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R R S

R Richards & Son Ltd FAMILY BUSINESS

ROOFING & SCAFFOLDING

SPECIALISTS New Roofs ◆ New Builds ◆ Slate, Chimney & Tile Repairs New Valleys ◆ Felt and Battening ◆ Lead Work ◆ Leak Repairs ◆ Rubber Roofing ◆ Fibreglass Roofing ◆ Felt Roofing ◆ Guttering ◆ Soffits ◆ Fascias (range of colours) ◆ Carports ◆

◆

One of the many reasons to choose us:

In partnership with our sister company, Severn & Wye Scaffolding, we create a safe working environment which enables our professional team to focus on delivering a high quality service. This is more cost-effective than using external scaffolders Se ev vern & Wye and is far more convenient for customers – the SCAFFOLDING scaffold is erected and removed in a timely fashion.

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LOCAL REFERENCES SUPPLIED

For a friendly, professional service please give us a call:

01432 870957 / 01242 300028 / 07437 016736

www.rrichardsandson.co.uk

The The Lo Local c al

AN ANSWER SWER

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

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W elcome Welcome ttoo A pril April Happy Easter! Another special occasion that will be a little bit different again this year, but hopefully one of the last as we start to see restrictions lifted soon. Now that winter is well and truly behind us, we can look forward to enjoying better weather and all the other positive things spring and summer bring. From brightening up your wardrobe with suggestions from Val Starr in her Mirror Mirror on the Wall article, to injecting colourful florals into your décor with Gill Greenwell’s Interior Design tips. Julia Smith also lets us know what we should be getting up to in our gardens in April, including starting to grow your own asparagus! Al Hidden has some travel inspiration, for when you’re ready to head off on holiday, with a trip to Chile and the Torres del Paine, while Laura Nicklin shares her favourite self-care gadgets for those of you wanting to stay at home for a little longer.

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Contacts C ontacts DIRECTOR MANAGING MANAGING DIRECTOR Dave Kingscott dave@thelocalanswer.co.uk MARKETING & EDITORIAL EDITORIAL MARKETING Lois Kingscott lois@thelocalanswer.co.uk ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS Rob Kingscott (01242 541071) accounts@thelocalanswer.co.uk ADVERTISING ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: ENQUIRIES: info@thelocalanswer.co.uk LEAFLET LEAFLET DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES: ENQUIRIES: leaflets@thelocalanswer.co.uk DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION ENQUIRIES: ENQUIRIES: distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk Page 3

A ttale ale ooff ccrime rime and folklore folklore and

NEW

by local author

GUY SHEPPARD

The Raven & The Crow

Jaimie can’t breathe. Jaimie can t speak. i m. Other patients are sick. Other patients can’t help h coming’.’. coming s is i l i v e devil d e h t ‘the ‘ s y a says s o h who w n e v a raven r a s t u r t struts s t s e h chest c s i his h n On O the Intensive Care n i s k e e w g n i d n e p s r e t f a l a n o i Doctors insist he is delus urvived Covid-19. Unit of his local Gloucestershire hospital, having s mas k ke mask beak-like and beak-li PPE and full PPE in full dressed in ne dresse someone sees someo he sees night he Next Next night te… opposite… bed opposi the bed in the Ivona in called Ivona woman called young woman attack attack a young earch the wards, she When Detective Sergeant Alison Ellis arrives to s s talk of crime and ou i t i t s r e p u s s ’ e i m i a J y l e r u S . r finds no violent intrude r who lives in a care folklore is as confused as her own elderly fathe ho me? all.’ us all.’ kill us will kill Crow will ‘The Crow out ‘The cries out Ivona cries dying Ivona the dying Except the Excep the crow-man f o y r e t s y m e h t e v l o s p l e h o t d r i b l a e r Can Ellis enlist a ? s e i d before anybody else v e? detective? play detecti ever play raven ever Can a raven Can

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THE MAYFLOWER

RESTAURANT Thank you to our wonderful customers!

Thank you to all customers, old friends and new, who have supported us throughout these difficult times! We hope you are all staying safe, and hope to see you for a dine-in meal or take-away very soon. We are aiming to re-open the restaurant on the 17th May – please check our Facebook page for updates!

Safe & Simple Takeaways

Visit www.themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk and select dishes from our Take-Away Menu. Telephone 01242 522426 to place your order and pay when you collect.

TAKE-AWAY OPENING HOURS: Wednesday to Saturday, 12-2pm & 5pm onward. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates about the restaurant’s opening times. These will be changeable depending on lockdown restrictions.

32-34 Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3NX – 01242 522426

www.themayflowerrestaurant.co.uk

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

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T This his recipe recipe is is a real real ccrowd rowd p pleaser leaser – a ccomforting, omforting, hearty hearty dinner dinner ffor or the the w whole hole family! family!

IIngredients: ngredients: 6 sausages (meat or vegetarian), skinned and rolled into balls; 300g butternut squash, peeled and diced; 1 tsp dried sage; 200g penne pasta (or wholewheat pasta); 1 pack of tenderstem broccoli roughly chopped; 500g carton of tomato passata; 100ml single cream; 1 mozzarella ball or grated cheddar cheese for the topping.

Method: Method: 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/gas 6). 2 Put the butternut squash in a roasting tin, season well, then add a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix the squash and oil to coat, then sprinkle over the sage. Roast for approximately 20

your Promote your Promote business in in business

5 6

minutes, then add the sausage balls and cook for another 10 minutes. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to the instructions. Add the broccoli for the last four minutes and then drain well. Put the pasta and broccoli into a large ovenproof dish. Mix the tomato passata with the cream, then stir into the pasta and broccoli until well covered. Add the butternut squash and sausage balls, pushing them carefully into the pasta mix. Pull apart the mozzarella and scatter over the top or sprinkle with the grated cheddar. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese has turned golden brown.

CLEEVELINE C LEEVELINE TTAXIS AXIS

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Page 5

Pet Pet Care Care w ith M egan JJackson ackson with Megan o ragon V et C entre off D Dragon Vet Centre

E Exercising xercising your your ffurry urr y friend friend Exercise is a huge part of keeping your dog fit and healthy. Activity requirements vary a lot depending on breed so it’s worth doing your research. Also remember that walks are not the only form of exercise and stimulation for your fluffy companion. Generally, medium to larger breeds and those bred traditionally for working (like collies, labradors and spaniels) will require more exercise. These breeds will love long, varied walks with plenty to investigate. They also tend to love playtime, agility and games that get their brains ticking. Whilst small breeds usually do not require as much exercise, it is still important to get them out and about. Poodles and terrier types will usually happily keep up on long walks and even tiny toy breeds should get walked daily, even if they’d rather be carried!

Mix M ix iitt u up! p! Most dogs will love variety, but if your furry pal is the more anxious type then go slowly, giving them plenty of time to adjust to new things. Try finding new places, friends and games to learn. Running is also a brilliant activity, but make sure you build up gradually and avoid running on hard surfaces to protect their pads and joints. Just remember never to throw sticks, as this can lead to really nasty injuries. Flat nosed breeds require a special note. They tend to require frequent rests to ensure they don’t over do it, especially in warmer weather as they are prone to overheating. Swimming is also not recommended in these little woofers. Just like people, as dogs get older their requirements will change. Regular, calmer exercise is better for their joints, but continue to keep them mentally stimulated. For growing puppies, care must also be taken, as overdoing it can damage their joints. The general rule is five minutes per month of age up to twice daily. Also allow for plenty of ‘free’ play time and rest whenever needed. Most importantly of all, if you are having fun then your dog almost certainly will too, so keep finding those things you enjoy doing together! Page 6

TTewkesbury ewkesburryy Dragon Vets Tewkesbury is fully equipped with a sterile operating theatre, digital radiography, ultrasonography and laboratory equipment. Drop in and have a look around. You will see many of the same friendly faces from our main surgery at Dragon Vets Cheltenham. You can book your visits and pick up pet supplies, food or medications at either surgery if it’s more convenient.

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D Distributors istributors R Required equired For P Priors riors P Park ark and to join our waiting list for various locations in the Tewkesbur y Borough. Please email distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk distribution@thelocalanswer.co.uk with your name, postal address and telephone number. A member of our team will respond with more information. Please do not call the office at this time, as our stafff are only returning to work part-time, so may not always be available to take your call. 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 100-150 copies/hour (equivalent to £6-£9/hour). Magazines are delivered to Distributors’ homes towards the 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 perform the duties. Page 8

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The T h e Loc Lo c al al

A AN NS SW WE ER R

GLOUCESTERSH G LOUCESTERSHIIRE’S RE’S B BIGGEST IGGEST LLOCAL OCAL M MAGAZINE AGAZINE APRIL 2021 APRIL 2021

NORTH NORTH GLOUC GLOUCESTER ESTERSHIRE SHIRE

HAPPY EASTER HAPPY EA ASTER FROM FROM EVERYONE EVERYONE AT AT THE THE

LOCAL LOCAL ANSWER! ANSWER!

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Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror on on tthe he Wall Wall w with ith V Val al S Starr tarr

A sspringtime pringtime ssplash plash o off ccolour olour If you like colour, bold stripes, rainbows and floral patterns, then this is the spring for you. Perhaps after the doom and gloom of the last year it is time to add a pop of colour to our wardrobes to cheer ourselves up. Lockdown has apparently led to some of us saving a little extra money as holidays, dining out and travel were put on hold. So why not splash a little cash on some new wardrobe pieces ready for when we’re able to go out and about again? You might not be able to enjoy a real shopping experience just yet, but online browsing can be good fun. Major chains have really upped their game when it comes to internet shopping; some sites offer you a 360degree virtual fashion show so you can really see the item from every angle, which very is helpful. More and more are offering free returns as well; to be able to try on in the comfort of your own home and see if it matches with other items you already own can be a luxury.

S Stripes tripes Rainbow stripes are everywhere – from jumpers and lounge wear, to face masks and trainers. Stripes are often

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thought to be not very flattering, but the latest stripes we see are quite the opposite. Matalan have a chevron stripe dress, which is a great choice for most figures and only costs £18. Zara as usual comes up trumps with a lovely grey stripe shirt dress for £49.99 – it is very stylish and you could even wear it open as a light weight cover up. Breton stripes have always been a summer must have; H&M have a great black and white striped jumper for £17.99, which would go well with black or white trousers. White Stuff has a clever navy and cream jumper, which can be turned inside out, giving you two different colours and looks. New Look has great white trainers, reasonably priced at £23.99, with pretty rainbow stripes or a splash of leopard print – they tick all the boxes and are sure to brighten up any outfit.

Ghost G host An iconic British designer brand often seen on the Duchess of Cambridge and Carrie Symonds, now you can get the designer look too. Marks & Spencer has cleverly decided to stock a limited range of Ghost exclusively for M&S – sure to be a best seller. This range has a vintage style, is very feminine and, most importantly, it is timeless. It truly suits any age group and

To advertise call 01242 510500

can be dressed up or down. With great floral and unusual prints, it reminds me a little of Liberty’s famed scarves. Good news for stylish kids – several of the designs have been adapted in ‘mini me’ styles, which are perfect for special occasions. The range has of course been priced accordingly for M&S, so you can expect to pay a bit less than if you were to buy direct from Ghost. With M&S having exclusivity, you also have the added bonus of these items not being all over the high street like so many styles.

Accessories A ccessories If you only want to add a slight splash of colour or stripes then look for one of the many face masks offering all different patterns and shades. Necklaces, earrings and even socks are in multiple styles and colours, so no excuse not to add a little rainbow to your look! Who knows, you might just find that elusive pot of gold!

Page 

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Promote your business in Gloucestershire’s largest magazine! © Lovatts Puzzles

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Call 01242 510500 or email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk

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AFTER The Local Answer

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

U Use se iitt o orr llose ose iitt The human body was designed to move. Even without a good understanding of Anatomy and Biomechanics, simply looking at the skeletal structure of a human being will evidence the fact that we were made to move! One major downside of our over-developed primate brain is that we’ve built, invented and created our way out of many of the activities that required our physical effort, opting instead to mechanise, automate or delegate most physical activity. This has resulted in a host of mobility and flexibility issues that plague the average person. Remember, your body functions as a unit – a ‘chain’ of interrelated parts. If your shoulders are stiff, you won’t have a quick, fluid arm swing when you are running. If you don’t have proper arm swing, your legs will slow down and your movement quality will drop.

Most Most of of us us have have a aches ches and and pains pains Consider how much time you spend hunched over a desk or table, or with your head and neck cocked awkwardly as you use your smartphone? When you’ve added up the hours and years of this, along with our other sedentary behaviours, it’s no wonder most of us have aches, pains and the many immobility issues that affect and incapacitate us. Many people are put off by the hundreds of social media videos of ‘jacked’ athletes performing inhuman poses and joint busting stretches, but it need not be daunting at all. A simple, regular routine of full body stretching to lengthen The Local Answer

and strengthen the muscles and increase mobility about joints is sufficient for increased biomechanical mobility, musculoskeletal health and wellness. This is achieved through a dynamic combination of mobility exercises, active and passive stretches, and muscle activation exercises to ‘switch on’ the deep core muscles. Some advantages of mobility and flexibility training include: • Greater balance and coordination • Improved connective tissue/ collagen health • Reduced injury risk • Faster recovery • Improved strength expression and performance Pre-workout self-myofascial release (also known as foam rolling) and dynamic mobility exercises prepare your body completely for the vigorous movements that make up the main part of your workout, while mobility and flexibility routines maintain and enhance these gains. Most sport or physical activity

involves forceful movement, and mobility exercises stimulate your nervous system, muscles, tendons and joints in a dynamic manner, unlike static stretching. Static stretches elongate a particular muscle or group of muscles, and their value and proper usage are often misunderstood. It’s best to do them at the end of your workout as part of the cool-down, not at the beginning. This is because they bring your body back to a state of rest and recovery, and allow you to focus on relaxing and lengthening the muscles that you have put under stress during your workout.

A ccumulative umulative e effect ffect Mobility and flexibility have a cumulative effect over an extended period of time. After about four weeks, you should notice appreciable gains in your mobility, flexibility and ability to move smoothly during your training sessions. Best of all, you’ll hopefully also notice a significant improvement in your general wellbeing – and your workouts!

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Page 11

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ ⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

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

Freedom Freedom to to try tr y How easy do you find it to walk your own path, trusting your intuition to lead you in the right direction, trusting yourself over what makes logical sense? Can you do it? Have you ever tried? For so long we have been programmed to do as we are told, to be good, to behave, be polite, respectful, work hard and suchlike, and I am wondering, in the light of recent events (2020) is now the time to change things up a bit and experiment with a new approach? And this means all of us. As daring as it may sound, I propose a new paradigm in which we trust that each individual actually does know what is best for themselves and, as long as they are not in immediate danger, it is perfectly acceptable to make choices according to their own inner guidance, even when that may fly in the face of familial or societal expectations. But what could this mean for our children? After a whole year of broken

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education and the possibility of more to come, it would mean allowing them to follow their own interests, whilst supporting them to explore new avenues.

S Support upport a and nd e encourage ncourage cchildren hildren tto o ffollow ollow ttheir heir p passions assions a and nd ttalents alents It would mean understanding that every child does not need to be a fully rounded expert in English, maths, humanities, art, sport and science, but that it is perfectly acceptable, nay preferable, that those who feel a strong pull in a certain direction be supported and encouraged to follow those breadcrumbs as far as they may lead. And as parents it might look like sharing more of ourselves, our story and our history so that our children might see us as whole people, not one dimensional characters put on earth to simply serve their needs. By embracing our own inner guidance and following our own sense of what is good, we To advertise call 01242 510500

can demonstrate this personal power to our children, build up their confidence and give them their own voice, which, hopefully will be distinctly different from ours in every way and only serve to make their contribution to the world all the sweeter. Starting with small decisions like what to wear, let us begin trusting our kids and not fearing them being different, and if they discover a hobby they want to explore, support their new learning without expectation. No, they do not need to stick at it, win medals or get certificates, especially if they are not competitive. What is wrong with simply trying something on for size and letting it go when the time comes? Give them, and yourself, the freedom to try, change, walk away from anything in life, from work to relationships, and we will see a happier generation of free thinking creative souls who may literally change the world. So what do you say, are you willing to give it a go? Page 1

S SHERBORNES HERBORNES THE FIRM THAT SOLICITORS GO TO FOR EMPLOYMENT LAW ADVICE ((MAKES MAKES Y YOU OU TTHINK) HINK)

www.sherborneslaw.co.uk w ww.sherborneslaw.co.uk 4R Royal oyal C Crescent, rescent, C Cheltenham heltenham G GL50 L50 3 3DA DA T: 01242 250039 250039 T: 01242

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

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THE SOLUTION FOR YOUR NEW BATHROOM ... Your local family business

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

The T he Budget Budget – the the results results Last month Money Matters wrote to the Chancellor asking him to be considerate in his Budget towards those individuals and businesses struggling with the effects of the pandemic. There was a lot of talk pre-Budget about tax-raising measures to re-balance the books but we implored him not to do too much too soon. If the Chancellor had responded, it would have been along the lines of: “Dear Money Matters, thank you for your insightful and balanced view of the need for ongoing support to businesses and individuals in the current economic climate. You will be delighted to know that I have delivered my Budget in line with your thinking. All of the support measures that the government has had in place for the last 12 months will be continued into the summer and in some cases beyond. We have retained many of them in their original format; with others we have extended or amended the scope of the support positively. Furlough continues for another three months and self-employed support for even longer. It will also be available to those who only started their self-employment last year, enabling even more people to benefit. I gave some thought to your idea of helping those people running small businesses through limited companies, but I haven’t supported them thus far, so I don’t see why I should start now. As you pointed out last month, now is not the time to start recouping the government’s deficit in providing this support. I have resisted the temptation to introduce any tax rises at the present time. I cannot afford to do that in the long-term and therefore I have set out my own road map for businesses and individuals to start contributing to the Treasury’s coffers over the next few years. Thank you again, your input was greatly appreciated. If you want a job in the Treasury, just give me a call.” Ok, so he probably wouldn’t make the last offer, but at least he’s continued support and put off the evil day when we all have to start paying for it.

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DECORATE EASTER EGG FAMILY FLOWERS GRASS HIDE HUNT JESUS

LAMB RABBIT RESURRECTION SPRING SUNDAY TRADITION TREATS

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

B eneath tthe owering Beneath he ttowering T orres del del Paine Paine Torres Gravel crunches as we pull off the road near jade green Laguna Amarga. The March air is fresh as we look west, beyond the water and grazing llamalike guanaco, for our first view of Chile’s Paine Massif. There at last, centre stage, jauntily capped by fleecy white clouds against pastel blue, are Monte Almirante Nieto and the three Torres del Paine – pronounced ‘Pie-nay’, meaning ‘blue’ in the local Tehuelche language. It is among the world’s most distinctive mountain views, up there with Mt Fuji, Everest seen from Kala Patthar or the Bernese Oberland’s classic Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau triptych.

North North from from Punta Punta A Arenas renas The drama of that first sighting is heightened afftter driving 370 km north from Punta Arenas. We’ve followed often arrowstraight Ruta 9 – aka ‘Ruta del Fin del Mundo’ – for hour s across Chilean Patagonia’s exThe Local Answer

pansive plains. It’s low-horizon, big-sk y country, as different as could be from the towering peaks beyond the lake. On the way, hungry afftter an early flight south from Puerto Montt, we lunched at historic Estancia Cerro Negro. It’s been owned by the – originally Croatian – Kusanovic family since the 1940s. There, overlooking the plain’s distant stands of lenga beech, we anticipated our destination over impossibly delicious lamb. We were, afftter all, in the heart of Chile’s sheep country; if anyone knows about melt-in-the-mouth Patagonian lamb it’s the Kusanovics.

A Amazing mazing w wildlife ildlife Later, beneath the sk yscraping rock towers that give Torres del Paine National Park its name, so close that you crane your neck to view their faces, the eco-hotel Las Torres Patagonia is a stunning base. It’s perfect for hiking, horseback trekking, and amazing wildlife To advertise call 01242 510500

spotting; imagine guanacos, Southern grey foxes, condors, shy pumas and even-more elusive huemel deer. Then your gaze is drawn inexorably back to those granitic and metamorphic spires. They are irresistible as their rugged visage alters with each subtle change of light. No wonder they sneak into so many of our photographs. It’s an adventure just reaching the tower s ’ feet, let alone exploring shorter local hiking routes or tackling the park’s famous multi-day ‘W’ or ‘O’ treks. Whether you choose hard-core trekking or stay closer to the comforts of Las Torres Patagonia, your visit grants a pri vileged walk-on role in a truly-iconic, impossible-toforget, glaciated landscape. The southern hemisphere autumn in this UNESCOprotected biosphere reserve is an awe-inspiring joy. How about putting it on your 2022 travel list? Page 1

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S SENSSE ENSSE LED LED L Light ight T Therapy herapy M Mask ask Boots: £130 Unlike the everyday masks we have all become accustomed to, this LED light therapy mask has been designed to give your skin a boost. From reducing the appearance of wrinkles and blemishes to enhancing blood circulation, this LED mask is ideal if you’re looking for an athome remedy for stressed

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Theragun T heragun Mini M ini Boots: £175 Anyone working from home will recognise the dull aches and pains that come from having a poor posture; when you’re crouched over your desk for hours, it can be easy to fall into a slouching position, and you might struggle to motivate yourself with those at-home workouts. Fortunately, this handy gizmo from Boots will have you feeling like you have your own at-home masseuse! The Theragun Mini is a small yet mighty tool that quickly gets to work soothing all your stiff muscles, with three speeds to apply just the right pressure. Simply roll the ball up and down your problem areas and enjoy perfect stress relief. As well as improving your posture, the Theragun Mini also helps To advertise call 01242 510500

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

S Spring pring into into aaction ction this this April April As spring gets going, let’s hope this April has lovely weather like last year! If this is the case, remember to water recently-planted shrubs, and anything in pots or hanging baskets. Install water butts on any downpipes using a diverter kit – it’ll help save on your water bill! This could be a good time to buy winter flowering trees and shrubs, as the prices may be reduced in garden centres – this will give you a good show next winter. It’s also a good time to plant evergreens into well-prepared soil with a balanced fertiliser added. Make sure you keep them wellwatered during the summer if it is dry.

Fragrance Fragrance tthe he g garden arden iin n ssummer ummer e evenings venings Try sowing a sprinkling of hardy annual seeds like annual poppies or Love-in-a-Mist through the flower border in a sunny position. Night Scented Stocks can be sown as well to

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fragrance the garden in summer evenings. They are not much to look at but are delicious to smell – put them by windows or patios to enjoy. April is a good time to plant ornamental grasses in freedraining sandy soil, but if your soil doesn’t sound like this you can add plenty of grit to clay soils to improve the drainage. Alternatively, you could erect some raised beds made from sleepers or brick, which is a good way to ensure the soil is free-draining , and is also good for tending as one gets older and ones back and knees start complaining! Asparagus is a great long-term crop for the garden, which can produce tasty spears for 25 years! All male varieties like Dariana and Franklim give the best spears. Make sure To advertise call 01242 510500

you prepare the bed well – a raised bed is a good idea, as they like free draining soil. Soak the ‘crowns’ (the name of the asparagus plants) before you plant them and keep the site weed-free so there is no competition. They will take a few years to reach their full potential, but persevere as they are well worth it!

Keep a Keep an ne eye ye o out ut for for n nesting esting b birds irds w when hen p pruning runing h hedges edges If your privet hedge needs pruning you can do it now, but make sure there are no nesting birds in it. If it needs a really hard prune do one side now and the other side next year. Feed and water it after pruning. Thin peaches, nectarines, almonds and apricots now to make sure that only larger fruit grows – it can seem hard to do this but it is worth it! Page 2

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

Ap passion assion for for pattern pattern The arrival of spring always makes me feel like injecting some colourful florals into my décor. I love pattern – it adds so much depth and character to a room. The TV series Interior Design Masters inspired me to think about how we use print and pattern in our interiors. Follow my tips and introduce some joyful pattern into your home.

Image: Linwood

1. 1. Minimalist Minimalist or or m maximalist? aximalist? Are you a minimalist or a maximalist? Minimalists go for a clean look, white walls, and a quiet colour palette. Maximalists love bold and vibrant décor, brimming with pattern. Getting the balance right is key. A room without any pattern can look bland and boring, but too much pattern can make a space feel too busy and not relaxing to be in. Achieve the right balance by keeping to a simple colour palette of three or four colours using pattern to anchor the whole scheme.

2. 2. Stripes Stripes and and checks checks A safe way to introduce pattern to a scheme is by adding some stripes in a subtle colour –

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check out Farrow and Ball’s wallpapers. Or go for a fine stripe on a blind or curtain in a stronger hue. I am a fan of Ian Mankin’s ticking fabrics. Checks are currently having a moment, so why not freshen up your room with gingham? I’ve just ordered one in a terracotta/cream check for my dining table – but it’s not just for tablecloths! A check fabric also looks great on a lampshade, an upholstered footstool or small chair, or on a bedspread for a chic French look.

3. 3. Floral Floral chic chic Incorporating a bold floral print into a room can seem daunting – the key is restraint. A large floral print on a chair adds real personality to a sitting room. Just make sure the colours coordinate with the rest of the room. In a bedroom, statement headboards are currently in fashion. Upholster yours in a beautiful floral print and it will be a hit on Instagram. Or bring the outside in with a fresh botanical pattern – I love palm-house prints, perfect for a statement wall.

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4 4.. V Vintage intage vibe vibe For that extra touch of style, take the sustainable option. Search out vintage textiles – perhaps an Indian inspired paisley throw. The country house look is also having a resurgence but with an added contemporary twist. Designers have dived into the archives and produced old designs in vibrant new colours – think chintz, Bloomsbury inspired prints, and flamboyant Chinese bird designs in modern colourways. A friend’s daughter plans to use an updated William Morris print wallpaper for her kitchen. Balance these up with neutrals and plains or smaller prints in harmonious colourways.

5 5.. A Accessories ccessories w with ith p pattern attern Start small by adding some interesting pattern to a room by searching out cushions, rugs or art prints in designs you love, or try out a bold wallpaper in your downstairs loo. Be brave, have fun and bring that spring feeling into your home!

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

ubscription eco-friendly ssubscription Are eco-friendly Are for ward? way forward? the way really the boxes really boxes Everywhere I look there seems to be subscription boxes for just about any and everything you can think of, and this extends to eco-friendly products as well. From dishwasher tablets to deodorant, there is at least one company out there offering you the option to have a box of planet-friendly products delivered directly to your door on a regular basis. Just a quick internet search brings up hundreds, if not thousands of subscription services. You can get surplus and wonky fruit and vegetables from local farms, meal boxes which contain exactly what you need to create a meal for a set amount of people, bread baking boxes... the options seem to be limitless. When it comes to home and self-care there are vegan products, boxes with a huge variety of planet friendly candles and stationery, no end of cleaning products and reusable cleaning cloths, and bathroom options like plastic-free cotton

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buds, razors and shampoo bars and soaps. You can even get toilet paper delivered!

Many M any boxes boxes o offer ffer environmental environmental e extras xtras The majority of these boxes are plastic free and several offer environmental extras like planting a tree for every box sold. I can certainly see the advantages to a lot of these – it is often when you run out that you make a less planet friendly choice. When you need something in a hurry, generally the readily available items won’t be the eco-friendly choices as they are less mainstream, and so you grab a bottle of chemical-based surface cleaner in a plastic bottle from a company with highly questionable ethics. If you are having cleaning products delivered to you regularly, the theory is that you won’t run out. It will also give you access to new products to try. Quite often when buying eco-friendly items they can be quite expenTo advertise call 01242 510500

sive to buy individually, so this way you get to try a selection of products before deciding which are your favourites, and actually work for your family. The only downsides I can see is that with this being a popular and growing market, unscrupulous people will always try to take advantage. So make sure to check the credentials of whoever you’re subscribing to – are they really delivering on their promises? Another is delivery. It doubles it up generally; once to the company putting the boxes together and then onto you. If you are perhaps someone who cycles to the shop or buys in bulk, it might not be a less impactful option. Finally, it could create waste. It can take a little while to learn what you actually need and how often you run out, so you end up with products you don’t use. Saying all that though, I think they can be a great idea if you research the company and only get things that you will use. Page 33

IIndex ndex o off A Advertisers dvertisers FFOOD OOD & D DRINK RINK

Cheltenham Town Roofing 21 4 Glevum Cladding & Roofing 20 Home Care Roofing 21 H HEALTH EALTH & BEAUTY BEAUTY JHD Roofing & Building 20 Be Well Gloucestershire 8 Marshalls Driveways 22 Sophie Lane 5 R Richards & Son Ltd 2 RS Cladding 22 IINFORMATION NFORMATION S.J. Lewis & Sons 26 Gloucestershire Constabulary 18-19 CLEANING CLEANING SERVICES SERVICES Ovenbusters 4 PROPERTY P ROPERTY Regency Cleaners 4 Pegasus 7 FURNISHING & APPLIANCES APPLIANCES FURNISHING H OMES & G ARDENS HOMES GARDENS Bella’s Interiors 28 BATHROOMS B ATHROOMS Dream Doors 36 AHM Installations 28 GARDEN GARDEN SERVICES SERVICES Lifestyle Bathrooms 10 Bence Garden & Landscape 23 Severn Vale Bathrooms 15 & 35 Cheltenham Town Landscaping 26 BUILDING BUILDING SERVICES SERVICES Lawn Doc 26 C&G Paving 20 MPL Wrought Iron 24 The Mayflower

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

B BOOKING OOKING D DEADLINE EADLINE FFOR OR N NEXT EXT IISSUE SSUE – FFriday riday 99th th A April pril 22021 021

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QUALITY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS by simply replacing the doors and worktops

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UKFrom ma ’s the ke # ov 1 er

WE ARE PLANNING TO RE-OPEN OUR SHOWROOM ON MONDAY 12TH APRIL. PLEASE GIVE US A CALL TO MAKE YOUR SHOWROOM APPOINTMENT.

ex pe r ts

Beffo ore

● FROM

SIMPLE DOOR REPLACEMENTS TO COMPLETE FITTED KITCHENS

● FULL LY Y

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

● CHOOSE

FROM A LARGE SELECTION OF DOORS, WORKTOPS AND APPLIANCES

● 93

DO YOU DREAM OF A NEW KITCHEN?

SHOWROOMS NA AT TIONWIDE

CALL US NOW FOR A FREE ESTIMA AT TE

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01453 299344 18 High Street, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire GL10 2NA