May 2015 | Issue 91 | Priceless

© Image by Christopher GibsonAnd available at White Dog Gallery,Lee on the Solent

Sensei SAYSIskarate just for fighters?

Learn to let goLet some flow into life

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THIS MONTH..

MOTORING AND TRAVEL

27 Porsche Panemera DieselIt looks like a bloated beast and occasionallyhandles like one. Read on to find out more aboutthis rating of the new Porsche by Tim Barnes-Clay.

HOUSE AND GARDENS

18 Planning MattersCheck out this months round up of planningapplications in and around Lee on Solent

23 In the pictureGita Joshi tells us more about how to collect andcare for the artwork in our homes.

BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

46 Martins Money TipsDebt. Not a great topic but don’t hide from it. Seewhat little gems Martin comes up with this month.

CHILDREN, PETS & EDUCATION

10 Sensei Says…… is karate just for fighters? Anotherinsightful look at the martial arts worldfrom local Karate instructor, Rob Wood.

20 BrilliantA lovely book review from the Gosport DiscoveryCentre of Roddy Doyles book, Brilliant.

COMMUNITY

8 St Faiths’ ChurchWhat does Pastoral really mean? Alan Millardinvestigates and has a super interview with localPastor Joyce Dawson.

16 Gig GuideSupport your local bands and enjoy some fabulouslive music at pubs in the area during April and May.

may issue 2015

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Recipes, com

munity,health

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properties and more

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H.. SmSmalal ltalkltalk

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This Big Voice Bigazine is deliveredto residents and businesses in Leeon the Solent and Cherque FarmFor distribution enquiries pleasegive us a call and speak to Sean.Four other editions are also

published in Alverstoke, Whiteley,Titchfield Park and Burridge,

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“Your time is limited...… so don’t waste it livingsomeone else’s life”said Steve Jobs. I wonder how long ittook him to realise this before his life

came to an end?

And I wonder how many of us are actually guilty of this in one wayor another? It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the needs of day today life that you don’t stop to look around you and see what youare blessed with, or indeed how you actually got to where youare. You may not be living in a way that is true to yourself andwhilst it might not matter right now, eventually your very self willerode away so that you, at worse, forget who you really are, andat best live a life that doesn’t fulfil you.

Without casting responsibility and sense totally adrift, why notspend some time with a pen and a pad and just doodle. Draw orwrite whatever comes to mind about your life. Let it all flow—nothing is right or wrong—feelings, facts and figures. You’ll endup with a picture that might surprise you. One inarguable fact isthat we can only be sure of the very moment so grab yours withboth hands and jolly well live it in the way that YOU want to liveit!

Much love until nextmonth

Coralie and Sean x

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Lee -on-the-Solent Horticultural SocietyHolds Three Shows a Year and a number ofSocial Evenings, also has a Trading Hut forMembers opens 10 -12 Noon on Sundays andThursdays. Contact Membership Secretary02392 554363

Social Evening 27 May 2015 with guest SpeakerBrian Kidd at 7.30. p.m. in Lee CommunityCentre, Twyford Drive, Lee-on-the-Solent. Talktitle " Colour all the year". Come along and jointhe Society, become involved and join theHorticultural Society Committee, contact theSecretary - Bruce Thomas 02392 551873 formore info.

Lee PlayersWe meet in Crofton Hall Theatre CroftonCommunity Centre, Stubbington every Tuesdayat 7.45pm. Whether you wish to “tread theboards” or help out backstage, please comealong, you will be guaranteed a warm welcome.Please call Peter or Sally Appleton onTelephone: 02392 551010

Lee Residents AssociationHolds several Open Evenings with guestspeakers a year, three up to date newsletters;joint events with other community groups,

planning permission involvement; the Christmassocial event; fund raising activities; liaison withLee Business Association (LBA).and organises aMonthly Table Top Event in Lee, contact theSecretary for more info 02392 551547 or visitthe website www.leeresidents.org.uk

Lee on Solent Residents Association OpenEvening26th May with guest speaker Jenny Watkinstalking about British Divers Marine Life Rescueat 7:30pm at the Methodist Church, Lee HighStreet. For more information contact PamIngram on 023 9255 154.

Gosport Access Group and Disability ForumMeeting

This is an informal gathering for people withmixed disabilities, carers and supporters. Wehave one or two speakers each meeting andtime for discussing any access issues of concernin Gosport. Everyone is welcome to come alongfor a cuppa and join in, from 1.45pm for a 2pmstart.Meeting dates for this year are:-9th March (1.45-4.00) in Committee Room 111th May (1.45-4.00) in ~Committee Room 16th July (AGM) (11.30-2.30) in Council

Chambers7th September (1.45-4.00) in Council Chambers9th November (1.45-4.00) in Council Chambers

Maria Battley (Secretary)gosportaccessgroup@hotmail.co.uk

Lee Historic Waterfront Walk and TalkWalks and Talks take place on the first Tuesdayof the month from February to October, startingin Elmore Car Park next to the Fishing ClubCompound at 10am. The route is along LeePromenade to the old swimming pool site,returning back to the car park. Total time isaround 90 minutes. Contact Ray Harding on 0239255 1706.

SING for FUNStarts the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month atSt Faiths church, Lee on Solent 19.30 until 21.00pm . £4. Aimed at young people and adults withlearning difficulties, also all ages and abilitieswelcome. More details contact Phil 02392360120

Out and about

List your local event for FFREEREE on our Out and About pagesEmail details to editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

Love where you live!

Important Phone NumbersCOMMUNITYCommunity Association 023 9255 2841Crofton Secondary School 01329 664251Family & Friends Lesbians & Gays 08456520311Lee on Solent Parish Office 023 9255 6445Lee on Solent Infant School 023 9255 1767Lee on Solent Junior School 023 9255 0551Local Councillor 023 9255 2177Local Council Offices 023 9258 4242Neighbourhood Watch 023 9258 3637Police 101 or emergency 999RSPCA 01329 667541Tourist Information 023 9252 2944Victim Support 0845 3899528

HEALTHAlcoholics Anonymous 0845 7697555Dental Helpline 0845 0508345Gosport War Memorial Hospital 023 92524611Lee on Solent Health Centre 023 9255 0220NHS Direct 111NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 0224332

TRAVELCoastguard 023 8032 9486Dial a Ride Gosport 01329 223151First Bus Service 023 9286 2412Hampshire Highways 0845 8504422IcanGo 07787 292666National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950

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All gigs start at 9pm unless otherwise stated.

AAprilprilFriday 17th Monkey Butlers The Bird FarehamFriday 17th Beyonce (tribute) The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 18th Mafia The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 18th Rock of the Pops The Hoeford GosportSunday 19th The Worried Men The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 24th Fixed Wheel The Bird FarehamFriday 24th Sultan Sheiks The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 25th The Startled Monkeys The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 25th MAFIA The Hoeford FarehamSunday 26th Soul Patch The Bird Fareham 6pm

MayMayFriday 1st Dr Peppers LACB The Bird FarehamFriday 1st Small Town The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 2nd Hot Heads The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 2nd Go Mad The Hoeford FarehamSunday 3rd Lewis Creaven Band The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 8th Dust Bowl The Bird FarehamFriday 8th Strange Fruit The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 9th Scary Biscuits The Hoeford FarehamSunday 10th Legend The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 15th Sorted The Bird FarehamFriday 15th Crackling Jack The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 16th Cher Tribute The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 16th Louise (Blondie Tribute) The Hoeford FarehamSunday 17th Juicy Lucy The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 22nd The Punk Pirates The Bird FarehamFriday 22nd 8 foot Yetti The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 23rd Fine Southern Gents The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 23rd Roy Peplow The Hoeford FarehamSunday 24th Maxine & Lacey The Bird Fareham 6pmFriday 29th Neandertones The Bird FarehamFriday 29th The Stereotypes The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 30th Headstock The Carisbrooke GosportSaturday 30th Monster The Hoeford FarehamSunday 31st The Business The Bird Fareham 6pm

© Tim Stephens

GIG GUIDE

By Nigel Maisey

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St Faiths’ C ommunity

Like most churches, St Faith’s has aPastoral Ministry Group but, beforewriting about its work and its co-ordinator, Joyce Dawson, I thoughtI’d find out for myself what ‘pastoral’means, having always associated itwith countryside meadows andBeethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.

Joyce explained that its originalmeaning had to do with‘shepherding’ in the sense of ‘caringfor’ and that she hoped this articlewould focus on the pastoral ministryof St. Faith’s rather than the PastoralMinistry Group itself. I promised itwould apart from a brief sketch ofhow her life’s story would accountfor her interest and currentinvolvement with pastoral care.

Joyce, the middle child of three, wasborn in Worcester. Church for herfamily was the Salvation Army and itwas through this organisation shechose to pursue her calling toChristian ministry. It was at the S.A.officer training college in London

where she met her husband-to-be,Trevor. Commissioned as an officerin 1968, she married Trevor a yearlater and spent the following decadeworking with him as a parishminister in the Home Counties wherethey brought up their two children,Paul and Anna. After further serviceat Barton on Humber they ended upas training officers themselves at thecollege where they’d trained.

Throughout her years of pastoralministry Joyce felt the need toacquire greater skills andunderstanding to help people withmore complex needs and a move tothe Salvation Army CounsellingService gave opportunity for furtherprofessional training. She qualified atthe Westminster PastoralFoundation as a psycho-analytictherapist. In 1995 she resigned fromthe Salvation Army, worked inLondon for the NHS as apsychological therapist for the nextten years and eventually movedcloser to her daughter in Lee as an

NHS therapist in the Gosport andFareham area. Since retirement shehas trained as a volunteer advisor atGosport’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Not surprisingly, after joining StFaith’s, her involvement withpastoral care in the church began.

As the group’s co-ordinator, Joycenow works with a team of aroundten volunteers for Paul, St. Faith’spriest, whose duty it is to providecare for everyone in the Parish of Leewhether they are churchgoers ornot. At present some are referred bylocal organisations, some throughword of mouth and others by cominginto contact with St. Faith’s throughChristenings, weddings funerals orother church functions.

Joyce’s genuine concern for those inneed of support was unmistakable.She wanted me to stress thatpastoral care must extend beyondthe church to the whole town. Shereally believes that Christ’s

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injunction to ‘love one another as Ihave loved you’ means what it saysand that pastoral care in thecommunity is one of the ways inwhich it can be fulfilled. Such caremight involve taking communion topeople no longer able to attendchurch or listening to and hopefullyhelping anyone in need. Joyce waskeen for the work of the team to beknown and used by anybody in Leewho feels it might be of help to themwhether or not they have anyconnection with St. Faith’s.

Before I left I asked if Joyce would bewilling to hear from anyone who,reading this, might want to get intouch with the team. I needn’t haveasked. True to her word she said thatthe pastoral response of St Faiths isavailable to anyone in the town whorequests it. If you think that a visitfrom her or one of the team wouldbe of help to you or to someone you

know, please contact the St. Faith’sParish Church Office

That pastoral help should extendbeyond the church to the wholetown was what she wanted thisarticle to stress. So don’t be afraid topick up the phone if you think theservice might be of help to you. Thepastoral team, I know, wouldwelcome your call.

Our wonderful St Faiths contributor, Alan Millard can be contacted via St Faith’sChurch, Lee on the Solent.

Parish Office

Mondays - Fridays 10:30am - 12:30pm023 9255 6445

alan.millard@talktalk.net

Dates for your diaryLee Singers. Thursday, May 9th, 7pm. St Faith’s Church.Summer Fete, Saturday June 13th, 10am - 2pm. St Faith’s Church

PPuuzzzle Answezle AnswersrsMay 2015

STEP ON IT

WORDSEARCH

SUDOKU

SCRAMBLE

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Sensei Says Sensei Rob Wood is a Fourth Dan in Goju-Ryu Karateand has taught children and adults for over 20 yearsin his dojo in the UK South Coast.

I like to think of Karate being apath that everyone can or maybeshould take. Clearly I’m bias, butthe benefits are immense and thefighting aspect is just a single entityin a huge collection of the MartialArt skill.

Many of the people I take on asstudents have varying degrees ofjustification for starting out.

Living in a part of the countrywhere the Navy has a bigconnection with many familiesappears to attract youngsters thatsimply need a little discipline intheir lives that may be contributedto Mums or Dads being away onservice duty.

I’m not implying that Servicemenchildren are unruly, but I like tothink that it fills a gap in their liveswhere they have the opportunityto release some physical pressure,have fun with other children andunderstand the importance ofrespect for other inside adisciplined environment.

Understandably, when we begin togo through the age ranges I seevarying degrees of reasons forjoining. Some enjoy the wholeatmosphere of meeting likemindedteenagers whilst sadly there arethose that are being bullied ineveryday life.

The bully victims are the ones thatreally strike a chord with me. It’sunnecessary in society andabsolutely unforgivable that aperson is forced to find ways ofmaking physical aggression stop.

Needless to say, Karate is not justabout facing physical violencephysically. The installation ofconfidence is a huge by-product ofbeing taught. Let’s face it, aconfident and assertive person isfar more unlikely to be a “target”for the undesirables in the world soensuring my students canconfidently assert themselvesrespectfully to peers and adults willforever stand them in good steadright the way through life.

So, the fighting (Kumite) side ofwhat we do… personally it’s thepart I actually enjoy the most rightnow. The reason I say “right now”is that over a long period of time, I,like so many others find trainingruns in trends. For a couple ofyears I get totally absorbed inKumite but then I have a transitionto Kata and that will become mypassion for a time. This could thenbe followed by groundwork, padwork etc. It needs to be highlightedthat, although one aspect becomesmy focus, it by no means makesthe other aspects of training areless enjoyable or go unattended, itjust means that when we coverthose parts in class, it actually justmakes the adrenaline get goingquicker!

Obviously there are students thatonly join the dojo to learn to fight(for all the right reasons of course!)and that’s fine. To be quite honest,most of them don’t appreciate theeffort it takes to even become areasonable fighter and most willfall by the wayside in the process(or find a different part thatappeals to them). I’m assuming

that some readers may haveconcerns that those “fighters” maybe too physical on those that aren’tquite into Kumite as others andtherefore might become swampedby those overzealous students. Tobe honest, if the respectfoundation is administeredcorrectly from day 1 then this isnever a problem. Studentsunderstand that when facing anopponent of junior grade / ability,they should nurture them, buildtheir confidence and becompassionate in their approach.All these things go into making agreat pupil and decent person.That said, when students face anequal adversary and the friendshipis firmly in place, stand back andwatch the fireworks!

Looking back on my earlier yearstraining, friends and I often hadsome pretty horrific sessions and itwas inevitable that there weregoing to be some injuries I’d ratherspare you the details of. At the endof it though, we’d have a laugh,shrug it off and wait for the nextsession.

So is Karate just for fighters?...absolutely not. You can take whatyou need from a dojo, respect,discipline, fitness, sport,confidence, social interaction andlife skills.

Is karate just for fighters?

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01329 559474

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P lanning Matters

GOSPORT COUNCIL

15/00089/FULL 39 Elmore Avenue Lee-On-The-Solent Hampshire PO13 9EP

Erection of single storey and first floor rear extensions PendingConsideration

15/00134/HHGDO 37 Sea Crest Road Lee-On-The-Solent Hampshire PO13 8HH

Gpdo part 1 notification - erection of single storey rearextension depth of 3.28 metres maximum height of 3.30metres height of eaves 2.00 metres

Pending Decision

15/00096/FULL 25 - 27 Pier Street Lee-On-The-Solent Hampshire PO13 9LD

Installation of atm (conservation area) PendingConsideration

15/00083/FULL The Bun Penny 36 Manor WayLee-On-The-Solent HampshirePO13 9JH

Erection of single storey rear and single storey side/rearextensions and re-siting of outbuilding (conservation area)

PendingConsideration

15/00102/FULL Lee On Solent Tennis SquashAnd Fitness Club 41 - 47 ManorWay Lee-On-The-SolentHampshire PO13 9JQ

Erection of 3 no. 8 metre high floodlighting columns andaddition of 3 no. Floodlights to existing columns

PendingConsideration

15/00095/FULL 53 Marine Parade East Lee-On-The-Solent Hampshire PO139BW

Construction of vehicular access on to classified road PendingConsideration

15/00141/FULL 64 Gosport Road Lee-On-The-Solent Hampshire PO13 9EN

Erection of first floor side and rear extensions PendingConsideration

A monthly round up of planning applications submittedsince 1 March 2015

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“BRILLIANT”, by Roddy Doyle

When Uncle Ben’s Dublin business fails, it's clear to Gloria andRaymond that something is wrong. He just isn’t his usualcheerful self. So when the children overhear their grannysaying that the Black Dog has settled on Ben’s back and hewon’t be OK until it’s gone, they decide they're going to getrid of it. This sounds like a dark tail and quite heavy forchildren but the story is told with a light touch and plenty ofhumour.

The children set out on a midnight quest to hunt down theBlack Dog and chase it away. But as they set off they realisethat it’s not only their family affected by the Black Dog. Loadsof other children are searching for it too, because the BlackDog is hounding lots of Dublin's adults. Together – and withthe help of magical animals, birds and rodents – the childrenmanage to corner the Black Dog.The conclusion is edgy and tense but reaches a satisfying

conclusion.

A sensitive and well written portrayal ofdepression, there is plenty to discusshere about the effect it has on not onlythe individual but also the family andthose around them. The illustrations addto complete package to make this agreat book.

BBoook Revok Reviewiew

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171 - 173 High StreetLee-on-the-Solent

PO13 9BX

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Once you have art work at home you willwant to get it up on the walls.

When thinking about the positioning ofthe art works in your home you shouldavoid placing paper based works such asprints or drawings, in areas of highhumidity such as a bathroom as this canresult in damage to the art works.

Watercolours, gouache and pencildrawings should not be placed on wallswith direct sunlight as this will cause theart works to fade over time andsubsequently depreciate in value. So takea day or two to see how the natural lightmoves around your home before settlingon a position for it.

The optimum height to hang the artworks is such that the centre of theframed piece is at eye level. In verygeneral terms this is somewhere between55 to 65 inches from the floor, dependingon how tall you are. If you are hangingseveral pieces of different sizes in a rowyou would want an imaginary line runninghorizontally through the centre of all ofthem.

When hanging art works Iprefer to use picture hooks.These are easy to use andreadily available at all diystores. These are verystraightforward to use but ifyou would like a tutorial, there are plentyof videos on this subject to be found onYoutube. For hanging large works use twopicture hooks to balance the weight ofthe frame, one at each side. On the backof the frame are D rings with the cordrunning between them. I usually hang artworks from the D ring rather than thecord, as this ensures stability andprevents the frame from moving on thehook.

Once the art work is up on the wall you’llwant to look after it and keep it looking

good. When cleaning your art works usean anti static cloth and if you need to usecleaning product on the glass, then spraythe product onto the cloth and then applythe cloth to the picture glass. You shouldavoid spraying directly onto the frame asyou risk the cleaning product drippingdown and seeping between the frameand the glass.

So there you have it, no more reason tobe stacking art work on the floor, get it upon the walls and enjoy it!

By Gita Joshi, AWAD. www.orsomajor.com

In the P icture

Looking after your artwork

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Following on from last month’sarticle on advice for all the firsttime buyers out there…I covered finances, what to lookfor and the offer stage so thismonth I want to talk about offeraccepted, surveys and the salesprocess – including solicitors.

Offer AcceptedGreat news, you’ve received thecall from the selling agent to saythat your offer has beenaccepted and now they areasking you a whole host ofquestions (or they should be)about your finances, timescalesand which solicitors you’ll beusing to convey the purchase.If you are prepared and perhapsfollowed the advice I wrote fromlast month, then you will alreadyhave your finances in place –perhaps even have an Agreementin Principal ready to prove thatyou can proceed.

SurveysThe three common types ofsurvey are; Mortgage valuation,Homebuyers and full structural.The most common type is aHomebuyers report, this will giveyou a very good overview of thecommon problems that mayarise with most properties. Amortgage valuation is the mostbasic form and is used bymortgage lenders to assess thevaluation of the property and isusually included as part of yourmortgage set up costs. The fullstructural survey is a verydetailed report and obviouslycosts considerably more than aHomebuyers. My advice here is

that a Homebuyers report isusually sufficient unless you havechosen to go for a very oldproperty or one that hasprevious structural defects insome way.

Sales Process & SolicitorsThe sales process can be longand requires patience as well asunderstanding from everyoneinvolved in the chain.At the very least, the agentdealing with your propertypurchase should be calling you toupdate you of progress andinform you of timescales alongthe way. The sales processrequires you to instruct asolicitor and myrecommendation here would beto choose a solicitor local to youand hopefully one who has dealtwith properties in the area thatyou are buying in. Please try toavoid cheap online conveyancers,you need personal contact andsomeone who’s available on thephone and in person.

Your solicitor will becommunicating with the seller’s

solicitor and will be raisingenquiries to produce a contractthat eventually you will all behappy with. This process, onaverage, can take between 6-10weeks. It can take longer if morepeople are involved in the chain,so be prepared andcommunicate as much aspossible to ensure a smoothtransaction.

Exchange of contracts is a happytime for all as this sets acompletion (move) date andlegally binds everyone to movingon that day. Completion day isthe time to smile! Once themortgage monies have movedthroughout the chain then youmay collect your keys, which areusually held with the sellingagent.

This is a very brief overview and Ihope this gives you a slight headstart when buying your firsthome.

In house chat

Mark Rowe, MD & Owner of RPS Estate and Letting Agents

FIRST TIME BUYERS - PART 2

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It looks like a bloated beast andoccasionally it handles like one.

The Porsche Panamera’s swollenexterior is more obvious at the backof the car; it’s too bulbous to lookathletic.

But there is no disguising the ability ofthe vehicle. Two enormous tail pipesjut from the car’s stern like horizontalsteel chimneys; these more than hintat the clout that the corpulent car iscapable of serving up.

The front of the Panamera is far morePorsche-like, with its sweeping curvedbonnet and ever-so-slightly ‘hang-dog-eyed’ headlights. Approaching it from

the front, or when peering downits long, wide, snout, its formstarts to draw you in.

Through its proportions alone,the Porsche Panamera standsout clearly in its marketsegment. It measures 1931mm(76.0in) in width and 1418mm(55.8in) in height, while itsoverall length is 4970mm(195.7in). And this particular oil-burner model can be recognisedby the lettering ‘diesel’ on thefront doors.

Step inside, and the plush cabinreeks of cowhide. Thesumptuous seating-for-four andlengthy legroom, both front andrear, provide the comfort youwould expect from a car costingover £60,000.

Indeed, every Panamera, has ahigh level of standardspecification. This includesPorsche Active SuspensionManagement, which adaptshandling to suit your preferreddriving style. In ‘Normal’ modethe car delivers a blend of

performance and comfort, andthen there’s a ‘Sport’ setting wherethe setup is much firmer.

The Porsche also comes with vivid Bi-Xenon headlights; parking sensors;tyre pressure monitoring; automaticdimming rear view mirrors; touch-screen satellite navigation and audiocontrols, as well as cruise control. Inaddition, the car is available with rear-wheel drive and uses a highly efficienteight-speed automatic gearbox asstandard.

For the majority of time spent behindthe portly Porsche’s wheel, it pleaseswhen its hefty haunches launch thecar forward with as much effort as ittakes to throw a dart. The formidable

engine chucks themonster from 0 to62 mph in 6.0seconds, andcarries it to a topspeed of 161mph.The 3.0 litre sixcylinder turbodiesel car is madefor touring - thatmuch is obvious.The 100 litre fueltank and claimed44.1 mpg will takeyou across agenerous slice ofthe Europeancontinent withoutthe need to stopfor fuel. To giveyou an idea of itsrange in the UK,the Germangoliath is capable of taking fourpassengers from Lands End to LochNess without refuelling.

Performance and low consumptionare accompanied by smooth runningand low emissions. An additionalcontributing factor is the auto start/stop function, which is de rigueur.

Porsche has never suffered from apoor image. Sure, like mostautomakers, there have been tinyblips in its history, but nothingdetrimental. The arrival of thePanamera Diesel has definitelypolarised the opinion of the petrol-headed purists though. Many don’tsee it as a 'proper' Porsche, and itsstyling certainly doesn’t achieveuniversal acclaim.

That said; it’s an awesome car to golong distance travelling in with threeother’s to accompany you. You’re alsobound to get lots of looks – but notalways for the right reason.

Auto biographies

FAST FACTS

Max speed: 161mph

0-62 mph: 6.0 secs

Combined mpg: 44.1

Engine: 2967cc 6 cylinder 24 valveturbo diesel

Max. power (bhp): 296 at 4000 rpm

Max. torque (Ib/ft): 479 at 1750rpm

CO2: 169g/km

Price: £62,922 on the road

PROS ‘N’ CONSTouring range √

Power √

Space √

Economy √

Comfort √

Divisive looks X

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Porsche Panemera Diesel

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

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Specialising in: Diagnostics testing

Auto Electrics Air Conditioning

Welding & Body RepairsBrakesClutchesExhaustsGeneral RepairsServicingTyres

Also at Locks Heath:212 Hunts Pond Road,Locks Heath PO14 4PGTel: 01489 559699

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Debt

For those with existing debts there arerecord deals available right now to let youcut the cost and save £100s or £1,000s.Yet as the old adage goes, banks arecompanies that’d lend you an umbrellawhen the sun shines and ask for it backwhen it rains. So getting cheaper creditwhen in debt is tricky – however I havedeveloped credit card eligibility checkerswhich can help you check what debtcutting cards you’re able to get before youapply. If you can lower the interest cost,then more of your repayment clears theactual debt, not just services the interest– meaning you’ll be debt-free far quicker.So here are the key debt cost cutting needto knows…

I make no apology for saying…. stopborrowing. If you're struggling, borrowingto make ends meet just elongates theproblem -making it even costlier andmore difficult. The tips below will help,but if you keep adding to the debt nothingwill fix it. So take a deep breath, do abudget and examine all your spending tosee if you can cut back.

Best buys are only best if you can getthem.While there are many great rateson offer, you need to pass a credit scoreto get them, and many fail at thathurdle. Worse still when you apply itleaves a footprint on your file and lots ofthose in a short space of time can hit yourfuture credit worthiness. I've givenevidence to Parliament on this 'anti-shopping around' system - little's beendone.

So to fight back on my site we’ve built afree eligibility calculator – which tells youwhich cards you’re most likely to beaccepted for. Just as importantly it doesthis without leaving a footprint on yourfile that lenders can see – so you canhome in on the right one, minimisingapplications. To try it go towww.MoneySavingExpert.com/eligibility.

Shift credit or store card debt to 35mth0%. A balance transfer’s where you get anew credit card that repays debts on theold credit or store card(s) for you, so youowe it instead at a lower rate.

The longest 0% deals for those new to thecard company now last nearly three years

(a year ago they were 30 months), but aswith many things in life longest isn'talways best. Aim for the lowest fee card,ensuring you've enough time to clearit. Top picks and golden rules atwww.mse.me/balancetransfers.

Shift your overdraft to 0% too. Debitcards can be debt cards too - if you're inyour overdraft it's often more costly thancredit cards, especially if you bust yourlimit. So there are two ways to get out ofthis.

a) Switch to a 0% overdraft: Top bank forcustomer service www.firstdirect.comoffers a £250 0% overdraft (you must pay-in £1,000/month) and for accepted newswitchers a free £100 - which should helpreduce the overdraft straight away. Forsome www.nationwide.co.uk 0%overdraft may be bigger, but it's only for ayear and is 50p/day after.

b) Shift it to a 0% 'money transfer' creditcard. A few balance transfer cards also letnewbies 'money transfer'. This is where itpays a lump sum into your bank account,which can then clear your overdraft soyou owe it instead. Top pick iswww.mbna.co.uk which gives 24 months0% money transfers for a one off 2.2% fee(though it's 22.9% rep APR after the 0%ends). Yet be careful, follow the balancetransfer rules above and for more picksand full step-by-step help seewww.mse.me/moneytransfers.

Can you cut the cost of existingloans? It's complex, as you need tofactor in that most loans charge upto two months' interest to repaythem early.

-Who should try? Those who can geta substantially lower APR loan (eg,more than a fifth off, so from 10% to8%), and have a while left to repay.Full options in www.mse.me/cheaploans.- How much can I save? Someonewho is 2 years through a 5 year 12%loan for £5,000, paying it off with a4.9% loan, could save around£1,000.

Don't pay all debts equally - attackthe highest APR. Once your debts

are as cheap as possible, list them all,including overdrafts, in order of APRs.Focus all spare cash to clear the highestAPR one as it grows fastest, and just paythe min on the others. Once that's clear,move to the next highest.

I've never seen a debt crisis that isn'tsolvable - don't give up hope. Thesolutions above are for cutting debt costs.Yet for some, it's much worse than that.Do any of these apply to you...

- You can't meet even just the minimummonthly payments.- You have non-mortgage debts biggerthan a year's salary.- You have sleepless nights or seriousdepression/anxiety over your debts.

If so then you're likely in a debt crisis andthat means the solution you need istotally different. The most important thingI can tell you is I've never seen a debtcrisis that isn't solvable. It may not alwaysbe quick or easy, but there is a proverbiallight at the end of the tunnel. The firststep is to go for free, one-on-one debtcounselling helpfrom www.adviceguide.org.uk,www.stepchange.org,www.nationaldebtline.org or, if you'restruggling emotionally toowww.capuk.org.

@MoneySavingExpertMartin Lewis

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