The Swanage Oracle - December 2022

Dear Residents,

December 2022! Here at Modern Magazines we have had a good year and are determined that 2023 will go well. We moved location this last year and are settled in new offices. Plus, we bought a new business too. It has been busy and pretty exciting really. There are always challenges and we have faced them head on. We have two new staff who are doing great. Beth, who has been our graphic designer for the past twelve months is going off to have her first baby! We can’t wait to meet him. Pippa has created a whole new magazine in Weymouth with us, and we are very glad she joined the team.

Mel has worked with us for over 13 years now! Julie is into her 10th year of working with us, and Steph is into her 2nd year. We are a fantastic team. Chris the distribution Manager stays chirpy cheerful and is a real asset too!

All of our loyal advertisers are doing well and really want to thank you for your calls, bookings and purchases.

In fact all of us at Modern Magazines Wish you a Wonderful Christmas. Relax, enjoy time with family, friends and colleagues or indeed take some time out on your own and go for a long walk and take in the scenery. Wishing you all the Very Best, Debbie, Stephen & the Gang!

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DISCLAIMER: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the data in this publication is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any liability to any party to loss or damaged caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. The Swanage Oracle does not officially endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the publisher.

Money on my mind... the Martin Lewis column

He’s the UK’s leading money saving expert - a journalist and presenter who has kept millions of pounds in people’s pockets as well as lifting the lid on the threats and dangers we need to be aware of as consumers.

In this month’s column, Martin Lewis looks at taking back control when creditors come calling.

I’ll come straight to the point this month - there is nothing more precious or valuable than our mental wellbeing, and there is no bill or invoice that should come before it.

I have worked with mental health charities and the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute to ensure people who find themselves in difficult situations are able to access not just financial assistance, but practical and emotional support too.

The truth is when people have existing mental health problems, the administration anxiety that comes with

bills, debt demands and ongoing financial commitments, can be very difficult to handle, to the point that they’re simply unable to deal with what’s in front of them. Even when in a good place mentally and financially, so many of us find processing everyday matters exhausting, so imagine the added difficulty when starting from a place of weakness.

Remember, we have the right to determine how we are approached and contacted by those we do business with. For some people receiving a text message informing them of something may represent a nightmare. For others, a text is the only way they wish to communicate; while some prefer to converse over the phone, or even face to face.

It’s essential we stand up and state our preferences, and organisations have to adhere

to these. That won’t necessarily mean the problem will go away… if you are behind on a bill, for instance; but it will bring back control to you and, from the outset, allow you to determine how you want to go about tackling a problem.

It was reported that 44% of people with mental health problems who fell behind on payments during the pandemic considered or attempted suicide; and if you macro that up to the UK population that would be two-and-a-half million people.

I’ll be honest and say that when I heard that figure, I didn’t find it surprising; but it does surprise and disappoint me that people still don’t feel they have the tools to fight back and retake control.

From recovery space to payment holidays, to freezes on interest or repayment plans, speak to your creditors in a way that is firm and fair, and you will likely get the result you want.

Sing When You’re Winning

Make no mistake, Gareth Malone is the national face (and bow tie) of choir singing. Through his television show, and its spin-offs, Malone has made the noble art of breaking into song cool again for everybody from shy school children to moody teenage boys, with emotionally charged and heart-warming explorations of how giving the vocal chords a workout can change lives for the better.

Returning recently in The Great Celebrity Bake Off and Celebrity MasterChef has given the choirmaster and presenter, 47 in November, an appetite for an alternative existence, even though his true passion is to exhale rather than inhale!

“I’ve never thought of it like that,” he laughs. “I’ve definitely enjoyed getting back into the reality TV side of things. I find it totally inspiring to see normal people do things that are

fantastically big and grand.

“And I count myself in that – in cooking terms I am very normal, so to challenge myself and try to do something impressive, which is exactly what we ask of people with music, has been a nice shift.”

Malone is of course best renowned for his work with The Choir, and the associated biproduct, The Military Wives, whereby he recorded with widows of British soldiers who had served in Afghanistan. The idea became such a touchstone that it spawned a number one single, Wherever You Are.

“As a choirmaster you are only ever a guide,” he says. “You have the energy and the persuasion and the techniques to pull the very best out of people, but none of those things are actually what makes a project work – it is all about the people who stand up and sing.”

What’s fair to say is Malone’s success has been hard fought. There have been no booming PR campaigns, no ‘kiss and tells’, and he certainly never felt the need to stand up in front of Simon Cowell for approval.

Malone was anointed with an OBE from the late

Queen Elizabeth II in 2013, a remarkable recognition for his work. “I truly appreciate my work being referenced in this way, and it was a great honour.

“I view the Military Wives project as the peak of that, because the national impact was so great. Sometimes, you can affect the life of one person in a seemingly small way and that can be powerful, but there is something so universal about that too. And there was a whole generation of widows who no-one was really thinking about.

“And that’s the great power of music - it goes beyond words. People who hadn’t even seen the series found out about it. It was life-changing for them and for me.”

Gareth Malone, the choirmaster who championed the voices of everyday people.

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and allround horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses how our gardens can become carbon sinks.

We know how effective plants are at drawing CO2 out of the atmosphere. That means that while our gardens are wonderful spaces for our sensual pleasure, they brilliantly counteract global warming and our fight against climate change. In other words, they become ‘carbon sinks’.

I was recently asked how our green spaces might change if the planet continues to hot up. Certainly, I am not a climate change denier, but I think for our own peace of mind we need to keep things realistic, and it’s not as if within 50 years we’re going to be growing bananas in Northumberland or anything like that!

What we can of course do in the short-term is style and

shape garden space to ensure we help the planet as much as we can. After all, the most basic way to

prevent greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere (and warming up the climate) is by growing plants. And as gardeners, that’s what we do!

The best way to achieve this is by growing native plants. Non-native varieties can really take hold of a space, requiring harmful chemicals to control them, and leading to them being pulled up, exposing soil and releasing carbon.

We can also compost – it’s a great way of stopping carbon getting out in the first place.

It’s for this same reason that turning over soil is actually bad for your garden. Not only does it interrupt nature’s ability to let your earth matter settle into an organised pattern that benefits both plants and the creatures living in the soil, but turning over, or tilling, releases more carbon.

Beyond this, we can be more environmentally friendly by using organic fertilisers; and never be afraid to let your outdoor space ‘go wild’. Rustic gardens are the ultimate lowcarbon spaces, and that makes sense, because wild areas such as forests, wetlands and mangroves are the very best at protecting against the risks posed by climate change.

carbon

The same applies to mulching, too. When you consider that over 80% of the carbon in your garden is released from the soil, by adding a layer of wood bark chippings, for instance, you are holding the carbon in the soil.

As ever, our gardens hold within them the power not just to transform our own lives, but the welfare of the planet too, and that is why we love them so much.

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van

Daichi drove us all the way to Anglesey, that wonderful island off the north coast of Wales, for a family break! How exciting, a week away after a very busy summer working in our new Ice-Cream parlour, Wafflicious in Weymouth. What is funny is that we could not get away… As soon as we opened the doors of the parlour that Friday, ready to show Chris how to use the till, so he could help Emma while we were away, we had wonderful customers wanting waffles, ice-creams, sundaes and milkshakes. Then to top it all we had a Birthday party unexpectedly arrive! A family of seven, as Harry the young boy of nine had enjoyed his waffle so much two days earlier, he could not wait to come back for his treat. Four hours late in setting off, but we were very happy and all smiles as we really do love what we do in the parlour. We arrived on Anglesey at 1am in the morning. We had stopped a couple of times en route of course as we gave up being ‘on time’ and decided to make the most of the journey together. Turning a situation around to one’s advantage can be a game in itself. We were meeting Stephen’s dad and sister and knew it would now be the following day before we would catch up with them. The first day was a little damp, but not wet enough to stop us going out for a walk. The old Menai, iconic bridge was closed just before we arrived. I love this bridge and remember fifty years ago, (oh my goodness – really!) my dad calling out

with delight that we were now on Anglesey! This bridge was opened in 1826 and was the first modern suspension bridge in the world apparently and initially made for cattle traffic as this was Anglesey’s main source of income. This one bridge reduced the time from Anglesey to London by nine hours! Did you know that this bridge is also mentioned by Lewis Carroll in “Through the Looking Glass”, chapter eight? The wind was quite strong that day and my legs did turn to jelly I have to say, when taking some photos looking out to sea across the Menai Straits. Fantastic views but not necessarily for the faint heated. In fact Rachel did wait patiently at the entrance with her lovely dog, Lottie.

Penmon Point in Llangoed, near Puffin Island was day number two. Again, I love this area and it brought back many memories of past days as a child climbing on the rocks and watching the puffins swirling around. This time of year there were none at all and in fact there are now only eight pairs of breeding puffins here. Unfortunately, rats, which swam from a shipwreck in 1816 reduced the size of the colony, from over 50,000 puffins to what they are today. By 1971 there were an estimated 500,000 rodents on the island. Incredible! In 1999 they were removed totally, and the sea birds are slowly coming back. Let’s hope they fully recover and we once again see swirls of ‘grunting’, mating puffins! It is such a great sound.

The Menai Suspension Bridge

Day three was a walk around Maelog Lake. What is fascinating here is that the sea is receding in this area and there are sand dunes inland. The sand dunes actually blocked off the water, which was once part of the sea. After years of fresh water entering, the lake became a freshwater lake and is no longer salty. Though we did not test it ourselves, the bevy of swans bobbing with their heads under the water pretending to be ostriches, seemed to be enjoying it. A meal at Oyster Catcher with fish and chips all round was highly enjoyed… even by Lottie the dog! For the afternoon I had a total trip down memory lane, and we drove to Trearddur Bay. I have spent many a holiday fishing on the rocks there and caught some good mackerel with Dad. The small bays further along were full of memories of rubber dinghies and swimming in cold water. Fun though! The following day we drove to Bodnant Gardens on the mainland. It may not be spring but the reds and yellows of the trees were just delightful. The house is still privately owned by the McLaren family. In 1948 Henry McLaren persuaded the National Trust to take over the running of the gardens which was only their second acquisition after Hidcote Gardens in Gloucestershire. It was a lovely day with afternoon tea in the grounds. After that a visit to Great Orme, the limestone headland on the other side of LLandudno and a trip on the tramway which opened in 1902! The weather

coming back up was hailstones, so a hot chocolate in the café at the top was well deserved. The views would have been magnificent… if it wasn’t raining… We enjoyed ourselves anyway, as we always do. The rest of the holiday was equally interesting with a trip to the Anglesey Transport Museum where there are over a hundred British vehicles from the 1920s! There is even a Hawker Hunter Jet to see… and, oh yes and the breakfast in the café was good too. Following that was a trip to Newborough Warren with the endearing Medieval church, St Eglwys Cwyfan, that gets cut off with the tide and is known as the “Little Church in the Sea”. The Rivals, a group of hills stand majestically opposite and were enshrouded with clouds, blowing around. Beaumaris Gaol created in 1829 was a place I remember well as a child. Visiting only of course. The story of the man hanged in 1862 who always professed his innocence and subsequently cursed the clock, which did not work until very recently. The treadwheel used as a punishment and in most gaols did not have a purpose but here it created running water for the sinks and toilets. It is a very atmospheric place. All in all we did a lot! We also ate, drank, had a swim in the pool as well as a game of air hockey, bar billiards and pool. We came home for a rest! Daichi drove us through the Llanberis Pass and Snowdonia on the way back. This is just awe inspiring. We stopped at the beautiful Swallow Falls where we had fun taking artistic photos of the rushing water. Holidays are definitely about having family fun and we certainly did that. Where will Daichi take us next I wonder…

By Debbie Corney

Autumnal colours at Bodnant Gardens

Daichi visits Beaumaris Gaol

Have Yourself a Very Eco-Christmas

It may be the ultimate consumer holiday, but Christmas doesn’t have to cost the earth – in either sense of the phrase.

The festive season is expensive and wasteful, and most of us will reference calming things down in the following year.

Yet that may not be totally necessary – not least if all the joy of Christmas can be experienced in a way that is good for the soul, the wallet, and the environment.

Here are five ways to go about achieving that:

1.

Re-deck the halls

One of the best things about Christmas decorations is that they are reusable, though there are still ways to make them even more sustainable.

Choose wooden over plastic ones, purchase them from local craft fairs rather than supermarkets, and invest in baubles and ornaments that are of a decent quality so they can be reused for years afterwards. In time you will have a sizeable collection of

unique trinkets that tell your family’s own Christmas tale.

2. Tree-t yourself

If you’re planning on buying a new one for this Christmas perhaps consider either a pre-loved fake one, or a potted real tree that’s designed to last beyond the festive season. Even better, you can now rent trees that can be replanted in January, helping cut back on the seven million that are dumped each year.

3.

Invent an advent

What if you provided your loved ones with advent calendars that were not only personalised, but also more environmentally friendly?

Online marketplace Etsy sells wooden calendars that are personalised and can be refilled every year. Or you can make your own out of old fabric, leftover cardboard boxes or even just envelopes with craft activities in.

4.

Wrap resourcefully

In a world that is becoming wiser and more sustainable, it is easier than ever to buy

wrapping paper that is either recycled, or easier to recycle –which means no glossy finish or glitter, I’m afraid.

Another option is using old newspapers, magazines or comics; or investing in cotton wrapping cloths, which are fast becoming a trend and will look stunning under the tree.

5. Feast mindfully

It’s easy to go overboard when it comes to Christmas dinner, but why not save yourself the hassle and stick to the basics.

Firstly, only make enough food for the number of people you have coming (though Christmas leftovers can be sublime!). Secondly, buy produce as locally as possible to save on food air miles. And finally, avoid purchasing products that feel festive but are actually not very popular… cheese footballs, I’m looking at you.

A Design for Life… e Kevin McCloud Column

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner returns to the subject of sustainability, both in terms of what we make our homes with, and what we place inside them.

To me, the relationship between making things and sustainability is essential, and I fear, as Western society, we’ve lost touch with the value of made things… with the value of raw materials, of the energy required. I don’t just mean fossil fuel energy, but also the human energy that goes into the process.

I’m very struck by seeing people producing lighting out of bits of recycled industrial stuff, or those who can put together and sell furniture they’ve handcrafted in small workshops all over the country.

A fabulous trend in the past couple of decades has been the

encouraging of home production creation –

everything from picture frames to jewellery – and how the internet has given these people a platform that is truly global.

When you meet someone who has made something in their workshop, you get the opportunity to sample their passion, influences, their own inspiration for doing what they do.

People talk a lot about sustainability using words like carbon and energy consumption – all that technical stuff – yet sustainability also comes in the form of the value of the objects we place inside our homes too.

After all, we are five times less likely to

throw away something we have made compared to something we have bought.

It’s also true that the longer we have something the less likely we are to bin itthere are records from the Seventies that I’ve still got; there’s a belt I’ve had all my life. We’ve all got stuff we love that we don’t want to let go of!

Sure enough, when we see our friends we talk about these things, we share the stories. I can bore people into infinity talking about my belt, or my old leather chair, and that’s the exciting thing: stuff as it gets older, gets better; it attracts more stories.

What I’m saying is we need to continue to keep creating homes that are rich in their fabric, but that are filed with things of value as well, so that we can share those stories with people, make friends, and embed ourselves into a community. That to me is actually a big part of what sustainability is about.

Top Tip

Don’t expect perfection. Remember that trees are naturally wonky and flawed. Be sure not to over stir the cake mix; you want it light and airy.

Nigella Lawson’s Yule Log

Ingredients

(serves 12)

For the cake

• 6 large eggs (separated)

• 150 grams caster sugar

• 50 grams cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 5 teaspoons icing sugar (to decorate)

For the icing

• 175 grams dark chocolate (chopped)

• 250 grams icing sugar

• 225 grams soft butter

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

No one does Christmas like Nigella, which is why this glorious yule log is the ideal centrepiece for your festive lunch.

Introduction Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF. In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and peaking, then, still whisking, sprinkle in 50g / ¼ cup of the caster sugar and continue whisking until the whites are holding their peaks but not dry. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining caster sugar until the mixture is moussy, pale and thick. Add the vanilla extract, sieve the cocoa powder over, then fold both in. Finally, gently fold in the egg whites.

2. Line a Swiss roll tin with baking parchment, leaving a generous overhang at the ends and sides, and folding the parchment into the corners to

help the paper stay anchored. Pour in the cake mixture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Let the cake cool a little before turning it out onto another piece of baking parchment. If you dust this piece of parchment with a little icing sugar it may help with preventing sticking, but don’t worry too much as any tears or dents will be covered by icing later. Cover loosely with a clean tea towel.

3. To make the icing, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water, then let it cool. Put the icing sugar into a processor and blitz to remove lumps, add the butter and process until smooth. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and

the tablespoon of vanilla extract and pulse again to make a smooth icing.

4. Sit the flat chocolate cake on a large piece of baking parchment. Trim the edges of the Swiss roll. Spread some of the icing thinly over the sponge, going right out to the edges. Start rolling from the long side facing you, taking care to get a tight roll from the beginning, and roll up to the other side. Pressing against the parchment, rather than the tender cake, makes this easier.

5. Spread the yule log with the remaining icing, covering the cut-o ends. Create a wood-like texture by marking along the length of the log with a skewer or sharp knife and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.