The Suburb Circular - Dec 2015 by The Suburb Circular

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6000 copies distributed door to door in Hampstead Garden Suburb

DECEMBER 2015 | ISSUE 7

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INSIDE

FOOD & NUTRITION • Home & Garden • Education & politics • health & Fitness • AND MUCH MORE...

inside

Contents DECEMBER 2015

Food & Nutrition

4 Cocktail Recipes with KEDEM 6 Mont Blancs with Chesnut Cream

Education & Politics

8 FunTech – Minecraft; Why is it so Popular? 10 Politics Matters with Mike Freer MP

Beauty & Fashion

12 Remarkable Relationships with Jessica Mcgregor Johnson

Gifts & Events

14 A sense of Christmas by Sue Gascoyne 16 Part 3 - Discontinued Tableware

Health & Fitness

19 Keratoconus

Home & Garden

20 Want to Save the Planet? By Sally Tierney 22 On Your Plot 24 Plant of the Month

Motoring & Travel 27 Fighting For Your Rights

Business &Finance

30 Too Early For Some by Darren Strom

020-3659-2399  info@thesuburbcircular.co.uk www.thesuburbcircular.co.uk No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content no responsibility can be taken for errors and omissions. The views expressed in the magazine are not those necessary those of the publishers. Readers are strongly advised to check information published with individual advertisers and take legal advise where appropriate, before entering any transactions.

The team EDITORIAL Editor Sarah Klein Contributors Kedem Europe Sheineez Barber Mike Freer MP La Belle Table Jessica Mcgregor Johnson Sue Gascoyne David Hillel Burns Sally Tierny Claiming 4 U Darren Strom

Advertising

Eli Cohen 020-3659-2399

DESIGN & PRODUC TION Scott Cartwright www.thesuburbcircular.co.uk

from the editor

Dear Readers

ts, ch ultimately means ‘presen t’s that time of year again, whi , this ut for me, am I shouting abo presents and presents’! Not to m see I mean! Expectations but presents for other people I’m a tha but t doesn’t worry me; be getting higher and higher e what ctis ught that counts’ and I pra huge advocate of ‘it’s the tho ing eth gs original and unique, som I preach. I try to think of thin . eric gen recipient, rather than just personally meaningful to the t bes backfired in the past for my Although this approach has e she tric ‘insect-vacuum’, becaus friend; she gave me an elec end cts. You trap an insect in one knows how much I fear inse t it par ger to suck it into whichever of a tube, then press the trig tI tha ch idea repulsed me out so mu gets sucked into. The whole ! never even opened the box this kind of ‘part and parcel’ of I maintain that wrapping is t of the cos the eed exc paper doesn’t principle too; as long as the present! rum. to insert a gift receipt’ conund Then there’s the ‘do I need some for g’ ome a ‘female-female thin This tends to have only bec ipts rece the know that men will lose reason, probably because we anyway!

ipt it or not, inserting a gift rece At the end of the day, wrap to ber em rem you as g lon little – as or not, spending a lot or a ok! erally be actually buy them you’ll gen h&a Christmas, a Happy Hanuka Wishing everyone a Merry Happy New Year!

S a ra h

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FOOD & NUTRITION

COCKTAIL RECIPES with… Jay Buchsba um , Director of Education for Royal Wine Corp

When Whenititcomes comesto to wine wineeveryone everyone has has an an opinion. opinion.So So what what do do you youdo dowhen whenyou’re you’re hosting hostingaafestive festiveparty party andeveryone everyone wants wants and somethingdifferent? different? something

We Weasked askedour ourresident resident party partyexpert expert(and (and director directorof ofwine wine educationfor forRoyal Royal education WineCorp.), Corp.), Jay Jay Wine Buchsbaum,and and he he Buchsbaum, suggestedmixing mixing up up aa suggested batchedcocktail. cocktail. batched

Why?It’s It’seasy, easy,you you Why? canmake makeititin inlarge large can quantitiesahead aheadof of quantities time,and andpeople people can time, helphelp themselves as can themselves toto you asopposed opposed you pouringevery every glass. glass. pouring

Jaylists listssome some Jay favouriteson on this favourites page, but but the the this page, possibilitiesare are possibilities endless. So Sograb grabaa endless. large punch bowl or large punch bowl or pitcher (or several, if pitcher (or several, if you’re creating more you’re creating more than one recipe) and than and don’tone justrecipe) host your don’t hostit your party,just enjoy too! party, enjoy it too!

P a s s io n F r u it B u b b ly This one is easy and sweet and the bubbles make it fancy, definite crowd pleaser! W hat you’ll need: Combine both bottles, mix gently and serve right away Pitcher Large to maintain all the bubbles. 1 Bottle Morad Passion Fruit Wine (Chilled) Just that simple! 1 Bottle Bartenura Prosecco (Chilled)

Dreidel Rum Punch

Be careful with this one; drink too much and your head will be spinning! Rum is a wonderfully versatile spirit that can be mixed with just about everything and the Walder’s Creamy Liqueur adds a decadent rich layer to this festive punch hat you’ll need: W In a large punch bowl, combine all of the ingredients Large except the ice and ginger ale. punch bowl 1 Bottle Ron Viejo De Caldas 3 Year Aged Rum Refrigerate the punch for 4 Cans Ginger Ale about an hour before you’re ready to serve. Then, add the 4 Cups Pineapple Juice 1 Bottle Walder’s Vodka & Vanilla Creamy Liqueur ice, ginger ale and stir. Plenty of Ice W in t e r S a n g r ia Don’t worry about following this recipe exactly. Sangria is a very forgiving drink that can be made with nearly limitless variations. Don’t have apples, use pears, have some extra oranges laying around, slice them up and add them in… In a large pitcher, combine fruit, W hat you’ll need: sugar and cinnamon stick, and Large pitcher wine. Stir and refrigerate 3-4 hours (you can prepare the night 1 Bottle Jeunesse Cabernet Sauvignon before to save even more time!) ½ bottle of Morad Pomegranate Wine so that all the flavors come ½ Cup pomegranate seeds together. Want to kick it up a ½ Cup sliced apples notch, add a little sparkling wine 1 cinnamon stick or champagne right before ¼ Cup of sugar serving.

Just remember, the important thing about hosting a party is spending time with friends and family, not your kitchen. Just remember, the important thing about hosting a party is spending time with friends and family, not your kitchen. Season’s Greetings

’! Enjoy and ‘ Enjoy and ‘Season’s Greetings’!

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

FOOD & NUTRITION

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FOOD & NUTRITION

Mont Blancs with Chesnut Cream Takes 25 minutes to make, 1½ hours to bake, plus cooling

Serves 6

EASY

M o n t B l a n c s i s a c l a s s i c F r e n c h d e s s e r t r e c i p e t h a t ’s a great make ahead dish for the busy Christmas season. Nutritional info per serving Calories 408kcals Fat 22.5g (13.6g saturated) Protein 3.1g Carbohydrates 50.4g (11.4g sugar) Salt 0.2g

Ingredients •2 egg whites, at room temperature •Pinch of cream of tartar •125g caster sugar •¼ tsp vanilla extract •6 marrons glacé (from Waitrose, large delis and specialist food shops), sliced, to serve •50g plain chocolate (50% cocoa solids), finely grated, to serve •Icing sugar, to serve For the chestnut cream •284ml carton whipping cream •1 tsp vanilla extract •250g sweetened chestnut purée

Method 1.

Preheat the oven to 110°C/fan 90°C/gas ¼ and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Pencil 6 x 9cm circles on the paper, spaced apart.

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar, until stiff peaks form, then fold in the remainder with a metal spoon along with the vanilla. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a plain 1cm nozzle and pipe rounds onto the paper, using the circles as a guide. Bake for 1½ hours or until firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

3. In a bowl, beat the cream

and vanilla extract until just stiff. Spoon generous amounts on the top of each meringue. Transfer to plates.

Beat the chestnut purée to loosen. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 3mm plain nozzle. Pipe wiggly lines over the cream and meringue.

Gently push in the marrons glacé slices. Sprinkle with grated chocolate and dust the Mont Blancs with icing sugar to serve.

MAKE AHEAD Prepare the meringues and keep stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Assemble just before serving.

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education & politics

WHAT IS MINECRAFT? SHEINEEZ BARBER - WWW.FUNTECHSUMMERCAMPS.com

e asked Sheineez Barber, Managing Partner at FunTech, who offer high quality courses on all aspects of computing, including Minecraft Redstone and Minecraft Mods, to share her insights on the universal appeal of this PC gaming phenomenon. If you’re a parent or grandparent of children over the age of six, it’s fairly likely that you’ve heard of ‘Minecraft’. In fact, it may feature prominently on their Christmas lists. Not the game itself, because they already have it, but various items from the vast range of merchandise (plush toys, action figures, clothes, books etc.) Minecraft has spawned. So what’s all the fuss about? Let’s start with the facts. Created by Swedish programmer Markus Persson in 2009, Minecraft has since sold over 70 million copies, more than any other PC game in history. 5 people buy a copy of the game every second. It would take you 3 trillion hours to play every aspect of the game. Microsoft paid $2.5 billion for it in 2014.

Why? If you’ve seen a glimpse of the game in action, you may well be baffled by its popularity. For a start, the graphics are primitive and blocky: the complete antithesis of the sophisticated hightech cinematic style of many modern video games. In terms of gameplay Minecraft doesn’t rely on players earning points or mastering levels to make progress. There are no rules. Not even any instructions. And that’s where its genius lies. The secret of Minecraft’s appeal is that there are no rules. No boundaries. It’s the ultimate sandbox game that allows players to build and explore their own world. One that just happens to be several times larger than the surface of the earth. There are two modes: ‘Survival’ where players use the 1 x 1 blocks to build shelters and turn raw materials into items to hide and protect them from monsters (zombies, skeletons, Creepers and Endermen etc.) and ‘Creative’ where players can roam freely to explore without encountering any threat. The only limit in the game is the player’s imagination. Minecraft challenges the idea that computer games are inherently bad for children in many ways. Unlike many other games where players perform

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

repetitive tasks to try and unlock the next level, this game is all about exploring creativity and building something unique. It also challenges the idea of gaming as a solitary, anti-social experience. The game undoubtedly provides a deep, immersive experience at the individual level, but its overwhelming popularity and sustained appeal is based on the fact that, at its heart, Minecraft is about being with your friends and building something wonderful. There’s no

way you can explore everything or build everything in the game, so it encourages players to share what they have created and find out what others have done. The importance of community is vital to Minecraft’s success and can be seen from its popularity on YouTube, where it is by far the most popular game based on video views. Of all the views amassed by fan videos on the YouTube, 41% were generated by Minecraft. Players watch videos

education & politics

components such as doors, run a Minecraft Mods camp that enables kids to create their very pistons and lamps; important for own mod entity inside Minecraft the complex machines they’ll be and share it with other players. building. Our ultra-popular MiThey use the basic coding tools necraft Redstone course allows acquired in our Java Coder children to explore key gameplay camp, which teaches them how aspects of Minecraft and then to get inspiration and new ideas to design and develop programs. create complex machinesTouch-typing for creations, as well as create | Fundamentals | e-Buddies There’s more to Minecraft than including a lift, an automated their own channels to stream or meets the eye. It’s more than just Minecraft station and finally record their plays so that they Touch-typing | Fundamentals | e-Buddies a computer game. It’s a world command blocks for ultimate can share what they have built. where children (and adults!) power. can explore their creativity, exThe game becomes more And that’s where the educational periment with coding and share exciting for players when they value of Minecraft comes in. For their experiences with a growing can modify it. There’s an online example, Redstone is the MiMy Tunescommunity. | Mini Movies | Game Zone forum for the game that contains necraft equivalent of electricity. over 4 million posts relating It’s found at the bottom of the My Tunes | Mini Movies | Game Zone Touch-typing | Fundamentals | e-Buddies to the thousands of mods that | Fundamentals | e-Buddies mines, which when mined will Touch-typing have been written for Minegive players Redstone dust that For more information please see craft| allowing players to add can transmit power and |make FunTech’s website: Touch-typing Fundamentals e-Buddies Redstone circuits. This can be new blocks, machines or give www.funtechsummercamps.com used to operate mechanism characters special powers. We

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Education & politics

matters TO BOMB OR NOT TO BOMB, THAT IS THE QUESTION?

ost Charlie Hebdo and Paris, how do we combat extremism? This week the Prime Minister is expected to present his strategy for combatting Islamic State, or Daesh. Then next week we are expecting the PM to seek parliamentary approval for Britain to join the 60 strong international coalition involved in bombing IS targets in Syria. At present we have the situation where RAF Jets can only operate against IS in Iraq, despite the headquarters of IS being in Syria. SO here’s the conundrum, do we take the gloves off (well partly off as we aren’t contemplating boots on the ground) and seek to destroy the military capacity of IS or do we carry on outsourcing our security to the USA, France, UAE, Jordan etc. When we hear people say “it’s not our war” or Paris is Frances’ problem do we meekly agree or wonder well what if it had been London that had been attacked. Would we hope and pray that our friends and allies came to our aid or would we quietly accept the USA or France saying ‘meh’ it’s not our war, let the Brits deal with it? I get emails saying previous incursions into Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya haven’t been a roaring success and may well have contributed to the radicalization of Muslim youth. Possibly. I do expect the lessons of previous conflicts to be learnt. I expect the PM’s strategy to outline that

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

there is a plan for the ‘peace’ after Dash is routed. We can’t destroy the enemy and walk away, we have to be there for the medium term to help build stable, functioning states. The lack of previous success, me emailers argue, mean that this time we should do nothing. In my view that would be folly. Daesh isn’t simply seeking to establish an Islamic State in neatly defined borders somewhere in the Middle East; that once they’d created the new country they’d live happily ever after and leave the rest of the world alone. Daesh are seeking to establish a worldwide caliphate. They are not seeking peaceful co-existence, they want to destroy every semblance of our pluralistic, democratic, tolerant, multi-faith societies. Remember Daesh didn’t take control of the territory in Iraq and Syria and leave the Christians, the Yazidi’s alone. Non-believers had to convert to their brand of Islam or be put to death. Archaeological sites of past civilizations with icons of other faiths or lifestyles have

Mike Freer MP for FINCHLEY & GOLDERS GREEN been systematically destroyed. There can be no peaceful coexistence. The worldwide domination objective of Daesh means that there can be no peace talks – as some emailers naively suggest. Indeed I think the Green Party suggested it. Negotiation suggests common ground. There is no common ground! So when Mr Corbyn and his fellow travelers suggest our Police shouldn’t shoot a Kalashnikov wielding terrorist. Or suggest Jihadi John the executioner, gleefully beheading people, should be brought to justice (as if the police can simply wander down into Raqqah and arrest him!!!) they are either naïve or willfully surrendering the security of our country. This is a struggle we must win and we must join our allies in that struggle; for we hang together or we hang separately.

Education & politics

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Beauty & Fashion

Remarkable

RELATIONSHIPS

WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING OFF TILL LATER? By JESSICA McGREGOR JOHNSON

read an article a while ago entitled “101 things to do before we die, just one to go and we’re not even 30!”. It caught my eye – I like stories like this. These two friends had made a list of challenges they promised to achieve over a lifetime. And in the doing of them they got so inspired that they have done them all, except one. This list included joining football team, skydiving, going in a wind tunnel, training as a life guard, working on an organic bee farm, working on a conservation project, the list goes on and on. One of the most intriguing ones was saying yes to everything for a month – I wonder how that worked out! As of one of the girls said “there is nothing worse than regret, Sam and I swore we would make the most out of every minute of our lives. Once we have completed this list, (only working at a lion park in South Africa left to do and they will have ticked that one off by now) we will start on our second 101 things to do”. Couple of things stood out for me in this story. These girls were obviously passionate about living life to the full and nothing has stopped them. They are not rich, they work like most of us, and yet they have been creative enough to find the time and the finances to live their dreams. A

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

lot of the time they managed to swap, barter or volunteer their way forward. They stayed focused on what they wanted to do and made it happen. And they didn’t let anyone tell them that it was not possible.

how my dream holiday was to go to Montana and do the cattle drive down to the winter pastures. Gotta look into that now!

The other thing that stood out for me was that this list was for a lifetime and yet at 30 they have done it all. Once you get going on a project often the momentum helps move things along. As you achieve the milestones along the way you begin to believe that it is very possible to do what you want. That belief is a key ingredient in any goal. One of the things that I do in the Passion Test is to ask people to create markers – evidence that they are living their passions – so that as they actually live them they can tick off the passion in their minds. This reminds us that things that we had no idea how we were going to achieve are actually achievable. And more often than not earlier than we thought. Reading this made me ask myself, where am I putting of things till later? Things that I could be doing now? I found myself telling someone yesterday

How about you? What have you been putting off? What are you telling yourself is not possible? Now this may be work related - like going for that big opportunity even if it has come a little earlier than you wished for. Or it could be the holiday you have been promising yourself for the past ten years but never quite found the time. Make your list – but just like these two inspiring women, don’t wait. If they can do 101 things by the time they are 30, we’ve got no excuse!

Jessica offers Life Guidance and Coaching, and she sees her job as helping you remove all the blocks and limitations out of your life, so together we can peel back the layers and find your truth within. This then points to a clear way forward to achieve your heart’s desire. If you want to know more you can visit her website www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com

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It’s allChilds Play By Sue Gascoyne | www.playtoz.co.uk

A Sense of Christmas Think of Christmas without its sights, sounds, smells and tastes and the magical festivities would certainly lack lustre. Christmas is all about the senses, from the spectacle of presents under a scented tree, the sound of ripping paper and carols playing in the background to the heady aromas of chocolate, spices and zesty fruit. All these sensations and more help give it its sense of occasion, which if repeated year on year, become treasured family traditions for generations to come. Think back to a childhood Christmas and try to put your finger on what made it so memorable? Take stocking opening. As well as the thrill of receiving a yearned for present, I wonder if snuggling up in dressing gowns and slippers on a cold dark morning, delving in the stocking, exclamations of surprise and delight and the feast for the eyes of a present strewn bed helped imprint the memory? Christmas does not have to be a time of excesses, in fact nearly forty years on I can still vividly recall my best ever present, a carrier bag of second hand Sindy clothes that would have had Hugh FearnleyWhittingstall’s wastebusters smiling. Even children too young to understand what Christmas

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

is about can appreciate the anticipation of the occasion and be enthralled by the excitement of others. If you feel that Christmas has become too focussed on presents with not enough memory-making traditions and fun, here’s some no and low cost sensory ideas to try.

Sight The sense of sight is our most stimulated sense. If 80% of all input is visual just imagine what it’s like at Christmas time with sparkly lights, tinsel, baubles and beautifully wrapped presents? When it comes to decorations often less is more, so why not use holly and ivy to add cheer without bombarding the senses? Making wreaths and displays can be a great excuse for venturing outdoors in search of holly berries and vines. Christmas wreaths don’t come cheap but handmade ones are there for

the picking. What better way of seeing young creators bristle with pride than their creation

decorating the front door or mantelpiece? Go equipped with secateurs and a bin bag (for collecting the prickly branches in) then warm up inside with a lovely hot chocolate while having fun shaping them into cool decorations. And if you’re tree decorations have been nibbled by mice (as ours were) you can try your hand at simple homemade creations, from felt stocks to clay leaves, clove studded oranges to Lego sleighs, toilet roll Santas to cotton wool snowmen and wherever else your imagination takes you.

Smell For me Christmas would not be the same without the smell of pine needles, satsumas, mulled wine and brandy flamed plum pudding. Why not limber up your nose with a spiced scented candle or better still the gentle aroma of whole dried oranges, great for getting in the mood? To add to the festive aromas and create gorgeous decorations, score the sides of whole oranges and dry them slowly in the oven – an Aga is perfect. Once dried they look amazing, and will release their zesty aromas infusing the air with the scent of Christmas.

Continued on Page 16…

SET THE RIPPLE EFFECT IN MOTION AND VOLUNTEER THIS WINTER Just as a small pebble tossed into a lake stirs the water, so too a small act of kindness cheers a person – and not just the recipient, but the giver too. Now compound that with many acts of kindness and together we can change the face of our community. With 10 days and over 100 activities there’s something fun and meaningful for everyone.

ACTIVITY CATEGORIES INCLUDE:

the Suburb Circular • OCtober 2015

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GIFTS & events

La Belle Table BRANDED KITCHENWARE & BEAUTIFUL GIFTS

DISCONTINUEDTableware It’s that time of year again, when the Tableware Brands announce which chinaware patterns will be discontinued. It is always very unfortunate when an existing China Pattern is discontinued and we are subsequently unable to help our clients purchase Dinnerware items that they need. When a Pattern becomes discontinued pieces are not too difficult to find at first, then, after time passes, the main Dinnerware pieces i.e. Dinner plate, Salad Plate, Soup plate and Cereal bowl do indeed become difficult to source.

When one can absolutely not find any stock of a discontinued existing pattern one should attempt to match the pattern with other pieces, such as a plain design in the same shade of white (usually easy to find within the same Brand) or similar patterns in a different Brand, if it exists. There is a solution to avoid this happening; Sign up to our China Pattern Information Service so that we can inform you if your pattern is being discontinued. Furthermore we can advise as to

your options of purchasing additional settings before you are no longer able to do so. Some brands even put their discontinued china at up to 50% off! If you know that your China Pattern has been discontinued – do not delay in looking for pieces that you are missing or may want to replace over the next few years. The longer you wait, the more unlikely it is that you will find what you are looking for.

For help in making your table look fantastic, call us on 02084581331 or visit www.labelletable.co.uk

Continued from Page 14…

Taste Children love the opportunity to get creative in the kitchen so why not make mince pies, Christmas cookies, sweets or sausage rolls together? As well as being cheaper and nicer than most shop bought options it gives children great satisfaction knowing they’ve made something as well as teaching them about food. Try this fun variation on the humble mince pie. Use readymade puff pastry to make mince pie bases and fill with mincemeat. Decorate with pastry stars, holly leaves, bells and trees (either free hand or cut with cookie cutters) to form the lids. Brush with beaten egg and bake. The puffed up creations will really wow visitors, and if

my children are anything to go by, they’ll get great satisfaction from being hands-on. As well as being fun and a great way of saving money, you’ll be creating traditions and memories for the future. Our retro repertoire includes a Yuletide log, marzipan fruits and huge stocking shaped mince pie! Which recipe will you choose to become your family favourite?

Sound In our house Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without festive music. From Bing Crosby to choral pieces and popular carols, Christmassy music offers a change to the norm and makes the occasion all the more special. Not all traditions need to cost the earth. With a crackling open fire we always sort through the box of decorations (homemade and bought) and dress the freshly dug tree to the sound of White Christmas. But music doesn’t have to be traditional why not invite older children to create their own Christmas playlist and get ready for some embarrassing dad dancing!

For fun sensory play activities, Sue’s latest research, resources and training go to www.playtoz.co.uk | sue@playtoz.co.uk | 01206 796722

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

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HEALTH & FITNESS

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Keratoconus By David Hillel Burns

David Hillel Burns is an optician. He is the only hospital optometrist at Specialist level working in the NHS in North London and has wide experience over forty years in vision-care. David is in practice at 119 High Road, East Finchley and also works in eyesight research at university. He is passionate about helping people to achieve the best eyesight. Being an independent practitioner, he is free to offer a bespoke service. For spectacles, and contact lenses, this allows the result to be perfectly suited

to the individual. If required, the lenses can be matched with a wide selection of designer and affordable frames. However, there is more to eyesight than specs. One of David’s specialisms is a condition called keratoconus that affects one in about two thousand people, causing blurred sight, often in the teenage years. Special contact lenses for keratoconus can restore normal sight, and David has fitted these over thirty years for people who would have not otherwise have been able to see so well.

If you have a particular eye or vision problem, or if you would like your eyesight to have a thorough review, make an appointment with David on 0208 444 2233.

Merry Christmas FROM THE LAB

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HOME & GARDEN

Grassroots

By Sally Tierney, www.yorkshiregardendesigner.co.uk

If you want to save the planet, take up gardening.

’m not a doctor, and my contact with the medical profession is as brief as I can make it, so any comments in this article are my musings and observations but I’ll bet that you already agree with me, without any supporting research. As a busy person, running my company, Yorkshire Garden Designer and caring for my own garden, I don’t stop to think about much beyond the immediate and the urgent. I’m sure you do much the same. So it came as a surprise to find that in actual fact I was doing quite a good thing, in my own little way, to boost the health p of the whole planet.

As a gardener, one of my primary goals is to keep the soil in my veg patch in good heart and by that I mean that I work quite hard to make ensure that I put a decent amount of organic matter in the soil every year which gives it good structure, keeps it moist, fertile and supports a wide range of soil born organisms. An easy way to check the condition and fertility of your soil is to do the worm test. To do this, just dig a hole in one of your borders, about a foot down (30cm) and as wide. Get a clean piece of plastic and put the soil that you dig out of the hole onto it. Once you have finished the hole, look through the excavated soil and count the number of worms you find there. If you have 8 or more, your soil is in excellent condition. If you have less, or even only one, you know that you need to get some well-rotted organic matter into it as quick as possible. There is an obvious benefit to keeping the soil in good heart. It will support healthier plants which are the basis of the food chain we all rely on, as well as

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

making a vital contribution to keeping our environment clean and viable. The less obvious benefits of keeping our soil in good condition is that fewer man-made chemicals are needed to grow the crops we rely on, there is more bio-diversity and less soil blows away. Soil erosion is a huge problem worldwide and whole populations have experienced devastating famines as a consequence. It comes about because the soil loses its organic matter (which happens for many reasons) and as a result becomes light and dry. So when the wind blows, the thin soil goes with it and without any soil, it is impossible to grow anything. You may think that this is a problem that only countries such as Ethiopia must deal with but you’d be wrong. Soil erosion happens in the UK too, and for the same reasons as in Ethiopia. Which is where us gardeners can actually make a difference, even if it is only in your back garden. For more info about this sort of thing, download the first chapter, FREE, of my forthcoming book ‘The Garden Equation. How to have a garden you love that fits beautifully into your lifestyle’ at www.yorkshiregardendesigner.co.uk

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HOME & GARDEN

on your Plot SCARVES AT THE READY

December is perhaps the one month where, in the build up to Christmas, with roaring fires and shorter days, even the hardiest of gardeners may struggle to get out there and do the necessary for their plots. December often means hard frosts and you thus need to harvest your winter cabbages, celery and cauliflowers this month. Parsnips and swedes are pretty hardy so if you are a bit over-run with your crop you can keep these in the ground until you need them. If bad weather is forecast then keep some straw

handy to cover them over and to stop the ground from freezing them in. Make sure that you check your stored crops for any sign of disease and remove any that look problematic. If the ground isn’t too sticky then this is also a great time to get out your hoe and work between your vegetable crops. Look out for any plants which might have been lifted by frost and press them gently back into the ground.

Keep an eye on your Brussels too - these should be starting now so try cooking them in different ways in your meals before the ‘big day’ (adding a spot of garlic can make all the difference) until you find something suitable to go with the bird. You don’t just have to eat them on Christmas Day you know!

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Be mindful of any snowfall this month or in future weeks and help out your plants and shrubs as best you can by brushing off any settled snow. This helps to prevent any damage with branches breaking under the weight. Just make sure you if you have small children they don’t take this as an opportunity to flick snow everywhere otherwise your quiet gardening time could suddenly turn into an impromptu snowball fight! Birds at this time of the year need all the help they can get too. There are some great plants that you can introduce to help them as well as popping out the traditional feeders.

These include hawthorn, holly, beriberi and indeed your holly can double up as a craft project for indoor decorations over the festive season. If you are planting these types of shrubs for our feathered friends then do try and put them somewhere quiet in the garden where the birds won’t be frightened off. Sit back at your window and watch them feed contentedly whilst you enjoy the view. Why not get out a few gardening books, grab a cup of tea and imagine how you’d like your garden to look next summer? More or less vegetables? Bigger shrubs, more colour? Whatever you choose, pat yourself on the back for all the hard work you’ve done this year and think how green your fingers really could be!

Jobs for December Continue collecting falling leaves and put them in a leaf mould cage ready for next year. Take hardwood cuttings of soft fruit. Cover your compost bins Pop some more manure into your digging efforts. Keep an eye on any slugs trying to get at your potatoes Keep your bird feeders topped up, especially if there is ground frost or snowfall. Keep mice away from your harvested produce. Cut back any creepers that have become a bit excitable during the year.

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HOME & GARDEN

Plant of the Month

PRIMROSE The first sight of a primrose can never fail to warm the cockles of one’s heart, especially if the winter months have been somewhat dreary. Growing these pretty plants is relatively easy and can be grown from seed, sown outdoors in a cold frame during winter. Once they’ve got their second or third leaves they can be put out into the garden, either at the front of a bed

or in a container. They don’t grow overly tall and need planting in lightly shaded areas about 6-12 inches apart. Keep an eye on slugs and snails as these can often affect the plants otherwise enjoy the white, yellow, red and pink colours that will bloom.

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MOTORING & TRAVEL

Claiming4U –

“FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS”

0161 798 8586 0r call 24/7 on 0800 180 4019 Call:

By Claiminbg4U, www.claiming4u.co.uk/delayed-flights

ourt ruling makes it easier to claim compensation for a late flight, as airline industry is put under ever more pressure to pay up

which also ruled that technical faults couldn’t count as an extraordinary circumstance.

A recent landmark ruling at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) means that passengers delayed by an aircraft technical fault will now be far more likely to receive statutory compensation.

If your flight is delayed by more than three hours, then you are potentially entitled to compensation depending on the circumstances.

How so? Well, Europe-wide flight delay legislation states that if your flight is delayed by more than three hours – or cancelled – you could be eligible for compensation. This could be more than £400 per person in some cases, unless the reason for the delay is considered to be an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ – in other words, outside the airline’s control. The key issue has traditionally been precisely what constitutes a circumstance that is outside the airline’s control. Airlines have generally argued that technical faults are outside the control of the airline if they are discovered unexpectedly or spontaneously rather than through routine maintenance. Now, though, the ECJ has ruled that Dutch carrier KLM must pay out over a ‘spontaneously’ discovered technical fault. This reaffirms a UK Supreme Court verdict from last October,

My guide to making a claim for your flight delay:

Which flights qualify for compensation?

• UK or European flight - Any flight that has a UK or European departure and arrival airport then depending on the cause you may be entitled to compensation • International flight

leaving UK/Europe - If you have an international flight that is delayed in reaching its destination by more than three hours and the destination is over 3500km, then depending on the cause of the delay you are entitled to compensation

• International flight arriving into UK/Europe -If your flight

into the UK or Europe is delayed in reaching its destination by more than three hours and the departure airport was more than 3,500km away and you are travelling with an airline based in the UK or Europe then, depending on the cause of the delay, you can claim compensation

How long do I have to claim?

In theory you can claim back to 2005 for any compensation. However, in England and Wales going to court has a limitation of 6 years and in Scotland 5 years.

What countries are included in the delayed/ cancelled flight regulations? All EU member countries are covered by EU261 regulations, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. If you are flying out of the European Union, the regulations are based on the distance of the flight. If you are flying into an EU airport, the carrier must be based within the EU.

Do you have to be an EU citizen? No, the regulation covers all those flying, although we have heard that British Airways is trying to claim the regulations do not cover non-EU citizens.

What if my interconnecting flight is delayed? If you have bought the tickets as a single booking, and your first flight is delayed, any compensation should be based on the delay when you arrive at your final destination. However, this area of the law is currently grey as there is no legal precedent to prove this point as yet. www.thesuburbcircular.co.uk

MOTORING & TRAVEL

When is a delay counted from? Your flight delay is based on the scheduled arrival time. This is counted from when the doors are opened on the plane and not when it lands (as some airlines may claim).

or 600 euros depending on the flight category:

Category 1: UK/European flights less than 1,500 km in distance - 250 euros

Category 2: UK/European

Which airlines are covered?

flights: 1,500 to 3,500 km in distance - 400 euros

All EU airlines are covered, plus international flights that are over 3,500Km leaving from or arriving into the EU.

Category 3: International flights into/out of the EU greater than 3,500km - 600 euros

For non-EU airlines, only flights leaving the European Union that are over 3,500Km are covered by the regulations.

What is the compensation? Compensation can be 250, 400

Can you claim for delayed incoming plane, or late flight crew?

This is within the airline’s control and therefore you should be entitled to compensation. If the issue was caused by an issue

Last Posting Dates UK INLAND SERVICES

outside of their control, provided the airline has done everything in their power to try and provide a plane, then they can argue that the delay is not their fault. As a result, these cases will be looked at by the airline on a case-bycase basis.

Can you claim for diverted flights? If the diversion was outside of the operator’s control, you cannot claim compensation.

Can you claim for bad weather? This is outside of the airline’s control and you cannot claim compensation.

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MOTORING & TRAVEL

Can you claim for air traffic control delays?

This is outside of the airline’s control and you therefore cannot claim compensation. What if the airline says no?

Designated Body

If your airline rejects your complaint you can raise the issue with the relevant regulator under EC261. If you depart from a UK airport or land at a UK airport on an EU carrier (e.g. BA from New York to London), you send your case to the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority. For all other flights your claim will go to a different regulator – we will tell you the right one for your case. The only instance we

can’t do this is for those who flew on an EU airline from outside the EU to somewhere in the EU other than the UK (e.g., KLM from New York to Amsterdam) – you can still use Resolver to go to the airline, but if your claim is rejected, Resolver currently escalates it to the wrong regulator.

Small Claims Court The second is to take the airline to court, which you can do through the Small Claims Court using the Government online court called Money Claims Online or using a claims management company to submit your case. You can export your resolver case file and send the PDF copy to the Court as evidence.

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We take 36% of your compensation to cover our costs and we will manage your case for you, from the beginning to the end. If you have had a delayed flight in the past 6 years feel free to call us for a No-win, No-fee arrangement on 0800 180 4019 or 0161 798 8586.

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Business & Finance

too early By Darren Strom - darren@vmail.co.uk

am often signing non-disclosure agreements with clients who have come up with a great product or groundbreaking web service, and want to start their branding and marketing. But first, they want to protect their idea in case someone finds out about it. If you have a new idea and you want to launch it, the key worry is usually;

“

what if someone gets there first?

”

However few people think about

what happens if I get “there too early?”… What do I mean? There was a product that caught my eye about a year ago. It was an electronic credit card that can store all your credit cards in one slim unit. It was called “Coin” - A very simple name, and the website design and branding was simple and effective. The problem however was that the by the time it launched the technology was outdated. Apple Pay was out and that used NFC technology that allowed you simply to tap the card to pay, which “Coin” did not. Another example is electronic cigarettes. This is not the forum to discuss its health risks or potential for addiction, but purely from a marketing point of view, it took

the Suburb Circular • DECEMBER 2015

time for it to become socially accepted as a real alternative to cigarettes. If someone had invested in a new electronic cigarette brand 5 years ago, with all the right packaging and marketing it might still have not been successful, because the market was not yet ready. This does not only apply to the technical world – A client of mine opened a Kosher Sushi bar in North West London in 2006. It was a well-executed project with a full rotating conveyor belt sushi counter but the Kosher market was not yet ripe for it.

So what can be done then to ensure that a product is ready for the market? The answer is, one of two things: either research or test the market as much as you can, before you make a full investment. Alternatively; educate the market: Via marketing and advertising you can attempt to convince `your potential clients that this is a product that they need that will make their lives easier. If you are selling a ‘weight loss

program’ the benefits are quite obvious. If you are marketing a new piece of software, however, the benefits might not be so self-explanatory - The client will need to be educated. I have found that the best forms of education are via explainer videos. These are usually professional looking cartoons that show the benefits in a clear pictorial manner. Before creating an explainer video you have to look at the product from a client point of view and, as we have said before, do research; ask your potential clients how they would use your product or what they would expect your product to be able to do and then incorporate the answers to your client’s issues into the video. Another popular method is using infographics which is in a manner of speaking a bit like a static video, containing a visual representation of the benefits of the product.

Business & Finance

“intoDona’tmarexpketectthatotgetis not ready for your product

”

Other methods of education are offering Question and Answers, online training, help forums and helpdesk chats. Finally a very important element is the timing. Some markets are more ready to be educated than others. Don’t expect to get into a market that is not ready for your product and rely on your marketing to, both educate them about the need to have this type of product, and convince them to buy yours over the competition at the same time. It will require far less effort if the type of service or product is already out there but not in this form. The ipad is so popular that the term “ipad” is very often used instead

of the word tablet, but Microsoft actually came up with the first tablet PC in 2000. The ipad became such a sought after product that people still chose it even over rivals with better specs or better battery life. How did Apple do it? Their marketing centered around, not its business functions, but its lightness, portability and its ease of use. The market was there but they effectively re-educated their market about its uses and their related needs. Also, by marketing with this angle in mind, they were marketing to the wider public and not only to business users, which ultimately widened their scope in the ‘tablet market’.

Darren Strom is CEO of VMAL Ltd a North West London based Branding, Marketing and Web Design company and can be reached by email at darren@vmal.co.uk or on 0208 133 3527

www.thesuburbcircular.co.uk

LJA Designs 020 8203 6618

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