Retirement today summer 2017

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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 91 Summer ‘17 2.90

Wonderful gifts bring lasting memories

Leaving a gift in your will to Bield means people can enjoy your legacy in so many ways.

However big or small it can bring joy to so many.

A piano, Social nights or day trips, A summer house or brightening up the garden.

The choice is yours.

To find out how your legacy could change lives visit www.bield.co.uk or call Kevin Rowe, Fundraiser on 0131 273 4000.

To make an instant donation text FREE23 and your donation amount: e.g. FREE23 £10 to 70070

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RETIREMENT

BIELD HOUSING & CARE Registered Office: 79 Hopetoun Street, Edinburgh, EH7 4QF

today Tel: 0131 273 4000 • Fax: 0131 557 6327 • info@bield.co.uk • www.bield.co.uk • Scottish Charity SC006878

CONTENTS

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5 Clutter clearing sessions – where to start

Are you a hoarder? Do you need to de-clutter? Here are a few tips, proven effective, with people who exhibit hoarding behaviours.

8 Garden Lunch

WELCOME TO RETIREMENT TODAY MAGAZINE

When the weather is good, it’s great to eat outside, and for special occasions, it’s such fun to do it in grand style. Here are some recipes for that perfect outdoor meal.

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10 Starting a New Hobby

Mike Francis takes a look at ‘collecting’ as a hobby, which can lead to an interesting and absorbing past time for when you have more leisure time on your hands.

13 Secret Wireless War

In an unusual departure from Travel, Debra Rixon writes about how important wireless communication was in WW11 and how it helped to shorten our conflict with the enemy

16 Retirement Shangri-la!

A wealth of retirement accommodation exists, Mike Francis takes a look at some of the options.

Read about the ground breaking All-on-4 treatment, popular with British dental patients travelling to Budapest for lower priced treatment.

20 Competition

A chance to win theatre tickets to see The Comedy About a Bank Robbery at the Criterion Theatre.

23 Volunteering

Jo Barlow looks at the rewarding work of volunteering, when the more you give, the more you receive.

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WGIEN20 PA

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Polly Wreford

26 Pale & Interesting - Collecting

Learn how to display your treasures in a way that allows them to be appreciated without taking over your space, creating focus points in your home that are striking and personal.

©

Image bottom left: From Eat, Drink, Live by Fran Warde, photo Debi Treloar (Ryland Peters & Small)

20 Hungarian Dental Travel leads the way in offering All-on-4 treatment Concept

Debi Trelor ©RPS

Image middle right: From Pale & Interesting by Atlanta Bartlett & Dave Coote Photo by Polly Wreford (Ryland Peters & Small)

29 Out and About

Steam celebrates King George V’s 90th Birthday; Watercolours by John Singer Sargent; True to Life-British realist paintings in 1920s and 1930s; Nelson & Norfolk; The Encounter:Drawings from Leonardo to Rembrandt.

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

30 Smart Park Homes

Thinking of moving when you Retire?

Read why Park Homes should be on your retirement retreat list.

35 Update

• Tel: 01296 632700

Class of 2017: family ties put the squeeze on retirement incomes; Brits growing more daring with age; Cheaper living expenses and better value property pushing Brits to retire abroad; Over 50s plan to keep working past 65, just for the joy of it.

• Email: info@amramedia.co.uk

36 Hair Today – Gone tomorrow

• 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.

26

We all take going to the hairdressers for granted. Staying for free.com share their amusing experiences of hairdressers while on their travels.

40 Wills

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As people are now living longer, the need to protect money and assets so they can be passed on to heirs is even more important.

40 Charity News

Bequests, donations and legacies, the gift of life;Tackling loneliness with Football Friends; Revitalise becomes Simplyheath headline charity; No-one should face recovery alone; Kevin Rowe, Fundraiser at Bield tells us what keeps him going; The Gift of Hope;The Royal Variety Charity; Saving Scarlett.

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45 Creating a lasting memorial – where do you begin?

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If you have lost a loved one and have thought about creating a lasting memorial, read about how to go about it and suggestions of what you can do.

Torquay

The small hotel with a big heart and a big view... in the heart of Torquay • Great choice • Great entertainment

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TLH Leisure Resort, Belgrave Rd, Torquay, TQ2 5HS

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The Psychiatry Research Trust Mental illness and brain disease affects everyone – one in four of us directly.

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The research is aimed at prevention and informed detection as well as new and better treatments throughout the whole range of mental health topics, including Alzheimer’s and Motor Neurone Disease, Eating Disorders, Psychotic Illness, Addictions and Childhood Problems. We especially help young researchers with new ideas, to obtain their first support grants.

David is dedicated to his wife

PO 87, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF Tel: 0207 703 6217 www.psychiatryresearchtrust.co.uk Email: psychiatry_research_trust@kcl.ac.uk Donate on line at www.justgiving.com/psychiatryresearchtrust Registered Charity Number 284286

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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

The Psychiatry Research Trust

day!

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The sole objective of The Psychiatry Research Trust is to raise funds for research into these devastating conditions at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (KCL) and its associated Maudsley and Bethlem Royal Hospitals.

For further information, or to make a donation, contact The Psychiatry Research Trust. All donations are of necessity subject to a small annual charge to cover the cost of administration, including fundraising.

We’re social, join us on

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David, 63. They wanted a happy retirement together but Leah became crippled with arthritis and cannot walk. 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

Clutter clearing sessions – where to start

Establish one ‘landing strip’. Identify somewhere you can empty your pockets, including a place to put your keys and phone.

Useful or beautiful? William Morris, artist and textile designer, famously said, ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.’ This can be quite influential with some people, although others may well believe that everything in their home is both useful and beautiful!

‘No parking’ and ‘red route’ areas

You may wonder what ‘no parking’ and ‘red route’ areas have to do with hoarding. It is a simple rule I establish when working with hoarders, which helps break the clearing process down into more manageable chunks. No parking and red route areas are places where we agree that clutter cannot land or be parked – essentially for health and safety, so that once a congested area has been cleared, we mark it as a no parking area. It’s also useful to simplify the way that you work when addressing a hoarded house, as hoarders tend to over-complicate and overthink a situation.

Perfectionism and decision-making

Many hoarders are perfectionists and poor decision makers, and it is useful to recognize whether this is a trait of the person you are working with. Perfectionism can deter progress by causing us to focus too readily on insignificant details and therefore fail to see the bigger picture. It can be self-defeating, and lead not only to apathy but also inertia. Not being a perfectionist is far more productive than being one. Perfectionism can lead to procrastination and paralysis. If you wait to do something perfectly, you may never get it done at all, and helping a person undertaking the decluttering process to accept this can be a very effective way of supporting him. One example of perfectionism and procrastination in a hoarding situation would be where a person does not want to put his clothes away because they all need ironing. The reality is that it would take several hours RETIREMENT

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Clutter clearing sessions – where to start

S

ometimes, the first stage in clearing a very cluttered home is to create a space that acts as a processing area.

For example, you could clear a table that can be used in future sessions for sorting things. Decluttering in the spring and summer months is much easier, as you can use any available outside space as a processing area, and it is less claustrophobic for both the individual and anyone helping.

Here are a few decluttering tips that have proven to be very effective when working with people who exhibit hoarding behaviours: Start small. A corner of a table, a shelf in the hall, a treasured dresser, a bedside table – choose something contained and manageable.

Starting with just one corner and committing to addressing that area will create confidence in the person you are helping, and assurance that space can be regained. It is important to reassure the person that decluttering in baby steps on a frequent and consistent basis can lead to a sustainable and improved living environment.

Set clear, manageable goals for each session. Establish what needs to be achieved at the start of a decluttering session, taking into consideration the person’s personality, age, any learning difficulties and/or mental health disorders. All these factors are critical to ensuring the person you are helping will benefit from each session and that the aims are realistic to his or her demeanour and situation.

Make it regular. Schedule and commit to regular sessions, so that the process of decluttering forms part of the person’s daily routine.

Adapt. Recognize and adapt different styles of working with individuals who may be affected by obsessive–compulsive disorder, those with autism/Asperger’s, ADHD or schizophrenia.

Watch your language. Mirror the language the individual hoarder uses regarding his or her ‘stuff ’ – hoarders are very sensitive to how people perceive their homes.

Never leave a room empty handed. For example, if you are on your way to the kitchen, take anything that needs to be returned there – whether for washing up or disposal.

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Some dos and don’ts

Clutter clearing sessions – where to start

to iron them, so rather than be distracted by the task of ironing, the non-perfectionist would put them away and then iron them as and when they are needed.

Perfectionists tend to be very critical of themselves, as well as having many limiting core beliefs – for example, the man who is an artist but is never happy with his artwork, and who as a result never finishes a piece to his own satisfaction. It needs to be asked whether he is unhappy with his work, or if his core belief that ‘I can’t do anything right’ is stopping him from being successful.

It is important, as I have said, to keep the aims of the decluttering sessions clear and not to present the person you are helping with too many complex decisions to make. Many hoarders have a tendency not only to overcomplicate a situation but also to create overelaborate systems. It is essential to keep the process simple and clear, and to steer the person back into focus should she become or appear to be distracted. I find that many people I know who have ADHD and difficulty in focusing benefit from short spurts of processing in one area. However, this can be just as true of anyone – it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the clearing process, so if in doubt, start with small sessions (10–15 minutes) and build up.

The use of a kitchen timer can be very productive and helps the person stay focused. Be gentle in guiding her back to the agenda in question and remind her of the purpose of your visit. It is very easy to become preoccupied by a possession if it has only just been rediscovered and evokes memories of times gone by.

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Homework

Professionals quite often assign the person they are helping ‘homework’ or specific tasks to complete. It may be a little condescending to suggest this to the person you are helping if you are a friend or relative, but perhaps you could agree a ‘to do’ list.

It will strengthen the person’s ongoing commitment to dealing with his own clutter, and will encourage him to take responsibility and ownership for decluttering and organizing his possessions.

Additionally, it helps boost confidence, so that the person increasingly knows that he can continue independently, and use any tools and tips you have provided to help himself. Essentially, providing people with assignments gives them a sense of empowerment and confidence in knowing that they can change their environment. It helps improve motivation and decision-making abilities.

Recently a support worker rang us to express her frustration that her client had not been completing any of the tasks she had set him to reduce his clutter. Our advice to her was to ensure that the tasks were not only mutually agreed, but were also tangible, specific and realistic. In a similar way to a teacher assigning homework at school, you need to ensure that the homework is clearly understood, and that achieving it is a realistic aim.

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If you’re helping someone else declutter their home, do: • imagine yourself in the person’s shoes – how would you want to be treated?

• match the person’s language – how does she refer to her possessions?

• be guided by the person you are helping; • use encouraging language; • be positive about the person’s achievements – admire an item that can now be showcased; • highlight the person’s strengths; • the first things to consider are safety and organization; work on discarding things later; • be very clear about which items can be recycled and donated, and where; • always consult with the person as to what he or she would like help with; • work together and let the person you are helping lead the way; • keep the momentum going; • provide lots of encouragement; • show support and provide reassurance; • take regular breaks and end the session with an enjoyable activity; • persist – to a degree. The person you are trying to help might well refuse your offers of help, but continue to offer support; • be consistent. This will help establish trust and confidence, and as a result the person you are trying to help will be more willing to accept your support; • work slice by slice, chunk by chunk. Break tasks down into manageable portions.

Don’t: • use judgemental language; • be negative, or use words that devalue or negatively judge the person’s possessions; • make your own suggestions as to what should be done or where to focus; • try to persuade or argue; • touch items without the owner’s explicit permission and without • being clear about what he or she wants done with that item.

Finally, if you do want to help and support someone who has clutter issues, I would add that you need bagfuls of patience.

You also need to be methodical and practical, as well as sensitive and unassuming. From my experience it is essential to have real listening skills, and to resist the temptation to do what you think is right for the person you are helping.

Your ‘right’ might not be their ‘right’. You may feel frustrated and baffled by the person you are helping, but it is important to keep your inner voice quiet.

If you are lacking in energy, having a bad day or feeling down and preoccupied by any of your own issues, it’s probably best to not transmit this to the person you are helping.

This extract is taken from Understanding Hoarding

by Jo Cooke, used with kind permission of Sheldon Press.

THE

R O YA L VA R I ET Y C H A R I T Y F O R M E R L Y

T H E

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

A R T I S T E S'

B E N E V O L E N T

F U N D

CELEBRATING OVER 100 YEARS OF CARE FOR MEMBERS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT PROFESSION Royal Variety Charity, Brinsworth House, 72 Staines Road, Twickenham, Middx. TW2 5AL 020 8898 8164 / www.royalvarietycharity.org / www.royalvarietyperformance.org The Royal Variety Charity assists those who’ve worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help. The charity strives to support all those, both young and old, who’ve worked on the stage, in the wings, in front of a camera, or behind it, as well as all those who have spent their lives working in the numerous support industries dedicated to entertainment.

The Royal Variety Charity owns and manages its own residential and nursing care home for entertainers, Brinsworth House in Twickenham, and also offers a nationwide grant scheme to assist those living in their own homes wherever they reside in the UK. The Royal Variety Charity not only offers support to those who have found themselves struggling as a result of ill health, financial hardship or old age, but also to the dependants of all those who have served the entertainment industries.

To request a brochure or to arrange a visit to Brinsworth House, or simply to be added to our Admissions waiting-list, please contact Sheila Powell on 020 8898 8164 ext 207 · sheila@royalvarietycharity.org Patron HM The Queen · Life-President Laurie Mansfield · Chairman Giles Cooper · Est 1908 · Reg Charity No. 206451 RETIREMENT

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Garden Lunch W

hen the weather is good I can’t resist eating outside and, for a special celebration, it’s such fun to do it in grand style. Pull the table into the garden and bring out the chairs. Decorate with pretty napkins, flowers and foliage, candles – don’t stop. For maximum conviviality, put all the food out for friends and family to help themselves, then settle down to eat, drink and soak up the atmosphere.

Recipes from Eat, Drink, Live, by Fran Warde, photography by Debi Treloar, published by Ryland Peters & Small.

Images from Eat, Drink, Live © Ryland Peters & Small

Reader Offer

Eat, Drink, Live is available to our readers for the special price of £10.99 including postage & packaging (rrp £14.99) by telephoning Macmillan Direct on 01256 302 699 and quoting the reference LB6.

Baked aubergines with pesto sauce If you can find them, use the little Asian aubergines to make this dish – they look very pretty and have a more interesting texture than the large ones. When buying herbs, try going to independent stores or market stalls where they are sold like bunches of flowers – I find these herbs taste better and are much better value.

300 g/10 oz. small aubergines 4 tablespoons olive oil PESTO a large bunch of basil 75 g pan-toasted pine nuts 1 garlic clove 75 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese 6–8 tablespoons olive oil

Leaf and herb salad

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

This may be a simple salad, but simplicity is best when you are working with the fragrant flavours of herbs. To make it extra pretty, garnish with edible flowers such as heartsease, nasturtiums and pansies when available.

A baking sheet, lightly oiled

300 g mixed leaves, or 1 head of lettuce

Garden Lunch

a handful of edible flowers (optional)

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4 bunches of herbs, such as basil, chives, marjoram, flat-leaf parsley, sage, tarragon, fennel and lovage 3–4 tablespoons vinaigrette SERVES 4 Wash and trim the mixed leaves or lettuce as necessary. Tear into a bowl.

Add the edible flowers, if using, and a selection of your chosen herbs. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss well to coat all the leaves. Serve immediately.

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SERVES 4 Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and put on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little of the olive oil and cook in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) Gas 5 for about 15–20 minutes, then turn them over and cook for a further 15 minutes.

To make the pesto, put the basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, the remaining olive oil and seasoning in a blender and purée until smooth. When the aubergines are cooked, drizzle with pesto and serve hot or cold.

Top tip: Make twice the quantity of pesto and store the extra in the fridge – it always comes in handy as an easy salad dressing or tossed through pasta for a quick, delicious supper. Keep the pesto covered with a thin fi lm of olive oil and it will stay fresh for several weeks.

Rosemary and lemon roasted chicken In a simple dish such as this, quality ingredients are important. Choose an organic or free-range chicken, unwaxed lemons, a good Modena balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin oil. It really makes a difference.

2 kg chicken pieces or 1 whole chicken, about 1.5–2 kg.* 3 lemons, cut into wedges leaves from a large bunch of rosemary 3 red onions 75 g large black olives (about 10–12), pitted 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper SERVES 4 If using chicken pieces, trim off any excess fat and put the pieces in a large bowl. Add the lemon and rosemary.

Cut the onions in half lengthways, leaving the root end intact. Cut the halves into wedges and add to the chicken.

Add the olives, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and seasoning and mix well to coat the chicken with the flavourings.

Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the fridge overnight.

Remove the chicken from the oven. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the chicken, lemon, onions and olives and put them on a serving dish.

Nectarine tart The combination of crumbly, sweet pastry tart and slivers of juicy nectarines makes for a sensational blend of delicate summer flavours. It would also be good with fresh plums.

Skim the cooking juices, discarding the fat. Pour the juices over the chicken and serve hot or at room temperature.

240 g plain flour

*Note: If using a whole chicken, lay the bird on its back. Use a large knife to cut through the skin between the leg and breast of the chicken, then bend the leg backwards until the joint cracks. Cut through the joint to separate the leg.

Repeat on the other side.

100 g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

250 g butter, cut into small pieces 2–3 egg yolks 10–12 nectarines or peaches, about 1.25 kg

Bend the drumsticks back away from the thighs to crack the joints, then cut through with the knife to separate. Bend back the wings of the chicken and cut through the joints near each breast to separate.

vanilla ice cream, to serve

Put the bird on its side and use scissors or poultry shears to cut from the leg joint up along the backbone to the neck. Repeat along the other side.

(Wrap the backbone and store for use in stock another day.)

Put the flour, butter and sugar in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and blend again until it forms a dough ball.

Hold the chicken breast-side down and bend it back to crack the breastbone.

Use the scissors to cut along each side of the breastbone and remove the breasts.

Wrap the pastry in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

A 20-cm loose-based tart pan SERVES 6–8

Knead the pastry briefly to soften, then roll out the pastry into a large circle at least 5 cm wider than the base of the tin.

Use the rolling pin to help you carefully lift up the pastry and lay it over the top of the tart pan.

Gently press the pastry down into the pan, making sure there are no air pockets, then use a sharp knife to trim off the excess pastry.

Chill the tart shell for 15 minutes.* Cut the nectarines or peaches in half, twist to remove the stones, then cut the fruit into slices.

Remove the chilled tart shell from the fridge and, working from the outside, arrange the nectarine or peach slices in circles on the pastry, until all the fruit has been used.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) Gas 5 for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150°C (300°F) Gas 2 and cook for a further 40 minutes until the fruit is tender and golden and the pastry is crisp.

Dust the tart all over with icing sugar then serve hot or cold with scoops of goodquality vanilla ice cream. *Note: This pastry is very fragile, but don’t despair. Just line your tart pan as best you can, and then add extra pieces of pastry to patch up any cracks or holes.

Top tip: Instead of vanilla ice cream, serve with a generous dollop of Greek-style yogurt drizzled with honey; or clotted cream; sour cream or sweetened fromage frais. Use small tart pans, about 7.5 cm in diameter, to make individual tarts.

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Garden Lunch

Put the chicken in a large roasting pan and arrange the marinade ingredients around it. Cook in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) Gas 5 for 30 minutes.

Turn the chicken pieces thoroughly in the pan to ensure even cooking and colouring, then cook for a further 30 minutes.

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START A NEW HOBBY

by Mike Francis

N

ot long ago the official first day cover featuring the world’s first adhesive Postage Stamp the Penny Black franked on the first day of issue 6th May 1840 was sold for a knockdown hammer price of £44,000. It was posted from London to Paisley. The increasingly popular collecting of First Day Covers is just one of many hobbies you might consider now you have more leisure time in retirement although your aspirations may be somewhat humbler than a Penny Black price tag.

PHILATELY WILL GET YOU EVERYWHERE

Stamp collecting is one of the world’s most popular hobbies enjoyed by all ages with no specialist equipment needed, just an album. You may even have one gathering dust in the gloomy attic, a family heirloom waiting to be brought into the light. You can plan the shape of your collection according to your interests and budget. Sport?

Music? Nature? Some far off country you visited on holiday? You can choose to invest a few pounds or make it a more intensive expensive collection if you wish but however serious you make the collection stamps will provide a window on the world and offer interesting insights into the countries of issue.

Start a new hobby

JERSEY POST

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Although Jersey has been involved with the post since the 15th century an official postmaster didn’t exist until 1794 and for the first 3 years those who expected post had to collect their letters from the postmaster’s house.

By 1852 however things had progressed so much that Jersey was the first place in the British Isles to have a roadside post box and when in 1969 the British Post Office became a Corporation the States of Jersey took the opportunity to gain postal independence from Britain.

According to Philately Marketing Manager Rachel Mackenzie ‘ Jersey stamps have gained an international reputation for quality, exciting design and new printing RETIREMENT

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Durrell & Darwin First Day Cover courtesy of Jersey Post

King George VI set courtesy of Jersey Post

David Bowie courtesy of Buckingham Covers

Songbirds Goldcrest courtesy of Buckingham Covers

techniques. Working closely with a team of specially commissioned artists, designers, and photographers, they create fascinating stamps inspired by the island’s heritage,anniversaries, and traditions’. Just released are the first Jersey stamps to be printed on wood, 6 stamps and a miniature sheet celebrating the legacies of naturalists Gerald Durrell and Charles Darwin.

Featuring wildlife such as the pygmy hog, mangrove finch and livingstone’s fruit bat each miniature sheet has been printed on Sycamore wood in a unique different wood grain.

Also just released is a set of stamps celebrating 100 years of the Lions Club of Jersey, one of the leading sporting fundraisers in Britain, for eye disease treatment, worldwide disaster relief and holidays for people with disabilities. Set up a subscription with Jersey Post and they will send you, either a Mint Set, Presentation Pack or First Day Cover of each new issue.

BUCKINGHAM COVERS

A leading producer of highly collectable British First Day Covers.

This company based in Folkestone has seen the value of most of the Covers it creates double or triple in value in the short time the company has been in existence. It was set up 17 years ago by Tony and Cath Buckingham, two of the world’s leading experts in Covers.‘ This is a small company with a passion for covers,quality, customer service, and charity fund raising’ says Jake Harvey, Media Marketing Manager.’ In the time they have been open for business they have raised over £750,000 for charities mainly through the autographed editions of their First Day Covers. A highlight from last year was the 90th birthday commemoration of the Queen flanked by Prince Charles, Prince William and a cheeky Prince George.

Another success was the Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit series which reacquainted purchasers with a

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please debit £________ from my credit/debit card number:

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Postcode: RETIREMENT

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On the back of every Cover is a short description of each issue and its importance

childhood favourite. First Day Issues this year have featured 6 of David Bowie’s famous album covers and pictorial representations of 3 racehorse legends Arkle, Red Rum and Desert Orchid autographed by jockey Richard Dunwoody. On the back of every Cover is a short description of each issue and its importance. Apart from selling Covers the company is also in the business of buying them so if you have anything you wish to sell lurking in some dark corner give them a ring. You can also subscribe to their newsletter to keep up to date with their new issues.

FAMILY HISTORY

Retirement gives you the time to indulge in a hobby that just isn’t possible within a workaday routine and maybe you have been thinking in advance about what you might like to do. When I first retired I decided to trace back my ancestors as far as I could and map out a family tree that would set out clearly where I fitted into the family picture.

My starting point was a local press cutting from the early 1900’s of the death of my grandfather’s brother. From there I went backwards and forwards in time with visits to the registry of births,marriages and deaths reaching as far back as the first census in 1841. Visits to libraries, church records and gravestones took the family tree back further in time. Nowadays birth,marriage and death records are logged on computer so you can connect with much of your ancestor’s past without leaving the front room.

But there is still an excuse to get out and about in the countryside to do on the spot local research. Along the way you learn a lot of history, how families could be split

up if the mother died, how big the families were, their nature of work etc., but the really fascinating fact is that you are related to them.

VINTAGE RECORDS

Have you ever thought about collecting old records, not just vinyl which are staging something of a comeback but vintage shellac discs that used to whirl around the turntable at 78 rpm or an even faster 80 rpm from the early 1900’s. Heavy and fragile they may be but you can still hear the crackle and hiss of history as you listen to them rather that the ‘cleansed’ cds of today. Orchestras from the 40’s such as Geraldo and Ambrose, jazz bands from the likes of Bix Beiderbecke and Bob Crosby, world war two singing from Vera Lynn and Gracie Fields on intriguing labels like Piccadilly, Panachord, Edison Bell, and Coloseum. If still in their original record sleeves that is a packaging art in itself. You can still pick up these records at a reasonable price at specialist outfits such as Rays Jazz in Foyles, London or at charity

You can still pick up these records quite cheaply at specialist outfits

shops throughout the country. But plan ahead where you are going to keep them. A collection will take up space and weigh heavily. I have 300 of these 78s and made the mistake of putting some on a shelf which crashed to the ground in the middle of the night. Amazingly only 6 were smashed. Of course the records sound even more realistic if played on an old phonograph. I have a 1920’s gateleg phonograph which if set to fast is the ideal speed!

A PASTIME PASSES THE TIME

Whatever you choose to collect this can lead to an absorbing hobby and take you down some interesting roads of knowledge with plenty of time to invest in it.

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The Royal Legacy of Queen Victoria King George VI

I

We visited and interviewed men, then in their late seventies, who were specially enlisted for secret wireless operations during World War II out of London. David demonstrates a spy suitcase set and tells us about the clandestine radio station hidden in the roof of Bletchley Park mansion (now famous as Station X), still equipped with several American receivers from the period. We were also privileged to talk to Cliff Horrocks, a member of the original team on the Colossus computer rebuild project, and see the machine actually working. Colossus was of tremendous help in cracking the Nazi Lorenz code.

Not far from ‘B.P.’ is Whaddon Hall, used as an HQ for the Secret Service during WWII. Here special wireless sets were made and installed in vehicles by Geoffrey Pidgeon and his team.They were known as mobile SLUs (Secret Liaison Units), and were shipped into Europe and Africa to send and receive messages in the field. He and I ride in an authentic 1940 Packard, actually used as a special wireless vehicle at that time.

Bob King - Voluntary interceptor

After D-Day, British and American military and Intelligence sections at Bletchley Park needed vital wireless communication with their commanders in the field inside Europe. Maurice Richardson, an operator at Whaddon’s Windy Ridge wireless station, tells us how the encrypted messages were received and sent. He recalls vividly the day the war finally ended. Sleepy Whaddon residents had no idea of all the cloak and dagger activities going on in their village.

In France and Germany, attached to General Patton’s 3rd Army, wireless operator Wilf Neal tells us of conditions for him and his team, working near the front line

s

n an unusual departure from travel, in 2002, Dave and I spent almost a whole year, researching, filming and editing this two-hour DVD. Armed with information from a local author and historian from Bletchley, who invited us to make the films, we visited and interviewed men, then in their late seventies, who were specially enlisted for secret wireless operations during World War II, now more than 70 years ago. The two one-hour films uncover just how important wireless communication was in WWII and how it helped to shorten our conflict with the enemy.

It was known collectively as ‘Ultra’, and was Winston Churchill’s personal directive.

In Part One, Beyond Bletchley Park, we visit Bob King (G3ASE) in his shack where he has re-created his wartime listening post from when he was a Radio Security Service Voluntary Interceptor. Over 1500 ‘VIs’ like Bob listened throughout the UK for enemy intelligence messages in five letter code in Morse. Bob has re-created an audio tape to demonstrate just how difficult the job was of listening for and identifying the correct signal he was tasked to monitor at the tender age of 17. He had no idea what or who he was listening to – it was all very secret. His messages were sent by post to a mysterious PO Box in Barnet, a country house seconded by the War Office. These were documented, processed and passed on to the famous Bletchley Park code breakers for decrypting and analysing. As a veteran at 18, he was moved up to Barnet to continue his wireless work. His family had no idea where he was or what he was doing.

At Bletchley Park we visit David White (G3ZPA) who founded and ran until recently the Wireless Museum. He explains the origins of the Radio Security Service from C block in Wormwood Scrubs prison and its relocation

by Debra Rixon

Secret Wireless War

Bletchley Park Today

Secret Wireless War

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WW2 HRO receiver

operating an HRO receiver in the specially fitted out unmarked Dodge ambulance. He recalls humourously sending the message ‘I am being bombed’ whilst under fire.

Part two is titled BLACK PROPAGANDA and not everyone knows that in WWII, Britain waged an extremely effective ‘black’ propaganda campaign against the Germans.

The Woburn estate in Bedfordshire was the setting for most of the wireless transmissions to Europe, as it was 50 miles from London and out of the bombing zone.

We trace the creation, development and content of the broadcasts with Ingram Murray, son of Ralph Murray, who was one of the important Foreign Office officials that shaped the operations. Born out of schoolboy prank humour and a fiendish talent for mischief, the ‘black’ wireless propaganda proved to be a powerful weapon against the crude attempts of the Nazis with their Lord Haw-Haw broadcasts, which Churchill detested. One such daily programme was a German language broadcast,

Not everyone knows that in WWII, Britain waged an extremely effective ‘black’ propaganda campaign against the Germans

The Milton Bryan studios were linked by landline to a giant ‘dreadnought of the ether’, an RCA 600 kilowatt medium wave transmitter, code-named Aspidistra, obtained from America. Ingram Murray describes some of the dirty tricks (for which Britain had an unexpected talent) that the transmitter was used for. We hear nostalgic music and extracts from recordings made of the last two days’ propaganda broadcasts in 1945. The mastermind behind the operations was a journalist called Sefton Delmer, who fought this secret wireless war with the enemy. It was Winston Churchill’s desire that Britain hit back hard at the Nazi broadcasts, and he personally endorsed ‘wireless warfare’. Although the efforts of Delmer’s extremely talented team were demonstrably successful, because of the secrecy, his triumphs have largely gone unnoticed.

The men involved in this wireless warfare were unable to join in the ‘what did you do during the War?’ discussions – most of them had no idea just what they had been doing, and for all of them it had been drummed into them – you do not talk about this. These two films, and a ‘whistle-blower’ 1979 film, hopefully go some way to redressing this and giving credit to operations

Sefton Delmer- Black Propaganda

Secret Wireless War

Packard approaching Whaddon Hall

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purporting to be a German station, giving authentic news to the Nazi troops, with hot American jazz music and seemingly innocent fictitious ‘personal’ dedications with deadly results. Another pretended to be a Nazi army station, transmitting accurate gossip about the Nazi elite, dirty jokes and apparent disillusionment amongst the troops. As the war progressed, these were refined to transmit misinformation during Allied bombing raids.

Phil Luck was a young engineer who operated the RCA 7½ kilowatt transmitters in the area, beaming the British ‘black’ propaganda broadcasts back to Europe. He tells stories of the operations, and with me in the back of the Packard, visits the remains of his old transmitter station at Potsgrove. It was here that he and his team replayed the broadcasts from pre-recorded discs much like a modern DJ. The broadcasts were in German and other RETIREMENT

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European languages, so Phil and his team were unaware of the content they were sending over the airwaves until decades after the war ended.

More remarkable remains are found at the village of Milton Bryan. I visit the secret especially purpose-built ‘black’ propaganda station there, still almost intact. I find traces of switchgear and transmission lights from over 70 years ago. Teleprinter engineer Roy Tink tells some interesting tales about life and the people at ‘MB’. There were personnel from most of the occupied European nations; ‘turned’ German POWs, and escapees eager to make a contribution to the war effort. I also visit Stephen, the station manager Ted Halliday’s son. We uncover new secret papers and cartoons from Ted’s old trunk, which give an insight into what life was like at ‘MB’.

1940’s domestic radio dial

Debra at Milton Bryan WW2 studios

which, it is claimed, shortened the war by two years n There are two bonus chapters, chronicling two commemorations: one at Milton Bryan, and the other at Whaddon Village Hall. The DVD was re-mastered in widescreen in 2014, with many new images. It can be bought at Bletchley Park Shop, or on-line at Amazon.co.uk.

WIN!

We have 5 copies of Secret Wireless War on DVD to giveaway.

For a chance to win send in your details quoting ref SWW to: Amra Media Solutions, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Bucks, HP22 5ES. Closing date 20 August 2017.

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Quality homes for people requiring residential, nursing or dementia care

Guild Care, established for 83 years, have many options to suit your needs and circumstances with our quality residential, nursing and care homes.

We pride ourselves on our family approach, welcoming environments, 24 hour expert care from nursing and care staff and our innovative activity programme. We provide delicious menus with fresh seasonal food.

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RETIREMENT SHANGRI-LA!

by Mike Francis

They can also provide an experienced carer to take you on holiday and treat you to good old fashioned convalescent care when you’re discharged from hospital.

Another option is Guildcare, a charity helping people at the heart of the community to enjoy a healthy engaging and independent life.

Through their year round community and outreach programme they offer home care services,sheltered housing and residential care homes.

A LIST TO LOOK AT

A

s you peel back the curtains it is already mid-morning outside with the temperature hovering around 68 degrees F. In the limpid waters below a small craft has just lazily chugged across the harbour to deliver small supplies to the island.The sun has been up for sometime now draining its heat from the clear blue sky. It may be like this tomorrow. Retirement Homes weren’t always like this For those willing to push the boat out a bit in their retirement and seek out a different country, language and climate you could consider Résidences la Différence, a company who specialise in catering for UK residents looking for secure village style life in France. This is a change of lifestyle concept combining the atmosphere of a country club and the facilities of a 3 star hotel with all the boring chores done by someone else so you can keep cool by the pool

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Back in the UK there’s never been a better time to pick up the keys for a retirement retreat that really suits your special situation. Right now a wealth of optional retirement living accommodation exists. For example, The Hawthorns Group offer a very different concept in luxury apartment style dwellings, with an all inclusive rental option as an alternative to purchasing. As well as luxurious accommodation, dining is also an important part of the all inclusive. Offering three waiter-served restaurant meals a day, and free refreshments, backed up by a lifestyle programme that supports mind, body and soul.

In fact, everything to make day to day life as stress free and comfortable as possible.

If you or your partner should need additional support, Westward Care have the answer. As well as luxury apartments ‘with care’, the company have been winning awards for their care homes and luxurious respite care packages, set in pleasant surroundings, where they support a wide range of activities in health, hygiene and general well-being – backed up by experienced nursing and residential care. Again, dining is of upmost importance, offering quality food served either in the restaurant or taken to each apartment. No stone is left unturned in ensuring that every comfort and need is taken care of.

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Companies can offer different ways of cutting the financial mustard when funding your new found retreat.

Some allow for renting with secure tenure without actually buying and no landlord to terminate the lease.

Downsizing allows you to live a life of luxury,have access to capital and flexibility to make choices.

Hassle-free maintenance can be an attractive advantage and if you like idea of moving without the stresses and strains of selling your current property part-exchange could offer a solution.

LIVE IN CARERS

For some closing their own front door for the last time is the hardest thing they can do and the thought of going into a nursing home an unbearable step too far. Happily there is a solution. Able Community Care can step in and provide livein carers for domestic,personal and social care for as long as the person wants to live in their own home. The company has enabled thousands of older people throughout the UK to remain living at home since 1980.

THE LITTLE ACHES AND PAINS

Some companies can take the tiresome details out of a big move like arranging visits of the electricity van, the gas van, the furniture removal van and making sure everything dovetails sweetly together.

They can also take the headaches out of dealing with solicitors, estate agents, packing, decluttering, picture hanging, right down to arranging a welcome in your own home.

s

Retirement Shangri-La!

RETIREMENT OPTIONS BACK HOME

MONEY MATTERS

Before you commit to a move you need to think carefully and map out what you really need. Now you’re no longer working do you really need to move away for a complete break or stay closer to your friends and downsize in more familiar territory? Are things like non slip floors,no steps,lots of warmth and wide bright windows important to you? Do you have other people to consider? Money is obviously an important factor. How much are you prepared to pay for your new home and how much to keep back for a little nest egg of luxury spending?

And then there’s where.Will you need to be in town with the doctor and dentist just round the corner, a bus you can hop on for a sudden trip to the country and shops for snapping up the latest bargains.? Maybe you’d like a more pastoral feel in a retirement village with green open spaces,trees to breathe under,backed up with social chit-chat among friends,over a glass of wine,a few indoor games to keep the little grey cells active or perhaps keeping fit in the gym to tone up the muscles.

Hawthorns, Clevedon

WHERE YOUR W E L L- B E I N G M AT T E R S Y O U R W E L L- B E I N G

A comprehensive and active programme to support your extended health, Well-being and independence, covering all aspects of your mind, body and soul.

H OT E L Q U A L I T Y

The best service and standards for your independent lifestyle, in an easy to manage all inclusive monthly rental, with no hidden charges, exit fees, or long notice period.

R E S TA U R A N T D I N I N G

Menu choices at all three meals, with wine served and everything from fruit and juices to a full English for breakfast, all served to your table and no washing up!

Please call 0800 1143504 for further information or a copy of our full brochure T H E H A W T H O R N S W H E R E YO U ’ R E I N G O O D C O M PA N Y Aldridge, West Midlands | Braintree, Essex | Clevedon, Somerset | Eastbourne, Sussex | www.hawthornsretirement.co.uk RETIREMENT today

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P FOR POSITIVE

The prospect of retiring then moving is an uncertain time and you need to accentuate the positive in your new life.

Now is the chance to do something you’ve always yearned to do once you had a bit of free time on your hands.

Perhaps take up a hobby that has always interested you but you’ve never had the time to fully indulge. Singing songs with other people brings immediate friendships in perfect harmony. Joining a walking club helps you explore the country scene with others. When I retired I regularly visited an old people’s home and sang unaccompanied for one hour songs they could all sing. One lady sang all the lyrics with all the moves to one song even though she had never reacted like that before. It was good for them to exercise their lungs and memory. But it was also good for me too. There was definitely a two-way healing process.

One of the most positive things you can do is to keep fit by playing a game,going on a cycle machine,swim in the pool. Doctors will tell you the best form of exercise is to go out for a walk in the fresh air,under the trees. It doesn’t Westward Care -Southlands

Résidences la Différence

cost you anything. Some retirement homes have their own fitness facilities inbuilt and this may be something for you to take on board when planning your retirement.

DO IT NOW

There’s a good saying ‘there’s no time like the present’ yet the natural inclination when you retire is to put off making that decision about a move.

Think carefully about it certainly but don’t hang around too long making the decision. Don’t postpone it. Do it while you still have the strength and fortitude. Otherwise you may never

do it and live to regret it. You have worked long and hard,put up with rush hour traffic,the tension at work.

You have earned your retirement now go out and embrace it with both hands.

BACK AT YOUR COVE

Meanwhile back near your cosy cove in France the sun is beginning to set.

In the subdued light on your balcony you reach for a glass of wine and then for that short story by Somerset Maugham you were reading earlier.

Another tiring day! I wonder what tomorrow will be like? n

For further information: Résidences la Différence - www.residencesladifference.com Hawthorns - www.hawthornsretirement.co.uk Westward Care - www.WestwardCare.co.uk Able Community Care - www.ablecommunitycare.com Guildcare - www.guildcare.org

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Luxury flats and villas in Cyprus RETIREMENT

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Retirement bungalows in France

Seafront villas and apartments in Morocco

Westward care model ensures couples remain together

With locations in Roundhay and Headingley, Westward Care sites are carefully considered to benefit residents and a variety of options are developed for older people to choose from, meaning that people get the right solution for them.

Those interested in the Southlands or Headingley Hall location should visit,

www.WestwardCare.co.uk

Westard care

Westward Care, one of Leeds’ most trusted providers of tailored living and social care for older people strives to provide flexible living options for couples in later life. From luxury ‘apartments with care’ for independent living, to residential and respite care in a care home, Westward Care offers person-centred care and convenient, flexible living arrangements to offer each individual resident peace of mind.

Through innovative and tailored living solutions, Westward Care are catering to the increasing demand to keep couples living together in the UK, in sickness and in health. Westward Care’s ‘apartments with care’ model is committed to helping couples remain together, meaning that when one member of the couple may require additional care or support with a more specialist care provision, the company have a choice of services available at the same facility.

Margaret, resident at Southlands explains: “The ‘apartments with care’ model offered at Westward Care enables me to stay with my husband who requires care and support. Having the apartment has given me the choice to have a happy and comfortable lifestyle with added support meaning that David and I can continue to enjoy our life together.

“With a tailored offering, I feel reassured knowing that care and support is also there for me if and when I require it, plus I can continue to enjoy my independence without the worrying - knowing that myself and David live at Southlands together.”

With three sites across Leeds, Westward Care ‘apartments with care’ have been meticulously designed with the homeowner at the heart of the development and a range of facilities allow residents to enjoy a rich and fulfilling life. These include: a 24-hour call system and optional services such as a dining package room service and full cleaning and personal laundry. Residents can enjoy the finer things and forget about the stress of running a home with an in-house hairdressing salon and beauty pamper room, fully licensed bar, film room and all day tea bar.

In addition to the outstanding apartments, Westward Care also offer quality dining with breakfast, a three-course lunch and tea served in the well-appointed dining room or taken to each apartment to be enjoyed.

At Westward Care an array of services are available to encourage a rich and fulfilled lifestyle. A full activities programme is offered for on-site entertainment, as well as frequent outings to theatres, parks and coffee shops.

Located on established bus routes and car sharing schemes provided, residents can take trips out to local areas such as Skipton and Wetherby.

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Patient after dental implants

Hungarian Dental Travel leads the way in offering All-on-4 treatment Concept.

H

ungarian Dental Travel is now offering patients the ground breaking All-on-4 treatment a new technique whereby a whole row of failing teeth is replaced with 4 or 6 dental implants, but all this is done in a single visit. This procedure has

coined the term “teeth in a day” and has risen in popularity with British dental patients travelling to Budapest for lower priced treatment.

For patients who have had to suffer ill fitting dentures, once again having natural looking teeth through dental implants can be life changing not only in terms of

COMPETITIONS Win tickets for five-star show The Comedy About A Bank Robbery at the Criterion Theatre

Darren Bell

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Hungarian Dental Travel.

Tel 020 7193 1384 hello@hungariandentaltravel.co.uk www.hungariandentaltravel.co.uk

For a chance to win, send in your name, address and tel no (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 Breaking into its second year, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is the latest West End smash hit from the madcap Mischief Theatre.

A priceless diamond has been entrusted to the city bank, but in a town where everyone’s a crook and even security guards can’t be trusted, what could possibly go wrong?

Delivering swag loads of laughter, Ocean’s Eleven meets the Marx Brothers in this dynamite new comedy.

Book now for the hottest show in town.

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Special Senior Rate of £35 for Wednesday matinee performances at 2.30pm until 12 July simply call 0844 815 6131, go to the Box Office of the Criterion Theatre or book online at criterion-theatre.co.uk and choose ‘OAP’ instead of ‘Standard’ seats in the drop down menu.

Terms and Conditions: 3 winners will receive a pair of tickets to see The Comedy About A Bank Robbery at the Criterion Theatre. Valid for Tuesday - Thursday performances until end of September.

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Competitions 20

function but also aesthetics.

All-on-4 works like this, teeth are removed, implants placed and quality fixed temporary teeth are then fitted to the dental implants the same day. The temporary teeth mean that patients no longer have to wear dentures on the day of implant placement. Once the healing process has been reached, the patient then returns to the surgery and a permanent porcelain fixed dental bridge will then be fitted. This avoids the need for timeconsuming bone grafting procedures, making it an extremely minimally invasive concept.

What makes this concept so special is that the system has been developed for special implants to be placed at 30 degree angles if necessary so that the dental implants can be placed in the strongest regions of the jawbone. This leads to a rapid improvement in the quality of life along with being extremely cost effective.

Dr Renata is one of the leading maxillofacial dental surgeons in Budapest who offers this treatment to British patients seeking a solution when traditional implant methods might not be suitable n

For your chance to win send in your details, quoting ref. BR Closing date: 31 August 2017.

RETIREMENT

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Considering your retirement choices?

Could renting be for you? housekeeping and bedlinen/laundry.With no utility bills as well you can use as much hot water or central heating as you like to stay warm throughout even the coldest spell.We even provide the transport free on days out in our private minibus.

Quality of dining is also important, and we have a team of professional chefs that freshly prepare nutritionally balanced meals with choices in each of three courses, including wine at lunchtimes – again all inclusive.There are three waiter-served restaurant meals a day and free refreshments available throughout the day to include tea, coffee and juices, home baked cakes and biscuits, and a variety of fresh fruit.There is a comprehensive Well-being Programme that supports mind, body and soul, with exercise classes aplenty; there is also a daily entertainment and activities schedule both within the residency and on trips out. All of this combines to ensure your independence is supported and enables you to spend your time on enjoying your well-earned retirement.

If you prefer a different outlook or you wish to downsize from a two-bed to a one-bed apartment there are no sales fees, purchase costs, legal charges or delays; with just a single charge to reflect that our apartments always come freshly decorated and with new carpets, where required, you just move and pay the new monthly rent.

Property purchase won’t give you that flexibility and choice.

The Hawthorns Group offers a small number of high quality locations around the country, all offering a choice of wellappointed fully-maintained studio, one and

two-bedroomed apartments. From a stunning seaside location on the north Somerset coast in unspoilt Clevedon, overlooking the sea and the beautiful Victorian pier, to a prestigious development in the sunny Sussex coast in Eastbourne that also offers bungalows in the grounds for even greater independence.

Closer to London in South Essex the Hawthorns in Braintree stands in a semi-rural location on the edge of the market town, and finally the location in Aldridge in the West Midlands stands conveniently in the centre of England if you wish to be within easy reach of family placed around the country; the location in Aldridge differs in that it is also registered to provide care, meaning that you don’t need to move should your circumstances change.

The Hawthorns offers a warm welcome at all of their friendly communities, and enquirers can call in at any time or you can call ahead to book a dedicated personal tour with one of the management team.

The Hawthorns: For more information, you can Search ‘Hawthorns Retire’ or take a look inside each retirement community on their Facebook pages.

Eastbourne | Clevedon Braintree | Aldridge RETIREMENT

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The Hawthorns

T

he Hawthorns Group maintains a really different approach to high quality retirement living, with an all-inclusive rental model – so as opposed to a purchase there’s no need to tie up your capital and assets and still incur the costs of maintaining your own property. Right now, a rental model has never looked so good.

Property purchase maintains the valued position of home ownership, but as many of the retirement property options are leasehold opposed to freehold anyway, there is very little difference to a rental model.The difference though is in the costs, some of which can be less than obvious.

Purchase prices for retirement properties can carry a premium over the general market and you may only be able to sell back to the original developer or freeholder, often at their valuation rather than an open market assessment. Exit fees from such developments can range from 5% to over 20% of either the original purchase price or the sell back value; add in the stamp duty on purchase and legal costs for that as well as the sale and there is a significant premium for tying your money into another freehold. Most leasehold purchases also carry other costs such as ground rent, service charges and maintenance costs – month in, month out.This is money you and your family will never get back.

In contrast the all-inclusive Hawthorns Rental model offers certainty, easy planning, and flexibility.To make life really simple and worry-free there are no property repairs, gardening costs, Council Tax, weekly

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Age 50+

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e-mail to: hello@hungariandentaltravel.co.uk www. hungariandentaltravel.co.uk

VOLUNTEERING CHANGES LIVES Volunteering with the British Heart Foundation can change more lives than you think.

You will help raise the money that drives our life saving research whilst meeting great people and being part of a friendly team.

Whether you can give just a few hours or a few days, every minute of your time is valuable to us.

Find out more at bhf.org.uk/volunteer or call 0300 330 3322

Registered charity numbers 225971 & SC039426

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www.projects-abroad.co.uk info@projects-abroad.co.uk Tel: 01903 708300

by Jo Barlow

V

olunteering is one of those wonderful occasions when the more you give, the more you receive. On one level, volunteering allows you to help someone and make a real difference to their life; and not just in your local community, in the global community too. Seeing your work making a difference is incentive enough, but the rewards for the volunteer go much deeper than just helping others. They include: meeting new people and making new friends; engaging with the community and reducing feelings of isolation; improving confidence and self-esteem in a post-work world; the chance to learn new skills and, with a lifetime of experience, teaching skills to others; for a couple, it can provide a new shared interest, or, alternatively, a little time away from each other to maintain your individuality.

s

Sue George, of the British Heart Foundation, sums up the role of the volunteer perfectly: “Giving your time helps us to save lives. Our volunteers help our fight for every heartbeat and make a big difference in their local communities.”

The BHF was founded in 1961 by a group of medical professionals wanting to fund extra research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart and circulatory disease. They are the nation’s heart charity and the largest independent Courtesy of Revitalise -Netley fun funder of cardiovascular research; their pioneering research has helped to Revitalise is the largest provider of transform the lives of people living with respite holidays with on-call nurse-led care heart and circulatory conditions. Their for disabled people and carers in the UK. work has been central to the discoveries There are three Revitalise centres across of vital treatments that are helping to the UK, situated in Essex, Southampton change the face of the UK’s fight against and Southport. Each centre provides a heart disease. wide range of accessible activities and Sue adds: “Every day, we depend on our lots of fun for guests and volunteers alike, army of volunteers for help in our work including exciting excursions, great evening and we cannot thank them enough for entertainment and a brilliant atmosphere. all they do! There are many reasons why Revitalise also runs the largest residential people volunteer with us. For some, it’s volunteering programme of any UK charity, to meet new people, try something new, with around 1,500 volunteers joining in make use of their skills. What bonds them across the centres each year. Volunteers is a determination to fight cardiovascular form a crucial part of the Revitalise team disease, the UK’s single biggest killer.” and guests always say that a big part of what There are many ways that volunteers can makes their holiday special is the volunteers. support the BHF, including in their 700+ There is a wide range of volunteering shops and stores where there is a variety opportunities with Revitalise, from of volunteer roles, from customer service becoming a residential volunteer at one to stock generators or a stock collection of their centres to helping out in one of driver; or in the community fundraising their shops or at the head office. Volunteers team, where groups form a vital network for Revitalise have the opportunity to: of volunteers across the country organising make a valuable contribution to the lives events and collections and speaking at of others (the feeling is like no other); gain local clubs. a certificate of achievement (you may be Being part of a group is a way to meet able to get formal accreditation too); boost new people, make great friends and get career prospects, many staff members started involved in your local community, all out as volunteers; and make new friends at

Courtesy of BHF - Volunteer Trio

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Volunteering

Volunteering

whilst helping to fund pioneering research into better understanding and treating of cardiovascular disease.

The BHF offers volunteers comprehensive induction training, flexibility that fits in with your lifestyle and other commitments, on-going support, the opportunity to learn lifesaving skills by completing CPR training and reimbursement of travel expenses.

Sue concludes: “If you have some time to give to help us raise valuable funds for the vital work of the British Heart Foundation, we would love to hear from you! “ Louise Paz from Revitalise agrees: “Volunteers are the magic ingredient of Revitalise. We are very lucky to have welcomed thousands of volunteers over the years to our centres, whose support and contribution is integral to the overall experience of a Revitalise holiday. They bring numerous benefits including enthusiasm, energy and passion, ensuring that each guest feels that their stay is truly their holiday.”

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the same time as having fun.

But it is not just retired people who volunteer for Revitalise, they actively welcome people from all backgrounds and countries. Students, graduates, people in employment and unemployed all come to Revitalise to help the guests have a great holiday They have volunteers from all over the world, travelling from countries like Spain, Germany and even as far afield as Ghana and Korea. There is no upper age limit and no previous experience is necessary.

Projects Abroad is another charity where different generations volunteer side by side.

School age students, university students and recent graduates volunteer for Projects

Abroad alongside career breakers and retirees. In fact everyone is welcome!

The charity was launched back in 1992 sending students to teach English in Eastern Europe. Now, 25 years later, they have nearly 700 trained staff working in over 30 destinations, are running 215 different types of projects; from Care and Conservation to Human Rights and Building, and are now the world’s leading overseas volunteering and gap-year organisation.

Beth Evans, of Projects Abroad says: “Projects Abroad places a great deal of value on our older volunteers, for with age comes a mixture of experience, skills and patience that younger volunteers often cannot offer. Recent years have witnessed a massive growth in the amount of retired volunteers being sent out to Projects Abroad destinations.”

There are many reasons why retired people volunteer to work abroad. Volunteering in a developing country gives you the opportunity to learn about a new culture, try new food, practice a foreign language, help others and meet other likeminded volunteers.

In fact, retirement is the perfect time to enjoy an adventure, as Jill Streeten discovered: “I would certainly encourage mature people to volunteer. I wish I Courtesy of Projects Abroad had been able to do so while

Cavendish The lightest and most manoeuverable able Power Chairr on the market

younger as I am now finding there are places I want to visit. It is a wonderful way to immerse oneself in the country’s culture and volunteers are extremely well looked after by host families and Project Abroad staff.”

Travelling abroad, possibly on your own, can seem a scary prospect for someone of any age but, as Sheena Kelly discovered, she was well looked after by Projects Abroad: “Don’t have any regrets by not doing it. As time got nearer to go I was a little anxious, having never travelled so far by myself. But I was also very excited, as I felt I was embarking on an adventure, but in a safe, controlled way with a reputable organisation.”

Whether you are tempted to volunteer in your own neighbourhood or across the globe, volunteering really does make a difference, for you and the charities you support n

If you feel inspired to volunteer, find out more about how you can get involved by visiting: https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved http://revitalise.org.uk/volunteer/ http://www.projects-abroad.co.uk/ volunteer-projects/grown-up-specials/

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Fold and unfold in seconds. Once folded to the size of a suitcase, you’ll be able to take your Di Blasi anywhere

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24h on-call nurse-led care Fully accessible facilities Full board included Accessible excursions Brilliant live entertainment Daily in-house activities Financial support available Feel at ease and enjoy the warm atmosphere and the comfort of our three accessible holiday centres: Jubilee Lodge

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Sandpipers

To book a break or request your holiday brochure: Call: 0303 303 0145 quoting RT171 Email: bookings@revitalise.org.uk Visit: revitalise.org.uk *Terms and conditions apply.

Registered charity no. 295072 RETIREMENT

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Pale & Interesting Collecting An extract from Pale & Interesting

by Atlanta Bartlett & Dave Coote.

Photography by Polly Wreford.

Published by Ryland Peters & Small.

Reader offer

Pale & Interesting

Pale & Interesting is available to readers for the special price of £14.99 including postage & packaging (rrp £19.99) by telephoning Macmillan Direct on 01256 302 699 and quoting the reference LC3.

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An attractive assemblage of rare Victorian engraved mirrors brightens up a dull corner. An early 19th-century tin clock sits comfortably in the centre.

A beautiful wooden model sailing boat gives this pale bedroom a nautical theme. Placing it beside a couple of fossils and piles of antique books shows that a creative mix-and-match approach to displaying your collections will ensure that your home never looks like a museum.

Become your own curator and discover new and interesting ways to display your treasured possessions so that they don’t feel like clutter.

obsession, it deserves to be displayed, as long as the components relate in some way to each other or are unified either by their nature or the way in which they are presented.

Old tins, hats, shells that have been gathered on various family holidays, toys, bits of driftwood, paintings, bottles or even vintage tools would all make pleasing displays.

The first step in successful curating is to declutter your home. Good storage is indispensable. Try to create a place for everything and keep everything in its place and you will be halfway there. Think about which items you want to keep tucked away out of sight

The simple life is all very well, but collecting is a human instinct and few of us would want to live without our cherished possessions around us. The trick is to know how to display your treasures in a way that allows them to be appreciated without taking over your space. Be your own curator and train yourself to have a discerning eye, only giving your favourite and most worthy items floor and shelf space. In this way, you will create focal points in your home that are striking and personal.

Almost anything is collectable. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines a collection as ‘A group of accumulated items of a particular kind; so whatever your RETIREMENT

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and which you want out on show, as some of your storage will actually become part of the room’s decoration, especially if it is showing off your collection of vintage magazines or 19th century lusterware. Some units have both solid and glazed doors so that they can do double duty in both concealing and exhibiting and this is particularly useful in smaller homes.

You will need to exercise a degree of self-control when it comes to displaying your precious exhibits. For an effective display you don’t need to have absolutely everything out at the same time – ringing the changes keeps things interesting.You may have

An interesting grouping of off-white ceramic pots and jugs, enamel labels and house numbers reveals this homeowner’s passion for old typefaces.

The pale blue interior of the cupboard helps the collection to stand out.

Be your own curator and ensure that only the best pieces are allowed shelf space.

You don’t need to display every single item in your collection at any one time.

Rotate the pieces on display and that way you will appreciae them all the more.

This pretty selection of lustreware is given room to breathe, which keeps the overall effect fresh and uncluttered.The decorative painted-glass panel on the 19th century clock echoes the pretty pastel pink of the china.

An eclectic and very personal compilation of vintage signs, decorative objects and local artists’ work have been hung closely together on a wall to create a striking display on the landing of this family home in South East England.

by theme will all create a connection that draws many disparate pieces into a unified whole.

If you prefer a less regulated and more relaxed look, make sure there is plenty of empty spaces around your collection and this will also tie different objects together into a coherent whole. For example an eclectic mix of different-sized paintings, photos and posters in mismatched frames can be pulled together if they are hung en masse, keeping the gaps between them small.The rest of the room should also be kept simple.

Another way to connect your collections is to display them under glass to create a museumlike atmosphere. Glazed cabinets,

This imposing open-fronted cabinet holds an array of china and glass, proving that everyday objects can form an aesthetically pleasing decorative display. A grey linen-covered beanbag on the high-gloss white floor offers a comfy spot to relax.

old retail units, glass cloches, cake covers, jam pots or apothecary jars are all perfect for the job. The plan is to be in control of your collection and not the other way around.

Collections can also be used to alter the proportions of the room. A single row of plates, for instance, hung at eye level could help the ceiling seem higher while a wall packed with antlers would make a large space feel more intimate n RETIREMENT

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Pale & Interesting

dozens of beautiful ceramic jugs, but if you rotate the items out on display and only show a select few at a time, you will keep the collection looking fresh.

Another idea is to change your displays on a seasonal basis, perhaps with shells and beachcombing finds showcased during the summer months, for example, and autumn leaves, seedpods and twigs in the winter.

The manner in which you display your collections will also have a bearing on the overall effect. Random arrangements have a habit of merging into everyday clutter. So a sense of order is essential. Hanging pieces on the wall in regimented lines and rows, arranging them symmetrically on shelves or grouping items together

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185w x 135h 2017

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Cruises along the peaceful Regents Canal, through Regents Park, the Maida Hill tunnel and London Zoo. Trips on traditional canal boats, one way or return, with a stopover to shop in the lively bustle of Camden Lock or a picnic in the tranquil elegance of Little Venice, or trips with entry to London Zoo. Daily service April to September, weekends in winter.

Discount fares for booked groups.

COMMUNITY & EMERGENCY SERVICES DAY SATURDAY 22ND JULY 2017, 10.30AM-5PM

Tel: 020 7482 2550 www.londonwaterbus.com

Aquaplancton

Voted Home and Garden “Product of the Year” Aquaplancton Pondbefore before Pond

Pond Pondafter after

Join us at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre for a fun filled family day out with your local Emergency Services and charities.

Climb in a fire engine Speak to the police Examine an ambulance Learn about your local community services Enjoy steam trains - full size, miniature and model!

Visit the museum and visitor centre Entry: £5 per person (age 5+)

Votedhas Home Garden “Product of the Year” algae, Aquaplancton been and clearing ponds of blanket weed, duckweed, Aquaplancton has been clearing of blanketfilters, weed,for duckweed, green water, sludge, slime, odourponds and clogged over 20 algae, years.green People water, sludge, odour and clogged filters, forfor over 20safe, years.natural People remedy. re-order re-order timeslime, and time again which says a lot this time and time again which says a lot for this safe, natural remedy.

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RAILWAY CENTRE Station Road, Quainton, Near Aylesbury HP22 4BY email marketing@bucksrailcentre.org call 01296 655720 Buckinghamshire Railway Centre www.bucksrailcentre.org

Out&About...

STEAM Celebrates King George V’s 90th Birthday

Watercolours by John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent, The Church of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice c. 1904-9 Watercolour on paper, over preliminary pencil. 36.7 x 53.8 cm, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon.

Photo: Catarina Gomes Ferreira

Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

Until 8 October

Key events: Swindon Railway Festival (9 and 10 September) The Great Western Brick Show (7 and 8 October) Website: www.steam-museum.org.uk Tel: (01793) 466637s *On loan from the National Railway Museum.

Nelson & Norfolk

Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery Until 1 October

Admiral Lord Nelson (1758-1805) and his affection for his native county of Norfolk is the subject of this exhibition. On show are some of the most extraordinary and potent objects connected to Nelson, from his boyhood in Norfolk to his death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. See Nelson’s undress coat and hat worn at the battle of the Nile, as well as many unique objects on display never before seen together. www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk

The first major UK exhibition of watercolours by the AngloAmerican artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925).

Renowned as the leading portraitist of his generation, Sargent mastered the medium of watercolour during his painting expeditions to Southern Europe and the Middle East, where he was able to take inspiration from the places he visited.

Whilst these watercolours have often been dismissed as simple travel souvenirs, they were an integral part of Sargent’s artistic production. The exhibition features 80 works from over 30 lenders, showing Sargent’s technical brilliance and striking individuality. www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

True to Life: British Realist Painting in the 1920s & 1930s

As part of the Edinburgh Festival, this exhibition takes a look at a period of our art history which became rather overlooked when abstract art became fashionable after the Second World War. Many artists of the period chose a new kind of hard-edged, sharp-focussed realist painting and found new subjects in modern life. Over 75 paintings, by more than fifty artists are brought together for a chance to rediscover this rather overlooked period in British art

Sir John Godsalve by Hans Holbein the Younger c.1532-4 Copyright: Royal Collection Trust Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2017

Edward BAIRD (1904-1949) Still Life, 1940, Oil on canvas, 45.9 x 61 cm Collection: National Galleries of Scotland, purchased 1990 Graham Stephen. Photo: Antonia Reeve

1st July -29 October

The Encounter: Drawings from Leonardo to Rembrandt

©

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh

Undress Coat worn by Nelson at the Battle of the Nile © National Maritime Museum, London, Greenwich Hospital Collection

National Portrait Museum, London Until 22 October

50 drawings from Britain’s finest collections by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Dürer, Rubens and Rembrandt, and including eight portraits by Holbein from the Royal Collection are on display, many rarely seen.

Some of the people in these portraits can be identified, such as the emperor’s chaplain or the king’s clerk, but many are the faces from the street – the nurse, the shoemaker, and the artist’s friends and pupils in the studio – whose likeness were rarely captured in paintings during this period. www.npg.org.uk RETIREMENT

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Out & About

It is 90 years since the iconic No. 6000 King George V* was built in Swindon.

To celebrate the railway milestone, Swindon’s STEAM Museum has three new exhibitions centred around the legendary locomotive.

1927 - Have I Got Old News for You – gives a snapshot glance at important GWR and worldwide events from the year KGV was built.

King George V: A Locomotive Legend – explores the GWR’s motives for designing and building the ‘King Class’ locomotives.

Going to America – follows KGV and North Star’s involvement in the famous Baltimore and Ohio Railroad centenary celebrations.

These exhibitions are free with STEAM admission and to Season Ticket holders.

STEAM’s permanent displays of gleaming locomotives and restored carriages currently include No. 3717 City of Truro*, No. 7821 Ditcheat Manor and No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle*; a 1934 GWR Swindon Buffet Car* and an 1897 GWR Royal Carriage*.

Located next to the Swindon Designer Outlet, the Museum is housed in a beautifully restored railway building, set in the heart of the former Swindon Railway Works.

STEAM tells the story of the people who built, operated and travelled on the GWR – nicknamed by its workers as ‘God’s Wonderful Railway’.

Bespoke introductory talks are available to groups booking in advance and refreshments are available in STEAM’s Platform One Café.

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SMART PARK HOMES

By Mike Francis

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extra 2,000 hours a year to fill so keep in with the neighbours next door and organise your own activities. like arts and crafts, bird watching and themed supper evenings.

SAVING MONEY

Park Homes can be money savers thanks to low energy and maintenance costs and are a cheaper option than putting your money into more traditional homes. They are also attracting interest in the market place which helps to push their value up if you decide to sell later. Most Killarney Homes

Smart Park Homes

LUXURY BUNGALOWS

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Park Homes are luxury bungalows parked in the heart of the countryside where you don’t have to wander far before you hear the sound of a woodpecker or the subtle cheep cheep of a small bird at the end of a branch. Each self-contained home has its own little garden and fence, a driveway to park the car and once inside you have no steps to navigate.

Large windows ensure that the sun fills your rooms with expansive warmth dappled by the shaded blinds. In winter the double or triple glazed windows help keep the cold out so you can eat, drink and be merry in the relaxing central heating inside. Principally for all round residency some of the homes can be used for holiday lets and rented out when you’re not there bringing in a useful source of revenue.

Remember that now you’re retired you’ll have broadly an RETIREMENT

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Parks look after residents of a similar age and have gated entry or CCTV as security. Apart from off the road parking and your own private garden for pottering around in, there are large common areas of landscape to wander round and meet up with friends in the warmth of the summer sunshine or in the friendly relaxed atmosphere of the club lounge.

KILLARNEY HOMES

Residential Parks are to be found right round the country and one of the oldest is up in Nottinghamshire run

s

hile you’ve been working round the clock 9-5 with all the high pressure meetings, rush hour traffic and office flare ups, you’re probably looking forward to the relative peace and quiet that a gentle retirement can bring. Being able to put your feet up at home while the workers swelter back in the daily grind of a hot rush hour journey.You won’t be working in town any more so now’s the chance to cut loose from those habits of a lifetime and choose a completely new life nowhere near the old one.

If you prefer the great outdoors, get great pleasure from breathing in the fresh country air, walking under trees, talking to the locals, and strolling through quiet high streets then maybe a Park Home should be on your retirement retreat list.

JJC JJ C C J JC

J JC J JC

C

JJ

JJ

TM

JJ COOPER & SONS Exclusive Park Home Estates

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HERE QUALITY IS A FAMILY TRADITION

New development of 30 bungalow style park homes, nearly all sold at Garstons Park, last few remaining. Prices from £145.000.

All prices on all our parks include Landscaped Garden & Driveway. Private Residential Estates for the over 45s.

New Stateley Albion Topaz 45x20 available at California Country Park Homes for July 2015. Price £295,000 New Stately Albion Badminton 32x22 available at Upton Cross Park for May 2015. Price £190,000 One of our parks receive a new park home each month of the year! We have a pre-booked build slot in place with various manufacturers to guarantee you minimal wait time for your new park home.

New Stately Albion 45 x 20

New Stately Albion Badminton 32 x 22

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

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by this company for 50 years. They run 3 Parks exclusively up the property value which can for the over 45s and according to Director Sophie Brown, be gifted on to a relative when the ‘ people who buy Park Homes are generally those close owner passes on. You can fish, walk, to retirement or thinking about making that final move. play golf at California Country Park Children have flown the nest and they want to downsize in Berkshire and if you place an order and clear out the clutter.’ 35 acres of peaceful countryside for a Park Home you don’t have to surround the Park, historically rich in nearby neighbours wait so long because the company has Lord Byron who used to live here and Robin Hood who pre-build agreements in place with roamed close by. Spectacular views of Killarney Park can the home builders. One of their Parks be seen from the front door of every Park Home built at receives a new Park Home every a decent distance from the next door neighbour. Tee off month of the year. JJ Cooper Parks from several golf courses around, go on country walks, or are based in Berkshire, Essex, Surrey, shop just 3 miles away to keep your legs and your wallet Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire with active. One of their newer developments Willow Park is set site specific spots in Poole, in a private gated area on the outskirts of Calverton village Oxford, Fareham, Tilehurst and north east of the county.With a golf course on one side and Finchampstead. The final word stunning countryside on the other this Park boasts its own from James is that’ Park Home life communal allotment for growing your own fruit and veg is extremely fashionable and a well and is close to pubs, shops, doctor and library. Regular buses respected way of life’. to Nottingham stop just outside the Park and a courtesy bus takes residents JJ Coopers Windsor Park Home to the local town and village so no need for the car.

GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

My grandparents kept a caravan in the shade of the Cromer lighthouse on the East Coast.and I used to go there every year for summer holidays.

There was only one problem. At night 30 seconds of darkness was followed by 30 seconds of blinding light cast by the lighthouse through the blinds.

Park Homes are a very long way from lighthouses. Deep in the heart of the peaceful countryside you will never be far from a good night’s sleep! n

For further information: Killarney Homes www.killarneyhomes.co.uk J J Cooper www.jjcoopergroup.com

Smart Park Homes

JJ COOPER PARK ESTATES

This company has been running for many years and has 8 Parks in pretty areas in the south of England, some close to London. CCTV is also in evidence here although as owner James Cooper says ‘ not because they need it.

It makes the residents feel more secure’.

The rising popularity of Park Homes in today’s market place has helped push

Photo: courtesy of Railway Modeller Magazine

6000

Enjoy the UK’S finest model railway layouts and many more attractions!

Admission: Adults: £12.00 Senior (0ver 65): £9.00 Children (3-15 yrs): £8.00 Family tickets: £28.00 (2 adults, 1 child) £32.00 (2 adults, 2 children)

Fire Fly Avenue, Swindon SN2 2EY www.steam-museum.org.uk

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£19.99 8 issues inc p&p)

Send you name and address together with a cheque for £19.99 to: Subscriptions Department, AMRA MEDIA SOLUTIONS, The Old Lavender Mill, 46a Brook Street, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire HP22 5ES 01296 632700

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Summer tours at the Houses of Parliament

Summer (tours) at the Houses of Parliament 34

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Photo credit: UK Parliament

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hether thinking about a day out for yourself or entertaining the grandchildren during the summer holidays a tour of the Houses of Parliament should be top of your ‘must visit in London list’.

A choice of guided and audio tours including versions especially produced for children, offer a vivid glimpse into the activities of a busy 21st century working building, steeped in history and filled with an array of stunning art and architecture.

Follow the processional route taken by the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament as you pass through the sumptuous interior of the Robing Room where she dons the Imperial State Crown. Witness the splendour of the Royal Gallery and hear the story of the imposing paintings depicting British victories during the Napoleonic wars before entering the more intimate Prince’s Chamber, home to John Gibson’s monumental statue of Queen Victoria. In the majestic Lords Chamber, dominated by the Throne and canopy designed by Augustus Pugin, discover the role of the House of Lords and its importance in the parliamentary process.

Upon reaching Central Lobby, situated mid-point between the two chambers, marvel at the magnificent domed ceiling of Central Lobby with its enormous chandelier and the scene of many news broadcasts. The tour continues with a chance to explore the Commons Chamber with its Speaker’s chair and famous green benches. Following the

recent election, imagine the chamber once more resounding to lively political debates and calls of ‘order, order’ from the Speaker. As you re-trace your steps through St Stephen’s Hall the site of earlier parliamentary events, the tour finishes in the splendour of medieval Westminster Hall with its hammer-beam roof, adorned with hand carved angels.

This summer, Westminster Hall is hosting an exhibition commemorating Parliament & the First World War. The display explores the legislative role of Parliament between 1914 and 1918 and includes the stories of individuals connected to the institution and its buildings.

Linked to the tide of change that followed the Great War, visitors can also enjoy the opportunity to view New Dawn, a contemporary light sculpture by artist Mary Branson. Celebrating the campaign to extend the vote to women, the large scale of the artwork echoes the size of the campaign, and the contribution made to modern democracy by the many individuals involved.

What better way to end a visit to this unique and iconic building than the addition of a stylish afternoon tea served in a Thamesside room with views overlooking Lambeth Palace and the London Eye. Parliament’s award winning chefs have created a tempting seasonal menu combining tradition with a modern twist. A children’s afternoon tea option is now also available. The colourful spread of savoury and sweet treats provides a perfect special indulgence for adults and children to enjoy together n

Further information: Tours of the Houses of Parliament and Afternoon Teas are available on most weekdays from the end of July until mid-October and on Saturdays throughout the year.

Tel: 020 7219 4114 or visit the website: www.parliament.uk/visit Before visiting the Houses of Parliament, enjoy the opportunity to explore the historic interiors from the comfort of home with the new 360° virtual tour. www.parliament.uk/virtualtour

UPDATE

CLASS OF 2017: FAMILY TIES PUT THE SQUEEZE ON RETIREMENT INCOMES More than one in three people planning to retire this year (34 per cent) are financially supporting family members, contributing an average of nearly £260 a month and adding to the squeeze on their retirement incomes, according to new research from Prudential.

Financial dependants of this year’s retirees are most likely to be their children and their children’s partners (45 per cent), followed by their grandchildren and their partners (24 per cent), with their parents making up 9 per cent, and a surprising 5 per cent being their grandparents.

On average those retirees who provide financial support to loved ones give money to more than four people, and among the most common reasons are, help covering everyday living costs (22 per cent of retirees who support dependants), and paying some or all of regular household bills (14 per cent). Meanwhile, one in five retirees who support their dependants (20 per cent) pay for one-off large purchases such as a holiday or new car, and (11 per cent) cover non-essential costs such as club memberships and subscriptions.

Brits growing more daring Cheaper living with age: expenses 1 in 5 overand better 55s refusing value property pushing Brits to to “grow old gracefully” retire abroad

With average house prices increasing by 8.3% in 2016, over two thirds of Brits say that cheaper living expenses and value for money on property are the most important factors in considering to retire abroad, new research has revealed.

International Currency Exchange researched the factors which influence people’s desire to retire abroad by polling over 1,000 Brits aged 40 and over.

With only 1,432 hours of sunshine recorded across the UK in 2016 and average temperatures of just 9°C, it shouldn’t surprise us that better weather topped the list of factors that would convince people to retire abroad, with 76% rating it as either quite, or very important.

This was closely followed by cheaper living expenses, ranked as important by 74% of respondents, and followed by value for money on property (68%).

Top five factors ranked as important: 1. Better Weather 76% 2. Cheaper living expenses 74% 3. Value for money on property 68% 4. Slower pace of life 60% 5. Health 57%

Over 50s plan to keep working past 65, just for the joy of it

The over 55s are leading the way for amazing experiences in later life, with 1 in 5 not prepared to “grow old gracefully”.

Over a third (34%) believe they are more adventurous than their partner, while 28% felt bolder than their family. We’re also staying fitter for longer, with hiking, canoeing, scuba diving and snowboarding among the top ten activities the over 55s are up for on holiday.

According to the Adventure Report by comfort-insurance.co.uk, award-winning insurer for campervans, motorhomes and caravans, we become more disillusioned with the idea of rest and relaxation as we age. A mere 9% of current 16-24s believe they’d rebel against growing old gracefully, which then increases steadily with age, encompassing 12% of 25-34s, 13% for the 35-44 group and up to 18% for 45-54.

“It’s fantastic to see that for us Brits, our lust for life is only strengthening as we grow older, with exciting, active experiences clearly very important to the over 55s. Freedom and flexibility remain key factors for holiday-goers across the UK whatever their age, and the UK leisure vehicle ownership rise we’ve seen year on year definitely reflects this.” says Pete Cue, founder and director of comfort-insurance.co.uk.

UK workplaces are likely to see a boom in the number of people working later in life, motivated primarily not by money but by enjoyment of their job and concerns they’d be bored if they stopped, according to new research from retirement specialist Retirement Advantage.

The firm’s survey of over 50s found that two in five (39%) are considering working beyond state pension age, with men more likely than women to think about staying in the job (43% compared to 35%). The latest ONS figures show that 10% of over 65s are currently employed, which in itself is a big increase over the last decade.

Update

Contrary to popular perceptions that financial worries are what drive older people to stay in their jobs, when asked why they are considering working past state pension age the most popular reason was that they simply like working (54%). The next most common reasons are because work provides a sense of purpose (53%) and to avoid boredom (52%).

42% of the over 50s said they wanted to ease into retirement gradually.

Needing the extra money comes in fifth (41%), with women more likely to be motivated by this than men (46% compared to 37%).

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The memories made at Girlguiding stay with you for life.

Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

by Staying for Free.com

Retiring early to trot around the globe at a leisurely pace has worked out better than planned.

count. From learning new skills

Tapping into high-end housesits, cashing in airmiles and exchanging loyalty points for ritzy club rooms in landmark hotels has kept us travelling way longer than expected - turning our retirement gap-year into almost six years of non stop world travels.

Touching down in new places and revisiting old favourites we have clocked up more than seventy countries on six continents which might just qualify us for a place on the awards podium.

On a recent trip to San Francisco we found preparations to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the city’s fabled Summer of Love.

Baby boomers may recall being asked to wear flowers in their hair and to go with the flow. For us, this typical .only in San Francisco’ moment sparked off memories of the many hairdressers we have encountered during our travels.

to friendships that last a

Heads Up

Remember us in your Will so we can provide more girls and young women with the chance to flourish and make their presence

lifetime, Girlguiding gives girls and young women opportunities to be themselves and embark on a journey of selfdevelopment that benefits communities across the UK

Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow

and further afield.

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Registered charity number 306016.

Help us reach more girls and empower them to be their best by remembering Girlguiding in your Will. supporters@girlguiding.org.uk www.girlguiding.org.uk | 020 7834 6242 RETIREMENT

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Returning to the UK after a long absence, we notice many things previously taken for granted great haircuts being one of them.

Long hairdressing apprenticeships put UK stylists a cut above the rest. In times past, celeb hairdresser Trevor Sorbie OBE has cut our locks, but roaming around freestyle means we have to make a number of compromises, not least of all in the swivel chair at the local salon.

Housesitting, hotel living or renting a holiday-let, the search for hands to handle sharp scissors varies depending on our base. Google helps with language translation and reviews point us in the right direction, an old fashioned walk past the salon helps and, we listen when a local with a good cut offers a recommendation... but sometimes, it’s down to potluck.

Making the cut

Like the playlist from the Summer of Love album, we remember our topten of hairdressing hits and misses.

The rendezvous came with a colour consultation whether it was wanted it or not.

A book containing the United Nations of hair-colours was not a hit, but I did enjoy a glass of champagne to celebrate the salons grand opening just yards from our hotel.

I stepped out looking like a tidier version of myself and, after winning a petit combat, sporting my natural dark hair colour.

9: Andalucia, Spain: Every chair in the centrally located salon was taken, so it looked safe to make an appointment -even if the staff spoke no English and we stop at restaurant Spanish - but non of this mattered. Every head to crossed the threshold was greeted with a smile, handed a numbered ticket and offered a seat in the salons large reception area - it was like waiting for a fine cut at the local deli.

8: Rome, Italy: Hands down - or heads up - the best view from a styling chair.

Looking straight onto Circus Maximus... it turned out to be the best seat in the house.

7: Chaing Mai, Thailand: Neither reviews or a walk by could prevent visiting one stylist on Tuesday only to seek an appointment at another salon on Thursday. Thanks to the advice of a German expat friend, I found myself sandwiched between a stylish chap married to Thai royalty on one side and his well coffered personal assistant on the other. I was royally entertained by the duo while getting my own regal re-do.

6: Marrakech, Morocco: In a conservative city I decided to try out the classy spa salon at our hotel.

Pampered and fussed over, with the scent of warm Moroccan spices in the air - local Argan oil gave a super shine - and overall the cut was good... just so long as I tilted my head to one side - to even out the different lengths on left and right.

5: Sydney, Australia: From the land that offers no nonsense, no frills, functional sheepskin boots I should have known what to expect.

So you could say the Sydney stylist delivered on expectations.

4: Melbourne, Australia: How quickly time flies in a warm climate - all too soon it was time for another scissor search. But, when I remember my visit to a busy city centre salon with hip decor - why is it Australian sheep shearing comes to mind?

3: San Francisco, California: Glitz, glam and a great cut.

The exuberant stylist, dressed head to toe in obligatory black with silver embellishments glinting in the mirror - sported a hair style that filled me with confidence.

Thanks to his English training he knew how to cut and, located in one of the most expensive cities in America, knew how to charge. Ouch!

2: The Garden Route, South Africa: The popular beach town of Plettenburg offered more than scenic game drives - serious scissor action at a small indie salon produced a technical cut leaving me proud of my new mane.

So, Trevor Sorbie, if you are reading this and have been considering a satellite salon in the sunshine - I know just the person for a chat.

1: Kerala, Southern India: Why do Europeans wear their hair so short I was asked by my new Indian friends.

It quickly became obvious that while trimming long dark Indian locks may be easy, an experienced hairdresser to cut my own mid-length layers could be a challenge.

Spotting a thirty-something in town, she looked lovely in a colorful Churidar (traditional tunic worn over contrasting baggy trousers) but it was her well cut layered hair that caught my eye - I made a bee-line straight for her.

With a warm smile she delivered a blow that I should have anticipated.

“I flew in from Heathrow last night. My hairdresser lives in London”.

It was a hopeless case. Or was it?

Les manages to keep his hair in great shape..... and it’s layered.

Short well cut layers.

I was desperate, this had to be worth a try.

A friendly, rural, traditional village was the base for our housesit traditional with a capital T. The young male barber almost dropped his scissor when Les enquired about me visiting the all male barbers shop for a haircut - but he did confess to cutting his sisters hair at home.

A deal was struck.

Heading back to our villa in the homeowners car the obliging barber jumped on his motorbike and followed in hot pursuit.

Settled on a huge open veranda overlooking the swimming pool and expansive of paddi-fields, Les received a quick trim and then it was my turn.

If we accept the homeowners offer to return and care for her property - can’t pretend that I would repeat the hairdressing arrangement - but, my hair was good enough to walk through the doors of the club room at our next pit-stop - the worlds tallest hotel in Dubai.

The newly mobile hairstylist was delighted with his tip and asked when he could return - so medals all around.

Top Travel Tips:

Seventy plus countries later, of course we have a ton of travel tips to share.

Heading to Southern India?

Don’t forget Madurai and the amazing Sri Meenakshi Temple.

Fancy South Africa?

How about swimming with seals or walking with Elephants for your todo list?

Marrakech, Morocco?

A day trip to the Atlas Mountains is a must.

Chaing Mai, Thailand?

The October lantern festival should be a definite.

But, if a long-stay trip is in your future and your hairstyle needs cutting rather than trimming - the top tip has to be... start thinking of growing your hair. Now. Or, perhaps a shorter trip is on the horizon ... then simply visit a UK trained stylist before catching your flight and, in the spirit of San Francisco’s anniversary concert... show them a whole lot of love!

Peace, love and happy travels!

Read more about Les & Lee’s adventures - or invite them to sit for you.

Devon, Dorset and Mediterranean Europe are back on their wish list if you can help - say hello at: www.stayingforfree.com Staying For Free.com RETIREMENT

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Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow

10: Aix in Provence, France:

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The link between heart health, energy and migraines

What could you achieve with Q10?

Your body works hard. Every second of every day, an overwhelming range of cellular processes occur in our bodies (and that’s just to keep us alive). That amount of work requires constant energy supply and what’s vital to power it all is CoEnzyme Q10.

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CoEnzyme Q10 (a vitamin-like substance) is essential for energy production within every single cell in the body. The heart and muscles have a high demand for Q10 as they are hard working organs.Although we produce some ourselves, Q10 production declines beyond our mid20s especially when we’re ill, smoke, take certain medications or undergo intense exercise. It’s difficult to get from the diet so supplementation should be considered to get the life impacting benefits of this important nutrient. Q10 is linked to a range of health benefits due to it providing cellular energy and being an antioxidant.

Future-proof your heart

Not only does the heart need adequate Q10 to function its best, Q10 helps the circulatory system in other ways. Q10 has demonstrated being ‘the first line of defence against oxidative stress’, protecting the cells from free radicals (damaging particles produced by our bodies, pollution, smoking and UV rays). This antioxidant ability also protects against atherosclerosis building up in the blood vessels, a plaque associated with heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke. Q10 does this by helping to prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing (which plays a role in the formation of the plaque). Q10 also helps to widen the blood vessels, associated with lower blood pressure and improved blood flow all around the body.

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In the study ‘Q-Symbio’, participants who took Q10 supplements were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease related events, experienced less stress on the heart and generally recovered from heart failure better than those who took a placebo (1)!

Get active again

Studies have shown that Q10 supplementation reduces perceived fatigue sensation (2), making exercises and strenuous activity feel easier to perform. Q10 (300mg daily) also resulted in less injury and less muscular damage in elite athletes, compared to a placebo in other studies (3) making Q10 a great addition to any training regime.Various studies also support Q10’s ability to improve athletic performance, especially if you’ve had previous cardiac events in your life (4, 5).

Keep migraines at bay

Beyond the heart and muscles, Q10 can also help prevent headaches and migraines. In one trial, 93% of participants who took Q10 supplements experienced at least a 25% reduction in migraine occurrence (with 61% experiencing a reduction of at least 50%)(6). In another trial, Q10 supplementation reduced the total number of headaches experienced by subjects over a 4 weeks, compared placebo (7)

Choosing the right Q10

Q10 is by nature not easy to absorb, so many supplements don’t allow significant levels into the bloodstream. Seeking Q10 supplements from manufacturers that have documented bioavailability trials and are advocates of scientific research, is one way of overcoming this.

Q10 is best derived from yeast as it’s identical to the Q10 found in our bodies, though in this way it forms large crystals that don’t absorb well.The best absorbed Q10 supplements will ensure that these crystals are dispersed and made small enough for the body to absorb. It’s also important that Q10 comes in oil capsules, considering that Q10 is fat soluble and absorbs best in the presence of fats/oils.

As for how much to take, 200mg-300mg daily is a great range to aim for as it’s used in most successful studies. Try to split the dose up over the day (i.e. 100mg breakfast and 100mg lunch) as this has demonstrated an improvement in the levels that Q10 is raised to within the body n

Haven’t got the energy you used to ...?

Think again!

For a healthy heart, energy, immune function and more!

REFERENCES:

2. Mizuno K, Tanaka M, Nozaki S, Mizuma H, Ataka S, Tahara T et al. Antifatigue effects of coenzyme Q10 during physical fatigue. Nutrition. 2008;24(4):293-299.

3. Liao P, Zhang Y, Liao Y, Zheng NJ, Zhang X (2007) [Effects of coenzymeQ10 supplementation on liver mitochondrial function and aerobic capacity in adolescent athletes]. Zhongguo Ying Yong Sheng Li Xue Za Zhi 23: 491-494.

4. Belardinelli, R., Mucaj, A., Lacalaprice, F., Solenghi, M., Seddaiu, G., Principi, F., Tiano, L., & Littarru, G. P. (2006). Coenzyme Q10 and exercise training in chronic heart failure. European Heart Journal, 27, 2675–2681 5. Adarsh K, Kaur H, Mohan V. Coenzyme Q10(CoQ10) in isolated diastolic heart failure in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). BioFactors. 2008;32(1-4): 145-149.

6. Rozen T, Oshinsky M, Gebeline C, Bradley K, Young W, Shechter A et al. Open label trial of coenzyme Q10 as a migraine preventive. Cephalalgia. 2002;22(2): 137-141.

Active Q10 for energy and endurance!

When your body needs that top up 1

Plays a key role in the body’s energy supply

2

Produced to pharmaceutical standards

4

5

Bio-availability documented in over 90 clinical trials

3

Identical to the Q10 form produced by the body

98%

What could you achieve with Q10?

1. Mortensen S, Rosenfeldt F, Kumar A, Dolliner P, Filipiak K, Pella D et al. The Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Morbidity and Mortality in Chronic Heart Failure.

JACC: Heart Failure. 2014;2(6):641-649.

BLISTER PACKED FOR FRESHNESS

of Pharma Nord Q10 users recommend it!*

For advice or to place an order call

01670 534 900

web www.multivits.co.uk

7. Slater S, Nelson T, Kabbouche M, LeCates S, Horn P, Segers A et al. A randomized, double-blinded, placebocontrolled, crossover, add-on study of CoEnzyme Q10 in the prevention of pediatric and adolescent migraine.

Cephalalgia. 2011;31(8):897-905.

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Wills A

pparently 61 per cent of adults in the United Kingdom have not made a will.

More worryingly, over one in ten people in the UK have never thought about doing so. According to unbiased.co.uk, the South West is the most prepared region in the country, with more than half of the people surveyed saying they have already made a will. People are now living longer, hence the need to protect money and assets so they can be passed on to heirs is even more important.

Your will lets you decide what happens to your money, property and possessions after your death. Making a will can also ensure you don’t pay more inheritance tax than you should. Having a will is essential if you live with an unmarried partner, have divorced, remarried, or need to provide for someone with a disability. The importance of making a will cannot be overstressed. You can write your will yourself, but legal advice is thoroughly recommended, to make sure your will is interpreted the way you wanted.

Your will needs to be formally witnessed and signed to make it legally valid. If at any time you wish to update your will, this must be done officially, by means of a codicil. If your circumstances change (death of a loved one, or new family members) you should make a new will.

Laws of intestacy

When a person dies without leaving a valid will, or the will has been lost, the government will decide who inherits their estate (possessions, property and money) according to the laws of intestacy. Without a will there is no guarantee the deceased person’s wishes will be carried out, or that their estate will go to those they intended. Only married or civil partners (actually married at the time of death) and some other close relatives can inherit under the rules of intestacy. Children might inherit, but not necessarily the amount intended. An unmarried partner and stepchildren have no rights. A husband, wife or civil partner does not automatically get the whole of the estate. Possessions, including the home, may have to be sold to split the proceeds between the heirs. If the deceased has no partner or children, more distant relatives inherit. If there are no relatives, the state gets the whole lot.

Making a will

Wills

It is never too early to make a will, but it is frequently left too late. There are several different types of wills: • a single will relates to an individual; • mirror (or joint) wills are designed for couples who have the same wishes; • a property trust will places the

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estate into trust for beneficiaries; • a discretionary trust will allows trustees to decide what is best at the time of your death.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer to deciding which sort of will is best. Specialist advice is essential and researching your circumstances (personal and financial) will reveal what kind of will is right for you.

When making a will, it is sensible to enquire as to the costs and make sure you get the right advice. Your will should be stored carefully where the relevant people can find it. Review it every few years, or sooner if your situation changes. If you get divorced, this doesn’t automatically revoke your will, but if you re-marry this automatically revokes an existing will.

It is also important to update your will so that dependants (such as new grandchildren) are not excluded.

There are several ways of making a will: doing it yourself, asking a bank to help you, using a professional willwriting practitioner or a solicitor.

The Good Retirement Guide 2017

by Frances Kay and Allan Esler Smith is ©2017 and was sent for review from Kogan Page Ltd.

LEGACIES ARE A LIFELINE F O R H O R S E S L I K E S C A R L E T T *.

Living in hope at St Andrew’s Hospice Born with complex multiple heart defects, Maddie required TLC and intensive care 24/7 to prepare for the gruelling cardiac reconstruction that offered hope of saving her life. For almost nine months, with love and affection her carers battled to prepare her to meet a unique team of international paediatric cardiac surgeons.

Your legacy, gift or donation today, could give a child, like Maddie, the gift of life tomorrow.

Gifts in Wills make up 75% of charity income.

*

BRANSBY HORSES, DEPT. RT., BRANSBY, LINCOLN, LN1 2PH BRANSBY HORSES IS A REGISTERED CHARITY NO: 1075601

www.bransbyhorses.co.uk | 01427 788464 Bransby Horses is a Registered Charity No: 1075601.

Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England and Wales No: 3711676

Donate on line at www.childrenindistress.org. or call Tina on 0141 559 5690

Reflect & remember

A gift in memory of a loved one will directly benefit the lives of thousands of people in your area struggling with lung disease, heart disease or recovering from a stroke.

Help us make sure no-one faces their condition alone.

0300 1212 555 | gifts@chss.org.uk | www.chss.org.uk/sapphirefunds CHSS Advice Line Nurses | 0808 801 0899 | adviceline@chss.org.uk (Free from landlines and mobiles)

We are Scotland’s Health Charity Scottish Charity Number SC018761 RETIREMENT

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A future we can all look forward to At Friends of the Elderly, we know just how vital relationships are to our wellbeing – every day, we support older people who are struggling to cope with the loss of loved ones, and the loneliness that follows.

That’s why we understand that your loved ones must come first. Once you have provided for those who matter most, will you remember Friends of the Elderly with a gift in your Will?

In the future, your gift will help fund incredible work to give vulnerable, frail, sick or lonely older people the companionship, support, and care they will need.

For more information 020 7730 8263 legacies@fote.org.uk Project2:Layout 1 17/4/13 12:51 www.fote.org.uk.

Page 1

Friends of the Elderly is a registered charity, number 226064.

CATASTROPHES CAT RESCUE Over the years we have helped an increasing number of cats and kittens in distress, by taking them into our care and finding good homes for them. The cats we take in have often been abandoned or badly treated, some are simply strays who have never had the chance of a proper caring home.

Our aim is to help any cat that is in need and we believe that every cat deserves the chance of a good home.

We do not believe in putting animals to sleep unnecessarily and we actively encourage sterilisation as a vital part of pet ownership. Please remember us in your will. Your donation or legacy will help our work for the animals and save lives.

Contact Liz Varney

Catastrophes Cat Rescue

Half Moon Cottage, Bakers Lane, Dallington, Heathfield, East Sussex TN21 9JS Tel: 01435 830212 Fax: 01825 768012 Email: lizzie@internationalanimalrescue.org Registered Charity Number: 1017304 42

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Bequests, donations and legacies, Tackling the gifts of loneliness with life.

Football Friends

Legacies can literally mean the difference between life and death for the sixty or so infants, children and youngsters living in the Hospices and in independent living delivered

by Children in Distress. This pioneering little charity sets the standard in palliative, respite and end of life care for children with the most profound genetic disorders, or birth defects arising from accident, heredity or infection. Uniquely, the Charity also leads the way in the treatment of HIVAIDS resulting from transfusion, inoculation or mother-child transfer.

The Charity’s community based education support, child development and welfare programmes reach out to change the lives of tens of thousands of children living with disabilities, social discrimination or the most disadvantaged economic backgrounds.

Your donation, or gift made today, or tomorrow’s legacy or will bequest, will secure palliative care beds for infants, who need them, like Maddie, born with complex multiple heart defects. Rushed to St Andrew’s Hospice, Maddie had constant TLC to prepare her for the gruelling nine-hour open-heart operation she needed to survive. Maddie is only one of the many children, who depend on the highly trained hospice care and therapy teams. that make Children in Distress the last hope for so many children. www.childrenindistress.org

Photo courtesy of the Newham Recorder.

Charity N E W S

Loneliness and isolation amongst older men is increasing. Recent research* revealed that over a quarter of men aged 65-69 said retiring had made them feel lonely and the problem is only likely to grow, with predictions that 1.5 million older men will be living alone by 2030 – a 65% increase from today.

Any Old Irons, part of Friends of the Elderly’s Football Friends programme, is a free initiative with West Ham United Foundation which enables participants to connect with other fans in the community. Those attending can also learn how to stay in touch with their fellow fans and the club using digital technology.

The programme has already changed the lives of many older people.

Don, who started feeling lonely after he retired said: “You hear so many things aimed at senior women but little for men. It’s a shame – the Football Friends programme has changed my life. It’s got me out of the house, it’s got me interacting with other people and I’ve made new friends.” After completing the programme Don now volunteers for Friends of the Elderly.

To get involved call 0330 332 1110, email hello@fote.org.uk or visit www.fote.org.uk * Source: Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness

Revitalise becomes Simplyhealth headline charity National disabled people’s charity Revitalise has been announced as Simplyhealth’s headline charity for 2017.

Revitalise, which provides respite holidays for disabled people and carers at its three accessible UK holiday centres, is set to benefit both financially and in terms of public awareness as a result of its association with Simplyhealth.

The appointment of Revitalise as Simplyhealth’s headline charity coincides with the latter’s unveiling as the latest sponsor of the Great Run Series.

Under Revitalise’s arrangement with Simplyhealth, runners enrolling for any of the Great Runs without a chosen charity will be encouraged to run for Revitalise. This will have a huge impact both on fundraising income, and also on awareness of the charity’s valuable work.

Revitalise has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Simplyhealth through its ‘Before Breaking Point’ initiative, which was set up in 2013 and provides funding for disabled people and carers in financial hardship to take much-needed respite breaks with the charity.

The Great Runs have become the UK’s biggest mass participation running series and include events in cities including Manchester, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Edinburgh.

For more information about Revitalise, please call 0303 303 0145 or visit revitalise.org.uk

When John was told he had suffered a stroke he was devastated. He had never been ill before, he’d worked hard and felt physically fit and healthy. He was distraught. He felt his identity and independence had disappeared.

Two weeks after leaving hospital John discovered Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s Stroke Nurse service. John said “I feel like my stroke nurse gave me my life back. She really listened to me: with patience, care and a real understanding of what mattered to me, rather than what was the matter with me.”

“I’m so grateful to the people whose donations made sure that the Stroke Nurse was there for me. What if she hadn’t been there? I’m honestly frightened to think about that. She had understood my crippling lack of confidence, my fatigue and depression. My family also benefitted so much from her guidance and support, she helped us all adjust and recover together. She made a massive difference to my life. Without her, I honestly think I’d be house-bound and too scared to walk down the street by myself. But instead, almost 3 years later, people wouldn’t know I’d had a stroke.”

Donations to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland are vital in helping people like John recover their life after stroke.

Call CHSS’ Donor Care Team today on: 0131 225 6963 Email: gifts@chss.org.uk or visit www.chss.org.uk/sapphirefunds RETIREMENT

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Charity News

No-one should face recovery alone

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Charity N E W S

Kevin Rowe, Fundraiser at Bield tells us The Gift of Hope what keeps him going.

It’s a challenging time for all fundraisers so I’m delighted with our ongoing success. In 2016 we reached some extraordinary milestones and raised more than £150,000.

Not a huge sum when we compare against some of the larger and more high profile charities.

But in common with many charities we know that all the money we raise goes to projects that bring so much value.

Our donations come from a variety of sources, Trusts and Foundation, sponsored events, people who give on a regular basis and legacies.

One generous resident donated £10,000 to begin a new IT initiative to help his neighbours make use of online services and reconnect with loved ones. The money will also help to improve the garden area for all his friends and neighbours to enjoy.

With this year’s funds we can introduce more ‘Playlist for Life’ services, create a new sensory garden and launch a new bistro for older people in the local community. It’s amazing what you can achieve for relatively small amounts.

It can cost as little as £20 to create a Playlist for Life but it will bring hours of enjoyment to the listener and their families enabling them to reminisce, reconnect and recall fun times.

We measure the success of our projects by the smiles on the faces of our older people.

It’s those smiles that keep me coming back for more!”

Call Kevin Rowe on 0131 273 4000 or email k.rowe@bield.co.uk

Legacy gifts make up over half BRACE Alzheimer’s Research funding. This means they play a significant part in groundbreaking advances in scientific knowledge and potential treatments. Gifts in Wills make long term research and pioneering trials possible, leading to new discoveries and new hope.

Every gift in a Will BRACE receives helps bring forward the day when we will live in a world free from dementia. Legacy gifts help them research drugs, find new ways to detect dementia earlier when it is more likely to be successfully treated.

People who leave BRACE a legacy gift believe in a future without dementia. Their kindness brings this day closer.

Since 1987, BRACE has invested millions of pounds in multidisciplinary research in all aspects of dementia. Legacy gifts have helped to create the Bristol Brain Centre, a bespoke clinical research facility where BRACE supports the ReMemBr Group.

Legacy gifts have also helped fund the South West Dementia Brain Bank, an essential resource for scientists worldwide working in dementia research. Legacies help fund clinical trials and support development of potential therapies that will help people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Please consider leaving a gift in your Will to BRACE. Together we will defeat dementia.

For further information www.alzheimers-brace.org

Saving Scarlett

Charity News

The Royal Variety Charity

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The Royal Variety Charity assists those who’ve worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help. The charity strives to support all those, both young and old, who’ve worked on the stage, in the wings, in front or behind a camera, as well as all those who have spent their lives working in the numerous support industries dedicated to entertainment. The Royal Variety Charity owns and manages its own residential and nursing care-home for elderly entertainers, Brinsworth House, and also offers a nationwide grant scheme to assist those living in their own homes wherever they reside in the UK. Thousands of people who work in the entertainment industry face desperate problems each day. Only the top 4% (*2015 UK survey / AC Nielson) of those who work in the entertainment industry are ‘above-average UK earners’, the vast majority living from ‘job-to-job’, with many spending long periods with no work at all & with little ability to make any plans for their futures, or providing themselves with any security should they have an accident, or fall ill. As well as organising The Royal Variety Performance; their annual fundraiser, the Royal Variety Charity depends on people of retirement age remembering their good work and the care undertaken at Brinsworth House when updating their Wills and Legacies and hopes you may remember them when the time comes to write yours.

For further infomation www.royalvarietycharity.org RETIREMENT

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Eight-year-old Thoroughbred mare, Scarlett, arrived at Bransby Horses in November last year following seizure by the RSPCA; she was found abandoned close to a busy road. In a very poor state, Scarlett was emaciated and suffering from a potentially life threatening disease called Strangles.

She spent four months in isolation at the charity’s Animal Reception Centre (ARC) receiving intensive care and has thankfully now been declared free from Strangles and has gained weight.

A favourite with the staff, Scarlett, has proved to be a kindnatured and loving mare with a wonderful temperament.

She has now moved out of the ARC and will spend time in the Rehoming Barn in the hope that one day she will find a loving home.

They could not continue to improve the lives of equines like Scarlett without your support.

For further information please contact Bransby Horses on 01427 788464 or visit www.bransbyhorses.co.uk.

Where do you begin?

If you don’t know where to begin in planning this, then here are some initial pointers to help you: • Name of the person who died • Date of birth and date of death • Brief details of the circumstances of his or her death • Some notes on the person and his or her life • Some notes on the person’s contribution to life, meaning to you and other people • A description of what you see as the person’s legacy You might want to look at obituaries published in newspapers or online, to give you ideas of ways of communicating what someone has meant to you. Phrases or wording that others have used will give you examples or ideas of what you might wish to incorporate into your lasting memorial. Some people choose to commit to participating in a sporting endeavour or personal challenge, linking this with fund-raising for a charity that is related to the person who died.

Other issues can also be part of creating a memorial.

The planning and discussion for this can begin to provide a purpose and could even be the way that previously avoided activities are reintroduced into daily living, though in a way that is still connected with mourning. Look through the pictures you have collected, speak to colleagues, family members and friends and think about these questions: • Did the person have a favourite place?

• Is this somewhere that you visited together?

• If you look back on the person’s life, what is the most important element of his or her approach for you?

• What do you want to remember most of all about his or her death (including the impact of the death)?

• What are the main elements of the way in which the person adjusted to illness?

• What was his or her philosophy for living? Perhaps this inspired you and you would like to be able to incorporate elements of this into your life.

s

Think about how you would like to feel when the memorial is in place – what would be the most helpful aspect for you personally? Remember that you are the one who can control and influence this, so take time to plan and contemplate how this can work best for you in supporting your recovery.Would you want this memorial to be publicly

acknowledged, or would you prefer it to be anonymous, known about only by you and those you chose to tell that the memorial is there?

This need not involve visiting a cemetery or tending a grave, though for many people this helps them feel closer to the person who has died. Others can achieve this level of connection without leaving their home or through symbolic aspects of other memorials that are created.

The memorial might be as simple as a small ornament or a section of a display cabinet with a photograph and something personal that was important or belonged to the person.

There are infinite possibilities, the only constraints being how to generate ideas and bring them to fruition.

Memorials following the death of a loved one might traditionally be thought of in terms of the headstones and marble tributes that adorn cemeteries and gardens of remembrance. These are of course hugely significant elements of remembering the life and legacy of someone who has died, though it you start to generate ideas and alternatives you will quickly appreciate that there

Creating a lasting memorial Where do you begin?

Creating a lasting memorial

are several ways in which it is possible to remember someone.

Some people might embark upon a trip or journey intended to celebrate or honour the memory of a person or an event, particularly if this involves visiting places of personal significance to the person who has died, or perhaps places that you shared together. Doing this acknowledges the reality of the loss, but also provides a continuing sense of connection with your loved one that is such an important part of adjusting to life without him or her.

It also helps with the creation of new memories that are based on the trip, building a body of information about how the person’s legacy and meaning to you are a positive influence for good in your life now. You may want to visit places you shared with the person or, having identified issues that have personal meaning, visit places linked with that.

In some cases, a written statement of facts or a petition presented to a legislative body or an executive could be progressed in memory of someone who has died, particularly if that person’s death has been contributed to by factors that require public sector improvements, legislative change or societal call to action. This is the case when death occurs as a result of accidents or avoidable systems failures such as sometimes occur in the healthcare or other service industry. It may be worth considering establishing an award or charity link.

A memorial serves to remember someone, commemorating that person’s life and marking his or her death. I have often thought that, particularly for sudden deaths, societal requirements for burial and the intense distress that can accompany the shock of a death make it more difficult to develop a memorial that takes account of all the aspects that one might wish to include – the pain and acute nature of grief can make this difficult. This is not to say that it will not be difficult at other times, though the point here is that memorial acts are likely to be more helpful and comprehensive and less influenced by the acute pain of grief if they are planned and enacted several weeks after the death has occurred.

In some cases people themselves may have expressed a view of how they wish this to be actioned, particularly if they have been involved in planning events after their death – perhaps as part of end-of-life care planning in the context of palliative care for a progressive and incurable disease.

The memorial can become something that is associated with emotional expression, as well as a way of communicating more widely RETIREMENT

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about the legacy, meaning and impact of the person who has died. The proliferation of technology, social media sites and globalisation has resulted in a wider range of options and more accessibility in creating memorial for people. There are also an increasing number of companies that focus on supporting and enabling people to create memorials for people. There are also an increasing number of companies that focus on supporting and enabling people to create memorials through audiovisual media.

You may want to think about looking at the memorials that other people have created for their loved ones, visiting these, gathering pictures, information and poems and then taking some time to create something of your own. In some cases you may never share this and it becomes something that is for personal

Somewhere to smile, cry and remember Woods are a haven of peace and tranquillity – perfect for quiet reflection when a loved one has passed on.

The Woodland Trust can offer you the chance to dedicate trees or woodland to someone after they have gone. Imagine having somewhere beautiful to visit and remember them for generations to come.

A dedication of a tree or larger area of woodland, with the opportunity to add a bench or grove post with your personal

reflection and use only n Taken from Living with complicated Grief by Professor Craig A. White, SPCK, 2013.

Used by permission.”

message, is a lasting way to commemorate a life.

Some days you might visit alone and cry, other days you might bring young family and smile.

The wood you choose to dedicate in will carry on living, growing and changing, giving new life to nature and linking past, present and future. When arrangements have been completed you’ll receive a beautiful certificate personalised with your own message of dedication, an information sheet about your chosen wood and a location map.

Personal and unique

Creating a lasting memorial Where do you begin?

Each tree or woodland area is dedicated once only, so every dedication is personal and unique – maybe a wildflower glade, a sunny hilltop, or a lichen-covered riverbank.

Locations range from magnificent, ancient woodland to fresh newly planted woods – each one extremely special.

You’ll be making a difference to the future of the UK’s woods and trees by helping the Woodland Trust continue protecting, restoring and creating woodland and wildlife habitats for years to come.

If you would like to find out more about woodland dedications, contact the Woodland Trust on 0330 333 3300 or visit woodlandtrustshop.com/memories

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Cultural Breaks

A great opportunity to meet new friends...

Luxury escorted holidays created exclusively for our members

While discovering a wide variety of luxury escorted holidays throughout the UK and overseas

DOOR TO DOOR CAR SERVICE

C

ultural Breaks is an ABTA bonded tour operator offering tailormade escorted holidays and short breaks in the UK and overseas. All holidays include a chauffeur-driven car service between home and the meeting point and are fully escorted throughout by experienced tour managers. We predominantly use 4-star hotels and everything detailed in our brochure is included in the price; door-to-door car service, coach travel, accommodation, all meals, wine with dinner, theatre tickets, guided tours, admission to properties, gratuities and even travel insurance. There are no single supplements applied to any Cultural Breaks holiday.

Our holidays and events are mostly associated with the arts and culture including visits to London’s West End as well as city and provincial theatres throughout the UK. Drama, comedy, musicals, concerts, ballet and opera such as annual trips to Glyndebourne and the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival are offered as well as visits to art galleries, stately homes and gardens.

The Christmas and New Year breaks which include a full programme of entertainment are particularly popular with our members, who return each year to meet old friends and make new ones.

NO

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL INSURANCE INCLUDED

Yorkshire Moors & Dales - 5 day holiday - 17th Sep 2017

Yorkshire Moors & Dales

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Mrs Jean Power Member

17

OCT

Glyndebourne

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3 nights at the Hydro Hotel Eastbourne with spectacular sea views and award-winning gardens, best Foyer Circle seats at Glyndebourne for the 2017 Tour productions ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ and ‘Così fan tutte’ and morning trips to local places of interest.

“

I very much enjoy Cultural Breaks as it provides me with entertaining and instructive holidays that I would not arrange for myself. The service is exemplary and the standard of hotels is excellent

SEP

4 nights at the 4-star York Marriott Hotel that overlooks York Racecourse. Excursions include panoramic tours with a Blue Badge Guide of the North Yorkshire Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and Castle Howard.

We will spend a day in the City of York visiting York Minster, York Castle Museum and The Shambles.

The Warner Proms

NOV

3

3 nights at the 4-Star Warner Holme Lacy House Hotel Herefordshire for the Proms, with Anthony Inglis conducting the National Symphony Orchestra, joined by soprano Annette Wardell.

Tours include Hereford Cathedral, the Mappa Mundi, Chained Library and the Black & White Village Trail.

Our full calendar of events & holidays can be found on our website

FREE Membership

It’s easy to join and be kept up to date about forthcoming events. Just give us a call to apply for FREE membership from now until 31 August 2018 (worth over £20 per person, £30 per couple).

QUOTE:

www.cultural-breaks.com

020 8828 3688

RT1

6928

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