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ANSWER North Gloucestershire: 20,000 copies Cheltenham: 43,000 copies Cotswolds: 30,000 copies Gloucester: 50,000 copies Stroud District: 40,000 copies

Inside this month ... Delicious Dish TLA Charity Giveaway Mirror Mirror on the Wall Looking Good, Feeling Great Quick Crossword Pet Care Holidays & Travel TLA Distributors Required Parenting & Guardianship What’s On Sudoku Money Matters Homes & Gardens In the Garden Wildlife Matters Interior Design Gadgets & Gizmos Word Search TLA Leaflet Distribution Motoring TLA Sport Index, Competitions, Solutions

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May’s winning cover photo: Dave Stening

Welcome to May We are so excited to announce our new TLA Charity Giveaway, through which we will be giving away an amazing £5,000 to five lucky Gloucestershire-based charities or not-for-profit organisations! Our giveaways have made a huge difference to previous winners so hopefully we’ll have the same result this time around. You can find full details of the giveaway inside. Both Julia Smith and Gill Greenwell share their tips for enjoying your outdoor space in their respective articles, while Laura Nicklin offers her gadget recommendations for all you foodies. Roberta Smart looks at the magic of music and how we should encourage our children to learn from a young age in her Parenting & Guardianship article. Meanwhile, Al Hidden takes us to the City of Love in his Holidays & Travel article, giving us a whistle-stop tour of ever-popular Paris.

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Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott

Creamy chicken pasta

Simple enough for an easy mid-week dinner, but elegant enough to impress guests at a dinner party – this recipe is a winner all round. Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 finely chopped onion 4 chicken breasts 1 pack fresh pappardelle pasta 150ml chicken stock 300ml double cream 50g halved pitted black olives E LW O O D COMPUTER SERVICES

50g drained and halved semidried tomatoes in olive oil 50g baby spinach

Method: 1 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the finely chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until soft. 2 Cut the chicken into small pieces, add to the pan and cook on a medium heat for 810 minutes. 3 Add the chicken stock and

double cream, then cook gently until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir regularly so the sauce doesn’t split. 4 Add the olives, tomatoes and finally the baby spinach until just wilted. 5 Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet (usually around four minutes for fresh pasta) then drain and stir through the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper, and serve.

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We’re giving away

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to five local charities or not-for-profit organisations Lots of people are feeling the pinch at the moment, including our local charities and not-for-profit organisations. With costs rising and donations from the public understandably slowing down, The Local Answer have decided to support the local community with a giveaway. We’ll be donating a grand total of £5,000 to be split between five Gloucestershire-based charities or not-for-profit organisations – and the lucky winners of our draw will get to choose which ones! So, whether you have a personal involvement

or just like to support a specific local charity, club, society, group, trust or association – provided it is, essentially, a non-profit making enterprise – you could help boost their funds by £1,000! Entries for the giveaway are on our website and the more times your charity or club’s name is submitted, the higher their chance of being drawn. So make sure you share this giveaway with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to give your organisation the best chance of becoming a winner!

August 2022

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Your charity, club or society One thousand pounds 01234

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£ 1,000 TLA

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MEDICAL CHARITY ANIMAL CHARITY AGED CHARITY ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE SPORT & RECREATION CHARITY LIBRARY SCHOOL FOOD BANK VILLAGE HALL EDUCATION CHARITY HOSPICE DISABILITY CHARITY VISUAL OR HEARING IMPAIRMENT CHARITY SPORTS CLUB YOUTH CHARITY RESCUE SERVICES CHARITY TRUST BROWNIE GROUP SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PLAYGROUP ENVIRONMENTAL SCOUT GROUP CHARITY

It’s easy to enter our draw... For your chance to choose one of the five organisations that will benefit from this prize, please visit our website and enter online.

www.thelocalanswer.co.uk/competitions.aspx Closing date: Sunday 31st July 2022. In addition to our usual competition rules, by entering you agree to have your name and photograph featured in our September 2022 issue and online should you win. Only one entry per household accepted. The organisation must be based in Gloucestershire. The winner will be chosen at random (via a random number generator), but the more times an organisation’s name is submitted, the higher the chance it has of being drawn. Good luck! The list above is not an exhaustive list of charities or not-for-profit organisations – it is a guide for the types of organisations that can be nominated.

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Mirror Mirror on the Wall with Val Starr

Wedding bells After so many cancellations and postponements owing to the pandemic, weddings are back in a ‘big’ way. Venues are fully booked, as are caterers, photographers, dress designers – everyone is trying to make up for lost time. Whatever the dress code, from the bride and groom to guests, most of us will want to dress up after so long being dressed down. Planning a wedding can be stressful, so here are a few tips that might help!

The dress and, most importantly, one that you feel confident in.

The bridal trend for 2022 is larger than life sleeves, which have filtered down from the catwalks, and many of these sleeves are detachable. Sweetheart necklines have always been a favourite look, but you will also see many square necklines that are often very flattering. Soft colours are also popular, meaning white isn’t the only option. When you are shopping or going for a fitting for the gown or planned ensemble, always bring the shoes you are planning to wear, as well as underwear, so you can ascertain what you need for the perfect look. Do not leave it until the last minute.

Lots of us are interested in sustainable fashion, and this can extend to our wedding gowns. Many can be incorporated into our wardrobe for future use, often with only small alterations. This means you can enjoy the item for more than just one day. Storage is very important so a professional dry clean after the big day is essential; but do read the cleaning instructions very carefully. You will need a suitable box and acid-free tissue to wrap the dress in. This will preserve it beautifully.

Veil or no veil

Makeup

According to top bridal designer Kate Halfpenny, a veil can make even the simplest of gowns look magical. As she points out, a veil gives you time to catch your breath when you arrive with all eyes on you. Veils come in many forms from really sheer to 3D appliqued, so find the one that you feel suits you

My advice is to experiment well in advance. If you are using a professional makeup artist it is imperative you try out the look you want them to achieve so there are no nasty surprises on the big day. Makeup looks change so much with what is in or out of fashion, but a classic, natural

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look never goes out of style. When it comes to hair, don’t schedule any last-minute big haircuts that won’t allow you time to grow it out. Planning and timing is key for hair and make up trials.

Photography Selfies have made a lot of people more confident with posing, but when you are the star attraction it can be more nerve wracking. Every couple wants the perfect wedding day pictures and your photographer should be able to guide you on how to achieve them. A top photographer told me a good tip is not to look like you are posing at all – try to forget the photographer is even there. If you still feel tense he suggests whispering a private word or joke to your other half which makes you laugh, as only you know what has been whispered. Lo and behold, a natural personal shot will follow. Your wedding only lasts for one day, so the key is to make happy memories that will last a lifetime. Page 

Looking Good, Feeling Great with Will Mbanga

Fitness and wellness lifestyle In order to get the maximum “bang for buck” out of your health and fitness activity, there are a number of areas you need to target specifically to see ‘gains’. While I’m not here to tell you that you’re doing something wrong, wasting your time at the gym, or eating the wrong foods, there are some very clear elements that, taken together, will empower you to make the most of your fitness and wellness journey and see the results your efforts deserve. In this two-part series, I am going to focus on the combination of elements that will result in achieving successful fitness and wellness outcomes, so if you’re looking to get ‘in shape’ this year, pay attention! Whether you’re aiming to get bigger muscles, fitter or stronger for performance, or just into ‘good shape’ as a lifestyle choice, essentially what you’re saying on a physiological level is that you want to lose fat and build muscle. Now, while most of us don’t want big bulging muscles, building lean muscle is the surest way to achieving a lean, healthy physique and enabling wellness in an individual. The first pillar to work on in bringing about this goal is your nutrition.

Nutrition High-calorie, high-protein meals and snacks are essential for muscle growth. The best method of ensuring optimal protein intake for muscle growth and repair is to spread it out throughout the day, through both meals and snacks. The Local Answer

When it comes to building muscle, some people go for the quickest and easiest route, which is eating a lot of caloriedense, but not necessarily nutrient-rich, foods. A much healthier way to increase your caloric intake is eating ‘clean’, where the focus is on eating mostly whole, nutrient-dense foods. While we’re all unique in the way our bodies react to food, the following guidelines are helpful in working out our macro-nutrient intake amounts: • Carbohydrates: 45-60% • Protein: 30-35% • Fat: 15-30% (predominantly unsaturated fats such as plant oils, nuts, avocados, etc.) Additionally, high-calorie, highprotein snacks are important within one to two hours before and after a workout to fuel muscle growth and repair. In these busy times, preparing your food in advance can save you both money and time, while also maintaining your control over the ingredients and portion sizes of your meals. Meal prepping is a great way

to ensure you’re eating healthy, nutritious meals and can be a useful way of teaching children how to cook and eat healthy food.

Training While it might sound counterintuitive, regular, appropriate intensity exercise is one of the key habits that will enable you to build lean muscle and ensure your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems are at an optimal state. There is no magic bullet – getting in shape isn’t difficult, but it does require effort and consistency. Like your diet, variety of exercise or training methods stimulates the muscles differently, reduces injury risk and minimises training plateaus, while keeping you from getting bored. Movement is key, so whether you lift weights, swim, cycle, run, walk, hike, climb, play sport or engage in Yoga, doing something you enjoy is the best way to ensure consistency and longevity in your fitness journey.

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Quick Crossword ACROSS 1 Suspect’s excuse 7 Flight industry 8 Skewered dish 10 Sleepy feeling 12 Ocean voyager 14 Wheedle 16 Actor, ... Sharif 17 Calmly 20 Counterfeit 23 Song of the Swiss 24 Sketching carbon 25 Bequeath DOWN 1 Lower leg joints 2 Necklace component

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Pet Care with Oliver Wilkinson of Dragon Vet Centre

A liver shunt in a cat Every now and again we are faced with a very unusual case. Last month we had a cat that presented having had a number of seizures. After a series of blood tests and scans it became clear that the cat had a congenital liver problem. Although liver disease might not be the first thing that you would expect to cause a cat to have a fit, we do see it when the liver is significantly reduced in function. One of the main jobs of the liver is to filter blood coming from the intestines, detoxifying and metabolising substances that have been absorbed into the blood supply. If the liver doesn’t deal with these toxins, they can enter the brain and trigger seizures. Our poor cat had a ‘liver shunt’, which is essentially a blood vessel bypassing the liver circulation and preventing the liver from doing its job. Thanks to a detailed CT scan we could see the abnormal blood vessel leaving the intestines and entering the circulation near the left kidney, completely side-stepping the liver.

The solution is gradual restriction of blood through the shunt The challenge is what to do with the shunt. Tempting as it might be to simply ligate/tie off or remove the blood vessel, if we were to force all the circulating blood back through the liver, the cat’s liver would be simply unable to cope with the sudden increase in blood flow. The solution is a gradual restriction of blood through the shunt over a period of weeks to months until the liver can build up its ability to cope with the increased blood supply. The first surgical challenge was to identify the shunting vessel, but thanks to our CT scan we were able to find it near the left kidney as expected. I then placed a special device called an ‘ameroid constrictor’ around the blood vessel. The constrictor looks like a tiny ring of metal with an inner lining of a material that can absorb moisture and gradually swell until the centre of the ring is completely occluded. Although the surgery was technically difficult, the cat recovered well and returned home the next day. Hopefully over the coming months it will go on to make a full recovery. Page 

Tewkesbury 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.

OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 9am-6.30pm & SATURDAY 9am-10.30am 31 Church Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PD

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OPEN SATURDAY 9AM-12 NOON

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T: 01242 580324 www.dragonvet.co.uk

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Holidays & Travel with Al Hidden

Under Parisian skies Day dawns over the 15th arrondissement like a Jean-Luc Godard movie scene. In our third-floor Rue Blomet apartment, early-morning traffic whispers amorously across the pleasant Sèvres-Lecourbe neighbourhood. Beyond open shutters, Eiffel’s tower peeps over grey rooftops. A glorious week awaits us… Call it the City of Light, Love or even the Grey City – November’s ‘ville grisâtre’ – ultra-cosmopolitan Paris keeps drawing us Brits. Whether by rail, air or by car via Le Shuttle, this eternally romantic capital is enticingly close.

Exploring by Metro and on foot We loved our stay, with Vaugirard and Sèvres-Lecourbe Metro stations nearby for getting around when not walking. What’s more, every boulangerie, charcuterie and Monoprix needed for Rachel Khooinspired ‘Little Paris Kitchen’ self-catering is on the doorstep. When not cooking, myriad local cafes and bistros provided all the coffee, croissants and The Local Answer

relaxing al fresco suppers we needed – Le Wallace on Place du Général Beuret was a particular favourite on several balmy evenings. The Eiffel Tower, the signature Paris landmark, is visible day and night – always strikingly lit up – from every street corner. Of course, you’ll climb The Arc de Triomphe, get your art fix at The Louvre and roam the Rive Gauche’s Latin Quarter too. Then there’s Notre-Dame, still closed post-fire, but due to reopen for 2024’s summer Olympics.

Wander up to Montmartre Wander up to Montmartre, the artists’ quarter; like so many Paris must-sees, it’s both a tourist cliché and unmissable. At one end of its cultural spectrum is the Moulin Rouge. At the other, Sacré-Cœur, with stunning cross-city views, is always a joy. For an alternative – decidedly petrol-headed – perspective, watch Claude Lelouch’s ‘C'était un rendezvous’ (1976) as the film director dashes cross-town to meet a To advertise call  

girlfriend on Sacré-Cœur’s steps while dawn breaks and church bells toll. Romantic Paris captured in a moment. Later, stroll the Seine’s famous banks and bridges and enjoy Promenade des Berges, an archipelago of floating gardens near the Musée d’Orsay. Don’t miss the adjacent Flame of Liberty, now an unofficial Princess Diana memorial above the Place de L’Alma tunnel. Where were you that fateful morning in 1997?

Delights for everyone From irresistible macaron shops and calming parks like Jardin du Luxembourg, to the inside-out brutalism of Centre Pompidou and chic Marais, Paris has delights for everyone. If you’ve visited, you’ll already know. If not, make that Charles Trenet, Édith Piaf, Françoise Hardy, Peter Sarstedt and Supreme NTM playlist to soundtrack your stay. Then catch the next Eurostar and enjoy ‘La Vie Parisienne’ in the footsteps of Hugo, Sartre, Jim Morrison – and Rachel Khoo! Page 

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Distributors Required Immediately in Woodmancote and to join our waiting list for Southam and various areas across Tewkesbury Please visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk/become-adistributor.aspx Please do not call the office – our staff are very busy, The Loc al so may not always be available to take your call. ANSW ER 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 

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Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart

Making magic with music “If music be the food of love – play on.” William Shakespeare Nothing fills the heart quite like making music, and these days it can be so easy to learn an instrument and make your own music using online resources. Kids of all ages will benefit from spending time practising their instrument; creating their own songs on the piano or guitar, singing along to their favourite bands and imitating their idols. Any form of performance art is great for building resilience, commitment and skills, as well as being enjoyable as a pastime, but long gone are the days of playing boring scales endlessly or practising classical pieces for grading exams.

Find a teacher to suit you and your style These days you can access amazing tuition online – check out YouTube for an incredible array of music teachers to find one that suits you, your family and your preferred style of music.

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Why should the kids have all the fun? If you hanker to learn yourself, there is no better time to start, so why not make it a family affair? In my house, my partner plays guitar – self taught – with a band, and our son now loves to noodle on the acoustic to relax in the evening. He has even created some rather nice pieces for himself. I, however, am into my second year of studying the piano because I believe in the old adage – you are never too old to learn something new. There is nothing to beat the joy of playing with others, so getting together with other musicians, attending gigs, festivals, family events and parties and bringing the instruments out is such a great way to bond and feel truly connected to each other – and who knows you may have a future Ed Sheeran or Taylor Swift in the family! If your kids love technology they may prefer to To advertise call  

explore production and love nothing more than creating music using their laptop, mixing software and recording apps. So much modern music is made in a room at home these days, without anyone even touching an instrument, so there really is no barrier to creating soundscapes that you love, just for yourself if not for the mass market.

Percussion is always a winner for little ones To start the little ones off, percussion is always a winner; why not treat them to a ‘sound box’ filled with drums, shakers, rattles and bells, and give them the gift of music – I can guarantee you will see smiles for miles. For the crafters among you, why not make instruments out of household items such as sticks, nuts and seeds, or rice, and decorate as part of your indoor play activities? Making magic with music is so much fun, and you will never regret opening the door to your child and their musical world. Page 

Whatʼs On The Local Answer Event Listings are compiled and presented in good faith with the kind support of many contributors. We recommend you use the contact details provided to check event information updates prior to planning your visit. 1 MAY OYSTERBAND Oysterband make modern, folk-based British music, acoustic at heart, sometimes intense, sometimes rocking. Since 1978 they’ve toured in 35 countries – festivals, concerts, bars, rallies, jails, bring ’em on! – won five BBC Folk Awards and made 13 studio albums and one DVD. 7.30pm. £22.50. Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, GL1 1NS. gloucesterguildhall.co.uk 3 MAY LUKE DANIELS A virtuoso musician and singer who performs classic folk songs alongside traditional tunes. Luke has been touring since the mid 1990s with Riverdance, De Dannan and Cara Dillon, but from 2012 released four critically acclaimed albums of his own songs. 8.30pm. Tickets £15. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. 01684 295074. rosestheatre.org 7-8 MAY HARVEY Since their mother’s death, Veta has been living with elder brother Elwood in the old mansion he inherited. She aspires to social acceptance and seeks a good marriage for her daughter, but Elwood’s behaviour is getting in the way. He drinks, plays cards, mixes with riff-raff, but worse than anything: his best friend is a six-foot white rabbit that nobody else can see. This charming comedy of psychiatric errors asks the question, just who is

sane in an insane world? Various times. Tickets £8-£12. The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. 01684 295074. rosestheatre.org CIRENCESTER BOWLS CLUB OPEN DAYS You are welcome to try your hand at bowls. We are offering free taster sessions from 10.30 onwards. The Club is adjacent to the Brewery Car Park in the centre of Cirencester. For more information please visit www.cirencesterbowls.org.uk 10-14 MAY ‘AND THEN THERE WERE NONE’ BY AGATHA CHRISTIE Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they’re unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their fate… A performance by St. John’s Players at St. John’s Hall, Churchdown, GL3 2DB. 7.30pm. £10. Concessions £8. Box Office: 01452 713952. Bar. Car park. www.stjohnsplayers.org.uk 12 MAY KATHRYN ROBERTS & SEAN LAKEMAN This popular, multi award-winning husband and wife duo exude timeless class with their exquisite brand of traditional and contemporary music. From early days in folk supergroup ‘Equation’ through to their most recent work, acclaimed as ‘their best yet’, the evening promises a whistle-stop tour through their artistic journey to date. 6.30pm. Tickets £21.50-£23.50. The Subscription Rooms, George

Street, Stroud GL5 1AE. thesubrooms.co.uk 13 MAY STUART SINGERS CHARITY CONCERT IN AID OF BEAT The Stuart Singers welcome you to a one-off charity concert in aid of Cirencester based eating disorder charity, BEAT. The Choir comprises up to 65 voices in four parts and we sing a wide and constantly changing repertoire spanning spirituals, theatre, sacred and secular, classical and modern. 7.30pm. From £12.50. Sundial Theatre, Cirencester, GL7 1XA. www.sundial-theatre.co.uk 14 MAY BARNSLEY VILLAGE FESTIVAL 10.30am-5pm. 15 Open Gardens, stalls, BBQ, tea, coffee and cake, jazz band, Morris dancers, bell ringing, church choir. £10 in advance (Eventbrite.co.uk) or £12 on the day, includes car parking. Children under 14 free of charge. 21 MAY CHARLTON KINGS CHORAL SOCIETY Vierne; Mass for choir and two organs; Carillon de Westminster; Rutter Psalmfest; Parry I was glad. Soloists Helen Wright (soprano), David Smith (tenor), Fiona Brown and Russell Burton (organs). Conductor: John Wright with the Regency Sinfonia. Saturday 21st May 2022 at 7.30pm. St Philip and St James’s Church, 60 Grafton Road, Leckhampton, Cheltenham GL50 2DL. Tickets £18 (under 25s in full time education £10). 01242 510820. www.ckcsonline.org.uk

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To promote your event, please email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk *Figure based on 2.2 readers per magazine with a total monthly circulation across Gloucestershire of 180,000 magazines. **The name and date of the event are included in the word limit (you can also include a description, timings, ticket prices, contact details, website address, etc.).

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4-5 JUNE BECKFORD JUBILEE OPEN VILLAGE

5 JUNE CHELTENHAM MIND BODY SPIRIT WELLBEING SHOW By Deer Spirit Events. Over fifty fantastic exhibitors: 1-1 tarot, psychic, shamanic & clairvoyant readings, holistic therapies, self-help, crystals, jewellery, books, arts and crafts, healthy living products. Thirty talks and workshops, inside and out. Refreshments onsite. Sunday 5th June. 11-5pm. Pittville Pump Room, East Approach Drive, Cheltenham GL32 3JE. www.deerspirit.co.uk 1-3 JULY LINTON FESTIVAL

Beautiful open gardens, church flower displays, teas and homemade cakes, champagne bar, barbecue (Saturday), hog roast (Sunday) and ice creams. Also plant sales, children’s quiz trail, classic cars, glassware, preserves, tombola, raffle and more! Entry £5 (U16 free). Dogs on leads welcome. Free parking. GL20 7AD. Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th June 1-5pm, followed by family Jubilee celebrations. Platinum Party at the Pub on Saturday 5pm-late hosted by The Beckford Inn. The Big Jubilee Hog Roast on Sunday 1-8pm hosted by The Old Post Office. beckfordopenvillage.org.uk

Queen plus many more amazing international bands/artists. Tickets from £22. Camping available. Full lineup on website www.lintonfestival.org 15 JULY TAKE A CHANCE ON US

Put on your platform boots and funky suits or just a boa, and have a night of ABBA madness!! This is a fantastic live show that celebrates the music of ABBA through a fully live six piece band, voiceovers, costume changes, choreographed dance routines, and light show. Lots of audience participation and all the favourite ABBA Hits! 7.30pm. Tickets £20. 01242 258002. The Bacon Theatre, Hatherley Road, GL51 6EP. bacontheatre.co.uk

Celebrating 20 years of great music and beer! Proceeds to local charities. Headliners include The Counterfeit Stones, Walter Trout and One Night of

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Wrong call Rishi? Last month we looked at the hike in energy prices that came in at the start of April. Whilst we were digesting the impact of that, the Chancellor was delivering his ‘spring statement’, alongside another increase in interest rates and the highest rate of inflation for more than a decade. We were all hoping for a helping hand from Rishi, but did we get it? I fear not. The headline giveaway was an increase in the threshold at which we start to pay national insurance. The Chancellor says it will cost him £6 billion and it’s certainly a welcome measure. It will make lives easier in an accountant’s office for sure, but it doesn’t come in until July, by which time we will all have been paying the additional 1.25% levy that Rishi announced in November last year for three months. And that’s due to raise the Chancellor twice the amount every year that he’s giving away in his recent announcement. He had the chance to scrap the 1.25% levy before it kicked in. That would have helped us all – employers, businesses, investors, pensioners alike – but Rishi chose not to, insisting it was being ring-fenced for the NHS. Don’t insult us, Mr Chancellor, we know that’s going straight into your treasure chest.

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The spring statement was much more notable for what it didn’t do than what it did. There was no help for businesses, who face spiralling energy costs in the way that households do, rising inflation, staff shortages and no more covid support, save for an extra £1,000 of employers’ NI. The hard-hit retail sector faces an increase in the VAT rate back to 20% at a time when we are hardly flocking back to shops and restaurants. A couple of months ago, the government announced it was removing the triple lock on state pension increases this April because they would have increased by an ‘unfairly high’ 8%. Inflation will go beyond that in the next couple of months, so all those relying on state pension income will be worse off in real terms. There was no help for those paying for childcare and student loan repayments were harder hit as a result of changes in what the Chancellor had in his printed statement but didn’t announce in the Commons. I don’t want your job, Rishi, but I think you’ve probably made the wrong call here.

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In the Garden with Julia Smith

Enjoy time outdoors this spring May is usually a lovely month, especially with the Bank Holidays – although don’t forget the Spring Bank holiday falls in early June this year to coincide with the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations! It seems a perfect time in the garden to enjoy BBQs and al fresco eating of all kinds. It is nice to have a well-cared-for patio area for sitting, which is kept swept and interesting with pots of seasonal flowers. Don’t forget to repair any broken or loose slabs which can be dangerous, especially to the elderly or young children running around.

Ensure your garden looks well-tended Even if your garden is a bit messy and weedy, the patio will lift it. If you have a lawn, keep it well cut and trim the edges – this also makes the garden look well-tended. It is the equivalent of vacuuming the carpet! As the weather should be milder now you will find

aphids starting to appear. They suck the sap from the tender young growth of plants and excrete a sticky substance called honeydew, which can then cause sooty mould! Some also transmit viruses to the plants so they are a problem. You can squash them by hand if there are not too many, or some people use soapy water to squirt on them to knock them off. If you encourage beneficial insects such as ladybirds, lacewings or hoverflies into the garden they will help control the little beasts. Plant varieties of single flowers which these insects like as opposed to double flowers, and perhaps make insect boxes to help them overwinter. You can use biological controls in greenhouses but they are not suitable to use in the garden.

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I tend to sow them in yoghurt pots and plant in their final position when they are about 10cm high. Make a wigwam of canes and keep them wellwatered. The flowers on the beans are actually quite pretty so can be put into a herbaceous border for height interest, as long as you can reach them to pick the beans! If you don’t have the time or patience to sow your own herbs, you can use the crowded plastic pots you buy in the supermarket. Carefully separate them and replant in fresh compost in small pots, two or three plants in each. Keep watered.

Trim your hedges Give box hedges and topiaries their first trim in early May – use sharp shears, or hedgetrimmers on long runs of hedging. Keep a look out for Box blight or the signs of the Box Moth caterpillar, both of which were a real problem last year. Page 

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Wildlife Matters with Lois Kingscott

Baby boom From blossom and buds to the dawn chorus, spring is a wonderful time of year for new life and the promise of brighter, warmer days. You’ll likely have noticed baby lambs prancing around in the countryside, but which wildlife babies might we also spot at this time of year?

Mammals Otters are generally solitary creatures, only coming together to breed. While they mate all year round, most pups are born between May and August. They are dependent on their parents for more than a year and usually leave at about 15 months old. The roe deer is the most common native deer in the UK. Another species that tend to live solitary lives, their rutting (mating) season is in the summer, although the female delays implantation of the fertilised egg until the next January so that her babies are not born in the winter. She’ll give birth to two or three whitespotted fawns in May or June.

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Birds

Amphibians

Chiffchaffs are one of the UK’s smallest birds and are mostly green-brown in colour with dark legs and a pale stripe just above their eyes. They live in woodland and parks, but you may also spot them in your garden. They nest low to the ground in dense vegetation and lay five to six eggs in May or June, which hatch after about two weeks and fledge two weeks after that. Cuckoos are a sneaky species, as they trick other birds into raising their chicks. They mate in April and then lay a single egg in another bird’s nest, often after scaring it off so that it vacates the nest. After 11 or 12 days, the cuckoo chick hatches and pushes any other eggs out of the nest so that it gets the sole attention of the host parents. They leave the nest after about three weeks, but continue to be fed by their adoptive parents for another couple of weeks.

The smooth or common newt. is dark green or brown in colour with a vibrant orange, blackspotted underside, and can be found in ponds, bog gardens and marshes. They breed from February to June, with the female laying up to 300 eggs on aquatic plants. Once the larvae hatch, they metamorphose over 10 weeks into juvenile newts.

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Insects The peacock butterfly is one of the most recognisable butterflies, with its colourful eye-spots on its upper wings. They mate in spring and females lay eggs in batches of up to 500 at a time. The caterpillars hatch after a couple of weeks and spin a communal web that they live and feed in. As they grow, they live in the open and pupate alone, emerging as adults in July. Enjoy keeping an eye out for some of these species in your garden or local green space this spring. Page 

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Interior Design with Gill Greenwell

It’s all about the garden We always know when spring is here and summer is on its way in my family – my son-inlaw decides to wear shorts every day and my husband brings out the garden furniture. During the pandemic we rediscovered our outside spaces, but after an English winter your garden furniture may need a bit of a refresh. Here are some ideas for creating a new look for your alfresco space.

An outdoor room If you’ve got the space, it’s a good idea to have separate areas for relaxing and entertaining. Create a comfortable outdoor living room; inject a laidback atmosphere with a lounge set or a corner sofa. Ever popular all-weather rattan or bamboo-effect sets are good choices for a classic-rustic feel. Add a coffee table and a statement chair – on-trend Egg chairs are featuring particularly strongly on Instagram (check out B&Q’s Apolima chair).

Patio pieces To make your patio summer party ready, you may be looking to invest in a new

Image: OKA

outdoor table and chairs. I am loving the latest rope effect dining sets – Barker and Stonehouse has a great selection at great prices. Create a contemporary look for your al fresco dining with colourful metal and woven designs. John Lewis’s Salsa range comes in bold Jolly Green or bright Two Tone Yellow, and Jennifer Newman’s splash stool comes in a variety of fun, bright colours.

Balcony chic Zhuzh up your balcony space with a charming French café style bistro set and transport yourself to Paris. There are some lovely options available from Habitat and OKA, perfect for early evening cocktails or breakfast outside on a sunny morning. For a more cost-effective option, check out foldable bistro sets available in a range of ontrend colours and add some cheerful planters.

Sustainable options Image: Habitat

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charity shop, eBay or online auction houses. Search out unusual pieces with potential for upcycling. The latest vintage look is whimsical and fantastical faux bois, a pre-art deco style originating in 19th century France. If your existing furniture is a bit winter worn, it’s never been easier to upcycle using specialist garden paint. Most top brands have a range of colours to choose from. I particularly love Rustoleum’s soft chalky green Aloe, and it comes in an easy to use spray can.

Seasonal extras There are so many options now for dressing up your yearround entertaining space. A firepit is a must for keeping warm on those longer evenings. Add some comfort and sunny colour with zingy outdoor cushions (La Redoute has a great selection). I’m also a real fan of Weaver Green’s recycled plastic outdoor rugs. Now you can enjoy your outside space in style – just put your feet up, sip an Aperol spritz and dip into your summer read. Page 

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Gadgets & Gizmos with Laura Nicklin

Gadgets for gastronomes Did you know that 6th May is ‘International No Diet Day’? This useful fact popped up when I googled ‘events in May’ for some tech inspiration and it might be my new favourite holiday. Yes, technically this can apply to any day, but if there’s a day literally dedicated to it, then it’s certainly worth celebrating. So, here are some useful gizmos to help you get on board and satisfy those food cravings…

Electric Popcorn Maker With Bowl Lakeland: £29.99 What goes best with a movie? A gigantic tub of popcorn, of course! Whether you’re more of a salty connoisseur or prefer your popcorn sweet, this handy gadget from Lakeland will help you enjoy the classic cinema experience from home.

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healthier alternative. Once it’s done, all you do is remove the bowl from the machine and you’re all set for movie night.

Tefal Toast ‘n’ Egg ‘n’ Beans 2 Slice Toaster Argos: £55 If you’re more of a breakfast foodie, this 2-for-1 gizmo is a solid choice. To save you time in the mornings, try out the Toast ‘n’ Egg ‘n’ Beans toaster to prep a perfect breakfast. As the name suggests, this gadget can toast your bread and cook your beans at the same time, meaning less cooking time and more eating time! And it also saves you time on washing up, thanks to its easy-to-clean dish. You could swap out the beans for egg if you fancy adding something different to your morning meal.

for dessert! This gizmo is equipped with programming that helps you make ice cream, milkshakes, sorbet or gelato. All that’s needed is to fill the included tub with ingredients and let them freeze overnight. Then, you let the dessert maker do the rest of the work as it gets churning. Choose from one of seven programs on the touchscreen menu to get started and look forward to your frozen dessert. This machine even comes with a guide for delicious recipes, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth. Bon appétit!

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Motoring with Toby Aiken

The right car at the right time I’m often asked what my dream car would be. I know for a lot of people this is a hard question, and having been lucky enough to drive some truly amazing cars, I always struggle to answer. There are so many strong contenders and I think it would end up as a toss-up between a Tesla Model S and a V8 Ford Mustang. Until a recent Friday night. And then my answer changed. My hockey team were celebrating the end of the winter league (we came eighth) and as the designated driver I was happily dropping some friends off at the end of the night, when my Mini hit a pothole or two and very rapidly developed a catastrophic flat.

‘A minor speed bump’ Usually that would be a minor The Local Answer

speed bump (see what I did there?) at most, but my Mini has a tyre re-inflation and repair system that sadly wasn’t able to deal with the situation. At this point it was past midnight and the prospect of calling a breakdown service who wouldn’t be able to take me anywhere to fit a new tyre didn’t appeal, so my friend kindly offered me her car to get me home and then deal with the tyre in the morning.

A 13-year-old Fiesta was my dream car Right then, in that moment, that 13-year-old Fiesta was my dream car. Yes it had some foibles that she had to take me through. The boot open alarm will go off but don’t worry, it’s a sensor issue. Sometimes you have to lock and unlock a few times for To advertise call  

the interior lights to go out and the front screen wash is somehow controlled by the rear screen wash, but right then, right there, it was perfect.

Comfortable, compact with lots of charm The Fiesta has always been a great car. My wife’s first car was a late 70s model and it had so much charm. The 2009 model is still great to drive, it handles well, and is comfortable, compact and yet spacious. So I want to thank my friend, in print, (and I know she gets this magazine) for her kindness! Driving back the next morning, it occurred to me that your dream car is allowed to change as often as you like, and that night, in that moment, my dream car was a 13-yearold, feisty Fiesta. Page 

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Sport with Roger Jackson

WANT TO SHARE YOUR SPORTING STORY ON OUR WEBSITE? Please email full details to sport@thelocalanswer.co.uk

Hilary Caudle is a driving force Hilary Caudle is a genuine allrounder for Tewkesbury Cricket Club. Not on the pitch but most definitely off it, a club that she has supported for well over 50 years. These days she is the club’s president as well as their secretary, but there are many, many other roles that she performs at the go-ahead cricket club, a place that has been like a second home to her for more than half a century. “I have made the teas, I help run the bar, I do the barbecues on junior nights, I clean the toilets, you name it I do it,” she told The Local Answer with a laugh. “I enjoy being involved.” Hilary has been involved with the club for 55 years after meeting her husband-to-be, Graham, when she was 15. Graham, who sadly passed away close on 10 years ago, was a very decent cricketer back in the day – he was a quick bowler – and Hilary was his biggest supporter. “He was a very good bowler, he could have played at a higher level than he did,” said Hilary. “I used to watch him play – he played football as well – and I just got involved.” That’s something of an understatement, of course, because the now 70-year-old Hilary is one of the most familiar faces at Swilgate, the home of Tewkesbury Cricket Club. “I’m there most days,” she said. “We’re a good club, there is always something going on and there’s always something that needs doing.” Talk to her for a few minutes and it’s easy to see why the club asked her to become their president, a role that she has held for some six years. “It’s a privilege,” she said,

Hilary Caudle

before adding, “I did ask them at the time why they would want a lady president!” Hilary has thrown herself into the role, of course, and the great thing is that her family have, over the years, enjoyed the club just as much as she does and Graham did back in the day. Their son Philip played for the 1st XI before work took him away to Shrewsbury – he’s still playing cricket as is his son William – while their daughter Clare has been the driving force behind a women’s team at Tewkesbury, which has been started this season. “They’re going to play in the Cheltenham and Cotswold League,” said Hilary. Clare also helps to run the ever-popular All Stars and Dynamos, and her 10-year-old twin sons Tristan and Dylan both play at the club. “We’ve got 80 to 100 juniors signing on as well,” said Hilary, who has been around long enough to know that the youngsters of today are the 1st XI players of tomorrow. Tewkesbury’s flagship team, under the captaincy of Wade

Ridsdale, will be playing in the Gloucestershire Division of the West of England Premier League this season after winning promotion from the Gloucestershire County League. That was Ridsdale’s first season as captain – he also coaches at the club – and Hilary, who has been the club’s secretary for eight or nine years, said: “We’ve got a young 1st team, I think there are only three or four players over 30 in the team. He’s a good captain, he encourages the players and works well with his vice-captain Harry Low.” Surprisingly for someone who has spent so much time in and around cricket, Hilary has never actually played the great game herself. ”I wasn’t a particularly good sportsperson but I love being involved in sport,” she said. That goes without saying, of course, and it’s fair to say that her ‘to do tray' when it comes to Tewkesbury Cricket Club remains very full. At the top of the list is extending the pavilion, the pavilion that has been named the Graham Caudle Pavilion after her late husband. “We’ve got planning permission and we want to extend it,” she said with obvious enthusiasm. “The details haven’t been sorted out yet but when they have we’ll start the fundraising.” And once the fundraising starts, there are no prizes for guessing who will be leading the charge. But while Hilary is sure to be at the forefront, she is also keen to stress that it will be very much a team effort. "We have a very strong band of volunteers and committee members," she said.

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25 BATHROOMS AHM Installations FOOD & DRINK Blissful Bathrooms The Vanilla Pod Bakery 4 Lifestyle Bathrooms HEALTH & BEAUTY Severn Vale Bathrooms Atlantic Home Eyecare 8 BUILDING SERVICES Fitness Superstore 10 Applecrush Construction NHS Home First & Reablement 12 C&G Paving NHS Let’s Talk 8 Cheltenham Town Roofing Sophie Lane 5 Home Care Roofing JHD Roofing & Building INFORMATION Gloucestershire County Council 15 Marshalls Driveways The Growth Hub Tewkesbury 4 Nationwide Paving & Resin R Richards & Son Ltd PROPERTY Redgrove Scaffolding Andrews 19 RS Cladding Hawkins & Hill 18 S.J. Lewis & Sons Move Property 20 CLEANING SERVICES Perry Bishop 17 Ovenbusters SPORT FURNISHING & APPLIANCES Shipton Golf Course 25 Bella’s Interiors Take a Chance On Us

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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.

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