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GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE JANUARY 2021

COTSWOLDS HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS AND ADVERTISERS!

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Cotswolds: Cotswolds: 330,000 0,000 ccopies opies C heltenham: 443,000 3,000 ccopies opies Cheltenham: G loucester: 446,000 6,000 copies copies Gloucester: N orth G loucestershire: 220,000 0,000 ccopies opies North Gloucestershire: S troud D istrict: 441,000 1,000 ccopies opies Stroud District:

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D elicious D ish Delicious Dish

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EEducation ducation & EEmployment mployment

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M oney M atters Money Matters

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H olidays & TTravel ravel Holidays

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Homes & Gardens Gardens Homes

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Gadgets & Gizmos Gizmos Gadgets

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Index, Competitions, Competitions, Solutions Solutions 26 26 Index, U nit H hurchill IIndustrial ndustrial EEstate, state, Unit H,, C Churchill C hurchill R oad, LLeckhampton, eckhampton, Churchill Road, C heltenham, Gloucestershire Gloucestershire G L53 7EG 7EG Cheltenham, GL53

01242 510500 510500 Telephone T elephone 01242 info@thelocalanswer.co.uk info@thelocalanswer.co.uk @thelocalanswer @ thelocalanswer

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W elcome Welcome ttoo JJanuary anuary Happy New Year to you all! We hope you were able to enjoy a bit of a different Christmas and connect with family and friends in one way or another.

January can be a tough month for many as we recover from the festivities of Christmas – and this year is even more strange as we continue to live with lockdown restrictions. Laura Nicklin has some great gadget suggestions to help you beat the January Blues, while this month’s Delicious Dish is a big serving of comfort food in the form of Snowdon Pudding.

If you’ve been thinking about making some New Year’s Resolutions, why not make some changes in your home? Gill Greenwell has great ideas in her Interior Design article, as well as some trend predictions for 2021.

Roberta Smart has dedicated her feature to finding fun in our ‘new normal’, while Holly Prince weighs up the pros and cons of working from home – another ‘new normal’ for many of us. Happy reading!

If you use the services of any of our advertisers, please tell them you found them in The Local Answer!

Contacts C ontacts Advertising Marketing A dvertising & M arketing Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk Lois Kingscott lois@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Distribution D istribution & LLeaflets eaflets John Overton (01242 541075) leaflets@thelocalanswer..co.uk Louis Jordan distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Accounts A ccounts Rob Kingscott (01242 541071) accounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk Page 3

Delicious Delicious Dish Dish with w ith H Helen elen K Kingscott ingscott

I llove ove a an no oldld ffashioned ashioned ssteamed teamed pudding, pudding, especially especially in in the the colder colder w winter inter months. months. T There here are are many many variations variations of of this this pudding, pudding, some some using using suet, suet, but but I like like this this one. one.

S Snowdon nowdon Pudding Pudding IIngredients: ngredients: 60ml/4tbsp marmalade; 50g/1¾ oz raisins (I used sultanas); 75g/2¾ oz caster sugar; 100g/3½ oz white breadcrumbs; 50g/1¾ oz cornflour; grated rind of 2 lemons; 3 medium eggs, beaten; 100g/3½ oz margarine, melted.

M Method: ethod: 1 Grease a 600ml/1 pint pudding basin.

2 Spoon 30ml/2 tbsp marmalade in the bottom (I added two more for luck!) Sprinkle over half the dried fruit.

3 Mix together all the dry ingredients, stir in the eggs, remaining marmalade, margarine and dried fruit.

4 Pour into the pudding basin then cover with a disc of greaseproof paper, then a piece of pleated foil.

5 Either place on an inverted heatproof plate inside a pan or, as I did, just use the steamer part of a saucepan set.

6 Add a little water to the pan, cover and steam for 1½ hours, topping up the water as necessary.

7 Carefully turn out and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Tip: Tip: This freezes well so you could pop a couple of slices in the freezer for an easy pudding another week.

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Wishing you a safe, happy and healthy New Year from everyone at

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Looking Looking Good, Good, F Feeling eeling Great Great with w ith W Will ill M Mbanga banga

Benefits Benefits of of training training your your core core After the introduction to the core and its importance to physical performance and activities of daily living last month, we’re now going to look at the benefits of training the core, along with some tips for developing your own foundation.

Research shows that core strength is the foundation for effective athletic movement, as well as bodily control for activities of daily living. It is the ability of your trunk to support the effort and forces from your arms and legs, so muscles and joints can perform in their safest, strongest and most effective positions.

By training specifically for core stability and strength, you will gain a number of benefits: • Greater capacity for power and speed generation • More efficient expression of force • Decreased injury risk/ improved rehab outcomes • Increased agility due to better body control • Improved balance and coordination • Better posture and ‘bracing’ of lumbar spine • More stable centre of gravity, reducing falls • Improved movement efficiency While the theoretical basis of core training is to increase the recruitment efficiency of the deep, underlying muscles around the trunk and hip/ pelvic region, I recommend engaging in a range of dynamic exercises involving the whole body.

My rationale for this is that core stability and strength as a The Local Answer

foundation should be defined by the ability of your core muscles to work in an efficient and co-ordinated manner, maintaining correct alignment of the spine and pelvis, enabling efficient, safe and effective movements.

This approach involves exercises that require the core muscles to maintain correct postural alignment while the body is engaged in dynamic movement.

The T he a abdominal bdominal hollowing hollowing technique technique Core stability training begins with learning to co-contract the Transversus Abdominis and Multifidus muscles effectively, as this has been identified as key to the lumbar-support mechanism. To perform this co-contraction, you must learn to perform the ‘abdominal hollowing’ technique: • Start by lying on your back, knees bent.

• Your lumbar spine shouldn’t be either arched up or flattened against the floor, but aligned normally with a small gap

between the floor and your back. This is the ‘neutral’ lumbar position you should learn to achieve.

• Breathe in deeply and relax all your stomach muscles.

• Breathe out and, as you do, draw your lower abdomen (belly button) towards the floor.

• Hold the contraction for 10 seconds, stay relaxed, allowing yourself to breathe in and out while holding the position.

• Repeat 5-10 times.

Once mastered lying on your back, practice hollowing lying on your front, four-point kneeling, sitting and standing.

In each position get your lumbar spine into neutral before performing the hollowing movement.

Within this repertoire of core stability there is a large range of exercises, the suitability of which will vary according to the movement needs or experience of each individual.

If you have any difficulty performing these exercises, seek the help of a personal trainer or other professional.

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E Education ducation & E Employment mployment with w ith H Holly olly P Prince rince

W Working orking from from home home Recent world events have led to an increase in the number of people having to work from home. This has advantages and disadvantages – for both the employee and the company they work for.

One good thing about working from home is not having to commute – being able to get out of bed that little bit later, then not having to wait in queues for buses, the hassle of train delays, or frustrating traffic jams – plus saving money on petrol, which is good for the environment too.

Manage Manage y your our o own wn ttime ime Time-management becomes a personal remit – having lunch at a time that suits you, and not having to wait for a colleague to cover your break.

You don’t have the boss breathing down your neck when you’re sat in the comfort of your own home.

For the company, they may be able to save money on renting office space due to not needing as much as before, plus, making the most of

modern technology by having meetings via social media saves time and money.

Disadvantages include the need to be self-motivated – you still need to get up at a reasonable hour and get your work done. There are still deadlines to meet and those boring-but-compulsory conference calls to be on time for.

From a social point of view, there is no interpersonal contact with colleagues – and human contact is important for health and well-being, it is a social need.

You may struggle without others to talk to and discuss things with – and it’s not so productive talking to the dog!

N No op peer eer ssocialising ocialising In addition, there’s no peer socialising – e.g. having coffee breaks and lunch together, and some people can find this demoralising and Page 

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depressing, as it is an integral part of the work environment.

Family interruptions may be something that needs contending with, especially if there are young children at home.

Higher H igher e energy nergy ccosts osts For both the individual and the employer, there may be a higher cost in terms of energy bills. For the staff member, being at home means using more electricity for laptops and lighting, and water for all those coffees.

For the employer, if some staff are in, but not others, there may be the wasted costs of having to heat or light a whole building if they are unable to contain the energy consumption – and in the winter months there is a greater need than when the days are lighter and warmer.

Home-working is a sign of the times – so many things are now able to be done online that work can be done remotely with no need for office space.

This seems to be the direction the world is heading in.

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No one likes a fight

There There iiss a b better etter w way ay tto o rresolve esolve cconflict onflict Mediation is becoming an increasingly popular way for couples who are separating or divorcing to reach an amicable agreement on many issues, including children, home and finances. According to Ministry of Justice data, 70% of couples opting for mediation reach agreement.

How does mediation work? It is a process that starts with you both sitting down – face to face or on Zoom – with an impartial, professional mediator who helps you identify the issues to be discussed. These are clarified, explored and options for resolving them developed. Of course, it’s far easier said than done – and a lack of faith or trust can be normal – but a professional mediator will guide you gently through your resolution options to reach an agreement that suits your situation.

“I like to think of it as a jigsaw,” says professional mediator Catherine Frances (pictured), “where both parties bring half the pieces to the table. Together we look at each piece or i s s u e, a n d f o r a m o m e n t s e e m t o g o r o u n d i n c i r c l e s u n t i l suddenly the corner pieces, then the edges start to emerge and gradually the foundations of an agreement are built.”

Mediation sessions are focused on your unique circumstances and you make the ultimate decisions – unlike going to court when a judge will impose his or her decision on your family.

The are many other advantages for choosing mediation over court action – it’s less expensive, quicker to settle and

“TToo oo many many family family breakdown breakdown cases cases are are going going to to through mediation mediation court court rather rather than than b being eing ssettled etttled through Family breakdown breakdown cases cases which which are are resolved resolved … Family through through professional professional mediation mediation are are cheaper cheaper and and quicker quicker to to settle. settle. And And academic academic research research shows shows that that they they secure secure better better outcomes, outcomes, particularly particularly for for children, children, as as they they are are lless ess acrimonious. acrimonious.”

T The he N National ational A Audit udit Office Office www.stratfordfamilymediation.com w ww.stratfordfamilymediation.com

aims to minimise distress. National Audit Office research found that mediation ‘secures better outcomes, particularly for children, as they are less acrimonious’. In 2013, nearly two thirds of couples who attended a single mediation session for a child dispute reached a full agreement.

The underlying principles of mediation are that it is voluntary, completely confidential and mediators are impartial with no vested interest in the outcome.

Mediation is not reconciliation, counselling or therapy, and it is not a substitute for legal a d v i c e. N o r i s i t l e g a l l y b i n d i n g – a l t h o u g h you can submit an agreement document to the court to make it so.

There are a few cases where mediation is not suitable, so a mediator will first hold a MIAM – Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting – with each person to ascertain their own position and screen for domestic abuse, coercive control, child protection issues or a general power imbalance in the relationship. If the mediator suspects any of these, an alternative path may be suggested – not necessarily court, perhaps shuttle mediation where the parties are in separate rooms and the mediator liaises between them.

A family mediator specialises in resolving all kinds of family relationship disputes. When looking for a mediator, look for one who is a member of the Family Mediation Council FMC – this means they have to abide by a strict code of conduct.

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P Parenting arenting & G Guardianship uardianship w with ith R Roberta oberta S Smart mart

Finding Finding ffun un iin n our our ‘new ‘new normal’ normal’ 2020 was, well, interesting wasn’t it? I wonder what 2021 has in store? Whatever it may bring one thing is for certain, family has never been more at the forefront of everybody’s minds than it is right now. And across this year I hope to bring you inspiration, comfort and uplifting ideas to help you navigate the ups and downs of family life in our ‘new normal’.

January finds us in the depths of winter, looking yearningly at the horizon for any signs of spring; grabbing any bright sunny weekends with glee as a chance to go outdoors and feel free.

Our children have had a lot to cope with over the past year and are probably feeling a certain amount of grief and sadness around the limitations we are all living under. So how can we make the days more special and memorable, in a good way?

Finding fun is easier than you might imagine if you allow your own inner child to take the lead from time to time: think back to when you were a

kid – what did you love to do to get excited and let loose?

Dancing maybe? What about having a regular dance party in the living room on a Friday night? You can all choose favourite songs to put on your Spotify account and push back the furniture to really have a wild time, get sweaty and laugh as you take turns to ‘Lead the dance’. Let little ones teach you how to floss, or simply jump around like a loon before collapsing in a heap on the sofa and having gigantic cuddles!

Get a Get artisitic rtisitic a and nd a adventurous! dventurous!

Den building is always great fun and can keep young and older kids alike ent ert ai ned f or hours using furniture, blankets and accessories to create a house within a house! If they are feeling artistic they could create ‘Keep Out’ signs or other fun details like ‘This Way to the Castle’ or ‘Secret Dungeon’ for example. If The Local Answer

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you can share a fun adventure story around the den building you can all use your imaginations to build castles, forts, wizards lairs, fairy grottos – whatever your heart’s desire and it is all free!

Togetherness has never been more important so letting your kids learn about what interests you, as well as you being willing to take an interest in their passions, can lead to some amazing adventures.

Playing music together is such fun, from simple recorder tunes to full on band rehearsals depending on what you have handy. Instruments are available cheaply these days and there are so many online tutorials to help you learn together.

Whatever you decide to do, do it together and make memories of closeness, love and laughter that will hopefully overshadow the difficulties we are all navigating these days.

I wish you all a very happy new year and a wonderful January. Take care and stay safe!

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Money Money Matters Matters w with ith R Roger oger D Downes ownes o off Andorran Andorran

Sudoku Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

N New ew year, year,, n new ew d dawn awn It’s a time of year for planning and making resolutions, but more so now than ever before, it’s impossible to know what lies ahead. Who could have predicted 12 months ago what 2020 would bring? Brexit, yes, and an American election that was almost lost in other news when it was writing headlines of its own. But not the global lockdown that dominated the year.

I took all my staff for lunch on my birthday in early February and gave them the rest of the day off, nice guy that I am. We talked about the good times that lay ahead and made plans for the short and medium term. Everything in the garden seemed rosy. We all know what happened next.

E Establishing stablishing ffinancial inancial sstability tability sshould hould b be e at at tthe he ttop op o off y your our llist ist So what should our financial resolutions be for 2021? Top of the list surely has to be establishing financial stability. Not as easy to deliver as it is to say, and it’s relative for each of us, depending on our own individual financial circumstances.

But having a budget for our personal expenditure is a great place to start. If 2021 turns out to be another major challenge, we want to be in as strong a position as we can be to cope.

So what will Money Matters resolve to do this coming year? We’ll start with trying to keep you informed and entertained through the monthly ramblings on a variety of topics. We’ll look for as many positives as we can within our messages. And we’ll see what we can do to promote local businesses, which probably need our support more than ever.

Oh yes, and of course, we’ll still do the lottery, just in case one day it could be us.

Whatever you do, have a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

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Holidays H olidays & Travel Travel w with ith A All H Hidden idden

Slow trains Slow trains across across snowy snowy Switzerland Switzerland The iconic Hans Hilfik erdesigned Swiss railway clock on Andermatt station clicks to 11:54. Pack ed with excited tourists, the red and whiteli veried Glacier Express pulls out. As we watch, serenaded by clanging warnings and flashing red lights, it rattles over the Gotthardstrasse level crossing and starts its gravitydefying switchback climb towards the snow-shrouded Oberalp Pass and, 177 km later, St. Moritz.

But we’re not on board, even though, like its passengers, we started in Zermatttt and will enjoy Calandabräu and delicious local Capuns overlooking the icecovered St. Moritzersee tonight.

One One o off tthe he cclassic lassic rrail ail journeys journeys Summer or winter, ‘the slowest express train in the world’ is among the world’s classic rail journeys as it winds through Switzerland’s heart.

However, nice as in-seat catering, recorded commentary and are, panoramic windows there’s a strong case for riding local trains – hourly Regionalzüge or ‘Regio’ that stop at every station – through the same snow-frosted Alpine landscape instead.

A ssense ense o off tthe he rreal eal S Switzerland witzerland Doing so means you’ll share the journey, 291 bridges and 91 tunnels with local Walliser, Urner and Bündner folk. And probably in less-crowded carriages where you can easily The Local Answer

swap sides to photograph the ever-changing winter wonderland. What’s more, you’ll get a greater sense of the real Switzerland served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhätische Bahn’s narrowgauge trains. Best of all – with careful timetable planning – you can hop on and off to explore places that Glacier Express passenger s only see fleetingly from their seats.

Steaming coffee and scrumptious Vanill-Schnäggu pastries from Bäckerei Zuber on Brig’s Bahnhofstrasse? A stroll around snow-bedeck ed Andermatt or Hospental? Or how about visiting Filisur ’s curving Landwasser Viadukt where trains emerge from a sheer cliff face to cross the Glacier Express ’s towering architectural poster child?

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reaching the Engadine’s blue skies and champagne air, there is pretty little Bergün/Bravuogn and the Albulatal’s spiralling tunnels to savour.

The The ffocus ocus for for several several d days’ ays’ exploration exploration From Zermatt to St. Moritz, the journey takes around eight hour s. Add some en-route diversions and you’ll easily extend your adventure by several rewarding hours. Alternatively, how about making the Glacier Express route your focus for several days’ exploration?

Since the first Glacier Express steamed out of the Matterhorn’s shadow in 1930, it’s become one of Switzerland’s top tourist attractions. But for the truest Helvetic experience, I’d still recommend those hourly Regionalzüge on any winter day.

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One One of of tthe he m many any reasons reasons tto o cchoose hoose uus: s:

In In partnership partnership w with ith o our ur ssister ister ccompany, ompany, S Severn evern & W Wye ye Scaffolding, Scaffolding, w we e ccreate reate a ssafe afe w working orking e environment nvironment which which e enables nables o our ur p professional rofessional tteam eam tto o ffocus ocus o on n delivering delivering a h high igh q quality uality sservice. ervice. T This his iis s m more ore ccostosteffective effective than than u using sing e external xternal sscaffolders caffolders a and nd iis s ffar ar m more ore convenient convenient ffor or ccustomers ustomers – tthe he S evern e v e r n & W ye y e scaffold scaffold iis se erected rected a and nd rremoved emoved SCAFFOLDING S C A F F O L D I N G iin n a timely timely ffashion. ashion.

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IIn n tthe he Garden Garden w with ith JJulia ulia S Smith mith

Grow G row shrubs shrubs for for ffree ree New Year resolutions are easily made and even easier broken, however if you used your enforced time at home in 2020 to start gardening I think one of your resolutions should be to carry on! Hopefully you will have got the bug properly now and benefitted so much from being outside and perhaps eating some home-grown produce for the first time.

Wonderful Wonderful p pink, ink, p purple urple a and nd v violet iolet ccolours olours To see the flowers of your Hellebores at their best in the coming weeks, cut away last year’s grotty leaves. If you haven’t got any this is a good time to buy them, as they are starting to flower and you can pick your favourite from all the wonderful range of pink, purple and violet colours.

They like a nice rich soil and will thrive in semi-shade, and look so magical with snowdrops and evergreen ferns during the dark days of January and February.

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Mulch fruit trees , bushes and canes with organic matter, unless the soil is wate rlogged or frozen. This will give them a well-needed boost for the coming season.

Take T ake cuttings cuttings from from deciduous d eciduous sshrubs hrubs Why not grow some shrubs for free? Hardwood cuttings are taken from deciduous shrubs just after leaf fall or just before bud burst in spring. Think Buddleja (above), Cornus and Philadelphus.

Choose strong, healthy shoots and cut stems about 20cm long of a pencil thickness. Trim the top with a slanting cut just above a bud (so you know which side is up!) and square cut the base just below a bud. Remove the leaves from the bottom two-thirds and cut remaining leaves in half.

Remove a sliver of bark from the base and dip the To advertise call 01242 510500

cutting in hormone rooting powder to aid rooting. You can push them into open ground or use pots which you can put in a cold frame. They will be ready to move to a final location in autumn or pot on into containers.

S Sort ort o out ut y your our ffruit ruit a and nd v vegetable egetable p patch atch Tidy up your vegetable plot by clearing away the finished crops and putting them on the compost heap to reduce pests and diseases. If you cover the soil with black plastic this will warm the soil up ready for sowing seed later and keep weeds down.

Try forcing some rhubarb.

Cover the dormant buds with either straw or dry leaves inside a terracotta forcing pot or a large bucket to keep the light out. Tender pink stems will be produced in a few weeks’ time. Don’t do this to the same plant every year, as it will need to recover and build its reserves up.

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The Local Answer

IInterior nterior D Design esign w with ith G Gill ill G Greenwell reenwell

5 new new year year home home resolutions resolutions New Year is a good time to reflect on the past year and to look forward. This year it feels very different, as 2020 has been a year like no other. More than ever before we have been focusing on our homes, and looking for comfort and stability in our surroundings.

Here are my reflections and predictions to help you refresh your living space and create a feelgood home for 2021.

1 1.. E Edit dit y your our p possessions ossessions We are all spending much more time in our homes and want to make maximum use of our living space. A clutter-free environment is a calming place to be, and if you plan your decluttering it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Our organised homes need to look good on Instagram too!

Why not create a gallery wall for your pictures or collate a rainbow bookshelf?

My daughter has re-arranged all

her books by colour – so easy on the eye on a Zoom call.

2. R 2.

Refresh efresh w with ith bold b old ccolour olour A quick, easy, and cost-effective way to revamp a room is to paint a feature wall in a deep hue to create visual depth. Great for highlighting a particular feature in a room like a bedhead or fireplace, and also works for defining a different activity area, such as a dining area or workspace.

Another easy fix is to change the colour of your kitchen units.

Interiors influencer Lisa Dawson has just painted her units ontrend black – if you want a less dramatic look, forest green is looking to be a popular choice for 2021.

3. F 3.

Focus ocus o on n ssustainability ustainability We all care so much more about sustainable living now.

Think about repairing and repurposing what you have, search out second-hand or vintage items, upcycle and repaint old furniture. My bargain hunting sister-in-law has made an occasional table out of old leather suitcases, which is a real talking point.

Make this the year you become a regular at your local car boot sale, vintage market or charity furniture shop – bargain hunting really can be fun.

4.. E 4 Embrace mbrace jjapandi apandi Catch up on the next interiors The Local Answer

Image: IKEA

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trend, japandi. Combining Japanese and Skandi influences, this look focuses on simplicity, natural elements and comfort – so in tune with our current search for stability and calmness in our homes.

Look out for furniture and accessories made from natural materials like wood or bamboo, and soften the look with cosy warm textures for rugs and cushions.

5.. Treat 5 Treat yourself yourself For that extra touch of cosiness to get you through those last few dark months of winter, why not treat yourself in the sales to some bright new cushions or a textured rug in a contemporary design? A set of brand-new soft bedlinen will transform your bedroom into a cosy haven.

Now you have your resolutions sorted you can look forward to a happy and healthy new year.

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The Local Answer

G Gadgets adgets & G Gizmos izmos w with ith L Laura aura N Nicklin icklin

Beat Beat the the January Januar y blues blues Princess 33900 Princess 33900 Smart Smart Cordless C ordless R Robot obot Vacuum Vacuum

As we enter the New Year and try to move as far away from 2020 as possible, it’s feeling increasingly harder to ignore those dreaded January blues.

You’d even be forgiven for leaving your Christmas lights out for longer, just to inject some much-needed holiday cheer into your home. But if you’re still in need of some helpful gizmos to perk you up, why not give one of these household gadgets a try?

IInstant nstant P Pot ot D Duo uo P Plus lus 6 M Multi-Use ulti-Use P Pressure ressure C Cooker ooker Lakeland: £89.99 If being in lockdown has done anything, it’s forced more of us to spend more time in the kitchen. So why not make your life easier and jazz up your kitchen space with this multitalented pressure cooker? The Instant Pot Duo Plus from Lakeland comes equipped with everything from a sous-vide setting to sterilising setting.

Whether you’re whipping up rice, steaming vegetables or cooking up a tasty stew, this

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Argos: £199.99 Make hoovering a doddle with the Princess Smart Robot Vacuum from Argos. Suitable for laminate flooring, hard floors, carpets and rugs, this snazzy gizmo is the perfect little helper for any home. With its smart sensors, this little robot can get to work while you crack on with other chores, as it can find its own way around household obstacles like stairs or sharp corners.

gadget has it all, and it makes cooking simpler than ever, so even beginners can get involved. What better way to enjoy a cold winter evening than with a warm homemade meal?

The The V Velvetiser elvetiser Hotel Chocolat: £99.95 I have 3 words for you that will automatically cheer you up: hot chocolate maker. Instead of worrying about going out to get your chocolate fix, enjoy your fresh hot chocolatey beverage from the comfort of your home. The aptly-named Velvetiser from Hotel Chocolat is a sleek and stylish contraption that is perfectly suited for any chocolate lover.

Instead of waiting impatiently by the microwave or heating your milk over the stove, simply plug in the Velvetiser to whip up some delicious baristastyle hot chocolate in just 2.5 minutes. This gizmo is easy to clean and the perfect piece of tech to perk up a chocolate lover’s winter.

Just use the Homewizard Cleaner app to set the robot’s schedule, so it can get cleaning even when you’re not home, and it sends you an alert when it’s finished. Your home will be glistening clean in no time.

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New N ew Y Year e ar AULD LANG SYNE BALLOONS BUFFET CELEBRATE CHAMPAGNE CONFETTI COUNTDOWN DANCING FAMILY

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Installers of top quality windows, windows, doors and conserva tories. conservatories.

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01242 511384

Showroom – Units 40 & 41, Space Business Centre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, GL51 9FL

Don’t Don’t look look until until you’ve you’ve finished! finished! S Solutions olutions oon n ‘‘Index Index ooff A Advertisers’ dvertisers’ ppage. age.

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Get in touch to find out more Shelley & Jason Hyde 07812 996653 jason.hyde@uw.partners www.uw.partners/jason.hyde/partner

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IIndex ndex o off A Advertisers dvertisers H HEALTH EALTH & BEAUTY BEAUTY Slimming World

IINFORMATION NFORMATION

HEATING EATING & PLUMBING PLUMBING 17 H P PROFESSIONAL ROFESSIONAL S SERVICES ERVICES ACCOUNTING SERVICES SERVICES 18 ACCOUNTING 18 Sarsen Energy Phoenix Returns 10 ITCHENS KITCHENS FFURNISHING URNISHING & A APPLIANCES PPLIANCES K

NKS Contracts 6 R. Richards & Son

NHS Gloucestershire 14-15 Bella’s Interiors Dream Doors HOMES HOMES & G GARDENS ARDENS Hillarys BATHROOMS B ATHROOMS

20 Hatherley Worktops 27 U UTILITIES TILITIES 20 Utility Warehouse

GARDEN ARDEN S SERVICES ERVICES Severn Vale Bathrooms 12 G A. Luddite B BUILDING UILDING SERVICES SERVICES Applecrush Construction 10 Corinium Arb Glevum Cladding 16 David & Heather Marshalls Driveways 16 Mark Clifford

WINDOWS, D WINDOWS, DOORS OORS & 18 C ONSERVATORIES CONSERVATORIES

CHARITIES 16 CHARITIES Building Circles 10 Let’s Be Clear Campaign 4 25 MEDIATION MEDIATION SERVICES SERVICES

Stratford Family Mediation 9 PUBLISHING PUBLISHING

28 Albany Windows 2 & 24 Lois Kingscott 10 18 Clearway Windows 22 S SKIP KIP H HIRE IRE & RECYCLING RECYCLING 18 Garolla 17 Stevens Recycling 26

IIff yyou ou don’t don’t see see the the goods goods or or services services you you provide provide listed listed here, here, take take advantage advantage and and B BE ET THE HE F FIRST! IRST! P Please lease ccall all 0 01242 1242 5 510500 10500 oorr eemail mail iinfo@thelocalanswer.co.uk nfo@thelocalanswer.co.uk P Puzzle uzzle S Solutions olutions N O I T I D A R T A P U P S U S I F T L W U E U

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C Competition ompetition R Rules ules 1 Prizes are as stated and no cash or prize alternative will be offered. 2 Employees of The Local Answer and their families or households are not eligible to enter.

3 The first correct entry drawn at random after the closing date will win the prize as stated. 4 The winner will be notified by telephone afftter the closing date has passed. 5 The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 6 Entrants must be over 18 years, unless stated. 7 Proof of posting is not

regarded as proof of receipt of entry. 8 The Local Answer accepts no responsibility for the provision of the prize, which remains at all times the full responsibility of the prize donor(s). 9 By entering any competition you agree to have your name published in the next issue of The Local Answer should you be drawn as a winner of the prize. 10 By entering any competition you agree to have your details passed to a third party. 11 One entry per household.

B BOOKING OOKING D DEADLINE EADLINE FFOR OR N NEXT EXT IISSUE SSUE – FFriday riday 88th th JJanuary anuary 22021 021

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ATTENTION A TTENTION! Let us lighten your load!

Domestic and Industrial Skips Ham Villa Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham GL52 6NB

01242 522647/529397 stevensrecycling584@gmail.com

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QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS by simply replacing the doors and worktops

kit ch en

UKFrom ma ’s the ke # ov 1 er

ex pe r ts

Beffo ore

2020 PRICES HELD ● FROM

SIMPLE DOOR REPLACEMENTS TO COMPLETE FITTED KITCHENS

ffo or January

● FULL LY Y

INST TA ALLED BY LOCAL PROFESSIONALS IN JUST A FEW DA AY YS

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FROM A LARGE SELECTION OF DOORS, WORKTOPS AND APPLIANCES

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OUR SHOWROOM IS CURRENTL Y OPEN BY LY APPOINTMEN ONL LY Y – PLEAST CALL NOW T E BOOK YOURO VISIT!

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SPECIALIST TREE SURGEONS Based in Chedworth, we are a local professional company providing tree care and arboricultural ser vices to domestic and commercial customers throughout Gloucestershire

Our services include • Crown reductions • Crown raising/thinning • Dismantles • Felling • Stump grinding • Wo Woodland management • Estate management • Wo Wood chipping • Hedge trimming • Tree sur vey and woodland management plans • Confined rigging and dismantles of large trees Our tradesmen are fully trained, qualified and possess years of experience in the field.

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We hold full public liability insurance!

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