Essentially Local May-June 2019

keeping you... 

May/June 2019 

essentiallylocal 

MKL For a Richer Sound 

p33 

Judy Deveson Making 

Stony Bloom 

p24 

G&G Say Keeping 

Motoring Local 

p58 

STEAMED UP DOUBLE GLAZING? 

Don’t Replace The Frames... Just The Panes! 

Cloudy2Clear Are A ... 

Which? 

Trusted 

Trader 

All Glazing Backed By Our 

25 YEAR 

GUARANTEE 

www.cloudy2clear.com 

Priority Freephone 

0800 61 21118 

Broken Or Damaged Windows? Faulty Locks, Handles, Hinges?

Home & Garden 

INCREDIBLE OFFERS FROM WIN-DOR • COME AND BROWSE IN COMFORT AT OUR LARGE PURPOSE 

BUILT INDOOR SHOWROOM 

OSE BUILT INDOOR SHOWROOM 

OS 

Enquire 

about our 

finance plans 

TODAY 

THE LARGEST 

WINDOW, 

DOOR AND 

CONSERVATORY 

SHOWROOM IN 

THE AREA 

HELPFUL STAFF HERE TO DISCUSS YOUR WINDOW, DOOR AND CONSERVATORY REQUIREMENTS 

Come and visit us at our fabulous Milton Keynes showroom. With 6000 square foot of inspiration for 

your home, we have the largest window, door and conservatory showroom in the area. Our helpful and 

knowledgeable team are on hand for any questions you have and can advise on all the latest trends. With no 

pushy sales tactics, you are free to browse our stunning range to your heart’s content. Walk around a new 

conservatory to see how it’ll fit into your home before you buy. Visit us today! 

VISIT US TODAY OR CALL 01908 233 433 

WIDE RANGE OF DOORS INC. BE-SPOKE COMPOSITE + BI-FOLDS 

INCREDIBLE RANGE OF CONSERVATORIES INC. ORANGERIES 

HUGE SELECTION OF WINDOW STYLES 

www.windor.co.uk 

FENSA 

BS1279 

BS7950/7412 

BS7412 

Registered Company 

KM29331 

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VISIT YOUR LOCAL MILTON KEYNES SHOWROOM TODAY 20 Dunsby Road, Milton Keynes, MK6 4AD Mon to Fri: 9:30 – 6 Sat: 10 – 4 

* 0% APR Representative. Credit is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Graham Holmes Astraseal Limited t/a WIN-DOR of Paterson Road, Finedon Road Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, NN8 4EX act as a credit broker and not the lender, and only offers credit 

products from Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance with whom we have a commercial relationship. Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in Cardiff no. 1630491. Registered office: Hitachi Capital House, Thorpe Road, Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, TW18 3HP. 

2 

Please mention Essentially Local when responding to advertisers

Home & Garden 

Has Your Double 

Glazing Steamed Up? 

Established for over a 

decade Cloudy2Clear 

windows have become 

a leading company 

for glass replacement. 

Issues with double 

glazing can often be 

gradual and may only 

be noticed during a 

clear sunny day or 

during the winter. A 

failed glass unit may 

no longer provide you 

with the protection 

you need or be energy 

efficient. Why not 

spend a few minutes 

checking your home 

to see if you have any 

failed double glazing? 

If you act now you 

can avoid these 

problems. 

Now, you may think 

you need to replace 

the whole window 

including the frames 

and all the hardware, 

however Cloudy2Clear 

have come up with a 

simple and cost saving 

solution… Just replace 

the glass!! 

If you see 

condensation in your 

windows just visit our 

website or give us a 

call on 0800 61 21 

118. We will send out 

our highly experienced 

engineers for a free 

no obligation quote. A 

Cloudy2Clear quote 

takes on average 

no longer than 20 

minutes. Once the 

quote is completed, 

we will sit down with 

you and explain the 

problem and tell you 

how we can fix it. With 

years of experience 

Cloudy2Clear have a 

wealth of knowledge 

and are recognised 

as a Which Trusted 

Trader, plus our 

work is backed by 

an industry leading 

25 year guarantee. 

Cloudy2Clear also 

replace faulty locks 

handles and hinges on 

all windows and doors. 

Your friendly local 

Cloudy2Clear specialist 

is Stephen Moon and he 

services Milton Keynes 

the surrounding area. 

So, if your windows 

are steamed up, broken 

or damaged give 

Stephen a call for a 

free quotation on 

0800 61 21 118. 

Cloudy2Clear 

GUARANTEE All 

Customers That An 

Average Quote Will 

Take No Longer 

Than 20 MINS!!! 

Cloudy2Clear Windows... 

Service With A Smile! 

To advertise please call 01908 380777 

3

Inside this issue 

FOR YOUR WELLBEING 

12 Dental Care without the Price Tag 

14 Are you at Risk? 

AT YOUR LEISURE 

8 Emma’s Space 

20-21 Local Produce Less Waste – Hidden Gems: Recycling Waste; 

Luxury at Potterspury House; Beetroot, Walnut and Herb Dip 

22 Local Places to Eat and Drink 

23 Treat your Dad to an ARTea Breakfast 

26-27 Children’s Word Search; Cesar’s Jokes; History of Doughnuts; 

How Doughnuts are Made; Celebrating Young Achievements 

28 Isn’t that something? 

30 MK Open; Castlethorpe Open Gardens; Stony Open Gardens 

32 Win an Adult Pamper Package with Alchemy Therapy Centre 

34-35 What's On; Stony Floral Club; MKRUFC Ring of Fire Bike 

Ride; Deanshanger Community Centre Craft Fayre; Stony Live; 

York House Events 

38 Classsic Stony; Anyone for Tennis? 

40 Crusader Community Boating 

CREATING YOUR HOME & GARDEN 

10 Sow and Save; Tasty but Hazardous 

46-47 Back to Nature Comes Home 

48 Getting Ready for Summer 

52-53 Summer in the Garden - Stony Stratford in Bloom; Wolverton 

and Greenleys in Bloom; Fruit of the Edition 

SAFE TRAVELS 

58 Looking After your Car; Going Electric or Not; Car of the Edition 

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING 

24 Celebrating our Volunteers – Judy Deveson 

33 Celebrating Local Businesses 

36-37 Water Rates; Did you Know; Parler Français; Rip off Charges; 

Dog Funds, Price Rises 

50 Don’t Take the Risk with Food 

HELPFUL CONTACTS 

60 Useful Numbers 

62 Advertisers 


21 

24 

58 

Lucas Maps 

the Way 

Dine in 

Style 

Judy Deveson 

Making Stony 

Bloom 

KEEP BUSY 

LOCALLY THIS 

SUMMER 

ADVERTISING & EDITOR 

Emma Johnson 

emma@essentiallylocal.co.uk 

01908 380777 

FOLLOW US 

/EssentiallyLocal 

essentiallylocal.co.uk 

DESIGN 

Harriet Bull 

hello@harrietbull.co.uk 

4 


Motoring 

Buckinghamshire's largest used 

car dealership! 

Over 500 cars on site! 

Honest, family friendly approach 

to car sales 

Auckland Park 

Mount Farm 

Bletchley 

MK1 1BU 

Find us on Facebook 

01908 465 555 

www.saxonbridge.com 


5

Leisure 

6 


Professional 

ASC 

FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS LTD 

Financial advice you can trust 

HIGH STREET 

BUCKINGHAM 

FURZTON LAKE 

MILTON KEYNES 

HIGH STREET 

WINSLOW 

HIGH STREET 

LEIGHTON BUZZARD 

TIONS 

ASC FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS 

LTD 

INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS 

LIMITED 

‘Financial Advice You Can Trust’ Including advice on: 

Pensions • Investments • Retirement Planning 

Life Insurance/Financial Protection • Inheritance Tax Planning 

Services available in house from 

our Professional Contacts 

• Wills and Estate Planning 

• Accountancy Services 

• Legal Services 

• Mortgage Advice 

*Further information on request. Please note that these services 

are offered by companies we are happy to work with and are not 

necessarily offered by ASC Financial Solutions Limited. 

Free 

no obligation 

initial 

consultation 

Head Ofice - 19 Shirwell Crescent, Furzton Lake, MK4 1GA - 01908 260033 

Winslow Ofice - 66 High Street, Winslow, MK18 3DQ - 01296 711688 

Buckingham Ofice - 4 High Street, Buckingham, MK18 1NT - 01280 734144 

Leighton Buzzard Ofice - 26a High Street, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 1EA - 01525 307558 

WWW.ASCFINANCIALSOLUTIONS.CO.UK 


7

With summer just around the corner, there are 

many reasons why you would want to eat better 

and get fit. Estimates suggest one in sixteen of 

us live with Type 2 diabetes and some of us don’t 

even know it! You can make changes and our 

ideas on pages 14-15 may get you on the path to 

managing your lifestyle. 

Whitehouse Primary School 

We are really excited to introduce some amazing 

young guest writers and editors from Whitehouse 

Primary School. You’ll love what they have to say 

about doughnuts, their jokes are hilarious and 

let’s hope you can do the wordsearch. You can 

also find out more about them. 

Artists in Residence 

I hope you love the pictures from Nyah, one of 

our amazing artists in residence and her brother 

Charlie. The colours are fantastic – they are so 

bright and cheerful. Charlie’s sunset picture is 

definitely getting me in the mood for holiday! 

Did you see the fantastic map drawn by our other 

artist in residence Lucas on page 4? 

Artists in Bloom 

Every week the “In Bloom” volunteers dig, weed 

and plant to make our towns and villages look 

beautiful. Our Artists in Bloom competition aims 

to find an artist whose work will complement 

their amazing endeavours. The piece of art will 

be presented to the RHS judges to show how our 

communities work together. 

What’s Inside 

Hello Readers... 

It’s back to nature for home design - eco-friendly 

with textured accessories providing the wow 

factor. Wooden shutter blinds are the latest musthave 

window dressing, so go local with Universal 

Blinds. It may be getting warmer but now is the 

time to think about your heating - and underfloor 

could be the way to go. Turn to pages 46-47. 

In the meantime support our community and 

make sure you keep your business essentiallylocal 

- Emma 

Artists in Bloom 2019 Competition 

GROWING COMMUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE 

Stony Stratford and Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom 

keep our communities blossoming. They green the grey and bring wellbeing 

and happiness through horticulture. 

Could your imagination and artistic skills showcase the amazing floral 

and community achievements that the teams bring? 

Enter your work into the Artists in Bloom Competition 

with a chance to exhibit your art to 100s of local people. 

Visit essentiallylocal.co.uk for full details. Closing date 17 May 2019 

Supported by Essentially Local Ltd, Skills Art Materials, 

Stony Stratford in Bloom, Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom, Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council. 

Flower by 

Nyah 


Art in bloom A5 2019.indd 1 10/12/2018 10:51 

Sunset by 

Charlie 

Shout Out for Support Groups 

We’re looking to run some features on local 

support groups. Do you run a support group? 

Have you benefited from the work of a local 

support group? If it were not for the work of these 

organisation, so many of us would feel isolated 

and alone. Tell us about the group you run or 

that has given you support for any condition or 

situation and we’ll help with some publicity, let 

us know by email info@essentiallylocal.co.uk or 

give us a call on 01908 380777 

8 


Home & Garden 


9

Feature 

Sow and Save 

Do you love animals and gardening? 

RSPCA Milton Keynes and North Bucks need 

plants. 

It’s the perfect time to start planning your 

planting and growing. The branch would be 

delighted if you could sow a few extra seeds and 

donate the plants to one of the branch’s two 

yearly summer events. 

RSPCA Summer Fair takes place between 12-4pm, 

on 8th June and Paws in the Park 1st September. 

With tombolas, craft stalls, good to buy and 

another great Dog Show add the dates to your 

diaries. 

Your plant donations will be sold at the events 

directly helping abused and neglected animals 

with the money raised. Sow now and save 

animals in your local area. 

Thank you for your support! 

If you would like more information on how to 

adopt a cat, kitten or rabbit, or would like to 

get involved, please contact 01908 611179, 

follow them on facebook mkrspca or visit 

rspcamiltonkeynes.co.uk 

Tasty but Hazardous 

Beware of these common products which are 

hazardous or poisonous to your pet 

• Nurofen/Paracetamol – very poisonous to dogs 

and cats 

• Chocolate – poisonous to dogs, chocolate coated 

coffee beans are the worst 

• Antifreeze – tastes sweet, often licked up if spilt by 

cats and dogs 

• String/thread/stockings and socks – the most 

common cause of a gut obstruction 

• Raisins/grapes/sultanas – poisonous to dogs 

• Chewing gum/peanut butter/artificial 

sweeteners – can contain xylitol, very poisonous to 

dogs 

• Fat balls put out for birds – severe upset if eaten by 

dogs in quantity 

• Slug pellets & rat bait – keep secure, away from 

dogs and cats 

• Onions – raw and cooked 

• Plants – Lilies, Poinsettias, Holly are poisonous to cats 

10 

• Nicotine – nicotine replacement therapy, may 

contain xylitol 

If your dog or cat does eat something it shouldn’t have: 

• Stay calm and make sure they cannot eat any more 

of the harmful product 

• Collect wrapping or packaging which may have vital 

information 

Phone us for advice: 

The Vet Centre, Cherry Lane Garden Centre 

NN12 7QN 

01280 812057 or 01908 542155 

info@thevetcentre.ltd.uk 


Well-Being 

REASONS 

to love your local independent optician ... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Price match guarantee 

Friendly, professional staff who know their stuff 

Unrushed, relaxed eye examinations 

Great quality products giving value for money 

Extensive choice of frames & high quality lenses 

12 months FREE aftercare 

Sunglasses, sports eyewear, contact lenses & safety 

specs 

“Have just 

been to DW Roberts for 

a very comprehensive eye 

examination & purchased new 

glasses. Everything was excellent, 

the staff were delightful & the 

optician extremely thorough. 

Highly recommend.” 

Which? Magazine surveyed all opticians in January 2019 and concluded that 

the service offered by independent opticians is of superior standard to the 

service offered by large optical chains 

Specialist Services 

SchoolVision Assessments Dry Eye Clinics Myopia Management Ortho-K Retinal Photography 

DW Roberts Opticians, 16 High Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1AF 

www.dwroberts.co.uk 01908 562355 stony@dwroberts.co.uk 


11

Well-Being 

Dental Care without 

the price tag 

for the whole family 

Whilst private healthcare becomes 

increasingly expensive in the UK, dental 

tourism in Europe has boomed. Hungary has 

become renowned for it’s low-cost dental 

treatment and Brits have been flocking in 

their thousands for what has become known 

as ‘sun and surgery treatment.’ 

But did you know, you can now 

receive high-quality, affordable 

dental treatments here in Milton 

Keynes without having to fly back 

and forth for on-going treatment? 

SMILES 

cost less with 

The Da Vinci Dental Clinic’s friendly and 

professional team are specialists in pain-free 

dental implants, crowns, bridge work, false 

teeth, root canal, hygienist and orthodontics. 

Come and find out what we can do for you. 

Telephone: 01908 886 871 

Da Vinci Dental Centre, 3 Canon Harnett Court, Wolverton, Milton Keynes, Bucks MK12 5NF. www.davincidentistry.co.uk 

You don’t have to go abroad 

anymore for high-quality, 

low-cost dental treatment. 

Now available here in 

Milton Keynes! 

Something extra to smile about! 

FREE IMPLANT CONSULTATIONS 

Telephone: 01908 886 871 

3 Canon Harnett Court, Wolverton 

Milton Keynes, Bucks MK12 5NF 

email: info@davincidentistry.co.uk 

www.davincidentistry.co.uk 

12 


Well-Being 

| Back pain | Muscle injury | Sore or overused muscles | Muscle cramping 

| Pregnancy back and leg discomfort | Headaches | Whiplash | Lymphatic drainage 

| Circulatory problems | Anxiety | Depression | Insomnia | Stress 

Tailor-made massage 

with you in mind 

Massage in Mind provides 

massage to meet your needs. 

Whether suffering from stress or having 

muscular discomfort, massage is a powerful 

tool to alleviate these and many more 

physical and emotional conditions. 

Call 01908 968430 to 

book your appointment. 

Massage in Mind Action Physiotherapy, 

54b High Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1AQ 

Email reception@actionphysiotherapy.co.uk 

www.massageinmind.me 


13

Are you at Risk? 

Is your tummy looking rounder than it used to? Drinking one too many 

tipples at the weekend and forgotten what exercise is? You could be one of 

the 12.3 million people at risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes. Easy changes to 

your lifestyle could make a huge difference - don’t wait for your doctor to 

frighten you into action. 

ALL ABOUT BALANCE 

Diabetes UK recommend eating a balanced 

diet taking into account your age, gender 

and activity. Exercise will help to reduce your 

weight and waist size and even manage 

stress and sleep. 

TOP TIP 

When changing 

your lifestyle set 

realistic goals, start 

with one thing at 

a time and get 

support. 

SUCCESSFULLY LOSING THE INCHES 

It’s easier to lose weight if you join a 

group. Slimming World offers support 

and information about what you can eat, 

especially to stop you feeling hungry. They 

provide delicious recipes for meat-eaters and 

vegetarians and importantly, you won’t miss 

out on treats like chips or puddings. Speak 

locally to Jane at Slimming World for more 

information. 

MAKING EXERCISE PART 

OF YOUR LIFE 

Take control of getting active 

and losing the inches. Exercise is 

more enjoyable with friends in a 

sociable setting. Independent gyms 

like Happy Bodies and exercise 

classes with Active MK Fitness will 

support you to get positive results 

and reduce risk of injury. Exercise 

including a daily brisk 20 minute 

walk will increase your productivity. 

LOOK AFTER YOUR EYES 

Diabetes can damage the important blood 

vessels in your eyes causing conditions like 

diabetic retinopathy. Opticians, like DW 

Roberts, can also detect other important 

changes, they’ll give helpful advice so be don’t 

be afraid or avoid regular eye tests. 

SUPPLIERS 

ActiveMKFitness 

activemkfitness.com 

Alchemy Therapy Centre 01908 567766 

alchemytherapycentre.com 

Clive Heayns 01908 565444 

cliveheayns.com 

DW Roberts Stony: 01908 562355 

Wolverton: 01908 313338 

Happy Bodies Fitness Centre 

01908 477066 

14 

happybodies.co.uk 

Janice Skillman 07758 633760 

or 01908 387021 

Lahns 01908 567796 

nailsalonmiltonkeynes.co.uk 

Lisa Wiles Pilates 07729 608960 

Massage in Mind 01908 968430 

massageinmind.me 

Samantha Costello 07704 732388 


NAILS 

Just because you have diabetes it doesn’t mean 

you can’t have nice nails. Shape your toe nails 

with a clipper or file, not too short or too long. 

A manicure or pedicure can help but make 

sure you tell the nail technician about your 

condition. 


LOOK AFTER YOUR FEET 

A good skin care regime is essential 

for your feet – wash them daily with 

soap and warm water to prevent 

infection but avoid soaking. Once 

dried, moisturise your feet avoiding 

cream between your toes. Shoes 

and socks shouldn’t be too tight, 

loose or rub and get advice if you 

have dry or cracked skin. Your foot 

care specialist should check your 

feet at least once a year, they’ll also 

treat ingrowing toenails, corns and 

tough skin. 

TOP TIP 

It takes weeks or 

even months to see 

changes in your body 

from a better diet 

and exercise. 

Be patient. 

Symptoms 

A constant need for a wee, 

increased thirst or hunger, severe 

tiredness and slow healing 

wounds could be symptoms 

that indicate Type 2 diabetes so 

pay a visit to your doctor. With 

the right approach the effects 

and high blood sugar levels will 

be managed and can even be 

reversed. 

Stats and risks for 

Type 2 Diabetes 

Risks increase: 

If you are white and over 40, or 

African-Caribbean, Black African or 

South Asian and over 25, or your 

parent, sibling or child has Type 2. 

If you: 

• have ever had high blood pressure 

• are overweight, especially around 

the middle. 

• smoke 

• have ever had Polycystic Ovary 

Syndrome (PCOS) 

• have a mental health condition 

• spend a lot of time sitting down 

• you drink too much alcohol 

• your sleep is disturbed 

Get a free NHS Health Check – you 

must be 40-74 years old and live in 

England 

The incidence of type 2 diabetes in 

children has risen as a result of the 

rise in weight and obesity. This is 

often a more aggressive form of the 

condition than in adults and weight 

and exercise must be managed. 

15

Well-Being 

Summer holiday training 

Start your 

summer holiday 

training now! 

Join Happy Bodies 

before 30th June and 

get two hours of FREE 

personal training 

Get in touch for full details. 

Furtho Court | Towcester Road | Old Stratford | MK19 6AN 

www.happybodies.co.uk | info@happybodies.co.uk 

| 01908 477 066 | @HappyBodiesMK 

16 


Wellbeing 

Well-Being 

13 

www.nailsalonmiltonkeynes.co.uk 

LANh's NAiL sALoN 

• Acrylics • Nail art • Shellac • Air brush designs 

• Hand designs • Gel nails • Pedicures 

BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY! 

CALL 01908 567796 

95 High Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1AT 

LANh’s NAiL sALoN in 

Stony Stratford provides a 

professional and relaxing nail 

care service to fully meet all 

your individual needs. 

What’s more, we also have free 

parking at the rear, free fast wi-fi 

in the shop and free tea and coffee. 

To 14 advertise please call 01908 380777 

17 

Please mention Essentially Local when responding to adverts

Leisure 

Artists in Bloom 2019 Competition 

GROWING COMMUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE 

Stony Stratford and Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom 

keep our communities blossoming. They green the grey and bring wellbeing 

and happiness through horticulture. 

Could your imagination and artistic skills showcase the amazing floral 

and community achievements that the teams bring? 

Enter your work into the Artists in Bloom Competition 

with a chance to exhibit your art to 100s of local people. 

Visit essentiallylocal.co.uk for full details. Closing date 28 May 2019 

Supported by Essentially Local Ltd, Skills Art Materials, 

Stony Stratford in Bloom, Wolverton & Greenleys in Bloom, Wolverton & Greenleys Town Council. 

18 

Please mention Essentially Local when responding to advertisers 

Art in bloom A5 2019.indd 1 10/12/2018 10:51

N F O @ A F M K . C O . U K 

I 

1 9 0 8 5 6 2 1 5 1 

0 

Leisure 

F R E N C H U P 

Y O U R S U M M E R ! 


19 

W W W . A F M K . C O . U K

Local Produce, Less Waste 

Every person in the UK produces a shocking 76kg of plastic per year. 

Supermarkets often use plastic on organic veg simply to prevent it being 

mixed with non-organics. If you are serious about reducing your waste 

go local - Moorgate Farm Vegetable Scheme, for example delivers plastic 

free veg to your door. 

RECYCLING MORE OF YOUR 

WASTE! 

Charity Recycling MK aim to reduce the 

volume of domestic plastics sent to landfill 

or incineration while raising money for 

charity. George Thomson is an approved 

TerraCycle UK drop-off point administrator 

who works on a completely voluntary basis. 

He shares all funds between Willen Hospice 

and MK Cat Rescue. He began recycling 

Tassimo discs and wrappers but now 

handles so much more. 

TOP TIP 

Find the longest 

use-by date so your 

food lasts longer and 

freeze what you 

can 

To recycle your plastics (see the list) pop 

them into the recycling boxes at 25 Cantle 

Avenue, Downs Barn, MK14 7RJ (open 

24/7) or most Willen Hospice Charity 

Shops. Remember don’t drop wet pet food 

pouches to the charity shops. 

Information leaflets and free bags available 

from Downs Barn. 

Nespresso L’Or pods 

Kenco wrappers 

Tassimo discs and foil wrappers 

Biscuit wrappers of all kinds 

Trigger spray guns 

Surface wipe packaging 

Dental care 

Air freshener products 

Crisp bags 

Pet food pouches 

Bags 

Contact lenses with their packaging 

Charity Recycling MK 

Sponsored by TerraCycle UK 

TOP TIP 

Make your own crisps 

- coat thinly sliced 

potato in oil and bake 

in the oven at 120˚C 

for about 30 mins 

HIDDEN GEMS 

Bucks Star Brewery in Milton Keynes bring 100% 

natural beers with lots of different flavours. It’s 

suitable for vegans and their Growler Swap is 

the first ever bottle swap scheme – better than 

recycling. You can also go on one of their tasting 

days, we’d definitely recommend it but book a taxi! 

Bucks Star Brewery 

01908 590054 

buckinghamshirebeer.co.uk 

20 


Beetroot, Walnut 

and Herb Dip 

with Pitta Crisps 

A TOUCH OF LUXURY AT 

POTTERSPURY HOUSE 

It’s almost 2 years since Richard and Marlene 

Armstrong began the process of transforming 

their old unused barn into the Potterspury House 

Restaurant. This delightful addition complements 

their already successful spa business. 

They have managed to retain the intrinsic character 

of the building with a few clever contemporary 

features added. The oak beams frame the room 

while the large windows let the natural light flow 

across the rustic tables. The surroundings are as 

lovely as the quality and style of food. Their ultimate 

goal is to ensure that every guest and diner leaves 

with happy memories. 

Breakfast is available to B&B guests while morning 

coffee, lunch and afternoon tea are open to all, 

not just the spa users. Evening meals are offered 

on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The menu is 

designed between the chefs and Marlene to offer a 

modern and accessible choice of dishes. Lunches 

range from starters to filled baguettes, burgers and 

jacket potatoes while for dinner the choices are 

more decadent. Marlene even presents her own 

family recipe for the delicious Jerk chicken. There 

are options for meat, fish and vegetarian diners and 

themed evenings. 

If you’d like to try this for yourself, book today. 

01908 804805 

potterpsuryhouse.co.uk 

Serves 4 

Prep time 15 mins 

Cooking time 40 mins 

250g cooked golden or purple beetroot 

1-2 cloves crushed garlic 

1 small bunch coriander & parsley 

50g shelled walnuts 

3 tsp extra virgin oil 

2 tsp red wine vinegar 

Freshly ground salt & pepper 

Pitta Crisps 

1 pack white or brown pitta bread 

Olive oil for brushing 

Freshly ground salt & pepper 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C /gas 6. 

2. Roughly chop the beetroot and herbs. Place in a 

food processor with the walnuts and garlic, process 

into a course paste. 

3. Add oil and vinegar, season to taste – adding a 

little more vinegar if the beetroot are particularly 

sweet. Set aside for the flavours to mingle while you 

make the pitta crisps. 

4. Pitta crisps - slice each bread into 2-3 strips 

diagonally, gently prise each strip in half. Arrange 

on baking sheets, brush with the oil and season. 

5. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the pitta 

strips are dry and crispy. Crisps keep for at least a 

week in an airtight tin. 

ORDER A VEGETABLE BOX 

Moorgate Farm Vegetable Box 

Delivery Scheme - Local fresh, 

quality vegetables delivered from 

field to your door in 24 hours 

Moorgate Farm, 

Potterspury NN12 7QG 

01908 543008 

moorgatefarm@btinternet.com 


21

Leisure 

Flames Pizzeria and Grill 

Pizza Takeaway / Home Delivery 

16 Little London, Deanshanger, 

MK19 6HT 

flamespizzeriaandgrill.co.uk 

01908 567715 

FlamesPizzeriaAndGrill 

Family owned takeaway serving a range of pizza, 

burgers, kebabs and all the extras. Only the 

finest and freshest ingredients are used, cooked 

by talented chefs who offer a wide and diverse 

menu for you to enjoy in the comfort of your 

own home. 

Opening times: Mon - Fri: Noon - 11.00pm | 

Sat: Noon - 11.30pm | Sunday: 1.00pm - 10.00pm 

Akasaka 

Japanese Sushi Specialists, 

Restaurant, Takeaway & Catering 

24 Stratford Road, Wolverton, 

Milton Keynes MK12 5LW 

akasaka.co.uk 

01908 313890 

AkasakaWolverton 

Authentic Japanese kitchen priding themselves 

on fresh ingredients and delicious sushi flavours. 

They offer over 120 delicious and nutritious 

dishes including sushi, sushi rolls, sashimi, grilled 

food, tempura and rice and noodles. Good 

choice of vegetarian dishes available. 

Opening Times: Mon: closed | Tues - Sat: 12pm - 3pm & 5.30pm - 11pm | 

Sun: 12.30pm - 10pm | Closed Bank Holidays 

Potterspury House 

Restaurant 

3 Poundfield Road, Potterspury, 

Towcester NN12 7QL 

potterspuryhouse.co.uk 

01908 804805 

PotterspuryHouse 

Marlin and Richard Armstrong offer dining 

and private functions in their inviting airconditioned 

restaurant. Also visit for brunch 

or lunch to try their excellent choices. Their 

chef uses the finest ingredients that are mainly 

sourced locally or grown on their own grounds. 

Opening Times: Tues - Wed: 10.00am - 5.00pm | 

Thurs - Sat: 10.00am - 9.00pm | Sunday: 12.00pm - 3.00pm 

Super Sausage Café 

Breakfast and lunch café 

Watling St, Potterspury, 

Towcester NN12 (A5) 

supersausagecafe.co.uk 

01908 542964 

SuperSausageCafe 

Family-run, air-conditioned café in a perfect 

location. Sourcing the highest quality fresh 

produce that is home-made, cooked and 

presented well. Great value for money with 

a fast, friendly service. Serving a choice of 

breakfast options and house specialities. 

Opening Times: Mon - Sun: 7.30am - 2.30pm | 

Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day 

22 


Treat your dad to an 

ARTea Breakfast 

There is no better start to the day than an ARTea 

Cooked Breakfast. With Fathers’ Day on 16 June it’s 

time to show your dad how important he really is - 

book a table and treat him. 

After all, few meals are packed with the level of 

protein that you’ll find in a ARTea cooked breakfast 

and it’s the perfect cure for one or two pints too many 

the night before! It will keep his energy levels raised 

and satisfaction high. Well-seasoned sausages, rashers 

of sizzling, salty bacon and that iron-rich, superfood 

affectionately known as black pudding all add to 

his experience. A dip of his bread into the perfectly 

fried eggs to break the yolk before it gently spreads 

across his plate. As quick as he can, he’ll move those 

flavoursome mushrooms over as never the twain 

should meet. Still a little hungry? Then the hash brown 

and baked beans will boost his carb intake and his 

hunger pangs will be full-filled! 

Breakfasts are served Tuesday to Saturday from 10am 

until midday and from 11am on Sundays and Bank 

Holiday Mondays. 

Book a Father’s Day ARTea 

Room breakfast and give your 

dad a treat! 

Leisure 

01327 810245 

enquiries@artearoom.co.uk 

Wakefield Country Courtyard, Potterspury, 

Towcester NN12 7FA 

artearoom.co.uk ARTeaRoom 


23

Leisure 

Celebrating our Volunteers 

– Judy Deveson 

At the heart of any successful community in Milton Keynes is a large group of volunteers who work 

hard to add value to people’s lives in a variety of ways. 

One such group is the Stony In Bloom group, who do so much to make the environment of Stony Stratford such 

a welcoming one, gaining local, regional and national recognition in the process. 

The chair of the group, Judy Deveson, is always careful to give grateful thanks and encouragement to every 

volunteer at all opportunities, in person or online. This means that everyone is valued, morale is high, and 

numbers are maintained and developed. Now is the time to thank her! 

Judy personifies all the characteristics of a good chair, 

working tirelessly herself, encouraging others, playing 

to individual strengths and maintaining a determined 

optimism and creative thinking in the face of all 

challenges. 

She exudes warmth, enthusiasm and a welcoming 

presence. She has boundless energy as evidenced by 

her tireless outreach work to nearby communities. 

She is a strong advocate of the therapeutic benefits of 

gardening and is keen to encourage people to form 

'In Bloom' groups. Above all is her concern that Stony 

In Bloom endeavours should embrace everyone in the 

community. 

This piece seeks to send thanks to her and others 

like her all over Milton Keynes who help to make our 

communities such good and improving places to live in. 

If you’d like to find out more about the work 

that Stony in Bloom carry out: 

stonyinbloom.wixsite.com/stonyinbloom 

stonyinbloom 

Stony Stratford In Bloom is entirely volunteer lead and 

all work is completed by volunteers. Local businesses 

contribute with sponsorship and in kind work. The team 

are committed to community involvement and have 

made tremendous links with the local schools, churches, 

youth groups and Futures group. The town is filled with 

floral displays and more all year round making it a town 

to be truly proud of. Thank you Stony in Bloom. 

And finally... 

Wolverton and Greenleys in Bloom and all the other 

smaller in bloom village groups also require a big 

mention. Thank you all for the fantastic work you do in 

making this area so beautiful and colourful. Long may it 

last. 

LAST CALL 

The closing date 

for Artists in Bloom 

is 28 May! Find out 

more on page 

18 

24 


Leisure 


25

Children 

Welcoming 

Whitehouse Primary 

School Writers 

Welcome to our writer’s in residence who all come 

from Whitehouse Primary School. We are really 

proud of the achievements of these young writers. 

They wanted a challenge and they’ve had one - 

going round town testing and tasting, researching 

and finding jokes to make us laugh! In this edition, 

we are celebrating two of our writers - Valerie and 

Francesca. Cesar’s jokes are so funny! We hope you 

like their writing as much as we do. 

Emma 

Valerie, Writer 

in Residence 

My name is Valerie and I am 9 years old. I enjoy 

swimming, tennis and football as they are my 

favourite sports. I also enjoy being in School 

Council since I am a great role model and I love 

representing the school. One of my favourite things 

is writing because it is really easy and you don’t 

need to be good at anything to do it. My favourite 

books are the David Walliams books for they 

are interesting and funny. My favourite ones are 

Gangsta Granny, The Midnight Gang and Bad Dad. 

Cesar's Jokes 

Q Why did the doughnut go to the Dentist? 

A To get a filling. 

Q Why was the dog too long? 

A Because he was a sausage dog! 

Q Why did the parrot want a carrot? 

A Because he was feeling too peckish! 

Q What is the quickest bean? 

A A runner bean! 

History of Doughnuts 

Did you know that the original name for doughnut 

is actually ‘olykoeks?’ This originates from Holland. 

It is rumoured that doughnuts were invented by a 

cow! There are several claims to the creation of the 

doughnut. It’s said that a clumsy cow kicked a pot of 

oil into some pastry dough. In 1892 Kathy Lanes made 

a bun. Her children made a hole in the bun and called 

it a doughnut. In New York on January 24 1993 the 

largest doughnut was made it weighed 1.7 tons. It was 

a jelly doughnut. In recent years, doughnuts have come 

increasingly popular and we now have shops solely 

dedicated to them. Happy Doughnut Week!! 

By Varenya 

Francesca, Writer 

in Residence 

My name is Francesca and I am in Year 6. My 

favourite subject is English because I love learning 

new words and vocabulary from reading. My 

favourite books so far that I have read are: the 

“Nevermoor” series, the “Murder Most Unladylike 

series’’, and, of course, ‘Harry Potter.’ I also consider 

myself quite funny as I love stupid jokes (I even 

own a book called: Smarties’ Book of Stupid Jokes!) 

Chocolate is my favourite food, excluding Nutella, 

which I love more than anything in the world! 

26 


WORDSEARCH 

Look for all the words in the grid that relate to 

cooking. Which one is missing and choose your 

favourite cake or biscuit? 

R L F F E K Q X C S 

A Y I L L Y L H A E 

E B P U E O O I M P 

P P U A C C U A M A 

A D S N O S J R A R 

W T T L Z P I E N G 

E K A C T L W S G Y 

Y T C R E A M O O O 

E S T U N H G U O D 

W J I T K U Z C S Y 

How Doughnuts are 

Made 

We went to local Morrison’s bakery to see how 

doughnuts were made. While we were there, we got 

to taste some mouth-watering doughnuts. They were 

the best we’ve ever had. It tasted like we had fell into 

heaven. The dough was softer than we could imagine. 

The icing was delicious we didn’t want it to end and 

you shouldn’t either. 

When we tasted it we 

had the feeling that 

we wanted to jump 

up with joy It tasted 

spectacular. Don’t 

get us started on the 

splendid sprinkles. We 

loved how crunchy 

and awesome they were. When we were eating the 

doughnuts, we ate it as slow as we could because 

we didn’t want the delicious taste to end. If you love 

doughnuts just as much as we do, go and buy these 

great doughnuts from your local Morrison’s for national 

doughnut week! 

By Jessica and Kabinaya 


APPLE 

BISCUIT 

BUN 

CAKE 

CHOCOLATE 

History Festival, 

11th-12th May 

Fabulous re-enactments 

from Romans to 1700s 

and beyond. 

Open 11am-4.30pm 

on both days 

Look at Life, 

25th – 26th May 

Free attractions - 

fascinating microscope 

safaris, activities from 

wildlife groups, naturethemed 

crafts. 

Summer Half Term, 

27th May – 31st May 

Holiday activities for 

CREAM 

DOUGHNUTS 

FLOUR 

GRAPES 

JAM 

May-June Fun 

MANGO 

MILK 

PEAR 

PIE 

YEAST 

young visitors - special 

attractions, science, arts 

and crafts workshops, 

hands-on favourites. 

Open 11am-4.30pm 

half- term 

Milton Keynes 

Museum 

mkmuseum.org.uk 

27

Children 

Isn't That Something 

6.30pm, Friday, 24 May 2pm & 6.30pm Saturday, 

25 May, 3pm, Sunday, 26 May 

• The aspiring ballet dancers from Rosemary Lane 

School of Ballet present this showcase of their 

incredible work. 

• Owen Lane also returns from 

performing with SNG Ljubljana 

especially to perform as principle. 

• Helen Palor has choreographed 

the contemporary pieces. Her 

choreographic credits include 

creating the Paralympic Opening 

Ceremony London 2012 alongside 

Kevin Finnan. 

Tickets - Stantonbury Theatre Box Office 

Adults £16, Children £8 

01908 324466 stantonburytheatre.co.uk (an additional 

£1.50 for postal purchases) 

In person: Mon - Fri 10am-8pm | Sat & Sun 10am-5pm 

45 minutes before performances for most shows 

Tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded once purchased. Ticket reservations must be paid for within 5 

days of booking or they will be released for resale and tickets cannot be reserved without payment within 

the 3 days prior to the performances. 

28 


Children 

Your friendly dance shop in Stony 

Stratford stocking top of the range 

professional quality products for 

all your dancing needs. 

Book a Free Trial Today 

Essentialy local Wicken Toys.pdf 1 5/25/2018 2:54:42 PM 

Open Monday to Friday 

11.30am - 6pm 

Saturdays 

9.30am - 5pm 

1 Swinfens Yard, High St, Stony Stratford 

Telephone : 01908 260909 

Website: www.soul2soledancewear.co.uk 

Facebook: Soul2Sole Dancewear 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 


29

Leisure 

Milton Keynes Open Castlethorpe Open 

Gardens 

Milton Keynes Open celebrates local creative talent. 

Amateur, student, semi-professional, professional or 

established artists should submit original artwork 

before 3 June. Works should be wall based, created 

from paint, print, ink, photography. The public 

exhibition will take place on 13-14 July. 

Full details westburyartscentre.co.uk 

Westbury Arts Centre, Foxcovert Road, Shenley 

Wood, Milton Keynes, MK5 6AA 

01908 501214 

15 and 16 June 

A beautiful spectrum of colour and diversity will be 

on display at Castlethorpe Village bi-annual Open 

Gardens weekend on 15-16 June. Visitors travel for 

miles to experience the delights on offer! 

Tour around about 25 gardens and ask the proud 

owners any questions. Plants will also be on sale at 

several gardens. Follow the Scarecrow Trail, stop for 

refreshments and a chat with the friendly villagers at 

the Village Hall or the Church. 

Buy tickets on the day from the car park adjacent 

to Castle Field, the Village Hall and Open Gardens. 

Adults £5, children £2 and family ticket £12, covering 

both days. Proceeds go to village projects, including 

the Community First Responders. 

For more information please contact 

01908 510941 or 07905 341601 

russelljforgham@aol.com 

Stony Open Gardens 

Stony Open Gardens takes place this year on Saturday 22nd and 

Sunday 23rd June. Tickets are £5 per person valid for the whole 

weekend. Over 30 gardens will be on show including a variety of 

large and small gardens, courtyards, community spaces as well 

as two allotment groups and an award-winning wildlife garden. 

Musicians, dancers, actors, storytellers and The Bard will be 

performing in over 20 of the gardens and at York House, where 

there will be art and craft items on display and for sale, created 

by members of the Made in Stony association. Milton Keynes 

Society of Artists are exhibiting in Swinfen Harris Hall. Elsewhere 

ceramics are displayed as part of Bucks Open Studios. Teas and 

refreshments will be available at York House, at Church Street, and 

at Wolverton Road Allotments. There are eight free car parks. 

For more information visit 

stonyopengardens.info 

30 


Home & Garden 

Do you have a building project 

you would like to start? 

Established in 1998, 

Burgess Building 

are a local company employing skilled, 

professional tradesmen. 

All types of building work undertaken. 

New Builds, Extensions, Refurbishments, Bathrooms, Kitchens. 

No job too large or small. 

All work is managed from start to finish. 

High standard of work. Quality Finish. Safe, clean and tidy working. 

Call us: 01280 815493 

Email: enquiries@burgessbuilding.com 

www.burgessbuilding.com 


31

Competition 

WIN AN ADULT PAMPER PACKAGE FROM 

ALCHEMY THERAPY CENTRE 

Enter our competition for a chance to win this fab prize 

from Alchemy Therapy Centre, Old Stratford. 

Whether you are looking for a pamper session, sports 

therapy massage or more everyday beauty treatments 

Alchemy Therapy Centre in Old Stratford will take care of 

all your needs. Simply relax and enjoy their holistic and 

natural treatments that will make your body, skin and nails 

feel healthy and look beautiful. 

Everyone deserves one of the many pamper options 

offered by the experienced therapists at Alchemy Therapy 

Centre. Try one of the mini pamper packages which 

includes a calming facial, manicure and pedicure, along 

with a neck, back and shoulder massage and Mii Makeover 

too. For a real treat go Deluxe. There are even options for 

teenagers too. 

You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to benefit from 

one of Stuart’s sports therapy massages. Whether you 

ENTER NOW! 

S P O R T S W V H S 

H U C S R A I S S K 

E E P M X T A G O I 

L K X E A L P A P N 

L A Y M E H C L A O 

A M I Y E L N J M R 

C N E B R O W S P I 

S M A S S A G E E V 

W T N E I X A D R N 

M U S C L E H K F E 

ALCHEMY MASSAGE SHELLAC 

BROWS MUSCLE 

SKIN 

ENVIRON PAMPER SPORTS 

EYELASH 

PEEL 

VITAMINS 

MAKEUP RADIANT 

WAX 

Alchemy Therapy Centre 

Old Stratford Local Centre, Falcon Drive, 

Old Stratford MK19 6FG 

01908 567766 

alchemytherapycentre.com 

alchemytherapycentre 

participate in sports or not his treatments will be tailored 

to your needs and with a regular massage you’ll soon feel 

the benefits. From postural pain and tension to specific 

injuries like plantar fasciitis or whiplash Stuart will treat the 

problem and give advice. 

The March/April 2019 competition winner is: 

DOREEN TURNER 

Enjoy your massage from Elanele 

If it is facials, hair removal, eyelash extensions or brow and 

lash tints or make-up advice then you can get all that here 

too. Every treatment uses the best in naturally formulated 

products and regimes to ensure you’ll leave feeling 

prepared for summer! 

For a chance to win this fantastic prize simply find 

which word is missing from the grid and send in your 

answer, including your name and address. 

32 

Competition Rules: 

To enter the competition, email, post or telephone your answer to 

theteam@alchemytherapycentre.com Alchemy Therapy Centre, Old 

Stratford Local Centre, Falcon Drive, Old Stratford, MK19 6FG. 01908 

567766. 

State which competition you are entering and include your name, address 

and telephone number. The competition runs from 1 May, 2019 and the closes 

5pm, 5 June, 2019. 

No purchase is required, there will be one winner and no alternative prize. 

Please confirm that you would like to receive details about events and special 

offers from Alchemy Therapy Centre; Support local and don’t miss out. Details 

of full terms and conditions can be found at essentiallylocal.co.uk. 


Ray Brown Tree Care Gives Back 

Ray and Suzanne of Ray Brown Tree Care, along with 4 

family members, are running this year’s May Bank Holiday, 

Milton Keynes Half Marathon. As non-runners, it’s a massive 

challenge but they’ve been training hard and are determined 

raise money for the new Cancer Centre being built in Milton 

Keynes Hospital. Suzanne is a Charity Ambassador and lost 

her father to cancer last year. He, and many others, would 

have benefitted from being treated closer to home to 

alleviate the stress of travelling. Send your donations and read 

their story justgiving.com/fundraising/famrunning 

Celebrations 

Ray Brown Tree Care 

0800 862 0863 

raybrowntreecare.co.uk 

Richer Sounds for MKL 

Cable Solutions 

Last year, Richer Sounds Milton Keynes invited James McEvoy of MKL 

Cable Solutions to carry out their installations, and he couldn’t wait! He’s 

fitted simple TV wall mountings to full cinema rooms, one even with its 

own popcorn machine. 

Hard-working James has built-up great relationships with other 

contractors to provide one of the best TV, aerial and electrical services 

locally. His friendly, honest approach and great sense of humour have 

definitely contributed to his success. Follow his FB page to see what we 

mean! Wishing James continued success! 

Dementia Friendly for 

Vickie’s Cleaning 

For 12 years, Vickie watched her nan suffer the 

cruelty of dementia. She also saw how easy it was 

for some businesses to take advantage of her nan. 

Vickie, therefore, decided an Alzheimer’s Dementia 

Friendly course to gain dementia friendly status was 

really important for her business. It encourages safer 

practices and social responsibility. She believes all 

local businesses should to do the same to become 

more aware. Well done and good 

luck to Vickie, also for cycling 

between every job. Search 

alzheimer.org.uk and making 

organisations dementia friendly. 

Vickie’s Cleaning and Carpet 

Cleaning 

07960 281440 

vickiescleaning.co.uk 

MKL Cable Solutions 

01908 465749 

mklcs.co.uk 

Welcoming another 

Vanessa! 

This January, Vanessa Cook, owner of Soul 2 Sole, 

was the victim of an awful theft from her shop. 

Happier times are here though and we’re pleased 

to tell you that a new member of staff also called 

Vanessa has joined the 

team. Both Vanessas are 

trained to fit all dance 

shoes, including pointe 

shoes. This gem of a shop 

means you can buy every 

type of dance wear and 

accessory you’ll ever 

need (and more)! 

Soul 2 Sole Dancewear 

01908 260909 

soul2soledancewear.co.uk 


33

What's On 

Return of New Bradwell Silver Band 

7.30pm, 8 May 

St. Leonard’s Church, Yardley Gobion 

Tickets £10 inc cheese and wine 

01908 542794 

Grand Garage Sale 

10am - 1.30pm, 11 May 

Yardley Gobion, maps from St Leonard’s Church 

Up to 40 driveways and the Village Hall – find your treasure. 

Tea and coffee, bacon butties at St Leonard’s Church. Proceeds 

to St Leonard’s Church 

Milton Keynes Aviation Society 

7pm, Tuesday, 14 May 

The Hunt House, 70 High St, Paulerspury NN12 7NA 

Home of the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation 

Colonel Rich Graham (ret’d) presents Flying the SR-71 Blackbird 

with a short video 

Limited tickets visitors £5.00, MKAS members free 

Chris Bosworth 07860 62949 

cj.bos@ntlworld.com 

mkas.co.uk 

Castlethorpe Historical Society 

Castlethorpe Village Hall 

7.30pm, Thursday 24 May 

Martin Sirot-Smith presents a talk about Sulgrave Manor and 

George Washington’s family 

7.30pm, Thursday 20 June 

Film Night Mike Leigh’s Peterloo. Marking 200th anniversary of 

Peterloo Massacre in Manchester, 1819 

Castlethorpe Open Gardens 

Saturday and Sunday, 15-16 June 

Tickets to cover both days from car park adjacent to Castle 

Field, the Village Hall and Open Gardens. Adults £5 Children £2, 

Family ticket £12. See page 30 

Stony Stratford Open Gardens 

22-23 June 

Showcasing the gardens and artistic life of Stony Stratford. 

Raising funds for Willen Hospice. See page 30 

MKRUFC RING OF FIRE 

BIKE RIDE 2019 

This annual 4 day, 600km sponsored cycle 

ride from Bordeaux to Beziers along Atlantic 

Coast in France aims to raise funds for 

MKRUFC for rugby, coaching and fitness 

training for all ages. The 55 riders and 10 

support crew includes former players, 

supporters and friends of the club. 

Can you give some support for sport? 

localgiving.org/appeal mkrufcringoffire19 

Joss Spinks 07718314007 

STONY FLORAL CLUB 

Stony Stratford Floral Club founded 

in May 1958 celebrated it’s Diamond 

Anniversary in 2018 with 2 very special 

demonstrations at Stantonbury Theatre 

with popular demonstrators Lee Berrill 

and Alan Smith and Jonathan Moseley. 

The events were well supported with 

almost 200 members and friends 

attending each occasion. As a result of 

proceeds from these and the annual 

quiz Sue Starr, Chair of SSFC was able 

to give a cheque for £ 750 to Willen 

Hospice. 

For information Sue 01908 564453 

or Judy 01908 569429 

bbandoflowers.org.uk/clubs 

Milton Keynes Open 

3 June - submit your art 13 -14 July - Public exhibition 

Details page 30 or westburyartscentre.co.uk 

Westbury Arts Centre, Foxcovert Road, Shenley Wood, Milton 

Keynes, MK5 6AA 

01908 501214 

34 


CALL FOR 

CRAFTY LOCAL 

PEOPLE 

Showcase your 

arts and crafts 

at Deanshanger 

Craft Fayre by 

emailing David 

aaronson.d@ 

btopenworld.com for 

an information sheet. 

Table £10 

The lovely arts and 

crafts will be on sale 

at Deanshanger 

Community Centre 

between 1pm and 

5pm, Sunday, June 

30 June. Includes 

a raffle for a fab 

donated prize. 

STONYLIVE! 2019 

21ST BIRTHDAY 

Saturday, 1 June - Sunday, 9 June 

Music, arts, walks, dance, talks, 

poetry, storytelling, comedy, family 

events, fairs, horticulture all around 

town and Fullers Slade and Galley 

Hill. 

1 June 

• Day of Dance many styles 

including Town Barn Dance 


• The Big Lunch family picnic and 

entertainment, Junior Bard of Stony 

Competition 

• Vintage Car Show 


• Riverside Fair family picnic and 

entertainment 

• Poetry and spoken word 

performances all week 

• The StonyLive! Fringe Festival Mix 

of music and spoken word 

• Drama The Stony Stratford & 

Carabosse theatre groups 

• Horticulture Stony Allotments 

Society open to buy fresh produce 

• Music Folk, jazz, pop, rock, blues, 

classical, show-songs 

Visit stonylive.info for more 

details 

York House Events 

York House Centre, London Road, Stony 

Stratford, MK11 1JQ 

york-house.org.uk 

Drinks including real ales available, proceeds 

go to York House Centre’s community events 

fund. 

EatStreet 

5pm-10pm, Friday, 3 May, 7 June 

Various Streetfood. Real ale bar etc. 

Free entry 

EatStreetMK 

Mark Prescott 

Doors open 7.30pm, 8.15pm-10.15pm 

Saturday, 22 June 

A Solo Virtuoso Violin Concert 

markprescott.com 

£6 wegottickets.com/event/467502 or 

under 16 £3 wegottickets.com/event/467563 

or from York House or pay on the door 

Neil Mercer & Phil Riley & Guests 

7.30pm - 10pm, Wednesday, 5 June 

Acoustic music, with guests Heidi Carascon, 

Ian Spratley and Borderline Crossing 

£4.50 wegottickets.com/event/461425 

York House Centre or Odells 

Beechey Room and BYO (and glasses) 

Stony RPG 

The Song Loft 

01234 742189 or 07738 968804 

songloft@gmail.com thesongloft.co.uk 

Friends of the Song Loft 

Performers Evenings @ The Song Loft 

8pm – 11pm Friday, 3 May, 31 May 

Beechey Room (rear entrance) and BYO (and 

glasses). 

£5 on the door 

Show your hidden talents 

No parking on-site due to Street Food Event 

The Song Loft Presents Iota 

Doors open 7.15pm, 8pm -11pm, 8 June 

Main Hall of York House 

£12 wegottickets.com/event/455389 

Sally Barker, Anna Ryder & Marion Fleetwood 

perform as IOTA. 


35

Professional 

Water Rates are 

Rising 

Water rates went up on 1 April 2019 

between 1-4%. With each of us using 

about 150 litres every day, it’s easy to 

see how a family of four will soon be 

paying at least £350 each year and 

that’s without the standing charge. 

To reduce your bill: 

• Install a meter - pay for what you use. 

• Fix leaks. 

Did you know? 

TOP TIP 

"Alliance Française is a 

positive experience for 

its variety of teaching 

methods and materials 

as well as small 

classes." 

• Completely fill the dishwater or washing machine and only buy water 

efficient white goods. 

• Reduce the time spent in the shower which uses between 6 - 45 litres 

per minute. 

• Turn off the tap when cleaning your teeth to save about 6 litres 

of water. 

• Collect rain water in a butt to use on your garden. 

According to the Office of National Statistics men do an average of 16 

hours of unpaid household work a week compared to 26 hours carried 

out by women. Unpaid household work includes cooking, cleaning 

adult care, laundry and driving. Even with these hours of unpaid 

domestic chores, 1 in 4 households employ a cleaner in an industry 

that is valued at over £24 billion. As great as it is to have the extra help, 

if they are not self-employed or employed through an agency you 

will be responsible for their employment. This means meeting their 

rights including holiday and sick pay, as well as collecting the right tax 

and passing it on. There are additional considerations if you employ 

someone to live in as you are providing free board and lodging but that 

doesn’t mean they are available 24/7. Don’t get caught out, make sure 

you get professional advice. 

Voulez-vous 

parler français? 

There is no better time than now to 

learn a language and the team at 

Alliance Française Milton Keynes 

is looking forward to meeting you! 

This summer’s classes will help you 

to brush up on your French and 

improve your speaking confidence. 

The small friendly groups offer 

revision, conversation and speaking 

practice. The course runs for 2 hours 

every week, for 7 weeks in June 

and July, starting 17 June and you 

have a choice of day and evening 

classes. Tutors are all native speakers 

and qualified French tutors. It’s only 

£10 an hour and the pay-as-you-go 

option offers more flexibility. 

Alliance Française Milton Keynes 

is part of a worldwide French 

teaching and cultural organisation. 

It’s one of 10 centres in the UK and 

you’ll receive some of the best 

French language training through 

educational, cultural and social 

exchanges. 

Think you are bad at languages – 

Alliance Française will prove you 

wrong! 

14 Market Square, Stony Stratford 

MK11 1BE 

info@afmk.co.uk 

01908 562 151 

afmk.co.uk 

36 


Rip Off Investment Charges 

Paying for a professional service you require is, of course, right and getting 

value is even more important than cost. However when the cost is so 

fundamental to the value it’s right to question your fee. 

No more is this true than when it comes to investment fees. I’m talking 

fees to the investment managers and fees to Financial Advisers. I’ve 

recently come across new clients who were previously being charged 5% 

every time they invested and close to 3% a year! This is outrageous! 

As a rule of thumb you should aim for total charges to come in at under 

1% of the value of your investments. 

Time you checked your charges? Contact us and we’ll review these for 

you. 

Dog Funds 

No not a savings account for your dog! I’m talking 

about the worst performing investment funds. 

Online investment service Bestinvest recently 

published their annual ‘Spot the Dog’ guide listing 

underperforming investment funds. It’s scary to 

realise that over £54.6 billion of people’s wealth 

and retirement savings are invested in these funds. 

One a small change to an investment fund that performs as it should 

could make a massive difference to your overall retirement lifestyle. Check 

the list and make sure you are not falling behind or contact us and we’ll 

review your investment performance for you! 

The Hidden Price Rises On 

Everyday Goods 

Do you remember when a packet of Walkers Crisps was 35g, it’s more like 

28g today. 

Carl Roberts 

For your own personal 

Financial Director to run 

your family finances call: 

Carl Roberts FPFS, Chartered 

Financial Planner 

carl@rtsfinancialplanning.co.uk 

rtsfinancialplanning.co.uk 

01908 592544 

07702 965275 

RTS Financial Planning Limited is authorised and 

regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 

Registered in England and Wales. Registration 

number 10619163. 21 Fosters Lane, Bradwell, Milton 

Keynes, MK13 9HZ 

Risk warning: Stock market linked investments and 

any income from them, can fall as well as rise and are 

not guaranteed. Any figures quoted are for illustrative 

purposes and should not be taken as a forecast or 

guarantee. Past performance should not be seen as an 

indication of future returns and clients may get back 

less than they have invested. 

The price staying the same but the product shrinking is one example of 

how the official inflation statistics do not show the real truth. 

In his book “How to Own The World”, author Andrew Craig explains that real 

inflation is probably closer to 10%. Governments use a number of methods 

to keep the official inflation rate artificially low so you feel wealthier and 

they pay less in benefits. 

Other ways they do this are by swapping items in the inflation measurement that are increasing in price with 

cheaper versions (burgers instead of steak) and lowering the cost of items if they have additional features. 

Inflation is one of the biggest destroyers of wealth and the only way to combat it and maintain your wealth is to 

invest in real assets like shares and property. 


37

Leisure 

Classic Stony 

Come and join the excitement between 9.30am 

and 4pm on 2 June for the 11th 'Classic Stony' car 

and motorcycle show. 

The show has grown in stature over the years and now 

attracts an incredibly varied display of vehicles from 

concourse to 'well-used'. It’s run in partnership with 

Stony Stratford Business Association, as part of 'Stony 

Live week' and is free to spectators. Visitors will enjoy 

the informal gathering of classic and vintage cars and 

motorcycles as well as the live music on The Market 

Square stage. Plans to open additional spectator 

parking will ease any congestion. 

The event is run in aid of the incredibly worthy Willen 

Hospice and there will be plenty of opportunity to 

donate. The event's historic success has now drawn 

the good people of Stony, restaurateur, shopkeeper 

and publican alike to throw open their doors and join 

the revelry. 

Adding to the sights and sounds, there will be a Battle 

of Britain Spitfire display in the afternoon. So come 

along, wander through the displays, take in the sights, 

have a picnic by the river and enjoy the day. 

If you would like to bring a classic or vintage 

car or motorcycle you will find further details at 

ClassicStony.co.uk. 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Anyone for Tennis? 

Towcester Tennis Club is an LTA associated tennis 

club offering 3 all weather floodlit tennis courts with 

excellent all year round playing. The clubhouse bar is 

open after matches and on social club nights. 

There’s lots to do - social or cardio tennis, go 

competitive and join local leagues while juniors can 

also join summer camps. Choose from mixed, men’s 

and women’s tennis and get coached to improve your 

game whatever your age or ability including juniors. 

New players of all abilities are wanted to join the 

fantastic players already there – a warm welcome is 

waiting for you at Towcestrians. At only £3 a week you 

can play to improve! 

Call or text the Membership Secretary 

07919 551 939 

Call John the Chairman 01327 350 141 

Or turn up for a Social Sessions (Tuesdays and 

Thursdays at 7pm). 

Try the ‘Pay and Play’ system before you commit 

to membership 

towcestrianstennis.com 

38 


Professional 

Do you want to protect your 

family and loved ones? 

Your will is one of the most 

important documents you will ever own. 

WILLS and Powers of Attorney 

119.00 each 

WILLS AND TRUSTS.LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY.FUNNERAL PLANS 

Churchill Wills LTD 

Elder House, Eldergate, Milton Keynes, MK9 1LR 

Book your FREE home visit now on 01908 713989 

beautiful rural facilities set amongst a sheep farm 

Bed & Breakfast 

Large rooms 

En-suite 

24 hour access 

Choice of breakfast 

WEDDINGS 

Licenced for 

civil ceremonies 

Accommodates 50 – 200 

Available all year round 

OFFICES 

STORAGE 

77 Alston Drive 

Bradwell Abbey MK13 9HG 

www.mkboxselfstorage.co.uk 

Quality rural 

office units 

Free parking 

Secure units 

From 160sq feet 

Short and long term 

agreements 

To view our facilities at Furtho Manor Farm please contact Linda Welton 

Furtho Manor Farm, Old Stratford, Milton Keynes. MK19 6NR 

01908 542139 07968 004609 linda@furtho.com furthomanorfarm.co.uk 


BUSINESS AND PERSONAL STORAGE 

• 16ft 2 to 150ft 2 units available 

• Easy access and parking 

• CCTV monitoring 

• Lowest price guaranteed 

The best priced self storage 

in Milton Keynes. 

20ft containers also 

available 

Mailbox and post receiving 

services available. 

Contact us on 01908 319399 

jennifer@mkboxselfstorage.co.uk 

39

Leisure 

Crusader Community Boating 

People with physical or mental disabilities, as well as 

those from care homes, can enjoy a day trip on the 

local waterways in its purpose-built boat. 

Trips run from Gayton Junction, at Blisworth Arm, 

along the Grand Union Canal and passengers can 

bring a picnic or stop at The Wharf canalside pub, 

Bugbrooke. 

The volunteers provide the free trips with funding 

from voluntary donations, fundraising and private 

charter trips for groups of up to 20 passengers. A 

perfect day out for family and friends. 

Demand has increased so the charity is seeking 

finance to purchase a second boat to provide an 

expanded service for primary school children. 

Can you help? 

For details: 

crusadercommunityboating.org.uk 

crusadercommunityboating 

40 


Home & Garden 


41

Home & Garden 

Improve your home with Custom Glaze 

The local, family-run business who have 

been busy improving your homes for over 

38 years. Rely on us to give our best price first 

time, every time – no gimmicks, no hassle. 

We are members of leading quality-assurance 

organisations to give you added reassurance. 

a+ Energy rated Windows fitted as standard 

OPEN 7 

DAYS A WEEK: 

Unit 8, Denbigh Hall Industrial Estate 

Milton Keynes MK3 7QT 

Many more door styles and colours available 

• COMPOSITE EnTranCE dOOrS 

• COnSErVaTOrIES • WIndOWS 

• frEnCh dOOrS • PaTIO dOOrS 

• BI-fOLd dOOrS • rOOfLInE 

Registered Company 

38 

Improving your 

homes for 38 years 

Call 01908 650140 or visit www.customglaze.co.uk for an online estimate 

42 


Home & Garden 


43

Home & Garden 

THE OLD JOINERY SHOP 

theoldjoineryshop@tiscali.co.uk 

TRADITIONAL BESPOKE CABINET MAKERS AND JOINERS 

* DOORS * WINDOWS * KITCHENS 

* BEDROOMS * STUDIES * FURNITURE 

Tel: 01908 563661 

44 


Home & Garden 


45

Back to Nature Comes Home 

Wood has seen a revival in home trends for furniture, flooring and fittings. 

It’s back to nature and the simple Scandinavian styles complimented with 

slightly understated textured accessories. If you are looking to give your 

home impact consider carefully when investing in the bigger items. 

WHICH FLOOR? 

Select durable and repairable flooring that will stay in 

fashion longer. Sustainable and recycled natural materials 

like cork and bamboo are high on the list. Carpets and rugs 

bring colour and warmth, especially in the bedroom! 

Karndean is a low maintenance, water and stain resistant 

option and tiles are replaceable - perfect for kitchens and 

bathrooms. Wood or tile effect, different colours and styles 

are available. Find out more from CarpetWise. 

TOP TIP 

Leave carpet cleaning 

to the professionals. 

Remember there are 

some stains that 

won’t come out! 

HEATING UP! 

Underfloor heating is a great way to heat 

your feet and house, although it can be 

expensive to install. It saves space, gets 

rid of ugly radiators and because it works 

at lower temperatures it could be cheaper 

to run. Install it under stone, tile, wood 

and carpet (if 

not too thick) 

but not under 

heavy furniture. 

Always 

check the 

manufacturer’s 

installation 

instructions 

with your fitter. 

Photo courtesy of Karndean at CarpetWise 

ACCESSORISE 

Be brave and bold with flowers, exciting colours can 

make a room. These come from Back to the Fuchsia. 

SUPPLIERS 

46 

Add Warmth 07799761693 

Glo Central 07591204428 

glocentralheatingandplumbing.com 

On Tap Installations 07766 710240 

Ontap.vpweb.co.uk 

Pete The Plumber 07742 947011 

MJ Electrics 07387 166370 

CarpetWise 01908 263330 

Universal Blinds 01908 510333 

universal-blinds.co.uk 

Colour Schemes 07714 868738 

colourschemesdecor@gmail.com 

DPL Services 07801 435476 

Kenneth Hudson 07957 267778 

kennethhudsoninteriors.co.uk 

Rebecca Burchell 07983 413830 

rebeccaburchell.com 

SJ Adcock 07803 906016 

S Fludgate 07519 015182 


TOP TIP 

Sticky fingers and 

cobwebs sparkle in 

the summer sun – 

give your windows 

a clean! 

IT MIGHT BE FASHION BUT... 

Coral colours and natural textures are 

this year’s fashion. Avoid coral on walls, 

especially if you are selling your home, keep 

your paint tastes to lighter tones and whites. 

This gives a clean, fresh look, which won’t 

date or put off potential buyers. Whites 

also reflect light to help make your room 

look bigger. Use accessories to bring in the 

accent colours - don’t just stick with fashion. 


WINDOWS WITH STYLE 

Different styles of curtains or blinds 

add to your room design, yet they’re 

also functional accessories - keeping 

warmth in or the heat out as well as 

blocking light. Wooden shutter blinds, 

like this gorgeous Sante Fe Shutter, are 

the latest style to adorn 

our windows, bringing a 

continental chic. There’s 

a range of shades to suit 

your scheme and can be 

used in any room. (Ask 

Universal Blinds for 

details) 

For something softer 

go for fabric blinds or 

textured curtains. 

Sante Fe Shutter blind from Universal Blinds 

Choosing 

a Floor 

If you don’t know where to start 

visit your local flooring shop to 

get more ideas and advice. 

Looking for wood - 

here’s our guide 

1. Solid wood can be refinished 

repeatedly. A minimum of 4mm 

depth of top layer is advised for 

engineered wood. Solid wood 

can warp when in kitchens and 

bathrooms. 

2. Go for more expensive and 

durable woods in the busier areas 

of your home. 

3. Laminate, made from 

compressed fibreboard covered 

with a photographed image and 

a protective layer, is affordable, 

hardwearing and looks natural. 

4. Most wood comes pre-finished 

with guarantees. Unfinished 

boards give flexibility of colour - 

paint, varnish or oil but think costs, 

time and mess! 

5. Natural wood looks good 

throughout your home and office 

areas. Whites and pale shades 

show up dirt but are good in 

small spaces. Warm woods are 

good for larger spaces although 

less contemporary. Modern 

darker shades will show off lighter 

furniture but can make a room 

look smaller. 

6. Narrow boards are traditional, 

work better in bigger spaces and 

are usually cheaper. Longer wider 

boards tend to make spaces look 

bigger. 

7. Pine is a cheaper option, 

scratches more quickly, and 

options to resand are limited. 

8. Mop with a damp cloth 

and no soap. Oil according to 

manufacturer’s instructions. 

47

Get Ready for Summer 

This has got to be one of my favourite times of year. 

Everything feels more energised, the plants have 

woken up, days are longer and things look and feel a 

little more lively. 

THE PRETTY BITS 

This issue looks at all the background things we 

can be busying ourselves with: replacing flooring, 

updating window dressings, preparing the garden to 

name a few. In this section let’s look at the pretty bits 

for your home. 

PRINTS & SOFT FURNISHINGS 

A print can be as brave or as bold 

as you want it to be. Think soft 

furnishings for a gentle update or a 

bedhead wall for high impact. You 

may just want to add some artwork 

to a neglected wall space, or even 

incorporate delicate florals into a 

summer table scape. Perhaps you 

are just inspired by the new colour 

options this can add to an existing 

scheme. 

TOP TIP 

Small seasonal 

changes can elevate 

your home in time 

for summer. 

AN EXTRA ROOM 

Your garden can be an extension to your home – an 

extra room for the summer. You can jazz up tired 

furniture with a coat of oil, or stain. If you are short 

of space and not a keen gardener, maximise it with 

pretty terracotta pots to add colour and interest. 

GO NATURAL 

Look for natural products where possible and pick 

plants that bees and wildlife love. Bees are attracted 

to purple– so lavender and alliums are high on the 

list, choose combinations that will last throughout 

summer and add variety. 

I CAN HELP YOU... 

Hello I'm Pippa and I believe we should all live in spaces we 

love. I can help you with practical advice from selling your home, 

finding inspired solutions for challenging spaces, home styling 

and accessorising, to a full revamp and more. My knowledge of 

all things home and design combined with my friendly approach 

will help you to create your dream home. Whatever your budget, 

property size or design preferences, I would love to hear from you. 

TAKE A LOOK: 

Pippa Grout 

07873 586990 

hellopipinteriors@gmail.com 

pipinteriors.com 

 

 

 

48 


Home & Garden 


49

Professional 

Don’t Take the Risk with Food 

The great British summertime brings events attracting 

thousands of people as well as smaller community 

events. 

You will find plentiful supplies of food and drink at 

these events, but what do you know about the people 

selling your snacks? The law says that whether or not 

you buy food from a catering van or from a charity 

bake sale, the food supplied to you must be safe to 

eat and comply with EU food law. 

If you are at an event all catering vans and food 

operators selling, cooking, storing or handling, 

preparing or distributing food will have to be 

registered with the Council. They are obliged to make 

food allergy information available and if you or a 

friend suffers from a food allergy they should be able 

to give you the information you need. 

If you are attending a community or charity event, 

where the food has been provided on a small 

scale, the supplier of that food may not need to 

be registered as a food premises. There may be no 

requirement on them to provide allergy information, 

although the 

Food Standards 

Agency suggest 

that this is best 

practice. 

If you are 

attending 

an event this 

summer - don’t 

take any chances, 

ask about 

allergens. 

If you do have 

any issues you 

should report 

them to Trading 

Standards by 

calling 03454 

040506. 

Claire Kendall, Trading Standards, Milton Keynes 

50 


Home & Garden 


51

Summer in the Garden 

June is the official start of summer and this year the garden trend is for natural 

with bold colour. As you begin to plant, protect newly planted seedlings and 

veg as frosts can occur right up until the end of May. 

NATURAL SMALL GARDENS 

Most gardens are about 4 square metres and 

that’s plenty of room to design a usable space. 

Fill colourful pots and planters full of bold floral 

blooms. Keep the background natural and 

sustainable - use recycled or energy-saving 

products. Log and stone walls along with bee 

and insect-friendly cottage garden and meadow 

flowers will show commitment to sustainable 

gardening. Perennials flowers will also give long 

term interest while keeping maintenance low. 

TOP TIP 

Vertical planting 

ideas are practical, use 

space well and are 

perfect for herbs! 

ALFRESCO LIVING 

If you love the alfresco summer evening 

lifestyle call in the experts to create the 

perfect seating area. Popular flooring this year 

includes light greys and ceramic tiles - taking 

the inside out. Stepping stones will lead the 

way and be sure to zone your patio area 

into rooms and include 

heating like a fireplace or 

pit. Garden lighting will 

bring your space alive, 

use it to show off specific 

features and create 

atmosphere. 

Zone your areas – try 

wooden planters as 

wall. Get advice from 

local landscapers like 

Ace, Francis Rose, or 

Hickford Construction. 

GARDEN LIGHTS 

Lighting adds ambience to your evening 

soirees. Go LED or solar-powered be greener. 

For ideas speak to MJ Electrics. 

52 


STONY STRATFORD IN BLOOM 

The planters, baskets and beds around the town, 

including the library bed, town entrances and recreation 

railings looked beautiful with blooms of spring flowers. 

Volunteers have been busy - Ousebank Calverton Corner 

bed was planted with shrubs and weeds removed 

wherever they could. Their efforts at the Bluebell Wood 

should prevent the bluebells being smothered with cow 

parsley and ivy. Changeover from winter to summer 

planters and baskets takes place on 29-30 May. 

This spring, Theresa Wedderburn from Branch Out 

gave a talk on growing and arranging seasonal flowers. 

Theresa follows organic gardening principles. 

Building works delayed the gardening sessions at St 

Mary and St Giles School North Site, as the polytunnel 

was moved. School gardening was given a financial 

boost with a £400 donation from Milton Keynes Ward 

Councillors Stony Stratford ward allocations. The 

Campaign for School Gardening RHS Level 5 success 

resulted in £250 Garden Centre Tokens which will help in 

restocking after the building works. 

Congratulations to all! 

WOLVERTON & GREENLEYS IN-BLOOM 

Wolverton and Greenleys in Bloom volunteers have 

been busy. You will have enjoyed the blooms from 

the winter pansies as well as the Croft entrances at 

Greenleys. They were assisted by some very helpful 

children who mixed the soil and fresh compost. They’ve 

also been working on the Greenleys Community Garden and 

residents will love the flowers and herbs that will soon be flourishing. 

While at the community garden they opened up the Human Sun 

Dial as the long grass was hiding it. Now if you stand on the right 

month, in the centre, your shadow will point to the right time. The 

two different semi-circles of numbers represent one for summer and 

one for winter. From mid-May the team will be planting the new 

summer bedding plants which include geraniums and petunias in 

white, shocking pink and lilac. 

Fruit of the 

Edition 

Tomatoes 

If you haven’t grown your own, pick 

up a few tomato plants from the 

garden centre or ask your friends for 

some. They are great for children, 

easy to grow and they can fruit right 

up until October. They’re full of 

vitamins and minerals which will help 

your eyes and could help to lower 

rates of heart disease. 

Easy to grow 

1. Pop your plants into a pot, grow 

bag or soil in a sunny position. 

2. If you are growing tall varieties tie 

the main stem to a bamboo stick. As 

the plant grows continue to tie. 

3. Remove the side shoots regularly 

and the growing point of the main 

stem when it reaches the top of the 

greenhouse or has about 7 trusses 

on it. 

4. Keep the plants watered. Irregular 

watering can lead to split fruit or 

rot at the bottom of the tomatoes. 

A liquid fertilizer is also important, 

follow the instructions though. 

5. Look out for tomato blight and leaf 

mould. Do not put infected plants 

on the compost. 

Fact 

The largest tomato ever picked was 

3.5 kg and there are over 10,000 

varieties. 

Help is still needed please call the Town Hall office 01908 

326800 or email office@wgtc.org.uk. 


53

Home & Garden 

Gardens to suit your lifestyle 

• Landscape design projects 

• Hardwood decking specialists 

• Professional planting schemes 

• Water features and 

electrical lighting 

• Natural stone patios 

• Garden maintenance 

Call Danny: 01908 474 931 Mobile: 07532 451 812 

email: info@francisrose.co.uk www.francisrose.co.uk 

HARRY CLEWLOW 

Arborist and 

Bartlett Champion 

I have very high standards. 

About 70 metres, to be exact. 

Harry Clewlow champions the trees, landscapes 

and property investments of the customers in his 

care. And he’s one of the many reasons we’ve 

become the premier scientific tree and shrub 

care company in the world. 

Contact 01767 627532 

bedford@bartlettuk.com 

bartlett.com 

EVERY TREE NEEDS A CHAMPION. 

Garden design, construction and maintenance 

Based in Stony Stratford, we pride ourselves on excellent work, 

at very competitive prices. No job is too big, or too small, and 

we offer everything from full garden design, to general garden 

maintenance. Whether you would like a free quote for your home 

or a commercial property, please give us a call. Services include: 

● Hard and soft landscaping 

● Grass cutting and strimming 

● All aspects of tree surgery 

● Hedge trimming 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

Landscapes 

& Tree Care 

Pruning and weedkilling 

Shrub and tree planting 

Leaf and litter removal 

General tidying 

Full garden makeovers 

Artificial grass 

Fencing and gates 

Water features 

Sleeper work and brick work 

Lawns (turfing and seeding) 

Patios and decking 

DOMESTIC 

AND 

COMMERCIAL 

SERVICES 

Call 01908 615 503 or 07736 038 381 

www.acelandscapesmk.com 

54 


Home & Garden 

PRICES FROM 

£15 * 

PER TREATMENT 

Your first choice for lawn care 

2018 was a difficult year for your garden. 

Extreme weather conditions resulted in 

lawns that didn’t look their best. 

As we move towards the growing season, 

now is the time to start preparing your 

lawn to get the most from it. Our seasonal 

treatments start from just £15*. 

Due to high demand, and to avoid 

disappointment, we advise that you book 

your treatments early. 

If you think your lawn is beyond repair due 

to last year’s sweltering summer, ask us 

about our Lawn Makeover - the best way 

to get ‘The GreenThumb lawn.’ 

For your FREE lawn 

analysis & no-obligation 

quote, contact your 

local branch today. 

Simply call 01908 850 548 or 

email miltonkeynes@greenthumb.co.uk 

*Based on a lawn size up to 40m 2 

www.greenthumb.co.uk 


55

Home & Garden 

56 


Home & Garden 

Local suppliers for the trade, 

diy’er and homeowners of 

artificial grass, weed membrane 

and adhesives over 10,000m² 

held in stock ready to go 


01908 794889 

Call 

grassandresin.co.uk 

sales@grassandresin.co.uk 

Unit 29, 54 Goulds Close, Bletchley, 

Milton Keynes, MK1 1EQ (Just behind Screwfix) 

57

Motoring 

Looking After your Car 

You don’t always need to use 

main dealers for car servicing, 

using your local, independent 

garage offers convenience, 

cost savings and a potentially 

mechanic to trust. 

Manufacturer’s Warranty - To 

maintain the manufacturer’s 

warranty, cars do not have to be 

serviced at a franchised main 

dealer. The requirement is that 

it should be serviced according 

to the manufacturer’s service 

schedule, using manufacturer 

approved parts or ones of 

the same quality, rather than 

manufacturer supplied. 

Before - Always ask for a written 

quote outlining the likely cost 

for the correct service level 

or repair and make sure parts 

(of the correct quality), labour 

and VAT are included. Find out 

why there are differences in 

the hourly rates and estimated 

timescales to complete repairs. 

Independent garages are usually 

cheaper, main dealers may have 

special deals. 

The work - Ask the mechanic 

to show you the completed 

work carried out, take a friend 

for added confidence. If they 

refuse or you have concerns, 

ask another garage to check the 

work. 

On collection - Ask for a receipt 

which details the completed 

work, the parts supplied and 

get the service book stamped. 

Concerns raised at a later date 

may refer to this. Request a list of 

issues for the future. 

Reviews 

Going Electric Or Not 

Although more expensive from new, battery technology, charging 

times and choice of greener electric vehicles have all improved. 

Second-hand electric vehicles are cheaper because they tend to 

depreciate more quickly. 

Running costs are less and 

maintenance is easier with 

no oil, filters or cooling 

system to worry about. 

Batteries can last up to 

10 years before a costly 

replacement, but consider 

leasing. 

Refuel is necessary after 

50-60 miles, though newer 

vehicles claim up to 300 

miles. 

Car of the 

Edition 

2015 65 Lexus CT 1.8 200H 

Advance 5d Auto 134 BHP 

This is a stylish electric hybrid 

hatchback which offers a smooth and 

quiet drive in EV mode and when the 

petrol kicks in. Hybrids are cheaper to 

own and run and with the combined 

average fuel economy is 68.9 mpg 

you can see why. It’s cleaner with an 

emission of 94g/km. The built in sat 

nav, Smart entry and Smart start, hill 

hold control, heated seats make it a 

perfect choice for families or business 

people. It also offers some additional 

safety features including a front 

whiplash protection system and great 

airbag distribution. With one private 

owner from new and with both keys 

why wouldn’t you? 

For more details speak to: 

Saxon Bridge Automotive Ltd, 

Auckland Park, Mount Farm, 

Milton Keynes MK1 1BU 

01908 311886 

58 


Motoring 


59

Useful Numbers 

Health and Wellbeing 

Hanslope Practice 

01908 510230 

theparksmedicalpractice.co.uk 

Paulerspury Practice 

01327 811630 

Towcester Medical Centre 

01327 359953 

towcestermedicalcentre.co.uk 

Stony Medical Centre 

01908 260382 

stonymedicalcentre.co.uk 

Stony Stratford Health Visitors, Physios 

01908 565555 

The Stonedean Practice 

01908 261155 

stonedeanpractice.org.uk 

Wolverton Health Centre 

01908 222954 

wolvertonhealthcentre.co.uk 

Wolverton Health Visitors, District 

Nurses, Podiatry, Physiotherapy 

01908 316633 

NHS Direct Textphone 111 

Milton Keynes General Hospital 

01908 660033 

mkhospital.nhs.uk 

Northampton General Hospital 

01604 634700 

northamptongeneral.nhs.uk 

AgeUK Information and Advice 

01908 560822 

ageconcern.org.uk 

Alcoholics Anonymous 

0800 917 7650 

alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk 

Samaritans 

116123 samaritans.org 

Victim Support Line 

0808 168 9111 

Emergency Services 

Non emergency calls 101 

Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 

Emergencies 999 

Veterinary Surgeons 

The Vet Centre, Cherry Lane 

01908 542155 

Maids Moreton 

01280 812057 thevetcentre.ltd.uk 

Children 

Rhymetime Under 1s 

Deanshanger Library, Little London, 

MK19 6HT 

Paula 01908 562889 

paula.culley@firstforwellbeing.co.uk 

Stony Stratford &Wolverton Library 

Stories, songs and rhymes 

Stony Stratford & Wolverton libraries 

miltonkeynes.gov.uk/libraries 

Brownies, Guides, Beavers & Scouts 

South Northants Rainbows, Brownies, 

Guides 

Emma 01908 571244 

Towcester Brownies & Guides Hattie 

(Guider in Charge 3rd Towcester 

Brownies) 

07776 257398 

rdtowcesterbrownies@gmail.com 

Wolverton and Stony Stratford 

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides 

wolvertondc@outlook.com 

1st Stony Stratford Beaver Scouts, 

Cub Scouts 

Scouts for boys & girls 

1stStonyStratford 

alby@backstage.co.uk 

Youth Clubs 

Act Out & Act Up Term-time drama 

group 

York House Centre, Stony Stratford 

info@redphoenixstory.co.uk 

Stony Biz Kids Afterschool Club 

Becky Piper 07798 736615 

stonybizkids stonybizkids.com 

York House Junior Youth Club 

Maria 07988 078056 

yorkhouseyouthclubs@hotmail.com 


York House Senior Youth Club 

Tash 07949 402862 

tash.youth@gmail.com 


Arts & Crafts 

Stony Stratford Floral Group 

Russell Street School Hall, Stony 

Stratford.Sue 01908 564453 orJudy 

01908 569429 

The North Bucks Woodturning Club 

Courtyard Arts Centre, Parklands, 

Great Linford, Milton Keynes 

Pip 01908 311243 

pip.watts@btconnect.com 

Towcester & District Art Society 

Paulerspury Village Hall 

Len Lane 01908 569425 or 

07957 281493 towcesterart.com 

Vitreus Art Courses 

4 Wakefield Country Courtyard, 

Potterspury NN12 7QX 

01327 810320 vitreus-art.co.uk 

Flower Drawing & Painting Classes 

With artist Nicky Hunter at Westbury 

Arts Centre, Foxcovert Road MK5 6AA 

07899 942944 

nickyred@gmail.com 

Dance 

Old Mother Redcaps 

Ladies Morris dancing side 

Swinfen Harris Hall, Stony Stratford 

Catherine 01908 667112 

Potterspury Dance Club 

Ballroom /sequence dancers 

Potterspury Village Hall 

John & Di 01604 862632 

Rose and Castle Morris 

Stoke Bruerne Village Hall 

Ian 07860 277046 

rose.castle.morris@gmail.com 

rose-castlemorris.org.uk 

Royal Scottish CountryDance Society 

Bradwell Village Memorial Hall MK12 

9AG 07877 153259 

History 

Milton Keynes Aviation Society 

(MKAS) 

Kents Hill Community Centre 

Frithwood Crescent, Kents 

Hill, Milton Keynes MK6 6HQ 

Ian Carr 01234 742057 

iancarruk@aol.com mkas.co.uk 

Milton Keynes National Trust 

Association 

Monthly meetings 

The Cruck Barn, Bradwell Abbey 

01908 314151 

Milton Keynes Western Front 

Association 


Roman Park Residents 

Club, 1, Constantine Way, 

Bancroft Park, MK13 0RA 

westernfrontassociation.com 

The National Museum of Computing 

Bletchley Park, The Mansion, 

Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 6DZ 

01908 374708 tnmoc.org 

Wolverton & District Archaeological & 

Historical Society 

St Mary & St Giles School, 

King George Crescent, Stony Stratford, 

MK11 1EF 

irisday86@yahoo.co.uk. 

Yardley Gobion History Group 

Village Hall 01908 542322 

babskingyg@talktalk.net 

60 


Music 

New Orleans Jazz Club 

01908 569432 

trevor.jeavons@btinternet.com 

goodtimejazz.info 

Terry Marshall and The Hounds Jazz 

Jam 

The Fox & Hounds, Stony Stratford 

fox-hounds-pub.business.site 

Junction 14 Ladies A Cappella 

Singing for pleasure and fundraising 

Drama Studio Shenley Brook End 

Secondary School, Milton Keynes. 

To join 01908 678558. 

To hire 01908 667029 

bookings@junction14.org 

junction14.org 

MK Acapella Men 

Barbershop Chorus Rehearsals 

Stantonbury School, 

Bradville, Milton Keynes 

membership mkacapella.com 

To hire bookings@mkacapella.com 

mkacapella.com 

Milton Keynes Acoustic Roots 

Guitar, fiddle and penny whistle 

Beginners to advanced 

Community Centre, Britten Grove, Old 

Farm Park, Milton Keynes 

johntimpany@aol.co.uk 

mkamc.co.uk 

Music Makers of Milton Keynes 

Choral music and singing 

Childrens Centre, Stony Stratford. 

Teresa 07928156006 

The Song Loft 

York House Centre, Stony Stratford 

songloft@gmail.com 

thesongloft. co.uk 

Scribal Gathering 

Music & spoken word open mic. 

The Crown, Market Square, Stony 

Stratford 

ScribalGathering 

Towcester Choral Society 

The Sawpits Centre, Towcester 

towcesterchoralsociety.org.uk 

Social 

Buckingham Canal Society 

Lock Lane, Cosgrove,MK19 7JR 

01908 661217 

Athinabec@aol.com 

buckinghamcanal.org.uk 

Wolverton Community Orchard 

Gardening Day 

Yvonne 01908 320405 or 

Mandy on 01908 319719 

Yardley Gobion Coffee Shop 

Drinks, cakes and chat, children’s toys. 

St Leonard’s Church, Yardley Gobion 

Deanshanger Library 

Reading Group,Knit and Natter, Learn 

to knit, knitting and sewing for children 

Deanshanger Library, Little London 

01908 562889 

paula.culley@firstforwellbeing.co.uk 

Deanshanger Sports Club 

Little London, Deanshanger 

MK19 6HU 01908 567137 

deanshangersc 

Stony Stratford Tuesday Night Charity 

Curry Club Charity Quiz 

Eastern Paradise, Wolverton Road, 

Stony Stratford MK11 1DX 

Tuesday Night Charity Curry Club 

Quiz 

Towcester Bridge Club 

Friendly duplicate bridge 

Towcester Conservative 

Club Lynda Riecken 

lynda@riecken.co.uk 

bridgewebs.com/towcester 

Senior Citizens Afternoon Tea Coffee 

& Home-Made Cakes 

All welcome 

Last Friday of month, 2pm-4pm 

Memorial Hall, Deanshanger Road, 

Old Stratford (by village shop) 

Havencourt Sheltered Home Bingo & 

Coffee Morning 

Ridgmont, Deanshanger 

Jean jean.miller@ 

southnorthantshomes.co.uk 

Sport 

Happy Bodies Fitness Centre 

Furtho Court, Old Stratford, 

01908 477066 happybodies.co.uk 

Feathers Badminton Club 

Mill Mead Hall, Wolverton 

01908 373966 or 

mr.baldwin@btinternet.com 

Castlethorpe Short Mat Bowls Club 

Castlethorpe Village Hall 

01908 510583 

keithprestidge@hotmail.co.uk 

Paulerspury Bowling Club 

Paulerspury Village Hall 

Ann 01327 811352 

Stony Stratford Bowls Club 

Ancell Trust Sports Ground, 

Ostlers Lane, Stony Stratford 

MK11 1AR 01908 565659 

stonystratfordbowlsclub.co.uk 

Useful Numbers 

Wolverton Town Bowls Club 

Bruce 01908 310514 

Wolverton Park Bowls Club 

Haversham Road, Wolverton, 

MK12 5TN 

Bob 07988 778248 

bowlsclub.org/club/7966/ 

Stony Stratford Croquet Club 

Ostlers Lane, Stony Stratford 

MK11 1AR 

Roy 01908 566345 

Twenty3c CycleRides 

01908 260322 

Deanshanger Colts & Divas Football 

Club 

deanshangercolts.co.uk 

Karate 

07739 707455 karategoju.co.uk 

Karate & Kickboxing 

Laura 07910 154499 karatemk.co.uk 

Jado Kuin Do Family Martial Arts 

Emma Bacon 07790 296737 

RunStony 

Run group runstony 

Kiln Farm Squash Club 

07729 414000 

Haversham Sailing Club 

High Street, Haversham 

MK19 7DX 

havershamsc.org 

Towcester & District Table Tennis 

Rod Barr 01604 847948 

or 07885 108559 

tabletennis365.com/Towcester 

Wolverton Tennis Club Coaching 

Pete Tolaini 0774 0004548 

wolvertontennis@hotmail.com 

Stony Stratford Walking Group 

Meet Mill Lane/ Willow Lane 

Mary Kendall 01908 260570 

Winslow District Ramblers 

bucksvoice.net/winslowdistrictramblers-group 

Buckingham and District Walking 

Group 

John 07921 823189 

Deanshanger and Wicken Royal British 

Legion Branch Meetings 


Deanshanger Conservative Club 

01908 261107 

barbaralangtonb-langton@outlook. 

com 


61

Advertisers 

HOME & GARDEN 

Building & property 

Burgess Building and 

Maintenance 31, 63 

Hickford Construction Ltd 40, 56 

KAS Builders 41 

Morris Roofing 41 

Thomas Betts & Co 41, 42 

Windows & conservatories 

Cloudy2Clear 1, 3 

Custom Glaze 42 

Thomas Betts & Co 43 

Win-Dor 2 

Aerial, cable & electrical 

MKL Cable Solutions 33, 44 

MJ Electrics 44 

Garage doors 

Roller Shutter Garage Doors 41 

Garolla 50 

Plumbing, gas servicing & 

heating 

Add Warmth 43 

Glo Central 43 

On-Tap Installations 43 

Pete the Plumber 43 

Kitchens & bathrooms 

Dream Doors 9 

Milano Stone Kitchen Worktops 42 

On-Tap Installations 43 

Painters & plasterers 

BWB Plastering 45 

Colour Schemes Decorating 

Services 45 

DPL Services 45 

Kenneth Hudson Interiors 45 

Rebecca Burchell 44 

S Fludgate Painting & Decorating 45 

SJ Adcock & Son 45 

Thomas Betts & Co 45 

Interiors 

Carpetwise 46, 49 

Maxwell Home & Garden Service 54 

Milano Stone Kitchen Worktops 42 

Pip. Interiors 48 

The Old Joinery Workshop 44 

Thomas Betts and Co. 49 

Universal Blinds 49 

Cleaning & domestic 

Bucks Chimney Sweeps 49 

Domestique 51 

Stony Dry Cleaners 51 

Stony Oven Cleaners 51 

The Stainbusters 51 

Vickies Cleaning 33, 51 

Garden 

Ace Landscapes and Tree Care 54 

Advanced Turf Machinery 56 

Artificial Grass Turf Solutions 57 

Bartlett Tree Experts 54 

Francis Rose Landscaping & Garden 

Services 54 

Green Thumb 55 

Hickford Construction 56 

Maxwell Home & Garden Services 54 

M. Lovell Tree Surgeon 54 

Prestige Lawns 56 

Ray Brown Tree Care 33, 57 

Waste removal 

Charity Recycling MK 20 

Rob Bracey, Septic Tanks 44 

BEAUTY, WELLBEING 

HEALTH, & FITNESS 

Action Physio 13 

Active MK Fitness 16 

Alchemy Therapy Centre 32 

Clive Heayns Podiatry 16 

Da Vinci Dental Clinic 12 

DW Roberts 11 

Happy Bodies Fitness Centre 16 

Janice Skillman Foot Health 16 

Jaspreet Tehara Counselling and 

Psychotherapy 17 

Karate & Kickboxing MK 16 

Lanh’s Nail Salon 17 

Lisa Wiles Pilates 16 

Massage in Mind 13 

Samantha Costello Foot Clinic 17 

Slimming World 17 

Towcester McTimoney 

Chiropractic 13 

LEISURE, FOOD & DRINK 

Alliance Francaise 19, 36 

Akasaka Japanese 22 

Aqua parcs 6 

ARTea Room 23 

Artists in Bloom 18 

Bamboo Cottage Chinese 

Takeaway 23 

Branch-Out MK 19 

Bucks Star Brewery 20 

Flames Pizzeria and Grill 22 

Milton Keynes Museum 28 

Moorgate Farm Vegetable Box 

Delivery 21 

Potterspury House 21, 22 

Super Sausage Café 22 

The Old Talbot 25 

Towcesterians Tennis Club 19, 28 

Accommodation & celebrations 

Furtho Manor Farm 39 

Wolverton and Greenleys Town 

Council 59 

CHILDREN & YOUTH 

Rosemary Lane School of 

Ballet 28, 29 

Soul2Sole 29, 33 

Wicken Toys 29 

Willow Tree Pre-school 28 

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 

ASC Financial Solutions Ltd 7 

Baldox Computing 39 

Churchill Wills Ltd 39 

Furtho Manor Farm 39 

MK Box Self Storage 39 

RTS Financial Planning 37 

Trading Standards 50 

Flowers 

Back to the Fuchsia 46 

Branch-Out MK 19 

Jewellery Services 

Barović Jewellers 39 

Pets & vets 

RSPCA 10, 28 

The Vet Centre 10, 11 

Pest control 

Killem Pest Control 57 

Wasp Nest Control Services 57 

TRANSPORT 

Taxis 

Skyline 64 

Motoring & transport 

G & G Autos 59 

JMC Autos 59 

Saxonbridge 5, 58 

62 


Home & Garden 


63

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Essentially Local May-June 2019

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