big voice gosport august 2015

1

August 2015 | Issue 8 | £1.50 where bought

Oil and water?

Auto BIOGRAPHIESAll new Mitsubishi Shogun

Relationships and Money

2

GIG GUIDE

By Nigel Maisey

© Tim Stephens

All gigs should start at 9pm unless stated

JuJulylyFriday 24th Bone Idle The Bird Fareham

Small Town Red Lion StubbingtonSaturday 25th Rock of the Pops The Hoeford Fareham

Northern Soul Stubbington Snooker Club StubbingtonSunday 26th Hazzard County The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 31st D’ska Assasins The Bird Fareham

Groove Monster Red Lion Stubbington

AuAuguguststSaturday 1st Monster The Hoeford Fareham

Asylum Seekers The Carisbrooke GosportSunday 2nd Road House The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 7th Glitter Buzz The Bird Fareham

Barbwire Bob The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 8th Italian Job The Carisbrooke Gosport

Louise (Blondie Tribute) The Hoeford FarehamZoe Moxie Pier St Café Lee on Solent

Sunday 9th Soulpatch The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 14th Davy Jones Locker The Bird Fareham

Fat Kat Pier St Café Lee on SolentBooze Brothers The Carisbrooke Gosport

Saturday 15th Mafia The Carisbrooke GosportSunday 16th Hazard County The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 21st Pond Life The Bird Fareham

Miz Pier St Café Lee on SolentKelly’s Tattoo The Carisbrooke GosportRock of the Pops Red Lion Stubbington

Saturday 22nd Bone Idol The Carisbrooke GosportRoy Peplow The Hoeford Fareham

Sunday 23rd Splinter The Bird FarehamFriday 28th The Business The Bird Fareham

Mighty Fly Red Lion StubbingtonLST Music Pier St Café Lee on SolentRobbie Williams Tribute The Carisbrooke Gosport

Saturday 29th Legend The Carisbrooke GosportGo Mad The Hoeford Fareham

THIS MONTH..

23

august issue 2015

HOUSE AND GARDENS

18 DahliaThis plant of the month breathes life and colourinto many gardens.

22 Planning MattersCheck out this months round up of planningapplications in and around Gosport.

MOTORING

8 Mitsubishi ShogunTim Barnes Clay takes a look at the new MitsubishiShogun. Is it still a living legend? Read on…

CHILDREN, PETS & EDUCATION

11 Kids PageIt’s time for swimming lessons with this monthskids page.

12 It’s all child’s playSlow down, walk, breathe and enjoy nature withthis months article from Sue Gascoyne.

HEALTH, BEAUTY & LIFESTYLE

26 Absolute RunningFollow the shoe with the boys at Absolute.

28 Relationships and moneyIs it just like mixing oil and water? Read on to seewhat Jessica McGregor Johnson thinks.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL

14 HagglingMartin Lewis guides us through the mystical art ofhaggling.

311028

18

Email in pictures of your garden if you’d like to beconsidered for the Over the Hedge feature - we’renot always looking for Italian ManicuredPerfection so get those cameras snapping!

Recipes, community, health,properties and more

28

13

SmSmalal ltalkltalk

Pearl Publications

01329 630630

Joint Editors

Coralie Todd & Sean [email protected]

Advertising Sales

[email protected]

Distribution

This Big Voice Bigazine is deliveredto residents and businesses in

Gosport, Elson and surroundingareas. For distribution enquiries

please give us a call andspeak to Sean.

Six other editions are alsopublished in Alverstoke,

Stubbington & Hill Head, Lee onSolent , Locks Heath, Warsash &

Sarisbury Green, Whiteley,Titchfield Park and Burridge.

Whilst Big Voice Directories aim to provide aquality publication for local reference, it cannotbe held responsible for the services, reputation orcost of any of the advertisers, and content ofadverts or editorial herein. Readers must maketheir own enquiries to establish the credentials ofeach entry. Reproduction in whole or in part isstrictly prohibited without prior writtenpermission from the Publishers. The magazinesare produced on paper sourced from FSCapproved paper mills and printed using vegetablebased inks. They love being recycled but pleasepass to a friend first!Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content© Copyright Pearl Publications Ltd

Follow us on Twitter@BVDirectories

Visit our Facebook pageBig Voice Directories

Visit our websitewww.bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

“Motivation is what gets youstarted…

Habit is what keeps you going” said JimRyun, an American Athlete.

It got me thinking that many of us who have set our goals andwishes at the beginning of the year may be finding that now thesummer is upon us, and willpower is lowering as we think ofslipping into Autumn, that those things we fervently set out toachieve in January may be sliding from our grasp.

And perhaps the reason is that we either weren’t committed todoing what we decided all those months ago, or we didn’t get intothe HABIT of making that thing happen. Indeed a decision wemade last year as a couple was to incorporate a fresh juice intoour diet, at least once daily. We enjoyed blending fresh kale fromthe garden, including thick broccoli stems which would ordinarilyend up on the compost, various fruit and other vegetables andchucking in copious amounts of ginger which sent Sean's hayfeverpacking (an unexpected, but very welcome result!).

With the cleaning of the blenders and juicers, and the extra bit oforganisation needed to make these each day it would have beeneasy to stop eventually. But once it became a habit it’s tough tobreak. So even when we have days out we make sure that we getour juice and do you know, if you look out for them there are juicebars popping up everywhere. So we grabbed one recently in HydePark at a festival, in a little street in Ibiza on a holiday and eventhe kids join in now, despite what can seem a very dubious mixsometimes!

If there’s something you want to do, or yourresolve has slipped, get startedagain and we’ll hear no moreexcuses!

Much love until next monthCoralie and Sean x

Advertise with us!

Reliably delivered by our local teams, reaching over 35000homes each issue, SEVEN editions of Big Voice provideexceptional monthly coverage of our area every single month.Call our friendly team now on 01329 630630, jump on ourwebsite and have a chat or link up with us on Facebook.

7

Last Wednesday, 1st July, I celebrated25 years as a priest, along with 250other people, in Holy Trinity,Gosport, one of the two churches(with Christ Church, Gosport) where Iam presently working. GrahamHewitt, and Honorary Freeman ofGosport and former mayor, who hasknown me since my earliest days as aclergyman, wrote the following aboutthis memorable day for me:

“A priest who began his ministry inGosport 25 years ago celebrated hisSilver Anniversary at a specialservice and reception at Holy TrinityChurch,Gosport. Father Andy Daviswelcomed the guests of honour,Bishop Timothy Bavin whoconducted his ordination 25 yearsago to the day; and the formerRector of Alverstoke, Canon NormanChatfield who supervised Andy’swork and training in his firstappointment.

Addressing the packed congregationBishop Timothy said the attendancewas a powerful expression of thanksand respect from those whose liveshad been touched by Andy’s ministry.

Canon Chatfield paid tribute toAndy’s varied work and care ofsections of the communityparticularly the young andelderly.

The service was conducted byFather Andy assisted by theVenerable Gavin Collins,Archdeacon of the Meon,Canon Jeffrey Bell (whohelped train Andy) and PhilipHopgood, Lay Deacon of HolyTrinity. Father Andy’s wife,Chris, and his 88 year old dadboth gave readings.

Former Mayor, CouncillorJohn Beavis said that FatherDavis had played animportant part in the civic life

of Gosport. “Andy was a superbMayor’s Chaplain to myself,Councillor Richard Dickson, CouncillorKeith Gill and Councillor WayneRonayne and took part in all theimportant events in the Town”.

During the last twenty five yearsFather Davis has held a number ofpositions in the Portsmouth Diocese.Following his curacy at St. Mary’sAlverstoke, he became Curate-in-Charge at St. Francis, Hilsea and thenChaplain to the then Bishop ofPortsmouth Doctor KennethStevenson. He was then appointedRector of St Peter’s Church, Bishop’sWaltham before becoming Vicar ofChrist Church and Holy Trinity. Untillast month he was also Area Dean ofGosport.

Bishop Timothy was enthusiasticallywelcomed by many who rememberhim affectionately as a popular andloved Bishop. Now aged 80 theformer Bishop of Johannesburg isnow a Benedictine monk at AltonAbbey.”

The Revd Andy Davis,Vicar of Christ Church and Holy

Trinity, Gosport and Area Dean ofthe Church of England’s “Deanery of

Gosport”

[email protected] [email protected]

Nave Contemplation

8

Auto biographies

In 1982 Mitsubishi MotorsCorporation launched a brand newbreed of vehicle: a 4x4 which wastough enough to go where othersfeared to tread, yet enjoyed the sortof sophisticated specification morenormally associated with top endsaloons. More than thirty years laterthe Shogun is a living legend.

The 2015 Mitsubishi Shogun has abold new front end, distinguished bya deeper more integrated grille andchic LED daytime running lights. Thedesign changes for this yearrepresent a progressive evolution ofthe hard-hitting Japanese off-roader.

Naturally, the Mitsubishikeeps its go-anywhere, self-assured and powerfully builtpresence. This ischaracterised by its shortfront overhang, uprightwindscreen, strong highflanks, flared wheel-archesand rear-mounted sparewheel. These are all keyShogun styling cues thatunderline its mud-pluggingaptitude.

Indeed, standing next to theShogun makes you feel prettysmall. The vehicle isenormous and looks ratherintimidating to drive. Butonce you haul yourself intothe cabin, turn the key, select‘Drive’ from the automaticgearbox and get rolling, anyunease evaporates.

By no means is the brutealways a delight to drive onthe road though. Sure, it’seasy to point the Shogundown a motorway and staythere, but any cross winds doknock you about a bit. That’sno surprise as it’s a tall

vehicle – and because of thatyou can also forget tearing aroundbends on country roads, unless youlike lots of lean.

Instead, the new Mitsubishi Shogunis about muscle and ruggedness. Thetop of the range Long Wheel Base(LWB) SG4 model, on test here, pullslike a train with its 3.2-litre,194bhp,four-cylinder diesel engine.0-62mph arrives in 11.1 seconds andtop speed is 112mph. Moreimportantly it has low-ratio gearingand a differential lock to make sureyou’ve got the best chance ofgetting it out of even the mostchallenging of non-tarmacsituations.

The Mitsubishi Shogun is not only agiant of a 4x4, its cabin feels solidlyscrewed together and comescrammed with luxury features. Aswell as improved sound deadening,SG4 trim brings leather seats,Bluetooth, a tyre pressuremonitoring system and a five-speedautomatic gearbox.

Staying inside the cabin of theShogun, its multifunction display hasreams of information available. Thisincludes a barometer and analtitude gauge, indicating that this isa vehicle that has motoring abilitystretching way beyond a farmer’sfield.

The seats are comfortable andsupportive, and the large glass areaprovides first rate views of the roador rugged ground around you. Rearseat space is colossal, and loadcapacity seems immeasurably big.

A third row of seats can be poppedup too, turning the Shogun into aseven-seater. This is convenient ifyou’re taking a group of friends intothe rough or you’ve got a posse ofchildren you need to drop off atschool.

Away from the much commentedluxury soft-roaders, heavy-dutyworkhorses such as the Shogun havecarved out a unique niche in themarket where ability anddependability matter first andforemost.

Since a price decrease in July 2013Shogun sales have gone fromstrength to strength. With its newdesign and improved specification,the Mitsubishi Shogun now offerseven better value for money.

Price: £37,489FAST FACTS

Max speed: 112mph

0-62 mph: 11.1 secs

Combined mpg: 33.2

Engine: 3200cc 4 cylinder 16valve turbo diesel

Max. power (bhp): 194

Max. torque (lb/ft): 325

CO2: 224 g/km

PROS ‘N’ CONSPulls well √

Off-road ability √Spacious √Visibility √On road

manoeuvrability X

9

New Ford Mondeo

By Tim Barnes-Clay www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteupsClay www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

23 - 26 October 2015

New Mitsubishi Shogun

By Tim Barnes-Clay www.carwriteups.co.uk @carwriteups

12

After a 6 month break frommoving anywhere far or fast, I’verecently discovered the joys ofwalking to school. Recoveringfrom a ruptured calf injury, I’vehad to learn how to walk againand by that I mean walkproperly, without compensatingwith other parts of the body!

My aim has been to quit therather ungainly speed walkingstature that I’d acquired, fromrotating the hips instead ofbreathing and walking from thecore. In fact I’ve been struck bythis opportunity to re-experiencewhat it is like to do somethingthat we take for granted inchildren, walking. That meanshaving to think about and look atevery step, just to make sure thatyour foot is where it should be.

Discovering the wonders ofproprioception first hand (awfulname but basically meansunderstanding where our bodiesare within space) has reinforcedfor me the amazing feat ofmastery that infants and youngchildren undergo as they developfrom ‘helpless babies’ unsure ofwhere their body starts andfinishes, to rolling, crawling,sitting, standing, tottering andrunning children – a miracle ofMother Nature.

And so after months of feelingold and unable to run and playalongside my children as I wouldnaturally do, I, like a toddler,

have been set free on a journeyof discovery, and what a time ofyear for that adventure. Withblossom floating on the breezescenting the air in wafts ofperfume, a visual spectacle ofcolours and birdsong to warmthe heart, that journey to schoolis fast becoming an opportunityto reawaken the senses.

For children ‘nature is sheersensory experience’ (Cobb,1977),and after being cooped up insideor in the bubble-like cocoon of acar, that precious time is anopportunity to breathe deeplyand marvel about all that’s goodin the world.

With so much of children’s lives aconstant rush from one club toanother, the precious walk toschool marks a gradual transitionbetween home and school/work.An opportunity to ponder,recharge batteries and preparementally for the day ahead. Thebalance between familiarity fromthe route and routine anddifferentness from ever changingnatural and manmade eventsprovides just the right mix forengaging and energising thebrain. The route home is no lessimportant. An opportunity forchildren to let off steam after theconstraints of the classroom,adjust to changing roles,recharge and ponder on what todo next. As well as making greatsense for the environment andthe fight against obesity we know

that helping children to forgelinks with nature from a youngage sets them up for healthierand more fulfilling lives in thefuture, by developing anattachment with Mother Natureherself.

With adequate time, a constantchallenge in our house, childrencan enjoy the luxury of tracingthe silvery line of a snail, weavingtheir way through trees, carefullybalancing along a wall, spinning

It’s al l child’s play

Get set! Ready for the school run

By Sue Gascoyne

13

round lampposts and pausing topick up treasures or specialstones, as children are prone todo. This could be a time forrunning, cycling or scooting on ascooter, what better way to feelthe wind on your cheeks and rushof energy and measured fear thatchildren need to experience?Judging by the number of parentsseen sporting scooters on theirshoulders returning from schoolmy children are not the only oneswho’ve got the scooter bug.

We know that adults tend tooverestimate the boisterousnessof children’s play, thinkingthey’re far more active than they

really are. I guess this is a resultof our increasingly sedentarylifestyle? So a healthy breakfast,followed by the school run aregreat ways for setting children upnot just for the day, but lifegenerally.

Finally let us now forget the valueof this precious time for talkingwith our children, and I do meanwith rather than to! Researchshows a proven link between thenumber and range of words usedby a mother with their child, andtheir child’s success in later life,so any opportunities forconversations should bewelcomed with open arms.

The secret of course lies inchildren knowing that their viewswill be valued and listened to aswell as having something to talkabout like that silvery snail trail,unusual stone, funny shapedcloud or car zooming past on theschool run.

For more fun sensory play activities,Sue’s latest research, resources andtraining go to [email protected] 796722

14

@MoneySavingExpertMartin LewisHaggling isn’t just a skill for market stalls,these days where it really pays is at callcentres. And if you’re a Sky customerthere’s no better time to put your hag-gling skills to the test, as June meanssome Sky TV customers are facing hikes ofover £50 a year.

Yet this isn’t just for Sky. It works for otherTV firms, mobile, TV, broadband, break-down and more. Last year on my site, Ipolled over 7,000 people who tried to call-centre haggle, to see how successful theywere company by company.

The results are staggering, at Sky 86%succeeded in some form of discount, theAA 84%, TalkTalk 83%, Plusnet 82%, Virginmedia 80% and RAC 78%. In other words,for every five people who tried, four got adeal.

And don’t think the amounts are trivialeither, here’s just some of the successespeople have tweeted me in Sky’s currentround of price hikes…“Just saved £315 a year with a good oldhaggle with Sky, cheers Martin.”“Phoned up and in 10 mins it'd knocked£134 off my bill. No change to services orterms. Thank you!”“Managed to save almost 50% by calling.Firm but polite with a clear messagethroughout my call.”So don’t be shy, it’s time to tool up andget a haggle on. Here are my top ten tips(but for you, I’ll do it in 9).

1. Benchmark the best deal. It's im-portant to have the factual arsenal. Re-search the deals, discounts and codes thatare available for new customers, as a basisfor negotiation. Here’s a quick rundownfor each of the main haggle areas.

- Digital TV: For example, you can current-ly get 25% off all Sky TV bundles and £75bill credit, compare this with what you willbe paying. You can use this figure to hag-gle with Sky or Virgin. See www.mse.me/digitalTV for all the deals. And of coursethe cheapest digital TV option is Freeview.It's a one-off cost of around £20 for a boxand there's no monthly subscription.

- Breakdown cover: If you go via a cash-back site, you can effectively sign up forbasic AA or RAC cover for under £20. Seewww.mse.me/breakdown for full best-buys.

- Broadband: Here the best deals are allpromo offers. A common level is line rentand broadband for £16 a month, plus a£100 high street voucher. Full best-buys inwww.mse.me/broadband.

2. Timing is crucial. Haggling works bestwhen you're near or beyond the end ofyour contract as then they have a real riskyou’ll leave. There's no harm in giving it atry when you're not, if you struggle thendiarise when you're nearing the end (youcan give Sky notice of leaving 31 daysbefore the end of your contract) and callback then.

3. The haggling Holy Grail is the cus-tomer retention department. If you'recoming to the end of your contract, orare out of it, then you're wielding apowerhouse weapon: customer loyal-ty. If they don’t offer the deal youwant, tell them you're going to leave.This means you get put through towhat they externally call“disconnections”, but internally iscalled “customer retentions”.

There the staff’s job is to keep you, andthey have massively more discretion tooffer you deals to do so.

4. Use charm, chutzpah, cheek and asmile. Aggression or anger will just puttheir back up. You're asking for a dis-

count, and they're just as much withintheir right not to give it as you are toleave. Aim for polite, firm and non-combative.

5. Use the phrases that pay. You may findthat the customer service rep will onlyoffer a small discount at first, but if youdon't agree with the price use phraseslike:

- I've worked out my monthly budget, andmy absolute max is £[insert price here]/month- [TalkTalk/Virgin/BT] can do it for less...- I need to think about it...- I think my husband / wife will go bonkersif I pay that...- It's still a lot of money...- What's the very best you can do?

6. Don't panic if it calls your bluff andsays it'll disconnect you. Some peopleworry and get nervous to try this in casethey're disconnected. My easy 'get out ofjail free' card on this is the phrase: "Holdon, I'll call you back on that. I'd like tocheck with my wife/husband/dog/AuntFanny first."7. Ask if it can throw in extras. If it won'tslash the price, see if it can include anyextras, like free calls or extrachannels, bigger download limits, or onelevel higher breakdown cover

8. If you fail? Try, try and try again. I’veheard rumours that different staff mem-bers have quotas of how many deals theycan do. Even if not true, it feels like that tomany. You may have called the wrongperson at the wrong time. So call back afew days later and speak to someone else.This works for many people.

9. Vote with your feet. If you don't getwhat you want and other firms offer thesame for less, then you should seriouslyconsider leaving and go grab one of thosedeals.

18

Dahlia

August can often be dire for gardens, with dry soil and a natural lull between the summer and autumn floweringplants. But there are a few little garden life savers, such as the Dahlia which are relatively drought-tolerant that willgive your senses the splash of colour needed as you move through to the next season.

You’ll need to regularly dead-head to maintain the best blooms but it’ll be worth the time taken to maintain them.Make sure you don’t overfeed with high nitrogen fertilisers and do try to put them in a good sunny spot for directlight.

22

P lanning MattersA monthly round up of planning applications submitted since 1 June 2015

GOSPORT COUNCIL

REF LOCATION PROPOSAL STATUS

15/00271/FULL

Ds Smith RecyclingCranbourne Industrial EstateCranbourne Road GosportHampshire PO12 1RL

Change of use to a flexible use for

class b1(b), class b1(c), class b8

including class b8 open storage

and self storage and continued sui

generis use for importation,

storage and processing of plastic,

glass, steel and aluminium

Pending Consideration

15/00311/FULL

49 High Street GosportHampshire PO12 1DF

Continued use as wellbeing salon(conservation area)


15/00303/FULL

32 Alver Road GosportHampshire PO12 1QR

Erection of two storey side/rearextensions


15/00267/FULL

75A Dukes Road GosportHampshire PO12 4RZ

Erection of summer house,garden store, shed andhardstanding


SOLENT FLOORING

Sit back and relax - we come to you!or alternatively visit our showroom

CARPETS, VINYLS, LAMINATES, & REAL WOOD ALL SUPPLIED & PROFESSIONALLYFITTED. OVER 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE. FULLY INSURED. DIRECT EMPLOYED FITTERS

Showroom now open!! Monday-Friday 9am-2pmIf you wish to visit our showroom between the hours of 2pm-5pmMon-Fri

or on a Saturday morning please call to make an appointment.

Call today - FREEPHONE: 0800 9177 553Jason: 07770 411734 John : 07812 [email protected]

Unit C1, Heritage Business Park, Heritage Way, Gosport, PO12 4BG Established 25 years.Company Reg 5813534.

over 600 reviews

‘Solent Twist Promotion’Stain Free Heavy Domestic Twist with 10 Year wear warranty,4 colours, Cream, Beige, Brown, Dark Brown. Price Examplesincluding VAT3m x 4m £2404m x 4m £3205m x 4m £395

To include:- Fitting,10mm underlay, uplift

and disposal of old flooring,Grippers, Door bars, Doors eased,help to move furniture, we even

hoover up.The full traditional service charges may

apply

26

ABSOLUTERUNNING

So, what's the most commonstatement we hear at AbsoluteRunning? 'I used to do.....but can'tnow as my knees are shot'. Whilstnot wanting to poo poo officialmedical diagnosis, we can assurefolk that there is still fun to be hadand an endorphin rush toexperience.

Very often, sportsmen and womenstop doing whatever has beentheir long standing passion for avariety of reasons, sometimesinjury and sometimes throughcircumstance. A return to any formof physical activity thereafter canbe difficult and it's often easier tosimply draw a line beneath oursporting career than pursue thejoy we once experienced. Jointsand connecting tissues will always

object initially but soon adapt tobeing used.

As we now expect to live longer, itmakes sense to remain physicallyactive and there are so manyways we can do so.

Between Gosport, Lee on theSolent, Stubbington and Farehamthere are several gyms who alloffer classes at competitive ratesin addition to a host of personaltrainers and exercise classes tosuit all pockets and tastes. Theinternet provides access to manytraining programmes and a goodexample would be the 'couch to5K' or 'couch25K'. This is arunning based system that will seeresults whilst preventing injury ordemotivation or over training. NBPlease don't use the archaic NHS

version which uses outdatedformulae and methods.

At Absolute Running we provideaccess to several Pilates, Tai Chiand Yoga classes that are a greatway to introduce strength andflexibility to any training plan andthere are other classes availablefrom a variety of local sources.

We have also introduced aWednesday evening run club forbeginners. Called the 545RunClub, it meets each week atAbsolute Running at...yes, 5.45. Itis a gentle 3 to 6K 'jog' tailored towhoever walks through our doorsat the allotted time.

We also have a resident sportstherapist on site in Knott Kineticsto advise regards potential injuries

“I used to…. But my knees are shot”

27

in the event of doubt and it shouldbe said that before commencingany programme of activity, ageneral wellbeing check should beobtained from a GP if there areany concerns.

For those looking for a moregentle activity that will stillmaintain stronger and moreflexible bodies, indoor and outdoorlawn bowls have a huge followingwith a choice of 7 clubs betweenGosport & Fareham.

Once considered as a sport forolder generations, there is agrowing number of youngerpeople who have found howpleasurable and social this sportcan be.

And finally, the much awaited Leeon the Solent parkrun arrived atLee seafront last Saturday 4thJuly. A massive 430 runners orwalkers of all ages and abilitiesenjoyed this incredibly friendlysporting phenomenon in taking onthe 5K challenge which happensup and down the country everySaturday at 9am. Free andchildren and dog friendly, thisreally is becoming a nationalobsession which one can't reallyexplain but needs to beexperienced.

The next event is this comingSaturday starting and stopping atBeach Road car park on MarineParade. All that is required is abarcode that can be downloadedand printed off for free from theparkrun (all lower case) websiteand production of said barcodewill also entitle the holder to asmall discount at cafes local to theevent.

It's what we at Absolute Runningare all about...community. So, ifthe old knees are creaking a bit,why not check out some of theoptions available and we may seeyou at your local parkrun beforeyou know it. Follow the

shoe...Because we love runningtoo. #FTS

Nick Carter. Founder/Director / Marketing& Outside events manager.

Absolute Running Ltdwww.absolute-running.co.uk

28

Money can be a key problem ofcommunication in relationships.It brings to mind the problem ofoil and water – they simply donot mix. However you can shakethem up and the oil will be heldin suspension - which is a way ofmixing the two together. Equallyyou can mix relationships andmoney – you just need aparticular way to do it.

Six key points to remember:

1. Make decisions ahead of time.This may sound like a no brainerbut for many the opportunity tohave ‘that’ conversation passesand then neither want to bring itup so it goes unmentioned untilyou hit a problem. Better to havethe conversation before you getto that point.

2. Make the decision – joint orseparate money. This is a keyquestion and one to be discussedopenly and honestly. And openly

and honestly is the magicingredient here. If one side has astrong opinion and does notlisten to the other then furtherdown the road you will findresentment creeping in.

I have had both in my currentrelationship – in the beginning wehad joint money but when westarted to have our businesses indifferent countries we split it up.It was only then that I realisedwhat a stress having joint money

Relationships and money. Oil and water?

Jessica McGregor Johnson is an international speaker, guide & mentor and author of “The Right T-Shirt,Write Your Own Rules and Live the Life You Want”. She helps people who are at a crossroads in their lifediscover themselves anew and identify the kind of person they want to be whilst living the life they chose.

Remarkable Relationships

29

was. It wasn’t that either of uswere spendthrifts – we weren’t.But we did have differentpriorities. By being individuallyresponsible for our money itmade it easier.

This was not about both earningequally – we have and dosubsidise each other. But oncethat money is in our individualaccounts it is our responsibilityhow it is used.

3. Have a joint account for jointexpenses. This makes life somuch easier – especially if you donot agree totally with each otherhow money is used. By having aseparate account for jointexpenses that is paid into by bothparties, if both are earning, youboth know that the ‘survival’ levelof money is taken care of. Theamounts you pay in may be equalor may be pro rata depending onthe level of earnings. It is anagreement between you both.

4. Always talk about any debtyou want to take on. Ensure thatboth of you are on the samepage. By agreeing all debt upfront, and who is responsible forpaying it back, you avoid

arguments. This is also true forcredit cards. Talk about how youwant to manage credit cards – doyou want them paid back at theend of each month or are youboth ok with having a certainbalance on your cards? If you areok with a balance on your creditcards, how much? At whatmonetary level does a purchaseneed to be discussedbeforehand? This will help youbuild trust around debt.

5. What kind of savings do youwant to have? Firstly decidewhat saving you want to bedoing. Is it just long term, as inpension, or do you want a funsavings account for those lovelyholidays or new car? How arethese accounts managed? If youhave separate accounts are yoursavings separate too? Thinkabout what you want to do withthat money ahead of time.

6. Acknowledge that you mayhave different ideas aboutmoney. That does not makeeither one of you wrong but it isimportant so that you can workout the best way to worktogether. I have seen in thesekinds of relationships that

individual accounts often workbetter. Have a joint account forjoint expenses, an agreementhow you manage the debt, thesavings etc and then anagreement that with what’s leftover it is up to the individualwhat they do with it. The savermay want to save the spendermay want to spend – and that’sfine. Neither is right or wrong – itis up to the individual.

We all have different ways oflooking at things and money is avery emotive issue for many. Bytalking about things up front andhonestly you stop a lot of griefbefore it can even get going. Youcan mix the oil and water ofrelationships and money andcatalyst to do that iscommunication. Follow the keypoints above and you will begoing a long way to getting rid ofone of the most contentious partof relationships And – you get tolive even more happily together.

PPuuzzzle Answezle AnswersrsAugust 2015

KID’S PAGE

SCRAMBLE LINE UP STEP ON IT

31

The 65th Annual Art Exhibition will take place at FERNEHAM HALL fromMonday 21st-Saturday 26th September 2015. Entry FREE.

Open: Monday September 21st 10am- 4 pm, Tuesday 22nd-Saturday 26th.10am-4pm & 6pm-10 pm

Come along & browse some amazing new art work by a flourishing local group.

For more information FAREHAMARTGROUP.CO.UK

FAREHAM ART GROUP ANNUAL ART EXHIBITION

big voice gosport august 2015

Documents