The Vine Dunstable - April/May 2014 - Issue 58

VineConnecting local people to local businesses

FREEtheApril/May 2014 Issue 58

14 Luton RoadDunstableLU5 4JN

OPENING Monday 7th

April 2014

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80’s Mania Competition 8Incredible Edible 10A Travellers Tale 12What’s Best For You 16Consumer Clinic 18Aged Concerns 20Bedfordshire’s Night Sky 22Health, Beauty & wellbeing 26In The Garden 32Social Problems 36Puzzles 42 Out & About 44

VineThis Month...Editors:

Scott NightingaleShelly Nesbitt

Editorial: 01525 22237907852 [email protected]

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the content of advertising and articles published in this magazine are accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept and hereby disclaim any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors.Neither do they reflect the opinion of this publication. The Vine does not officially endorse any advertising mate-rial included within this publication.No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission.

Advertising: Shelly Nesbitt01525 22237907852 [email protected]

Copy deadline for our next issue - 15th May

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A Travellers

TaleA Brief Trip To Poland

Part II

By Paul Heley

After our first couple of days in Krakow, if the salt mines were mind blowing, Aus-

chwitz and Birkenau were mind numbing and one comes away wondering how on earth such terrible things could possibly be done by one people on another.There are information boards everywhere (in Polish, English and Hebrew - but not German) and our guide shot information and statistics at us as though from a machine gun. My head was reeling at the end and the full horror of it all has not yet completely sunk in.We started at the ironic - and sickening - entrance gate above which the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work makes you free") slogan is seen and then we visited a series of different buildings each covering various aspects of life for the prisoners :- separation areas, living quarters, punishment blocks, gas cham-bers. We were shown collec-tions of clothing, suitcases with people's names still on them, shoes, artificial limbs, masses of hair (approximately 7000 kilo-grams subsequently woven into

cloth). Particularly poignant were babies' and childrens' clothes and bootees - tiny relics of lives extinguished before they had even begun. All personal belong-ings were removed and taken to a huge sorting area called, for some inexplicable reason, Cana-da. Anything of value or use was given to the Reich command. Those who were condemned to be killed were told they were to be given a shower and de-liced. They were stripped, completely shaven, and tightly crammed into the "shower room"; the door was shut and then five small openings in the ceiling appeared from which granules of Zyklon-B impregnated with hydrogen cyanide were dropped. The gas thus given off was sufficient to kill hundreds of prisoners in one go. It was extremely "efficient" and was basically murder on an industrial scale. When in full swing, there were 8000 or 10000 killings each day - an horrific statistic. The bodies were then cremated in the ovens - but a few were burnt whilst still alive. When the crematorium couldn't keep up with the demand, bodies

were burnt outside for all to see. After cremation, any gold (as from rings or teeth) was extracted and any jewelry or precious stones were removed prior to burial in mass graves.We were shown the punishment yard with its "wall of death" for shootings and gallows for hang-ings. Prisoners disposed of here were "special"; somehow, they were either of higher status and/or were being killed as a deter-rent to others.Teutonic efficiency recorded much of what went on and, al-though the Nazis tried to destroy the evidence at the end of the war, surviving records still supply so much information today.One imagines that it was only Jews who were dealt with at Aus-chwitz. Not so. Admittedly, Jews made up the great majority but homosexuals, criminals, "anti-socials", Roma (gypsies), political prisoners, Polish intellectuals and Slavs in general (eg Russian prisoners of war) were also con-sidered to be "untermenschen" (ie sub-human) so, therefore, needed to be exterminated - for the good of society!


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A Travellers Tale (Continued)

Upon arrival at Auschwitz, and after having travelled for days in unimaginably squalid conditions in cattle trucks, there was an im-mediate separation; first into male versus female and then into those fit enough to work - the consider-able minority - and those not. These latter, ie pregnant women, women with children, the young, the old, the sick, the infirm, were immediately taken off to the gas chambers. These were, perhaps,

the lucky ones since those kept back for slave labour were subject to bestial treatment at the hands of the SS guards (or their help-ers - often other prisoners, or Nazi sympathisers from the local community), long hours of work, cruel punishments (including floggings where 25 lashes was the norm), appalling accommodation, and very little (poor quality) food. Some were subjected to barbaric medical "experiments" particularly designed for the German Luft-waffe (Air Force) where the effects upon the human body of long exposure to icy water and super low atmospheric pressure were discovered: it was carefully noted how long it took people to die on average under such conditions. Also experiments involving the deliberate infection with malaria, typhus and spotted fever were con-ducted alongside the study of the effect of gas and phosphorus burns, attempts at bone transplants and mass sterilisation of women. Gen-erally speaking, those who were not killed immediately survived for three months - another ghastly statistic. But some, miraculously,

lived on to tell their horrific story to the world.After Auschwitz, we went the short distance to Birkenau. This was Auschwitz on a massive scale and was, essentially, nothing more than an extermination camp. We saw the toilet block - disgusting in its total lack of any semblance of

privacy - and billets where prison-ers slept in bunks three deep and two or three persons per individual bunk. One thin, lice ridden, blan-ket was issued to each bunk. There were scores of these bunks - hundreds of people - housed in a single wooden shed with a leaking roof and broken windows both of which which let in rain and snow so that some froze to death. It must have been hell on earth.Whereas the buildings at Aus-chwitz were brick built (being a former Polish army camp), each billet at Birkenau was wooden and originally meant to stable 50 horses. Eventually, there were more than 300 of these delapi-

dated wooden sheds housing thou-sands of prisoners. It is reckoned that somewhere between 1.1 and 1.6 million killings took place at Auschwitz and Birkenau alone: some people think the actual number to be much higher. There are, however, those - some in this country - who claim the Holocaust never happened at all and that sto-ries such as the above have been deliberately fabricated. I came away feeling completely sickened and wondering how the German people could ever sink so low knowing that some repre-sentatives of their country (the SS) carried out these atrocities. The ev-erlasting tragedy is that the majority of the population simply turned a blind eye and condoned them.I asked our guide what was the reaction of German visitors to what they had seen. She (a Pole) answered "the correct one" - an enigmatic response. I also noticed the usual swarms of Japanese tour-ists and wondered what they might think having had a similar history of dealing out atrocity themselves. No doubt younger Japanese have no knowledge of this ter-rible episode in their past since it is suppressed and not taught in their schools. But what do older Japanese visitors think, ie those old enough to know the truth?Being of this generation myself, I find it hard to forget - and even more difficult to forgive - since there are so many horrific pictures and snippets of information still in my mind. I have two books dealing with Auschwitz and some of the quotes, comments and accounts are even more harrowing than the photographs themselves - they turn me inside out with the horror of it all.It will take ages for the full story to sink in - if it ever does - but I am pleased that to have visited and ex-perienced this place. I felt I owed it to myself to go there.

www.thevinemagazine.com 15

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What ’s Best For You By Martin LewisMartin LEWIS Tackle your bills

Winter is coming. Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in the white stuff to sort your bills. Here, prevention truly beats cure – tackling your bills now means you can take the financial bite out of winter chills…

Free loft insulation and even boilers (for some). While the loft insulation free-for-all's ended, some will still be entitled to some serious free energy-saving measures. Most of the big six energy firms offer free boilers, typically worth £2,000, and free insulation, usually worth about £300. Crucially, you don't need to be with the energy provider to get it, but you do generally need an income under £16,000, and to be on income-related benefits or pension credit. I can’t definitely say you’ll qualify, but it is worth checking. Alternatively, the well-meaning but stuttering Green Deal initiative is designed to let you pay for things like underfloor heating, double glazing and solid wall insulation, from the 'savings' you make on energy bills. Deciding whether it’s right for you is complex, so for full help read www.moneysavingexpert.com/greendeal

Save £100s and beat the hikes. Rather surprisingly, fixing energy, where you lock in a set rate, is now cheaper than a normal switch. Five of the big six energy providers have now announced hikes, and their best new prices are costlier than the cheapest fixed tariffs. So right now you can get the very cheapest deals available, and it comes with no-hike certainty. The only exception to this is a variable (ie, subject to hikes) tariff from minnow Spark Energy – though it hasn't hiked (yet?), needs paying upfront, and feedback ain't great, so I’m ignoring it.

The cheapest fix comes from E.on for a year, but slightly longer and only a touch more are deals from EDF or Npower. Crucially, these two have no exit penalties. So on the off-chance the Prime Minister delivers the price cuts he’s promised, and the even more unlikely event that they’ll be so substantial that other tariffs elsewhere are cheaper, you'll be free to leave.

However, always do the numbers for your own circumstances. To check if you can save (you may be on an older, cheaper deal), and who your winner is, you can use my Cheap Energy Club top fixes comparison at www.cheapenergyclub.com, or do a standard

comparison on any Ofgem-approved comparison site – just search for The Confidence Code at www.ofgem.gov.uk to see the full list. If you're not online, use a comparison with a phone service, such as Energyhelpline on 0800 074 0745, or uSwitch on 0800 051 5493.

Paying energy bills by monthly direct debit’s up to 6% cheaper. If you can, do, as it’ll usually mean discounted bills of up to 6% less, so contact your provider to check. Though always do regular meter readings for accuracy, as your bill is estimated. If it’s too high, you have a right to ask for it to be lowered.

Got electricity only? You can still save. With electricity only, you can still get a cheap fix to save - just follow the info above. For those on Economy 7, assessing is trickier. It’s only really a boon for those who use at least 40% of their energy at night. If not – don’t bother. Full help to decide at www.mse.me/eco7

Can you find your stopcock? No sniggering - winter frozen pipe bursts can create an average £7,000 of damage, often worsened as many scrabble round searching for their stopcock - the mains water off switch - for ages as their home floods.

Take the time to find it now – mine is under the kitchen sink. Others find theirs in the bathroom or inside a cupboard. If yours isn’t working, you may want to call a plumber now, before it’s a problem.

Choosing between heating and eating? If you're seriously behind, or in general financial hardship - as far too many are after the hikes - you may be eligible for special help. Call the Home Heat Helpline on 0800 33 66 99 to check. Plus if anyone in your home was born on or before 5 January 1952, you're due up to £300 in tax-free winter fuel payments. Payments should be made automatically, but if you’ve never had it before then you may need to register - see www.gov.uk.

Plus anyone on specific income support, jobseekers' allowances or pension credit gets £25 in cold weather payments for every 7 days it's sub-0 C.

@MoneySavingExpert

This is a golden time for those in debt. While that may seem a strange thing to say, the best EVER deals for cutting loan, store or credit card costs are now on the market. So if you’ve existing

debts, a little bit of action could save you £100s or £1,000s.

The aim is to cut the interest rate you pay, so more of your repayments clear the debt rather than servicing the interest, so you're debt-free far quicker.

STOP BORROWING Borrowing more just makes the problem costlier and longer-lived. You can’t borrow your way out of debt. The tips below are about getting new products, not bor-rowing more.

CREDIT & STORE CARD DEBT Shift to 31mths 0%. If you've debts on cards, do a balance transfer. This is where you ask a new card to pay off debts on other cards, so you owe it instead, hopefully at a cheaper rate. To get a card, you must pass a credit score. Usually the only way to find out is to apply, which marks your file. To get round that, find which card’s most likely to accept you with my free Eligibility Checker at www.mse.me/eligibility Follow the balance transfer golden rules: a) Always repay at least the set monthly minimum, or you lose special rates. b) Always plan to shift the debt again or fully repay before the 0% ends, or these cards' rates jump to 18.9% and 17.9% representative APR. c) Don't spend on these cards – it's usually not at the same cheap rate.

LOAN DEBT: Can you cut the cost?This is more difficult, as most old loans charge up to two months' interest to repay early, which needs factoring in. It's worth trying if you can get a much lower APR loan (ie, more than a fifth off) and have a while left to repay – especially if your credit score's improved since getting the loan.

OVERDRAFTS/CATALOGUES: Shift to 0% If you've a costly overdraft or need to put money in a bank account to pay off catalogue debts, there’s a way to use a credit card for this. A few balance transfer cards let newbies 'money transfer' cash into your bank account, so you then owe the card instead.

You could, of course, find a 0% overdraft. Both First Direct and Nationwide offer this if you switch to them, but the amounts offered are usually limited.

DON'T REPAY ALL DEBTS EQUALLY Attack the highest APR first. Once your debts are as cheap as possible, list them all, including overdrafts, in order of APR. Then focus every penny on clearing the highest APR one as it grows fast-est, just paying the minimum on the others. Once that's clear, move to the next highest. The more you pay off, the better. If you just stick to minimum repayments, you’ll take years or decades to be debt-free (they're designed so you just clear the interest). The exception to the ‘highest APR first’ rule is loans with penalties for overpaying early. SET UP A DIRECT DEBIT This will help protect your credit score. Forget or make late repayments and you risk losing 0% deals, being fined and suffering a hit on your credit score. So set up a direct debit to cover at least the monthly minimum, then manually pay more on top each month.

GOT BOTH DEBTS AND SAVINGS? STOP! £1,000 credit card debt at 18% costs £180 a year, while the same amount saved in top paying savings earns just £15 before tax. If you’re thinking “yes, but I like some spare cash”, this is often false security. More at www.mse.me/ClearDebtsWithSavings

FREE DEBT CRISIS HELP While my tips above should help cut the cost of debt, for some people that isn’t enough. If you're struggling to meet your minimum repayments and basic bills, have non-mortgage debts bigger than a year's salary, or can’t sleep for worry, you're likely to be in debt crisis. If so, ignore the options above and contact a non-profit debt advice service that uses a different set of solutions, such as StepChange (stepchange.org), Citizens Advice (citizensadvice.org.uk) or National Debtline (national-debtline.co.uk). Don’t worry, they’re there to help, not judge.

Recover From Debt

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By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

Would you like Any Cashback Today?

You can listen to The JVS Show every weekday morning from 9am on BBC Three Counties Radio

Consumer Clinic

The internet has of course brought some unwanted problems, but it has also brought some incredible benefits to us consumers. One of those benefits is the creation of ‘Cashback’ websites. Gosh I love them! In fact, I frequently bore people senseless telling them about the important of logging on and saving ££££ on your purchases.

If you haven’t come across the likes of ‘Quidco’ or ‘TopCashback’ before, let me explain how they work.

Cashback websites pay you a cash fee when purchasing goods or services via their website. The amount of cashback is gen-erally a percentage of the total you spend with the retailer. They tend to make their fee from the companies that they suggest on their site. Many of these are well known high street branches, some are lesser known retailers. They normally transfer the cash-back you’ve earned directly into your bank account as soon as they receive it. So it’s a win win for the consumer. They also provide voucher codes for thousands of retailers so you can gain discounts at the online checkout.All you have to do is:

1Register with one or more cashback site.

2 When you decide you want to make an online purchase

of a product or service, log into the cashback site, search the cashback rates available and follow the link to the company’s website.

3Make the purchase, and wait for the cashback to arrive in

your bank account (it normally takes at least a few weeks and should be tracked automati-cally).

Let me give you a couple of examples (chosen at random at the time of writing):It’s time to renew your car insurance. You get some online quotes and find that Tesco Insurance is offering you the best deal. You could of course just take out a policy with them directly on their website. That would be fairly silly though, because by going to Tesco In-surance via a cashback website, you would receive a cashback lump sum payment of £75 after completing the purchase. By going to them directly, you would have missed out on a £75 saving.You need a new washing machine. You find one you like at Currys. Again, you could just purchase it directly on the Currys website, but by going via a cashback website like Quidco or TopCashBack, you would stand to make 2% cashback on

the total purchase price. That would be £8 back on a £400 washing machine. Better than a slap round the face with a wet fish eh?!You can make additional money by referring your friends and relatives to the sites as well. I always say that you don’t get anything in this world for free. So how do the companies that offer the cashback benefit from this? Well, they gain because you’re more likely to buy from the retailers that are listed with those cashback sites.The important thing is to re-member to use the site. Which-ever online purchase you need to make: flights, insurance, elec-trical goods, perfume, clothes, wine or groceries, always go via a cashback website and start saving. I always remember and since I started using cashback websites 2 years ago and have already made £237.38. So go get yourself some free cashback!


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By Mike Newman

Aged Concerns... A Pensioner’s View

Mike Newman is a member of The Dunstable And District Senior Citizens Club. If you have a view on any of the issues raised why not attend one of their monthly meetings,

held on the last Thursday of the month at St Marys Catholic Social Club, West St., Dunstable.

The National Insurance FundOurs Or Theirs ?

The National Insurance Fund, the scheme was established on the 5th July 1948 to provide,

unemployment, sickness benifit, retirement pansions and other benifits where individuals meet the contri-bution and other qualifying conditions, such as the annual Christmas bonus.Currently employees contrib-ute 12% of income if they earn between £145.00 per week and £854 per week. Employ-ers pay 12.8% on all income above £94.00 unless they are contracted out. Employees earning above £854.00 per week pay 2% of their weekly salary.From these contributions an allocation is made toward the N.H.S. of 2.05% of the first slice of eligible earnings from the employees and the full 2% on income above £854.00 per week. Employers pay 1.9%. The remainder goes into the insurance fund and should only be used for the payment of benefits and the cost of administration.The National Pensioners

Convention has long argued that the money in the N.I. fund should primarily be used for its original purpose of paying pensions and benefits - but for at least a decade, succes-sive governments have been borrowing from the surplus expenditure.Mr Webb M.P. who is the min-ister controlling national pen-sions stated in September 1910 “Under long standing legisla-tion, contributory benefits and where any surplus exists - it is held in a short term investment account run by the Commis-sioners for the Reduction of the National Debt. This means the government will borrow less from else where.”The above facts and figures were issued in the National Pensioners Convention pam-phlet entitled “A Decent State Pension for All Generations.” Some interesting statistics that Dunstable Senior Citizens were aware of some years ago via a letter to our M.P. who passed it on to us, at that time the Commissioners for the Re-duction of the National Debt were not mentioned.

We need to ask a fundamental question of the government. Why is it that at the present moment where the disabled are treated so badly by the Ministry Of Work And Pen-sions, that the basic pension is one of the lowest in Europe and thousands of pensioners still die of cold related illness. You have to sell your house to get into a care home, thou-sands who still live below the poverty level and yet the sur-plus in the National Insurance Fund, which in June 2012 stood at £31.1 billion - even after government borrowing is not used to alleviate the problem?Surely with gargantuan sums of money like this the fund could be better used to carry out the duties it was estab-lished for? The present slice that pays for the N.H.S and the pensioner and other benefits should be elevated by a higher percentage? As the National Pensioners Convention states the National Insurance Fund is not general taxation and must be treated as such.

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By Mike Newman

Aged Concerns... A Pensioner’s View

Mike Newman is a member of The Dunstable And District Senior Citizens Club. If you have a view on any of the issues raised why not attend one of their monthly meetings,

held on the last Thursday of the month at St Marys Catholic Social Club, West St., Dunstable.

The National Insurance FundOurs Or Theirs ?

The National Insurance Fund, the scheme was established on the 5th July 1948 to provide,

unemployment, sickness benifit, retirement pansions and other benifits where individuals meet the contri-bution and other qualifying conditions, such as the annual Christmas bonus.Currently employees contrib-ute 12% of income if they earn between £145.00 per week and £854 per week. Employ-ers pay 12.8% on all income above £94.00 unless they are contracted out. Employees earning above £854.00 per week pay 2% of their weekly salary.From these contributions an allocation is made toward the N.H.S. of 2.05% of the first slice of eligible earnings from the employees and the full 2% on income above £854.00 per week. Employers pay 1.9%. The remainder goes into the insurance fund and should only be used for the payment of benefits and the cost of administration.The National Pensioners

Convention has long argued that the money in the N.I. fund should primarily be used for its original purpose of paying pensions and benefits - but for at least a decade, succes-sive governments have been borrowing from the surplus expenditure.Mr Webb M.P. who is the min-ister controlling national pen-sions stated in September 1910 “Under long standing legisla-tion, contributory benefits and where any surplus exists - it is held in a short term investment account run by the Commis-sioners for the Reduction of the National Debt. This means the government will borrow less from else where.”The above facts and figures were issued in the National Pensioners Convention pam-phlet entitled “A Decent State Pension for All Generations.” Some interesting statistics that Dunstable Senior Citizens were aware of some years ago via a letter to our M.P. who passed it on to us, at that time the Commissioners for the Re-duction of the National Debt were not mentioned.

We need to ask a fundamental question of the government. Why is it that at the present moment where the disabled are treated so badly by the Ministry Of Work And Pen-sions, that the basic pension is one of the lowest in Europe and thousands of pensioners still die of cold related illness. You have to sell your house to get into a care home, thou-sands who still live below the poverty level and yet the sur-plus in the National Insurance Fund, which in June 2012 stood at £31.1 billion - even after government borrowing is not used to alleviate the problem?Surely with gargantuan sums of money like this the fund could be better used to carry out the duties it was estab-lished for? The present slice that pays for the N.H.S and the pensioner and other benefits should be elevated by a higher percentage? As the National Pensioners Convention states the National Insurance Fund is not general taxation and must be treated as such.

22

By Seb Jay

Looking Up!in April and May 2014

Bedfordshire’s Night Sky

Dark Sky Telescope Hire [email protected]

Catch Mars At Its Best For 2014: April and May this year is a great time to view Mars through a telescope. The Red Planet reaches opposition on April 8th, and so is at its biggest and brightest for 2014. In April look to the south east sky as soon as it gets dark for a bright orange coloured ‘star’. Through the evening Mars climbs higher into the sky and swings over towards the south. By May Mars can be found more than 30-degrees above the horizon towards the south in the late evening twilight. In a telescope you’ll see the Red Planet’s ice cap, and dark markings on the Martian surface.

Watch The Lyrids Meteor Shower: The maximum of this year’s Lyrids Meteor Shower falls on April 22nd. Expect to see up to 25 shoot-ing stars per hour flashing across the night sky between midnight and dawn on the 22nd, and again once it is dark on the evening of the 22nd. Look high up to the east for your best view of the Shower.

Get A Glimpse Of Saturn In The Evening Sky: Saturn follows Mars into the evening sky this year. By Mid April the ringed planet is rising in the south east by 11pm. Come Mid May it is already 10-degrees above the south east horizon by the time it gets dark. In a telescope Saturn looks spec-tacular. You can see the planet’s rings, markings in Saturn’s atmosphere and some of the planet’s

Scetch of Mars through a telescope.


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What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “insurance”? Dread? Fear? Confusion? – Well it needn’t be with A-Plan Insurance.This local company will help you find the right insur-ance for your car, home, van or motorcycle – and what’s more you don’t have to re-mortgage your house to be able to afford them.A-Plan are worlds apart from all the faceless internet insurance companies. At A-Plan in Dunstable you will get personal service as soon as you step through the door. Pop in for a chat and a cuppa with one of the friendly team and you will be surprised to see that a no obligation quotation from A-Plan really does offer value for money.

“To have such an efficient personalised service accompanied by a drop in the premium quoted is a most refreshing change from the usual standards offered these days,” said Mrs S Whiting of Newport Pagnell.

A-Plan have been trading for 50 years so they understand a need for a personal service. Calls are an-swered in three rings and you will always be able to speak to the person dealing with your policy. A-Plan also know that sometimes circumstances change and problems arise, so they are happy to offer a degree of flexibility with payments.Whether it’s home car, van or motorcycle insurance, give A-Plan a call.

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Join our growing list of delighted clients, who have already enjoyed great savings and service to match. As an independent insurance broker with over 50 years’ experience, our friendly and professional team are confident they will find you the right insurance at the best price.

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For further information and a no obligation quote, pop into see David Cornwell (Branch Man-ager) and his team at 10 High Street North, Dunstable or call them on 01582 662 555

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Health Beauty Wellbeing&

I have to admit that I am a total wuss when it comes to undergo-ing beauty treatments, although I am a fully trained therapist (many years ago) even the experience of having my cuticles tidied gives me the eeby jeebies. As a trainee therapist at Henlow Grange we volunteered our bodies to each other for practice purposes but the minute I qualified I would run a mile if a wax strip was merely waved in my general direction, however, the idea of permanent hair removal was too much of a lure and so I with trepidation I entered Toddington Laser Clinic.As with my previous articles this one might be best suited to our lady readers, after all I don't want to be the one to destroy any sense of mystery or delusion about our silky smooth bodies and there are some finer points to discuss about the choices you can make when having laser hair reduction that might not be for the gentleman reader. However laser reduction is perfectly suited to men and yes even their beards!Not to put to finer point on it (excuse the pun) but when using laser to reduce hairs in some ar-eas, it is worth remembering that it will be permanent and there-fore you may wish to venture into some careful research about shape. I say careful because it is not a subject that comes up much in conversation and when it does (I dropped it in very subtly) you will be surprised how opinion-ated others can be. You can, of course, use Google to explore the

options but again I urge caution particularly when deciding what to write in the search bar. Again, you may be very surprised at the variety of choice from the very tame, akin to a short back and sides, to arrangements Kew Gar-dens would be proud of. I think that is probably enough said on the topic but you get my gist – it is permanent, choice wisely.The Clinic is in an unassuming building through a discreet little door, it doesn't have the highly glossed appearance of some clin-ics but don't let this put you off; for me it was a bonus; the park-ing was practically at the door and if, like me, you are prone to getting a bit blotchy a fast and discreet get away is desired.Verity is the lovely and supremely knowledgeable laser therapist and she has such a calm and approachable way about her you are immediately put at your ease. I am sure she won't mind me saying that she has enough years (and children) to make you feel comfortable talking about the “areas” you would like treated. The consultation was extremely thorough and I knew exactly what to expect and what to do and not to do, before my test patch. As well as hair reduction I was having treatment to remove red veins and pigmentation from my face.Before the treatment I had read descriptions of the sensation as being like a rubber band being pinged on you, I suppose this is true but with laser the feeling

lasts for only the briefest second and is far more comfortable and bearable than waxing or epilators. This said I do have to admit that my session was quite a raucous affair.Who knew that my reaction would be to laugh hysterically and I am afraid quite loudly with each zap. I am ashamed to say there was an element of swearing and other outbursts of noises so much so that a visitor who had waited in the reception during my treatment later reported “I can't even imagine what was happening in there”. Verity did say (I have known her for some time) that I was the worst client she had ever had, although she laughed along quite happily too.The sensation is “pingy” or “zappy” but it is far more com-fortable than waxing and best of all the results are incredible even after the test patch. I have been back for two treatments; at first I was sceptical but two weeks after the first treatment many of the red veins and dark patches on my face had completely gone and as for the hair reduction the results have been fantastic – I won't give you the details!

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28

Dunstable Town GuidesPromoting the heritage of Dunstable

Mon, Tue & Wed: 8.30am - 5pm Thurs - closed. Fri: 9am - 6pm Sat: 8am - 3.30pm

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01582 69968822 Albion street, Dunstable

Dunstable & District Orbit Club

Supporting the CommunityActive Social CalendarCharity Fundraising

The old cliché “the more you put in, the more you get out” is certainly true for the members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its incep-tion over 25 years ago, the club has raised nearly £60,000 for local charities from events such as quiz nights, stalls at carnivals and coffee mornings. We also give our time to help organisations and people in the community, such as marshalling at fun runs and helping to put on choir concerts for local senior citizens.However, there is more to belonging to Orbit than the camaraderie and teamwork involved in organising community and fundraising events. The emphasis is very much on having fun and providing an active social calendar – anything from llama-trekking, archery and 10-pin bowling, to meals, cinema trips and even taking to the skies in a glider! We plan events to suit all budgets and many of them are free or low cost, such as walks, games nights or simply getting together for a chat at the local pub. Annual membership is just £15.Orbit meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month at Dunstablians Rugby Club, Bidwell Park, Bedford Road, Houghton Regis, LU5 6JW from 8pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome.For more information please visit www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable or contact Mark on 01582 539379 or Julie on 01582 535761. You can also email the club directly from the website.

The Dunstable Town Guides offer walks and talks on the heritage of Dunstable for your clubs and societies, and scouting, guiding and school groups. Contact Booking Secretary [email protected] guided heritage walks and ghost walks are also led by Dunstable Town Guides.

The Dunstable Town Guides will be present at the St Georges Day Event in Priory House Gar-dens on Saturday, 19 April and will be offering a free children’s walk around Dunstable’s Hidden Priory, a quiz on St George with prizes and a free talk on St George in Priory House.

Starting in April Dunstable Library is hosting regular talks by the Town Guides. Contact Dunstable Library on 0300 300 8056

A guided public walk on the theme of Odd and Unusual Historic Dunstable will take place on Sunday, 18 May at 11am. Tickets cost £5 and need to be booked in advance from Priory House Heritage Centre 01582 891420. The meeting point for this walk is outside Priory House.

Saturday, 21 June, 11am Summer Solstice Ghost Walk – meet Priory Church car park. Saturday, 5 July, 11am Discover the Hidden Priory – meet Priory HouseSunday, 20 July, 11am Dunstable’s History and Heritage – meet as aboveSaturday, 2 August, 11am Discover the Hidden Priory – meet as aboveSaturday, 16 August, 11am Dunstable’s History and Heritage – meet as aboveSunday, 14 September, 11am Inns of Dunstable – meet as above The Dunstable Town Guides are supported by Dunstable Town Council

The old cliché “the more you put in, the more you get out” is certainly true for the members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its inception over 25 years ago, the club has raised nearly £60,000 for local charities from events such as quiz nights, stalls at carnivals and coffee mornings. We also give our time to help organisations and people in the community, such as marshalling at fun runs and helping to put on choir concerts for local senior citizens.

However, there is more to belonging to Orbit than the camaraderie and teamwork involved in organising community and fundraising events. The emphasis is very much on having fun and providing an active social calendar – anything from llama-trekking, archery and 10-pin bowling, to meals, cinema trips and even taking to the skies in a glider! We plan events to suit all budgets, and many of them are free or low cost, such as walks, games nights or simply getting together for a chat at the local pub. Annual membership is just £15. The club is keen to expand its community, social and fundraising events and hopes that new members would bring fresh ideas along with them. In return we can offer you friendship and a sense of belonging as part of our team. Whatever your skills and background, everyone has something to offer, and we can all help to improve the communities we live in - and raise much-needed funds for worthy causes. Orbit meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month at Dunstablians Rugby Club, Bidwell Park, Bedford Road, Houghton Regis, LU5 6JW, from 8 pm. Our first meeting of the month is a planning meeting, where we discuss what community, social or fundraising events we would like to hold. Our second meeting (3rd Tuesday of the month) is purely a social gathering at the club. Give us a try! You’ll be given a very warm welcome.

For more information please visit www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable or contact Mark on 01582 539379 or Julie on 01582 535761. You can also email the club directly from the website.

(351 words)

Dunstable & District Orbit Club Supporting the Community

Active Social Calendar Charity Fundraising


88 Great Northern RoadDunstable, LU5 4BT

01582 608400

28a High StreetLeighton Buzzard, LU7 1EA

01525 372447

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Whether it’s as fast growing as a Triffid, a dainty floral twiner, or an evergreen

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and Pyracantha (great for deter-ring intruders due to its woody thorns), there is a whole range of other shrubs which can be grown against a wall or fence, not forgetting trees of course, such as the beautiful trained fruit trees we often see in Victorian walled gardens.Shrubs planted at around 30cm away from the base of the wall or fence can be manually tied in and make excellent wall cover, often with the added benefit of flowers. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ for example, or Garrya elliptica make unusual evergreen wall coverings, and look great with a second flowering climber twining through. Don’t forget the huge variety of annuals available which you can grow from seed, such as Sweet Peas, Morning Glory, or maybe try climbing French beans as an edible wall covering?Do ensure that you provide sturdy wires for plants to travel up. The best and most cost-effective way is simply to fix vine eyes (spaced horizontally around 2m apart) to the fence or wall and vertically at 30cm intervals. Then use a taught network of galvanised wires to provide support. Be sure to tie climbers in horizontally and not vertically as most people do … this way they will look great in your garden rather than flopping over the fence and delighting your neighbour. Now that really would drive me up the garden wall!

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32


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36

There is a joke doing the rounds which goes something like: The best thing about being

a teen in the 1980s is that we made all our big mistakes before the internet was invented! There is much truth in that.When your teen tweets or posts a picture to Instagram, he or she probably doesn’t think about how it might affect her tomorrow, let alone how it might affect her chances of get-ting a job. The hard truth is, that what we send into cyberspace can be difficult to erase.There have been some recent news stories about young people losing jobs, or not even getting an interview, based solely on what someone from the company has seen on their MySpace or Facebook page.Many employers now use social media profil-ing to screen potential employees. Vetting a candidate's social media profiles can give employers an insight into someone’s personal-ity, character or work ethic.If your teen's profile is not set to 'private' it will be accessible to a potential employer and their content found through search engines like Google. This is true for Facebook, Twitter and

Instagram. It may be unfair and discrimina-tory but it happens, and even fairly innocuous material might be judged harshly by someone who doesn't know the person involved. You can help by getting involved in your child's social media presence. Become familiar with the tools they use, and offer advice to save them from making mistakes which may be difficult to correct. The good news is that you can help your teen clean up their social media sites before they get ready to apply for joTake an afternoon to go through each social media profile and delete any inappropriate photos or comments. There are some software products which can help, like SimpleWash, though these generally don't apply to photos.So does this mean you should stop your teen from using any social media? Most experts say that this isn't necessary. In fact a well-handled social media profile can be very beneficial. It allows young people to connect with those in the industry they’re trying to break into. By engaging with other professionals they can show that they’re both serious and knowledgeable.

SocialProblems

• Keep just one social media profile where you post personal information.• Make sure main profile photos and cover photos are conservative.• If something is even slightly questionable, do not post it publicly.• Be careful what you 'like' or comment on. If the person posting has a public profile your comment will be visible too.• Make your public image one you'd be happy to show to anyone, even your great granny. • Don't accept friend requests from people you don't know, or if you must, then put them on a 'restricted' list, but remember that privacy filters on social networking sites are subject to change and are not fail-safe. Check filters regularly.

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37

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HOMESTARTHave you got just 2 to 3 hours to spare each week to support a local young family who are struggling to cope? The charity Home-Start is looking for caring parents and grand-parents. All training and support is given and expenses paid. It’s a great way to gain new skills, make friends and really make a difference to your community.Tel: 01582 [email protected] www.home-startcentralbeds.org.uk

BREAKOUT SOCIAL CLUBWe are a club for the over forty fives, not a singles club but a social club for people who enjoy going out but are on their own, where they can meet like-minded people, with a varied monthly programme covering Disco’s, Pub lunch’s, walks, parties and much, much more, we meet once a week in the front bar at the Conservative Club, High street North DunstableFor more information please contact Sandy on 07813 262556

DUNSTABLE SENIOR CITIZENSWhat age would you like to live to?Would you like to live it withDignity, Financial peace of mind, With a voice We are a local group fighting the fight for the over 50’sInterested in finding out more?Come to a meetingWe meet the last Thursday of each month at 2pmIn the Social club of The Catholic Church in West Street DunstableOr call for more information on01582 534357

WATLING STREET CLUBWe are an independent social club

for ex-Rotarians and similarly minded people and have been in existence for nearly 3 years. We are named ‘The Watling Street Club’ as our members form a link along the Wa-tling Street. We meet every Thursday evening at the ‘Old Hunter’s Lodge’ Whipsnade for a meal and speaker.New members are welcome. For more information contact John Ste-vens 01582 668033

DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUBWe meet every Monday (except bank holidays) in Chews House in High Street South, Dunstable, from 1pm to 5pm. We would welcome new mem-bers of all standards and you do not need a partner. If anyone is interested please call: 01582 664485

THE BOGTROTTERSThe Bogtrotters (Dunstable and Dis-trict Walking and Hostelling Group) are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activi-ties, including half and full day walks, hostelling trips, meals and evening activities.New members are always welcome. Prospective members are invited to get in touch via the website, give us a ring or just turn up to an event or walk.Enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.ukwww.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk01582 865966 Sue or Julian

DUNSTABLE WIDunstable Downside WI meet two evenings a month on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at Watling Lower School Bullpond Lane at 7.0pm. We are friendly group and like to enjoy ourselves. We have a wide range of speakers with different talents and crafts, and also Quiz nights to test our brains. We welcome new members so join us and make new friends10th April - Jewellery by design by Wendy & Andy Schriver24th April - Priory FabricsFor more information telephone Chris Brewin 01582 520361 Chairperson

FRIENDS OF STUDHAM COMMONWe are a friendly,voluntary group whose aim is to conserve,maintain and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place for

everyone to enjoy.For this purpose we meet as a work party on the third Saturday of each month (except Dec.) The work is not onerous and we enjoy the exercise and the good company –and a picnic lunch is pro-vided! Details from Pam on 01582 872608 [email protected]

CHILTERN GATEWAY CENTREChilterns Gateway Centre Shop,

01582 500925

Cadbury Easter Egg TrailDaily from 18th April to 22 April

11am - 4pm £2 per ticketJoin us for an exciting egg hunt with our sponsors Cadburys.Complete our trail exploring the Downs and win a yummy Cadburys chocolate egg! There’ll be lots of fam-ily Easter fun happening too, all in the glorious surroundings of Dunstable Downs.

Butterfly walk17th & 24th May 11am - 1pm £2

Join the countryside team on an informative guided walk to look for the butterflies that thrive on the rare chalk grassland of Dunstable Downs and Whipsnade.

International Dawn Chorus Day Walk

4th May 4:30 am - 9:45 am £2Witness one of the most beautiful

things in nature!International Dawn Chorus Day is the worldwide celebration of Nature’s daily miracle - the Dawn Chorus. En-joy an early morning walking to the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral and back along Whipsnade Downs listening to bird song along the way. Our guide will talk you through the different birds that call the Downs home and help identify bird calls out of the glorious chorus.

THE HEALING TRUSTArdley Hill School, Lowther Rd, Each Thursday evening 7.30 - 9pm. No charge, donations accepted. NFSH contact Pam Hill on 01582 606182Come for interest or healing.

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THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB Out About&• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community

PRIORY HOUSEPriory House Heritage Centre

Tel: 01582 891420

TEA TIME TALESTalks of local and nationalinterest with tea or coffee

and a pastry.Alternate Thursday afternoons

2.30 - 4.00pm £4.75 per personApril 3rd

A Thousand Miles up the Amazon - Jean Yates, Dunstable Town Guide

April 17thLaw and Order in Dunstable - Tony Woodhouse, Dunstable Town Guide

May 1st Medieval Physic Garden, herbs

treat, dye and eat - Deborah Bird, Garden Designer

May 15thChina and the Terracotta Warriors - Jean Yates, Dunstable Town Guide

May 29thThe Great War; Animals the forgot-

ten heroes - Ann Ledger, Dunstable Town Guide

ST GEORGES DAY Saturday 19 April

Priory House Gardens, 10am to 4pm

Free St. George’s Day event with entertainment for all of the family!

TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONSLooking for somewhere to exhibit your work? Why not try Priory House? Priory House has an exhibition space which can be used for groups or individuals to display artwork, photography or craft work. Exhibition items are often sold through the Gift Shop. For further in-formation please contact Priory House.

BREATHEASYDo you suffer from a lung condition? Then why not come and join our local Support group - breatheasy - Part of the British lung foundation. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at peter newton pavilion (Behind tesco) 2 - 4pm carers also welcomeAs well as supporting each other we have a variety of speakers and also arrange day trips out.New members most welcomeMore info phone michael on 01582 602348

DUNSTABLE PROBUS CLUBDunstable PROBUS Club meets on

the second Monday of the month and membership is open to retired or semi-retired professional and business men. The Club’s main object is the promotion of good fel-lowship. Members enjoy a variety of social activities and organized visits throughout the year and at their regular monthly meetings they are entertained by after-lunch speakers. If you are interested in joining the Club, please contact the Secretary Malcolm Partridge 01525 222711

LANGDALE CHURCH‘HATTERS TEA’- informal neigh-bourhood group meets monthly on a Wednesday pm. Free tea/coffee & home-made cakes, quiz and raffle.Friends and Neighbours- monthly on a Thursday pm. Speakers and free tea/coffee. At Langdale Church.Other groups- table tennis, walking group and drawing for beginnersMake the most of our community activities and meet new people in our community. Tel Colin, Community Worker01582602980

BEDFORDSHIRE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETYDate for your diary!

Sunday 18 May Family Day at Jordans Mill nr BiggleswadeDisplays, nature walks, craft activi-ties, bughunting & lots more.More details on website soon www.bnhs.org.ukFor more information contact Mary Sheridan 01525 378245

KINGSBURY BOWLS CLUB is a small friendly club situated in east Dunstable under the shadow of Blows Downs.The Green is open to the public from Wednesday to Friday until September, 2-00pm to 4-00pm and 6-00pm to Dusk – at a reasonable fee. Come and try a new sport – the only dress requirement is flat-soled footwear. Bowls and all other equipment is available at the Green. www.kingsburybowls.weebly.com

PRIORY LADIESWe are a lively group of ladies, if you like interesting talks, meeting people and occasional trips out then why not join us!We meet on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month 8.00pm - 10.00pmMeetings are held at Chews House, 77 High Street South, Dunstable LU6 3SFThere will be a Spring Dinner at

Dunstable Downs Golf Club during April.Tel: Monica 01582 667030 or Barbara 01582 606300

DUNSTABLE LADIES CHOIRLadies - new members are welcome to join our choir. If you enjoy sing-ing why not come to a Tuesday evening rehearsal from 7.30-9.30pm at Houghton Regis Baptist Church, Hammersmith Gardens LU5 5RG and give us a try. No audition neces-sary. We also have a lively social life including meals out, get-togethers and trips to concerts and shows. Dunstable Ladies Choir Spring Concert: do join us at 7.30pm on Saturday 17th May at St Augustine’s Church, Mayfield Road, Dunstable for a lively programme of music for all the family. Tickets available on the door, priced £8.00, including homemade refreshments at the interval.Further details from Pat Jackson 01582 520302.

HOUGHTON REGIS BOWLS CLUBOpen day on the 4th may from 11am to around 4pm The only thing needed is flat soled shoes. All ages and abilities are welcome. Children over 12 years must be ac-companied by a parent please.Light refreshments will be available.Please come and have a go, look forward seeing you all, any enquiries please ring me on 01582518645

DUNSTABLE & DISTRICT ORBIT CLUB

Since its inception over 25 years ago, Orbit has raised nearly £60,000 for local charities. We also give our time to help organisations and people in the community.

Orbit offers an active social calen-dar, with wide-ranging events to suit all budgets and tastes. Annual membership is just £15.

We meet on the first and third Tues-day of the month at Dunstablians Rugby Club, Bidwell Park, Bedford Road, Houghton Regis, LU5 6JW from 8 pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome. For more information please visit www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable or contact Mark on 01582 539379 or Julie on 01582 535761.


• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community

SPOT THE ADVERT

Step On ItGROPEGRAPEGRATECRATECRANECRONE

Answers

46

If interested, please contactPAUL HELEY on

01582 664339 or [email protected]

Qualified Town Guide & Speakeroffers

Walks & Talks Dealing With Early & Medieval Dunstable

including stories relating to -• The Rise of Dunstable

• The Priory • Dun the Robber & other brigands • Henry 8th & Catherine of Aragon • Henry’s other wives & children • Royal Visitors & Ordinary Folk

• Pilgrims & Tournaments • Highwaymen (& Highwaywomen)

AlsoGhost stories,

Travel accounts etc.

The Top Hog CompanyPage 24

Barry Cato Motor RepairsEst. 1981

ServicingRepairs

MOT’s arrangedTel : 01525 221681

0r07836 650015

r/o Norfolk House Farm, Harling Rd. Eaton Bray

Open: Tues - Fri 8am - 5pm, Sat 8am - 1pm

Telephone orders welcome - 01525 220213 1 Chapel Lane, Totternhoe, Dunstable, LU6 2BZ

F. HORTON & SON

Retail and Catering Supplies

Specialising in: Aberdeen Angus & Hereford BeefHome Made Sausages & Burgers

Free delivery within a 10 mile radius on orders over £40

F. HORTON & SON ~ EST. 1861~

High Class Family Run Butchers

Locally Produced Beef, Pork & Lamb

www.thevinemagazine.com

Genuine Freehouse Nestled in the Countryside

"CASK TO GLASS ALES…FREE WI-FI"

The Bell In Studham

…FOR FOOD AND GIFTS WE LOVE!

"Good Honest Freshly Prepared Food!"WEEKDAY LUNCHES FROM £5.99 Dunstable Rd, Studham, Beds. LU6 2QG.Tel: 01582 872460www.thebellinstudham.co.uk [email protected]

Functions Catered for! Just let us know how we can help! 5 MIN FROM THE DOWNS-LARGE CARPARK & GARDENS

The Vine Dunstable - April/May 2014 - Issue 58

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Transcript of The Vine Dunstable - April/May 2014 - Issue 58