The Jersey Life

DECEMBER 2018 | www.life-mags.com

Night at the Oscars Blockbuster concert of John Williams starring Eamon Dougan

VOCATION, VOCATION, VOCATION. An interview with Father Nick Barry

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Publisher Fish Media Ltd Head Office 20 Hill Street, St Helier, JE2 4UA Telephone: 01534 619882 Email: thejerseylife@fishmedia.biz Website: www.life-mags.com Editor Juanita Shield-Laignel Art Director Alexis Smith Travel Writer Rebecca Underwood underwoodrebecca@hotmail.com Photography Simon Finch simon@fishmedia.biz Production Sarah le Marquand Sales Executive Juanita Shield-Laignel juanita@fishmedia.biz Accounts and Administration Sarah Donati-Ford accounts@fishmedia.biz Directors Jamie Fisher Peter Smith Contributors Stephen Cohu Penny Downes Martin Flageul Rebecca Underwood Mark Shields Lorraine Pannetier Alistair Shield-Laignel Paul Darroch

Follow us on Twitter: @TheJerseyLife1 Like us on Facebook: The Jersey Life © All rights reserved. The Jersey Life is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers. Whilst Fish Media takes every reasonable precaution, no responsibility can be accepted for any property, services or products offered in this publication and any loss arising there from.

Whilst every care is taken with all materials submitted to The Jersey Life the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such material. Fish Media reserves the right to reject of accept any advertisement, article or material supplied for publication or edit such material prior to publication. Opinions expressed are strictly those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Fish Media. We accept no liability for any misprints or mistakes and no responsibility can be taken for the content of these pages.

Firstly, deep apologies with all sincerity to Graham Carver, Proprietor of Fin and Feather Limited for mistakenly including his previous business partner, in our November, Beresford Street Market article. Graham wishes it to be known that Colin De la Mare has not been associated with Fin and Feather Ltd since December 2017.

Now to the business of Christmas…I for one am virtually ready; the tree is decorated, presents nearing completion and freezer bulging with foodie delights, I’m looking forward to time at home with my family.

Continuing the Christmassy theme with bells on - Mark Shields is looking back at the year soon to be behind us and Martin Flageul DipWSET gives us ideas for Christmas gifts for wine lovers.

Road test offers an insight into the Jaguar I-Pace, driven and written about by our very own Jamie Fisher. Being electric and with ‘green/eco’ consciousness in mind…one to watch. Not staying at home this Christmas?

Rebecca Underwood suggests Brooklyn, New York as a travel destination.

That just leaves me to say thank you to all our contributors, advertisers, distributors, producers, designers and of course our readers who have participated during 2018…without you we wouldn’t be able to tell the heart-warming and extraordinary life stories shared each month…wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year from all at The Jerseylife.

Given the time of year, it seemed rather fitting that I had the opportunity to interview Father Nick Barry, relatively newly ensconced Vicar at St. Luke’s Church…his is a tale more interesting than most, I’ll wager!

With time spent at home, to sit and relax over the holidays, we have several articles of interest in the home and garden section, including ways to help wild life during the cold winter months and with wrapping up warm being a constant need at this time of year, our fashion article looks at the revival of tweed.

Recipe is of course of a festive nature and look out for my page on a brief history and health benefits of frankincense.

November edition’s crossword solutions: Across: 7 Trade; 8 Airless; 9 Trounce; 10 Speed; 12 Settlement; 15 Articulate; 18 Tongs; 19 Instant; 21 Episode; 22 Cargo.

Down: 1 Statecraft; 2 Havoc; 3 Tern; 4 Patent; 5 Prospect; 6 Revered; 11 Detonation; 13 Excision; 14 Utensil; 16 Loiter; 17 Carry; 20 Sack.

Juanita Shield-Laignel If you have an interesting story to share or would like your business reviewed, please feel free to call me on 619882.

I’d love to hear from you.

December 2018 3 WELCOME and The Jersey Life contact information

8 UP AND COMING Events and walks around Jersey

74 REVIEWS AND CLUES Book of the month plus the crossword

INTERVIEW 10 VOCATION, VOCATION, VOCATION Father Nick Barry by Juanita Shield Laignel

ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC 16 ARTHOUSE JERSEY COMMISSION

By Music In Action

18 NIGHT AT THE OSCARS A block buster concert of John Williams starring Eamon Dougan

CHRISTMAS

10 30

20 FESTIVE PARISHES Juanita Shield-Laignel takes a look at what is going on in our Parishes this Christmas period

26 WINTER WONDERS IN GOTHENBURG The Swedish city is a delight during the festive period

30 WINTER CANDLES Furnish your home with fragrance this season 4 | www.life-mags.com

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Be adventurous

Save regularly to reach your life moment with our new Premium Saver account You must be 16 years or over and an existing customer to open an account. You can only have one Premium Saver Account in your sole name, and only one Premium Saver Account in joint names with another person. No minimum deposit is required to open the account; no minimum deposit needs to be made on a regular basis; and there is no maximum balance limit. However, to earn the bonus rate of interest in each monthly bonus period, your account balance must be between £25,000 – £1,000,000 and you must not make any withdrawals in that month.

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Regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. NatWest International is a participant in the Jersey Banking Depositor Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for eligible deposits of up to £50,000. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Full details of the Scheme and banking groups covered are available on the States of Jersey website www.gov.je/dcs or on request. Under the scheme(s) customers are entitled to make only one claim per licensed entity regardless of the number of brands or trading names contained within that licensed entity and customers are entitled to make one claim only per licensed entity in the jurisdiction where the deposits are held. Therefore as NatWest International brand is operated by RBS International it is not licensed in its own right. A person with a deposit in NatWest International and a deposit in RBS International would thus only be entitled to make one claim. NatWest International is a member of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland plc - Registered in Scotland No SCO83026. Registered office: 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YB. The Royal Bank of Scotland plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The latest report and accounts are available at www.investors.rbs.com. NatWest International places funds with other parts of RBS Group and thus its financial standing is linked to the Group. Depositors may wish to form their own view on the financial standing of NatWest International and the Group based on publicly available information. The latest report and accounts are available at www.natwestinternational.com/financial-results Calls may be recorded.

CHRISTMAS 34 A STYLISH CHRISTMAS TREE Three decorating trends that are gorgeous and easy

42 FRANKINCENSE An examination of frankincense

by Juanita Shield-Laignel

44 FESTIVE PARTY RECIPE INSPIRATION Quick canapés, easy buffet ideas and delicious cocktails

46 CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR WINE LOVERS

By Martin FlageulDipWSET

HOME AND GARDEN 38 DESTINATION STYLE Three experts take on the Nomadic décor trend

48 HELP THE WILDLIFE IN YOUR GARDEN THIS WINTER Eight top tips by Hannah Stephenson

HEALTH AND BEAUTY 58 CHRISTMAS GLAMOUR

By Penny Downes of Pennyfeathers

60 CONDUCT YOUR OWN REVIEW OF THE YEAR

34

Mark Shields takes you through a Life Coaching Masterclass

56

ANTIQUES 64 SO MUCH MORE THAN ANTIQUES

By Stephen Cohu

HISTORY

44

72 THE ARMY OF WINTER NIGHT

by Paul Darroch

FASHION 56 TWEED TRANSFORMATION How the old-fashioned fabric became cool again

TRAVEL 52 HEAVEN LOOKS AT YOU FROM THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE

By Rebecca Underwood

MOTORING 70 JAGUAR I-PACE The latest set of wheels taken for a spin 6 | www.life-mags.com

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what’s on...

Our selection of events to enjoy in Jersey this month

Let us know the month before your event is due to take place, and we shall do our best to include it in our listings.

Contact: thejerseylife@fishmedia.biz

Arts & Culture The Wind in the Willows Ratty, Mole and Badger live a peaceful life on the riverbank. They love their cosy homes, their picnics, and lazing along the river all day enjoying good company and good food. But something’s amiss. Their peace and tranquility is about to be shattered, and there can only be one toad to blame… This Christmas, join the lovable Mr. Toad and his riverbank friends in ‘The Wind in the Willows’; a nostalgic story of friendship, for this Arts Centre Christmas Production in association with Art'Comedia.

The Jersey Arts Centre is located in the north east corner of town, just down from the Millenium Park.

07 to 23rd December 2018 19:00 to 22:00 Jersey Arts Centre, Philips Street Contact: +44 (0) 1534 700422 enquiries@artscentre.je www.artscentre.je

‘Meet The Author’ ~ Central Market Author of ‘Occupation Reconciliation’, The Life and Times of Michael Ginns MBE, Juanita Shield-Laignel, will be staging an event at the Market during November. Come along and ‘Meet the Author’ and take away your very own signed and personalised copy of this beautifully written, heart-warming book. A5 size so a great gift or Stocking Filler! Born in 1927, Michael was destined to become one of Jersey’s foremost historians and authorities on the isle’s Occupied history and his efforts were rewarded when he received an MBE in 1995. Michael wrote extensively about his interment and the subsequent twinning with the once imprisoning town of Bad Wurzach, but little else of his life had been documented, so with experience of interviewing for The Jerseylife, Juanita set about chronicling Michael’s life for all to read.

Sadly Juanita’s time with Michael was cut short when he passed away on 2nd February 2017, but in this book Juanita feels satisfied, the stories Michael really wanted to share, have been told. “An important local book, a fascinating blend of a compelling personal story and our Island’s story, and deserves even more recognition!” Paul Darroch ~ Author of

‘Jersey: The Hidden Histories’ Saturday 8th, 15th & 22nd December ~ 9:30am to 3:30pm Central Market St Helier The Magic of Christmas - Discovery Day Start the countdown to Christmas at Jersey Museum - spend some quality time with the children before your Christmas to do list completely takes over. Whilst the ever popular Royston South entertains us with his energetic 'Magical Christmas balloon show' at 12:45 and 14:00, Santa will be waiting patiently to see you in the tranquil surroundings of the Merchant's House. Normal admission fees apply. Jersey Heritage members go free.

16 December 2018 10:00 to 16:00 Jersey Museum, The Weighbridge, St. Helier Contact: +44 (0) 1534 633300 info@jerseyheritage.org www.jerseyheritage.org

EVENTS

Arts & Culture Jersey Symphony Orchestra - Festive Concert Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas concert is a feast of seasonal favourites and carols. Oliver Zeffman will conduct the orchestra in Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel Overture and the Nutcracker Suite

by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. We have choirs for both halves, Jersey Island Singers will accompany Baritone Simon Billot singing Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Georgia Mae Bishop (Mezzo Soprano) will join Jersey College for Girls Chamber Choir.

16 December 2018 19:30 to 21:45 Fort Regent Leisure Centre Contact: +44 (0)1534 449827 ann1eastham@gmail.com www.jso.org.uk Jersey Writers Social Group The Jersey Writer's Social Group was formed last October by local author James Sillwood. The group has gone from strength to strength since its first meeting and provides an easy-going, friendly and supportive environment for anyone interested in writing. Members of any age and with any level of experience are welcome, whether they be published authors, or someone who simply enjoys writing as a hobby. Come along and see for yourself!

Every Tuesday: 11am – 12:30pm Jersey Library contact James at jerseywritersgroup@gmail.com Free admission: no booking necessary

Food, Fairs & Festivals Late Night Shopping at 16 New Street Georgian House Stock up on traditional gifts for all the family in the National Trust Gift Shop, which is extended for the festive season into two rooms to make space for lots of new merchandise. 16 New Street Georgian House is situated opposite St Paul's Church, next door to De Gruchy's Brasserie.

6th, 13th & 20th December 2018 16:00 to 20:00 16 New Street St Helier Contact: +44 (0)1534 483193 enquiries@nationaltrust.je www.nationaltrust.je St. Peter's Church Christmas Tree Festival St. Peter’s Parish Church welcomes you to their 14th Christmas Tree Festival. On the Opening Day (Saturday 08 December) at 19:30 there will be a celebratory concert with music from a fabulous band ‘The Usual Suspects’ and a wonderful choir ‘The Songsmiths’.

On the last day (Sunday 16) at 16:30 there is the Christingle Service by candlelight, enjoyed by both adults and children. There are also various services for the schools and other organisations. St. Peter's Parish Church, at the back of St Peter's Coop Store.

Open daily from 9.00 – 19.00 and all are most welcome. Entry is free but any donations will be very gladly accepted.

08 to 16th December 2018 ~ 09:00 to 19:00 St. Peter's Church, St Peter Contact: + 44 (0) 1534 481805 marykilly23@gmail.com www.stpeterschurch.org.je

Festival of Carols (hosted by Jersey Festival Choir) A range of contemporary and traditional festive season numbers and congregational hymns (in various languages). In charitable aid of the Stroke Association Jersey, with a retiring collection. Other performers: Holmchase Singers (including collaboration with JFC in ‘Minuit, Chrétiens' ('O Holy Night')), St Cecilia Orchestra, Solo Treble ('Once in Royal David's City'), Organist and pianists. Free admittance (no physical tickets) with free programme, seating first come, first served (recommended to arrive around 1 hour early) Very limited parking on-site.

Wednesday 12th December ~ 8pm - 9.15pm St Thomas' Church Facebook Event for full details electronically Website for JFC - http://www.festivalchoir.org.je/ Le Marchi Nouormand (Norman-French Market) The visiting Norman-French market offers traditional festive treats from homemade crêpes and biscuits to saucisson, fromage and Normandy Cider.

15 to 18 December 2018 14:00 to 19:00 Weighbridge Place, St. Helier Contact: +44 (0) 1534 859000 info@jersey.com Central Market Pop Up’s Please look out for the Pop up Stalls in the Central Market, running throughout December. There will be lots of different items for sale including jewellery, books, antiques, artwork, prints, preserves, sweets and much more!

Various Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays throughout December. If you would like to take part please call 447890 for more information.

Vintage Market A special vintage market for Christmas, three floors of vintage treasures and unique Christmas gifts within the historic Piquet House building in the Royal Square, St. Helier. Hosted by the team repsonsible for the monthly vintage fair at St Aubin, the Piquet House Vintage Market will include furniture, vintage clothes, glass, silverjewellery, leather goods, books and many more collectable items on sale each day.

To 22nd December 2018 09:00 to 18:00 Piquet House The Royal Square Contact: +44 (0) 7797 744848 arthur_falle@hotmail.com

Sports & Out and About The Twelve Days of Christmas at Samarès Manor Come along to Samarès Manor and immerse yourselves in the spirit of Christmas! Pop into our Christmas cabin for gifts and decorations, then nip outside to our artisan food stalls for a bite to eat.

Snuggle around the campfire and enjoy roasted chestnuts and s’mores whilst listening to our resident choirs and entertainers or warm up with a mulled apple juice or wine. Enjoy a stroll around the gardens but don’t forget to don your wellies! Parking onsite.

FREE ENTRY. The Botanic Gardens at Samares Manor are situated approximately 1.5 miles east of St. Helier on the St. Clement's Inner Road. Public transport from Liberation Station, St Helier or from Gorey (1A Bus) stop immediately opposite the entrance to the gardens.

To 23rd December ~ 09:00 to 20:00 La Grande Route de Saint-Clément Contact: +44 (0) 1534 870551 samaresmanor@gmail.com www.samaresmanor.com Ice Skate Jersey at Fort Regent Come and skate at Jersey's fabulous indoor ice rink, whether you are a complete beginner or accomplished skater you will enjoy the atmosphere skating to the latest sounds and impressive light show. The rink will have a dedicated children's/coaching area with penguin skate aids for the youngsters. A professional coach will be on hand if you wish to further your skills.

Live DJ sessions Friday and Saturday evenings.

Closed Christmas Day. Open 14:00 - 18:00 Boxing Day & New Year's Day. From 07 December 2018 ~ 09:30 to 21:00 Queen's Hall, Fort Regent Mount Bingham, St. Helier Contact: +44 (0) 1534 789525 iceskatejersey@gmail.com www.iceskatejersey.co.uk Father Christmas at 16 New Street Georgian House Step back in time and experience this magnificent Georgian town house transformed for the festive season with boughs of holly, candles and traditional Christmas decorations. Meet Louisa, the resident cook, who will be preparing some special festive treats for visitors to taste in the Georgian Kitchen. Good little boys and girls will have the opportunity to visit Father Christmas on 8th, 15th and 22nd December.16 New Street is located in the centre of St. Helier in between De Gruchy’s Brasserie and Next.

08 December 2018 10:00 to 16:00 15 December 2018 10:00 to 16:00 22 December 2018 10:00 to 16:00 16 New Street, St. Helier Contact:+44 (0)1534 871757 enquiries@nationaltrust.je www.nationaltrust.je The Turkey Buster Walk Join your guide, Bob Tompkins, on a wonderful winter walk on New Year’s Day to brush off the Christmas ‘blues’ and lose a few calories in the process! No need to pre-book, just turn up and enjoy a tot of Sloe gin in the process. This year the walk is a gentle ramble around the beautiful parish of St. Mary along small, very quiet lanes and stunning scenery. The walk starts from St. Mary’s Parish Hall and travels north through the lane system towards Crabbe in a circular route.

The start of the walk will be in front of St Mary's Parish Hall and will include small country, green lanes.

01 January 2019 11:00 to 12:30 St Mary’s Parish Hall La Rue du Pont Contact:+44 (0) 1534 483193 donna@nationaltrust.je www.nationaltrust.je

DECEMBER ISSUE | 9

INTERVIEW

Vocation, Vocation, Vocation…

Living a Stones-throw away from St Luke’s Church and therefore, naturally, part of the St. Luke’s community, my path intermittently crosses with Father Nick Barry and other members of the congregation. Father Nick has such a lovely turn of phrase - compelling one to listen, an endearing humility and yet a quiet authority one can respect…all the hallmarks of a worthy Minister I would say…interview by Juanita Shield-Laignel jealous of that as a child. It had been my life…growing up in some quite challenging places and he worked all the hours God sends.

I wanted something different.”

I had already learnt that Father Nick had been in the RAF and posted to Afghanistan. Also that one of his superior Officers during his time in the RAF had been our current Lieutenant Governor, Sir Stephen Dalton. I was intrigued to learn how this mild mannered man of God had come to serve Her Majesty’s Armed Forces and with Christmas upon us, it seemed fitting to ask him to share his story…

“I grew up in London. My father was a Priest and perhaps not surprisingly, because of that, I grew up very confident that whatever else I did, I wouldn’t be a Priest! I’d seen what pastoral life was like.

His commitment to his ministry was absolute and I suppose I felt 10 | www.life-mags.com

“I aspired to be a Doctor or an Engineer but at Uni read Philosophy.

Like most undergraduates, I was not the most assiduous Church goer. I soon realised that Sunday mornings followed Saturday nights and that didn’t fit well. I never rejected the faith, but I wasn’t very enthusiastic one way or another. However, as time went on, I began to sense that possibly, I might have a vocation to the priesthood, something about which I was not enthusiastic at all and I certainly didn’t think with every fibre of my being, that I wanted to be ordained...but I just had this sense that God did, which is quite a challenging thing to deal with. I tried to put it to the back of my mind, but it kept nibbling away as these things do.”

“That’s the thing about ‘vocation’, how do you know? Is it just a romantic fantasy? I don’t think it was because I’d seen it from the inside out and knew the reality of ordained life. I just had the peculiar sense that there was a call upon my life that I couldn’t ignore.

So ultimately, decided I would submit myself to the lengthy and tortuous selection procedure that the Church of England has.”

“I was very confident that I would be turned down and thought to myself ‘that will be good, my decision will be made for me and I can get a proper job’, so I was a bit nonplussed when my Bishop called me to go and see him and told me that the various interviews and selection panels I’d been to, had all concluded that I did indeed have

INTERVIEW a vocation to the priesthood. This was not part of the master plan,” of course I interjected with ‘who’s Master plan!’ to which Father Nick tittered and replied ‘yes indeed’ and continued, “so having been content with the thought that if I was turned down that would be ok, I had also considered that if I was accepted, I would have to take that very seriously.”

“It’s about discernment, trying to discern if it’s a genuine calling or not and that’s why the selection process is as challenging as it is.

The vocation isn’t mine…the vocation belongs to the Church, so it is the Church that calls and validates and the Bishop who bestows the ministry of the Church upon you. You very much have to commit yourself into the hands of other people and to God, because you just can’t do it yourself.”

“I went to Japan for a year whilst I was thinking about it all and worked for the Mission to Seafarers in Yokohama, just outside of Tokyo.

Fascinating country; I enjoyed my work there very much, but then it was time to come back. So at the age of twenty two, off I went to Theological College in Oxford and there I met my wife. She was the daughter of the Principal who had been in Theological Education for many years and just as I’d grown up not wanting to be a Priest because of my father, she grew up convinced that whatever else she did, she wouldn’t marry one!”

“My father was at my ordination. During the ceremony the Bishop calls other Priests to share their priestly ministry by laying their hands on your head and he did that. He said sagely ‘I always knew you would be a Priest’. It was a proud moment for all of us I think.”

“I always suspected that having finally gone down this route, I would spend my life in many different locations; Parishes everywhere and anywhere. My first Parish was in central London, St. John’s Wood, home to the Central London Mosque, Abbey Road Studios and Lords Cricket Ground. I’d been there for about two and half years when I started thinking about where I might go next and was considering another Parish, when at my wife’s, brother’s eighteenth birthday party, a long standing friend of my wife’s parents, who was an RAF Chaplain and I, fell into conversation. Such was his enthusiasm, I listened with great interest and in the ensuing few weeks he pursued me relentlessly. Every time I answered the phone it seemed to be him.

He arranged for me to visit a few carefully selected units and I then decided to apply for the job.”

“Now as with ordination itself, I had no confidence I would get the job, so it came as a great surprise when my application was accepted.

My wife and I made the joint decision to go ahead, knowing we would have to commit to it for at least four years - twenty five years later I left the Air Force and ended up here in Jersey!”

I asked Father Nick, during all of his time in the RAF, what was his least favourite post? “Funny you should say that,” he began, “I started at Brize Norton, my first tour, I was in the first week, having just graduated from RAF College Cranwell, on this huge military base, a fish out of water and trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing, when I went into an enormous hangar where they serviced the VC10 aircraft and I met a warrant officer, who happened to be in his last week in the service. He joined when he was sixteen and I asked him what his least favourite place was and his reply was ‘I didn’t have one. I determined right from the outset I would make the best of whatever I found when I got there’. I took on board what he said and that is the way I have approached my entire time and so every tour, I got something out of it and enjoyed them all. I remember his reply all these years later because it’s not just about military life, but about attitude to how we live our lives and I approached my tours with the same kind of mind-set. You never know what’s around the corner, but I just thought, ‘here we go’ and that served me well.”

“I was at Brize Norton for just six weeks when I got a call to move me to Boulmer in Northumberland. That’s the thing about Chaplaincy and indeed vocational work…you go where you are needed and it’s a fast moving game. In the early years with no children, it was fine but it did get a bit tougher after they both arrived. That sense of readiness was built in, a sense of instability actually plays to the operational requirements of the service, because when you want people to go to an unpleasant place at very short notice, you want them psychologically, to be able to move quickly and go and do stuff, because its normal…if people settle too much, that becomes so much harder and the disruption to family life becomes much more difficult to deal with…so moving after eighteen months was common.” continues overleaf...

DECEMBER ISSUE | 11

INTERVIEW “My next stop was Bruggen in Germany, then the Falklands for a while, Benson in Oxfordshire, Ramstein in Germany and then Cranwell on staff as opposed to being trained then Cyprus and then, I joined the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood in West London. After that I went to HQ Air Command in High Wycombe where I had four different tours. Interestingly my 2nd Reporting Officer for some of this period was Sir Steven Dalton, our current Governor.

He was the Air Member for Personnel and chaplaincy fell under his responsibility.”

“The Chaplains’ Branch was very clear: the life of a minister is vocational so the process of joining was also vocational…if it turned out to be not right for you, there was an option at four years to leave because you wouldn’t be effective if you weren’t happy. The motto is ‘to serve and not be served’ taken from the gospel, so chaplains exist to serve the military community and if it’s not working, they need to move on.”

“During my time at High Wycombe, I was responsible among other things, for deploying our chaplains on operations. I couldn’t expect people to do something I wouldn’t do myself, so much to the surprise of my colleagues, I deployed myself.”

“I was in Afghanistan for four months. Camp Bastion UK Field Hospital, where I was posted, was secure, relatively safe and our living conditions were better than I expected. We did however, face many challenges. Camp Bastion also had coalition forces on staff and treated not only British service people, but also coalition personnel from the different nations alongside whom we were fighting, the Afghan Army and National Police, who were frequently victims of violence and then the civilian population and rather challengingly, we also treated the Taliban fighters, as under the terms of the Geneva Convention, we were obliged to treat both sides.

Naturally, the Taliban casualties were kept in an entirely different area for security reasons.”

“As one would expect, I spent a great deal of time ministering at time of death and noticed, fascinatingly, that in the Islamic tradition, one or more fellow Muslims would come and pray for their Islamic brothers who were dying, as they were all schooled in the prayers, negating the need for an Imam to visit the hospital, which would have been logistically very difficult. I found that very interesting as I wouldn’t expect Christian people to know the set form of prayers for the commendation of the dying, relying instead on a Priest to perform last rites.”

“In my last few years of service, I was privileged to be an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen and as such had to perform certain ceremonial tasks such as consecration of new standards and colours. It made my mother very proud!”

“Eventually, I had yet another growing vocational sense that there was something else I ought to be doing, but with no preconceived ideas to what that something else might looks like. Then one day, I was eating a sandwich at my desk, reading the Church Times (compulsory reading for a Minister) and looking at the classifieds when I saw an advert for St. Luke’s in Jersey. I’d never been to the Channel Islands and it caught my eye. I’d often looked at the jobs, we all did, but most of them just didn’t grab me as they were often focusing on someone who was omni-competent who could do administration, was an expert in ancient buildings and fund raising and all sorts of other tasks, but the core business of being a Priest is none of those things.”

“This advertisement talked about nurturing and encouraging and helping people grow and to walk with them and pastor them in their journey of faith through life; that is what a Priest is for, to minister God’s grace…all the other things are side orders. Only right at the end did it mention that admin or anything else was a bonus.

12 | www.life-mags.com

The emphasis seemed to be the right way around for me and I thought it might be interesting so spoke to my wife and then rang The Dean.”

“I had to go through the rigours of vocational testing again and laboured through a huge application form with a ridiculous amount of pages, with yet again absolutely no confidence that anyone would even read it. Then I was shortlisted and came for an interview in December 2014. The Island was not looking its best; it was perishing cold and rained quite a lot. I was interviewed along with a few other people and to my surprise, before I had left the Island, I was offered the job. I sent my wife a text saying ‘I’ve got the job’, she of course wanted to know what the house and Church were like, but I hadn’t really taken much in and couldn’t tell her so we arrived in faith really but were received with such warmth.”

“If everyone in our congregation came to church at the same time, we’d have about one hundred and twenty souls; but they never do!

I’m delighted to have also received a very warm welcome in the local school and really pleased to be able to do various bits of work with different year groups. It’s great to welcome all the children and parents to the Church and be able to share something of the Christian faith at the end of each term and for other special dates in the Christian calendar.”

“We recently hosted a family fun afternoon specifically designed to welcome the community. We are very keen to just open our doors to local life and to all people who might not even come to church but feel they can still be part of what goes on here. This was very much the case for ‘There but not There’ an art installation we had for two weeks for the Centenary of the Armistice. Many visitors from our local community and across the Island came to sit with the Perspex silhouettes, each representing a fallen soldier. A lot of people found it to be very powerful and it helped to give a reality to Remembrance.”

In conclusion I asked Father Nick what the future holds for him and his family. “Our son is now twenty one and is reading Engineering at Bristol, in his fourth year, and really enjoying it. Our daughter is twenty four and recently returned to live at home with us. She was at Uni when we first arrived here and was then working in the U.K. but is now living and working in Jersey. I can stay here until I retire now. My ministry is very different these days and I’m no longer required to move every few years. There is so much to do here, including preserving this magnificent building. We’ve recently done some work on the East end of the church, refurbishing the floor, most of which we were able to do ourselves, I learnt lots of new skills…I can now hang floor joists. We’ve also got some damp problems and need to stop the plaster from falling off the walls, so I will probably stay here until I fall off my perch…!” And with that he grinned, took a slurp of his coffee and we agreed I had more than enough material to share with The Jerseylife readership, we wished each other well and I went out into my day feeling positively jovial!

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Rathbones cross boundaries with schools cricket coaching in Asia Rathbone Investment Management International are a proud supporter of local cricket in Jersey and have now ventured into Asia to support schools cricket further afield!

Local cricketer and MCC playing member Richard Gomersall has recently joined the office in Jersey as a Client Director.

In collaboration with Hong Kong Cricket Club and Mike Gatting, Richard visited international schools in Thailand in November, to help coach young children to play the game of cricket.

Mike, who played 79 test matches and was England’s Ashes winning captain in Australia in 1986/87, will continue to Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore, to introduce children to the game.

With the support of Rathbones over a three week period, Mike will coach over 2,000 children in over 20 prestigious international schools, such as Wellington, Bromsgrove, Dulwich, Epsom and Shrewsbury.

Headmaster and CEO of Bromsgrove International School in Bangkok, Thailand, Dr Daniel Moore, said, “the fact that over 700 students and over 70 staff in Bangkok across 10 schools, received expert coaching in what is a new sport for many of them is simply incredible. The Kwik Cricket competitions that are now going to run as a result will give students a chance to compete in something fresh and new.”

Richard Gomersall explained, “beyond the obvious benefits of sport in general, Mike is passionate in his desire to pass on the core values of the game; teamwork, resilience, sportsmanship and most of all, fun. Mike’s coaching is a valuable part of our portfolio of cricket sponsorships and one which we intend to extend to benefit grass roots cricket in Jersey. Rathbones will additionally support in 2019 the Jersey Spring Term Courses and the Jersey Girl’s Academy, with former England Ladies international Lydia Greenway. Mike is keen to assist with our Jersey projects to help benefit the game at all levels on the island”.

Richard Gomersall is a Client Director at Rathbone Investment Management International.

He is primarily responsible for the growth of the overseas private client base, with an emphasis on Asia. Richard also advises private clients in Jersey. Richard is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, holds a Diploma in Trust and Estate Practice and also has two degrees in financial services. Richard joined Rathbones in September 2018 and has 19 years’ experience in financial services in both Jersey and Hong Kong.

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Forward-thinking offshore investment management Rathbones in Jersey is part of one of the UK’s largest and longest-established providers of high-quality discretionary investment management services to individuals, charities and their advisers.

For further information, please contact Jonathan Giles locally on 01534 740 550 or email jonathan.giles@rathbones.com

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The value of investments and income arising from them may fall as well as rise and you might get back less than you originally invested.

Rathbone Investment Management International is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission.

ART AND CULTURE

Jersey charity Music In Action premieres ArtHouse Jersey commission army cadets at school, providing him the personal background to contemplate the life of Jersey’s young soldiers. Choosing to write five movements for the symphony, one for each year of the war, Charles was present at the premiere at Fort Regent and was able to find Arthur Mallet’s grandson, who attended the concert.

Charles Mauleverer Earlier this month the Music In Action’s Jersey Chamber Orchestra premiered Jersey-born composer Charles Mauleverer’s most recent composition, 'Two Brothers: A War Memorial Symphony'.

It was commissioned by ArtHouse Jersey, with support from the Bailiff’s Chambers, as part of Jersey’s commemorations of the centenary of the First World War and was performed as part of The Celebration of Armistice concert. Charles began his work on the symphony in 2016 having been approached by ArtHouse Jersey, and finished the composition in September 2018, ahead of its premiere on 10th November 2018, marking 100 years since the signing of the Armistice that ended the Great War in 1918.

Charles Mauleverer first studied composition at Winchester College and Oxford University before winning a scholarship to study for his masters at the Royal College of Music. His music has been performed and recorded by several of today's classical music luminaries including John Wilson, the BBC Singers, Adrian Brendel, Craig Ogden, and the Babelsberg Film Orchestra, in studios and venues ranging from the National Portrait Gallery and Winchester Cathedral to

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Maida Vale, King's Place and Abbey Road Studios. Films, documentaries and adverts featuring his music have been shown at festivals from Jersey Shore to Cannes and his work has been broadcast on Classic FM and the BBC. In 2017, Charles was lead music assistant on Hollywood productions The Leftovers for HBO and Hostiles. A string of commissions and recordings by the Prague Symphonic Ensemble also led to the commissioning of his first and previous symphony, One Home: An Environmental Symphony, most recently performed by the South Czech Philharmonic.

Charles began his work on the ‘Two Brothers’, his second symphony, by first researching and understanding the subject matter. This included travelling to Belgium and France to attain a sense of what the soldiers on both sides endured, and working with Jersey historian Ian Ronayne. The guidance of Ronayne also lead Charles to be particularly inspired by his book, ‘Jersey’s Great War’, and in particular a section of the book that included some information about Jersey’s younger soldiers, Arthur and Charles Mallet, aged 15 and 19 during their service to the war. Charles had also joined the

Charles recalls his experience developing the composition and says, “Certainly the greatest commission of my life so far, I’m proud of my work on my second symphony, ‘Two Brothers’, but know that I can’t take such an opportunity for granted and will be forever grateful for the support and hard work of the countless people behind the scenes and on the stage who made it happen. ArtHouse Jersey were wonderful in their encouragement from a healthy artistic distance, ensuring that my work was completed in stages to deadlines but allowing tremendous creative license to take the piece, which honours Jersey’s role in the Great War, in a direction of my choice.”

The Armistice Day concert at Fort Regent was sold out and the audience applauded the new work enthusiastically.

The South Czech Philharmonic performing my first symphony 'One Home, An Environmental Symphony'

Composing at the Thiepval memorial to the missing of the Somme

FULLY APPROVED PROVIDER States of Jersey

Clients and their care teams are fully supported by Registered Nurses and our Care Manager, Clare Burchell (RGN, BSc (hons), QN).

Tel: 01534 733 479 Mobile: 07797 755 873 Email: clare@psncs.co.uk Web: www.psncs.co.uk Palm Springs Nursing & Care Services Trinity Hill, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4NJ

ART AND CULTURE

Blockbuster concert of

John Williams

starring Eamonn Dougan A stunning evening called a Night at the Oscars will be bringing to the Jersey Opera House an evening of the finest film music on Saturday 26 January 2019. Focusing on the extraordinary music of John Williams the hall will be filled with the sounds of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Jaws to name but a few.

The Jersey Chamber Orchestra conducted by internationally renowned conductor Eamonn Dougan the orchestra will be joined by players from the BBC Symphony Orchestra and local stars.

Together they will perform a blockbuster evening of your favourite large scale film scores. The evening will support the Oscar Maclean Foundation which works to assist families of children suffering from cancer.

John Williams was born in New York City on February 8, 1932.

Williams has won five Academy Awards and received a record-breaking number of nominations.

Almost all of Spielberg's films have Williams scores; their notable collaborations include Jaws (1975), E.T. (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), and Schindler's List (1993). Williams also composed the music for George Lucas's six Star Wars movies. "I have to say, without question, John Williams has been the single most significant contributor to my success as a filmmaker." said Steven Spielberg.

As of 2018, Williams has garnered 51 Academy Award nominations, making him the living person with the most nominations. He has won five Academy Awards: In addition to Fiddler on the Roof, Williams received Oscars for Jaws, Star Wars (1977), E.T. and Schindler's List. Williams has also received three Emmy Awards and more than 20 Grammy Awards. In 2004, he was a Kennedy Center honoree and was given a National Medal of Arts in 2009.

Hear music that transports you back to movie scenes; sometimes they make you feel warm inside and sometimes they inspire you.

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Conductor Eamonn Dougan said, “This is going to be a really special show with music that people know and love with all the bells and whistles. It will be a huge orchestra – probably the largest to perform on the Opera House stage – performing showstoppers. It’s a must to beat the winter blues!”

This programme is perfect for film fans and classical music lovers. The audience will enjoy excerpts from the classic John Williams scores from the uplifting theme of Indiana Jones to Princess Leia’s beautiful tune in Star Wars, the magical sounds of ET and the magnificent haunting theme of Saving Private Ryan.

Also included will be popular themes by other film composers such as John Barry’s classic score to James Bond and a couple of Bond songs. Enhanced by the choir of St Michael’s School this will be an evening to savour.

And in the afternoon at noon will be a matinee including tunes from the jungle book and other family favourites.

Music in Action who organizes the Jersey Chamber Orchestra concerts is a “genuine Jersey” charity. It promotes and supports the development of music by a series of educational masterclasses and linked to this event will be a series of school concerts looking at the Carnival of the Animals classic tunes in the Opera House with 1000 children benefitting.

To book tickets with a special offer of £5 from children and from £10 for adults for the Manee showing contact the Jersey Opera House Box Office on 511115 or online at jerseyoperahouse.co.uk.

NOW

OPEN Monday - Sa turday 9am - 8pm

VISIT AND EXPERIENCE

S SMAR RTER LIVING L G SMARTER SMARTER S SMAR TER TE TECH CH I SMARTER SMAR TER HEA HEATING TING G I SMAR SMARTER TER HO HOMES MES Welcome W e elcome tto o a whole n new ew w world orld o off elec electric tric lliving. iving. W Welcome elcome tto o Sma Smarter arter L Living exciting new ne ew home technology technology and and energy energy centre centre se ssett in – the exciting Electricity’s Powerhouse.

Smarter brings tthe he heart heart of of Jersey Jersey E lectricity’s P owerhou use. Sma rter Living br rings you and y ou up up close a nd personal personal with the latest latest gadgets gadge g ts for for the connected conne ected h home, well as the most most energy energy efficient efficien nt heating systems systems on n the as well ma rket to to make make your your home future-ready. futu u re-ready. market

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FESTIVE PARISHES

The faces of love by Doug Hyde

For that Special Present visit

Around the Parishes this Christmas…

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN… SOME OF US LOVE IT AND SOME OF US DON’T BUT WHETHER YOU ARE JUMPING FOR JOY AND BURSTING WITH EXCITEMENT OR WISHING IT WAS ALL OVER, IT MAKES SENSE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE FESTIVE SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES AND BRING A SMILE TO OUR LOVED ONES FACES. HOPEFULLY YOU ARE COMPLETELY READY BUT JUST IN CASE YOU’VE STILL GOT SOME SHOPPING TO DO HERE ARE A FEW IDEAS THAT COULD ALSO TAKE YOU INTO NEXT YEAR. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOME OF OUR PARISHES DURING THIS VERY FESTIVE SEASON.

Victoria Art & Framing Gallery

Wide range of art materials

3, Victoria Street, St Helier. Tel: 730279 www.victoriaartgallery.co.uk

Cherish your memories with our Canvas and Aluminium prints...

St Helier VICTORIA ART GALLERY - Christmas is just around the corner and Victoria Art & Framing Gallery have lots of great Christmas gift ideas for that special present.

You will find a lovely range of Globes on show from traditional to modern glossy globes which have been very popular this year with all ages. You will also find a vibrant display of Disney characters by Pop Artist, Romero Britto, which will make the perfect gift for all occasions. A favourite in the gallery are the Art Hearts with lovely wording and cool designs a great present for someone you love.

In our Art Department you will find a range of materials from complete Easel sets in Oils, Acrylics and Watercolour to brush sets, colouring pencils, manikins and lots more.

The walls in the Gallery are full with pictures by local and International artists from everyone’s favourite Doug Hyde to local artists David Henley, Eddie Blampied, Ian Rolls, Maureen Osborne, Lauren Radley plus lots more and can be viewed on our web site www.victoriaartgallery.co.uk

CANVAS PRINTS ARE AVAILABLE IN 3 SIZES Small 45cm by 36cm £15.00 Medium 59cm by 42cm £25.00 Large 80cm by 52cm £35.00 Aluminium prints are available in several different sizes in Gloss or Matt finish, prices start at £48.00

01534 766845 office@magictouchjersey.com 11 Caledonia Place, St Helier, JE2 3NG

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FAMILY LAW Our specialist team offer clients transparency on process and pricing, so they know where they stand. No hidden costs, no nasty surprises. +44 (0) 1534 888666

family@viberts.com

www.viberts.com

COMMERCIAL EMPLOYMENT FAMILY LITIGATION PERSONAL PROPERTY

VIBERTS ADVOCATES - Viberts is Jersey’s largest and leading family law team managed by Advocate Rose Colley, one of Jersey’s prominent family lawyers. Our experienced team approaches family law in a way that minimises conflict and stress for all involved with the impact on children being paramount. We offer a wide range of expertise and are able to help with all family law issues including marriage/relationship breakdown and financial provision, disputes in relation to children, cohabitation and, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. Further details can be found on our website and if you would like to find out how we can help, we offer a free 30 minute appointment for initial enquiries.

MAGIC TOUCH - Special offer throughout December; Cherish your memories or give that special someone a Christmas gift to remember…small, medium and large canvas prints are all reduced by up to £10.00. Magic Touch provides personalised clothing at the best prices in Jersey.

T.J. HUTCHINGS - A local family jewellers, Established in 1988, T. J. Hutchings Ltd, is the stockists of the largest range of clocks in Jersey and includes: alarm, wall, mantle musical, chiming and cuckoo. A selection of sterling silver and 9ct jewellery and several watch brands are also stocked. You will also find a wide range of barometers. Watch batteries fitted while you wait. Visit us at 7 York Street and view our huge range of designer watches

T J HUTCHINGS ltd 7 York Street, St Helier | 01534 758320

JUST ARRIVED...

watches Also NEW IN Timex Indiglo and Radley watches • Sterling Silver and 9ct Gold Jewellery • Stockists of the largest range of clocks in Jersey alarm, wall, mantle, cuckoo, musical and chiming clocks • A wide range of barometers also in stock • Watch batteries fitted from only £2

HUGE RANGE OF WATCHES FROM:

FESTIVE PARISHES

St Saviour W W W. S H U T T E R H U T. C O. U K

YOUR LOCAL PLANTATION SHUTTER EXPERTS AGENTS FOR NEW ENGLAND SHUTTER COMPANY AND…YOUR CHOSEN LOCAL DEALERS FOR CUSTOM WEST MADE TO MEASURE PLANTATION SHUTTERS, GREAT CHOICE OF BLINDS & AWNINGS

Unit 1, Doue House, Longueville Road, St Saviour, JE2 7SA Tel: 618222 • Email: michelle@shutterhut.co.uk

SHUTTER HUT Often described as the best plantation shutter designers and suppliers in Jersey; our window shutters have adjustable louvers and solid shutters and are only available through our status as an accredited shutter specialist dealer in association with Custom West.

“Simply Better” shutters have a unique simple style that will integrate with contemporary or traditional interiors. Being the Channel Island dealers for The New England Shutter Company, we can also offer 'something different', to our competitors.

We also supply and fit all types of blinds and awnings.

The Shutter Hut is owned and run by Michelle Thompson & Martin Le Viellez whose aim is to take the pressure out of the selection process, ensuring customers are entirely happy with the product, style and cost.

To own our Shutters or request a quote from us call 01534 618 222 or get in touch with us via email at info@shutterhut.co.uk

St Ouen GENUINE 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL SHUTTER PRODUCTS UNTIL 31ST JANUARY 2019…

NO MINIMUM ORDER

It s all in the detail Whether you're looking to hold a wedding for 80 or 280 guests Vibert Marquees is second to none.

We stock a variety of beautifully crafted, high quality marquees and are here to advise you every step of the way, nothing is too much trouble for our professional and experienced team.

Let us create your perfect wedding day. Get in touch today on 482970 or visit our website vibertmarquees.com

WEDDINGS CORPORATE EVENTS

SOCIAL EVENTS EQUIPMENT HIRE

T (01534) 482970 E info@vibertmarquees.com W vibertmarquees.com

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VIBERT MARQUEES - Vibert Marquees Ltd has always been a family run business, right from when it was established in 1981 to the present day. Family values are at the heart of our business and we have mastered the art of communication! For the past 10 years Nigel and his family have produced countless events from weddings, parties in the comfort of your home, corporate events and much much more. For free friendly, trusted advice get in touch today; we look forward to working with you.

Email: info@vibertmarquees.com Tel: (01534) 482970 www.vibertmarquees.com

FESTIVE PARISHES

St Lawrence TRACTOR SERVICES - Tractor Services - Maybe you’ve got a huge garden and are in need of some large equipment. Then you could probably do with a trip to Tractor Services, St Lawrence, who have been trading for forty years. The showroom in St Lawrence now houses a 2000 sq. foot retail space stocking a wide range of products, not only for farmers but also including tools, garage equipment, clothing and a selection of Massey Ferguson children’s toys; ideal for brining joy to your children this Christmas.

Trinity JFTU - Pop into JFTU at Sion for some present ideas to help you achieve the best Christmas ever. Gifts for all the Family that are useful all year round and won’t run out of steam by boxing day.

We have Toys for the young ones, electric and pedal toys, Pool, Air Hockey and Football tables and of course stocking fillers and board games. Outdoor play areas, Trampolines, Table Tennis Tables and football goals complete the selection for the outdoor and sporty Kids. We also have equestrian gifts for horse & rider as well as coats, toys and massage blankets for your dog. We have Ladies and Gents clothing, hats scarves and gloves for leisure and work, Towels, and don’t forget the cups, cutlery, crockery and disposable plates and glasses to help lessen the washing up. Don’t forget the baking tray for the turkey and if the oven is full you could cook the turkey on one of our BBQ,s to increase the available space. Lastly we have Gift Vouchers from £5 if the last minute shopping time is running out. Have a Happy Christmas from all at the JFTU

power

tools hand tools automotive welding outdoor power equipment workwear safety boots

Les Charrieres Nicolle, Le Couvent, St Lawrence, JE3 2ET Tel: 862938/860755 Email: rob@tractors.je Web: www.tractors.je To find us: Go up Queen's Road, turn left just before Co-op at Sion, then 1st left and then 1st right and we are 75 yards down on the left.

Out of town, so no problem with parking.

FESTIVE PARISHES

Trinity

Grouville

TRINITY VILLAGE STORES • 5 Stores Island wide • Online FREE Home delivery • Competitive Prices • Irish Products • Open 7 Days a week • Visit www.yourstore.co.je

HEATHER UWINS SWIM SCHOOL - Heather prides herself on providing a service to help suffers of Dementia including Alzheimer’s. With a lovely warm pool and expert tuition the person with dementia and their carer can follow a programme designed to form positive memories associated with water and movement.

This is a very nurturing experience for both sufferer and carer.

But it’s not just people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia that can benefit; Heather has also had great success helping people recovering from knee and hip operations with their general rehabilitation. Heather has a training manual and DVD which can be used to train volunteers to give instruction.

St Brelade LUCAS BROS - Lucas Bros, La Haule Farm ~ operating from St. Brelade for 32 years and covering 3 generations of the Lucas family! The business spans retail and wholesale supply of fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bakery items, fresh fish, flowers and floristry, plants and nursery stock. Lucasbrosjersey.com is the latest expansion to this side of the business, demonstrating not only its success, but an ongoing commitment to customer care through the convenience of internet, their customer offering continues to grow.

For more information about volunteering with the programme or the sessions themselves call 07797797928 or email swimjersey@outlook.com.

St John BARETTE PLANT HIRE - Barette Plant Hire - One of the largest plant hire contractors in Jersey. Established in 1994 the company has grown and diversified to meet its customer’s needs. Services include: mini digger, excavators and dumpers, black sand, chippings and hardcore, topsoil, drain laying, fencing, hard landscaping and so very much more. Call today for whatever you need to improve your property this Christmas and beyond.

DESIGN DIMENSIONS - Design Dimensions has been established for over 30 years with a passion for designing and creating bespoke furniture including office, retail and bar refurbishments. We are also Jersey’s leading fabricators of solid surface materials including Corian, HiMac, Avonite, Staron and many others.

Visit our NEW ONLINE SHOP: www.lucasbrosjersey.com • • • • • • • • •

FRESH VEGETABLES FRUIT BASKETS HAMPERS SALAD ITEMS HERBS AND SPICES FRESH FRUIT & PLANTS GROCERY AND BAKERY MEAT AND FISH HEALTHY OPTIONS

VEG BOXES DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR

FREE ISLAND WIDE

DELIVERY on all orders over £30 La Haule Farm, Le Mont Au Roux, St Brelade, JE3 8BD

Telephone orders: 745199 Email: order@lucasbrosjersey.com 24 | www.life-mags.com

With the exceptional standards of craftsmanship our team always achieve superior results from design to completion.

Nurturing and maintaining a balance of sensible design, style and comfort is essential to creating bespoke interiors.

Let us turn your dream into a reality.

SWIMMING FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN

SLIM AND TONE VERY WARM INDOOR POOL 90°f / 32°c

EXCELLENT FOR ARTHRITIS AND INJURIES QUALIFIED STAFF SWIMMING & EXERCISE LESSONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS Beginners, Improvers, Swimming Parties, Private Lessons, Mother and Baby EXCELLENT FOR NERVOUS SWIMMERS

Heather Uwins ASA

Tel: 852678

• Mini diggers, excavators, dumpers and lorries (self drive available) • Topsoil supplied & delivered • Black sand, chippings & hardcore supplied & delivered • Hard landscaping • Large/small excavations undertaken • Demolition • Drainage and Drain Laying • Fencing • Sand Schools

Design Dimensions has been established for over 30 years with a passion for designing and creating bespoke furniture including office, retail and bar refurbishments.

We are also Jersey’s leading fabricators of solid surface materials including Corian, HiMac, Avonite, Staron and many others.

Let us turn your dream into a reality.

T: 01534 485687 E: info@baretteplanthire.com www.baretteplanthire.com

Tel: 01534 862979 Email: office@designdimensions.co.uk www.designdimensions.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

WINTER WONDERS IN

GOTHENBURG

The Swedish city is a delight during the festive period. Sarah Marshall visits the markets and funfair attractions...

"You must be prepared to give him porridge every day," insists a Scandi stallholder while stroking a wooden troll's silky-soft beard, which he proudly claims is made from the wool of prized Gotland sheep.

The fairy-tale creature is believed to keep houses safe and is often found peering from candlelit windows, or resting on mantelpieces above crackling fires at this time of year.

More fluff than face, these particular trolls started life in the Ompen HB Konsthantverk workshop, and the proprietor, Peter, likes to know where each one ends up.

"They're like my children," he coos, preening my new purchase from Liseberg's vast Christmas market. "So I need to keep track of what they get up to. You can always keep me posted on Facebook, if you like?"

Lights certainly play an important role at Liseberg, a charming 95-year-old amusement park, which twinkles with 5,000,000 illuminations in the long, dark season. I struggle to count them all as I wander around the sprawling site, having arrived on a Paddan boat tour with blankets, gingerbread and mulled wine.

Quirky Christmas presents are easy to pick up in Gothenburg, a destination famous for its offbeat approach to the winter season, and the troll is one of many finds I manage to take home.

The journey along Gothenburg's canals is an adventure under bridges and over locks, and the ideal way to beat Liseberg's inevitable queues.

Here, the run-up to Christmas is just as much fun as the final event, and residents of the west coast Swedish city make great efforts to ensure their celebrations really stand out.

Fireworks explode at the grand finale of a ballet performance on ice, giant teacups swirl in a winter forest ride and sweet shops spill open with candy sticks and golden chocolate coins.

From November 29 to December 22, for example, a singing Christmas tree bellows carols through the city centre, while on various dates throughout Advent, Scandinavia's most elaborate candlelit Lucia parades are held.

But along with the usual gifting fare, market stalls also have something different to offer, so there's good reason to do your shopping here too.

continues overleaf...

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For details about our bespoke property service please call 01534 728724 or 07700 728724 email: info@lobstertail.co.uk

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L o b s t e r Ta i l

CHRISTMAS

In a Medieval Village, gruff, hairy Vikings sell plastic swords and Celtic amulets from counters made of hay - although on this occasion, I'm reluctant to part with my cash.

I've already found my porridge-eating talisman, I tell a grumblin salesman, and I think you'll find he's sporting a far finer beard than yours.

WHERE ELSE TO SHOP The Haga district The city's oldest district is arguably the most atmospheric place to shop - whatever the time of year. From November 24 to December 16, festive stalls will be set up selling traditional sheepskin slippers, rugs and preserves - but even the year-round shops have excellent displays. Pick up antique necklaces or brooches in the vintage stores, or stylish Scandi homeware from independent boutiques.

Kronhuset and Kronhusbodarna A fire-red brick building with a pea-green roof, Kronhuset is one of Gothenburg's oldest buildings, built in 1654, and the setting for a traditional Christmas market. Handicrafts are original and often one of a kind, with producers on hand to explain how they were made. Explore the cottages set around a cobbled square in Kronhusbodarna, selling pottery, artwork and artisan chocolates.

WHERE TO EAT Sjomagasinet, Adolf Edelsvards Gata 5 Julbords are a family favourite during Advent, and one of the best festive spreads is served at this Michelin-starred restaurant by the sea. Cured fish, seafood dishes and decadent desserts are set on a sharing table that's several notches above the standard buffet.

Gregarious chef Ulf Wagner runs the proceedings, and invites guests into the rustic, wood-panelled restaurant, where laughter and chinking glasses create a celebratory atmosphere. From £63pp, excluding drinks. Visit sjomagasinet.se.

Cafe Husaren, Haga Nygata 28 The cinnamon bun, or kanelbulle, is a Swedish institution, and there's a constant battle to produce not only the best but also the biggest sweet pastry in town. The title currently sits with Cafe Husaren, an old-fashioned tea and coffee house in the Haga district, where windows are filled with enormous coils of the sugary delights. Expect to pay around £6 for a Hagabulle the size of a dinner plate. Visit cafehusaren.se.

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WHERE TO STAY Clarion Hotel Post, Drottningtorget 10 Once operating as Gothenburg's central post office, this modern design hotel sits in the thick of the action a short walk from main thoroughfare Avenyn. A popular choice for Christmas concerts and office parties, it's always lively - particularly on a Saturday night when local revellers fill the bar. Rooms from £134 with breakfast. Visit nordicchoicehotels.com.

HOW TO GET THERE Norwegian (norwegian.com) flies to Gothenburg from Manchester and London. Flights from £70 return in December.

A Paddan Christmas tour with entrance to Liseberg costs from £23pp. Visit stromma.se.

For more information, visit goteborg.com.

Fir eplace, Stove S Stove Fireplace, Range &R ange Cooker Coooker Sp pecia e lists Specialists We offer We off ffeer a ccomprehensive omprehensive rrange ange of sservices ervices from fr om design design to to installation installation including including chimney chimney projects. llining ining pr o ts. ojec Ourr af after Ou terr ssales ales services services include includ de stove stove maintenance, thee main tenance, cchimney himney ssweeping weepiing and and th supply off quality quality hardwood hardwood delivered del e ivered direct d irect to to your your home. home.

Wee have W have our our own own eexperienced xperience c d HETAS HETAS A ensuring rregistered egistered team team en suring that ourr sservices th at ou ervices are are tailored tai lored to to our our customers' customers' bespoke be spoke requirements. requirements.

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Thr oughout the the year year w ange of ccookery ookery Throughout wee run a rrange workshops w o orksshops & events. events. Make Make sure sure to to follow follow VLJ on Facebook Fa acebo ook to to stay staay up to to date date on all all our o r future ou future plans. plans.

Telephone: T elephone: 01534 01534 483921 • Email: Ema ail: inf info@vljfireplaces.co.uk fo o@vljfireplaces.co.uk Web: e www.v vljfireplaces.co.uk • Sh owroom: La Rue d’ ’Olive, St. M ary, JE3 3BJ 3 Web: www.vljfireplaces.co.uk Showroom: d’Olive, Mary,

CHRISTMAS

Winter Candles 10 WAYS TO FURNISH YOUR HOME WITH FRAGRANCE THIS FESTIVE SEASON The quickest way to set a scene and conjure atmosphere, Sam Wylie-Harris selects this season's best scented candles...

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HOME LIVING CHRISTMAS

Interior designers love to wax lyrical about mood-enhancing lighting, but if you really want to set the scene this winter, a scented candle can be a quickfire way to create a cosy or sensual - ambience.

Whether you're styling a mantelpiece, laying the table for a dinner party, or simply want to make the downstairs loo more inviting - think how boutique hotels manage to make their ladies' rooms that much more luxe, with a decadently dark wall paint, plush hand soap and the flickering flame of a three-wick candle - a well-chosen candle might be the perfect finishing touch.

3. SANCTUARY SPA LUXURY OUD DIFFUSER, CURRENTLY REDUCED TO £12 FROM £18, BOOTS Rich and powerful, oud is the scent of splendour, with its intense woody notes, sumptuous sweetness and musky base.

Sensual and exotic, it's perfect for the bedroom.

"Candles are the most ancient form of artificial light, adding instant warmth and atmosphere to a room. Whether you choose giant churchy cylinders, thin tapers or mini tea lights, their display potential is limitless," says The White Company founder, Chrissie Rucker.

Here's how to make scent a seasonal statement this winter...

1. THE WHITE COMPANY WINTER TEALIGHTS SET OF 12, £15, THE WHITE If you're planning to top place settings with glassware, crystal and trinkets and don't want the fuss of a candelabra, the tender flame of a tea light is a godsend - especially if you don't want guests fighting for attention over your favourite centrepiece

4. ESPA VETIVER AND BLACK SPRUCE CANDLE, £35, ESPASKINCARE.COM If you love padding around in your PJs and want to create a calming vibe, Espa's blissful black spruce, woody cedarwood oil and heavenly vetiver will bestow peace of mind.

2. APOTHECARY WILD FIG & POMEGRANATE CANDLE, £5, MORRISONS STORES With hints of honeyed wild fig and juicy berries, underlined by the bitter-sweet notes of tangy pomegranate, this luxurious looking candle will create the right vibes anywhere in the home.

5. BAYLISS & HARDING FUZZY DUCK ESPRESSO MARTINI 2 WICK CANDLE, CURRENTLY REDUCED TO £11.25 FROM £15, OCADO Why not come in from the cold and spice up your favourite wintry cocktail with this gently fragranced candle to mirror the notes of cold brew coffee? Delicious.

continues overleaf...

DECEMBER ISSUE | 31

CHRISTMAS

9. YANKEE CANDLE HOLIDAY SPARKLE RANGE, FROM £8.99-£23.99 EACH, YANKEECANDLE.CO.UK Whether you're dreaming of Winter Wonder, wishing upon a Glittering Star, have set your sights on an Icy Blue Spruce, or want to snuggle up with some Frosty Gingerbread, Yankee Candle have it all wrapped up with the most popular scents of the holidays.

6. ANYA HINDMARCH ANYA SMELLS LOLLIPOP DIFFUSER BLACKCURRANT LEAVES AND ROSE, £99, AMARA.COM Who says scent can't be fun? Famous for her designer handbags, we love Anya Hindmarch's tongue-in-cheek take on home scenting, with pencil-shaped reeds encased within a quirky pencil pot. Fun and deliciously fruity, place it next to your laptop to make the most of working from home.

7. BAYLIS & HARDING SWEET MANDARIN & GRAPEFRUIT 1 WICK CANDLE, £11.95, FRAGRANCEDIRECT.CO.UK With the festive season in full swing and twinkling Christmas trees fringing shop windows, there's no reason to hold back when you can start sprucing up your space with this glitzy candle crowned with a gold fir. Sweet mandarin studded with zesty grapefruit will boost the mood.

8. JO MALONE INCENSE & EMBERS HOME CANDLE, £47, JO MALONE LONDON Smoky incense and embers is the scent of celebrating the calmer things in life, and with a touch of silver fir and warming notes of soft leather and amber, this concoction is a seasonal stress-buster too.

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10. FORNASETTI PROFUMI REGALO GOLD OTTO SCENTED CANDLE, £140, SELFRIDGES Marvellously decadent, 'Regalo' means 'gift' in Italian - and who wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of this chic ceramic deco, tied with a gold ribbon?

Featuring the famous face of Fornasetti, the jar makes a wonderful collectable once the enticing blend of lavender, orris, cedarwood, incense and birch has burned to its end.

Available exclusively at:

Bauformat Burrard Street St Helier JE2 4WS Tel: 869111 info@bauformat.co.je

bauformat.co.je

CHRISTMAS

Want a stylish Christmas Tree this year?

These 3 decorating trends are gorgeous and easy Choose between frosty, copper or emerald, says Gabrielle Fagan.

A Christmas tree is the star of the celebrations, but choosing a style can be as tricky as untangling the tinsel.

But this year, banish seasonal stress by taking inspiration from these three decor themes - frosty, copper or emerald. Then add the bells and baubles, sit back and wait for the compliments.

"A Christmas tree is such a seasonal statement and nowadays isn't just for friends and family as its style is often shared on social media, so we all want it look as beautiful and stylish as possible," says Lee Jackson, Christmas stylist and designer for Dobbies garden centres.

"The main influence on tree trends over the last few years can be summed up in one word - 'craft'.

The huge resurgence in activities such as needlepoint, felting, paper crafts, hand-stitching and crochet are reflected in the styles as well as the materials - from wool and wood to felt - used for tree decorations, giving them a lovely personal hand-crafted feel.

"The other influence is the Japanese craze, Kawaii, which means unashamedly cute, and that's played a part in the popularity of cutesy woodland animals dancing across tree branches.

"Squirrels, deer, hedgehogs, stags and even mythical creatures like unicorns are all having their moment this year in the seasonal limelight."

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CHRISTMAS

1

LET IT SNOW.......

"Our Snowy Forest tree trend uses lots of silver tones and snow-tipped animals to bring a midwinter landscape to life," says Jackson of the Dobbies offering. "A traditional colour-combo of red and white is classic, but this interpretation is fresh but simple and conjures a stylishly serene, icy winter wonderland."

Its Enchanted Garden theme, inspired by foliage and flowers, is a little more rustic. It features a selection of wooden and fabric decorations, featuring animals and birds.

2

CONJURE A COPPER GLOW

"Our amber story - inspired by the golden tones of autumnal forests - is my absolute favourite," said Fionnuala Johnston, senior designer, John Lewis. "This colour theme has natural layers of beautiful tones from amber through to rich chestnut. This beautiful rustic environment full of wildlife has a cosy and warm feel, making me want to snuggle up with fur throws and mulled wine after a long walk."

3

GO GREEN...

"This pays a nod to the sensory haven of a tropical rain forest and the Emerald collection incorporates clear glass, feathers and tropical leaves to create a lush, luxe Christmas setting," says Dan Cooper, Christmas buyer, John Lewis.

"Inspired by nature, these decorations feature toucans, dragonflies, snails and parrots, with succulents and moss as well, to create an enchanting festive wonderland.

"A favourite is the Banana Leaf hanger, a glass decoration shaped as an on-trend monstera leaf in a vivid green hue."

DECEMBER ISSUE | 35

LIGHTING • DINING FURNITURE • BEDROOM FURNITURE • BEDS QUALITY FITTED CARPET • WOODEN FLOORING • OUTDOOR FURNITURE FLOORING AND WALL TILES • TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY SOFAS TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY RUGS

DESIGNER SOFA

INTERIORS

It’s all about the detail Designer Sofa delivers innovative interior design and bespoke interiors. From bedroom collections, through to dining and occasional pieces, we are able to offer high design furniture that endures the test of time and offer uncompromised quality.

01534 888506 7-9 PETER STREET • ST HELIER • JERSEY • JE2 4SP www.designersofainteriors.co.uk

HOME LIVING

Destination Style...

3 EXPERT TAKES ON THE NOMADIC DECOR TREND Feeling adventurous? Gabrielle Fagan reveals three routes for channeling nomadic travel-inspired themes...

Some trends suit those who like to play it safe, but 'Nomadic Modern' certainly isn't one of them. This is a decor direction for those who want to push the creative boundaries, are open to inspirations from all over the world, and love curating their exotic treasures into schemes which ooze personality.

Tempted? There are three key routes available if you want to journey to this style destination, and join the nomadic decor tribe.

If you're an intrepid adventurer, show off your souvenirs in a colourful, quirky way with a dash of bohemian, or simply but subtly pick up on tribal patterns and layer them set against an earthy rich colour palette. Alternatively, the stay-at-home but

38 | www.life-mags.com

stylish could opt for a sophisticated, uber-contemporary scheme that just hints at global glamour.

Be adventurous and take a style journey - no passport required!

Just follow the experts' simple guide to joining the global gang...

Let textiles tell a faraway story, says Wayfair stylist Nadia McCowan Hill. "If one word defines this trend, it's textiles, textiles, textiles! From chunky Moroccan pouffes to scatter cushions in tribal prints, woven accessories are the surest way to bring to life the nomadic look," enthuses Nadia McCowan Hill, resident style advisor at Wayfair.

HOME LIVING

"Don't be afraid of vibrant hues or colour-clashing, as this trend is reserved for the bold. Bear in mind though, that the look should be eclectic and fresh, rather than rigidly devoted to a single style.

Accents of metallics, such as a golden sunburst mirror or a bronze or copper lantern or tray, can add an essential touch of glamour and richness."

Abundant greenery is an essential finishing touch, adds McCowan Hill, who suggests lavishing a home with luscious foliage, from elegant palms to trailing hanging plants.

TRIBAL TIP: This is a great opportunity to show off your most prized treasures. Dig out trinkets and reminders of long-forgotten trips and display on a striking decorative tray or coffee table.

Take it tribal, says designer Abigail Ahern "I'm a big fan of nomadic style because it's unconventional, artistic and relaxed," declares designer Abigail Ahern, who has a new collection of curtains and cushions for windows and blinds specialists, Hillarys.

"All it takes are three simple steps to pull it off. First, mix in tribal patterns in small ways through curtains, blinds, cushions, accessories. These are the hallmark of this style and I tend to plump for subdued hues, like super-cool noirs, browns and olives."

Secondly, she suggests, introduce an infusion of natural and raw materials, such as wood, rattan and hemp - think baskets, rugs, planters and foot stools. Finally, she adds: "Use vintage pieces as an interesting and unique mix, especially if you keep the palette restrained so that it unifies the scheme."

If too many cushions cramp your seating or sleeping style, take a tip from Ahern's home and display them hooked on a metal rail, rather like jewellery for the home.

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DECEMBER ISSUE | 39

TRIBAL TIP: Accessories are the equivalent of a five-minute facelift for decor and one of the easiest ways to turn rooms around, notes Ahern.

"Cushions are a game-changer, especially on beds and sofas," she says. "Even better if they're embellished with fringing, as it shouts instant nomadic style."

Get earthy says Kris Manalo, upholstery buyer at Heal's "This look allows people to truly explore, and have the freedom to create their own style," says Kris Manalo, upholstery buyer at Heal's.

"The nomadic trend fuses influences from every corner of the globe, to capture a wonderful sense of warmth, comfort and style.

40 | www.life-mags.com

Capture elements of it by layering earthy, terracotta tones against refined neutrals," she suggests.

"Bring personality with bold tribal prints and rich, wooden finishes.

Pair vintage pieces with contemporary updates for an added layer of interest, and for a distinctively personal touch, look for handcrafted accessories, which will give an organic sense of individuality to a room."

TRIBAL TIP: Style with luxury materials - buttery leathers, knubbly knitted throws and cashmere cushions are ideal to create a cosy, intimate and sophisticated sanctuary.

MyPad Introducing Interior Designer... Anne-Marie When embarking on a new home project it can be easy to come unstuck. What style would best suit the space, which colours work and which don’t, where can a sofa that suits your needs be found and how does one dress the completed room?

Re-furbishing your home can be a veritable mine-field…

At MyPad, Director Paul Clark prides himself on being able to successfully navigate your needs. Paul says “I started MyPad at Morton and Morton in St. Peter with the original idea that customers could purchase their home items online, but we would follow through with delivery and installation to the same high standard as visitors to our shop. We still offer this convenient service, but have expanded our shop offering so customers can see their items before purchase, up-close and personal as it were.”

“Moving to West Centre was pivotal to our on-going expansion and we have now taken over the shop next door to house as many of our exceptional pieces as possible. I work closely with several brands such as Conran and Sits to ensure every budget is catered for. Mid-range to high end, I can source and provide what you need.”

“Recently we’ve been working with local businesses such as Jersey Trust Company, De Carteret Wealth and College Gardens.

An integral part of MyPad is the expertise of Interior Designer, Anne-Marie Sinclair. So confident in her acumen am I, I give my customers the first hour consultation with her for free.”

Anne-Marie has gathered a wealth of design experience with clients extending from Geneva to Edinburgh and many other

places in-between, Anne-Marie says “Whether you are upgrading a tiny sitting room, dressing a rental flat or an office reception, or looking to decorate, furnish and dress every room in your large country house, I can help you find your perfect style. I like to work really closely with my clients and find that crucial ingredient that makes their heart sing…it might be a specific colour, or period style that gives them that sparkle, or it might be the love of one particular piece, a plush sofa, a comfy chair or even a vase or painting that gives them the inspiration they need. I will spend time getting to know my client’s and their tastes, likes and dislikes and ensure I provide the most beautiful and practical solution for their individual lifestyle. It matters not if the budget is modest or gargantuan; I give the same level of care and dedication to every detail.”

“Our homes are so personal and so much part of who we are and how we function, when they are decorated in a way that is pleasing to the occupant, life somehow seems to run more smoothly. I can help you achieve that. And of course the same is true of the working environment. If your surroundings are supportive of your daily tasks, your day will flow much better.”

“And then there is dressing properties to rent. This takes particular skill as I may not meet the end client so I have to use a fairly generically pleasing pallet, but also add little touches that can be perceived as personal and homely; I love this challenge and have dressed many apartments and houses for the rental market, including some beautiful show homes.”

“I love my work and thrive on meeting new clients and starting from fresh and more often than not they come back when they want to re-style or if they move to a new home…there is no higher accolade.”

So if you are updating your home, office or investment property, drop in and see Paul and Anne-Marie and the team at MyPad. They will be delighted to welcome you into their well displayed shop at West Centre and embark on your bespoke home decoration journey.

MyPad NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN AT WEST CENTRE! LIVING ROOM DININGROOM BEDROOM BESPOKE HOME ACCESSORIES GARDEN

MyPad Home & Office Interior Design MyPad showroom has expanded at West Centre, St Helier with more space for fresh contemporary furniture and all new in store experiences.

Jersey: 01534 510742 • Guernsey: 01481 521742 • info@mypadci.com • www.mypadci.com DECEMBER ISSUE | 41

CHRISTMAS

Frankincense The story of the newly born Christ child receiving gifts of gold, frankincense & Myrrh, is synonymous with Christmas and held dear to both churchgoers and secular celebrators the world over, but as with much that has come to be so familiar, we rarely stop to examine and think about any of the individual components….an examination of frankincense by Juanita Shield-Laignel MFHT, ABT

from Sheba. In Chinese medicine, it is used for its anti-bacterial properties and for ‘blood-moving’ and is used both topically and orally. And it is well documented that both Islamic Abrahamic and Christian faiths have used frankincense mixed with other oils to anoint new-born infants, initiates and people entering into a new phase on their spiritual path.

Most of us will be familiar with the warm, medicinal scent of frankincense for in our society, each time we attend a wedding, Christening or funeral, the priest will walk about rocking incense back and forth as part of the celebrations, so we know it is used in religious ceremonies and we know it was given to the infant Jesus…but is it relevant to individuals in their own homes today?

But what can frankincense do for us in our everyday lives? (…this list of beneficial properties is by no means definitive)

Used since ancient times for its medicinal properties, frankincense, (genus Boswellia) also known as olibanum trees and their other Burseraceae (Torchwood) family members, can be found in Oman, Yemen, Somalia and Ethiopia with the highest quality being found in Somalia.

Frankincense resin is obtained by striping back the bark of a tree at least eight years old and allowing the soft milky resin to bleed out and then harden. The hardened globules of resin are called tears and are harvested about three times a year.

When burned, the incense is thought to have several medicinal and spiritual properties but best results come from the essential oil, obtained by steam distillation of the dry resin. Frankincense essential oil is used commonly in perfumes, skincare and aromatherapy. The oil's chemical components include high proportions of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.

Sesquiterpene molecules are known to deliver oxygen to cells and amazingly cross the blood, brain barrier and erase or deprogram miswritten codes in the DNA! No wonder frankincense has such a long history of reverence and use and has been traded on the Arabian Peninsula for thousands of years. The Egyptians cleansed body cavities in the mummification process with frankincense and used it in many skincare preparations.

In the Bible the Hebrew for frankincense ‘lebonah’ was one of the ingredients in the perfume used in the Tabernacle and was also mentioned as a commodity in trade

42 | www.life-mags.com

When inhaled, frankincense oil has been shown to reduce heart rate and high blood pressure. It has anti-anxiety and depression-reducing abilities and studies have shown that frankincense has immune-enhancing abilities too.

It can be used to prevent germs from forming on the skin and mouth hence being used by many people to naturally relieve oral health problems including; gingivitis, bad breath, cavities, toothaches, mouth sores and other infections.

Several research groups have found that frankincense has promising antiinflammatory effects and there are also a lot of studies that suggest Boswillia is beneficial in the fight of cancer.

Frankincense has been demonstrated to inhibit the production of key inflammatory molecules associated with conditions like arthritis.

Research suggests that frankincense oil can be used to improve memory and learning functions and is useful in lowering levels of anxiety or chronic stress.

It has a calming, grounding scent that can naturally help you to fall asleep. This natural sleep aid has an affinity with chest and bronchial problems and helps open breathing passages.

Frankincense has the ability to strengthen skin and improve its tone and elasticity, helping prevent the rapid onset of fine lines and wrinkles, seemingly a fact known to the ancient Egyptians who used it extensively in their skin preparations.

Modern science is now corroborating ancient knowledge and has found it also helps the skin defend against bacteria, may also help reduce the appearance of scars and acne and help to heal wounds, fade stretch marks, surgery scars or marks associated with pregnancy and can be used for healing dry or cracked skin.

SKIN CARE RECIPE • Use a thoroughly washed, recycled face cream jar (not plastic) • Fill with unscented (mild) coconut oil • Using a tooth-pick, make several holes in coconut oil • Pour 8 drops of frankincense high grade essential oil onto surface of punctured coconut oil • Smooth coconut oil across top covering holes • Cover with lid or cling film • Leave to infuse for 24 hours • Use half a teaspoon on upper chest, neck and face, daily (makes a wonderful night cream) To acquire high grade frankincense essential oil, call Juanita on 07829 856976

MEL OWERS Painters & Decorators Limited

Interior and Exterior Decorating Covering all aspects of the trade including Specialist Paint Effects and High Quality Wall Coverings

726663 Or contact John McInally on 07797 710 890 anytime Daytime telephone and fax number:

Email: melowers@hotmail.co.uk Kroonstad, Clairvale Road, St Helier

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RECIPE

n o i t a r i p s n I y t r a P Festive

Whether you’re throwing a Christmas party or a New Year’s Eve bash you’ll want to delight your guests with some delicious festive recipes. Quick canapes, easy buffet ideas and delicious cocktails, our festive entertaining recipes will make sure your party goes with a bang TURKEY AND MOZZARELLA CHRISTMAS SANDWICH LOAF More Turkey Curry? If the answer is ‘No’ then this Christmas sandwich loaf is a much more interesting way of using up leftover turkey.

Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 15 minutes plus standing time Cooking time: 0 You’ll need: 1 circular loaf 3 tbsp cranberry sauce 6-8 long Cos Leaves 150g mozzarella, sliced

jar roasted vegetables (Peppers, aubergines, courgettes etc) Leftover turkey breast torn into pieces

What to do: Cut the top off the loaf approx ¼ the way down and pull the soft bread out of the centre to make a bowl shape of the crust with a 2cm layer of bread inside.

Spread half of the cranberry sauce in a thin layer all over the inside of the bread bowl then layer half of the Cos leaves over the bottom, tearing them to fit. Add a layer of mozzarella then the roast veg then the turkey and top with the rest of the cranberry. Repeat this till the bread bowl is full. End with a layer of Cos leaves.

Replace the lid and tightly wrap the whole thing in cling film and balance a can on top to weigh it down. Leave to firm up for 1-4 hrs.

Cut into slices to serve.

Note: dry the roast veg and mozzarella on kitchen roll to avoid the bread getting too soggy. www.makemoreofsalad.com

BERRYWORLD CRANBERRY MOJITO Serves: 1 Preparation time: 30 minutes for cocktail plus cooling time (a couple of hours) You’ll need: For each Mojito: 10 mint leaves ½ lime 4 tbsp/ 60ml Cranberry Syrup 4 tbsp/ 60ml rum Ice Soda water For the syrup: (serves 4) 500g cranberries 300g sugar 250ml water

What to do: Put the cranberries, sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer and allow to bubble for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the berries burst. Leave to cool allowing the cranberries to steep for a few hours or overnight. Strain the mixture into a jug, pushing it through the sieve with the back of a spoon. To make a Mojito put the mint leaves in a glass with the lime juice, mix and crush together with the handle of a wooden spoon. Add the syrup, rum and ice and stir well or shake together in a cocktail mixer.

Top up with soda water and add a sprig of mint and a few cranberries to serve.

Note: Use white rum for a classic Mojito flavour or spiced rum for a richer more Christmassy taste. www.berryworld.com

RECIPE

CHEESECAKE WITH BERRYWORLD CRANBERRY GLAZE This cheesecake has a rich lemony filling topped with a wonderfully sweet and tangy cranberry glaze.

Serves 10-12

Prep time: Cook time: 1 hour + cooling

You’ll need: For the base: 250g crushed digestive biscuits 110g melted butter For the filling: 500g full fat cream cheese 500g mascarpone cheese 50g caster sugar

2 large eggs 2tsp vanilla essence Zest and juice of 1 lemon For the glaze: 3-4tbsp water 50g sugar 100g fresh cranberries 3 tbsp orange marmalade

What to do: 1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas Mark 3. Line the bottom of a 20cm spring form or loose bottom cake tin with greaseproof paper. (Alternatively bake the cheesecake in a pie dish, without lining, so it is ready to serve straight from the dish). 2. To make the base mix the melted butter into the crushed biscuits and press into the base and sides of the tin with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling. 3. Mix both the cheeses, the sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and beat until well blended.

Spoon into the prepared base and smooth over the top with a knife. Bake in the oven for one hour. 4. After an hour switch the oven off, leaving the cheesecake inside for a further two hours. 5. After two hours remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool completely. Run a knife around the sides, then remove the outer spring form tin.

Turn the cheesecake out onto a plate so that you can remove the bottom of the tin and the paper. Place the serving plate over the cheesecake base and invert so that it is ready to decorate. 6. Place the cranberries in a saucepan with the water and sugar and boil gently heat for 5-10 mins until the berries start to burst. Add the marmalade.

Bring back to the boil, stirring occasionally to mix well. Allow the topping to cool completely, then spoon over the cheesecake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Are you planning a dinner party, or a get together with friends and family?

CANDY FLOSS • HOG ROAST • BESPOKE BBQ'S • SPANISH PAELLA • BUFFET Clients planning everything from a meal for two, to a large dinner party with bespoke menu choices. All the benefits of eating in the comfort of your own home, without lifting a finger. In consultation with you, the Chef buys all the ingredients, prepares and serves the meal. (Waiter service available on request.)

The icing on the cake? The dishes are done, and the kitchen left exactly as it was found!

Please contact Kris Watts who will be happy to discuss your requirements Tel: 07797 826841 Email: wattscookingjersey@gmail.com www.wattscooking.co.uk wattscookingjersey

WINE

Christmas Gifts for Wine Lovers

by Martin Flageul DipWSET, Wine Consultant Choosing Christmas presents is never easy, especially for the wine enthusiast who has a cellar full of rare vintage wines. Selecting wine for someone else can also be quite difficult but there is a large number of serious and not so serious wine-related gifts which should appeal to most tastes.

ADVENT CALENDAR It might be a little late by the time this article is published but there is a range of wine Advent calendars available online or from a number of outlets in the UK. Priced between £60 and £80, each calendar contains 24 small 187ml or 200ml bottles of wine. Wine Advent calendars are available from Aldi, Virgin Wines and Laithwaites.

WINE SOCKS Putting their feet up with a comfy pair of socks and a glass of wine after a busy day might be your loved one’s way to relax.

Personalised socks with the message on the sole of the sock “If You Can Read This” on one sock and the message of your choice with up to 24 characters on the other. Ideas for the other sock include “Bring Me a Glass of Wine” and “It’s Time for Wine”. Socks are available priced around £8 per pair from various online suppliers.

REAL WINE GUMS Flavours of wine grapes are now available in the form of wine gums. Tasting your favourite grape variety in solid form and without alcohol is now possible from Firebox online. The tastes are said to be sophisticated with grapey, tannin-like flavours.

Flavours available include Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Rosé wine. Priced at £8.99, these wine gums are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and are said to be free from fat, nuts, gelatin, lactose and artificial colourings.

CHEESE AND WINE SERVING SET WITH KNIFE From the Iwoot company a wine and cheese set can be purchased online. Sold as a Gentlemen’s Hardware Cheese and Wine Set – I hope no one takes offence at the company’s non-PC advertisement. The set features an acacia wood serving board with painted handle and leather hanging loop, an all-in-one corkscrew and bottle opener plus a wooden handled stainless-steel cheese knife.

Perfect for opening the claret and cutting the Comté!

WINE CLOCK It might be too late for the Advent calendar but a personalised wooden wine clock containing 12 x 187ml bottles of wine might be suitable for the 12 Days of Christmas and beyond.

The wines include Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay held in a wooden clock. Priced at just under £60 from Getting Personal Ltd, this gift can also have personalised message attached.

ELECTRIC CORKSCREW If you know someone who finds pulling a cork sometimes harder than it appears when done by a professional sommelier, maybe the Vinology Deluxe Electric Corkscrew is a gift to consider for them. Tight corks are easily drawn at the press of a button and disposed of by pressing another button.

Capable of tackling up to 50 bottles of wine, the electric corkscrew also comes with a foil cutter.

Priced at around £25 from Wayfair.co.uk, the Vinology electric corkscrew is cordlessly rechargeable.

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and healthy and prosperous New Year!

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GARDENING

8 ways to help e wildlife in your garden is winter Our birds, small mammals and insects could use some assistance getting through the colder months.

Hannah Stephenson reveals how...

Winter is a time when wildlife needs an extra helping hand, to ensure that birds, hedgehogs and other visitors to the garden make it through the colder months.

The extreme weather, lack of food and changes in sheltering habits can all play a part and make this time of year tricky for the animals living outdoors - but how can you help them?

Here are eight ways to help the wildlife on your doorstep through the winter months...

1. KEEP BIRD FEEDERS AND BATHS TOPPED UP Many birds lose 10% of their body weight overnight in cold weather and expend a lot of energy flying to feeders, so you need to keep your bird feeders and baths topped up so they don't have a wasted journey.

Provide them with a variety of foods, from seed and suet to fruit, dried mealworms and grated cheese. Avoid anything salty like salted peanuts and lose the net strings that fat balls come in,

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as birds can get their feet and beaks stuck in them. Don't put out cooking fat or vegetable oil, which don't agree with birds.

Site feeders or nest boxes at a high level, to make them less accessible to cats. There are many seed mixes on the market, but avoid those which contain a lot of wheat. They appeal chiefly to pigeons.

Finches and tits go for sunflower seeds, while blackbirds and thrushes love fruit and berries including pyracanthas and cotoneasters. Blackbirds enjoy dried fruit, such as sultanas.

Wishing all of our

customers old and new a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2. BE BERRY AWARE Birds rely on berries and seeds to keep their food supply up during the winter months, so if you are using berries for Christmas decorations and have netted them for protection, leave at least some berries for the birds.

J Brennan Groundworks Ltd Tel: 07797 730937

jbrennangroundworks@hotmail.co.uk All aspects of groundworks and excavations undertaken

NO POOL TOO LARGE! 3. ROTTEN WOOD IS GOOD After autumn pruning, don't dispose of all your rotten wood and bark, because these provide much needed shelter for many overwintering insects including ladybirds.

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4. FEED THE BEES Occasionally, bees will emerge from their winter hibernation on milder days. Treat them to a 50:50 sugar and water solution.

Certain kinds of bumblebee, including the buff-tailed bumblebee, are seen in winter gardens on sunny days.

Choose a sunny spot for plants which are nectar-rich including the stinking hellebore and winter-flowering heather. continues overleaf...

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GARDENING

5. KEEP AREAS UNTIDY Don't worry too much about sweeping up all the leaves because they can provide shelter for a range of mammals and insects.

Among the best hiding areas is under hedges, which should remain dry and relatively warm.

Pests including slugs and snails often hide under leaves or other garden debris, providing tasty morsels for birds, frogs and hedgehogs.

If it does freeze, get a pan of boiling water and place the pan carefully on the ice, so that it gradually thaws to make a hole.

Place old roof tiles and logs in sunny spots near the pond to give shelter to frogs and toads.

7. LOOK AFTER INSECTS While many insects hibernate in the winter, occasionally on sunny days some will emerge from their slumber in search of pollen.

Good sources include ivy, which flowers in winter, and mahonia, which produces clusters of sweetly-scented zingy yellow flowers from November to March.

Butterflies and moths overwinter as pupae or caterpillars in long grass or at the base of plants, or even just below the soil, so keep your grass as long as you can stand and don't cut back all of your perennials, as other insects including spiders may take refuge in the hollow stems.

8. HELP HEDGEHOGS In mild winters, hedgehogs can remain active in the garden through November and December. If hedgehogs are hibernating in your garden, just be aware that they may have found refuge in your compost heap, so be careful when turning it.

6. DON'T LET PONDS FREEZE OVER If you have fish, they need oxygen to survive - and when a pond freezes over it dramatically reduces oxygen content, so stick a tennis ball on the surface of your pond to stop it freezing.

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While their general diet consists of slugs, worms, beetles and caterpillars, in cold snaps the number of insects and pests will be much more scarce. Give hedgehogs extra food such as meat-based wet dog or cat food, hedgehog food or cat biscuits.

They will also need a shallow dish of fresh water. Don't give them milk, as they are lactose-intolerant.

TRAVEL

Heaven looks at you from the Brooklyn Bridge

by Rebecca Underwood

River Skyline View. Photographer Julienne Schaer Brooklyn, one of New York’s five boroughs, is connected to Manhattan by the mighty Brooklyn Bridge, spanning 1.3 miles across the East River. On its opening day in 1883, amid much fanfare, more that 150,000 people walked across it.

Local residents later suspected that the structure was unsound and rumours continued to spread until the flamboyant Phineas Taylor Barnum; founder of the Barnum and Bailey Circus; guided 21 elephants over it. Recognised as a National Historic Landmark in 1964, the Brooklyn Bridge continues to be a major tourism attraction.

The William Vale - Photographer Lester Ali

Prospect Park Grand ArmyPlaza Photographer Will Steacy

and dryer. There is also a garden with a barbeque and a selection of garden furniture, which is ideal when the night temperature is favourable. Rather than utilising my very limited skills in the kitchen I took a stroll along to Bedford Avenue and popped into a family owned restaurant.

Fancy Nancy’s was buzzing with locals, which is always a good sign. I sampled the delicious veggie burger and my chilled glass of Palomino And Pedro Ximenez 2017 enhanced the flavours perfectly.

Today, Brooklyn is in fashion, it's a ‘go to’ destination for tourism, a focal point for entrepreneurs, digital start-up companies and forward thinkers and it's a ‘cool’ spot for designers and artists.

To stock up on groceries, the Down to Earth Farmer’s Sunday Market on Park Slope’s 4th Street at 5th Avenue is ideal.

Crammed with vendors selling a huge variety of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, baked goods and dairy products, this is a great place to mingle with the locals and to get a true ‘feel’ for Brooklyn.

Keen to experience life in the local community, I moved into a two bedroom apartment in a classic Victorian brownstone property located in the leafy Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood.

Only 2.5 blocks from the subway, this is the perfect spot in the heart of the action offering guests the opportunity to take part in local life, if only for a short time.

The apartment, listed on the Home Away website, is comfortable and spacious and features an enormous kitchen with every appliance including a washing machine

For a deeper insight, I headed for the Brooklyn Museum, on Eastern Parkway.

One of the many collections, ‘Something to say: Brooklyn Hi-Art!’ runs until 30 June 2019, and features text-based works, by local artists. The striking works are prominently displayed in the museum’s public spaces. Using questions, language and humour, the intension is to encourage dialogue related to local and national issues, and it’s impressive. After feasting my wide eyes on so many treasures, including the Egyptian collection, I headed continues overleaf...

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TRAVEL

Tillary Hotel Lobby off to the Norm, the museum’s bustling café, where temptations included a superb Thai curry shrimp soup and I was persuaded to try more than a sliver of carrot cake.

For those seeking an authentic American dining experience, Junior’s, which opened in 1950, is located on Flatbush Avenue EXT. The menu features a wide selection of deli-style and traditional sandwiches along with Junior’s famous 10oz char-broiled steak burgers. I opted for the sky-scraper deli-style pastrami sandwich and with a smidgeon of appetite remaining I just had to try the ‘World’s best cheesecake’, which was everything I expected.

After that guilty pleasure I took a very brisk walk to Prospect Park’s Zoo, which is highly regarded, due to its continuous and successful conservation efforts. Home to over six hundred animals, attractions include Animal Lifestyles, which features a very vocal Hamadryas Baboons, a gorgeous Pallas’s Cat and a boisterous group of Geoffrey’s Marmosets, constantly squabbling over fruit and just about anything else. Following the Discovery Trail I was enchanted by the adorable red panda, and in the Hall of Animals I encountered a mean looking poison dart frog and remained at a very safe distance!

Strolling around the nearby Grand Army Plaza, I hailed a yellow taxi in search of a shopping expedition. Brooklyn offers an enticing range of trendy boutiques and huge malls including City Point (entrances on Albee Square West and Flatbush Avenue), which features Century 21, a popular department store crammed with 7 floors of designer fashions at discounted prices. As an unrepentant handbag and shoe addict I succumbed to the temptations of Love Moschino and just had to have a funky pair of boots by Donna Karan. Credit card limit intact, I hurried along to Macy’s, a short walk away on Fulton Street.

Fully laden with bags of goodies I hopped on the local public bus and made my way to Williamsburg, another popular Brooklyn district, which is simply bursting with bars, eateries and entertainment. I stayed a stone’s throw away at the 23 storey William Vale hotel, located on North 12th Street. Facilities include New York’s longest outdoor swimming pool, which is perched above the property’s 15,000 square feet rooftop park, and it affords spectacular views. Accommodations are spacious with contemporary furnishings and features include floor-to-ceiling windows and open-air balconies. Leuca, the hotel’s Italian dining venue, serves a great breakfast, including lemon-Ricotta pancakes, and there's a wide variety of wood-fired pizzas, pastas and more served throughout the day and night.

For a Scandinavian dining experience I headed for Norman, a hop and skip away on Norman Avenue. Popular with locals and out-of-towners, this minimalist warehouse-style restaurant 54 | www.life-mags.com

Home Away apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant features a long bar and an open kitchen with a bevy of chefs creating some fine dishes. I ordered a seasonal special; the crispy Farro porridge and wild mushrooms accompanied by a cool glass of 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and it was served with aplomb.

Another great place to stay is the Tillary Hotel on Flatbush Avenue Ext, which is a short stroll from the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade, and it’s a stylish and contemporary property. Accommodations range from a classic king or queen room measuring 250 sq ft to suites offering up to 450 sq ft with ultra-comfortable beds swathed in Frette linens, and there are interactive Smart TV’s and complimentary Wi-Fi. After a tasty breakfast in the hotel’s TRoom Café, which serves products that are all made in Brooklyn, I set out for a walk across Brooklyn Bridge.

As buses and coaches are banned from crossing the bridge the best option is to follow the pedestrian walkway in the centre of the traffic lanes. The walkway is surprisingly narrow and on arrival it was clear to me that a lot of people had the same idea at the same time! But, it was more than worth it as I gazed upon the astounding views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty and I recalled Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn’s wonderful song and Frank Sinatra’s soothing voice: ‘Like the folks you meet on, like to plant my feet on, the Brooklyn Bridge, what a lovely view from, Heaven looks at you from, the Brooklyn Bridge……………..

'Top tip' Accommodation For more information on the featured property (157019), and more across the world, visit the most trusted holiday rental company at homeaway.com. And for the featured hotels visit thetillaryhotel.com and thewilliamvale.com 'Top tip' Airport transfers and getting around New York Book private transfers from and to all New York airports and more.

Take advantage of a reliable and punctual, first class service.

Prices are all-inclusive and guaranteed in advance, so you can sit back and relax upon arrival. Visit blacklane.com 'Top tip' Bluebird, London's popular and iconic restaurant, located on Chelsea's Kings' Road, has now opened on New York's Columbus Circle (no. 10, 3rd floor) and offers an all-day lounge, wine bar and brasserie with views overlooking Central Park. For more information visit bluebirdlondon.nyc.com 'Top tip' - travelling light with Samsonite Glide through the airport with ease. Samsonite's 4 wheel Uplight Spinner Expandable suitcase, measures 78x48x49 cms and weighs only 2.7 kgs. For more information visit samsonite.co.uk Images (excluding accommodation) courtesy of NYC & Co. For more information visit nycgo.com

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FASHION

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TWEED TRANSFORMATION: HOW THE OLD-FASHIONED FABRIC BECAME COOL AGAIN According to the AW18 catwalks, boucle is back in fashion. Katie Wright checks it out It's fair to say that in fashion, if Alexander Wang is doing something then it's definitely cool.

The New York Fashion Week wunderkind has such celebrity pulling power that at his AW18 show, Anna Wintour sat next to rapper du jour Cardi B while Kaia Gerber stalked the catwalk, and he's regularly called up to create custom looks for the likes of Beyonce and Nicki Minaj.

So when Alexander Wang declares that tweed is cool again, you'd better believe it.

That's right, the fabric traditionally beloved of country bumpkins (and, lest we forget, Madonna circa the mid-Noughties) has been given a stylish city makeover by Wang, who sent out hot pink tweed mini skirts and oversized black and white jackets as part of the collection.

Take a leaf out of Wang's book and try a tweed mini skirt or dress teamed with a roll-neck or body top - frayed detailing adds a punky edge.

For this season at least, Chanel-esque cropped jackets should take a backseat in favour of boxy, tomboyish pieces accessorised with chunky boots and studded leather bags.

And he's not the only one. Oversized tweed coats were a major trend on the autumn catwalks - from monochrome at Marc Jacobs and Calvin Klein, to colourful at Prada and leather-trimmed at Miu Miu. At London Fashion Week, Matty Bovan based his entire collection on the idea of deconstructing 'ladylike' style codes, which meant lot of torn and trashed tweed, but we're not suggesting you go as far as ripping up a two-piece boucle suit (unless you really want to).

This trend is about rethinking a traditional textile and styling it in a modern way.

As seen on the catwalks, a roomy jacket is a quick win and looks cool paired with faded denim and trainers mix sporty elements with your tweed to bring it up to date.

DECEMBER ISSUE | 57

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Christmas Glamour

By Penny Downes from Pennyfeathers, St Clements As we see another year come to an end the Christmas party season revs up again.

As an annual article I like to preview the trends for this season and help you too brush up your party make up skills with some top colour trends and looks for this season. The glamorous time is fast approaching so all you'll need to keep your look on trend is written below...so let me take you through this seasons top beauty looks.

So carrying on the trend from last year it's all about a Bold Lip Colour. Rich, luxurious berry colours are the great lip look for the festive season. As seen all over the Autumn / Winter catwalks and on every celebrity we are loving it! It's a bold dark look, luxuriously moisturising textures with smooth lips to make them shout out.

Go for damson shades if your pale or a chestnut hue for a warmer skin. Overlay dark colours with a black lipstick too give a dark ombrĂŠ look to be bang on trend. Line the lip in a nude liner or matching lip colour for a clean and precise look. Build the colour with a brush and blot between layers for long wearing colour.

With dark lips being so big we need to keep bases and eyes very nude but illuminated with highlighting products. A peachy glow can

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be achieved with using a cream hi-lighter on the cheek bones, eye lids and cupid's bow. Use a gentle shimmering highlighter all over the eye area and kohl pencil to line the eye and finish with lashings of mascara or a set of false lashes.

As its party season glitter is back and back with a bang. Now I may hear you cheer or groan as you either love or hate. Glitter doesn't have to be scary and it doesn't have too be for the teeny boppers either. You can wear it subtle as a liner or full on with a festival flare on the cheeks. Diffuse it from the out corner of the eye too the cheek bone for a full party look. A spot on the inner corner of the eye is very simple for a pop of sparkle anytime of the day or night.

Finally the look for this season, and I hope it's one too last, is the look of you! Make up isn't too be worn to hide but too enhance this year. Be you, be comfortable and be glam. Embrace you and you'll glow. www.penny-feathers.co.uk

Ladybirds from £60 Also available as a Brooch

Silver Saturno white owls from £135

Silver pocket watch, £325

Silver Money Clip £65

Silver Toothpick £50

Silver Napkin Hook £40

9ct yellow gold rainbow sapphire bracelet £1995

Diamond earrings prices from £200 9 ct white gold square design baguette and brilliant cut diamond ring, £1,250

Stunning pewter designs wrapped around shot, whisky or champagne glasses, from £17.50

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

As we come to the end of the year it is useful to look back and conduct your own review of the year to see what went well and what did not and where you need to focus your attention.

Life Coach, Mark Shields takes you through a Life Coaching Masterclass….

Balance is the key to happiness so why not try out this Life Coaching exercise and see what areas of your life you are doing well in and what areas might need some attention.

You can then see what to focus on next year.

RATE YOUR AREAS Rate your current level of satisfaction in key areas of life to determine where you must focus now to increase overall happiness.

Take each area and score it on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being low and 10 being high) Physical Health For example….."I think I look great but my Mum thinks I'm too thin" - this is not about how they or society feel it is about how YOU feel. It's not how your parents expect for you to do. It's just your own personal opinion.

Have you hit the mark? Are YOU happy with this current situation?

1 is for if you have really missed the mark.

10 is for perfection You will probably have very few 1's or 10's and tend to score in the middle area.

To help rate this ask yourself these questions: Are you happy with the way you feel when you wake up in the morning?

Are you happy with your body weight?

Are you happy with your energy?

Do you suffer aches and pains?

Now give a score from 1 to 10.

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Mental Wellbeing How happy are you and do you manage your stress levels adequately? Do you talk to others about your worries or do you bottle them up? How you process and manage things can have a huge impact on your mental health. Ask yourself…

How resilient am I? What are my stress levels like?

Do I suffer with anxiety?

What am I worrying about? And how often?

Score 1 to 10 now.

Environment Your environment is the place where you are supposed to be spending the majority of your time.

This could include: Your car Your closet Your house Your place of employment Your kitchen Your garage Score 1 to 10 now.

Restoration/Me Time Restoration or "Me" Time, as I call it, are those things that you do that make you feel restored. This could be coffee and a chat with a friend, a massage or spa time, this could even be a hobby or a sport.

How much time do you dedicate to YOU? Score now.

Romance/Love Everyone needs love in their life as it is a universal need.

So, how do you score this...?

You need to score what your Romance/love situation is right now, for example if you have just come out of a bad relationship and you are feeling free and enjoy being single you would score this highly as you are happy with this situation.

Or you maybe in a relationship but you wish that you weren't you would score this low.

Friends/Family This is about the ones that matter. Some friends we can lose as they are too hard work to be friends with. Some family we do not have to like just because they are blood relatives.

This can include your children but NOT your significant other.

Score yourself 1 to 10.

Finances When you think about your money situation right now - what number do you get?

Do you feel the need to improve it?

How much so?

Do you feel safe?

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING Do you feel you need a cushion, do you not need a cushion, are you happy living month to month on your current salary?

Do you have savings but wish you knew how better to investment your money?

Score this on a scale of 1 to 10.

Purpose/Work We all need purpose in our life. Do you feel like you are doing what you are supposed to be doing? Are you fulfilling your purpose at this time?

Score yourself 1 to 10.

Spirituality This word can be defined in different ways - if you believe in God or a higher power or you don't that's up to you. When you think about your spirituality how does it make you feel?

Do you feel connected to it?

Do you feel disconnected?

Give it an appropriate score.

Personal Growth Are you growing?

Are you trying to be a better person?

Are you learning how to overcome things from your past?

Are you learning how to communicate better with people?

It takes a challenge in order to experience growth and this can be scary so on a scale of 1 to 10, how comfortable are you?

The more comfortable you are the less growing you will be doing. The more uncomfortable you are the more personal growth you will be doing.

IDENTIFY YOUR CURRENT PRIORITY So after you have scored in all ten areas, you need to pick the area where you have scored the lowest but where you can influence the most change quickly.

So for instance if you scored low on physical health and you are 6 months pregnant - you should accept that you probably are not going to be able to reach your fitness goal until after your baby is born, therefore you need to pick on something else.

Now list at least 10 goals that relate to your "current priority" These will be things that you will accomplish in the next 90 days.

WRITE DOWN THREE GOALS FOR YOUR CURRENT PRIORITY By writing down your goals you are making a commitment to yourself to carry them out otherwise they will just float around in your head and never come to fruition.

These goals need to scare you, they should PUSH you, make you feel a little nervous.

Your goals are not things that just make you look good, you need to ask yourself is this going to make me feel good? How will you feel inside if you achieve this in 90 days?

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Questions you may ask yourself when setting your goals are:

impossible and make it happen by planning smartly and going for it!

What exactly do I want to achieve?

There's nothing wrong with shooting for the stars; if you aim to make your department twice as efficient this year as it was last year with no extra labour involved, how bad is it when you only reach 1.8 times?

Not too bad...

Where?

How? When?

With whom?

What are the conditions and limitations?

Why exactly do I want to reach this goal?

What are possible alternative ways of achieving the same?

Goals MUST be SMART. S is for Specific So for example you may write‌ I want to do an aerobics class/go to the gym/ play football for _ days a week NOT I want to be healthier - BE specific What exactly do you want to achieve?

The more specific your description, the bigger the chance you'll get exactly that.

M is for Measurable A Measurable goal means that you can identify exactly what it is you will see, hear and feel when you reach your goal. It means breaking your goal down into measurable elements. You'll need concrete evidence.

Measurable goals can go a long way in refining what exactly it is that you want, too.

Defining the physical manifestations of your goal or objective makes it clearer, and easier to reach.

A is for Attainable or Achievable Is your goal attainable? That means investigating whether the goal really is acceptable to you. You weigh the effort, time and other costs your goal will take against the profits and the other obligations and priorities you have in life.

If you don't have the time, money, discipline or skill to reach a certain goal you'll certainly fail and be miserable. That doesn't mean that you can't take something that seems

R is for Relevant/Realistic Is reaching your goal relevant to you? Is it realistic? Do you actually want to run a multinational, be famous, and have three children and a busy job? You decide for yourself whether you have the personality for it, or your team has the bandwidth.

If you're lacking certain skills, you can plan trainings. If you lack certain resources, you can look for ways of getting them.

The main questions, why do you want to reach this goal? What is the objective behind the goal, and will this goal really achieve that?

You could think that having a bigger team will make it perform better, but will it really?

To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work. A goal can be both high and realistic; you are the only one who can decide just how high your goal should be.

But be sure that every goal represents substantial progress.

T is for Time Constraints From the outset, set strict time scales to ensure you goal is achievable. These time scales can be reviewed at the review period every four weeks and adjusted where necessary.

Enjoy the exercise everyone, have a great Christmas and New Year and best wishes for every success in 2019 Mark Shields Author, Speaker, Mentor, Coach www.nlpcourseschannelislands.com Tel: 01462 431112

Supporting people who are socially isolated this holiday season Loneliness and social isolation are quite different things; some people can be isolated, and yet not feel alone, whereas other people can have a lot of people around them and seem very sociable, while still feeling lonely. What makes one person feel lonely and another person feel lonely is a very personal, subjective thing, we know that social isolation, however, can often be linked to loneliness. If people live alone and have less mobility, it stands to reason that they are at higher risk of being socially isolated. While this also increases the risk of being lonely, for older adults, social isolation can also increase the risk of them: 1. Developing dementia - when somebody doesn't have regular contact and social interaction with other people, it can contribute to a decline in mental clarity, and a disconnect with reality. While social isolation in itself cannot cause dementia, it can hurry it along, in those people who are at risk of it.

Conversely, regular, positive contact with others can significantly slow dementia down.

2. Falling over or hurting themselves – people who are isolated, are often more likely to hurt themselves, and also do not have the help they need if they do hurt themselves.

During the holiday season when people are particularly busy, and often away, and the health services are under more pressure than usual due to winter illness, and an increase in A&E visits, it is particularly important to check on people who are by themselves.

3. Developing hypothermia – during the winter months, older adults who are socially isolated can sometimes have a skewed perception of temperature. This accompanied with irregular eating patterns and anxiety about heating bills puts them at greater risk of hypothermia.

4. Needing to go to hospital - because people who are isolated are more likely to hurt themselves, they are also more likely to require hospital treatment.

5. Dying - while this may sound a little extreme, it is true to say that loneliness is linked to early death.

There are a lot of simple things that you can do to help though. If you are aware of an older person who will be alone during the holiday season, consider: • Dropping in a Christmas card personally and staying for a cup of tea if they invite you in.

• Asking questions which show you are interested in prolonging conversations when you see them.

• Offering to drive them to do Christmas shopping or to an event if they have mobility issues.

• Offering other practical help if you can see household tasks they may need assistance with.

• Inviting them round for dinner, or drinks at your home.

• Picking up the phone for a friendly chat if you live too faraway.

• Giving a friendly hug as a greeting or farewell.

• Watching for signs of illness and encourage them to see a doctor if you are concerned.

If someone is both socially isolated and feeling lonely, the holiday season with all of its expectations and focus on friends and family, can make everything feel worse. It can sometimes be difficult to know if somebody is socially isolated because it can be something people are embarrassed to talk about - admitting that you don't have any close friends, family or loved ones around you is not easy for some people. This is the time of year when we all need to be a little bit more aware and thoughtful about people who are in the situation.

Everybody can benefit from a more caring, engaged community that encourages connection. Life can sometimes take a strange turn, and people who would never have expected to find themselves lonely or isolated, suddenly do.

So this holiday season, please keep your eyes and hearts open for those who may need a little bit of connection – after all this is what caring and Christmas is really about.

ANTIQUES

SO MUCH MORE THAN ANTIQUES!

By Stephen Cohu Have you done your Xmas list for this year, asking Santa to bring you something a little bit special?

If you have then rip it up and if you haven’t then get to our shop and break with the convention of a new phone, a gadget that will be used once only or something just boringly practical. Under new guidelines we have to declare when editorial is actually a cleverly worded bit of subliminal advertising. However this bit of editorial is unashamedly and blatantly advertising your opportunity to go out and actually buy something different, interesting, quirky or beautiful this Christmas by taking the time to visit our shop in St Lawrence for an alternative to pants and socks!

Anyone that has been to our showrooms will know that we are so much more than an antiques shop selling dusty old junk! We do have dusty old junk but every year we sell lots of unusual, interesting and often unique items to people who are keen to give something a bit different, something that they have given real time and thought to. These gifts will give a much greater feeling of reward than a big box of chocolates or a new sweater but we appreciate that for many, going into an antiques shop nowadays will be something of a leap into the dark.

Recently there has been a noticeable swing, particularly in young people (under 35?!), to source things for their homes that are not run of the mill. They are looking for unusual and decorative items that will finish off their home, an eclectic mix of old and new.

Victorian armchairs, vintage desks and quirky 1960s items blended with other modern furnishings makes a really interesting look.

People often think it’s a big risk buying something different for a loved one or friend for Xmas and so don’t take the chance. If you know someone with an interest in a certain look then from our massive stock of just about everything we can help you choose something they will be thrilled to receive. If you don’t fancy taking the risk then visit the shop together (not all surprises are good!) or visit on your own then drop a few enormous hints as to what you have seen and where!

The perfect way to start a collection of antique drinking glasses.

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Vintage glass, interesting small antiques, antique, vintage and pre-owned jewellery can all be

A beautiful vintage lavender sapphire and diamond ring.

purchased without breaking the bank although we would prefer it if you did! To say we are Jersey’s best kept secret (a phrase that usually makes we want to regurgitate my latest meal), fits our shop perfectly. First time customers are amazed at what we have and a visit to the shed will be a jaw dropping experience! There’s still time, take the plunge and buy something different this Christmas!

What is even better than that is that antiques and second hand articles have perfectly green credentials. Pre-owned items are the ultimate in re-usable, re-cycleable and perhaps ultimately re-saleable. BUY PRE-OWNED AND SAVE THE WORLD! This may seem a rather dramatic statement but in the 21st century with the world’s natural resources being put under ever greater pressure, if you are concerned about your own carbon footprint then look no further than buying pre-owned items. Covering anything from fine antiques to second hand furniture, pre-owned anything comes with a zero carbon footprint- what can be greener than that?!

Any old pre-owned item is probably one of the most environmentally friendly things you can find (except for perhaps the old banger that should have gone to the scrapyard years ago!). The natural resources of the planet have already been used in its manufacture and transportation. No more trees need to be cut down to make a fine Georgian mahogany chest of drawers or a Victorian fireside chair. Teak forests have now been virtually all cut and gone but good teak furniture from the 1960s and 1970s is readily available, fine quality, not expensive and will last for many years longer than the ubiquitous particle board (a nice way of saying MDF) modern equivalent.

ANTIQUES

purchases tend also to be best done together to avoid the awkward moment of revelation and instant loathing but at the same time having to say you love it! Perhaps a little cynical but for many I’m sure an annual occurrence! What a perfect way of finding that something special for your home, buying something half each to give each other on Xmas morning.

The desire to collect things is largely a thing of the past and people look no further than the garden centre or online catalogue to buy most of their Xmas presents, convenient and easy but not very thoughtful. Why not buy something to start a collection, something you can both enjoy on trips away or travels at home.

The art of putting together an interesting home full of items worthy or discussion has all but passed into memory. Minimalist homes Blampied caricature - A sight we have all seen on holiday!

A new item of furniture bought from a retail outlet will have a consequence that extends far beyond the fossil fuel used to deliver the item to your house. If you trace back the entire production history of every aspect of your purchase you may encounter deforestation, environmental destruction caused by open cast mining, toxic chemicals used in glues and resins, fossil fuels used in transportation and the costs and pollution involved in disposing of the item when it outlives its useful life in three years’ time. We currently live in a disposable world where quality construction and longevity are not important. People don’t buy things to own them for a lifetime; everything is changed every few years as fashion dictates. Vast areas of tropical and temperate forests are cleared annually to satisfy the world’s growing insatiable desires for hardwood furniture; much of it being a similar brown to currently largely ignored antique equivalents!

Here are a few inexpensive low risk suggestions for some perfect, quirky or unusual Christmas presents this year that won’t break the bank or the planet!

How about a caricature sketch by Jersey’s most celebrated 20th century artist, Edmund Blampied? We have many examples in stock and I challenge you not to find at least one where you recognise the characteristics of a friend or a loved one. A large selection is available from just £80 framed. Or you could spend more on a refined watercolour or oil painting by the same hand.

Something that won’t fail to raise a smile on Christmas morning- how about a life size red glazed faience pottery French bulldog?! Not only that but when your friends come to visit they will all want one too!

A fine piece of pre-owned jewellery can be bought for a fraction of the price of buying new. You get much more for your money, the same bling without the sting! (Ouch, that was a bad one, corny but true!). Think about buying a piece of jewellery containing the birth stone of your significant other, a truly romantic and thoughtful gesture. Probably best to check the British list though as birthstones seem to be different in every country of the world!

Furniture is not so easy to buy, particularly if you want to wrap it up and put it under the tree for Christmas Day. Furniture and art

An amusing pottery French Bulldog. All your friends will want one!

full of nothing may make modern living easy but it doesn’t make it very interesting. A piece of colourful Whitefriars Glass from the 1950’s or 1960’s won’t break the bank and doesn’t have to be confined to the display cabinet; it can be used which is why it was made in the first place! Other pieces of vintage glass including bowls, vases and drinking glasses will make great unusual presents often costing less than the new equivalent.

In the shop we hear the same story every day - we live in a modern house and antiques or vintage pieces just won’t fit in.

This is simply not true but it may be difficult to find the confidence to truly mix and match old with new but if you get it right your home could look amazing. So this year with just a few shopping days left before the big day, get on the road not the internet and find something truly special for a gift this Christmas.

DECEMBER ISSUE | 65

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN YOU LIVE WITHOUT STRESS FOR A WEEK As figures show that over half of people feel stress each month, Liz Connor finds out how relaxing more can help us physically and mentally

No matter how resilient we think we are, stress is something that can easily take its toll over time. From feeling under pressure at work to juggling too much at home, there are plenty of reasons why you might regularly struggle to switch off at the end of a long day.

In the UK, a HSE study found that more than half a million people suffer from work-related stress, while a Bupa Health Clinic assessment reports that 59% of people admit they feel stress or strain across the course of a month - equating to almost 28,000 people potentially putting their health at risk.

"Stress is our body's way of responding to any kind of demand or threat," says Dr Kim Glass a GP from Bupa Health Clinics.

"It causes physical changes that help us to face these challenges - but too much stress can be damaging to our health.

"It can negatively impact sleep, diet, heart health, mental health and more - all of which are essential to living a healthier, happier life."

The complexities and demands of modern life mean that learning to let go is easier said than done - but for those who regularly live 66 | www.life-mags.com

with stress, there are plenty of good reasons to address the situation.

Here, Dr Glass explains the full extent to which living stress-free for seven days can have a positive impact on your health, both physically and mentally.

1. BETTER SLEEP It's everyone's worst nightmare on a Sunday evening. Tossing, turning and staring at the ceiling for hours, struggling to drift off peacefully because all you can think about is tomorrow's to-do list.

"Most people who experience bouts of stress find either getting to sleep or sleeping through the night difficult," says Dr Glass.

"This is because stress causes hyperarousal, which can upset the balance between sleep and wakefulness."

As a result, Glass explains that you're often left feeling unrefreshed, grouchy and exhausted during the day. Not only is this unpleasant to deal with, it can be dangerous to your health over time, as consistent poor sleep can put you at risk of serious medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

"If you're heading to bed stress-free, you're much more likely to fall into a deeper, uninterrupted sleep, meaning you will wake up refreshed, energised and ready to attack the day ahead," says Glass.

2. IMPROVED DIET In times of stress, it's not unusual to turn to sugary or high-fat foods as a way of coping. "When we're under pressure, our brains are wired to crave comforting foods," says Glass. "We're likely to want to snack on chocolate and other treats which give us dopamine - otherwise known as the happy, reward hormone.

"A health assessment allows you to see what's happening on the inside as well as on the outside and make necessary changes.

"If you're suffering from stress, it's helpful to check in, to ensure there are no deeper health problems occurring, such as high blood pressure or unhealthy levels of cholesterol."

"In a world without stress, we can be more aware of our diet.

We shouldn't crave sweet treats and will feel more motivated to prepare healthy meals, so our diet would become more regulated, more nutritious and healthier."

3. CLEARER MENTAL HEALTH "Not addressing stress can result in continued strain on the body and mind, which can contribute to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression," says Glass.

She compares stress to a car being driven continuously in the fast lane, resulting in wear and tear on the engine. "When you're stress-free, you often think much more clearly, find yourself better equipped to make the right decisions, and have a much more positive outlook on what's going on around you - both at work and at home."

4. LESS STRESS ON THE HEART Chronic stress exposes our body to unhealthy levels of adrenaline and cortisol, which can increase the risk of heart problems.

"A week away from stress would reduce the strain on our heart so it's important to consider rest and relaxation when things get tough," advises Glass. continues overleaf...

DECEMBER ISSUE | 67

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

5. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY "Stress and productivity can be a vicious cycle. Take work for example - it can cause stress, which can lead to absenteeism, putting us behind and fuelling more stress.

Make time for physical activity: "The benefits of physical activity on both the body and mind are clear. Go for a run in the park, a swim or simply head out on a brisk walk to help clear and refresh your mind."

"Elsewhere, you may have found yourself putting off heading to the gym, cutting the lawns, or other tasks you usually face head-on.

If you're feeling stressed, it's always a good idea to think about how you can relieve some of the tension in the short-term. If you're continuing to struggle though, it's always worth speaking to a GP who can help you to explore talking therapies.

"A stress-free week is sure to increase your productivity, make challenges more achievable and leave you ready to defeat whatever task lies in front of you."

Here are Glass' tips on how to better manage stress...

Try mindfulness, meditation and yoga: "Some people find that meditative approaches can help reduce stress and anxious thoughts, making you calmer and helping to relax your mind."

Reduce alcohol and caffeine intake: "While people might turn to a couple of drinks or more coffee to help them cope through difficult periods, this will only make them feel worse in the long-term."

Know your limits: "It can be hard to say 'no' but it's important to know when you are at your maximum - whether at work or at home. Don't take on too much and ensure you get enough rest."

Make time for the things you enjoy: "You're more likely to neglect the things you enjoy when you're stressed. If you enjoy meeting friends for a coffee, going to the cinema, or something else make sure you allow yourself to do so."

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"In a short amount of time it's possible to relieve the feelings of stress, and the benefits both mentally and physically will be clear to see - whether you find yourself eating more healthily, being more productive at home and at work, or simply spending more time with friends," says Dr Glass.

"Everybody gets stressed, but it's important to recognise in yourself when things become difficult, so you don't take on too much and take the necessary steps that are right for you."

OFFICIAL FERRARI DEALER

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This will make it even easier to maintain the vehicle’s distinctive characteristics, without sacrificing sporting spirit and safety.

The Official Network is on hand to explain the programme’s advantages, which include: • Rigorous checks and routine maintenance work carried out by expert technicians trained at the Ferrari Training Centre in Maranello; • Exclusive use of Ferrari Genuine spare parts and oil changes, as recommended by the manufacturer; • Use of the most up-to-date diagnostic tools; • A test drive at the end of each check to ensure your vehicle is optimally tuned; • Availability of the programme worldwide at all Official Network service centres; • Coverage of the individual vehicle and thus extended to any eventual subsequent owner within the seven years.

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MOTORING

JAGUAR I-PACE

By Jamie Fisher

The revolutionary all-electric Jaguar I-Pace. Named as car of the year by The Sunday Times, as well as Green Car of the Year.

WHAT IS IT? The Jaguar I-PACE is the electric vehicle drivers have been waiting for. Clean, smart and safe, the I-PACE delivers sustainable sports car performance, next generation artificial intelligence (AI) technology and five seat SUV practicality.

DESIGN There will be nothing else on the road that looks or drives like the Jaguar I-PACE. It is designed and engineered to take full advantage of its smart electric powertrain and maximise the potential of the package benefits it brings.

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Facts at a glance Model: Range Rover Velar P380 HSE Engine: 2995cc six-cylinder petrol Max Speed: (mph) 155 0-60 mph: 5.3 seconds MPG (combined) 30.1

MOTORING

Its sleek, coupe-like silhouette is influenced by the Jaguar C-X75 supercar with a short, low bonnet, aero-enhanced roof design and curved rear screen. This cab-forward design contrasts with its squared-off rear, which helps reduce the drag. To optimise the balance between cooling and aerodynamics, Active Vanes in the grille open when cooling is required, but close when not needed to redirect air through the integral bonnet scoop, smoothing airflow.

Inside, the layout optimises space for passengers while sophisticated materials, including the option of premium textile Kvadrat interior - an exquisite attention to detail identify this as a true Jaguar.

PERFORMANCE Two Jaguar designed electric motors which feature driveshafts passing through the motors themselves are placed at each axle, producing exceptional combined performance and all wheel drive, all surface traction.

The high torque density and high-energy efficiency characteristics of the motors deliver sports car performance, launching the I-PACE from 0 to 60mph in as little as 4.5 seconds. This instantaneous performance is matched with exceptional ride comfort and engaging driving dynamics.

The battery is placed centrally between the two axles and as low down as possible. This location enables perfect 50:50 weight distribution and low centre of gravity, which helps with the agile handling and outstanding ride comfort.

CONNECTED CAR TECHNOLOGY I-PACE introduces the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system to Jaguar. Utilising an innovative combination of touchscreen, capacitive sensors and tactile physical controls. Touch Pro Duo is intuitive to use.

A new EV navigation system assesses the topography of the route to destination and insights from previous journeys, including driving style, to calculate personalised range and charging status with exceptional accuracy for maximum driver confidence.

This advanced system uses ‘Smart Settings’ technology to identify individual driver preferences, and then tailors the I-PACE’s driving and interior settings accordingly.

I-PACE will also launch an Amazon Alexa Skill. This means owners will be able to ask an Alexa-enabled device for information held in the Jaguar InControl Remote app.

For example - Is my car locked? What is the charging level?

Do I have enough range to get to work?

ELECTRIC With a state of the art 90kWh Lithium-ion battery using 432 pouch cells, the I-PACE delivers a range of up to 298 miles (WLTP cycle).

Owners will be able to achieve a 0-80 percent battery charge in 85 minutes using DC charging (50kW). The Jaguar I-PACE will be fully compatible with DC Rapid Chargers (100kW) as the technology is rolled out, which will enable 0-80 percent charge in just 40 minutes. Home charging with an AC wall box (7kW) will achieve the same charge in just over 10 hours - ideal for overnight charging.

A suite of smart range-optimising technologies includes a battery pre conditioning system: when plugged in the I-PACE will automatically raise (or lower) the temperature of its battery to maximise range ahead of driving.

IN A WORD - Phenomenal

DECEMBER ISSUE | 71

HISTORY

The Army of Winter Night

by Paul Darroch JERSEY - 6 JANUARY 1781 Midnight has come and St Helier lies under the heart-stopping spell of a freezing January night. The foul breath of the Jersey winter congeals on the lintels of a hundred homes, insinuating itself deep into the wood, promising a bitter morning. The embers of St Helier’s dying fires throw a smoky orange pall over the deserted streets, where the townsfolk rattle and cough in their beds. Many have drunk deeply, in celebration of Old Christmas Night under the ancient calendar. The skies above them blaze fiercely with the ice-blue stars of winter.

This is a night for huddling and nestling, in the little houses that smudge the flanks of the Town Hill. Up on its desolate summit, even the grazing sheep have flocked together for warmth.

A gaggle of debtors wail from deep within the dank prison at Charing Cross, where the road passes under it at the western gateway to Town. At the other end of St Helier, LieutenantGovernor Corbet is ensconced snugly in his lavish bedchamber in the Manoir de la Motte. The King’s popinjay snores fitfully, secure in the smug little kingdom of his dreams. In the early hours, a red moon rises over the orchards and the seigneurial doves murmur in their pigeon-house by the dirt track of Colomberie.

The earth in the frozen fields around La Motte Street is hard and unyielding and the Island’s beaches have been churned up by weeks of turbulent tides. Beyond the boatyards of Havre des Pas, far along the dark sweep of the coastline, lies La Rocque, with its spine of jagged, stark sea-rocks that could pierce the moon to shreds.

In this drowned world, the shoals and sands fall like fleeting visions, but twenty feet of surging black water can catch a man faster than he can run. This is a treacherous and deceitful reef.

Anchoring places bristle with submerged rocks; gentle beaches glisten like false promises, only to splinter boats to shreds. Only a fool would dare land here, a star-crossed buccaneer so drunk on delusion that he cared nothing for the cost. A born gambler.

Baron de Rullecourt would appreciate the compliment.

He also believes it is worth paying to level the odds, and that there is no heart so loyal that it cannot be bought. So he bribed a traitor to lead the French boats in to Jersey, and show them the safest, most secret channels through the rocks. In the darkest watch of the night, Baron de Rullecourt and his mercenary army made landfall. They disembarked on the Banc de Vielet, half a league offshore, a reef ringed with rocks as sharp as broken glass. His soldiers moved like wraiths, marching across this strange lunar terrain, in towards the shores of Jersey. Low and slow, the soldiers crawled together, over the slimy sea-rocks, plunging through tidal channels, always making for the higher ground. His Legion of Luxembourg was a pack of proud irregulars; men who carried no regimental colours, and lived off the fat of the land.

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As they clamber up the beach at Platte Rocque, they spy a guardhouse with four cannon. They approach it cautiously, ready to unleash hellfire by musket, but soon discover that the shot is not needed. The embers on the grate are stone dead and the watchtower lies abandoned, as empty as the broken bottles of Christmas grog on its table.

The soldiers check their supplies of rope, to ensure they can bind a sufficient number of hostages. Then they turn and advance west, tracing stealthily up the icy veins of the country lanes until they become great frozen arteries, closing in on their sleeping prey. The townsfolk of St Helier will slumber just a little while longer.

De Rullecourt reaches up to his breast and fondles the scarlet sash which he keeps concealed here, close to his heart. This is the coveted Order of St Louis, his promised prize for seizing the Island, and he has taken the trouble of ordering the ribbon in advance.

Jersey is already in his pocket.

Paul Darroch continues the dramatic story of the Battle of Jersey in Jersey: The Hidden Histories. The book is available throughout Jersey and on Amazon, and makes an ideal seasonal gift.

CLASSIFIED COLLECTION

Give the gift of music Domestic/Office Cleaning

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PLUMBING AND HEATING LIMITED

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Roger Baudin Upholsterers and Curtain Makers

Wishes his customers a very Merry Christmas Loose Covers Foam Cut to Size Curtain poles supplied and fitted

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Peter Jouan INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DECORATING PROPERTY MAINTENANCE POWER WASHING QUALITY WALLPAPERS

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HEALING

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Reviews & Clues!

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 9

10

11 12 13

14

15 16

17

18

19 20

21

22

23

Across

Down

1. Attendant (4)

1. Dais (8)

3. Gone (8)

2. Blunder (5)

9. Insult (7)

4. Ensnare (6)

10. Junction (5)

5. Judgement (12)

11. Independent (12)

6. Slimmer (7)

13. Disc (6)

7. Obligation (4)

15. Accumulate (6)

8. Tory (12)

17. Refractory (12)

12. _On the wagon' (8)

20. Boredom (5)

14. Purify (7)

21. Prolonged shortage (7)

16. Sour (6)

22. Make-believe (8)

18. Quarrel (5)

23. Dropped (4)

19. Cry (4)

Answers can be found in next month’s edition of the Jerseylife.

BOOK of the month...

HEROES Heroes by Stephen Fry is published in hardback by Mihcael Joseph, priced £20 (ebook £9.99). Available now The second instalment of Stephen Fry's foray into the exuberant world of Greek mythology tackles the heroes, from Perseus to Bellerophon, and is just as delightful and difficult to put down as the first.

Any classics students who read their Homer and their Hesiod will know the Greek stories, whilst brilliant in their detail, depth and sense of epic adventure, are not altogether light or easy reading.

Just as in Mythos, Heroes manages make the stories relatable without skimping on the wonderful gory details, or sacrificing the traditional truths of the myth. Heroic sons of Zeus become personable boys-next-door and malevolent kings have their motives laid bare through satirical and witty conversation, typical of Fry. It's rich, it's funny and once again you'll feel like you've learned a lot along the way. With the audiobook read by Fry, listening is as delightful as reading too.

Review by Edd Dracott

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Trusted by the world’s best manufacturers

Direct Furniture Supplies is a local company, trading for over 30 years.

We undertake full kitchen projects, including various trades and additional services to complete a project from start to finish. We can also supply complete bedroom and bathroom installations too.

Please feel free to give us a ring, or call into the showroom to meet the team to discuss your requirements.

Direct Furniture Supplies | 17/19 Burrard Street | St. Helier | Jersey C.I. | JE2 4WS Tel: 01534 732314 E: showroom@dfsinteriors.com www.dfsinteriors.com