North Glos

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A NS W E R

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020

ry Mer mas ist r h C

NORTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE LOCAL ANSWER!

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.

FREE WRITTEN QUOTA ATIONS – NO OBLIGATION

LOCAL REFERENCES SUPPLIED

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

01432 870957 / 01242 300028 / 07437 016736

www.rrichardsandson.co.uk

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AN ANSWER SWER

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

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

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

W elcome Welcome ttoo D ecember December The last month of an incredibly turbulent year, but one that has also seen so much community spirit and people coming together to support each other. There is no doubt that 2020 will be written about in history books in years to come, an d w e h ope yo u w ill be pa rt of t he po sit iv it y that is talked about.

As we prepare for Christmas and the winter months, it’s important that we continue to support each other. Shop with small, local and independent businesses where you can. Check on your loved ones and those who may not have anyone else to check on them. Be kind and understanding as we continue to navigate the pandemic – it affects everyone differently, and some worse than others.

We e would like to thank you for your continued support throughout this year and hope that you’ll enjoy reading our magazine and using the services of our advertisers through 2021.

We e hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a safe and happy New Year!

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

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

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

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

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

B Baked aked chocolate chocolate aand nd o orange range ccheesecake heesecake your with IImpress mpress y our ffamily amily w ith a ffabulous, abulous, ffestive estive ccentrepiece entrepiece Christmas! tthis his C hristmas!

IIngredients: ngredients: 150g/5oz orange flavoured chocolate biscuits; 150g/5oz butter; 75g/3oz caster sugar; 2 eggs, separated; 450g/1lb light cream cheese; 1½ tbsp warm water; 15g/½oz cocoa powder, sifted; 1 tbsp custard powder; 4 tbsp single cream; finely grated rind and juice of ½ orange.

Decoration of your choice – I used whipped double cream, orange rind and dark chocolate orange segments. You don’t have to use them all so there will be a few left over to test!

M Method: ethod: 1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 3).

Grease and line the base of a 22cm/8½ inch springform tin.

2 Melt 50g/2oz of the butter, crush the biscuits then add them to the pan and mix well. Press them into your tin and chill in the fridge until required.

3 Cream together the remaining butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg yolks and then the softened cream cheese.

4 In a separate bowl mix the warm water, cocoa

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powder and custard powder together to form a paste. Slowly add the single cream then combine with the cream cheese mixture.

5 Add the orange juice and zest, and stir until evenly mixed.

6 Whisk the egg whites until stiff then fold them gently into the mixture with a metal spoon.

7 Pour onto the biscuit base and bake for 1 hour.

Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake to cool completely in the oven. This will help stop the cheesecake from cracking. It may still crack – mine did – but it just means you have to add lots of cream and chocolate to hide it!

To advertise call 01242 510500

Page 5

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

A ccompassionate ompassionate C Christmas hristmas Midwinter Greetings to you dear reader. I hope we find you safe and well in spite of the turbulent times. I want to invite you all to step into my imagining of midwinters of long ago; when the winds were biting, the frosts hard and the snow lay deeply all around.

In this world of long ago, families gathered around the blessed warmth of the fireside to tell stories, share the lore of their own people and teach the children their ways, so that they too might live long, healthy lives no matter what happened in the world around them.

2020 is bringing us a taste of that history and we are being called to release our attachment to ‘The Joy of Sparkly Things’, take refuge within ourselves, and dig deep to find who we really are.

Reach R each o out ut tto o tthose hose lless ess ffortunate ortunate tthan han y you ou This midwinter we are being called to offer our children safety and support like never before: to answer questions honestly, to face harsh truths

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and encourage them to truly find the gift within the struggle.

Now is a time of bringing the light into the darkness, of reaching out to those less fortunate and sharing whatever we have with those in need.

This year Yule Celebrations must surely focus around meeting the needs of everyone in society rather than simply meeting our own desires?

Gathering items for the food bank, donating warm clothes to those who are cold, giving toys and small joyful tokens to those who have nothing this year, and supporting any opportunity you can to share your own abundance is the siren-call of Christmas 2020.

Discover your best self: kind, generous, compassionate and determined. Give your children the ‘Gift of Giving’ this year in its deepest and most powerful form, for this will certainly be a Christmas to rememwww.TheLocalAnswer.co.uk

ber, rather than the clichéd Best Christmas Ever.

We all have it within us to make good out of bad, to shine light into dark corners and to make a difference. Christmastime 2020 is asking you, ’How can you be a light in someone else’s life this year? What do you have to share? How much of a difference will you make?’

2020 2 020 h has as n not ot taken taken away o away our ur humanity humanity There has been so much isolation this year that simply acknowledging strangers with a smile, noticing those around you, connecting and being willing to listen for a while will hold so much value for those who are lonely and struggling.

2020 has brought us a lot to cope with, but it has not taken away our humanity or our hearts. So please, this year, share your heart, share your blessings and open up a world of generosity and heart-centred caring for your children to build their own lives upon. Yule Blessings one and all. Stay safe and be happy.

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Word W ord S Search earch Y E A J V H C N S C T G C Y A S M S U T H C L R

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Christmas C hristmas ANGEL BABY BAUBLES CARROT CHIMNEY CHRISTMAS TREE COAL COOKIE ELVES

FAMILY HOLLY JESUS MANGER MISTLETOE NATIVITY PRESENTS REINDEER RUDOLPH

SANTA CLAUS SLEIGH STOCKING SNOWMAN TINSEL TURKEY TWINKLE

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

For a free no obligation quotation call

01242 511384

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

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

C Christmas hristmas ccalamities alamities

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 Vet Centre.

You can book your visits and pick up pet supplies, food or medications at either surgery if it’s more convenient.

OPEN MON-FRI 9AM-5PM & SAT 9AM-10.30AM 31 Church Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PD

www.dragonvet.co.uk www.dragonvet.co.uk

01684 01684 217 217 708 708

Coffee tables laden with chocolates and sweet treats, plates of mince pies hot from the oven, cheese boards draped with grapes, iced Christmas cake, rich chocolatey yule log...

Unfortunately, many of the reasons to love Christmas represent a toxic nightmare for our pets. Even the best behaved doggy can be tempted, as I found out one Christmas when the in-laws’ spaniel made an unexpected dive across the table for the mince pies. The inevitable then followed – as multiple people launched across the room to stop him swallowing, he promptly gulped it down before anyone could snatch his prize away.

There was a short silence followed by a collective sigh and a trip to their local vets.

Fortunately, no lasting harm was done – he just felt a little sorry for himself after an injection to make him sick and treatment for any toxin remaining in his system.

The T he m main ain cculprits ulprits are are grapes, grapes, cchocolate hocolate and and rrich ich fatty fatty foods foods Whilst there are many things toxic to dogs, the big ones around Christmas include grapes, raisins and sultanas – even just one of these can potentially cause kidney damage. Chocolate can result in nasty vomiting and diarrhoea, and in severe cases can affect their heart and cause seizures. Rich fatty foods can give them an upset tummy and possibly pancreatitis.

Consider exciting new toys, including decorations and tinsel, as both cats and dogs may get carried away and ingest them, resulting in potentially life threatening blockages.

A few simple things may save an unwanted Christmas vet visit. Make family members aware of the risks and foods to be vigilant around. Keep things out of reach at all times, including things wrapped under the tree.

Be Be vigilant vigilant but but try try not not to to panic panic

OPEN SATURDAY 9AM-12 NOON Prestbury Park , New Barn Lane, Cheltenham GL50 4SH

T: 01242 580324

F: 01242 241908

www.dragonvet.co.uk www.dragonvet.co.uk

2244 H HOUR OUR EEMERGENCY MERGENCY ~ 01242 01242 5522022 22022 The Local Answer

Don’t panic if a four-legged friend is too quick for you, it happens! If taken to your vets promptly there’s rarely any lasting damage. All raisin and grape ingestions will need to be seen but chocolate is dose dependent so try to find the packaging for your vet.

It’s not uncommon around Christmas for vet practices to have cheeky pets lined up to induce vomiting, so vigilance and awareness is key to keeping your pet out of the queue!

To advertise call 01242 510500

Page 9

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

to children children about about Talking T alking to ‘‘real real llife’ ife’ topics topics If you are a parent, you have many roles to play in your children’s lives, which may include cook, cleaner, driver, and also teacher. Children are naturally inquisitive – asking questions about their environment, what things are, how things work, and why, why, why!

When something major happens in the world that is all over the news, such as wars and violence, murders and crime, and more recently coronavirus, children will quickly find out about it and want to understand what is happening.

They may also want to know about things they have seen via adverts on TV, and there are often more adverts on around Christmastime, about appeals for children living in poverty or animals suffering abuse and neglect.

Lessons at school can also raise big topics and a child may come home with questions about issues such as racism, The Local Answer

bullying, sex or drugs, so we as parents need to be prepared to discuss these things as openly and honestly as we can.

The child who is fobbed off with a short, offhand answer (or worse, no answer at all), may then turn to other sources of information such as peers or the internet, which may not be so reliable or which may give false or conflicting information.

So learn about these topics yourself – read and listen to a variety of sources to gain the facts so that you feel ready to talk about issues that you yourself may find uncomfortable.

Give G ive y your our cchild hild a w wide ide perspective o perspective on n ssubjects ubjects Be open to different views in order to give your child a wide perspective on subjects, and so that when you’re talking to your child, you’re not too biased towards certain viewpoints.

This will enable the child to make up their own mind about To advertise call 01242 510500

what they think and how they feel about the issues.

Schools also play their part in educating young people about social or health-related topics in curriculum subjects such as PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education), Life Studies or Citizenship lessons, but we can’t expect teachers to take full responsibility for telling our children about the whys and wherefores of what happens in the world.

However, as teachers have to stick to the curriculum and remain impartial, not imparting any extreme views on worldly issues, this means that all children then get to hear the same facts and can learn to form their own opinions.

The world can seem a scary place, but it’s also a fascinating one, so get ‘clued up’ on what’s out there in the world – it will be useful for when your child becomes inquisitive and starts asking questions.

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Quick Crossword ACROSS 1 True 4 Pituitary or adrenal 7 Stowing space 8 Accurate 9 Me, ... & I 12 Surprised, taken ...

15 Cadets 17 Prohibited narcotic 18 Breakfasts or dinners 21 Climatic conditions 22 Intended 23 Clung (to)

DOWN 1 Most important 2 Captioned 3 Slope 4 Mirth 5 News & current ...

6 Grime 10 Welded 11 Swamp 13 Average 14 Card game 16 Light wind 18 Incapacitate 19 Squash (insect) 20 Festival

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year from everyone at

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© Lovatts Puzzles

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ANSWER

Online Christmas Raffle ‘March Madness’ – a stunning mounted and framed graphite and coloured pencil drawing of hares by renowned local wildlife artist Valerie Briggs A Toshiba 43” 4K Ultra HD TV A Sub Studio Family Portrait Experience Gift Voucher worth £185 Luxury handmade face masks by Lisa von Hallwyl Millinery And much, much more!

Buy your raffle tickets online!

www.valewildlife.org.uk Page 12

C Congratulations ongratulations to to o our ur w winner! inner!

Congratulations to Mrs Tetley, the winner of our competition with Dream Doors, who has won a Franke Vital Capsule 3 in 1 Filter Tap! She was very excited about winning, as her old tap was dripping and needed replacing anyway! Thanks to Dream Doors for the lovely touch of a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

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

An An iintroduction ntroduction tto o ccore ore ttraining raining Outside of the ‘fitness fad’ of recent years, fitness professionals such as Personal Trainers, Physiotherapists and Pilates teachers should be recommending or programming regular core stability and strength exercises for both athletic performance and fitness for life.

The reason for this is very simple; by strengthening the body’s prime movers, individuals gain more benefits than almost any other exercise in both athletic movements and in activities of daily living.

While the anatomy and physiology of the core muscle group is more complex than we need to go into, it’s vital that your trainer or therapist has a good grasp of the science to ensure safe and effective rehabilitation and or development of these key structures.

Aw weak eak ccore ore rresults esults iin n poor p oor sstability tability By definition, core training is any type of training that serves to strengthen the range of muscles that make up the most vital component of your musculo-skeletal structure – commonly referred to as the ‘core’. A weak core results in poor stability, coordination and power transfer, while a strong core increases the expression of these movement capacities.

The major function of these structures is support and stabilisation of the lumbar spine, and the ability to anticipate dynamic forces and then direct, transfer and absorb power to produce safe, effective movement about the core.

Core training boosts performance by building the weaker The Local Answer

areas and helping to reduce the risk of a variety of injuries, especially those involving rotation or stabilisation through the trunk region. The core musles are made up of the ‘Posterior chain’ area – lumbar spine/lower back, glutes and hamstrings, t h e a b d o m i n a l s , o b l i qu e s a n d deep underlying muscles of the lower back/pelvic area/groin.

Good core stability in these m u s c l e s e n s u r e s t ha t t h e y provide support to the lumbar spine and work in synergy, while core strength enables them to absorb, transfer and increase forces and therefore affect performance and daily living activities.

Any weakness in the core increases risk of lower back pain, poor posture and opens you up to a whole range of injuries. Strong core muscles provide a brace – a ‘lumbar corset’ if you will – giving support and helping prevent pain and injury.

While therapists and trainers use a variety of approaches, it’s

usually common to start by building a base through core before stability exercises moving onto more strengthbased training.

B Better etter p posture osture a and nd m more ore ccontrol ontrol The rationale for core training is that any increase in recruitment of the stabiliser muscles and prime movers will carry over into better posture and more control, across both physical performance and activities of daily life.

While core stability work tends to be more the domain of Rehabilitation Specialists, and core strength is the focus of Conditioning Specialists, the combination of both is highly recommended as a regular component of any holistic program to reduce the risk of injury.

In the second part of this series on the core, we will look at the benefits of core training, basic along with some exercises to get you going.

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

The The art art of of turning turning petrol petrol into into noise noise Yes, it’s time to get behind the wheel of another Mustang.

Another five-litre American V8 with the soundtrack to match.

This time, a convertible in a particularly vivid green and some design details to make it stand out from the norm.

The black racing stripes, unique alloys and a few other styling elements denote this as the Series 55, marking 55 years since the original Mustang rolled off the production line.

At first, this seemed to be a slightly odd thing to mark with a special edition, but it got me thinking. How many models of car can you buy today that have that pedigree? Even the venerable VW Golf was only first built in 1974.

I have done a little thinking and have come up with a very short list of cars that were available to buy in 1965 and are still around today – in the UK market at least. VW Beetle, Landrover Defender (albeit with some substantial changes) and I think that might be it. So yes, 55 years is worthy of a celebration!

And Ford, as usual, has done it well. The engine is always a The Local Answer

winner, the 10-speed automatic gearbox is smooth and responsive, and the car offers a truly ridiculous level of practicality – yes, I do mean that. Four good seats, a big boot and a surprising amount of comfort thanks to not having stupidly low profile tyres. Heated/ chilled seats and Ford’s quickclear windscreen mean it’s ready to go when you are and, most importantly, the noise.

T The he b best est ssounding ounding engine e ngine o on n tthe he m market arket I have said it before and I’ll say it (many times) again. I think the noise of the Ford V8 is one of the best, if not the best, sounding engines on the market today. Audi’s V10 in the R8, McLaren’s V8 and Aston’s cars all sound good, but there’s something about the warble and roar from the Ford unit that always makes me smile.

It’s just fun to drive.

It’s fast, but not monstrously quick and handles better than would be expected from an American muscle car, but the sound makes up for it. In my opinion, the Mustang generates more noise and smiles than To advertise call 01242 510500

nearly any other fast car I’ve driven. And it also doesn’t generate the same level of animosity that I sometimes encounter.

I often receive disdainful looks when driving a fast or noisy review car, but the Mustangs I’ve reviewed have never suffered the same fate. I think it has something to do with their origin – a muscle car for the working classes of America. It was built for the many, not the few, and somehow this heritage has endured – even in a country that it wasn’t intended for.

A couple of my friends have bought Mustangs, and I remain envious and proud of them for making the right choice in near-equal measures. One day, I’ll join them, but only when I can come to terms with the fuel consumption. Granted I may have been slightly heavyfooted, but over a week that massive engine returned only 21mpg – and I don’t think that would improve much with experience. Both my friends have said they’re now on firstname terms with the staff at their closest petrol stations!

Page 15

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

S Seasonal easonal ttime ime ttravellers ravellers You often need to call California – without waking someone at ‘stupid o’clock’. Or you regularly travel across multiple time zones. Whatever your relationship with global time, smartwatches and smartphones are ideal. However, if you love analogue watches, new or preowned travel-themed timepieces make perfect gifftts – for you or someone else – at this time of seasonal gift-giving.

W World orld time time watches watches ffor or every every budget budget Travel-friendly watches range from the simple legibility of classic three-hander s to timepieces with compass bezels (Seiko’s Prospex Alpinist). Then there are GMT watches for tracking a second time zone and sophisticated world time watches showing multiple times around the globe.

World timer s really came to prominence with Louis Cottier ’s watches for Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe in the 1930s.

Today, finances allowing, you could put the romance of world travel on your wrist with one of Patek Philippe’s exquisite Aston Martin-priced masterpieces.

For more modest budgets, maybe Omega’s current Seam t A T GMT

Image: Geckota Ltd

Worldtimer will scratch the world timer itch. Even greater bargains, albeit without Patek or Omega’s exquisite mapprojection dials, include Breitling’s Navitimer 8 Unitime, Orient Star ’s impressive World Time JC0 0 0 02D and Christopher Ward’s C65 GMT Worldtimer.

GMT watches GMT watches grew grew up u pw with ith jet jet travel travel GMT watches came of age in the 1950s, with watches lik e Rolex’s iconic GMT-Master (developed with Pan-Am) accompanying the rise of commercial jet air travel. Its latest manifestation, the GMTMaster II, remains highly coveted – though, nigh-on r u e o T

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Masters, sister brand Tudor ’s Black Bay GMT should prove more accessible and less pricey.

Besides, some really good GMT-Master II-style watches can be had for a few hundred quid.

Try Steinhart’s Swiss-made ETA 2893-2-powered Ocean One GMT for starters.

Other sub-£1,0 0 0 possibilities include Swatch Group brand Mido’s Ocean Star GMT and Rotary’s quartz-powered Henley GMT.

Here’s to Here’s to h happy appy watch w atch hunting hunting So what will adorn your wrist while adventuring? A superluxury Patek Philippe? A value-packed Citizen EcoDrive Promaster GMT? Or, because good ‘travel’ watches don’t have to be GMTs or world timer s, how about the go-anywhere functionality of the Raider series from Favre-Leuba, Switzerland’s second-oldest watchmaker?

You can find them on Gloucestershire-based WatchGecko’s website, alongside the brand’s own Geckota watches and huge range of watch straps.

Whatever you choose, here’s to happy watch hunting, safe travels and season’s greetings!

Page 1

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

Festive Festive fun fun in in your your w winter inter g garden arden Can you believe that December is here already?! As I write this article it is unseason ably mild and the thought of crisp, cold weather is actually very appealing.

The good side of this mild weather is that it extends the window of planting, so things can be chopped and changed in the border and work can carry on – actually that could also be the bad side, especially if you are looking forward to hanging up the spade for a few weeks and sitting cosily indoors leafing idly through seed catalogues!

L Look ook a after fter y your our C Christmas hristmas ttree ree If you buy a real Christmas tree, saw off the bottom few inches when you get it home as you would with cut flowers and put the base in a container of water. You will probably find that after a few days the water doesn’t get taken up – if this were a bunch of flowers you

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could cut a bit more off the stems, but this is not practical with a 6ft tree so it will start drying up from this time. It will still give you a couple of weeks though.

P oi nsetti as are on sale everywhere this month. They originate from Mexico and like warm, dry, draught-free conditions. They are better bought from somewhere indoors like a garden centre, as standing on a cold market stall outside will do them no good at all.

They are very difficult to next bring through to Christmas and need strange things like being kept in the dark for a time and brought into the light for another spell.

To be honest life is too short, so I would say enjoy them now and send them to the big compost heap in the sky in the new year!

I think that one of the ways we are changing in the use of our outdoor spaces is that To advertise call 01242 510500

people want to use them all year round. Especially at this point in time where we’re not able to get away, lots of people want to escape their four walls and have some time outside, even if they’re limited to their garden.

Toast T oast marshmallows marshmallows a and nd d drink rink h hot ot cchocolate hocolate A veranda is a useful area to keep rain off but still to be outside. There are plenty of gas powered heaters to enable the garden to be used in the winter, or the clay chimineas or firepits which use dry logs. The idea of cooking sausages or soup outside and sitting around drinking hot chocolate and toasting marshmallows over the BBQ wrapped in rugs sounds very appealing.

Obviously in any smokeless zones rules must be adhered to, as well as social distancing regulations.

Happy Christmas and good gardening to you all!

Page 25

YOUR Y OUR ELECTRIC ELECTRIC C COOKER OOKER OR OVEN OVEN N OT W ORKING? OR NOT WORKING? EST E ST 2004 2004 l cal TTel: el: 07955 07955 295360 295360

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BBOILERS OILERS RADIATORS RADIATORS CENTRAL CENTRAL HEATING HEATING SYSTEMS SYSTEMS BBATHROOM ATHROOM For a professional, reliable IINSTALLATION NSTALL ATION agnedt infriteonudclhy service please GGENERAL ENERAL PPLUMBING LUMBING 07969 508107 enquiries@apwplumbingandheating.com WORK W ORK

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to IIff you you need need to to make make changes changes to or y our bathroom bathroom due due to to disability disability or your medical am edical ccondition, ondition, we we are are able able to to ssupply upply your your bathroom bathroom VAT VAT free, free, saving saving you you 20%.

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AFTER The Local Answer

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

Go G o green green tthis his C Christmas hristmas In this uncertain world it feels like we should be turning our backs on extravagant consumption and focusing on sustainability this Christmas, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate in style. Follow my ideas for an eco-friendly Christmas without skimping on the festive magic.

Image: Garden Trading

C Christmas hristmas ttrees rees – tthe he rreal eal d deal eal I love a real Christmas tree, it’s the most sustainable option.

You can rent a tree from as little as £20, have it delivered and picked up for re-planting. Or buy a living tree, sourced from a local grower, and re-plant it in the garden. We always look forward to our annual trip to get our tree – it feels like the start of Christmas.

G Gifts ifts w with ith tthought hought Choose gifts that will last. A plant that sparks joy over again, or an experience making a lasting memory – always a hit with my family. Get creative with something handmade and beautifully wrapped – food items are perennially popular.

One year I made damson gin, decanted into pretty little bottles tied with ribbon. They made perfect presents for friends. This year, it’s especially

important to shop small and locally where possible, and you’ll find the most interesting and unusual presents.

Sustainable S ustainable wrapping wrapping Switch to eco-friendly wrapping and look for paper you can recycle – there are some lovely designs at re-wrapped.co.uk.

Brown paper paired with twine and eucalyptus leaves always looks eco-chic.

I was inspired during my visit to Japan earlier this year, as the Japanese have made beautiful packaging into an art form.

“Foroshiki”, their word for wrapping gifts in reusable knotted fabric squares, is trending this Christmas. It is a traditional way of packaging gifts and a perfect ethical example of Christmas wrapping.

D Deck eck tthe he h halls alls – n naturally aturally

Image: Nkuku

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There are so many ways you can decorate your home sustainably. Forage for faded hydrangea heads, teasels and pheasant feathers to create an

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on-trend dried arrangement.

Choose branches of holly, ivy, rosemary and fir for a more traditional look. Search out wreath-making classes locally – it’s a fun way to learn a new skill and create something beautiful.

Many classes have gone online due to recent restrictions.

Adorn the Christmas tree with cinnamon sticks tied with ribbon and dried orange slices stuck with cloves. Re-use your Christmas decorations year after year and they will become family heirlooms. My daughters have favourite ornaments sparking memories from Christmases spent with their grandmother.

Create an Create an eco-festive eco-festive ttable able For an extra festive touch for your Christmas tablescape, look out for antique or recycled glass baubles. Nkuku has some beautiful shapes in bright jewel colours, which you can pile up in a bowl in the middle of the table. Ditch the plastic and make your own crackers with sustainable gifts instead. Have fun creating your festive home and have a happy healthy holiday!

Page 2

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G utter, Fascia Fascia & Cladding Gutter, Cladding C Cleaning leaning S Service ervice a also lso a available! vailable!

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

H Have ave yourself yourself a vvery er y ccosy osy Christmas Christmas With the ever-changing rules and regulations, it’s pretty clear that this Christmas is going to feel very different this year; but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get into the festive spirit. Check out some of these snazzy gizmos that can help you achieve some of that Christmas cheer and hopefully reinstate some normality.

A Amazon mazon E Echo cho Dot 4 4th th G Gen en Argos: £49.99 This cute snowba looking device w make for a we come addition t your home, with its many talents including playing music, giving traffic and weather updates, handsfree calls, setting timers, answering questions, creating shopping lists, calendar reminders and more.

You can even use it to connect with other compatible

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devices in the home, allowing you to drop into other rooms when you want to call the kids downstairs for dinner. If all you want for Christmas is for things just to be a little less stressful, then this gadget can certainly help out.

HoMedics H oMedics G GEL EL Shiatsu su P Pillow illow s: £99.99 veryone needs a t of TLC once in while, and after is year, it’s more ssential than ver. You are bound to feel slightly wound up, so why not treat yourself – or a loved one – to a relaxing massage? You don’t need to worry about the spas being closed; with the GEL Shiatsu Pillow from HoMedics, you can relieve some pressure from those tense muscles in no time.

With its new gel technology, this hitech pillow manages to make you feel like

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you’re in an actual spa; the gel moves like hands, kneading those hard-to-reach spots and helping you to unwind. You can also increase the heat setting and customise your massage with the handheld control.

Mensa M ensa H Heating eating Imus Imus Mensa-heating.co.uk: £177 With the constant updates regarding eating out, you’re bound to be feeling a bit twitchy whilst sat at home. No more dressing up to go out for dinner or drinks can get you down, especially in this winter weather.

However, with this stylish outdoor heater, you can at least pretend that you’re eating out – even if you only venture as far as the garden. This under-table heater from Mensa will get things nice and toasty in no time; and it offers up to 7,000 hours worth of heat, so you can enjoy your evenings outdoors, even in the cooler temperatures.

So, whether you’re trying to make things more inventive for date night, or just want to spend some more time outdoors, having this snazzy heater will bring an added layer of comfort.

Page 29

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

B Brilliant rilliant b books ooks ffor or greener greener living living I’m a huge fan of a good book and there are some brilliant ones out there for helping to be more environmentally friendly. There is an overwhelming array of excellent offerings on offer but I have compiled a list of some that we have really enjoyed and found useful.

F For or cchildren hildren First up is the most beautifully illustrated children’s book, The Bear In The Stars by Alexis Snell. Written for her young son and featuring her own stunning, hand-cut lino print images, this story is perfect for gently instilling in children the idea that we are the only ones that can change the future for our planet. It really is a treat to read and look at together.

better that we have seen since the world shut down and the changes we can keep.

C Christmas hristmas Very in keeping with the time of year is Green Christmas by Eilidth Gallagher. In the run-up to Christmas, it is all too easy to get overwhelmed by the rush to buy last-minute presents or feel pressurised into buying far more food than you can ever eat. At the same time, you know that tonnes of plastic will be making its way into landfill as a result of unwanted gifts or broken baubles. Not to mention the miles and miles of wrapping paper.

If you’re ready for a change this December, then Green Christmas is here to help you bring the focus back to happiness and togetherness.

Veg in One Bed: How to Grow an Abundance of Food in One Raised Bed, Month by Month by Huw Richards is packed full of glorious imagery and tells you how to grow everything you need for year r ou nd f re s h v e ge ta b le s in j us t one raised bed. Perfect for small space gardens.

The New Complete Book Of Self Sufficiency: The Classic Guide For Realists and Dreamers by John Seymour is an updated version of the 1970s classic, which covers growing your own, keeping poultry and other livestock, dealing with waste, conserving energy, living off grid and even teaches you how to make things from wood, metal and leather.

A must for any bookshelf, my parents had the original when I was growing up and it taught them so much about being self-sufficient.

Remember to search secondhand shops for some great pre-loved titles and pass on your books for others to enjoy when you’ve finished them.

Y Year ear Round Round Next we have a book that looks at lockdown and the lessons we have hopefully learnt this year. Just One World, Nature’s Lockdown Lessons by Debbie Bartlett has bright, bold illustrations and talks about the changes for the The Local Answer

Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a brilliant way of cutting down on your food’s air miles, your pesticide consumption and ensuring good quality fresh produce. It’s also a lovely way to get children involved in the process.

To advertise call 01242 510500

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SSwitch witch & SSave ave on your your utilities utilities on W We’re e’re the the UK’s UK’s o only nly m multiservice ultiservice p provider rovider C Customer ustomer rreviews eviews have found found Utility Utility Warehouse Warehouse to to be be a I have onvenient tto o great company. company. TThey hey aare re cconvenient great contact, quick quick to to assist, assist, knowledgeable knowledgeable contact, in their their advice advice and and thorough thorough with with their their in follow follow up up ccustomer ustomer sservice. ervice.

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We We take take the the hassle hassle out out of of switching switching Shelley & Jason Jason Hyde Hyde Shelley 07812 996653 996653 07812 jason.hyde@uw.partners jason.hyde@uw.partners w ww.uw.partners/jason.hyde www.uw.partners/jason.hyde Page 2

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IIndex ndex o off A Advertisers dvertisers 20 C&G Paving 4 Cheltenham Town Roofing 22 20 4 Home Care Roofing 21 JHD Roofing & Building IINFORMATION NFORMATION 22 Glos Constabulary 7 Marshalls Driveways 2 R Richards & Son Ltd R RETAIL ETAIL 24 Smiley Masks 5 S.J. Lewis & Sons CLEANING CLEANING H HOMES OMES & G GARDENS ARDENS Ovenbusters 26 BATHROOMS B ATHROOMS 26 Lifestyle Bathrooms 26 Regency Rapid Clean FURNISHING & A PPLIANCES APPLIANCES Severn Vale Bathrooms 14 & 35 FURNISHING Bella’s Interiors 28 BUILDING SERVICES SERVICES BUILDING 36 Applecrush Construction 23 Dream Doors

FFOOD OOD & D DRINK RINK

Clavell & Hind The Gloucester Old Spot

G ARDEN S ERVICES GARDEN SERVICES Cheltenham Town Landscaping 24 DBS Fencing 24 Lawn Doc 24 HEATING HEATING & PLUMBING PLUMBING APW Plumbing & Heating 26 U TILITIES UTILITIES Utility Warehouse 16 & 32 W INDOWS, D OORS & WINDOWS, DOORS C ONSERVATORIES CONSERVATORIES 8 & 33 Albany Windows 30 Clearway Windows 21 Garolla 28 Misty to Clear

PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SERVICES ANIMAL ANIMAL & PET PET SERVICES SERVICES Dragon Vets Tewkesbury 9 CHARITIES CHARITIES Building Circles 4 Let’s Be Clear Campaign 10 Vale Wildlife Hospital 12 MOTOR MOTOR SERVICES SERVICES Cleeveline Taaxis 4 V Hub 14 P UBLISHING PUBLISHING Lois Kingscott 18-19 S KIP H IRE & RECYCLING RECYCLING SKIP HIRE Stevens Recycling 28

your products products or please call TToo advertise advertise your or services services please call 01242 510500 510500 or or email email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk info@thelocalanswer.co.uk 01242 Puzzle Puzzle Solutions Solutions Y E A J V H C N S C T G C Y A S M S U T H C L R

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B BOOKING OOKING D DEADLINE EADLINE FFOR OR N NEXT EXT IISSUE SSUE – M Monday onday 77th th D December ecember 22020 020

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