Forest of Dean

The Local

ANSWER

JUNE 2017

200,000 DELIVERED MONTHLY IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE

for local people

FOREST OF DEAN DON’T FORGET FATHER’S DAY – SUNDAY 18th JUNE 2017

The The Lo Local c al

AN ANSWER SWER

Dean FForest orest ooff D ean – 222,000 2,000 ccopies opies Gloucester G loucester – 446,000 6,000 ccopies opies G loucestershire SSouth outh – 441,000 Gloucestershire 1,000 ccopies opies G loucestershire N orth – 220,000 0,000 ccopies opies Gloucestershire North CCheltenham heltenham – 443,000 3,000 ccopies opies CCotswolds otswolds – 228,000 8,000 ccopies opies M anaging Director Director Managing D Dave ave K Kingscott ingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk

EEditorial ditorial & PProduction roduction LLois ois K Kingscott ingscott eeditorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk ditorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk

H Helen elen K Kingscott ingscott H Helen elen R Robinson obinson production@thelocalanswer.co.uk production@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Distribution D istribution JJulia ulia B Ball all – 001242 1242 5541075 41075 distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk

R Robert obert K Kingscott ingscott rrob@thelocalanswer.co.uk ob@thelocalanswer.co.uk

SSport port R Roger oger JJackson ackson ssport@thelocalanswer.co.uk port@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Accounts Accounts K Kerry erry FFell ell aaccounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk ccounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Unit Unit I,I, CChurchill hurchill IIndustrial ndustrial EEstate, state, Churchill Churchill Road, Road, GL53 LLeckhampton, eckhampton, Cheltenham, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire Gloucestershire G L53 7EG 7EG

T Telephone elephone 0 01242 1242 5 510500 10500 thelocalanswer thelocalanswer

Welcome Welcome ttoo June June ... ...

We’ve got not one, but three recipes for you this month as we prepare for Father’s Day. Treat your dad and have a go at making our fantastic fudge – milk chocolate, dark chocolate and a very tasty white chocolate and cranberry. You could even experiment with other flavours, too! Young readers please recruit the help of an adult for the cooking process.

‘Pick Your Own’ season returns to Primrose Vale and it ’s a fantastic way to entertain the children and encourage them to eat healthily. Take advantage of the two vouchers inside for discounts on fruit and vegetables.

After the popularity of our Rugby World Cup 2015 and UEFA Euro 2016 fixtures lists, we’ve put together a feature for The British & Irish Lions Tour 2017. See inside for a brief write-up and match dates.

IInside nside tthis his month month ... ...

Wild FFood Wild ood FForaging oraging 4 Cocktail 4 ime Cocktail TTime Delicious Dish 5 ish Delicious D TLA 10-13 1 0 -13 ravel TLA TTravel Holidays 11 1 1 ravel Holidays & TTravel What’s On 14 1 4 n What’s O TLA 18-19 1 8-19 port TLA SSport The British 2017 21 2 1 ritish & IIrish rish LLions ions TTour our 2 017 The B Homes Gardens 22 Homes & G 2 2 ardens In Garden 23 In tthe 2 3 he G arden Gadgets Gizmos 25 Gadgets & G 2 5 izmos 27 2 7 the Planet Planet SSave ave the Interior Design 29 2 9 esign Interior D Word 30 3 0 earch Word SSearch Quick 32 3 2 rossword Quick CCrossword Sudoku 33 Sudoku 3 3 Money Matters 33 Money M atters 33 Index, 34 Index , CCompetitions, ompetitions, SSolutions olutions 34

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Page 3

W Wild ild F Food ood F Foraging oraging

Cocktail Cocktail T Time ime with w ith L Lois ois K Kingscott ingscott

w with ith S Steven teven Hawley Hawley

Thyme Thyme tto oe explore xplore The whole point of foraging, at least in my opinion, isn’t simply to cut down on the cost of your monthly food bill.

The time and effort required to get a full and varied diet from foraging is extensive and wouldn’t leave a lot of room in your life for other pursuits. I feel that the point of foraging is to teach yourself to notice more while out in the country.

So often in this fast paced, instant gratification lifestyle w e h a ve b u i l t fo r o u r s e l ve s , we ove r l o o k a n d t a k e fo r granted certain things that were once viewed as an important lifeline for our ancestors. When walking off your Sunday lunch, how often do you look up and notice the seasons’ effects on hedgerows and undergrowth? Perhaps you prefer to gaze downward noticing nothing more than the same well trodden path that you saw last weekend?

Allow A llow y yourself ourself tthe he ttime ime tto o appreciate appreciate y your our ssurroundings urroundings There is so much that nature has to offer us and yet we have forgotten how to appreciate these gifts – many of them we needn’t even ingest to appreciate. Wild thyme, f o u n d i n s a n d y s o i l s o r ro c k y o u t c ro p s , i s t h e p e r f e c t example of allowing yourself the time to appreciate your s u r ro u n d i n g s . P i n c h a l i t t l e s p r i g o f f t h e p l a n t , r u b between your fingers and spend the rest of the walk enjoying a periodic sniff. It will only take a second, but when you inhale that herby fragrance, empty your mind of all your distractions and just enjoy the moment.

Our fast paced lifestyle isn’t a bad thing, mind you.

Business is booming for humanity ... but every so often, before we completely alienate ourselves from this world, w e n e e d t o a p p re c i a t e t h a t e v e r y t h i n g w e n e e d h a s always been here. Thyme for you to get out there and start rediscovering your planet!

If If you’re you’re not not 100% 100% sure sure that that w what hat you’re you’re ppicking icking iiss safe safe for for human consumption, consumption, don’t don’t pick pick it. it. If If you’re you’re prone prone to to food food human allergies, or or pregnant, pregnant, always always seek seek medical medical advice advice before before allergies, consuming anything anything fforaged oraged in in the the w ild. consuming wild.

Page 4

M Mai ai TTai ai If you’re looking for a cocktail to whisk you away to a tropical paradise, the Mai Tai is the drink for you.

This cocktail was supposedly invented in 1944 at Trader Vic’s restaurant in Oakland, California. He created the drink one afternoon for friends who were visiting from Tahiti. Carrie Guild – one of Vic’s guests – tasted the cocktail and exclaimed “Maita’i roa ae”, which is translated literally as “very good” or figuratively as “out of this world! The best!”

Don the Beachcomber – Trader Vic’s rival – claimed creation of the cocktail in 1933 at his then-new bar named after himself (later a famous restaurant) in Hollywood. His recipe is more complicated than that of Vic’s and has a very different taste.

IIngredients: ngredients: 50ml dark rum; 15ml orange curacao; 10ml fresh lime juice; 60ml almond syrup; ice; wedge of lime and a chunk of pineapple to garnish.

Method: M ethod: 1 Put the ice in a cocktail shaker and add rum, orange curacao, lime juice and almond syrup.

2 Shake well and strain the drink into a tall glass with fresh ice.

3 Garnish with a wedge of lime and a chunk of pineapple.

PLEASE PLEASE D DRINK RINK R RESPONSIBLY ESPONSIBLY W Why hy n not ot h have ave a M Mocktail? ocktail?

For a non-alcoholic alternative, mix 90ml orange juice, 25ml lime juice, 1 teaspoon fine sugar, 1 tablespoon almond syrup and 10ml grenadine. Strain over ice and garnish with lime and pineapple.

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D Delicious elicious Dish Dish with w ith Helen Helen Kingscott Kingscott

Father’s D Father’s Day ay FFudge udge Prepare do the the P repare tthe he iingredients, ngredients, let let mum mum do bag, box orr w wrap or a ccooking, ooking, tthen hen b ag, b ox o rap ffor rreal eal ttreat reat for for dad! dad!

IMPORTANT WARNING: Due to the high temperatures involved and potential splashing of mixture, we strongly recommend children are kept away from the cooking process.

White White CChocolate hocolate & Cranberry Cranberry Fudge Fudge 1 k g c a s te r s u g a r ; 4 5 0 m l d o u b l e cream; 60g butter; 60g liquid glucose (most supermarkets sell it in the cake making aisle); 210g white chocolate; 50g dried cranberries.

M ethod: Method: 1 Add the sugar, cream, butter and glucose to a large heavy-based p a n . B r i n g to t h e b o i l o r u p t o a temperature of 118°C .

2 Once the fudge mix has reached the correct temperature, take off the heat and add the chocolate and cranberries.

3 Mix well then transfer to a greaseproof-lined tray (23cm x 33cm). Bang the tray a couple of times on a flat surface to level the fudge and remove any air bubbles.

4 When almost cool, score the fudge with a large knife to whatever size you like, then leave to cool before cutting it completely.

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M Milk ilk CChocolate hocolate FFudge udge 7 5 0 g c a s te r s u g a r ; 2 5 0 g l i q u i d glucose; 315g double cream; 375g milk chocolate, roughly chopped; 75g butter.

Method: Method: 1 As before, combine the sugar, glucose and double cream and heat until it reaches 118°C .

2 Remove from the heat and mix in the chocolate and butter, stirring as they melt until fully incorporated a n d t h e m i x t u re i s s m o o t h a n d even.

3 Transfer to your greaseproof-lined tin(s). I used a 17cm x 27cm and an 18cm x 18cm. Leave to cool then cut to whatever size you like.

Dark Dark CChocolate hocolate FFudge udge 200g dark chocolate; 210ml double cream; 340g caster sugar; 170ml liquid glucose; 60g butter.

Method: Method: 1 As before, combine the sugar, glucose and double cream and heat until it reaches 118°C .

2 A d d t h e b u t te r a n d r e t u r n t o t h e boil, checking it reaches 118°C again.

3 Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it is completely mixed in.

4 Transfer to your greaseproof-lined tin (I used the 17cm x 27cm tin for this recipe). Leave to cool before cutting up.

Useful Equipment: Useful Equipment: Sugar thermometer. If you don’t have one, you need to bring the mixture to the soft ball stage, which will take around 10 -15 minutes. Test by dropping a bit of the mixture into cold water and see if it forms a ball.

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F FIND IND U US S

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S Short hort of of time? time? All All crops crops aavailable vailable rready ea d y p icked! picked!

Shurdington Shurdington Road, Road, Bentham, Bentham, C Cheltenham, heltenham, G Gloucestershire loucestershire GL51 GL51 4UA 4UA For For more more information information vvisit isit w www.primrosevale.com ww.primrosevale.com

reat reat ttaste aste off ssummer ummer at at PPrimrose rimrose Vale Vale

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Primrose Primrose VVale ale Farm Farm Shop Shop & PYO PYO has has been been ddeveloped eveloped oover ver tthe he years years bbyy owners owners CCharlotte harlotte and and PPaul aul Keene Keene to to bbecome ecome aw wonderful onderful source source of of llocally ocally ggrown rown or or rreared eared pproduce roduce – kkeeping eeping food fo o d miles miles ttoo a m minimum inimum aand nd supporting supporting nnearby earby farmers farmers ssimultaneously. imultaneously.

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TThere’s here’s also also a great great vvariety ariety of of ccrops rops ffor or yyou ou to to gather. gather. TThe he m most ost popular popular ffruits ruits with with ccustomers ustomers at at this this ttime ime of of yyear ear are are sstrawberries trawberries aand nd rraspberries aspberries prominent prominent ttowards owards the the end end of of the the month. month. YYou ou ddon’t on’t hhave ave ttoo ddamage amage yyour our back back iinn the the pprocess rocess ooff ppicking icking tthem hem – rraspberry aspberry bbushes ushes are are tall tall aand nd tthe he sstrawberries trawberries are are nnow ow grown grown on on rraised aised platforms, platforms, ssoo there’s there’s no no sslugs, lugs, bugs bugs oorr mud mud either! either!

TToo tthe he side side ooff the the sshop hop a recreational recreational aarea rea hhas as bbeen een created created for for ccustomers ustomers to to uuse se dduring uring oopening pening hours. hours. W Whether hether you you need need a ssit it down down or or yyour our children children want want ttoo uuse se the the sandpit, sandpit , rride ide tthe he vintage vintage tractor, tractor, play play on on tthe he sswings wings aand nd slides slides or or see see tthe he rrabbits, abbits, you you aare re encouraged encouraged ttoo use use tthe he facilities. facilities. In In fact, fact, Charlotte Charlotte and and PPaul aul are are m more ore than than hhappy appy ffor or you you ttoo take take your your llittle ittle oones nes to to use use tthe he pplay lay area, area, eeven ven iiff you’re you’re nnot ot ppicking icking oorr vvisiting isiting tthe he sshop hop sspecifically. pecifically.

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produce nd tto o ccheck h e ck FFor or up-to-date up-to-date p roduce iinformation nformation aand what’s please w hat’s rready eady ffor or picking pi c k in g p lease call call or or visit: visit:

01452 01452 863359 863359

So So why why not not let let tthe he kids kids enjoy enjoy tthe he fresh fresh air air and and gget et some some exercise exercise while while you you relax relax with with a cuppa cu p p a and, and, perhaps, perhaps, a slice slice ooff cake cake from from ‘The ‘The Potting Potting Shed’ Shed’ – oopen pen from from 10am-4pm 10am-4pm ddaily aily tthroughout hroughout tthe he ssummer ummer ppicking icking season! season!

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O OUR UR R READERS EADERS YOUR Y OUR AUDIENCE AUDIENCE Reach 60,000+ people in the Forest of Dean!

EV VO ONLY £60 +VAT TREV OR O R

for this size RO OGE GERS advertisement R (right) including our P PAI AIN NT TER ER & FREE F REE A ARTWORK RTWORK DE DECO CORA RATO TOR SERVICE SERVICE INTERIOR / EXTERIOR

ONLY £45 +VAT/month when you book for 12 months!

FREE ESTIMATES PAPER HANGING COVING & TILING SPECIAL RAT TES FOR OAPs

015 0 1531 31 222 222222 222 077 07777 77 555 555666 666

For helpful, friendly advice call 01242 510500 or email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk

RegencyCourt R Re Reg gennccy cy Court Park.

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Caravan C a r a v an a and nd c camping amping – open open 365 365 d days! ays!

• Workers accommodation (long or short term) • Hard standing pitches • Electric hook ups • Toilet and shower block • 15 minute taxi ride to Cheltenham Racecourse • Café and pub within walking distance • 100 yards from bus stop to Cheltenham town centre • Seasonal pitches available F For or b bookings ookings a and nd e enquiries n q u i ri e s p please lease ccall: al l:

0 01452 1452 8 854540 54540 / 07867 07867 360575 360575 Email: Email: regencycourtpark@gmail.com regencycourtpark@gmail.com

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LUXURY LODGES

O OPEN PEN E EVERY VERY D DAY AY FOR FOR S SHOWROOM HOWROOM VIEWINGS VIEWINGS

No need for an appointment – staf f will be on hand to show you our fabulous lodges between 9am-5pm

PAY P AY H HALF ALF N NOW OW & THE THE R REST ES T O OVER VER 2 Y YEARS EARS

Quiet, secluded position with stunning views Excellent location for road networks ● 45 plots for high quality luxur y lodges ● Choices of sizes and inter nal layout ● CCTV for security and peace of mind ● Pet friendly ● Finance Available ● ●

SALE SALE P PRICES RICES S START TART FROM FROM JUST JUST £29,500 £29,500*

Please P lease ccall a ll S Sean ean o on n 07792 676760 o orr 01452 731285 tto oa rrange a vviewing i ew i n g o ome o he lluxury uxury llodges o d ge s a lready o n ssite ite arrange off ssome off tthe already on

Licensed all year round • Open 365 days a year

w nortonparkhomes.com e s.gorman@btinternet.com Nor ton Park, Tewkesbur y Road, Gloucestershire GL2 9LH

Page 8

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Change Change a llife, ife, cchange hange yyours ours – bbecome ecome aann Age A ge U Gloucestershire VVolunteer olunteer UKK Gloucestershire Volunteering can be life-changing for you as well as for the people you are helping. Joining the Age UK Gloucestershire Volunteering Team will provide you with the opportunity to develop your skills, work with an enthusiastic team and meet new people.

P Providing roviding p practical ractical a and nd e emotional motional ssupport upport We are currently looking for volunteers to join us and support our exciting Gloucester Life Changes project. It aims to help 1,000 people in Gloucester over the age of 60 who are facing a significant life change, such as losing a partner, being diagnosed with a significant illness or

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a change of circumstances. The project is a lottery-funded partnership between Age UK Gloucestershire B r i t i s h R e d C ro ss a n d C r u s e Bereavement Care Gloucestershire who together aim to provide practical a n d e m o t i o n a l s u p p o r t to h e l p i n d i v i d u a l s a d j u s t to t h e i r n ew situation.

As a volunteer for Life Changes, you would help by visiting people in their ow n h o m e s fo r u p to 1 2 we e ks , providing a listening ear, finding opportunities for new experiences and generally helping someone find a way through what could be a difficult period. You may be accompanying someone on their first visit to a club, or suggesting other opportunities such

To advertise call 01242 510500

Age UK Gloucestershire Volunteering Manager Chris Walker comments: “We are fortunate to already have a large team of active volunteers, and w i t h o u t t h e m we s i m p l y wo u l d n o t be able to continue delivering the level and variety of service we do, but as a charity we are always looking for new volunteers.

We We w welcome elcome v volunteers olunteers off a o all ll a ages ges “ M a n y o l d e r p e o p l e e n j oy t h e benefits of volunteering themselves, as it helps them to keep active, stay connected with others, and some may even discover a hidden talent .

We welcome volunteers of all ages a n d fo r yo u n g e r p e o p l e i t c a n b e a great CV booster as well as helping to develop new and existing skills.”

So what are you waiting for? Contact us about joining the Age UK Gloucestershire Volunteering Team today. For a chat and more information, call Volunteering Manager Chris Walker on 01452 420924, or Life Changes Project Leader Stephen Moore on 01452 420912.

Page 11

An An exciting exciting new new addition addition tto o Gloucester’s Gloucester ’s W estgate R etail P ark.

Westgate Retail Park.

NEW! TRAVEL LOUNGE

R elax and and let let the the experts experts Relax ccraft raft your your d ream holiday. holiday. dream With over over 30 30 years’ years’ With experience, sseasoned easoned experience, ttravel ravel consultant consultant Joe Joe T eixeira h eads u p Norad Norad Teixeira heads up Travel’s n ew ttravel ravel llounge. ounge.

Travel’s new

Call for C all in in or or telephone telephone for an an appointment. appointment.

3 Westgate Westgate House, House, Westgate Westgate Retail Retail Park, Park, T he Island, Island, Gloucester Gloucester GL1 GL1 2RU 2RU The

0 01452 1452 260188 260188

glos@noradtravelgroup.com g los@noradtravelgroup.com

FREE PARKING

Call 0330 0330 160 160 7 7938 938 QUOTE LAA or visit www.newmarketholidays.co.uk www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/llaa aa

Neil Diamond 2 days from £215pp At the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham on 13th October 2017 See Neil Diamond in an unforgettable 50th Anniversary concert at Birmingham’s famously iconic Barclaycard Arena.

TTour our highlights highlights A seated ticket for the Neil Diamond concert at The Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham (face value £65). Ticket upgrades available One night’s bed and buffet breakfast hotel accommodation based on a twin room with private facilities in the Midlands Return hotel to venue coach transfers Visit to Stratford-upon-Avon Coach travel from the local area Escorted by a friendly tour manager For full itinerary or to book visit

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/laa18938 These holidays are organised and operated by Newmarket Air Holidays Ltd. ABTA V7812. ATOL protected 2325. Subject to availability. Single supplements apply. Standard phone charges.

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Holidays H olidays & T Travel ravel w with ith A Al lH Hidden idden

W Watchet atchet w weekend eekend We’ve previously advocated the joys of escaping down the M5 for a quick break . But you needn’t go all the way to Devon or Cornwall to enjoy a refreshing break , as we discovered recently with a spontaneous night away in Watchet’s Exmoor hinterland.

EEnjoy njoy a n nostalgic ostalgic ssteam team ttrain rain rride ide A f te r o u r S a t u r d a y m o r n i n g s t a r t from Cheltenham, it was just over an hour to Bridgwater where we headed cross-country across the gently rising Quantocks to Watchet .

Parking in the Mineral Yard car park , we admired the impressive mural before walking out of town along the Washford trail. The route follows the well-surfaced course of the disused mineral railway that once brought iron ore to Watchet harbour. As you walk (or cycle), you’re never far from the restored West Somerset Railway and its whistling steam engines pulling coffee and cream carriages.

We picnicked on the trail, but if you fancy pub food, you’ll reach the wellreviewed Washford Inn and White The Local Answer

H o r s e I n n a f te r a b o u t 5 0 m i n u t e s .

From Washford, you can either walk back to Watchet or catch the steam train for a short , nostalgic reminder of rail travel’s bygone age.

IIdyllic dyllic W Wood ood A Advent dvent FFarm arm From Watchet station, it ’s a short stroll to the esplanade to say ‘Hi’ to Yankee Jack , admire the yachts and c h e c k o u t t h e g i f t s h o p s b e fo re heading to your accommodation. Of TripAdvisor ’s to p t h re e recommendations, we chose Wood Advent Farm (57 reviews, all fivestar) – a five-mile drive into Exmoor National Park . John and Diane’s working farm, a warm welcome, and delicious tea and cake on arrival is idyllically located down some long, very narrow lanes. We could have eaten there, but opted for the 20 minute walk to enjoy a good dinner at The Valiant Soldier in nearby Roadwater (if it’s dark , take torches).

Next morning, after a great night’s sleep and Diane’s excellent breakfast, we could have (with prior arrangement) done some clay

shooting. As it was, we meandered through the lanes to Watchet and over the Quantocks. If time allows, a stop beside East Quantoxhead’s duck pond and a walk to the fossil-rich beach is rewarding. Alternatively, you could spend the day exploring Exmoor before heading back to Gloucestershire.

A gorgeous gorgeous ccorner orner o off SSouth outh W West est EEngland ngland Either way, you’ll enjoy a weekend in a gorgeous corner of South West England. We loved it so much that we’ve already booked to return!

To advertise call 01242 510500

Page 11

T The he L Local ocal

AN ANSWER SWER

Air Air Holidays Holidays & B Breaks reaks • CCoach oach & Rail Rail Breaks Breaks Theatre, Theatre, SSports ports & EEvents vents • Family Family Fun Fun Breaks Breaks Cruising Cruising • Rock, Rock , P Pop op & LLive ive EEntertainment ntertainment

Fashion Diana: Her Fashion Sto ry Story 2 days from £125pp Departing June 2017 to September 2018 Few people have made such an impact on the world as Diana, Princess of Wales. 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of her death, and at Kensington Palace a new exhibition will celebrate her life.

TTour our highligh highlights ts & inclusions Entrance to Kensington Palace and Diana: Her Fashion Story Visit to Royal Windsor One night’s bed and English breakfast accommodation in a three-star standard hotel in London Coach travel from the local area Escorted by a friendly tour manager For full itinerary or to book visit

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/laa19996

Berlin, C olditz & Colditz Dr esden Dresden 5 days from £519pp Flying direct from an airport near you from June to October 2017 Discover three of erstwhile East Germany’s most glorious cities as we take a peek behind the former Iron Curtain.

Tour highlights our highligh ts Explore Berlin on an included guided tour Time to explore the sparkling university city of Leipzig Step into a world of heroism on a guided tour of Colditz A guided tour of stunning, Baroque Dresden Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager Four nights’ three-star bed and breakfast touring hotel accommodation, return flights and transfers For full itinerary or to book visit

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/laa17728 aa17728 These holidays are organised and operated

by Newmarket Air Holidays Ltd. ABTA V7812. ATOL protected 2325. Subject to availability. Single supplements apply.

Standard phone charges.

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FFor or m more ore iinformation nformation o orr tto ob book ook ccall all

QUOTE QUOTE

AA 0330 0 330 1 160 60 7 7938 938 LLAA Cr oatian Island Cruise Croatian on boar d MS Mendula board 8 days from £1299pp Flying direct from London Gatwick , June to October 2017 A week of blue waters and ports of call.

Tour our highligh highlights ts Visit Scedro, chic Hvar, Verdant Korcula and Roman Split Guided tours of Hvarr, Split, Korcula and Dubrovnik Breakfast each day, five lunches and two evening meals, including the Captain’s Dinner Seven nights’ accommodation on board MS Mendula in a lower deck cabin (upgrade cabins are available at a supplement), return flights and transfers For full itinerary or to book visit

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/laa11514 aa11514

Scottish Sc ottish Highland Railways Railw ays 5 days from £459pp Flying direct form an airport near you from June to October 2017 Experience some of the world’s most spectacular scenery as you journey on three of Scotland’s most scenic railways.

TTour our highligh ts highlights Rail travel from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh Journey on the steam-hauled Strathspey Railway Cross the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct on the 42-mile journey from Fort William to Mallaig Visit the famous Highland resort of Aviemore Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager Four nights’ dinner, bed and Scottish breakfast accommodation, return flights and transfers For full itinerary or to book visit

www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/laa11254

FOR FOR DETAILS DETAILS OF OF TTHE HE ABOVE ABOVE A AND ND M MANY ANY M MORE ORE FFABULOUS ABULOUS H HOLIDAYS OLIDAYS A AND ND TTRIPS RIPS V VISIT ISIT

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1155 MAY MAY – 15 15 JJUNE UNE DAVIDIA DELIGHTS Batsford is home to what’s widely regarded as one of the biggest, oldest and best Davidia Trees in the country. Marvel at thousands of white handkerchief-like bracts as the tree takes centre stage in the arboretum. 9am. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9QB. 01386 701441.

2233 MAY MAY – 11 11 JUNE JU N E BREATH OF FIRE A unique selection of ceramics by a world renowned maker, Jill Fanshawe Kato, who explores many techniques including coiling, slabbing, sculpting, using moulds and throwing and altering. 12 noon.

Wallsworth Hall, Sandhurst, Gloucester GL2 9PA . 01452 731422.

2255 MAY MAY – 5 JUNE JUNE GIFFORDS CIRCUS AT DAYLESFORD ‘Any Port in a Storm’ – another great international team including a Cuban troupe, a Hungarian Csikos rider, a Ukrainian flyer, household favourite Tweedy and the fabulous Giffords Circus band. For details visit giffordscircus.com.

Daylesford Organic Farm, Daylesford near Kingham, GL56 0YG. 01242 572573.

2277 MAY MAY – 3 JUNE JUNE THE BUNNY BOO SHOW A brand new live performance by local production company Noodle telling the story of Bunny Boo’s 13th birthday. As the preparations for his big party are underway, an unexpected twist causes an issue in Bunny Boo’s celebrations. 01453 891900. WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, GL2 7BT. 2277 MAY MAY – 4 JUNE JUNE LEMUR WEEK

As Lemurs are now one of the most threatened groups of mammals on the planet, we are hosting a week of fun activities and keeper talks to help raise awareness and funds for Lemur Conservation in Madagascar. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens, Bradwell Grove, Burford, OX18 4JP. 01993 823006.

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THE WILDLIFE ART SOCIETY Around 300 paintings, drawings, original prints, photographs and sculpture by professional and part-time members of this active organisation will be on display, the majority for sale. Free access to this exhibition without visiting the museum.

12 noon. Wallsworth Hall, Sandhurst, Gloucester GL2 9PA . 01452 731422.

SPRING TO LIFE AT SLIMBRIDGE A celebration of the spring season and all things new at Slimbridge! The leaves are unfolding, birds out on our reserve are singing, butterflies are starting to be seen and new life is appearing across our wetlands. 9.30am. Cost included in normal admission. 01453 891900. WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, Slimbridge GL2 7BT. 3300 MAY MAY – 3 JJUNE UN E ANNIE Abandoned by her parents at birth, ten year old Annie escapes her orphanage to trace their whereabouts and reunite her little family. Outside the orphanage, she encounters New York – a city which promises the American Dream but suffers amidst the slump of depression. However, Annie is sparky and determined. For times and prices visit everymantheatre.org.uk.

The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573.

3300 MAY MAY – 2 JJUNE UN E LIFE UP HIGH If you’ve walked across our Tree Top Walkway you’ll know that not all woodland creatures live on the ground... many make their home in the tree tops, amongst the leaves and branches. Join us in the Learning Centre to discover some of the animals and plants that live high above us, and make finger prints of the creatures you find. 11am-4pm. Free after admission. Westonbirt Arboretum, Westonbirt, Tetbury GL8 8QS. 3311 MAY MAY – 3 JJUNE UN E THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS From the peaceful pleasures of Ratty’s beloved river bank to the fearful frights and wicked weasels of the Wild Wood, join Mole and Ratty on their marvellous adventures, along with gruff old Badger and magnificent Mr. Toad. For times and prices visit everymantheatre.org.uk. The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573.

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2 JUNE JUNE CHELTENHAM CONNECTIONS – THE WOLVES An upbeat acoustic duo that create an extremely full sound from just acoustic guitar, violin and percussion. £6. 11.15am.

0844 576 2210. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA .

THE JIVE ACES Renowned worldwide for their highenergy music and spectacular stage show, this swinging sextet have performed for the Queen, as well as working with Van Morrison and John Travolta. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org. 01684 295074.

GORILLAS, ELEPHANTS AND BADGERS

Ian has been studying and working to conserve gorillas, elephants and other species for more than 40 years. From his base in Stroud, he chairs the Ape Alliance, works closely with the Born Free Foundation on elephant and wildlife trade issues, and set up the UN Great Apes Survival Partnership. 7.30pm. £6 (conc £4).

01453 760900. Stroud Subscription Rooms, George Street, GL5 1AE. 3 JUNE JUNE ROBBIE WILLIAMS TRIBUTE NIGHT Join us for a night of Robbie Williams classics then dance the night away with our party DJ. Includes a 3 course meal and Party DJ! £34.95pp. More details at www.hallmarkhotels.co.uk. Hallmark Hotel, Robinswood Lodge, Matson Lane, Gloucester GL4 6EA . 0330 028 3408.

3-11 3-11 JUNE JUNE AUTOTRAIN WEEKENDS Over the weekends of 3-4 and 10 -11 June we will be replacing our normal diesel railcar service on the red timetable with a steam-worked autotrain using locomotive No. 1450 and auto-coach No. W238, named ‘Chaffinch’. There will be no extra charge to travel on the autotrain but space is limited, so be on the platform in good time! www.gwsr.com. 01242 621405.

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Unique Birthday Parties at The Bird & Deer Park

Give Give your your child hild a magical maggical birthday irthday party party in our our beautiful beautiful gypsy ypsy caravan! caravan!

y g p yp y , Deer Park at Prinknash. The Gypsy Caravan has been a hot favourite for children’s part a twist. The caravan is nestled in a secluded magical part of the park , where miniature donkeys bray, peacocks display and fallow deer graze. This has to be the most wonderful place to host your child’s party, either catered or self-catered – your choice! It is ideal for up to 12 children with 4 adults included, and prices start from £120.

Visitor V isitor Centre Centre The lovely new Oak framed Visitor Centre, complete with a gift shop and offering a range of beverages, has become a destination in itself. Its large balconies are a great place to enjoy a hot drink whilst looking out over the stunning views.

For more information on visits or party bookings call 01452 812727.

O Open pen 7 days days a week week 10am-5pm 10am-5pm • 01452 01452 812727 812727 • www.thebirdpark.com www.thebirdpark.com The T he Bird Bird and and Deer Deer Park, Park, Prinknash, Prinknash, Cranham, Cranham, Gloucester Gloucester GL4 GL4 8EX 8EX

4 JUNE JUNE THE QUO EXPERIENCE A band with an impressively experienced line-up including Shaun Michaels (as Francis Rossi) and Dave Crawte (as Rick Parfitt), who have both featured in quality Quo tribute acts in the past. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org. 01684 295074.

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN An afternoon of sublime English orchestral music for strings featuring one of the country’s top soloists, Dave Le Page. Learn more about the music at a pre-concert talk with David Curtis and David Le Page.

3pm. £14. (concessions £12, under 18s £5). 01453 760900. Stroud Subscription Rooms, George Street, Stroud GL5 1AE. 6 JUNE JUNE JACKIE

Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jackie Kennedy, known for her extraordinary dignity and

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poise, fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy.

7.45pm. £8 (£7). The Bacon Theatre, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6HE. 01242 258002.

66-11 -11 JUNE JUNE CHELTENHAM SCIENCE FESTIVAL A six-day extravaganza with over 200 events celebrating science and the arts.

Hear from leading experts and entertainers and get hands-on in a series of interactive zones. 10am. For details visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science.

01242 850270. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA .

7 JUNE JUNE RSC LIVE: ANTHONY & CLEOPATRA Mark Antony has reached the heights of power and neglects his empire for a life of decadent seduction with his mistress, Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Torn between love and duty, Antony’ss military brilliance deserts him, and his passion leads the lovers to their tragic end. 7pm. £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). The Bacon Theatre, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6HE. 01242 258002.

JUNE 8 JUNE EDGE Immerse yourself in the energy and skill of 14 exceptional dancers as they perform

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unusual work by a collection of new and award-winning choreographers. Prepare to question your expectations and discover your love of dance. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, Glos, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org. 01684 295074.

JUNE 9 JUNE DANCE WITH PAT ANSLOW: SUMMER BALL Spend a summer’s evening dancing in the beautiful settings of the Pittville Pump Room. Take part in Ballroom dancing, Latin American dancing and a few social Sequence Dances. Please note this is a black tie event. 8pm. For further information please contact Pat Anslow: p.anslow.123@btinternet.com. Pittville Pump Room, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham, GL52 3JE. 99-23 -23 JUNE JUNE YEAR OF LITER RA ARY HEROES & YEAR OF LEGENDS 2017 Is Visit England’s Year of Literary Heroes and Visit Wales’s Year of Legends.

Working alongside MOOT In Coleford, we’ll be celebrating by exhibiting some magical sculptures, which aim to inspire imaginations, encourage everyone to put pen to paper or pick up their camera. We will also be running a writing and a photography competition (open to all ages). Puzzlewood, Perrygrove Road, Coleford, GL16 8QB. 01594 833187.

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1100 JUNE JUNE SACRED HEARTS’ SUMMER FETE “Beside the Seaside!” Noon till 3. Punch and Judy, merry go round, bouncy castle, live music, games and stalls, large selection of food and drink. Fun for all the family. Sacred Hearts Catholic Church, Moorend Road, Charlton Kings, GL53 9AU. SAMARITANS TWELFTH CHELTENHAM CRAFT BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL Celebrate the 300th Anniversary of Cheltenham becoming a spa town!

Featuring English Civil War battle reenactments from The Sealed Knot. 40 craft keg beers, craft ciders, Pimms bar, food stalls, live music and children’s activities.

12 noon until 11pm. Tickets £10 (£8 in advance) – available from Favourite Beers (105 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham) or Eventbrite. Old Patesians Club, Leckhampton, Cheltenham GL53 9LG. EMI MCDADE AT BLACKFRIARS PRIORY Best of British nominee, 19 year old Gloucester singer/songwriter Emi McDade launches new single ‘Sweet Return’.

Support from Joe Dolman, IsaacO and Russ Poole. Doors: 7.30pm. Tickets: £4 advance, £5 on the door. www.emimcdade.com WILDFLOWER & ORCHID WALK

Join our reserve manager for a magical behind-the-scenes walk looking for the wetland’s finest wildflowers and orchids.

For various times and prices visit wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge 01453 891900. WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, Slimbridge GL2 7BT. NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: PETER PAN All children, except one, grow up… When Peter Pan, leader of the Lost Boys, loses his shadow, headstrong Wendy helps him to reattach it. In return, she is invited to Neverland, where Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily and Captain Hook await. 2pm. £16.50 (£14.50, students £12.50). The Bacon Theatre, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6HE. 01242 258002.

10-11 10 -11 JUNE JUNE HIDDEN GARDENS & SCULPTURE OF RODBOROUGH A visual extravaganza, with gardeners throwing open their gates to welcome garden enthusiasts and art lovers from all over the county. Homemade cakes, tea and soup on sale, with numerous stalls selling local produce and plants. 11am5pm. £5 per adult (children free). Tickets

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available from Stroud Valleys Project Shop, The Prince Albert, or The Old Endowed School, GL5 3NF. Parking at Stroud RFC, GL5 3HS. rodboroughrealgardens.com.

1111 JUNE JUNE BISHOPS CLEEVE STREET FAIR From 12 noon. Parades, stalls, entertainment, funfair and rescue services display. Folly Gardens Veterinary Practice is organising a Dog Show – entry forms from Folly’s Vets, Badham’s Chemist and George Lewis Footwear. Purchase programmes, to include a raffle ticket for fabulous prizes, from shops along Church Road and on the day. Money raised will be donated to SARA (Severn Area Rescue Association), the Tewkesbury/Cheltenham RNLI and Bishops Cleeve Christmas Lights.

WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES A fantastic family fun day and carer awareness event with information, free music and children’ss entertainment. Craft booths, face painting, food stalls and refreshments from the tea tent and licensed bar. Swap shoes and join in the sponsored walk to raise funds for local carers. Registration £10 (includes t-shirt and goodie bag). 11am. Pittville Pump Rooms, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham, GL52 3JE. MORRIS DANCING Dean Heritage Centre is delighted to host the Forest of Dean Morrismen as part of their annual Festival. Enjoy a great display of this traditional dance, as they join together to celebrate the 47th Forest of Dean Morris Dancing Festival. 10.30am.

Dean Heritage Centre, Camp Mill, Soudley, GL14 2UB. deanheritagecentre.com MARTYN JOSEPH Cardiff’s acclaimed singer songwriter is an incomparable performer with an uncanny knack of fusing fearless, full-bodied ‘songs with a message’ with fragile love songs.

Voted ‘Best Male Artist’ in the 2004 BBC Welsh Music Awards, he has one of the most powerful voices on the acoustic circuit. 7.30pm. £16. 0333 666 3366. Tithe Barn, Bishops Cleeve, GL52 8LU. 15 15 JUNE JUNE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Glinka’s overture to his operatic masterpiece, Ruslan and Ludmila, is full of upbeat exuberance and warm lyricism, making it the perfect opener to this exciting final concert of the Series.

7.30pm. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA . To book visit: cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk. 0844 576 2210.

1166 JUNE JUNE FAIRY & WIZARD WORLD Fairy & Wizard World returns to the Bird Park! Of course dressing up is all part of the fun to set the scene for the face painters who will work their magic!

To advertise call 01242 510500

Children can create their own special make belief home for wizards and faries in the activities tent, followed by lunch in the Gypsy Caravan. 11.30am. £13.50. The Bird and Deer Park , Prinknash, Cranham, Gloucester GL4 8EX. 01452 812727.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Several stories intertwine as Titania, Puck and Bottom present their famous play ‘Pyramus And Thisbe’. Caught in a thrilling web of mistaken identity and confusion, the lovers find their way to a joyous and unforgettable reconciliation. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org. 01684 295074.

BAT WALK Come along and learn more about Woodchester Mansion’s Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats. Enjoy a talk from a member of the Gloucestershire Bat Group, watch the bats live on CCTV in the Bat Observatory and see the bats leave the building at dusk. 8pm. £7. 01453 86154.

For visit: www.woodchestermansion.org.uk 1177 JUNE JUNE THE UKELELE FESTIVAL 2017

Featuring some of the most awesome ukulele acts in the world, together with workshops, stalls, busks, jams, raffles and more. Why not come along and share the ukulele love? 9.00am. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA . To book visit: www.ukulelefestival.co.uk 1188 JUNE JUNE FATHER’S DAY AT BATSFORD

Make Father’s Day even more special this year with free entry to the arboretum for all Dads (on production of a valid child, of course!). The perfect excuse to treat them to a summer walk followed by a slap up home-baked lunch or afternoon tea in the sunshine. 10am. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9QB. 01386 701441.

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Why Why P Paul aul M Morris orris iiss h happier appier tthis his ssummer ummer Paul Morris is enjoying this summer a lot more than he did the summer of 2016.

The Cinderford director of rugby had only taken over as the main man midway though the 2015/16 season and was unable to prevent the club from being relegated to National Two South.

“By mid-May last year I hadn’t got a single contracted player,” he said.

“They were leaving in their droves either because they wanted to stay at National One level or because they wanted to leave the club.”

The contrast with this year is clear for all to see. By mid-May the club had 26 contracted players signed and were also reporting the capture of three new signings – centre Jack Hayes, from Rotherham, tighthead prop James Elliot, from Birmingham Moseley, and wing Kai Little, who h a s j u st f i n i s h e d h i s st u d i e s at Hartpury College. Morris was also

Paul Morris

able to confirm that George Porter would captain the team in 2017/18.

“Last summer I was just signing people at random,” Morris said. “It didn’t matter if I had four scrumhalves and no second rows, I just had to sign some players.

“This year it ’ss been much more specific and I’ve been able to target players in positions that need strengthening.”

N ot t h at M o r r i s h a s b e e n p u t t i n g his feet up since the final whistle

was blown on Cinderford’s season.

“I make at least one rugby related phone call every day,” he said. “I try to keep the weekends clear from rugby and I’m certainly enjoying have Tuesdays and Thursdays free now that there is no training.”

Morris will need to make the most of those free midweek evenings because the players report back for pre-season training soon enough on Tuesday 27th June.

His insistence on carrying out player negotiations face to face also adds to his workload.

“I never make an initial offer in writing,” he said. “I always wait until we’ve shaken hands on it before I put anything in writing.

“That’s the way my dad did things and my grandad. We always shook hands.

“This year it ’s much calmer and I feel we’re driving our destiny now.

“We’ve still got a long way to go but I like the shape of the squad.”

t’s p pitch itch p perfect erfect B Bowlers’ owlers’ h home ome ccomforts omforts IIt’s

Andy Deacon

‘My ‘My rugby rugby inspiration’ inspiration’ Former Cinderford Rugby Club director of rugby Andy Deacon has paid tribute to the influence that John Simonett had on his rugby development.

The one-time Gloucester no.8 was Deacon’s PE teacher at Beaufort School and Deacon said: “He was passionate about rugby. He knew how to run a side and coached and taught us very well. He taught us what rugby was all about.”

Read Andy Deacon’s Q&A on ‘My School Sports Report’ online.

Visitors to Lydney Bowling Club will be made to feel very comfortable this season.

T h a t ' s b e c a u s e t h e c l u b ' s p av i l i o n u n d e r we n t a m a j o r m a k e ov e r l a s t year to coincide with their 90th a n n i ve r s a r y a n d t h e n ew - l o o k facilities are now now being enjoyed by all bowlers.

"It looks very good," said chairman Mick Tinson. "We got the work done in the winter and it was ready for the start of the outdoor season."

Maurice Oliver at Lydney Bowling Club

Scott Griffin numbers Cinderford Town among his former football clubs as a n ow office p l ay e r and is at m a n a g e r / fo o t b a l l s e c re t a r y Cirencester Town.

The 37-year-old former centreforward still watches a lot of football a n d s ay s o n e o f t h e b est t h i n g s about today ’s game is the pitches.

He s aid: “The quality of pitches has improved the s t a n d a r d o f p l ay and there are no longer the battles Scott Griffin on boggy pitches.

Instead you get to see good passing football... most of the time!”

Read Scott Griffin’s Q&A on ‘My Sporting Life’ online.

For full versions of all these stories and more, visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk

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Eddie Jones, front row in hat, with the Foresters Invitational XV and Wayne Barnes, back row, right, in pink shirt

LLydney ydney h hope ope tto ob build uild o on n tthe he actor W Wayne ayne B Barnes arnes ffeelgood eelgood ffactor D ave E m e r y i s h o p i n g t h a t t h e feelgood factor generated by the Wayne Barnes charity match at the e n d o f A p r i l c a n b e c a r r i e d ove r i n t o Lydney’s 2017/18 campaign.

T h e S eve r n s i d e r s h a d a d i f f i c u l t season last time out , finishing in the bottom four in National League Three South West , and are certainly hoping for a big improvement next time around.

The potential of the club was plain f o r a l l to s e e o n S u n d a y 3 0 t h A p r i l w h e n a c r ow d a p p ro a c h i n g 2 , 0 0 0 turned out at the atmospheric ground for international referee Barnes’ match – an annual event, which raises money for Breast Cancer Now. The presence of England head coach Eddie Jones at Regentsholme certainly h e l p e d to sw e l l t h e n u m b e r s a n d Emery, Barnes’ childhood friend who h e l p s to o rg a n i s e t h e a n n u a l m a tc h , admitted weeks later: “I’m still lost for words. I can’t believe how many people turned up. The club was rocking all day.”

Emery, Lydney’s 2nd XV coach, hopes some of that energy will rub off on the club next season and beyond.

“Regentsholme is a lovely venue,” he said. “It’s an old-fashioned ground and we’ve certainly had some big games in the past.

“ I r e m e m b e r w h e n w e p l aye d Saracens in the Pilkington Cup 20 years a g o a n d t h ey ro l l e d u p w i t h M i c h a e l Lynagh, Kyran Bracken and Francois Pienaar. I was only 17 at the time but i t i n s p i re d m e t o p l ay r u g by a t t h e highest level I could.”

This year was the fourth time the charity match has gone ahead – but the first time so many junior teams had been involved as well.

““These These yyoungsters oungsters a are re the the ffuture uture o off tthe he cclub” lub” T h e r e we r e g a m e s i n v o l v i n g a combined girls’ under-13/15 team and boys’ matches for under-10s, a combined under-12/13s and under-8s.

W h a t m a d e i t e ve n m o r e s p e c i a l fo r many of the youngsters was that i n t e r n a t i o n a l re fe r e e s B a r n e s a n d J P Doyle officiated in a couple of the matches.

“These youngsters are the future of the club,” said Emery. “It may be a few years down the line but we want these l o c a l l a d s p ro g re ss i n g i n to t h e f i r s t team.”

Emery said next year’s match would be held on Sunday 6th May to coincide w i t h t h e b a n k h o l i d ay we e k e n d a n d did not rule out another appearance by Jones.

“That would be great ,” said Emery.

“He stayed in the clubhouse until 8 or 9pm and certainly seemed to be enjoying himself.”

If not Jones, who else would Emery like to see make a special appearance? “ J o n ny W i l k i n s o n , ” c a m e t h e q u i c k reply. “He’s a World Cup winner, he’s up there with Eddie Jones. Imagine if we could get both of them.”

Emery, a back row forward who played around 150 first-team games for Lydney, has something in common with Wilkinson – they were both born on 25th May 1979.

“That ’s about the only thing we do share,” laughed Emery. “He got all the r u g by s k i l l s t h a t we re b e i n g h a n d e d out that day and I got left with nothing!

“Maybe if I’d been born a day later I’d have had a bit more talent!”

At least Emery, who was a nonplaying coach of the Forest Invitational XV that took on Wayne Barnes’ XV, escaped injury that day.

Barnes sustained a fractured rib and Emery joked: “I don’t know how he did that . I didn’t see him tackle anyone a n d e ve r y t i m e h e h a d t h e b a l l h e threw it away! Someone must have tripped him up!”

Emery reported that Barnes was “still a b i t s o re ” i n m i d - M ay b u t t h e p a i n was worth it as the charity match raised more than £15,000.

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1188 JUNE JUNE FATHER’S DAY CELEBRATIONS We’re celebrating Father’s Day with a hog roast and some den building fun for dads that come along with their kids. No need to book but numbers may be limited on the day. 11.30am. Puzzlewood, Perrygrove Road, Coleford, GL16 8QB. 01594 833187. www.puzzlewood.net.

FATHER’S DAY AT BERKLEY CASTLE

Enjoy a special Father’s Day Medieval Archery Show and find out how men made their living as an archer. Dads can try their hand at archery and get free entry (with a full paying child) and free lunch (with a full priced main course purchased). Berkeley Castle, GL13 9BQ. 01453 810303. www.berkeley-castle.com LYDBROOK BAND An entertaining afternoon with popular music and solos, all ably directed by the band’s principal conductor Ian Holmes.

3pm. £10 (concessions £8, under 16s £5).

01453 760900. Stroud Subscription Rooms, George Street, Stroud GL5 1AE. 2200 JUNE JUNE LION A five year old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of miles from home and family. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia. Twenty five years later, armed with only a handful of memories, his unwavering determination and a revolutionary technology known as Google Earth, he sets out to find his lost family and finally return to his first home. 7.45pm. £8 (£7). The Bacon Theatre, Shelburne Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6HE. 01242 258002.

2211 JUNE JUNE SUNRISE SWIM Be ready to swim when the sun rises on the longest day of the year at 4.43am.

Normal early morning entrance charges apply and the swim session will run until 9am. Donations for Winston’s Wish gratefully received. The lido cafe will be open from 4.45am so that you can enjoy some food and drink following your swim.

Sandford Parks Lido, Keynsham Road, Cheltenham GL53 7PU. MIDSUMMER FAMILY PORTRAIT EVENING A rare chance to have your family photographed in private, with the Garden and its stunning features as backdrop.

Award-winning photographer Rebecca Northway will capture you on film in

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relaxed surroundings as you explore on a midsummer evening. 5pm. 01452 813 204. Painswick Rococo Garden, Painswick , GL6 6TH. www.rococogarden.org.uk 23 JUNE JUNE 23 CHELTENHAM INTERNATIONAL TANGO FESTIVAL As part of the Cheltenham International Tango Festival we will be offering two workshops for complete beginners to Argentine Tango, an opportunity to practice their new skills during the days, join dancing in the evening; and an inspiring talk on how to interpret the music of tango. For more information and to book , please visit: http://citf.dance 24 24 JUNE JUNE CANTORES CHAMBER CHOIR Song of Songs directed by John Holloway, organist John Wright. Saturday 24th June at Highnam Church. 7.30pm. Glorious music from the Renaissance and 20th Century reflecting the imagery of nature and creation by de Padilla, Guerrero, Victoria, Walton, Sanders, Hadley, Holloway. Tickets £15 available from Cirencester, Cheltenham and Gloucester Tourist Information Centres, 01242 603988, www.cantores.net or on the door.

WILD WESTONBIRT Aged 14-18 and want to learn more about bushcraft and survival? Wild Westonbirt is a youth club with a difference, where you’ll participate in a range of traditional forest and survival skills, including den building, fire lighting, wildlife watching and woodland crafts. Best of all, it’s free!

Just book a place – call 0300 067 4854 or email karen.price@forestry.gsi.gov.uk 25 25 JUNE JUNE BERKELEY HUNT AGRICULTURAL SHOW ON THE MEADOW

Watch Medieval Falconry Displays on our Lower Lawns, meet our falconer and his wonderful birds of prey. Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire, GL13 9BQ. 01453 810303. www.berkeley-castle.com 2277 JUNE JUNE – 2 JJULY ULY ROMEO & JULIET ‘Butterfly We Are’ is coming back to Puzzlewood! During this unique, siteresponsive adaptation of Romeo & Juliet, Butterfly invite you to join the characters as you walk along the paths following the action, whilst the story unfolds all around you. www.puzzlewood.net. Puzzlewood, Perrygrove Road, Coleford, GL16 8QB. 01594 833187.

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2288 JUNE JUNE HOWLERS AT THE HALL Howlers returns with a mighty bang with another cracking line up with Paul Tonkinson, Ivo Graham and Andrew Watts plus support! Over 18s only. £13.50.

8.30pm. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA . To book visit: cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk. 0844 576 2210.

3300 JUNE JUNE – 1 JJULY ULY AS YOU LIKE IT The Handlebards Ladies tour the country by bike and perform Shakespeare outdoors. Witty, intelligent and fit, this is one of our highlights of the year. 6.30pm.

To book visit: www.handlebards.com.

Painswick Rococo Garden, GL6 6TH. 13-15 13-15 JULY JULY A MUSICAL JOURNEY Spend a summer’s evening on ‘A Musical Journey’ with Promenade Productions and Young Promenaders, and support the Sue Ryder Hospice. .30pm. Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham. Tickets £10 (Thursday and Friday) and £12 (Saturday Gala). Call Showcase on 01242 224144 or visit promenadeproductions.co.uk.

1144 JULY JULY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY Want to fine-tune your photography of the natural world? Explore and practice various advanced techniques and subjects such as lighting and exposure and field craft for wildlife photography. Suitable for users of SLR cameras only. Content will be tailored to the needs of attendees. With limited numbers, there will be plenty of time for 1-2-1 tuition. £62.50. 10am. 01453 891223.

WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, GL2 7BT. wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge 221-30 1-30 JULY JULY THE 47TH GUITING MUSIC FESTIVAL This year’s Festival in Guiting Power will be from the 21st to 30th July. The exciting programme includes 11 concerts featuring the best in classical, jazz and contemporary blues. Internationally renowned artists will bring a wonderful variety of music to the heart of the Cotswolds. Tickets available on www.guitingfestival.org 28 28 JULY JULY CHARLIE SHARPLES LADIES NIGHT This evening features a champagne reception, two course dinner and disco.

With Gloucester Rugby players providing a table drinks service, this is your opportunity to get up close and personal with the players. The evening will also see the launch of the Charlie Sharples Testimonial Calendar, which will feature members of the current playing squad like you will have never seen them before.

7pm. Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Prestbury GL50 4SH. For details visit: cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.uk/events

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v THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR 2017 LIONS LOOKING TO BECOME LEGENDS If there’s one thing more exciting than a British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand then it’s a British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand that we can actually win.

Not since 1971 and the heady days of Willie John McBride, JPR Williams and Barry John have the Lions won in New Zealand.

T h o s e t h re e p l a y e r s , a n d m a n y o t h e r s b e s i d e s , h a ve g o n e d ow n i n L i o n s h i s t o r y a n d n ow S a m Warburton and his merry men have a very real opportunity over the next month or so to become legends of the game in their own right.

Merry men they will be if they win, but there won’t be much time for frivolity for the staff and players on this trip. In an age when cash is king, this tour is almost a welcome throwback to yesteryear with high intensity back-to-back matches against the provincial teams, as well as the three-Test series.

It ’s a proper full-blown trip with 10 mouth-watering matches starting with a tour game against New Zealand Provincial Barbarians on Saturday 3rd June and ending with the Third Test against the All Blacks on Saturday 8th July.

If the Lions are to claim a series win, head coach Warren Gatland will need every one of his 41-strong squad – including Gloucester favourites Ross Moriarty and Clermont-bound Greig Laidlaw – to perform to the peak of their powers. Even then it is by no means certain they will succeed. Since 1971 the Lions have toured four times and managed only two wins in 14 games.

It ’s hardly a record to set the pulses racing, so what’s different this time? After all, New Zealand have home advantage and are the World Cup holders. It may be clutching at straws but there is a suspicion, and it is only a suspicion, that the All Blacks are not as strong as they were two years ago.

There is also a belief among some Lions supporters that this could be the tour that England stars, such as second-row trio Maro Itoje, George Kruis and Courtney Lawes, make the final step from being very good players to becoming great players.

If that is the case – and from England’s viewpoint let’s hope so – nearly 50 years of heartache could be about to end for the Lions. Enjoy the ride!

MATCH M ATCH D DATES, ATES, O OPPONENTS PPONENTS & V VENUES ENUES A Allll k kick ick o off ff at at 8 8.35am .35am B BST ST S Saturday aturday 3 3rd rd JJune une

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Rotorua International Stadium Tuesday T uesday 2 20th 0th JJune une

Westpac Stadium, Wellington Saturday S aturday 8th 8th July July

Eden Park, Auckland S Saturday aturday 10th 10th June June

FMG Stadium, Hamilton Saturday S aturday 2 24th 4th JJune une

Eden Park Auckla and

AMI Stadium, Christchurch T Tuesday uesday 113th 3th June June

Eden Park, Auckland T Tuesday uesday 2 27th 7th JJune une

Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin

Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Blues

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Highlanders

Chiefs

NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND Hurricanes

All matches will be shown live on Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD and Sky Go. If you don d t have ccess at home, why not check with venues near you, as many across the county will open their doors specifically for the rugby around 8am – what a great way to start the day!

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IIn nT The he Garden Garden with w ith JJulia ulia Smith Smith

W Watering atering iiss iimportant mportant d during uring tthe he warmer warmer m months onths The weather should now be milder and m o re s e t t l e d ( p e r h a p s ! ) s o yo u c a n transplant courgettes, marrows, p u m p k i n s a n d s q u a s h e s t h a t h a ve b e e n s ow n i n s i d e to yo u r g a rd e n . I f you haven’t got any, sow directly into a prepared piece of ground. Outdoor tomato plants can be put out now as well.

water butt to help conserve the water from your tap. Butts are available now which are very slim and will fit in small spaces.

R Roses oses ffit it iin n jjust ust a about bout e every very sspace pace

Invest Invest in in a watering watering system system At this time of year watering can be a problem, particularly if the weather is warm and windy – it has been extremely dry in the last few weeks.

After writing this we are guaranteed to have monsoon rain for the next month – you will know who to blame!

P o t s a n d w i n d o w b ox e s d e f i n i t e l y need watering daily. Why not buy one of the automatic watering kits the garden centres sell? Pop it on an outdoor tap and it can water a quantity o f h a n g i n g b a s k e t s , p o t s, e t c . ev e r y day, thus taking the drudgery out of it all. It is expensive to plant up these The Local Answer

displays, so to invest in a watering system makes good sense.

A n y n e w l y p l a n te d s h r u b o r perennial will need watering in the first few weeks to keep it healthy until the roots grow. Don’t spray water on e ve r y d ay – u s e a c a n a n d g i v e t h e s u r ro u n d i n g g r o u n d a g o o d s o a k i n g once a week . If the ground is dry, use a whole can to each plant. Water in the early morning or mid-evening, not in the heat of the day. Look at your downpipes from the guttering and see if there is any way you can fit in a

June is a lovely month in the garden, with my favourite plant, the rose, at its best. Roses will fit in just about every space. The David Austin ‘English Roses’ are bred to have the scent and colour o f t h e o l d ro s e s, a n d t h e s h r u b o n e s are ideal to place as a small climber if your space is limited. They also have t h e a d d e d b o n u s o f f l owe r s s t a r t i n g from low down, so you don’t get the bare stems.

I f yo u h ave a l a r g e g a rd e n w i t h a mature tree, you could try growing one of the prolific ramblers like ‘Kiftsgate’ or ‘Rambling Rector’, which work best being allowed to romp up a big tree and do their thing with no pruning. At the end of the month, give your roses their second feed of granular rose food.

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Gadgets G adgets & G Gizmos izmos with with Laura Laura N Nicklin icklin

Say Say h hello ello tto o ssummer! ummer! cosy night in, this mini cooler will be sure to come in handy.

E ve r y o n e k n ow s t h a t i t i s a n u n s p o k e n r u l e fo r B r i t s to immediately invest their energy into two things when summer comes; g et t i n g a t a n a n d g et t i n g o u t t h e BBQ. It’s not truly a British summer unless you see the determined look of a man in a ‘Kiss the chef ’ apron focusing his intensity on how cooked the sausages should be, or arguing w i t h a r e l a t i ve a b o u t how much coal goes in the grill. To properly enjoy this tradition, here are some tools of the trade to help make for the perfect summer.

Roberts R Roberts Revival evival Mini Mini Dab Dab Radio R adio D Dove ove G Grey rey

O Outback utback 3 B Burner urner G Gas as B BBQ BQ If you’re serious about your BBQi n g s k i l l s, t h i s p ro d u c t w i l l n o t only look great in your garden, but it will also take some of the pressure off. No doubt you’ll be the e n v y o f yo u r n e i g h b o u r s w i t h t h i s g a s B B Q s e t fo r £ 1 9 9 . 0 0 , w h i c h i s easily manoeuvrable and great for cooking outdoors.

It comes with all the trimmings, including three high performance burners, a roasting lid, temperature gauge, warming rack and side shelves. It can cook for 12 people, which is good news if you’re hosting a lot of guests, and can even cook up

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to 24 burgers at a time – so no one can complain about being left hungry! The Outback 3 Burner comes in black or silver, and has a 10 year limited warranty.

To really enjoy your summer, you’ll want to chill out to some good m u s i c , a n d yo u c a n d o s o i n s t y l e .

The Roberts Revival Mini Dab R a d i o n ot o n l y h a s a c l a ss i c re t ro l o o k , it ’s also g ot practicality; lightweight and compact, it can re s t o n yo u r w i n d ow s i l l o r chill out in the garden. It also offers the choice of normal or rechargeable batteries, a built-in battery charger, LCD is i Po d display, and compatible.

W i t h 2 0 p re - s e t s t a t i o n s, there’s plenty of choice to find people’s favourite tunes, or if you just want some down-time to yourself, it includes a headphone s o c k e t fo r yo u r ow n l i s te n i n g pleasure. At £105.00, this funky radio w i l l h e l p w i t h yo u r s u m m e r t i m e relaxation.

H Husky usky P Prosecco rosecco 4 46 6 LLitre itre D Drinks rinks CCooler ooler Grilled food and cold drinks make for a great summer combo, and the £119.99 Husky Prosecco 46 Litre Drinks Cooler will make sure you always have refreshingly cold beverages in supply. It has plenty of space to h o l d yo u r r e f r e s h m e n t s , w i t h two shelves and room for up to 10 wine bottles, or 40 cans. It also has a temperature range of 6-15°C, to adjust to your needs.

Whether you’re sharing a few beers over a BBQ, or enjoying your favourite wine during a

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Save S ave t the he P Planet lanet with w ith A Annabel nnabel L Laughton aughton

On On your your bbike! ike!

When was the last time you got out on two wheels? If it was a while ago, June is the perfect month to get back in the saddle – the weather is a bit drier,, and National bike week 2017 (10th to 18th June) has events around the country.

Cycling is a brilliant way to get a ro u n d f o r s h o r t j o u r n e y s a n d commuting to work . A report by Sustrans (sustrans.org.uk) shows that i n t h e U K , t h re e o u t o f f i v e s h o r t journeys (under 5 miles) are made by car. If this was reduced to one in five, carbon emissions would be reduced by 7 . 7 m i l l i o n to n n e s . A n d m a k i n g those short journeys by bike really adds up to measurable improvements in health, and finances – every driver would save around £280 a year if they reduced that three in five to one in five short journeys by car.

Buy Buy a second-hand second-hand bike bike from from a ass llittle ittle a ass £ £30 30 So, if you haven’t got a bike but would like to try cycling again, what are your options? Well, you could buy a second-hand bike from as little as £30 from a bike refurbishment project The Local Answer

such as Reclaim Cycles in Cheltenham first Saturday of every month (vision21.org.uk) or Gloucestershire (vision21.org.uk).

Bike Project in central Gloucester 13 to 24-year-olds in Stroud could (gloucestershirebikeproject.co.uk). check out the Access Bike Project (cscic.org) for an open bike workshop Borrow Borrow a b bike ike ffor or ffree ree as well as second-hand bike sales. If Or, you could try borrowing a bike you feel a little unconfident cycling on Travel fast roads at first , there is a brilliant fo r f re e – Think (thinktravel.info/bike-loan-scheme) series of cycle maps for Tewkesbury, will lend you a bike and accessories Cheltenham and Cirencester, which for free for eight weeks so you can try grades roads according to how busy cycling first . It ’s a great way to get they are, and shows bike parking. b a c k i n , a n d f i g u r e o u t w h a t yo u ’ l l D o w n l o a d f ro m a copy need. If you want to go for new, many cyclecheltenham.org.uk or pick up a employers are signed up to the Cycle copy from a Tourist Information To Work scheme – you could buy a Centre. new commuting bike and accessories tax-free and spread the cost over a U Use se yyour our kknowledge nowledge tto o year or more, saving you around 30%. s support u p p o r t n new e w c cyclists y c l i s t s And, if you have a bike languishing If you’re reading this and thinking “I in a shed or garage, why not wipe it down and get it back on the road? You already do all this” – great! Have you can get a cheap maintenance service thought about using your knowledge at the projects mentioned above, or to support new cyclists? You could you could learn the skills to keep your volunteer at the organisations bike roadworthy yourself. There are mentioned above to teach workshops lots of bike maintenance courses or refurbish bikes, lobby for better around – many bike shops offer paid- cycling facilities at work , or join a for courses, or try the Gloucestershire group campaigning for better Bike Project , or the Regeneration provision for cyclists. Or if you have an Repair Cafe in Cheltenham on the old bike you won’t use, donate it!

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Page 27

Interior Interior Design Design with w ith Maddie Maddie Simpson Simpson

Let’s Let’s g go o tto o tthe he sseaside easide Being back in Devon has given me a lot of inspiration for this piece. How b e t te r t o b r i g h te n u p y o u r h o m e than with a bit of seaside-loving?

You know that feeling when you go to the beach and have a sense of calm, that overwhelming relaxation that causes us all to love the beach so much? This can be easily brought into your home. Why not try painting your bathroom blue, lining the window sill with wooden windmills a n d h a n g i n g b l u e s t r i p y s h ow e r curtains to brighten up your morning routine.

G Give ive tthe he a air ir tthat hat ‘‘beachy’ beachy’ a aroma roma One of the best things about being by the sea is the smell. Yes, you can get that occasional waft of seaweed but one of my all-time favourite scents when I come home is walking along the pier and smel ling candyfloss and doughnuts. An easy

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way to transfer this into your home thoroughly and allow to dry is by using room diffusers, which are • Preheat the hot glue gun. inexpensive and easy to find online.

Working from the inside of the If you’re unable to access the mirror frame, apply the glue in internet, supermarkets usually stock small sections and press shells a range of room diffusers. One of my into the hot glue (BE CAREFUL) personal favourite scents is the sea • Cover the entire frame in shells, salt smell, because it gives using the smaller shells first and the air that ‘beachy ’ the big shells last so that aroma. application is easier As always, I’d like to give you a little DIY task to keep • CLEAN: Glue guns can leave strings of glue behind. To remove the cost down but also these, gently sweep them off give one of your rooms a using a stiff paint brush. Use a seaside appeal... razor edge to remove glue from Seashell Seashell M Mirror irror mirror surface, then generally Materials needed: clean the mirror so it looks • Framed mirror beautiful • Hot glue gun and glue • Leave the mirror to dry and hang sticks wherever you like. This gives your • Seashells – get down to home that beachy, seaside feel, the beach (or eBay) which is desirable and • Stiff paintbrush fashionable.

• Straight razor When I was younger, I made a mirror • Window cleaner very similar to this and I still use it • Cloth or paper towel today. It’s a cute little addition to the Method: house and it’s fun to make on those rainy days – the days you’re longing • If shells were collected from the beach, rinse for the beach!

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WORD WORD SEARCH SEARCH N W S L F R J B N I M Q B E A Y M P V S P Q G L

O U L B P M A X G A Q U M R U D U P J W R N N M

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B U N E G O M W E R B T V T O R M B R L N C O Z

S N C L G C T R D I M X E T K Z P N W A S K O K

E U R S D K E E G O G K Q K M L G Z A M R X C Z

E C X X E T F Q Y O O T D A L A S N V H V S O V

W U U Q L A F M R T D O Z C Y A T P F S U J U A

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HOTDOG MARINADE MARSHMALLOWS MATCHES MEAT PICNIC PRAWNS RELAX ROTISSERIE

RIBS ROLL SALAD SKEWER STEAK SUMMER TOMATO KETCHUP

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Quick Crossword ACROSS 1 5 7 8 9 12 15 19 21 22 23 24

DOWN

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TThe he h hard ard w work ork sstarts tarts h here ere Hardly a conversation around the dinner table takes place at the moment without mention of ‘Brexit ’, the horriblyentitled name given to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union. Will it be soft or hard? What impact will the snap General Election in a few days have on the outcome?

The Prime Minister has told us that ‘Brexit means Brexit’, earning the congratulations of many for seeing through the country’s wishes as expressed in the referendum nearly a year ago, but striking fear into the hearts of many others that this is an exit at all costs. We’ve seen some strange results at the ballot box over the last twelve months, but unless the opinion polls have it horribly wrong, Mrs May will be returned to power in early June with what she sees as a proper mandate from the country for us to leave the EU. For the PM and her team, the hard work starts here.

There will be many elements to the negotiations, but it will be immigration and trade that occupy the majority of the headlines and presumably most of the government ’s negotiating time. So what is there that we can do to help w h i l s t n e g o t i a t i o n s a re i n p ro g r e s s ? A n s we r – a b s o l u t e l y nothing. We had our say at the ballot box a year ago and now we are powerless to affect what the government does for the pound in our pocket. At least it will be a pound not a euro!

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We all work hard, whether within our business or at home to balance the books. We don’t like times of uncertainty because it doesn’t enable us to plan. In fact, we don’t like anything outside our control, but we have to accept that it is for others to determine, for example, the rates at which w e p ay o u r t a x e s , t h e i n t e re s t t h a t i s c h a r g e d o n o u r mortgages and how much our British pound is worth when we try to spend it abroad.

That’s ok , because all of these things are a function of the government ’s economic and fiscal strategy. It ’s all done according to a plan. We might not like that plan, but at least we have a clear picture of what it is.

For the next two years that plan is on hold while the PM and her team try to persuade 27 other EU countries to dance to our tune over the terms of Brexit. I don’t think they will be terribly keen to tango and we all know it takes two to do that.

Small businesses and many of our larger ones too all over the country are urging the PM to make it a ‘business-led Brexit’, with as good a free trade agreement as we can get, which will enable exporters and importers alike to continue to operate as similarly as they do now with our European neighbours.

If the PM didn’t have a hard enough job running the country, she will need to bring her ‘A game’ to the negotiating table if our pockets are not going to regret the triggering of Article 50.

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