The Vine Leighton Buzzard April May 13

www.thevineleightonbuzzard.com

Delivered FREE to 12,000

homes in Leighton Buzzard,

Linslade, Heath & Reach,

Billington, Slapton, Wing,

Northall, Cheddington and

Stewkley

theVine

April/May 2013

It’s our 1st birthday

Local milkman’s longest round yet.

Everyone loves a voucher; see page 43

2

Dear Readers Welcome to the first birthday edition of The Vine Leighton Buzzard and thank you for all the support you have given me and the magazine. A special thank you has to go to all the family

and friends who helped in the early months with delivering the magazine in all weather.

Please keep your local news and events coming to me, it is always great to hear from readers and to know what is going on in your area. Andrena

6 Milko goes walkies8 Traveller’s Tale10 Home Cinema Systems14 Auto Biographies - Kia16 Spring Perfume20 Children’s Health22 Savings - what’s best for you26 Kids in the garden28 Protecting the future30 Buttermilk scones32 Savings continued34 What’s On36 Puzzles38 St George’s Day42 Puzzle solutions43 Money off vouchers44 Book Review

Content

Editors:Andrena Carden-WhiteAdvertising & Editorial The Vine Leighton Buzzard and The Vine Bletchley0797 155 4604 [email protected] & EditorialDunstable and Villages orToddington & Villages editionShelly Nesbitt 07852 453043/01525 [email protected]

Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the content of advertising and articles is 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 material included within this publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.

Out of hundreds of styles available, and the huge range of appliances and accessories on the market – we are sure to have what you’re looking for, in a design that is ideal for you.

Contact us, a local skilled specialist in cabinet making you will be pleasantly surprised!

Aston Kitchens 13 Market Square, Winslow, Bucks MK18 3ABEmail: [email protected] Web: www.astonkitchens.com

Visit our showroom or call 01296 712144

Designers and manufacturers of quality kitchens

A416

A

505

A

4012

G

rove

bury Road

Hocklif e Road A4012

Billington Road A4146

LEIGHTONBUZZARD

West Street

BrownsAgricultural

Page’s

Park

Stanbridge Road

Leighton Buzzard Steam Railway

JOIN ONLINE NOW ATwww.anytimefitness.co.uk

GYM

OPEN •

•24/7 3 6 5 D

AY

S

New 24 hour FitNess CeNtre

Membership Benefits • Gym open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year• Full use of our superb air-conditioned facilities• New Precor equipment with personal viewing screens• Highly qualified personal training• Free 30 minute personal training session• Quality private changing room facilities• Club Culture - where we know your name and your goals

Free1 DAY TRIAL

with this voucherCall 01525 308646 to book your trial

*Terms and conditions apply

!

Billington Road, Great BillingtonLeighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9HH

tel: 01525 [email protected] ACtiVe + your name to 84433

AF LB A5 Bleed Ad - Vine.indd 1 20/03/2013 18:59

4

NNNetworking

BBBusiness

Event In conjunction with

You are invited to the Business

Networking Evening

Calling all business in Leighton Buzzard & LinsladeJoin us in growing the business community in our town.

Meet with like-minded business people

Share information and build client & supplier base

Increase local business communications

Promote your business and build relationships

Share goals, aspirations and projects

Develop links within the community

See what business support is available to you

Meet local networking groups

Raise the business awareness and encourage new businesses to the town

• Business Card prize Draw • Refreshment & Canapés • Bar Facility • Free Business Mailing List • Guest Speaker – The benefits of

networking

In conjunction with

Name ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Company Name ………………………………………………………………………………

Email Address ………………………………………………………………………………..

Contact Number ………………………………………………………………………………

Website Address ……………………………………………………………………………...

Size of Business Small Medium Large

Number of Attendees ……………. Do you want your company details included within the business mailing list Yes No Do you wish to receive future business related links from LLTC Yes No

At Mentmore Golf & Country Club On Wednesday 17th April 2013 6pm-8pm

For more information please visit www.leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk or email [email protected]

LEATHER

CAR SEAT & FURNITURE REPAIRS Most repairs can be undertaken in your home by our qualified leather technicians, or larger jobs brought into our fully equipped workshop.

• Rips • Cigarette Burns • Holes • Cat Scratches • Re-colouring• Colour Matching • Cleaning• Cracking • Stain Removal • Re-Padding • Spring Replacement.

Repairing leather is approximately 20% of the cost of re-upholstering

Before After Before After

RESTORATION SERVICE

Unit 26 Acacia Close, Cherrycourt Way, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4QELuton: 01582 380 750 Leighton Buzzard: 01525 888 250

e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.furnitureclinic.co.uk

Testimonials available at www.smelectrical.com

Call for a free quote:07930 399102 | 01525 636138

• Additional sockets and lighting • Fuse board upgrades • See website for all services

Includes 8-way / circuits RCD fuse board, supplied and installed. Certificated and registered with building control. Normally £350, offer price £300

• Full and partial rewires • Landlord safety

certificates

SPECIAL OFFER£50 off fuse board upgrades!

All domestic and commercial electrical work undertaken, including:

6

Former milkman Alec Hawkes has left his job to make the trek from Lands End to John O’Groates and is supporting 4 charities along the way. Then came the dilemma; how to pay his expenses without a job! So he wrote a book. Common Sense Would Be Good, is the book every grumpy old man down the pub would like to write. If you have ever caught yourself saying “and another

thing” as you put the world to rights, this is the book for you. Alec doesn’t make claim to any literary genius, he describes himself as an ordinary bloke writing for ordinary people but his satiri-cal and often cutting views on the decades of being conned by politicians and bankers etc will have you chuckling and if you know a grumpy old man (or live with one) this is the ideal gift.

Alec sets off for John O’Groats on Friday 10th May, you can see his chosen charities, find out more and do-nate on justgiving.com/teams/milko-goes-walkabout.His book is available on Amazon and look out for his new title If Brains were Dynamite.

Milko gets off his soap box to go Walkabout

but before he goes, he’ll just write a book or two

Alec Hawkes partial to a different pint

The concrete is poured, the roof is on, and the landscaping is taking shape in preparation for the opening on Kestrel Way in September 2013 of Leighton’s newest school. Greenleas School, one of Leighton’s Ofsted Outstanding lower schools, was chosen in 2012 by the Local Authority to expand its successful provision at Sandhills alongside its established school at Derwent Road. The whole school community is working hard to make sure

that all is in place for the pre-schoolers, nursery children and school-age pupils who will occupy the new classrooms in the autumn. Already more than 100 children have enrolled for September, and in year admissions for Years 1-4 are welcome. It is anticipated that the school will grow quickly and soon become two-form entry with places for about 300 children (plus pre-school and nursery). Also expected is that the building will be well used for community activities and enquiries are already being received about lettings. Meanwhile, at Derwent Road a new timber frame classroom gives the school additional space for its library, small group learning sessions and cooking club. Greenleas welcomes enquiries from prospective parents and community groups who would like to know more about provision at either Derwent Road or Sandhills. Phone Sue Wilkins on 371735 for more information.

New School on Track to Open on Kestrel Way September 2013

OUR SERVICES• Servicing• MOT’s• Tyres• Clutches• AirConditioning• TimingBelts• EngineDiagnosis• WheelAlignment

FIND US HERE

OUR MOT’SWeMOTcarsandmotorcyclesandwithournewbays,uptodateequipmentandmethodsyoucanexpectaprofessionalandefficientservice.

OUR TYRESWeSupplyandfittyres• ContinentalTyres• BridgestoneTyres• DunlopTyres• GoodyearTyres• KumhoTyresWealsocarryoutwheelalignment,whichcanbecheckedfreeofcharge,weonlychargeifadjustmentisneeded.Nitro-geninflationisalsoavailable,whichcanbeverybeneficialtofueleconomyandextendstyrelife.

REPAIRS/SERVICINGAvoidtheneedforrepairsbyhavingyourcarregularlyservicedbyMKTyres.Shouldyouencounteraproblembetweenservicesbringitintousandwewilldiagnosethefaultandrepairitforyouquickly,professionallyandataveryreasonableprice

6BCommerceWay,LeightonBuzzardBedsLU74RWjustoffStanbridgeRd

MOT’s £35 with this advert, valid Mondays to Fridays

8

A Travellers

Tale

Over The Top And Round The Corner

(Part II)

After North Cape, we moved into Murmansk around break-fast time. There then followed

four hours of thumb twiddling whilst Russian Immigration and Customs officials checked everything in sight and went through every piece of paper. All done without smiling - Russian paranoia and the bureau-cratic mind is something known only to psychologists. Eventually we were allowed to go ashore but only if we carried our passport at all times and were in possession of special pieces of paper which had to be surrendered when required. I got the impression that if we made a mistake, we would be clapped in irons and thrown in a dungeon. The incredible irony is that Russia is supposedly encouraging tourists to visit their country!! We were eventually taken on a tour around the city and it was then that the previous lecture really hit home. Murmansk had been described as being a Soviet city since it wasn't built until after the end of WW1 and the Russian revolution. Conse-quently, the housing was built on a Soviet design :- unbelievably tiny, mind numbingly identical, tatty apartments. The architecture is unchangingly boring and, basically, horrible, awful.As an antidote, we were taken to a maritime museum where some wonderful models of different nuclear powered ships - especially ice breakers - were displayed. Mur-mansk is the centre of the Russian ice breaker fleet and is also an important naval base - so perhaps there was a reason for the paranoia

after all.Another museum showed the local geology (wonderful mineral specimens) and the history and life style of the indigenous Sami people of Lapland and the Kola peninsula. I must confess that our guide was extremely good, spoke excellent English and, unlike the officials in the morning, had a sense of humour. My impression of Murmansk improved greatly during the afternoon!To end our trip ashore, we were taken to a massive, 35.5 metre (110 ft) tall statue depicting a Russian WW2 soldier; then to the cemetery where so many sailors who perished on the terrible "Russian convoys" are buried. Our guide insisted that the Russian people are eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by so many (mainly) British merchant sailors who perished in these freez-ing northern waters.Next day at sea was rather chilly but sightings of porpoises, minke and beluga whales caused great excitement. But the highlight of the morning for me was a lecture on the "Kursk" submarine disaster in 2000. The abiding horror is that this total loss of life could have been avoided had the Russians accepted British and American help sooner. That they didn't is down to Russian para-noia - again - and the disgraceful and callous behaviour on the part of President Putin whose comment afterwards was simply that "It sank". Later in the day there was a lecture attempting to explain Russian para-noia and why they fear outsiders. This was helpful and informative

and went a long way towards ex-plaining the noticeable gulf between ordinary Russian people and their governmental officials whose motto is "Paranoia rules OK".I was interested to learn of the ex-tensive gas and oil fields discovered in the Barents Sea and of the scram-bling between various nations eager to get their snouts in the trough. Also of the fears of naturalists and ecologists regarding the unthinkable consequences in this fragile area when a blow out, or an oil spill, or --??-- happens; as it most certainly will despite protestations to the contrary from vested interests.The next point on our itinerary was, to many of the passengers, what the cruise was all about: namely the Solovetsky Islands - an archipelago of history, mysticism, religion, pilgrimage, cruelty and contradic-tion; and in the morning, the onion shaped domes of the monastery greeted us as our zodiac powered its way across a glass like sea. The scene was ethereal, unfamiliar, unreal, "other worldly". During Soviet times the monastery was chosen as a gulag for political prisoners - the Soviet equivalent of Alcatraz! There is scaffolding supporting crumbling towers and signs of restoration everywhere; and it was suggested that if we were to return in twenty years time, it would be absolutely magnificent and back to its former glory. They are trying very hard - with limited resources - and, if our guide was anything to go by, they are obsessed in their efforts and in their dedication to what they see as a very noble cause.

By Paul Heley

NEW FOR SPRING FROM SEELAND

The Etosha RangeCotton Safari From Seeland

The Zip-Off RangeJacket with zip-off SleevesTrousers with zip-off Legs

From Seeland

Dog Training Range

The Preston Cotton Summer Shirts

Rainy BootsSummer Wellingtons

REFITTED BARBERSCOME AND SEE THE NEW LOOK

Have 4 Cuts and Get the 5th Free

10

HOME CINEMA

Number of speakers This depends on aesthetics and, of course, those you live with. If you’re buying with an eye on the future, note that 6.1 and 7.1 movies will gradually become more common.

Amp abilities Cinema-in-a-box comes with an amp, thus reducing under-telly clutter. Don’t fixate on wattage ratings – audio quality is far more important than volume.

DVD or Blu-ray? Almost every Blu-ray spinner will also play DVDs, so investing in a Blu-ray set-up may be worth it in the long-term.

3D Many TVs support 3D, so consider a 3D- ready home cinema – whether it can play 3D discs itself, or just pass the content to your TV.

Compromise If domestic bliss relies upon a lack of surround speak-ers, consider ‘cheat’ surround (such as a sound bar) – but get a friendly dealer to let you try before you buy

TEC

HN

OLO

GY

Modern More and more people are staying at home and using the technol-ogy available to them to watch

films and sports events , not to mention spending time using games consoles. Whether it is in a converted loft or garage, or in your existing living room, a personal home cinema is the ultimate way to do this in style. When deciding on your home cinema configuration the choices are endless but are usually governed by the physical space and budget for the project. The main factor to consider is whether this is going to be a dedicated media room or a discreet addition to a current family room. Next, you will need to make a decision on the type of display that you view your media on. Leading manufacturers are now producing plasma displays up to a colossal 152 inches to view 3D mov-ies on, but with prices over a staggering £½million, most people will opt for pro-jection to get the big screen experience as prices are more realistic. Vision is only part of the experience though; the soundtrack is almost as important. AV receivers are now being produced to offer 9.2 channels of sound giving you 9 speakers filling the room with sound from all angles and 2 sub-woofers to make the room move when the action gets going.If that’s not enough for you, and your budget allows, you could add sofa shak-ers to really make the earth move and give you that 4D experience.For the icing on the cake why not add some lighting control so that the lights dim as you press play to start your favourite movie.The final decision. Popcorn. Salted or sweet?!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

A simple set up... This is actually in somebody’s house! We can dream.

by Ian Mulry

contact Ian Mulry, AV Incorporatedwww.avincorporated.co.uk.

With over a decade of experience within the custom install industry we have

established ourselves to be able to manage and deliver all of your home

technology requirements. We listen to our clients’ needs and provide a solution

to exceed their expectations

Home Cinema * Multiroom Audio & Video * HDMI Distribution

Wired and Wireless Networking * CCTV * Access Control

Lighting Control * Complete Home Automation

01525 451973 / 07584 259104

[email protected]

NBD BathroomsKitchensCarpentry

NBD Kitchens and BathroomsT 01908 683615 M 0788 1955 092

[email protected] Shenley Hill Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 3BT

At NBD we offer an end to end solution including all plumbing, electrical, carpentry and tiling work.

12

Tasty!

We certainly are!

Call 01525 3777 03or e-mail [email protected]

Our web site

High-quality, cost-effective designers of logotypes, brochures, leaflets, web sites, newsletters, advertising, posters, exhibition displays, packaging and much more...

Beans on Toast Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 3AU. A division of V-One Design Solutions Limited. Smartphone required to scan the QR codes.

A Travellers

Tale (Continued)

Although there is evidence of habitation as early as the Bronze Age, the religious history of the main island starts in the early 15th century when an original hermit-age gradually evolved into a monastery with a number of separate churches within its overall complex. But there has always been a grimmer side and, following rebellion by the monks against the "established" church in the mid 16th century, there followed centuries when it was also used as some form of prison for those con-victed of "Crimes against Faith and State". I find it dif-ficult to accept the concept of a prison and a monastery operating simultaneously! However, its worst episode as a prison is undoubtedly the Soviet gulag when the monastery, as such, ceased to exist and many of its priceless treasures were either deliberately destroyed or melted down.Over our two day stay at Solovki, we we shown round different churches with their visually explosive gilded artefacts, paintings, and icons by the hundred; together with other buildings some of which had been for the gulag prisoners (100,000 prisoners and 40,000 deaths). A terrible contradiction 'twixt God and Stalin.The morning we left, the monks conducted their weekly (weather permitting!) parade round the monastery walls chanting and carrying icons. They were followed by scores of pilgrims hoping to be blessed and to receive a scattering of holy water. It was an enjoyable and col-ourful spectacle but quickly over because the Patriarch at the front set a cracking pace. He clearly wanted to get home to watch the football on TV!Sailing overnight for Arkhangelsk (Archangel) and ar-riving there around breakfast time, we were taken on yet another coach tour. On an earlier lecture, we had been told that whereas Murmansk was a "Soviet" city, Arkhangelsk was "Russian" and, I must confess, the contrast between the two is considerable.In the morning we were shown an area of town where some interesting, old wooden buildings have been preserved. Then the obligatory church was followed by another obligatory museum where the super enthusi-astic curator showed us many "rescued" icons and re-ligious artefacts (NB "rescued" means "hidden from the Soviets"!). Speaking personally, I was very impressed with some exquisite carvings in walrus, narwhal (and even mammoth) ivory. The intricate filigree detail and sheer workmanship was incredible.In the afternoon, it was off to the open air museum of Malye Korely where original wooden buildings repre-senting the different architecture of surrounding regions

have been carefully transported and reconstructed. Greeted first by an amazingly tuneful and complicated virtuoso performance by a solitary chap in his bell tower, we were then greeted in the traditional Russian way by being given bread and salt. I'm afraid my bread was rather stale - must have been yesterday's!After that we were escorted by ladies in the traditional, and very colourful costumes of their particular areas, shown around some of the buildings and told stories of Russian peasant family life in earlier times. That evening panic stations: because very early next morning we had to leave to catch the 'plane to Mos-cow. We left Archangel in pouring rain but fortunately Moscow was fine and sunny so we could experience the delights of grid locked Moscow traffic during the 56Km journey into the city. It was also interesting to witness the many examples of suicidal driving. Dunsta-ble crossroads - all is forgiven!Stopping at the vast expanse of Red Square, we gawped at the iconic buildings seen so often on TV and in pho-tographs. Then a "typical" Russian lunch (beetroot soup, beef stroganoff and a "mystery" dessert) before another 50+ Km journey to the other airport followed by tedi-ous, endless (and still unsmiling) security checks prior to our 4 hour flight back to Heathrow and home.It had been a very different sort of holiday and many unusual memories remain. In particular, it was interest-ing to try and get some reaction from our various Rus-sian guides as to how they viewed the transition from Soviet communism to today's capitalism. Although there was a reluctance to get too "political", I felt that, in the main, they preferred the present system on balance. But it is clear that not everyone agrees: some older peo-ple definitely prefer the communist system where eve-ryone knew where they stood; everything was ordered; everyone had a job (however futile); and providing you kept your nose clean, you were left alone.And I detected an unstated complaint against the present system whereby, although society is much more free now and people can speak their mind (within reason), the great problem of life today is the endemic corruption where the former communist bureaucracy and its stultifying numbness has been swapped for a gung-ho, Mafia style "Wild West" system.In comparison with Norway - which must be the most civilised country in the world - Russia comes a poor second. However, they could help themselves tremen-dously if only their officials could learn to relax a bit and realise what a difference a friendly smile can make

Tasty!

We certainly are!

Call 01525 3777 03or e-mail [email protected]

Our web site

High-quality, cost-effective designers of logotypes, brochures, leaflets, web sites, newsletters, advertising, posters, exhibition displays, packaging and much more...

Beans on Toast Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 3AU. A division of V-One Design Solutions Limited. Smartphone required to scan the QR codes.

14

KIA Rio1.4 D Eco Dynamics 2

Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution

Max speed: 107 mph 0-62 mph: 14.2 secs Combined mpg: 68.9 Engine: 1396 cc 4 cylinder, in line diesel Max. power (bhp): 89 at 4000 rpm Max. torque (lb/ft): 162 at 1750 - 2750 rpm CO2: 109 g/km Price: £14,195 (approx)

auto Biographies

FAST FACTS

PROS & CONS Looks √ Comfort √ Economical √ Slow off the mark X

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.

It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.

But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around. It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer.

Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials.

The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance.

The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick, body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-

wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.

The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car.

The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the continuous rise in fuel prices.

With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats.

Kia Rio 1.4D EcoDynamics 2By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writerwww.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

autoBIOGRAPHIES

FAST FACTS Max speed: 107 mph0-62 mph: 14.2 secsCombined mpg: 68.9Engine: 1396 cc 4 cylinder, in line dieselMax. power (bhp): 89 at 4000 rpmMax. torque (Ib/ft): 162 at 1750 - 2750 rpm

CO2: 109 g/kmPrice: £14,195 (approx)

motoring

PROS ‘N’ CONSLooks

Comfort

Economical

Slow off the mark

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of

our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around.It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now

get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer. Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials. The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasis-ing its purposeful stance. The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick,

body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car. The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the con-tinuous rise in fuel prices. With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.

It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.

But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around. It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer.

Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials.

The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance.

The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick, body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-

wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.

The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car.

The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the continuous rise in fuel prices.

With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats.

Kia Rio 1.4D EcoDynamics 2By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writerwww.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

autoBIOGRAPHIES

FAST FACTS Max speed: 107 mph0-62 mph: 14.2 secsCombined mpg: 68.9Engine: 1396 cc 4 cylinder, in line dieselMax. power (bhp): 89 at 4000 rpmMax. torque (Ib/ft): 162 at 1750 - 2750 rpm

CO2: 109 g/kmPrice: £14,195 (approx)

motoring

PROS ‘N’ CONSLooks

Comfort

Economical

Slow off the mark

Free no obligation measuring and quotations 3All blinds made to measure 3

Blinds and awnings are made to meet your requirements and budget 3Large range of quality, affordable fabrics and colours to choose from 3

Choose in the comfort of your own home or workplace 3All blinds come with a guarantee 3

Make your house a home with blinds and awnings from Vansar...

Call 01525 220477 OR 01582 699565 TOdayFREE home consultation, measuring & quotation including FREE fitting.For Further information visit www.vansarblinds.co.uk

yOUR lOCal EXPERTS

OvER

25 yEaRS

• Free no obligation measuring and quotations • All blinds made to measure • Choose in the comfort of your own home or workplace • Family Run Business• Large range of quality, affordable fabrics and colours to choose from

• Free No Obligation Measuring And Quotations • All Blinds Made To Measure • Choose In The Comfort Of Your Own Home Or Workplace • Family Run Business• Large Range Of Quality, Affordable Fabrics And Colours To Choose From Call: 01525 220477 or 01582 699565

www.vansarblinds.co.uk

E: [email protected]

Make your house a home with blinds and awnings from

Spring Offer! 20% OFF ALL BLINDS with this advert until 30/05/13

The last of the ‘old model’ Cee’d Estate with a great savingDelivery mileagePhantom BlackLeather interior/Sat Nav

2013/13 Kia Ceed ‘4’ 1.6 CRDi Estate Auto

Cost New £21,895Grovebury Cars Clearance Price

£16,950

2ONLY

For Everything Kia

44-46 Grovebury Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4SW www.groveburycars.co.uk

SAVE£4,945

This Issue’s Great Deal...

0845 129 0952(local call rate)

16

----------HAIR&BEAUTY

----------------------

Now the spring is well and truly on the way with lighter mornings and warmer days you may feel inclined to get your lighter clothes out, throw off your boots in favour of shoes and change your beauty regime for lighter products. But have you thought about your fragrance? Fragrances are very seasonal and spring and summer call for much lighter, fresher scents. The notes in a fragrance are intensified with heat so you may find the fragrance you have worn all winter may be too powerful for the months to come. So why not have some fun and find a new fragrance for yourself this spring that is crisp, refreshing and light. All fragrances fall within 6 fragrance families with floral being the largest so look for scents that contain the more delicate florals like sweet pea, freesia, lotus and rose.Fragrance should evoke good memo-ries or feelings so look for natural scents that remind you of cut grass, summer meadows, or aquatic smells that remind you of summer months

by the sea. Wood or citrus scents are also ideal for the coming months as they are fresh and invigorating. Wearing citrus or an "ocean breeze" type of scent will actually make you feel cooler. However be aware that fragrances that contain citrus notes (mandarin, lemon, lime, grapefruit) do not last as long on the skin as oth-ers so it’s wise to choose a fragrance that combines citrus with floral notes.If you prefer more oriental fragrances then opt for ones that have a woody base for the summer; sandalwood or cedar wood are sensual but not as strong as musk.Also remember as your body tem-perature rises the alcohol in your fra-grance evaporates more quickly and therefore fades rapidly, so you may need to reapply your fragrance, or try layering i.e. using soap, body lotion and deodorant in the same fragrance so you intensify the smell and don’t have different scents competing with each other.

Helen ThomasFM Fragrance ConsultantTel 07506712090www.helenandpaul.org

Fragrance CompositionA fragrance is made up of different ‘notes’ which appear gradually at different rates, creating a harmonious scent.

The top note is the first impression you get and will last for 10 to 20 minutes before evaporating.

The mid note appears just before the top one fades and is usually softer; rose, jasmine and lily are typical mid notes, and these form the main character of the fragrance. These usu-ally last 3 to 6 hours.

Base notes emerge last around 30 minutes after application and can last up to 24 hours on the skin

Tips For Choosing A FragranceTry it on your skin... apply to wrists but do not rub together as you will bruise the fragrance

Give it time….a fragrance is made up of top, middle and base notes which appear at different times, so don’t make a decision immediately

Don’t confuse your nose… it can only distin-guish between 3 scents at a time so neutralise the scents by sniffing coffee granules or tea leaves

Perfume

SAFETY AND WORKWEAR SUPPLIES• safety boots, trainers and shoes• steel toe cap and composite toe cap• ladies styles kept in stock

• work trousers •boiler suits•work jackets•waterproof clothing•thermal clothing

•hi-visibility garments Protective equipment including ear plugs, safety specs, masks,

all types of work gloves.Embroidered clothing, t-shirt and high-vis printing. Uniforms, hen

or stag parties, sports and charity eventsFirst Avenue Supplies - your first choice for workwearT: 01908 373388 F: 01908 368844E: [email protected]: www.firstavenuesupplies.co.ukUnit 1, First Avenue, West Denbeigh, Bletchley, MK1 1DX

18

All Work Carried Out To The Highest Standard

For A Free Estimate With No ObligationCALL: 01525 222764

[email protected] Summerleys, Edlesborough

Curves worksevery part ofyou.Our total body workout combinesstrength-training and cardio so you canburn up to 500 calories every workout. Withour trainers here to give you total support,you’re sure to reach your fitness goals. Fourmillion women around the world havealready discovered the Curves difference.

*Free week may be redeemed on first visit or exchanged for special membership discount.Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations. CurvesSmart. Poweredby MYTRAK. © 2010 Curves International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Try 1 Week Free*

The power to amaze yourself.™

curves.co.uk

01525 219800Curves - Leighton Buzzard

21A High Street(Opposite Argos)

Taylored Landscapes

established since 1998

Commercial and Domestic Services

Garden MaintenanceFencingPatiosTurfingDeckingPlanting

Water FeaturesSite Clearance

Free QuotationsRing 01525 380114

[email protected]

BarristerWeb Limited is an Internet barrister’s chambers based at Bletchley Park Mansion providing services to the general public and solicitors nationwide.

Due to cuts in legal aid, the public are often being denied proper access to help with their legal problems.Barristers can give advice on a whole range of legal problems including: motoring offences, employment problems or dealing with letters from courts or banks.

Often our barristers can handle your case themselves but if not, they can advise you on how to proceed.

An initial consultation by appointment is free and if the barrister takes on your case he or she will be the person you deal with all the way through to its conclusion, to give peace of mind.

Barrister Clinic11am - 7pm

23rd May 2013Bletchley Park

• Driving offences, speeding etc• Employment • Letters from court • Immigration• Other legal problems

If you are worried about a legal matter Ring now and book a free 30 minute

initial appointment or telephone conversation with a barrister

Tel: 0845 123 1234 www.barristerweb.com

email: [email protected]

Carole Anne Mobile Hairdressing

Covering Leighton Buzzard, Linslade &

Surrounding Areas

Fully Qualified Mobile Hairdresser Reliable Friendly & Professional Competitive Rates Colouring & Perms Available

Ladies Cut From £15.00 Wash & Blow Dry From £14.00 Cut & Blow Dry From £25.00 Gents Cuts From £11.50 Children Under 10 Yrs From £8.50 Children 10 Yrs & Over From £10.00

Give me a call to discuss your hair requirements Tel: 01525 383491 Mobile: 07702374604

O�ce address: 7 The Chilterns, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 4QD

Philip Green (MCFHP MAFHP) offers expertfootcare treatment and advice, including:

• Pains to the feet, legs or knees

• Verrucas and warts

• Cracks/fissures

• Any nail changes

• Hard skin and corns

• Ingrowing toe nails

• Nail correction

• Diabetic foot

Look after yourfeet and they will look after you

Ask for a home visit from theFoot Health Professional

Contact Philip to book an appointment:

Tel: 07989 082 637 Email: [email protected]

Phil leaflet_v3_ART.pdf 1 19/03/2012 10:03

Look after your feet and they will look after you

Contact Philip to book an appointment:Tel: 07989 082 637 Email: [email protected]

www.foothealthpro.com

Ask for a home visit from the Foot Health Professional

Philip Green (MCFHP MAFHP) offers expert footcare treatment and advice including:•Hard skin and corns•Ingrowing toe nails•Nail correction•Diabetic foot

•Pains to the feet, legs or knees

•Verrucas and warts•Cracks/fissures

Professional Tuition For Students Of All Ages

MathsEnglish

ComprehensionReadingSpelling

Dunstable 01582 [email protected]

122c Union Street, Dunstable, Beds LU6 1HB

Call today for a FREE assessment

Bathroom Installations

Showers, Taps, WC, Hot Water Cylinders, Radiators,Gutters, Drains, leaks......all work undertaken

Your Friendly Reliable Plumber & Bathroom Fitter

Call Markon 01525 220994or Mobile07842 653832

Domestic Plumbing

For all your Bathroom requirements, from Design,Supplying, Installing, floor & wall tiling.A complete service. References available.

All work fully insured and guaranteed.Free no obligation quotations, No callout charges

YC

NEI

CIFFE YGRENECERTIFICATIONQualified

CityGuilds

20

natural Health natural Health natural Health Children’s Health

Naturopathic Practitioner

By Sue Blain

C hildren’s health has been in the news recent-ly, following reports about childhood obesity. Apparently almost a quarter of children are

overweight or obese by the time they start primary school and by the age of 12 some are showing the early signs of normally adult-onset diseases such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose and also type2 diabetes.The Government has recently put in place voluntary guidelines to reduce sugar levels in foods but vari-ous food, farming and health groups, like the charity Sustain, are calling for more to be done to reduce sugar levels in soft drinks and breakfast cereals, which are “contributing to dental disease, obesity and a host of other life-threatening illnesses which cost the NHS billions each year”, Charlie Powell, Sustain’s campaign manager.Research has shown that exercise helps to keep chil-dren fit but the amount they do has little or no affect on their weight, so it appears diet alone is to blame.Eating three healthy meals a day, containing a generous portion of protein (essential for growth), as well as vegetables, will fill children up and reduce the need for snacking. A protein breakfast takes longer to digest than a high sugar breakfast cereal (some more than 30% sugar), which can leave chil-dren craving for more sugary foods after an hour or so and affect their concentration in class. Scrambled eggs, grilled bacon, sardines or beans on toast take just a few minutes to prepare.Diluted fruit juice and a bottle of water for school can replace unhealthy sugar-laden drinks. It is

important to check “No Added Sugar” drinks for artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, acesuflame etc, and glucose-fructose syrup with their suspected harmful side effects. Many of these drinks are labelled “No artificial flavours or colours” but still contain artificial sweeteners.Chopped fruits can be offered instead of sweets and also added to porridge and sour fruit. St Dalfour jam contains concentrated grape juice rather than sugar. Local or manuka honey is preferable to some supermarket brands.Two other natural sweeteners are Xylitol (birch sugar, brand name Total Sweet), recommended by Diabetes UK, and Stevia, a naturally sweet plant used in South America and Japan in their Cola drinks. Both are available in some supermarkets and health shops. Xylitol looks and tastes like regular sugar, has 60% fewer calories and most consider it best for baking. Stevia has no calories, a sweet slight taste and useful sprinkled on porridge and sour fruit.We get all the natural sugars our bodies need from vegetables and fruit. Added sugar is not really need-ed at all. How much healthier many children will be once this new campaign begins to take effect.

All brands of DOG FOODincluding raw foods

Pop in and order your favourite brand we will deliver it to your door

FREE local delivery(come in and see if we cover your area)

Complete Canine is Your Local Supplier for Dog Food and everything else you could

ever need for your dog

FREE EXPERT ADVICEFRIENDLY SERVICE

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHOPS

Call Clarealso online:www.completecanine.co.uk

01525 221953 or 07854 102669

Complete Canine and Lawes Pawes are just down the hill from Edlesborough Church at Sparrow Hall Farm, Edlesborough. Open Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat 9:30am - 2:30pm

Easy Parking and your special friend is welcome too!

Vicky Lawes ACFBA MOGDTcanine behaviour practitioner and trainer07765 287176 [email protected]

so you want me to come back on our walks....that explains all the shouting!!!

For non-recall and other unwanted behaviours, we talk dog!

30 years

experience

•GARAGEDOORSINSTEEL,WOOD,GRP&ABS

•AUTOMATIONTONEW&EXISTINGDOORS&GATES

•FREEQUOTATIONS,SPARES&REPAIRSTEL:01525220212 www.premiergaragedoors.co.uk

UNIT 7, SPARROWHALL BUSINESS PARK, LEIGHTON RD. EDLESBOROUGH, LU6 2ES

22

What ’s Best For YouSavings

Even the best easy access account is currently offering only 2% AERThis sets the benchmark for everything else. But, remember, if the best is this bad, what’s yours offer-ing? If you can’t answer that, check.The top paying account is currently from Derby-shire Building Society (thederbyshire.co.uk), with unlimited no-notice withdrawals. This includes a 1.5% year-long introductory bonus, which effec-tively acts as a rate promise for that time. After that, ditch and switch.Rates are currently dropping by the day, so for constantly updated info, see www.moneysavingexpert.com/topsavings

Earn 3% AER (plus cashback) in a current accountBizarrely, for the best easy access savings, grab a Santander 123 (www.santander.co.uk/123) bank account. New and existing customers with £3,000-£20,000 get 3% on the whole amount. There is a fee of £2 a month, though as it also pays a nice 1%-3% cashback on bills such as council tax, phones and energy, that should easily cover it. This leaves many making £10 a month or more on top.

Get 4% AER if you can put money away each monthRegular savings accounts offer hot rates, but only let you save a limited amount each month. To save a lump sum, drip-feed it from a top easy access account. The top rates are often linked to bank accounts, so check yours. If not, the top deal open to all is Norwich & Peterborough’s 4% AER fixed for 12 months (with a maximum deposit of £250 month). You must pay in every month, and not make more than one withdrawal in the year.

Earn 8% interest lending money to othersThis can work extremely well, earning some up to 15%. Your money’s lent via special sites uk.zopa.com, fundingcircle.com (which lends to businesses) and ratesetter.com. They credit-check borrowers can afford to repay, and chase repayments if they fall behind. Many have earned decent returns, but unlike savings, they’ve got no Government protec-tion.This can be extremely lucrative. But it isn’t without risks, which you must understand before embarking on it. So please read my full peer-to-peer lending guide at www.moneysavingexpert.com/peer2peer to see if it’s right for you.

Make the most of your tax-free cash ISA savings (get 2.5% AER)A cash ISA is just a savings account you can put £5,640 a year in, where the interest’s tax-free. The top easy-access deal is Cheshire BS’s 2.5%. It also allows you to transfer in past years’ cash ISAs – so you can boost them too. Check yours now, and transfer across if needed. This rate includes a 2% bonus for 18 months, effectively acting as a rate promise for that time, but you’ll want to transfer out afterwards.If you can wait to access your cash, Coventry Building Society’s 60-Day Notice ISA pays 2.8% on balances from £1, guaranteed until December 2013, but it doesn’t allow transfers.

Your kids can earn 6%The branch-based Halifax Kids’ Regular Saver pays a huge 6% AER fixed for a year (max £100/month) if you are prepared to lock cash away. It’s head and shoulders above all others for rate. Annoyingly, those in Scotland need to go to a Halifax branch to open it (though not after that) and there aren’t any north of the border. But if you’re tripping south, it’s a not bad stop-off on the way.

Imagine a limbo dancer who’s been lowered down a mineshaft. Saving rates are currently even lower than that!

In November last year I noted saving rates were at their lowest levels for 300 years – and they’ve plummeted since. So if you’ve got savings, making them work for you is even tougher than ever. Here are the 10 things you need to cover right now.

HARD HITTINGWEB DESIGN

without the high cost!

Tel: 01908 261 896 Mob: 07904 713 964www. itseeze-miltonkeynes.co.uk

Get in touch

it’seeze


Mark Bunce25 years experience

PLASTERING SERVICESAll aspects of plastering undertaken

• New Build• Renovation work• Outside rendering• Re-skim to artex• Old cracked walls

For a good quality, trustworthy and efficient service call Mark on

01296 660261 or 07811 206 87595 High St, Cheddington, LU7 0RG

WE ARE REALLY BAD ELECTRICIANS

Let us help with what we do best, so that you can concentrate on what

you do best. Call Fouracre Accountancy now on: 01525 382523

[email protected] Chambers, 23 High St, Leighton Buzzard LU7 1DN

www.fouracre-accountancy.co.uk

But we are excellent at

• Bookkeeping• Payroll• Tax Returns• VAT• Accounts

Problem Solving:Virus, spyware detection & removalInternet & email assistanceFault diagnostics, repairs & upgradesSlow running PCs

Services:Computer support for PCs, Mac, LinuxWireless & wired networkingData recoveryInstall & setupHealth checks

Sales:Desktops, laptops, printers,peripherals & software

Computer Supportfor Home & Business Users

M: 07968 536068T: 01525 [email protected]

Computamation Services Ltd.9a Lower Way, Great Brickhill, Bucks. MK17 9AG Established in 1999 with over 25 Years Experience

For friendly advice call John on

com

put @

mat

ion

CO

MP

UT

ER

SU

PP

OR

T &

SE

RV

ICE

S

24

The Carpenters Arms

A friendly welcome awaits you at our 14th century Grade II listed pub situated just around the corner in the quiet village of Slapton. Enjoy a mouthwatering menu from light bites to a full 3 course menu in our cosy bar or restaurant.

Working lunch? We offer a pre-order lunch hour service, just ring in advance and enjoy a mid-week pub break.

Real casked condition alesExtensive selection of winesGood foodNew menuWednesday Steak NightFriday Fish & Chip NightLive music eventsPre-order working lunchQuiz nightsBar Billiards

Visit our website to keep up to datewith our Launch Pad live musicevents, quiz nights and much morewww.carpentersarmsslapton.co.uk

1 Horton Road, Slapton LU7 9DBwww.carpentersarmsslapton.co.uk

Reservations 01525 220563

Outside bar and catering available

Live Music

Carvery every Sundayand on Tuesday evenings 6pm-9pm

10% OFF food with this advert

Don’t forget to book a table

for your special event

Carpenters Slapton

British Alpaca Society



FREE

EN

TRY

FANTASTIC

FUN FOR ALL

THE FAMILY!FREE

ENTRY

2013NatioNal Show

Sat 11 & SuN 12 May

Bury FarM EquEStriaN VillagE SlaptoN lEightoN Buzzard lu7 9Bt w w w.bur y farmequestr ianv i l lage.co.uk

• Dog show and agility for your family pet

• Meet the following: camels, llamas, alpacas, ferrets, blood-hounds and watch the hawks fly

• Bouncy castle, candy floss, pop corn and cream teas together with cafés and a bar

• Gala evening• Shopping village, farmers’

market and much more!

Field

Bur

cote

Alp

acas

SAVE

THE DATE

The Carpenters Arms

A friendly welcome awaits you at our 14th century Grade II listed pub situated just around the corner in the quiet village of Slapton. Enjoy a mouthwatering menu from light bites to a full 3 course menu in our cosy bar or restaurant.

Working lunch? We offer a pre-order lunch hour service, just ring in advance and enjoy a mid-week pub break.

Real casked condition alesExtensive selection of winesGood foodNew menuWednesday Steak NightFriday Fish & Chip NightLive music eventsPre-order working lunchQuiz nightsBar Billiards

Visit our website to keep up to datewith our Launch Pad live musicevents, quiz nights and much morewww.carpentersarmsslapton.co.uk

1 Horton Road, Slapton LU7 9DBwww.carpentersarmsslapton.co.uk

Reservations 01525 220563

Outside bar and catering available

Live Music

Carvery every Sundayand on Tuesday evenings 6pm-9pm

10% OFF food with this advert

Don’t forget to book a table

for your special event

Carpenters Slapton

26

In The Garden A beginners guide to…

Composting

It’s never too early to get children inter-ested in gardening and where their food comes from. I’m sure, even the fussiest child whould be prepared to try a warm, sweet strawberry or raspberry straight from the plant or a handful of peas out of the pod. While we’d all love a string of willing, young, helpers on the veg plot you do have to be realistic. Children can have short attention spans, will only want to do jobs that appeal to them, and usually expect quick results. So how can you encourage your little ones, without boring them out of the garden, or having them dig up your row of prize leeks?If it is at all possible give children a space that is completely their own. Get hold of some good quality child size tools and encourage their attempts even if it isn’t quite what you’d have done. If digging holes and making mud pies is more in their line than neat rows of seedlings perhaps they could create a wildlife area? A shallow dish sunk into the ground can be used by birds, frogs, toads and hedgehogs, and a log pile will be home to all sorts of insects or pos-sibly even a hedgehog. In spring have a “tallest sunflower com-petition”, not only is it fun but they will learn how to feed and water plants and actually see the fruits of their labour! They can keep some dried out seeds for next year and feed the rest to the birds in winter. Wild flower seeds are also a good idea as they can simply be scat-tered and tend to be brightly coloured which appeals to children. In time they will also encourage useful insects and birds - natural pest control!Keen young growers can browse seed packets or catalogues to see what takes their fancy. Quick growing crops are a good suggestion. Radishes and salad

leaves pop up in no time at all and should give almost instant satisfaction! Sweet young carrots are likely to tempt even picky eaters, as are those lovely little cherry tomatoes. Popping peas out of their pods is very appealing and how about growing their own hideaway in the form of a lush green wigwam of peas or beans? They might shy away from anything green on their plates, but they might find plenty of chopped, homegrown chives, basil, marjoram/oregano and thyme only improves their favourite pizza or bolognese sauce. They may not be keen on eating greens, but there is certainly a much better chance that they’ll be tempted to try something they’ve grown themselves.Fruits, such as strawberries and raspber-ries are usually popular, if you haven’t got any of your own you can always get them enthusiastic by having an after-noon out at the pick your own farm.Ready grown plug plants are good for helping set up an ‘instant’ plot - take a trip to the garden centre to see what is on offer. If you already have seedlings started, then they could have the choice of some for their own pot (and you can see whose grows best!). Finally, don’t forget ‘indoor’ growing ac-tivities. At any time of the year, children can start to understand the concept of things growing from seed. Give them a packet of cress seeds and, although they can be grown in a shallow tray, make it even more fun by saving the shells from their breakfast boiled eggs. With their tops cut off, draw a face on the eggshell and fill with peat free compost or even moist kitchen roll or cotton wool and sprinkle with seeds. In just a few days their “egg man” will be growing hair that they can not only cut, they can eat it too!

No garden can have too much compost and rich, fertile soil is the key to great vegetables and plants. In these days of fortnightly bin collections (and the threat of slop buckets for our kitchens) why leave kitchen waste to fester in your wheelie bin when it can be put to good use? Find a corner somewhere in the garden to start a compost heap or, if space is limited, many councils offer bins for the purpose at reasonable prices. If building your own bin, it’s best to put it on a soil base which will attract worms to start work on the heap. You could use old planks of wood or chicken wire support-ed by posts in each corner. This works well as it is important that air can get in to help the process.You need a good mixture of material to make good compost. If you just put in grass cut-tings you’ll end up with a foul, soggy mess so they should be mixed with shredded newspa-per, pruning clippings (not the really woody stems) and even cardboard. Annual weeds can go in as long as they haven’t gone to seed but avoid perennial weeds like dandelions as even the smallest piece of root will produce another plant. Almost all vegetable waste from the kitchen can be used, but avoid meat, fish and cooked food as these may attract rats etc. Use crushed eggshells, used teabags, used kitchen towels and fruit and vegetable peelings. Keep the mixture damp. The aim is to end up with some-thing that is dark, crumbly and sweet smelling and alive with worms. If you wanted to hurry up the process, you can buy accelerants from hardware shops and garden centres but a cheaper and just as efficient method involves collecting urine, diluting it with water and wetting the heap with it. Well, what do you imagine our ancestors used?!

Kids

ODD JOBUK

and Euro

pe

[email protected] waste carrier

MAN & VANHouse Clearance

removals and deliveriestel:01525 850238 mob:07947 318 306

Mob: 07976 975604Home: 01525 872335

No Job Too Small• Emergencies

• Free Estimates• No call Out Charge

Dave Nicholson PlumbingRepairs & Installations

Superior StandardPainting and Decorating

Martin J Keableestablished and trusted

locally for over20 years

call Martin on 01296 660354 or 07855 [email protected]

www.johninwoodgeneralbuilder.co.ukJohn Inwood General Builder 07708 380935

[email protected]

FREE no obligation quotes. No job too small

John Inwood General Builder

“Helping you make your home a great place to live, at a price you can afford”

• Brickwork• Patios• Driveways• Maintenance• Tiling

• Painting• Fencing• Laminatefloors• Kitchens• Bathrooms

J - ElecElectrical Installations

J - Elec (Logo Design 4).pdf 1 18/10/2011 14:50:17

J-Elec for all your electrical work.

Specialists in LED Lighting Solutions.

CallTom Bourn

01525 22935207849 957427

[email protected]

Contact us today for your free quote 01525 500100 or

[email protected]

‘You Build It, We’ll Clean It’

• Windows• Conservatories• Gutters• Roofs

• Patios• Driveways• Cladding• ......and more

28

We do not know what is around the corner but there are three simple ways that we can prepare for the future. by Sheena Munrakah

1. Prepare a Will A Will allows you to decide what happens to your possessions after your death. Without a Will, your estate will be distributed to certain family members in a fixed order without any regard to what your wishes and desires may have been. Many people who are not married or in a civil partnership believe that their partner may also be en-titled to part of their estate, however there is no such thing as a “common law spouse” and so it is particu-larly important for these couples to make Wills.

2. Register a Lasting Power of Attorney Many of us have experience of a loved one finding life more diffi-cult as the years go by. Sometimes dementia or other conditions can erode away at our ability to make decisions. In the event that you or someone close to you becomes unable make decisions about financial matters, it may become necessary for others to take on those decisions. The simplest way to cater for this eventuality is to have a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for Property and Financial Affairs. It may be that you never need to use it, however if you choose to gamble and do not complete an LPA, then if you do lose capacity,

the only other option is for someone to apply to the Court of Protection to become your Deputy. This pro-cess is far more expensive and time consuming and will prevent decisions being made in the interim.

3. Complete a Life Management Pack Dealing with the death of a loved one can be one of the hardest things to do and is often made worse by the inability to find crucial information. Details of bank accounts, insurance documents, your Will or the Title Deeds for your property are all items that your family will need upon your death. Alternatively, it could be something as simple as your funeral wishes that they may strug-gle with. A Life Management Pack available free, only from Osborne Morris & Morgan, securely centralises all of this information which in the end will make it easier for your family.

Sheena Munrakah is Head of the Family & Matrimonial Department at Osborne Morris & Morgan Solicitors who have offices in Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard.

Legal

Making plans now to protect yours and their future

It’s always fun to watch the news on April Fools’ Day, trying to spot the fake story. Sometimes it’s not that easy!Here is a reminder of some classic pranks from years gone by.

The most memorable has got to be the BBC’s 1957 Panorama report on the bumper spaghetti crop. Huge numbers of viewers were fooled by the foot-age of Swiss peasants gathering long strands

of pasta from the trees!

In 1962, Swedish television viewers were duped into thinking that they could trans-

form their black-and-white TV sets into colour by stretching a nylon stocking over the screen.

Australians were confused in 1975 when they were told they were converting to metric time, with 100 seconds to the minute, 100 minutes to the hour and 20-hour days.

More recently in 2008, we were stunned to see a BBC film of Adélie penguins flying across the Antarctic on their way to spend the winter in the rainforests of South Amer-ica. This became one of the most viewed videos on the internet.

And finally, do you remember the whistling carrot? Tesco published an advert in 2002 publicising the genetically modified vegetable. The advert said it had air holes in the side and that it whistled

April Fooled

01908 366077unit 1, First Avenue, West Denbigh, Bletchley, MK1 1DX


The premier stockist/distributor in the Milton Keynes areaof engineering and construction fasteners, fixings, cutting tools and much more.....

30

Recipe

Method

Why Not . . .Make extra compote, put it in

fancy jars and give it to friends and family as a gift!

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Sift the flour and salt together. Rub in the butter until the mixture is like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar and raisins or sultanas if using.Gently warm the buttermilk (don’t throw away the pot) and vanilla in a microwave or pan. Using your largest bowl, quickly tip in some of the flour mix, followed by some of the buttermilk mix, repeating until everything is in the bowl. Use a knife to quickly mix together to form a dough - don’t over-mix it.Tip onto a floured surface and lightly bring together with your hands a couple of times. Press out gently to about 4cm thick and stamp out rounds with a 6cm or 7cm cutter. Re-shape trimmings, until all the dough is used. Place scones evenly on to a lightly floured baking sheet or two. Add a splash of milk into the buttermilk pot, and then use to glaze the top of each scone. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden and well risen.

To Make The Fruit Compote:Place as much of the frozen fruit as you need in the saucepan, on a gentle heat on the hob on top of your cooker.Simmer the fruit in the saucepan on the hob until the fruit starts to soften; stir gently now and again just enough so that the fruit does not stick to the pan; do not allow it to burn.Now add sugar to taste - not too much at first. Taste the fruit as you add the sugar so that you do not make it too sweet or leave it too tart. Take care not to burn yourself when testing it! Fruit and sugar get very hot.Once the fruit has softened, but before it turns to a pulp or goes too mushy, it is ready and you should remove it from the heat to cool.It keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Scones450g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

¼ tsp salt

100g cold butter, diced

85g golden caster sugar

Handful of raisins or sultanas (optional)

284ml pot buttermilk

2 tsp vanilla extract

Splash of milk

Compote

Frozen fruit of choice – summer fruit mix is

good, sour cherries are fantastic

Sugar to taste

Delicious for May-Day Celebrations!

Makes 10-12Preparation time 15 minsCooking time 15 mins

Ingred ients

Buttermilk SconesWith Fruit Compote

Make a Will Protect Your Home 100%

M A K I N G A W I L L H A S N E V E R B E E N E A S I E R

For a DAYTIME or EVENING appointment call

01525 220644www.wisechoicewills.co.uk

AND LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

FREE HOME VISIT

YOu DEcIDE, who is to run your affairs, who gets what, guardians etc, not the State.

MINIMISE RISK of disinheritance and Inheritance Tax.

Best Price Guarantee from specialist Solicitiors and professional Will Writers since 1999

from

CaRE FEES and

PRobaTE CoSTS

32

What ’s Best For YouSavings

Even the best easy access account is currently offering only 2% AERThis sets the benchmark for everything else. But, remember, if the best is this bad, what’s yours offer-ing? If you can’t answer that, check.The top paying account is currently from Derby-shire Building Society (thederbyshire.co.uk), with unlimited no-notice withdrawals. This includes a 1.5% year-long introductory bonus, which effec-tively acts as a rate promise for that time. After that, ditch and switch.Rates are currently dropping by the day, so for constantly updated info, see www.moneysavingexpert.com/topsavings

Earn 3% AER (plus cashback) in a current accountBizarrely, for the best easy access savings, grab a Santander 123 (www.santander.co.uk/123) bank account. New and existing customers with £3,000-£20,000 get 3% on the whole amount. There is a fee of £2 a month, though as it also pays a nice 1%-3% cashback on bills such as council tax, phones and energy, that should easily cover it. This leaves many making £10 a month or more on top.

Get 4% AER if you can put money away each monthRegular savings accounts offer hot rates, but only let you save a limited amount each month. To save a lump sum, drip-feed it from a top easy access account. The top rates are often linked to bank accounts, so check yours. If not, the top deal open to all is Norwich & Peterborough’s 4% AER fixed for 12 months (with a maximum deposit of £250 month). You must pay in every month, and not make more than one withdrawal in the year.

Earn 8% interest lending money to othersThis can work extremely well, earning some up to 15%. Your money’s lent via special sites uk.zopa.com, fundingcircle.com (which lends to businesses) and ratesetter.com. They credit-check borrowers can afford to repay, and chase repayments if they fall behind. Many have earned decent returns, but unlike savings, they’ve got no Government protec-tion.This can be extremely lucrative. But it isn’t without risks, which you must understand before embarking on it. So please read my full peer-to-peer lending guide at www.moneysavingexpert.com/peer2peer to see if it’s right for you.

Make the most of your tax-free cash ISA savings (get 2.5% AER)A cash ISA is just a savings account you can put £5,640 a year in, where the interest’s tax-free. The top easy-access deal is Cheshire BS’s 2.5%. It also allows you to transfer in past years’ cash ISAs – so you can boost them too. Check yours now, and transfer across if needed. This rate includes a 2% bonus for 18 months, effectively acting as a rate promise for that time, but you’ll want to transfer out afterwards.If you can wait to access your cash, Coventry Building Society’s 60-Day Notice ISA pays 2.8% on balances from £1, guaranteed until December 2013, but it doesn’t allow transfers.

Your kids can earn 6%The branch-based Halifax Kids’ Regular Saver pays a huge 6% AER fixed for a year (max £100/month) if you are prepared to lock cash away. It’s head and shoulders above all others for rate. Annoyingly, those in Scotland need to go to a Halifax branch to open it (though not after that) and there aren’t any north of the border. But if you’re tripping south, it’s a not bad stop-off on the way.

Imagine a limbo dancer who’s been lowered down a mineshaft. Saving rates are currently even lower than that!

In November last year I noted saving rates were at their lowest levels for 300 years – and they’ve plummeted since. So if you’ve got savings, making them work for you is even tougher than ever. Here are the 10 things you need to cover right now.

Repaying debts & mortgagesThink about it. £1,000 credit card debt at 18% costs £180 a year, but the same in savings, after tax, earns £15 at best. So pay off the debt with the savings and you’re £165 up. Pay off credit cards even if you haven’t got an emergency fund, as if a real emergency (the roof caving in, not needing this season’s shoes) came, you could simply borrow back on the card and be no worse off than when you started. With mortgages, if their interest rate (eg, 5%) is higher than the after-tax rate on savings (eg, 1.5%), it makes sense to use the savings to overpay them. With rates so low, many are now in this category. Yet... a) Check there are no penalties for overpaying. If there are, it’s very likely not to be worth it. b) Keep enough cash to keep you afloat for three to six months, as unless you’ve an offset mortgage, you can’t borrow back on it once you’ve repaid it. The benefit of this can be huge: overpaying £100 a month on a £100,000 mortgage at 4.5% saves £18,000 interest over a 25-year term. Work out your own sce-nario at www.moneysavingexpert.com/overpaycalc

Is it worth locking cash away to get 2.25%?Normally, locking cash away without access gives a high fixed rate. Right now, the rates are horrid – though, of course, rates could keep plummeting – making these look good with hindsight. Even so with rates this low, it’s questionable whether fix-es, especially longer ones, are worth it. Top payer over one year is currently Virgin Money with 2.25% AER.

Premium bonds for higher-rate taxpayers I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if you’re a high-rate taxpayer, think Premium Bonds. I’ve never been a fan, and the current prize rate’s just 1.5%. But, as it’s tax-free, that’s equivalent to 2.5% AER for higher-rate 40% taxpayers. You’d still need luck to get it, but for high-rate taxpayers who’ve filled their ISA up, the chance of beating top savings isn’t bad. To see your chances of winning, try www.moneysavingexpert.com/premiumbondcalculator

A few final important savings quickies a) Unless I’ve noted it, all the accounts I’ve listed here have full £85,000 UK savings safety protection. If you’ve more, consider spreading across multiple accounts. b) To cut tax, if you’re a couple, put savings in the lower taxpayer’s name. c) If you’ve kids, as some of their ac-counts pay higher rates, saving in their name pays. But if they earn more than £100 a year interest from it, it’s taxed at your rate.Join the Cheap Energy Club - My new Cheap Energy Club checks if you’re on the cheapest now and switches you if not. Then it monitors to ensure you’re PERMA-NENTLY on the cheapest. Join for free at moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclubWeb exclusive: 20p Kindle e-books - Amazon is selling a host of Kindle books at 20p each, including Yann Mar-tel’s Life of Pi. Amazon doesn’t list all 20p titles on one page, so check the bestseller list and scan for bargains.

Doggy SleepoverFor more information Call: 01525 222022 or 07711 593782


Outstanding, affordable care in our own home with our family

when you’re away on holiday or out for the dayWhat do dogs dream of...

......here to help you

We offer help to those who are struggling with difficult situations such as stress, anxiety, depression, abuse,

loss and relationship issues.

By sharing or talking through a difficulty with a trained counsellor

you can find ways of resolving issues, changing perspectives and coping with

life.We suggest donations towards our expenses,

according to income, but nobody is turned away because of an inability to pay.

Contacting us

Tel: 07890 133178Email: [email protected]: www.ndcounselling.org.uk

Celebrity hairdresser, Richard Ward shares his thoughts on

essential hair care that you can save or

splurge on...

HaIRCouture

www.mycouturehair.com

Perfect Finish

richard ward

SAVEvs

SPEND

----------

----------

www.mycouturehair.com

For appointments at the Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, call 020 7730 1222 or visit www.richardward.co.uk.

Hairspray:You can save on buying a strong hold hair-spray as you just want something that does the job well. However, you should splurge on a fine hold hairspray as the ingredients will allow you to brush it out and restyle without leaving any flakes or white marks.

Shampoo, Conditioner & TreatmentsThese are the foundations of your hair styl-ing so you should definitely splurge here. You most definitely get what you pay for – we’ve recently launched a luxury range, Couture Hair, and the ingredients are far superior and have more scientific listing of ingredients. You’ll find more expensive ranges that you won’t need to use as much as they are concentrated so they last longer, often they are multi-tasking too. With an intensive conditioning masque you will only use this once or twice a week so it’s a treat and should leave your hair feeling renewed and rejuvenated so you should definitely splurge on this.

Pastes/GelsYou’re looking for texture and hold with these types of styling products and quite of-ten you’ll find that a cheaper brand perform just as well. You’re using just small amounts so as long as you’re not overloading your hair, you can look at saving on these.

VolumisersNearly all women love volume – you want that natural feel without it feeling weighed down, sticky or too heavy so definitely look at splurging here too. I prefer a spritz style volumiser as you can target specific areas.

HairdryerThis is another splurge I’m afraid! It really does pay to invest in a professional hairdryer – I’m loving the new Collexia that includes a keratin or protein treatment so it’s actually treating your hair as you dry it. Professional hairdryers are initially more expensive but you do cut your drying time down signifi-cantly and this is only a good thing for the condition of your hair.

3938 www.thevinemagazine.co.uk

01582 521430

34

WHAT’S ONApril1st Bletchley Park Easter Eggstravaganza

4th Family Easy RidersJoin The Parks Trust rangers for a school holiday family cycle ride. Meet by the Peace Pagoda, Willen Lake North. £1/person or £3/family 10am start. £1/person or £3/family. No need to book just come along. See www.theparkstrust.com or call 01908 255379. Willen Lake North, Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK15 0BA

6th Big Easter Eggs-travaganzaJoin The Parks Trust rangers for Easter family fun with lots of Easter activities from a giant Easter egg hunt to meeting The Parks Trust bunny. Recommended parking at Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre.11am - 2pm. £5/family. No need to book just come along. See www.theparkstrust.com or call 01908 255379. Campbell Park, Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK9 4AT

7th Discover Adders on Rammamere Heath 9am - 12pm Heathland is a rare and special habitat, and is home to some fascinating creatures. Discover more on a friendly walk with local adder expert Matt Andrews.This event is funded by Natural England Higher Level Stewardship so there is no charge for this walk. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Standard £2 car parking charge per vehicle still applies, so why not share a car journey with friends.To book your place please email [email protected] or call 01525 234260

17th Leighton Linslade Business Networking Event. Businesses from Bletchley and surrounding villages welcome. register at www.leightonlinslade-tc-gov.uk

20th and 21st Leighton Bowling Club Open day see advert opposite

20 Craft fair featuring a wide range of high quality crafts See www.supportbritishhandmadecrafts.co.uk for full details including a list of crafters showing.Open 9.30am to 4pm. Free entry Contact 07770 344914Woburn Sands Memorial Hall Bedfordshire MK17 8RH

20th Mentmore Village Green Plant Sale The Mentmore Village Green Garden Plant Sale 12-5pm to be held on Mentmore Village Green, includes several specialist nurseries and a local growers plant stall . Barbeque, cake stall and refreshments available on the Green call Diane 07707 218 719 or Sue 01525 372757 Entrance £1 includes free prize draw (Children free)

21st CCC Craft FairWoburn Village Hall every 3rd Sunday in the month. www.ccc-craftfair.co.ukSee advert opposite

27th and 28th International Cat Show at Stantonbury Leisure Centre MK, 9:30-4pm www.coontica.co.uk £3 adults £2 children and concessions

May5th Indian Extrvaganza We feature steam locomotives that used to work in India--including one from the world-famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway--and some wonnderful working scale models as well. Page’s Park station is transformed into a little corner of the sub-continent, with authentic Indian food on sale for a family lunch with a difference.Regular departures from 10.40 to 15.40.Page’s Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire LU7 4TN Sunday 5

May 2013 and Monday 6 May 2013

6th May Fayre Leighton Buzzard High Street and Parson’s Greenwww.leightonlinsladerotary.com

8th Bluebells at Ashridgejoin us on our walk to celebrate spring at Ashridge. The walk will be led by our Ashridge Ranger. Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre Hertfordshire HP4 1LT 7pm-9pm, £7, £5, pre-book 01442 851227

11 & 12th Alpaca Show plus crafts and stalls. Bury Farm Equestrian Village, SlaptonLeighton Buzzard. www.buryfarmequestrianvillage.co.ukFree Entry see our advert centre page.

19th Teddy Bears’ Outing Lots of bear-themed activities, competitions and displays, plus kids travel free if they bring a bear and a fare-paying adult.Regular train departures from 10.40 to 15.40. Return journey 1hr 10mins. Page’s Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire LU7 4TN

19th CCC Craft FairWoburn Village Hall every 3rd Sunday in the month. www.ccc-craftfair.co.uk See advert opposite

26th Festival of Transport. A range of classic vehicles Army vehicles to old tractors plus motor bikes of all eras.Plus Model train layouts, Field Gun Run. Martial Arts demonstrations Punch and Judy, Bouncy Castles Craft and Plant Stall and ANNUAL DOG SHOW. Licensed bar,and refreshments Adults£4.00 Concessions £2.00 10:00-5:00PM More details at www.festival-of-transport.co.uk Longueville Hall, Hammond Park, Whaddon Road, Newton Longville,MK17 0EG

UNICORN WINDOWSFREEPHONE 0800 092 5212

“WHERE QUALITY & SERVICE ARE NOT A MYTH”

UNICORN WINDOWSUnit 3&4 Youngs Industrial Estate, Stanbridge Rd, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 4QB

FREEPHONE 0800 092 5212

www.unicornwindows.co.uk

WindowsDoorsConservatoriesGuttering

• Internally glazed for high security

• High security locks on all windows, doors and conservatories

• Full 10 year insurance backed guarantee

UNICORN 90x127 (Proof) W43 25/10/07 16:22 Page 1

Leighton Buzzard Bowling ClubOpen Day

Sat 20th April 10am-5pmSun 21st April 10am-2pmRefreshments available

flat shoes or trainers required, all other equipment provided.

01525 371 [email protected]

Leighton Buzzard Bowling Club, Grovebury Road, Leighton Buzzard

LU7 4SWwww.lbbowling.co.uk

Craft Fair

FREE ADMISSION

Woburn Village Hall, Beds All Local Handmade items SUNDAY

April 21st & May 19th& every 3rd Sunday in the monthsame as Farmers’ Market FREE CAR PARKING

FREE Cuppa with this Ad.

CCC

Crafts - Cake & a Cuppa

www.ccc-craftfairs.co.uk

10.00AM - 4.00PM

36

PuzzlesPuzzlesPuzzles

Across 1. Blunder (6) 4. Pin (5) 8. Frosting (5) 9. Savoury cheese snack (7)10. Rail locomotives (7)11. Agitate (4)12. Perch (3)14. Carte (4)15. Engrave (4)18. Moppet (3)21. Aft (4)23. Weapon store (7)25. Pharmacist (7)26. Star formation (5)27. Aesthetics (5)28. Thin (6)

Down 1. Girl (6) 2. Piece of roof-covering (7) 3. Legendary Greek hero (8) 4. Uncovered (4) 5. First outing (5) 6. Diner (6) 7. Turf (5)13. Cooperation (8)16. Prudence (7)17. Counting machine (6)19. Appetite (5)20. Australian city (6)22. Tough (5)24. 1.609Km (4)

Crossword




SPOT THE ADVERTWhat advert

Is This? >>>>

1 26

3 9 7 62 8

4 3 7 2 93

9 2 8 54 6

6 3 7

Sudoku 数独

Each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9 just once. This can be done by applying logic -you don’t have to guess!

SLING

PLANE

Step from the bottom to the top rung by changing one letter at a time




Get in touch

it’seeze


Sing Along with Jo Jingles!Fun Music, Singing & Movement Classes

for children aged 3 months to 5 yearsDevelop your child’s

• Co-ordination• Imagination• Social Skills

• Confidence• Listening Skills• Language

Children’s Parties & Nursery Sessions also available!

For details on classes inCheddington, Leighton Buzzard and TringCall Emma on 07703 [email protected]/leightonbuzzard

NO JOINING FEE!

TRUSTED LOCKSMITHSWe have earned our reputation for

trustworthy and reliable service over 25 years

L ck Serv icesyour local locksmith

Telephone 01525 3757634 North Street

Leighton Buzzardwww.locksmithslb.co.uk

• LockedOut?DoorsOpened• UPVCDoubleglazingrepairs• KeyCuttingwhileyouwait• LockFittingandRepairs• Doubleglazinglocksandhandles

Quality at affordable prices:

• Bespokedesigns,madetomeasure.

• Hanginganddressingserviceincluded.

• Friendly,reliableservice.

Forafreedesigndiscussionandquotation,pleasecontactDeborah:

Telephone:01908410464

Mobile:07594285859

Email:[email protected]

38

JGS Metalwork & Sonest 1983

Specialists in Gates & Gate Automation

[email protected]

Tel: 01525 220360Edlesborough, LU6 2HS

GatesAccess ControlSecurity Grilles

RailingsBalconiesStaircases

St George’s Day23rd April

He’s most famous for slaying a dragon, but how much do we know about St George, the

patron saint of England? Born in Eastern Turkey in AD 270 to Christian parents, George later moved to Palestine where he became a soldier in the Roman army. He subsequently re-belled against the Roman Emperor for his persecution of Christians. Imprisonment and torture followed, but George refused to denounce his Christian faith. Enraged at this, the Emperor had George dragged through the streets, and beheaded him on 23rd April AD 303. George’s alleged encounter with the dragon occurred in Libya. The dragon is said to have built its nest by a fresh water spring and was offered sheep by townsfolk to distract him whilst collect-ing water. With all the sheep gone, they decided to offer a maiden instead. The lot fell on the poor crown princess, but at the moment of offering, George sup-posedly came by on his white stallion, dismounted and slew the beast with his sword. George is identified with English ideals of charity, chivalry and courage, and thus symbolises the very essence of 'English-ness'. Campaigners are currently work-ing to get St George’s Day recognised as a national holiday, but for now, it is traditionally celebrated by flying the English flag, wearing a red rose and sing-ing ‘Jerusalem’ on the Sunday nearest the 23rd April!

• Conservatories • Windows • Doors • Aluminium Seamless Guttering• Garage Doors • Car Ports • GRP Flat Roofing

visit your local showroom at Leighton Buzzard Garden CentreLeighton Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 9NX

Contact:Peter Pascan on 01525 [email protected]

WWW.CLADWINDS.COM

insuran

ce bac

ked 10

year

guarantee

established in 1985

Imagine beautiful windows for your home

Transform your home with beautiful new windows from Cladwinds. A trusted local firm with

28 years manufacturing and installing experience

40

Complete accounting solutionsfor large and small businesses

Clark Howes Group specialises in catering for all your business

requirements, for start-ups or established businesses

free initial consultation fixed fee quotesLeighton Buzzard 01525 853004

Bookkeeping Annual Accounts

Outsourcing

Payroll Services

Business & Personal Tax

Audit & Assurance

www.clarkhowes.com

Unit 16, 81 Leighton Road, Stanbridge, Leighton Buzzard LU7 9HW

Leakage detection • Repairs • Renewals

Stopcocks • Underground mains • New connections

Self lay • High pressure water jetting • CCTV

WATER

All tarmac laying • Driveways • Kerbs & road remedials

GROUNDWORKS

Connections • Installation of mains treatment plants

Septic tanks and pumped rising sewer mains

SEWERS

Tel: 01525 211690

Est. 1998C I V I L E N G I N E E R I N G

WA

TE

R

GR

OU

ND

WO

RK

S

SE

WE

RS

www.stdcivilengineering.com

Family owned & operated Civil Engineering Contractor

Over 30 years’ experience within the water & building industry

Business grown from repeat work & word of mouth

42

Answers

SPOT THE ADVERT

Step On ItSLINGSLANGSLANTPLANTPLANKPLANE

Foot Health Mobile Clinic

Tel: 01582 967 873 or Mobile: 07809 731 520

o Foot Health Check and Adviceo Routine Foot and Nail Care o Corn & Callus Removed o Reduction of Thickened Nails o Treatment for Verrucao Footcare for Diabetic Patientso Treatment of Fungal Nails o Cracked Heelso Nail Reconstruction

Routine & preventative footcare in the comfort of

your own home... with hours to suit your lifestyle




Get in touch

it’seeze


0845 129 0952 (local call rate)

2012/12 Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 LS Hatchback

RING NOW

20,000 milesSelection of colours

Only £7,950From

Zero DepositFrom Only

£168 per month over 60 months

Grovebury Cars44-46 Grovebury Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4SWwww.groveburycars.co.uk

For Everything ChevroletThis Issue’s Great Deal...

Visit the website for details of treatments and offers

www.requiescence.co.uk

heath & reach

leighton buzzard

07789 074758

25% off facials and pedicures with this voucher

A moment of tranquility to rest your mind and bodyHolistic therapies care for your well-being.

Treatments at Requiescence are designed to help you feel restored, rejuvenated and ready to face the world. Book some “me time” and allow

anxieties, stress and tension to melt away.

20% off food with this voucher eat in and takeaways (collection only)See our website to view our delicious menus

www.ishabarandrestaurant.com

Open daily: 12:00-2:00pm special lunchtime menu5:30 pm - Late01296 688 258/688 689 10 Aylesbury Road, Wing, Bucks, LU7 0PB

A416

A

505

A

4012

G

rove

bury Road

Hocklif e Road A4012

Billington Road A4146

LEIGHTONBUZZARD

West Street

BrownsAgricultural

Page’s

Park

Stanbridge Road

Leighton Buzzard Steam Railway

JOIN ONLINE NOW ATwww.anytimefitness.co.uk

GYM

OPEN •

•24/7 3 6 5 D

AY

S

New 24 hour FitNess CeNtre

Membership Benefits • Gym open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year• Full use of our superb air-conditioned facilities• New Precor equipment with personal viewing screens• Highly qualified personal training• Free 30 minute personal training session• Quality private changing room facilities• Club Culture - where we know your name and your goals

Free1 DAY TRIAL

with this voucherCall 01525 308646 to book your trial

*Terms and conditions apply

!

Billington Road, Great BillingtonLeighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 9HH

tel: 01525 [email protected] ACtiVe + your name to 84433

AF LB A5 Bleed Ad - Vine.indd 1 20/03/2013 18:59

44

A Good Read

When Douglas Adams’ novel was adapted for television, purists complained that the version shown bore little resemblance to the original. That may be true, but it is perfectly possible to enjoy both. The ‘detective’ element in the title is not entirely misleading - there is a detective story here, albeit one that doesn’t follow any of the usual patterns of the genre. As might be expected, Adams interweaves humour, science fiction and a strong sense of the absurd, along with characters who are essentially believable and sympathetic, creating a novel which is much more than the sum of its parts.The plot is almost impossible to summarise. There is a horse stuck in the bathroom of a Cambridge college for a start. An Electric Monk is on the loose. And Samuel Taylor Coleridge is particularly important. Early in the story, electronics entrepreneur Gordon Way, finds himself unexpectedly murdered and refuses to accept that death is indeed the end. His employee Richard MacDuff, soon finds that the sofa stuck halfway up the staircase to his flat is the least of his problems - not least when his old university acquaintance Dirk Gently, telephones him unexpectedly as he is in the middle of breaking into his girlfriend’s flat... What follows is often complex, mostly impos-sible, but always funny. If nothing else, it will make you think about time in a completely different way.

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency By Douglas Adams

For You For The Kids

It is easy to see how Winnie the Witch has become such a favourite character for young readers every-where. This is her thirteenth outing and, as always, things don’t go totally to plan. Accompanied by her faithful cat Wilbur, Winnie loves to visit the museum. Not only are there buttons to press and levers to pull, there are dinosaurs! Not real ones sadly - just bones and skeletons. Winnie would love to see a real dino-saur - Wilbur is not so keen. So when the museum runs a competition to draw or model a dinosaur, Winnie is determined to win...even if she needs some magic to help.Thomas and Paul work as a perfect team to bring Win-nie and Wilbur to life. The words are well judged and often understated, whilst Paul’s illustrations help to draw the reader in, giving depth and detail to the whole story.Winnie may not always get it right, but it is bound to work out in the end - and children will love returning to the story again and again and again. It is easy to see how Winnie the Witch has become such a favourite character for young readers every-where. This is her thirteenth outing and, as always, things don’t go totally to plan. Accompanied by her faithful cat Wilbur, Winnie loves to visit the museum. Not only are there buttons to press and levers to pull, there are dinosaurs! Not real ones sadly - just bones and skeletons. Winnie would love to see a real dino-saur - Wilbur is not so keen. So when the museum runs a competition to draw or model a dinosaur, Winnie is determined to win...even if she needs some magic to help.Thomas and Paul work as a perfect team to bring Win-nie and Wilbur to life. The words are well judged and often understated, whilst Paul’s illustrations help to draw the reader in, giving depth and detail to the whole story.Winnie may not always get it right, but it is bound to work out in the end - and children will love returning to the story again and again and again.

Winnie’s Dinosaur Day By Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul

ATTENTIONLANDLORDS!

TNlettings

Call: 01582 246921Email: [email protected]: www.tn-lettings.co.ukText: Lettings to 07927 271446

5.5%01582 246921

www.tn-le

ttings.c

o.uk

Looking for a great rate tolet your property?

Look no further, TN Lettings will fullymanage your property from only

5.5%Rental Income Guaranteed* (friendly personal service) | Rent direct to yourbank | Regular property visits | EPC and gas certificates arranged | Exclusive

insurance deals | Fixed fee available | Exclusive maintenance cover

46

From the bathroom window to the kitchen floor...We’ve got them covered

Visit our shop148 Chiltern RoadDunstableBedsLU6 1EU

Tel/Fax: (01582) 608996 or (01582) 662545 Flooring Mobile : 07957 869681 Soft Furnishings Mobile: 07762 927760

Email: [email protected]

Carpet, Vinyl & Laminate Flooring Specialist

• Custom made curtains and pelmets• All types of window and conservatory blinds• Adaptations and alterations• Tracks and poles supplied and fitted• Home visit and measuring service

Handmade Soft FurnishingsFrom the bathroom window

to the kitchen floor...We’ve got them covered

Visit our shop148 Chiltern RoadDunstableBedsLU6 1EU

Tel/Fax: (01582) 608996 Or (01582) 662545 Flooring Mobile: 07957 869681 Soft Furnishings Mobile: 07762 927760 Email: [email protected]

Handmade Soft Furnishings• Custom made curtains and pelmets

• All types of window and conservatory blinds

• Adaptations and alterations

• Tracks and poles supplied and fitted

• Home visit and measuring service

Carpet, Vinyl & Laminate Flooring Specialist

• Retail and Contract

PEGASUS

MA

PLEWOOD INTERIORS

• Retail and Contract

Window World WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORIES

* Specialists of UPVC, Timber & Aluminium * * Windows * Doors * Conservatories *

* Fascia/Soffit and Guttering * * Blown/Misted Sealed Units *

* All Glazing Repairs * Leadlight Repairs * * All types of Glass & Mirrors *

* Window & Door Repairs * * Conservatory Repairs & Cleaning * * Commercial * Domestic * Trade *

Telephone 01296 688886 Mobile 07925 121647

www.thewindowworld.co.uk

Sparrow Hall Farm, Edlesborough, LU6 2ESwww.silverarrowarchery.co.uk [email protected] 229374

Beginners courseLongbow makingArrow making

•••

Taster sessionArchery clubEquipment

•••

All ages and abilities welcome

Try Archery

• • • • •

• • • • •

All Emergency PlumbingAll Drainage & BlockagesNo Call Out ChargePre-fixed PricesWork Guaranteed

24 Hours a day... 7 Days a week... 365 Days a year

PLUMBING & DRAINAGE

“ s aQuick a

win

k”Your Local Expert Plumbing & Drainage ServiceYour Local Expert Plumbing & Drainage Service

01234 742 900

BEDFORD& KEMPSTON

BLETCHLEY &MILTON KEYNES

LEIGHTONBUZZARD

SANDY &BIGGLESWADE

01908 849 814

01525 779 818 01767 662 040

FLITWICK& AMPTHILL

01525 779 818

FREEPHONE ALL AREAS

0800 019 24160800 019 2416

Tel: 01582 618679M

ob: 07801 315140W

eb: w

ww

.gjsmithroofing.com

Email:

gjsmithroofing@

yahoo.co.uk

Experts in all aspects of

Roofing &

General

Maintenance

✓

Tiling

✓Slating

✓

Gutters &

Dow

n Pipes

✓Lead W

ork

✓Chim

ney Repairs

✓Fascias &

Soffits

✓

Flat Roofing

✓Rubber Roofing

✓

Built-Up Felt Roofing

We supply &

fit:

✓Velux W

indows

✓

Skylights

✓Sun Tunnels

✓

Free Estimates

✓

Repairs & N

ew w

orks undertaken

✓

“Trust A Trader” and “ED

S” approved

✓

All repair w

ork undertaken

✓

All new

work guaranteed

✓

Insurance backed guarantee available

✓

Friendly Service

Friendly staff, honest work,

highly recomm

ended...- custom

er review

PLEASE CHECK

OU

R REVIEWS O

N

TRUST A

TRAD

ER

GJ Sm

ith Roofing A6 Flyer.indd 1

23/03/2012 13:31

48

Looking after your lifelong needs

Authorised and regulated by the SRA, No: 00058549 © 2011 Osborne Morris and Morgan Solicitors

Offices in Milton Keynes & Leighton Buzzard

Outstanding legal services

Family Law Wills & Probate

Court of Protection

TrustsPersonal InjuryMedical Negligence

Call: 01525 [email protected]

The Vine Leighton Buzzard April May 13

Documents

Transcript of The Vine Leighton Buzzard April May 13