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A NS W E R
GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2020
COTSWOLDS ‘LEST WE FORGET’ – WEAR YOUR POPPY WITH PRIDE!
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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:
IInside nside tthis his month month ... ... D elicious D ish Delicious Dish
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P arenting & G uardianship Parenting Guardianship
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D istributors R equired Distributors Required
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TTLA LA 550% 0% O ff D eal Off Deal
110-11 0-11
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Gadgets & Gizmos Gizmos Gadgets
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Index, Competitions, Competitions, S olutions 2266 Index, Solutions 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 N ovember November The nights are well and truly drawing in and lots of us are starting to plan our Christmas celebrations. While the festive season is something to look forward to, we must also make sure we and our loved ones stay safe. This month we have important information from two of the emergency services. The NHS want to let you know about temporary changes to Emergency Care in Gloucestershire in response to COVID-19, and Gloucestershire Constabulary have shared their burglary protection advice to keep you safe and secure this winter. Read more inside. As we head towards winter, you may be thinking about getting warm and cosy in your home. Gill Greenwell shares some Nordic style Interior advice in her latest article, while Roberta Smart thinks about how we can light up the dark winter days in her Parenting & Guardianship feature. Don’t forget there is still time to take advantage of our 50% Off deal for Cotswolds businesses – more details inside.
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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
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UNWANTED BRIDE GUY SHEPPARD
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Delicious Delicious Dish Dish with w ith H Helen elen K Kingscott ingscott
P Parsnip arsnip and and potato gratin p otato g ratin Ad delicious, elicious, ccreamy reamy a accompaniment ccompaniment ffor or your your roast roast dinner. dinner. Great Great with with cchicken hicken or or tturkey. urkey.
IIngredients: ngredients: 500g/1lb parsnips; 500g/1lb potatoes; 150g/5oz pack of bacon lardons; 2 echalion shallots; 2-4 garlic cloves; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 1 bay leaf; 400ml/¾ pint whole milk; 100g/4oz full fat crème fraiche; 300ml/½ pint double cream; fresh or dried nutmeg; 50g/2oz walnuts, roughly chopped; ½ tbsp olive oil plus extra for greasing the foil.
M Method: ethod: 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C, (180°C fan/gas mark 6). 2 Peel and finely slice the shallots, garlic, potatoes and parsnips. I used my mandoline – it saves so much time. 3 Put the bacon in a large pan and cook gently to allow the fat to melt and turn crispy. Remove and set aside. 4 Add the oil and cook the shallots for approximately eight minutes until soft. 5 Add the garlic and stir for a minute, then add the bay leaf, half the thyme, the cream, crème fraiche, milk, a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper. 6 Heat the mixture until just simmering then
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add the parsnips and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes, until they begin to soften. Remove the bay leaf. 7 Spoon out half the mixture into your chosen baking dish (about 20 x 30 cm/ 8 x 12 inch) and scatter over half of the bacon bits. Spoon the remaining mixture on top and sprinkle the remaining bacon, thyme, the walnuts and a little more nutmeg on top. 8 Cover with a sheet of oiled foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden and tender. This can be made the day before. Just wait until fully cooled before putting in the fridge. To reheat the next day, cover with foil and cook for approximately 25-30 minutes at 200°C, (180°C fan/gas mark 6).
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P Parenting arenting & G Guardianship uardianship w with ith R Roberta oberta S Smart mart
L Light ight u up p tthe he d dark ark d days ays Its dark out there, isn’t it? The evenings draw in quicker and quicker and it can be easy to feel hemmed in and frustrated – especially after the year we have had! So how can you bring more light into your life? November sees the beginning of many festivals of light: from Bonfire night and the Hindu festival of Diwali, to the American Thanksgiving and the beginnings of the Yule celebrations making themselves known. No matter your nationality or religious persuasion, midwinter calls upon us to bring in the light and in any faith, ‘Be The Light’ is a constant message. From decorating the house with lights through to trying to do a good deed every day; there are many ways we can ‘be the light’ in these dark times.
M Make ake sseasonal easonal d decorations ecorations w with ith o old ld jam and jam jjars ars a nd ttea ea llights ights A trip to the bargain store is a great place to start, where you can pick up cheap and
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cheerful decorations for your home. Get the kids making seasonal decorations, maybe decorating old jam jars and popping tea lights inside. Or if you are really crafty, collect autumn foliage to create a centrepiece for the table with conkers, pinecones, greenery and ribbon, then place a sturdy jar candle in the middle. Candles can then be lit with a touch of ceremony at mealtimes, whilst settling down or gathering as a family. If you are not into ‘Prayer’ as such then lighting a candle and sharing things you are grateful for, what good thing happened in your day or sending our wishes for others far away to be happy and healthy, are great ways to bring a sense of joy and togetherness into our lives. As I have mentioned before, a little ritual goes a long way to bringing people together and can grow into a To advertise call 01242 510500
beloved family tradition. Taking time to centre our thoughts and focus on good things is really great for our mental health as well, and no matter how stressed or difficult your day may have been, there is always something to be grateful for.
Help H elp cchildren hildren who who may may sstruggle truggle w with ith anxiety anxiety If you have kids who are struggling with anxiety, this can be a good way to ‘turn it on its head’ by first encouraging them to express what they do not like, then helping them to see how this could in fact be a good thing: Help them to understand that our struggles build character and resilience, helping us develop patience and empathy, and indeed if we never experienced the yucky things in life, the pleasures would be all the less sweeter. And remember my favourite adage: the Universe only ever acts in your favour and for your highest good! Now there is something to think about! Page
D Distributors istributors Required R equired For a few hours each month in Bourton on the Water • Cirencester Kemble • Mickleton • Northleach Stow-on-the-Wold • Siddington • Tetbury Each round is made up of 150-400 copies per month. The rate of pay is 6 pence/copy. Depending on property types, our current team of people average between 100150 copies/hour (equivalent to £6-£9/hour). Magazines are delivered to T The h e Loc Lo c al al Distributors’ homes towards the A ANS NS WER WER end of each month and we expect deliveries to be completed within four days between the hours of 7am and 9pm. You must be 13+ years old, flexible, reliable and sufficiently physically fit to COTSW C OTSWO OLDS LDS perform the duties.
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GLOUCESTERSHIRE G LOUCESTERSHIRE’’S S BIGGEST B IGGEST LLOCAL OCAL MAGAZINE MA AGAZINE NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 2020 2020
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Exploring the lyrics of Inkubus Sukkubus Candia and Tony McKormack met in 1989 while studying Graphic Design and quickly discovered they had similar tastes in music and a shared interest in the history and practice of witchcraft and magic – as well as a fairly unhealthy mutual love of classic horror films. Soon after, they formed their band Inkubus Sukkubus (originally spelt ‘Incubus Succubus’) – a vehicle to write and perform songs on subjects covering paganism, folklore, witchcraft, vampire lore and death rites. They married in 1990, have two children and live in Gloucestershire. To date they’ve released 25 studio albums and performed live in Mexico, USA, Australia, Russia, Turkey, Scandinavia, the UK and most of Europe. They’ve also appeared on national television in the UK, Greece, Germany and Finland. In 2019, the band celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a series of live concerts and their 25th studio release, an album called Liliith Rising. Page 8
“One of our land’s most individual and interestin ng Gothic folk-rock bands now proves that it can deal as effectively with prose as music, in n a mixture of stories old and new, of horror, beauty and romance, that capture perfectly the magiccal and mysticcal heritage of one of En ngland’s most remarkable counties.” Professor Ronald Hutton
Folkloric tales are told in the songs of Candia and Tony’s trilogy of albums Tale es of Witchcraft & Wonder and now, under the same title, their book delves into the meaning behind the tales – the theories, the magic, the romance, and the horror. Many strange stories are www.TheLocalAnswer.co.uk
explored, including sightings of winged cats and a tragic ‘woman in black’ in Cheltenham, Dr Margaret Murray’s connection with the Hagley Wood wych elm murder case, strange acts committed by people under the influence of datura, and the body of a Gloucestershire woman wrapped in deer skins and bound with iron chains. The 120-page A5 paperback and accompanying 13-track CD of featured songs is available through the band’s website Inkubussukkubus.com for only £17.50 including P&P. The Local Answer
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Quick Q uick Crossword Crossword A ACROSS CRO SS 1 Privileged class 7 Former soldiers 8 Edible organs 10 Horseracing track 12 Entitling 14 Moved through water 16 Tasks 17 Scraps 20 Pop instrumentalists 23 Finnish steam bath 24 Highly charged 25 River-mouth land
D OWN DOWN 1 Develop 2 Rupture 3 Measure (out) 4 Furnishing scheme 5 Diminishing 6 Admiration 9 Large spoon 11 Partly cooked 13 Gesture of assent 15 Radiates 16 Sharply serrated 18 Musical composition 19 Taunts 21 Curved-bill bird 22 Auction
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D Don’t on’t llook ook until until you’ve you’ve ffinished! inished! Solutions Solutions on on ‘‘Index Index ooff A Advertisers’ dvertisers’ page. page.
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L eaflet Leaflet D istribution Distribution • Delivering direct to over er Service S ervice 169,000 properties every ery m month onth •T Targeted argeted D Delivery elivery a across cross o our ur 5 500+ 00+ iindividual ndividual rrounds ounds •H Hassle-free assle-free S Storage torage and and Delivery Delivery (we (we accept accept d delivery elivery o off yyour our lleaflets eaflets d direct irect ffrom rom p printing rinting ccompanies) ompanies)
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A And nd w with ith a maximum maximum o off 2 n non-conflicting on-conflicting lleaflets eafle d delivered elivered w with ith each each ccopy opy o off T The he L Local ocal A Answer nswer m magazine, agazzin yyou ou w will ill rreceive eceive ffantastic antastic e exposure xposure ffor or yyour our a advertising. dvertising.
F For or m more ore d details etails e email mail JJohn ohn a att lleaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk eaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk o orr ccall all
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Sudoku Fill the grids so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
Money Money Matters Matters w with ith R Roger oger D Downes ownes o off A Andorran ndorran
S State tate p pension ension cchanges hanges The government will look after us, won’t they? If you are poorly, we can turn to the National Health Service; if we lose our job, we can claim state benefits. And once we are officially too old to work, the state will pay us a pension. But therein lies a problem. We are all living longer and as a result the government has decided it cannot afford to pay our state pensions for as long as it used to. They have known for some while that it was coming and initially used equality laws and arguments to increase the age (65) at which women became eligible for state pension to be the same as for men. Campaigners tried to claim that the move was illegal, but they have all lost in court. Last month we saw the start of the second phase of the government’s long-term plan come into force, when the state pension age was officially raised from 65 to 66. It affects anyone born after 6th October 1954 and will be held at that level for the next six years, following which it will rise to 67. There are plans for further increases in pension age until it reaches 70 in 20-30 years’ time.
Waiting W aiting another another 12 12 months months to to draw draw from from the the pot pot
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It goes deeper than just waiting another year for our state pension. The age at which we stop paying National Insurance on our earnings is aligned to state pension age. 65 year olds therefore pay into the system now for one year longer as well as waiting a further 12 months to draw from the pot. What else can the government do? It has already introduced compulsory company pensions for those in employment, which have now reached maximum contribution levels by both employer and worker. The argument is that the more money that is in your personal pension, the less you will need to rely on the state. The level of government pension is guaranteed to rise by reference to inflation, with a guaranteed minimum increase of 2.5% if inflation is lower than that. There are suggestions that the government should go back on its word and remove the guarantee. It wouldn’t be the first time they had done something like that, would it?
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IIn n tthe he Garden Garden w with ith JJulia ulia S Smith mith
C Clean lean up up your your garden garden tools tools Sadly, many Bonfire Night events have been cancelled this year because of the pandemic. Therefore, your garden may be in demand for a small, sociallydistanced family Bonfire Night. Now that autumn leaves are falling, keep your garden tidy by sweeping the patio and planting up extra pots with small evergreens, pansies and some bulbs to keep the interest going. Even if you only have a small audience, you’ll still want your garden to look its best! This is also a good month to take a long hard look at your garden. We are all guilty of hanging on to shrubs, trees or perennials that really are either not good doers, or are too big or ugly. If you are having trouble deciding, get the professionals in. It is better to start the process in the winter months than waiting until spring when everyone is rushed off their feet!
S Stop top tthe he b build uild u up po off p pests ests a and nd d diseases iseases One of the chores in having a greenhouse is that it should
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really be cleaned every year to stop the build up of pests and diseases, and to keep the glass clean for maximum light. A dry windy day would be ideal for this. Using a disinfectant such as Jeyes fluid, clean the benches, all the cracks and crevices which could house mealy bugs, and even wash through the gravel if you have it on your bench tops. This is one of those jobs that hangs over you like a big black cloud, but when you’re done it wi ll m ake yo u fee l wonderful. You will be tempted to bore your family and friends by taking them into your clean greenhouse to look round – don’t expect the same interest from them! Hybrid tea and floribunda roses need to be cut back by about one-third now, which will stop wind rock loosening the roots through the winter. Also cut off any dead, diseased or crossing growth. Leave the rest for the spring pruning. When the mowing comes to a To advertise call 01242 510500
halt later this month (although last winter the lawns seemed to grow all through the winter!) book your mower in to be serviced, thus beating the spring rush. Now is also a good time to clean and oil tools and send off secateurs to be sorted out if they are in a bit of a state.
Av valuable aluable late late source source off n o nectar ectar for for bees bees A plant that really adds to the garden this month is the Sedum Herbstfreude, or the Ice Plant, which starts early in spring with the fat rosettes of succulent, lettuce-green leaves, topped with salmon-pink flower heads in summer, maturing to pinkish-bronze then copperyred in autumn. This versatile perennial is a perfect filler plant for a sunny, well-drained spot. A valuable late source of nectar for butterflies and bees, the dried flower heads provide structure and colour in the winter garden and still look interesting in November. Page 1
Let Let us us help help y you ou keep k eep your your home home warm warm
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Don’t Don’t rreceive eceive one one of of these these benefits? benefits? You Y ou may may still still be be eligible eligible What iiss FFlex? What lex? It is eligibility through council NHIS (New Home Incentive Scheme) where councils must hit their targets on reducing carbon emissions. This is for households who do not receive any of the listed qualifying benefits.
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S Save ave the the P Planet lanet with w ith L Louise ouise W Williams illiams
What W hat iiss the the e environmental nvironmental impact impact of of the the virus? virus? Initially it seemed that the only positive about coronavirus was its environmental impact on the planet. Factories closed, no longer churning black smoke into the already very damaged ozone layer, the roads were empty, cars still on drives. We cooked our own food from scratch, grew our own produce, shopped in local stores, walked more, cycled everywhere, the skies were empty of planes and people discovered a renewed love of nature. It felt positive, hopeful even, despite the many, many tragic losses, people would cite this as ‘one good thing to come out of lockdown’. There were less positive changes though – necessary, but still an environmental setback. Food shopping delivered in carrier bags again with no option not to have bags, disposable mask and glove production in overdrive, people driving on their own to avoid the bus.
Image: earth.org
changes and people aren’t notes of the creatures you don’t going outside as much, slowly see at the moment. Watch age sucked back into the whirlwind appropriate documentaries with of school, work, after school them, get them to help sort the clubs and beginning the semi- recycling, to find out where it hibernation we seem to fall goes. into in the autumn and winter No N oo one ne iiss going going to to months. After all, you can’t do wave w ave a magic magic wand wand an evening bug hunt in the We need to keep the children pitch black with a torrential rainstorm soaking you through. of future generations interested in nature, in recycling, in cutting Or can you? Maybe it’s time to grab our down emissions and saving The The p positives ositives a are re a best wet weather gear and our the planet. It would be all too d distant istant m memory emory torches and go on a flashlight easy to slip back into our old Now it feels like all the bug hunt with our children or ways of thinking that someone positives are a distant memory. grandchildren. Or if that’s too else will sort it all out. There The roads are choked with cars much, sit in a darkened room isn’t anyone coming to wave a again, queueing at the traffic and watch for wildlife out of magic wand – the change is lights. Factories reopened (vital the window, keeping a log of with us and the generations to for the economy and people’s the visitors to your street or come after us. In a time where we don’t feel livelihood of course), disposable garden. If you’re away from the in control, this is an area where masks and gloves litter the pavements and wash up across children in your family, this is we can be in charge. Children the perfect activity to do over w e r e s o e m p o w e r e d a t t h e all shores. In the UK, the rediscovered zoom. Compare notes, who beginning of the year, so let’s love of nature seems to have sees the most wildlife? Teach try to work together to keep been lost as the weather them about hibernation, make that fire stoked. The Local Answer To advertise call 01242 510500 Page 1
A APPLECRUSH PPLECRUSH C CONSTRUCTION ONSTRUCTION
SSpecialising pecialising in in all all aaspects spects ooff ggroundwork roundwork • • • • • •
Driveways Patios Footings Drainage Landscaping Concrete floors/bases
R Rest est assured assured FULLY F ULLY INSURED LICENCED INSURED & LICENCED ALL A LL WORK WORK GUARANTEED GUARANTEED OPERATING O PERATING WITHIN WITHIN GOVERNMENT G OVERNMENT GUIDELINES GUIDELINES PROFESSIONAL P ROFESSIONA AL & FRIENDLY FRIENDLY
Contact Contact Matt Matt for for a free free no no obligation obligation quote quote
007894 7894 0017253 17253 aapplecrushconstruction@outlook.com pplecrushconstruction@outlook.com
@applecrushconstruction @applecrushconstruction
A Applecrush pplecrush Cottage, Cottage, A Aston ston Ingham Ingham Road, Road, K Kilcot, ilcot, Newent, Newent, G Gloucestershire loucestershire G GL18 L18 11NR NR
G Gadgets adgets & G Gizmos izmos w with ith L Laura aura N Nicklin icklin
W Winter inter w wonderland onderland o off g gadgets adgets As we look forward to the end of 2020, you may have only just started thinking about prepping for the Christmas holidays (after all, we have had a lot of other things to worry about). In the build-up to the festive season, check out some of these snazzy gizmos that can help you out.
Oblio O blio W Wireless ireless C Charger harger and a nd U UV VS Sanitiser anitiser Menkind.co.uk: £79 Now more than ever, it’s vital that we are staying as clean as possible. However, while you may be washing your hands and keeping hand sanitiser within reach, there’s a chance you’ve forgotten about another important part of your routine: your phone. Just think about how many times a day you tap away on your phone screen, leaving behind traces of bacteria. To ensure your phone is as clean as it can be, check out the Oblio Wireless Charger and UV Sanitiser. Not only does this gadget charge your phone, but it also kills up to 99.9% of germs in one short 20-minute The Local Answer
cycle. Give yourself one less thing to worry about with this clever cleaning gizmo.
Canon Z Canon Zoemini oemini Mobile Mobile Photo P hoto P Printer rinter John Lewis: £109.99 Nowadays, everyone can take photos on their phone and upload them to their social media in a few seconds. No need to bother with printed copies when you can get 100 likes on Instagram, right? But, if you’re feeling a bit oldschool and miss the nostalgia of a printed photograph to hang on your bedroom wall, then this nifty portable printer is the gizmo for you. The Zoemini from Canon wirelessly connects to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth to print photos that are smudge-proof, tear-proof and water-resistant! Its compact size also makes it easy to carry around, so no matter if you’re o u t a n d a b o u t , y o u ca n p r i n t your snapshots to your heart’s content. You can also have fun with the filters available with the Canon Mini Print app. And, if you want to stick your photos up, just peel off the back to uncover the sticky side. With this gadget, you can create a whole collage of treasured memories that you won’t find online.
cold winter nights creeping in, you’d be forgiven for falling behind on your fitness regime. Worry not, however, as there are still ways to stay motivated from the comfort of home. With the Activ5, you can exercise anywhere! Get fit and strengthen muscles with the Activ5’s 5-minute, low-impact, full body workouts. All the workouts will be personalised to your own fitness level, so don’t panic if you’re only a beginner! At just 136g, this device will fit neatly into your home. Just connect to your Android or iPhone to get started. With over 100 workouts to choose from, you’ll be spoi lt for choice.
Activbody A Activbody Activ5 ctiv5 Fitness F itness System System Apple: £124.95 Although the gyms are now open, many people may prefer to work out from home. But, with the To advertise call 01242 510500
Page 21
AW A W
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awfireplaces.co.uk awfireplaces.co.uk m mail@awfireplaces.co.uk ail@awfireplaces.co.uk VISIT OUR V ISIT O U R SSHOWROOM: H O W R O O M:
U Unit nit J, J, TThe he Bramery Bramery B Business usiness PPark, ark, A Alstone lstone LLane, ane, Cheltenham Cheltenham G GL51 L51 88HE HE
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Precision Precision Colour Colour Printing Printing Lt Ltd td (our (our printer) printer) are are proud proud to to be be a Forest Forest Stewardship Stewardship Council® Council® (FSC®) (FSC®) certificate certificate holder, holder, and and The proud The Local Local Answer Answer iiss p roud to to have publication printed have tthis his p ublication p rinted on paper FSC® o np aper ccertified ertified tto oF SC® standards which helps standards w hich h elps tto o protect World’s p rotect tthe he W orld’s fforests. orests.
HATHERLEY ATHERLEY HW H WORKTOPS W ORKTOPS LTD LTD Your Y our Local Local Worktop Worktop and and Kitchen Kitchen Specialists Specialists ranite F actory C Cheltenham heltenham b based ased Q Quartz uartz & G Granite Factory w with ith SShowroom howroom FR* EEFFER O SINK & CONDIITTIIOONS S *TTEERM APPLYLY
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Quartz Quartz & G Granite ranite Laminate Laminate Solid Solid W Wood ood M Minerva inerva®, Mirostone Mirostone®, Mistral Mistral®, Corian Corian® & Staron Staron® surfaces surfaces Worktop Worktop refits refits Door Door rreplacements eplacements Full Full kkitchens itchens
A ffully-recyclable ully-recyclable p product roduct A Ass well well as as the the paper, paper, tthe he iinks nks aand nd vvarnishes arnishes uused sed iinn p producing roducing T The he LLocal ocal A Answer nswer aare re b biodegradable. iodegradable. T The he p process rocess uused sed b byy rrecycling ecycling companies companies tto oe extract xtract iinks nks and and ccoatings oatings ffrom rom the the p paper aper rrender ender the the p paper aper ssuitable uitable ffor or p pulping ulping aand nd rrecycling. ecycling. Page 22
Tel: T el: 01242 01242 523398 523398 / 01452 01452 2 290458 90458 email: email: info@hatherleyworktops.co.uk info@hatherleyworktops.co.uk web: web: www.hatherleyworktops.co.uk www.hatherleyworktops.co.uk U Units nits 1 18, 8, 19 19 & 2 20 0M Malmesbury almesbury Road, Road, K Kingsditch ingsditch Trading Trading E Estate, state, C Cheltenham heltenham G GL51 L51 9 9PL PL
Opening Opening Hours: Hours: 8am-5pm 8am-5pm Monday-Friday Monday-Friday 9am-1pm 9am-1pm Saturdays Saturdays
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IInterior nterior D Design esign w with ith G Gill ill G Greenwell reenwell
N Nordic ordic sstyle tyle ccosy osy The Scandinavians have it all worked out when it comes to surviving cold winters and staying indoors. When I think ‘cosy’, Nordic style always comes to mind. Here are a few Skandi tips to help you create a warm, inviting space to while away those cold winter evenings at home. Their word for it is ‘Hygge’ – “a warm, cosy feeling embracing life’s pleasures” – something we all need to feel at this time of year.
IInspired nspired b by yn nature ature Nordic design is rooted in nature. The latest interior trends increasingly draw inspiration from natural themes, using sustainable materials sourced locally. Think warm wood or stone floors, exposed bricks, and mid-century furniture W made from teak. The latest A//W 20 interiors ranges all feature cane, bamboo and rattan.
M Modern odern rrustic ustic The modern rustic look is a perfect example of Skandi style. Think calm wall colours painted soft grey or dusty pink, and wood furniture paired with
soft wool or sheepskin throws and textured lamps. To be really on trend, include some brown in your scheme – perhaps a Sixties style toffee coloured distressed leather sofa. Yes, brown is back! Check out the Cox and Cox website for inspiration. I particularly love their coffee table made of reclaim ed oak – a perfect addition to a winter sitting room.
Bringing B ringing n nature ature indoors indoors Greenery is key to this look and green plants create a lovely woodland feel. I love fresh flowers in the house, and dried flowers are having a moment too so you can mix the two. I use lots of natural foliage from the garden or hedgerows to bulk out my arrangements, which costs nothing. If you’re feeling creative, make dried flower pictures made from pressed flowers or frame a group of cheap botanical prints to add some character to a blank wall. Look up Pinterest for ideas.
Crafty C rafty u upcycling pcycling Being sustainable is fundamental to Skandi style. “Don’t
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buy new if you can get good second hand items or already have things that work”. Look for pieces with a history or made from recycled materials using traditional craftsmanship. I had an old stripped pine chest re-painted in a deep mahogany brown with new handles. It now has pride of place in the hallway of my daughter’s flat. Look out for vintage cane or rattan pieces, and give them a contemporary twist with a vibrant colour like deep blue or emerald green.
A Add dd a ccosy osy N Nordic ordic ttouch ouch For that final Nordic touch, make your home really cosy and comfortable this winter by installing a natural wood burner. Always have plenty of candles – they create instant atmosphere. My favourite has a smoky scent just like a log fire. And don’t forget those antlers on the wall and a sheepskin rug on the floor. Now just relax with a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket and a good book, and you are sure to be snug and happy at home when its freezing outside.
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Installers of top quality windows, windows, doors and conserva tories. conservatories. For a free no obligation quotation call
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Index of Advertisers FOOD & DRINK
27 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Dream Doors 4 GARDEN SERVICES INFORMATION A. Luddite Glos Constabulary 14-15 David & Heather NHS Gloucestershire 9 Mark Clifford Clavell & Hind
HOMES & GARDENS
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Phoenix Returns
16 16 ANTIQUES 16 Patrick Oliver Antiques
HEATING & PLUMBING
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Sarsen Energy Severn Vale Bathrooms 13 The Eco 3 Scheme
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KITCHENS
Applecrush Construction 20 Marshalls Driveways 16 Hatherley Worktops R. Richards & Son 18 WINDOWS, DOORS &
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Lucy Ellie Bailey Art 4 5 18 CARE SERVICES Building Circles 5 Let’s Be Clear Campaign 2 22 PUBLISHING
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AW Fireplaces Bella’s Interiors
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22 Albany Windows 24 & 28 SKIP HIRE & RECYCLING 22 Clearway Windows 26 25 Stevens Recycling
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QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS by simply replacing the doors and worktops
kit ch en
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