kirklees & calderdale 46

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JUNE - AUGUST 2015

Tom JonesThe King and I:When Tom Met Elvis

Cook with the Stars!

John Torode, Paul Hollywood, & James Martin

share their favourite recipes

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KIRKLEES & CALDERDALEEDITION 46

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8-9

CONTENTS

12-13

I N S I D E . . .8-9 Tom Jones The King and I: When Tom met Elvis.

10-11 Robinsons Holidays Affordable peace of mind.

12-13 Northern Greece City Breaks in Thessaloniki

27-28 Your Home... Bringing the outside, in!

30-32 Cook with the Stars! Recipes from your favourite celebrity chefs: John Torode, Paul Hollywood & James Martin.

40 Your Home... Is your property still suitable for you?

27-28 30-32

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Bear hug from a lion!Just every so often along comes a story to warm your heart, this is such a story.

In 2012 Valentin Gruener rescued a young lion cub and raised it himself at a wildlife park in Botswana. It was the start of an extraordinary relationship. Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener and holds him in an affectionate embrace.

“Since the lion arrived, which is three years now, I haven’t really left the camp,” says Gruener.

“Sometimes for one night I go into the town here to organise something for the business, but other than that I’ve been here with the lion.”

The lion he has devoted himself to is Sirga - a female cub he rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer who was fed up with shooting animals that preyed on his cattle.

“The lions had killed the other two or three cubs inside the cage, and the mother abandoned the remaining cub. She was very tiny, maybe 10 days old,” Gruener says.

The farmer, Willy de Graaf, asked Gruener to try to save her and so he took her to a wildlife park financed by de Graaf and became her adoptive mother, “feeding her and taking care of her”.

“You have this tiny cute animal sitting there and it’s already quite feisty,” he says. “It will become about 10 times that size and you will have to deal with it.”

She’s much bigger now, but when Gruener opens her cage she still rushes to greet him - ecstatically throwing her paws around his neck.

“That happens every time I open the door. It is an amazing thing every time it happens, and it’s such a passionate thing to do for this animal to jump and give me a hug,” says Gruener.

“But I guess it makes sense. At the moment she has no other lions with her in the cage and I guess for her I’m like her species. So I’m the only friend she’s got. Lions are social cats so she’s always happy to see me.”

The companions spend their time hanging out in the Botswana bush, doing the kind of things that cats enjoy, such as lying around under trees, play-fighting, and hunting.

“I don’t believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough,” Gruener says.

“I’m definitely giving her that opportunity to hunt, about three times a week at the moment. Each walk takes five hours - sometimes up to nine. We sort of hunt together and I’m helping her sometimes, trying to show her how to kill something rather than catch it.”

After Sirga’s first kill Gruener wasn’t sure if it would still be safe for him to get close to the lion. But “she let me come in”, he says. Now he despatches animals the lioness fails to kill quickly enough.

“It’s a bit cruel because she will catch an antelope and hold it down, and when it gets tired she could simply go and bite it in the throat and kill it. But because it’s so exciting she’s like a cat that keeps on playing with the mouse.“It’s not so lovely to watch when a lion has an antelope in front of her and she’s having fun playing with this antelope.”

Willy de Graaf has handed Gruener 500 hectares (two square miles) to create a “miniature park” in which Sirga can roam freely, but she will not be released into the wild. Not because she could not survive, Gruener says, but because she has lost her fear of humans.

Under those circumstances she is likely to get too close to humans, and if there is an accident she will end up getting shot. “And that’s not really the whole point of raising a lion,” Gruener says.

In the park Sirga can live like a wild lion, but remain safe, he says. “That’s the plan for her future.”

And what of his own future? Gruener has put aside work on a PhD while he has been raising Sirga, and has hardly ever left her alone.

“If she gets into a bigger enclosure and gets more space, and maybe another lion to give her companionship, I’m sure I would be able to leave for longer periods of time - which is required for me to finish my studies.

“But as long as she needs me, and as long as I feel I want to be there to make her life better, I will have that as my priority.

“I doubt anything will change much between me and her.”

Fuming over changes!We all know about the perils of smoking but those who haven’t yet kicked the habit are fuming about the

smokescreen which clouded a neat little piece of trickery which has nipped under the radar. Since when did a packet of twenty gaspers become 19?

It happened overnight and was covered by a hefty price hike so smokers were so involved complaining about the increase that they didn’t notice the decrease in fags in the packet! Consequently every supermarket and shop in the land is now breaking the Trades Description Act umpteen times a day by selling a packet of 19 cigarettes to everyone who asks for 20. They’re crafty these manufacturers, they even decreased the size of the number 19 so you didn’t notice it and slide it discreetly on the side of the packet and make it the size of a microdot.

Anyway, enough of that, what about Mars bars? Have you seen one recently? Size of a matchstick they are. Gone are the great chunks of chocolate which used to give you lockjaw, you can eat one in two bites now. Wafer thin chocolate, a smearing of filling but the

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wrapper has enough ingredient listing and health warnings to choke a donkey. And what about nuts? Large nuts, small nuts, monkey nuts and Brazil nuts, and every packet carries the stern warning, “For those with an allergy beware this product contains nuts”. Well of course it does, that’s why I’m buying the blasted thing. Stating the obvious seems to be the norm now as we disappear in a plethora of political correctness which could frighten you into never eating or drinking again. Who dreams up some of this stuff? I’ve actually seen packaging which contains more reading matter than the British Library and by the time you’ve read it the product has probably gone past its sell by date anyway. Failing that of course everything except washing powder now carries the instruction to refrigerate after opening and consume within three days or you’re in danger of self combusting.

Anyone know where I can get 20 fags?

Be a Special “50Plus” Constable for West Yorkshire Police!What’s YOUR big challenge this year? Getting fit? Meeting new people? Giving something back?

Being a Special Constable for West Yorkshire Police could be the exciting opportunity you’re looking for.

The Force is currently recruiting and would particularly like to hear from men and women aged 50 plus, across all districts and communities. Your only commitment as a volunteer special constable is a minimum of 16 hours per month. Being a Special gives volunteers new opportunities and skills from advanced driving to self-defence and much more besides. You can keep fit and give something back to our communities – all while being on the front line of policing.

Specials have the same responsibilities and duties as a full time police officer and provide a vital link between the police and communities, improving trust and confidence between communities and police. Training sessions will be in place to broaden knowledge, refresh skills and help develop your own personal skills and interests.

The Force is also recruiting volunteers too! Community Volunteers work alongside police officers and staff at public events, operations and initiatives. This scheme offers people the chance to meet new people, feel part of a team, learn new skills and put existing ones to good use.

For more information please visit our website. You can also apply online to join the Specials! www.westyorkshire.police.uk/bespecial

There is also a section for people interesting in becoming a Police Volunteer on www.westyorkshire.police.uk/volunteers

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The Mill, Batley is the UK’s biggest retail mill and, located between Leeds and Bradford; it is easily reached from both the M62 and the M1.Without question this is a unique indoor shopping destination. Customers enjoy an unusual mix of independent stores and high street outlets in a department store environment. With 550 free parking spaces and 4 restaurants to choose from, you can see why this is a regular destination for many of The Mill’s customers.

The huge building was renovated to high specifications by the owners, which offers a pleasant surprise to first time visitors - lots of natural light with both escalators and lifts and spacious, open plan floors.

Italian restaurants, gourmet café and traditional tea rooms ensure all tastes are catered for, with the added bonus of 2 outdoor dining terraces. These are supplemented by a butcher, the bakery, a superb retro sweet shop and a delicatessen counter.

The 40 stores offer furnishings and furniture from the masters of value Poundstretcher through to sofas and solid wood furniture from the Furniture Bank and Batley Furniture Outlet. One of the few remaining lighting shops in West Yorkshire is based here, plus everything else for the home – bedding, curtains, sewing machines, cook shop, cushions, stationery, garden provisions… the list goes on.

The extensive fashion offer includes big brand outlet stores such as Radley, Skopes, Jacques Vert, Dash and Eastex as well as outdoor and leisure brands

www.themillbatley.com418 Bradford Road, Batley, West Yorkshire WF17 5LZ Tel: 01924 423172

Open 7 days a week. Monday to Saturday 9:30 till 5:30 | Sunday 10:30 till 5:00

- Cotton Traders, Regatta, Mountain Warehouse with Edinburgh Woollen Mill occupying a large area on the ground floor. A large Pavers store is probably one of the busiest departments in The Mill, making ‘happy feet’ out of aching ones. There is lots of luggage to choose from and even a hair & beauty salon to help get you ready for that special occasion. Speaking of which, don’t miss out on the legendary personal shopping service at The Mill. Gaynor runs the show and is happy to help for all occasions, no matter what size, shape or age! A dedicated, sumptuous Personal Shopping Lounge was recently opened to ease the trying on process and enable customers to mix n match and try on at their leisure in splendid privacy.

Sale starts in June so make sure you don’t miss out on outlet prices plus sale discounts; there really is 70% and more off many items in The Mill – from hats to armchairs and everything in between! Go and have a browse and see what you find! Like their Facebook page to win vouchers to spend at The Mill, Batley and check their website regularly for offers and events. You can follow Millie on Twitter @themillbatley.com


Tom couldn’t believe it when he was told Elvis and his wife Priscilla had been seen in the foyer of the Flamingo. He thought it was a wind-up but it was true – The King and his entourage, the ‘Memphis Mafia’, had driven from Los Angeles just to see the show. They had been invited by Chris Hutchins, who knew both Colonel Tom Parker and Joe Esposito, Elvis’s road manager, and suggested they come over.

Elvis was curious to see how a performer like Tom would be received in Las Vegas, because he was seriously thinking of making a live comeback there himself. His recording career was in the middle of a slump and he needed something to reinvigorate his career – a problem Tom would also face at a later date.

The lighting in the audience was quite dark, so Tom had to peer into the gloom to see if Elvis was really there. He had been primed by Chris, so he knew what to say if he caught sight of the man.

Eventually, he realised The King was in the very front row. Halfway through the show, he introduced Elvis, who stood up to take a bow, and the place erupted. It went on for ages and ages, until Tom managed to calm everyone down. Elvis eventually sat back down and Tom said, ‘Don’t forget I’m the star here tonight.’ It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but took some nerve: Tom was just starting his Vegas adventure, whereas Elvis was the biggest star in the world.

After the concert, Elvis and his gang went backstage to congratulate Tom in his dressing room. The ‘Mafia’ usually numbered about half a dozen or so of Elvis’s oldest friends and yes-men. If Elvis told them at breakfast that scarlet was the new colour, they would all have their cars resprayed by lunch.

Linda was at the Flamingo that evening and she sat and chatted with Priscilla. Tom remembers Elvis saying he wanted to watch him in concert to see how he put together his act. Tom and Elvis talked about music, something they both never tired of doing.

Priscilla Presley believes that Elvis took to Tom because he was a real person – ‘someone who was down to earth that

you could talk to, that was not on an ego trip’. Tom’s show also reminded Elvis how it used to be for him: the adulation of the girls, the applause and the fantastic music. He missed it. He also liked the way Tom didn’t take it too seriously. For his part,Tom thought the Presleys were ‘a great couple’. He gave Priscilla an autographed photograph for their daughter Lisa-Marie, who was six months old.

The first meeting went so well that Elvis invited Tom to stay at his holiday villa in Hawaii.When he arrived, Priscilla told him that her husband had popped out to buy a couple of guitars so the two of them would have something to goof around with later.After dinner, the two men enjoyed a sing-song, like a couple of enthusiastic schoolboys, belting out ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’, as well as ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and Elvis’s favourite, ‘Green, Green Grass of Home’. They jammed together through the night. Tom said simply, ‘I’ll never forget it as long as I live.’

The two men became genuine friends. . Tom spoke graciously of Elvis to the Daily Express: ‘I never sat at his feet looking up to him, because we regarded each other as equals. He was much too modest to be comfortable with someone who fawned around him and was never afraid to admit his own vulnerability – always the mark of the truly great.’

They were rivals, as well as friends, when Elvis began a season at the newly opened International Hotel in July 1969, which two years later was renamed the Las Vegas Hilton. Both shows were ruthlessly

advertised. On one side of the strip the huge billboards read, ‘Elvis Presley is at the International’. On the other side, the hoardings declared,‘Tom Jones is in Town!’

Tom moved briefly to the International too, because its show- room was three times the size of the Flamingo’s. In 1971, he finally settled at Caesars Palace. Elvis, meanwhile, stayed loyal to the Hilton, where he lived in the impressive penthouse, which became known as ‘Party Central’. The two friends would take it in turns to visit each other’s suites.Elvis was a reality check for Tom – a stark example of a road he would go down if he didn’t look after himself. Tom tried to keep in shape. At home in the UK, it was relatively easy, thanks to his fitness complex. On the road or in Vegas, it was more difficult, but he swam and took up squash. In the eighteen months before he opened at the Flamingo, he slimmed down from fifteen to eleven and a half stone. He said goodbye to chips for ever. He never stuffed himself with burgers or other junk food and avoided puddings, preferring a chateaubriand steak for dinner with the finest wines.

Tom didn’t drink before a concert, which was particularly important where the desert air was so dry and put a strain on his voice. His shows were a workout in themselves, because Tom finished dripping with sweat and as much as six pounds lighter. After a show, he took a long, thirty-minute shower and then enjoyed a vodka martini or opened a bottle or two of Dom Pérignon while he socialised. His friend and backing singer Darlene Love became so sick of the constant supply of vintage champagne that she loathes bubbly to this day and only has a glass if it is mixed with orange juice.

Elvis, however, struggled with his weight yo-yoing up and down. Early on, he told Tom that he took pills to stop the pounds piling on. The two men would have many discussions about the merits of drink and drugs.

During one conversation, Elvis told him that he had taken every kind of drug imaginable just to keep his ‘head together’. Elvis asked him what he took to keep sane and Tom replied simply,

‘Nothing, that’s why I feel I am sane.’ Tom’s aversion to drugs is very well known. He told Sylvie Simmons of MOJO magazine a funny story of the evening he went to a party in London thrown by Lulu. A rock star sidled up to him and said, ‘You want to see what’s going on in the kitchen!’ Tom, being Tom, immediately thought it might be something involving one or hopefully two women. He was disappointed to see that the great excitement was a pile of white powder on the kitchen table.‘See you later,’ he said.Elvis never took any drugs in front of Tom – he had too much respect for him. Instead, they would be sitting down, listening to records, when Elvis would suddenly disappear into the bedroom and come out a new man. They would listen to a few more records and then the same thing would happen again.

They may have had differing opinions on drugs, but both Elvis and Tom had similar views on gambling. Although they were the bait to draw thousands of punters into the hotel casinos, they never indulged themselves. That example was not followed by their respective managers, who lost fortunes at the gaming tables. Gordon incurred heavy losses playing blackjack. He was rumoured, in one disastrous night, to have lost the whole of Engelbert’s fee for a year.

Tom just didn’t get the attraction. Why give away so easily what you had worked so hard to earn? One evening at Caesars Palace, Linda came bounding up to him and asked for some money so she and a friend could spend some time at the tables. Tom reached in his pocket and gave her $5. He advised her, ‘Don’t lose it all at once.’

Tom was intrinsically more sociable than Elvis, who preferred quiet evenings in his suite. He loved gospel music and was prepared to stay up even later than Tom, just singing. Tom would say goodnight and be halfway out the door, when Elvis would start something else and Tom would be obliged to go back in and sing another song.

For the most part, they kept their friendship low-key. Elvis would slip into Caesars Palace with a baseball cap over his distinctive black hair and sit at

the back of the room. Disappointingly, Elvis and Tom never sang together in public. Elvis might walk on stage when Tom was performing, but he was under strict contract to another hotel, so he would never join in with a quick chorus of ‘Delilah’. Their duets were private moments and Elvis made it clear that they must never be recorded. His manager, Colonel Parker, had told him that he must ensure there were no bootleg recordings, an instruction he followed religiously. Tom was the same where Gordon was concerned: he never forgot what Gordon said.

When they weren’t singing, they would talk about music. Elvis once suggested they could do a concert together, with The Beatles as their backing group. They could do their own songs, followed by a few duets and the Fab Four could play all the instruments. Elvis asked, ‘Do you think there is a chance we could get them to do it?’ Tom, who still laughs about that conversation, responded:‘It would be fantastic.’

The pair were such good friends, they exchanged rings. Elvis gave Tom a splendid black sapphire ring, which annoyingly disappeared from his hotel bathroom one night on tour – along with the young lady who was using it. Tom, in turn, presented Elvis with a tiger’s eye ring that he knew he liked.

Elvis, for whom death threats were a way of life, was obsessed with firearms and would make sure he was armed even when he used the toilet. He gave Tom a gun with ‘Tom Jones’ engraved on the barrel. Tom has never had to fire his gun, although he made sure he knew how to use it. Perversely, Elvis also gave him a book that he’d enjoyed, entitled The Impersonal Life, a famous text about self-discovery and leading a spiritual life.

The King and IAn extract from Tom Jones’ biography by Sean Smith - Tom Jones: The Life

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Tom Jones: The Life by Sean Smith (HarperCollins)


CHOOSE THE DATE YOU WANT TO TRAVEL AND MAKE INCREDIBLE SAVINGS BY LETTING US CHOOSE THE

DESTINATION AND HOTEL...

The Isle of Wight offers stunning landscapes, award winning beaches, breath taking seascapes andextensive history.

Includes 2 Excursions

With its mild climate and trademark Palm Trees, Torquay is one of the UK’s premier seaside resorts and has been fashionable since the 19th century


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WHY CHOOSE ROBINSONS HOLIDAYS?The Robinsons Difference ....

4 Good quality hotels 4 Coach seating with extra legroom4 Air-conditioning and washroom /W.C. on all tour coach4 Reserved coach seats on main tour coach at time of booking 4 Regular comfort stops en route4 Home pick up service available4 Interesting excursions4 No single supplements at our own hotels and many other hotels4 Excellent selection of great value checked hotels4 Friendly drivers and porterage services to help with your luggage4 Pay in convenient instalments at no extra cost4 All holidays Bonded for passengers financial protection4 Friendly & informed reservations staff to take care of all your booking arrangements4 Freephone telephone number to save you money4 Full group booking service with great offers for group organisers4 Optional insurance cover for 2015 now available

We offer you ...4 Accommodation with dinner, bed & breakfast4 2 included excursions4 All rooms have private facilities

Once your booking is made, you will be allocated one of the three resorts featured.Your destination and seat numbers will be advised on receipt of your final travel

document which is issued approximately two weeks before travel.Terms and conditions of the Trading Charter in the main 2015 brochure apply.

8 DAY TOUR7 NIGHTS

DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

7 DAY TOUR6 NIGHTS


DATE WAS NOW

04/05 July £409 £349

11/12 July £409 £349

18/19 July £409 £349

25/26 July £409 £349

01/02 Aug £409 £349

08/09 Aug £409 £349

15/16 Aug £409 £349

22/23 Aug £409 £349

29/30 Aug £409 £349

05/06 Sept £399 £339

12/13 Sept £399 £339

19/20 Sept £389 £329

26/27 Sept £359 £299

DATE WAS NOW

05 July £379 £319

12 July £379 £319

19 July £379 £319

26 July £379 £319

02 Aug £379 £319

09 Aug £379 £319

16 Aug £379 £319

23 Aug £379 £319

06 Sept £369 £309

13 Sept £369 £309

20 Sept £359 £299

27 Sept £329 £269

DATE WAS NOW

04 July £439 £379

11 July £439 £379

18 July £439 £379

25 July £439 £379

01 Aug £439 £379

08 Aug £439 £379

15 Aug £439 £379

22 Aug £439 £379

29 Aug £439 £379

05 Sept £429 £369

12 Sept £429 £369

19 Sept £419 £359

26 Sept £389 £329

9 DAY TOUR8 NIGHTS


Eastbourne is an “all year round” holiday destination with one of the best

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Abbey Lawn Hotel.Torquay and Delightful Devon

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7 DAY TOUR6 NIGHTS


DAte Imperial Ocean View Abbey Lawn11-Oct £239 £239 £23925-Oct £239 £239 £239

9 DAY TOUR8 NIGHTS


DAte Imperial Ocean View Abbey Lawn03-Oct £289 £289 £28917-Oct £279 £279 £27931-Oct - - £279

ALL 7/8/9 DAY TOURS INCLUDE 2 LOCAL EXCURSIONS

ALL 5/7/9 DAY TOURS INCLUDE 2 LOCAL EXCURSIONS

NEW TOURSat reduced prices

14th Dec5 Days

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SINGLES ....COME ALONG AND MEET NEW FRIENDS

LOTS OF ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER

INCLUDES:WELCOME RECEPTION AFTERNOON TEA DANCEWITH OUR RESIDENT ENTERTAINERFESTIVE GALA DINNER (ON 1 NIGHT)2 LOCAL EXCURSIONS

5 DAY TOUR4 NIGHTS DINNER, BED & BREAKFAST

Celebrate Christmas andNew Year in comfort andfree from stress at one of

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Imperial HotelEastbourne

Ocean View HotelIsle of Wight

Abbey Lawn HotelTorquay

Wed 23 Dec £349 | Wed 29 Dec £349

Includes:d 4 nights dinner, bed & breakfastd 3 resort lunchesd 1 mystery excursion

Imperial HotelEastbourne

Ocean View HotelIsle of Wight

Abbey Lawn HotelTorquay


Despite a cool evening breeze, though still very warm to us, the bars and cafés along the promenade are packed with locals enjoying the balmy evening, chatting and drinking with friends. There is a lively buzz, a friendly, vibrant atmosphere and definitely a feeling of being relaxed and safe in the city. It is the same every evening of the week as the newly-finished 7 km-long promenade is the focal point for people to walk, jog, cycle or simply stroll along by the sea, a live band is playing as a stage is set up for a concert next to the White Tower. This is the emblem of the city, its name referring to a prisoner there painting it white in exchange for his freedom, covering up the walls blood-stained from executions. On a brighter note, there are some impressive public sculptures and gardens along this seafront, especially the metal umbrellas in the late sunshine. There are boat trips around the port and across the bay to Agia Triada (more of

that later), and a little boat regularly goes along the edges clearing any debris. Thessaloniki in northern Greece is a city not always associated with art, food and wine, or as a cultural centre yet it is steeped in history as a geographically strategic point for this region. It is an ideal base to explore the area, particularly for those interested in the culture of Ancient Greece, as well as the superb fine dining. We visited in the first week of September, with temperatures around 25° and bright sunshine. Flight time is just over 3 hours from Manchester airport and it takes around half an hour to get to the city from Macedonia Airport. The first impressions as you drive into the city are of old buildings, not architecturally beautiful as many are 20th century structures and everywhere covered in graffiti, which relates to social comment on the severe financial

troubles Greece suffered a few years ago. Since then, a new Mayor has allocated large surfaces at the sides of specific buildings for graffiti artists to work on so eventually much of this will be removed. However, this first impression should be ignored! Walk around narrow, cobbled streets down to the sea, the old port having been revived with new museums, a photography gallery, cinema and various cultural centres for different exhibitions, events and celebrations throughout the year. This is also the favourite spot for dreamy-eyed young (and old?) lovers to stretch out and talk into the night. Sounds good to me.

We had the privilege of being shown a room at the 5* Excelsior Hotel – what a beautiful, stylish place. It is a splendid old building where original, ornate architectural features have been retained during its recent renovation. If you have an opportunity to stay there, you must.

Take a half-day city tour and you will really get a feel for the history of Thessaloniki and Greece from ancient times. Located in a strategic position in the Aegian sea, there were three distinct ages of occupation from Romans, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Given this history, there are fantastic churches, synagogues and mosques that contain preserved sections of frescoes and finely-detailed mosaics. A lot has changed over the centuries due to fires and earthquakes, exposing many new archaeological sites. A real must is the history related to the Jewish communities in this city, particularly the devastating impact of their treatment by the Nazi troops during WWII. It is well worth having a guided tour – our guide Konstantinos was so knowledgeable – although you can explore on your own using the hop on-hop off bus number 50 that costs 2 Euros for the day. Their leaflet also suggests short walks you can do from the bus stops, seewww.expertguides.gr.

50 Plus Travel sponsored byTRAVEL

City Breaks to ThessalonikiBy Jacqueline Jeynes from Silver Travel Advisor

Remember to visit the daily market selling all kinds of fresh fruit and vegetables plus an array of olives, of course. There is also fresh meat and fish, though I declined the invitation to take a sheep’s head home with me. And the three famous pastry/sweet shops are truly divine! We tried a small sample shot of luscious, rich chocolate and a silver-wrapped chocolate cigar. For lunch, try the fish and chips at Bakaliarakia (a small restaurant in the Ladadika area), large flat slices of fried potato and crispy batter around tasty white cod, served with thick creamy garlic sauce. An afternoon nap is then recommended. This is a big, bustling city full of life and with plenty to see. The traffic is a bit hectic so you have to have your wits about you, but it is fine if you keep to the proper crossing places. It is not ideal for anyone with mobility issues or wheelchair-users, although across the Bay it is quieter and easier to get around. However, if you love to explore during city breaks, this is a great place to visit.

Silver Travel Advisor is a travel review, information and advice website exclusively for over 50’s, packed with articles, suggestions, tips and ideas. For free and independent travel advice as well as reviews about holidays, hotels, restaurants and days out, please visit www.silvertraveladvisor.com or email [email protected]. It’s free to register as a member of Silver Travel Advisor, and you could win a fabulous holiday prize.

For city breaks to Thessaloniki Silver Travel Advisor recommends Kirker Holidays who offer a range of short breaks and tailor-made holidays throughout Greece and the rest of Europe. Prices start from £598 per person for a three night holiday to Thessaloniki, including return flights, private car transfers and accommodation with breakfast sharing a double room. Kirker clients also receive the exclusive Kirker Guide Notes to restaurants and sightseeing and the services of the Kirker Concierge to arrange private guides, book excursions or museum tickets and to reserve a table at a recommended restaurant.

For more information or reservations, contact Kirker Holidays on 020 7593 2283 or visit www.kirkerholidays.com

02

Coach inclusive holidays

Every break includes:

• Return coach travel (self-drive option available)

• Comfy en suite accommodation

• Breakfast & 3-course evening meal

• Live nightly entertainment

We have our own fleet of executive coaches that enables us to offer travel from a selection of pick up points across the UK.

Each vehicle features air conditioning and on board toilet to make your journey as comfortable as possible. They also boast friendly drivers who will warmly greet you, help you settle into your pre-allotted seat and let you know of any planned comfort breaks. We aim to get you to your hotel between 3-5pm, depending on the length of the journey.

Want the freedom to explore?See our self-drive price guide for more information.

40819 2014 Price Guide Coach.indd 2 16/04/2014 15:18

Russell Hotel

WEYMOUTH

Bournemouth Sands Hotel

BOURNEMOUTH

Daish’s Hotel

SHANKLIN

Claremont Hotel

EASTBOURNE

Barrowfield Hotel

NEWQUAY

Devonshire Hotel

TORQUAY

Hotel Prince Regent

WEYMOUTH

Six fabulous locations, seven great hotels

Request your new 2015 brochure now!

Great south coast holidaysSELF-DRIVE & COACH INCLUSIVE BREAKS

£199GREAT VALUE 5 DAYHALF BOARD BREAKS per

person

from

When it comes to inviting, relaxing breaks in the south, we have the ideal holiday for you.Whether you’re after family-friendly holidays, a romantic getaway or a group break with like-minded people, our seven hotels cover the south’s finest locations. From the popular beaches of Cornwall to the cosy Isle of Wight, there’s something for everyone.

Our coach inclusive option allows guests across the UK to travel in comfort, while our self-drive holidays offer the freedom of having your own car.

Every break includes:• Return coach travel (self-drive option available)




Don’t miss these coach inclusive breaks!Local pick up points from, Halifax, Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield (Denby Dale Road), Sheffield and Tibshelf Motorway Services, make it easy to get away.

DATE DESTINATION HOTEL DAYS BOARD COACH INCLUSIVE PRICE

July

06 Sands Hotel - Bournemouth 7 Half £309

17 Devonshire Hotel - Torquay 7 Half £269

23 Claremont Hotel - Eastbourne 7 Half £339


30 Daish’s Hotel – Isle of Wight 5 Half £229

August

02 Barrowfield Hotel - Newquay 5 Half £199





September


13 Barrowfield Hotel - Newquay 7 Half £259


Don’t miss these coach inclusive breaks!Local pick up points from, Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury and Worcester make it easy to get away.

DATE DESTINATION HOTEL DAYS BOARDCOACH

INCLUSIVE PRICE

January

08 Devonshire Hotel – Torquay 5 Half £89

12 Claremont Hotel – Eastbourne 5 Half £104


17 Barrowfield Hotel – Newquay 5 Half £89

23 Russell Hotel – Weymouth 4 Half £89

23 Sands Hotel – Bournemouth 5 Half £104

February











INCLUSIVE PRICE

March








April







May




June










bournemouth


isle of wight

Daish’s Hotel

eastbourne

Claremont Hotel

weymouth

Russell Hotel

newquay

Barrowfield Hotel Hotel Prince Regent

weymouth

Devonshire Hotel

torquaySix fabulous locations, seven great hotels

Call 01803 201 432or visit daishs.com quote 50PLUSCHE

facebook.com/daishs

@daishs



Prices shown are per person based on two people sharing a Standard Room. Supplements apply on twin/double rooms with sole occupancy. Optional local excursions can be booked at the hotel. Many more coach or self-drive holiday dates available in 2015. If you would prefer to self-drive, deduct £20 per person from prices shown.

GREAT VALUE 5 DAY HALF BOARD BREAKS

per person £89 from

Trio awarded Certificate of ExcellenceWe are proud to announce that three of our group – the Barrowfield, Devonshire and Daish’s hotels – have been awarded the coveted TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.


Call 01803 201 432 or visit daishs.com quote 50PlusKC

facebook.com/daishs

@daishs_holidays

SEPTEMBER BREAKS AVAILABLE FROM £179

OCTOBER BREAKS AVAILABLE FROM £159

TINSEL & TURKY BREAKS AVAILABLE FROM £159

Don’t miss these coach inclusive breaks!Local pick up points from, Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud, Tewkesbury and Worcester make it easy to get away.


INCLUSIVE PRICE

January







February











INCLUSIVE PRICE

March








April







May




June










bournemouth


isle of wight

Daish’s Hotel

eastbourne

Claremont Hotel

weymouth

Russell Hotel

newquay

Barrowfield Hotel Hotel Prince Regent

weymouth

Devonshire Hotel

torquaySix fabulous locations, seven great hotels

Call 01803 201 432or visit daishs.com quote 50PLUSCHE

facebook.com/daishs

@daishs




GREAT VALUE 5 DAY HALF BOARD BREAKS

per person £89 from

Trio awarded Certificate of ExcellenceWe are proud to announce that three of our group – the Barrowfield, Devonshire and Daish’s hotels – have been awarded the coveted TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.


OUT & ABOUTOUT & ABOUT

Lindley CarnivalSaturday 27th June 2015

This year on Saturday 27th June 2015 will be the eight year of the Lindley Carnival and it's looking to be the best yet. As in the past there will be games, rides, food stalls and much more. There is also a musical treat this year with the two Lindley Junior School choir performing as well as the famous The West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service Band (Yorkshire’s premier “Military Style” Concert band and Marching band). Usually the weather is great with lots of ice cream has been consumed on the day!

The carnival is always well attended by the local community and a good family fun day is enjoyed by all. There will be good representation from the local schools and churches and they provide stalls, refreshments and entertainment. Local businesses are also in good attendance with many supporting the prize draws and having their own stalls on the day. There has often been a theme to the carnival, this year there will be a celebration of musical talent in Lindley and Armed Forces Day. This year the carnival will again be on the same day as Armed Forces Day. Always at the heart of it is providing entertainment for families and children and young people.

For more Information please visit www.lindleygroup.org.uk

Holmfirth Duck Fest 2015Saturday 4th - Sunday 5th July

Since 1983, Holmfirth Duck Race has raised almost £300,000 for a wide variety of local good causes and charities.

Organised by Huddersfield Pendragon Round Table, the Duck Race is a family-oriented day out that takes over the famous Yorkshire town of Holmfirth on the first Sunday of July every year.

And this year, it’s even bigger, with the Duck Stock musical festival on Saturday July 4, where a variety of great bands will provide a full day’s family-friendly entertainment.

Duck Stock - Saturday July 4 2015This year’s Duck Fest is bigger and better than ever before, with the addition of Duck Stock to the weekend’s events.

Covering everything from rock and pop, to blues and folk, Duck Stock will be a full day musical extravaganza from noon until 8pm.

All activities are centered around Sands Recreation Ground, on the outskirts of Holmfirth.

Events begin at 11am on Sunday July 5, the Duck Race starts from the bridge in Holmfirth at approximately 2pm.

For more information please visit www.theduckrace.co.uk

Image by Nuala

Oakwell Music FestivalSunday 12th July

The Oakwell Music Festival is a great family friendly festival starting at 12:00am and finishing approx 22:30pm. Consisting of three (yes three!) stages and upwards of 20 acts playing, see below for some of the activities and features.

• Lots and lots of Live Music (3 Stages)• Fairground• 2 Festival Bars• Prosecco wine bar• Bouncy slides and play areas• Festival Merchandise Traders• Food Traders• Childrens play area• and loads more...

For more information please visit www.oakwellfestival.co.uk

www.piazzacentre.co.uk for more information.

Huddersfield 5kSunday July 12th 10.30am

Join in by taking part in a Race for Life 5k event. 5k is an achievable distance for all ages and abilities and you can run, walk or even dance your way round the course.

Adult entry (Women aged 16+): £14.99

Child entry (Girls aged 6-15 & boys aged 13 or under): £10.00

Under 6 entry (Girls and boys): free and no registration needed

Venue: Leeds Road Sports Complex, Leeds Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD2 1YY

For more information please visit raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org

Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival ‘Possibly the most enjoyable jazz concert I've ever attended’ The Independent

The 2015 Burton Agnes Jazz & Blues Festival is taking place from Friday 3rd July to Sunday 5th July.

Surrounded by the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds, the Festival is set in the award winning grounds and Great Hall of this Elizabethan stately home. Could this be the most breathtaking place to spend a weekend, soaking up the UK's hottest jazz and blues acts?

For more information please visit www.burtonagnes.com

Niddfest24th-26th JulyPateley Bridge, Harrogate, North Yorks HG3

Set in the glorious landscape of Upper Nidderdale, in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, NiddFest is a unique, new, family friendly festival, offering a weekend of talks and outside events for nature lovers of all ages. Come and be inspired by hearing some of the UK’s leading writers talking about all things wild and wonderful.

Join our rangers on guided walks across the remotest reaches of the moor; ambles along the river; foraging expeditions in the woods; bug safaris in the meadow; fairy hunts and more. NiddFest’s patron is the UK’s poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy.

For more information visit www.niddfest.com


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OUT & ABOUT

The Jungle BookThursday 13 August 2015, 19:30Friends of Oakwell Hall and Country Park Nutter Lane, Birstall, West Yorkshire WF17 9LG

Chapterhouse Theatre Company presents this classic children's story in Oakwell's garden. Bring your own seating but no tables. The gardens will be open for viewing and picnics from 6pm.

Refreshments will be available during the interval from the Friends of Oakwell Hall Country Park.

Tickets £14 per adult, £12 for senior citizens, £10 for children and students and family tickets of £42 are available.

For more information please visit www.friendsofoakwellhall.org.uk

VW Festival 201514th - 16th August 2015 @ Harewood House, Leeds

A full weekend of live entertainment, live music, VW’s galore and a great venue with a laid back atmosphere. Something for everyone.

VW Festival is about so much more than just VW's. There is entertainment for all ages and all interests so the entire family can enjoy the show, for the whole weekend. Below is a selection of just some of the entertainment you might see at VW Festival 2015.

• Live bands• Live graffiti displays• Fancy Dress - 80's style• Raffle Beetle• Children's Entertainment & Marquee• Bike Stunt Display• Circus Academy• Scalextric racing• Animal Antics• Free face painting

For more information visit www.vwfestival.co.uk

Tribfest 201520th - 23rd August 2015Sledmere House, SledmereDriffield, East Yorkshire, Y025 3XG

The world's biggest tribute band music festival!The preparations for Tribfest number 9 are now well under way, and there are lots of exciting new ideas for 2015! Including opening the Main Stage on Thursday 20th August, so for the first time, there’ll be main stage music for 4 days! Check out the lineup pages now to see who’s playing at www.tribfest.co.uk

The full lineup has been confirmed for all 7 stages with a range of brilliant live music, comedy and DJ's to keep everyone entertained for the full weekend.

Tickets are flying out and 2015 is well on target to be the biggest yet, so make sure you get your tickets quick before they sell out!

See you at the biggest weekend of the year, Tribfest 2015!

For more information visit www.tribfest.co.uk

Image © Trojan Photography

Wensleydale Agricultural ShowLeyburn Showground, North Yorkshire – Sat 29 August 2015

Wensleydale Agricultural Show is a traditional dales show, located close to Leyburn, North Yorkshire in the heart of Wensleydale.

Wensleydale Show features an extensive range of competitive events for livestock such as sheep, cattle, horses and poultry. There will be over 60 classes in poultry alone, ranging from large fowls to true bantams and an egg section.There are also horticultural and handicraft classes. Dry Stone Walling Demonstration and Wensleydale Sheep competitions reflect local aspects.

Ring displays continue throughout the day, many trade stands offer a wide range of products & produce and Leyburn band plays.

For more information visit wensleydaleshow.org.uk

Image © Chris Keller-Jackson

01484 821 500www.ramsdens.co.uk

#knowyourlawyer #askRamsdens

for all your legal needs call your local solicitorsRamsdens

with 10 offices across West Yorkshire we’re never too far away

At last, the winter’s gone and it’s time to drag on the wellies, collect the secateurs and get the garden ready for the rest of the year. First, prune shrubs including hardy fuschias, and take back buddleia by at least a third, to encourage plenty of new growth. You can also cut back winter flowering ones such as bush honeysuckle and winter flowering jasmine, once their flowers have dropped. And although a lot has been said about the best time to prune the roses, watch out for the first blooms on the forsythia and you can be sure it’s safe to set to work on them.

Pruning roses encourages new growth and is a good opportunity to shape the bush or climber. Use sharp tools which will allow a clean cut. Prune at a 45 degree angle, about a quarter of an inch above an outward facing bud. Remove dead wood, weak spindly branches, and any sucker growth. If you have climbers, tie in long branches horizontally, to encourage more flowers. Mulch well.

Next some light and careful hoeing to rid the beds of those tiny weed seedlings sprouting between the shoots of perennials such as delphiniums. If you do it now, you’ll save yourself a lot of work later, and at the same time, you’re letting air into the soil and improving drainage. Snails and slugs are re-emerging, so watch your hostas as the first leaves appear, and spread handfuls of sharp grit around them. Do the same if you’ve planted tulips. Slugs love those first leaves.

Is your patio area covered with moss?Clean it off and check your garden furniture to make sure it’s ready for use on the first warm day. Check out your pots to make sure they’re ready for planting up, and clean up the greenhouse.

Are you making the most of your fences? Gardens get smaller with every new home that’s built, and fences provide more scope for increased flowers and foliage,

as well as clothing those plain brown screens with colour. The range of climbing plants is enormous and roses are a first choice for many, with a huge range of colours and varieties, from the old fashioned moss rose, to modern patio roses and standards. For the purpose of covering fences and arbors, climbers and rambling roses are the ones to choose.

The climbing rose, the double pink Gertrude Jekyll, has everything. Deliciously scented and repeat flowering, every garden should have one. For sheer exuberance, the tiny, scented white flowers of Rambling Rector is also top of the favourites and Iceberg is another white rose, repeat flowering, semi double, lightly scented and almost thornless. So good, it achieved the RHS Garden of Merit Award. The difference between climbers and ramblers is simple. Rambling roses bloom spectacularly once a year, and climbers bloom constantly throughout the summer.

Planting Your RosesIf possible, attach trellis to your fences leaving a gap between the fence and trellis work of about three inches. This will allow air circulation and an easy structure for tying in. It also shows off the flowers to their best advantage. Dig a hole at least twelve to eighteen inches away from the fence, add a good amount of well rotted manure or compost to the soil, then plant, making sure the roots are gently spread out, before lightly firming in and watering well.

Another very popular climbing plant is the clematis, and different varieties of this species can be obtained which flower almost every month of the year, and some, such as clematis armandii, are evergreen. This particular variety is a wonderful plant, keeping your fence covered in winter with its dark green glossy foliage, followed by white flowers in spring.Planting Your ClematisAll clematis like a cool root run. Dig a decent sized hole about eighteen inches away from the fence, and add plenty of compost. Position the plant, making sure the roots are at least 6 inches below soil level and well supported by a cane until it can twine around your trellis. Water in well, top up the hole, then mulch the surface, and add gravel or small stones to keep the surface cool.

Other perennial climbers include Golden Hop and sweetly scented summer jasmine. The pink flowered perennial sweet pea is also an old favourite, and for the price of a packet of seeds, annual climbers could include nasturtiums, sweet peas and the delightful yellow canary creeper. I find that sweet pea seeds are best planted two or three to a pot. This causes less disturbance to the roots when they’re ready for planting out. Sweet peas need plenty of feeding, but the scent and colour of their flowers are more than reward for their early care with the added bonus of plenty of cut flowers for the house.

The days are longer and the birdsong is louder. If you put in the spadework now, you’ll be ready for those long hot days of Summer when you can relax and enjoy your perfect garden. Iced drink anyone?

IS YOUR GARDEN READY FOR SUMMER?

Images supplied by West Country Nurseries.

YOUR TIMBER NEEDS: SORTED!

Long Established...James Chambers Timber Merchants was established in 1908 by Mr Chambers who operated out of a small timber yard connected to the Halifax High Level Way Railway Line, which enabled the company to transport its goods to customers in the local area. To this day James Chambers still operates from the same yard all be it on a much larger scale as an importer of timber and manufactured joinery products.

What do we doIf its timber related then chances are we do it! Not only are we renowned for providing the best quality softwoods and hardwoods from around the world as well as timber sourced from within the UK. Our extensive range of manufactured joinery products ranging from tools to doors and summer houses maintains our position as a quality timber merchant.

Manufactured Joinery...Our manufactured Joinery department provides a wide variety of products such as doors, flooring, stair parts, worktops and decking. These products are perfect in order to add the finishing touches to your home and the range includes top quality products from some of the UK’s leading suppliers.

Environmental Policy...At James Chambers we recognise that we have a responsibility to the environment, our customers, suppliers and staff to base our commercial activities on well - managed and sustainable forests. We are fully committed to purchasing all timber from legal sources and seeking evidence of compliance that they are operating in accordance with the laws of their country.

Pellon Lane Sawmills/Pellon Lane, Halifax HX1 4PX

Tel: 01422 361251www.james-chambers.co.uk

SOFTWOOD & HARDWOOD

STOCKS AVAILABLE


WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK| |22 23www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

• 24 hour emergency phone in case the adopter has a personal emergency

• Euthanasia free at RSPCA Animal Centre

• Discount cremation service

• 20% discount for surgical procedures and emergencies(at participating vets)

• Immediate return for re homing via the scheme should an owner be unable to continue looking after an animal.

All dogs and cats will be fully vaccinated, de flea, wormed, microchip, neutered, vet checked and fully temperament assessed before re homing.

The RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield and District Branch have developed the EARS Scheme to assist with the re homing of elderly dogs and cats (10 years +.) These animals enter our centre often due to their owner’s ill health or death, but few prospective adopters want to take on such an animal, mainly because of the possible financial implications.

The SchemeAdopters will pay £5.00 per month to the Halifax, Huddersfield and District Branch which will entitle them to the following benefits:

• A free booster vaccination and health check once a year

• Free routine worming tablets and discounted flea treatment

• All current and future medication will be offered at a discounted price

• Prescription diets will be offered at a discounted price

• Discount grooming from Lara at Warilda Grooming Salon

• Transport to our clinic where necessary

• Grants for emergency treatment/elective surgery dependant on the buoyancy of the Scheme

• Emergency cover if an owner is hospitalised

• Access to our Animal Centre vet during routine clinic times at £5.00 per consultation

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsHalifax, Huddersfield & District Branch

E.A.R.SElderly Animal Rehoming Scheme

RSPCA Animal CentreWade Street, Halifax HX1 1SN.

Tel: (01422) 365628www.rspca-halifaxandhuddersfield.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 225575 www.rspca-halifaxandhuddersfield.org.uk

If you are interested in these Schemes and would like to know more please contact ANNETTE

BAVERSTOCK at the Animal Centre on 01422 365628 or email annettebaverstock@rspca-

halifaxandhuddersfield.org.uk

Would you like to become one of our fantastic fostering team?

A large amount of animals come through our Centre doors each year which require fostering. From a single puppy to pregnant cats, we often call on our fosterers to help out with the temporary care of animals.

Fosterers are provided with everything they need including medical treatment. All we ask in return is for you to love and care for your foster animal until they are able to come back to the Centre for re homing. EARS animals stay in foster care until they are adopted.

Upcoming RSPCA events...Foster Homes

Urgently Needed

We Need Your Donations...All your donations will be used to raise money for our Animal Centre in Halifax where we rehabilitate and rehome animals that are in need of our help.

OUR SHOPS...HALIFAXQueens Hall, Queens Road Halifax HX1 3NS. Tel: 01422 362461

28 Union Street Halifax HX1 1PR. Tel: 01422 343858

BRIGHOUSE53 Commercial Street Brighouse. HD6 1AF Tel: 01484 714571

HUDDERSFIELD6 Byram Street Huddersfield HD1 1BX. Tel: 01484 469402

37 Trinity Street Huddersfield HD1 4DL. Tel: 01484 426181

SOWERBY BRIDGE6 Regents Parade, Wharf Street Sowerby Bridge HX6 2EH Tel: 01422 835525

HEBDEN BRIDGE14 Bridge Gate Hebden BridgeHX7 8EX Tel: 01422 842145

ELLAND19 Southgate, Elland HX5 0BWTel 01422 378236

The Twilight Scheme The Twilight Scheme has been set up to fund the medical treatment of our elderly cats and dogs before they are re-homed. If you are unable to adopt an elderly animal but would like to help, why not join The RSPCA Twilight Scheme to help provide our elderly animals with essential veterinary care?

Please contact [email protected] for information on the scheme and how to donate.

WINNER OF THE MARINA ARNSBY AWARD

Presented to the branch for the most innovative re homing scheme Sunday 5th July - K9 Party in the Park

Manor Heath Park, Halifax

Thursday 23rd JulyRSPCA Dog Day Afternoon Shibden Park, Halifax

Sunday 16th August - Catnapped RSPCA Animal Centre

Sunday 23rd AugustDoggy Dash for Life (in partnership with Cancer Research)Beaumont Park, Huddersfield

Saturday 5th Sept - RSPCA Horse ShowHopton Horse Centre, Huddersfield

Sunday 27th SeptBig Walkies – Sponsored Dog WalkNorth Dean Woods, Halifax

Sunday 4th October Animal Blessing ServiceHalifax Minster

October - Annual Photo Competition

Saturday 31st October - Autumn Fair Maurice Jagger Centre, Halifax

Sunday 6th DecemberRSPCA Animal Centre Open Day

Join us on

Sunday 27th September at

North Dean Woods, Greetland

To register please contact Lauren on 01422 341160 or email

[email protected]

Sunday 5th July 12pm - 5pm

The RSPCA Halifax, Huddersfield and District Branch PRESENTS

For more info call Kath on 07796 543303, Lauren on 07538 114079

or the Branch Office on 01422 341160

www.rspca-halifaxandhuddersfield.org.uk

FREE ADMISSION BUT DONATIONS WELCOME!!

Manor Heath Park, Halifax HX3 0EB

Agility

Dog Parade

Microchipping

Info & Advice

Lots of stalls and games for you and your dog!

K9 Party in the Park

A great day out for the whole family…..and the dog!

FUN DOG SHOW!

(entries from 11.30am)

THETHETHETOP 20TOP 20TOP 20TOP 20TOP 20TOP 20TOP 20

MISCONCEPTIONS

1. Coffee is made from beans (74%)It is actually made from a seed called a bean.

2. Chameleons change colour to match their surroundings (69%)Chameleons change as a response to mood, temperature, communication and light instead of the object they are touching.

6. You lose your body

heat fastest through

your head (53%)

This is a myth, experts say

humans would be just as cold if they went

without a hat as if they went without trousers.

3. Mount Everest is the ‘tallest’ mountain in the world (57%)The summit of Mount Everest is higher above sea level than the summit of any other mountain, but Mauna Kea is the tallest when measured from base to summit.

1. Coffee is made from beans (74%)

4. The Great Wall of China can be

seen from space (55%)

The Apollo astronauts confi rmed that you can’t

see the Great Wall of China from the Moon. In

fact, all you can see from the Moon is the white

and blue marble of our home planet.

5.One human year is equivalent to seven dog years (53%)It depends on the size and breed of the dog.

5.One human year is equivalent to seven

and blue marble of our home planet.

6. You lose your body

heat fastest through

humans would be just as cold if they went

7. The Earth revolves around the Sun (53%)Technically, what is going on is that the Earth, Sun and all the planets are orbiting around the centre of mass of the solar system.

9. Peanuts are a type of nut (47%)Peanuts, along with beans and peas, belong to the single plant family, Leguminosae.

8. Different parts of your tongue

detects different tastes (51%)

This was scientifi cally disproven by later

research; all taste sensations come from all

regions of the tongue, although different parts

are more sensitive to certain tastes.

beans and peas, belong to the single plant family,

are more sensitive to certain tastes.

10. Giving children sugar makes them hyper (47%)This is not the case, most research has concluded that sugar does not cause hyperactivity.

11. Humans have five senses (46%)It turns out, there are at least nine senses and most researchers think there are more like twenty-one or so.

12. Fortune cookies are a

Chinese tradition (45%)

This was in fact invented by the Americans.

14. Vikings wore

horned helmets (43%)

There is no evidence to suggest

Vikings ever wore

horned helmets.

13. Sushi means ‘raw fish’ (43%)

Sushi actually translates as sour-tasting.

This was in fact invented by the Americans.

14. Vikings wore

Sushi actually translates as

15. The forbidden fruit mentioned

in the Book of Genesis is an

apple (43%)The bible never mentions

the forbidden fruit was an apple.

16. Vitamin C is an effective treatment for a cold (41%)Most experts have stated there is little or no evidence that vitamin C can help treatment of a cold.

17. Penguins mate for life (41%)

Penguins are mostly monogamous, however

there are some species like the Emperor

Penguin which is serially monogamous, they

mate with one couple for the

whole season but the next

year they will probably

mate with another

penguin as the

urgent need for

breeding will

make them

avoid waiting

for the same

couple the

following year.

Penguins are mostly monogamous, however

there are some species like the Emperor

Penguin which is serially monogamous, they

mate with one couple for the

whole season but the next

year they will probably

mate with another

urgent need for

18. Caffeine dehydrates you (41%)While caffeinated drinks may have a mild diuretic effect — meaning that they may cause the need to urinate — they don’t appear to increase the risk of dehydration.

avoid waiting

for the same

following year.following year.

dehydrates you

drinks may have a mild diuretic effect — meaning that they may cause the need to urinate — they don’t appear to increase the risk of dehydration.

19. When in London, you are merely six feet away from a rat (39%)This is just a rough estimate as rodents are not evenly spread apart.

20. There is a

dark side of

the moon (37%)

As the Moon is

constantly rotating

on its own axis,

there is no area of

the planetoid which

is in permanent

darkness.

20. There is a

dark side of

the moon (37%)

As the Moon is

constantly rotating

on its own axis,

there is no area of

the planetoid which

is in permanent

darkness.

14. Vikings wore

horned helmets (43%)

There is no evidence to suggest

Vikings ever wore

horned helmets.

sour-tasting.

15. The forbidden fruit mentioned

urinate — they don’t appear to increase the risk of dehydration.

19. When in London, you are merely six feet away from a rat (39%)

The bible never mentions

15. The forbidden

Courtesy of Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Londonwww.ripleyslondon.com

Experts have revealed a list of modern life’s top

misconceptions – including the mistaken belief that

coffee is made from beans and chameleons change

colour to match their surroundings.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! London compiled the list

of ‘faux facts’, many of which are passed round daily

and we’re sure you will be familiar with.

We have included the top

20 for your reading pleasure.

Top 20 Myths Article.indd 2-3 19/05/2015 14:29


When we investigate new apartments or houses with a view to moving, a feeling of space with plenty of natural light in evidence is what we are searching for. It not only makes us feel better but it’s a great way to help reduce energy costs.

Architects and developers know that these elements sell their homes to the public and plan accordingly. But, it may not be quite so easy to harness plenty of natural light and create more space in less modern properties.

Most of the homes built in the UK after World War II favoured smaller, more intimate rooms which were relatively cheap to heat, and this legacy has

continued to a lesser extent into the early Noughties.

However, in the last 10 years or so in particular, more of us are demanding open plan living areas with as much natural light as we can get. In fact, through solar panels in the roof more and more of us even turn natural sunlight to domestic energy to cut household bills.

Getting more fresh air into your home along with that vital light and creating more space for growing families - or simply giving yourself more room to breathe - can be costly if you have to think about remodelling homes or building on large extensions or wings.

So, more and more people are going for a range of other options that still help to bring the outside inside.

CONSERVATORIES are particularly popular for this, not only because they come in such a variety of sizes and styles to suit all kinds of properties but because they are now cheaper and more efficient than ever.

Conservatories enlarge homes and can genuinely enhance the look of a property. They offer a private, bright space for hobbies, for family time or just for reading alone.

They also bring people closer to their gardens, both physically and emotionally, and allow a new

Bringing the outside in...NATURAL light and space are among the popular hallmarks of modern homes in 2015 whatever size your property.

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perspective on greenery without having to suffer from the vagaries of the British climate.

ORANGERIES are another popular addition to homes, generating extra living space and creating a special place to live – and work if you prefer – in a private but bright room. They tend to contain more brickwork than glass, can be a bigger project to create, but always add elegance to homes.

You can add a bold and unique visual element to your property with a GLASS ROOF EXTENSION. The glass naturally creates a light living space and the beauty of these extensions is that they can be tailor-made into even the most testing of spaces, letting in an unrivalled amount of daylight.

TILED ROOF EXTENSIONS are also designed to look and function like a permanent part of the property. This additional space makes your house a more desirable place to live and, should you come to sell your property, it immediately allows would-be buyers to envisage using that extra room for their lifestyle needs.

To open up kitchen and living areas, how about installing BIFOLDING DOORS? These clever additions not only look stylish but offer a large area bringing in light, and they can easily fold back to allow in fresh air and the beauty of your garden.

These doors come into their own for families and open up the whole house. Socialising in the kitchen – which often

predominates at parties - is then less cramped and more easygoing. Cooking smells vanish and individuals can spill out onto the patio to enjoy the best of the outside in convivial company.

Another clever way to enjoy the outside and still protect yourself from the less attractive parts of the British weather is to install an AWNING. These handsome, often brightly coloured additions to your home allow you to dine or just sit outside, away from the sun or even drizzle, as an easy extension of your lifestyle.

You can get awnings custom-made to look just right on your home. And the beauty of them is that when you don’t need them they simply fold away until the next time. Many of us enjoy our gardens and it’s lovely, not only to see close up the fruits of your labours when it comes to admiring the plants, flowers and other greenery, but also because of the health benefits.

Fresh air is good for the digestion, improves your blood pressure and heart-rate, strengthens your immune system and cleans your lungs. It also gives you more energy and sharpens the mind – and, probably the most important thing, it makes you happier!

So it’s worth crafting a lifestyle that takes advantage of Nature’s free gifts, and open up your home to all the best possibilities of living.

Cook with the stars!John Torode, Paul Hollywood and James Martin

JERK CHICKENSERVES 6To get a more authentic jerk experience, add some wood chips to your barbecue and cook your chicken thighs or legs over slow indirect heat for the bestflavour. Alternatively enjoy a beautiful jerk chicken breast cooked over a high heat – it should be ready in 10 minutes or less.

12 chicken thighs, bone in,or 8 large chicken breasts

MARINADE1 large bunch spring onions, or 2 smaller bunches2 tbsp soy sauce2 tbsp vegetable oil1 tbsp saltjuice of 1 lime1 /2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbspfresh thyme1 tbsp allspice berries1-10 scotch bonnets (start witha small amount and addmore later if you think itneeds it)1 thumb-sized piece ginger3 garlic cloves1 /2 small onion2-3 tbsp of brown sugar

To make the marinade, put all the ingredients in a blender and process until you have a purée. Don’t add more water if you’re having trouble getting it all blended, just keep turning off theblender, stirring it up with a spatula, and trying again. Eventually it will start to blend up nicely. Now taste it. It should taste pretty salty, but not unpleasantly puckeringly salty. You can also nowthrow in more chillies if it’s not spicy enough for you. If you think it tastes too salty and sour, try adding a bit more brown sugar until things seem good and balanced.

Put the chicken pieces in a bowl, cover with the marinade and leave overnight. Next day, cook the chicken over a smoky fire for 15 to 20 minutes, turning about six times during cooking.

CHICKEN WITHCOCONUT DRESSINGSERVES 6

50g palm sugar50ml fish sauce400g can coconut milk6 chicken thigh fillets

2 red Thai shallots1 /2 red pepper, cut into julienne2 small red chillies, cut intojulienne50g cucumber, cut intojulienne10g roasted peanuts4 lime leaves, cut into very finejulienne30 coriander leaves6 squares banana leaf, to serve

Bring the palm sugar, fish sauce and coconut milk to the boil in alarge saucepan, add the chicken and poach until the chicken iscooked through. Leave to cool.

Mix the other ingredients (except the banana leaves) together in abowl. When the chicken is cool, cut it into 1cm thick strips andtoss into the salad.

Lay a banana leaf at the centre of each plate and pile on thesalad. Drizzle with some of the poaching liquid and serve.

John Torode

FOOD & DRINK

SERVES 5This is the original portable meal, eaten by Cornish tin miners and farm labourers. The pastry had to be robust to make it portable, and it was quite common to have a savoury filling at one end, sweet at the other. It now has protected status and must be made in Cornwall. The vegetables need to be cut thinly so they almost melt into the meat on cooking, and the crimping is all-important. I was told that you need 21 crimps to make a proper pasty.

Pastry450g plain flour½ tsp salt115g cold lard, diced75g cold unsalted butter, dicedAbout 90ml ice-cold water1 egg, lightly beaten, to glaze

Paul Hollywood

Filling1 large onion120g swede1 large floury potato, such as King Edward or Maris Piper400g beef skirt50g butterSalt and pepper

EQUIPMENTA 24cm plate (to use as a guide)

1. To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, add the lard and butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in enough water to make a fairly firm dough, then knead briefly until smooth. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

CORNISH PASTIES2. For the filling, slice the onion finely; cut the swede and potato into small, thin strips; keep each separate. Cut the beef into small, thin pieces and divide into 5 portions.

3. Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Divide the pastry into 5 equal pieces. Roll each out on a lightly floured surface to a 3mm thickness and cut out a 24cm circle, using a plate as a guide.

4. Scatter a scant layer of swede on the pastry semi-circle, leaving a 1cm border. Add a similar layer of potato, season lightly and top with some onion. Repeat the swede and potato layers, seasoning as you go. Check the pasty will close, then add the beef. Add a final layer of onion, season and dot with butter.

5. Brush the pastry border with a little beaten egg, then close the lid of the pasty, making sure that the edges meet. Press together firmly and then crimp the edges together by pinching all the way round between your thumb and forefinger.

6. Fill and seal the remaining circles of pastry in the same way. Place the pasties on 2 baking trays and cut 2 small slits in the middle of each one. Brush the pastry with beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 160°C/Gas 3 and bake for 30 minutes longer. Best eaten hot from the oven.

FOR MORE FOODIE ARTICLES VISIT WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK


POLLO ALLA CACCIATORAHUNTER’S CHICKEN

SERVES 4 This classic Italian dish is renowned all over the world and often seen on the menus of Italian restaurants. The title alla cacciatora (‘in the style of the hunter’) suggests it was probably first made with game birds or rabbit.

750g/1lb 10oz chicken thighs and drumsticks salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed and left whole 1 small red chilli, sliced2 sprigs of rosemary 2 sprigs of thymea handful of parsley, roughly chopped 2 bay leaves 4 sage leaves 125ml/4fl oz/½ cup dry white wine 1½ tbsp tomato purée (paste), dissolved in 3 tbsp lukewarm water175g/6oz cherry tomatoes, halved James Martin

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All offers subject to availability. Two for One pizza and pasta does not apply to starters or takeaways. Main menu only.

However, as with many Italian dishes, it also has roots in the cucina povera, when people used whatever meagre ingredients they had to hand; in this case, a chicken or, more likely, an old hen, was slaughtered for a special occasion and, to make it go further, enriched with whatever vegetables and herbs were available in the garden as well as a splash of homemade wine. It is made all over Italy and here I have recreated it in the way it is normally made in my region of Campania, using lots of herbs and fresh tomatoes. I like to serve this rustic dish with slices of toasted country bread drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Rub the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the chicken and seal well all over.

Add the onion, garlic, chilli and herbs and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat. Add the wine, increase the heat and allow the wine to evaporate slightly. Add the diluted tomato purée, then stir in the cherry tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook gently for 1¼ hours, until the chicken is cooked through; the flesh should come away from the bone and there should be no sign of pink when you pierce the thickest part. Serve hot.

For a slow cookerHeat the oil in a large deep frying pan and cook the chicken as above. Continue as above, add the tomatoes, plus 300ml/10fl oz/1¼ cups chicken stock. Bring to the boil, then transfer to a large slow cooker pot. Cover and cook on Low for 7–8 hours or until there are no pink juices when the chicken is pierced with a small knife.

FOOD & DRINK

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AUTHENTICCHINESE FOODCome along to this stunning new addition to the Huddersfield dining scene.

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THE NEXT ISSUE OF

KIRKLEES & CALDERDALE IS PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER


yYou canMake A Difference in 2015

Join Pulse1 and Pulse2 to support Kirkwood Hospice throughout the year

After the success of last year’s Make a Difference Day, Kirkwood Hospice has teamed up with Pulse1 and Pulse2 radio to launch a year-long fundraising campaign: Make A Difference 2015. With the help of Pulse1 and Pulse2, Make A Difference 2015 will help to create awareness about the work of Kirkwood Hospice across the community whilst raising vital money to support the patients, families, carers and friends who depend on its services. As an independent Hospice, Kirkwood currently needs to raise over £5.5m each year simply to maintain its services. This averages out to a staggering £15,338 per day.

Thanks to the generosity of the people of West Yorkshire, ‘Make A Difference Day 2014’ helped the Hospice to raise over £63,000 for vital patient care. In 2015, we need the help of individuals, groups and local businesses – people just like you – to help us raise even more!

How can I Make A Difference in 2015?We are encouraging people from across the community to get involved and help to support the work of the Hospice throughout 2015. You can do this in a number original and quirky ways whilst having fun at the same time, safe in the knowledge that you are helping to ‘Make A Difference’ for people across Kirklees who rely on the Hospice every day.

What can I do?Practically anything that will raise money for Kirkwood! Why not organise a pamper night, welly throwing contest, pub crawl, folk concert or coffee morning with friends?

Or why not join lots of others who will be sporting a MAD hair cut to raise money for Kirkwood?

If you’re still stuck for ideas you’ll find an ‘A-Z of Ideas to Make A Difference’ in our Make A Difference 2015 Fundraising Pack, which can be downloaded at: www.pulse1.co.uk or: www.kirkwoodhospice.co.uk/mad However you choose to support Kirkwood, every pound raised during Make A Difference 2015 will help to fund a future of care and support for the people who depend on the Hospice each and every day.

Make A Difference 2015 is kindly supported by:

For a Fundraising Pack and for more information, please visit: www.pulse1.co.uk, email: [email protected] or call Dawn on: 01484 557913

Registered Charity No 512987

KirkwoodnHospicenisnanRegisterednCharitynbNo£n512987W

We are building a path to a better

journey of care

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KirkwoodnandnthenlocalncommunitynhaventakennthenfirstnstepsninnlayingnanbeautifulnnewnpathninnthenHospicengrounds£n

WithnyournhelpnwencanncontinuentonprovidenanfuturenofncarenfornKirkleesntogether£

For more information or to sponsor a brick please visit: wwwBkirkwoodhospiceBcoBukAbrick'appeal'donationTel: £,484 5579,, or Email: fundraising@kirkwoodhospiceBcoBuk

n

Since N£,N Kirkwood HospiceEs Sponsor'a'Brick Appeal has raised over £88H£££B Now you can help to ensure the Hospice can continue to care for patients across Kirklees by leaving a permanent reminder of your supportB

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Overgate Hospice provide the highest standard of specialist palliative and end of life care for adults in Calderdale who have active, progressive and life-limiting illnesses; and furthermore provide support for their friends and family.

Almost 10% of adults in Calderdale will spend the last days of their life in our care and, as a charity; this would not be possible without the support of our wonderful community.

Volunteers outnumber our paid staff by five to one and without their continued support we simply would not be able to provide our specialist care. We pride ourselves on recognising and utilising the individual skills and experiences of our volunteers to enlist help in a variety of areas; including at events, on reception, in our Day Hospice and Inpatient Unit, and with the catering, finance and administration teams. Over half of our volunteers, however, volunteer within in our 11 charity shops throughout Calderdale.

Volunteering at...

Why I volunteer for OvergateKathryn volunteers at our West Vale Shop‘I was at a crossroads in my life and now, after volunteering in the charity shop in West Vale with Amanda, the shop manager, and all the existing volunteers and staff at Overgate, I feel as though I have been given a big hug.

Everybody cares. It is just like a huge family that looks out and cares for each other. The time that we give to help run the shops makes it possible for the care at Overgate to continue and I feel proud to be a part of something so special.’

Jean volunteers on reception, within the finance team and at our Brighouse Furniture Shop.‘I’d never done anything like this before but I find it extremely rewarding. Volunteering in the furniture shop is like being part of a small community within a larger community!

I really enjoy the personal contact with customers who then become friends. I have also become very good friends with other volunteers. I have found I have gotten to know completely different people than I would normally socialise or come in to contact with.

Our customers become such good friends – they will call in to tell us they have had a new grandchild and update us with family news; it’s really lovely. When I first started volunteering I didn’t know many people in Brighouse – but how things have changed!

Volunteering has helped to develop a sense of pride – especially when customers come into the shop and say how great it is. Not only has it helped me personally but it has helped to promote the name of Overgate - which is so important.’

Charity Shops...We are always in need of new support throughout our Charity Shops and whether you can spare one or twenty hours a week we would love to hear from you, especially given that this Summer will see the opening of our twelfth charity shop, based in Hebden Bridge and set to be a second furniture shop!

If you would like more information about volunteering for Overgate Hospice please contact our Volunteer Services Co-ordinator Caroline on 01422 387121 or email [email protected] quoting ‘50 Plus Magazine’. We would love to hear from you!

Call in to one of our shops! Brighouse – 45 Bethel StreetBrighouse Designer Shop – 49 Bethel StreetBrighouse Furniture Shop – 5a Park StreetElland – 35 SouthgateWest Vale – 5 Stainland RoadHalifax – 50 SouthgateKing Cross – 218 King Cross RoadSowerby Bridge – 21 Town Hall StreetOvenden – 26 Keighley RoadTodmorden – 13 Halifax RoadHebden Bridge – 1/3 Crown Street

30 Hullen Edge Road, Elland, HX5 0QY Tel: 01422 387121

www.overgatehospice.org.uk Registered Charity No. 511619

Join our lottery for just £1 per week and help us care for local people with advanced and progressive illnesses

Tel: 01422 387 121www.overgatehospice.org.uk

£1000weekly prizes

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Who cares, wins!

If you would like to help in a more adventurous way why not join one of our skydive or zipline trips?

Call Laura on 01422 387121 for more information!


At no time is this truer than when we’re older, perhaps looking around at the family home or large house and considering what our next living move must be.

Most of us want to live independently but in a smaller, easier to manage home, possibly with support. If this is the case, then it is to some form of sheltered housing that we would be looking.

There are many kinds of sheltered housing schemes. Some will have a manager or warden, living on-site or off-site, and all should provide 24-hour emergency assistance through an alarm system.

The accommodation involved is usually self-contained but possibly with communal areas like a lounge, laundry room and garden. Many schemes also run social events for residents.

For those of us needing more support, there are extra-care sheltered housing schemes which allow more independence than living in a care home. Here, you would live in a self-contained flat but have your meals provided and you might also receive personal care.

Most sheltered housing for rent is provided by local councils or housing associations, each with its own allocation policy and there may be a waiting list. It’s worth, though, asking how long you might have to wait and what constitutes a priority application. A small amount of sheltered housing is also available to rent privately.

Increasingly popular these days is retirement housing that’s available to buy, usually built by private developers. Age UK suggests you only buy from a builder who is registered with an accredited body like the National House-Building Council (NHBC).

But before you buy any retirement housing, it’s important to ensure you find out about running costs like a service charge, ground rent, Council tax and utility bills.

Before you select where you would like to spend the next stage of your life – especially it you are buying a property - it’s worth having a check-list of requirements that you need to ensure your personal quality of life.

For example, is your chosen spot close to friends and family or would it require a journey? If so, is there a good bus service or are other easy transport links nearby?

If you have a car of your own, is there secure parking on-site or close by and do you have to pay extra for this? Such additional costs can become really important when you’re on a fixed income.

Are you near local amenities like shops, a doctor or clinic and other facilities you might need? Is there an emergency alarm system installed and is a warden available daily or living on-site? Are there useful communal areas where you can mingle with other residents if you want to?

Developers these days are very aware of the needs of older people when they plan retirement developments.

Another popular option these days for independent older living is having a park home. These are single-storey houses installed on land that is owned privately or by the local authority.

They are often situated in pretty spots and can offer an affordable way of moving into an area that might otherwise be too expensive.

THERE comes a time in life for most of us when we realise that the property we’re in may not be suitable to our needs any more.

•Formoreinformationgoto:AgeUKatwww.ageuk.org.ukThe Elderly Accommodation Counsel at www.eac.org.uk

The British Holiday and Home Parks Association at www.bhhpa.org.uk

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WWW.50PLUSMAGAZINE.CO.UK | 41Charity numbers: 20558R / 19412R / 18964R / 27696R / 31527R.

Stonewater manages and owns more than 30,000 homes across England and we have one of the UK’s largest development programmes to help meet the rising demand for housing Stonewater was formed in January 2015 from the merger of Jephson and Raglan Housing Associations.

Our vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to have a place they can call home.

For more information on our homes call the Homes Team on 01422 373 855 or email [email protected]

We are one of the UK’s most significant social housing providers, both in terms of the properties we own, and geographic spread.Our mission is to offer quality homes and services for people whose needs are not met by the open market.

By investing in technology and new approaches, we continually improve our services and meet the aspirations of our customers.

Savile CourtRent: £101.86• 1 bedroom sheltered

accommodation with support• Careline provided• Common room facilities• Guest room• Laundry• Regular social activities

Queen Street, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire,

WF13 3BT

Copley Mill HouseRent: £105.44• 1 bedroom sheltered

accommodation with support services available if required

• Careline provided• Common room facilities• Guest room• Laundry• Hairdressing salon• Regular social activities

Copley Village, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 0UY

Threadneedle CourtRent : £96.24• 1 bedroom sheltered

accommodation with support services available if required

• Careline provided• Common room facilities• Guest room• Laundry• Quiet room• Regular social activities

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CARE

Your chosen home care provider is there to look after you. They should help you to make your own decisions and support you in maintaining your own independence. That also means treating you with respect, valuing you as a person and respecting your privacy. If you need assistance with tasks such as dressing, bathing and toileting, you have the right to choose your carer, whenever possible. Remember, it’s your care and you have the right to be involved in every aspect of your care. Don’t ever be afraid to ask for a family member or friend to be kept informed about your home care too.

Home care company standardsAll companies have a ‘Statement of Purpose’ that sets out their aims and objectives and the type of the services they offer. If you’re employing a company, they should give you a contract explaining all terms and conditions. This will include things such as their confidentiality policy – for example, how they will hold and use personal data. All home care company employees should also have clear written guidelines and follow robust

How to choose the right Home CareWhether you’re choosing a home care company for a family member or starting to plan for your own future, there are several important things that you should consider. Here are a few useful pointers to help you along the way.

procedures on how to administer and assist with any medication needs.

Before your home care startsIt’s important to always make sure that the home care company you choose visits you at home, before care starts. This will give you the chance to discuss your requirements in detail to ensure that you’re happy with your choice of provider. A good home care company will answer any questions you may have during this visit. The visit will also give the company the opportunity to see the environment in which they will be working. If possible, arrange for a family member or friend to be there when the home care company visits.

So you’re thinking about using a company to provide home care? But how can you make sure that the home care provider you choose treats and cares for you in the right way?

Initial home visit by a home care companyDuring the initial home visit by the home care company, they will carry out a detailed risk assessment of your home, as well as a manual handling

Top 10 key questions to ask when choosing a Home Care company• Can the company provide the care needed, and have they provided

care before for someone with similar needs?

• How will the company and staff respect your privacy and dignity?

• Have they taken the time to understand your personal likes and dislikes?

• How do they match the most suitable care worker to your needs? Will they arrive at the time you have requested. Will you always have the same person caring for you. What happens if they are sick or go on holiday?

• What charges will you be expected to pay (Is there a minimum charge)? And how you will be invoiced?

• Is the company insured to protect your safety and interests?

• Do all care workers undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check before being employed? And what ongoing training do they receive?

• Does the company have a copy of its latest inspection report available for you to look at?

• Can the company be contacted outside office hours or in an emergency?

• Will the company give you a copy of their standard contract to read before signing?

assessment. This is important, as it will identify how the company staff will move you safely around your home, if assistance is required.

All staff should be fully trained on using equipment such as a hoist, to help bear your weight safely, if needed.

Keeping you safe and secure in your own homeIt’s the job of the home care company staff to make sure that you are safe and secure in your own home when they are working with you. Every home care company must have procedures in place to protect those using home care services, to reduce the risk of accidents, and protect people from any form of abuse including physical, emotional and financial abuse. This will also include an agreement about gaining access to your home. Care workers should have ID cards to show their photograph, their name, the company’s name and contact details. Home care companies must also have a policy in place that sets out how staff should handle money, if you ask them to buy things, or to pay a bill for you.

Paying for home care It’s important to know the cost of home care and you should always be provided with a clear idea of costs for home care services. In most cases, companies will charge different rates for home care on weekday, evenings and weekends. There is also often a higher rate on Bank Holidays. Remember to ask if there will be any additional costs that you need to know about.

If you have been assessed by Social Services as being eligible for care and support at home, and Social Services have agreed to, fully or part fund your care (dependant on your financial assessment), you can choose to have the Care Company Social Services appoint, or you can choose to have Social Services provide the money to buy, some or all of, the support you need using something called a “Direct Payment”. The Direct Payment option allows you greater flexibility and freedom in how your care is provided. You can choose to employ your own ‘personal assistant’ or decide to work with the care provider of your choice.

Your local Social Services team will be able to advise you further.

Check what you are being chargedAll costs should be written into the contract between you and the company and you should be invoiced at regular intervals for the previous months’ service. In most cases, the home care company will keep timesheets that you will need to sign. Always check that they have logged the correct length of visits. It may seem easier to sign only once a week but if you do this you may be charged the incorrect amount and it will prove difficult to prove otherwise.

Automated care worker monitoringSome home care companies have electronic monitoring so care workers can ‘check in’ using their mobile phone or put a pin number into your landline phone.

There is no cost to you when they use this system and it records the exact length of time that your care provider has been with you. This system also helps the home care company to highlight any missed calls by the care worker, reducing the risk of you not getting a call.

CARE

Locala HomeCare, a homecare provider in Huddersfield, was launched in July 2013 and provides a high quality, personalised service.

We are a people-focused business, from our hands-on managers who have local knowledge and experience in the areas we serve to our committed, compassionate home care assistants who do what they do because they care.

Our philosophy is that every care plan should be tailor-made to the individual’s needs, not one that’s the closest fit.

We are regulated by the independent Care Quality Commission (CQC) which sets stringent quality and safety standards for the management and operation of care services. Information about the CQC can be found at www.cqc.org.uk where you can read our latest inspection report and compare our performance against other providers. Here’s what the Care Quality

Commission inspectors said in their last report:

“We spoke with one person who used the service and one relative. Both people we spoke with told us the person receiving the service received good care from staff who knew them well. The relative we spoke with told us their relative received the care they required to meet their personal needs. For example, daily record logs identified that carers stayed with the person who used the service for the allocated amount of time and care had been provided as detailed in the person’s individual plan”.

Wherever possible our aim is to help our service users retain their independence whilst focusing on their specific needs. This has been the driving philosophy behind Locala HomeCare from the beginning. We are delighted that the care we provide has been officially recognised to be of the highest quality by the CQC.

The philosophy behind Locala HomeCare comes from the years of experience behind the people at Locala Community Partnerships, a community interest company – a type of social enterprise – which provides NHS community healthcare services in and around Kirklees. Locala HomeCare is a subsidiary company with the same values-driven approach and the belief that the patient or service user should always be at the centre of all that we do.

Take that first step and find out how we can help you promote your independence, in your own home, with services tailored to suit your own needs.

“Carers are very sociable, caring and

consistent.”

“Excellent carers.”

“Couldn’t wish for a better service, no

praise high enough.”

Helping you keep your independenceIf you think that our carers can provide the right care for you and would like to discuss our service further please contact Charity Dube our HomeCare Manager.

Tel: 07970 810 844 or 01484 467 625. Email: [email protected]

If Charity is not available when you call you can speak to Julie and she will also be able to help you.

www.locala-homecare.org.uk

Providing quality care and support at home

"The last few months of her life were made significantly more bearable by the support. Using a regular team of carers

to deal with individual clients in the way you provided is the optimum way of creating an atmosphere of trust and

mutual understanding."

Please contact a member of our experienced team for further information on 0303 3308820 | www.locala-homecare.org.uk


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AffordableFuneral Service

local caring independent funeral director

Losing a loved one can be one of life's most upsetting and distressing times. We go out of our way to help ease the worries where funeral arrangements are concerned.Not only involved with losing a loved one is the emotional upset, but it can also be a time of financial worry and strain and we not only lend a sympathetic ear but also an affordable funeral service too.

Or maybe you see not the need for an elaborate funeral and want only a simple, low key occasion without all the fuss.

Affordable Funeral Service

Personal Family TouchesWe strongly believe that a funeral service for a loved one should be as personal and unique as they were and we will do everything possible to ensure that all wishes are carried out to make things easier on the day.

Be it that family members would like to carry the coffin or perhaps certain members would like to speak within the funeral service. We encourage family involvement and are more than happy to discuss all options possible.

Serving all areasAffordable without comprominsing on care.

If we can help please call for an informal chat and advice

Pre-Paid Funerals

Golden LeavesFuneral Plans

Bradley Funeral Service9 Copthorne Square, Bradley, HuddersfieldTel:01484 534 488

Springhead Funeral Service7/9 Stainland Rd, Halifax (opposite Andy Thorntons) Tel 01422 327 382

Low Fuss Funeral - £1650

ALL OTHER FUNERAL REQUIREMENTS UNDERTAKEN AFFORDABLY

Bespoke Funeral - £1800• The payment of a cremation fee

• The payment of the Doctor's fees

• The payment of the Minister's fees

• The conveyance of your loved one into our chapel of rest

• The provision of an oak-effect coffin and interior of your choice

• The arranging and conducting of the funeral

• The provision of the hearse and necessary staff on the day of the funeral

• The payment of a cremation fee

• The payment of the Doctor's fees

• The payment of the Minister's fees

• The conveyance of your loved one into our chapel of rest

• The provision of an oak-effect coffin and interior of your choice

• The arranging and conducting of the funeral

• The provision of the hearse and necessary staff on the day of the funeral

• The viewing of your loved one at our traditional chapel of rest

• The leaving from a home address on the day of the funeral before proceeding to the crematorium


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