The Vine Dunstable - August / September 2014 - Issue 60

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FREEtheAugust/September2014 Issue 60

Dunstable • Whipsnade • Studham • Kensworth • Houghton Regis

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Priory House, 33 High Street South, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 3RZTel: 01582 891420 Email: [email protected]

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DunstableRocks! 10A Travellers Tale 12What’s Best For You 16Consumer Clinic 18Aged Concerns 20Bedfordshire’s Night Sky 22Hockfest 24Health, Beauty & wellbeing 26Book Review 28At Home 30In The Garden 32The Importance Of Tailoring 34Auto Biographies 38Reduce The Stress Of Parenting 40Puzzles 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 September

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Dunstable Town Guides

Promoting the heritage of Dunstable

The Dunstable Town Guides offer walks and talks on the heritage of Dunstable for your clubs and societies, and scout-ing, guiding and school groups. Contact Booking Secretary [email protected] guided heritage walks and ghost walks are also led by Dunstable Town Guides.Dunstable Library is hosting regular talks by the Town Guides. For details see below or contact Dunstable Library on 0300 300 8056

Saturday, 2 August, 11am Discover the Hidden Priory – meet as above

Saturday, 16 August, 11am Dunstable’s History and Heritage – meet as above

Sunday, 14 September, 11am Inns of Dunstable – meet as aboveThe Dunstable Town Guides are supported by Dunstable Town Council

Everyone Can Help! improve the Hayfield for wildlife

The steep hills of Blow’s Downs Nature Reserve, rising from the edges of Luton and Dunstable, benefits from wildlife rich chalk grassland. Set in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this is a great place for people, insects, birds and wild flowers.At the heart of the Reserve is the Hayfield, a former arable field and commercial hayfield. The Wildlife Trust BCN lease the Hayfield from Luton Borough Council as part of the mitigation agreement from the Guided Busway. The Hayfield is to be managed for people and wildlife for the next 60 years.The wildlife Trust BCN alongside local volunteers is improving the hayfield, with important plants such as orchids, cowslips and yellow rattle. The grass is cut for hay annually and the yield is sold to local riding stables for horse feed. Removing the grass and flowers once they have flowered keeps the nutri-ent level of the soil poor which benefits the wild flowers we encourage.This summer and autumn the Wildlife Trust BCN is starting a project to speed up the establishment of wildflowers throughout the field, which will include in some places, turf cutting and sowing local wild flower seeds. You can help. Come an event on Saturday September 13th 10am to 3pm( extended time) on the Hayfield, access from Jeans Way using the Busway crossing. You can plant some wild flower seeds from the Hayfield to take home with you and bring on. You can also sow seeds on the Hayfield itself. There will also be other wildlife activities as well as it being an opportunity for you to ask the Wildlife Trust BCN questions about Blows Downs. Another way to help improve the biodiversity of this rich grass-land is to pick up after your dog. Dog faeces over enriches the soil, encouraging undesirable plants such as nettles and thistles. This inhibits growth of more delicate wildflowers such as rock-rose and field scabious that require low nutrient soil.Dog fouling currently is an offence under The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. While many people are responsible and clean up after their dogs, some do not, which can make the footpaths unpleasant and unhygienic for other site users. Dog faeces can potentially spread disease/infection to those who come in contact with it, such as children or livestock, and the potential crop, hay, can become unfit for purpose ie. animal feed. This summer and autumn the Wildlife Trust BCN is working locally with dog owners to emphasise the importance of cleaning up dog waste. One aspect of this campaign is highlighting key dog fouled areas, including the Hayfield, with spray paint, over 3 week periods and keeping a tally to see if the situation is improving. There is a dog waste bin provided by the council on Jeans Way and litter bins that can be used along the Guided Busway. If these are not accessible it is required that bags are taken home.If you would like to help or would like further information please contact Ruth Sneath, Education and Community Officer on 01525 874317 or email [email protected]

The Rotary ClubThe Rotary Club of Dunstable shares an inter-national motto of “Service above Self”. The Club members raise money during the year to put into their Benevolent Fund and once a year this money is distributed to good causes and charities local to Dunstable and the sur-rounding villages.Each year three Antiques Fairs are held at the Dunstable Leisure Centre where all the profits go into the Benevolent Fund. The next Fair is on Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August 2014 and is open to the public between 10am and 4pm. Admission is a modest £2 per person.How can you help?By having a stall at the event. Please contact Alan Tarsey on 01582 872673By attending the eventBy becoming a member of The Rotary Club and helping worthwhile causes in the com-munity.More information Roger Sharp 01582 606405

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2nd Aug BBC TV’s “Jimmy’s Farm” £31* 3rd Clacton £2210th Crich Tramway Village (1940’s Day) £32*13th Diggerland, Kent £36*16th Le Touquet (via Ferry) £4417th Eastbourne (Air Show Day) £2324th Brighton £2225th Southend £2031st Warwick Castle £35*

6th Sept Lille Braderie Street Market (via Ferry) £42 7th Tall Ships, Greenwich £1814th Brooklands Motor Museum £27*27th Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park £18

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Saturday 30 August

12 -10pm. Grove House Gardens

Dunstable Rocks is back for another year to finish the Summer of Music with the final date on its calendar the only way it knows how! Grove House Gardens will once again be host-ing Dunstable Rocks for all of you who love to party out in the sun and into the evening! Set on Saturday 30 August, the popular free outdoor event runs from 12 noon to 10.00 pm starting off the day with local upcoming acts to entertain you, getting you ready for the main acts in the evening! To kick off the evening, there will be the sounds of the Stereosonics, playing some of the best loved tracks of Stereophonics including ‘Dakota’ and ‘Have A Nice Day’. Keeping things rocking, Grove House Gardens will be filled with the sounds of Oasis with the amazing tribute band Noasis singing some of your favourite hits such as ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ and ‘Champagne Super-nova’! Finally, Dodgy the 90s rock pop Trio will be ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ and rocking the stage to finish off the final night of the Summer Of Music with a bang! Best known for their hits “Staying Out for the Summer”, “If You’re Think-ing of Me”, and “Good Enough”. This is the perfect combination taking you back to the fun 90s hopefully in the sun at Grove House Gardens this summer.

12 noon Exit Black1.00 pm Akiva2.00 pm Alexander Dale Band3.00 pm Crazy Dog4.00 pm Secret Genius5.15 pm Stereosonics7.00 pm Noasis8.45 pm Dodgy

Incredible Edible Celebrated It’s 1st Birthday on 6th July

The weather was perfect, as was the Dunstable Music School Ukulele players, we had wonderful food brought in by our visitors the Co op helped with £20 food voucher also The Curry Garden made us some samosas. Red watch came and allowed the children on the fire engine. We had Rochelle North create fantastic fruit and veg face characters. L & D Hospital Radio ran a live link from our party to the station. Derek from The Travel Hub came and made smoothies. . All the prizes from the local people and businesses including Heads You Win, Creations, Jan Wilmot, Fay McDade,Nicky Roussou, Co op Funeral Care Leighton Buzzard and many more supporters over the last year.

The Wildlife Trust Houghton Regis Chalk Pit explorer backpacksBecome a nature detective and get face to face with nature! The backpacks have all the kit you need and include mini- beast hunting equipment. Hunt for bugs using sweep nets and watch for birds.Come along on Wednesday 13th August from 1pm to 4pm and toin in with this free out-door activity. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. We meet at Houghton Regis Chalk Pit - follow signs from Lakeview pedestrian access point LU5 5GJWheelchair users please contact organiser in advance. Contact Ruth Sneath 01525 874317 or Email [email protected]

Wildlife Youth Rangers at Houghton Regis Chalk Pit

Join our small friendly group, help local wildlife and learn new skills, great for your CV. We carry out practical tasks and wildlife surveying, each session changes with the seasons. Booking es-sential.Join us on Tuesday 5th August from 1pm to 3.30pm for this free outdoor activity For young people aged 13 to 19 years at Houghton Regis Chalk Pit, Lakeview entrance. LU5 5GJWheelchair users please contact organiser in advance For Info; Ruth Sneath 01525 874317 orEmail [email protected]


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Congratulations To Queensbury Academy!

We were thrilled to hear the news that Queensbury Academy, on Langdale Road, Dunstable, received a ‘Good’ rating after their recent Ofsted Inspection.It’s great to hear of a local school doiong well.Well done to all staff and pupils! Keep up the good work.

12

A Travellers

Tale

Continuing Val’s education !?

By Paul Heley

Speaking personally, I'd already been to India a few times having been in

the Merchant Navy as a young man and also thanks to a couple of motorcycle trips through the Himalayas. But Val had never been there and, after some of the stories I'd told her about the place, was in no hurry to visit. However, working on the princi-ple that travel broadens the mind, I persuaded her to go on a cruise around the southern parts of the sub-continent. And she wouldn't have to rough it - this would be as a tourist which meant that she would be steered clear of any "nasty" bits which are carefully hidden away from tourists' eyes. But such a trip would be very different from our usual type of holiday. We'd often chosen to go into the world's high latitudes (south or north) because of the scenery. There's something really wonderful about jagged moun-tains covered in unbroken snow set amongst shimmering, crystal clear lakes or fjords. And what is more, there's nearly always a unique wildlife to give extra dimensions.So this particular trip - taken over New Year 5 years ago - would be a break from the norm. How did it go?We flew to Chennai (the former Madras) and, next day, were taken on a city tour. Immedi-ately, Val commented on what a shambles the place was - rubbish everywhere - and how chaotic the traffic seemed to be. Does India have a Highway Code she wondered. Doesn't seem to. But there's no road rage. Amazing!We were shown various impor-tant buildings such as Fort St George and the cathedral of St Thomas. But the real knock-out was the Kapaleeswara Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (and about five million other Hindu gods). It's built in a most colour-ful Dravidian style and covered

in individual deities. Next port of call was Colombo in Sri Lanka (the former Ceylon) and there followed a long coach trip into the interior and to the former capital, Kandy. En route, there was a stop at an elephant orphanage where young elephants who had lost their mothers (perhaps by poaching), or who had been separated from their herd, are cared for. This was quite an emotional experience and there was lots of oohing and aahing from some of the (broody) women.But the reason for going to Kandy was to visit the "Temple of the Tooth". This is a huge building inside which is a tiny, impreg-nable, silver casket secreting a part of one of Buddha's molars. I wondered if it was genuine or if it was like so many of the medieval relics so lovingly vener-ated in Europe but which have later turned out to be old bits of wood or bones of pigs or sheep or chickens. I asked if there was an Eyelash Temple, or a Toenail Temple but my facetious ques-tion was ignored. The next place was Tuticorin on the SW coast of India where an even longer coach trip had been planned in order to visit - you've guessed it - another (this time Hindu) temple at Madurai which is supposed to be the absolute bee's-knees. But Val and I decided to do something else instead.We thought we'd have a look at the town and after a certain amount of form filling and general bureaucracy - the Indians are really good at this - were let through the gates and got on a 'bus. The journey took half an hour - 50p return - and we were dropped off in the centre of town and wandered around for a while. But Val became increas-ingly uneasy and horrified at what she saw and couldn't get out of the place quickly enough.


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The Vine 130x90-17.10.14.pdf 1 20/06/2014 15:53

14

A Travellers Tale (Continued)

Perhaps she’ll believe me now when I say that “tour-ist” India and “real” India are very different.After Tuticorin, we sailed the short distance to Trivandrum with its very pretty approach from the sea. Then another temple (which we couldn’t enter because we’re not Hindus - rather pointless really), a museum with immaculate gardens followed by a bit of shopping and haggling over prices. The rule is to offer something like a quarter of the asking price and settle on a half. Both sides do well on the deal!But SW India really means Kochi (formerly Cochin) and we spent a couple of days there. It’s the principal city of the state of Kerala and was built on the rice and spice trade. It was clearly more prosperous and much less untidy and we wondered if this was because the local government had put down strict rules - it was communist when we were there. Rather surprisingly, there is a community of Jews who have lived in the area for centuries and we were taken round the Jewish quarter (where most of the shops seemed to be owned by Kasmiris!).A visit to an arts and craft centre was highlighted by an demonstration of Keralan marshal arts combat. This is highly energetic, very athletic, and requires much leaping about in an attempt to avoid flashing batons and swords. Definitely not the sort of activity suitable for elderly cruise passengers!Then we were shown the Chinese fishing nets. These are stationary and operated by a complex set of ropes, levers and counterweights. They looked ter-ribly inefficient to me but would be a useful problem for A Level Applied Mathematics students to find out how the hell the things are supposed to work!Next day saw a trip on a rice boat along the labyrinth of canals between the paddy fields known as The Backwaters. The scenery is very tranquil, very pretty and very tropical and an absolute Mecca for birdy types who nearly fell overboard trying to photograph, for example, a Lesser Spotted Great Crested Whatsit bird! These waters are brackish in salinity (ie a mix between salt and fresh water) so give rise to a rather specialised ecosystem.The evening’s entertainment was something totally unique to Kerala. Known as Kathakali dancing, it is performed by men only - taking female parts where required. They are dressed in fantastic costume and with incredible make up. The dancers act out, through mime, stories and poems from Hindu culture via facial expression and hand and eye movement which can suggest a complete gamut of emotions. There was also a singer-musician who had a small cymbal (but whose singing wouldn’t get far in the Top Ten). Overall, the experience was utterly fasci-nating and something not seen outside Kerala.

The end of the trip was, for some, their idea of Para-dise when we travelled to some of the palm fringed tropical coral islands with their white sand beaches. First, there were some I’d never heard of - the Lak-shadweep Islands - which are largely uninhabited. I know I’ll be laughed out of court, but after I’d swum in the warm sea for half and hour, had a look at what the island had to offer - nothing - and watched hundreds of hermit crabs scampering about on the beach, I was bored out of my skull. How anyone can spend a fortnight corpsed out on a beach doing abso-lutely nothing is beyond me. But that’s my problem.Finally, we hit Male, the capital of the Maldives. An incredible statistic is that the highest point is only a few feet above sea level - so the fear of a rising ocean and inundation due to global warming is very real. There was one chap on board who was ENOR-MOUS and when he decided to take a dip, everyone held their breath!Unfortunately, our guide for the trip round town looked about 10 years old and his answer to every question was “I’m not too sure about that”. But said with a flashing smile!There were two things which immediately impressed me about Male :- 1) the place is extremely clean and tidy - so unlike India - and 2) there must be at least two little motorbikes for every inhabitant - they are everywhere. We flew home from Male and arrived 22 hours later to be greeted by a wintry London. But, even so, when asked whether we would prefer a “tropical” holiday or a “high latitude” one, I think we’d both choose the latter. It’s mainly because of the scenery; and when one of the lady passengers stated that Sri Lanka was the most beautiful place on earth, my comment was that, clearly, she’d never seen the Alps, the Norwegian fjords, the Canadian Rockies, the Southern Alps of New Zealand, the Himalayas, Alaska, Antarctica, Spitzbergen - and a host of other places.Just because it’s hot doesn’t make it beautiful. I rest my case m’lud!

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followed by a buffet supper at the Baptist Chapel, Northall

on Friday, 17th October 2014 at 7.30 pm

Tickets £2, We are supporting St Francis Hospice and Churches

Together, donations on the night welcome

CDs will be available for purchase

For information contact: Chriss (01525 222288)

What ’s Best For You By Martin Lewis

Martin 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

Credit scoring has become a key part of our financial lives. It impacts far more than most people think. It’s not just about whether you can

get mortgages, credit cards and loans, but can also effect contract mobile phones, monthly car insurance, bank accounts, even if you

can pay energy bills the cheapest way.

Credit Scoring

Even if you're accepted, we live in a 'rate for risk' world, so credit scoring then dictates what you pay too. Many people get unstuck by this. They ap-ply for today's record cheap rates, but find they're charged more. So here’s what you need to know…You DON'T have a universal credit rating - there's no blacklist. This is a myth. In the UK, there's no univer-sal credit rating or score, there's no blacklist of banned people. Each lender scores you differently and secretly. So a rejection by one doesn’t mean a rejection by all. Their aim is to see if you match their profitable customer wish list. A key part is as-sessing the risk of non-repayment. If that's high, many won't lend to you; but some specialist lenders will like you more as they can charge you high. Yet even those who are good risks can be rejected, because the lender thinks you won't make it money. Or perhaps you're applying for a credit card, but it wants to cross-sell mort-gages, so scores you on how likely you are to get one.

What they know about you. Lenders assess you with 3 key pieces of information: 1 Your application form. Many underrate how crucial this is. Be consistent on each application form, eg, job title, salary. Regular inconsist-encies can trigger rejection as you hit a ‘fraud score’ trigger. 2 Any past dealings with you. A lender you've banked with can inter-rogate your behaviour far more than others. This can work both for and against you.

3 Your credit reference files. These come from either Equifax, Experian or Callcredit and contain info on the electoral roll, court judgments, what credit applications you've made, products you have and if you've paid on time. However, they don’t know every-thing. They don’t know your criminal record, medical history, speeding fines, salary, student loans, declined applications and more – don’t get too conspiracy theorist about it.

How to make yourself more attrac-tive. Getting accepted for credit is like going on the pull - like people, different lenders find different things attractive. It’s more art than science, but there are some cosmetic changes that work for most. Here are 10 tips: 1 Get on the electoral roll. If not, get-ting credit's tough. Check if you're on it and apply via www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. If you're not eligible, write a notice on all the credit files that you’ve proof of residency. 2 Stability's good. If possible, put a landline, not mobile, on applications.

3 Beware over applying. Too many applications for products especially in a short space of time can hurt. So if you’re about to get a mortgage, don’t apply for lots of credit cards just before. One problem though is often the only way to know what rate you’ll get is to apply, so the system is anti-shopping around. 4 Time it right. Problems stay on your file for 6 years, applications for 1 year. So if you can wait until they've

lapsed to apply, it should boost your score. 5 Never miss or be late on repay-ments. Small errors can hurt large. Set up a direct debit to be sure you never miss. Do this even if just for the mini-mum repayment, then you can call up and pay more on top each month, see it as an insurance policy. 6 Don't let 'paid-for credit scores' overly worry you. In recent years credit reference agencies have started to flog these, but don’t take too much notice. They’re only based on your credit file, not the other info lenders look at, and remember each lender scores differently. One may see cancelling a credit card as good as it reduces available credit, another as bad as it’s closing down a long term relationship. 7 Payday loans can kill mortgage ap-plications. Some mortgage underwrit-ers simply won't lend to anyone with payday loans. 8 Deal with unfair defaults. First go to the firm that put them there and ask it to remove them. If not ask for a ‘notice of correction’ to be added to your credit file where you can explain briefly why it’s unfair and appeal to the Financial Ombudsman. 9 Check for address errors. An old, active, but unused mobile phone registered to your old address could even cause a mortgage rejection. 10 Don't withdraw cash on credit cards. This is both expensive and seen as evidence of poor money manage-ment - avoid.

16


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By Jonathan Vernon-Smith

How To Deal With Debt

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

Consumer Clinic

It is a sad reality that most of us are in debt these days. With the high cost of housing, it’s perhaps unsurprising that people are having to borrow more money than they really should. For many, this debt is perfectly manageable. However, it only takes a problem like losing your job, or ill health to suddenly turn manageable debt into an utter nightmare. If you are having financial difficulty and realise that you are unable to meet your debt responsibilities, the most im-portant thing to do is to face up to the reality. As tempting as it may be to bury your head in the sand and ignore the demand letters, it is simply going to make the problem much much worse. When you have accepted the situation, you need to sit down and look openly and honestly at the money you have coming in, and the money going out. Even if the prospect is thoroughly depressing, you need to under-stand exactly what the numbers are before you go any further. At this point, I would advise

contacting the companies you owe money to and explaining the situation. They may be able to give you a 'payment holiday' until you get yourself back on your feet again. They are also much more likely to be helpful if you've been open and honest with them rather than ignor-ing them and hoping they will simply go away. Remember, they want their money, so it's in their interest to work with you as opposed to against you. When you've worked out how much money you can put to-wards your debts, you then need to prioritise them. The most important debts are: mortgage or rent arrears, gas and electric-ity arrears, council tax arrears, court fines, income tax or VAT arrears and TV licence arrears. If you fail to pay these, you could lose your home, and in the most extreme circumstances, could end up in prison. The less urgent debts include: benefits overpayments, credit cards and loans, water and sew-erage bills (you can't be cut off for water debts), student loans, loans from family and friends

and parking penalties from local authorities. That's not to say that you shouldn't bother trying to pay them, but these should be at the bottom of the list. Hopefully, with careful budget-ing, balancing and communica-tion, you'll be able to manage your debts until you get back on your feet. However, if you sim-ply cannot pay what you owe, then there are some options for you. However, be aware they do not come without costs. Solutions such as debt consoli-dation, or even bankruptcy can be the only way out for some people but please look at the pros and cons before commit-ting. I would always advise that you contact your local citizens advice bureau or the debt charity 'Step Change' on 0800 138 1111 before making any further decisions about the management of your debt.


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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 Blue BadgeCould It Be Modified?

Disabled parking, a boon to those who have difficulty in walking any dis-

tance or difficulty in getting in and out of cars. It works well and helps those who need its benefits. Rather an expensive aid to obtain plus a 16 page application form to complete, but if you com-ply with all the rules such a badge must be worth the while of the disabled person applying.Having just become in-volved with a 96 year old applying for a continuance of a blue badge I began to consider if the blue badge could be expanded to help others who are disabled by the frailties of old age. Be-cause, if you think about it, the disabled parking space is in place to ensure that the frail and elderly can exit the car they arrive in with a little more ease than the normal parking space.What I am really trying to

say is, should the blue badge scheme expand to cover the pensioners who have chil-dren, or family, who own a car and regularly take the person out, shopping and trips out to various venues which they normally could not attend.It would, I suggest, cover all pensioners who wanted to avail themselves of such a scheme. The existing blue badge requirements would cover those who meet the criteria already laid down by the authorities. The differ-ence would be in the case of the pensioner badge holder is that the applicant would hold the badge and not the vehicle owner. This would ensure that such a badge could not be misused by a car owner who was not disabled, the owner of the badge would be held by the passenger.This proposal would also en-sure that any driver, carrying and elderly passenger as a

favour or under some charity that supplies volunteer driv-ers would use disabled car parking badges as held by the passengers.It does make sense when you think about it. A pen-sioner who has difficulty in walking and difficulty exiting a car should be able should be able to use a disabled parking space. At the mo-ment they have to struggle in the standard parking bay or not able to be dropped off at the market or shop. It would open up a larger vista to the elderly disabled and as such be very welcome to the badge holder.Could it work? Should it work? Perhaps a trial scheme should be tried? It would be a marvellous move forward for those, who through no fault of their own are house bound.

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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 Blue BadgeCould It Be Modified?

Disabled parking, a boon to those who have difficulty in walking any dis-

tance or difficulty in getting in and out of cars. It works well and helps those who need its benefits. Rather an expensive aid to obtain plus a 16 page application form to complete, but if you com-ply with all the rules such a badge must be worth the while of the disabled person applying.Having just become in-volved with a 96 year old applying for a continuance of a blue badge I began to consider if the blue badge could be expanded to help others who are disabled by the frailties of old age. Be-cause, if you think about it, the disabled parking space is in place to ensure that the frail and elderly can exit the car they arrive in with a little more ease than the normal parking space.What I am really trying to

say is, should the blue badge scheme expand to cover the pensioners who have chil-dren, or family, who own a car and regularly take the person out, shopping and trips out to various venues which they normally could not attend.It would, I suggest, cover all pensioners who wanted to avail themselves of such a scheme. The existing blue badge requirements would cover those who meet the criteria already laid down by the authorities. The differ-ence would be in the case of the pensioner badge holder is that the applicant would hold the badge and not the vehicle owner. This would ensure that such a badge could not be misused by a car owner who was not disabled, the owner of the badge would be held by the passenger.This proposal would also en-sure that any driver, carrying and elderly passenger as a

favour or under some charity that supplies volunteer driv-ers would use disabled car parking badges as held by the passengers.It does make sense when you think about it. A pen-sioner who has difficulty in walking and difficulty exiting a car should be able should be able to use a disabled parking space. At the mo-ment they have to struggle in the standard parking bay or not able to be dropped off at the market or shop. It would open up a larger vista to the elderly disabled and as such be very welcome to the badge holder.Could it work? Should it work? Perhaps a trial scheme should be tried? It would be a marvellous move forward for those, who through no fault of their own are house bound.

22

By Seb Jay

Dark Sky Telescope Hire www.darkskytelescopehire.co.uk

[email protected]

Scetch of Mars through a telescope.

Make a Date with the August Supermoon: Sunday 10 August sees a giant full moon rise over Bedfordshire. Our silver-faced celestial neighbour pulls closer to the Earth that evening than at any other point in 2014. Watch the ‘su-permoon’ rise in the east from 8pm onwards. It’ll make for a spectacular sight and photo opportu-nity no matter where you are across the county.

Catch the Perseids Shooting Star Bonanza:Have you ever seen a shooting star? If not then the night of Tuesday 12 August to Wednesday 13 August is the perfect time to look for them. Cast your eyes high up to the north-east from 11pm onwards. Be patient and you might catch

some bright streaks of light lasting no more than a second or two as Earth crosses the path of the Perseids meteor shower.

Go Hunting for Star Clusters: The summer Milky Way stretches high overhead during August and September. Embedded within its faint glow are numerous star clusters of blue, white and orange stars. You’ll need high-pow-ered binoculars or a telescope to see the clusters, and you’ll need to choose somewhere dark away from streetlights on a night when the Moon is not visible. A location like the Chilterns between 20 August and 30 August or from 15 September to 28 September will be ideal.

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76 www.thevinemagazine.com

Totternhoe Players25 years young!This year the Totternhoe Players are celebrating their 25th birthday. And some of us have been there right from the very start! The Group puts on three productions a year – in the spring there are comedies, in the autumn generally a murder mystery. And the biggest show of the year is our PANTOMIME in February.Totternhoe Players welcomes new members. We are a friendly, open group of people, with a variety of interests, ages and abilities. If you join us wanting to act, then you will probably be cast sooner than you expect, and if that’s not your bag, then there are always plenty of other roles.

We aim to make the most of the talents you can bring to our group; everybody gets a chance to join in with whatever they can do. If your interests are in one of the back-stage disciplines; lighting, sound, set construction, costume, etc., then you will be very welcome too.

HockfestSaturday 23rd August

Following last year’s successful Hockfest ’13 event, Hockliffe residents will come together to take part in a day packed with sporting and cultural activities.There will be something for everyone on the day with activities for all ages, including bouncy castle, face painting, various stalls and arts and crafts at Kilby Road Recreation Ground. On sale throughout the day will be a tempting BBQ and the entertainment will be provided by local bands. The fun will begin from 1pmBusinesses in Hockliffe are also involved.Classic Motorcycle’s will be holding an Open Day with Vintage and Classic Bikes, music, police motorcyclists and a Hog Roast from 10amRugged and Tough will have the first Big Brother winner Craig Phillips meeting and greeting, Team Un-derdog with their 4X4s and Chris Pratt STIHL TIMBER-SPORTS GB Team member 2012-2013 (Stock Saw).British Championship 2012Sports Nutrition will be holding a Boditronics taste test open day and free help and advice with Mark Etherden UKBFF British Finalist and other top body

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Totternhoe Players25 years young!This year the Totternhoe Players are celebrating their 25th birthday. And some of us have been there right from the very start! The Group puts on three productions a year – in the spring there are comedies, in the autumn generally a murder mystery. And the biggest show of the year is our PANTOMIME in February.Totternhoe Players welcomes new members. We are a friendly, open group of people, with a variety of interests, ages and abilities. If you join us wanting to act, then you will probably be cast sooner than you expect, and if that’s not your bag, then there are always plenty of other roles.

We aim to make the most of the talents you can bring to our group; everybody gets a chance to join in with whatever they can do. If your interests are in one of the back-stage disciplines; lighting, sound, set construction, costume, etc., then you will be very welcome too.

HockfestSaturday 23rd August

Following last year’s successful Hockfest ’13 event, Hockliffe residents will come together to take part in a day packed with sporting and cultural activities.There will be something for everyone on the day with activities for all ages, including bouncy castle, face painting, various stalls and arts and crafts at Kilby Road Recreation Ground. On sale throughout the day will be a tempting BBQ and the entertainment will be provided by local bands. The fun will begin from 1pmBusinesses in Hockliffe are also involved.Classic Motorcycle’s will be holding an Open Day with Vintage and Classic Bikes, music, police motorcyclists and a Hog Roast from 10amRugged and Tough will have the first Big Brother winner Craig Phillips meeting and greeting, Team Un-derdog with their 4X4s and Chris Pratt STIHL TIMBER-SPORTS GB Team member 2012-2013 (Stock Saw).British Championship 2012Sports Nutrition will be holding a Boditronics taste test open day and free help and advice with Mark Etherden UKBFF British Finalist and other top body

builders from 11am.Meet Big Brother winner, Craig Phillips

Health Beauty Wellbeing&

Like it or not, children gathering in schools is one of the main ways germs circulate in communities. Their immune systems are less mature, they tend to be in close contact, and they have ‘germy’ habits like sticking fingers or pencils into their mouths, so it is inevitable that they are going to come home with something nasty at some point. That said, most illnesses can be avoided if a few good practices are followed. Top of the list is to make sure that your child’s immunisations are all up to date, and that all family members have had a seasonal flu vaccination, where appropriate. Prevention is definitely the best medicine.

Next, make sure they wash their hands enough - and properly! The most common way to catch illness is through the mouth, eyes or nose after the hands have been in contact with infected surfaces. A thorough wash with soap and warm water to the back of the hands, in between the fingers and around the nails for 20 seconds (as long as it takes to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice!) - before eating or drinking, after a visit to the toilet, blowing their nose, or touching animals and waste, should be the minimum.

Teach your child ‘germ etiquette’. This means staying away from other children who may be sneezing or coughing, covering their own coughs and sneezes by using tissues that should be thrown away immediately, and avoiding head to head contact with others. If your child is older, warn them about sharing items such as lipstick, lip balm, make-up, razors, creams, lotions and other personal items such as towels and sports kit.

There are some germ hotspots in schools, and cafeteria trays are one of them! One survey found that there were more bacteria per square inch on a cafeteria tray than there were on a toilet seat, probably because the trays don’t get cleaned as often. If your child drops food on a tray, they should throw it away!

Finally, your child can build up their immunity by getting enough sleep and exercise, eating a well balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and by drinking plenty of water. Take these preventative measures and hopefully going back to school will be a happy, healthy time for everybody!

Back To School

Bugs & BeastiesHow does it happen? Your family has

enjoyed a happy, healthy six week summer holiday, but within just days

of returning to school your child comes down with a cold, or develops an itchy skin condition, or catches nits. Why,

when they need to be settling into a new routine and you need to be back at work,

do they suddenly get ill?

26

27www.thevinemagazine.com26

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A Good Read

Dunstable Through TimeBy John Buckledee

For You For The Kids

Magic Tree House: Valley of the Dinosaur By Mary Pope Osborne

This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Dunstable has changed and developed over the last century.

Dunstable, once a stagecoach centre, then a hat making town, and lately a major base for printing and vehicle manufac-ture, is once again reinventing itself to adapt to a changing world. Dunstable Through Time, based on the popular ‘Yesteryear’ series published each week in the Dunstable Gazette, contains a wide selec-tion of historic photographs alongside pictures of the cor-responding scenes today. The continuing transformation is astonishing.Chickens once roamed where a roundabout stands today. The Gary Cooper pub is on a park where the film star played ‘cow-boys and indians’. A school’s nature pond marks the spot where parents dug an open-air swimming pool. Vast factories and three civic halls have van-ished and houses now cover the site of the California ballroom. This book enables newer Dun-stablians to explore the town’s history through a fascinating selection of photographs.

THE AUTHORJohn Buckledee is a former editor of the Dunstable Gazette and Luton News and worked for local newspa-pers for nearly 50 years. He is chair-man of the Dunstable and District Local History Society and composes the weekly Yesteryear feature in the Dunstable Gazette. He has edited reprints of three rare books about Dunstable and has published numer-ous historical articles about the town.

Time travel. A quest to solve. Exciting adventures. This book for young readers who are growing in confidence has all of these and much more. The first of a series of books, it follows the adventures of Jack and Annie as they discover a magic tree-house in their neighbourhood.As the story begins Jack and Annie are chasing an imaginary monster into a nearby wood when they stumble across a solitary treehouse. Curiosity getting the better of them, they decide to explore and inside they find wonderful collection of books. Jack is drawn to a dinosaur book and before they know it the two children are transported back to the time of the dinosaurs. Full of fascinating facts this book will appeal to any budding palaeontolo-gist. At ten chapters this is a nice introduction to reading without seem-ing too daunting. The sentence struc-ture can be repetitive and simplistic, but I am assured by young readers that this is not a problem!There are currently sixteen books available in the series covering dif-ferent time periods and geographic locations. These along, with an in-teractive website, promise to engage and educate young readers for many a long school holiday.

28


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At Home&In The Garden

1 Go All OutWhen I’ve seen eclectic

done badly it’s because some-one feels unsure of what they are creating. Eclecticism says confident! In order for it to work you need to go all out. You know that saying about how supermodels could wear a black bin liner and still have everyone demanding where they got it? Well, styling your home in an eclectic way is the same – it needs confidence and attitude to carry it off. Instead of being shy with one or two pieces, get a few. Go for items that make you feel something. One wacky item on it’s own can look odd, but a few strange items grouped together alongside new products looks casually cool!

2 Mix Art StylesThe easiest way to create an

eclectic look using pieces from different ages is with art. A clas-sic Black & White film photo-graph can look great against an abstract piece or POP art print. You can tie the look together by using the same colour or finish frames throughout and creating a gallery wall space. Choose a colour scheme to work with, and try not to stray too far outside of it. This will give your collection a theme and help older pieces sit alongside mod-ern with no problem!

3 Group In Odd NumbersDecorative pieces work well

when grouped in odd numbers. This way, one or two pieces can take center space and be flanked either side. Choose the most special or statement piece to sit in the middle and dress either side with something ei-ther of a complementary texture (think wood and leather for instance), or colours that work with the main piece and palette of the room.

by Sarah Akwisombe. www.sarahakwisombe.com

Cool EclecticNowadays it’s rare to find someone who sticks to one style within their home. Modern homes are full of mix and match pieces, from antiques to vintage and retro alongside contemporary counterparts, and guess what? It somehow works. But rest assured, this hasn’t just happened on its own. An eclectic look takes a little effort to make sure that your space doesn’t end up looking like a car boot sale!

Here are three tips that I’ve picked up along the way to best style your home using vintage and modern pieces to create a cool contemporary look.

&

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At Home&In The Garden

1 Go All OutWhen I’ve seen eclectic

done badly it’s because some-one feels unsure of what they are creating. Eclecticism says confident! In order for it to work you need to go all out. You know that saying about how supermodels could wear a black bin liner and still have everyone demanding where they got it? Well, styling your home in an eclectic way is the same – it needs confidence and attitude to carry it off. Instead of being shy with one or two pieces, get a few. Go for items that make you feel something. One wacky item on it’s own can look odd, but a few strange items grouped together alongside new products looks casually cool!

2 Mix Art StylesThe easiest way to create an

eclectic look using pieces from different ages is with art. A clas-sic Black & White film photo-graph can look great against an abstract piece or POP art print. You can tie the look together by using the same colour or finish frames throughout and creating a gallery wall space. Choose a colour scheme to work with, and try not to stray too far outside of it. This will give your collection a theme and help older pieces sit alongside mod-ern with no problem!

3 Group In Odd NumbersDecorative pieces work well

when grouped in odd numbers. This way, one or two pieces can take center space and be flanked either side. Choose the most special or statement piece to sit in the middle and dress either side with something ei-ther of a complementary texture (think wood and leather for instance), or colours that work with the main piece and palette of the room.

by Sarah Akwisombe. www.sarahakwisombe.com

Cool EclecticNowadays it’s rare to find someone who sticks to one style within their home. Modern homes are full of mix and match pieces, from antiques to vintage and retro alongside contemporary counterparts, and guess what? It somehow works. But rest assured, this hasn’t just happened on its own. An eclectic look takes a little effort to make sure that your space doesn’t end up looking like a car boot sale!

Here are three tips that I’ve picked up along the way to best style your home using vintage and modern pieces to create a cool contemporary look.

&

A beginners guide to...In The Garden

Laying The FoundationsTo A Successful Garden

A Greener GardenInstall Big Water Butts Save as much rainwater as possible and deploy it with care. Water generously only where it’s needed, in the cool of the evening, to encourage deeper rooting. Mulch well.

Right Plant, Right Place For free-draining soil don’t plant thirsty plants which require a lot of water. If it’s clay, choose deep-rooted, strong plants, like roses and hardy fuchsias, which will withstand dry periods where the ground bakes.If an established plant can’t survive on its own, it’s probably not the right plant for your plot.

Ban Peat Peat bogs are an essential part of our eco system. Once they’re gone they’re gone forever. There is no excuse for buying peat-based products…ever. Use only peat-free composts, soil-improvers and mulches.

Recycle. Recycle. Recycle Make a compost heap or buy a compost bin. Re-use plastic and crock pots. String old cds and bottle tops over newly planted seedlings as bird scarers.

Restrict Chemical Usage Try nematodes for pest control. En-courage ladybirds for greenfly con-trol by planting fennel, dill, white cosmos and scented geraniums.

Leave A Wild Patch Build your own army of slug and bug killers. A pile of logs and fallen leaves and a patch of nettles will provide shelter for all manner of garden wildlife, including hedge-hogs, ladybirds and beetles.

Does the thought of your garden fill you with guilt as the weeds grow bigger

and bigger? Chances are your garden is not based on the 3 Essential Foundations or one or more are out of balance.

Or do you want to change something in the garden but don’t know where to start? Then the 3 Essential Foundations will be vital in helping you create the most relevant and best possible starting point for your new garden.

Having designed and planted small to medium sized gardens for the past 17 years, I have found that the ones that are the most beautiful and pleasurable to be in are those that are based on an equal combination of what I call the 3 Essential Foundations and it’s never too late to look at them again.

The first one is to ‘Know what you want’. Work out exactly what you’d like to do in the garden and what you must have to make it work on a practical front. The way to do this is to sit down and take a few minutes to really think about what you like doing outside. For example, many people like to eat outside, to entertain or just to relax at the end of the day with a glass of wine – and I expect that you will too. Make a list and consult the others who use the garden too.

The second is to ‘Know your gar-den’. Work out what the physical

growing conditions in your gar-den and work with nature rather than against it. Essential char-acteristics to look for are the soil type, the soil pH (acidic, neutral or alkaline), where the sunny and shady spots are, is it sheltered or exposed and how much annual rain fall your garden gets. All these things will dictate the types of plants you can grow success-fully and which part of the garden they will do best in. It is much easier to look after the right plant in the right place.

The third is to ‘Know how much time you’re REALISTICALLY pre-pared to give to looking after the garden’. Once you know this, design the garden to fit in with your lifestyle. Err on the side of caution rather than enthusiasm because it is much better for the soul to look at one or two areas that look beautiful and feel right rather than the whole garden be-ing a burden.

The answers to these 3 questions will guide and direct the design that emerges and will dictate how much maintenance you will have to do in the future. When you feel on top of the maintenance, then you will be able to relax and enjoy the garden.

There is no right or wrong time to assess the 3 Essential Foundations and there is a lot to be said for doing so at the beginning of the growing season and again at the end of it. You might be surprised at what you ‘unearth’.

32


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3534

There is a saying is that a ‘well tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men.’ If that is to be believed why do so many gentlemen just ‘make do’? There is no denying the impression a tailored suit makes and one that is made to measure speak volumes about the person wearing it – there are, however, some very simple rules and guidelines that every gentleman should fol-low whether it’s off the peg or bespoke.

5 top tips

1 A suit must fit well or it is not worth wearing. 2 Dress for your shape and personality.3 Choose a fabric that will work for your lifestyle and requirements to ensure optimum performance.4 Limit trips to the dry cleaners your suit doesn’t always need it.5 Dress with the season – cotton suits in summer - tweeds, flannels, and corduroys in winter.

It’s all about the fit

SHOULDERS• The jacket should hug your shoulders, not slouch off them.• Be warned—most gentlemen think they are a size larger than they are, for example a 42 regular instead of a 40.• When you pull on the jacket there should be a firmness to it—you should snap to attention.• If a jacket doesn’t fit right on the shoulders it will never look right.

SLEEVES• Think about the width of the sleeves. Always a slim fit for sartorial elegance.

CUFF• Your suit sleeves should end just above the hinges of your wrists. Show a quarter / half inch of cuff.

BODY• Your jacket should contour your body and acce- tuate your shoulders. This will always make your shoulders look stronger.

• You should be able to easily cup your hands beneath the hem of the jacket; if you can't, it's too long.

TROUSERS• Trousers should just clip the tops of your shoes, not bunch over them.• Slim fitting trousers with very little break at the ankle never goes out of fashion.

LAPELS• Thin or wide - nothing dictates a suit’s character more.

BUTTONS• Two or three? The choice is yours.

TICKET POCKET• The sign of an English gent.

POCKETS• Traditional flap or slit. Many options.

VENTS• As important as the lapel. The unobtrusive centre vent or the statement side vent, personal preference.

One in 3 suits in the UK is purchased from a well-known retailer at prices that on first look are competitive. Take into account, the fabric and styl-ing restrictions, the price of alterations and the lack of personal service and you are often parting with a substantial amount of money for something that lacks personality and fits poorly. By choosing made to measure you remove doubt, you create individu-ality and a suit that fits perfectly. Consultations are personal ensuring posture, size and quirks are all catered for. Fabrics, linings, lapels, pockets, vents, buttons etc. are your choice and tailored to meet your needs. With autumn just round the corner it’s time to start thinking about your wardrobe, the casual sports jacket, the business suit or the dinner jacket – it’s time to get something that creates confidence every time you wear it!

For more information or to book a consultation please contact William Young 1876 www.williamyoung1876.com 01442 859034

The Importance Of Tailoring

The Importance Of Tailoring

35www.thevinemagazine.com34

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36

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38

auto Biographies

Max speed: 138 mph 0-62 mph: 7.1 secs Combined mpg: 35.8Engine: 1984cc 4 cylinder 16 valve diesel Max. power (bhp): 222 at 4500 rpm Max. torque (lb/ft): 258 at 1500 rpm CO2: 184 g/km Price: £35,350 on the road

FAST FACTS

PROS & CONS Looks √Performance √Build √Expensive X

By Tim Barnes-Claywww.carwriteups.co.uk

Audi Q5

If I had over £35,000 I would happily buy the 2.0 TFSI quattro S line version of the Audi Q5 .You see, the styling of the Q5, with its coupe-like roof line and wrap-around tailgate, has been subtly refreshed. The design of the headlights has been changed, and the sparkling xenon units are now framed by new-look LED daytime running lights that form a continuous band surrounding more of the lens. Inside, the Audi Q5 is pure understated refinement. The con-trols are trimmed in chrome, and the narrow panels of the centre console are finished in high-gloss black. The hi-tech central media component, MMI navigation plus, has very few buttons,

so you don’t need a degree in Rocket Science to work out how to use it. Other touches such as heated seats, air condition-ing and a multifunction steering wheel make the Q5 a dream to drive.The car is as solidly made as an oak table and yet seems as light as a feather. There’s a reason for this: the bonnet and tailgate are crafted from aluminium, while the car’s structural elements integrate ultra-high-strength steels; they reduce weight and improve crash safety. The result is that the Q5 handles like an executive saloon and takes off like a bat out of hell when you dab the accelerator. Indeed, the performance totally matches the looks of this Germanic road war-rior: top speed is 138mph and the 0-62mph sprint is done in a satisfying 7.1 seconds. Another explanation for this awesome performance is the updated Q5’s TFSI petrol engine, which combines direct fuel injection, while the eight-speed tiptronic automatic powers the 2.0 TFSI Quattro up the cogs effortlessly. The chassis of the latest Audi Q5 also adds a great dollop of refinement and comfort, thanks to changes to the spring, shock absorber and anti-roll bar settings. The new power steering system gives you a better feel for the road too. The Q5 driving experience is fur-ther enhanced when the optional

Audi drive select system is speci-fied. Audi drive select lets you vary the operating characteristics of the throttle pedal, the shift points of the automatic transmis-sion, the degree of power steer-ing assistance and the operation of the automatic air conditioning system via four modes, including an efficiency mode. In addition, three optional components can also be controlled by the Audi drive select system if they are fitted. These include adaptive cruise control, damper control and dynamic steering. Dur-ing higher speed cornering, it compensates for understeer and oversteer by intervening with slight steering pulses.I’m not saying you’ll ever get sick of driving the Q5, but when you’ve had enough of all that commuting to work and driving the kids to school malarkey, the Audi will thrill you off road. It may look a bit bling but it actu-ally performs well on rugged terrain. Its maximum climb-ing angle is 31 degrees and its approach and departure angles are each 25 degrees. And you won’t rip anything off the Q5’s underbelly because the vehicle’s ground clearance measures 20 cm. This is truly a motor for everyone – but you’ll have to have a decent bank balance, or a boss who’s nice enough to put this on the company car list to drive one.

auto BIOGRAPHIES Audi Q5

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

FAST FACTS Max speed: 138mph

0-62 mph: 7.1 secs

Combined mpg: 35.8

Engine: 1984cc 4 cylinder 16 valve diesel

Max. power (bhp): 222 at 4500 rpm

Max. torque (Ib/ft): 258 at 1500 rpm

CO2: 184 g/km

Price: £35,350 on the road

PROS ‘N’ CONS

Looks√ Performance√

Build√ ExpensiveX

If I had over £35,000 I would happily buy the 2.0 TFSI quattro S line version of the Audi Q5. You see, the styling of the Q5, with its coupe-like roof line and wrap-around tailgate, has been subtly refreshed. The design of the headlights has been changed, and the sparkling xenon units are now framed by new-look LED daytime running lights that form a continuous band surrounding more of the lens. Inside, the Audi Q5 is pure understated refinement. The controls are trimmed in chrome, and the narrow panels of the centre console are finished in high-gloss black. The hi-tech central media component, MMI navigation plus, has very few buttons, so you don’t need a degree in Rocket Science to work out how to use it. Other touches such as heated seats, air conditioning and a multifunction steering wheel make the Q5 a dream to drive. The car is as solidly made as an oak table and yet seems as light as a feather. There’s a reason for this: the bonnet and tailgate are crafted from aluminium, while the car’s structural elements integrate ultra-high-strength steels; they reduce weight and improve crash safety. The result is that the Q5 handles like an executive saloon and takes off like a bat out of hell when you dab the accelerator. Indeed, the performance totally matches the looks of this Germanic road warrior: top speed is 138mph and the 0-62mph sprint is done in a satisfying 7.1 seconds. Another explanation for this awesome performance is the updated Q5’s TFSI petrol engine, which combines direct fuel injection, while the eight-speed tiptronic automatic powers the 2.0 TFSI Quattro up the cogs

effortlessly. The chassis of the latest Audi Q5 also adds a great dollop of refinement and comfort, thanks to changes to the spring, shock absorber and anti-roll bar settings. The new power steering system gives you a better feel for the road too. The Q5 driving experience is further enhanced when the optional Audi drive select system is specified. Audi drive select lets you vary the operating characteristics of the throttle pedal, the shift points of the automatic transmission, the degree of power steering assistance and the operation of the automatic air conditioning system via four modes, including an efficiency mode. In addition, three optional components can also be controlled by the Audi drive select system if they are fitted. These include adaptive cruise control, damper control and dynamic steering. During higher speed cornering, it compensates for understeer and oversteer by intervening with slight steering pulses. I’m not saying you’ll ever get sick of driving the Q5, but when you’ve had enough of all that commuting to work and driving the kids to school malarkey, the Audi will thrill you off road. It may look a bit bling but it actually performs well on rugged terrain. Its maximum climbing angle is 31 degrees and its approach and departure angles are each 25 degrees. And you won’t rip anything off the Q5’s underbelly because the vehicle’s ground clearance measures 20 cm. This is truly a motor for everyone – but you’ll have to have a decent bank balance, or a boss who’s nice enough to put this on the company car list to drive one.


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auto Biographies

Max speed: 138 mph 0-62 mph: 7.1 secs Combined mpg: 35.8Engine: 1984cc 4 cylinder 16 valve diesel Max. power (bhp): 222 at 4500 rpm Max. torque (lb/ft): 258 at 1500 rpm CO2: 184 g/km Price: £35,350 on the road

FAST FACTS

PROS & CONS Looks √Performance √Build √Expensive X

By Tim Barnes-Claywww.carwriteups.co.uk

Audi Q5

If I had over £35,000 I would happily buy the 2.0 TFSI quattro S line version of the Audi Q5 .You see, the styling of the Q5, with its coupe-like roof line and wrap-around tailgate, has been subtly refreshed. The design of the headlights has been changed, and the sparkling xenon units are now framed by new-look LED daytime running lights that form a continuous band surrounding more of the lens. Inside, the Audi Q5 is pure understated refinement. The con-trols are trimmed in chrome, and the narrow panels of the centre console are finished in high-gloss black. The hi-tech central media component, MMI navigation plus, has very few buttons,

so you don’t need a degree in Rocket Science to work out how to use it. Other touches such as heated seats, air condition-ing and a multifunction steering wheel make the Q5 a dream to drive.The car is as solidly made as an oak table and yet seems as light as a feather. There’s a reason for this: the bonnet and tailgate are crafted from aluminium, while the car’s structural elements integrate ultra-high-strength steels; they reduce weight and improve crash safety. The result is that the Q5 handles like an executive saloon and takes off like a bat out of hell when you dab the accelerator. Indeed, the performance totally matches the looks of this Germanic road war-rior: top speed is 138mph and the 0-62mph sprint is done in a satisfying 7.1 seconds. Another explanation for this awesome performance is the updated Q5’s TFSI petrol engine, which combines direct fuel injection, while the eight-speed tiptronic automatic powers the 2.0 TFSI Quattro up the cogs effortlessly. The chassis of the latest Audi Q5 also adds a great dollop of refinement and comfort, thanks to changes to the spring, shock absorber and anti-roll bar settings. The new power steering system gives you a better feel for the road too. The Q5 driving experience is fur-ther enhanced when the optional

Audi drive select system is speci-fied. Audi drive select lets you vary the operating characteristics of the throttle pedal, the shift points of the automatic transmis-sion, the degree of power steer-ing assistance and the operation of the automatic air conditioning system via four modes, including an efficiency mode. In addition, three optional components can also be controlled by the Audi drive select system if they are fitted. These include adaptive cruise control, damper control and dynamic steering. Dur-ing higher speed cornering, it compensates for understeer and oversteer by intervening with slight steering pulses.I’m not saying you’ll ever get sick of driving the Q5, but when you’ve had enough of all that commuting to work and driving the kids to school malarkey, the Audi will thrill you off road. It may look a bit bling but it actu-ally performs well on rugged terrain. Its maximum climb-ing angle is 31 degrees and its approach and departure angles are each 25 degrees. And you won’t rip anything off the Q5’s underbelly because the vehicle’s ground clearance measures 20 cm. This is truly a motor for everyone – but you’ll have to have a decent bank balance, or a boss who’s nice enough to put this on the company car list to drive one.

auto BIOGRAPHIES Audi Q5

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

FAST FACTS Max speed: 138mph

0-62 mph: 7.1 secs

Combined mpg: 35.8

Engine: 1984cc 4 cylinder 16 valve diesel

Max. power (bhp): 222 at 4500 rpm

Max. torque (Ib/ft): 258 at 1500 rpm

CO2: 184 g/km

Price: £35,350 on the road

PROS ‘N’ CONS

Looks√ Performance√

Build√ ExpensiveX

If I had over £35,000 I would happily buy the 2.0 TFSI quattro S line version of the Audi Q5. You see, the styling of the Q5, with its coupe-like roof line and wrap-around tailgate, has been subtly refreshed. The design of the headlights has been changed, and the sparkling xenon units are now framed by new-look LED daytime running lights that form a continuous band surrounding more of the lens. Inside, the Audi Q5 is pure understated refinement. The controls are trimmed in chrome, and the narrow panels of the centre console are finished in high-gloss black. The hi-tech central media component, MMI navigation plus, has very few buttons, so you don’t need a degree in Rocket Science to work out how to use it. Other touches such as heated seats, air conditioning and a multifunction steering wheel make the Q5 a dream to drive. The car is as solidly made as an oak table and yet seems as light as a feather. There’s a reason for this: the bonnet and tailgate are crafted from aluminium, while the car’s structural elements integrate ultra-high-strength steels; they reduce weight and improve crash safety. The result is that the Q5 handles like an executive saloon and takes off like a bat out of hell when you dab the accelerator. Indeed, the performance totally matches the looks of this Germanic road warrior: top speed is 138mph and the 0-62mph sprint is done in a satisfying 7.1 seconds. Another explanation for this awesome performance is the updated Q5’s TFSI petrol engine, which combines direct fuel injection, while the eight-speed tiptronic automatic powers the 2.0 TFSI Quattro up the cogs

effortlessly. The chassis of the latest Audi Q5 also adds a great dollop of refinement and comfort, thanks to changes to the spring, shock absorber and anti-roll bar settings. The new power steering system gives you a better feel for the road too. The Q5 driving experience is further enhanced when the optional Audi drive select system is specified. Audi drive select lets you vary the operating characteristics of the throttle pedal, the shift points of the automatic transmission, the degree of power steering assistance and the operation of the automatic air conditioning system via four modes, including an efficiency mode. In addition, three optional components can also be controlled by the Audi drive select system if they are fitted. These include adaptive cruise control, damper control and dynamic steering. During higher speed cornering, it compensates for understeer and oversteer by intervening with slight steering pulses. I’m not saying you’ll ever get sick of driving the Q5, but when you’ve had enough of all that commuting to work and driving the kids to school malarkey, the Audi will thrill you off road. It may look a bit bling but it actually performs well on rugged terrain. Its maximum climbing angle is 31 degrees and its approach and departure angles are each 25 degrees. And you won’t rip anything off the Q5’s underbelly because the vehicle’s ground clearance measures 20 cm. This is truly a motor for everyone – but you’ll have to have a decent bank balance, or a boss who’s nice enough to put this on the company car list to drive one.

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If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to explore mindfulness, the currently ‘hot’ topic in self-help. It has many applications: in sport for performance and focus; in the NHS for depression and chronic pain; and in the corporate world to help reduce work stress and improve creativity. Initial research also shows that mindful-ness may reduce parenting stress. So what is mindfulness? A search on-line will reveal information, books, CDs, and courses. Essentially it is about becoming more aware and present in the moment, which is achieved through mindfulness practices. These are simple in terms of what you do, but difficult in the sense that our minds are usually all over the place, with all sorts of thoughts jumping in, generating feelings and probably affecting our mood. Regular practice is necessary to get the benefits, just as with any new skill, such as learning to swim. However, even 10 minutes a day has been shown to achieve results.

Try these tips to bring mindfulness in to your role as a parent or grandparent:

• Start the day with a mindful ritual: spend a few seconds following your breath in and out before you get out of bed; really feel your feet in contact with the floor as you get out of bed; be mindful when you brush your teeth (not thinking about anything else and really feeling what it is like to brush your teeth)

• Be mindful with your child/grandchild: focusing intently on what they are saying or showing you without letting your thoughts wander to anything else. Do this at least a couple of times a day, even if it is not always possible.

• Take mindful pauses in difficult moments – toddler tantrums or teenage moodiness – follow a couple of breaths in and out. That pause might stop you throwing a tantrum too!

A key aspect of mindfulness is self-compassion, so don’t be too hard on yourself – you really care about your family and are doubtlessly working hard to be a good parent. Give yourself a pat on the back, you deserve it!

How to Reduce the Stress of Parenting...

Use Mindfulness

Do you find yourself shouting at your children and afterwards regretting it?

Is family life more often stressful than not?

Would you like to have a stronger relationship with your son or daughter?

www.space4you.org.uk for more information and courses locally, including Stewkley Mindfulness Centre, Tel: 07707 418 851

By Patricia Downing Mindfulness Practitioner and Counsellor

40


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If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to explore mindfulness, the currently ‘hot’ topic in self-help. It has many applications: in sport for performance and focus; in the NHS for depression and chronic pain; and in the corporate world to help reduce work stress and improve creativity. Initial research also shows that mindful-ness may reduce parenting stress. So what is mindfulness? A search on-line will reveal information, books, CDs, and courses. Essentially it is about becoming more aware and present in the moment, which is achieved through mindfulness practices. These are simple in terms of what you do, but difficult in the sense that our minds are usually all over the place, with all sorts of thoughts jumping in, generating feelings and probably affecting our mood. Regular practice is necessary to get the benefits, just as with any new skill, such as learning to swim. However, even 10 minutes a day has been shown to achieve results.

Try these tips to bring mindfulness in to your role as a parent or grandparent:

• Start the day with a mindful ritual: spend a few seconds following your breath in and out before you get out of bed; really feel your feet in contact with the floor as you get out of bed; be mindful when you brush your teeth (not thinking about anything else and really feeling what it is like to brush your teeth)

• Be mindful with your child/grandchild: focusing intently on what they are saying or showing you without letting your thoughts wander to anything else. Do this at least a couple of times a day, even if it is not always possible.

• Take mindful pauses in difficult moments – toddler tantrums or teenage moodiness – follow a couple of breaths in and out. That pause might stop you throwing a tantrum too!

A key aspect of mindfulness is self-compassion, so don’t be too hard on yourself – you really care about your family and are doubtlessly working hard to be a good parent. Give yourself a pat on the back, you deserve it!

How to Reduce the Stress of Parenting...

Use Mindfulness

Do you find yourself shouting at your children and afterwards regretting it?

Is family life more often stressful than not?

Would you like to have a stronger relationship with your son or daughter?

www.space4you.org.uk for more information and courses locally, including Stewkley Mindfulness Centre, Tel: 07707 418 851

By Patricia Downing Mindfulness Practitioner and Counsellor

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PuzzlesPuzzlesPuzzles

Across

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11. Hired soldier (9)

12. Coach, instruct (5)

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16. Buffer, protect (7)

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21. Fleshy fruit (5)

22. Barrel makers (7)

Down 1. Second-largest ocean (8)

2. Water (4)

3. Pilot, aviator (6)

4. Tenders, puts forward (6)

5. Absconders (8)

6. Fee, tarif (4)

8. Designed to reduce drag (11)

13. Make (8)

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DUNSTABLE & DISTRICT FLOWER CLUB

Dunstable Flower Club meets on the 3rd Monday of the month, except January & August at the Salvation Army Hall, Bullpond Lane, Dunstable at 7.45pm. We have Flower Arrang-ing Demonstrations each month by NAFAS Area Demonstrators. We welcome new members, so if you enjoy flower arranging come and join us.Tel: Joan Fossey 01582 665392

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 District Walking and Hostelling Group) are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activities, 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 & 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 calendar, with wide-ranging events to suit all budgets and tastes. Annual mem-bership 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.

CHILTERN GATEWAY CENTREChilterns Gateway Centre Shop,

01582 500925

50 things Activities3rd August & 7th Sept 2pm -

3pm FreeBring the kids and join us on the first Sunday of the month get involve with National Trusts 50 thing to do before your 11 and ¾. Each Sunday you’ll get to cross another fantastic activity off you list and get outdoors and discover something new! We’ll be taking the kids to explore outdoors so remember to dress for the weather.

Eid Festival10th August 12 - 6pm Free

Join us for the Eid festival at Dunsta-ble Downs; everyone is welcome.Enjoy the Bedfordshire countryside with nature trails, face painting, bouncy castle, children’s entertainers, henna artists, craft and music activi-ties and lots more.

First World War commemorative walk with poetry readings

23rd August 11am - 1.30pm FreeA silent walk of remembrance to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. Led by poet Ken Cockburn and the property team exploring Whipsnade Tree Cathe-dral’s links to conflict. Led by poet Ken Cockburn, the walk will start at Whipsnade Tree Cathedral and end at Ashridge Estate lasting approxi-mately 2.5hours. A pair of poems will be read and, where possible, some poppy seeds scattered and a book installation left as a memory of the event. The walk was conceived by Alec Finlay, with Ken Cockburn, Heather H. Yeung, and Luke Allan. Commissioned by National Trust, supported by Arts Council England.

Great British Walk8th Sept - 24th Oct

Discover autumn colours and hidden beauty spots in the Bedfordshire countryside.

44

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

TEA TIME TALESTalks of local and nationalinterest with tea or coffee

and a pastry.Alternate Thursday afternoons

2.30 - 4.00pm £4.75 per personSeptember 4th

The English Civil War - Paul Heley, Dunstable Town Guide

September 18th Thugs, Assassins, Angels and Cream

Cheese; strange religious beliefs -Kay Kempster, Dunstable Town

Guide

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

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

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

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 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

SUNDAY BAND CONCERTSOnce again, Grove House Gardens and Dunstable Town Council presents to you the Sunday Band Concerts for 2014! 3 - 4.45pm. Free Refreshments Available.3rd Aug

Hitchin Band Songs from the West End

10th AugSt. Albans City Band

Songs from TV & Movies17th Aug

Chiltern Hill Brass BandBig Band24th Aug

Watford BandLast Night of The Proms

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

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]

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

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER Dunstable Town Council’s Summer Activities for 5 to 18 year oldsAs children and young people cheer the end of the academic year, thoughts could turn to what is on offer to fill up the long and carefree days. Well Dunstable Town Council might just have what you are look-ing for with a fun filled programme of activities for all ages. For the culture Guru’s there are free family arts and crafts sessions, photography workshops, African drumming and WW1 activities in the Town cem-etery and much more.For the sports enthusiasts there is tennis, football and rugby coaching, fencing and taekwondo workshops.If you have any energy left there is the ever popular inflatable day in Grove House Gardens on Friday 15 August.Chairman of Community Services Committee Councillor Pat Staples said “Dunstable Town Council is committed to delivering services to meet the needs of our whole community. This year’s children and young people’s summer programme is packed with fun and exciting ac-tivities. They take place in a number of Town Council venues and the variety is greater than ever.”Full programme available visit www.dunstable.gov.uk


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The Vine Dunstable - August / September 2014 - Issue 60

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Transcript of The Vine Dunstable - August / September 2014 - Issue 60