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INSIDE Issue 45 January/February 2015 MAGAZINES HAZEL GROVE & H I G H L A N E The local magazine our readers love to keep One of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

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Page 1: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

insideIssue 45 January/February 2015

mag

azines

h a z e l g r o v e& h i g h l a n e

The local magazine our readers love to keep

One of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

Page 2: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45
Page 3: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane 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.

© Copyright Inside Magazines Ltd 2014.

Material from this magazine may not be reproduced without prior written permission from Inside Magazines Ltd.

design and artwork by spring Creativewww.spring-creative.co.uk | 01925 714203

Contact usInside Magazines, 352a Park Lane, Poynton, Cheshire SK12 1RL.

Tel: 01625 879611email: [email protected] www.insidemagazines.co.ukCopy deadline for the next issue: Tuesday 10 February

Co-Editors

Garth Aspinall

Claire Hawker

How time has flown by since August 2007 when Inside Hazel Grove first reached your door. We hope you have been pleased with our efforts. However, we often question what we do and just lately have been reflecting upon the difficulty we often face of finding a new and interesting landscape for the cover of our magazine. But have we got it right? Is this a vital ingredient for a community magazine?

Well, on this occasion, we have no landscape on our cover, but instead, a very brief glimpse of London Road – just a couple of haunts where people gather for a little light refreshment and to talk about life within the Grove. Such places have history and character and offer warmth and a welcome at any time of year.

In Hazel Grove and High Lane there are many such places – the church, the club, the restaurant, the village hall – places where you can feel the pulse of a community. Such places matter and could feature more prominently in our magazine. So maybe it’s time for a change.

Happy New Year to you all!

insidemag

azines

Welcome to the latest issue of

Cover photo by Garth Aspinall.

Issue 45 - January - February 2015

ContentsInside People 4

simply Books Book Club Choice 7

It’s Behind You! 8

In Touch 11

Crossword 16

Marple Sixth Form College 19

The Walk 20

Recipe 24

Just 4 Kids 25

Kid’s Activities 26

Sudoku 27

Inside Guide 31

Ministerial Visit 34

Martin Lewis Column 35

Puzzle Solutions 36

Useful Numbers 37

Classified Index 38

h a z e l g r o v e& h i g h l a n e

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“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 didn’t 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 L’Amour 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 Blundell4

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Simply BooksBook Club ChoiceWe Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler is an unusual book – there’s an extraordinary twist in the story which also makes it a difficult book to review without revealing ‘spoilers’! When we chose the book for our book club other members of the group kept popping into the shop asking if I’d reached page 77 yet (at which point the secret is out...so no peeping!). It’s that rare thing, a comic novel that also wrestles with some serious moral questions. On the face of it this is the story of a family growing up in America in the seventies – and the devastating fall-out after a young daughter is sent away – but there’s a lot more going on under the surface. It’s told with a wonderful lightness of touch and the author’s story-telling reveals just enough, a little at a time, to keep us on our toes. This is a heart-breaking read - a deeply moral look at what it means to be human and how human beings treat each other and the world around them. The novel was shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker.

If you have a book token to spend try one of this year’s ‘quirky’ books. Our favourites so far are Terrible Estate Agent Photos - a collection of the most baffling property photographs ever

taken – and Mangled English by Gervase Phinn – a light hearted look at the mishandling of the English language, from Spoonerisms to classroom howlers.

On a more serious note Carol Ann Duffy’s Christmas poem this year is Dorothy Wordsworth’s Christmas Birthday – set in the frozen landscape of the Lake District, where a merry celebration is about to begin in the Wordsworth’s cottage, and beautifully illustrated by Tom Duxbury.

And for children...one of our favourites is How to hide a Lion from Grandma by Helen Stephens. This is a brand new story but it has an old-fashioned charm and the soft pastel illustrations give this picture book a retro feel. Grandma is coming to stay so Iris needs to hide her lion as grandmas can get anxious if they find a lion in the house - but grandma seems to be hiding something too! Iris is delightful and her fun-loving grandma is totally endearing.

Simply Books, 228 Moss Lane, Bramhall, Cheshire SK7 1BD 0161 439 1436 Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm

Sue Steel & Andrew Cantwww.simplybooks.info

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If you’re at the Panto this January, and you want to find someone to blame for Widow Twankey, badly re-written pop songs, and a theatre crammed with, hysterical children joyously yelling their heads off, blame the Greeks – because they invented Panto. The very word ‘pantomime’ comes from the Greek word which means ‘imitator of all’, and the ancients would entertain with stories performed by multi-talented actors, who would tell tales well larded with comedy, tragedy and sex. When the English got hold of Pantomime in the Middle Ages, we turned it into a piece of knockabout festive theatre, known as a Mummers Play, in which local people would perform a well-worn tale (often about death and resurrection), with much audience participation and friendly heckling. Even today, Alderley Edge has its own unique Mummers Play, containing stock characters such as a Moor, St George, a Doctor of Physick, and a strange, whirling equine creature (played by an actor) which has more than a whiff of the Pantomime Horse about it.

An Italian makeover

In the 17th century, Pantomime was given a grandiose makeover by the Italians, by which time Pantomime-like performances were often

known throughout Europe as ‘Masques’, and their definition conformed to today’s core Panto values of entertainment, laughter, audience involvement – and plenty of good sing-along tunes. Italian Panto was influenced by commedia dell’arte, a form of theatre in which professional artists travelled from town to town telling improvised comic stories, all of which had fixed clown characters, young lovers, Arlecchino and Colombina, the father of Colombina (Pantalone), and Pantalone’s servants, Pulcinella and Pierrot, one being crafty and the other being stupid.

An English takeover

These characters made their way into equivalent English entertainments, from which our own English Harlequinade developed, depicting the eloping lovers Harlequin and Columbine, pursued by the girl’s father, Pantaloon, and his comic servants Clown and Pierrot. By the 18th century, Harlequin was the central figure and romantic lead – and the basic plot of the harlequinade remained essentially the same for more than 150 years. Eventually, Pantomime’s stories embraced European fairy tales, classic English literature and nursery rhymes, and the Pantomime as we know it today began to take shape. At Christmas performances, children would attend so as

by John Wallace

it’s Behind You!

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to witness the comedy and silliness of the highlight of the show, the harlequinade chase scene; it was fast-paced, and often contained spectacular magic, slapstick comedy, dancing and acrobatics.

The familiar modern Panto

These days, Pantomime story-lines and scripts usually make no direct reference to Christmas, and are almost always based on traditional children’s stories, such as Cinderella, Aladdin, Dick Whittington and Jack and the Beanstalk. The leading male (the ‘Principal Boy’) is often played by a young woman in tight-fitting male garments that make her female charms even more evident, plus other stock characters include the pantomime dame, usually played by a man in drag, plus there is almost always a pantomime horse, a good fairy – and plenty of spectacle provided by an all-star cast. Depending on how big and opulent the production is, you might be lucky enough to see genuine acting talent on stage (the Shakespearian actor Ian McKellen was Widow Twankey in a memorable 2004 production of Aladdin), though provincial Pantos are more likely to be a rather dubious parade of minor soap stars, semi-forgotten comedians, reality show celebrities – and jobbing actors desperate for any paying gig.

Nevertheless, Pantomime is a thoroughly British tradition, it’s harmless, hearty and adored by children of all ages; and it shows every sign of going on (and on, and on) for the forseeable future - oh yes it is! (your turn…)

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90 YeARs & sTiLL in HARMOnY

On the 14 December 2014, Eddie Bates of Offerton, Stockport was 90 years old. Eddie sings in the Bass section of Harmony Revival barbershop chorus, based in Hazel Grove. He started Barbershop singing with Harmony Revival 27 years ago after hearing them singing one night, he found out they rehearsed in a church hall just up the road from where he lived. He nearly didn’t go on that first night, it was Jessie his wife that pushed him out of the door and he has been with them ever since, rarely missing a rehearsal or sing out!

Eddie was born on 14 December 1924 and when he was 18yrs old he joined the Royal Navy to fight in the 2nd World War. He went on to serve on a Minesweeper MMS1007 and helped clear the mines at Omaha Beach, keeping the sea lanes clear for the Americans. After the war he joined the Merchant Navy, then the Railways where he was a fireman, stoking steam engines. He stoked the engine Zanzibar, when it broke the London to Manchester time record; what an achievement that was at the time! He then worked for the Gas

board and finished his working life after working 26 years for Renold Chains, an engineering company in Wythenshawe.

Eddie has been the Father Christmas at his church for many years, taking several hours to get ready - to the children he really was the ‘Real Father Christmas!’

Harmony Revival sang at Eddie’s 90th birthday party to wish him all the best, raising a glass or two for Eddie and many more years singing in Harmony.

ViCe PResidenT OF GM CHAMBeR

Wayne Jones, Head of MAN PrimeServ Diesel, has recently been appointed as Vice President of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC). This is an extremely prestigious position as the GMCC is the largest Chamber in the United Kingdom.

Chambers of Commerce are established to influence key decision makers in local central government and are regularly consulted for feedback from the business community when policy is being developed, locally and nationally. The Chamber is an independent, not-for-profit, private company working to create a better business environment for a large number of various companies.

Wayne was selected as a representative of one of the largest engineering companies in the Borough, for his strong commitment to rejuvenating Apprenticeships in the Industry and his track record in business turnaround and growth.

In TouchYour Community noticeboard

Continued over...

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WeRneTH COnCeRT BAnd’s neW HOMe

In October The Allan Jones Performing Arts Centre was formally opened by local MP Sir Andrew Stunell. The Mayor and Mayoress of Stockport, Cllr. Kevin Hogg and Kathleen Hogg were in attendance and music was provided by the Werneth Swing Band, Saxophone Quartet and Wind Quintet.

Werneth Concert Band was formed by its Musical Director Allan Jones in April 1983. The band started with 40 members and has since progressed and grown in size to its present membership of about 70 players. The band is the only community wind band in the borough and accepts woodwind, brass and percussion players. The band is totally self-financing, relying on concert income and members’ subscriptions to fund its activities. The Band has twice won the Gold Award at the Boosey & Hawkes National Concert Band Festival in the Community Band class.

After 31 years of rehearsing in hired accommodation in schools and church halls, the Band has acquired its own premises in Chadkirk Business Park. Thanks to the considerable help and generosity of the landlord, Stewart Vann, and many other local businesses, the Band has the use of two rehearsal rooms and a social area, with kitchen and office space. Next door to the unit is ‘The Shed’ recording studio and cabling has been fitted to enable the Band’s main studio to be used as a recording studio.

Any group interested in hiring space in the unit, either on a one-off basis or for regular use should contact the Secretary at [email protected]

LeARn FOR LeisURe

Adult Daytime Short Courses in Creative Writing, Digital Photography, History and Literature will be starting in January.

Call 0151 243 5340 or 0161 485 3287 for further information or visit www.nw.wea.org.uk

in TouCh

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Want to help a family member onto the property ladder?

Vernon Building Society’s Family Assist mortgage allows a family member to use their savings to help a relative buy a home without giving away their funds for good.

Research carried out by the Council of Mortgage Lenders has shown that around 64% of first time buyers have assistance from family members when buying their first home, with the average deposit for a buyer in the North West being over £16,000.

Such support often comes in the form of a gifted deposit however this can be problematic as the helper can’t rely on their money being returned should they need it in future.

Recognising this, local lender Vernon Building Society has developed their Family Assist mortgage which allows a first time buyer to borrow up to 100% of a property’s purchase price, provided that a relative is able to deposit savings with the Society equivalent to 20% of the purchase price for a minimum of 4 years.

The savings are kept in an account in the helper’s name separate to the mortgage and are returned to the relative after 4 years provided that all mortgage payments have been maintained satisfactorily. Instead of earning interest, the

savings are offset against the mortgage balance which means that they proportionally reduce the amount of interest charged to the borrower. This results in a more rapid reduction in the balanced owed creating valuable equity for the borrower.

The Vernon’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Ian Keeling, said: “By linking a relative’s savings to the mortgage we are able to offer a lower interest rate than typical first time buyer mortgages, and therefore lower mortgage payments, which would only usually be accessible to those with a large deposit. It differs from a traditional ‘guarantor’ mortgage as the helping relative is putting a maximum of 20% of the property value at risk rather than being responsible for the entire loan if the borrower is unable to keep up with their payments.”

The Family Assist Mortgage is exclusively available to homebuyers within a 25 mile radius of Stockport. With qualified mortgage advisers at each of its local branches in Stockport, Edgeley, Hazel Grove, Marple, Bramhall, Poynton and Reddish, Vernon Building Society offers a friendly and personal approach to those looking to purchase a property.

For more information about the Family Assist Mortgage or to find your nearest branch visit www.thevernon.co.uk or contact the Vernon on 0161 429 6262.

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Quick Crossword

Across9 Motion sickness (7) 10 Query (7)11 Trouble (7)12 Army squad (7) 13 Winners (9)15 Also known as (5)16 Smiled contemptuously (7) 19 Car pilots (7)20 Italian lawn bowling (5)21 Categories (9)25 The joined continents of Europe and Asia (7)26 Exposes (7)28 Duo (7)29 Correction to a printed mistake (7)

Down1 Micro______ = something very small (6) 2 The circle of colour around a nipple (6) 3 The lowest timber in a structure (4)4 Elbows pointed outwards (6)5 Threw away (8)6 Greenish blue (10)7 A black flavoured candy (8)8 Mesmerism (8)14 Approval to do something (10) 16 Branches of knowledge (8)17 Snails (8)18 Diverged (8)22 Ship’s steering mechanism (6) 23 Inborn (6)24 Big Bird’s street (6)27 City in Italy (4)

Solution on page 36.16

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The news that Marple Sixth Form College has sold the Hibbert Lane site to Morris Homes and is now in a position to re-develop its Buxton Lane site will no doubt stir mixed emotions amongst those who live in the large catchment area that the college serves. Proceeds from the sale will allow the College to go ahead with a proposed multi-million pound investment. Clearly it is exciting news to hear that our successful local college is to have new, state of the art facilities but there will also be an element of nostalgia associated with leaving the Hibbert Lane site, where education has been provided for local people since 1931.

As the college begins to make its move, work on the new sports hall starts after Christmas, it is worth reflecting on how times have changed. The Willows County secondary School opened as an 11-14 “Senior School” in 1931 providing largely practical education for pupils from High Lane, Marple and Offerton. The school comprised 7 classrooms, cloakrooms, a needlework room, an assembly hall, woodwork room and rooms

for science and domestic science. Intriguingly there was also a flat for instruction in household management! At this time there were six teachers, one hundred and seventy nine children and, in front of the building, a number of willow trees. In spite of many official name changes to many the school has always been known as “The Willows” which is appropriate in a way since the whole area was once given over to willow farming.

So much for the past as we now look forward to a new era for education in Marple. In addition to the new sports facilities the redeveloped Buxton Lane site will house new science laboratories, an art and design suite, improved dining facilities and a state of the art learning resource centre. The existing classrooms will be refurbished and the college will continue to offer high quality education for the Marple area and beyond.

Chris Salt, Head of Campus at Marple “I am absolutely delighted to be able to announce this big investment in Marple. We will be able to offer first class facilities to our young people and even better prepare them for university and employment. This investment means we can secure our place in the Marple community for the long term.”

The next Open Evening at The Cheadle College for School Leavers will be held on Wednesday 4 March 2015 5-7pm

The next Open Evening at Marple Sixth Form College for School Leavers will be held on Thursday 5 March 2015 at Buxton Lane 5-7pm

New adult courses starting January 2015. For more information please contact Admissions on 0161 484 6602 or visit our website.

www.cmcnet.ac.uk

83 Years and Counting…

Hibbert Lane Building aka The Willows

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Route: A6 from Hazel Grove towards Buxton; left on A623 towards Chesterfield; 2 miles past the turn for Tideswell, turn right on to the B6465 through Wardlow for Monsal Head. Turn right in front of the hotel and right down a steep hill. In half a mile park on the left in a lay by parking area beyond some cottages.

Walk: 7 miles with two short but fairly steep hills and one steep descent. Use White Peak OS Map 24.

Walk back from the lay by and turn right between the cottages. Go up the hill and join the Monsal Trail. Before the viaduct a path takes you left and then right under the viaduct. This famous viaduct, first criticised by John Ruskin for “ruining the valley”, now carries the newly restored Monsal Trail instead of the old steam railway between Bakewell and Buxton. Opened within the last few years, it is popular with both walkers and cyclists, taking you through a series of tunnels, and past open views of our walk and beyond.

Passing under the viaduct, the path goes through

a gate out on to the grassy path along Monsal Dale. You follow the long river path until you eventually reach the A6. High up on the left of the Dale is the site of Fin Cop, the only known Iron Age fort on the limestone in Derbyshire with a natural defence above the Wye. Going up steps and across this busy A6 road into White Lodge Car Park, you will find benches, picnic tables and toilets.

From the car park, opposite the picnic bench, you take the pathway up through the trees and out into open fields. At a finger post for Taddington, turn right and slowly climb along a twisting path through limestone outcrops. This soon levels out, crosses one stone stile and then takes you gradually up through a wooded dry valley. Look out for the next wooden stile as the path turns sharp left and then leads you up right along a stony path towards Taddington Field Farm. Go through the small gate by the farm, reaching a small road. At the T junction turn right towards Taddington Village, a quiet spot above the A6 by-pass. As you enter the village, take the road to the right and right again down to the A6.

The Walk - Monsal Dale and Miller’s Dale

by Barry WilsonMarple District rambling Club 20

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Cross carefully over this fast section and go straight ahead for the farm gate. This track goes up for a short while before opening out into a level field. Follow the track round to the left and then turn right at the first wall. Keeping this crumbly wall on your left enter a narrow path down to the steep sided High Dale. At the bottom, turn left and follow the clear path through this secluded and perfectly V shaped dry dale. Keep the stone wall to your right and go along this path to the far end of this wall. Turn sharp right past the wall and climb up the grassy path leading to a gateway on to a wide farm track at the top of this hill. (183723)

Going left along the track for about 75 yards, you then climb over the stone stile on the right and on to a level field. The path keeps to the left of the wall reaching a wooden stile in the corner. Climb over and then turn right past former lead raking hollows. If it is windy, these can provide a sheltered picnic stop or, for even better views, go beyond the hollows and as you begin to go

downhill, a series of rock outcrops on the slope give a great view point over Miller’s Dale.

Below you can see the hillside chimney which took the smoke away from Litton Mill’s steam engines, keeping the deep valley site smoke free. The limestone outcrops punctuate the landscape

to the east, and the church of Tideswell, “the Cathedral village of the Peak District”, is visible over to the north-west.

Go over the stile beneath this spot and head steeply downhill to a bridge over the Monsal Trail or former rail track. Go down the steps before the bridge and then diagonally across the trail to the right, where the path drops down over the river into Litton Mill. Turn right and pass though the road by the converted Mill until you join the river path. This secluded section along the river is delightful and eventually opens out along a potentially muddy, and occasionally flooded section where you can observe a variety of water birds. Look out for trout in the river as you approach the amazing Water-cum -Jolly Dale with its remarkable limestone cliffs, a favourite rock climbing spot. The dammed mill pond beneath the crags, viewed from the footbridge over the weir, affords stunning reflections of this spot. It is where Julia Bradbury, on her Railway Trails series, interviewed her father for the BBC programme.

Leaving this spot over the footbridge by the weir, climb up the path and out on to a narrow pathway towards the Monsal Trail. The views of Cresswell Mill and the Wye Valley are stunning. Turn left along the Trail and follow it as far as the old station platform. At the end of the station platform turn right and walk down under the bridge, arriving back at the starting point. Drive back up to the Hotel and enjoy the special views over the viaduct and Monsal Dale or the bar and restaurant in the stables, or have an ice cream or afternoon tea nearby. Enjoy the walk!

The walk was contributed by the Marple District Rambling Club. They organise over 30 walks of all levels and distances every month, going out on Thursdays and Sundays. To see copies of their progamme, visit www.marple-uk.com/rambling

To join the Club, please contact either Barry Wilson, 0161 948 0566, or Deirdre Nolan, 0161 427 7794.

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Trusted for Security since 1957

City Lock & Safe Ltd is one of the premier locksmith, safe engineer and security companies in the North West. Founded in 1957 by Ray Clarke, the business was originally formed in 1870 in Manchester trading under the name G. W. Wilkinson Locksmiths. Ray purchased the company in 1957, aged just 22, and in 1966 opened a branch in Stockport where he had studied at the Technical College and played football with Stockport boys in earlier years.

Over the coming years City Lock and Safe firmly established itself as a family business, with Ray’s son Tom now directing the company, working alongside Ray’s daughters Annali and Belinda, and Tom’s own son, George.

The company has grown from strength to strength, expanding in 2005 to include online sales of safes and data cabinets (www.eurosafes.co.uk). More recently the company has taken advanced steps in the upgrading of UPVC door locking mechanisms, incorporating TS007 3* cylinders into their product range and continuing to secure the public with the ever-increasing replacement of traditional doors by UPVC products.

City Lock & Safe is a member of the Master Locksmiths’ Association, Guild of Architectural Ironmongery, Constructionline and the Federation of Small Businesses. The wealth of knowledge and expertise supplied by its employees means that City Lock & Safe is exceptional in its understanding of the complexity of all types of locks and safes.

With its roots firmly established in Stockport, but with its horizons broadened to new and existing clients at home and abroad, City Lock & Safe continues to invest in the future of both itself and its customers.

City LoCk & Safe

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Stuffed with roasted butternut squash and goats cheese served with a white wine and pancetta cream sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

■ 4 chicken breasts

■ 170g butternut squash (peeled and diced)

■ 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme

■ 100g soft goats cheese

■ Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

■ 250g toasted pecans, finely chopped

■ 3 free range eggs, beaten 50ml olive oil

■ For the sauce ¼ white onion (finely diced), 4 slices of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, chopped, 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme, 1 clove garlic, crushed 180 ml double cream, 120 ml dry white wine, 4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

1. Pre heat the oven to 380F/180c.

2. Place the butternut squash onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven to bake until cooked through and starting to turn golden brown; this should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Using a small knife, make an incision into the side of each chicken breast. Move the knife around horizontally inside the breast to create a pocket for the filling. Try to keep the incision no wider than an inch in length to keep the filling from spilling out when cooking.

4. Fill each breast with equal amounts of goats cheese and butternut squash by pushing them through the incision. Close the incision with a cocktail skewer. Save some roasted butternut

squash to garnish the tops of the chicken breasts when they are cooked.

5. Sprinkle each filled breast with the chopped thyme and season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

6. To prepare the pecans take whole pecans and pulse them in a food processor until they resemble course breadcrumbs.

7. Beat the eggs with ¼ tsp of salt (which helps to break down the egg making it easier to dip the chicken in) and place the chopped pecans into a bowl. Then dip each cutlet into the egg mixture and then the pecans and make sure they are well coated.

8. Place the chicken breasts onto a tray drizzled with olive oil and then drizzle each breast generously with more olive oil and season once more. Place into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

9. Garnish the escalopes with the remaining caramelized onions and freshly chopped parsley, don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewers before serving!

10. To make the sauce start by sautéing the pancetta or bacon until crispy and then add the onions and cook through until softened. At this point add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for another minute to release the flavours.

11. Add the white wine and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Then add the cream, parmesan and seasoning. Continue to simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

12. To serve, place each chicken breast onto a serving plate (don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewer) and spoon over the sauce. Top with some of the remaining butternut squash and some roughly chopped pecans and a sprinkle of parsley.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast

by Ryan Turner, real food and low-carb chef www.thefoodbible.com 24

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

Extra letter answer: big top

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Things to do with pre-school kids

Compiled by Jenny Rileye: [email protected]

MondayHigh Lane Baby & Toddler Group 9.30-11.30am Term time only. High Lane Village Hall. Contact Sarah on 01625 268 301 for more information.

Story Time 11-11.30am High Lane Library. Contact 0161 217 6009 for more information.

Baby Splash 1.15pmLife Leisure Hazel Grove, Jacksons Ln. Call reception on 0161 439 5221 to book and for more information.

TuesdayParents & Tots 9 - 11.15amTerm time only. St Thomas’ Church, High Lane. A chance for all parents/carers to meet other carers in a safe environment – lots to do and refreshments provided. £1 per adult and up to two children. Contact Rev. Janet Parker on 01663 764519

Story Time 11am Term time only. Hazel Grove Library. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009

Baby Splash 2pmLife Leisure Hazel Grove, Jacksons Ln. Call reception on 0161 439 5221 to book and for more information.

WednesdayBaby & Toddler Group 9.15-11am Term time only. Brookside Primary School, High Lane. £2 for one adult and child, £1 per extra child, price includes a snack. Contact 01663 308 008 for more information.

Sing & Sign Opportunity Group 9.30-11.30amIndependent Options, 67 Chester Road. Especially for children with additional needs/learning disabilities, this session encourages children to start to use speech, or gives them signs if difficult. £3 for one child, then £1 per additional child (siblings welcome). Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Norbury Toddler Group 10 - 11.30amTerm time only. Norbury Parish Church, Hazel Grove. Cost £1.50 (includes a drink and biscuits). Please phone before to ensure there are spaces. Contact Cath on 0161 487 2390 or email [email protected]

Story Time 2pmTerm time only. Great Moor Library, Gladstone Street. Stories, rhymes and songs followed by some colouring. Contact 0161 217 6009.

ThursdayBaby Splash 10am & 10.30am Life Leisure Hazel Grove, Jacksons Ln. Call reception on 0161 439 5221 to book and for more information.

FridayToddler Group 9.30-11.30amIndependent Options, 67 Chester Road. £2 for one child, £1 per additional child. Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Wesley Street Stay & Play 9.45-11.30amHazel Grove Methodist Church, Wesley Street. Contact Kelly Heath on 07530 460 087

Parent & Toddler Gymnastics 9.30-10.30amStockport School of Gymnastics, Newby Road Industrial Estate. Just turn up and pay on the day with free fruit pots at the end of the session. £4 for children 1-4 years old. For more information please email [email protected] or ring 0161 456 2762

Baby Splash 1pmLife Leisure Hazel Grove, Jacksons Ln. Call reception on 0161 439 5221 to book and for more information.

saTurdayBaby Splash 8.30amLife Leisure Hazel Grove, Jacksons Ln. Call reception on 0161 439 5221 to book and for more information.

The Weekend Boredom Buster 10-11.30am OR 1-2.30pmLast Saturday of each month. Independent Options, 67 Chester Road. Break up the boredom of the weekend with our fun groups. Lots of different activities to try and a great big garden to play in. £3 per child (siblings welcome). Book into the session on 0161 482 7933.

Hazel Grove Children’s Activities

If you run a local activity for young children and would like to be included on this page please email [email protected]

26

Page 27: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

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 don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles use logic alone.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

Solution on page 36.

Page 28: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

Connecting local people to local businesses and delivering a quality read to 45,000 Cheshire homes.

With six titles to choose from you can select the areas that suit you best from:

■ Inside Bollington, Prestbury & Tytherington

■ Inside Bramhall

■ Inside Hazel Grove & High Lane

■ Inside Marple

■ Inside Poynton

■ Inside Wilmslow & Alderley Edge

east Cheshire’s leading independent publisher of community magazines

magazinesinside

Kale is from the same family as cabbage.

It’s packed with calcium, vitamins and other

nutrients as well as being full of fibre. It’s already

classed as a super food, but this simple supper

dish proves that it’s super-tasty too.

Servings: 1

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

■ 60g penne pasta

■ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

■ ½ a bunch of kale, finely chopped

■ Handful of baby spinach

■ 1 clove garlic, crushed

■ 30g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained &

chopped

■ ½-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

■ Salt and ground pepper to taste

Method

Cook the pasta according to the instructions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frying pan over

medium heat. Add garlic, kale, spinach and salt

– cook gently for a couple of minutes, then add

sun-dried tomatoes and red pepper flakes.

Drain pasta and add to veggie mixture in skillet

– stir well. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil

and some Parmesan shavings and serve.

Food & Drink

by xxxx

e: xxx18

RecipePenne with Kale and Sun-dried Tomatoes

18

Quick Crossword

Across

1 Medium hot curry (6)

4 Large boats (5)

8 Broil (5)

9 Drinking glass (7)

10 Immobility (7)

11 Pace (4)

12 Cut the grass (3)

14 Improves grip on sport shoe (4)

15 Arch (4)

18 Hole in a needle (3)

21 Bind (4)

23 Helps (7)

25 Cloth toy (7)

26 Eliminate (5)

27 Charm (5)

28 Atoll (6)

Down

1 Border (6)

2 Patois (7)

3 Ability (8)

4 A few (4)

5 Estuary (5)

6 Chafe (6)

7 Water vapour (5)

13 Hushed tones (8)

16 Eye make-up (7)

17 Presents (6)

19 Large bird of prey (5)

20 Climb (6)

22 Bicker (5)

24 Lagoon (4)

Solution on page 42.21

INSIDE

Issue 30 February March2013

MAG

AZINES

The local magazine our readers love to keepOne of six magazines delivered to over 45,000 homes

WILMSLOW & ALDERLEY EDGE

To find out more about our competitive advertising rates call

01625 879611 or email [email protected] us on Facebook & Twitter:

facebook.com/insidemagstwitter.com/insidemagazines

Page 29: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

Older people who live in poorly insulated, cold homes are more likely to become seriously ill during the winter. The cold weather causes a spike in health problems; heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia, depression, worsening arthritis and increased accidents at home. The longer an older person is exposed to the cold the more at risk they are.

Age UK is promoting messages to encourage older people to protect their health; keeping living room temperature at 70F (21c) and the bedroom at 65F (18c), keep the bedroom window closed at night when the weather is cold, wrap up warm and layer clothing – choose clothes made from wool, cotton or fleecy fabrics if possible, draw the curtains as soon as it gets dark to stop heat escaping and keep windows and internal doors

closed. We lose a lot of heat through the head and neck so it may sound silly but it is good advice if you’re chilly indoors to wear a hat and scarf. If sitting down a shawl or blanket will provide extra warmth, try also to keep feet up, because the air is cooler at ground level.

We can all play a part in keeping older relatives and neighbours safe and well during the winter. Check on them on a regular basis, make sure they’re warm enough, especially at night. Offer to organise an online shop to be delivered to their door so the cupboards are fully stocked. Take advantage of pharmacy free collection and delivery services to avoid having to go out for medicines during very cold weather. Age UK and the NHS have further advice for keeping warm, help with heating costs and ways to keep the fuel bills down.

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

keeping warm and weLL at home

Page 30: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

On a disused weir, tucked under Otterspool Bridge on the River Goyt, Stockport, Hydro’s twin Archimedes screws, Thunder and Lighting, produce electricity from a renewable source and feed it directly into the National Grid. Greater Manchester’s first community-owned renewable energy plant generates enough power for up to 60 homes using a combination of ancient technology, a 150 year old weir and a modern computer system.

As an Industrial and Provident society and co-operative, formed for the good of the community, over half of the cost of the scheme has been raised by a community share offer. Over 280 people have invested £379,000 and the venture is still open to share offers.

Management of the site is carried out by a team of 50 volunteers, from directors and advisers to the ‘Rotarians’ - a team of local people who keep the intake screen clear on a daily basis, ensuring a constant supply of water to the screws.

The scheme’s income is derived from the Governments FITs scheme (Feed in Tariffs) and despite periods of too little and too much rain at times, recently shareholders received interest on their shares and grants will soon be available to support environmental projects within the SMBC boundary. Raffle tickets are also available to raise funds - winners gain a £250 share in the scheme.

Unsurprisingly this interesting development attracts a great deal of attention. People working on the site often give tours to curious passers-by travelling on foot, bike or horse along Mill Lane. More organised tours have included visits from Government Ministers, the BBC and local community groups, schools and youth groups.

Volunteers hold monthly Open Mornings at the site, see website for details or contact us to arrange a talk or a tour. Limited parking available on the site -please park at nearby Vale Road Car Park, SK6 3LD

[email protected] www.stockport-hydro.co.uk Tel: 0161 427 0411 or find us on Facebook

StoCkport hydro

Page 31: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

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

MOndAY 5 JAnUARYMart Rodger Manchester Jazz

High Lane Conservative Club, Buxton Road, High Lane 8pm

TUes 6 TO sAT 10 JAnUARYCHYPS (Cheshire youth pantomime society) presents Robin Hood with a cast and live band made up of some of the most talented 11 – 19 year olds in Cheshire. Evening performances plus a Saturday matinee. Tickets start from £8 with family and group bookings available. Ticket Line 07910 187 583 or visit www.chypspanto.co.uk

Woodford Centre, Woodford

THURsdAY 8 JAnUARYHazel Grove & District Probus: Down on the Farm with Dorothy Soulsby.

New members welcome, more information can be obtained from Graham Weaver 01625 878228

Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall 2pm

THURsdAY 8 JAnUARYSt Thomas’ High Lane Men’s forum – talk by Bob Lord on ‘My Red Indian Ancestor’

St Thomas’ Church Hall, High Lane 2.15pm

FRi 9 TO sAT 17 JAnUARYCarver Theatre presents Aladdin. Evil Abanazar wants to find a magic lamp, it’s hidden in the cave of wonders but only a street urchin known as Aladdin can get it for him. Aladdin meanwhile, wants to marry the princess – but he can’t as he’s not a prince. Only the genie can help him. Tickets £9 (£8 concession) from Hollins of Marple or call 0161 449 8363. Visit www.carvertheatre.co.uk for performance times and tickets online.

Carver Theatre, Marple

TUesdAY 13 JAnUARYE Cheshire Assoc. of NT ‘Liverpool Cathedral – the building of Paddy’s Wigwam’ with Philip Harrison.

St. Michael’s Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 2pm

WednesdAY 14 JAnUARYNecdfas lecture on the History of the Royal Academy of Arts. www.necdfas.org.uk [email protected]

Brookdale Club, Bramhall.

WednesdAY 14 JAnUARY Disley & District Flower Club. All That Jazz - a flower demonstration by Sylvia Bower, Area Demonstrator. Visitors welcome, admission £5

High Lane Village Hall 7.30 pm

WednesdAY 14 TO sAT 17 JAnUARYApril in Paris by John Godber - a present-day comedy. A couple from Hull bicker about everything, but when one wins a trip to Paris, a glimmer of hope appears. To book online: www.stockportgarrick.co.uk Tickets £7.50 (£6.50 concession)Telephone orderline: 0161 477 7779. Tickets available in person from the Stockport Plaza box office.

Studio, Garrick Theatre, Exchange Street, Wellington Road South, Stockport SK3 0EJ

sATURdAY 17 JAnUARY The Marionette Theatre Co presents their Winter string puppet show, “Cavalcade of Strings” As with previous years this variety show is suitable for all ages and includes raffle, free competition and refreshments. Tel 01625 872368 for details. Civic Hall, Poynton at 2pm

sATURdAY 17 JAnUARY Northern Chamber Orchestra - Jennifer Pike, violin: Sibelius Violin Concerto; Mozart Symphony no 18 in F; Bizet Symphony in C

Tickets £16/£13, £7 students, 18s & under free. Available from NCO Box Office: 0161 247 2220; Macclesfield Visitor Centre: 01625 378123; Congleton TIC: 01260 271094; and from the Silk Museum Shop, Heritage Centre, and on the door.

Macclesfield Heritage Centre 7.30pm

MOndAY 19 JAnUARYHazel Grove Townswomen’s Guild Hot Pot supper. Admission by ticket only.

Civic Hall, Hazel Grove 7.30pm

MOndAY 19 JAnUARY Moss Cider - ‘From the Back Street to the High Street’ Joe Weeks talks on the story of the development of Moss Cider. Further information: 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com

St Peter’s Parish Centre, 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove SK7 4EA 7.30pm

Inside Guide

Compiled by Claire Hawkere: [email protected]

Continued over...

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Page 32: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

THURsdAY 22 JAnUARY Hazel Grove & District Probus: The development of language with Derek Slater. New members welcome, more information from Graham Weaver 01625 878228

Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall 2pm

THURsdAY 22 JAnUARYE Cheshire Assoc. of NT ‘My Life of Crime Thursday’ with Kate Ellis-Bullock St Michael’s Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 7.30pm

sATURdAY 24 JAnUARYBollington Chamber Concert Laura van Der Heijden (2012 BBC Young Musician of the Year), cello and Tom Poster, piano. Tickets £15, concessions £7.50 from 01625 576402 or 574435 www.bollingtonartscentre.org.uk

Bollington Arts Centre

sUndAY 25 JAnUARY Table Top Sale, Tables £8, £10 on the day

Contact Dorothy Graham Tel: 0161 456 3628 [email protected]

High Lane Village Hall, Windlehurst Road 12 noon to 2pm

WednesdAY 28 JAnUARYCoffee Morning, all welcome. Contact Dorothy Graham 0161 456 3628 for further details.

High Lane Conservative Club 10am to 12 noon

sAT 31 JAn - 7 FeB 2015Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie Tickets £9.50 (£8.00 concession) Courtroom drama from Britain’s best-loved crime writer. A prime suspect in a murder case desperately seeks the help of a great barrister. To book online: www.stockportgarrick.co.uk Tickets £9.50 (£8 concession)Telephone orderline: 0161 477 7779. Tickets available in person from the Stockport Plaza box office. Garrick Theatre, Exchange Street, Wellington Road South, Stockport SK3 0EJ

MOndAY 2 FeBRUARYMart Rodger Manchester Jazz High Lane Conservative Club, Buxton Road, High Lane 8pm

sATURdAY 7 FeBRUARYJumble Sale. Admission 30p - refreshments will be served. Free car park.

Hazel Grove United Reformed Church, Short Street 10am to 11.30am

sATURdAY 7 FeBRUARYNorthern Chamber Orchestra - Elizabeth Watts, soprano: Berlioz Les Nuits D’été www.elizabethwattssoprano.com

Macclesfield Heritage Centre 7.30pm

sUndAY 8 FeBRUARY Seed Potato Day organised by Marple Allotments Association. Free admission.

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

TUesdAY 10 FeBRUARYE Cheshire Assoc. of NT ‘AVRO Woodford’ with Robby Robinson

St Michael’s Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 2pm

WednesdAY 11 FeBRUARYNecdfas lecture on the ‘Egyptian Textile Treasures’. www.necdfas.org.uk [email protected]

Brookdale Club, Bramhall.

THURsdAY 12 FeBRUARYHazel Grove & District Probus: Forensic science with Geoff Keeling

New members welcome, more information can be obtained from Graham Weaver 01625 878228

Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall 2pm

THURsdAY 12 FeBRUARYSt Thomas’ High Lane Men’s forum – talk by Ray Broadhurst on ‘Scenic Switzerland, Part 1’

St Thomas’ Church Hall, High Lane. 2.15pm

sATURdAY 14 FeBRUARY The Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra will perform a Russian themed programme including Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with soloist Jackie Campbell, Symphony No. 1 and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture. Tickets £12, Conc £10, Under 18’s £2

Wilmslow Leisure Centre, 7.45pm

MOndAY 16 FeBRUARYHazel Grove Townswomen’s Guild. The Legend of Alderley Edge.

Civic Hall, Hazel Grove 7.30pm

insiDe guiDe

32

Page 33: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

insiDe guiDe

MOndAY 16 FeBRUARY ‘Preparing for Spring’ A demonstration by Margaret Turner from our local nursery, Turners Plant and Garden Nursery. Further information: 0161 483 6051 or www.hazelgrovegardeningclub.com

St Peter’s Parish Centre, 16 Green Lane, Hazel Grove SK7 4EA 7.30pm

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 Chetham’s School of Music. Tickets £8 (£7 concessions) accompanied children free. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the night. See www.gortonphil.co.uk for further information.

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

WednesdAY 25 FeBRUARYHazel Grove Churches Together Lenten Service

Baptist Church Station Street Hazel Grove 7.30pm

THURsdAY 26 FeBRUARYRomance of transport, Barbara Lovegrove

Hazel Grove & District Probus: New Mills Hydro electric scheme with Derek Brumhead

New members welcome, more information can be obtained from Graham Weaver 01625 878228

Brookdale Club, Bridge Lane, Bramhall 2pm

THURsdAY 26 FeBRUARYE Cheshire Accos. Of NT ‘The Maya of Mexico with Peter Floyd’

St Michael’s Church Hall, St Michaels Avenue, Bramhall 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

MOndAY 2 MARCHMart Rodger Manchester Jazz

High Lane Conservative Club, Buxton Road, High Lane. 8pm

WednesdAY 4 MARCHHazel Grove Churches Together Lenten Service

United Reform Church Short Street Hazel Grove 7.30pm

Copy deadline for the next issue:

Tuesday 10 FebruaryTel: 01625 879611 email: [email protected]

secure your space now!

Don’t forget!

33

Page 34: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

In October MAN Diesel & Turbo UK Ltd (MDT-UK) welcomed senior figures from Westminster to their Headquarters in Stockport as part of a visit to the North West to announce a number of investment initiatives to stimulate local economy and growth.

Following a nearby Q&A session with the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), the entire Local Growth Cabinet Committee arrived at MDT-UK to be welcomed by Wayne Jones, Senior Vice President, MAN PrimeServ Diesel. Wayne then had the opportunity to show the DPM around the MAN PrimeServ Academy and discuss various issues on the economy, business outlook, skills shortages, apprentices, manufacturing and the Engineering Sector.

The company then hosted a private meeting for the Local Growth Cabinet Committee in the Academy and this is the first time this meeting has taken place outside Whitehall.

Ministerial Visit

Wayne Jones (r) welcomes the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP (Deputy Prime Minister) and local MP Mark Hunter to MDT-UK’s Headquarters in Stockport.

Pictured in the Academy are (l to r) Wayne Jones, The Rt Hon Edward Davey MP, The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP (Deputy Prime Minister), local MP Mark Hunter and The Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP.

Page 35: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

If you took a break last year, some simple checks could help you save money now and for future holidays (a nice thought to get over the back-to-work blues). So here’s my holiday hangover checklist.

Flight delayed by over 3hrs this summer (or any time since 2008)? EU reg 261/2004 means you’re entitled to £100-£480 per person compensation, regardless of the cost of the trip, even for flights going back to 2008, if it:

■ was an EU flight ie any from an EU airport or to one if an EU airline; arrived over 3 hours late or was cancelled;

■ was the airline’s fault, which covers pretty much anything barring extraordinary circumstances such as air-traffic strikes, bad weather and volcanoes.

Free templates, help and what to do about airline excuses can be found in www.mse.me/flightdelays compensation guide. And the results can be large, as Pat contacted us, “Read your info and decided to contact Etihad about our 14.5hr delay from Heathrow to Sri Lanka in 2011. We’ve received a total of £2,010 between four of us... great”.

Shocked by bank/card currency charges on your statement? Fight back. My dad called me outraged at the ‘new’ foreign exchange charges on his bank statement for using his card abroad - nearly £50 in total. Yet banks and credit card providers have always levied these (and I’ve always nagged him to sort it, but he’s my father, he’ll never listen to me, I hope you will). The shock comes from the fact banks have now been forced to split charges out on statements, not hide them in the exchange rate. Most debit and credit cards add 3% loads, so £100-worth of euros costs you £100 plus a £3 charge. Instead grab a specialist load-free credit card just for spending abroad

as they give near-perfect, bureaux-beating rates every time, in every country.

Got Euros or dollars left over? Changing currency back is very expensive, especially for small amounts. So if it’s a country you’ll revisit even in a couple of years, it’s likely best to hold onto it (worth putting it in your overseas wallet, yes, I’m that nerdy). If not, use the buyback comparison at www.travelmoneymax.com to find best rates or find a friend/colleague who’s going where you went, and offer to exchange with them. Use the spot FX rate at www.xe.com and you both win.

Stung by hefty insurance when picking your car hire up? Let me guess, you booked cheap car hire, turned up and they fear-sold you into paying 10 euros a day extra for car hire excess insurance? It happens all the time.

The way round it is to get a standalone policy before you go (you can even get an annual policy to cover the whole year’s hire). To find the cheapest, use www.moneymaxim.co.uk. Full help on cutting costs in www.mse.me/carhire.

Check your passport and EHIC sell-by dates now. Thousands were hit by passport office delays this year, causing some to miss their breaks. If your passport’s nearly at renewal, do it now while you’ve plenty of time before you next go (you’ll get the extra months added on). It’s one less thing to sort, and once it’s done, you’re good for the next ten years. While you’re at it, check the ‘valid by’ date on your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) - if it goes before your next holiday renew it now.

The big rule for renewing though is DON’T GOOGLE - for both these, imposter sites unnecessarily charge you more than you should pay. Instead the official sites to use are www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport and www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC.

by Martin Lewistwitter: @Moneysavingexpert

Don’t forget your holidays

Martin lewis Column

35

Page 36: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

Crosswordsolution

Sudokusolution

36

Page 37: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

CHURCHesNorbury Parish Church 0161 483 6325

Hazel Grove Methodist Church 0161 483 8969

St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church 0161 483 3476

Hazel Grove Baptist Church 0161 487 3708

St George’s Parish Church, Stockport 0161 480 2453

Hazel Grove United Reformed Church 0161 285 5229

Parish Church of St Thomas, High Lane 01663 764519

Windlehurst Methodist Church 0161 285 1431

dOCTORsBeech House Medical Practice 0161 483 6222

Springfield Surgery 0161 426 5250

Haider Medical Centre 0161 426 9292

Dean Lane Medical 0161 426 9777

High Lane Medical Centre 01663 762222

HOsPiTALsStepping Hill Hospital 0161 483 1010

NHS Direct 0845 4647

LeisURe CenTReHazel Grove Leisure Centre 0161 456 3467

LiBRARiesHazel Grove Library 0161 217 6009

Stockport Central Reference Library 0845 644 4307

High Lane Library 0161 217 6009

LOCAL GOVeRnMenTStockport MBC 0161 480 4949

TRAVeLBus Information 0161 228 7811

Train Information 0845 748 4950

Manchester Airport 0161 489 3000

Stockport Care Scheme 0161 476 2812

POsT OFFiCesHazel Grove Post Office 0161 483 2332

Fiveways Parade Post Office 01625 872407

Peak Pharmacy Post Office 01663 766877

PHARMACiesPeak Pharmacy, High Lane 01663 762235

Scorah Chemists, Hazel Grove 01625 872267

sCHOOLsHazel Grove High School 0161 456 4888

Hazel Grove Primary & Infant School 0161 483 3699

Norbury Hall Primary School 0161 483 1786

Moorfield Junior & Infant School 0161 483 4521

St Peters R.C Primary School 0161 483 2431

Torkington Primary School 0161 483 2188

St Simons Catholic Primary 0161 483 9696

Brookside Primary School 01663 763943

High Lane Primary School 01663 762378

POLiCe (nOn-eMeRGenCY)Greater Manchester Police 101

Cheshire Police 101

UTiLiTiesElectricity – Power Loss 0800 195 4141

Gas – Emergency 0800 111 999

Water Mains 0845 746 2200

Environment Agency Floodline 0845 988 1188

HeLPLinesAlcoholics Anonymous 0845 7697555

Citizens Advice Bureau 0844 826 9800

Childline 0800 1111

Crimestoppers 0800 555111

Directory Enquiries 118 500

National Dementia Helpline 0845 300 0336

RSPCA 0300 1234999

Samaritans 0845 7909090

Useful Numbers

37

Page 38: Inside Hazel Grove Issue 45

ACCOUnTAnTs

David E. Hanley & Co 36

BATHROOMs

Hazel Grove Bathroom Centre 30

BUiLdinG seRViCes

Clark Construction 18

Coppice Joinery & Building 23

SP Lee & Co 18

Whitehall Builders Ltd 27

BUiLdinG sOCieTies

Vernon Building Society 14

CAR & VeHiCLe sALes

Shallcross Vehicle Solutions 6

CARe HOMes

Borough Care 13

Fernlea Inside Front

CARe seRViCes

Alice Chilton In-Home Care 29

CARPeT & UPHOLsTeRY CLeAninG

Safeclean 6

CHiROPOdY

Lisa Wilson 12

CHURCHes

Hazel Grove Baptist Church 33

dRAinAGe

Pure Clean Drainage Solutions 34

edUCATiOn

Cheadle & Marple Sixth Form 19

Hazel Grove High School 13

esTATe AGenTs

Snapes Back Cover

GARAGe dOORs

Carrington Doors 36

GARden desiGn & LAndsCAPinG

Creative Gardens & Driveways 23

GARden MAinTenAnCe

NRG Garden Services 9

Robinson Garden Maintenance 37

GOLF CLUBs

Marple Golf Club 17

HeALTH & FiTness

Arriba Community Weight Loss 9

KiTCHens

Byles 17

Dream Doors 10

LOCKsMiTH seRViCes

City Lock & Safe 22

MOBiLiTY

Ability Matters 5

OVen CLeAninG

Ecodazzle 36

PLUMBinG & HeATinG

Aqua Heat 38

ROOFinG

Abstract Roofing Services 27

seCURiTY

City Lock & Safe 22

TRee seRViCes

Swift Tree Services 23

WindOWs & COnseRVATORY RePAiRs

The Window Repair Centre Inside Back

Window Geeks 18

Classified Index

38

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