The Mudeford Mag | April 2021

Coastal Interior Designs

10. The Daylight Sky

18. Puzzles

20. Art Competition

22. Short Story—Reflections

24. Authentic Mediterranean Recipe

S2. Bidston Lighthouse

S4. Short Story—Wave to Timothy

S6. BCARS, Helping Rough Sleepers

S8. Invest in Yourself

S14. Gardens—a Haven For Birds

S18. Anxiety turning into a Phobia

S20. Computers 4 Kids

S24. Travel—Greek Destinations

S26. RNLI Mudeford Lifeboat Guild

S28. Gluten Free Bakewell Tart Recipe

Welcometothe Mudeford Mag!

As youreadthis, we shouldbeworkingour waytowards an endtolockdownand together with longer daysand warmer weatherthereis definitely apositivefeeling in theair.

So good tohear that already events have been given thegoahead forthe summer including theMudefordArtsFestivalinJuly.If youare thecreative type youmay want to get your brushes andeaseloutand enterthe Art Competitionthatisbeing heldby the Stanpit Village Hall - detailscan be found on page 20.

Forthe younger membersofour societythe RNLIareholding ashort storycompetitionfor 5– 15 year olds whichyoucanreadabouton pageS32.

Iwishyou ahappy Easter!

S30. Supporting Vulnerable Women

58. Physio News

60. All Saints Newsletter

Best Wishes, Julie

WANT TO BE P RT OF THE GREAT STAYC TION?

MudHutsexpectinganother‘bumper’holidayrentalyear.

MudHuts, alocallybasedholidaymanagementcompany,are lookingfornewpropertiestoadd totheirportfolio.

Husbandandwifeteam,IanandJanehavebeenrunningMudHutssince2016andlastyear reported abumperyearforalltheirowners.Theyareseeingthe samethisyearwithstaycations becomingevermorepopular.

Janesays“weknowthatthereis ademandthisyearforlargerpropertiesthatsleepeightplus sothatfamilies,havingnotbeenabletosharequalitytimetogetherandwhodon’tfeelconfident abouttravellingabroad,canhavethatverymuchneededholidaytogether.”

Janesaysthattheyhaveseen ahugeincreaseinpeoplebookingdirectlythroughtheirown website.Shesays,“youmayhaveseenourvehiclesinthelocalarea,ouradvertonthe Mudefordferryorlocalfishingboat, Teresa. We arealsoworkingwithlocalbusinesseswho displayourflyersandrecommendourservices. Aswellasbeing showcasedonourownwebsite www.mudhuts.life,allpropertiesareadvertisedwithothermajoragenciesincluding Airbnb, HolidayLettings/TripAdvisorandVRBO(Homeaway)soforholidayhomeowners,itis aonestopshoptogetyourpropertynoticed.”

MudHutsoffers afullymanagedservicesoyoucansitback,relaxandenjoytheincome.From initialenquiriesthroughtodeparture,yourguestsareinsafehands. We haveanexceptional teamofhousekeeperswhomaintaintheholidaypropertiestoanextremelyhighstandard.Just lookatthereviewsonthewebsite!Alternatively, ifyouhaveyourownhousekeeperorcleanthe propertyyourself,wecanadvertiseandmanageyourbookingsgivingmaximumexposure,while synchronisingyourdiaries;wejustinformyouand/oryourhousekeeperwhenwehave abooking.

Janesays,“wedon’tbelievethatthereisanywhereelselocallyofferingthe‘allinone’package thatwedo;beinglocalweareonhandduringholidaystaysforanyqueriesthatguestsmay haveoranymaintenanceissuesthatmayarise,sowereallydomakelifeashasslefreeas possibleforourowners.”

Ifyouarecurrentlyrentingoutyourholidayhomeorthinkingaboutdoingsoandwouldliketo discusstheservicesthatMudHutscanoffer,pleasecallJaneon07801679985.

MudHuts HolidayRentalSpecialists

REMOVE THEHASSLEANDLEAVEYOURHOLIDAYLETTINGS INOURCAPABLEHANDS

MudHutsis anichebusinessthatspecialisesinholidaylettingsintheMudeford area.Basedlocally,weofferhighlycompetitiveratesand a5-star,personal servicetobothourclientsandtheirguests. We have aparticulardemandfor largerpropertiesintheareaforfamilygroupsof 8plus.

Being asmallerindependentcompanymeanswehaveanin-depth knowledgeofeachproperty.

We managethewholeprocessfrominitialenquirythroughtodeparture, refundofdepositandturnaround readyforthenewguests. Alternativelywe canmarketyourpropertyandmanageallenquiriesinexactlythesameway butyouoryourhousekeepingteamcanpreparethepropertyforyourguests arrival.

Ourhousekeepingteamensureyourpropertyisalwayscleanedtothehighest standardandif required,wecanalsoprovidemaintenancetoaddresssmall issuesthatmayariseduringthelettingperiod.

Ourlocalknowledgeoftheareaallowsustoofferadviceandinformationto guestsduringtheirstayand/ortodealwithanyqueriesorissuesthatmayarise withyourproperty.Establishedin2006wehavemanyclientshappytoprovide referencesif required.

Tel:07801679985Email:info@mudhuts.life

Web:www.mudhuts.life

TheDaylightSky

Sky WatchingwithRufusHenderson-Smith

Springtimeis agreattimetospot afew daylightsurprisesinthe sky. Everyone’sfavouriteandmost commonlyseenis,ofcourse,the rainbow.Amazinglyitiscreated bysunlightrefractingthrough everysingleraindropfallingfrom ashowercloud.Eachdropletof wateractsas aprism,bending lightinslightlydifferentdirections, resultingin aromanticdisplayof everycolourinthespectrum.A rainbowcanonlybeseenwith thesunbehindyou.Ifyouare highenoughthe rainbowwill extendfurtherthanjustanarcand ultimatelywantstoachieve afull circle,however,youwillneversee thiswithyourfeetontheground.

In asimilarsituation,halos areformedwithin icecrystals appearingincirruscloudshigh intheatmosphere.Thisrare occurrenceiseffectivelya completerainbowseenaroundthe suncovering over20degreesof sky.Togiveyou anideaofhow muchskythisis,hold aclenched fistatarm’slength;thedistance betweenyourforefingerand littlefingerknucklesisaround10 degrees.

Sundogsappearperpendicularto thesunwhencloudincreases,and theentirehalocannotbeseen. These‘parhelia’areasbright asthecloudedsunand amini sectionof arainbowcanbeseen 10degreeseithersideoftheSun, parallelwiththehorizon.

Disclaimer:Itisimportanttoremindyou toneverlookdirectlyattheSunwiththe nakedeyealsotakinggreatcarenottopoint cameras,binocularsandtelescopesinthe directionoftheSun.

SunDogbyBelindaFewings~UnSplash

Yourgarden,Your way

We’reafamilyrun business andour aimis to deliveranexceptionalpersonalexperience forallourcustomers. Thereare nohardsales here, just friendly andhelpfulstaff. We providetheultimate servicerightfromthe initialdesign,groundwork's,installation, electrics, andevena paintingservice. We have an extensive rangeofbuildings in allstyles,sizesandbudgets to suit everyone's needs.

Next yearmayseem alongway off,butwith demandcurrentlyoutstrippingsupply,nowis thetimetothinkahead. Withlead timeshaving increased significantlydue to covid19, if you order your buildingnow,bythetimeyou feel those firstraysofspringsunshine, you'll have agarden roominplace readytogo. Ifyouwouldliketoknowmoreabouthow youcan transformhow youliveoutdoors,visit us foralittleinspirationor call us forafree brochuretosee what youcancreate.

Ourlarge showsiteissituatedat StewartsGarden Centre, Lyndhurst Road,ChristchurchBH234SA

Reflections

By Colin Seager

Usually,Melvyncould rescue apicturethat wasgoingwrong.Lookatitfromtheside, turnthe canvas upsidedown,scrapeoff somepaintorleaveit acoupleofdaysand returnwithneweyes.Oftenthemundane couldbecomemarvellous.Butnotthistime.

Themorehelookedthemoreheconvinced himselfthattheprojectshouldbeabandoned: eithercoveritwith afewgessolayersand startagainorconfineittotheskip.His reputationsecuredas aleadinglandscape artisthequestionedwhyhe’dagreedto produce aself-portraittobeincludedin his retrospectiveexhibition. Amomentof weakness?

‘Timetocomeoutofyourshadows,nobody blamesyounow,’saidMarcia,thegallery owner.‘It’sabouttimeyourfollowerssawthe realyou,notthepicturepaintedbythe redtoppressandInternettrolls.Whobetterto produce asympatheticstudy?’

Sheinsistedalsothattheoriginalplein-air sketchof Reflectionsshouldbeincluded. Melvynarguedthatitwastoopainful.

‘LookatitanotherwayMelvyn,thisisan opportunity.Youjusthappenedtobeinthe wrongplaceatthewrongtime. Youare an artistsettlingdowntoconcentrateonthe sceneinfrontofyou,keepinghimselfto himself,focussingonthechanginglight.

Bystandersbehindyou,watching,admiring, andyes,inonecaseplotting. Youweren’tto knowwhathappened.’

‘That’smytrouble,mylifehasonlybeen aboutme,that’sit,me,mynextpaintingand nothingelse. Ibecomepartofeachpicture, that’swhat Ihavetodo. Ican’tdoitanyother way.’

‘That’spreciselywhatthecollectionwill show.Thepowerandimpactofeachpiece couldonlyhavederivedfromyou.Thatis whyyouaresuccessful.Forsuretherehave beensomebuyerswithmorethan ahintof ghoulishnesswhowereattractedbyyour periodofnotorietybutputthemtooneside.’

Melvyn relented,Marciawasrarelywrong, andheowedherforherunstintingsupport. Shedidn’twaverwhenhislifewasturned upsidedown.Howwashetoknowthat settinguphiseaselthatautumndaywould bethebeginningof anightmare?

Thebodyofsix-year-oldArchiewasfound inthewoodsbeyondthepondfeaturedin Reflections.Thepathologist’sreportfixedthe timeofdeathas afewdaysbeforeMelvyn wasthere.Onenewshoundtook astep toofarwhensheimpliedwithlittlesubtlety thathischoiceoflandscapewasakintoa pyromaniacenjoyingthe resultofhisactions.

Hecouldn’texplainthesmalltoydinosaur thatthepolicefoundatthebottomofhis rucksackwhentheycarriedout asearchof hisstudioandhouse.

Melvynlivedalone,mostlyinhisstudio, awayfromtheoutsideworld.Forhimhis belovedlandscapeswerebettercompany thananythingavailablefromhumankind.With hiseyesandmindsetonhissubjecthewas aneasytargetforwhoevertriedtoincriminate him.Manypassers-by rememberedthelone artistathistoilthatautumnday.Fortunately, whenhepaintedinoils,heworevinylgloves thatoutofhabithedidn’tremoveuntilafter hefinishedunpackinghisgearbackathis studio.Thekiller remainsatlarge.

PaintingbyColinSeager

thentic

Mediterranean C isine with Chef Jose

AuthenticMediterraneanCuisinewithChefJose

Chickpea PotagewithSpinach

Ingredients (serves 6)

600gdriedchickpeas

5springonions

3clovesofgarlic

15gsweetpaprika

5ghotpaprika

3bayleaves

400gcrushedtomatoes

30mlsherryvinegar

Vegetablebrothorwater(1Lapprox)

4potatoes

4eggs

500gfreshspinach

Groundblackpepper

Salt

Extravirginoliveoil

Paste

2slicesofbread

60galmonds

2garlic

Freshparsley

Preparation:

Leave the chickpeas to soak in plenty of cold water the night before (about 12 hours).

Chop the spring onion and three cloves of garlic. Poach the spring onions with some olive oil and add the garlic, stir a little and let it fry for a few minutes. Add the peppers and add the tomato, the bay leaf and a little salt.

Add the drained chickpeas, some vinegar and stir well for two minutes. Cover with water or cold broth, bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat and leave to cook slowly for 90-120 minutes depending on the type of chickpeas.

When it takes an hour or so, add the pieces of potato. Lightly season with salt and pepper and check the level of liquid. It should be thick. Cook while the eggs are still hard, cool and peel them.

During the cooking time, prepare a paste, for it. Fry the bread with some oil with the almonds and remaining garlic. Crush them in the mortar to make a paste, adding the parsley.

Five minutes before finishing the cooking, add the chopped bread to the potage and add the spinach. Serve with peeled, quartered or chopped eggs.

Watch me prepare thisand other meals on my youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSpanishKitchen

eMail me: thespanishkitchen@outlook.com

Waveto Timothy

ShortStoryby MarkLaming

Theboylookedmuchyoungerthanhis tenyearsandhisfatherhadnorightin sendinghim roundtoborrowoneofmy powerdrills.What reallyannoyedmewas whyBarryhadn’tcomehimself.

ItriedtosmileasyoungRobert mentionedhewastoaskformynewer drillandnottheolderonewiththe scratchedcasing. Twohourslaterthe youngladwasbackwiththemessage thatthedrillhadbrokenandcouldhe borrowtheotherone.

Theboy’sfatherBarryand Igobacka longway.Morerecently,I wasfarfrom pleasedwhenhemovedintoourstreet. Iquestionedwhyhechosetoliveina housejustfourdoorsawayfromme.

Twentyyearsago,wewerestruggling youngactorslongingforthatfirstbreak thatwouldleadtostardom. Ialways admiredBarry’sadrenalin andpositive attitude.Heinsistedthatfamewasjust aroundthecorner.All wehadtodowas treadmoreboardsand keepplayingthose minor rolesinpoorlyfundedtheatres.

We bothadoredthethrillofstanding on astageplayingtoanaudience,even

ifattimesitwas averysmallnumber ofpeopleattendingtheperformance. In reality,webarelyhadenoughmoney foraccommodation,trainfaresortoeat regularly.Itwas allaboutsurviving,waiting fortomorrow’sdreamtoarrive.

Ihadmyfirst realbreakwhen atheatre producercametoseetheshowwewere starringincalled‘WavetoTimothy’.My chancehadfinallyarrived;itwasthe opportunitytogoontobiggerandbetter actingparts. Isignedmyfirstcontract leavingBarrytotakehischancesonthe circuitwhilst Imovedonto aWestEnd show.

ThelastwordsBarrysaidtomeasI climbedintothetaxiwere,‘Youareright,I amjealous –thisbreakshouldhavebeen mine,notyours.’

IleftBlackpoolonanafternoonwhen itwasrainingsoheavilythateventhe amusementarcadesandchipshopshad shutearly.Whilst Iwasannoyedwith Barry’sreaction,in astrangewayitmade memoredeterminedtogetonwithmy career.

Yearslaterallmyhardworkasan actorpaidoffaffording aleveloffame andearningsthatallowedmetolive comfortablywithmywifeinLondon.

***

Theyearspassedquickly,yet my sadnessoverlosingBarry’sfriendship continuedtoweighmedown. We only metupoccasionallybutnomagicexisted. Ourconversationsstillplayoverandover inmyhead.Hetoldme,‘Tellyouwhat, Andrew,there’s skillandthere’sluckand youfallintothelattercategory.Youwere justintherightplaceatthetime.’

Alwaysonthedefensive, Isnapped back.‘Imustbedoingsomethingright. Luckisjustthesteppingstonefor developingtalent.’

Heshruggedhisshouldersand muttered,‘Ifyousayso.’

***

Nowhe’sbackinmylifeagain,Barry wantstoburythehatchet.Hewassorry forbeingjealousofmychanceofmoving upthecareerladder.I feelapprehensive inextendingthehandoffriendship,nowI onlyseeBarryas astranger.

***

Afew monthsago, Iwasplayingthe leadin ashowinourtownanddeveloped stagefright. Iputitdownto Barrybeing backonthescene.Myconfidencetowalk outonto astagehadbecome aproblem. Iliterallyfrozefor afewmomentsand realiseditwasgoingtotake asupreme efforttostepforwardandfacethe audience. Iwasshakingsobadlyandwas convinced Iwouldruintheperformance. Thestagemanagerwavedatmefrom thewings. Icould readthewordsashe silentlymouthed,‘ComeonAndrew,you candoit.’

***

Mymindracedbacktowhen Igotmy firstbreak.Itwastheperformanceof ‘WavetoTimothy’and Idid areallybad

thing. Iwasin ahurrytogetbacktothe changing roomsand amanin asmart suitstoppedtoaskmeifhecouldhave aword. Heexplainedhewas atheatre agentlookingfornewtalent.Having seenmeplayTimothy,hetoldmehe waskeentosignmeup. Iwashowever acutelyawarethatthismanhadbecome confusedinthinking Iwastheactorwho hadplayedthepartofTimothy,whenin truthitwasBarrywhohadimpressedhim, notme!

Itooktheopportunitytograspfame, onlyonthisparticularoccasionitshould havebeenBarry’sbig break. ***

SohereIamagainstandinginthewings waitingtogoon. Iamatmy wits endas Barryhasnotonlycomebackintomylife butheisalsothestagemanagerofthis theatregroup.

InodmyheadinthedirectionofBarry whoisanxiouslywavingformetostep ontothestage.When Idomove, Icatch thelookonhisfaceas Iturnawayinthe directionofmydressing room.I have decided Iwillnevertreadtheboards again.

Ishouldneverhaveliedandstolenthis man’sgoldenchanceforfame.Barryhad putontheperformanceofhislifeand Ihadpretendedthat Iwasindeedthat superbactor.I wasnoTimothy.

Barryneverfoundfameasanactorand driftedintostagemanagement. Yes,he wassuccessfulinhisworkbuthisdream hadbeendiverted.

Noweachtimewemeetuphespeaks kindlyaboutmyactingcareer.He,is however,unabletocomprehendwhyI’ve retiredsoearlyfromtheprofession.He offersmehishandtoshakeand alump comestomythroatastheguiltcomes thunderingback.

IknowIhavesteppedoffthestagefor theverylasttime.

INVESTinYOURSELF!

Whilsttheworldhasstopped,youhavehadanamazingopportunity.Anopportunityto investinyourself.TimetocheckinandsortofrunanMOTonyourself.

•Maybeyouhavefoundthatyoudon’teatas wellasyoushouldandnowisthetime toensureyoufeedtherightkindoffoodsintoourbody.Afterall,goodfoodisour naturalmedicine.

•Maybeyouhavesignedupforcourses,inparticularpersonaldevelopment,thatallow youtoexpandyourmindandsoul.

•Perhapsyouhaveexpandedyourspiritualsideandgrownyour‘tribe’oflike-minded friends(Iknow Ihave grownmine and Iamhappierfor it)

•Perhapsyouhavelookedatyourhomeandrealiseditneedsadeclutter.

• Perhapsyouhavetakenup anew fitnessregime,onethatyoumayneverhave consideredbefore.Whowouldhavethoughtwewouldbeexercisingathome,infront ofyourlaptop!

•Perhapsyouhavetakenstockofyourlifeandrealizedyouneedto‘tweak’somethings. Maybetherearesomethingsthatdon’tresonate withyouanymore.

Maybe,justmaybe,youhavefound astrengthinyouthatyouneverthoughtyouhad,and oncethingsgetbetter,thenmaybeyoubelieve nowisthetimeto decluttereveryelement ofyourlifeinordertogettothathappyplaceyouwanttobe.MaybeyoufoundBRAVE!

Photo:AaronBurden~UnSplash

THECOASTALINTERIOR

Coastalinteriordesigncanmean alot of differentthingstolotsofdifferentpeople. Ifyou’redesigningfortheCaribbean,you mayimaginecoloursthatareasvibrant asthespicetrade;ifyou’rethinkinga Mediterraneanvilla,warmer,earthytextures arewhatyoumaybeenvisioning.Then again.Californiastyleisveryneutraland naturalintextureswithlotsofwhites, creams,tansandmutedblues/greens whilstHamptonstyleinteriorsareusually light,brightandwhitewashedwitha sophisticated,classicyetbeachyvibethat comesacrossaseffortlessandcalming.

COASTALLIVINGROOMS

Whilethekitchenmaybetheplacewhere friendsandfamilygathermost,theliving roomistheplacewhereyoucandeliveron casualcoastalmotifswithoutsacrificing elegance.Ifyouareluckyenoughtoenjoy waterfrontviews,bringtheoutdoorsin withunfetteredwindowsthatprovidea seamlesstransitionfromtheindoorsand outside.Passonwindowtreatmentsthat mayobstructtheviewofourcoastand arrangesofasandsectionalsaroundyour bestvistas.In acoastalliving room,like virtuallyany roomwithcoastal-inspired design,naturallightisyourbestfriendanda hallmarkofyourinteriorspace.

Amplifythelightinyourhomewithlots ofwhite –whitewalls,whitefloors,white ceilings –asthecolouramplifieslightand providesthefloodofsunshinethatgive coastalhomestheirvastsenseofopenness.

Ifyourhomeisshortonnaturallightselect elementscanbeusedtoyouradvantage. Smartusageoflamps,sconcesand mirrorscanprovideartificiallightthatstill exemplifiesthesun.

Coastalfurnitureistheoftentheopposite ofwhatmostthinkofwhentheythinkof elegancespaces.Thebestkindofsofas, occasionalchairsandfurnishingsarethe kindsthatcanstandupto awetswimsuit, thesandthedogdraggedinfromthe beach,oropenwindowsthatwelcomein theelements.High-stylefurniture,suchas upholsteredsofas,cantaketheirfairshare ofabuseandcaneasilybedry-cleanedto maintaintheircleanaesthetic.

COASTALKITCHENS

Aneffectivelydesignedkitchenshould accountforthefunction,moodand personalityoftheinhabitants.Thekitchen shouldhave anaturalfocalpointwherethe eyeisautomaticallyfocuseduponentering the room.Thiscouldbeyourkitchen’s

islandordiningnook,astheseareascan besprucedupwithselectcoastaldécoror popsofcolourthatbringwarmthandset thetone.

Naturally,yourkitchen’sfurnitureshould satisfyyourfunctionalneeds.Ifyour tables,chairsorotherfurnitureistoobig ortoosmallforthe room,it’stimetothink ofsomethingmoreappropriate.When selectingcoastalliving-inspiredfurniture, goforwornorreclaimedwoodsforyour kitchen’sdiningarea.

Complementthesetableswith awooden armorsidechair,optingfor adiningchairin anaturalwoodcolourorcompletelywhite.If thediningnookinyourkitchenisyourfocal point,consideraddingsomebluewooden chairstogivetheareasomenautical influence.

Lighting,likefurniture,shouldbecarefully chosenbasedonthefunctionsofthe kitchenaswellasforaestheticappeal. Nauticalpendantlightingaboveislands isoften ago-todesignmove,especially thosethathave anickelorbronzefinish. Ofcourse,makinguseofnaturallighting shouldbe amajorconsideration,andthis canbecomplementedwithaccentlighting toenhancetexturesand room details asnecessary.

COASTALBEDROOMS

Moodisoftenthemajorconsiderationwhen designingforthebedroom.Aswithother coastal-designed rooms,thebedroomlends itselftolotsofwhitesandbluesthroughout. Thesefoundationalcolourpaletteswillseta calmingand relaxingmoodthatyou’dwant in aplace you restyourheadeachnight.

Amust-haveifyouareconsideringcoastal bedroomdecoriswoodwith adistressed finish.Thisgivesyourfurnishings asortof wornlookasifit’sspenttimeinthewaves. Distressedwood,seagrass,bambooand rattanareallgreatbeach-inspiredfurniture foryourcoastalbedroom.Whenthinking about acolourscheme,thesky(orocean rather)isthelimit. Touchesofcoraland red

arewonderful accentsalongwithgreens, bluesandpopsofyellow.

Sincethereare nohardrulesfor agreat beachdesign,anin-homebeach retreat oftenpresentsthesameoverallnauticalnaturevibes.Itusuallymeans acausal andpeacefulfeelingwithplentyofoceanic colours,vintagefurnishingsandmotifsthat suitthetheme.Decorationsofteninclude (thoughcertainlyaren’tlimitedto)nautical ropeaccessories,thetraditionalnavyand whitestripe,distressedwood,boldpopsof colourandsealifeaccentstobringit alltogether.

GARDENS -AHAVEN FORBIRDS

ByRon Toft

As aresultofCOVIDrestrictions,most ofushavespentmuchmoretime duringthepastyearenjoyingour gardens(ifweareluckyenoughto haveone)andprobablytakenmore than apassinginterestinthedifferent birdsthatfeedandbreedinour belovedgreenspaces.

Thishasresultedinlotsofpeople seekingonlinehelpwithidentifyingthe speciestheyhavebeenluckyenough towatchwiththenakedeyeorthrough binocularsordigitallyimmortaliseon smartphones,compact,bridgeand SLRcameras.

Inmyexperience,somenovice birdwatcherscanfeel alittle embarrassed askingforhelpin identifyingbirdswhichareprobably extremelycommonbut‘new’and excitingtothem,butwehaveallhadto startsomewhereand Iwillalwaysbe gratefultothemanyveteran‘birders’ whohave helped meonnumerous occasionsovertheyears.

Weneedtonurture up-and-coming birdwatchers,especiallyyoungsters, andensuretheyareencouraged andhelpedtolearnmoreabout ornithology –oneofthefewsciences inwhichamateurscananddoplayan extremelyimportantpart.

Somebirdwatcherstakepleasurein simplywatchingouravianwonders casuallywithoutrecordingwhat theyhaveseenandwhere.Others, however,meticulouslynotethespecies theyhaveseenand/orheard(perhaps intheirlocalareaor‘patch’aswecall it),orphotographthemor,iftheyare trainedandlicensedtodoso,catch andringbirdstolearnmoreabout theirmovements.

Thecontributionthatamateurscan maketoornithologyissuperbly illustrated,forexample,bythehuge numberofrecordsofgarden birds submitted duringthepastquarterof-a-centurytotheBritishTrustfor Ornithologyresearchorganisation. ThankstothesededicatedBTOGarden

Blue TitbyAmanda Cunningham Goldfinch by Alan Crockard

Birdwatchparticipants, astaggering 194 MILLION-plusindividualbirdsand otheranimalshavebeenrecorded inmorethan 56,000gardenssince 1995. Atotalof42.1millionfilledupfeederswererecorded,more individualrecordsweresubmittedfor HouseSparrows(18.1million)than foranyotherspecies,theBlackbird wasthebirdonmostparticipants’ lists(8million)and atotalof 387 species(birds,dragonflies,butterflies, bumblebees,reptiles,amphibiansand mammals)wererecorded.

ThehighestgardenintheGarden Birdwatchschemeisatanaltitude of438metresabovesealevelin Nenthead,Cumbria,themostsouthwesterlygardenmonitoredfor25 yearsisonTheLizard,Cornwall,and themosteasterlyisinLowestoft, Suffolk.

Thecommonestgardenbirdin1995 wasthedapperBlueTit –anditstill wasin2019.TheBlackbirddropped fromsecondtothirdcommonest. Oneofthebigsurprisesisthatthe

Woodpigeon,whichrankedonlytwelfth mostpopular aquarter-of-a-century ago,shotuptosecondin2019.The othertoptengardenbirdsin 2019 were:Robin(4),GreatTit(5),Dunnock (6),HouseSparrow(7–downfrom3 in1995),Goldfinch(8 –upfrom20in 1995),Magpie(9)andCollaredDove(10). Nothingstaysthesameinnature,which iswhatmakeswatchingitsofascinating formillionsofus.

Whoknows whichgardenbirdswill betopoftheavianpopsinanother25 years?

www.BTO.org.

Locally,whynotjointheChristchurch HarbourOrnithologicalGroupasmore than 500otherenthusiastshavedone?

CHOG.org.uk

BlackbirdbyDavidJohn Faulkner

COMPUTERS 4K DS IDS

Tradingas acomputer repairbusinessfor 25yearsRapidPCshavealwaysbeen willingtogiveawayequipmentinorderto helpsomeone.That’shuman,isn’tit.?

Thepast12monthsservingpeople,my instinctshaveoftentoldmethat Iam facingsomeonewhocoulddowith ahand. Grandparentscomingintopurchasea computertohelptheirchildren’schildren becausethemotherorfatherhaslosttheir joborhadhours reducedorworse,suffered fromCOVID.

Idecidedtoactafterhearing anewsitem onRadioSolentinthemorningontheway towork,sayingthat400computerswere suppliedtochildrenontheIsleofWight. Brilliant! Ithought. Welldone.Thenewsitem concludedbystatingthat7000children werestilldeemedtobeinneed.Ifthiswas thesupportavailableforcommunitiesit seemedliketherewas room tohelp.

Iwenthomethatnightandknockedupa quickposterandoptimisticallypostediton ourFacebookpage.

Myoptimismwasconfirmedtheverynext morningat 8am. Iarrivedatworkand RichardOswaldfromPPPrintingwassat outsideinhiscarwith 3perfectlygood laptops!Notably,ourveryfirstdonation. Thatweekcontinuedwithmoreandmore peoplemakingcontactviaC4K@rapidpcs. comaswellasdroppinginequipment.So excitingtoseethekindnessofpeopleand willingnesstohelp.TheFacebookpost receivedjustunder400sharesandthis magnifiedtheeffect. Yousee,it’snotallbad withFacebook.

Aweeklater acustomerofoursputa chequefor£1000onthecounterandasked ustoadministeritinthebestwaypossible. Just anormal,localguywith akindheart. With alittlehelpfromus,thisbought MudefordJuniorSchool10complete computersystemsworthinexcessof £2500.

GavinDoherty,anotherlocalbusinessman, hadquietlynoticedtheappealliterature inourshop.Saidnothingand returned30 minuteslaterwith£600+worthofup-todatecomputers(howlovelyisthat!)Which wentstraightoutto aschool,within24hrs! Peoplewhoareconfined tohomehave beenpostingitemstousandwehavealso arrangedsociallydistancedsafecollections too.

Thegenerosityofcustomersandthe generalpublichasbeenoverwhelmingand heart-warming.

Iprocessthedonatedcomputersathomein theeveningandovertheweekendwiththe helpofmyson.Luckilymywife,Gvantsa, isveryunderstandingofthesituationand doesn’tmention themess Ihavemadein ourflat. We fundtheprovisionof abrandnewSolidStateHardDrive(SSD)inmostof theunits,whichwillmakeeven a10-yearoldcomputeruseableasthesedriveswill workat10 xthespeedof atraditionalhard drive.So,youcanputthemin areallyold computerorlaptopandtheyrunasfastasa brand-newmachine.

Being asmall,grassrootscampaignit seemstogivetheflexibilitytomoveandact quicklytoeffectchange.Whichweareonly abletodowiththesupportofourfabulous communityhereinDorset.

We have reachedoutasfarasCorfeHills SchoolinPoole.Inexcessof900pupilsand inparticularneed,itseems. We hopetobe supplyingthemwithmoreequipmentaswe continuetoprocessthedonations.

Anydonationsthataretoooldtobeofuse aregiventotheSocietyofSaintJamesin Southampton. Acharityorganisationthat recyclesITequipmentandfeedthemoney backintothecommunity.Aprojectworking withpeoplewhoarehomelessorhave substanceproblems.Sonothingiswasted.

Iwon’tsayithasbeeneasy,theshop hasbeenopensincelastMarchandthe demandsonourtimeincreasedbysome 50%witheveryoneworkingfromhome.

Allofusarea littleweary.Therewillbe plentyoftimefor restinthefuturethough. We area smallteamoffour,dedicatedto helpingpeoplewiththeirITneeds.Once again,thefactweareindependent,small andhavedonethisfor25yearshasbeen suchanassetwiththe recentchallenges wehaveallfaced.Itwouldhavebeenmuch easierandpossiblysaferforustohave chosenthefurloughoptionbutthatwould havebeenmuchlessexciting,wouldn’tit? Withorwithoutlockdowntherewill befamilieswhoarestrugglingand theincredible responsefromdonors encouragesmetodomore.Plus, afar betteroptionthancomputers,screens, tabletsandlaptopsbeingsatin acupboard ortakentothelocaltip.So, Iintendto continuewiththeinitiativeandexpandit withthesupportofthecommunityandof coursetheBournemouthDailyEcho. That’sitsofar.Schoolsarestillcontacting meand Iencounterpeopleintheshopdaily whowillbenefit. Iamextremelygratefulto be aconduitfortheunendingkindnessand generosityofthecommunity.

byMikeCobelli

My FavouriteGreekSummerDestinations

Whitewashedarchitecture,cobbled alleysandsplendidbeaches,whether onitspicture-postcardislandsoronthe mainland,alongwiththemostdelicious Mediterraneancuisine,makethisclassic holidaydestination abrilliantspotfor arelaxinggetaway.Atmosphericruins andmesmerisingmuseumsareahistory lover’sdream,whileover1000Greek islandsleavetravellersspoiltforchoice withanabundanceofazurebeachesand divingopportunities.Thisculturaltreasure trovecanbeenjoyedalongsidetraditional tavernasservingdeliciousGreekfood accompaniedbyanouzoortwounder thestars.

Crete

ThelargestandmostpopulatedGreek island,Cretepairsstunningbeaches (PlataniasandElafonsi)withthousands ofyearsofhistory(Europe’soldestcity -Knossos),andfor aromanticbreak awayonthislovelyisland,couplescan’t gowrongwiththefive-starDaiosCove LuxuryResortand Villas.

Irecommend…….DaiosCoveLuxury Resortand Villas

Blendingintoitsincrediblenatural surroundings,DaiosCoveisfocused on agorgeous-heatedinfinitypoolwith dazzlingseaviews.Aswellas atempting arrayofoff-siteexcursions,this resort hasitsownpacked rosterofactivities includingkayaking,scuba-diving,yoga andPilates.

Halkidiki

AnotherGreek regionthatgoesdown wellwithyoungfamiliesisHalkidiki.With itsunspoiltlandscapeandhillscarpeted withwildflowers,nottomentionover300 milesofbeautifulwhite-sandcoastline, itisundoubtedlyoneofthemostfamilyfriendlyGreek regions.

Irecommend………SaniResort

Thehubofthe resortistheglamorous Marinawithitsupscale restaurants,bars andboutiques.Asidefromthis,there’s 7kmofgloriousbeaches,fiveunique spas, avastarrayofsportsandactivities, crèchesandkids’clubsforagesfour monthsthroughto17, anewAdventure Parkwithzip-linesandchallengebridges, andanincredible24 restaurantsand 17bars.

Santorini

ThevolcanicislandofSantoriniis renownedforitscliffsidetownsand villages,withdazzling-whitebuildingsand Instagram-worthysunsets,aswellasit’s NeaKamenihotspringsand prehistoricruins.

Irecommend…….Mystique, aLuxury CollectionHotel

Idealfor romanticescapes,Mystique,a LuxuryCollectionHotel,layscarvedinto theruggedcliffsoverlookingtheazure watersoftheAegeanSea.Thankstoits subtlecolourpaletteandwell-considered design,thehotelhasanairyfeeland acarefreespiritwhichcomplements itsexclusivenature.The41luxurious suitesandvillasarelinkedby anetwork ofcobbledpathwaysandeachoffer unobscuredviewsoutacrossthesea.

Corfu

AsummergetawaytoCorfuisan opportunitytoimmerseyourselfinthe island’seclecticculturefollowingyears ofinfluencefrom Venetian,Frenchand Britishrulers.Thepicturesqueislandis definedbyit’sruggedmountainslopes whichplungerapidlyintotheazurewaters oftheIonianSea.

Irecommend………..DomesMiramare, aLuxuryCollectionResort

Thissophisticatedadults-onlyproperty, in aModernistbuildingthatwasonce ownedbytheOnassisfamily,offers suitesthatopenontoolivegrovesand lushgardens,orthealluringshoresof theIonianSea. Amustforwater-sports fans,withwake-boarding,scuba-diving andtubingallonoffer,it’salso ahit withfoodiesforitsGreekand Venetianinfluencedcuisineby aMichelin starredchef.

Bookyoursummerbreaktooneof thesegreatGreekdestinationstodayby contactingmeandtakeadvantageof exclusivebenefitsincludingfullfinancial protectionand a24-hourdutyoffice readytoassistyoubefore,duringand afteryourstay.

T: 01202375150

M: 07929626156

E: sally.pullen@travelcounsellors.com

W: www.travelcounsellors.com/sally.pullen

AluxuriousspacewhichMr Bsaid:

“Ourbathroomsweredesignedby Taraandwe areoverthemoonwiththe result.Theproducts andthetilesshechoseforusworkperfectly andthewholeprocessfromdesigntosupply wasseamless. Ican’trecommendCoastal enough!

Right:TheFinishedProject

Withover60displays,hereatCoastalour teamboastsanimpressive70yearscombined experienceworkingwithintheBathroomand Plumbingindustry.Wehavetalenteddesigners, knowledgeablefittersandanunparalleledrange ofbathroomproductsandtilesthatmeans wecandesigntheperfectbathroomforyour spaceusingourimpressive3Dphotorealistic DesignSoftware.

Left: 3DimageofMrB’sBathroominBeaulieu

As I write this, the daffodils are out in abundance and the days are getting significantly longer. Its official- Spring, and the hope it gives us, is in the air! force, paddleboarders riding the waves across the sand bar, dinghy sailors and the number of cars parked along all the roads making it difficult to pass. have concerns about what will happen when ‘stay at home’ (ummm…)

ryone has done to get this far! The current vaccine rollout

As you know, I don’t work on the frontline anymore, but in private practice. But that too has taken its toll on me. shops and businesses open and the area will be busy with holiday makers as foreign holidays remain mentally. Take a few moments to question your health going forwards. Do you need to adapt to work again after

Now is the time to address your health more than e I will no doubt have the surge of gardening induced aches and pains and indeed once tennis and golf reopens next month the usual injuries that go with it. Get up

As for me- work will continue of course- but I will be out sailing as much as possible too! Wave if you see me

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST REGISTERED WITH THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS COUNCIL

CREATIVE PAVING

Tel: 01425278408

Mob: 07785798760

Email: scott@creativepaving.co.uk

Web: creativepaving.co.uk

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Weoffer afriendlyandapproachableservice,backedbythestrengthandsecurityof FTSE100company, St.James’sPlaceWealthManagement;andbeinglocalmeanswe’rehere to helpwheneveryouneedus. Let’sstarta conversation.

BookReview

TheMermaidofBlackConchbyMoniqueRoffery£9.99

ItisApril1976andinStConstance, atinyCaribbeanvillageontheislandof BlackConch, afishermansingstohimselfinhisboat,waitingfor acatch, butattracts asea-dwellerhedoesn’texpect. Aycayia, abeautifulyoung womancursedbyjealouswivestoliveas amermaid,hasbeenswimmingthe CaribbeanSeaforcenturies,andsheisentrancedbythismanDavidandhis song.Theiridyllisbrokenwhentheirsecretmeetingsarebroughttoanendby aFloridafatherandsontrawlingislandwatersinthehopeofbaggingfirstprize in afishingcontest.Suddenly,they’rethinkingbig –asaletotheSmithsonian orthecoverof Time.ButcanDavid rescueher?

TheLostPianosofSiberiabySophyRoberts£10.99

Thiscritically-acclaimedSunday Timesbestsellercharts adramaticquest throughtwocenturiesofRussianhistoryandeighttimezonesstretching acrossaneleventhoftheworld’slandsurfacesearchingfortherarepianos thatwerecreatedduringtheboomyearsofthenineteenthcenturyand managedtosurvive.Theytellthestoryofhow,eversinceenteringRussian cultureundertheinfluenceofCatherinetheGreat,pianomusichasbeen amainstreamofSiberianmusicalculture.Thestoryofhowthesepianos madethejourneyintothissnow-boundwildernessinthefirstplaceistruly remarkable,andthattheymightbecapableofmakingmusicinsuch ahostile landscapefeelslike amiracle.

Vi Spy:LicencetoChillbyMazEvans£6.99

ManyofyouwillbefamiliarwithbrilliantlocalauthorMazEvansfromherWho LettheGodsOut?seriesofbooks.Nowwehave anewadventurefeaturing Vi.Divorce istoughforanykid.Butwhen -like Vi’s parents -yourmumis ex-secretserviceandyourdadis aretiredbadguy,‘tilldeathdouspart’takes on awholenewmeaning.Whileherparents’focusoneachother,the real super-villainsarehaving afieldday.Tosaveherfamily -andtheworld -from evildomination, Vi mustturnspy...withhilariousconsequences.

Hello!I’mKirstyfrom BH6BooksandHome,anindependent bookshopandlifestylestorein SouthbourneGrove. We sellnewbooks,cards,jigsaws,giftsandhome-waresfromourshopand althoughwe’resmall,weprideourselveson aconstantlychangingstockthat reflectsthebestin publishing,carddesign,homeandgiftware. We alsotakeordersforbooks,CDs,DVDsandvinyl, withmostordersarrivingwithin24-48hours.

Whynotgetintouchon 01202418403,email sales@bh6booksandhome.co.uk orfinduson socialmedia @bh6booksandhome