Malmesbury Connections April 2013 Issue

2 To advertise call 07919288977 or 01666 818143 or email [email protected]

Neil Farr Plumbing & Heating

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Hello and Welcome to the April issue,

A bumper issue this month, with lots of

news from local groups including

Malmesbury Gingerbread, a new group

offering support for single parents.

Whilst the Wessex Concert Orchestra and

Malmesbury Abbey Music Society reveal the

dates of future performances.

Gillian Butler form Woodlane Kennels and Cat-

tery features in the A Little About piece and our

congratulations must go to Perfection Health

and Beauty on their recent success and also the

Cotswold Flyball team who took double gold at

their first competition for 2013!

Don’t miss this months recipe, health, humour

and home interior articles to name a few or the

many new advertisers.

For anyone planning a party, Wiltshire and

Gloucestershire Roasters may be the perfect cater-

ing solution. But whatever you need, please try

to support our local businesses first.

Kind Regards

Renee Tuck

3 Please mention Malmesbury Connections when responding to adverts

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10 April 1858

Big Ben cast at Whitechapel

Foundry, London

What could be more British than Big Ben? You hear the bong of the 13-ton bell every time you watch ITN’s evening news or listen to the 6pm and midnight news on Radio 4. And even if you very sensibly try to avoid the news you’ll have heard the Westminster Chimes – played on the four quarter-bells that live with Big Ben in the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament – probably more than any other piece of music. Distantly descended from a tune in Handel’s Messiah, they’re in alarm clocks, doorbells, ice cream vans, possibly even ringtones wherever you go. When you finally arrive at the Pearly Gates and ring for admission, you’ll probably hear them then.

But there’s more to Big Ben’s Britishness than mere ubiquity. Because there’s nothing more British than a right old foul-up, and Big Ben started its career with not one foul-up but two.

One night in October 1834 the Houses of Parliament were burnt to the ground. Next day some fool decided to rebuild them and – shazzam! – a mere 24 years later they were rebuilt. The project was masterminded by Sir Charles Barry but the design of the Great Tower (only re-named last year to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee) was assigned to the great Gothic revivalist Augustus Pugin. Looks like stone, doesn’t it? Looks can be deceiving, though – the shaft of the tower is brick, and the bell chamber and spire are cast iron. The stone is only cladding, like Jack and Vera’s house in Coronation Street.

Naturally a great bell had been commissioned. The 16-ton monster was cast in a foundry in Stockton-on-Tees and named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the worthy who supervised the rebuilding. In 1856, before the Great Tower had been topped out, Big Ben was hung up in New Palace Yard and tested. It promptly broke. Whoops! Just time to order a new one, from the Whitechapel Foundry just across the City. Smaller this time, at a mere 13 tons; but still called Big Ben.

It was cast on 10 April 1858 and took 18 hours to haul the 200 feet up to the bell chamber to be tested. And guess what? Yes – it broke too. The clapper, it turned out, was twice the recommended weight. It took three years to repair and, apart from 1916-18 when people thought Zeppelins might hear it, it’s been bonging almost uninterrupted ever since. It didn’t even stop during the blitz, when the Luftwaffe totalled the chamber of the House of Commons but spared the Great Tower.

The Britishness doesn’t stop there, though. The design of the clock itself, a prestige project if ever there was one, was entrusted to a couple of amateurs. Edmund Denison was actually a lawyer, while George Airey was the Astronomer Royal. Theirs was a completely new and quite revolutionary design, which I’d explain to you if I understood it; but it was such a good one that the clock is accurate to a second a day and is regulated by a pile of pre-decimal pennies – adding a penny advances the clock by 0.4 of a second a day.

The movement, being more than 150 years old, has been a wee bit stop-start since the 1970s, but Big Ben itself, complete with the original crack, bongs on. It did chime 30 once – but that was deliberate, to announce last year’s opening of the 30th Olympiad. Either an inspired departure from convention or a shallow piece of political gimmickry, depending on your persuasion; but at least nothing broke this time.

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-

SA 3.0



Is Your Head Banging?

More than 10 million people in the UK suffer from regular headaches. But how do you know what type of headache you have and what the best treatment is?

Whether you wake up with a banging headache or it develops as a dull ache throughout the day, a headache can be more than just a pain in the head – inconvenient, and at times debilitating.

Thankfully most headaches aren’t dangerous, but understanding what type of headache you have and what’s causing it will help you when it comes to choosing treatment.

Why does my head hurt? A headache is caused when the blood vessels around the brain swell, along with tension in the muscles and nerves in surrounding muscles. If you’re stressed, not having enough sleep, drinking too much, dehydrated or eating lots of junk food, there’s more chance you’ll end up with a blinder.

Eye strain, blocked sinuses, a change in body temperature or blood pressure and hormonal changes are other known triggers. Headaches can also be as a result of a cold virus or other health condition. If you’ve suffered a blow to the head or have a rash accompanied with a headache, always seek medical advice.

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache and feel as if someone has stretched a rubber band around the top and side of your head. The pain is normally more constant compared to the throbbing ache you may experience with a migraine, which can cause vomiting and sensitivity to light.

Cluster headaches tend to cause an intense pain around one or both eyes and can come on very suddenly. Sufferers may have one to three of these attacks every day for weeks or months and they are often more painful than a migraine.

Brewing up a headache Found naturally in tea, coffee and chocolate and added to many energy drinks, it’s more the withdrawal of caffeine than the stimulant itself that can lead to headaches. On the flip side, non-prescription painkillers with added caffeine can actually speed up their effectiveness.

Treating your headache You can buy a range of different painkillers over the counter or obtain stronger alternatives on prescription. Some may suit you better than

others – they include paracetamol, codeine, anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as aspirin and ibuprofen) or a group of anti-migraine medicines known as triptans (for example, sumatriptan).

It’s recommended that you don’t take painkillers for more than two days at a time – if you do, you may be at risk of developing ‘medication-overuse’ headaches.

Clearing your head the natural way As well as improving your general lifestyle (more sleep and exercise, less booze and stress) try the following:

1. Essential oils: either use them for massage or add them to your bath. Recommended oils include Lavender, Clary Sage and Roman Chamomile. (Not suitable for pregnant women).

2. Cooling headache pads: For some instant soothing relief, use these alongside any other medication or on their own.

3. Tiger Balm: this is a natural remedy that is often used to help relieve headaches. (Not suitable for pregnant women or children under 2.)

4. Headache pillows: these may help prevent or relieve headaches by providing support to your neck, improving your posture and reducing inflammation.

5. Acupuncture/massage/reflexology: all of these alternative therapies can be extremely effective at relieving a nagging headache.

By Julia Faulks

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Malmesbury Gingerbread A new local group of the single parents' charity Gingerbread is starting up to cover Malmesbury and the Villages. Single parents often say that the mutual support they receive from other Mums and Dads is invaluable. Gingerbread friendship groups are run by single parents for single parents. They allow people in similar situations to share experiences, make friends and support each other. Being part of a group can really help to reduce feelings of isolation, and help single parents deal with some of the issues they face, as well as offering a much needed chance to relax and have fun! The support a Gingerbread group can provide, really can be as simple as just being there for each other. If you are interested in joining the group, or can offer any help in setting it up, running activities for the children, or talk to the group about a subject that might be of relevance to its members they would really love to hear from you. http://gingerbreadmalmesbury.weebly.com/

Malmesbury School invites you to a Presentation on “Lightning into Space” by Dr Martin Fullekrug on Wednesday 1st May 2013 at 6.30 pm

Dr Martin Fullekrug is a Lecturer at the University of Bath. One of his research interests is lightning and its

effects on the environment. He works together with research laboratories, governmental institutions, indus-

try and artists.

Lightning strongly demonstrates the powers of nature.

Beautiful and scary at the same time, lightning is associated with profound effects on the environment such

as strong winds, hail and flash floods but lightning also causes mysterious flashes of light above thunder-

storms which extend up to 100 km height. These red-bluish lightnings into space have been discovered

only recently and stir the imagination of people around the world.

This presentation summarises what is currently known about lightning and lightning into space and what might be discov-

ered in the future.

If you would like to join us for this interesting presentation please contact our Finance Office on 01666 829700 to reserve your free tickets. The evening will commence with light refreshments provided at 6.30 pm followed by the presentation at 7.00 pm with an opportunity for questions afterwards.

http://people.bath.ac.uk/eesmf/martin.html



The Better Life Village Life

by Derek Thompson

Our village is a society in miniature. There are helpers and hinderers, alliances, conflicts and the occasional historical feud, all in a state of flux. Think Emmerdale, minus the glamour. But also, in amongst the intrigue and entertainment, for the dedicated Better Lifer there is a wealth of knowledge, experience and produce.

It’s less to do with any formal notion of exchange, and more about sharing what you know and whatever surplus you have. I like to think it helps that we are incomers and get on with everyone – a little like Switzerland, but with chickens instead of cuckoo clocks.

Out the gate go butternut squashes, the occasional session of occasionally successful computer-related support, green beans, plant cuttings and spare eggs. (I should declare here that, although I love having the chooks, I can take or leave eggs – don’t tell Anne though.)

Back through the gate, at various times, come flowers, leeks, marmalade, gooseberries aplenty, different plant cuttings and apples.

When our tiny greenhouse needed to come down because the supporting wall required structural work, we asked around and found a good home for it. Well, a good garden actually. Three of us carried it up the lane in sections and two of us returned with rhubarb, fresh flowers, beetroot, runner beans, chard and the most delicious raspberries imaginable. Living greener, the value of a thing is not financial; it’s the use someone can make of it.

Only once did we slightly blot our village copybook. Invited up to a carol service at the nearby chapel, we arrived late (mea culpa) and sat in the annexe close to the open door. Someone stuck their head through and politely insisted, as we were the only ones in the room, that we joined the throng next door. Unfortunately, the only seating left was up in the pulpit. Judging by the sea of faces below us, it was a mixed reception. It didn’t help that Anne had forgotten her glasses and I have a habit of singing too loudly at social occasions. We’ve cried off every year since as a mark of community respect.

That ‘blip’ aside, our fellow villagers are very supportive of our endeavours – being green is nothing new after all, especially in the countryside. Wearing wellies to the shops, as you prefer to cut across the fields, and

carrying back armfuls of kindling because it was too good an opportunity to waste, barely raises an eyebrow. And who doesn’t enjoy the sound of chickens in the morning? (Next door’s dog - that’s who.)

Even our local builder got in on the act, turning up at 8am with a bag of mackerel, fresh off the boat, so he could teach me how to gut it. The cat really enjoyed the lesson, but I soon wished that I’d let my breakfast porridge settle a bit first.

One villager, a carpenter, came to our rescue after the coat rack fell out of favour with the wall. It turned out that I’d managed to somehow miss both raw plugs when screwing it in – a personal best in DIY incompetence, which no doubt I will supersede at some point. “Well, we’re all good at something,” he told me, in a voice that suggested I really ought to find out just what that is.

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Most fevers don't need treatment; 'over-reacting' parents told

Thousands of parents of young children are over-reacting every time their child’s temperature inches above normal, according to a report. Fevers in youngsters are usually caused by viruses and will go away without medicine and without causing any damage, Dr Henry Farrar, co-author of the report for the American Academy of Pediatrics states.

‘There is no evidence that fever itself worsens the course of an illness or that it causes long-term neurological complica-tions,’ said the report from the American Academy of Pediatrics. ‘Fever is not an illness but is, in fact, a physiological mechanism that has beneficial effects in fighting infection.’ Researchers state that parents are too hasty to use paracetamol products. It also found that in up to half of instances children are being given the wrong dosage by their parents. ‘The primary goal of treating the febrile child should be to improve the child's overall comfort rather than focus on the normalisation of body temperature,’ the report states. General well-being, regular fluid intake and watching for signs of serious illness were things that should be monitored closely, they say.

‘Antipyretics', can be readily bought over the counter as pills or in liquid solutions. The British National Formulary, which GPs consult before prescribing medicine, says paracetamol should be administered no more than four times in 24 hours. Ibuprofen should also be limited to four doses a day.

Aside from the risk of overdosing, this pair also carries potential side-effects - paracetamol has been linked to asthma while ibuprofen has been said in rare cases to lead to stomach ulcers and even kidney problems.

‘Fever is the body's normal response to an illness, so it doesn't mean it's a bad thing,’ said study author Dr Janice Sullivan, professor of pediatric critical care medicine at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. ‘It's how your body fights the infec-tion,’ [The only exception was in infants less than three months of age who should be taken to their doctor if they have a fever of more than 100F]. This study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

Calpol is just one of several pain relief products available which is targeted at children. Some of the other ingredients other than paracetemol in these products include

strawberry ‘flavorings’ & carmoisine to produce its pink colour. (Chemical compound E122- suspected carcinogen banned in Austria, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the US and not recommended for consumption by children). the paraben preservatives methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218 - suspected hormone disruptor and allergen. Banned in France and Australia) and E122. Note that both these substances have been linked to hyperactivity, and the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group identifies them as likely causes of mysterious and sudden cases of ADHD-like hyperactivity. They too say these substances are not recommended to be consumed by children. Maltitol (a mild laxative) Glycerol (E422 - large quantities can cause headaches, thirst and nausea) Sorbitol (E420 - There are no limits to the intake of E420; however, its use is actually prohibited for infants younger than 1 year of age, as it may cause severe diarrhea) Propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216 - suspected hormone disruptor and allergen. Not recommended for consumption by children. Possible contact allergen. Not permitted for use in France or Australia) Ethyl parahydroxybenzoate (E214 - suspected hormone disruptor, banned in France and Australia. Not recommended for consumption by children) A thickener – xanthan gum (E415- no known adverse effects

Side effects of Calpol may include hives, rash, short breath and prolonged habitual use may lead to liver damage or failure.

Calpol like many medicines is simply a system suppressant, administered unquestionably to the youngest babies at the slightest suggestion of discomfort or infection. Symptoms however are caused by a beneficial, intelligent immune system responding to something not quite right within the body. They should never be suppressed unless the child is obviously in severe pain and a doctor’s diagnosis has been made. That’s why it is our policy at Tiggers [in line with the managing medicines Government document] that we do not give children Capol or Nurofen unless it has been prescribed for a spe-cific pain or illness by the child’s doctor. It must be in date and have the correct dosage or we will refuse to administer this drug to the child.

Disclaimer: We at Tiggers are not doctors but we do research anything that is important to the welfare of the children in our care. We are not stating that you should ignore a fever but rather take professional advice before administrating any type of medication, so that you are not masking a more serious underlying problem.

http://www.ukfoodguide.net/e122.htm





http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/a/maltitol.htm

http://www.food-info.net/uk/e/e420.htm






Why Toothbrushes

Will Destroy Us All Chris Russell

I just watched a 46-second video of a toddler dancing to Gangnam Style.

This isn’t what I logged on to the internet to do. No, when I started out I was going to browse new book titles on Amazon, catch up with my online banking or conduct some similarly wholesome activity. It definitely wasn’t my intention to fritter away valuable time watching a child who is yet to master simple vowel sounds mimicking the wobbly horse-dancing of a South Korean pop star.

But this is the world we live in now. We suffer constantly from the opposite of boredom, from a semi-involuntary perma-binge on the junk food of user-generated content. But hey, nobody’s perfect. If the internet were real life and you were standing in the post office queue waiting to pay your tax bill and some kid in a nappy pitched up and started riding a pretend horse, you’d take a look. It’s human nature.

Problem is, you’re constantly haunted by guilt that you’re doing X when you should be doing Y, a modern phenomenon which I believe is known as ‘the paradox of choice’. I experience this most acutely with toothbrushes. The toothbrush department in supermarkets never fails to fill me with bewilderment and rage. With certain goods, I appreciate it’s beneficial to consumers for there to be a wide range of models on offer. Vegetables, DVDs, shoes, these are products to which variety is integral. Nobody wants to watch ‘PS I Love You’ every single night and you can’t wear stilettos to Glastonbury. But do we really need fifteen thousand different types of toothbrush?

There’s a brilliant Mitchell & Webb sketch in which a boardroom of beleaguered toothbrush designers decide to add a tongue-brush to their next product, confident that although no one has ever brushed their tongue before, consumers will do it if they’re told to in an advert. In this sense, the product evolution of the toothbrush represents everything that is wrong with capitalism. Unlike cancer treatment or renewable energy, toothbrush technology doesn’t require any more improvement. It has peaked, jumped the shark. We do not need to brush our tongues. But this doesn’t deter the manufacturers. We are, I predict, only about ten years away from a toothbrush that sends a live feed from the inside of your mouth onto a computer screen in your bathroom mirror, with plaque and decay showing up in neon pink patches and every set of new tooth statistics being instantly published to your Twitter account.

Actually, that sounds quite useful.

No. NO. That’s exactly what the men in suits want me to think, damn it! They’ve got to me. It’s too late for my soul, friends, but you can still save yourselves. Next time you’re in Superdrug staring at rows and rows of basically identical toothbrushes and you find yourself thinking ‘Wait a minute, this one has surround-sound and a USB port’, please leave immediately. For, if you buy that product, it’ll be the equivalent of turning on your laptop to donate money to a teacher-training charity in Kenya and instead spending an entire night watching the Gangnam toddler on loop.

I’m doing this for your own good.

Chris plays piano in South London power-pop band The Lightyears. The Lightyears, voted the UK’s BEST POP/ROCK ACT at the Indy Awards, have played Wembley Stadium, toured across four continents and released a record with Sting’s producer. Chris has recently completed his first book, “Mockstars”; a selection of video extracts are available to view at www.ProjectLightyears.com.

Your toothbrush. It may look innocent, but in reality it wants to steal your job and kidnap your children.



Pucker Up -

Make-Up Tricks for

Kissable Lips by Helen Taylor

Soft, plump, kissable lips are guaranteed to get you noticed - but if mother nature hasn’t blessed you with them, don’t despair, because we’ve compiled a clever guide that will help you to fake a full-on pout.

Soften Up

Before you even think about applying lipstick to your lips, it’s essential to spend a bit of time creating the right base for your product.

Exfoliation is key in keeping your lips looking luscious as well as smooth and free of flakes, so it’s important to do this once a week.

Start by applying a generous amount of lip balm to your lips to soften them, and then gently remove the top layer of skin using a soft wash cloth or toothbrush, in circular motions.

Smother your lips in balm every night so that they are super soft for the next morning, when you apply your make-up.

Line Up

Although lip pencil probably isn’t high up on your shopping list of beauty must-haves, when used correctly it can be an essential tool. It allows you to shape and define your lips, and helps to stop your lipstick from ‘bleeding’.

Choosing a neutral and natural shade of lip liner is key for creating a modern look.

Lining just outside the coloured part of your lips provides the fullest effect. Many women don’t do this, and tend to line inside the lip line, but this makes your lips appear thinner because the natural lip line generally extends further than the coloured part of your lips.

Be sure to choose a soft lip liner and ‘round off’ the tip by smudging it on the back of your hand a few times - a sharpened point will look unnatural and harsh - before you apply.

Define your ‘cupid’s bow’ by drawing a V in the centre curve of your top lip, bring the line round and down using soft feathery strokes. Line the curve of the bottom lip with the same light movements, and soften by lightly blending with your finger.

Complete with Colour

It’s best to choose a natural shade of lip colour for two reasons: firstly, light and bright hues look youthful and secondly they make the lips appear fuller, unlike dark shades which have the opposite effect.

Use a lip brush to paint the product onto your lips for a neat and even application - ensure that you take the colour right up to your lip liner line.

Get The Gloss

Lip gloss is every girl’s best friend because it offers a lovely finish to otherwise dull lipsticks and can modernise your entire make-up look.

Apply a shimmery gloss to the centre of your lips and blend gradually outwards to make your lips look really full.

Image courtesy of Clinique

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Perfection rated in the Top 5

Beauty Salons in the UK

The Perfection Health and Beauty team (located in Foxley, Malmesbury, Wiltshire) attended a glittering awards ceremony at the Hilton Park Lane, London on Sunday 24th

February after being shortlisted in the cate-gory of ‘Beauty Salon of the Year Three Rooms or Fewer’. Eve Oxberry, Group Editor of Professional Beauty commented “The awards celebrate true excellence in spa and beauty and we have been excited to have some of the best businesses and most talented individuals in the world attending. The award recognises the people and organisations that set the standard both in client, service and care and also in business management and innova-tion” 21,000 entries were received across the twenty two categories in the professional beauty awards and world spa wellness awards. Commenting on the recognition salon owner Michelle went onto say “I am so proud of the Perfection team and all of our clients who have supported us along the way and since opening (March 7th 2011). I have every intention of entering again next year and bringing the award home to Foxley”

For further information contact Michelle Williams directly on or email [email protected].

Cowage Farm Park, Foxley, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, SN16 0JH

www.perfectionhealthandbeauty.com (01666) 822811

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as a very selfish protagonist, but subsequent generations

have come to recognise Edna’s plight, her need for a

sensuous relationship and ultimately, her freedom.

Everybody Jam: Ali Lewis

The Dawson family is used to harsh climates and tough

situations: they run a cattle station in Australia’s Northern

Territory. Plagued by drought, this year’s ‘muster’ will be

another battle with the elements. But there’s more to contend

with than the outdoors this year. Eldest son Jonny has been

killed but no one talks about it, 14 year old Sissy is pregnant

after ‘rooting’ with an Aboriginal lad and there’s a new

Pommie house girl who can’t even make toast. Told through

the eyes of 13 year old Danny, it’s a story of a strong clan

who overcome adversity and survive, way out in the outback.

The Red House: Mark Haddon

How do siblings become total strangers? Brought together by

the death of their mother, Angela and her brother Richard

have only really communicated through phone calls for the

last decade or so. Now Richard has invited Angela and her

growing brood to spend a week with them in deepest darkest

Wales. The book flits between characters but once you’re

into the rhythm of how these two families tick, it’s a great

read that’s full of sibling-rivalry, trips and falls down memory

lane and getting to know each other all over again.

We Need to Talk About Kevin: Lionel Shriver

This is the shocking and disturbing story of a family torn

apart when the eldest son carries out a massacre at his

school. It’s powerfully told through a series of letters written

by his mother, Eva to her husband Franklin as she tries to

come to terms with the atrocities carried out by Kevin. It

brings up all kinds of questions about nature versus nurture

and how siblings and parents impact on each other’s lives.

Throughout the book we can begin to piece together exactly

what took place in the high school gym, but it still won’t

prepare you for the startling conclusion. Quite simply, a

brilliant thriller.

We Are Family For kids, April means the Easter holidays. Time for

enforced fun, ill-fated camping trips and long drives

squished in the back of the car, with your siblings

breathing in your face. We’ve picked some of the best

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weeks off…are we there yet?

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Finance Your Top 5 Money Saving

Apps

The mobile application market represents a cultural shift for the human race. Smartphones are now the ultimate universal digital Swiss Army Knife for every possible facet of our lives and a broad cross section of money-saving utility is now in your pocket. We’re going to take a look at some of the best money-saving apps available for both Apple and Android devices.

Skype | www.skype.com | Free These days, Skype is practically a household name but many overlook the mobile version of this brilliant Internet telephony software as a supremely useful money-saving tool. Encourage everybody you know to download Skype on their mobile device and you have suddenly significantly reduced the chances of ever using up all of your free minutes. For those of you who find yourselves with £10-£50 (or more) in excess fees, this simple app could save you hundreds in the long run.

Voucher Cloud | http://www.vouchercloud.com | Free Most people are familiar with the idea that we’re now in a digital era of cutting coupons. Voucher Cloud is an app for all of the best digital offers. Firing it up will find you everything from free five-day passes to your local gym to discounts on driving lessons and reduced prices in restaurants. It’s worth taking the time to sit down and check the T&Cs so you know exactly what it is you’re signing up for. Spending a little time being thorough on the small print however will save you hundreds of pounds per year.

RedLaser Barcode Scanner | http://redlaser.com | Free Ever found yourself in a shop whereby the little voice in your head is asking you whether you might find the item cheaper on the Internet or just round the corner? All that’s needed to answer the question is your smartphone device and a Wi-Fi or mobile Internet connection. Photograph the barcode using the on-board camera and it will recognise the item and then cross reference prices with department stores, a vast array of websites, including Ebay, and even local stores. It’s worth noting that the latter feature works best in larger towns and cities. It’s practically impossible to scan a barcode which is not recognised by this incredible app so scout for bargains and save money.

Direct Debit Control Centre | http://www.directdebit.co.uk | Free There’s nothing worse than trying to stay on top of your finances, thinking you’re almost there and subsequently getting stung with excess overdraft fees for an unexpected direct debit. The Direct Debit Control Centre helps you keep

on top of when your direct debits are leaving your account via its early warning system. It will save you money and give you peace of mind.

iXpenseIt | http://www.fyimobileware.com | £2.99 So, what will you do with all this money saved? One small but wise investment would be to buy an app that helps you stay on top of your expenditure and few are better than iXpenseIt. There’s a lite version which can be downloaded for free so you can try before you buy. This is as good as mobile money management software gets and the app has won several awards including one from CNN Money Magazine. You’ll receive pocket-sized help with managing all the different budgets in your life whether business or personal and all that’s required is a little patience adding incomes and expenditures as they occur.

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Wessex Concert Orchestra The Wessex Concert Orchestra is very much looking forward to returning to Malmes-bury Abbey on Saturday April 20th 2013 at 7.30pm to perform its spring concert with a programme to include Mendelssohn’s Symphony No.3 (The Scottish) Symphony and the delightful Slovak Suite by Vítézslav Novak. The Wessex Concert Orchestra is based in Chippenham and is a dynamic amateur symphony orchestra which plays a variety of music, ranging from light music and film works through to classical pieces, symphonies and concertos. Players come from a wide area in North Wiltshire including the Malmesbury area and further afield into Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire. In 2010 the orchestra celebrated its 70th anniversary .It was originally formed in 1940 as a works orchestra, known then as the Westinghouse Orchestra and its long and varied history included performances for BBC Radio. In 2003 the current conductor Andrew Baatz took over the baton and the orchestra became the Wessex Concert Orchestra. The orchestra is thriving and the following events have taken place over the last few years

Workshops and a joint concert performance with The Orchestra of the Swan - a professional orchestra in Stratford.

Annual "Proms" style concerts to audiences up to 1000, including fly pasts and fireworks.

Performing with professional soloists.

Light and film music: including Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Lord of the Dance, 633 Squadron.

Classical works: including Scherezade, Beethoven's 8th Symphony, Mahler Adagietto from Symphony 5, Prokofiev's

Romeo and Juliet, Enigma Variations, Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony and ballet music from Swan Lake.

In 2011 a recording made for Radio 3’s ‘Light fantastic’ Week was broadcast. Playing the accompanying music for the Imperial War Museum’s Film ‘The Battle of the Somme’ for two showings in Devizes. Christmas 2012 saw the orchestra back at its home base in Chippenham where it performed a Concert to a capacity audi-ence entitiled ‘Winter Wonderland’. As well as Swan Lake this included some old favourites such as Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson and The Skaters’ Waltz by Waldteufel. The photograph shows the orchestra getting in the mood for this con-cert!!!! Tickets for the orchestra’s spring concert on 20th April will be on sale locally; via our website www.wco.org.uk; and from mem-bers and at the door. Do come along and hear this versatile, and exciting local orchestra. There are a few vacancies in some sections of the orchestra. If you would like to find out more then please contact [email protected].

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Grow Your Own

Veg By Pippa Greenwood

As the new gardening year is upon us, why not have a go at growing your own veg because it doesn’t need to be difficult and has the potential to be one of the most productive and fun things you’ve ever done.

Home grown food tastes better, uses little if any air miles, can save you a packet and is enormously rewarding because you’re getting the top end of the market produce. Remember to grow what you like and what your garden can grow well - this may take some experimenting, but don’t be afraid to admit that some things are trickier than others in your plot.

If you’re an organic gardener or you simply want to produce pesticide free vegetables, you might need to spend more time thinking about what to grow and how you can best nurture it so that pests, diseases and other problems take a back seat.

*Seed and plant catalogues are now more likely to let you know which varieties are relatively pest or disease resistant.

*You can also encourage some of the naturally occurring insects that parasite or predate upon the garden pests, or bigger animals such as frogs, toads, hedgehogs and many birds. Insects include:

Ladybirds: The larvae and the adults both consume huge numbers of aphids.

Lacewings: The young or larvae are brilliant predators, eating mainly aphids, but also eating other pests such as thrips and eggs of moths.

Hoverflies: The soft-bodied yellowy grey larvae are great aphid eaters, a single one eating up to fifty in a day, nearing 1,000 in its lifetime.

Ground beetles: Often seen scuttling off at speed when you move pots, low-growing plants or loose slabs, they are mostly black and often shiny and are brilliant predators of many pests including slugs, vineweevils and some insect eggs.

Solitary wasps: Some feed their larvae on aphids, weevils and other insects.

Some of these may already be in your garden, but by growing some suitable plants you can really build up their numbers. On the whole the simple, non-double varieties are the most insect friendly, so try some of these:

*Phacelia: A hardy annual with bluish perfumed flowers, perfect for direct sowing.

*Limnanthes douglasii (the poached egg plant): This yellow and white flowered hardy annual is loved by hoverflies.

*Eschscholzia (the Californian poppy): This pretty yellow, orange and cream flowered plant can be direct sown and thrives in sunny well-drained sites.

*Iberis (candytufts): One of the easiest hardy annuals, it has readily available pollen and nectar, perfect for many beneficial insects.

The rewards are plentiful - a regular supply of superbly tasty vegetables, picked when ripened to perfection (not just to make them last longer on the supermarket shelf), gathered as and when you need them and in the quantities you need (cutting down on wastage) plus you can choose the varieties you find tastiest.

Why not grow some great vegetables in 2013? Go to www.pippagreenwood.com and sign up for ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ – choose from a fantastic selection of vegetables sent to you at just the right time for planting and each week you receive an email from her telling you all you need to know to ensure great results.

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Malmesbury Abbey Music Society are pleased to announce their concerts for 2013

On 11th May we are thrilled to welcome Julian Lloyd Webber to the Abbey for the first time. Julian will be accompanied by Rebeca Ormodia and will give a wonderfully varied cello recital with music from Bach, Bridge, Ireland, Britten, Faure, Saint-Saens, Delius, William Lloyd Webber and Rachmaninov. Next on 29th June, Red Priest, a most extraordinary baroque quartet, will give us an evening to remember with The Carnival of the Seasons – Vivaldi with a Difference. Piers Adams, world renowned leader of the ensemble, is offering a one hour recorder workshop on the afternoon of this concert for recorder players grade 1 and above. On 21st September we are lucky enough to have Peter King, the Director of Music at Bath Abbey, returning to play the Abbey’s famous Johnson organ and on 19th October, the Coull Quartet (Quartet in Residence at the University of War-wick since 1977) will give us an exciting programme of Haydn, Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky. To round off the season in style, we welcome the London Brass Symposium on 16th November. Their splendid brass sounds - Music Leading us to Advent - will surely get us into the mood for Christmas! All concerts take place in the Abbey, and tickets priced at £12 ( £20 for Julian Lloyd Webber)/ £5 for students, can be ob-tained from the Abbey Bookshop, or the MAMS Ticket Secre-tary, David Barton, on 01666 824924, email [email protected]. Alternatively, they can be bought online through the Malmesbury website www.malmesbury.com/mams

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Clean and Fresh Clear the clutter, sort your stuff and make everything in your home spick and span – your home will feel revitalised, and so will you, says Katherine Sorrell

Are you closer to being the goddess of grime than the queen of clean? Spring sunshine means that it’s the ideal time to don your apron, snap on your Marigolds and refresh your home from top to bottom.

If you really can’t bear the thought of tackling every room at once, you could spend perhaps an hour a week or else tackle one room at a time until your home feels truly transformed.

So, where should you begin? The obvious place is with a good, old-fashioned tidy up, paying attention to all your tables, shelves, floors and other surfaces, inside kitchen and bathroom cupboards, bedroom wardrobes and chests of drawers.

Once you have cleared the space, you are almost ready to begin. But not quite. Make a list of what needs doing (this may be rather time-consuming, but will be worth it in the end) and allocate some time for each chore. Then dig out appropriate clothing. What to wear will depend on the task at hand, but should include an old shirt and trousers, and could also mean rubber gloves, sturdy shoes, an apron and a dust mask or safety goggles.

Next, assemble your equipment – from brooms and scrubbing brushes to buckets and cloths. Having it ready beforehand will save time and effort later. Lastly, find the cleaning products you’ll require, including an all-purpose household cleaner, washing-up liquid, furniture polish, non-chlorine bleach, anti-mildew tile and bath cleaner and window cleaner. Store them in a heavy-duty caddy with a handle.

At last you’re ready, so refer back to your list of what needs doing – you’ll see it divides into five main areas: vacuuming, dusting, mopping/scrubbing, washing and wiping, and polishing as well as room specific tasks, such as turning mattresses, spot-cleaning upholstery, cleaning the oven, defrosting the fridge, descaling the shower head and beating rugs. You could also sort out those less frequently required jobs such as steam-cleaning the carpets or having the chimney swept.

Before you embark, bear in mind the basic principles of cleaning: work from top to bottom (dust the light fitting before polishing the table beneath) and tackle dry before wet (vacuum before mopping, obviously). Try to be organised, whether you work one room at a time or one task at a time. With a little forethought, preparation and organisation, spring cleaning can be a rewarding activity that will restore your home to its rightful place as a peaceful haven that is well-kept, tidy and gleamingly, squeaky clean.

FIVE OLD-FASHIONED CLEANING TIPS

• Polish chrome taps with vinegar, a little baking soda

on a damp cloth or a gentle rub of white toothpaste

• To dust carved wooden furniture, put a dab of furniture cream on a damp cloth, and hold it over the bristles of a soft toothbrush – you will be able to work your way into all the cracks and crevices

• De-grease a vinyl floor (under the oven, for example) by rubbing with a halved lemon, then mop with an all-purpose cleaner

• Spot-clean upholstery by gently rubbing in a little foamy shaving cream and removing with a clean, damp cloth

• Beat a rug by hanging it over a washing line and using a tennis racket

Personalised enamel bucket, £37.75, Jonny’s

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Every year, technology firms join in the April Fools fun - so

for example in recent years Google announced self-driving

racing cars, Toshiba pretended to make a 3D monocle and

video site Animoto offered bark recognition for dogs. Not all

odd-sounding technology items are fakes, though: there are

some truly strange items and accessories out there.

Some of the oddest items are related to smartphones and

tablets, such as the iStuck mobile phone stand (£3) that

looks like chewed bubblegum, the Knuckles iPhone case -

designed to look like a knuckle duster - and the just-

announced iPotty (£39), a child’s potty with a built-in iPad

stand. The idea, apparently, is that letting children use iPads

while on the potty will make toilet training a fun game.

Other gadgets are more sensible, but rather odd looking -

such as the iPhone SLR mount, which enables you to

attach enormous SLR camera lenses to your phone. It might

look like a novelty item, but the price says otherwise: at the

current US exchange rate, it’s £156 plus shipping and tax,

and of course that doesn’t include the lenses. The mount is

available for both Nikon and Canon lenses and promises to

bring SLR effects such as variable depth of field to “the

camera you carry with you every day”.

Another odd-looking but fairly sensible gadget is the

Handspresso Auto ESE, a portable espresso coffee maker

designed for in-car use. It uses the Easy Serving Espresso

pods you might have seen for ordinary domestic coffee

makers, and it’s particularly handy for road warriors who’d

rather not pay inflated prices for motorway service station

coffees. At around £130 it isn’t cheap, but if you use it

regularly it’ll soon pay for itself.

You can buy odd things for your house too, and if you’re a

musician or a fan of rock music you’ll appreciate the

Marshall Fridge. From the outside it looks like the iconic

Marshall amplifier stack, and it even uses authentic Marshall

parts including the famous logo, fret cloth and brass-finished

faceplate with knobs that go up to eleven, but inside it’s -

yes! - a fridge. The manufacturer says it’s “the ultimate

combination of rock and refrigeration”. Yours for £405.

Have you ever wished your fork could nag you about your

eating? Good news if you have: the Hapifork (around £70)

may look like an ordinary fork, but it’s stuffed with sensors

that monitor how quickly you’re eating. It measures the

number of times you put the fork in your mouth, the time

between each serving and the total time you’ve spent eating,

and vibrates and flashes if you’re eating too quickly. The

data is then sent to your smartphone. For now the line-up

doesn’t extend to other cutlery, but manufacturer HAPIlabs

says a spoon is in development.

The HAPIfork was one of several odd gadgets shown at this

year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but it

wasn’t the oddest: we saw GPS-enabled gadgets such as

the TrakDot luggage locator (around £30 plus a £10 annual

subscription), Nano Nails, which turn long fingernails into

styluses for touchscreens (price tbc); the iMusic

BodyRhythm, a music-powered massager that makes you

look like you’re wearing a toilet seat around your neck

(currently accepting pre-orders for $69, around £44), and the

thoroughly odd Minime, which can create a phone case or a

cuddly toy that includes a 3D rendering of your child’s face

(or anybody else’s face). Expect to see Minime kiosks in

shopping malls later this year.

No April Fools: odd gadgets that really exist


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Ready in 1 hour Serves 4

Perfect for a spring Sunday lunch or stylish supper this

quick and easy lamb dish is full of flavor. Choose a

couple of meaty racks of lamb from a good butcher

and score the layers of fat before spreading with the

harissa paste. Serve with a cooling garlic and mint

yoghurt sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp harissa paste (see Tip)

• 2 trimmed racks of lamb, each with 6 bones

• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into slim wedges

• 50g butter

• 225g basmati rice, rinsed and drained

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

• 750ml vegetable stock

• Generous pinch saffron strands

• 50g sultanas

• 40g flaked almonds, lightly toasted

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Preheat the oven to 200C, 400F, Gas 6. Spread the harissa

paste over the lamb racks. Place the racks in an oiled roasting

tin and add the onion wedges.

Roast in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes depending on

how pink you like your lamb. Remove from the oven. Cover with

foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes – the lamb will be juicier and

easier to carve.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a heavy-based pan until melted

and foaming. Add the rice and garlic. Fry gently for 1-2 minutes,

stirring until the rice is translucent. Pour in the stock. Add the

saffron and bring to the boil, stirring.

Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Reduce the heat to the

lowest setting and cook for 15-20 minutes without removing

the lid until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat. Fork through to separate the grains.

Add the sultanas, flaked almonds and pomegranate seeds.

Carve the lamb racks into individual cutlets and serve

immediately with the fragrant rice and roast onion wedges.

Spiced Rack of Lamb

with Fragrant Rice


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Sail on the old Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour, just an

eight minute ride from the peninsula, and Hong Kong

Island greets you with its 21st century skyline, here the

zigzag patterns of the Bank of China Tower, there the

sensuous curves of the Convention and Exhibition Centre

or the Central Plaza rising to 78 floors, framed by verdant

hills. Above these monoliths of concrete and glass, Victoria

Peak looms undisturbed, like a grand old lady smiling at a

mob of unruly children.

At a cool, often misty, 1810 feet, the Peak has long

attracted the elite who built luxury dwellings on its upper

slopes laced with gardens and wooded trails. For most

visitors, the Peak begins with a steep thrilling ride on the

funicular, hauled up to Victoria Gap by a single cable. The

summit is out of bounds, topped with telecom masts, but

weather permitting, there are unrivalled views across the

harbour to Kowloon, the New Territories and a few of the

260 outlying islands which are part of Hong Kong. At night,

the city below is an ocean of lights.

With a density approaching 16,000 inhabitants per square

mile, the main island is an eclectic mass of humanity.

Executives in pin-striped suits, fortune tellers, revellers,

manicured store assistants, families on their way to the

Ocean Theme Park, shoppers, tourists, the city is for ever

on the move, flooding every pavement and elevated

walkway, buses, trams, ferries, taxis, underground and the

mid-level stairs where a string of 20 escalators carry

commuters down in the morning then switch uphill for the

rest of the day.

The aptly named ‘Central’ district on the north coast is the

glittering seat of government, finance and upmarket

shopping, its new architectural wonders jostling for space

above the last colonial buildings. There are swanky

boutiques and antique shops but affordable goods in the

lanes and the Chinese Emporiums brimming with

handicraft. Tai Chi enthusiasts gather in Victoria Park,

locals bargain for dried fish, snake bile and chopsticks and

around the temples festooned in red lanterns and dragons,

clouds of incense fill the air as they did long ago, giving

Hong Kong its name of ‘fragrant harbour.’

Once dotted with its own incense mills, Aberdeen on the

south coast has sprouted into high rise but retains a

frenzied wet market and harbour where tyre-draped

sampans weave past the ageing fishing fleet and the last

houseboats strung with laundry. On the quayside, seafood

lovers wait for the free ferry which will take them to glitzy

floating restaurants, anchored on the edge of the typhoon

shelter.

Beyond Aberdeen, life moves at a gentler pace as week-

enders relax on the lovely beaches of Deep Water or

Repulse Bay or venture to the sleepy village of Shek O in

the east. Cooled by sea breezes, Shek O marks the end of

the Dragon Back’s Trail, a pleasant trek along a ridge with

stunning vistas of the interior country parks and South

China Sea.

True, Hong Kong Island thrives on banking and business

but the old China survives, more discreet than on the

peninsula, but coming into its own at festival time when

brightly-decorated dragon boats compete in the traditional

Stanley race, spurred on by drums and cheering crowds.

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Gather family and friends every Sunday for a fabulous Michelin starred Sunday lunch and in the afternoon we’ll treat you to a guided tour of our glorious Italian gardens, the thriving kitchen gardens and our very own family of pigs, quails and chickens. Sunday Lunch £35 per person. Child menus and highchairs available on request. Guided garden tour every Sunday afternoon from April to September. Quote ‘Malmesbury Connections’ when booking.

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Double Gold as Cotswolds

on Target at Bisley!! . BFA Sanctioned Tournament - 9th February 2013

The Cotswold Flyball Club took 3 teams on the long trip to Surrey for this indoor tournament to kick off their 2013 sea-son. The Cyclones kicked off the action, with 2 comprehen-sive wins before the lunch break, setting a blistering best time of 19.44 seconds, over 1.3 quicker than the same stage last year. The afternoon saw the host team despatched in a tight race leaving just the top seeded Mad Mutts to face. That match went to a deciding leg and with a win looking a certainty a slip up handed the win, undeservedly, to the Mutts. With a 3 way tie at the top of the table, the Cyclones were awarded the Gold they richly deserved thanks to recording the fastest time of the day. The Zephyrs tried an unusual tactic of running 2 Terriers, Dizzy and Jack, in the 4 dog line up, this proved a master-stroke and wrong pawed the opposition. The result was a romp through their division unbeaten. This earned the Club's second Gold of the day and made the other, much larger clubs, realise that the Cotswolds will be a major force this year. The Club's all new Breezes entered competition for the first time put up a great display to finish a credible 4th. The club, still seeking a sponsor, has moved its training base to Long Newnton Airfield and welcomes new members http://cotswoldflyballclub.webs.com/

http://cotswoldflyballclub.webs.com/

http://cotswoldflyballclub.webs.com/



SPANISH LESSONS

Any level, beginners to advanced

Coaching for exams

Will come to your house if required

Fiona Melville BA Hons (Oxon) Spanish

Please call 01666 840215 / 07711816839 email [email protected]



WOODLANE KENNELS & CATTERY Bath Road, Willesley, Glos. GL8 8QX

Tel: 01666 880314 Email [email protected]

Est. over 20years by Gill Butler, Veterinary Nurse.

Small, family run business with heated facilities and daily walks at no extra cost.

Elderly/pets on medication accepted.

Grooming and pet supplies available.

A LITTLE ABOUT.... Gillian Butler of Woodlane kennels and Cattery

1. When did you start your business and why? 1989 I'd given up working at the Rowe Vets as a veterinary Nurse after having my first son but was bored at home. My parents had a spare piece of ground and my brother and father are both builders so it seemed a natu-ral progression to start my own boarding kennels. After all, I love dogs, hate housework, and have a chance to give my mum orders as I'm officially her boss!

2. Describe the events in your typical day. Up at 7am to make sure family are all off to their respective jobs and reach kennels by 9am. Mum usually does early shift and break-fasts as she lives on site. We have our morning staff meeting (over a cup of tea) with Mandy, whose been with us for twenty years, and plan for the day. General kennel / cattery cleaning starts with us making a fuss of the residents at same time. We also administer any medica-tions and check they're all fit and happy. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my clipping / grooming days. Pets are brought in or collected throughout the day as we're open between 8am-6pm. We exercise the dogs be-tween 11am-2pm. A quick lunch sometime between 1and 2pm with an afternoon lull until tea time at 4pm. I usually have a day off on a Wednesday to teach my two line dance classes in Yate and Dursley (well a change is as good as a rest!)

3. What is your favourite local shop? Why? My little corner co op just down the road from my house. Easy to get to, staff are really friendly, and they always seem to be open no matter the time or day.

4. What is your favourite local venue? The Kings Arms pub in Didmarton. I play in a ladies darts league on a Tuesday night and this has been my home board for thirty years on and off.

5. What is your all time favourite song? Title/artist I'd like to say 'Who let the dogs out?' but I might be tempting fate. From line dancing for fifteen years and a love for music (I always have a radio on in the car or at home). I also spend many an hour listening to new tracks and trying to learn new dances so I have a very varied taste in music. I love 'Don't want to miss a thing' by Aerospace (theme from Armageddon film) and know the song and film word for word.

6. If you didn't live here, where would you like to live and why? I'm afraid to say I'd move to America. We've been there for holidays four or five times over the years and I've always loved the vibe and atmosphere. I'm the sort of person who needs a rest after a holiday!

7. I set up my own business because....... I needed something to do!! I'd started working for the George Vets whilst I was still at school, helping out evenings and Saturday mornings. I then spent six years as a veterinary nurse looking after all types of pets and loved it. By the time the opportunity came up to be able to open my own kennels it seemed an obvious progression after having been a housewife/ mother for twelve months. Being at my parents house meant my son could come with me everyday and even now the family all pitch in when needed to kennel sit, dog walk etc. I have the best of all worlds, a job I love doing, hundreds of dogs and cats that I treat as my own, and my friends & family working with me.

8. Best thing that's happened to you recently. I've just won both the chipping sodbury and yate ladies open sin-gles, and the under 50's darts competitions this week. Really pleased.

9. Favourite one liner or silliest thing you've heard. Oh no, he doesn't mean it when he bites!! He's just playing.'

10. Your future goal? Bit corny but to enjoy life to the full. To keep doing the things I love and never be scared to try something new.

Foot Health Care www.foot-health-care.co.uk

Sina Ohms MCFHP MAFHP

Foot Health Practitioner

Corns-Nail Trimming-Verrucae-Hard Skin-

Athlete’s Foot-Ingrown Toenails-Nail Infections-

Cracked Heels (Fissures)-Nail Cutting

The Chippenham Natural Therapy Centre T:01249 443390

The Oxford Practice, Malmesbury

T:01666 824 560 Corsham Chiropractic Clinic T: 01249 716683

Home Visits T: 01666 838683 M:07593324128



Across

1 Jewels (4)

3 Allowed in (8)

9 Worried (7)

10 Annoy (5)

11 Fading away (12)

13 Deny (6)

15 Interfere (6)

17 Directions (12)

20 Ships load (5)

21 Vital part of healthy diet (7)

22 Enjoyed (8)

23 Repair (4)

Down

1 Protecting (8)

2 Blends (5)

QUICK CROSSWORD

4 Dismiss (6)

5 Crossroad (12)

6 Taught (7)

7 Deceased (4)

8 Contests (12)

12 Flavoured (8)

14 Army rank (7)

16 Flexible (6)

18 Overweight (5)

19 Mark left by wound (4)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8

9 10

11

12

13 14 15

16

17 18

19

20 21

22 23




2013. Times: 10am – 12pm Ages from 1-4 years £3.50 per child, £1.50 for each additional sibling. Complimentary Tea, Coffee, Squash and Biscuits. Fully insured and CRB checked. 01666 841525/ www.totsoffun.co.uk

Monday 8th April -Charlton Village Hall at 7.30pm. An illustrated talk by Jenny Tinman Titled “Plant Propagation” held by the Malmesbury and District Garden Club New comers welcome Graham Rees 01666 823093

Saturday 20th April– Cat Show Championship, Cricklade Town Hall from 1230 onwards. Pedigree and non-pedigree cats, food/refreshments, auction (not cats!), lots of stalls, raffle. If you like cats do not miss this show! Adults £2, conc. £1 Enquiries 07801802832

Monday 8th April 7:30pm-9:30pm Malmesbury Cake Society Live baking demo - fondant icing, smoothing and decorating of cakes. With Beth from Little Ingleburn Cakes. Theme - biscuits Bring your biscuits, recipe and £4.50 entry fee. 100% of all proceeds to Cancer Research UK The Kings Arms, Malmesbury

Sat 13 April from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.- A charity stall in aid of the North Wilts Group of Motor Neurone Disease Associa-tion will be held at the Market Cross on sale will be cakes, preserves, bric-a-brac, books, jigsaws, jewellery, toiletries, toys, DVDs, new items etc. If anyone has any donations could you please contact Ruby Collison on 01666 822457.

WHAT’S ON ? Every Sunday (7.30pm) and Thursday (2.30pm) Crudwell Short Mat Bowls - bring flat shoes and we have the woods - at Crudwell Village Hall

Every Monday 1.00 - 3.30pm Malmesbury Physically Handicapped Club. The club is run for the benefit of physi-cally handicapped, and elderly, residents of Malmesbury. Transport can be arranged in the immediate Malmesbury area. For further info please contact 01666 824351

Every Monday—Malmesbury Arts Society meet at St Mary’s Hall at 7.30pm to paint and draw. All ages welcome.

Every Monday Fortnight 1.30-3pm at the Town Hall Malmesbury. Singing for the Brain for carers and people with dementia. Please call the Alzheimer's Society on 01249 443469 for further information.

Every Monday from 7:30 -9:30pm during term time

Malmesbury Singers meet in Malmesbury Abbey. For further

information visit www.malmesburysingers.co.uk

‘Every Monday & Thursday – Malmesbury Bridge Club meets for friendly duplicate bridge at Athelstan House, Burton Hill Primary Care Centre complex, at 7 p.m. For details or if you need a partner, contact 01453 860512

Every 2nd Tuesday-7.30pm Lea WI meet at Village Hall

Every Tuesday and Thursday- Athelstan Players, a local drama group meet in our Club Room (behind the Co-op) (adults only) 7.30 - 10 pm. If you can sing, dance, act or help back stage, new members welcome. 01666 822691

Most Tuesdays in The Activity Zone from 12.30 to15.30. Malmesbury Tuesday Club -A sandwich lunch (£3) is fol-lowed by board games, a quiz or puzzle or a talk from a visiting speaker. From time to time we travel to enjoy a meal out or to visit a local point of interest. Transport to and from the club can usually be arranged. For further details ring Bob Turner on 01666823620.

Every Wednesday—Members (aged 60 and over) meet at noon in the Wesleyan Room of the Town Hall to see friends and enjoy a 2 course lunch. Details from Helen Churchill 01666 840080

Every Wednesday– Malmesbury Arts Society meet at Malmesbury Town Hall 2-4pm to paint and draw. All Wel-come. Please bring a table covering. Cost £1.

Every 4th Wednesday of month—Wiltshire Family History Society meet at La Flambe, Birdcage Walk. All welcome, no Wiltshire ancestry necessary! Free. Contact 0166682350

Thursday 7th MarchSoup Kitchen in aid of Christian Aid, Soup/bread/cake lunch for £2.50 12.30 to 2pm La Flambae Birdcage Walk

Monday March 11th. 2013 Malmesbury and District Garden Club In Charlton Village Hall starting at 7.30pm. An illus-trated talk by Mr. Richard Cribbs Titled “Pest, Disease and Weed control” New comers welcome 01666 823093 Saturday 16th March-Paladar 6 Nations Supper, see advert for details

Tots Of Fun On Fridays! New drop in and stay soft play sessions every Friday morning during term time at the Scout Hut, Green Lane, Sherston. Starts 22nd February

Local Information and Useful Numbers BT Fault line 0800 800 151 Gas 0800 111999 Malmesbury Town Council 01666 822 143 Malmesbury Youth Centre 01666 823747 Malmesbury Activity Zone 01666 822533 Library 01666 823611 Emergency 999 Police 101 DOCTORS SURGERIES Malmesbury PCC 01666 825825 Tolsey Surgery Sherston 01666 840270

Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01666 818 143 or 07919 288 977 Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage colour variation or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in the publication. Adverts are accepted on the understanding that descrip-tions of goods and services are fair and accurate. Malmesbury Connections does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form—electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise—without the prior consent of the publisher. Publisher: Malmesbury Connections Printer: NewmanThomson

Crossword Answers: Across: 1 Gems, 3 Admitted, 9 Anxious, 10 Tease, 11

Disappearing, 13 Negate, 15 Meddle, 17 Instructions, 20 Cargo, 21 Protein, 22

Relished, 23 Mend. Down: 1 Guarding, 2 Mixes, 4 Dispel, 5 Intersection, 6

Trained, 7 Died, 8 Competitions, 12 Seasoned, 14 General, 16 Supple, 18

Obese, 19 Scar.

http://www.totsoffun.co.uk

http://www.malmesburysingers.co.uk


Documents

Malmesbury Connections April 2013 Issue