The VILLAGER Issue 94 - September 2016 and Town Life LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS In this issue V I P Pets Luxury Grooming Bedfordshire’s Walking Festival Win £25 in our Prize Crossword
Bringing Local Business to Local People in Langford, Henlow, Shefford, Stanford, Hinxworth, Ickleford, Caldecote, Radwell, Fairfield Park, Shillington, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Gravenhurst, Holwell, Meppershall, Baldock, Stotfold, Arlesey, Hitchin & Letchworth Your FREEcopy Creative Kitchens & Bedroom Design Modern • Contemporary • Traditional
Bedfordshire’s Premier Kitchen & Bedroom Showroom Since 1974
The Old White Horse • 1 High Street • Biggleswade • SG18 0JE
Tel: 01767 314344 www.lolineinteriors.co.uk e: [email protected] 2 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts
Loline June 16.indd 1 16/05/2016 18:33:44 The VILLAGER Issue 94 - September 2016 and Town Life LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS In this issue V I P Pets Luxury Grooming
Bedfordshire’s Walking Festival Win £25 in our Prize Crossword
Creative Kitchens & Bedroom Design Bringing Local Business to Local People in Langford, Henlow, Shefford, Stanford, Hinxworth, Ickleford, Caldecote, Radwell, Fairfield Park, Shillington, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Gravenhurst, Holwell, Meppershall, Baldock, Stotfold, Arlesey, Hitchin & Letchworth Your Contents FREEcopy Modern • Contemporary • Traditional Luxury Grooming for your Beloved VIP Pets...... 40 Brilliant Bulbs...... 42 How to stop your dog chewing...... 45 Wordsearch...... 46 Bedfordshire’s Walking Festival...... 48 Fun Quiz...... 52 Paws for Though with The Barkley...... 55 Children’s Page...... 57 An Interview with Lewis Hamilton...... 59 Puzzle Page...... 60 VIP Pets 40 What’s On...... 62 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe...... 66 The Story of Glenn Miller...... 4 Cider...... 69 Upright Dutch Bikes...... 8 Prize Crossword...... 74 The Teno Rural Park - Tenerife...... 10 Book Review...... 78 Win a copy of the NEW Jordans Mill Guide...... 12 Choosing a Nursery...... 14 An Interview with Lewis Hamilton Golden Years - Memories from 50 Years Ago...... 16 Developing Inquiring Minds - Bedford Girls’ School...... 19 National Friendship Month...... 21 59 Five Top Old Movies...... 22 Holding Onto Summer...... 24 Going for the Wine - Valpolicella...... 27 Beer at Home...... 30 The History of Biggleswade Talking Newspaper...... 33 What Exactly is a Credit Score?...... 34 Employment Matters...... 39 9,500 copies delivered free of charge in the following areas: Henlow, Langford, Astwick, Edworth, Hinxworth, Caldecote, Newnham, Radwell, Bygrave, Shillington, Bedfordshire’s Premier Kitchen Holwell, Pirton, Upper and Lower Stondon, Shefford, Ashwell End and Stanford (Further bulk drops are made to local shops and busineses in Arlesey, Upper and Lower Stondon, & Bedroom Showroom Since 1974 Shefford, Baldock, Letchworth, Hitchin and Stotfold) Editorial - Catherine Rose, Kate Duggan, Solange Hando, Publishers Debbie Singh-Bhatti, Kate Duggan, Trevor Langley, Ted Bruning, Villager Publications Ltd Carol H Scott, Pippa Greenwood, Nick Coffer, Susan Brookes-Morris, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Sarah Fryer, Luci Sanan, James Baggott and Willow Coby Tel: 01767 261122 The Old White Horse • 1 High Street • Biggleswade • SG18 0JE Advertising Sales/Local Editorial [email protected] Nigel Frost - 01767 261122 [email protected] www.villagermag.com Photography Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, Tel: 01767 314344 Helen Hotson and Darren Harbar Photography however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the Design and Artwork content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any www.lolineinteriors.co.uk Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be e: [email protected] reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122
Loline June 16.indd 1 16/05/2016 18:33:44 History By Catherine Rose
The Story of
BornGlenn in Iowa on 1st March 1904, Alton Glenn Miller Miller, known simply as Glenn Miller, came to trombonist and music arranger. prominence during the 1930s but particularly In 1928 he published a book ‘Glenn Miller’s 125 during WW2 with his Glenn Miller Orchestra. Jazz Breaks for Trombone’, the same year that he His musical abilities showed early on when he married his college sweetheart Helen Burger. But began playing the mandolin as a child. He then it wasn’t until 1935 that he eventually started switched to brass instruments, learning the recording jazz and swing under his own name. cornet and trombone. By 1918, the family had Moonlight Serenade is probably his most well- moved to Colorado and he was playing in the loved and memorable tune which he wrote in school band at Fort Morgan. Miller graduated 1939 following mentoring by Joseph Schillinger. from high school in 1921 by which time he Having struggled to find fame in what, by then, had developed a particularly keen interest in had become a popular genre of music, Miller dance band music and decided to become a developed his own unique musical band style that professional musician. went on to become known as ‘the Glenn Miller He subsequently worked with well-known bands sound’. With this new approach and arrangement and musicians including Boyd Senter, Ben Pollack, of instruments, the Glenn Miller Orchestra quickly Victor Young, the famous Bennie Goodman became the top jazz swing band in the country and the British bandleader Ray Noble whom with now famous hits including Chattanooga he helped form a US band. He was also musical Choo Choo and Pensylvania 6-5000. Miller also director for Tommy Dorsey and freelanced as a starred in two films. 4 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts AFTERNOON TEA
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon tea in the grand setting of The House at Shuttleworth. Formerly the home of the Shuttleworth family The House will be open for viewing, with room stewards on hand to tell you more about the history of the family. Sittings served at 13.00 & 14.30.
Selected dates run from September - December 2016
Adult – £19.95, Child – £9.95 Pre-book only Email: [email protected] or call 01767 627924 www.shuttleworth.org/afternoontea
The House will be open for viewing at the Sunday airshows and there will be tea and cake on offer at the Flying Proms event on Saturday 20 August. Find out more on our events and wedding packages at www.shuttleworth.org.
The House, Shuttleworth, Old Warden Park, Biggleswade SG18 9EA
To Villageradvertise Afternoon in The Tea Villager advert FP.indd and 1Townlife please call 01767 261122 18/07/2016 15:22:545 However, some jazz and swing critics argued them. Many years later it was confirmed that the that the Glenn Miller sound had no soul with its plane could indeed have been in the vicinity of emphasis on smooth production and perfectly the bombers at the time. played notes. It didn’t help that Miller himself had Wilder conspiracy theories suggested Miller was a reputation for coolness. Despite this, his music mixed up in spying and a German investigative proved very popular with the general public and journalist claimed in the 1970s that he had boosted the morale of the troops during WW2. seen proof from German Intelligence that Miller In 1942 he enlisted in the US Army and became actually arrived safely in Paris but suffered a fatal leader for the army air force band, quickly rising heart attack at a brothel that same evening which through the ranks to the position of major. was subsequently hushed up by concocting a Although stationed in London, Miller and his story that the plane had simply disappeared. This orchestra were based at Bedford for safety during doesn’t seem to account for what happened to the Blitz. The nearest airfield was RAF Twinwood the other two men though. at Clapham where, on 27th August 1944, he put The most likely and accepted theory is that the on a special concert - the only outdoor concert he Norseman had a design fault which resulted in performed at a British base. the fuel lines icing over in freezing temperatures, On the night of 14th December 1944, Major preventing fuel from reaching the engine. Glenn Miller slept at Milton Ernest Hall. The The plane was lightweight and would have following day he was bound for Paris, which had disintegrated on impact into the sea, killing all just been liberated from the Germans, to play those on board instantly. for the troops and look into the possibility of Glenn Miller’s band continued to perform after relocating his band there. his loss and in 1954 Jimmy Stewart starred as Just before 2pm on a near freezing afternoon, he Miller in the film The Glenn Miller Story. boarded a US Army Airforce UC-64A Norseman Glenn Miller was listed as ‘missing in action’. In single-engined plane, normally used for honour of his association with the town, a bronze transport, outside Twinwood Control Tower along bust of him was erected in an alcove on the with Lt Col. Norman Baesell and the pilot, Flight façade of Bedford Corn Exchange which you can Officer John Morgan. It was to be the last time. see to this day. The plane disappeared en route over the English Channel. Neither the plane, his companions’ nor Miller’s body were ever found. He was 40 and left behind Helen, their two adopted children and a huge fan base. Glenn Miller’s disappearance is a mystery that has endured and many theories have been put forward as to what happened. That day had been the first in several where air traffic at RAF Twinwood was not grounded due to thick fog and poor visibility. It is possible that due to poor visibility over the Channel, Morgan suffered what is known as spatial disorientation where a pilot loses sense of the horizon and quickly becomes physically confused as to the plane’s position and direction. This can result in a fatal loss of control and something called a ‘graveyard spiral’ which leads to a crash in less than two minutes. Another theory was that the small plane had been hit by allied bombs being jettisoned above it from a group of 100 Lancaster Bombers flying in what was known as the South Jettison Zone after aborted raids on Germany. A navigator later claimed to have glimpsed the aerial explosions causing the crash of a small monoplane below
6 Please mention ThePlease Villager mention and Town The Villager Life when and responding Town Life when to adverts responding to adverts COME AND MEET LEADING CITYSCAPE ARTIST HENDERSON CISZ
Friday 16TH September, 7-9pm
This spectacular exhibition encompasses some of the world’s most iconic destinations.
Henderson will be your personal guide around this landmark collection which includes original paintings and collectable editions.
Please contact the gallery to reserve your place on the guest list.
Willow Mews, 6a Hitchin Street, Baldock, Hertfordshire, SG7 6AE 01462 896164 [email protected] www.gallery1066fineart.com
To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 7 Cycling
Upright Dutch Bikes By Kate Duggan I got my first bike for Christmas when I was about seven years old and my favourite ride was a and therefore protected from dirt and rain, thus circular tour through local villages. I remember cutting down on maintenance. Hub gears can pedalling breathlessly up one particular hill and also be changed while the bike is stationary, for then free-wheeling down the other side at great instance while waiting at traffic lights. speed! The chain also comes enclosed and this, along I inherited my love of cycling from my mum, with full wheel fenders and skirt guards, protects who as a teenager during the Second World War trousers and skirts from getting caught or soiled thought nothing of cycling 20 miles to a nearby from messy cogs or splashes of water and dirt. town and back again later in the day. She tells These characteristics are ideal if you want to cycle stories of getting lost in the countryside and of to work, for example, without having to change being directed home by friendly Italian Prisoners your clothes at the other end. of War. Wow! Dutch bikes come with rear wheel locks and also I didn’t know it at the time, but my beloved first at the rear you’ll find a rack, perfect for carrying bicycle was most probably an upright Dutch Bike parcels, bags or other items you might need at - the traditional, classic bike we might imagine work or on a visit to the shops. Front and rear Audrey Hepburn riding if she were still alive! lights are standard, and sometimes the front light Renowned for comfort, these are the bikes that 17 comes powered by a hub dynamo, providing million Dutch people ride every day, and which instant light at the touch of a button. are known in London as ‘Boris Bikes’! Other features to look for if you plan on cycling in Dutch bikes are most often used for commuting. all weathers are good quality tyres, stainless steel The upright position of the rider means it is easy spokes, a high quality paint finish and good hand to both see and be seen by other road users and grips. is more comfortable than alternative styles such Dutch bikes are great for across town rides but as mountain or racing bikes, as it puts no strain on they are fairly heavy and don’t have many gears, the back and takes weight off the wrists. so are not great for tackling hills. But they are Several features come as standard on Dutch comfortable, stable, feel safe and can look trendy! bikes. They use a hub gear, which is enclosed Typical prices vary from £200-£1,000. 8 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 9 Travel The Teno Rural Park - Tenerife In the north-west corner of rural heartlands where farmers toil sprinkled with palms and orange Tenerife, the Teno Rural Park may on terraces carved into the slopes trees, it’s a pretty little place, not be as famous as Teide or Anaga and old folks still weave baskets home to barely 100 but attracting but this six million year old volcanic and palm leaf hats. Others have ramblers and visitors alike, with range casts a magic spell on joined the burgeoning tourist trade a shaded square and steep anyone who discovers it. Covering and a few rustic inns pop up along cobbled lanes leading down to just over 8,000 hectares above the road, serving tiny Canarian the viewpoint over the gorge. The the lovely village of Buenavista potatoes eaten with mojo sauce, Atlantic beckons far below, deep del Norte, it climbs to over 1,300 meat balls, cod, goat’s cheese or blue in the sunshine, but the trail metres at Cruz de Gala, much honey-based desserts. plunging down the ravine is a two of it along a ribbon of road with The higher you go, the more to three hour challenge: jumping mountain and ocean views. dramatic the scenery, with deep from rock to rock, tackling loose In these green bucolic hills, gorges and cliffs created by ancient lava grit, boulders, streams, a flimsy every bend of the road reveals lava flows which left in their wake bridge, a waterfall where you wish something new, a colourful a rich variety of ecosystems. There you could stop, but there is no Guanche hamlet clinging to a are all sorts of endemic plants, turning back. Finally, hot and tired slope, a vineyard or two, a row of laurel forest, succulents such as the but smiling, hikers emerge on a prickly pear, a fabulous viewpoint candle-like spurge which grows small sandy beach but exploring where deserted trails head into the the size of a small tree, coastal the rich ocean life is best left for mountains suspended between thistles, palm, dragon trees and another time. The beach is totally ocean and sky. myriad grasses and wild flowers. isolated and the only escape is back There you might catch a glimpse Hawks, kestrels and falcons hover up the ravine or a boat ride to the of the mighty Mount Teide rising high above, great colonies of majestic cliffs of Los Gigantes along in the distance, or a young man pigeons gather in the forest and if the coast on the edge of the Park. practising his shepherd’s leap, you’re lucky, you might just spot a Meanwhile, on the westernmost tip clutching a long heavy pole to rare native lizard basking. of this most popular Canary island, bounce like a goat from rock to At around 700 metres, the road the Teno lighthouse offers yet more rock. In days gone by, it was the reaches the mountain village of spectacular views right off the only way to keep up with your Masca, and when you set eyes on beaten track. flock; today it’s a competitive sport the rocky amphitheatre towering which keeps the skill alive. all around and the razor sharp Traditions remain strong in these peak guarding the entrance to the gorge, it’s easy to understand. Draped in bougainvillaea, clinging to a knoll By Solange Hando
10 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts St Christopher School Truly Independent
OPEN MORNING Saturday 24th September 9.30am – 1.00pm
Highly successful Day and Boarding school Excellent Independent Education for girls and boys from Nursery to Sixth Form Outstanding results at Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form Fantastic facilities on a 38 acre site
For further details, or to arrange a private tour of the school, please contact Michelle on 01462 650947 or [email protected] We look forward to meeting you.
www.stchris.co.uk
To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 11 B4425 StC 194x131+3mmP 2.indd 1 12/07/2016 14:07 COMPETITION
Win a copy of the NEW Jordans Mill Souvenir Guide
Jordans Mill is a hidden gem, tucked in away in the heart of rural Bedfordshire on the banks of the River Ivel. It is a unique food heritage attraction with something for all the family - tours of the historic flour mill, beautiful gardens and woodland to explore, and the Riverside Café and Mill Store. Jordans Mill is open seven days a week from 9am until 5pm. In summer months it is open until 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays. A key part of the visitor experience is a guided tour of the lovingly restored, iconic Victorian mill which is steeped in history and situated in a glorious location. Once one of 400 wind and watermills across Bedfordshire, Jordans Mill is now one of only a few still remaining. The new Jordans Mill Souvenir Guide is a beautifully produced brochure that gives visitors and those with an interest in history and engineering a fascinating insight into Bedfordshire’s milling history, the Jordan family, and the next chapter in Jordans Mill’s story. Explore our gardens - Visitors are free to wander through the stunning Mill Gardens, unique food and flower gardens where crops, vegetables and fruits are grown alongside wild flowers and cultivated garden plants. From the Mill Gardens stroll across the bridge into our Mill Meadow and Woodland which are specially designed to attract wildlife. Let the children get back to nature with our cone throwing game, woodland path, tepees and bug hotel. Enjoy a meal or a snack in the Riverside Café with its stunning riverside terrace and picturesque views over the mill pond. The Café serves a varied and delicious seasonal menu, using local ingredients where possible, indeed much of the produce from the Mill Gardens makes its way into the kitchen. For further information visit www.jordansmill.com Please answer the following question – How many mills used to be in operation in Bedfordshire? Complete your details below and send your entry to Jordans Mill Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. The winner will be randomly selected. Deadline: 20th September 2016 Name: Address:
Tel: Email: Answer: Please tick if you would like to receive our e-newsletter
12 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts COMPETITION
Get passionate about produce from our own backyard during Love British Food fortnight, 17 September–October.
Our chefs are busy creating some tasty specials to add to our menu, so keep an eye on our website nearer the time for details.
Market Square, Potton, SG19 2NP 01767 260221 www.coachhousepotton.co.uk
Best of British advert 2016 v2.indd 1 04/08/2016 17:09
To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 13 Time of Year Choosing a Nursery By Debbie Singh-Bhatti Choosing your child’s nursery can be daunting, especially if you are a first time parent, but there are steps you can take to make it easier. First, check the hours on offer at your local private or council run nurseries. Find out the hourly/daily/weekly costs and if they have any places available. Read Ofsted reports to give an idea of how well they are run and how the needs of the children are being met. From here, make a shortlist and arrange to visit several nurseries, when you should look out for the following: Staff - What is their training and experience? How do they interact with the children? What is the staff to child ratio? Do they use a similar approach to the children as you? Children - Do they seem busy and relaxed? Are they happy and purposeful? What is the intake? Premises - Are they clean, well maintained and secure? Are you happy with their size? Do they feel welcoming? Is there an outside play space? Activities - Are they fun and interesting? Is time set aside for exercise and relaxation? Speak to local schools and other parents as this can aid the selection process, but mostly go with your gut feeling - and remember to book well in advance as the best nurseries tend to get booked up quickly!
14 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 15 History Golden Years Memories of 50 years ago It’s a constant source of amazement to me how close one of the most valuable franchises in TV history came to fizzling out. But Star Trek – first shown on NBC on 8th September 1966 and cancelled after only three seasons – only just escaped that fate and its creator, Gene Roddenberry, ruined his health and nearly went bankrupt fighting for its survival. After war service as a bomber pilot Roddenberry became an airline pilot, but quit after a serious screening of Where No Man at the World Science air-crash and joined the Los Angeles Police public Fiction Convention and got a standing ovation. information office instead. He started writing TV But ratings didn’t live up to expectations and scripts after acting as consultant on a courtroom Star Trek looked set to be cancelled after the first drama series, and in 1956 he quit the police to season. Roddenberry therefore enlisted the help of go full-time, working mainly on cop shows and the leading sci-fi writers of the day including Isaac westerns. He was fired from a series about a Asimov to write to NBC urging a second season. Mississippi paddle-steamer for insisting that there NBC was persuaded, and Asimov also suggested ought to be at least one black cast member, a a few improvements. Even this didn’t help: a third stance on racism that became a hallmark of his, season was made after 1,000 fans marched on but apart from that incident his career quickly the studio, but it was shifted to a worse timeslot. blossomed and he soon started producing as well Ratings fell again and the show was cancelled. as writing. Roddenberry took it hard. He worked desperately His first successful pitch for a series of his own led to revive the franchise, but to no avail – a cartoon to NBC commissioning The Lieutenant, a drama version was made in 1973, but achieved little. set in a US Marine Corps training camp. Guest roles Meanwhile Roddenberry had turned to drink in its 29 episodes went to many actors later to join and drugs, and a divorce left him penniless. He Star Trek, including Leonard Nimoy and Nichelle produced several TV pilots which were never Nichols – although her episode was never aired commissioned and scraped a thin living appearing because its themes of racism and sexual violence at sci-fi conventions. were considered too controversial. However, more and more foreign TV stations The Lieutenant was eventually cancelled, and were buying the original series and it was slowly Roddenberry revived an earlier idea for series developing worldwide cult status. The release about a round-the-world voyage in an airship of Star Wars in 1977 made sci-fi popular, and a crewed by multi-ethnic adventurers. The revived second series, Phase II, was considered. The script idea put the crew aboard a starship, though – an developed into Star Trek: The Movie, which was a unusual twist at the time since although science huge hit; Roddenberry was taken on again to write fiction writing was in its heyday, the reputation Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan; and the franchise of sci-fi on film had been so tarnished by the snowballed from there. Unfortunately the drink B-movies of the 1950s that there was very little of and drugs had taken their toll on Roddenberry. it about. Nonetheless, NBC financed a pilot which He worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation in was tested at the end of 1964 – and flopped. 1987, had a stroke in 1989, and died in 1991. The But CBS was working on Lost In Space, so NBC franchise he created currently runs to 13 films and decided to keep plugging away at sci-fi and six TV treatments; so far it’s made $4 BILLION. financed a second pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before. This time the test audiences were Happy 50th birthdays to Salma Hayek (2nd); more receptive, and in May 1966 the first proper Toby Jones (7th); Adam Sandler (9th); episode, The Man Trap, went into production. Five and Ruth Jones (22nd); and Shirley Manson days before it went out, Roddenberry hosted a (26th). Cake and botox to you all! 16 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Charles Wilson Carpets & Flooring
Quality fl ooring and carpets Reliable fi tting service Mobile service available Open Thursdays until 7pm
01462 450780 39 Hermitage Road, Hitchin www.charleswilsoncarpets.co.uk Ref: The Villager Unlikely furnture half page_ppl.pdf 1 15/06/2016 15:25
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To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 17 18 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Developing Inquiring Minds Bedford Girls’ School
As parents we often ask ourselves how can we help From Year 3 (age 7) Bedford Girls’ School offers our children become happy and successful? students an exciting and innovative curriculum. With As educators we ask the same question, and at the learning roots deeply established in the Junior Bedford Girls’ School we believe the answer lies in School, moving to the Senior School is a seamless preparing students not for the world of today but transition in Year 7. Embedding these deeper for the world of tomorrow. We believe in developing learning skills ensures the demands of the GSCE lifelong learners who are able to communicate, years can be easily faced, and the girls continue to collaborate, question, work independently and flourish as they enter the Sixth Form, where they can engage in an ever changing world. either study the IB Diploma Programme or A Levels. In today’s world, exam results are not enough and For more information, please contact: employers often tell us that graduates are unable to [email protected] or 01234 361918 think for themselves, communicate clearly or work cross-functionally. It is the role of educators to make sure students are prepared to enter a global world with confidence and knowledge. Working in line with the latest pedagogical thinking, and underpinned by the International Baccalaureate philosophy, Bedford Girls’ School focuses on providing a truly holistic education for girls from the ages of 7 to 18. Central to the School’s ethos is delivering an excellent education which is not solely determined by academic success but by developing wider learner attributes, to ensure students leave school with the skills and self-assurance to face the challenges of a globalised world. Bold Fundamental to this educational approach is teaching students to think for themselves, to question Imaginative and inquire and not to take information on face value. We place great importance on developing Reflective growth mindsets, where students are willing to work independently, move out of their comfort Three words to define zones, reflect on their decisions and learn from your daughter’s future. mistakes. These valuable skills are the cornerstone to Add three more: developing adaptive, creative individuals who will be truly prepared for life after school. Open Morning Saturday 8th October, 10am This means providing an education which puts as much emphasis on the co-curricular as it does on the Telephone: 01234 361918 | www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk academic, by involving students in sport, the creative Bedford Girls’ School is part of The Harpur Trust arts and public and community engagement. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 19 20 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Time of Year
By Kate Duggan
National Friendship
Where would we be without friends? It’s said that friends make the good times better, and Women’sMonth Friendship month, so perhaps for females the bad times bearable. This month, it’s time to there are two reasons to celebrate. celebrate our friendships, as September is National But, with Sociologist Gerald Mollenhorst reporting Friendship Month. in 2012 that most of us replace half of our friends In the UK, the month is attributed to The every seven years, it’s good to keep an eye out Oddfellows, one of the largest and oldest friendly for new friends as well as celebrate long standing societies. For them, it’s ‘an annual campaign to relationships. For some, connections will last bring communities together and highlight the decades but others will be for just a certain stage importance of friendships.’ of a person’s life. Some talk about outgrowing Research from the University of North Carolina their friends or moving away from damaging peer shows that spending time with friends can make groups for example and couples divorcing can us happier and healthier. often cause a split in friendship groups. Whilst many feel it’s preferable to be with those Oddfellows are helping people to build new who are positive, supportive and share good news, friendships during September, by organising a some believe that having close friends who they range of special activities to complement their can have a good moan to and get things off their annual programme. These include walks, tea chest with is also beneficial. Groups tend to find dances and craft workshops with the theme of their own norms over time in terms of what they bringing people of all ages together over a simple talk about, what activities they do and how they cuppa. You can find details at: https://www. behave. oddfellows.co.uk/Events/FriendshipMonth. You may have heard the expressions ’Friends are Or you could mark the month in your own special the family you choose’, or ‘You can’t choose your way. Plan a coffee morning, buy your friends a gift family but you can choose your friends’ and it’s or just take time to tell them how much they mean true that some have tighter bonds with friends to you. You could also reconnect with long lost than family members. pals. Social media has enabled a whole new way Many say that there is something particularly of keeping in touch with those who are remote special about a woman’s friendship with other and you could also try having face to face style women and in 2009 the Kappa Delta Sorority conversations with free calling services such as decided to make September International Skype or Apple’s Face Time. To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 21 Films Five Top Old Movies
There are several movies I could watch over and actress who holds her sister (Joan Crawford) captive again. Here’s my pick of the oldies! in an old Hollywood mansion. Full of menacing In It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) James Stewart stars twists and turns, it has a shock ending that will keep as a troubled family man, about to commit suicide you guessing! on Christmas Eve, feeling that his life has amounted Steven Spielberg’s 1975 film Jaws is about a killer to nothing. He is saved by his guardian angel shark that makes repeated attacks on New England who shows him the lives he has touched and the residents and how it is finally tracked and disposed difference he has made to his community. of. The atmospheric music adds to the tension and Who couldn’t resist Gene Kelly, sloshing his way the interaction between the three male leads is through puddles and swinging from lamp posts in sharply observed. the 1952 film Singin’ in the Rain? Set in Hollywood Finally, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991) is a at the end of the silent movie era, the score also heart-warming cartoon about a beautiful young girl features Donald Connor’s iconic performance of who wins the affection of an enchanted beast. The Make ‘Em Laugh. animation is stunning and the score is beautiful. The psychological thriller What Ever Happened A new version starring Emma Watson is due for to Baby Jane (1962) stars Bette Davis as a failing release next March.
22 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Business gone slow? Let us help!
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To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 23 Health & Beauty
HoldingThis month we’re making the most of the last of the rays with some summer-inspired beauty finds. With its fresh, onto Summer citrusy scent of unwind. Each of the three bottles mandarin and contains enough bath oil for three grapefruit, warmed separate soaks. Pick your set up by sandalwood, from Harvey Nichols, Fenwick or Weleda’s Agrume www.Olverum.com. Jardin de Vie A face serum can help your skin fragrance conjures to recover from the drying effects up images of heady of too much sun, chlorine and Tuscan nights. And air conditioning. This month I’ve at just £19.95 for been trying What Skin Needs’ 50ml, you can spritz Hydrating Facial Serum. A blend it on whenever of plant extracts and seed oils, you’re missing it’s packed with antioxidants, your sun lounger. and leaves my skin feeling softer Post-holiday blues? and more hydrated. The main Weleda’s Grenade active ingredient, plantolin, Jardin de Vie contains notes has been scientifically proven gel eyeliners, lip glosses, cheek of neroli and davana, both of to soothe, renew and protect tints and cream eyeshadows. which are believed to help lift the skin. The bergamot fragrance I’ve been trying the eyeshadow, spirits and relieve stress. The final is pleasant, although it doesn’t £19.50, which comes in four very fragrance in Weleda’s collection, quite mask the scent of olive oil. wearable shades, and is a dream Rose Jardin de Vie, is a softly While the serum is an oil, rather to apply. romantic mix of rose, geranium than a lotion, it does absorb There’s still time to show off your and ylang ylang. www.weleda. quickly and doesn’t leave your tan (fake or otherwise) before co.uk skin feeling greasy. £17.99, www. long-sleeve-season is upon If you’re lucky enough to book whatskinneeds.co.uk. us. Cocoa Brown by Marissa a last minute break away, there Carter’s Golden Goddess are still some great travel kits on Shimmering Dry Body Oil, the market. Neal’s Yard Remedies £12.99, adds a subtle sheen to brought out their Limited Edition Bobbi Brown’s new Sunset enhance your tan. You can also Travel Kit in July, so there may Pink collection is apparently use it to highlight cheekbones, still be the odd one left on the inspired by ‘the incredible twilight collar bones and other areas. shelf. The kit contains a refreshing glow of Telluride skies at sunset’. A little goes a long way, so White Tea Facial Mist and Launched in July, the collection use it sparingly. Cocoa Brown indulgent Wild Rose Beauty Balm, includes highlighting powders, by Marissa Carter is an award- amongst other mini products. winning Irish brand and sold If, like me, you love a long soak in numerous high street stores, in a hotel bath, you might want including House Of Fraser, to treat yourself to an Olverum Superdrug, River Island, Tesco and Bath Oil Travel Set, £16. The bath Primark. oil is formulated with fragrant essential oils specially chosen By Kate Duggan to help you relax, destress and www.kateduggan.co.uk 24 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 25 CHAMBERLAIN MASSAGE CLINIC
Swedish Massage Deep Tissue Massage Sports Massage Injury Rehab Kinesio Taping Clinics in Langford, Letchworth and Wrestlingworth Dean Chamberlain B.Sc www.chamberlainmassageclinic.co.uk 07902547391 or 01767631866 [email protected] Facebook: Chamberlain Massage Clinic
26 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Food and Drink Going for the Wine Valpolicella The name Valpolicella conjures up visions of wonder, quality and grandeur. Valpolicella is a viticultural area in the province of Verona, Italy. Wines have been made in this area since at least the ancient Greeks inhabited. Valpolicella is the best recognised wine region in the north-eastern Italy’s Veneto wine region and growth of the wine industry, in this area, expanded greatly during the 1960’s. I searched for a range of these wines, from a single company dedicated and committed to producing high-quality wines.
The Bottega company has occasions and important preferences these wines pair gained a lot of knowledge events, by connoisseurs. extremely well with red meats, during the years producing Aged for 12-18 months in rich fish (such as salmon and excellent wines, with many oak, this production has a tuna), poultry, plus soft and prestigious awards being great aroma, which leads hard cheeses, too. collected for their outstanding enticingly to the full-bodied, productions. I found Bottega velvety-textured taste. Bottega www.bottegaspa.com to have a splendid, impressive Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore collection of Valpolicella (DOC) is a further example of As always, Enjoy! wines within their exceptional high-quality productions from range of beverages and food this company. The process of a products, all of which are double fermentation ensures Trevor Langley produced with responsibility the best aromas. Again, aged and a total respect for the in oaks, this is a superbly- areas’ environments and balanced, dry wine and is communities. long on the palate. Bottega Bottega Valpolicella Classico Amarone Della Valpolicella (DOC) is a very good (DOCG) I found full-bodied production and popular and well-balanced. A splendid, with many. This smooth, dry, dry finish on the palate makes ruby red wine has a pleasant this powerful, smooth wine, a bouquet and good mouthfeel. regular choice for numerous Bottega Valpolicella Classico lovers of Valpolicella. Superiore (DOC) is classed as These red Valpolicella wines a noble red wine. This wine utilise Corvina Rondinella and has an excellent structure Molinara grape varieties to and is chosen for numerous great advantage. For personal To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 27 28 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 29 Food & Drink Beer at Home By Ted Bruning There’s something a bit mournful about September. It’s still technically summer, and there can be glorious days. But everything’s just beginning to slide: summer seems tired and dusty somehow, as if it can’t wait to be properly autumn, to ripen and bear fruit. Then the kids go back to school and with that, whatever the weather, summer’s lease hath had its all too short a stay. A marketing slogan currently going round the beer world proclaims: “There’s a beer for that!” What beer, though, accompanies seasonal melancholy? Something light, something spritzy, something to prolong the sensations of summer? Or something a little heavier, perhaps; something somewhat warming, something to prepare one for the chills to come? Being of a naturally Eeyorish disposition, I decided on the latter. Cameron’s of Hartlepool is almost unique in that, having suffered half a dozen changes of ownership in the last 30 years, it has somehow managed to avoid being closed down and demolished. It has now emerged from the great corporate ceilidh as a thriving independent and although not well-known under its own name is the UK’s 11th biggest brewery. Its flagship beer is Strongarm, a 4.1% ale launched in 1955 as prosperity returned to the region and better-off drinkers demanded something a bit meatier than ration-era swill. More like a strong mild than a bitter, it pours a delightful orange-garnet with aromas of toffee and apple. The palate is rich, with butterscotch balanced by more of that fruity hop; the finish becomes less malty and more fruity still. Over the Pennines in Cumbria is Jenning’s of Cockermouth, another old-established brewery which, unlike Cameron’s, has changed ownership only once in 200 years and is now an outpost of the Marston’s Empire. Sneck Lifter was introduced in 1990 as a seasonal ale for winter; however its alcoholic strength of 5.1%, while low for a winter beer, was ideal for a year-round strong ale similar, say, to Greene King Abbot. Sneck Lifter is almost the same colour as Strongarm, but despite its greater strength has a fresher, grassier aroma with a rich undertone of leather. In the mouth, a robust liquorice flavour and a hint of Marmite are balanced by an underlying freshness well-suited to the season. More hop emerges in the malty finish. 30 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Fiddle Daemons iolins iolas Cellos ass Contact: Jackie@ ddledaemons.com 01767682693 or 07814970635
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To advertiseJumbos half inpage.indd The Villager 1 and Townlife please call 01767 261122 15/07/2016 15:1931 FINALNEW PHASE OF DEMENTIA DEMENTIA Our staff, you’ll know who they are by their cheerful yellow shirts, truly WINGCARE NOW WING OPEN have• A friendly,time for youcomfortable, and your loved homely one. environment NOW OPEN Everything• Dedicated, we do experienced is about creating carers moments to look of joy after and laughter each day, for both our clients and their relatives. each residents individual needs We also have: • A Skype home lounge, where to relativeskeep you in are touch if ever you can’t get to visit • Analways amazing welcome sensory bath, complete with changing colours • Specially raised beds for gardening in our beautiful acre of gardens • MemoryLong stay boxes, care to shareand respitecherished or moments holiday breaks You...because really do need we to visit care us to see the difference in the care that we offer Please contact Elaine today on 01763 848272 to arrange a personal visit ...because we care Church End | Barley | Royston | Hertfordshire | SG8 8JS tel: 01763 848272 email: [email protected] www.margarethouse.co.uk
EBAY COLLECTIONS Local & Reliable
32 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Local News The History of the Biggleswade Talking Newspaper The first 35 Years The History of Talking Newspapers in the U.K. In 1968, Manpower from the Rotary club was harnessed to Senior Librarian Ronald Sturt from Aberystwyth, five teams, one for each week in the month plus a went on a study visit to Vasteras in Sweden. The spare for the fifth week and to allow for holidays library there had, with the local association for the etc. Each team had an Editor, two readers, two blind, started a talking newspaper. Ronald was technicians, a despatch and sort persons. Cassette hugely impressed. When he returned home, where tapes were produced and mailed in special yellow he was on the staff of the College of Librarianship wallets, free of charge by the Post Office and thus Wales, he talked enthusiastically about what he had the service began in January 1981.From the original seen. Several members of the local Round Table Constitution we find the Trustees: - Arthur Philip were very interested in promoting the idea. They Denny Chairman, Martin J. Turner Secretary, Canon held a Donkey Derby to raise funds, and met on John H. Dominey Treasurer, other members of the 1st September 1969 to further discuss their ideas. committee: - Fredrick George Simms Chief Editorial They gained recognition of the Head Postmaster in Advisor, R. Hewison Chief Technical Advisor. Thirty order to use the first class freepost facilities of the tapes were dispatched to local listeners – today we Articles for the Blind convention. They also engaged aim to have a minimum of 90 listeners. When the the support of Social Services who contacted the talking newspaper was first set up news was sent out blind people they thought would respond to the on a cassette tape. As technology improved some recordings of local news. In January 1970, the first groups switched to CD’s and in the last few years Talking newspaper in the United Kingdom was born. many have gradually changed to memory sticks. Tape cassettes dropped though the letterboxes In 2011 The BIGGLESWADE TALKING NEWSPAPER of twenty blind people in Cardiganshire. The idea celebrated its 30th Anniversary, also the committee caught on and, slowly but surely, Talking Newspaper of the BTN decided it was time to programme a began to spring up in other parts of the country, change from cassette to memory stick. A fund today there are about 400 groups sending out raising programme was launched and six local recordings to 100,000 listeners. organisations, covered the costs of the new Talking Newspapers in East Bedfordshire In 1980 the equipment. There was a trial of the new system in St. Neots Talking Newspaper gave a talk to The Rotary April 2013, everything went well and on 12th July Club of Biggleswade who were 2013 The BIGGLESWADE TALKING impressed with their service for NEWSPAPER digital launch took local visually impaired people. place, after 32 years, memory They decided to research the sticks and MP3 players replaced viability of a similar organisation the old cassette equipment. for Biggleswade, Sandy, Potton, Now in 2016 The BIGGLESWADE Shefford, Stotfold and the TALKING NEWSPAPER celebrates surrounding villages. Finance its 35th year, it is an independent was needed and by chance Registered Charity (Number that autumn, Jordan’s Millers 281316) and is run totally by were celebrating 125 years of volunteers and is FREE to listeners. business with a Country Fayre, If you know someone who may and wanted to donate money to interested in receiving our weekly a local organisation. recording. Contact 07840 504940 The BIGGLESWADE TALKING NEWSPAPER Local news, for Local Listeners by Local Volunteers, supported and funded by Local organisations. For more information please visit www.biggleswadetalkingnewspaper.org.uk To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 33 Finance What exactly is a credit score? And how does it impact on your life? When you apply for credit or other types of much higher, and you won’t have access to the borrowing, the lender will check your credit score to better deals. Having a low credit score is often an see if you are a good or bad risk. Your credit rating indication that you can’t afford a mortgage, but also comes into play in other situations, and has the unfortunately it can also affect your ability to rent. potential to affect every aspect of your life. Problems renting A low score means that you may have to pay an A landlord will check your credit score - if they see increased rate of interest to counteract the risk to that payments have been missed or that you are a lender. This has massive implications if you’re not on the electoral role, they could view you as trying to obtain a mortgage, as a poor credit rating untrustworthy and an unnecessary risk. can mean less product choice and higher monthly Personal loans and other finance repayments. Obtaining car finance will be difficult if your credit How is a credit score formulated? score is low, as this is the main factor on which a A number between zero and 999 is used as a guide lender bases their decision. It’s not only the large to lenders and other interested parties, such as purchases that can be stifled, however – you may landlords and utility companies, about your ability also encounter problems when trying to increase to repay. Scores between 721 and 999 are generally your bank overdraft or when requesting a higher considered a lower risk, but there are other factors limit on your credit card. that influence your overall rating: How to improve your credit score over time • Your previous history of repayment. If your credit rating is low, or you feel that it could • How much credit is available to you. be better, there are specific actions you can take to • The level of debt. improve it over the long-term: • Whether any County Court Judgements have • Make sure you’re on the electoral register, as a been made against you for non-payment, or if permanent address increases confidence that you have been made bankrupt in the past. you’re trustworthy. • If you are on the electoral roll. • Pay at least the monthly minimum on your credit • How many times you have applied for credit. cards. So how could a low credit score impact on your • Cancel any unused credit cards appearing on life? your credit report - too much available credit Difficulty in getting a mortgage adds to your risk from the lender’s viewpoint. Even if you find a lender willing to offer you a • Check for mistakes on your credit report, with mortgage, the interest rate will probably be all three agencies – you can request that they amend your report, and add a comment against the entry to explain that it is incorrect. • If a spouse or partner has a poor credit score, you can apply for a financial disassociation . A good credit score can make your life more straightforward, so it’s worthwhile reviewing your credit report every so often to make sure that all the details are correct, and also to check for any suspicious activity. It’s possible to obtain a copy from any of the credit reference agencies for a few pounds.
http://uk.businessinsider.com/how-your-credit- score-can-impact-your-life-2016-5?r=US&IR=T https://www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/money-matters/ guide-to-credit-scores.shtml 34 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts We take time to listen and find the best way forward Contact us to arrange your free initial 30 minute visit (We are happy to come to you for a small extra charge) Wills Our staff have successfully drafted Wills for many years; truly we are experts. £135 inc. Single Will £199 inc. Mirror Wills
Probate Helping you prove a Will after death. £545 inc. Plus Court fees [unless it is a huge estate] to obtain a Grant of Probate from the Court
Lasting Power of Attorney Arranging for a relative/friend to act on your behalf if you lose mental capacity. £350 inc. Plus Court fees to draft & register with Public Guardian Office
Contact us for some friendly advice: 01462 674767 Abbeyhill 507 Broadway Letchworth SG6 3PT [email protected]
To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 35 Local News Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Get Networking Push yourself out of your comfort zone and take that paid” for a bookkeeper or “I step to go networking. I know, it’s the thought of bring the outside inside” for walking into a room full of people that you don’t know a florist. It helps stimulate and having to talk to people you’ve never met that puts conversation! you off. What should you talk about? What do you say If you feel that you’ve spent about your business or the business that you work for? long enough chatting to one What happens when you run out of conversation? What person then just be honest happens if you get nothing out of visiting? about moving onto talking with someone else. It’s These are all questions I had when I started networking good to talk to half a dozen people if you can time 10 years ago and they are questions that I get asked allowing. What you get out of networking depends a lot by women in business all of the time. Well here on what you are looking for. Unlikely that you will are my answers, I hope it encourages you to give get any business from your first encounter as you networking a chance. need to build up trust and get to know people The thought of walking into an event is worse than before they will buy from you but you never know, in reality. A well organised event will always have you might be lucky! someone to greet you on arrival and should have If you still have concerns and want to chat before arranged for someone to look after you on your first taking that step, please do give me a call visit. The first question is normally “what do you do?” Louise Yexley 07989 020647 Have an idea of what you might say? Think of different [email protected] ways of putting the info across – like, “I help people get www.wibn.co.uk
36 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts We build our mortgages around you
All homes are different. The same applies to the need for home financing. Therefore we offer individual and flexible solutions for all your mortgage needs and requirements. We can find a financial solution to suit your needs whether buying a new home or remortgaging.
Julie Donnelly - Individual Banking Manager Tel: 01462 441488, email: [email protected]
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
handelsbanken.co.uk/hitchin
Handelsbanken is the trading name of Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ). Registered Office: Svenska Handelsbanken AB (publ), 3 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1WY. Registered in England and Wales No, BR 000589. Incorporated in Sweden with limited liability. Registered in Sweden No, 502007-7862. Head Office in Stockholm. Authorised by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finansinspektionen) and the Prudential Regulation Authority and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority, and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.
To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 37 TEMPLARS CROSS LODGE www.templarscrosslodge.co.uk Close to Baldock town centre in spacious surroundings this motel style Bed & Breakfast offers off road parking. • CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST • LARGE LUXURY EN-SUITE ROOMS • FREE WIFI INTERNET ACCESS • SKY TV/DVD PLAYER • FRIDGE IN ROOM • PRIVATE LOC ATION • CLOSE TO TRAIN STATION • MAJOR CREDIT CARDS TAKEN Tel: 07970 162753 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] North Road, Baldock, Hertfordshire SG7 5DN
Reassurance when you need it most
Neville Funeral Service Neville Funeral Service (inc George Squire & Son since 1976) (inc David J Binks since 2005)) 24 Clifton Road Sheff ord SG17 5AE 96 Walsworth Road Hitchin SG4 9SU t: 01462 813258 t: 01462 444910 e: sheff [email protected] e: [email protected] www.nevillefuneralservice.com
38 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Employment Carol H Scott HR and Business Consulting Ltd Employment Matters Success in the workplace 5 things the Millennials can forget Every generation gets a label, for instance from you, and they can teach you about strategy Baby boomers, Generation X, and the latest is and business development from their years of Generation Y – the Millennials. experience. We often hear about stereotypes in the workplace 4. There’s no “I” in team and other generations may view the Millennials A team doesn’t function with just one person and as being unmotivated, in need of constant pats in order for any business to be successful, you on the back and praise, and a generation that has need to work well with the people around you. a sense of entitlement no matter what level or Open yourself up to the expertise that others position they find themselves in. bring to the table and you will learn and grow Working life is all about compromise, everyone professionally, show that you can work with other has a lot to bring to the table and if you people and overcome challenges in a group, and want to succeed there are certain workplace hopefully be seen as a potential future leader. considerations that every generation needs to 5. Not everything deserves applause keep in mind. Everyone likes to be rewarded and recognised for Here’s a 5 point check list to help the Millennials: a job well done to show they are valued and on 1. Work is work the right track. Employers want employees who Don’t get caught up thinking that working in places do a good job without having to be asked; they like Google with nap pods, catered meals, and want employees who can fly on their own without employee benefits and perks that one could only waiting for someone to guide them along the way; dream about are in fact reality. Most workplaces they want employees who can accept constructive don’t resemble that and although employers want criticism and run with it to improve. You can be their employees to be happy and love their jobs, that employee. having expectations that just aren’t realistic for 99% A final thought for every generation: of businesses is asking far too much. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, 2. You won’t land your dream job on day one and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what Advancement takes time, and it’s likely that you you believe is great work. And the only way to do aren’t going to graduate and land your dream great work is to love what you do.” job in your dream company on day one. You can’t STEVE JOBS become an executive making all the decisions when you’re an entry-level employee, and the majority of people holding those roles started where you are now. The education system can forget to emphasise the learning curves and experience you’ll gain from working in your field so do understand that your career path is a journey, and no one reaches the destination on day one. 3. You don’t know everything The first generation to really watch and grow up with technology, Millennials are extremely tech-savvy and bring a whole new set of skills that other generations never envisaged would be needed in the workplace. Have respect for your colleagues who don’t understand Snapchat is. They can learn about this To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 39 VIP Pets
Luxury Grooming for your Beloved VIP Pets... You could be mistaken for thinking when you first walk into VIP Pets you’re in a chic London Hair Salon – in fact VIP Pets in Hitchin, is a specialist dog grooming boutique and therapeutic spa with exceptional service standards – but quite incredibly with comparative and affordable high street prices, grooms start from just £19.99; spa treatments from only £1.99! It’s no wonder Terence and Adrian the owners have been inundated! In the vibrant heart of Hitchin on Sun Street, this independent family business has taken the local area by storm. After just 6 months providing services of excellence, already they’ve increased their opening hours to accommodate the unprecedented demand – the word is indeed out, discerning clients already travel from the outlying villages, even the BBC have heard of VIP Pets (read on!). With subtle notes of Lemongrass in the air, the boutique is tranquil and calm, the furniture is elegant with twists of brilliance in its design, which has attracted the BBC to film a documentary in the boutique soon to air on BBC1 at 9.00pm. VIP Pets are delighted to have been chosen to feature and showcase its grooming and therapeutic spa services, including a full size Jacuzzi bath enriched with natural Dead Sea salts, Dead Sea mud wraps, natural balms and facial cleansers, to treat and soothe skin conditions with a strong therapeutic focus on the health and wellbeing of your beloved pets. Grooms start from just £19.99 for a wash, blow dry and style; for £29.99 your pet can receive a wash, blow dry and style including a trim of the eyes and bottom to maintain hygiene; or for £39.99 the VIP full groom with a hand scissor or clip, de-shed and de-mat, in the style you decide (very large dogs or hand stripping may be a little extra). VIP Pets were the first to introduce a personal style consultation and a FREE health check. Stuart de Wolfe BVetMed CertVR GP Cert (SAM) MRCVS of the Hitchin Veterinary Surgery at St. Ibbs says “Groomers at VIP Pets, qualified at City and Guilds Level 3 (under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1974) may carry out health checks and refer on concerns - their early interventions have prevented minor health conditions worsening and have prevented a number of dogs from undergoing major surgery, I fully recommend their services”. Here’s where VIP Pets really stands out... all these extras come FREE with EVERY groom leaving your dog looking, feeling and definitely smelling like a million dollars: On arrival a blend of 10 calming (canine safe) aromatherapy oils are massaged in, reducing anxiety and calming even the liveliest of dogs; Nail clipping (a walk service is also offered at £4.99); a choice of 16 deluxe shampoos with natural extracts; triple wash (including a 100% Wild Wash natural flea and tick repellent); Choice to upgrade to a replenishing leave in coat conditioner; deep brush and hand blow dry (at VIP Pets they NEVER use drying cabinets and NEVER crate or cage any animal); and to finish a choice of colognes or a natural essential oil fragrance massage, leaving your pet smelling fresh for weeks! They even have designer perfumes from New York for complete indulgence!
All groomers at VIP Pets are qualified at the very high standard of City and Guilds level 3, not just the common level 1 and 2 basic qualifications. It’s this level of professionalism that sets VIP Pets apart – “Experience with Excellence” as Terence and Adrian say “For the Dogs we Love and for the peace of mind of every pet parent”. VIP Pets offer more than just grooming, stocking quality retail lines; handmade Italian Saffiano leather collars (the same leather as Hermes and Prada) for both summer and winter, 100% natural handmade dog treats, a 100% natural luxury human grade dog food range, and even their very own range of VIP canine spa therapy products; dead sea muds and salts; shampoos and conditioners, essential oil fragrances, nose and paw balms and their signature calming aromatherapy oils to relieve canine anxiety – great for motion sickness, fireworks or separation anxiety. And don’t forget Puppies! Their Puppy Pamper gets your little loved one used to the grooming room as early as possible! By Sarah Fryer
Call 01462 620343 to book and redeem your VILLAGER special offer - a complimentary Coat Conditioning Therapy [quote ‘VILLAGER1]. VIP Pets open Tuesday to Saturday from 9.00am to 5.00pm. Read more at: www.vip-pets.co.uk Garden Brilliant Bulbs
It is spring bulb time in all the garden centres An old bucket - particularly an enamelled or now; they should be crammed full of bulbs, many galvanized one - makes a fabulous planter, but at a reasonable price and all of which promise to remember to drill some holes in the base or place a provide glorious masses of colour for years to come. layer of pebbles or grit at least 2” (5cm) deep in the By all means plant bulbs in beds and borders, bottom, so that excess water accumulates below but if you only have a terrace, patio or a back the level of the roots and the bulbs do not rot off. yard, then there are still plenty of bulb planting If your garden or back yard is a good size, then opportunities to be had! Bulbs have the potential large containers will look particularly handsome. to make any garden look gorgeous, but you can Packed with a single variety of one of the daffodils use them to add an element of fun as well as or tulips or any other spring bulbs, they will make glamour, colour and perfume. a striking display. Plant the container up in two Bulbs look fantastic if allowed to naturalise beneath layers, so that one lot of bulbs is a couple of inches trees, but miniature varieties look equally good deeper than the other, and the deeper ones will beneath shrubs. Choose miniature daffodils or flower later than those planted closer to the crocuses and plant them in a scattered effect surface to prolong the display. beneath the shrub, taking care to minimise damage An old bathroom suite or parts of it make wacky to the shrub’s roots. Keep them well watered in and unusual planters. A bath may need a lot of spring and you should have a fantastic display. compost to fill it – and don’t forget drainage - but Ornamental plastic-lined woven baskets, which it can act like a full-sized flowerbed. Even a hand are available inexpensively from local markets or basin, lavatory or the cistern can be planted up to on the internet, make perfect planting containers great effect. provided they are at least 3” (8 cm) deep. Old watering cans, wheelbarrows or even a Shallower baskets can be used for smaller bulbs decrepit pair of wellies or boots with a hole in such as crocuses - simply fill them with bulb fibre them will also make wonderful planters and will and plant up as you would a bowl of indoor bulbs. save you a fortune! To ensure adequate drainage, puncture some Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. holes in the plastic liner and use any normal multi- com for Pippa’s ‘Winter thru’ Spring’ collection purpose or loam based compost mixture. Baskets of vegetables for planting next month, along like this look particularly decorative in the spring, with a really useful selection of Pippa’s favourite and if you add a couple of ferns or ivies to larger gardening items including Nemaslug to baskets they will look even better. control slugs, pop-up crop covers, SpeedHoes, An outdoor table is unlikely to be used for SpeedWeeders, ladybirds to control greenfly, entertaining in spring, so simply cover it to pull-out mini tunnels, signed books and lots more prevent the surface being spoiled and arrange a besides. selection of pots full of spring bulbs on it – the effect can be really splendid. 42 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts T&G131x186AdvertReady.pdf 30/07/2016 16:27:44
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To advertise in The Villager and Townlife please call 01767 261122 43 Gardening a Pain? 2 FREE Let us take the Strain! shrubs We are here for your landscaping projects too for new orders Patios Artificial lawns Deckings Fencing Turfing Re-design and more One off ‘nightmares’ cleared Book your weekly or fortnightly maintenance visits NOW Prices from just £14.00 per week For more details or for a free quotation call 01462 262103 or email: [email protected]
44 Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Pets How to stop your dog chewing
alone for a period of time, so what can you do to prevent complete Could it be attention-seeking? devastation when you return All dogs need quality time with home? their owner, and it’s possible they It’s very common for puppies to • Provide safe, tough items for could be chewing simply to get chew, and it helps them to relieve your dog to focus on. You can your attention. If you give them the pain of teething. They also use buy a range of age-appropriate plenty of play time and attention in their mouths to explore the world durable toys and chews from pet short bursts, positively reinforcing and its contents, but when your stores and other outlets. good behaviour, you should soon clothing and shoes become the • Restrict their access to your see a difference. target you’ll probably feel it’s time possessions, or limit them to a Consistency is the key to stopping to take action. couple of rooms in the house. unwanted chewing. Your dog will When your puppy is small, • Make sure they get enough respond to rewards for chewing its nervousness can also cause them exercise – this is especially own toys, and also to the negative to destructively chew anything important if you’re leaving them response, e.g. withdrawing your in sight. Separation anxiety and for a while, as tiredness will attention for a while when your boredom are common in dogs left reduce their need to chew. shoes are the target.
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