the vine, dunstable - april/may 2013 - issue 52

April/May 2013 Issue 52

In Dunstable, Whipsnade, Studham, Kensworth & Houghton Regis

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We have designs to suit every budget and direct from the manufacturer prices. As a family business our team of loyal and dedicated carpenters, designers, retailers and staff are our greatest asset. They take great pride in their standards of work and pay particular attention to detail with a friendly and genuinely helpful service.

Waterford takes care of all the practicalities, arrangements and aesthetics required to create the perfect balance between a beautifully designed and functional kitchen Please feel free to call into our showroom where we can help and advise you on planning your kitchen totally without obligation.We look forward to meeting you

Woodland House, Station Road Industrial Estate, Ampthill. Beds. MK45 2QYTel. 01525 841488 Fax 01525 841321

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3

St George’s Day 4May Day 6A Travellers Tale 10What’s Best For You: Savings 18Auto-biographies 26 In The Garden 28Nutrition Coach 32Successful Studying 34Jog On 36Puzzles 42Out & About 44

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Dunstable Glider Pilots selected for British Women's Team

Helen Hingley, seen here with her own LS4 glider, has been chosen to represent Britain in the 2013 Women's World Gliding Cham-pionship to be held in Issoudun , France , during July. Fellow Dunstable pilot Melissa Jenkins has been selected as the British Team Captain.Helen has been flying at the London Gliding Club for 5 years, initially wanting a "holiday with a difference" and decided to go flying again after a 9 year break from flying light aircraft. "I much prefer the challenge of pow-erless flight" Helen says.She's been highly successful in cross country competition recently, coming third in her class in the Dunstable Regionals this year and 7th out of 37 in the pre-worlds practice. The competition will last over 14 days, and each day over 50 women glider pilots from around the world will be set task distances of up to 600 kms.Understanding and then making best use of the prevailing weather conditions in order to find rising air and fly these huge distances - without an engine - is the essence of gliding.The London Gliding Club has operated from its airfield at the foot of the Dunstable Downs since the early 1930's. It is famous among the aviation community for cross-country, aerobatics and vintage gliding, and is one of the largest gliding clubs in the world.

There is a whole world to discover on your doorstepwith your local Wildlife Trust in 2013Here are some of your up and coming events for February and March this year·

A Talk On Education And Community

On Blows Downs Nature ReserveCome and find out about the importance of educa-tion and community work and the differences it makes to Blows DownsEvent: Indoor TalkBooking: EssentialDate: Monday 11 Feb 2013Time: 7.45pm – 9.15pmLocation: Priory Middle School, Britain St, Dunstable, LU5 4JA. Meet in the DomePrice: Donations gratefully acceptedAudience: Adult

A Free Event For Youth Wildlife RangersEvent: Fun Outdoor Activity for 13 - 19 Yr OldsBooking: EssentialDate: Wednesday 20 Feb 2013Time: 1.00pm – 3.00pmLocation: Blows Downs Nature Reserve, Dunstable. Meet at Oakwood Avenue

Blows Down Litter PickCome and help the Blows Downs Conservation Group to keep your local nature reserve looking beautifulEvent: Outdoor ActivityDate: Sunday 17 March 2013Time: 10am – 3pmLocation: Blows Downs Nature Reserve, Dunstable. Meet at the Half Moon Lane entrancePrice: Free. Turn Up On The DayAudience: Everyone WelcomeChildren must be accompanied by an adult

Community Open DayCome along and find out more about your local nature reserve at Blows DownsEvent: Activities for Adults & KidsDate: Sunday 24 March 2013Time: 10am – 3pmLocation: Blows Downs Nature Reserve, Dunsta-ble. Meet near to the Half Moon Lane entrancePrice: Donations gratefully acceptedAudience: Everyone Welcome.Children must be accompanied by an adult.For information Tel Ruth Sneath: 01525 874317 Email: [email protected]

St George’s Day23rd April

He’s most famous for slaying a dragon, but how much do we know about St George, the

patron saint of England? Born in Eastern Turkey in AD 270 to Christian parents, George later moved to Palestine where he became a soldier in the Roman army. He subsequently re-belled against the Roman Emperor for his persecution of Christians. Imprisonment and torture followed, but George refused to denounce his Christian faith. Enraged at this, the Emperor had George dragged through the streets, and beheaded him on 23rd April AD 303. George’s alleged encounter with the dragon occurred in Libya. The dragon is said to have built its nest by a fresh water spring and was offered sheep by townsfolk to distract him whilst collect-ing water. With all the sheep gone, they decided to offer a maiden instead. The lot fell on the poor crown princess, but at the moment of offering, George sup-posedly came by on his white stallion, dismounted and slew the beast with his sword. George is identified with English ideals of charity, chivalry and courage, and thus symbolises the very essence of 'English-ness'. Campaigners are currently work-ing to get St George’s Day recognised as a national holiday, but for now, it is traditionally celebrated by flying the English flag, wearing a red rose and sing-ing ‘Jerusalem’ on the Sunday nearest the 23rd April!

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May Day is celebrated on the first Monday of May. This year it falls on the 6th. To most people it is simply a good excuse for a day off work but it is actually a day steeped in tradition. May Day originates from village celebra-tions marking the coming of summer (fingers crossed) and these are some of the traditions that often take place amongst a day of festivi-ties. Maypoles are hung with greenery and ribbons and painted brightly. Local children dress in their finest clothes, with bells and flower gar-lands, and perform traditional ribbon dances such as Gypsy Tent and The Spiders Web. Originally maypoles were made by villagers using a young tall tree. They stripped off the lower branches, but left leaves at the top to symbolise new life, and then decorated it with flowers and ribbons.

The Crowning of the May Queen is linked to the honouring of Flora the Roman goddess of fruit and flowers. Traditionally she took no part in games or dancing, but sat like a queen in a flower-decked chair to watch her 'subjects.'

Morris dancing is a traditional form of English folk dancing carried out by groups known as sides. Dances are passed down through gen-erations, and involve movements to accentuate the tinkling of bells attached to costumes and coming together to strike wooden sticks. Loud accordion music accompanies the dancing. Sometimes dancers paint their faces black, and this association with the North African Moors may explain the origins of the name ‘Morris’ dancing.

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A Travellers

Tale

Over The Top And Round The Corner

(Part II)

After North Cape, we moved into Murmansk around break-fast time. There then followed

four hours of thumb twiddling whilst Russian Immigration and Customs officials checked everything in sight and went through every piece of paper. All done without smiling - Russian paranoia and the bureau-cratic mind is something known only to psychologists. Eventually we were allowed to go ashore but only if we carried our passport at all times and were in possession of special pieces of paper which had to be surrendered when required. I got the impression that if we made a mistake, we would be clapped in irons and thrown in a dungeon. The incredible irony is that Russia is supposedly encouraging tourists to visit their country!! We were eventually taken on a tour around the city and it was then that the previous lecture really hit home. Murmansk had been described as being a Soviet city since it wasn't built until after the end of WW1 and the Russian revolution. Conse-quently, the housing was built on a Soviet design :- unbelievably tiny, mind numbingly identical, tatty apartments. The architecture is unchangingly boring and, basically, horrible, awful.As an antidote, we were taken to a maritime museum where some wonderful models of different nuclear powered ships - especially ice breakers - were displayed. Mur-mansk is the centre of the Russian ice breaker fleet and is also an important naval base - so perhaps there was a reason for the paranoia

after all.Another museum showed the local geology (wonderful mineral specimens) and the history and life style of the indigenous Sami people of Lapland and the Kola peninsula. I must confess that our guide was extremely good, spoke excellent English and, unlike the officials in the morning, had a sense of humour. My impression of Murmansk improved greatly during the afternoon!To end our trip ashore, we were taken to a massive, 35.5 metre (110 ft) tall statue depicting a Russian WW2 soldier; then to the cemetery where so many sailors who perished on the terrible "Russian convoys" are buried. Our guide insisted that the Russian people are eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by so many (mainly) British merchant sailors who perished in these freez-ing northern waters.Next day at sea was rather chilly but sightings of porpoises, minke and beluga whales caused great excitement. But the highlight of the morning for me was a lecture on the "Kursk" submarine disaster in 2000. The abiding horror is that this total loss of life could have been avoided had the Russians accepted British and American help sooner. That they didn't is down to Russian para-noia - again - and the disgraceful and callous behaviour on the part of President Putin whose comment afterwards was simply that "It sank". Later in the day there was a lecture attempting to explain Russian para-noia and why they fear outsiders. This was helpful and informative

and went a long way towards ex-plaining the noticeable gulf between ordinary Russian people and their governmental officials whose motto is "Paranoia rules OK".I was interested to learn of the ex-tensive gas and oil fields discovered in the Barents Sea and of the scram-bling between various nations eager to get their snouts in the trough. Also of the fears of naturalists and ecologists regarding the unthinkable consequences in this fragile area when a blow out, or an oil spill, or --??-- happens; as it most certainly will despite protestations to the contrary from vested interests.The next point on our itinerary was, to many of the passengers, what the cruise was all about: namely the Solovetsky Islands - an archipelago of history, mysticism, religion, pilgrimage, cruelty and contradic-tion; and in the morning, the onion shaped domes of the monastery greeted us as our zodiac powered its way across a glass like sea. The scene was ethereal, unfamiliar, unreal, "other worldly". During Soviet times the monastery was chosen as a gulag for political prisoners - the Soviet equivalent of Alcatraz! There is scaffolding supporting crumbling towers and signs of restoration everywhere; and it was suggested that if we were to return in twenty years time, it would be absolutely magnificent and back to its former glory. They are trying very hard - with limited resources - and, if our guide was anything to go by, they are obsessed in their efforts and in their dedication to what they see as a very noble cause.

By Paul Heley


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A Travellers

Tale

Over The Top And Round The Corner

(Part II)

After North Cape, we moved into Murmansk around break-fast time. There then followed

four hours of thumb twiddling whilst Russian Immigration and Customs officials checked everything in sight and went through every piece of paper. All done without smiling - Russian paranoia and the bureau-cratic mind is something known only to psychologists. Eventually we were allowed to go ashore but only if we carried our passport at all times and were in possession of special pieces of paper which had to be surrendered when required. I got the impression that if we made a mistake, we would be clapped in irons and thrown in a dungeon. The incredible irony is that Russia is supposedly encouraging tourists to visit their country!! We were eventually taken on a tour around the city and it was then that the previous lecture really hit home. Murmansk had been described as being a Soviet city since it wasn't built until after the end of WW1 and the Russian revolution. Conse-quently, the housing was built on a Soviet design :- unbelievably tiny, mind numbingly identical, tatty apartments. The architecture is unchangingly boring and, basically, horrible, awful.As an antidote, we were taken to a maritime museum where some wonderful models of different nuclear powered ships - especially ice breakers - were displayed. Mur-mansk is the centre of the Russian ice breaker fleet and is also an important naval base - so perhaps there was a reason for the paranoia

after all.Another museum showed the local geology (wonderful mineral specimens) and the history and life style of the indigenous Sami people of Lapland and the Kola peninsula. I must confess that our guide was extremely good, spoke excellent English and, unlike the officials in the morning, had a sense of humour. My impression of Murmansk improved greatly during the afternoon!To end our trip ashore, we were taken to a massive, 35.5 metre (110 ft) tall statue depicting a Russian WW2 soldier; then to the cemetery where so many sailors who perished on the terrible "Russian convoys" are buried. Our guide insisted that the Russian people are eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by so many (mainly) British merchant sailors who perished in these freez-ing northern waters.Next day at sea was rather chilly but sightings of porpoises, minke and beluga whales caused great excitement. But the highlight of the morning for me was a lecture on the "Kursk" submarine disaster in 2000. The abiding horror is that this total loss of life could have been avoided had the Russians accepted British and American help sooner. That they didn't is down to Russian para-noia - again - and the disgraceful and callous behaviour on the part of President Putin whose comment afterwards was simply that "It sank". Later in the day there was a lecture attempting to explain Russian para-noia and why they fear outsiders. This was helpful and informative

and went a long way towards ex-plaining the noticeable gulf between ordinary Russian people and their governmental officials whose motto is "Paranoia rules OK".I was interested to learn of the ex-tensive gas and oil fields discovered in the Barents Sea and of the scram-bling between various nations eager to get their snouts in the trough. Also of the fears of naturalists and ecologists regarding the unthinkable consequences in this fragile area when a blow out, or an oil spill, or --??-- happens; as it most certainly will despite protestations to the contrary from vested interests.The next point on our itinerary was, to many of the passengers, what the cruise was all about: namely the Solovetsky Islands - an archipelago of history, mysticism, religion, pilgrimage, cruelty and contradic-tion; and in the morning, the onion shaped domes of the monastery greeted us as our zodiac powered its way across a glass like sea. The scene was ethereal, unfamiliar, unreal, "other worldly". During Soviet times the monastery was chosen as a gulag for political prisoners - the Soviet equivalent of Alcatraz! There is scaffolding supporting crumbling towers and signs of restoration everywhere; and it was suggested that if we were to return in twenty years time, it would be absolutely magnificent and back to its former glory. They are trying very hard - with limited resources - and, if our guide was anything to go by, they are obsessed in their efforts and in their dedication to what they see as a very noble cause.

By Paul Heley

12

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A Travellers

Tale (Continued)

Although there is evidence of habitation as early as the Bronze Age, the religious history of the main island starts in the early 15th century when an original hermit-age gradually evolved into a monastery with a number of separate churches within its overall complex. But there has always been a grimmer side and, following rebellion by the monks against the "established" church in the mid 16th century, there followed centuries when it was also used as some form of prison for those con-victed of "Crimes against Faith and State". I find it dif-ficult to accept the concept of a prison and a monastery operating simultaneously! However, its worst episode as a prison is undoubtedly the Soviet gulag when the monastery, as such, ceased to exist and many of its priceless treasures were either deliberately destroyed or melted down.Over our two day stay at Solovki, we we shown round different churches with their visually explosive gilded artefacts, paintings, and icons by the hundred; together with other buildings some of which had been for the gulag prisoners (100,000 prisoners and 40,000 deaths). A terrible contradiction 'twixt God and Stalin.The morning we left, the monks conducted their weekly (weather permitting!) parade round the monastery walls chanting and carrying icons. They were followed by scores of pilgrims hoping to be blessed and to receive a scattering of holy water. It was an enjoyable and col-ourful spectacle but quickly over because the Patriarch at the front set a cracking pace. He clearly wanted to get home to watch the football on TV!Sailing overnight for Arkhangelsk (Archangel) and ar-riving there around breakfast time, we were taken on yet another coach tour. On an earlier lecture, we had been told that whereas Murmansk was a "Soviet" city, Arkhangelsk was "Russian" and, I must confess, the contrast between the two is considerable.In the morning we were shown an area of town where some interesting, old wooden buildings have been preserved. Then the obligatory church was followed by another obligatory museum where the super enthusi-astic curator showed us many "rescued" icons and re-ligious artefacts (NB "rescued" means "hidden from the Soviets"!). Speaking personally, I was very impressed with some exquisite carvings in walrus, narwhal (and even mammoth) ivory. The intricate filigree detail and sheer workmanship was incredible.In the afternoon, it was off to the open air museum of Malye Korely where original wooden buildings repre-senting the different architecture of surrounding regions

have been carefully transported and reconstructed. Greeted first by an amazingly tuneful and complicated virtuoso performance by a solitary chap in his bell tower, we were then greeted in the traditional Russian way by being given bread and salt. I'm afraid my bread was rather stale - must have been yesterday's!After that we were escorted by ladies in the traditional, and very colourful costumes of their particular areas, shown around some of the buildings and told stories of Russian peasant family life in earlier times. That evening panic stations: because very early next morning we had to leave to catch the 'plane to Mos-cow. We left Archangel in pouring rain but fortunately Moscow was fine and sunny so we could experience the delights of grid locked Moscow traffic during the 56Km journey into the city. It was also interesting to witness the many examples of suicidal driving. Dunsta-ble crossroads - all is forgiven!Stopping at the vast expanse of Red Square, we gawped at the iconic buildings seen so often on TV and in pho-tographs. Then a "typical" Russian lunch (beetroot soup, beef stroganoff and a "mystery" dessert) before another 50+ Km journey to the other airport followed by tedi-ous, endless (and still unsmiling) security checks prior to our 4 hour flight back to Heathrow and home.It had been a very different sort of holiday and many unusual memories remain. In particular, it was interest-ing to try and get some reaction from our various Rus-sian guides as to how they viewed the transition from Soviet communism to today's capitalism. Although there was a reluctance to get too "political", I felt that, in the main, they preferred the present system on balance. But it is clear that not everyone agrees: some older peo-ple definitely prefer the communist system where eve-ryone knew where they stood; everything was ordered; everyone had a job (however futile); and providing you kept your nose clean, you were left alone.And I detected an unstated complaint against the present system whereby, although society is much more free now and people can speak their mind (within reason), the great problem of life today is the endemic corruption where the former communist bureaucracy and its stultifying numbness has been swapped for a gung-ho, Mafia style "Wild West" system.In comparison with Norway - which must be the most civilised country in the world - Russia comes a poor second. However, they could help themselves tremen-dously if only their officials could learn to relax a bit and realise what a difference a friendly smile can make

www.thevinemagazine.co.uk 15

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A Travellers

Tale (Continued)

Although there is evidence of habitation as early as the Bronze Age, the religious history of the main island starts in the early 15th century when an original hermit-age gradually evolved into a monastery with a number of separate churches within its overall complex. But there has always been a grimmer side and, following rebellion by the monks against the "established" church in the mid 16th century, there followed centuries when it was also used as some form of prison for those con-victed of "Crimes against Faith and State". I find it dif-ficult to accept the concept of a prison and a monastery operating simultaneously! However, its worst episode as a prison is undoubtedly the Soviet gulag when the monastery, as such, ceased to exist and many of its priceless treasures were either deliberately destroyed or melted down.Over our two day stay at Solovki, we we shown round different churches with their visually explosive gilded artefacts, paintings, and icons by the hundred; together with other buildings some of which had been for the gulag prisoners (100,000 prisoners and 40,000 deaths). A terrible contradiction 'twixt God and Stalin.The morning we left, the monks conducted their weekly (weather permitting!) parade round the monastery walls chanting and carrying icons. They were followed by scores of pilgrims hoping to be blessed and to receive a scattering of holy water. It was an enjoyable and col-ourful spectacle but quickly over because the Patriarch at the front set a cracking pace. He clearly wanted to get home to watch the football on TV!Sailing overnight for Arkhangelsk (Archangel) and ar-riving there around breakfast time, we were taken on yet another coach tour. On an earlier lecture, we had been told that whereas Murmansk was a "Soviet" city, Arkhangelsk was "Russian" and, I must confess, the contrast between the two is considerable.In the morning we were shown an area of town where some interesting, old wooden buildings have been preserved. Then the obligatory church was followed by another obligatory museum where the super enthusi-astic curator showed us many "rescued" icons and re-ligious artefacts (NB "rescued" means "hidden from the Soviets"!). Speaking personally, I was very impressed with some exquisite carvings in walrus, narwhal (and even mammoth) ivory. The intricate filigree detail and sheer workmanship was incredible.In the afternoon, it was off to the open air museum of Malye Korely where original wooden buildings repre-senting the different architecture of surrounding regions

have been carefully transported and reconstructed. Greeted first by an amazingly tuneful and complicated virtuoso performance by a solitary chap in his bell tower, we were then greeted in the traditional Russian way by being given bread and salt. I'm afraid my bread was rather stale - must have been yesterday's!After that we were escorted by ladies in the traditional, and very colourful costumes of their particular areas, shown around some of the buildings and told stories of Russian peasant family life in earlier times. That evening panic stations: because very early next morning we had to leave to catch the 'plane to Mos-cow. We left Archangel in pouring rain but fortunately Moscow was fine and sunny so we could experience the delights of grid locked Moscow traffic during the 56Km journey into the city. It was also interesting to witness the many examples of suicidal driving. Dunsta-ble crossroads - all is forgiven!Stopping at the vast expanse of Red Square, we gawped at the iconic buildings seen so often on TV and in pho-tographs. Then a "typical" Russian lunch (beetroot soup, beef stroganoff and a "mystery" dessert) before another 50+ Km journey to the other airport followed by tedi-ous, endless (and still unsmiling) security checks prior to our 4 hour flight back to Heathrow and home.It had been a very different sort of holiday and many unusual memories remain. In particular, it was interest-ing to try and get some reaction from our various Rus-sian guides as to how they viewed the transition from Soviet communism to today's capitalism. Although there was a reluctance to get too "political", I felt that, in the main, they preferred the present system on balance. But it is clear that not everyone agrees: some older peo-ple definitely prefer the communist system where eve-ryone knew where they stood; everything was ordered; everyone had a job (however futile); and providing you kept your nose clean, you were left alone.And I detected an unstated complaint against the present system whereby, although society is much more free now and people can speak their mind (within reason), the great problem of life today is the endemic corruption where the former communist bureaucracy and its stultifying numbness has been swapped for a gung-ho, Mafia style "Wild West" system.In comparison with Norway - which must be the most civilised country in the world - Russia comes a poor second. However, they could help themselves tremen-dously if only their officials could learn to relax a bit and realise what a difference a friendly smile can make

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What ’s Best For YouSavings

Even the best easy access account is currently offering only 2% AERThis sets the benchmark for everything else. But, remember, if the best is this bad, what’s yours offer-ing? If you can’t answer that, check.The top paying account is currently from Derby-shire Building Society (thederbyshire.co.uk), with unlimited no-notice withdrawals. This includes a 1.5% year-long introductory bonus, which effec-tively acts as a rate promise for that time. After that, ditch and switch.Rates are currently dropping by the day, so for constantly updated info, see www.moneysavingexpert.com/topsavings

Earn 3% AER (plus cashback) in a current accountBizarrely, for the best easy access savings, grab a Santander 123 (www.santander.co.uk/123) bank account. New and existing customers with £3,000-£20,000 get 3% on the whole amount. There is a fee of £2 a month, though as it also pays a nice 1%-3% cashback on bills such as council tax, phones and energy, that should easily cover it. This leaves many making £10 a month or more on top.

Get 4% AER if you can put money away each monthRegular savings accounts offer hot rates, but only let you save a limited amount each month. To save a lump sum, drip-feed it from a top easy access account. The top rates are often linked to bank accounts, so check yours. If not, the top deal open to all is Norwich & Peterborough’s 4% AER fixed for 12 months (with a maximum deposit of £250 month). You must pay in every month, and not make more than one withdrawal in the year.

Earn 8% interest lending money to othersThis can work extremely well, earning some up to 15%. Your money’s lent via special sites uk.zopa.com, fundingcircle.com (which lends to businesses) and ratesetter.com. They credit-check borrowers can afford to repay, and chase repayments if they fall behind. Many have earned decent returns, but unlike savings, they’ve got no Government protec-tion.This can be extremely lucrative. But it isn’t without risks, which you must understand before embarking on it. So please read my full peer-to-peer lending guide at www.moneysavingexpert.com/peer2peer to see if it’s right for you.

Make the most of your tax-free cash ISA savings (get 2.5% AER)A cash ISA is just a savings account you can put £5,640 a year in, where the interest’s tax-free. The top easy-access deal is Cheshire BS’s 2.5%. It also allows you to transfer in past years’ cash ISAs – so you can boost them too. Check yours now, and transfer across if needed. This rate includes a 2% bonus for 18 months, effectively acting as a rate promise for that time, but you’ll want to transfer out afterwards.If you can wait to access your cash, Coventry Building Society’s 60-Day Notice ISA pays 2.8% on balances from £1, guaranteed until December 2013, but it doesn’t allow transfers.

Your kids can earn 6%The branch-based Halifax Kids’ Regular Saver pays a huge 6% AER fixed for a year (max £100/month) if you are prepared to lock cash away. It’s head and shoulders above all others for rate. Annoyingly, those in Scotland need to go to a Halifax branch to open it (though not after that) and there aren’t any north of the border. But if you’re tripping south, it’s a not bad stop-off on the way.

Imagine a limbo dancer who’s been lowered down a mineshaft. Saving rates are currently even lower than that!

In November last year I noted saving rates were at their lowest levels for 300 years – and they’ve plummeted since. So if you’ve got savings, making them work for you is even tougher than ever. Here are the 10 things you need to cover right now.

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Repaying debts & mortgagesThink about it. £1,000 credit card debt at 18% costs £180 a year, but the same in savings, after tax, earns £15 at best. So pay off the debt with the savings and you’re £165 up. Pay off credit cards even if you haven’t got an emergency fund, as if a real emergency (the roof caving in, not needing this season’s shoes) came, you could simply borrow back on the card and be no worse off than when you started. With mortgages, if their interest rate (eg, 5%) is higher than the after-tax rate on savings (eg, 1.5%), it makes sense to use the savings to overpay them. With rates so low, many are now in this category. Yet... a) Check there are no penalties for overpaying. If there are, it’s very likely not to be worth it. b) Keep enough cash to keep you afloat for three to six months, as unless you’ve an offset mortgage, you can’t borrow back on it once you’ve repaid it. The benefit of this can be huge: overpaying £100 a month on a £100,000 mortgage at 4.5% saves £18,000 interest over a 25-year term. Work out your own sce-nario at www.moneysavingexpert.com/overpaycalc

Is it worth locking cash away to get 2.25%?Normally, locking cash away without access gives a high fixed rate. Right now, the rates are horrid – though, of course, rates could keep plummeting – making these look good with hindsight. Even so with rates this low, it’s questionable whether fix-es, especially longer ones, are worth it. Top payer over one year is currently Virgin Money with 2.25% AER.

Premium bonds for higher-rate taxpayers I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if you’re a high-rate taxpayer, think Premium Bonds. I’ve never been a fan, and the current prize rate’s just 1.5%. But, as it’s tax-free, that’s equivalent to 2.5% AER for higher-rate 40% taxpayers. You’d still need luck to get it, but for high-rate taxpayers who’ve filled their ISA up, the chance of beating top savings isn’t bad. To see your chances of winning, try www.moneysavingexpert.com/premiumbondcalculator

A few final important savings quickies a) Unless I’ve noted it, all the accounts I’ve listed here have full £85,000 UK savings safety protection. If you’ve more, consider spreading across multiple accounts. b) To cut tax, if you’re a couple, put savings in the lower taxpayer’s name. c) If you’ve kids, as some of their ac-counts pay higher rates, saving in their name pays. But if they earn more than £100 a year interest from it, it’s taxed at your rate.Join the Cheap Energy Club - My new Cheap Energy Club checks if you’re on the cheapest now and switches you if not. Then it monitors to ensure you’re PERMA-NENTLY on the cheapest. Join for free at moneysavingexpert.com/cheapenergyclubWeb exclusive: 20p Kindle e-books - Amazon is selling a host of Kindle books at 20p each, including Yann Mar-tel’s Life of Pi. Amazon doesn’t list all 20p titles on one page, so check the bestseller list and scan for bargains.

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auto Biographies

FAST FACTS

PROS & CONS Looks √ Comfort √ Economical √ Slow off the mark X

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.

It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.

But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around. It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer.

Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials.

The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance.

The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick, body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-

wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.

The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car.

The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the continuous rise in fuel prices.

With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats.

Kia Rio 1.4D EcoDynamics 2By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writerwww.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

autoBIOGRAPHIES

FAST FACTS Max speed: 107 mph0-62 mph: 14.2 secsCombined mpg: 68.9Engine: 1396 cc 4 cylinder, in line dieselMax. power (bhp): 89 at 4000 rpmMax. torque (Ib/ft): 162 at 1750 - 2750 rpm

CO2: 109 g/kmPrice: £14,195 (approx)

motoring

PROS ‘N’ CONSLooks

Comfort

Economical

Slow off the mark

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of

our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around.It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now

get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer. Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials. The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasis-ing its purposeful stance. The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick,

body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car. The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the con-tinuous rise in fuel prices. With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats

WAY BACK in 1992 I had a friend who took driving lessons later than the rest of our social circle. How we laughed. Not at the fact that he was learning to drive at 21 (most of us had passed our test at 17), but at the car his instructor turned up in: a Kia Pride.

It was the first time any of us had heard of Kia and to be honest the way the South Korean car company had described their car didn’t help. It certainly wasn’t anything to be proud of. For a start, we all thought it resembled a milk float and I seem to recall it also had white-wall tyres – a definite fashion faux pas.

But fast-forward nearly 20 years and Kia has turned itself around. It is no longer an ugly budget car brand. It is far from that. You now get an awful lot for your money and people are more likely to comment on what a nice motor you have rather than sniggering about milk floats. Take the latest incarnation of the Rio. I was lucky enough to be one of a few European journalists to test drive the latest offering from Kia in Portugal last summer.

Sleek, economical, and loaded up with equipment found in cars a class or two above, the Rio is a revolution, not an evolution from its predecessor and I reckon it’ll be a car that people will want to buy for its looks, as well as its environmental credentials.

The Kia Rio’s CO2 emissions start at just 85 g/km; that puts it ahead of all other B-segment vehicles currently on sale in Europe. The new model is longer, wider and lower, and features a wheelbase extended by 70 mm – greatly enhancing passenger space and cargo capacity. With an overall height of 1,455 mm, the new Rio has one of the lowest rooflines in Kia’s European product range, emphasising its purposeful stance.

The 1.4 diesel Rio I test drove performed well. It was hushed for an oil-burner and, although far from quick off the mark, it had enough pull up and down and around the bends of Lisbon’s roads to satisfy. The six-speed gearbox was slick, body lean wasn’t overly pronounced and room behind the wheel and in the passenger footwell was good. Rear legroom wasn’t astounding, but certainly adequate enough for a car of this size. The cabin materials felt hard-

wearing and the seats were comfortable. Only a few hard plastic areas around the electric window switches let the interior down. The boot was also surprisingly spacious – certainly big enough to fit a small pushchair and some shopping bags in with ease.

The new Rio’s built in sat-nav is seamlessly fitted into the centre of the car’s dashboard and easy to use. To be honest, its directions got me more lost than anything, but that could be due to the new road layouts around Lisbon. Other than that I found it difficult to find much wrong with the Korean car.

The five-door Rio is the first variant to go on sale in Europe with the all-new three-door model joining Kia’s line-up during 2012. The East Asian car manufacturer’s market research predicts that global demand for B-segment cars like the Rio is going to grow significantly over the next two years as consumers increasingly shift to economical, more fuel-efficient cars – downsizing to offset the continuous rise in fuel prices.

With Kia upping its game to produce good looking cars like the latest Rio, I can see every reason why the motor company is confident that it’s going to go from strength to strength. I certainly won’t be laughing about anyone getting into a Kia again. And there’ll be no more mention of milk floats.

Kia Rio 1.4D EcoDynamics 2By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writerwww.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

autoBIOGRAPHIES

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In The Garden A beginners guide to…

Composting

It’s never too early to get children inter-ested in gardening and where their food comes from. I’m sure, even the fussiest child whould be prepared to try a warm, sweet strawberry or raspberry straight from the plant or a handful of peas out of the pod. While we’d all love a string of willing, young, helpers on the veg plot you do have to be realistic. Children can have short attention spans, will only want to do jobs that appeal to them, and usually expect quick results. So how can you encourage your little ones, without boring them out of the garden, or having them dig up your row of prize leeks?If it is at all possible give children a space that is completely their own. Get hold of some good quality child size tools and encourage their attempts even if it isn’t quite what you’d have done. If digging holes and making mud pies is more in their line than neat rows of seedlings perhaps they could create a wildlife area? A shallow dish sunk into the ground can be used by birds, frogs, toads and hedgehogs, and a log pile will be home to all sorts of insects or pos-sibly even a hedgehog. In spring have a “tallest sunflower com-petition”, not only is it fun but they will learn how to feed and water plants and actually see the fruits of their labour! They can keep some dried out seeds for next year and feed the rest to the birds in winter. Wild flower seeds are also a good idea as they can simply be scat-tered and tend to be brightly coloured which appeals to children. In time they will also encourage useful insects and birds - natural pest control!Keen young growers can browse seed packets or catalogues to see what takes their fancy. Quick growing crops are a good suggestion. Radishes and salad

leaves pop up in no time at all and should give almost instant satisfaction! Sweet young carrots are likely to tempt even picky eaters, as are those lovely little cherry tomatoes. Popping peas out of their pods is very appealing and how about growing their own hideaway in the form of a lush green wigwam of peas or beans? They might shy away from anything green on their plates, but they might find plenty of chopped, homegrown chives, basil, marjoram/oregano and thyme only improves their favourite pizza or bolognese sauce. They may not be keen on eating greens, but there is certainly a much better chance that they’ll be tempted to try something they’ve grown themselves.Fruits, such as strawberries and raspber-ries are usually popular, if you haven’t got any of your own you can always get them enthusiastic by having an after-noon out at the pick your own farm.Ready grown plug plants are good for helping set up an ‘instant’ plot - take a trip to the garden centre to see what is on offer. If you already have seedlings started, then they could have the choice of some for their own pot (and you can see whose grows best!). Finally, don’t forget ‘indoor’ growing ac-tivities. At any time of the year, children can start to understand the concept of things growing from seed. Give them a packet of cress seeds and, although they can be grown in a shallow tray, make it even more fun by saving the shells from their breakfast boiled eggs. With their tops cut off, draw a face on the eggshell and fill with peat free compost or even moist kitchen roll or cotton wool and sprinkle with seeds. In just a few days their “egg man” will be growing hair that they can not only cut, they can eat it too!

No garden can have too much compost and rich, fertile soil is the key to great vegetables and plants. In these days of fortnightly bin collections (and the threat of slop buckets for our kitchens) why leave kitchen waste to fester in your wheelie bin when it can be put to good use? Find a corner somewhere in the garden to start a compost heap or, if space is limited, many councils offer bins for the purpose at reasonable prices. If building your own bin, it’s best to put it on a soil base which will attract worms to start work on the heap. You could use old planks of wood or chicken wire support-ed by posts in each corner. This works well as it is important that air can get in to help the process.You need a good mixture of material to make good compost. If you just put in grass cut-tings you’ll end up with a foul, soggy mess so they should be mixed with shredded newspa-per, pruning clippings (not the really woody stems) and even cardboard. Annual weeds can go in as long as they haven’t gone to seed but avoid perennial weeds like dandelions as even the smallest piece of root will produce another plant. Almost all vegetable waste from the kitchen can be used, but avoid meat, fish and cooked food as these may attract rats etc. Use crushed eggshells, used teabags, used kitchen towels and fruit and vegetable peelings. Keep the mixture damp. The aim is to end up with some-thing that is dark, crumbly and sweet smelling and alive with worms. If you wanted to hurry up the process, you can buy accelerants from hardware shops and garden centres but a cheaper and just as efficient method involves collecting urine, diluting it with water and wetting the heap with it. Well, what do you imagine our ancestors used?!

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The merry month of May?... Perhaps not for those study-ing for exams, more a time for planning and preparation. A revision timetable is obviously essential in order to avoid that last-minute cramming and often there is little time on the agenda for planning meals, but a healthy diet is also essential in order to keep the brain alert and focussed and able to absorb all of that information effectively.

The Nutrition Coach

StudyingBrain Foods For

Brain Foods• PROTEINS: meat, liver, fish, nuts, beans, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese

• CARBOHYDRATES: wholegrain cereals and breads, soya products, brown ric and pasta

• VEGETABLES: broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, avocado

• FRUIT: blackcurrants, blueberries, strawberries, sundried apricots, bananas, apples, pears

• OMEGA-3 FATS:linseeds soaked ove night and sprinkled on cereals. Oily fish, sardines, mackerel, salmon, fresh tuna and trout

• HERBS: sage & rosemary used in cooking as well as aromatherapy You should drink up to 2 litres of water, diluted fruit juice or herb teas a day.

= A+

Eating healthy meals little and often and before 7p.m. rather than large meals late at night will keep you mentally alert and ensure restful sleep. For brain cells to communicate effectively they require neurotransmit-ters, which are made from amino acids found in protein foods.Vitamins and minerals are needed to convert the amino acids into the neurotransmitters, so protein-rich foods, wholegrain cereals and lots of fruit and vegetables will be needed each day. Foods high in sugar will add to stress levels, so it is bet-ter to snack on nuts, seeds and fruit rather than sweets.Cut down on caffeine drinks, like cola and coffee. Although well known for keeping us awake for long periods, caffeine can make us too ‘hyper’ and unable to focus. With thoughts racing so much, it’ll be hard to think of the words we’re searchin for!Gentle exercise, such as walking, jogging or cycling, in between study periods will provide you with the extra oxygen you need, as well as improving the circulation to the brain and will even jog your memory!When the exam days arrive, positive thinking will be essential, as stress can cause confusion and poor mem-ory. Focussing on breathing, with slow deep breaths in and out will help.The Australian Bush Flower Remedy, Cognis, described as excellent for study, gives clarity, and helps integrate ideas and information and the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium 30c, taken in the morning, will calm anxi-eties.With all this preparation, the month of May should be easier for you, with merry celebrations to follow, know-ing you’ve done your best after all! By Sue Blain Naturopath, specialising in Homeopathy, Nutrition & Reiki. 01525874357

32


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Preparation is the key to revising ef-fectively. Make sure you know what type of exams you will have – short questions, multiple-choice or essays – and what topics they will cover. Organise your course notes and textbooks so that everything is easy to find. Work out how much time you have for each subject and don’t avoid the ones that you find particularly difficult – or easy. Make a timetable, but don’t spend so long making it look beautiful that you’re behind before you start! Re-member to include your other com-mitments and try to maintain your normal routine of mealtimes, exercise

and so on. Think about the time of day that you work best – some people are night owls while others get more done in the early morning. Plan a ten-minute break in every hour and don’t work for more than three hours at a time. Now divide the topics you need to learn into manageable chunks. To help memorise information, make notes and put as much as you can into your own words. Summarise key points and write them on index cards or sticky notes that you can put around the house. You may find that making a spider diagram or mind map is helpful. Try inventing your own mnemonics, such as Never Eat Shredded Wheat for the points of the compass. You can also visualise a scene that in-cludes details you need to remember – a battlefield or mountain habitat, for example.Make the most of revision classes of-fered by your school or college. You could also revise with a friend – prac-

tice explaining difficult concepts and ask each other challenging questions.Get hold of as many old exam papers and example questions as you can. Familiarise yourself with the way questions are worded and make sure you understand exactly what they are asking you to do. Prepare draft answers to questions that come up frequently. When the exam gets close, complete a paper within the time limit to get an idea of how quickly you need to work. To keep motivated, reward yourself with a weekly treat such as a trip to the cinema or a favourite meal. But if it’s not going so well, don’t give up! Adjust your timetable and focus on the areas you find most difficult, or common questions. Keep thinking about what a good grade will bring – a university place or that dream job.The night before the exam, have a quick look through your notes, but don’t cram. Get an early night so you wake up refreshed and ready to go. Good luck!

Successful Studying

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Preparation is the key to revising ef-fectively. Make sure you know what type of exams you will have – short questions, multiple-choice or essays – and what topics they will cover. Organise your course notes and textbooks so that everything is easy to find. Work out how much time you have for each subject and don’t avoid the ones that you find particularly difficult – or easy. Make a timetable, but don’t spend so long making it look beautiful that you’re behind before you start! Re-member to include your other com-mitments and try to maintain your normal routine of mealtimes, exercise

and so on. Think about the time of day that you work best – some people are night owls while others get more done in the early morning. Plan a ten-minute break in every hour and don’t work for more than three hours at a time. Now divide the topics you need to learn into manageable chunks. To help memorise information, make notes and put as much as you can into your own words. Summarise key points and write them on index cards or sticky notes that you can put around the house. You may find that making a spider diagram or mind map is helpful. Try inventing your own mnemonics, such as Never Eat Shredded Wheat for the points of the compass. You can also visualise a scene that in-cludes details you need to remember – a battlefield or mountain habitat, for example.Make the most of revision classes of-fered by your school or college. You could also revise with a friend – prac-

tice explaining difficult concepts and ask each other challenging questions.Get hold of as many old exam papers and example questions as you can. Familiarise yourself with the way questions are worded and make sure you understand exactly what they are asking you to do. Prepare draft answers to questions that come up frequently. When the exam gets close, complete a paper within the time limit to get an idea of how quickly you need to work. To keep motivated, reward yourself with a weekly treat such as a trip to the cinema or a favourite meal. But if it’s not going so well, don’t give up! Adjust your timetable and focus on the areas you find most difficult, or common questions. Keep thinking about what a good grade will bring – a university place or that dream job.The night before the exam, have a quick look through your notes, but don’t cram. Get an early night so you wake up refreshed and ready to go. Good luck!

Successful Studying

36

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This year’s London Marathon will be held on April 21st. This iconic event first took

place over 30 years ago, in 1981.It was the brainchild of John Disley and Chris Brasher who after taking part in the New York Marathon, wondered if London could stage such a festival. 7,747 runners took part in the first London Marathon, whilst in 2012 there were over 37,000 participants. The Marathon is now a calendar high-light for competitors, spectators and charities alike. Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich will take part this year and is expected to complete the 26.2 mile course in just over 2 hoursFor most of us a marathon would prove too gruelling, but there are half marathons, 10k and 5k runs or sub 5k events which anyone can enter. There are running events nearly every weekend somewhere in Britain. Running has many benefits, firstly it’s

free. Once you have your basic kit, it costs nothing to simply ‘go out for a run.’ As you are not tied to a specific class or opening times, you can go running whenever you please. Studies extol the health benefits. Runners tend to be stronger and live longer. Regular exercise, along with a healthy balanced diet, can also reduce your risk of cancer. So how does a fledgling runner get started? Most beginners’ guides suggest doing a combination of run/walk/run on your first outings and building up your distance gradually. You should always stretch, warm up and cool down and ensure you are hydrated. You should not run too fast. You should always be able to main-tain a conversation and not breathe too heavily. Training programmes suggest that subject to satisfactory health, begin-ners could train to complete a 5k run within six weeks, training three

times a week. Someone preparing for a marathon would probably have a training plan of at least 16 weeks. It’s important to have the correct equipment and in particular the right shoes. Specialists will use biomechan-ics, your weight, the surfaces you wish to run on and the shape of your feet as influencing factors when determining which shoes to recommend for you. Serious runners will alternate between two pairs of shoes during training, and shoes should be replaced after around 500 miles. Other items to consider include run-ning socks, tights leggings or shorts, a stop watch, technical t shirt, a heart monitor, training log, drinks carrier, energy drinks and a lightweight jacket. Ladies will also require a high impact sports bra. Many find they are more committed to running if they have a training part-ner, and some join local running clubs for increased support and guidance.

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HALL FOR HIRESt Fremund’s Church

Westfield Road, Dunstable

HALL FOR HIRE

D.A.W.G. SOCIAL CLUBWe are a small and friendly Dunstable based social group meeting once a month with a wide variety of speakers during the winter and outdoor events and visits during the summer. Each year we also arrange two evenings with a meal and professional entertainment.We would welcome new members (couples and singles). For further information and a free visit why not contact Brian on 01525 754189.

Dunstable Garden Club meet on the second Monday evening of each month at 7.30pm at the Salvation Army Community Hall, Bull Pond Lane, Dunstable. The Club has been in existence for many years and maintaining a steady membership. The subscription is only £10 per year which entitles members to attend eight winter meetings with speakers and a selection of summer outings from May onwards to various interesting and well-known garden venues. Visitors are very welcome at £2 each so why not come along and meet some of the members who would love to see fresh faces.

Regular slots availableor for family partiesContact: Mrs Nicola Talbot

[email protected]

THE BOGTROTTERS

DUNSTABLE GARDEN CLUB

“The more you put in, the more you get out” is certain-ly true for the members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the club has raised thousands of pounds for local and national charities from events such as quizzes, race nights, stalls at Carnivals etc. However, there is more to Orbit than the comradeship and teamwork involved in organising fundraising events. The emphasis is very much on having fun in all their activities including a wide range of social pursuits such as archery, 10-pin bowling, cinema/theatres, guided walks, progressive meals etc. The club plan events to suit all budgets and many of them are free or at a low cost. Membership is only £10 annually. Meetings are on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Dunstable Rugby Club, Bedford Road , Houghton Regis 8pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome. Contact Mark on 01582 539379, Julie on 01582 535761 www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable

We are an independent social club for ex-Rotarians and similarly minded people and have been in existence for nearly 3 years. We are named ‘The Watling Street Club’ as our members form a link along the Watling Street. We meet every Thursday evening at the ‘Old Hunter’s Lodge’ Whipsnade for a meal and speaker.New members are welcome. For more information contact John Stevens 01582 668033

We meet every Monday (except bank holidays) in Chews House in High Street South, Dunstable, from 1pm to 5pm. We would welcome new members of all standards and you do not need a partner. If anyone is interested please call: 01582 664485

DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUB

CHILTERN CEILIDHS

Join our friendly guided walk at blows downs dunstable on sunday July 3rd. the walk will be a short 2 miles but undu-lating, at a leisurly pace. on the way we talk about the flora and fauna of this wildlife trust owned nature reserve which will include the area of the chalk pits where the wild orchids should be in abundance.Meet at the far end of Half moon lane , dunstable at 3pm.Tel. for further details, tony bliss 01582 704664.

Chiltern Ceilidhs - a regular ceilidh/barn dance on the 2nd Friday of the month. All ages welcome, no experi-ence required and live music from our house band every month! The dances start at 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm) and tickets are £7 (£5 conc) with under 10s getting in free. Venue: The Polish Club, Albion street, Dunstable, LU6 3AZContact: 01582 475655, email: [email protected] or visit our website: www.chilternceilidhs.info

The Bogtrotters (Dunstable and District Walking and Hos-telling Group) are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activities, including half and full day walks, hostelling trips, meals and evening activities.New members are always welcome. Prospective members are invited to get in touch via the website, give us a ring or just turn up to an event or walk.enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.ukwww.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk01582 865966 Sue or Julian

BLOWS DOWNS CONSERVATION GROUP

THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB Out About&ST GEORGES DAY CELEBRATIONS

Saturday 20th April 10 am to 3pm.Priory Gardens & The Square Free St. Georges day fun with craft activities, town trail and entertain-ment! Come and have fun celebrat-ing this traditional Day!

BEER FESTIVALFriday 10th May - Sunday 12th MayGrove House Gardens – NEW VENUEAfter the huge success to our first beer festival, we are bringing it back and it’s going to be even bigger and better! 38 Ales and Ciders in a mas-sive outdoor marquee with live music

A HAUNTING EXPERIENCEAre there Ghosts in Priory House?Is Priory House really haunted?Is there really a lady on the stairs? Can a baby really be heard crying in the night?These are just two examples of the haunting experiences that have been reported in the past at Priory House.The Anglia Paranormal Investigation Society (APIS) are holding a number of evening investigations to find out what is really going on. Damien O’Dell author of, amongst others, ‘Ghostly Bedfordshire-Re-Investigated’ is leading the evening with other members of APIS. Would you like to join them? Do you fancy taking part in a real ghost hunt? Tickets for the evening are priced at £35 and the evening runs from 8:00pm to 1:00am in the morning. The price includes a cup of Tea/Cof-fee and light refreshments.The next investigations will take place on Saturday 27 April.Are you brave enough to find out what REALLY goes bump in the night???

HOUGHTON REGIS BOWLS CLUBHoughton Regis Bowls Club are holding an OPEN DAY on Sunday 5th May at our green from 11am till around 4pm the only criteria we need is for people to wear flat-soled shoes, all equipment and refresh-ments will be provided for our guest that want “to have a go”. There will be experienced bowlers there to help where necessary. All ages from 12 and abilities catered for at our pa-

vilion which was completed for the 2009 season. Interested please ring me Mary Comb 01582-518645

NCT NEARLY NEW SALESaturday 18th May, 11.45 - 1pmAdmission 11.30 for NCT members (with membership card).Admission £1 per adult (in aid of NCT charity)Buggies and pushchairs will not be allowed in the sales room.Bullpond Lane Dunstable, LU6 3BJFree parking on Bullpond Lane.Items for sale include toys, books, Maternity and baby/childrens clothes, pushchairs, highchairs plus other baby equipment.for more information contact Nicola:[email protected] or 0844 2436112www.nct.org.uk/nns

THE BOGTROTTERSThe Bogtrotters (Dunstable and Dis-trict Walking and Hostelling Group) are a group of about 90 walkers, hikers and hostellers. We run a surprisingly diverse range of activi-ties, including half and full day walks, hostelling trips, meals and evening activities.New members are always welcome. Prospective members are invited to get in touch via the website, give us a ring or just turn up to an event or walk.Enquiries@dunstablebogtrotters.co.ukwww.dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk01582 865966 Sue or Julian

BREAKOUT SOCIAL CLUBWe are a club for the over forty fives, not a singles club but a social club for people who enjoy going out but are on their own, also where they can meet like minded people, make new friends and enjoy a varied social life in a safe and friendly environ-ment. We meet once a week, we now have a room in the Conservative Club, High Street North . Dunstable Annual fee -£26For more information please contact Sandy on 07813 262556

DUNSTABLE SENIOR CITIZENSWhat age would you like to live to?Would you like to live it withDignity, Financial peace of mind, With a voice We are a local group fighting the

fight for the over 50’sInterested in finding out more?Come to a meetingWe meet the last Thursday of each month at 2pmIn the Social club of The Catholic Church in West Street DunstableOr call for more information on01582 534357

DUNSTABLE GARDEN CLUBAt our October meeting a representa-tive of Blom’s Bulbs, Melchbourne, Bedfordshire gave a very interesting talk on the cultivation of tulips and growing them for the Chelsea Flower Show - this year they gained their 62nd Gold medal! On November 12th the Chairman of the Midland Branch of the National Vegetable Society will tell us how to have homegrown vegetables on our plate every day of the year. The Christmas meeting on December 10th will be a sociable evening. We start 2013 in January with a talk by English Heritage about the recently restored gardens at Wrest Park, Silsoe. Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of each winter month at the Salvation Army Hall, Bull Pond Lane, Dunstable and commence at 7.30pm. Visitors welcome at £2 and new members subscription is £10 a year.Mary Chapman Tel: 01582 603710

KINGSBURY BOWLS CLUB is a small friendly club situated in east Dunstable under the shadow of Blows Downs.The Green is open to the public from Wednesday to Friday until Septem-ber, 2-00pm to 4-00pm and 6-00pm to Dusk – at a reasonable fee. Come and try a new sport – the only dress requirement is flat-soled footwear. Bowls and all other equipment is available at the Green. www.kingsburybowls.weebly.com

DUNSTABLE BRIDGE CLUBWe meet every Monday (except bank holidays) in Chews House in High Street South, Dunstable, from 1pm to 5pm. We would welcome new members of all standards and you do not need a partner. If anyone is interested please call: 01582 664485

• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community

WILDLIFE TRUSTThere is a whole world to discover on your doorstep with your local Wildlife Trust in 2013Here are some of your up and com-ing events for APRIL and MAY

Blows Downs Nature Reserve Open Event4th April (Easter Holidays)

10am-3pmThe Paddocks,

Blows Downs Nature ReserveCome and celebrate with us at the re-opening of the paddocks at Blows Downs… Everyone Welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Youth Wildlife Rangers31st May (Half Term) 1pm-3pm

If you are aged between 13 and 19 and you would like to help your local wildlife then come along and join in with various activities, includ-ing, butterfly surveys… Outdoor Activities / Booking Es-sential.All events free / Donations gratefully acceptedNo Wheelchair Access / Uneven steep slopes in areasTel; Ruth Sneath 01525 874317 [email protected]

DUNSTABLE DOWNSIDE WIWe meet two evenings a month on the 2nd & 4th Thursday at Watling Lower Sch. Bullpond Ln, at 7.30pm.For more info contactChris Brewin 01582 52036111th April “Jewelry by Design - Andy Schneider - Comp. TBC25th April “The Cake House” - Hayley -Pfeifer demonstration - Comp. Bring a decorated cake to be judged 9th May Annual Meeting23rd May “Reflexology” (volunteer will be required on night) Mary El-lingham - Comp. Why not turn up in a pair of silly socks.

THE HEALING TRUSTArdley Hill School, Lowther Road, Dunstable, each Thursday evening, 7.30 - 9pm. No charge, donations accepted. NFSH contact Pam Hill on 01582 606182. Come for interest or healing.

THE DUNSTABLE ORBIT CLUB“The more you put in, the more you get out” is certainly true for the members of Dunstable and District Orbit Club. Since its inception over 20 years ago, the club has raised thousands of pounds for local and national charities from events such as quizzes, race nights, stalls at Carnivals etc.

However, there is more to Orbit than the comradeship and teamwork involved in organising fundraising events. The emphasis is very much on having fun in all their activities including a wide range of social pursuits such as archery, 10-pin bowling, cinema/theatres, guided walks, progressive meals etc. The club plan events to suit all budgets and many of them are free or at a low cost. Membership is only £10 annually. Meetings are on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Dun-stable Rugby Club, Bedford Road , Houghton Regis 8pm. You’ll be guaranteed a warm welcome. Contact Mark on 01582 539379, or Julie on 01582 535761 www.orbitclub.org.uk/dunstable

WATLING STREET CLUBWe are an independent social club for ex-Rotarians and similarly minded people and have been in existence for nearly 3 years. We are named ‘The Watling Street Club’ as our members form a link along the Watling Street. We meet every Thursday evening at the ‘Old Hunter’s Lodge’ Whipsnade for a meal and speaker.New members are welcome. For more information contact John Stevens 01582 668033

BREATHEASYDo you suffer from a lung condition? Then why not come and join our local Support group - breatheasy - Part of the British lung foundation. We meet on the 2nd Thursday of the month at peter newton pavilion (Behind tesco) 2 - 4pm carers also welcomeAs well as supporting each other we have a variety of speakers and also arrange day trips out.New members most welcomeMore info phone michael on 01582 602348

FRIENDS OF STUDHAM COMMONWe are a friendly,voluntary group whose aim is to conserve,maintain and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place for everyone to enjoy.For this purpose we meet as a work party on the third Saturday of each month (except Dec.) The work is not onerous and we enjoy the exercise and the good company –and a picnic lunch is pro-vided! Details from Pam on 01582 872608 [email protected]

DUNSTABLE PROBUS CLUBDunstable PROBUS Club meets on the second Monday of the month and membership is open to retired or semi-retired professional and business men. The Club’s main object is the promotion of good fel-lowship. Members enjoy a variety of social activities and organized visits throughout the year and at their regular monthly meetings they are entertained by after-lunch speakers. If you are interested in joining the Club, please contact the Secretary on 01582 653732

PRIORY LADIES GROUPWe meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month 8.00pm to 10.00pm at Chews House, High Street South, Dunstable.We are a lively group of 50+, if you like interesting talks, meeting people and occasional trips out then why not join us!10th April - Fairtrade Fods24th April - -David Lean - The Man and His Films 8th May - Henry VIII and his wives22nd May - Dorothy Sayers - creator of Lord Peter WimseyTel: Monica 01582 667030 or Barbara 01582 606300

TEA TIME TALESPriory House Heritage Centre

Tel: 01582 890270Local History Talks

with Tea/CoffeeThursday 2.30pm, - 4.00pm

£4.50 per personApril 11th

National Gardens Scheme, in BedfordshireApril 25th

History of Bletchley ParkMay 9th

The War of The Roses, and all thatMay 23rd

A butchers at the Village Shop - So-cial changes in a village community

LANGDALE CHURCH‘HATTERS TEA’- informal neigh-bourhood group meets monthly on a Wednesday pm. Free tea/coffee & home-made cakes, quiz and raffle.Friends and Neighbours- monthly on a Thursday pm. Speakers and free tea/coffee. At Langdale Church.Other groups- table tennis, walking group and drawing for beginnersMake the most of our community activities and meet new people in our community. Tel Colin, Community Worker01582602980


• Clubs • Groups • Events• Community

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the vine, dunstable - april/may 2013 - issue 52

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