Your Local Times

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September Issue

Photograph by Val Cooper

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Local Times 3

From Lift off with Balloons, Classic cars, Spitfire air craft, Beauty Salons to Hair Salons, Recipes from the Deli, to meals at local Restaurants

and pubs, The 1940’s News Paper, to Garden Centres, The Garden Diary and Bewdley in Bloom, Charities and this years events like the Golden Jubilee,Olympic torch and the fabulous Battle Proms at Ragley Hall, our local venues such as the Safari Park and Spring Grove House and the Severn valley Railway, we have just about covered it all over our four years.From business and shops which have come and gone to those who are about to close, holds memories for us all, a testimony of a town which has seen the best times and could

be in the last years of its life, without change. With it’s history, diverse activities, open coun-tryside and woods, the holiday potential, an opportunity has been missed to bring in visi-tors by pulling together by all the agencies concerned. Lets hope it changes in the future for the sake of the town.

For those who have supported the magazine from the its conception I can only give a heart warming thank you and hope your business goes from strength to strength. Your Local Times will always remain part of Bewdley.www.yourlocaltimes.co.uk is where you

can access all the archive material and still see all the local advertisers.With the launch of our new publication, that will cover a much wider area, it will focus on service sector businesses.

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Gain Confidence Enhance Sports, Golf etcStop SmokingPass your Driving TestPass Exams and Get Better GradesLower your blood pressureImprove SalesGet rid of Stammering,Get rid of Fears and Phobias Dental Fear and Flying

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yourLocal Times


How to contact us:Editor:Bob Cooper01299 [email protected]

Studio [email protected] What a great team, will miss you

Credit Control01299 402094Published by

Your Local Publisher Ltd

Thank you to all the contributors to the magazine incluing the great photographs we have received, especially from the late John Foxall, who supplied some stunning articles and kept our spirits high and the printers who have done a fantastic quality print job every month.

Now a massive thank you to the advertisers who have kept this magazine going over the years and the staff who worked tirlessly to make the magazine special to Bewdley.Well thats about it folks.

Bob Cooper Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.The publisher does not officially endorse any advertising material included in this publication.Your Local Times is a trademark of Your Local Publisher Limited.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopied or recorded without prior permission of the publisher.

WelcomeGOLD“They think it is all over. It is now!”, and our athlete’s won a clutch of medals for Great Britain. Whether it will benefit the country as a whole we shall have to wait and see.

Apart from the sponsors of the games and those who took part we can be assured that they have benefited from these games but has communities like ours.

A fantastic afternoon and evening at the Battle Proms at Ragley Hall , where the Spitfire piloted by Carolyn Grace gave the crowd a spectacular display,whilst we listened to the orchestra playing Elgars Nimrod.The weather for once was kind and everyone was enjoying the music and displays whilst tucking into their picnics.It is definitely a note in the diary for next years event.

So far it has been a marvellous year for Great Britain winning Gold at the Olympics, the Tour De France, and such a thrill for towns like Bewdley to have taken part in the Torch bearing ceremonies.

It leaves us breathless but with a legacy to build on for the future. Or will it!

Bob Cooper Retiring Editor


Local Times 5

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Local Times 7

Abacus Hair was recently selected by a panel of industry experts and independentbusiness judges to be one of the best in business within the hairdressing industry. To achieve finalist status in these highly competitive awards is a fantastic achievement.

Presented by Hairdressers Journal International, the British Hairdressing BusinessAwards are now celebrating their 14th year and are designed to reward excellenceand exceptional business practice.

“Year-on-year, the standard of entries has grown and developed,” comments Publishing Director of Hairdressers Journal International, Jayne Lewis-Orr. “Entries are alive with innovation, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial expertise showcasingamazing skills across the breadth of business management, and this year was no exception. The judges had a very difficult job selecting the finalists in each category,and it a tremendous testimony to Abacus' successful business acumen.”

Abacus Hair will attend the glittering awards ceremony held at the Lancaster London on Monday 17th September 2012, where a leading media personality will announce the winner of this prestigious award.

"We are so proud to be finalists in the 2012 British HairdressingBusiness Awards, Customer Care category, sponsored by Kerastase. The only Worcestershire business chosen"

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. . . creators of award winning hair

1 & 2 High Street, Bewdley, DY12 2DH.T: 01299 402401 E: [email protected]

ABACUS EDITORIAL 2012 design A_Layout 1 24/08/2012 14:48 Page 1


Secrets of successful marketingby Robert Cartoon

Welcome fellow business owners

Over the coming months I will be doing a series of Marketing ar-ticles which will hopefully give you ideas to help you in your business. They are based on What To Do When Times Are Tough...and in the midst of a double dip recession these are difficult times for business owners.

Some owners are waiting for the economy to pick up..others waiting for the Government to do something...others want the Council to reduce the car park charges...all these things are outside your control.

What you can control is the M word...Marketing...the compa-nies who will survive and thrive will get good at Marketing. They may not have the best product or service but they know how to attract buyers for their product or service.

This month I want to look at... Who is your Target Market? You have got your business cards...sent out your flyers...placed your advert.You feel good and sit back and wait for your phone to ring.

But who are you targeting? Who are you going to serve?

Most would say “anyone with a debit or credit card”. The big mistake a

lot of business owners make is try-ing to think about and capture the

broadest possible audience for their business,trying to be too much to too many people. One size fits all sce-nario has been the downfall of many a company.

Let me give you an example of a de-fined target market.

Ladies Hairdresser....you would think all ladies should be their target mar-ket.

But if you look at their existing clients...they have 500 clients where 90% are aged 40 to 60..5% are under 40 and 5% are over 60.

So their main focus should be on attracting more 40-60 year old fe-males...why should they waste valu-able marketing money chasing ladies under 40 or over 60 who are unlikely to become clients?


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I am not suggesting you disregard the smaller % but your strategy should be to DOMINATE where you are strong.

What is the lifetime mon-etary value of your client?

This is a figure every busi-ness owner should know...let’s stay with the ladies hairdresser.

Each client has her hair cut 8 times a year at £30 a time and is a client for say five years...8 x £30 x 5 = £1200. So the owner knows every new cli-ent who walks into the salon is worth £1200 so again why should they chase people under 40 or over 60? Sadly most business owners do not know the lifetime value of their clients...do you? If each client visited the salon

9 times instead of 8 then the annual turnover would go from

£120000 to £135000....just by getting the client to have one extra appoint-ment in a year...all down to being good at Marketing.

Knowing your most profitable and easiest target audience gives you com-plete freedom to focus all your efforts on a “let’s just get more of the most

profitable customers” approach to marketing. The question below will be covered in next months article.

“ Why should I,your prospective client/prospect,do business with you versus any and every option avail-able to me?” Basically

why should the prospect open their wallet and give you their money?

PS Here is an exercise for you if you are a bricks and mortar business.

1) Get a compass2) Draw a circle where it passes through your most distant regular client3) Draw a second circle 1/4 the radius of the first circle4) Count how many clients fall inside the smaller circle Where are you spending your marketing money and

your time?


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Local Times 11

Telesales Person

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BIG CATS ON THE SCENTThe big cats at West Midland Safari Park love nothing more thanexperiencing a new scent and given the right kind of scent can befascinated for hours on end.

As animal enrichment plays a huge role in animal husbandry at the Park, a recent request to staff by the Park’s ResearchOfficer for unwanted perfumes, deodor-ants and spices for cooking such as chilli, curry, garlic and any onion based items, caused quite a stir.

It wasn’t only the cats that were fasci-nated, eager to please staff raided their bathroom cabinets and store cupboards when they got home and came up with the goods. Items ranging from dregs of expen-sive French perfumes to garlic harvested from an allotment were just some ofthe whiffy items handed over.

Bob Lawrence, Director of Wildlife, said “There are not many occasions when scent marking animals will venture into the big cat paddocks and therefore we like to stimulate the senses of our charges by providing some unusual smells that will intrigue and captivate them. Of the recent haul kindly donated by the staff it

does appear that peppermint based scents certainly seems to be the favourite of our White Lions. We are not sure, but it does appear that the product may even have some aphrodisiac qualities, so we will have to watch this space”.

West Midland Safari Park is big on cats having the only pride of rare White Lions and largest group of Cheetah in the UK, along with whiteBengal Tigers and the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger.

During August, West Midland Safari Park has extended hours for their Summer Nights season that sees the Park opening at 10.00am and closing at 9.00pm. Last admission to the Park and animal reserves is at 7.00pm, with the African Village staying open until 8.00pm. The amusement rides and Park closes 9.00pm

The standard admission charge is £14.99 for adults and £12.99 forchildren. Admission prices also include a free return ticket. Amusementrides are charged extra in all cases. More information: www.wmsp.co.ukor by telephone 01299 402114.


Local Times 13

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The cake tower fits in the centre of the Carousel to display your cakes.


Local Times 15

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Trevor Price established Bewdley Gallery in 1980 and has a range of

original paintings, limited and open edition prints all at competitive prices.

The Gallery also has a picture framing service with hundreds of designs to choose from and with 25 years of experience. All

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Local Times 17


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A Friendly accountant who doesn’t charge the earth.Now that’s worth a phone call

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Local Times 19

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Jargon Busters – Computer Hackers Having covered the wealthiest figures in computing today over the last two issues, I thought it was maybe time to take a look at the darker side of things and ironi-cally, some of the skills adopted by these characters were used by the likes of Bill Gates in their early years....

Initially, I think we need to clarify a few things – NOT ALL HACKERS ARE BAD !! Even those involved realise and have made it known that there is a “Hacker Hierarchy”, which takes into account a number of factors.

During the course of this feature, I will attempt to throw some light on these clandestine characters and hopefully dispel some of the myths and redress the balance.

Ok, let’s start by defining what “hacking” is (in the conventional sense) - “Hacking means finding out weaknesses in a com-puter or computer network, though the term can also refer to someone with an advanced understanding of computers and computer networks”. Now, whereas there are legal reasons and constructive applica-tions for computer hacking (to highlight to companies where there security leaks are !!), most of us will be only too aware of the “dark side”of Hacking, the side that’s usually dramatised in Hollywood mov-ies. In the movie “The Core”, a known computer hacker was used to monitor the internet and squash any traces of informa-tion regarding to what was happening to

the World, to try and avert wide-scale panic, but not before they broke down his door with him desperately trying to wipe the contents of his computers with a huge electro-magnet !!!

A “White Hat Hacker” is a hacker who breaks security for non-malicious reasons, usually to test the integrity of security software or to highlight and plug security leaks in a given network, the term “white hat” is internet slang for an ethical hacker.

A “Black Hat Hacker” (or “Cracker”) is the other extreme, usually breaking into networks or software for malicious, personal or financial reasons, the scourge of our lives !! These undesirables utilise a number of tools in their attacks; Vulnera-bility Scanners, Root Kits, Packet Sniffers, Trojan Horses, Worms, Phishing (or Spoofing), Bots, Password Crackers, the list is endless. Is it any wonder why we, as a company, are inundated weekly with systems that have been compromised. I daresay the vast majority of you will have been touched by hacker activity at some point, hopefully it was an inconvenience at most and that you weren’t fooled into part-ing with your hard-earned !!!

Sub-divisions have manifested – Grey Hats, Blue Hats, Script Kiddies, Neo-phytes, Hacktivists and Elite Hackers (basically, God!!). It is virtually impossi-


Local Times 21

ble to quantify how many “crackers” there are in the World, but realistically, one is one too many !! In fact, with all these deviants pounding away at their respective keyboards, it’s a wonder how the internet operates at all, I suppose we have to be so grateful that there are a vast number of “White Hats” around to protect us, the innocent...

There have been situations where the perpetrators got away scot-free, such was the case with the “ILOVEYOU” Worm which hit the internet in 2002, infecting in excess of 50 million computers within ten days of its release and causing $5.5 billion in damages Worldwide. The two program-mers responsible (Reomel Ramores and Onel de Guzman) were of Filipino origin and were ultimately let off with all charges because there was no suitable legislation

in place to handle such matters. To date, ILOVEYOU holds the World Record for being the most virulent computer virus ever written !!

Ultimately, it reinforces how important it is to keep your system protected by way of a suitable internet security program, but please remember, there is no such thing as a PERFECT anti-virus and like with an expensive burglar alarm, if they want to get in, they’ll get in.

Just recently we have witnessed a grow-ing number of machines infected with a Police warning that basically locks down the infected machine, blocking access to your desktop and the icons therein. Such programs have become known as “Ransomware” as they usually require the unwilling victim to part with money before access is given. Based on a form of malware known as Reveton, which has been around for years, nasty hackers are fine-tuning this software and mutating it in order to get round any internet protection. Please don’t panic if you are inflicted and certainly DO NOT part with the fee they are asking for !!

Ultimately, I suppose we are all at risk, it’s one of the joys of using the internet, but if you think about it logically, most of us use the roads and run the risk of an accident every time we venture out, but we still continue to drive...

Stay safe, stay well.

Steve Gould ([email protected])


Amongst the myriad of cosmetic services available today, elective teeth whitening is argua bly the most obvious and in-stantly noticeable procedure that can be undertaken.

Most people regularly visit their dentist and conduct a good oral health regime. However, our teeth are constantly un der attack from the staining effects of tea, coffee, red wine, coloured fizzy drinks, rich dark sauces and smoking. Known as ‘ex trinsic staining’, even the most diligent of us enjoying some or all of the aforemen tioned, struggle against the gradual build up of tooth staining over the years.

Using only the highest quality dental grade products in combination with 100% safe cold blue light LED technology, in around an hour Gleam’s professional whitening procedure will give the vast majority of people the smile they always prom ised themselves but maybe put off due to prohibitive cost.

Lower overheads mean that a one hour procedure carried out by Gleam will cost just £109.00* with a real istic expectation of lightening your teeth between 8 and 14 shades. A whiter, brighter, confident smile is very desirable and achievable for the vast majority of the population.

Gleam carries out the procedure from it’s Wyre Forest base in Bewdley and at Temple Row in central Birmingham. The

service is also fully mobile for home and salon visits. Discounts available for multi-ple bookings.

Take the first step to giving yourself a whiter, brighter smile by calling Gleam Professional Teeth Whitening today on

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We will be happy to address any ques tions you may have about the procedure with absolutely no obligation.

Limited time offer cost is just

£99.00 when quoting code

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smile please


Local Times 23

Throughout his history man has, unfortu-nately, always been the persecuted or the persecutor and, despite millennia of hor-rendous experiences seems to have learned little about either tolerance or understand-ing.

The persecution of those with particular religious beliefs is one of the main areas where intolerance has often been lack-ing, yet the barbaric witch hunts which took place during the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries in Europe, England, Scotland and the USA, did not condemn

an individual for their actual beliefs, but rather for the beliefs that those in power imagined that they had.

The brutality of those times forms a part of our history that we should never forget, in order that we might all, through replacing fear with understanding, come to respect the beliefs of others, regardless of the fact that we may not always wish to tread the same path.

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Carole Carlton is a lecturer, writer and author on ancient spirituality and Reiki. She runs Reiki courses from first degree through to Master/Teacher level for the UK Reiki Federation and also holds introductory workshops on the myth and legend behind the traditions of the year at the Mercure Hotel in Bewdley. Her book, ‘Mrs Darley’s Pagan Whispers’, outlines the eight major Pagan festivals (Prehistoric and Celtic) as they fall chronologically throughout the year. To discover more visit: www.arcanus.co.uk or www.mrsdarleyspaganwhispers.blogspot.com

mrsdarleyspagan

Achieving Tolerance through Understanding


CHARTER trains and special passenger excursions bringing new revenue to the Severn Valley Railway, will become pos-sible with the completion this Bank Holi-day weekend of trackwork and signalling alterations at Kidderminster by Network Rail.

The installation of a new ‘crossover’ and access point onto the 16-mile Kidder-minster – Bridgnorth steam heritage line, means that for the first time, passenger trains from the Birmingham – Worcester main line will be able to run ‘through’ onto the SVR, and call at its main stations at Bewdley and Bridgnorth.

Previously, passengers arriving at the SVR on special excursion or charter trains had to alight at Kidderminster main line station, and walk 60 yards to the adjacent Severn Valley Railway station to board a train there, for although the line had a physical track connection with Network Rail, it wasn’t signalled or approved for passenger train use, being used mainly for the transfer of rolling stock to and from the railway.

The remodelling of the Network Rail-SVR link at Kidderminster is part of a major programme of re signalling and track work

between Droitwich and Stourbridge Junc-tion being completed by NR this weekend, which brings the closure of traditional ‘lever-pull’ signal boxes at Stourbridge Junction, Kidderminster Junction and Hartlebury, and the replacement of clas-sic ‘semaphore’ signals with colour-light signalling, operated from NR’s regional signalling centre at Saltley, Birmingham.

On the Severn Valley Railway side of the boundary fence, the old-style semaphore signalling has been expanded to accommo-date the upgraded link line and associated signalling, five more levers being brought into use in the SVR’s Kidderminster sta-tion signal box, and an additional signal arm being added to the line’s impressive semaphore signal gantry.

On the Network Rail side of the boundary fence, by ‘close of play’ on Bank Holiday Monday, the old semaphore signalling – one of the modern railway’s last links with the age of steam – will have gone, and the practice of signalmen ‘clocking on’ to work eight-hour shifts in Kidderminster Junction signal box, which was manned 24 hours a day, will come to an end.

Built around 1878 to control train move-ments to and from the Severn Valley line,

New SVR-Network Rail link opensup charter train prospects


Local Times 25

there has been a Kidderminster Junction signal box for 134 years.

In the wake of previously misleading reports, the Severn Valley Railway is keen to stress that the new track work link does NOT signal any likelihood of com-muter or regular passenger trains between Bridgnorth and Birmingham.

Emphasises SVR General Manager Nick Ralls: “We’re not talking about commuter trains; we are talking about increasing the frequency of incoming and outgoingcharter trains, and making best use of the new opportunities which exist for mutual collaboration with main line train opera-tors such as Chiltern Railways, on things like day excursions to and from London, shoppers trains, and so on.”

Advertising space in this magazine costs less than you thinkCall us and find out on 01299 402094

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We cater for corporate events, weddings, funeral wakes, marketing

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If you are organising a marketing meeting and want to supply a buffet

call and find out moreA sample of our menus are on our website

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Local Times 27

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27th

ANNUAL HALLOWEEN FANCY DRESS PARTY

Prizes for the best Fancy Dress CostumeAdults and children category

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Local Times 29

Strawberry cheesecake IngredientsFor the biscuit layer150g/5¼oz crushed digestive biscuits2 tbsp melted butter2 tbsp caster sugar½ tbsp freshly grated lemon zest, very finely chopped6 tbsp orange juice or juice from the straw-berriesFor the strawberry layer1 tbsp lemon juice1 tbsp water2 tsp cornflour, dissolved in a little cold water or orange juice100g/4oz caster sugar1kg/2lb 3¼oz strawberries, cleaned and sliced

For the cheesecake layer2 sheets gelatine1-2 tbsp of lemon juice350g/12¼oz cream cheese225g/8oz caster sugar300g/10½oz thick Greek-style yoghurt1 tbsp of vanilla extractTo servewhipped creamsprigs of mint

Preparation methodFor the biscuit layer, mix all the biscuit ingre-dients together and reserve.For the strawberry layer, place the lemon

juice and water into a small saucepan and mix in the cornflour well.Bring to the boil and when the cornflour is dis-solved, mix in the sugar and the strawberries.Heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool and thicken.For the cheesecake mixture, soften the gela-tine in the lemon juice and a spoonful of water if needed, for 3-5 minutes.Heat the mixture gently over a low heat in a small saucepan until the gelatine is com-pletely dissolved.Meanwhile whisk the cream cheese and the sugar in a mixer or blender on medium speed.When the sugar is dissolved turn down the speed and add the yoghurt and the gelatine.When the mixture is blended together add the vanilla extract.To assemble, place the biscuit layer into the base of six wine glasses, add a good dollop of cheesecake mixture, then add some straw-berries. Chill the mixture for a few hours and top with whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.

Simple Recipes


A sweet treat for your guests

Just one of the testimonials we have received lately sums up the success of the business.After a luxurious wedding reception held at the Chateau Impney last month where the Candy Carousel was the star attraction, praise was indeed forthcoming. The hosts supplied the chocolates and we supplied the Fero Rocher Cone for the centre which was a real guest pleaser.

Having been approached by a number of event planners and venues, we have now started to manufacture the unit to order,

but will still limit the number of units we propose to supply to each area. Being an alternative to the once popular chocolate fountain, Candy Carousel is a multi- functional unit which you can use to display your wedding cake, use to display your favours, as well as the Pick & Mix selection.The unit can be hired without or without the confectionary on a daily basis and we deliver it to the venue and set it up ready for your guests to enjoy.The addition of the revolving cake stand, which fits into the centre of the unit, can be used for the very popular cup cakes, which we freshly bake, decorate and sup-ply if required.

At our latest corporate catering event, the client used the Candy Carousel with the revolving stand for the Canapes, instead of the traditional tables due to the minimal space it takes up, fitting neatly into a cor-ner of the function room. The clear panel at the front had the clients logo promoting the event.

If you like more details how you can purchase or hire the unit please call 01299 402094 or 07736540136.

Candy CarouselTM

Putting in the effort has reaped rewards

TestimonialIf you are thinking of having something a bit different for a wedding, then look no further than having a Candy Carousel.

Val & Bob arranged their Carousel at our daughters wedding and it was a real success. We decided to not to have the sweets but had chocolates instead. Val arranged a cone of Fero Rocher in the centre and it looked spectacular.We would definitely recommend Candy Carousel to any one thinking of having a wedding or similar event, our guests loved it and it was a real talking point. Jan CollinsBlackwell


Local Times 31

Severn Stained Glass at Bewdley Museum

Restoration - Commission - Workshops

Telephone; 01299 841540

01299401901

Grooming, Trimming, shampooingBath & Dry

Tel:01299 269478 Mob: 07702 825903

Mrs Darley’s Herbal Bewdley Museum

Herbs for Health, Beauty & Magic

Herbal Teas, Culinary Herbs, Hand Blended Incense, & Natural Skin Care

Visit: www.arcanus.co.uk Telephone:

07977096257

Visit: www.arcanus.co.uk Telephone: 07977096257

The local Business Directory

Four Seasons Florist

07840 923 524

Flowers and Bouquets for every

occasion made perfect for you by your local, friendly florists

JOANNE

GARAGEDOORS

SHOWROOM NOW OPEN IN KIDDERMINSTER

• Over 80 doors in stock• We supply and fit• We repair all types of doors

Sales - Ring David on 01562 952682Repairs - Ring Paul on 01562 959008

www.tilburygarage doors.co.uk

Freshen up your home in 2012

GARAGE DOORS SUPPLIED, FITTED AND REPAIRED

To advertise here call 01299 40294

go to www.wecater4u.co.uk

& see our sample menus


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