Local Life - St Helens - Nov/Dec 2020 by Local Life 247 Ltd

LocalLife St Helens Edition

Nov/Dec 2020

Catching up with the

Hotpots Pages 28-31

Christmas Recipes Pages 36-39

Making an Entrance Pages 48-50

Crafty Christmas Pages 58-59

Puzzle Pages Pages 60-61

Jack’s Tracks – Tontine Pages 62-64

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ands up if you feel like ‘doing a hedgehog’ and going into hibernation for the winter, only emerging when this madness ends?

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Unlike the last lockdown, which took place amid some glorious weather, the latest restrictions will take in a dark and cold time of year and they could take a much heavier mental toll on those who are feeling isolated or fragile.

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Let us also try and rethink the way we do Christmas this year. Instead of starting our Christmas shopping in city centre crowds, on the web and in the supermarkets, let’s try the local option first. There are many local outlets with imaginative ranges of Christmas gifts (some of them in this magazine). And despite everything that’s happening, please don’t lose sight of the fact that things will get better in 2021. The vaccines are already rolling off the production lines and it’s just a matter of time before the human race defeats this virus. Yes, this Christmas is going to be strange but just look forward to the party we’re going to have next Christmas making up for lost time! On behalf of all at Local Life, our best wishes for a happy and safe Christmas and we’ll see you in 2021. Now where’s the nearest pile of leaves? Chris Pearce, Publisher chrisp@locallife247.co.uk

Keep in touch with the LocalLife Team!

LocalLife

Telephone: 01744 649722 info@locallife247.co.uk

locallifemagazine247 @locallifemedia Local Life 247 Ltd, PO Box 779, Wigan WN1 9UB Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without the prior written consent of Local Life 247 Ltd.

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highlights 28. Catching up with the Hotpots

Contents 14. Beauty Gifts of Gorgeousness

26. Books Historical Fiction to Dystopian Lit.

56. Tech Top big-ticket Christmas gifts 2020.

60. Puzzle Pages Try these brainteasers for size.

36. Christmas Recipes

42. Science Experiments

65. Health Are you eating enough fibre?

69. Gardening Pruning perfection.

72. Motoring Vokswagen e-Up Review.

75. Home Services

58. Crafty Christmas

52. Pep Up Your Hallway

Find the best local traders for you.

62. Tontine Walk

Next Issue - January/February 2021

Advertising deadline - 10th December Published - 8th January

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Craft Fair For those of you looking for hand-crafted Christmas presents for your loved ones, check out the World of Glass Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday 28th November starting at 11am. This socially distanced Christmas Craft Fair showcases work from local makers, crafters, and artists. Entry is free for customers. If you are looking to sell your handcrafted produce and want to have a stall at the fair then please call Hannah on 01744 227766 or email curator@worldofglass.com.

Santa at Sherdley Santa will be making three appearances at The Park Bar & Kitchen in Sherdley Park ahead of the big day. He will be stopping by for a Christmas lunch on Saturday 19th, Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th December. You can dine with the big man himself, you just need to book a place. Santa’s reindeers will also be making a flying visit to St Helens ahead of the big day, and families are invited

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down to Sherdley Park to say hello. Dasher, Dancer, and the rest of the crew will be spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer from 10am-2pm on Sunday 6th December. For more information or to book a place at these events please contact Sherdley Park Golf Course on 01744 813149 or email info@theparkbarandkitchen.com

2021 Concerts Despite the effect that the current health crisis is having on the arts and entertainment industry, Jockey Club Live are busy lining up race night events for the 2021 season at Haydock Park and Aintree racecourses. The Jockey Club Live events are renowned for combining a funfilled evening at the races with a spectacular evening concert in the informal and relaxed open-air setting of the hallowed turf. Confirmed events at Haydock so far are Tom Jones (19th June) and Olly Murs (17th July), and the confirmed event at Aintree so far is Nile Rodgers & Chic (11th June). Jockey Club Live events are also held at Newmarket, Sandown and Carlisle racecourses. Tickets for all the events are now available at www. thejockeyclublive.co.uk and the Jockey Club Live offer a money back guarantee if cancelled. Keep your eyes peeled for Local Life issues early in 2021 when we will be running a couple of ticket giveaways for these events.

Rememberance Sunday Residents are urged to stand on their doorstep at 11am this Sunday (8th November) to observe the national twominute silence for those who have served our country. This is in place of the normal Remembrance Sunday Services which take place at cenotaphs and war memorials across the borough. The collective recognition is a way to bring the community together safely and not impact on the restrictions the borough is under, to help stop the spread of Covid-19 in the community. Councillor Anthony Burns, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Leisure, Libraries and Culture, said: “Remembrance Sunday is normally a time where our veteran community and their families come together to honour those who have served in the Armed Forces for our borough. “It’s hugely important to them and many of us to have this opportunity to remember and thank them for their service. But this year it is only right that we look at an alternative way to do this with the restrictions stopping us from holding public events where social distancing

cannot be followed. “We know it may disappoint some but with our rates of infection high and continuing to rise everyone has a role to play in reducing the risk of transmission. “If you do still want to place your memorial at your local Cenotaph or war memorial please do this over the course of the weekend rather than on Sunday morning so that we can reduce the risk of large numbers turning out to pay their own personal tribute at the same time”.

Poppy Appeal The Royal British Legion is anticipating a huge shortfall in the funds they raise this year as a result of COVID 19. You can download a Poppy window poster to display on Remembrance Sunday from their website and make a donation to support their work supporting those vulnerable members of the Armed Forces. You can also donate by phone, text and via post also. For more details please visit the website www.britishlegion. org.uk.

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Sale Complete for

Local Agents St Helens-based Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group has announced the takeover of David Davies Estate Agents, creating 25 new jobs. Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group (MHALG) has become a major player throughout various aspects of hospitality, leisure and property in the North West, namely, Manchester, Southport, St Helens and Liverpool, with a string of bars, hotels, restaurants and most recently one of Europe’s biggest gaming arcades to its name. The Group, whose business portfolio includes the Eccleston Arms in St Helens plans to make its new acquisition into one of the largest Sales and Lettings Agents in the North West. David Davies Sales & Lettings Agent is one of the oldest sales and lettings businesses in the North West and was founded by the late David Davies in 1981. MHALG has now joined this highly respected brand alongside David’s wife, Paula Davies (MNAEA), who has agreed to remain in place as an executive director of the company. Andrew Mikhail, chairman of MHALG, said: “I am very excited to have bought such a prestigious business in St Helens and keeping Paula involved in the business was crucial to me. Paula was David’s rock both within and outside of the business for the last 21 years until his untimely death last year. “I got to know David and Paula extremely well in the later years as I used their services and was so impressed with the way that they conducted their business that it was such an easy decision to make the purchase.

very special bond with the town and surrounding areas after we transformed the venue into an essential items store during the lockdown alongside The Steve Prescott Foundation and I have seen what can be done when people work together as a team. “I will grow David Davies to become one of the largest Sales and Lettings Agents in the North West, growing a business on a 40 year solid foundation, thanks to David and Paula Davies and their team, makes my goal achievable.” Following David’s death, Paula, her 12 year old twin sons, Harry and Luke, his mother Joan and sister Nicola, state that they are delighted to see David’s name live on and for the business to continue to grow and are sure he will be looking down with a smile on his face today. Paula said: “David Davies is a great business with brilliant staff who have worked with us for a long time, but we have been through a lot in the last 12 months and it’s a credit to the team that we are in such a good position now. “David and I have known Andrew for many years and know he can offer the company a bright future. He has a lot that he can bring to the business, but importantly for us, he acknowledges the existing brand and wants to take that further. “It’s already a very strong St Helens brand but there are now big plans for the business, and I’m delighted for the staff because they really deserve for this to happen.”

“When we were completing our due diligence, what impressed me most was the sheer volume of lettings that they manage across the region, together with how efficiently they ran them for the landlords. The professionalism and work ethic of the sales team to get sales over the line also spoke volumes.

Andrew Mikhail said: “I am grateful to Paula for choosing us when I know she had so many other interested parties, but she knows mine and my team’s track record and we’re looking forward to working together and with our expansion plans, creating 25 new jobs over the next 12 months.

“It will be great to continue to work with the people of St Helens who are already so supportive of one of my other businesses, The Eccleston Arms, which grew a

“We’re very excited for the future of David Davies Sales and Lettings Agent and the Mikhail Group.”

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Duo Team up for Playhouse The creative masterminds behind the renowned London Olympic’s opening ceremony, are teaming up once more – this time in honour of The Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot.

own experience and learning of what captivates and enthrals audiences, to help shape The Playhouse’s own artistic programme. The Shakespeare North Playhouse is currently under construction and is due to open to the public in 2022.

Multi-award-winning Director and Producer Danny Boyle, and award-winning writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who was brought up in Rainhill, have both signed up to act as Special Advisors for The Playhouse which will open to the public in 2022.

At the centre of the new building will be a flexible theatre with capacity for between 320 and 472 seats, based on the iconic 17th century ‘cockpit-in-court’ design. This is particularly apt as Prescot was the only place outside London to have a purpose-built theatre in Elizabethan times.

As Special Advisors both Danny and Frank will bring to bear their extensive expertise across the arts and entertainment industry. They will utilise their

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LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

The gorgeous Love It Gallery in Billinge has an excellent range of original gifts to suit all budgets, made from craftspeople, many of them local. From Christmas cards, wrapping, advent calendars and decorations, right through to gifts sets, accessories, jewellery, ceramics, and soft furnishings, Love It Gallery has got something for everyone this Christmas.

As the home of Morpheus Glass, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising that the range of inspirational glass art at Love It Gallery is huge, with clocks, bowls, mirrors, vases, wall panels and much more featuring prominently, many pieces carrying the rainbow theme of 2020.

On site at the gallery is Bag & Bean coffee shop, where you can enjoy coffee, cake and light lunches, socially distanced style - with additional outdoor and undercover seating with heating.

Love It Gallery, Winstanley Road, Billinge WN5 7XG Open: 9.30am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday Telephone: 01695

622 332

Presents for every age, taste and budget, all at Ellamora in Rainford.

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12 13 14

15 Gifts From £12 1. Jellycat Snug Berry Bunny - £13 2. Jellycat Yule Snowman - £20 3. Joules Peplow Make-up Bag and Purse Set - £29.95

Complimentary Christmas gift wrapping available

4. Powder Gift Bag - free with any ‘Powder’ purchase 5. Powder Nutty Squirrel Socks - £7.99 6. Sparkle, Shimmer, Shine Joma Bracelet - £17.99 7. L’Occitane Verbana Gift - £12 8. Jellycat Leffy Elves – from £16.50 9. Sabbot Bobblehats – from £29.99 10. Powder Men’s Socks - £7.99 11. Katie Loxton Merry Christmas Candle Trio - £19.99 12. Luxury Pheasant Wrap by Powder - £39.99 13. Katie Loxton A Little Sparkle Reed Diffuser - £19.99 14. Katie Loxton Gift-Boxed Scarf - £24.99 15. Jellycat Leffy Elf & Book – Elf £22, Book £10

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Gifts of

Gorgeousness Beauty gifts that Santa will wish he thought of, from stocking fillers to luxury treats Eco lovers will appreciate Biovene Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Bars (£4 each). They’re also a great gift for anyone planning on going travelling next year, as they take up very little space in a suitcase but last for weeks. The bars are free from parabens, sulphates and other harsh chemicals and use natural goodies like macadamia oil and shea butter to gently cleanse and nourish hair. See www.justmylook.com. Alternatively, the Eco Warrior Mini Cube by the Little Soap Company (www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk) is as pretty as it is eco. For £8, you get a Sensitive Facial Bar, Exfoliating Bar, Shampoo Bar and Shaving Bar. They’re all plant-based, free from synthetics and packed with natural ingredients such as essential oils, pink clay, oatmeal and coconut oil. What make-up lover isn’t a fan of Urban Decay’s Naked Eyeshadow Palettes (£43)? The Ultraviolet one is likely to cause squeals of delight on Christmas Day from any fan of a bold smoky eye.

The twelve shades are a mix of mattes, metallic and shimmers. The focus is purple, from lilac to deepest aubergine (but with names like ‘Euphoric’ and ‘Cyber Punk’…), and there are complementary nudes and golds to create the perfect dramatic eye. As you’d expect from Urban Decay (www.urgandecay.co.uk), the shadows go on easily and stay put for hours. Pair the palette with the Lash Freak Mascara (£21) for extra brownie points.

have a lower impact on the environment than most nail varnishes. See www.LD-Boutique. com.

Most of us rarely treat ourselves to a new make-up bag, but they’re always nice to get. (Because, let’s face it, how many of us ever get around to cleaning out the powder, lipstick stains and other gunk that accumulates in them?) The Tierra Palm Multi-coloured Makeup Bag (£16.50) from Oliver Bonas is likely to be well-received. If you’re feeling especially generous, team it with the coordinating Wash Bag (£24).

Know someone who loves luxuriating in the bath tub? A Biovene Hair Wrap Treatment (£3 from www.justmylook.com) would make a great stocking filler. It’s easy to use: just pop it over your hair, use the sticky tab to keep it in place, and then rinse off after twenty minutes. It smells divine and leaves hair feeling softer and healthier.

Do you make your own Christmas crackers? Forget a plastic fish or silver napkin ring, pop in a Leighton Denny Back to Nature Nail Polish in Peony or Forest (£12) instead. They’re vegan, 75% natural and designed to

Give someone the gift of a good night’s sleep with the Tonic Velvet Eye Mask (£15 from www.amara.com) and This Works’ Choose Sleep Kit (£10 from www.thisworks.com). The mask is velvet on one side and satin on the other, so it feels lush against skin. The Choose Sleep Kit contains miniatures of two of This Works’ bestselling products – the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray and Stress Check Roll-On.

Shop safe, stay local We stock a wide range of Christmas presents for both women and men.

Exclusive Christmas gift packs from Clarins and Espa

You can order Christmas gifts or beauty products by phone, via email or via our online store, with free delivery within a 7-mile radius of Billinge. Gift wrapped options are available. Socially distanced personal shopping trips to pick out your Christmas gifts can be pre-booked, please call us to book a convenient time.

Looking for inspiration?

Christmas gift vouchers are available online or via our app. Visit our website or Facebook page to check out the latest offers 161-171, Main Street, Billinge, WN5 7PA

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Making a

House a Home 1

JC Kitchens and Bedrooms in St Helens has long been the go-to place for the highest-quality kitchens in the North West. After relocating to larger premises in 2017 and subsequently decorating display units and expansive new shopfront windows with unique accessories, it quickly became apparent to proprietor Jo that there could be a niche in the market. Existing shop windows filled with home accessories led to daily questions about whether such items were for sale. After realising that there was, in fact, quite some demand for local giftware, the decision was made to open a shop just across the road from their existing store.

2 3

Jo and her son spent the last lockdown working together with Johnny Vegas, Martin Blondel and Andrew Mikhail delivering foodstuffs and other essential items out of the Eccleston Arms to those in need across the region, and the two were keen to work together on a new project. Regalos â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is Spanish for gifts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is now open on Tennis Street (just off Greenfield Road) and across the road from JC Kitchens and Bedrooms. Regalos has a range of striking and original decorative accessories to give any home a style upgrade and has an excellent range of gifts suited for all occasions and price points. With new stock arriving each week, including a range of hand-made items from regional craftspeople, it is set to quickly become the goto place in St Helens to buy home accessories and giftware. Here is a small selection of what you can expect from Regalos.

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9 1.

Large & small Silver Ceramic Urns £45 & £30

2. Large & small Candleholders with wire hearts £15 & £10

3. Large Candleholder with candle £30 4. Rudolph Christmas decoration £15

5. Pair of DCUKs £24 each 6. DCUK duckling and Christmas duckling £17 each

7. Pair of Boutique Candles £10 each

8. French Eggbox £12 9. Candleholder with silver loop design with

marble effect LED Candle £45 & £10

10. Milk Jug £10 11. Hedgehog Doorstep £20 12. Silver Ceramic Trinket Jar £15 13. Pink Christmas tree with matching pink wreath £10 each

14. Timeless Clock £60

14 Regalos Home Accessories & Giftware 14 Tennis Street, St Helens, WA10 6SJ • 01744 755105 Opening hours: 10am-3pm Wednesday to Saturday

Competition Winners

The winners of our Rainbow Glass Art competition in the Sep/Oct issue of Local Life were recently announced. Joanne Murphy from Broadway in Eccleston won the main prize, which was a Rainbow Arch, Melanie Lee of Duxbury Close in Rainford was the first runner up and won a Rainbow Heart and Helen Sumner from Chelford Road in Eccleston won the 3rd prize, a Rainbow Bee.

Stephanie O’Brien, the co-owner of the Love It Gallery. Also pictured are Melanie and Helen with their prizes. The pieces are just part of the collection of rainbow glass art available at the Love It Gallery, which is based on Winstanley Road in Billinge. The Love It Gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday. For more details visit the Facebook page @loveitgalleryltd.

The main picture shows Joanne picking up the arch from

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Back Local Businesses That’s the call from St Helens Borough Council as it promotes a dedicated section of its website, set up to inform residents of the businesses currently operating amid the coronavirus pandemic. St Helens is Open is an online portal which has been created by the council to help advertise and support businesses. Features include a directory for residents to search for a particular type of business; printable resources and guidance to help businesses trade safely; as well as public information and advice. To date, more than 100 businesses have registered for free, with more encouraged to sign up. To register your business for free, email mediateam@sthelens.gov.uk St Helens Borough Council Leader David Baines said: “Many fantastic local businesses in St Helens Borough have changed the way they work so that they can offer services and provisions to residents at this difficult time. “The St Helens local economy is far more vibrant,

successful, and varied than many people give it credit for, and now is the time to back local businesses. They need us more than ever.” For more information visit: coronavirus/st-helens-is-open/

www.sthelens.gov.uk/

Afternoon Teas Popular town centre eatery The Dean is hosting three Christmas Afternoon Tea events in the run up to Christmas, and promise to bring customers ‘a Christmas experience that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the area’. The events will take place between 12-3pm on Saturday 5th, 12th and the 19th December and will feature live entertainment from the ‘Singing Our Socks Off’ choir, singing Christmas carols to enhance the festive event. Various afternoon tea menu options include prosecco and champagne. For more details visit The Dean’s Facebook page or their website www.thedeanrestaurant.co.uk.

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Arts Grants Announced The first round of grants from the UK Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Funds has been announced and amongst the local recipients are St Helens Theatre Royal, The World of Glass and the Heart of Glass. The grants will support cultural and creative organisations over the coming months with the on-going challenges due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The programme is administered by Arts Council England and £409 million has already been earmarked, with more funding rounds yet to be announced, and £50 million of this was distributed to organisations in the North West of England. Regal Entertainments, who operate St Helens Theatre Royal received £313,080, World of Glass benefitted to the tune of £200,808 and Heart of Glass received £151,725.

can continue to serve the local community and secure our future. “We cannot wait to open our theatre doors again and look forward to welcoming audiences back where they can expect the same world-class entertainment that St Helens Theatre Royal is renowned for.” The theatre’s Christmas Covid-secure pantomime production is the enchanting tale of Beauty and the Beast, and this will be entertaining audiences from Friday 11th December to Sunday 3rd January. For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com

Markets Off & On

Executive Director at The World of Glass, Ron Helsby said: “This is fantastic news at a time when we need to give our visitors confidence in coming to venues like ours. It is also encouraging that there is a commitment of support for the heritage, culture and arts sector from central government at times like this and that what we do is seen as an important part of the wellbeing of the nation”.

Rainford Parish Council have confirmed that Rainford’s popular outdoor Christmas Market will not take place this year due to the current COVID-19 restrictions. In their statement, the Parish Council pays tribute to the ‘hard work and support’ of the village’s Christmas Fayre Working Party and they hope that the event will return in 2021.

The World Of Glass re-opened in October after being closed for six months, and the venue’s opening hours are 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday.

To support small local businesses, the Parish Council has organised a Christmas Market in the Rainford Village Hall on Church Road from 10am - 4pm on Sunday 22nd November. For further information, please contact the council on 01744 884709 or email admin@ rainfordparishcouncil.com.

Theatre Royal Manager Chantelle Nolan said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded funds as part of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund. This will ensure we

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The

Book Nook

From historical fiction to dystopian literature plus new releases to older books that deserve more attention, there’s plenty to get your teeth stuck into this month. Gather the Daughters Jennie Melamed On the island, girls are little more than wives-in-training – following the decrees of the founding ancestors and submitting to every demand of their fathers. They have one brief period of freedom over the summer, when they live wild and do as they please. The summers are short-lived, and the girls know that they’re destined to be married once they hit puberty. But one day they decide to take back their freedom, at whatever cost. Gather the Daughters is pretty disturbing and there are a lot of triggers, but as dystopian literature goes, it’s one that will stick with you for a very long time.

Little Fires Everywhere Celeste Ng Whether you’ve watched the Amazon Prime series or not, the book is well worth a read. To the outsider, Shaker Heights seems like the perfect town. And no one is more perfect than Elena Richardson. Her daughter Izzy, on the other hand, is impetuous and disinclined to follow the rigid path laid down by her mother. When artist Mia Warren arrives on the scene with her daughter Pearl, the fragility of a ‘perfect’ life becomes all too apparent. A manylayered read about motherhood, secrets, race and the many nuances of right and wrong.

The Midnight Library Matt Haig Nora’s overdose doesn’t result in, as she’d hoped, nothingness. Instead, she’s transported to the Midnight Library, where she gets the chance to try the other lives she could have led if she’d made different choices. As she faces her regrets (from not marrying to not becoming an Olympic swimmer), Nora discovers that the path not taken isn’t always the panacea she thinks it is.

A Room Made of Leaves Kate Grenville A Room Made of Leaves is the fictionalised account of a real woman’s life – Elizabeth Macarthur. It’s set in the late eighteenth century. Women had few prospects beyond marriage, so when Elizabeth marries the cold, ambitious John Macarthur she has little choice but to follow him wherever he decides to go, even if that’s to the other side of the world to live in a new settlement in Australia. A must for historical fiction fans.

A Song for the Dark Times Ian Rankin Rebus is back, but this time it’s personal: his son-in-law is missing. Rebus heads out to solve the mystery. His daughter seems to be the obvious main suspect, so which role will Rebus prioritise – detective or father? Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, DI Siobhan Clarke is on her own case, that of the murder of a wealthy Saudi student. These two very different cases may turn out to be part of the same tangled web. A Song for the Dark Times is a gripping crime thriller with plenty of twists to keep you turning the pages.

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A highly recommended family name established in 1982

I’m a

working man from

Lancashire… by Nicola Gray

Since first taking to the stage in 2007, The Lancashire Hotpots have been putting a smile on our faces with their light-hearted view on life. Their brand of music has a distinctly Northern edge and it has gained them a cult following over the years. From playing Glastonbury to writing jingles for Holland’s Pies, the Hotpots have been successfully entertaining the nation with comedy songs about chippy teas and how to ‘mek us a brew’. We caught up with Bernard, Bob, Kenny, Ron, Billy and Dickie to see what fun they’ve been having during lockdown. Dickie reliably informs me that the tale of how the band met is one of folklore, “It’s a tale of mystery, one that involves Noel Edmond’s helicopter, a break in at the Uncle Joe’s Mint Ball Factory and an after-hours session with Elton Welsby in Billinge!” From their first answer I can already tell that this is going to be an interview like no other and I can’t wait for the rest of the answers. Bernard added, “Like that Queen film we watched at the cinema last year, he may have included a bit of dramatic licence there. In reality, me, Bob and Dickie had been in a couple of bands previously and Kenny, Billy and Ron were all musician friends that we knew and asked to join along the way.” Bernard Thresher and Bob Wriggles met while working at Knowsley Safari Park and formed their first rock band together, Korova. Whilst working at St Helens College,

Bob met Dickie Ticker and the three became interested in working together. After Korova disbanded, Bernard and Bob joined forces with Dickie to create electronic dance music under the new guise of Emmet. Billy McCartney was in Liverpool band Lyons and Tigers who supported the Hotpots numerous times around the North West and Kenny Body was in several St Helens based bands including Jessica’s Ghost and Giant Root Attack. Both were enlisted to play in the band following the death of original drummer, Willie Eckerslike. But what about their good old Lancashire upbringings? Bernard told me, “I think we all had a pretty normal upbringing in St Helens, mine certainly was; mum, dad, brother, given a guitar at an early age and potato waffles and baked beans for me tea most nights.” “You can’t ask for more than that can you? Bob laughs.” Bernard added, “I was successfully excluded from nine schools for a series of harmless and humorous incidents, involving small fires and the occasional release of school pets into the wilds. He does admit afterwards that he may be slightly exaggerating here for comic effect, but in all honesty that is what we love about the Hotpots. Get the Hotpots talking about their hometown and the interview conducts itself, it’s just fun to be able to listen! Talking about their old haunts Dickie chirps in, “Have you

29 ever been to the Three-Legged Fisherman in Heskin? It’s just past Charnock Richard services, they serve the best Chicken Kiev in Lancashire.” Bernard added, “Back in the day when I’d just started drinking, I used to enjoy a breath-taking night at ‘Jokers Bar’ in St Helens town centre opposite Scala Snooker. Tuesday night’s there were off the charts, especially when they had a 2 for 1 offer on MD20/20. Remember that?”

The band first dabbled with comedy music, producing a remix of the Coldplay song “Clocks” for Radio One DJ Chris Moyles in the style of the German dance group Scooter. In a play on words they named the side project Moped. The track proved popular with listeners of the show and they went on to produce several more remixes. Then came the idea of a folk band, who write songs and tell stories about modern life and the rest, as they say, is history.

Although Bernard now lives in Coventry, (he really does, it’s even documented in one of their songs, ‘This Lancashire Town) it’s easy to see the love these chaps have for their roots and how much it has shaped them. Dickie, Kenny and Ron all still reside in the borough, Kenny adds, “We love St Helens’ equidistance between the throbbing metropolitan hubs of Liverpool and Manchester. That and Burchall’s Pie Shop on Westfield Street.”

Music is in their blood; it makes them happy, but who are their influences and who do they enjoy listening to? Ron tells me, “The CD player in the Hotpots van will quite often play a lot of Queen, early 80s pop, a bit of AC/DC and a smattering of drum and bass…it’s a very broad church. Bernard can’t remember the first record that he bought but Dickie says, “My first record was The Smurf Song by Father Abraham, this goes some way to explaining why we make the music that we do.” I am informed by the band members that all young men in St Helens have the same aspirations growing up. Their

30 Gigs and tours are renowned for being tireless and unrelenting, but the band seem to have this under control as well. It was hard for them to pinpoint just one show that had been their favourite. Bernard added, “I can’t remember coming off stage and thinking, wow that’s me favourite but looking back there was one gig we did at the Manchester Academy where we had KFC and champagne backstage. How do you beat that?” Speaking of gigs, and the lack of them now due to the pandemic, I have always wondered if musicians really have a favourite song. Dickie wistfully informs me that is a question that can only be answered at a certain moment in time as it changes for them on an almost daily basis. He added, “At the minute we aren’t playing any live shows what with the virus. I was enjoying a little ditty we do called The Austerity Blues which is about the prices of everything going up; we’re nothing if not topical.” dream job was not playing gigs up and down the country but was strapping on their boots and playing for Saints. Bernard added, “Sadly my League career was cut short by a series of broken collar bones, weak knees and lack of rugby playing ability. I like to think that rugby’s loss has been music’s gain.” With their rugby playing days firmly behind them and song writing and all things music making keeping them busy, do they have time for anything else? Billy said, “Things are perilous for a lot of people at the moment work wise, but currently you could find us involved in such jobs as lecturing, website coding and vehicle manufacture. One of us has been known to mix up the crisps in those bags of Walkers Mix Ups too.” There is always a laugh to be had with the Hotpots and even when asked about their proudest moments since starting the band, that old Northern humour is evident. Dickie says, “There was one gig back in 2009 where I remembered all the words and had a fault free performance and it’s been downhill from there. Kenny added, “Playing big stages for festivals like Kendal Calling will always be a thrill for us. Oh, and getting to play live on Radio 2 for Zoe Ball last Christmas was a blast but a 4am alarm call and a 6am soundcheck is not something I would want to repeat in a hurry.”

Speaking of the current pandemic, I want to know what the band has been up to during lockdown and as I’ve come to realise over the course of this interview, the answer isn’t what you’d expect. Bernard told me, “We’ve kept ourselves busy with needlework, Nintendo Switch digital golf, research into flying saucers and Uno. We’ll have to get round to writing some new songs eventually.” Before I let them go, I wanted to know about any funny stories or things that have happened to the band through the years. The lads do not disappoint as they tell me about being unfortunate enough to suffer a flat tyre after a gig. Bernard said, “All the lads had to stand in the rain on the side of the motorway for hours. I of course had taken a limousine back to the Premier Inn and was nibbling Ferrero Rocher and quaffing Labatt lager till the wee small hours. We did laugh.” With Lancashire Day just around the corner, I couldn’t let The Hotpots go with our hearing some of their favourite Lancashire phrases. Some responses weren’t suitable for publication, but they quickly agreed, and Dickie answered, “My favourite phrases are ‘Y’In?’ (are you at home as I would like to visit) and ‘Y’Owt’? (will you be out later to meet with friends for light refreshments).”

Chips & Giggles Tour 2021 Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one thing more satisfying than a visit to the chippy and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an evening with The Lancashire Hotpots! To book tickets for next year go online at www.thelancashirehotpots.net and look for the events listing. 5th March 2021 St Helens, Theatre Royal 24th April 2021 Bolton, Albert Halls 22nd May 2021

Southport, The Atkinson

17th July 2021

Blackpool, The Grand TheatrE

Festive Drive-Ins Christmas COVID-19 style doesn’t include social gatherings, but that’s not stopped the outdoor entertainment specialists The Parking Lot Social from pulling together a whole host of different drive-in shows, which will all be hosted in carparks at John Lennon Airport in December in a socially distant manner to help stop the spread of coronavirus The Parking Lot Social Winter Festival, which runs from 9th to 13th December at JLA, Includes Christmas movies, a Cinderella panto, party nights for adults and for children and even stand-up comedy. There’s a 60 ft rainbow coloured Christmas tree and food trucks, whilst two 40ft screens will show classic Christmas movies including Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Bad Santa,

Die Hard, Home Alone and Love Actually, whilst the festive parties include car-a-oke, bingo, a quiz and a silent disco There are also four screenings of a new 2020 drive-in version of panto classic Cinderella, which will be performed with all the essential elements that make the tale so special, as well as a few twists unique to the special drive-in format. The specially written show has song and dance routines a-plenty, audience participation galore and a script that takes a light-hearted dig at some of the challenges thrown up by this strangest of years. The Parking Lot Social will also be running a Festival at the Trafford Centre in Manchester from 1st-6th December. For more details and to buy tickets, visit www. theparkinglotsocial.co.uk.

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READY

in 1hr 45mins plus cooling Makes 8-10

Cranberry, orange and nut loaf This simple cake makes a delicious alternative to a classic Christmas cake. Add the icing and fresh cranberry topping on the day of serving.

Ingredients 175g unsalted butter, softened 175g golden caster sugar 225g self-raising flour 2 tsp ground mixed spice Â˝ tsp baking powder 3 large eggs 75g sweetened dried cranberries 50g walnuts & 50g hazelnuts, chopped Zest of 1 orange 1 tbsp orange juice FROSTING

Method 1 Preheat the oven to 170C, 150C fan, gas mark 3. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line the base and up two long sides of the tin with baking parchment. 2 Place the butter, sugar, flour, spice, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes until thoroughly combined. Fold in the dried cranberries, nuts and orange zest and juice. 3 Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface. Bake for 1hr-1 hr 15 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 4 Spread the royal icing over the top of the cake. Scatter over the sugar sprinkles and fresh cranberries, plus the fresh mint sprigs if using. Leave in a cool place until set. Serve sliced.

Half of a 400g tub ready-made royal icing 2 tsp snowflake sugar sprinkles 75g fresh cranberries Fresh mint sprigs, to decorate (optional) Icing sugar, for dusting

TIP: Instead of the fresh cranberries you could scatter over more festivethemed sugar sprinkles and add a dusting of edible gold spray for a really sparkly finish.

READY

in 30 mins plus chilling Serves 6

Potted smoked salmon This is the perfect starter for the lunch on the big day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the recipe will easily double up if you are feeding a crowd at Christmas!

Ingredients 275g honey roast salmon flakes 250g smoked salmon slices, chopped 100g unsalted butter, softened 125g full-fat soft cheese 2 tsp creamed horseradish 1 tbsp lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper Fresh dill sprigs and green peppercorns, to garnish

Method 1 Reserve about 25g of the salmon flakes for garnish (cover and chill in the fridge until required). 2 Place the rest of the salmon flakes in a food processor with the smoked salmon, butter, soft cheese, horseradish and lemon juice. Process until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and process for a further few seconds. 3 Divide the mixture between 6 small ramekin dishes and level the surface. Cover and chill in the fridge until required. Garnish with the rest of the salmon flakes, dill sprigs and green peppercorns. Serve with toasted brown or granary bread.

Slices of toasted brown or granary bread, to serve

TIP: Most supermarkets sell packs of ready-flaked honey roast salmon but if unavailable just buy ready-cooked smoked salmon fillets and roughly flake the fish, discarding any skin and fine bones.

READY

in 20 mins Serves 4

Sesame chicken and crunchy veg stir fry Stir-fries are a great way to use up any left over veggies in the fridge. Add crunch with red cabbage and a nutty sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Ingredients 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp grated root ginger 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced 350g chicken breast fillet, cut into thin strips 2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated 225g broccoli florets, blanched (see Tip) 2 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp runny honey 300g pack fresh noodles

Method 1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or non-stick frying pan over a high until until almost smoking. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds then add the onion and chicken and stir-fry for a further 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender and the chicken is almost cooked through. 2 Add the grated carrot and broccoli and stir-fry for another minute then stir in the soy sauce, honey and noodles with 1-2 tbsp hot water. Stir fry for a further 1-2 minutes until the noodles are piping hot. Stir in the sesame oil and half the sesame seeds. 3 Divide the stir-fry between four warmed serving dishes and top with the rest of the sesame seeds and the shredded red cabbage. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds Âź of a red cabbage, finely shredded and blanched (see Tip) Lime wedges, to serve

TIP: Blanching the broccoli and red cabbage will just soften them slightly. Plunge into a pan of boiling water for 1 minute then drain and refresh under cold water.

Are you thinking of teaching as a career? Become a Teacher with North West Learning Partnership School Direct. (Previously known as St Mary and St Thomas C E Primary Alliance)

Who are we? North West Learning Partnership School Direct is an established School Direct Provider working in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. As one of only 40 Maths Hubs in the country, we are able to provide outstanding training at the forefront of developments in mathematics education. The North West Learning Partnership continues to be above the National norm for School Direct provision and are classed as a high-flying alliance in terms of numbers of applications and successful recruitment.

Why train with us? We are committed to ongoing development of all trainees

We offer a range of courses for both Primary and Secondary Primary General We offer a unique primary general teacher training programme. Training with the North West Learning Partnership means you become a staff member from day one whilst receiving academic and University support. Student feedback is key to ensuring quality and is paramount to ensuring the quality of our programme. Apply for this training programme through UCAS: http://www.ucas.com Training Provider 13N | Course code DF23 Primary

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and unique primary general teacher training programme with additional training units in mathematics. Trainees will receive a PGCE with Masters credits and QTS. Apply for this training programme through UCAS: http://www.ucas.com Training Provider 13N | Course code SDKJ

Primary General Salaried Route This salaried School Direct programme is suitable for experienced, non-teaching staff. Applicants are recommended to have the support of a school. The trainee is employed by the school as a non-qualified teacher for one academic year. Advice is available for career changers. The trainee teacher receives a personal training programme, accessing our outstanding training at the North West Learning Partnership and gains a PGCE with Masters credits and QTS at Liverpool John Moores University. This qualification includes 60 credits at Masters level. Apply for this training programme through UCAS: http://www.ucas.com Training Provider 13N | Course code 3BFS

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and Up Holland High in association with the North West Learning Partnership and Liverpool John Moores University. Due to the outstanding teaching in our schools, results in MFL are significantly above national average and both schools offer unique and dynamic training and teaching opportunities for the right teacher training candidates. • Training with high quality relevant professionals with an outstanding track record for delivering the highest grades for young people at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 as well as delivering exceptional transition for young people. • Opportunity for leadership training and development of strategic curriculum design. • Commitment to develop examination expertise at KS4

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Do try this

at home… at the w

nts th perime

ence e Fun sci

Iceberg A homemade lava lamp

For this experiment, you probably have everything you need already.

This lava lamp is short-lived, but pretty magical.

You’ll need:

You’ll need: • A glass • Vegetable oil • Water • A bright food colouring (e.g. red or green) • An Alka-Seltzer tablet What to do: • Fill the glass to about halfway with vegetable oil. • Add around a fifth of a glass of water. • Add around 10 drops of food colouring. • Drop in the Alka-Seltzer tablet and watch the marvel unfold. Why it works: The oil floats on the water. When you drop the tablet in, it reacts with the water to make carbon dioxide bubbles. They carry the coloured water to the top, before popping and sinking back down.

y ill enjo

mily w hole fa

• A glass • Ice cubes • Salt • String What to do • Dangle a piece of string in the glass with one hand. • Pop ice cubes into the glass so that it’s at least half-full. • Can you pull the ice-cubes out of the glass using the string? • Repeat the first two steps. • Pour a couple of tablespoons of salt over the ice cubes and the string. • Wait 10 seconds and pull the string out. • This time, the ice cubes should come out with the string. Why it works The salt makes the edges of the ice cubes start to melt but then they partially refreeze, sticking to the string as they do.

Runaway milk Don’t worry, this is a lot less messy than it sounds. You’ll need: • A plate or wide, shallow bowl • Full fat milk • Food colouring (ideally three different colours) • Washing-up liquid What to do • Pour some milk into the plate. (You only need it to be around a centimetre deep.) • Add a few drops of food colouring in different areas. Not too many, there should be large gaps between each one. • Dip a finger in the washing-up liquid and then touch one of the spots of food colouring. • Repeat with other spots of food colouring. • The colour will swirl away from your touch. Why it works The milk and washing-up liquid can’t mix. What you’re seeing is the fat particles swirling away from the washing-up liquid. Don’t have food colouring? Try touching a felt tip pen to the milk instead.

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Top Christmas Apps Help your child or children discover the magic of Christmas by using these popular Christmas apps. These apps are now available on both Apple or Android platforms and are either free or modestly priced.

Portable North Pole Through the Portable North Pole (PNP) app and website, parents can send their kids personalised videos direct from the North Pole. Video messages are free, but for an additional fee parents can buy their child more detailed personalisations, views of Santa’s village and news of the naughty or nice list this year.

Message From Santa Parents who download the Message from Santa app get unlimited personalised calls from Santa and can surprise their child with video messages straight from the North Pole. Kids can also leave Santa special voicemail messages or hold a text conversation with him.

NORAD

Elf Yourself

For more than 60 years, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been tracking Santa’s whereabouts on Christmas Eve using satellites and jet fighters. The 2020 NORAD Tracks Santa website and app each offer a Christmas countdown, games and other activities, in addition to NORAD’s iconic reports on Santa’s travels come December 24.

You can star in a series of personalised videos featuring your face on dancing elves. Upload up to five photos of friends and family from Facebook or your camera. Then select a dance and the app automatically generates your custom video you can share to social media.

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Individuals who are passionate about working with young children.

Monday 9th November 2020 Monday 7th December 2020 Monday 18th January 2021 Monday 1st March 2021 Monday 19th April 2021

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Individuals who have the potential to be outstanding teachers

Please email enquiries@wcpsd.uk to request to join a virtual open evening.

Accredited Study days will be at Liverpool Hope University leading to a PGCE and QTS in primary teaching. For more information and updates please visit www.wcpsd.uk and www.saintpatricks.wigan.sch.uk To search the course please visit the ‘get into teaching’ website https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/ and search using the following provider and course codes. Provider code 2A4 Primary course code (Age 5-11) 2XT7 EYFS course code (Age 3-7) AP55

Planning your

Financial Future Who do you need when you are looking to get your financial affairs in order - a Financial Planner or a Financial Adviser? Both types of adviser will be registered with the FCA and they will each be at least Level 4 diploma qualified, so what is the difference? A Financial Adviser generally focuses on selling you products to meet your current needs. A Financial Planner will talk with you about what your values, goals and key relationships are and will work with you to ensure that you have the best chance of achieving your financial aims. The focus of a Financial Planner is very much on listening, understanding, and planning your future.

Why are qualifications important? Chartered Financial Planners will have achieved the Level 6 standard, which is the equivalent of a degree. It makes sense before engaging with a firm to check if they are a Chartered Financial Planner and/or a Certified Financial Planner, as these are the highest qualified planners in the profession. These qualifications show that they have trained to the highest level and that they keep up to date with any changes through continued professional development, and this status shows that advisers at this level can help plan even the most complicated of affairs.

What can you expect from a Financial Planner? A Financial Planner will invest the time to get to know what makes you ‘tick’. The initial discovery meeting involves listening to you and understanding your current financial situation, and they will help to gather the information needed to create a financial plan for you. They will take the time to understand what level of risk you will be comfortable with and make sure you are in the most tax-efficient vehicles. They will also ensure your plan has other protections in place like life assurance, wills and a Lasting Power of Attorney where appropriate. The financial plan they provide should link all this together and be clear about the steps you need to take to build a solid financial future.

A common worry amongst clients is having enough money to fund their retirement plans. The best planners are able to demonstrate using market leading technology whether your portfolio is able to sustain you through your retirement. They can also highlight potential shortfalls and illustrate the action you need to take to rectify this. This process can be illuminating - and in some cases clients are able to retire earlier and start to enjoy the fruits of their labour now. It is also important that your plan is reviewed annually, and additionally when any major life events happen, such as retirement, redundancy or inheritances. Taking account and adapting to these ‘course corrections’ is important to ensure that your plan stays on target and that you are able to enjoy the lifestyle and retirement you aspire to. Relationships matter. You need to be comfortable that your Financial Planner has your best interests at heart and that they fully understand your goals and aspirations. Equally important is the willingness of your Financial Planner to be candid enough to challenge your thinking if it means that your financial plan will benefit in the long run.

Clear & Transparent Fees A Financial Planner will clearly explain to you exactly how much it will cost for their services. The fees should be easy to understand; and they should give you a clear understanding what you will receive for the fees paid. Remember the cheapest is not always the best! Your decision should not be based on fees alone, but experience, level of qualifications and the ability to build an ongoing relationship with your Financial Planner.

If we can help you get your financial affairs in order please contact our office on 01744 881421.

Andrew Platt CFPTM Chartered MCSI

The value of investments (including property) and the income derived from them may go down as well as up. Callisto Wealth Management Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our FCA reference is 607698 and our listing can be found at register.fcaorg.uk

Planning for your future is hard if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the necessary financial expertise. Callisto Wealth Management will work with you to help you achieve your financial freedom once you reach retirement.

Take the first step today towards enjoying the rest of your life.

Call us on 01744 881421 to arrange a no-obligation consultation at Rainford Hall. Remote consultations also available.

Call us now for your FREE Smart Money guide! Callisto Wealth Management Ltd Rainford Hall | Crank Road | St Helens | WA11 7RP 01744 881421 www.callistowealth.co.uk enquiries@callistowealth.co.uk

Making an

Entrance

Greenwich large sideboard, £229, Nala mango wood table lamp, £25; Butterscotch rush basket, £22; all Dunelm: 0345 165 6565; dunelm.com.

Colour and pattern for the walls Choose a paint colour or wallpaper that you love, and that coordinates with the colours visible in adjoining rooms. While pale colours reflect light and emphasise space, dark schemes can be cosy and interesting. It’s sensible to protect the lower halves of the walls from wear if you have young children and pets. Extra-tough paint is a good choice, or consider a dado rail with tongueand-groove panelling, tiles or vinyl wallpaper cladding the walls below. Patterned tiles or embossed wallpapers are appropriate for older properties with period features.

Choosing the right flooring Flooring should be durable, non-slip, dirt-resistant and easy to keep clean. Tiles are easy to care for, and options include stone, ceramic or quarry, or colourful Victorian encaustic. Floorboards or parquet need regular polishing or waxing, but avoid cheap wood laminates that may not last long. Good quality vinyl flooring is sturdy, cleanable and comfortable underfoot. A luxurious dark wool carpet

in an 80:20 mix of wool and nylon with a twist pile should withstand heavy usage, or how about tough natural matting such as coir, sisal or rush?

Lighting makes all the difference Halls should be welcoming, lead the eye into your home and safely illuminate steps or thresholds. Consider a specialist light-reflecting paint or wallpaper with a metallic sheen, and add a large mirror. Wall lights are not ideal in a narrow hall; recessed ceiling downlights are better or, if ceilings are high, a pendant (or a row of them) works well.

Storage is essential Built-in storage makes the most of every inch of space. Shallow, floor-to-ceiling cupboards with doors the same colour as the walls, or mirrored to maximise light, will hold masses yet be barely noticeable. Alternatively, use free-standing, perhaps vintage or upcycled, cupboards, sideboards or benches. Umbrella stands, dog beds and boot racks suit spacious, country-style halls, while narrow, urban halls might benefit from a high-up bike hook and a slim radiator shelf for post and keys. Tegola Westminster traditional oak wood flooring, £49.99 m2; natural coir Bee doormat, £15; both Carpetright: 0330 333 3444; carpetright.co.uk.

Add a finishing touch In a hall with windows, choose blinds or curtains that complement the space. A floor runner adds pattern and texture on hard floors but needs a non-slip underlay. Hang paintings or photographs in coordinating frames on the walls, in rows or informal groupings. Perhaps add plants, books or a lamp on a console table for a beautiful display that creates a lovely welcome to your home.

Quality carpets & flooring, expertly fitted at competitive prices

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) Carpets and Rugs Laminate Flooring Hard Wood Flooring www.bespoke-floors.co.uk | bespoke@wjdflooring.co.uk No.2 The Old Smithy, Church Road, Rainford WA11 8HD

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Your hallway needs to be a good-looking, welcoming space for visitors and a practical storage area for storage. Get the basics right, says Katherine Sorrell, and the rest will follow.

Wiltshire console table in natural solid oak, ÂŁ299.99, St Ives tallboy in natural and painted oak, ÂŁ299.99; both Oak Furnitureland: 0800 440 2254; oakfurnitureland.co.uk.

e f i L A Light Up Tuesday 15th December 2020 Starts at 7pm online Christmas is a time when we think about our family and friends, past and present. Due to Covid-19 we have to do things differently this year so we would love you to join us for our special online only service. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry if you miss it live because it will be available to view, or re-watch, at a time to suit you. All tributes will be published on our website. Almost all of our planned fundraising events for 2020 have been postponed so we could really do with your support more than ever. Thank you.

Call the Fundraising Office on 01744 453798 or e-mail events@willowbrookhospice.org.uk www.willowbrook.org.uk n

ery

Every Contact Counts Registered Charity No. No. 1020240 Registered Charity 1020240

C o n t a ct C o u

Pep Up

Your Hallway

Give your entrance a stylish update with new furniture or accessories. A clean-lined shape and subtle colour makes this a useful piece for any style of hallway.

SAY HELLO TO HALLWAY STYLE

Garden Trading Clockhouse hallway storage bench, £260, Cuckooland.

• Choose a runner that leads guests from the front door to the heart of your home. Consider how its colours and patterns interact with adjacent rooms – and avoid light colours that show the dirt. • Shoe and coat racks, console tables, benches and the like can be selected with an eye for style as much as storage. An upcycled or vintage piece could really make a statement.

With a small footprint but a big impact, this glamorous lacquer and brass cabinet is finished with solid acrylic cabochons. Globo console, £1,995, Jonathan Adler.

• A hallway mirror is not only an essential but can really up the fashion stakes. All sorts of designs are available, and a rattan frame is very on trend.

In a soft colour palette and matt finish, these striking hooks have a minimal, Nordic feel.

• Include a row of hooks for more impact, whether rustic or traditional, industrial or modern. They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colours.

MADE Essentials Apartment wall hooks in tonal grey, £35, made.com.

• Add an accessory or two, such as a work of art, a table lamp or a pot of succulents to complement and enhance your hall’s colours and textures. Ensure that the combination of pieces makes you feel happy when you come home. Handy for post, reminders and invitations, this wirework display rack has an appealingly functional feel that would look great in a modern space. Farringdon memo board, £30, Garden Trading.

Get the luxe look with a gilded mirror that also offers convenient space on the shelf below for bits and bobs. Medium Lene Bjerre Hildia mirror in gold, £90, Sweetpea & Willow.

Generously sized hooks in a traditional design will hold coats, scarves and even hats comfortably. Country wall hooks, £75, A by Amara.

This vintage-inspired piece will make a bohemian statement in your home. Bali rattan coat stand, £125, Oliver Bonas. A soft rug will welcome guests. This runner is rich and inviting, in patterned peach, nude and grey. Nova Runner, £150, Cox & Cox.

RL World Cup Ballot Open The public ticket ballot for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup is now open and will close on Monday 16th November at 20:21. Fans will be able to apply for tickets for each of the 61 matches across all three tournaments, with tickets in each price band at every game available. The public ticket ballot will be the last opportunity to buy a ticket to the tournament at 2020 promotional rates, ticket prices will increase from 1 January 2021. To apply for tickets in the Public Ticket Ballot, applicants must register an account via the official Rugby League World Cup 2021 Ticketing website, which can be accessed via www.rlwc2021.com/tickets The Totally Wicked stadium in St Helens will play host to three men’s fixtures when RLWC2021 comes to England next year, Tonga vs. Papua New Guinea (26/10/21), Tonga vs. Wales (1/11/21) and Australia vs. Italy (6/11/21). The borough will also act as the training base for the Tongan and Italian men’s teams.

Following the unprecedented demand during the Rugby League family priority access sale, fans are encouraged to apply for a wide selection of matches or use the Powerplay option to have a better chance of seeing their favourite team play during RLWC2021. Should you miss out on tickets when your match ballot is drawn, ‘Powerplay’ automatically puts you into the ballot for tickets to the same match but in the next price category up. RLWC2021 will run the lowest priced ballots first so if you use Powerplay, your original choice will always be given priority.

Haydock Craft Fair An annual Christmas Craft and Gift Market at Haydock Park racecourse will take place this year from 10am-4pm on Sunday 15th November. The event features a wide selection of craft and gift stalls. Admission is £1.50 per person with children under 15 free. Parking is free and the market runs from 10am-4pm.

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Christmas Tech Your

Checklist

Many of the gifts we give or get at Christmas are gadgets, and that means Santa has a few things to think about in the days before the big day. For example, if the kids have asked him for a games console it’s highly likely that the console will need to download a big software update before it can play online; the worst possible time to do that download is on Christmas morning when everybody else in your street is trying to do the same. If you can, connect any new console to the internet in advance so there’s no delay before the kids can play. Another good idea is to prepare a bit of paper with your Wi-Fi details and password on it: from Amazon Echo speakers to Apple iPads and even many kids’ toys, a Wi-Fi connection is needed for them to work. Digging out the details in advance will speed things up considerably on the day.

The top big-ticket Christmas gifts 2020 APPLE WATCH The Apple Watch is the best smartwatch ever made. There are now three watches to choose from, starting at £199 for the Series 3 and rising to £399 for the Series 6. £199, Apple.com

OCULUS QUEST 2 This is very geeky, we know, but the Facebook-owned Oculus Quest delivers an incredible virtual reality experience without wires or the need for a computer. £299, Oculus.com

FITBIT SENSE If you or your loved one is a fitness fan, the new Fitbit Versa adds clever new features to its tried-and-tested fitness tracking, including EKG, temperature sensing and even stress sensing.

It’s worth looking out any USB-ready charger plugs (such as from iPhones or Kindle Fire tablets), because to help reduce electronic waste many USB-powered devices will come with a cable but not the plug it connects to. And of course, it’s a very good idea to check what batteries any gadgets, toys or remote controllers are going to need. If you don’t already have one, a battery charger with a couple of sets of AA and AAA rechargeable batteries will come in very handy in the next few days. Last but not least, we’d recommend having a multi-tool or a screwdriver set and some really good scissors handy. We’ve found that many kids’ toys come screwed to the packaging or require very small crosshead screwdrivers to open their battery compartments, and others come in extremely strong clear plastic that’s very hard to open.

£299, Fitbit.com

PLAYSTATION 5 The next-generation PlayStation is big, beautiful and it isn’t quite as expensive as we feared: the standard version is £449 and the disk-free digital version is £359. £449, Very.co.uk DYSON SUPERSONIC If your time is money, then Dyson’s high-tech hairdryer will pay for itself very quickly: not only does it make your hair look amazing, but it does it in an amazingly short time too. £299, Boots.com

Wishing you a

Crafty Christmas By Nicola Gray

Is there anything more treasured or satisfying come to think of it, than homemade Christmas decorations? There is one sure-fire way to get into the Christmas spirit, and in my opinion that is a bit of Christmas DIY. In our house we still lovingly decorate our tree with past their best sourdough decorations made in the 80’s and cardboard stars that have long since lost their glitter. The pudding making starts months in advance and we have been known to knock up the odd Christmas cupcake. Whether it is a reindeer cut out by your little ones or a homemade festive wreath adorning your front door, make-your-own decorations will always take pride of place. These days the options are endless, with craft fayres, wreath making courses and children’s craft kits, you cannot fail to be inspired. With social distancing threatening to put a bit of damper on festivities this year, we thought we would take a look at what is on offer, from decorating gifts, crafting handmade gifts for your loved ones and getting the kids involved with some scrumptious treats.

Wreath Making Wreath making has become exceedingly popular over the last few years, and what’s not to love? You can craft your own front door decoration, match it to your preferred colour scheme and have a mulled wine or two whilst you’re at it! Here are a few wreath making classes available in the area.

Blossom Room will be hosting a Christmas Centrepiece workshop on Monday 21st December at their base at Windy Arbour Farm in Billinge. Prices start at £45 and you can secure your place by calling 01942 212900.

Zsa Zsa Flowers

in Billinge will be hosting wreath workshops on selected dates from Tuesday 24th November until Thursday 10th December. Workshops are held at the shop on Main Street, all your fresh materials and decoration will be provided along with all the equipment you need. Maximum of 5 people per booking per date to follow COVID guidelines. The workshop is £40 per person and to book please call 01744 628890.

St Helens College will be running a Christmas Floral Workshop suitable for students aged 19 and over. Designed for those who may enjoy arts and crafts and wish to create unique floral displays for over the festive period, the workshop is suitable for absolute beginners who wish to try a new hobby or for those already familiar with working with flowers. The course starts on Wednesday 2nd December and Thursday 3rd December for one evening a week, lasting for three weeks at The Flower Studio at the town centre campus. The cost of the course is £60, this includes tuition and the supply of all basic materials. To book please go to www. sthelens.ac.uk and search for floristry.

Christmas Crafts Getting the children involved in some Christmas crafts is a great way to ramp up the Christmas spirit! Face2Face Castings and Keepsakes will be hosting a children’s Christmas workshop at Playdays on Central Street – sounds like festive heaven. • Starting on Wednesday 2nd December at 4pm the fun and educational sessions will run for three weeks for children aged 7+. So, if you’re ready to make some new friends and let your little artists be unlocked this is the place for you. The workshops will be in groups of up to 8 people to comply with Covid regulations. You will get to create and learn techniques in painting and crafting just in time for Christmas and every session you will have something to take away with

Christmas Craft Fayres A great way to stock up on some Christmas presents and craft supplies is to keep a look out for some Christmas craft fayres. They are a great way to buy local and support local businesses. Now, a lot of fayres won’t be able to go ahead this year but local woman Elisha Bridge has set up a virtual Christmas Market to help boost sales for local businesses and raise much needed funds for Willowbrook Hospice. You can pick up a wide range of gifts and craft supplies including jewellery, candles, paper goods and ‘make your own kits’. To join the market simply search for St Helens Virtual Christmas Market ion Facebook.

you. The price of the workshop is £20 per child and this includes all art and craft materials, but you will need to bring your own apron or oversized shirt. Bookings can be made by going to the Face2Face Casting and Keepsakes Facebook page and following the link to the events.

Puzzle Pages

Sponsored by

CROSSWORD

DOWN

1. Country, capital Nicosia (6) 2. Communist state of Asia (4) 3. Sloping mass of rocks at the base of a cliff (5) 4. Item commonly eaten on Shrove Tuesday (7) 5. Live-action film about a piglet (4) 6. Capital of Finland (8) 9. US novelist, creator of Tom Sawyer (5) 12. Worship of images (8) 14. Alloy of copper and zinc (5) 15. Unit of relative loudness (7) 18. Equal portions into which the capital stock of

a corporation is divided (6)

19. Involuntary muscular contraction (5) 21. ___ Karenina, novel by Leo Tolstoy (4)

23. Large container (4)

ACROSS

1. French town that serves as a

11. Plant fibre used to make rope (5)

20. Overland journey by hunters (6)

13. Japanese art of flower arranging (7)

22. Formerly the basic unit of

7. Acting game, popular at

16. Person whose duty is to throw

24. Daughter of a sovereign (8)

ferry port to England (6) Christmas (8)

troublemakers out of a bar (7)

money in Spain (6)

8. Steal cattle (6)

17. Group which released the 2006

25. ___ dancers, traditionally

10. Brie or Edam, for example (6)

album Stop the Clocks (5)

WORDWHEEL Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

TARGET EXCELLENT: 58 or more words GOOD: 47 words FAIR: 39 words

associated with May Day (6)

N W

R P

S E

WORDSEARCH THEME: COMPUTERS Find the hidden words in the word search grid

SUDOKU

BUG

HACKER

SAVE

CHIP

HARDWARE

SCROLL

COPY

INPUT

SERVER

CYBERSPACE

JPEG

SOUNDCARD

DESKTOP

KEYBOARD

SPYWARE

DISK

UPLOAD

DRIVER

MODEM

USB

ETHERNET

PORT

VIRUS

FONT

REBOOT

WINDOWS

NUMBER BLOCK The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right. The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom.

The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right.

7 5

WIGGLE WORDS CLUE: Having very little overall influence Trace a path through all the letters to find the word or phrase that fits the clue.

C K E T

U N I A

B T P D

E H O R

6 2 5

1 8

19 12 12 30

17 17 21 18 16 All the puzzle solutions can be found on page 68 of this magazine

Tontine by Chris Pearce

Distance: 6 miles Difficulty: Medium For many, 2020 has been a year where we have spent more time at or near to home than normal. Many of my prescribed 60-minute walks were taken on or about the area known as the Billinge and Orrell Ridge and it is from there that this pleasant 6.2 mile walk is located. The walk starts and finishes at the Delph Tavern, an award-winning free house pub in the West Lancashire enclave of Tontine. Walkers are welcome to park in the car park there from Monday-Thursday, but do pop in for a pint if you can.

Leave the car park at the Delph and turn left, then left again at the mini roundabout. Take the first right up Lawns Avenue and walk up past the houses and a children’s’ park to Lawns Farm. Carry on in the same direction when you cross the farmyard, past the pigs and goats before heading up the steep path. Once you get through the gate, turn right and head out into the open countryside. Coming into immediate view is the three ventilation shafts known as the ‘pepper pots’, which mark the route of the rail tunnel between Orrell and Upholland. At a path-junction near the first ‘pepper pot’ bear right towards the second, and once you reach the third, bear left towards the stone farmhouses that make up the hamlet of Higher Pimbo. You’ll emerge from a small wooded section opposite Higher Barn; turn right here and then take a left 50 yards on. Follow the path for 300 yards until you reach the entrance to Pimbo Bushes, home to a disused quarry and a long-standing nature habitat. Turn right at the gate and follow the path for 400 yards until you reach a small pond on the left and then, on the

edge of a field, you’ll have a choice of three paths; take a 90 degree right turn and follow the path which will take you across fields, arriving at the track leading to Heaton House. Cross the track and continue in the same direction. Cross through some overgrown ferns into the next field and follow the path round the perimeter leading to Promised Land Farm. Once you reach the farm, turn left through the farmyard and follow that path for half a mile until you reach the Shaley Brow section of Crank Road. Turn right and take the footpath within 40 yards on your left, cross the bridge and head across open fields. The path winds to the left to run parallel to woodland before you cross a bridge on the right. Follow the path past the green corrugated shed, turn left and then follow the path diagonally to the right towards the green chain link fence, emerging from the path at a single-track road. Turn right and follow the track for 450 yards down Red Barn Road and, directly after Houghwood House, take the footpath on the left and start the steep climb uphill. Once you reach the tarmac road, (formerly the access road

to Billinge Quarry) turn left and carry on walking uphill where the footpath path and road run parallel. When the road and path diverge, follow the path to the left and approximately 60 yards further on, take the left, lesser-used path that runs parallel to woodland. The golf course to the left is Houghwood which, on a clear day boasts amazing views over the Mersey coastline and Snowdonia. Once you reach the road (Crank Road), turn right and take the footpath 50 yards up on the left. Just before you reach the house turn right and follow the clearly defined footpath. Carry on in the same direction for over ½ mile, crossing a stile en-route. Just after the steep flights of steps you’ll arrive at Mountains Farm. Ignore the public footpath sign directing you to the left and instead head right on a singletrack road towards a new housing estate.

64 Well Cross Farm

Tontine

Sandbrook Road

M58

Upholland

Far Moor

Higher Pimbo Farm

Higher End

oad rst R thhu Sme

Oak Wood Mountains Farm

Just after the Brickworks Fishery on the left and before the new housing estate, turn left through a gap between metal bars across what initially looks like wasteland but morphs into a footpath. Follow the path and when the path forks, take the left fork and follow for 300 yards until you reach a hedge and then turn right for 175 yards. Once you cross over the Sandbrook into the next field, turn left and head on the path towards the ‘pepper ‘pots’ once again and follow that path for over half a mile until you reach Sandford Road. Follow the road to its junction with Sandbrook Road and turn left and your starting point of The Delph is downhill on the right hand side. Please ensure you wear appropriate clothing and footwear whilst walking. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the walk is accurate, neither the publisher or its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or other cause.

Heaton House Daisy Wood Hangman’s Wood

Promised Land Farm

Cra nk Ro ad

Shaley Brow Farm

Brownlow

Billinge Hill

Cr an kR oa d

Derbyshire House

Rainford Brook Farm

For those with the OS Maps rn Red Ba Road

app on your desktop, mobile or tablet, this walk is named: JT-Tontine

Are you eating enough

fibre? by Guts UK charity

Discover the benefits of increasing your fibre intake Fibre is the indigestible part of plant-based foods that does not get absorbed into our body. Many of us are aware of fibre and know it’s an important component of any healthy diet, yet most of us don’t eat enough of it. We used to believe that fibre didn’t do much at all. In fact, fibre is absolutely vital for gut health, helping to prevent constipation and even bowel cancer. Perhaps most importantly, fibre is the food for over 100 trillion microorganisms that live in your gut. This ‘good gut bacteria’ is vital to your well-being, defending against harmful microorganisms and easing absorption of some essential vitamins. Therefore, it’s important that we feed it! “The average person in the UK eats less than 20g of fibre per day, or less than two-thirds of the recommended 30g amount. Through research, we know that additional fibre in the diet reduces the risk of chronic common conditions, such as bowel cancer, cardiovascular disease, strokes and type 2 diabetes,” says Julie Thompson, specialist dietician and information manager at Guts UK charity. Foods that are rich in fibre include wholegrain cereals, wholewheat pasta, oats and wholegrain bread. Fruit and vegetables such as berries, melon, broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn, peas, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and potatoes. There are a number of simple steps you can take to increase your fibre intake, like swapping to wholegrain bread, opting for wholewheat pasta or choosing potatoes with skins, such as baked potatoes, wedges or boiled new potatoes. Think about adding beans, lentils or chickpeas to stews, curries and salads. “If you are planning to increase the amount of fibre in your diet, you should do this gradually,” Julie continued. “Increasing your fibre intake suddenly can cause symptoms such as wind and bloating”. The science never lies. A paper published in the Lancet medical journal that analysed 185 studies and 58 clinical

trials discovered just how important fibre can be in contributing to a long and healthy life. “The paper suggests that if you shifted 1,000 people from a low fibre diet (less than 15g) to a high-fibre one (25-29g), it would prevent thirteen deaths and six cases of heart disease,” Julie explained. “It’s simple – the more fibre we eat, the better!” Guts UK is the charity for the digestive system. Millions are affected by digestive diseases. With new knowledge and research, we can diagnose earlier, develop kinder treatments and ultimately, a cure. Learn more at gutscharity.org.uk, call 01484 483 123 or email info@ gutscharity.org.uk – we’re here to help.

Prescot Chiropody Clinic

Managing Your Persistent stress can affect our health and even cause serious illness, so we need to know how to reduce stress and its effects.

Stress can: • Affect your mental health, causing depression and exacerbating existing mental health issues. • Affect your physical health by preventing proper sleeping or eating, and causing excess cortisol and adrenaline release. This makes you feel unwell and may eventually lead to serious conditions, e.g. heart disease, asthma, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

What Causes Stress? • Major changes or events: bereavement, moving home, financial crises, exams, redundancy, retirement, job change, marriage, relationship break-up, illness/injury, pregnancy/parenthood. ‘Happy’ events put extra pressure on us not to appear stressed. • Continual pressure: job, health or relationship worries. • Feeling out of control and unable to change situations. • Uncertainty, e.g. potential redundancy. • A life that lacks change, purpose or activity. • Clutter and disorganisation, e.g. always running late. Research shows just the sight of clutter causes stress.

Mobile: 07475 004637

• • • • • • • • • •

Depression & Anxiety Bereavement Work Related Stress Relationship Issues Infertility Trauma Addiction Eating Disorders Self-Harm Anger Management

www.empathycounsellingservices.co.uk info@empathycounsellingservices.co.uk

Stress

Symptoms of Stress • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Avoiding the stress source. Irritability, impatience, aggression, restlessness. Depression or anxiety. An inability to enjoy yourself/take an interest. A sense of dread. Feeling neglected or tearful. Difficulty making decisions and concentrating. Poor lifestyle choices: biting your nails, smoking or drinking, eating too much/too little. Shallow breathing/hyperventilating. Panic attacks. Insomnia or disturbed sleep. Muscle tension. Blurred eyesight or sore eyes. Loss of libido. Teeth grinding or clenching your jaw. Headaches. Chest pains. High blood pressure. Indigestion or heartburn. Constipation or diarrhoea. ignore stress Nausea or dizziness. Fatigue.

DON’T

Tackle it now!

Reducing and Coping with Stress Reducing your responsibilities and using timemanagement or organisational techniques can help to reduce stress in your life. You can find time management tips at www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxietydepression/time-management-tips/ and www.mind.org. uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/stress/ dealing-with-pressure/, which also has coping strategies for specific pressures, such as being a student. Reducing the causes of our stress is important, but sometimes we can’t change stressful situations. However, we can learn to improve how we react to them.

Changing Your Mind Develop a more positive outlook. This video discusses replacing negative thinking with positive: www.nhs. uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/moodzonemental-wellbeing-audio-guides/ Breathing exercises You can find instructions at www.nhs.uk/conditions/ stress-anxiety-depression/ways-relieve-stress/ Stress-busting apps and courses Try the NHS’ Chill Panda apps.beta.nhs.uk/chill-panda/, Silver Cloud apps.beta.nhs.uk/silvercloud/ and the Stress & Anxiety Companion apps.beta.nhs.uk/stress-anxietycompanion/.

Self-help strategies include:

For further help, visit your GP, who can recommend:

Complementary therapies Therapies like yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture and ecotherapy (time spent in nature) may help you relax.

Talking treatments • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps you understand your stress triggers and reaction to them. • Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) combines mindfulness, meditation and yoga to reduce stress.

Lifestyle Changes A healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep help. Spend time with family and friends and talk through your problems. Make time for hobbies and relaxation.

Medication to reduce symptoms E.g. antidepressants, sleeping pills, irritable bowel syndrome treatments and high blood pressure medication.

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Winter is perfect for pruning and cutting back woody plants (except if it is icy or frosty), so get stuck in now that deciduous trees, shrubs, hedges and climbers are bare of leaves. For a small expanse of hedge or a shrub that needs reshaping, a good, sharp pair of well-oiled shears should do the job. When cutting along a hedge top, a guide line – such as a taut string – will help you get a neat, level surface. For larger hedges a powered hedge cutter or hedge trimmer is preferable. Use ‘loppers’ for removal of stems at various heights and of varying thicknesses. These are available with various handle lengths (some have telescopic handles), so that you can reach higher. For relatively thick stems they are better than shears or secateurs and allow for accurate cutting. Wear goggles and ideally protective headgear if you have to cut back branches above your head.

Create sloping cuts whenever you can so that rain and moisture runs off Everybody needs a pair of good-quality sharp secateurs for pruning smaller woody stems. Always cut to an

outward-facing bud. Secateurs are good for removing dead and dying stems, for formative pruning (to ensure the plant grows in the right direction), and for pruning to encourage flowering. A proper pruning saw is necessary for pruning out or tidying up larger branches on trees and shrubs and is perfect for fruit trees. Use a sawing action for best results and make the pruning cut a few millimetres or so away from the main stem from which the branch you are removing is joined. A cut like this will heal quicker and is less prone to fungal rotting.

MORE PRUNING TIPS Always check the best pruning time for your plants – most hedges and many shrubs can be cut back now, but you may impact the flowering potential of others. Some trees, mainly those in the Prunus family – such as edible and ornamental cherries, plums, apricots, damsons, peaches and nectarines – are prone to the potentially fatal fungal ‘silver leaf’ infection, and should be pruned in the summer months. Pruning tools must be really sharp – blunt tools mean more effort and the risk of damage to the plant.

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First Drive:

Volkswagen e-Up! Volkswagen has improved its electric e-Up! but how have things changed? In the race to gain EV supremacy, it seems that many manufacturers have forgotten that often the best application of electric technology is in smaller city cars. But the Volkswagen e-Up! is different. It’s quite small – as is the standard Up! – and it doesn’t look too ‘out-there’ either. VW has given the e-Up! bigger batteries to improve that all-important range, but can this little car battle it out in a segment dominated by leviathans?

What’s new? The exterior of the e-Up! doesn’t look particularly different from the car it replaces, nor does it appear all too dissimilar to the standard combustion-engined car. The bulk of the changes have been made under the skin. As mentioned, Volkswagen has boosted the battery count in the e-Up!, helping to extend its range and bolster its appeal. The firm has also added the ability to fast-charge the car, which should help to drive down the time you’ll be waiting at the plug.

What’s under the bonnet? The e-Up! has an electric motor linked to a 32.3kWh battery. Power is sent to the front wheels through a single-speed gearbox, and in total it pushes out 80.5bhp and a healthy 210Nm of torque. The e-Up takes 11.6 seconds from 0-60mph with a maximum speed of 81mph. Volkswagen claims that you’ll be able to do 159 miles between charges, while the ability to use combined charging system technology means that the car can be taken from zero to 80 per cent charge in just an hour via a 40kW DC charger. A standard domestic wall box does the same in four hours, while via a three-pin plug needs around 16 hours for a full charge.

What’s it like to drive? Despite weighing in at 1,160kg – well over the regular car’s 926kg – the e-Up! is still a hoot to drive. That sense of fun remains, with the zippy acceleration you only get from an EV really adding to the whole experience. The

73 steering is well-judged and nicely weighted, while the ride is good too. It’s nimble around town and unflustered even at higher speeds on the motorway. Surprisingly for an EV, acceleration from 50mph to 70mph isn’t bad at all.

How does it look? We already liked the understated styling of the standard Up!, so it’s fair to say that we appreciate the undercover looks of this electric version too. Only slim LED running lights up front help to denote it as something different to the ‘norm’, while the charging port is integrated into the place you’d usually find the filler cap. The compact proportions lend the Up! to town driving, while the short overhangs and relatively slim wheel arches make it a doddle to park. In terms of electric vehicle design, it certainly rests on the conservative end of things, but we’re sure that this will appeal to many.

What’s it like inside? Like the exterior, the cabin of the e-Up! is business as usual. There’s no main infotainment screen – just a cradle for your smartphone – so the forward part of the interior feels pleasantly uncluttered. The steering wheel has a good amount of adjustment, while the seats are wellpadded and comfortable. There’s good forward visibility too. Our five-door model granted easy access to the rear of the car, and rear legroom is adequate – though of course, the car’s size does have its limitations. Very tall passengers will likely find headroom a hard-to-find aspect of the Up!

FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Volkswagen e-Up! Price as tested: £20,905 (with grant) Engine: Electric motor with batteries Power: 80.5bhp Torque: 210Nm Max speed: 81mph 0-60mph: 11.6s Emissions: 0 g/km CO2 Range: 159 miles

What’s the spec like? Our test car came in at £20,555 after the government’s plug-in car grant, which doesn’t seem like bad value at all given the kit on offer. Cruise control, parking sensors at both front and rear and a rear-view camera are all thrown in as standard, while a dinky five-inch colour touchscreen system – essentially a small ‘strip’ screen – houses Bluetooth connectivity and DAB radio. Volkswagen also – importantly – includes two charging cables, one 16amp unit for use at wall boxes and charge points and another 10amp cable for charging at the mains.

Verdict The plucky e-Up! has hit the nail on the head. No, it can’t deliver the headline ranges boasted by larger EVs, but with around 150 miles per charge it can offer a genuinely usable range. Short trips to town and even longer journeys will unlikely trouble the bottom end of the range, while that ability to fast charge means that if you do need to plug in, you won’t be waiting all that long. Most importantly, however, the e-Up! is fun, and that’s certainly an aspect that many EVs have missed from the process of driving.

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Call: 07917 352 182 / 07917 352 183 www.orrellroofline.co.uk

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13 Hawes Ave, Carr Mill, WA11 7EA

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All gArAge doorS repAired:

• Roofing & Roofline repairs and replacement • Decorating • Building • Gates supplied & fitted • Plastering • Gardening

Springs, Cables, Locks, Rollers etc.

Doors of all ages repaired

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07847 394040 01744 606938

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WIGAN NORTH

september 2019

WIN

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tickets to Martin Mere

ABC1 homes

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Art Trail

Standish, Shevington, Appley Bridge,

mEmOriES OF CENTrAL

pArk pArbOLD EiGHT WALk

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march 2020

Forgotten Buildings:

Winstanley Hall a BrightEr orrEll sandstonE trail Walk

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Ballooning

september 2018

in Autumn

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Rainford, Billinge, Garswood, Moss Bank, Windle, Eccleston, Eccleston Park, Laffak, Haydock, Haresfinch, Carr Mill, Denton’s Green, Prescot Road, West Park

hEritagE opEn days WhEElton moor Walk a hEalthiEr hEart

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Come and visit the largest showroom in the North West

® Quality installations of windows, doors, fascias, soffits and gutters First for quality • First for service • First for reliability No contractors • No salesmen Just a smile and a honest price from a family run business

NEW Generation Rockdoor now available

SISTER COMPANY OF FOXWELLS BUILDERS Established since 1999

Call us for a Free Quote Office Number: 01942 871 777 Victoria Industrial Estate, Victoria Street, Leigh, WN7 5SE warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk • info@warmlightwindowsltd.co.uk

Conservatory Roof Conversion System Transform your conservatory into a comfortable home office

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Quality ~ Choice ~ Value Windows

Bi-Fold Doors

Thermally-efficient conservatory roofs expertly fitted by accredited installers

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Manufacturers and installers since 2004

28544

Visit our showroom/factory at; Crows Nest, Ashton Road, Billinge, WN5 7XX (near Windy Arbour crossroads)

Local Life - St Helens - Nov/Dec 2020

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Pep Up Your Hallway