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August 2013
Issue 32
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Sport & leisure
Food & drink Rick reveals his perfect curry
From Iraq to the track
After spending three months travelling across the subcontinent in search of his favourite Indian dish, TV chef Rick Stein shares the winning dish inside, for you to make yourself. Plus: win a signed copy of his latest book, Rick Stein’s India. See inside for details.
Travelure The story of British Paralympic cyclist Jon-Allan Butterworth is truly inspiring. Battling back from losing an arm to an explosion in Basra, he went on to win three silver medals in the Velodrome at last summer’s London Games. One year on from his triumph, we share his remarkable story and meet the down-to-earth man who has overcome such extraordinary challenges.
Also featured this month Latest news: The story of how one District raised thousands for a local disabled children’s charity Around Britain: Travel with us to the Lake District as we explore the great outdoors in Wordsworth country Culture club: This month’s readers’ review features two books chosen by members as their ideal summer reads Home & garden: Lifelong gardener George Hill answers your green-fingered questions Health & wellbeing: No nonsense advice on how to access live-in care, from the Good Care Group Money: One former recipient of the Oddfellows Education Award tells us how it helped her get to where she is today The Oddfellows is the trading name of The Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity Friendly Society Limited, Incorporated and registered in England and Wales No. 223F. Registered Office 32 Booth Street, Manchester M2 4QP. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, registration No. 109995.
Solo travellers no longer need to fear the dreaded single supplement, as the Active Travel Club expands its range of special interest trips designed specifically for them.
Win great prizes! £50 worth of High Street vouchers could be yours in our Through the Lens photo competition! Send us your best photo inspired by the theme ‘my best friend’ to enter. WIN: A dazzling pair of gardening gloves! Send George a green-fingered question to be in with a chance of getting your hands on a pair.
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Culture club “I love going to the theatre once in a while, so when I heard my local Oddfellows Branch was arranging a trip I couldn’t pass it up.” Sharon – Manchester
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The Reader’s Review Book: The Woman Before Me Author Ruth Dugdall This superb and enthralling psychological thriller is set in Suffolk and has many strands to it. The author, who grew up near me in Ipswich, is a qualified Probation Officer by profession, a fact that comes across in her writing. It tells the story of a woman in prison and how and why she finished up there. There are so many twists and turns that it is impossible to say much about the plot without spoiling the reader’s enjoyment. Suffice it to say, it is a gripping read. Once I started reading I found it almost impossible to put down. As the plot unravels in a most surprising way, readers will be left unable to guess what is about to happen next. It is an excellent read and I thoroughly recommend it. By Joan Westbrook, Ipswich District
Book: Killing Floor Author Lee Child Have you met Jack Reacher? Perhaps you saw him in the recent movie, played by Tom Cruise? Jack Reacher is the retired US military cop created by Child, whose success has been built on 18 novels that feature this much loved character. If you like to read fast paced, gritty stories with a twist then Lee Child won't disappoint. Killing Floor is the first of the Jack Reacher novels, and begins with him being thrown into jail for a murder he didn’t commit. I'm now reading One Shot, a later book which opens with a gunman firing 6 shots and killing 5 people. It replicates a scenario from 14 years ago when a man called James Barr was committed of a similar crime and Jack Reacher was the investigating cop. Now in custody, James Barr asks for Jack Reacher – and so the mystery begins to unfold. Lee Child's novels are written to a formula that makes for easy summer reading. Pick up any of his books and you'll soon be sucked into mystery and intrigue. Some of the violence can be gruesome, but start reading and you won't be able to put it down – great to read on a long-haul flight or by the pool. By Wendy Atkins, Ipswich District
Culture club Through the lens – photography competition
July’s theme was ‘things that make you smile’ and the winner was Hazel Walker with her photo of Alice, her Border Collie Cross and Jimmy the tortoise (61 years old). £50 of High Street vouchers are on their way to you Hazel, congratulations! You can see highlights of some of the other entries on our Facebook page.
August’s theme: my best friend This month we want to see photos of anything with sea in it. You may be flying over it, walking or sitting beside it. Send us your favourite, and don’t forget to tell us why you’ve chosen it. The more inventive, the better!
If we choose your photo to appear in the next edition you’ll win £50 of High Street vouchers. You can enter by emailing your photo to ezine@oddfellows.co.uk, posting it on our Facebook wall or sending it in a tweet that mentions @OddfellowsUK. Click on the links to visit our social media sites.
Terms and conditions – Friendscene competitions 1) Entries for Through the lens can be submitted at any time and still be included in this competition. However the cut-off date for each edition will be the first day of each month. This month’s Through the lens and Food & drink competitions both close on 1 September 2013. 2) If successful, you will be contacted by the Oddfellows directly to arrange delivery of your prize(s) 3) If your photograph contains an image of a person, building or private location please ensure you get permission from the person/building owner before submitting your entry. Any competition entry, including photos, recipes or articles, must be the work of the entrant and be entirely their own work. 4) By entering an Oddfellows competition you are confirming that you have given permission for the Oddfellows to use and reproduce your entry, either in part or in full, in future publications and marketing material, both online and printed. 5) The Oddfellows will assume your consent has been given once your entry is submitted unless you directly state otherwise at the time of entering the competition.
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Food & drink “I’m always trying to show people that they don’t have to worry about making food that’s perfect. Everything I cook looks deliberately uneven and homemade to show it’s ok to serve food with charm and character.” Nigel Slater, author, broadcaster and cook
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Madras Fish Curry of Snapper, Tomato and Tamarind by Rick Stein I have written at some length in the main introduction (of the book - Rick Stein’s India) about finding this curry, which I have nominated as my favourite. I’ve used the same fish it was cooked with on that day in Mamallapuram – snapper – but in the UK I recommend using any of the following: monkfish fillet, because you get firm slices of white, meaty fish; filleted bass, preferably a large fish, because although you’ll get softer flesh it has plenty of flavour; or gurnard. I think more than anything else that this dish typifies what I was saying about really fresh fish not being ruined by a spicy curry. I can still remember the slightly oily flavour of the exquisite snapper in that dish because fish oil, when it’s perfectly fresh, is very nice to eat. I always think oily fish goes well with curry anyway, particularly with the flavours of tomatoes, tamarind and curry leaves.
Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •
60ml vegetable oil 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds 1 large onion, finely chopped 15g/3 cloves garlic, finely crushed 30 fresh curry leaves 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp turmeric 400g can chopped tomatoes 100ml Tamarind liquid 2 green chillies, each slice lengthways into 6 pieces, with seeds • 1 tsp salt • 700g snapper fillets, cut into 5cm chunks • Boiled basmati rice to serve
Method Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds, then stir in the onion and garlic and fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the curry leaves, chilli powder, coriander and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, tamarind liquid, green chillies and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes until rich and reduced. Add the fish, cook for a further 5 minutes or until just cooked through, and serve with plain rice. Recipe taken from Rick Stein’s India, published by BBC Books price £25. Photographs James Murphy
WIN: a signed copy of Rick Stein’s India. Email ezine@oddfellows.co.uk before Sunday 1 September 2013 telling us what your favourite Indian dish is and why. See previous page for terms and conditions.
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Latest news “It is the everyday examples of charity that make the
Society work today as it has done since 1810, through its founding principles; friendship, love and truth.” Charles Vaughan, Past Chairman of the Board (2011-13)
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Thousands raised through fantastic fundraising
Maureen Burgoyne (centre) presents the cheque to Ann Rowland and two young people from Umbrella in front of local members who helped to raise the money Thousands raised through fantastic fundraising Members from Derby held a presentation evening in the city recently to celebrate raising almost £8,000 for a local disabled children’s charity. The event was held at the District’s Oddfellows hall, and was attended by local members and the outgoing District Chairman Maureen Burgoyne, who presented a cheque for £7,670.14 to Ann Rowland who accepted it on behalf of the charity Umbrella. As District Chairman, Maureen Burgoyne was able to nominate one charity for the District’s yearly fundraising, so she picked the Derby based organisation that works to support disabled children and their families.
The money was raised through coffee mornings, individual donations and events, sponsored photo competitions and the sale of more than 12,000 raffle tickets. The District also received donations of £1,226 in memory of Brenda Ashwin, who sadly passed away in February 2013. This money was also given to Umbrella. In her speech, Maureen said that she had made many friends during her year in Office and was immensely proud to have represented the District. Do you have some local Oddfellows news you’d like to share? Email ezine@oddfellows.co.uk with more details and photographs.
Read all about it The news section of the Oddfellows website is updated regularly throughout the month with news and information from across the UK. Whether it’s fundraising for charity, launching a new Branch or celebrating sporting success, the Society’s members are never far from the headlines. We know that friendscene readers do extraordinary things, so why not share your latest news stories with us? E-mail ezine@oddfellows.co.uk or visit our Facebook or Twitter pages today. Or to visit the news section, click here.
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Around Britain “Now we see other members around the town and say hello, where as before we’d have just walked past. That sense of community is hard to beat.” Lesley - South Yorkshire
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The Lake District Why go abroad in search of breath-taking scenery? There are views in Cumbria to rival any in the world, right on your doorstep.
What’s worth seeing? If you take a trip to Ambleside, Bowness, Grasmere or Keswick, you will seldom be disappointed. Whether you are there to discover the region’s literary links, sample the local gastronomic delights or explore the mountains that dominate the landscape at every turn, what you find will not disappoint.
Wainwright’s winning walk The famous Fell walking writer Alfred Wainwright thought that the climb to the top of Haystacks was the finest of all the 200-plus Fells that he wrote about.
The Lake District has been inspiring authors for hundreds of years. Beatrix Potter wrote her tales of Peter Rabbit here, so too did William Wordsworth with his poem daffodils. Arthur Ransome wrote many of his Swallows and Amazons books nearby while even Postman Pat’s creator John Cunliffe drew on the time he spent in Cumbria for inspiration.
“Haystacks stands unabashed and unashamed in the midst of a circle of much loftier fells, like a shaggy terrier in the company of foxhounds.” Start your climb at Honister Slate Mine and be sure to pass Innominate Tarn on your way up. Wainwright’s ashes are scattered there – a silent, peaceful spot hidden from all but a few. When you get there, you’ll understand why he chose it.
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Summing up the Lakes A sort of national property in which every man has a right and interest who has an eye to perceive and a heart to enjoy.
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The Lakes in fiction
William Wordsworth
Did you know? The Lake District actually only has one lake in it – Bassenthwaite Lake. Tarns, meres and waters make up the rest.
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Travel “There’s something for everyone – whether you want to try something new, enjoy the onboard attractions or just relax in peace and tranquillity.” Wendy, Ipswich (Organiser for Fred Olsen Cruises)
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Flying solo has never been easier
Over the next twelve months the Active Travel Club (ATC) will be expanding its range of trips and short breaks for solo travellers. Members will have more choice about visiting new places independently but with the safety and company of being part of a group. Until recently, the interests and holiday requirements of single holidaymakers have been relatively unexplored. Then there’s the dreaded single supplement – an additional cost per person for someone going away by themselves – which can increase the cost of a trip by as much as 25 per cent. So to rectify these issues, members will now be consulted four times a year by the ATC and asked for any feedback they have on their recent holidays. This should ensure that future trips meet the expectations of solo travellers.
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There is huge potential to arrange new, exciting breaks for members that are good value and cater for a variety of interests
At the same time, organisers will continue negotiating with holiday companies to make sure single guests get the best deals as part of what ATC can offer in ATC holidays. “There is huge potential to arrange new, exciting breaks for members that are good value and cater for a variety of interests,” says Claire Rimmer, Social Development Officer for the Oddfellows. “So far, we’ve heard popular suggestions of weekend yoga retreats and painting and drawing master classes, but we always welcome more. It’s vital that members feel they can help to shape the trips and activities on offer, whether they’re going on holiday alone or with friends. “If they book on a holiday that really interests them, they’re likely to meet people with similar interests while they’re there – that’s how the ATC keeps the Oddfellows’ ethos of making friends and helping people alive.” If you have an idea for a special interest break or would like some advice about travelling by yourself, call Claire on 0161 8329361 or email claire.rimmer@oddfellows.co.uk
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Home & garden “Sorting out the garden is how I like to relax. An expert gave a talk at my local Oddfellows Branch – it helped me no end.” Christine - Derbyshire
Ask George
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George Hill was a professional gardener by trade, serving as Head Gardener at Burwarton House; a 22,500-acre estate near Bridgenorth owned by Lord Boyne, cousin and Lord in waiting to HM The Queen. He worked there for nearly 40 years and still lives nearby in retirement, giving expert talks and appearing on gardeners’ question panels. Send your gardening questions to George – email ezine@oddfellows.co.uk. If we publish it we’ll send you a brand new pair of dazzling gardening gloves absolutely free, thanks to Joe’s Garden.
Q: Should I trim the leaves on my tomato plants to help the fruit ripen? Mine usually tend to ‘hide’ and then all ripen together at the end of the summer… Derek Taylor, Hull A: This is probably the most important job in the garden right now – in fact I did it with mine today. Take the bottom leaves off completely and then for the next four or five pairs of leaves up cut them back by about half.
Q: My potted French bean plants are 6ft tall now, but some leaves have started to die during July. Can you suggest a solution? Rob, Nottingham Anything that’s potted needs to be kept well watered. The sun heats up the pot and the soil can very quickly dry out. French beans need lots of water when they’re in flower, and they’ll benefit from being moved to a shady spot too. They won’t miss the sunshine and should mature nicely to give you a good crop later on in the year.
Members with green fingers
Jobs to do this month
Oddfellows members are eligible to receive a special 10% discount on anything at www.suttons.co.uk, from seeds and bulbs to gardening equipment and greenhouses.
• Plant out brassicas (curly kale, purple sprouting broccoli, calabrese)
To take advantage of this exclusive offer, click here*. *You will need to be signed in as a member to access the Members' Benefits page.
• Keep chrysanthemums well watered
• De-head roses for another flush in September • Mulch cucumbers in the greenhouse • Pick soft fruits for bottling, jamming or putting in the deep freeze • Stake up gladioli
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Sport & leisure “I’ve never really been ‘sporty’, but I try to keep fit. My local Oddfellows Branch now hosts a walking club. It’s great to get some fresh air, and we always have a good time.” Diana – Essex
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As fate would have it
At 27 years old, Jon-Allan Butterworth has already experienced more of life’s highs and lows than most ever will.
Months later, the bike ride was his first opportunity to get back outside so he went along, raising almost £7,000 for the charity in the process.
After losing his left arm in a rocket attack while serving in Iraq six years ago, he has gone on to become a three-time cycling Paralympic silver medallist at the London Olympics last summer.
After swearing never to get on a bike again, Butterworth soon found himself taking part in Team GB time trials where his talent for indoor cycling was revealed. It was, he says, as if the whole thing was meant to be.
He only started riding for fun, joining other injured servicemen and women to take part in a bike ride to French battlefields organised by the charity Help for Heroes.
“I’m not religious but I think everything happens for a reason. Everyone has a purpose. I was still recovering from my injuries when a friend dragged me along to try some different sports in 2007. I never planned to start cycling – It was the last sport I tried, right at the end of the day when the organisers were packing up.
At the time he was getting used to the life-changing injuries he had suffered when an insurgent rocket hit the vehicle he was travelling in while serving as an RAF weapons technician in Basra. He got out of the vehicle moments before it exploded, then managed to apply a tourniquet to his own arm before passing out; something that Doctors said almost certainly saved his life. Surgeons amputated his arm above the elbow before he was evacuated home to the UK.
“They told me that I was too late but I insisted, so they let me try out right there in the foyer.” “Cycling was the only sport that came back to me after my results were misplaced for over a year. It turned out to be the one sport I had real talent for.” Continued on next page
Sports & Leisure
Jon-Allan Butterworth at the 2012 Paralympic games (Image by The Department for Culture, Media and Sport under Creative Commons License) In the four years since, Butterworth has won three world records, two world championships and more than a dozen track medals using his ‘sprint arm’; a cutting-edge artificial limb locked on to the bike at a 45 degree angle. He even overcame a 40mph crash the day before last summer’s Games, going on to win three medals in the Velodrome.
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Cycling was the only sport that came back to me after my results were misplaced for over a year. It turned out to be the one sport I had real talent for.
With all the racing, training and media work required of the athletes, the Paralympics felt ‘like a blur’. Only afterwards, when all the ceremonies and parties had come to an end, was he able to reflect on his achievements and appreciate just how special those two weeks were. “It was amazing, but you get so focused on your own racing and your own performance that you don’t realise it at the time. It’s a bit sad, but that’s life I suppose. “It’s the little things that you remember most afterwards, like the fact that I didn’t do any cooking for maybe three or four months beforehand. Life just goes on hold, but that’s what it takes.” He took the winter off, but now he is back into his punishing training regime – at least 20 hours every week – and preparing for his next goal of taking gold in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympics. He is also trying to make the difficult transition to competitive road cycling, one of his ‘season goals’ which could take up to two years.
But sporting success will not last forever, and Butterworth admits that while he could easily have four or five more Paralympics in him, he won’t try and put off the inevitable forever. When he finally calls time on cycling, sometime after Rio, he plans to carry on using another of the gifts that sport has given him – the ability to inspire others to achieve great things. By going into schools and sharing his extraordinary story with young people, he helps them to discover their own passions; a talent he is characteristically modest about. “I don’t set out just to inspire people, that’s the wrong way to look at it. I enjoy doing it and if people enjoy listening to me then I think they’re more likely to look at what they want to achieve and realise they can actually do it too. “Maybe I had to leave school, join the military and get injured in order to find cycling. Maybe I had to experience all of that to then be able to show people that they can achieve things themselves.” He is in no doubt that his determination to make every day count stems from that life-changing moment six years ago. He has now mastered skiing, motorcycling and horse riding, and has plans to build on the already impressive number of countries stamped into his passport with his girlfriend Helen, who he met through cycling. “I’ve always had this feeling that I’m not going to let anyone stop me doing something I want to do, and I’ve done more in the past six years than in the whole of my life before then. “If I had the chance to give up the life I have now and go back to the time before the injury I wouldn’t take it. Life’s better now than ever, and if it’s taken losing an arm to make me realise that then it’s been a sacrifice worth making.”
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Health & wellbeing “The Oddfellows give so much. I wish more people knew about the great services they have to offer.” Paul - London
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Accessing live-in care A guest article by the Good Care Group As the UK population grows older, the number of people suffering from chronic conditions commonly associated with aging keeps on rising. As a result, more families are having to make difficult decisions about the long term care of a loved one. Most people want to stay in the safety and comfort of their own homes but often, residential care is seen as the only option. However, receiving care and support in your own home from a professional carer can be a real and viable alternative to the stress and disruption of moving into a care home. The benefits of live-in care: • The ability to continue living independently and maintain lifestyle, friendships and community links • One-to-one care that’s personalised to your needs and cost-effective • Consistency and familiarity of your surroundings • Couples are able to stay together for longer without the strain of one becoming the other’s carer Whether you are looking for 24-hour live-in care yourself or are in need of respite from caring for a loved one, a professional carer can provide personal care, domestic and lifestyle support and social activities – as well as helping with the management of specialists chronic conditions.
Important questions to consider: • What experience, training or professional qualifications does your prospective carer have? Does it meet your personal needs? • What support will they be able to provide your to family?
How does live-in care work? Following an initial consultation with you and your family, a care provider will conduct a comprehensive assessment of need to understand the explicit care, lifestyle and social requirements you or your loved one needs, and to ensure they choose the right professional carer to match. The carer or carers will then live in your home and provide 24-hour care and support for you. It is important to research a range of providers first. We recommend that you enlist the services of a reputable care provider who manages every aspect of the care provision, rather than using an agency that simply finds a carer for you.
• How will you keep in contact, and what should you do if you have a problem? Finally, always ask to review the provider’s latest service inspection report. This document, created by the Care Quality Commission, ensures that they are complying with current regulations. For more information about live-in care, please contact The Good Care Group on 08000 234 220. Alternatively, visit www.thegoodcaregroup.com. DISCLAIMER: Links to third-party sites do not constitute an endorsement by the Oddfellows and use of the advertised products and services is entirely at your risk. The Oddfellows does not accept any liability or responsibility for any third-party material on other websites.
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Money “When I had money worries the Oddfellows put me in touch with the right people who could help. They were with me every step of the way.” Pam - Cambridgeshire
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Sarah achieves her ambitions with Educational Award Sarah Goddard (member of the Brighouse Branch of Oddfellows) recently graduated from Huddersfield University – here she tells us about how the Educational Award helped her: “Becoming a midwife was something I had always had ambitions of achieving from a young age and in September 2009 I began my midwifery training at the University of Huddersfield. Throughout my time at University, the support provided by the Oddfellows Education Award scheme was invaluable and helped me to access books and literature that otherwise may not have been available to me. I completed my Bsc (Hons) Midwifery Studies degree at the University of Huddersfield in September 2012 and I would like to thank the Oddfellows for their support throughout my three years of study. I have been very fortunate to have started a job in my chosen career and am grateful for all the help the Oddfellows have given me.”
A letter of thanks from Parkinson’s UK to the Oddfellows Dear Oddfellows, It is my pleasure to write and thank the Oddfellows for the £42,053 first instalment of the three-year gift towards our research project ‘Learning and Consolidation in People with Parkinson’s’. We were absolutely thrilled when we heard that the efforts of your members would enable you to fully fund this project and we can’t thank you and them enough for this support. We’re the largest funder of Parkinson’s research in the country and our projects tackle major research challenges with groundbreaking studies that get right to the heart of complex problems. We hope that Dr Brown’s project will ultimately lead to new ways to retrain people living with Parkinson’s who struggle to learn new motor skills through rehabilitation, like physiotherapy. By finding ways to help the benefits of rehabilitation to last longer
than they do now, Oddfellows members will be helping people with the condition to lead more active and independent lives through their support of this research. Many thanks once again for your fantastic support. Together, we can make sure that no-one has to face Parkinson’s alone. With all good wishes, Paul Jackson-Clark Director of Fundraising