Podium Magazine Issue 3 | Autumn 2022

Contributors Contents

Kathy Oxtoby is a freelance writer, commissioning editor and copywriter who specialises in health, education and social care. Kathy writes regularly for the BMJ as well as nursing, pharmacy and other health, social care and education titles. She started her career as a business reporter for Yorkshire Post titles.

Adrian Monti is a father of two who lives in Brighton. An experienced journalist, he writes regularly for national newspapers including the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror and Daily Express. He is a keen runner, who contributes regularly to Runner’s World and writes content for health and fitness websites.

5 ALLOT of MENTal wellbeing There’s more to allotments than just growing things – including a real sense of wellness

8 A history to be proud of The Civil Service Athletic Association

10 Hands on Crafting is having a comeback. From macramé to crochet to pottery, many of us are turning to make-it-yourself

12 Our man at the top New CSSC Chief Executive Matt Bazeley

15 Building better mental health The joy of LEGO for adults

18 Financial wellbeing As household finances grow evertighter, CSSC can really help to ease the squeeze

20 Beating burnout Burnout is real – and it’s often unnoticed. How to spot the signs, manage it and prevent it in future

22 Are you sitting comfortably? If you’re in physical discomfort or even pain at work, what can you do to help yourself?

25 Healthy snacks with a difference Time-poor? Small bursts of exercise can be as effective as a weekly gym session

Judy Yorke has been a journalist for more than 30 years. She is a journalism tutor and also trains non-journalists to improve their writing at work. Married with two teenage sons, her hobbies include baking, football and playing Words With Friends

Sally J. Hall is a journalist who has written on health and parenting issues for many years. She is the author of three books including Plant Based Baby, a guide to weaning your baby onto a vegan diet, and she has a Diploma in Vegan Nutrition.

27 Get Active September Gyms can help support your mental and your physical wellbeing in a host of different ways

30 Walking back through history For your next family outing or break, try dropping in on castles, stately homes and more

33 Much more than just a farm A day out with a difference

34 All creatures great and small A trip to the zoo is fun, educational and also part of a wider conservation project

36 Active Wellbeing 22 nominated for ukactive awards Congratulations to the team for such an achievement

38 A game of two halves With women’s football gaining international recognition, female fans are joining together

CSSC Buckinghamshire, 5DR.

40 Run around the world Want to keep up running when you’re on holiday? Welcome to the world of parkrun tourism Fellwalking with CSSC We catch up with a volunteer Get your skates on! Celebrate the colder weather in style, by trying out one of the many outdoor ice rinks that pop up now Take the ‘cross’ out of cross-country If the idea of crosscountry running fills you with terrifying memories, think again Find your voice Do you love singing in the shower, but shy away from a wider audience? Don’t worry...you can do it

Welcome to Podium

Dear Member

Welcome to this year’s autumn edition of Podium

Itiswithgreatsadnessthisissuecomestoyouatatimeofsuch significanceaswemarkthepassingofHMQueenElizabethII.We werehonouredtowelcomeHerMajesty’spatronagefrom1952until 2002andwillbeforevergratefulandinreverenceofherserviceand commitment.

Nowautumnisherewehope,throughyourmembership,CSSC canhelpthenationbegintohealfromsuchtragicloss.

Ifyou’reluckyenoughtolivewithineasyaccessofgreenor woodedareas,you’llbeveryfamiliarwiththestunningtransition betweensummerandautumn,andwiththerichanddiverserange ofwaystostayactive,growhobbiesandspendtimewithyourfamily andfriends.Notonlydothecoolerdayshelpwithwalksandruns,but thereturntoschoolandshorterdaysensureattractionsand locationsarelessbusy.

CSSChasbeenexpandingourfantasticrangeofindoorand outdoorpartnersandofferstocaterforeverytasteandseason.I encourageyoualltoexplorethegrowingrangeofthingstodoand placestovisitonCSSC’swebsite.You’reguaranteedtofindagreat dayoutorawonderfulexperiencetohelpyourelax,reflectandfeel inspired.

Inthisissuewefocusonourwellbeingandhowsimpleactivities whichyoumaynothavethoughtaboutforsometimecanhavea hugeimpactonyourhealthandwelfare.Wetakealookatsome moreunusualsportsandpastimestostayactiveandengaged,and wesharesomeinsightsintosavingmoney,improvingwork-life balanceandhelpingrelievestressandanxiety.

Ihopeyouenjoyreadingit,andasalways,ifyouhaveany feedbackorarticlesyou’dliketoseeorcontributeto,pleasegetin touchateditor@cssc.co.ukorviaanyofoursocialchannelsbelow.

Until the next time, stay curious. Richard Hemley (Editor)

We hope you enjoy this membership magazine. However, If you prefer not to receive future copies, you can opt out of receiving Podium by post or digitally, by emailing editor@ cssc.co.uk or by calling 01494 888444.

SUSTAINABILITY Podium is 100% recyclable. The pulp used is bleached without the use of chlorine and is from a mill using an environmental management system approved according to ISO 14001 and EMAS. The polywrap in which Podium is posted is 100% biodegradable.

©2022 The views expressed in Podium are not necessarily those of the publisher, editor, CSSC or printer, and none of these parties guarantees the accuracy of content. Furthermore, publication of advertisements does not imply any form of recommendation. Podium accepts no responsibility for any statements in advertisements. Each advertisement is inserted on the distinct understanding that no advantage will accrue to the advertiser in relation to its business dealings with Podium Podium can be made available in alternative formats on request.

A LLOT of MENTal wellbeing

a smallish one. It is close to the car park but also, more importantly, was afflicted with slightly fewer of the piles of rubbish and weeds which had already taken over, given the late start in May. We had a patch of land!

By Richard

I live in a relatively small ground-floor flat, with my wife and young daughter, Isabelle. I’ve always considered us lucky to have a small patio area that’s just for us. Since moving in, it’s been our mini sanctuary, especially during the spring and summer, whether as a safe place to let Izzy play and get fresh air, a sweet-smelling hub which is full of life, or just an open place to dry the laundry. But, despite my wife doing her very best to turn it into an outside nook, with enough pots to fill Kew Gardens, it was never quite enough space to satisfy us.

Especially not enough when one person is a nature lover, and another is an energetic youngster.

So when we read in our local town’s magazine that there were allotments close by, we contacted the council thinking we’d get our name on the list and by the time Izzy goes off to college we’d have our very own plot. How wrong we turned out to be.

Take your pick of a plot

The parish council welcomed us with the most energy I’ve ever seen, handed us a map of the allotment, told us to “take your pick from the 10 available plots, please!” and added that we’d be doing them a favour. It turns out that our small parish council is responsible for maintaining any plot not being tended. Uncharacteristically, my wife left it to me to pick our plot (I still suspect to ensure the proper blame could be apportioned should things go wrong). But nevertheless, emboldened by my newly acquired powers, I chose

Admittedly, our patch was rented from the council, but at just £29 a year, we thought we’d give it a try and give it up after a year if it was too much.

Buoyed by our new-found enthusiasm, we immediately bought some cheap tools and cleared away the waist-high stingers to discover a homemade tool shed, packed full of some moth-eaten rusty old tools and netting. Something they neglect to tell you when you take on an allotment, but that I’ve been assured is in the small print, is that you are responsible for keeping it tidy and disposing of any refuse or waste. Something else they ‘forget’ to tell you when a plot becomes vacant is that it’s usually because the previous owner got overwhelmed and gave it up…but not before letting it grow wild and the weeds expand to astronomic proportions. However, some of the tools were useful and just needed exhuming from where they had been left (I can only assume some time before the Silver Jubilee).

One exhausting weekend later, the weeds had been cleared, and high-

fives shared all round. We took the next weekend off to rest our aching joints, only to discover that allotments are a little like children. If you turn your back on them for five minutes, they get up to all kinds of mischief, with weeds seeming to grow exponentially when you’re not looking. So two weeks later, there we were back at the allotment re-weeding the same 10 square metres of land, wondering why someone would plant stinging nettles and brambles, and if perhaps nettle soup was in fact the way to go. Or indeed, whether our £29 would have been better spent on a growbag. But clear it again we did, and it was actually much easier this time around. So that was our first very valuable lesson: little and often, and each time back is a little simpler.

Over the coming weeks we continued to tidy, borrowing pallets and spare wood from local businesses and anyone we could, and gradually segmented some smaller plots with raised beds. Not a penny was spent, apart from on plasters and tweezers for all the splinters and blisters – and some decent gardening gloves.

6 reflects better on their own allotments, but I got the distinct impression we were a new, captive audience for their stories and tales, complete with fresh ears and keen eyes.

Friends in the fresh air

We covered the rest of the allotment while we tended our smaller plots, and planted some carrots, broccoli, parsnips, peas and courgettes, on advice from our new neighbours.

That’s the other thing no one tells you about having an allotment. It’s not a solo sport. Our corner plot near the entrance, which had been in disrepair for many years, grew (sorry!) into a focal point for every passing gardener. Everyone would stop to tell us “what a fantastic job” we were doing and “how young” we both were. This last part made it much easier to take on and heed enough advice to fill several encyclopaedias. In fact we were both amazed how friendly the ‘locals’ were. They were so knowledgeable, and so willing to share their tips, that by the end of the first season we really felt part of the group and that we’d been invited into a special community.

And I think they enjoyed having us there too. Not only were we helping to keep the area tidy, which

So the summer of 2019 rolled on and we closed the space down ready for the winter, quite proud of the handful of veg we’d been able to grow. It wasn’t quite enough to put a dent in our grocery budget, but certainly enough for a few roast dinners. And wow! Perhaps it was our imagination, or perhaps it really did taste better and fresher than produce from the supermarket.

A time of change

Spring came round quick enough, as it always does, but this time was a little different. We had our plan, my wife had drawn her map and listed her timings of when to plant…and then, suddenly, lockdown struck, and our plans changed completely.

We couldn’t go to work, we couldn’t leave the house, we couldn’t take Izzy to the park and she

couldn’t go to school. Suddenly our small, cosy, cheap-to-heat flat was feeling rather too cosy and compact. But then the government confirmed the rules that people were allowed to go to their allotments for their daily exercise. And we were off like rockets in response.

All through the spring and throughout the summer we were uncovering, weeding, building beds, sowing, planting and watering. There weren’t many positives to take from the lockdowns, but for us, the transformation of our allotment was pure delight.

We were there every day, usually several times a day. Watering in the morning, weeding at lunchtime and building raised beds in the evenings. We dug a pond and constructed a woodpile to help the local wildlife, we segregated a plant bed to help the bees from a neighbour’s hive, we dug a herb garden, and built a mud kitchen for Izzy. We constructed more and more elaborate designs with canes for peas, sweetcorn and runner beans. We planted every kind of veg you can imagine, including some you can’t and wouldn’t know what to do with when and if it grew. We ordered our free seeds from CSSC, which came three weeks later and took off just as quickly. By August, we were

It had given us so much and demanded so little: just a small amount of time, love and attention.

surveying our land with broad smiles on our faces.

Even though our summer holiday was cancelled, it truly was one of the most inspiring summers we’ve ever had. The sense of accomplishment was unparalleled. We went to bed exhausted and slept like babies every night. It gave us a reason to get up, get out and explore nature. We expanded our minds, we grew muscles we haven’t used in decades and we lost weight.

We joined the allotment association, with its BBQs and social events, and became part of a friendly, welcoming and lively community. We have a greater appreciation and respect for farmers and small-scale gardeners, and have started to share our ‘knowledge’ with some of the new plot holders, who have now taken up the mantle over lockdown. Those 10 available plots have now long since gone, and in their place there is a waiting list of over 40 applicants. And the whole allotment site has become a thriving, buzzing community, full of laughter and good spirits.

Farewell (for now)

It felt a tremendous shame when October came around again. Not just because the growing season was over and the usual autumn blues kicked in, but it was a fond – temporary – farewell to our allotment. We felt a closeness to it and to each other. But even more than that, it had saved us that summer. It had provided a haven for not only my wife and me but for our daughter too. It had given us so much and demanded so little: just a small amount of time, love and attention. Izzy had grown to love it too. It taught her more about wildlife, woodwork and where food comes from – and the time and dedication needed

to grow it – than we or school could have ever taught her.

We weren’t always successful. We had disasters with parsnips, cabbage blight, late frosts in May and hundreds of injuries and tears. But that just made it all the more rewarding. In some respects, the learning curve was steep, with so much to understand and so much to do. But in other respects, it was easy. Had we wanted to, we could have simply planted fruit trees or grassed the entire plot for a garden to play in. But we’re glad we didn’t, because we’re so much better off for having our plot.

We sleep better, we breathe more easily, we learn more, we have more to talk about, we have a place to call our own, we have a sanctuary, we have a school, we have a resource, we have a community and we have a sense of purpose.

Without our allotment our family would be in a very different place after the pandemic – a much less joyful place, a much more stressed place, and a much harder place, both physically, mentally and emotionally. They can be difficult to get your hands on, especially now, but if you can put your name on the list with your local council, I would encourage everyone to do it – no matter your age, experience or enthusiasm.

By the time you get a plot, who knows? You may be in the mood to try just a few carrots or tomatoes. And once you’re up and running you might be pleasantly surprised how little effort they require. With just 10 minutes a day of watering and a few hours a week of weeding and digging, you could carve out your very own slice of nature – and in doing so breathe new life into your wellbeing.

If you feel the call of the wild, remember you can pick up all your gardening supplies through CSSC savings at hundreds of online, local and national stores and garden centres.

And for inspiration or advice join the Facebook Gardening Club through our communities page,

RICHARD

Learning about wildlife, woodwork and the dedication involved in growing food

A history to be proud of

The Civil Service Athletic Association (CSAA) was founded back in 1864 and can lay claim to being the oldest athletic association in the country – perhaps the entire world.

At that time, it was responsible for organising the Civil Service Sports Day, which was often a two-day affair held at one of the top London venues. According to The Official Centenary History of the AAA by Peter Lovesey, the first one was held on 22 and 23 April 1864 at Beaufort House, Brompton, in West London, to mark the tercentenary of William Shakespeare’s birth, and from day one it attracted large crowds of Londoners. Press reports stated that up to 20,000 spectators attended, including many ‘fashionable ladies of the day dressed in all their finery hoping to catch a glimpse of the athletic bodies on display’.

Building on beginnings

Over the years more and more events were added. The Official Centenary History of the AAA reports that ‘in 1868 Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, came to London and competed in the Civil Service Championships. He finished first in the five-mile walk and was only disqualified afterwards, presumably by a judge who preferred to remain anonymous.’ (A footnote to the CSAA results from 1868 confirms that A Stoker and RM Williams, who came first and second respectively, were disqualified for running the final distance.)

Most races were for civil servants, like Stoker and Williams, but there were also a number of races for ‘strangers’, which attracted many of the top athletes of the time, including national and international competitors. Many

races, even up until the 1920s, were handicapped, with the faster athletes starting on scratch and the slower ones having many yards’ head start, and of course some cheating did occur in trying to deceive the officials about previous times or by using false names! The first men’s cross-country championship was held in 1921. The following year saw the first men’s race walk and attracted a large field of entrants.

In 1920, women were able to compete for the first time, in an 80-yard race;

Sprinters from the CSSC Diamond Jubilee Games at Crystal Palace on 22 May 1981

CSAA relay team, with support of G. C. Smallwood OBE, Queen’s Club,1924

10 years later, on 13 May 1930, the Daily Herald proudly announced ‘the formation of a Women’s Athletic Club for civil servants’, which was a significant step forward in those days. In the same year, the CSSA held its first cross-country event for women, though they had to wait till 1983 for their first race walk. In 1986, on the back of the running boom, the 10k was staged for the first time at Battersea Park – for both sexes.

Famous competitors

The civil service has been fortunate to have had among its ranks many athletes who went on to represent Great Britain with distinction, winning medals at Olympic, European, Commonwealth and national level. Linford Christie won Olympic, European and Commonwealth Games gold medals. Len Eyre won the three miles gold medal and the one mile silver medal at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland.

Eileen May Hiscock competed for Great Britain in the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympic Games; she was a

member of the British 4×100m relay team which won the silver medal at the 1930 Women’s World Games in Prague, and went on to win bronze in the 100m and 200m events at the 1934 Women’s World Games. Joy Jordan was an 880 yards world record holder and went to the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Race walker Ray Middleton competed in the Olympic, European and Empire (Commonwealth) Games as well as the Civil Service Race Walking Championship, winning a silver medal in the 20-miler in the 1966 Commonwealth Games and representing Great Britain in every Lugano Cup Final from 1961 to

1974 (the only walker in the world to have taken part in all six). Sue Reeve was Commonwealth Long Jump Champion in 1978…The list goes on, and more information can be found on the CSAA website at www.csaa.org.uk/history.html.

Throughout its life, the CSAA committee has been served by many long-term stalwarts, who also played major parts in the development of athletics in the 19th and 20th centuries, and even today committee members are prominent at local, county and regional levels. It’s a history to be proud of, and we encourage you to find out more about it.

If you’re interested in joining the CSAA, there are two races coming up, before a full itinerary starting next year at venues throughout the country: a race walk in Birmingham on 28 September and a cross-country event at Parliament Hill in London on 12 October.

Find all our running offers, partners and plans on www.cssc.co.uk/running.

Claim back up to 50% of your travel expenses when you attend some official CSSC events, and we may be able to help you attend organised events with our funding and subsidy schemes, www.cssc.co.uk/activity-subsidy-scheme.

Get huge discounts on your kit and equipment with CSSC savings, together with branded clothing from Kukri Sports clothing and loads of other fantastic benefits to help you start running or get back into fitness, like our running and walking communities on social media, www.cssc.co.uk/run-walk-cycle-swim-communitiescompetition; podcasts and tips to help while exercising; plus loads more help on nutrition, training and couch-to5K apps with CSSC life, www.cssc.co.uk/cssclife.

Medals and trophies awarded over the years include one presented in 1882 by Princess Mary Adelaide of Teck, whose daughter married King George V. Another was a salver awarded to Sydenham Dixon in 1870 for winning the mile three times in succession. Finally, a 1923 silver medal turned up in Italy and is now in the CSAA’s possession.

10K Platinum Jubilee Challenge at Battersea Park in 2022

GB international race walker Bob Dobson

GB international high jumper Sue Reeve

Hands on

It seems that crafting is having a moment. In the halcyon days of the 1970s, raffia wine bottle holders, china pigs and macramé plant pot holders flourished in every suburban home…but after that, the trend for making things at home seemed to go out of fashion. But, like vinyl, this is one trend that is making its resurgence in the 2020s.

Not only can crafts get people excited about creating something unique and beautiful: they also seem to be helpful for our mental health, with many crediting using their hands as a way to counter anxiety and depression.

Health and happiness

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience in 1990. Csikszentmihalyi concluded that happiness is not an external state but an internal one, based on the idea that your happiness can be increased by introducing a ‘flow state’. This is when people concentrate, have clear goals and notice the speeding up or slowing down of time. They are

able to experience the sensation of reward, and feel in control. During flow, Csikszentmihalyi argued, people reported deeper enjoyment, greater creativity and a fuller involvement in life.

Crafting certainly fits into that. What’s more, using your hands, together with the repetitive, rhythmic motions, can lower stress and cortisol levels and ease anxiety symptoms. Your concentration span can improve as you spend increased time on your project. You can craft alone, which gives you space, or in a group, creating an instant club for sharing your love of the project.

And on top of that, of course, you’re making something – and doing that offers you a sense of achievement and pleasure, triggering pleasure receptors in the brain to release dopamine, which gives you a boost. Giving your creations as a gift, or selling them, increases that pleasure further.

Three crafters

Margaret Ellerby says: “I’ve always enjoyed making things and retaught myself crochet to make a toy dog while recovering from an operation. I use it as a hobby, de-stressor and to make things for charity. I did a lot of crafting while my father was in hospital, as crochet’s easy to pick up and put down. It’s very mindful and is a great way to keep oneself absorbed in audiobooks.

“I am a GP in a busy North London surgery and set up a sewing group in the practice, sewing squares to make blankets for Knit for Peace. I’m doing it to have fun and I’m happy to share my joy.”

Musician Pam Betowski lives in Cornwall and has recently bought a loom. “I learnt to knit aged six and

explored fibre crafts throughout my life. After phasing out my music teaching and performing, I began weaving on a shaft loom three years ago.

“I’m inspired by colour, and the feel and texture of yarn, which I enjoy using in designs and compositions to create both functional textiles and artwork. It’s a creative outlet in the same way as music and composition have been for me. It also engages right- and left-brain activity in many ways, from creative thinking and mathematical calculations to the coordination between the eyes and hands.

“As warmth and comfort are fundamental to us, I feel a drive to make cloth whilst reconnecting with the methods of our ancestors. In 2018, I began spinning yarn with warm fibres to make clothes. It’s important to me to use sustainable and cruelty-free yarns and fibres.”

10 MARGARET PAM BETOWSKI

Crafting is having a comeback. From macramé to crochet, weaving to pottery, many of us are turning to make-it-yourself. By Sally J. Hall

Crafting engages so many parts of the brain

Weaving connects us with our ancestors

Amelia Kirby is a third-year student at Central St Martins school of art.

“I started making tufted rugs in February 2021 in an attempt to do something physical – I’m a Fine Art Sculpture student and was struggling to ‘make’ during the pandemic. Once classes stopped, textile crafts became a last resort to produce a physical, handson craft. I taught myself, beginning with punch needling on a small hoop. I now use a tufting gun on a large frame.

“I now produce work for my university portfolio. Textile crafts have become a massive part of my artistic practice and I couldn’t have predicted that tufting would turn out to be the centre of my final degree show.

“I didn’t start with the intention of managing my mental health issues but the repetition of rug tufting is therapeutic and doesn’t require intense concentration,

so I often listen to audiobooks while I tuft. By a happy coincidence, crafting has also helped my anxiety.

“I had a recent exhibition, which was the first time I’ve publicly shared my rugs. I’ve started taking commissions and hope to continue as a small business after I graduate.”

Get free patterns with your CSSC membership, plus up to 8% cashback at Hobbycraft.

You can find all our crafting partners online at www.cssc.co.uk/arts-andcrafts, and keep a keen eye out for exclusive member crafting events throughout the year.

If you’d like to start or join a community group around crafting, please get in touch and we’d be delighted to give your new community a boost and a place to call your own.

Crochet is a mindful practice

POTTERY

The pottery trend is huge. You don’t need a wheel or kiln and can make items from air-drying clay.

What to make: incense holders, soap dishes and candle holders

Accounts to follow:

@wild.gorse.pottery

@hotpotteryuk

@hogbenpottery

CROCHET

Not just for grannies, crochet is having a moment. Make small items or even complete items of clothing.

What to make: hats, bags, tops, coasters, toys

Accounts to follow:

@aystoys

@nautikrallcrochet

@puddnhead

WEAVING

From small handheld looms to huge floor-standing versions, weaving is being used by clothing makers and fabric artists.

What to make: fabric, scarves, wall hangings

Who to follow:

@pam_niblett

@meg.spitzer

@sarahtruscott_weaver

@lolamott

TUFTING

A large gun punches threads through canvas to create rugs, carpets and visual art.

What to make: rugs, carpets, wall hangings, art works

Who to follow

@mahoganyhands

@annabellemakesthings

@ameliakkirby_

Crafts get people excited about creating something unique and beautiful

Some of the most popular crafts, according to social media, are:

Our man at the top

genuinely one of the best ways to help the country heal, grow and thrive. There are challenging times ahead, but I know we have an offer that can help our members through these economically difficult times. The more members we have, the better opportunities we can provide and the more connections we help make. And having seen first-hand the power of unity and camaraderie, I’m convinced that CSSC can play a leading role in a healthier, happier nation.

What does success look like to you?

In March this year we welcomed Matt Bazeley, our new Chief Executive, to CSSC. After more than 30 years in the British Army, which took him to Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other locations, Matt’s final role before joining CSSC was in the MoD, where he focused on NATO in supporting the Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace. Now, as a civilian, Matt continues to enjoy spending time with his family, two Labradors, cat and five ducks – and when he can find the time, pursuing his hobbies and interests in cricket, rugby, football, golf, skiing, walking, gardening and cinema. As a lifelong Oxford United fan, perhaps the least said about narrowly missing the promotion playoffs last season, the better.

Podium caught up with Matt six months into the role to get his thoughts on and aspirations for the organisation’s future.

When you joined CSSC, what were your first impressions?

Back in March the country was still coming out of the third lockdown and finding its feet. And that’s how I saw CSSC. We were transitioning from helping our members at home and in dealing with lockdown isolation to exploring their new-found and hardfought freedoms. I was instantly impressed by the speed at which CSSC was pivoting and switching its focus from indoor and online engagement to outdoor and partner experiences.

How have your impressions changed six months on from your start?

I’m still in awe of the passion and commitment of our members, volunteers and staff. The teamwork I see on a daily basis inspires me. And yet it also reminds me how much more we need to do for our members and how vital CSSC’s work is in looking after life’s true champions.

Now, with a firmer understanding of quite a complex organisation like CSSC, I’m keen to further develop our partners to ensure we continue offering the broadest range of activities to suit not only our existing membership, but to help attract new members from across the civil service and public sector.

What’s your primary focus for the next six months?

Over not just the next six months, but over the years to come, I hope to grow CSSC’s membership. I firmly believe that what we offer and how we help take care of the nation’s heroes is

I see success as a journey, not just a destination. I wouldn’t be satisfied with simply hitting a target of new members joining, or partnering with some new organisations. I see success as continually striving forward to improve our offers and services, to keep pushing the boundaries of health and wellbeing and to always look for the next way to help our members do more of the things that they enjoy, with their family, friends and colleagues.

Along the way, I hope to inspire the staff and volunteers to retain that energy and enthusiasm they’re famous for; to be happy at work and in volunteering and to feel empowered to bring their whole self to their role and grow with confidence. I firmly believe that as guardians of CSSC it is our duty to continually improve our package to help as many people as possible for the next 100 years.

Where do you see CSSC in the next five years?

With our brilliant range of offers, savings and partners, I’m confident CSSC will continue to be the premium benefits provider for the civil service and public sector. But much more than that, I foresee our membership numbers increasing and our expansive community growing.

Yet, with that growth I’m acutely aware comes an enormous responsibility to use our knowledge, skills and experience to help look after the needs of our members and their families. I anticipate the pressure on the civil service in particular will continue to grow. The and distribution

of the public sector workforce will continue to change as working habits evolve, as will the needs of our current and future members. And so I expect our range of offers to grow and evolve to accommodate those needs and changing tastes.

What do you consider the greatest challenge for our members?

I expect the next few years will be tough on the whole nation. Whether they’re new to the workforce, employed, unemployed or enjoying retirement, people’s finances will be a major concern for many. The increase in costs of basic essentials, luxuries, products and services will be a factor on people’s disposable income and weigh heavily on minds, which may start to negatively impact their mental and physical health.

And because of this, I see our role in CSSC as more important than ever before. We are uniquely placed to help more and more people, by not only saving them money, but by providing the tools, techniques and opportunities to enjoy their free time, connect with others and stay emotionally and physically active.

What is CSSC’s biggest advantage?

Our offer is extraordinary and I’m working tirelessly to shout about it from the rooftops to ensure as many people benefit from it as possible. And I invite all our members and volunteers to do likewise and share their engagement with others.

But I think our biggest asset is our people, whether that’s our enthusiastic members, our dedicated volunteers, our passionate staff or our insightful board. Our organisation is home to a brilliant family of kind, caring individuals, who come together to provide a fantastic service. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be leading this organisation at such an important time. And with the whole team’s support I know we have the tools and talent to carry our members through any turbulent times to the benefit of the nation.

Who motivates or inspires you?

I’ve been very lucky to have worked with many military leaders who have

inspired me, including General David Petraeus, who had the leadership skills to command and deliver quite extraordinary results. My mother set the standards I’ve always sought to achieve and never let me rest on my laurels. I greatly admired Brian Clough for his clarity of thought and determination to do things his way. And Lord Sebastian Coe for his skills and leadership in managing the 2012 London Olympic Games. Finally, having gone to school in Glasgow in the 1980s, I love Billy Connolly, who always had such brilliant stories, making normal life seem both very funny and very unusual. A true raconteur.

What do you enjoy doing most outside work?

Any sport, whether playing or watching. I also love spending time with my family. I love food – but I’m hopeless in the kitchen. I have no patience and tend to eat the ingredients before they make it

to the pot. I enjoy the outdoors, so love walking with my two dogs.

I also love the cinema, where I was heartily impressed by the new Top Gun movie. I guess you can take the man out of the military, but not the military out of the man.

What would your superpower be?

I like the idea of being able to look upon the earth from beyond our atmosphere. So, I guess being able to fly would be a great superpower. I’m also fascinated by maps, so being in a position to perceive the world from a 360-degree perspective would be amazing.

Where would your ideal holiday be?

That’s a two-part question. With my family I love to visit the Caribbean –any island, as they’re all so unique and wonderful. My family members love their creature comforts so they wouldn’t want an adventure holiday.

But I’d also enjoy taking a houseboat up the Zambezi River, through Zimbabwe, Zambia and beyond. The people are so wonderful and the views are simply breathtaking.

What advice would you give to your 10-year-old self?

Trust yourself that it will all come right. You will make mistakes, you will question yourself and you will have doubts, but it will all work itself out in the end.

Our biggest asset is our people

Building better mental health

For children of the early 1980s, toys were usually separated into boys’ and girls’ ones. While the girls were forced to enjoy dolls, bears, and mini-kitchen apparatus, boys’ toys usually came in four different types: sports equipment (usually a football or bike), Matchbox cars, action figures or Airfix models. The few toys which were gender-neutral often involved dice, board games and family shouting matches. But there was one other option for this not particularly sporty or social child; and when I was introduced to LEGO® from a very early age, it quickly become my toy of choice.

Back in the days when letting kids “go out and play” until it got dark was actively encouraged, sitting at home on your own playing with building blocks was considered ‘a little unusual’. Perhaps now I’m 40 and still playing with bricks, I’m still considered ‘unusual’. But I prefer to think I’m just ahead of my time.

A growing hobby

Far from shrinking away from ‘playing’ with LEGO in recent years, I’ve now got a wonderful thing called ‘disposable income’. So have others...and LEGO has noticed an opportunity.

Although the company was founded in 1832, it wasn’t really until the 1980s that advances in manufacturing and plastics meant LEGO could really ‘build’ (sorry!) on its success. At this point the company realised that all those children who’d grown up playing with bricks were now much older and had more money…and still wanted to play. What’s more, not only did fans want to build and rebuild models, they also now wanted to keep the models they had built and even refer to these as art. More and more sophisticated models were produced with more and more intricate designs and functionality. LEGO partnered with other, often

genre-specific, franchises to really home in on and capture the essence of ‘big kids’, from Disney and Marvel to Star Wars, Harry Potter and many others.

The company also noticed that many fans now had kids of their own – a next generation of LEGO fans. The range of kits grew to better appeal to both boys and girls, with more colours, shapes and sets, and expanded to video games and even Hollywood blockbusters.

But what is it about LEGO that deserves such attention, and how has it remained so popular in the face of competing demands on our time?

Connecting with my family

Whether I’m building my latest model solo or sculpting a playground with my eight-year-old, I’m always present. My mind rarely wanders, or cares about emails, news or dinner. If I find myself thinking of other things, it’s usually considering questions like ‘if a car could fly, would the garage open at the top or the front?’ Any stress I may have been feeling or concern about

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work simply melts away. Sometimes, with just a few hours’ building, my hobby has become my salvation and presented an unexpected solution. It’s also an unexpectedly fun way to help with schoolwork; LEGO helps us count, read, explore art and even explain science.

There is something incredibly relaxing and sensory about building. Perhaps it’s the tactile feel and textures, or maybe it’s the swishing sound of sorting through hundreds of pieces that evokes happy childhood memories. But maybe it’s just a great way to spend screen-free time with my daughter and become mesmerised by her flourishing creativity.

I’m not entirely sure if it’s the lure of the brick itself, or just that I’ve gradually worn them down, but my love of LEGO seems infectious and has spread throughout my family. I haven’t needed to purchase a LEGO set in about five years. I can’t remember the last Christmas or birthday which didn’t

feature that oh-so familiar rattle beneath wrapping paper. But as if free LEGO was not enough, my wife is now most definitely hooked. And while our tastes differ somewhat, from a decidedly Disney theme to perhaps the more ‘grown-up’ models of vehicles and Star Wars, to my mind there is no such thing as an undesirable LEGO model.

Building a healthy outlet

And I’m not the only one who experiences these immeasurable benefits from the humble brick.

The Children’s Wellness Centre, an independent paediatric practice in Chiswick, has explored the benefits of playing with LEGO, and discovered it helps kids with teamwork, problemsolving, lowering stress and anxiety, experimenting, self-confidence, patience and many other life skills. It can foster a love of creation, design, building, architecture, decoration and construction, leading to career possibilities never previously considered. The extensive benefits mean that they run LEGO therapy programmes for four- to nine-year-olds. So, if it can help with children, why not adults?

In fact, LEGO is regularly used in care homes to help residents with their mental and physical health. Just sorting through LEGO can help with dexterity, memory, cognitive functions, circulation, motor skills and coordination. Instead of

using jigsaw puzzles to keep residents engaged, LEGO provides much greater stimulation. The pieces are easier to see and hold and are often shared among groups of users, creating a more social climate. Evidence suggests that when residents are more engaged, more active and more focused, they live longer, happier and healthier lives.

Much more than just a toy

As our collection outgrows our home and requires ever more storage boxes and display cabinets to house our creations, I’m left wondering if perhaps LEGO should be reclassified from a ‘toy’ to a cognitive aid to help with health, education and wellbeing.

LEGO facts

LEGO produces over 300 million wheels ever year, making it the largest tyre manufacturer in the world.

LEGO comes from the Danish expression ‘leg godt’, which means ‘play well’.

The company’s founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen, was a carpenter who made toys from offcuts and spare wood.

LEGO’s 1958 ‘universal system’ patent means

any piece from any set, anywhere in the world, will fit with any other piece from any decade; this includes Duplo®.

Over 4 billion LEGO figures have been made.

With over 560 billion LEGO bricks in circulation, there are 86 for every single person on earth.

In 1997 4.8 million LEGO pieces fell off a container ship near Land’s End, prompting an ongoing

treasure hunt for the famed missing nauticalthemed pieces.

The tallest tower so far is 94 feet high and uses 465,000 bricks.

The LEGO bricks sold in just one year would go around the world 18 times.

LEGO has been to the international space station to test how it reacts in zero gravity (and we suspect, to keep the astronauts occupied).

Or perhaps all toys should, and LEGO has merely permitted adults to explore the benefits of playing for much longer. After all, LEGO itself says: ‘Children are our role models. Their curiosity, creativity and imagination inspire everything we do. We strive to create a diverse, dynamic and inclusive culture of play, where everyone feels safe, valued and they belong.’ That’s a mantra we could all aspire to.

If you’ve been inspired to explore LEGO once again, now’s a great time to visit LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort, with its special upcoming Halloween and fireworks nights. Remember to check the website and book your tickets through cssc.co.uk/LEGOLAND for the best prices.

Sometimes, with just a few hours’ building, my hobby has presented an unexpected solution

Building bigger...and building better?

EXPLORE THE WORLD THE OLSEN WAY

In recent years, we have seen a new era emerging in cruising.

There is a trend for everything to get bigger and busier, and for a cruise to be seen as an alternative to a large luxury resort, with a limitless flurry of activity.

But this is not for us.

We believe there is another way to cruise.

A way that is based on five generations of seafaring.

Where cabins are called cabins, and ships look like ships.

Where the journey is as important as the destination.

In our world, smaller is better and we believe in keeping the experience on board uncrowded, warm and civilised – treating passengers as guests, like the family-run business we are.

It would be easy to follow the trends and go with the crowds. But we never will.

Because this is our way, The Olsen Way.

Existing CSSC members can benefit from up to 10% off – With a 5% CSSC members discount in addition to their 5% Oceans Loyalty Club discount. New to CSSC members can save 5%, on top of any current offer

*All Subject Flights are Offer 31/12/2022. E&OE. now. For more

Financial wellbeing

Financially, this year has hit many households hard. Energy bills have gone up over 50 per cent and are set to rise further, inflation is up, and increased costs all round have come together in 2022 to create the perfect storm for many people across the UK.

According to research, worrying about finances is the number one cause of concern at the moment. The negative impact of this added stress on homes, relationships, families and jobs up and down the country can’t be overstated. But there are things we can all do to lessen the impact of these rising prices and help our hard-pressed budgets stretch further.

Reduce utility bills

Unfortunately, there’s not much relief on energy costs at the moment. However, it’s always worth shopping around the energy firms for the best rate, and it’s definitely worth doing the maths to check if you should lock into a fixed price to guard against any future rises.

More practically, there’s loads we can all do at home to limit the amount of energy we use as we step into autumn and winter. Check your home is as insulated as possible. Ask your supplier for a smart meter to monitor your usage more easily. Turn your thermostat down by just one degree and make sure any timers are adjusted to only when you need them. Contact your water supplier for any free devices it provides for reducing your water consumption.

Solar panels and water heaters can save you over £260 a year – and perhaps even more as energy prices

rise. They cost on average between £5,000 and £10,000 to install, so it may take 20 years to recover your costs, but most solar panels are guaranteed for at least 25 years and can also add value to your property. Plus, you’ll be helping the environment and you could sell unused energy back to the market for added savings (see the ‘Smart Export Guarantee’ on the Government website).

Other costs, like internet packages or phone bills, may also be reducible. Check to see if your contract is up for renewal and shop around. If you’re working from home more, you may be able to reduce the data you need on mobiles. While you’re at it, check for any old devices lying around and you might be pleasantly surprised with the secondhand prices you get by selling them on. For those who do work from home regularly, you may be able to claim tax relief for additional household costs. Check the Government website on tax relief for more information.

Staying in more cheaply

While you may be making a false economy if you cut your TV packages and subscriptions completely (as TV can be very good value for money as a form of entertainment, saving you a lot on going out!), you may well be able to make savings by combining packages or reducing the HD or number of devices you use to access them.

Carefully consider what you use each package for and explore whether it might be better to rent films, or even buy movies or box sets at charity shops or high street or online trading stores.

If you don’t already have one, you could set up swap shops at work or start a group (similar to a book group) to share and discuss your favourite films and TV. It’s a great way both to cement that all-important work-life balance and to make new friends and contacts.

Worth their weight

In the same way, check your other subscriptions and memberships to make sure you’re receiving good value for money. Some memberships are well worth hanging on to, as they can pay for themselves 10 times over – not only with real help on reducing your outgoings but also with invaluable outlets for relieving stress, connecting with others and maximising free time.

CSSC membership is a great example of this. CSSC has loads of ways you might be able to save on household bills, including remortgage partners; phone and broadband tariffs; home,

As household incomes get tighter and tighter, are you doing everything you can to ease the squeeze?

travel, pet, tech and life insurance; and many others. For instance, CSSC life can offer you ways to participate in classes and exercises at home – which might well help you save further on gym membership while keeping you active. There are loads of other ways to save money while still doing the things you love – including free days out to historic sites (see more in our feature about these on page 30).

And, of course, the basics are covered too. At only 16p a day, or less if you’re drawing a pension, members regularly save over £150 a year on just

their weekly grocery shopping with CSSC savings. Add on the occasional treat, home improvement or just everyday essentials like clothes and cosmetics, and some members save over £1,000 every year.

But with CSSC it’s not only about the huge savings; it’s so much more than that. It’s the connection members make with others, with their loved ones and with their colleagues; the events, activities and outlets it provides to help meet other people, to share hobbies, passions, pastimes and frustrations. It gives members inspiration and

opportunities to get out and about to explore, get back to nature, discover new adventures and de-stress from daily life and sleepless nights.

Feel financially fit

We’re all feeling the pinch, which can have an adverse effect on our mental health. But remember, there are things you can do to help yourself and your loved ones and there are people and organisations who can help with practical advice, ideas and tools to stay balanced and reduce stress.

Why not see how much money you could save on your household expenditure by using the savings calculator you can find in CSSC savings? And let us take care of you, while you take care of others.

https://foryoubyyou. org.uk/

l If you’re struggling with the costs of living, The Charity for Civil Servants may be able to help. The Charity supports all civil servants, past and present, when times are tough, listening without judgement and offering practical, financial and emotional support. foryoubyyou.org.uk/

Beating burnout Whether you’re working from home, based in the office or a combination of both, burnout is real – and it’s often going unnoticed. We look at the signs of burnout, how to manage and prevent it, and where to find help. By Kathy Oxtoby

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At the start of 2020, none of us could have possibly imagined what was ahead and the impact it would have on all of us. That was less than three years ago; and since then we’ve lived through a global pandemic, war in Ukraine, rising bills and inflation…quite frankly it’s entirely understandable that the stress of having to deal with world events, as well as the usual personal and professional pressures, could leave some of us feeling burnt out.

Spotting the signs

Many of us are closer to burnout than we think. We might believe we’re coping – but there are some telltale signs that tell us when we’re struggling and it’s worth watching out for these. Recognising that your wellbeing

is suffering and that you might be reaching the point of burnout is the first step towards tackling the problem.

Physically, the signs of burnout include headache, backache, constant colds, an upset stomach and bowel disturbances. But as Lina Mookerjee, a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited psychotherapist, and a stress and wellbeing expert, points out, even before burnout starts to affect you physically, mentally you could be feeling stressed, irritable, quick to anger and impatient.

You may be tearful, anxious, having problems sleeping, and feeling exhausted. You may be having panic attacks – regular spells when the heart is racing and fear takes over. And you may be experiencing a sense of fear

and dread when thinking about things that didn’t use to bother you – like going to work.

At work, one warning sign of burnout is a change in attitude, says Dr Pete Smith, president of the Self Care Forum, a national charity which aims to make self-care a part of everyday life. “You may become more cynical, or not like your colleagues as much. Your work standards might start to drop. You may not have enough time, energy or enthusiasm for your work, or you may feel detached from it.” And at home, you may be experiencing that same sense of detachment, so that your relationships may be suffering as a result, he adds.

It’s important to notice these signs –and the effects on you. It’s tempting to

grit your teeth, carry on and accept that it’s just all part of life, but that option could have serious consequences. Ignoring the signs of burnout can make you more vulnerable to mental or physical illness, with knock-on effects for your work, your home life and your relationships. “By keeping going you’re not giving your body time to recover,” says Lina. “This can lead to chronic disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and addictions. It’s a recipe for disaster. Which is why getting help is absolutely key – it’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a necessity. Take a step back and assess your situation. Recognise that you’ve kept on going for all sorts of reasons. Don’t blame or judge yourself. Acknowledge your feelings and the messages your body is telling you.”

Protect and survive

So what can you do to protect yourself against burnout – especially if you suspect you’re on the way to it?

Lina recommends reducing or removing “as many of the stresses on our body as possible”, such as alcohol, nicotine, sugar and caffeine. This also involves getting away from the desk, Pete points out. “That break is so important, as people working from home have discovered. And make sure you take your holidays too.”

And while you’re away from the desk, get moving: study after study has shown that exercise is one of the top ways to combat stress and tackle burnout, experts advise. You could join a gym, fitness studio or leisure centre through one of CSSC’s discounts or offers. Even a “short, sharp walk in the fresh air away from your desk, and your phone” can help to boost your wellbeing, says Lina. Exercise may help with sleep too – which is important, as sleep can be the first thing to suffer when we’re feeling burnt out. Good sleep hygiene includes switching off from pressures after work, rather than switching on the news as soon as you come home. Lina recommends switching off all your devices before you go to bed (to avoid the blue light that tells your brain it’s daylight) sleep-inducing camomile tea, and some deep breathing to help you wind down. For more helpful tips on

getting good-quality sleep, along with lots of other practical advice and tools, try the CSSC life app.

In addition, Pete points out: “It’s important to have some sort of interest outside your professional life. Learning a new skill is a part of resilience and coping with life.” Enjoy your spare time, and it’ll help you enjoy your work too.

You can explore cssc.co.uk/things-todo to find a range of stress-busting activities, from visits to heritage sites or wildlife and theme parks, to discounted trips to the cinema. And you can join CSSC’s communities to try new hobbies and activities, get active, share tips and

than keeping your worries inside, it can help to share them with your family, friends and colleagues. “It’s healthy to share what you’re feeling, rather than letting those feelings fester,” says Lina.

There are many sources of help and support available. Meditation and mindfulness apps, such as CSSC life, Headspace and Calm, can be downloaded to help cope with stress.

And The Charity for Civil Servants’ website has a burnout hub with information and advice about what help is available. However, it’s also important to recognise if it’s time to seek professional support. See if your workplace offers free counselling, or, if you want to find your own counsellor, search the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) therapist directory.

meet new people. You can even learn a new language or work-related skill to stretch your creativity.

Making time for you may mean spending less time meeting other people’s needs; and this can have benefits for your professional life too. Learning to say ‘no’ can help you to feel less overwhelmed. Ask yourself what you could say no to, or delegate, to make a little space for yourself.

Making connections

Of course, these measures may still not be enough to stave off burnout. Rather

Your employer may have an employee assistance programme (EAP). HR managers say these programmes can provide employees with confidential 24/7-365 support, wellbeing and mindfulness resources online as well as access to counselling and therapy. Employers that allow weekly ‘wellbeing time’ can also help to avoid burnout – this has proved to be successful at CSSC.

Above all, if you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted, but you haven’t acknowledged how bad you are feeling, it’s important to seek help. “Be honest with yourself, and take action. Be responsive, not reactive, to your stress,” advises Lina. And remember, it’s ok to call for that help, and you’re not alone. As Pete says: “Burnout is something a lot of people experience – and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Are you sitting comfortably? do to help

Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE).

Sitting at a computer all day can –literally – be a pain in the neck. It can also be a pain in the back, shoulders, forearms and wrists. For those of us who spend much of our working life at a desk, being constantly in a seated position is a risk factor for this type of physical discomfort, and a common problem.

So common, in fact, that last year, a survey of the labour force found that 500,000 workers were suffering from this type of work-related musculoskeletal disorder. Some 39% were affected by back pain, 45% by upper limb and neck

pain, and 16% by lower limb pain, the survey found.

And with many people working from home since the pandemic hit, musculoskeletal pain is likely to become an even bigger problem. “Covid homeworking has had an impact – for example people have been working sitting on their sofas, hunched over their laptops, which can cause upper back pain,” says Caroline Bennett, managing director and lead physiotherapist of Physioflex in West Lothian, and a member of the Association of Chartered

But poor posture while working is not the only reason people experience this type of pain and discomfort. “There isn’t one thing that can cause musculoskeletal discomfort. It can be caused by a direct injury, or more often than not, inactivity or repetitive movements,” says Colette Owen, a physiotherapist based in south-east London working in private practice, who is also an ACPOHE committee member. And whatever’s causing it, pain and discomfort, or other related symptoms, “could impact on that person’s quality of life”, says Colette. She adds: “And it’s not just work; the musculoskeletal disorders could affect their ability to commute, complete everyday household tasks,

By Kathy Oxtoby

Tips for a healthy workspace

Make sure your working environment is a pleasant place to be: clear of clutter, with good lighting, and no distracting noise.

Check that you have the correct work kit, or that it is set up correctly: request a workstation – or ‘display screen equipment’ (DSE) – assessment via your employer.

If you’re working from home, consider investing in a decent, adjustable chair with ergonomic support.

If you don’t have adjustable screens or footrests, try experimenting with books or boxes to get yourself to the correct levels. Check if your workplace adjustments extend to home assessments and equipment.

When you’re sitting at your desk (assuming you have a chair that changes height and a separate keyboard and mouse for use with your screen), your eyes should be level with the top of the screen; your hips should be higher than your knees, with your feet flat on the floor (or a footrest); and your forearms should be horizontal to the desk, with elbows at 90 degrees.

Change your posture at least every 45 to 60 minutes. This could be anything: simple movements, changing where you work, or something more physical like running on the spot.

Colour-code your diary or calendar to remind you to move. The most important thing you can do for your musculoskeletal health is to keep active.

and sleep. Physical health and mental health are closely aligned,.”

However, there are some steps you can take to help prevent and tackle work-related physical pain and discomfort, from adjustments to your office – or homeworking – space to simple exercises.

Simple improvements

There are some simple ways that you can make improvements to your workspace. Colette advises that ideally you should always use your laptop with a separate keyboard, separate mouse, and a ‘riser’ – which could be a stack of books or boxes. “And get to know your chair: do you know what all the levers and paddles do?” she says. “It should not be so low under your desk that you need to lift your shoulders, and it should fully support your back.”

When you’re working at the computer, the top of the screen should be at eye level. And the mouse and keyboard should be in what Colette terms an

Make time each day to watch the seven-minute video from CSSC on Chairobics. It’s a quick and handy set of simple exercises that you can do from the convenience and ‘comfort’ of your office or home chair – find it at cssc.co.uk/chairobics.

Explore CSSC life, our health and wellbeing platform packed full of really useful tips, tools and advice on staying mobile, designed to fit in around your lifestyle –cssc.co.uk/cssclife.

If you work better in pairs, groups or with some motivation, why not organise a lunchtime walk or team exercise? They can be really inspiring and build great camaraderie. Contact CSSC to make full use of our networks and experience. We may even be able to help you with funding equipment.

Adjusting your environment

“area of comfort for working –close enough so that you are not overreaching or stretching”.

Don’t forget that your manager and company have a duty of care to support you, too. This could involve completing a risk assessment of the work area, making sure that access to a workstation assessment, occupational health or work benefits is easy and simple, or supporting you regarding your actual work role. After all, it’s in their interests to ensure that you’re productive and comfortable.

You can also make your own adjustments to your physical working environment to help prevent and manage discomfort and pain. Caroline advises setting up your workstation every morning before starting work, as part of your daily routine. Even if you are ‘hot-desking’, she recommends setting up your station for yourself each time you take up whichever desk you’re using that day. “Don’t put up with what another person had the day before.”

Standing desks (or desks that adjust for sitting or standing) have become very popular in recent years, and you could certainly try one to avoid your working day being too sedentary. However, as Juliet Raine, a physiotherapist, global ergonomics consultant and executive committee member of ACPOHE, points out: “You’re still standing still. It’s better to take regular quick breaks away from your desk, with little bursts of activity to boost your movement throughout the day.”

Ways to ease discomfort

Simple exercises can help ease musculoskeletal pain and discomfort, and can be fitted easily into your dayto-day routine (see box).

“What we want is to boost the circulation – so we need to get up for short periods and move our arms and stretch our legs to get the blood circulating around the body,” Juliet explains. She suggests yoga or Pilates, and uses these techniques with her patients. “But”, she adds, “any kind of exercise is good as it has a positive effect on the body and mind.”

Taking better care

Keeping moving is crucial to looking after our musculoskeletal health, says Juliet. “However, a lot of people feel too busy to take a break from being glued to their computer. The good news is it’s easy to change your behaviour.” Simple techniques she recommends to remind

yourself to keep moving include placing a brightly coloured sticky note on the edge of your computer screen, as “every time you see the note, it will remind you to change your posture”. Or you could set a smart watch “to remind you every hour to do 200 steps”.

Colette agrees. “It’s important to make time for you. Introduce a variety of activities into your daily life.” If you do find that you’re having symptoms like aches, pins and needles, or weakness, and you’re just not getting better, do

seek medical advice. “Physiotherapists are musculoskeletal specialists and can often be accessed without a GP referral.” But make sure you find a qualified professional who’s a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (which has a useful website that you can use to locate physiotherapists in your area).

Taking better care of your physical wellbeing also means “being conscious of your own body’s position and any feelings of increased strain”, says Caroline. “When you feel that strain, get up and move. If we can catch these problems at the start, then we can avoid them becoming a major issue.”

And she stresses the importance of looking after our physical wellbeing generally. “The stronger, fitter and healthier we are, the less likely we are to have aches and pains, and the better the body is able to cope with them when we do.”

The stronger, fitter and healthier we are, the less likely we are to have aches and pains

It’s essential to get up from your desk and move around regularly

Healthy snackswith a difference

While we’d all love the time to take long yoga classes, spend the afternoon on a bike or play a game of football, long working hours along with responsibilities for family, housework and cooking mean there are never enough hours in the day. If you’re too busy to exercise regularly, however, there’s no need to abandon fitness altogether.

The NHS recommends we take 150 minutes’ moderately intense activity per week, and we know that exercise can improve health and reduce the

risk of illnesses such as strokes and heart disease…but the significant thing to notice here is that you don’t have to do all that in one go! Just 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise during the day, split into 10-minute chunks, can increase your overall fitness and health.

Research backs up the idea of ‘exercise snacking’, showing that brief, intense periods of exercise of no more than 10 minutes at a time can have massive health benefits. A 2019 review of studies showed that exercise snacking is good for cardiorespiratory fitness and helps reduce blood pressure, weight, body fat and LDL cholesterol. It raises your metabolic rate when you start,

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and keeps it burning even after you’ve finished your brief workout.

And you don’t need special equipment or clothes. You can do it anywhere, at a time that suits you. Vary your routine to make it more enjoyable; for example, HIIT (see below) one day, a walk the next, taking the stairs another. The benefits don’t stop at physical health either; this plan will create a break in your working day, leading to better mental health, and exercise brings the blood flooding to your head, making you able to think and make decisions more easily. So don’t let lack of time be your excuse to put off your health any longer!

Snacks to stock up on

Try these at home.

Less, but more

You may have heard of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, already: short bursts of intense exercise that improve fitness and help with weight loss. Start with a gentle jog on the spot, then a minute of star jumps, one of squats, then fast running, with a brief recovery period in between each. Finish with more squats and star jumps. Other exercises to include are sit-to-stand, standing calf raises, seated leg kicks, standing knee bends, push-ups, lunges, planks and seated leg kicks.

Stair master

If you use a lift, you’re missing the chance to add a little exercise in an easy way. Start by travelling to the floor

Benefits of taking short bursts of exercise

Good for joint mobility

Works specific muscle groups

Fits around work

Helps get you back into exercise after illness or injury

But be aware…

Make sure you are sensible about warming up before exercise, work within your comfort levels (though these will improve) and don’t do anything to cause an injury. Speak to your doctor if you have any conditions that might cause a problem.

below yours and walk up – at the end of the day, walk all the way down. The next day, take two flights – and increase each day until you’re walking all the way. It works the big muscles, especially the glutes, helps lower blood pressure and improves muscle tone.

Walk tall

Studies of people with diabetes recommend half an hour of moderate walking each day, with six minutes of intense walking broken into one-minute chunks within that. They show reduced blood sugar levels that day – and the day after, too.

Working at the car wash

Instead of taking the car through the car wash, do it yourself! You’ll be stretching, reaching and squatting. Think of it as a workout that saves you money and leaves you with a sparkly result! Housework and gardening can be similarly employed.

Stand up for yourself

What’s more, while you’re at your desk you can also give your health a boost, with a slightly bigger snack. In the 1950s, Professor Jerry Morris of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine pinpointed the link between sitting for long periods and heart disease when he compared the health of sedentary bus drivers against their more active conductor colleagues. A 2010 study from the University of Queensland showed metabolic health can be harmed by prolonged sitting. Yes, standing can boost your health! It’s good for your bones, raises your heart rate, increases metabolism and improves your mindset. An NHS trial saw employees who

What kinds of exercise are suitable?

Convinced? Here are some great exercise bites you can fit in around work and home responsibilities: Walking Running Dancing Trampolining Cycling

Aerobics

Weight training Steps

were given sit-stand desks reporting less anxiety and fatigue and greater engagement with work. Standing for three hours a day clears sugars from the blood more quickly than sitting, too.

Over to you

The takeaway from this is that raising your metabolism several times a day, rather than once or twice a week, keeps your body working harder. Spread exercise across the day and you’ll find that you manage to include a decent chunk of activity that fits into your lifestyle. It helps improve your metabolism, which cranks up each time you take some exercise. In fact, even if you’re already doing something more intensive, give these a go too. What’s not to love?

CSSC’s new wellbeing ten:four initiative is perfect for supporting your physical and mental wellbeing: 10 minutes a day, four times a week. CSSC life runs bite-size workouts around work commitments.

Get Active September

Get Active September is a brilliant campaign designed to help people find an activity they enjoy, that fits around their lifestyle and works for them. Throughout autumn we’re encouraging all our readers to try to be more physical. We spoke to three CSSC members with very different reasons for visiting the gym.

Akshay Jude, marketing assistant

For introverts, going to the gym can be a crucial way to cope, and grow in confidence, allowing them to escape their thoughts.

Social anxiety can be exhausting. Constantly worrying about what other people think of you takes a toll on your mental and emotional state. It can be tough to find ways to cope, and it’s no secret that confidence can be a battle. After all, the key to being confident is feeling comfortable in social situations,

something we introverts tend to avoid.

When it comes to increasing selfesteem, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Introverts may feel they need to ‘fake it till they make it’; but this only works up to a certain point. Instead, going to the gym can be a great way to boost your confidence levels. By challenging yourself physically and setting goals, you can learn how to push your limits and feel good about yourself in the same process.

Exercise isn’t just about physical health. It’s also great for mental and emotional wellbeing. For people with social anxiety or lacking confidence, exercise can be a powerful tool to help improve mood and self-esteem by releasing feel-good hormones in the brain, like endorphins and serotonin. These hormones can have a positive impact on how we feel about ourselves, making us more confident and less

anxious. It definitely works for me.

In my experience, an introvert can be more likely to be intrinsically driven to exercise. It allows us to focus our attention on a specific, repetitive task. It requires little to no interaction with others. And the rewards of a good workout help boost self-appreciation.

Lucy Swann, volunteer team leader

I’ve always been a pretty active person, but in my late 20s I got less into moving and more into eating, and so inevitably I put on quite a lot of weight. At that time, I felt quite embarrassed, so I didn’t think the gym was a place where I would feel comfortable, and I took up running instead. I loved the solitude of running, the time to just be with my own thoughts and enjoy the scenery.

As I entered my 30s, I found that I started to get the odd pulled muscle, and aches and pains in my knees.

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I decided that maybe it was time to look for some other way to keep fit. So, I went to the gym – and realised that I couldn’t have been more wrong: the gym was absolutely the place for me!

My place was at instructor-led classes. Despite my love of running, I’m not someone who is very self-motivated. Basically I’m lazy and need someone to tell me what to do, or I’ll just do the same thing every day. In a class, it’s just like having a personal trainer, it’s a great laugh and it doesn’t cost a fortune –perfect! Most gyms have a good range of classes, from spin, HIIT, weightlifting to Pilates and even aqua-based exercise – so there’s lots to choose from to keep it interesting, and the choice of times fits in around life. My favourite is HIIT, a mixture of high-intensity exercises for short periods of time. When you’re doing it you really hate it – it’s hard! But with your classmates around you, the

instructor keeping you going, and a bit of determination, you get through it. And afterwards you feel a million dollars.

Then in 2016 I ruptured two discs in my back, weightlifting. I picked up a weight badly and it just went twang! This was a really low point for me – my recovery was long and slow, I put weight back on and my mental health suffered.

As I slowly got stronger, I went back to the gym – easing myself in with swimming, then Pilates and eventually back to my classes. Nearly six years on, I’m still tweaking the movements that I can’t do – but being in a class means that I have my personal trainer looking out for me, letting me know what exercises I can substitute, keeping me safe.

I currently go to the gym every morning at 7am. There’s no time to talk yourself out of it

Work, rest and play: tips for making the most of your gym opportunities

Far from being intimidating places, gyms are now communal hubs, where people not only encounter likeminded friends, but they find much more: inspiration, motivation, compassion, understanding and time and space to pause, reflect and recharge. If you’re thinking of heading back to the gym after a break or trying one for the first time, consider our top tips for getting started.

l Don’t commit to the first gym you find, just because it’s close or convenient. Shop around with some free day passes or just visit and have a look around before committing.

l If you have a team at work you’re comfortable talking to, ask for any gym recommendations. You may find there are more people in the same boat than you think.

l Check class schedules or noticeboards to see if there’s anything that catches your attention. Perhaps they run classes just for singles or specific age groups or abilities.

l If you want to avoid it being too crowded, go on days or at hours when there are fewer people, such as late at night or during a late lunch break.

l Go with a friend if you’re visiting the gym for the first time. This certainly helps to reduce anxiety.

l Keep going to the same gym to build a sense of familiarity. Get to know the staff and share any concerns. They might be able to suggest the best times to visit.

l Bring headphones and listen to your own music, podcast or TV show. This can help you to stay focused, feel at peace, and it really helps block out other distractions.

l Keep reminding yourself that “nobody is looking at me”. It’s not necessary to be social, and in fact most people prefer to be left alone at the gym.

l Above all, try to have fun and enjoy your time. If you’re not enjoying it, then perhaps it’s worth trying a new gym or class until you find the place that works best for you.

my gym routine may not be as intensive as someone else’s, it works for me.

During lockdown I found it extremely hard to stay motivated to exercise. I did give home workouts a try, but I found that that they just weren’t the right thing for me.

Most gyms have a good range of classes to try out

and you’re all done before work. That morning rush of endorphins makes me feel absolutely fantastic afterwards! And because I go at the same time each day, I see the same group of people, the same instructors and we’ve become great buddies. We inspire each other to keep coming; I even met one of my bridesmaids at the gym – some really great friendships have been forged.

During the pandemic, one of the instructors set up a Facebook group and led live-streamed classes from his garage. Once again, it felt like we were all working out together – it’s just that this time I was being slightly mauled by a golden retriever at the same time.

It meant a great deal to us all –and in that time, I think we all realised just how much being active, being social and having a healthy routine makes a positive impact on our mental health as well as our waistlines!

Tracy Loans, web team leader

I’ve always led a fairly active lifestyle, but being diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s disease over eight years ago made it even more important to keep myself moving.

After I’d received my diagnosis I started doing lots of research into Parkinson’s and what I could do to slow the progression down and improve my symptoms, and it all led to one thing... exercise! So, I joined the gym.

I found going to the gym a little bit intimidating when I first joined one, but I soon found my feet and put a couple of key workouts together. After doing this I felt more confident, and the gym soon became a place that I looked forward to visiting.

It gives me the headspace and physical space to work on the key areas which help with my balance, mobility and strength. And although

I realised that I needed to go to the gym and be surrounded by other people working out to keep me motivated. I’m very thankful that gyms are open again and that I’m getting my routine back.

Dealing with a disease that affects so many aspects of my life and mental health can be hard at times but going to the gym has been so beneficial for me –even if all I do is 30 minutes of cardio to clear my head after a busy day.

l Remember that CSSC offers great savings on thousands of gyms, often with no joining fees. And if you’re not quite ready, there are always the home workouts from CSSC life, and loads of great savings on equipment, gear, nutrition and training. See www.cssc. co.uk/gym-offers.

l As part of Get Active September look out for some fantastic new offers, including free gym passes, competitions, funding and much more.

A healthy routine makes an impact on our mental health as well as our waistlines

Walking back through history By Adrian Monti

“I absolutely adore ruins and I think they have a particular appeal that standing buildings don’t have,” says Jeremy Ashbee, head historic properties curator for English Heritage. “With ruins, you do have to work that little bit harder than with a fully complete building. But my firm belief is that it’s always a journey well worth making and it can actually be much more rewarding than looking at something which is complete.”

Across the UK, we’re certainly not short of fascinating places to visit. Among the countless gems from all your favourite historical periods are many that may not be quite as solid as they used to be – thanks to the passing

centuries and the odd cannonball or two – yet possess a unique charm. A missing turret here or a lack of roof on a longabandoned monastery there somehow adds rather than detracts from their appearance. If you’ve ever visited the gothic remains of Whitby Abbey, eerily perched high on the headland, you’ll probably recognise the draw of seeing such dramatic ruins.

Weather no object

Often these outdoor ruins make a perfect place to seek out during the winter, when other attractions might be closed. Certainly typical wintry weather won’t dampen their splendour, and an

inky-black sky or a carpet of hard frost on the ground can even enhance their appeal further.

Many are looked after by the likes of the National Trust, English Heritage, Historic Scotland and, in Wales, Cadw. English Heritage, for instance helps manage some 400 properties – of which 195 are classed as ruins or remains, yet many of which still have the power to fire up our imagination of what they must have been like back in the day.

“The reasons for ruination can be very diverse and can be testament to a lot of important events, such as damage sustained during the English Civil War,” says Jeremy. “Ruined castles and other

buildings are ways of showing the fall of great powers which have been replaced with something else. That message that they show us today from the past can be quite moving.”

Ruining round the UK

A whistle-stop tour of ruins might start with Rievaulx Abbey, which lies in a valley on the vast North York Moors. The former Cistercian abbey creates a stunningly striking silhouette; it almost begs its visitors to ask questions about why it and many other monasteries were seized during Henry VIII’s reign. A near Yorkshire neighbour which is equally eye-catching is Fountains Abbey, which is regarded as one of the best-preserved ruins of its type anywhere in the country. This monastery is surrounded by a sumptuous Georgian water garden, and together they form a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Heading south, there’s plenty more which is just as impressive. High on this list and high on the Purbeck Hills stands Corfe Castle, which peers down over not only the village below but a good slice of rural Dorset too. As parts of this fortification date back to the time of William the Conqueror, it’s hardly surprising that its ancient keep wall may have seen better days. In fact, its battle scars make it a hugely enigmatic

An inky-black sky or a carpet of hard frost on the ground can enhance the appeal further

PHOTOGRAPHS:

ENGLISH HERITAGE

Whitby Abbey

sight, especially on a drizzly day when its jagged outline is shrouded in a low mist.

Almost clinging to the Cornish coastline on the cliffs above the Atlantic is the evocative Tintagel Castle. Although this location is often associated with King Arthur, records show it was built in the 13th century, where once an even more ancient monastery and trading post stood. It’s certainly the case that from the spectacular footbridge which takes you to the castle remains you really do have to use your imagination to recreate what it must have looked like in its pomp. But isn’t that half the fun of visiting such ruins?

Before heading over the border to Scotland, there is one very famous ruin which many of us are familiar with, even if we’ve never visited it. Hadrian’s Wall is one of many incredible legacies the Romans left us once they departed our shores. Even though sections of this 73-mile-long divide between England and Scotland are sparse in places, it’s still an awesome sight. Once there, you will see there are also remnants of forts, guard posts and settlements along its undulating route. Together, these give a true sense of life on the northern fringes of the Roman empire.

On the other side of Hadrian’s Wall, Scotland is home to a variety of ruins too. They include the imposing remains of Dunnottar Castle, sitting loftily on the cliffs overlooking the North

Sea. It was once regarded as almost impregnable, so became the ideal place to temporarily safely hide the Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish ‘crown jewels’. If you’re eager to scan the horizon of Loch Ness for a glimpse of you-know-who, the remains of Urquhart Castle provide a perfect vantage point. Climb the steps of its still solid tower for a commanding view across the enormous loch and far beyond.

According to Cadw, there are 427 castles in Wales, and it looks after around a tenth of them. As you would expect, some now possess a somewhat tumbledown appearance which often reflects their violent backstory. Among the most spectacular of its ruins is Laugharne Castle in Carmarthenshire, which, among others, even caught the eye of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. Also worth seeking out close by on the edge of the Brecon Beacons are the 13th-century remains of Carreg Cennen Castle. In the past, this enchanting ruin was voted the most romantic in Wales.

“Many of our ruins might be slightly inaccessible, and as they’re outside, are exposed to all the elements,” says Jeremy Ashbee. “But much of what remains is far from being an example of an extinct building. These were places where people lived or fought or prayed and often where important things happened too. All of them can evoke a strong human story.”

Five amazing ruins to explore for free or discounted entry with CSSC

Witley Court, Great Witley, Worcestershire

This once opulent mansion in the Italianate architectural style is today a spectacular ruin surrounded by still elegant gardens and fountains. The house’s demise charts the fascinating story of its former owners’ fortunes before a major fire caused extensive damage to it.

Ruthven Barracks, near Kingussie, Inverness

After these barracks were completed in the early 18th century, it housed many troops as well as their horses. Today it’s very much how it was left following its destruction by the Jacobites who took shelter here after being defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

Peveril Castle, Castleton, Derbyshire

It is one of our earliest surviving Norman forts, and although it’s clearly broken in parts, it’s far from beaten. You can climb up its tower and enjoy the panoramic views across the Peak District which its occupants also did back in the 11th century.

Llanthony Priory, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire

In a remote valley setting, the red stonework remains of this 900-yearold building still leave its visitors in awe of its magnificence. These ruins once attracted the talents of renowned landscape painter Turner, who captured its beauty from the opposite hillside.

Dunstanburgh Castle, near Alnwick, Northumberland

Proudly perched on a lonely headland, it has a long and bloody history including being fought over during the Wars of the Roses. Today its craggy outline on the horizon can be the perfect focus for a walk along this dramatic coastline.

Witley Court and Gardens

Much more a farm

coffee to topped fries and burgers. Or how about the sit-down, table-service themed restaurant called The Hungry Farmer? What child (or adult for that matter!) wouldn’t want to tuck into their meals whilst sitting in a large tractor tyre or at an animal-themed table…or inside a Dutch barn?

There really is a full day of familyfriendly fun waiting for you at Folly Farm, and with around 50% of their attractions being located under cover, there is plenty to see and do whatever the weather.

More than just one day out

Too much to see and do in one day? Why not book a stay at their brand-new, five-star-rated Folly Farm Holiday Park?. Tourers and tents are welcome, and you only have to pay once for your park entry tickets as part of your holiday booking, and you can come and go as many times as you want during your stay.

Fancy spoiling yourself? Well, they have Showman’s Wagons and Fairground Luxury Lodges too…and the best thing is that entry to Folly Farm is included for the duration of your stay when booking these.

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Rated a five-star day out, and recipients of a Travellers’ Choice award on TripAdvisor, plus a 2022 Visit Wales Gold Award, Folly Farm’s award-winning zoo is home to giraffes, flamingos, penguins, African lions, lemurs, meerkats, rhinos, tapirs, squirrel monkeys, bats, snakes, red pandas, sloths and crocodiles… and many more. Alongside the zoo sits the Jolly Barn, with all your favourite farmyard friends, including pigs, ponies, sheep, donkeys, goats and ferrets. The Jolly Barn is also the gateway to the rare breed paddocks, the piggery and land train tractor ride. In this recently redeveloped area, you’ll also spot Turkey Town, Chicken City, Duck Den, Rabbit Ranch as well as the troll who keeps a watchful eye over Bagot Bridge!

The fun continues in the magical indoor vintage fairground containing 17 lovingly restored fairground favourites like the Golden Gallopers, Dodgems, Caterpillar, Chair-o-planes and the

Twist, plus a whole host of indoor and outdoor adventure play areas, including the legendary Black Bart’s Pirate Cove. New for this year, they’ve redeveloped one of their popular outdoor activity play areas and have also completely refurbished the ‘Big Dig’ attraction, where children and adults alike can enjoy taking the controls of a Takeuchi digger and start scooping away!

There’s also Wallaby Ranch; located in the shadow of the Pembrokeshire Big Wheel, this themed climbing/activity area is the ideal place for little ones to let off some steam!

Looking for somewhere to eat? There are loads of food and drink outlets throughout the park, serving everything from ice creams and

So go on, jump in and find out for yourself exactly what Folly Farm has to offer, whether it’s your first time at the park or you’re an annual pass holder. Zoo, Barn, Fair, Play – pick your own adventure!

For more information and to plan your visit, go to folly-farm.co.uk or follow it on Facebook at facebook.com/ FollyFarm.

l Thanks to our partnership with Folly Farm, CSSC members get a great discount on park entry tickets to this brilliant day out in the heart of SouthWest Wales, just a stone’s throw away from Tenby and a short drive to the stunning coastline and coastal paths.

l Visit cssc.co.uk/follyfarm for tickets, or you can explore our extensive range of zoos, wildlife parks and attractions near you at cssc.co.uk/near-me.

All creatures great and small

nature in person is incredibly important,” Field explains. “I have worked in zoos and in conservation for more than 30 years, and seeing animals up close still has an amazing ability to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in excitement.

“Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park are our charity’s gateways to the natural world, and enable millions of people to experience wildlife in person. This is very important because few people will ever have the expensive luxury of seeing animals like giraffes, sloths and polar bears in the wild.”

Last year, the charity welcomed the birth of Brodie, the UK’s youngest polar bear cub, at Highland Wildlife Park, near Aviemore. Like the other animals in their care, little Brodie acts as an ambassador for species in the wild and helps raise awareness of the plights they face.

“Through our zoos and our outreach programmes, we are going to create deeper connections with nature for more than a million people, which we will be able to measure to demonstrate our impact,” says Field. And this approach recognises the vital role zoos have in strengthening communities.

From the largest to the smallest, animals can have a profound effect on our health and wellbeing. Earlier this year, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) launched its new strategy, which aims to reverse the decline of at least 50 species over the next eight years. The charity has also pledged to significantly increase the number of people and communities protecting nature.

A world valuing nature

“With more than a million species at risk of extinction, our planet’s life support system is in crisis, and the time to act is now,” says RZSS chief executive David Field. “The RZSS has an important role to play because our teams have incredible expertise in conservation science and animal care.

“A perfect example is the groundbreaking Saving Wildcats project we

are leading at Highland Wildlife Park, working with national and international partners to restore Scotland’s critically endangered wildcat population by breeding and releasing wildcats into carefully selected locations in the Cairngorms National Park.

“Our pledge is to reverse the decline in species including wildcats, pine hoverflies and pond mud snails in Scotland, and develop plans to protect other native Scottish species. Internationally, we are working with partners to protect, among others, chimpanzees in Uganda, giant anteaters and giant armadillos in Brazil and Pallas’s cats in Central Asia.”

The charity’s 2030 strategy also aims to create deeper connections with nature for more than a million people.

“People protect and value what they love and understand, so experiencing

“Nature needs us all more than ever, and stronger communities have a greater capacity to care for wildlife,” he concludes. “Zoos are in a unique position to help people realise the mental and physical health and wellbeing benefits of being close to wildlife. This is why we are pledging to enable more than 100 communities to better protect nature. These will be communities in our zoos, including our members and volunteers in Scotland and where we work around the world. Together, we can help create a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.”

For more information about RZSS or Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, visit rzss.org.uk.

l Through your CSSC membership, you and your family can visit Edinburgh Zoo for as little as £10.50-£16.50. Not only is Edinburgh Zoo one of the most amazing days out in the UK, but every penny goes to funding its essential work in education, preservation and conservation. For tickets, go to cssc.co. uk/Edinburghzoo.

A trip to the zoo is educational and fun, as well as part of a wider conservation project, one of our partners explains

‘She was just metres from the rocks. A surfer in difficulty in the worst conditions I’ve ever experienced. It was a heavy, breaking sea, and almost the entire bay a seething mass of foam and spray. The rescue helicopter hadn’t arrived yet, so we were her only hope.

‘I don’t like to think what could have happened to her –or us – if anything had gone wrong.

‘With only seconds to spare, we pulled her into the lifeboat. Thanks to people like you, our equipment, kit and training kept us safe that day. Our lifeboat withstood the horrendous conditions. Our kit kept us warm and dry. And the helm’s skilful boat-handling brought us all safely home.’

6 in 10 lifeboat launches are only possible thanks to gifts in Wills, and volunteers like Daf rely on people like you to keep them safe. When you leave a gift, your name will be added to the side of a lifeboat, so you’ll be by their side on every launch.

To receive a free no obligation ‘Gifts in Wills Guide’, fill in the form below and send to: ‘Freepost RNLI

Keep in touch

Your support saves lives, and we look forward to keeping in touch with you by post and phone, sharing our news, activities and appeals. Would you like to receive our emails and text messages too?

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Even if you have received our communications in the past, we’ll make sure we honour the preferences you express here.

If you would rather not hear from us, or would like to change how we contact you, please get in touch. Just visit RNLI.org/preferences or call 0300 300 9918 Full Name: Phone:

Photos: RNLI/Anna (209603), Scotland Bailiwick of (14), the Isle of Man (1308 Bailiwick of West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ

Daf Griffiths, Volunteer Crew Member, Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station

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Active Wellbeing shortlisted for ukactive awards

This year CSSC’s Active Wellbeing team was shortlisted for two prestigious awards from ukactive.

Active Wellbeing is the week-long annual joint venture between CSSC and CSHR to help all those in the civil service and public sector take part in physical activity and improve their health and wellbeing both inside and outside the workplace.

By providing both CSSC members and non-CSSC members with the tools, opportunities and inspiration to try new activities, connect with others and get active, we hope to encourage people to take a more active interest in their health and feel the connection between moving more and feeling better.

This year Active Wellbeing (AW22) was particularly important and necessary for so many. With the lockdowns keeping people at home and restricting movements, it was more important than ever before to provide people with the tools and time to stay mobile.

Thanks to a tremendous team effort across the whole of CSSC, AW22 was a resounding success and proved more popular than ever, with: over 10,000 visits to the AW22 website over 60 departments taking part 1,200 digital packs downloaded over 7,000 badges won 3,600 pledges made.

And thanks to this brilliant response, our efforts were noticed by ukactive, which put us on the shortlist of its annual awards in two categories, which recognise particular efforts in organisations helping the country move more.

ukactive

The mission of ukactive is to improve the health of the nation by getting ‘more people, more active, more often’. It provides services and facilitates partnerships for a broad range of organisations, all of which support ukactive’s vision, and serves over 4,000 members and partners from across the public and private sectors – from

multinational giants to local voluntary community groups. Since 2015, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has chaired ukactive, bringing her seasoned campaigning voice to the critical issues of the nation’s physical activity. Active Wellbeing made the award shortlist in two categories: Activation Award, which recognises outstanding achievement in helping the UK to take up sport and exercise, and Marketing Campaign Award, which celebrates those institutions that make significant steps to engage with audiences through creative media.

The CSSC Active Wellbeing team was invited to attend the awards presentation and conference in

Birmingham on 30 June, together with colleagues from the civil service HR. Despite a brilliant day meeting with experts in their field, and the lovely evening, packed full of organisations which really care about making the UK healthier for all, Active Wellbeing was eventually pipped to the final place in both award categories.

The competition in both categories was extremely tight and the winners of each thoroughly deserved their victories. It was in any case a fantastic opportunity to grow and make connections for next year’s AW23.

You can find out more about the ukactive awards 2022 at www.ukactive. com, together with a comprehensive list of all the winners. Congratulations to the whole team and everyone involved in delivering this brilliant initiative.

You can still explore many of the Active Wellbeing activities to help get and stay active at work and at home. Visit activewellbeing.me.uk for loads of great tools and resources. And, of course, look out for Active Wellbeing 2023, coming to a workplace near you soon.

Group celebrations for the ukactive awards

Women’s football has started to get the international recognition it deserves – and women football fans are joining together too. By Judy Yorke

A game of two halves

This is the year when women’s football really came centre stage – or should that be centre stadium? – for everyone. The skill, nerve and athleticism of England’s Lionesses was rewarded not only with their UEFA Women’s EURO trophy, but with stadiums packed full of supporters at sell-out games.

Yet when I caught the football bug back in 1978, there weren’t many female fans to be seen on the terraces. . I was a novelty at primary school too – no other girls were remotely interested in ‘the beautiful game’. And when, aged 12, I decided I wanted to play football as well as watch it, there were no girls’ teams. I had to join a ladies’ team and play against adults.

More than four decades later, there are girls’ competitions and professional women’s leagues. Five years ago, nonleague Lewes became the first club to pay women footballers the same as men. And attendances at women’s games was soaring well before this year.

A league of our own

At several clubs, women have formed their own supporters’ groups, with Women of Watford (WoW) the first in the Premier League.

Kate Lewers, who started WoW, has been going since she was nine – but was put off by the lack of women and girls. “You couldn’t look on the pitch and see yourself,” recalls Kate, now 31.

“You couldn’t look in the crowd and see yourself – and the women’s toilets were rubbish. I didn’t have a group of female friends who go to the football – I was generally tagging along with a group of men.” She posted on Twitter saying she wouldn’t go to away games alone because she didn’t feel safe doing so. The club got in touch and things went on from there.

Kate explains: “I thought, let’s create this community of women fans that go to football together and are setting out to make a change in society too with regard to attitudes around women’s safety. We are all women but we all have different experiences and opinions. For instance, just because I

don’t feel safe going to away games on my own doesn’t mean others feel the same way. We really champion that diversity and use it to our benefit.”

WoW now has a block booking at every away game. “The first match we went to as a group was at Brentford on a Friday night. It was a really good one to do for our first – we were at an unfamiliar ground in an unfamiliar area in the dark. We met in a pub before, walked to the ground and got the honks and comments about how bad Watford are and that kind of stuff but we weren’t bothered because we were together.

“It’s great to sit enjoying the game together, chatting about football and not feeling patronised – that’s a really

common thing that our members have felt before. Would you ask a man if he knew the offside rule? As a woman, if I say I like football I have to prove it, but there is no need for that in the group.”

A gradual improvement Kate believes things are slowly getting better. “Women are now saying: ‘this is my space too and I am worthy of a seat at this table.”

That’s certainly been the encouraging experience of Nottingham Forest supporter Leasha Pridmore, 40, who only went to her first football match in January 2022. She’d taken the plunge after watching Forest on TV with her partner, Dan, who was already a fan. Leasha decided to go to an FA Cup match against Liverpool, but Dan was away. “I was so nervous I put a post on Twitter asking if anyone wanted to meet up. I got loads of male fans sharing my tweet, and I even went on the radio to talk about it. I met someone and she was lovely.”

Encouragingly, her experience has been very positive – and now she’s hooked. “It was so much nicer than I thought it was going to be – and I felt very welcome,” she says. “It was very male-dominated in the sense that there were females there but that it was just an overwhelmingly male audience. But

being a male-dominated environment doesn’t mean women don’t belong there. Forest fans are very open and it isn’t intimidating.

“I’m only five foot one, and walking on the concourse between all these massive blokes was a bit daunting. But everyone was so friendly, and I realised it wasn’t scary.”

And what of the facilities? It’s a common complaint among women football fans but Leasha says there are plenty of women’s toilets at Forest’s ground. “In fact because there were so many more men than women there, the queue for the ladies was shorter, and I was in and out really quickly,” she says.

“At women’s games, there are a lot more young children there,” Kate concludes. “They will grow up seeing women’s football get the same sort of attention as men’s.” And after this year, who’s going to argue with that?

We know thousands of you are interested in the sport, so if you’d like to set up your own women’s football league or team, why not use our expertise, funding and connections to kick things off? Email events@cssc. co.uk and we’ll start the ball rolling.

It’s great to sit enjoying the game together, chatting about football

Leasha Pridmore, recent convert to football Kate Lewers, Women of Watford founder

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Run around the world

When parkrun – the free, weekly, timed 5km event – began back in 2004, just 13 runners lined up in London’s Bushy Park at its inaugural run. Today, it’s staged at well over 600 parks and open spaces across the UK. Each weekend more than 130,000 people take part, many of whom wouldn’t have considered themselves runners before parkrun came along. While people of all ages and abilities tackle the course, others volunteer to carry out tasks like marshalling and timekeeping to ensure it happens, come rain or shine.

The phenomenon which is parkrun hasn’t limited its spread to the UK – it’s exploded around the world too. Whether you find yourself in the US, Australia,

By Adrian Monti

Finland or Japan, you can rock up to one as easily as you would to the one at your local park. And this has produced a number of ‘parkrun tourists’: people who want to explore new courses away from their home one.

Routine + change

One runner who has embraced this sense of adventure is Helen Rees, a keen parkrunner since 2016.

“I’d fallen out of love with running until I did my local parkrun and became hooked on it straight away,” says Helen, 50, who lives near Eastleigh, Hampshire. “There was something about the people doing it, the community and simply being active out in the fresh air all

together.” It became part of her regular routine, and she was one of the team which set up Itchen Valley Country parkrun. Then, when she was visiting friends in Berkshire one weekend, she realised she could run there too. This discovery kicked off a whole new quest.

“When I was at a work conference in New Zealand the following year, I spotted there was a parkrun in Auckland and was excited about running that,” she says. “I’ve also done others abroad, including in America and France. The funny thing is that every parkrun is different, but all are 5km. So you know it will work in the same way as all the others and you will receive a warm welcome, enjoy a new route, record a time, and it is like dropping in on a group of friends.”

She has also taken up various parkrun challenges, including the ‘parkrun alphabet’, where you have to visit a run beginning with each letter of the alphabet (though not necessarily in the right order!).

Parkrun has become a part of so many lives, both at home and away

THREE UK PARKRUNS WORTH A VISIT

Woolacombe Dunes, North Devon Regarded as one of the toughest, but it’s also one of the prettiest, as you scale steep sand dunes on this coastal course.

Aviemore, Scottish Highlands Set in the stunning Cairngorms National Park, trails will take you through forests and heather moorlands with a mountain backdrop. Barry Island, South Wales If you’re a runner and a fan of TV’s Gavin and Stacey, this is a must for you as it takes you along the prom of the tourist resort featured in that much-loved comedy.

“I’m a collector by nature so loved the idea of taking up this one,” says Helen. “By travelling around doing new events, we saw some amazing places, often making a weekend of it.”

As there is no parkrun – yet – which starts with ‘X’, the parkrun alphabet is only 25 letters. But Helen and her fellow enthusiasts were thrilled when they discovered an event beginning with ‘Z’ within reach. “We originally found one in Poland but couldn’t go because of lockdown. Then we found a new one called Zuiderpark in The Hague. While we were there, other runners told us it was National Windmill Day, so we should visit an amazing 300-year-old mill with a mini festival going on. We would never have gone if it wasn’t for parkrun.”

Going for the century

Helen’s next challenge is to complete parkruns at 100 different locations. That’s something that Val Brockwell, who has been a runner for more than 40 years, achieved in June 2022.

“I did my nearest parkrun for several weeks at first, but then got a bit bored with doing the same course each time,” says Val, 72, from Hove, East Sussex. “So, I started doing others near me and then in other parts of the country. I’ve even created a spreadsheet to keep track of them all.

“I prefer off-road ones on trails through woods or with some hills, but every course is different. I’ve run some lovely ones such as at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire and Whinlatter Forest in the Lake District. Many of them really stand out as memorable for one reason or another.”

Val’s partner, Stewart, runs many with her, and she has completed parkruns

in Paris and Poland. “I think parkrun is the most wonderful thing to get people active,” she says. “When I started running, there was nothing like this. I love the tourism side as you can make a little trip around the run and see places you may not have visited otherwise.

“I love looking at the app or a map and researching where to go next,” Val concludes. “I would love to do one in San Francisco Bay, with the Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop. I did want to do one at Mount Etna in Sicily, which will hopefully reopen soon. Parkrun tourism may be a hobby, but it’s one that keeps you fit, and you see some wonderful places and meet some wonderful people along the way.”

We’ve been helping our members get more out of running for over 100 years. The Civil Service Athletics Association organises parkruns and other longer-distance events throughout the year. You can find a parkrun near you on our dedicated webpage, together with loads of advice, maps, routes and plans as well as great offers on training, nutrition, equipment and communities. Visit www.cssc.co.uk/running.

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CSSC is supported by a dedicated group of volunteers, from all across the country and from all walks of life. Assisted by a head office team, website and knowledge base, these 1,200 volunteers help run, host and administer many of CSSC’s local and regional associations, events and activities. They are responsible for bringing so much joy to so many, through thousands of activities and local interest groups – and are affectionately referred to as ‘the beating heart’ of CSSC.

Central & East Lancs Fellwalking Group

John Taylor helps look after the fellwalking group in Central & East Lancs. He and the dedicated team he works with host about 10 organised walks a year from March to December, usually on the first Sunday of the month.

By day, John is happily retired from lengthy careers in the Post Office and BT. Having been a member of CSSC and a volunteer for many years, John is passionate about walking and the health benefits that come from getting out and about in the beautiful Yorkshire and Lancashire countryside. So sharing his hobby with others is a natural fit.

Best foot forward

John tells us more…

“We travel by coach to beautiful countryside locations which are easily accessible from Preston in Central Lancashire. With a varied programme of walks in the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and Lancashire, we fully appreciate just how lucky we are. Our previous walk (at time of writing) was on Sunday 8 May, around Old Langho in Lancashire, and was seven and a half miles long.

“All our walks are planned and reconnoitred in advance and are led on the day by various members of the group, all experienced walkers. All that the other walkers have to do is turn up with suitable boots, waterproof clothing (just in case) and a packed lunch. Where circumstances allow, we will try to provide two walks on the day, one of up to 10 miles and one of perhaps six to eight miles. At a cost of just £10 to CSSC members it’s regarded as great value, even more so considering recent

increases in fuel costs, which mean you couldn’t even travel to our destinations in your own car as cheaply.

“A typical day will begin with the coach journey, usually taking up to one and a half hours, departing at 8.30 in the morning so that we can begin our walk around 10am. The walk is conducted at a reasonable pace, making it as inclusive as possible, covering up to 10 miles over a period of around five to five and a half hours, including stops for drinks in the morning and afternoon as well as for lunch. The company is convivial and there is much chatting and catching up during the walk. It has even been

suggested that we should describe ourselves as a ‘talking group’ with a bit of walking thrown in.

“During the walk, even though our walkers range in age up to 85, the question ‘are we nearly there yet?’ can sometimes be heard – and the walk leaders will usually patiently reply ‘just another mile’, regardless of the distance remaining. You may also learn specific walking terminology: for example, if, having been told that there were no more hills to climb, you query why you are labouring on an upward gradient, you will be gently advised that this isn’t a hill, just an undulation.

“At the end of the walk there will usually be a pub or cafe where walkers can enjoy a well-earned rest (accompanied by a beverage of their choice) for an hour before the coach departs for a return journey by 4.30pm. This is often accompanied by the sound of gentle snoring.”

Decades on the Dales

Believe it or not, the walking group has been running, or rather walking, for

A ‘talking group’ with a bit of walking thrown in

Fellwalking with CSSC up with from about a

at least 47 years! “We began life as a section of the Preston Post Office Sports and Social Club but were orphaned when that parent organisation ceased to operate,” John explains. “In 2012 we joined the CSSC, who adopted us as the fellwalking group for the Central and East Lancashire area, and saved us from going the way of the dinosaurs.”

And as one might expect from a group that’s already demonstrated such determination to survive, this

one has lived through the enforced hiatus when Covid prevented coach travel and generally gathering in large groups – and it is now back in action.

“We consider ourselves very fortunate as the coach company we use tells us that not all groups who use their services have been able to continue. We put this down to the commitment and dedication of our members, and the organisation by our volunteers,” John says. “Our members have always been

If you’d like to join John and the team on their next outing or just want to know more about events in the North-West region, email Treasurer.Central&EastLancs@ csscvolunteer.co.uk or type ‘walking’ into the CSSC search bar to find them.

keen to get their walking boots on and get back in the open air. Some were naturally apprehensive about being in the confines of a busy bus again, but normality now seems to have returned, with the associated benefits to our physical and indeed mental wellbeing.

“The next walk we have planned is on 2 October, when we hope to welcome many new and returning members of the walking group and introduce them to all the amazing health and social benefits of hill walking in a friendly group that we all enjoy so much.”

He concludes: “Since we joined CSSC, our members have embraced the many other benefits of CSSC membership, taking part in other trips and activities such as spa days, Christmas markets, theatre or railway trips.” It seems that members who actually get out and do one thing are the ones most likely to take advantage of other offerings too.

Check out loads of great walking partners, offers and opportunities at cssc.co.uk/ walking.

The group is back and ready to head out

Get your skates on!

Cheery, festive music blares, laughter rings out, and there’s also the unmistakable thud of coat-padded bottoms hitting the ice. Yes, it’s the sound of an outdoor ice rink. And these days, many people who haven’t pulled on their skates since childhood are being coaxed back by the temporary rinks which spring up throughout winter in locations up and down the land.

Forget your troubles

Wherever you are in the country, there is likely to be a pop-up ice rink close by, with most opening from mid-November to late January. Iconic places to skate in recent years have included rinks at Hampton Court Palace, Cardiff Castle, Bath’s Royal Victoria Park and George Street in Edinburgh.

One person to rediscover skating thanks to these rinks is Sara Smith. Sara, 41, was a keen ice skater as a child and teenager but her interest fizzled out in her 20s. Five years ago she got back into rollerblading, and three years ago, she and her friends all started ice skating at the Brighton Pavilion rink. She loved it so much that, last winter, she ended up going about four times a week.

“I like the background to it – it’s just a nice setting in front of the beautiful Pavilion,” she says. “We usually go for the first or second session of the day because it’s quiet. If you go in the evening or at the weekend, it can be much busier with first-time skaters.” However, busier times also mean that the ice marshals are expecting novices and are well-trained in helping them –including children.

She adds that skating is good for mental health and relaxation too. “When you’re skating along you are free and in your own little world,” she says. “For that hour, you can forget about everything and just concentrate on your skating.”

And there’s more to skating than your 50 or so minutes on the ice. Most venues have food and drink including mulled wine and hot chocolate to get you in the winter spirit and warm you up before or afterwards. A post-skate pick-me-up and a chat with friends is a popular way to catch up – and even if you’re with friends who prefer to keep off the ice, they’re often happy to stay on the side, take photos and get the drinks ready for a chinwag.

As Sara says, the experience can also vary dramatically according to what time of day you choose to book your session. Skate in daylight at the Queen’s House Ice Rink in Greenwich, for example, and you can see Greenwich Park in one direction and Canary Wharf in the other. But if atmosphere matters more to you

than views, go along in the evening after work. Skate serenely under a dark winter’s sky and get in the Christmas mood as the twinkling lights reflect gently off the ice.

A workout with a difference

“One of the reasons I do it is for the exercise,” Sara adds. It’s a good option either if you’re already an active type… or if you haven’t really fallen for any of the sports you’ve tried. However, many people who would like to take up, or rediscover, ice skating feel understandably anxious about doing it, and they are especially worried about taking a painful tumble. There’s also the worry that you will spend the entire time clinging desperately to the side.

But there are things you can do to make falling over less likely. To start with, you can prepare! Do a straightforward internet search for pop-up ice rinks near you and book early. Most people don’t think about ice skating until December, so an early session in November while you get used to it before the crowds turn

Celebrate the colder weather in style, by trying out an outdoor ice rink. Hot chocolate optional. By Judy Yorke

There’s more to skating than your 50 or so minutes on the ice

Spangles aren’t compulsory, but fun is often inevitable!

up may help if you’d prefer more space and less commotion.

And once you’re on the ice, there are other things you can do to keep upright. Zeenat Noorani is a former professional skater who is now a mental health and wellbeing coach. She explains that the key is to try to relax.

“If you’re afraid, you will tense up,” she says. “Try to relax and breathe. Loosen up. If your muscles are tense, you are more likely to hurt yourself. Remember that you’re going skating to have fun and enjoy yourself.”

Zeenat adds: “Make sure your skates are a good fit, not too tight or too loose –if they are too tight you can’t move freely and they might hurt when you take them off, which could put you off going again.” And she has some tips for what nervous skaters should do when they step on the ice. “Hold onto the side with one hand,” she advises. “Bend your knees – you will feel more stable. People tend to lean

back or lean forward. Ground yourself and bend your knees. Then push off at an angle and start to glide.”

It’s tempting to look at your feet, but Zeenat says that you should lift your head up and look ahead. “If you do this you will be able to see the traffic around you, and it will help you keep your balance too. If you let go, keep your arms in front of you but at a slight angle – that will also help you balance.”

And you shouldn’t get frustrated if you aren’t effortlessly gliding after your first session. It can take several visits to find your feet, but before long you’ll be adding in turns and stops and helping others to find their own.

“How much you can achieve in a session varies from person to person,” she says. “If you already tend to do other sports, then you may be more likely to have the determination to keep trying it.”

It can be tempting to clutch the hand of a more experienced skater, but she advises against this as it makes your body position change. And nor does she advise using those cute penguins, which are aimed at kids, as they’re too small and too low down for most adults.

Finally, what if the worst happens, and you do fall over?

“If you fall, bring your hands in first and turn onto your side to protect your fingers,” she says. “Then go on one knee and then up on the other.” However, all skating rinks will have professionals to help people get to their feet, and they’re well trained in assisting less confident skaters around the rink. And remember people are always happy to help others get to the side. After all, everyone started off as a novice at some time!

Ice skating is a great workout and a really good de-stressor. It’s a good cardiovascular workout, great for balance and coordination and it’s a fun way to stay active. And if you’re not quite ready to hit the ice, how about dusting off your roller skates or some in-line skates to whet your appetite without wetting your clothes?

If you can’t find an outdoor rink near you, check local listings for indoor areas. And why not get in touch with your CSSC volunteer to organise a trip to a local rink near you?

To some people, even the mention of those far-off days of having to do crosscountry at school will still make them feel sick to the pits of their stomachs.

You too may remember yourself being sent off on a cold, windy and invariably wet winter’s afternoon, dressed only in a flimsy kit, through the muddiest of muddy fields with your PE teacher’s words of ‘encouragement’ ringing in your ears. Of course, once out of earshot of the person yelling “Put some effort in!”, you might have dropped your pace to a walk or even cut the odd corner or two. For those even braver, this might have extended to hiding in some handily located bushes, only to reemerge later when the race’s stragglers were cantering back to the finish.

But not everyone shares this loathing for one of our traditional winter sports, which leaves some cold – in every sense. Among those with bundles of enthusiasm for it are James McCrae,

who today is a keen member of a successful civil service cross-country team. Although he can see that running those hard miles in the cloying mud isn’t for everyone, James enjoys the unique challenge this type of racing offers.

A challenge, in every sense

“I love running on the track during the summer athletics season, but I also enjoy the challenge of cross-country, where it’s you up against the course rather than only competing against the other runners,” says James, who works for the Office for National Statistics in Newport, South Wales, and runs for the Sheffield-based Hallamshire Harriers club as well as representing the civil service in a number of matches.

“I actually like the tougher, heavy courses and feel battling the bad weather and the mud is all part of the unique appeal of cross-country,” he explains. “It’s a challenge in every sense.”

James first got into running through doing kids’ fun runs as a youngster before later representing his school and county in the sport. Although his main focus has been middle-distance races on the track, he appreciates the benefits which can be reaped from a gruelling cross-country season too. “Running through a typical British winter on tough courses is great for building up my endurance for the summer season,” he says. “I like the way that cross-country

I like the camaraderie you experience at these races Take the ‘cross’ out of cross-country

If the idea of cross-country running fills you with terrifying memories, think again! It can be very good fun indeed. By Adrian Monti

Five top tips for a novice cross-country runner

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Arrive early enough to walk the course before your race starts –it’s handy to know what you might be facing on your way round.

2 Depending on how soft or hard the ground is underfoot, decide which size metal spikes to have in your ‘spike’ shoes. Usually a 9mm is fine for firm terrain, but a 12mm or 15mm is best for a very muddy course. Ideally, take along a selection so you can choose after walking the course.

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There’s often a lot of hanging about afterwards to claim your bags, so take warm outer layers to wear before and put on after your run, which you can easily access. If you can take a buddy to mind your gear on the first few runs, it may help with your post-run cool-down.

4

There’s always the fear of losing a shoe on the course if it’s a real quagmire, so wrap some strong gaffer tape several times around your feet to keep them on.

5 Expect it to be a fast start and be aware of any ‘bottlenecks’ early on along the course.

course and how you can handle it.” And although a runner of James’s ability is often up at the front when the winners – and medals – are decided, he also loves the fact that such events are also so inclusive, and open to all.

races can be hard but are somehow less intense than battles with your rivals on the track.”

James adds: “I also like the camaraderie you experience at these races, especially at the ones I have done so far competing for the civil service.” One high point was being in the winning team that won the coveted Sir Sefton Brancker trophy in 2020 – for the first time in 21 years. The event itself has a rich history dating back to 1929 and was named after the air vice-marshal who was a major general in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War and also a senior civil servant. This annual match between the civil service, RAF and formerly Middlesex (which dropped out in 2009), and now the police, is contested each January at the RAF base at Halton, Bucks. Women have been allowed to compete in the women’s version of the event since 1987. “We made sure we had all our best

runners out on the day and absolutely smashed it,” says James. “It was a great achievement and a real team effort. It was very satisfying.”

Hampstead Heath racing

Another highlight of the civil service cross-country calendar is the annual individual championship, usually held at Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, London, each October. “It’s a really tough hill, but it’s such an iconic course in the cross-country world that it’s great to take part and really test yourself. I like a hill or two anyway, and if it was run on a fairly flat course, it would be quite boring. Cross-country is all about you and the

“Runners of all ages and abilities can take part in these races,” says James. “It’s great that these runners still enjoy taking on a cross-country course. I’ve always enjoyed it and hope I always will love getting out there and taking on whatever the course and the conditions throw at me.”

Civil Service running

For over 150 years the Civil Service Athletics Association has been successfully organising runs for its members. (Read about the history of the CSAA on page 8.) It focuses on cross- country, together with both track and road, the most recent events being the 10k Championship and 5k Jubilee Challenge back in May this year. It’s an extremely welcoming club which is always looking for new members to take up the baton.

And remember CSSC works with loads of great partners, who offer hundreds of savings and discounts on equipment, training, nutrition and everything else you’d need to take up running, or take it to the next levelcssc.co.uk/running

Longer runs can be intensely rewarding

Many of us sing at school, but by the time we reach our impressionable teens, it seems to be the first thing we drop. If only we had known that the ones who carried on singing were the cool ones!

If you’ve always loved music, singing is one way you can take it up without having to learn an instrument – though there are some things you should do to protect your voice and others you can

do to improve it. Here’s our guide to helping you on your way.

Voice and range

First things first: how do you know what voice part you are? There are four broad groups of voices – from the highest to the lowest, soprano, alto, tenor and bass (there are some additional divisions for choirs or soloists, but you don’t really

need to get into that now). Using a piano keyboard, you can find where your voice sits best: soprano: C4 to A5 alto: G3 to E5 tenor: C3 to A4 bass: F2 to E4.

Start at the lowest note you can comfortably reach, and sing a scale upwards. Then keep going up as high as you can without sounding (or feeling!) forced or strained. That’s your range. It may be small at first, just eight notes or so (an octave), but with practice you can increase your range so that you can sing comfortably both higher and lower than you did when you originally started. Some professional singers have several octaves, and it’s claimed that pop star Mariah Carey has a five-octave range! But for the moment just get an idea.

Find your voice Do you love singing in the shower, but shy away from a wider audience? Don’t worry...you can do it. Discover how to make the most of your voice, and get singing. Sally J. Hall

Community singing groups

There are lots of amateur singing groups about. From choirs for local parents to community singers, barbershop groups, sea shanty ensembles and folk groups, there’s sure to be something you’ll be keen to join.

A good place to start is your library’s noticeboard or local social media sites.

If you have kids, there may be a group at the school, or you may come across one at a local community festival. Find out where they rehearse, and go

along! Another popular option is Rock Choir (rockchoir.com), which runs local groups singing easy-to-sing rock ballads. There are no auditions and you don’t need to be able to read music.

If you don’t feel the first group you visit is for you, don’t be dismayed. It may be that you need a few sessions to get you into the swing of things, or you might want to try a different genre. Try groups until you feel that you fit in. Try to stand next to people whose voices you enjoy; don’t forget that your ears are the

A chance to work out heart and lungs (without noticing)

Singing exercises all the major muscle groups in the upper body – including the most important muscle of all, the heart.

Along with this, lots of singers feel it’s improved their breathing and lung function. Canadian researchers suggest that this is because singing gives the lungs the same kind of workout as formal breathing exercises. In fact other researchers are looking into the potential for singing to help respiratory problems such as asthma, COPD and chronic bronchitis. There’s even a special network of singing groups for people with lung problems.

most important thing you can bring to this experience. Listen, learn how others sing, and try to blend in.

Take singing lessons

If you want to join a group that has auditions and a good musical standard, taking lessons will be worth its weight in gold. Find a local teacher and book a series of lessons. Go with some goals – to sing through specific pieces for audition, for example, or to find ways to support your voice without straining it. Your teacher can show you how to warm up your voice and how to breathe properly. You’ll need some experience of reading music.

Take singing exams

Want to take your skills a little further? Take some exams. This will give you a framework for improving not just your range and technique but your sightreading too. There are two bodies that offer exams – Trinity College London and the Associated Board of the

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Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM). You can take examinations from initial grade up to grade eight or nine. You’ll need some knowledge of music theory.

Join a more advanced choir

If you’ve been singing a while, or perhaps you used to sing at school or university and want to get back into it, a formal choir singing a repertoire of classical and contemporary music may be your next step.

Most good choirs will want you to audition – either by singing a piece they’ve chosen for you or you may be asked to bring one of your own choice, in which case make sure it flatters your voice and style of singing. You’ll also be assessed for your range, how well you

A real-life social network, and good for shy people too

Study after study has confirmed that singing strengthens the social connectedness that is absolutely crucial to both our physical and our mental wellbeing. There’s even a theory that singing developed specifically to bring us together.

And this one is really no surprise, when you think about it. To start with, it is a very sociable activity but one

sight-read (and sing a line of music at first reading) and other factors, such as whether you can sing well at all volumes and how well your voice blends with the voices of the other singers who’re already in the choir.

Choirs range from those that just sing locally to groups who record studio albums and go on tours. There’s a choir to suit all tastes, and lots of variety; in fact in some of them you might well find yourself singing Mozart one week, performing at the Proms the next and supporting a rock star on a UK tour on the third – all in the space of one month!

Got the choral bug? Find a group local to you by heading to the BBC’s website (www. bbc.co.uk/sing/findachoir. shtml) or the website of music charity Making Music (www.makingmusic.org.uk/ resources/find-a-grouplist). And good luck!

where people don’t have to think about small talk or finding subjects for conversation. Everyone’s there for the same purpose, so you’ve automatically got something in common. On top of that you’re all using your voices already, so it’s a great opportunity for shy people to get out without feeling they don’t know what to do!

Boosting immunity

When you’re thinking of how to fend off the various seasonal ailments that always threaten at this time of year, it turns out that you could do worse than put ‘join choir’ on your list. Singing appears to help modulate the immune system, with a recent partnership between the Royal College of Music and Imperial College London confirming that it’s associated with lower levels of several chemicals, including the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol. It may help boost beneficial antibodies too.

You can join the Portcullis Singers Choir Club, which currently rehearses in Stratford, London, through the CSSC London Events Team. Membership is free for the first year too.

Choirs for parents, community singers, barbershop groups, sea shanty ensembles and folk groups