insideIssue 49 February - March 2015

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b r a m h a l l

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Inside Bramhall is produced by Inside Magazines Ltd. We cannot be held responsible for views expressed by contributors or any advert content, including errors or omissions, or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this magazine. We endeavour to ensure that all local information given in this magazine is accurate, but we cannot always guarantee this.

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Thursday 12 March

Co-Editors

Garth Aspinall

Claire Hawker

We are feeling very positive about the year ahead and the opportunity to bring a little pleasure to peoples lives! Its fair to say that we feel especially privileged to have received so much goodwill and appreciative feedback over the years. What greater motivation could we wish for?

We have always been conscious of being a community magazine a publication that tries to connect with people a little more than you might expect of a regional glossy a publication that readers look forward to receiving and reading and for that reason, a magazine that succeeds well for its advertisers.

This year we are looking to involve you even more! More and more members of the community are delivering our magazines and we are hugely grateful for their enthusiasm and reliability. Read this issue and you will discover that we are now seeking local reporters. Is this up your street? And finally we are seeking your active help in identifying advertisers that provide a great service.

Please support us, in whatever way you can.

Have a great New Year.

insidemagazines

Welcome to the latest issue of

Cover photo: Aneta & Babs at BE LIfestyle Boutique by Garth Aspinall.

Issue 49 - February/March 2015

b r a m h a l lContentsLocal Buzz 4

Local History Norman Bramhall 7

Inside People 8

The Book Group Recommends 11

The Road to Mandalay 12

On Your Plot 14

Crossword 17

Martins Money Tips 22

in Touch 25

Sudoku 31

The Walk 32

Life & Relationships 34

Just 4 Kids 37

Childrens Activities 38

Acupuncture & Migraines 43

Slater & Gordon Legal Advice 52

Bach Magnificat 54

Inside Guide 55

Useful Numbers 59

Puzzle Solutions 60

Classified index 62

On 12 February, BE will be two years old! When we opened our doors two years ago we could not have imagined all the challenges that lay ahead but, balanced with those challenges, have been the amazing reception and support from our local community. It has been a most enjoyable experience becoming part of Bramhall Village and meeting so many wonderful people so we would like to say thank you.

Our most common question from customers has undoubtedly been what is a lifestyle boutique? After a few minutes in BE the answer is clear; with an array of lovely home wares, clothing and accessories, BE is a sanctuary where you can find special things that will improve your life from all around the world.

We love the fact that people get excited when they receive their presents in a BE bag and we love that people come to our shop having been told by their partners that I would love anything from BE.

We remain committed to finding exciting, high quality and unique items that allow us to stand out from the humdrum of the high street -

all at a fair price. Our online business went live in September and we are so excited to say that we have had customers in Australia, USA, Germany and from all around the UK so far. We also have a growing number of people living locally who order online and we are happy to offer free local delivery. Our website is www.belifestyleboutique.com

Our New Years resolution moving through 2015 is to have new stock flying in every week so BE is constantly refreshing and exciting. We will also be planning events through the year. Please ask to be added to our mailing list if you would like to be kept informed. Our facebook page is a great way of knowing about new arrivals and special offers so dont forget to like us too!

We love hearing feedback from customers and are always interested in finding more ways to improve our business with your help. Approachable and friendly, we love a good chat and would like to invite anyone who has not been in our little treasure trove to come and have a browse or let us help you with gift selections and honest styling advice.

We are at BE 191 Moss Lane, Bramhall, SK7 1BA under the Olive Tree and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Aneta and Babs.

Happy BirtHday BE LifEstyLE BoutiquE

local buzz

4

Take a short walk (or an even shorter drive) up Lumb Lane and you will discover Bramhalls hidden gem, the Bramhall Village Club.

Owned and run by its members, the Village Club boasts 5 thriving sections, including Bridge, Indoor Bowls, Art, Photography, and Badminton. These sections cover a wide range of interests and activity levels and run regular weekly meetings. The Club is also home to Mountfield Rovers Junior Football Club (girls and boys teams, U8 U18s) and the renowned Bramhall School of Dancing.

The Village Club has a variety of excellent rooms for rent, offering space for groups up to 150 people. It provides a regular meeting venue for several Probus groups, Tumble Tots, Towns Womens Guild, U3A and a Pilates group. The Club offers full disabled access with 2 disabled toilets and a stair lift to the upstairs rooms, as well as a spacious car park on site.

Two thirds of the way through a major refurbishment plan the premises are ideal for local residents looking for a group to join on their doorstep, or for associations, groups and even individuals looking for a

one-off venue or a more regular place to meet. Dont forget sectional affiliation offers preferential rental rates.

The annual subscription to the Village Club is just 24pp and offers access to all sections of the Club. The clubs website, www.bramhallvillageclub.com, has links to the current sections and other contact details, but please call the Chairman, Ross Worthington, or Booking Secretary, Peter Gary for a chat or to discuss your requirements.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Bramhall Village Club soon!!

BRAMHALLVILLAGECLUB

CLUB SECTIONS

Encompasses all aspects of photography. The section meets on Monday evenings and includes outside speakers, competitions as well as advice and guidance on photography. Additionally, on Thursdays, sessions are run for those interested in digital techniques. Again, there is an annual exhibition of work, held in autumn.

Chairman, Ross Worthington

0161 439 8359Booking Secretary, Peter Gary

0161 440 8093www.bramhallvillageclub.com

Contact

Bridge

Photographic Badminton

ArtIndoor Bowls

Meets weekly on Wednesday mornings for painting, demonstrations and workshops. The annual Exhibition, held in April, is a popular local event.

Playing a short mat indoor bowls format, the section holds 2 social sessions per week in the summer season and 3 per week during the winter. They enter 3 teams in the Stockport Metro Indoor Bowls League, but hold a lot of social events for members as well.

Duplicate bridge tournaments are played on Wednesday and Friday evenings, as well as alternate Saturday evenings. The club is affiliated to the EBU and Manchester County Bridge Association.

Club nights are held every Sunday, with team play on Monday. The section has a team playing in the 2nd Division of the Stockport and District Badminton League.

The Normans were scrupulously wise in documenting 11th century England and the Domesday Book offers a glimpse into the medieval world of Bramhall!

1066. Its the date every schoolboys supposed to know, signifying the Battle of Hastings and the invasion of England by the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, who became King William I of England. It must have taken weeks, or even months, for the information about the invasion to reach Bramhall and even then, there were very few people in the immediate vicinity to receive the news; in fact the whole of Cheshire had, perhaps 2,000 inhabitants, with around 70 people living in the locality of Bramhall.

Harrying the North

Exercising his will on his unwilling new subjects was Williams first task, and after uprisings by Cheshire folk and the Welsh, he brought his army across the Pennines from York and laid waste to Cheshire, in order to stamp his authority on the region. Burning crops, killing cattle and driving people from their homes, he laid waste Bramhall and Norbury, and deprived local Saxon land-owners Brun and Hacum of their estates. However, documentation of the time reports that Uluric of Offerton proved loyal to the King and was allowed to keep his lands.

Domesday Book describes Bramhall

The Domesday Book was a massive land survey carried out in 1086, recording who owned what, and assessing the value of land throughout the kingdom. It is a rich source of information about the Normans, and one of its entries neatly summarises Bramhall: The same Hamo holds Bramale. Brun and Hacum held it for two manors and were freemen. There is one hide rateable to the gelt. The land is six carucates. One radman and two villeins and two bordars there have one carucate. There is a wood half a league long and the same broad, and half a hay and an acre of meadow. In King Edwards time, it was worth

thirty-two shillings, now five shillings. He found it waste.

A glimpse into medieval England

To get a true understanding of what Norman Bramhall was like, you need to know the meaning of the unfamiliar terminology in the above excerpt and once you understand these words from across the centuries, you can begin to see into the medieval world. A hide is an area of land sufficient to support a family; gelt is a tax applicable to a hide, and was formerly Danegeld, originally used to buy off the Danes : a carucate is an area of plough-land (as much as a team of oxen could plough in a year); a hay (also known as a deerhay or buckstall) is a pen for deer; a radman is, literally, riding man - a servant who attended his lord, and often rode escort; a villein is a village freeman who held strips of land in return for service to the lord of the manor; and a bordar is a peasant of low standing, who was allowed a cottage in return for providing poultry, eggs and manual labour. The reference to Edward is Edward the Confessor, last Saxon king of England, who was succeeded by Harold Godwinson of Norse descent, who lost his life at the Battle of Hastings.

Crow Holt Wood the start of another story

As a postscript to Bramhalls Domesday entry, the village kept its deerhay or buckstall in Crow Holt Wood until well into the 19th century - in fact in 1908, it was officially recognised as the finest in the country, thanks to its frequent use in gathering the many deer that ran free in neighbouring Macclesfield Forest. Comprising a square enclosure about 60 yards along each side, it contained a series of deep ditches and high ramparts, so that the deer could not leap out and escape; a central hollow enclosure kept the deer together, and they were driven into this area for counting and inspection. Crow Holt Wood is also thought to be the site of the original Bramall Hall; but thats a very different story and one for another time!

by John Wallace

NormaN Wisdomlocal history

7

I was born, Kevin Hogg tells me, on a football pitch. It transpires he was actually born in a post war prefab that stood where there is now a football pitch in Wythenshawe Park. It was number seven, standing where the goal mouth is. That was 17 August 1947, which makes Kevin a Leo.

He attended (and sometimes didnt attend) schools in Manchester but passed the eleven plus. He gained a clutch of GCEs although he was never happy at school and suspects that school was not happy with him. He was, and still is, too independent minded to conform.

On leaving school Kevin became a painter and decorator but his restless spirit moved him on. He was variously a salesman, trained as a bricklayer, raced motorcycles, was a singer, an entertainer and a market stall trader. He enjoyed all the experiences and is, he says, a can do person who will turn his hand to any task.

Kevin is married to Kath, their second marriages and they have between them, he proudly tells me, seven children, fourteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

It is now 25 years since Kevin entered politics, standing as councillor for Hazel Grove in 1990. He won the seat and has been re elected seven times. Kevin entered politics with a desire to bring about change and get things done. He enjoys listening to people and takes great satisfaction in trying to help them. Over the years he has been a long serving member of the Council Executive Committee and has held the portfolios for Regeneration, Highways and Leisure, spending,

he comments ruefully, many hours in committee and Council meetings. His long service was rewarded this year when he was chosen to be the Mayor of Stockport with Kath as his Lady Mayoress.

As Mayor, Kevin has been privileged to meet many local volunteers who he describes as the heroes and heroines of the town who do so much to help people in the area. This year on Remembrance Day, he felt the service was particularly poignant. He is a member of the British Legion and is the World War One Champion for Stockport and will attend a number of events to commemorate battles of the First World War.

It was especially moving to meet the family of Johannes Vermeulen, a Belgian soldier invalided to Great Britain, who died in Stockport Infirmary and was buried here. When Johannes descendants met Kevin he was able to chat to them in Dutch, having worked for several years in Holland. He also speaks some German, French, Italian, Polish, Flemish and Africaans and is currently trying to learn Chinese.

Kevin is content with life and enjoys travel. He and Kath go to Egypt regularly, for the sun, but their first love is France where they have travelled widely. On one visit to a village in Normandy on Veterans day, the parade marshal, discovering that Kevin was British, insisted that he joined the local dignitaries in their march. Kevin agreed but felt rather uncomfortable as he was wearing holiday shorts and a tee shirt at the time! Kath reluctantly but loyally joined him in the parade.

A voracious reader, Kevin reads anything from Game of Thrones to Louis LAmour Westerns to Tolkien.

Last word from Kevin

Carpe diem. Seize the moment and the opportunities. Enjoy life and be happy in your own skin. Make the best of all the chances you get.

Inside PeopleKevin Hogg

by Ed Blundell8

The Book Group RecommendsThis month our first recommendation is At the Loch of the Green Corrie by Andrew Greig. Beautifully written, this book is part a biography of the Scottish poet Norman MacCaig; part autobiography Greig himself is a poet, novelist, Himalayan climber and travel writer; and part a reflection on the landscape of North West Scotland and on Scottishness itself.

Greig describes his last meeting with MacCaig before his death. Over a dram the great poet asked him to fish for me at the Loch of the Green Corrie .ask for a man called Norman Macaskillif he likes you he may tell you where it is. Four years later Greig, with two friends, takes up the quest and they fish for trout at this remote lochan. Anyone who has fished or walked over hills or moors can appreciate the way the peace he feels helps Greig make sense of his own life. The resulting story is told in short chapters that reflect the fly fishing rhythm of Cast and Retrieve, the narrative alternating with reflective material.

Greigs prose is punctuated by some of his own and MacCaigs poems. Consistently well written and completely absorbing it is difficult to put this book into a particular genre; it is so different, we all enjoyed it immensely. The recent referendum put Scotland on all our radars. We agree with Billy Connolly: Should you find yourself in need of an explanation as to why Scots are the way they arewhy Scotland looks the way it doesthen this is the book for you.

We have always considered Maggie OFarrell to be an accomplished storyteller and Instructions for a Heatwave proved to be no exception. The heatwave, which provides a compelling backdrop to the novel, is the one that those over the age of 45 will never forget. 1976 saw the longest, hottest summer Britain has ever witnessed. Intolerably hot days, unbearably sweaty stifling nights, people are beginning to get a little unhinged.

Mr Riordan leaves his London home at 6.45am as he has done for 30 years. Now he is retired and only going for a paper but this time he doesnt come back. This is completely out of character, and by teatime his wife Gretta is panicking. The matriarch of a complicated Irish family who settled in London, Gretta is a hypochondriac and a religious fanatic, her three children are her obsession but also the bane of her life and now she needs them. Monica is in a difficult marriage to an older man, her stepdaughters barely speak to her and now she has an emergency involving the death of her stepdaughters cat. Michael Francis has two restless children and a wife who has hardly spoken to him since she rediscovered herself and started an Open University course. Gretta cannot contact her youngest, Aoife, who banished herself to New York, because she doesnt have her number.

By the following day the bewildered family are back home, and there follows a wonderful exploration of complex family tensions told with real humanity and warmth. When the family follow the trail to Cork to the gentle water falling from the sky the heat is finally relieved and the family begin to mend the distances between them. Highly recommended.

11

Exotic Burma (Myanmar) has been mostly hidden from the outside world for many years. Now the wonders of this magical land begin to reveal themselves. Diverse in both landscape and culture, discover the winding Irrawaddy River, sandy beaches, pine forests and plains dotted with temples.

First stop Yangon, known to many by its colonial name of Rangoon and that colonial atmosphere can still be seen in the winding streets with British-Colonial architecture and in the Indian Quarter. Whilst here, visit the amazing Schwedagon Pagoda, the first of many to be seen during your holiday.

From Yangon, take a short flight to Heho and transfer to Inle Lake to meet the local hill tribe people, visit the local markets and visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lakes main sanctuary with five Sacred Buddhas. This area is all about how the local people live, with visits to local craft workshops and even a cheroot factory.

A short flight brings you to Bagan, famed for plains filled with literally thousands of beautiful

temples. Explore some of the temples including Shwezigon Pagoda and the famous Ananda temple. A sight not to be missed is the sunset view over the stunning vistas of Bagan from atop a beautiful terraced pagoda.

An alternative way to explore Burma is on a river cruise along the Irrawaddy River; with short four-night cruises available, or for a more in depth view, nine or 11 nights. The 11 night cruises sail from Yangon all the way through to Mandalay, or

12

The road to mandalay

12 by Kristina Hulmewww.travelbydesigngroup.com 12

the shorter cruises you would embark at either, just a short drive from Yangon and home to the the impressive Schwesandaw Pagoda complex and the Wunchataung Paya or at Bayan.

We recommend two luxury river cruise vessels The Irrawaddy Explorer is a new ship, launched in September 2014 and the Sanctuary Ananda which is newer still. Both ships are beautifully decorated and designed in the style of a boutique hotel reflecting Burmas renowned reputation for arts, crafts and textiles in its furnishings and dcor which showcases local fabrics, teak wood and lacquer ware.

On the Sanctuary Ananda all cabins have balconies, and on the Irrawaddy Explorer it is a mix of full balconies and Juliet balconies, but all cabins have the same fabulous views of the countryside as you glide down the river.

Your cruise will include on-board cooking classes, dancing demonstrations and lectures to complement the itinerary and deepen your knowledge and understanding of local places and culture.

Shore excursions are available, including some harder to get to places revealing the authentic Burma to visitors and of course your cruise will include impeccable standards and service throughout. English speaking guides are available on board and on all cruise excursions, most of which are included in the cost of the cruise.

For details of tours and itineraries available, call Travel by Design on 01625 584195.

Travel

Theres nothing quite like sowing seeds and the thrill of watching those first tiny seedlings appearing just a week or two later. Weather permitting the soil should be warm enough to be sowing outdoors in March. Your new seedlings will need all the help that you can give them if they are to flourish so dont forget the weeding and pest control too!

Most seed packets give you some guidelines as to which month/or months are best to sow in but personally I think that itd be a lot more helpful if they gave a little information about the temperature required, not to mention just how long germination is likely to take. Soil temperatures of at least 6 are needed for most seeds - if you dont want to guess at this you can get a soil thermometer to check. Dont forget that by using products such as fleece, or cloches, over your beds you can raise the temperature. Some seeds, such as parsnips, are notoriously slow to germinate taking up to 3 weeks for seedlings to appear - a good idea with slow starters like these is to sow quick growing crops such as radishes on either side of the row. This will help mark the rows out until your parsnips appear and the radishes will quickly be grown and ready to harvest.

Take note also of the depth that the different seeds should be sown at - too shallow and theyll either blow away or be eaten by the birds, too deep and you may bury them alive! Try to space seeds evenly, though if you sow too many you can thin out the weaker seedlings after they appear.

Do remember that with many crops it is better to sow just a few and then sow again in a few weeks time to avoid having too many ready to harvest all at once. Salad crops such as lettuce will bolt if left too long and other vegetables, which may have a short harvesting period, can be enjoyed for much longer if you save the seed and sow a few in succession every few weeks.

As the soil warms up for your new crops so it also warms up nicely for the weeds about now! For many people part of the attraction of growing your own is eating chemical free produce and organic methods of pest control will therefore be preferred. Little and often is best - take a quick walk around the veg patch each morning and hand pick any emerging weeds. Hoeing also works well and if you are careful not to let weeds set seed youll avoid a long-term problem. Of course the situation isnt helped by the fact that your patch is likely to have large amounts of bare soil on it between widely spaced rows at this time of year. Some crops, such as potatoes will obligingly grow to ultimately block out the light and deter weeks, but if youre really having problems then think about putting down a thick, organic, mulch to cover the bare soil.

Slugs will also emerge to attack your young seedlings - theres no end of organic ways to do battle from hand picking at night and beer traps to watering in nematodes. Strike early and gain the upper hand!

Getting the Upper Hand

On Your Plot

14

Are you a keen writer? Do you love where you live? Is there a lot going on in your village/town?

It can be tricky for us at head office to keep up with whats going on in each area. Thats where you come in.

We need reporters to send us articles about whats going on where you live. This is a voluntary role but its a great opportunity to keep people informed about whats coming up in your area.

To become an INSIDE reporter, send us a brief article (max 200 words) about your area and what kind of articles you would like to submit.

We are looking for Local Reporters

inside

Email your article to claire@insidemagazines.co.uk and we will be in touch.

magazines

Quick Crossword

Across1 Providing employees (8)5 Hunting expedition (6)9 An orientation or philosophy (8)10 What movies are projected onto (6) 12 One who studies the past (9)13 Avoid (5)14 Highly excited (4)16 Left out (7)19 Actress/singer Judy _______ (7)21 Crimp or bend (4)24 Memos (5)25 Unshaken (9)27 In a crooked line (6)28 Trachea (8)29 Not dots (6)30 Contracts to lease transportation (8)

Down1 A metalshop (6)2 Discrimination against the elderly (6) 3 A printed leaf or page (5)4 Shrewish (7)6 Accumulation (9)7 Sufficient (8)8 Insinuation (8)11 Pearly-shelled mussel (4)15 Crystal (9)17 Suffered pain or anguish (8)18 People who are mentored (8)20 Beat thoroughly in a competition (4) 21 A Jewish prayer of mourning (7)22 Pace (6)23 Bovine mammary glands (6)26 Beneath (5)

Solution on page 60. 17

Wed all like more room at home. But not everyone can afford to move or extend. So what if there was a way to get extra space for just a few hundred pounds, ready to use in less than a day? In truth, that space is already there. Its just not being used to its full potential.

For most, the loft is a dark and dingy place visited on rare occasions; a precarious scramble across dusty beams with torch in hand, grabbing whats needed then clambering back past boxes filled with long-forgotten belongings. But that dark and dingy place is worth thousands. In fact, it takes up a third of the floorspace in an average home. So shouldnt we be making the most of it?

And thats where More Than Loft Ladders (MTLL) comes in. Founded in Bolton six years ago, MTLL specialises in generating space by making our lofts easily accessible. The latest MTLL franchise is based in Oldham and is run by skilled local Andy Best who says the companys no-frills approach is what most people are looking for.

Were not selling 15,000 loft conversions, says Andy. This is a low-cost and simple alternative. For just 277 + VAT you can get a ladder that slides easily up and down, as well as a proper light and some boarding to make the space safe and secure. We can also fit a draft-proof loft hatch if required from only 55.

The price customers are quoted is the price they will pay, with no additional call out charges. Andy provides a free guarantee on all parts and labour too.

For a free survey and quotation with no obligation, contact More Than Loft Ladders now!

Call 0800 035 9880 or visit the website at www.morethanloftladders.co.uk

gEt morE spacE at HomE for just 325

New and regular visitors to Uniquely Chic Furniture showrooms in Goyt Mill always use the same two comments Aladdins Cave and Treasure Trove. Furniture shopping here is a unique experience as you go from one room to another and marvel at the huge range of furniture and shabby chic home accessories on sale.

Founded in 2012 by Mick Bennett and Sue Scully, Uniquely Chic Furniture transforms pre-loved items of furniture, mainly quality pine and oak, into wonderful hand-painted statement pieces. We can paint furniture purchased from us, or indeed your own pieces. This service also includes painting and transforming your kitchen cupboards for a completely new look without the cost and upheaval of fitting new units.

If you select a piece of furniture for painting, you pick the colour and finish, for example block colour, distressed, or shabby chic (which is very much in vogue). A change of knobs or handles can really add to the piece, and these finishes can give a really great magazine look.

Not only will you find a superb range of quality furniture on show, but a fascinating collection of mirrors, lamps, cushions, crystal chandeliers, and home accessories.

We now have a large range of French style furniture which is extremely popular, and we also offer a range of brand new contemporary furniture which is now available on our Facebook page in our new Facebook Store. This range will complement our existing individual pieces and offer you, the customer, an even bigger choice of fantastic furniture and accessories.

A collection/delivery service is available. We can arrange delivery anywhere in the country. And if you cant visit the showroom you can buy online.

Canalside, Goyt Mill, Upper Hibbert Lane, Marple SK6 7HXTel. 0161 484 5116 or 07785 794308 www.uniquelychicfurniture.co.uk

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am -5.30pmSunday 11am- 4.30pmClosed Mondays (except Bank Holidays)

@be_uniquelychic

21

My savings fountain is designed to maximise your interest on every penny of your cash. It works because different types of savings have different rules on how much you can put in and when. Think of it like a champagne fountain - put your cash into the best-paying savings vehicle possible, then when thats full and overflowing, fill up the next best, and so on.

The top tier... earn up to 5% easy-access via bank account savings.

Some bank accounts in-credit rates now smash easy access savings accounts and ISAs. Theyre done as a loss leader to entice new banking customers - yet if youre prepared to switch account, you gain. Aim to cover as much as possible at decent rates eg earn 3% AER on 3,000-20,000 with the www.santander.co.uk 123 account. Theres a 2/mth fee, but this is usually more than covered as it also pays cashback on bills.

Next trickle into regular savings... save monthly to earn up to 6%.

Regular savings accounts often pay high interest as its only on a small amount for a short time. While the top rates slightly more than bank accounts, because you need to put cash in each month, youd need to trickle it across from your top savings account anyway - hence why its second.

Got more? Pour it into a cash ISA 2.6% tax-free with access.

Cash ISAs are just savings accounts where the interest isnt taxed (so you keep all of it). Anyone over 16 in the UK can put up to 15,000 in an ISA each tax year (6 April - 5 April) and once in, it stays tax-free year after year. With fixed-rate cash ISAs, unlike normal savings, you can access the cash within the term - though youll lose some interest in penalties. Yet even if you withdraw early, these can still be winners. See www.mse.me/ISAs for some ISA options

Now consider locking cash away - earn 2.5% in fixed rate savings.

If youve still money, next consider whether youre prepared to lock it away without access - if so, you can fix with a locked-in rate thats usually higher.

Do bear in mind if rates rise over the term you cant switch, so at the moment I dont list fixes longer than three years. Top fixed-rate savings: www.krbs.com 1yr fix pays 1.9% AER, min 1,000. The top 3yr fix is www.investec.co.uk (min 25,000), which pays 2.5% AER unless the Bank of England base rate plus 1% is higher, in which case you get that. If youve less, www.shawbrook.co.uk Bank is a 3yr fix at 2.5% AER (min 5,000).

Got any left?

Earn 1.4% in the top easy access normal savings. Now were down to the bog standard easy access payers. Here you can put in big amounts and withdraw cash at leisure.

Before you rush off to pour cash in the fountain, a few key tips...

You pay tax on savings interest (if not in an ISA). Higher rate taxpayers lose 40% of their interest to the taxman, basic rate 20%. Part of a couple? Put savings in name of the lower-rate taxpayer. Know your savings safety. Provided your money is in a UK-regulated savings account, the first 85,000 per person, per financial institution is Government guaranteed. If youve got more, spread it.

by Martin Lewistwitter: @moneySavingExpert

Use the savings FoUntain

martin lewis Column

22

BesT FooT FoRwARd

Best Foot Forward walks are free, low impact walks lasting between 30 minutes and an hour and finish at a caf for tea and a chat afterwards. They provide a supportive and sociable environment for people whove been affected by breast cancer (including family members and friends).

Our Best Foot Forward health walks take place every other Friday (from 16 January) and every other Saturday from 10 January. We meet outside Sandwich Heaven, 2B Fir Rd, Bramhall, at 10.15am and walk around Bramhall Park. For more information contact bestfootforward@breastcancercare.org.uk or phone 0345 0771893.

Further details can also be found on our website: www.breastcancercare.org.uk/bestfootforward

BRAMHALL HuB GRuB

Green-fingered Bramhall folk can take part in a Grow and Grub scheme thats designed to bring local residents together.

Were looking for people who are happy to share their gardening skills or those who want to learn some. Its a great way to get local people together and also its a great skill that combines healthy eating with saving money, said volunteer, Delia Hampson-Wilde.

The newly-formed Bramhall Hub also holds coffee mornings, crafting sessions for kids and provides free access to computers (with wifi connection) and free computer classes are also in the pipeline.

Just call in either Monday, Wednesday or Friday from 10am-2pm at Bramhall Hub (opposite the Costcutter and hairdressers) 84 North Park Road, Bramhall.

For more information ring Delia Hampson-Wilde on 07826 399944 or email bramhallcomhub@yahoo.co.uk

AVRos GReenKeePeR sCooPs ToP nATionAL AwARd

At an award ceremony attended by some of the countrys greatest sporting institutions, including Manchester United and Everton Football clubs, York and Ripon racecourses, Worcestershire CCC, and numerous prestigious golf clubs, Eddie Ainsworth from Avro Golf Club at Woodford, won the top Greenkeeping Achievement of the Year award.

The award ceremony was held at the Institute of Groundsmanship in December and was attended by more than 400 of the UKs and Europes leading groundscare experts, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators.

In TouchYour Community Noticeboard

Continued over... 25

ART FAiR RAises oVeR 55,000 FoR eAsT CHesHiRe HosPiCe

Cheshires leading Art Fair raised 55,481 for East Cheshire Hospice. The charity arts and crafts exhibition, held last September at the Town Hall in Macclesfield, is a biennial event organised entirely by volunteers. Fio Brereton chaired Art Fair 2014: We had a fabulous Art Fair and I would like to thank everyone who contributed towards its success in so many ways, she says. The Art Fair is recognised as one of the most respected art events in the North West, attracting thousands of visitors to Macclesfield, including Terry Waite, a patron of the hospice who this year visited the exhibition and gave a talk to the community.

More than 100 local and regional artists showcased work at the fair and items sold included high quality original paintings as well as ceramics, sculpture, photography, limited edition prints, textiles, woodcraft, handmade jewellery and cards.

Art Fair 2014 also received a Royal seal of approval, with HRH The Prince of Wales donating a limited edition Artists Proof of one of his own watercolour paintings: the signed limited edition lithograph entitled, The Castle of Mey, was sold at auction for 4,700.

Fio Brereton says: We were delighted The Prince of Wales donated a picture to Art Fair 2014. Each exhibiting artist also donates a proportion

from the sale of his or her work to East Cheshire Hospice with some generously donating a piece of artwork. The event wouldnt have been possible without the assistance of supporters and sponsors, including McCann Manchester, and Id like to thank them all for their assistance. The hospice is an exceptionally valuable part of our community and the success of the Art Fair means were helping towards the care of patients with life-limiting illnesses.

30 YeARs A FinAnCiAL MAesTRo

Cheadle Hulme-based financial advisory specialist Maestro Financial Services is celebrating 30 years in business.

The company was founded in Ancoats in 1984, as Maestro Insurance Services, by former owner Stephen Hepburn. He was joined in 1987 by current owner Niel Lingwood who established the financial services side of the business, opening new offices in Bramhall in 1988 and subsequently moving to Cheadle Hulme in 2013.

Today Maestro offers a full range of financial advisory services to private individuals and corporate clients. During its three decades, the company has incorporated the financial services businesses of local companies Shaw Heath Insurance Services and Kay Webb & Co under the Maestro name and is now a national business with funds under management of over 130 million. It is an affiliate of Sanlam UK, part of a long-term AA-rated international financial services group.

Commenting on the milestone, Niel Lingwood said: It feels fantastic to have achieved 30 years of continuous growth over a period which has seen two recessions, a few boom years and a constant stream of changing legislations. Im eternally grateful for the support of our long-standing clients, many of whom have been with us for much of the three decades, the majority having joined us through recommendation.

He concluded, Im also indebted to my long-serving colleagues, as the stability and longevity of our staff has been a vital feature in Maestros success, enabling us to provide a continuity of

IN TOuCh

26

IN TOuChservice that sometimes can be difficult to find in larger organisations.

Information on Maestro Financial Services is available by visiting www.maestrofinancial.co.uk

wHo Knew BeinG A VoLunTeeR CouLd Be suCH Fun?

I retired last month

Really? What are you up to these days then?

Well, not a lot, I feel a bit past-my-use-by-date to be honest. Im beginning to understand what people mean about being invisible once you reach a certain age!

Well, I dont feel a bit past-my-use-by-date at all; and Im certainly not invisible.

Gosh! Whats your secret then?

Heavens, its no secret, I volunteered at the Thursday Club in Bramhall.

Whats that then?

Its a daytime social hub for people even older than us, who might not have the same chances as us to get out and meet others, have a bit of a chat, generally socialise. We meet in Bramhall Methodist Church.

But I dont go to that Church.

Neither do I; in fact I dont go to any Church. People are warmly welcomed, whether they are Agnostic, Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Bassets All Sorts

That sounds nice. I still couldnt do it though, I have to be on call for my elderly relative in case theres an emergency. And sometimes I have to visit my doctors at short notice.

Well, you see, we work on a rota system, in half day shifts. You can do as many or as few as you can and if you have an emergency or even just want to go on holiday, its easy to swap with someone else. Were all in the same boat so everyone helps when needed.

You seem really happy, what do you like most about it?

Oh my word, how long have you got?

The volunteers and members become like a second family, theres always someone to help with a problem; we laugh so much and have so much fun. Its worth all the effort in the world when a member takes my hand, smiles at me, and says Thank you so much. I definitely receive far more than I give and believe me, Im no saint.

Look, if youd like to know more, why dont get in touch with the organiser, David Sargent, he or his wife Carol can tell you loads more and it could be the best thing youve done since retiring!

Email: g.davidsargent@btinternet.com Tel: 0161 439 1779

PLAYinG CARds - noT ALwAYs wHAT THeY seeM

The fascinating history of playing cards, which date from the 14th century, will be the subject of a talk at a Spring Guest Evening organised by North East Cheshire Decorative and Fine Arts Society (Necdfas). The event, on Friday 20 March, is at The Hunting Lodge, Adlington Hall, and includes dinner for 150 members and guests.

A Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards, lecturer Yasha Beresiner will explain that in the 17th and 18th centuries politically biased decks of cards were published to capitalise on the hunger for news and information, for example the 1678 Popish Plot involving the infamous Titus Oates.

Necdfas holds a special guest evening every two years to allow members to introduce friends and acquaintances to the society, which holds monthly lecture meetings on Wednesday mornings at the Brookdale Club, Bramhall. Because it is a large organisation - with 300 members - Necdfas is able to attract first rate lecturers in all aspects of fine arts.

March is a busy month for Necdfas. On 4 March there is a visit to Winterbourne House and Gardens and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, and the monthly lecture on the 28 March will feature the Magna Carta, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of its signing.

For more information see website necdfas.org.uk or email info@necdfas.org.uk

Continued over...

27

sAFARi suPPeR

For community spirit, you can do no better than have an annual Safari Supper.

Our road has just celebrated its third. The enthusiasm was tremendous with 100% attendance save for one couple who were away.

The supper follows traditional lines but for those readers who have not come across one I will tell you how it operates. We start at this years organisers house for a welcome drink. We then split up into six or eight and go to another house for starters, then mix up again and move twice more for a main course and then desserts. Finally we all congregate at another house for coffee etc. Everyone is expected to take their own tipple as they move around.

So far as possible we endeavour to mix people up as much as possible. Our Safari Suppers have cemented good neighbours into good friends with everyone knowing the names of all the residents and all their children. This is particularly nice when I tell you that the age range is a little over 30 to 88.

If your road hasnt got round to having one of these suppers then I think you are missing a great way to cement friendship in your road and at the same time have a great night.

Name and road etc. withheld to prevent possible gate crashers, but the most recent supper was attended by 29 Bramhall residents!

seed PoTATo sALe

More than 100 varieties of seed potatoes will be on sale at Marple Senior Citizens Hall together with onion sets, shallots, bulbs, soft fruit and other plants.Widening the number of varieties grown means that cooks can grow the right variety for the kitchen says organiser Joe Presford. At our Seed Potato Day, allotment growers will be on hand to advise on whats great for mash, tasty for roasties, foolproof for jackets and ideal for chips.

This will be Marple and District Allotments Associations fourth such event which last year

attracted gardeners from all over the North West. Were hoping that 2015 will be a bumper growing year, said Joe, people will have time to get their potatoes chitted and ready for planting as soon as the weather warms up a bit.

This years event will be held on Sunday 8 February from 10am to 3pm at Marple Senior Citizens Hall. Joe can be contacted for further information on 0161 427 5261. Further details on the allotments website www.marple-uk.com/allotments.

sToRY-TeLLinG wiTH A CAMeRA eVenTs AT wiLMsLow GuiLd

Are you a writer with a story to tell? Would you like to increase its impact? Are you a photographer who would like to make more imaginative use of your pictures? Audio-Visual is the art of combining pictures and music, plus dialogue, sound effects etc when you get more advanced, into a story which is truly greater than the sum of its parts.

A one-day workshop, on Saturday 7 March, will be led by Suzanne (ARPS, DPAGB) and Howard Gregory who have both won awards and judged Audio-Visual at International level. We hope to have photographers (who have the pictures, but maybe are struggling with the story) and creative writers (who have the story, but may be struggling with the pictures.) These groups should complement each other and create an exciting mutual-help mix.

More details, some background information and a downloadable booking will be available on the Special Events page of www.wilmslowguildav.org.uk

On Friday 6 March there will be an evenings show The Fiesta. This is primarily an entertainment, enjoyable to all. However it will also form an introduction to the Saturday workshop, showing Audio-Visual productions made in the last year or so by Wilmslow Guild Audio-Visual Group members. Tickets for the Fiesta (6) may be picked up at the Guild during normal reception desk hours or purchased by post from Suzanne Gregory, 64 Mill Lane, Heatley, Lymm, Cheshire,

IN TOuCh

28

Secure your advertising space now!

Copy deadline for the next issue:

Thursday 12 MarchTel: 01625 879611 email: info@insidemagazines.co.uk

Dont forget!

WA13 9SQ (cheques payable to Wilmslow Guild and please enclose an SAE for the tickets.)

E-tickets may be reserved on 01925 753303 or chairman@wilmslowguildav.org.uk which are also the contact points for any queries about either event. Fiesta tickets may also be ordered on the Workshop booking form.

Wilmslow Guild, Bourne St More details at www.wilmslowguildav.org.uk

THe BoAT House

The Boat House is a 1940s vintage styled tea rooms offering monthly themed senior citizen Afternoon Tea Party events on Fridays. Individual, group, club and care home visits are always welcome and if you are celebrating a special occasion they will decorate your table free of charge just make sure you let them know at the time of booking!) This is a booking-only venue as each tea party is created with our guests in mind!

The Boat House is fully disabled friendly, Alzheimer aware and offers wheelchair accessibility specialist cutlery, crockery and superb disabled toilet facilities as well as being able to accommodate most specialist dietary requirements.

The cost is 18.50 per person which includes full traditional Afternoon tea, endless drink refills, one hours live entertainment and a personalised collage photograph of your visit.

For details of monthly tea parties please view their website theboathousevenue.co.uk or phone Debra on 07449 855630

Have you used any of the advertisers in INSIDE Bramhall and received a

particularly good service?

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the area where you live, along with a brief description of why you were so impressed.

Please email to claire@insidemagazines.co.uk or post to Inside Magazines, 352a Park Lane,

Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1RL.

A selection of these will be printed in future issues of our magazines.

insidemagazines

SudokuHow to play SudokuFill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

You dont need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

Solution on page 60.

This circular walk starts at Rose Hill Station in Marple, taking in Macclesfield Canal, Higher Poynton & Lyme Park, the Gritstone Trail, Disley and Peak Forest Canal.

Total distance 15.25km/9 miles. Moderate with numerous refreshment stops: easy tracks, towpaths, some rocky tracks, can be muddy.

Stage 1

Turn left off the platform across the car park to Railway Road with the allotments on your right. The entrance to Middlewood Way is signposted in front of you. Go along Middlewood Way (the track bed of the Rose Hill to Macclesfield railway) and turn left at the stile in the hedge on to Marple Golf Course (this is the Cown Edge Way ). Follow the path through the edge of the wood above the gully (can be slippy here ) and then straight across the golf course to a gap in the hedge marking the boundary with the Macclesfield Canal. Distance so far 1.25 km.

Stage 2

Turn right on to the canal towpath. Note the Goyt Mill on your left, which is a fine example of a spinning mill. The chimney now gone was a landmark for miles around. Follow the canal

towpath through to bridge 15 at Higher Poynton marina. The towpath provides a nice walk through pleasant countryside. At bridge 11 you pass under the A6 where the Bulls Head pub sits alongside the canal and road.

On reaching bridge 15 at the marina there is a canal side caf/shop and about 50 yards down the road to the right Boars Head pub and a further coffee shop alongside. There is also the Nelson Pit Visitor Centre with information about the various Poynton collieries which used to operate in this area. Open each day, usually staffed, Ranger Service 01625 383700, toilets and local event notice board. Distance so far 5.25 km

Stage 3

Leave the canal and turn left to cross over bridge 15 and continue up the lane for about 100 yards, over a cattle grid and straight ahead along the track by the edge of the wood signed Haresteads Farm. Continue along the track past the farm on your right and follow the track gently uphill. You reach a wooden gate across the track marking the entrance to the National Trust Lyme Park estate and deer park. Carry on uphill on the track. Behind you is now a good view over the Cheshire Plain and Manchester. At the top the track divides.

The Walk - Circular Walk from Marple

by Friends of Rose Hill Stationwww.forhs.org.uk 32

Follow the left hand track round and down the hill into the car park at Lyme Hall.

Here you will find the National Trust Lyme Hall and gardens. There is a refreshment and information kiosk in the car park and down by the Lake is a cafeteria and toilets. Distance so far 7 km

Stage 4

Leave the car park by the steps to the left of the information kiosk. At the top of the steps outside the main entrance to the Hall follow the road uphill bending to the left with the old stable building to your right. Continue along the road with the wood and metal fence on your right. Lyme Cage can be seen on your left. You are now on the Gritstone Trail and are heading towards the East Gate entrance to the Park. Skirt a small copse on your right and drop down to the East gate Lodge. From this track you get good long distance views of the moors of the Dark Peak and Kinder Scout.

Follow the track downhill, past the Bowstones path on your right, to the bridge over the stream. Currently this bridge is closed and a temporary wooden bridge has been built to the left. Cross the bridge and up the rocky track past the Millennium Wood notice board on the right. At the top of the slop bear left at the signpost marked Gritstone Way. This track is now known as Green Lane. Distance so far 8.75 km

Stage 5

Follow the path and after a slight hollow bear left with it at a right angle with a signpost up on the bank to your right. Pass through the gate and the path goes steadily downhill between hedgerows. There are two small reservoirs to your left. When you reach the T junction keep straight on and the track becomes a lane which drops steadily down towards Disley village. The lane bears left at the bottom and then right again past a post box and down the hill into the centre of the village. Here are a number of pubs and refreshment places. Distance so far 10.5 km

Stage 6

At the cross road traffic lights, bear right along the A6 main road, cross over and take Hollinwood Road just by the Dandy Cock pub down the hill and under the railway. After the bridge take the left hand fork past the steps coming down on the left. Continue down the lane with good views of Kinder Scout Edge on the right, until you come to a small cottage on the left. Veer right here across the swing bridge and on to the Peak Forest canal towpath. Turn left along the towpath and have a pleasant walk with good views back to bridge 1 at Top Lock in Marple. A refreshment stop can be made at the Sportsmans Arms or Royal Oak in Strines by means of a signed path Cobden Edge through the towpath hedge and down the field to the main road.

When you reach bridge 1 at Top Lock at the junction of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals, cross the bridge and walk down past the locks to lock 13 at the locally known Possett Bridge on the main road. Here you have three alternatives; continue down the canal to lock 9, turn right down the hill to Marple railway station; buses 383/384/358/275 from the centre of Marple to your left, or turn left through the centre of Marple and follow the main road straight down to Rose Hill railway station, where the Railway pub is handy for some final and well deserved refreshment.

Total distance 15.25 km

This is one of five walks from Rose Hill Station, Marple, taken from a guide that has been produced by the Friends of Rose Hill Station, with help and support from Northern Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, Stockport Borough Council and The Association of Community Rail Partnerships.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL THESE WALKS ARE FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND THE FRIENDS OF ROSE HILL STATION ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ONGOING ACCURACY, OR SUITABILITY FOR ALL WALKERS.

33

Have you ever wondered why the decisions you made a while ago no longer seem right? There is a good reason for this. The decisions we make at 23 are made with a 23 year olds perspective and mind, and life experience. What was right for us then isnt necessarily right for us as we get older in life. Problem is that sometimes we try to hang onto what we have created. Why? Because it is too scary to start again.

So how about instead of seeing it as starting again seeing it as moving forward. Learning from our life experience and letting go of what we dont want and refining and putting in place what we do want. Finally listening to our heart.

I was recently working with a client who wanted to review the past ten years and focus on the next ten. What was interesting about our conversation was that, as many people do, she had not acknowledged the things she had done and only focused on the things she hadnt. So using this as a starting point it was good to actually list out and acknowledge the things she had achieved. And then, as with all good foundations, build upon them.

Once we know what we do not want it is much easier to discover what we do. Looking back can be useful as we begin to see what was missing and what we would really like to have in our life from now on. The next part is to see that it is not about getting all these things yesterday, but just as the previous ten years were about creating our life up to now; the next ten years can evolve and include all the things we want.

Its about starting somewhere even with a small step. The first step is to learn about yourself a bit better. Try out a few things that shift how you see yourself and your world. Be kind to yourself so the world can be kind to you. It will help soften the ground for new things to come into your life. If it is your career you could begin by just allowing yourself to think big about what youd like or even simply admit to yourself once and for all that you have no heart in your job and you have to take that courageous step to find out what your true passions are in life. To do that you do need to learn more about yourself.

How well do you know yourself? What are you wanting in your life? Are you giving it to yourself? Are you even letting yourself know what you truly want especially if it means changing your life?

So many people have that crisis of realising that they are not living the life they want, or even maybe just part of their life is not as theyd like, and then they bury the feeling for fear of what it means. They allow I dont know to be an answer because the consequence of knowing is too scary.

The first step is to start allowing yourself to see these missing bits of you and what you have denied yourself. To really touch in with your heart and find out what it longs for. And then to start moving towards creating that for yourself in your life. As I said to a client recently dont wait for your head and ego to say yes to what your heart wants follow your heart now and let your mind and ego catch up!

Jessica offers Life Guidance to those who are feeling like they are at a crossroads, helping you connect back to your spirit, the true heart of you.

by Jessica McGregor-Johnsonwww.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com

Follow Your Heartyour miNd WiLL foLLoW!

life & relationships

34

JUST 4 KIDSAnswers: trapeze, seals, acrobats, jugglers, lions, clowns

Extra letter answer: big top

37

Things to do with pre-school kids

Compiled by Jenny Rileye: jenny@insidemagazines.co.uk

MondayStory Time 11-11.30amBramhall Library. Telephone 0161 217 6009

Baby Massage & Yoga afternoonBramhall Library Childrens Centre. Combined class run by The Baby Massage Company & Honeychild Baby Yoga.

Email babylovesmassage@live.co.uk or call Kate on 07866 468245 for class times and to book (necessary).

TuesdayBaby Sensory 9.30am, 11am, 12.30pm and 2pmSt Johns Church Hall. A learning and development program for parents and babies.

To book, call Becky on 07503547083 or email eastcheshire@babysensory.co.uk

Active Angels 10-11.30amSt Michael & All Angels Parish Church, Bramhall. Carer and baby/toddler group. Contact Melissa Davis for details on 07764744637

Story Time 2-2.30pmCheadle Hulme Library. Telephone 0161 217 6009.

WednesdayBMC Baby Chat 10.30-11.45am Term-time only, Bramhall Methodist Church, Bramhall Lane South. Come and join us every Wednesday morning for a chat, tea/coffee and biscuits and the opportunity to meet other mums, grandparents and carers with young babies in the Bramhall area.

Theres a small charge of 1 per adult. For further details please call 0161 439 1204.

ThursdayWFA Little Strikers Pre School Football 9.30-10.30amTerm time only. Brookdale Theatre, Bridge lane. 5 per session, no pre-booking required just drop in, pay and play.

Contact Erik on 07792 791382.

FridayBaby Massage & Yoga morningBramhall Library Childrens Centre. Combined class run by The Baby Massage Company & Honeychild Baby Yoga. Email babylovesmassage@live.co.uk or call Kate on 07866 468245 for class times and to book (necessary).

Toddler Group 10-11.30amCheadle Hulme United Reformed Church, Swann Lane. 1 per child including refreshments. Contact Louise Everett on 07535 450041 or outreach@churc.org.uk

Little Fishes Toddler Group for under 5s 10-11.30amTerm-time only, Bramhall Methodist Church, Bramhall Lane South. For more information contact Angela Fixter on 01614391204 or email angelafixter@hotmail.co.uk

NCT (National Childbirth Trust) 10-11.30amSt Michael & All Angels Parish Church, Bramhall. Contact Tracy Howe on 0161 477 3252

Baby Sensory 11am, 12.30pm and 2pmThe Woodford Scout and Guide Headquarters, Moor Lane, Woodford. To book, call Becky on 07503547083 or email eastcheshire@babysensory.co.uk

Toddler Group 3-4.30pmTerm time only. Bramhall United Reformed Church, Robins Lane. Toys & activities for all ages. 1 per family including refreshments, drop in at any time. Contact Louise on 07535450041 or outreach@churc.org.uk

saTurdayWho Let the Dads Out? 10-11.30amEvery 3rd Saturday of the month, Bramhall Methodist Church. A play session for dads, granddads and male carers and their pre-school aged children. Messy play, games, a room full of toys, followed by bacon butties, tea and coffee for dads, and drinks and biscuits for the children. For further details and dates please contact Jo@bramhallmethodists.org.uk or telephone 0161 439 1204.

sundayMessy Church. Second Sunday of every month 4-6pmBramhall Methodist Church, Bramhall Lane South. See Inside Guide or call 0161 439 1204.

Bramhall Childrens Activities

38

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Living with dementia doesnt mean you have to stop doing the things that you enjoy, it just might mean having to do them in a different way.

Dementia is a word used to describe a group of symptoms including memory loss, confusion, mood changes and difficulty with day to day tasks. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing, it happens when the brain is affected by a disease. There are many types of dementia, Alzheimers is the most common. Learning that you or someone close to you has dementia can be a shock and upsetting, but its important to know that many people lead active and fulfilling lives for many years.

Whilst we know there is no cure at the moment we do know that there are things that can be

done to help those with dementia live as well as possible. Try not to become isolated, maintaining hobbies and interests, whether it is taking part in singing classes, going for a walk, being part of yoga group or cooking, can bring a lot of pleasure to some people with dementia. Staying active and social can help retain skills and memory as well as improve self-esteem. Ensuring good health and nutrition remains important, the longer someone stays fit and healthy the better the quality of life will be.

Help and support is available to help those with dementia to live well and stay independent for as long as possible. There is also practical help and advice for those caring for someone with dementia, more information can be found on the NHS and Alzheimers society websites.

Karen Perry, Founder alice chilton In-Home Care Services Limited www.alicechilton.com

Living with Dementia

In the UK 5.85 million adults suffer with migraines and 190,000 people at any one time experience a migraine attack.

A migraine is a headache involving recurrent attacks that can last up to three days and sufferers may also experience double vision, nausea and vomiting. Migraines are often thought to be caused by emotional strain, stress, hormonal imbalances, and lack of food and/or sleep or by a reaction to some foods or medications.

Information released by NICE (National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence), in September 2012, reported medication overuse is one of the most common causes of headaches affecting about one in 50 people. In this report, NICE conclude that acupuncture is the only proven method to prevent tension-type headaches and migraine and that doctors should prescribe it.

Research has shown that acupuncture can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks. Migraines can manifest in very different ways and a fully qualified acupuncture practitioner will want to know, among other things exactly where the pain is located, what the nature of the pain is and whether the patient

has any accompanying symptoms. An individual diagnosis and treatment plan is then tailored to the patient based on this information and on their general health history.

Fiona Bullock, acupuncturist and British Acupuncture Council member says: As a traditional acupuncturist, I ensure that every client who comes through the door is assessed and treated individually. As well as evaluating your symptoms, I also make an assessment based on taking their pulse and examining their tongue. Migraines and headaches have different causes for different people so its important to establish this before working out what the treatment will be. Some female patients may find that headaches occur during their menstrual cycle; sometimes emotional issues may also be an important component.

A typical acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine needles into acupuncture points on the body followed by gentle manipulation of the needles. This action stimulates nerves located in muscles and other tissues to provide pain relief and increase blood flow in and around the brain. This process also alleviates individual underlying imbalances which are contributing long term to the persons condition.

Acupuncture is a tried and tested system of traditional medicine, which has been used in China and other eastern cultures for thousands of years to restore, promote and maintain good health. It aims to treat the root cause of a condition and promote long-term wellness, rather than just alleviating symptoms. Its benefits are now widely acknowledged all over the world and, in the past decade, traditional acupuncture has begun to feature more prominently in mainstream healthcare in the UK.

Fiona Bullock has acupuncture practices in Bramhall and Hazel Grove. To find out more about how acupuncture could help you, please call on 07969 624605 or 0161 483 8455.

by Fiona Bullock Tel: 0161 483 8455

Acupuncture and Migraines

health & Fitness

43

If you are unable to fall asleep, or wake frequently during the night, you are not alone. We are often discussing sleep problems with our clients at Amaranth and it is estimated that between 23% and 34% of people in the UK suffer with sleep problems.

There are many reasons for disturbances in sleep patterns, which can be short term or chronic. These may include:

Lifestyle including working hours and young families

Stress and anxiety

Some medications

Caffeine and alcohol

Habits and routines

So what can you do to improve your sleep? First of all you need to try to identify the factors that are triggering the sleep problems for you. Keeping a diary of your food, daily activity and sleep may help. Bring this along to Amaranth and our nutrition team will help identify your triggers and make food and lifestyle recommendations specific to you.

The following general tips may also help (do remember to chat to your GP if you are taking medications)

Re-think your bedroom routine. Commit to switching off computers, mobile phones and even the TV by 9.30pm. Take a soak in a bath with magnesium salts or lavender oil to relax the body and the mind.

Focus on food and drink. Caffeine can stay in your blood stream for up to four hours. Try to keep tea and coffee to the morning and have herbal teas in the afternoon and evening. Pukka Night time tea is a favourite at Amaranth.

Natural remedies including glycine, cherry, red date and magnesium have been studied for

their sleep inducing effects. As an example, three grams of glycine mixed in water and taken before bed has been shown to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve the quality of sleep.

Herbal remedies including valerian, hops and ashwaganda have also been studied. Studies have shown that valerian reduced the time to fall asleep in many patients with insomnia.

Complementary therapies including massage, reflexology and acupuncture help to relax and de-stress. Many of our clients report an improvement in sleep after a treatment.

Throughout February we will be sharing more sleep tips and research on facebook and twitter so follow us at www.facebook.com/AmaranthUk or @Amaranth_UK. You can of course call into to our shop and treatment rooms in Bramhall village or call us on 0161 439 9856.

Natural Lifestyle Store and Treatment Rooms 19 Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall Tel: 0161 439 9856

Cant Sleep?health & Wellbeing

by Joanne Hill www.amaranth-wellbeing.com

Amaranth offers10 towards a one hour Massage booked with Alex on Mondays or Acupuncture booked with Jas on

Wednesdays*

5 towards Viridian Cherry Night or Pukka Night Remedies

*Terms and conditions apply. Both offers are valid during February and March 2015

44

Spring has nearly sprung! As the lighter nights approach, its a great time for pulling your bike out of the shed and getting out there to enjoy the freedom and health benefits of life on two wheels.

Even if youre a keen cyclist and have continued to cycle throughout the winter, now is a good time to get your bike looked over for a Spring health check.

As with your car, regular servicing will not only prolong the life of your bike but will also help keep you safe on the road. Equally, if youre a keen or competitive cyclist, ensuring that every component is well maintained and fine-tuned will also help to enhance your cycling performance.

So, whether youre bringing your bike out of hibernation or its just due for some regular TLC, heres a few priority jobs that will get you set up and ready to ride:

1. Brakes - this is clearly top of the safety checklist! Ensuring brake mechanisms are clean and free of dust and dirt is essential before even thinking about getting on your bike. Brake pads can also wear out and degrade over time, particularly over the winter months, so ensuring they still have plenty of wear left in them is also a safety must.

2. Chains and Gears - make sure your chain and gears are fully lubricated and functioning well. This can be done with oil, although a specialist bicycle lubricant that contains additional slip compounds will be more effective in helping reduce future wear and tear and will prolong the life of your chain and gears.

3. Tyres - check that your tyres are free of nicks or tears that could result in a puncture. Keeping your tyres pumped to their optimum pressure, which will vary according to your type of bike, will maintain your ride performance and help prevent tyre damage.

4. Mudguards - while were still not fully out of the winter woods, good mudguards are essential for helping to keep you, your bike and those behind you reasonably clean and dry.

5. Finally, a quick visual check that your frame is in good condition, your spokes are undamaged and theres no fraying on your brake and gear cables will complete the basics!

Cycling for fitness, pleasure and commuting is now more popular than ever. A quick look at the UKs cycling calendar of competitive races, sportives, charity and fun rides is testament to that and theres plenty in the North West. There is an event out there for absolutely everyone whatever your cycling ability, so if you fancy a challenge for 2015 get on your bike!

by Martin Girdwood, Cycle Mechanicvelotechcheshire.co.uk 07929 892429

its timE to dust off tHat BikE

health & Fitness

47

We often sit at our computers in a permanently tense state and give little relief to our eyes. This can result in neck tension, headaches and red, watery eyes. If we want to stay focused for extended periods while using computers, smartphones, tablet PCs or other devices at work, we need good vision at near to intermediate distances. This field of vision, between half a meter and four metres, is the one we use most often in our daily routine.

Reading glasses and even sophisticated varifocal lenses are not ideal for this field of vision. Universal varifocals may allow you to see clearly at different distances, but the visual field for the near and medium range is often too small for prolonged close-up work and permanently strains the eyes. What to do?

Optique provides the premium Zeiss office spectacle lenses which are tailored to your specific needs and allow for a relaxed posture. These lenses offer very large fields of vision from near to intermediate distances. This lets you see and work at your best in precisely the range of vision your job requires. Your head and neck will be in a natural, relaxed position the whole day through.

Office lenses are also ideal for all indoor activities

Office lenses also help you see better in your free time, whether youre reading, watching TV, cooking, surfing the Web, chatting online or playing a musical instrument.

Please call 440 9700 to arrange a consultation with our experienced team at Optique who will be happy to advise you on selecting the best solution from the range of Zeiss office lenses.

tHE pErfEct soLutioN for visioN at Work

Vision matters

Windows 10 is being touted by Microsoft as the fix for all that was wrong with Windows 8. Users are to get back the start button, desktop and start menu which will have both the familiar nested folder view and the tiled metro view. This new release is set for the end of 2015 and will be a kind of mish mash between Windows 7 and Windows 8. Users who have stuck to the familiarity of Windows 7 and those who have taken the plunge for Windows 8 will both be able to adjust quickly to the new interface. For business this is critical as IT departments will not have to spend hours retraining employees how to navigate.

Windows 8 really has been a flop in sales terms - there is nothing actually wrong with Windows 8, it works just fine, but is really designed for touch screen devices and not very easy to navigate with a keyboard and mouse. Windows 10 will run across all devices and will be designed for

touch screens but with the added bonus of the keyboard and mouse being able to interface with ease. Thats great news for end users and businesses alike.

What happened to Windows 9? A Microsoft spokesman said Windows 9 came and went. Originally slated for release in early 2015, Microsoft now seem to want to distance themselves from 8 with a fresh start, excuse the pun. Maybe they are trying to come parallel with Apple and their OSX (10) operating system, who knows?

Windows 10 is available as a tech preview free download for anyone who has a Microsoft account to try. I wouldnt try installing this as your main operating system but if you are advanced enough to be able to install Virtual Machines then this is a good way to give it a whirl. We use Virtual Box but there are many other free VMs to choose from.

Mark Travis, The PC Doctor

WiNdoWs 10

The treatment of the family business on divorce can be a particularly emotive issue. Perhaps only one party worked in the business and they may feel that their spouse should not be entitled to a share. Conversely, many couples work in family businesses together and both wish to keep the business for themselves post-separation.

Business Valuations

The usual starting point on divorce for any family business is for it to be valued. The usual approach is for a specialist forensic accountant to be jointly instructed by the husband and wife to prepare a detailed valuation. A further issue is whether the business needs to be valued at all. For some professionals, a limited company may simply be a vehicle through which they provide their consultancy services. On a divorce, to take into account the value of such a business as well as the income it generates is surely double-counting: it is the income stream which is relevant, not the value of the underlying business.

Liquidity

Although business valuations can be relatively straightforward, more significant problems tend to arise on the issue of liquidity, ie how can money be extracted from a business to fund a settlement on divorce?

For many couples a lack of liquid cash may lead to a structured divorce settlement, meaning that payments are made over many years. Where cash is available in the business now, it has to be drawn from the business in the most tax effective manner possible. A company buying back its shares from either spouse, or the repayment of a directors loan account balance can be the most attractive options available.

If liquidity is a genuine problem, in extreme cases a court could transfer shares in the business to the other spouse, giving them an interest in the

business and a potential to share in future profits. Such arrangements are fraught with difficulties and run contrary to the principle of trying to achieve a clean break wherever possible.

Assessment of Future Income

What if one spouse chooses to draw only a modest income through the business? The Family Court is not limited to looking at purely income which has been drawn historically, but it can take into account potential income or earning capacity.

The role of a forensic accountant should be to analyse the future profit of a business and the potential income which can be drawn. Accordingly, if the Family Court were to accept that a spouse could draw a considerably higher income, then it may fix maintenance payments at an appropriately higher level.

Treatment of Businesses on Divorce

Following the clean break principle, the Family Court will look to sever financial links between a couple wherever possible. One spouse may retain the family business outright, but in return the other spouse may retain the family home and other assets.

Shares in a company and equity in a property are however different. Shares are viewed as risk-laden, whereas equity in a property is viewed as copper-bottomed. Taking on the risk of shares may justify keeping a larger share of the family assets.

A final important point is that the court will always look at the valuation of a business as a snapshot of its present value. The timing of a divorce can therefore have a significant impact upon the financial settlement depending upon how the business is trading at that time.

Andrew is a renowned lawyer across all areas of divorce and relationship breakdown. He has extensive experience of dealing with family businesses on divorce, complex trust arrangements and divorces with an international element.

by Andrew Newbury0808 175 7765 www.slatergordon.co.uk

famiLy BusiNEss & divorcE

legal advice

52

Two hundred and fifty miles is a long walk! This was the journey made by the twenty year old Johann Sebastian Bach in October 1705 when he went on a months leave from his first job as a church organist in Arnstadt in central Germany, and set out to go to north to the port of Lbeck to hear and learn from the great Danish organist and composer Dietrich Buxtehude. He ended up staying for three months which got him into serious trouble when he finally returned to his job after Christmas but Bach clearly thought it was worth it and his time in Lbeck had a considerable influence on his playing and composing from that time onward.

St Georges Singers next concert brings Bach and Buxtehude together again with two contrasting works, to be performed at the Royal Northern College of Music on Saturday 7 March. Bachs Magnificat was originally written for Christmas 1723 soon after Bach became Kantor (Director of Music) at St Thomas in Leipzig but some eight years later he revised it to create this version, suitable for other great feasts of the church year. It is a dramatic, flamboyant and joyous outpouring of praise written for a five part choir, five soloists and a large orchestra. Buxtehudes Membra Jesu Nostri composed in 1680 is a cycle of seven cantatas for Holy week.

Each section is a tender meditation on a different part of Christs body in a work of great beauty and emotion.

The concert takes place in the beautifully refurbished concert hall of the Royal Northern College of Music. The choir will be accompanied by the Northern Baroque Sinfonia and joined by five superb soloists from the RNCM.

St Georges Singers is recognised as one of the North Wests leading and most enterprising choirs and has established a reputation for innovative and ambitious performances of works, ranging from baroque to classical, modern to jazz. The Singers put on at least four major concerts each year, plus special concerts, events and open singing days, and tour regularly in the UK and Europe. They perform regularly at Bridgewater Hall, Gorton Monastery, RNCM and Manchester Cathedral, and recently performed Bachs St John Passion under Manchester Cameratas Guest Conductor, Nicholas Kraemer. The Choirs President is actress Brigit Forsyth, who took over the role from Dame Joan Bakewell in 2010.

Tickets (15, 13 concession, 5 students/children) are available from the ticket secretary on 01663 764012 or online at www.st-georges-singers.org.uk. Coach transport from Poynton or Hazel Grove is also available.

Bach Magnificat

54

A guide to selected events in East Cheshire during February & March

sAT 31 JAn - 7 FeB 2015Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie Tickets 9.50 (8.00 concession) Courtroom drama from Britains best-loved crime writer.

To book online: www.stockportgarrick.co.uk Tickets 9.50 (8 concession)Telephone orderline: 0161 477 7779

Garrick Theatre, Exchange Street, Wellington Road South, Stockport

TuesdAY 3 FeBRuARYBramhall and Cheadle Hulme Flower Club. At the Turn of the Year with demonstrator Andrew LLoyd from Stourbridge.

Parish Hall, Church Road, Cheadle Hulme 7.30pm

THuRsdAY 5 FeBRuARYLINK Womens Fellowship. An explosive beginning when we welcome an old favourite, Mr Brian Hallworth, with an audio/visual talk Flash Bang - Missed it.

Any lady welcome to join us for the evening which rounds off with a cup of tea, biscuits and a friendly natter. You do not have to belong to our church, or any church for that matter. You would be most welcome. Only 2 for the evening.

Bramhall Methodist Church (Bramhall Village Centre) 7.30 for 7.45pm start.

sATuRdAY 7 FeBRuARYSinging Day with Barnby Choir - A Brucknerfest led by Keith Orrell. Come and enjoy exploring the Choral Motets of Anton Bruckner Singing. Ticket price of 20 includes music hire, morning coffee and afternoon tea. For more information please call 01625 583752 or visit www.thebarnbychoir.co.uk

Wilmslow Methodist Church, Kings Close, Wilmslow 10am - 4pm

sATuRdAY 7 FeBRuARYValentine Concert in support of the NSPCC featuring Cheshire A Cappella. Tickets 12, under 16s 5. Complimentary glass of bubbly and finger food at interval.

Ring 01625 251302 or email louise.macklin1@virginmedia.com for tickets.

St Michael and All Angels Church, Market Place, Macclesfield 7.30pm

sundAY 8 FeBRuARY Seed Potato Day organised by Marple Allotments Association. Free admission.

Marple Senior Citizens Hall, Marple, Stockport, SK6 6AB 10am 3pm

sundAY 8 FeBRuARYMessy Church. This month we will be thinking about the Bible story The Good Samaritan. Creative craft activities as well as games, songs and Bible stories.

ALL friends and family are welcome. There is no charge but please feel free to bring a small amount of food for our Bring and Share tea!

Bramhall Methodist Church, 4-6pm

TuesdAY 10 FeBRuARYE Cheshire Assoc. of NT AVRO Woodford with Robby Robinson

St Michaels Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 2pm

wednesdAY 11 FeBRuARYNecdfas lecture on the Egyptian Textile Treasures www.necdfas.org.uk info@necdfas.org.uk

Brookdale Club, Bramhall.

wednesdAY 11 FeBRuARY Craft and Chatter. A get together for crafters of all kinds, card making, quilting, collage, embroidery, sewing and any other interests you might have.

Bring your own project and enjoy good crafting company with a cuppa and the opportunity to learn from each Contact Chrissie 0161 439 8262 for further details. 2

Dean Row Chapel Hall, Adlington Road 2pm to 4pm

THuRsdAY 12 FeBRuARYBramhall Group of Family History Society: One for the Road the history of alcohol & licensing in Stockport, with Kevin Dranfield. Admission 2 inc. refreshments. More information from 0161 439 5021 or bramhall@fhsc.org.uk

Main Hall of the United Reformed Church, Bramhall 7.30pm

Inside Guide

Compiled by Claire Hawkere: claire@insidemagazines.co.uk

Continued over...

55

sATuRdAY 14 FeBRuARY Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra will perform a Russian themed programme including Rachmaninovs Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with soloist Jackie Campbell, Symphony No. 1 and Rimsky-Korsakovs Russian Easter Festival Overture. Tickets 12, conc 10, under 18s 2 Wilmslow Leisure Centre, 7.45pm

sundAY 15 FeBRuARYAfternoon Tea Concert with The Pleyel Ensemble. Schubert Fantasy in F min, Ravel Mother Goose Suite & Rodney Newton Painter of Light (world premiere). Helen & Harvey Davies four hands/one piano. Tickets 10, free for under 15s. Call the Box Office on 0161 976 5955

Alderley Edge Methodist Church, Chapel Road 3pm

THuRsdAY 19 FeBRuARYCheadle Hulme and Bramhall Natural History: Merely Lakes with Hugh Beggs. Contact Dave Ward 0161 4397215. All welcome.

St Michaels Church Hall, Bramhall 7.30pm

THuRsdAY 19 FeBRuARYMart Rodger Manchester Jazz Poynton British Legion, Georges Rd. West, Poynton 8pm

sATuRdAY 21 FeBRuARY Gorton Philharmonic Orchestra concert. The Thieving Magpie Overture (Rossini), Organ Symphony No. 1 (Guilmant), Les Preludes (Liszt) and Aladdin Suite (Nielsen). Conducted by Juan Ortuno with an organ soloist from Chethams School of Music. Tickets 8 (7 concessions) accompanied children free. Tickets available at the door. www.gortonphil.co.uk

Heaton Moor United Church (Heaton Moor Road/Stanley Road) 7.30pm

wednesdAY 25 FeBRuARY Craft and Chatter. A get together for crafters of all kinds, card making, quilting, collage, embroidery, sewing and any other interests you might have. Bring your own project and enjoy good crafting company with a cuppa and the opportunity to learn from each other Contact Chrissie 0161 439 8262 for further details. 2

Dean Row Chapel Hall, Adlington Road 2pm to 4pm

THuRsdAY 26 FeBRuARYE Cheshire Assoc. Of NT The Maya of Mexico with Peter Floyd

St Michaels Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 7.30pm

FRidAY 27 FeBRuARYHall Chamber Concert. The Arlington String Quartet plays music by Walton, Haydn and Dvorak. Tickets 10 (8 concession) available from Thrift Shop, Church Office (0161 439 1204), Simply Books (228 Moss Lane) and at the door. Refreshments included. Under 18s free.

Bramhall Methodist Church 7.30pm.

FRidAY 27 FeB sATuRdAY 7 MARCH Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring. A timeless and classic hit both on Broadway and in the West End. Arsenic and Old Lace is the story of two charming and innocent elderly ladies who decide that by poisoning their poor, lonely lodgers and burying the bodies in their cellar, they are saving these unfortunates from the sorrows of this world. This widely acclaimed comedy hit continues to be enjoyed 70 years after its first production.

Tickets 9 or 8 conc. from Hollins of Marple, online at www.carvertheatre.co.uk or call 0161 449 8363

Carver Theatre Marple 7.45pm

Mon 2 To sAT 7 MARCHPoynton Players presents Quartet by Ronald Harwood. A funny and poignant p