January Leigh Oracle

Leigh-on-Sea January 2012

ORACLELeigh at a glance Est. Oct 2006. Circulation 5,500

NEW!PlanningUnderstanding Architecture

Local IssuesA Cause for Concern

RecipeBritish Onion Soup

Hair & BeautyGuns ‘n’ Poses

Winter Driving TipsOracle Motoring

LEIGH ORACLE - JAN 2012:Layout 1 19/12/2011 12:47 Page 1

2 L E I G H - O N - S E A O R A C L E www.oraclepublications.co.uk J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2


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OR ACLELeigh

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y the time this hits the streets the NewYear celebrations will be behind us

and if you are anything like me, will be veryhappy to get the house back to normal andstart thinking about the year ahead.

A word of warning! Everybody is well aware business is tough and to get it, then maintain it,is hard. However, during December I learnt thata new local magazine, launching in the NewYear, had been using my name and businessname in order to get business. I want to makeit quite clear that Oracle Publications UK Ltd., isnot associated with any other publication soplease don’t be fooled and check with my office before confirming any space or worst ofall parting with any monies.

Within this issue there is a new article writtenby local architect,Tim Knight who will be givingguidance during the next few months on finding your way around planning and development issues for either your business orhome.

Lastly, a happy and prosperous New Year to youall.

Emma Wynne-MorganPublisher

01702 39383839 Alexandra Street, Southend, Essex SS1 1BW

www.oraclepublications.co.ukinfo@oraclepublications.co.ukwww.twitter.com/oracle_essex

www.facebook.com/oraclepublications Printed by EVONPRINT, Small Dole, Sussex 01273 494631

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contentsLocal IssuesA Cause for concern 9/10By Rosemary Scofield

Guns ‘n’ Poses 14

Hair & Beauty by Craig Smith

Understanding Architecture 18NEW! Planning by Tim Knight

British Onion Soup 20Judy's Recipe Page

How to win the battle of the Bulge 24Health & Beauty by Amanda Turner

Winter Driving Tips 28Oracle Motoring by Stuart Winder

Diary Dates 30

Useful Numbers 32Advertiser Index 34

AdvertorialsChalkwell Auctions 6/7

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J U L Y 2 0 1 0

Advertorial

catalogue in advance and have the sales live online.”

What difference does that make?

“Well, it means that items in our sales are nowavailable to people all over the world, as they arefrom the big London auction houses. In additionto a loyal local following we now have a hardcoreof regular buyers in over 30 countries.

Customers don’t just view the catalogue on linethey can bid too. They listen to the sale live and ifthey have registered can bid from their armchairs. It makes it much more complicated for theauctioneer because we get phone bidders too,but opens up a whole new market for our sellers.

Almost 50% of each sale is now to online bidders. At a recent meeting with ATG Media,who operate www.the-saleroom.com , theytold me that after only a year online we have oneof, if not the, highest number of return online customers in the country. I’m very proud of thatbecause it means they are satisfied customers. It’sa lot of extra work answering emails and phonecalls for condition reports but that makes itworthwhile”.

Interview WithAn Auctioneer

halkwell Auctions have been establishedin Southend for over 20 years but last

year relocated to a new premises. We caught upwithauctioneer Trevor Cornforth to see whatdifference it’s made.

Let’s start with your career. How long have youbeen in the antiques trade?

“An awful long time! Almost 50 years in fact. Ibegan dealing when I was about 8 years old andthen became an auctioneer just after my 18thbirthday. I was acting as rostrum clerk for my bossand he just passed me the gavel and said, “You’reon”.

That must have been quite daunting?

“Yes, but no time for nerves. Being on the rostrumis like doing a one man show. It’s not enough tojust sell the lots, you have to keep people interested”.

You were pretty well established at the Arling-ton Rooms. What impact did the move have onbusiness?

“It opened up a whole new market for us. Wehave lots of space and can easily accommodateover 100 people seated , but it also enabled us to

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What do you put that down to?

“I , and all my staff, work on the basis that we arethere to help not to hinder. We try to engage bothroom buyers and internet buyers in the sale sothat they enjoy it. We have the same policy withour sellers. We try to give them accurate adviceand low charges.”

You must have seen some interesting itemsover the years.

“Yes, lots but over the last 18 months it has become more exciting. A porcelain screen wentto China at £15,000, a Russian bronze to New Yorkat £9,000 as well as a Constable Oil and a Picasso.We now handle items you would usually only seein the West End and at a fraction of the cost to thesellers.”

Thanks Trevor, I’ll pop in and take a look.

O01702 613260

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ge Concern has had a presence inthe town for over 35 years (in those

days we were Southend Old Peoples Welfare).We became Age Concern in 1993.

Our offices are very central and situated onthe 3rd floor at Queensway House, EssexStreet, Southend on Sea. SS1 2NY.

The opening hours are Monday – Thursday9.30 – 4.30 and Fridays 10.30 – 4.30, with anhour for lunch between 12.30 – 1.30. We arevery pleased to welcome callers, many whocome have a variety of issues to be dealt withwhich our friendly and helpful staff arepleased to assist with.

ServicesSome of the services we provide are befriending – this being one of the most important services we offer. An Age ConcernVolunteer visits a lonely old person for anhour or two per week in their home for a chatand a cup of tea. Often this is the only face toface human contact that our elderly clientsreceive from week to week.

It is therefore hugely welcomed, it is also verysatisfying for our befrienders who say howmuch they get out of such visits.

A Another very in-demand service we provideis that of our drivers for medical transport –this includes GPs, Hospital, Chiropody andother clinics. The Age Concern driver picksthe patient up at their own home, transportsthem to the place of their appointment andtakes them home afterwards. A smallmileage charge is made for this service tocover the drivers out of pocket expenses.We also have a number of high qualitywheelchairs available for temporary hire ata small charge.

Hearing Aid batteries may be exchangedeither in our office or by post – please senda SAE for this service.

We also provide occasional social events forolder people, such as our Summer GardenParty and Christmas Bazaar. In October2011 as a new venture we held an AutumnGet-together at Nazareth House, this was afree event (refreshments very kindly provided by Nazareth House) and over 100persons and residents attended and enjoyed a varied programme from CecilJones College with their wonderful choirperforming, also some vocalists. Sylvia ourresident organist played to the delight of theguests.

Local Issues

A cause forConcern



The event was also visited by Mr David AmessMP and Cllr Sally Carr Deputy Mayor, addingto the pleasure of the afternoon.

A blessing was given by two priests, FatherBrian of Nazareth House and Father James ofSt Lukes Church. Father Brian in the talk reminded everyone of the curse of lonelinessand the devastating effects it can have uponpeople. We at Age Concern can certainlyvouch for this from the many phone calls wereceive from elderly lonely people.

We have had a big campaign to increase ourbefriender volunteers and are very pleased tosay we now have almost 90 people goinginto the community visiting elderly people.

Volunteers WantedWe are currently looking for more volunteersand equally importantly people to visit. Soour appeal for help is twofold – firstly if youhave an hour or so please contact the officeon 01702 215780 to discuss with Cathy whowill arrange an informal interview followedby references being taken up and a CRBcheck. Once this is sorted “you are on theroad”.

Also, we are looking for people to visit – eitheryourself or if you know a lonely elderly person please get in touch – it as simple asthat and could transform your entire life asmany rich friendships are formed from these

meetings – just a phone call away on 01702215780.We also print a magazine 3 times a year, this isentirely free so if you would like to receive acopy get in touch with us. – especially if youcould write an article – it could be past experiences, work experiences – even writinga poem for us! So you may discover somehidden talents!

Other assistanceWe welcome offers of help in our office, toprovide assistance in our fund-raising activities, including the organisation of Socialevents and in any other ways. We look f orward to hearing from you.

I do hope you have found this articleinformative and helpful – it there isanything we can do to assist pleasefeel free to contact us.

Rosemary ScofieldManager

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Oracle Hair & Beauty

Men are getting the Abbey habit also and abandoningsweatpants and hoodies in favour of more gentlemanlylounge wear. John Lewis has seen a 100 per cent year-on-year increase in sales of silk dressing gowns and two-piececotton pyjamas as favoured by the Earl of Grantham.

Sales of cravats are up 28 per cent at Debenhams andwaistcoats, the must-have for all Downton men, have alsoseen a sales spike of 21 per cent.

M&S has seen sales of men’s British fabric tweed blazersrise by more than 750 per cent on some styles. They putit down to popular films, such as The King’s Speech andTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy along with Downton all combining to give men the confidence to wear classicBritish heritage styles. Ironically, the concept of the ‘quintessential English gentleman’ is something the Italians have long-embraced as a fashion starting point,re-packaged and sold to the rest of the world as the goldstandard of male cool.

And if that isn’t enough, you can also surround yourselfwith Downton style - Past Times is selling a range of mugs,calendars and cushions, emblazoned with some of thebest quotes from the hit show.

The memorabilia will feature one-liners and famous putdowns from characters like the Dowager Countess ofGrantham including “What is a weekend?” and “Oh good,let’s talk about money.”

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ow! What did you think of the DowntonAbbey Christmas special? I absolutely loved it

and not just for the storyline. Downton’s huge successmust, in part, be due to the amazing backdrop of Highclere Castle and the clothes, not just the great acting.

The hit TV series has sparked a revival in the nation’s obsession with class and how the upper crust liked todress and enjoy itself. It also coincides with the increase ofinterest in country sports, which requires all manner ofoutfits.

Aristocratic chic is very much back in fashion but you don’thave to shop in London’s famous St James district or huntdown vintage pieces across the internet to get the Downton look – it can be found on the High Street.

The trick to capturing Edwardian elegance is to take someof the key essentials; fur capes, a cloche hat, pearls, simplebut elegant dresses and elbow length gloves, and give ita modern, slightly dressed-down twist.

George at Asda is currently selling a hat that would notlook out of place on Lady Mary’s head, whilst BHS and TopShop both sell faux fur stoles at prices that are every bitas good as they look. Dorothy Perkins – who sounds likea character in the show – plus Monsoon and Wallis are alsostores that have embraced the rebirth of the Edwardianera’s glamour.

Of course, giving your wardrobe an aristocratic edge isn’tjust about fur, hats, jewellery and corsets. Teaming a crispcotton shirt with a tweed jacket, jeans and knee lengthcountry boots is the perfect way to look like posh totty.

And don’t forget the statement hair! Backcombing andthen piling up your tresses into an elegant beehive with aloose curl on either side is very sexy and looks great as aneveryday style or when out for a sumptuous dinner withLord Fabulous. And for your make-up, keep it light andfresh with lots of subtle browns and pinks – less is mostdefinitely more.

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UnderstandingArchitecture

constructing your ideal home or businessThe first and possibly most important decision isemploying the correct professionals. StructuralEngineers, Party Wall Surveyors and M&E Engineers may be required but the process invariably starts with the Architect, who must beregistered with the A.R.B. A full list of your local architects is available at www.architecture.com

Architects come in all shapes and types and it isimportant to choose one who recognises your aspirations and with whom you feel you can workclosely. An Architect will help create a totally tailored solution for your living needs andsteer your project through to completion, overseeing the design, planning and building reg-ulations, the builders and your budget. Make thisdecision carefully as a close working relationship often produces the best results.

In the next issue I will discuss the design and planning stage of work and how to best realiseyour ambitions within a planning approval.Should you have questions you would like me toaddress please email:

[email protected]

he home is a unique and individual environment offering an opportunity to

create a style, warmth and security that allows usto live our daily lives. The physical representationof our distinctive character and personality, it isoften the single largest investment of finance,time and design most people experience in theirlives. When coupled with our place of work weoften spend the vast proportion of our lives occupying, experiencing and observing the builtenvironment that surrounds us

Within our small part of the country the housing stock tends to be traditional in style andsize and is becoming less suited to modern living. Homeowners are now more than ever looking to extend and modify their houses to create their ideal homes. In addition the economics of such construction works leads manyto consider demolition to design and build theirperfect dream homes.

The decision to undertake extensive buildingworks should be exciting, stimulating and challenging, and offers a rare chance to developyour design style within the most public and historic of art forms…Architecture.

However the development process is oftenshrouded in mystery and clouded with anecdotesof poor planning decisions, ‘cowboy builders’, spiralling costs and delays. This should not be thecase and over the next few editions I hope to dispel some of the myths and provide an insightinto the process of designing, approving and

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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 220 L E I G H - O N - S E A O R A C L E www.oraclepublications.co.uk

recipe of the month

Next month’s recipe:

Make your own Marmalade

British Onion Soup

British Onion SoupServes 4

Ingredients

50g/2oz butter or dripping1kg/2lb 4oz onions, finely sliced1 tbsp golden caster sugarFew sprigs fresh thyme3 bay leaves150ml/ ¼ pt cider1 litre/1 ¾ pt stock, vegetable or chicken

For Topping

4 thick slices from a round country loaf100g/4oz mature cheddarHandful chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Heat most of the butter or dripping in alarge pan. Add the onions, sugar and herbs.Season and cook, uncovered, over a lowheat, stirring occasionally. You want theonions to go lovely and soft and then turnsticky and a rich golden brown colour, thiswill take about 45 mins.

2. Pour in the cider and reduce by half. Pourin the stock and cook for 20 mins. Seasonagain taking care if it needs more sugar aswell as salt and pepper.

3. When ready to serve, heat the grill tohigh. Spread the bread on both sides withthe remaining butter or dripping and thentoast both sides until golden. Scatter withthe cheese and place back under the grilluntil melted. Serve the soup in bowls witha slice of the cheesy toast floating ontop and scatter with parsley.

lthough we usually associate Francewith onion soup it could also be a

very British dish. Add a little bit of cider tobring out the sweetness of the onions andcheddar on top of the croûtes to give it thatBritish twist. It also freezes very wellwithout the topping.

Enjoy!

O

In the Kitchen with Judy Barden

A


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How to win thebattle of the bulge

Health & Beauty

By Amanda Turner

Sponsored by:

e love him, but Father Christmas doessometimes bring extra, unwanted

gifts: that midriff bulge, the muffin-top, the wobbly love-handles, the bingo wings.

Getting rid of these unwelcome lumps andbumps isn’t rocket science: just take in fewercalories than you use up. Eat less, move aroundmore. Simples, as the meerkat might say. But unless you’re in the right frame of mind, losingweight can be a constant battle.

While yoga isn’t a magic weight loss button, itputs you in touch with your body and makes youmuch more aware of how you treat it, adding animportant extra dimension to your decision toget in trim.

Take the example of Sheila, (not her real name)who started doing yoga last January becauseshe wasn’t as flexible as she wanted to be. Afterher first class, she felt relaxed and energised; sheloved the stretches, the deep breathing and thecalm feeling that stayed with her long after theclass was over.

She went home and had the best night’s sleepshe’d had in years, and made up her mind tomake yoga a regular part of her life. Over thenext few weeks, Sheila established a routine, attending yoga classes and practising someposes at home. She began to feel better and better, with more energy and more flexibility andfar fewer aches and pains.

One day, as Sheila reached for a second slice ofcake she got a mental picture of her spare tyregetting in the way of one of her yoga stretches.“I just thought, no, I’d prefer to be able to stretchmore. I didn’t have that extra piece of cake, and Ididn’t even feel I was missing out.”

In time, Sheila found she could indeed stretch alittle further without her midriff stopping her.She slowly and steadily lost weight and felt moretoned and trim. “I didn’t go to yoga with the intention of losing weight, but it’s been a wonderful side effect,” says Sheila, who hasdropped a dress size over the course of a yearwithout really noticing it and, more importantly,without counting calories or battlingagainst cravings for food. O

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W








Oracle Motoring

Winter Driving TipsBy Stuart Winder ADI

Hitting skid row

The sight on the morning news of cars pirouetting down the high street can make fortitters at the breakfast table, but finding your-self in a skid can be frightening and, if you panic,quite dangerous. With ice on the ground, anyvehicle – even a four wheel drive – can losetraction and end up in a skid. To avoid this, follow this simple set of rules:

n Drive slowly and carefullyn Brake early and steadily on approachto corners

n Avoid over-steering and acceleratingsuddenly mid-turn

n If your lose grip while turning, depress the clutch and turn into the direction of the skid.

n Avoid braking suddenly - this can lock the wheels and prolong the skid.

(*Hot Toddy recipes are available on request.)

ollowing on from last month’s article onpreparing your vehicle for winter, this

month I thought I would give you my top tips forsafely dealing with the worst the winter weathercan throw at us.

Is it worth it?

Firstly, and most importantly of all, If conditionsare particularly bad, ask yourself whether youneed to travel or not. If it’s not an essential journey I suggest staying in and warming yourhands on a hot toddy*. Before there is visiblesnow, the integrity of the road surface may notbe obvious. As a general rule of thumb though,temperatures below three degrees centigradeare likely to be accompanied by ice of some sort.

Slow and steady

Stopping distances are ten times longer in snowand ice so keep your distance from traffic aheadand manoeuvre gently. Try and keep to majorroads rather than smaller, quiet roads. If the steering feels unusually light or the sound of yourtyres on the road changes, you could be drivingon ice, so take great care and slow down by easing off the gas, rather than braking.

Avoid revving the engine in thick snow - thiscould cause the wheels to dig deeper into thesnow. Drive as slowly as you can in as high a gearas possible, higher gears have greater torque,meaning your wheels are less likely to spin.

Stuart WinderPlanet Leasing

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Diary Dates

ORACLE

CHINESE NEW YEAR AT SOUTHEND FREETOWN CENTRE28th Jan 2012 Southend Town Centre 11-4pmJoin us for a glittering celebration marking the startof the Chinese Year of the Dragon.Don’t miss spectacular performances throughoutthe day with a variety of Chinese entertainment.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST PANTOMINE 13th - 14th January 2012 Mike Fry Studio Theatre, Belfairs School, Leigh 07505 574577www.starlightproductions.co.uk

A LONG TIME AGO 19th, 20th, 21st January Curtain up at 8 p.m. witha matinee at 2.30 on the Saturday.Shoebury Community CentreA Pantomime by Paul Barron and Sarah Dysonfrom the Actorcrats at Shoebury Community Centre (The Renown).

SOLO PIANO RECITAL FREEJames LisneyFriday 20th January 2012, 8pm, Plaza Centre,Southchurch Road

LUNCHTIME RECITAL FREERosalind Ventris – ViolaWednesday 18th January 2012, 12.15pm, CivicCentre, Victoria Ave

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