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Ickenham OPINION (Jan17).qxp_IN! Tipss Style Editorials (Mar13) 19/12/2016 11:46 Page 1
OPINION This Time
It’s War
THe following is a complicated tale of floods, fallen leaves and traffic wardens. It’s been a while since something happened that made my blood boil, but this situation more than made up for the wait. Three years ago, my town was ravaged by severe flooding. Well over 200 homes were flooded and mine was one of them. The flooding was caused by a torrential downpour, the heaviest the Met Office has ever recorded. You would think that it could be written off as a freak event but, unfortunately, something very similar happened seven years earlier. People were angry; why was something not done after the first flood? They wanted someone to blame and God doesn’t have to stand for re-election. The “authorities” wound up as the scapegoat and an organisation was formed to force them to do something about it. As is the way with such things, what started out as an anti-establishment populist movement quickly formed a committee followed by some working parties and the occasional steering group. In the meantime, the authorities finally got their finger out and earmarked several million pounds to build flood defences. The committee was left looking for a purpose in life. But then, an emergency came along. Some leaves had fallen from the trees, as does tend to happen in the autumn. It was also raining quite hard, an event that is also not unheard of in November. The town was in deadly peril - the leaves could block the drains and, before you know it, we would all be up to our necks in muddy water. The committee swung into action and organised an emergency street cleaning. In the dark of the evening, cones were put at the side of the road and notices pushed through letterboxes, asking the residents to move their
cars by 8.30 the next morning so the council could come along and sweep up the leaves. The next day, most people went to work taking their cars with them. I moved my car and parked on a patch of waste ground up the road. Because they were away or whatever, some people didn’t get the memo and left their cars where they were. Anyway, a road-sweeper duly arrived and cleared up all the leaves and it had stopped raining hours beforehand anyway. That should have been that, except… Some other people who didn’t get the memo were the town’s ever industrious traffic wardens. I have never worked out if traffic wardens get commission on every ticket they write or maybe the warden who writes the most tickets wins an all-expenses paid trip to Butlins. Whatever it is, they clearly saw an opportunity which inflamed their penalty notice issuing zeal. Every car left parked on the road got a yellow polythene bag affixed to the windscreen, even though there was no parking restriction in place when they were parked the previous day. They visited my patch of waste ground too, and decided that my car was fine but the one next to it was committing an offence worthy of a £70 fine. It is hard to say what is more annoying about this tale, the sheer bloody mindedness of the parking wardens or the hysterical overreaction of the committee. I have no doubt that every ticket the wardens wrote could be successfully appealed, but I’m sure most people just paid the discounted £35 fine, rather than risk getting stuck with the full £70 penalty and having to go to a lot of trouble besides. What should have been a shining example of a community working together to avert a potential disaster has ended in bitterness and recriminations. Perhaps traffic wardens who issue too many illegal tickets should be sacked. One thing’s for sure, the members of the committee need to get a new hobby. Maybe they could walk the streets wearing a sandwich board proclaiming “The End is Nigh!”
Howard Clemmow
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Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year 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...
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.
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. 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!
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Gardening
New Year, New Tech, New You
The gadgets the that Frosts can help by you reach your New Year goals Fighting Pippa Greenwood put on a bit of new growth. So, there’s definitely a very good reason to brace yourself, get out into the garden and take some precautions.
It’s that time of year again: gym owners rub their hands together in glee as the entire world makes New Year resolutions to sort out their health, their fitness or their looks. But while many of those gym memberships will turn out to be expensive mistakes as the initial fervour fades, a few wellchosen gadgets could keep you on the right track all year round. Health and fitness tracking is huge in technology right now, because stillin Thelargely frosts are here,it’s and athe relatively market: weeksuntapped ahead the worst even thewinter best-known fitnessof the is likely to arrive tracking smartwatch, the Apple too. Added to that there Watch, has only sold a few is often a fair bit of rain or million units. That means there even snow at this time of are plenty of firms hoping to year, so our gardens can win over everyone from casual be in for quite a battering. dieters to mountain explorers.
Now most of the plants you
For thein latter outdoor grow yourcategory, garden are watches such as frost-resistant, the Casio probably fairly Smart Outdoor but what can Watch you doare to built toensure militarythat specifications damage tofor those toughness and deliver accurate which are not so hardy is GPS, as well as recording your kept to a minimum? Some hikes and climbs. If that sounds deterioration already like overkill, andmay for most of us occurred, but it Garmin is the it have probably is, the £170 last frostsHR+ andisthose Vivosmart one ofwhich the hit the all-round plants in fitness spring trackers that are best likely to be most for monitoring your damaging, heart rate, as they catch plants and out recording your activity tracking GPS.have It’s pretty, too when they already - and the Misfit Ray is prettier
Plants in containers are particularly still, resembling a bracelet to half the rather thanvulnerable a watch. It’s frosting price of thefreezing Garminor and offers as their roots are good all-round fitness-tracking not protected features. Over 2017 we’ll see a lot morebeneath wearablethe trackers, soil, many of them odd:relatively fancy a but are Welt, a sensor-enabled exposed withbelt justthat tracks yourthe steps for as long container and as you keep your on? to a bit trousers of compost cover them. ThinIf you’re more concerned about whatwalled you’recontainers putting into your body pose than what you’re the greatest sweating out, smartphone threat, especially apps offerthose all kinds of diet made of metal. and lifestyle tracking - and Thicker wood or ceramic increasingly those apps tie in pots provide a little extra with platforms such as Apple insulation, but even these Health, WiThings’ HealthMate, may need a bit more. Where Microsoft Health, Jawbone possible, plunge pots UP and many more.your Platforms bydesigned digging atohole in the soil are enable data and placing the plant in its sharing from multiple trackers, the hole. If it Health is too sopot forinto example Apple’s heavy thenjust wrap app can to getmove data not from the iPhone on but also it up well it’s in several layers from the Apple Watch, from of bubble wrap, polythene wireless scales and wide or old curtains – itfrom mayanot range wiredbut and look of pretty it’llwireless do the health-monitoring devices. job. If the container is in Ifa you haven’t already committed very prominent position and to a particular health-tracking you want lookgood more platform, it’sitatovery idea appealing, buy some hessian to check out sites such as and use lengths of this to Wareable.com to find out the create an and outermost to latest news rumourslayer about hide the insulation material the different manufacturers. For example, the time of up writing – it can at actually end Microsoft has announced
looking rather nice!
If very harsh weather is forecast or there has been a spell of mild weather which may have promoted some soft, new growth that will be particularly frost prone, drape a double layer of horticultural fleece over the top growth the end of its Microsoft Band of the plants tracking device,and so ifanchor you buyit well. If you you might want to one now notmake be life a lot then for invest able to easier get a repair it orin a some Easyone Fleece Jackets: replacement if it breaks. It also means if you sizes want to they comethat in three and upgrade from a Band 2, there each one has a draw-string won’t a Band 3 to fulfil and be toggle so that you your can wishes. easily insert the plant and then secure it. You Gadgets don’t just helpcan youfind out more my website when you’reon exercising or www.pippagreenwood.com/ watching what you eat. They products/protect-your-crops. can help you when you’re
asleep too. Many wearable A double fleece of devices such as thelayer Fitbitcan Blaze course be used on plants in and Surge, Fossil Marshal, beds and too, or to Pebble Timeborders and Apple Watch protect slightly tender (via third-party apps) can wall shrubs. Larger individual monitor your sleep, gathering plants in borders, which data to help you identify theare triggers a poor sleep too bigoffor evennight’s the large and the best timescan to set fleece jackets, be the given alarm for,term and the best times longer protection with a tohome-made head up the wooden hill‘cage’. protective toJust Bedfordshire. The data use four stakes or sturdy recorded does varyafrom device canes to create framework to device and some are more which you wrap with netting practical than others - wearing or chicken wire, then fill the a smartwatch in bed all night central space around the it means you’ll have to charge with dry- but bracken, straw inplant the morning the insights or be leaves. can useful.
Evergreens in containers Images L to R: Casio Smart and in open ground may Outdoor Watch; Garmin suffer from drought as well VivoSmart Misfit as foliageHR+; or stem growth Ray fitnessthe tracker; Fossil – during cold weather Marshal smartwatch
they continue to need a fair amount of water and if this is frozen solid in the soil, they soon suffer. So it is essential to continue to water these, especially if they are in a spot where they are sheltered from a lot of the rain which does fall, or if the weather has been dry. A deep mulch applied to the soil or compost surface before the ground becomes frosted will help too. Once frozen, soil moisture becomes unavailable, so this mulch will help to keep the 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 as by then the buds are further developed. If you are planting new fruit plants, it really pays to buy them from a specialist nursery and try to get late-flowering varieties where possible, as they are less likely to be flowering when there is still a risk of frost.
over! 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 well-anchored 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.
Finally, don’t forget to use fleece to cover any seeds already sown out of doors. A double layer of well-anchored fleece or a fleece-covered 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 any seedlings brave (or foolhardy) enough to poke their heads above ground before the cold weather is
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.
Hobbies Live like Tish the Fish (Or how to keep your goldfish happy) By Kate McLelland Almost everyone has kept a goldfish at some time in their lives. Whether it was won as a prize at a funfair or bought as a pet, most of us have a memory of watching our fish swim around its new, watery home for the first time. The trouble is, many of us also have a memory of our first fish dying - sometimes within weeks or months of bringing it home. Keeping goldfish is not as easy as it seems, although with proper care and attention some can live for as long as 25 years. A record-breaking goldfish called “Tish”, from North Yorkshire, actually lived for 43 years.
especially when adding fresh water that is colder than the water currently in the tank. If you are worried about temperature swings, buy a thermometer. a clean fish is a happy fish Fish from the carp family (to which the goldfish belongs) produce a large amount of waste matter. This means that harmful toxins build up in the water, so buy a filter and make sure that it is regularly cleaned.
With their bright scales, varied colours and graceful moves, goldfish can make delightful pets. If you are thinking of keeping goldfish, here are some useful care tips.
The chlorine in tap water is dangerous to fish, so leave water to stand for 24 hours or add a dechlorinating product. It’s impossible to tell whether water is healthy by just looking at it, so test the water at least every four weeks with a kit that screens for ammonia and nitrate.
Too darned hoT? Goldfish need to be kept in clean, cool water that mirrors their original habitat of freshwater rivers, ponds and lakes. The temperature should ideally remain between 10° C to 22° C, so a heater should not normally be necessary. It’s important to avoid sudden changes of temperature,
Give me some space A simple way to calculate the amount of space your goldfish needs in a tank is to allow 2 litres of water per 0.5cm of goldfish length. The RSPCA is very clear that ‘decorative’ tanks, such as goldfish bowls, are not suitable for fish. Round bowls are particularly harmful because the surface area is
very small, limiting the amount of oxygen that can enter the water. feed me Make sure you buy the right kind of food for your fish and never feed a goldfish with tropical fish flakes. Goldfish require a plant-based diet, whereas tropical fish need protein. Remove food after five minutes if it remains uneaten, as it will rot and pollute the water. If you are not sure how much to give your fish, start with a small amount, then add a little more if they still appear to be hungry. All these guidelines may make goldfish care seem complicated - particularly if you thought you could just pop your fish into a bowl of tap water and watch it swim around. There may be a certain amount of work involved in keeping goldfish, but you’ll be rewarded by the sight of happy, healthy fish that - like Tish the Yorkshire goldfish - will live to a ripe old age. Your fish may not survive until they are over 40, but with good care they will certainly give you many years of pleasure.
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Finance Home & Interiors Interest Rates Are Low, So What Are Your
Declutter forFor theSaving? New Year By Katherine Sorrell Best Options By Ann Haldon are a few of the different accounts available at the time of writing.
Often, our most persistent regular savings clutter arises from the fact that accounts wethe haven’t spaces As namedesignated suggests, these where things canaeasily accounts require regularbe put, so stuff just ends up lying payment in order to benefit around. storage from the Label higheryour interest rates. They are oftenand linked to asure if necessary, make current account the same the whole familywith knows what’s bank, a minimum meantintowhich go where. You’ll balance to be held, so already needs have created extra this couldspace affectby your eligibility if storage having you’re able to maintain this such anot good clear-out; if you balance. still need more, look for all
Bank current accounts
With interest rates set to remain low for a while, it’s worth considering what you could do with the spare cash you might now have. It’s always a good idea to pay off your debts first, but there is also some benefit to starting a small nest-egg. From April 2016 What could beeveryone a betterhas a Personal Savings Allowance, New Year’s resolution which means that many for your home than to people won’t need to pay tax eliminate mess, create on their savings (subject to a space and generally have maximum limit). This makes a sort Savings out? Account thegood Individual When although the festive comes (ISA), stillfun a good to an end, the presents are choice, perhaps no longer all opened andfirst thechoice Christmas the automatic for savers. pudding finally finished, it’s time broadening to take a breath and This of your options assess just could how much means you switchmess your and clobber hastobuilt up infrom current account benefit your homeinterest over the past by year. the credit offered If different the answer is too much, a bank, or perhaps thenfor it’sa time to declutter your opt fixed-term ISA that stuff and the sorttemptation your storage, removes to so spend. that your home will be messfree in time With and eachsuper-stylish bank applying their for 2017. own rules for eligibility, here
First, grab some rubbish bags
It’s not something that we are used to, but currently some banks are offering high credit interest rates on their current accounts. Most of these deals only last for a year, however, and are used to attract new customers, but many also offer cash back or a monetary incentive.
a few boxes or 5% baskets. •and Nationwide offers AER Work through fixedmethodically on their FlexDirect each roomfor (it’s boring, but account balances up to necessary – tryrate doing just £2,500. This lasts forhalf anone hour a day a couple of year onlyfor and then drops weeks) sort out obvious to 1%,and so you’ll need to be rubbish, things that again can goif to prepared to swap you a local that want charity to get ashop, higheritems rate after this.be To sold be eligible for the could second-hand, accountthat youneeds have to pay in at anything mending, least £1,000 perthat month. little-used things can be awayBank in the garage •put Tesco pay 3% or loft, and genuinely great stuff that variable AER on balances you to keep. Try is tono get upwant to £3,000. There ridminimum of as much as possible pay-in amount with (let’s it: weand all have too thisface account, you get much stuff),points only holding onto Clubcard when you things that youyour really need spend using debit card. and/or Bear love. in mind that this rate is variable, With what’showever. left, it’s now time to work out where it will go.
Again, some high you interest rates the areas where could fit are only available a year as additional storage,forwhether the banks them as ‘loss built-in or use free-standing: from leaders,’ their new backs ofassuming doors to under the customer won’t be inclinedtoto stairs, tops of wardrobes move once the rate falls. under the bed. Think racks, •hooks First and Direct offers 5% AER shelves as well one year, tocabinets customers asfor conventional and holding First Direct chests of adrawers and,1st where Account.ensure You’rethey allowed possible, co- to save between £25 and £300 ordinate with existing furniture, per month, but if you miss enhancing your home’s style one deposit your savings and even adding a soupcon account will close and the of on-trend glamour. You balance will be placed into a may also wishaccount. to have a low-interest rethink about the location of • The HSBC Regular Saver is some conventional storage available to current account spaces. If, for example, toys customers (Advance Account are always in the living room or Premier Account). It offers rather than in the rate children’s a credit interest of 5% bedrooms, how about AER on savings up toadding £3,000 a per toy storage somewhere year, butunit if you miss a handy, rather than having to payment your money is put tidy them away upstairs into an account with lowevery day? interest. cash There isa are a few rules of Once thethat obvious to storage mightchoice be helpful. maximise savings, a cash Obvious, your perhaps, but worth ISA can be a good to bearing in mind allplace the same. start nest-egg you (it don’t First,your store like withif like may
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wanthouse to switch accounts the and bank organise this, or save a regular amount each but it really is worth the effort month. for the ease of finding things later Nevertax say: ‘I’ve In theon). 2016/17 year thegot ISA this what shall put have in a limit box, is £15,240, and Iyou choice between a variable it?’ Instead, match the sizeand fixedshape rate account. and of the container to what’s being kept inside (in • The Coventry Building other words, find small,ISA lidded Society Easy Access boxes Lego offersfora things rate of like 1.1% AER. There is no limit on the for and big squishy baskets number of withdrawals, and teddy bears). Store as much can replace asyou possible near tomoney wherethat it’s you’ve takenbut outdon’t in a tax year most needed, store without itused becoming of frequently items part below the level ISA limit. knee or above shoulder
Fixed-rate have allowed accounts extra space, and If youfilled wantit… to guarantee then it’s time toyour start rateover of interest all again. and are sure you won’t need the money for Easy ways to banish clutter some time, a fixed-rate account •could Write of where beaalist good option.you You want declutter. Start with need to to factor in the likelihood the hardest or theineasiest of rates rising again the – thehowever, important thing is that future, and try to determine bestwhat length you nowthe know youof time to lock your money away, need to do. otherwise you might lose out • Have an intensive declutter if the interest rate goes above workout and spend just five that of your account. minutes clearing as much as • Atom Bank offers 1.4% AER you can in one area. You’ll for one-year but be aamazed at term, the difference you open the account you must can make. Repeat as with their Android or often as you can. iOS app, which won’t appeal to • everybody. Not sure which clothes to You can deposit get rid of? Hang all between £50 and them £100,000, withthe theinterest hooks facing one and is applied way. Every time wear either monthly or you annually. something, re-hang it with • Tesco Bank has a fixed-rate the hook facing the opposite account over three years, way. After, say, six months,
offering AER. Youwhich you can1.2% easily assess can open onlinewear. with aYou items youitnever minimum deposit of idea £2,000. could try the same in the kitchen (turn the Savings accounts offer a handles of your on mugs guaranteed return yourin one money, whichput can grow upside direction, glasses surprisingly quickly, if down, and so on),especially the theplayroom, interest isthe applied livingmonthly. room… Having some cash to one side • Make it a family competition. gives you a degree of control Who will be the fastest to to deal with unexpected life find three things to throw events such as redundancy, or away, things to that giveyou simply thethree reassurance away and three things to on. have a ‘cushion’ to fall back tidy away? Offer prizes as http://www.moneysavingexpert. necessary. com/banking/compare-best-
• Paragon Bank’s ifthree-year height, especially they’re fixed Avoid term ISA paysthings 1.5% heavy. storing at thesuch timeas of writing, onAER surfaces tables a minimum £500you or with desks – they’re of where being required. you want to put thingsAlthough while you’re can access your money in organising them, not keep a fixed term ISA if youAnd need them there afterwards. to, the banks make hefty allow yourself room to expand charges for doing so. – but only within reason. If you
•bank-accounts#interest If what you need is some emergency decluttering, http://www.moneysavingexpert. there’s no shame in popping com/savings/best-regularsavings-accounts#bb everything into a big box and hiding it somewhere http://www.moneysavingexpert. until you have time to go com/savings/best-cashisa#manipulate through it properly. Main Image: Mazeballs bed, http://www.moneysavingexpert. £625, Loaf: 0845 468 0698; com/savings/fixed-rate-savings www.loaf.com
Motoring
By James Baggott
Ferrari California T Handling Speciale
question too – perfectly demonstrated with a wonderfully dramatic roof mechanism.
Meet the California T HS – the tweaked version of the manufacturer’s folding hard-top family Ferrari. With two seats in the back for small children and a V8 turbo-charged engine, this is the convertible Italian supercar for those with more than one significant other. New for the Handling Speciale model are some stiffer springs, louder exhaust and some ever-sosubtle design tweaks – for which you’ll be charged £5,568 to add to an ever-expanding list of options. Looks and image The California is aimed at a certain type of buyer - this is a GT car designed for comfort, looks and kerb appeal above driving entertainment, unlike its thoroughbred 488 stablemate. Even with the louder exhaust system on this HS model, on the road we found it just a little too quiet. In fact, we found the California lacked a lot of the excitement you’d expect to find in a Ferrari, though it was certainly comfortable over distance. The quality of its build is without
space and practicaLity This is a sports car with sports car compromises – with the front seats back there is very little or no rear legroom and the boot is cramped too. If you don’t want to use the roof, you get a little more space, but if you do then you’ll be restricted to two small bags. Behind the wheeL For long distance motorway journeys, the California T HS is a comfortable companion. The 552bhp turbo-charged V8 has impressive breadth to its power delivery and can hit 60mph in just 3.6 seconds. Sadly, although the turbo engine offers improved performance, it lacks some of the aural pleasure you expect from a Ferrari. Those stiffer springs and louder exhaust come into play when you select the ‘Sport’ setting, and hit the bumpy road button on the steering wheel too and you’ll be rewarded with a compliant ride that’s just about perfect for rutted roads. A parking camera makes reversing straightforward and the visibility isn’t too bad either. VaLue for money The California T Handling Speciale costs £155,244 – pitching it against the Audi R8
Spyder and Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet. But options increase that base price; our test car had 29 added extras totalling £59,767, pushing the price up to a staggering £215,011. One well worth adding, though, is Apple CarPlay (£2,400) which makes the infotainment system far more usable. Ferrari’s standard system isn’t a match for the likes of Audi or Porsche, so the addition of Apple’s integrated software is well worth selecting. who wouLd Buy one? California buyers are family men or women who need the occasional flexibility of carrying more than one passenger. It might mean compromising on space for everyone, but at least the option is there. Verdict It’s hard not to be a little disappointed by the California, though what that’s down to is difficult to pinpoint. The turbo-charged engine isn’t as evocative as it could be and it’s not as emotive to drive either – more functional long-distance GT than out and out sports car. However, for families that need flexible space, want convertible style but with the added refinement of a folding hard top, and for whom anything less than a Ferrari badge simply won’t do, the California will hit the spot - and, the Handling Speciale pack does look like a bargain when compared to the other options on the list.
We help people in their later years to enjoy the life they always have. Whatever you want to know about elderly care, please come and talk to us. Our home will be open in June this year when you can view our facilities, sample our bar & bistro and ask any questions you might have about the home and your care requirements. Whether it’s for you or a friend or relative, we look forward to seeing you soon. Our innovative care concept includes: Chauffeur-driven car | Cinema room | Bistro & Bar | Private dining | Hair Salon and Spa | Library All-inclusive pricing | Creative events | 50% higher staffing than average Paying above the living wage
Short Story
The Science of Snow Shovelling
Maurice laced his boots up eagerly, pleased with himself for remembering to get the snow shovel out of the shed last night. Thanks to a thick blanket of snow, this Sunday morning was the perfect opportunity to win back the favour of Mrs Harby, his comely neighbour. What woman could resist a man with a shovel? And when it came to snow and the shovelling of it, Maurice considered himself quite the expert. He opened his front door and was met with an unwelcome sight. Mrs Harby’s teenage grandson, Dale, was already pacing her drive wielding a shovel of his own. Maurice’s last encounter with Dale had ended with a line full of Mrs Harby’s sheets going up in flames. The boy was a menace, and, by the looks of things thought Maurice, his snow shovelling technique was a disgrace. Rather than methodically working down the driveway, Dale was randomly throwing snow everywhere. “Can I give you some advice young man?” Maurice called over. “You’re going about that all wrong.” “Nah, I’m alright,” Dale called back. “You’re just making more work,” Maurice said. “I’m sure your grandmother would like to get her car off the drive at some point.” “Yeah,” Dale said, hacking at the ground. “She’s going out for Sunday lunch.” “Anywhere nice?” Maurice liked to keep abreast of all
Mrs Harby’s comings and goings. “I didn’t ask.” Dale kicked a pile of snow. “I’d better lend a hand.” Maurice strode purposefully across with his shovel. It was time to impress the lady by taking control of the situation. “You know what would get this done quicker?” Dale said, stumbling into a snow drift. “Chucking down some hot water.” “That’s where you’re wrong,” Maurice said. “The only way to clear this drive is with hard work. Hot water will do more harm than good.” “Yeah, right,” Dale said sarcastically, throwing down his shovel. “I’m off to get some.” Good lord, Maurice thought, don’t they teach them anything at school these days? At least with the boy gone for a few minutes he could get on with the job properly. Dale returned with a freshly boiled kettle. “Out the way,” he said, “I’m going to pour this.” “Don’t,” Maurice said. “It’ll just make matters worse.” “Course it won’t,” Dale said. “Just to prove it, do a patch test,” Maurice said. “Pour a small amount somewhere that your grandmother won’t tread and see what happens.” “Good plan,” Dale said. “But if it works we’ll pour it everywhere.” If it works I’ll eat my shovel Maurice thought. “Somewhere she definitely won’t tread?” Dale said. Mrs
Harby opened the front door, elegantly dressed for her lunch date. “Morning!” Maurice gave a dignified bow. “We’re conducting an experiment.” “How lovely,” she said. This is wonderful Maurice thought, not only will she be pleased with me for clearing her drive, she’ll be impressed by how I’m educating her grandson. “Go ahead lad,” he said indulgently. “Whenever you’re ready.” Dale stood next to his grandmother’s car with the kettle held high, a cloud of steam coming out of the spout. Then, before Maurice could stop him, Dale poured the scalding water all over the windscreen. There was a sickening crack as the glass shattered into a thousand irreparable fragments. Maurice’s face drained of all colour. “Oh mate!” Dale laughed. “You were totally right.” Mrs Harby scowled and stormed back inside the house, slamming the front door behind her. Maurice’s next challenge to impress Mrs Harby was how to get a windscreen replaced on a snowy Sunday morning. And the less Dale was involved in that the better. By Jackie Brewster
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Beauty Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year
Beauty Resolutions by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk
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.www.hollandandbarrett. But if you rarely drink, serum. £48.99 from you’re probably not making com. alcohol-based resolutions...
It seems you can barely pick up a magazine without reading about another new skincare ‘miracle It’sRecent easy to get stuck in a research shows that even low alcohol intake (well perfume rut. Rather than worker’, from skin softeners and under the recommended limits play it safe with your favourite beauty essences, to micellar water. of 2-3 units daily and 14 units scent, why not head to a per week) increases your risk Most of these are ‘nice to haves’ local perfume shop and try of many serious conditions, rather than essentials. If you are a few new ones?and Ideally, including dementia some cancers, so cutting back is looking to up your skin care regime spritz a perfume on a well New Year resolutions sound like I’ll go to Pilates every week, worth doing. But going teetotal card first. If you like the though, I’darecommend a great idea; fresh year and aadding walk aat least two miles every or drastically reducing your fresh start seem to fit together, scent immediately, weekend and do my dance serum. They’re more concentrated intake may be hard if you’re a and even if we’re determined DVD every Tuesday! still do after half regularand drinker. than a moisturiser, and designed to not to make any, other people You haven’t managed to do an hour, then try it a Better resolution: Think can sometimes inspire us – or target specific concerns, from fine any of these things every week about when and where you directly on your skin. shame us – into making our this year - so it’s unlikely you’ll drinkFragrance alcohol, andisplan to lines own. to blemishes. designed
achieve all of them, every reduce your intake gradually. But if resolutions are such a to change over time, so week this year. Be honest Here are a few strategies to try: good idea, why do they fail so French brand don’t just spray, sniff and buy. Give it time aboutSérum why you don’t do them. Ekia’s • If you usually have 4 drinks often? The activities you’lltofind the you what it’s made of. Van Cleef & show on a night out, replace drink – Setting YourSelf up for Fermeté motivation or time Arpels for are those So First (from is soft a nice one 3 with £32) a large drink; it to failure Highly Active you can fit in most easily and may last you the rest of the try. Light, fresh and feminine, it’s bursting At New Year, festive goodwill Firming enjoy the most. evening, and New Year enthusiasm with floral notes, such as halving freesiayour andalcohol Serum, is resolution: I’ll do an a Better intake. can give us a rosier view of frangipani, warm base of vanilla and hour’s exercise every week. with •aMatch designed every alcoholic drink life, tricking us into making a sandalwood. with a soft drink. multitude of overly ambitious to tighten Perhaps you most enjoy a resolutions. They reverse the andwalk, but bad weather puts Find of other ways to relax if you lift skin. Many of us are •guilty splashing out on positive effect of goal setting you off? Plan to walk every always have a drink on your ‘magic top of the range hair straighteners and by setting us up to fail - making The return from work, and try to weekend, but commit to doing ingredient’, a DVDstyling us more likely to give up then whatever makethrowing it a Friday-only treat your exercise insteadproducts, if completely. treethe extract shampoo and conditioner on measure). offer in our (or reduceisyour weather’s awful. Or plan to Here are some tips for turning called Feeling ‘need’ a drink is a fit in the exercise DVD weekly; basket. My top hair care you recommendation three popular, doomed-towarning sign – a first step on anything else is a bonus. While dragon’s blood sap, is said to help firm is to go for a gentler, decent shampoo and failure aspirations into realistic a potentially dangerous path. it’s not the NHS recommended skin, smooth fine lines, increase moisture conditioner. Personally, I avoid any that resolutions. Consider if you need to make amount of exercise, it’s some, and aidexerciSe skin renewal. My skin certainly felt contain sulphate, I find changes in your as work life. it and it’s consistent. You cansodium lauryl More tighter and moreresolution: hydrated after increase using the anddrink brittle. • If you wine with dinner it later. leaves my hair dry Your unrealistic
every night, change to particularly cigarette lingering bags and brushes can beinathe bit JASÖNhard do habit someto kick, Makeup alternate nights (or alternate it if you’re a moderate or heavy air (second-hand of a breeding ground for bacteria,smoke) and great haircare with non-alcoholic wine). smoker – and while a few and settling on surfaces, that can lead to spots and skin irritation. products, priced people do succeed in going where they are re-released • Swap some alcoholic drinks So ifreliable you haven’t (third-hand given them a wash a from around £6.50the most ‘cold turkey’, smoke), sofor you’ll for low alcohol or nonnow’s the time. Clean brushes for a half-litre and angst-free waywhile, is to reduce be improving the healthwith of alcoholic alternatives. They’ve yourwill nicotine housemates visitors too. come a long way and there’s gentle hand wash or baby and shampoo, bottle that last intakea gradually (and/or tackle your toxin intake). • Swap to e-cigarettes or now a large range. pat them dry and then leave to air dry. for ages. If you’re Better Pick or vaporisers; you’ll be inhaling Alternatively, if they’re looking a bit worse lookingAto treatResolution: no SMoking combine the cut-back strategies nicotine, but not cigarette fortoxins wear,such treatasyourself yourself however, Your unrealistic resolution: below to suit Iyou, and if one cyanide to and “I smoke 30 a day, but I’m can recommend some new ones. The doesn’t work, try another. arsenic. giving up forever at midnight, Nanshy a good Saach• Visit your GP, who can • Smoke to arange timedis schedule December 31st!” prescribe some nicotine and gradually increase choice. They’re madethe Organics It’s probably quicker to list replacement products and time cigarettes. withbetween premium synthetic Hair conditions not aggravated or refer you to counselling. Even if you smoke 25 a fibres (so cruelty-free), Strengthening Shampoo caused by smoking than to listand You can also buy nicotine day and only drop one daily assembled by hand Nourishment Conditioner. those that are - and it can be replacement products cigarette per fortnight, you’ll hard to accept you’re rigorouslyintested. They’re packed withaddicted nourishing experiment and see what still beand a non-smoker under to nicotine. But in reality, when works best for you. Some are a year.They’re also lovely natural ingredients, such as you crave a cigarette to ‘calm particularly suitable for heavy ‘Resolution’ array andhas softanand great almond oil, that coconut milk and your nerves’ twitchiness smokers. of scientific and historical for blending. Nanshy hibiscus, leave my you feel is and a symptom of highlighted • If you don’t already, make meanings, one of which is withdrawal, can come on brushes start from hair feelingwhich soft and healthy. yourself smoke outside. ‘reduction to a simpler form’. So very quickly nicotine. at www. Prices startwith from £9.95 at www. It takes more effort and keep your £5.95 resolutions simple This can make smoking a prevents toxins from your – and realistic! myshowcase.com. saachorganics.com.
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Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year leSS alcohol
Beauty Resolutions
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.www.hollandandbarrett. But if you rarely drink, serum. £48.99 from you’re probably not making com. alcohol-based resolutions...
by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk
It seems you can barely pick up a magazine without reading about another new skincare ‘miracle It’sRecent easy to get stuck in a research shows that even low alcohol intake (well perfume rut. Rather than worker’, from skin softeners and under the recommended limits play it safe with your favourite beauty essences, to micellar water. of 2-3 units daily and 14 units scent, why not head to a per week) increases your risk Most of these are ‘nice to haves’ local perfume shop and try of many serious conditions, rather than essentials. If you are a few new ones?and Ideally, including dementia some cancers, so cutting back is looking to up your skin care regime spritz a perfume on a well New Year resolutions sound like I’ll go to Pilates every week, worth doing. But going teetotal card first. If you like the though, I’darecommend a great idea; fresh year and aadding walk aat least two miles every or drastically reducing your fresh start seem to fit together, scent immediately, weekend and do my dance serum. They’re more concentrated intake may be hard if you’re a and even if we’re determined DVD every Tuesday! still do after half regularand drinker. than a moisturiser, and designed to not to make any, other people You haven’t managed to do an hour, then try it a Better resolution: Think can sometimes inspire us – or target specific concerns, from fine any of these things every week about when and where you directly on your skin. shame us – into making our this year - so it’s unlikely you’ll drinkFragrance alcohol, andisplan to lines to blemishes. own. designed
achieve all of them, every reduce your intake gradually. But if resolutions are such a to change over time, so week this year. Be honest Here are a few strategies to try: good idea, why do they fail so French brand don’t just spray, sniff and buy. Give it time aboutSérum why you don’t do them. Ekia’s • If you usually have 4 drinks often? The activities you’lltofind the you what it’s made of. Van Cleef & show on a night out, replace drink – Setting YourSelf up for Fermeté motivation or time Arpels for are those So First (from is soft a nice one 3 with £32) a large drink; it to failure Highly Active you can fit in most easily and may last you the rest of the try. Light, fresh and feminine, it’s bursting At New Year, festive goodwill Firming enjoy the most. evening, and New Year enthusiasm with floral notes, such as halving freesiayour andalcohol Serum, is resolution: I’ll do an a Better intake. can give us a rosier view of frangipani, warm base of vanilla and hour’s exercise every week. with •aMatch designed every alcoholic drink life, tricking us into making a sandalwood. with a soft drink. multitude of overly ambitious to tighten Perhaps you most enjoy a resolutions. They reverse the andwalk, but bad weather puts Find of other ways to relax if you lift skin. Many of us are •guilty splashing out on positive effect of goal setting you off? Plan to walk every always have a drink on your ‘magic top of the range hair straighteners and by setting us up to fail - making The return from work, and try to weekend, but commit to doing ingredient’, a DVDstyling us more likely to give up then whatever makethrowing it a Friday-only treat your exercise insteadproducts, if completely. treethe extract shampoo and conditioner on measure). offer in our (or reduceisyour weather’s awful. Or plan to Here are some tips for turning called Feeling ‘need’ a drink is a fit in the exercise DVD weekly; basket. My top hair care you recommendation three popular, doomed-towarning sign – a first step on anything else is a bonus. While dragon’s blood sap, is said to help firm is to go for a gentler, decent shampoo and failure aspirations into realistic a potentially dangerous path. it’s not the NHS recommended skin, smooth fine lines, increase moisture conditioner. Personally, I avoid any that resolutions. Consider if you need to make amount of exercise, it’s some, and aidexerciSe skin renewal. My skin certainly felt contain sulphate, I find changes in your as work life. it and it’s consistent. You cansodium lauryl More tighter and moreresolution: hydrated after increase using the anddrink brittle. • If you wine with dinner it later. leaves my hair dry Your unrealistic
particularly cigarette lingering every night, change to bags and brushes can beinathe bit JASÖNhard do habit someto kick, Makeup if you’re a moderate or heavy air (second-hand alternate nights (or alternate it of a breeding ground for bacteria,smoke) and great haircare smoker – and while a few and settling on surfaces, with non-alcoholic wine). that can lead to spots and skin irritation. products, priced people do succeed in going where they are re-released • Swap some alcoholic drinks So ifreliable you haven’t (third-hand given them a wash a from around £6.50the most ‘cold turkey’, smoke), sofor you’ll for low alcohol or nonnow’s the time. Clean brushes for a half-litre and angst-free waywhile, is to reduce be improving the healthwith of alcoholic alternatives. They’ve yourwill nicotine housemates visitors too. come a long way and there’s gentle hand wash or baby and shampoo, bottle that last intakea gradually (and/or tackle your toxin intake). • Swap to e-cigarettes or now a large range. pat them dry and then leave to air dry. for ages. If you’re Better Pick or vaporisers; you’ll be inhaling Alternatively, if they’re looking a bit worse lookingAto treatResolution: no SMoking combine the cut-back strategies nicotine, but not cigarette fortoxins wear,such treatasyourself yourself however, Your unrealistic resolution: below to suit Iyou, and if one cyanide to and “I smoke 30 a day, but I’m can recommend some new ones. The doesn’t work, try another. arsenic. giving up forever at midnight, Nanshy a good Saach• Visit your GP, who can • Smoke to arange timedis schedule December 31st!” prescribe some nicotine and gradually increase choice. They’re madethe Organics It’s probably quicker to list replacement products and time cigarettes. withbetween premium synthetic Hair conditions not aggravated or refer you to counselling. Even if you smoke 25 a fibres (so cruelty-free), Strengthening Shampoo caused by smoking than to listand You can also buy nicotine day and only drop one daily assembled by hand Nourishment Conditioner. those that are - and it can be replacement products cigarette per fortnight, you’ll hard to accept you’re rigorouslyintested. They’re packed withaddicted nourishing experiment and see what still beand a non-smoker under to nicotine. But in reality, when works best for you. Some are a year.They’re also lovely natural ingredients, such as you crave a cigarette to ‘calm particularly suitable for heavy ‘Resolution’ array andhas softanand great almond oil, that coconut milk and your nerves’ twitchiness smokers. of scientific and historical for blending. Nanshy hibiscus, leave my you feel is and a symptom of highlighted • If you don’t already, make meanings, one of which is withdrawal, can come on brushes start from hair feelingwhich soft and healthy. yourself smoke outside. ‘reduction to a simpler form’. So very quickly nicotine. at www. Prices startwith from £9.95 at www. It takes more effort and keep your £5.95 resolutions simple This can make smoking a prevents toxins from your – and realistic! myshowcase.com. saachorganics.com.
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
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.
Susan Brookes-Morris
Home & Interiors Finance
Interest Rates Are New Low, Year So What Are Your Declutter for the By Katherine Sorrell Best Options For Saving? By Ann Haldon Often, our most persistent
are a few of the different accounts available at the time of writing.
Bank current accounts
With interest rates set to remain low for a while, it’s worth considering what you could do with the spare cash you might now have. It’s always a good idea to pay off your debts first, but there is also some benefit to starting a small nest-egg.
What could be a better From April 2016 everyone has New Year’s resolution a Personal Savings Allowance, for your home than to which means that many eliminate mess, create people won’t need to pay tax space and generally have on their savings (subject to a a good out? maximumsort limit). This makes
the Individual Savings Account When the festive fun comes (ISA), although still a good to an end, the presents are choice, perhaps no Christmas longer all opened and the the automatic choiceit’s for pudding finallyfirst finished, savers. time to take a breath and assess just how of much This broadening yourmess options and clobber has built upyour in means you could switch your home over to the past year. current account benefit from If the answer is too much,by the credit interest offered a different bank, or perhaps then it’s time to declutter your opt for a fixed-term ISA that so stuff and sort your storage, removes temptation to that your the home will be messspend. free and super-stylish in time for 2017. With each bank applying their own rules eligibility, here First, grabfor some rubbish bags
It’s not something that we are used to, but currently some banks are offering high credit interest rates on their current accounts. Most of these deals only last for a year, however, and are used to attract new customers, but many also offer cash back or a monetary and a fewincentive. boxes or baskets.
methodically •Work Nationwide offersthrough 5% AER each room (it’s FlexDirect boring, but fixed on their necessary – try doing just half account for balances up to ratea lasts forof an£2,500. hour a This day for couple one year drops weeks) andonly sortand out then obvious to 1%, things so you’ll need rubbish, that cantogobeto prepared to swap you a local charity shop,again itemsifthat wantbe tosold get asecond-hand, higher rate after could this. To that be eligible the anything needs for mending, account things you have paybe in at little-used thattocan least £1,000 month. put away in theper garage or loft, genuinely great •and Tesco Bank pay 3%stuff that you want to keep. to get variable AER on Try balances ridup ofto as£3,000. much as possible There is no (let’s face it:pay-in we allamount have too minimum with much stuff), only holding onto this account, and you get things that you really need Clubcard points when you and/or spendlove. using your debit card. Bear in mind With what’s left,that it’s this nowrate timeis to variable, work outhowever. where it will go.
clutter arises from the fact that regular savings we haven’t designated spaces accounts where thingssuggests, can easilythese be As the name accounts require a regular put, so stuff just ends up lying payment in order to benefit around. Label your storage from the higher interest if necessary, and makerates. sure They are often linked to awhat’s the whole family knows current account with You’ll the same meant to go where. bank, in which a minimum already have created extra balance held, so storage needs space to bybe having this could affect your eligibility such a good clear-out; if you if you’re not able to maintain this still need more, look for all balance. the areas where you could fit Again, some high interest rates additional storage, whether are only available for a year as built-in or free-standing: from the banks use them as ‘loss backs of doors to under the leaders,’ assuming their new stairs, tops of wardrobes to customer won’t be inclined to under the bed. Think racks, move once the rate falls. hooks and shelves as well •asFirst Direct offers 5% AER conventional cabinets and for one to customers chests of year, drawers and, where holding a First Direct 1st possible, ensure they coAccount. You’re allowed to ordinate with existing furniture, save between £25 and £300 enhancing your home’s style per month, but if you miss and adding soupcon oneeven deposit youra savings ofaccount on-trendwill glamour. Youthe close and may also wish to placed have ainto a balance will be rethink about account. the location of low-interest some conventional storage • The HSBC Regular Saver is spaces. If, for example, toys available to current account are always the livingAccount room customersin(Advance rather than inAccount). the children’s or Premier It offers bedrooms, how about adding a credit interest rate of 5% a AER toy storage unit somewhere on savings up to £3,000 handy, rather having per year, butthan if you miss ato tidy them away payment your upstairs money isevery put day? into an account with low interest. There are a few rules of
cash storageisa that might be helpful. Once the obvious to Obvious, perhaps,choice but worth maximise a cash bearing inyour mindsavings, all the same. ISA can be alike good to may First, store withplace like (it start nest-egg if you don’t take your a while to go through
want to switch bank accounts thesave house and organise or a regular amountthis, each month. but it really is worth the effort forthe the2016/17 ease of tax finding In yearthings the ISA later ison). Never and say:you ‘I’vehave got a limit £15,240, this box, what shall I put inand choice between a variable it?’ Instead, match the size fixed rate account. shape of theBuilding container to •and The Coventry what’s being kept insideISA (in Society Easy Access other words, small,AER. lidded offers a ratefind of 1.1% boxes foristhings like There no limit onLego the and big squishy baskets for number of withdrawals, and teddy Storemoney as much you bears). can replace that taken out a tax it’s year asyou’ve possible near toinwhere without it becoming part of most needed, but don’t store the ISA limit. frequently used items below level or above shoulder •knee Paragon Bank’s three-year height, if they’re fixed especially term ISA pays 1.5% AER Avoid at the storing time of things writing, heavy. a minimum of £500 onwith surfaces such as tables you or being desksrequired. – they’reAlthough where you cantoaccess your while money in want put things you’re a fixed term ISAnot if you need organising them, keep to, the banks make hefty them there afterwards. And charges for doing allow yourself room so. to expand
– but only within reason. If you
Fixed-rate accounts have extra space, and If you allowed want to guarantee your rate interest andtime are to sure thenof filled it… it’s start you won’t need the money for all over again. some time, a fixed-rate account Easy ways to banish clutter could be a good option. You • Write a list of you need to factor in where the likelihood want to declutter. Start of rates rising again in the with the hardest orand the try easiest future, however, to – the important is of that determine the bestthing length you what you time to now lock know your money away, otherwise need toyou do. might lose out if• the interest rate goes above Have an intensive declutter that of your account. workout and spend just five • Atom Bank offers as 1.4% AERas minutes clearing much for one-year youa can in oneterm, area.but You’ll you must open the difference account be amazed at the with Android or iOSas you their can make. Repeat app, won’t oftenwhich as you can.appeal to everybody. You can deposit • between Not sure £50 which to andclothes £100,000, get rid of? Hang them all and the interest is applied with the hooksorfacing one either monthly annually. way. Every time you wear • Tesco Bank has a fixed-rate something, re-hang it with account over three years, the hook facing the opposite way. After, say, six months,
offering 1.2% AER. You you open can easily assess can it online with awhich minimum of £2,000. items youdeposit never wear. You could accounts try the same Savings offeridea a in the kitchen the guaranteed return(turn on your handles of your mugs in one money, which can grow direction, quickly, put glasses upside surprisingly especially if thedown, interest is so applied monthly. and on), the Having some the cash to one side playroom, living room… gives you a degree of control • Make it a family competition. to deal with unexpected life Who will be the fastest to events such as redundancy, or find three things to throw simply the reassurance that you away, three things to give have a ‘cushion’ to fall back on. away and three things to http://www.moneysavingexpert. tidy away? Offer prizes as com/banking/compare-bestnecessary. bank-accounts#interest
• If what you need is some http://www.moneysavingexpert. emergency decluttering, com/savings/best-regularthere’s no shame in popping savings-accounts#bb everything into a big box http://www.moneysavingexpert. and hiding it somewhere com/savings/best-cashuntil you have time to go isa#manipulate through it properly. http://www.moneysavingexpert. Main Image: Mazeballs bed, com/savings/fixed-rate-savings £625, Loaf: 0845 468 0698; www.loaf.com
Pets Corner... (Jan17).qxp_Layout 1 19/12/2016 01:35 Page 1
Scoop that Poop...
An update on worm control
IT is very important that our pets are routinely dewormed as worms can cause serious illness and some can affect humans. Because you don’t see worms doesn’t mean your pet is not infested. Sample approved product
The egg of Toxocara canis, the common roundworm of dogs, is microscopic but it can attack the eyes and brain if it is ingested by children and teenagers. Between 50 and 100 children a year are blinded by Toxocara and many more suffer impaired vision and brain damage so it is important to regularly worm dogs throughout their lives, ideally every month but at least every 3 months. Puppies and kittens are born with worms and should be treated from as early as 2 weeks. It is important that this is done repeatedly until 14-16 weeks of age. A single worming dose for kittens at 6-8 weeks is usually enough. There are a number of effective products but be aware that most sold in pet shops are far inferior to those available from the vet, so ask your veterinary surgeon for his/her advice. Toxocara eggs are passed through the faeces so it is also very important that dog’s droppings are cleared up especially from places where children could play as the eggs may persist for many months in the environment, even when the faeces have gone. Tapeworms are transmitted through intermediate hosts: depending on the species, these are fleas, rodents and birds, but one which can be transmitted by dogs allowed to roam farmland and feed on dead livestock can cause fatal illness in man. It is therefore important to worm every 3 months in animals that hunt or scavenge. Less commonly seen worms include hookworm and whipworm. These are usually associated with poor hygiene but treatment for them should still be included with routine worming. Lungworm has become a major problem in the UK in dogs, especially in the south east, and is transmitted
through eating slugs and snails. Symptoms may include a soft cough but more often internal bleeding occurs which can be fatal if not treated promptly. This is now such a serious problem that we recommend routine treatment for all dogs. Not many products are effective against lungworm so it is essential you take advice from your vet.
A new kid on the block is tongue worm. This is has been imported into the UK in dogs from Eastern Europe fed on raw diets. Given many pets now travel abroad and foodstuff is imported it is very likely this parasite could transmit between dogs here. Treatment is very difficult so the best way to prevent infestation at present is to avoid feeding raw diets. M C Atkinson BVSc MRCVs www.stmartinsvetclinic.com
Gardening Fighting the Frosts
by Pippa Greenwood put on a bit of new growth. So, there’s definitely a very good reason to brace yourself, get out into the garden and take some precautions.
looking rather nice! If very harsh weather is forecast or there has been a spell of mild weather which may have promoted some soft, new growth that will be particularly frost prone, drape a double layer of horticultural fleece over the top growth of the plants and anchor it well. If you want to make life a lot easier then invest in some Easy Fleece Jackets: they come in three sizes and each one has a draw-string and toggle so that you can easily insert the plant and then secure it. You can find out more on my website www.pippagreenwood.com/ products/protect-your-crops.
The frosts are here, and in the weeks ahead the worst of the winter is likely to arrive too. Added to that there is often a fair bit of rain or even snow at this time of year, so our gardens can be in for quite a battering. Now most of the plants you grow in your garden are probably fairly frost-resistant, but what can you do to ensure that damage to those which are not so hardy is kept to a minimum? Some deterioration may already have occurred, but it is the last frosts and those which hit the plants in spring that are likely to be most damaging, as they catch plants out when they have already
Plants in containers are particularly vulnerable to freezing or frosting as their roots are not protected beneath the soil, but are relatively exposed with just the container and a bit of compost to cover them. Thinwalled containers pose the greatest threat, especially those made of metal. Thicker wood or ceramic pots provide a little extra insulation, but even these may need a bit more. 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 up well in several layers of bubble wrap, polythene or old curtains – it may not look pretty but it’ll do the job. If the container is in a very prominent position and you want it to look more appealing, buy some hessian and use lengths of this to create an outermost layer to hide the insulation material – it can actually end up
A double fleece layer can of course be used on plants in beds and borders too, or to protect slightly tender wall shrubs. Larger individual plants in borders, which are too big for even the large fleece jackets, can be given longer term protection with a home-made protective ‘cage’. Just use four stakes or sturdy canes to create a framework which you wrap 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 – during the cold weather
they continue to need a fair amount of water and if this is frozen solid in the soil, they soon suffer. So it is essential to continue to water these, especially if they are in a spot where they are sheltered from a lot of the rain which does fall, or if the weather has been dry. A deep mulch applied to the soil or compost surface before the ground becomes frosted will help too. Once frozen, soil moisture becomes unavailable, so this mulch will help to keep the 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 as by then the buds are further developed. If you are planting new fruit plants, it really pays to buy them from a specialist nursery and try to get late-flowering varieties where possible, as they are less likely to be flowering when there is still a risk of frost.
Finally, don’t forget to use fleece to cover any seeds already sown out of doors. A double layer of well-anchored fleece or a fleece-covered 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 any seedlings brave (or foolhardy) enough to poke their heads above ground before the cold weather is
over! 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 well-anchored 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.
WD What's On... Nov16.qxp_Layout 1 28/10/2016 19:01 Page 1
Health
By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk
Realistic Resolutions for a Happier, Healthier New Year
HOBBIES... Afternoon Leisure Painting Monday 2pm to 4pm and Wednesday 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The advanced and fundamental concepts of art in any media. Enthusiastic people welcome. Southlands Arts Centre 01895 632171
Crafty Cards Have fun creating your own cards. 2nd and 4th Friday, 10am to 12noon. Contact 01753 652 459 Craft Evening Group Tuesday 7.30pm. Members own projects and workshops to share experience and further skills at Southlands Arts Centre. Tel: 01895 442980 Handicraft - Morning Group Tuesday 10am to 12 noon, needlecraft and any handicraft with material. Paper 3D decoupage, patchwork, cross stitch, soft toys etc., at Southlands Arts Centre. Tel: 01895 442910
Knit & Knatterers Hand and Machine Knitting, Crochet 2nd & 4th Monday of the month 7.309.30pm at Southlands Arts Centre. Tel: 01895 421777 Les Artists - Evening Wednesday 7.30pm to 9.30pm. A mixed ability class for still life, portraiture etc. All welcome at Southlands Arts Centre. 0208 797 4635
rarely drink, you’ll find sticking
Yiewsley Angling & West Drayton to such drastic resolutions Fishing Clubs Thurs 8-10.30pm, & West easy. But if youYiewsley rarely drink, Outline Theatre Group Drayton Centre. you’reCommunity probably not making At St. Matthews Church, Yiewsley. Every For more details call 01895 443423 Tue 7.30-9.30pm. All welcome from alcohol-based resolutions... 8yrs+. See www.outlinetheatre. co.uk or KEEP-FIT, & DRAMA... Recent DANCE research shows that call Robert Jones on 01895 446352 Painting Group - Morning Tues 10am-1pm. Experienced watercolorists very welcome at Southlands Arts Centre. Tel: 01895 421328 Spinning & Weavers Group Tues 7.30-9.30pm at Southlands Arts Centre. Tel: 01895 443481
The Language Clubs of Hillingdon Harlington Locomotive Societysound like From I’ll late go to Pilates New Year resolutions every week, Sept until mid-July. Visitors EveryaThursday, 8pm at the club in High Speak some German, great idea; a fresh year and a welcome, walk at least two miles every Street, Harlington, Hayes, Middlesex Spanish, French or Italian? Want to fresh start seem fit together, weekend andand do listening my dance UB3 5ET . For details calltoPeter Tarrant practise speaking in on 01895 851168 and even if we’re determined DVDgroups, every Tuesday! friendly with recent learners, not toFamily makeHistory any, other people improvers & native speakers? Join a Hillingdon Society You haven’t managed to do At Hillingdon Park Baptist Church, can sometimes inspire us – or Language Club! Each Club meets on a different Thursday of the every month week at 7.45 any of these things Hercies Road, Hillingdon. Research shame us – into making our pmthis in Styear Giles'- so Church Hall, Swakeleys room open (10am-1pm) every Fri it’s unlikely you’ll own. (except the Fri before the first Sat of the Road, Ickenham UB10 8BG. For details: achieve of them, everyItalian German Cluball 0208 429 1921; month). On the first Sat of the month But if resolutions are such a Club 020 this 8863year. 3468;Be Spanish Club and open 10am-1pm at Uxbridge Library. week honest good idea, why do they fail so French Club 01895 253 472 Experienced help available. See about why you don’t do them. www.hfhs.co.uk often? . Contact Mrs P. Uxbridge Chess Club The activities you’ll find the Reynolds 01895 444442 or email at the Ivy Leaf Club, 1st floor, 8 Setting YourSelf up for Meet hillingdonfhs@onetel.com motivation or time areWed, those Wellington Rd, UB8 2AP.for Every failure 7.30pm. All welcome. Hillingdon Railway Modellers Club you can fit in mostParking, easily bar, andtv. Tuition available. Free initially, then Meet At every Thursday, 7.30pmgoodwill at New Year, festive enjoy the most. Info: Peter Lord at cheap membership. Yiewsley Church. Contact andBaptist New Year enthusiasm peter-lord@tiscali.co.uk and I’ll 01895 tonymoth@Hotmail.co.uk a Better resolution: do an can give us a rosier view of 236973 or just turn up! Hillingdon Natural History Society hour’s exercise every week. life, tricking us into making a Uxbridge Craft Market Meets 1st wed of the month at the of Way, overly ambitious Every Wednesday Perhaps you (9am-5pm) most enjoyataThe Scoutmultitude HQ, Gatting Uxbridge. Pavilions Centre Arts, Crafts, enquiries@hillingdonresolutions. They reverse the walk, Shopping but bad weather puts Gifts and Collectables naturalhistorysociety.org.uk positive effect of goal setting you off? Plan to walk every www.uxbridge-craft-market.co.uk Inland byWaterways setting usAssociation up to fail - making weekend, but Club commit to doing Wednesday Stitch Meet 2nd Tues of every month at us more likely toWaterloo give up Road, 10-12noon at Hillingdon Club Hillingdon Canal Club, your exercise DVD Tennis instead if . completely. All abilities, Tutorial, White work, gold Uxbridge, UB8 2QX, 7.30pm. the weather’s awful. Or plan to work, crewel work etc. Your choice! Call middlesex.social@waterways.org.uk Here are some tips for turning suefit0208 in the exercise 868 8052. DVD weekly; Iver Flower Club three popular, doomed-toanything is a bonus. While West Draytonelse & District The Coppins Room, Iver Village Hall, failure into realistic History Society Grange Way, aspirations Iver, SL0 9HW. Meets it’s not the NHS recommended The society meets on the last 4th Thursday of month, 7.30pm. resolutions. amount of exercise, it’s some, Tuesday of each month Sep-May Call Jayne on 07730 249876. and it’sDec) consistent. You can More exerciSe (excluding at St Martins www.bbando.org.uk/clubs/iver
Your unrealistic resolution:
Church Hall, Church Road at 7.30pm. leSS alcohol Each month there is a talk of either local or national interest. During Your unrealistic resolution: the summer months a programme give up entirely!” “I won’t of “I’ll visits andit walks are arranged. Membership £8 per year. I’m out/on drink at home/when Call either Diane 07599 730640 or weekdays/until Easter!” If you Cyril 07704 837042 for details.
increase it later.
even low alcohol intake (well
Clubbercise class under the recommended limits Mondays at Iver Village Junior School, of 2-3 units daily and 14 units High St, Iver, SL0 9QA. Term-Time, 18.10 to 19.00, £5 PAYG, your for anyone per week) increases risk from the ageserious of 16 up! Contact Liz on of many conditions, 07795 512938. Come and Glow with includingindementia glow-sticks the dark toand 90ssome anthems upto present-time music.back is well cancers, so cutting
worth Gymnastics doing. But and going teetotal Dance, Free Running Classes or drastically reducing your With Futunity Uk in Uxbridge Town intake may be hard if you’re a Centre & Hillingdon Sports & Leisure regular drinker. centre. Ages 2-Adults. All styles of dance from RAD ballet, Contemporary a Better resolution: Think & ISTD Tap to Break Dancing, Street aboutHip when whereCheck you out Dance, Hopand & Zumba. our website for full class listings, drink alcohol, and plan to www.futunityuk.com. Futunity reduce your intakeContact gradually. Uk Head Office 01895 251224 or Hereadmin@futunityuk.com are a few strategies to try: email • If you usually have 4 drinks Fitness Club St Catherine School, Money Lane, on a night out, replace drink West Drayton, UB7 7NX. 3 with6-7pm. a largeCircuits, soft drink; it Thursday Fitness last you rest of the andmay Boxercise. £5 the a class. Shaun Thompson, www.tauruspt.co.uk evening, halving your alcohol Tel: 07906 087749 intake.
Irish Dancing classes • Match every alcoholic drink and Children age 5 upwards. Beginners with aclasses. soft drink. advanced Monday, 6pm at Hayes Conservative Club, Church Rd • Find other ways to relax if you Wednesday, 6pm at Greenford Visitati always church have ahall drink on your on Catholic Contact Deidre Deirdreosullivan@ return frome:work, and try to hotmail.co.uk t: 07956 346383 make it a Friday-only treat
Ladies Only Kickboxing Club (or reduce your measure). Wednesdays, 6.30-8.00pm Feeling you ‘need’ a drink is a at Watts Hall, Redford Way, Uxbridge, sign – aFREE! first step on UB8warning 1SZ. First Class Justaturn up or call Instructor Leanne potentially dangerous path. Phillips on 07518 848285 Consider if you need to make e: leanne @kickboxing-longdon.co.uk changes in your work life. www.kickboxing-london.co.uk
• If you drink wine withcontinued dinner over...
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!
WD What's On... Sep16.qxp_Layout 1 23/08/2016 20:49 Page 2
KEEP-FIT, DANCE & DRAMA CONTINUED...
Line Dancing Thurs 12-2pm. St Martins Church Hall, Church Road, West Drayton. Call Susan 01895 832837 susanwynne376@gmail.com
Linedance for Improvers Tuesdays 12-2pm Royal British Legion, Station Road, West Drayton. Call Instructor Ann 0791 435 8050
Linedancing Tuesday evenings 7.30-10.30pm. Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre. Call Ann on 0791 435 8050 Modern Jive Classes (Ceroc) Mondays, 8-11pm, Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre Thursdays, 8-11pm, Uxbridge Civic Centre. Beginners welcome, first night entry and free lifetime membership. Contact: Alan 0208 933 4350 or 07860 250961 or email: alanandsue@clubceroc.com.
Nordic Walking & Wellbeing Explore our borough’s green spaces . with all round exercise in the open air 4 wk courses various days and locations pre-booking essential contact 07771 872 592 / learningmoves@hotmailco.uk Pilates and Tai Chi Fit courses Tuesdays 7.30-8.30pm, Yiewsley and West Drayton Community Centre. Contact Penny 07771 872592/01895 420409; learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk Pinewood Fitness The Fitness Room, Pinewood Studios, Pinewood Road, Iver Heath, Sl0 0NH Mon 20.00-21.00, Wed 19.30-20.30 Booking only. Various Fitness Circuits, Boxercise, Gym Work £5 a class. Shaun Thompson, www.tauruspt.co.uk 07906 087749 Salsa Classes Every Monday: The Middlesex Arms, Long Drive, South Ruislip, HA4 0HG. Beginners class 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 class starts 7:30pm. Improvers/Intermediates: 8.30
9.30pm. Freestyle dancing/practice time til 11pm
Tai Chi Classes Sat 10-11am, Yiewsley Methodist Church, Fairfield Road, UB7 8EY. Call Dan on 07880 601429 to book. Tai Chi Fit Designed for modern life. Wed 09.3010.30am. Yiewsley and West Drayton Community Centre UB7 9JL. Contact Penny 07771 872592/01895 420409; learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk Tap Dance Mondays 7.30-8.30pm at Meadows Community Centre, West Drayton. Adult Beginner/Intermediate tap. No exams. Contact 01895 420409 / learningmoves@hotmail.co.uk. Weekly Tea Dance 2pm to 4pm at Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre please call 01895 422776 for info. Yoga for All Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre. Priya 01895 440712
Zumba Mon 6pm, Walter Pomeroy Hall, Royal Lane Hillingdon UB8 3QU. Tues 7.30pm, St Marys Church Hall, Hemmen Lane (off Church Rd, Hayes) UB3 2JQ. All welcome. £5. Ann-Marie Samuels 07701 012927 Chair exercise and Fitsteps/Zumba for over 55’s Monday mornings at Yiewsley & West Drayton community Centre Chair exercise is from 10.30am to 11.15am followed by tea/coffee, then Fit steps/Zumba from 11.30am to 12.15pm. £1 per class for info: 01895 443423 PRE-SCHOOL & KIDS GROUPS... Mobile Disco for Children A mobile disco available for hire, for children of all ages call Zoe on 07747 063149 for details. Slough Sea Cadets Parade nights on Mon and Thu 19.30-21.30 at Langley Pavillion, Langley Road, Slough, SL3 8BS. Male & Female Junior Cadets (age 10-12yrs) & Cadets (age 1218yrs). Fees £2pw, courses from £5. Email: sloughseacadets@yahoo.co.uk
Stars at Knight After school Drama Club for children 7-18 yrs at Southlands Art Centre, 76 The Green, West Drayton. Tel: 0208 841 8940 / 07956 123626 e: starsatknightdrama@gmail.com www.starsatknight-schoolofdrama.co.uk
MUSIC... Faraday Country Music Club In Slough SL2 1RN. Join us for the best live Country Music. From 811pm. Call Deb 07986 050742 www.faradaycountry.co.uk Guitar lessons Complete beginners welcome. Contact Sam on 07798 588496 sam@uxbridgeguitarlessons.co.uk 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 for details on 07946 402797 or email wlsr.uxb@gmail.com
Yiewsley & West Drayton Band Rehearse every Wednesday and Friday 8-10pm at St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. To join or book the band for an engagement contact Lynne on 07976 824152 or email Lynne@ywdband.com Yiewsley & West Drayton Training Band Open to all ages wanting to learn to play a brass instrument or to 'brush up' your skills. Rehearse every Wed (TT only) 6.45-7.45pm, St. Matthew's School, Yiewsley. Contact Abi on 07985 302 856 or emailtraining@ywdband.com PETS... Iver Dog Training Club Every Tue and Fri 6.30pm-9.00pm at St Andrews Church, Richings Park. Call Diana 01753 732907. Iver Heath Fields Dog Club 'Outdoor Training' every Sat at 10.15am, Wed at 11am. Call Mike on 01753 817852 or 07795 031335 continued over...
WD What's On... Nov16.qxp_Layout 1 28/10/2016 19:01 Page 3
SELF DEFENCE...
& West Drayton Community Centre. Call Sarah on 0208 569 0181
Close Quarter Combat Based in Richings Park. Specialising in speed, strength and conditioning training. Pad work combinations. Suitable for men & women of all ages. 1-2-1 sessions. Call Mark 07525 366126 e: mj.wilding@hotmail.com Karate Club of Denham For ages 5 years and upwards. Sundays 9.15-11am at New Denham Community Centre, Oxford Road. Call 07988 743725 Karate Club of Uxbridge For ages 5 years and upwards. Wed 5-7pm at The Greenway, Uxbridge. Call 07988 743725 Heathrow Boxing Club Men & women, boys & girls Junior Boxing Club: Tue & Thu, 5pm. Senior Boxing Club Mon, Tue & Thu, 8pm. 422 Bath Road, Longford, Middlesex, UB7 0EB. Tel: 0208 123 1271. Martial Arts Bujinkan Kuri Dojo Ninjutsu and Bujutsu, Unit 21 Bridgeworks, UB8 2JG. Tel: 07878 471124. Training: Sunday 10.30am-12.30pm, Tuesday 8-10pm, Thursday 8.3010pm www.bujinkankuridojo.co.uk
Hillingdon Brain Tumour Group Support group held every 2nd Thurs of the month 12.30-2.30pm, Hillingdon Baptist Church, Hercies Rd, Hillingdon, UB10 9LS. Call Cyril or Becky 01895 637444.
Probus Club of Langley & Iver is always looking for new members, we meet for lunch at Pinewood Hotel, George Green, Uxbridge Road, Slough on the last Tuesday of the month (except Dec). We are friendly and attract retired persons of both sexes who usually are from a professional background although there is nothing rigid about background. We normally have a speaker and cover a wide range of interests. Call Maureen Richardson 01753 819456.
Shorinji Kempo Self Defence Learn the practical self defence techniques of this traditional Japanese martial art. Tue 6-7pm children (£2), 7-9pm adults (£5). The Barn, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge. Call Dan 07776 421957. www.sk.harrow.ac.uk Silat Kuntao Indonesian Self-Defence Traditional self-defence, includes empty hand, weapons, meditation and healing massage. 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.
Slimming World The Salvation Army, Cowley Road, Uxbridge. Tuesday 7pm Tel: Nicki 07826 698360 New Denham Community Centre Tuesday, 10-11.30am. Tel: Mandy 07879 897578 Yiewsley Methodist Church, Farfield Road, Yiewsley. Wednesdays 5pm or 6.45pm. Tel: Nicki 07826 698360 Friday mornings at Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre call Sandra for info: 07766 250 612 SOCIAL GROUPS...
Colne Valley Park Conservation Vols Every second weekend of the month. Hands on help to protect the wildlife and local landscape. Contact Steve Ord. steven.ord@groundwork.org.uk or call 07718 043080. Harlington Women’s Institute Every 1st Wed of month, 7.309.30pm at Landsdown House, St Peter's Way Hayes UB3 5AB. Call Sarah Wilson 0208 759 0019 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.
SELF HELP & SUPPORT...
Over 60s Social Group Over 60s Singles Group meet fortnightly at various agreed venues. Judith 07980 073170 Mel 07785 582323 judithholl07@hotmail.co.uk
Alcoholics Anonymous Meet every Sunday, 7.30pm at St Leonards Hall, St Leonards Walk, Richings Park, Iver, SL0 9DD. For more call Howard 07816 315688. Glow Fitness Every Thursday 10-11.30am, Yiewsley
Over 65s Wellbeing Sessions Every Friday from 1:30-3:30pm. Creative art & craft activities & chair & standing exercise for over 65s at Yiewsley Cornerstone Centre, 74 Colham Ave. Yiewsley UB7 8HF. Sessions free. Call 01895 458310 www.yiewsleycornerstone.co.uk.
Southlands Ladies Group Talks, outings, own evenings. Mon fortnightly. Call 01895 445766 Senior Citizens Welfare Association Monthly social on the 4th Wed of every month, with tea/raffle /tombola /bingo and regular outings at Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre 01895 443423 for info.
Veterans Breakfast Club runs to help Armed Forces Veterans in West London and surrounding areas. Comrades 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: Iain Henderson, Iain115@aol.com (exRAF) or Lorraine Reed 07976 398533, lorraineareed@gmail.com Women’s Social Group Looking to make new friends? Social group for women. Call Seema 07730 898635 or seemaa@seemaa.co.uk SPORT... Hayes & Harlington Road Runners Includes beginners sessions for anyone looking to start running. Every Wed, 8pm at Hayes and Harlington Community Association, Albert Road, Hayes. E: jack.nisbet@talk21.com www.hhroadrunners.com. Ladies Golf Meets 10am every Monday and Wednesday at Rickmansworth Golf Club new members welcome. Email ladies-captain@rickmansworthgolf club.co.uk for further details. Uxbridge Squash Club All welcome. Uxbridge Cricket Club, Park Rd, Uxbridge. E: squash@ uxbridgesquash.org.uk or visit: www.uxbridgesquash.org.uk.
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