Love Local Magazines - Winchcombe January'20 by Love Local Magazines

Winchcombe YOUR FREE LOCAL COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

January 2020

SHORT STORY

A New Year Break LOCAL HISTORY

by David Aldred RECIPE

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

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Patch Patch metres turnVineyard left into Street. Vineyard Street. parking a on low stileleft on to your left to enter a field. D tres turn left into Car parking a low stileCar your enter a field. D nc onto the tarmac road and after for Belas nc Knap Turn rightTurn ontoright the tarmac road and after for Belas Knap Cross River Isbourne, head up the oss River the Isbourne, head up the NewmeadowNewmeadow dbinetheWoodbine Walk the woodland road, Farm to a approximately approximately 200 metres the along woodland edge road, Farm to a edge 200 metres turn left atturn a left at a the road bends to Walk the along pe and slope whereand thewhere road bends to the crossingsmall another stile gate, signposted Gloucestershire crossing another stilesmall before thebefore the gate, signposted Gloucestershire Way and Way and keepahead straight aheadthe entering the ht, keepright, straight entering Turn the left tarmac onto the tarmac and the cross the field,houses, towardstohouses, road. Turnroad. left onto road and roadcross field, towards a path. to a path. ofCastle, Sudeley Castle, passing the Humblebee Humblebee undsBreakheart ofgrounds Sudeley passing the Breakheart Cottages walk downhill toHill Sudeley At left onto Bear the left path, onto through the path,a through Cottages to Sudeley Farm.Hill At Farm. Bear gate anda gate and Plantation castellated Almsbury on yourwalk left. downhill Plantation tellated Almsbury Lodge on Lodge your left. by E, theturn farm E, turn along an path enclosed path alongside a the Farm the ShopFarm sign Shop by thesign farm walk alongwalk an enclosed alongside a Hill Barn Hill Barn the main driveway, crossing the Spoonley righta through gate up andthe walk house, up theWaterhatch ow theFollow main driveway, crossing the to a road. Spoonley sharp rightsharp through gate andawalk to house, a road.Waterhatch Farm Villa Farm Wood Spoonley VillaSpoonley Wood Limehill lake by the bridge and continue gently field at to the a gate thethrough top. Goand through and e by the bridge and continue gently field to a gate top.atGo Turn right onto the road and followWood it to a field gateright on your right A. Go ahead keep a track. Bear the left ontoTurn the right onto the road and follow it hill to auphill field gate on your A. Go keep to aahead track.toBear left onto over the bridge and up Castle Belas over the bridge and up Hill Castle Street to Street to Coles’s Hill Belas Coles’s through the gate keeping the play area on track, through apass gate the andstone pass the stone ough the gate keeping the play area on track, through a gate and Knap Knap Co arrive in the centre of Winchcombe. Turn Co tswand head to a wooden gate. tswand yourhead left of St.Kenelm’s Wellright. on yourarrive right. in the centre of Winchcombe. Turn r left to building ofbuilding St.Kenelm’s Well on your old a wooden gate. old Wa left and Cowl Lane, which leads Wa left and Cowl Lane, which leads to the carto the car y y Gothe through thegate wooden the Continue by a field park, gate, is 40park, through wooden takinggate thetakingContinue is 40 metres on your right. ahead to aahead gate, to by a gate, field gate, metres ahead, on ahead, your right. path the left, 2 path signs and head uphillatowards gate on the h to the left,to(there are(there 2 pathare signs © Winchcombe Welcome 2017 and head uphill towards gate on athe © Winchcombe Walkers areWalkers Welcomeare2017 indicated on the gate). the path to to horizon, to of thea right of a pig pen. cated on the gate). Follow theFollow path to horizon, the right pig pen. far left of (The the field. (The Home far leftthe corner of corner the field. Home ntley FarmWontley Farm Shortly Shortly thebefore top ofthe thetop hill of bythe thehill by the Gothe through theturn gate left. and turn left. before (Disused) ks). GoParks). through gate and sused) pen turn lefta through a gate onto pig pen F,pig turn leftF,through gate onto B. In 20 metres passanother through another n 20 metres pass through an path enclosed path thetopig pen to enclosed beside thebeside pig pen gate ahead and walk a farm e and walk withahead treeswith and trees a farmand an another gate. the right hand a anotheragate. Follow theFollow right hand trackleft. to your left. ck to your field boundary until you field boundary until you come to acome pair to a pair In 200 metres the field boundary a small tree plantation. Go 200 metres follow thefollow field boundary of gates byofagates smallby tree plantation. Go to and the again, right and after 200 a furtherthrough 200 into through into keeping the field,close keeping close to the the right afteragain, a further the field, to the metres turn lefta through a gate to walk tree lineright on your right and drop tres turn left through gate to walk tree line on your and drop down to down to gently uphillatowards a gate in theright bottom hand corner, tly uphill towards house. a house. a gate in the bottom handright corner, after about 400 metres. G Atinthe top,ofinthe front of the the top, front house, go house, go after about 400 metres. G wooden on C to (To a lane.Cross C (ToandCross and turn right to downhill, continue downhill, ough a through woodenagate on togate a lane. Peet turn right to continue Peet the route left follow at C and follow keeping lineright, on your rten theshorten route turn left atturn C and keeping the hedgethe linehedge on your to right, to lane to aTurn T-junction. Turn left E and point thecorner bottom the afield lane tothe a T-junction. left and point the E bottom of corner the fieldofand gate.and a gate. aheadTurn on right) onto theCross lane andCross and by continue by the fence before head onis right) rightTurn ontoright the lane continue the fence before StWell Kenelm’s Well St Kenelm’s and immediately the signposted bearing 45° right the field towards immediately left along left the along signposted bearing 45° right across theacross field towards WWaW hope you enjoy thethe walk, however the walkatis undertaken at WWaW hope you enjoy the walk, however walk is undertaken until you meet another a gap in the hedge; in continue in the same rden’s Warden’s Way, untilWay, you meet another a gap in the hedge; continue the same your sole risk and have noforresponsibility for loss, damage, your sole risk and WWaW have noWWaW responsibility loss, damage, Turnfollow left and the lane uphill. injury or Every interpretation. Everyhas possible care has direction the next field,a through a interpretation. e. Turn lane. left and thefollow lane uphill. injury or possible care been taken to been taken to direction across theacross next field, through ensure the information givenatwas at the time of creation. ensure the information given was accurate the accurate time of creation. Where the out, hill levels out,atturn here the hill levels turn left theleft at the Cots wo ld

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This walk is courtesy of Winchcombe Walkers are Welcome. Each month we publish a different route. All routes are available to view on their website: www.winchcombewelcomeswalkers.com Page 3

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Step by Step Whether it’s the New Year that’s driving change, or a forthcoming ‘big’ birthday, those milestones act as a motivation for change. But whilst short term action is fairly easy how do you keep it going? The trouble is we are wired for short-term satisfaction and many ‘life improvements’ really deliver no instant or tangible benefit. E.g. “I’ll exercise more so I have a longer life.” Difficult to think that far ahead if you are in your early 30s. I have found what works best is to set yourself a specific goal and to start small. So if, for example, you are planning to read more this year, instead of making your resolution just that, try and come up with a specific plan like 'This year I am going to read one new book every two months'. It's certainly achievable, you can measure your success (did you read a new book

every two months or not?) and once you are into it, you can reevaluate your target and put the goalpost up (e.g. read a book each month). What also helps is telling others, so if you are serious about making a change, tell somebody about it - it can be a friend, a family member or a colleague. They might even be able to help you reach your goal or join you on your journey. One of our goals this year here at Love Local is to make this magazine even more locally relevant (see page 9 for more information on how you could help with this). There will also be other exciting changes taking place in the next couple of months, so watch this space! Have a wonderful January,

Anne x

T: 01242 388 366 | E: Anne@lovelocalmagazines.co.uk

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Page 5

Local History In my November article, I identified five of the six entrepreneurs behind the local tobacco growing venture in 1619. This month I identify the sixth entrepreneur and outline their story. Sir John Tracy of Toddington completes the list. By far the most illustrious member, his ancestor William was one of the four knights who killed Thomas à Becket in 1171. Sir John had served as a member of parliament for the county since 1597; had been high sheriff in 1609-10 and was created a viscount in 1643. It is likely that he was invited into the venture by John Stratford, a close friend to whom he was related by marriage. However, it was John Stratford who seems to have been the chief instigator of this tobacco growing venture.

Tobacco growing 400 years ago Part Two year lease at £80 per acre but he argued it was only worth £15 per acre for any other crop. Six acres were planted on Thomas Loreng's Haymes estate but in very small parcels; one of which probably lay along Butts Lane in Woodmancote. Three acres were planted somewhere in Bishop's Cleeve and Giles Broadway of Postlip had five small plots. Sir John Tracy planted eight acres at Coneygree Layes, wherever that might have been. It is possible tobacco was also grown near John Stratford‘s house in Farmcote and in the Wickfield between Cleeve and Nottingham Hills, whilst Tobacco Close in Winchcombe could commemorate a folk memory of growing there.

So where was the tobacco grown? I have found it very difficult to answer As we have seen, the motives behind this question. At the time it was reported the venture were to make a profit and that over 100 acres had been planted but it seems this total was made up of many small plots scattered throughout the area and I only know of a very few locations. We know that ten acres of old orchard were rented by John Stratford from John Lygon near Arle Court from a court case when John Lygon refused to accept John Stratford's attempt to pull out of his lease when tobacco growing was declared Sir John Tracy had Toddington Manor built in the 1620s. illegal after just one harvest Today only the ruins of the gate house survive as the rest was demolished and replaced in the 1820s by the present manor house. in 1619. He had taken a four6

also give employment to the local poor. Joan Thirsk has calculated that at the busiest time of the year from May to November 196 men could have been employed at 8d (3 ½p) per day or 262 women at 6d (2 ½p) per day; enough to enable every poor family in the Bishop's Cleeve and Winchcombe area to have had one member so employed. We know definitely that John Stratford paid out £1,400 in labour costs - but he overstretched himself. Not enough of the tobacco was sold for a good profit and he found himself in deep financial trouble. It was said he had borrowed £5,000 to finance his venture but had to sell £6,000 worth of tobacco in Holland and Ireland at a considerable loss. This is the reason he tried to cancel his lease on John Lygon's land at Arle Court. The lack of clear profit and crucially the government's ban on growing tobacco at the end of the first season in 1619 led these entrepreneurs to abandon the venture. Members of the Tracy family emigrated to Virginia in North America to continue tobacco growing. John Stratford turned to flax growing to pay off his debts (and that’s another story!).

However, tobacco growing was not abandoned completely as it was taken up by local people, even though it was now illegal. In 1654 we know that 300 of them armed themselves to prevent the king's troops destroying their crop. In 1667 Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary that lifeguards had been sent to Winchcombe 'to spoil the tobacco which people do plant there contrary to law'. The last reference I have found comes from 1691 when Richard Teale, a miller of Cheltenham, demanded recompense because the king's officers had destroyed his crop, despite being planted 'in ignorance of the law'! You can read further about this fascinating story of tobacco growing in the recently published Winchcombe History Journal which contains a much more detailed account of the venture. The journal also contains an extended version of my article on Sudeley Castle which appeared in the September edition of this magazine. Copies are available from Keeling's newsagents in Winchcombe for only £5. David Aldred

'Tobacco barn' in the fields above Woodmancote carries a folk memory of the venture, but it is more likely to have been built for flax. Page 7

Blueberry Custard Tarts These fruity tarts have a rich creamy custard filling with a crisp pastry case. If you prefer you can use shortcrust pastry.

Ready in 1 hour, plus cooling | Makes 8

Ingredients

75g caster sugar 3 medium egg yolks

2 tbsp cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract 350ml milk

500g puff pastry, thawed if frozen

Flour, for dusting

TIP

100g fresh blueberries

Whisk the sugar, egg yolks, cornflour and vanilla extract together in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Heat the milk in a pan over a medium heat until almost boiling. Whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture then pour back into the pan. Gradually bring the mixture to the boil, stirring all the time, until a smooth custard forms. Remove the pan from the heat and cover the surface closely with greasproof paper to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool completely. Meanwhile roll the pastry out on a lightly dusted surface to a 3mm thickness. Stamp out eight 12cm rounds of pastry and use to line eight 8cm fluted tartlet tins. Prick the bases with a fork and chill in the fridge whilst the custard is cooling. Preheat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas mark 6. Divde the cooled custard mixture between the pastry cases and scatter over the blueberries. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm or cold.

Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up then place the filled tartlet tins on it for baking. The extra burst of heat will help to ensure a crisp pastry base

We are passionate about making the Love Local Publication locally relevant to our readers, and we are looking for a local 'news and views' contributor in your area. If you have a few hours per month to write and send us informed, important, local news and views that matter in your area, then we'd love to hear from you.

To find out more about becoming a local contributor, email us at:

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A New Year break

A short story written by local writer Geraldine Faulkner Unusually for Henry, because he would normally be outside in the garden or taking their neighbour’s dog for a walk, he was sitting on the sofa in the living room in front of a warm wood-burner. He had already checked the greenhouse that morning to make sure his wintering plants were doing well and filled the bird feeders so that the robin, dunnocks and hedge sparrows had something to squabble over. Now at four o’clock in the afternoon and with the light fading outside, the only decision he had to make was whether to have some mixed nuts or a hobnob. His wife, Annie, was in the kitchen making them both a cup of tea. “I know most people find January a gloomy month,” said Annie cheerfully as she came in with the tea tray. “But I rather like hunkering 10

down in front of the wood-burner and enjoying a movie.” She handed Henry his tea before settling down in an armchair so they could watch ‘The Secret Garden’ together. Years ago, Annie had discovered that the only way she could get her husband to watch a film all the way through was to ensure it featured a garden. Henry finally came to a decision. He opted for a hobnob, dunked it in his tea and leaned back to watch the film. All told, it had been a good Christmas. He and Annie had even enjoyed a second Christmas celebration when their adored granddaughter, Rosie, who had fallen ill with chickenpox just before the festivities, had come with her parents to celebrate a belated festive family day. Together with one of Annie’s famous roast dinners, they had opened presents, watched Rosie enjoy her toys and all played

charades. Yes, it had all worked out rather well. The only thing to mar the occasion was the unexpected gift from their two daughters who had presented Henry and Annie with a week’s stay in a four-star London hotel at the end of January. Annie had been so delighted that no one had noticed the horrified expression on Henry’s face. The thought of being in an over-heated hotel with lots of other people, rather than enjoying the crisp fresh air of a January day when he could be planting dahlias, begonias and petunias, was anathema to him. Even a suggested visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew had not cheered him up.

A week before they were due to leave for London, Annie had a phone call from Rosie’s mum, Claire. “The poor girl is exhausted. Work has been manic and she’s finding it hard to sleep at night,” she told Henry. “In fact, she is the one who could do with a break.” Henry saw his opportunity and grabbed it. “Why don’t you suggest Claire accompany you to London? It’s been ages since you two had time together, plus you could go shopping in Oxford Street.” Annie hesitated. “Are you sure, love?” Henry assumed his most saintly expression. “Anything to keep my girls happy,” he said.

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Pictograms

PICTOGRAMS

4 words

AUTUMN 05:41 11:29 5 words P P P 3 words HA HA LIQUID

GAS

WORDWHEEL Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

A O

R R

P T

TARGET Excellent: 18 or more words Good: 15 words Fair: 10 words 12

QUIZ REVIEW OF THE YEAR

HA HA SOLID

SUDOKU

Puzzle Page

1. In August, Donald Trump cancelled a trip to Denmark after the Danish Prime Minister said that what was not for sale? 2. In August, which team were expelled from the English Football League due to unpaid debts? 3. To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th, which TV soap opera aired a special episode featuring an all-female cast? 4. What was the specific date in 2019 on which the UK was originally due to leave the European Union? 5. In July, 15-year-old Jaden Ashman from Essex won over one million dollars after coming second alongside his Dutch teammate in the World Cup finals of which video game? 6. In January, who wrote to Emma Fairweather, saying “I have since learned you suffered a broken arm. I am deeply sorry about this injury.”? 7. A McDonald’s restaurant in Edinburgh was asked by police to stop selling what in May due to a visit from Nigel Farage? 8. In June, 89-year-old Colin Thackery became the oldest person to win what? 9. In September, what became the first ever British-made TV show to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series? 10. After talks with Irish leader Leo Varadkar in February, who said there is a “special place in hell for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it out safely”? Answers on p. 18

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Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

This soup is packed with flavour and makes a great winter-warming lunch served with crusty bread.

Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients

750g large ripe tomatoes 4 red peppers

4 shallots, peeled and halved 2 garlic cloves

2 tbsp virgin olive oil

1 tbsp dried Italian herbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato puree 400ml vegetable stock 1 tsp sugar

TIP

CrĂ¨me fraiche, roasted pumpkin seeds and shredded fresh basil leaves, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas mark 6. Score a cross in the top and base of each tomato and place in the roasting tin with the peppers, shallots, garlic cloves, olive oil and Italian herbs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roast for 2530 minutes until the tomatoes are soft with charred, peeling skins and the peppers have blistered and blackened skins. Carefully place the hot peppers in a large freezer bag and leave until cool enough to handle (this will help to make peeling them easier). Leave the tomatoes and shallots to cool in the roasting tin.

Peel the peppers, discarding the seeds and pith, and remove the skins and any tough core from the tomatoes. Place both in a food processor or blender with the shallots and any juices from the roasting tin. Process until very smooth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you may need to do this in two batches. Transfer the pepper and tomato mixture to a large pan and stir in the sun-dried tomato puree, vegetable stock and sugar. Slowly bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, to taste.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, top with a swirl of crĂ¨me fraiche and some pumpkin seeds and basil.

To make crunchy roast pumpkin seeds, spread them on a baking sheet and roast in the oven with the tomatoes and peppers for 7-8 minutes.

Auction Anecdote Smith’s Auctions final sale of 2019 included several four-figure prices, including a stunning pair of garden urns measuring an impressive 1.5 metres high. A number of prospective buyers had shown interest, with three telephones booked and a buyer in the room, who had confidently travelled down from London intending to take the urns back with him. However, the pre-sale estimate of £400/£600 was soon left behind and they were eventually knocked down at £1,350 to a local specialist in garden antiques who was bidding by phone. A further successful result was reached by another telephone bidder when an 18thcentury oil painting of a gentleman was offered up from a local house clearance. Estimated at £300/ £500 the oil was unsigned, but it had attracted some modest attention from the local art trade. Several commission bids had been left with me around the £300/£500 level and bearing in mind we had two telephone lines booked I was rather hoping for a result approaching £600/£800. During the bidding the successful buyer dropped out several times and seemed to be re-thinking his final maximum price on at least three occasions. Eventually, after much hesitation and deliberation, the painting was knocked down at a surprising £2,000. I wondered if the successful buyer (a London picture dealer) had been rather egged on in his strategy by the enthusiasm of the underbidder - who turned out to be a family friend trying to buy it as a memento. We shall have to hope he is pleased with his purchase! Smiths’ next sales are on 24th January & 28th February. Entries are invited on the 28th & 30th Jan and 4th, 6th & 11th February. Please call 01531 821776 or visit www. smithsnewentauctions.co.uk for further details. - Written by Rita Kearsey, Manager of Smiths Auction Room at Newent

Monthly Sales of Antiques & Collectables 24th January and 28th February includes Coins, Silver, Gold, Jewellery, Vintage Fashion, Ceramics, Glass, Furniture, Pictures & Collectables

Viewing Day prior 10am - 7pm and morning of sale Fully illustrated catalogues available online

Gold Diana £5 Proof Coin Est £1000/£1500

Victorian oil King Charles Spaniel Est £200/£400

Entries invited for our February Antiques & Collectables Sale including Militaria & Medal Section

28th & 30th Jan and 4th, 6th & 11th Feb

10am-3pm or by appointment

Home visits for larger consignments

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New Year - New Books From poetry to decorating, we’ve got a pretty mixed bag of books for you this month… A Year of Reading Aloud – Georgina Rodgers (editor) If you love poetry, try this collection of ‘52 poems to learn and love’, where you’ll find well-known names such as Sylvia Plath, E.E Cummings, William Blake and Maya Angelou alongside newer poets. Most of the poems are short enough to learn without too much difficulty, and they’re accompanied by a paragraph about the poet and the reason why the poem has been selected. Take up the challenge of learning one each week, or just dip in and out when you need an extra dose of beauty in your life. Booker Prize Shortlist 2019 – Various Looking for a new fiction book to lose yourself in on a long winter’s night? Fancy trying something a bit different to your usual genre? Treat yourself to the six novels from the Booker Prize shortlist. Stories range from Chigozie Obioma’s An Orchestra of Minorities to Elif Shalak’s 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World. Read them all to see whether 16

you agree with the judges’ final decision. 365 Days of Creativity – Lorna Scobie As the blurb says, “Creativity is not just about making your mark on the paper. It’s about looking at the world a little differently.” If you’re stuck in a creative rut, this book might help you get out of it. The daily artistic challenges are split into how they help you feel, so you can choose one based on whether you want to feel calm, inspired, energetic or reflective. They range from drawing patterns on a snake to capturing the view through a doorway. Whether you take five minutes or five hours on each one is up to you. Farrow & Ball Recipes for Decorating – Joa Studholme Planning to redecorate this year? This book might help you come up with a plan. There are thirteen case studies, from city centre apartments to a classic Georgian house, as well as tips and tricks for decorating each room of your home. There’s also plenty of advice on decorating in general,

including making small rooms look bigger and using colour to make an impact. Grow Cook Eat Diary 2020 – Sarah Raven If you love gardening and cooking this could be the diary for you. Each month has a short list of what to sow, plant and harvest in your garden, along with other garden-related tasks and a simple recipe using in-season produce. Dishes range from Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry to Beef Carpaccio with Fennel Flowers. As you’d expect, there are plenty of stunning flower photographs throughout the diary, with one image for each week. A Year of Living Thankfully – Lois Blyth: Can being more grateful change your life? According to this book it can, and Lois Blyth is on a mission to show you how. Each week, you’ll work through an activity to help you embrace gratitude and take pleasure in the little things. There’s guidance on turning negative thoughts around, learning to appreciate what you have and not letting others spoil your mood.

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GARDENING

Gardener's Resolve... Happy New Year! Now that 2020 is here, what are your garden resolutions for the year ahead? Here are my suggestions… Re-cycle pots Save all the pots and trays you get when buying plants and rinse them out to use next time you need one. Store the pots away from sunlight to prevent the plastic disintegrating. Cover it up! Make a resolution to dry off and cover up garden furniture once the summer is over, to protect it from rain, cold, ice or even fungi! Buy furniture covers or, better still, store the furniture in a shed or garage if you have one. Stored properly, it will last much longer. Grow your own Aim to grow more of your own fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs. This could be buying a couple of tomato plants for the first time, or creating a small herb planter, or it could be 20

larger scale and more complex plans if you’re already big on grow-your-own. Compost more Once you get in the swing of it, composting becomes second nature. Make sure you include kitchen waste such as vegetable peelings and apple cores. The amount of extra compost you’ll generate will be well worthwhile. Many local councils offer a good deal on basic plastic composters. Use that space! If you have a cold frame, porch, conservatory or greenhouse, put it to use! Any sort of protected growing area has the ability to increase what you can grow and when you can grow it. So raise your own summer flowers in it, force some bulbs in it in the winter or make off-season sowings of salad crops… make it work, but whatever you do, don’t use it as the family rubbish dump! Mulch more Make use of any organic matter that

is bulky – mulch with it. Whether it is well-rotted manure, garden compost, the used compost from a seasonal bedding display or growing bag, or leaf mould, make it into mulch! Applied a couple of inches or more deep over the soil surface, a mulch like this will improve the soil’s ability to conserve moisture (so saving you both watering time and water) and may also help to keep weeds at bay. A win-win situation.

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Pause before you buy When you’re looking through the seed, plant and bulb catalogues, browsing online or wandering around a garden centre, pause before you buy. I know I’m not alone in having eyes that are much bigger than my plot! It is very easy to order more seeds than you’ll ever be able to sow and plants that you’ll never

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com and you’ll find some great gardening things: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ (where you receive your chosen garden-ready vegetable plants in the spring accompanied by weekly advice and tips from Pippa) plus gardening tools, raised bed kits, Grower Frames, signed books and more!

Seasonal saver Make sure you recycle your Christmas tree. Real trees can be recycled at locations up and down the country – many garden centres and councils offer the service. The trees will be shredded and added to other green materials to make a great soil conditioner and planting mix.

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WINTER DIARY Your useful guide to local events in and around the area ALADDIN PANTO Ongoing until 4 Jan, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury. Tickets: £15 - £25. T: 01684 295074. www.rosestheatre.org NEW YEAR'S DAY RACING 1 January, Gates open 10.30am, first race 12.15pm, Cheltenham Racecourse Seven quality races & family entertainment. Tickets from £10. U18's go free. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk GUIDED BATTLEFIELD WALK. 5 Jan, 2pm, Meet at Abbey Lawns car park, Gander Lane, Tewkesbury. 2-mile walk. Booking not neccessary. Stout walking shoes recommended. Families and dogs welcome. T: 01684 855040 BC METHODIST CHURCH WEDNESDAY FELLOWSHIP 2pm, Bishop's Cleeve Methodist Church Hall New members (men and women) always welcome. 8 Jan: Boating on rivers and canals, speaker: Wendy. 22 Jan: Benefits of Reflexology, speaker: Judith Humphries. 5 Feb: The Salvation Army. WINCHCOMBE MUSEUM WINTER TALK 9 Jan, 2.30pm, Methodist Church Hall, Winchcombe ‘Michael Cardew at Winchcombe (1926-39), a pottery and its customers‘;

speaker: Helen Brown.Entry: £4, incl. refreshments. EPIPHANY CAROL SERVICE 12 January, Tewkesbury Abbey Sung by Tewkesbury Abbey Choir. Candle Celebration attended by Bishop Rachel. WEDDING SHOWCASE 12 Jan, 10am - 3pm, Tewkesbury Park Hotel. Explore the venue and meet suppliers. Free event, but registration advised. T: 01684 272300 WINCHCOMBE GARDENING CLUB 15 Jan, 7.30pm, Methodist Church Hall, Winchcombe Will Scott: The restoration of the Walled Garden, Worcester. Visitors and new members welcome. T: 01242 609590 or www.gfgs.org.uk/clubs/ winchcombe/ ROBINSON CRUSOE & THE PIRATES 16 - 19 January 2020, The Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham Family panto. Thursday Friday: Evenings: 7pm; Saturday: midday & 4.30pm; Sunday: 2.30pm. Tickets: £11 - £16 from Showcase on 01242 224144 or visit www. promenadeproductions.co.uk. WOODMANCOTE WI 16 January, 7.30pm, Woodmancote Village Hall 'An Amusing Look at the BBC'; speaker: David Clark. T: 01242 672791

WINCHCOMBE LIVE 17 January, Doors open 8.15pm, The White Hart, Winchcombe. The Curst Sons. £10 on the door. GLOUCESTER CITY MARATHON. 19 Jan, from 9am, Severn Vale Sports Centre, Quedgeley, GL2 4PR Mainly flat course. Standard entry fee: £45. Reg. deadline: 17 Jan. Contact Norman Wilson on 01452 722720. WEDDING OPEN DAY 19 Jan, 11am - 3pm, Ellenborough Park Hotel Explore the venue and meet suppliers. T: 01242 545454 BULLY WEE BAND CONCERT 19 Jan, Doors open 7pm for 7.45pm start, Tithe Barn, Bishop’s Cleeve Tickets: £16, available online: http://www.wegottickets.com/ smedsongs or from Simon Medhurst (0797 0078220 or smed@smedsongs.com). FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY 25 January, Gates open 10.30am, first race 12.40pm, Cheltenham Racecourse Catch a glimpse of Festival contenders as they show the world what they're really made of. u18s go free. Free parking. Tickets from £10. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk QUIZ NIGHT 25 Jan, 7pm, St Michael's Centre, Bishop's Cleeve Page 25

With supper. For more information/to book email: stmichaelscentre bookings@gmail.com. WINTER WILSON CONCERT 25 Jan, Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm start, Old Baptist Chapel, Tewkesbury, GL20 5RZ Kip Winter and Dave Wilson blend superb, often hardhitting original songs, stunning harmonies and musicianship with hilarious humour and tales of life on the road. Tickets: £10 from The John Moore Museum or £12 on the door.

February LIGHT UP CHELTENHAM 1 - 23 February, Cheltenham town centre. See Cheltenham lit up in beautiful colours (there will be walking tours) or go for a ride on the observation wheel at Imperial Gardens. Drumming group Spark! will open the event with a parade from The Brewery Quarter to Imperial Gardens on 1st February. TEWKESBURY ALES FESTIVAL 7 Feb, 11am - 11pm & 8 Feb, 11am - 8pm, Watson Hall, Barton Street, Tewkesbury, GL20 5PX. 80 Winter ales, food and local cider and perry. Judging of the CAMRA South West Perry final. Car parking provided a short walk away - look out for signs. Entry fee incl. glass and beer voucher. T: 01684 855040 COFFEE MORNING 8 February, 10am - 12pm, Methodist Church, Bishop's Close, Off Tobyfield Rd, GL52 8NT. Fairtrade stalls, raffle, cake, refreshments.

Join us for a firendly conversation. All welcome. CLEEVE CONCERTS 9 February, 7.30pm, Tithe Barn, Bishop's Cleeve John Adams. Tickets from Chelt. Town Hall, 0333 666 3366 or www.cleeveconcerts.com.

Regular Events BABY BOUNCE & RHYME Wednesdays, 10.30 11am, Winchcombe Library. For babies up to 18 months and their grown-ups. CITIZENS ADVICE SESSIONS 1st Mon/month, 10am - 12pm, Abbey Fields Community Centre CRAFT FAIR. 2nd Sun/ month, 11.30am - 2.30pm, Bishop's Cleeve Community Centre. Wide range of stalls; refreshments. Free entry. Libby Cleal: 07776 301767 DRAWING & PAINTING FOR BEGINNERS Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm, Encounter Church, Gretton Road, Winchcombe. £80 per 6-week term. Gemma: 07813 062003; gemma@ gemmahastilow.co.uk. FUNTASTIC FRENCH Fridays, 10am, BeSocial@ theCentre, Langley Rd, Winchcombe, GL54 5QN 07913 905484 for more information. New course starts 10th Jan. KNIT & NATTER. Fridays, 10am, Winchcombe Library, Back Lane, GL54 5PZ. Wool and advice provided. No charge

although £1 donation suggested towards refreshments. Email: knitandnatter888@gmail.com LIFE DRAWING Mondays, 7 - 9pm, The Cleeve Room, Abbey Fields Community Centre, Winchcombe. All abilities welcome. £80 per 6-week term. Gemma: 07813 062003; gemma@ gemmahastilow.co.uk. LIFE DRAWING & PORTRAIT CLASS Usually last Sat/month but contact for dates, 10am 3pm. Half-day (one session) £15 or full-day (life and portrait session) £30. Gemma: 07813 062003; gemma@ gemmahastilow.co.uk. LINC LUNCH CLUB 1st Friday/month For supporters of LINC. New guests always welcome. The lunch typically costs £20 with £6 going to LINC. 3 Jan: The Old Courthouse, Regent Street, Cheltenham. 7 Feb: Wesley House, Winchcombe. To join, email Louise at l.adkins@nhs.net. LUNCH DATE. 1st Wed/ month, 12pm - 1.30pm, Guide Hall, Winchcombe. £5 on the door. Raising money for local charities. MINDFUL MONDAYS Mondays, 7pm, BeSocial@ theCentre, Langley Rd, Winchcombe, GL54 5QN Email juita@moment bymoment.info for more details. Starts on 13th Jan. RE-ENGAGE TEA PARTY FOR THE OVER 75s Sundays, 3 - 5pm. Email

helen.ker@reengage.org.uk for more information on the next gathering. THURSDAY CONNECTIONS Thursdays, 2 - 4pm, Winchcombe Methodist Church. Board games, jigsaws, refreshments & chat. No charge; £1 donation suggested towards running costs. All welcome. Email: thursdayconnections@gmail.com

WINCHCOMBE COUNTRY MARKET Thursdays, 9 - 10.30am, Guide Hall, GL54 5LJ 2nd Sat/month, 9am - 12pm, under the Town Hall, outside the TIC. 01242 603124 or slucyhall@hotmail.com. www.country-markets.co.uk

Health & Fitness DANCE WITH PARKINSON'S & MS. Mondays, 2pm, Abbey Fields Community Centre, Winchcombe, GL54 5QH. £5 per session, incl. refreshments. A friend or carer can come too for a £1 suggested donation towards costs. 01242 603207 for details (term-time only). HAPPENSTANCE BORDER MORRIS DANCING Thursdays 7.30 - 9pm,

Winchcombe School Hall A mixed Morris group. New and experienced dancers and musicians welcome. http://happenstancemorris.org. uk/ or Tony: 07500 486 047.

£5 on the door includes refreshments. T: 01242 603207

HEALTH WALK (FREE) Thursdays, 10.30am, Meet outside the Plaisterers Arms, Winchcombe, Abbey Terrace, GL54 5LL Tel. 01242 582360

WALKING FOOTBALL & RUGBY Winchcombe Sports Hall, 8 Gretton Rd, GL54 5EE. Football: Mondays, 3pm. £2 per session. T: 01242 603196. Rugby: Fridays, 10.30am. £3 per session. T: 01452 872273

MOVE IT OR LOSE IT Tuesdays, 11.30am, BeSocial@theCentre, Langley Rd, Winchcombe, GL54 5QN Gentle exercise class for older people. £4.50 per session. T: 07746 672 726 TEA DANCE Last Wednesday/month 2 - 4pm, Abbey Fields Community Centre, Back Lane, Winchcombe. With compere Ann Chen. Entry:

WINCHCOMBE WALKERS Last Thurs/month. Casual walks of 5-8 miles. Volunteers welcome. WinchcombeWalkers @gmail.com YOGA Tuesdays,7.15pm, BeSocial@theCentre, Langley Rd, Winchcombe, GL54 5QN. T: 07745 018919

Find out more about Winchcombe at www.winchcombe.co.uk

Page 27

HEALTH

Six Tips for a Healthy Winter The shorter, darker, colder, wetter days of Winter can leave even the fittest and chirpiest people feeling run-down. To feel better through the Winter: 1.) Reduce infection risk While being cold cannot give you a cold or the flu (only viruses can do that), it can stress your body and lower your immunity. Practise good hygiene and take antibacterial hand gel out with you. If you’re recommended to have a flu vaccine or are eligible for a free one, get it early. Rest assured it can’t give you flu, as it contains no live viruses. People who get flu after vaccination may have a rarer flu strain not covered by the vaccine or a strain contracted before it became fully active. 2.) Keep exercising Exercise can warm you up, boost your immune system and release endorphins that make you feel good. If you’re exercising outdoors, bundle up, avoid exercising when it’s icy and wear bright, reflective clothes if it’s dark. Consider indoor alternatives: swimming, indoor climbing, exercise classes, short-term gym passes, exercise DVDs or buying your own exercise bike or weights. Check out www.nhs.uk/live-well/ 28

exercise and click on ‘fitness guides’ for free ten-minute workouts, or www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitnessstudio for online exercise videos, including yoga, pilates, strength exercises, aerobic workouts and more. 3.) Get enough daylight, fresh air and vitamin D Your body uses sunlight to regulate your body clock and create vitamin D, essential for strong teeth, muscles and bones, so don’t hibernate! However, in the UK, there’s not enough sunlight between October and early March to make sufficient vitamin D, nor can you get enough by eating vitamin D-rich foods, so the NHS recommends a daily 10mcg vitamin D supplement. 4.) Stay warm When the temperature drops below 8°C, those who are over 65, disabled or

pregnant, or have children under school age, or have a mental or long-term health condition are more vulnerable to illness. Low temperatures increase vulnerability to heart attacks, stroke, flu, pneumonia, hypothermia, falls and injuries, and can worsen depression, dementia and Raynaud’s Disease (which interrupts the blood supply to the extremities, causing pain, numbness, stiffness or tingling, most commonly in the fingers).

top-up while you’re out.

Keep your home heated to at least 18°C and use hot water bottles, heat packs or electric blankets if necessary. Try a hot bath before bed, and have hot meals and drinks. Pre-warm clothes on radiators or in your airing cupboard. When outdoors, wear warm gloves and a hat, and use hand dryers for a warmth

6.) Look after your mental health Stay active, warm and sociable: exercise, time spent outdoors and the company of others can all help stave off winter blues. However, if you think you may have full-blown SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), see your GP for help.

5.) Eat healthy comfort food Choose healthy comfort foods like stews and soups (but watch your fat and salt intake and include plenty of vegetables). Homemade soups are easily made with a simple blender, and cooked fruit with low-fat custard makes a great winter pudding. Visit www.nhs.uk/live-well/ eat-well and click on recipes to find healthy, warming dishes.

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Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of an advert. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in the publication. Love Local Magazines do not officially endorse any advertising/editorial material included within the publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systen or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise - without the prior consent of the publisher. The use of this magazine for canvassing or direct marketing is strictly prohibited.

To include your business in the February issue call 01242 388 367 or email Anne@lovelocalmagazines.co.uk. We publish 6 magazines in the Gloucestershire area.

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