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January / February 2022
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Little Oxford Press Making Big Waves Chipping Norton based publisher, Little Ox Press, has been mentoring young writers since just before lockdown in 2020. The goal, according to founder Deborah Walker, is to ‘encourage literacy and creativity during crucial developmental years’ and to ‘support families with raising the next generation of flexible and enquiring minds’. During lockdown Little Ox Press had lots of new submissions and getting the chance to be published has given hope and motivation to families working from home with children. According to one father, ‘The project has been an absolute lifeline. My daughter’s dream has always been to write a book and you have made it come true. The mentoring has been fantastic – lively, fun and inspiring.’ For the entire month of January 2022, this boutique family run publisher are offering 1 hour’s free mentoring to any young writer or illustrator who would value feedback from an expert. Research has shown that creativity boosts well-being, tolerance, and performance across all subjects (not just literacy) and that having a tangible endproduct - a published book - improves all-round engagement. If you want to snap up this New Year offer, you can make enquiries via their website, littleoxpress.co.uk.
What’s On? HOUSE OF GUCCI (15)
THE LOST DAUGHTER (15)
14 January 2022 - 20 January 2022 Age Recommendation: 15
21 January 2022 - 23 January 2022 Age Recommendation: 15
ENCANTO (PG) 15 January 2022 Age Recommendation: PG
LEOPOLDSTADT (12A)
WEST SIDE STORY (12A)
LA VOIX
15 January 2022 - 20 January 2022
28 January 2022
PIANO TO ZANKSAR (12A)
THE GREATEST MAGICIAN: AN EVENING OF WONDERS
19 January 2022 Age Recommendation: 12A
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27 January 2022 Age Recommendation: 12A
02 February 2022
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inside
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How to refugees in our community
look st how a local charity is supporting large nubers of Afghan 04 We refugees and how we can help
news: 04 local We learn about Asylum Welcome 08 We look at 2 books for young adults general interest 08 astronomy Female Astronomer success 10 Top tips for energy saving cotswold link 08 education Longer school day or not? 14 Advertising Details & Index FEATURED
reading
Welcome to the January - February issue In this issue we look at how a local charity is making a huge difference to the Afghan refugees arriving in the Cotswolds (p4), as well as celebrating the role of female astronomers in the history of astronomy (p8) We also explore whether a longer school day should be implemented on p8. I hope you all enjoy this issue and I’ll see you again in March. Best wishes,
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Christine Campbell | Editor
Afghan refugees – how to help locally
Asylum Welcome, the Oxfordbased refugee charity, is supporting over 160 Afghan refugees who were evacuated from Kabul in the emergency airlift. The new arrivals – men, women and children – are being housed in hotels whilst awaiting longer-term housing. The new arrivals have lived through unimaginable trauma. They need support to feel safe, settled, and look forward with hope for the future. This work includes providing activities and English language classes, and helping the children adapt to school. The support from the local community has been astounding but there is still so much more to be done. Asylum Welcome is incurring significant extra costs and requiring extra resources as it provides intensive support to the new arrivals.
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Can you help?
• Donate to Asylum Welcome to support this work: www. asylum-welcome.org/donate • Volunteer (we are particularly in need of speakers of Dari or Pashto): email volunteer@asylum-welcome. org • Donate laptops or devices: email office@asylumwelcome.org • For landlords with spare accommodation in Oxfordshire, contact refugeehousing@oxford.gov.uk For more information about Asylum Welcome, please visit www.asylumwelcome.org Thank you so much for your all your support and solidarity. We wish you a safe, happy and healthy 2022, from all of us at Asylum Welcome. Top: The Asylum Welcome team photographed holding the orange heart of compassion and solidarity from the Together with Refugees campaign. Middle: Children at the hotels enjoying the theatrical world of play and performance created by The Flying Seagull Project. Image credited to Asylum Welcome. Bottom: Group of Women. Image Credited to Paula Lerner / Alamy
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THE BENEFITS OF EARLY PENSION INVESTMENT As a scheme that sets us up for retirement, it’s easy to brush pension contributions off as something to think about later. Retirement may be decades away. If you’re adding to a compulsory employer pension scheme, you may feel it’s already under control. To a point, of course, it is. But when you crunch those numbers and calculate what may await you in later life, chances are you will feel a little more motivated to top up that pot. Unfortunately, most people realise this later in their life, when they’re starting to think about setting themselves up for retirement. While it’s never too late to beef up contributions, being proactive before your 40s, 50s, or even 30s is the best way to really capitalise on compounding; something Albert Einstein is said to have called “the most powerful force in the Universe”.
Let’s explore another example.
How about some Tax-Free Growth?
Sam is a practical 20-year-old who understands the value of investing early. Sam doesn’t have a lot of money to invest, but realises that contributing something is better than nothing. Sam diligently invests £50 a month until reaching 60.
Not only do you get an immediate financial boost for putting money into your pension, all of the money you put in there (including the tax relief) can grow entirely free of tax until you retire. Every pound invested works as hard as it can for you. With almost any other form of saving, you start with a smaller amount (because there’s no tax relief). So, assuming the investment returns are the same, you are almost always better off in the long run with a pension.
Jessie, on the other hand, barely thought about a pension until turning 40. Crunching some numbers, Jessie realised extra contributions would be necessary to reach their pension goals by age 60. To try and catch up, they invested £100 a month. Theoretically, come age 60, both will have invested the same amount (£24,000). Assuming the same investment return of 7% per annum, thanks to compounding, Sam is sitting on a pot of around £130,000, while Jessie has around £51,000. Not to Mention Tax Relief
For example, which of the following scenarios produces a bigger savings pot?
If compounding didn’t do it for you, wait until you hear about the benefits of tax relief.
Scenario 1) £125 per month saved for forty years, growing at 7% a year (total invested £60,000) or
What is tax relief, you ask? Basically, the government gives you extra money when you put cash into your pension. Personal contributions are currently topped up by 25p for every pound invested. So, if you pay in £80, tax relief increases your contribution to £100.
Scenario 2) £500 per month saved for twenty years, growing at 7% per year (total invested £120,000) Surprisingly the answer is Scenario 1. This produces a savings pot worth around £326,000. Scenario 2 costs you £60,000 more and is only worth around £259,000.
Welcome to the World of Compounding Investing is a powerful means by which to potentially increase wealth. Unlike simple cash savings, investments, including pension schemes, can amplify your efforts. The longer your money is invested, the more it has the opportunity to grow.
Those paying higher rate income tax can claim a further bonus of an additional 25p tax rebate for every pound contributed. So, the same total contribution of £100 (£80 plus £20 basic rate tax relief) would actually only cost you £60 with the extra tax rebate. For Jessie, who is a higher rate taxpayer, their £100 monthly contribution is ‘grossed up’ to £125, and they can get another £25 back via their tax return, making the net cost £75. Sam may only be taxed at 20%, so their £50 contribution goes up to £62.50. Jessie now has a huge advantage. However, with Jessie only contributing for 20 years, they’re still short of Sam. Sam has over £160,000, and Jessie has made it up to about £65,000.
The Time to Start is Now Sure, compounding can work for you through other investment strategies, and there are many worthy investment strategies that you can and should explore when building wealth. All have their pros and cons. However, we believe it should always be a case of pension plus X. Never pension or X. The sooner you start to invest in your pension, the harder you make your money work for you. Consider the examples above. Pension schemes allow modest earners with financial foresight to be potentially wealthier than their higher earning peers in retirement. You don’t have to go big. You just have to start now.
Contact us today To help you set up a pension strategy to reach your long-term goals or make your first steps, contact the team at Wise Investment for a free consultation. wise@wiseinvestment.co.uk www. wiseinvestment.co.uk 01608 695100
The above information is for educational purposes and is not a personal recommendation or investment advice. Content is accurate at the time of writing and tax limits and rates may change. Pension funds cannot usually be accessed until age 55 or 57. If you are unsure about the suitability of a particular investment you should speak to an authorised financial adviser. The examples shown are for illustrative purposes only and don’t take into account the impact of charges. The value of investments can go down as well as up and returns are not guaranteed. There is an annual allowance for pension contributions and anyone putting more into their pension may have to pay additional tax. High earners will also have this annual allowance reduced but the details of this are beyond the scope of this article. Wise Investment is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA 230553). Your Cotswold Link Office: The Great Barn, Chalford Park Barns, Oxford Road, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5QR. Registered in England 4970458. 6Registered Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
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The
Cotswold Sky This may not come as a surprise, women astronomers have made some amazing discoveries throughout history. You may not have heard of some of the following, but their contributions are well worth further reading: Caroline Herschel (1750 – 1848) Caroline is perhaps the most well known of past female astronomers discoverer of several comets and became the world’s first professional astronomer and the first woman to become an Honorary Member of the Royal Astronomical Society. Elizabeth Brown (1830 – 1899) Elizabeth lived all of her life in Cirencester her achievements and contribution to encouraging women to the field of astronomy are immeasurable. Being refused membership to the Royal Astronomical Society because of her sex she became a founder member of the British Astronomical Society. Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868 – 1921) The discoverer of “Leavitt’s Law” by which astonomers can measure distances to remote galaxies.
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin (1900 – 1979) proposed that stars including our Sun was made up of hydrogen
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Women Astronomers
and helium. Cecilia was the first female professor at Harvard University. Vera Rubin (1928 – 2016) Found the evidence that 90% of of the mass in the galaxies consists of invisible dark matter.
Meteorite Showers: Quadrantid Meteor Showers peak on the 4th/5th January. Could be ideal for viewing around midnight looking above the North Eastern horizon. Mercury Evening planet during January most visible during the first two weeks of the year in the South West at sunset. Close to Venus on 1st January and then close to Saturn on 14th January. Difficult to observe during February. Venus Can be observed close to Mercury in the South West at sunset on New Year’s Day and reemerges towards the end of January as a brilliant morning star in the South East. Difficult to miss during February in the pre-dawn sky Mars Rises in the South West 2 hours before the Sun during January. Brightens gradually over the weeks and will be observed beneath Venus towards the end of February. Jupiter Best observed during the first half of the January evenings but losing its brightness by the end of February. Saturn Located lower down and to the right of Jupiter during January around twilight time but will not be visible following the first few days of February. Wishing all Cotswold Link Readers, A Happy Healthy 2022
Would a longer school day be beneficial to children? Nadhim Zahawi the Secretary of State for Education has suggested that the school day should be extended. He has also said that there are “excellent examples” of the benefits of longer school hours. What he did not mention was that there are also examples of longer school days failing the advancement of children. Longer school days have been tried in various countries including the USA, Canada, Latin America, Indonesia and the Caribbean. The United Nations have also published a report dealing with pandemic-induced learning losses and no doubt the Department of Education will lean heavily on its findings in their research. So, what are the problems in extending the school day in order that our children may catch up on the lost months of education that they have suffered over the past two years?
Length of a School Day The Secretary of State for Education has urged all schools to ensure they move to the average school day length of 6.5 hours tuition which may come as a surprise to many parents that not all schools in this country have the same length of tuition. In the USA the average tuition time varies between a minimum of 6.5 hours to a maximum of 7 hours each school day.
Length of a School Year This varies in Europe between 165 days in Albania, Malta and Romania and 200 days in Denmark and Italy. The majority of European countries teach between 181 and 190 days. In England local authority maintained schools must open for at least 190 days. All this in comparison with Japan who have 210 to 250 school days a year.
A Good Read Point Blanc: The Graphic Novel By Anthony Horowitz, Antony Johnston, Kanako and Yuzuru For many young readers the name ‘Alex Rider’ needs no introduction. Like a teenage James Bond, Alex is a spy who works for MI6. Point Blank was the second Alex Ryder novel, and this version follows the same story, but adapted into a graphic novel. Alex is sent undercover by MI6 to Point Blanc, an exclusive school in the Swiss Alps for the rebellious teenage sons of some of the richest people in the world. Two millionaires have been killed and the only connection between them are that they both had sons attending Point Blanc. Can Alex find some connection that will lead to the motive for the killings? Full of gadgets, chases, and thrills, the original series of books have been a huge hit with teenage readers. This graphic novel is especially suited for reluctant readers who struggle with large amounts of descriptive text, along with fans of graphic novels in general.
John Harris
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Pupil Concerns We must consider – socialisation, pastoral care and the overall wellbeing of the children. These are major issues that many teachers and education experts are raising as an important element in any catch-up plan that involves the implementation of longer school days. Yet to date almost no studies on the effects of longer school days exist.
Teacher Fatigue Research from the Institute of Education led by Dr Ed Baines noted that “…overly long school days will not be conducive to a good mental state or allow them (i.e., the teachers) to deliver quality teaching. Extending the school day after the added stress and upheaval of lockdown may also be highly detrimental”.
Conclusion This is a complex issue and will not be easy to resolve but what must not be forgotten is whatever decisions are made, the Department of Education must not forget that extended school time will affect whole families in terms of their happiness and quality of living. Therefore, it is of crucial importance that any extended teaching must be of the highest excellence. Wishing all Cotswold Link Readers, A Happy Healthy 2022 John Harris
A Deadly Education By Naomi Novik It’s no secret that Harry Potter books are read by adults as much as by children. But what if there was a series about a school of magic written especially for adults? Well, that is what Naomi Novik has done. However, it is not wizarding school as you know it. In this first novel in the Scholomance series we meet El, a student at the Scholomance who is working through her studies, fast approaching graduation. But in this case graduation is not a celebratory event but a fight for survival. As a loner El is in danger. Lone students rarely survive graduation, and her best chance is to find an enclave that will have her. Being born to a Welsh witch she lived most of her childhood in a commune with her mother, away from other sorcerers. This has left her without the support of an enclave, unlike her fellow students such as Orion from the New York enclave. In addition, her penchant for dark magic leaves her isolated from the enclave students. Novik is exceptional at transporting you away from this world and into the world she has created. A multi-layered world with a language and natural law system all of its own. It takes a bit of getting used to but is totally worth it.
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Save Energy …and the planet
There are many simple changes you can make in our homes to reduce your electricity and gas usage and do our bit towards saving the planet. Thermostat - The thermostat is your friend! It’s an uncomplicated way to take control of your energy usage. By turning the heating thermostat down by one degree you can save around £60 a year. A smart thermostat can connect to your Wi-Fi so you can control your heating and hot water through your smart phone, tablet, or desktop. A smart meter monitors and displays your energy use in near realtime so you can see exactly how much electricity and/or gas you’re using and use the information to make adjustments to cut household costs. Lighting - Buy energy saving lightbulbs. Gradually phase out any incandescent or halogen bulbs in your home. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are the most energy-efficient bulbs available and are much cheaper to run. Turn lights off in unused rooms. Consider a timer switch to set lamps to come on and off. These plug straight into the wall can be programmable. Did you know that dust sitting on lampshades or bulbs
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can dim the light in your home? Regularly clean lamp shades or fittings to ensure the light can get through. Stop the standby - Switch appliances off at the plug to save energy. This alone could save you £35 a year. Unblock the radiators - Items of furniture are often placed in from of radiators which partially blocks heat circulation. Moving furniture just a few centimetres away from radiators can help boost the temperature of your room, which means you may be able to turn your thermostat down and save money, without feeling the temperature difference. Also, many radiators are placed under windows, and are completely covered by full-length curtains when they are drawn, effectively curtailing their ability to heat a room. Hemming curtains to a shorter length can make a massive difference. By Caitlin McNamara
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Garden View
This month: Plants as air purifiers A friend recently asked me whether there are any plants which might help with the humidity and mould problem in the bathroom and back bedroom of her Victorian house. It’s a problem that actually affects many British households. Many of our homes are old, and in our damp climate humidity can rise pretty quickly in the winter when all the windows are closed, and the radiators are on. With increased humidity comes the increased risk of mould and associated respiratory problems. Obviously, we can install a dehumidifier or an extractor fan, but nature also provides her own dehumidifiers and air purifiers in the form of certain house plants. The best houseplants for mould-prone areas are those which are efficient at absorbing moisture through their leaves. Not all plants are equally efficient at this task so I’ve selected four of the best. Each offers a different aesthetic so there should be one that’s perfect for you.
English ivy is a native plant and it’s a low-cost option. It removes airborne mould, but also other toxins such as formaldehyde and benzene. It grows best in bright, indirect sunlight so is perfect for north-facing rooms. You need
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to keep it out of reach of toddlers and pets because the leaves are toxic. Peace Lilies remind me of the film Hot Fuzz. Sergeant Angel, played by Sean Pegg loved his Peace Lily, and he had good reason. Not only are they elegant plants with stunning white flowers, but research conducted by NASA found the Peace Lily to be one of the top indoor plants for air purification. This tropical plant breaks down and neutralizes benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. One of the advantages of a Peace Lily is that it tells you when its thirsty by drooping and that it’s getting too much light by turning yellow. They love high humidity areas with indirect sunlight like most bathrooms and are great at preventing mould. Like English ivy the leaves and flowers are toxic.
Palms add a tropical touch to a room and will efficiently reduce humidity. There are many varieties and some of the best are the lady palm, dwarf palm and reed palm. Indirect light is best and keep the surface of the soil moist but not wet.
grow upright, and almost resemble artificial foliage. It’s great at air purification and is one of the few plants that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen at night. This quality makes it particularly good for use in a bedroom as it can help regulate healthy airflow. Snake plants can absorb cancer-causing pollutants, including CO2, benzene, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene and act as an effective defence against airborne allergies. Plants can’t solve a fullon damp problem and they won’t replace a built-in humidifier or extractor fan. But plants are a great way to improve the quality of the air in your home and they look beautiful too. Happy indoor gardening By Rachael Leverton
The Snake Plant is a wonderfully architectural succulent. Its evergreen sword-shaped leaves
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There are thousands of reasons to advertise with us... North Cotswolds
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Index Bathrooms Country Bathrooms: p10 Blinds Associated Blinds: p16 Builders & Contractors Country Roofing & Building Contractors: p12 Garolla Garage Doors: p13 Wychwood Oak Frame Buildings: p5 Charity Asylum Welcome: p4 Children’s Services Cotswold Tutor: p9 Education Burford School: p1 Cotswold Tutor: p9 Sibford School: p3 Elderly Services Bluebird Care: p15 Electrical Services Aerial Solutions: p11 Cox Electrical Services: p14 Mayday Aerials: p12
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Next issues
West Oxfordshire March - April Copy: 2 February Dist: w/c 28th February nd
North Cotswolds March - April Copy: 2 February Dist: w/c 28th February nd
homes & businesses
Finance Wise Investments: p6-7 Furniture Amanda Hanley By Design: p1 Bob Dadge Carpentry: p14 Paul Dadge: p5 Garage Doors Garolla Garage Doors: p13 Gardening & Outdoors Cotswold Garden Designs: p13 Stockwell Davies Tree Contractors: p13 Tom Negus Tree Care: p13 Waterside Landscaping: p13 Gifts Cotswold Frames: p11 Glass Chips Away: p4 CN Glass: p1 Healthcare & Wellbeing Cherwell Hospital: p11 Footworx Clinic: p11 Home & Interiors Amanda Hanley By Design: p1 Associated Blinds: p16 Bob Dadge Carpentry: p14
Country Bathrooms: p10 Paul Dadge: p5 Rooflight Company: p5 Kitchens & Bathrooms Country Bathrooms: p10 Motoring Chips Away: p4
Music Lessons Music For Fun: p9 Plumbing Gas & Oil Heating: p4 MPN Plumbing & Heating: p10 Property Maintenance CN Glass: p1 Country Roofing & Building Contractors: p12 Garolla Garage Doors: p13 Recruitment Burford Garden Centre: p3
Sport & Leisure GLL/Better: p7 Sound & Vision Mayday Aerials: p12 Tree Surgery Stockwell Davies Tree Contractors: p13 Tom Negus Tree Care: p13
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Christine 01609 777401 07742 595747 christine@jkanorth.com
Tuition Cotswold Tutor: p9 Dance My Way: p9 Music For Fun: p9 Windows CN Glass: p1 Rooflight Company: p5
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