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GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE JUNE 2022

STROUD DISTRICT WIN £1,000 FOR YOUR CHARITY OR CLUB – DETAILS INSIDE!

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

Inside this month ...

Word Search Delicious Dish TLA Charity Giveaway Looking Good, Feeling Great Holidays & Travel TLA Distributors Required Parenting & Guardianship Motoring What’s On TLA Leaflet Distribution Homes & Gardens In the Garden Interior Design Sudoku Quick Crossword Gadgets & Gizmos TLA Sport Index, Competitions, Solutions

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June’s winning cover photo: Sally Terrett

Welcome to June Whether you’re growing gooseberries in your garden or cooling off with an ice-cold slushie made using your new gadget, we’ve got lots of interesting articles for you to peruse this month.

There are also lots of great events coming up across the county, from music and theatre to comedy and days out. See more in our What’s On section, and to promote your event, please email info@thelocalanswer.co.uk We have a brand new competition on our website where you could win two tickets to Linton Festival on the first weekend of July!

Visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk/competitions.aspx for more details and to enter.

Don’t forget to enter our Charity Giveaway while you’re there – your nomination could win £1,000 for your favourite local charity, club or not-for-profit organisation. You can find full details of the giveaway inside or online.

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

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Word Search G E O L W J A T U K W J G M G G P S C O R E N Y

L L A B T E K S A B N E L A N X V K K W D B Y V

N X W P I S X X D B Q L L E I B F W L J P K R R

M O D U N A D T K U A D L W T I G A Q C A D T H

C Y H H T K I K E B H O X C F B A D M I N T O N

U S X T K D N S T C G C Z Q I W A Y M X K S G P

V O H C A G T O Z K S G Y A L U O M R V Y Z N D

E T T M N R O C I P V Q Q Y T K C S T S Y B I H

V M L T I F A M N T D O Z D H P J R P P W D M X

J E J A Y C R M E G I H L C G F Y G I B I E M Q

T O N X Q Q V O S Y V T X L I M Q I G C W N I R

E M I T F L A H V M N G E F E K X M J Q K X W Z

P C Y Y N K E N B N Y E M P W Y N K E S C E S F

F Y T R X X J D T A A Z A X M E B E Q R U L T W

I C W E W S T G S S V X E R T O R A C Y Y X J B

W L Z H B K O J N T R M T B U E C O L Y F S P U

M I V C A I F G A I U P A T F G Z L K L U K O B

I N K R L I I T A C L L Z E T T B R U N N I N G

D G E A J N J U H S L I R Z E O C Y H K R C Z R

K A K E N G C O B H K N A N O T J Z C A O S B J

H A M V T C Q G O L A A N S Q E S O J R T Y O R

P O Q L W S J D F K L I I V U X B J W A H V Y G

F R U G B Y A Z S W S K S O G S V K A T E M I X

M R M B S N I G Z A B Y E K C O H L Q E G U B P

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Delicious Dish with Helen Kingscott

Chelsea buns Instead of buying them from the shop, why not have a go at making your own Chelsea buns? They’re easy enough for kids to help, too!

Ingredients: For the dough 250g strong plain flour 125g plain flour 15g caster sugar 7g dried yeast 1 tsp salt 125ml milk 150ml warm water 25g soft butter For the filling 25g melted butter 1 tsp ground cinnamon 75g soft brown sugar 150g dried mixed fruit or just currants/sultanas 50g warmed honey to brush on top when cooked

Method: 1 Put both flours, yeast, salt, sugar, milk and half the water into your mixer and mix on a low speed until the dough pulls away from the side. Add a bit more water if needed, then add your soft butter and continue to mix until the dough is smooth.

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2 Tip the dough into a large bowl and cover, then leave to prove until doubled in size.

3 When ready, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 5). Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into an even rectangle, squaring up the ends.

4 Spread the melted butter all over the dough.

5 Put your fruit, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, mix well then sprinkle over the buttered dough.

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6 Roll the dough up from the bottom (long side) to the top, squaring up the ends again.

It should look like a long sausage shape.

7 Cut into nine even pieces and place cut side down in a lined seven inch square cake tin. Leave to prove until doubled in size again.

8 Pop in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

9 Once removed from the oven, brush with the melted honey and leave to cool.

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STROUD COURT COMMUNITY TRUST Are you looking for a change?

Have you cared for a loved one recently?

Would you like your work to be more rewarding?

Want to do something that is meaningful?

Do you have a calling for care?

We want caring and self-motivated individuals to join us and help support autistic adults live a life that is more meaningful.

Full training is provided along with excellent rates of pay and benefits.

We are a charity and we give back whenever we can, investing in our staff and our facilities.

Want to help transform lives? Find out more:

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The Local Answer

We’re giving away

£5,000!

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-forprofit 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!

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!

Looking Good, Feeling Great with Will Mbanga

Bouncing back As human beings, each of us will be faced with hardship, challenges and tragedy in our lives – our ability to deal with these mostly internally-experienced traumas is largely dependent on our resilience.

Resilience is essentially an individual’s ability to ‘bounce back’ from failure, disappointment or bereavement. You see, life is a contact sport and while some of the damage we take is physical, much of it is mentalemotional and this damage is what is of most concern.

When preparing for high level sport or physical activity, your preparation is key to enabling you to cope with the physiological and mental-emotional demands imposed; the same approach should be carried into your life as far as your mental health is concerned.

We’ve all been there – life is going swimmingly, not a care in the world (relatively speaking, of course!) and then, out of nowhere, WHAM! Something bad happens – life kicks you in the head and crushes your dreams or your heart.

Recovering from a major setback is a challenge This is nothing new – fate has been kicking butts and taking names for thousands of years.

What has changed, however, is our ability to react to this and either mount up our damage control systems, or set things right. Irrespective of whether you are at fault or not, bouncing back from a major setback is a huge challenge.

This brings us to that catch-all word that so many coaches and motivational speakers use – The Local Answer

resilience. Conventional wisdom suggests that resilience is a quality that you can switch on or off as needed. What many of us don’t realise is that it is a skill and as such, can be developed through focused, intentional practice.

There are many brilliant tools you can use to build your resilience, and enable you to assess how well you’re managing challenges and any adversity you’re going through.

You don’t need to engage in an expensive diagnostic tool to help you bounce back, but there is much to be gained from applying basic principles to your daily life.

• Believe in your abilities and have confidence that you can achieve your goals.

• Develop a social network of people you can confide in and who can support you in tough times.

• Be flexible and embrace change – life isn’t easy but our ability to adapt and not be too rigid can help us to respond

better to challenging situations.

• Take action and don’t stick your head in the sand. The longer you wait to start working on resolving an issue, the more stressful the crisis may become.

These are just a few ways in which you can enhance your resilience, but all of these techniques take time. You won’t master them overnight, but taking small, positive steps will set you on the right path.

Focus on what you can control Managing emotional energy is an essential part of being resilient, as it allows you to stop focusing on negative, unhelpful thoughts, while building positive thoughts and maintaining focus on things you can control.

As you build your resilience plan, think carefully about the impact you want from using this plan and remember, you might not get the results you want straight away. Be confident and be disciplined in sticking to your routine.

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Holidays & Travel with Al Hidden

Baked in Alaska Afternoon’s shadows lengthen as we near the Harbor Mountain trailhead. Today’s hike is under perfect blue skies, with the highest June temperatures for years ensuring our appreciation of the extra water we brought.

After our 1700m ascent from town, the views over Sitka Sound on Gavan Hill Trail were sublime. Perception of Alaska may be icy and snowy, but on days like these, above the timberline at 57° N, without a care in the world, ‘Baked Alaska’ says everything.

Then we hear the bear’s gentle ‘just letting you know I’m here guys’ growl from the bushes. We exchange knowing glances, remember the advice from the ranger’s office, shake

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bear bells for good measure and carry on – with more than one backward glance. Reaching the trailhead, we hitch a ride back down to Sitka, frosted Budweisers by the water and a well-earned seafood supper.

Sitka: the USA’s largest city Sitka is guaranteed to thrill.

From the breathtaking approach – among the world’s trickiest – to water-surrounded Rocky Gutierrez Airport, to its impressive walking trails, the former Alaskan capital is a sure-fire memory maker.

When not exploring the area’s subalpine meadows, whale watching for ‘humpies’ or enjoying sea otter antics, an acclaimed raptor centre and charming Russian-era architecture – the US bought Alaska from Russia for $7.2m in 1867 – complement the magical seato-summit location.

Sitka is a sports fishing paradise too. And sea kayaking around Japonski Island – eerily close to landing aircraft as you paddle past the runway thresholds – adds unforgettable perspective on the USA’s largest city. It’s true: a population To advertise call  

of around 10,000 belies the fact that, by area, little Sitka is the USA’s largest city!

Alaska is seriously big and impressive Our June visit, combined with voyaging north to Juneau on the Alaska Marine Highway, and time in Seattle before and after, coincided with Sitka’s driest month. Come fall, everything changes with typically high Pacific Northwest precipitation.

For good weather, June, July and August are your warmest, driest friends when exploring this corner of the USA’s largest state. A tip: unless yours really is a mega-trip, think carefully before combining the panhandle with visiting the rest of the state.

Alaska, like Harbor Mountain’s views and delicious freshcatch salmon suppers at Beak or Ludwig’s, is seriously big and impressive. Maybe too big to fully appreciate on one trip.

We’re looking forward to another visit to the state whose name comes from the Aleut ‘aleyska’. It means ‘great land’.

And, come rain or hot June sunshine, it is!

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Please visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk/ become-a-distributor.aspx Please do not call the office – our staff are very busy, so may not always be available to take your call.

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The Loc al

ANSW ER

GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S BIGGEST LOCAL MAGAZINE JUNE 2022

STROUD DISTRICT

WIN £1,000 FOR YOUR CHARITY

OR CLUB – DETAILS INSIDE!

The Local Answer

Parenting & Guardianship with Roberta Smart

Make the most of what you have We all know that it’s a good idea to recycle and do our bit for the planet. Being green, cutting down waste and avoiding adding to the landfill is a central focus for many families these days.

One way you can avoid creating waste is to be mindful of what you buy for babies as toys. With so much plastic found in baby toys, this could be an area in which you can achieve many things in one fell swoop.

How? By creating toys for your children using items you no longer have use for, such as a ‘Busy Board’.

door handle, a wooden flap on injury, dementia or limited a hinge. cognition, these toys can be All manner of domestic hard- perfect for them to touch, hold, Use household items to ware would be fascinating for engage with and enjoy. make a sensory board baby to grab, pull, push, maniAllow them to touch By taking a piece of plywood, pulate and be a great way to and explore sanding the edges smooth and utilise existing items – as long lacquering for protection, you as they are clean and safe, of I am now working with adults create a base upon which you course. And what’s even better, with dementia, as well as can attach any number of this board can be used again enjoying a new granddaughter, household items which you and again, passed down and I am fascinated by the may have in a drawer, cupboard through generations of babies parallels in ways to engage or garden shed. and entertain the minds of these and never wear out.

A door latch attached If you like the idea of textiles two groups of humans, who securely, a bell to push, a few rather than hardware and feel although at different stages of unused keys on a short chain, more at home with soft life, share some fundamental a piece of heavy rope to grab, a furnishings than a drill, why similarities which are joyous to not make a fiddle blanket or observe. Each loves to touch, to explore, to self soothe cushion instead?

By gathering oddments of through holding, grabbing and different textured fabrics, inc- using hands to ‘see’ what is in luding ribbon, cord, silk, satin, front of them.

If you can recycle old elements cotton and velvet, and featuring contrasting colours, layering rather than throw away, have fabrics and adding buttons, the pleasure of creating somebows, knots and fringes onto a thing useful and attractive, and sturdy, well-finished blanket or see the joy on faces as these cushion, you will create an items are used again and aesthetically pleasing and highly again, I would say, of all my entertaining toy for your baby. recommendations, this might I also have to add that if you just be the best one yet! Why happen to have a family not have a go this summer and member with any form of brain see what you can create?

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Motoring with Toby Aiken

Blown away in the Nissan Leaf?

The Nissan Leaf is one of the UK’s oldest electric vehicles.

It’s been around for 12 years now, probably second only to the Toyota Prius in terms of longevity. And yet until last month, I’d never driven one.

The early days of the Leaf saw very limited range, as was pretty much the norm for an EV, but the latest model boasts a range of more than 200 miles, meaning (in my book) that it is a contender for an everyday driver. It’s not often that I need more than that in a single day, and certainly not without a break for a coffee and a bite to eat near a highcapacity charger.

A good first impression My first impressions were that it looked really quite good.

It can hold its own in terms of exterior looks and sits well on the drive. A good start. Moving on to the interior, I have to say I found myself a little disappointed. Not just by the feel of some of the interior plastics, which were cheaper than I felt they should be, or at least they seemed to be, but by the experience. Let me explain.

Ten years ago, when EVs were few and far between, it was expected, perhaps even necessary, for an electric car to stand out; to make it clear that you were in something different, something futuristic even.

Nowadays, with most of the mainstream manufacturers offering at least one fully electric option in their fleet, EVs are much more normal – not quite conventional, but they are getting there. But inside the Leaf, it felt at least a The Local Answer

little like I had gone back in time and the manufacturer was trying to signpost the differences at every opportunity.

And it’s just unnecessary now.

On to the driving experience itself.

“I didn’t feel quite at home.”

First off, I noticed that the driving position was slightly off. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but no amount of adjustment made me feel 100% comfortable. Perhaps it was the dash layout, perhaps the slightly oversized A pillars, or the still-quirky gear selector, but I just didn’t feel quite at home and I’m used to feeling comfortable in a whole range of cars.

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need to use the brake pedal nearly as much. Initially this felt strange, but given time, I actually found it to be a good feature. And in fairness, that timeframe was probably only a day or two at most. So I’m going to count that as a win for the Leaf.

Good range and spec Essentially, the Leaf is a good package. Good range, good spec and not the loud ecostatement that it once was. But I think it’s trying too hard. It’s shouting ‘look at me, I’m green’ when the competition is quietly changing the drivetrain from petrol to electric and keeping the feel and look of the car the same.

Was I blown away by the Leaf? Not quite. And of all the things that niggled, for me the price was the biggest sticking point. At just under £35k, it’s not that much of a stretch to be looking at a Tesla Model 3. And that’s a whole different package entirely.

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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.

3-5 JUNE GLOUCESTER TALL SHIPS Award-winning Gloucester Tall Ships is back for 2022 with a jam-packed schedule of family fun and entertainment, setting sail over Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend. Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th June. www.gloucestertallships.co.uk 4 JUNE GLOUCESTER PIRATE WALK

Ahoy ye city dwellers, sea farers and river people. Setting sail from Cafe Rene at 4pm, all pirates are welcome to join us on a lively jaunt around the city raising funds for Severn Area Rescue Association. www.facebook.com/events/325337565 8215871 4-5 JUNE BECKFORD JUBILEE OPEN VILLAGE 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 4-5 JUNE GLOUCESTER SHANTY FESTIVAL Held in various venues in the city, the returning shanty festival will be celebrating the Maritime Heritage of our City of Gloucester through song with fantastic artists. Come and hear the city buzzing with life and shanty. www.gloucesterbid.uk/gloucestershanty-festival 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 11 JUNE SOME ENCHANTED EVENING Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II pioneered a flair that was all their own in the golden age of musical theatre. From 1940 to Hammerstein’s death in 1960, this

musical duo dominated the musical stage and big screen with hits such as South Pacific and Cinderella. Some Enchanted Evening is an enthralling revue of some of their most stunning compositions. 7.30pm. Tickets £18-£26.

The Roses Theatre, Sun Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5NX. 01684 295074. rosestheatre.org THE BON JOVI EXPERIENCE The world’s first and finest tribute to the great Bon Jovi and the world’s ONLY tribute to have been requested by and to have performed live on stage with Jon Bon Jovi himself. 7pm.

Tickets £21.50. The Subscription Rooms, George Street, Stroud GL5 1AE. thesubrooms.co.uk MAJESTY – A TRIBUTE TO QUEEN Majesty with Rob Lea, direct from the ITV show Starstruck, performing the ultimate tribute to Queen, is coming to Gloucester for the first time. Expect a two hour hit extravaganza, a must for any Queen fans! 7.30pm. £22.50.

Gloucester Guildhall, 23 Eastgate Street, GL1 1NS. gloucesterguildhall.co.uk 11-12 JUNE HIGHNAM QUILTERS EXHIBITION Showing quilts, crafts, tombola, sales table, bag and cushion raffle.

MindSCAPE charity raffle.

Refreshments. Admission £3, cash only. 10am-4pm. Disabled access to both halls. Free parking. Highnam Community Centre, Newent Road, GL2 8DG. quiltershighnam@gmail.com

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14 JUNE ASHLEY BLAKER: 6 POINT 5 CHILDREN The show brings a whole new perspective to the subject of parenting.

That is because as parents of six kids, Ashley and his wife are trying to raise a family in a world that is only really set up for having two. What’s more, the Blakers’ children are not just any kids. Three have special needs – two autistic boys and an adopted girl with Down Syndrome – and Ashley sensitively finds the funny in both raising children with disabilities and adoption. £18. 8pm. Cheltenham Town Hall, Imperial Square, GL50 1QA. 01242 528764. cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk 26 JUNE FODEN’S BRASS BAND Foden’s Brass Band is based in Cheshire and is currently ranked as one of the finest brass bands in the world. The band has won many awards over its 100 year plus history, including the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain 15 times and the British Open Championships 12 times. The band are world renowned for playing of the highest quality and perform regularly for audiences across the UK and worldwide. 2pm. Tickets £8-£18. The

Subscription Rooms, George Street, Stroud GL5 1AE. thesubrooms.co.uk 1-3 JULY LINTON FESTIVAL Celebrating 20 years of great music and beer! Proceeds to local charities.

Headliners include The Counterfeit Stones, Walter Trout and One Night of Queen plus many more amazing international bands/artists. Tickets from £22. Camping available. Full lineup on website www.lintonfestival.org 2 JULY WINCHCOMBE PARISH SUMMER FÊTE St Peter’s Church, Winchcombe will host the Parish Summer Fête from 125pm on Saturday 2 July. Very much a community event with activities for all ages. For more details, email: fete@winchcombeparish.org.uk 9 JULY LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE Saturday 9th July at Blackfriars Priory, GL1 2HN. 12.30-4.30pm. FREE entry.

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The perfect summer day out. To sign up visit longfield.org.uk/event/run-therainbow and use promo code ANSWER20 for 20% discount.

22-31 JULY GUITING MUSIC FESTIVAL Bringing a host of top names from the classical and jazz world to the beautiful village of Guiting Power in the Cotswolds. Including a fundraising concert for humanitarian relief in Ukraine on Friday 29th July. Full details at www.guitingfestival.org

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Go on Safari with Dave Dave and Darcy Go on Safari Dave and Darcy are off on safa ri to see the animals of Africa. On their trip they make lots of new friends, from giraffes to lions, as well as a baby elephant that is in trouble! Pr e-orde r Will they be able open to help?

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In the Garden with Julia Smith

Glorious June!

This month, take time to revel in the garden, smell the roses and take every opportunity to sit outside – even if you only have room for one chair and a pot of petunias! Think of nurturing your mental health: it’s like taking a tonic.

Plants like rudbeckias, asters and heleniums, which flower after the longest day, can grow rather straggly. To thicken them up, pinch out the tips now and that will branch them out and ensure a good late summer and autumn display. These are good perennials to have in the garden to help you get colour well into the autumn.

Growing gooseberries Gooseberries are a great option for the garden, as they are expensive and difficult to buy but easy to grow! I like growing them as standards (a bare leg with a bushy crown like a pom-pom) because they look more ornamental. They fruit best in the sun but will tolerate light shade. They are the earliest cropping soft fruit of the year and are so delicious

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in a crumble! They fruit on wood at least one year old and are pruned to allow light and air to get to the centre of the plant, cutting shoots crowding the centre back to five leaves.

Leave a patch of wilder meadow on your lawn If you took part in ‘No Mow May’ you may now want to give your lawn some attention.

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the idea of a wilder meadow by only mowing an area closer to the house and leaving the rest, perhaps with paths mown in it.

This is probably not practical if you have a small garden and need the grass shorter to allow for kids to play on it, etc. but we can all leave a small patch and see what happens!

The most delicious things to grow I think I have mentioned this before, but as it’s June and I’m thinking of strawberries – and that they are just the most delicious things to grow in the garden and eat fresh – I have planted up some ‘living wall’ boxes from Growing Revolution.

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Interior Design with Gill Greenwell

At home with art Now that we can do all those things we couldn’t do in lockdown, I have been re-visiting my favourite art galleries in London with a young friend studying art history. I was reminded of how inspiring and energised art makes you feel.

Whether it’s an image of a favourite painting, a reminder of a special holiday or a piece you love, art brings individuality to your home.

The real thing Most of us haven’t got an old master hidden away in the attic, and you don’t have to be a connoisseur to find original works that won’t break the bank. Social media provides direct access to emerging artists and affordable art fairs are great for browsing. Check out freshartfair.net for your nearest venue. My artist friends often exhibit at local open studio events – fun to go to and good to directly support a local artist.

Pick up a print If you love a particular painting, buy a print from the gallery

Image: Folksy

and frame it yourself. IKEA has a wide choice of inexpensive frames. Limited edition prints are another way to access affordable art. There are lots of websites specialising in these at reasonable prices – I subscribe to Rise Art who provide useful advice on how to hang and curate your art. Interior brands also produce art for the home – Made.com have a good range of well-priced wall art.

Perfect posters Posters are not just for teenage bedrooms. When I visited the Tate Gallery, I was particularly taken with their collection of exhibition and vintage posters – a great way to brighten up a hall or kitchen. Most gallery websites have a collection of posters you can buy from as little as £20; the Royal Academy collection is well worth a look. Alternatively, why not search out vintage film or travel posters to add dash and colour to your décor?

Image: Abstract House

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Frame it The right frame makes all the To advertise call  

difference. Match your frame to the piece of art and not to your décor. Simple is always best – black and white frames look chic and contemporary, natural wood is warm and welcoming. A collection of black and white photographs in plain black frames really creates an impact. A contemporary piece can look brilliant in an ornate vintage frame. Charity shops are my go-to for interesting old frames, as you can often pick up a bargain.

Find the right place You can hang a piece of art virtually anywhere; I’ve just put up a picture next to my cooker. There are just a few tips worth noting. My pet hate is pictures hung too high – use your eye level as a rule of thumb. Group smaller pictures together, as they can look lost and lonely on a large expanse of wall. Mix and match – small pictures look good propped up on a bookcase, or create your own gallery wall. Now your home will reflect your taste and your unique personality.

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The Local Answer

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Gadgets & Gizmos with Laura Nicklin

Keep your cool this summer Get out the barbeque, top up the cocktails and get the music blasting as we go outside to enjoy the much-needed summer sun. Just make sure you don’t overheat and work up a sweat!

If you’re searching for some gizmos to help cool off this month, we’ve got you covered.

Aqua Bluetooth Speaker Menkind.co.uk: £25 How many Bluetooth speakers do you know that come equipped with waterjets?! This portable speaker from Menkind not only offers awesome sound quality, but it even comes with its own water show! Just play your music and watch how the water responds to the beats for a cool aquatic performance to accompany your summer hits.

sleek bit of tech will go great with any summer party.

Neo Ice Crusher Slush Machine The Range: £35.99 Make sure you have an ice-cold refreshment in your hand before you settle in for some sunbathing in the garden this summer.

The Neo Crusher Slush Machine will help quench your thirst, as it gets to work crushing ice and stirring your drinks.

With its snazzy vintage design, this retro gizmo will bring some style to your summer, as it preps your cocktails and slushies. The electric ice crusher includes a built-in stirrer and measuring jug, as well as two grinder settings, so it does all the hard work for you!

iFan 8 Momax Portable Hands-Free Fan

Packing a 5 watt speaker and rechargeable battery that lasts up to four hours, this stylish speaker not only has the looks, but the skills too. Compatible with any Bluetooth device, this The Local Answer

free fan that is designed to sit gently on your shoulders, providing a comfortable cooling experience. With five strength levels, a safe bladeless design and up to 12 hours of use, you can enjoy feeling as cool as a cucumber.

Selfridges: £49.95 For those who struggle a bit more in the heat, or are perhaps just taken aback by the sudden heatwave, this time of year can be more tricky. After all, no one wants to have sweat patches soaking their clothes and making them uncomfortable. And it’s just the worst when you can feel those tiny beads of sweat travelling down your neck.

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The Local Answer

Sport with Roger Jackson

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

Joan Griffiths delighted as Painswick celebrate 60 years Joan Griffiths knows a thing or two about tennis.

She first played the sport around 70 years ago and even though a shoulder injury forced her to give up playing a year ago, she remains very heavily involved in the game.

She also knows a thing or two about Painswick Tennis Club, a club that is very close to her heart and one that she joined back in 1985.

She’s been the club’s president for the past 12 years and as you’d expect from someone who holds such an elevated position, she’s very keen to trumpet all that is good about the club.

And there’s certainly plenty to shout about.

“We’re celebrating our 60th anniversary this year,” she told The Local Answer.

“That’s pretty good going.

We’re a thriving club, our membership is going up. Including the juniors we’ve got 330 members, we’ve got a big junior section.”

And there’s plenty of quality players at the club too.

“We won three divisions in the men’s summer league last year,” said Joan with obvious pride.

“And in the winter league which has just finished we won two of the mixed divisions and one of the ladies’ divisions.”

That’s all pretty impressive, of course, as is Joan’s own tennis CV, which includes being presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Gloucestershire for services to the game back in 2018.

Born in Longlevens, Joan first started playing tennis at the age

Joan Griffiths

of about 11 when she was a pupil at what is now known as Denmark Road High School in Gloucester.

She was pretty good too and was part of the Gloucestershire juniors set-up, although she says modestly that she didn’t play much.

A left-hander, she was also pretty good at table tennis, another sport in which she represented the county.

“I played tennis for Gloucester Civil Service when I was a junior, I loved it,” she said.

“They had a big junior section, unfortunately the club is no longer there. I played a lot of tennis as a junior.”

Joan had a couple of years away from the sport when she started a family, but had a spell with Pineholt before switching to Painswick in the mid-80s.

And it’s fair to say that it’s a move she’s never regretted making.

“We’ve got eight all-weather courts,” she said.

“Six at Broadham Fields and

two more in the village by the bowling club. We’re very lucky because we can play all year round.”

Joan was certainly playing all year round before her shoulder screamed ‘no more’, but although she is no longer serving aces on court she remains very much an ace in the club’s pack off the court.

“I’m still very involved at the club,” she said. “I run a ladies’ team and I also run a seniors’ team in the winter, I’m doing something connected with tennis every day.

“Fortunately, I live in Edge which is just a mile from the tennis club.”

That is indeed fortunate because Joan is a past ladies’ captain, club secretary and club captain.

“I think I’ve done every job except for treasurer,” she laughed.

And it’s not just at Painswick where Joan has done so much good because she’s also the current chairman of the Gloucestershire leagues committee and is a past player for the county’s over-50s.

So what is it about tennis that Joan likes so much?

“The team factor is important,” she said.

“There’s a buzz to tennis, an excitement, but it’s such a social sport as well.

“It’s a sport you can play right up until your body gives up, we’ve got people at Painswick who are still playing at the age of nearly 90 and they’re still holding their own.

“We’re very lucky at Painswick, we’ve got such a lovely setting, it’s beautiful.”

For full articles and more stories visit www.thelocalanswer.co.uk

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