p. 1

your free local community magazine what s on guide january 2012 inside this month local event listings p4,5 changes to solar pv how the changes to the feed-in tariff will affect you p10/11 new year new you overindulged at christmas don t worry help is at hand p36 38 n e w to nferrers 10 minute jobs to help you sell your home p49 con to n gratula ewt tio c of on fer ns re e scho ol prima rs an `o for ach ry u ie ofst tstand ving ing ed r epor t my acupuncture adventure new clinic in newton ferrers p41 free singing workshop p4 nossm ayo holbe to nyealmp to n magazine magazine

[close]

p. 2

toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 3

h ealth hair lc ou te we bea m y local event listings p4/5 local company gains customer service award p6/7 sun continues to shine on solar pv p10/11 sudoku p13 from nothing to supercar p16 home interiors childs play p20/23 more from fitz on page 28 recipe mushroom leek risotto p30 handy household tips p31 new year new you p36/38 the get well clinic opens in newton ferrers p41 10 minute jobs to help you sell your home p49 tips for keeping festive flowers looking stunning p50 new years revolution top techie gadgets p56 book review p58 top tips for best behaviour in your dog p59 children s puzzles p60 full index of advertisers p62 h appy new year and welcome to the first edition of signpost for 2012 we re starting the new year as we mean to go on packing as much editorial and useful information in the magazine as we can starting off on pages 4 and 5 you ll find the local events listings the yealm art society start their workshops again in january so if art interests you then why not give it a go chinese new year is also celebrated on 23rd january and plymouth city council are running a fun workshop to celebrate the `year of the dragon full details on the what s on pages there s been alot in the press recently about the changes to the feed-in tariffs for solar pv panels local company south west energy give their take on what the changes mean to both the industry and more importantly to you the consumer we ve got all the information on pages 10 11 new year is traditionally a time for `out with the old and in with the new if you re looking at redecorating and improving your home then we ve got some great articles to help you get started on pages 20 23 we give advice on decorating a child s bedroom and making the best of the space or if you re looking to clear away all the clutter then local company `access4lofts can provide a quick and easy storage solution see their advert on page12 perhaps you think 2012 is the year that you ll move home if so then take a look at page 49 for an article on `10 minute jobs to help you sell your home if you ve over-indulged at christmas then never fear turn to our health hair beauty section and read our `new year new you feature on pages 36 38 if you re a fan of `self-help books then turn to page 58 for the best buys enjoy this edition please remember to mention signpost when you respond to any of the articles/adverts lindsay 3 to advertise from £25 contact lindsay 01752 231378 lindsay@signpostpublishing.co.uk www.signpostmagazine.co.uk www.facebook.com/signpostmagazine pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts

[close]

p. 4

j a n ua ry d i a ry friday 6th january ivybridge country market 8.30am until 11.30am every friday at the scout hut next to the leisure centre ivybridge locally produced cakes pasties preserves local crafts and seasonal produce enjoy from 16th january yealm art society monday sessions will recommence on january 16th in the parish room yealmpton morning session 10am to 1pm afternoon session 1.15pm to 4.15pm new time new thursday session starting january 19th beginners watercolours -1.15pm to 4.15pm parish room,yealmpton saturday workshop january 28th life drawing part 2 with jenny johnson agm february 16th 7.30pm to 9pm free raffle refreshments if interested in the new watercolour sessions or saturday workshop please contact maggie on 1liamg@gmail.com or tel 881481 saturday 21st january to celebrate chinese new year make and take chinese new year dragon s den city museum and art gallery drake circus saturday 21 january 11am to 12pm 1.30pm to 2.30pm 3pm to 4pm help us mark the start of the chinese new year the year of the dragon with some fun arty activities plus a special dragon-themed trail around our galleries.admission is free but please book your places in advance on 01752 304774 saturday 21st january dartmoor national park walk 10:30 2.5hr stroll war horse locations gutter tor if you ve seen the film why not visit one of the main locations used on dartmoor plenty to see and talk about on this walk as you take in the landscape which so inspired director stephen spielberg as well as visiting locations used during the filming of `war horse consideration is given to what life on dartmoor would have been like during the first world war booking essential please telephone high moorland visitor centre on 01822 890414 please note the centre is open thursday sunday 10:30 15:30 please call during these hours guide l miall tuesday 31st january yealm garden society talk by jeremy wilson from stretegate camellias at wic hall newton ferrers at 7pm for 7.30pm lindsay@signpostpublishing.co.uk to list yo ureventforfreecon tac tlinds ay on 01752 231378 or email feb event info by 16th jan please visit www.facebook.com/signpostmagazine and click `like to be kept up to date with event info toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 5

j a n ua ry d i a ry relaxed country retreat with a twist current events murder mystery nights on 6th 20th murder mystery dinners 27th&jan october 7th 14th 3rd feb casino gourmet dinner joey the lips new year s party 21st 13th october january jazz sunday lunch themed fun casino 14th january 2nd october the home of the ever popular kitley house murder mystery dinners and james bond themed gourmet casino dinners throughout the year in addition regular music events christmas season events and valentines make this an eventful destination kitley house country hotel restaurant yealmpton plymouth south devon pl8 2nw sales@kitleyhousehotel.com www.kitleyrestaurant.co.uk 01752 881555 pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts 5

[close]

p. 6

trades/services local renewable energy company triumph in prestigious customer service award plymouth based renewable energy and heating specialist south west energy services ltd are once again celebrating their success in a national customer service competition the company were highly commended in the domestic general total quality excellence teq award 2011 which rewards excellence in customer care since their inception in 1997 the teq awards have been widely credited for enhancing service standards throughout the appliance repair industry the awards are based on feedback from 425,000 post-repair questionnaires distributed each year by domestic general the uk s leading product protection providers making it the uk s largest independent survey of repair standards on domestic appliances the awards provide a unique insight into customer care within the sector and allows manufacturers and repair contractors alike to gather vital information about every aspect of their service from the efficiency and polite handling of the initial customer contact through to the effectiveness and courtesy of the repair engineers andrew custer owner of south west energy services ltd said we are delighted to have won the domestic general teq award once again this year we work hard so that our customers can have faith in the service we provide and it means everything that they have so publicly recognised our efforts lawrence harrison service director at domestic general said we are so proud to congratulate south west energy services ltd once again the response we received from their customers was fantastic and a toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 7

trades/services testimony to their commitment to delivering the best possible repair experience south west energy services are accredited installers under the governments microgeneration certification scheme mcs for solar power systems based in plymouth we install solar pv photovoltaic systems throughout the south west established for over 11 years serving the south west region they are an independent renewable energy and heating company we like to make things as simple as possible for our customers and promise to explain and advise you on how solar energy can work for you which product range to go for how to register for clean energy cash back and considerations for the size shape and location of your roof it s probably that honest transparency that helped them win this award and will ensure that south west energy are around in years to come there s never been a better time to install your own energy source or a better scheme to support you in doing so south west energy services ltd can supply and install solar pv panels to generate your very own small scale low carbon electricity and receive `clean energy `cashback commonly referred to as fits from any excess electricity you export to the grid the 1st april 2010 you ll be guaranteed a minimum payment for the electricity you generate as well as benefits and payments microtricity will benefit from 1 there are two payments your new source of generation a fixed payment from your electricity supplier for every kwh you generate you can even use the electricity you have generated yourself and still get paid for it for a free survey for solar pv or to find out more call 01752 562221 www.swenergy.co.uk tax free income from solar pv email info@swenergy.co.uk tel 01752 562221 fax 01752 500577 golant village hall cornwall 2 export a fixed payment of an extra 3p for every kwh of electricity you put back into the grid or you can opt out of this fixed price and negotiate a price for exported electricity on the open market the generation and export tariff rates are linked to the retail price index rpi which means your tariff will increase or decrease with inflation or deflation gillingham tel 01752 562221 fax 01752 500577 tax free income from solar pv there s never been a better time to install your own energy source or a better scheme to support you in doing so email info@swenergy.co.uk south west energy services ltd can supply and install solar pv panels to generate your very own small scale low carbon electricity and receive `clean energy `cashback commonly referred to as fits from any excess electricity you export to the grid the 1st april 2010 you ll be guaranteed a minimum payment for the electricity you generate as well as benefits and payments microtricity will benefit from 1 there are two payments your new source of generation a fixed payment from your electricity supplier for every kwh you generate you can even use the electricity you have generated yourself and still get paid for it 2 export a fixed payment of an extra 3p for every kwh of electricity you put back into the grid or you can opt out of this fixed price and negotiate a price for exported electricity on the open market lutton ivybridge the generation and export tariff rates are linked to the retail price index rpi which means your tariff will increase or decrease with inflation or deflation woolfardisworthy devon plympton devon pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts 7

[close]

p. 8

trades/services doors windows bi-fold doors fascias guttering conservatories www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows www.sextonbuilders.co.uk/windows great windows great prices great service great choice of styles colours finishes bead styles glazing designs richards ad 2nd draft call 01752 698444 10/6/08 10 year insurance backed guarantee 11:17 page 1 fairway electrical newton ferrers domestic commercial electrical contractor new build rewires test inspection garden installations emergency call out over 25 years of experience all work guaranteed richard king tel 01752 872409 mob 078123 82075 8 toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 9

trades/services alba plumbing heating local plumbing heating renewable energy heating contractor serving the south hams district all round building maintenance all aspects of carpentry/joinery roofing plumbing painting and decorating local reliable builder with over 30 years experience free estimates for all your home improvement requirements call clive tel 01752 882210 mobile 07906 357949 fore street yealmpton arbm@btinternet.com all plumbing work undertaken from tap washers to full installations inc lead work specialising in renewable energy heating systems ground outside air exhaust air water source heat pumps woodchip boilers and solar installations solid fuel oil heating radiators or underfloor heating systems installed/serviced 20 years experience free estimates no call out charge 24hr service contact stephen crook newton ferrers.tel 01752 873255 mobile 07894 686141 wras cert ecoliving agent re-wires · underfloor heating · security lighting · commercial domestic installations · extra sockets lights · new consumer units · garage garden electrics · fault diagnosis · test inspection certificates · energy efficient consultations fully qualified insured local electrician with 20 years experience all works guaranteed don t be left in the dark trust electricall with the safety of you your home call graham on 07979 690168 or 01752 880910 email electric.all@live.co.uk approved contractor for www.electricall.net pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts

[close]

p. 10

trades/services the uk government is proposing to reduce feed-in tariffs fits for new solar photovoltaic pv installations as part of their comprehensive review consultation sun continues to shine on solar pv the uk government is proposing to reduce feed-in tariffs fits for new solar photovoltaic pv installations as part of their comprehensive review consultation i caught up with andrew custer owner of award winning plymouthbased renewable energy and heating specialist south west energy services ltd to get his view on the changes and to find out how it will affect people like you and me the main change will be a reduced rate of 21p/kwh for solar pv installations of less than 4kw explains andrew tariffs will be introduced from 1st april 2012 and will affect all installations with an eligibility date on or after 12th december 2011 south west energy services are currently able to offer a 4kwp system of 16 panels with a 8-9 year payback period and an initial rate of return at 10 approximately 11 with the rising cost of electricity this is a really beneficial deal for homeowners so what does andrew think of the changes some solar power companies have suggested that the change would `kill off the industry and some were considering a legal challenge explains andrew but personally i don t think that s going to be the case one of the other benefits and undoubtedly one of the reasons why the feed-in tariff has been reduced is that the cost of solar pv panels have plummeted in the past year and that s something that s going to benefit the customer andrew believes that what the changes will do is to `sort the men out from the boys for those companies that were in this industry to make a quick buck then yes i can see that these changes may cause a problem but for those of us that have been toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 11

trades/services around for years and intend to be for a lot longer then we ll face this latest challenge and continue to give great customer service to our clients and great customer service is something that south west energy have recently received an award for which we ve also featured in signpost this month andrew is keen to point out that it s probably more important than ever to choose who installs your solar pv system those in the industry who were here to make money and get out quick will be disappearing so it s really key to choose a company who have a good reputation and offer a decent warranty so it s not all doom and gloom at the end of the day solar power is simply the best way to protect yourself against rising fuel bills it has been a phenomenally popular technology and will probably be the cheapest form of energy within five years if we continue to have a decent tariff tel 01752 562221 fax 01752 500577 there s never been a better time to install your own energy source or a better scheme to support you in doing so south west energy services ltd can supply and install solar pv panels to generate your very own small scale low carbon electricity and receive `clean energy `cashback commonly referred to as fits from any excess electricity you export to the grid the 1st april 2010 you ll be guaranteed a minimum payment for the electricity you generate as well as benefits and payments microtricity will benefit from 1 there are two payments your new source of generation a fixed payment from your electricity supplier for every kwh you generate you can even use the electricity you have generated yourself and still get paid for it 2 export a fixed payment of an extra 3p for every kwh of electricity you put back into the grid or you can opt out of this fixed price and negotiate a price for exported electricity on the open market to find out if you could benefit from solar pv and to arrange a free survey contact south west energy on 01752 562221 or visit www.swenergy.co.uk tax free income from solar pv email info@swenergy.co.uk the generation and export tariff rates are linked to the retail price index rpi which means your tariff will increase or decrease with inflation or deflation pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts 11

[close]

p. 12

trades/services gain away store safe access to your clutter all your loft and in time forclutter start 2012 christmas £199 free from we can modify your existing hatch install a sturdy 2 section aluminium loft ladder for £199 please note not all hatch covers can be modified so cost may increase if a new hatch cover is required be safe use a sturdy loft ladder ce we ve quoted that s the price you pay or we can modify your existing d not a penny more even if once we ve hatch supply fit a your existing rted work we have to move 2 section loft ladder fit 48sq ft 4.46sq m of boarding a light for just £349 ar 5 ye e nte guara we provide a fast reliable local service with no mess no fuss a 5 year guarantee no vat to pay 01752 342800 for a free survey quotation access4lofts call tim at www.access4lofts.co.uk info@access4lofts.co.uk 1 toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 13

trades/services how to play january01 fill in the grid so that every row every column and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9 with no repitition that s all there is to it you solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic there s no maths involved and no adding up it s fun it s challenging it s addictive novembersolution trading standards approved business · boiler replacement servicing · full central heating systems · underfloor heating · landlord gas safety inspections · unvented pressurised hot water · general plumbing maintenance · gas fire install service repair 522953 free estimates no call out charge worcester vaillant accredited/5 year warranty 01752 402492 07779 349282 dan@brookwoodph.co.uk pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts 13

[close]

p. 14

trades/services professional friendly local well established dulux approved painters decorators adrian jarrett ltd interior and exterior domestic commercial experienced in hotel work insurance work undertaken home refurbishment related maintenance tiling · coving · fitted kitchens · upvc fascias/soffits plus more just ask for advice and a free estimate with no obligation call adrian on 01752 895249 ivybridge based spain london plymouth but mostly the glorious south hams c.n.l i.p.mcmenamie building and property maintenance · landscaping · groundworks · plumbing · electrical · extensions · renovations · general building wrangaton station house wrangaton south brent tq10 9hb tel 01752 790643 24hrs 01364 73684 07802 762789 1 toadvertisecalllindsayon017531378-likeusonfacebookwww.facebook.com/signpostmagazine

[close]

p. 15

trades/services a to b building roofing guiding you through your home improvements well established-over 18 years experience covering all aspects of building and roofing new builds extensions renovations upvc fascia soffit guttering 24/7 emergency call outs roof windows fully qualified insured insurance work accepted 01752 892 830 07792 512 804 atob@worker.com www.atobbuildingandroofing.webs.com for professional advice and a free quotation please contact martin or oliver pleasementionsignpostwhenrespondingtoadverts 15

[close]