community index Didsbury Dec 2011

communityDidsburyindex

Dec/Jan 2012

View online at www.communityindex.co.uk

Delivered FREE to 10,000 Didsbury homes

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to advertise call Lesley: 0787 589 5604 [email protected]

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PUBLISHERCommunity Index

EDITOR/ADVERTISINGLesley Swann

SUB-EDITORSam Paechter

LISTINGSRebecca Ronald

CONTRIBUTIONSKatherine Watson, Christine Rance, Carol Thompson, Danielle Lowy, Adil

Alam, Didsbury Village Bookshop, Leon Horton

COVER PHOTOGRAPHLesley Swann

CONTACT USTel: Lesley 0787 589 5604

[email protected]

DEADLINE FOR THE FEB EDITION10th January 2012

ContentsSOUTH MANCHESTER U3A University of the 3rd Age

JUNKMAIL CHRISTMAS CARDSDanielle Lowy - Rubbish Revamped

BOOK REVIEWSFrom Didsbury Village Bookshop

COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARDRegular feature

HAPPY ‘INDIE’ CHRISTMASShop local with Tagpassiton

DECEMBER IN YOUR GARDENKatherine Watson

FOOD & DRINK INDEXRegular Feature

LOVE INDIAN & SOUTH ASIAN FOOD?Win a meal for two

(GIVING UP) MEAT IS MURDER?By Leon Horton

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Human beings are social animals with great natural curiosity which, properly nurtured, will last a lifetime. It is this concept which forms the basis of the U3A. Membership is open to anybody who has retired from full time employment.

Fundamental to the U3A is the sharing of knowledge and experience. Research suggests that older people learn best when they are in control of their own learning. At this stage of life most people are not looking to gain qualifications but to enjoy the challenge and satisfaction gained from sharing and extending their knowledge with like minded people.

2012 marks the 30th anniversary of the U3A in the U.K. In 1981 Eric Midwinter, a Manchester man, was interviewed on the B.B.C. 'You

and Yours' programme in his capacity as director for the Centre for Policy on Ageing. He was discussing the idea of U3A, which had started in France in 1972 where they did not have the benefit of organisations equivalent to our Open University or WEA. The response to the interview was overwhelming and led to the setting up of the University of the Third Age, U3A, this side of the channel.

From these early days the movement has grown rapidly and there are now over 800 U3As in the UK and over 250,000 members.

Each U3A is autonomous and develops to meet the interests of its own members. They operate under the umbrella of the Third Age Trust, a registered charity.

The South Manchester U3A started in Burnage in 2003, expanded to include Didsbury, then took the name 'South Manchester U3A' in 2008. This U3A has over 160 members who are able to attend the monthly general meeting held at 2.00pm on the first tuesday of each month at Emmanuel Church, Didsbury. Within this U3A there are over twenty different subject groups which members can select from and join. The groups include art, science, computers, poetry, philosophy, bridge, gardens, French, Pak/Indo cookery, walking, lunch club, heritage, book club, play reading, scrabble, photography, theatre, music appreciation, creative writing. New subjects are

regularly added.

The groups are member led and most meet monthly. Usually the only charge for group attendance is to cover accommodation costs. The annual U3A membership fee, currently £10, is to cover costs and a capitation fee to the Third Age Trust which, as well as giving backup support, publishes a quarterly magazine.

As a member of U3A one also has access to regional and national residential courses which take place from time to time on diverse subjects. Next Easter the NW Region of U3As will run a three day residential school at Myerscough, near Preston, where Egyptology, archaeology, geology, golf, philosophy, science and creative writing are all offered for study.

South Manchester U3A

If you are interested in joining us do come along as a visitor to one of our monthly general meetings. Further information will then be available. Otherwise you could telephone the Chair, Edna on 0161 434 2509 or the Groups Coordinator, Peter, on 0161 224 8527

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The University of the Third Age is a unique and exciting self help

educational movement for people no longer in full time employment.

It is a learning cooperative of older people which enables members to

share many educational, creative and leisure group activities and to form

new friendships.

South Manchester U3AUniversity of the Third Age

We meet at Emmanuel Church Didsbury on the fi rst Tuesday of

each month at 2pm

Contact Edna for details on 0161 434 2509

[email protected]

Alexander Technique Alexander Technique Alexander Technique Alexander Technique

Sue Fleming MSTAT

www.alexanderteaching.co.uk

! 861 8848 mob 07796470163

The Burton Road Clinic Didsbury and

Chequers Road Chorlton

Pauline Leng MSTAT

www.alexandertechniquemanchester.net

! 445 8530! mob 07821470349

The Didsbury Holistic Centre and

Lidgate Grove Didsbury! !

www.alexandertechniquemanchester.net

individual sessions and groups

10 week introductory course

17 Jan. 1pm Fallowfield

19 Jan. 6.30 Chorlton

Italian Restaurant

Dine in style at Mezzaluna Italian restaurant & enjoy

delicious, freshly made Italian cuisine. —————————

We are now taking bookings for Festive parties

and for Christmas Day

1st floor restaurant 613-615 Wilbraham Road

Chorlton-cum-Hardy Manchester

M21 9AN Phone 0161 861 8880

www.mezzalunachorlton.co.uk

We are open on Christmas Day.

Why not treat yourself and join us for Christmas dinner

view the latest edition at www.communityindex.co.uk

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Danielle Lowy from Rubbish Revamped shares low-cost Christmas card ideas

What you’ll need:• A4card(egfromusedofficefiledividers)• Paperfrommagazines,leaflets

or junkmail• Embellishmentslikeglitterand

little buttons• Scissors •PVAglue •Kebabstick• Sweetwrappers •Stickofglue

1 Fold the card in half.

2 Select your paper for the tree shape. Cut 5 rectangles about 7 x 10cm (that’s 1/4 of Community Index page!)

3 Roll the paper lengthwise on the kebab stick. Glue about 1cm along the length and hold the paper down whilst it sticks.

4 Slide the roll of paper off the stick.

5 Make four more rolls.

6 Cut a roll about 7cm wide for the bottom of the tree. Make about 10 more rolls, each one about 0.5 cm shorter than the roll below it.

7 Glue the roll on with PVA glue.

For more fun ways to make your rubbish work for you or to join a Rubbish Revamped workshop in South Manchester visit:

www.rubbishrevamped.org.uk

Here’s some we made before ...

You’ll need to munch through a few chocolates to make this one - it’s a tough life...

8 Make a trunk, pot and star from sweet wrappers (or cut them out from spare paper). Glue them on.

9 Embellish!

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Danielle Lowy from Rubbish Revamped shares low-cost Christmas card ideas

What you’ll need:• A4card(egfromusedofficefiledividers)• Paperfrommagazines,leaflets

or junkmail• Embellishmentslikeglitterand

little buttons• Scissors •PVAglue •Kebabstick• Sweetwrappers •Stickofglue

1 Fold the card in half.

2 Select your paper for the tree shape. Cut 5 rectangles about 7 x 10cm (that’s 1/4 of Community Index page!)

3 Roll the paper lengthwise on the kebab stick. Glue about 1cm along the length and hold the paper down whilst it sticks.

4 Slide the roll of paper off the stick.

5 Make four more rolls.

6 Cut a roll about 7cm wide for the bottom of the tree. Make about 10 more rolls, each one about 0.5 cm shorter than the roll below it.

7 Glue the roll on with PVA glue.

For more fun ways to make your rubbish work for you or to join a Rubbish Revamped workshop in South Manchester visit:

www.rubbishrevamped.org.uk

Here’s some we made before ...

You’ll need to munch through a few chocolates to make this one - it’s a tough life...

8 Make a trunk, pot and star from sweet wrappers (or cut them out from spare paper). Glue them on.

9 Embellish!

For more fun ways to make your


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CHIMNEY SWEEPING SERVICESAcorn

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Environmentally AwareSmall works always welcome

Carpentry • Joinery • Electrical • Plumbing Kitchens • Fencing • Built in Furniture • Decks

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Event organised by Didsbury Civic Society and Didsbury in Bloom

Didsbury Carols & Lights

7pm Wednesday 7th December

Carol singing with children from Broadoak Primary School.

Christmas tree lights switched on.

Discover the winner of ‘Best Didsbury Traders’ Christmas Window’ competition.

Mulled wine and biscuits served in Emmanuel Church afterwards.

Didsbury

Event organised by Didsbury Civic Society

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Book Reviews from Didsbury Village Bookshop

Dandylion and Little Croc’s Purse Lizzie Finlay, Published by Red Fox

It is always a boost to the area when a local young lady achieves national acclaim for her diligent work and artistic ability.

It is thus a considerable pleasure to write brief reviews in celebration of the work of Lizzie Finlay, a children’s book author and illustrator.

Her fi rst two books have both been recognised for their intrinsic merit, charm and insights.

Dandylion is a gentle celebration of difference. When a young boy joins a class, his looks, outfi t and behaviour represent the diversity of the external world, and, despite this, the children all enthusiastically embrace this difference.

Lizzie thus gently inverts the popular notion that those displaying differences are excluded, and despite Dandylion’s clumsiness and often awkward behaviour, the children are all accepting. Even when he invents a game of ‘Scarechase’ and roars in the playground, he provokes both fun and anxiety, until the teacher intervenes.

Dandylion, not unexpectedly, and as a bright, yellow coloured lion, creates havoc in school. The children and one assumes teachers too, grow a little tired of his antics and, tell him so calling him a weed and cease to play with him.

In rather human adult fashion Dandylion refl ects on his behaviour and its impact on school, decides to be less boisterous, with the advice of his

grandfather (Why do we always assume older people are necessarily wiser?) who tells him he is a special person, he decides to return to school.

In the meantime, the class have missed his enthusiasm and exuberance and decide to emulate his dress and welcome his return. Instead of being different, he has now become ‘special’ and fully accepted.

In Little Croc’s Purse Lizzie again takes up a universal theme, that of honesty versus dishonesty. The story now centres on a crocodile, charmingly drawn with just enough mixture of friendliness and aversion associated with the creature.

Croc fi nds a purse and is faced with that reoccurring human dilemma, whether to keep the contents and benefi t from its windfall (fi nders keepers) or to trace its owner and resolve the moral dilemma between honesty and deceit.

Children will love the illustrations and fi nd the story appealing, even exciting as a range of seedy characters, each true to life, attempt to benefi t from Croc’s unexpected fortune.

In both stories, Lizzie fi nds a simple way of conveying to children, in a non-preaching form, some of the choices, moral and social dilemmas they are likely to face as adults.

It is then not surprising that Dandylion won the Dundee Picture Book Award 2010 and was short listed for NASEN Inclusive Children’s Book Award 2009. I am eagerly waiting her third book ‘Who’s Afraid of the Chocolate Wolf?’ due out next summer.

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Clubs, Societies & Groups

Acting For FunCentral Didsbury431 4794

Didsbury Amateur Dramaticswww.celestaplayers.co.uk

Didsbury Cricket Clubwww.didsburyccsports.co.uk

Didsbury Good NeighboursMarie Greenhalgh07749 504298 www.didsburygoodneighbours.com

Friends of Didsbury Parkwww.friendsofdidsburypark.co.uk

Friends of Fletcher Moss ParkAlan Hill 445 1535

Friends of Marie Louise Gardenswww.marielouisegardens.org.uk

South Manchester Camera Clubwww.smcc.org.uk

Didsbury Over 50s Group247 2323

South Manchester U3AMeet on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 2pm, Emmanuel Church. Contact Edna 434 2509

South Manchester Dance School107 Clyde Road West Didsbury, 445 5308

Health and Fitness

Didsbury Sports CentreManchester Metropolitan University, 247 2323mmu.ac.uk/sport/didsbury.php

Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre Parrs Wood, Wilmslow Road, 438 2918 www.parrswoodmanchester.co.uk

The Waterside Hotel & Galleon Leisure ClubWilmslow Road, 445 0225, www.watersidehotel.co.uk

Arts & Crafts

The Classroom on School Lane Learn new a new craft or skill.24 School Lanewww.classroomschoollane.com, [email protected]

The Magic Cupboard212 Burton Road West Didsbury Manchester445 8752 www.themagiccupboard.co.uk, email [email protected]

Manchester Mosaics creative and art historical workshops07528 526798www.gallery.me.com/[email protected]

Wendy Levy Art Gallery17 Warburton Street Didsbury, 446 4880

Music & Entertainment

Cineworld CinemaParrswood Entertainment Centre Parrswood Road Didsbury, 434 0909

Didsbury Comedy Club 7pm Show 7:45pm Admission £6/£5 Didsbury Cricket Club, Wilmslow Rd, East Didsbury, M20 2ZY

Pub QuizDog and PartridgeEvery Monday 9.30Cash Jackpot667 Wilmslow RoadTel: 0871 951 1000

Stax of Soul Wednesdays 9.30PM—12 Thursdays DJ PIP ROLFE Eclectic mix of music,Upbeat funk & soul beats with resident djs lennon, colin & rolfe 5pm—1amOne Lounge Bar1 Lapwing laneqww.Oneloungebar.co.uk 448 0101

Therapy at Sanctuary Bar Thursday night DJ 7–midnight every week.653 Wilmslow Road

Social & Support Groups

Didsbury Village East Residents Associationwww.dvera.co.uk

Didsbury Village Women’s Institutewww.didsburyvillagewi.co.uk

Didsbury Social [email protected] www.didsburysocial.jigsy.com

West Didsbury Residents AssociationPam Siddons 445 5406 www.westdidsbury.org.uk

Useful Numbers

Didsbury Library 227 3755

Environment on Call 954 9000

Gas Emergency 0800 111 999

Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service 905 1100

National Rail Enquiries nationalrail.co.uk 08457 48 49 50

NHS Direct 0845 46 47 nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Manchester City Council234 5000 www.manchester.gov.uk

Police – non emergency 872 5050

Samaritans 236 8000samaritans.org

TFGM 0870 6082 608

East Didsbury Councillors

Andrew [email protected]

Andrew [email protected]

David [email protected]

West Didsbury Councillors

Mark [email protected]

Graham [email protected]

David [email protected]

Listings are FREE for charities, churches, social groups and non-profi t community groups. Please get in touch if you’d like us to include your details.

email your listings to [email protected]

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view the latest edition at www.communityindex.co.uk

Community Noticeboard

If you’re looking for a fun way to keep fit then Zumba® is for you!

Zumba® is for everyone so what are you waiting for?! Ditch the workout & join the Party!

Bring this advert along to claim £2 off your first class

(one voucher per person, expires Jan 31st 2012)

Monday: 6.30pm, Parrswood High School, Didsbury.

Tuesday: 7pm, Burnage Media College.

Wednesday: 7.30pm, Burnage Media College.

Thursday: 9.30am, St. Aidans Church, Didsbury (starts Jan 2012)

Thursday: 8.15pm, Parrswood High School (starts Jan 2012)

Saturday: 10.30am, Parrswood High School, Didsbury

Check www.manchesterzumba.com before attending

or call Becky on 07766081950

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TAG! (Pass it on) is part of a growing ‘Shop Local’ movement within the UK which helps support local shops and services; a movement which is, in large part, rooted in a person’s attachment to where they live and their desire to see their area fl ourish.

In 2010 in the UK, £76 billion was spend on groceries; 80% of this was spent in supermarkets. Supermarket ‘local’ shops are springing up everywhere as the major chains fi ght for an ever higher share of our spending in the current diffi cult circumstances of higher grocery infl ation and reduced disposable incomes. The result is an independent sector under siege.

Neither government legislation nor local issues such as increasing rents and parking price-hikes are doing anything to alter this situation. If we wish to save this vital part of our communities it’s up to us to make the necessary difference.

Independents are one-of-a kind, distinctive businesses; they’ve got character. It’s this character which helps attract other new businesses, residents, visitors and investment to the area.

Walk into a local Didsbury business and more often than not you are greeted and served by the owner, someone with a unique passion and knowledge of the products they are selling and the community they are serving.

When local community projects need support, our independents often come together to offer it and get things done. They provide inspiration to our young people, showing they too can also succeed on their own terms. They are part of the very fabric of Didsbury and have a personal stake in its well being, guaranteeing that they act in the interests of the wider community.

On top of that, they bring disproportionate benefi ts to the local economy and job-creation. Simply put, money spent locally stays local: it will be used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers, local professionals and suppliers.

If we are to have any hope of creating a resilient, green economy – a ‘network of local sustainable economies, providing social contact and inclusion

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! Community index readers can get a current tag card to try before you buy this Christmas (valid until the end of 2011)

Email: carol@tagpassiton with Community Index Tag Card in subject line.Don’t forget to Include your name and address! Or send your details to Carol at Tagpassiton, 792 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury, M20 6UG

Happy ‘Indie Christmas’ and New Year TAG! (pass it on) rewards you for shopping smart, local & independent

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TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! Community index readers can get a current tag card to try before you buy this Christmas (valid until the end of 2011)

Email: carol@tagpassiton with Community Index Tag Card in subject line.Don’t forget to Include your name and address! Or send your details to Carol at Tagpassiton, 792 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury, M20 6UG

with responsible local production and exchange of goods and services’ we will need a strong independent sector, accountable to the local area.

TAG!(Passiton)TAG! (Pass it on) is a not-for-profi t CIC (Community Interest Company) which aims to encourage us to change our spending habits. For all of the reasons given above we created the TAG! card; for £5 you are rewarded with a huge range of deals and discounts when you shop with independents.

The variety and quality of the 60 (and counting) local independents in our scheme – as well as the 300 or so to be found in other areas of South Manchester - is amazing and the savings on offer from using your card and supporting them are HUGE; from essentials such as groceries, eyecare and cakes to fi ne dining, fashion, furniture, party items, fl owers, toys, plumbing and even (clay pigeon) shooting.

Didsbury’s charities and community groups can make use of the Tagpassiton scheme to sell cards to raise money for their own causes. It’s a fantastic hyperlocal and community-focused way of raising money. Groups such as the Didsbury Arts Festival and Cavendish Primary keep 50% of the proceeds when they actively promote shopping locally and independently to their supporters.

For more details about what we do, how we help and what you get please visit the TAG! website at www.tagpassiton.com.

New TAG! cards can be bought online or locally at Rumpus Toys, Alpine Tea Rooms, Pixie, Harriet & Dee, Inmans and most other scheme members. If you register a new card before the end of the year you’ll be entered into our prize draw to win a 3 month membership to Social Circle (value £60).

We hope you will want to join in, save money and show your support for all the local shops with your TAG! card.

And since we’re entering the festive season let’s try and make this an Independent Christmas!

Carol & Sam

Happy ‘Indie Christmas’ and New Year TAG! (pass it on) rewards you for shopping smart, local & independent

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please mention community index when responding to adverts

Mobile Email

07875 360 368 [email protected]

DEVINE KITCHENS

Tel: 0161 291 9680

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Commercial and Civil Litigation • Shareholder and Director Disputes • Commercial Mediation • Regulatory Investigations • Tax Investigations and Disputes • Internal Company Compliance Investigations • Business Compliance Advice and Training • Corporate Fraud and Criminal Defence

Divorce Law • Civil Partnership Dissolutions • Financial Remedies on Relationship Breakdown • Separation Agreements • Living Together Agreements • Maintenance for Spouses/Partners and Children • Cohabitation Disputes • Pre-Nuptial/Civil Partnership Agreements • The Law relating to Children • Injunctions and Family Protection • Pensions Law • Collaborative Law • Mediation

Sarah Sharpe and Sandra Sinclair bring a wealth of experience to their specialist areas of Business Litigation & Investigations and Divorce & Family Law.

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The winter garden is often viewed through closed windows and doors, as a bare, uninteresting place to be largely ignored until the spring. Many of us arrange our gardens around two or possibly three seasons – spring, summer and maybe autumn, imagining that the months of December (the ‘phoney winter’ in Christopher Lloyds view), January and February are too brutal and too static for anything to grow or bloom. There are, however, lots of shrubs that come into their own in December providing both a visual treat as well as in some cases an olfactory one - i.e. they smell nice too. In her book The Curious Gardener Anna Pavord states that like a hologram, with a

small tilt the December garden reveals stalwart, interesting winter shrubs that when tilted the summer way might be inconspicuous. The Viburnum group of shrubs are worth having a look at - particularly tinus and bodnantense for winter interest. V. tinus is a very hardy evergreen with white clusters of flowers and V. bodnantense, deciduous but with delicate pink flowers through the winter. A slightly less hardy but very interesting shrub is Garrya elliptica, with its icicle-like tassles providing a wintry show. “James Roof” is the standard variety and grown against a sheltered wall it can, if tied in, have the same effect as a climber. Fairly standard shrubs such as Cotoneaster horizontalis and Skimmia

japonica provide some lovely red-berry interest in winter and the impressive winter shrubs, Hamamelis mollis (witch hazel) and Chimonanthus praecox (winter sweet) can be stand-alone features in a bigger garden. There are lots of varieties of Hamamelis, with a wide-range of colour from red to bright yellow held in spindly flowers up and down the branches. For olfactory satisfaction, the Christmas Box (Sarcococca confusa) is always good and just for the name alone the ‘Snowbells’ Clematis is worth a try offering creamy white bell shaped flowers from December to March.

Katherine Watson, Fat Grass Garden Designs

December in your Garden by Katherine Watson

[email protected]

YOUR BUSINESS HEREcall us today and get your business noticed

TEL: 0787 589 5604

affordable, effective LOCAL advertising

read the latest edition online at www.communityindex.co.uk

Cafe Life

The Art of Tea47 Barlow Moor Road Didsbury, 448 9323

The Bursting Butty839 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 6264

Crazy Cow Cafe837 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 215 0325

Alpine Tea Rooms Fletcher Moss Park

Folk Cafe Bar169-171 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 2912www.folkcafebar.co.uk

Airy Fairy Cake BoutiqueSchool Lane, M20 6RG

Specialist

Didsbury Farmshop737 Wilmslow Rd, Didsbury, M20 6WF

The Cheese Hamlet706 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 434 4781

Latin Kitchen434 5685

Love2Eat190 Burton Road West Didsbury, 434 7077www.love-2eat.com

Thyme Out Delicatessen147 Nell Lane West Didsbury, 434 8686www.thymeoutdeli.co.uk

Restaurant/Bar

Azzurro Restaurant242 Burton Road West Didsbury, 448 0099www.azzurro restaurant.com

The Bell HouseParrswood Entertainment Centre Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 6990

Bistro West 156156 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 1921

Cachumba220 Burton Road West Didsbury

Cafe Rouge651-3 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 438 0444

Chiquito Mexican GrillUnit 4 Parrswood Entertainment Centre Didsbury, 446 4130

The Didsbury852 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 5389www.thedidsbury.co.uk

The Dog and Partridge667 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 5322

The Famous Crown770 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 434 7085

Felicini Locanda751 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 2055www.felicini.co.uk

The Four in Hand108 Palatine Road Didsbury, 448 9397

Frankies Fish Bar178 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 [email protected]

The Great Kathmandu140 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 2145www.great kathmandu.co.uk

Green Tea Restaurant222 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 5395 www.greenteadidsbury.com

Greens43 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 434 4259

The Gurkha Grill198 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 5444

GUSTO765 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 8209www.gustorestaurants.uk.com

The Hogshead653 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 5389

The Jade Garden743 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 448 2342www.jadegarden didsbury.co.uk

Jem&i1c School Lane Didsbury, 445 3996

The Laughing Buddha782 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 434 7688www.thelaughingbuddhadidsbury.co.uk

The Lime Tree8 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 445 1217www.thelimetree restaurant.co.uk

The Metropolitan2 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 438 2332 www.the-metropolitan.co.uk

O’Neills665-667 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 448 7941

The Original Third Eye661 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 446 2300

The Nelson Inn3 Barlow Moor Road Didsbury, 434 5118

One Lounge Bar1 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 448 0101

The Parrswood Hotel356 Parrswood Road Didsbury, 445 1783

Piccolino6 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 434 7524

Pinchjo’s192 Burton Rd West Didsbury, 434 [email protected]

Pomegranate202 Burton Road West Didsbury, 445 7171

The Railway3 Lapwing Lane West Didsbury, 445 9839

The Royal Oak729 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 445 3152www.royaloakpub manchester.co.uk

Rhubarb Restaurant167 Burton Road West Didsbury, 448 8887www.rhubarb restaurant.co.uk

The Rose Garden 218 Burton RoadWest Didsbury, 478 0747www.therosegarden didsbury.com

Saints and Scholars694 Wilmslow Road Didsbury, 448 2457

The Sanctuary 653 Wilmlsow RoadDidsbury, 445 9130

La Tasca10/12 Warburton Street West Didsbury, 438 0044

The Woodstock139 Barlow Moor Road West Didsbury, 448 7951 www.thewoodstockarmsdidsbury.co.uk

Food & Drink Index18

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please mention Community Index when responding to adverts

Alam’s, the exciting and unique home cooking service recently introduced to the area by local resident Adil Alam could be right up your street. Established on the belief that nothing beats traditional home cooking, Alam’s prepare and cook authentic Indian meals in the comfort of your very own home ready for you to serve and enjoy with your guests. Using only the freshest ingredients including quality meat and vegetables sourced from Lancashire farms, we offer an incomparable menu of classic dishes such as tandoori, bhuna, pilaf and other curries. All meals are prepared from scratch with ingredients purchased on the day of preparation ensuring our expertly created dishes are perhaps the fi nest available.Fancy a fun and informative cooking lesson in your own kitchen? Alam’s also offer entertaining tutorials with step by step instructions and guidance on basic techniques showing you how much fun cooking can be. Impress your friends and family with your newly acquired cooking skills. Alam’s cover a 5 mile radius from the M16 area of Manchester. Visit www.alams.co.uk today to select from our exciting range of dishes and book your order. Remember, we come to your home. Just sit back and enjoy; we do all the work!

Would you like an exclusive mouth watering, meal for two prepared and cooked in the comfort of your own home?Alam’s offers you the chance to indulge yourself by winning an authentic and traditional Indian meal for two.To enter this fantastic prize draw, simply visit our website www.alams.co.uk to fi nd the answer to the question below.

At what heat preference is an Alam’s meal prepared to maintain the perfect blend of spices, aroma and taste balance?Send us your answer, along with your name and telephone number, using the competition page on our website. All entries must be received via our website by midnight on 31st December 2011. The winner will be chosen at random (from the correct answers) and informed by telephone on 2nd January 2012.

Good Luck!

Love Indian and South Asian food?

WIN a meal for two! CARPET & UPHOLSTERY

CLEANERSFAST DRYING SYSTEM• FREE STAIN & ODOUR REMOVAL• STAINGUARD PROTECTION• 10% RETIRED PERSONS DISCOUNT• ALL WORK IS FULLY INSURED• ALL FURNITURE MOVED BY OPERATIVE•

Fully trained to NCCA standards

We are a local company based in Chorlton

Ring or email for a FREE ESTIMATE

07742 369 231or leave a message on 0161 881 4822

[email protected]

call us today and get your business noticed

0787 589 [email protected]

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Here’s a recipe for your delectation: take one confi rmed (well - ish) meat-eater, deprive him of his staple food, and simmer over a low heat for a month to see what cooks. When the editor (I know where you live, Lesley) challenged me to go ‘veggie’ for a month, I thought: how hard can that be? Big bag of lentils, bit of fresh veg, a cook-book from the library… doddle! But then, as the day of commencement approached, something resembling panic set in. What, no cottage pie? No fi sh? No bacon? In November?

I should explain my position. As the son of an erstwhile gamekeeper, I was taught how to kill and prepare my own meat - was brought up to believe that vegetarians were some kind of pallid, undernourished creatures who stalked those too green to

know any better. But no - that’s vampires. And they all live in Whitby. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not exactly new to this. In my teens, I was a vegetarian for three years; though, if I’m being honest, that was more out of teenage rebellion than any health concerns or interest in animal welfare.

It’s been an interesting month. Full of motivation at the beginning, making my own pasties and pies (with my own pastry, I might add) and scouring the recipe books for new and interesting dishes, I discovered two things almost immediately. Firstly, you don’t have to give up cottage pie. There’s an excellent recipe for such, using lentils instead of beef, on Unicorn’s website (I know, I know, sounds wrong, but believe me: it’s delicious.) Secondly, I just can’t get with the mung bean. Try, as I did, to use them in casseroles and curries, this ‘versatile’ (why

are they always versatile?) little bean gave me

nothing but stomach ache and… well,

we won’t go into what else.

But there’s more to this game than lentils and beans. As the weeks passed, and my initial enthusiasm waned

somewhat, I realised I needed to broaden my horizons on the recipe front if I had any hope of completing the challenge. There’s a wealth of cook books out there; and whilst you can, if you so wish, simply substitute meat for meat-free alternatives like soya or Quorn, there really is no need to emulate a carnivorous diet.

So, what have I garnered from the experience? Well, apart from an intense craving for fi sh, I was surprised how little I missed meat. True, on occasion I reneged on my mission to avoid meat substitutes, but even vegetarians are allowed lazy days. I also noticed an improvement in my pocket. I’ve heard people argue that a vegetarian diet is prohibitively expensive. Well, yes, it can be if you live on processed vegetarian ‘fast foods’. But with a bit more effort and a little invention in the kitchen, I found it much cheaper. As for the health argument… well, I can’t honestly say I noticed a difference.

I think it was Linda McCartney who suggested we all have one meat-free day a week. I’m not here to argue the implications - moral or otherwise - of a vegetarian diet, but I’d say try a week or even a month without meat. You might surprise yourself. Just stay clear of those mung beans. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to make myself a bacon sandwich (Hey, I never claimed to be a convert).

(giving up) Meat...is Murder?by Leon Horton

curries, this ‘versatile’ (why are they always versatile?)

little bean gave me nothing but stomach

ache and… well, we won’t go into

what else.

But there’s

The offending Mung Beans

21


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Mobile Email

07875 360 368 [email protected]

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67-71 Manchester Rd, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, M21 9PW Telephone: 0161 881 705367-71 Manchester Rd, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, M21 9PW Telephone: 0161 881 7053

10% OFF with this voucher in Dec 2011/Jan 2012*£5 minimum spend

*

www.barbakan-deli.co.uk

Winners of the Craft Bakery Business Award 2011Your local Award Winning Delicatessen and Bakery is ready to

serve you with a wide choice of fresh and original Breads and Deli products. Call in soon and give your tastebuds a treat!

Winners of the Craft Bakery Business Award 2011

Barbakan Delicatessen

NEW OPENING TIMESFrom Monday 31st October

Mon/Tues/Wed 8am - 5.30pm

LATE NIGHT OPENING

Thursday 8am - 7pm

Friday 8am - 5.30pm

Saturday 8.30am - 5pm

Business Index Please note: Community Index accepts no responsibility for transactions entered into or work undertaken by any of the businesses advertising in the Index or any loss, harm or damage arising from using any of the products & services listed.

23

Arts & CraftsBasic Sewing Skills & Patchwork 7Building & MaintenanceBest Cellars 21Devine Building & Maintenance

21

Carpet CleaningProfresh 19Chimney SweepAcorn Chimney Sweeping Service

8

Dry CleanersVillage Dry Cleaners 8Estate AgentJP & Brimelow 24FloorsDevine Floorsanding 14

Food & DrinkAlams 19Barbakan Delicatessen 22Express Groceries 2Mezzaluna Restaurant 5GardensFat Grass Garden Design 17HandymanDidsbury Handyman 8Health & Fitnessgettingmanchestermoving.org 11Manchester Zumba 11Homes & InteriorsKingston Beds & Sofas 15www.planetvintagegirl.com 14KitchensDevine Kitchens 14

MusicJill Fogden 7Painting & DecoratingGeorgina Cullen 14PetcareBetty & Butch 16RooferM Duffi n 23ShoppingTagpassiton Didsbury 12SolicitorsSinclair Sharpe Law 16Therapy & HealingAlexander Technique 5


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19

67-71 Manchester Rd, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, M21 9PW Telephone: 0161 881 7053

10% OFF with this voucher in Dec 2011/Jan 2012*£5 minimum spend

*

www.barbakan-deli.co.uk

Winners of the Craft Bakery Business Award 2011Your local Award Winning Delicatessen and Bakery is ready to

serve you with a wide choice of fresh and original Breads and Deli products. Call in soon and give your tastebuds a treat!

Business IndexArts & CraftsBasic Sewing Skills & Patchwork

Barbakan Delicatessen

NEW OPENING TIMESFrom Monday 31st October

Mon/Tues/Wed 8am - 5.30pm

LATE NIGHT OPENING

Thursday 8am - 7pm

Friday 8am - 5.30pm

Saturday 8.30am - 5pmProperty Repairs

ChimneysPointing

Roofs Gutters

Free Est imates

M Duffin

0161 789 664007944 729 608

Queen BLucy Brown and her team of busy bee’s know the Didsbury rental market inside and out. At JP & Brimelow we’ll work harder for you to meet your specific needs, whether you have an individual property or a large portfolio to let.

Our highly trained and qualified ARLA team, provide a knowledgeable approach to valuing, letting and managing your property.

So give us a buzz today on 0161 445 2300 to find out more.

We offer

Call our Didsbury team today on 0161 445 2300 to find out more!

When it comes to letting out your property, we’re the bee’s knees! Our Didsbury team have expert local knowledge and experience, giving you peace of mind that your valuable asset is in the care of professionals.

Lettings | 721 Wilmslow Road, Didsbury, M20 6WF T. 0161 445 2300 E. [email protected]

Offices also in

Chorlton | 430 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, M21 8AD T. 0161 882 2244 E. [email protected]

Withington | 420 Wilmslow Road, Withington M20 3BW T. 0161 434 6169 E. [email protected]

@jpandbrimelow

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community index Didsbury Dec 2011