Konect Calders May 2024

west Lothian Bike Library are encouraging people to try e-bikes this summer, and they have a range of them available for hire at very reasonable rates. If you’re thinking about how an e-bike could make your commute better, or are just curious to try and see if you’d get on well with one, please see the article on pages 8-9 and get in touch with the Bike Library. They offer a host of other bikerelated services and do fantastic work in the community too.

May 13th -19th is Dementia Action week. The Rosebery Centre in Polbeth provides Dementia day care, and they are looking for volunteers for their vital befriending service, as well as for the management committee delivering services to support people with dementia and their families, see their notice on p13. The Livings Well column from Home Instead this month describes how to spot signs of dementia and how it is different from usual signs of ageing.

There is a Money Matters special from Calderwood Financial, following Lucy’s appearance in April on the ITV documentary “Claim Your Cash: Britain’s Hidden Fortune.” It’s about the often difficult and emotionallycharged matter of tracking down your loved one’s assets and investments when they pass away; see pages 30 – 31. As ever, you will find everything you need for home, garden, eating out and entertainment in the pages of this magazine. Thank you for supporting local businesses and organisations.

All enquiries, E: M: editor@konect.scot 07854 492638

Fancy trying an e-bike?

West Lothian Bike Library has a fleet of e-bikes available for hire. If you’re thinking about getting an e-bike this summer, or are curious to see if one would work for your commute, this is a perfect opportunity to try before you buy.

The bike library, set up in 2018, exists to make cycling accessible for all. They have every kind of bike available for hire, including specially adapted bikes to accommodate disabilities, a host of bike-related services and support, as well as free hire for people who are not able to afford their own bike (subject to referral).

The latest initiative is all about making e-bikes more accessible. E-bikes help you reach where you need to go more quickly and with less effort and more joy, reducing the physical strain and worries about “keeping up.”’ They make cycling an easier option for everyday trips such as the school run, daily commutes, or simply enjoying a fun day out.

According to the Scottish Household Survey, in 2022 more than half of the trips taken were less than 5 km, and 26% of journeys covering less than 1km were made by car. These sorts of trips can be done with an e-bike – an option that makes you feel good and save money while helping the local environment by reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

The West Lothian Bike Library is a fantastic

Angela Constance MSP tries a cargo bike, which is available for community groups to borrow

resource in Livingston and a friendly, supportive community where anyone can get hands-on support with e-bikes and adaptive cycles. In partnership with Go e-bike, an initiative delivered by SEStran, the Library offers everything from training to maintenance, making it easy for anyone to try out these bikes and boost their confidence riding them.

More broadly, West Lothian Bike Library offers all types of bike hire on a half day/full day basis, cycling training, bike recycling (donated bikes repaired and given a new life), Dr Bike sessions and led rides as well as competitively-priced bike servicing and repairs. Their services are available to anyone! Here are some ways they can help you:

• It’s been a long time since you were last on a bike, but you want to give it a go with a bit of friendly support.

• You’re struggling to fund your travel to work or training, and a temporary loan of a bike or e-bike could really help you out.

• Your balance is perhaps not what it used to be due to health issues, or you have a condition that limits your mobility, and you could do with a bike that gives you additional support.

• Your organisation wants to get more staff or students on bikes. West Lothian Bike Library supports all local ASN schools. For example, Ogilvie School Campus, which caters for pupils with severe and complex learning disabilities, many of whom would not have access to a bike or have the opportunities to learn cycling skills elsewhere. Mairi Ritchie, Acting Principal Teacher, said, “West Lothian Bike Library has supported us with gaining funds for new bikes and trikes for the pupils here, as well as training and supporting staff with the delivery of Bikeability courses, to help pupils increase their confidence with cycle skills. They have given us their time and skills, which have been indispensable to us and helped us fix and maintain our bikes that we use for classes. We have also had some bike donations, which have been really appreciated and are used well. Our school has a role of 109 pupils at present, and just now there are approximately 80 pupils using the bikes on a regular basis, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without West Lothian Bike Library. Without their expertise and support, our pupils wouldn’t have been given the cycling experiences that they get.”

For more information, please contact the West Lothian Bike Library on 07724 667321

www.wlbikelibrary.co.uk

info@wlbikelibrary.co.uk

Crofthead Farm, Templar Rise, Livingston EH54 6DG

Open Monday to Thursday between 9.00am and 1.00pm, and other times by appointment.

See also www.dotheridething.co.uk for more information on the South East Scotland e-bike accessibility initiative.

West Lothian 50+ Network going on a Led Ride using WL Bike Library eBikes

LIVING WELL

As people get older, they are likely to become more forgetful and notice changes in their mental abilities. Though frustrating, these changes are a normal part of ageing. So how does this differ from dementia?

With dementia, this worsening in mental abilities is much more serious. For a healthcare professional to diagnose dementia, symptoms must be significantly affecting daily life, such as difficulty completing daily tasks about the house, in the community or at work.

Normal signs of ageing:

• Forgetting people’s names

• Struggling to remember day-to-day events or experiences

• Misplacing items (e.g. keys or glasses) around the house

• Finding it hard to follow conversations

• Forgetting appointments or important dates

• Getting lost

While someone might worry that these are the early signs of dementia, for most this is not the case.

Symptoms of dementia:

• Memory loss

• Confusion and needing help with daily tasks

• Struggling with planning and decision making

• Problems with language and understanding

• Changes in behaviour

The most common types of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, but there are also less common types such as Lewy body and frontotemporal dementia. While they may share some similar symptoms, this is not always the case.

It is therefore important not to try to diagnose dementia in yourself or someone else and instead seek the opinion of a qualified health professional. For information and support prior to a diagnosis or memory assessment, contact the Memory Information Support Team (MIST) on 01506 448 000

The Living Well column is contributed by Home Instead West Lothian. Contact them for advice and support on 01506 346046, email info.westlothian@homeinstead.co.uk or see www.homeinstead.co.uk/west-lothian

The things you can CONTROL

At this time of year, a switch seems to go on in most people’s heads as they turn their attention to Spring and warmer weather. Everywhere we look there are holiday adverts, colourful clothes and beautiful flowers which all build expectation and excitement about good times to come.

While all this is quite understandable after a long, wet winter, the weather and it’s unpredictable nature is outwith all our control and focusing only on sunshine and brighter days can lead to disappointment when the sun doesn’t shine.

The principle of focusing on what we can control applies to almost all aspects of our lives. We can’t really influence how our partner, friends, family or colleagues behave and most of us would agree that trying to do that would inevitably lead to frustration when faced with the inevitable disappointment.

If we can’t control the behaviour of the people we actually know, how likely is it that we can exert even a tiny amount of influence over the weather, the interest rate or whether that total stranger is going to be kind?

Deciding that the only things that we can all control is our own reactions and behaviour and letting go of the belief that we can change other people’s actions will make a real difference to all our lives.

Recognising that the only thing that any of us can have any impact on is ourselves and our own thoughts is an important first step towards developing a new and very healthy habit of acceptance.

The Life Coaching column is contributed by Francine Orr, NLP coach, hypnotherapist & reiki practitioner. Francine is based within Linlithgow Chiropractic on Wednesday afternoons and is also available online. See www.orrganise.co.uk

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Kim Jee-woon is debatably one of my favourite filmmakers working today. So, it was a treat to watch a film of his that I had never seen before.

A Bittersweet Life is a crime thriller that follows our lead Kim Sun-woo, played by Lee Byung-hun, who is a high-ranking enforcer to crime boss Kang. He is given a simple task; while Kang is away Kim must keep an eye on Kang’s young girlfriend and if she is with another younger man, call Kang or deal with the matter himself. From there things slowly start to spiral out of control and Kim has to deal with the consequences of his actions. There is never a dull moment in this film. From the opening brawl to when the credits rolled, I was gripped and immersed in the world. What allowed me to become so invested was the fantastic performances and strong writing/direction. Lee Byung-hun is utterly incredible and continues to prove why he is one of the best actors working today. The supporting cast is also fantastic and allows every character to have so many fascinating layers to them.

Kim Jee-woon did a fantastic job writing and directing this film. He subverted my expectations from what I was expecting and told a story and loneliness and emptiness that only he could do. A Bittersweet Life is just simply excellent. A defining film of the 2000s and a must-watch film no questions asked. The film is just sublime.

A Bittersweet Life is available now on digital platforms.

The Film Review is contributed by Robert Ewing. Robert is passionate about film as an art form, and shining a light on films that may not be on people’s radar. Robert is from Kirknewton.

‘Your garden should be able to supply you with at least a posy of flowers every week of the year’!

To help your garden fulfil this obligation this summer you should be sowing some annual flower seeds this month, the soil is warm enough now to sow the seeds directly into the soil. Sow them in straight lines so you can see which seedlings you planted and want to grow and any not in the line will be annual weeds that you can hoe out.

These flowers in little glass vases were picked in July and, from left to right, are Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea), Sunflower Vanilla Ice, Viper’s Bugloss (Echium Blue Bedder), and Nasturtium.

But there are so many annual flowers that you might choose. Do you like a mix of colours in the vase, or do you have a favourite colour palette for your home? Perhaps a blue colour theme with a sparkle of white (Choose Nigella, Cerinthe and Gypsophila). You might plan a more vibrant, exciting theme with fiery colours like red, orange and yellow (choose a bright coloured Cosmos, a yellow Antirrhinum and a Marigold).

Sit back and enjoy the anticipation of vases filled with annual flowers this summer!

The gardening project is contributed by Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens. Inspiring, informing and entertaining, for more than 40 years.

I recently brought a bottle of Gary Barlow Sauvignon Blush. I was in the mood for a glass of rose. The simple label, the organic wine promise and the <£7 price tag appealed.

I am normally sceptical of celebrity wines and tend to avoid them. The price of a bottle can be inflated because of demand caused by the celebrity endorsement. In 2012 when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt released Miraval Rose, 6,000 bottles sold online in 5 hours! Simple economics means the greater the demand, the higher the price.

Today, there are several celebrity wine products available, including Wines by Kylie Minogue, Gordon Ramsay Wines and Graham Norton Wines. While it’s nice to think of Gary Barlow picking grapes and Kylie pruning vines, the reality is that all these products are all owned by the same company, Benchmark

Drinks. Benchmark Drinks have very cleverly teamed with experienced wine makers and an even smarter marketing team! They have given their wine products a personality which in a sea of labels in a wine shop, is genius.

Benchmark Drinks’ formula of matching celebrities with wine products is working. There are rose, red, white and sparkling wines available and Graham Norton has a gin!

I really enjoyed Gary Barlow’s Sauvignon Blush. It was exactly what I was looking for: a dry rose with just the suggestion of ripe summer fruit on the palate. It was refreshing without a bitter aftertaste and the acidity was clean and fresh without being tart or austere. It would be delicious with lunch, perhaps paired with a Caesar salad.

The monthly wine tasting column is contributed by Joanne Frette. Joanne lives in Juniper Green with her husband and three children. For wine recommendations, reviews and details of future tasting events, please go to swirlsipsocialise.com

Tracking down

after bereavement

In my role as a financial advisor at Calderwood Financial, I have helped many new clients trace lost pensions and insurance policies, but it wasn’t until I joined the peer support network WAY Widowed and Young in 2021 that I truly started to appreciate how much of a big a problem this is for those who have been bereaved.

It is not unusual for new clients to have lost track of their assets and, having procrastinated for years, they don’t know where to start looking. Add in the trauma of bereavement, and that your loved one isn’t here to help guide the search, finding lost assets becomes extremely difficult. With the transition to paperless correspondence, this may be an even harder mission.

The steps below will help you start your search for lost assets:

FRIENDS & FAMILY – If there are people around you, reach out to them and ask for help; two heads are better than one and it is good for you to have support on what could be an emotional journey.

PROFESSIONAL HELP – Gretel.co.uk is a free website that helps you to find lost assets, and – although not all providers are on there, it is certainly worth an initial try. Also, a financial advisor may also be prepared to help. (Financial advisors may charge for this service, therefore it is always worth doing your research on what may work for you and your circumstances.)

PAPERWORK – It may help to go through old paperwork, if this available, to see if there are any old statements or letters that may allow you to reach out to the provider. Most financial institutions have a Bereavement Team, who you can contact, and they should be able to help.

BANK STATEMENTS – By going through recent bank statements, you may be able to identify potential policies. Look for regular direct debits or standing orders – these could be to an insurance company, a personal pension provider, or to a savings/investment account. Payments into an account might be dividends, or from a share portfolio. The best way to start is by doing a Google search on the payee’s name. If that does not work, you can always contact the bank and ask if they can provide clarity.

WORK HISTORY – If your loved one had a CV, or you can find an old job application, go through them and attempt to match each role to a pension. If there are gaps in employment history, which could be before you met, ask friends or family if they remember where they worked.

Lucy Logan

Auto Enrolment was first introduced for larger companies in 2012, with all employers being legally required to take part from 2015; this means that, unless your loved one actively opted out, there will be a pension pot related to an employment. When a person moves jobs, they may transfer their old pension into a new workplace scheme so there may not be a separate pension for every job.

PENSION TRACING SERVICE – You can also make use of the Government’s Pension Tracing Service (www.gov.uk/find-pensioncontact-details) to identify an employer’s pension provider. There may be several pension providers per employer. In such instances you can telephone or write to them all – they are used to receiving enquiries like yours and will be happy to help you.

PAST EMPLOYERS – If you haven’t found the information you need through the Pension Tracing Service, don’t be afraid to call past employers. It might take them

a little time, but they will know if your loved one was part of the workplace pension scheme. If a company doesn’t exist anymore, use LinkedIn to find the names of previous employees and ask them if they know who the pension provider was.

SCATTERGUN – If you believe your loved one had a policy, but you can’t find it, contact all the big providers. There is no harm in trying. Good luck with your search and remember, these assets belonged to your loved one and they would want you to have them.

The Money Matters column is contributed by Lucy Logan. Lucy lives in Calderwood and is the Principal of Calderwood Financial, an Associate Partner Practice of St. James’s Place.

Our native red squirrel is facing a serious threat. One of the main causes of the population decline (amongst many other reasons) was the introduction of the much larger, non-native grey squirrel.

Originally introduced in 1876 to populate the grounds of stately homes, it wasn’t made illegal to release them until 1930. By that point, the damage had already been done. They carry a disease called squirrel pox, which they’re immune to but easily spreads to red squirrels and when infected, they usually succumb to it within a couple of weeks. It’s an awful disease and I can’t imagine the suffering the little squirrel will go through.

Now, whilst there are no red squirrels in West Lothian or Edinburgh, you only need to take a short drive over the bridge to start seeing them. Unfortunately, over the last few weeks there’s been a confirmed case of squirrel pox in Dunfermline and a red squirrel sadly lost its life. There have also been grey squirrel sightings in current red squirrel strongholds, including Aberfoyle and Dunkeld.

If you visit the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel

website, you’ll get tips on what we can do to help. The disease is spread through infected feeders, so these must be taken down and thoroughly cleaned with an anti viral solution such as Virkon S. Those who either live or know people who live where the territories cross over are key in stopping the spread of greys further North.

This column is contributed by Clare Harte and Kate Stevenson, who grew up in Edinburgh and now live in West Lothian. Together they run Scottish Sisters Photography and travel around the country to watch and photograph amazing wildlife and scenic landscapes.

Follow them on Facebook: @ScottishSistersPhotography

MAY CROSSWORD

^^^ Solution in the June edition of Konect

ACROSS: 7. A large sea (13), 8. Disclosed (8), 9. Opposed to (4), 10. Move forward (7), 12. Allude to (5), 14. Learn (5), 16. Not coolest (7), 19. Zn (4), 20. Fizzy drink (8), 22. Practical example (13).

DOWN: 1. Not there (4), 2. Picture house (6), 3. Think about (7), 4. Unrefined (5), 5. Breathe in (6), 6. Insensitive (8), 11. Thorough (8), 13. Mallets (7), 15. Physician (6), 17. Tiny (6), 18. Show embarrassment (5).

MAY SUDOKU

29TH APRIL TO 31ST MAY

Art Exhibition - Livingston Art Association’s Annual Exhibition, displaying the pottery and artworks of the group. Howden Park Centre, Livingston. Please see www.livingston-art-assoc.org. uk for details. Please check Howden Park Centre’s Facebook page for opening hours. Entry is free, all welcome.

SATURDAY 4TH MAY

Friends of Almondell & Calderwood Country Park Volunteering sessionThe Friends of Almondell's monthly practical project meeting. Volunteer group helping to conserve and maintain the 220 acre Almondell & Calderwood Country Park including the Oakbank extension. Please get in touch by contacting the Ranger Service on 01506 882254, or email almondell&calderwood@westlothian. gov.uk to find out more about getting involved. Facebook: 'Friends of Almondell & Calderwood Country Park'

SUNDAY 12TH MAY

Ramble & Chat, Foraging Walk - With Almond Valley Nature Action Group, a monthly social walk with likeminded folk to blether about nature, climate action, biodiversity or whatever comes to mind. This month we have a special event. A gentle walk in Almondell & Calderwood Country Park led by local forager Amy Rankine. We’ll learn about wild plants, connect with nature, and share tea made with foraged ingredients! This is a free event but places are limited and booking via Eventbrite is required (See poster on opposite page >>>).

THURSDAY 16TH MAY

West Lothian Prostate Cancer Support Group - Help for men recently diagnosed and speakers on Prostate Cancer Research and from Macmillan team on “Improving the Cancer Journey.” Meet 7.00pm Crofthead Community Centre, Livingston.

FRIDAY 24TH MAY

Summer Concert - Bathgate Concert Orchestra. Featuring “How to train your dragon,” “Congo del Fuego” and a world premiere. Conductor Steven Meikle. St Andrew’s Church, Deans, Livingston, EH54 8BE. 7.30pm, admission by donation.

WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT HERE? COMMUNITY AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT LISTINGS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.

EMAIL EDITOR@KONECT.SCOT BY 15TH OF THE MONTH FOR FOLLOWING MONTH’S ISSUE.

SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE...

MID CALDER WOMEN’S GROUP - Mid Calder Women’s Group would like to welcome new members. We are a group aged 60+ who meet each Monday at the Institute Hall, Mid Calder, from 12.45pm until 3pm. Cost per week is £3/ member. We organise various activities including, games, quizzes, bingo, well being exercises and regular talks from external speakers and entertainers. We also arrange coach trips to places of interest. Interested? Please contact Jackie on 01506 883205

WOMEN'S 5-A-SIDE FOOTBALL - A fun and friendly group meeting on Thursday evenings to play recreational football in East Calder. All ages abilities welcome. A great way to keep fit and meet new people. For more information text Tracey 07708 700235

EAST CALDER PENSIONERS

CLUB - Held in The Dave King Partnership Centre, Main Street, East Calder on the last Thursday of every month from 1.00pm to 3.00pm (September-April). New members welcome. Contact Carole on 07821 699332 for further details.

MID CALDER BABY & TODDLER GROUP - Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am11.30 am in The Institute Hall Mid Calder. We have a huge toy selection, offer arts and crafts and supply a small snack. Adults can have a hot drink and a chat whilst the children play happily. Session costs are £1 for under 1s and £2 for over 1s. Follow us on Facebook or email: midcalderbabygroup@gmail. com for further details

EAST CALDER PLAYGROUP

- Mon-Fri 9-11am for 2-3

year olds @ The Dave King Partnership Centre. Lots of fun activities while learning through play. Stories, songs, craft, small world, sand, water, outdoor fun & lots more. For more information call /text 07748053340 or pop in and see us.

SINGERGIE CHOIR - Singergie is a totally free, singing for fun choir with 2 locations in West Lothian. MONDAYS: 7.009.00pm, The Village, Oakbank Road, East Calder. FRIDAYS: 10.00am – 12noon, East Calder Bowling Club. No auditions, no fees, no stress. Good songs, easy harmonies, friendship and fun. And you get a cuppa thrown in too. Won’t cost you a penny. No need to book, just turn up and you’ll be made very welcome.

WEST LOTHIAN LITTER

PICKERS - We’re a group of over 3000 West Lothian residents, so if you want to help clean up your community, like we do, come join the group on Facebook “West Lothian Litter Pickers(Act Local Think Global)”. We organise group litter picks or put you in touch with a buddy in your area to get you started. We can even provide you with equipment at no cost to you.

EAST CALDER

NEEDLECRAFT CLUB - We are back….We meet every Thursday evening from 6.30pm - 9pm at the Dave King Partnership Centre, East Calder. All crafts are catered for whether you are a beginner or experienced in your favourite craft, we want to welcome you to our group. Why not give us a try? Call 01506 882699 for more information.

EAST CALDER OVER 50s

CLUB - Held in The Dave King Community Centre, Main Street,

East Calder every Wednesday from 1.30-3.30pm (SeptemberMay) Please contact Gillian on 07415309886 for further details.

POTTER AROUND AT POTTER AROUND - Potter

Around is a local pottery and ceramic painting studio based in Kirknewton. We offer taster sessions on the potter’s wheel for ages 5+. We also do clay imprints – a great memento to keep forever and we have a huge range of pre-made ceramics which are great for handprints, but also for people of all ages to paint. Our shop sells gorgeous handmade gifts including pottery and jewellery. Check our website for details: www.potteraround.co.uk

EAST CALDER SCOUT

GROUP - Providing fun and exciting scouting programmes for children in the local area, from age 6 upwards. We meet on a Monday or Tuesday, depending on the child’s age. Adults interested in becoming leaders will be made very welcome. We also hire the scout hall for one off occasions or for other groups to use, to benefit the local community. Find out more at our website: www.eastcalderscouts.uk

SLIMMING WORLD - East Calder Bowling Club, 255 Main Street, East Calder. Tuesdays 3.30, 5.30 & 7.30pm, Wednesdays 9.30 & 11.30am and at Geddes House, Livingston, EH54 6GU on Thursdays 9.30. New and returning members always welcome. Contact Sue: 07803 520781

CHORAL HIGHLIGHTS

LADIES' CHOIR - Would you like to join in with some fun at our friendly community choir?

We meet in Mid Calder at

7.30 pm on a Wednesday. Our music consists of a wide range of materials from musicals, traditional, pop favourites and lots more. We’d love to welcome singers from across West Lothian. To find out more or to join us please contact John Rankine at lineone.net

CHOOSE YOU YOGA STUDIO & WELLNESS HUB

- Dedicated yoga studio in Carmondean, Livingston. Build strength, flexibility and resilience, and support mental health, joint pain/illness/injury recovery. Iyengar yoga 6.00-7.15 & 7.308.45pm Monday. yoga 5.45-6.45 and Vinyasa Flow 7.00-8.00pm Tuesday

ACROSS: 7. Vision, 8. Auntie, 9. Asia, 10. Athletic, 11. Insects, 13. Pelts, 15. Bills, 17. Ponders, 20. Nibbling, 21. Only, 23. Issued, 24. London.

demos, reminiscence, recipes, music and song playlists, dance and song classes. Creative activity and learning can unlock memories and skills that have been lost and creates a spark of joy for all. Contact generationarts.coordinator@ gmail.com or phone 07521 358 239 for further information.

MACMILLAN CANCER INFORMATION & SUPPORT

Seasonal yoga 5.30-6.30 and Yoga Basics 6.45-7.45pm Wednesday. Iyengar yoga 6.007.15 & 7.30-8.45pm Thursday. Iyengar yoga 9.45-11.00am Friday. Carmondean, Livingston. T: 07810 824 195

DOWN: 1. Zips, 2. Pirate, 3. Infants, 4. Yacht, 5. Sneeze, 6. Sinister, 12. Noisiest, 14. Roughly, 16. Labour, 18. Drowns, 19. Birds, 22. Loot.

E: info@chooseyouyoga.co.uk

W: chooseyouyoga.co.uk or on Facebook

CARERS OF WEST LOTHIAN

- Support and social activities for Carers, Young Carers and Disabled Adults. All our carers groups are offered blended –both in person and face to face, as are our social groups: weekly Coffee Morning; monthly Mental Health Support Group, Evening Support Group & Bereaved Carer Support Group as well as groups for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers. Regular Social Groups for Adults with disabilities. Power of Attorney Clinic (face to face) & Benefits Advice (phone or face to face). For information:

T: 01506 448000

E:office@carers-westlothian.com

W: www.carers-westlothian.com

GENERATION ARTS - Creative activities for people aged 50 and over, either living at home or in care with complex needs. Online and offline activities in West Lothian such as a dance dvd, art

- A free, confidential service providing a ‘listening ear’, emotional and practical support, help to access benefits/financial advice and other local services. Expert information for anyone affected by cancer – yourself, a relative, friend or carer. Face to face appointments at Partnership Centres in Bathgate, Livingston North, Broxburn, Fauldhouse and Blackburn. Short health walks leaving Bathgate Partnership Centrecall to book a place. Phone and email support also available. Please call 01506 283053 or email MacmillanWestLothian@ westlothian.gov.uk

WEST LOTHIAN 50 PLUS NETWORK - Social activities for the over fifties. Run largely by volunteers we offer a wide range of interest groups to help you stay fit and healthy in both mind and body, whilst socialising with others. Something for everyone, but, more importantly, the chance to meet up and join in with old friends or make new friends along the way. Annual joining fee £24. Follow our Facebook page, visit www. westlothian50plusnetwork.co.uk or call 01506 635510

TO INCLUDE YOUR CLUB OR CLASS, PLEASE EMAIL DETAILS, UP TO 75 WORDS, TO

ACROSS: 7. Vision, 8. Auntie, 9. Asia, 10. Athletic, 11. Insects, 13. Pelts, 15. Bills, 17. Ponders, 20. Nibbling, 21. Only, 23. Issued, 24. London.

DOWN: 1. Zips, 2. Pirate, 3. Infants, 4. Yacht, 5. Sneeze, 6. Sinister, 12. Noisiest, 14. Roughly, 16. Labour, 18. Drowns, 19. Birds, 22. Loot. SOLUTION

Scottish Tagine

Wow family and friends – and make entertaining easy – with this Moroccan-inspired tagine-style dish, served up in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 4 x approx 125g Scottish salmon fillets

• 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

• 1 onion, peeled and sliced

• 1 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin

• 2 tsp ground paprika

• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 1 x 298g tin mandarin segments, drained

• 1 tsp vegetable stock powder

• 50g sultanas

• 100g baby spinach

• 150g couscous

• Chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

Serves 4

Method:

1. Remove the skin from the salmon fillets, if preferred.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add the cumin and paprika and fry gently for about 20-30 seconds.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, mandarin segments, vegetable stock powder and sultanas. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the spinach and stir it in as the leaves wilt.

4. Arrange the salmon fillets on top of the tomato mixture. Cover with a lid or a piece of greased foil and cook over a medium-low heat for 8-10 more minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to pack instructions. Serve with the salmon tagine, garnished with chopped fresh coriander.

Wow your family and friends