around lutterworth magazine may 2012

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FREE Inside ... A Queen by any other name Useful local info Mind your Money Great Days Out And much more... your local community magazine supporting local businesses MAY 2012

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May Issue of Around Lutterworth produced by Around Magazines Ltd

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Page 1: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

FREE

Inside ...A Queen by any

other nameUseful local info

Mind your MoneyGreat Days Out

And much more...

your local community magazinesupporting local businesses

MAY2012

Page 2: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

Please mention Around Lutterworth when responding to adverts ...

3

Page 3: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

Contact us: Amanda : 07841831127 www.aroundmagazines.co.uk

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Please mention Around Lutterworth when responding to adverts ...

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Towers & Son Funeral ServiceChurch Street, Crick 01788 822349 of Funeral Directors

®

1905 Est

Natio

nal Association

Coventry Road, Market Harborough01858 4310121 George Street, Lutterworth01455 558713

of Funeral Directors®

1905 Est

Natio

nal Association

Midlands Co-operative Society Limited

Providing a caring and sympathetic service for more than 70 years

Sales Person RequiredCommission-only advertising sales position available working on our local community magazines.

New business skills are required, cold calling and great customer service. Good commission prospects, this role will be suitable for those with telesales and B2B sales experience. You will need to be determined, persistent, highly motivated and organised.

Interested?Call Amanda Avery at Around Magazines on 07841 831127

magazines ltd

Welcome to the May edition of Around Lutterworth Magazine Welcome to our second edition of Around Lutterworth! We made it (just about)! Yes, after much ‘to-ing and fro-ing’ we have managed to produce our second magazine.

There certainly is a lot to get sorted out in a very short space of time but we got there in the end with only a couple of hiccups along the way. As I mentioned in our first edition, there is a lot of work going on in the background which we hope to be able to announce very soon. But, for now, we are pleased to have another edition under our belts.

I hope you all enjoyed the Easter break and managed to get at least one day away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Did anyone try out the Easter Chocolate Mousse Cake? Maybe you don’t have a sweet tooth; don’t worry, there is a mouth-watering Asparagus Frittata to try this month! With more Bank Holidays on the way and the promise of a little sunshine we are beginning to look at holidays and short breaks. Why not check out the fabulous trips that Jamesway Travel have on offer? It’s all spend, spend, spend isn’t it? Unfortunately lots of us won’t have huge amounts of spare cash in the current economic climate. Have a look at the interesting Money Minds article; it certainly gives you food for thought.

As Around Lutterworth moves toward more community involvement, Roy and I have thought very hard about which charities we would like our magazines to be associated with. We have settled on Cancer related organisations. We have both lost our dads

to cancer and have many contacts that have been affected by it so we thought it would be quite fitting to focus our energies there. So, after one son suggested what a good start it might be, I am putting my foot in the right direction and, along with some of our own employees, I’m taking to the road and joining the Rugby Race for Life in July. I can’t promise that we’ll race around in record times but we will finish – sooner or later! I’ll have more information about that next month.

If you, your business or anyone you know has anything exciting going on or wants to share any community news with our advertisers and readers please let us know and we will include it in our magazine. A ‘What’s On’ page would be a great idea for Around Lutterworth.

Remember we are happy to promote any charity or charitable event so please let us know if you would like to feature your charity or event and keep us informed about how it’s doing. End Polio Now! has done just that! Check out their much-anticipated Bourton Festival advertised this month; a great day out for a great cause.

Enjoy this month’s edition!

Amanda

In this issue...

A Queen by any other name ..6

Mind Your Money ..................8

Bourton Festival ...................10

Everyday History ..................10

Book Review .......................... 16

Tech Spec ............................... 18

A Proverbial Life ...................22

Useful Info .............................23

Get in touch with Around Rugby’s new Managing Director,

Amanda Avery...

t: 01788 440015 m: 07841831127

e: [email protected]

aroundmagazines.co.uk

Advert copy to Caroline Smith [email protected]

As of March 1st 2012 we can

now accept card payments.

Page 4: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

Contact us: Amanda : 07841831127 www.aroundmagazines.co.uk

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new designer shoe rangeSHOE OF THE MONTH

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07815 795981email: [email protected] TO YOUR DOOR

www.1921shoes.co.uk

There won’t be many republicans in evidence in London this summer. Even non-royalists will be caught up in the pageantry of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations; an event guaranteed, even more so than the Olympics, to lift the nation’s spirits at a time of general despondency. As part of the celebrations The Queen has granted city status to four UK towns: Perth in Scotland; St Asaph in Wales; Chelmsford in England and Armagh in Northern Ireland.

There was another time in history when the country’s collective spirits needed lifting – sixty years ago. Residential streets were closed to traffic so that local communities could hold street parties. Bunting and Union flags hung from lines strung from upstairs windows on either side of the streets. Makeshift tables sagged under the weight of sandwiches, jelly and custard and bottles of Tizer.

Games were organised, one of which consisted of the father of a family threading a needle and cotton which he then handed to his impatiently waiting offspring who would sprint down the road to the mother. The mother would sew a button onto a square of material which the offspring would then rush to the referee. Not all the families could participate in this game; some of the fathers had not returned home eight years previously.

In the evening we sat round our wireless sets to listen to our new Queen’s speech: “…Throughout all my life I shall strive to be worthy of your trust…”

In this speech the Queen also paid tribute to the support of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the speech is as valid and as relevant today as it was sixty years ago.

Times changed. Britain changed; in some cases beyond recognition. But there has been one constant: a tower of strength whose influence will not be fully appreciated until she is no longer with us.

In a much earlier speech, made in Cape Town on her twenty-first birthday, 21 April 1947, the then Princess Elizabeth declared “… my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service…” Well, we all know now that it was to be long. We also know that she meant every word she said.

How differently history would have read had her would-be assassin, Marcus Sarjeant, succeeded in acquiring a real gun and live ammunition. The mentally disturbed teenager fired six blank shots at the Queen as she rode in the Trooping the Colour ceremony on 13 June 1981. He was quickly overpowered by Police Sergeant John Woodcock and St John Ambulance man John Heaseman. He told them “I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be a somebody.” And he had written a diary entry: ‘I am going to stun and mystify the world. I will become the most famous teenager in the world.’

Fortunate not to have been shot on the spot he escaped

A Queen

with five years imprisonment. But most notable was Elizabeth II’s majestic reaction to the incident. As her horse, nineteen-year-old Burmese, panicked and reared she calmly brought him under control and continued with the scheduled ride to Horseguards Parade, comforting him with a few pats on the neck while turning to smile at the cheering crowd.

This was, allegedly, the second attempt on the Monarch’s life. According to a retired senior police officer in Australia he was in charge of an investigation in 1981 after a train carrying the Queen and Prince Philip collided with a large log which had been placed on the track after police and a pilot train had passed along the route. The retired officer, Mr McHardy, who claims to have interviewed suspects including IRA sympathisers says the Australian government issued a suppression order to avoid embarrassment. There has so far been no comment from Buckingham Palace on the validity of these claims.

True or false I doubt that the Queen loses much sleep over these stories. She has, over the past eight decades, proved herself indomitable.

It was the Queen’s consort, HRH Prince Philip, who pointed out that sometimes a position is more important than the person who occupies that position. With typical clarity he had put the concept in a nutshell: if a nation chooses to have a figurehead then there must be a human to give that position substance, but the human is secondary to the position, not vice versa. For the past sixty years we have been fortunate in having a person worthy of that position; a person of supreme dignity and dedication the like of which this country may never see again. God Save the Queen.

By Any Other Name

Daniel Hicks

Page 5: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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Mortgage Rates

A recent headline from a well know newspaper read: “The UK banks hiking mortgage rates to 4% – while grabbing dirt-cheap taxpayer loans for 1%.” Whilst the base rate is hold-ing, some lenders have been putting up their rates, and when prices are going up on key items such as fuel and utilities, it can be hard to understand.

What Can You Do?

Well, your mortgage is like any other household expense and you can shop around. If you would like to review your mortgage, or your circumstances have changed, you can speak to an independent mortgage adviser.

Mortgage Calculator – how much will a rise in interest rates affect your pay-ments?www.MoneyMinds.co.uk/other/mon-ey_calculators/mortgagerepayments

If you’re a woman, then there is more bad news for your household expendi-ture due to a recent ruling in gender pricing for insurance.

Gender Pricing for Insurance

You might have read in the press about changes in car insurance premiums. These potential changes are based on a ruling which was taken by the EU,

that bans gender pricing and comes into force from 21st December 2012. Instead of insurance premiums for men decreasing in line with those of women (generally lower risk), pre-miums for women will probably be increasing in line with those of men (generally higher risk).

Why does it matter?

Because insurers use many differ-ent factors to work out prices, one of which is gender. The prices of the fol-lowing products all use gender as one of the factors in pricing:

• Car insurance• Term life insurance • Health insurance• Annuities

There have been headlines suggest-ing that costs will go up. If you have any concerns or just want to check on the cover you have in place, you can speak to one of our insurance brokers on 01788 546682 or visit our online comparison checker at www.Money-Minds.co.uk/other/price_compari-son_checker

Money Minds33a Albert StreetRugbyCV21 2SQTel: 01788 546682Web: www.MoneyMinds.co.uk

Mind your money with MoneyMinds

Page 6: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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Then why not have a wander over to the beautiful grounds of Bourton Hall in Bourton, Warwickshire? (just past Blooms on The Straight Mile)

Southam 2000 Rotary Club in association with the END POLIO NOW charity are hosting a fabulous festival in the grounds overlooking Draycote Water on Sunday 27 May (10.00 – 7.30).

No longer content with raising money through the annual Village Fair, Bourton has now moved up several notches to present Bourton Festival 2012, a full scale 3 stage festival organised and run completely by volunteers.

All money raised will go to the END POLIO NOW charity!

The day will be choc-a-block with performances from bands including Morningstar, Luna Kiss, Andy Oliver, Vows, Going Primitive and of course many more brilliant acts.

The festival boasts 3 stages that will accommodate a total of 30 live bands over the day with every artist donating their time totally free.

Sponsors include Vault Nightclubs, Jagermeister, Red Stripe Lager and Flipside Recording Studios and a host of local sponsors are donating a full catalogue of help. All of the sound and staging has been donated by local companies completely free of charge.

If music isn’t your thing or you fancy a change of scenery, look out for the Craft Fair and the Classic Car/Motorbike rally. All in all this should be an amazing day in aid of a very worthy cause.

Entrance is a £4.00 per person with free parking and refreshments available.

If you would prefer not to take your car then take advantage of the coach service operating from Rugby and Coventry.

Do you fancy a great day out this month?

Everyday History SpectaclesIt would be reasonable to imagine spectacles as a modern invention, so it may come as something of a surprise to note that Marco Polo, visiting China in 1270, observed elderly Chinese wearing them.

On the basis of legend rather than fact, St. Jerome is credited with the invention, which takes us back to c.340-420 A.D. More sub-stantive evidence however comes from the Roman writer Pliny, who recorded that the emperor Nero watched gladiatorial com-bat through an ‘emerald ‘, which has been interpreted to mean that he used some form of eyeglass.

The first medical observation is recorded by Bernard Gordon, Professor of Montpelier, recommending “a collyrium of such potency that it will enable those whose sight is weak from old age to read without glasses.”

A sermon of 1305 by Fra Giordano da Rivalto states “It is not yet 20 years that the art of making glasses was invented” but no person is identified as the inventor.

Spectacle frames deserve a separate mention. The oldest recorded example from a painting by di Modena in 1352 shows two lenses in heavy rims joined centrally. The inconvenience of holding such heavy items in place led to experiments with leather rims, gold, silver, horn, wood and even fish-bone with one suggestion being that the glasses should be secured to the wearer’s hat.

Until almost the middle of the 19th century the provision and fitting of spectacles was a service provided by untrained street vendors and choice was very restricted.

Although corrective surgery and contact lenses are now available, glasses are still the most popular form of vision correction with custom prescriptions and a huge choice of styles.

Page 7: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

Contact us: Amanda : 07841831127 www.aroundmagazines.co.uk

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5 DAY SPECIAL MINEHEAD, SOMERSET

JUST £209.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH TRAVEL FROM NUNEATON, BEDWORTH & COVENTRY.

4 NIGHTS DINNER BED AND BREAKFAST ALL ROOMS EN-SUITE WITH COLOUR TV, TEA / COFFEE MAKING FACILITIES. ENTERTAINMENT

ONE DAY EXCURSION: Visiting the ancient market town of Barnstaple with its famous historic Pannier Market, where there’s a host of Devonshire Specialties, then on to the picturesque harbour of Ilfracombe with its narrow streets and flower decked promenade, old harbour and hideaway coves.ONE DAY EXCURSION: The day takes’s you through the Exmoor National Park and ‘Doone Country’ the landscape that inspired that classic novel ‘Lorna Doone’. Passing Dunster, with its beautiful castle, over Exmoor to Simonbath. Also the village of Lynton with its sister village of Lynmouth.ONE DAY FREE TIME AT YOUR LEISURE IN MINEHEAD

Staying at the Beach Hotel which over looks the sea front, with views out to the Bristol Channel & the Welsh Coast. The hotel is conveniently situated opposite Minehead Railway Station, on the West Somerset Steam Railway. The hotel has been family managed for the past eighteen years. This hotel does not have a lift, there are ground floor rooms & first & second floor rooms.

Minehead is Somerset’s most popular holiday resort and a ‘Britain in Bloom’ national winner. It offers a wide sandy beach, with easy access and tree lined avenue that links to the promenade and shopping area. Minehead is where Exmoor meets the sea. Sitting on the very edge of the National Park, Minehead is ideal for lovers of the coast and the countryside, it offers traditional seaside fun, with its promenade and long, sandy beach, and pebble beach near the harbour, which stretches for a mile and gives views across the Bristol Channel to Wales.

DEPARTURE DATE: MONDAY 11th JUNE 2012

5 DAY EXMOUTHSUMMER SPECIAL

JUST £289.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH TRAVEL DIRECT FROM RUGBY4 NIGHTS DINNER BED & BREAKFAST,

ALL ROOMS ENSUITE, COLOUR TVTEA / COFFEE MAKING FACILITIES

ONE DAY EXCURSION: SIDMOUTH & BUDLEIGH SALTERTON, The town centre with its unique and much prized selection of shops, most of which are still independently owned, is only a short walk from the sea front. There you will find a beautifully clean pebble beach, which although not very good for sand castles, does provide clear water and safe bathing. SIDMOUTH is a unique unspoilt floral town by the sea a resort with a difference. Well tended parks and floral displays in abundance, pretty beaches, small shops offering quality goods and a wealth of interesting architecture from Regency buildings to thatched roofs.

ONE DAY EXCURSION: DAWLISH WARREN Morning tea/ coffee at the Langstone Cliff Hotel “compliments of Jamesway Travel” & Teignmouth.

ONE DAY FREE TIME AT YOUR LEISURE

The Manor Hotel with our enviable position situated on Exmouth’s historic Regency Beacon. The Manor Hotel is just a few houses away from the former residence of both Lady Nelson and Lady Byron. It was one of the first properties to be built on The Beacon and is in fact Exmouth’s oldest hostelry dating back to the 1790’s and was once visited by the composer Franz Liszt in 1840.

Just a short stroll to both the beach and the town with stunning sea views across the Exmouth bay. With the views, the history and the calm location it is possible to forget how close the hotel is to the town, which is bustling for shopping and accessible for the ease of walking to the seafront. The walk from the Marina to Orcombe Point is level with wonderful views towards Dawlish and Torbay

DEPARTURE DATE: FRIDAY 22nd JUNE 2012

5 DAY NEWQUAYGARDENS OF CORNWALL

JUST £299.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH DIRECT FROM RUGBY .4 NIGHTS DINNER BED AND BREAKFAST

ALL ROOMS EN-SUITE WITH COLOUR TV, TEA / COFFEE MAKING FACILITIES.

ONE DAY EXCURSION: Lost Gardens of Heligan, offers over 200 acres for exploration. Discover our Victorian Productive Gardens, romantic Pleasure Grounds, lush sub-tropical Jungle, pioneering Wildlife Project & beyond...(entrance included) ONE DAY EXCURSION: To Falmouth & Truro Falmouth is Cornwall’s premier south coast resort, It is one of the county’s largest, vibrant and most diverse towns. It is home to Cornwall’s rich maritime heritage, the internationally reowned Art Gallery and many sub-tropical gardens. Famous for it’s beaches and castle and infamous for it’s smugglers & pirates. Truro The bustling cathedral city of Truro is a city for all seasons and for all interests. From the flowing rivers to the picturesque Georgian streets, the 18th and 19th century town houses and the magnificent Victorian Cathedral that dominates the city there is something for everyone.ONE DAY EXCURSION: To The Eden Project With its distinctive white domes, the Eden Project is Cornwall’s best-known tourist attraction. But it’s much more than just a big green theme park and visitors can expect to come away with a better understanding of the environment and their interaction with it. Dubbed ‘the Eighth Wonder of the World’, The Eden Project is primarily the idea of Tim Smit, the man behind the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Eden was funded by a £55.3 million grant from the Millennium Commission and is run by a charitable trust. It opened its doors on 17th March 2001, since when it has had more than 8 million visitors. ( £20.00)

THE 3* HOTEL VICTORIA Over looks Newquay Bay in the centre of town, the AA 3 Star Hotel Victoria has one of the best locations in the resort. The Hotel Victoria’s rooms are individually styled all with en-suite, many with sea views. The Victoria has an indoor pool, spa bath, sauna, steam room and small gym. Sitting on the cliffs above the golden sands of Great Western Beach with stunning sea views, but with the town centres shops, bars, restaurants and attractions all on your door step, this is the ideal setting. Newquay is a fantastic choice for a short break, family holiday, or an action filled activity holiday, Newquay is Cornwall’s main resort and has it all.

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 16th JUNE 2012

BEDGELLERT SNOWDONIA& THE WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY

JUST £259.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH TRAVEL FROM RUGBYALL EXCURSION ARE INCLUDED IN THIS GREAT

VALUE HOLIDAY NOT TO BE MISSED4 NIGHTS DINNER BED & BREAKFAST/

ENTERTAINMENTALL ROOMS ENSUITE, COLOUR TV, TEA / COFFEE

MAKING FACILITIES

ONE DAY EXCURSION: To LLANDUDNO with MORNING COFFEE & CAKE at the TYNEDALE HOTEL (all included compliments of Jamesway Travel) and free time in LLANDUDNO, ONE DAY EXCURSION: WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY- From Porthmadog to Caernarfon, The line runs through a series of dramatic twists and turns as it crosses the flanks of Mount Snowdon. Passing Beddgelert and across the River Glaslyn to the awesome Aberglaslyn Pass. The line runs beside the fast flowing river.ONE DAY EXCURSION: Traveling over The Menai Strait To the Isle Of Anglesey, with a visit to Beaumaris, with some handsome Georgian & Victorian architecture. Then onto the little village with the longest name in Britian Llanfair PG.

THE ROYAL GOAT HOTEL – BeddgelertThis holiday in Snowdonia will be an unforgettable experience. Here you can relax & enjoy some of the finest mountain scenery in Britain, taken by coach & trains. At the Royal Goat Hotel you’ll find all the comforts you have ever wished for together with the hotel’s excellent reputation for good food & wine. Traditional Welsh Fayre like Leek & Potato soup, Welsh spring Lamb, Welsh cakes all made by the Head Chef. The hotel is situated in the very heart of the Snowdonia National Park, with it’s spectacular scenery, yet only a few miles in the opposite direction you have a choice of wide sandy beaches & splendid coast line.

There is a timeless serenity and beauty about Beddgelert; it is a gem within the setting of outstanding natural beauty: and yet, it boasts modern amenities in the accommodation it can offer; the range of activities that are on offer within a very short distanceThe beautiful Aberglaslyn Pass and the Nant Gwynant valley are near–neighbours, the village, in keeping with its location in the Snowdonia National Park, is picturesque & unspoilt. From the 13th century `Legend of Gelert`, Beddgelert meaning literally “grave of gelert” is said to have derived its name from the faithful dog which belonged to Prince Llewellyn the Great.

DEPARTURE DATE: MONDAY 21st MAY 2012

Page 8: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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2 DAY GLORIOUS KENT PADDLE STEAMER/RIVER CRUISE & LEEDS CASTLE

FANTASTIC VALUE JUST £149.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH TRAVEL DIRECT FROM RUGBY. 2 NIGHTS DINNER BED AND BREAKFAST.

ALL FARES & ADMISSIONS INCLUDEDALL ROOMS EN-SUITE WITH COLOUR TV,

TEA / COFFEE MAKING FACILITIES.

ENROUTE EXCURSION: To Chatham Historic Docks where you can take a trip on a unique part of Britain’s maritime heritage, the award- winning, coal-fired paddle steamer Kingswear Castle, which offers excursions from The Historic Dockyard Chatham. (cruise fare included)ONE DAY EXCURSION: Canterbury & Historic River Cruise As with many cities, Canterbury was founded and thrived because of its river. As this is where the River Stour forms a series of islands, it was the easiest place for the Romans to find a crossing on their travel from the Continent to London. The river has always played an important part in the City of Canterbury’s growth, initially providing drinking water and a food source and later the power for the city’s growing mill and weaving industries. You can take a 40 minute River Cruise & discover the hidden secrets & beauty of Canterbury. (cruise fare included)ENROUTE EXCURSION Leeds Castle This picture-book castle, set on two islands on the River Len in the heart of Kent, has been home to royalty, lords and ladies for almost 900 years. Open all year round, its special blend of heritage and history, glorious gardens, and attractions make’s it the perfect choice for a day out. (admission included)

STAYING AT THE 4* MECURE MAIDSTONE Stay in the heart of the “Garden of England” next to Leeds Castle at the 4* Mecure Maidstone. Facilities include the The Arts Brasserie, individually styled surroundings offering a relaxed atmosphere for an enjoyable dining experience, Sebastian Coe Health Club. This is a great location for a short break, only minutes from the beautiful Leeds Castle and close to Canterbury Cathedral.

DEPARTURE DATES: FRIDAY 13th JULY 2012

4 DAY BRUSSELS CARPET OF FLOWERS

JUST £239.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE COACH TRAVEL DIRECT FROM RUGBY P&O FERRIES CROSSING DOVER / CALAIS

3 NIGHTS BED & BUFFET BREAKFAST,

FREE TIME IN BRUSSELS AT YOUR LEISURE: Visit the famous Tapis de Fleurs (carpet of flowers) covers almost 20,000 square feet right in the centre of the Grand’ Place. The beauty and diversity of all these Carpets is largely due to their main component, the famous begonia. Chosen above all for its qualities of robustness, resistance to bad weather and strong sunshine the begonia guarantees the long life and freshness of the carpet. It also gives it is rich range of colours - from vivid colours to delicate pastel shades, the white flowers which reflect the light so well.

Staying at the 4* Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre, which is located in the heart of the European Capital, next to the Belgian Government area and the European District. In the heart of the European Capital, the well-known “Grand Place” and the cultural centre are only 10-minute stroll away, accessible via the pedestrian street “La Rue Neuve” lined with shops, cafés and restaurants.

Brussels is the perfect city for holidays with family and friends. There is a lot to learn about the history of the city, the architecture, the Belgian obsession with comic strips, and the art of chocolate and beer.

Delirium CaféThey have all 400 varieties of Belgian beer; and many other beers from around the world.

DEPARTURE DATE: FRIDAY 17th AUGUST 2012

LONDON 4 STAR HOTELS

AT 2 DAY LONDON WEEKEND SHOW SPECIAL “WAR HORSE”

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 26th MAY 2012 £169

3 DAY LONDON “QUEEN ELIZABETH” THAMES DIAMOND

JUBLIEE PAGEANT CELEBRATIONSDEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 2nd JUNE 2012 £179

2 DAY LONDON CHOICE OF SHOW WEEKEND EITHER “SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN” OR “GHOST

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 9th JUNE 2012 £169

2 LONDON WEEKEND / HOTEL B&BDEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 9TH JUNE 2012 £109

2 DAY LONDON SHOW SPECIAL WEEKEND “TOP HAT” & COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKET & SHOPS

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 9th JUNE 2012 £169

2 DAY ROYAL ASCOT / GRANDSTAND TICKETS / LONDON WEEKEND

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 23rd JUNE 2012 £139

2 DAY LONDON SUMMER SPECIAL BUCKINGHAM PALACE & AFTERNOON TEA

AT THE REMBRANDT HOTELOPTIONAL EXTRA: SUNDAY MATINEE “NICK ROSS

ORCHESTRA” SOUNDS OF THE GLENN MILLER ERA £30DEPARTURE DATE: SUNDAY 30th SEPTEMBER 2012 £149

2 DAY LONDON WEEKEND JERSEY BOYS Sunday Matinee / CAMDEN MARKET &

COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKETDEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 6th October 2012 £189.00

“Added Value Dinner Bed & Breakfast”

2 DAY LONDON WEEKEND ROCK OF AGES Sunday Matinee /

CAMDEN MARKET & COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKETDEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 6th October 2012 £189.00

“Added Value Dinner Bed & Breakfast”

DAY TRIP 1 DAY LADIES DAY ROYAL ASCOT (Silver Ring Admision Included)

DEPARTURE DATE: THURSDAY 21ST JUNE 2012 £66

3 DAY LONDON SPECIAL

QUEEN ELIZABETHTHAMES DIAMOND JUBILEE PAGEANT

GREAT VALUE £179.00TO INCLUDE ALL THIS:

EXECUTIVE RETURN COACH TRAVEL DIRECT FROM RUGBY.

2 NIGHTS BED & ENGLISH BREAKFAST STAYING AT A 4* CENTRAL LONDON HOTEL

FREE TIME IN LONDON AT YOUR LEISURE

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

The Queen will depart from Putney Bridge on a specially commissioned barge, equipped with a Diamond Jubilee ensign, arriving at Tower Bridge

Join London in 2012 to experience, first-hand, the pomp and pageantry of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.Enjoy the amazing spectacle as an impressive flotilla of up to 1000 boats brings the Thames to life in a parade of music, fountain and firework displays as a floating belfry with chiming bells calls out for answers from the steeples of the riverside

This is a superb opportunity to be in London to experience this spectacular event in British Royal History.

It will be quite an historic day.

DEPARTURE DATE: SATURDAY 2nd JUNE 2012

Page 9: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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17

interwoven plotlines. The story centres around the marriage of Theseus, The Duke of Athens, and the Amazon queen, Hippolyta and is set in woodland as well as the magical realm of ‘Fairyland’. One of the most memorable characters is undoubtedly the fairy court jester ‘Puck’ who dispenses his magical juice which, when sprinkled on your eyelids, means you fall in love with the next thing you see. This is one dream from which you won’t want to wake.

The Heart of Robin Hood, David Farr.This is a brilliant reworking of the classic tale of the outlaw and his band of merry men. This time though, Robin and his men have grasped the idea of stealing from

the rich, but have not yet signed-up to the principle of then giving it to the poor. It isn’t going down well with the poverty-stricken around Nottingham Forest. In David Farr’s adaptation, it’s Maid Marion who has to blaze the trail and convince Robin to follow his heart and not hold onto his swag, for the sake of the country.

Stone Henge to the yeti-like Beast of Bolam in the wilds of Northumberland, this is a land that’s teeming with folklore. Use this modern guidebook to take a step back in time and into a land that you may not recognise.

Arthur, High King of Britain, Michael Morpurgo.This is the second children’s book we’ve selected but it’s a wonderful way for kids and grown-ups alike to hear some of the magical

stories of King Arthur and his mystical round table. Michael Morpurgo’s tale begins with a boy, marooned on a sandbank with the sea lapping perilously close to him. He wakes up in a strange bed and finds he has a visitor: King Arthur himself. The legendary figure then recounts tales of Camelot, sorcery, knights on mighty steeds and betrayal. Prepare to be transported back in time.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William ShakespeareMischief abounds in one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays which has three main,

Lob, Linda Newbery The original inspiration for Newbery’s ‘Lob’ was a stranger she saw on her way to work; ‘the man who walks the roads’. Where was he going and where had he come from? This image, combined with those of the ‘green man’ in English Folklore who appears in carvings as a face amongst leaves and branches, lead to her to create her garden helper ‘Lob’. Lucy ‘s grandfather tells her about Lob and all the ‘Lob-work’ he does around the garden. You can only see him if you believe in him. It’s a beautiful and heart-warming children’s book which has great appeal for adults.

The Most Amazing Places of Folklore and Legend in Britain: Where to Discover Our Living Heritage and Traditions, Readers Digest.If you’ve ever thought that Britain is lacking in tradition and folklore in comparison with our European neighbours, think again! This is a travel guide that will take you deep into the heart of the countryside and the legends that abound. From the solstice celebrations at

It’s time to crown the new May Queen and dance around the Maypole. Heavily rooted in the pagan and the celtic, celebrations are taking place across the land. This magical time of year is all about nature, fertility, tradition and folklore. Make yourself a daisy crown, sprinkle on some fairy dust and dance barefoot in the moonlight. Or failing that, find a patch of sunlight and let a book lead you on a merry dance…

Darling Books for May

Sales Person RequiredCommission-only advertising sales position available working on our local community magazines.

New business skills are required, cold calling and great customer service. Good commission prospects, this role will be suitable for those with telesales and B2B sales experience. You will need to be determined, persistent, highly motivated and organised.

Interested?Call Amanda Avery at Around Magazines on 07841 831127

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Page 10: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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Seasonal Recipe

Asparagus Frittata

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Making sure the potatoes are clean first, boil them in salted water.

Trim the asparagus, then cut the stems into 1cm slices leaving the spear as a piece about 8cm long. Add this all to the potato pan for the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.

Drain everything and refresh in cold water. Thickly slice the potato.

Whisk together the eggs really well. Dice the mozzarella and add to the eggs along with 40g of the Parmesan, the parsley, potatoes and slices of asparagus. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir everything to coat with the egg. Lastly, gently stir through the spears.

Heat a 22cm diameter oven-proof deep frying pan along with the olive oil over a medium heat. Non-stick would be great, otherwise one which is naturally seasoned.

Pour in the egg mixture making sure some of the spears are sitting at the top. Leave to cook for around 10 minutes until the edges are starting to firm up.

Sprinkle over the last 10g of Parmesan and slide the frying pan in to the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the frittata is golden and firm.

Serve straight from the pan with a crisp green salad.

• 275g new potatoes

• 450g asparagus

• 5 large eggs

• 200g buffalo mozzarella

• 50g Parmesan, grated

• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Asparagus

Serves 4-6Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

For those who’ve only ever considered asparagus as a luxurious accompaniment to a main course, it’s time to think again. This

delicious recipe is simple to cook and the mild flavours of the mozzarella and eggs mean that

the asparagus is still the star of the dish.

One of our favourite kitchen gadgets is Taylor’s Coloured Kitchen Knife Block (£34.99), a clear perspex block with five neon-coloured knives embedded in it. The knives are stainless steel but they’ve been given a special non-stick, dishwasher safe coating to turn them into works of art.

If you have an iPad, you might already be using recipe apps to plan your meals, but have you stuck your tablet on your fridge? The £34.99 FridgePad does just that, enabling you to watch Jamie Oliver’s tips, keep an eye on a recipe or just watch the TV or listen to music while you chop and cook. The FridgePad promises to hold 25 times its own weight, although we’d be checking our home insurance coverage just in case.

Even the humble egg has gadgets: the £14.99 BeepEgg is a singing egg timer that you chuck into the pot with your eggs. It then plays different tunes to alert you to different levels of hardness, so for example you get “Killing Me Softly” for soft-boiled eggs. If that kind of whimsy makes you smile, you might also like the Monday Morning Heat Changing Mug (£14.99): it starts off

dark with a sad expression, but when you pour in hot water, tea or coffee it turns into a yellow smiley face.

Kitchen gadgets can be sensible

as well as smiley. Philips’ AirFryer (from around £200) promises all the joy of deep fried food without the fat: instead of a big bucket of oil, it has a grill and circulates air to cook food using 80% less fat than traditional fryers. Tefal’s ActiFry offers a similarly high-tech approach to health, but it’s a good bit cheaper: the FZ700015 model is widely available

for less than £120 and enables you to cook enough chips for four with just one spoonful of oil.

If you’re the kind of person who breaks out the

barbecue at the first sign of sun, gadgets can help you with that too: digital thermometers (widely available from around £5) enable you to check that the inside of the food isn’t still raw when the outside’s been burned to a crisp. While you’re at it, you might want to order a BBQ Branding Iron (£12.99 from MenKind.co.uk) to

burn your name - or any text you like - into the food you’re cooking. More sensibly - and as useful indoors as out - Hostess makes a cordless hot tray that keeps plates of food warm for up to an hour from a single 8-minute charge, while Barcraft’s rotary Ice Crusher (from around £16) crushes

ice for those all-important cocktails.

Sometimes the best gadgets are the simplest ones, such as Joseph Joseph’s

many cookware ideas: the firm’s bright-coloured, beautifully designed kitchen gadgets range from adjustable spaghetti measures to chopping boards that fold up for washing ingredients or emptying them into pots and, if you can imagine it, the company probably makes it: there are herb choppers and rotary peelers, citrus juicers with built-in pip-catchers, dual-purpose grinders and pump-action potato mashers. Our favourite, though, is the Cut and

Carve, a chopping board that’s on an angle and has a lip to catch juices when you’re carving

meat or chopping fruit. Like all good gadgets it’s beautifully simple and makes us wish we’d thought of it first.

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Cutting Edge Kitchen Kit

Celebrity chefs have made cooking cool, and the gadget industry hasn’t been slow to cash in: from items that’ll brighten up your kitchen to technology that can make your food more healthy, there are all kinds of gadgets for all kinds of cooks.

Page 11: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

Contact us: Amanda : 07841831127 www.aroundmagazines.co.uk

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Rugby and Northampton

Athletic Club

Rugby and Northampton

Athletic Club

Page 12: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012

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Useful Local Information

Around LutterworthSchool Holiday Dates

SUMMER TERMSchools Open

Monday morning 16th April 2012May Day Monday 7th May 2012

Mid Term Break Friday 1st to 8th June 2012

(Note change of half -term date)Schools Close

Friday evening 13th July 2012AUTUMN TERM

Schools Open Thursday morning 30th August 2012 77

Mid Term Break Monday 22nd to Friday 26th October 2012

Schools Close Friday evening 21st December 2012

Taxi numbers

Fast Track Taxi 0800 0931112

George’s Taxis 01455 559000

Lutterworth Taxis 0845 4817297

Pinnacle Hire 01455 554368

Smart-Moves Taxis 01455 202698

When you’ve finished reading Around Lutterworth why not keep it as a useful local guide to businesses and services. You could also pass it on to someone who may not have read it....and always remember to put old editions in your recycle bin!

Local Churches & places of Worship

All Saints Church 01788 860409

Swinford, Leicestershire, LE17 6BQ All Saints Church

01455 552119 Church Lane, Gilmorton, Leicestershire, LE17 5LU

Living Rock Church 01455 555468

LE17 4SPLutterworth Community Church

01455 557806 Lutterworth Grammar School,

Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4AG

Lutterworth Methodist Church 01788 576929

Bitteswell Road, Lutterworth. LE17 4EZ

Lutterworth United Reformed Church 01455 552594

George Street, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4ES

Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church 01455 552523

28 Bitteswell Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4EY

St Marys Church 01455 282261

Old Rectory Close, Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, LE9 6PP

St Marys Parish Church 01455 558797

Church Street, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 4RL

Sutton Elms Baptist Church 01455 283874

80 Leicester Road, Sutton Elms, Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, LE9 6QF

by A. O’Brien

A Proverbial Life...

There are some jobs that you try to ignore, to delay or to offload onto someone else. However, eventually the day arrives when you know that you can’t possibly leave it any longer. That day arrived for me last month - the loft just had to be cleared.

It was jam packed full of ‘stuff’ - littered with the detritus of living in the same house for 25 years. As I lay in bed at night, I convinced myself the rafters were groaning under the combined weight of all this junk. I could feel the oppressive bulk of accumulated possessions pressing down on me, threatening to crash through the ceiling and pin me to the bed.

Now, clearing out the loft is - in this house - a controversial issue. No – one wants to do it, or sees the need for it to be done. Apparently, the loft contains priceless treasures that cannot be disturbed, ‘things’ that we may need at some future date or items vital to human life and happiness.

However I do know that once something goes up there it never, ever reappears. If it never reappears then we don’t need it – right?

This has caused several family debates. Adult sons, no longer living at home, protest that all their childhood possessions are stored there. An eighteen year old daughter – still at home - complains that her soft toys from childhood are there and that she wants them. Well, if she wants them what are they doing in the loft?

Eldest son suddenly remembered the Scalextric set confined to the loft for nearly twenty years. Someone then had the bright idea of getting it down to see if it was still working. So, despite my protests, three grown men (four if you include their father), rushed upstairs in a state of high excitement to see what they could find.

They didn’t bother with a step ladder but stood on shoulders to gain access, then hauled each other up – I think it’s a macho thing.

I stood at the bottom of the stairs, shouting threats of the dire consequences that would befall them if they came crashing through the ceiling.

Several hours later, the living room looked like an advertisement for a car boot sale. There were toys, games, a scooter, boxes of books, broken electrical equipment and other assorted junk scattered around. The Scalextric set had been rediscovered, tested and found to be wanting.

Looking at the mess, I consoled myself with the thought that at least most of the ‘stuff’ was now out of the loft – the rafters wouldn’t collapse tonight. That was until they began discussing all the other booty still up there; it seemed that this was just a tiny selection of what the loft contained.

However, they did eventually admit that most of it was junk that could be disposed of. We agreed that if there was anything they held dear, then it was to be removed to their own homes. Hurrah.

Finally, it was decided that as there was so much sorting out to do it should be a group effort. A date’s been set for the big clearout. Hopefully, it will be a warm, dry day, as everything will have to go into a ‘holding’ area in the garden for sorting into categories: keep, donate, recycle or throw out.

It’s going to be a mammoth task – I’ve booked a skip. I’m secretly hoping that we may just find something I lost many years ago...I’ve always been convinced it was in a suitcase in the loft.

Many hands make light work

Page 13: Around Lutterworth Magazine May 2012