Amersham & Chalfonts Together November/December 2019 Issue

NEWS AND VIEWS 

Features 

Festive dining 

Christmas gift ideas 

Postnuptial agreements 

What’s on this Christmas 

Advice for first time buyers 

Health Features 

Tinnitus explained 

Look after your gut 

Common baby worries 

Community News 

Spreading love on 'Silver Sunday’ 

Amersham Chiltern Lifestyle Centre 

Complimentary copy, hand delivered to 8,000 homes and businesses in Amersham, 

Chesham, Little Chalfont, Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter. 

CHRISTMAS EDITION 

November / December 2019 Issue 5

2 Amersham & Chalfonts Together is part of Community Together

NEW YEAR’S PARTY 

31ST DECEMBER 

2019 

NEW YEARS EVE HOUSE PARTY 

~ A glass of Champagne and Canapés at the table 

~ Chris Wheeler’s Signature 4 Course Dinner with Petit Fours, 

Coffee and Tea in the Mansion House 

~ Live Band in The Orangery 

~ Fireworks Display at Midnight by the Orangery Lawn 

~ “Midnight Temptations” Buffet in Humphry’s 

Dress code: Party Attire 

Dinner Timings: 19:30 / 20:00 / 20:30 

Member - £185 per person 

Non Member - £195 per person 

Children - £95 per child (Children under 3 are free) 

For more information or to book please contact Grace Fraser on 

GFraser@stokepark.com or 01753 717178 

www.stokepark.com | Stoke Park, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG

Features this issue 

8 6 20 

Community 

United Nations Older People 6 

Remembrance Sunday 6 

New Chiltern Lifestyle Centre 8 

Silver Sunday celebration 20 

Michael Sobell Hospice 28 

Business 

First Time Buyers 15 

Postnuptial agreements 35 

Christmas Features 

Gifts from Healthright 13 

Giggling Squid review 16 

Festive dining 18 

Christmas gift ideas 26 

Buying a piano for Christmas 29 

What’s on over Christmas 30 & 31 

Education 

School news 22, 24 

Health 

Avoid colds and ‘flu 11 

Common baby worries 12 

Tinnitus explained from HearWeGo 14 

Get ready for GX fun run 34 

Meet the Team 

Publisher, Editor & Sales 

Therese Cooklin - 07786 735711 

Hello & welcome! 

Welcome to Amersham & Chalfonts Together, 

bringing the community together with local news 

and views. We hope you like the new look! 

There’s lots of community news in this issue! 10th 

November is Remembrance Sunday: read how you 

can remember loved ones and share them with the 

community. Mimi Hawker 0BE organised a fantastic 

event on Silver Sunday (p20) Amersham has the 

go ahead for a chiltern lifestyle centre and whilst 

it’s being built the library has a temporary home (p8). 

See p30 for ‘What’s On over Christmas’, p34 for 

pantomimes in the area and if you’re looking for a 

special New Year’s Eve party, Stoke Park Club looks 

stunning (p3). 

If money were no object, I would buy my son a grand 

piano (p29) because ‘music is the food of love’, which 

brings me onto our festive dining pages. We sample 

the new menu from The Giggling Squid (p16), and 

our festive dining recommendations may give you 

some inspiration. 

If you have any community news, or would like to 

advertise in the next issue, please contact me. The 

copy deadline is early because of Christmas - 4th 

December. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2020! 

Therese 

t: 07786 735711 

e: therese@amershamtogether.co.uk 

w: www.amershamtogether.co.uk 

Magazine Designer 

Mathew Peet, Digital Bear Design - 01949 839206 

Events and Features Co-ordinator 

Judith Morris - events@amerhsamtogether.co.uk 

Content is accurate to the best of our knowledge, however Amersham & 

Chalfonts Together part of Abstract Niche Ltd cannot be held liable for 

loss or damage, caused by errors or omissions. Inclusion of advertisers 

does not indicate our endorsement of their products or services. 

If you are a charity or non-profit organisation 

and want FREE publicity, join our campaign 

to bring communities together. 

Contact: marketing@communitytogether.co.uk 

Copy Deadline 

Jan/Feb 2020 

Advertisers 

4th December 

Community 

Editorial 

29th November

Sing Your Pain Away! 

Singing is so beneficial to our wellbeing, 

and has been shown to help reduce pain, 

lift our mood and improve our quality of life. 

Join us on Thursdays 2.45pm at the 

Memorial Centre in Gerrards Cross. 

For details please email 

jane@singyourpainaway.co.uk 

or call 07788 227654 

To advertise please call 07786 735 711 or email marketing@amershamtogether.co.uk 

5

COMMUNITY NEWS 

Celebrating United 

Nations Older 

People’s Day 

Rotate, the satellite branch of the 

Amersham Rotary Club, hosted United 

Nations Older People’s Day at St Michaels 

and All Angels Church on Sycamore 

Road on 1 October. 

The ethos behind this day is a worldwide 

recognition and celebration of older people. 

It also highlights challenges we face as we get 

older. Supported by Chiltern District Council, the 

day was packed with information, with service 

providers from across the sector present to share 

what they do to help and support older people 

in our area. Tesco provided refreshments and 

delicious cakes were baked by the WI Angels! 

Rotate themed the day “Try Something New”, 

giving guests the chance to try something 

they had never done before. Guests could try 

sessions such as Sing Your Pain Away or, for the 

less mobile, chair exercises or even a mindfulness 

class. Brendan O’Sullivan and Karma Academy 

provided guests with a relaxing hand massage 

or they could have their nails painted. There 

was also a drawing class, health checks, knit 

and natter, and advice from Voices and Choices, 

Remap and Men in Sheds to name a few of the 

agencies present. 

The police were on hand to advise on safety 

and NatWest talked guests through a number of 

issues, including dealing with scams. Everyone 

left with more information, and having had a really 

good day. The event was so successful it will be 

repeated next year. 

Mimi Hawker OBE 

Remembrance Sunday 

Sunday 10th November 

We remember all those British and 

Commonwealth military and civilian 

service people who died in the two 

World Wars. 

I did not know my Grandad and my father hardly 

knew him either as he lost his life serving his country 

at the age of 25. Here are a few words written by my 

father commemorating his father’s life. 

“Petty Officer JACK PEARCE (25th March 1920 

- 19th March 1945) left Trincomalee, Ceylon in 

HMS Rapid on 21st February 1945 with Force 

68 to track down and destroy the Japanese ship 

Haguro. On 19th March at about 1.50pm HMS 

Rapid was approaching Stewart Sound, north of 

the Andaman Islands, when it was hit by fire from 

a shore battery and eleven of the gun crew were 

killed, including Jack. HMS Rapid had to be towed 

away for repairs and was eventually used for 

target practice, and sunk, in 1981. Jack had been 

mentioned twice in dispatches and seemed ready 

for promotion. He had a difficult life: his mother 

died of cancer in 1924 and his father, born in 1872, 

died just before his retirement in 1936, when 

Jack chose a career in the Navy. An account of 

the battle in which he died is described in a book 

called “Sink the Haguro” written in 1978 by John 

Winton. May he be resting in peace.” 

If you would like to share your 

memories of family members 

who lost their lives serving 

their country, we would be 

honoured to publish them on 

our website. Please email me 

therese@communitytogether.co.uk 

6 

Amersham & Chalfonts Together is part of Community Together

Home Counties Loft Ladders, 

Quality You Can Trust! 

These days most 

homeowners suffer from 

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So many precious items 

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just the affordability 

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Integrity in that we 

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value in that we offer 

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7


New Chiltern 

Lifestyle Centre 

Chiltern District Council is building a new 

state-of-the-art leisure and community 

facility to replace the existing community 

centre and leisure facilities in Amersham. 

Work is due to start Autumn 2019 and the 

Lifestyle Centre is due to open at the end 

of 2021. The current Chiltern Pools centre, 

Community Centre and Youth Club/Nursery 

will remain open throughout the development. 

There will be 263 parking spaces and the new 

Centre will feature a 160 station fitness suite 

Amersham Library 

has a temporary 

new home! 

As you may have already heard, the Chiltern 

Lifestyle Centre development in Amersham has 

been given the go-ahead and work will start in 

October 2019. 

We are excited about the prospect of being part 

of this project and of designing a brand new 

library for Amersham. We will keep customers 

up-to-date with designs for the new library as 

plans progress. As this is a large project, the 

development works will take some time and for 

the duration of the build we will be temporarily 

relocated to a new home in the Chiltern District 

Council building on King George V Road. 

You can find the latest information at: 

www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/libraries/ 

find-a-library/amersham/ 

with four studios, a spa, an eight-lane, 25 metre 

swimming pool, a diving / teaching pool, a 

children’s splash pad area, soft play, clip and 

climb, a four badminton court sports hall, 

squash courts, a climbing wall, library, café area 

and community centre. For more information 

go to: www.chilternlifestylecentre.com 

Chalfont St Giles Community Library 

& Information Centre 

Fridays 10.30am: Bounce and Rhyme for under 

5 year olds 

See the library notice board for other events. 

High Street, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4QA, 

01494 874 732 

Little Chalfont Community Library 

Films: 

The Keeper: Monday 18th Nov, Monday 25th 

Nov, Tuesday 26th Nov 

Rocketman: Monday 2nd Dec, Tuesday 10th Dec, 

Wednesday 11th Dec 

The library hosts two reading groups, which 

take place on the third and last Wednesday 

of every month at 7.45 pm and at 7.30 pm 

respectively. To join the third Wednesday 

group, please email Sarah Jameson at 

se.jameson@virginmedia.com 

Computer 

Classes for 

beginners 

and improvers. 

Please contact 

George May on 01494 581 169 

if you wish to attend a class. 

Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, HP7 9QA, 

01494 764 602 | littlechalfontlibrary@gmail.com 

www.littlechalfontlibrary.org.uk 


Occupational Therapy for adults of all ages: 

Equipment 

Housing adaptations 

Posture, seating and wheelchair assessments 

Moving and Handling 

Overcoming mental illness, fatigue and pain 

We treat each client as an individual, and our 

priority is to provide a bespoke service to help you 

achieve your goals on your journey to recovery. 

Telephone: 07842 488319 / 07710 608959 

Website: www.phoenixrehab.co.uk 

Email: info@phoenixrehab.co.uk 

Meet new 

neighbours: 

coffee on Saturdays 

10am-12pm 

Amersham Neighbours‛ 

Coffee Morning 

Contact rotateamersham@gmail.com 

Latest Recommended UK Posting Dates 

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9


William’s Fund 

Christmas cards 

for sale 

Heavenly Christmas is from an 

original by Elizabeth Cox, William’s 

grandmother, edited skilfully by 

Graham - William’s uncle. 

The reverse of the card has a twist... In 2018 

a ball was organised by four Gerrards Cross 

gentlemen, Paul, Greg, John and Justin, 

completely without female input! The event 

was a huge success and this year William’s 

Fund feature the finalists and winning entry by 

Greta from the penguin drawing competition 

held on the night. All proceeds from the card 

sales go to their research in Oxford specifically 

for Childhood Cancer Research. 

Order cards online, see them at local fairs, give 

us a call or check out the local stockists on our 

website. 

The MPS Society 

launches a new 

Christmas campaign 

The Big Give is the UK’s largest match 

funding campaign and from the 3-10 

December your donation to the MPS 

Society will be doubled for free. 

If £5,000 is raised online the Big Give will 

double it to £10,000! All funds raised will go 

towards supporting children and families 

affected by Mucopolysaccharide (MPS) and 

related diseases. These diseases are rare, 

incurable genetic conditions which cause 

physical and neurological deterioration. 

All our stockists sell the 

cards with no fees, so 

please appreciate their 

kindness when you visit 

them! 

Like to sell William’s Fund 

cards? Please get in touch: 

johanna@williamsfund.co.uk or 

m: 07775 810 888 

www.williamsfund.co.uk 

Contact us for free quotation 

• Curtains 

• Blinds 

• Shutters 

• Tracks & Poles 

• Conservatory Blinds 

• Skylight & Roof Blinds 

• Bespoke tailoring and 

alteration service 

10% 

DISCOUNT 

ON MADE TO MEASURE 

CURTAINS* 

Expert fitting 

Free local 

delivery 

27A Market Place 

Chalfont St. Peter, Gerrards Cross 

SL9 9DU 

Phone: 01753 888876 

Mobile: 07738667048 

info@shadedinteriors.co.uk 

DONATE: www.mpssociety.org.uk/christmas 

between 3-10 December & help them achieve 

their goal. 

For more information visit: 

www.mpssociety.org.uk 

Motorised 

Our curtains and roman blinds are hand made by us on site, 

reducing turnaround time and maintaining a high level of 

quality. 

www.shadedinteriors.co.uk 

*Offer only available on made to measure curtains ordered in the month November. 


Avoid colds and influenza 

this winter 

We’ve reached that time of year 

when colds and coughs are circulating. 

There are more than 200 different 

common cold viruses and you might 

think that catching one is inevitable, 

but I have a top tip for you to help fight 

them off - and I bet it’s not one you’d 

expect! Forget vitamin tablets and 

superfood powders – I’m talking about 

your gut! 

Did you know that more than 70% of your 

immune system is based in your gut? 

Research has shown that it’s possible to 

reduce the frequency of catching coughs 

and colds by supporting the beneficial 

bacteria that live there. This is often my first 

advice for clients who come to me seeking 

advice on boosting their immune system. 

Luckily, there are lots of simple ways you can 

keep your gut ‘happy’. 

HEALTH NEWS 

fermented foods. These are foods that contain 

live bacteria to populate the gut – sometimes 

referred to as ‘probiotic’ foods. Unsweetened, 

natural live yoghurt, milk or water kefir, kombucha, 

sauerkraut, kimchi and miso are all examples of 

fermented foods and most can be found in large 

supermarkets or your local health food store. You 

might try adding some natural yoghurt or kefir 

to some granola and berries for breakfast, or sip 

some warm miso as a comfort drink (don’t make 

the miso too hot - it will kill off the bacteria). 

Gut bacteria thrive on fibre, so increasing your 

intake of fruit and vegetables is an easy way to 

help. Aim for five a day – more if you can (one 

portion is about 80 grams) and try to ‘eat a 

rainbow’. Just as we have different preferences, 

so do different strains of bacteria. So, eating a 

wide variety is the best way to ensure that each 

strain is getting what it needs. Another way to 

pack more fibre into your diet is to swap refined 

carbohydrates for complex carbohydrates – brown 

pasta and grains rather than the white varieties 

(which are much lower in fibre and nutrients). 

Another way to support gut health and keep 

your immune system working effectively is to try 

The gut is a great place to start but there are 

many more simple ways in which you can support 

your immune system with food. For more tips 

on how to stay healthy over the Autumn and 

Winter period you can find me on Instagram 

@laura.nutrition 

Laura MacDonald DipION 

mBANT CNHC is a qualified 

Nutritional Therapist offering 

support for a wide range of 

health issues in Beaconsfield, 

Amersham and the surrounding 

areas. 


11

HEALTH NEWS 

Common baby worries 

By Dr Riccardo Di Cuffa 

(Your Doctor) 

1. Burping, colic or reflux? 

When a baby feeds, air 

bubbles can become trapped 

in their tummy and they don’t have 

the muscle strength or experience to expel 

that air themselves, which can lead to 

discomfort and they may cry or pull their legs 

up to their tummy. If winding doesn’t relieve it 

contact your GP for more advice, as they may 

have colic or reflux. 

2. Jaundice is one of the most common 

conditions for newborns and is usually 

harmless. 

Symptoms include mild yellowing of the skin 

and whites of eyes, dark yellow urine and pale 

coloured stools but it usually resolves after 

a couple of weeks. If symptoms worsen, 

the yellowing skin spreads or they become 

reluctant to feed contact your GP immediately. 

3. Is your baby feeding enough? 

This is a common concern, especially when 

breastfeeding as you cannot measure your 

milk. Look out for five to six wet nappies each 

day and three to four stools. When your baby is 

weighed, you will be reassured they are getting 

enough and growing. If you are concerned 

don’t hesitate to call your GP. 

4. Eye discharge is common in babies. 

Some babies need more time for their tear 

ducts to develop fully. Use boiled water that 

is at room temperature to clean their eyes and 

wipe gently from the inside to outside corners 

and use a new piece of cotton wool for each 

wipe. Speak to a nurse or GP if there are any 

signs of infection: swelling, redness or increase 

and/or change of discharge colour. 

5. Baby’s Skin 

Your baby’s skin may change after birth and 

become dry and blotchy. Usually no treatment 

is needed. If the skin becomes cracked or the 

issue persists for several months, then contact 

your GP for appropriate treatment. 

Don’t forget to take care of YOUR post-natal 

health too! 

1. Rest! 

Your body will need time to heal, adjust 

to producing milk and to disrupted sleep. 

When your baby sleeps, try to sleep too. 

2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. 

Five fruit and veg a day and whole-grains 

will help to keep your bowels moving. If 

breastfeeding, you will need to drink more 

than usual to produce milk and to prevent 

constipation and headaches. 

3. Exercise. 

From about six weeks, if you have no 

complications, you can start gentle stretches 

and exercise. Build it up slowly. 

4. Postnatal depression affects 

approximately one in ten women. 

Contact your GP to get the support you need. 

Signs include difficulty sleeping, persistent low 

mood or sadness, difficulty bonding with your 

baby, lack of energy, anxiety, or difficulty with 

concentration. 

For more information, www.your-doctor.co.uk 

12 


HEALTH NEWS 

Gifts from Healthright in Chesham 

Aromatherapy is the ancient art of healing 

using essential oils. Essential oils have 

powerful healing properties and can have a 

positive effect on the emotions. They have a 

wide range of therapeutic uses, and there are 

a great many conditions that can be treated 

by these most natural of plant medicines. 

Essential oils are from aromatic plants, which are 

grown in many different countries around the 

world. They are derived from different parts of 

plants, such as flowers, leaves, seeds, fruits, woods 

and roots. Most of the oils are extracted by steam 

distillation, those from citrus fruits by pressing and 

those from delicate flowers by solvent extraction. 

They readily mix with base oils, but do not dissolve 

in water. It is good practice to treat these oils with 

care, and not use them undiluted, as they are 

extremely concentrated and powerful. 

Some oils have uses 

that are associated 

with summer, such as 

treating sunburn or 

acting as insect 

repellents. For general 

use, however, essential 

oils come into their 

own in autumn and 

winter, when we 

spend much more 

time indoors. 

It is important to buy 

oils from reputable 

sources, as some products 

may not be all they appear to be. Specialist health 

stores, such as Healthright in Chesham, usually 

stocks brands from small well- established 

companies who supply aromatherapists too. 

Healthright stocks selections of oils from two 

suppliers: Absolute Aromas and an organically 

produced range from Natural by Nature. The 

company has purchased oils from both these 

brands over a period of 25 years. 

Absolute Aromas offer a range of blended 

essential oils combining those that suit a specific 

purpose. Noel is a cheery, festive diffusing blend 

that creates a perfect seasonal atmosphere in the 

home. Breatheasy combines peppermint, which 

targets blocked sinuses and headaches, with 

eucalyptus for clearing lungs and airways. Others 

available include: Relaxation, De-stress, Focus and 

Romance. Like most single oils, these blends can 

generally be used in 

the bath or for massage 

or inhalation, as well as 

vaporising. 

Healthright stocks a 

selection of burners 

and diffusers, including 

the Zenbow, which 

is easy to use, with 

colour-changing mood 

lights. Simply add your 

chosen essential oil/s 

and water and switch on for an instant aroma 

hit. With its little column of vapour, it looks like a 

tiny colourful volcano. The diffuser switches off 

automatically when the water runs out. At £46 it is 

good value, and there is a Zenbow on the counter 

at Healthright that has been used every day for 

several years. There are other styles and sizes of 

diffuser, including one for use in the car. 

Aromatherapy items make ideal gifts covering a 

range of budgets from a single boxed lavender oil 

to a diffuser or a well-made wooden box that can 

be filled with up to a dozen oils. 

CHESHAM’S 

INDEPENDENT 

SPECIALIST 

HEALTH STORE 

Shop here for refills for: 

• Porridge & jumbo oats & muesli 

• Basmati & short grain brown rice, & red lentils 

• Wholemeal fusilli and pennette 

• Sunflower & pumpkin seeds, almonds, 

brazil nuts, whole cashews & walnut pieces 

• Ecover washing-up & laundry liquid & fabric softener 

• Bio-D washing-up liquid & laundry liquid 

• Selected Faith In Nature shampoo, 

hair conditioner, body wash 

and hand wash 

• Salt of the Earth 

unscented de-odorant 

spray 

27 High Street Chesham HP5 1BG 

01494 771267 

www.healthright.co.uk 


13

HEALTH NEWS 

Tinnitus and you 

Sometimes worrying about tinnitus 

can make it worse. Making sense of 

the causes of tinnitus and why we may 

keep noticing it can help us to take 

control. 

Tinnitus is often made worse by higher levels 

of stress. Talking about your tinnitus can help 

to reduce your stress levels and the distress it 

causes. 

Sound is unlikely to make it go away 

completely but many people find that 

playing sounds from various devices gives 

them temporary relief from their tinnitus. 

Your audiologist can advise you on how to 

implement this form of care appropriately 

and safely. 

There are a number of devices designed to 

play relaxing sounds which your audiologist 

can introduce you to. If you have hearing loss, 

there are also many hearing aids that can play 

a range of sounds at a level appropriate for 

your hearing needs. 

Hina Khan has been working in the field of 

Audiology following her degree in 2011 and 

has since worked in the NHS departments. 

She has recently set up an independent highly 

recommended practice in Beaconsfield. 


First-time buyers 

buy your first home 

with confidence 

Buying your first home is exciting 

and a significant milestone in 

life’s rich journey. It needn’t be 

daunting or unnecessarily 

stressful if you are prepared 

and have done a little research 

to understand the process and 

know what to expect. 

I would encourage all first-time buyers 

to consider these general pointers: 

Understand all potential costs in the 

purchase process and factor them into 

your budget. Your deposit and monthly 

mortgage payments are only one part 

of the equation.Think about Stamp 

Duty, Land Tax, legal fees, removal 

firm costs, mortgage arrangement 

and valuation fees, surveyor fees, 

home insurance and any other 

insurance on the mortgage that 

might be recommended to you. Have 

a contingency fund. 

Have a second viewing on the property 

you want to buy, before you make 

an offer. Ask the estate agent what is 

included in the sale, what position the 

seller is in and what kind of chain is 

involved. 

Be prepared to invest in a full structural 

survey with your own surveyor. I have 

gone into greater detail in a previous 

article in these pages, but it might prove 

a costly mistake to think that paying for 

a full structural survey is too expensive. 

Unless defects or repair requirements 

are dealt with prior to exchange of 

contracts, nothing can be done at a 

later date about commensurate price 

reductions, the seller effecting repairs 

or you pulling out of the deal if the 

property is unsound. 

Do not underestimate the power 

of face-to-face interaction. Find a 

LEGAL NEWS 

solicitor local to you who you can sit 

with, ask questions of and who can 

guide you through the legal process of 

the purchase. 

Janine Heil, Partner, 

Leigh Duncan Solicitors 

Janine qualified as a 

solicitor in 2004 and set 

up Leigh Duncan in 2016 

with her husband Ingmar. 

She has been acting in 

the sale and purchase of property 

for over 15 years, the last 10 of those 

have been based in Beaconsfield. If 

you have any questions, feel free to 

pop in and speak to Janine, Ingmar or 

any of the friendly team next time you 

are passing. 

WE WILL ALWAYS PUT YOU FIRST 

LEIGHDUNCAN.CO.UK 

Tel: 01494 578040 

Email: enquiries@leighduncan.co.uk 


15

Giggling Squid, 

Beaconsfield 

“It’s got to be myrtle berry, I’m sure of 

it!” - so ended our discussion on our 

delightful sojourn of flavours at The 

Giggling Squid in Beaconsfield on a 

warm, busy Friday night in September. 

Four of us had to find a place that could cater 

to our eclectic dietary requirements: one 

gluten-free, one vegan, one fusspot and one 

omnivore. Thankfully, The Giggling Squid in 

Beaconsfield Old Town met these requirements! 

First, a Thai Kaffir G&T, which was refreshing 

and powerful. My only observation is that ALL 

bars and restaurants need to eliminate plastic 

straws, especially when Lemongrass can work 

so well as an alternative. There were some 

delicious mocktails on offer as well: exceedingly 

tempting. 

The new menu (and a separate one for vegans 

and veggies) was complemented by a meal 

matrix showing all the 17 allergens that could 

be found in our meals. It’s great to see a 

restaurant taking food allergies so seriously 

- and you can also consult it online prior to 

booking. 

The low-calorie, vegan mushroom larb starter 

was lightly spiced with a delicious crunch of 

toasted rice and was a great take on what is 

traditionally a “meat” salad, while the spring 

rolls were light and crisp. The garlic-grilled 

squid was absolutely perfect and the “two 

chillies” hot zingy prawns were, as advertised. 

So, beware and look at the menu guidelines: if 

you are not ‘in’ to your spices, you could be in 

for a surprise! 


DINING 

For our mains, our omnivore had the slightly 

sweet, tender and perfectly-cooked sirloin 

coconut tips, and two of us went for the 

veggie-packed cashew stir fry. The pad cha was 

bursting with flavour with an ingredient we were 

unsure of. An attentive waiter overheard us and 

said it was an aubergine pea. (I thought: “I’d like 

to find that and put it in my cooking!”) With 

rice and side-dishes we had more than enough 

to satisfy our hunger, but that did not stop us 

from trying some dessert - the offerings were 

so different from the usual tart, cake or ice 

cream! 

We could hardly believe that the cheesecake 

was GF, but of course, it was! They used an 

interesting oat-based crust and - even better 

- it was not cloyingly sweet. We had a serving 

of the jasmine and toasted rice ice cream, so 

delicately flavoured, we all kept going back for 

more to taste it and see if “that is jasmine I’m 

tasting, right?” and then we were on to that 

famous myrtle-berry. The menu describes the 

dish as coconut pudding with berry compote, 

but for us it was more a peaty, myrtle-berry 

blancmange, which was so intriguing I had 

to go to the kitchen and ask to see the berry 

compote. It turned out it was not as we thought, 

but rather a delightful combination of blueberry, 

raspberry and blackberry that had been 

slow-dry cooked and made into a compote. 

(Well, that’s what the chef told me!) 

After a fabulous meal, the manager stopped by 

and asked how we had enjoyed our meal and 

let us know that the orchids on the wall were 

not real: they had been hand-painted by a team 

member, and that bookings for Christmas were 

already filling up. We had a look at the festive 

season menu and agreed that it would be a 

super spot to enjoy something a little different 

than the traditional turkey’n’gravy, that can be 

a bit pervasive during the holiday season. They 

also have an excellent, semi-private dining area 

serving up to 35 people. 

We left thinking we could highly-recommend 

The Giggling Squid for a night out with the 

girls, date night, or family dinner and that it 

makes for a delicious take on authentic Thai. 

Opening times: 

Monday to Thursday midday - 22.00 

Friday and Saturday midday - 22.30 

Sunday midday - 21.30 

To make a reservation book online: 

www.gigglingsquid.com/restaurant/ 

beaconsfield 

or call: 01494 730 919 

Claire Gallagher, a Canadian cordon 

blue-trained chef, who turned her love of 

food, people and parties into a boutique, 

luxury catering and team-building company 

in Gerrards Cross. 

www.splendiferous.co.uk 


17

Amersham & Chalfonts Together 

Festive Dining 

ARTICHOKE AMERSHAM 

To make a reservation: www.opentable.co.uk 

T: 01494 726611 

Address: 9 Market Square, Amersham HP7 0DF 

Festive Menus: from £38.00 - £68.00 

££££ Vegetarian/Vegan 

BEDFORD ARMS 

To make a reservation: www.bedfordarms.co.uk 

T: 01923 283 301 

Address: Chenies House, Chenies, 

Rickmansworth, WD3 6EQ 

Festive menu: Mon – Sat and Sun lunch: 

menu online/a la carte 

££-£££ 

GILBEY’S OLD AMERSHAM 

To make a reservation T: 01494 727 242 

Address: 1 Market Square, Amersham, HP7 ODF 

Festive Menu choice of A) 3 courses £38.50 or B) 

3 courses for £45.00 

£££ Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free 

GIGGLING SQUID 

To make a reservation: www.gigglingsquid.com 

choose ‘Beaconsfield. T: 01494 730 919 

Address: 22 London End, Beaconsfield, HP9 2JH 

Christmas Party Menu 3 course feast for 

££ Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten-Free 

METRO LOUNGE - AMERSHAM 

To make a reservation T: 01494 724 539 

Address: 63-65 Hill Avenue, Amersham, 

HP6 5BX 

Festive Tapas Menu £12.95 or 2 courses £24.95 

£ - ££ Vegetarian/Vegan 

THE SWAN 

To make a reservation: 

www.theswanamersham.co.uk 

T: 01494 727079 

Address: 122 High Street, Amersham, 

Bucks, HP7 0ED 

Three Christmas Menus: £26.95 - £49.95 

££ - £££ 



19

© Linda Gould 

‘Silver Sunday’ - a celebration 

for older people 

Silver Sunday is a special day in the national 

calendar for celebrating older people. 

Amersham & Chalfonts Together spoke to 

Mimi Hawker OBE, who explained it was 

the brainwave of Westminster councillor, 

Christabel Flight who, recognising that so 

many older people live in isolation, wanted 

to create a special day for them. 

Mimi was inspired by this and in 2014 created 

Amersham’s very own Silver Sunday event at the 

Polish Club. Mimi went around all the care homes 

in the area and told them about her idea. With 

financing from Rayner’s Care Home in Hyde Heath 

Silver Sunday in Amersham was launched and has 

carried on annually ever since. 

This year the event was held at Amersham 

Community Centre on Sunday 6th October 

2019. Around 160 guests arrived to enjoy an 

afternoon of live entertainment from the Royal 

British Legion Buckinghamshire Band and the 

LuLaLas, a duet of ladies singing songs from the 

1940s and 50s. 

The air cadets greeted guests on arrival including 

Sir Henry and Lady Aubrey Fletcher, who livened 

the proceedings by dancing to a few tunes on 

the dance floor. Eileen Morris (who has attended 

these events for many years), turned 101 this 

year. When asked what her secret was, she said, 

“having a clean-living life” ! 

Mimi would like to thank all the wonderful 

volunteers who helped put on this marvellous 

event. It created much joy and happiness for so 

many people. Amersham & Chalfonts Together 

would like to thank Mimi for inspiring so many 

people, young and a bit older and for all their hard 

work putting this marvellous event together. 

If you would like to put on a Silver Sunday 

event yourself, (1st Sunday of October) go to 

website www.silversunday.org.uk for tips and 

inspiration. 

Therese Cooklin 


All the volunteers to make 

Silver Sunday possible. 

Front: Hope Goodridge, Mimi Hawker, 

Neil Walker. Back Lynn Satterly 

Eileen Morris 

age 101 

The Lulala’s providing entertainment 

Air cadets with Lady Aubrey Fletcher, Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher and 

Mimi Hawker OBE. 


21

SCHOOL NEWS 

Showing our 

true colours for 

Wellbeing Week 

Dr Challoner’s Grammar School takes the 

wellbeing of its staff and students very 

seriously. 

The school participates in MIND’s Workplace 

Wellbeing Index each year and is one of only 

a handful of organisations across the country 

who have received a coveted gold award in 

recognition of its commitment to wellbeing. 

The second week in October saw the school 

emphasising the importance of wellbeing across 

the community, inviting staff, students and 

parents to get involved. Each day of the week 

represented one of the five ways to wellbeing: 

‘connect’, ‘be active’, ‘take notice’, ‘keep learning’, 

and ‘give’ respectively. Each day was assigned 

a colour, and students and teachers were asked 

to incorporate a splash of colour to show their 

support. Activities included encouraging students 

to communicate in person (rather than via text 

Join in at Chesham 

Grammar School 

Chesham Grammar has been busy, from 

auditions for this year’s big production 

‘School of Rock’, to the boys who won the 

District ESAA cross-country round, a group 

just back from a French immersion trip 

to Montpellier, and the girls’ football 

teams who start this term as FA County 

champions in U13, U15 and U16. 

With many trips, clubs, and sports on offer at 

Chesham Grammar, students have plenty of 

options. Join the Student Council or get a Duke 

of Edinburgh qualification? Join the awardnominated 

CGS Table Tennis Club or take 

up horse riding? At CGS you can join the longrunning 

Equestrian Club, the only state school pony 

club in the country. Now is the time to sign up. 

CGS students’ initiative and creativity were 

recently demonstrated by the team who won 

the National Enterprise Challenge at Wembley 

Stadium from a field of 30,000 students 

or email), take part in a sporting activity, take a 

digital detox, learn a new skill, and give to the 

Chiltern Food Bank and SSNAP (Support Sick 

Newborns and their Parents) on our mufti day, 

which coincided with World Mental Health Day. 

The week was a huge success, improving 

the attitudes of all members of the school 

community towards mental health. Whether 

they are struggling with moving to a new school, 

GCSEs, A Levels, or the worries of what comes 

next, the week has helped students develop better 

habits for maintaining improved mental health. 

We hope that this will lead to a school community 

that is more empathetic and more knowledgeable 

about mental health. 

nationally. They are pictured receiving their 

award from Dragon’s Den expert, Theo Paphitis. 

Commenting on this year’s challenge, National 

Enterprise Challenge Co-Founder Michael Dyer 

said: “We loved seeing everyone’s ideas and 

Chesham Grammar School’s winning idea just had 

that something a little bit special about it and the 

presentation was slick and professional.” 

Whether it’s Enterprise Team, Debating Club or Jazz 

Ensemble, Creative Writing Club or a charity trek 

to Sri Lanka, playing rugby or singing in Glee Club, 

students are encouraged to join in life at CGS. 

For more information please contact: 

Martha Ware, Development Director, 

Chesham Grammar School 

e: martha.ware@cheshamgrammar.org 


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23


School of Rock – Amersham School 

Another spectacular production - 

come and rock with us! 

This year Amersham School’s Drama and Music 

Departments are putting on the modern classic 

‘School of Rock’! This all-action musical tells the 

inspirational story of down on his luck Dewi, 

who becomes a teacher and inspires a bunch 

of students to find their true voice. 

The casting and rehearsals began last year and 

we are really amazed by the progress made by 

all of the students involved. The students in the 

lead roles are incredible. ‘Patty’ is absolutely 

tremendous, as is her put-upon boyfriend ‘Ned’. 

One of the school’s strongest singers has another 

chance to show her incredible vocal range and 

performing skills in the role of ‘Rosalie’, the 

school’s headmistress. We must also praise the 

tremendous Head of Music, Mr Wilson, for his 

dedication to the cause. In the lead role of 

‘Dewi’, he has been exceptional in his skill and 

comic timing. It’s going to be quite a show! 

The wider cast have all really enjoyed the 

development of the production and are eager to 

get on stage in front of the audience in December! 

The production will be shown to local primary 

school students during the school day on Tuesday 

10th December. 

Please come and join us on Wednesday 11th 

and Thursday 12th December. Tickets will go 

on sale in the last week of November. The price 

will be: 

Adults - £5 | Children - £3 

Amersham Students - £2.50 

More details to 

follow soon. 

The Amersham 

School of Rock 

looks forward to 

seeing you there! 

24 

Rock Club war stories St Joseph’s church in 

St Peter held regular 

Meet Phyllis who is 93 (left) and Peggy who 

is 92 on November 5th this year (right), 

wonderful ladies who meet on Tuesdays at 

the Rock Club in Chalfont St Giles. 

Phyllis was born and bred in the village and 

remembered when war was declared on the 

wireless. Her dad worked for the SEB electricity 

board for 42 years and he came rushing to see 

the family when the news was announced. 

Hand knitted with love 

The Chalfont St Peter Wednesday Knit 

and Natter group at Chalfont St Peter 

library, welcomed Scannappeal’s Volunteers 

Co-ordinator, Anne Rodgers, to a recent 

gathering. 

By donating knitted toys and other items for 

sale in the Scannappeal’s bookshop based 

at Amersham hospital, the group has helped 

make great things happen. 

All the money raised from the sale of the knitted 

dances on a Sunday 

evening and she 

had a cheeky grin 

remembering that the 

soldiers were always 

looking for lady partners and she was often asked. 

She loved riding in the army trucks and sometimes 

was given a ride up to the dances. Apart from 

doctors no one could use their cars as no petrol 

was sold, and the bicycles had to have their lamps 

blackened out. More war stories next issue. 

items (which have a 

‘Hand knitted with 

love’ label attached 

by volunteers) goes 

towards raising 

money to purchase 

lifesaving state of 

the art medical 

equipment for local hospitals. 

For details of the fundraising successes and to find 

out how you can help, visit scannappeal.org.uk or 

telephone 01494 734 161 


We’re hiring 

LABORATORY TECHNICIAN – FULL TIME 

Tims Dairy is a local family business in Chalfont St Peter who have 

been producing yogurt for 70 years. Our friendly team is currently 

looking for several new members. Could this be you? 

For the Laboratory Technician 

and more vacancies please visit 

www.timsdairy.co.uk/careers 

“ 

Great to work in a close-knit 

and inspiring environment with 

fantastic products” 


25

Popular FESTIVE CUSHIONS- £23.99 

PillowTalkHome. t: 01895 760 288 

w: www.pillowtalkhome.co.uk 

ask@pillowtalkhome.co.uk 

Free local delivery 

Push along and ride dog - £89.95 

PillowTalkHome. t: 01895 760 288 


ask@pillowtalkhome.co.uk 

Free local delivery 

Christmas Rugby Balls - from £6 

Sportscene in Beaconsfield. 

t: 01494 674 533 

w: www.sport-scene.biz 

Photoshoot packages with digital images or wall art 

£75 - £400 

Jenny Kaye Photography 

t: 07944 838 045 

Zenbow diffuser with colour-changing mood lights. 

£46 

HealthRight in Chesham t: 01494 771267 

26e: info@healthright.co.uk w: www.healthright.co.uk 

Amersham & Chalfonts Together is part of Community Together 

w: www.jennykaye.com

Eco friendly CHRISTMAS HAMPER 

Freshly baked £40. Free delivery 

within 12 miles Great Missenden. 

Email: gemma@thekitchenmixer.co.uk 

AfterShokz - revolutionary wireless bone conduction headphones. 

2 products - AIR - £100 | AEROPEX - £150 

Sportscene in Beaconsfield. t: 01494 674 533 

w: www.sport-scene.biz 

Absolute Aromas - essential oils from HealthRight 

in a variety of Christmas blends and to help colds 

and coughs. 

HealthRight in Chesham t: 01494 771267 

e: info@healthright.co.uk w: www.healthright.co.uk 

BKLYN Fur Bobble Hat comes in various colours - £60 

Jak & Liza in Beaconsfield. t: 01494 258 808 w: www.jakandliza.com 

Griffiths Brothers Original Gin 10cl £11 and 70cl £34 

Griffiths Brothers No2 Gin 10cl £12 and 70cl £36 

10% online discount USE CODE localb321 

To www.griffithsbrothers.com advertise please call t: 01494 07786 713735 955 711 or email marketing@amershamtogether.co.uk 

e: info@griffithsbrothers.com 

27


Retired volunteers 

raise £1000’s for 

Michael Sobell Hospice 

It started with a three foot square table 

and a few books in Amersham market 

in December 2014, and in July 2015 

expanded to Chesham market as well. 

Five years later the half dozen volunteer 

‘pensioners’ regularly display one thousand books, 

and have raised over £80,000 for the Michael 

Sobell Hospice Charity based at Northwood’s 

Mount Vernon Hospital - the major cancer 

treatment centre. They have a huge following, 

with the public donating books each week, 

either directly to the bookstall or at their shops in 

Northwood, Ruislip and Eastcote. 

Unlike in charity shops, the books - mainly 

paperbacks and children’s books - are not priced 

and are not eligible for Gift Aid, so members 

of the public are asked to make a donation to 

the Hospice. The majority of the public are very 

generous! In addition to the two markets, the 

bookstall visits The Croxley Revels, the 

Macmillan coffee 

morning at Tescos 

Well done to Sue Deness, community 

champion at Tescos in Amersham along 

with Costa coffee raising £170 at their 

Macmillan Coffee Morning on Thursday 

26th September. 

Stewart Brammer, David Brameld, Clive Seager, Peter Creer. Chesham 

volunteers not pictured are; David Bayes, Derek Bain, Kamal Sood 

Chorleywood Village Fair and the Rickmansworth 

Christmas Evening - all of them very well supported. 

The bookstall volunteers can proudly claim that 

95% of all donations actually reach the Hospice! 

While the Hospice in-patient unit was closed 

for some time, the great news is that an improved 

unit will reopen by the end of the year. Meanwhile, 

the bookstall fundraising continues to help finance 

the Hospice Day Care Centre, which provides 

invaluable support to patients, family members, 

and carers.The volunteers visit Amersham on 

Tuesdays and Chesham on Wednesdays. They 

aim to arrive at 8.30am and stay until around 

3.00pm. However, if the weather is inclement, 

the book-stall will be cancelled. 

Contact David on: david@thebramelds.plus.com 

for further details. 

Costa Coffee supplied all the coffee and Tescos 

donated all the cakes. 

28 


Give your loved one 

a special gift this 

Christmas 

If you have made the decision to 

purchase a piano this Christmas, 

then now is the time to secure your 

spot on Countrywide’s sleigh! 

Like Santa, we also carry precious cargo and 

with our white-glove service you can rest 

assured, knowing that a team of expert elves 

will ensure your piano arrives in the same 

perfect condition as it left our Countrywide 

Christmas workshop! 

If you really want to play beautiful music 

nothing compares to a real piano; nothing 

quite captures the expression and warmth of 

a hammer hitting a string. What you sacrifice 

in space, (and let’s face it, is a grand piano 

or a beautiful upright piano really a sacrifice 

of space?) you make up for in sound. Whilst 

digital pianos, which we also stock, are good in 

their own right, nothing will ever truly compare 

to the sound of a real instrument. 

The specialist service we offer means we only 

have limited space on this year’s Christmas 

sleigh! We would hate to disappoint any of 

you, so please do book your delivery as soon 

as possible to be certain we still have space to 

ensure your piano gets delivered in time for 

Christmas. The countdown has begun, so get 

those stockings up by the fire and mince pies 

at the ready, for Countrywide Piano’s is coming 

to town… 


29

What’s on over Christmas! 

November 2019 

Thurs 7th, 1pm-4pm 

Workaid workshop: Christmas rocker cards 

The Hive @ Workaid, 71 Townsend Road, Chesham, 

HP5 2AA 

T: 01494 775 220 

www.workaid.org/workshops/ 

Fri 8th, 2.15-3.45 

House Histories: If Walls Could Talk - in aid 

of Scannappeal 

Fitzwilliam Centre, Windsor End, Beaconsfield, 

HP9 2JW 

T: 01494 734 161 

scannappeal.org.uk/events 

Sat 9th, 10.00am-3.30pm 

Jo Scott Photography Workshop – in aid 

of Scannappeal 

Green Acres Chiltern, Potlkiln Lane, Jordans, BP9 2XB 

T: 01494 734 161 


Wed 13th-Sat 16th, 8pm 

Quartet – a comedy by Ronald Harwood 

Beaconsfield Theatre Group, The Beacon Centre 

Theatre, Holtspur 

T: 07572 657 535 

www.btg-theatre.org 

Sat 16th Nov, 11am-3pm 

Beaconsfield School Christmas Market 

Wattleton Road, Beaconsfield Old Town, 

Beaconsfield, HP9 1SJ 

T: 01494 673 450 

Sat 16th Nov-Sun 22nd Dec, 11am-6pm 

Waddesdon Manor Christmas Fair 2019 

Spectacular fair and shopping experience not to 

be missed. 

Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, HP18 0JH 

T: 01296 820 414 

waddesdon.org.uk 

Fri 22nd, 7.30pm 

The Nutcracker – Vienna Festival Ballet 

The Elgiva Theatre & Cinema, St Mary’s Way, 

Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1HR 

T: 01494 582 900 

www.elgiva.com 

Sun 24th, 9.30am – 3.00pm 

Festive Floral Workshop – in aid of Scannappeal 

Green Acres Chiltern, Potkiln Lane, Jordans, 

HP9 2XB 

T: 01494 734 161 


Sun 24th, 2pm 

November Scoff’n’Stroll – Roald Dahl Museum 

The Roald Dahl Museum, 81-83 High St, Great 

Missenden HP16 0AL 

T: 01494 892192 

www.roalddahl.com 

Sat 30th, 7.30pm for 8.00pm 

Seasonal Swing with the BBO Big Band 

– in aid of Scannappeal 

Hazlemere Community Centre, Rose Avenue, 

Hazlemere, HP15 7UB 

T: 01494 734 161 


Sat 30th, until 8pm 

Roald Dahl Museum late night shop and café 

opening - Christmas shopping and tasty treats! 

The Roald Dahl Museum, 81-83 High St, Great 

Missenden HP16 0AL 

T: 01494 892192 


Sat 30th/Sun Dec 1st, 10am-4pm 

Amersham Museum Christmas market 

Free admission. Local craftspeople, carol singing, 

festive refreshments. 

Amersham Museum, 49, High Street, Old 

Amersham, HP7 0DP 

T: 01494 723700 

info@amershammuseum.org 

Sat 30th Nov-Tues 24th Dec 

Odds Farm Christmas Spectacular 

Wooburn Common, Wooburn Green, 

High Wycombe HP10 0LX 

Advance online booking recommended. 

T: 01628 520 188 

www.oddsfarm.co.uk 


December 2019 

Sun 1st, 11am-4pm 

Missenden Abbey Christmas Craft Fair 

Missenden Abbey, London Rd, Great Missenden 

HP16 0BD 

T: 01494 866 811 

sales@missendenabbey.ltd.uk 

www.missendenabbey.co.uk/whats-on/ 

Tues 3rd, 7.30pm – 9.30pm 

Christmas Concert – in aid of Scannappeal 

St Mary’s Church, Amersham, HP7 0DB 

T: 01494 734 161 


Thurs 5th 

The Snowman – with a live orchestra 

Wycombe Swan, St Mary Street, High Wycombe, 

HP11 2XE 

T: 01494 512 000 

wycombeswan.co.uk 

Fri 6th, 6pm till late 

A Magical Christmas Evening in Old Amersham 

Includes switching on of the Christmas lights, Santa’s 

Grotto, skating rink, carol singing, festive music and 

late night shopping 

Sat 7th, 2pm-4pm 

Let’s Cook: Christmas Treats 

Recommended 8+ 

Wycombe Museum Priory Avenue High Wycombe, 

HP13 6PX 

T: 01494 957 210 

info@wycombemuseum.org 

www.wycombemuseum.org.uk 

Sat 7th/Sun 8th, 11am-4pm 

Chiltern Open Air Museum Christmas Event 

Find out about how Christmas was celebrated 

in the past. 

Newland Park, Gorelands Ln, Chalfont St Peter, 

Chalfont Saint Giles HP8 4AB 

T: 01494 871 117 

enquiries@coam.org.uk 

www.coam.org.uk 

Wed 11th, 10am-12noon 

Christmas wreath making 

Amersham Museum, 49, High Street, 

Old Amersham, HP7 0DP 

£30.00. Booking is essential 

T: 01494 723700 

info@amershammuseum.org 

Thurs 12th 

Chalfont St Giles Gardens Association 

Christmas Party 

Memorial Hall, Chalfont St Giles 

Membership@csgga.org 

www.csgga.org 

Fri 13th, 10am-12.30pm 

Floral Christmas cake – Workaid workshop 

The Hive @ Workaid, 71 Townsend Road, 

Chesham, HP5 2AA 

01494 775 220 

www.workaid.org/workshops/ 

Mon 30th, 12noon, 1.30pm, 3pm 

Craft a mischievous clay gremlin at the Roald Dahl 

Museum 

Age 5+. Advance booking recommended. 

The Roald Dahl Museum, 81-83 High St, 

Great Missenden HP16 0AL 

T: 01494 892 192 


Information published is correct to the best of our 

knowledge, but please check with organisers before 

making plans. To add your event, contact 

events@amershamtogether.co.uk 

Christmas Parcels Scheme 

The Amersham & Chesham Lions will 

be collecting gifts of food at Waitrose 

and Sainsbury’s on Thursday 5th and 

Friday 6th December. 

These will be used to make up some 500 

parcels for the lonely and needy in the area. 

We hope the generosity shown in past years 

will be repeated. 

Learn, Laugh 

& Live! 

The Amersham based U3A offers a wide range 

of social, educational, and creative interests in 

a friendly, informal environment. We are open 

to everyone no longer in full time work. 

For details, please visit our website: 

www.chiltern-u3a.org.uk 


31

Amersham & Chalfont’s Brain Matter 

CROSSWORD 

Across 

1 Gift brought by the Wise Men 

to Jesus (4) 

2 Threads of metal foil used to 

decorate a tree (6) 

5 Pastry dishes popular at 

Christmas (5,4) 

8 Midnight ___, church service 

on 24 December (4) 

10 Place that had no room for 

Joseph and Mary (3) 

11 Long narrow sled without 

runners (8) 

13 Animals said to be in the stable 

at the time of Christ’s birth (4) 

14 Name given to Christ as the 

Messiah (8) 

17 Religious (4) 

18 Sweet almond paste used on 

Christmas cakes (8) 

21 Fermented juice of grapes (4) 

23 Christmas firewood (4,3) 

24 Dispel gloom (5) 

Down 

1 Pastimes (5) 

3 French word for Christmas (4) 

4 “’Tis the ___ to be jolly” (6) 

6 Smokestack used by Father 

Christmas (7) 

7 Play traditionally popular 

with children at Christmas (9) 

9 Heavenly being (5) 

12 Bread roll (3) 

15 Old Testament prophet (3) 

16 Where Jesus was 

laid after being born (6) 

SUDOKU 

Place a number from 1 to 9 into each empty square so every number 

appears once in each horizontal row, each vertical column and each box 

of nine squares. 

WARM UP 

(answers on p37) 

1 2 3 4 

5 6 7 

13 

17 

10 

21 22 

11 12 

8 9 

14 15 16 

18 19 20 

23 24 

17 Contented (5) 

19 Cane spirit much 

enjoyed at 

Christmas (3) 

20 Cone-bearing 

tree (4) 

22 Frozen water (3) 

CHALLENGING 

3 2 1 6 

6 

2 3 8 9 

3 5 9 2 4 6 

2 7 5 

7 4 5 3 1 2 

1 8 9 4 

5 

9 2 5 

4 

6 1 

9 3 1 

8 5 9 

4 6 8 

7 3 

5 

7 1 4 8 

2 9 8 


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33

SPORTS NEWS 

Get ready for the 

GXFUNRUN! 

Preparations are now well underway for 

the 2020 GX Fun Run taking place at 

East Common on 17th May 2020! 

Registration opens in February and for the 

first time children aged 7 years and upwards 

will also be able to enter the 5km run. There 

will also be a specific children’s race for 

those aged between 4 and 9 years. Based on 

previous years, the GXFUNRUN is expected to 

attract a huge crowd of race participants and 

supporters, who will gather on East Common 

to enjoy a day of fun-filled activities and 

entertainment. So don’t miss out - make 

sure the 17th May 2020 is in your diary! 

Running alternate years since 2001, the event 

has been rebranded for 2020 and the website 

relaunched to reflect the new logo and provide 

easy access to information about our sponsors. 

Three local charities benefit from our support. 

For news of the upcoming 2020 event as it 

unfolds go to www.gxfunrun.org.uk 

We are grateful for the generosity of our 

sponsors, many of whom have been supporting 

the event every year. Their help is fundamental 

to our ability to host this family-day-out for the 

community, and our efforts to raise funds for the 

local charities that are chosen each year. 

We are always delighted to welcome new 

sponsors, so if you would like learn more 

about how you or your organization can 

become involved, please email 

gxfunrun@communitytogether.co.uk. 

Family pantomimes this Christmas! 

Aylesbury 

Beauty and the Beast 

Fri 6th Dec to Sun 5th Jan 2020 

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, 

Aylesbury, HP20 1UG 

www.atgtickets.com 

Beaconsfield 

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs 

Sat 21st Dec to Tues 24th Dec 

Curzon Centre (Young Theatre) 

43 Maxwell Rd, Beaconsfield, HP9 1RG 

www.ticketsource.co.uk 

Gerrards Cross 

Cinderella 

Sun 22nd Dec / Mon 23rd Dec 

GX Memorial Centre, 8 East Common, 

Gerrards Cross, SL9 7AD 

01753 883 759 

www.ticketsource.co.uk/gxca 

High Wycombe 

Dick Whittington 

Fri 13th Dec to Sun 5th Jan 2020 

Wycombe Swan, St Mary St, High Wycombe, 

HP11 2XE 

01494 512000 

wycombeswan.co.uk 

Chesham 

Rickmansworth 

Cinderella 

Peter Pan 

Tues 10th Dec to Sun 5th Jan 2020 

Thurs 12th Dec to Sun 5th Jan 2020 

The Elgiva Theatre 

Watersmeet, High Street, Rickmansworth, 

St Mary’s Way, Chesham, HP5 1HR 

WD3 1EH 

01494 582 900 

01923 711063 

www.elgiva.com 

www.watersmeet.co.uk 


Post-nuptial 

agreements 

Most people are familiar with the 

pre-nup.The venue is booked, the 

menu is chosen and the heady days of 

planning have begun. Last on the list is 

the pre-nup which you’ve managed 

to squeeze into arranging with your 

solicitor and it’s been filed away, 

hopefully never to be seen again. 

What if the excitement of the day has faded 

into lovely memories and you’re settled into 

your new married routine before you suddenly 

remember you intended to formalise your 

financial arrangements? Well, all is not lost. 

Introducing the ‘post-nup.’ 

Sometimes post-nuptial agreements are 

entered into many years after the marriage 

and sometimes we even see a spouse who 

feels they have come to a point of no return 

and that the marriage is over as a result of 

disagreements about money. Settling down 

to discussing the financial issues and giving 

security and certainty as to what will happen 

if the marriage does end in divorce can be 

empowering. Whilst not first on the list of things 

to do some years into a marriage, for many 

couples it is the ideal way to take the heat out 

of arguments about money which often do end 

in divorce. It really may save the day! 

In lots of ways it is not dissimilar to talking about 

making a will when you’re fit and healthy. It’s the 

last thing on your mind but an important step to 

take to protect those you love and whose future 

you care about. Importantly, you should have 

good legal advice from a family law specialist 

who knows how to draft a post-nup and who 

will protect your interests and make sure you 

are not being pressurised. In addition, think 

about speaking to an accountant; there can be 

heavy tax consequences when dividing assets in 

divorce and early advice is essential. 

Never feel forced into agreeing something 

you’re not comfortable with and discuss it 

openly with your partner before seeking legal 

advice. That way you’ll be clear as to what 

your aims are in the unfortunate event that your 

marriage comes to an end. 

We are always happy to talk through your 

options and will ensure that you are not being 

put under pressure to enter into an agreement 

that does not give you the security you deserve 

in the longer term. As family law specialists, we 

are experts in this ever-changing area of law 

and will willingly chat to you over the telephone 

initially to see if we can help. 

Clarity Family Law Solicitors 

21-23 Station Road 

Gerrards Cross 

Buckinghamshire 

SL9 8ES. 

www.clarityfamilylaw.co.uk

BUSINESS NEWS 

How can I boost my 

state pension? 

The new ‘flat-rate’ state pension was 

ushered in on 6 April 2016, affecting 

everyone reaching state pension age 

on or after 6 April 2016. 

This means millions of older people aren’t 

affected by it and have simply carried on 

receiving their state pension under the old 

system. While the Government’s aim has been 

to make the new system fairer for all and easier 

to understand, it can still be a minefield – and 

some people have lost out from the overhaul. 

Regardless of whether you’re under the old or 

new state pension system there are ways you 

can boost the amount of state pension you’ll 

receive. However, they need to be considered 

carefully. 

The official Retirement Age 

You receive your state pension when you 

reach the Government’s official retirement 

age. What that is depends on when you were 

born. To reduce costs, the official retirement 

age is gradually being raised. It is increasing to 

66 for men and women by April 2020, then to 

67 by 2029, with a further rise to 68 expected 

between 2037 and 2039. 

pension you need 35 qualifying years for a 

full rate pay-out). You can check online whether 

you have any gaps in your NI record by 

getting a state pension statement or calling 

the Government’s Future Pension Centre 

on 0845 3000 168 and they’ll send you a 

statement. 

If you’re eligible, and you could benefit 

by boosting, buying extra years involves 

paying what are called ‘voluntary class 3 NI 

contributions’. Those retiring after 6 April 2016 

can buy up to 10 years’ contributions. The rate 

is £15 per missing week of NI contributions – 

£780 for a full year. 

Is it worth it? 

Buying a full extra year for £780 will boost your 

pension by £4.80 a week, equivalent to about 

£250 a year. So, if you buy one extra year, you’ll 

earn back what you paid in just over three years, 

which is an investment return very hard to find 

elsewhere! 

Buy ‘extra’ pension years 

If you’ve got spare savings and can afford to be 

without the cash in the short term, it’s possible 

to replace some missing NI qualifying years. 

This could lead to a big increase in your basic 

state pension pay-out over your retirement. In 

a nutshell, you pay a one-off lump sum to buy 

a higher state pension sum. Assuming you live 

long enough, the extra cash you earn from a 

bigger weekly state pension could be worth 

£1,000s over a lifetime. 

Philip Harper is an Independent 

Financial Planner 

phil@fmifa.com 

01494 817151 

Penn Barn, Elm Road, Penn, Bucks HP10 8LB 

www.fmifa.com 

But before you boost your state pension, 

double-check it’s worthwhile because – as 

always with pensions – there are some tricky 

rules. The key that defines whether it’s worth 

bothering is how many NI years you already 

have (remember that under the new state 

36 


WE WANT TO BUY YOUR PRESTIGE CAR, NOW! 

Kings Road Garage-1 Kings Road,Berkhamsted HP4 3BD 

Kings Road Garage is offering great deals on prestige cars. 

A Landrover and Jaguar specialist, it also has a variety of low mileage 

prestige marques just serviced and raring to go. For attractive partexchange 

or cash deals, call Nick or Kieren on 01442 863 851 

Visit: www.kingsroadgarage.co.uk 3 2 1 6 

or Tel: 01442 863 851 

G O L D T I N S E L S 5 4 3 2 9 1 6 8 7 

A O E 

8 1 9 7 6 5 2 4 3 

M I N C E P I E S A 

E H A L M A S S 2 7 6 3 4 8 5 1 9 

S I N N N O 9 

3 8 

2 

5 

5 

9 1 2 4 7 6 

M T O B O G G A N 

O X E N O U E 

9 2 

4 

1 4 7 6 3 5 8 

E M M A N U E L 6 M 1 

7 6 4 5 8 3 1 9 2 

H O L Y I L A 

9 3 

A M A R Z I P A N 1 

1 

5 2 8 3 9 7 6 4 

P W I N E U 8 I G 5 

4 3 

9 

8 6 5 7 9 2 1 

P C M N E 

4 6 8 

Y U L E L O G C H E E R 6 9 7 1 2 4 8 3 5 

7 3 

6 

2 3 8 9 

3 5 9 2 4 6 

2 7 5 

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS 

7 4 5 3 1 2 

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CROSSWORD 

5 

2 9 8 

5 

7 1 4 8 

SUDOKU WARM UP 

SUDOKU CHALLENGING 

8 4 1 3 9 7 6 2 5 

7 3 9 2 6 5 8 4 1 

5 2 6 8 4 1 9 7 3 

6 7 5 9 2 3 1 8 4 

3 8 2 1 5 4 7 9 6 

9 1 4 6 7 8 5 3 2 

4 6 8 7 1 2 3 5 9 

1 5 7 4 3 9 2 6 8 

2 9 3 5 8 6 4 1 7 

To advertise please call 07786 735 711 or email marketing@amershamtogether.co.uk 37

TRADES 

**NEW** Trade Pages 

We have carefully compiled this listing of trades companies for 

Amersham & Chalfonts Together so that you have a choice of good 

companies to use if you need some help around the house and garden. 

If you have a trades person you would like to recommend please share 

with us at trades@amershamtogether.co.uk 

If you use one of our traders on these page and want to award a star please go to: 

www.amershamtogether/rateatrade 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL AT AMERSHAM & CHALFONTS TOGETHER 

BUILDERS 

Beagle Building Contractors 

New build, property improvement or renovations 

t: 01296 730971 / 07951 426 149 

w: beaglebuildingcontractors.co.uk 

SJTC Ltd 

Projects of all sizes, from small residential works to 

large commercial/industrial projects 

t: 01494 939 961 / 07488 831 190 

w: www.sjtcltd.co.uk 

CHIMNEY SWEEP 

Armstrong Chimneys 

t: 01923 711 766 

Flamecheck Chimney Sweeping and 

Gas Fire Repairs 

t: 01494 611 455 

ELECTRICIANS 

Progressive Electrical Ltd 

Provides a range of services with a professional 

and friendly attitude at very competitive rates 

t: 01494 939 713 

w: www.progressiveelectrical.co.uk 

Southern Electrical Services 

Residential and commercial electrical and 

security services: installations, refurbishments 

and maintenance 

t: 01753 891 924 

e: info@seselectrical.org 

w: www.southernelectricalservices.co.uk 

Wilkinson Electrical Ltd 

Domestic and commercial installations, 

lighting, socket outlets, re-wires, power 

circuits, consumer units, safety checks and 

periodic inspections 

t: 07813 205 628 / 07384 892 482 

e: wilkinsonelectricalltd@gmail.com 

GARDENERS 

Oaklands Garden Maintenance 

High quality, flexible and personal service. 

Regular maintenance or one-off projects 

t: 01494 771 219 

e: info@oaklandsgardens.co.uk 

w: www.oaklandsgardens.co.uk 

PAINTERS AND DECORATORS 

D. Hearn & Son 

We provide top quality workmanship for all your 

interior and exterior decorating needs 

t: 01494 784 451 / 07888 181 320 

e: duncanhearn@hotmail.com 

Nigel Gillie Decorating Services 

Experienced, friendly professional internal and 

external decorators who have been working in the 

area since 1993 

t: 01494 681 794 / 07771 521 263 

w: ngilliedecoratingservices.co.uk 

PLUMBERS 

Living Water Plumbing Services 

t: Neil 07444 137 560 

e: livingwaterplumbing@icloud.com 

Prestige Heating & Plumbing Ltd 

t: Paul Harris 01494 939 967 / 07488 832 085 

Red Van Plumbers 

Plumbing and Heating Services 

t: 01628 533 550 

e: info@redvanplumbers.co.uk 

w: www.redvanplumbers.co.uk

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE – 

EXTERIOR 

TRADES 

Gutter Pro 

Gutters cleared – no call out charge. 

Full camera inspection carried out and 

if found to be clear, no charge made. 

t: 01628 878 448 w: www.gutterpro.co.uk 

Garolla Roller Shutter Doors 

Space-saving electric roller doors for garages 

t: 01494 355 075 / 07537 149 128 

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE – 

INTERIOR 

Back to Life Cleaning Services 

Provide high quality carpet and upholstery 

cleaning services 

t: 0800 2118 (Freephone) / 07726 491 580 

w: backtolifecleaningservices.co.uk 

Home Counties Loft Ladders 

Provide complete loft storage solution 

t: 0808 301 9558 

w: homecountiesloftladders.co.uk 

Oxford Aerials 

Local TV aerial and satellite installation and repair 

services, internet/wifi black spots fixed 

t: 01628 439 115 e: shaun@oxfordaerials.co.uk 

w: www.oxfordaerials.co.uk 

Pillowtalkhome 

Made to measure curtains, blinds and shutters. 

t: 01895 760 288 e: ask@pillowtalkhome.co.uk 


Shaded Interiors 

Made to measure curtains, blinds and shutters. 

t: 01753 888 876 / 07738 667 048 

e: m.aslamay@icloud.com 

w: www.shadedinteriors.co.uk 

WINDOW CLEANERS 

Aquarius Window Cleaning Ltd 

t: 07970 915 972 

e: enquries@aquariuswindowcleaningmarlow.co.uk 

Highflow Services Property Maintenance 

t: Mrs Corrine Gurr 01494 939 976 / 07488 827134 

w: www.highflowservices.co 

MPW Window Cleaners 

t: Phil 07511 739 039 / 07922 264638 

e: www.mpwresidentialwindowcleaners.co.uk 

39

Amersham & Chalfonts Together November/December 2019 Issue

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