Bletchley Buzz 1 March 2016 spring edition

Spring2016

• Features • Puzzles • News • Events • Competitions • Reviews

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We do our best to get things right but neither the publisher or contributors will take any liability for loss or damage by errors. The publisher does not officially endorse advertisements or the views held by contributors. No part of the publication can be published or reproduced either in print or online without permission

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Spring2016


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5 Work Tree6 Some Local News7 More Local News8 MK Food Awards10 Raising Awareness14 Rickley Park Update17 Crufts18 Tranform a Room20 Addicted to Fitbit22 In Your Garden

23 Spring Lamb24 The Black Stuff25 COMPETITION26 What’s On28 Tea Time Treat29 COMPETITION30 Essential Numbers31 Easter Bin Dates31 A SPECIAL PERSON

WIN TICKETSwin tickets to see The Bodyguard, page 29

Bletchley Buzz is your local magazine for Bletchley,

Fenny Stratford, Newton Leys and Newton Longville

OwnerClaire Pilsworth

Advertising:[email protected]

Telephone:01908 464164

Nominate Someone Special

see page 31

Hello and welcome to the first edition of Bletchley Buzz.

As a local , living in Bletchley, I have really enjoyed getting out to meet many of you that have contributed to this edition of the magazine.

Isn’t it amazing, even when we live in an area for some time, we sometimes don't even know about local events that are taking place, local trades people and services, or the fantastic work for charity that is happening on our doorstep. I am excited at having the opportunity to share some of this through Bletchley Buzz.

I am already busy planning the next editions and looking forward to expanding the what's on guide and introducing more exciting features. It would be great to hear from you with any suggestions or ideas of what you would like to see in future editions. Please email or give me a call.

Enjoy reading, good luck with the competitions and don’t forget to nominate someone special.Claire

ps.A special thanks to Andrena Carden-White who runs the sister magazine Bee Local


‘Be our guest’ for one hour, answer student questions about your job

relaxed, one-hour speed networking with students in Milton Keynes secondary schools

(currently Lord Grey, The Hazeley Academy and Oakgrove) with other work guests, you answer student questions about your experiences of work anyone can do it, whatever job you do or have done no preparation needed, just turn up.

Your answers can spark light bulb moments that inspire young people’s career paths!

Headline data since September 2016: 2000 students and 350 work guests have participated in 50 Career WorkOut sessions. Students experienced a 19% increase in 'confidence making choices about my future work

options', 21% increase in 'confidence talking to adults I don't know' and 7% increase in 'commitment to learning and achieving'.

99% of guests 'enjoyed the session" and 99% 'now feel more positive about my work'. 100% teachers agreed 'the session helped students develop their employability skills'.

Companies, parents and individuals sign up now at www.worktree.org/events or call the Worktree Team on 01908 209940 for further details on how to get involved in this pioneering programme. Worktree is a small charity that has been based in Milton Keynes for 20 years. We have 20 years of delivering employability skills training to students of primary to secondary ages and adults returning to work.


Redway School Toy Round UpThe Lions Club of Bletchley are happy to collect any new or used toys and will deliver it to Red-wood school in Milton Keynes. The toys will be used in the after school club activity and in day time classes. Please help us to collect all the toys in your homes not required ,and give it a second life and help another young person mov-ing on in life.Rachel Farrow Assistant Head of Redway said “We can see how much pleasure it gives the pupils when we deliver the toys forthem to play with.” and the Lions who attended agree.

The Redway School is ‘an extra special’ special school within Milton Keynes.” Focusing on meeting the needs of all pupils, both collectively and individually. They are committed to providing an enjoyable, quality education for all our pupils within a friendly atmosphere where they can fulfil their potential, grow in confidence and most importantly be happy.

The school is successfully encouraging every child to feel valued in an environment where all achievements, however small are recognised and celebrated.

news

Newport Pagnell Carnival News RoundupSpring is in the air and not only does that mean lambs, chocolates and daffodils but it also means that it’s time to start getting excited for Newport Pagnell’s Carnival!Taking place on 25 and 26 June 2016 you might be wondering just how the Carnival Committee are going to match the glitz

& glamour of 2015. We had not one, not two, but three(!) celebrities. And a world record-breaking strongman. And his world record-breaking mate. Well, stay tuned to our website because we’ll very shortly be announcing 2016’s entertainment & we think once again, we’ve pulled it out of the bag (if we do say so ourselves).In the meantime, shake a leg, get your skates on & step on it because entries for the parade, classic & vintage car show, stalls & ‘big’ duck race are all open. This year’s parade theme is ‘Sporting Moments’ so get your thinking caps on & start planning!And finally, calling all

05-11 year olds – we need your artistic talents. Enter the ‘Design the 2016 Newport Pagnell Carnival Programme Front Cover’ competition, to be in with a chance of having your artwork showcased on the must-have programme of the summer. Visit our website for full information. Visit www.newportpagnellcarnival.com for everything you need to know and more! Lots of love, The Carnival Committee

Parent’s Lounge at MK HospitalThe Lions Club of Bletchley have been busy supporting the Children’s Wards in MK Hospital by making it easier for the children’s parents while waiting at their bed-side, They have produced an Emergency Kit for parents who at short notice have had children staying in hospital, the kit contains such items as a flannel, tooth paste, toothbrush, comb, nail file, etc.

They also have renewed the crockery in the Chil-dren’s parent lounge to make it more comfortable if the parents have to stay for long periods of time or overnight.The Lions club of Bletch-ley have a long history of maintaining the parents room as they decorated it a few years ago and supplied the fridge and microwave and seating.

Rock Chorus ConcertWhat do 140 rockers, 30 big cats and one small dog have in common?

Well, on April 16th, for the sixth year running, the 30 Lions in the Lions Club of Bletchley get together with some 140 singers from Rock Chorus to raise the roof and raise some money – and this year half of it is going to Medical Detection Dogs, with the other half going to the Lions Club Charity.

The concerts started after a Lion was looking for a new fundraising venture and watched Rock Chorus perform at the 2009 West

Bletchley Carnival. An approach was made and over £10,000 later it’s still going from strength to strength with last year’s concert at The Venue MK, Walnut Tree, being virtually

sold out. Rock Chorus is made up of five choirs dotted around the home counties that get together to sing the sort of songs that make your feet tap, your air guitars soar and your voices yearn for a mic. Along the way, they also help raise an awful lot of money for good causes and this year will be no exception. Medical Detection Dogs is a charity based just north of Milton Keynes doing exceptional work in the use of a dog’s amazing sense of smell in the detection of deceases like cancer. The training process is obviously long and expensive but the concert, which this year is sponsored by Marshall Amps and IKEA, should raise a significant

amount of money towards that process.The Lions Club of Bletchley, which organises the concert, is the local face of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest community service organisation. The club has, for over 45 years, been committed to helping those less fortunate in society, whether individuals, organisations or Appeals. This help can be either by donation or by action, or in some cases both, as with the recent food collection at Tescos and Morrisons for the Food Cupboard, where 20 trolleys full of food and £500 in cash was gathered and passed on in time for Christmas.

So, three wildly different groups together aiming to have a great nights entertainment for a really worthwhile cause. If you fancy joining them go to www.TheVenueMK.com or follow the links on www.lcbmk.co.uk. But come prepared to rock!


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Local charity, the British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is stepping up its drive to raise awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016.Shockingly, this disease is currently one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in the UK, with one in 20 people suspected to have some type of thyroid disease.If left untreated, thyroid dis-ease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular diseas-es, osteoporosis and infertility, plus pregnant women have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery and devel-opmental problems in their children.The good news is that once detected, this life-long condi-tion can be managed with medication and for most, treatment provides them with a ‘new lease of life’.One local suffer, Georgia Jelley age 47 from Kingsmead said: “I had always been slim, but around 2003 I started to gain weight dramatically despite going to the gym and control-ling my diet. I also started to feel unwell and not like myself, dropping things, feeling the cold, lacking concentration and my memory started to fail me even to the point where I would forget really important things like picking the children up from school!Firstly the doctor advised this

was stress through running my own business, but I just felt worse and worse. Eventually a friend advised me to get my thyroid checked though a sim-ple blood test - I had no idea what my thyroid was! The test showed that I had an underac-tive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which meant that my thyroid gland was not producing enough thyroid hormone.I was told that my levels were so low had this been left untreated for much longer I could have died.” The diagnosis and medication provided has really improved Georgia’s life and she now joined a group of other vol-unteers at the British Thyroid Association MK to raise aware-ness of the condition to help suffers and their families. The charity holds regular informa-tion events and provides edu-cation and support by working closely with the local hospital consultants and healthcare professionals.Through her work with the charity, Georgia is using her PR and Marketing background to really drive awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016 so others do not suffer as long as she did.If you are interested in finding out more, The British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is holding its next information event at 10.30am on Saturday 5 March at The Sports Pavilion, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA. A special yoga session for thyroid sufferers is also being held at Sweat Studios, 2 Ril-laton Walk, The HUB, Milton Keynes MK9 1BW at 11am

on Thursday 31 March 2016. This yoga session will last 60 minutes and will give people the chance to meet other suf-ferers and find out more about the charity.More information for both events can be found on the Thyroid MK (Milton Keynes Group) Facebook group or website:www.thyroidmk.co.uk

MK Charity To Raise Awareness Of Under-Diagnosed Disease

YOGA CLASS THURSDAY 31ST MARCH

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Local charity, the British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is stepping up its drive to raise awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016.Shockingly, this disease is currently one of the most under-diagnosed conditions in the UK, with one in 20 people suspected to have some type of thyroid disease.If left untreated, thyroid dis-ease may put patients at risk for certain serious conditions, such as cardiovascular diseas-es, osteoporosis and infertility, plus pregnant women have an increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery and devel-opmental problems in their children.The good news is that once detected, this life-long condi-tion can be managed with medication and for most, treatment provides them with a ‘new lease of life’.One local suffer, Georgia Jelley age 47 from Kingsmead said: “I had always been slim, but around 2003 I started to gain weight dramatically despite going to the gym and control-ling my diet. I also started to feel unwell and not like myself, dropping things, feeling the cold, lacking concentration and my memory started to fail me even to the point where I would forget really important things like picking the children up from school!Firstly the doctor advised this

was stress through running my own business, but I just felt worse and worse. Eventually a friend advised me to get my thyroid checked though a sim-ple blood test - I had no idea what my thyroid was! The test showed that I had an underac-tive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which meant that my thyroid gland was not producing enough thyroid hormone.I was told that my levels were so low had this been left untreated for much longer I could have died.” The diagnosis and medication provided has really improved Georgia’s life and she now joined a group of other vol-unteers at the British Thyroid Association MK to raise aware-ness of the condition to help suffers and their families. The charity holds regular informa-tion events and provides edu-cation and support by working closely with the local hospital consultants and healthcare professionals.Through her work with the charity, Georgia is using her PR and Marketing background to really drive awareness of thyroid disease in and around Milton Keynes in 2016 so others do not suffer as long as she did.If you are interested in finding out more, The British Thyroid Foundation (MK) is holding its next information event at 10.30am on Saturday 5 March at The Sports Pavilion, Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA. A special yoga session for thyroid sufferers is also being held at Sweat Studios, 2 Ril-laton Walk, The HUB, Milton Keynes MK9 1BW at 11am

on Thursday 31 March 2016. This yoga session will last 60 minutes and will give people the chance to meet other suf-ferers and find out more about the charity.More information for both events can be found on the Thyroid MK (Milton Keynes Group) Facebook group or website:www.thyroidmk.co.uk

MK Charity To Raise Awareness Of Under-Diagnosed Disease


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Friends of Rickley Park are currently busy organising their first Summer Fete taking place on Saturday 25th June 2016. It is an exciting event that they hope will bring the school community together. All money that is raised will be invested back into the children that attend the school to fund additional educational school trips and activities to assist them with their learning.

Friends of Rickley Park are liasing with the school council , who are totally involved by ensuring they have got valuable input from their peers about what

they would like to see at the summer fete.Leading on from this the 'Henry Allen Trust' is the schools chosen charity, by parents, carers, and the children that attend Rickley Park Primary School. All monies raised via the admission price on the gate on the day, will be donated to the charity , to show that we support the work they are doing. Henry Allen Trust will also have a stall at the event.

We hope you can come along and show your support for what is going to be a fantastic event.

“Over the last 9 months, the Friends of Rickley Park have worked tirelessly to provide exciting activities for our children beyond the curriculum and to raise funds to provide even more exciting opportunities within the curriculum – and this is another great example of that! I can’t wait!”

- Glenn Booth, Headteacher

S U M M EF E T E

R

Bungee TrampolineZorbing

Mickey & Minnie MouseIce Cream Van

Beat the GoalieCarousel

Titanic SlideGiant Buzzer

Craft StallsInflatables

BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4

Trampolines and SlidePerformance from Pulse Dance Studio and other demonstrations, plus loads more fun activities

If you are interested in booking a stall please contact [email protected] the attention of Michelle Sharp (Chairperson) or Lorraine Bosworth (Vice Chairperson)

Admission 50p per personDonated to Henry Allen Trust

Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm

Rickley ParkPrimary School

Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW

S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW

S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW

S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW

S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW


S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW

S U M M EF E T E

R






BBQFace Painting

Sponge the Teacher

Tea Cup Ride

Good Time Cafe

Play Zone with 4




Saturday25th

June 201612pm - 4pm


Rickley Lane

Bletchley

MK3 6EW


Tour the Milton Keynes Recycling Factory

What happens tomy recycling?

www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/mrf 01908 252312

Come and look around the Milton Keynes Recycling Factory, learn what canbe recycled and find out what it is made into.

Visits include a talk, video of the machinery in action and a tour out intothe factory to view the recycling being sorted by the machines and stafffrom the safety of a raised walkway.

Tours available include free public tours, school trips, community groupand children’s craft sessions.

Booking is essential for all tours via the website.

M15249


The fi rst of the ‘Cruft s’ Dog events took place in 1891 at the Royal Agricultural Hall in Islington. It was the brainchild of Charles Cruft , hence the name. Aft er college, Charles worked for the well known dog food company Spratt s, initi ally as an offi ce boy and later as a travelling salesman across Europe. In 1878 he was asked by French dog-breeders to promote the canine secti on of the Paris Exhibiti on. Back in England, he managed the Allied Terrier Club Show at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster in 1886. He launched Cruft s fi ve years later. When Charles died in 1938, his wife Emma took over the running of the Show. She handed the mantle to the Kennel Club in 1948.

The fi rst event had 2,437 entries representi ng 36 breeds. This year’s show will see over 22,000 dogs competi ng from around 43 countries. The event is truly internati onal since quaranti ne laws were lift ed in the year 2000. The ulti mate accolade, Best in Show has been contested

for 87 years, and won by 43 diff erent breeds. The most frequent champion breed with seven wins is the cocker spaniel, followed by the Irish Sett er and Welsh Terrier which have each taken four ti tles. The fi rst ever winner was a greyhound and the 2015 winner was a fi ve-year-old Russian Scotti sh Terrier called Knopa. Winners receive a replica silver trophy and a small cash prize, but it is the presti ge and future stud-money that are the real att racti on.

In additi on to the Best in Show and Best in Breed awards, there are now many other competi ti ons including Scruff s - for crossbreeds. Visitors can also enjoy the spectacle of acti viti es such as fast-paced fl yball, skillful agility and heelwork to music. In many of the competi ti ons there are junior as well as adult classes. Att endees also look forward to seeing famous names such as celebrity vets and TV personaliti es known for their love of dogs.

There is a wealth of shopping opportuniti es with over 400 exhibiti on stands. And for those thinking of purchasing a dog the Discover Dogs secti on features examples, advice and informati on from owners of around 200 breeds.

Over the last decade £138,000 has been raised from dog exhibitors for the Kennel Club’s charitable trust which distributes money to dog re-homing, assistance dog chariti es, and funds research into the understanding and preventi on of dog diseases. Huge eff orts are now made to ensure all dogs in the Show are healthy following previous concerns about welfare.

Cruft s is a great day out, and for dog-lovers it’s not to be missed!

By Susan Brookes-Morris

CruftsCruft s, the world’s largest dog show takes place between 10 and 13 March at the NEC

Birmingham.


Transform any room in 1 day

HomeGarden &

Nearly all of us have at least one room in our house that is feeling a bit tired and uninspired. In one day you can transform any room with very little effort and just a bit of thought.

First pick your room and then find a bold colour that will pop out from the rest of the room. Here we are showing orange but try visiting http://www.tigercolor.com/color-lab/color-theory/color-theory-intro.htm to find out more about colours that work together.

Then decide where you are using your colour. If you are going bold pick a feature wall, if you want to be more subtle paint a cupboard, table or shelves. A pot of paint can work wonders and doesn’t break the bank but you can also do the same with some striking wallpaper.

Remember if you are painting furniture or an object use a suitable primer to ensure the paint adheres well. There is a primer for practically all surfaces. Your DIY centre can advise you.

Now add as many accessories as you like. It can be very effective to pick up the colour in just one or two pieces or go as wild as you like. Choosing items of different texture works well too. Even the tiniest object will jump out to the eye if it matches your chosen colour.Items pictured: from Dunelms

picture £29.99

mug 99p

cushion £9.99

bin £109.99


Want to make sure you’re completing your 10,000 steps a day, or looking to improve your training? An activity tracker can help. The FitBit is probably the best known brand on the market, with several models to choose from:

The entry level Zip, at around £50, tracks your steps, distance walked and calories burned. “So it’s a fancy pedometer then?” I hear you ask. Well, yes, basically, but it’s more re-sponsive and you can sync it to your computer or smartphone to see your activity presented as a graph. This makes it much easier to monitor your activity levels over time and track you progress. The Zip also acts as a watch, and there are various other extras, such as the ability to log your food intake.

Feel like you’re getting your full eight hours of sleep, but still feel tired? You might want to opt for One or Flex, which track your sleep as well as your activ-ity. They also have silent alarms, to wake you up, but not your partner. One clips onto your clothing, while Flex is worn

like a watch. There are some differences in what they offer – Flex doesn’t have a clock, for example.

Charge is similar to Flex, in that you wear it like a watch, but it comes with some added extras, such as a clock. If your phone is nearby and it rings, the caller ID will come up on the Charge display. It also has a better bat-tery life, of up to 10 days. Charge HR is designed for people who work out regularly, as it can recognise different exercises, and has an automatic heart-rate monitor to help maximise your training.

Top of the range is Surge, at around £200. It’s been designed for people who are really serious about their sports performance, and want to monitor every aspect of their training. For instance, you can track the route you’re running using GPS. You can also control music and

read texts that come through to your smartphone.

So which one to go for? Well Zip is a great choice if you just want to check whether you’re walking those recommended 10,000 steps a day. If you cycle, run, or enjoy another sport, you’ll want to opt for a more advanced model. Now, a warning… It is possible to get ever so slightly obsessed with the FitBit. You can easily find yourself checking it hun-dreds of times a day, which can distract you from real life, and you can find yourself pushing ever harder, unnecessarily. On the positive side, it does encourage you to increase your activity levels and build up your fitness. Like so much in life, the key is moderation.

Totally Addicted to

FITBIT

Tempted? Head to: www.fitbit.comBy Kate Duggan

venue tbc in next edition


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garden

Your Garden in MarchJobs for the gardenThe first day of spring this year is officially March 20th . Trees are blossoming and daffodils are in bloom. The garden has woken up from its winter sleep and is full of promise.But promise is not enough. A beautiful garden does not happen by chance. So what are the top jobs for March gardeners?

• Pruning features large! Hard-prune those late flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Leycesteria and Lavateria, but only if the risk of heavy frost is past.

• Spring-flowering plants such as Forsythia and Winter Honeysuckle should be pruned immediately the flowers fade.

• If you haven’t already pruned your bush roses, now is the time. Leave about an inch of last year’s growth to encourage bushiness and lots of flowers. Shrub roses don’t need such radical treatment but would benefit from losing a third of their old, thick, woody stems.

• Lift congested clumps of snowdrops while they still have leaves showing.

• Finally, stay on top of the weeds. If you leave them, weeding quickly becomes an insurmountable chore.

Ok, we’ve dispensed with the hard work, now it’s time to look ahead.

I have one word for you...Lilies.I always thought they were tricky to grow, and so they proved, mainly because my garden doubles as a slug sanctuary!Then I had an epiphany. It dawned on me that if I grew them in pots, slug prevention would be easier, plus I didn’t run the risk of slicing through the fat, scaly bulbs or tender shoots with my hoe while enthusiastically weeding my plot. Even better, it means you can grow them even if you only have a balcony.There are loads of varieties in the garden centres right now. Three bulbs fit nicely into an 8inch / 20cm pot and five fit into a ten inch / 25cm pot. I’ve found terracotta pots best because they provide enough weight to prevent these tall plants tipping over.Lilies need an open planting mixture which drains well so I use a mixture of potting com-post plus a soil-less multi-pur-pose compost. The bulb tips should be a couple of inches below the compost.

Keep in a sheltered spot and water when the surface of the compost looks dry. Once the buds have formed, feed weekly with dilute tomato food until late summer. When the blooms fade, cut the stems down and place in a sheltered spot.Each spring, scrape away a couple of inches of compost and add fresh mixture, then repeat the instructions above. Treated like this your lilies will reward you for three or four years before they need re-potting. There are a plethora of colours and scents available, so there is a lily for everyone. Try them. I guarantee you’ll be as in love with lilies as I am.

By Rachel Leverton


Roast lamb has long been a traditional food served up at Easter and, in my opinion, you can't really beat the combination of lamb, rosemary and garlic. I often prepare a piece of lamb by inserting slices of a garlic clove into stabbed cuts in the meat, then poke rosemary leaves into the hole too before smothering in mustard and roasting. However, at this time of year it is pos-sible to forage wild garlic (or ransoms) in certain woodlands where the ground is chalky.

If you can't find wild garlic and are growing your own garlic in the garden then the fresh new leafy growth on the garlic plants makes an excel-lent substitute. You need to harvest only 4 or 5 of these leaves so you won’t overly damage the plants. Garlic chives are another alternative that works well should you be growing that in your herb garden. Back in the kitchen, finely chop the leaves then mix them into mustard powder and add a little water to form a thick paste. Smear this green garlic mustard over the surface of the raw meat. Season with salt and pepper then roast at 180°C, gas 4 for the appropriate amount of time depending on the size of your piece of meat.

Spring is a tricky month for seasonal British ingredients. Generally, gardeners are busy sow-

ing seeds and enjoying the first welcome signs of spring and there is relatively little ready to harvest. However, the last of the overwinter-ing vegetables such as leeks and parsnips are still available and there are a few key fresh ingredients that take centre stage as a wel-

come sign of the new season. I try to celebrate these lovely flavours in my Easter roast lamb celebratory meal.

Accompany the lamb with roast potatoes or you could seek out the first of the Jersey Royal new

potatoes in the shops. Leeks, purple sprout-ing broccoli, parsnips and asparagus are all good choices of seasonal vegetables. And for dessert, something with rhubarb... crumble or fool maybe. A finishing touch of a pot or vase of spring flowers on the table and you're all set of a spectacular celebration of British springtime.

For more seasonal recipes and ideas visit my blog at http://jammycowmk.blogspot.co.uk/

Roast Lamb with a taste of spring

add a home grown twist to your roast


- a celebration of all things Irish - and people around Ireland and throughout the world will commemorate it with a pint or two of Guinness, Ireland's unofficial national intoxicant, with more than a 25% share of the beer market.Arthur Guinness founded the brewery that makes the famous drink. Born in 1725 in County Kildare, Arthur inherited £100 at the age of 27 from his godfather, and three years later he set up business as a brewer. In 1759 he signed a 9,000 year lease on a disused brewery in St James Gate, Dublin where he began brewing porter and ale.Porter is a dark, well-hopped beer made from brown malt. Its history is closely intertwined with that of stout, a term which originally referred to a beer's strength but which now refers to the drink's body and colour. Today's Guinness is a dry stout available in a number of variants and strengths, including Guinness Draught, Guinness Original/Extra Stout, Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Guinness Special Export Stout and Guinness Bitter. It is nicknamed 'the black stuff' on account of its dark colour, although it is actually a very dark shade of ruby!Now brewed in 60 countries and available in over 120, the first Guinness export was to England in 1769, and by 1824 it had become a worldwide brand. Sales soared from 350,000 barrels in 1868 to over a million eighteen years later. However, by

the 1970s sales were in decline and the company decided to make Guinness Extra Stout 'more drinkable', resulting in a brand re-launch in 1981 with pale malt being used for the first time.Contemporary Guinness Draught and Extra Light Stout are weaker than their 19th Century counterpart, with Foreign Extra Stout and Special Export being closer to the original in character. Modern Guinness has a burnt flavour and is famous for its smoothness and thick, creamy head. The production of Guinness continues to change with the times. In November last year the company announced plans to make their beer suitable for vegetarians and vegans by the end of 2016, through the introduction of a new filtration process that will avoid the need to use isinglass from fish bladders. Claims have been made in the past that Guinness can benefit the heart by helping to prevent harmful deposit build-up on artery walls. It has also been described as a 'meal in a glass', and at 198 calories per pint, has slightly fewer calories than skimmed milk, orange juice and most other light beers.So, I wish you a happy St Patrick's Day, filled with friends, fun, smiles and a drop of the black stuff.By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

A Drop of the Black StuffMarch 17th is St Patrick’s Day

TERMS: Two winners will be chosen at random and sent a £20 voucher for use in any Smoke Shack restaurant. Winners will be notifi ed by 30th March 2016. Bletchley Buzz accepts no liabilityfor delivery of prizes. Prizes are not redeemable for cash.This competition is not open to staff, stakeholders or anyone associated with Smoke Shack.

WIN A £20VOUCHER!

We are giving away 2 x £20 vouchers for the award-winning Smoke Shack.

They recently launched their amazing new menu whichyou can view by going onwww.smoke-shack.co.uk!

Please email your answer, and your address,to [email protected] by the closingdeadline of 24th March 2016 with the subject

“Smoke Shack Competition”.

In order to win, simply answerthe following question:

Which of our 9 burgers is named after the town of Stony Stratford?

A. The Swan & Eagle BurgerB. The Cock & Bull Burger

C. The Billy Burger

some of our menu items• Finest quality locally sourced steaks, meats & produce• Burgers from the fi nest cuts• Tender 7–hour smoked ribs• Signature recipe hot dogs

• Three choices of fries• Delicious house–made desserts• Kids menu, vegetarian dishes & dietary options available

C C


TERMS: Two winners will be chosen at random and sent a £20 voucher for use in any Smoke Shack restaurant. Winners will be notifi ed by 30th March 2016. Bletchley Buzz accepts no liabilityfor delivery of prizes. Prizes are not redeemable for cash.This competition is not open to staff, stakeholders or anyone associated with Smoke Shack.

WIN A £20VOUCHER!

We are giving away 2 x £20 vouchers for the award-winning Smoke Shack.

They recently launched their amazing new menu whichyou can view by going onwww.smoke-shack.co.uk!

Please email your answer, and your address,to [email protected] by the closingdeadline of 24th March 2016 with the subject

“Smoke Shack Competition”.

In order to win, simply answerthe following question:

Which of our 9 burgers is named after the town of Stony Stratford?

A. The Swan & Eagle BurgerB. The Cock & Bull Burger

C. The Billy Burger

some of our menu items• Finest quality locally sourced steaks, meats & produce• Burgers from the fi nest cuts• Tender 7–hour smoked ribs• Signature recipe hot dogs

• Three choices of fries• Delicious house–made desserts• Kids menu, vegetarian dishes & dietary options available

C C


What’s Onvisit www.bletchleybuzz.co.uk for our online calendar

we post event updates on Facebook tooTell Bletchley Buzzabout your local event

STAMP FAIR - MILTON KEYNES PHILATELIC SOCIETY Saturday 2nd April 2016, 10am - 4pmMethodist Hall, Queensway, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK2 2HB Stamp Dealers and Members will be selling stamps and coins as well as the former Bletchley Park Post Offi ce with their limited editi on special covers. Refreshments will be available - everything from homemade cakes and your

choice of sandwich to bacon rolls and cherry pie! Interested in joining the “Stamp Club” ... this is a great opportunity to meet many of our members. Come along and have a chat, we are a friendly group. We look forward to welcoming you. For further information on the Stamp Fair, or joining the Stamp Club, please contact Karen Goodger on 01908 521220 or visit www.miltonkeynesphilatelicsociety.co.uk.

NSPCC MK Half

Marathon & 10K Bigger and Better for

2016!!Back for its 18th year, the NSPCC Milton Keynes Half Marathon has become a key event in the MK sporting calendar – and for 2016 there are some exciting developments.

This year, we are holding the event on Sunday 25 September, making it literally ‘cooler’; plus we’ve added the option of a 10K run – giving the chance for more people to take part and help raise vital funds for the NSPCC.

Both races will start together and run over our new course, which is almost entirely traffic-free on the MK Redways; taking in some of the very best sights of Milton Keynes, including the Grand Union Canal, woodland and Campbell Park.

We are also excited to announce the launch our new very own dedicated website: www.mkhalf-marathon.org, where you can

find all the information you need about our event, including details about the fabulous new route and training tips. Addition-ally, you can find us on Twitter @nspcc_mkhalf, and Facebook ‘NSPCC MK Half Marathon’ - – so you can keep up-to-date with all the news as it happens and let us know how your preparations are going!

Our event is unique to Milton Keynes in that it is the only half marathon solely organised to benefit charity. The event is run entirely by volunteers, and all the money raised will go to help support the work of the NSPCC Schools Service, helping children to understand the types of abuse and how to protect themselves.Clive Gear, Chair NSPCC Milton Keynes Half Marathon Commit-tee, said: “We are very excited about this year’s changes and look forward to welcoming more runners to the event. I would like to say a special thank you to all our volunteers who work all year to put on this wonderful day. Additionally, we are extremely grateful to our hosts, sponsors

and supporters: The Webber Independent School, Dawson-group, ICR Leasing, Jeanius Consulting, mkfm, MVad, Results Base and The Parks Trust.”

So, what is Scottish Country Dancing?

Burns Night is behind us, St Andrews Night is yet to come and Hogmanay will round the year off. One thing they all have in common is a chance to enjoy Scottish Ceilidh or Country Danc-ing. So, what is Scottish Country Dancing (SCD)? It’s a modern form of the country dances popular since the 18th Century. Thousands more dances have been devised since then and

it is now popular in many countries across the world (I’ll be dancing in France, Germany and Japan this year).

Most of the time dances are done in sets of eight people facing each other in two lines. The dances are made up of standard forma-

tions and can be slow elegant strathspeys or fast and lively reels and jigs.Teamwork is the order of the day, with a great deal of laughter along the way.Wednesday evenings you will find a small but enthusiastic group of us dancing at Shenley Brook End Hall from 8-10pm. For the grand sum of £3 a ses-sion you’d be very welcome to join us - don’t worry if you haven’t done it before, you’ll be shown. www.thistleclub.co.uk

Interested in Joining a Darts team?A local team are currently looking for new members. Spaces avail-able in their Mixed league team who play on a Tuesday night and the Ladies league on a Wednes-day night.Home Games are played at Bletchley's Working Mens Club, with away games played at vari-ous venues around Milton Keynes.Please call Gary for further infor-mation or to register interest on 07821 795431

Sat 12th MarchEmily’s Star Easter Gift and Craft Fair10am - 2pm Tattenhoe Pavil-lion, MK4 3EQ.Licensed Bar, refreshments Saf’s Kitchen and Urban Griller,Children’s play area and onsite parking

Sat 19th & Sun 20th MarchFrosts Eggcellent TreatSaturday 19th March & Sun-day 20th March Anytime between 10am and 4pm The activity starts with a bunny hunt around the garden centre followed by some Egg-cellent fun! Children can get creative by decorating their very own chocolate Easter egg with a selection on yummy sweeties, perfect to take home for an Easter treat. Children will finish the activity by deco-rating their own Easter egg magnet followed by a glass of squash. £5.99 per Child


MethodPreheat oven to 180C / gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

• Mash three bananas to a pulp and chop the fourth.

• Sifttheflourandbakingpowdertogetherintoaseparatebowl.

• Add the butter, egg and caster sugar. Using a mixer mix everything together for a minute or two.

• Add the mashed and chopped bananas and brieflywhiskthemintothemixture.

• Foldinthechoppedwalnutsandlemonzest.• Spoonthecakemixtureintothepreparedtin• SprinklewithDemerarasugar.

Place in the pre-heated oven so that the top of thetinisinthecentre.Bakefor60-70minutesuntilaskewerinsertedintothecakecomesoutclean.

Letthecakecoolfor10-15minutesthenturnoutontoacoolingrack.

Thiscakeisgoodservedwarmwithcrèmefraiche,cold, or even toasted.

Recipe

A lovely tea-time treatPreparation time: 20 minutesCookingtime:60-70minutes

Ingredients225gplainflour2leveltspbak-ingpowder80g softened or spreadable butter1 large egg (beaten)110g caster sugar4 medium ba-nanas (peeled)50gwalnuts(chopped)Zest 1 lemonDemerarasugarforsprinkling

Banana and Walnut Loaf


WordsearchC O CH O L A T E E G YEG MB U BL G N I R E W O BFL AO U NB S G O O D F R YDI AU E TR S A O R Y A D CUN SQ T AS E R T H C N U AAL UU N NY U B R E T S A RKE NE S NF O W D R O P A DSO ST S OE R S U N B R A ETS HS A KC E S I A E I E NNN IE S TA E R C L E N T IEI NF O WL E R S S S G T ZSK ES O HT C H O C O L A AET SM T LI I D O F F A D GRA NU C RO O C U S B M E APC DM E LT O I V R A B B M TI S

BeesBouquets

BunsCakesCard

CatkinsChocolate Egg

ChocolatesCrocusDaffodilEaster

Easter BunnyFlowering Bulb

FlowersGem

Good FridayHot

LentLunch TreatsMagazineMothering

SundayMums

PresentsRabbits

RoseSnowdrop

SoapSpring Lamb

SunSunday Roast

SunshineTea

Violet

WIN TICKETS

To enter please email the correct answer to [email protected] with the subject "Bodyguard"

or post your answer together with your name and address to :2 Tunny End, Bletchley , MK3 6GZ attention of Bletchley

Buzz BodyGuard Competition.

WIN two tickets to see

The Bodyguard, the award-winning

musical based on the blockbuster � lm at

Milton Keynes � eatre on Friday 22nd April 2016.

Q. Which music artist provides the soundtrack to the � lm � e Bodyguard?

A. Madonna B. Whitney Houston C. Beverley Knight.

Terms and conditi ons apply: Prize is valid on 22th April 2016 only. Prize is only as stated and cannot be transferred or exchanged. No cash alterna-ti ve will be off ered. Entrants must ensure they are available on the date of the prize. Competi ti on closes 24th March. Winners will be selected randomly and noti fi ed by post or email by 30th March 2016.


EssentialNumbers

A&EStoke Mandeville HospitalMandeville Road, Aylesbury, HP21 8AL 01296 315000

Luton & Dunstable HospitalLewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ0845 127 0127

Milton Keynes HospitalH8 Standing Way, Eaglestone, Milton Keynes,MK6 5LD 01908 660033Milton Keynes Urgent Care Centre 24/7 walk in service for patients with urgent medical problems Milton Keynes Hos-pital, Standing Way, Eaglestone MK6 5NG Walk in or ring the NHS 111 service

Non- Emergency Number Call: 111

Emergency Number Call: 999

DoctorsBedford Street Surgery 01908 658850 4 Bedford Street, Bletchley, MK2 2TX Drayton Road Surgery 01908 37148120 Drayton Road, Bletchley, MK2 3EJ

Red House Surgery 01908 375111

241 Queensway, Bletchley, MK2 2EH Water Eaton Health Centre 01908 371318Fern Grove, Bletchley, MK2 3HN Westfield Road Surgery 01908 37710311 Westfield Road, Bletch-ley, MK2 2DJ

Whaddon Medical Centre 01908 37305825 Witham Court, Tweed Drive, BletchleyMK3 7QU

Pharmacy* open sundays (call to check)Cox & Robinson 13 Melrose Avenue 01908 372651Lloyds Pharmacy 127-129 Queensway01908 373 674Queensway Late Night Pharmacy, Elizabeth Square, 01908 631699Tesco Instore Pharmacy Watling Street01908 854 247P&I Smith Ltd 206 Whad-don Way01908 372 161Boots Store 1 The Con-course, Brunel Centre01908 372 888Cox & Robinson, 239

Queensway01908 373 135

CouncilBletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council 01908 649469

Milton Keynes CouncilTelephone: 01908 691691Minicom: 01908 252727Our out of hours emergency telephone: 01908 226699E-mail: [email protected]

PoliceBletchley Police StationSherwood Drive, Bletchley, MK3 6TP Call 101 - (always call 999 in an emergency)Monday: 0900 - 1700Tuesday: 0900 - 1700Wednesday: 0900 - 1700Thursday: 0900 - 1700Friday: 0900 - 1700Saturday: ClosedSunday: Close

MPIain StewartTel: 01908 686830 / Fax: 01908 686831Email: [email protected] Web: www.ias4mks.com

LibraryBletchley Library 01908 372797

keep this page


Easter Bin Collections

Normal Day Easter Collection Day

Friday 25th March Saturday 26th MarchMonday 28th March Tuesday 29th MarchTuesday 29th March Wednesday 30th MarchWednesday 30th March Thursday 31st MarchThursday 31st March Friday 1st AprilFriday 1st April Saturday 2nd April

Normal collections resume 4th April

Is there someone you know who deserves to receive this delicious gift? Please write and tell us why they are so special and they will be in with a great chance to be surprised. It could be your mum or daughter, a supportive friend or colleague, or someone / team who has gone above and beyond to help. We'd love to hear about them. Please email your nominations to [email protected] or write to: Bletchley Buzz Flowers, 2 Tunny End BletchleyMK3 6GZ All nominations must be received by 24th March.

NOMINATE SOMEONE SPECIAL

Nominate someone to receive our beautiful Bletchley Buzz cupcake bouquet, designed and made specifically for us by the very talented Julie Lomas of JL Cakes






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Bletchley Buzz 1 March 2016 spring edition

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Transcript of Bletchley Buzz 1 March 2016 spring edition