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The Incorporating Great Ashby VILLAGER & Old Town Directory and Town Life February 2016 Free Monthly Magazine Delivered to Homes and Businesses in the Stevenage Area WINDOW REPAIRS Serving all of Herts - Based in Stevenage Specialising in replacing misted units BEFORE AFTER email: [email protected] website: www.jmlwindows.co.uk 07977 911 926 / 01438 906300 • Misted/broken double glazed units • Sticking doors or windows adjusted • Broken/loose handles • Leaded or Georgian units replaced • Hinges for gapping windows • Leaks fixed • All types of locks replaced • Energy saving Planitherm glass • Cat/dog flaps in glass or panels • Door re-alignments Visit our website for over 30 customer reviews 2 Please mention The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory when responding to adverts e Incorporating Great Ashby VILLAGER & Old Town Directory and Town Life February 2016 Free Monthly Magazine Delivered to Homes and Businesses in the Stevenage Area WINDOW REPAIRS Serving all of Herts - Based in Stevenage Specialising in replacing misted units BEFORE AFTER email: [email protected] website: www.jmlwindows.co.uk 07977 911 926 / 01438 906300 • Misted/broken double glazed units • Sticking doors or windows adjusted • Broken/loose handles • Leaded or Georgian units replaced • Hinges for gapping windows • Leaks fixed • All types of locks replaced • Energy saving Planitherm glass • Cat/dog flaps in glass or panels • Door re-alignments Contents Visit our website for over 30 customer reviews Kitchen Ergonomics Feathered Friends..........................................................35 32 Animal Heroes ...............................................................36 Seasonal Delights ..........................................................39 Ten Tips to Bring Your Treasures Back to Life ..................40 The Language of Flowers ..............................................43 Computer Love ..............................................................45 Planning for the Future When Independence Ends........47 Puzzle Page ...................................................................48 Win a Signed Copy of ‘Regret to Inform You’ .................51 Why Are We Celebrating Valentine’s Day .........................4 Prize Crossword .............................................................54 For Goodness Sake, Pay By Credit Card! ...........................8 Fiat 500 .........................................................................57 Fairtrade Fortnight ........................................................10 What’s On ......................................................................58 Win Tickets to The Pad - The Selecter + Guests ..............12 Book Review .................................................................61 National Yorkshire Pudding Day ....................................14 Chinese New Year Chinese New Year ..........................................................17 17 Portugal - Cruising on the Douro River ..........................18 Scents Appeal................................................................20 The Age of Plenty ..........................................................23 Children’s Page ..............................................................25 Plan the Perfect Bathroom ............................................26 Is Buy-To-Let Still a Good Investment? ..........................29 Employment Matters ....................................................31 The Kitchen Experience - Kitchen Ergonomics ...............32 Editorial: Sarah Fryer, Jonathan Vernon-Smith, Carol H Scott, Publishers Louise Addison, Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Kate Duggan, RSPCA, Villager Publications Ltd Solange Hando, Katherine Sorrell, Pippa Greenwood, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Iain Betson and Bruce Edwards Tel: 01767 261122 [email protected] Advertising Sales www.villagermag.com Victoria Tonkinson Tel: 01767 261122 E: [email protected] Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, Photography - Strannikfox and Darren Harbar Photography however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibil- ity for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the Design and Artwork advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part Design 9 - Tel 07762 969460 of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122 History Roses are red, Violets are blue… Why are we celebrating? I don’t have a clue! Love is in the air this month with Valentine’s Day around the corner, but how many of us know just why we are celebrating? The fact is, there are a number of moments in history from which the holiday could have come and no one can say for sure which of them, if any, could be the definitive original source – most likely it has been an evolution, with vestiges from more than one place or time. It is often most closely associated with the ancient Roman festival Lupercalia, which itself is not fully understood. The festival has been connected with the legendary she-wolf Lupa, who nursed the founders of Rome – Romulus and Remus – when they were babes. She also protected the flocks and herds from wolves. The festival was also associated with the god Faunus – the god of agriculture. Lupercalia began with a sacrifice. A goat for fertility and a dog for purification were slain, before thongs and whips would be fashioned from the dead animals skins. The young men would then use these bloody thongs to softly lash at any women who came near; the thought was that the blow would make the woman fertile, and women welcomed it. A world away from what we are used to today Christian feast day, Saint Valentine’s Day, in the 5th perhaps! There were a great many other rituals Century but it is a mystery which St Valentine he as part of the festival that would seem intended to honour, there are at least three by strange to us in 2016, sacrifice that name recorded by the catholic and a sort of casual semi- church – all of them apparently brutality not being martyred. common place here and Most believe the St. Valentine that now but to them it was Gelasius intended to pay tribute a necessity. To keep both to was Father Valentine. Roman the lands and people fertile emperor Claudius II, a former army and prosperous – so not exactly officer faced many enemies and needed lovey-dovey! an army he could count on. His men travelled Pope Gelasius went some way to many miles from home, away from their families changing things. The catholic church for long periods of time and Claudius realised disagreed with these rituals believing that his men were homesick – and not fighting them to be unchristian. Gelasius as well as they might. replaced the Pagen festival with the According to legend the way he chose to 4 Luxury fitted kitchens Fully qualified UK Kitchens 4 U offers a full kitchen fitting service. We have over 10 years of kitchen-fitting experience and have satisfied more than 1,000 customers in the local area. Your new kitchen is in safe hands: Our team is Part-P and Gas Safe certified. Satisfaction guaranteed We pride ourselves on providing high quality kitchens at an affordable price. With a range of designs available, from modern and contemporary to the more traditional of styles, we guarantee that you will be thrilled with your new kitchen. “Adrian was really helpful throughout the whole process. We are overjoyed with our new kitchen.” – Julie, Bedford The personal touch Contact us today We know how important your kitchen is to you, and that’s why we offer a fully personalised service. Each project is carefully managed to your own timescale and budget, with a certified team on hand For further information or to make sure that you are kept informed and involved at every stage. for a no obligation quote contact us today by We guarantee a professional service that will fulfil your needs and be delivered on time, and on budget. telephoning 01767 692968 or emailing VISIT OUR SHOWROOM: 87 HIGH STREET, BIGGLESWADE [email protected] To advertise in The Great Ashby and Old Town Directory please call 01767 261122 5 solve this problem, was to ban his young soldiers from marriage in the hope that they would not be made weak by soft hearts. Father Valentine paid the emperor little heed, continuing to marry young people in secret until he was caught by the Romans and sentenced to death. The myth goes on to say that Father Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. On 14th February he managed to pass a letter to his love before he was executed. The letter was signed “from your Valentine”. There are many myths surrounding the man but one thing that seems to remain constant is that he was a good man, very brave and an old romantic at heart. However, in spite of his romantic soul, it seems that the first time the link between romance and Valentine’s Day was recorded, was by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1383. Chaucer had written a poem to commemorate the engagement between Richard II and Anne of Bohemia, a huge 700 line poem that fairly commonplace here in the UK by the 18th took him almost a year to finish. It was completed Century. Perhaps not the mass produced cards on 14th February, 1383 and was quite up to and gifts we know today – cards would have Chaucer’s usual character. Even in old English there been handmade, perhaps with lace or ribbon is no disputing the link, Chaucer wrote: and Cupid’s face taking the leading role but the “For this was on seynt Valentynes