby Bobby Brown Appeal

50

Movin’... with the times

Movin’... property

Movin’... lifestyle

Travel, p47

Warrington’s Canals and Waterways, p10

HomeStyle,p38

Page 6: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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Page 7: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

7May–June 2009 | Issue 2

JOIN MOVIN’ MAGAZINE THIS YEAR AS WE DO THE MANCHESTER TO LIVERPOOL CHARITY BIKE RIDE

We’re getting involved in the Manchester to Liverpool Charity Bike Ride this year, organised by Bike Events.

Predominantly raising funds for the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), riders can support any char-ity they wish. Movin’ Magazine is mainly supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care, and riders are invited

to raise sponsorship for any char-ity close to their hearts.

Now in its � th year, the ride will be starting at Salford Quays, leaving Manchester via Old Traf-ford and Stretford, where it picks up the beautiful Trans-Pennine Trail, travelling through many villages in Warrington, such as Lymm, Thelwall & Grappenhall.

This mostly tra� c-free route is ideal for cycling and takes you along part of the Manchester Ship Canal towards Liverpool and the Mersey, which you’ll reach by travelling down the famous Penny Lane.

If you’d like to get involved, sim-ply visit our website and � ll in the online form.Lymm, Thelwall & Grappenhall.

FREE T-SHIRT!

If you want to join the Movin’ Magazine

team for the ride, you’ll receive a free t-shirt,

with the chosen charities’ logos on so that

we can raise awareness of these causes.

Look out for our special feature of the

day in the next issue.

Sunday 31 May 2009

START finishfinishSTART finishSTART finish Salford Watersports Centre,

Salford Quays, Salford

M50 3SQ

Otterspool Park, Otterspool Drive,

Liverpool, L17 5AL

To register for your free t-shirt and to join our team, visit

www.movinmagazine.com and � ll in the simple entry form

In association with

www.bike-events.com

38 miles

Page 8: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

8 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

We are not resting on our laurels and despairing at the much pub-licised gloom and doom, but in-stead making sure that the right policies and support systems are in place to capitalise on the recov-ery of the market.

We’ve got big plans for the Mersey waterfront area, including lower Bridge Street. There are plans for a huge, mixed development, in-cluding performance areas, cafés, bars, restaurants, and these are supported by the North West De-velopment Agency (NWDA).

We also have the £30m Orford

DEVELOPINGWARRINGTON’SFUTURE

Park Project which will be the � rst community sports village in the country, and the £1.2m Parr Hall refurbishment. Another £250,000 has also been awarded to the bor-ough for renovating the museum in the town centre.

THE ECONOMYMM: We all know times are hard at the moment for businesses and residents alike, so what is the council doing to help limit the impact?IM: We’ve assembled a Credit Crunch Task Group, which is a mix

Would you like to see what the next few years hold in store for Warrington?

Movin’ Magazine looks to the future by speaking to council leader, Ian Marks, to � nd out what plans the council has for shaping our town’s future.

REGENERATIONMovin’ Magazine: Are there any developments for Warrington that we can expect to see in the future?Ian Marks: Our strategy at the moment is to use this time of eco-nomic slowdown as an opportu-nity to ensure that all of our plans and visions for growth and devel-opment are polished and ready for when the upturn comes. When private investors look into the area, we’ll be able to point them in the right direction as to where they should put their money.

Page 9: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

9May–June 2009 | Issue 2

of councillors from all political parties, o� ces from each part of the council, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Golden Gates Housing Association, and Job Centre Plus.We want to help citizens and businesses in the town who are su� ering. This includes looking at various hous-ing issues and sharing best practice with other councils in the North West and the rest of the country. We’re looking into whether the council and registered social landlords should be buying up properties from devel-opers. There was an example of this recently, where a Liverpool-based housing association struck a deal with a developer to buy up several properties to add to their own portfolio to improve the quality of social housing.We’re also pleased with how the retail sector is holding up against the downturn, and although there are more empty units than we would like, the ones that remain are trading reasonably well.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

MM: What bene� ts does our location hold?IM: Historically, Warrington’s business is very well spread with a variety of businesses based here. We have a high proportion of skilled people, such as university gradu-ates for example, and our schools are very good – we’re right at the top of the national league tables. This at-tracts a lot of interest not only from businesses within the North West, but nationally due to our diverse infra-structure.Recently my son had to travel from London Euston to Warrington Bank Quay on a Sunday and was able to come on a non-stop direct train in less than two hours. That puts us in the infamous ‘two-hour commuter belt’ of London, which opens up many more opportunities and links us more closely to the whole country. And to add to this, we’ve got a � rst class lounge already here at Bank Quay and there’s a lot of work going on to improve the entrance and usability of the station.We won the ‘Best Indoor Market’ award for the outstand-ing quality of our traders’ produce and we’ve introduced festive, continental and farmers’ markets across the town. And our local bus company, Warrington Borough Transport, won ‘UK Bus Operator of the Year 2008’, so the area is really starting to get recognised for the e� orts being put in by, and for, local residents.

PROVIDING LOCAL SUPPORTMM: What sort of help is on o� er from the council for our businesses during this tough time?IM: One area we’re targeting is making sure that local people and businesses are aware of what support is available and know how to access the advice, so we’re signposting a lot of people to useful information. We’ve got action teams to work with employers at the earli-est stages to try and avoid redundancies and safeguard jobs – and to keep the employers in the town. The NWDA has several schemes in place to help start-up businesses who are looking for � nance and advice too.

Visit www.movinmagazine.com to put your ideas to Councillor Ian Marks on our My bright idea for Warrington page

Page 10: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

10 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Warrington’s Canals andWaterwaysThis issue, we look at what lies along the way of our huge network of canals and waterways that run through Warrington.And they’re not just for the narrowboat lovers: There’s something on o� er for the walker, the cyclist and the nature lover out there too!

Bridgewater Canal throughout the ages...

The Bridgewater Canal, running from Leigh to Runcorn, was the � rst canal in Britain to be built without following an existing watercourse, and perhaps more importantly, it was used as the model for those canals that followed it. It was the construction that marked the be-ginning of the canal mania that followed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and in fact it was known as the ‘Father of Canals‘.

The Bridgewater Canal revolution-ised the way goods were trans-ported across Britain. Built in the 1760’s by the Duke of Bridgewa-ter in order to carry coal from his mines at Worsley to the industrial areas of Manchester, the construc-tion of the Bridgewater Canal was

an integral part of the industrial revolution. Coal was transported using the canals, with horses pull-ing the boats along the towpaths in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The introduction of steam and railway travel signalled the decline of horse-drawn transport though, and the � rst steam tug was intro-duced to the Bridgewater Canal in 1872. This meant that the fun-damental purpose of the towpath

for the towing of barges began to change, and it instead became a place for leisure activities.

The Bridgewater Canal, whatever its guise, is a local gem and in 2011 the canal celebrates its 250th year since it � rst opened.

Page 11: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

1111May–June 2009 | Issue 2

The 36-mile long Manchester Ship Canal roughly follows the original route of the rivers Mersey and Irwell, and runs along the south side of Warrington. It opened in 1894 and cost a whopping £15 million to build. Although it’s become somewhat of a norm in our everyday lives, in its day the canal was the largest navigation canal in the world, helping Manchester to become one of the most powerful ports in Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Today, the canal still accommodates huge vessels, ranging from coastal ships to inter-continental cargo liners, carry-ing some six million tonnes of freight each year for well-known companies such as Tesco and Proctor & Gamble.

Perhaps the biggest signs of the ship canal in Warrington are the many bridges dotted across the town: we have two railway viaducts, four swing bridges and 1 set of Locks in Latchford. All of these bridges, although somewhat aged now, serve as dramatic structures that provide a telling reminder of Warrington’s essential role in the North West’s industrial past.

Forget Industrial Revolution...think Recreational Revolution!Canals no doubt bring to most people’s minds thoughts of industry and engineering in the late 18th and early 19th century, but why not try thinking of them in a new way: as everyday recreational escapes right on our doorsteps!

Forget canal, think...

Gym – The towpaths are the perfect fresh air paths to run on.

Pub – What can be better than sitting by a canal on a sunny day with a pint in hand? Try the London Bridge in Stockton Heath.

Nature Reserve – You might spot water voles, dragon� ies, herons or king� shers

alongside our canals.

Fish – There are plenty of � sh, believe it or not, in our canals, so why not

dabble in a bit of weekend � shing?

Cycle path – The towpaths have no steep hills or tra� c, and instead have plenty of

beautiful scenery – perfect for cycling!

Relaxation – Sitting by water is always relaxing, and fortunately we have

plenty of it in Warrington!

ManchesterShip

Canal

Page 12: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

12 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Warrington Borough Council (WBC) has implemented a pilot study to examine the eff ec-tiveness and benefi ts of imple-menting three separate 20 mph speed limits on roads within the borough.

The principal objective of this pilot is to determine whether average speeds can be signi� cantly reduced by sim-ply implementing 20 mph signs throughout each of the chosen routes, without using the typi-cally associated tra� c calming measures.

The council has implemented an 18-month pilot scheme to exam-ine the e� ectiveness of the intro-duction of 20 mph speed limits on three di� erent types of roads in Warrington:

In the town centre – to encourage more sustainable commuting practices, such as walking and cy-cling. On Park Road, Great Sankey – this has been chosen because an accident analysis revealed four collisions resulting in personal in-jury accidents on this road.In the Orford Area – The Long Lane/Sandy Lane/Northway area has been chosen as it’s contained within a large residential zone.

The di� ering nature of these roads will enable the council to determine how suitable certain road types are for the introduc-tion of a 20 mph speed limit.

Over recent years, making an economic return after introduc-ing area-wide 20 mph zones is becoming increasingly di� cult, mainly because of the costs asso-ciated with the implementation of the tra� c calming techniques. The council is therefore examin-ing new, more innovative tech-niques to reduce casualties result-ing from road tra� c collisions.

Exceeding the posted speed limit or travelling too fast for the speci� c road condi-tions is problematic on many of Warrington’s roads.

Modern vehicles are comfortable, quiet and insulated from the road and this can lead to drivers going above the posted speed limit. Most drivers understand that

speeding is dangerous and feel that other speeders threaten their own personal safety: speeding increases both the risk of a colli-sion occurring and its severity.

Changing cultural values regard-ing speed though can be regard-ed as similar to changing people’s attitudes towards smoking, eat-ing high-fat foods and recycling. The council plans to lead this cul-tural change through e� ective communications with consistent and persuasive messages, which will be conveyed via lea� ets, let-ters, questionnaires and regular community meetings.

Lea� ets have already been sent to over 7500 properties within the borough, and will give readers an in-depth overview of why and how the council are aim-ing to increase road safety.

A 20 mph speed limit will only be successful however, if the community and road users take ownership of the scheme and understand what it’s trying to achieve. In this way, residents have a key role to play in making Warrington’s roads safer.

“Modern vehicles are comfortable, quiet and insulated from the road

and this can lead to drivers going above the

posted speed limit”

“Most drivers feel that other speeders threaten their own

personal safety”

Is plenty?

Page 13: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

1313May–June 2009 | Issue 2

““ priate maximum speed limit for

roads used by people as well as by motor vehicles. The intended 20 mph limits on residential rather than arterial roads will make very little di� erence in journey times, but will result in calmer driving around our residential streets. Our streets and village centres will be-come far more pleasant to shop or walk in with less noise and in-trusion from passing tra� c.

These 20 mph speed limits for residential roads are already the norm in Northern Europe where they get a huge bene� t in the amenity aspect of their streets. Already, people are feeling that it is crazy that we use the mo-tor vehicle for so many short trips that we would like to walk or cycle but are too frightened of higher speed vehicles for ourselves or our children.

Speed limits of 20 mph are the � rst step in starting to regain our streets as public amenities for the bene� t of all.

Rod King, Warrington road danger reduction campaigner and founder of the national 20’s Plenty For Us organisa-tion, tells us us what the pilot scheme means for Warrington road users.

How do you think these speed limit restrictions will aff ect the town’s residents?

Firstly, the very task of introduc-ing them across the whole of Warrington has created a debate about how we wish to share our roads: Whether they should be exclusively for the bene� t of mo-torised transport or whether they should be classed as public spac-es that all people have a right to

use and enjoy in a manner which does not prejudice the health, safety or amenity of others.If this scheme is successful, we will achieve:• Less street noise• Lower levels of street pollution• Streets that are more attractive in which to walk or cycle• Streets that are safer for all users• Lower usage of fuel at slower and more steady speeds.And while limited area schemes leave most of the drivers still living in streets with 30 mph limits, an authority-wide scheme providesthe bene� ts of lower speeds in their own street to most drivers.

Do you think the pilot schemes are being run in the right areas?

Well, � rst you have to ask whether pilot schemes are needed at all. There is already ample evidence that a lower, 20 mph speed lim-it for residential roads has the capacity to avoid a large percent-age of accidents and consequen-tial injury and death. There is also good evidence that with cor-rect public consultation and an authority-wide implementation then 20 mph speed limits do not need tra� c or physical calming to be e� ective.

On the other hand the rolling out of 20 mph across a large area is a new initiative for the local council and one in which it does not have any real experience. Therefore, any pilots will provide experience of the many aspects to consider and mistakes in implementing the pilots will provide good learn-ing lessons for the anticipated roll-out across the whole town.

How do you see the future of Warrington’s road laws and the impact these will have on the way we all live and commute in Warrington?

We are not really changing the law as it stands, but merely iden-tifying what is the most appro-

“We need to rethink how we should share

the roads in a far more equitable manner”

“Our streets and village centres will becomefar more pleasant to

shop or walk in”

Page 14: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

14 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

T H EBIGQUESTION

We interview the award-winning Adam Shaw from BBC2’s Working Lunch and BBC4’s Today programme

Adam Shaw is an award-winning fi nancial reporter and presenter, and is one of the best known fi nancial ex-perts on television and radio. He has presented BBC2’s Work-ing Lunch programme and is the business presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Adam Shaw, apart from being a well-known � nancial expert, won the Plain English Campaign award for Broadcaster of the Year for his work in debunking the language used by business and � nance. At Movin’ Magazine, we asked Shaw to give us an honest and straightforward explanation of the nation’s current � nancial situation.

Movin’ Magazine: Is it really all doom and gloom for the econo-my at the moment?

Adam Shaw: There are plenty of examples that the economy is still moving on, regardless of what’s

making up most of the news that’s being reported. To take one example, Regus, who specialise in renting o� ce space in innovative ways such as mobile, shared and virtual o� ces, are booming with demand from businesses want-ing to remain � exible. Domino’s Pizza is also reporting that they’re doing very well, as people trade down and choose to stay in with a takeaway rather than going out for a meal. So there are plenty of examples that the economy is steady and continuing to thrive, albeit at a reduced rate.

The main thing is that we stay positive and continue to look for new opportunities for growth. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the bad news that’s being widely reported, but it’s important that those smaller businesses now look for ways to outmanoeuvre the larger companies and take advantage of their � exibility and reaction speeds to what’s going on at the moment.

MM: Are the funds available from the banks?

AS: Well, I constantly speak to the banks and they say they’re lending. But when I speak to the businesses, they say they’re not! This makes it somewhat di� cult to � nd out the truth, but I think, as long as you have a good idea, a professional business plan, and there is a genuine opportunity, then you should get the funding.

“The main thing is that we stay

positive and continue to look

for new opportunities for

growth”

Page 15: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... with the times

1515May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Don’t forget though that there are fewer banks out there, so of course there will be less lending going on. Northern Rock, for example, has had to stop o� ering new mortgage products while they remain publicly-owned. The total capacity has fallen, and when you consider that because so many people have defaulted on mort-gages, there’s a lack of trust from the banks in us, of course it’s go-ing to seem as if there’s not a lot of borrowing going on. The gov-ernment’s policy of underwriting loans or ‘giving’ the banks money will be a failure however, if the banks don’t start to lend money again and get the money � owing, which is essentially the blood in this country’s system.

MM: You work a lot with stocks and shares: Is this a good time to transfer savings from low-in-terest accounts into stocks and shares?

AS: Stocks and shares are a bit like a casino. I wouldn’t recom-mend transferring savings into stocks and shares at the moment because of the risk and uncer-tainty. But of course, just as they

did before, stocks and shares will rise again. It will be interesting to look back in, for example, 10 years and discover which options really were cheap. When the stock mar-ket in America crashed in 1929, those who bought certain stocks when they were at their lowest made a fortune, but not only was it risky, but it took the country some 20-odd years to regain its strength and realise those capital gains.

But those without long-time ho-rizons should probably stick with their savings. At least they’re guaranteed in this way because of the Government’s underwrit-ing of the banks’ loans.

MM: What advice would you give to new start-up businesses during this diffi cult time?

AS: New businesses have a huge advantage at the moment which many people don’t realise. The big FTSE 100 companies are like

oil tankers now: the environment around them is constantly chang-ing and is rather choppy, and due to their size, they will � nd it very hard to turn around. The stormy weather around them becomes unavoidable as they � nd it dif-� cult to manoeuvre, whereas smaller, more agile companies get

back on the right current quicker. It’s easier for businesses to react in regions smaller than London, in a town such as Warrington, for example. With a strong local knowledge and understanding of what residents need and want, lo-cal businesses should be able to thrive as well as survive. The im-portant thing to remember is that all businesses need to adapt to their environment by coming up with new and innovative ways of generating business.

“With a strong local knowledge and

understanding of what residents need and want, local businesses

should be able to thrive not

just survive”

“As long as you have a good idea, a

professional business plan, and there is a genuine opportunity, then

you should get the funding”

You can watch more of Adam Shaw on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, weekdays 6–9am and Saturdays 7–9am.

Page 16: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

16 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

The agent’s description...

Collette Whynett

Beresford Adams59/61 Sankey Street

WarringtonWA1 1SL

01925 574 053

[email protected]

“A well-presented and charming mid-terraced property overlooking Orford Park. Accommo-dation brie� y comprises a lounge with original cast iron � replace, dining room and a kitchen to the ground � oor, with a landing, two bed-rooms and a bathroom with roll top bath tub and separate shower cubicle to the � rst � oor. An enclosed frontage and a yard providing o� road parking to the rear of the house. Viewing

highly recommended to fully appreciate.”

Halfi elds Road, Warrington, WA2

£109,950Asking Price

Bedrooms2

Reception Rooms2

Bathroom1

Page 17: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

The agent’s description...

Richard Capper

Meller Braggins97 London RoadStockton Heath

WA4 6LG

01925 210 021

[email protected]

“Delightful country cottage o� ering spacious accommodation with charm, character and a great � exibility of room use to suit the varying needs of a modern family. Three reception rooms, large kitchen, utility, four beds, en-suite and superb bathroom. Generous rear garden with an open aspect over farmland. Potential for extension with substantial covered store/workshop space. No onward sale chain.

Convenient location for commuting.”

Wheelwright Cottage, Tarporley Road, Lower Whitley, Warrington, WA4

£359,950Asking Price

Bedrooms4

Reception Rooms3

Bathrooms2

Movin’... property

1717May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Page 18: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

25%

WAY

WAY

WAY WAYWAY

WAY WAY WAYWAY

1792 Urban and Saxon 275x420 MM.indd 1 21/4/09 14:33:31Advert - Miller Homes_p1.indd 1 21/04/2009 20:14:54

Page 19: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

25%

WAY

WAY

WAY WAYWAY

WAY WAY WAYWAY

1792 Urban and Saxon 275x420 MM.indd 1 21/4/09 14:33:31Advert - Miller Homes_p2.indd 1 21/04/2009 20:17:34

Page 20: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

20 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

The agent’s description...

Antoni Dmochowski

Homelets77 Sankey Street

WarringtonWA1 1SL

01925 577 555

[email protected]

“We’re proud to o� er this well presented and extremely spacious, one-bedroom penthouse apartment on the popular Butts Green devel-opment. Located in a peaceful area and close to local shops and amenities, this would make an ideal home for a couple or a professional. The property also bene� ts from easy access to transport networks and motorways. The property boasts an open plan living and dining

area as well as a modern fully � tted kitchen.”

Butts Green, Kingswood, Warrington, WA5

£550pcm

Bedroom1

Reception Room1

Bathroom1

Page 21: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

The agent’s description...

Lee Houghton

Lettings From CourtyardThe Courtyard

26 Common Lane, Culcheth WA3 4HA

01925 767 000

[email protected]

“Lettings From Courtyard are delighted to of-fer to let this fully refurbished detached bun-galow situated in Glazebrook, Warrington. The spacious property brie� y comprises lounge, open plan kitchen/dining/family area with ac-cess to a large rear garden and sun terrace, two

double bedrooms and a family bathroom.Externally, there are extensive gardens with garage, in addition to o� -road parking for

several cars.”

Bank Street, Glazebrook, Warrington, WA3

£725pcm

Bedrooms2

Reception Rooms2

Bathroom1

Movin’... property

2121May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Page 22: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

CHALLENGE US TO SELLYOUR PROPERTY! – Our experienced teampromises to provide a very personal service withregular updates and advice - we are confident thatwe can provide clients with the best possible serviceand guide you every step of the way. Selling yourhome with HomeSales means that not only is amost professional service available but also a greatvalue service with our introductory reduced fees. Contact our specialist team today!

LANDLORDS!No Let No Fee,

Free Market AppraisalFree Inventory, Free Credit Check

Let the specialists take away the hassle ofletting your property

Full Management & Let Only ServicesAvailable

Burdett Street, L17

Mid Terrace Two Double Bedrooms, Two

Reception Rooms Double GlazedFitted Kitchen, GCH, Yard To Rear

£119,950

Beechtree Road, L15

3 Bedroom Mid Terrace Alarmed, Downstairs w/c

Double Glazed, GCHDriveway, Front & Rear Gardens

£135,000

Holly Court, L19

2 Bedroom Apartment Electric HeatingDouble Glazed,

Allocated Parking

£121,995

Royal Quay, L3

2 Bedroom Apartment Double Glazed, E7 Heating

Secure ParkingNo chain

£129,950

Allerton 1 Allerton Road, Mossley Hill Tel: 0151 280 4047

Basing Street, L19

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace GCH, Investment Property, Lounge

Kitchen, No ChainViewings Recommended

£89,950

Seymour Road, L14

2 Bedroom, Terrace Investment Opportunity

Viewings RecommendedNo Chain

£90,000

Temple Square, L2

Apartment Lounge/Dining Room, Kitchen

1 Bedroom, Bathroom, No Chain,Viewings Recommended

£84,950

South Grove, L8

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace Double Glazed, GCH

Lounge, Fitted Kitchen Downstairs Bathroom, Rear Yard

£90,000

Sunningdale Road, L15

2 Bedroom, Terrace Double Glazed, GCH

Loft Room, Through LoungeViewings Recommended

£109,950

Rosslyn Street, L17

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace Investment Property

No ChainViewings Recommended

£104,950

Heysmoor Heights, L8

2 Bedroom Apartment Double Glazed, Central Heated

Secure ParkingOffered With No Chain

£118,950

Springbourne Road, L17

3 Bedroom Terrace Investment opportunity

No ChainViewings Recommended

£119,950

Homelets Template:Layout 1 4/20/09 9:04 AM Page 1

Challenge us to LET YOUR PROPERTY!

Our experienced team promises to provide a verypersonal service with regular updates and advice -

we are confident that we can provide clients with the best possible service and guide you every step of the way.

Letting your property with Homelets means that not only is it the most professional

service available but also a great value service!

Warrington 77 Sankey Street, Warrington Tel: 01925 577 555

Walton Road, WA4 Greenings Court, WA2 Charter Avenue, WA5 Cherry Court, WA1

Bryers Court, WA2 Cronton Farm Court, WA8 Lovely Lane, WA5 Cherry Court, WA1

Algernon Street, WA1 Cherry Court, WA1 Stockswell Farm Ct, WA8 Bevan Court, WA4

£495 pcm£495 pcm£495 pcm£495 pcm

£475 pcm£475 pcm£475 pcm£475 pcm

£475 pcm£450 pcm£400 pcm£395 pcm

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & Equipped

Double Glazing & GCHFF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

2 Bedroom Mid TerraceFlexible Furnishing2 Reception Rooms

FF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen

3 Bedroom Mid TerraceUnfurnished

Double Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentUF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCH

FF Kitchen

1 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen

3 Bedroom Semi DetachedUF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen, Garden

1 Bedroom ApartmentUF with White Goods

Double GlazingFF Kitchen

1 Bedroom ApartmentUnfurnished

Double Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Page 23: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

CHALLENGE US TO SELLYOUR PROPERTY! – Our experienced teampromises to provide a very personal service withregular updates and advice - we are confident thatwe can provide clients with the best possible serviceand guide you every step of the way. Selling yourhome with HomeSales means that not only is amost professional service available but also a greatvalue service with our introductory reduced fees. Contact our specialist team today!

LANDLORDS!No Let No Fee,

Free Market AppraisalFree Inventory, Free Credit Check

Let the specialists take away the hassle ofletting your property

Full Management & Let Only ServicesAvailable

Burdett Street, L17

Mid Terrace Two Double Bedrooms, Two

Reception Rooms Double GlazedFitted Kitchen, GCH, Yard To Rear

£119,950

Beechtree Road, L15

3 Bedroom Mid Terrace Alarmed, Downstairs w/c

Double Glazed, GCHDriveway, Front & Rear Gardens

£135,000

Holly Court, L19

2 Bedroom Apartment Electric HeatingDouble Glazed,

Allocated Parking

£121,995

Royal Quay, L3

2 Bedroom Apartment Double Glazed, E7 Heating

Secure ParkingNo chain

£129,950

Allerton 1 Allerton Road, Mossley Hill Tel: 0151 280 4047

Basing Street, L19

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace GCH, Investment Property, Lounge

Kitchen, No ChainViewings Recommended

£89,950

Seymour Road, L14

2 Bedroom, Terrace Investment Opportunity

Viewings RecommendedNo Chain

£90,000

Temple Square, L2

Apartment Lounge/Dining Room, Kitchen

1 Bedroom, Bathroom, No Chain,Viewings Recommended

£84,950

South Grove, L8

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace Double Glazed, GCH

Lounge, Fitted Kitchen Downstairs Bathroom, Rear Yard

£90,000

Sunningdale Road, L15

2 Bedroom, Terrace Double Glazed, GCH

Loft Room, Through LoungeViewings Recommended

£109,950

Rosslyn Street, L17

2 Bedroom, Mid Terrace Investment Property

No ChainViewings Recommended

£104,950

Heysmoor Heights, L8

2 Bedroom Apartment Double Glazed, Central Heated

Secure ParkingOffered With No Chain

£118,950

Springbourne Road, L17

3 Bedroom Terrace Investment opportunity

No ChainViewings Recommended

£119,950

Homelets Template:Layout 1 4/20/09 9:04 AM Page 1

TENANTS!We have a range of properties to let from Studio Flats

and Apartments to Semi Detached Houses and Mansions. Contact our experienced lettings team who will gladly

help you find your dream home. Contact either:

Michelle Grey (Snr Lettings Negotiator) on 01925 577 555

Mike Savage (Lettings Negotiator) on 01925 577 555

Warrington 77 Sankey Street, Warrington Tel: 01925 577 555

Ampleforth House, WA1 Ampleforth House, WA1 Skylark Rise, WA9 Ampleforth House, WA1

Ampleforth House, WA1 Butts Green, WA5 Chapel Lane, WA8 Chapel Lane, WA8

Knightsbridge Court, WA1 Hudson Close, WA5 Campbell Crescent, WA5 Falconers Green, WA5

£750 pcm£595 pcm£595 pcm£575 pcm

£550 pcm£550 pcm£550 pcm£500 pcm

£500 pcm£500 pcm£500 pcm£500 pcm

4 Bedroom DetachedUnfurnished

Double Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen, Rear Garden

2 Bedroom BungalowUF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCHFront & Rear Gardens

3 Bedroom BungalowUF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCHFront & Rear Gardens

1 Bedroom ApartmentFF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCH

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

2 Bedroom ApartmentUnfurnished

Double Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen

2 Bedroom ApartmentUnfurnished

Double Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen

1 Bedroom Penthouse ApartmentFF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCH

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

3 Bedroom Semi DetachedUF with White GoodsDouble Glazing, GCHFF Kitchen, Garden

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

2 Bedroom ApartmentFF & EquippedDouble Glazing

FF Kitchen, Allocated Parking

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

Let subject

to references

LANDLORDS NEEDED!We have a range of services available from

Full Management to Let Only.

We will not be beaten on our fees!

For a Free Lettings appraisal on your property con-tact Antoni Dmochowski (Branch Manager) on

01925 577 555

Page 24: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

24 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Focus on... First ImpressionsYou wouldn’t go to a job interview in jeans and a t-shirt so why would you try and sell your house without making it look its absolute best? You never get a second chance to make a � rst impression and that has never been truer than when selling your home. You have one chance to draw the buyers in and, if they don’t like what they see, they will simply go elsewhere.

There are very few buyers who will go back to a property that they have already dismissed. It is therefore absolutely crucial to get all aspects of the initial impression

right. First impressions count.

The � rst time that buyers will see your home is through photos in the estate agents details, or on the web. If the photos don’t show a home that they can see themselves living in, buyers will go no further and move on to the next home that has more ap-peal. These photos must be able to draw the buyer in to want to see more – and remember that they are judging it against the stylish homes in magazines and on TV – people always want to move to a home that they aspire to liv-

ing in. If you can get the pictures right, they will want to see it in reality, and you are one step closer to your sale.

The next stage for the buyer may be to drive past your home, just to see exactly where it’s located and for the general look of the place and the neighbourhood. If your property looks in poor repair from the outside, they will assume that it will be the same on the inside. This is why one of the key areas to tackle when pre-senting your home for sale is the frontage.

Chrissy Halton launched Innerspace Interior Design in January 2005. She is a quali� ed Interior Designer and has trained in Home Staging with

Channel 5’s House Doctor, Ann Maurice. Chrissy is also a Senior Consultant member of the UK Home Staging Network and a Member of the

Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers (UK), enabling her to provide a variety of styling and home organisation services for her clients.

This month, we look at how to achieve that all-important initial appeal when selling your home.

HOME

S O S

Page 25: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

HOME

Movin’... property

2525May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Once the buyer is ready, they will look to view the property, and when they do, the key is to not disappoint.

Keeping your home look-ing as good as it did in the pictures all the time is one of the hardest parts of the presentation process – liv-ing in a staged home is not the same as living in a lived-in home, but if you can keep on top of the cleaning and tidying it will pay dividends for you.

What happens if you get a phone call to say prospec-tive buyers are coming in half an hour? Always try to be only 30 minutes away from being ready for a viewing, as this can take a lot of the stress away, and

if your property has been presented successfully, you hopefully won’t have to live like that for long.

If you’ve not yet put your property on the market, it’s worth staging it prior to valuations. Remember – you’re not only trying to gain a buyer’s o� er, but you also need to ensure that the estate agent sees your home looking its best; it will get the agent more enthusi-astic about your property if they can see it looks good and will attract buyers.

If your property is on the market but still not selling, it may be worth consider-ing staging and then bring-ing your agent in to retake marketing photos.

If you would like to � nd out more about home staging and making the right � rst impression, contact Chrissy Halton by visiting her website at www.innerspaceinteriordesign.co.uk

TIPS ANDT R I C K S

Ensure the property number can be seen from the road.

Clean windows inside and out – wash down all paintwork.

If it’s a painted house, ensure the paintwork looks new.

Ensure windowsills are free from clutter inside and out.

Make sure the window dress-ings inside the house are uniform and properly hung.

Hide away or screen off large bins and any other distrac-tions (childrens toys, etc.)

Cut back overgrown shrubs and anything lifeless.

Cut the lawn, weed the flowerbeds.

Make the entrance wel-coming with hanging bas-kets and a welcome mat.

Ensure that if you have the space, there is off-road parking on show.

Page 26: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

26 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

To protect both yours and your tenant’s interests, ten-ancy agreements or con-tracts are drawn up to list the tenant’s and landlord’s obligations, and to docu-ment what should happen in certain circumstances. Choosing the right one is important to make sure you have the correct one for your location, i.e. for England and Wales.

Should I rent out my home ?

There are di� erent types of ten-ancy agreements that you can use to ensure that your tenant is bound to a certain set of con-ditions from the start of living in your house. The most com-mon are shorthold and assured shorthold tenancies.

The di� erence is, if you let your property on a shorthold tenan-cy, you can regain possession of your property six months after the beginning of the tenancy,provided that you give two months notice that you require possession.

If you want to get your property back at the end of the tenancy,you need to serve particular notices on the tenant, as they have the right to remain in the property unless you can prove to the court that you have grounds for possession.You do not have an automatic right to repossess the prop-erty when the tenancy comes to an end, and it is most likely that it will continue on what is called a ‘periodic’ tenancy, i.e. a rolling, month by month con-tract, unless you speci� cally request possession. If you use a letting agent, they’ll have standard contracts into which they’ll sign the ten-ant. These agreements will be time-served contracts that will have been constantly updated, closing up any loopholes that tenants might use to get out of tenancy agreements.

Part Two:Legal obligations

and getting

your property

back

Types of Tenancy Agreement

End of tenancy

“Tenancy Agreements are drawn up to protect both the

landlord and tenant”

Page 27: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Serving

notices

Movin’... property

2727May–June 2009 | Issue 2

If you want your tenant to vacate the premises within the agreed term of the tenancy, you must apply to the court for their eviction only after pro-viding a series of notices. The most common is a Notice Seeking Posses-sion, which is served under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 and is usu-ally a result of the tenant’s non-payment of rent. This is used when there is still time remaining on the contract. If the tenancy term has expired and you just want to regain possession of the property, you must serve what’s called a Section 21 notice so the tenant must leave no later than the agreed length of the tenancy.

There is a quicker method for landlords to gain possession of their prop-erty, called the Accelerated Possession Procedure, which may help you get possession of your property without the need for a court hearing. Her Maj-esty’s Court Service (HMCS) says, “You can use this procedure if the tenan-cy is an Assured Shorthold tenancy. If you use the procedure, you can only claim possession and your costs of making the application. You cannot, for example, include a claim for rent arrears.”

The court will normally make its decision by looking at the documents (‘written evidence’) which you and your tenant provide. Because your ap-plication will be dealt with in this way, you must give the court all the writ-ten evidence it needs to make its decision at the outset.Because of the complexities of di� erent grounds for eviction and the strict ways in which you must serve notices, we recommend that you employ the services of a competent lettings agent who will be able to give you advice. If the need ever arises, some letting agents may even serve the notices on your behalf, taking most of the stress away.

Visit www.movinmagazine.com for info and tips on renting out your home

Next

steps

Accelerated

Possession

Procedure

Page 28: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

28 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

A view from the inside...Got a question regarding your property?

Have your question answered by an industry expert,email your questions to [email protected]

The Solicitor The Mortgage Advisor

These questions were answered by Tim Jordan of Forshaws

Davies Ridgway solicitors. For further advice, call Tim on

01925 230 000

I’ve just put my property on the market but when the Home Information Pack (HIP) was instructed, they discov-ered that the property is un-registered. What do I do?HIP regulations require that, if the property is unregistered, what is known as an ‘abstract of title’ must be included within the HIP as an extra compulsory document. This is essentially a history of the legal title going back at least 15 years. You would almost certainly need to consult a solicitor to compile this.

We’re thinking of buying our next property at auction but haven’t done it before. How should we go about it?The crucial thing to bear in mind is that as soon as the auctioneer’s hammer goes down on a successful bid, con-tracts are exchanged. You are legally committed to buy the property (usually within 28 days) and have to immediately pay a 10% deposit. It is therefore essential that you have a survey and valuation prior to attending the auction and bidding, that you have your � nance in place, and that you have had a solicitor view the legal documentation before-hand. I have seen many examples of people being carried away and making a successful bid and then losing their de-posit because they couldn’t proceed. You also risk a claim for damages from the vendor if he subsequently sells at a loss. I would also advise that you don’t bid without taking someone with you who knows the ropes. The auctioneer is allowed to build up the price by taking fake bids (known as ‘o� the wall bids’) up to any reserve price set by the vendor which isn’t revealed to bidders, so you can get the impres-sion there is lots of interest when in fact there is none.

I’ve just put my property on the market but when the Home Information Pack (HIP) was instructed, they discov-ered that the property is un-

HIP regulations require that, if the property is unregistered, what is known as an ‘abstract of title’ must be included

Are mortgages now available for fi rst-time buyers?Contrary to popular belief, mortgages are still available for � rst-time buyers, albeit at a signi� cantly reduced number. First-time buyers are still able to obtain mortgages, howev-er, in order to obtain a competitive interest rate, they would need to provide a 25% deposit.

How have interest rate reductions aff ected availability?The interest rate reductions have not immediately a� ected the availability of mortgages. Certain people have bene� ted from these reductions, however some borrowers, for exam-ple on � xed rates, will not have.

What can I do to help myself get a mortgage?Credit ratings should be constantly reviewed as standard whether you are applying for credit at the time or not. This is the basis of any credit provider’s decision whether to lend you the money you require. Your credit report can be ob-tained for a statutory fee of £2, however some websites like www.creditexpert.co.uk will o� er you a free 30 day trial so you can get a copy of your credit report. There are lots of ways to improve your credit score, such as getting on the electoral role, getting your credit � le in good shape, and making sure you pay your bills on time.

My fi xed rate term has come to an end and I need to remortgage. What should I do?Each person’s situation is di� erent so a generic answer is di� cult. The problem with house prices falling is that peo-ple may struggle to secure a new mortgage, and if you have the option to secure a new rate it may be prudent to look at securing it now as mortgage o� ers can be held for 3–6 months depending on the lender. Securing a new rate but not initially drawing down the funds might be a good alternative for people looking at remortgaging. A � nancial advisor would be able to compare your existing lender’s deals with the rest of the market for you, and help you make an informed decision as to whether switching lenders would be the best scenario for you.

These questions were answered by Nicholas Johnson of amortgage.co.ukFor further advice, call Nicholas on 01925 454 306

Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

For mortgages amortgage.co.uk can be paid a fee, usu-ally £595 or by commission.

Page 29: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... property

2929May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Every issue we look at what’s happening in the economic world and ask the really impor-tant question: What does it all mean for me?This month we look at what’s happening at the opposite end of the infl ation scale: Defl ation.

Last month, we looked at in� ation and how it ultimately reduces the real value of our money. In the news at the moment though, the word at the opposite end of this scale, dela� ation, seems to be re-occurring more and more often.

So, what is de� ation? In basic terms, de� ation describes the con-tinual decrease in price that we’re seeing at the moment of those goods and services that we all use every day. And why does this de-crease in price happen? Well it all leads back to the banks and lend-ers: When they stop lending to the public due to a lack of credit, we as consumers start to become sav-vier with the little money that we do have. In turn, this means that we hold o� on buying those items that we ordinarily would have done, hoping and expecting that prices will continue to fall.

So why is de� ation such a prob-lem for our economy? The prob-lem arises because of the waiting game that we’re all being tempted into playing at these times. When

we hold o� from spending, the demand for products starts to de-cline, meaning that manufacturers have to make the decision to start producing less. This is the stage though where unemployment looms; if we’re producing less as an economy then we simply won’t need as many workers.

Although the UK su� ered from de-� ation at around the same time, it’s America’s Great Depression that’s noted in our economic history as the foremost period of de� ation. From 1930 to 1933, due to the de-pression, Americans were � nding it harder than usual to secure loans, but of course, people still needed money so bank-users started to withdraw their life savings. But for the banks, this had a devastating e� ect: they were left with serious-ly diminished cash reserves that would usually have been set aside for the very point of the banks’ business: lending money to the public. People approached banks in the hope of borrowing money, only to � nd that the banks had too little money themselves and simply couldn’t help them. Money wasn’t being spent because it just wasn’t there to spend, leading to the worst recession in US his-tory, as unemployment skyrock-eted and companies went bust with no demand for their goods or services.

The lesson we’ve learned from America’s history is that, to � x de� ation, the public simply need money to spend in the shops now, rather than being forced to hold o� with the hope of falling prices. Obviously, the government can’t simply hand out cash to anyone

who asks, so this means that the banks have to start lending money to the consumers again. As we’ve seen of late, banks and lenders are the most important resources for fending o� de� ation, hence why the Government recently in-vested a number of huge cash in-jections into the banks. With more cash to spend in this way, we will start to see a higher demand for goods and services once again as the public’s purse strings begin to loosen, and this will mean that unemployment rates will fall as workers are required to ful� l the demand in the economy.

As part of their deal for receiving the loans, the banks must pass on the money that thye’ve been granted to us, the consumers. But as ever, it’s still up to us to keep looking for these loans and to re-member that in doing so, we all play a rôle in ensuring our econo-my regains its globally recognised power and stability.

“In basic terms, de� ation describes the continual

decrease in price that we’re seeing at the moment of those goods and services that we all use every day“

Defl ati on

Page 30: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

30 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Your name:

Sue Moore Your business name:

Party Crew TM

Where do you work from?

Originally, I worked from my home in Stockton Heath, which was great for a small business as it helped to keep the set-up costs to a minimum. I knew we had outgrown my dining room the day we tried to hold a team meeting for ten people in there! We relocated to o� ces in South Warrington and we moved again last November to the Warrington Busi-ness School facility based within War-rington Collegiate; this has proved to be a great move on many levels. Where did it all begin?

It all started many years ago when I knew eventually I would run my own business but just didn’t know what it would be. Ultimately, when the time was right I sat down with the whole family, and my children actually had a huge input when

it came to developing a children’s party business. We identi� ed a gap in the market for a national brand in children’s enter-tainment that was both mobile and � exible.

Party Crew was launched in 2005 when the industry was mainly male-domi-nated, most entertainers were locally based, the quality of the entertain-ment varied hugely and parents were looking for something other than soft play areas or bowling par-ties – our traditional party entertainment packages with a twist were met with great enthusiasm.

As a business committed to strong customer serv-ice, we really felt that we could o� er unique pack-ages and deliver them with competitive prices. Equally, my background in franchising and business management enabled me to o� er up the business as a franchise to other people who wanted to run their own children’s entertain-ment business.

The testimonials we re-ceive from our customers are proof that our party packages deliver fun for the kids and keep it stress-free for parents, which is exactly what we aimed to achieve!

www.partycrew.co.uk

Movin’...peopleInspiring individuals from our town

Page 31: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

3131May–June 2009 | Issue 2

What’s it all about?

Party Crew delivers traditional children’s party entertainment across a wide range of themes. Our female party hosts, who are uniformed, CRB-checked, fully trained and very enthusiastic, can entertain children at small parties in their own homes or any venue their parents hire. Themes include Princess, Pirate, Mini-Makeovers, High School Musical, Teddy Bear Making, Craft Parties, Superhero Parties, Fun and Games, Magic Shows and tailor-made packages for private and commercial customers.

Ultimately, our aim is to deliv-er traditional children’s parties where parents can relax and can be 100% con� dent that we will ar-rive on time and deliver the party we promised.

More recently, we have also launched our online shop where parents can purchase fabulous fancy dress costumes for children, together with some really creative craft kits and party gifts. We bring these products to customers at very competitive prices.

What was the hardest aspect of starting your new business?

Like most start-ups, there were times when we were running out of cash that was badly needed to continue the investment and to build the brand. Franchising your business is a very expensive route to expansion in the initial stages. Also, the late nights can be hard: because you’re so enthusiastic about developing your busi-ness, the hours simply roll by and before you know it, a new day is dawning and you’re still on the computer!

Where do you take your inspiration from?

Many people inspire me: my fam-ily, my friends, my three fantastic children, Richard Branson, and some of the fabulous entertainers I meet who really are committed to making children smile. My own children inspire me to continue to work hard, as they are very proud of our achievements and very involved in my business. Receiving the Business Person of The Year award in Warrington was a great experience and a proud moment that I shared with my two sisters after many years of hard work.

Any advice for new starters?

You have to be truly committed to building a business: don’t even consider doing it unless you are prepared to put in a huge amount of time and e� ort; don’t expect pro� ts in the early stages of the business; make sure you have a Business Plan and that you really do have a market for your prod-uct or services. Most of all, make sure you have enough cash; cash� ow is vital for any business. Building a busi-ness is like building a house: it can take a lot more time and a lot more money than you originally thought. What are your ambitions for the future?

Expansion throughout 2009; Party Crew will launch in at least four more areas and we’ll expand the great range of party products on our website. Where can we fi nd out more? Visit www.partycrew.co.uk to enquire about party packages or to purchase party goods and fancy dress, or call the o� ce on0845 838 1314.

Page 32: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

32 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Poppy print, packable microfi bre rain mac,

Lands’ End, £90

Double breasted rain mac, Jane Norman, £55 Belted mac, Next, £65

SPRINGshowers

Splash out on some spring essen-tials this season, helping you to stay stylish – whatever the weather!

Page 33: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Bossy heeled welly, Offi ce, £25

Fashion targets clear

spot umbrella, Marks &

Spencer, £12

Joy Valentines’ spottyumbrella, Joy, £15

Tickled pink umbrella, Asda, £5

Garden fl oral wellington boots, Bhs, £20

Grey wellington boots, Evans, £20

Movin’... lifestyle

3333May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Page 34: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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Page 35: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

3535May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Cardigans are the latest fashion resurrection and

unsurprisingly so with their adaptable and

fl exible look. As the summer months

fast approach, make a cardigan your essential

item by teaming it with a plain white tee.

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Page 36: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

36 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

GADGETS GALORE

Spider Catcher, Prezzybox.com, £9.95

Remote Control Tarantula,

Prezzybox.com, £19.95

Spider Catcher, Prezzybox.com, £9.95

Pink Zapper Remote Control,One-For-All, £9.99

Xsight Colour Remote Control,

One-For-All, £99.99

Page 37: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Xsight Colour Remote Control,

One-For-All, £99.99

Movin’... lifestyle

3737May–June 2009 | Issue 2

SoWine Bar from Eurocave,Around Wine,

£300

USB Beverage Cooler, Drinkstu� , £24.99

Parking Sensor, JML, £29.99

Tribod, JML,£9.99

USB Mix Tape by Suck UK,

Prezzybox.com, £19.95

Condiment Gun, Drinkstu� , £14.99

Page 38: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

38 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

HOMEstyleRugs offer an easy and affordable way to lighten up any space. Use them to define separate living spaces, protect those more heavy footfall areas in your home or just to add a bit of warmth and atmosphere to an otherwise muted room.

‘Peking’ Rug, Littlewoods Direct, £45

‘In� uence’ Rug, Matalan, £60

‘Pivoine Prune’ Rug, House Couturier, £250

‘Bloomah’ Rug,Loomah, Made to order

Page 39: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

3939May–June 2009 | Issue 2

‘Lace Contemporary’ Rug, Style International, from £189

Teal ‘Vintage Damask’ Rug, Next, £80

‘Living Room’ Rug, Dunelm Mill, £109.99

‘Stella’ Rug, Bodie and Fou, £345

Page 40: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

40 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Movin’ on the web...This issue, we look at The Top 10 Most Useful websites out there to help you plan and enjoy your life more easily.

Google is not just the most powerful search engine on the web, they also o� er more than 50 free tools that you can use to change the way you use the internet. With Google’s own email system, image search engine, docu-ment creator and fantastic global mapping system, there really isn’t much more that Google can o� er!

This is the simplest and most useful bookmarking system on the web. You can put all your favourite websites in one place, and then make this list into your homepage. You’ll never have to type the website address again! What’s more, the bookmarks can be ac-cessed from anywhere so they don’t just live on your personal computer.

www.only2clicks.com

www.google.co.uk

Don’t trust your design instincts? This is a great way of seeing what your redecoration plans will look like when complete with an easy-to-use but powerful de-sign tool. Don’t take a chance – design your room in advance to avoid expensive mistakes!

www.designmyroom.com

The Metae� cient website is a sort of ‘green’ version of the Which? guides. They re-view products not only for their energy e� ciency, but also their embodied energy, toxicity, a� ordability and usability. So if you’ve found the right price for your next purchase and want to make sure it ticks the eco-friendly boxes too, search this web-site for their review.

www.metaeffi cient.com

www.pando.com

Pando is a great way of sharing photos, sending large docu-ments, and sending videos that are too big to be sent via email. It’s really easy to use and even helps you download the � les in the � rst place. It’s great for using at work too – you can make your-self more productive and even impress your boss!

Page 41: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

4141May–June 2009 | Issue 2

www.upmystreet.com

www.liveplasma.com

www.giftgen.co.uk

GiftGen(erator) is a good way of coming up with a gift idea if you’re a bit stuck. You answer the short questions on the intended recipient, and the powerful generator will list suggestions, picking products and services from shops and retailers that are available right now and on the web. Never give an unwanted pair of socks again!

Do you want more of a good thing? If you know what you like, then vis-it Live Plasma. By inputting what sort of music or movies you like, this amazing little engine will come up with suggestions of music and movies that match your taste.

UpMyStreet is a great way of making the most of your local area, and even making the most of holiday destinations in a short time. You can � nd information to help with your next house move, � nd the best utility suppliers when you’ve moved, and then � nd a nice place to eat out when you’re in!

www.backpackit.com

Intranets remain popu-lar with businesses, as their own small version of the Internet. BackPack allow you to create your very own Intranet, and share all your informa-tion such as To-do lists, announcements, ideas and � les with your fam-ily, friends, workmates and/or employees.

GetNetWise is a public service to help ensure that Internet users have safe, constructive, and educational or entertain-ing online experiences. The GetNetWise coali-tion wants Internet users to be just ‘one click away’ from the resources they need to make informed decisions about their, as well as their family’s use of the Internet.

www.getnetwise.org

Page 42: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

42 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

STEP TWOList your item,

and pass onyour unwanted items

to someone who really wants it

STEP ONEVisit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/

WarringtonFreecycle and sign up as

a member

STEP THREESit back and

await collection ofyour unwanted item.

Job done!

We’re all trying to do our bit for the planet and each other these days: Here’s one way you can do both.

Freecycle is about passing on to others those items that you no longer want or need, but unlike Ebay, no payment is in-volved. O� ers are made online, are requested online, and then you arrange who’s going to be the lucky one to receive your goods.

It’s not a modern swap shop, neither is it there just as a way

of saving you a trip to the tip. It’s simply a way of giving some-thing to someone who can use it when you can’t anymore. It’s about rebuilding more sharing communities across Britain.

It’s amazing how many people there are who can use what you no longer need. One of the re-cent local listings of mostly fairly obscure items elicited nearly thirty replies – and mostly for the more unusual things – all within six hours or so. And the users are friendly people, grateful for the chance to take something

they’ve been trying to � nd.

If you need to make some money on your unwanted goods, use Ebay; if you’re after giving unwanted items a home instead of chucking them out, this is the answer.

The groups are all local, so passing things on generally means handing them over at the door (or whatever secure way you are comfortable with – there are lots of helpful bits of advice and hints on the contact page).

Don’t just recycle, Freecycle!

Find out more about Freecycle by visiting: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WarringtonFreecycle

How do I use Freecycle?

Page 43: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

4343May–June 2009 | Issue 2

A third of all the food we buy ends up being thrown away. Some of it is peelings and bones but most was once per-fectly good food that could have been eaten. Each month the average family throws away around £50 of food, over a year this amounts to about £600 spent on food that ends up in the bin. Wasted food is more than just a waste of money; it also has a major impact on climate change. Most of it ends up in land� ll where it rots and produces the greenhouse gas, methane. It also wastes energy, water and resources used in production, transportation and storage.

1. Check the ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates

Food can be eaten up to a ‘use by’ date or in many cases can be frozen. The ‘best before’ date is about quality, so food can still be eaten after the date but may not be at its best.

2. Stock up your store cupboard

Keep a supply of tinned and frozen foods that you like (i.e. tinned beans, frozen veg, pasta, rice, etc.) They have a longer shelf-life and can help you turn your leftovers into a delicious meal.

3. Check your portion sizes

Large amounts of pasta, rice and potatoes end up going in the bin because too much is cooked at meal times. Use the portion calcu-lator at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com to remove the guesswork. For example, a full mug of rice will serve four adults. Also, in the UK we waste 7 million slices of bread a day. Keep a ready sliced loaf in the freezer and just defrost or toast what you need.

4. Plan ahead!

Planning your meals in advance is the most e� ective way to cut waste and save money. Check your fridge, freezer and store cupboard and write a shopping list so you don’t buy things you already have.

5. Be creative with your leftovers

Think before you throw and see if you can make a delicious meal with your leftovers. The Love Food Hate Waste website has lots of recipes and advice to help you make the most of your leftovers:www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Warrington Borough Council has developed a newsletter called the

Warrington Recycler for people interested in their local environment and

for those who would like more information and regular updates on waste

minimisation, recycling and composting activities in Warrington.

To sign up to this new e-newsletter, send an email to:

[email protected]

You can see previous copies by visiting www.recycleforwarrington.co.uk

FREE FOR WARRINGTON

RESIDENTS ONLY!

Claim your free book from Warrington

Borough Council with over 150 leftover food

recipes for you to try.

Just send an email requesting a copy with

your postal address to: nsdwasteteam@

warrington.gov.uk

Warrington Borough Council are backing the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign, to try and reduce our country’s food wastage levels – which should save us some money too!

Top tips for reducing your food waste...

Page 44: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

44 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

5 simple ways toimprove your

Those New Year’s resolutions might seem like a distant memory, but the spring is here and many people are starting to look ahead to the warmer months with thoughts of squeezing into those bikinis or trunks. Now’s the time to re-examine your diet with a view to getting � t for the summer.

Not a week goes by without hearing about the latest celeb-rity diet or quick-� x slimming product, but the truth is that if you would like to live a health-ier life, then there are some simple changes out there that can really make all the di� erence.

ence mid-afternoon. This means that you don’t feel as full for long and can � nd yourself snacking to top up your blood sugar levels. Combined with the often higher calorie content of simple carbs, this can have a signi� cant impact on the amount of calories you con-sume in a day. The solution is sim-ple: replace these white carbs with complex carbohydrates such as wholemeal and wholegrain pasta and bread, brown rice, fresh veg-etables and legumes, and pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and kid-ney beans (which will also contrib-ute to that all important 5-a-day fruit and vegetable intake).

If you want to make a positive change to your body and health then these � ve simple tips should help you to take a huge leap in the right direction!

White carbohydrates, such as sugar, white pasta, white bread and white rice, are known as simple carbohy-drates. By eating these white carbs we’re actually causing an insulin spike in our blood streams, giving us a sudden boost of energy followed by a lull, like many people experi-

CUT DOWN ON ‘WHITE’ CARBOHYDRATES1

BONUS TIP: Introduce the cheat dayLife’s too short not to enjoy it, so once a week allow yourself a cheat day to reward yourself for eating well by eating whatever you want. A cheat day takes a tremendous amount of self-control to make sure that, for the rest of the week, you continue to eat healthily (following our � ve tips for a starter) and not allowing your cheat day to turn into a cheat weekend and beyond!

Page 45: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

improve your

Movin’... lifestyle

4545May–June 2009 | Issue 2

A great way to stimulate your me-tabolism and to use up the food you’re eating is to eat a small amount of food often rather than take the 3-square-meals a day view at mealtimes. This means eating something every 2–3 hours so that your metabolism is constantly kicking into action.

This means that instead of leav-ing large gaps between your meals where you’re more likely to reach for fatty snack foods, you can instead get a steady supply of energy throughout the day. It might seem like a lot, but aim to have 6–7 small meals a day, and don’t skip breakfast as this is the best way to kick-start your metab-olism for the entire day. Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast have a healthier body weight than those who skip it.

EAT A LITTLE OFTEN, RATHER THAN A LOT SOMETIMES2

When looking to lose weight, many people head for the low-fat products on the shelves of their local supermarket. But we’d rec-ommend always checking the la-bel � rst, as these low-fat options often actually contain more calo-ries than the fattier options.

What’s easy to forget is that fats are actually an excellent ener-gy source and are required for healthy body functioning. Certain fats, known as essential fatty acids (EFAs), actually promote weight loss and you can � nd them in sim-ple things like nuts, avocados and olive oil.

The fats to watch out for are satu-rated and trans fats, but by cut-ting out on fat altogether you could actually be missing out on a key component of a healthy, bal-anced diet.

AVOID THE LOW-FAT TRAP3

REDUCE YOURALCOHOL INTAKE4

Alcohol can make your body store fat around your midri� . Apart from the savings you can make by cut-ting back on the booze, your body will thank you: technically, alcohol is actually nothing more than a poi-son so should be enjoyed sensibly.

PLAN YOUR MEALS5

A great tip that’s often overlooked in diet programmes is emphasis-ing the importance of planning your meals. If you’re serious about healthy eating, planning meals means that you’re in full control of your food intake for the day and won’t be as likely to � nd yourself with nothing in the fridge and in-stead reaching for the takeaway menu. Planning your meals and shopping accordingly will also make it easier for you to stick to a food budget with fewer stressful and time consuming trips to the shops.

BONUS TIP: Introduce the cheat dayLife’s too short not to enjoy it, so once a week allow yourself a cheat day to reward yourself for eating well by eating whatever you want. A cheat day takes a tremendous amount of self-control to make sure that, for the rest of the week, you continue to eat healthily (following our � ve tips for a starter) and not allowing your cheat day to turn into a cheat weekend and beyond!

Page 46: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009
Page 47: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Movin’... lifestyle

4747May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Head out of the ‘Euro-zone’ and into the African bush and beach this summer

You might not generally consider Kenya a beach destination, but after the adventure of the bush, a few days of letting the sand tickle your toes is the perfect way to round o� a safari holiday. It’s good to know that once you’re away, expenditure is likely to be minimal since most safaris are full-board and all-inclusive resort options for the beach are plentiful. Plus, op-tional excursions such as a Masai bal-loon ride can be pre-booked and paid for before you travel, meaning that you can stay on top of your expenses. When doing safari, passengers nor-mally � y into Nairobi: It’s usually best to rest after the � ight, so where pos-sible, spending a night in Nairobi is recommended. The 5-star Nairobi Ser-ena Hotel is a great option for anyone who likes the good life, being a Lead-ing Hotel of The World.

Some of the most popular game re-serves to visit include Amboseli, with its imposing backdrop of Mount Kili-manjaro, Samburu, an open savannah traversed by the Ewaso Nyiro River, and of course the Masai Mara – where you have the opportunity to meet the Masai people and see the ‘big � ve’: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buf-falo.

If visiting around September time, you might also get to witness the incredible spectacle of the annual wildebeest migration across the Ma-sai Mara. The Rift Valley Lakes are a favourite too, where you’ll � nd Lake Nakuru National Park, sanctuary to one of the largest populations of rhi-nos in Kenya, as well as Lake Naivasha and Lake Elementeita.

For holidaymakers with preferences for certain reserves or who don’t want to travel in a group, tailor-made holi-

With ‘Euro-Zone’ destinations becoming increasingly expensive to travel to, Andrea Wren, travel expert and owner of internet-based luxury travel consultancy, Wren Elite Travel, tells us why the African bush – followed by time out on the beach – is a great value holiday this year.

days can easily be put together, ac-cording to requirements.

Kenya caters for all accommodation tastes, from luxury tented camps such as Bateleur Camp at Kichwa Tembo (Masai Mara), to the Sopa Lodges, such as the classically African-themed Amboseli Sopa Lodge with its lovely pool, and to exclusive wilderness like the Porini Lion Camp in the Masai Mara, with only six tents.

In Kenya, the African bush can be exchanged for the natural beauty of the beaches, with a short � ight away to Mombasa (booking with a quality tour operator will ensure your trans-fers and � ights are included, so with no added stress).

The Mombasa area on Kenya’s east coast boasts endless white beaches, coral reefs, a variety of water sports, and an ancient and exotic culture. Nyali Beach in north Mombasa, is one of the nearest beach hotels to town, where you’ll � nd the Nyali Beach ho-tel, one of the most famous in Mom-basa, o� ering traditional hospitality and good standards of service.

Malindi, to the north of Mombasa, also o� ers excellent beaches, superb coral reefs and is an area popular for deep-sea � shing. Diani is a lively re-sort for people who like nightlife, plus there are wonderful bird watching opportunities at the Tiwi River, locat-ed near the Indian Ocean Beach Club (a popular 4-star hotel).

For those who prefer the peace and quiet, Lamu is the ideal Kenyan beach-getaway. It’s an idyllic, tropi-cal island o� the north coast of Kenya with lush beaches and tiny villages that hide among coconut and mango plantations. On Lamu, you will � nd

two wonderful retreats, Kipungani and Manda Island, accessed by a � ight from Nairobi and a boat transfer.

So, while the Euro is strong and Eu-ropean destinations are more expen-sive, if there was ever a time to seek the wonders of the African experi-ence, it’s now. Once you step foot on African soil, you’ll be destined to re-turn.

The incredible paradise of Zanzibar, lies only 25 miles o� the coast of East Africa. It’s easy to reach on a domestic � ight from Nairobi, and here you can truly relax in pristine and idyllic sur-roundings. If you’re a keen diver, then you’ll love exploring Zanzibar, as it’s of one of the world’s premier diving locations.

Zanzibar isn’t just beach and diving though: How about touring the spice plantations, seeing the monkeys at Jozani forest, meeting the giant tor-toises at Prison Island, and discover-ing the port city of Stone Town? Like Kenya, Zanzibar o� ers lush accommo-dation such as the 5-star all-inclusive Planhotel Gemma Dell’Est.

Zanzibar

Have the perfect Kenya safari & beach holiday tailor-made for you by Wren Elite Travel, starting from just £1,739 per person for 14 nights full-board at two 5-star, luxury resorts including safari. Contact Wren Elite Travel by email to [email protected], or call 0845 475 0342.

Page 48: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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Movin’... lifestyle

4949May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Tell Me Something by Adele Parks

A story that every girl can relate to, especially where evil mother-in-laws are concerned. Elizabeth has a hand-some Italian husband, but numerous attempts at conceiving the babies that Elizabeth so desperately wants has pushed him into the arms of his ex, leaving Elizabeth to fend for herself. Following a move to Italy, Elizabeth � nds that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and the language barrier is proving di� cult. In a search to give her life some mean-ing and escape from her disapproving mother-in-law, Elizabeth enlists the help of a handsome American language teacher. He becomes a close friend but Elizabeth secretly wants more. Torn between making her marriage work against all odds and falling into the arms of her American friend, Elizabeth is forced to search her heart. A wonder-ful happy ending though: romance is indeed not dead!

The Other Hand by Chris Cleave

We think this is the best book we’ve read this year, maybe even longer. The summary in the book doesn’t really tell you anything, but we were intrigued enough to give it a try, and we’re so glad we did!This is an amazingly well written book that made us laugh, made us cry, and kept us up all night. This is a book that will instantly grip you, and doesn’t let go. The Other Hand will change the way you view other people, and may even change the way you see yourself; we have a feeling that this book will haunt us for a long time. We don’t want to give anything away regarding the plot, and there’s no way we could do it justice here anyway, but su� ce to say that this book is funny, moving, uplifting, horrifying and poignant. The horror is in the fact that this story is so utterly believable and will stay with you long after you turn the last page. We really do urge you to read this book, as it’s something special. Our only word of warning would be don’t start this book when you have an early start the next morning as you’ll no doubt be up all night reading and thinking about this book. Absolutely superb.

C a l e n d a rSaturday 9 May, 11–3pmAuthor, Stephen Gerard-Hayden, will be instore signing copies of his book Cobblestone Kids

Monday 11 May, 6pm 14yrs+ Book Group Discussing Numbers by Rachel Ward

Wednesday 13 & 27 May, 6.30pm Clairvoyant Evening with medium, Jeanette Ogden

Monday 18 May, 6pm 11–14yrs Book Group

Thursday 28 May, 7pm Fiction Book Group

W I N A £ 1 5 B O R D E R S G I F T C A R D !All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning it is to answer the following question: What is the title of Chris Cleaves’ � rst novel?Visit www.movinmagazine.com and � ll out the form, along with your answer.Closing date is 8 June 2009, when the winner will be drawn at random from the entries received.Good luck!

Page 50: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

50 May–June 2009 | Issue 2

Welcome to my fi rst page in this great new FREE magazine pub-lished for Warrington people! Each issue, my plan is to make you smile and let you know what’s going on locally – pretty much what I do on the radio!

On 3 March 2009, baby Bobby was born blind due to an incredibly rare cornea abnormality known as Peter’s Anomaly. His only chance of sight was by having operations to implant arti� cial corneas, which could only be done by one doctor in New York. The operations cost £50,000, and if baby Bobby was to have a chance of sight, the money needed to be raised within two weeks! On 1 April, Wire FM & The Shannon Bradshaw Trust (of which I’m a Patron) launched the Baby Bobby Brown Appeal.

The Warrington community pulled together and gave so generously, raising a whopping £52,500 in one week, and a huge £80,000 after two! You can follow Baby Bobby’s recovery online on my website, www.petepinnington.co.uk, and by listening to 107.2 Wire FM.

WELL DONE WARRINGTON!

On Sunday 17 May, I’ll be running this year’s Manchester 10K with Team WDP. All monies raised will be for the Warrington Disability Partnership. Find out more at www.justgiving.com/teamwdp

On Bank Holiday Sunday 24 May, J-U-M-P will be holding a Family Fun Day at Monks Sports & Social Club, Hillock Lane, Woolston between 1 and 5pm. I’ll be there, along with fellow Patrons, Carly Stenson & Ricky Whittle (Steph Dean & Calvin Valen-tine from Hollyoaks). There’ll be a GIANT Wii, Jenga, Connect 4, penalty shootout, balloon race, bouncy castle, face painting, disco and bbq! The Warrington Horse Show, on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May, is a family fun-� lled day out, celebrating all things eques-trian at Hall Lane Farm, Daresbury. The show o� ers a huge variety of attractions, from spectacular national and interna-tional show jumping competitions to ex-tensive showing displays. It’s not all about the horses though – you can bring your dog along and hope he’ll win any one of the dog show categories. The Strong Man competition is always a hit with the ladies PLUS, for the children, there are donkey rides and funfair rides!

On Saturday 27 June, The Annual War-rington Festival will once again deliver a series of events for the whole family – The Comedy Store, Fashion Shows, Party In The Park, and plenty more!

Vending machines have been a thorn in my side for years. I’ve al-ways made my selection carefully, found the correct change, and placed the coins into the vend-ing machine one after the other. The machine then rejects them. I’ve checked to make sure they’re not buttons, Spanish doubloons or mints. I’ve wiped them on my sleeve, licked them (not really un-derstanding why but sometimes it works). I’ve then pressed the num-bers carefully and waited. And waited. Then sudenly the row starts to move…but then it gets stuck! Vending machine manufacturers are obviously very clever because once this happens, people then try to buy one of the items above in the hope that it’ll drop down and knock what you originally wanted out on the way down! Sometimes, I’ve spent more on a vending machine than a fruit machine!

PETE’S PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

On Sunday 17 May, I’ll be running this year’s Manchester 10K with Manchester 10K with Manchester 10K Team WDP. All monies raised will be for the Warrington Disability Partnership. Find out more at www.justgiving.com/teamwdp

On Bank Holiday Sunday 24 May, J-U-M-P will be holding a Family Fun Day at Monks Sports & Social Club, Hillock Lane, Woolston between 1 and 5pm. I’ll be there, along with fellow Patrons, Carly Stenson & Ricky Whittle (Steph Dean & Calvin Valen-tine from Hollyoaks). There’ll be a GIANT Hollyoaks). There’ll be a GIANT HollyoaksWii, Jenga, Connect 4, penalty shootout, balloon race, bouncy castle, face painting, disco and bbq!

The Warrington Horse Show, on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May, is a family fun-� lled day out, celebrating all things eques-trian at Hall Lane Farm, Daresbury. The show o� ers a huge variety of attractions, from spectacular national and interna-tional show jumping competitions to ex-tensive showing displays. It’s not all about the horses though – you can bring your dog along and hope he’ll win any one of the dog show categories. The Strong Man competition is always a hit with the ladies PLUS, for the children, there are donkey rides and funfair rides!

On Saturday 27 June, The Annual War-rington Festival will once again deliver a series of events for the whole family – The Comedy Store, Fashion Shows, Party In The Park, and plenty more!

www.shannonstrust.org.uk www.j-u-m-p.org

Wire FM’s longest serving presenter gives us his views, and discusses

what’s on in Warrington

w w w. p e t e p i n n i n g t o n . c o. u k

Park, and plenty more!

Thanks for reading!

Pete

Saturdays10–2pm

Listen to PeteWeekdays

3–7pm

Pete’s Calendar...

Page 51: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

Pete’s Calendar...

Page 52: Movin' Magazine, Issue 2, May-June 2009

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