Alconbury October 2022

By Solange Hando

Best skiing holiday destinations

Whether you’re an intrepid mountaineer or a family looking for a new hobby, there’s no better way to embrace the cold weather than to set off on a skiing holiday. After a scorching summer, the thought of carving through white powder snow, soaking up outstanding mountain scenery, and sipping Gluhwein in ski chalets certainly sounds appealing.

From the world-famous Rockies to the picturesque Alpine landscapes here in Europe, we’re spoilt for choice on where to ski in the winter months. To help you decide, here are a few of the world’s most popular skiing destinations, and some of the best resorts to explore while you’re there.

The Alps

When you think of skiing, you probably think of the Alps first. Spanning Italy, France, Switzerland,

Liechtenstein, Austria, Slovenia and Germany, it’s here that the tradition of skiing was born. With some of the best skiing scenery in the world, pictureperfect chalets, gigantic ski circuits and a lively après-ski scene – not to mention the close proximity to the UK – the Alps are a top choice for skiers all across the country.

Some of the top resorts include Val d’Isère in France, with its reputation for challenging black pistes, offpiste terrain and buzzing après ski scene, and Italy’s Courmayeur, a sophisticated ski town renowned for its mountain restaurants and glamorous shopping. Then there’s the Swiss resorts – Zermatt with its gorgeous Matterhorn views and gourmet dining, and the more relaxed resort of Obergurgl, perfect for those looking for short ski queues and a familyinclusive après ski scene. And that’s just touching the surface! With 1,152 ski resorts to choose from in the Alps, there truly is something for everyone.

Bulgaria

Whoever said that ski holidays are expensive hasn’t discovered Bulgaria’s ski scene yet. With excellent ski schools, cheap drinks, buzzing bars and an abundance of blue and red slopes, it’s the perfect place for beginners to learn to ski on a budget. Borovets and Bansko are the country’s largest ski areas but with only 5km and 3km of black runs, advanced skiing is limited. Borovets is the oldest of the two, located on the northern slopes of the Rila mountain range with pistes reaching 2,600m high. Easily accessible from Bulgaria’s capital, the resort’s

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scenic snow-covered pine forests, lively atmosphere and traditional Balkan pubs make it a great spot for skiers looking to ski hard – and party hard too.

Further south, at the foot of the Pirin mountains, lies Bankso, which has grown to become Bulgaria’s largest ski resort. Offering 70km of well-groomed pistes and impressive off-piste for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels, it’s popular with families looking for a more leisurely skiing holiday.

Canada

A bucket-list destination for skiers and snowboarders alike, Canada’s world-class slopes are famed for their knee-deep powder, immaculate tree-lined runs and unrivalled hospitality – not to mention their spectacular scenery and wildlife.

Surprisingly, you can ski in every single province in Canada, but the country’s biggest and most popular resorts are located in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec.

Repeatedly rated as North America’s top ski resort, Whistler in British Columbia is Canada’s pride and joy.

With over 200 trails spread between the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, linked by the famous Peak2Peak gondola, the resort sits at the higher end of the price scale – but it’s worth every penny.

With an amazing snow record, fantastic beginner’s area, lively nightlife and array of off-piste activities, it’s the perfect choice if you’ve got a mixed ability group. After a day on the slopes, kick back in the town’s mountain bars, indulge in some holiday shopping or soothe your aching muscles in a topnotch spa.

Japan

Japan is often an underrated skiing destination, but one thing the 600 resorts here are renowned for are their abundance of incredible powder snow. Many

average upwards of 600 inches of snow per winter – and this isn’t just any snow. The snow in Japan is super light and extraordinarily dry, making it great fun to ski or ride.

The most popular ski areas are split across two regions – Hakuba on the southern main island and Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano in the northern island of Hokkaido. The resorts in Japan are worlds apart from the usual European and North American resorts. Sample incredible food, from sushi and ramen to fried chicken and potatoes, and hop between Japanese onsens, natural hot springs that offer a soothing and traditional après-ski experience. However you look at it, Japan offers a skiing holiday that you just won’t find anywhere else.

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Wine Selection: Choosing Zweigelt

Austria produces most excellent wines of all types, many of which are award-winning. Zweigelt is the mostplanted red wine grape variety in Austria and the high-quality wines produced are now recognised around the world. The Zweigelt grape varietal is very capable of creating wines from dry to sweet, easy-drinking, to more complex, full-bodied productions, with grand notes of Morello cherry. Zweigelt ice wines are increasing in popularity worldwide, too.

INGRID and MARKUS IRO have a very well-established winery. Zweigelt wines account for approx 20% of their total productions at this time and are appreciated by many ‘devotees’. Neusiedlersee DAC Zweigelt (13.5% vol) and Zweigelt ried Ungerberg (14% vol) are extremely popular, from Iro’s ranges.

E-mail: wein@markusiro.at www.markusiro.at

HANS MICHAEL and ANDREAS NITTNAUS produce wines to an exceptional standard, too. Zweigelt is some 35% of total productions, currently. Neusiedlersee DAC Blauer Zweigelt (13.0% vol) and ried Goldberg Neusiedlersee DAC Reserve (13.5% vol) are regular choices for many lovers of Zweigelt and Nittnaus family wines.

E-mail: weingut@nittnaus.net www.nittnaus.net

HANNES REEH produces Zweigelt wines that are very much respected. The Zweigelt varietal occupies around 60% of their total wine productions today. Neusiedlersee DAC Zweigelt (13.o% vol) I found to be another splendid example of this varietal and, if a sparkling Zweigelt is required (great for welcoming guests with and for parties) then Reehbellion (13.0% vol) certainly will not disappoint – A sparkling delight!

E-mail: wein@hannesreeh.at www.hannesreeh.at Zweigelt-based wines offer several trocken preferences. Created by Dr. Fritz Zweigelt, during 1922, the splendid productions continue to gain more popularity each year, globally. Zweigelt grapes are now grown in numerous winegrowing regions of Austria. From the enticing bouquet of the wine, through the elegant, fruity mouthfeel, leading on to the palate’s pleasure, Zweigelt wines carry on pleasing. Wonderful to accompany pasta dishes, meat dishes, casseroles and also cheeses. These are just a selection of Austria’s wine producing companies, some of which have a history of several centuries. Take time and pleasure to locate your favourites. For more information of each company’s productions, please contact and/or visit their respective websites.

E-mail: management@neusiedlersee-dac.com www.neusiedlersee-dac.wine

The heat is on!

If you want to keep your energy bills low (who doesn’t?) and reduce your carbon emissions, you need to review just how much of your precious heat is escaping. Even little fixes around the home can accrue significant savings and bigger fixes will save more still.

Start at the top

If you’ve lived in your house for a while, chances are you already have loft insulation and think it’s good enough. But compared to a new home, even a twenty-year-old property will have room for improvement.

If you can see the floor joists in the loft or if you’ve managed to install decking straight onto the joists, it means you don’t have sufficient padding underneath. In a new build you can’t even see the joists for insulation, and any loft flooring will be on specially designed ‘legs’ to leave an airgap above the thick material.

While loft insulation isn’t expensive to buy, it is not a pleasant material to handle, and you’ll need skin, eye and breathing protection for the job. Unless you have good access to your attic and don’t mind a weekend’s hard work, calling in a professional is going to be a good decision.

Windows

If you have double glazing, ensure it’s performing as it should. If you have any condensation between the panes, it means the air gap has failed and it’s not much better than single glazing. You don’t always have to replace though, as a window repairer

can often effect a fix at a fraction of the cost of replacement windows.

If you have only single glazing, then you will either need to replace it or go for secondary glazing. The latter isn’t very attractive, although for some listed properties may be the only option

Regardless of which type of windows you have, install blinds for both a bit of extra heatproofing and daytime privacy, and thick curtains for the evening.

Is it worth it? New double glazing will be extremely effective at cutting your bills and will definitely add value to your home. Smaller measures are more affordable though, and still worthwhile.

Wasted water

Your heating bill covers your hot water too, so don’t heat water for longer than you need to. If you shower in the morning, try heating it for an hour before you get up and just keep adding fifteen minutes until you get enough to last. In the evening, if you only rinse off a few plates before switching on the dishwasher (which uses cold water), managing with cooler water will be better than heating a full tank.

Small improvements

• Check your water tank has an extra thick jacket and that pipes coming out have lagging.

• Thermostatic radiator valves should be added in all rooms and in a spare bedroom just turn the radiator off completely and close the door.

• Chimneys can be a real heat loss offender, so research what you can do to according to your type of fireplace.

By Kate McCarthy

Jack O’ Lantern

Pumpkin carving is steeped in folklore

There are few people who don’t enjoy carving a Halloween lantern. Over the years it’s somehow become a tradition in our family to host a friendly pumpkin carving competition involving my sons and their teenage friends and quite a few of the parents!

There are also hotdogs, sticky toffee pudding and wine, so something for everyone and all participants seems to enjoy the occasion, especially the judging. We have categories such as ‘best in show’, ‘ugliest, ‘most creative’ etc.

Ghoulish pumpkins are iconic of Halloween season. I’ve always thought of them as an American import but in fact the practice of decorating jack-o’-lanterns originated across a much smaller expanse of water, in Ireland, where large turnips and potatoes were the vegetables being carved. The name, Jack-o’lantern, originates from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to hollow out a turnip (I have…it resulted in a trip to A&E), but I can only imagine the delight of Irish immigrants, newly arrived in America, home of the pumpkin, on discovering this easily carved gourd. No wonder it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.

In case you were wondering about Stingy Jack, well he rather rashly invited the Devil to have a drink with him, but true to his name, didn’t want to pay for the

beverages, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. However as soon as the Devil did so, Jack popped the coin into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.

Jack did eventually free the Devil, but only on the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. It seems the Devil didn’t learn his lesson and the following year Jack tricked him again, this time into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised not to bother Jack for ten more years.

Jack thought he was being very clever, but it all backfired on him because when he did finally die God refused him entry into heaven while the Devil, keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and is said to have been roaming the Earth his home-made lamp ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.”

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Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support

Huntingdonshire Aphasia Support (H.A.S.) meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 2.00 - 4.00pm at The Coneygear Centre in Huntingdon. Aphasia is caused by damage to the part of the brain which is responsible for the understanding and production of language. Common causes include stroke, severe head injury, brain tumour and other neurological conditions. It can leave those afflicted with very little or no language. H.A.S. offers people living with aphasia (whatever the cause), and their family, friends or carers, an active, social and fun get together. Each meeting consists of different activities from music to art, speakers or games, and quizzes. This year has also seen the return of H.A.S. and its members to holding regular afternoon teas and meals in local garden centres and restaurants. Recent visits have included Dobbie’s and Hartford Mill in Huntingdon. Christmas for the group is a particular highlight, with many members getting together for a festive meal and raffle at a local pub. Previous Christmas meals have been at The Windmill in Somersham and the Black Bull in Godmanchester.

Next year we are hoping to restart our annual boat trip on the Ladybird Boat Cruise along the River Great Ouse. The boat accommodates wheelchairs as well as foot passengers and is a thoroughly enjoyable, relaxing excursion.

If you would like further information about the group, please contact: Anna Bratby, Secretary, 01480 891977, Email: cambsanna@hotmail.com

Run your way to fitness

Running is one of the best ways to get fit. There are no gym fees, no opening times to fit in around and no complicated rules to learn. It’s great for your heart, lungs, stamina and mental health. And you can start with just one minute of running at a time. Useful apps

• NHS Couch to 5k builds your fitness up gradually over nine weeks. You’ll start by alternating one-minute bursts of running or jogging with 90 seconds of walking.

• If you don’t fancy Couch to 5k, track your progress with Strava instead.

• Zombies, Run! puts you in the role of a survivor in a zombie apocalypse. There are numerous missions to complete, and when zombies are near you’ll need to run (or walk) faster to stop them catching you and stealing all the virtual supplies you’ve collected.

What you’ll need Decent, supportive trainers are essential. Ideally, head to a sports shop to get a gait analysis and recommendations. Trainers can be pricey though, so look out for sales and check online stores like www.sportsshoes.com. In most cases, you’ll want to size up from your usual shoe size to avoid bruised toenails!

You might also want to add the following to your kit list (Christmas is approaching after all):

• Running leggings or shorts (look for ones with a pocket for your keys)

• Sports bra (a must for most women)

• Sports T-shirt

• Easy grip running water bottle or hydration backpack

• Head torch if you’re planning to run in the dark

• Something hi-vis (essential if you’re planning to run on a road), e.g. a vest, jacket or sports T-shirt

• Running belt or armband for your phone

If you’re on a tight budget, there are several Facebook selling groups for second-hand sports gear. One of the best is ‘Sh*t Kit That Dunt Fit’ (replace the asterisk), where people offer items for free. You just pay the postage costs. The expectation is that you’ll then offer items in the future when you’re able to. Keep going… An injury can put you out of action for months, so make sure to warm up, cool down and stretch properly. You’ll find lots of useful videos on YouTube and guidance to essential stretches on www.runnersworld.co.uk.

One way to reduce injury and fatigue is to ‘Jeff’. This is where you have short, timed bursts of running and walking and stick to the same ratio, e.g. run for two minutes/walk for 30 seconds. Search online for ‘jeffing training plan’. It can be difficult to keep your motivation up through the colder months. One of the best solutions is to find a running buddy or join a club. While some clubs are for experienced runners, others are very welcoming to newbies and won’t mind if you need to run/walk and take regular breaks.

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House of Colour

Buying a Winter Coat

An investment piece, such a coat, is a considered purchase. This is going to need to last you several seasons so it needs to be right.

Colour – it needs to be a neutral in one of your key shades (or a WOW colour if you feel more daring!). This means you can easily wear it with every other colour in your palette. Winters have black and deep navy plus charcoal grey while Summers can use their rose browns, French navy and blue greys. Autumns and Springs can use their tan and camel colours which are still very on trend this season. The paler creams can also work for Springs and Autumns but such a light colour can clearly be limiting – this won’t be an everyday wear option!

Length – longer length coats are having a moment which is great for some clothing personalities but can be swamping on others. Three-quarter length coats are a great alternative and suit most people (easily found this season too). One factor to consider though is how much time you spend in a car. If you are driving regularly anything longer than hip length is going to become creased and potentially annoying after a while meaning you won’t want to wear it so much. A shorter length will be a better option if this is your lifestyle.

Fabric – Check the fibre content when looking at coats. Natural fibres are going to be warmer in coating so looking for a higher wool content is the aim. The exception to this comes with padded synthetic options. They can be beautifully warm but their lasting power is limited. Given that padded options eventually go to landfill as they aren’t biodegradable I think we need to seriously consider whether this is a viable option. They are often difficult to wash and in my experience have begun to clump and wear badly in a shorter period of time, than traditional coating.

Lining – give the lining in any coat a good check as if this fails it’s expensive to replace and uncomfortable if it isn’t sitting well.

Style – With a curvy frame you need a curvier coat! Sounds simple I know but can be a little challenging to find. Curves needn’t just be in the overall shape but also in the lapels, with perhaps layers in the sleeves. There are a lot of straighter styles around currently which is absolutely great if that’s your shape, but beware if you need to show some waist in your look. Better to leave it than find yourself with something unflattering that you need to justify wearing having spent serious money on it. Shorter

neater styles such as the pea coat are also in this season and are particularly good for smaller framed figures who need neater shapes. Your stylist will be able to guide you given your specific body proportions and style personality so if in doubt get in touch.

Article by Jennie Billings – House of Colour House of Colour has a network of stylists to help you update your look – find your nearest at houseofcolour.co.uk/find-a-stylist

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Pension jargon buster!

Do you know your annuities from your elbow? If you don’t, you’re not alone…

Annual allowance - This is the maximum amount that you can pay into your pension each year before you have to pay tax. The current annual allowance is £40,000, or 100% of your earnings – whichever is lower. Your annual allowance may reduce in certain circumstances, for example if you earn over £200,000 a year, or if your income plus any pension contributions totals £240,000 or more.

Annuity - An annuity provides you with a guaranteed income in retirement. You hand over some or all of your pension to an insurance company and in return they agree to pay you a set amount each year.

Auto-enrolment - In 2012, the government introduced auto-enrolment, a process by which employees are automatically enrolled into their company pension scheme once they start work.

Under current rules, enrolment is automatic for anyone aged 22 or over earning a minimum of £10,000 from a single job.

Drawdown - Drawdown is a way of taking an income from your pension in retirement.

Guaranteed annuity rate - Some older definedcontribution or money-purchase pension policies, usually those sold before the late 1980s or early 1990s, promised to pay a ‘guaranteed annuity rate’ at retirement. This means they must provide you with an income at a set rate for the remainder of your life.

Index-linked annuity - When you use your pension pot to buy an annuity, you’re essentially buying a guaranteed regular income. An index-linked annuity

ensures that this income will increase in line with living costs.

Lifetime allowance - This is the maximum you can hold in your pensions without having to pay extra tax when you take money out of them. It’s not a small amount of tax either – any amount above the allowance that you take as a lump sum is taxed at a hefty 55%. The lifetime allowance is currently £1,073,100.

Normal retirement age - Although the minimum age you can access your retirement savings is 55, most workplace pensions set a normal retirement age when you’re expected to take your pension. If you have a personal pension, you can choose your retirement date.

State pension and state pension age - The state pension is a weekly payment that the government makes once you reach state pension age. The amount you get depends on your age and your National Insurance contributions record. The current full state pension in the 2022/23 tax year is £185.15, but to get this you’ll need to have at least 35 qualifying years of National Insurance contributions.

State pension age is worked out based on your date of birth. To check your state pension age, visit www. gov.uk/state-pension-age.

Tax relief - Tax relief essentially means you get money back from the taxman on your pension contributions, which can make it a very cost-effective way of saving for retirement provided you stay within the annual limits. If you’re a basic rate taxpayer, a £100 contribution into your pension will only cost you £80.

Design a home office that works for you

By Katherine Sorrell

1Even in a small home office or a shared space, it is possible to create a working environment that functions efficiently and effectively – while also being a pleasure to spend time in.

Desk decisions

Your desk is likely to be the most important element, and should be at least 50cm deep, though 75cm is better, and wide enough for a computer and some paperwork, perhaps with storage drawers on one or both sides. Depending on the configuration of your room, an L-shaped or corner desk may be the most convenient. Style-wise, there are endless choices, from modern and minimal to grand antiques; your choice will come down to budget and the style of the room in which it will be sited (but do ensure that an antique desk is stable and has a reasonably smooth surface). One option is to commission a built-in work area, taking advantage of awkward features such as sloping ceilings, changes of level, tall skirting boards, niches and so on, while

a middle ground would be to opt for a modular system where elements can be customised according to the set-up that suits you best.

Sitting comfortably

While a spare dining chair may be fine for the odd bit of admin, if your work involves sitting for long periods of time a good chair is essential for preventing back problems and muscle strain. For some, a kneeling chair is a good solution, while others may like a saddle chair or even a balance ball. However, for most people an ergonomic chair is the ideal. Experts recommend choosing a chair on wheels with a five-castor base, that is adjustable to your height, with a seat depth that supports your legs adequately and a back rest that gives good support to your lower and middle back. You may also appreciate having adjustable arm rests and the ability to recline (it’s best not to spend too long sitting in one position).

Storage solutions

Storage is, of course, vital, and if working from home looks like it will be a long-term option, should be designed with room for expansion. Despite cloud

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storage cutting down on physical paperwork in many ways, for some, a filing cabinet may still be the best solution, for others, perhaps stacking boxes, a shelf full of folders or plenty of shallow drawers. In shared rooms, such as an office in a bedroom or dining room, concealing the less attractive elements of office life may be important, and it could be an idea to appropriate part of a wardrobe or cupboard so that work can be physically separated and shut away at the end of the day. If that’s not possible, choose storage that suits the overall decor of the room and that can be seamlessly integrated as much as possible.

Heat and light

A comfortable working temperature is important in any home office, and if the room is likely to suffer from extremes of temperature (lofts, for example, can vary considerably between summer and winter, while a converted shed or garage may be chilly) consider whether you’ll need a plug-in heater and/ or fan or air conditioning. Meanwhile, good task and general lighting is vital to avoid eye strain. The more natural light the better – though beware glare from direct sun on a sunny day. For working on dim days and in the evenings, desk lamps should ideally be bright and easily adjustable, so as to highlight different areas as required.

Make it your own

While ensuring that your desk and chair are comfortable, seek out furnishings that suit your home and your personality. Plenty of chain stores and independent shops sell home office furniture at a range of prices, but you could also consider hunting for interesting alternatives, such as old

school lockers, a trestle resting on a pair of metal filing cabinets or a desktop made from blackboard. Add accessories that will brighten up your day, whether colourful waste bins and quirky pen holders or a sophisticated leather desk set. Finally, decorate as you would any other room with finishing touches such as plants, family photographs and scented reed diffusers, making sure that this becomes a space where you actually want to spend time.

1. A desk with a view is always nice, and this home office has plenty of storage as well as a stylish vibe. Eames desk unit EDU, £1,320; Eames storage unit ESU, from £1,449 for a one-tier shelf; both Nest.

2. Any small table can become informal desk space for some quick home admin, blending prettily into its surroundings. This image showcases the autumn range of home office accessories from Dunelm.

3. A modular system can be the answer when fitting a desk into an awkward space. It’s especially helpful when it has adjustable shelves. Modular home office desk with storage, £1,274.45, Shelved.

STOCKISTS

Dunelm: dunelm.com Nest: 0114 243 3000; nest.co.uk

Shelved: shelved.co.uk

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Caroline Knight: Gardendesignideas.co.uk

Garden tasks and treats for October

As we dip into the mellow days of autumn, it’s a good time to reach for the camera. The light levels are often perfect for photography in the garden. Capture those glistening spiders’ webs and moisture droplets that decorate leaves. Soak up every moment of the golden times when long shadows make great shots. There is generally less pollution in autumn due to cooler weather, and skies tend to be clearer.

October can catch you out. There are days that feel like an Indian summer, with bright blue skies and sun that warms, but also unexpected frosts. Protect vulnerable plants by moving them to sheltered sites, or cover them in horticultural fleece.

During this magical month, don’t miss the petrichor! It’s a real treat, and is the scent of rain that arises from damp earth after it falls on dry soil. This is a time to savour the daylight, knowing it will be seeping gradually away. But rather than mourn the loss of longer days, there’s work to be done outdoors as you need to get your garden in order to make it winter-ready.

• Before leaves are filling up every crevice and corner, remember to cover ponds using fine mesh. It will stop the debris from falling to the bottom of the water where it will rot.

• Stop and think before you cut things back during autumn pruning. Many plants have high feed value for garden birds. The seeds provide food and the leaves and stems offer shelter for birds, small mammals and mini-beasts. Leave them in situ if you can.

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Collect seeds for propagation. Many of them can be sown right away, but some can be scattered later. Check the preferences of each type of seed, as some require ‘cold stratification’, where they need to undergo a cold period before they are likely to germinate. They include many acer trees, most shrubs such as cornus (dogwood) and forsythia, clematis and perennials including lavender, nepeta, sedum and rudbeckia.

• This is a perfect pruning time for certain climbers and shrubs. Beware of cutting into old wood on lavender and rosemary, however. You can prune shrub roses and soft fruit bushes. Cut hedges without too much fear of disturbing bird nests and consider giving your hedge a mulch around the base. Always check before adding fresh wood chippings, however. Some newly shredded wood can change the pH value of the soil and others might deplete nitrogen levels in the ground underneath.

• Lawn lovers will be in their element during October, as this is a good time to rake out the thatch and apply autumn lawn fertiliser. Trim the lawn edges to give it a crisp shape that should last until spring.

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It’s time to plant some underground flower power while there is still warmth in the soil. This is the best bulb-planting month for spring-flowering beauties such as daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, alliums and hyacinths. Tulips can wait until November, or even later if the weather is mild. This helps to avoid the dreaded tulip fire virus.

GreenFingers

The Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses the changing seasons, and why he ventures out into his garden in any weather.

I’ve been talking to a number of people over these summer months and it’s always a pleasure. Naturally, it feels like the part of the year where we all come out and celebrate what it is to have a space that is all ours – we all share in the successes and, okay, some of the failures too!

Yet what’s interesting is the fact the longer the summer goes on, the more the chat seems to evolve. There is an unspoken devil in the air, and it goes by the name of winter, where gardeners all across the UK dread not just the hibernation of some of the creatures in their garden, but their own removal or withdrawal from service as the skies grow darker and rain threatens.

Of course, I can see why so many of us sink into this mindset of what is effectively a subconscious filling of time before things start to pick up again in early spring. Though as I have said on many occasions, there are still so many plants that flourish across the winter months that we can take real pleasure from, so I would be firm in encouraging people to look at winter as a lot more than just a time when we feel like stepping off the gardening carousel. Certainly, my routine in those quieter months never

changes. Whether rain, hail, sleet or snow, I will always potter around the garden. Okay, so in the winter months it’s a lot more difficult to sit still in a garden anyway, but just getting out there, soaking up the air and feeling the natural goodness around you, is really inspiring.

I get mucky every day when I’m at home, and if I’ve got a day of work or filming that will take me away from the house, I’ll always make sure I step out and spend some peaceful time alone before I leave – it sort of sets me up for the day.

Ultimately, what it’s all about is being out there, and believing you are making a difference. I’ve always thought however tiny a patch of ground you have, if you look after it well when you shuffle off your mortal coil you’ve paid your rent for your life on Earth.

To leave that space just a little bit better than how it was previously is a very special thing, and no wintry rainstorm should stop us from wanting to achieve that!

Paxton Pits Nature Reserve

Alison is one of our Visitor Centre Volunteers.

'I volunteer at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve because it helps me make a difference to the environment, meet people, become part of the community in which I live, and best of all I have fun.

It is also a wonderful place to meet and chat with different people and helps with loneliness, reduces stress and anxiety helping to keep me young.

When you invest the time and energy to volunteer, you are investing in yourself just as much as in the Nature Reserve.'

The practical volunteers have the chance to do a range of roles. One day they are making a hide for wildlife watching, the next they might be maintaining boat moorings. Every one of those tasks makes a difference to parts of the community and the wildlife. All of which make a difference.

We have open spaces in Huntingdon, Little Paxton, St Neots and St Ives

We are very short of volunteers to carry out site checks. It is our responsibility to make sure that our spaces are safe. We need people who like walking to check the marked walks to make sure they are safe for visitors.

Could you volunteer to help our community. Contact russell. taylor@huntingdonshire.gov.uk

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Warm falafel and lentil salad

Super-scrumptious Middle Eastern street food falafels take the starring role in this warm autumnal salad

Serves 2 as a main. Takes 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

• 150g baby carrots, trimmed and rinsed

• 1 x 280g packet GoodLife Falafel

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 250g cooked Puy lentils

• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped

• ½ small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• ½ small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped

• ½ small bunch fresh chives, finely chopped

• 50g feta

For the dressing

1 tbsp rose harissa

4 tbsp plain yoghurt, plant-based if you prefer

½ tsp easy garlic

½ tbsp red wine vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas mark 7.

2. Place the onion wedges and baby carrots on a baking tray along with the falafels, drizzle over the olive oil and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.

4. In a small saucepan, heat the lentils with the lemon zest and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper, and then stir the chopped chilli and herbs through the warm lentils.

5. Spoon the lentils onto a serving platter with the roasted onions, carrots and falafel. Crumble over the feta and a drizzle of the dressing with the rest served on the side.

Cooked from frozen, 280g boxes of GoodLife Foods’ falafels are available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Ocado, RRP £1.80. Visit www.goodlife.co.uk.

Hunts Waste Busters

One of the Hunts Waste Busters shares their thoughts on Huntingdonshire District Council’s Sustainable Communities Business Pledge: With the effect of global warming quickly becoming more apparent, there has been a vast rise in the focus of individuals, businesses and local authorities, to take immediate and long terms actions to reduce the impact they have on our environment. The bulk of the attention has been put on how we as individuals can do our part in reducing our personal impact. This has since been extended to businesses with many companies both locally and afar, putting sustainability to the forefront of their future strategies.

Huntingdonshire District Council implemented a trial of the ‘Sustainable Communities Business Pledge’ aimed at local businesses, offering guidance on how they can increase their contribution to climate action just by making a few minor changes with high impact effects. The trial proved very successful with local businesses large and small, returning extremely positive feedback on how this has created a positive effect within their company and among their workforces.

A representative of a pledging organisation stated… “The guidance alongside the audit process was a huge eye opener, and a few small changes bought many benefits. By simply focusing on recycling, we have nearly halved the cost of our waste disposal, vastly increasing the amount we recycle and minimising the amount of general waste we produce. By implementing a change in culture, this has enabled staff to adopt this ethos within their home, giving them the feel-good factor of contributing towards climate action. The pledge has also proved highly marketable with many clients stating they have chosen us over competitors, purely based on our focus to the betterment of our environment.

Many thanks to Huntingdonshire District Council for creating the pledge and supporting us through the process”

The ’Sustainable Communities Business Pledge’ has proved such a success within Huntingdon, it has now been made available for all businesses across Huntingdonshire with more and more uptake across our region. Simply by decreasing the amount sent to landfill, reduces the greenhouse gases emitted, whilst saving on raw materials required to manufacture from new. Manufacturing from raw material requires more energy than the recycled equivalent, demonstrating small changes, playing a key role in our quest for Net Zero. While the Pledge is aimed at businesses, there is still much we can do as individuals to assist. Following the Huntingdonshire Recycles social media pages, which offers helpful tips on waste reduction whilst keeping you up to date with the goings on among the Huntingdonshire District Council waste team. Posts encourage recycling soft plastics at many of our local supermarkets, cosmetics and medication packs at many of our local pharmacies or simply purchasing a food waste caddy and disposing of your food waste via your garden waste bin. Guidance on what waste belongs in which bin can be found by visiting www.huntingdonshire.gov.uk/bins-waste/ what-goes-in-which-bin/

To find out more about the ‘Sustainable Communities Business Pledge’ and how it can benefit your business, check out https://huntingdonshire. gov.uk/environmental-issues/sustainability-andgreener-living/information-for-businesses/.

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Easy Sudoku Hard Sudoku

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the digits 1 through to 9 with no repetition. Use your logic to solve the puzzles.

What's

WHAT'S ON IN OCTOBER

1 OCTOBER

Saints Crafters

9.30-3.30pm

Free Church Hall, Market Hill, St Ives

Art and craft fair. Buy original and handmade items direct from the crafter.

Email: saintscrafters.gmail.com

1 OCTOBER

Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire

Hardy Plant Society

2pm

Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade

‘Biodiversity Audit at Great Dixter (How a garden can support wildlife)’ with Fergus Garrett. Fergus is head gardener and steward of Great Dixter Gardens. Plants for sale.

Visitors welcome – small charge.

Web: www.hpscambsandbeds.co.uk

1-8 OCTOBER

Crazy Lego!

St Neots Museum

Free entry

A fun and family friendly exhibition featuring mountains of Lego and Duplo that visitors can use to create buildings, animals, vehicles –anything that can be made from the standard bricks. A Lego model of a Roman Villa discovered in Eynesbury in the 1960s will be on display. Book online.

Web: stneotsmuseum.org.uk

2 OCTOBER

Hinxton Watermill Open Day

2.30-5pm

CambridgePPF members free, nonmembers - adult £3, child £1

This stunning working watermill dates to the seventeenth century. See the mill working and hear the history of this incredible building. No need to book.

Web: www.cambridgeppf.org

4 OCTOBER

Hail Weston Wildlife and Gardening Group

7.15pm for 7.30pm

Hail Weston Village Hall Members £1, non-members £3 AGM followed by a talk on ‘Winter

Colour’ beating the winter blues with garden colour by Geoff Hodge. Tea/Coffee/glass of wine/ biscuits will be available at the meeting for a voluntary donation.

Email: hwwgg@yahoo.com for more info

4, 11 & 18 OCTOBER

St Neots Sinfonia

7.45-9.30pm

Eynesbury Junior School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury Rehearsals are every Tuesday in term time.

Tel: 01480 212298 Web: www.stneotssinfonia.org.uk

4, 11, 18 & 25 OCTOBER

St Neots & District Camera Club

7.15pm for 7.30pm

Bowls Club, St Neots Regular talks and competitions. Web: www.stneots-camera-club. org.uk

5 OCTOBER

Brampton Flower Club 7.30pm

Community Centre, Brampton High Street

‘Autumn Delight’ with Gill McGregor. Meets the first Wednesday of the month. Visitors welcome.

5 OCTOBER

Buckden Local History Society

7.30pm

Millard Suite, Village Hall

Visitors £4, children free

‘Religion in 18th Century Huntingdonshire’ by Simon Clemmow. Meets first Wednesday of each month. New members/ visitors welcome. Annual membership £16. Web: www.buckdenhistory.co.uk

5, 12 & 19 OCTOBER

St Neots Choral Society

7.30-9.30pm

Eynesbury Junior School, Montagu Street, Eynesbury Rehearsals are every Wednesday in term time. Tel: 01480 212298 for membership enquiries Web: www.stneotschoral.org.uk

5, 12, 19 & 26 OCTOBER

Kimbolton Bridge Club

10am-12pm

Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton

Meets every Wednesday for friendly, social bridge. Players of all standards are welcome with or without a partner. Just turn up!

6 OCTOBER

Roxton & District Local History Group

7.15pm for 7.30pm

Roxton Village Hall

Members free, visitors £4

‘From Erik the Bald to Nigel de Albini: the Domesday Book in Bedfordshire’. Annual membership £20.

Email: mariascreen1@gmail.com Web: roxtonhistory.org.uk

6, 13, 20 & 27 OCTOBER

Riverport Singers

10.15-11.15am

The Corn Exchange, St Ives Community choir for people living with dementia, their carers, family and friends.

Tel: Agi 07757 811802

Email: agipeach@icloud.com Web: facebook.com/ riverportsingers

6, 13, 20 & 27 OCTOBER

Bingo

7.30pm

Alconbury Sports & Social Club Eyes down for the weekly Bingo session!

Web: www.assc.org.uk

6, 13, 20 & 27 OCTOBER

Huntingdon Male Voice Choir

7.30pm

Abbots Ripton Village Hall

Huntingdon Male Voice Choir is always pleased to see new singers. No formal audition and you do not need to be able to read music; all you need to do is sing a few notes so the musical director can determine which part of the choir suits you best.

Web: www.hmvc.org.uk

WHAT'S ON IN OCTOBER

7 OCTOBER

St Neots Local History Society

7.30pm

Eynesbury Primary School

SNLHS members free, visitors £4

‘One of Our Own: Victor Ekins MBE DFC’ by David Duker of The Tally Ho Project.

Web: www.stneotslhs.org.uk

7, 14 & 21 OCTOBER

Great Fen Little Bugs

10.30am-12pm

Great Fen Countryside Centre, Ramsey Heights

Wildlife Trust BCN child member £5, non-member £7

A fun and sociable morning of exploration and discovery for preschool children and their guardians.

Web: wildlifebcn.org

8 & 22 OCTOBER

St Neots Farmers & Craft Market

8am-1.30pm

Products from local food producers and craft makers.

10 OCTOBER

Perry WI

7.30pm

Sailability Club House, Grafham Water Centre

Mary’s Meals, an international charity which provides one daily meal in a place of education to some of the world’s poorest children

Tel: Jakki Spall 07703 431900

12 OCTOBER

Community Defibrillator Seminar

6.30pm

Little Paxton Village Hall

Little Paxton Parish Council invite residents to come along to a defibrillator awareness session to demonstrate how the defibrillators work and how to use them. Refreshments.

12 OCTOBER

The Huntingdonshire Local Group of the Wildlife Trust Meeting

7.30pm Brampton Memorial Hall, Thrapston Road, Brampton Entry £3.50. ‘Gardening With Wildlife in Mind’ by Iain Webb who enjoys nothing more than sharing his love of local wildlife, and how to nurture it, with others.

Tel: George 01480 450809

Email: george.cottam@virginmedia. com

18 OCTOBER

Dementia Café

10am-12pm

St Ives Free Church, St Ives £2.50 per person

For people with dementia and their carers. Tel: George 07725 588145 Web: facebook.com/ stivesdementiafriendlycommunity

19 OCTOBER

Godmanchester WI

7.30pm Church Hall, Chadley Lane, Godmanchester

Meets the third Wednesday of the month. Regular speakers and activities. New members welcome.

19 OCTOBER

St Neots Art Group

7.30pm Roxton Village Hall

Members £5, non-members £8 Demonstration by Carole Massey ‘A portrait in pastels’.

21 OCTOBER

Kimbolton Community Cinema

Doors open 7, film 7.30pm

Mandeville Hall, Kimbolton

Tickets £5, concessions £4, children £2.50 (subject to classification)

Downton Abbey – A New Era. Tickets from Bytes Café Monday and Friday mornings, online or on the door if available. Small booking fee applies online.

Email: kimbolton.cinema@gmail. com

Web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ mandeville-hall-kimbolton

23 OCTOBER Autumn Craft Fair

12-4pm

St Peter’s Church, High Street, Offord Darcy

Free entry

Local crafts people will be selling their wares in time for some early Christmas shopping. Huge variety of stalls including the well-known ‘Yelling Pig’ with spinning demonstrations and a talk. Refreshments available. Free parking on adjacent archery field. Tel: 07776 426103

Email: jennygriffiths908@btinternet. com

27 OCTOBER

St Neots & District Gardening Club

Meeting

7.30pm

St Mary's Church Hall, Brook Street, St Neots Members £2, Non-members £2.50

‘My Life In Horticulture’ by Phyllis Hooper. Competition - A photo of your garden, allotment, etc. Raffle and refreshments.

Web: www.stneotsgardenclub.org. uk

30 OCTOBER

St Neots Art Group Autumn Exhibition

10.30am-4.30pm

Roxton Village Hall

Free entry

A chance to buy art from local artists. Refreshments.

30 OCTOBER

Autumn Concert

6pm

Holy Trinity Church, Church Lane, Great Paxton

Tickets £10

Concert by the renowned Cambridge Voices Choir. From 5pm tasting and sales of heritage apples and juices. Supper available afterwards for £2.50.

Email: diane.james42@outlook.com for tickets

The

for

is

September.

whatson@villagermag.net

Across

1 Cars, vans, buses etc (7)

5 Type of sailing boat (5)

8 Enhance (7)

9 Perfect (5)

10 Severe (5)

11 Playhouse (7)

12 Reliable (6)

14 Shovels (6)

17 Extremely old (7)

19 Endangered species (5)

22 Tracks (5)

23 Sportsman (7)

24 Father (5)

25 Female relations (7)

Down

1 Works hard (5)

2 Type of fruit (5)

3 Grimaced (7)

4 Crates (6)

5 Dagger (5)

6 Given medical care (7)

7 Assistants (7)

12 Exchanged (7)

13 Elated (7)

15 Throws (7)

16 Used for drinking (6)

18 Assignment (5)

20 Waterfowl (5)

21 Scottish dances (5)

A step back in time Books

Who needs a time machine when you have historical fiction?

Journey to the River Sea

Eva Ibbotson

It’s been 21 years since Journey to the River Sea was published, but it still captivates readers (old and young alike) across the globe. The main character, Maia, is an orphan who is sent to live with distant relatives in Brazil in the early twentieth century. The relatives are interested in little but Maia’s money. However, Maia finds loyal companions in her governess, a young actor and a local boy.

The Key in The Lock

Beth Underdown Secrets, lies and deception abound in this gothic thriller. Ivy Boscawen is mourning the death of her son in the Great War. She’s also still haunted by memories of a child’s death 30 years before. Ivy believes the boy was murdered and now she needs to find out what really happened. But will anyone be prepared to let the full truth come to light, even Ivy herself?

Take My Hand

Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Civil Townsend embarks on a career in family planning. It’s 1973 and she has high hopes of helping women to take control of their lives. But amongst her first patients are two young girls – eleven and thirteen. The girls live in virtual squalor and Civil does what she can to help them. Soon it becomes clear that people in power are intent are making life-changing decisions for girls like these two. A saddening insight into a dark period of American history.

By Kate Duggan

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