Retirement today jan feb 2015 by Amra Media Solutions

today

R E T I R E M E N T

www.retirement-today.co.uk

The magazine for pre and post retirement

FINANCE•LIFESTYLE•TRAVEL•CULTURE•COMPETITIONS•HEALTH•RECIPES

Issue 79 Jan/Feb 2015 £2.90

Our birthday. Your present.

Enjoy $505pp* complimentary on board spending money. As we start our 175th Anniversary year we’re giving you complimentary on board spending money to treat yourself, as well as a host of other beneﬁts that come as standard when you book the Cunard Fare. There are many ways to enjoy your on board spending money and indulge in luxuries on board and ashore: ✓ Pamper yourself with sumptuous spa treatments such as a hot stone massage or an organic seaweed wrap. ✓ Enjoy an evening in our award winning, specialty dining restaurants. ✓ Allow us to organise your own private land tour in your chosen destination with an English speaking driver. ✓ Take advantage of the wide selection of wine on board, or indulge in a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

Forever Cunard.

All these beneﬁts can be enjoyed on a wide selection of round trip cruises to the Mediterranean departing from Southampton on board Queen Elizabeth. The best part about starting your holiday in Southampton is the convenience; your holiday begins as soon as you step on board, where you can relax and treat yourself to the luxuries on oﬀer. Cruising to and from the Mediterranean is the perfect way to take in the beauty of this expansive sea as well as immerse yourself in the history and culture of the region.

Cunard Fare Booking Beneﬁts. When you book the Cunard Fare you also have the choice of car parking, coach transfers or on board spending money of $140 for a 17-night Mediterranean cruise.

To receive an exclusive 5% saving call 0843 374 2282 quoting 000GEN or visit www.ourcruisepartners.com

Terms and Conditions of this offer: The on board spending money offer expires on 28 February 2015 and is applicable to new Cunard Fare bookings only and can be combined with Cunard Fare booking benefits. Valid on selected cruises departing May – November 2015. The on board spending money offer is not combinable with Early Saver fares and can be spent on board in the shops, bars, spa and shore excursions. On board spending money is per person, and varies by duration, is based on the number of nights spent on board, stateroom category and applies to the first two passengers sharing a stateroom. Fares shown are per person in £ sterling based on two adults sharing the lowest grade of stateroom available, or single occupancy in a single person stateroom, within the applicable stateroom type and are subject to availability. Fares for sole occupancy and supplementary fares are available on request. Fares and other information are correct at the time of going to press. For more details, terms and conditions please speak to your travel agent. For full Cunard terms and conditions please refer to the Cunard Second Edition April 2015 - May 2016 brochure. This brochure contains full descriptions of the cruises, stateroom accommodation and itinerary details, as well as important information on passport, visa and health requirements and booking conditions, which you must read before booking. *$505pp complimentary on board spending money is based on a Balcony Stateroom on a 17-night Mediterranean cruise departing 27 May 2015 (Q508).

CONTENTS

4 It’s never too late to start blogging When you retire, and no longer have to follow anyone else’s schedule or goals, why not start writing your blog.

WELCOME TO RETIREMENT TODAY MAGAZINE

6 Prague Alastair Wallbanks writes about his experiences in Prague, the largest city in the Czech Republic.

10 An Introduction to Short Courses We preview a selection of short courses

14 Footloose in Bavaria Following our Footloose series, Debra Rixon visits Bavaria.

17 Housesitting Adventures – Thai cultural with a royal twist One of the things about long-term housesitting is that you can really get to know a destination and interact with the locals. Les and Lee did just that on their six month assignment in Thailand.

18 The Great English Railway Station

Image top right: Image from Annie Sloan’s Room Recipes for Style and Colour © Christopher Drake

Steven Parrissien looks at some of the great English railway stations.

21 Out and About Read about events taking place nationally.

22 Book Reviews Coffee Table Books – some of the best to inspire!

23 Competitions A chance to win a weekend away on a residential leisure course, plus theatre tickets to see two great shows.

WIN

PAGE 23

25 Effects of Hearing Loss Read how hearing loss can still have a distressing effect of people’s lives in so many aspects.

26 Saying Goodbye When we get old we die and the same happens to our animals, although it’s never easy saying goodbye to a well-loved pet who has become part of the family.

• Published by: Amra Media Solutions Ltd The Old Lavender Mill 46a Brook Street Aston Clinton Buckinghamshire HP22 5ES

28 French Elegance An extract from renowned paints effects guru and colour expert, Annie Sloan’s new book, we take a look.

• Tel: 01296 632700 • Fax: 01296 632720 • Email: info@amramedia.co.uk • www.retirement-today.co.uk • Designed by: Tom Evans Design All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Although every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information and the advertisements contained within the magazine, the publishers cannot accept any liability. Retirement Today would be pleased to receive your articles and photographs for possible publication. Although all reasonable care will be taken the magazine can assume no responsibility and contributors are advised to retain a copy.

30 Perfect Pancakes

This year, to celebrate ‘Pancake Day’ why not try some of these delicious recipes, leaving you wanting pancakes all year round!

32 Subscribe

26 35 Let Charitable Work Live On – leave a legacy Read about how leaving money to a charity in your will is crucial for their good work to continue.

Subscribe and have Retirement Today delivered direct to your door.

39 Charity News

33 Update

Martyn Lewis is guest of honour at BRACE conference; Helping patients when they need it the most; The Helping Hands project.

Survey finds over two million Brits know an elderly person forced to put their pet to sleep when moving into care; Tomorrow’s retirees set to live on the poverty line;Volunteering A New Year’s Resolution; Growing number of ‘silver separators’ as divorce rates increase among older people.

40 Charity News Ninny the cat given ninth live; Loving homes for animals used in experiments; National Unwanted Pet Week. RETIREMENT

today

It’s never too late to start blogging Blogging offers a ready outlet for putting our words somewhere.

Sarah W. Bartlett

children were young, we battled the local school system for the same kinds of programming for gifted kids that were so readily available for struggling ones. Perhaps, as a result of our crusades, we became a local resource for alternative programs, found ourselves at the centre of a community of concerned parents, discovering how hungry other parents were for mutual support and guidance. We became an expert. We do not need to believe we have a novel hidden within, the seeds of poems that would touch others, or even the urge to collect memories of our children for their own future amusement or edification – although these might be present, or evolve. All we need is to have lived a number of decades, have some newfound time on our hands, and recognised that our experience is worth something beyond the structured workday and paycheck that may have sustained us to date.

So why blog?

ow that we’re retired, we no longer need to follow anyone else’s schedule or goals. We have complete freedom to pick and choose based on what matters to us, scheduling our days to best match our own personal energy and creativity levels. Moreover we’ve earned the right to say what we think and feel. What better time to start a blog?

RETIREMENT

today

But what would I write about?

Consider for a moment, what a career in health-care and social-services planning and marketing, parenting three sets of children, and establishing a successful small business later in life have in common. Other than being a thumbnail trajectory of my own life, they are, simply, life experiences. In other words, they are prompts. We all have something to say based on who we are, the choices we’ve made, lives we’ve lived. But who would want to read about us? The answer is simple: most of us have, at one time or another, become “experts” at some parts of our lives. Perhaps when our

For some of us, writing is a personal imperative. We must write. Blogging offers a ready outlet for putting our words somewhere. Taken a step further, we might wish to educate others about a field to which we dedicated our lives, perhaps including calls to action or change. Or we may feel lonely, turning to blogging as a way to entertain others from the comfort of home, a perfect solution for more limited energy and a social bent. For many this is a time and an opportunity to collect the wisdom of years in one place to share or review, perhaps for the grandchildren to read someday or to turn into a blogged collection for short pieces (even that novel you didn’t know lurked within!) A primary reason to blog is to connect with friends and colleagues now that you are no longer directly connected through work. And of course more inner motivations might include entertaining yourself, learning or trying something new, stretching yourself beyond previous experience.

The very first step is to make an inventory of your interests, those passions or hobbies or life learning’s that uniquely define you. Where and how to begin?

As of April 2011, I had a Facebook profile to which I had never posted in the five or more years since I created it. I had started a LinkedIn account because that was what a small-business owner was supposed to do. I had created a languishing business website, which I was in the process of changing so that I could be in charge of its design and updates. Then, in April 2012, I learned about Robert Lee Brewer’s Platform Challenge, which popped up simultaneously with the annual April poetry challenge, of which I have been a regular participant. I was immediately intrigued. This was a chance to push myself into new territory, to learn something about social media by wading right in without time to grab a life vest. I would be guided by Robert’s wisdom and held by the community of also-adventuring souls eager to learn the ins and outs of post, comments, linking, optimising, editorial calendars, feeds, sharing ….. in short, creating a presence and a persona via my own blog. It was a trial by drowning of sorts; I’m not going to lie. The very first step is to make an inventory of your interests, those passions or hobbies or life learning’s that uniquely define you.What do you have to say about those things from your own unique point of view? To whom do you want to say them? How? Why? Who do you want to be in the blogosphere? How much energy do you have to put into this whole venture? How will it benefit you, and what will you be giving to the world? What are you even thinking, jumping into this strange new world at this stage in your life?!

Important things to consider about presentation • After you have answered the self-discovery questions above, you are ready to develop a personal code, style and brand. What do you want to be known for? What tone do you want to use? What is your voice? Here of course you have leeway to adopt a persona entirely other than the one you have cultivated all these years, should you so desire. • Whatever voice you choose, the most frequently offered and best piece of advice out there for bloggers is to be authentic. Avoid being coy or obscure. Be yourself. After all, you are putting yourself out there, presumably hoping to connect with like-minded folks. Do you come across as someone you would like to meet and interact with? • Due to the high volume of blogs out there, it seems advisable to focus your content on a handful of ideas, skills and experiences that are yours.You will be stretched enough just getting into the fray; so if you try to blog about something you do not know well, your voice will come across as inauthentic, and you will have negated these first three pieces of advice. • Blogging wisdom recommends consistent posting as the best way to create a known presence. This

can take months, if not years. Yes, you will ask your parents, children, best childhood buddies, and former colleagues to follow your blog. But nothing will keep readers coming back like consistent and compelling posts. Consistent does not necessarily mean frequent, which leads directly to the next point …. • Know your limits. Blogging only works if you choose a posting schedule that fits your lifestyle and interest.

Which blogging site to use??

For recreational blogging, there are two extremely user-friendly options that require no technical knowledge to set up or use, are hosted, offer a variety of templates and options to customise your blog to make it your own, and are free. Tim Brookes recently provided a terrific comparison of these two popular options. If you are inclined to dig more deeply, his post is a must-read. Otherwise, here is the short story: Blogger – This easy and accessible blogging home, acquired in 2003 by Google, has two obvious advantages: people with Gmail accounts are automatically set up to create a blog. And because Google is the mostused search engine on the Web, users will have an advantage in being found. It offers a limited number of templates with unlimited and free customisation options. WordPress – This platform comes in two flavours. Simple to use, with literally hundreds of templates, responsive help forums and community, and topic-by-topic help pages. Wordpress.com is ready to roll with your few decisions. It does, however, cost a modest amount to add customisations. It offers downloadable software that requires self-hosting. While offering unlimited

flexibility, it is best used by those with programming experience seeking a highly professionalised site with all the bells and whistles. In much the way shopping for a home or car involves a series of personal preferences, I would encourage you to go onto each site and poke around. You will quickly get a feel for some of the differences in appearance and ease of use. It is also possible to start with one and move to the other. They do not, however, “talk” to one another. So if you like the WordPress community but feel the Blogger, you will need to choose. The bottom line is that you are going to decorate your blog home in your own style; just find the options that feel most compatible, and take it from there n An extract from Writing After Retirement edited by Carol Smallwood and Christine RedmanWaldeyer. Copyright © Rowman & Littlefield. Used by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or printed without permission in writing from the publisher. RETIREMENT

today

Prague

the Heart of Europe By Alastair Wallbanks

There are numerous excellent hotels to match all budgets and twice as many restaurants.

he capital and largest city in the Czech Republic Prague is also the historical capital of Bohemia, an ideal city for a week end break, flying time is about two hours and the time differential is one hour ahead of UK time. There are numerous excellent hotels to match all budgets and twice as many restaurants. We stayed at the Hotel U Prince situated just off the Old Town Square, a 12th century structure decorated in such a fashion as to maintain an ambience commensurate with the age of the building. Our bedroom was a bit gloomy due to the fact there was only wall lighting but it was spacious with a large bed and a good size bathroom. The ceiling beams were exposed and very ornately decorated with paintings of fruit such as grapes, pears and berries plus flowers in vivid colours which at one time must have been vibrant.

Goulash Soup

RETIREMENT

today

The hotel also boasted a terraced rooftop restaurant giving a view of the Old Town, but by far the best view of the city is from Petrin Hill where stands a mini version of the Eiffel Tower built in 1891 for the Prague Exposition. Maybe not so mini once you’ve climbed the 299 steps to the top. The view of the city is quite breath taking, unfortunately the weather during our visit was dull and overcast. Access is gained by means of a funicular railway at Lanové Dráhy, if you decide to visit the tower make sure you have change as the ticket machines at the station do not take notes.The currency is Czech Crowns, prices are also given in Euros but I suspect if you pay by Euro your change will be in local currency.

Going back to the Old Town Square, it has served as Prague’s main market place for more than 1000 years. It is dominated by the Jan Hus Memorial, a huge monument dedicated to the 15th century Czech priest and philosopher who became a symbol of dissidence and strength against oppressive regimes. The monument depicts warriors and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The Square is surrounded by a multitude of restaurants and bars, some of which are pretty basic but one watering hole worth a mention is “Bar and Books”. It can be found on Tynska just off the north east corner of the Square, it is very small, very dark and very stylish. It’s not all history and antiquity there are enclosed shopping malls on Václavské nám and round the Square are the usual array of designer label shops. On the south west corner of the Square on the wall of the Old Town City Hall is the Astronomical Clock. The only remaining Astronomical Clock in the world still working, dating back to 1410 it displays the position of the sun and the moon and

Prague the Heart of Europe

Charles Bridge

Old Town Square

SHORT COURSES CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS Online Weekends Daytime Evenings Bespoke training Courses for under 19s Dual city and Study abroad Art, Design, Fashion and Performance www.arts.ac.uk

Search: csm short courses RETIREMENT

today

The University for World-Class Professionals

MA Creative Writing MA English Studies Online distance learning available for MA Creative Writing and MA English Studies â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Gothic pathway Find out more: mmu.ac.uk/english/rt Or email: postgradenglish@mmu.ac.uk Visit our Postgraduate Fair on Wednesday 11 February 2-6pm

Retirement Today 2015 half page ad 01/12/2014 12:13 Page 1

LEARN ABOUT and be INSPIRED by THE OUTDOORS A range of day and short residential courses to help you discover and enjoy the natural world. Walking, Photography, Wildlife & Arts courses l Stunning locations across the UK l Meet like-minded people l Comfortable sole occupancy accommodation l

Call: 0845 345 4071 Visit: www.field-studies-council.org/discover-something-new

RETIREMENT

today

The city has a good public transport system comprising trams, buses and a metro,

Old Town Square

One of the most impressive landmarks is The Charles Bridge (Karluv most) which spans the river. Construction began during the reign of King Charles IV in 1357 linking Prague Castle and the Old Town, originally the only link. Mounted on the balustrades are 30 statues, 15 on either side, all have religious connotations, but sadly due to weather damage over the years the originals have been replaced by copies. Crossing the bridge Prague Castle dominates the skyline on one side while Petrin Hill dominates the skyline on the other. Václavské nám only a fifteen minute walk from the Old Town Square and is home to

St.Wenceslas Statue. At the top of Václavské nám on Legerova is the National Museum, next to this is the State Opera. The building is impressive enough from the outside but inside A word of it is exquisite, warning decorated in the about the finest baroque soup, if style. We were you do not fortunate enough to catch a like garlic performance of avoid it. Verdi’s Il trovatore made all the more enjoyable due to the fact the sur titles were in English as well as Czech. There are more than 10 major museums in the city as well as numerous theatres, galleries and historical exhibits, certainly something for all tastes and ages n

Prague the Heart of Europe

Tower Petrin Hill

Astronomical Clock

has a figure of death, represented by a skeleton, striking time on the hour. All the streets in the Old Town are cobbled and traffic access is limited. The streets are narrow with many small lanes which twist and turn in all directions. This makes finding your way about, even with a map, challenging to begin with but once your orienteering/navigational skills kick in it’s no problem. The city has a good public transport system comprising trams, buses and a metro, although we chose to walk everywhere to soak up the atmosphere and fully appreciate the mixture of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Our visit coincided with the 25th anniversary celebrations of what became known as the “Velvet Revolution.” It started with a demonstration by students on November 17th 1989 which ultimately brought a peaceful end to communism in what was then known as Czechoslovakia. Everywhere small groups of students gathered protesting peacefully at communist oppression in various parts of the world. The week end was rounded off with an open air pop concert. The cuisine is tasty but can be heavy with such things as wild boar stew, fallow deer medallions with red currant sauce not to mention the goulash soup served in a warmed hollowed out circular loaf of bread. One restaurant to visit is Restaurant Bellevue on Smetanovo nábreží ˇ down beside the Vltava River. It offers a 4, 5 or 6 course degustation menu. We opted for the 4 course, a bit expensively priced at 6,000 Czech Crowns for two, (approx. £200) wine included and an amuse-bouche to begin. The food and service was excellent so I felt the treat was worth it. Continuing west along Smetanovo ° most nábáeží to the bridge Jiráskuv ´ ´ dum (Dancing House) a is Tancící more modern building completed in 1996. It is nicknamed Fred and Ginger after Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The building is designed to depict a pair of dancers and is essentially an office block, the only part open to the public is the top floor restaurant appropriately named Ginger and Fred.

RETIREMENT

today

here are many educational establishments and institutions offering a vast assortment of courses on just about any topic you can think of. Courses vary in length from a few weeks to the equivalent of an academic year, studies can be tailored to suit ones needs with day classes or evening classes and week end study. There are also summer schools whereby students spend a week’s residential study at a university during the summer recess. Courses can be taken for a number of reasons, not necessarily for professional advancement. Studying a subject of your choice can be a pleasant distraction from the mundane routine. For example you get an opportunity to meet like-minded people and discuss the theme of your choice, let’s say your passion is the Greek Classics, it’s not generally a topic the majority of work colleagues would share an interest in. Meeting and talking to people on the same wave length can often introduce new perspectives and ideas. Many people enrol in courses due to an insatiable thirst for knowledge, but whatever the reason you embark on a course of study the sense of satisfaction and self-achievement on the successful conclusion of your studies is something that will remain with you for a long time n

An Introduction to Short Courses By Alastair Wallbanks

An Introduction to Short Courses

Stay young by learning Marlborough College something new Summer School

Are you itching to get creative? Do you have more time to try new things, perhaps meet new friends? Keeping the mind young through mental and physical challenges can reduce stress and benefit every aspect of health as well as increasing self confidence. A course at Hawkwood may be the answer for you. Nestled in the Cotswolds near Stroud, Hawkwood’s wide range of short courses in arts, crafts, music, sustainability, spirituality and wellbeing caters for every taste. Nigel Westaway offers a day in April entitled “Who am I without my work?” As a recently retired management consultant and now artist, he says, “Most of us can expect at least 15 – 20 years of life after retirement. We may love our work – or we may loathe it – but it provides us with structure, social interaction and meaning, and the prospect of losing this is worth looking at in advance. I aim to help people to approach the challenge with realism and creativity.” The college is known for its delicious organic food and warm welcome. The Grade II listed Cotswold clothiers house is set in beautiful surroundings with 42 acres of sustainably managed land including an organic farm, walled garden and orchard, mixed woodland, beehives, woodland sanctuary, a natural spring and ponds & wetlands. Country walks are always an option as are beautiful views over the Severn Vale from the garden. Visitors are welcome to stay independently or as part of a course. For further information visit www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk RETIREMENT

today

Marlborough College Summer School is celebrating its 41st year in 2015 and in an exciting new development, we are expanding from three to four weeks running from 12th July to 8th August. Undoubtedly our long term success has evolved from the steady improvement of facilities, the unusually wide range of courses, entertainments and the fantastic atmosphere, all of which have enhanced the quality of the overall experience. The ever changing course programme is refreshed and developed annually and this year is no exception with many tutors old and new offering a wide range of new titles to run alongside their traditional favourites. Our comprehensive programme for young people continues to prove a winning formula and is once again packed with fun and variety to suit all ages. We are pleased to present another fantastic Gala concert series on Tuesday and Friday evenings of each week. In addition, we present daily lectures and recitals that have become a popular feature of the entertainment scene. The Friday exhibition continues to flourish and provides a perfect opportunity to view work from many of the courses, whilst enjoying music and entertainment in the wonderful setting of Court in the heart of the College. The Summer School experience is truly all encompassing with ‘something for everyone’! We look forward to welcoming you! For further information visit www.mcsummerschool.org.uk

Learn hand embroidery at the home of Henry VIII taught by the world renowned Royal School of Needlework The Royal School of Needlework has a range of hand embroidery courses; from Day Classes for beginners to classes for experienced stitchers, everyone is welcome.You can also learn these traditional embroidery techniques to a high technical standard on our Certificate and Diploma Course. Our Summer Intensive Courses make a great stitching holiday and, for those wanting a completely new challenge, we also offer a full-time Degree in Hand Embroidery. Based at Hampton Court Palace in south west London, our wonderful historic backdrop provides an inspirational location to learn the traditional art of hand embroidery. Students come from all over the world (you’ll need to arrange your own local accommodation from our list of suggestions) to enjoy our teaching which we also offer throughout the UK in Exeter, Bristol, Rugby, Durham and Glasgow. The benefits of embroidery are many: from encouraging fine motor skills and dexterity; to a relaxing and absorbing pastime that concentrates the mind; to discovering your inner creativity through stitch, colour and design. Added to this you’ll meet like-minded people and discover a new hobby or refresh existing skills! For further information visit www.royal-needlework.org.uk/learn 020 3166 6938

Exclusive Over 55â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Development Corner Position Two Double Bedrooms Views Over Fields to Dartmoor Flexible Care Package Available Warden Provision Independent Living Village Location

Okehampton Office: 01837 54080 okehampton@millertc.co.uk www.millertc.co.uk

Royal School of Needlework Hand Embroidery Courses at Hampton Court Palace

Day Classes for beginners to classes for experienced stitchers, everyone is welcome Learn traditional embroidery techniques to a high technical standard on our Certificate and Diploma Course (also in Bristol, Rugby, Durham & Glasgow) Our Summer Intensive Courses make a great stitching holiday Full-time BA (Hons) Hand Embroidery for Fashion, Interiors, Textile Art

www.royal-needlework.org.uk/learn T: 020 3166 6938 14

RETIREMENT

today

RETIREMENT

today

WE BUY CARS Immediate•Professional•Nationwide Paid today - all documentation diligently completed - established 42 years

WE BUY CARS Immediate • Professional • Nationwide Paid today Please– all calldocumentation Colin Franksdiligently on completed – established 42 years

01753 664456 Please call Colin Franks on

Enjoy a flexible retirement and boost your income Flexiworkforce.com is the only UK-wide job site specialising in all types of flexible working patterns, from part-time and shift work to working from home.

01753 664456

Our site has hundreds of job vacancies from top companies who need experienced people like you.

PleasePlease keepkeep thisthis advertisement for future reference! advertisement for future reference!

To find work that fits around you visit us at:

@ Stoke Poges

Flexiworkforce.com or call 0141 374 2194

Email: colin@quickars.co.uk www.quickars.co.uk Email: colin@quickars.co.uk – www.quickars.co.uk

NEW Snowdon 2015 quarter:Snowdon quarter.qxd 03/09/2014 16:52 Page 1

Trek To The summiT of snowdon in aid of ProsTaTe CanCer on 13Th & 14Th June 2015.

ed!

THE LONDON CELLAR THE LONDON CELLAR

Do you know what your LONDON wine is worth?

In the UK more than 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. We need your help to find a cure for this terrible disease by taking part in the next Snowdon500 challenge over the weekend of 13th & 14th June 2015.

THE

Over 500 people will trek to the summit of the highest mountain in England & Wales over the weekend and we would love you to be one of them. Registration is just £35.00 and we ask you to raise £250 each.

Talk to us for a true valuation and professional advice. We pay upfront, prior to taking ownership and proudly work in association with London City Bond.

To register or find out more go to www.snowdon500.co.uk or call Paul on 07446 534436 for an information pack.

CELLAR

If you would like more information about prostate cancer visit the Prostate Cancer Research Centre’s website:

www.prostate-cancer-research.org.uk

For a free copy of our booklet Treating Prostate Cancer – Questions & Answers call: 020 7848 7546 or email: info@prostate-cancer-research.org.uk

OHB

snowdon500 12

RETIREMENT

today

Prostate Cancer Research Centre CIO Britannia House, 7 Trinity Street London SE1 1DB. Reg Charity No. 1156027

020 3091 0733

Contact Ed or Tim 229 Shoreditch High Street, Aldgate, London E1 6PJ LWC1404

thelondonwinecellar.com

The Flexible Future of Retirement

n Britain, we are living longer and longer each year. This is great news, but also comes with challenges. With the cost of living rising for everyone, many retirees today are worried that their pensions may not be enough for them to enjoy their retirement. According to a 2013 government estimate, more than 12 million UK workers risk retiring on inadequate incomes even with the introduction of compulsory pension saving. And for those with the responsibility of caring for a loved one, the need for financial security is ever more pressing. A solution is emerging in the form of flexible working for the 50+ demographic. While those over 50 may not necessarily feel ahead of the next tech trend in the office, they are in fact championing a new working culture in the UK through working flexibly. ‘Flexible working’ can refer to any working pattern outside of the typical Monday to Friday 9 till 5 and can include parttime, shift work, working from home and job sharing; all options very popular with workers in their 50s, 60s and 70s. The UK has one of the highest post-retirement-age working populations in Europe and flexible working can offer workers like them both greater financial security and more time to enjoy their lives. Currently, only 38% of those above the state pension age are in fact fully retired. An impressive a quarter of a million more people aged 65 and over have opted to stay in work since the Default Retirement Age was removed on October 1, 2011. On average, workers in their 60s reject the typical 35 hours for a much more manageable 24,

proving that more than ever, the over 50s are keen to embrace new ways of working. Far from viewing work as behind them, it seems that many older workers see a flexible career as a fulfilling way to stay active and maximise their enjoyment of their later years. But with the number of over-65s in work doubling in the last decade alone, finding a rewarding job that offers the chance to also enjoy your life is no small task.While flexible working can be seen as the solution for older workers wishing to ease into retirement, finding quality job vacancies that can offer flexible hours can be difficult. Flexible working isn’t just a draw for experienced workers looking to get back into the job market, some of the world’s largest companies are also promoting their flexible credentials as part of an ongoing campaign to attract 50+ workers to their organisations. In response to the skills shortage affecting all industries, employers are now actively seeking out experienced workers on a basis that suits them. Professional services network

PwC is actively encouraging 50+ candidates to join their organisation on a part-time or flexible basis. Similarly, the banking giant Santander are looking for older workers for roles across their organisation to both promote their commitment to diversity and better serve their significant 40+ customer base. Both companies are currently working with a new start-up company aiming to promote the potential of both flexible working and experienced workers to businesses: Flexiworkforce.com. The only UK-wide job site dedicated to flexible working, Flexiworkforce was inspired by CEO Tracey Eker’s difficulty to find skilled work on a flexible basis following the birth of her twin sons. Discussing the potential of flexible working to empower older workers, Tracey asserts, ‘Flexible working can be an ideal solution for older workers who want to keep working but would like the chance to also enjoy their life a bit more. There are many longterm unemployed workers who have been out of the workforce because of a lack of adequate flexible working, but in the grip of the current skills shortage, employers are actually desperate for their expertise.Through Flexiworkforce we can connect these groups.’ Flexible working allows for a far greater freedom of choice for older workers approaching or beyond retirement, no longer restricting them to the extremes of full-time employment and complete retirement. Whether you’re looking to boost your income, continue to utilise your skills or just get yourself out there, working on a flexible basis is the path to take n RETIREMENT

today

Advertisers editorial

Currently, only 38% of those above the state pension age are in fact fully retired

Footloose in Bavaria

By Debra Rixon

Neuschwanstein

Footloose in Bavaria

e drove to Bavaria because I wanted to stop off in the Rhineland in Bonn-Bad Godesberg for a nostalgic visit to where I had worked as an embassy archivist/cryptographer in the ‘70’s. We stayed one night in Mehlem, beside that busy river, before we set off down the autobahns for the Imperial city of Regensberg. Dave and I based Walking in Germany ourselves just outside is always a pleasure Regensberg so that we had and because it wasn’t good road links to be able school holidays, to visit the other areas we we mostly had wanted to walk and explore. the countryside We started one of our walks, the Burgensteige to ourselves. (castle trail), in Kallmunz, a pretty, traditional town that sits on the river Naab, beneath its own medieval castle ruin. We met Bernhard, a charming local amateur historian with a distinct sense of humour, who is also an actor and artistic director for a theatre that performs inside another ruined castle! He walked with us up to the Kallmunz castle, bringing with him the keys to the tower, which gave us some great views of where we were walking to. The walk encompassed five local castle remains and was not difficult, and we found most of our castle ruins easily, looking for the cute little knight figure that is nailed to the trees or stuck on various obvious surfaces in the villages. It’s a landscape with a lot of history, and I particularly enjoyed the intact pocket castle

RETIREMENT

today

Wolfsegg. It reminded me of another one on the Moselle - Burg Elz - but that’s another story! I always feel that if you sit quietly in a corner of these places, a real sense of its history comes through - if you close your eyes you can almost hear those cooking pots rattling; or the clanking of metal in the Knights’ chamber. I always did have a good imagination! Walking in Germany is always a pleasure and because it wasn’t school holidays, we mostly had the countryside to ourselves. I was impressed with the amount of cycle trails, and even more with the numbers of older people pedalling away. The walk beside the Danube was more structured than our castle trail, with proper paths, and as we neared the city of Regensberg, the foot and pedal traffic became heavier. The first glimpse of the twin towers of the Dom is inviting, because you know it isn’t that far. We reached the Roman gates of the city and ended the walk there, mainly because it was getting late, but also because it was the start of the city walk which was of necessity going to be quite different. I knew Bavaria was an ancient kingdom, and I was prepared for medieval relics, but I completely forgot that Regensberg is far older

than the Middle Ages. The Roman remains were such a bonus; and the former Forester Rheinhold was an entertaining and informative guide, displaying the distinctive Bavarian sense of humour. He clearly loves his job, and really wanted us to learn as much as we could about his city. Tourism Official Olivia also felt a very strong attachment to Regensberg; she came from the Canaries and never went home again! I understood what she meant when she said she felt that ‘the walls can tell you stories’ - the atmosphere in Regensberg felt calm and confident, as if it had nothing to prove. The centuries of being an imperial free city, of all that debating and negotiating and diplomacy seem to have seeped into the walls. I really enjoyed the Snuff Museum - the smells were so alien. So many words to describe this one sense there were pleasant aromas, a strong stench in one part, almost a stink in another room! And in the last room, definitely more of a fragrance or a scent - how can one product produce all these variations? I wasn’t sure about taking snuff - I was nervous I was going to completely fluff it and get it all over my nose, face and end up choking! I opted for the menthol one, with no nicotine, and felt rather

apartments are open to the public. There is a brewery and a smart cafe included in the grounds. There appears to be a lingering fondness for their own royalty, which is perhaps surprising in modern Germany, but the trendy princess from SaxeCoburg made quite a stir when she married Graf von Thurn und Taxis. In this film, all we seemed to do

views of the Danube though. You can’t visit Bavaria without going to Königswinkel; it’s de rigeur to visit Neuschwanstein, after all. But goodness, it was SO busy. There are some wonderful walking trails in the foothills of the Alps there, but everyone seemed to be congregated around the tourist town between the two castles. Bernhard did I was frankly warn us, but the weather was terrified of the so superb it felt like the whole Marienbrücke world had come. I was frankly not only was it terrified of the Marienbrücke not only was it spanning a sheer spanning a sheer drop, but it was quite narrow and drop, but it was people just kept coming onto it quite narrow

Debra Rixon

to take that iconic photograph; it was an absolute scrum and still people were crowding on. I had my fingers crossed the whole time Dave was on it - ‘elf and safety would have had a fit! But it’s a magical place, no doubt about it, and being a royal seat, reminds you that Germany had more than one royal house and was only a unified country the first time for 75 years, from 1870 to 1945. One visit has only uncovered a tiny part of its rich history n Debra and David drove from the UK to Bavaria, stopping overnight in the Rhineland. Old Regensberg is reasonably traffic-free as it is a UNESCO heritage site, (bikes are given special priority), so they didn’t use public transport a great deal, but the local buses are very efficient and frequent. Details of their walks can be found on the Bavarian page of their website. After David took early retirement from the BBC, they have focussed on their own productions, and for over ten years have been renowned for their walking films in Europe. For information on all the Footloose films, take a look at www.footloose.tv or watch previews of the walks on Youtube.

WIN

We have 5 copies of Footloose in Bavaria on DVD to giveaway. For a chance to win a copy send in your details quoting ref.FIB to: Amra Media Solutions, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5ES. Closing date: 15 February 2015.

Footloose in Bavaria

The hand-made chocolates were delicious, and I hope everyone will note that I restrained myself and did not buy a sackful!

was eat! The hand-made chocolates were delicious, and I hope everyone will note that I restrained myself and did not buy a sackful! The local dampfnudeln were another matter - I was quite sure they would be stodgy and difficult to digest - how wrong can you be? So light and delicious that we actually had a plate each at the restaurant converted from a wealthy merchant’s tower. The restaurant’s owner Uli was very funny. He does speak English, but was shy to do it on camera. He nattered away to us offcamera, and when he couldn’t think of the word he wanted in English, he just shouted out to his customers to supply it for him. A real character, and one we almost didn’t get to meet - all of us, Olivia, Uli, Dave and I - completely forgot that the day we arranged to film him was Corpus Christi and therefore a holiday. We turned up at the Turm to find it shuttered and barred, and we thought that perhaps he’d changed his mind, as has happened in the past! But no, he was up for it the next day, and even gave us a cd of him singing his own composition with a local band. And of course, we had to sample the famous Regensberg skinny sausages at the oldest ‘kitchen’ in the city - and you can’t have those without the local beer, now can you? You also can’t film a beer garden without partaking of the cuisine or the brew - it would be rude. So perhaps we should have done it the other way round - walked the castles trail after visiting the city, to walk off those extra pounds! Our side trip on the river to Walhalla was interesting if slightly surreal - it’s a massive, very grandiose structure on the side of the hill another of mad King Ludwig II’s extravagances. It is dedicated to commemorating famous Germans throughout history. Be warned that the cruiser leaves you there, there are no facilities and there isn’t anything else to do but visit the building and it’s quite a climb up the cliff. Lovely

Kallmunz

uncomfortable having this white powder on the side of my thumb and then sniffing it! But my goodness, it certainly cleared the old nasal cavities! It was amazing - but I dread to think what kind of ‘hit’ the snuff takers of old got from the nicotine laden mixes. Our guide Elle was very knowledgeable, but that’s not surprising when you discover that her grandfather worked there, and she used to come as a child. Perhaps the largest attraction (aside from the Dom) is the Thurn and Taxis Palace, home to Princess Gloria, a celebrity in the Germanspeaking world, and some of the state

RETIREMENT

today

JJC JJ

C C J JC

J JC J JC

JJ COOPER & SONS Exclusive Park Home Estates

HERE QUALITY IS A FAMILY TRADITION

Tingdene Harcourt-Mackworth Fully Residential Prices start at £115,000 for size of 30ft x 20ft Located at Garstons Park Home Village

New development at Garstons Park Home Village. 25 bungalow style park homes, fully furnished with residential specification. All prices on all our parks include Landscaped Garden & Driveway. Private Residential Estates for the over 45s. Tingdene 36x20 located at California Country Park Homes, Finchampstead, Berkshire. Landscape garden, patio and driveway included. Price £165,000 Stately Albion Wentwood 46x22 Located at Bungalow Park, Amesbury, Wiltshire. 2 bedrooms, fully integrated appliances, front and rear driveway, landscape garden. Price £149,995 Alternatively we can supply you a new park home to your exact requirements from any park home manufacturer.

Stately Wentwood Twin

Exclusive Park Home Estates at: Garstons Park Home Village, Tilehurst, Berkshire, RG31 4TS (Head Office). California Country Park, Finchampstead, Berkshire, RG40 4HT | Kingsleigh Park, Thundersley, Essex, SS7 3QJ Cambridge Lodge Park, Horley, Surrey, RH6 8PR | Upton Cross Park, Poole, Dorset, BH16 5PN | Oxford Park Homes, Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford, OX4 4YT | Bungalow Park, Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7PJ | Robann Park, Fareham, Hampshire.

Call us today 0118 942 8782

info@jjcoopergroup.com | www.jjcoopergroup.com

Considering Retirement in Beautiful Cornwall? Kernow Park Homes is a family owned company that

KERNOW

manages two retirement Park Home estates. Both of our parks are situated in beautiful North Cornwall, with many local facilities and convenient transport links.

PARK HOMES

Retirement Retirement Park Park Homes Homes in in

Cornwall Cornwall Bespoke New Homes from

£130,000

Sun Valley Park is our original park, with a selection of plots for new bespoke homes and previously-owned homes available. Sat Nav : TR9 6RN - Station Road, St. Columb Major

Chy Noweth Park is a brand new development of 11 plots for bespoke new park homes. Sat Nav : TR9 6BU - Barn Lane, St. Columb Major Your dream retirement home could be designed and built to your individual needs, with prices starting from just £130,000 For more information on both parks and park home living, visit www.kernowparkhomes.co.uk

Contact www.kernowparkhomes.co.uk 16

RETIREMENT

today

16 Barn Lane, St. Columb Major, Cornwall TR9 6BU Telephone : 01637 880549 email : enquiries@kernowparkhomes.co.uk

Thai Culture with a Royal Twist

ne of the things we love about long-term housesitting is that it allows us to really get to know a destination, interact with locals and get a close up view of their culture. On a six month assignment in Northern Thailand we’ve done just that. We arranged to attend a meditation class at a beautiful temple in old town. Weaving our way through crowds of tourists browsing a well known night market, for I love Thailand tee shirts and a variety of authentic (honest) hill-tribe souvenirs, we turned down a quiet alley leading to a decorative arch marking the boundary of one of the oldest temples in the city. This being Thailand few things turn out as you expect and this night was no exception. We arrived to find doors to the meditation hall closed, while the temple hosted a special event; asking for Buddha’s continued blessings to successfully adorn an already picture perfect silver shrine with yet more embellishments. The temple compound was Thailand in miniature. Packed with people decked out in their finest traditional dress, garlanded with sweet smelling jasmine and enjoying a variety of local foods as elegant Thai dancers performed in-front of the spectacular floodlit temple while a live band played age old instruments. Surrounded by tourists on the outside, we were the only tourists inside. Receiving several invitations to join the festivities, we sat down on a sea of colourful woven mats - encouraged to eat, drink and be merry at a small wooden table, no more than ten inches tall, complete with layers and layers of red lacquer - to enjoying a centre stage performance of graceful Thai dance. The dancing was superb and one chap was clearly Northern Thailand’s answer to Rudolf Nureyev... or maybe Wayne Sleep - either way, he was magnificent. It was a brilliant unexpected Saturday evening that will no doubt be one of the highlights from our trip.

We came away with great memories and a beautiful silk scarf from a charming benefactor of the temple. Especially woven as gifts for the dancers, he was so insistent that I accept the gift, he took the scarf from the package and, with Les on the other end, placed it around my shoulders - how could I possibly refuse? Keen to see Thai Nureyev perform again, before leaving we asked about his next performance. As very little English is spoken in these parts, it took the dancer, three people and two iPhone’s, used for translation, to provide the answer... the other side of town tomorrow, Sunday, at 8am.

Fast forward to Sunday. We arrived at 8am, but other than large outdoor lanterns for an upcoming festival, the open plaza was empty - the only sign of life was the comings and goings of locals at a nearby food market. Crossing the plaza in search of a coffee shop, I spotted an elderly couple making their way to a statue of Three Thai Kings mounted on a tall plinth - she was such a sweet thing I asked if I could take her photo and we struck up a conversation. I’m a Laotian Princess she told me. Great - trust me to pick the only person in the plaza with dementia! I continued chatting with the lovely lady who by now had introduced us to her Prince. They escaped from Laos many years ago when communist rule came into play. I told the Princess that we had visited Laos many years ago ourselves and we loved it - infact Luang Prabang, the ancient capital of Laos, was one of our favorite places (all true) and I remembered that one hotel we stayed in was once the palace of a Princess (and yes, that’s true too). The Princess looked at me for a split second and I could almost hear her thinking... Really? Because it’s often said there is no such thing as a coincidence. The plaza started to fill up and I couldn’t help but notice people respectfully bowing their head as they passed the elderly couple and... was that really a police

officer keeping a watchful eye on our conversation? The Princess then asked, what are your plans for today? I had a good feeling they were about to change. We were invited to join her retinue in an open ‘silver coach’ back to the temple. Please come to our special event she asked. I’m smiling as I write this, remembering how we set off in a grand procession though the streets of old town, sandwiched between the Prince and Princess and a uniformed police officer, with more ribbons and badges on his shirt than Baden Powell. Moving at a snails pace and surrounded by a police escort, we formed part of a long procession of dancers, musicians, devotees and endless pickup trucks carrying 8ft tall trees, the trunk made from a sturdy length of bamboo and leaves fabricated from genuine bank notes. Traffic police stopped oncoming vehicles and the city streets came to a standstill - it was gridlock in old town. People on street corners stopped and bowed their heads, photographers clicked away and no end of tourists pointed their cameras straight at us - it was a brilliant way to see the city - and such fun. Arriving at the temple - which turned out to be the same one from last night - we were greeted by the congregation and lines of children showering us with fresh flower petals as we pulled up at the side of yet more elegant dancers - before heading into a celebration of a different kind, filled with monks by the dozen and blessings by the score. So cancel the comment about Saturday night being a highlight - this is one weekend we’re unlikely to forget... even if we are the one’s who end up with dementia. And to answer the question we are often asked. No, we’re not ready to come home yet. Convinced there are many more spontaneous surprises to be enjoyed, we plan to carry on traveling, and housesitting... at least for a while longer n

Visit the temple: If you find yourself in Northern Thailand a visit to Wat (Temple) SirSupan is a must. Located in a once thriving district of silversmiths, visit to admire the the silver temple (actually alloy and zinc that shimmers in the sunlight), attend a meditation class lead by one of the twenty five live-in Monks, wander through the temple workshops and, if your timing is right, tour nearby temples on the ‘silver coach’. Located a short walk south from the old city walls of Chiang Mai - be sure to take your camera - and one way or another the extra strides you take are bound to be rewarding. For more information on our housesitting adventures, visit our website at www. stayingforfree.com (staying for free.com) RETIREMENT

today

Housesitting Adventures - Thai Culture with a Royal Twist

Housesitting Adventures -

The Great English Railway Station Steven Parissien looks at five of the best

Southgate A beacon in the night: Holden’s futuristic Southgate of 1933.

Holden’s most radical design, however, was for Southgate, of 1933. Here the whole building is circular, with a glass clerestory – visibly supported only by a single column in the centre of the booking hall below – rising from the circular canopy. The clerestory was, in turn, topped by a tall, futuristic, illuminated finial – which, it has often been remarked, resembles an electricitygenerating tesla coil, a potent symbol of the potential of electric power in the 1930s. Whilst the station was partially modernised in 2008, it still retains its original escalator column lights, along with many of Holden’s bronze panels.

Windsor & Eton

The Great English Railway Station

Windsor & Eton Central’s trainshed.The royal waiting room can be seen to the right.

Perhaps (Wulliam) Tite’s most playful Gothic station was at Windsor and Eton Riverside: an engaging, Tudorist composition of 1849. Passengers arrived under a grand, Tudorarched porte cochère, whilst a vast Tudor window lit the booking hall. As the long, buttressed, station wall stretched northwards, its brickwork featured diaper patterns which spelt out the monograms of the current monarch and her consort. The diaper work also included the initials ‘WC’ – not for the nearby castle but for the railway’s chairman, William Chaplin, along with ‘LSWR’, and ‘WT’ for Tite himself. At the end of this north wall perched a jaunty stone-capped turret, built to give LSWR staff a good vantage point from where they could spot the Queen’s carriage emerging from Windsor Castle. Beneath this turret was, appropriately enough, the royal waiting room. GWR’s Windsor and Eton Central, impressively rebuilt in 1897 in an attempt to rival Tite’s magnificent Riverside Station further north was fronted by a giant, glazed elliptical arch. Inside the generous iron shed – which was never an actual trainshed; the station itself was to the north, while the southern area was occupied by a cab yard – was a stone-faced, single-storey royal waiting room, last used in 1936 and now a restaurant, but which still retains some of its original fireplace surrounds and overmantels, and mouldings. In 1982, British Railways leased part of the station area to Madame Tussauds, who created a permanent exhibition adjacent to the one working platform, entitled Royalty and ailways, using wax models, animatronic figures and a fullsize replica Royal Train. After the failure of the museum, the station and its covered curtilage were largely converted to a shopping complex by DLG Architects of Leeds in 1997. The remaining, single platform was truncated still further, and can now handle no more than a three-car train. RETIREMENT

today

The English Railway Station by Steven Parissien (English Heritage, £25)

Margate The Southern’s ‘Moderne’ station at Margate, begunin 1924.

Whoever was primarily responsible for their design, the minimalist, modernist-inflected, art deco-styled classicism of the big new seaside stations at Margate, Ramsgate (both of 1924–6) and Hastings (of 1931 – four years after Fry had left the Southern) was unmistakeable. All three sites – along with many of the intermediate stations, too – had been rebuilt to complement and advertise the new, electrified lines introduced by the Southern’s chief engineer, A W Szlumper, in what became one of the biggest civil engineering projects of the interwar years. Over their giant entrance porches, both Margate and Hastings were furnished with single, giant lunette windows – a motif that had become an internationally recognised symbol for the railway station at the turn of the 20th century. At Ramsgate, the palatial booking hall was lit by three, huge, roundarched windows in the manner of a German or American union station, while its east and west walls were decorated with ‘Egyptian’ motifs – a decorative treatment which had become topically popular after Lord Carnarvon’s discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. At Margate, another vast lunette rose from the entrance porch, which was flanked by heavy, projecting, single-bay pavilions and stone Doric pilasters and balanced by long, low wings with large, round-headed windows, while inside was a massive, elliptically vaulted booking hall.

Hastings, built five years later, was a simplified version of Margate, with blander wings and the railway’s name emblazoned across the massive stone frieze. Astonishingly, though, this fine and important station was demolished with the consent of the local authority in 2004 to make way for a nondescript commercial development– albeit one punctuated by a good modern station. Ramsgate, Margate and Hastings stations were, it has often been alleged, heavily influenced by the new tube stations for the London Underground then being built by Charles Holden and his colleagues.

Slough

Southampton Tite’s first major railway commission was for the London and Southampton Railway, which in 1839 metamorphosed into the LSWR. His Southampton Station opened in June 1839 (although services did not begin until the track was completed in May 1840). Now one of the earliest surviving railway buildings in England, the station was designed in the form of an Italian town palace. Its fivebay, three-storey façade was assertive yet familiar – its projecting, rusticated porte cochère of five arches recalled both Vicenza’s townhouses and the arcades of Inigo Jones’s Covent Garden. Closed in 1966, only the façade remains; its interior now serves as a casino.

… no GWR station, nor indeed the buildings of any other company, ever looked as authentically French as those at Slough, of 1882– 6 . This infamous town makesa rather unlikely setting for the Renaissance curves of J E Banks’s homage to the Second Empire style. Three big brick pavilions – the central one of two storeys and five bays – were fronted by pilasters rising into attic acroteria and topped with bulbous, curving roofs covered with zinc fish-scale tiles (now replaced by GRP substitutes), punctuated by oeil-de-boeuf attic windows (surmounted with William Kent-style scallop shells) and culminating in wrought iron, balustrade platforms. The central block was dominated by a clock in a broken segmental pediment, topped with a precarious-looking ball finial. The continuous iron canopy in front of central and linking blocks, supported on open, cast-iron brackets, obscured much of the ground floor – but, as Gordon Biddle noted 40 years ago, at Slough ‘the icing was all on top with plain cake underneath’.4 The stationmaster was not always the only inhabitant of the station. Station dogs and cats were soon common. Slough’s ‘Station Jim’ wandered the platforms in a harness from 1894 with a charity box strapped to his back, collecting for the widows and orphans of GWR personnel. Jim was taught to bark whenever he received a coin, could beg on his hind legs, and if anyone deposited a lighted cigarette on the platform he would stub it out with his paw – and with a growl. He remains there today, stuffed and exhibited in a glass case on Platform 5. RETIREMENT

today

The Great English Railway Station

Slough Station: the French Renaissance comes to Bucks

EXPERIENCE THE GOLDEN AGE OF STEAM

When responding to advertisers please mention you saw their advert in

Retirement Today

VOLUNTEERING YOU A NEWS YEAR’S RESOLUTION! From gardening to guards to gas lamps, there’s a surprising variety of roles on a steam railway; it’s not all just engineering. Join our volunteer community and make your active retirement a rewarding one! WWW.WATERCRESSLINE.CO.UK/VOLUNTEERING TEL: 01962 733810

For 200 years , The National Benevolent Charity has been a lifeline to people who have fallen into poverty and distress and who have nowhere else to turn. People like nurse Leah, 58, and her artist husband David, 63. They wanted a happy retirement together but Leah became crippled with arthritis and cannot walk. David is dedicated to his wife and cares for her full time. But, the loss of earned income has been devastating, and they are poverty-stricken. Despite state benefits, sickness, disability and old age can still mean a life of awful hardship. For Leah and David and hundreds of people like them, The National Benevolent Charity can help. The National Benevolent Charity Peter Hervé House, Eccles Court, Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8EH For more info visit www.thenbc.org.uk or telephone 01666 505500 Patron: HRH The Prince of Wales Registered Charity Number 212450

RETIREMENT

today

Out&About... Reality: Modern and Contemporary British Painting Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norfolk Until 1 March

Peter Yates, Cyclops Rock 1974, courtesy of The Yates Family

An exhibition bringing together over 50 works celebrating the strength of British painting with some of the best and most influential artists of the last sixty years, such as Hockney, Bacon, Lowry and Shaw. Uncompromising and direct, the work of each artist represented retains a strong reference to the real word, ‘the stuff of life’, tackling a diverse range of subjects, referencing the body, relationships, history, politics, war, the urban environment and social issues. While to an extent, painting has been eclipsed in recent decades by the minimal and conceptual movements, installation, photography and file, Reality testifies to the survival of painting as a medium and the impact of British painting today. Tel. 01603 593 199 www.scva.ac.uk

Homage to

PETER YATES:

Paintings 1939-1982

Hatton Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne 10 January – 9 May

Many of the paintings on display were inspired by the artist’s extensive travels around Europe, and his landscapes often focus on presenting the unique buildings associated with the places he visited, but always in his own modern style. For instance, the traditional white-clad houses of Greece appear in his paintings as simplified forms. The same elegant modernism can be seen in the architectural details on his buildings, such as the horns on Norgas House and the cones on the Engineering Research Station. To accompany the exhibition of Peter Yates’ paintings there is a display of new work by Newcastle-based contemporary artists John & Karen Topping and David Bilbrough, made in response to his architectural and artistic legacy in the North East. Tel. 0191 208 6059 www.twmuseums.org.uk

UNSEEN

MANET Norwich Castle

Museum & Art Gallery 31 January – 19 April This exhibition examines the legacy of one of the most important and controversial artists of modern times, the French artist Edouard Manet (18321883). Central to the exhibition and the undisputed star of the show is Manet’s stunning Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus recently acquired for the nation by the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. It presents a fascinating opportunity to Portrait of Mademoiselle Claus, 1868 Oil on canvas © Ashmolean Museum University of Oxford look at this wonderful portrait and explore the exhibition’s central theme – how Manet influenced the way future generations of artists depicted women and paved the way for professional female artists of the early 20th century to represent themselves. Featuring approximately 60 works, including examples by Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent, Philip Wilson Steer, Walter Sickert, Gwen John, William Orpen, Vanessa Bell and others, this exhibition breaks new ground in tracing Manet’s legacy in Britain. Tel. 01603 495897 www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

The Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery The Courtauld Gallery, London 15 January – 29 March

The Courtauld Gallery is pleased to announce the inauguration of its new space, the Gilbert and Ildiko Butler Drawings Gallery. Unseen the opening display draws attention to the range and depth of the collection by focusing on works which have not been exhibited at The Courtauld in the last 20 years, often by fascinating lesser-known artists. The selection of some 20 works ranges across the centuries from Two men in conversation, a striking 15th century Renaissance drawing from the school of Francesco Squarcione, to Africa, a work from 1962 by Larry Rivers, the godfather of Pop Art. Tel. 020 7848 2526 www.courtauld.ac.uk

Johann Heinrich Fuseli (1741-1825) Back view of a full-length female figure

Celebrating the Sea

The National Maritime Museum, Cornwall Jan 26th - May 17th

Britain is an island nation with a proud maritime heritage. The sea is part of who we are as a nation. It is this heritage and this environment that the Royal Society of Marine Artists (RSMA) aims to celebrate. The RSMA was founded in 1939 and is widely recognised as being the focal point for much of Britain’s finest marine art. This exhibition features a stunning selection of paintings from the RSMA Diploma Collection specially curated by their volunteers. Tel. 01326 313388 www.nmmc.co.uk RETIREMENT

today

BOOK REVIEWS... Coffee Table Books Some of the best to inspire! NICKY HASLAM A Designer’s Life Jacqui Small, £50 Nicky Haslam must surely be one of the most renowned and influential decorators working today. A Designer’s Life shows the influences that have shaped his career. Throughout the book we get to see some of the fabulous interiors both at home and abroad that Nicky has decorated, also we got to see personal photographs, drawings, newpaper clippings and other personal pieces that all paint an overview of the designers life. A fascinating insight into the mind of one of the worlds foremost designers.

ILLUMINATORS & PATRONS IN FOURTEENTHCENTURY ENGLAND The Psalter & Hours of Humphrey de Bohun and the Manuscripts of the Bohun Family By Lucy Freeman Sandler British Library Publishing, £60

Book Reviews

This is a unique and highly visual study of one of the treasures of the British Library. Made for Humphrey de Bohun ( d. 1373 ) the earl of Hereford, Essex and Northampton who employed two illuminators to work on the manuscript. The interaction between patron and artist is a major focus of the book with a detailed commentary of the more than 300 pictorial subjects from the book of Kings, the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

RETIREMENT

today

LIBERTY STYLE Martin Wood Frances Lincoln, £35 When Arthur Lasenby Liberty opened the doors of his Regent Street shop in May 1875 would he ever have imagined that he would be at the forefront of shaping taste in metalwork, ceramics, fashion, textiles and furniture for the next 150 years. Designs that are prized to this very day with the cache of the Liberty label lifting an item to new heights. In his new book Martin Wood charts the history of Liberty and it’s great designers. Archibold Knox, William De Morgan and Licienne Day to name only a few. Beautifully illustrated throughout.

ARTS AND CRAFTS HOUSES IN THE LAKE DISTRICT Matthew Hyde. Esme Whittaker Frances Lincoln, £35 With stunning photography throughout this is a definite must for all lovers of arts and crafts. The authors take us on a historical tour of the movement from its early days at the beginning of the 20th century, exploring the place the Lakeland landscape held and the houses many of which can be visited today. No lover of the arts and craft movement should be without a copy of this book

HISTORY OF THE BOOK IN 100 BOOKS Rodrick Cave & Sara Ayad British Library Publishing, £25.00 A book that is an absolute must for all lovers of the written word. Charting the history of the book since Egyptian times, from inscriptions on tombs through to the ebook and beyond. Illustrated throughout with exquisite photography showing the development of the written word over the centuries. A DVD is also included.

COMPETITIONS Feeling deflated now the Christmas celebrations have ended?

Why not enter our competitions for a chance to win some great prizes!

Win a weekend away on a residential leisure course or improve your knowledge, while meeting like-minded people and making new friends. Courses start on Friday afternoons with registration from 5 pm and run through Saturday to Sunday afternoon tea. Courses are held in The Midlands, East of England and north of London. See www.anglialeisurelearning.co.uk for full details. Whatever your hobby or interests, there is sure to be a course which catches your eye. For your chance to win, answer to the following question: What time does course registration open on Friday afternoons? Send in your details with the answer, and quote reference ‘ALL’ Closing date for entries is 15 February 2015. For more information about Anglia Leisure Learning courses, email info@anglialeisurelearning.co.uk or phone 020 7834 1066.

WIN a pair of tickets to see Made in Dagenham the Musical at the Adelphi Theatre

Inspired by a true story and based on the hit movie, Made in Dagenham is the uplifting new West End musical comedy about friendship, love and the importance of fighting for what is right. Essex 1968. Like millions of other working women, Rita O’Grady is just trying to get her husband out of bed, get the kids off to school and get to work at the factory on time. But life is about to change forever when Rita leads her friends in a battle against the might of Ford. Funny, touching and timeless, Made in Dagenham shows how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they stand together. Starring Gemma Arterton (The Duchess of Malfi at the Globe Theatre, Quantum of Solace and Tamara Drewe) and directed by multi-award winning Rupert Goold (Artistic Director of the Almeida Theatre, American Psycho, Oliver!, Enron), Made in Dagenham has a book by Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors, The Heretic, England People Very Nice), music by BAFTA and Grammy award winning composer David Arnold (James Bond series, Hot Fuzz, and Sherlock) and lyrics from Olivier Award winner Richard Thomas (Jerry Springer The Opera, The Royal Opera’s Anna Nicole and Shoes at Sadler’s Wells). Terms and Conditions

Tickets valid for Monday-Thursday performances until 28th February (excluding 14th February and W/C 16th February). Subject to availability. No cash alternative to the prizes, they are non-refundable and non-transferable and not for resale.

We have 3 pairs of tickets to giveaway. For a chance to win send in your details quoting ref MID Closing date: 20 January 2015

WIN a pair of tickets to see “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” in the West End THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE OF A MUSIC ICON. Carole King, the chart-topping music legend, was an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. She fought her way into the record industry as a teenager and sold her first hit, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, when she was just seventeen. By the time she was twenty she was writing number ones for the biggest acts in rock ‘n’ roll, including the Drifters, the Shirelles, Aretha Franklin and the Monkees. But her greatest challenge was to find her own voice and finally step into the spotlight. BEAUTIFUL is the untold story of her journey from school girl to superstar; from her relationship with husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, their close friendship and playful rivalry with fellow song-writing duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, to her remarkable rise to stardom. Along the way, she became one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history, and wrote the soundtrack to a generation, with countless classics such as You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman, Take Good Care of my Baby, You’ve Got a Friend, So Far Away, It Might As Well Rain Until September, Up on the Roof, and Locomotion. Playing at the Aldwych Theatre from 10 February 2015. For more information and to book tickets call 0845 200 7981 or visit beautifulinlondon.co.uk. Terms and Conditions Tickets valid for Monday – Thursday performances from 10 – 23 February 2015. Subject to availability, no cash alternative, non transferable. Additional expenses are the responsibility of the prize winner.

We have 3 pairs of tickets to giveaway. For a chance to win send in your details quoting ref CKB Closing date: 5 February 2015 RETIREMENT

today

Competitions

Retirement Today have arranged with short course providers Anglia Leisure Learning to offer one lucky reader a free place on a 2015 weekend residential course of their choice, complete with quality tuition, full board and en suite accommodation, worth £335. Courses cover many topics from patchwork and quilting, drawing, painting, planning your retirement income, lace making, photography, embroidery, beading and creative textile recycling to calligraphy, cryptic crosswords, botanical illustration and many more. Reveal your innate abilities, learn new skills

For a chance to win any of the prizes, send your name and address (quoting reference code) to: Amra Media Solutions, The Old Lavender Mill, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5ES or email: info@amramedia.co.uk

HOPE FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias and many causes of memory loss. But now there is hope with the development of new medications.

Participating in a trial normally requires attending appointments on a regular basis so that the response to the treatment can be measured.

As well as being the UK’s leading medical group of experts in memory and other cognitive (thinking) problems, Re:Cognition Health is an International Clinical Trials Site participating in the final stages of global clinical trials for these ground-breaking medications.

Trials are usually “double blinded”. This means that neither the participants nor the doctors and nurses involved know which patients are receiving the active medication and which are in the “control” group receiving a placebo.

Taking part in a trial can bring significant benefits to people with a diagnosis. They are able to access new medicines often years in advance of them being made publicly available. They are also provided with an incredible level of free healthcare and support. Each trial has a set of entry criteria which typically includes a confirmed diagnosis which fits the study objective; memory test results within a specific range; health and lifestyle factors and the medications that a person may currently be taking.

In nearly every case, all participants are given access to the medication once the trial has been completed. The value of trials was recently highlighted by the UK Government’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies when she issued a directive to all NHS Trust Boards and all other Health Care organisations in the UK that all people who have the opportunity of doing so enter a trial. Spaces on trials are limited and with trials being run in other parts of the world, global competition to get a space is very high.

Has someone close to you been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease?

Participating in a trial can be beneficial for people with a diagnosis as it means they can access new medicines well before they become generally available. They also get high level health care and support free of charge during the trial.

Register or ask a question Email clinician@re-cognitionhealth.com and one of our specialists will get back to you or call 020 3355 3536 45 Queen Anne Street, London, W1G 9JF 24

RETIREMENT

today

ack in the eighteenth century. Dr Samuel Johnson (famous for his creation of the first English dictionary) described deafness as ‘the most desperate of human calamities’. It might be argued that today, with hearing aids and cochlear implants available, the situation for hearingimpaired people is far less bleak. Nevertheless, there is much evidence to suggest that deafness can still have a distressing effect on people’s lives. Following the Second World War, a psychologist named Donald Ramsdell worked with soldiers who had lost their hearing in battle. Based on his interviews with them, he later described three levels of hearing which he called ‘social’, ‘warning’ and ‘primitive’. He explained that we use our hearing at the social level to communicate with people around us and at the warning level to identify auditory signals that something is about to happen (like footsteps approaching or a door opening). Hearing at the primitive level is happening all the time; it is our sometimes barely conscious awareness of environmental sounds such as the hum of traffic or leaves rustling in the wind. Ramsdell made the point that all three levels contribute to our sense of self. Emphasis is often placed on communication, but he noted that people with hearing loss also describe feeling anxious about missing warning sounds (‘Did I miss the doorbell?’ ‘Is it safe to cross the road?’) and feeling cut off from the world because of not hearing music, birdsong or the general hubbub of daily life. It is perhaps because hearing loss affects so many aspects of life that it can have such farreaching consequences. Surveys carried out by the charity Hearing Link in 2005 found that rates of depression were almost five times higher among deafened people (those who have lost all hearing) than among the general population, and anxiety was two and a half times more prevalent. Other studies have also found evidence of psychological distress, loss of confidence and low self-esteem among people with hearing loss. Researchers Patricia Kerr and Roddy Cowie conducted in-depth interviews with hearing-impaired people and found that, as well as communication problems, feeling of isolation and a deep sense

of loss were also reported. For some people, losing hearing means losing your identity, because you are no longer able to contribute to conversation or take in information the way you once did. Previously outgoing people can become withdrawn. Several deafened people have likened hearing loss to bereavement. Particularly if the loss is sudden or severe, it is not unusual to go through a grieving process which may include disbelief, sadness and anger. Of course,deafness does not affect individuals in isolation. Relationships can come under severe strain when ease of communication is lost, and people with hearing loss can feel left out of family life. One complaint often made is that conversation becomes more functional; because communication is difficult, people restrict themselves to saying only what is necessary, and much of the ‘banter’ that goes on over the dinner table is lost. Friends may stop getting in touch when communication becomes more difficult to engage in social activities. All this can contribute to feelings of isolation and sadness. Several studies have investigated the effects of deafness on relationships. British researchers Brooks, Hallam and Mellor

RETIREMENT

today

Effects of Hearing Loss

interviewed people with hearing loss and their ‘significant others’ (most of whom were spouses) and found that both halves of the partnership reported similar levels of frustration, annoyance and embarrassment and both resented the reduction in social activity brought about by one partner’s deafness. There was also frequent mention of annoyance over TV volume (too loud for one, too quiet for the other). Since most of the population in the Western world watches some TV every day, this has quite significant implications for the quality of daily life. There may also be quite important changes in family dynamics when one person loses his or her hearing. People with hearing loss are three times more likely to be unemployed than people without a disability, so loss of income is a real difficulty for some families. It may be that roles are switched and the person with hearing loss can no longer be the main breadwinner. Roles can shift in more subtle ways, too; if the deafened person used to be the phone-call maker or the one who attended the school meetings, this may have to change, and such changes can unsettle the whole family. The stigma that still seems to surround hearing loss does not help matters. Perhaps because it leads to misheard works and misunderstandings, deafness can be associated with stupidity in a way that other disabilities are not. Other people’s intolerance of your difficulty keeping up with conversation can further increase distress. Nevertheless, the situation is not entirely bleak. People do adapt to hearing loss and many forms of rehabilitation are available. It is not inevitable that the worse your hearing is, the worse your quality of life will be. Some research has found that people with lower levels of hearing do not necessarily report a lower sense of well-being, but that there is a connection between well-being and the extent to which hearing loss is perceived to restrict life. Older age, having experience with hearing aids and having a good sense of humour are all factors that increase wellbeing for people with hearing loss. The good news is that, while the actual level of your hearing loss can probably not be changed, the extent to which it restricts your life can be. Finally, there are some upsides to hearing loss. A Welsh professor of audiology, Dai Stephens, who had hearing loss himself, spent much time interviewing people about their experience of hearing loss and noted a number of positives, including less disturbance from neighbours’ noise, being able to get out of disliked tasks such as making awkward phone calls, and also becoming more patient and more observant. In short, losing hearing can be distressing, but it doesn’t have to stay that way n An extract from Living with Hearing Loss by Dr Don McFerran, Lucy Handscomb and Dr Cherilee Rutherford, published by Sheldon Press.

Saying Goodbye

o, there you are, you’re going to get old and die and the same can be said about your dog. As I’ve said before, though, it sure beats the alternative. While I was writing this book I had to make the horrible decision to have Dave my lovely handsome cat, put to sleep. And I can honesty say it’s the most grown-up decision I’ve ever had to make. I don’t think he got sick and died heroically, in the name of research for the book, but you have to admit, his timing was impeccable. Silly, gorgeous boy. His kidneys had been on the wane for a few years and I knew, over the last few months, that he was going downhill rapidly. He’d lost a lot of weight, his appetite went on the blink, he drank water as if there was an impending drought only he knew about and his immune system was on overdrive, trying to cope with it all. Eventually, the vet couldn’t feel one kidney at all, while the other was so large, and Dave was so thin even I could find it. And a knobbly thing it was too. I had two choices – subject my 13-year old boy to major exploratory surgery (probably only to confirm what we already suspected – the Big C) followed by …. What? Long, painful and prolonged treatment on a poor creature already severely weakened, with a slim chance it would do any good. Or to put him to sleep, quietly, calmly and in a dignified manner, on his favourite crinkly Waitrose carrier bag (only the best for my boy). The lovely vet, Grace, advised me to take him home, make him comfortable

RETIREMENT

today

and let him eat whatever the hell he liked for a few weeks. A week later and I knew it was game over for him. I called and asked if the vet wouldn’t mind coming to us; I didn’t want to stress him out by levering him back into his basket for the one-way trip, and she agreed. Don’t be shy to ask, it’s not expensive, basically the cost of a double appointment – mine was less than £40 extra for a home visit – and vets are generally happy to come to you, for this type of thing. I worked at home that morning, writing on my laptop with Dave beside me, snoozing on a cushion. Occasionally he’d take a piece of chicken from my hand, but no more than one. You could tell he was feeling nauseous; that salivary lip-licking and swallowing was getting worse. Then, about an hour before the vet came, he sat up and just looked at me for the longest time. We stared at each other and I thought, ‘Yes, mate, it’s time for you to exit stage left, and I think you just want this to stop now’. So we did it at home. It was horrible, immensely sad, and lovely in equal measures. He just melted away as the vet nurse and I stroked him, and the vet did her thing. Then they took him away and he came back, a couple of weeks later, in a pretty box, all cremated and tidy. He’s currently sitting on a shelf, waiting patiently for me to get my fat backside into gear and get a plant in a pot for him to fertilise and for us to remember him

by. RIP Dave the Rave, you are ever sorely missed. I’m not sure why I’m writing this. Why I’m not trying to make you feel better about the inevitable loss of your beloved dog or imparting a morsel of comfort which may, or may not, help you. Probably it’s because I can’t make you feel better and nothing will help. For a while. Maybe it’s to say that it’s all right to be the grown-up, it stinks but, as one friend put it ‘I got divorced, then I lost my dog, who was my best friend. One recovers’. Ever the dry wit. She is right, though. Whether you are looking for a sign to let you know it’s the right time to let go, or it’s a decision taken from you by the vet who’s telling you it’s the best thing, you will be able to do it, because it’s part of the caring. It’s part of the love.

Pets grieve too For the next few days I couldn’t bear to be near Nikita, I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t want to feel the pain of losing her, too, or if I was too busy looking after Pearl, Dave’s sister. I’ve never thought that Pearl felt anything much other than anxiety, and general sleepiness. For the most part he lived upstairs, she lived downstairs. But she had taken to sleeping right next to Dave those last few days, and now I couldn’t get her off the crunchy carrier bag – not her style at all. I had to throw it away in the end, I couldn’t bear to look at either the bag, or her sad expression. It’s not only you who feels the loss, you have other pets to comfort, to make feel safe. There was Pearl, pulling fur out of her backside for all she was worth, for weeks. It’s calmed down now; time has soothed us both. Nikita didn’t appear worried at all. I’ll be a right old mess when she goes n Extract from Top Dog by Kate Bendix (Short Books)

RETIREMENT

today

FRENCH ELEGANCE When it comes to elegance, the French have a knack for just oozing it, whether in fashion or furnishings. For us, there are two sides to French elegance. There is the gilded elegance and understated grandeur of the French, and then the earthy, rustic, rural French home. The words “simple” and “uncluttered” define this style, and we witnessed firsthand a superb example of it in the center-west of France. A light, delicate touch in everything is very much part of this sophisticted style too. The chateau look often displays furniture and furnishings that are rococo in style—rococo refers to the natural curves found in shells. The turned look and the gorgeously curved cabriole leg are also part of the slightly frivolous and lighttouch nature of the style. French elegance is a design style that has been hugely influential on interior decorating for hundreds of years, and in recent times it has become even more popular because it seems to work so well. Personally, we find the light colors, the French decor, and the sense of minimalism very alluring—so much so, I now have a house in rural France, which tries to be elegant too!

Highly textured French shutters become a feature for the inside of this light, creamy-white living room in the south of France.The neutral palette of creams, whites, beiges, and grays is calm and soothing and a perfect backdrop for the rough stone walls, exposed whitewashed beams, wooden ceiling, and limestone slabs.The hand-woven linens are very French style.The whole look is natural, simple, and not at all precious. ©Polly Wreford

As with many houses in France, especially country houses, the walls are built of stone. A textured wall can look beautiful, and the cracks highlighted and made into a feature if they are painted over with diluted Old White, Paris Grey, or another light color. You can re-create the weathered, washed, and naturally faded-paint look using my paints and some very simple techniques. If you decide to paint a rough stone wall, you’ll find the first coat will be easily absorbed and dry quickly, so just go back and apply an extra coat of paint till you get the desired effect. For 1 litre of paint, mix in 1 litre of water in a bucket and stir with a clean stick. Brush the surface with water first, as this will help to absorb the paint and draw it into the wall. Brush the paint in, dabbing with the bristles to get to all the crevices and cracks. Be prepared for quite a bit of paint dribbling. If you want to retain the patina of textured wood but give it a whitewashed French feel, paint the surface with a brush, working in the direction of the wood. Before the area has had time to dry, wipe it with a circular motion using a clean, dry cloth, until you have the textured effect you are looking for. How much paint you need and how much rubbing will depend on the type of wood and whether it is new or old. Some of my very old French pewter spoons, on which the decoration and flourishes are on the underside. Apparently, this is because a French king once caught the prongs of the fork on his lace cuff sleeves when eating, so he declared the prongs must be face down. So all silverware faces down, with the decoration on the other side facing up!

ELEMENTS OF FRENCH ELEGANCE STYLE Texture

French Elegance

The unadorned and crisp nature of the surfaces are accentuated by texture. Because the colors used in French elegance tend to be on the pale side, the texture comes out and shows through in room interiors and on decorative pieces. The finish is matte, with only a few hints of sheen. This style, like French cuisine, relies on fresh ingredients. Natural materials abound, with not just wood, but metal, stone, and terracotta, combined with matte paints and washes, rather than any arty or artificial, shiny finishes. Fabrics, too, can be very tactile, especially old French striped mattress ticking material and linens, so having plenty of cushions and pillowcases in such materials certainly adds to the overall textured feel of a room. French ticking originated as a hands-

RETIREMENT

today

on fabric to cover mattresses, pillows, and daybeds. It is an extremely durable fabric. It was originally woven to withstand the ends of feathers piercing through and for general heavy use. It traditionally has a sturdy weave and straight-line pattern. This collection of old French plates shows an amazing variety of whites, which is partly due to the different textures. Some of the plates are quite matte, almost like stone, and others have a shiny finish. French plates are great to source for decoration - I collect them all the time. ©Claire Richardson

This room has a warm palette— the walls have been faux-finished with a soft gray hue.This texture and color are complementary to the more earthy-colored furniture and furnishings, including the chairs, the mirrors, and the chandelier. At the fore of the photo, around the table, you can see some fine French toile de Jouy. © Mark Lohman

The iron table and chair both have rococo curves, as does the oversized 19th-century French wingback armchair. © Christopher Drake

Rococo curves

A pretty French chest of drawers, which is of no great age or worth, has been newly painted with curved edges and wiggles, so there are no straight edges anywhere. This look is so rococo - why have a straight lin when you can have something more decorative? ©James Fennell

Colors

I have been hugely influenced by the natural palette of France and French styles, which tends to take in a range of extremely attractive, semi-pale colors. Many of my Annie Sloan Chalk Paints® are directly inspired by the French style as the litany of French names and place names attests: Napoleonic Blue, Provence, Burgundy, Arles,

and Antibes Green, to name a few. And then there are my wonderful neutrals—Chateau Grey and French Linen. Decorative French styles in the 18th century have particularly inspired my selection of several paint colors, including Aubusson Blue, Antoinette, Henrietta, and Duck Egg Blue. So I have a natural affinity with French elegance, and my paints will be a perfect highlight and foil for room interiors and painted furniture in this style. I have also suggested a palette based on typical south of France colors. Colors are not just influenced by painted furniture and walls but also by the strong tradition of French textiles, especially the old mattress ticking, with its gorgeous, mainly blue and white stripes, and the beautiful old embroidered dishtowels, pillowcases, and sheets n

Two typical Breton cider cups hang on this distressed panel that I painted. © Christopher Drake

An extract from Annie Sloan’s Room Recipes for Style and Colour, By Annie Sloan and Felix Sloan, published by Cico Books (£25)

This is of my Normandy house. It shows the kitchen through to the sitting room, painted in Provençal colors, including Old White, Chateau Grey, and, naturally enough, Provence for the door. ©Christopher Drake

The lily of the valley, commonly known as muguet in French, is celebrated every May 1 as La Fête du Muguet, and is part of the Labor Day public holiday. A tradition of giving lily of the valley flowers is supposed to have begun on May 1, 1561, when King Charles IX was presented with a bunch of them as a token of luck and prosperity for the coming year. He, in turn, began the custom of presenting lily of the valley flowers to the ladies of his court each year on May 1. © Christopher Drake

French Elegance

Rococo is a style based on shells and the way they curve. This pretty style developed in the 18th century, when it pricked the pomposity of the classical style with its playfulness. It lightened the form with symmetrical curves and became quite free-form, using rocks (rocailles) and shells (coquilles) as the decorative motifs, based on those found in the fountains and grottoes of the gardens of Versailles. Rococo borrows from nature, so you will see leaves and flowers intertwined with rocks and shells in elaborate outlines. Mirrors, small tables, consoles, and chandeliers lend themselves well to this style. Gilt bronze, gilded carving, lines of color, or inlay could also be used to draw lines together in curved sequences. Cabriole legs very much distinguish the style. Cabriole is usually singled out for furniture—shaped legs in a double curve with the upper part swelling out, while the curve swings in toward the foot, which again flares out. Its use in French (and European) furniture started in the late 17th century, with effort being put into varying the familiar turned and square legs. Some styles used scrolls and animal feet, but the better known designs made the whole leg into an abstract, sinuous line. It can be very pleasing to the eye and helps define a French elegance interior. Chandeliers are a great showcase for the frivolous nature of this style. It’s complete fantasy—the upperclass romantic idea of the countryside. You can pick up simple versions, even ones to hold candles, in brocantes and junk shops, and give them a paint makeover or accentuate their textured and rococo appeal. The toile de Jouy pattern is similarly romantic. Toile is named after the 18th-century factory of Jouy-en-Josas, but you’ll recognize it by those traditional patterns you see on fabrics depicting pastoral scenes of farmers working in the fields, couples picking apples in an orchard, and even the Montgolfier Brothers in their hotair balloon. We love this centuries-old textile tradition so much that we have used it as the template for our new fragrance collection designs.

RETIREMENT

today

Perfect Pancakes It’s that “flipping” great time of the year… yes you guessed it, it’s Pancake day! With the big day just around the corner it’s time to get your frying pans out, lemons at the ready and aprons on. Pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as “Pancake Day” (this year it falls on Tuesday, February 17, 2015). To celebrate this, one of the most delicious of all the holidays, here are a selection of pancake recipes that will leave you wanting pancakes all year round.

Beetroot Pancakes with Eggs, Smoked Bacon & Maple Syrup Serves 4, makes 12 small pancakes

Stilton and Walnut Pikelets with Watercress & Celery Salad

YOU’LL NEED: 250g plain cooked (vacuum packed) beetroot, drained

WHAT TO DO:

Prep time: 10 minutes plus 15 minutes chilling time

Finely chop one pack of watercress and mix with the celery and walnuts. Beat in the stilton and cream cheese. Chill the pâté for 15 minutes.

225g plain flour

Gently grill the pikelets for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Serve the pâté with the hot pikelets, the remaining watercress, the celery sticks and grapes.

1tbsp baking powder

YOU’LL NEED: 2x85g/3oz packs watercress 1 stick celery, finely chopped

Perfect Pancakes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 1-2 minutes

Preparation time: 5 minutes

50g/2oz walnuts, finely chopped 85g/3oz stilton 50g/2oz cream cheese 1 packet pikelets (or readymade pancakes) 4 celery sticks and green grapes to serve

RETIREMENT

today

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 30g butter, melted & cooled Pinch salt 1 tsp sugar

WHAT TO DO: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Pour ladles of the batter into the pan and cook until you start to see little bubbles on the surface - this will take a minute or two. Using a fish slice flip over the pancakes and cook for a further minute or so. Transfer to a warm plate and cover tightly with foil. Continue until you have used all the batter.

300ml milk

Serve hot with the eggs, bacon and plenty of maple syrup.

Sunflower oil for shallow frying

www.lovebeetroot.co.uk

To serve: 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cooked crisply Maple syrup, to taste 4 eggs, fried

Viva Strawberry, Toasted Almond and Caramel Pancakes A truly indulgent pancake recipe, this is something you’ll want to eat more often than just once a year on Pancake Day! Ideal for breakfast or dessert, the strawberry, caramel and yoghurt topping is also delicious on toasted waffles or slices of Madeira cake. Serves: 4 (2 pancakes each) Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 Minutes YOU’LL NEED for the pancakes 100g flour 2 eggs, beaten 300ml milk Oil for frying for the filling

WHAT TO DO In a bowl, sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries and leave to macerate while you make the pancakes. Switch your oven on to a low heat. Place the flour in a bowl and gently whisk in the milk and eggs so you have a lump free batter. It should be the consistency of singe cream. Heat a medium sized frying pan on a medium heat then wipe it with oil. Ladle enough batter into the pan to coat the base with an even, thin layer when you tilt it around the pan. Leave the batter to stand until the top side looks dry and the bottom is golden, usually around 30 seconds. Using a fish slice or a flick of the wrist, turn or flip the pancake to cook the other side. Once cooked pop it on a plate, cover with foil and keep it warm in the oven. Repeat this till all the batter is used up and you have a pile of pancakes.

300ml Greek yoghurt

Gently fold the juicy strawberries and caramel through the yoghurt till it just ripples. Serve 2 pancakes per person topped with a dollop of the yoghurt mixture and scatter with almonds.

2 tbsp, heaped, toasted almonds

www.vivastrawberries.co.uk

20 Viva strawberries, chopped 2tsp sugar 1 tbsp caramel sauce

WHAT TO DO In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, icing sugar and ground cinnamon. Crack the eggs into the flour and whist together until a smooth paste is formed. Gradually add the milk until you have a thick batter, add the strawberries and blueberries.

These fluffy pancakes are perfect for a leisurely breakfast or tasty afternoon treat. The sweet strawberries and tangy blueberries means the family will want these on more than just Pancake Day.

Makes: 12-14 pancakes

2 large eggs

Preparation time: 10 minutes

100ml milk

Cooking time: 10 minutes

50g Viva Strawberries, chopped

YOU WILL NEED

50g blueberries

150g self-raising flour

20g butter

½ tsp baking powder

sunflower oil

2 tbsp icing sugar

maple syrup to serve

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Wait 30 seconds, and then once small bubbles appear, flip the pancakes for a further 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and keep warm whilst cooking the rest. Half way through, add the remaining butter and more oil if necessary. Pile onto a large plate, and drizzle with some maple syrup. www.vivastrawberry.co.uk RETIREMENT

today

Perfect Pancakes

Viva Strawberry, Blueberry and Cinnamon Mini Pancakes

Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add 10g butter and a small splash of sunflower oil. Once sizzling, use a tablespoon to drop the batter into the pan, in one fluid motion.

www.london-handel-festival.com

10 MARCH - 20 APRIL 2015

LAURENCE CUMMINGS MUSICAL DIRECTOR

HANDEL SEMELE & GIOVE IN ARGO BACH ST MATTHEW PASSION LONDON HANDEL PLAYERS DRAGON OF WANTLEY SARABAND SOLOMON’S KNOT HANDEL SINGING COMPETITION 2015 SOUTHBANK SINFONIA BAROQUE OPERA SETTECENTO AMADÈ PLAYERS LUNCHTIME SERIES WALKS TALKS MAYFAIR ORGAN CONCERTS For details please go to the website

TODAY

Special Offer

£14.99 12 iss ues

inc p&p)

Have Retirement Today posted direct to your door so you never miss an issue

Name Address

Post code

email RETIREMENT

today

Send you name and address together with a cheque for £14.99 to: Subscriptions Department, Amra Media Solutions, The Old Lavender Mill, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, HP22 5ES

VOLUNTEERING A New Year’s Resolution Idea

UPDATE

A survey published by www.stayinmyhome. co.uk has found that over two million people in Britain say they know an elderly person who had to have their cat and/or dog put to sleep because they were moving into a residential care home. The survey also found 20% say the elderly people they know with pets would refuse to go into care without their pets. Additionally, 18.5% said they knew an elderly person who had to have their cat or dog rehomed. Up to 71 per cent of residential homes and sheltered housing schemes refuse to allow residents to have pets. Their refusal is causing current and future generations of elderly people real distress. To ease their suffering, a group of the UK’s leading live-in homecare providers have partnered to launch an information resource that offers people valuable insight into an alternative to residential care that means they need not be separated from their muchloved pet. The website, www.stayinmyhome. co.uk, developed by The Live-in Homecare Information Hub, , illustrates how, with the right professional support, elderly people can stay in their home, close to family, in familiar surroundings with the animal they love: rather than face a future in residential care without them.

Warrington-based pensions consultancy, Avacade Future Solutions, has analysed its own data of 10,000 UK pension planners to discover that the average retiree will receive 90% less than what they desire to live on in retirement. The research suggests a bleak future for tomorrow’s pensioners, with many set to spend their pensionable years on the poverty line. Avacade’s research revealed that the average pension pot size is only £33,000, a figure that equates to just £39.66 per week if they were to retire now. With the average living cost for a pensioner revealed to be £199.75 per week, even if they were to receive the maximum state pension - £148.40 – tomorrow’s retirees will only have £188.06 to spend each week. This worrying statistic underlines just how many will have insufficient funds to live on in retirement. Indeed, with recent analysis revealing that more than one million pensioners in Britain are currently living in poverty, Avacade’s profiling of those planning for retirement demonstrates that the trend may not only continue, but in fact increase.

From gardening to gas lamps, there’s a surprising variety of volunteer roles at the Watercress Line steam railway! Preserved railways rely on a small army of volunteers to keep them running so whether you have existing skills that you would like to put to use, or you would like to do something totally different, you will always be welcome. Don’t be put off by the thought that it’s all enthusiastic old men playing with trains – the railways all have a huge community of young and old, men and women. From the teams who keep the station buildings and gardens up together, to the gift shops and cafes, it’s not all just engineering and locomotives! If you like dealing with the public your skills will always be valuable in the offices, working at the stations in uniform or on the trains as guards and ticket inspectors. Even the dining train teams who cook and serve twice a month are all volunteers. If you prefer to be behind the scenes there is a huge variety of skilled and unskilled work, from carpentry to engineering, in maintaining the track, buildings, locos, carriages and even wagons. From a day per month to days in a week, hundreds of loyal volunteers are the backbone of the railway. Some people fit it around their existing work commitments and others join when they retire. There are plenty of husband and wife teams as well as those who seek company after personal loss. Volunteering keeps your body and mind active and to see and hear the delight of visitors enjoying all your hard work is a truly rewarding feeling. You can find out more by visiting www.watercressline.co.uk/volunteering

GROWING NUMBER OF ‘SILVER SEPARATORS’ AS DIVORCE RATES INCREASE AMONG OLDER PEOPLE Growing divorce rates in old age could contribute to increasing isolation and a greater need for formal care, argues the International Longevity Centre – UK (ILC-UK). In a new report, the think tank also warns of the potentially negative health and money repercussions of this trend. In a new report “the rise and rise of the silver separator”, ILC-UK find: • From 1990 to 2012, the number of men and women experiencing divorce aged 60 or above has risen by over 85% and the rate continues to rise; • Based on current marriage and divorce rates by age, the total number of people over the age of 60 experiencing divorce will increase from 15,700 in 2012, to over 22,000 by 2037 – a 41% rise; By 2037, almost 1 in every 10 people experiencing divorce will be aged over 60. RETIREMENT

today

Update

Survey finds over two million Brits know an elderly person forced to put their pet to sleep when moving into care

TOMORROW’S RETIREES SET TO LIVE ON THE POVERTY LINE – UK PENSION DELIVERS 90% LESS THAN DESIRED REQUIREMENT

RETIREMENT

today

to a charitable cause that is close to your heart, the donation can be as small or as large as you like, even a little amount of money left in your will to a charity can make a big difference. Many people believe that only the wealthy and famous leave money to charity when they die, but this is not the case. The reality is that without gifts left in wills, many of the charities we know and support today would struggle to survive and many

wouldn’t even exist. Remember, no matter how small the legacy it can make a huge difference to a charity in the long term. The legacy you write into your will today will not be available to the charity for many years, but you will be providing your chosen charity with a vital source of income in future years. Many people in the UK support charities in their lifetime and when asked many say they’d happily leave a gift in their will, but unfortunately only a small percentage actually do. Of course, family and friends should always come first, but donations to charity in wills can sometimes mean your family avoids paying inheritance tax on your estate. Many people decide not to leave a legacy to charity in case their children feel cheated of inheritance. However, one

eaving just a small legacy to a charity of your choice in your will, means you will be making a significant contribution to its vital work for future generations – not to mention the fantastic footprint you will leave. Over the years, gifts in wills have helped charities in many areas, such as helping vulnerable people, protecting domestic animals and wildlife, funding of medical research, and much more. Legacies remain the most effective way to support your favourite charity and their significance is growing. Charities rely heavily on support from legacies and it is very often an important income stream for many. After you’ve looked after your family and friends, why not think about leaving a gift

Let charitable work live on - leave a legacy

Let charitable work live on leave a legacy

RETIREMENT

today

Let charitable work live on - leave a legacy

of the first steps you can take to giving yourself permission to donate to charity in your will is to talk to your family about your plans for your death, including leaving a donation and you may find that many people are proud of their parents planning to leave a gift to charity once their loved ones had been looked after. Leaving money to a charity is crucial for their good work to continue and if you have certain feelings about how the money should be spent, you can specify that it is for a particular use. However, it doesn’t have to be money – charities have been left everything from houses to antique ornaments! According to recent research carried out by Foresters, the international financial services organisation, the UKs over-65s are

the most generous generation when it comes to supporting charities. People in this age group say they plan to give 0.8% of their salary to charity; double that of the average UK contribution (0.4% of salary) and 0.1% increase since last year (0.7%). In fact, if everyone who donated to charity in 2013 (almost nine out of ten people) increased their average yearly donation, it would generate an extra £204 million* of funds for charities. Contributing to the support of charities in your lifetime and as a legacy when you passed on all helps to play your part in helping the good work live on n *Calculated using current ONS adult population estimates. Information Source: Foresters, Remember a Charity

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland: Scotland’s Health Charity

PDSA The UK’s Leading Veterinary Charity

As they begin 2015 their services are needed more than ever, as survival rates rise and more people are living with these chronic illnesses. Their aim continues to be ensuring that no one in Scotland with a chest, heart or stroke condition copes alone. But did you know that they rely very heavily on Gifts in Wills to fund their work? In fact, they make up around a huge 40% of the total income they receive each year.

Founded in 1917, PDSA provides 2.7 million free veterinary treatments, helping 470,000 sick and injured pets each year through its 51 pet hospitals located in major towns and cities. A partnership with around 380 private veterinary practices ensures a reach beyond hospital locations to pet owners eligible for PDSA help.

In 2010, a lovely lady from Ayrshire left them a Gift in her Will of just under £60,000, expressing her specific wish that it should go to ‘extra comforts for the sick’.They were delighted to put this towards their Personal Support Grants programme, which offers direct financial assistance to individuals when they need it most. Coping with a chest, heart or stroke condition is distressing enough, without the added anxiety of money worries. This generous legacy will have transformed hundreds of lives since. Once you have looked after those closest to you, please include a Gift (of any size) in your Will to CHSS. It is a very special way of making sure they can be here for everyone who needs them in the future.

PDSA is proud to be a charity that touches the lives of more pets and their owners than anyone else in the UK today. Pets like loveable Lurcher Finn who suffered terrible injuries after being attacked by two dogs while out walking with his family. Finn had a huge 20cm wound on his side and a deep gash in his neck. He was rushed to his local PDSA pet hospital and underwent weeks of intensive treatment. Adorable Finn has since gone on to make a full recovery and is happy to be back at home with his much relieved family. Gifts in wills fund two-thirds of PDSA’s treatments. After looking after your family and friends please do something wonderful for pets like Finn by including a gift in your will to PDSA.

Make the end a new beginning.

PDSA would love to hear from you if you would like further information or to learn that you are supporting their work in this way.

www.chss.org.uk

Tel. 0800 591248 www.pdsa.og.uk

RETIREMENT

today

Meet Connor. At the age of 10 he became the man of the house.

Make the end a new beginning. A gift in your Will can mean life to those suffering from chest, heart and stroke illness in Scotland. The funding that gifts in Wills provide is crucial to our work.

We are Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Charity 0300 1212 555 | gifts@chss.org.uk | www.chss.org.uk Registered with and regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (no SC018761), Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is a wholly Scottish charity. It also operates as CHSS and is registered in Scotland as a company limited by guarantee, no SC129114.

RETIREMENT

today

Your legacy is our future

Without your help these young people could be homeless and at risk Counselling

Education

Training

Sponsorship

If you have ever loved an animal you will know how important their health is. Everything the Animal Health Trust does has the health and welfare of companion animals at its heart. Thanks to previous legacy gifts, the AHT is constantly finding new ways to prevent and reduce the suffering of present and future generations.

For your FREE Legacy Guide please call: 01638 555648 or email us: legacies@aht.org.uk or visit us online: www.aht.org.uk (please quote reference RT15) Registered charity number: 209642

Everyone needs nursing care at some point in their lives The Queen’s Nursing Institute works with nurses who provide vital healthcare in people’s own homes and communities. The need for skilled nursing is rising as the population ages, more people live with long term medical conditions and patients are discharged earlier from hospital. We also provide essential financial support for working and retired nurses in financial need. Legacies and donations allow us to do more to assist those nurses in need and improve care for patients. Find out how you can benefit others: www.qni.org.uk 020 7549 1400 mail@qni.org.uk Registered charity 213128

RETIREMENT

today

Living with HIV can be very difficult, antiretroviral medication can bring its own challenges and you are constantly exposed to opportunistic infections that can be life threatening when your immune system is compromised. This group of young survivors, who live life to the full at St Laurence Independent living Centre, are cared for and supported by Children in Distress and PositivPlus. They make the most of life, they need to, and they do not ask for much, but a roof over their head, the opportunity to live

like everyone else, to finish their studies, get a job and settle down. Winter storms, freezing temperatures, burst pipes and water damage have put their sheltered homes at risk. Their homes urgently need repair and a little insulation to make them fit for the foreseeable future. Please offer these young people a helping hand by donating to Children in Distress and its “PositivPlus Safe Homes” Appeal. QUOTE SAFE HOMES APPEAL

Suite 30 Ladywell Business Centre, 94 Duke St, Glasgow G4 0UW Tel: (44) 0141 559 5690 Fax: (44) 0141 559 5694 E-mail: admin1@childrenindistress.org.uk Web: www.childrenindistress.org and: http://www.cid.org.ro Registered Charity Number: 1001327. Scottish Registered Charity Number: SCO 39383

Charity N E W S

Photo caption: Martyn Lewis (centre right) with the main contributors to the conference

Martyn Lewis is guest of honour at BRACE conference “Hope for the Future” was the title and the message when dementia research charity BRACE held a conference in November. Former ITN and BBC news presenter Martyn Lewis was the chairman and guest of honour as scientists, clinicians, carers and campaigners gathered to share their experiences. Perhaps the greatest impression was made by two people – Chris Roberts and Hilary Doxford - living with early onset dementia, who took part in discussions. They talked about their experiences, showing that life does not end with diagnosis, and inspiring the 200 people in the audience. Dementia is nonetheless a cause of great suffering for millions, and there was great interest in the overview of research provided by Dr Liz Coulthard and the talk from GP Dr Peter Bagshaw. Beth Britton, a high profile campaigner from Oxfordshire, and Bristol’s Purple Angel campaigner Tony Hall both helped show how determined people are achieving improvements in care and the way society adapts to the needs of people with dementia. BRACE Chief Executive Mark Poarch said afterwards, “So many people said how much they enjoyed the conference and found it inspiring. There was such a positive mood; it really did seem to represent hope.” www.alzheimers-brace.org

Helping patients when they need it the most Advances in medical care and new technology mean that many people are living longer than ever before. Many health conditions can now be controlled with medication and lifestyle adjustment, but this also means that many more people are living with complex long term health conditions. This is where community health services have such an important role to play. District Nurses, working with GPs and other professionals, can help people manage their health conditions and avoid admission to hospital, by giving practical and emotional support closer to home. The Queen’s Nursing Institute is a charity that works with nurses to help them give care to patients when they need it most. They support nurse education, sponsor professional networks and practical projects, share knowledge and influence policy, and campaign for high quality nursing services everywhere. They also help working and retired nurses themselves who may be in financial need. Community health services are under increased financial pressure, but charities like theirs can make a huge difference. Donations and legacies help them to do more, for patients now and in the future. You can find out more at their website www.qni.org.uk or by calling them on 020 7549 1400.

The Helping Hands Project The Helping Hands Project is funded by The Big Lottery for 4 years and was set up in June 2013. They provide volunteer support for people who are going through, or have been through domestic abuse/violence in the London Boroughs of Sutton & Merton. Volunteers come from various backgrounds and experiences. All volunteers attend a comprehensive training programme and police checks and references are also completed. Volunteers offer practical support including attending meetings, court, solicitors, and health appointments as well as encouraging families to widen their network of relationships for them to effectively access services available in the community. Volunteer support aims to access information, advice and options in a non judgemental way whilst emotional support is offered in a positive and caring manner.

Charity News

Referrals for the project are received from people who would like support as well as from other professionals involved with the family. “My volunteer was good, she tried to get me involved with doing activities and when I needed information I was able to get assistance so I didn’t feel quite so alone” To find out more about the service please contact:07583446298 / tcook@suttonwomensaid.org.uk (Sutton) 07908861814 / emmawebb@jigsaw4u.org.uk (Merton) RETIREMENT

today

Charity N E W S

Loving homes for animals used in experiments

Ninny the cat given ninth life Ninny’s owner became concerned when Ninny’s vision became reduced and she started to suffer from seizures, so their vet referred Ninny to the Animal Health Trust. Courtenay Freeman, neurologist at the veterinary charity, said: “Ninny was referred to our ophthalmology specialists because of loss of sight in her left eye. However, it was suspected that she was suffering with a problem affecting her brain.”

Each year over 3,000 dogs and 100 cats are used in laboratory experiments in the UK. Dogs are commonly poisoned in drugs testing and cats may be surgically mutilated in vision research. Sadly, most of them never see the light of day once the experiment is over. The BUAV campaigns peacefully to create a world where nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals and is currently raising awareness about the tragic loss of life suffered when animals are no longer needed by laboratories. It is lobbying the Government to mandate the homing of dogs, cats and other animals wherever possible, recently attracting support from Midsomer Murders’ John Nettles, Downton Abbey’s Sue Johnston and internationally acclaimed singer Bonnie Tyler. In addition to political lobbying and raising awareness, the BUAV carries out undercover investigations, scientific research and promotes the use of humane alternatives. The BUAV is wholly reliant on gifts In Memory, legacies and other donations to continue its life-saving work. If you would like to make a donation, perhaps in memory of beloved animal companion or other family member, or for more information, please call 0300 003 0577 (local rate) or visit www.buav.org.

Charity News

Ninny was found to be weak on her left side and blind in her left eye. These findings, in addition to the seizures, suggested a problem affecting the right side of her forebrain. Ninny was admitted for an MRI scan of her brain to investigate the underlying cause.

A large tumour causing severe compression of the right side of her brain was discovered and diagnosed as a meningioma; the most common brain tumour in cats. Ninny’s owners decided the best option would be brain surgery to remove the tumour and relieve pressure on her brain. This surgery involved removing a piece of Ninny’s skull to gain access to the tumour. Dr Freeman could see Ninny’s brain was very swollen but the tumour was successfully removed and the compressed brain able to return to its normal shape. After a week at the AHT recovering, Ninny was discharged home eight days after she was admitted and has continued to improve. A few months after surgery, she is enjoying her walks in the garden again! www.aht.org.uk RETIREMENT

today

National Unwanted Pet Week Last year, Wood Green, The Animals Charity introduced a new campaign National Unwanted Pet Week, which aimed to unite animal-lovers by inviting them to show their support for the nations discarded pets. Due to the unprecedented support from members of the public, the Charity is delighted to announce that this annual campaign to highlight the nation’s unwanted and homeless pets will be back for a second year. In May, this special week will throw a spotlight on the nationwide issue concerning the thousands of homeless and abandoned pets throughout the UK, and will also

provide an opportunity to showcase the dedicated work being done for the hundreds of animals across their four centres, providing the public with a ‘behind the scenes’ look at life for the animals coming through their doors. Whilst plans for the campaign are still to be announced, the Charity are hopeful that the public will rally support for their work for homeless pets once again during this special week for the nation’s pets. To keep up to date with developments and announcements of ‘National Unwanted Pet Week’ and to find out what you can do for homeless pets in need, please visit www.woodgreen. org.uk or call 0844 248 8181.

Meet

A special lasting gift for animals Jenga Jenga was brought to Wood Green as he was no longer being cared for. Happily we were able to find him a loving new home in a matter of weeks; his new owner told us he is simply “perfect”.

Every year almost 5,000 animals need our help. Some are found hungry, abandoned and homeless, some have been mistreated, starved and abused; others are given to us when they can no longer be looked after. Gifts left in Wills have enabled Wood Green, The Animals Charity to set national standards in animal welfare, taking in animals of all shapes and sizes. As well as cats and dogs, we continue to find loving new homes for chickens, rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, rats, ferrets and many more. We simply couldn’t continue to do this without your help.

YES!

I would like more information on how to leave a lasting gift for abandoned and homeless pets and animals

Please send me a FREE legacy information pack providing information on how to leave a gift in my Will to Wood Green, The Animals Charity Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms:

Full Name:

Address:

Postcode: Telephone number: Email: 0115PLGRETT

Please return to: Lisa Mitchinson, Wood Green, The Animals Charity, FREEPOST PE1366, London Road, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 2BR. Alternatively, if you would like to speak in confidence about your lasting legacy please call 0844 248 8181.

RETIREMENT

today

DO YOU KNOW THAT SENDING GOODS TO AUCTION CAN INCUR SIGNIFICANT CHARGES. EVEN IF YOUR GOODS DON’T SELL OR MEET THE RESERVE YOU WILL OWE THE AUCTION HOUSE MONEY.

Discreet lady antique dealer – available to visit client in own home, fair and honest prices given. Interested in a wide range of antique, vintage, and 20th century items. Tel 01296 632706 and speak to Wendy Cummings in the first instance or email chilternvintage@gmail.com

RETIREMENT

today

RETIREMENT

today

ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR TIME WISELY? We’re looking for people to volunteer a little of their time to help the Armed Forces family.

There are many ways that you can support the Forces and veteran community living near you. If you want to help, we’d love to hear from you. Text MY TIME and your name to 82055 Or visit ssafa.org.uk/time Registered Charity No. 210760 and SC038056. Est. 1885.