The Advertiser

| The Advertiser | page 1 |TheAdvertiser

| February 2012 |

Essential shops & services with everything you need – all wonderfully local!

Inside this month:HatfordMellow YellowHow to avoid computer scamsRats Castle Food ReviewBirdie TalesAnd More

Promoting local business, trade and services. Advertise! Be Seen! Call Lou 01367 246136

| The Advertiser | page 2 |

| February 2012 |

Advertise in the Lechlade, Burford and Fairford Advertiser! Call Amanda01367 246137 / 07525004830

TheAdvertiser

Reasonablypriced accommodation

Special meal night:Tuesday

TapasSpecials Board

Sunday Carvery:£6.95 Adult

£4.95 Half portion£3.95 Child

Meat Raffle every Sunday

Free Function RoomTel 01367 240534

The Bell HotelMel & Eddie welcome you to

Market Place, Faringdon, SN7 7HP BINGO NIGHTEyes Down

1st Monday of the Month andlast Thursday of the month at 7.30pm

Faringdon Branch Lechlade Branch

Crowdy & Rose Solicitorsof Faringdon and Lechlade

We have a wealth of local knowledgeand are an established part of the local community

providing for the needs of our clients

2 Market Place, Faringdon, Oxfordshire SN7 7HWTel: 01367 240285

High Street, Lechlade, Gloucestershire GL7 3AETel: 01367 252644

[email protected]

Established within the local community since 1790


WHO’S NEXT?

Call Trish: 01367 820060Cowleaze Farm, Woolstone, Oxon SN7 7QS

Email: [email protected]

Congratulations…Congratulations to Faringdon Chamber of Commerce member, SarahSteel of The Old Station Nursery who has won an InternationalBusiness Award.Sarah started the Old Station Nursery in 2002 and now employs around200 people and looks after 800 children every day in 13 centres acrossthe country.

Sarah will fly to Florida in March to accept an award from EnterprisingWomen magazine. She was one of two female UK entrepreneurs thatthe magazine honoured in the ‘Over $5Million and up to $10 Million inAnnual Revenue’ category.

Faringdon Chamber of CommerceFaringdon Chamber of Commerce, supported by the Vale of WhiteHorse District Council and Faringdon Town Council will shortly launcha town-wide loyalty card scheme in Faringdon.There is a very similar scheme operating successfully in Wantage &Grove, with over 60 participating businesses of all shapes and sizesfrom a wide range of sectors (hairdressers, shops, pubs, restaurants,cafés, garages, vehicle repairs, beauty therapists, etc).Shoppers will be invited to buy a loyalty card that will entitle them toa special offer in each of the participating businesses. Shoppers willpay £2 for the card. Some of this money will go towards ensuring thefuture costs of the scheme are met and some will be donated to alocal charity. Each month there will be an electronic newsletter thatinforms shoppers of the offers that are available. The scheme willlaunch in April and there will be opportunities to purchase cards atvarious events across the town.The next meeting of the Chamber of Commerce will be on Monday13th February from 6:30pm in The Bell Hotel, as always visitors arewelcome.

Faringdon Busines Breakfast ClubFaringdon Business Breakfast Club kicked off 2012with it's monthly networking meeting at theSudbury House Hotel on Monday 9th January.

30 local business people enjoyed a hearty breakfastand the opportunity to share contacts. The guest speaker was ErikCornish who runs an intriguing business combining debt managementwith life counselling. Erik has over 30 years of experience as aChartered Accountant and explained how, having solved a client's debtproblem; he uses techniques for stress management and spiritualhealing to help them understand the root cause of their over-spendingin order to avoid the same mistakes going forward.

The next meeting will be on Monday 6th February when Mary Thomas,the acclaimed Social Media trainer from Concise Training, will berunning a brisk Q&A session on getting the most out of Twitter,LinkedIn and Facebook etc. It costs £10.00 to cover breakfast andrefreshments. If you would like to attend, please call the booking lineon 0845 003 1340.

Welcome…The Chamber would like to welcome Jason of J.L. Lewis to Faringdon.We wish them the best of luck with his new butchers shop in Corn Market.

Cover Artist - Nicky JonesNicky Jones is a self-taught artist specialising inwildlife and animal portraiture. The level of intricatedetail in her work reflects the many hours spentstudying and sketching animals, although much ofher work is now taken from photographs. Sheexhibits at various art exhibitions and galleries, andalso accepts commissions.Nicky is a member of Abingdon Artists, and has also exhibited withOxfordshire ArtWeeks for the past two years.More info at www.faithfulfriendsportraits.co.uk


Where the Thames Meets the CotswoldsAn historic riverside Inn The Trout at Tadpole Bridgeoffers some of the finest locally sourced food, a greatselection of cask ales, over 200 different wines, sixindividually designed bedrooms and private moorings

on the Thames.Situated between Bampton and Buckland, the inn is 15

minutes south of Witney.Join us for Sausage night on a Thursday and Pie night on

a Tuesday.Fabulous selection of fresh fish, local game and

succulent Ribeye steak.

Buckland Marsh, Oxfordshire, SN7 8RFwww.trout-inn.co.uk t. 01367 870382

[email protected]

Sustainable Fish Night Monday 6th FebValentines Night Tuesday 14th Feb


The village of Hatford is teeming withhistorical and archaeological interest fromits Medieval origins to its famous residentsat The Manor House.Located just 3.5 miles from Faringdon, thearea is certainly worth a visit.

Hatford’s origins are unknown but many believe that it wasformed as a witness to the famous victory of Alfred over theDanes, as it was in this area where the battle in which hebroke the Danish power took place in 871.

Hatford then became established around the time of theDomesday and, even now, is seen as a Medieval village withthe original Manor House, St George’s Church, the Old Schooland School House and original cowsheds, now cottages.There was also an original medieval farmhouse up until 1942when the building took a direct hit in WWII, killing two youngevacuees.Hatford boasts home to two historical buildings, The ManorHouse and St George’s Church, both of which haveinteresting stories.

The Manor House in Hatford, in addition to its antiquity,appears to possess a special interest in its link with prominentpersons in English History.

Passing through several hands, Robert de Hatford in 1303 toJohn de Hatford in 1380, it was then sold to Sir Gilbert Talbotwhose wife sold it to John Phelip whose wife, after his deathmarried the Earl of Salisbury in 1431. Alice sold the ownershipto her father Thomas Chaucer (who also bought DonningtonCastle).Thomas Chaucer is buried in St George’s Church, his sonGeoffrey is in Westminster Abbey. Alice made a thirdmarriage to the Duke of Suffolk. Their son was executed fortreason and so The Manor was forfeited to the Crown.

The Manor was granted to Lady Cecily Unton whose sonmarried Anne, Countess of Warwick in St George’s Church inApril 1555. The Unton Family also owned Wadley Manor andat the height of importance entertained Queen Elizabeth onher way to Bristol. Henry their second son was BritishAmbassador to France. In 1596 Frances Piggot bought theManor. In the 1700’s Mr Joseph Nutt, a director of the Bank ofEngland, became its owner, and following him a Mrs Walker.

St George's stands on the site of the Saxon church mentionedin the Domesday Book of1086. It is predominantlyEarly English Gothic instyle, with a Normansouth doorway to naveand chancel arch and aNorman font. One Saxonwindow is still visible andthere is a sundial carvedinto the stone near thedoorway.

St George’s Church also houses a mausoleum containing theremains of Rev Samuel Paynter, aformer rector of the parish. WhenSt George's fell into disrepair, itwas Samuel Paynter who hadHatford's second church, HolyTrinity, erected in 1873-4 at a cost ofaround £4,000. After almost acentury, Holy Trinity itself becamedilapidated and was sold in 1972 foruse as a private dwelling. StGeorge's was reopened in thesame year, re-roofed in 1973 andre-glazed in 1974 to resume its roleas the place of worship for thevillage.

Carol

The Village of Hatford

Did you know…

© Copyright Michael FORD and licensed forreuse under this Creative Commons Licence.


Birdie Tales

Despite being one of our commonest and most familiarbirds, the pied wagtail is extremely difficult to coax ontothe garden bird table. I have tried all manner of bird food,numerous types of seed, mealworms and homemadegoodies to tempt them, all to no avail!Why is this? How can these small twitchy little birds surviveas they never appear to eat anything?My mother had several nicknames for the wagtail, curbcrawler, road sweeper and car park attendant.I never thought that these daft names had any relevance intheir feeding habits until now.We have a couple of wagtails that pop in every morning atthe end of our front lawn. They always do the same thing,each walking along the edge of the verge with its headdown, tail flicking up and down, seemingly unaware of anydanger from traffic. One morning I thought it would be agood idea to get the old trusted binoculars out to take acloser look. At this point I would like to take the opportuni-ty to offer my apologies to the young lady at number 26,who opened her bedroom curtains as I was doing this. Lip reading is not my strong point, but I got the gist of it,sorry!So did this close observation of the tiny twosome shed anylight on the dietary needs of these delightful little crea-tures? Yes!The reason that most of these birds can be seen potteringaround on pavements and roadsides is that wagtails feedon tiny insects, so small and miniscule, most other ground-feeding birds ignore them.Up close you can see their sharp pointed beaks working flatout to find what others wouldn't bother looking for. Cleveror what!Many pied wagtails gather in our towns and cities duringthe winter, spending each night in large communal roosts.Trees and buildings can sometimes be smothered with piedwagtails on a cold winters night, not only for warmth, butsecurity against predators.A lovely intelligent little bird who's adapted well to urbanlife.

C.Row

Pied Wagtail(Motacilla alba)

54 Vauxhall Vivaro 1.9 CDTiPanel Van No VAT £3500

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V Citroen Saxo 1.1 £675R Volvo V40 Estate £975

R Subaru 4x4 Estate £995R SEAT Arosa 1.4 Auto £795

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04 Peugoet 206 Gti £350004 Peugeot 206 1.1LX £2495W Honda HRV 3 Door £1995

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52 Peugeot 206 SW 1.6 XSI Estate £239503 Peugeot 307 SW HDI 7 Setaer Estate 1.9 DCI £2495

Est. 1986 GARDENSCAPEIndividual Design, Construction& Maintenance

To discuss your personalgarden requirements phone:01865 250372 or 07773333531

Roger Hutchence - BA (HONS) NCH(Landscape Construction)

[email protected]


Winter Jasmine ( ) is a thoroughlygenerous plant, producing an abundance of bright yellowflowers from juicy pink buds. These emerge mid-winteralong the vibrant green, twiggy branches. This slender,deciduous shrub is robust enough to survive cold Britishwinters (including 2011) and rewards dormant gardenswith a welcome burst of golden yellow on the gloomiestof days.

This hardy and prolific plant was brought to the UK fromnorthern China in 1844 by the renowned plant hunterRobert Fortune. It was named for its flowers whichappear before its leaves, meaning nakedflower.

The name ‘jasmine’ is derived from the Persian ‘yasmin’meaning ‘a gift from God’. Recent research has found thatthe sweet smell of jasmine is as effective as Valium forcalming the nerves. Interestingly, essential oils of jasmineare a key ingredient in an iconic brand of French perfumewhich may go some way to explain its enduring popularity.Winter Jasmine however is much less fragrant and hasbeen described as smelling slightly mossy.

Unlike other less hardy jasmines, Winter Jasmine doesnot twine and therefore needs training if vertical growthis required. Although not actually a climber, the arching,rambling stems of this beautiful plant can grow up to 5metres in length. It looks amazing when trailing downfrom a high retaining wall or rock ledge. Alternatively, itcan be trained up a trellis or pergola or be grown as ashrub albeit a bit lax in habit. Because it readily roots,

Winter Jasmine is often used as a soil stabilizer on steepbanks.

Winter Jasmine succeeds in any well-drained soil but alsotolerates a variety of poor conditions, whether they beacid or alkaline, including clay. It’s fast growing andtolerant of sunny sites, shady situations, woodlandsettings, even north-facing walls. It’s also an ideal plantfor the urban environment, putting up with pollution of allsorts yet giving a cheerful display of green and yellowamidst a concrete jungle.

A vigorous plant, it’s easy to maintain and responds wellto severe pruning every three to four years. Leftunpruned, plants tend to become woody and matted withdead stems so some maintenance is required. Otherwise,lightly prune every year immediately after blooming toensure flowers emerge the following spring.

Flowers can be damaged in very severe winters but newflowers are usually produced once the weather warms up.Help it along with a regular feed of fertilizer such as FishBlood & Bone. It will repay in winter when little else is inflower in the garden.Winter Jasmine is hardy to -15oC, probably more, and isreally a tough yet very forgiving plant. An all roundwinner really.

Anne Hendry, Newington Nurseries,Tel 01865 400533www.newington-nurseries.co.uk

In the Garden…


[email protected] www.smconsult.co.uk


The golden rule to avoid scams isnever to engage or provideinformation to cold callers, respond

to unsolicited e-mail, unsolicited mail,text or anybody going door to door -

whether it is a tradesman or salesman.Remember nothing is for free. You will never randomly wina prize, car or lottery without having entered it first.No ifs or buts - it is a SCAM!If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Here is a list of common scams:

1. Computer support cold calling scamA Company cold calls telling the ‘customer’ that their

server has been receiving error reports (virus orsome other strange error) from the ‘customer’scomputer’ and that they want to repair the error.They will be very convincing and even arrogant.If you follow their advice they will infect your

computer with spyware, steal your bank details andwaste your time.Inform them that you know they are running a scam and putdown the phone! Be rude if necessary.

2. Fake antivirus scamAn official looking anti-virus messagepops up on your computer tellingyou that you have many infectedfiles or unresolved computererrors. You are requested topurchase a licence or pay a fee toget rid of the problems. While thismessage is on the screen you will not beable to do much on the computer. This message is generat-ed by a malicious software program. If you purchase alicense your card details and money will be stolen.Even software can be a cold caller!If a message like this appears on your computer contactyour local IT support immediately.

3. E-mail scamYou receive an e-mail or call from your bank,HMRC or another agency asking you to verify

your personal details, login or password. 99% ofthe time this indicates a scam. Always assume

that an e-mail might be fake or that it could be acriminal on the other end of the line. Never reply to

an important looking e-mail or use the contact number pro-vided by the caller, but rather look-up the contact details onthe company's official website.

4. Fake banking website scamWhen you try to log onto yourbank’s website or anotherofficial website you getredirected to a fake version ofthe site that asks you to verifyyou personal details, card

details, banking details and your username and password.This fake site would look just like the real website and wouldfool most people. If in doubt phone the bank or institutionwhose website you are trying to use and ask them for advice.No banking or official website will ever ask you to verifyyour details before you have logged on.Never use a link from an email or website to go to yourbank’s website or to an official website. Always type theURL yourself and verify that the URL is correct.

5. Metropolitan Police Virus & Ukash Scam (New Trojan)

The following message appearson your screen.

“Under the laws of the UnitedKingdom and investigation ofMetropolitan Police Service andStrathclyde Police yourcomputer is locked to prevent

illegal activity in the network.”

You will be asked to pay an amount of money to have thecomputer unlocked.This message is generated by a malicious Trojan.If a message like this appears on your computer contactyour local IT support immediately.

Give me a call if you need advice or help removing Malware,Trojan's, Adware, Spyware and Viruses.

Tips on how to avoid common computer scams


Look at what this Community Interest Company has achieved over the last few years:

1. Faringdon Health-Check revisited – including gathering & analysing material, producing anddistributing publication for Faringdon Area Project

2. Creating and Publishing the Visit Vale guide 2009http://www.focusonuk.co.uk/documents/WhiteHorse_VisitorGuide_lo.pdf

3. Running The Visit Vale web site (in conjunction with Visit Britain) until we advised thatthe site was too expensive and was not fit for purpose so should be changed

4. Administering the event and dealing with the financials for the 2009 Sealed Knotbattles in the fields below Church Farm in 2008, in support of John Gillman

5. Establishing and maintaining www.focusonfaringdon.uk.com to provide the business end ofwww.faringdon.org. (A new site has been developed and is due to be released in February2011)

6. The provision of administrative assistance and website presence to TheChamber of Commerce

7. The provision of administrative assistance and website presence to FaringdonArea Project who have achieved some amazing goals

8. The Focus On Faringdon guide in 2010, 2011 & 2012 This was designed to, andsuccessfully, replaced the defunct and rather useless visit vale offering.

9. The Focus On Wantage guide in 2010. (This was not continued in 2010 as the expected contri-bution to costs was never fulfilled by Wantage or The District Council.) The first Faringdon Guidewas funded by Focus On Faringdon CIC together with £1,000 from Faringdon Joint EconomicForum.

10. The Faringdon Arts Festival 2010 and 2011

11. Accountable body for disbursement of grant funds provided byOxfordshire Rural County Council.

Some information about Focus On Faringdon CIC.The Company was established by Nick Elwell & Jane Haynes. It now employsfour full time and salaried people. The directors fund the business but donot draw a salary. The Company is owed some money by the Vale, and owes a similar amount to

“Artworks” for the work they did in working on the 2010 Visit Vale Guide. The Town Council (who seem tothink of Focus on Faringdon as competition rather than allies) are proposing Legal Action for the cost ofroad closures and room hire – neither of which in our opinion should be payable. An amount is also dueto the Chamber of Commerce by way of a loan.As the Company has limited revenue and depends on gifts, grants and donations, it will cease tradinguntil its financial position has been sorted out. Hopefully before the 2012 Arts Festival.Congratulations, though, to Jane Haynes who late last year received a Volunteer Award at theOxfordshire Charity and Volunteer Awards 2011. It is always good to see that one’s efforts are valued bysomeone. N. ELWELL

Did you know…The achievements of Focus On Faringdon CIC


We are looking for volunteers in any shape,age or size!

If any one can lend a hand with any of thefollowing events: market stalls, marshalling,sports, children’s entertainment, art &crafts, drama & theatre, dance, poetry &

reading and last but not least litter picking!

We are particularly interested in involving asmany schools and youth groups as possible.

Sport and Art week 30th June – 6th JulyMain music weekend 6th – 8th July

Contact Event Co-ordinatorAmanda Huxford-Biggs

Mob: 07525004830Tel: 01367 246137

Email: [email protected]

The Faringdon ArtsFestival 2012


Grove Technology Park,[email protected]

01235 772992


Restaurant ReviewThe Rats Castle Bistro

www.theratscastle.com [email protected] 01367 240578

It's been many years since I have dined at the Rats Castle in Faringdon and I waspleasantly surprised to discover that the recent refurbishment has been tastefullycarried out, maintaining all the charm of this old Victorian drapery. I found myselfconstantly spotting different interesting bits and bobs adorning the walls of thislovely historic building. The ambience is relaxed and comfortable, first thoughts arewhat a great venue for a large party or function, in particular, the balcony dining areaupstairs.After a couple of glasses of excellent house red, we made our choice from the menu.One starter from the specials board - crab smoked salmon and prawn pot, in wine

cream and chive sauce, topped with applewood cheese, the second from the starters menu - seared scallopswrapped in pancetta, served on a bed of crispy lettuce. Each was totally delicious, worth a mention, “as it tastedso good", the crab smoked salmon is available in a larger portion as a main dish (definitely for me next time).For our main course, sea bass pan fried in butter with a tagliatelle of vegetables and crab meat with a dijon anddill mustard butter - fillet of beef medallions, griddle cooked, topped with fois gras and served with rich madeirasauce on a bed of pan fried asparagus. The taste, presentation and portion size was superb. By leaving a hatch atthe end of the restaurant, you can observe the chef creating each meal. A nice touch!If deserts tingle your taste buds then the choice is huge, sweet pancake, sticky toffeepudding, raspberry and white chocolate cheesecake to name but a few. We opted forbaileys and chocolate mousse in brandy sauce, boy am I glad we did, totally fantastic!

All in all, if you are looking for great food at a very reasonable price, in glorioussurroundings, look no further than The Rats Castle!


One of the great loves of my life is without a doubt, sparkling wine –ranging from Champagne through to (good quality) Cava.The allure lies in its finesse, the spritz of bubbles that precede therefreshing acidity that cleanses the palate with thesubtlety of fruit flavour; anything from the citrusfamily – lemons and limes to the complexity ofbrioche and freshly baked bread.It offers such versatility in food matching – thecrisp acidity providing the leverage of matchesbetween various creamy dishes or even those witha bit of spice.But most of all, its elegance can be suitably enjoyed on its own asan aperitif!

Some interesting bubbly facts:Where do the bubbles come from?All wines result from fermentation, which is the process wherebyyeast turns sugar (in grape juice) into alcohol and carbon dioxidegas. Fermentation takes place in large vats, so the carbon dioxideescapes into the air. With still wines, that’s the end of the story.But for Champagne and other traditionally made sparkling wines,there’s another step involved. When the regular fermentation iscomplete, a small amount of sugar and yeast is added and the wineis then bottled and capped. A second fermentation now takesplace, and as the gas cannot escape, it becomes part of the wine, inthe form of tiny bubbles.

Vintage or Non-Vintage?Non-vintage refers to the blend of wines produced in differentyears. The winemaker tries to balance the blend so that theproducer’s ‘house style’ stays consistent from year to year.Occasionally, a single year’s growing conditions are good enough

to create a fine, well-balanced wine that needs no assistance. Inthat case, a producer ‘declares a vintage’ and places the year onthe label.

In June 1998, 500 bottles of 1907 Heidseick Champagnewere brought to the surface by divers exploring theJoenkoeping, a WW1 Russian ship sunk by a torpedo froma German U-Boat in 1916. Salvage organisers found the 91year old Champagne to be fresh and lively, apparentlywell preserved by the darkness and 35˚F temperature atthe bottom of the Baltic coast of Finland.

Named after a Babylonian King,Nebuchadnezzars are the biggest bottlesof Champagne money can buy. Standingjust over 2.5 feet high, they hold theequivalent of 20 regular bottles of topshelf nectar – enough to fill the glasses of160 of your closest friends!!

And I leave you with this quote:‘Come brothers, hurryI am drinking stars!’Dom Pérignon (1658-1715)French monk accredited withdiscovering how to makeChampagne.

The perfect Valentine’s gift….Codorniu Pinot Noir Gift SetIncludes 1 x 750ml bottle of Codorniu Pinot Noir NVand 2 Champagne flutes in a gift box.Available from Den Boer Wines £11.99

Wine ReviewREVIEWS


Children’s Day Nursery inShellingford, FaringdonRecognised by OFSTED in September 2010as OUTSTANDING in Leadership & Management

Excellent quality Children’s Day Nursery combining traditional lovingCare with a stimulating educational programme to provide a well-Balanced environment for your child.

� Children from 6 weeks to 5 years� Open 7.45am to 6.15pm Monday to Friday� Full time or part time (51 weeks)� Pre-school educational curriculum� French and music classes� Secure Door Entry System

To organise a visit please contact Steph Chapman,Nursery Manager on 01367 718888

Rogers gardenstonefor all your paving needs

Come and have a walk around our garden displaysto get ideas and inspiration

We have handcrafted paving produced on site and alsosandstone, travertine & limestone from all around the world

Open to trade & retail • Now open 7 days

Tel: 01367 240112www.rogersgardenstone.co.uk


Baby Care OnlineReal Cloth Nappy

Trial SchemeUnsure about which nappy

will suit your baby?

From January 2012 Baby Care Onlinewill be offering a Free Real Cloth Trial Kit

Borrow a wide range of nappies and find outwhich is best for your baby.

Popngro, Tots Bots, Lollipop Bamboo, Apple Cheeks,Fuzzi Bunz, Itti Bitti, Nature Babies, Bummis, Rikki.

Sponsored byOxfordshire County

Council

www.baby-care-online.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

Would you like to see your articlein the Advertiser?

If so email: [email protected]

Strange things are’ bout to happen in the land of the Daringfonians. Strangethings indeed. For it is not what is added to your sensibilities that sometimesmakes the difference – but what is taken away! Those local to the town’scentre will, for example, have lost the use (and meaning) of the term “balmysummers evening”. Over recent years, the town centre might oft sound morelike the shunting station for the new hyper speed Brummy trains. But nomore! After huge amounts of effort by loads of Daringfonians over the last 20mid-summers the kiddies, the not so kiddies and the already grown-ups havea “Skate” park all of their own. Now then, being brought up in the Middle ofthese English lands, like I were, (far from the Madding Beaches, so to speak)I personally have no idea why one would want to park a fish up by the cricketground – but I am told it is a good thing and will lead to much peace andharmony: and I suppose the Town’s square will become a quiet Plaice. So.....congratulations to all concerned!And, there’s more. It would seem that we are being clawed out of theRomanic age of “I Brutus” to the Silicon age of “I Cafe”! Another smart moveby a Daringfonian entrepreneur – albeit of Irish descent!And so onwards again to the future and the Daringfonian Mid Summers Party,this time with a hint of sport in recognition of the God of Five Circles. As ever,funds will be tight, help will be required and much fun and laughter will behad.You might be well advised to contact Amanda (01367 246137) to offer yourhelp and services – rather than being press-ganged one day when you are notreally paying attention!


GLASS PROCESSORS & GLAZIERSGLASS CUT WHILE-U-WAIT

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DRILLING • DECORATIVE GLASSCOLOURED SPLASHBACKS

Cameo Glass, 100 Faraday Park,Dorcan Ind. Est., Swindon, SN3 5JF

Tel: 01793 513864 Fax: 01793 535476Email: [email protected]

Treat Your Dog this February at RubiesGrooming Spa

First time clients receive 10% discount

Consultation & Medical checkGrooming, Bathing & StylingClipping & Hand StrippingAnti-Shedding Treatments

MicrochippingNail ClippingTaxi Service

Doggy Day Care & Walking Service

For bookings, prices and more informationplease contact Professional Dog Groomer

Suzanna Carter on 07825873730

Pamper Your 4 Legged Friendwww.rubiesgroomingspa.co.uk

CAR BODY REPAIRSV W RESTORATION

TEL 01367 243324MOB 07918 660725

OPEN MON-SAT [email protected]

Chickens @Seven Acres Nurseries


PORTWELL HOUSEMARKET PLACEFARINGDONSN7 7HU

01367 246130www.BGi.uk.com

Subsidence!Do you have large trees nearyour home? Many insurers askthis question—and you mayhave answered it truthfully 10years ago. Trees grow!Extensions, porches and tallchimneys are all particularlysusceptible to subsidence.

Listed Buildings and allBuildings in ConversationAreas.Repairs to listed propertiescan be two or three timesmore expensive than repairsto non listed properties. Takecare to value your propertyadequately!

Well, why not? You have tostart somewhere. Over the lastyear a number of our clientshave been caught out. Somewould blame it on the smallprint of the policy whilstothers would say thoseclients should take more careand pay more attention todetail!

One of the great things about“On Line” quote engines is thatyou can get a really cheapquote quite quickly. But does itgive you what you want? Is itvalue for money or is it justcheap?

Here are a few things tolook out for.

Do you (or anyone in yourfamily) work from home?If so, your insurance could wellbe invalidated unless you haveyour insurers written expresspermission.

Do you insure any gold andsilver items of jewellery?If so, is the valuation up todate? The value of preciousmetals has rocketed over thelast year or two. Thissometimes pushes the valueof certain items above thelimit for unspecified items.

You suddenly discover waterseeping through a wall. Doesyour insurance include searchand investigation? Many do not.

Define the word Valuables?Most insurers will restrict theamount of “valuables” that youhave in the home to a simplepercentage of the total contentsvalue. One or two old paintingsgiven by Aunt Ethel or the stampcollection from Old Uncle Billcan cause havoc when trying tosettle a claim!

Unfair dismissal from work.Does your insurance providelegal advice or expenses coverthat would help you if you havebeen unfairly dismissed fromwork; or your neighbour fromhell has a 200ft tall tree leaningprecariously toward your home?

Losses away from the home.A suitcase left in your car is notinsured unless you ask for it tobe insured!

Accidental Damage.Do please make sure your HomeInsurance includes AccidentalDamage before you inadvertentlypaint the carpet or alter thestate of the family heirloom fromsolid state to jigsaw state!

Should Home Spring Cleaning start with Insurance?

Office to Let Insurance Jobs Free Coffee

Fully furnished office in MarketPlace, Faringdon.

Available on a short term in and

out, serviced office basis or forlonger periods as required.

Telephone and alarm systemsinstalled, printers and internetaccess.

Call 01367 241162 for viewing.

Immediate Availablity

Experienced insurance brokersrequired throughout the UK.

Please send your C.V. [email protected]

We would particularly liketo hear from any accountexecutives with their ownportfolio.

If you need to meet any ofthe team for advice on yourinsurance, we will be happy toconduct our first meetingover coffee at the PortwellAngel.Please call 01367 246130 withdetails of your enquiry

(More personal enquiries!We do have our own meetingrooms.)

01367 246130

Did you know

· BGi.uk provides HomeInsurance for those livingin Europe.

· Our Faringdon Office canbe particularly helpful tolocal residents because weknow the area. We be-lieve we can get you thevery best policy at thevery best price.

· BGi.uk has their headoffice in Faringdon. All ofour clients are welcometo visit us. A pre-arrangedappointment is a goodidea.

· As a local broker BGi.ukare available to help withthose nasty little problems -and the majorones!

· Face to Face….Not Interface!

BGi.uk are insurancebrokers registered withthe FSA and specialise in:

Both Commercialand Residential UKProperty

Liabilities General &Professional

Cargo & FreightLiability

Home Insurance &Travel Insurance

Business of alldescription

Manufacturing, R&D& Distribution

Difficult Risks

[email protected]


Date Event Venue Time Contact Charge/info

Wed 1st Roy Carter (Heatwave) 70's &80's The Snooty Mehmaan 7pm -

[email protected]

£30 pp incl. Dinner andshow

Wed 1st Live music with Ann-Marie The Cotswold Arms,Burford 7pm http://www.cotswoldarms.co.uk Great songs in the bar

Thur 2nd White Horse Garden Club: Talkon Beautiful Clematis

Thomas Hughes MemorialHall, Uffington 7:30pm Pamela 01367 820251 Members £8 for the year

Visitors: £2

Thur 2nd Dick Whittington Pantomime Stanford in the Vale Hall 7:30pm 01367 710724Thur - Sat (matinee 2:30pm Sat only)

Tickets £6 adults£4 concessions

Thur 2nd Kingslake Keegan and Gower Portwell Angel 8pm www.portwellangel.co.uk Old and new blues &Jazz

Fri 3rdSat 4th Cinderella - a Pantomime Faringdon Junior School

Hall, Gloucester Street7:30pm2:30pm

Fiona Merrick 01367 242967www.faringdondramatic.org.uk

Tickets £8 and £6 (Under 16s)

Sat 4th Caribbean Night Portwell Angel 7pm www.portwellangel.co.uk Free entry. Booking req,deposit of £12.50pp

Sat 4th Raffles of the Eastern Islands Southfields School,Highworth 7:45pm Helen Barter 01367 241071 Tickets £7 including wine

and nibbles

Sat 4th Table Top Sale Buckland Memorial Hall 10am -12noon

Pam Smith 01367 [email protected]

Book a table £4 inadvance or donate toys

Sun 5th 15 Minute Club Portwell Cellar 7pm Come along and perform

Sun 5th Quiz Night Portwell Cellar 8:30pm £2 entry. Winner's choiceof charity gets proceeds

Tue 7th Faringdon Farmers Market -first for 2012 Faringdon Market Place 8:30am -

1pm 01367 710445

Thur 9th Univeristy of the Third Age:"Distant Voices" Corn Exchange, Faringdon 2:30pm Ian Clarkson 01793 782836

www.FaringdonU3A.org.uk

Fri 10th Disclosure Portwell Angel 8pm www.portwellangel.co.uk Free

Fri 10th Live Music - The Man withStereohands Porwell Cellar 8:30pm Free

Sat 11th Boogie Me Faringdon Junior SchoolHall, Gloucester Street

8pm -11:30pm

[email protected] available from the Nut Tree

Tickets £6 in advance or£7 on the door

Sat 11th Fairtrade Stall St Denys Church, Stanfordin the Vale

10am -12noon

Featuring goods from The MustardSeed, Faringdon

Sat 11th Valentines Dinner with livemusic at The Rats Castle

Rats Castle, Bromsgrove,Faringdon

Checkwebsite 01367 240578 Special menu, live music

and free glass of fizz

Tue 14th Local History Meeting Stanford in the ValeVillage Hall 7:45pm Phil Morris 01367 710285 Entry £2

Tue 14th Valentines with Michael Bubles The Snooty Mehmaan 7pm -11pm

[email protected]

£30 per personDinner and show incl.

Tue 14th Valentines Dinner - live pianomusic and bubbly Portwell Angel 7pm www.portwellangel.co.uk Booking and deposit £15

per couple

Wed 15th Social Evening FaringdonBranch of Royal British Legion

Faringdon Bowling Club,General Walk 7:30pm http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/bran

ches/faringdon/news--events

Sat 18th Dales Disco & Karaoke Portwell Cellar 8pm Free

Wed 22nd Live Music with Michael IanBrown

The Cotswold Arms,Burford 7pm http://www.cotswoldarms.co.uk All you can eat curry

night. Booking required

Wed 22nd Quiz Night Portwell Cellar 8:30pm £2 entry. Proceeds toWinner's charity

Fri 24th All Sorts’ A new monthly Biblegroup for young children

All Saints Church,Faringdon

10am -11am Adele 01367 244484 Interactive bible stories

and refreshments

Sat 25th Buckland's glamorous vintageswish fashion event

Buckland School,Buckland

2pm -4:30pm

[email protected] www.bucklandswish.co.uk

Ladies £3 and childrenfree

Sat 25th BIG Retro Disco with CitizenCane Faringdon Junior School 8pm -

11pm£3 tickets from

Faringdon Infant School

Out and About


Local Events in FebruaryDate Event Venue Time Contact Charge/info

Sat 25th Faringdon & District RotaryClub coffee morning Saddlers in the Market Place 9:30am-

12:[email protected]

www.faringdonrotaryclub.co.ukCome, meet and chat to

us with a free coffee

Tue 28th Bubbles and Beyond Bromsgrove, Faringdon 7:30pm Den Boer Wines 01367 [email protected]

£20 ticketBooking essential

Wed 29th Blondie vs Pink The Snooty Mehmaan 7pm -11pm

[email protected]


Local Events in March

Wed 14th Elvis Experience The Snooty Mehmaan 7pm -11pm

[email protected]


Sat 24th Baby & Childrens Market Faringdon Junior School 10am -12noon

oxfordshire@babyandchildrensmarket.co.ukwww.babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk

£1 per adultChildren free

Sat 24th Indigo Rock O2 Arena, London 7pm -9:30pm

01635 299771www.livingpaintings.org

Funds go to livingpaintings charity £25

Wed 28th Rod Stewart Tribute The Snooty Mehmaan 7pm -11pm

[email protected]


Regular Events

EveryMon Faringdon War Gaming Club Pre-School, Canada Lane 8pm Matthew

[email protected] Free

1st Tues Farmers' Market Market Place All day 01367 710445

EveryTues Quiz Night The Prince of Wales,

Shrivenham 9pm http://www.powshrivenham.com Teams or Individuals

EveryWed Jazz Night The Portwell Angel,

Faringdon 7:30pm www.theportwellangel.co.uk

1st Thur Folk Session The Swan, Park Road,Faringdon 8pm Rachel

[email protected] oncea month

Food from around the globeeach Thursday The Radnor Arms, Coleshill Check

website www.radnorarmscoleshill.co.uk/ Check website for dates£6.50 meal and pint

Every Fri Country Market Corn Exchange 9.15 -11am 01367 710382

Every Fri All Sorts - New monthly Biblegroup for young children All Saints Church, Faringdon 10am -

11am Adele 01367 244484 Interactive bible storiesand refreshments

Every Sat Faringdon Farcycle cycle ride Leave from Market Place 9am 01367 241142 11-12 miles or 25-35 miles

Every Sat Supportive, informalparenting group

Faringdon CommunityCollege 1-3pm Stella on 07963536568

Every Sun Quiz Night The Red Lion 8pm 01367 244585

The Advertiser is produced by Holly Davies and published by Focus on Faringdon CIC, Portwell House, Market Place, Faringdon SN7 7HU. Tel: 01367 246146. All artwork designed by us is thecopyright of Focus on Faringdon CIC and must not be used by or in any other publication, in whatsoever format, without our prior written consent. No part of this publication, whether advert, picturesor text, may be reproduced in any format whatsoever without the prior written consent of Focus on Faringdon CIC. The information published in the advertisements and other articles is supplied andapproved by advertisers. Focus on Faringdon CIC does not verify or ratify any claims made in such advertisements or text, nor does it accept any claims or liability arising from contact with or use ofservices advertised. Every effort is made to ensure the accurate reproduction of information supplied by advertisers in their advertisements or other text submitted. Any inaccuracies must be notifiedto the publisher immediately following the first insertion so that amendments may be made for subsequent issues. The Publisher does not accept responsibility or liability for claims arising forinaccuracies published in advertisements where the advertiser has not advised Focus on Faringdon CIC prior to publication. Credits: Images p13 Salvatore Vuono, dan, renjith Krishnan, Stuart Miles,Idea go/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.


Experts - local servicesThe Cheap Way

to Add Space

[email protected]

www.storage4all.co.uk01367 240880

COMPUTERSUPPORT

Bespoke Affordable IT Solutions• Computer healthchecks, repairs and

updates• Network Setup • Data Recovery & Backup

0845 467 [email protected] • www.quidne-it.com

Your Barber on Call

Why Wait When I Can come to you!

Mirella Pastore

Has Returned!

Mob: 07813 121288Call: 01367 243986

Ohm ElectrixElectrical services and InstallationsWeb: www.ohm-electrix.co.uk

Fully qualified and insured electrician.All types of domestic work undertaken, from small jobs to garden and garage power,to full rewires.Commercial and Solar PV work also catered for.Friendly, professional service from a local company.

Contact us to discuss your needs, and get a free, no obligation estimate and advice.Phone: 07879 013359Mail: [email protected]

Registered with the NICEIC domestic installer “part P” SCHEME

A local-run companyfocusing on personalised

care services.High standard of care

Individually tailored care plansYour own regular care worker

My Carer Tel: 01367 718413www.mycareroxfordshire.co.uk

The Music GalleryIndependent music retailer

[email protected]

8 Newbury StreetWantage,Oxon OX12 8BS01235 770353

Your local electriciansDomestic-Commercial-Industrial

Faringdon

Tel: 01367 240308


Experts - local services

Emma Palmer07531 946141Nail Technician and Beauty TherapistFaringdon, Oxfordshire

F A R I N G D O N C A R SA I R P O R T T R A N S F E R S

Corporate ServiceCourier ServiceExecutive CarsInsured Cars

Short/Long DistancesBusiness AccountsDriver Hire4/7 Seaters

01367 243838 / 07894 [email protected]

www.faringdoncars.co.uk

D.G. JoineryCity & Guilds qualified carpenter and joiner.

All Carpentry work undertakenSpecialist in fitted wardrobes • Kitchen installations

Bookcases • Bespoke joinery - including stairsAll exterior carpentry including decking, sheds etc.

Any building alterations including guttering etc.Free Quotations

Telephone: 07831 680440

Den Boer WinesQuality wines, tastings and events

www.denboerwines.com Tel 01367 241169

Mobile 07919 241881Email: [email protected]

16-18 London Road, Faringdon, OxfordshireTel: 01367 242268

ASTON PINE STRIPPINGCaustic and non-caustic stripping of all woods & metals.Established for over 15 years - Water Board Approved

ASTON PINE ANTIQUESStockists of English and Continental pine furniture, as well

as many other antiques - 8,000+ sq.ft of showroomsOxford Architectural Antiques

Large stock of period fireplaces, doors, panelling,sanitary ware & garden items.

Architectural salvage sourcing service available.

Advertise herefor

£15 per month


Kingslake Keegan & GowerThursday 2nd

February

Caribbean NightSaturday 4th

Valentines DayTuesday 14thEnjoy live piano music and abottle of champagne when youjoin us for a special Valentinesmeal.Special meals and prices for theevening:Enjoy some finger canapé toshare: £5.00Or as it’s a sharing occasion:A large smoked fish slate for twowith salad and fresh bread £15.75A large anti-pasti slate for twowith salad and Fresh bread£14.75Usual menu also available.Booking and deposit required:£15.00 per couple

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DisclosureA semi acoustic eveningFriday 10th

Nick GillWednesday 8thWith his Classic Jazz group

HyperbolicsStanding room only - come early!Friday 24th


BOOK NOW FORYOUR CHRISTMASPARTY

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