The Wareham District Directory - February 2023

Dear Residents, Where has the summer gone? Well, I believe Spring is just around the corner, so let’s hang on in there and take a deep breath until March! In the meantime, this cooler weather and rain gives us a chance to look at the house and see what is needed to upgrade or change a few things around. Maybe there are people here in your local magazine to help you? We have electricians, plumbers, solar panel experts, builders, roof specialists, carpet cleaners, oven cleaners, window cleaners, carpet fitters, window fitters… and much more! Each of our loyal and trusted trades people and services would love to hear from you. Now is a good chance to get the help you need, so please do mention us when making those all-important calls. I am always very happy to hear this as it makes all our work worthwhile. You get a local person to help with what you need, and the company keeps busy. It is what we are all about. It also keeps our local economy thriving which is good for us all. A win-win all round.

I also hope you enjoy reading the articles and local data inside. If there is anything you would like to see or any suggestions for making your useful magazine, more useful I would love to hear from you! Do give me a call or send an email.

For now, we wish you a good month of February. May you have fun with, or even find, your Valentine!

wishes, Debbie, Stephen

Printed on Carbon Balanced Paper by Pensord Press Ltd. Certified by the World Land Trust. Helping the planet one page at a time...

News from Westminster

A day in the life of HM Solicitor General in Parliament

I was appointed Her Majesty’s Solicitor General shortly before the Queen died, and then re-appointed by the current Prime Minister in October. Some of you have kindly asked about this and so here is some detail about how I spend my days in Westminster!

I usually travel to London from Dorset late on Sunday evening, or very early on Monday morning and return home late on a Thursday. My first meetings are often with the Attorney General (AG), and the team who work for the Attorney General’s Office. The Attorney General is my direct boss, and she and I have adjoining offices just off Central Lobby in Parliament. This has been the tradition on since at least the latter part of the 19th century. There are interlinking doors to ensure constant communication, but there is no doubt that her office is the grander of the two! We discuss the business in Parliament, and anything specific that we have been asked to look at by the Prime Minister. Part of our job is to provide legal advice to the Government. This is always confidential and the convention is that this is not disclosed - not even the fact of whether advice has been given, let alone the advice itself. I also sit on the cabinet sub committee called “PBL”, the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee. This considers each Bill before it is introduced in Parliament. The Legal Department shares a building with the Ministry of Justice and is about half a mile away from Parliament, and being central London it is often quicker to walk. The department has staff who assist the Attorney General and I in our work, including preparatory work and research. Following these meetings, I usually return to my office to catch up on paperwork. Behind my office desk is the Solicitor General’s red box. Lead-lined, and weighing in at around 5kg (about 11lb) when empty, I do not often carry it around! It can be locked and kept secure, but thankfully given the number of papers that I look at, the vast majority can be considered electronically. There are always court cases to be read through, and there may be documents to sign.

On sentencing, anyone can refer a case to the Attorney General if they think the sentence was too lenient. I review all the evidence and sentencing guidelines, before deciding

whether to refer it to the Court of Appeal for a fresh look. There are specific cases that can be reviewed in this way, the most serious cases, including murder, rape, child cruelty and sex crimes, serious drug and terror offences and control and coercive behaviour. My important work as a constituency MP still continues, and during the day I speak to my senior caseworker in Dorset or my senior parliamentary assistant to discuss constituents’ cases and see regularly review any constituency-specific issues. If a Dorset school is visiting Parliament, I’m invited to do a Q&A session in the education centre, or I might meet a charity that wants to highlight their work in Dorset or the South West.

If we have upcoming Oral Questions to the Attorney General, I spend time researching and preparing for this. The AG and I share responsibility for answering these, and it is important to be fully ready before standing at the dispatch box. If the division bell rings it’s time to vote, and we all file through the lobbies to be counted. Each vote takes about 15 minutes, and there are often several votes, so it can be a long process. On Mondays Parliament sits until 10.30pm though it can sometimes sit much later. I try to call to my family back in Dorset most days, and then usually do some more box work and preparation for the next day, before getting some sleep, ready to face another day!

I continue to hold regular surgeries in the constituency so please do get in touch if there is something you need help with, or if you’d like me to visit your organisation or business. Email me on michael.tomlinson.mp@parliament. uk or contact my office on 01202 624216. You can also follow what I’ve been doing on Twitter @Michael4mdnp or Facebook www.facebook.com/michael4MDNP or on my website www.michaeltomlinson.org.uk.

Michael Tomlinson KC MP

Avatar...again

Never an actress who rushes to take up film scripts, Zoe Saldaña very often opts for the ‘less is more’ approach – thus, a string of colossal projects decorate a CV that is notable for gaps in between.

Certainly in terms of the film that set her on her way to a string of big-budget projects from where she rarely now strays, the influence of James Cameron’s groundbreaking Avatar has been present for well over a decade now.

So it is with no small amount of relief that, finally, a sequel has arrived… and not just one. In what may turn out to be the biggest box office series ever, production of four more Avatar movies is in motion, through to Avatar 5, due for release in 2028, no less.

“The project is huge, but it has to be,” says Saldaña. “You have a film that took $3billion at

the box office, and yet here we are 13 years on. Perhaps it’s only right we’re getting this many sequels done if it’s taken us this long up until now!”

On the eve of Avatar: The Way of Water, one of the most-anticipated sequels in film history, Zoe Saldaña is a woman with a lot of work to do. does just different… different.”

While details over Avatar 2, or The Way of Water to give it its official title, are sketchy, what’s clear is this is no rushed project, nor is Saldaña taking her return lightly.

“I was very nervous because sequels can be dangerous, and we were feeling the pressure. I think the first couple of days, we all had moments of, ‘Can we do this again? What was the secret ingredient?

Do you know, does anyone? Should we just leave it there, not mess with it?’ There were a lot of nerves. It has been a long while.

“Yet [director and writer] James Cameron is in charge and his vision is present and trustworthy. And the film is very different from the first, way different… different planet different.”

While we are now in a new era of film that feels a world away from the CGI-laden original, the appeal of welcoming a new generation of filmgoer to the mystery of Eurasia is one Saldaña is relishing.

“We still retain the curiosity and interest of the millions of people who went out to watch it first time around, but the continuation of this story will bring new eyes to the story, and that’s a thrill for me.”

Cleaning up our act

Keen to make your laundry routine as ecofriendly as possible? Well, we’ve got some simple and effective solutions for you.

1. Lessen the load

Sometimes the most obvious option is the best one, and in this case, that would be to simply do less washing.

Naturally, socks and pants can only be worn once before they need a clean, but perhaps you can at least strive to get a couple of days from the same pair of jeans or sweatshirt.

Going fewer days without doing a wash is also a good strategy: three larger loads a week is preferable to five smaller ones.

2. Curb the chemicals

Toxic detergents have a very negative impact on our local eco-systems – particularly marine life. Fortunately, there are numerous ecobrands on the market that are also effective and pleasantly fragrant.

Another good option is soap nuts - these are dried shells of berries from a tree native to the Himalayas. Entirely natural, chemical-free and gentle, these

nuts contain saponins, a soap-like chemical that foams when agitated in warm water. Soap nuts are also anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and an effective alternative to chemical cleaners.

3. Get some balls

Your favourite scented dryer sheet is singleuse, non-biodegradable and packed with toxic chemicals, so invest instead in some wool dryer balls.

Not only do they reduce static electricity and wrinkles, soften fabrics and encourage them to dry faster, they can also be used over and over again – far kinder to your pocket, too! And to go a step further, sprinkle with essential oils to give your clothes a dreamy scent.

4. Ditch the plastics

It’s no secret that single-use plastic is enemy number one to the environment. Why not seek out a local store that provides refillable stations, or consider a detergent alternative such as soap nuts or even just distilled white vinegar -

don’t worry, the vinegar smell naturally neutralises!

5.

Cool it down

Even though most washing machines offer the option of a 90-degree wash, it really is an unnecessary temperature to wash linens at. If you do have nasty stains, pop half-a-cup of baking soda in with your clothes to banish them.

Even your colour clothes wash can be dropped from 40 to 30 degrees thanks to better formulated detergents (even the eco brands), a small change that lessens both the impact on the planet and on your pocket.

Going Green...

So much is being said about the need to protect the planet and use more eco-friendly material, but it is the small steps that each of us can do that will really make the difference.

Take the EcoEgg Laundry Egg... the innovative laundry solution. It replaces laundry detergent and fabric conditioner, reducing both harmful chemicals used and also single-use plastic packaging.

Dermatest has rated it excellent for use on sensitive skin, giving a kinder wash on both your skin and your pocket.

The mineral pellets in the egg, which are refillable (saving even more money!), work together in the water to effectively draw dirt from your clothes and softens them by changing the pH. Therefore leaving your laundry clean and fresh.

EcoEggs are available in Fresh Linen, Spring Blossom and Fragrance Free.

Recently, they have also released the EcoEgg Dryer Egg, which can be used when tumble drying. They reduce the drying time by up to 28%, saving you both time and money.

“I’ve been using mine for over a month now and I absolutely love it. It saves money, there’s no mess from washing powders and liquids. Also easy to use, and is better for the environment. Helps cut down on single use plastic and doesn’t use harmful chemicals.” KD

If you would like to know more about these products and many more, please feel free to visit my website at debbiegoesgreen.uk or email me at hello@debbiegoesgreen.uk as I would love to hear from you. Let’s look after ourselves and our environment!

Debbie Corney

Shake Off the January Blues With a New Challenge

Help Julia’s House Support Local Families As Children’s Hospice Charity Celebrates Its 20 Year Anniversary

It might be wet and grey outside, but setting yourself a new challenge for 2023 could be just what you need to shake off the winter blues.

Local children’s hospice charity, Julia’s House, is launching its 2023 events programme to boost our get up and go. Run, walk, trek or parachutethere’s something for everyone! This year is extra special for the charity too, as Julia’s House marks a 20 year milestone of providing a lifeline of care to local seriously ill children and their families.

“We’d love to get as many people as possible involved in our 2023 events. It is a very special year for us and of course, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the amazing support of the local community over the last 20 years,” says Julia’s House

Events Fundraiser, Chantelle Shave. “We know it is a challenging time for us all, but the families we support need our help more than ever, so the money raised from our events this year will be so important in helping us to continue to provide our life-changing care.”

There are a number of events to choose from, whether you want to take things at a slower pace or prefer to opt for a fast-moving challenge:

A walk with a view: Join the Great Wiltshire Walk knowing every step you take will help give exhausted and anxious families a break from 24/7 care. You will take in the panoramic views of the Wiltshire countryside and walk amongst Avebury’s World Heritage Stone Circle. With special 20 mile and 20k routes to mark the charity’s 20 year anniversary, the Great Wiltshire Walk takes place on Sunday 14 May.

Jump around: The views don’t get more panoramic than those from 13,000 feet up in the air. If a parachute jump is on your wish list, sign up for a tandem skydive and see the world as you’ve never seen it before. The jump takes place at the Army Parachute Association near Salisbury on 10 June.

Booking deadline is 29 April.

Run Bournemouth and Bath

Half: On 7-8 October, run for Julia’s House in Bournemouth’s landmark running festival. Choose from a half marathon, 10k or 5k and make it a family occasion as there are junior races for children aged 3-12. There’s something for everyone and you get to savour the great atmosphere and wonderful coastline views. The Julia’s House events team will provide oneto-one support with fundraising and a free running vest.

Or, join the Bath Half Marathon on 15 October and enjoy the support of thousands of spectators who line the route to cheer on the runners in a traffic-free Bath. Julia’s House has got 20 places up for grabs. It’s a great goal for training, whether you’re a beginner or want to improve your time.

Swap your sunbed for the Sahara…

From 2-7 November this year, you could join an epic trek in the Moroccan Sahara that gives you a glimpse of this extraordinary desert landscape and way of life. Trekking across ancient dried up river beds, sand dunes and vast sun-baked plains you will camp out under the stunning star-filled night sky.

…or plan ahead for Petra

One of the seven new wonders of the world, the vast and unique city of Petra is carved into sheer rock face and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join the Julia’s House

trek to this stunning and remote city in November 2024. It has been voted by National Geographic as one of the world’s best hikes and it is growing a reputation as the ‘Inca Trail of the Middle East’.

More information: To sign up or find out more about any of the Julia’s House 2023 challenge events go to juliashouse.org/event-listing/getactive

Chantelle adds: “All the money raised from the challenge events will help Julia’s House to continue its vital care for local families, from providing expert clinical and emotional support to helping vulnerable families access grants and benefits that can help them through the current cost of living crisis.

“With more children living longer with increasingly complex medical conditions requiring round the clock care, the essential respite breaks Julia’s House gives to families couldn’t be more critical. The continued support of the local community is vital to our future.”

Turning the page

For February, four books that will weave a fictional spell.

The Angel Maker by Alex North

Haunted by the violent attack of her brother Chris years ago, Katie Shaw sees threats everywhere. When her brother disappears, Katie leaps into action to help him once more.

Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page’s investigation of a brutal murder of a professor leads her to suspect the case is connected to Chris’s attack... and to a serial killer said to be able to predict the future.

Published by Celadon Books on February 28th

The Porcelain Moon by Janie Chang

At the end of the First World War, Pauline Deng runs away from her Chinese family in Paris to escape an arranged marriage back in Shanghai. In the French countryside, Pauline finds shelter with Camille, a French woman planning to escape her own abusive marriage, until Pauline finds out a terrible secret about Camille, forcing them to make a decision that will bind them together forever. Published by William Morrow on February 23rd

Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

Globetrotting Nisha Cantor has the perfect life money can buy until her husband divorces her and cuts her off. Scrambling to hold on to her previous lifestyle, Nisha’s distress hits a peak when even her gym bag is stolen.

Meanwhile, Sam Kemp is desperately trying to keep her

family afloat. When she tries on a pair of expensive shoes from a gym bag she took by accident, the jolt of confidence inspires her to change her life.

This is a story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances. Published by Michael Joseph on February 2nd

The Worst Woman in London: A Victorian Romance by Julia Bennet

A defiant Victorian wife fights to escape a bad marriage but her love for a forbidden man jeopardises her chance at freedom.

James Standish knows how to play society’s game. He’ll follow the rules, marry a virginal debutante, and inherit a massive fortune. At least, that’s the plan until he meets Francesca Thorne. She’s not the sort of woman a respectable gentleman like James could ever marry… not least because, strictly speaking, she’s married already.

Francesca is determined to flout convention and divorce her philandering husband. When James sweet talks his way into her life tasked with convincing her to abandon her dream of freedom, she’s unprepared for the passion that flares between them.

James and Francesca must choose whether to keep chasing the lives they’ve always wanted or take a chance on a new and forbidden love. Published by Entangled on February 2nd

Wareham Rotary Club News

We would like some new members or volunteers to join us this year. People who have a common interest in helping others. Wareham Rotary strives to serve the local community and overseas.

We organise many community projects and events throughout the year such as Wareham Wednesdays on the Quay in August, a charity race night, a Christmas float and collections in and around Wareham together with visits to fetes in our surrounding villages.

We would love to hear from you!

Wareham Rotary serves the local Community - to find out more please visit our Facebook page or website which is www.warehamrotary.co.uk

Driven to distraction

Driving on UK roads is about how we respond to danger and hazards… both of our own doing, as well as those around us. We look at how these factors collide, and how being aware means being safe.

The actions of others

The AA regularly poll their members on a variety of road issues, and over time have gathered the responses of a quarter of a million people on the habits and traits that irritate them most. The results are revealing, with talking on a mobile phone, in recent years, having become the thing that creates the most ire.

Most frustrating habits of other road users:

1. Talking on a mobile (30%)

2. Tailgating (23%)

3. Middle lane hogging (20%)

4. Swooping or cutting across lanes to leave a motorway at the last minute (10%)

5. Overtaking on the inside (7%)

6. Driving too slowly (4%)

7. Speeding (3%)

8. Littering (3%)

Our own misdemeanours

Most of us know the key things we need to avoid on the roads, yet there are a few other

seemingly inoffensive actions that you may also land you in trouble.

A bad apple

Around two thirds of British drivers have had a bite to eat while behind the wheel – but how many of those would have snuck a piece of sandwich had they known it could mean big trouble?

The Highway Code, under Rule 148, states that “safe driving and riding needs concentration,” and advises against eating, drinking, smoking, listening to loud music and trying to read maps while behind the wheel.

Anyone tucking into their lunch could well be committing an offence of driving without due care and attention, or not being in proper control of a vehicle.

Making a splash

Mean-spirited motorists careening through surface water and subsequently soaking pedestrians may be infringing section three of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which states that driving “without reasonable consideration

for other persons using the road” is an offence. So next time you see an inviting puddle, steer well clear or risk being hit with a fixed penalty notice!

Horn blower

The horn is a vital part of staying safe on the roads and should be used to warn other drivers of your presence, particularly if you are about to tackle a sharp corner or a situation where there is poor driver visibility.

Beeping in a moment of anger can in fact be considered breaking the law; while sounding the horn between 11.30pm and 7am in a built-up area unless is prohibited, unless it is an absolute emergency.

The Adventures of Daichi

The Modern Magazines Camper Van

Daichi, The Dashing Dude, our wonderful, spirited Campervan is always ready to cheer us up, to take us on family adventures both near and far and generally take us away from any stresses or strains of everyday life. He doesn’t believe in watching the news or letting woes and worries get him down. He is all about living life, seeing friends and family and making the most of our beautiful British Isles. It is a great attitude to have. Christmas seems a long way away already, but at that time we have two important Birthdays (well I think so…), my own and Stephen’s. You see I was born 3 days before Christmas and Stephen was born on Boxing Day. It is a busy time of year! Daichi’s story this month is how very different we can spend our Birthdays and how we all enjoyed both of them!

Daichi drove us all the way to Hull for my Birthday… where I was born and lived until I was 18 years old. The family are still there and what I wanted was to see them all with my Mum and Dad. It gets to a certain time in your life, when, I don’t know about you, but you wonder if this Christmas could be the last, with certain people. I had this going on in my jumbled head for some time, so Daichi was very accommodating and drove myself and Stephen all the way to Hull. We arrived late on December 21st. What my Dad did not know

was that I had already been in contact with our 22 family members there, and each were coming to his humble abode the following evening. Dad worries a lot, and at 87 now and though still very fit and able to drive all the way down South, Daichi did not want to stress him out. A Mum with dementia is not at all easy and situations can never be predicted, but I managed to get her up and dressed and ready to go to a local garden centre the morning of my Birthday. For anyone with this problem, I had bought mum a gorgeous doll and it worked like a treat. This “baby” was a saving grace on many occasions this Christmas. It is very sad to watch in many ways, but believe me, Mum lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw her, and hardly let go the whole time we were with them. The people in the garden centre were marvellous too, mum had many smiles and hello’s, and I was very touched by all their gracious looks and helpful comments as Mum wandered around holding carefully her pretty baby. Daichi was all smiles too. What a great idea that worked a treat, for everyone’s benefit. During lunch I approached Dad and told him my Birthday plan. A little taken aback, but he knows me well, the next step of the plan was set. Shopping! The boys would do the shopping,

Debbie and mum in the garden centre

while I kept mum entertained at the garden centre. It worked! Daichi took the boys to the supermarket… and I lost Mum several times walking around the Christmas decorations! All good fun.

Seeing all my cousins and family members was what I had wanted. We don’t get together too often and when we do it is always good. I was particularly interested in the younger members… now in their twenties and thirties (I am showing my age now…). One cousin is buying her first house. Another cousin had gotten married and gone to Disney for three weeks. An aunt is planning a new life for herself. I loved it. Lots of life, living and forward thinking. It was a great way to spend my Birthday.

Mum and Dad came back with us for Christmas and spent a week with my sister over at their farmhouse in Margaret Marsh, near Shaftesbury. We spent a quiet Christmas Day with them in the countryside. Gorgeous. Log fire, wind whistling around the walls and windows and Christmas dinner…mmm…. From Hull to Margaret Marsh, and then to Weymouth for Stephen’s Birthday on 26th. Variety is the spice of life I have heard it said!

As you know we do love living in Weymouth with our sea views. The last two years, Boxing Day has been glorious! Really, sunny and blue skies. It has become Stephen’s day for a brisk swim in the sea with Hayden, our son, to

Stephen after a bracing dip on Boxing Day

celebrate his big day. They do have wetsuits, but nevertheless this is a brave move I would say! I, well, I take the photographs… Afterall someone has to do it! This year they stayed in the water a good 15 minutes all the while playing ball and diving in and out of the water. It is fun to watch, though people passing by gave us a few sympathetic looks… I think Stephen likes the challenge of it all. There I am bringing the family members together for my day, and Stephen absolutely backs me up with all of that, but on his day a bracing challenge and a full ‘alive feeling’ is what he wants. After a Birthday lunch, including ice-cream of course at our wonderful “Wafflicious” ice-cream parlour, “Avatar 2” was next on the menu! All within walking distance of where we live, the cinema, just around the corner was the perfect way to end a great day. The film is brilliant. Defense of the family is at the core of this adventure. Quite apt really. A three-hour movie, well worth it with gorgeous graphics and we were well entertained the whole time. An exhilarating end to a fabulous day!

So, how did you spend your Birthday? Daichi would love to know. Why not email him at debbie@modernmagazines.co.uk. Maybe we could add some of your Birthday photos in the magazine and Daichi will send you his Best Wishes? Birthdays are a great excuse to do what YOU want to do! Where will Daichi take us next, I wonder?

By Debbie Corney

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 talks about the concept of space.

During lockdown, our understanding and appreciation of space was something that was challenged in ways we w had probably never expected.

Not only was even outside space challenged and conditioned to be accessed and used in very specific ways, but when at home, our rooms suddenly became multifunctional when they were never designed for such a purpose – our kitchen tables were work desks; our little creative nooks and crannies were filled with children and other imposters!

One of the positive take-outs many of us took from lockdown

was versatility, yet in my own life I’m keen to get back a certain amount of separation, because I find it absolutely essential for organising my mind and staying creative.

It’s for that reason that I actually have different work areas, spaces and locations for different types of jobs. By that, I mean I will do all my creative television thinking in a little bale- and stone-walled hut I have, called The Straw Bale.

It has a roof, some furniture in there, and serves as a studio away from prying eyes and everyday interruptions you would usually encounter in the house.

I felt I needed this little space because with a show such as Grand Designs I am pretty much on-location the whole time. That means there is no set base by which I can connect myself to a project and get in that headspace… unless I make one.

I have an office within the main part of the house, but that is used for much more menial matters, such as answering emails and firing off angry letters to all and sundry!

The concept of space is one that isn’t always objective – it can be

subjective as well. For instance, just because you have a big area with which to express yourself, it doesn’t mean it will actually feel big, or spacious. Similarly, very small rooms can be made to feel much larger than they are with clever techniques and smart aesthetics. I talk around this idea a lot when I mention high ceilings, uplighting and an abundance of floor space, utilising tables and chairs with legs, that guide the eye and light through the space.

In essence, it’s all about how we marry together space and comfort. If done well, you have the first building blocks for somewhere, home or office, that truly inspires you and brings happiness.

WEDNESDAYS 5.30PM

FRIDAYS 9.30AM

The Property Protection Trust Will package is based around how you hold the ownership of your home. All good estate planning nowadays considers the difference between owning your home as joint tenants or as tenants in common.

If you own your home as Joint Tenants; when one of you dies the ownership of the home passes by the Law of Survivorship and not by your Will. Therefore, the surviving partner will automatically own 100% of the property. This sounds right to most people. BUT should the surviving partner need care in the future, the Local Authority can take everything they own (including their home) to pay for the care fees, leaving just £14,250 to be inherited by children and grandchildren.

There is an alternative.

Nowadays many couples choose to own their home as Tenants in Common where each partner will own 50% of the family home. This provides for many benefits. Firstly, it allows you to legally leave your share of the property in your Will to whoever you wish. A properly written Will can ensure that your half of your house will eventually pass to your children even if your widow re-marries.

Unmarried cohabiting couples or relatives living together can also use this means of ownership as a way of minimising their Inheritance Tax exposure.

It can also help with long-term care costs. If one of you is still living in your home the Local Authority can’t include its value in the means test if one of you has to go in to long-term care. This also applies if the husband or wife still living at home dies while the other is in care as their share will go into the trust.

Dorset and Wight are your local experts in Property Protection Trust Wills.

Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing to hold their properties as tenants in common to reduce inheritance tax and help protect their share from care fees

STAR GAZING

WRITTEN BY KATE EARL kateearlastro@gmail.com

Welcome to the February Stargazing Page. Highlights this month include a close meeting of the brightest and dimmest planets in the Solar System, and the constellation Orion high in the sky.

International Space Station

The ISS can be spotted early in the evening until the 4th. Viewing then switches to our morning skies from the 18th. To establish exact timings please refer to www.heavens-above.com or a similar webpage for up-to-date information, remembering to set the location to your observing area.

Events

A conjunction is when objects in the night sky appear close to one another as viewed from Earth, even though they are actually thousands of miles apart in space. One such event happens at the end of the month when the two bright planets Venus and Jupiter appear extremely close to one another in the early evening western sky (see figure). The closest they reach is actually on March 1st, but they will be approaching each other rapidly the week beforehand, noticeably changing position and moving nearer to one another nightly. This conjunction can be easily seen with the naked eye, but a pair of good, steady binoculars may allow you to spot some of the moons of Jupiter.

Mercury

During the first week of February the innermost planet is visible low in the southeast just before sunrise, but is very difficult to spot.

Venus

Venus will be blazing brightly in the southwest every evening and will be impossible to miss! Apart from the conjunction with Jupiter mentioned above, the Solar System’s brightest planet is also very close in the sky to the Solar System’s dimmest planet, Neptune, on the 15th. You’ll need binoculars or a telescope to see Neptune, which will appear as a star-like object just to the lower right of Venus, at a 5 o’clock position (see figure).

Mars

The red planet can be seen until the early hours of the morning, and although fading every day, is still a bright object located relatively close to the orangered giant star, Aldebaran. It can be interesting to compare the colours of these two ‘reddish’ night sky objects. To

Jupiter & Saturn

As the Sun sets, Jupiter is visible towards the southwest. It will have disappeared below the horizon by 10pm. Saturn is too close to the Sun to be visible this month.

Moon

February’s full moon occurs on the 5th.

Star of the month

Rigel, the seventh brightest star in the sky, marks the left foot of Orion the Hunter, and indeed the name Rigel stems from the Arabic for ‘left foot’ (see figure). It is blue-white in colour due to its temperature, a searing 12,000 °C (our Sun is comparatively cool, with a surface temperature of nearly 6000 °C). Similar to the star Capella featured in January’s issue, the Rigel star system actually consists of four stars. The largest star in the group (and the one we see) is 20 times more massive than the Sun, and will end its life as a supernova: a huge stellar explosion that leaves behind a neutron star or a black hole. Fortunately, that isn’t due to happen for several million years, and as Rigel is over 850 light years away, the Earth won’t be affected when Rigel’s demise does come about.

Orion The Hunter

View south during February 8.30pm

Betelgeuse

Rigel

Saiph

Bellatrix

Orion Nebula

Greenfingers…

The Alan Titchmarsh Column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and allround horticultural inspiration. is month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses how to keep motivation for your garden going.

e back might ache more than it used to and there’s more than a hint of a painful creak in the knees, but most days I still feel the urge to get out there and do my bit… and even when I don’t feel the urge, I always find it important to push on. A er all, my faithful beds and trellises rely on it!

It’s also worth remembering how beneficial the everyday rigours of flowering and weeding, pruning and digging are. It comes with the territory when you get to my sort of age, but I always remind myself that by the very nature of gardening you are outdoors, filling the lungs with oxygen and experiencing what it is to be around plants, trees and flowers. If that isn’t good for the soul, I don’t know what is!

I think what should motivate us to garden, even on those days when we would rather be in the pub, is the fact there is something unique about every outside space, and it changes on each occasion you set foot out into it. ere is always something that’s di erent, and special, and always ready to enchant you… always something you perhaps hadn’t noticed before!

It’s important to remember that although your garden is a wild space, you have, in e ect, tamed a lot of it; so like a pet or a child, it relies on you to keep doing the things you invested in it in the first place. It’s sort of saying, ‘you’ve started now, you can’t just stop!’

Remember too, it was you who had the vision, the idea, the perception of what this space should look like; so press on with those jobs and keep making your garden your own personal space – it’s an expression of who you are, and just like we get up in the

mornings and have a wash, comb our hair, so too do we owe that to our gardens.

So in summing up, of course the work can be hard and tiring and there are days when the body seems to be telling me to stop, but I am happy and healthy and have a loving family so things could be far worse. And what would I do anyway? Okay, yes… head to the pub!

Lisa Faulkner’s Choux Hearts with Berries

Having met her now husband, John Torode, on the 2010 series of Celebrity MasterChef – on which he was a judge and she a contestant – Lisa Faulkner knows full well that food is the language of love. So, what better way to woo your beloved on Valentine’s Day than with these stunning choux hearts?

Ingredients

(makes 8 hearts)

For the choux pastry

• 90g butter

• 360ml water

• pinch salt

• pinch sugar

• 110g plain flour, sifted

• 3 whole eggs, beaten well

To serve:

• 500ml double cream

• 400g mixed fresh berries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Put the butter and water in a medium saucepan, add the salt and sugar, and bring to the boil. Ensure the butter is melted. Remove from the heat, add the sifted flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan. Return to the heat and cook for 2 minutes until the paste is pale. Cool a little.

2. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, incorporating fully with a wooden spoon after each addition. The mixture will go glossy then back to dull. Add the eggs until the mixture is shiny again and it just drops off the wooden spoon. Cool the mixture for about 10 minutes. Put in a piping bag and pipe heart shapes on to a baking sheet dampened with a little water.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 160°C, gas mark 3, and bake for a further 15-20 minutes until golden.

4. Pour the cream into a chilled bowl and whisk, either by hand or with a hand mixer, until stiff peaks form. This may take a few minutes.

5. When cooked, turn the hearts over and pop back into the oven for 2 minutes to dry out a little. Split each heart in half horizontally and then spoon or pipe the whipped cream on the base. Top with the other half and fill the centre with the fruit. Serve immediately.

Top Tips

Be careful not to overwhip your cream. As soon as you have firm peaks (you should be able to hold the bowl over your head without it spilling out!) you should stop.

If berries aren’t your thing use whatever fruit you prefer… mango and passion fruit, for example.