Lancashire local 38

Issue. 38 - December 2017 www.facebook.com/LancsLocal | www.Lancashire-Local.com | www.twitter.com/@lancslocal

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Your 28 page Christmas pull out inside

Four charged following Morecambe shooting Detectives investigating a shooting in Morecambe have charged four men.

Officers launched an investigation earlier this month following an incident at an address in Buttermere Avenue.

Police were called by the ambulance service around 12.30am on Saturday, December 2, where paramedics were treating a 29-yearold woman with serious facial injuries.

Detectives believe a shotgun had been discharged through her window, hitting the woman in the face. She was taken to hospital for treatment with her injuries described as not life-threatening.

Following investigation, a number of people were arrested by police in connection with the offence.

After consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Tanaka

Mutambirwa, 25, of no fixed address, has been charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

Dean Tarry, 50, of Westminster Road, Morecambe, Jayden Williams, 25, of Allerton Road, Bradford and Damien Ivory, 23, of Basil Street, Bradford, have all been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.

The men were due to appear at Preston Magistrates’ Court today (Wednesday, December 13), Four people earlier arrested on suspicion of attempted murder have been released on bail, with four men arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs all released under investigation.

Three people arrested in Huddersfield on suspicion of assisting an offender have been released under investigation.

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Lancashire's Ambition for children and young people The vast majority of Lancashire’s children and young people are already taught in schools or educational settings that are either good or outstanding, but the new ‘Lancashire Ambition’ plan commits to build upon this achievement.

It outlines how the county council will work closely with partners in health, education, governing bodies, parents and children and young people themselves, to make sure that everyone can access a good education and is able to perform to the best of their abilities. This is strengthened by the commitment to ensure that the views of children and young people themselves are heard.

Providing dedicated services to help children, liaising with other professionals to provide joined-up

support so that children are able to achieve their potential and narrow the gap between their peers, are central to the plan.

County Councillor Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: “Everyone deserves a good start in life, and this plan reaffirms the commitment of the county council, across all stages of education, for all groups and individuals.

“We are absolutely committed to providing the best possible education for all children, irrespective of their background, culture or religion.

“All of Lancashire’s children and young people have the right to achieve and aspire to be the very best they can, to make the most of their lives and be able to do so in a safe and

secure environment. Ensuring that they have access to good education, no matter where they are being taught, is an important part of this.

“We will work in partnership to achieve our aims to raise achievement for all, help children to do well at school and make a better future for themselves.”

If your child goes to a school or an educational setting in Lancashire, the ambition is that: • Every child goes to a school or educational setting that is at least good, and is safe and secure.

• Wherever possible, every community has a local school or provider that serves and is responsive to the local need.

• All children An ambitious plan which underpins leave school Lancashire County Council's fully literate and numerate, able pledge to provide the best to excel in their education for all children and chosen academic or vocational young people up to the age subjects, and able of 25, and in turn improve their to compete with others nationally, job prospects, has been approved ready to take their by the council's cabinet. next steps.

• Each school has a rich and broad curriculum that matches the needs of the children, is designed by the school and is exciting, creative and innovative.

Investigation underway after Burnley exposure incident We are appealing for information after a man exposed himself to a teenager in Burnley.

Police were called at 7.40pm yesterday (Monday, December 11) to reports of an incident in Cog Lane.

Around 7pm, a 13-year-old girl had been walking in the direction of Rossendale Road close to the Premier shop (pictured) when she noticed a man behind her.

As she turned around, the man turned sideways before exposing himself. The offender then made off on Cog Lane, with the girl going

home and reporting the incident.

The suspect is described as white, aged in his 40s with dark brown hair.

It is believed he was carrying a grey petrol container.

Police are appealing for information and urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

PC Sam Burniston, of Burnley Police, said: “We are looking to identify a man who indecently exposed himself on Cog Lane.

“The victim, who is 13-years-old, was walking past the Premier shop when she became aware of a man walking behind her and turned around. As she

did he turned sideways and exposed himself.

“This is clearly a very disturbing incident and we are appealing for information about the offender described.

“We are looking to speak to anyone who may have seen this man and would ask anyone with any information to contact police on 101 quoting incident reference 1341 of December 11.”

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The online tool that helps fight loneliness

for the elderly is sweeping the awards There are over 1.2 million lonely older people in England. Age UK is working to end later life loneliness on a national scale by using digital to help scale their telephone befriending service ‘Call in time’.

The ‘Call in Time’ service, is an essential service provided by Age UK where Volunteers sign up online to make a weekly half-hour phone call to an older person to chat, discuss, befriend and enlighten each other’s lives. Age UK have been manually matching older people with volunteers and scheduling calls for years. It was a high-quality service but was impossible to deliver an impact at the scale required. Age UK wanted to utilise digital to automate the process while still making sure that every call is a rewarding and safe experience.

Following research and service design

by Webcredible, the new service has helped increase thousands of volunteers, and elderly befriend each other through an easy to use interface.

Webcredible designed and validated the digital service, delivering an engaging user experience. The results have been incredible.

The new Call in Time service went live successfully in November and was announced on Good Morning Britain as part of a national later life loneliness campaign reaching over 1 million people. Age UK was inundated with would-be volunteers

signing up, with over 2,600 new volunteers and over 500 more older people for the waiting list. All this has been achieved without the need to scale the Age UK team.

The campaign was so successful Age UK had to pause new volunteer applications to enable us to bring more older people into the service to meet the British public’s desire to help.

The industry has been quick to recognise the hard work of Webcredible, Reason Digital and Age UK project picking up two BIMA 2017 awards for the ‘Product and Service Design: Conscience’ and ‘Advanced Award for Conscience’ and a Third Sector Award for ‘Breakthrough of the Year’.

Andy Ingle, Experience Director at Webcredible, said “We’re delighted to

win this award in acknowledgement of all the work we’ve been doing with Age UK to help them transform into a digitally-led charity. Of all our work the projects we truly value are the ones that make a difference to the lives of those in need.”

Lara Burns, Chief Digital officer at Age UK said: “I’m really proud of what we have been able to achieve with the Call in Time website which has ultimately ensured that more volunteers can connect with lonely older people through our vital befriending service which offers the only contact some older people have on a regular basis.”

Green light for Northlight!

Major plans get the go-ahead

“Our ambitious plans to create a new £32m learning, living, working, leisure and cultural destination for the North West entered an exciting new stage this week,” announced Councillor Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council.

Planning permission has been granted for 52 apartments in the iconic Victorian mill and Northlight residents will also have hidden basement parking .

Office spaces for businesses and organisations within the Grade II listed mill, which was built in 1838 alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, also got the go ahead.

And plans to develop a range of eating and drinking businesses within the former Brierfield Mill complex were approved,too.

Planning permission was granted at the Brierfield and Reedley Committee on Tuesday 5th December 2017.

“This will make our Grade II listed

mill a great place to work, live and visit and will create hundreds of jobs,” stated Councillor Iqbal who leads on economic development for Pendle.

Councillor Naeem Ashraf, who chairs the Brierfield and Reedley Area Committee where planning permission for the exciting plans was approved, said: “We support the transformation of Brierfield Mill into Northlight – this redevelopment is vitally important for our area.”

Pendle Enterprise And Regeneration Ltd (PEARL) is the joint venture company of Pendle Council and Barnfield Investment Properties which owns Northlight.

More information on Northlight is available on the new website www. pearlpendle.co.uk and photographs of the heritage mill and architects’ impressions of Northlight can be seen via http://www.pearlpendle.co.uk/

northlight/gallery/ “It’s fantastic for Pendle to get the green light for this important next stage in the transformation of Northlight said Councillor Iqbal who is the chairman of PEARL. Tim Webber is Managing Director of Barnfield and a PEARL board member. He said: “As Pendle developers with our HQ within sight of Northlight, working to transform this historic landmark has been a labour of love for us.

“We’re immensely proud of the work we’ve done to sensitively convert the historic office buildings to create the new Lancashire Adult Learning.

“And we’re working at full speed ahead to develop excellent sport facilities for Burnley FC in the Community which will open at Northlight in the spring.

“Brierfield’s arts organisation In-Situ will open their innovative garage site in the spring as an arts and culture hub

for Pendle,” he added.

“These are very exciting times for Northlight,” he stated.

The development of Northlight has been made possible thanks to a range of funding including £4.2m from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal Funding, £2.15m from Lancashire County Council and £1.5m from Pendle Council.

Councillor Iqbal added: “We’ve bought properties on Clitheroe Road adjoining Northlight, including the derelict Railway Tavern, a garage and car sales business through Compulsory Purchase.

“All these properties will now be demolished to provide an attractive landscaped car park for Northlight,” he explained. “People have been asking why there’s been a delay, but we need to wait for the utility companies to disconnect the services.

“Once that’s done PEARL can arrange to get the buildings safely demolished and we’ve lined up a demolition contractor to start work.

“The demolition will really help to open up views of the mill from Railway Street and will be another exciting step forward!”

History & background Brierfield Mill was one of the first steam powered cotton spinning mills in the area and in 1890, the mill clattered to the sound of 2,213 looms and 91,000 spindles. At its prime in 1948 the company owned nearly 80,000 mule spindles in two spinning mills and had 2,800 looms in four weaving sheds. In 1957 Smith and nephew Textiles Ltd bought the mill for the manufacture of surgical bandages.

In 2001 the company merged with the German company Beiersdorf AG trading under the name BSN Medical – the only one of its kind in the UK, weaving for the medical industry with stringent regulations.

Brierfield Mill closed in 2007 and this iconic landmark became one of English Heritage’s Listed Buildings at Risk. It lay empty for five years, having been sold to a private organisation for possible use as a school, but it was not put into use.

Pendle Council successfully negotiated to buy the historic mill for £1.5 million in March 2012 thanks to a 100% grant from the government’s Homes and Communities Agency. The mill complex was then transferred to PEARL – Pendle Enterprise and Regeneration (Brierfield Mill) Ltd under an agreement to secure funding and transform the complex.

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Street art to be used to crackdown on sales of alcohol to underage drinkers Pavement ‘street art’ will be used in the battle against underage drinking in Burnley in the run-up to Christmas.

Eye-catching pavement stencils will be put in place by the borough’s Community Alcohol Partnership (CAP) as part of a festive crackdown on adults attempting to buy alcohol for young people (known as a proxy purchase).

Local shops are joining in the campaign. The stencils will be displayed outside their premises and leaflets will be made available to customers to explain that buying alcohol for under-18s is an offence and shops have the right to refuse sales.

Councillor Lian Pate, who chairs the local partnership that brings organisations together to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, said: “We all know that alcohol poses a serious threat to children, not just to their health but also to their personal safety.

“Adults who buy alcohol for children should think twice about what

Pay by phone parking scheme introduced Burnley Council has introduced a “pay by phone parking” service for motorists on its town centre car parks.

Drivers who download an app to their smartphone can buy a parking ticket, and even extend the time allowed on the ticket remotely or pay by text under the new scheme.

There is no need to display a parking ticket as parking enforcement officers are made aware via handheld computer.

All the Burnley town centre car parks (except Victoria, behind the town hall) offer the service, in addition to the usual cash payments.

The council is planning to offer the

service on its car parks in Towneley Park at a later date.

The MiPermit service offers a number of advantages for drivers over traditional cash payments, including the ability to pay via credit or debit card, an option to get a text reminder when the parking time is about to expire, and being able to extend a payment session without having to return to your vehicle.There is also the option to pre-pay for up to seven days parking in advance.

The user pays 10p for the service, in addition to the parking fee, and an optional extra 10p for a text reminder that the parking time is due to expire.

The fees will cover the cost of operating the service.

Councillor Lian Pate, the council’s executive member for community services, said: “The scheme means motorists don’t have to scrabble around for the right change when they get to the ticket machine on our car parks. It gives them another option on how to pay, and the opportunity to extend their stay without having to go back to their car.

“Similar schemes are in operation in other towns across the country and have proved successful. We’ve decided to introduce the service following an increasing number of

Congratulations to Stephen Smith Guardian Public Servant of the Year Lancashire County Council is today congratulating Stephen Smith after he won the prestigious Guardian Public Servant of the Year award.

Stephen, who lives in Clitheroe, was voted as the winner by members of the public.

The award recognises the contribution he has made campaigning on issues that have affected people with a learning disability in Lancashire over the last 25 years.

Stephen is employed as a project worker for the REACT service.

This is commissioned by the county council to give people with a learning disability a voice to help shape services locally and share their views about issues that are important to them.

He also sits on the Lancashire Learning Disability Partnership Board and has chaired and participated in

many meetings over the years, both in Lancashire and across the north west.

Stephen said: "I have worked for over 25 years to make sure people with learning disabilities can have their voices heard.

“Winning this award is a dream come true for me and I am over the moon."

County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: "Congratulations to Stephen.

"This award shows that he's made a huge difference to the lives of people across the county and they have voted for him in their thousands.

"Stephen uses his experience and knowledge to help the county council and other local organisations to support people with disabilities in the best way they can."

Stephen has recently helped the Lancashire Learning Disability

Partnership Board to develop Safety in Town, a scheme that provides safe places such as shops, bus stations and libraries, where people can go when they need to contact friends or family.

He's also played a key part in Friends and Relationships, a programme which supports people with disabilities to make friendships, to help them avoid becoming isolated or lonely.

County Councillor Driver added: "Stephen has worked very hard and made a tremendous contribution to his community. He should be very proud to be the Guardian Public Servant of the Year."

This latest award follows Stephen winning the regional Derek Russell Outstanding Leadership Award earlier this year at the North West Regional Forum Conference in Blackpool.

requests from the public.”

The system is very easy to use once registered, especially if you use the MiPermit app on your phone.

People can register for the service at www.wanttopark.com/burnleywhere there are also more details about the scheme. You don’t have to register to use the service but will have to enter your details every time you use it.

For more information on MiPermit visit www.mipermit.com

they’re doing and simply refuse to do it. They’re not doing anyone any favours, especially the children who are asking them.” CAP’s national director Kate Winstanley said: “The Chief Medical Officer guidance is that an alcohol free childhood is best. Drinking alcohol at a young age brings serious risks to children’s health and development and puts them in danger of both physical and social harm. They are far more likely to injure themselves or someone else, engage in unsafe sex, fail to reach their potential at school and engage in anti-social behaviour.

“While we have made great progress in reducing direct sales to under 18s via use of the Challenge 25 scheme, it’s unfortunately still common for under 18s to obtain alcohol by asking adults to buy it on their behalf (proxy

purchase). “At CAP we work hard to raise awareness of this issue and protect children from alcohol harm.

We’ve found that pavement stencils like this are a great way of highlighting the issue - they warn adults not to buy alcohol for children and support staff by showing that proxy purchasing will not be tolerated. The paint spray is chalk-based and temporary and we always gain permission from the shops involved and from the local council to use them.”

CAPs are made up of partnerships between local authorities, police, schools, retailers, neighbourhood groups and health providers and aim to reduce the sale of alcohol to young people, advise them on the dangers of drinking and provide alcohol-free activities through local youth services and charities.

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Art & Soul Tattoo Studio What’s ‘normal’ for a dog?

Vetrax® says it’s now possible to have an evidence-based answer Art & Soul Tattoo Studio, a Leyland based, well established studio Nick opened in 2001. Through all the changes Leyland has seen this particular shop has weathered every storm.

With many, many regulars and more clients being added weekly this studio is very well settled. Nick Bleasdale found his passion in art at a young age, influenced by his \father, also a talented artist.

He spent many years travelling most of the country, often requested for personally, he could be on a journey to the top of Scotland at the start of the week and in devon by the end !

He settled in Leyland and attended Preston University of Central Lancashire where he obtained his degree in fine art and illustration.

By 1998 he and a friend were commissioned to paint a large 19ft mural in St. Georges shopping centre, Preston.

Nick’s first passion may well be tattoos, he is also accomplished with various other mediums including - airbrush, paintbrush, pencil or charcoal and loves to do portraits, murals, recently completing a full wall in the local Unicorn pub, Preston.

Nick’s studio is a friendly place, you are more than welcome to drop in for a chat, provided of course he’s not snowed under, as he often is, you can have a brew and get involved in Just how long should a dog spend to quantify whether an animal’s identify when a pet is experiencing some interesting discussions on many asleep in a 24 hour period? Is it behavior has changed, or is occurring interrupted sleep, which is often the subjects ! normal for dogs to scratch and when with unusual frequency, is key to case when there is pain or discomfort.

In his spare time he enjoys playing The mean time spent scratching each is scratching so excessive that owners veterinary medicine. numerous instruments, including should seek veterinary care? These The Vetrax data has been gathered day adds up to 100 seconds and guitar, mandolin, banjo, drums, penny are basic questions, yet until now, from dogs wearing the company’s shaking accounts for just 39 seconds. whistle, flute and will often turn his they have not had a clear answer. pet sensor. This sophisticated monitor Vetrax founder, President and CEO, hand to whatever instrument that That’s about to change, as technology evaluates not just general activity Marcel Sarzen says that there will has been passed to him. He also has being more than exemplary in the art. piece of art, you are more than company AGL has published results but also more clinically relevant always be individual variation within So if you’re thinking of that special welcome to pop in for a chat. a passion for magic and card tricks, from 28,000 dog days of data behaviors such as scratching or a population but the company hopes publication of this data will be useful generated by its wearable sensor shaking.

Vetrax®.

One of the most surprising findings to the profession, “We recognise The results contradict commonly is the amount and level of exercise the importance of establishing an quoted ‘facts’ about day to day pet taken by dogs in the US. Vetrax has evidence base for what is normal and behaviors and show that dogs are found that dogs on average walk for we’re delighted to be able to share the sleeping less than thought but also just 68 minutes per day and run for data that’s been gathered so far.” living sedentary lives, walking for 5 minutes.* They spend a substantial He continued, “We do want to just over an hour a day and resting for nine hours merely ‘resting’. This can emphasize that what is really nine hours on average. It means that have implications when considering important is to establish what is veterinary professionals can now refer calorie intake in the management normal for an individual pet. By to statistics with an evidence base and of obesity and when thinking about monitoring the results from a Vetrax take ‘average’ behavior into account how much stimulation dogs have sensor, pet owners and veterinary throughout a normal day. professionals can identify when a when making recommendations.

It’s not unusual for pet behavior Dogs sleep for a mean of 10.4 hours in behavior is occurring at a level that’s norms to be ill defined or overly every 24 – less than the 12 to 14 hours not usual for that pet. It might be that reliant on owner observations but commonly quoted. The company also that isn’t being observed – perhaps having a normal baseline from which has measures for sleep quality which because it happens at night or when the owner is out, or even is just a little elevated above normal levels.

If we can spot these changes at an early stage, it gives pet parents and veterinarians a great opportunity to take prompt action and achieve better clinical outcomes.”

Using the Vetrax cloud based hub, veterinary professionals can set individual targets for their patients and send clients alerts to help them improve their dog’s health and wellbeing. Currently, pet owners enrolling for ongoing automatic purchase of any Hill’s Pet Nutrition food for their dog can receive the Vetrax sensor and monitoring for free from participating vet clinics while the food continues to be fed – an offer worth in excess of $120.

Professionals can find out how their practice can take part and offer their clients Vetrax monitoring at www. vetrax.com.

For data on normal behaviors go to www.vetrax.com/behaviornorms * Canine Behaviors - Daily Norms, All Weights - All Breeds - All Gender - All Health Status September 2017 - 28,000 Dog Days.

Values quoted are means.

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Grateful grandmother raises

£285 for The Sick Children's Trust A lady, whose daughter and son-in-law were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust when their three day old baby began coughing up blood, has raised £285 for the charity as thanks for its support.

Jeanne Cookson, from Burnley, offered dog-sitting services to busy puppy owners throughout the summer in return for a donation for The Sick Children’s Trust and organised a fun-filled celebration party and raffle at a toddler group run at her local church to thank the charity for supporting her daughter Jen and husband Paul Colenutt.

At just three days old, Jeanne’s grandson George was rushed to A&E at Wakefield’s Pinderfields Hospital when he began coughing up blood in the back of his parents’ car. Although the doctors were able to stabilise George, an immediate emergency transfer was arranged to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI). Mum Jen, 30, watched on helplessly as the ambulance was forced to stop during the journey to give her baby a blood transfusion.

George was met by the paediatric and surgical team at LGI and was raced into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for a further examination. Although doctors assumed he had a gastro-intestinal bleed, they were unable to pinpoint the location, and struggled to stop the bleeding. Mum, Jen, who works alongside her husband, Paul, in the water industry, says: “By the time we arrived at LGI it was really late and we were allowed to stay a room just off the ward. Early the next morning, whilst we were with George, a nurse approached us and told us about The Sick Children’s Trust and said that they could provide us with free accommodation literally 30 seconds away from the hospital entrance whilst our baby was being treated.

“Neither my husband nor I had any idea such a charity existed. We don’t live far from LGI, but I couldn’t imagine leaving my baby when he was so ill. I was also recovering from a caesarean, so the added stress and anxiety of being away from my son would have really taken its toll. Although doctors had stabilised George, no one knew where the bleeding was coming from. It was honestly the most distressing time of our lives.

“Stepping into Eckersley House felt like walking into a safe haven. Paul and I were exhausted – we went straight into the large kitchen with Jane, the House Manager, who showed us where we could make a cup of tea and immediately met other parents who were also being supported by the charity. I will never forget one lovely lady whose child was on the wards, she took one look at us and offered to make us breakfast, as all we had with us was instant noodles and she said we needed real sustenance!

“Eckersley House was brilliant. So many people we’ve told about it had no idea that The Sick Children’s Trust even existed. I am so proud of my mum for raising such important awareness for the charity and for all the fundraising she has been doing.

No words will ever be strong enough to thank the charity for how they looked after us, so as a family we will do our best to thank them in whatever way we can.”

Jen and Paul stayed at Eckersley House, one of ten ‘Homes from Home’ run by The Sick Children’s Trust, for over a week whilst George recovered.

Although George’s bleeding still remains a mystery, the doctors discovered that he had a condition called vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), which is the backward flow of urine from the bladder into the kidneys. Fortunately George recovered well from the bleed and has suffered no adverse effects from the VUR, although he continues to be monitored. His Grandmother, Jeanne,

who helps run her local church run toddler group, says: “When I went over to support Jen at LGI she showed me around Eckersley House. It is an amazing thing to be able to stay so close to your loved one and I thought everything was so well organised. It helped Jen to have some peace of mind and be strong for George. I knew I wanted to do something to give back to the charity because I can see how important it is for so many families with sick children.

“I had the idea to look after dogs in return for donations, because our own passed away a few years ago and we miss having dogs in our home.

It was lovely to have different dogs staying with us over the summer, all with different personalities and now George is over a year old, he is really fascinated by them.

“The idea to fundraise at the toddler group came to me as it was the group’s 21st birthday and although we are a small group, I thought if we combined a party with a raffle, it would raise more money. I bought one of The Sick Children’s Trust’s teddies and we had a competition to name the bear, which was fun for the children. And I am already thinking about what more I can do to help the charity in the future.”

The Sick Children’s Trust supports around 4,000 families in its ten ‘Homes from Home’ every year – keeping families close to their seriously ill child’s bedside. Jane McHale, Eckersley House Manager,

says: “We are so grateful to George’s Grandmother, Jeanne, for taking the time to think about The Sick Children’s Trust and fundraise for us.

To know that she saw how much we helped her daughter and Paul when

George was ill touches all our hearts.

“It costs the charity £30 to support a family for one night in one of our ‘Homes from Home’ and we rely entirely on voluntary donations to do this, so Jeanne’s fundraising and spreading the word about our work will contribute to supporting lots of other families when they need a ‘Home from Home’.”

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Free exhibition event for blind and visually impaired Towneley Hall in Burnley has joined forces with a local Lions club to stage an exhibition with a difference.

The historic hall will be hosting a one-day only exhibition for blind and visually impaired people on Saturday, 18th November, which has been organised by members from Burnley Lions Club.

The free exhibition, running between 10am and 4pm, will bring together an array of service providers and leading technology developers to offer a one-stop shop for information, support and advice.

Ken Darwen, Towneley Hall manager, said: “We are delighted to be working with Lions Club to stage this event, which will be offering a combination of advice, support and social activities.

“This will also be a great opportunity for people to find out more about the services that are available, and to chat to others in a similar situation.

“We’d like as many people as possible to come along to our exhibition event. Whether you have sight loss yourself, or you know someone who has, this is an opportunity not to be missed.”

There will be representatives from Braille IT, who will be giving simple demonstrations in the use of Braille as well ‘brailleing’ out complimentary personal Christmas cards.

The falls prevention team from 5 Falls Unit will share their top tips on keeping safe and how to avoid tripping over. It will also be changing ferrules, the bottom of walking sticks, free of charge.

Sight loss support organisations and charities including Blind Society, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Macular Support and Guide Dogs for the Blind will be on hand to offer their help and advice.

A range of businesses will be showcasing their latest inventions such as electronic magnifiers, text-to speech readers, Bluetooth-based apps for easier mobility, and accessibility software for computers and tablets.

For more information please contact Frank from Burnley Lions Club on 01282 702348.

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Northlight welcomes 1.75m

Lancashire Adult Learning Centre The 32m Northlight complex is welcoming Lancashire Adult Learning (LAL) as the first centre to open at the former Brierfield Mill this autumn. Funding organisations and partners who’ve made the new £1.75m centre possible saw behind the scenes on Wednesday 27 September, before the official opening in October.

Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) provided a total of £1.4m to support the relocation of Lancashire Adult Learning’s (LAL) from Chorley to Northlight thanks to LEP’s £750,000 of Growth Deal Skills Capital and £650,000 from Lancashire County Council.

The LEP has also invested £4.2million of Growth Deal funding into the overall Northlight scheme.

And Lancashire County Council is providing a total of £2.15m for Northlight including improved access from the M65 and re-developing part of the canalside for leisure.

Leader of Pendle Council, Councillor Iqbal said: “Thanks to the massive support we’ve had it’s been full speed ahead since October 2016.

“I’m delighted this fantastic facility has found a new home in Pendle in the beautiful Victorian office buildings of our iconic mill. What a location!”

“The fast pace of development on our ambitious project proves it has a great future,” explained Councillor Iqbal, who also chairs Pendle Enterprise And Regeneration (PEARL). PEARL is the joint venture company of Pendle

Council and Barnfield Investment Properties which owns Northlight and more details on this and other transformational projects are on www. pearlpendle.co.uk. “It’s fantastic to see Northlight taking shape to create a new learning, living, working, leisure and cultural destination for the North West,” Councillor Iqbal stated.

The new LAL Centre will support a staggering 22,000 adult learners in Lancashire across 120 venues in the county. An official VIP launch event will be held in October. Amanda Melton, Principal of both Lancashire Adult Learning and Nelson and Colne College, said: “The facilities at Northlight are of the highest standard and I am extremely impressed with the transformation that has taken place here over recent months. “I’m delighted that Lancashire Adult Learning is part of such an exciting project, one that will really enhance adult learning. “Our base will now be at Brierfield, but our provision will remain the same – providing adults across the county with an opportunity to re-discover a love for learning in one of our many community venues across Lancashire. “We have an extensive and exciting programme of courses designed to meet the needs of the local community.”

County Councillor Graham Gooch, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Lancashire County Council, said: “We are delighted to be able to support the investment into the redevelopment of Northlight and

improved access from the M65 will make it a prime site for the area.

“I am equally pleased that Lancashire Adult Learning will be the first centre to open as part of the complex, offering a wide range of courses and learning opportunities for the local community. “As Lancashire Adult Learning is one of the UK's largest adult education providers it is great for the people of Pendle to have this centre on their doorstep,” he said.

Tim Webber, Managing Director of Barnfield and a PEARL board member said: “We’ve worked intensely and with great care to sensitively restore and refurbish this elegant building for a new purpose.”

Tim Webber announced the next new developments for Northlight at the preview as work continues on the rest of the site to transform the whole complex. These include a residential planning submission in for 52 apartments. “As Pendle developers with our HQ within sight of Northlight, it’s been a labour of love for us and we’re immensely proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

“It’s full speed ahead with Burnley FC in the Community which opens fantastic facilities here in the spring and In-Situ opening their innovative garage site as an arts and culture hub,” he said. Graham Cowley, Chair of the LEP Growth Deal Management Board said: “The £5million Growth Deal investment in the Northlight scheme reflects how the LEP supports projects which add real value to the

county’s economy at both a local and regional level.

“Brierfield Mill is gradually being transformed into a thriving hub of education, leisure and residential services, which will benefit the whole of the local community, while the new LAL office will be able to deliver vital adult learning provision more effectively and efficiently across all of Lancashire.

“It’s a great example of how the Lancashire Growth Deal can help unlock investment and drive regeneration,” he said.

David Graham, Site Manager at Northlight for Barnfield described how his team has created the new modern and accessible LAL Centre whilst protecting some elegant period features. “Luckily for us the Victorians built it very robustly so there were no challenges to overcome!

“We’ve restored the curved oak staircase and the main feature window with its stunning view over the northlights of the weaving shed to the historic clock tower,” he said.

“We’ve kept parts of the vaulted ceiling intact, reconstructed curved windows and plaster work,” he explained. “It’s been wonderful to see how delighted Amanda Melton and her team have been with their new centre!” For anybody interested in joining LAL or finding out more about what we offer, please visit our website at www.lal.ac.uk and download our latest course guide.

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New Blackburn Restaurant

Italian Food and Drink with a love of the town at its heart A new restaurant is set to open in Blackburn at the end of November, to add to the growing choice of places to eat, drink and meet in the town.

Gioia Italiano will be based on Church Street in the building which many people will remember as the Blackburn Visitor Centre or the Blackburn Rovers store.

With around 70 covers, the venue is offering an authentic Italian experience, with a wine bar and uniquely, a deli counter that will offer quick service and take-away meals including piadina using cured meats and cheese with fresh salads and pastas.

Mike Hajewskyj, owner and partner in the project, said: We are thrilled to be bringing Gioia to Blackburn this year. I am Blackburn born and bred and we can see that Blackburn is at a very exciting stage in its rejuvenation.

We have been searching for the perfect venue and love the amount of space the new venue will offer including its conservatory and garden that backs onto the Cathedral grounds.

We hope that Gioia, with it’s relaxed

atmosphere, will attract people who want to meet for a quick drink, need a speedy lunch in the restaurant or want to grab a lunchtime bite from the deli counter, as well as a great evening venue for romantic meals, get-togethers and celebrations.

Our authentic Italian cuisine will also draw on lots of local produce from people that you already know and love. Much of our fish will be from Mayers and our meat from Tom Wood, both on Blackburn Market. We have such amazing suppliers on our doorstep, it’s great to be celebrating fantastic local suppliers too.

Gioia, along with its sumptuous selection of wines and cocktails, also plans to serve local craft beers,

including those from Three B’s Brewery, Hopstar and The Big Clock Brewery.

Mike added, We’ve had tremendous support for the project from other local businesses as well as the council and we are very excited to be bringing this concept to Blackburn. We hope to bring around 20 new jobs to the town too. With more restaurants and bars opening in the heart of town, Blackburn is finally rediscovering its heart and we want Gioia to be a key part of the town’s success.

For more information, you can follow Gioia on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by searching for GioiaItaliano.

You will be able to find their website at gioia-italiano.co.uk.

Pendle Council continues to give good value for money says independent watchdog Pendle Council’s accounts have once again been given a clean bill of health by an independent watchdog.

External auditor Grant Thornton looked at how well the Council managed its finances and whether it provided good value for money for residents.

And the Audit Findings report for 2016/17 states that the Council had proper arrangements in place to ensure it delivered value for money.

Vince Green, Financial Services Manager, said: “This is an impartial and objective report on our financial performance and accounting for our use of public funds.

“The report gives the public an opportunity to learn how we manage public funds.

“Summing up our accounts the auditor considered that our draft accounts were of good quality and supported by excellent working papers.”

Councillor Tony Greaves, who oversees the Council’s finances, added: “It’s good to be officially recognised for managing our money well.

“These are difficult times - we have to balance our budget each year with fewer resources, but I’m happy the auditors acknowledge we do a good job.

“Our excellent staff once again produced the audited accounts ahead of the deadline.”

The auditor’s report is on Pendle Council’s website – www.pendle.gov.uk/auditletter

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Student picks:

Enjoy our selection of simple, budget busting recipes!

Vegetarian Chilli [Recipe by Chelsie Collins, Good Food magazine, July 2016] Ingredients: 400g pack oven-roasted vegetables, 1 can of kidney beans in chilli sauce, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 ready-to-eat mixed grain pouch.

Method: 1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6.

2. Cook the vegetables in a casserole dish for 15 mins.

3. Tip in the beans and tomatoes, season, and cook for another 10-15 mins until piping hot.

4. Heat the pouch in the microwave on High for 1 min and serve with the chilli.

Naan Pizza [Recipe by Nigella, featured in Nigella Express 2007] Ingredients: 1 shop-bought naan bread, 2 teaspoons tomato pulp (chopped and sieved tomatoes from a jar - or other tomato sauce), 70 grams drained mixed mushroom antipasto (from a jar), 75 grams roughly chopped fontina cheese, 3 stalks thyme.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7/425ºF. Lay the naan on a lined baking sheet.

2. Spread the tomato pulp or sauce over the naan, then tumble the drained mushrooms on top and sprinkle with the chopped cheese, before finally strewing with the thyme leaves stripped from the stalks.

3. Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes, by which time the cheese should be bubbling and melted. Be careful not to burn your mouth.

Photo by Lis Parsons (via https://www.nigella.com/ recipes/naan-pizza)

Easy Oven Frittata [Recipe from Good Food Vegetarian Christmas, December 2006]. Ingredients: ½ tsp olive oil, 85g fusilli or macaroni, 1 leek or 1 bunch spring onions chopped, 85g frozen or canned sweetcorn, 85g frozen peas, 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped, 2 large eggs, 150ml semiskimmed milk, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (preferably lemon thyme), 50g extra mature vegetarian chedder, grated, 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan (or vegetarian alternative). Method: 1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Grease a 1.2 litre baking dish with the olive oil.

2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water in a large pan for 8 mins. Add all the vegetables and cook for another 2-3 mins until the pasta is tender and the vegetables slightly softened. Drain, then tip into the baking dish and mix well.

3. Beat together the eggs and milk in a jug and add the thyme. Mix the two cheeses together and add most of it to the egg mixture, then season. Pour into the baking dish, stir gently, then scatter the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 35-40 mins until set and golden. Cool for a few mins, then serve with a green salad.

Chicken, Chilli and Mango Salad [Recipe by Nigella via Nigella Summer 2002] Ingredients: 1 mango (cut into approx. 1cm cubes), 1 spring onion (finely chopped), 1 - 2 red chillies (or to taste) deseeded and finely chopped, juice of 2 limes (to taste), 1 cold cooked chicken breast (cut into chunks), 1 little gem lettuce (sliced or shredded), 1 large handful fresh coriander (chopped), 1 teaspoon groundnut oil, 4 drops toasted sesame oil.

Method: 1. Tumble the mango cubes, and any juice they make, into a bowl and, with your hands, mix in the chopped spring onion and chilli and squeeze over the lime juice: use as much or as little as you want; the amount of juice you can get from a lime varies enormously from one to another.

2. Leave all these to steep whilst continuing with the rest of the shredding and chopping, tumbling in the chunked chicken and shredded lettuce and most of the fresh coriander and, using your hands, toss to combine.

Add the oils and toss again then decant on to a large serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining bit of fresh coriander.

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Fastest growing natural colours company from South America joins Fi Europe this year Colorganics has a broad range of natural colours, producing and developing complete solutions using annatto, curcumin, betanin, anthocyanins, chlorophyllins, carmines, among others. new developments of the company include carmine-free, chlorophyllfree solutions, natural coloring with functional vehicles and fruit extracts through new dehydration technologies.

The company structures and strengthens the value chain of annatto and turmeric, directly benefiting Colombian families and generating sustainable business In 2000, a group of Colombian entrepreneurs ventured into the field of coloring without knowing that 17 years later they would be consolidating a comprehensive business model that develops natural coloring solutions for a demanding national and international market.

A market that, nowadays, responds to the demands of new consumer profiles that seek healthy and natural options and a food industry interested in finding alternatives to replace synthetic dyes.

That is how Colorganics was born, “a company specializing in solutions for the industry, that, in addition to having a standardized offer of products, marks a difference among colorant companies in Latin America for its business model based on co-development which articulates

the needs of the industry based on specific uses,” says Joaquín Gamboa, CEO of this Colombian company.

Gamboa states that, in Latin America, only countries such as Peru, Mexico and Brazil are strong in the agroindustrial sector. “However, these countries do not specialize in industrial applications that require high levels of technical, commercial and regulatory support," says Joaquín.

Colorganics is also involved in all phases of the production chain of

the inputs derived from annatto and turmeric. In that way, the company guarantees a clean extraction and improves quality standards that meet the needs of a demanding market, thus ensuring a sustainable supply to national and international customers and reducing fluctuations in international prices.

An Offer Focused on More Demanding Markets The coloring solutions offered by Colorganics are extracted from

products such as annatto, turmeric and other species typical of the tropics using cleaner technologies and high-performance formulations.

Nowadays, the company is focused on new developments such as the design of natural alternatives of chlorophylland carmine-free green and red colors, fruit and vegetable extracts obtained through more efficient dehydration technologies that provide color and flavor, and liquid and solid coloring with functional vehicles for the meat industry.

To date, the company's formulations have been successfully integrated into applications such as biscuit, bakery and confectionery, dairy and meat, in products that have been able to access more demanding markets such as those in the United States, Europe or Asia.

Moreover, Colorganics is designing a plant for the extraction of active ingredients through biotechnological and/or aqueous extraction processes.

This plant will allow the company to create an alternative for bixin supply as a self-supply strategy for national and international markets.

In this regard, the CEO of Colorganics indicates that, “in order to maintain sustainable growth and face new challenges in the market, we are also developing strategies to consolidate more efficient production technologies, generate business alliances and strengthen the relationship with local communities.”

Food for Progress nominated for Supplier of the Year Swedish food company Food for Progress, with brands like Oumph! and Beat, may become Supplier of the Year in the Fast Food Awards, a competition that rewards good initiatives in the industry.

– We are really excited about this nomination. The journey so far of Food for Progress would never have been possible without all our great partners. Let us roll up our sleeves and work even harder to drive sustainable food development, says Carl Montelius, Head of Customer Relations at Food for Progress.

Fast Food Awards is organised by Fast Food Magazine with the aim of highlighting and rewarding good

initiatives in the industry. Winners will be announced on 31 January at the Fastfood & Café fair and Restaurangexpo, MalmöMässan, Malmö.

The Supplier of the Year winner should be a company that has contributed significantly to creating added value for the fast food and convenience food industry. It may concern product range, service, technology, environment or something else that significantly increases the value for customers and/or staff and the whole company.

The other nominees in the same category are Amazonica – Duni and Karma.

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‘Rocket Fuel’ is the proof that the

future for food innovation is bright For the last ten weeks people up and down the country have been gripped

by Great British Bake Off (GBBO) and the skill, flair and occasional mishap in the baking challenges. Huge congratulations to Sophie – a welldeserved winner for her spectacular entremet! I was particularly impressed by the marbling glaze...my weekend challenge with my 10 year old son.

The Bake Off phenomenon does a lot to excite people about food creation and particularly younger viewers - figures suggest around half the show’s audience is under 34. But are school and university viewers making a link between the drama of GBBO and a potential career path in making tasty treats?

Our research shows that fewer than 1 in 10 young people see themselves working in food manufacturing and 1 in 3 receive no careers advice in school. Given that the Food and Drink Federation estimates that by 2024 the industry will require 130,000 newly skilled recruits, it’s clear we have a lot of work to do to turn general entertainment into career inspiration.

We definitely have the raw talent in the UK - last week we announced the winner of a competition we ran with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) as part of its #ISeeMore campaign. We asked 8-16 year olds to invent the chocolate bar of the future and to think about every aspect of how it would be made.

Our judges, including #GBBO 2016 runner up and aerospace engineer Andrew Smyth were truly impressed

by the creativity and flair shown by the entrants of all ages. The winning entry was the ‘Rocket Fuel’ bar, invented by 16 year old Catherine Young from Clackmannashire in Scotland. Catherine’s entry stood out to the judges because of her creativity and the careful thought that had gone into every element of how the bar would be created and packaged. We were delighted to recently welcome Catherine and her family to our Global Chocolate Research and Development Centre in Bournville to make prototype ‘Rocket Fuel’ bars.

There were 10 runners up and many more excellent entries. I hope that in taking part in the competition, we have helped inspire some of these

young people to consider becoming an apprentice with us.

We are very proud that a number of our former apprentices and school leavers are Directors in our business today.

Our new intake of 2017 apprentices have recently begun their own journey with us at Mondelez International, the home of British classics such as Cadbury and Maynards Bassetts, and are learning the skills required to create new great tasting treats for the future. Apprentices are a vital part of developing our business in the future. If we are going to make sure the UK food and drink sector remains competitive it is vital that we get the next generation excited about the career opportunities within the industry.

I hope that the prospects available in engineering, manufacturing, marketing and R&D through our Early Careers programme and Taste of Work programme will see some of those #GBBO viewers and other young people consider applying for real life roles in food creation. Glenn Caton is President of Northern Europe for Mondelēz International

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Sales E: sales@jac-media.com | T: 0115 8456423 - TEA ROOM / CAFE

Chesters Hidden Gem Beatons Tearooms Chester is run by husband and wife team Steve and Elaine Roberts.

Beatons Tearooms Chester was opened in April 2015 we are situated next to Chester Cathedral in a beautiful part of Chester city centre just out of the main hustle and bustle areas. This has helped us to build our reputation through creating a relaxing atmosphere, good table service, homemade cakes and delicious light lunches. We also have over 30 loose leaf teas and a selection of coffees.

Beatons Tearooms also offers a traditional cream tea and the traditional Afternoon teas. The afternoon teas are presented on a fully dressed table with white linen and on a three tier stand laden with sandwiches, a small savoury, scones with jam and clotted cream and a slice of cake or your choice.

Throughout December we are offering a Christmas high tea as an alternative which includes pigs in blankets, mince pies and a chocolate log. We are fully licenced so if you could add a bit of sparkle with a bottle of Prosecco.

We have over the last couple of years gained lovely reviews via Trip Advisor, Google My Business etc here are some examples: Wiebke Conrad Best scones in town and amazing Chai latte! You made my year abroad complete. Thank you!

Freshly prepared We were about to visit the Cathedral

and as we came off the city walls we passed this restaurant. It looked inviting and walking through the door the friendly welcome made us think we had made a good choice.

I had the Quiche of the day and my husband had the Ploughman's....

Make sure you are hungry if you order the latter. It was delicious.

There is an extensive range ot teas

but we stayed with the Beatons Brew!

I wish we had made time to return for coffee and cake but perhaps will do that next time.

Highly recommended Friendliest Staff and Beautiful Setting I called in here today with family, we only had a couple of teas a smoothie and a piece of chocolate cake but I

just have to say that the staff are so friendly and cannot do enough for you. We were served by a particularly helpful waiter (not sure what his name was!) but he really went the extra mile and made the visit for us. The view of the cathedral is also beautiful! Will definitely return next time we are in Chester. Ps: chocolate cake is to die for!

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- CATERING

Theo Paphitis Witnesses the Great British Bake Off Effect: Bakeware Sales Rise 55% at Robert Dyas Stores The latest series of the Great British Bake Off has inspired more people to take up baking as bakeware sales rise by 55% for high street retailer Robert Dyas.

The Great British Bake Off (GBBO) TV series is in full swing and is rekindling the nation’s love of baking. Airing on Channel 4, the show has seen a shakeup and now stars Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood, Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig.

Despite the changes and departure of Mary Berry, latest figures from highstreet homeware retailer Robert Dyas show that baking is currently top of mind in the UK and the new series has contributed to a rise in bakeware sales of 55% across its 94 stores.

Rachel Brain, COO at Robert Dyas said, “Since the show has been aired this season we have seen a notable increase of 55% in bakeware sales and 42% in cake making and decorating products. We have also seen over a 10% increase in the kitchenware range overall.

“There has been a direct correlation between the number of people watching the show and those interested in recipes and baking equipment. This series has proved extremely exciting with more challenging bakes than ever before.

We are looking forward to seeing what else is in store.”

The UK’s favourite high-street hardware retailer is owned by former Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis.

Theo Paphitis said, “It’s fantastic to see what Prue Leith and the team have

done with one of Britain’s most loved shows. At a time when we are being cosseted and warned about sugar intake, we mustn’t forget the great pleasure that home baking brings to families throughout the UK every day of the week.”

The GBBO show continues to inspire with exciting recipes and beautiful creations. The first episode attracted 6.5 million viewers, making it Channel 4’s most watched show since the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games. The term ‘Bakeware’ has been searched on the Robert Dyas website more regularly since the introduction of the programme. Robert Dyas has seen a significant increase in visitors to its bakeware section since the start of the new series.

Robert Dyas provides all the basics for novice and veteran bakers to recreate Bake-Off recipes. For someone who wishes to recreate ‘Liam’s Apple, Almond and Maple Crumble Loaf’ or ‘Sophie’s Raspberry, Yuzu and White Chocolate Trifle Terrine’ the Robert Dyas cake and bread tins are the ideal solution. For the more advanced baker attempting ‘Yan’s Animals of the Rainforest Cake’ , there are a range of food processors, piping sets and electric mixers available online and in store.

As well as baking accessories, Robert Dyas offers a huge range of kitchen related-gadgets to help amateur cooks prepare food like professionals.

Links: Robert Dyas Website: https://

thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk Great British Bake Off: http://www. robertdyas.co.uk Liam’s Loaf: https:// thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/liamsapple-almond-maple-crumble-loaf/ Sophie’s Terrine: https:// thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/sophiesraspberry-yuzu-white-chocolatetrifle-terrine/ Yan’s Rainforest Cake: https:// thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/yansanimals-rainforest-cake/ Products: Bread Tin: http://www.robertdyas. co.uk/robert-dyas-medium-loaf-pan Cake Tin: http://www.robertdyas. co.uk/robert-dyas-7-inch-springform-cake-tin Mixers: http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/ search/go?w=electric%20mixer Food Processors: http://www. robertdyas.co.uk/search/ go?w=food%20processor Pastry Brushes: http://www. robertdyas.co.uk/search/go?w=pastry

Finding the perfect

Christmas gift with Brewbarrel There are only two weeks left until Christmas! The pre-Christmas period is mostly marked by a lot of stress instead of having a good time at the German themed christmas markets. So if you want to prevent yourself from a frantic gift search, get a Brewbarrel for your loved ones. With the beer making kit from the munich-based Customized Drinks Gmbh, one can easily make their own individual beer.

A well known problem during pre-Christmas period: Finding the perfect gift for your father, brother or boyfriend. Offering a solution, the munich-based startup developed a beer making kit which gives you the possibility to make your own beer at home. Once delivered, you can immediatley start brewing, everything you need is included.

For the perfect Christmas feeling you could get one ofthe special Brewbarrel winter beers. Specially made for the cold time of the year, You could choose between: a Dark beer with Honey and Oak, or a Wheat Beer with Woodruff and Raspberry. Furthermore, If the beer is prepared for fermentation on Christmas Eve, you can celebrate new years eve with your own, homemade beer.

For the ones who want to give individual gifts, Brewbarrel offers the opportunity to individualize the beer. Therefore, you can choose from various styles and ingredients: Beer type: Choose between Pilsner, Lager, Wheat beer, Pale Ale and Dark Beer.

Hops: There is the mild, standard and bitter hop which is responsible for the bitter taste of the beer.

Flavours: The different flavours offer a incomparable diversity of different

kinds of beer. Due to the possible combinations of fruit flavours, wood chips and aroma hops one can create over 100,000 different beers As an additional tool Customized Drinks offers a special gift finder on the Brewbarrel website, that facilitates your search.

Brewbarrel: The perfect gift for beer lovers. Plus: it is sure that a five-litre-keg won’t get dusty in the cupboard but will give a smile on the presentee’s face.

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A Perfect Fine Dining Experience Whether its date night, a birthday or another special occasion, sometimes you just want to go somewhere special. But how do you find a great restaurant that you have never been to before?

For many people referrals from friends is the most trusted method, whilst for others TripAdvisor guides them to the pro and cons of any restaurants within their local area.

However both of these sources have the same flaw.. they rely on subjective reviews from people who might have slightly different tastes and standards to you own.

But now there is a new way to discover the best restaurants near you or anywhere else in the country for

that matter. It is another review site, but this one works differently.

Rather than relying on subjective user reviews, the Gourmet Guide ranks restaurants based on the official awards that they have won.

Whether it be a Michelin Star or a local restaurant award the Gourmet Guide gives each award a score and then aggregates them all to come up with one simple ‘Fork Rating’.

According to Tom Warsop, the Owner of the Gourmet Guide, Restaurants with One Fork (such as the Eagle & Child in Ormskirk) should be considered to be very good and restaurants with Five Forks (such as the Northcote Restaurant in Blackburn) can be considered to

be World Class! But food quality rating isn’t the only way that you can discover somewhere new to dine on the Gourmet Guide. You can discover restaurants using quick links such as ‘Child Friendly’ ‘Great for Vegetarians’ or even ‘Close to a Country Walk’ and if you want to be extremely specific you can also use an advanced search that lets you refine your search to something very specific. So whether you are looking for somewhere casual, dog friendly and is close to a country walk, a city centre restaurant with a view, or a fine dining restaurant with a Tasting Menu the Gourmet Guide makes finding your ideal restaurant a quick and easy process…

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Havoc reveal their 3 top tips for

remaining positive every day With the Christmas season looming, Havoc, this week are preparing their contractors for the sales season ahead with some top tips on remaining positive The firm sees Q4 as a period of high potential with an opportunity for a huge number of sales in a short period of time. However, they also understand their commission based structure means they rely on their performance to reach targets, a prospect which can induce stress during the lead up to Christmas.

This week, the firm is providing their contractors with some of their key tips to remaining positive in preparation for this Christmas season.

About Havoc: http://www. thisishavoc.co.uk/about/ The managing director recently spoke out on this topic, stating:

“I want my contractors to be performing to their maximum each and every day. To me, the sign of a good sales representative is someone who can see the challenges of his role and quickly overcome them.”

The firm is adamant that those who enter their job with a positive mindset are more likely to thrive and be able to counteract the challenges presented by the Christmas season. With this in mind, Havoc has laid out their top tips on maintaining positivity: Find an optimistic viewpoint in negative situations “If something doesn’t go your way, try and turn it into a positive” claims Havoc’s Managing Director. He argues that his contractors should look for the things they did wrong and understand how moving forward they can correct these, whether this

is the tone of the pitch or the way in which they responded to questions, there is always something a negative situation can show sales representatives.

Surround yourself with positivity Whether this is by choosing to hang out with your more positive social circles, or watching comedies, there is a large body of evidence to suggest that positive external emotions can trigger positive internal emotions.

Havoc is imploring their workforce to utilise the positive people in life to influence their own mindset.

Don’t be scared of failure Often the fear of failure can lead to half or more of the negative emotions

an individual feels during their time in the field. Havoc understand that failure can have an impact contractors but they also want their workforce to realise that dwelling on failure only gets in the way of their positivity. The firm want their workers to accept failure and move forward in order to reach their targets.

Havoc is confident that these tips will help their contractors understand how they can help themselves remain positive. The firm is keen to continue the history of growth they have experienced throughout 2017 and know that the wellbeing of their workforce is directly correlated to this. Source: https://www.positivityblog. com/how-to-stay-positive/ For more information on Havoc follow @ HavocMarketing_ on Twitter and ‘like’ them on Facebook.

Colette Counselling and Wellbeing services Counselling and Wellbeing is a very personal journey and it is different for each individual. At Colette Counselling we like to work holistically with the individual to explore their needs.

In todays society we are under more pressure than ever before. People are often under immense amounts of stress and our bodies go into the fight, flight or freeze mode. These stresses can show in many different ways, anxiety, depression feeling stuck and many more. When asked who comes to counselling Colette said that

people often ring and say “ I’m not sure if I need counselling. I tell them counselling is a very personal journey and if the issue is troubling them, it is important.

It doesn’t matter how big or small the issue is. If it is a problem for them, counselling or one of the wellbeing services can help.”

Counselling can be individual or couples.

Couples counselling is a safe place for couples to explore their issues, giving each individual the time to speak, listen and reflect.

Whilst talking to Colette she spoke passionately about pain. She said “ I have been no stranger to pain throughout my life. The important thing is to make friends with your pain. Once you have made friends with your pain you can start to listen to the messages it is giving you, then you can work with the pain rather than against it. If you have had pain for longer than two weeks it turns into chronic pain. With the new therapy Old Pain 2 go, it is possible to release that old pain and as a result you only feel the new pain which is giving you

the warning that you need to do something.” In a lighter note, Colette is now doing Laughter Yoga sessions. If you are looking for a fun wellbeing activity Laughter yoga is for you. Laughter Yoga is a mixture of yogic breathing exercises with playful laughter exercises.

If you would like something quieter mindfulness or meditation might be for you. There is often confusion between meditation and mindfulness. With meditation you set out with the intention to do something and mindfulness is about being in the moment.

At Colette Counselling we also provide clinical supervision.

If you would like to know more or would like to book an appointment, call Colette confidently on 01254 828160 of 07762970024. Discount code Whalley

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Revealed: 1 in 3 Brits

find Christmas Stressful The lead up to the festive period can be emotionally and financially demanding, often having serious implications in people's health and wellbeing. Leading bingo comparison site bingosites.co.uk conducted an independent survey of over 2,000 UK residents to find out how people really feel about Christmas.

The independent survey looked at individual's attitudes, priorities and behavioural changes regarding the Christmas period, with some revealing insights.

The findings include: 1. One in Three people find Christmas Stressful (Stoke-on-Trent is the top place within the UK where people find the lead up to Christmas stressful and feel anxious during the 3-day event) 2. One out of 6 Brits find Christmas “depressing” (We asked 2,000 people to describe the festive season in one word) Over 33% of families will use shortterm loan companies such as Wonga to cover their festive expenditure, Birmingham is the top city within the UK where these adjustments are made.

3. Over 85% of parents said they can't afford to give their children everything they ask for.

4. 75% of people said they do NOT enjoy the company of their own family during Christmas day. Uncles and in-laws are the top two family members to cause animosity while tucking into your Christmas turkey.

5. It's not all depressing! 80% of

parents said their most enjoyable moment was seeing their children unwrapping their presents on Christmas morning.

6. 80% of single men aged between 18-55 said the most enjoyable thing during the festive period was watching the English Premier Leagues busy festive football fixtures on TV. Alex Hammond, Commercial

director said: “It's time for people to start thinking about their Christmas preparation; whether that is buying presents and decorations, organizing family reunions or planning the iconic Christmas dinner timings. The run up to the holidays can be emotionally and financially demanding, often having implications in people's health and wellbeing."

Budgeting for Christmas is much easier said than done, granted. It is an element that many of us attempt in the earlier stages of our shopping ventures but rarely actually follow up on. However, budgeting early can avoid unnecessary last-minute spending and can help you reign in the overall amount you’re dishing out, too. Make a list and most importantly – stick to it. Outline those that you are planning to buy for along with an approximate amount that you wish to spend on this person. Keep this list with you always! This way, if you do happen to nip in to the shop on the way home from work and see that lovely bath set that your sister would

like, you can tick her off your list right there and then! You can choose to save the list on your mobile phone if you are tech savvy or on a piece of paper in your wallet or purse if you prefer. If you can, buy early. Smaller items, like wrapping paper and Christmas decorations, are in shops from September and they are often a fraction of the price at this time of year when compared to December.

Stock up on these items as early as possible, but avoid splurging on bows and ribbons as, although pretty, it’s money that is being unnecessarily spent. Although not for everybody, shopping online can be a great help when trying to avoid extra spending

and simultaneously getting more organised for Christmas. Not only do many shops offer online discounts on certain items, but you may also discover ideas for gifts for your family or friends whilst browsing. This almost one-dimensional approach can save you money long term too, as shops are privy to our tendency to pick up ‘last minute extras’ whilst waiting for the queue to go down and, of course, when shopping online these extras are not sat waiting for you near the checkout!

Shopping online can also spread out the cost of gift buying as you can add items to your basket and buy one or two online. Of course, you

must be mindful that these items may become out of stock or increased in price during these two time frames, however, this will hopefully avoid the panic of checking your bank balance after wandering around the city centre for hours! If you like to gift the children in your family with letters from Santa, small presents in the build-up or a Christmas eve box, why not help Santa out with a little bit of D.I.Y.? these small purchases may not seem like much at the time, but you can cut a fraction off the price of these items by making them yourself.

You can go to almost any craft shop to pick up items to assist with these gifts.

Budgeting for Christmas

Celebrating Christmas abroad

is becoming more popular, research reveals ∙39% of Brits have made the choice to spend Christmas outside of the UK previously. ∙Almost a quarter of those escaped the British Christmas to avoid family or traditions A study* carried out on behalf of Travelbag. co.uk, the tailormade long-haul holiday specialist, shows that 39% of UK adults have spent Christmas abroad with almost a quarter admitting they did so to escape their families, traditions such as cooking and even the idea of Christmas altogether. While 37% leave the UK to visit family who live abroad, a further 18% follow the sunshine as they leave the UK because of the weather.

15% like the idea of

spending Christmas in a different country to experience different traditions. Interestingly, almost a quarter of those spending Christmas abroad travel by themselves, while 40% take their partners with them.

A further 28% bring the whole family while only 4% travel with their friends. Over a third of those surveyed admitted avoiding Christmas in the UK every year, followed by a third who escape every other year, and 22% who say they've spent Christmas abroad a couple of times. When asked what people miss the most when travelling, almost half said they wish they were with their families, followed by 27% who miss the festive TV programs. Interestingly, just over 10% claim to miss the British weather. This might be why over two thirds of those who spend Christmas abroad decide to keep taking part in Christmas traditions. A further 12% are not so fond of traditional activities as long as they exchange presents, and 12% always adopt the traditions of the country they are visiting. On the other hand, there are other elements of the holiday season that the public don't miss. Cooking Christmas dinner was voted to be the least favourite aspect

of the whole festive season, while second place goes to family visits, followed by Christmas advertising.

Commenting on the results, Travelbag's spokesperson Paul Hopkinson, says: "It's interesting to see how many people are travelling abroad over Christmas to either visit their families, discover new countries or just to make sure they are not spending Christmas in the UK as some feel the festive season is getting too commercial." Spending habits When it comes to spending cash to celebrate the festive season abroad, people from Northern Ireland and those aged 55+ don't seem to mind turning their wallets inside out.

The findings show that respondents based in Northern Ireland invest on

average £1,039** into celebrating Christmas outside the UK. Compared to, for example, savvy Scots who pay only £704. Looking at the age groups, those aged 55 and over don't mind forking out almost £1,000. On the other hand, young professionals (aged 25-34) are more careful and spend just £663. Women are keen to take £798 out of their budget, while men are prepared to splash £882 during the winter holidays. Hopkinson adds: “It's interesting to see the different attitudes towards spending money when travelling. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself when celebrating Christmas abroad, but everyone should make sure they won't struggle financially and spend within their means."

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Merry Christmas with

Hutschenreuther Gift collection „Merry Christmas“ by Hutschenreuther Merry Christmas! That is also the name of the new Christmas collection from Hutschenreuther, with finely detailed decorations, eye-catching greetings and three exquisite and traditional colour schemes.

Nordic Red, for example, features accented lettering, stars, sledges and reindeer, beautifully positioned on the cream-coloured material of

the collection. For a more refined look, the Shiny Gold colour scheme presents angelic figures and a black band around the circumference, with gold stars and lettering.

Charming Grey joins the new Christmas collection with typical Scandinavian reserve. In soft greige (a mixture of grey and beige) snowflakes and crystals float over cups, plates, bowls and Advent candlesticks. A stylised stag and branches are also

present, along with striking lettering.

All three colour schemes can be combined in any way you like, and you can complete the collections with the appropriate napkins, candelabra and baubles.

A selected range of undecorated, cream-coloured pieces such as animal figurines, two new house façades with tealight inserts and various tree ornaments offer more ideas for decorations.

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How to pick the best bottle

of bubbly for Christmas

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without bubbles.

But with 10 zillion options vying for a place in your festive fridge, which bottle should you take home?

2015 was the year that our collective zeal for Italian prosecco reached its zenith (Brits spent £41m on own-brand versions of the stuff last year). But it was also when bright, fresh English wine started to be taken seriously (HMRC has seen a 41% increase in applications to produce English sparkling wine this year).

And let's not forget the original. The fanciest. Bonedry, golden-toned champagne.

First up, let's talk basics. Prosecco – This is a lovely lighter style of fizz. It's fresher and fruitier than champagne and cava, which makes it easier to drink and therefore great for parties. It's also the fizz of the moment, very trendy and obviously a cheaper alternative to champers. Cava – From Spain, cava is a great all-rounder. It’s much cheaper than champagne (about £6 a bottle) but made in exactly the same way, so the flavour profile is similar with those yeasty notes that come from the second fermentation in the bottle. Champagne – Naturally, the king of fizz, and the price reflects that. It can only be made in the Champagne region of France, and only from certain grape varieties. It has delicious brioche notes from its extended time ageing in bottle. English Sparkling – The home-grown stuff is having a great time at the moment as consumers are coming to realise its excellent quality. It tends to have similar traits to champagne as the climate of southern England, where most of the vineyards are, is very similar to that of the Champagne region in France – although the notes are more appley rather than lemony.

And buying it helps the English wine industry, which is a good thing.

And which fizz is best for which occasion​? For Christmas nibbles and antipasti platters: prosecco wins Shellfish starter or any fried fish: try cava – the acidity cuts through the oiliness. Smoked salmon: perfect with blanc de blancs champagne. The citrus notes work beautifully with the strong flavour. For pudding: try asti, the sweet sparkling white Italian wine.

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Share the magic of Christmas with Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa A festive hideaway Get wrapped up in the true magic of Christmas this season in our festive hideaway, where you will be welcomed by blazing log fires and tantalising decorations, oozing with an unmistakeable traditional charm.

Our enchanting location offers idyllic country walks and is the perfect place to indulge on gourmet food, seasonal beverages and spellbinding entertainment, whether you are looking for a romantic getaway

Ja Windermere German

Christmas Market Windermere is hosting a brand new German Christmas Market on the 10th & 11th December and we're proud to be a major sponsor.

Come along to the Victoria Street area of the village and get into the festive spirit with a whole day of activities that the whole family can enjoy.

• A wide range of festive stalls selling fantastic seasonal gifts from knitwear to soaps.

• Delicious German food & drinks offerings available all day

• Live music & on street entertainment.

• Santas Grotto and reindeer!

• The festivities will continue into the evening in the bars & pubs in the area.

Sail and ride to the German Market Get to the market easily from Ambleside, Bowness or Lakeside or combine a scenic cruise with your day out.

A special sail and ride service will run the entire weekend and will be provided by Mountain Goat Tours.

This special shuttle bus service will

run throughout the day and connect Bowness Pier to the German market in Windermere village.

• Cost: Adults £2, Children £1 (one-way) • The first departure from Bowness will be 10:30am and the last departure from the German market will be 3:15pm.

Get your free Local Resident Discount card from our stand Windermere Lake Cruises & Lakeland Motor Museum will have a stand at the market. If you're a 'local' (living in the LA or CA postcode areas), bring along a recent bill and we'll give you a FREE resident discount card.

or a festive family gathering this Christmas.

If you’d prefer to enjoy the Christmas period at home, why not join us as we welcome in the New Year? Or, simply immerse yourself in luxury between the two dates with a mid-festivity break.

Each of our carefully tailored packages boast an unforgettable programme of activities including clay pigeon shooting, black tie dinners, ‘meet the hawk’ sessions and much more!

For more information on our festive breaks, contact Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa via the details below: Hotel Telephone: 017687 76551 The Spa Telephone: 017687 88900

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CHRISTMAS: WHAT’S ON IN WALES? Caerphilly Christmas Market Caerphilly Town Centre – 9th and 10th December If you’re planning to visit Wales over the 9th and 10th of December, why not experience the wonderful sights of the Caerphilly Christmas Market?

Here you will find over 100 traders with food, craft, and gift stalls as well as street theatre. Discover a variety of potential last-minute gift ideas for that one Aunt that maybe you should buy for after all…

Traditional funfair rides will also be present, as well as a wonderful array of fresh produce, chocolate and mulled wine! A farmer’s market will also accompany the Christmas market.

Free event in the town. Normal admission fees apply to the castle.

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwnedd, Wales – Date TBC

The Ffestiniog Railway, established in 1832, is the oldest independent railway company in the world.

Venture out on a 13½ mile journey from the harbour in Porthmagod to the beautiful town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, travelling through serene and magnificent forests, lakes and waterfalls all the way from sea level into the mountains. Witness Santa visiting Wales alongside a mass of carol singing, sherries (for the adults, of course) and mince pies. Children will also receive a gift from Santa.

Single trip: 1 hour 10 mins. Return trip: 2 hours 30 mins.

Advanced group bookings essential.

December dates TBC by the West Highland Railway Santa Trains.

Coral Welsh Grand National Chepstow Racecourse, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 6BE - 27th December Avoid the Christmas blues by venturing out to the Coral Welsh

Grand National. A broad range of entertainment is provided on the day, from Christmas carols provided by the Bridgend Male Choir, live performances by the Wild Murphys all afternoon, along with street entertainers and face painters for children. Of course, in conjunction with all of this comes the race from the horses themselves.

The day will support Welsh charity Ty Hapus and Amser Justin Time.

Admission tickets start from £27 in advance. Booking essential.

Nos Galan Road Races Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales Valley, Wales – 31st December The Nos Galan Road races celebrates the life and achievements of Guto Nyth Bran, a Welsh runner. The main race starts with a Church service which is held at Llanwynno where a wreatj is laid upon the grave of Guto Nyth Bran. The main race takes

place after the lighting of the torch in Mountain Ash and, although the format and circuits of the race has changed many times, the current race consists of three circuits within the town centre. The Road Races also attract a famous sports personality as their mystery runner.

Charities are chosen each year to run in honour of. In 2017, the charities chosen are; the Alzheimer’s Society Cymru/Wales; Guide Dogs Cymru; Y Bwthyn Palliative Care Hospital, Pontypridd; Friends of the Animals Wales (formerly Friends of the Animals RCT).

Join those celebrating the life of the infamous Guto Nyth Bran, whilst also raising money for the above charities, on New Year’s Eve in the South Wales Valleys. Participate in either the race for children ages 8+, elite runners, the main adult fun run or support a friend by watching the presentations. Visit their website for full run times.

Have you heard about the Tenby Boxing Day Swim?

North Beach, Tenby - 26th December The Tenby’s famous Boxing Day Swim will be running for it’s 47th year this Christmas. Organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA), who also stage the Summertime Caldey Swim from monastic island to Tenby mainland, the charity event is ranked as a festive highlight of Wales as well as being named as one of Britain’s top 10 wackiest winter dips. The swim was also recently highlighted in the ITV Wales series ‘The Harbour’,

which showed a year of the seaside community. The craziness starts on the beach at 11am with a canoe race, crazy raft race progressing on to a fancy-dress parade. The charge for the sea is motioned at 11.30am, with the warmth of the beach bonfires, hot soup and a medal waiting for each swimmer upon their return to the beach.

What has been accomplished with the Tenby Boxing Day Swim?

The Tenby Boxing Day Swim and the Summertime Caldey Swim have permitted the TSSA to raise close to £270,000 for local, national and

international charities as well as general good causes over the years.

In 2016 alone, over £8,600 was raised for charities and other causes solely from the TSSA. This meant that the TSSA’s three nominated charities from the swim (Bloodwise, Hafal and the Stroke Association) were each granted £500. Donations of £50 for each of the event’s safety cover providers (St John Ambulance, Tenby coastguard, Tenby Surflink, Pembrokeshire Paddlers, and Tenby Sea Cadets) was also rewarded along with those who led the beach bonfire builders. Swimmers do not have

to solely donate towards charities chosen by the TSSA, however, as each swimmer can collect for their own charity. Stephanie James individually collected £1,038 for her chosen charity, the Motor Neurone Disease Charity. The fundraising group leaders were Skanda Vale, of Skanda Vale’s monastery and hospice near Llandysul, managed to raise spirits with their entertaining pirate gear alongside £528.57 for Skanda Vale’s new six-bedroomed hospice which is the only in-patient facility of it’s kind for Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Spend your Christmas

in North Wales It’s the most magical time of the year – so why not spend it in the most magical of destinations?

Landscapes around North Wales change (sometimes overnight) to a glorious bright white. The untouched snow makes it look like a photograph, but there’s no need to rub your eyes, this is North Wales at Christmas.

We like to think North Wales is Santa’s favourite destination. He makes plenty of stops in North Wales leading up to the big day, including an incredible zip wire entrance at Zip World.

He even makes a stop off at Llechwedd Slate Mines, where you’ll jump on a train and be taken right into

the grotto to see Santa and his helpers.

So that’s the kids sorted, what about the adults? Well, a break in a snowy Snowdonia lodge might be just the way to relax and unwind before the big day. The perfectly situated lodges are the perfect opportunity to explore the region in its snowy beautifulness.

Plenty of Christmas markets take

place around the region, including Llandudno’s popular event, an ideal chance for some last minute Christmas shopping!

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There has been a market

in Nantwich since 1500.

The present building, at the junction of Market Street and Churchyardside, dates from 1867 and offers over 50 stall with a wide variety of fresh food, fashion, gifts, art, cards, essentials and bespoke services.

Open weekly on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays, the present market

building is located in the centre of town and sits next to the lovely St Mary's church (the "cathedral of South Cheshire"). Stallholders sell a wide variety of goods including fresh produce and household items. The cosy Tea Chest cafe serves hot and cold snacks, drinks, breakfast and

lunchtime specials. Complementing the traditional town market, Nantwich boasts a number of ‘pop-up’ markets in the Town Square, each featuring over 35 stalls.

On the last Saturday of every month you will find the town’s Farmers Market stocked with an array of fresh,

local produce and dotted throughout the year Artisan, Antiques and Collectors and Seasonal markets are not to be missed. Opening times for Nantwich Market are: Tuesday 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.

Thursday 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

Saturday 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Discover Christmas at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 9JJ Enjoy late night shopping as the Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet stays open until 10pm on weeknights from the 27th November until the 24th of December.

The Christmas Corner: Head on over to the Christmas Corner once you have decided to retire from gift getting!

There is also an Après themed bar with an abundance of delicious food and soul warming winter drinks. Why not taste the beers and gluhwein from

the German Bar or nibbles from the Cheshire Cheese and Wine Company whilst enjoying the view of the inhouse carousel! Hot chocolates and pick ‘n’ mix will be available, too.

The Christmas Corner is accessible via the magical archways, close to the Ted Baker store.

Family Event with Chester Zoo: From the 10th November, Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet have brought in the magical walk-in Christmas tree!

Retired shoppers can peek at Santa on his sleigh whilst also admiring the lanterns of the animals from Chester Zoo itself (running on selected

dates until the 30th of December).

Children can join Mr and Mrs Claus from 4.30pm - 8pm to decorate their own robin or Rudolph cookie in their festive cookie shop.

Chester Christmas Market Town Hall Square, Northgate Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2HJ You may have already noticed that the cheery Chester Christmas Market has been back in town since Thursday the 16th November, remaining in the heart of Chester until Wednesday the 20th December.

This year, shoppers are in for a treat as Chester’s Christmas Markets

claims over 70 traditional wooden chalets situated beautifully around the Christmas Tree. There are many festive gifts and indulgences available, such as crafts, accessories, unique gifts, and stocking fillers! Be sure to take the time to enjoy the mulled wine or hot chocolate whilst you are on your adventure around the Christmas Market!

The market is open 7 days a week, 10am to 6pm from Sunday to Wednesday. Late night shopping on Thursdays mean that the market will be open until 8pm and until 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Chesters Hidden Gem Beatons Tearooms Chester is run by husband and wife team Steve and Elaine Roberts. Beatons Tearooms Chester was opened in April 2015 we are situated next to Chester Cathedral in a beautiful part of Chester city centre just out of the main hustle and bustle areas. This has helped us to build our reputation through creating a relaxing atmosphere, good table service, homemade cakes and delicious light lunches. We also have over 30 loose leaf teas and a selection of coffees. Beatons Tearooms also offers a traditional cream tea and the traditional Afternoon teas. The afternoon teas are presented on a fully dressed table with white linen and on a three tier stand laden with sandwiches, a small savoury, scones with jam and clotted cream and a slice of cake or your choice.

Throughout December we are offering a Christmas high tea as an alternative which includes pigs in blankets, mince pies and a chocolate log. We are fully licenced so if you could add a bit of sparkle with a bottle of Prosecco. We have over the last couple of years gained lovely reviews via Trip Advisor, Google My Business etc here are some examples: Wiebke Conrad Best scones in town and amazing Chai latte! You made my year abroad complete. Thank you!

Freshly prepared We were about to visit the Cathedral and as we came off the city walls we passed this restaurant. It looked inviting and walking through the door the friendly welcome made us think we had made a good choice.

I had the Quiche of the day and my husband had the Ploughman's....

Make sure you are hungry if you order the latter. It was delicious.

There is an extensive range ot teas but we stayed with the Beatons Brew!

I wish we had made time to return for coffee and cake but perhaps will do that next time.

Highly recommended Friendliest Staff and Beautiful Setting. I called in here today with

family, we only had a couple of teas a smoothie and a piece of chocolate cake but I just have to say that the staff are so friendly and cannot do enough for you. We were served by a particularly helpful waiter (not sure what his name was!) but he really went the extra mile and made the visit for us. The view of the cathedral is also beautiful! Will definitely return next time we are in Chester. Ps: chocolate cake is to die for!

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Winter looms and council highways

teams geared up for all weathers Cheshire East Council’s highways teams are all geared up to face whatever winter weather throws their way in the coming months.

Cheshire East highways’ dedicated winter service starts at the end of October and preparations are well underway should the temperature plummet or strong winds impact on driving conditions.

Recent autumn storms saw gangs clearing the roads of fallen trees and other debris and from next month, the service’s full-on cold-weather response programme swings into operation. Salt stocks are high and the service’s fleet of 19 gritters are on standby and ready to be mobilised throughout the winter season. Gritting routes are planned and include the recognised high-level roads to the east of the borough, where snow and ice tend to have the most severe

impact in extremely cold weather.

Councillor Glen Williams, deputy cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said: “Using digital technology and Met Office weather warnings, we constantly monitor changes in weather and are able to anticipate sub-zero temperatures and the need to grit our roads. Major transport routes and access routes for emergency services and other key routes, are a priority.

“Although we grit a significant proportion of the borough’s 2,700 kilometres of highway, we cannot ensure that all roads will be clear of snow and ice. “Residents and motorists can be reassured that if things turn unpleasant we are ready to respond. This is also the case where storms and heavy rain can lead to fallen trees and flooding.

“We urge residents to take care in

Santa Cruises at Anderton Anderton Boat Lift, Lift Lane, Anderton, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 5UB Join Santa Claus for a festive cruise at the Anderton Boat Lift. The cruise will travel along the River Weaver Navigation with joyful tales along the way. Enjoy the Christmas spirit by participating in the Christmas songs! Each child will also receive a gift from Santa Claus himself. The Santa Cruise at Anderton takes place every weekend in December: (2nd & 3rd, 9th & 10th, 16th & 17th, as well as Thursday 21st – 24th Christmas Eve). Event charges: Adults £5.95, Children £7.95. Please note: booking for this event is essential. Call 01606 786 777 to book.

An Audience with Father Christmas in the Chapel at Lyme Lyme, Disley, Stockport, Cheshire, SK12 2NR Meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their helpers in the Chapel at Lyme this Christmas. The Chapel has been made festively enchanted with music, decorations and even a Christmas tree!

Children will enjoy a charming Christmas tale read by Mrs. Claus and then be given a gift from Mr Claus!

The event will take place from: 24th26th, 1st-3rd, 8th-10th, 15th-17th, 22nd-24th with sessions running ever 30 minutes from 1100-1230, then again resuming every 30 minutes from 1330-1530.

Please note: booking for this event is essential. Call 0344 249 1895 to book.

Guests are advised to check in at the Ticket Office 15 minutes before their allocated time slot where they will then be instructed to gather in the Courtyard where helpers will be on hand.

Christmas Cruises at National Waterways Museum National Waterways Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW Delight in a Christmas Cruise with Father Christmas this December at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, where he will set sail on the canal boat Centaur.

Father Christmas will lead families to his stunning Grotto where he, and attendees alike, will enjoy the telling of Christmas tales and songs before giving each child a gift before they make their way back home again.

There will be both hot and cold refreshments available for parents

and children after the event.

Please note: booking for this event is essential. Call 0151 355 5017 to book or pop into the museum.

Christmas Concert National Waterways Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW Enjoy the Christmas Concert put on by the Wirral Singers and Ringers for another annual celebration of Christmas on the 9th of December.

Watch the singers who sing purely for the enjoyment and the ringers, nicknamed the humdingers! Don’t miss this great opportunity as there will also be the chance to join in too.

Please note: booking for this event is essential. Call 0151 355 5017 to book or pop into the museum. Tickets are £7, including refreshments and a mince pie. Performance starts at 7.30pm.

adverse driving conditions or when out walking.”

Cheshire East highways work closely with neighbouring authorities to ensure that a consistent level of service is provided to roads that cross council boundaries.

Residents and commercial operators can keep up to date with gritting operations by following Cheshire East highways on Twitter @CECHighways or they can go to the winter service webpage.

The service can also be contacted on 0300 123 5020 for any enquiries, or to report debris on roads and other hazards.

Christmas at the Grosvenor Shopping Centre Grosvenor Shopping Centre, Pepper Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1EA The notorious and admired Christmas tree is back amid festive cheer at St Michael’s Row, take a seat and enjoy a story read by Santa Claus himself and a sing-song from his famous reindeer!

Take advantage of the stores remaining open until 8pm with late night shopping on Thursdays from Thursday 16th November until Thursday 21st December.

Do you think that you help Santa this Christmas? There are many brilliant prizes up for grabs and you could win! Simply visit the Christmas village floor vinyl by Costa and pick up a leaflet to answer five simple questions!

(Terms and conditions apply).

The Twelve Days of Christmas at Tatton Park Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN Enjoy Tatton Park and discover the hidden meanings behind a certain well-known Christmas carol, follow the enchanting journey through the Christmas Mansion and witness the festive treats and craft

demonstrations!

Event dates: 8th-10th, 15th-17th, 23rd December from 10:00-16:00.

Please note that the last entry to the Mansion will be at 3pm. Event pricing: £10 adults, £6 child (ages 4-15), £6 vehicle charge.

Port Sunlight Santa's Grotto Port Sunlight Garden Centre, The Cauesway, Port Sunlight, Wirral, CH625DY Visit Santa’s Grotto at the Port Sunlight Garden Centre and listen to Santa, and Mrs Claus, tell festive tales.

Ideal for groups of children, each visit with Santa lasts for approximately 15 minutes. Children will receive a gift from Santa and all profits from the Grotto will be donated to the Claire House Hospice.

Event dates: 2nd-24d, 9th-10th, 16th17th, 23rd December from 10:0016:00.

Booking is not necessary though expect busy spells. Visits are charged at £8 per child.

Family Christmas Carol Concert St Mary’s Church, The Rectory, Church Ln, Nantwich CW5 5RQ Joined by the Nantwich Young Voices, winning entries from the St Mary’s Church 2017 Carol Composition Competition will be performing as

this family carol concert to celebrate the festive season.

Father Christmas at the Farm Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN Visit Father Christmas and two of his reindeer, Prancer and Dancer, this year at the Farm. You will, of course, also be able to see your beloved farmyard friends whilst enjoying live music, entertainers, and children’s face painting sessions.

Meet the nativity donkeys, Frosty and Huw and don’t forget to pay a visit to Aunty Mary who will be making salt dough tree ornaments for children to take home and decorate. Last entry to the Farm will be at 3pm. Event pricing: £7 per adult, £6.50 per child (includes gift from Father Christmas), £6 vehicle charge.

Event dates: 2nd-3rd, 9th-10th, 16th17th, 23rd December from 11:0016:00.

CheSTAR at Chester Cathedral Chester Cathedral, St Werburgh Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2DY Nothing quite says Christmas like sparkles and decorative lights, so why not visit the giant sparkling Christmas start at Chester City Centre this year?

Coined the ‘CheSTAR’, this jaw dropping decorative star features

close to 19,000 sparkling lights, handcrafted especially for Chester City this Christmas. You may have already spotted CheSTAR as it has been on display in the Cathedral grounds on St Werburgh Street from 17th November 2017 and will remain until the 6th of January 2018. The star stands at a whopping 25ft high and 23ft wide and will be part of CH1ChesterBID's annual Christmas celebrations. CheSTAR sparkles brightly from 10am until midnight every day.

Storytelling with Santa The Den, Storyhouse, Hunter Street, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 2AR Visit Santa at the Storyhouse this year and add an extra touch of festive magic to your little ones’ Christmas this year. This is the first year that The Den has been transformed into a magical Grotto to allow Santa to visit children and relive Christmas tales in the Storytelling Room. Tell Santa your Christmas wishes and enjoy many arts and crafts activities.

Event dates: 18th November – 17th December. Various time slots available, visit the Storyhouse website for further details.

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WHAT’S ON IN MERSEYSIDE? Liverpool Prosecco Festival - New Year's Eve Camp and Furnace, 67 Greenland Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 0BY- 29th December Calling all Prosecco lovers…

Liverpool’s Prosecco Festival is back with a weekend special New Year’s Eve party, only at Camp & Furnace.

Start your New Year’s Eve celebrations early on Friday the 29th of December with an all-day event split into two halves (from afternoon 1-5pm and evening 7-11pm). In these sessions, the Prosecco Festival will incorporate exclusive tastings from across Northern Italy. Five free glasses of prosecco are given with

every purchased ticket, encouraging everyone to enjoy the tastings and master classes with the potential of finding your new favourite prosecco!

In partnership with Camp & Furnace, The Merchant will also bring fantastic food from Nightcrawler Pizza and Liverpool small plates specialists Maray, with a menu specifically created in mind to compliment the variety of Prosecco available.

Expect DJs to compliment the prosecco throughout the second half of the night, leading to an incredible finale over at The Merchant, on Slater Street, where an exclusive after-party will be held from 11pm-3am. This is an 18+ event.

Christmas Carols in the Concert Room St George’s Hall, St George’s Hall, St George’s Plateau, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 1JJ St George’s Hall will open the doors to the spectacular Concern Room which will host opera singer, Danielle Thomas, the Allerton Brass Band and the Sing Me Merseyside Choir over this Christmas period. Actor, Nick Birkenshaw, will host the festive delights.

Witness traditional carols alongside modern classics which will fuse together to provide a collection of much-loved harmonies.

So, get ready to warm those vocals

chords as there’ll be plenty of opportunities for guests to participate and enjoy the Christmas classics amongst wonderful surroundings.

Guests will also be greeted with mulled wine and a mince pie.

This event takes place on the 7th and 14th of December with showings at 2pm and 8pm.

Peaky Blinders Location Tour Tour Meeting Location: Outside St George’s Hall, Liverpool, L1 1JJ Tel: 0844 2471 007 Why not choose to bestow the gift of a Peaky Blinders Location Tour where fans are able to explore the film locations within the heart of Liverpool and further out of the

city boundaries. Fans will have the opportunity to see locations up close and hear the backstage secrets as to how scenes were made.

The first series of the show is set within Birmingham not long after World War One. The filming has been primarily carried out in Liverpool, due to it’s well preserved Victoria industrial architecture.

The popular TV drama Peaky Blinders follows the adventures and misdemeanours of the Shelby family, also known as the Peaky Blinders gang.

Tours are available as a half day or a full day guided mini coach tour which starts in central Liverpool. More than

ten actual locations will be available to fans on the tour, many of which have numerous occurrences within the show.

Throughout the tour, fans will explore the history of the real Peaky Blinders whilst also learning about the history of Liverpool and the surrounding areas including the Wirral, and the area West of the River Mersey.

Adult tickets: from £30.00 to £60.00 per ticket.

Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis. Please call the above number or visit the website for booking enquiries.

Funzee release details of their new adult onesie designs for Christmas 2017 with an emphasis on footed styles.

Funzee the specialist adult onesie retailer are launching new styles for Christmas 2017. The festive season is always a busy time as onesies

have become a favourite gift item, so Funzee always time their new designs to arrive in good time. This year they are introducing more footed

onesie designs as they have seen the popularity of these increase. Funzee started designing adult onesies back in 2008 when most people couldn’t imagine that the humble baby onesie would become a best seller in the adult clothing line and even a chic fashion item. They started with a simple website and a single plain pale blue unhooded and unfooted design.

Since then they have tried many different styles, designs and colours and have sold extensively in Europe and the USA. A Funzee spokesman explained that the onesie market

in the UK became swamped with cheap poor quality fleece products from some of the major budget High Street chains but now there seems to be growing demand for better quality sleepwear especially in cotton.

In the USA footed pyjamas have always been popular and Funzee have noted that this trend is spreading to Europe. So the new onesie designs for 2017 will include a gold and black striped footed onesie, known as Bumble design, a blue and white striped footed fleece onesie, and a footed version of the popular Zooland

design which is a penguin print on pale blue. These new styles will be available to buy from the end of October. Funzee have also seen a trend for couples and families to want matching sleepwear, especially as gifts.

Their onesies come in seven adult sizes which means they can fit most body shapes with matching his ‘n hers onesies. Giving new Christmas pyjamas has always been a bit of a tradition but with more choice in sleepwear now available, Christmas onesies are now an option.

Festive-footed Funzees for fans of fun onesies

e-Gift cards make gift giving simpler and faster than ever before New website eGiftCards.co.uk allows UK shoppers to send e-vouchers instantly via email or SMS text from wide assortment of UK’s top shops, restaurants, cinemas and more.

Today marks an important event in the progression of how UK shoppers give and receive presents with the launch of eGiftCards.co.uk, a website dedicated to instant emailable e-gift vouchers from the UK’s most popular shops, restaurants, experiences and more.

“For decades we enjoyed giving and receiving paper gift vouchers from our favourite shops, restaurants, cinemas and more” said Caroline Watson, co-founder and managing director of eGiftCards.co.uk. “Ten years ago that started to change as merchants came

out with electronic plastic gift cards.

And now, the progression toward ease and convenience is complete, with “e-Gift Cards” that can be sent instantly via email or SMS text”. eGiftCards.co.uk is a pure-play website dedicated this new form of gift voucher, featuring give-in-aninstant eGiftCards from the UK’s top retailers, restaurants, cinemas and more. Shoppers can also choose to schedule delivery for a later date – opening up a world of convenience as they can pre-plan gift giving occasions for the entire year – never missing a birthday or special occasion again! “We partnered with GiftCloud in order to develop this consumerfriendly option, and fully expect our customers to be thrilled with this new

gift giving option” concluded Ms. Watson.

About eGiftCards.co.uk With over 50 top retailers to choose from, eGiftCards.co.uk is a UK online shop for instant e-vouchers sent via Email or SMS text. The website was created by the founders of TheGiftCardCentre.co.uk, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Gift Card Centre Ltd, a privately held corporation with offices in Buckinghamshire UK. About GiftCloud Giftcloud is a UK based business, specialists in providing digital solutions for marketing campaigns, rewards, and portals, supplying digital gift cards in “real time” from over 70 major retailers.

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Top Tips on Toys

this Christmas With Christmas rapidly approaching and children already circling their must-have gifts this year, Smyths Toys Catalogue has published their list of the top toys for Christmas 2017. Smyths reveal their broad range of gifts for children of all ages, from old classics like LEGO to the newest plush toy collections.

Paw Patrol Sea Patroller PAW Patrol returns to the top toys list with this year’s Sea Patroller.

Kids will love saving the day with Ryder with the land-to-sea rescue vehicle featuring flashing lights and a working crane for all rescue missions.

Also includes a Ryder figure and his Rescue ATV.

PJ Masks Deluxe Talking Figure 4-Pack The PJ Masks Deluxe Talking Figure 4-Pack is the perfect gift for little superheroes. Smyth’s set features Catboy, Owlette, Gekko and Romeo as 15cm poseable figures. Hear iconic phrases from the show by pressing t h e characters’ amulets!

Luvabella Doll The unique Luvabella is making an impact this year! Luvabella is a lifelike interactive doll who responds affectionately to love by changing her expression just like a real baby. Luvabella is capable of over 100 words and phrase, giggles when tickled, plays peek-a-boo and responds to her accessories.

Cozmo by Anki Cozmo is an intelligent little robot with a mind of its own and a one-of-akind personality that grows the more it is played with. Cozmo responds to its environment and will nudge you when it wants to play! Drag and drop blocks help to make coding Cozmo’s functions accessible and fun for all children and adults alike.

Imaginext DC Super Friends Batbot Xtreme The Batbot Xtreme is over 2 feet tall and packed with several epic features!

The Batbot Xtreme boasts projectile launchers, extendable wings, a hidden Batcycle, a lift for the included Batman figure and an awesome voice changer. Squeeze the trigger to unleash a super-charged one-two punch!

Fur Real Roarin’ Tyler the Playful Tiger FurReal’s adorable Roarin’ Tyler the Playful Tiger loves to play—as much so that when kids roar, he roars back!

With over 100 sound and motion responses, he’s incredible play value.

The soft plush fur makes Tyler a super huggable friend for your child.

Bush Baby World Dream Tree Bush Babies is the newest line of collectible plush toys.

The toys wiggle their ears, waggle their eyes, and come in their individual delightful hanging sleepy pods, and the Dream Tree helps kids give Bush Babies a home for their collection. The Dream Tree playset has seating for 5 Bush Babies and hanging loops for even more.

It also has a basket lift, swing seat and light up flower crown for your inhabitant Bush Babies! The Bush Baby World Dream Tree comes with exclusive Bush Baby Niki in her sleepy pod.

Toilet Trouble Game A new f a m i l y b o a r d g a m e which is a game filled with suspense…

H a s b r o ’s To i l e t Trouble allows players to take turns s pinning the toilet paper roll, flushing the toilet handle in the hope that they don’t get sprayed with water from the game’s loo! Who doesn’t love toilet humour?!

Our Generation Healthy Paws Vet Clinic Our Generation’s take on a classic veterinary clinic is a stunning, high quality playset for your children’s favourite dolls. The Our Generation Healthy Paws Vet Clinic features a waiting room, an exam table, and an X-ray light box that really lights up! It contains over 50 accessories, leaving the kids enjoying hours of imaginative role play fun.

Sky Viper Stunt Drone Drones are at the top of every techie’s wish list. The Sky Viper Stunt Drone is a high-quality model which is able to perform 8 breathtaking stunts at the touch of a button! Flight assist features include auto takeoff, hover and land, while the included guardrails protect the drone whilst learning to fly it.

Thomas & Friends Super Station Thomas & Friends impresses once again with their Super Station, featuring over 10 metres of track, as well as iconic Sodor locations such as Tidmouth Sheds, Brendam Docks, Knapford Station and the Search and Rescue Centre, all in one set. With endless opportunities for different routes and, with room for over 100

engines and a new track design that will work with any Thomas engine, the Super Station is sure to impress!

L.O.L. Surprise Big Surprise The L.O.L. Surprise Big Surprise is a gift in which kids can discover 50 layers of surprises as they unbox their L.O.L. Surprise, uncovering new accessories and clues at every layer.

The glittery outer container can act as a purse or a display case once the gift has been unraveled, while the exclusive (or maybe rare) dolls inside have secret features, for even more surprise fun!

NERF Modulus Regulator NERF blasters allow children to create a blaster for any mission with the fully motorised Regulator.

Three different firing modes can be chosen due to the SwitchFire Technology, while the included swivel handle and the 2 versatile barrel-scopes allow for blastercustomisation.

Laser X Laser-tag… at home!

Laser X contains a 2 player pack which has everything needed for the first head to head match. The receiver vests will gradually change colour as they are hit… Get hit ten times and you’re out! This high-tech gaming experience comes with 2 Laser X blasters and 2 receiver vests.

LEGO Ninjago Movie Destiny’s Bounty Based on the LEGO Ninjago Movie, Destiny’s bounty, Master Wu’s flying ninja training base, is able to be the new platform for your children’s adventures. With 7 minifigures, weapons and accessories this LEGO ship allows kids to either recreate their favourite scenes from the movie or imagine brand new adventures of their own!

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From Salsa Dance to Skincare ‘Claire McKeever and her husband Gareth wanted to return home to Cumbria.

Claire, originally from Lowick, had spent her early career as an actress and salsa dance teacher in Paris and, more recently with Gareth, in London but a young family was the catalyst for a new adventure.

Claire says ‘Gareth & I had used Pure Lakes Skincare for some years. We love plant-based, natural products

and when Iain & Sandra Blackburn, the founders of Pure Lakes, decided to step back it was a great opportunity for us to move home. Our children were approaching school age and the timing was perfect.’

Pure Lakes is based in Staveley and has won awards for many of its products. It has even featured in magazines ranging from Vogue to Marie-Claire, for the high quality of its skincare. Pure Lakes is a local

artisan business, with everything made by hand in a workshop in Staveley. Claire has been busy getting ready for the Christmas season. She says, ‘We have put together some luxurious gift sets that cover all aspects of skincare, from head to toe.

We even have sets specially designed for cyclists and gardeners.

When asked which is her personal favourite, Claire replies, "I love our 'Pure Night' gift set. If I have had a

long day I try to find time for a relaxing bath and this set has some very spoiling products including our Rose & Geranium Bath Oil and one of our nourishing facial oils.

With all our products made locally by us we know they are not only great for your skin but also of the highest possible quality.’

Gareth’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe This is one of my favourite Christmas dishes and a modern take on a traditional favourite, Ingredients 500g sprouts, 100g chopped pecan nuts, 1 tbls turmeric, 1 tbls maple syrup, 2 tbls rapeseed oil, Instructions: Carefully wash and tail the sprouts, and cut in half.

Combine and stir the Turmeric, Maple Syrup and Rapeseed Oil, and mix together with the Brussels Sprouts.

Spread out on a baking tray and roast at 230 degrees for 25 minutes, adding and scattering the Pecan Nuts after 15 minutes.

They should be crispy on the outside and tender in the middle.

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What’s on in Cumbria this Christmas?

Winter Ramble at Brown Robin Nature Reserve Experience a winter walk with Tony Saunders, the Honorary Reserve Manager, and discover the diverse woodlands and fungi-rich meadows.

The Winter Ramble will be carried out over an east two-mile trail around the nature reserve. Although the trail is stressed to be easy, sturdy boots are recommended. The event will take place on the 3rd of December 10.00am-1200pm. Participants are encouraged to meet in the car park of the Cumbria Grand Hotel (SD 417 788).

Booking is essential - Tel: 01539 816300 or Email: mail@ cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Faulty Towers – The Dining Experience 2017 Visit The Old Laundry Theatre with the Interactive Theatre International providing refreshments along with laughs. It’s all part of a tribute world tour which takes place from the 8th10th of December where the fun starts as soon as the audience enter the building. Engage in a two-hour long humour fuelled event which boasts of it’s highly improvised scripture.

Booking is essential – www. oldlaundrytheatre.ticketsolve.com/ shows/873572134 Big Band Night The Rheged Centre in Penrith plays host to the Big Band Night

by DGKollective on the 9th of

December, bringing in a bunch of talented dancers and singers. Enjoy a variety of music, from swing classics to pop songs, as well as the Christmas favourites! This event will take place on the 9th of December from 7:00 am - 10:30 am.

Houghton Village Farmers Market Visit the Houghton Village Farmer’s Market where local produce is sold to visitors. There is a huge range on the products sold at the market, such as meat, bread, fruit and veg, cheese, cakes and preserves, crafts and inseason plants. A tea/coffee morning is also run every month by a different charity or group attempting to raise money for their chosen charity. The event will take place from the 9th10th of December 9.00am-1.00pm.

Venue: Houghton Village Hall, Houghton, Carlisle, CA3 0NY Guided walk at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve Experience a guided walk at Eycott Hill Nature Reservice and enjoy wonderful views whilst taking on board interesting facts about the nature reserve, wildlife and geology. Sturdy walking boots are recommended as the route is over wet, uneven ground. Guests are invited to meet in the car park at the reserve. This event takes place on the 9th of December 10.30am-12.30pm Booking is essential – Tel: 01539 816300 or Email: mail@ cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk

The Young’uns – ‘We Three Sings’ The Young’uns won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award and are in Kendall on the 9th of December, 7.00pm-10.30pm, writing and performing their a variety of songs.

The Young’uns stun spectators around the world as they seamlessly switch from beautiful ballads to coaxing laughs from their audience. Their passion for singing and storytelling has led to multiple five-star reviews as well as live sessions on BBC Radio 2 and 3 with Radio 4 documentaries too. Doors open at 7pm.

Venue: Kendal Parish Church, Kirkland, Kendal, LA9 5AF. Booking is essential – tickets available at www.breweryarts.co.uk or http://www.wegottickets.com Five in a Bar Christmas Carols The Fiver In A Bar singers have arranged an array of songs to be sung in their bespoke harmonies for the festive season. They will be performing in Growing Well’s cosy Yurts. All proceeds from this event will go to charity. The event will take place on Saturday the 9th of December at 7.30pm. Tickets are essential for this event: £12.50 per adult, £7.50 per child, pricing includes mince pies & festive drink.

Venue: Growing Well, Low Sizergh Farm, Kendal Booking is essential – Tickets available via website: www. growingwell.co.uk/events

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Christmas Breaks

in the Lake District Thinking about having a Lake District Christmas break? The warmest of welcomes awaits at any of our seven Lake District Hotels this Christmas.

Get into the festive spirit as you walk through the doors to one of our hotels in the Lake District adorned with traditional decorations and the aroma of mulled wine lulls you into a feeling of pure relaxation.

Enjoy the cosy atmosphere and delicious food, combined with our friendly service you will feel at home from the moment you arrive for Christmas in the Lake District. The only hard part is deciding which hotel to choose!

Lodore Falls Hotel

Unwind by the roaring fires before spending the rest of the Christmas break indulging in the delicious feasts, such as the famous Gala Buffet, whilst relaxing in beautiful surroundings or enjoying the variety of entertainment.

Inn on the Lake For a magical and memorable Christmas break in the heart of the Lake District the Inn on the Lake is the place to be. Feel relaxed and at ease amongst the courteous staff, abundance of entertainment and fantastic festive local fayre.

Borrowdale Hotel What could be better than roaring fires in the cosy lounges whilst sipping hot

Winter Punch with a mince pie, before spending the rest of the Christmas break relaxing and unwinding in the comfort of the Borrowdale Hotel.

Inn on the Square. Indulge yourselves this Christmas in our brand new hotel and make the most of the jolly season with a luxury stay at the Inn on the Square. Whether you’re planning a

relaxing quiet one or some fabulous festive fun with family and friends – we’ll make you feel welcome from the moment you drop your bags.

Skiddaw Hotel Situated in the centre of the beautiful market town of Keswick and adorned with traditional decorations, this hotel has enjoy delicious food, attentive

staff and great entertainment everything you need for a special Christmas break.

George Hotel Trees adorned with twinkling lights, decorations that illuminate the rich wood panelling in the lounges and roaring fires - not forgetting all the delicious food, the warmest of

welcomes awaits you at the George Hotel.

Kings Arms Hotel. Throughout your Christmas break at the Kings Arms Hotel you can enjoy a delicious variety of festive fayre, awardwinning ales and an abundance of entertainment and the opportunity to take Christmas at your own pace.

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HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT

THE LYTH VALLEY COUNTRY INN?

The Lyth Valley Country Inn is a charming inn which houses a magnificent restaurant and bar area within the stunning Lyth Valley.

The inn is situated in the north west of England, treasured within the rugged, mountainous area of the English Lake District where picturesque views of the surrounding landscape can be enjoyed from every angle.

If you endeavour to stay over in the Lake District, treat yourself to a luxurious, refreshing, and peaceful break with the Lyth Valley Country Inn where you can

witness panoramic views out towards Scout Scar or gaze in wonder at the woodland scenery. Each bedroom is individually decorated and can become the perfect start to an amazing trip in the Lake District.

The inn is a family-run business as owner, Steve, works side by side with his two sons, Craig and Shaun, and his head-chef, Jamie. They pride themselves on their ability to provide a broad variety of hearty meals from locally sourced produce into their even broader variety of menus. The dining experience at Lyth Valley Country Inn is renowned for brilliance; not only is

the food exquisite, but the internal environment and surrounding areas allow for total satisfaction.

Breakfast delivers the opportunity to devour the likes of fresh pastries and artisan coffee or, if you prefer to eat out during lunchtime, why not pop in to enjoy the highly recommended lunch or afternoon tea menus?

Experience the delightful dinner menu during the evening with the highly sought-after succulent pork belly, which is slowly cooked for seventy-two hours. You will not fail to find something that caters to every taste, diet, or requirement.

This same level of greatness can also be found within the bar of Lyth Valley Country Inn, as they hold both the finest ales, due to the Winster Valley Brewery, and the best wines from all around the globe.

Don't forget to check out their cocktail menu as they also provide expertly mixed concoctions which are a treat to the taste buds! Take a seat with family or friends within the cosy

booths or venture out on to the raised decking area to savour both the drink and the spectacular views.

The greatness of Lyth Valley Country Inn spills over into their sister pub, the Brown Horse Inn, which is located just three and a half miles away. Contemporary takes on the traditional dishes has allowed them to form their classy and chic menu with a comprehensive range of wines and ales served alongside. Like Lyth Valley, the Brown Horse also offers on site accommodation as well as the added luxury of self-catering cottages scattered around the Winster Valley.

So, why not indulge in yourself this Christmas and journey to the Lyth Valley Country Inn - or the Brown Horse Inn - to experience the fun fuelled festivities with great company among beautiful surroundings.

LYTH VALLEY COUNTRY INN: Lyth, Kendal, Cumbria, LA8 8DB. Tel: 015395 68295.

Email: info@lythvalley.com Web: www.lythvalley.com BROWN HORSE INN: Winster, Nr Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 3NR. Tel: 015394 43443.

Web: www.thebrownhorseinn.co.uk

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Share the magic of Christmas with Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa

A festive hideaway Get wrapped up in the true magic of Christmas this season in our festive hideaway, where you will be welcomed by blazing log fires and tantalising decorations, oozing with

an unmistakeable traditional charm.

Our enchanting location offers idyllic country walks and is the perfect place to indulge on gourmet food, seasonal beverages and spellbinding entertainment, whether you are

looking for a romantic getaway or a festive family gathering this Christmas.

If you’d prefer to enjoy the Christmas period at home, why not join us as we welcome in the New Year? Or, simply

immerse yourself in luxury between the two dates with a mid-festivity break.

Each of our carefully tailored packages boast an unforgettable programme of

One of Cumbria’s top destinations gets £2m makeover A ribbon cutting ceremony took place at the Glebe, Bowness on Windermere, today to formally mark the completion of road and public realm improvements in this popular lakeside location. Approximately £2 million has been invested in a package of improvements, making it much easier and safer for people to access one of Cumbria’s most popular destinations. The project has upgraded the Glebe with a series of public realm and access improvements, enhancing the area as a top destination for visitors.

Works have included: • Road and footway improvements on Glebe Road.

• On-street parking bays rearranged to reduce the ‘barrier effect’ of parked cars and more crossing opportunities for pedestrians.

• Public realm improvements to the foreshore area.

Cumbria County Council led the project, with funding secured from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership through the Growth Deal and from South Lakeland District Council.

Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “The Glebe Road scheme has significantly enhanced this key lakeside destination, with public realm improvements to the foreshore area, enhanced footways and surfacing, and

improved parking provision. The project has made a big difference to the Glebe Road area and will benefit both local residents and visitors.

This scheme is part of the wider Optimising Connectivity project, which has also brought improvements on the A591 at Town End, Grasmere.”

South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) funded improvements to the promenade and the shingle beach area, including new surfacing for footways, new street furniture and planting along the highway.

Councillor Graham Vincent, SLDC’s portfolio holder for economy and assets, said: “The work at the Glebe progressed well and the end result is very impressive. We are delighted to have helped fund the work as part of an overall investment in this world class waterfront destination.”

Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership director Graham Haywood said: "It is good to see a key element of the

Optimising Connectivity programme being completed. Better transport links and connectivity support business growth and a more diverse economy for the South Lakes area.

Cumbria LEP has invested £2m in this project overall to increase the range of sustainable transport options available in the Lake District, including highway improvement schemes in key tourist hotspots at Grasmere and this one for the Glebe in Windermere. The project has also included cycleway improvements on Dunmail Raise in the heart of the Lake District." James Daplyn, Project Manager at Capita, which designed the improvements, said: “As one of five Local Enterprise Partnership projects which Capita are delivering for Cumbria County Council, we are extremely proud of the project at the Glebe. The works have transformed areas of the Glebe waterfront for locals and visitors alike.”

activities including clay pigeon shooting, black tie dinners, ‘meet the hawk’ sessions and much more!

For more information on our festive breaks, contact Armathwaite Hall

Hotel and Spa via the details below: Hotel Telephone: 017687 76551 The Spa Telephone: 017687 88900

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Your guide to the perfect Christmas dinner:

CHOOSE YOUR MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TURKEY: it’s all in the preparation…

[A JAMIE OLIVER RECIPE: https://www.jamieoliver.com/ recipes/turkey-recipes] The turkey is often perceived as the central part of the Christmas dinner. Food lovers from all over the country will defend their chosen method to the ground, however, here we prefer to keep things simple yet effective with Jamie’s turkey recipe.

1. Check the main turkey cavity for the bag of giblets, and if they’re in there, remove and tip them into your roasting tray, discarding the bag.

The added flavour they’ll give your gravy will be incredible – trust me.

2. Peel the onions, wash the carrots and roughly chop with the celery, then add to the tray with the unpeeled garlic cloves.

3. Halve the clementine and chilli and place in the turkey cavity with

most of the herbs – not filling it too full allows hot air to circulate, cooking the bird from the inside out and from the outside in.

4. Place the stuffing in the neck cavity (click here for my meat stuffing recipe, or you could use any veggie stuffing), then pull the skin back over it and tuck it under the bird. You’ll get a good contrast between the soft, juicy stuffing here inside the turkey, and the crispier stuff you can bake in a dish, as well.

5. Scrunch and warm the butter in your hands so it’s soft enough to spread all over the bird, getting into all the nooks and crannies. The butter layer serves two purposes – natural basting, plus keeping the seasoning away from the meat until it hits the oven, so the bird stays nice and juicy.

The butter will melt off as it cooks, adding to the flavour of the gravy, and you’ll also be able to skim off

that tasty fat and save it in a jar in the fridge for delicious cooking another day.

6. Generously sprinkle the turkey from all sides with sea salt and black pepper, pick over the remaining herb leaves and pat them on to the butter, then finely grate over a nice coating of nutmeg.

7. Cover the turkey snugly with tin foil and place it on top of the trivet in the tray. You can now either leave it for 1 hour until the bird comes up to room temperature, ready to cook, or pop it into the fridge or another cold place until you need it.

8. Have a clear down, and your prep is done. Click here for how to cook your bird...

9. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/ gas 4.

10. You want to cook a higher-welfare bird for 25 to 30 minutes per kilo, and a standard bird for 35 to 40 minutes

ROAST DUCK with Marsala gravy…

[A JAMIE OLIVER RECIPE: https://www.jamieoliver.com/ recipes/duck-recipes] Attempt Jamie’s crispy roast duck fuss-free substitute to the traditional roast this Christmas.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas 4.

2. Remove any excess fat from inside the cavity of the duck, then using a sharp knife carefully score the breast and legs all over in crisscross fashion, roughly 1cm apart.

3. Season the duck with sea salt, black pepper and the five-spice, then rub all over so the flavour catches in all the nooks and crannies.

4. Halve the clementine and place into the cavity along with the bay leaves. Transfer the duck to a medium roasting tray and roast for

around 1 hour 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, halve the bulb of garlic across the middle, then peel and roughly slice the carrots and onions.

6. When the time is up, remove the roasting tray from the oven. Carefully lift up the duck and scatter the veg into the tray to make a trivet. Sit the duck on top of the veg, then return the tray to the oven for a further 40 minutes, or until the duck is beautifully crisp and the meat falls easily away from the bone.

7. Once cooked to perfections, remove the duck to a plate to rest while you get on with the gravy.

8. Add the flour to the vegetables, then mash everything together with a potato masher, scraping up all the sticky goodness from the bottom.

9. Place over a medium-high heat, pour in the Marsala and leave to bubble and cook away, stirring well.

10. Add the stock, then bring to

the boil and reduce to a simmer for around 15 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Strain through a coarse sieve, skim away any fat from the surface, then season to taste.

11. Shred or carve up the duck, then serve with the gravy on the side.

Nice with duck fat roast potatoes, seasonal greens and cranberry sauce.

VEGETARIAN NUT ROAST… [A EMMA GOSS-CUSTARD RECIPE VIA JAMIE OLIVER WEBSITE: https://www. j a m i e o l i v e r. c o m / r e c i p e s / vegetables-recipes] Emma’s innovative take on the standard vegetarian nut roast is outstanding. Ourselves and Jamie Oliver alike praise her roasted veg,

crispy potatoes and redcurrant gravy.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. For the nut roast crust, spread out the nuts and seeds on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5–6 minutes.

Transfer to a food processor, along with the chestnut purée, suet and maple syrup, and blitz until the mixture comes together into a ball.

It will be very sticky to begin with, so stop and scrape the sides as you go.

2. Place a large sheet of baking parchment on a work surface and sit the dough on it.

T h e n , with lots of glutenfree flour on your hands and rolling pin, roll out the dough as thinly as possible (less than 5mm).

3. If you’re making individual

tartlets, oil and flour four 10cm loose-bottomed tart tins, then cut out the pastry to size. Or roll out the dough and cut to the size of a large baking tin, then transfer to the tin using a fish slice. Prick the dough all over with a fork, cover with baking parchment, fill with baking beans or rice and bake blind for 12–15 minutes.

Leave to cool completely in the baking tray, as it will be quite delicate straight from the oven.

Keep the oven on.

4. For the topping, pop the sweet potato on a baking tray, toss with a little oil, then bake for 25 minutes, or until soft.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the mushrooms and 1 tsp cracked black pepper, and sauté for 6–8 minutes, until the mushrooms brown.

5. Blitz the roasted sweet potato in a food processor with the crème fraîche, nutmeg and ½ tbsp cracked black pepper (or to taste) to a smooth, creamy consistency.

6. To assemble your tart, crumble the blue cheese over the base, arrange the sautéed mushrooms on top, then finish with the sweet potato mix. Sprinkle with linseed, pistachios and sunflower seeds and add a drizzle of rapeseed oil, then pop back in the oven for 6–7 minutes until it just starts to brown.

Serve hot with the accompanying vegetables.

per kilo. Higher-welfare birds generally have more intramuscular fat, which means they cook quicker than standard, lean birds. If you’ve got a 7kg bird, like I had here, do it for just over 3 hours, based on the guideline timings above.

11. Just under 1 hour before the time is up, get the tray out of the oven and remove the tin foil.

12. Cover the bird with your rashers of bacon, stretching and weaving them into a criss-cross pattern however you like. Return the turkey to the oven for the remaining time, or until golden and cooked through.

13. The simplest way to check it’s cooked is to stick a knife into the thickest part of the thigh – if the juices run clear, it’s done. If you’re worried, use a meat thermometer. You want to reach an internal temperature of 65ºC for a top-quality bird, such as Paul Kelly’s turkeys, or 70ºC for

a supermarket higher-welfare or standard bird.

14. Use heavy-duty tongs to lift up your bird so all the juices run from the cavity into the tray, then transfer the turkey to a platter, cover with a double layer of tin foil and a clean tea towel, and leave to rest for up to 2 hours while you crack on.

15. Use your tray of trivet veg and juices to make your gravy. Place the turkey tray over a medium heat on the hob. Skim away most of the fat from the surface into a jar, cool, and place in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.

16. Stir the flour into the tray, mashing up all the veg and scraping up all the sticky bits from the base.

Pour in up to 2 litres of boiling kettle water and simmer until the gravy is the consistency of your liking, then stir in the cranberry sauce.

17. Strain the gravy through a coarse

sieve, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon, then season to perfection.

18. Keep warm over the lowest heat until needed, adding any extra resting juices from the turkey before serving.

ROAST CHICKEN… [A JAMIE OLIVER RECIPE: https://www.jamieoliver.com/ recipes/chicken-recipes] If you fancy venturing away from the turkey this year, why not try our roast chicken recommendation?

Birds are typically larger around this time of year so take advantage and stuff with fresh herbs, some porcini-and-pancetta butter smeared under the skin.

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas 5. Leave the chicken to come up to room temperature while you make your butter.

2. Pop the dried porcini into a small bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to remove the mushrooms, and reserve both them and their soaking liquid.

3. Put your butter into a bowl and finely grate in the lemon zest (reserve the lemons for later) and half of the nutmeg, then peel and crush in the garlic.

4. Pick in the thyme leaves, chop and add the pancetta, then add the soaked porcini along with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

5. Mix everything into the butter until combined, then divide into two. Set aside in the fridge until needed.

6. Take the chicken and use your fingers and a spatula to gently work

your way between the skin and the meat. Start at the side of the cavity just above the leg and work gently up along the breastbone, towards the back, until you create a large cavity.

7. Poke half of the butter into it, using your hands to push it through the skin right to the back, so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side with the remaining butter, and if there’s any left, rub it over the outside of the bird.

8. Halve the reserved zested lemons and pop in the cavity of the chicken along with the thyme, rosemary and sage sprigs – this will add extra flavour while the chicken cooks.

9. Peel and halve the onions, peel and roughly chop the carrots, then trim and roughly chop the celery.

10. Pile the veg into a large roasting tray, smash and add the whole garlic cloves along with the bay leaves and chicken wings, then drizzle with oil.

11. Place your whole chicken on top, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

12. Roast the chicken in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the skin is golden and crispy and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a sharp knife, basting twice during cooking. If the vegetables start looking dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them burning.

13. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the chicken to a board.

Cover with a sheet of tin foil and a tea towel and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

14. To prepare the gravy, spoon away any excess fat from the mixture in the roasting tray, then place on the hob over a low-medium heat.

15. Add the flour, stirring constantly, then pour in the wine and let it reduce down. Lastly, add the stock and stir continuously, until thickened.

16. Sieve the gravy into a clean saucepan, pressing down on all the solids to extract as much as you can. Keep the gravy warm in the saucepan, skimming off any fat that rises to the top. Serve with your roast chicken.

HAM… [A JAMIE OLIVER RECIPE: https://www.jamieoliver.com/ recipes/pork-recipes]

the flavours to really penetrate the meat.

4. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/ gas 3.

5. Carefully remove the meat to a board and, using a knife, take off the skin. Depending on the breed and quality of the pig, you should have a nice layer of fat. Remove some of the fat as well, to leave you with about 1cm. The extra fat can be kept in the freezer for roasting with potatoes another time.

6. Score the fat left on the meat in a criss-cross fashion, and season generously with 3 tablespoons of black pepper.

7. Place the ham in a roasting tray and roast for 20 minutes, or until the fat renders and becomes slightly crispy.

8. Remove from the oven, stir the marmalade to loosen, then rub it all over the meat,

and strip over the rosemary.

9. Return to the oven for about 1 hour and baste frequently until beautifully golden and crisp. Serve as you would a roast dinner or as part of a picnic.

Whether you choose to serve this as part of your Christmas dinner or save it for your evening meal, Jamie Oliver strikes again with his roasted marmalade ham.

1. Place the gammon in a large, snug-fitting pot and cover with water. Roughly chop and throw in the carrots and celery, with the bay leaves, peppercorns and bouquet garni. Peel the zest from the oranges and add to the water, then squeeze the juice.

2. Place the pot over a high heat, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes with a lid on, skimming away any scum that rises to the surface, as and when needed.

3. When the time's up, remove from the heat and allow to cool for half an hour in the broth – this will allow

Your guide to the

perfect Christmas Sides: It’s taking people over 2

Choose your Sides ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ROAST POTATOES… 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ 4. Melt the lard in a deep flameproof [A RECIPE BY JAMES MARTIN Gas 6. roasting tray on a high heat and fry FROM SATURDAY KITCHEN: 2. Simmer the potatoes in a large the potatoes on each side until they http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes] pan of salted boiling water for 4-5 begin to brown.

The perfect roast potato is an essential minutes, or until the outside of the 5. Sprinkle with salt, to taste, and part of winning over your family with potatoes are beginning to soften. roast for 30 minutes, or until starting the Christmas dinner.

3. Thoroughly drain the potatoes to colour.

Potatoes need to be crispy on the and briefly shake them around in the 6. Turn the potatoes and return to the outside and fluffy and light on the colander or pan to roughen up the oven for a further 20-30 minutes, or inside. edges. until golden-brown and crisp.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS… A RECIPE BY RICHARD CORRGIAN FROM GREAT BRITISH MENU: http:// w w w. b b c . c o . u k / f o o d / r e c i p e s / creamedbrusselssprou_84835 Love them or hate them, Brussels sprouts are an integral part of Christmas lunch. An effortless beauty

which will help to convince the most determined of sprout-haters. Entice them in with cream and bacon.

1. Cook the Brussels sprouts in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and refresh in a bowl of ice and water.

Drain again when the sprouts have cooled.

2. Add the bacon lardons to a nonstick frying pan, and fry over a medium heat until crisp.

3. Add the cream and crushed garlic to a small pan and bring to the boil.

4. Stir the sprouts into the crisp bacon; then stir in the hot cream.

5. Season with salt and pepper and serve straightaway.

PIGS IN BLANKETS… [A JAMIE OLIVER RECIPE: https:// www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/porkrecipes/pigs-in-blankets/] 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/ gas 4.

2. Working one at a time, lay the bacon out on a board and run the sharp side of your knife along the length of the rasher to stretch it out –

this will make it even crispier.

3. Dot with a few herb leaves, then place a sausage at one end and roll the bacon around it until it’s totally wrapped up. Place in a roasting tray and repeat till they’re all done.

4. Cook for 30 minutes, or until golden, gnarly and cooked through.

5. Using a fish slice, scrape the pigs in blankets from the bottom of the

tray, leaving them in there, then add the Worcestershire sauce and give it a good shake, scraping all that sticky goodness from the bottom of the tray.

6. Drizzle in the honey then place on a medium heat on the hob and bring to the boil until caramelised, shaking continuously to coat. Serve immediately.

LEMON AND THYME PORK STUFFING… [A MARY BERRY RECIPE: www. maryberry.co.uk/recipes/christmas/ lemon-and-thyme-pork-stuffing] Make the stuffing the day before and use it to stuff a 7.2kg-8.1kg turkey in the neck end, providing it will fit in the fridge. Do not put a meat stuffing in the body cavity of a bird. The

stuffing can also be made and frozen for up to a month in advance.

1. Cook the onion, covered, in the simmering oven for about 15 minutes until soft.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and cook gently until soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix well together. Cool before

stuffing the turkey.

4. This is now ready to stuff the neck end of the bird.

5. Breadcrumbs are often used in recipes over Christmas. Some time in advance, whiz a whole loaf to breadcrumbs in the processor and keep in the freezer. You will then have them at the ready, and they defrost in minutes.

PARSNIPS AND CARROTS… [A DANNY BLOOME RECIPE VIA RESCUE CHEF: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ danny-boome] 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut them in half lengthwise, larger ones can be quartered.

Place them on a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Drizzle the carrots and parsnips with the olive oil and honey. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Scatter the thyme sprigs on top.

Place them in the preheated oven.

4. After 10 minutes, give the veggies a toss and put back in the oven for another 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and slightly caramelized. Serve warm.

minutes to spot the robin among the Christmas trees how long does it take you?

Bloom & Wild have created this mindboggling brainteaser to test our brains.

Can you spot the robin amongst the Christmas trees? On average it takes 2 minutes and 26 seconds to solve - the same time as Santa Claus Is Coming To Town by The Jackson 5! Flower delivery company Bloom & Wild have created a holiday brainteaser in the run-up to Christmas, and it’s so mind-boggling it’s sure to leave even Santa and his magical elves stumped.

The brainteaser challenges readers to spot the robin amongst the snowcapped Christmas pine trees. Can you spot the robin hiding in the Christmas trees?

The robin holds a special place in the hearts of Brits during the festive

period. As a much loved symbol of Christmas, the robin has meaning going back to the beginnings of Christianity, but since the 19th century, the red breasted robin has been a symbol of the red-suited Victorian postmen that delivered much loved Christmas cards during the season - giving them the nickname Robins. Since then robins have been depicted on Christmas cards and decorations as a symbol of the festive season in Britain. As such, it’s only fitting that Bloom & Wild have created a brainteaser that brings together our most loved and respected Christmas traditions - the Christmas tree and the Christmas robin. The brainteaser has already

managed to stump several Bloom & Wild employees looking to spot the elusive robin amid the bedecked Christmas pines. It took them an average of 2 minutes and 26 seconds to find the red breasted bird - the same amount of time it would take for you to listen to ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ by The Jackson 5! Why not see how long it takes you to find it?

Jim Warren from Bloom & Wild says, "Our aim was to contribute a sense of fun that represented the much loved festive traditions of the season. The depiction of the Christmas robin is synonymous with the spirit of giving that is so prevalent during this period - we only hope we haven’t made it too difficult to find!"

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Holiday shoppers can bag Christmas gifts in

New York for a little as one third the London price Bargain-hunting Britons can save up to 65 per cent on designer labels and 51 per cent on toys in New York Four-in-five of 150 Christmas gift surveyed by Post Office Travel Money cost less in New York than in London Savvy shoppers can buy a Duty Free Dream Dozen family gifts and save 40 per cent New York has again trumped London in offering the best value Christmas gifts, according to research for the 11th annual Post Office Travel Money Christmas Shopping Guide. With sterling now eight per cent stronger than a year ago, holiday shoppers visiting the Big Apple can save up to 65 per cent on designer clothes and 51 per cent on toys.

The Post Office research found that many New York stores have cut prices to below 2016 levels to compound the benefit of the stronger pound for UK shoppers.As a result, 80 per cent of the 150 items surveyed are far cheaper in New York than in London.

This includes ‘must have’ brands like Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, GAP, Hollister, Banana Republic and J.Crew, together with this year’s ‘must-have’ toys and the latest Apple iPad Mini.

The biggest bargains in this year’s 20 Best Buys in New York¹ are on designer denims, which outstrip most other savings in the Christmas Shopping Guide.The best deal is on a pair of Abercrombie & Fitch women’s super-skinny jeans, priced at £68 in London but just £24.06 in New York – saving 65 per cent.Men’s 501 Original Fit jeans come close with a saving of 64 per cent – under £31 in New York but £85 in London’s West End.Other bargain brands offering savings of over 50 per cent include A&F sister brand Hollister and Gap. The Post Office says there are rich pickings in New York on most US fashion brands with fashionista favourites like J. Crew and Banana Republic a third cheaper than in London.But this year’s star buy for women is at top lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret.From a host of savings at around 15-20 per cent, eagle-eyed shoppers can pick up a Dream Angels Wicked Uplift Bra for £20.99, 45 per cent below the London price (£37.91).

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: “With sterling’s recent recovery against the US dollar, there are great bargains to be struck in US shops provided shoppers have done their homework in advance. Although the vast majority of gift items are cheaper, savings vary quite a bit and some brands cost more in New York.

Take a list of London prices and check carefully before splashing the cash to avoid expensive mistakes.”

For example, bargain hunters should not be tempted to buy in-vogue US brand Carhartt in a New York store.

Surveyed for the first time this year, Post Office Travel Money could not find a single bargain item in New York. Instead, a pair of Carhartt Ruck Double Knee trousers cost almost a third more (£130.15) than in London (£100).

The Post Office research also found that seasoned shoppers can use their £390 duty free allowance to save a total of 40 per cent on a Dream Dozen gifts for family and friends in New York.At just under £378, a dozen Christmas gifts – including six top designer label fashions, skin care and cosmetics, toys and gadgets - cost around £250 less than in London.

Some of the biggest transatlantic bargains are on toys tipped as Christmas 2017 bestsellers. The top saving of 51 per cent is on Disney Pixar’s Cars 3 Movie Moves Lightening McQueen (£15.74), while parents can shave 37 per cent on a Hot Wheels Street Racing Set (£25.18).

Two of the toys that feature in the top 12 Dreamtoys, just announced², are among many New York bargains.

The Paw Patrol Sea Patroller (£44.92) costs 36 per cent less than in London (£69.97) and the Roaring’ Tyler Playful Tiger is 27 per cent cheaper (£99.08 vs £134.99).

UK holiday shoppers can save money on some beauty items but they will need to be cautious as bargains are few and far between.Post Office researchers found savings of 57 per cent on a St Tropez Tanning Mask (£6.42) 32 percent on Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant (£18.47) and 24 per cent on a Clinique Long Last lipstick (£14.69).However, Clinique’s Brow Kit (£32.45) is 40 per cent more expensive than in London (£23.40)

and an Estee Lauder Anti-Aging Eye Balm was found to cost 79 per cent more - £79.41 compared with £44.10 in Oxford Street.

Savings on electronic gadgets are more uniform.Over half of the 21 high-tech items surveyed were found to save at least 15 per cent in New York and, given the higher price tag attached to most gadgets, the savings can be sizeable. A Sony Playstation VR headset with Camera costs £393.99 in London but shoppers can shave over £58 off that price in New York (£335.87).

This year’s Best Buy gadget is the iPad Mini.Apple enthusiasts can bring back the latest version – the iPad Mini 4 - from New York and save 20 per cent - £84 - into the bargain (New York price: £335, London price: £419).

Andrew Brown said: “Make the most of sterling’s improving value by getting the best US dollar rate before leaving home. Take enough cash to

Three angels for Christmas

New designs for the popular figurines Rosenthal angels The Rosenthal Christmas angels coveted by collectors and fans alike are available to order right now in three new designs.

The specially created angel collection available in small, medium and big size continues this traditional series. The designs comprise an angel with cat, one with a skateboard and an angel with binoculars.

All angels feature the Rosenthal stamp on the bottom of the item, which is important for collectors and guarantees excellence and quality.

High-quality, sentimental gift packaging rounds off the concept perfectly.

cover both shopping and living costs to avoid incurring charges for using ATMs in New York - and be aware that transactions of over £500 will attract a better rate in our branches or on the Post Office website.

A good way to avoid exceeding the £390 duty free allowance is to carry this on our prepaid Travel Money

Card, which can be used just like plastic.”

Over 4,000 larger Post Office branches offer US dollars on demand and they can be ordered online at postoffice.co.uk for same day collection at selected branches, for next day collection at any branch or home delivery. Up to 70 currencies

can be pre-ordered at over 11,500 Post Office branches or online at postoffice.co.uk for next day branch or home delivery.

Prices for gift items in London and New York can be compared in the 2017 New York/London Christmas Shopping Guide at www.postoffice. co.uk/christmas-shopping.

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2017 Santa Steam Specials Every weekend from the 25th November through to Christmas Eve Every year the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway run Santa Specials.

Join us for a journey behind one of our iconic steam locomotives for festive fun when Santa Clause travels along the Railway spreading goodwill all round. Tickets will go on sale on 24th July.

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Santa Specials – the original and best.

As soon as you board our Santa Special, it feels like Christmas with specially decorated coaches and festive music to get you into the

mood. You will be greeted by your steward, who will check your tickets and show you to your seat, before explaining what will happen during the journey (and where to find the bar!)

Join the Santa Special at Oxenhope, Haworth or Keighley Stations for a ten-mile return journey on our steam train, lasting around an hour.

Experience nostalgia and the magic of Christmas in our specially decorated coaches, with festive music to get you into the mood. Santa and his pixies

visit each child during the journey, delivering presents and the grownups are served with a mince pie and seasonal drink: the perfect way for you and your family to start the Christmas season.

All our Santa Specials have a buffet car serving real-ale, hot and cold drinks and a variety of snacks, with entertainers on board to make sure you get the most out of your day. Your ticket also allows you free travel on our connecting diesel services. Our hugely popular Pixies Pantry Cafe

and Winter Wonderland display will be available in Oxenhope Exhibition Shed throughout the Santa Special period.

When do they run?

Saturdays and Sundays November 25th/26th (Availability both days) December – 2nd / 3rd (Availability both days) December 9th (No seats from Keighley on any train) / 10th (Limited Availability, only single or double seats) December 16th (Limited Availability, only single or double seats) / 17th (Limited Availability, only single or double seats) December 23rd (Limited Availability, only single seats) & Christmas Eve (Sold Out) Please note that 10th, 16th, 17th and 23rd December have only limited availability with only single or occasional double seats. Call Haworth Station on 01535 645214 if you wish to book these seats on these dates.

You may book to travel from Keighley, Haworth or Oxenhope stations at the times below. Whichever station you choose, your Santa Special train will take you on a return journey over

the whole railway. When booking please specify your chosen station and the time you wish board. NOTE: the last train of the day, marked *, is not available on the first weekend of November and will not run on Christmas Eve to give Santa enough time to get his sleigh and reindeer prepared for the night’s work ahead.

Booking is now open, To ensure you reserve the day and time you want, go to ON-LINE BOOKING. or call o1535 645214 Fares Adults & Children, 3 years of age and over – £18.00

Toddlers, 6 – 35 months – £8.50 Under 6 months – Free Special First Weekend Promotion For the first weekend of Santa Specials we are offering 25% discount with special prices as follows: Adults & Children, 3 years of age and over – £13.50 Toddlers, 6 – 36 months – £6.40 Under 6 months – Free Want to know more?

If you want to know more about the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Santa Specials go to the Santa Special page http://kwvr.co.uk/events-andexperiences/festive-santa-specials/

Haworth or Keighley you can see our superb display and gingerbread house!

Santa Claus Also known as Father Christmas, Pere Noel and many other names; Santa Claus is known worldwide as the jolly man in the red suit with presents for all the good boys and girls.He’s been making a list and checking it twice, so if you’ve been good you might find yourself with a stocking full of goodies on Christmas Day. Santa will visit every child during the journey (as long as you can shout loud enough!)

Rudolph Do we all know the story of Rudolph

the Red-Nosed Reindeer?

Rudolph likes visiting the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, so you might be lucky enough to see him when you’re on the Santa Special train!

Why not have your photo taken with him so you can show it to all your friends? You could even bring him a carrot!

Ebeneezer Scrooge Scrooge hates Christmas and everything it stands for, so he tries to stop Santa from coming to see all the boys and girls. The one thing Scrooge hates most is Christmas Cheer, so make sure you’re all smiling and laughing, so you can see him off and make way for Santa!

Festive Santa Specials Happy children and smiling faces all round, but not when Mr. Scrooge comes walks through the train trying to spread gloom and doom.

But Santa’s visit always brings back smiles and joy.

Your Journey As soon as you board our Santa Special, it feels like Christmas with specially decorated coaches and festive music to get you into the mood. You will be greeted by your steward, who will check your tickets and show you to your seat, before explaining what will happen during the journey (and where to find the bar!) Don’t forget to watch out for nasty Mr Scrooge, who doesn’t like Christmas and wants to throw all the presents off the train. Perhaps if you sing a really jolly song, we can frighten him away, so that Santa will be able to come and see you?

Of course, this is where you’ll need to bring your shouting voices – so that Santa knows you are on the train. http://www.kwvr.co.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2014/09/Santa-Song-Sheet. pdf to download your Christmas song sheet.

Next comes the man himself – Mr Santa Claus – with presents for all the boys and girls, as long as you’ve been good. You could even have your photo taken with him as a souvenir of your magical day. After Santa has been to see you come the mince pies and sherries for the grown-ups.

When you’ve had your train ride (or before), why not visit our Pixies’ Pantry and Winter Wonderland at Oxenhope? Your Santa Special ticket gives you unlimited free travel on our connecting diesel railcar service, so even if you boarded the train at

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Play Factore hold Twelve

Days of Christmas for Charities

The Creators of Play Factore are thrilled to announce that we will be opening our doors for The Twelve Days up to Christmas, to make some very special children smile this Christmas. From the 13th December until Christmas Eve we intend to provide 12 Charities the chance to enjoy a party at Play Factore.

As the UK’s leading family entertainment arena, Play Factore are proud to support local and national Charities throughout the year. We are lucky to see on a daily basis the joy that children get when visiting our unique play experience. Whether that is from being able to spend time

together playing with their families or racing their friends down our Big Red Slide. Play Factore know that not every child is able to enjoy being a child and carefree, we are planning to change that for as many children as possible this Christmas.

Play Factore believe that all children should spend Christmas with a smile on their face. Unfortunately this is not the case for many Children who will spend this Christmas staying in temporary accommodation, caring for members of their families or battling illness. Play Factore are committed to giving all children the opportunity to create everlasting memories.

Play Factores Twelve Days of Christmas will support the charities Children and Families around Manchester with an early Christmas gift. During the Twelve Days we will be providing local charities the ability to bring children, families and their staff to Play Factore to enjoy a range of treats free of charge at this special time of year. It was important to Play Factore to bring a wide range of charities from all over the Manchester area to enjoy time with us. Our

Twelve Days of Christmas charities have been carefully selected to allow us to help provide as many children over Christmas with wonderful happy

memories as possible.

We hope this is the start of a wonderfully long Christmas tradition.

Play Factore helping to make

fun happen for the children of Manchester!

Play Factore delight in “Making Fun Happen “for all families.

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Blood pressure campaign sees 1 in 5

Blackburn residents with stroke risk symptoms One in five Blackburn residents who had blood pressure checks as part of a free health clinic at Vision Express were advised to seek further medical attention.

The drop-in was hosted at the Blackburn Mall store as part of an award-winning initiative between Vision Express and the Stroke Association, to highlight high blood pressure as a contributing factor in around half[1] of all strokes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It educated locals on the risks and signs of stroke, and saw two individuals advised to seek urgent GP attention within a week due to elevated readings.

Connie Pattinson, Vision Express Blackburn store manager, also took the chance to have her blood pressure checked. With no family history of high blood pressure and stroke, Connie was tested three times after her reading was identified as slightly too high by local Stroke Association volunteer John Gott. Connie said: “He recommended I see a GP within the month and mentioned that anyone aged between the age of 40 and 74 can have an NHS health check – almost like a health ‘MOT’, which is an all-over check of general health.

I’ve never heard of this before and it’s something I’m keen to get done.

“Everyone has stress in their life busy weekend, young children, work and that sort of thing, but it’s very quick and easy to get a test done,” Connie reassures. “I’ve put it off and now I know I need to take further action, I will definitely advise other people to have a check up, including my husband.”

Vicky Cheshire, a communications support officer from the Stroke Association, has personal experience of the devastating impact of stroke, as two of her grandparents suffered from the condition. “My nanna has had three previous strokes and my grandad as well. Both were quite badly affected, especially their mobility. My grannie now has to care for my grandad, so strokes don’t only affect the person who has had one, their families lives can be changed too.” Commenting on the Know Your Blood Pressure event, she added: “It’s

not painful to have a check. If you don’t know your blood pressure, you should come and get it done. It’s just two minutes out of your life.”

Store Manager Connie said: “We’re so pleased our customers and local residents were given the opportunity to have their reading taken at the store and we hope it has encouraged them to consider the importance of regular health checks.”

National statistics[2] highlight that within the Blackburn CCG (clinical commissioning group), 2,946 people are stroke survivors, a figure that represents 1.7% of the local population. Supporting the event was Stroke Association representative, 70-year-old John Gott from Colne. A local volunteer for fourteen years, he was inspired to get involved with the charity after meeting a stroke survivor when he was a volunteer driver in the area. “I really didn’t know anything about stroke until I used to take a gentleman to the local stroke communication support group,” explained John.

He has been shocked recently to see how many young people are affected by stroke.

He wants to raise awareness and help to improve the support for people of all ages. He said: “At one time, in the UK one person every five minutes

was having a stroke, and that went down to one every three and a half minutes. I believe that due to the Stroke Association’s research and development it’s now back up to one every five minutes again, which is good.”

Vision Express forged its partnership with the Stroke Association to educate customers about stroke and its impact on sight. Up to 60% of people that have had a stroke will experience visual problems, yet one in three are not warned that sight loss could be a problem - or that treatment and support is available. Over half of strokes can be caused by high blood pressure, meaning having the simple check is crucial. It is also possible to identify whether someone has high blood pressure during an eye test.

Offering an eye test to best practice guidelines of the College of Optometrists (COO), each Vision Express optometrist is a qualified eye health professional. To book an eye test at the Blackburn store call 01254 660652, visit The Mall Blackburn, 25 Church Street, Blackburn BB1 5AF or make an online enquiry at: www. visionexpress.com/book-eye-test/ [1] Stroke Association ‘State of the Nation’ report, January 2016 [2] Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) in 2015/16

12% smoking target in new Lancashire Tobacco Plan The Lancashire Tobacco Control Plan, which was agreed by the county council's cabinet, sets out a number of measures to build on the work that has been delivered so far to encourage people to quit smoking. It highlights how Lancashire will support the national target of working towards a smoke-free generation. Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of premature death and ill health in Lancashire. It kills more than 1,600 people aged 35 or over across the county each year.This is greater than the total number of deaths from alcohol, obesity, illegal drugs, murder, suicide, road traffic accidents and HIV infection combined.

County Councillor Shaun Turner, lead member for health and adult services, said: "Smoking is one of the major factors that contributes to the huge health inequalities across our county.

"It leads to thousands of premature deaths and causes people to live in ill health for many years. In financial terms, the costs associated with it are astronomical too. "The costs of smoking to Lancashire's economy

are over £291m each year, including £50m to the NHS. "We've been successful in reducing smoking rates down to 16%, but we need to build on this. "The measures set out in the tobacco control plan will help us cut smoking rates to 12% by 2022."

Some of the ways the council will reduce smoking include: • Commissioning new digital services using cutting-edge technology to encourage people to quit • Carrying out more targeted work to encourage specific groups to quit.

These include reducing smoking rates for pregnant women to 6% or less by 2022 and cutting smoking for manual and routine workers. Rates for this group are 23.9%, which is significantly higher compared to the rest of the county's population.

• Continuing to provide support to help people change smoking behavioural and nicotine replacement therapy to help them quit. For people who still struggle to stop, supporting people to use e-cigarettes as one of the tools to help them quit.

Although not risk free, these cause

significantly less harm to people's health than conventional cigarettes.

County Councillor Turner added: "We're continuing to commission our Quit Squad stop smoking services to reduce smoking rates. We'll also continue clamping down on under-age tobacco, e-cigarette liquids and illicit tobacco sales. "We're also bringing in new measures such as increasing the use of digital technology to help people quit and supporting the use of e-cigarettes as an alternative to help people stop smoking. "Together with work to target specific groups where smoking rates are particularly high, we hope to achieve our aim to make Lancashire's next generation a smoke free generation." For more information about the Tobacco Control Plan for Lancashire, visit the cabinet web page. To quit smoking or find out more about Quit Squad, visit http://www.quitsquad.nhs.uk or call 0800 328 6297. The Quit Squad service is commissioned and funded

by Lancashire County Council and delivered by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.

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Fleetwood veteran carves new

future after years with PTSD A Fleetwood veteran has found new self-belief and confidence after learning the skills to make a rocking horse.

It’s 22 years since Gunner Kevin Gray was medically discharged from the Royal Artillery after being diagnosed with PTSD. Since then, he has struggled to find a new purpose in life. But a call to Help for Heroes for support changed all that. “I needed some direction, a focus and asked if they could help me,” said the 46-year-old. “I was delighted when I was given a place on a course to make a rocking horse in the wood workshop at Help for Heroes Recovery Centre in North Yorkshire – and I haven’t looked back.”

During weekly visits to Phoenix House in Catterick, Kevin has spent over 120 hours transforming a piece of plywood measuring 8ft x 4ft into a stunning, highly polished rocking horse, complete with main, tail, saddle and stirrups, which would sell at £1800. “The achievement has built up my confidence no end and put a smile back on my face,” said Kevin. “It’s given me something tangible to take home but, more importantly a skill that I can now use.

“I still have a long way to go on my road to recovery but this course has been a huge step forward on it. For the first time in nearly 25 years, I am looking forward to a future.”

The workmanship of the veterans was of such a high standard that all have been made honorary members of the Guild of Rocking Horse Makers.

Kevin made his horse - named Chinook after the helicopters he worked on in Northern Ireland and in the desert during the Gulf war of 1991 – as a present for his wife Gillian but his three granddaughters are now pleading for him to make one for them too.

“Three-year-old Georgie is first in line, but I have a feeling that I will be making several more once I can set up a workshop at home,” said Kevin.

Bob Marshall, the Help for Heroes volunteer who runs the wood workshop, said although at face value the course was about learning to make a rocking horse, in reality it was about far much more.

“Every individual that Help for Heroes supports was highly-trained in order to serve their country, and courses such as this allow them to rediscover that pride and self-esteem

that may have been dormant for some time. “This is measured not only in terms of learning new skills and techniques and working to a set plan but also in their subtle and discernible changes in outlook, attitude and ability to interact with others.

“Most importantly though, it is simply good fun, with the working environment replicating the banter and camaraderie that they experienced while Serving and miss so much.”

To celebrate its tenth birthday, Help for Heroes has launched ‘The Force for Good’ campaign, recognising the potential in the wounded, injured and sick veterans they support. The Charity aims to help increasing numbers of veterans find their purpose once again, after it was revealed that in 2016/17, on average seven members of the Armed Forces were medically discharged each day - more than 200 per month. New data obtained by Freedom of Information Act request shows the annual figure for the number of men and women

medically discharged from the British Armed Forces increased by 99% between 2010/11 and 2016/17.

So far, Help for Heroes has supported around a fifth of those who may need help getting their lives back on track. The Force for Good movement is aimed at encouraging those who the charity is yet to reach, to step forward. Over the coming year, it will also show the need for ongoing support from the public.

Mel Waters, CEO of Help for Heroes, said: “We want to support even more veterans in the future. We believe that those who put their lives second by serving our country deserve a second chance at life, to reach their potential and to live fulfilling lives once more.

We know this is a big job, and we can’t do it alone, so we are asking the great British public to unite with our brave ex-service men and women and join The Force for Good.”

For more information on how you can be part of The Force for Good, visit https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

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Have you time to help a hero?

A volunteer with military charity Help for Heroes is appealing to Lancastrians to ‘do their bit’ to support our wounded, injured and sick personnel, veterans and their families. Gemma Passmore has reserved a space for a Help for Heroes merchandise stall at several events around the county but could really do with some help to ensure the stands can be manned for as many hours as possible and, in some cases, also be attended by the Charity’s mascot, Hero Bear. Gemma who lives in Lancaster, says a high number of local people either served in the Army, RAF or Navy or have family members who do, and she hopes some will step forward to offer their time or expertise. That’s what she was inspired to do after enjoying taking part in a fundraising event for Help for Heroes. With a father who was medically discharged after 26 years with the Royal Engineers, Gemma has a vested interest in supporting a charity that helps people like her dad, Jonathan Passmore. “He had a

few close shaves during his military career and I am so grateful that he came home each time, that I wanted to give something back,” said Gemma who works as a child physiotherapist.

“Our guys give so much while serving their country and I really feel that we need to say thank you and to help them achieve their potential outside the military. Help for Heroes is amazing and has given back purpose and meaning to the lives of so many wounded heroes.” Gemma started off as a volunteer for the Charity when she lived in Scotland, firstly as local coordinator on Shetland and then continuing in a similar role when she moved to Lancaster in October last year. Despite working full-time, she recently agreed to become County Coordinator and finds time in evenings and on a weekend to find events where Help for Heroes can have a presence – to raise not just funds but awareness of the work of the Charity to encourage wounded veterans and their families to seek support. “I am so passionate about keeping Help for

Heroes in the spotlight because it has promised to support our wounded for life, which means continued public support is essential,” said the 34-yearold. “I really want to breathe some new life into the Lancashire Team, show our amazing heroes how much we support them. and create a bigger Force for Good*.

“It doesn’t matter if you can only spare the occasional hour but I can guarantee that, through volunteering, you will meet some amazing people and feel proud to play your part in helping some of our ex Service personnel on their road to recovery cheer them on at the Invictus Games, see them find a new career, climb mountains, achieve things they never dreamed they could. “None of which could have been possible without Help for Heroes and the money we raise!” Jackie Crozier, Help for Heroes Regional Manager in the North West, says volunteering need not be time-consuming or onerous – people can do as much or as little as they like. “We know there are lots of

families in Lancashire with military connections and they, above anyone, will appreciate how important it is that their loved ones are given the right support should they be wounded, injured or sick as a result of or during their Service career,” said Jackie.

“But, as with all charities, Help for Heroes cannot provide this ‘for life’ without donations or other types of public support.”

Volunteers can be called on to do all sorts of activities, from street collections and manning a merchandise stall to dressing as the Charity’s mascot Hero Bear or marshalling at a sporting event.

If you can help Gemma Passmore at any of the Lancashire events, or are interested in being a more regular Help for Heroes volunteer, phone 01980 840220 or email volunteer@ helpforheroes.org.uk.

More details about volunteering can also be found online at www. helpforheroes.org.uk *In 2016/17, an average of seven members of the Armed Forces were medically discharged each day - more than 200 per month To celebrate its tenth birthday, Help for Heroes has launched ‘The Force for Good’ campaign, recognising the potential in those wounded, injured and sick veterans it supports and aiming to help increasing numbers of veterans find their purpose once again by encouraging more to step forward and seek support. Over the coming year, it will also show the need for ongoing support from the public to help it achieve this.

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It’s 2018! Start the year off right with small,

manageable changes to your lifestyle.

Quit Counting Calories 9 realistic strategies that will have you eating right for life―and saying good-bye to diet guilt.

1. Give Yourself Ample Time to Eat Why: People who say they eat quickly right up until they feel full are three times more likely to be overweight than those with slower dining habits, according to a 2008 study published in The British Medical Journal. In an irritating tribute to something your mother probably told you, researchers suspect that fast eaters don’t give the brain’s fullness signals time to kick in, which can take as long as 20 minutes after the first bite, according to research. How to do it: Check the clock before you start eating, even if you’re having a meal on the go or while working at your desk (never an ideal way to eat, but often a necessary evil). Then stretch that meal out for at least 20 minutes. If you’re still hungry after finishing, take a 20-minute time-out (sip tea; relax; take your mind off eating). At the end of the time-out, check your hunger signals. Go back for seconds only if the signals are still strong. Other smart ideas: Be sure to sit down for meals―don’t stand or walk around― and take small bites, chewing each thoroughly. Researchers at Cornell University found that people who chew their food approximately 15 times, versus 12, tend to be thinner.

That’s how much impact these subtle changes can have.

2. “Legalize” All Foods. Why: Be it cabbage soup or Atkins, a diet isn’t a diet if you aren’t cutting out certain foods. But research indicates that making your favorite flavors taboo only sets you up for trouble. “When you label a particular food as ‘bad,’ you’re automatically implying that it’s desirable,” says Geneen Roth, author of When Food Is Love: Exploring the Relationship Between

Eating and Intimacy ($15, amazon. com). “You’ll instantly want it more, making it easy to break down and overindulge.” Also, new evidence shows that eating foods you like in moderation will give you an edge in maintaining, even losing, weight.

Scientists at the University of Oregon monitored the activity of the pleasure centers in subjects’ brains as they dined. The researchers found that the less enjoyable the meal was, the more people overate to compensate.

“We strongly associate food with pleasure and comfort, so when it’s not providing either, we often try to solve the problem by eating more,” says Denise Lamothe, Ph.D., a psychologist and the author of The Taming of the Chew: A Holistic Guide to Stopping Compulsive Eating ($15, amazon.com). How to do it: Instead of focusing on do’s and don’ts, make all foods permissible.

Incorporate flavors you love into each meal. Sure, it’s always best to seek out the healthiest version of dishes, but when absolutely nothing except, say, Grandma’s lasagna will do, don’t forbid yourself. Cut a reasonable portion (about the size of a deck of cards) and relish it.

3. Ditch Derailing Diet Habits. Why: Most weight-loss tricks―ranging from ways to blunt hunger signals (sipping on coffee or diet soda in lieu of eating) to satisfying cravings (with low-calorie or artificially sweetened foods)―backfire in the long run. Drinking coffee, for one, will temporarily stave off stomach rumblings, but you may feel jittery later on and then overeat. When it comes to downing diet soda regularly, study after study links this to weight gain. Why? “People know they are drinking something virtually caloriefree, so then they tend to indulge in food,” says Lawrence Cheskin, an internist and the director of the

Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center, in Baltimore. Your body is also receiving a mixed message: It’s tasting sweetness but not getting full.

“So your cravings intensify and you find yourself eating more food than ever,” says Cheskin. Similarly, smallsize versions of indulgences, like mini candy bars and single-serving snack packs, can also lead to overeating.

Studies show that people lose track of how many minis they eat and wind up consuming more than a regular-size portion. Then there are the healthyseeming packaged foods, like organic granola, that have an aura of health about them, so people consume more of them. But a wholesome-looking label does not mean you’re eating health food. Many granola varieties, for instance, contain a fair amount of sugar, fat, and calories. How to do it: Sip on seltzer with lime or herbal tea in between meals―especially if you tend to eat out of boredom. This will keep your hands busy and your stomach satiated until your body is truly hungry. When noshing on minisize snacks, first remove the amount you want to eat from the bag, then put the bag away. Or simply eat the regular-size portion, like one Snickers bar instead of six minis. And don’t let a product’s perceived health quality give you a license to eat more. When in doubt, study the nutrition label for sugar and fat content.

4. Understand Hunger. Why: A craving represents the body’s need for fuel or a specific nutrient.

Evolutionarily speaking, you’re especially susceptible to―surprise!― foods with salt, sugar, or fat, because these substances helped people pack on needed pounds to survive food shortages. However, “there’s also the modern- day mental component to contend with,” says Elizabeth Somer, a nutritionist and the author of Food & Mood: The Complete Guide to Eating Well and Feeling Your Best ($19, amazon.com). “Just seeing a food you like can pull up positive associations and make you want it.”

Additionally, if you’re used to eating

something every day, you’ll want to keep doing so―not because your body needs the food, but because your mind has made a habit of it.

How to do it: Listen carefully to your body before digging in. True hunger manifests itself in stomach grumbling or feelings of sluggishness, often within three to four hours of your last meal. Consider when you ate last. Has a reasonable amount of time passed for hunger to return? Try drinking something first. Hunger and thirst are sometimes indistinguishable; a tall glass of water might be all it takes to satisfy you for a while.

5. Recognize Fullness. Why: Technically, you’re full when you’ve eaten enough to fill your stomach and given your body adequate fuel to run on for the next several hours.

At that point, your stomach tells your brain it’s done, and your brain starts producing fullness hormones that make you intuitively know this. But fullness is a subtle concept. Mostly it involves a physical heaviness and a vague sense that you don’t want to eat any more. And it can be easy to ignore accidentally. In a Cornell University experiment, people eating soup from bowls being secretly refilled consumed 73 percent more than those eating from regular bowls. A good way to avoid overindulging is to get reacquainted with your hunger signs.

How to do it: Midway through your next meal, with half your food left on your plate, pause and place your hands on your belly. Close your eyes and ask yourself how full you feel on a scale of 1 to 10, with “just right” being six or seven on that scale, says Lamothe. Three should mean “Eat a little more,” and nine should signal “Have more and you’ll be uncomfortably full!” Over time, you’ll train yourself to stop automatically, no matter how much of a favorite the food is. Remember: You can always have more of something later, when you’re hungry again.

6. Plate Your Food Differently.

Why: Sure, your body can trick itself into thinking it’s hungry when

it’s not, but how you serve your food can influence how much you’ll eat. “If you switch from a 12½-inch plate to a 10½-inch one, you’ll eat 22 percent less―without feeling any hungrier or less satisfied,” says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think ($25, amazon.com). Also be aware of how easy it is to space out during a meal: A 2007 Cornell University study found that restaurant customers eating chicken wings consumed significantly more if the bones were bused away as they piled up, essentially removing the evidence of how much the people had already polished off. How to do it: Use the half-plate rule: Fill 50 percent of your dish with salad, vegetables, and fruit.

These foods all have a lot of mass but little fat and calories. That way, you cut down on the amount of room left for more caloric foods, such as meats, pastas, or sweets.

7. Choose the Best Fuel. Why: Our bodies weren’t designed to eat something made in a lab,” says Somer. Whole and unprocessed foods are packed with vitamins and nutrients and are often lower in sugar and fat than packaged ones. What’s more, foods high in protein, fiber, or water can help satiate you faster and for longer.

“The more time it takes your body to break a food down, the longer you’ll stay full,” says Cheskin. Meals high in protein make you feel up to 25 percent fuller and are more filling calorie for calorie. On the flip side, sugar and simple carbohydrates take practically no time to be absorbed.

How to do it: Make simple, whole foods your first picks when you have a craving.

Go with dried fruit when you have a yen for something super-sweet, for example, or nuts for something savory. Choose protein-rich foods, like nonfat yogurt and lean meats, and load up on fiber-dense legumes and vegetables.

8. Check Your Mood. Why: Anyone who has ever soothed a broken heart

with a pint―or two―of Ben & Jerry’s can probably attest to the fact that hunger isn’t the only thing that can make you hungry. Data from the University of North Carolina indicate that stress, loneliness, anxiety, anger, boredom, guilt, and sadness can all make people crave food when their bodies don’t physically need it.

Research also shows that people eat more when they’re experiencing joy, excitement, or anticipation. The key to breaking these habits is how you deal with the eating slipups while they happen or right afterward, says Marsha Hudnall, a registered dietitian and the director of Green Mountain at Fox Run, a women’s health retreat in Ludlow, Vermont. Indeed, a 2007 study found that most people can stop an episode in its tracks by being aware of it and not beating themselves up for the slip.

How to do it: Create a list of coping mechanisms that don’t involve food―taking a walk, calling a friend, reading a book. Each time you’re tempted, act on the list. And if you’ve already leapt into a pizza binge before you looked, remind yourself that it happens to everyone, then turn to the list. And plan ahead: If you know you snack because of stress or nerves (staring down a deadline, say) or out of habit (watching a favorite show while crunching chips), make your need to nosh less damaging by having something healthier on hand.

In time, you’ll wean yourself away from mindless munching when you realize you have no desire to devour crudités with the same abandon 9. Eat a Little, Often. Why: It bears repeating: People who skip breakfast are 4½ times more likely to be obese than others. In fact, studies overwhelmingly link any kind of meal skipping or irregular eating patterns to obesity. How to do it: Eat something small and healthy every few hours. Then you’ll never be so famished that you lose control at the sight of food, and mealtimes won’t feel like the last supper. Rest assured―you’ll eat again.

5 Tips on How to Drink Less Alcohol If going one glass of wine over the line at your last dinner party has you resolving to drink less, try these tips.

Don’t Rely Solely on Willpower “People forget that environment is incredibly powerful for modifying behavior,” says John C. Norcross, Ph.D., author of Changeology: 5 Steps to Realizing Your Goals and Resolutions ($25, amazon.com), who studies New Year’s resolutions and the ways in which people are motivated to change their lives.

Exercising willpower is only half the story; we also need to modify our environment.

So if you’re trying to cut back on drinking, avoid situations—like parties or nights out with friends— that may tempt you into overimbibing. Instead, invite friends to your home for dinner, where you can better control the amount of alcohol you serve (and drink).

Visualize the Behavior You Desire Say you do go to a party: How do you stop yourself from overindulging? “Spend a few

minutes before the event visualizing yourself acting in the way you would prefer to behave,” says John McGrail, Ph.D., author of The Synthesis Effect: Your Direct Path to Personal Power and Transformation ($16, amazon. com).

Imagine yourself not going beyond your appropriate limit and walking out of the event feeling great, with a big smile on your face. Having pictured the desired behavior, your inner computer will choose that reality, making it much easier to drink less or not at all.

Replace the Behavior You’re Trying to Eliminate Doing something you enjoy allows you to focus on action (playing tennis, for example) rather than inaction (not drinking). “One of the real difficulties with the resolutions people make is that they’re negative resolutions,” says Art Markman, Ph.D., a cognitive scientist at the University of Texas, an expert on willpower and motivation, and the author of Smart Thinking: Three Essential Keys to Solve Problems, Innovate, and Get Things Done ($25, amazon.com). “Instead, figure out what you can do today

that’s fun and exciting and also will have the side effect of your not drinking.”

Exercise Your Memory Give your brain a workout. “People who are impulsive have impaired working memory,” says David Sack, M.D., CEO of Promises Treatment Center in Malibu, California.

This diminished memory leads to diminished willpower, too: They aren’t always good at planning out the steps they need to take to avoid temptation.

Using memory exercises to boost your brain, though, can increase your ability to plan and improve your selfcontrol, and thus your ability to say no to that second or third drink.

Avoid “All or Nothing” Thinking

Keep in mind that you’re really developing a new pattern of behaviour, and no one does that perfectly the first time. “Slipups happen; you can’t beat yourself up over them,” says Reid K. Hester, director of the research division of Behaviour Therapy Associates, LLC, an organization of psychologists that provides research and training on alcohol and drug problems, and creator of Moderation.org, which offers support to people who want to cut back their drinking. “At the same time, don’t give yourself permission to continue the behaviour.” Think of your setback as a lesson: Use it to determine what you can do differently next time.

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Sales and Marketing expert Emora share

their opinions on the importance of positivity

Sales and Marketing experts Emora have this week opened up on why they believe positivity is so essential in the workplace. They fundamentally believe that one's positive mindset correlates with their contractors either hitting or exceeding their sales targets. The firm is keen that their contractors utilise the upcoming Christmas season to exceed their goals and are confident that their mindset will play a significant role in their results during Q4.

About Emora: http://www. emoralimited.co.uk/#about One of the core values that Emora hold close is the importance of positivity and have over the past year worked to make sure they create a positive work environment.

Through their one on one mentorship and daily workshops, the firm is confident they have built a culture of positivity that will raise the spirits of their workforce. While Emora has tried their hardest to promote positivity, they also understand that individuals have to put some effort in to remain positive and have this week released their top tips on maintaining positivity.

Set Goals Confusion over professionals goals can often lead to negativity. Emora wants each of their contractors to write down each their goals at the start of each week, so they are clear on what they need to do. This will lessen their confusion and stress, and in turn, increase the likelihood of a positive mindset.

Take care of your body The firm is strong proponents of the idea that individuals should control the things they can and try not to worry about those they cannot. One of the most comfortable and most effective things people can control is how they treat their bodies. The firm places its trust in the multitude of scientific research that suggests ones positive mental health is linked in part to the amount of sleep they receive, what they eat and if they exercise regularly.

Take breaks The firm wants to contest the sales and marketing industry requires 100 percent of an individuals time. The company asks their contractors to take regular breaks both on a daily basis and also in the form of mini-

vacations to improve their mood.

They understand that the role can be tiring and people need time away from the ins and outs of sales to improve their chances of remaining positivity.

Emora hopes their contractors take on board these tips to increase their levels

of positivity and in turn allow them to exceed their sales targets. They want to maximise their successes in the Christmas season and know that if their team hits the ground running, they will improve their chances of success.

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The Pelvic Clinic At the BMI Beaumont Hospital in Bolton, Mr Jonathan Broome Consultant Gynaecologist, helps many ladies with all manner of gynaecological concerns. In particular, many ladies come to him desperate for a second opinion as they have heard of his highly regarded reputation for repairing pelvic prolapse. Whether they be suffering from some degree of prolapsed uterus or bladder, Mr Broome has provided valuable advice as he suggests care to treat their prolapse which often includes uterus sparing surgery.

Prolapse Repair Surgery Prolapse is very much a taboo medical condition that many ladies suffer from. It is estimated that of those ladies aged between 45 and 85, 40% can be found to have some degree of prolapse, often without symptoms, However, for 12% of ladies, the symptoms can be very distressing but as embarrassment and lack of knowledge about effective treatments stop ladies from taking action, many do not seek support and instead just try to manage their unpleasant symptoms alone.

Mr Broome has a website, http:// www.thepelvicclinic.co.uk where there is much information to educate and advise about how prolapse can be repaired. Prior to seeing Mr Broome, ladies are often told that the only way to solve their prolapse problem is to have a hysterectomy. This is not the case as Mr Broome has not performed a hysterectomy for prolapse repair for

over 12 years now. For women who are still of child bearing age, this is obviously positive news. In fact, a few have continued to have another baby successfully and return to normal again afterwards. This is an indicator of how robust the prolapse surgery is to return the internal organs into the correct position. For older ladies, post menopause, uterus sparing surgery is still important as unless there is a particular problem with the uterus that requires it to be removed, then it is better for a long term solution to keep the uterus.

Why is it always worth keeping your uterus?

To use an analogy of a old fashioned tent. The uterus acts as the centre stay of the tent, or pelvic area. If over time it collapses due to childbirth or just old age and the associated weakening of the ligaments keeping the uterus in place, then the internal organs are pushed out of place. This leads to prolapse and to go back to the tent analogy, if the centre collapses, then the sides cave in and are unsupported.

So, if surgery focusses on fixing the uterus back into position, then the vaginal walls fall back into place. This also reduces the chance of reoccurring prolapse over time. If a woman has a hysterectomy for prolapse, her risk of developing prolapse of the vagina can be as high as 40% and this would require corrective surgery to repair.

If this has happened to you or you know of someone who is suffering, then Mr Broome can provide

surgical assistance for this too. Mr Broome’s pelvic floor repair surgery is performed via small keyhole incisions in the abdomen. The advantage of keyhole surgery is that the recovery time is much quicker and ladies can quickly get back to their normal activities of living. Many look forward to doing just “normal” things again such as walking, looking after their children or grandchildren again, cycling, running, exercise classes, golf and having a sexual relationship once more. I am delighted to say my recovery was rapid with no problems at all, no pain other than a little bloating which disappeared after a couple of days. I hadn’t realised how the prolapse was affecting my everyday life until after surgery. I was pretty fed up, not to mention uncomfortable as the symptoms began to increasingly impact on nearly everything I wanted to do and cause bowel and urinary problems.

But thanks to you and the staff at the Beaumont I’m fixed! I can now resume my swimming, cycling and lots of dog walking. I am extremely grateful to you – sincere thanks. J.S. If prolapse isn’t your problem Mr Broome can offer valuable advice for all manner of uterine problems: for example, heavy periods, fibroids, endometriosis. Some treatments are medically based, others are surgical interventions. He has also had many ladies attend for bespoke HRT treatment. Often these ladies find that they are given a “one-treatment-fitsall” by their busy GP. On meeting Mr Broome, they have time to discuss their symptoms and Mr Broome can devise a plan of treatment to support you. Subsequently, ladies feel so much better as a consequence.

If you find your bladder isn’t as strong as it used to be Perhaps, with age or childbirth, you may experience the need to suddenly go to the toilet to pass urine. Or worse still, when you cough, sneeze or laugh you may pass urine involuntarily.

This not only can be embarrassing but also can become debilitating and affect your activities. Whilst there are some over the counter methods of managing this, it may be that Mr Broome can provide some more positive, long term options to enable you to regain a normal quality of life.

Thank you ever so much for giving me my life back. I can now plan ahead for holidays and nights out without worrying about whether or not I will be well enough to go. I am back to working full-time without having to struggle through every month. At last some quality of life. Thank you. C.H. Mr Broome only works at the BMI require a referral via your GP. If you Friday mornings and you can have private appointment directly, please Beaumont Hospital. He can see ladies wish to see him privately, Mr Broome a consultation without necessarily ring the BMI Beaumont Hospital on privately or via the NHS which would has clinics on Monday, Tuesday and obtaining a GP referral. To book a 01204 404404.

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Slender Rapide

Weight Loss for Life.

Have you spent most of your adult life being overweight to some degree? Or have you gained some weight due to stress of some kind, or hormonal changes? It may be that your doctor is concerned about you developing diabetes or you may have joint problems due to the unwanted, extra weight that you are currently carrying. It could be that you are just addicted to sugar and sweets. Slender Rapide may be just what you have been looking for. Research doctors

have spent considerable time trying to find a real, working and permanent solution to weight loss. Over a significant period of time, this way of losing weight has been tested on real people and all lost weight with an average loss of nearly 14 pounds in the first week.

“I’ve struggled with weight loss over the years and was introduced to Slender Rapide, so far from doing this for 4 weeks I have lost 15lbs along with a low calorie diet. I would definitely recommend this product

to anyone. Nicola Interestingly, the scientific studies found that most common end of diet experience, rebound weight gain, was drastically reduced with the majority of people keeping their weight off. These same studies also found that there was no placebo effect which means that Slender Rapide really works!

Importantly, Slender Rapide works to help those who have either tried all methods of losing weight in the past with little success or it really helps those of you who are already in

Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Lighter Life or any other healthy eating plan. Slender Rapide provides added impetus to help you shed your unwanted weight.

With Slender Rapide, fat melts away rather than muscle. How does it work?

• It mimics natural hormones so comes with few side effects.

• It is a safe solution to slow down the passage of food out of your stomach.

• The effect of the slow movement of food is feeling fuller for longer.

• As you feel fuller for longer, you no longer want to eat snacks • By following a healthy eating plan, you will quickly begin to see results. In our first month, with only a few people using Slender Rapide, over 130lbs of fat was lost. What it is not • It is not a solution using substances to speed up your metabolism • It is not a diet pill either.

“After just 16 days I have lost 12 lbs and my husband has lost 9.5 lbs and we are still losing.

Slender rapide not only suppresses our huge appetites but has also stopped us from craving that cheeky glass of wine (or two) after work which has probably contributed towards the weight loss. We will certainly be recommending

Slenderrapide to friends and family, it is ideal for anyone wanting that quick result before a big event, to shift any excess weight before they’ve got to get back into their work clothes or like us those who need a bit of a kickstart to get themselves on track.

Rebecca Slender Rapide is a prescribed solution for weight loss and we have clinics all over the North West: Aintree, Bolton, Stockport, Preston and also via video consultation for those of you who prefer this or live further afield. A short, 15 minute consultation could start the beginning of the end of all your weight gain worries. During the consultation, you will be prescribed and shown how to use Slender Rapide.

It comes in the form of an injection, with a tiny needle similar to diabetic needles, that you inject painlessly into your tummy at the same time every morning. Almost immediately, you will notice the impact on how less hungry you feel. “The injections were absolutely fine and I couldn’t even feel it, Almost immediately it worked. That dreaded hunger you have when you’re on a diet and the gluey mouth. The unimaginable urge to eat chocolate as you feel your head pounding and need a sugar rush.

There was none of that !!! Doing the weight watchers was suddenly really simple and within a week 5 lb. off. I continued with the diet and the injections finding that the amount I wanted to eat when I ate a meal was reduced, I couldn’t eat all of my meals without feeling very full . So weeks later I’m still using it still on my

weight watchers and fitting exercise in as often a s I can and I’m 1 stone 2 lb lighter It’s amazing, I would urge anyone to give this a go if like me you constantly struggle with weight.”

We will help you with the types of foods you can eat and which to avoid (but you may not fancy those anyway).

There is no calorie counting or keeping diaries of what you have eaten during the day. Just eat healthy food and walk more. This powerful weight loss solution does not demand that you hit the gym, exercise classes or jogging. We just encourage you to move more by taking the stairs, walking further every day as not only is this good for your health anyway, it will help you see results more quickly.

You will leave the consultation with the Slender Rapide to start using it straight away.

Or, if you attend a video consultation, we shall send it to you quickly.

“Amazing product!! I have been using this product now for 4.5 weeks and have lost 12.5 llbs. It has worked so well for me and has reduced my appetite massively.

I still look forward to my meals but I am content a lot sooner on a lot smaller portion and my cravings in between meals have completely vanished. I feel fantastic and no longer have that bloated feeling.

Highly recommended!!” Lyndsey More information about Slender Rapide can be found on our website http://www.slenderrapide.co.uk or you can ring us directly on 0333 577 0321 (the cost of a local call from landlines and mobiles).

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County council secures £1.67m for Whitehaven highways improvements

The Department for Transport has today confirmed that Cumbria County Council has been successful in a bid to secure funding for the Whitehaven North Shore Access project.

The £1.67m has been allocated from the government’s National Infrastructure Productivity Fund (NPIF). NPIF is a £23bn source

of central government investment for areas that are key to boosting productivity, including transport, digital communications, research and development, and housing. The council submitted its bid for this latest round of funding in June.

The funding for Whitehaven will help deliver highway improvements

linked to redevelopment proposals at Whitehaven North, including junction and pedestrian improvements. They are also linked to the redevelopment of the Bransty area, so were aligned with the NPIF economic growth criteria.

The full scheme is estimated to cost around £2.5m, with the outstanding

Caravan sites

and curfews

61% of caravanners believe that all caravan sites (touring and static home) should have curfews according to new research from Cover4Caravans. co.uk.

The caravan insurance specialists asked over 400 of their customers* what their views are on caravan site curfews and found that: • 45% of those who were in favour of a curfew said that 11.00pm was a

sensible curfew for a family site; • 25% said 10pm.

When asked: What time do you think is a sensible curfew for an adults-only site?

• 42% said 12pm; • 27% said 11pm; • 24% said there shouldn’t be a curfew.

Commenting on the study, Richard Burgess, Director at Cover4Caravans,

says: “On the one hand, this could suggest that caravanners are a conservative bunch but when you consider that the government standards for noise at night is 11pm**, we can see that the majority of caravanners like to have fun whilst still showing consideration for other. This reflects our view that the caravanning community is a great community to be a part of.”

£0.8m of funding coming from Britain’s Energy Coast.

The funding is for the years 2018/19 and 2019/20.

Cllr Keith Little, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “This is excellent news for Whitehaven and the county. The council is proactive in bidding to these government funding streams so it’s great to see the effort we put in to making our case paying off.

This money is all about helping unlock economic growth and the plans we have will help make real improvements to an area in need of investment. I look forward to seeing work start on the ground in the future.”

M i c h a e l Pemberton, CEO, Britain’s Energy Coast, said: "Successful p h y s i c a l regeneration is about so much more than bricks and buildings. Creating the supporting infrastructure is a critical component as we look to develop North

Shore into an area that the people of Whitehaven and beyond can be proud of.

"This is a crucial early step forwards in the exciting regeneration of Whitehaven’s North Shore. Britain’s Energy Coast has worked hard with Cumbria County Council (CCC) to build a successful case to the NPIF and we are delighted to see this hard work and collaborative approach pay off. It is particularly pleasing to see more central government funding making its way in to Cumbria to support these key schemes.

"BEC is committed to working with partners including Cumbria County Council, Copeland Borough Council and the Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners to bring forth a £300m+ connected development at North Shore including offices, hotel, leisure, residential and supporting car parking infrastructure. The works made possible by CCC’s successful bid will create a critical infrastructure gateway to support the development, ease congestion and improve pedestrian accessibility surrounding the scheme."

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“One of the country’s most significant

collections of Modern British Art” exhibited at award-winning Abbot Hall Art Gallery this Autumn Friday 20 October 2017 - Saturday 17 February 2018 This Autumn, Abbot Hall Art Gallery stages one of its largest shows in the last ten years with over seventy works, by forty-eight artists. The gallery has gained a national reputation for showing work of the highest quality particularly focusing upon work from British artists working in the twentieth century. Building on this reputation the LAND | SEA | LIFE exhibition highlights the very best of twentieth century art from The Ingram Collection of Modern British Art. Chris Ingram, a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, began collecting in 2002, and quickly created one of this country’s most significant collections of Modern British Art. Ingram has been described as, “one of the most active and thoughtful collectors of Modern British Art today.” (Stephen Deuchar, Director, The Art Fund.)

The exhibition will explore a broad range of themes, representing what the artists were engaging with in terms of subject and developments in artistic practice. Featuring paintings, sculptures and works on paper, visitors are taken on an individual journey of discovery from Henry Moore’s Reclining Figures to Laura Knight’s breath-taking Sea & Rocks.

The diverse selection of subjects covered in the exhibition include Landscape featuring atmospheric scenes by Alan Reynolds and Edward Burra, and urban landscapes by Keith Vaughan, Frank Auerbach and Carel Weight. Works by Dame Laura Knight, John Piper, Terry

Frost and Patrick Heron focus upon Boats and the Sea. The final subject of Life brings together several sub themes including Still Life and the Figure displaying work by significant artists from the period such as Dame Barbara Hepworth, David Bomberg, Henry Moore, Eduardo Paolozzi, Ben Nicholson, Bryan Winter, Henri Gaudier-Brzeska, Eric Gill and Christopher Wood. The exhibition will investigate the notion of collecting, comparing the personal motives of Chris Ingram with the Gallery Collection and exploring why we collect? Ingram himself has given advice on collecting, “The golden rule is only buy what you like and enjoy.

Regardless of what people tell you and whatʼs fashionable. Always start with what you like. As in any walk of life you need to study and learn – practice makes perfect! So build up a bit of expertise. Of course you can have an eclectic collection, but if you focus in you become more of an expert, you learn the ins and outs more. It really becomes a collection then.”

Abbot Hall Art Gallery will further explore this notion encouraging visitors to share their experiences of collecting, or to discover their own collections they never realised they had. Helen Watson, Director of Programming, Lakeland Arts said, “Abbot Hall Art Gallery is delighted to be working in partnership with The Ingram Collection, to present a unique opportunity to see work by leading artists from the twentieth century. With over seventy pieces and featuring work by artists never

shown at the gallery, there really is something for everyone.”

Jo Baring, Director of the Ingram Collection said, “We are thrilled to bring the Ingram Collection to Cumbria this October and see the collection presented in an entirely new way. Last year we lent over 400 works from the collection to be shown publicly, and we are delighted to ensure that the collection remains as accessible as possible.”

Events. Accompanying the exhibition will be a series of events. This includes a talk featuring Jo Baring, Director and Curator of the Ingram Collection, to learn about the collection’s founder Chris Ingram, how he started collecting and how it has evolved over the years. There will also be a talk from Kerri Offord, Curator at Abbot Hall Art Gallery to learn more about the gallery's impressive collections.

More information about these events can be found on the Abbot Hall website.

Abbot Hall Art Gallery is open Monday – Saturday. Entry for adults costs £7.70 (including Gift Aid) / £7, while ‘Friends’ of Abbot Hall, Under 16’s and full time students are free.

For more information on Abbot Hall visit abbothall.org.uk.

For further information or images, please contact: Jess Barrowclough at Abbot Hall Art Gallery on 01539 888053 or at jbarrowclough@ lakelandarts.org.uk Anya Harrison at Kallaway PR on +44 (0)20 7221 7883 or at anya.harrison@ kallaway.com | ingramcollection@ kallaway.com

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Want to own your own piece of tranquility?

Open all year round Penpont Park is offering you the opportunity to purchase your own holiday home in one of the most picturesque parts of the U.K Set in the beautiful Dumfriesshire countryside,Penpont has just 26 beautiful homes to offer which you can either buy or why not test the water by booking a holiday in one of the stunning lodges?

It is just 2 hours 30 minutes from Preston so your tranquil holiday home is well within reaching distance and with prices from as little as £18,000 your dream of owning your own idyllic holiday home can soon be a reality, part exchange is even welcome!

Owning your own holiday home at Penpont Holiday Park gives you and your family the perfect opportunity to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily living to enjoy a gentler pace of life whenever the mood takes you.

The park has Security gate access for added security as well as free Wi-Fi and laundry facilities.

So weather your looking to invest or need a well deserved break from

the every day world please contact 07512123321 or 01848330470 Penpont Holiday Park, Penport, Scaurside, Dumfries & Galloway DG3 4BH

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McIlroy Ready to

Bounce Back with a Bang in 2018 RORY McILROY seems to be determined to make up for lost time, having announced a playing schedule for the start of 2018 that could see him playing nine tournaments in 10 weeks. The 28-year-old Northern Irishman will start the year with his world ranking having plunged to 10 after an injury-hit season affected both his form and his schedule.

He lost the South African Open in a playoff to Graeme Storm and then announced that he would be taking time off to recover from a rib injury suffered as a result of hitting too many shots as he tested new golf equipment. He never fully recovered and ended a troubled year at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews in October.

McIlroy also parted company with his long-term caddie J.P. Fitzgerald, putting best friend Harry Diamond on the bag – and the golfer has announced that Diamond will still be his caddie when he emerges from his winter hibernation. He is working hard on his game, with a view to arriving at Augusta for The Masters in April with everything in peak condition. He only requires the Green Jacket to complete a full set of majors.

McIlroy has already committed himself to seven tournaments prior to Augusta in April, and if he also adds the WGC World Matchplay and WGC Mexico Championship tp his schedule them he will have completed nine events. He will start his campaign at the Abu Dhabi Championship and then head off to the Dubai Desert

Classic, an event he has won twice.

He will then have a week off before heading to California to compete in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Open at Riviera.

McIlroy returns to PGA National in Florida for the Honda Classic, an event he won in 2012 and was runnerup two years later, but he missed the first stop on the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing earlier this year due to his injury. According to his intended schedule on his website, McIlroy has yet to commit to the following week’s WGC-Mexico Championship, but he will play in the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, which starts on March 15.

McIlroy is also set to play at Bay Hill the following week in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, although he

has not yet added the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play to his intended list of starts.

If he does tee up in the WGC events in Mexico and Texas, McIlroy will play nine tournaments in a 10-week stretch and then have just one week off before The Masters.

McIlroy said: “I played for four months without hitting a shot from left to right. My wedge play was not very good. My iron play was not very good. It’s so nice that I have this time in the off-season to work on all this stuff and make sure it hopefully never happens again. I feel I’m a much better player than I was in 2011 and 2012, when I was able to win a couple of majors. I feel I can do better than that in the next 10 years and that’s why these three months off are very

important for me to put some really good things in place, step away and just reassess where I’m at and where I need to be.

“The landscape of the game has changed a bit since I started to win majors. You have young, hungry guys now who are fearless and playing the game how I basically came out and played a few years ago. It’s about gaining an advantage again here and there, just reassessing everything and making sure I’m not leaving any stone unturned and doing everything I can to get back to (being) the best player in the world.

“These three months off could give me the foundation to have the next 10 years be even better than the 10 years I’ve just had. That turns a great career into one of the greatest careers.”

Tony pleased youngsters are taking chances Tony Mowbray confessed he was pleased Rovers' youngsters are taking their chances when they arrive under his management.

Tony's handed the likes of Joe Nuttall, Lewis Travis, Sam Hart and Willem Tomlinson opportunities in the first team in recent months and weeks And the boss was particularly pleased with the latter trio in the FA Cup win over Crewe on Wednesday night.

"Tomlinson was good, as were Travis and Hart, when he came on," Mowbray reflected after the game.

"It's important that young players are given an opportunity.

"You need to be able to rely on them and trust them. We do need Willem at the moment and he's done very well since coming into the side.

"He passes economically and we all know I've always liked Tomlinson.

He's fit, playing regularly for the Under-23s and looks good at the moment."

And the boss admits youngster Willem could be handed a first league start of the campaign this Saturday when Charlton visit Ewood Park, with Corry Evans being touch and go to make a return to the XI.

The Northern Irishman picked up a knee injury at Peterborough last weekend and will be assessed in the next 48 hours.

"We running short on midfield players out wide and in the centre," Mowbray said.

"I'd have to suggest that if Corry is

unavailable - and there isn't any confirmation on that - then Willem hasn't done himself any harm with his performances."

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Dyche: My Favourite

Result of the Season Sean Dyche hailed his favourite result of the season as Burley climbed to fourth in the Premier League with victory over Stoke City. In horrendous conditions, Ashley Barnes’ 89th minute goal saw the Clarets leapfrog Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs to gatecrash the top four! And the gaffer savoured another big result for his side, as a ninth win of the season kept this amazing season rolling along.

“That was my favourite result of the season,” insisted a beaming Dyche. “It was a tight game and it’s important you come out of them on the right side. “The conditions were awful, it musty be said and the game was probably as ugly as the weather’s been for a couple of days now, but you have to find a way to win and I’m delighted we did that.

“Both teams tried to make sense of harsh conditions and had a real go at winning it, but it is very difficult to win games at this level, and especially against a side who gave a big response from the weekend.

“We were a bit below par, especially in the first half, so we had to dig in there and do all the ugly details and finally found a moment of real true quality. What a fantastic goal that is and Ash has done that before for us.” The one-goal margin mirrored the Turf Moor victory over Watford four days earlier, albeit in completely different conditions as a swirling wind, driving rain and freezing temperatures made it a scrappy affair of precious few chances. “One-nil is a very good result when you are a manager,” added Dyche. “I remember playing under Brian Clough and that was his favourite result; a clean sheet and a goal to win it.

“Tonight is to be enjoyed by everyone here, and it’s important that the fans have dreams. For me it’s about realities and we have another tough game on Saturday.

“We’ve all earned the right to enjoy it, and I do because we really had to find a different way to win it tonight and work to grind it out. “But that will be parked on Thursday. The next game is always the one we focus on and tonight will be no different, but I am super pleased at another big result.”

Each Edition of the Lancashire Local has a print run of 5,000 copies. Published by JAC Media Ltd, Foxhall Lodge, Foxhall Road, Nottingham, NG7 6LH.