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COMMUNITY PAGE

COMMUNITY PAGE

Summer already! Just one more Bank Holiday to savour. It will seem strange not having the short weeks again.

I’ve tried to fill the magazine with enough articles and quizzes to keep you occupied through the Summer, along with some new advertisers.

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You will have noticed the front cover photo of the legend that is Rod Stewart, and we have an interview with him this month It amazes me that for his age, he certainly wears it well!!

Many of you may be regular walkers that often go to Alexandra Millennium Green with or without a dog. Were you aware that it is run and maintained by Trustees and volunteers? After 30 years, the number of Trustees and volunteers has dwindled and as a charitable trust, it needs to recruit more people. On page 34 you can read more about it. In case you are wondering: a trustee is a person or member of a board placed in possession of property with the legal obligation of administering it solely for the purposes specified in the trust deed. (The Pocket Oxford Dictionary) To prevent it reverting back to the council, local authority, more people are needed to help, and quickly.

On the other hand, if you are finding it hard to feed

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the family, especially during school holidays, were you aware of the Surbiton Community Fridge? One of their missions is to prevent food waste, so they collect food from local supermarkets near the best by date, and volunteers give it away. The article is on page 32.

Talking of food, bees are such an important part of food production and we need to protect them. At this time of year they might be likely to ‘swarm’ and the article on pollinators might let you see them in a new light.

As the next edition will be for September, I hope you all have a great break, whether a staycation in the UK or you plan to go further afield.

Best wishes,

Karen

karen@berrylands-companion.co.uk

Please mention A Berrylands Companion when responding to adverts

The Usborne Official Spy’s Handbook

From cracking secret codes and creating effective disguises to tracking and decoding signals, this book encourages kids to be creative. It’s the essential guide to spying – keep it close to hand but hidden from the unknown enemy! – packed with useful skills and tips, and spies in training can use the activity pages to create camouflage headbands, shake off a trail and spot enemy spies in crowds of people.

Don’t Shake the Mango Tree by Graeme Forbes Smith

Graeme’s childhood ambition to climb Kilimanjaro and subsequent visits to Africa made him fall in love with the continent, so when he and his wife Candy have a mid-life crisis at the age of 50, they abandon their comfortable Edinburgh life and move to Tanzania. The warmth and welcoming nature of the locals swiftly found them work managing a luxury safari lodge, and tales of their new life with its up and downs in Africa unfold. Each tale is told with a touching blend of humour, tragedy, gratitude and joy.

City on Fire by Don Winslow

Exploring classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, honour, and corruption on both sides of the law, this is the first instalment of an expansive new trilogy from one of the world’s most eloquent crime writers. Danny Ryan is a hard-working longshoreman, loving husband, loyal friend, and occasional ‘muscle’ for the Irish crime syndicate that oversees much of the city. He yearns for something more and dreams of a fresh start somewhere far away. But when a modern-day Helen of Troy triggers a war between rival mob factions, Danny is embroiled in a conflict he can’t escape…

All You Need by Katie Piper

In her debut children’s picture book, best-selling author and TV presenter Katie Piper OBE invites young readers aged three to five to join Teeny Mouse in a wonderful tale of empowerment. Teeny Mouse is going on a big adventure, a journey she’s never taken before. And though it’s big, and fun, and exciting, she suddenly feels a little bit small...but she discovers all you need is to have a little bit of faith in yourself. A perfect read to share with young children fearful about trying new things.

The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

One for the older teens, this historical romance is inspired by the real-life story of C.R. Patterson (the first African-American automotive manufacturer) and his family, the Davenports are one of the few black families of immense wealth and status, their fortune made through a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. It’s now 1910 and we follow the fortunes of four determined and passionate young black women – Olivia, Helen, Amy-Rose and Ruby – discovering the courage to steer their own path in life…and love.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different – and far more satisfying – than he ever imagined. A fable about undauntedly following one’s dreams, listening to one’s heart and reading life’s omens, The Alchemist is currently the most-translated book in the world by a living author. It has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world.

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