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Ickenham DECLUTTER FP (Jan17).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 19/12/2016 10:08 Page 1
The KonMari Way
Declutter
MARIE Kondo is a Japanese ‘organising consultant’ whose method for decluttering is taking the globe by storm. Called KonMari, the method is actually pretty straightforward. If something you own doesn’t ‘spark joy’, get rid of it. Simple right?
KonMari isn’t for everyone, and Kondo certainly has a few somewhat bizarre suggestions. (Seriously, who has the time to unpack every item from their handbag, every evening?) But most of her advice is practical, easy to follow and actually makes a lot of sense. She also dips into the psychology of why we hold on to things, and why we should let them go. Kondo recommends collecting every item in a particular category and going through them in one go. So, for instance, you’d lay every item of clothing you own on the bed or floor, pick up each one and if it doesn’t ‘spark joy’ add it the charity pile. With this approach, you get the shock of realising just how much stuff you actually own, and are more likely to discard items than if you just flick through them when they’re in a drawer. She does, of course, make some concessions for items you really need but that don’t particularly spark joy. The main idea is that you should stop hoarding
stuff that you might use one day, clothes that you only ever wear when the washing pile is teetering over, and items you feel guilty about getting rid of. Kondo also has some good advice when it comes to what to do with the things you keep. She advises against buying expensive storage solutions, and using shoe boxes to keep things tidy instead. She also recommends storing things vertically, e.g. folding clothes so that they can be stacked on end, meaning you can see them, rather than having them buried under other items. I’ve found this useful, to an extent. It does mean I can find a black t-shirt easily, but that I might have to unfold several black t-shirts to find the one that has the motif I want. Kondo lives alone, and it does feel sometimes that her method is mainly aimed at other single adults. She recommends leading by example, the idea being that if you get rid of clutter, your family will follow you. That has not yet happened in my house I have to say. Nevertheless, I have got rid of several bin bags and boxes full of ‘stuff’ since reading her book and have felt surprisingly relieved about doing it. If you fancy trying the KonMari method for yourself, her book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, can be ordered from most libraries and book stores.
Kate Duggan
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The Wildlife Zone...FP (Jan17).qxp_Layout 1 19/12/2016 01:56 Page 1
THE WILDLIFE ZONE
SNAKELESS LANDS Andy Mydellton FLS (pictured right) is an environmentalist journalist, the founder and leader of the British wildlife charity, the Foundation for Endangered Species. They are members of the United Nations agency UNESCO with Andy Mydellton being Chairman and the Environmental Concern Advisor to the UNESCO Schools Group. Andy is a Fellow of the Linnean Society. He writes for many publications, mounts photographic exhibitions, gives presentations and broadcasts the 'Andy Mydellton Wildlife Zone' radio programme.
The Common Porpoise
I HAVE visited Ireland a few times and spent many glorious hours in the beautiful Wicklow Mountains. In particular I enjoyed the magnificent scenery around Glendaloch, despite not seeing as much wildlife as I had wanted to. However, by the end of my time there, I had seen something remarkable. I knew that even before I set foot in Ireland that I would not see any snakes. Legend has it that Saint Patrick drove them all away when the Celtic church brought Christ’s message to the pagan peoples. Environmentalists believe that when the massive ice sheet and huge snow drifts of the last ice age, had melted, it triggered enormous consequences. Over many rears the volume of the kilometres thick ice shelf thawed and allowed the water to dissipate into the surrounding seas, making them rise hundreds of feet. Eventually the seas rose so much that Britain separated from the continental shelf. Then Ireland separated from the rest of Britain as the Irish Sea was formed. It was at this time when the previous highlands of Western Britain separated, that snakes were not present in that area, and that the lack of any land bridge prevented land animals from populating the newly formed island. However, the best wildlife moments came when I organised a boat trip around the stunning west coast. I wanted to see the magnificent seabirds and any other animals possible, such as seals. Fortunately we did see birdlife, including many species of gull, terns and even auks amongst others. It was the members of the Auk family, in particular the razorbill and guillemot which interested me the most, bearing in mind that they seem so similar at first sight and at a distance. I have even been interested in how they got their names. The razorbill has a small white flash running across its black, blunter bill which is the most distinguishing feature of the two species. The guillemot gets its name from the French, Guillaume meaning ‘William’, and mot, meaning ‘word’. The more common guillemot has a sharper bill and browner plumage, but is often seen alongside and with their coastline cousins. I did not see the third species of the auk family, the puffin, and its comical and colourful bill; although I did have the pleasure of this in later years. But my most euphoric moment came when a small pod of ten or so porpoises surfaced from the depths to play with us in our boats. The bobbed up and down through the rippling surface of the deep blue sea, as they played the unknown rules of their games or private competitions. It was a glorious sight, as the sea contrasted with the colours of the rocky coastline, green pastures resting above them, the puffy white clouds and light blue sky. Fortunately for me, these smallest of the cetacean families were in a really playful mood as they continually broke the water’s surface. The Common Porpoise, also known as the Harbour Porpoise is the smallest of the cetaceans, at about six feet in length, and is seen throughout British waters. Larger cetaceans, the dolphins (also known as the lesser whales) are also quite common, whereas the great whales are less common, but are the behemoths of the oceans. I knew that these porpoises were toothed cetaceans, as they had to catch their prey of fish, squid and crustaceans. Their speed, blunt mouths, sharp teeth and echolocation, a type of naturally built in sonar would do this successfully. I tried to photograph their arcing bodies as they hooped like partial circles, but failed miserably. As soon as I saw them break into the air, I lifted the camera from my lap, pointed the lens, focussed and pressed the button; but by that time, they had always vanished. All I had was a patch of sea water in excellent focus and a blurred coastline in the distance to add interest. I was left fuming as the pod got fed up with us, and moved on to more exciting things. I said nothing out loud, but inside I was really furious. The captain probably guessed what I was thinking and tried to make me feel better. “Remember next time that these sea mammals are almost impossible to photograph. The only thing you can do is to point the camera at where you anticipate the animals to surface, and wait until they do breach the surface.” This proved to be a good learning time for me, as I have also used this technique with fast flying birds since then. So not only did I have a glorious time but I came away with greater skills as a wildlife photojournalist.
The charities’ contact details are www.ffes.org.uk email: info@ffes.org.uk
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Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year
New Year resolutions sound like a great idea; a fresh year and a fresh start seem to fit together, and even if we’re determined not to make any, other people can sometimes inspire us – or shame us – into making our own. But if resolutions are such a good idea, why do they fail so often? Setting YourSelf up for failure At New Year, festive goodwill and New Year enthusiasm can give us a rosier view of life, tricking us into making a multitude of overly ambitious resolutions. They reverse the positive effect of goal setting by setting us up to fail - making us more likely to give up completely. Here are some tips for turning three popular, doomed-tofailure aspirations into realistic resolutions. More exerciSe Your unrealistic resolution:
I’ll go to Pilates every week, walk at least two miles every weekend and do my dance DVD every Tuesday! You haven’t managed to do any of these things every week this year - so it’s unlikely you’ll achieve all of them, every week this year. Be honest about why you don’t do them. The activities you’ll find the motivation or time for are those you can fit in most easily and enjoy the most. a Better resolution: I’ll do an hour’s exercise every week. Perhaps you most enjoy a walk, but bad weather puts you off? Plan to walk every weekend, but commit to doing your exercise DVD instead if the weather’s awful. Or plan to fit in the exercise DVD weekly; anything else is a bonus. While it’s not the NHS recommended amount of exercise, it’s some, and it’s consistent. You can increase it later.
leSS alcohol Your unrealistic resolution: “I’ll give it up entirely!” “I won’t drink at home/when I’m out/on weekdays/until Easter!” If you rarely drink, you’ll find sticking to such drastic resolutions easy. But if you rarely drink, you’re probably not making alcohol-based resolutions... Recent research shows that even low alcohol intake (well under the recommended limits of 2-3 units daily and 14 units per week) increases your risk of many serious conditions, including dementia and some cancers, so cutting back is well worth doing. But going teetotal or drastically reducing your intake may be hard if you’re a regular drinker. a Better resolution: Think about when and where you drink alcohol, and plan to reduce your intake gradually. Here are a few strategies to try: • If you usually have 4 drinks on a night out, replace drink 3 with a large soft drink; it may last you the rest of the evening, halving your alcohol intake. • Match every alcoholic drink with a soft drink. • Find other ways to relax if you always have a drink on your return from work, and try to make it a Friday-only treat (or reduce your measure). Feeling you ‘need’ a drink is a warning sign – a first step on a potentially dangerous path. Consider if you need to make changes in your work life. • If you drink wine with dinner
every night, change to alternate nights (or alternate it with non-alcoholic wine). • Swap some alcoholic drinks for low alcohol or nonalcoholic alternatives. They’ve come a long way and there’s now a large range.
hard habit to kick, particularly if you’re a moderate or heavy smoker – and while a few people do succeed in going ‘cold turkey’, the most reliable and angst-free way is to reduce your nicotine intake gradually (and/or tackle your toxin intake).
cigarette lingering in the air (second-hand smoke) and settling on surfaces, where they are re-released (third-hand smoke), so you’ll be improving the health of housemates and visitors too.
no SMoking
Your unrealistic resolution: “I smoke 30 a day, but I’m giving up forever at midnight, December 31st!” It’s probably quicker to list conditions not aggravated or caused by smoking than to list those that are - and it can be hard to accept you’re addicted to nicotine. But in reality, when you crave a cigarette to ‘calm your nerves’ that twitchiness you feel is a symptom of withdrawal, which can come on very quickly with nicotine. This can make smoking a
A Better Resolution: Pick or combine the cut-back strategies below to suit you, and if one doesn’t work, try another. • Visit your GP, who can prescribe some nicotine replacement products and refer you to counselling. You can also buy nicotine replacement products experiment and see what works best for you. Some are particularly suitable for heavy smokers. • If you don’t already, make yourself smoke outside. It takes more effort and prevents toxins from your
• Swap to e-cigarettes or vaporisers; you’ll be inhaling nicotine, but not cigarette toxins such as cyanide and arsenic. • Smoke to a timed schedule and gradually increase the time between cigarettes. Even if you smoke 25 a day and only drop one daily cigarette per fortnight, you’ll still be a non-smoker in under a year. ‘Resolution’ has an array of scientific and historical meanings, one of which is ‘reduction to a simpler form’. So keep your resolutions simple – and realistic!
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Gardening
Fighting the Frosts by Pippa Greenwood if the container is in a very prominent position. If very harsh weather is forecast or a spell of mild weather has promoted some soft, new growth, drape a double layer of horticultural fleece over the top growth of the plants and anchor it well. Alternatively, consider Easy Fleece Jackets: they come in three sizes and have a draw-string and toggle so that you can easily insert the plant and then secure it – find out more on my website www.pippagreenwood. com/products/protectyour-crops.
With frost, rain and perhaps even some snow, at this time of year our gardens can be in for quite a battering. Although most of your garden plants are probably fairly frost resistant, what can you do to minimise the damage to those which are not so hardy? It’s time to get outside and take some precautions. Plants in containers are particularly vulnerable to freezing or frosting, and thin-walled containers pose the greatest threat. Where possible, plunge your pots by digging a hole in the soil and placing the plant in its pot into the hole. If it is too heavy to move then wrap it well in several layers of bubble wrap, polythene or old curtains, using lengths of hessian to create a more appealing outermost layer
A double fleece layer can be used on plants in beds and borders too, or to protect slightly tender wall shrubs. Much larger plants can be protected with a home-made ‘cage’ – wrap a framework of four stakes or sturdy canes with netting or chicken wire, then fill the central space around the plant with dry bracken, straw or leaves. Evergreens in containers and in open ground may suffer from drought as well as foliage or stem growth, so continue to water these, especially if they are in a sheltered spot or the weather has been dry. A deep mulch applied to the soil or compost surface before the ground freezes will help to keep water available. Although most fruit trees - like apples and pears, cherries and
plums - are hardy, they are also prone to damage. The main risk is to newly opened blossom, though the buds themselves may be damaged too, with late frosts being the most harmful. If you are planting new fruit plants, it really pays to buy from a specialist nursery and to get late-flowering varieties, as they are less likely to be flowering when there is still a risk of frost. Finally, use fleece to cover any seeds already sown out of doors. A double layer of wellanchored fleece or a fleececovered pull-out EasyTunnel is quick and easy to install, and will help to provide protection and that bit of extra warmth for germinating seeds and seedlings. If you are planning on sowing any early varieties of crops such as broad beans or lettuce, then I’d also suggest that you cover the soil before you sow. A layer of wellanchored polythene will keep off excess rain and allow a little warmth to build up, so when you sow the seeds they won’t suffer from excess sogginess and won’t get such a cold shock. Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com and book Pippa for a gardening talk or peruse the really useful selection of Pippa’s favourite gardening items, including pop-up crop covers, SpeedHoes, SpeedWeeders, raised bed kits, fleece jackets for plants, pull-out EasyTunnels, ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ Gift Voucher cards, signed books and lots more besides.
Ickenham ROAD TEST FP (Jan17).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 19/12/2016 12:16 Page 1
RoadTest
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Mokka X THE Vauxhall Mokka has been around since 2012 and has just undergone a mid-term face lift. During that time, it has consistently been among the top 10 bestselling cars in the UK and, I must say, I find this fact rather surprising. I cannot remember the last time I noticed a Mokka driving down the street or parked on a neighbour’s drive; it may be popular but it is also as nondescript as a can of baked beans. Vauxhall are clearly aware of this fact; rather than advertising the new version as a compact crossover based on the same platform as the ever popular Corsa, they market it as a kind of mobile internet café. Still, I thought I’d give it a whirl. The front of the Mokka has been heavily restyled as part of the facelift, the back less so – not that I can really recall what the original version looks like. It’s tidy enough I suppose, though not muscular enough to convince anyone it’s a proper off roader and too bulky to be a pretty supermini. Still, throw in some nice alloys and a trendy paintjob and it looks cool enough, particularly for a younger “lifestyle” buyer. The interior is better though. It looks good and feels reasonably well screwed together, although some of the plastics are a bit low rent. There’s plenty of room in the front and the seats are comfortable enough, although the back is more constricted with too little leg room for adults. The boot is disappointingly small for this class of car and the seating doesn’t have the flexibility we’ve come to expect from the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Seat Altur. The saving grace is the infotainment system which is run from a touchscreen in the middle of the dash. It has digital radio and Apple and Android connectivity so you can access the features of your smartphone via the screen. Satnav is a relatively cheap option, as is a rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors come as standard. Also standard are onboard Wifi, part of General Motors’ excellent OnStar
concierge service, and dual zone climate control, always nice to have. The range of engines is largely underwhelming; entry level is the aging 1.6 petrol that is noisy, thirsty and underpowered. There is also a 1.6 diesel which is noisier still and has too narrow a powerband, although it is at least economic. The pick of the bunch is the 138bhp 1.4 turbo petrol which which is punchy and reasonably refined. Strangely, there’s an upgraded 151bhp version of this engine that is only available with the automatic gearbox. It is when you start to drive the Mokka X that things really go downhill. The suspension is underdamped, meaning that it wallows over the bumps and rolls through the corners. Potholes and ridges are transmitted straight into the cabin, leading to an uncomfortable ride. The steering is completely lifeless and, coupled with limited grip and excessive body roll, means the Mokka is no fun at all to drive. Most cars sold will be front wheel drive only, although the intelligent 4x4 system is actually pretty good, giving a lot more traction without the corresponding penalty in fuel consumption. I must confess that I’m biased; I can’t see the point of a crossover, just as I can’t see the point of a lot of luxury off-roaders. The motoring public doesn’t seem to share my dislike though, crossovers are big sellers for the volume manufacturers. The thing is, the Mokka doesn’t stack up well against the competition. The Nissan Duke is just as good and quite a bit cheaper, while the Qashqai is around the same price but a much better car. If you have around twenty grand and want to buy a practical family Vauxhall, I’d suggest you take a look at the pretty and very capable Astra.
Kit Johnson Car as tested Vauxhall Mokka X 1.4T Design Nav - £18,360 RRP
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Ickenham CHINESE NEW YEAR (Jan17).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 19/12/2016 09:18 Page 1
Chinese New Year The Year of the Rooster
ChineSe new Year falls on Saturday 28 January. in China many people will take a whole week off from work to mark the celebration. it is known as the Spring Festival. On New Year’s Eve, Reunion Dinner is eaten. Many Chinese believe this is the most important meal of the year. It is usually shared by several generations and consists of fish, dumplings, spring rolls, glutinous rice cakes and sweet rice balls. To mark New Year, red lanterns are hung in the street, red couplets are pasted on doors and images of prosperity displayed. Fireworks are lit and it’s believed that the person who launches the first firework of the New Year will have good luck. Lion and Dragon Dances take place and these are intended to scare away evil, and attract health, wealth and wisdom. Many New Year activities have links with Chinese legends... New Year is called Guo Nian which means ‘celebrate a New Year’ or ‘overcome Nian’. Nian was an ancient sea living monster who came onto land on New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock. One year, an old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion managed to scare away the monster by pasting red papers on to doors, burning bamboo which made a loud cracking sound, lighting candles in the houses and wearing red clothes. Another monster called Sui was said to terrify children whilst they slept. Parents would stay up all night watching
and lighting candles to try and keep their children safe. One official’s family gave their child eight gold coins to play with. The child wrapped the coins in red paper and then played at unwrapping them and wrapping them back up until he got so tired he fell asleep. The parents put the coins under the child’s pillow and legend has it that when Sui came and tried to touch the child, the eight coins omitted such a strong light that it scared the demon away. This is the basis for why elders and those who are married give children and young unmarried people red envelopes with coins in them at New Year. The red envelope is called Yasui Qian which means suppressing Sui money and the purpose is to scare away the monster and bring good luck. According to Chinese astrology, each year is associated with an animal symbol. There is a 12 year cycle and 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. ‘The China Highlights’ website says that those born in the Year of the Rooster are observant, hardworking, confident and courageous. They are best matched with those born in the Year of the Ox or Snake.
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Karen Munro Careers (Jan17).qxp_Layout 1 19/12/2016 01:16 Page 1
KAREN MUNRO MAC RCDP Career Coach www.munrocareers.co.uk
twitter - @munrocareers facebook - munrocareers
Karen is a professional and qualified Careers Practitioner and Trainer who provides support in all aspects of Career Development and Transition including effective CV Coaching, Interview Skills and Networking Techniques. A member of the Association of Coaching and registered with the Careers Professional Alliance, she works with both private and business clients around London and the South East who are looking for career change, direction, motivation and support. She works as an Associate Career Coach for a number of organisations including Personal Career Management Ltd and is part of the MOD contract providing career support and guidance to Military Personnel transitioning in to civilian life. Karen contributes to ‘In and Around’ every month sharing her practical knowledge and wealth of experience with her local community.
Embracing the right now... JANUARY is a great time for reflection on the year that has passed. However, it can also be a time to look back with regret about the things you haven’t been able to accomplish or achieve and can it can become a difficult time of year for many of us.
from changing your attitude to work, approaching things differently as well as taking on additional responsibilities to make your job more enjoyable. Remember, “If you love your job, you’ll never work another day in your life.” If you’re looking for a promotion, embrace it as a new challenge and use everything you’ve learnt about your job and yourself over the last 12 months to help you seek more responsibility and new opportunities. Finally, you might want a new job or even a complete career change. Perhaps the one thing you’ve learnt about yourself over the past 12 months was that you didn’t actually want to do the same job any more.
However, January should be a time to embrace where you are right now. Remember how you got here. Was it through hard work, talent, good or bad luck, playing it safe or perhaps from taking risks? Chances are, it was a bit of everything and it’s important to recognise that everything you did had a consequence - it got you to where you are right now. It’s important to take responsibility for your actions and to learn from your mistakes. What did you learn about yourself last year? How can you use it to improve your focus for the year ahead? January is notorious for being the month when people make a concerted effort to improve things, do things differently or even change direction. You may be looking to improve your current job, get a promotion or even get a brand new job or career. Improving your job may be about a range of things
Changing your career can feel like a huge hurdle and most people will think about it, perhaps even talk about it but will find it more challenging actually making it happen. Change takes time and dedication. Time? Because in order to achieve it you need to map out a path towards your goal and start to break down the steps you need to take to get you there. Dedication? Because if you really want to take that journey and change your career you have to dedicate your efforts towards what you want to achieve. Making peace with the past can help you embrace the future. Wishing all my readers and followers a very happy and prosperous 2017.
Karen munrocareers
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Ickenham What's On... May16.qxp_Layout 1 29/04/2016 11:00 Page 1
Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year
regular & local events... Quiz night Every Tues & Sun, 8.30pm Coach & Horses, Ickenham
ruislip rock ‘n’ roll club Every Thurs - rock 'n' roll record hop at Ruislip Social Club, Grosvenor Vale, HA4 6JQ. Doors open 7:30pm, classes at two levels 8pm, social dancing 8:50-11pm. Fun and friendly club, free parking, licensed bar. www.JiveRevive.co.uk; email: JiveRevive@ btinternet.com; call: 020 88664263. Beginners rock ‘n’ roll Jive classes Every Monday at Harefield Cricket Club, UB96NE. Doors open 7.30pm, class 8pm. Fun & friendly, no experience or partner required. 1950s Rock n Roll record hop - 1st Friday of every month at St Mary's Church Hall, Harefield, UB96BX. 7.30pm-11.30pm. Contact: therockingrebels@gmail.com 07947106607 www.facebook.com/ therockingrebels
hillingdon decorative & Fine arts society Enjoy 10 expert lectures a year about art and culture from around Britain. Outings to galleries & places of cultural interest. Receive NADFAS Review, Interested? Come along to a lecture, cost £6. See www. hillingdondfas.co.uk, email: membership@ hillingdonfas.co.uk, call Ann 01895 638147
hillingdon Family history society At Hillingdon Park Baptist Church, Hercies Road, Hillingdon. Research room open (10am – 1pm) every Fri (except the Fri before the first Sat of the month). On the first Sat of the month open 10am – 1pm at Uxbridge Library. Experienced help available. See www.hfhs.co.uk. Contact Mrs P. Reynolds 01895 444442 or hillingdonfhs@onetel.com
ickenham & swakeleys horticultural socty. Local gardening club. Twice yearly Shows in the Village Hall, winter lectures, summer outings, newsletters. Member Trading Hut with discounted gardening goods. Clubhouse Lane, UB10 8FU. Enqs: Jill Watson 01895 674412 www.ickenham-horticultural.org.uk lessons in love Six workshops to help you deal with matters I’ll go to Pilates every week, New Year resolutions sound like @IckenhamGarden of the heart. Every Tuesday 7-9:30 call inland Waterways association a great idea; a fresh year and a walk at least two miles every Keeley on 07923 074304 or visit 2nd Tues of every month, 7.30pm.Hillingdon fresh start seem to fit together, Canal www.key4change.com weekend and Rd, do Uxbridge, my dance Club, Waterloo UB8 and even if we’re determined 2QX.DVD middlesex.social@waterways.org.uk every Tuesday!
comedy...
not to make any, other people
comedy Bunker can sometimes inspire us – or Ruislipshame Golf Centre, Road, Ruislip us –Ickenham into making our HA4 7DQ. See www.comedybunker.co.uk
own.
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The activities you’ll find the northwood & eastcote local hoBBies... Setting YourSelf up for ruislip, motivation or time for are those history society failure Brushstrokes art classes with sue you fit inMonday most of easily and at Meets oncan the third the month Atweekly New classes Year, festive goodwill Friendly with tuition. St Martin's Church Hall, High Street, Ruislip enjoy the most. Beginners Hayes, Ickenham & at 8.15pm. See RNELHS website for andwelcome. New Year enthusiasm Ruislip. Ring Sue 01895 639294 or 07949 a Better resolution: I’ll do an details. Susan Toms 01895 637134 can give us a rosier view of 805246 toms.susan@gmail.com hour’s exercise every week. life, tricking us into making a chinese Brush Painting group ruislip Philatelic society multitude ofThe overly ambitious Perhaps you most enjoy a Saturday mornings. class is guided by Meet at South Ruislip Methodist Church, an experienced tutor. Learn how to compose resolutions. They reverse the Queens Walk, HA4 puts 0NL on the walk, butSouth badRuislip weather and develop your own style as well as 3rd Tuesday of each month except August. positive effect of goal setting you and off?displays Plan to walk every practicing calligraphy. At Harefield and talks each month by setting us upCentre, to failHarefield - making Meeting Library, Park Lane Village but times commit to doing andweekend, an auction three a year.7.30pm or contact Phyllislikely Nash 01895 476 us more to give up644 / for 8pm. for more details: 01895 637283 yourtel exercise DVD instead if phyllnash@gmail.com completely. thethe ickenham art society weather’s awful. Or plan to harrow & hillingdon geological society Meets Thu, 7.30pm in the Scout Hut, Here are atsome tips foronturning fit in the exercise DVD weekly; Meet for lectures 7.30 for 8pm the Community Close, Ickenham. See secondthree Wednesday of each month at popular, doomed-toanything else is aFor bonus. While www.ickenhamart.co.uk. painters in any Cavendish Pavilion, Field End into Road,realistic failure aspirations medium. Tel.the 0208 866 recommended 0875. it’s not NHS Eastcote, HA4 9PG. All are welcome, resolutions. theamount chiltern aviation society it’s some, visitors £3 donation. Refreshments. For of exercise, Meets every 4th Wednesday at the Methodist details contact: Jean Sippy, Secretary Tel: and it’s consistent. You can More exerciSe Church Hall, Ickenham Road. 8pm. Call 020 8422 1859 www.hhgs.org.uk increase it later. Your unrealistic resolution:
Keith Hayward on 01895 637872 or email leSS alcohol JRoach at Chilternaviation@virginmedia.com
the language clubs of hillingdon Your unrealistic resolution: From Sept untilentirely!” mid-July. Speak some “I’lllate give it up “I won’t German, Spanish, French or Italian? Want to drink at home/when I’m out/on practise speaking and listening in friendly weekdays/until Easter!” If youand groups, with recent learners, improvers native speakers? a Language Club! rarely drink, Join you’ll find sticking Each Club meets on a different Thursday of to such drastic resolutions the month at 7.45pm in St Giles' Church easy. But ifRoad, you Ickenham rarely drink, Hall, Swakeleys UB10 8BG. For German 0208 429 you’redetails: probably notClub making 1921. Spanish Club. French Club 01895 253 alcohol-based resolutions... 472. Italian Club 020 8863 3468.
Recent research uxbridge craft market shows that Every Wednesday (9am-5pm) at The even low alcohol intake (well Pavilions Shopping Centre Arts, Crafts, Gifts under the recommended limits and Collectables of 2-3 units daily and 14 units www.uxbridge-craft-market.co.uk
per week) increases risk uxbridge & ickenham Floral your art society Meets in the village hall,conditions, Swakeleys Road. of many serious Call 01895 850943 including dementia and some
Wednesday club cancers,stitch so cutting back is well 10-12noon at Hillingdon Tennis Club. All worth doing. But teetotal abilities, Tutorial, Whitegoing work, gold work, or drastically reducing your crewel work.Call sue 0208 868 8052.
intake may be hard if you’re a regular drinker.
keeP-Fit, dance & drama...
argosy Players theatre group a Better resolution: Think Meets at Ruislip Conservative Club, about when and Ruislip. whereEvery youThurs, Ickenham Road, West 8pm. Call Call Wendy on plan 07956to 971849 or drink alcohol, and visit www.argosyplayers. org.uk. Junior reduce your intake gradually. section for children from 8-16yrs meets Here are a few strategies to try: Thursdays from 7-8pm. classical • If youPilates usually have 4 drinks Mat classes for all levels in Ruislip. Contact on a night out, replace drink Tonja Osborn 07766 011036 or email 3 with a large soft drink; it TonjaOsborn@gmail.com
may last youand theFree restrunning of the dance, gymnastics By Futunity UK.halving Ages 2 - adults evening, your catered alcoholfor andintake. all styles of dance. See www.futunityuk.com, call 01895 251224 Match every alcoholic drink e:• admin@futunityuk.com
with exercise a soft drink. eastcote classes Metabolic workoutways class, to 45 relax minuteifstretch • Find other you class. Mon, Tues & Sat mornings. Contact always have 232551 a drink on your Virginia King 01895 return from work, and try to virginiaking@vking2468.freeserve.co.uk make ityoga a Friday-only treat empowering Fusion Hatha &your Vinyasa Yoga (orofreduce measure). Wed 9.30-10.45am at Windmill Studio Feeling you ‘need’ a drink is a Centre, Ruislip Manor sign at– St a Thomas first step on Thurwarning 9.30-11.00am More Church, Eastcote + classes in Harrow. a potentially dangerous path. FreeTrial Class contact: Joanne 0845 Consider if you need to make 4561336 e:info@empoweringyoga.co.uk
changes in your work life. continued over... • If you drink wine with dinner
every night, change to alternate nights (or alternate it with non-alcoholic wine). • Swap some alcoholic drinks for low alcohol or nonalcoholic alternatives. They’ve come a long way and there’s now a large range. no SMoking Your unrealistic resolution: “I smoke 30 a day, but I’m giving up forever at midnight, December 31st!” It’s probably quicker to list conditions not aggravated or caused by smoking than to list those that are - and it can be hard to accept you’re addicted to nicotine. But in reality, when you crave a cigarette to ‘calm your nerves’ that twitchiness you feel is a symptom of withdrawal, which can come on very quickly with nicotine. This can make smoking a
hard habit to kick, particularly if you’re a moderate or heavy smoker – and while a few people do succeed in going ‘cold turkey’, the most reliable and angst-free way is to reduce your nicotine intake gradually (and/or tackle your toxin intake). A Better Resolution: Pick or combine the cut-back strategies below to suit you, and if one doesn’t work, try another. • Visit your GP, who can prescribe some nicotine replacement products and refer you to counselling. You can also buy nicotine replacement products experiment and see what works best for you. Some are particularly suitable for heavy smokers. • If you don’t already, make yourself smoke outside. It takes more effort and prevents toxins from your
cigarette lingering in the air (second-hand smoke) and settling on surfaces, where they are re-released (third-hand smoke), so you’ll be improving the health of housemates and visitors too. • Swap to e-cigarettes or vaporisers; you’ll be inhaling nicotine, but not cigarette toxins such as cyanide and arsenic. • Smoke to a timed schedule and gradually increase the time between cigarettes. Even if you smoke 25 a day and only drop one daily cigarette per fortnight, you’ll still be a non-smoker in under a year. ‘Resolution’ has an array of scientific and historical meanings, one of which is ‘reduction to a simpler form’. So keep your resolutions simple – and realistic!
Ickenham What's On... Dec16.qxp_Layout 1 29/11/2016 16:57 Page 2
KEEP-FIT, DANCE & DRAMA CONTINUED...
Fitness League Fun dance routines to music for women of all fitness levels. Tues 7.30-8.30pm at Vyners School, Warren Road, UB10 8AB Call Rosemary 01628 776838 before coming. www.thefitnessleague.com
Fitsteps with Stephanie Mons 6.30pm at Ickenham United Reformed Church, Swakeleys Rd UB10 8BE and Mons 8pm at Vyners School Ickenham UB10 8AB info: stephanie-w@hotmail.com 07920 519630 www.fitsteps.co.uk Funky Rhythms Dance & Fitness Zumba with Brian (07957 343528) Monday Zumba, 6:30pm-7:20pm and 7:308:20pm, Abbotsfield School for Boys Zumba with Elli £5 (07833 690153) Tue 8pm - 233 High St, Uxbridge Funky Zumba with Brian (07957 343528) Wed 6:30-7:30pm, Abbotsfield School. FITSTEPS Thu 6:30pm-7:30pm, Abbotsfield School for Boys. Zumba with Sylvia J £5 (07793 769584) 8pm - Minet Junior School, Avondale Drive, Hayes Zumba with Elli £5. 8pm Active4less, 233 High Street, Uxbridge Zumba with Brian £5. Sat 11am -Swakeley's School for Girls, Clifton Gardens, Hillingdon Highgrove Pool Club A programme for over 55’s includes Gym, swim & group exercise sessions with a social area with coffee & teas included, for Info : Angelo Pignone angelo.pignone@all.org 01895 630753 www.better.org.uk/highgrove Images School of Dance Fun and friendly dance & drama classes for all ages. Based in Ruislip Manor. www.imagesschoolofdance.co.uk e: info@imagesschoolofdance.co.uk Irish Dancing Classes For children aged 5+. Beginners and advanced. Mon 6pm, Hayes Conservative Club, Church Road. Wed 6pm, Greenford Catholic church hall. T: 07956 346383 e: Deirdreosullivan@ hotmail.co.uk Jacquies Workouts Mon 7.30-8.30pm Kettlebell with Fitness Pilates floor work. Thu 7.30-8.30pm Latin Dance & Tone. Sports Hall, Vyners School, Warren Road, Ickenham. Wed 10am-11am Kettlebell & Fitness Pilates floor work at Eastcote Community Centre, Southbourne Gardens Eastcote. Call Jac 01895 672354.
Jazzercise Classes Jazzercise Classes New Denham Community Centre Oxford Road Mon 9.30-10.30am, Tues 6.45 - 7.45pm, Wed, Thurs, Fri 9.4510.45am. Denham Village Memorial Hall Village Road Thurs 6.30-7.30pm. Ruislip Sports & Social Club Grosvenor Vale Mon 6.45-7.45pm Tues 9.30am, 7-8pm, Wed 9.30-10.30am. Pinner Methodist Church Love Lane Mon 8-9pm, Thurs 7-8pm. St Lawrence Church Hall Bridle Road Pinner Fri 9.30am. St Lukes Hall Love Lane Pinner Wed 7.45-8.45pm, Sat 9-10am. Contact: Tina Durkan 07904 221191 e: tinadurkan@googlemail.com facebook.com/jazzerciseNWLondon
Modern Jive Classes (Ceroc) Mon 8-11pm, Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre. Tues & Thurs 8-11pm, Uxbridge Civic Centre. Beginners welcome. Free lifetime membership with this listing. Call Alan: 0208 933 4350 or 07860 250961 email: alanandsue@clubceroc.com Oaken Leaves English Folk Dance Club Thurs 8.15-10pm, Methodist Church Hall, Ickenham Rd, Ruislip. Call 01895 638008. Ruislip Dramatic Society Meets at South Ruislip Methodist Church. Mon 8pm & Thurs 8.15pm. Call 07854 284508 for more details. SALSA (all styles) Every Monday at Uxbridge Community Centre, 32b The Greenway, Uxbridge UB8 2PJ from 7.45pm to 10pm. Call 07958 578962 or email mina@queensalsa.com Salsa Classes Every Monday: The Middlesex Arms, Long Drive, South Ruislip, HA4 0HG.Beginners starts 8pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.459.30pm Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm Every Wednesday: The WatersEdge, Canal Cottages, Packetboat Lane, Cowley, UB8 2JS. Beginners starts 7:30pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.30-9.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm Sanders Street - Authentic Street Dance Specialising in street stance for special needs. Sanders Pandas class, Age 5-11 Wed 5.30-6.30pm at Guide Hall, Community Close, Ickenham. Email info@sanders street.co.uk or call Crissy on 07799874003 www.sandersstreet.co.uk Showcase Amateur Dramatics Amateur musical theatre company. Every Fri, the Sacred Heart Church Hall, 73 Pembroke Road, Ruislip Manor, 7.30pm-10.30pm. Email: info@ showcasemusicaltheatre.org.uk
Suzanne’s School of Dance and Drama 69 Swakeleys Road, Ickenham UB10 8DQ. Classes from aged 2 yrs to adult. See www.suzannesdance.co.uk for details.
The Pilates Club St Giles & The United Reformed Church Halls, Ickenham. Call 07968 920070 or visit www.thepilatesclub.co.uk Wild Forest Gym Outdoor fitness and natural movement training in 50 acres of forest at Grim's Dyke Hotel, Old Redding, Harrow Weald. All abilities. Mon-Fri. Contact Coach Michael 0845 4561336 info@wildforestgym.com or www.wildforestgym.com Yoga Hatha Yoga and Pregnancy Yoga classes in Ickenham, 1st Scouts, UB10 8RE. All levels. Call Katja on 07951 763851 Yoga with Yolanda Ickenham Village Hall. Mixed group. Mon 6.45-8.15pm. Call 07919 243648 Zumba Wed 7.15-8.15pm. £5 Curves Uxbridge, Redford Way, UB8 1SZ Call 07795 512938
MARKETS... Duck Pond Artisan Craft & Farmers’ Market Artisan - 3rd Sunday of each month from 10am-3pm. Free parking, dogs welcome. Farmers’ - 1st Sun of each month 10am2pm. Both at the Great Barn, Ruislip. Mad Cat Crafts Hand painted and decorated objects for the home & garden. Wed to Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm, the Great Barn, Ruislip HA4. www.madcatcrafts.co.uk Ruislip Country Market Every Fri 10-11.30am - car park at St Martins Approach, Ruislip. Fruit, veg, eggs, honey, hand made cards & jewellery, cakes, pies & much more...
MUSIC... Capital Connection Ladies Singing Meets every Wed evening at South Ruislip Community Centre, Deane Park, Long Dr, HA4 OHS. www.capitalconnection.org.uk Eastcote Choral Society Rehearses every Tuesday from 8-10pm at Ruislip Methodist Church, Ickenham Road. All welcome. Call 01895 904556. Hillingdon Choral Society Rehearsals on Mon, TT only, 7.45-9.45pm. Ickenham United Reformed Church. New singers welcome 01895 234380 or see www.hillingdonchoralsociety.org.uk
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Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX Independent School for boys and girls aged 3 - 11
An ‘OUTSTANDING’ School A family-run school with a caring atmosphere. Pupils achieve excellent results in academic subjects, music, sport and drama. For further information, or to arrange a visit, please telephone 01895 234371 Parkway, Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB10 9JX - www.sthelenscollege.com
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music continued...
Learn to Play in a Rock Band At a professional recording studio taught by expert musicians. Open to 7-18 year olds, we teach guitar, bass, drums and vocals in small groups and as a band. Sessions will run after school at R'n'R Studios, Uxbridge starting October. Contact Conor on 07946 402797 or email wlsr.uxb@gmail.com Ruislip operatic society A local theatre group meets every Monday and Thursday at St Martin's Church Hall. 7.30pm, email: info@ruislipos.org
singability We aim to encourage people to find their singing voice and have fun doing so. No auditions - first session is Free! Every Thurs 7.45-9.45pm, 1st Ickenham Scout Hut www. singability.co.uk Email kat@singability.co.uk singing Group meets every Thursday (TT only) in Ruislip Golf Club function room, 7.45pm. Estb: 2012 with 25+ M & F singers. No music reading, just get singing! £7 PAYG. For details email thesoundcrowd@gmail.com showcase musical theatre Come and sing with us, no audition necessary. We meet every Friday evening at 7.45pm at Hesdin Hall, The Most Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 73 Pembroke Road, Ruislip, Middx,HA4 8NN http://showcasemusical theatre.org.uk the Rock Project Greater London We teach 7-18 year olds how to play guitar, bass, drums and vocals in small groups and as a band. Wed's at Nower Hill High School, Pinner and Thurs at Vyners School, Ickenham. Juniors (7-11) 4.15-6.15pm and Seniors (11-18) 6.30-8.30pm. £20 per two hourly session. Contact Pritpal on 07855 863058 or e: uxbridge@therockproject.com top Jazz at the Fairway Ruislip Golf Centre, Ickenham Rd, West Ruislip. Normally 3rd Monday of the month. For details: 01895 632394 or www.jazzwestlondon.com
PRe-schooL & kids GRouPs... Funtimes Playgroup Ages 2-5years, Ofsted registered at 2nd Ickenham Scout Hall. Community Close UB10 8RE info: 07528 001478 e: funtimesplaygroup@hotmail.com happy days Pre-school At the United Reformed Church Hall, Swakeleys Road, Ickenham, UB10 8BE. Mon - Fri 9.15am-12.15pm TT only. Call Sandra on 07752 479750. Rickmansworth & Watford sea cadets Volunteers needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7:15 to 21:30 & recruiting
Juniors (ages 10 -12) and cadets (12-18) fees £15 per month and plenty of weekends away. Email: corickmansworth@gmail.com tiny talk signing classes Thursday classes at St Giles Church Hall, 1 High Road, Ickenham UB10 8LE. 10am, 11.15 am & 1pm price £5 pre-paid per family. Call Bev Meier 07818 025993
seLF deFence... silat kuntao indonesian self-defence Traditional self-defence. Adult classes only. Mon and Wed 8pm-10pm at Denham Village Memorial Hall, Denham, UB9 5BN. Call Philip Davies 07790 496 346 or kuntao.matjan.uk@gmail.com. Functional kali Kali is a martial art for self defence incorporating weapons and empty hands. Designed for personal protection against multiple assailants. As used in the Bourne films. Classes every Weds evening in South Harrow. Call Amit on 07779322993 or see www.functionalkali.com
seLF heLP... Rosemary conley Mon 6-7.15pm Hillside Junior School, Northwood HA6 1RX. Tue 10-11.15am & Wed 7-8.15pm North Harrow Methodist Church, Pinner Road HA2 6EQ. Thurs 5.306.30pm Eastcote Methodist Church HA5 2QU. Sam 01895 460766 sam.simon@rosemaryconley.com
sociaL GRouPs... duplicate Bridge Mons & Weds 7.30pm, Thurs 1.15pm. Long Lane Hall, 304 Long Lane, Hillingdon. Call Tony 01895 233853 Friendly Rubber Bridge Tuesdays & Fridays 12noon - 4pm at Pinner Bridge Club, 103 Marsh Road, Pinner. For further info call Keith 01895 622033 Friendly Whist drive Harefield Community Centre, Priory Avenue, Harefield. Every Thursday at 7.30pm. Contact Lyn 01923 820173 inspirations spiritualist Group Spiritualist group for like-minded people. Weekly services with a guest Medium every Thursday at The Walter Pomeroy Hall, Royal Lane, Hillingdon, UB8 3QY. 7.15pm for 7.45pm start. Admission £5 Concessions £4.50 Accompanied Children u16 - FREE. Enqs: 07968 039426 or 0208 841 4901. Ruislip Wi Every 1st Thurs of the month at Upper Room, GAA Sports & Social Club, West End Rd, South Ruislip, 7.20pm-10pm Contact
Kim Murphy 07989 558925 email ruislipeveningwi@gmail.com
Ruislip social club At Ruislip Social Club, Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip HA4 6JQ. Fridays and occasional other nights, live bands & tribute bands for details visit www.tropicatruislip.co.uk sing and sign Britain’s favourite Baby Signing Classes from 6 months Wed at Uxbridge Leisure Centre, Fri at The White Bear, Ruislip. FREE TASTERS call Cathy 07712 047 621 cathyseddigh@singandsign.co.uk
Bus Pass to Broadway If you are over 60 and enjoy singing and dancing come and be part of a fun group. we meet every Monday at 10.30am at Wayfarers Tennis Club, Ickenham. Call Jacquie 01895 672354. scrabble (casual, all abilities) Every Thurs 1:30pm-4:30pm Elm Park Lunch Club, Ruislip Manor Hillingdon Residents only, small fees payable. Call Mel: 01895 444947 E: zarf77777@blueyonder.co.uk uxbridge conservative club At 46 Harefield Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1PJ Contact Georgina Baile 01895 233653/ 07778 348082 or udcc@btconnect.com Veterans Breakfast club runs to help Armed Forces Veterans in West London and surrounding areas for the purpose of Comrades (old & new) from all Services to get together on the last Saturday of the month at the Good Yarn Public House, Uxbridge High Street, UB8 1JX from 09:30-11:30hrs. Contact: Lorraine Reed 07976 398533, lorraineareed@gmail.com or (exRAF) Iain Henderson, Iain115@aol.com. Wimm – for Widows & Widowers Meet for walks, quizzes, evenings out, coffee mornings on 2nd and last Wed of the month, 7.30pm in the lounge of Pendle Court, 2b Sutton Court Road, Hillingdon (behind the Oak Farm Library). Info: Mary/Keith 01895 637353.
sPoRt... uxbridge tennis club Located in Gatting Way, Uxbridge UB81NR, tel. 07905 293444. Social Tennis: Thu 7pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 10am. Wayfarers tennis club, ickenham All welcome, all standards. Call Terry Stidder on 07958591703. Ladies Golf Meets 10am every Monday and Wednesday at Rickmansworth Golf Club. Email ladiescaptain@rickmansworthgolfclub.co.uk
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Ickenham RESOLUTIONS FP+ (Jan17).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 19/12/2016 10:36 Page 1
Resolutions... You’ll Want to Keep. ALL too often New Year’s resolutions seem to focus on doing more of what we don’t enjoy, and less of what we do enjoy. So this issue, we thought we’d give you our suggestions for resolutions you’ll actually want to keep. LEARN SOMETHING NEW Whether you want to get a qualification so you can get a better job, or you just fancy trying a new hobby, make 2017 the year you try something new. www.futurelearn.com is a good place to start. It offers hundreds of free, short online courses. Many are delivered by leading UK universities. You could try writing fiction, exploring digital technologies, or learning about forensic science. If you prefer face-to-face tuition, check out the courses offered by your local college. You could improve your comp-uter skills, take up a new craft, or find out how to delve into your family history. ENJOY TIME OUTDOORS Nature is good for you. It’s been proven to help with depression, anxiety, stress and a whole lot of other issues. It may even help you to live longer. We know the great British weather doesn’t always make it the most tempting prospect. But if the sun breaks
through the clouds, wrap up warm, pull your wellies on and head for your nearest green space. You’ll likely find you feel calmer and happier as a result. TAKE TIME TO COOK Home cooked meals are usually much better for you than ready meals. They’re higher in vitamins and minerals, and lower in salt and sugar. So, try resolving to cook for yourself a few days a week. If you struggle to find the time, you could try a box scheme. Simply Cook, for example, post you the herbs, seasonings and recipes to make simple (but delicious) meals in around 20 minutes. You just add four to six items of fresh food and follow the instructions. Hello Fresh go even further. They send you everything you need to make a meal, including simple-to-follow recipes. APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS We’re often so busy; we don’t get time to really appreciate the little things in life. A soak in the bath, your favourite radio programme, a chat with an old friend. Taking a moment to be thankful can make us happier and calmer, and improve our relationships. You could try listing three things that you’re grateful for before you go to sleep each night, or keeping a daily gratitude journal. Or just try to give thanks to the people you love a bit more often. Whatever your New Year’s resolution, we wish you all the luck in keeping it.
Kate Duggan