The Local
A NS W E R
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE
NORTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE SPECIAL ISSUE CELEBRA ATTING OUR 10th ANNIVERSA
MARCH 2019
The Loc al
ANSWER North Gloucestershire – 20,000 copies Cheltenham – 43,000 copies Cotswolds – 30,000 copies Gloucester – 46,000 copies Stroud District – 41,000 copies
Managing Director Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Editorial & Marketing Lois Kingscott editorial@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Helen Kingscott
Sport Roger Jackson sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Entertainment Tom Hadfield To entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Customer Services Kevin Vaughan-Spruce services@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Claudie Francis production@thelocalanswer.co.uk
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Weelcome l to March M ... Here at The Local Answer we are extremely excite ed to be marking 10 years of the magazine! m Head over to the centre spread for a fe ew words from Dave and some exciting anouncem ments on how we w will be celebrating throughout the t year. You may notice as you flick through tha Yo at most of our editorials e this month have a birtthday or anniversary theme. We hope that yo ou enjoy readin ng them and hopefully, if you have a special occasion coming up, up you you’ll ll find them m a great source e of inspiration. One way in which we will be celebrating is with some special offers. We want to start relationships with even e more local organisations this year and beyon nd, so head inside to check out these offers and perhaps we could help you to promote your goodss, services or events in 2019.
Inside this month ... TLA Offers Delicious Dish Looking Good, Feeling Great Medical Health Word Search Mirror Mirror on the Wall Motoring Pet Care TLA Entertainment Holidays & Travel What’s On Distributors Required Parenting & Guardianship TLA 10th Birthday Celebrations Homes & Gardens In the Garden Wildlife Matters Gadgets & Gizmos Interior Design Quick Crossword Save the Planet Sudoku Money Matters TLA Sport Index, Competitions, Solutions
4 5 9 11 12 13 15 17 18-19 20 21 22 23 26-27 28 33 35 37 39 41 43 47 47 48-49 50 Page 3
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Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott
Birthday cake! c We couldn’t let our 10th Birthday pass without sharing a birthday cake recipe, could we?! Ingredients: 225g caster sugar; 225g g butter or margarine, softened to room temperature; 4 large eggs; 225g sponge flour, fl sifted; if d whipped hi d double d bl cream and raspberry jam for the middle; icing sugar to decorate. Method: 1 Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/gas mark 5). Grease two 8 inch sandwich tins and then dust with flour. 2 In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until you get a creamy texture. 3 Add the eggs one at a time and beat the mixture until it is combined. If there is a bit of separation in the mixture, just add a tablespoon of flour. 4 Fold in the flour a few tablespoons at a time. 5 Divide the mixture between the two sandwich tins and make sure the surfaces are level. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sponges are golden and a skewer comes out clean. 6 Once the sponges are cooked, leave them in their tins for 5-10 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Whilst THE LOCAL ANSWER
you are waiting you could whip the e double crea am. 7 Spre ead a layer of jam on the bottom sponge, follo owed by a layer of cream. Carefully place the second sponge on top. 8 Dust the cake with some icing sugar to deco orate and add the candles when you’re read dy to sing Happy Birthday! Tips: 1. Don n’t open the oven to check your cakes until you are at least two thirds of the way through the to otal bake time. Yo You don’t want to risk the spong ges not rising properly. 2. Usin ng sponge flour instead of self-raising flour makess the cake extra light. 3. Beccause eggs can vary so much in size and weigh ht, you can weigh them together and then use th hat amount for each of the sugar, r, butter and flour measurements. m 4. Whether you like to smother your cakes with butterr cream, design magnificent creations using fondant icing, or prefer a simple dusting of icin ng sugar to finish your masterpiece, make sure you y have fun while baking and decorating!
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Looking Good, Feeling Great with Will Mbanga
Begin with the end e in mind d Too often, ft we know k what’s h t’ good d for us or the right decision to make, but struggle to follow through because it’s hard or requires some kind of commitment – time, effort, finance, etc. Anything worth doing in life is hard and takes commitment, but when you look back on an achievement, it is always worth the input. For 10 years now, The Local Answer team have been building, developing and improving their business in both print and digital media, to meet the needs of local people and businesses. This required a vision of what that would look like (which is allowed to change over time), commitment and daily habits/ work toward meeting deadlines and running a business operation. Congratulations on 10 years and here’s to many more! Two months into 2019, many Tw of us will be elbow deep in our own New Ye Year’s resolutions and will have either started to see results and get some reward, or are beating ourselves up because of opportunities lost. Either way, life continues and it is only on looking back to reflect that we realise just how amazing, strong, committed and hard working we have been when we achieve something significant or learn through reflection, the lessons from mistakes made.
Dreams D eams and goals are ae an important part of personal growth While it is important to “live in the moment”, to be present and experience your life fully, having dreams, setting goals, reaching milestones, making mistakes and learning lessons THE LOCAL ANSWER
are all an important pa art of the personal growth processs. Sometimes, we all nee ed a little help to achieve our pottential or overcome our challeng ges – the focus here is not so much m on who or what, but rather how to reach y your ‘Everest’. In his book ‘The Seven Habits off Highly Effective People’, the late Dr. Steven Covey wrote: “H Habit no. 2 – Begin with the end in mind, meaning that when you u set out to achieve something,, picture what it will look like when w it is completed and then n work backwards to the start.” ” Take any one of yo Ta our New Year’s resolutions – weight loss, Ye sleeping better, ex xercising more – and think abo out what that would look like to you. If it was to enrol in further education, what will your new skills and knowledge empower you to do? If it was to o build a business, improve a relationship, go on an adven nture or some other big goal, y you have to believe first, an nd then commit.
Create a mental picture, p then put in the work w You see, the power of habit no. 2 lies in the fact thatt you first create a mental picture e of your success – how you will look or feel, what you will achieve or create, how you will have helped people or created something. Then, you put in the work; effort, finance, time or other resources needed to bring this to life by taking action. Your double commitment to Yo achieving whatever it is you’ve set out – first in your mind by seeing it, then in the physical realm by acting on it – is what will enable you to achieve your dreams or intentions, realise your goals and mount your ‘Everest’. It’s not too late to start – even if you haven’t managed to stick to your resolution or change your habits to help achieve that goal yet, there is no time like the present to begin. And remember, your finish line is unique to you – don’t worry about everyone else’s.
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Medical Health with Holly Hannigan
Hypnosis for childbirth c As it’s A it’ our 10th birthday bi thd issue, i I thought I would discuss something many of us have celebrated at some point in our lives – the birth of a child. Hypnotherapy for pregnancy and childbirth is now back in the public eye and gaining popularity. This is particularly thanks to celebrities such as The Dutchess of Cambridge, Jessica Alba, Gisele Bundchen and Fearne Cotton, amongst others, who have all openly p y discussed their personal, positive experiences of using hypnosis for childbirth. Modern day advances in science and technology have been incredible, but have unfortunately led to inducing fear and the dramatisation of childbirth. It has almost become expected due to films, TV shows and word of mouth, that labour will be a long, painful and miserable experience, and you will need as mu much ch pain relief and interventio ons the medical staff can give you. y This is not the case fo or many people and we should remember that wome en have been giving birth sin nce we came into existencce and
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continue to do so everry single day around the world without medical intervention.
Focus your breatthing and use visualisa ation A woman’s body is designed d to grow a baby and give e birth to it, so using hypnosis rem minds us of this, and that insstead of fighting g g the contractio ons and viewing them as pain, it gets you to focus your breathing, use visualisation and see s each contraction as a natural pressure that is bringing your baby closer to you. The main reason hypnosis h works in childb birth is because when you y are completely relaxe ed, free from fear and tension, your uterine muscles can n work as nature intended, helping you give birth more easily. Without fear and stress, your body can produce more endorphins – a natural relaxant and pain killer – and replace the stress hormones that can cause your muscles to te ense up and tighten, which h can be the main source of pain. TO ADVERTISE CALL
The benefits of using hypnosis h in childbirth include: • Reducing anxiety and d stress • Shorter first and second stages of labour • Fewer surgical births • A high rate of succcess in assisting breech-presented babies to turn into the e appropriate birthing gp position with the use of posture and hypnosis • Hypnosis techniques work effectively with home births, water births, hospital births, birthing centres – wherever you choose to give birth it doesn’t make a difference • Reduced risk of postnatal depression • Baby benefits from a calm, gentle birth, reducing the likelihood of baby getting distressed There will be some situations where medical intervention is necessary for the safety of mother or baby, and it is always important to listen to health professionals. Remember, it’s your birth and your baby’s birthday, so make it memorable for all the right reasons. PAGE
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Mirror Mirror on the W Wa all with Val Starr
Anniversary jewelle er y The romantics among us will be aware of the age-old tradition of giving wedding anniversary gifts that have a different theme each year. Paper for the first anniversary, cotton for the second, leather for the third, and so on. As the years go by, gemstones and precious metals come to the fore, which can result in some really beautiful gifts being exchanged. Different anniversaries hold special meaning for different p people, p but I will highlight three of the major milestones where precious stones can be given to remember that very special day.
Pearl – 30th Anniversary Pearls can be natural or cultured and it is often hard to distinguish between the two except in the price, natural being the more expensive. Pearls have historically been given to celebrate important milestones and they have rarely gone out of favour. A fascinating story of o pearls dates back to 1918 whe en Lady Northcliffe, the wife of a press baron, had the wonderrful idea of a fundraising camp paign to support the war effo ort. She asked all her aristocraticc friends
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to donate a single pea arll – most ladies in that era e wore them. The donated pearls would be restrung and auctioned to ra aise much needed funds for wounded troops. It became known as The T Red Cross Pearl Appeal. Queen Alexandra was one of th he first to donate and she was quickly followed by most off British society. The huge succe ess of the appeal pp inspired p women from all walks of life to particip pate and this extended across th he globe. ‘Pearls before Poppie es’ is a fascinating book by Rachel Trethewey about the Appeal and is well worth reading. Perhaps the book could accompa any your pearl anniversary gift.
Gold – 50th Anniversary The first evidence of go old dates back to ancient Egyptt. It was prized by pharaohs and even the capstones of th he Giza Pyramids were made fro om solid gold. California in 18 849 was known for the famed go old rush, so when you next buy an item of gold jewellery give a thought to the history. Gold comes in severa al carats,
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24 being the purest, folllowed by 18 carat at 75% pure and d 14 carat at 58.5% pure. The price of gold changes according to the t carat purity. Gold bars are se een as an investment in the uncertain u currency markets, ho owever I doubt if many of us are are buying gold bars as an anniversary gift! Instead, perhaps a gold chain, cufflinks or earrings would put a smile on your loved one’s face.
Diamond – 60th Anniversary Diamonds are not called a girl’s best friend for nothing! They are a magnificent, hardy stone and come in so many brilliant settings; certainly there is one out there to suit every style and budget. It is worth bearing in mind the four Cs of diamonds; cut, colour, clarity and carat weight, which are all reflected in the price. If you can afford the real thing then it can often be seen as an investment. For those on a tighter budget, simulated diamonds are now so well made that you’d often need a jeweller to distinguish the fake from the real deal. Many people often now travel with ssimulated imulated jewellery, which looks wonderful and eliminates the worry of losing an expensive item of jewellery. Whatever anniversary y you are celebrating this year, r, nothing beats the magic of opening that special box and seeing someone smile! PAGE
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Motoring with Toby Aiken
A veh hicle that tu urns heads I’ll be completely honesst, when I first heard that the ere was going to be a convertible version of the Evoque e, I was dubious to say the leastt. Range Rover were hailing it as the world’s first convertib ble SUV, and I couldn’t help bu ut think that perhaps the reason reason it was the first was that there wasn’t really a calling for it. In fairness though, I suspect the Research and Development department of Jaguar Land Rover probably knows its customers better than I do…
The design has been given a lot of thought So, preconceptions aside, when the Evoque arrived at my office, it immediately drew mixed opinions – some loved it, some were dubious, some were just confused. And for me, I was actually impressed. I’ve always liked the Evoque (with a few minor reservations) and the design of the convertible has been given a lot of thought – it looks good with the top up or down. For a THE LOCAL ANSWER
real test, we took it to th he South Coast for a long weekend. My review model wass a great looking dark grey with a matching dark hood and ebony leather seats, and had a great range of toys and gadg gets that you’d expect on an SUV costing close to £50,0 £50 000. 0 000 Full parking sensors, a great reversing camera, autto lights and wipers, heated d seats (which remain untestted as I reviewed this in the summer) and a much improved sat nav system all complime ented a very comfortable cab bin with room for a family trip away a for a long weekend. Boo ot space was slightly restricted d due to the hood, but that’ss to be expected, and as we’re past the need for a buggy now, now tthis was ample for our needs. You don’t get five seats – there are just two in tthe rear due to the intrusion of the roof mechanisms at the sides. However, you can seatt four in comfort and that’s with child seat in place, so it’s deffinitely a suitable family car. The three-
door arrangement didn n’t really affect rear access, and d getting kids in and out wasn’t w a problem, even when they’d fallen asleep! Oh, and the roof mecchanism is virtually silent, which h considering the complex folding arrangement to fit into o a small space, was impressive indeed, as was the car on the whole.
The world does need a convertible SUV I’ve mentioned the improved sat nav – that was one of my issues when I tested the full size Evoque a few years ago, along with the gearbox. I’m pleased to say that the new TD4 engine and nine speed automatic box are a dramatic improvement, making for a much more pleasant experience all round. The engine pulls well, the gearbox is smooth and capable, the spec is great and it turns heads. All in all, the car really grew on me. I’ve decided that the world does need a convertible SUV and the Evoque is it.
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Pet Care with Oliver Wilkinson of Dragon Vet Centre
What is canine lungworm? Tewke kesbu ury ry New Veterinary y Care in Tewkesbu ury Dragon Vets now has a new Tewkeesbury branch; we have taken over the owneership of 31 Church Street in Tewkesbury. We will be providing the same high quality veeterinary care and advanced treatment that haas been our trademark in Cheltenham for overr 50 years.
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Most pet owners know they should worm their dogs against gut parasites. Traditionally, a 3monthly thl worming i t bl t covered tablet d against i t the th common gut worms that dogs would pick up – tapeworms, hookworms, whipworms and roundworms. However, r, not all dog owners are familiar with the oddity that is the canine lungworm. Angiostrongylus vasorum was first discovered in France over 100 years ago. It is a particularly problematic parasite that is ingested by dogs in its larval form, either directly from the environment or via one of its intermediate hosts (snails and slugs). Once inside the digestive system the larvae embark on a rather circuitous journey, migrating through the wall of the gut into the lymph system. From there they enter the blood stream and pass through the liver and onto the heart and pulmonary arteries. Here they mature and reproduce, laying eggs that then hatch and release more larvae that are carried through the blood vessels to the lung tissue through which they penetrate before finally being coughed up, swallowed and excreted in the faeces. Then the whole cycle starts again.
The parasite can cause many problems As you can imagine, a parasite that travels so extensively through the canine body can cause all sorts of problems. problems Mild symptoms such as a cough may be the only outward sign, but potentially much more serious illnesses can develop such as breathing difficulties, exercise intolerance, lung damage, heart failure and bleeding disorders. Cases are thought to be on the rise and the incidence of lungworm in native fox populations has shown a significant increase in prevalence over the last 10 years, highlighting the spread of the parasite and increased risk to the dog population. It is impossible to prevent dogs being exposed while out on walks, but prevention is relatively straight-forward. An appropriate monthly worming treatment (that also treats inte intestinal stinal worms) prevents established infections and the destructive migration of larvae through the lun ng tissues. If you are worried about your dog being protected, speak to your vet aboutt what parasite treatments prevent lungworm infecctions.
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Entertainment
If you have a story to share, please email full details to TToom. with Tom Hadfield ‒ entertainment@thelocalanswer.co.uk
TADS take t on Te Terry Pratchett sto ory The Te Tewkesbury Arts an nd Drama Society (TA TADS) D have been putting on o productions in the town for over 45 years. Throughout this time they have put on a huge variety of different performances, from comedy to drama, Shakespeare to original shows. “I first got involved with TADS in 1994 – or it might TA have been 1993,” said Brenda Read-Brown, TA TADS secretary and director of their latest production. “I’ve always liked the fact that TADS puts on productions that TA aren’t just the usual amateur drama things, we try to be adventurous.” This month the group will be taking on a production from one of Britain’s best loved writers – Terry Pratchett. Te
The cast and crew of ‘Wyrd Sisters’. Picture: Andy Smitth
‘Wyrd Sisters’ will be at the Roses Theatre on Satu urday 23rd and Sunday 24th March, and tells the story of three witches, a murdered king and a whole lot more. Brenda continued: “It “ owes a lot to Shakespeare, bu ut is much, much funnier. “It sounds as if it’s so ome weird fantasy, but Te Terry Pratchett
Film Review – Joe Kennett Green Book
Based on a true story, pianist Don Shirley embarks on a tour of the Deep South in the 1960s with Tony Vallelonga serving as his driver/ bodyguard. Viggo Mortensen (Vallelonga) and Mahershala Ali (Shirley) both earned Oscar nominations for this film and play two distinct opposites. Don has no respect for Tony to begin with, and vice versa – they make an agreement that Tony is working for Don, and nothing more. Every stop on the tour presents a different challenge for the duo, and they grow with each stop. Before they depart, Tony is given the Green Book, a guide to where is safe for blacck travellers to eat, drink and sleep. When Don strays from m the book’s defined path, he fa aces trouble. The acting is superb and the pace e is perfect. The film has all th he attributes of an awardwinn ning picture. Full review online.
really writes about a people just like us.” Brenda who lives just Brenda, over the coun nty border in Bredon, Worce estershire, is a freelance wrriter and also the Glouceste ershire Poet Laureate. The writer of several award-winnin ng plays, she has directed a number of one-act playss, but as she puts it, “never anything this big”. “I’ve wanted for some s time to direct this play, butt I thought it would be impossiblle for a small group such as TADS,” she explained. “Rehearsals are going very well. The cast are pretty well word-perfect now. “Everyone is enjo oying themselves – I’ve got a terrific cast and a wonderful cre ew.” Full story online.
Book Review – Aloÿse of Daylesford Book Club Educated by Tara Westover Tara a Westover Westover’ss memoir is a powerful p story of a Mormon upbringing in rural Idah ho during the 1990s. Sh he realises at an early age that the only way to esca ape her extraordinary and brutal family is to leave hom me, get an education and find her own way. Tara, the youngest of Ta seve en children, had no birth h certificate, no medical recorrds and no scho ooling. Her father, a religious fana atic who was conv vinced the world was g going g to end at the millennium, was controlling in the extreme. She writes with compassion. Her prose is exceptional, the story compelling. There is no blame, just a sadness that in order to achieve her goal she must sever all ties with her family. Tara was saved by the power of books or as she Ta herself puts it in the last line of the book – “an education.” Full review online.
Above is a selection from local entertainment stories available online ...
Art • Events • Experiences • Film • Lifestyle Literature • Music • Reviews • Theatre • TV
Cate Cody on her love of jazz There can’t be many singers so passionately loyal and dedicated to a type of music as Cate Cody is. The Gloucestershire singer is a jazz aficionado, and the way she speaks about the genre is a clear sign of her love for it. “For me, jazz is deep and endlessly interesting. It’s the music I want to listen to, sing and dance to. “It can be mellow, emotional, exciting, inspirational, fun and passionate – what’s not to like?” Cate has been living in Gloucestershire for 25 years and singing all he er life, with her first solo at just six years old. She becam me a professional singer in 2003, after discovering the genre she e now calls home. “Someone said to me: “you should sing jazz, it would suit your voice.” I had only heard of Louis Armsstrong and Billie
Cate Cody
Holiday, so o I went to the library and borrow wed some CDs. “I listene ed for a week or two, thinking itt was all a bit the same, then n something clicked, and I fell in love with jazz and never loo oked back. I even chucked out o all of my other music, it felt so bland in comparison. “I slightly y envy those who love all genress, but other than a
handful of songs and some classical and opera, I just don’t get the same buzz that I do from jazz, no m matter how hard I try.” This m month, Cate will be performing at both the Roses Theatre on Sunday 3rd March, and the Bishop’s Cleeve Tithe Barn, on Sunday 17th March. “The g great thing about these two forthcoming shows is the differencce between them,” she explaine ed. “The m material I’ll be singing at the Rosses will come mostly from ‘T The Great American Songboo ok’ – classic songs that virtually play themselves. “Our Tithe Barn picnic supper gig is a always great fun and features the larger band – we will be p playing some less wellknown m material, perhaps less sophisticcated songs, but just as hot and ssuper swinging.” Full story y online.
Tewkkesbury Rotarry Club annuaal concert Tewkesbury Rotary Club and Gloucesstershire Music Service are e holding a concert on Saturday 23rd March at Te Tewkesbury w Abbey, with over 12 20 young musicians and singers taking part. This is the 14th annual charity con ncert featuring Gloucestersh hire Youth Orchestra organ nised by the Rotary Club,, and this year the proceeds will be donated to the Sue Ryder Hospice in Leckhampton n. The Glouccestershire Youth Orchestra is made up of young musicians from all over the county and is led by former member a and experienced conductor Jo on Trim. “It’s a high hlight of my year conducting at a the Abbey,” he
Teewkesbury w Abbey
said. “It’s a wonderful venue with great acoustics. “We’ll be doing big, popular classics and then finishing with a joint performance with the Gloucestershire County Youth Choir.” Previous concerts have supported both local and inter-
natio onal charities including Youth h at Heart, Barnardo’s, CICRA A and many other Rotarry Charities. As well as raising money for ch harity, the concert gives young musicians the oppo ortunity to play at an iconic venue, in front of an audie ence of around 400 people. “I’ve been conducting the Glouccestershire Youth Orchestra for the last three years and eve ery year it’s a lovely occasion,” he continued. “It’s always well supported and as well as raising money for charity it also showcases the top young musicians we have.” Tickets are available from both The Abbey shop and the Sue Ryder shop in Te Tewkesbury. Full story online.
For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk
Holidays & Travel with Al Hidden
Happy birthdayy holidays As you read A d this, thi our favourite f it Gloucestershire local magazine is proudly celebrating its tenth birthday. Asked to incorporate a birthday theme in this month’s column got me thinking about trips – in the UK and abroad – that my wife and I have made to celebrate our birthdays over the last decade.
Combine those memories Whether it was a weekend on the Quantocks or two-weeks exploring Hokkaido, Japan, the stand-out point has been how associating a trip with a birthday combines memories of both. Sometimes they’re ‘big’ birthdays and sometimes they’re just ‘another year older’ celebrations. Whether you’re toasting the big day with frosted breath in Zagreb, Croatia or in Sicily Croatia, Sicily’ss su sunshine unshine, combining a birthday with a trip is the stuff of special memories. Isn’t that what holidays are all about?
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Birthday trips bring g perks Birthday travel often n brings nice little perks too – esspecially if you mention the cele ebration to airlines and hotelss! Unexpected treats such as sharing a free bottle of champag gne high over the Austrian Alps one year, or being given a celebratory room upgrade, are just a couple l off perks k tha hat we’ve ’ enjoyed over the yearss. Even if, occasionally, birthday trips don’t quite go to t plan, unforgettable memories wait to be mad de. I’m particularly recalling r a horse na amed El Soberano, an ambulance ride, a hospital visit and a broken wrist on my y wife’s fiftieth in El Calafate, C Argentina, g , a couple of years ag go. And the birthda ay cake shared with w a delightful Canadian family when n we got back to the ranch at midnight. An nd being spoiled rottten by BA’ A’s crew on the WWW.THELOCALANSWER.CO.UK
long flight home fro om São Paulo!
Special places and a special timess From Buenos Aires to Kyoto, and Barbados to Totne es, every one of our birthday trips has provided an unforrgettable anchor to link specia al times with extraordinary places. places If you’ve ever done the same, you’ll know exactly what I mean. If you haven’t, maybe this is the year to combine a birthday and a holiday. So where will I be as The Local Answer celebrates its decennial? Let me just say that it’s (very) cold there in March, steeped in magical legend and folklore, and the birthday drinks will be among the most expensive in the world – which rules out lots of places, including Adelaide, Australia. You’ll just have to keep reading this column during 2019 to find out. In the meantime, here’s wishing The Local Answer a very happy birthday. I wonder where they’re headed over the next 10 years! THE LOCAL ANSWER
What s On The Local Answer Event Listings are compiled and pre esented in good faith with the kind support of many contributors. We recommend you use the contact details provided to check event information updates prior to planning your visit. 12 FEBRUARY – 27 MARCH STRIKE A LIGHT FESTIVA VAL
A festival to make theatre and performing arts more accessible to the everyday public. With high quality contemporary performances, from dance and theatre to poetry and spoken word. For full details of the f i l please festival l visit i i www.strikealightfestival.org.uk 16 FEBRUARY – 28 APRIL LAMBING AT AT COTSWOLD FA FARM M PA PARK
With the first bleats of new arrivaals and the anticipation of many more in the air, l bi is lambing i our favourite f it time ti off year!! We hope you’ll come and share it with us; settle yourselves down in the Animal Barn and keep your eyes peeled. Join us for daily talks from our team, access to our lambing shed, bottle feeding our lambs and goat kids, Farm Safari rides, Adventure Barn and
Dolly’s Den soft play and much more! m For full details please visit www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk. Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Pow wer,r, Cheltenham, GL54 5FL. 27 FEBRUARY – 16 MARCH CHELT LTENHAM FOLK AT AT CHAPEL ARTS A portrait of Cheltenham Folk. A unique photographic study celebrating the diversity of people in Cheltenham. By Marksteen Adamson. Weds--Sat, 10am-4pm. www.thechapelarts..com 28 FEBRUARY & 3 MARCH ROCK AND A HARD PLACE A new play in aid of Stroud Wom men’s Refuge. Kayleigh, a talented teennager whose life is full of promise, expeeriences a cycle of domestic abuse until Aunty A Jan helps her find a way out. Strroud Subscription Rooms. 7.30pm. 28th February. subscriptionrooms.orgg.uk Chantry Centre, Dursley. 4pm. 3rd March. www.eventbrite.co.uk Students FREE. 3 MARCH CAT ATE CODY “I’m old-fashioned...” sings Cate Cody in a hauntingly beautiful voice that t has been compared to a young Peggy Lee. She might well be describing herself, because these days it’ss very rare to find a jazz chanteuse wiith suchh authentic th ti phrasing, h i who h genuinely understands the nuances, and is capable of capturing the idiomatic gradations and modulations required to swing. 2pm. £15. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org
6-9 MARCH AN EVENING OF TWO ONE-ACT PLA AY YS Suddenly and without warning, two men named Kevin find themselves dead and in the waiting room of Afterlife Relocation Services (Earth Division). The problem is only one of them should be dead, but no-one seems to know which one. And as if death wasn’t hard enough, there’s no way back and it seems no practical way forward either. 7.30pm. For prices visit kingstheatregloucester.co.uk. The Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, Gloucester, GL1 1QX. 7 MARCH ROCK FOR HEROES Bringing the perfect combination of your favourite Rock and Pop artists across the eras, fundraising in support of Help for Heroes. Performed by a full live rock band and superb singers, complete with brilliant personalities and comedy value this really is a night out unlike any other. With music from artists such as Queen, David Bowie, Bryan Adams, AC/DC and many more. 8pm. £17.50 (£15.50 conc). Stroud Subscription Rooms, George Street, GL5 1AE. subscriptionrooms.org.uk RANAGRI Alt folk band Ranagri are a combination of Irish and English musicians; Dónal Rogers (Vocals/Guitar), Eliza Marshall (Flutes/ Whistles), Ellie Turner (Electric Harp) and Joe Danks (Bodhrán/Guitar). 8.30pm. The Prince Albert, Rodborough Hill, Stroud, GL5 3SS. www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk
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8 MARCH ROCK AND A HARD PLACE A new play in aid of Stroud Women’s Refuge. Kayleigh is a talented teenager whose life is full of promise. She finds herself in a cycle of domestic abuse from which there seems no escape until Aunty Jan helps her find a way out. 7.30pm. The Sundial Theatre, Cirencester. www.sundial-theatre.co.uk Students FREE. CHELTENHAM LADIES’ COLLEGE SPRING CONCERT The programme will open with three concerto movements performed by senior music scholars in their final year at College. The Symphony Orchestra will conclude the first half with Beethoven Symphony No. 5; and the 2nd half of the concert will feature Mozart’s Requiem, sung by CLC’s Choral Society. 7.30pm. £7.50. Pittville Pump Room, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham GL52 3JE. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk HARBOTTLE AND JONAS Together the husband and wife duo combine the rich traditions of folk music with original and contemporary interpretations through a blend of closely intertwined vocal harmonies. 8pm. £11.50. Tetbury Goods Shed, Gumstool Hill, Tetbury, GL8 8DG. shed-arts.co.uk
9 MARCH LADY SINGS THE BLUES Presenting the music of Billie Holiday chronologically through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s using many of the original arrangements. It is the closest that any of us will ever get to hearing that tremendous repertoire performed live, properly, just as it was when it was first performed all those years ago. 7.30pm. £18-£25. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org THREEPENNY BIT – CEILIDH Also known these days as a barn dance, Ceilidh has become the byword for a fun filled night of wild dancing, good company and great music. This dynamic eight-piece band combines a group of diehard folkies with some of the finest young jazz and classical musicians of the south. They play bold arrangements of traditional and original tunes with infectious stage energy for concerts and ceilidh dancing. 7.30pm. £11. Tetbury Goods Shed, Gumstool Hill, GL8 8DG. shed-arts.co.uk 14 MARCH AN EVENING WITH SIR GEOFF HURST Sir Geoff will talk amusingly about his illustrious West Ham and England Career. He will be joined by great friend and agent Terry Baker from A1
Sporting speakers, who’ll be asking all the interesting questions, we are dying to know! 7.30pm. From £27. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 15 MARCH CIRCUS OF HORRORS 2019 Imagine a fangtastic Rock Show with amazing light effects and set combined with an amalgamation of bizarre, dare devil and astounding Circus acts, accompanied by a rock ‘n’ roll sound scape of mainly original songs and performed with a forked tongue firmly in each cheek.7.30pm. From £20. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 16 MARCH THE UKELELE FUNHOUSE ORCHESTRA – THE VICAR OF DURSLEY The new vicar faces greed and prejudice when she fights plans to frack beneath St Ukes church. She must unite the town in protest and action in a comedy musical which involves the audience in her struggle. A great night out with great music from pop to opera, classics and even Bohemian Rhapsody! 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from Lister Hall or online from Ents24.com
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Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart
The Ultimate Kids’’ Party Guid de! As we’re A ’ celebrating l b ti our 10th birthday this month, I thought it only right to give you my take on The Ultimate Kids’ Party Guide!
The room
Start with the room and your choice of decorations. Whether you’re hosting a party in your living room or a hired hall, the difference between a welldecorated room and one without trimmings is massive! Simply adding banners banners, streamers, fresh flowers and simple yet bright table centre pieces can create a perfect ambience. This element of the party does not need to be expensive, as long as it is cheery and slightly over the top – personally, I think madness makes a party and it is certainly not the time to be sensible or conservative in your approach! Think bright, colourful and a little bit wacky and you’ll be on the right track.
The cake
Birthday cake is a must and it must be large, heavily decorated to your children’s favourite theme, and taste ‘magical’! Whether you make your own or buy it from a shop or bakery, a beautiful yet delicious cake is the centre piece of any party. This is the place to invest – the rest can be built around your masterpiece.
The fun factor
For the fun factor, music is massively important, both as a background filler and for dancing. These days it couldn’t be easier to create your own playlist on your phone and plug into a Bluetooth speaker. THE LOCAL ANSWER
Gone are the days of a disco DJ – these days we ca an all be MCs and Master Mixers! Choose a range of classics, c sing-a-long favourite es and modern hits to keep everybody happy. Games are just as im mportant to keep your child an nd their friends entertained thro oughout the party. You could combine c games and music, or come c up with your own activities. Just remember to have som me prizes on hand for the winners – edible prizes tend to go g down a storm with kids.
Refreshments
Of course, food and drink is crucial to keep energy levels up through the day, an nd must be delicious, fun and easy to eat. Finger food, nibble es and a lot of sugar seem to be the order of the day. I think birthday parties are the t one time it is OK to forgo yo our fivea-day and have a ‘golde en’ meal filled with pastries, sugar and a side of choice protein n. You know your guestts and if TO ADVERTISE CALL
some have dietary ne eeds it is completely acceptable to ask them to bring their ow wn food to ensure they feel we ell fed. In fact, bring and share is a popular way to go and you will find a wide range on o offer, especially if your guests are culturally diverse. diverse
Mocktails anyone?
To support the usual wine and beer offerings, a fruit punch, a range of fizz and some alcohol free beverages are a must. Think of designated drivers, dry guests and parents caring for small ones, and make your non-alcoholic options as attractive as ‘the real thing.’ Personally, I am a fan of the Mocktail, served in fancy glasses with cherries, olives, fresh fruit, mint leaves – all the fancy stuff. They look and taste incredible, are fully inclusive, and the biggest bonus of all? No hangover when you’ve got children to look after! For more party inspiration, check out our Save the Planet article, in print or online. PAGE
16 MARCH THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO
Based on Carlo Collodi’s fantastical children’s book, this magical story leaps off the page and onto the stage in a vibrant re-telling of Pinocchio’s extraordinary adventures. Packed with comedy, audience interaction, and a completely original score guaranteed to have you singing along from start to finish, this high energy musical promises to be the perfect treat for the whole family. 2pm. £10 (£8). The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham, GL51 6EP P.. www.bacontheatre.co.uk CARA DILLON Alongside a selection of favourites from her previous releases, Cara will be performing material from her new
album ‘Wanderer’ – a collectionn of beautiful and moving songs reccorded in an intimate setting with her husband and musical partner Sam Lakeman. Every note and word sung with a passion and confidence earned through a life of experience singing traditional songs. 7.30pm. £18-££25. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org 16 & 23 MARCH SERENADE TO MUSIC Highly acclaimed Cotswold chaamber choir CANTORES along with reggular String Ensemble and organist Julian Elloway, presents a varied proggramme of music conducted by John Holloway. Works include the Kyyrie from Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Vivaldi’s setting of the Magnificat, Handel’s organ concerto – ‘The Cuckoo & the Nightingale’, 3 works by Latviann composer Ēriks Ešenvalds as w well as the title work by Ralph Vaughann Williams. Further details on ourr website: www.cantores.net. Hooly Trinity Church Minchinhamptonn, S t d 16th March, Saturday M h 7.30pm. 7 30 Cirencester Parish Church, Saturday 23rd March, 7.30pm. Tickets (£15) via www.cantores.net, Andrew on 07800 737078 and on the door. Concessions available.
17 MARCH GYPSYFINGERS A progressive folk-rock band from various parts of the UK. Together they fuse a range of influences including folk, rock, pop, prog, psych, americana and more to create a fresh sound of their own. 8.30pm. £8 in advance (£10 on the door). The Prince Albert, Rodborough Hill, Stroud, GL5 3SS. www.theprincealbertstroud.co.uk 18-23 MARCH THE MOUSETRAP The scene is set when a group of people in a country house cut off by the snow discover, to their horror, that there is a murderer in their midst. Who can it be? One by one the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts until the last, nerve shredding moment the identity and the motive are finally revealed. For times and prices visit www.everymantheatre.org.uk The Everyman Theatre, Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573. 22 MARCH INSTA TANT WIT THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS The quick fire comedy improvisation show. To be held at Corse and Staunton Village Hall at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 from Jane Cox – 01452 840355.
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23-24 MARCH TERRY PRATCHETT’S WYRD SISTERS Tewkesbury Arts and Drama Society have always aimed high with their productions. Now they go further than ever with Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters, adapted for the stage by Stephen Briggs. Apart from being set on a flat planet carried on the backs of four elephants who stand on a giant star turtle, everything is normal. The people are just like us: a king is murdered, a lost prince returns to claim his throne, a boy and girl fall in love. Various times. £14. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. www.rosestheatre.org 31 MARCH HORMONAL HOUSEWIVES Join Vicki Michelle and the Hormonal Housewives as they blast their witty way through a catalogue of women’s bits: weight gain, weight loss, mood swings, moody teenagers, men, zumba, therapy, housework, men, sex, working out, bikini waxes, celebrity gossip, eating, not eating, chocolate, wine, social media, more wine, and all the other joys of being a 21st century woman! 7.30pm. £26. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA. www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 6 APRIL COFFEE MORNING AT ALDERMAN KNIGHT SCHOOL A special coffee morning to raise money and awareness for World Autism Awareness Week, a Post 16 Belgium Trip and Friends of Alderman Knight School. There will be refreshments, a raffle and a car wash throughout the morning to help raise funds. 10am-12pm. Alderman Knight School, Ashchurch Road, Tewkesbury, GL20 8JJ. 01684 295639. www.aldermanknight.gloucs.sch.uk 6-22 APRIL THE BIG BATSFORD BUNNY HUNT! The Easter Bunny’s helpers have escaped and they’re hopping around the Arboretum – find them to win a
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prize! £2.50 per child (plus Arboretum entrance fee) and all children must be accompanied by an adult. No booking required – just turn up and enjoy! 9am5pm. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-inMarsh, GL56 9QB. www.batsarb.co.uk EGGSPLORE EASTER Do you know what happened on the very first Easter Day? Come and explore this amazing building to find the answer. £1 per copy from the gift shop. If bought with the Discovery Trail (£4.50), ‘Eggsplore Easter’ will be free. When you have completed the trail visit the gift shop and claim a tiny egg! (subject to availability) Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, GL1 2LX. www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk 6-28 APRIL EASTER EGG TRAIL Get into the spring spirit by chasing down all of the naughty pheasant chicks hiding in the Castle rooms. Can you spot them all? Hunt for all of the Giant Easter Eggs that have appeared in the gardens for a chocolatey reward! Included with admission. More details at sudeleycastle.co.uk. Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe, GL54 5JD. 13 APRIL LONGLEVENS CHURCH AUCTION Viewing starts at 10am and selling at 12 noon. No buyers/sellers premium. Bargains galore! Refreshments available. Holy Trinity Church Hall, Longlevens, Gloucester GL2 0AJ. Further details from Janet or Eric Chitty on 01452 500229. 14 APRIL OPEN GARDEN & RARE PLANT FAIR Join us in this beautiful spring garden by the River Coln, browse the specialist nurseries for interesting and unusual plants, explore the garden and enjoy light refreshments in the pool side Café in support of Cobalt. 11am-4pm. Entry £5 per adult, under 16s free. Quenington, Cirencester GL7 5BN. 20 APRIL THE GREAT EASTER EGG TRAIL Come and join the fun! Explore the
park, hunt for clues, meet the Easter Bunny and win a chocolate prize! Quiz sheets £2.50 from Sandford Park Café. A joint event for Cobalt and Maggie’s. 1-4pm. Sandford Park, Cheltenham. 20-21 APRIL MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY The Bird & Deer Park is well known for hosting its Easter Mad Hatter’s Tea Party but this year it is going to be huge fun and totally different. So are you ‘Team Alice’ or ‘Team Mad Hatter’? No matter which team you join up with on the day, the two professional dance theatre artists will ensure your children get into character and are transported to another world, with faces painted and raring to go in search of the curious caterpillar, bunny bobtails or pom pom bantams! 10am and 12.30pm. For full details and tickets please visit thebirdpark.com. 01452 812727. The Bird and Deer Park, Cranham, GL4 8EX. 19 MAY CITY OF GLOUCESTER 10K, 2K CHILDREN & FAMILY RUN AND 10K WHEELCHAIR RACE This event is for runners of all abilities. Whether it be for a healthy lifestyle, charity, recreation, club runners or elite athletes. This event is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support. The course is flat and fast, traffic free, taking place in the summer. The Children and Family 2K Run is a great day out for all the family and a chance for young, budding athletes to race for top spot. The 2k event sees children of all ages running with their mums, dads, uncles, aunties and grandparents. The Corporate Business Challenge is a team spirit friendly competition and all round fun. This event is open to all abilities and the aim is to bring work colleagues together for team building, strengthening friendships, as well as encouraging a little competitive spirit. For more information and to enter online please visit cityofgloucester10k.org.uk
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e cele
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e who has helped The Local Answer
writers, friends and family – there have been rise from 5,000 to 180,000 copies every ● ●
already become established as a powerful source of information, so it was a difficult time t o s t a r t t h i s t y p e o f n e w v e n t u r e. B u t I ’ m s o glad we did. As we look forward to celebrating throughout our 10th Anniversary Y Ye ear by raising as much money for good local causes as possible, we can reflect proudly on what The Local Answer has brought to Gloucestershire since that first issue. T To o the benefit of people throughout the county we’ve created:
●
18 full and part-time jobs in our office and transport operations. 365 distribution jobs for a few hours each month – so important in providing a small income to help people in a variety of circumstances and, in many cases, helping young people understand the value of money through earning their own (and easing the demand on Mum or Dad to provide pocket money). A massive, cost-effective platform for businesses to talk to potential customers, enabling hundreds of local companies to establish themselves and thrive.
We care about the environment Supporting forest management The paper used in printing The Local Answer is produced from wood sourced in an environmentally-friendly, socially responsible and cost-eff ffe ective manner. Our printer – Precision Colour Printing Limited (PCP) – is an award-winning company whose management and staff are committed to good environment perffo ormance and the use of paper from sustainable resources. They are proud to be a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate holder, and The Local Answer is proud to have this publication printed on paper compliant with FSC demands.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, not-for-profit, nongovernmental organisation established to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s ffo orests. The FSC vision is that the world’s ffo orests meet the social, ecological, and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations.
Delivering a fully-recyclable productt As well as the paperr,, the inks and varnishes used in producing The Local Answer are biodegradable. The process used by recycling companies to extract inks and coatings including UV varnishes from the paper render the paper suitable for pulping and recycling.
ebrating our
RTHDAY ●
● ●
A t r u s t e d m a r ke t i n g t o o l . A d v e r t i s e r s h a v e g r o w n i n confidence, and numbers, because our service can be relied upon – 75% appear every month, year afftter yearr,, and many more regularly use The Local Answer for seasonal campaigns. It’s extremely satisffyying to have played a part in the prosperity of so many local businesses. A great source of inffo ormation for local people, continually enhancing the volume and variety of magazine content. An even greater source of inffo ormation on our website – with further ma ajjor developments planned to be online so
We’re looking forward to improving our support to Gloucestershire over the nex 10 years and beyond, and we’re excited about our plans to help many within our communities during the next 12 months …
How are we celebrating? Charity of the Y Ye ear
TLA Charity Giveaways
We’re delighted to announce that we have partnered with local charity Cobalt for the duration of our celebratory year. Cobalt support patients with cancer, dementia and other conditions, and invest in equipment, research and education to ensure as many people as possible have access to the best medical imaging ffo or their diagnosis. We’ll be trying to raise as much money as possible for Cobalt throughout the next 12 months, as well as helping to raise awareness of the vital work they do in Gloucestershire and beyond.
Our charity giveaways are back and we’ll be running several competitions throughout our birthday year, giving Gloucestershire charities and not-for-profit organisations the chance to win £2,000 each time. We will announce more details of the first giveaway in the April 2019 issue.
Gloucester Day Come and see us at Gloucester Day on Saturday 7th September where we’ll be running a tombola to raise money for Cobalt. Last year was a great success and we ‘sold out’ with three hours to spare, so this year will be even bigger and better!
Website Developments One of the main activities for which we would appreciate your support and donations is the Cheltenham Challenge in June, when Lois and her boyfriend will be taking on the 10k! Y Yo o u c a n ke e p up to date with Lois’ training progress in our online Sport section (thelocalanswer.co.uk/news/sport.aspx) a n d i f y o u w o u l d l i k e t o d o n a t e, p l e a s e v i s i t https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TheLocalAnswer 10thBirthday yY Ye Y ear
We’re currently working on new ffe eatures for our website to enhance your experience – providing an increasing volume of useful information for Gloucestershire residents. These developments also help in improving the support we deliver to local businesses and organisations through our digital platform. Stay tuned for more details soon!
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In the Garden with Julia Smith
Celebration plants It’s March It’ M h already l d and d spring i has hopefully sprung! To To keep in the anniversary mood, let’s look at plants that fit the bill as gifts for various celebrations. If you wish to find a plant for a particular name you can use the RHS plant finder (rhs.org.uk) – just enter a name and see what different plants there are for you to choose from.
Roses for wedding anniversaries Th There are a range off plants l t for f wedding anninversaries. Roses come with all sorts of names including ‘Golden Wedding’; an upright floribunda rose with double, slightly scented golden yellow flowers from July to September, r, and ‘Silver Anniversary’; a Hybrid tea rose of pure white which repeat flowers all summer. There is a lovely Clematis ‘Wedding Day’ which has large white flowers and pink anthers; very free-flowering f fl i a d will and ill grow in most aspects. This would be a lovely presen nt for the happy couple which wo ould give
Golden Wedding rose. Picture: David Austin Roses
years of pleasure. Kee eping on the wedding theme, there is also a Clematis ‘The Bride’ which w has white flowers and yellow anthers, and is suitab ble for a container, r, which could be b useful if the newly weds are in rented accommodation! d ti ! Rhododendron ‘Birthd day Girl’ can be kept in a pot and d flowers in May with clear pinkk flowers opening from de eep pink buds. It needs an accid soil to plant in the garden,, so a pot is probably your be est bet.
A new additio on to the family
Silver Anniversary rose. Picture: Dobbies
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A new addition to the family? There is a Narcissus N ‘New Baby’ which h is only 10cm high with a multiflowered head. If y you were well organised and had a spring baby due in your family, you could plant a potful in the autum mn ready for the happy even nt, which could then be plantted in the garden after flowerring. The Hybrid te ea rose
‘Loving Memory’ can also be grown in a pot and is repeat flowering with blooms which w are crimson to scarlet and would w be a lovely comforting gift g for a grieving friend.
Time to prune prune On the subject of roses, now is the time to prune your bushroses (hybrid teas and floribundas) if you haven’t done so already. Cut off all the spindly twigs and anything dead, damaged or diseased. Cut to an outward facing bud, leaving about 2.5cm of last years’ growth on weaker stems and a bit more on stronger stems. Shrub roses don’t need such drastic pruning, and with these if they are looking a bit congested, cut out about one third of the thickest, oldest branches at the base with a pruning saw, thus encouraging new shoots to emerge. Ta Take about 10cm off the top of the remaining stems to finish, and feed with a handful of rose fertiliser.
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Wildliffe e Matters with Maxine Raggatt
The birth of a new w generatio on As with A ith every new year, springtime brings the arrival of many new baby animals born throughout the world. Farm life brings lambs, calves and chicks to name a few but alongside the agriculture, our woodland wildlife also births a new generation. Spring is the perfect time of year for new baby animals to thrive, as the weather is getting warmer and fresh young plants are blossoming from the dampened floors to provide a nutrient-packed boost for growing tummies.
Fox cubs
Baby fox cubs, also known as ‘kits’ or ‘pups’, are born in March, usually in litters of four or five. By four weeks of age fox cubs will leave their den and start to feed on solid foods, and by six weeks they are fully weaned. Baby foxes will stay with their mothers m until they are 6-7 mon nths old, and by this time they are ready to be fully independent.
Frogspawn
embryo. After 2-4 we eeks the eggs will hatch an nd little tadpoles will emerge with w tails to help them swim. They will first feed on the fro ogspawn jelly and then move e on to algae. At around 16 6 weeks their legs will start to t grow along with tiny teeth – this is the time they will begin eating small insects.
Buzzards
Female frogs lay frogspawn Mating usually starts in March eggs, which look like a mass of for buzzards. Male and d female jelly protecting a tin ny black buzzards build a nest together t either in a tre ee or on a cliff, and the e female will lay 2-4 eg ggs with a 35 day inccubation period. She will p w then look after her babies while the male brings them food for the first two we eeks. At around fifty d days old her young w will start learning to fly and stay with he er for a final 6-8 weeks. THE LOCAL ANSWER
Ladybirds
By April, ladybirds will w have come out of hibernattion and found a mate. The mother ladybird will lay her eggs e on the underside of a leaf,, and 3-5 days later they will hatch. hatc ch Baby ladybirds, known as larvae, have long bodies and are black with orange markings and little spikes on their backs. The larvae stage lasts about 21 days, followed by the pupae stage which will last around one week. This is when the larvae become immobile and will attach itself to a leaf, still orange and black in colour. The body inside will breakdown and be reformed into an adult ladybird, usually emerging pale in colour. Spring is a time to revel in the delightful sights that new wildlife brings. For some animals, this may be their year of birth, while for others it may be the first year they become parents.
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Gadgets & Gizmos with Laura Nicklin
Say Anything to these h gizmos i Whether you’re in the mood for recreating romcoms, or just into your gadgets and gizmos, these are a sure fire way to wake up your month. As it’s our 10th birthday this month at The Local Answer, we’re very much in the mood for celebrating. If you know anyone marking their special d day soon, hopefully h f ll my recommendations will provide great inspiration for gift ideas! Now shake off those postValentine blues with this roaring selection.
Retro Cassette Boombox with Bluetooth Since ‘Say Anything’, haven’t we all daydreamed about having John Cusack stand outside our window, serenading us with a boombox? Well, perhaps not all of us, but if you have been fantasizing about snapping up a retro portable speaker, then continue reading! This snazzy boombox might look like something straight out of the ‘80s, but it’s not just for any cassette tapes you
might have lying around; it also lets you stream music via Bluetooth, and via a USB! Combining the old with w the new, this retro boombox will have you feeling like e you’re strolling through an a ‘80s movie; just throw on o your shades and carry y your boombox on your sho oulder. Although it runs off mains power, the boombox can run on 4 x D batteries, allow wing you to play your favourite tunes t as you strut around town. Available from Menkin Av nd at just £29.99.
Hue LivingColourss Iris This wireless mood light can help set any scene in your home, from relaxing in n the tub after a long week, to some romantic mood lightting for date night. The Hue LivingColours Iris comes with w 16 million colour variattions to meet your needs, sim mply by connecting to your WiFi. It can set alarms and d timers, lighting up in the mornings to get you out of bed, or flashing when your dinner’s cooked. You can also set your liights via remote control, so you don’t even need d to t be be in i the th house to turn them on or off. Availab ble from John Lewis at £69.99.
get yourself a comfortable spot; afte er all, you don’t know how long you’re g y going g to be p playing for, and cramp is not fun. So get comfy with the BraZen Shadow PC gaming c chair; its sleek black and white e design not only looks good, but it also allows you to fully en ngage in your game. And with its sweat-rresistant material, it doesn’t m matter if things get a little he eated as you battle it out in the virtual world. Built for comffort and style, this faux leathe er model will make you feel like a King Ki (or Queen). Av Available from Menkind at £99.95.
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Interior Design with Gill Greenwell
Celebrating at a home IIn our celebratory l b t i issue it’ an it’s opportunity to think about planning special get togethers with family and friends. There’s nothing nicer than entertaining in your own home, and while it can sometimes feel overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be if you plan ahead and keep it simple. Follow my tips to take the stress out of entertaining and be sure that everyone has a good time – including you!
A warm welcome l Make sure your guests feel relaxed as soon as they arrive. Light up the path to your door with solar lights and create a welcoming atmosphere in your hallway with tealights and candles. Add that extra decorative touch with fresh flowers – a seasonal flower arrangement will help set the scene. A welcome drink never fails to get everyone in the party mood, so why not create a special welcome cocktail or hav ve a tray of glasses of fizz at the ready? I borrowed a huge silverr punchbowl for a housewarmin ng party
once, filled it with hom memade punch, and it really got the t party going.
check that you have enough plates, glasses and cutllery.
Set the stage
I’ve always thoughtt drinks trolleys are so cool and stylish – and they are currently on o trend. I love the idea of creatting your own party drinks station as a focal point where gue ests will want to gather, r, and a drinks trolley y would be p perfectt for this. Just assemble some colourful bottles and drinks paraphernalia and hey presto – you have your own relaxed cocktail bar!
Your house needn’t loo ok like it does on a daily basis – create a special party atmosphe ere. Light the fire, clear clutte er, r, light candles, and review w your seating arrangements. Now’s the time to replace p yo y our tired sofa or invest in that cool c new chair you saw, but remember your guests don’t all ha ave to be seated, they just need to o be able to move around easily. And always be sure to have plenty p of side tables available forr drinks.
A table dressed forr guests Keep things simple an nd stress free for your food prep; I always find buffets work best. Presentation is everytthing so channel your inner sttylist by using interesting, differe ent sized serving bowls and pretty platters. A tablecloth re eflecting your chosen theme will anchor the look, and try addin ng some extra touches like bun nches of fresh herbs, flowers orr sparkly accessories. Don’t fo orget to THE LOCAL ANSWER
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DIY cocktail bar
Create a party vibe To create a magical atmosphere, hang lots of fairy lights around the rooms in which the party will be hosted. And for that final touch, take a tip from the Chinese – they certainly know how to celebrate – and hang some colourful paper lanterns. I was in Singapore over Chinese New Ye Year and I loved the vibrant red Chinese lanterns hanging everywhere, it felt so exciting. Now that your house is party ready, dim the lights, put on your special playlist, grab that glass of champagne, and let the fun begin! PAGE
Quick Crossword ACROSS 1 Most agile 5 Peel 7 Uncouth 8 Walke ed 9 Go by y (of time) 12 Aspiring actress 15 River of ice 19 Grills 21 Wired d message 22 Salute 23 Went on horse eback 24 Hearing membranes DOWN 1 Hospital workers
2 Paging device sound 3 Follow next 4 Front of neck 5 Big dipper, ... coaster 6 Subtract 10 Vocal solo 11 Sri Lankan robe 12 Male title 13 Ty Type of saxophone 14 Large amounts 15 Roadside channel 16 Dairy product 17 Come into view 18 Biblical prayers 19 More docile 20 Dislike intensely
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Save the Planet with Lois Kingscott
Eco-friendly birth hday partiess Whether Wh th you’re ’ a parentt off young children, or just a big kid yourself, birthday parties can be a fun way to mark special celebrations. They can, however, r, be quite wasteful occasions, so how can you organise a birthday party while being kind to the planet?
Decorations
Instead of buying tons of balloons and plastic decorations, why not purchase some paper alternatives – or make them yourself. These come in all shapes, sizes and colours, often fitting into any theme you may have decided upon. When the party is over, you can either recycle the decorations, or store them away for another event.
Party bags
I would suggest you have h two options: 1. If you’re not too conccerned about the odd dropped plate, use your existing kitche enware. 2. Buy a new set of plattes and cutlery that can be re-used for future parties. It’s alrigh ht to get ap plastic set if y you’re g go oing g to use it a lot of times.
If you’d like to give your guests a little something to take home with them, change up the usual plastic party bags for paper versions. Like your decorations, paper bags come in all sorts of designs – they don’t just have to be plain and boring. When it comes to goodies to put inside, why not include a packet of wildflower or herb seeds? This will give something for your guests to grow at home that they can either enjoy with their food, or admire when they look out into their garden. Bees and insects will be especially grateful for new wildflower patches.
Try to make as much of your party food from scratch to avoid excess packaging – thin nk homemade sandwiches, cakes and dips. If you’re not co onfident enough to make the birthday cake yourself, enlist the e help of a local bakery rathe er than running straight to a supermarket. They’ll be grateful for the business, and it’ll probably p taste better! b !
Cutlery and plates
Gifts
While paper or plastic cutlery and plates can be convenient, the waste they produce is really bad for the environment. There are billions of pieces of plastic in landfill and the oceans, so why add to that? THE LOCAL ANSWER
Party food
If your guests will be b bringing gifts for the birthday bo oy or girl, encourage them to wrrap with brown paper or newsp paper, as opposed to glossy w wrapping paper that often ca an’t be recycled. This will further help TO ADVERTISE CALL
to reduce the amount of waste your party produces. If you’d rather not risk ending up with several unwanted gifts, you could ask your guests to make a small donation to a charity close to your he eart.
Get out in nature
Whether you want an activity activitybased party or just to enjoy nature for an afternoon, if the weather is good then get outside! Children are spending far less time outdoors than they used to, so this could be a great opportunity to get them out in some fresh air. Just remember to clear up any mess you make and take home rubbish to dispose of appropriately.
Have fun!
Eco-friendly parties don’t have to be boring – you can still have just as much fun, but be mindful of the impact you have on the planet. If you start organising these parties with young children, it could help to encourage them to grow up to be environmentally-conscious and less wasteful. PAGE
Sudoku Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
Money Matters with Roger Downes of Andorran
What price loyyalty? As The Local Answer celebra ates its tenth anniversary, in addition to pass sing them our congratulations, Money Matters wonders how many of its contributors and advisers a have been with them throughout tho ose ten years. W suspect it’s We i ’ quite i a few. f We remember Dave Kingscott asking us for an article for one of its very early editions. Naturally, Money Matters obliged, little knowing that this innocent first request would lead to a monthly contribution. Here we are happily working together ten years on. Last year my firm celebrated twenty years in business. Whilst it was a fairly low-key celebration, we reflected on the loyalty shown to us by the many businesses and people who had been with us for these two decades.
A two-way commitment between employer and employee
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It isn’t just customers/clients that show loyalty to anyone providing the top class service that we all strive to provide, it’s also the staff, where two-way commitment between employer and employee adds greatly to the working experience. Loyalty shouldn’t be misplaced or misinterpreted, leading to complacency, of course. I’m sure that most businesses are only too well aware of the need to encourage and reward their staff. A happy team is a loyal one! It’s only y when I g get on to the role of recruitment agencies that I wonder wheth her everyone believes this theory, but that’s an nother story… Enough of that, let’s finish on a positive note. Congratulations to The Local Answer and best of luck for the next ten years.
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Sport
WA W ANT TO SHARE YOUR SPORTING STORY ON OUR WEBSITE?
with Roger Jackson
Please email full details to sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk
Tewkesb bury Allrunnerrs set for big date d Tewkesbury Allrunne ers are – just like The Loccal Answer – celebrating their the eir 10th anniversary this year and one of their big highlights will be, naturally enough, a run to mark the milestone. The club, made up exclusively of ladies, are organising a special parkrun on Saturday 20th July when as many people as possible – men, women and children – are being encouraged to take part. That date is just short of 10 years to the day since Tewkesbury Allrunners went on their first ever run on 28th July 2009. Jo Teague, who was on that inaugural run, is heading up the 10-year anniversary celebrations and she said of the parkrun at the Vineyards: “Everyone is invited. If you came on a beginners’ course at the club,
A sensible man… Frank Nolan, the new captain of Tewkesbury Park Golf Club, is a Te sensible bloke. When he was invited to become the club’s vice-captain – golf captains always spend a year as someone else‘s deputy before becoming the main man – he didn’t say ‘yes’ straight away. “I checked with the wife first,” he chuckled. “I was absolutely delighted to be asked, thrilled – F k Nolan N l but being a captain Frank takes up a lot more of your time. “I wanted to make sure she was okay with it. After a couple of hours’ persuasion I gratefully accepted!” Frank took over as captain from Gavin Offord just after the turn of the year – Fiona Hudman
Tewkesbury Allrunners befoore a training run at the start of Febbruary
came and ran for a few w nights or run regularly then it would be great to see you on the e 20th July at the Te Tewkesbury parrkrun. “You can bring along kids, families and friends to o celebrate 10 years of this special club which has touched so many y people’s lives. “As ever with Allrunners A events, there will be cake c and a is the new ladies’ ca aptain and Chris Matthews is cap ptain of the seniors.
A football leade er
It’s become more and a more apparent over the passt 20 years or so that you don’’t need to have been a good foo otballer to be a good manager at the top level of the game. The same appliess on the administrative side. Certainly that’s the case with Roger Burden, the man who o has done so much for football for f 50-plus years in Gloucestershire and nationally y as well. Now 72, Burden is still chairman of the Gloucestershire Football Association and is a former vice-chairman of the Football Association as well as serving as acting chairman of the FA for nine months from May 2010. “I was never the best player,” admitted Burden.
chance to catch up with friends.” If that soun nds like fun, fun then that’s exactly the message tha at the club want to get accross. “Yo You can wa alk it, jog it or run it,” said s Linda Coxshall, who o is one of 10 or so runnerrs from that first run a deccade ago still very much inv volved at the club. “We don’t like to o talk about times, we’re just ab bout getting round. Our ethoss is about encouraging otherr runners – getting there and doing it is an achievement. I think that’s why we’ve lasted so long, it’s all about supporting each other. We’re not so competitive.” The club meet at 6pm every Tuesday evening at the Sea Cadet Hall, just off Spring Gardens in Te Tewkesbury. Full story online.
Cheltenham flying high
If you get the chance to go to Newlands on a Sunday afternoon, there’s every chance that you’ll be impressed not only by the excellent new artificial grass pitch at Cheltenham Tigers, but also by the standard of rugby being played on it. You’ll need to check the fixture list first, of course, but Sunday afternoons are when Cheltenham Ladies take centre stage. And the team, coached by top Gloucester rugby B Narbeth duo Tom Hudson Bryony and Ben Vellacott an nd captained by Bryony Narbeth,, are playing at a very good level in Women’s Championship South h – the second tier of women’s natiional rugby. For fu Fo fullll versions of all theese stories and more vis isit www. w.thelocaalanswer.r.co.uk
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Ben Pauling targets Festival glor y Ask anyone to name a couple of National Hunt National Hunt trainers trainers in in the the Cotswolds and the chances are that they’ll come back with Jonjo O’Neill and Nigel Tw TwistonDavies. But while they have been very successful over the y years,, they y are by no means the only bighitters in the world of racing in Gloucestershire. There are other trainers who are making names for themselves, including Ben Pauling who is based near Bourton-onthe-Water, just a short gallop from O’Neill and Tw Twiston-Davies. Pauling moved to this part of the world in 2013 and has been making very good progress. He’s been clocking up the winners consistently and with the Cheltenham h F ivall just Festiv j around d the h corner he’s certainly c looking for more. And the one e thing he won’t be doing when he heads to Cheltenham is going there just to make up the numbers. “We’ll be ta aking a select team of four or five f horses to the Festival,” he e told The Local Answer. “Ev very horse that we take will have e a chance of getting a place.” Pauling, the e one-time assistant to many time es champion trainer Nicky Hende erson, knows what it’s like to win at the Festival as the main ma an, of course, after Willoughby Court won the Neptune Inv vestment Management Novicess’ Hurdle in 2017. The subssequent loss of Willoughby Court C – he was put down earlie er this year after losing his battle against an infection in hiis joint – was deeply upsetting for f Pauling and everyone asssociated with the stable,, and it will take time for the pain to ea ase. Another of his h Grade I winners, Barters Hill, was retired at the back end of last year because of injury so it is easy to see why Pauling hass described this season as “a bit stop-start”. And yet the ere has been plenty for Pauling to t smile about too,
This year’s Cheltenham Festival runs from 12th-15th March. M Inset: Ben Pauling
including th he success of Kildisart in the novice noviice chase on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham at the end of January. When Pauling spoke to The Local Answer, r, no decision had been made on which race Kildisart would take part in at the Festival, but the route for another of his stable stars – Global Citizen – was much clearer. The plan is for him to run in the Champion Hurdle on day one of the Festival and that will provide Pauling with another milestone. “It It will be our first runner in one of the blue riband events at Cheltenham,” he said. “We’ve never had a runner in the Champion Chase, Gold Cup or Champion Hurdle before.” Rated around the 25-1 mark by the bookies, Pauling is very hopeful that Global Citizen will be competitive in the two miles and half a furlong race. And if Pauling says he’s worth looking out for, r, then he’s surely worth an each-way bet. Pauling g was a regular g in the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham, and indeed, all over the country, during his years spent in Lambourn as Nicky Henderson’s assistant. He looks back on that time with great fondness, saying: “I will never forget working for Nicky, I learned so much from him.”
As welll as being champion trainer five f times Henderson times, has won all the big races many times ove er and it is competing in the high profile races that really gets Pauling’s juices flowing. While admitting a that he’d like to end th he season with around 50 winne ers, he insists that the numbers s “don’t matter to me”. “I want to be training horses at the top p of the tree,” he continued. “We’ve had a couple of Grade e I horses and that’s what we’re hoping to replicate in the futture, although it’s never easy.” For a start you need good horses b but Pauling is certainly optimistic because he says there are “som me very nice horses” in his 70-plus strong stable. A selectt few will be heading to Cheltenh ham and they will all be primed a and ready for four days of intense racing. “We wo on’t be taking any social horses to o Cheltenham, we know how difficult it is to win at the Festival,” ” he said. “Everyb body turns it up a bit at this time e of year, the horses go just that stride quicker. “Your horses have to be trained tto a supersonic level, they have h to fight for everythin ng.” This ye ear’s Cheltenham Festival is from 12th-15th March.
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