brandon town magazine - issue 7
DESCRIPTION
March 2014 edition of the Brandon Town MagazineTRANSCRIPT
BrandonSUFFOLK
TOWN MAGAZINEMARCH 2014 - ISSUE 7
• More properties wanted for waiting tenants• Tenant finding service or full management
• All tenancies managed locally, not from a central office many miles away• Rents paid promptly to landlords (usually within 2 working days)
• All maintenance problems reported immediately and landlords’ instructions carried out• Member of ARLA (Association of Residential Letting Agents)
• Reasonable fees, no hidden extras • No VAT on fees
Tel: 01842 815777 Email: [email protected] House, 30 Bury Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0BU
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Brandon OfficeTel: 01842 810534 (24 hours)
London Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0EWEmail: [email protected]
Thetford OfficeTel: 01842 752197 (24 hours)
30 Bury Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3DEEmail: [email protected]
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Welcome to BrandonEarly signs of spring are making themselves known in the flower beds and with it comes the 7th edition of the Brandon Town Magazine, that will hopefully brighten your day too.
The feedback we have received has been very positive and we’ve taken your suggestions on board to make the magazine even better. A varied selection of groups are submitting articles. Would you like to see more from them or more general interest topics? Let us know at the magazine email address or the drop box situated at The Brandon Centre.
RegardsThe Brandon Town Magazine Team
Deadline for April issue 14th March
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information contained within this publication, the publishers take no responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by it’s contributors, in any advertisements or for any loss arising from non-publication of any advertisement. Reproduction of any part of this publication without
permission is strictly forbidden. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.
To advertise your business please email [email protected]
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5
1st Brandon Scout GroupThe Scouts, Cubs & Beavers are very excited about the forthcoming ‘Brandon in Bloom’ event, especially the wheelbarrow competition. They have come up with lots of ideas & we have come down to 3 very different ideas. So watch this space!
We are all hoping that the bad weather that we are experiencing will go away & give us some sunny spring days so that we can get on with our outside area. Hopefully we may be one of the gardens chosen for the open gardens day.
We decided at the end of last year that we should try a different approach to some of our fund raising ideas. We thought maybe a Jumble Sale. Well our Jumble sale wasn’t what Brandon wanted. We did make some money by putting all the clothing into our textile collection which made us £76.00. All the soft toys have been given to other good causes to help them with their fund raising. Abigail held her cake stall & made nearly £40.00, so it wasn’t as disastrous as we thought.
We have recently had a new assistant Scout Leader join our group. Nick Truman used to be one of our Cub Leaders but had to give up his role due to family commitments. We are pleased that Nick has come back & I am sure he will be looking forward like the rest of us to the better weather when we can get down to some outdoor Scouting.
We have had lots of enquiries from people wanting to join our sections & I am pleased to say that we are expecting a new intake after Easter. This will bring our Beavers & Cubs up to capacity with a few places at Scouts.
For more information about volunteering or putting a young persons name down please contact Lynda Smith GSL on 01842 878765.
Brandon Town Council ReportPrecept
The precept for the financial year 2014/15 was confirmed at the February Town Council meeting as £243,099.00. This equates to a Town Council Tax of £88.77 (based on Band D properties).
Street lighting costs
In comparison to last year’s basic maintenance and energy costs of £29,219.00 the invoice for 2013/14 shows a saving of £9,105.00. This is attributed to the council’s decision to install the Intelligent Lighting System and switch off lights between midnight and 5.30am.
Planning consultation
Comments submitted from Brandon Town Council in relation to planning application 3PL/2013/1184/0 Mixed use development food store/petrol station/play barn/business trade/access road & car parking: Weeting, Mundford Road IP27 0PL: the impact of this development on Brandon would be severely detrimental. Valuable trade would be taken out of the town; traffic in an already congested High Street would increase significantly; with no immediate plans for a bridge over the railway crossing the still unresolved issues with the barriers would produce even more traffic difficulties.
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7
Brandon & District Rotary ClubRotarians, their ladies and guests recently enjoyed a Valentine’s Night dinner at Santon Downham Community Centre followed by Matt’s version of the ‘Mr & Mrs’ TV game. Our President, Peter and Lucy were the winners and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Brandon & District Rotary Club is running a Photographic Competition open to all ages and entries should be submitted by 27th March. The theme is ‘Winter’ and images must have been taken by the entrant on or after 1st January 2013. Images can be taken by a conventional camera or tablet or mobile phone. Entry is free and there will be a £50 prize for the winner and a Studio 5 voucher for the runner-up. Judging will take place on Thursday 3rd April.
Rules and entry forms available upon request – please call 01842 815777 during office hours. Entries should be sent to Whichelow Property Management, Bury Road, Brandon or to Studio 5 in Brandon or Thetford.
Brandon in BloomPlant a barrow
This is an open invitation to any youth group in Brandon, Elveden, Santon Downham or Weeting with members under the age of 18 (this can also include schools) to enter the Brandon in Bloom competition. Suggestions on what to call the competition include ‘Blooming Barrows’ but the name will be decided at the next meeting.
We have sourced a supply of plastic bodied barrows in a variety of bright colours which will cost no more than £30 each. We hope that each group entering will be able to organise a sponsor who will take possession of the planted barrow and display it in a prominent position to help brighten the town.
The Brandon in Bloom group have arranged for some sponsors who have in turn nominated two choices for the type and age ranges.
Open meeting
The next meeting will be on the 10th March at 7.30pm in the Montage Cafe at Brandon Leisure Centre and we would love to see some more faces!
If you are unable to join us for the meeting but would like to take part or just have a suggestion to an area in Brandon that you think looks quite cheerless and would welcome a floral addition then please email us on [email protected] or drop us a line via snail mail to Brandon in Bloom, 73 Rowan Drive, Brandon, Suffolk. IP27 0EX.
Projects
The traders in the Town Team have talked about what could be done around the bridge before Brandon House. We have some other areas in mind that we would like to see be tackled which include the large planter outside Bailey’s Blinds / Tramps and the area at the top of Bury Rd / Green Rd. Other items up for discussion are using flint block planters close to the Brandon signs on the approaches into the town, which would need someone talking to Suffolk County Council.
Brandon School of DanceClasses in ballet, tap, modern,
freestyle, street & contemporaryPrincipal: Kerry Shoop
Please call Kerry on 07864 025041 or visit our website for more information: www.brandonschoolofdance.com
(Ballet from 3 years, Tap from 4 years, Street/Modern/Freestylefrom 5 years, Contemporary from 8 years)
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9
Brandon School of DanceAfter several months of practice The Brandon School of Dance took part in the annual dance show at the Apex Theatre in Bury St Edmunds.
On the cold afternoon of the 18th January queues formed outside the theatre doors and then packed out the theatre to watch the show.
The first half consisted of the different styles of dance taught in the classroom which included ballet, tap, modern/street/freestyle and contemporary.
Last year’s winners of the choreography competition then danced their solo and group pieces.
The second half of the show got the feet tapping in the audience as we performed ‘Dance through the Decades’.
This included song and dance from the 1950’s to the present day. The costumes and dances shone out with some truly brilliant performances.
I would like to say a big ‘Well Done’ to all our performers, especially the younger and newer members who showed such bravery taking to the stage in front of such a big crowd.
Thank you also to the backstage helpers who all played a part in producing a great show. Without them things wouldn’t have run as smoothly.
We are now recruiting in ballet, tap, modern/street/freestyle and contemporary, so if anyone is interested, including adults for the street dance group, please text me, Kerry Shoop on 07864 025041. All the information you may need from class times to session prices is on the website www.brandonschoolofdance.com. Just let me know the class you are interested in and include your name and contact number and I will reply, letting you know if we still have available spaces.
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11
Ten Questions - Cllr Richard CrowtherQ1. If anyone in the community would like to become a Town Councillor what advice would you give them? Have and open mind and the ability to approach topics with a balanced viewpoint.
Q2. What new methods of communication with the community do you think Brandon Town Council should be using? I would like to see the Town Council trial a live webcast for a council meeting. This would allow a wider audience to have an insight into the evening’s discussions and decisions.
Q3. We all have gadgets in our lives, which gadget could you not live without? Currently the iPhone is my gadget of choice, what will they design next?
Q4. Which historical figure do you admire and why? Rudyard Kipling, a fantastic writer, where would we be without Jungle book and The Road to Mandalay.
Q5. Brandon has become a Town of different nationalities, language and cultures, how would you look to bring the community together for the benefit of the town and its residents? It would be good to see more participation from the various nationalities in town events especially the carnival and the Christmas Fayre.
Q6. The last book you read? The Hard Way (Jack Reacher) written by Lee Child.
Q7. Which other committees or organisations in Brandon are you a member of? Town Council Events and Media Committee
Q8. If you could improve 3 things in Brandon what would they be? The traffic issue is always a prime concern in the town and a long-term concern for all. Improved and updated play area for younger children at the remembrance playing fields. More funding for organizations such as Citizen Advice Bureau.
Q9. If you had to choose a single memory to keep what would that be? Difficult to choose just one, but watching Dad’s Army with my grandfather 40 years ago, and its still on TV on a Saturday night.
Q10. Why do you enjoy being a Town Councillor? I have enjoyed being part of the events team and seeing the community turn out and participate in such high numbers has been pleasing. The Christmas event was the real highlight of community events in 2013.
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Puzzle PageSudoku Code Word
Enter numbers into the blank spaces Each letter A-Z is represented by a number 1-26.so that each row, column and 3x3 Can you crack the code and solve the crossword?box contains the numbers 1 to 9. Every letter of the alphabet us used at least once.
Number Pyramid
Fill every box in the tower with anumber. The value in a square isthe sum of the numbers directlybeneath it.
Word Wheel
Find as many words as you can. Words must be at least 3 letters and must use the central letter. No letter can be used more than once. There is a 9 letter word to be found.
Solutions can be found on page 31
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15
Chronicles of Brandon at WarMarch 1914...
Whoops-a-daisy! Poor Doctor Trotter is out of action for the foreseeable future, confined to his bed after he popped his knee out when he stumbled out of a neighbour’s house. He should have been more careful! Mind you his absence will only affect those who can afford his fees and for the rest of us we still await the appointment of a new nurse in the town. You see it has been three months since Nurse Pickett left her post to care for her seriously ill sister, and of course family comes first and no one blames her for leaving at such short notice, but the Brandon Nursing Association, a charity who oversee nursing in the town, could not afford to replace her straight away.
Nurse Pickett will be a hard act to follow and in her nine months with us she conducted more than 800 home visits! She was paid £1 a week from subscriptions paid in by the town’s wealthier residents, so even the £3 from Freddie Gentle’s Christmas competition didn’t last long and truth be told while subscriptions are dwindling, costs get bigger. The subscriptions also have to pay for the nurse’s uniform, cycle, insurance and stamps, as well as dressings and medicines. The cycle alone cost £2 to repair last year. Anyway, rumour has it that a new nurse will join us before the end of the month.
Responsibility for the state of the town’s health also falls upon Brandon’s Rural District Council and the Medical Officer gave his annual report to the council. He stated that last year the district had a death rate of 1.38% and a 12% infant mortality rate and both were the highest for five years, although the schools hadn’t had any serious epidemics in that time which was good for the little ones. He also says our water supply is very good and better than those villages
that rely upon wells to draw water, but there had been some pollution found in the water supply of the school. One thing where we are behind the bigger towns is our lack of a decent sewerage system and most residents still have an outside privy with a bucket to do their ‘business’ in. Everyone is responsible for the disposal of their waste, or “night soil”, and the Council regularly issue formal notices to residents because they are not dealing with their waste properly. Last year a few people contracted tuberculosis and
the Council had to go in to their home and ensure it was sprayed with disinfectant to kill any lingering disease, and only then could the house be lived in again. They tested the cattle in the town’s farms and none were found to have it and some think it was spread by people spitting. Anyway most people agree the best place for someone with this disease is in a Sanatorium well away from here!
Darren NortonBrandon at Warwww.brandonatwar.co.uk
16
Glade Primary SchoolLove is all around...
It’s been a busy half term with huge amounts of learning and work in all classes. Towards the end of term, Year 5 and Year 6 completed a home project themed around love (you can tell it was around Valentine’s Day!)
Lots of work went on at home with children thinking about what their friends and family meant to them and expressing those feelings for everyone to see. The results can be seen on the display photos. Asking the children to think about their friends and family and to work together with family made them consider their own relationships with others and how other people see them.
Meanwhile, the whole school has been making plans for our upcoming building work and thinking about how we would like to be remembered. The work on our new extension has begun and by October we will have 4 new classrooms and a drama studio. As part of this, we will be burying a time capsule so that future generations can find out what it was like to live in Brandon in 2014. Children across the school have been designing and building their own time capsules, choosing the items to include. They have written letters, selected photos and mementos and filled their own capsules (shoe boxes and pringles tubes!). We will be choosing the best ideas to go into our actual time capsule.
Finally, pupils from Glade were invited to the official opening of the new play area off Yew Drive. As you can see from the photos below they had a great time, and didn’t let the weather spoil their mood!
17
Forest AcademyOn the 23rd of January the EDP and EACH (East Anglia’s Children Hospices) visited Forest Academy to launch this year’s Ride for Life which is taking place on 11th May in Santon Downham. School council were lucky enough to be part of the launch bringing in their bikes for the EDP’s photo shoot.
Children in Foundation Stage enjoyed their trip to Brandon Library in the Brandon Centre. The children were able to explore the many books that the library had to offer, as well as listening to various stories.
Well done to Willow, Ash and Beech for their good behaviour while on the trip, and doing such a good job of representing Forest Academy.
Last half term the Year 6 pupils at Forest Academy entered the Young Writers Monster Poetry narrative competition.
The pupils each had to create their own monster and then write a poem that showcased their imagination as well as their technical writing ability. Of the 30,000 entries submitted in the competition, 39 of our Year 6 pupils had their work accepted for publication in the regional anthology. This was a fantastic achievement, showing both hard work and creative ability.
However further accolades were to follow. Congratulations to Angelika Dawidziuk, who has not only had her poem selected to be included in the anthology, but has received a ‘Talent for Writing’ award for writing a ‘Creative Piece of Distinction’. Perhaps this will be the first of many publications for Angelika!
Children in Year 5 and 6 recently had a visit from two of our local police officers who came to speak to the children about criminal offences and anti-social behaviour. Through discussion and activities the children investigated what types of acts are classed as criminal offences and what types of acts are classed as anti-social behaviour. They were particularly surprised to find out that kicking your ball into someone else’s house continuously (even accidentally) is seen as anti-social behaviour. Having examples relevant to the children was particularly beneficial.
Overall, the children found the session to be extremely enjoyable and informative. They loved having the opportunity to voice their views, learn more and ask questions of the police officers.
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Elveden Cricket ClubElveden Cricket Club has a long history dating back to the 1940s when the team played on Elveden Estate’s parkland before moving to its current location of the village playing field. Around 2002, the club moved into a new pavilion fully equipped with all mod cons.
At present, we have two adult weekend teams and a mid-week team. The weekend teams play in the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Cricket League and the Hunts County Bats Suffolk Cricket League on Saturdays and Sundays respectively. The mid-week team plays friendly 20/20 games against clubs in the local area. We also have a growing youth section; in 2013 the club had around 40 children aged between 4 and 11 years old attending training sessions every Saturday morning.
During the coming season we are hoping to enter into the new Suffolk Under 9 & Under 11 cricket leagues, with the younger players entering a number of Kwik Cricket festivals. Players, their families and supporters often socialize after matches at the Elveden Inn, who we are proud to have as our official club sponsor.
Currently, the club holds indoor training sessions at the Mildenhall Dome Leisure Centre for junior players on Saturday afternoons, and senior players on Friday evenings. In order to encourage maximum participation, the club is subsidising training fees to enable a minimal cost of just £2 per player.
The club is looking to grow and therefore would welcome players of any standard to come along to our training sessions with a view to joining the club in the forthcoming season. The club also has a large amount of equipment available for players to use; therefore individuals new to the sport can use this kit without having to spend their own money on bats, helmets, pads, etc.
If you would like more information please contact:
Chris on 07714336547 or Brian on 07863296114.
Or you can email the club at [email protected].
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Safer Neighbourhood TeamGreetings from the Brandon Safer Neighbourhood Team.
Crime continues to drop in Brandon. In the first two weeks of February there were only 2 crimes reported to the Police. To put this in perspective, 42 crimes were reported in the same period last year. This is despite the fact that Police receive more and more calls each year from members of the public.
There are two upcoming events in March.
Firstly, Brandon SNT is re-launching the Horse Watch scheme for the Forest Heath Area. The scheme is designed to promote Equine Crime Prevention and encourage the sharing of information between Police and the Equine community.
The launch event is being held on Wednesday 26th March 2014, from 6 to 9pm, at the Newmarket Racecourse, Rowley Mile, Newmarket. The event will include talks on Equine Nutrition, Equine Rescue, Grass Sickness and Laminitis, Equestrian Crime and Fly Grazing.
Stalls from organisations such as Allen and Page, Midwich Security, world Horse Welfare, Suffolk constabulary, Equine Care Centre, Premier Equimark/Farmkey and the Animal Trust. Bring your saddle along to have it security marked for £2 per saddle. To book a place please sends an email to
Also being launched in Brandon is ‘Paws on Patrol.’ We are asking dog walkers to sign up to the scheme and act as our eyes and ears (and noses) by sniffing out Anti-Social Behaviour or Crimes whilst out walking their dogs.
The launch event is being held on Thursday 13th March 2014, from 11am to 3pm, at the Royal British Legion, London Road, Brandon. Upon registering for the scheme members of the public will receive free micro chipping, free dog health check, free advice and a free ‘goody’ bag. No need to pre-book, just turn up on the day.
If you want to contact Brandon Safer Neighbourhood team you can call us (101) or email us ([email protected]).
You can also follow us on twitter @foresththpolice
PS810 Chisnall
Future date for your diary:
Tuesday 1st April 10-12pm: PCSO Powell will be at Marks Fruit and Veg stall discussing issues and crime prevention or a chat.
22
Pantry Patter - What is ‘Mock Turtle’ soup?‘Fake’ foods found their way into our forefather’s kitchens as early as 1914, born mainly from necessity due to food shortages. After many years of rationing, tastes changed and for a while, when the real foods became available again, the fake foods remained popular.
During the first world war Germany became the laboratory for what fake foods people could stomach. They coined the word ‘ersatz’ meaning substitute. Soon after the Great War commenced the British cut off sea supplies to Germany which resulted in widespread hunger and forcing the Germans to become ingenious in creating ‘new’ foods. Some of the German staples were re-engineered with a reported 837 varieties of sausage substitutes available at one time.
Coffee, which at this time was a mixture of chicory and sugar beet became an even less palatable mix of roasted nuts and coal tar. This was then substituted with acorns and then when the acorns were needed as pig food the ‘coffee’ was made from carrots and turnips drunk along side a plate of turnip stew and turnip bread. A heavenly meal for Baldrick! For anyone who has
seen the episode of Blackadder where Baldrick substitutes coffee, milk and sugar, these are not as far removed from the truth as you think.
Jam was considered an ersatz food used to substitute meat fat or butter. Many a family dined on turnip bread and jam as a main meal.
Meanwhile back on the British home front we faired somewhat better than Germany. Rationing wasn’t introduced until 1918. Mock foods had been a feature of the British kitchen since the 17th century with the most famous being Mock Turtle Soup. Real turtle soup was available but prohibitively expensive so a fake version was created using boiled calfs head, seasoned with ham, herbs, cayenne and madeira, the same as in the real deal!
One of the more unconvincing recipes was for Lobster Salad. This was concocted using potato, celery, Brussel sprouts and beetroot served with a large portion of imagination!
Make believe food became even more popular during the Second World War. More emphasis was placed on the visual effect of these foods so dishes such as mock chops, made from potato, soya flour and onions were carefully formed into chop shapes. Rationing began in 1940 and the British public were introduced to powdered substitutes, two of the most popular were powdered milk and dried egg. Many a cake was turned out using carrot as a popular ingredient and one we continue to use to this day.
Horsemeat was brought in to substitute the more popular meats but was met with revulsion even though it is very nutritious.. The same was true of whale steaks. Ironically enough, nutritionally speaking, the British diet during the war was far healthier than it had been and is today. We ate wholemeal bread and more vegetables than we eat today and with small but regular amounts of meat and fish and of course less sweets. Child mortality dropped, thanks in part to the rations of orange juice, rose hip syrup and milk for the children.
At the end of the war the British people celebrated the victory and with it their hopes that there would be a greater variety of food now available but once again we had acclimatised to using substitutes and still continued to hoard the dried foods much used during the war years. A sign, spotted outside a small village shop declared ‘Lovely Ripe Pairs-Good as Tinned’.
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Pantry Patter - Chinese Spring Onion PancakesWith Pancake Day just around the corner this recipe is a departure from the recognised Shrove Tuesday fayre. Serve these moreish little treats with a dipping sauce of your choice. They go particularly well with a good quality hoi sin sauce.
Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt175ml warm water125g plain flour1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil4 tablespoons flour1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil50g Spring onions1 tablespoon veg oil as needed
Dissolve the salt in the warm water and mix in the flour to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until slightly springy, about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky knead in 1/4 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and cover with a cloth.
In a bowl mix 4 tablespoons of flour with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to form a breadcrumb type mixture.
On a floured work surface roll out a piece of dough into a thin square approximately 13cm x 18cm.
Brush the dough with the sesame oil and sprinkle lightly with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the flour/oil mixture. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of chopped onions onto the dough and spread evenly.
Starting with a long end, roll the dough into a rope shape pinching the seams and the ends closed.
Roll the rope into a flat spiral and press lightly on top to stop it unrolling.
Place the spiral onto a floured work surface and gently roll into a pancake turning it over often as you roll.
The finished pancake should be about 13cm in diameter. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Heat a non stick frying pan over a medium heat and brush with vegetable oil. Pan fry each pancake until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each side.
Cut into wedges and serve warm with a dip.
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P&R Garden Supplies, Fengate Drove, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0PWwww.p-rgardensupplies.co.uk • 01842 814800 • [email protected]
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Primroses 75p each or 10 for £5
New Season Climbing Roses £8.99
Perennials £1.80 each or 3 for £5
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March GardeningRain, rain, go away! We’ve been so lucky not to face the flooding that has affected so much of the south, however our soil is unusually wet. Wet soils can cause havoc to plants, rotting roots and washing away valuable nutrients. It’s essential to replace those nutrients as plants will now be rapidly growing. Fish, blood & bone (my preferred fertiliser for flower borders) is a natural product that is often referred to as organic although in theory without knowing the exact treatments and feeds of the fish and animals that are used to create the product it may not necessarily be organic and may contain traces of antibiotics. For obvious reasons ‘Fish, blood & bone’ is not suitable to use on vegetable plants that are being grown for vegetarians! Grow more is an inorganic chemical version of ‘fish, blood & bone’ it was developed by ICI during the second world war for gardeners to use in the ‘dig for victory’ campaign. Today, many of us choose to grow our own fruit and vegetables for a number of reasons, but the one thing that all vegetable growers share is the enjoyment of growing and satisfaction from eating something you have produced.
The wide range of fertilisers available to home gardeners can make it quite overwhelming to know which one to choose. By law the chemical content of all fertilisers are declared using three main nutrients that all plants require to grow. N: Nitrogen causes rapid plant growth and ‘greens’ yellowing leaves P: Phosphorus aids the growth plant roots, it is essential in all living beings to create DNA and for cell generation. K: Potassium regulates water flow throughout a plant, and is essential for promoting flowers and fruit. Numbers alongside the letters refer to the percentage of available nutrients in the fertiliser. Choose a fertiliser that best suits the plant’s requirements, for example hanging baskets will need a fertiliser that’s high in Potassium to create masses of flowers, and leafy green vegetables need lots of nitrogen. Other trace nutrients are essential to plant growth including magnesium, calcium, sulphur, boron, copper, iron, and zinc.
As well as fertilising and mulching, there are many other tasks to do in the garden this month (weather permitting!). Here’s my Top 10:
1. Plant out chitted early seed potatoes, shallots & onions.2. Protect newly emerging shoots from slugs and snails using slug pellets of your choice, we recommend using a product that contains Ferric Phosphate, a pet safe, water resistant pellet that degrades into fertiliser. 3. Continue sowing, and potting on seeds & seedlings. 4. Weeding, weeding and more weeding - weeds compete with garden plants for space and nutrients.5. As the flowers from daffodil and narcissus bulbs fade, carefully remove the flower head to prevent seed setting, leave the leaves to die down naturally. 6. Repot houseplants. 7. Move (or plant) strawberry plants undercover for an earlier crop. 8. Lawn care: cut lawns on a high blade setting on dry days. Trim lawn edges and sow seed in bare patches. 9. Give watering cans a scrub and clean with garden disinfectant such as Jeyes Fluid, to help prevent fungal diseases. 10. Lift and divide congested clumps of perennials including hardy geraniums, crocosmia, hostas, solidago and astilbe.
Whatever March brings, I hope you are all able to enjoy some time outside in your gardens.
Rachel Sobiechowski BSc (Hons) P&R Garden Supplies, Fengate Drove, Brandon 01842 814800 www.p-rgardensupplies.co.uk
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Sport Relief Mile 2014Brandon Leisure Centre has again been chosen to host the Sport Relief Mile in 2014.
The event, held every two years, raises funds to help people living incredibly tough lives, both at home in the UK and across the world. Since 2002, Sport Relief has raised over £195million. The money raised by the public is spent by Comic Relief
The Brandon Mile will take place at the Centre on Sunday 23rd March 2014 from 1.30 to 4.30pm. Registration opens at 1.30pm with the run starting at 2pm. Participants can register at www.sportrelief.com where they can also get their free fundraising kit, or turn up on the day.
The Mile is now part of the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, launched by TV star Denise Van Outen in October 2013, which include the Mile, Swimathon and cycle (London, Manchester and Glasgow).
For the Mile, runners can take part in either a one, three or six mile sponsored run with a choice of four start times at the Centre.
Each wave will start with mass warm up sessions led by qualified instructors from the leisure centre gyms.
Michelle Banfield-Curran, Abbeycroft’s Project Manager for Health & Sport, said: “The event is only held every two years and it is a great way to test yourself or set a goal if you are a beginner. In any event, people can run, jog or walk the distance to raise money for Sport Relief, a fantastic cause. I ran the Mile myself in 2010 and it was a great atmosphere.”
Brandon Events DiaryWe are aware that sometimes it can be difficult to plan an event in the town and avoid clashing with other events on the same day.
Reading publications from other towns around the country we have decided to borrow an idea that will hopefully eliminate double booking and then struggling to find an audience or worse still stall holders to attend your event.
A diary will be placed in the Town council offices where anyone can check dates and add their own. We hope once up and running to be able to produce a “What’s On” guide within the magazine to enable the greatest number of local people to hopefully attend your event.
The back of the diary will also serve as an address book for local groups to add details such as, contact details, meeting venue and times.
For your security this will be administered by the office member present. First up is the Brandon Carnival on Sunday June 1st.
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Picture framingOils, water colours, pastels, prints, photos old and new, medals, football shirts, cross stitch, tapestry, canvas stretching etc. All aspects of picture
framing undertaken in our workshop, 100s of frames to choose from, liven up that old picture with a new mount and frame.
the craft cabin16 London Road, Brandon - Tel: 01842 814178 Open 9.30am till 5pm weekdays and some Saturdays
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Brandon Past and Present
Shown above: The Avenue photographed in 1907
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Puzzle Page SolutionsSudoku Pyramid Code Word
Word Wheel
9 letter word: deceitful
Useful Telephone NumbersCouncils
Brandon Town Council (Town Clerk) 01842 811844 Forest Heath District Council (Main Switchboard) 01638 719000Suffolk County Council (Public Enquiries) 0845 606 6067
Health Services
Doctor - Brandon Medical Practice (High Street) 01842 810388Doctor - Forest Group Practice (Bury Road) 01842 810206Dentist - Apex Dental Care (Bury Road) 01842 812276Dentist - The Dental Surgery (High Street) 01842 812381Hospital - West Suffolk (Bury St Edmunds) 01284 713000NHS 111 - Medical Help (Less urgent than 999) 111
Help & Advice
Citizens Advice Bureau (Brandon Office) 01842 811511Social Care Services (Customer First) 0808 800 4005Suffolk Constabulary (Non Emergency) 101
Utility Companies
Electricity - UK Power Networks (Fault Line) 08007 838 838Gas - National Grid Gas (Emergency Number) 0800 111 999Water - Anglian Water (24 Hour Leakline) 0800 771 881
Homemade chocolate hearts
INGREDIENTS:• 2 cups chocolate chips (milk or plain) • 2 tablespoons butter • Icing to decorate (optional)
DIRECTIONS:Heat chocolate chips with butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir and heat again until the chocolate/butter mixture is fully melted.Using a heart mould, poor the chocolate into each cavity, using a knife to level the bottoms to leave a smooth finish.Place the full mould into the refrigerator and chill for at least an hour or until hard to the touch. Gently knock the finished hearts out of the mould. It is your preference whether to decorate with icing or sprinkles or leave plain. For a finishing touch present them in a heart shaped box for that special someone.
Makes 10
Y
Chilterns
Chilterns PPSJ8912.indd 1 28/01/2014 15:41
01842 813466