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GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

GLOUCESTER WIN AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO & MORE GREA ATT PRIZES – SEE INSIDE

The The Lo Local c al

AN ANSWER SWER

Gloucester: G loucester: 46,000 46,000 copies copies ~ Cheltenham: Cheltenham: 443,000 3,000 copies copies Cotswolds: Cotswolds: 330,000 0,000 ccopies opies North North Gloucestershire: Gloucestershire: 220,000 0,000 ccopies opies Stroud Stroud District: District: 41,000 41,000 ccopies opies

IInside nside tthis his m month onth ... ... D elicious Dish Dish Delicious LLeader’s eader’s Life Life LLooking ooking G ood, Feeling Feeling Great Great Good, P arenting & G uardianship Parenting Guardianship EEducation ducation & Employment Employment H olidays & TTravel ravel Holidays Quick Crossword Crossword Quick Motoring Motoring TLA TLA Sport Sport Word Word Search Search What’s What’s On On TLA TLA EEntertainment ntertainment Homes Homes & Gardens Gardens Wildlife Matters Wildlife M atters In In the the Garden Garden Sudoku Sudoku Interior Interior Design Design Gadgets Gadgets & Gizmos Gizmos Save the the Planet Planet Save M oney M atters Money Matters IIndex, ndex, C ompetitions, S olutions Competitions, Solutions

5 8 9 11 11 13 13 17 17 18 18 19 19 20-21 20-21 22 22 23 23 26-27 26-27 28 28 33 33 35 35 36 36 39 39 43 43 45 45 49 49 50 50

Online Online this this month month ... ... Enter Enter our our fantastic fantastic competitions competitions and you you could could win: win: and

February’s winning cover photo: Emma Armstrong

W elcome Welcome ttoo FFebruary ebruary It’s Valentine’s Day this month and our Delicious Dish is the perfect recipe to wow your partner for a romantic night in – or impress guests at an anti-Valentine’s dinner party! If you’re looking for ideas of how to keep your little ones occupied this February half term, it’s always worth checking our What’s On section both in print and online for great local events. We’re continuing our New Year sale on our online What’s On section, so if you have an event coming up that you’d like to attract more visitors to, be sure to get it listed sooner rather than later. For this month’s competitions, we’ve teamed up with Malmaison Cheltenham, Nineteen Beauty and Regency Cleaners. Head online to see the fabulous prizes on offer. Good luck! If you use the services of our advertisers or attend the events listed, please tell them you found them in The Local Answer! If you can’t find the service you require inside, head online to our Directory, where we have details of many more local businesses.

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Contacts C ontacts M anaging D irector Managing Director Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk

• A full full body body massage massage at at Nineteen Nineteen Beauty Beauty in in Cheltenham Cheltenham • Home Home carpet carpet cleaning cleaning worth worth £150 £150 from from Regency Regency Cleaners Cleaners fternoon ttea ea ffor or ttwo wo at at •A Afternoon M almaison C heltenham Malmaison Cheltenham U nit H hurchill IIndustrial ndustrial EEstate, state, C hurchill R oad, Unit H,, C Churchill Churchill Road, LLeckhampton, eckhampton, Cheltenham, Cheltenham, G loucestershire G L53 77EG EG Gloucestershire GL53

Telephone Telephone 01242 01242 510500 510500 @ @thelocalanswer thelocalanswer

w www.thelocalanswer.co.uk ww.thelocalanswer.co.uk

Marketing M arketing

Lois Kingscott lois@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Advertising Advertising Claudie Francis (01242 510500) info@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Distribution istribution LLeaflets eaflets & D John Overton (01242 541075) leaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk Louis Jordan distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk Page 3

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We have two function rooms available daytime and evenings for occasional meetings, parties or regular club/group gatherings. With capacity to cater for 6-60 people, The Orange Room or The Long Room are excellent venues for private get-togethers with family, friends or colleagues. From simple snackss and refreshments to 3-course dinners, we provide a bespoke e, personal ser vice with flexibility to match your needs. Please P lease call call or or email email for for more more information information ... ...

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TThe he FFountain ountain IInn, nn, 5 53 3W Westgate estgate Street Street Gloucester Gloucester GL1 GL1 2NW 2NW • 01452 01452 522562 522562 tthefountaininngloucester@gmail.com hefountaininngloucester@gmail.com • w www.thefountaininngloucester.com ww.thefountaininngloucester..com

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O OPENING PENING H HOURS: OURS: SSunday-Saturday unday-Saturday 11am-11pm 11am-11pm • FOOD FOOD SERVED: SERVED: 12-8pm 12-8pm Mon-Thur, Mon-Thur, 12-9pm 12-9pm Fri-Sat, Fri-Sat, 1 12-5pm 2-5pm Sun Sun

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FREE DESSERT WITH EACH MAIN COURSE ORDERED

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C Sunday roasts • Real Ales & Ciders

tel: 01452 309340 www.caferene.co.uk Page 4

**THIS THIS VOUCHER VOUCHER MUST MUST BE BE PRESENTED PRESENTED BEFORE BEFORE ORDERING ORDERING YOUR RECEIVE DESSERT YOUR MEAL MEAL TO TO R ECEIVE YYOUR OUR FFREE REE D ESSERT

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

M Mixed ixed berry berr y and and chocolate chocolate pavlova pavlova T his iis s tthe he p erfect sshowpiece howpiece tthat This perfect hat iiss ssure ure tto o iimpress mpress y our V your Valentine! alentine! IIngredients: ngredients: 4 medium egg whites; 225g caster sugar; 100g dark chocolate; 300ml double cream; 500g mixed berries – strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, or you could use mixed fruit bags from the frozen aisle in your supermarket (defrosted and drained). Tinned fruit would also work but make sure it is drained well to stop the meringue going soggy. M Method: ethod: 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (275°F/gas mark 1). 2 Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and draw a 23cm/9’’ circle onto it. I drew around my small frying pan. 3 Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar 1tsp at a time, keeping the whisk going. Once all the sugar has been used, keep whisking for a couple more minutes until thick and glossy looking. 4 Spoon the mixture inside your circle and use a spoon to swirl it to the edges. Rough it up a little with the back of the spoon so it gives it a bit of texture. 5 Bake in the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes until crisp on the outside. 6 Leave it to cool completely, still on the paper but on a wire rack. Wrap it loosely in greaseproof paper until you are ready to decorate it.

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7 Put the chocolate in a bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and stir until just melted. 8 Lift the pavlova off the paper and place on your choice of serving dish, then drizzle some of the chocolate over the top. Use the rest to make decorations by swirling the chocolate onto a piece of greaseproof paper. I made a couple of hearts by dipping the spoon in the chocolate and ‘drawing’ them with the spoon. Chill these for 20 minutes then carefully peel off by sliding a butter knife underneath. 9 Whip the cream until it forms soft swirls, spoon over the pavlova then decorate how you like with your chosen fruit and add your chocolate shapes to finish. If you don’t know what to do with your leftover egg yolks, check out our recipe online for a tasty vanilla pannacotta.

Looking L ooking for for a Great Great Day Day Out? Out? V Visit isit The The Wye Wye Valley Valley & F Forest orest of of Dean Dean

Ideal for Clubs, Clubs, Groups Groups & Societies Societies 202 2020 Gro Group up ‘Tour & Explore’ with Buffet Lunch & Discount Shopping Pac Packag kages es Wye Valley Cream Teas & Salmon Lunches, Out Out Now N o w ! Traditional Carvery Meals & Welsh Inspired Menus

w www.abbeymill.com ww.abbeymill.com E Email shelley@abbeymill.com mail s helley@abbeymill.com Open All Year T e l e p hone 0 1 29 1 6 8 92 28 ~ F or a brochure brochure q uote ‘‘2020 20 2 0 S pecial’ 7 Days a Week Telephone 01291 689228 For quote Special’ Abbey Mill, A bbey M ill, Wye Wye Valley, Valley, Tintern, Tintern, Monmouthshire Monmouthshire NP16 NP16 6SE 6SE Daily from 10.30am The Local Answer

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Page 5

Leader Leader s L Life ife with with Councillor Councillor Richard Richard Cook Cook

IInvesting nvesting in in the the city city I trust that all readers have made a full recovery from the excesses of the Christmas and New Year period. The story of the last 10 years for local government has been about the effects of austerity. The City Council has been forced to make savings of over £10 million over that period, which has led to some difficult decisions. The loss of funding from central government forces councils to either cut spending or find alternative sources of income. Spending has certainly been cut, but we have been looking at means to improve income as well. The establishment of the property investment fund in 2017 has enabled Gloucester City Council to make two substantial investments in Gloucester – the first is the purchase of St Oswald’s shopping centre; the second is the purchase of the Eastgate shopping centre.

Delivering Delivering a return return on on investment investment as as well well a ass p promoting romoting the the local local economy economy Many other councils around the country have made similar investments, some much larger and at times away from their locale, while our investments have deliberately been within the city and will benefit the city. We have taken our time to find the right investments to make, which will deliver us a return and at the same time promote our local economy. These two purchases are expected to provide a return on investment which will provide additional income. This reduces the need to cut spending in the future and enables the council to continue to provide the services, which our residents value. I can confirm that there will be no plans for cuts in either services or staff in the next year. Available land at St Oswald’s could be utilised to provide more housing, especially affordable housing. The council already owns Kings Walk shopping centre and along with Eastgate this gives us a huge stake in the retail offering in the city. This can help to rebalance the city centre as shopping habits change, and can potentially refurbish the indoor market to make it fit for the 21st century. In the long term, ensuring that we have the ability to support ourselves financially removes the dependence on government, for funding, which is rapidly disappearing. e email: mail: rrichard.cook@gloucester.gov.uk ichard.cook@gloucester.gov.uk

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Superb Quality

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OFFER L HIIRRE 9 A IA I C E P S .9

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The The Grooms Grooms Room Room Menswear Menswear 7711 Northgate Northgate S Street, treet, G Gloucester, loucester, G GL1 L1 22AG AG www.thegroomsroom.net

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Program Program design design and and fitness fitness myths myths As the year progresses, your fitness needs change as your body adapts to the exercise stimulus you expose it to. For more experienced fitness enthusiasts, this can be addressed with switching up training, playing with work to rest and recovery ratios, or ramping up intensity/ duration. For beginner to intermediate types however, this next phase can be quite challenging, particularly for those who set themselves a big goal like losing weight, competing in a race or event, or joining a sports club.

S Sport-specific port-specific p programs rograms People often ask me for sportspecific drills, workouts or fitness programs. Unless you are an elite or professional athlete, you shouldn’t fool yourself into believing you need special training ‘specific’ to your sport. Of course, there are going to be differences in approach based on the energy system and physical or tactical demands of a sport or activity. However, those differences are not cause for a ‘sport specific’ program! Complete conditioning for sport or overall fitness must incorporate a multi-dimensional program; knowing this and following appropriate strategies will put you at an advantage. For example, a recreational netballer and a competitive amateur footballer both need speed, coordination and agility among other fitness components. Those components don’t require a ‘specific program’ – the job of the trainer or coach The Local Answer

is to develop better athletes who happen to play football or netball through applying a common sense, science-based approach to training. Focusing on fitness training and wellness, it doesn’t matter what sport(s) you play or activities you participate in, the training plan you use has to be based on the same Program Design fundamentals for people of different ages and genders: to improve speed, strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance. When it comes to your training program design specifics, there are three critical factors you or your trainer need to consider:

1 1.. U Understanding nderstanding your your o objectives bjectives What do you want to achieve? What is possible, safe, realistic? Do you really need to do one arm handstand push ups to improve your fitness?

2 2.. T Timing iming considerations considerations How long is an effective session?

How much time does it take when warm up, activity, cool down and recovery periods are all factored in?

3.. T 3 Training raining stimulus stimulus Ensuring that there is balance between push-pull exercises; upper body, lower body and core; mobility and flexibility; strength and endurance, etc. Designing your own or someone else’s training program is not easy. Not everyone can create training programs that are safe and effective – it is a skill that takes time and practice (as well as some mistakes!) to develop. If you don’t have access to a trainer or coach, there is no need to go online and download the “elite X program”. Rather, start with a blank sheet of paper, using the three factors above to guide you. By focusing on the fundamentals, you can keep building and improving your fitness and sport conditioning at a rate that suits your body and lifestyle.

To advertise call 01242 510500

Page 

SA AINTBRIDGE INTBRIDGE HOUSE OUSE N NURSING URSING & R RESIDENTIAL ESIDENTIAL H HOME OME

01452 01452 300307 300307

Local partner solicitors are donating their expertise and time to write a basic Will in return for a suggested donation to Cobalt. Offering single en-suite bedrooms for up to 36 residents Tasteffully decorated and homely Lovely patio and landscaped lawn area for residents to enjoy in the warmer weather ● Dedicated, caring and hardworking staffff ● Exceptional hygiene standards ● Weekly unisex hairdresser. Chiropodist, dentist, physiotherapist and optician visits arranged ● Activities Co - ordinator with an ongoing programme of events to keep residents occupied and maintain both physical and mental well being. ● ●

loucestershire G L4 4 QQ 1 189 89 P Painswick ainswick Road, Road, G Gloucester, loucester, G Gloucestershire GL4 4QQ iinfo@saintbridge-house.co.uk nfo@saintbridge-house.co.uk w ww.saintbridge-house.co.uk www.saintbridge-house.co.uk

Page 10

For further information visit our website www.cobalthealth.co.uk or call 01242 535922

Places are limited so make your appointment today!

Registered charity number: 1090790

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The Local Answer

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

Doing D oing w what hat iis s rright ight for for you you How does your family deal with big events? I’m talking weddings, anniversaries, extended family gatherings, etc. Are you a party animal? Do you love surprises and chaos? Or do you prefer a low key life, with plenty of notice of impending events – so that you can plan your polite refusal and stay home to read a book? Living in a family of any age range means shifting from ‘Doing what I want’ into ‘Doing it for others’, and before you know it, all your own needs and values have gone out of the window. This can heavily impact family life.

H How ow ccan an y you ou k keep eep e everyone veryone h happy? appy? What’s more, if you have one extrovert parent and one introvert, plus a range of kids with various needs, how on earth can you possibly keep everyone happy and still be part of your wider community? By managing expectations and keeping the lines of communication wide open – that’s how!

The Local Answer

In our family, I am the ‘people person’: chatty, conversational and a real people pleaser. Dad on the other hand is introverted, shy, hates crowds and prefers his own company. The Boy, 21, is a born ‘helper’ and finds pleasure in helping everyone else have a good time – ‘Lift anyone?’ The Girl is 19 and a bed monkey. Happiest in her PJs, she loves little kids and hates late night drinking!

You You don’t don’t have have to to do do everything e verything ttogether ogether So, as you can imagine, extended family gatherings are a bit of a nightmare to coordinate. The one thing we always maintained was that everyone had a choice and we did not have to do everything together. When they were little, I encouraged my kids to find second families. They would spend time at friends’ houses where there was more fun and craziness, then they could come home to our quieter, calmer house, To advertise call 01242 510500

and bring friends over who needed what we had to offer. It takes some practice to push against familial expectations, but in time you find confidence and a deep sense of trust for those who allow you to be wholly yourself. In fact, nothing bonds a family more than overcoming disagreements or finding solutions to challenges together. In later years, any one of us was free to say ‘No thank you’ to invitations – and my partner missed a lot of family events when I took the kids alone. But it was not how ‘other people would feel’ or ‘what the grandparents might say’ which motivated our choices, it was always, what do we need most to feel OK?

H Have ave tthe he cconfidence onfidence tto o ssay ay ‘‘no’ no’ Now, four independent adults all have the confidence to say ‘no’, or indeed ‘yes’, even if no one agrees, and know we are safe, secure and most importantly, will have a good time! And after all, isn’t that what family is all about? Page 11

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

Working Working relationships relationships Being at work or school takes up a large percentage of our time, so getting along with our colleagues and peers is an advantage. However, not everyone is fortunate to have a great team or circle of friends, and this can make our working lives more of a challenge. Between colleagues, professional boundaries should be maintained. If someone oversteps these limits, action should be taken. Bullying and harassment can happen to anyone, at any stage of their professional life.

T There here a are re m many any fforms orms o off b bullying ullying According to Unison, the public service union, over 10% of employees have suffered harassment at work. Also, a survey carried out by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in 2012 identified bullying as a problem in 41% of organisations, and reported that 29% of people are bullied at work. Bullying can come in numerous forms, including verbal abuse such as name-calling, physical harm, emotional belittling or persistent criticism, sexual harassment, and gender or racial prejudice.

If you are having trouble with someone in your team or class, chat to a fellow colleague or classmate about it. It’s good to get some support, though make sure you’re not talking about the antagonist behind their back, as this is also bullying. When you have a dispute with someone, if you feel able to, talk to them about it to see if you can resolve your differences together.

C Cyber yber b bullying ullying iis sa g growing rowing iissue ssue

If you feel you cannot settle the disagreement on your own, then speak to your boss or a teacher about it. They may be able to offer a third-person perspective on the situation. For example, they may act as a ‘go-between’ in mediation, in which you can discuss the issue with the aggressor and have another person present to help referee so that you can reconcile the problem.

There is also cyber bullying , which has become a more common issue in recent years with the increase in social media sites and people posting personal stories online. The TUC found that 14-20% of employees said they had experienced cyber bullying on a weekly basis. The Local Answer

Speak S peak tto o your your boss boss orr tteacher o eacher

To advertise call 01242 510500

Many M any ccharities harities offer offer ccounselling ounselling sservices ervices If the maltreatment is affecting your mental health or self-esteem, your workplace may have links to a counselling service, which you can speak to about your concerns. Similarly, if you are a pupil, your school or college may have a student counsellor whom you can talk to. Alternatively, there are many national charities offering counselling services, such as Mind and Relate, or for children, the NSPCC. When we chat to our coworkers and build and maintain friendly relationships, this can help us to get by from day to day. We can’t always get along with everyone, but remembering that each person is individual and unique can help us to respect each other’s differences and make school or work more enjoyable. Page 1

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High igh Street, Street, Stonehouse, Stonehouse, 118 8H Gloucestershire G loucestershire GL10 GL10 2NA 2NA

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As an individual member, winning an award two years running for commitment to the success and growth of the overall operation is no mean feat. But when the ‘parent’ company is the UK’s No1 in its ﬁeld, it’s a terriﬁc achievement! That’s exactly what franchisee Simon Herbert and his Gloucestershire Dream Doors team have been rewarded with for the quality work they have put in over the past two years. “A lot of hard work has gone into the business, so to receive recognition through the Managing the Margins award is brilliant,” said Simon, pictured right with his wife Charlene and the trophy at the annual Dream Doors conference.

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The franchise itself has been active in Gloucestershire for almost a decade now, with the team this year celebrating the second anniversary of the opening of their Stonehouse showroom. The success of the last few years is also reflected in the growth of the number of full-time staff, with the team increasing from two to six people. “When we started out two years ago, it was just myself and one fitter,” continued Simon. “That’s now grown to two full time fitters and three showroom staff – a result of great customer service and our fantastic showroom, which is as busy as ever!” Dream Doors pride themselves on being the UK’s best kitchen makeover company and have been presented with numerous awards over the years, including Best Kitchen Supplier and Best Money Saving Product at the Express Home and Living Awards. They are also the only kitchen makeover franchise that has showroom locations open 6 days a week, with over 90 showrooms up and down the country.

Simon stresses that the number one priority always remains the customer, and highlights the consistent positive customer feedback on Checkatrade.com as a source of huge satisfaction. He added: “The whole Dream Doors network is signed up to Checkatrade as an ongoing measure of quality, whilst giving our customers access to impartial testimonials from previous customers.

Numerous N umerous awards awards

“What makes us stand out is that our customers’ we put convenience ﬁrst – for example, when doing a kitchen makeover, we make sure you’re still able to use your oven whilst the work is ongoing. “We understand the importance of making sure you can still go about your day to day life, without the stress of turning your home into a worksite.” As well as providing outstanding kitchen makeovers and complete full kitchens, Dream Doors also

offer fitted wardrobes and bedroom furniture. All doors are made to measure so it doesn’t matter what size your current cabinets are or who originally supplied them, Dream Doors can make new ones to fit. They also supply and fit everything else you’re likely to need – from replacement worktops, sinks and taps, to appliances and flooring. With the new year still fresh, Simon and the team are looking forward to another busy year, supplying Gloucestershire with top quality products for kitchens and bedrooms. “We’re expecting to see further growth this year, partially with thanks to our growing base of extremely satisfied customers,” he said, “which has lead to increased customer referrals to friends and family. “Along with our commitment to helping people give a new lease of life to their old kitchen without the cost and upheaval of a complete new kitchen.”

Come Come aand nd vvisit isit oour ur sshowroom howroom iin nS Stonehouse! tonehouse!

Spring into action! Boost the growth of your business this year with a promotional campaign in The Local Answer. We’ve helped hundreds of local companies grow their customer base, so why not let us help you? Getting your message in front of potential buyers is what we do best – we have the biggest audience in Gloucestershire by far! With print and digital packages to suit all budgets, we’d love to hear about your plans for 2020 and help you achieve them!

rrange yyour our m arketing ccampaign, To T oa arrange marketing ampaign, ccontact ontact C laudie o n0 1242 510500 510500 Claudie on 01242 or email email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk info@thelocalanswer.co.uk or

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

Iceland Iceland – cchallenging hallenging superlatives superlatives ‘Be careful near the surf,’ implores our driver, Vignar at Reynisfjara’s black-sand beach on Iceland’s gale-blasted coast, ‘the sneaker waves are deadly.’ Minutes later, a careless selfietaker is overwhelmed before, soaked and very lucky, regaining his feet to escape Neptune’s ice water grasp. As Vignar explains, the waves, which epitomise the beauty and danger that go hand in hand in Iceland’s landscape, regularly drown the unwary.

ancient Þingvellir national park. And look out for the hardy little Icelandic horses – never call them ‘ponies’ – passed en route to Snaefellsnes’s snowy wonderland, pitch-dark lava tunnels and mighty Snæfellsjökull. You won’t miss it; it’s the classically-shaped stratovolcano that served as an entrance to the subterranean adventure by Jules Verne’s characters in ‘A Journey to the Centre of the Earth’.

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We’re south east of Reykjavik on Iceland’s Ring Road, on a four-day trip to Iceland’s iconic landmarks with locally-based Arctic Adventures. Today, it’s Reynisfjara, the fairy tale Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Jökulsárlón’s icebergstrewn Diamond Beach and Breiðamerkurjökull glacier’s icefields and balloon-tyred monster-buses. Another day, in another direction, we explore Iceland’s Golden Circle, the geothermal geysers of Haukadalur and

Our mid-March tour perfectly complemented time in Reykjavik. Was it a wimp’s alternative to self-drive? Definitely not; letting experienced locals wrestle with snow, ice and on vehicle-tipping wind Iceland’s challenging winter highways made perfect sense and we learned lots from our knowledgeable guides. Best of all, we enjoyed travelling without the tiringly intense concentration demanded by Iceland’s treacherous winter roads. And after each

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day’s adventures, we were still fresh enough to savour delicious lamb, ling and salmon specialities in cosy hotels such as Hofn’s Guesthouse Gerði. Finances allowing – given alcohol prices as eye-watering as Icelandic winds – look forward to a glass or two of local Brennivín schnapps as a well-deserved nightcap.

C City ity ssightseeing ightseeing in in R Reykjavik eykjavik Back in Reykjavik, prices are equally imposing, though bargains are there if you look. City sightseeing is rewarding too. Ranging from the sky-scraping neoclassical cathedral to fjordside Sun Voyager sculpture, you’ll easily fill several days. Whether with architecture or nature, singer Björk’s homeland constantly challenges superlatives. Everything you’ve heard is true – and more. Iceland is genuinely awesome and, like those sneaker waves, keeps delivering breathtaking surprises. Then, when you think you’ve seen it all, the dancing Northern Lights come out to mesmerise with a free nighttime show. It’s amazing! Page 1

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Motoring M otoring w with ith T Toby oby A Aiken iken

A family family hatch hatch w with ith ffire ire iin n iits ts b belly elly A few years ago, I had the pleasure of driving the Focus RS for a week – the experience being that of driving a family car that sounded like an ASBO waiting to happen, with a ridiculous amount of power and looks to match. While the new RS is a couple of years away and, if rumours are to be believed will feature electric hybrid tech, the current hot hatch of the Ford family is the Focus ST.

A balance balance between between ccrazy razy power power and and practicality practicality The ST has always been a balance between crazy power and practicality, and to a large extent, that remains the case. However, with the lack of an RS in the current line up, it seems that the ST has upped its game a little. This iteration uses Ford’s impressive 2.3 litre EcoBoost – the same power unit that sits in the old RS, and indeed in the ‘lower’ powered Ford Mustang, so it’s no slouch. With almost 300hp in the five-door car, it accelerates hard and makes a very agreeable noise from its twin exhausts, but with a smidge less weight on the The Local Answer

throttle, it rumbles along quite respectably. Its looks are clever too. The clues to the performance are there in the 19-inch alloys, spoiler, bodykit and aerodynamic tweaks that make this stand out from the everyday Focus you may see. The ST-Line spec comes close in terms of looks, but if you want the full effect, you’ll have to fork out for the ST. Is it money well spent? The mid-thirty-grand mark is a congested market, with offerings from Audi, BMW, Jaguar and many more to contend with, so can a Ford really challenge these? I’ll make that conclusion at the end. But it does well on interior space and equipment. The satnav is okay – I have always found the Ford navigation to be a little clunkier than many rivals, but functional all the same. The feel of the materials while you’re sat behind the wheel is very much a high-quality feel – no complaints there. Practically, we took this on a long weekend to the North Devon Coast and took a lot of stuff with us, as we were expecting bad weather, and it swallowed everything we threw To advertise call 01242 510500

at it with a little space to spare. It was a bit thirsty, coming in somewhere around 30mpg for the trip, but I was probably a little heavy handed on the accelerator as I really liked the noise. I’ve been looking at buying a Focus for years, but my wife has never been that keen. I made sure she was insured on this one, so she could have a drive – the Focus has always been given credit as a driver’s car after all – and now, finally, she sees why.

Av very ery g good ood cchoice hoice So does the blue-oval challenger fit in the price bracket it sits? On balance, I think so. But at the same time, it’s different to the options there. A Golf GTI doesn’t feel quite as spacious, a Jaguar XE will always feel more luxurious, but if you want a practical, family sized car that still looks poised and ready and able to give a good kick when your right foot drops, then the ST is a very good choice. For the long term, I think I might be swayed to the ST-Line for the added fuel economy, but I would sorely miss the noise of the ST. Page 1

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J James ames R Richards ichards is is leading leading ffrom rom tthe he ffront ront James Richards, the head coach of Gloucester City Swimming Club, freely admits that he is not the greatest swimmer. Not that he is a poor swimmer by any means, the 29-year-old reached county standard back in the day so he knows how to get from one end of a pool to the other at a pretty decent lick. It’s just that he considers himself to be a much better coach and coaching swimmers is something that he has been doing successfully for a good number of years now. He’s been head coach at Gloucester for the past couple of years and said: “You don’t have to be a good swimmer to be a good coach. What makes a good coach is someone who puts in lots of time and effort, just like an athlete.” And while hard work is vital there’s more to it than that, of course, and as well as putting in the hours poolside, Richards has studied long and hard over the

H Hitting itting tthe he ttarget arget The new year is only a month old but, in sporting terms, it’s already shaping up to be a memorable one for so many reasons. And there’s more to come, much more, with the highlight f o r m a n y – t h e O l y m p ic G a m e s in Tokyo – just under six months away. Gloucestershire has a proud record when it comes to the Olympics and among the very best from this county is Ian Coley, who went to the Olympics not once, not twice, but six times. The 72-year-old Coley’s speciality was shooting and he coached and managed Great Britain teams with the two big highlights at the sporting spectacular coming in 2000 and 2012

James Richards

years to build up a bank of knowledge that has shaped his coaching beliefs today. He learned to swim at Bridgwater Swimming Club down in Somerset and moved up to this part of the world when he became a student at the University of Gloucestershire. It’s fair to say he was a model student because he got a 1st in applied sport and exercise studies before taking a Masters, which included a particular focus when Richard Faulds and Peter Wilson stormed to gold medal success. In 2013 Coley was awarded an MBE for services to shooting.

F Fallon allon ttakes akes a aim im Fallon Sherrock, who captured the imagination of the darts world and beyond when she took the PDC World Championships by storm at the back end of 2019, will be showing off her talent in Cheltenham in February. The 25-year-old will be taking part in the Cheltenham Darts Masters, which this year is taking place on Friday 21st February at the Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse. World number one Michael van Gerwen, two-times Grand Slam of Darts winner Gerwyn Price and King of Bling Bobby George

on the importance of warm-ups in competitive sport. And the warm-up remains a key focus for Richards today. “People think you do a warmup to reduce injury and while that’s true, it’s just as much about optimising performance,” he said. “I’m a big believer in the education of athletes. The warmup does help you to get better results. It does work but you have to build it into the training programme.” The post-swim recovery period is also vital too, says Richards, who is clearly a deep thinker about the nuances of swimming that make it so appealing to so many. Richards’ passion for the sport is obvious. He’s already coached up to British Championship standard but he is ambitious – “I want to coach Olympians,” he said – and is happy to challenge himself to further his development. Full story online. will also be present at what has become a hugely popular event on the Gloucestershire sporting calendar.

H Home ome ccomforts omforts Jack Lisowski is looking forward to spending a few days in Gloucestershire. That may sound slightly odd when you consider he lives in Cheltenham but these days the 28-year-old is away much more than he is at home. That’s because the ex-Chosen Hill School pupil is one of the rising stars in the world of snooker. He is competing in the Coral World Grand Prix at the Centaur at Cheltenham Racecourse from 3rd-9th February. For full versions of all these stoories and more, please visit our website: www.thhelocalanswer.co.uk

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Chad Crosby has been captain of Old Cryptians since he was 20

Chad C rosby enjoying enjoying being being one one Chad Crosby of the the main main men men at at Old Old Cryptians Cr yptians of Old Cryptians are clearly a club on the up and Chad Crosby, as captain of the 1st XV, has clearly played a big part in that upturn in fortunes. The 26-year-old has been at the club since the mid-noughties when he signed up as an under13, but while the good times are in plentiful supply around the Gloucestershire One club these days, that hasn’t always been the case. It’s been only in the past three or four years that the feelgood factor has returned to a club that were fo unded as long ago as 1925. Crosby has known the bad times as well as the good – “I stuck through it,” he said – and he’s certainly enjoying the good times now. But although there were some difficult seasons – the club dropped into Gloucestershire Three at one stage – it’s also fair to say that those tough times gave Crosby the chance to fasttrack his career. “I got into the 1st XV pretty quickly,” he said. “In those days we were in Gloucestershire Two and we weren’t nearly as strong as we are now. “We weren’t running a 3rd XV and sometimes couldn’t get a 2nd team out.” When former Chosen Hill

School pupil Crosby first broke into senior rugby close on a decade ago he was a hooker. Now he is predominantly a 7, although he can play at blindside, and, unsurprisingly, he is happier playing in the back row than the front row. “Much happier,” he laughed. So did he drop back once he became captain? “No,” he said. “I still played hooker after I was captain. I can still play hooker if needed but I lost some weight and I don’t think I’m big enough to play in the front row now. “I’m a better back row. I’m a worker, I do the dog work, a lot of the stuff that people don’t see.” Crosby, who admitted that he was a big football fan when he was younger, took over as captain at the relatively young age of 20. “Tom Barnes came in as captain but then injury forced him into early retirement,” he recalled. “It was six or seven games in and I was handed the captaincy until the end of the season. “I stood for it at the end-ofseason AGM and I was elected unopposed and I’ve never been opposed since which is quite nice.” Indeed it is, so what sort of

captain is Crosby? “I’m not quite sure,” he said, “it would be nice to see what the boys say! “I try to lead by example and do all the right things in terms of commitment. “I’m quite supportive of the boys, I give their tummies a tickle! “I try to make sure the squad are engaged, keen and hungry.” The club get 30 players to training on Tuesday and Thursday evenings – they run three senior teams on a Saturday afternoon these days – and, at the time of writing, had used close to that number in the 1st XV this season. That number is sure to increase as the club, who are chasing promotion to Gloucestershire Premier, look to feed in some of their better under-17s into senior rugby. And if and when they graduate to the 1st XV they’ll certainly have someone to look up to in the well-spoken Chad Crosby, who works in insurance. “I absolutely love it, not just on the pitch but off it as well,” he said of his club. And with the club captain having a positive attitude like that, it’s easy to see why Old Cryptians are doing so well these days.

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What W hat s O On n The The Local Local Answer Answer Event Event L Listings istings a are re ccompiled ompiled a and nd p presented resented in in good good faith faith with with the the kind kind support support o off m many any ccontributors. ontributors. W We e recommend recommend you you use use the the contact contact details details provided provided to to check check e event vent iinformation nformation u updates pdates p prior rior tto op planning lanning y your our v visit. isit. 1122 OCTOBER OCTOBER – 1188 A APRIL PRIL THE MAGICAL WORLD OF WILLIAM SIMMONDS An exhibition on the life and work of local artist, woodcarver and puppeteer William Simmonds. 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday. £5/£3. Museum of Gloucester, Brunswick Road, GL1 1HP. museumofgloucester.co.uk 9 NOVEMBER NOVEMBER – 2222 FFEBRUARY EBRUARY A GLOSTER BOY ABROAD An exhibition of local boy Alfred Henry Hook, by acclaimed local historian L. P. Barnett in celebration of the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. £5, £3 concessions. Museum of Gloucester, Brunswick Road, GL1 1HP. www.museumofgloucester.co.uk 1111 JANUARY JANUARY – 2299 FFEBRUARY EBRUARY SNOWDROP SPECTACULAR

Enjoy some fresh air as you stroll through the unique Painswick Rococo Garden set in a beautiful hidden valley. Our famous display of snowdrops which carpet steep banks and woodland glades is a sure sign that spring is on its way. Open daily from 10.30am-5pm. For ticket prices and blooming updates visit rococogarden.org.uk.

1155 JANUARY JANUARY – 2233 FFEBRUARY EBRUARY SUBMERGENCE EXHIBITION – SQUIDSOUP Immersive walkthrough light installation in the Lady Chapel, to recognise the contribution made to Gloucestershire by refugees through history. Part of the celebrations marking 20 years of Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX. www.gloucestercathedral.co.uk 1 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY HATHEROP CASTLE PREP SCHOOL OPEN MORNING Whole School Open Morning: Saturday 1st February 10am-12pm. Reception Open Morning: Saturday 14th February 9am-10.30pm. To reserve your space for either day, please email admissions@hatheropcastle.co.uk or call 01285 750206. 44-27 -27 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY SEEN IN THE SHIRE

A series of photos inspired by the natural landscapes and wildlife of Gloucestershire by Lesley Andrew

who has lived and worked in education for the last 30 years. 9am5pm. Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1NS. www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk ROSY CHEEKS An exhibition by Bristol-based illustrator Ali Bryson, who studied at the University of Gloucestershire. Rosy Cheeks is a celebration of love; from the appreciation of the smaller things in life, to growing and learning to love yourself. 9am-5pm. Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1NS. www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk 4 FEBRUARY MARCH FEBRUARY – 2299 M ARCH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Now in its fifty-fifth instalment, see the winning images from the very latest annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, which provides a showcase for the world’s very best nature photography selected from nearly 50,000 entries from 100 countries. 10am-5pm. Admission £5£16. Nature in Art, Wallsworth Hall, Sandhurst, Gloucester GL2 9PA A. www.natureinart.org.uk 6 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY AUSTRALIA IS BURNING An evening of live music, performances and poetry, with proceeds going towards the school strike for climate movement and the wildfire relief fund. 6-8pm. £5 or pay what you like. Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1NS. www.strikealight.org.uk

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6 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY HARRY POTTER BOOK NIGHT A magical night of Wizarding Fun, with Harry Potter crafts, games and a prize for best fancy dress. Get sorted into your houses with the sorting hat, try and get your name in the Triwizard Cup and finish with a spellbinding storytime. Free. 3-5pm. Gloucester Library, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL! 1HT. 66-8 -8 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY TEWKESBURY WINTER ALES FESTIVAL Hosted by the Tewkesbury branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, the 25th Tewkesbury Winter Ales Festival will have 80 Winter Ales plus local cider and perry. The Thursday Night session is for card carrying CAMRA members, with the Friday and Saturday sessions open to all. £6 per session, £10 for all sessions. George Watson Hall, Barton Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PX. www.tewkesbury.camra.org.uk 12 12 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY THE SHAGGY DOG RACONTEURS Popular folk/blues Americana quartet The Shaggy Dog Raconteurs make a welcome return to Café René for an evening of great music and loads of fun. 9-11pm. Café René, 31 Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1TP. www.caferene.co.uk

14 14 & 15 15 FFEBRUARY EBRUARY VALENTINE’S TOWER TOURS When you get to the top of the winding medieval staircase discover breathtaking views – on a clear day you can see forty miles across the Gloucestershire countryside. Upon arrival on the roof, enjoy a glass of prosecco or non-alcoholic alternative. 1.30pm and 2.30pm. £15 plus Eventbrite booking fee. Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX. www.gloucestercathedral.co.uk 115-23 5-23 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY SOUTH WEST PUDDLE JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Get your wellies and waterproofs on and jump into the puddles for a chance to be our ultimate splasher. We’ll be looking for the biggest splash, and most enthusiastic, stylish jumpers. Have a go in our practice puddles and

take part in our daily puddle jumping competition at 2pm in Welly Boot Land, with a chance to win a prize. 9.30am to 5pm. Included with admission. WWT Slimbridge, Bowditch, GL2 7BT. wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/slimbridge 18-22 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 18-22 SABBAT Directed by professional actor Laura Bayston in association with the Phoenix Players, Sabbat tells the story of the infamous Pendle witch trials, and attempts to unravel the mysteries behind them. 7.30pm. £10-£12. The Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, GL1 1QX. kingstheatregloucester.co.uk 21 21 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY MOVING STORIES CAFÉ Come and enjoy stories from long ago and last week at this free storytelling pop up night, and get involved with the open mic, with the chance to tell your own folk tale, true life story, ghost story and more. 7-9pm. Free. The Folk of Gloucester, 99-101 Westgate Street, GL1 2PG. midnightstorytellers.co.uk 21-23 21-23 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY GLOUCESTER FOLK TRAIL Hosted by Gloucester BID, folk artists, musicians and poets from around the county will perform in venues around the city. Full details at gloucesterbid.uk/ gloucester-folk-trail-2020

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2222 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY RETRO GAMING FESTIVAL 2020 Whether you are an experienced gamer or just looking to have some fun this event will be perfect for you. The Retro Computer Museum will bring a number of their machines so come along and enjoy the old style games while meeting new people! 10am-6pm. Kendal Road Baptist Church, Kendal Road, GL2 0NB. www.krbc.org.uk 2222 & 23 23 FFEBRUARY EBRUARY GREEK LITERATURE WEEKEND An introduction to Ancient Greek literature with Dr Paul Pritchard, fantasy will be one of the themes of the weekend taking some philosophical and political lessons on the way. 10.30am-5pm and 10.15am-5pm. £100. The Parliament Suite, Gloucester Cathedral, 12 College Green, GL1 2LX. www.ancientgreekinbristol.co.uk 2299 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY FLEETWOOD MACHINE A lovingly-crafted, musically-authentic and passionately-performed celebration of one of the greatest bands in history, Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Machine stay true to the spirit and sound of the original music. 7.30pm. £15-£17.50. The Kings Theatre, Kingsbarton Street, Gloucester, GL1 1QX. kingstheatregloucester.co.uk

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6 MARCH MARCH ANNETTE GREGORY PRESENTS JAZZ & ME TOUR 2020 AT KINGS THEATRE

Annette Gregory is a jazz singer who is blessed with incredible vocal tones that are rich, smooth and full of soul. Annette will be reflecting on her musical journey into jazz. Annette now wants to share the full insight into her musical heritage of reggae and soul music, giving some of her favourite songs a jazz feel, leaving room for those classic jazz standards. Kings Theatre Gloucester. Tickets cost £12. 01452 300130. www.kingstheatregloucester.co.uk www.annettegregory.info JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR Born in the Black Country and discovered aged 16 by Eurythmics’ cofounder Dave Stewart, Joanne has

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spent a decade releasing increasingly successful albums and touring the world. Along the way, she has won over fans from Joe Bonamassa to Stevie Wonder to Annie Lennox. 7.30pm. £29.50. Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1NS. www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk 12 MARCH 12 & 27 27 M ARCH FOREST SCHOOL FOR TOTS Bring your little one for some outdoor fun at Batsford! A chance for preschoolers to engage with nature and explore our Forest School site (complete with large covered area for wet days)! Children can enjoy bug hunting, creating mud pies in our mud kitchen, craft activities, storytime and more! A free cup of tea or coffee is available for adults while they are on the site. Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh, GL56 9QB. For full details please visit batsarb.co.uk 13 13 MARCH MARCH ST PATRICK’S NIGHT Come and celebrate St Patrick’s Day with an Irish themed night, featuring Irish music, an Irish themed menu and Black Velvet cocktails! 6-11.30pm. Free entry. Hillside Brewery, Holly Bush Farm, Ross Road, GL17 0NG. www.hillsidebrewery.com

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Entertainment E ntertainment

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Gloucester Gloucester trio trio on on their their unique unique music music Way Out West are a folk group made up of Pat Roberts, Jon Hoyle and Kathryn Wheeler. First getting together as a band in 2006, the trio specialise in covering well-known pop songs in their unique way. “It’s pop but not as you know it,” said Kathryn, who plays accordion and fiddle. “It’s not what you expect if you just see us setting up! I love the contrast between expectations and reality.” Kathryn and Pat met in the early noughties when working together, and Pat says their love of music gave them an instant connection. She said: “My ‘accordion-dar’ told me she was a squeezebox player too. “The following day we were playing Apple Day at the Folk Museum together thinking, ‘whoa, this works’.”

Way Out West at the Gloucester Taall Ships Festival. Picture: Tina Dorner

The pair formed the trio ‘Giddy Aunt’ with their mutual friend Richard, and were also part of a blues band, where they met Jon. “Rehearsals were slow,” said Pat, who has lived in Gloucester since 1984, “so we amused ourselves doing pop tunes.” When Richard moved away

FFilm ilm Review Review – Joe Joe K Kennett ennett JoJo JoJo Rabbit Rabbit Directed by and starring Taika Waititi, ‘JoJo Rabbit’ is an inadvertently charming story of a young German boy, JoJo (Roman Griffin Davis), facing the terror of his own Nazi ideologies. JoJo, unable to join the Nazi regiment after an embarrassingly tragic incident involving a grenade at a Hitler Youth Training Camp, is faced with a dilemma when he finds that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl in their family home. Having to face up to his irrational nationalism, he is accompanied only by his imaginary friend – Adolf Hitler (Waititi). The foundations of the film are outrageously funny, and the thrills are complimented by moments full of heart, joy, and at times, bitter tragedy, which bring cold Thomasin McKenzie (left) as Elsa reality to the absurdity and Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo. that ensues. Picture: 20th Century Fox Full review online.

for work, Jon – who plays guitar and ukulele amongst others – joined the trio, and Way Out West was born. Kathryn says that reworking popular songs to fit their unique style is great fun. She continued: “The way I see it we ‘play with’ music like kids in a sandbox. Sometimes we just read the lyrics and you can imagine the kind of character who is singing it and the style. “I love seeing the expressions on people’s faces when they work out what song we are doing. I love it when burly blokes are dancing then realise we are doing ‘Barbie Girl’ by Aqua!” Way Out West will be performing as part of the Gloucester Folk Trail, which runs from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd February. Full story online.

Book Book R Review eview – A Aloÿse loÿse ooff D Daylesford aylesford B Book ook C Club lub The The Office Offfice o off G Gardens ardens and Ponds Ponds and by Didier Decoin This enchanting book translated from the French by Euan Cameron is a real treat. Set in ancient Japan, Miyuki, the widow of Katsuro, takes on her husband’s occupation to supply His Imperial Majesty with carp for the ponds of the Imperial Palace. This involves a long and arduous journey on foot carrying the carp on a pole across her shoulders. The fish must arrive in impeccable condition. The trek from Shimae to Heian Kyo (today’s Kyoto) proves to be full of challenges with unsavoury characters impeding her walk, but Miyuki uses her ingenuity to fulfil her mission. The writing is lyrical and sometimes sensuous, the descriptions are vivid and one can easily imagine the scenes and colours of the landscape. Even the jacket of the book is beautiful. Full review online.

Above Above is is a selection selection ffrom rom local local entertainment entertainment stories stories available available online online ... ...

A Art rt • E Events vents • E Experiences xperiences • F Film ilm • L Lifestyle ifestyle L Literature iterature • M Music usic • R Reviews eviews • T Theatre heatre • T TV V

Players Gloucester P layers bring bring witchcraft witchcraft tto oG loucester The Phoenix Players have been a popular fixture of the Gloucestershire theatrical community for over 60 years. Based in Gloucester and performing mainly at The Kings Theatre, the group was founded in 1958, and will be kicking off their 2020 programme this month. ‘Sabbat’ will be directed by Cheltenham-based actor Laura Bayston, and she says it’s something she has wanted to do for a while. “I’ve been toying with this play for five years,” she explained. “I must have read it hundreds of times and when it came to getting it on stage it’s just never happened. “Then Jackie (Howard, Phoenix Players member) got in touch and asked if I’d like to do it, and we decided to go for it.” Laura grew up in Dagenham,

Taya Peacey (left) and Jo Hockin during rehearsals

East London, and attended the famous Anna Scher Theatre school in Islington during her teenage years. Since then Laura has gone on to appear in several short films, on stage and on our TV screens with a role in the popular BBC drama ‘Killing Eve’. ‘Sabbat’ will mark Laura’s

directorial debut, and she says that rehearsals have been going well, despite the fact she is used to being on the acting side of things. “It’s a small cast of four,” she said, “we’ve been rehearsing twice a week and our more experienced actors have been helping our youngest actor Evie, who is 14.” The play tells the story of the infamous Pendle witch trials in Lancashire in the seventeenth century. “It’s a simple play and it’s quite dark,” continued Laura, “it’s all about relationships, and how one small thing can grow and how stories can be manipulated to have devastating consequences.” ‘Sabbat’ will be at The Kings Theatre from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 23rd February. Full story online.

First First e exhibition xhibition for for budding budding artist artist Ali Bryson is a 22 year old artist and illustrator. Originally from Bristol, Ali studied illustration at the University of Gloucestershire, and this month will be holding their very first exhibition, under the artist name Offpeach. “I’ve been interested in art for as long as I can remember,” said Ali. “I loved drawing when I was a child and would draw on my hands and on the front of my workbooks in high school, much to the dismay of my teachers.” In 2013 Ali began studying Art and Design at City of Bristol College, where it became clear that illustration was the career path for them. “During the course, I found myself becoming more and

Rosy Cheeks runs from Tuesday 4th February

more interested in graphic design. “In the end, while what I learned through that course was valuable and interesting, it made me realise how much I love illustration.” Ali graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2019, and their upcoming exhibition at the Glouc-

ester Guildhall will be their first. Entitled ‘Rosy Cheeks’, the exhibition will feature pieces of work which display Ali’s unique style. Ali says that their influences come from a variety of sources, including South Korean artist Uijung Kim and Japanese company Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty. “The style I use now is fairly new to me,” they added. “Growing up I always wanted to draw realistically. “But during my first year of university, I really wanted to embrace my current interests. “In terms of ideas and content, I just draw things that make me happy – simple things like fruit or animals to pieces inspired by song lyrics or video games.” Full story online.

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Wildlife Wildlife Matters Matters w with ith L Lois ois K Kingscott ingscott

An An environmental environmental ccatastrophe atastrophe Our Wildlife Matters feature usually focuses on native species or wild places in Gloucestershire, but it is difficult to ignore the crisis happening on the other side of the world. The bushfires in Australia have caused mass devastation to people, animals and habitats, and there is still another month of summer left. In the aftermath of the fires, communities will take months, if not years, to recover from the damage. People from across the world have been donating money to aid the battle against the fires, as well as providing supplies for the organisations involved – from helping those who have been made homeless, to treating the sick and injured wildlife. Many of us will be feeling relatively helpless being on the other side of the world, but there are ways in which we can help.

D Donate onate ffinancially inancially There are many worthy causes you could donate your money to – we’ve highlighted a few of them below but do your research and find one that you are happy to support.

• The Australian Red Cross are supporting people at evacuation centres, providing food, water and relief items to people cut off by fires, and providing emergency grants to those who have lost their homes. www.redcross.org.au • New South Wales Rural Fire Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services are just two of the organisations directly battling the fires. www.rfs.nsw.gov.au www.qfes.qld.gov.au • Wires Wildlife Rescue care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife in the New South Wales area and further afield. www.wires.org.au If you are not in a position to donate financially, using your voice and sharing information on social media can also help.

K Knitting nitting a and nd sewing sewing Millions of animals have been affected by the bushfires. The number that have died is truly devastating, but there are thousands that have been rescued and will need ongoing care before being released back to the wild when it is safe. If you are a crafter or a quick The Local Answer

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learner, you could do your part by making bat wraps, joey pouches, koala mittens, birds nests, possum boxes and other cosy items. The Facebook group ‘Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild’ has information about the items that are most needed, as well as where to send them to. If you are part of a knitting or sewing group, you could club together and send a big parcel to reduce postage costs.

Visit V isit and and spend spend If you are planning a trip to Australia this year, consider visiting the areas that have been affected and supporting local businesses by spending money with them. For many organisations, January would have been one of their highest earning months, so they will be suffering from loss of sales. An Instagram account called @SpendWithThem has been created to allow local businesses affected by the fires to promote their products. We sincerely hope the fires can be brought under control as soon as possible to avoid more damage to homes and habitats. Page 

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

Save Save money money o on n ffruit ruit aand nd vveg eg Once January is out of the way, everything seems to speed up in the garden. Bulbs are flowering, vegetable seeds are being sown, there’s lots of weeding and tidying in the borders, and the lawn will soon need cutting again. From mid to late February you can sow broad beans and peas directly into the ground for harvesting in the early summer. Fresh, small broad beans are so delicious in salads or lightly steamed as a vegetable. They are always at a premium to buy, so these are things that are well worth trying to grow.

E Early arly p potatoes otatoes a are re m much uch n nicer icer tthan han sshop hop b bought ought Don’t fill your space with maincrop potatoes, which you can easily buy in the shops, but early potatoes are a treat and always so much nicer than shop bought ones so why don’t you grow some? You will find early seed potatoes in the garden centres. The variety ‘Accent’ is a good one but there are plenty of others.

Put them individually in egg boxes to ‘chit’ in a cool, bright place. Don’t let them get frosted in an unheated greenhouse – if frost is forecast, cover in fleece and then uncover again in the morning. Chitting is a term for sprouting and you want sprouts about 1.5cm long, ready to plant out in late March. You don’t have to even have a garden as there are many different companies selling

sturdy bags or bins, which have been designed to grow potatoes in and can be kept on a patio – a dustbin with holes in the base would do fine. Raspberry plants only last about 10 years, after which their fruiting tails off – a sign of this is if last year’s crop was small or the plants were short with weak canes. As long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged, now is a good time to start growing raspberries.

S Soft oft ffruit ruit is is a good good tthing hing tto og grow row Plant in a shallow hole and spread the roots of the new canes out to encourage strong new canes to grow. Space out the new canes to 35-45cm between plants and 1.5 to 2 metres between rows. Make sure the posts and wires are sound. Soft fruit is a good thing to grow as it is pricey in the shops and such a nice thing to pick in the summer, especially with children. The Local Answer

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

A Affordable ffordable artwork artwork for for yyour our h home ome February is a good time to plan house projects and freshen up your home ahead of spring. One easy way to do this is to focus on what is on the walls. A recent project for a client, who has lots of interesting paintings she has collected, reminded me of the importance of pictures in a room. Making your walls more interesting doesn’t have to cost a lot, so here are some tips for personalising your space.

Image: John Lewis

O Original riginal a art rt Starting your own collection may seem daunting, but you just need to know what you like. And don’t be put off by the word “original” – it doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. Look out for affordable art fairs in your area. You only need to watch an episode of Antiques Roadshow to see how easy it is to pick up interesting pieces in boot sales and junk shops. Who knows, you could find the next undiscovered Picasso! If you want to support young emerging artists, think about going to the graduate show at your nearest art school. Search out local artists and open studio events – they’re great showcases for local talent. And don’t forget your creative friends. I have an artist friend and have bought her paintings over the years.

Prints P rints a and nd p posters osters Great affordable alternatives are prints (often limited editions) or posters. You can buy framed prints of your favourite pictures when you visit art galleries – my daughter recently bought a print of “A The Local Answer

Bigger Splash”, her favourite David Hockney. Posters are good if you are looking for something big and bold as a standout feature. I particularly love vintage travel posters and art/photographic exhibition posters. Check out the website www.riseart.com for inspiration.

Photographs P hotographs If you are looking for a clean, e l e g a n t l o o k , s t y l e y ou r s p a c e with framed photographs. You can have your own printed to the size you want to suit your space. Contemporary photographs look good with crisp white mounts and black frames. John Lewis or Ikea are good sources for affordable frames. If you love a vintage look, favourite old family photographs in sepia look perfect in vintage frames. Scour your local charity and antique shops for interesting finds, mix up your photos and display them on shelves for a more eclectic feel. To advertise call 01242 510500

D isplaying art art Displaying Hanging pictures in the right place is key and it’s easy to get it wrong. A few tips that always work for me are; hang single pictures at eye level, no higher or they look lonely; link them with other things in the room; stack smaller pictures in pairs. And do remember, scale is important – choose the right sized artwork for your wall for the most impact.

M Make ake a g gallery allery wall wall Finally, why not create an ontrend gallery wall, ideal for hallways or large wall spaces. You can opt for a single theme – botanical or nature inspired prints work well. For example, illustrations of native American birds. Alternatively, put together a fun collection of images you love, and check out Pinterest for ideas. Now you have your winter project sorted you just need to get started. Page 

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Page 42

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BM B MS SERVICES ERVICES W Window, indow, Door Door & Conservatory Conservatory R Repairs epairs

A sspecialist pecialist rrepair epair sservice ervice ffor or w windows, indows, d doors o o rs a and nd conservatories conservatories w with ith o over ver 4 40 0 yyears’ ears’ e experience. xperience. Misted g lass • L ocks • H inges • H Misted glass Locks Hinges Handles andles S eals • C onservatory R oof C Seals Conservatory Roof Cleaning leaning For For ffree ree quotes quotes a and nd a rreliable, eliable, ffriendly riendly sservice: ervice: Am member ember o off C Call: all: 07963 07963 2 217998 17 99 8 E Email: mail: b barrieminett@mail.com arrieminett@mail.com W Web: eb: w www.bm-services-glos.co.uk ww.bm-services-glos.co.uk VERY V ERY C COMPETITIVE OMPETITIVE PRICES PRICES

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

Gizmos Gizmos for for your your Valentine Vaalentine This Valentine’s Day, if you’re buying a gift for your significant other, don’t waste money on chocolates or flowers; branch out and try surprising your partner with something a little different! With these innovative gadgets, you can ensure that your special someone is thoroughly spoilt on this big day. Or, if you’re single, why not treat yourself instead? There’s no reason why you can’t show yourself some love!

S Soto oto A Aroma roma D Diffuser iffuser Neal’s Yard Remedies: £55 This elegant Soto diffuser will not only add some style to your decor, but it works wonders by reducing stress levels and helping you sleep better. Oil diffusers are a very thoughtful gift, as they calm the mind and body, and can also be used to create a romantic atmosphere – ideal for Valentine’s Day! The Soto Aroma Diffuser is great, as it also has colour-changing mood lighting, and can be set on a single colour of your choice. And it has a no light option, making it perfect if you want to use it to improve your sleep. This diffuser is easy to use, has an auto shut-off and even acts as a mini humidifier by The Local Answer

creating a calming scented mist, which will quickly freshen up an room in the hous This gadget w certainly create right atmosphere you and your Valen

Bellabeat Leaf Bellabeat Leaf Chakra C hakra John Lewis: £129.9 Wearable tech quickly becoming new norm, wi smartwatches, bracelets and even rings appearing on the gadget scene Combining cleve tech with beautifu jewellery, the Be beat Leaf Chakra the best of both. This smart necklace tracks your activity thanks to the Bellabeat app, which you can download on your phone and link to your Leaf Chakra. It then tracks all your steps and how many calories you’ve burned. The app also includes meditation exercises and can measure your sleeping patterns. And it’s waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain! If you, or someone you know, wants to improve their wellness, this piece of smart jewellery is ideal. It even contains a beautiful rose quartz stone, which is both romantic and is said to promote a positive outlook. To advertise call 01242 510500

Sage S age tthe he D Duo uo Temp T emp Pro Pro Espresso Coffee spresso C offfee Machine achine n Lewis: £199 etimes, the perfect tine’s gift is hing that both you ur partner can enjoy. you want to save on Starbucks trips, vy espresso coffee ne is a must-have. nly does it make for ttractive addition to r kitchen, but the o-Temp Pro also arantees a perfect p of coffee with ry use. e delicious coffee is the ved when ne purges cold rough the heating system, stopping the coffee from becoming too bitter. The Duo-Temp Pro comes with a cup-warming tray, a removable drip tray, and even has an ‘empty me’ indicator to stop the water from overflowing, and a commercial style steam wand for milk texturing. Basically, it will feel like you have your own personal bar-

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Page 4

S Save ave the the P Planet lanet with w ith L Louise ouise W Williams illiams

Your Y our effort effort d does oes m matter atter At a time when the whole world seems to be imploding around us, it can be very easy to feel overwhelmed and to think that we can’t make a difference to the enormity of the situation. I mean really, what can one person, one family, recycling their plastic do to help? Well, I think that if we all make small changes, or big ones if we can, then, as a mass force, we can have a positive effect on the planet. Here are some things we can try in this New Year to make a difference. Hopefully we can all work together to mean that the end of this year is better than the start of it.

Find o Find out ut w what hat y you ou ccan an rrecycle ecycle iin ny your our a area rea Find out what you can recycle. There are so many things that can be recycled that might surprise you. From tin foil (rinse it and ball it up to add to your kerb side recycling) to bras (look up Smalls For All), you can do something useful with almost everything you would otherwise throw away.

Lots of shelters take lightly used toiletries too, so search for ones in your area and ask.

Shop Shop local local a and nd e eat at iin n season season Cutting down on those air miles and supporting your community really does make a big difference. We are blessed with an abundance of independent shops and incredible farmer’s markets in this area. Yes, it may be a little more expensive than the supermarket version, but I for one would rather buy a little less but fresh and flavoursome, whilst supporting local independent businesses.

M Make ake w what hat y you ou can can From pasta to bread, biscuits and cakes, jams and marmalades. It sounds like a lot of work but a productive Sunday afternoon can result in months’ worth of produce if you pack or freeze it properly. Bread and biscuit dough can be made in batches and frozen for several months, then defrosted and cooked as and when you need them. Try making your own filled The Local Answer

To advertise call 01242 510500

pasta and get the children involved if they are old enough. This also cuts down enormously on plastic packaging coming into the house.

Plant P lant things things Trees, house plants, flowers. Whatever you can. Let’s try and keep our precious bees fed over the summer by planting as many wildflower seeds as we can. Encourage your local council to join in with schemes to turn parks and roadside verges into bright swathes of colour.

D Do oy your our llittle ittle bit bit We can’t all invent a machine to clean the seas or develop a formula for turning plastic into nutritious plant food (the dream!) but we can all make a difference and our combined force can do some good. If you need inspiration, there are lots of groups on Facebook that share great ideas for being more environmentally friendly. One example is ‘Living Consciously Crew’, run by Instagram influencer Zanna van Dijk, but there are many others you could join. Page 45

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11st st Choice Choice

AAerial erial & Satellites & Satellites

Digital Aerial Digital Aerial IInstallations nstallations U pgrades Upgrades a nd R epairs and Repairs

110% 0% o off ff with w ith tthis his a advert dvert Mark M ark Hawkes Hawkes

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Gloucestershire’s Gloucestershire’s ffriendly, riendly, cost cost eeffective ffective rremovals, emovals, collections, collections, deliveries deliveries aand nd house house clearance clearance sservice! ervice! Discounts for OAPs, students, NHS, emergency services

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

G Gambling ambling cchanges hanges In an attempt to curb ‘problem gambling’, the Gambling Commission, which regulates how we place our ‘flutters’, has announced that, with effect from the middle of April, we will no longer be allowed to place bets on credit cards. It’s a good move. ‘Problem gambling’ – i.e. using money that we cannot afford to lose – is nothing short of an addiction and needs to be dealt with on an equal footing to more common forms such as drugs or alcohol.

IItt iis se easy asy to to be be tempted tempted by by the the cchance hance tto o ‘‘make make a q quick uick b buck’ uck’ There are many people in this country who struggle to find the money for the bare essentials. It’s easy to be tempted by the chance to ‘make a quick buck’ by gambling on the plethora of betting opportunities available to us, so anything we can do to make it more difficult has got to be a good thing. Technology sends availability in the opposite direction, of course, with online gambling having become commonplace over the last few years. It is now, by far, the most widely-used way of gambling, with online accounts making up two-thirds of the total betting industry income last year according to statistics published by the Gambling Commission. The ban on credit cards will apply to all gambling products both online and offline, save for lotteries run for good causes. Even those lotteries, including the National Lottery, will be subject to tougher safeguards, particularly with regard to vulnerable people, and will only be available on credit cards in supermarkets and newsagents if bought with other products.

2 24 4m million illion p people eople iin n tthe he UK UK take take part part iin ng gambling ambling e each ach y year ear

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Amongst the statistics in the Gambling Commission report were some staggering numbers. 10.5 million people in the UK have an online account; an amazing 24 million people in this country gamble in some way or another every year. If online spending accounts for twothirds of the total, this must mean that the average amount gambled per head is so much more than in a shop or at a live event. It would be, wouldn’t it, as it’s so much easier. Banning the use of credit cards is a small, but important, step forward in dealing with this epidemic.

To advertise call 01242 510500

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IIndex ndex o off A Advertisers dvertisers W WHAT’S HAT’S ON ON EEVENTS VENTS & A ATTRACTIONS TTRACTIONS Abbey Mill

FFOOD OOD & D DRINK RINK Cafe Rene The Fountain Inn

4 4

IINFORMATION NFORMATION

JHD Roofing & Building Marshalls Driveways NKS Contracts Pave-Drive WB Home Improvements Woodward Roofing

6-7

H HOLIDAYS OLIDAYS & TRAVEL TRAVEL Omega Breaks

PROPERTY PROPERTY The Property Centre

R RETAIL ETAIL Ermin Plant Hire The Grooms Room Vinyl Records

32 8 25

H HOMES OMES & G GARDENS ARDENS BATHROOMS B ATHROOMS Lifestyle Bathrooms 40-41 Severn Vale Bathrooms 36 & 51

BUILDING BUILDING S SERVICES ERVICES A1 Roofing BE Rudman C&G Paving Care Construction Eleven Builders Ltd Home Care Roofing

29 28 28 34 32 28

Phoenix Gardens Rob Cockburn Tree & Hedge Southwest Landscapes Woodlands Landscapes

H HEATING EATING & PLUMBING PLUMBING

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Emergency Plumber Gloucester Plumbing KB Female Plumber Sarsen Energy

C CARPENTRY ARPENTRY Rhodes Carpentry

NHS Gloucestershire

32 31 31 29 29 30

C CLEANING LEANING S SERVICES ERVICES Oven & Range Cleaning Ovenbusters

ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL S SERVICES ERVICES Cleevely Electrics GRP Electrical

FFURNISHING URNISHING & A APPLIANCES PPLIANCES Bella’s Interiors Designex Cabinets Ltd Dream Doors Interior Needs Spacemaster

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HANDYMAN H ANDYMAN S SERVICES ERVICES Big Job Little Job 29 Your Way Home Help Agency 36 42 42 38 42

BM Services C&L Windows Clearway Windows Glevum Windows

42 46 & 47 48 2

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SERVICES CARE CARE SERVICES SERVICES Barnwood Trrust Building Circles Coate Water Care Saintbridge House

12 25 10 10

MOTORING MOTORING SERVICES SERVICES PAINTING P AINTING & DECORATING DECORATING Julian Rogers Autoservices 18 Michelle Powell Decorator 38 REMOVAL REMOVAL SERVICES SERVICES Little White Van Man 49 TTV V&A AERIALS ERIALS 49 SKIP 1st Choice Aerials SKIP HIRE HIRE & RECYCLING RECYCLING 38 W Stevens Recycling 49 WINDOWS, INDOWS, D DOORS OORS & 46 CONSERVATORIES C ONSERVATORIES WILL W ILL W WRITING RITING 14-15 42 42

37 38

G GARDEN ARDEN S SERVICES ERVICES Chosen Lawnmower Services G. Grant Landscaping Grass Scape GS Landscape Solutions Lawn Doc Mark Clifford Landscapes Master Sheds

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Competition Winners C ompetition W inners TLA Photography – February 2020 Cover: Emma Armstrong.

Competition Competition Rules Rules 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 afftter the closing date will win the prize as stated. 4 The winner will be notified by telephone after 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.

BOOKING BOOKING D DEADLINE EADLINE FFOR OR N NEXT EXT IISSUE SSUE – M Monday onday 110th 0th FFebruary ebruary 22020 020 Page 50

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