Leeds, Bradford & Wakefield issue 33 by 50 Plus Magazine

LEEDS, BRADFORD & WAKEFIELD JULY - OCTOBER 2012

EDITION 33

Bernie

Nolan

BOUNCES BACK IN TRUE CHICAGO STYLE

Inside DISCOVER DUBROVNIK A TIMELESS BEAUTY THE HAIRY BIKERS TAKE A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO FOOD BIG CHANGES FOR PEOPLE IN LEEDS

Rick Stein SHARES HIS FAVOURITE DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

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All tours include travel by Luxury Coach l Half Board accommodation l Local Joining Points l Free Insurance

ROBINSONS HHH Imperial Hotel - Eastbourne

n impressive Victorian hotel, situated at the seaward end of Devonshire Place, less than a hundred yards from the seafront, on a delightful tree-lined boulevard less than five minutes walk from the main facilities and town centre amenities. A night porter ensures 24hr reception service.

ROBINSONS AA HHH Abbey Lawn - Torquay

f you are looking to unwind in style, this elegant Georgian hotel is the place to stay. Located in the grounds of the former Torre Abbey overlooking Torbay, there are superb facilities. These include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, steam room, sauna and a spacious conservatory. As with all our own hotels a night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.

ROBINSONS HHH Ocean View Shanklin

n elegant hotel commanding magnificent views across Sandown Bay, the balconies provide the perfect place to enjoy the sunset on summer evenings. Guests can unwind in the piano lounge before enjoying an evening meal in the spacious restaurant. A night porter ensures 24 hour reception service.

CALL FREEPHONE: 0800 0839086 2

Book online www.robinsons-holidays.co.uk Park Garage, Great Harwood, Blackburn BB6 7SP.

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Abbey Lawn Imperial Ocean View Mystery Tour

Abbey Lawn Imperial

Sat/Sun departures

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Monday departures 25-Jun

£249

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30 Jun/01 Jul £399 £399 £399 £359

02-Jul

£249

£225

07/08 Jul

£399 £399 £399 £359

09-Jul

£249

£225

14/15 Jul

£399 £399 £399 £359

16-Jul

£249

£225

21/22 Jul

£399 £399 £399 £359

23-Jul

£249

£225

28/29 Jul

£399 £399 £399 £359

30-Jul

£249

£225

04/05 Aug

£399 £399 £399 £359

06-Aug

£249

£225

11/12 Aug

£399 £399 £399 £359

13-Aug

£249

£225

18/19 Aug

£399 £399 £399 £359

20-Aug

£249

£225

25/26 Aug

£399 £399 £399 £359

27-Aug

£249

£225

01/02 Sept

£399 £399 £399 £359

03-Sept

£249

£225

08/09 Sept

£389 £389 £389 £349

10-Sept

£245

£219

15/16 Sept

£379 £379 £379 £339

17-Sept

£239

£215

22/23 Sept

£359 £359 £359 £319

24-Sept

£235

£209

29/30 Sept

£339 £339 £339 £299

01-Oct

£225

£199

08-Oct

£215

£189

15-Oct

£209

£185

22-Oct

£205

£179

29-Oct

£199

£175

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Monday departures

05-Nov

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12-Nov

£195

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19-Nov

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08-Oct

£279

£279*

£279

£249

26-Nov

£185

£165

15-Oct

£269

£269*

£269

£245

03-Dec

£179

£165

22-Oct

£259

£259*

£259

£235

10-Dec

£175

£165

29-Oct

£249

£249*

£249

£225

17-Dec

£169

£165

23-Dec

£395*

£395* £355*

29-Dec

£375*

£375* £335*

Festive Breaks 05-Nov

£249

£249*

£249

£225

12-Nov

£245

£245*

£245

£219

19-Nov

£239

£239*

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£215

26-Nov

£235

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1501

A Great Yorkshire Pie Steak & Yorkshire Ale Pie Serves 4

Prep: 10 mins. Cooking Time: 2hrs 45 mins Ingredients 500g Blacker Hall beef casserole cubes 400g Blacker Hall shortcrust pastry 100g Carrots, sliced or diced 100g Potatoes, sliced or diced 300ml Yorkshire Ale (darker the better!) ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper Fresh thyme, parsley & majoram 300ml beef stock or water

Try...

Wold Top - Mars Magic Ossett Brewery - Treacle Stout Acorn Brewery - Old Moor Porter All beers are available from Blacker Hall Farm Shop

Cooking your pie... This pie is best handled like a stew or casserole and the pastry lid should be added towards the end of cooking. By the time the pastry lid is placed, the meat should be almost fully tender. The pie will then require 45 minutes for the pastry to bake and meat to fully tenderise. Pre heat your oven to 170ºc/325ºF. In a hob-safe casserole/pie dish, or a heavy based saucepan, sweat the onions in a knob of butter. Add the diced carrots, beef steak and lightly brown on a moderate heat for a further 5 minutes. Add your favourite ale, water, salt, pepper and herbs. Place the lid or cover with a plate or foil and transfer to the oven and simmer for about 1½ hours. Add the potatoes, replace the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Check the meat tenderness, the meat should now be juicy but no longer tough. Roll out your pastry lid and place on top of the dish, or transfer your stew to small individual dishes and make individual lids. Return to the oven for around 45 minutes until the pastry is nicely golden. The total cooking time for the meat to be ‘breaking up’ should be around 2hrs 45 minutes.

Tel: 01924 267202 www.blackerhall.com 4

6-7

14-15

18-19

inside... TRAVEL & LEISURE 6-7 Dubrovnik - A Timeless Beauty

INTERVIEW 14-15 Bernie Nolan talks to 50 Plus Magazine

HOME 11-12 Is it Time to Downsize? Moving to a smaller home for all the right reasons.

HEALTH 16 Dentures By Dominic Helping you smile with confidence.

FOOD & DRINK 18-19 Rick Stein Rick Stein shares his favourite dishes with us.

McGrath Media. Unit 6 | Moses Gate Workshops Gladys Street | Bolton | BL3 2QG. T: (01204) 796 494 | F: (01204) 791594 e: mcgrathadmin@btconnect.com

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Graham Smith twittering on... There was the Swansea lady who decked out her living room ceiling with 1,700 Christmas baubles. She starts decorating at the end of September and doesn’t usually finish until Christmas Day! You couldn’t make it up could you? Our beleaguered country can always throw up a laugh. Did you see the one about the internet dating sight which was auctioning a date with a busty Virgin Mary or a hunky Joseph! Dogs are always good for a laugh too. A Chinese man, whose name I cannot possibly spell and you couldn’t say it if I did, has a four-year-old Pekingese dog which walks backwards on its hind legs for two kilometres a day. What is the point of that I ask and what does it do when it wants to spend a penny? The mind boggles.

When is it Christmas? If it’s June when you read this don’t worry Christmas isn’t coming any time soon. Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June by charting the “Christmas Star” which the Bible says led the Three Wise Men to Jesus. The have decided that the bright star pinpoints Jesus’ birthday as June 17th rather than December 25th. Well that’s just going to upset a few turkey farmers and artificial snow manufacturers isn’t it?

Lost pussy causes a headache! Those of us of a certain age will remember Mrs Slocombe of the BBC sitcom “Are You Being Served” having various problems with her pussy. They were nothing compared to those of a small village where residents spent the best part of three days digging to rescue a cat whose meowing could be heard clearly. Everyone turned out to help and eventually the animal was found. A large orange plastic moggy with a tape recorded cry which was permanently switched on! Stories like this warm my heart in troubled times. Half the population can’t afford a can of cat food but they will dig for three days to rescue what they thought was a genuine animal in distress.

He should have ducked! An American duck hunter had to be taken to hospital after being shot in the buttocks by his dog!

And what a mess they’ve made of the carol service. How can “snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even”, and what about the poor old beggar bringing in his winter fuel? There’s no holly and ivy, the shepherds can’t be watching their flocks because it’s still day light and I just cannot listen to Bing Crosby in June! Which silly old goat with a white beard and a red suit is going to traipse reindeer and a sleigh about in 20 degrees of heat? I don’t eat sprouts in December so I’m surely not about to in June. “All is calm, all is bright”, well it will be in June, new legislation could mean it’s daylight until four in the morning so the poor little beggar will be throwing his swaddling clothes off and tipping the sheepdog out of the manger.

Why can’t they leave things as they are? I’m dreaming of a White Easter.

The hunter was climbing out of his boat to place decoys in nearby marsh when his “excited” dog trod on a shotgun firing 27 pellets into his backside from ten feet. The man managed to walk to a nearby road and call an ambulance and was not seriously injured. He should have ducked.

Dubrovnik

Timeless

Beauty

Sitting proudly on the calm blue waters of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is one of the world’s most magnificent fortified cities. Today a UNESCO world heritage site and Croatia’s most upmarket destination, it was once the capital of the wealthy seafaring Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808). During its Golden Age in the 16th century, it had one of the largest merchant naval fleets in the world. Dubrovnik is clearly special. Lord Byron was not overstating the matter when he proclaimed Dubrovnik ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. Magnificent curtains of walls surround marble streets and baroque buildings that exude a pearly light in the Adriatic sun. The main pedestrian thoroughfare, Placa, is a melange of cafés and shops with outstanding monuments at either end. Churches, monasteries and museums ornamented with finely carved stone recall an eventful history and a vibrant artistic tradition. As the sun rises over the terracotta roofs the square awakens to the sound of barrow loads of fruit and vegetables bouncing over the stone cobbles. The ‘green market‘, as the locals call it, offers freshly picked produce as well as jars of homemade jams, pickles and spices. However, Dubrovnik shows her true magnificent colours during the winter months as well as the city looks wonderful “out of season.” True beauty is ageless and timeless. Beyond the city is a heavenly landscape of beaches, wooded peninsulas and a sea strewn with lush islands. Rector’s Palace: Right off Luza Square is the Rector’s Palace. It was the seat of the Ragusan government, where the Rector lived and worked. After Napoleon’s army dissolved the Dubrovnik Republic the Rector’s position was reduced. The original palace was modelled after the Roman imperial palace, with some influences from Venetian palaces. In 1435 there was a gunpowder explosion that demolished the structure. It was rebuilt in a late-gothic style. There was another explosion in 1463, and a an earthquake in 1667 that severally damaged the city. What you see now is the final redo that took place at the 6

end of the 17 century. The central portico features beautiful archways and a second story mezzanine. Pile Gate: This is the north gate into the city. It features a stone bridge with two gothic arches. If you exit towards the outside you can get to Tower Loverjenac. On entering, the outer draw bridge is met by an internal bridge that leads into the city. Some great shots are to be had with your camera from Pile Gate. War Photo Limited: Dubrovnik’s sturdy fortifications have been put to the test several times during the centuries, most recently during the bloody break-up of Yugoslavia. This modern gallery is dedicated to stunning photojournalism from war zones around the world, and attempts to offer unbiased reporting with a human element. Antuninska 6. www.warphotoltd.com. Daily 9am-9pm (JunSep); Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10am-2pm (May and Oct); closed (Nov-Apr). Entry is 30Kn. Dubrovnik Cable Car: The best views of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area are seen from the top of the Srd Hill where the Dubrovnik Cable Car was built back in 1969 and boasts the most beautiful panoramic view. On a clear day, you can see up to 60 km (37 miles)! For this reason the neighbouring Fort Imperial was strategically built on this privileged spot way back in the early 19th century. http://dubrovnikcablecar.com. The Dubrovnik Summer Festival (www.dubrovnik-festival.hr) runs from mid-Jul to mid-Aug, staging concerts, theatre and opera at various open-air venues in the old town. Pat line-ups have included the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra, Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, and Australian-born British classical guitarist John Williams. Nearby places worth visiting include the Renaissance gardens of Trsteno arboretum, the vineyards of Peljeac peninsular, the seaside resort of Cavtat, the tiny car-free Elafiti islands ,

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the island of Mljet (one-third of which is a national park), and neighbouring Montenegro. EATING/DRINKING There is a wide range of restaurants in the Old Town, mostly offering a very similar menu of local seafood and some meat dishes. The cuisine may not be very imaginative, but it is usually of good quality and very fresh. Restaurants can be crudely separated into (slightly) cheaper tourist-trap haunts, and more expensive but first class gastronomic restaurants. There are a few pizzerias, mostly wood-fired and acceptable. The Kraš chocolate sold at stores is delicious too! Note that in the off peak season of November to March nearly all the top-end restaurants close, leaving only a handful of desperate tourist trap enterprises operating and still charging high prices. You can however still eat well and best of all, discounts can be negotiated. Dubrovnik cuisine is characteristically not very spicy and is famous for traditionalism. Many popular meals are characteristic of Dubrovnik such as zelena menestra (it is the name for many sorts of cabbages and other vegetables with meat), pasticada and the famous delicacy dubrovacka rozata. The most popular alcohol in Croatia is homemade rakija. This is a very strong distilled tipple made from a variety of fruits. Examples include sljivovica, made from plums, loza, made from grapes, and orahovica, made with walnuts. There are many excellent local wines from both the Peljesac Peninsula and Konavle and it is often less expensive than soft drinks. However, be careful when purchasing wine from unlicensed dealers as it can sometimes be of low quality! SLEEPING Hotels in Dubrovnik include two, three, four and five-star hotels. Private rooms are a good option for those on a budget; the downside is that they may be far from the Old Town, so make sure to check the location. Owners letting out these rooms accost buses at the bus station, so you can ask around and even bargain a little. DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT VISITING… Cafe Buza: This place is little known but definitely the find in Dubrovnik. Indeed, you will have to wander down an alleyway along the main western wall where you’ll find a nondescript door. Enter it to find the most amazing bar you might ever enjoy a beer in. The cafe is built on the side of the rocky cliffs, hiding inside the Dubrovnik wall. Relax and enjoy the view as the dramatic wall rises above your head; or, as you are so near the small beach why not dip your toes in the water! Fact file: Dubrovnik has an international airport, located approximately 20 km (12 miles) from Dubrovnik city centre. There is no train to Dubrovnik. A narrow gauge line used to link Dubrovnik to Sarajevo but was closed in 1976; however, buses connect the airport with the Dubrovnik old main bus station in Gruž and Croatia Airlines even operates buses between the airport and the main bus station in Kantafig (takes approx. 45 minutes), which is 2.5 km northwest of the Old Town. Taxis from the airport to the centre will cost 220 kn. The bus passes close to the Old Town en-route to the airport; you can board the bus at the stop on Petra Kresimira 4 just above the Old Town, by the lower cable car station. Make sure you wave furiously otherwise the driver may not stop!

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The main bus station is in Kantafig, near Port Gruz and the Tudjman Bridge, 2.5 km northwest of the Old Town. Local bus 7 operates between this station and Babin kuk, and bus 1 serves the Old Town. On buses you pay a separate fee of 10 Kn to the driver for luggage, so keep some change handy. Taxis in Dubrovnik are available around the clock and you can easily pick one up at one of the many taxi stops. The good news is that a taxi service will never cost you more than 100 Kn (approx. £11) in any direction within Dubrovnik city limits! If you are planning to drive a car in Dubrovnik, be aware that lots of streets are one way. If in doubt, passersby will gladly direct you. Dubrovnik is easy to cover on foot; in fact it will take the averagely fit person less than 1.5 hours to walk from the historical centre to the very end of Lapad peninsula. Climate: The climate along the Dubrovnik Region is a typical Mediterranean one, with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. However, it is perhaps distinct from other Mediterranean climates because of the unusual winds and frequency of thunderstorms. The Bura wind blows cold gusts down the Adriatic coast between October and April. The air temperatures can slightly vary, depending on the area or region. Typically, in July and August daytime maximum temperatures reach 29°C (84°F), and at night drop to around 21°C (70°F). More comfortable perhaps, is the climate in Spring and Autumn when maximum temperatures are typically between 20°C (68°F) and 28°C (82°F). Language: Croatian is the official language spoken in Dubrovnik. English is taught as a second language in schools however, and other international languages are also fluently spoken. Currency: Kuna (Kn.) £1 British pound is worth approx. 8 Kuna. The word “Kuna” means “marten” in Croatian since it is based on the use of marten pelts as units of value in medieval trading.

Top tips on saving energy and money... Turn your thermostat down Reducing your room temperature by 1oC could cut your heating bills by up to 10% and save you around £50 per year. If you have a timer, set your heating and hot water to come on when you need it rather than all the time. Also, if you have radiators with valves you can control individually (thermostatic valves) it is worthwhile doing, as this helps you to direct warmth in the places you need it, can save money and be more energy efficient. Put thermal reflectors behind your radiators to reflect heat back into your room.

Washing machines use a surprising amount of energy Always fill the drum with laundry to get the most value from the water and energy you're using. l Avoid using the extra rinse as this is a water waster. o o l Switch to a 30 C wash instead of 40 C which can save you around £9 a year. l

Switch to low energy or LED bulbs

Using water wisely

These are a great and easy way to save energy. They plug straight into any lighting unit and use less energy. Some are even brighter than standard light bulbs but consume a lot less energy.

If you have a water cylinder you should turn it to 60oC. This is hot enough to kill any harmful bacteria, and heat your water sufficiently for household use.

Low energy bulbs last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs and using one can save you around £45 over the lifetime of the bulb.

If the temperature is any higher it is a waste of energy and there is an increased risk of scalding.

If you have a garden, consider buying some solar lights which use the natural energy of the sun. As the lighting is mainly for decorative purposes, all the more reason to use this renewable source of energy.

When you are cooking, always use the right size pan for the job, and the right sized hob ring for each pan. Remember to use a lid. Consider taking a shower instead of a bath.

Top tips on water Use less hot water with a lower temperature setting for the washing machine, dishwasher and shower. Don't overfill the kettle, boil only as much water as you need. If you boil your kettle with only a cupful of water it will cost you about 1/3p, but make sure you cover the element Over a full year this will cost you £5.61 If you boil a full kettle it will cost you 11/2p Over a full year this will cost you £29.08.

Turn off electronic equipment on stand by Don't leave appliances or equipment, such as televisions and DVD players on standby, and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge unnecessarily. This could save you £40 a year.

Top tips on light bulbs Turn off any lights you don't need, but do make sure you have enough lighting on the stairs and hallway. Avoid switching lights on and off regularly. The bulb will use more energy when first switched on. Leave your curtains open during the day to make the most of any natural light, but close them as soon as it goes dark, to keep the room warm.

Top tips on energy use Home energy monitoring meters measure energy as you use it. This way you can see quite clearly just how much any of your household appliances and equipment is costing you. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average household could save around £250 through energy efficiency measures, such as closing the curtains once it has gone dark, or closing windows if it's cold outside.

Using the sunshine to power your home

You can buy a remote control extension lead which will help you to turn off all of your electronic equipment with the minimum of fuss, before you go to bed, or leave the house.

If you are lucky enough to have a photo-volatic system fitted to your roof, you will be able to make the most of the green electricity generated.

Remember, it is a fire risk if you leave equipment plugged in on stand by.

Things to remember:l The low cost energy is generated during daylight hours, and must be used during the same day, as it cannot be stored overnight l Use your washing machine and other fuel hungry appliances during the day l Think differently, using your washing-line, if you have one, instead of your tumble dryer.

Top tips on appliances If you are buying new, always chose A rated or A+ rated equipment which use less energy and reduces emissions. Defrost your freezer regularly, an iced-up freezer costs more to run.

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Did you know that Yorkshire Water offers a range of free services for consumers with additional needs? Consumers with sight or hearing difficulties, illness or disability can find out more and register for free. Just call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 or go to www.yorkshirewater.com and search for ‘Helping Hands’ to email us.

How can we help you? If you are blind, partially sighted or have difficulty reading your bill:

• We can provide bills and other information in large print, Braille, on audio cassette/CD or we can call you and read your bill to you • We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can send bills to a nominated person on your behalf • If you have a meter, we can arrange for more frequent readings if it’s difficult for you to get a reading yourself

If you are deaf or hard of hearing:

• We can put a card through your door to warn you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • If we need to get in touch, we can contact you using text telephone/minicom

If you have mobility problems:

• We can visit you in advance if we plan interrupt your water supply • If you have a meter, we can arrange for more frequent readings if it’s difficult for you to get a reading yourself

If you’re a dialysis patient:

• We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can provide bottled water if we do have to interrupt your water supply

If you have a serious illness:

• We can visit you in advance if we plan to interrupt your water supply • We can provide bottled water if we do have to interrupt your water supply A simple free call is all that is needed for you to register for any of these free services. Call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 and ask about Yorkshire Water’s Helping Hands. www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Unexpected visitor? Thieves and conmen sometimes trick their way into customers’ homes to steal money or valuables by claiming to be from Yorkshire Water or one of its contractors. Every customer is entitled to register a password of their choice, free of charge with Yorkshire Water. This password will be used by our staff so you can identify a genuine caller. Call freephone 0800 1 38 78 78 and register your chosen password today. When our staff visit customers, they all show identity cards displaying their photograph. If you’re in any doubt about the identity of a caller, please call us on 0800 1 38 78 78.

Remember:

• It’s very unusual for Yorkshire Water or its contractors to visit your home without a previously agreed appointment. • Genuine Yorkshire Water representatives won’t mind if you check their identity before allowing them into your home. • Yorkshire Water and its contractors representatives will NOT request access to an upper floor of your home to check the water supply. • Yorkshire Water doesn’t sell any products or services on the doorstep. Don’t let anyone into your home until you’re satisfied with who they are and why they’re visiting.

‘em out! If in doubt, keep 9

SAFE AS HOUSES

You’ve worked hard all your life, not only to put a roof over your head, but to own that roof too. Naturally the thought of your home being used to fund residential care in later life is not a pleasant one. Given that you can’t rely on the State, what can you do to ensure that your children inherit your home? Dominic Mackenzie, head of Probate and Estate Admin at Ison Harrison, cuts through the confusion with some clear advice. If you have over £23,250 in property and savings, the likelihood is that you will have to pay your own fees if you go into a nursing home.

The sad truth is that the country simply cannot afford to fund everyone’s long term care from the public purse.

You should be wary of expensive schemes that are often offered by the non-regulated and banking sectors.

Many people, and particularly those who have worked hard to buy their own homes, are very worried that if they go into a nursing home then all that hard work may count for little and the inheritance that they hoped would go to their children may instead go to fund nursing home fees. This can be particularly upsetting when you see people who have never worked getting their fees paid by the state.

People often say they want to give their house to their children. This is not a good idea. Your home is your security. While you can generally be confident that your children won’t force you out of your home, it may not be them that you are dealing with. What if your children divorce or go bankrupt? Divorce is as common as ever and bankruptcies are on the increase. If your child divorces, then their spouse may claim against your house. If they go bankrupt your home could go to pay the creditors. Your children may also be left with an unnecessary Capital Gains Tax bill.

Most nursing home planning should cost between £250 +VAT to £750 +VAT. For those amounts you can generally safeguard the value of half or even all of your home.

People are living longer but with that comes a greater number of people suffering from age related illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Few people would like to be a burden to their children but at the same time, few would want to take the expensive route of going into long term care. In the light of the government spending cuts, it is highly unlikely that the position is going to change for the better in the next few years.

A common myth is that if you give your house away seven years before going into a home that it cannot be taken into account. This is not true. The rule is that if you dispose of an asset (whether your house or money) at any time in order to avoid nursing home fees then that transaction can be set aside.

“There are options that can help you to lessen the possibility of paying fees and at the same time provide you with the security that you need to enjoy the rest of your lives. Seek proper legal advice. The whole value of your home could be saved for less than the cost of a week in a nursing home.”

Ison Harrison advise thousands of people throughout Yorkshire and beyond on all legal issues relating to getting older. We have seven offices in and around Leeds at Leeds City Centre, Crossgates, Garforth, Chapeltown, Ilkley, Guiseley and Morley. Each of the offices offer specialist legal services for the elderly. From making your will or your power of attorney to dealing with a loved one’s estate or dealing with a dispute over an estate we can assist. These areas of law have become increasingly complex as society has changed. You have worked hard for what you have got - don’t therefore leave your affairs to chance. We offer all of our clients a free half hour interview, whether at one of our offices, over the telephone and subject to location at your own home. Please feel free to call us for a no obligation fixed fee quote.

Call us on 0800 316 0525 Email mail@isonharrison.co.uk or Visit www.isonharrison.co.uk Ison Harrison Solicitors, Duke House, 54 Wellington Street, Leeds LS1 2EE

IS IT TIME TO DOWNSIZE?

THE children have all left home for lives of their own or you suddenly realise one day that the house you’re in is simply too big for your needs. Whatever the reason, it’s time to DOWNSIZE! Once, downsizing carried a bit of a stigma, almost as if you couldn’t afford the home you had so you had to go for something less. But, in today’s cost-conscious, energy-efficient and finance-orientated world, many more people are downsizing for all the right reasons. Along with finding a smaller property to live in, however, comes some unusual dilemmas – along with the usual dilemmas of how to furnish the new home and what is surplus to requirements. Interior designer Chrissy Halton from Innerspace offers some simple advice: “When downsizing, don’t try and replicate the house you had – go for a new look. “And only take with you items that really mean something to you. Off-white walls look great with more antique furniture items, for example. Less is more!” The advantages of moving to a smaller property can be that your bills are likely to be smaller and there will be less housework needed. The first big minus, though, is that you’ve probably got far too many possessions to fit into your new home. “You can’t take everything with you,” says Chrissy, “so start by having a really good de-clutter so that you can really see what you have that you love. That way you can more easily make the decision about what to take – and you don’t have to pay the removal company too much!” www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

Interior Designer Chrissy Halton Ask your relatives and friends if they would like to have particular items that you don’t want to take with you. There’s a growing trend for mixing old and new furniture currently so they may be glad to be offered a piece they’ve coveted or that may fit in their home. Or look to sell items on ebay and start afresh in your new home with some new furniture. The National Association of Estate Agents says that downsizing offers a chance to have “a thorough springclean and focus on exactly what you want in your new home, and what you don’t.” “You may have furniture which isn’t suitable for your new home, or that could do with replacing. So think ahead and make sure you have taken proper measurements of your new property so you don’t struggle on moving day with items that you probably shouldn’t have brought with you.” For many of us, the pull of our old home is all about the memories that we’ve shared as a family within those bricks and mortar. Our children may have grown up here, and every room can be associated with personal milestones or events that matter to our own family history. “If you’re worried about losing all the history behind your old home, think about using photos to show your life,” adds Chrissy. “It’s easy to make them into beautiful collages, and that way you can ‘take’ the items with you without having the real thing.” When it actually comes to chucking out much-loved – and possibly worn – furniture or other items, contact a local charity which might be glad of household goods and especially furniture in good condition. The national 11

homeless charity Emmaus, for example, may have a local collection service for unwanted furniture, or another charitable organisation may be willing to pick up your item to sell for funds or to give it a good home with someone else who really needs it. It’s important to plan ahead with your new space. “Think about how you’re going to use the space you are moving to,” says Chrissy. “What is the purpose of each room? How many people will you need to fit in to sit? Will you really need a dining room specifically?” LOVELY LOUNGE – Relaxing toning, muted shades, a lack of clutter and plenty of light can be the hallmark of your new lounge when you downsize.

“Situations change and what you once needed you may no longer require. If you actually look at how much time you spend in each room of your current home now, you may be very surprised at how little space you actually use on a regular basis. Take this – and what items you use – as a gauge for what you need to take with you.” For example, she points out, if your new bathroom is smaller than you’ve been used to, is it worth removing the bath and having a larger shower? This may not only make more sense for your daily living but can help with any current or future mobility issues. Whatever style of décor you choose for your new home, it’s worth trying to avoid clutter and opt for today’s cleaner lines and minimalist approach – if only to cut down on housework!

BEDROOM BEAUTY – Go for pretty fabrics in blinds and warm shades that can be picked up in bedding to create this attractive smaller bedroom.

BATHROOM BRIGHT – Ensure your new bathroom has plenty of light with the help of a clever skylight window

Take a look at current interior styles and how these can be easily achieved. Open up a dark room or small bathroom with a roof window or skylight, for example. Take advantage of the wealth of modern flooring including natural woods that can make a room warm and homely in Winter and cool and calming in Summer. You might like to team this type of flooring with a handsome rug in a shade or pattern that tones with your room’s chosen colour scheme. Plain walls matched with attractive fabrics in curtains or blinds give a room a modern look and allow smart furniture and impressive pictures or photographs to really come into their own. If the downsizing also applies to your pocket, then you don’t have to spend a fortune on your new place. In fact, there’s often an enjoyable challenge in keeping within a tight budget yet coming up with something fresh, new and comfortable even if the items are cut-price or second-hand. Again, ebay can be a boon here.

The key to successfully moving at this crucial stage is to take a fresh look at your lifestyle, and decide to make a new start. That way you can downsize the costs – but upsize your enjoyment of your new home! For more information on Innerspace Interior Design go to www.innerspaceinteriordesign.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

RE-DO OR RENEW? THAT IS THE QUESTION... Lots of kitchens look tired, worn and outdated on the outside – but often the units on the inside are OK. At Prima Fascia we can use this infrastructure to create a truly bespoke kitchen with all the style and beauty of a really expensive hand-made kitchen by recycling your existing cabinets. Then we remodel and recreate the kitchen using only the very best materials and practices. We can turn your kitchen units into a totally bespoke kitchen with hand made doors set into timber frames, which can then be hand-painted in the colour of your choice or you can have wood or vinyl doors if you prefer. This logical, cost-effective and environmentally friendly system enables our customers to have the best of both worlds and allows those very smart people who believe in making their money work really hard to get exactly what they want, - great value for money without compromise on quality. Our comprehensive design service means that you are not limited to what

you currently have – we can adapt current units or add new ones; we can build you any “must-have” features you want – from an island to an over mantle, and of course we can supply all those modern essentials and finishing touches like sleek new appliances and beautiful granite or timber work surfaces. If we think it is necessary, then we’ll do a totally new kitchen for you. 38 years experience of manufacture, design, installation and customer service goes straight into your kitchen transformation. Each installation is individually project managed which guarantees that you have a smooth, pleasant stress-free experience

“We tried numerous specialist studios both local and national but none were able to give us exactly what we wanted. The units in our kitchen were fine – but the look was dark and outdated. The Prima Fascia transformation of our kitchen is truly amazing” Barbara & Malcolm, East Yorkshire.

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INTERVIEW

BERNIE BOUNCES BACK IN

TRUE CHICAGO STYLE

ernie Nolan has taken on the pivotal role of Mama Morton in multi award-winning musical ‘Chicago’ this year.

In 2009, the singer and actress played the fairy godmother at Manchester Opera House, following on The Nolans’ reunion tour which proved a spectacular success and filled arenas around the UK. But between then and now, Bernie, aged 51, has fought a dramatic battle against breast cancer which saw her having to have a mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy. In true showbiz style, Bernie has bounced back from this traumatic time to entertain us once more. All of which is no surprise when you consider her strong family background, and the way she has lived much of her life in the spotlight. Bernadette Therese Nolan came from an Irish family, the second youngest of eight children, and was brought up in Blackpool. Showbiz was in her blood and her sisters, brothers and parents would often perform in clubs and pubs around the resort. It was when Bernie teamed up with four of her sisters, however, as The Nolans that fame and success finally came their way. The pretty, harmonious pop group sold millions of records worldwide in the ‘80s and ‘90s including more than nine million albums. They had chart hits like ‘I’m in the Mood for Dancing’ and were regular guests on some of the top TV shows of the time. Their appeal – apart from singable, danceable hits – was their wholesome niceness and visual charm, which proved a pleasant antidote to the extreme vagaries of the pop scene.

Bernie had one of the strongest voices in the group, but when she first tried her hand at acting she showed that she also had talent in this direction. She became a presenter on BBC Saturday morning children’s show ‘On The Waterfront’ , and pleasantly surprised critics by her gift for comedy and the ability to laugh at herself. In 1993, she appeared in the stage play ‘The Devil Rides Out’, and left The Nolans in 1994 to pursue a solo career, scoring solo hits and an album ‘All By Myself.’ She also had noteable success in the Willy Russell musical ‘Blood Brothers’ which brought her to the attention of TV bosses, and in 2000 she joined the cast of popular Liverpool soap ‘Brookside’ as Diane Murray. Bernie played this role successfully for two years before leaving to play Sheelagh Murphy in ITV’s iconic police drama series ‘The Bill’ where she was given several strong storylines. Her character proved popular and, although she left in 2005, the door was left open for her character’s return. In 2006, she took part in the Channel 4 series ‘The Games, raising funds for Alzheimer’s and children’s charities, and the following year starred in the play ‘Mum’s The Word’. During the summer, she appeared at Blackpool’s North Pier Theatre in ‘Soap Queens’ , enhancing her reputation as a reliable stage star when she went on to play Hannah Owens in ‘Flashdance The Musical.’ The Nolan family had already been affected by cancer previously: sister Anne had breast cancer in 2000 and Linda suffered from the disease in 2006. However, little could really have prepared Bernie for her own breast cancer diagnosis in April, 2010.

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As she recalls: “The day I found out, I cried my eyes out for about two or three minutes with my husband, Steve. After that, I didn’t cry again the whole way through my treatment. “ At the very beginning, though, it’s important to let out every feeling you’ve got. Cry, scream, shout, do whatever you want because it’s one of the biggest things that will ever happen to you.”

PRESENTED PRESENTED BYARLENE ARLENE PHILLIPS DBERG As a&strong woman, however, Bernie BY very quickly PHILLIPS adopted a LDBERG & AND ANDADAM ADAMSPIEGEL SPIEGEL

positive attitude. “I thought ‘ there’s no way I’m going to die from AINMENT TAINMENT this’. Once you make that decision, you can get on with beating it. From the start, it’s a case of taking things one day at a time.

Don’t worry about what’s coming up in two weeks’ time. Deal with today, ©© you’ve got enough on your plate.”

ALI BASTIAN TUPELE DORGU

STEFAN STEFAN BOOTH BOOTH BERNIE BERNIE NOLAN NOLAN

Inevitably, though, there were terrible times. One of the worst for Bernie was telling her children. “I was diagnosed a week before my daughter Erin’s 11th birthday and we didn’t want to tell her until that was over. But kids aren’t daft – she knew something wasn’t quite right,” she recalls. ‘So we just sat her down and told her the truth. She knew about cancer because of Anne’s and Linda’s experience and she knew they were OK, which helped. Erin asked if I was going to die. I told her no and then she asked me if the lump was big. Again, I said no, and explained they’d found it early. One little tear ran down her cheek and she accepted it.’

NG G

Bernie had great support from her large family, and especially from her husband Steve in spite of the understandable initial shock and fears for the future. Much of the optimism surrounding Bernie, however, emanated from herself. When her hair fell out from the treatment, she didn’t hide but spoke out publicly about the problem and campaigned for early diagnosis and better understanding of the disease.

BLACK LACK STARKE STARKE

She believes in check-ups and self-awareness in the battle against cancer, and has a practical approach to the disease itself. “You’ve got to take every bit of support you’re offered, whether that’s from the doctors, your family or friends,” she insists. “And, STARRING take it from me, none of it is as scarySTARRING as it sounds. I wouldn’t lie.”

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In fact, Bernie has followed the advice of one of The Nolans’ biggest hits “Gotta Pull Myself Together”. And in 2012 she is certainly one together lady!

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It really works... I have battled with my weight all my life, managing to keep just below ‘obese’ by lots of exercise and trying to eat sensibly. I was 60 last year and during my fifties I had gone through the menopause, given up smoking (after 40 years!) and been diagnosed with an under-active thyroid for which I will have to take daily thyroxine for life. Added to that deadly trio of fat-makers, I was carrying my fat round my middle – the classic ‘apple’ and the worst place to carry weight for health reasons. By the Spring of 2009 I was 13 stone and a size 20 top and 16 bottom. I could not face shopping in ‘fat girl’ shops any longer. I decided to give myself one last chance... Enter SureSlim Leeds North and a fairy godmother by the name of Emma. Everything she said has come true! She has been by my side, encouraging, explaining, praising, motivating and witnessing as the miracle unfolded and I emerged from my dark place into light and happiness. Not only am I a slim 10/12 bottom and 12/14 top (and 40 lbs lighter) but I have a better shape than I have ever had. I look fantastically well, my GP is delighted and my BMI is normal. My friends and family are staggered and I cannot stop looking in mirrors and smiling. And as much as loving my new body, I like feeling this well. I believe it is this feeling of wellbeing that will keep me following the SureSlim maintenance programme for ever.

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FO O D

D RI NK

Rick Stein's French Odyssey Rick Stein’s passion for fresh well-sourced food has taken him from continent to continent, across magnificent shorelines and to the very best produce the coast has to offer. Rick remarks “My greatest enthusiasm in life has been finding dishes that change my perception of cooking, that reveal a whole new vista of flavour combination. I think we all enjoy that. I’m just someone with an enthusiasm for food and a curiosity that’s sent me sniffing around all over the place looking for lovely dishes in all corners of the globe” His latest book ‘French Odyssey’ (BBC Books, £25) is available now.

SERVES 4

French Onion Soup

60 g butter

Heat the butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onions, garlic and sugar and cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for 2530 minutes until the onions are really soft and well caramelized.

1 kg onions, halved and thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 teaspoons caster sugar 300 ml dry white wine 1.5 litres Beef stock, browned Bouquest garni of bay leaves, thyme and parsley stalks 4 x 2.5-cm-thick slices French bread 225 g Gruyére or Comté cheese, coarsely grated Salt and freshly ground black pepper 18

Add the wine and leave to simmer rapidly until it has reduced by half. Add the beef stock and bouquet garni, cover and leave the soup to simmer for at least another 30 minutes. Then remove and discard the bouquet garni, and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat the over to 150oC/Gas Mark 2. Place the slices of bread onto a baking tray and leave them for 30 minutes to dry out but not get at all brown. Then remove the tray and increase the oven temperature to 220oC/Gas Mark 7. To serve, place a slice of bread into the bottom of each of 4 deep ovenproof soup bowls and ladle the soup on top, making sure the onions and stock are distributed evenly. Cover the top of the soup thickly with the grated cheese, place the bowls onto a sturdy baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. You can also place them under a hot grill for 5 minutes if you prefer or are short of time. This soup should be served scalding hot.

SERVES 4 4 trout, each weighing about 300g 40g butter 60g rindless streaky bacon, chopped 175g fresh ceps, trimmed and cut into 4-mm-thick slices 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley 25g plain flour 2 tablespoons sunflower oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE BEURRE NOISETTE: 75g unsalted butter 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 heaped tablespoon chopped parsley

Fried trout stuffed with sliced ceps, garlic and diced bacon First you need to remove the bones from the fish. To do this, remove the head of each one, and then, working with one fish at a time, start to cut the top fillet away from the bones until you can get the whole blade underneath the fillet. Then rest a hand on top of the fish and cut the rest of the fillet away from the bones until you are about 2.5cm away from the tail. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side. Then pull back the top fillet and snip out the backbone, close to the tail, with scissors. The fillets will still be attached at the tail. Repeat with the remaining fish. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and as soon as it is foaming, add the bacon and fry briefly until lightly coloured. Add the sliced ceps and the garlic and toss over a medium-high heat for 1 minute until lightly cooked. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Lay the prepared trout on a chopping board and pull back the top fillet of each one. Season the outside of each fish with a little more salt and pepper, then dredge with the flour and pat off the excess. Heat the sunflower oil in one very large or 2 slightly smaller frying pans over a moderate heat. Add the fish and fry for 21/2 minutes without moving them until nicely golden. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for another 21/2 minutes, until golden brown on the second side and cooked through. Lift the fish onto warmed plates. Discard the frying oil (from one of the pans if using two) and wipe the pan clean. Add the butter for the beurre noisette and allow it to melt over a moderate heat. As soon as the butter starts to smell nutty and turns light brown, add the lemon juice, parsley and some seasoning. Pour some of the butter over each fish and serve.

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Blacker Hall Farm Shop

Home to the UK’s Best Butchery

Enjoy a truly delicious farmhouse breakfast

The family run business, now in its 12th year has won a string of awards over the years including UK’s Best Butchery (FARMA), The Best Roast Beef in England (Eblex George Awards), UK’s Best Farm Shop (Meat Trades Journal), and has been voted one of The Times Top 50 Farm Shops. With more than 40 awards for homemade produce, including more than 10 Great Taste Awards, they know what makes great food!

What really wakes you up in the mornings? Traditional porridge and dried fruits, award-winning muesli and yoghurt, kippers, toasted muffins with oak smoked bacon and free-range egg.... ... or simply a hearty Full English? The farmhouse breakfast menu at Blacker Hall is everything you would expect from a multi award-winning Farm Shop. The menu changes seasonally and firm favourites include porridge with honey from the farm, the Big Breakfast and the Health Kick; homemade Great Taste award-winning muesli, berries and bio-active Longley Farm yoghurt. Breakfast is available from 8.30am until 11am Monday to Saturday and from 9.00am on Sunday.

New hamper and gift shop offering bespoke designs & lots of charm The latest addition to The Courtyard at Blacker Hall is now open and incorporates a host of delicious ‘foodie’ gifts, inspired gift ideas and a bespoke wrapping and personalization service. Caron Naylor has run her own gallery and gift shop in Woodlesford for more than 10 years and she joins the team to enhance the gift range. Her expertise brings a contemporary and personalized unique approach to gifts of food and drink.

FARMA Local Stars Awards 2011

When it comes to local food, The Garthwaite family work with a network of local farmers and growers to produce top quality fresh produce for the Farm Shop. Having been farmers themselves for generations they know exactly what they are looking for in terms of quality for their customers. The shop’s craft bakery produces delicious traditional baking and cakes, delicious pies and pastries, cooked meats for the delicatessen and lots more. The family farm still produces the majority of the meat for the shop; beef, pork and lamb. Local farmers provide the rest, working closely with the Garthwaites to achieve the best quality. Visit www.blackerhall.com for menus, events and more. Open seven days a week. Only a mile from Yorkshire Sculpture Park and West Bretton Country Park, Blacker Hall is perfectly located for a recreational day enjoying the local sights.

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OUT & ABOUT

THE GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW The Great Yorkshire Show is the North’s leading agricultural event and takes place from Tuesday 10 to Thursday 12 July 2012 on the 250-acre Great Yorkshire Showground on the edge of the spa town of Harrogate. The 250-acre site is filled with animals, country demonstrations, have-a-go activities and the Great Yorkshire Cheese & Dairy Show. Plus there’s fashion, rural crafts and shopping! For more information please visit www.greatyorkshireshow.co.uk TD_LEEDS.pdf

17/04/2012

12:39

PONTEFRACT LIQUORICE FESTIVAL

at Pontefract Precinct | Sun 8 July In its seventeenth year, the Pontefract Liquorice Festival will take place on Sunday 8th July 2012 to celebrate this unusual plant, the many wonderful products created from it and its historic association with the town. With areas of the town themed around famous liquorice sweets visitors will have all sorts of fun and surprises! Planned as a great family day out, the day will showcase professional and local talent from around the district, whilst a host of street entertainers delight the crowds with magic and circus skills. There will be lots of liquorice food and drink to sample and for those that like history and heritage, fascinating talks on the history of liquorice. A range of food, craft and gift stalls will offer quality products from around the region. Pontefract museum and Pontefract library will host a variety of activities for children and young people throughout the day ensuring that this unique festival has something to offer for every member of the family.

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Pontefract is rightly proud to celebrate its association with this famous plant from the Middle East. It may have been brought to Pontefract from the Crusades by a member of the De Lacy family who built Pontefract Castle or perhaps by the Benedictine monks that came to the town in 1090. However it arrived, its initial importance was as a medicine whose benefits had been known for thousands of years. It is only in the last few hundred years that it was turned into a sweet and it was the famous Pomfet (Pontefract Cake ) or Yorkshire Penny that marked the cross over from medicine to sweet. For more information please visit www.experiencewakefield.co.uk www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

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HAIRY BIKERS

take a scientific approach to food

Dave Myers and Simon King alias The Hairy Bikers were in the middle of a regime of diet and exercise when we chatted, recalls Angela Kelly. Yes, sorry, I know you’ll probably have to read that sentence again. Those two well-covered foodies? Diet? Exercise? Fear not. It’s all in the cause of a new cookery book about dieting and Dave and Simon had thrown themselves into both food and exercise regimes with the kind of enthusiasm they normally reserve for a piece of garlic-dripping Italian foccaccia bread or a couple of their favourite beers. “Yes, I know,” explains Simon, the blonde Geordie member of the famous chef duo. “It doesn’t sound like us, but obesity is a real problem in this country at the moment, hen, and we’re just trying to help.” As a result, Simon, aged 45, had been hitting the gym regularly – “and it’s working. I’m not sure how much weight I’ve lost because I’ve got some dodgy scales that say 20 stone 5lb one minute and 14 stone 8lb the next, but I know I can get into some jeans I couldn’t before. Mind you, I’m still a fat lad!” he roars familiarly.

Dave, at 55, sounds like he’s taken a more scientific approach to the subject. He’s lost a stone and a half, has taken up boxing but still manages to sound incredulous when he says :”Do y’know, I’m actually enjoying the sessions.” You might be forgiven for not putting “weight-loss” and “The Hairy Bikers” in the same sentence because the likeable lads have spent the past eight years showing us what fun food can be – both making it and eating it. They’ve travelled around the UK and across the globe gathering culinary experiences and footage for their TV series, astride some seriously large motorbikes. Their trademark has been making new friends via food, cooking in people’s homes and generally acting as brilliant ambassadors for the best dishes that people can make for themselves. “The new cookery book will still be about food, though,” states Dave, the darker, bespectacled one. “It’s just that we’ll be showing good food that you can easily make with fewer calories in it so it won’t put too much weight on.” The two are speaking ahead of their new country-wide tour that starts in September and takes in 41 venues over the next three months, from Barrow in Furness to Bolton and Lowestoft to Liverpool. It’s their first live tour since their last sell-out tour two years ago, and it sounds like their usual eclectic mix of fun, socialising and, er, some cooking.

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INTERVIEW “It’s definitely not going to be two blokes on a sofa talking about food,” laughs Dave. “There’s loads going on. We’re having strip tombola and an escapologist – oh, and we’ll be doing the tango. We’ll also have a couple of people from the audience having a meal with wine and beer on the stage with us. We love that, and so do they!”

They’ve also sold millions of cookery books linked to the series, and now earned themselves a BAFTA nomination for their Meals on Wheels programmes. These highlighted the vital visiting service to the elderly, and they also tried – successfully - to put the emphasis back on regular freshly-cooked meals for them.

In fact, Dave and Simon love most things about their lives currently, although it wasn’t always as easy or straightforward. Both grew up with ailing parents: Dave’s mum had Multiple Sclerosis and Simon’s Dad was on kidney dialysis.

They’re both delighted about the nomination and, Simon insists, they hope the subject will continue to catch the public imagination because it’s an important one. “In the series, it wasn’t Dave and I who were the stars of the show but all these marvellous older people,” he insists.

For Dave, who was born when his father was 55, his earliest memory of cooking is when he was around eight helping his mum bake bread, simple fruit scones and a Victoria sponge. As an older dad, his father was able to spend plenty of time with Dave, although from around the age of 13 it was Dave who did the bulk of the cooking at home. He later went to art school “but I was a better cook than an artist,” he recalls. It was when he became a make-up artist specialising in prosthetics and was working on the set of a Catherine Cookson TV drama that he met Simon, then a first assistant director and locations’ manager. The two shared a love of bikes and food, began cooking together – and a legend was born. Simon’s first foodie memory is of making sandwiches, strangely enough “with the crusts taken off and cut into little triangles”, when he was about six and helping in the kitchen. “But most of the time I was just off out scrambling about, no time to cook!” he says, with that gentle rumbling roar of laughter bubbling up. Their first programmes for the BBC eight years ago were more travelogue than cookery show, but the emphasis gradually changed to the enjoyable format that has attracted so many viewers today.

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“They’ve got the most wonderful cookery knowledge themselves. It’s so important for older people to keep on cooking good food like they always did, and share their skills with their grandchildren to keep these going and become a real legacy.” The two Northerners and their easygoing style has already been credited with tickling taste-buds at home and abroad, whether that’s sampling breads in Poland or guzzling nougat in the French town of Montelimar. But it’s plain they are genuinely passionate about all that’s best in food and sharing the enthusiasm to create it. Although the new cookery book has a dietary theme, food enjoyment as always comes first. “We’ll be doing dishes like a really tasty cassoulet and a great Masala Spatchcock Chicken,” states Dave.

As for the problematic weight-loss, they’re both confident they can lead this new campaign trimly from the front. “Well,” adds Simon, “If God is good and he keeps me off the brown ale!”

For details of tour dates and venues go to www.hairybikers.com 25

Changes that will mean better lives for people in Leeds Over the next few years people in Leeds will begin to see big changes to the way adult social care is delivered. We’ve all heard about the various financial challenges facing public sector organisations, but here in Leeds we’re using this as a rare opportunity to do things differently so that people who need care, support or advice in the future will have a better experience than they do now. Social care has traditionally been a safety net for people who are vulnerable and need support to do everyday things. However in the future, older, disabled and vulnerable people will be able to choose from a wider variety of services and have more control over the services they use.

What will the future look like? We’re working with community organisations and neighbourhood networks who provide services and activities for older people to broaden the kinds of services that are available in local areas. This means that people will have the option to take part in a wider range of mainstream daytime activities around the city and, if anyone wants to get involved themselves, there will be more opportunities for volunteering. Day services for people with learning disabilities are also changing to become more flexible. People will have more opportunity to take part in sports and other activities for example, at the John Charles Centre or at ‘Holt Park Active’ – a new centre set to open in Holt Park in 2013 to support people of any age or ability to live more active lifestyles. More people will be able to live independently and safely at home, with equipment to make life easier, if need be. For example, Leeds’ new reablement service is designed to help people regain their ability and confidence to do daily activities after an accident, illness or disability. This might involve people using equipment or alarms so that they feel more confident at home, or people using support from specialist staff to get back to their regular day-to-day routines.

Find out how you can use a personal social care budget to have more control over your care and support A personal budget is a clear, upfront amount of funding from Adult Social Care which you can spend on the services and support you need to help you live more independently. It can be used to buy services from both the council and other providers, mixing and matching what’s available to suit you. You can also manage your own budget or get someone else to do this on your behalf.

How to feel safer at home If you feel unsafe at home or have difficulty carrying out day-to-day activities, equipment is available which can help you live more independently and confidently.

Equipment can help with things like: • • • • • •

getting in and out of bed safely using a bath, shower or toilet managing the stairs or front steps remembering your medication letting someone know if you have a fall sounding the alarm if there is a fire or gas leak.

People who need to use more than one type of service won’t have to ‘tell their story’ over and over again to different professionals. Over the next 18 months we’ll be working hard to ‘join things up’ behind the scenes so that people who use health and social care services get an altogether smoother and less fragmented experience. If someone mentions something to their GP or district nurse (about a recent fall, say) they will be able to feel confident that their care worker or occupational therapist will know about it on their next visit. No-one need have poorer health just because of where they live so we’re working with our colleagues in health and the community to see who is most at risk from health problems in the future. Together we will support people at an earlier stage and tailor services to match the specific needs of different communities. People will have a wider range of excellent health and social care services to choose from - and more control over how these are delivered. We’re drawing on local knowledge and encouraging a whole range of different services to develop in the social care sector. For example, we’re working with Care and Share Associates (CASA), Actively Seeking Independence Support Team (ASIST) and other social enterprises/ community-led organisations to provide essential personal care and support to older and disabled people to remain independent in their own homes. This can be anything from help with daily living (including personal care) or attending appointments.

For more information about adult social care in Leeds or advice about anything on this page call 0113 222 4401.

Abbeydale

RETIREMENT HOME

Enjoy high-class comfort and care in Ilkley, with panoramic views across the scenic valley and surrounding countryside. When you walk into Abbeydale you enter a stylish and luxurious home that feels more like a hotel. The recently refurbished rooms provide bright and positive accommodation, and encourage a happy and satisfying life for residents. The spacious en-suite bedrooms with adjoining sitting room, are furnished to the highest standards and come with colour television, smoke detectors and 24 hour nurse call system. There are various elegant reception rooms and lounges, where residents may convene for a chat or smaller more intimate rooms for a quiet place to read. A full programmes of entertainment and activities are organised daily, and outings take place regularly. Abbeydale's own vehicle can take up to six residents out into the beautiful countryside, shopping trips into Ilkley and afternoons at tea rooms. We also promote the continuation of personal hobbies and interests. The personal needs of each individual is carefully identified and care programmes are created to ensure that the best care is provided. In order to do this all staff receive in house training and follow Abbeydale's philosophy of care which is designed to give residents privacy and control over their daily lives.

Our care staff provide for special bathing, dressing and changing needs, serving meals and tending to laundry, as well as medication, supervision and co-ordination of any appointments for the GP, Dentist and Optician. So, if you are a retired person or couple seeking a comfortable life in Ilkley, Abbeydale could prove to be the perfect solution. Please call us now for a brochure or call in to visit us.

About Abbeydale... • • • • • • • • •

24 hour care by caring staff All bedrooms with en-suite Excellent meals with special diets catered for Happy pleasant atmosphere Regular outings and entertainment Tastefully furnished throughout Warm, safe and comfortable environment Set in large beautiful gardens Hairdresser and beautician

01943 603074 www.abbeydalecarehome.co.uk

Please call us now for a brochure or visit us today.

A retirement home with a difference...

If you are having trouble hearing clearly, why not do something about it? Hearcentres are able to test and examine your ears and prescribe the very latest technology hearing instruments. They can offer you an unrivalled service and the results can be life-changing! To find out more, why not call them or call in to one of their regular Hearing Clinics in Roundhay and Ilkley (see below). They are based in Haslingden, East Lancashire, but now cover the West Yorkshire area also. Hearcentres are a small group of established, local hearing centres manned by experienced hearing care professionals. To improve your hearing, call Hearcentres on 01706 215479. Mention 50 Plus magazine and receive an extra years supply of batteries with every hearing aid order. Exclusive suppliers of

The Hearcentres Team

Regional Office in Haslingden

 Clinical Earcare (wax removal)  Comprehensive Ear Examinations and Hearing Tests  Complete range of the latest Hearing instruments  All makes and models supplied and serviced  Complete range of batteries and accessories  Hearing protection and communication products  Comprehensive aftercare and support service  Home visit service available across the area

Hearcentre at Brosgill Opticians

55 Street Lane

27 The Grove

Roundhay

Ilkley

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS8 1AP

LS29 9NQ

T: 0113 266 3818

T: 01943 816033

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Losing a loved one can be one of life's most upsetting and distressing times. We go out of our way to help ease the worries where funeral arrangements are concerned. Not only involved with losing a loved one is the emotional upset, but it can also be a time of financial worry and strain and we not only lend a sympathetic ear but also an affordable funeral service too. Or maybe you see not the need for an elaborate funeral and want only a simple, low key occasion without all the fuss.

Personal Family Touches We strongly believe that a funeral service for a loved one should be as personal and unique as they were and we will do everything possible to ensure that all wishes are carried out to make things easier on the day. Be it that family members would like to carry the coffin or perhaps certain members would like to speak within the funeral service. We encourage family involvement and are more than happy to discuss all options possible.

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T H E S I M P L E L OW F U S S F U N E R A L - £ 16 5 0 . 0 0

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We offer a caring, personal and professional Funeral Service tailored to your needs, without compromising on care. IF WE CAN BE OF HELP TO YOU AND FOR AN INFORMAL CHAT,

P LEASE CAL L L EE ON 0777 9 7 0 4 10 0 www.50plusmagazine.co.uk

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