If you are happy in your house, but just lack the space you need or don’t like the layout, then think carefully about the areas of the house you want to extend and improve.

Some improvements may increase the value of your home while others may well improve its eventual saleability, but may not add to the money you recoup from the sale.

It’s essential the work is done by a reputable FMB builder with the correct planning permission and building regulations approvals - otherwise you could be in trouble when the time comes to move.

Seeking advice from a chartered building surveyor who can advise you on the technical and practical aspects of home improvement or from a local estate agent, who may advise you on whether the work will be worth the investment.

Make sure that the work you are doing doesn’t put you outside the value of the road. If you have a three bedroom house, there is little point in turning it into a 5 bedroom, 3 reception room home - you won’t get return on your money.

It is also important to keep the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in proportion with your living space, so don’t add extra bedrooms without balancing these with extra living space. Also, be careful you don’t create an enormous family house, but then lose the family garden in the process.

Once you are comfortable with your ideas, make a list of your priorities, get a scheme drawn up and then get planning permission. Once you have approval, then you can select a builder, prepare detailed paperwork and get on with the job - the key then is not to change your mind!

A full list of approved FMB builders in your area is available on the FMB website at www.findabuilder.co.uk.

Top ways of adding extra living space

Loft conversions are a great way to gain extra living space without altering the external appearance of your home.

Adding a ground floor extension can create good practical space such as a bigger kitchen or dining room. Costing between £30K-£50K, one-storey extensions are more common, but a two-storey extension can create another bedroom.

A downstairs bathroom can be a useful addition to the home and costing around £1.5K - £3K, will add value too.

We all know that good kitchens and bathrooms can make or break a sale, but don’t over spend or you won’t recoup your money. Often a lick of paint or some new tiles can improve an old-fashioned kitchen or bathroom.

Don’t forget the outside of the house. By adding a garage or off-street parking , you can add thousands to your home.

However, be careful if you are considering adding a porch, replacing or adding windows or knocking two rooms into one. All these may improve your quality of life and your home’s appeal, but may not add to the value of your house.

Cult panel show Shooting Stars has been recommissioned for BBC Two, 15 years after it first burst onto our screens.

Hosted by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, the show that introduced viewers to the Dove From Above, UVAVU and George Dawes, will be back for a full series following a one-off special last Christmas.

Once again, Matt Lucas, the man with the scores, will be returning as big baby George Dawes.

Original team captain Ulrika-ka-ka-ka-ka Jonsson will be back as head of team

And, after his debut on the Christmas special, Jack Dee becomes a permanent member of the Shooting Stars team and captain of the opposite team.

Bob Mortimer said: “We’re really looking forward to it. Jack is going to be a great headmaster and Ulrika is as game as ever so it should be a very pleasant evening’s journey.

“We have a new attitude and new rounds and this series will feature a secret weapon which will assist us in re-inventing the panel show again, just as Shooting Stars originally did.”

This new series has been commissioned by Janice Hadlow, Controller of BBC Two. The Executive Producer for BBC is Katie Taylor.

Katie added: “We’re delighted that Shooting Stars and all its original lunacy is returning to brighten the screens of BBC Two. Vic and Bob are true comedy innovators and it’s great to have them, Ulrika and Matt back together along with Jack Dee.”

Shooting Stars was one of TV’s first celebrity panel shows and was piloted on BBC Two in December 1993. It went on to run for five series, ending in December 2002, and became a multi-award-winning, worldwide hit.

Shooting Stars (6 x 30-minutes) is a Pett Productions production for BBC Two. The series is written by Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. Producer is Lisa Clark for Pett Productions and Executive Producer is Katie Taylor for the BBC.

Bacchus and Beyond, a specialist wine tour company, launches its wine tours in Italy’s Piedmont region. Famous for its wine and food, Piedmont is the perfect region for Bacchus and Beyond to provide its clients with the opportunity to discover all the gastronomic delights of North Western Italy.

Michael Back, director, Bacchus and Beyond, says “Coming from a popular wine region in Western Australia which excels in wine tourism, I was struck by the possibilities Piedmont had to offer. Visiting as a casual tourist I found I was unable to get close to the inside story of this wine-rich haven.”

“The opportunity to take any wine lover, from novice to professional, to such amazing cellars which are not normally accessible to the general public, was too good an opportunity to resist. This is a region where “la dolce vita” is an expectation rather than an aspiration.”

Bacchus and Beyond offers wine enthusiasts the opportunity to visit this well-known but less-travelled wine region with tours running from March to November. Each tour runs over four nights and five days and caters for a maximum of 14 people, though customised itineraries can be arranged. Tours are priced at £899 per person with discounts available for group bookings of four or more people.

The wineries visited combine traditional and modern wine production and access to winemakers, cellars and vineyards make for truly memorable visits.

Departing from Milan (Malpensa) airport or Milan railway station, guests are escorted around the Langhe Hills in style, staying each night in the heart of the wine growing areas in accommodation that combines comfort with a sense of history and mystique.

The Piedmont region specialises in reds, whites and sparkling wines and is known for producing some of the finest wines in the world. Tours are designed to be enjoyed by wine lovers of all levels of experience and each guest’s preference of wine style will be explored.

The Piedmont experience is not only about fine wine. This stunningly beautiful region is famed for its truffles and is also the home of the Slow Food Movement where quality and tradition combine to produce local specialties respected throughout Italy and the world.

For additional information, please visit http://www.bacchusandbeyond.com or contact Michael Back at info@bacchusandbeyond.com or on 0208 432 3313.

Documentary photographer Juliana Edwards is publishing a powerful photographic record of the east London site that will house the 2012 Olympics. Taken from when London won the bid to host the Games in 2005 until many of the roads were closed in 2007 to make way for construction of the new site: ‘2012: The Place That Was’ shows a landscape in transition, as the deserted urban wilderness is frozen in time before it is transformed into a showcase setting for the London games.

Juliana set out to document the human traces before the future Olympic site was vacated in preparation for construction work to begin. Many of the locations photographed have since been razed to the ground, making the book an important historical record – and a fascinating opportunity to see a landscape that no longer exists.

The collection of images includes derelict buildings and graffiti strewn walls, canal bridges and locks, abandoned furniture and discarded toys. The thought-provoking photographs give a sense of place rooted in the remains of the people who once occupied it, as if the whole area had been momentarily frozen.

Juliana Edwards says: “I had a sense of elation when London won the 2012 Olympics and immediately wanted to capture the area as it was. I have an intimate connection with the Olympic site, having lived in housing in Temple Mills Lane and Clays Lane which has now been demolished to make way for the Olympic Village. People’s idea of permanence is usually based on the premise that bricks, mortar and concrete will be there forever, but here in this part of east London, all of a sudden they are not.”

The images were shot using a film that accentuates colour. Images of a development area are normally presented in subdued shades or black-and-white, but by using vivid, deeply saturated colour the viewer is challenged to engage with an area that was previously overlooked.

Juliana adds: “I am drawn to prosaic locations and detritus as they are immensely evocative of the people who have left them behind. Michael Ignatieff said that photography enables us to see the past before the future has decided what it means. I want the viewer to think about the residents who once occupied this space - before it is seen through the spectrum of the 2012 Olympic Games.”

Over 120 full-colour pages, the hardback book tells a narrative through its images that will appeal to social historians, curators, Londoners with a sense of belonging to their city and anyone with an interest in the London Olympic Games.

The book’s foreword is written by Professor Val Williams, a renowned curator and director of the University of the Arts London Photography and the Archive Research Centre, who comments: “The Olympic site is magical, desolate and sometimes bleak - and on the cusp of monumental change.”

Signed copies of ‘2012: The Place That Was’ (ISBN 978-0-9560790-08) can be ordered at http://www.theplacethatwas.co.uk . It is also available from http://www.amazon.co.uk. Priced at £37.00.

Easter and the UK May bank holidays are getting close and it is important that holiday makers take out Travel insurance & Car Hire Excess insurance even if they are going away for a few days.

As Easter is much later again this year there will be more people taking a holiday. In 2008 as it was so early, many schools in the UK only had a one week break, then had a further break of a week in late April.

This year is more normal so many people will be away for a longer period. Many will set off to warmer climates and renting a car when they arrive at their holiday destination. If they are renting a car, they should remember to take out car hire excess insurance.

A spokesperson for insurance4carrental.com and jml-insurance.co.uk said”we act as introducers to providers like insurance4carhire and Questor Insurance. You can buy these products on a daily basis or annual basis and it certainly makes a great deal of sense to have an annual policy if you are going to be taking several holidays in a year or going on business trips”

When you hire a car, your car rental agreement normally includes cover for Collision Damage Waiver (damage to the rental vehicle) and Theft. There is almost always an Excess on the Collision Damage Waiver and Theft, however you are still liable for the Excess on CDW and Theft. When a rental car is damaged or stolen, the driver is asked to pay the first portion of the repair or replacement costs. This is known as the Excess.

The other essential is travel insurance. You never know if you are going to be delayed, loose your belongings or have an accident. jml Insurance acts as introducers to well know providers like Endsleigh, Essential Travel, Direct Travel Insurance and Simple Travel Insurance. These providers offer a variety of packages from a weekend break to an annual policy. You can take out specialist cover for all those leisure break essentials like golf clubs or ski equipment.

Many people do actually buy annual travel insurance and annual car hire excess insurance. Apart from the fact that you don’t have to then take this out for every trip you make, it is usually a lot cheaper than buying single trip policies. When people are on a tighter budget it is important to consider such options.

With more and more people owing holiday home accommodation jml-insurance can also introduce property owners to range of providers for properties in the UK or overseas written in English. These providers include Intasure, Andrew Copeland International, Letsure, Rentguard, Ember JD and Devon Direct.

Further information can be found at the jml insurance website www.jml-insurance.co.uk

jml Insurance.co.uk is part of jml Property Services, the trading name of Jeffrey Milner Ltd. The company is an UK based company that was established in 1979. jml insurance acts as an introducer for insurance companies selling property insurance including landlord and tenant rental products, pet insurance, wedding insurance, motor insurance, car hire excess insurance, travel insurance and non standard insurance products. They also operate jmlvillas.com an online marketing service for owners of holiday home property to advertise and are part of the jml Group that includes jml Training and Consultancy

Director-General, Mark Thompson, said: “I am enormously saddened by the news of Wendy’s death. Her countless BBC appearances across decades, especially as Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and then as Pauline Fowler in EastEnders, lit up living rooms for millions of British families who regarded her as a member of the family. That was an enormous achievement.

“Millions of viewers and listeners across the world will mourn her passing today and and she will be hugely missed.”

John Yorke, Head Of Drama Production & New Talent, said: “It is impossible to overstate Wendy’s contribution to EastEnders. For 22 years, whether she was bemoaning Arthur’s bad luck, cursing her children’s wayward nature or reminding us all once again that it was ‘all about family’, it was impossible for anyone to mention EastEnders without the iconic image of Pauline coming to mind.

“It is hard now to imagine the bravery of casting Wendy as Pauline, so succesful and utterly identifiable in the role did she become. She was one of the foundation stones of the show, and with her death EastEnders is diminished. She will be much missed by all of us.”

Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Vision, said: “Wendy Richard’s death is a huge loss and our thoughts are with her family and loved ones at this very sad time.

“Wendy was one of our greatest television actresses, best known for her role in Are You Being Served? as the glamorous Miss Shirley Brahms, at Grace Brothers’ department store, before taking on the role of one of soap’s most famous matriarchs as Pauline Fowler in EastEnders.

“She started in EastEnders in the very first episode back in February 1985, and became an vital part of life in Albert Square right up until her departure in 2006. Wendy made an enormous contribution to British drama – she was hugely respected and will be much missed.”

Fellow EastEnders cast member, Adam Woodyatt, said: “I am so sorry to hear the very sad news about Wendy’s death. I have many fond memories of our time together at EastEnders and will remember her with affection. Knowing that she is no longer in pain and suffering is the only comfort and I hope she rests in peace. My deepest sympathies are with John, their family and friends.”

And John Altman said: “I am shocked and saddened to hear the news today. I always enjoyed working with Wendy, even though our characters were poles apart. I will always treasure the memories of a trip we shared together around the Mediterranean on the QE2 with her husband John and my mother Tina. The world of show business will certainly be a sadder place without her.”

Fellow actress, Pam St Clement, said: “I was very saddened to hear of the death of Wendy who was a friend and colleague for many years. My thoughts are with John.”

Barbara Windsor said: “Wendy was always a tough lady and I thought she would win this battle. It’s very sad and my thoughts are with John.”

Molly Sugden, who starred alongside Wendy in Are You Being Served?, said: “How can I express my grief on hearing of the loss of Wendy. She has been part of my life for so long, almost like one of the family. Many happy memories.

“Although she had no children of her own, she instinctively knew about little boys and my two idolised her. She was the daughter I never had and I shall never stop missing her.

“She lives on in the hearts of so many people who were entertained by her talent and warmed by her charm. It is a sad day and may God bless her.”

Trades people looking for a career with a difference should check the national press this week. British Antarctic Survey (BAS) launches a recruitment campaign on Thursday to attract carpenters, electricians, plant technicians, plumbers and chefs to work at its research stations on the frozen continent.

It’s an opportunity of a lifetime according to BAS Personnel Manager James Miller. He said,

“We have world-class laboratories, accommodation buildings, offices and technical facilities at our five scientific research stations. We need the best trades people to keep everything running smoothly and to provide top quality support to our science programme. The chance to work in the Antarctic surrounded by stunning scenery, icebergs, penguins, whales and seals is a fantastic opportunity and not something employers in the UK can offer.”

Electrician Tony McLaughlan is currently working at BAS’s Rothera Research Station. He said,

“It is really amazing being here. I never imagined that an ordinary bloke like me could end up working in Antarctica. The people are great, the work is exciting. If anyone is wondering about applying for this kind of job I’d say just do it.”

Adverts will appear this week in The Sun, Farmers Weekly and Earth Mover. Contracts run from four to 18 months and are flexible. Salaries start at £23,000 pa. Accommodation, travel, clothing and food are provided. Job seekers can apply online.

www.antarctica.ac.uk

Jobs on offer are:
17 Plant Technicians (Rothera and Halley research stations)
6 Carpenters
6 Electricians
6/7 Plumbers
2/3 Chefs

Film London Microwave, the highly successful micro-budget film-making scheme supported by BBC Films, is delighted to announce a further two features have been greenlit following a competitive third round of open applications. Film London Microwave challenges film-makers to shoot a feature film for a budget not exceeding £100,000 and will produce 10 films in total. Since its launch in 2006 the scheme has now greenlit seven projects including Mum & Dad and Shifty which have both enjoyed great success since their completion last year.

The sixth Film London Microwave project, Strawberry Fields, will be directed by Frances Lea and produced by Liam Beatty. Written by Lea and award-winning playwright Judith Johnson, Strawberry Fields is an intense rites of passage film bursting with energy, sex and humour set during a perfect English summer.

Foxglove, the seventh project to be greenlit, will be directed by Ornette Spenceley. This tense psychological drama set on the outskirts of London is written by Spenceley and his sister Kate and will be produced by Stewart Le Marechal (French Film). Foxglove tells the story of two delinquent teenagers who hide out at a farm whilst on the run, only to become imprisoned by the bitter farmer. Initially they endeavour to escape, but when one develops a connection with the farmer it adds to the ever increasing tension between the teenagers.

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London commented: “Film London Microwave combines creative talent with an entrepreneurial approach, creating British films which can compete commercially in today’s competitive market while supporting the next generation of film-makers. The critical and financial success both Mum & Dad and Shifty have enjoyed to date proves the scheme is working.

The projects we have selected are strong and together with Microwave’s emphasis on mentoring and support, I am confident the features currently in production can emulate the success of the first two.”

Maggie Ellis, Head of Production at Film London said: “We received more applications than ever before; the standard was extremely high and competition was very tough. We also had to consider the five Film London Microwave films greenlit to date; we want to ensure we produce 10 very different and distinctive features. The entire panel responded well to the scripts and the team’s prior work. These two projects have fantastic potential and can succeed in the marketplace.”

From the 87 applications submitted 11 were shortlisted to participate in Microschool – the scheme’s intensive developmental programme supported by Skillset. This four-day programme provides burgeoning film-makers with practical advice from industry professionals on getting projects from page to screen. These ‘mentors’ included scriptwriters/editors Jay Basu, Justin Trefgarne and Kate Leys, producers Colin Pons, recent BAFTA nominated Sol Papadopoulos and Peter Ettedgui, and directors Mark Tonderai, Gaby Dellal and Richard Kwietnowski. All shortlisted projects then took part in a competitive pitch process where Strawberry Fields and Foxglove were successful.

2009 is a busy year for Microwave films – a slate which now consists of seven diverse and exciting projects. The three films greenlit in 2008 will now go into production following Microwave’s comprehensive development period, which includes ongoing advice from bespoke mentors. Freestyle, a teen-romance based around the world of freestyle basketball, will begin shooting in April and will be released in the UK in October by Revolver Entertainment. Analogue, a dark psychological thriller directed by Suki Singh is currently casting and due to start shooting soon and Jes Benstock’s Alternative Miss World documentary The British Guide to Showing Off (working title), is now in production.

Mum & Dad received some excellent reviews on its multi-platform release in December 2008 and is currently looking forward to a US release in March. Shifty received 5 BIFA (British Independent Film Awards) nominations following its world premiere at The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival and will be released on 24 April on at least 50 screens in the UK.

Film London’s dedicated Microwave website gives practical advice on all aspects of micro-budget film-making. Through the site’s virtual learning environment it now launches its second module: ‘Legal Matters’. This expands on rights ownership and outlines the contractual agreements and legal framework from development to delivery stages with the micro-budget film-maker in mind. Site registration is free and the learning opportunities are endless www.filmlondon.org.uk/microwave.

About Film London Microwave
Launched in 2006, Microwave is a groundbreaking scheme set up by Film London with BBC Films, which has extensive support from Skillset. It challenges London-based film-makers to shoot a feature film for up to £100,000 with cash and in-kind support. Microwave provides an intensive approach to film-making with the emphasis on original ideas, tightly focussed scripts and short production schedules. The film-makers are supported by extensive training and mentoring from the initial conception of the project all the way through to its release.

Features completed:
Mum & Dad (2008) Directed & written by Steven Sheil. Released Boxing Day 2008 in the UK and Mother’s Day 2009 in North America courtesy of Revolver Entertainment
Shifty (2008) Directed & written by Eran Creevy. To be released 24 April 2009 in the UK courtesy of Metrodome Distribution. Shifty received 5 BIFA nominations

Features in production in 2009:
Freestyle, a teen romance based around the world of freestyle basketball, to be directed by Kolton Lee. Revolver Entertainment will be releasing in the UK in Oct 2009
Analogue, a dark psychological thriller, to be directed by Suki Singh
The British Guide to Showing Off (working title), director Jes Benstock’s Alternative Miss World documentary

Two more features have been greenlit by Microwave and are currently in various stages of pre-production and a further three Microwave films will be commissioned in 2009/10.

Following the success of the production scheme, Film London has also launched Microwave Online, a dedicated Microwave website which gives practical advice on all aspects of micro-budget film-making www.filmlondon.org.uk/microwave

About Film London
Film London is the capital’s film and media agency. Film London sustains, promotes and develops London as a major international film-making and film cultural capital. This includes all the screen industries based in London – film, television, video, commercials and new interactive media. Film London is supported by the UK Film Council and the London Development Agency. Film London also receives significant support from Arts Council England London, the Mayor of London and Skillset.

Film London’s activities include:

• Investment in new and established film-makers through a range of low budget production schemes
• Supporting training and business development activities
• Developing audiences and access provision across the film and media sector
• Showcasing of London films and talent
• Domestic and international tourism initiatives
• Promoting London on an international stage as an attractive base for film and media production
• Providing comprehensive information on London locations and production services, as well as practical advice and support to film-makers shooting in London
  www.filmlondon.org.uk

About BBC Films
The BBC is committed to the development and production of feature films. BBC Films, the BBC’s feature film making arm, is an integral part of BBC Fiction.

BBC Films’ recent productions include: Saul Dibb’s The Duchess; Mark Herman’s The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas; Julian Jarrold’s Brideshead Revisited; John Maybury’s The Edge of Love; Justin Chadwick’s The Other Boleyn Girl; David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises, Sam Mendes’ Revolutionary Road. Forthcoming titles include Jane Campion’s Bright Star, Tom Hooper’s The Damned United, Lone Scherfig’s An Education and Armando Iannucci’s In the Loop.

1918 - the first ever mass communication from a reigning British Monarch is sent out when a letter from George V is reproduced and distributed to all returning prisoners of war using lithography. ‘The Queen joins me in welcoming you on your release from the miseries and hardships, which you have endured with so much patience and courage.’

1932 - King George V makes his first Christmas Broadcast via radio: ‘I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all; to men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert, or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them.’

1937 - The Coronation procession of George VI becomes the first televised outside broadcast

1940 - The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) makes her first ever radio broadcast accompanied by Princess Margaret on Children’s Hour on the BBC: ‘In wishing you all ‘good evening’ I feel that I am speaking to friends and companions who have shared with my sister and myself many a happy Children’s Hour’.

1953 - The Queen allows television cameras inside Westminster Abbey for the first time during a State occasion for her Coronation. An extra half a million TV sets are sold in the weeks running up to the event

1957 - The first live Christmas Broadcast on television. During her speech, Her Majesty mentions the benefits of new technology: ‘That it is possible for some of you to see me today is just another example of the speed at which things are changing all around us … television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes’

1958 - The Queen makes the first phone trunk call from Bristol to Edinburgh.

1976 - The Queen becomes the first Monarch to send an email during a visit to an army base

1997 - The Queen launches http://www.royal.gov.uk during a visit to Kingsbury High School in Brent

2002 - 3,521 journalists from over 60 countries are accredited via an Internet-based virtual press office to cover events to mark The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

2006 - The Christmas Broadcast, or ‘Queen’s speech’ is podcast for the first time

2007 - The Queen launches the first Royal Channel on YouTube

2008 - The Queen uploads a video to YouTube during a visit to the ‘Google’ offices in London.

The Queen will attend a Reception in the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, 12th February, to mark the re-launch of the British Monarchy Website,

Sir Tim Berners-Lee OM, KBE, inventor of the World Wide Web, will travel from the US for the launch. Guests for the Reception will include the Minister for Digital Engagement, Mr Tom Watson MP, and a cross-section of people from the web-based community. This will be the third version of the Royal website which was first launched in 1997 before being revamped in 2001.

Sir Tim Berners-Lee will say a few words about the history of the World Wide Web and then introduce a short film featuring students at Kingsbury High School where The Queen launched the first version of the Monarchy website in 1997. Sir Tim will then invite The Queen to re-launch the British Monarchy Website. The Queen will also unveil a “surprise” feature on the new website. The updated site will showcase the latest new media features as well as rarely seen video and documents from the Royal Archives.

The new website has a more user-friendly and accessible design and utilises a number of new technological features, such as Google maps integration with the Royal Diary of Engagements, integration with the Royal Channel on YouTube, a password protected Media Centre, a new Personnel module to allow job applicants to apply online, and a new search function. The site will make greater use of video and has a new Content Management System (CMS) making it is easier to navigate.

The Royal website also features a wealth of new content including expanded information on the Commonwealth Realms and a new section on Royal animals.

The site will also feature an updated version of The Duke of York’s business microsite, http://www.thedukeofyork.org, to support his role as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.

• The new websites have been developed by Bang Communications Ltd, in conjunction with the Buckingham Palace web team.
• The British Monarchy Website is visited by approximately 250,000 users from around the world each week.