affinity magazine april 2012

BEAUTY - FOOD - DRINK - HEALTH - FITNESS - STYLE - INTERIORS - MOTORS - WHAT’S ON

April 2012

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Your FREE Monthly MagazineJewellers of Distinction

MILLMAN

TEL 01234 354026

2 Church Arcade Bedford

New lines now in store

As worn by the stars

Egg-stra special

interview with Connie Fisher

Ioutdoor furniturefit for a king

tried & tested

Miscarriage

BB Creams

the secret heartache

EXCLUSIVE

Easter treats for everyone

nteriors

Affinity Magazine April 2012 Cover_Layout 1 copy 14/03/2012 13:16

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call our clinic TODAY for our consultation and health check.

Bedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK42 2TW

[email protected] www.bedfordchiropractor.co.uk

Chiropractic treatment can benefit the following:

CHRONIC/ACUTE BACK PAINNECK PAINHIP/KNEE JOINT PAINGENERAL ACHES AND PAINSNECK RELATED HEADACHESFROZEN SHOULDERSHOULDER/ELBOW/TENNIS ELBOW PAINMIGRAINES

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@bchiropracticclinic.co.uk adminBedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys

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WHY NOT PUTWHY NOT PUTTHE SPRINGTHE SPRINGBACK INTOBACK INTOYOUR STEP!YOUR STEP!

SPECIAL OFFER

INITIAL CONSULTATION FEE

£20

The Victoria Arms is under new management and has been refurbished

Sunday lunch is between Noon and 6pm at only £8.95 (adults) and £4.50 (children)

Why not just pop in for tea or coffee

“Relaxed dining at its best”

A Friendly Welcome Awaits

The Victoria Arms, High Street, Wilden 01234 772437

A wonderful variety of cask ales,lagers and wines

A warm and friendlywelcome awaits you

Home cooked food is served dailywith a variety of specials on offer

Monthly Curry Night second Thursday of every month with

the next one on April 12th

Only £6.95

Book now for your Easter Sunday Roast

£8.95 (adults) £4.50 (children)

Join us for the Wilden May Day Celebrations on May 7th

Affinity Magazine April 2012 Cover_Layout 1 copy 15/03/2012 14:49

LIINZI JAMES Medical Aesthetic Practitioner

BABTAC, CIBTAC, CITY & GUILDS T.C.H. DIPLOMA, MEMBER OF IAAFA

Liinzi has established a huge reputation during the past 20 years as a leader

in the provision of aesthetic and cosmetic treatments.

Established now for 20 years, in the tranquil village of Oakley, Hazel and her team offer a

wealth of experience and knowledge, offering a full range of Hair and Beauty treatments

Wella Premier Salon

• Wedding Hair-up Experts

• Specialists in all aspects of Hair Dressing and Colour Professionals

• Mens grooming and Barbers

We offer an excellent Wedding package to meet all the needs of the bride,

groom and wedding party, both leading up to and on the wedding day.

• Top to Toe days

• Lash Perfect - Professional

Lash Extensions

• St Tropez Tan or Spray Tanning

• Nailtiques Deluxe Treatments

for Hands and Feet

• Orly fx Gel Manicure -

Power Packed with Vitamins

• Decleor Skin Care

• Environ Anti Ageing Skin Care

• Award Winning Jane Iredale

Mineral Make-up

Open 6 days per week, including late nights

01234 826502 www.hazel-kaye.com

Gift Vouchers Available

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TUE 10 - SAT 14 APR 0844 871 7652 (bkg fee)

GROUP SALES 01908 547609

www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (bkg fee)

A BRAND-NEW MUSICAL FULL OF CLASSIC 60s HITSIncluding A Teenager in Love, Sweets for my Sweet, Turn Me Loose, Here I Go Again, Viva Las Vegas, Little Sister, His Latest Flame, Suspicion, Can’t Get Used to Losing You, Save the Last Dance For Me and many more!

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Are you about to step into one of the most memorable roles of your life as a Best Man, Groom or Father of the Bride?

Need to make a presentation at work or take a business idea to the bank?

For qualified performance coaching contact Tom on: +44 (0)77 3311 0832 or visit: strictlyspeaking.org.uk

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call Jane on:01234 21552307809 499669

[email protected]

Undeniably chic, and of a

quality unrivalled in the

area, Affinity is the perfect

medium to target the

affluent people in your area.

Don’t run out of time

Advertise now!

Affinity Magazine April 2012_Layout 1 copy 15/03/2012 15:24

I am sooooo excited to announce the first annual

Affinity Charity Ball on 12th October this year at

The Sharnbrook Hotel. It is in memory of my very

dear friend Patrick (Pat) McGirl with all proceeds

going to Leukaemia. It promises to be a

spectacular evening, so if you wish to book tickets

or are interested in sponsorship don’t hesitate to

contact me – more details are on page 13.

This month’s issue is a chocolate lover’s heaven

with chocolate everywhere you look!

We took advantage of the nice spring weather

with our funky fashion shoot.

With the sunshine comes talk of outdoor living, so

we have brought you a collection of furniture to

jazz up anyone’s outdoor living space, and if you

are one of the growing number of people that

decorate your house at Easter then check out our

egg-stra special interiors on page 44.

Finally we caught up with Connie Fisher (winner

of ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’) over

cocktails as she prepares for her new role in

Wonderful Town.

Happy Easter Everyone

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Model - Bernii Francis

Dress - TK Max, £16.99

Location - The Mansion House

Jane Fry

[email protected]

01234 215523

07809 499669

Welcome...

Jane x

5

Affinity is an aspirational, luxury lifestyle

magazine for Beds, Bucks and Northants. It

features the best in homes & interiors, music &

events, food & travel, beauty & fashion, as well

as interviews with celebrities and local

personalities.

Undeniably chic, Affinity is the perfect medium

to target the affluent and influential people in

your area.

We distribute over 10,000 copies each month

which equates to an average readership of

55,000 per issue, and our online magazine and

website ensure you are seen

by hundreds more potential

customers, with links direct

to advertiser’s websites we

will keep you ahead of your

competitors.

To discuss your requirements, and for all your

advertising needs contact:

Julia Crofts

[email protected]

07507 602401

O1234 215523

Advertising

P.S. Check out our website

www.affinitymag.co.uk, follow us on twitter

@affinitymagz and find us on Facebook.


Threadcrafts, of

course, are more

about colour than

almost anything else.

Whether it’s patchwork,

beading, knitting yarns,

embroidery or tapestry (or any of a dozen other

similar crafts), at the end of the day colour is what

makes or breaks the end result.

Humans are often very sensitive to quite subtle

colour differences or changes, and we appear to

develop senses of colour “rightness” which are

individual to each of us. With all of this going for

us, you’d think that choosing colours for our

masterpieces would be a simple matter. But – as

most of you reading this will know very well –

this is not the case, especially when we are

starting out.

Painters (and I dabble a bit) can “manufacture”

the colour variations they need by mixing two or

more colours to get just that shade that they

want. That’s not so easy to do with fabric, beads,

yarns or embroidery cottons though. However, it

is sometimes possible to achieve by setting out to

fool the eye (trompe l’oeil),

by putting intermediate

colours side by side or by

overlaying two colours to

make the observer think

they’re seeing intermediate

shades that really aren’t there.

We find that people new to threadcraft are often

nervous about choosing colours for their first

half-dozen projects. We spend a lot of time with

them, helping them to select their main colours

and then to choose others that will compliment or

contrast them.

Some crafters never really get the hang of colour

and will always require help from craft shop staff

or other crafters – but these are few and far

between. Most people soon manage to call on

that sense of “colour rightness” that seems to be

built into us and begin to do some really

interesting things with colour.

For more information contact:

Tudor Rose Patchwork

01234 824983 www.tudorrosepatchwork.co.uk

[email protected] Road, MK43 7RBOakley

Phone 01234 824983

TudorRosePatchwork

Your LOCAL Threadcraft Hobby Shop!http://www.tudorrosepatchwork.co.uk

Present this Magazine and get10% off your next Purchase!*

*Cannot be used with other offers

Come to our

Fantastic

World of !ColourWhether it’s Fabric or Dyes or

Yarn or Thread or Beads oreven ... Zips!

We have a fantastic range of coloursin all of them

World!Colour My

FRANKLINS FARM, THORNCOTE GREEN, SANDY, BEDS SG19 1PU07720 640341 [email protected]

www.countrycomplements.co.uk

If you are looking for a gift this Easter time, you are sure to6nd something di5erent at Country Complements.

Personally sewn textiles, Organic toiletries, Children's booksand toys,Traditional confectionery and much, much more!

Opening Hours Tues - Thur 9am - 5pm

Fri 9am - 6pm - Sat 9am - 3pm

� ��


.

CONTENTS8 Fry’s Footie

12 Osteoporosis

22 Chocolate Heaven

30 Connie’s Chat

36 On The Couch

38 Interiors

47 St. George’s Ska

50 Easter Dining

56 Drive Time

60 Looking At Prague

For All Your Advertising Needs

Contact:

[email protected]

01234 215523

07505 602401

All adverts are printed in good faith.

Affinity cannot take responsibility for

the content of adverts.

Advertisements are accepted on the

understanding that description of

goods and services are accurate.

Reproduction in whole or in part is

strictly prohibited.

Printed in the UK by Regal Litho

01908 270400

www.regallitho.co.uk


It’s all very exciting, coming to the business end of the

season as we are now. The fight to be Champions or to

gain promotion and the dreaded threat of relegation is

closing in on all of us with many clubs in this battle.

The Premier League title race will go to one of the

Manchester clubs and it could well be decided when

United face City later this month. They’ve both had

unbelievable runs all season and it will be interesting to

see who lifts the silverware.

Fourth, fifth and sixth place in the top league will be a

battle between the London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur,

Arsenal and Chelsea. Very little separates these clubs so

it will be down to who are the most consistent and the

same can be said at the bottom. Realistically, five clubs are

battling for survival with three facing the dreaded drop to

the Championship.

In the Championship, it is just as close with Southampton,

Reading and West Ham United the three clubs fighting for

automatic promotion. Up to 10 clubs below them have a

chance of reaching the play-offs.

At the bottom, it looks like six clubs will fight fiercely with

half of those clubs facing relegation to League One. In that

division, it is extremely tight at the top. Charlton Athletic

had a bit of a wobble in March but they are still out in

front. Themselves, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday,

Huddersfield Town and MK Dons all looking like they have

secured a play-off spot. Another five clubs underneath

them are fighting for the one remaining play-off spot.

At the foot of that division, with four going down, it looks

like there are 10 clubs in a battle for their futures in

League One. League Two is hugely competitive below

Swindon Town, who look like they will be automatically

promoted after an excellent campaign under Paulo Di

Canio. Four other clubs are fighting each other for the two

remaining automatic places.

Who drops out of League Two is another battle with up to

seven clubs in the fight for survival and that really is a

fight. The Conference is a huge league, around 85% of the

clubs are full-time at that level and the Conference is just

as keenly contested with Wrexham and Fleetwood Town

pushing each other for the title.

All in all, the season has gone very quickly and we are

coming to the climax of it now with honours to be decided.

Sit back eat your Easter Eggs and enjoy the ride!

Barry Fry8

Fry’sfootie corner


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Spring has well and truly arrived with some wonderful weather of late, so why not

grab some cute accessories and products to brighten up those crisp, clear days. You’ll

look great from head to toe with help from the latest in Spring hair and beauty.

Spring

Fling

10

The MUA Love Hearts Collection combines great beauty products

with a retro sweet feel. Pucker up with one of their lip balms or

give your nails a sweet treat with a pop of

colour. The packaging is eye-catching and

the colours are perfect for a spring day.

With the choice of pastel or bright shades

in the nail polish (£2) for your manicure

you can pick and mix to suit your mood.

The lipbalms (£2) have a hint of colour

and will moisturise dry lips in an instant.

With five shades to choose from you may

have to pick them all up. The cute

messages on the packaging will definitely

put you in the mood for love, and at such great value your bank

balance will love you even more! Available from Superdrug.


For more hair tips from Kelly visit our Hair Clinic at www.affinitymag.co.uk

Kelly Gay www.klghairadvice.com

B low away those cobwebs with this Corioliss Vintage

Compact Travel Dryer £39.99. It’s perfect for a

weekend away or if you are short on space. Dual voltage

circuitry means you can use it at home or away, and it can be

stored in its’ handy travel pouch. The two speed setting and the

1200ww motor is more than enough for this compact beauty to be an

essential part of your hair styling. We love its’ 60’s floral design!

www.corioliss.com

And it wouldn’t be spring without some cute baby animals, these pucker ducks each

come with a different design and flavour. MAD Beauty’s Pucker Ducks come in five

fab flavours, Blueberry, Black Boa – Toffee, Hearts – Strawberry, Purple Boa – Vanilla

and Silver Tiara – Plum, and would look sweet on anyone’s dressing table. You can

collect them all at £2.50, you’d be ‘quackers’ not too!

Denman’s classic D3 styling brush (from

£7.31) has been given a fruity twist, combining

the classic look with a fresh design and sweet scent.

The D3 styler is suitable for any length hair, and works

well to smooth, style and shape. With infused aromas

such as Tangy Orange, Green Apple, Wild Dewberry,

Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Sherbet, it’ll

give you a burst of spring every time you brush

your hair.

C rown & Glory is the perfect pit-stop to

pick up some gorgeous floral hair slides.

If you have a special spring day planned the

slide can be customised to create your own

unique stunning hair accessory. Why not add

this beautiful Lana Orchid Alice Band (£10)

for that finishing touch – ideal with pretty

pastels. The Monarch Butterfly Clips (£6)

would look striking against an up-do of

tumbling curls. All items are handmade with

loving care and gift sets are available.

11

Whether it’s your hair, lips or nails with these spring beauties you’ll be ready to skip into summer.


Recently I have been speaking to several

people who have recently been diagnosed

with Osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones

and I felt compelled to write about this

degenerative disease. There are many causes of

Osteoporosis and men are affected as well as

women. Whilst I understand their very natural

concern about receiving this diagnosis, after a

fracture to the wrist or ankle, I want to stress the

positive by saying that our bones are constantly

regenerating and repairing whatever our age –

although this regeneration does slow down as we

age. There is a constant dynamic interchange

between osteoclasts - bone cells responsible for

breaking down and re-cycling old bone tissue and

osteoblasts, which repair and regenerate bone

tissue and this battle goes on throughout our life.

Therefore, to strengthen bones we need to create

the environment within the body that helps

osteoblasts to thrive. I have outlined some

Ayurvedic and Naturopathic remedies which will

help this process, either if you have been

diagnosed or are at risk of osteoporosis.

12

For further information contact Carolyn Wood-Herbalist and Naturopath MAMH, MANP, ITEC

07944 886502 www.vedatherapeutics.co.uk

Osteoporosis

An alkaline diet

Acid forming foods, such as sugar, coffee, overly

processed food, white carbs and diet colas leads

to acidosis and leaching of calcium from the

bones in order to alkalise and balance the body.

Over time this weakens the bones.

Fruit, vegetables - especially root vegetables and

leafy greens, along with nuts and seeds provide

the re-alkalising minerals needed to repair bone

tissue and keep it strong.

Anti-inflammatory foods

Also add oily fish, walnuts, and olive oil for their

omega-3 fatty acids which act as natural anti-

inflammatories in the body.

Foods rich in Calcium and Magnesium

These are just some of the foods which will keep

bones strong

• Broccoli

• Bony sardines and salmon

• Tofu and miso soup

• Sesame and sesame seeds

• Tahini

• Blackstrap molasses

• Green leafy vegetables i.e. rocket,

kale, romaine lettuce

• Brazil nuts

Exercise

Gentle bone strengthening exercise includes

walking, some particular yoga postures, T’ai chi

and Qi gong.

Supplementation

Research shows that Vitamin D supplements help

to reduce bone fractures. There are some 20

nutrients needed for healthy bones and good

quality supplementation is essential. Seek

professional advice as to the most suitable

supplement for your needs.

Herbs

There are also several phyto- oestrogenic herbs,

which help to protect against osteoporosis, along

with calcium from natural sources. These can be

tailor made formulas according to individual

needs and the cause of the osteoporosis.

Reduction in stress

The stress hormone cortisol can be detrimental to

bone health if it’s secreted into the body 24/7

during periods of chronic stress.

Therapeutic massage, with anti-inflammatory

herbal oils, helps to slow the rate of deterioration,

and massage allows the body and mind to relax.

Cortisol is able to take a break from constantly

circulating in the body and leaching calcium from

the bones.

Ayurvedic Health tip

Eating a handful of white sesame seeds can

provide the daily RDA of 1200mg of calcium,

along with other valuable minerals.


&Tiara Charity Ball

In aid of Leukemia and in memory of ‘Pat McGirl’

Tickets £50 per person

Friday 12th October 20127.00pm - 1.00am

The Sharnbrook Hotel A6/Park Lane, Sharnbrook, Beds MK44 1LX

Drinks & Canapé ReceptionThree Course Dinner

Raffle & Charity AuctionDancing to live band ‘Vision’

And much more.......

Black TieAffinity’s

Book early to avoid disappointmentFor ticket or sponsorship enquiries please contact:

Jane Fry - 01234 215523 / 07809 499669Email: [email protected]


Hot off the Press ......

BB Cream

14

Ihave recently jumped on the BB Cream wagon. It’s a hugely growing trend that

has hit all major brands in the cosmetic world. You may have seen the adverts on

TV advertising this product, but haven’t been entirely sure what it’s all about.

Well, let me help you with a few key facts as to why this cream should be added to

your bag:

• It helps soothe the skin like an anti-inflammatory where you might suffer

redness or blemishes

• It acts as a primer to help even skin tone and brightens your complexion

• It covers blemishes like a concealer.

• Hydrates the skin like a moisturiser

• Contains UV protect like a sunscreen

• Contains Anti-Aging properties like a serum

Not bad for one product eh!

The brief history:

• BB stands for Blemish Balm – although not to be taken literally, as it is

more than that as you’ll see!

• It was originally used and made popular in South Korea by a famous

actress.

• It was created by a German Dermatologist in the 1950’s, originally to

support the healing of the skin after her patients had undergone Skin

Peel Treatments.

I have tried and tested it and have to say I love it! My brand of choice is the L’Oreal

Paris Nude Magique BB Cream (£9.99) which simply gave me an even complexion

without feeling like I actually had anything on my skin! Although there are lots to

choose from and all to fit in with your budget.

As a makeup artist, it might surprise you to know that like many other people, I hate

nothing more than feeling like I have layers of makeup on my skin which I know is

just clogging my pores. So this is the perfect new alternative. I’d certainly recommend

this product if you wanted to try something new.

Sabina Ventriglia, Professional Makeup Artist

[email protected]

www.sabinaventriglia.co.uk


15

Bio-Essence £34.79ecrater.co.uk

17 £6.99Boots

Clinique £25Debenhams

Garnier £7.49Superdrug

N˚7 £12.95Boots


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The Olney Healthcare Clinic 01234 712003 or direct on 07974756311

[email protected] ��

Re0exology can never harm and treatments can be givento young children through to the very elderly. It is also safe and verybene/cial to treat women during pregnancy, giving relief from theassociated discomforts, ie backache, indigestion, swollen feet etc.

Re0exology can help in a number of ways.

Re exology is a safe and e�ective holistic treatment,based on stimulating pressure points in the feet it: • Deeply relaxes and restores the body's energy and circulation, eliminating toxins and relaxing muscle tension

• Relieves symptoms of many common ailments, ie asthma,bronchitis, arthritis, digestive problems etc

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It’s reached that time of year where the New

Year’s resolutions are long gone and we may well

be back to our normal ways of eating.

18

Has your diet gone ou

On our supermarket shelves we

see the words “low fat” all the

time. However a ‘low fat’ option

doesn’t necessarily mean it is

healthy. In some cases a low fat

option can be where a food

brand offer a higher fat version

of the same product. For

example Walkers crisps sell

Cheese and Onion flavour in

both their regular range and

their Walkers Light range, the

regular has 8.3g of fat, the light

ones have 5.3 grams of fat per

100g. So the Light ones aren’t

really low in fat, they are just

lower in fat than their regular

counterparts. This is frequently

seen across low fat ranges so,

always read the label to be sure

of what you’re actually getting.

If it sounds unhealthy then it

generally is. Low fat chips, low

fat chocolate, low fat crisps

don’t scream “eat me - I’m

really healthy for you!”

“Low fat” foods

Eating things we know

we shouldn’t and saying

“I’ll go to the gym

tomorrow”. But why? What

happened to all those good

intentions? On a day to day

basis I meet people who have

tried diets in the past and

tried to eat healthily but

failed and having spoken to

them I come up with three

unbelievable reasons why

people fail to make it happen.


Julie Holl - Personal Trainer - Holl Fitness Studio

07808 739651 - [email protected]

We all know what these are - the faddy diets, the

celebrity diets, the ones that have you popping

pills, eating weird green slime and cutting

goodness knows what out of your diet.

Recently I saw an advert for a weight loss pill that

claimed it could help you lose 1-2lbs per day. Now

we all should know by now that this extreme

weight loss is not healthy by any stretch of the

imagination, so I looked further into it to see how

it actually worked. Basically you were required to

take a drop containing a hormone found in

pregnant women to decrease appetite yet still

allow for the correct and essential nutrients to be

absorbed. I thought - wow this sounds interesting

so went on to read more about it, thinking ‘it can’t

be that simple that a single drop of this hormone

can make such a dramatic weight loss - so I read

on......on the third day of taking the drop you

switch your normal diet to one of just 500

calories per day - that is 1/5th of the

recommended calorie intake for an average male.

No wonder people are losing weight - they are

starving themselves!

There is no such thing as a ‘quick fix’ - there are

faster ways of losing weight and slower ways, but

weight loss should be a steady lifestyle change

rather than a dramatic alteration.

A fad diet is exactly that - a fad. Any successful

weight loss should be done and maintained with

eating a balanced, healthy diet that promotes

good eating habits and a healthy relationship

with food not limiting you to 500 calories per day.

This is my biggest concern when it comes to ‘diet’

foods, when a product says “only 97 calories” or

something along those lines. The reason this

worries me is because a small serving of a very,

very unhealthy food product may only have 97

calories but that’s because it is a small serving

NOT because it is healthy.

A perfect example is the Special K Bliss Mint bar,

it says “only 90 calories, it’s a little indulgence you

can enjoy” It sounds too good to be true......and it

is really. The bar only weighs 22g so it is as

described - under 90 calories, however if you look

at the nutritional information per 100g you will

find that it has 403 calories, 10 grams of fat and

36 grams of sugar. If we compare that to say

Haagen-Daas, Belgian Chocolate Ice Cream which

contains per 100 grams, 318 calories, 20.7 grams

of fat and 28 grams of sugar, we realise that

actually our diet bar isn’t looking too healthy

anymore. There are 85 less calories and 8 grams

more of sugar (per 100 grams) in the ice cream

than in the diet bar.

Now I’m not saying for one second go out and eat

ice cream instead but it’s a classic example of how

we see what we want to see and how we perceive

the advertising campaigns of such ‘healthy food’

products. (By the way Kelloggs spent £6.6m on TV

advertising on the launch of the cereal bar brand

in 2008)

The best diet food around is the natural food you

find in the fruit and vegetable section of the

supermarket. Combine that with the leanest

meats and fish you can find, such as turkey,

salmon, chicken, venison and there you have it -

diet food!

“Quick fixes”

window out the....

“Only 97 calories”


22

Cute Easter Biscuit

Tin £24.99

biscuitvillage.co.uk

Super Thick Half Dark &

Half Milk Chocolate Egg

With Truffles £17.99

montezumas.co.uk

Luxury Fairtrade Milk

Chocolate Egg with

Silver Pearls £10

Marks & Spencer

ifeLEco

Organic White Milk or Dark

Chocolate Cheeky Bunnies

£4.99 per Box

montezumas.co.uk

Trio of Chicks £5.99

biscuitvillage.co.uk

Chocolate lovers have every

reason to get egg-cited as Easter

approaches, and the good news

is the ever increasing range of

Fair Trade Easter Eggs on offer

means that there really is

something for everyone

WIN! WIN! WIN!We have 2 Montezumas Organic Easter Eggs up

for grabs just email ‘Montezumas’ to

[email protected] for your chance to win


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Made with an authentic Italian recipe9” 12”

Cheese & Tomato £6.30 £8.30Pepperoni £7.70 £10.50Ham & PineappleChicken & SweetcornBBQ ChickenVegetarianHam & MushroomMeat Feast £8.50 £11.50Kebab SpecialFour SeasonsGarlic Bread Pizza** £2.95 £4.50Extra Topping £0.70 £0.90

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Buy 1 Get 1 FREEWith FREE Delivery

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Bunny Carrot Cake £11

Marks & Spencer

Chewy Caramel &

Macademia Split Egg

£7.00

Marks & Spencer

Cocoa Bean Company

Potting Chocolate Egg With

Seeds £10

John Lewis

The Rocket Easter Egg £12

hotelchocolat.co.uk

Natalie Chocolates

Spring Chocolates and Jellies

In a Box

£8 John Lewis

Eater Egg Hunt Jar

420g £18.95

Harrods

Keepsake

Easter Tin - 11 Chocs £15

hotelchocolat.co.uk

Swiss Chocolate Bunny £20

Marks & Spencer


Heaven

You Crack Me Up £26

hotelchocolat.co.uk

Easter Bunny with Belgian

Chocolate Eggs £12.95

Harrods

Egg & Chips £12

hotelchocolat.co.ukQuackers The Duck

£6.50

hotelchocolat.co.uk

Champagne Truffle

Egg £47

hotelchocolat.co.uk

chocolate


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Maroon Tee £25

Snake Print Trousers £60

Red Bag £95

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Coral Jacket £45

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Black midi skirt £89

White ‘Palermo’ satchel £185

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With the Easter holidays nearly upon us it

is often a challenge to keep the kids

entertained, trying to find something

that they will find rewarding and memorable.

Sporting Targets may very well have the answer

to this dilemma. They offer an experience for the

8 to 18 age group that will leave the kids talking

for days afterwards.

Under expert supervision and instruction, they

can experience using a bow and arrow, shooting a

shotgun (they have very small ones for those of a

small stature) and shooting an air rifle. In short,

they will experience what they have seen in the

films, but in a safe and professionally instructed

environment.

It begins with the children being introduced to

their instructor, there are never more than six in a

group, and they keep the same instructor

throughout all three activities. This way each

child gets to know the instructor and vice versa.

Parents are encouraged to watch and there are

plenty of opportunities to take photographs.

Each activity begins with a safety briefing

followed by each child having a one to one on

each of the activities, the instructor demonstrates

how, in each case, to hit or break the target.

The activity started with archery, with each child

using a bow and arrow suitable for their stature,

with the instructor close by to provide all the

assistance

needed. Each

child had the

opportunity of

hitting the bulls

eye of the large

target, some

twenty meters

away. Indeed a

number of

children achieved

this, with a lot of

talk about Robin Hood. They then headed to the

air rifle range, and after being shown how the air

rifle worked, the children were presented with a

number of targets, from the traditional to targets

that fly round and round when hit, which caused

a lot of excitement. They are then given the

traditional targets to take away, so they can

compare their scores, a nice bit of memorabilia!

Finally on to clay shooting, this time with moving

targets. Each child in turn was given the chance

of breaking the clay flying through the air - at

110mm in diameter this is a challenge. Each child

managed to break the clay with help and

instruction.

The children were all excited and buzzing about

their experience, comparing scores, shots, etc.

To finish, everyone received a certificate to show

they had attended and completed the experience.

It was very impressive how the instructor taught

respect of the equipment used and maintained

vigilance on safety throughout. It is not surprising

that Sporting Targets is recognized as one of the

top shooting schools in the UK.

The facilities are second to none, with an on site

clubhouse and restaurant, all completely child

friendly. This is a perfect activity for a birthday

party or just that special treat. An experience that

will keep the kids talking for days.

junior taster sessions

Sporting Targets

01234 708893

www.sportingtargets.co.uk

28


We’re all

used to

unlocking our

cars with a

remote

control, but

what about

our homes?

The new

Keyfree lock

from Yale

allows you to

do just that!

A UK first, Keyfree allows you to

access and secure your home using a

handy remote control fob or a

personalised PIN code, with no need

for a traditional key. The small

remote fob can be used within a 15

metre range to activate the lock, so

when it’s pouring with rain, you can

unlock your front door from the car!

Alternatively, the PIN code can be set

using the keypad to any 4 to 12 digit

number of your choice, which means

you no longer have to worry about

carrying or losing your keys.

For peace of mind, the PIN code can

be reprogrammed from the inside of

the door at any time. There’s also a

separate visitor code function that’s

ideal if you have relatives coming to

stay or if you want your neighbours

to check on your home while you’re

on holiday. Simply set the visitor

code and they can have access to

your property for as long as you need

them to.

The Keyfree lock is easy to use,

thanks to the illuminated keypad and

clever built-in voice guide, which tells

you when the door is locked,

unlocked or low on power. It also has

a number of advanced security

features, including a tamper alarm

and a ‘fake’ PIN code system that

allows you to enter any number of

digits to distract onlookers, as long as

you start or end with your real code.

Like all Yale products, Keyfree has

undergone rigorous security and

weather testing, and has been

designed to meet Secured by Design

– a UK police initiative for safer

homes.

Keyfree is

operated by four

AA batteries and

requires no

hardwiring or

electrical

support. The

unit has a low

battery warning

light, but there are also two back-up

options – a mechanical key and a 9v

battery point, which are both hidden

in the handle.

The Keyfree lock can be installed on

uPVC, composite and timber doors by

your local Yale Security Point

installer – a nationwide network of

professional security installers.

The lock is supplied in a choice of

polished chrome or brass to

complement other door furniture.

For more information on the new

Yale Keyfree please visit

www.yaledigital.co.uk. To discuss

with David Robinson of Yale

Security Point please call

01908 887721 or 07723 534194.

Unlock Your Door Without Any Keys!


Connie Fisher - who won BBC show How

Do You Solve a Problem like Maria in

2006 - had been told by doctors that

she would never sing again.

Connie found fame in 2006 when she beat

thousands of hopefuls to win the BBC show and

take over the role made famous by Julie Andrews

in the 1965 film.

She played Maria in the Sound of Music in the

West End on and off for five years to excellent

reviews.

Married to Jeremy Reed, a banker whom she met

on the platform of Cardiff Central station,

Connie’s life seemed to be perfect, until last

August when she announced that she would have

to quit the role of Maria for good after a vocal

condition left her unable to hit the right notes.

Never one to give up, after undergoing surgery

Connie sang in public for the first time in January

this year with a special performance in her new

role of Ruth Sherwood in Leonard Bernstein's

Wonderful Town.

We caught up with Connie three weeks into

rehearsals for Wonderful Town which comes for

a stint in Milton Keynes later this month, “The

role was previously played by Maureen Lipman”

she told us “Making the character my own is

really important to me, I don’t want to be

Maureen Lipman I want to make my own Ruth I

want it to be funny and quirky so I’m working on

that, my job as an actress is to tell a story and

that is what I am trying to do with Ruth.

Over Manhattan cocktails, cups of tea and

biscuits we asked Connie:

Shopping, what is your weakness?

Shoes, I only have one pair of designer shoes

though, I tend to buy myself something designer

when I get a big job, I also like bags especially

Mulberry I have three Mulberry’s although the

one I have at the moment I think it may be a fake,

I brought it from the outlet online, so I’m not

sure, but it’s fine from a far no one knows

(laughs) I shouldn’t be telling a journalist this

(laughs again) but that’s fine it shows I’m human.

Also with being an actress I have to live out of a

suitcase a lot so I would say I have about 15

suitcases all in different colours I do like bright

ones so shoes, bags and suitcases are my

weakness.

Do you have any hair and beauty tips?

I had extensions because I wanted long hair –

don’t have them is my tip, I had eyelash

extensions ouch don’t have them they rip your

eyes when you pull them out and you loose your

own lashes, I wear falsies now for the show, I am


talking the full ones don’t have those individual ones

don’t bother. I would just say wear Mac - I wear Mac -

I love Mac - it’s brilliant and never comes off. I have had

the same make up on all day (it was 6.30pm) and I

haven’t touched it up or anything since 7 o’clock this

morning; it works on stage for me with the lights, it

doesn’t melt with the heat and everything – and I’m not

sponsored by Mac or anything. I just think it’s brilliant,

it just pops your eyes

What makes you laugh?

This show is very, very funny so in rehearsals I am

laughing everyday. There’s a lot of comedy in it so it

never fails to find something new to laugh at! What

makes me laugh, hmm..... I love ‘New Girl’, this new thing

on TV which I think is hilarious. Ricky Gervais, Sarah

Milligan, Michael McIntyre they all make me laugh.

Do you have any bad habits?

I pick my lips, I sing all the time and I change my nail

varnish like everyday – that’s weird; why? to match

what you’re wearing? Yes, look I am going to have to

change it again I’ve chipped it

Any Phobias?

Spiders, pretty typical, but spiders. I also have a fear of

very steep hills, I have dreams about them, and I know it

sounds very ‘Sound of Musiccy’ but it was well before

that. I would be climbing it and never quite able to reach

the top before sliding back down again, - it’s a horrible

recurring dream. I don’t know what it means, maybe it

means I like a challenge. I also have actors dreams

where I forget the lines, my throat goes dry and nothing

comes out. Has that ever happened? Yes, yes, I forgot

my lines at Wembley, horrendous, at the Concert for

Diana in front of 8 million people!

What do you do to relax?

A nice hot bath, a massage. Part of my job is to have a

massage so that I’m relaxed; it’s not a luxury leisure

thing it’s a physical proper elbow in your back going

aaaah kind. And also a vocal massage to help me cope

vocally and not letting myself get too fatigued and stuff

like that – those are things that I have to have for the job

- it’s not stuff I really enjoy, it’s not really pampering.

I love shopping, I have to take two suitcases, I mean two

additional empty suitcases, so I can fill them up with the

shopping I have done whilst I’ve been away

What was the last good deed you did?

I gave someone my travel card this morning - I brought

a 1 – 4 and then realised I’m not using this, so I gave it to

someone, but it’s really weird when you give someone

something, they are like “no no no, I don’t want it”. I had

to say it’s free, I brought it and don’t need it you can

have it - its so strange.

What can’t you leave the house without?

My mobile phone - I think the ideal is every girl should

have a mobile phone, it’s a safety precaution, if you lock

yourself out the house as long as you’ve got your phone

you have a way of getting back in!

I read somewhere you’re designing your own

jewellery

I am and do you know, shamefully, I am not wearing any

today – can you tell us a little more about it – it’s not

available at the moment, but it will be from July. I have

been working with a Welsh designer called Carrie

Elspeth who lives down the road from me. It started as

more of an off stage hobby, something that I did in the

wings or when I had a scene off. I would just quickly

make something in my dressing room and it developed

into me speaking to Carrie. Everything is handmade

here, it’s not made in China, it’s not mass produced,

everything is made by hand, even I’ve made some of it,

it’s all Swarovski or Austrian crystal and it’s very

colourful and vibrant and for all ages. You can see

Carrie’s range online and mine will be available through

my website www.conniefisher.co.uk

Finally, Connie what would you say has been the

highlight of your career so far?

Obviously winning Maria was a real boost for me as,

until then I had been sitting in telesales trying to get a

job whilst selling advertising, and I am eternally grateful

to everyone who voted for me and even though I have

had a few vocal troubles this has meant other

opportunities have come up allowing me to reinvent

myself as an actress. II am so looking forward to

performing in ‘Wonderful Town’

Catch Connie in Wonderful Town at Milton Keynes

Theatre from 24th – 28th April

www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

31


f the WebOBest

Leigh Millard,

Banilla Web Applications

www.banilla.co.uk

32

Welcome to Best of the Web - Affinity Magazines

Monthly update on the best (and worst) the

internet has to offer.

Latest News

Windows 8–Latest OS release more touch screen

based

The latest version of the world’s default operating

system was released as a preview version recently for

anyone keen to keep ahead of the crowd to download

and install. This latest release has been heralded as the

best version of Windows ever and Microsoft's saviour. It

is pretty smart and does have some nice features but

when you strip back all the sparkle - it's just Windows 7

with a snazzy new applications screen but, in fairness,

I expect this is aimed at the ever growing tablet market.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-

8/consumer-preview Warning - you cannot reverse the

install!

Google Privacy Changes - Nowhere to hide now

Their motto has always been 'Don't be evil' but during

March Google have very quietly changed their privacy

policies to allow them to store everything you type or

do in Google (and all its’ associated products) and store

it indefinitely. This data will be used for targeted

advertising and product placement initially, but in the

long run Google will know more about you than your

partner!

You can turn this off in your Google account settings

quite easily but, of course, the default setting is to allow.

Our advice? Start using Yahoo again!

Jellybean Anyone? Android 5 warming up on the

touchline

The latest version of Android is set for release very soon

and keeping in theme with it's cute and friendly naming

conventions the latest phone and tablet software will be

called Jellybean. Not all phones will be able to use this

latest version of the software, but no doubt as your

latest upgrade comes through you'll be greeted with this

sweet little offering.

Trending on youtube.com

1) Marvel Avengers Assemble Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPoHPNeU9fc

2) Worlds Strongest Kid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkrrKvgDWC8

3) Human Mattress Dominoes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSwfqaVeCWs

From The Stock Cupboard

Each month the person who is lucky enough to be selected will receive such

wonders as an old USB memory stick, wireless mouse, keyboards, laptop

stands and many more junk items - it's all tat but it has to go somewhere!

This month’s winner is Roberto Forte of Bedford for sending in the

following question:

Q : I need a small website for my business but am keen to do this myself,

what are my options ?

A : Difficult to sum this up in a paragraph but Wordpress or Joomla are

probably your best option. There are web design wizards too but can be

quite limited and don't allow for future growth. Of course, you could

always contact Banilla to sort this for you!

A 4GB USB stick will be making its way to you ASAP

To win randomly selected IT kit from the Banilla stock cupboard just send

your questions, links or recommendations to [email protected]

This month's Twitter

favourites

@jamieoliver

@leighfrancis

@derrenbrown

Wunderkit

Those wizzards at WunderKinder have done it

again. Wunderkit it their latest offering in the

task management arena and is looking to

smash all rivals with a move to multiple

accounts, project management and notes. The

first version of the app is great but the web

version shows what magic is to come.


All my views are my own and are not intended to

offend anyone but, alas, I may frustrate you as I

certainly do myself and no doubt those around

me at times. I would love to hear from you, your views,

questions or indeed just to share your experiences of

trying to be a Yummy Mummy. Email me at

[email protected]

Party Fun (or Hell)!

By the time you read this our ‘party mission’ will be

accomplished and no doubt a large wine drunk too! Just

as Christmas is over our thoughts turn to child number

three’s birthday. From November, when the eldest two

children celebrate their birthdays, through to the end of

February our home seems to be knee deep in cards,

presents and wrapping paper! And there’s no let up as

Roman’s birthday looms large, hence ‘operation party’

begins again in earnest.

Now when I was a child, and my memories of that

should be hazy according to the children who think I am

ancient, it is clear to me that I had a total of only three

parties. However these days it seems impossible not to

let a single birthday pass without a grand celebration.

Whilst investigating the options available it becomes

apparent that children’s parties are big business. From

chauffeur driven limousines including fake bubbly,

makeover parties or a day filled with action and

adventure, there are literally millions of services on

offer. Whatever happened to pin the tail on the donkey,

pass the parcel and jam sandwiches? Relenting to

pressure (my own and thankfully not the children’s) I

decide there is nothing for it but to organise Roman a

party.

Now you could argue that as I’m harking back to the

parties from the ‘good old days’ why don’t I have the

party at home? Not on your nelly!! Loads of four year

olds smearing chocolate into my cream carpets – the

cost of cleaning surely balances out the price of

somewhere else hosting the party! So following plenty

of research and deliberation, and trust me this took a lot

of time as there are loads of fabulous options to choose

from locally, we eventually decide to compromise and

actually do some of the work ourselves. So with the

local hall booked, we wade through the list of

entertainment options. Magic show? They are too

young to sit still long enough. Bouncy castle? I cannot

cope with the stress of potential injuries. Disco? Far too

loud and dark for us (and you cannot disco dance in the

daylight – especially when sober!). We come across the

perfect solution - a ‘Mini Strikers’ party, lots of running

about doing fun activities to keep them occupied and

with the added bonus of wearing them out.

Now, the final part of my mission is to organise the

party bags and as most parents will testify, this is a

serious task! I swear I have been to parties where the

contents of the bag must have cost more than the gift we

gave to the birthday child! Being a family who try to

embrace the green lifestyle I refuse to hand out a bag of

plastic and E numbers so instead they all get a book

each (and of course the E numbers – I relent on the

sweets, after all they will be on their way home when

they get to eat them!)

The day of the party arrives and all we need are the

party bags, the food - individual food boxes from good

old, now online, Woollies (that’s Woolworths to anybody

in their twenties and younger!) and the cake. Mini

Strikers do all the hard work entertaining them, we feed

the children and then it is time to blow out the candles.

One word of warning though - if in a public building

beware of the whooshing firework candles, as they can

set off the fire alarm that doesn’t stop until the fire

brigade arrive! Still it was one way to get everyone to

leave on time!

Welcome to the musings of Yummy Mummy.Living in Bedford she is married to ‘TheHusband’ and together they have 3 children,Rafferty, 7, Violet, 5, Roman, 3 and baby No4 is due this year.

Yummy Mummy33


34

The Need for Change for

pecial eeds

If you are the parent of a school aged child the

chances are you will have heard of the term

Special Educational Needs (SEN). In addition

many may have heard on the news that the

government are changing the way assessments

are made and support is provided to children

with special educational needs.

What has happened in the past is that there has

been a graduated approach to SEN. Schools could

identify a child needing some additional support

in order to progress with their learning as being

at School Action on their SEN register and,

keeping parents informed would seek to meet

those needs from within the resources of the

school. For other children the school and/or

parents may need some additional support to

what the school could usually offer and these

children would be identified as at School Action

plus. For a small number of children a full

statutory assessment could be carried out and the

child may be given a statement of Special

Educational Needs. This would identify not only

the needs of the child but the support that the

school must provide to meet those needs.

Funding would then be given from the Local

Authority to the school to ensure that appropriate

support could be provided. This document – the

Statement- would then be reviewed each year at a

meeting involving school, family and any other

professionals e.g. educational psychologist or

medical professional, to ensure that as the child’s

needs change so the support changes to meet

those needs. Places within ‘specialist’ schools

maintained by the local authority are usually only

allocated to students with statements, although

many students with statements are educated

within mainstream schools

S N


35

One of the problems with this system has been

that in some ways to meet the criteria for

additional help the child has to fall significantly

behind. For those children who are offered a

statutory assessment the process takes 26 weeks,

(and many take longer) - that is a long time in the

life of a child who is struggling for any reason, and

a long time for parents who are usually anxious to

ensure their child is supported and able to

progress with their learning. Other problems

highlighted by the government are that parents

have often found the whole process bureaucratic,

bewildering, frustrating and adversarial.

So, time for a change and ‘Support and Aspiration’

– a new approach to special educational needs

and disability’ was launched. Even as someone

who regularly reads government documents this

is complex and wordy at best, not your ideal

bedtime reading but the main changes proposed

are

• Earlier identification of problems

• Parents to have more say in the help

their child is given

• Schools to offer better support

• Plans for help when young people

become adults

• Improvement to services

All sounds very promising. There are plans for a

single assessment process and that this should

take no longer than 20 weeks, with the actual

assessment taking no more than 9 weeks.

Statements of special educational need will be

replaced by a health education and care plan,

which will continue until 25 years of age. There is

an increased emphasis on ‘joined up’ working

among professionals – the lack of which is often

very frustrating for parents. The early support

plans suggest that a key worker can be appointed

and the government are also suggesting a greater

role for the voluntary sector, charities and

community groups in both the assessment,

process and support for children.

The paper also sets out the intentions for

personal budgets for children so parents will have

more say in how the funding made available to

help their child is actually used. And that is in

addition to funding which will be made available

to schools -

“By 2015 we will give schools £2.5 billion to

help them give extra support to the poorest

children, nearly 33% of whom have special

educational needs or a disability. Schools will

be able to choose how they spend this money, so

that they can choose the best way to help the

children they teach. We will introduce a new

national curriculum that will include ideas for

helping children with extra needs.”

All in all it sounds good! However we know that it

is happening within a context of radical cuts to

local governments, which in many areas are

already leading to cuts in services. Many of the

parents of children with special educational

needs that I work with, welcome some of the

changes in principle but are sceptical about how

much improvement in services and support to

individual children it will actually bring about.

Individual experience of course, varies with some

parents feeling very supported by their local

school while others feel that accessing any kind of

support is a huge battle.

Several support groups exist to help parents,

some of these are run by other parents, some

receive funding from local or national

government and others are charitable. Many

parents have found help from such groups

invaluable. For any parent who is worried about

their child it is worth talking to the child’s teacher,

or if the child is very young to their health visitor

or GP.

A parent partnership service exists in both

Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire to

support parents of children with special

educational needs and information about their

services is available on the council websites.

Or for advice and support on any aspect of SEN,

the assessment process and the changes that the

new legislation may bring you can contact

attuned education.

A copy of the green paper can be downloaded

form the Department For Education website

www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/

sen and an ‘easy read’ version is also available as

a PDF

For more information: 07921 193479

[email protected] www.attunededucation.com


36

Miscarriage

On the

Couch

The secret heartache

Miscarriage is a frequent, yet often

misunderstood experience for many women.

Following a miscarriage emotions often

include: anger, sorrow, guilt, depression,

grief, despair, and feelings of emptiness. Whether your

pregnancy was planned or a surprise, the loss of your

precious baby can send your emotions on a roller

coaster ride. You want answers to many questions.

Validation of your feelings. Acknowledgement of the

loss of your baby.

It’s a situation of bleak sadness. In one devastating

moment, more often than not for no reason at all, the

pregnancy suddenly goes away. “Sorry, we can’t see a

heartbeat”; a spot of blood; a nagging pain in the

stomach. And for many women through the heartbreak

and the guilt and the endless internal questions, the

only option is to put on a brave face. To present

tomorrows presentation like nothing has happened, to

fuss over a friend’s new baby with a smile. Because

while losing a friend or relative immediately activates a

support network of understanding and sympathy, losing

a baby can bring a very lonely silence.

The figures relating to miscarriage are shocking. There

are no official government statistics held on women

who miscarry (the figures that exist are only collated for

women who are admitted to hospital, they are not

recorded for those women who go to the GP after a

miscarriage), pregnancy charity Tommy’s says one in

every four women will miscarry a baby; this will equate

to a quarter of all your female friends. And the chance of

losing a baby increases with each miscarriage.

Even knowing one in four pregnancies ends in

miscarriage, there’s a lot that we still don’t know about

why it happens. That means that most women never

find out the cause of their loss, even if they have

investigations.

It can be very difficult to cope with not having an

obvious reason for your miscarriage. If you know why it

happened, it can help you make sense of it all, and

perhaps help you plan for another pregnancy. If you

don’t know, you may begin to wonder whether it was

somehow your or your partner’s fault.

It’s important to know that your miscarriage is

extremely unlikely to have happened because of

anything you did or didn’t do.


Choose who you speak to: Many people don’t know

how to respond to someone telling them they’ve had a

miscarriage, so choose the first person you speak to

carefully. Make it someone you trust, or who has been

through it themselves, or try a support line.

Involve your partner: Not only will this help him

recover too (40% of men suffer significant psychological

distress after a partner’s miscarriage), researchers in

the US found that couples who worked through things

together felt closer after the experience.

Choose the right treatment: If your miscarriage is

found on a scan, you will often be offered the choice of

medical intervention to remove the foetus, or to just let

nature take its course. In a study by Jane Ogden

(professor of Health Psychology at the University of

Surrey) it was found that women who chose a medical

intervention seemed to recover quicker than those who

had gone through a natural loss.

Know the facts: One miscarriage doesn’t mean you’re

destined to have another one – there’s an 80% chance

that all will be ok after one and 75% after two.

Don’t be scared to try again: Women used to be

advised to wait 18 months after miscarrying to try

again, but Doctors at the University of Aberdeen, have

found that women who try again quickly are more likely

to conceive and have a successful pregnancy. They don’t

know the exact reason but it might be to do with

avoiding the increase in maternal age that occurs with

leaving longer intervals.

You may decide to begin trying for another baby right

away or you may think this is too soon and you need

longer to recover emotionally. There is no right or

wrong thing to do, you need to do what you feel is best

for you and your partner.

If you have suffered a miscarriage and want further information visit:

tommys.org or miscarriageassociation.org

Ways to help you emotionally get over a miscarriage

The main causes of miscarriage are thought to be:

Genetic: In about half of all early miscarriages, the baby

does not develop normally right from the start and

cannot survive.

Hormonal: Women with very irregular periods may

find it harder to conceive and when they do, are more

likely to miscarry.

Immunological/ blood-clotting: Problems in the blood

vessels which supply the placenta can lead to

miscarriage, especially if the blood clots more than it

should.

Infection: Minor infections like coughs and colds are not

harmful, but a very high temperature and some illnesses

or infections, such as German measles, may cause

miscarriage.

Anatomical: There are three main anatomical causes of

miscarriage:

• If the cervix (the bottom of the uterus) is

weak, it may start to open as the uterus becomes

heavier in later pregnancy and this may lead to

miscarriage.

• If your uterus has an irregular shape, there may not

be enough room for the baby to grow.

• Large fibroids (harmless growths in the uterus) may

cause miscarriage in later pregnancy.

The physical effects of a miscarriage tend to clear up

quickly. Your next period is likely to follow between four

and eight weeks later but it may take several cycles to

re-establish a regular pattern.

You may feel physically ready to return to normal

activities (such as exercising and going back to work)

around a week after an operation, or a few days after

treatment with medicines or expectant management.

However, the emotional impact of having a miscarriage

can be much greater than the physical effects. A

miscarriage can cause a range of feelings. Everyone

reacts differently and there is no right or wrong way to

feel. It can be equally difficult for your partner and it’s

important to get the support you both need. You could

consider contacting support groups where you can talk

with people who may have similar experiences to you.


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Wreath £23.95

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S

Spring has now well and truly arrived – daffodils have been in

flower for a few weeks, tulips are just beginning and now that the

clocks have gone forward we have an extra hour of daylight. More

snow is unlikely in April, though not unheard of, but there could still be

some ground frosts for a few weeks to come. There’s an old saying

‘don’t cast a clout till May is out’ which basically means ‘don’t put any

tender plants out until after the end of May’. Over-wintered tender

plants like geraniums should be kept in the warmth of a greenhouse or

sunny windowsill until all risk of a cold snap has passed.

In a few weeks time the garden centres and nurseries will be full of

summer bedding plants - a riot of colour to fill your pots, baskets and

troughs. You don’t have to stick to the usual containers – an old hat

box or a wicker bicycle basket makes a great planter. Just line with

some polythene, make a few slits in the bottom for drainage, fill with

potting compost and pop in a variety of plants. I cram in as many as I

can – they are only meant to last for several months so it’s ok to

crowd them and the more their roots are restricted the more energy

they will put into flowering.

My plant of the month is Dicentra

Spectabilis which has a variety of common

names, Bleeding Heart, Venus’s Car, Lady in

a Bath and Dutchman’s Trousers to name

but a few! It has attractive feathery mid

green foliage with arching sprays of heart

shaped pink flowers edged in white. There

is also a pure white flowered variety, Alba

which is my favourite. Dicentra are happy

in sun or shade and have a long flowering

period from April to early summer.

April tips....

Flower of the month

gardening

ᴥ Prune forsythia once it

has finished flowering. Cut back to a

shape that looks good to you – they are

very forgiving and it’s nigh on

impossible to get it wrong.

ᴥ Deadhead spring bulbs once the

flowers are over but don’t cut back the

leaves until they have turned yellow, by

which time the goodness will have gone

back down to the bulb ready for next

year.

ᴥ If you haven’t already done so give

roses a good feed – well rotted horse

manure is the best – lightly fork a

couple of spadesful around the base of

each plant and they will repay you with

wonderful blooms later in the year. A

proprietary rose food will also do the

trick.

ᴥ Spray roses with a black spot and

powdery mildew systemic treatment.

Do this before any signs of trouble

appear and then on a regular basis

throughout the season to keep

problems at bay.

ᴥ If you have a fruit and vegetable

garden now is the time to plant new

fruit bushes or prune existing ones. Cut

old raspberry canes down to ground

level. The old canes are the ones that

have no new buds or foliage sprouting.

If in doubt leave this job until it’s

obvious which are this year’s fruiting

canes.

Affinity

Dicentra Spectabilis Alba

Affinity loves.....

Summerhouse Candy Foldaway

Chair. Perfect for those sunny

spring days in the garden £30

www.leekes.co.uk

String Paper Solar Lanterns

Brighten up any garden this spring

with these colourful lanterns £8, Matalan

Alison Wallbank

The Lady Gardener

01234 782383 or 07795 246558

www.bedfordshiregardendesigners.co.uk

46


Following last year’s sell out show, the St.

Georges Ska festival is back for another great

evening of live music on Saturday 21st April

at The Bedford Corn Exchange with some of the

biggest artists on the scene. Headlining this year’s

event will be Bad Manners. The band quickly

became firm favourites of the Ska scene through

their bald, enormous-bodied frontman's on-stage

antics, earning early exposure through their Top

of The Pops TV exploits and an appearance in the

live film documentary, Dance Craze.

Bad Manners were at their peak most popular

during the late 1970s and early 1980s, during a

period when other ska revival bands, such as

Madness and The Specials, The Beat and The

Selecter, filled the charts. Bad Manners spent 111

weeks in the UK Singles Chart between 1980 and

1983 and have continued as a worldwide popular

touring live act to this day.

Some of Bad Manners' more notable hits include

"My Girl Lollipop", "Lip Up Fatty", "Ne Ne Na Na

Na Na Nu Nu", "Lorraine", "Just A Feeling",

"Walking In The Sunshine", "Can Can" and

"Special Brew".

One of the main reasons for their notoriety was

their outlandish huge-tongued and shaven-

headed frontman, Buster Bloodvessel. His manic

exploits got them banned from the British BBC TV

chart show Top of the Pops and they were also

banned from Italian TV after Bloodvessel mooned

a concert audience, after being told that the Pope

was watching on TV!

A full supporting line up features very special

guests: King Hammond & The Rudeboy Mafia, our

very own home grown Ska Masters, The Pressure

Tones, and DJ Ben Ford will be back in the main

hall doing the honours between the bands

spinning ska and reggae vinyl’s and Hammy and

Geoff will be spinning classic and Northern Soul

in the Howard room until 1am.

Tickets £20 advance from the Corn Exchange

Box Offfice / Seetickets

SkankingSt. Georges Day

WIN! WIN! WIN!We have 2 pairs of tickets to give away to 2 lucky

readers, to be in with a chance of winning quote

“St. George’s Day” to [email protected] -

Good luck!


48

IIn the heart of rural Bedfordshire in the

beautiful picturesque village of Old Warden is

The Mansion House, over 130 years of age and

located in 500 acres of beautiful parkland it is a

hidden part of Bedfordshire’s history.

Old Warden was originally called ‘Wardone’

meaning a watch hill, presumably referring to the

wooded hill called the ‘warren’ located on the

estate.

The house, as it stands today, was built by Josesph

Shuttleworth who bought the Old Warden Estate

in 1872 and commissioned Henry Clutton, the

prominent Victorian architect, to design the

mansion based on Gawthorpe Hall in Lancashire.

Clutton designed the building in Jacobean style

and the high chimneys and 100 foot high clock

tower have defined and distinguished the

mansion for over a century. In addition, Clutton

designed many of the interior features such as the

carved doors, balustrades and chimneypieces.

Gillows of Lancaster made many of the interior

furnishings and there are several magnificent

examples of 19th century paintings, that still

decorate the house today, by prominent artists

such as Sir Frank Dicksee, William Leader, George

Vicat Cole and Frank Holl

The Shuttleworth crest and arms illustrate the

origins of the Shuttleworth family’s wealth in

weaving and wool.

Mansion HouseMansion HouseThe


49

During the second world war, the house was a Red

Cross convalescent home and auxiliary hospital

for airmen. It then opened as an agricultural

college in 1946.

Today, Bedford College Services manage the

Mansion and the Shuttleworth College on behalf of

the Shuttleworth Trust.

The Mansion House today plays host to a variety

of events ranging from family fun days, chilli

festivals, wedding fayres and much more.

It is also available for weddings, conferences and

corporate events, as well as providing overnight

accommodation in their en-suite bedrooms.

The House, as it is now, transports you back into

years gone by with its paneled walls, paintings

that come to life when you look at them, and

ghostly goings on! When you walk around the

building there are definite cold spots and rumours

are rife that the study/library room is home to the

ghost, shadows have been seen, and whatever the

weather or temperature of this room it never

warms up, as we found out for ourselves when we

used this room to get changed in when we were

doing our fashion shoot - it made the hairs on the

back of our necks stand up without explanation!

The Mansion House

Old Warden Park, Biggleswade, Beds

01767 626262

www.themansionhouse.org


Casserole

Ciao everyone!

Easter Sunday in an Italian home is a

joyous occasion spent with family and

friends. Typical of Italian cuisine, most

holiday tables are planned around

seasonal favourites, and springtime is a

wonderful season for doing just that.

Artichokes, fava beans, baby peas, and

asparagus fill the market stands across the

country. Lamb, or kid is often the meat of

choice and is cooked in many ways,

particularly by roasting. For dessert, a

number of regional specialties are offered,

including many that are rich in eggs and

cheese.

In the recipe I am going to show you, bite-

sized morsels of baby lamb are braised

until tender and then covered with a

mixture of beaten eggs and Pecorino

cheese.

The dish is then baked so that the eggs

solidify, covering the lamb like a blanket.

In Italy we call this: ‘Spezzato d'Agnello

Cacio e Ove’

Buona Pasqua

50

‘’The Don’s Delicious Dining’ is exclusive toAffinity. Each month ‘The Don’ will besharing delicious recipes for you to WOWyour family and friends with!!

Spring Lamb


¼ cup olive oil

3 medium onions, diced

1 baby lamb shoulder, boned and

cut into 2-inch cubes

(approximately 4 pounds meat)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3-4 sprigs thyme

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2-3 cups lamb, chicken stock, or

water.

3 cups fresh peas, blanched, or

thawed frozen peas

6 large eggs

2/3 cup grated mild Pecorino

Romano cheese

Ingredients

In a large casserole dish, heat the olive

oil over a medium heat and add the

onion; cook until it begins to turn

translucent, about 10-15 minutes.

Toss the lamb pieces with salt and

pepper to season, and then add them

to the onion. Cook and stir until lamb

pieces are browned on all sides. Add

the thyme, half of the parsley, and 2

cups of the stock or water. Cook to a

simmer and reduce heat to low and

cover.

Cook for 30 minutes, checking

occasionally to make sure the liquid

hasn’t completely evaporated, adding

more liquid if necessary. Add the peas

and cook for a further 10 minutes. If

you want to, transfer to an ovenproof

serving dish (you’ll bring the dish

straight from the oven to the table).

Beat the eggs with some salt and

pepper, the cheese, and the remaining

parsley. Pour over the lamb and peas.

Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes

on 220C or gas mark 7, until the eggs

are set and begin to puff slightly.

BUON APETITO!51

Recipe


Ingredients

For the cake

175g butter or margarine

175g soft brown sugar

3 eggs, beaten

175g plain flour

Pinch salt

½ tsp ground mixed spice (optional)

350g mixed raisins, currants and sultanas

55g chopped mixed peel

½ lemon, grated zest only

1-2 tbsp apricot jam

1 egg, beaten for glazing

Method

Place sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add beaten

egg and mix to a soft consistency, add the almond essence

and knead for one minute until paste is smooth.

Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle

18cm/7in in diameter and keep the remainder for the

cake topping.

Preheat oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Grease and line

a18cm/7in cake tin.

Cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Slowly beat in the eggs,

sift in the flour, salt and mixed spice. Then add mixed

fruit, peel & grated lemon zest and stir.

Put half the mixture into the cake tin. Smooth the top and

cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the

cake mix and smooth. Bake for 1¾ hours.

Brush the top of the cooled cake with apricot jam.

Divide the remainder of the almond paste in half; roll out

a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and

form 11 small balls with the other half.

Place the circle on the jam and put the balls round the

edge.

Brush the cake topping with a little beaten egg.

Place on a baking tray and grill for 1-2 minutes, or until

the top of the marzipan begins to brown.

Corner

Simnel CakeThe Easter Bunny may bring you a basket of

eggs, but as an alternative why not make

this traditional Easter cake instead.

ocktail

Whilst the children are indulging in a little

more chocolate this Easter, why not indulge

yourself in this month’s cocktail. The colour

alone is enough to die for, and isn’t it true that if

you drink calories they don’t count!!

Bunny - TiniGrape Vodka

Triple SecBlue Curacao

Sweet and Sour MixA splash of 7-up

Grenadine

Happy Easter

“All I really need is love, but a little

chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!”

Lucy Van Pelt

Fill a mixing glass with all the ingredients

(except the grenadine) and stir.

Layer the grenadine in the bottom of a cocktail

glass and pour in the mixed drinks.

Add a cherry to garnish.

For the almond paste

250g caster sugar

250g ground almonds

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp almond essence

Annie’s


Ingredients

100g butter, cubed

1 tbsp cocoa powder

50g milk chocolate

buttons

75g golden syrup

4 Shredded Wheat

Mini chocolate eggs

Chocolate Nests

These chocolate nests are a perfect way to

enjoy Easter, and kids will love making and

eating them.

MethodPut the butter into a medium bowl, add the

cocoa powder, chocolate buttons and golden

syrup. Microwave on high for 1 minute 30

seconds, or until melted, then stir to mix

everything together.

Hold the Shredded Wheat over the bowl one at

a time and squeeze in your hand to crumble it

in. Repeat with the other Shredded Wheat. Mix

altogether

Line the bun tin with 12 paper cake cases and

put a generous tablespoonful of mixture into

each of the paper cases. Press the centre of

each nest with your fingers to make a slight dip,

then arrange 3/4 mini chocolate eggs in each of

the dips. Chill for 30 minutes before eating.

Chick in a Cracked

Egg £3

John Lewis

Baby Basil £3.50

Marks & Spencer

Easter Egg Cup £4

Marks and Spencer

Felt Carrot Bag £5

John Lewis

Mr Potato head £7

Marks & Spencer

White Chocolate

Lamb £35

John Lewis

Easter Egg Head £4

Marks and Spencer

Chirping Chicks, £5

John Lewis

Happy Easter

Garland £10

John Lewis


April is all about business education!

Are you and your team in the loop with your market, do

you thrive on change and continually review your

performance?

My recommendation of the month is to learn your

market, develop your skills and adapt to every fresh

challenge thrown at you – a mantra taken up by Bedford

College’s new ten week Small Business Enterprise Course

which starts on Monday 26th March from 6.00pm –

9.00pm for ten weeks.

This course will not instruct you how to start a business

but will give enterprising small businesses the tools to

continually assess their processes and adapt in a fast

moving market place.

Cost of the course is usually £202.00, but as an Affinity

reader you will pay just £180 when quoting us as a

reference. Please call Gina Bubbins for more information

on 01234 291389

I am delighted to report that BBW is once again the

networking talk of Bedfordshire following the success of

February’s International Women’s Day event.

Guests mingled with new contacts and are now actively

following up business. See our new business success

stories on our Facebook page.

We can also proudly announce that since last month

seven new BBW members have joined, bringing our new

membership total to 112 since September. Welcome to

Isabel Kelly PR, Rosewarne Gardens, Mercedes-Benz

Bedford, KC Learning & Development, Toddington

Osteopathic Medicine Clinic, Road Victims Trust and

Seabrook Investments Ltd - we look forward to seeing

you at a monthly meeting very soon.

Now for some news from the BBW committee, I am

pleased to announce that Emma Garratt of The Product

Marketing Company has joined the committee and will

be promoting BBW through our social media channels.

As well as a Facebook page we are tweeting away and

joining in discussions on our BBW LinkedIn page. Follow

us at twitter@bedsbizwomen. A big thank you to Jane

Fry from Affinity Magazine and Tracey Smith from

Rawlinson Pryde who have also joined the committee.

As you know, BBW is all about our members and

membership money is invested on developing the group

we simply love to be a part of.

Since September we launched a brand new website, are

displaying three new colourful banners at our monthly

meets, have sponsored Adult Achiever Award at Pride in

Bedford Awards 2011 and are now proud supporters of

Business Women of the Year at the Bedfordshire FSB

Awards to be held in June.

It is guaranteed to be a tremendous occasion to celebrate

the achievements of local businesses and will be

attracting a huge guest list of companies from across the

county. Be sure to nominate your business and give it the

publicity and recognition it deserves.

BBW is now busy prepping for our next major event. Our

annual Man Day gives us a valuable networking

opportunity to increase business potential with both

female and male business contacts.

Book your place and join us on Thursday 17th May at

Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden from 10.00am –

2.30pm.

We would like to thank our special guest speakers on the

day including Ian Rowe, who will share his inspiring

Atlantic Odyssey Challenge story, which hit the headlines

earlier this year.

Thank you to the Federation of Small Businesses for

supporting the event and ensuring it will be a big

success. Don’t miss it! Book your place on our BBW

website www.beds-businesswomen.org.

We are now taking bookings for our April BBW

networking lunch. The meet is all about our nominated

charity of the year, St Johns Hospice. We start with a tour

of St Johns Hospice followed by a delicious lunch at the

Kings Arms, Cardington. Our guest speakers will give us

an insight into the marvellous work they do for St Johns.

Since September BBW have raised in the region of £8000

from raffles and auctions. See you on April 19th - book

your place today www.beds-businesswomen.org

Warm Wishes,

Kerry Cash

President BBW

www.beds-businesswomen.org

For enquiries - [email protected]

Dear BBW Members

54


Deb Markham is proud to beBedfordshire Business Woman of the Year

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www.theproductmarketingcompany.co.ukdeb.markham@product-marketing.co.uk

Proud Supporters ofBedfordshire Business Women

Federation of Small BusinessesThe UK’s Leading Business Organisation

For more information contact Ginnie07801 333470

[email protected]

Local Beer, Food and Talent Festival

Wed 2nd May to Mon 7th May

Sat, Sun, Mon - music and stalls

See website for details

For full programme of events

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Aston Martin has face-lifted the

Vantage range for 2012 with its’

new line-up of sports cars

debuting at the Geneva Motor

Show this month. Prices for the

new range start from £84,995.

Changes are focused on the V8 Vantage, which

now gets a seven-speed Sportshift II

transmission, plus revisions to the chassis

that, says Aston, enhance the car's feel,

response and control. The new seven-speed

unit has closer gear ratios for a more sporting

response, while Aston has also engineered the

shifts to be faster and more refined.

With a lower final drive ratio, the firm says it's

been able to optimise acceleration throughout

the range and also make best use of the

performance-tuned 420hp 4.7-litre V8 engine.

The engine itself is, however, unchanged for

2012.

There is also a subtle new look inspired by the

firms' motorsport activities.

The 2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage range

receives some very discreet styling changes

inspired by the Vantage S and N400 limited

edition. At the front, there is a new bumper

with a larger air intake to feed the engine and

brakes. It also has an aero-tuned lower splitter.

Aston has fitted what it calls 'race-derived'

side sills, while at the rear, there is a new

diffuser. The tyres are also 10mm wider and

they house revised brakes. Overall, the

changes clean up the lines of the V8 Vantage,

without radically reinventing the appearance

of the baby Aston.

This is the most comprehensive programme of

enhancements from Aston Martin since 2008.

These technical and styling changes have been

applied to both the V8 Vantage Coupe and

Roadster models, with prices starting from

RRP £84,995

Aston Martin V8 VANTAGE

56


Further up the range, the Vantage S

produces 430hp from its tuned 4.7-litre V8,

and will again be more responsive on the

move thanks to the new seven-speed

gearbox. Vantage S models also get a

bespoke exhaust system, plus a more

sporting aerodynamic package detailed in

carbon fibre.

Satellite navigation, Bluetooth and cruise

control are all standard on the Vantage S.

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage, however, is

unchanged for 2012: Aston is instead

focusing its V12 activities on the V12 Zagato,

which will debut at the Geneva Motor Show

prior to going on sale later in the year.

Combining iconic styling, thrilling

performance, true craftsmanship and

exclusivity the revitalised Vantage range

boasts unprecedented breadth and appeal.

• ALL-ALLOY, QUAD

OVERHEAD CAMSHAFT,

32-VALVE, 4735 CC V8

• FRONT MID-MOUNTED

ENGINE, REAR-WHEEL DRIVE

• (420 BHP) AT 7300 RPM

• ACCELERATION 0-60 MPH IN

4.7 SECONDS;

• MAXIMUM SPEED 290 KM/H

(180 MPH)

• ALLOY TORQUE TUBE WITH

CARBON FIBRE PROPELLER

SHAFT


MAN

Describe yourself in three words?

Sincere, old fashioned and occasionally eccentric

What makes you stand out in a crowd?

My bald head

Your top three movies?

Where Eagles Dare, Heat, North by North West

What do you do to relax?

Play a lot of tennis, leisure cycling and listening to

my Itunes, I have 240!!!!

Your most extravagant purchase and why?

My motorcycles. Over the years I have blown all

my money on them, they are an extravagance but

they are my passion. I don’t ride them like I used

to but I still have to own one and it stays in the

garage where I can visit it whenever I like – I even

say goodnight to it!

If you could be anyone or anything what would

it be?

The Tardis, so I can travel through time and visit

different places and events from history. I would

love to spend the day seeing what life used to be

like and then return home until the next time.

Describe your ideal woman?

Curvy, sexy and a little bit naughty (little

chuckle!), Nigella Lawson and Christine

Hendricks spring to mind.

Best Holiday destination and why?

Cornwall, it is a beautiful place and I have some

treasured memories. There is a raw beauty and

you can sit for hours looking out to sea.

You can’t leave the house without?

My tablets!

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

Hopefully backing off my current workload and

taking the time to travel more, hopping on a train

to visit different places of beauty within England,

What three people dead or alive would you

invite to a dinner party and why?

Margaret Thatcher - she always achieved her

ideals and had a real strength of character; the

stories she could tell!

Duke of Wellington, he was an excellent general

and I loved this particular time in history - I love

watching Sharpe and I imagine myself part of the

army!

Inspector Morse - I see myself in him. He has a

great character and has a presence about him. He

shows his emotions, doesn’t follow the rules and

also he likes a drink!

I have to add this dinner party would have to last

a whole week as there would be so much to talk

about.

What makes you happy?

I have to question this – If all loose ends are tied

up I am then able to relax and enjoy myself and

this in turn makes me happy – but all loose ends

have to be sorted I cannot leave something until

tomorrow.

of the month

58

Age: 57

Occupation: Owner, Bedford Wheels, Kempston

Resides: Bedford

Phil Collins

Bedford Wheels, Kempston, Bedford

01234 216662

www.bedford-wheels.co.uk

Facsimile: 01234 400047

i

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Vehicle Servicing - Cars and Commercial Vehicles

Bedford Wheels for friendly professional advice with competitive prices The price we quote is the price you pay!


60

Ilove holidays and travel and from the moment the

plane touches down on our return to this green and

pleasant land I am planning my next getaway. In

order to make it through the grey damp days that

are often our autumn I like to escape for a bit of

‘culture’ to a European city. One of the great

advantages of living in Bedford is the nearness of Luton

airport which quite literally means lots of destinations

can be almost on our doorstep. We recently enjoyed a

weekend in Prague, leaving Thursday evening and

returning Sunday with a short 2 hour flight that gave us

a chance to take in the sights and enjoy some much

needed R & R.!

Flights from Luton to Ruzyne are very frequent, so

length of stay and time of travel can almost be adjusted

to suit your own itinerary. We chose to travel on an early

evening flight so we could work that day and only take

one day as holiday to give us a three night break.

On arrival, we decided to take the bus into the city

centre. Tickets could be purchased from a machine with

pretty clear instructions, but it seemed tourists are the

only people who actually pay! We considered buying a

travel card but were glad that we didn’t preferring

instead to walk, the city isn’t big or too spread out and

the weather was wonderful, cold at times but with

constant bright sunshine.

After checking into our hotel we headed out to find a

restaurant and really you can never walk far before

coming across a variety in terms of food ambience and

price. We chose a small restaurant serving traditional

Czech and Italian food and enjoyed some local wine and

a pasta dish with salad for the equivalent of £25.00.

Prices always look a bit frightening as you get 27.000

Czech Crowns for £1.

The hotel room was reasonably sized with all you would

expect from a city hotel, comfortable bed, tea/coffee

making facilities, en suite bath and shower and it even

boasted a sauna and ‘therapy’ room though we were far

too busy to fit in a massage!

After enjoying the ample breakfast buffet we headed out

to explore, enjoying the renowned Charles Bridge, full of

portrait artists and souvenir stalls, before heading to the

Old Town square just in time to join the growing crowd

waiting for the astronomical clock to strike. An iconic

feature of Prague the clock face not only shows the

current time but also shows movement of the planets

around earth and the sun and moon through the signs of

the zodiac. Coffees in this area were very expensive but

walking just a couple of streets away saw a great

reduction in the price.

Many of the cafes had patio heaters and thick blankets

to put over your knees making it quite possible to sit

outside and enjoy the stunning architecture as well as

coffee and pastries. After a visit to the Baroque church

of St Nicholas we headed over to the Jewish quarter

where we began with a leisurely lunch of soup and

potato dumplings, cheap nutritious and delicious,

especially when washed down with the house cocktails.

Pottering AroundPrague


A leisurely hour or two was then spent wandering

around the lanes of the quarter with a visit to the

Jewish museum and cemetery. In the evening we

enjoyed sampling several local beers at a bar that

offered a taste of five different brews chosen from

an extensive selection, much fun was had simply

reading the descriptions. There was no shortage of

restaurants serving traditional Czech food though

as vegetarians we often had to choose something

less traditional in order to avoid meat, though we

were pleased that most restaurants offered an

excellent range of fish as well as European staples

like pizza, there are also a number Italian

restaurants so eating was always a pleasure.

The following day we headed over to the castle and

found many cafes serving warm mulled wine, which

seemed decadent in the morning but hey when in

Prague….

We could wander around much of the castle site for

free but admission to the interiors was a few

crowns. St Vitus’s cathedral is a spectacular Gothic

cathedral which looms over the city and is truly an

‘unmissable’ site in Prague, the interior being no

less impressive. It would be easy to spend the whole

day in the castle area, but we decided to head on to

the much more modern Wenceslas square.

In the evening we went to a classical concert in

Municpal house, Prague’s most prominent Art

Noveau building and a simply stunning

environment which boasts a café as well as concert

hall and from the nearby powder gate tower there a

great views over the city.

Sunday dawned bright and clear and with an

afternoon flight home we still had time to enjoy a

walk up Petrin Hill and take in the beautiful views,

in a somewhat breathless fashion having decided

NOT to take the furnicular to the top, which with

hindsight may have been the better plan.

So for anyone looking for a weekend getaway there

is a lot on offer in Prague, great architecture and a

city that is compact enough to walk around, though

buses and trams are readily available. A vast array

of hotels and restaurants means that all tastes and

budgets can be catered for, and it needn’t break the

bank – 3 nights for 2 people with flights and hotels

was under £150 person.

Many people may think of Prague as a destination

for stag or hen parties and it is true that alcohol and

accommodation can be fairly cheap there, but the

history, river Vlatava, architecture and café culture

means it is a destination that has something to offer

for everyone.


Discover your.......

DestinySue has over 30 years experience in the psychic field, is an authority on crystals and psychic

energy, and is a world renowned Tarot reader and teacher. Each month readers are welcome

to send their questions in for Sue to answer at [email protected]

Sue also offers private readings on a one to one basis, workshops, courses and much more,

please visit her website:

www.sanctuarybedford.co.uk Tel: 01234 327090

Healing trees

62

It is not just the weird and the wacky amongst us

who find a deep solace amongst forests, woods

and trees, Bedford has a host of ancient willows,

black poplars and silver birches, which are known

for their healing qualities for those who are able

or willing to take advantage of this wealth.

Along the river path from Bedford to Kempston

are avenues of tall crack willows, so named

because in wind and heavy rain the branches can

be heavy and send an ear splitting C-C-C-rackkkk !

of warning before falling into the river below.

(This is the way they propagate themselves, with

the fallen branches floating along to mud banks

on rivers, and then setting down roots. ) A form of

Aspirin is derived from the under bark of willows.

On Spring days if you can settle yourself with

your back to the tree trunk you can feel the

energy rising, and filling you with peace and

strength, as you sit there. It takes only a few

minutes of this peace to settle anxious minds, and

give new strength and hope.

The black poplar is again along the banks of the

river Ouse, its well spaced branches look like

arms reaching into the sky, next to other trees it is

very much a giant!

In late April it floods the air with tiny airy silver

tendrils, which cover the water like smoke, with

the heavy beautiful scent of the red caterpillar

like catkins driving away all thoughts of sorrow or

worry, as they sway high above the river paths.

The silver birch has long been associated with the

control of mental health, due to it’s silvery bark

and it’s shining state under a full moon. Hugging

this tree is thought to be beneficial for people

who suffer from depression. You do not have to

look far to see that there are many such trees in

town centres all over Bedfordshire, all would

welcome you with open branches.


Meditation for those who don’t do ‘meditation’

Busy lives and noisy lives full of bustle, hurry and

anxiety are the normal way of life for most people

in today’s Britain.

Long gone are long distance walks to work, and

home again, or daily sojourns to a store for daily

food.

Now we buy in bulk, we eat in bulk, we sit in front

of the television and ‘entertain ’ourselves in bulk.

Everything in today’s world is too much, too quick

and too invasive, and we have forgotten that taking

time with things, and being deliberate with things,

was once the only way. No one expects us to go

back to being hunter gatherers, but there are many

other things which you can do which can be stress

reducing rather than stress promoting. Personally

I love untangling things, like wool or string or

necklace chains, and losing myself while my hands

move without thought to untie knot after knot ,

with each one untied bringing more peace of mind;

once jigsaws, and knitting used to have the same

effect.

How long since you’ve mended something that

was broken - perhaps into many pieces - just to

have the satisfaction of fixing it. Some children

now will never have had to mend, and are too used

to just buying new and binning old things,

contributing to the throwaway society which we

all distain.

I have a friend who takes old watches to pieces,

and makes pictures out of the parts, and another

who repairs watches for people who cannot be

troubled to take them to a watchmaker; both are

very laid back people.

Perhaps putting a life together out of fragments of

hurt is also worthwhile, if taken bit by bit, and

instead of throwing away friendships or

relationships when things get too hard, look at

what you are left with after troubles and building

up little piece by little piece, into a semblance of

normality - to make life more easily liveable is the

better way. We should perhaps learn from our

forbears about what is really important to us all.

But don’t just stamp on a Rolex in a fit of pique,

just try putting it back together!!!


Wed 28th MarchSandy and District Horticultural Association 7.30pm

David Fowler (a Bedford Town Guide) is giving a talk

featuring the story of 'Laxtons in Bedford and Sandy’.

A meal is available afterwards which needs to be pre-

booked with Tony Munns on 01767 691055. New

members and visitors are always very welcome.

Sun 1st AprilEaster Egg Hunt St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger

An afternoon of fun for Easter this year. An egg hunt,

stalls, raffle, games, cake decorating, mask decorating

and face painting. A chocolate Easter egg for each entry

and a chance to win a special prize! Adults can also have

fun with the egg hunt and other activities with the

children, or relax and have a tea/coffee and cake and

browse the stalls.

£3 for children and £1 for adults. The £3 entry fee

includes the egg hunt and a chocolate easter egg

For further details contact Lauren Hasdell on 01767

641044

Sun 1st AprilSteaming Open Day 10.30am – 5.30pm

A full size steam train will offer unlimited rides, Rides

on the miniature railway at small extra charge. The

Centres large collection and museums will be open.

www.bucksrailcentre.org

Adult £10.00 Senior £9.00 Child £7.00 Family £27.00

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre ,Quainton Road

Station ,Quainton, Aylesbury

Tues 3rd AprilJunior - Easter Cupcakes

Coromel Cakes are running a Junior Cupcake Workshop

where you can create something special under our

expert guidance, to take home or give to a loved one. All

materials and equipment are supplied. All you need to

bring is an apron and a smile. Workshops cater for all

abilities and ages from 8 to 16. All of our workshops can

be found and booked through our website.

10am -12pm £20

01234 294338

Coromel cakes Workshop, 2 Church Road, Wootton

Bedfordshire MK43 9EU

Tues 3rd – Sun 8th AprilJoseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat

Milton Keynes Theatre

Having enjoyed sensational reviews, Bill Kenwright's

'Amazing', 'Superb', 'Wonderful' and 'Brilliant'

production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's

sparkling family musical continues to enjoy huge

success across the country with standing ovations at

every performance.

www.atgtickets/milton keynes

0844 871 7652

Tues 3rd – Fri 13th AprilExtra-usual Easter egg hunt at The Roald Dahl Museum

and Story Centre

For all ages: throughout the Easter Holidays join us on

an Easter egg hunt around the Museum. Find all the

eggs to earn a chocolate treat.

01494 892192.

81-83 High Street, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire,

HP16 0AL

Sun 8th – Mon 9th AprilEaster Trail, The Forest Centre & Milennium Country

Park, Marston Moretaine

Follow the trail and look for clues to answer the

questions on the wildlife quiz. When you are finished,

head back to the Forest Centre to check your answers

and collect your prize. No booking required, just turn

up!

11am - 4pm £2 per child

Sat 14th – Sun 15th AprilWest Anglia Country Show

The Showground, Wood Green Animal Shelter,

Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2NH

Thur 19th AprilThe Inn at Woburn

A 2 course luncheon with a glass of wine and fruit

punch on arrival with guest speaker Elaine Boddy from

Green and Brown, a renowed local image consultant and

personal shopper in and around Milton Keynes

£25.95

Thur 19th AprilRSPB A.R.A. Social Club, Manton Lane, Bedford 7.30pm

01234 822035

www.rspb.org.uk/groups/bedford

Fri 20th April Frock Swap and Evening Sale

Emmaus Village, Carlton

7pm to 10pm

64

your guide to .........

What’s OnApril 2012


If you have an event you would like us to mention please email [email protected]

Sat 21st AprilWedding Fayre – 11am to 4pm

The French Partridge, Horton, Northampton, NN7 2AP

Visit the wedding Fayre at this luxury boutique hotel

01604 870033

www. Frenchpartridge.co.uk

Sat 21st – Sun 22nd AprilThe East of England Food Festival at Knebworth House.

As well as all of the fantastic stands, we have a full

demo programme including Hector Bunting, our very

own Chef/Compere and all round foodie champion, as

well as the chefs from local restaurants - all cooking up

a storm, together with other demonstrations. To

complement all of this gastronomic delight, we also

have wine and beer tasting sessions.

Sun 22nd AprilOpen Garden Howbury Hall

1.30pm -5pm

£4, teas available, plant stall

All profits to British Red Cross

Sun 22nd AprilThe Manor House, Stevington - Open Garden for NGS.

A modern 4 acre country garden with unusual twists,

designed and cared for by owners Simon and Kathy

Brown. Tulips and other bulbs bring fantastic colour to

the cottage garden, the formal parterres and herbaceous

borders. Major container displays, blossoms in the

orchard and elsewhere, plus extensive naturalistic

planting schemes offer further delights.

Admission £4.50, Children free

12pm – 5pm.

:01234 822064

Sun 22nd AprilRhod Gilbert: The Man with the Flaming Battenberg

Tattoo

Milton Keynes Theatre

Rhod's stand-up rants on life's minor irritations are

legendary, but this year, he's a more mellow fellow

altogether. He's now so laid-back he even let someone

tattoo a Battenberg on him. Will the new, chilled-out

Rhod get his girl and live happily ever after, or will it be

microwaved baked potato for one again? Could it be the

Mr Angry of comedy as you've never seen him before?...

www.atgtickets/milton keynes

0844 871 7652

Sat 28th AprilThe Mansion House, Duathlon

This duathlon event combines running and cycling

within the beautiful parkland estate of The Mansion

House. The event will be held in support of the Dame

Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust and is suitable for a range of

abilities.

www.onestepbeyond.org.uk

Sat 28th AprilTable Top Sale for St James School Parent Staff

Association

Biddenham Village Hall, 2pm to 5pm

Seller Tables are £7 and must be booked in advance as

space is limited

Buyers admission free. Refreshments available

Contact Rachel on 07970 869402 or

[email protected]

Sun 29th AprilOpen Garden, Shortmead House, Biggleswade

1.30-5pm

£4, teas available, plant stall

All profits to British Red Cross

Sat 5th – Mon 7th MayLocal Beer, Food and Talent festival

The White Horse, Newnham Ave, Bedford

We are having music and dance outside in the car park

for all 3 days, a BBQ and we fill the garden with stalls

(charity and otherwise).

Tues 22nd MayPiano Recital, Bedford School Recital Hall 7.30pm

Mario Mora Saiz - Royal Academy of Music.

Tickets £8/£4 students

Central Box Office 01234-269519/Heather Turnham

07774-17-33-44

Last Month’s Competition Winners:‘Breakfast’ - Rebecca Vernon, Sandy,

Polly Anderson, Kempston


SUDOKUThe object is to fill the grid so

that the numbers 1 to 9

appear once in each row,

column and 3 x 3 box, with no

repetitions.

The answer to

this puzzle will

be in next

months issue.

2 6 1 4 3 5

4 3 5 6 2 1

3 5 6 2 1 4

1 2 4 5 6 3

6 4 3 1 5 2

5 1 2 3 4 6

66

Quiet night in with.....

Is love always worth saving - no matter what the cost?

The car crash should have killed her. But rookie paramedic Peter

Webster takes the emergency call, and helps the young woman,

Sheila Arsenault, to survive. After the accident, she haunts his

thoughts, despite his misgivings about getting involved with a

patient. Soon he is embroiled in an intense love affair and in

Sheila’s troubled life.

Eighteen years later, Sheila is long gone and Peter is raising

their daughter, Rowan, alone. But Rowan is veering dangerously

off course and for the first time in their quiet life together Peter fears

for her future. He seeks out the only person who may be able to help

Rowan, although Sheila’s return is sure to unleash all the questions

Peter has been carefully keeping at bay: Why would a mother leave her

family? How did the marriage of two people in love unravel?

Rescue is so well constructed, understated, gripping and emotionally

true that you won’t be able to put it down. I was dead to the world until

I’d finished it… this remarkably moving and strong novel gets ten out of

ten from me’ A. N. Wilson

4 9

5 2 8 7 1

9 7 2 3

3 5 6 8

7 9 1 4 3

25

6 8 4 9

2 4 5 7

WIN! WIN! WIN!We have 2 copies of this book to give away please email ‘Rescue’ to

[email protected] by 14th April 2012 for a chance of winning.


If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call our clinic TODAY for our consultation and health check.

Bedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK42 2TW

[email protected] www.bedfordchiropractor.co.uk

Chiropractic treatment can benefit the following:

CHRONIC/ACUTE BACK PAINNECK PAINHIP/KNEE JOINT PAINGENERAL ACHES AND PAINSNECK RELATED HEADACHESFROZEN SHOULDERSHOULDER/ELBOW/TENNIS ELBOW PAINMIGRAINES

Registered with the GCC - BCA Major insurance companies

IF YOU SUFFER FROM ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, GIVE US A CALL & LET US HELP YOU.

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Bedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys

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@bchiropracticclinic.co.uk adminBedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys

LL US NO

[email protected] venue, Bedford MK42 2TWAAvenue, Bedford MK42 2TWBedford Chiropractic Clinic 20b De Parys

OW 01234


.co.ukrbedfordchiropractovenue, Bedford MK42 2TW

4 353937


.co.ukvenue, Bedford MK42 2TW0

WHY NOT PUTWHY NOT PUTTHE SPRINGTHE SPRINGBACK INTOBACK INTOYOUR STEP!YOUR STEP!

SPECIAL OFFER

INITIAL CONSULTATION FEE

£20The Victoria Arms is under new management

and has been refurbished

Sunday lunch is between Noon and 6pm at only £8.95 (adults) and £4.50 (children)

Why not just pop in for tea or coffee

“Relaxed dining at its best”

A Friendly Welcome Awaits

The Victoria Arms, High Street, Wilden 01234 772437

A wonderful variety of cask ales,lagers and wines

A warm and friendlywelcome awaits you

Home cooked food is served dailywith a variety of specials on offer

Monthly Curry Night second Thursday of every month with

the next one on April 12th

Only £6.95

Book now for your Easter Sunday Roast

£8.95 (adults) £4.50 (children)

Join us for the Wilden May Day Celebrations on May 7th

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