VILLAGER The
February 2021
and Town
Life
LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS
Inside this issue
Valentine’s Day Customs From around the World
A Passion for
House Plants Win £25 in our Prize Crossword
Bringing Local Business to Local People Every Month in the Stevenage Area
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Inside this issue... Show them you care this Valentine’s Day
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Get Planting...................................................................26 Heavenly Hellebores.......................................................29 Show them you care this Valentine’s Day........................31 Age UK Hertfordshire.....................................................32 Fun Quiz.........................................................................32 World Book Day..............................................................35 Puzzle Page....................................................................36 Villager Prize Crossword.................................... 42 Books to dip in to...........................................................45 Useful Numbers.............................................................47
St Valentine’s Day Customs Around the World..................4 Fat Tuesday! It’s Pancake Day this month..........................8 Longer Lasting Clothes...................................................12 A Passion for House Plants.............................................15 High-Tech Hygiene.........................................................16 Wines: Choosing a Mix...................................................18 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.........................................21 EAAA - Meet Dr Jo Stevens.............................................22 A Lasting Tribute............................................................25
Get Planting
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Get your business off to a flying start this year
Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £30.00 +VAT per month Editorial: Catherine Rose, Sarah Davey, Jennie Billings, Katherine Sorrell, Trevor Langley, Nick Coffer, EAAA, Wood Green, Pippa Greenwood, Rachael Leverton, RSPCA and Kate Duggan
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History
By Catherine Rose
St Valentine’s Day Customs
Around the World Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the globe in different ways This month, Valentine’s Day will see us buying our loved ones cards, flowers and gifts and perhaps sharing a romantic meal. Many countries around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day, or an equivalent not necessarily on 14th February. Always seen as a nation of romantics, it is believed that the first Valentine was sent in France when Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote love letters to his wife from prison in 1415. Although Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the country, the French village of Saint-Valentin hosts a special three-day festival from 13th to 15th February, when trees and houses are bedecked with hearts, love letters and red roses. It is traditional for lovers to propose in Le Jardin des Amoreux (The Lovers’ Garden) beneath a decorated willow tree known as Le Saule aux Coeurs (the Willow of Hearts). One of the precursors to Valentine’s Day was the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. At this festival, it was customary for women to wear the name of their beloved on their arm. This ritual
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continues in South Africa where women pin paper hearts with the name of their sweetheart onto their sleeves thus letting them know they have a secret admirer. It is possible that this ancient tradition is where the expression ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’ comes from. Since the 1930s, women in Japan have presented boxes of fabulously coloured and decorated chocolates on Valentine’s Day. The tradition began there in 1936 when confectioner Morozoff Ltd placed the first advert for Valentine’s Day gifts in an English newspaper aimed at the expatriate community. Over the next forty years Valentine’s Day gained a foothold in Japan, but it is celebrated with a twist because women are the givers. The chocolate gifts have a definite hierarchy. Chocolate presented to a lover is honmei-choko, literally meaning ‘favourite’ or ‘sincere’ chocolate, and is sometimes home-made. But women also give chocolate to important men in their life with whom they have no romantic connection, such as their boss. This type of chocolate is called giri-choko or ‘obligation chocolate’. If the woman doesn’t particularly like the recipient but is obliged
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to give them a gift, she might offer the lesser chô-giri choko (very obligatory chocolate). Although the tradition has been for women to give men chocolate, more recently tomo-choko or ‘companion chocolate’ has appeared, in which women also give chocolate boxes to their best girlfriends. Across some Scandinavian countries, it has become traditional for an admirer to send short love verses known as gaekkbrev on Valentine’s Day. The anonymous poems are signed with dots, each corresponding to a letter in the sender’s name. If the recipient can guess who sent the poem, they will receive an Easter egg from them later in the year. If they can’t, they have to give an Easter egg to the sender. In Denmark it is also customary to give pressed flowers, traditionally snowdrops. Bulgaria celebrates Valentine’s Day with a glass of home-produced wine. Known as San Trifon Zartan, the celebration is literally the ‘Day of Winemakers’. Valentine’s Day is known as Zdravko in Slovenia and is linked with celebrations of fertility and the land. An old Slovenian proverb goes: “St Valentine’s brings the keys of roots”, as it is the day work usually begins in the fields. There is a charming belief that it is also the day when birds propose to each other and wed for the season. Estonians see Valentine’s Day as a festival of love for everyone. Sobrapaev translates as Friendship Day and as such does not have a romantic bias, instead celebrating love between all.
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The Welsh have long had an alternative to Valentine’s Day. There, St Dwynwen’s Day is on 25th January. St Dwywen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers and it was historically the day when men would give their wives, fiancées and girlfriends intricately carved and symbolic wooden Welsh love spoons. But the award for the most romantic nation must go to South Korea. As well as celebrating Valentine’s Day where (like Japan) women traditionally honour men, the 14th day of every month is reserved for lovers and each celebration has a different name. 14th January is Candle Day and 14th March is known as White Day, when men reciprocate Valentine’s Day and give gifts to women. No one is left out as April 14th is Black Day and reserved for single people, who mark it by coming together to eat jajangmyeon or black noodles. May brings the Day of Roses, June the Day of Kisses and July 14th is Silver Day. August’s Green Day refers to an alcoholic beverage known as soju, a spirit made from rice. It is traditional to drink this followed by a romantic walk. September sees Music Day, October is Wine Day, November Movie Day and December 14th is the Day of Hugs. That is a lot of celebrations and holidays for lovers!
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Time of Year By Sarah Davey
Fat Tuesday! It’s pancake day this month I grew up near Olney, in Buckinghamshire. It’s a pretty little town with lots of lovely independent shops and a strange claim to fame; it is the home of the pancake race. On Shrove Tuesday, in a 500-year-old tradition, many of the Olney women (and the odd bloke in a dress), don aprons and head coverings, and race through the streets to the church tossing a hot pancake in a frying pan! It’s an entertaining afternoon, but how did it all come about? Legend has it that in 1455 a woman cooking pancakes heard the shriving bell summoning her to confession. In her Christian haste she ran to the church, wearing her apron and still clutching her frying pan, complete with hot pancake, and so the tradition was born. The reason this 15th Century woman was cooking pancakes in the first place was due to a Christian dictate; that through the 40 days of Lent no person should eat milk, eggs, or butter. This was a pre-fridge era, which meant that if a housewife had stocks of these foods they would go off before the fast ended on Easter Sunday, so she had to use them up. The solution was to make pancakes and they became a symbol of selfindulgence before the fast. Indeed Mardi Gras, as the ritual is called in France and the USA, literally translates as ‘Fat Tuesday.’ Over the years I’ve tried my pancakes with fruit, maple syrup, and a variety of savoury fillings but
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I keep coming back to fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar...irresistible. Here is my own recipe for perfect pancakes. Ingredients 115g (4oz) plain flour Pinch salt 1 large egg 285ml (half a pint of milk) 115g (4oz) butter, melted Juice from 2 lemons, strained Caster or Demerara sugar to taste. To make the batter: sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat in the egg and a little of the milk until smooth. Gradually beat in the remaining milk and add 4 tablespoons of the melted butter. Cover the bowl and leave to stand for one hour. In a small non-stick frying pan heat some of the butter until sizzling, but taking care not to let it burn. Pour enough batter into the pan to coat the base evenly. Cook over a moderate heat until the pancake is light golden-brown underneath and looks dry on top. Flip over (try to do this with style!) and cook the other side until golden. Continue until all the batter is used. The recipe should make 10-12 pancakes. You can keep the pancakes warm in the oven (Gas mark 1 / 140C) until they are all cooked, but in our house they’re barely out the frying pan before they’re scoffed. Serve with the lemon juice and sugar...Enjoy!
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Cloudy2Clear, A Local Service With A Smile. I think we can all agree that seeing the back of 2020 was a welcome event for each and every one of us, and we can now hopefully march into 2021 with renewed positivity and optimism. One thing is for sure though, there have also been some heart warming positives that we can take out of last year. It has often been said that we can only really get to know one another and realise what is truly important in times of crisis. I think few would argue that in this case what has proven to be important is local community spirit. When talking to the Manager of Cloudy2Clear windows Stephen Moon it became clear that these values have been held dear for a number of years. Since starting
the business some years ago Cloudy2Clear have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community by providing a service that saves the public money. The Cloudy2Clear service only requires the glass to be replaced and not the whole window once the unit has failed. Stephen commented “Cloudy2Clear were able to assist our community through the last financial crisis in 2008 due to the savings that can be made in using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help once again”.
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House of Colour
Longer Lasting Clothes Different types of fabric suit different clothing personalities. Some people look fabulous in cable knit jumpers and textured wools while others need smooth refined woollens. They can make a real difference to our look. I can’t get away with creases (yes some people can work that look!) or boucle wools. However we all need to look after our clothes to get the most from them. Now could be the time to put a little care in to ensure some longevity. A round up of some top tips in clothing care: • Try using a razorblade to take the pilling off jumpers. Those little bobbles instantly age a jumper but with a little care they can look rejuvenated. A ‘comb’ for knitwear also works well just be careful not to use it too vigorously on some delicate wools like cashmere to avoid stretching it. • Fabric softener can make pilling worse so give it a miss – but be sure to use a delicate detergent on woollens and a delicates wash in your machine. Pure wool doesn’t actually need a lot of washing (it doesn’t tend to hang on to bacteria or dirt) so if it isn’t obviously dirty don’t rush to wash it. • Never leave a jumper to dry on a radiator. Woollens need a flat surface to dry and not direct heat. They may shrink and dye could come off on your radiator! • Fold woollens flat to store, they stretch on hangers. Avoid the vacuum packing storage bags as they can distort your jumpers. Cedar balls work well when added to drawers and in storage to repel moths. • Wash trousers inside out to reduce wear and tear while in the wash. Once they’re done take them out as soon as possible and then leave to dry in a warm area folding along their crease lines – this will maintain those lines (down the front) and could avoid them needing a pressing. • Hard water area – help reduce deposits by using soda crystals in each wash, teaspoon or so will reduce build up (as well as making your detergent go further!) in your machine. • Hand wash bras – they will have a much shorter shelf life if they go in a machine. The lingerie detergent Soak doesn’t need rinsing which helps to speed up the process. • Quality hangers are essential – not the wire ones from the dry cleaners, they can distort clothing.
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Faux Fur • Often with a label of dry clean but shhh….you can hand wash it! Short faux fur hand washes well, the longer types of fur can become matted in the process so don’t work as well. Only embark on hand wash if your faux fur item really needs a wash and this is better with lighter colours. Try using a bath to wash it in with lukewarm water and a gentle delicates detergent (doesn’t need much detergent either). It will absorb a huge amount of water in the process. Lay on some old towels (you could need a few with a coat and beware dye running) and press water out, try not to wring it. Press the item in the towels. Then put it on the spin cycle (on a gentle option) in your machine – if you can put it in a laundry bag or pillow case to protect it and the fibres from your machine. Leave to dry on a hanger if a coat for at least 24 hours, possibly longer until dry. The fur may need a little fluffing up with your hands once it’s dried but then it’s as good as new! 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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Interiors By Katherine Sorrell
Go green in style with our guide to creating a beautiful indoor garden in any room. House plants look amazing, adding colour, pattern, texture, interesting forms and a feeling of vibrancy. They can fill a dull corner, provide soft screening and help dampen noise. The Royal Horticultural Society reports that indoor plants have been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce fatigue and headache. Intriguingly, patients in hospital rooms containing plants report decreased post-operative pain. The psychological benefits include the satisfaction of nurturing a small seedling to a healthy, mature plant, as well as the pleasure of watering, misting and pruning, while the RHS says that house plants have been shown to reduce stress levels, improve mood, increase productivity and potentially lengthen attention span. Plants make us feel good. What plants to choose? Select plants suited to homes, where it is shadier and temperature fluctuations are greater than in their normal habitat. Good examples include the spider plant, the Boston fern, several varieties of dracaena, Sansevieria trifasciata, rubber plants (ficus elastica), peace lilies (spathiphyllum), aspidistra and ivy. Succulents and cacti tend to be relatively easy to care for and come in a range of shapes and sizes. For fashion followers, the most-discussed plants on Reddit in 2020 included the pothos, monstera, philodendron, calathea, hoya and peperomia. On the other hand, the world’s most Instagrammed houseplants include the Swiss cheese plant (monstera deliciosa), fiddle leaf fig (ficus lyrata), Chinese money plant, snake plant and money tree.
Huge plants make a grand statement in a living room, especially combined with bold colours and architectural fittings. Charlotte Chandelier, £380, with 18cm pendant shades in Posh Pink velvet, £35 each, Pooky. Personalise a home work space with a series of small plants, placed at different heights for variety. Gerry Floor lamp, £161; Drax desk lamp in black, £137: both Pooky.
Where to put your house plants Generally plants need good light (but not bright, direct sunlight) and should be away from heat sources, draughts and cold. Darker rooms like bathrooms need shade-tolerant plants. Provide a stable, waterproof base, and keep harmful plants away from children and pets. Huge statement plants look incredible in hallway, living room or dining room corners, or group several plants together for a similar effect. Place smaller plants on tables or use tall planters, or put a row of small plants on a mantelpiece, shelf or window ledge, or dot them among books and vases in a bookcase. Hang them from the ceiling, stage them in steps, or pop them on wall racks. Grouping in odd numbers looks best, and a range of widths and heights looks relaxed. Opt for varying shades of leaf colours or try a more regulated appearance, and contrast leaf shapes for natural variety.
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Technology
High-tech Hygiene As we’ve become much more conscious of hygiene we’ve discovered new things to worry about – so the phones that are our constant companions could also be harbouring all kinds of unpleasantness now that we’re using them constantly. You can’t stick a smartphone in the wash, but you can sanitise it with ultraviolet light. Some UV sanitisers can kill bacteria and viruses in just thirty seconds, but even the slowest ones only need a couple of minutes. Even innocuous items such as soap dispensers can harbour germs, so if that concerns you then you might want to consider a no-touch soap dispenser. These have sensors that can detect your hand and automatically dispense the right amount of soap, and there are lots of models to choose from. Prices start at around £12. One of the most effective ways to hygienically clean things is to use a steam cleaner, which has the added advantage of cleaning without harsh chemicals. Steam cleaners usually come in two kinds: ones for floors, which usually resemble mops, and multipurpose ones. The latter are great for cleaning kitchen or bathroom tiles, ovens and surfaces, and some even come with attachments for cleaning upholstery and curtains. Just be careful what you use them on: laminate floors and steam cleaning don’t go well together, as the hot steam can warp the flooring. Steam cleaning is absolutely fine for wooden floors, tiles or linoleum. In addition to cleaning surfaces you can clean the air too. Air purifiers do a good job of removing allergens and pollutants from the air, which can be particularly helpful for people with asthma and allergies, but be wary of claims that they remove viruses: the filters in home purifiers are rarely fine enough to trap such particles. Think of these devices as a good way to remove dust, pet dander and other things that you or your family may be allergic or intolerant to.
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Homedics UV-CLEAN phone sanitiser The Homedics cleaner uses UVC lights, which kill bacteria and germs without damaging your phone or using harsh chemicals. It’ll clean your phone seventy times before you need to recharge it. £79 from John Lewis
Shark Floor & Handheld Steam Cleaner S6005UK This clever steam cleaner offers the best of both worlds: it starts as a mop but you can take the steamer out and use it on tiles, worktops, shower screens and for other tricky tasks. £129 from Sharkclean.co.uk
Honeywell AirGenius 5 Air Purifier Suitable for rooms up to 112 square metres, the Honeywell quietly and effectively removes large particles such as dust and pet dander. The filter is washable and there’s an auto shutoff to help you save energy.
simplehuman Sensor Pump Cheaper automatic soap dispensers can clog and can cause a bit of a mess with drips, but this simplehuman model is easy, efficient and mess-free. Dispensing soap takes just a fifth of a second. £34.95 from simplehuman.com
Sonicscrubber Cleaning Tool The Sonicscrubber is essentially a sonic toothbrush scaled up to be a home cleaner: it’s an electric cleaning brush that makes light work of even the toughest tasks. It’s particularly good for removing the beginnings of kitchen or bathroom mould. £18.99 from Lakeland
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Food & Drink
Wines: Choosing a Mix For this quest I searched for a range of wines, with each production having an alcoholic content typical for the type and a bouquet, from delicate to medium level, which entices to the pleasures that follow.
Irresistible Sauvignon Blanc (13% vol), from Chile, is a very popular favourite for many white wine lovers. Crisp and fresh, to the mouth’s delight, I found this to be impressive and perfect to accompany a lot of cuisine, including fish dishes, seafood and salads. Irresistible Gavi Broglia (13.5% vol), from Italy, brings thoughts - and flavours - of white fruits to mind, for this dry, smooth wine. Again, being crisp and refreshing, a further, popular selection. For a rosé production I was drawn to Incarnade (11.5% vol). This Pinot Noir wine, by Sainte Marthe, comes from France. Sainte Marthe is to be found on the hillside of an ancient volcano. The terroir, plus much knowledge and expertise, combine to produce this excellent, light and refreshing wine. Great to pair with fish and meat dishes, as well as salads. Red wines are often chosen and Uruguay produces a splendid Tannat Merlot (12.5% vol). The Finca Traversa production certainly ticks all my boxes, with grapes being grown close to the Atlantic Ocean. Juicy red fruit flavours are in abundance. The superb mouthfeel continues on to a greatly appreciative palate and extended finish. Beef and red meats are regularly paired with this wine. Spanish red wines are also chosen regularly and Bobal Extreme (14% vol) does not disappoint. The vineyards are at a height of 1100m. This is an ‘extreme’ altitude for grape growing. Dark fruit flavours complement this organic production, wonderfully. If sparkling wine is a favourite, Italian Pizzolato Organic Prosecco (11% vol) comes through amongst the leaders. This extra dry wine adds something ‘more’ to a dining occasion or event. By itself or to accompany cuisine, this crisp, refreshing production has a very good perlage and memorable finish. I located these wines amongst excellent ranges at a Co-op store, where I also found knowledgeable advice. If Co-op membership is of interest customers can be rewarded for purchases and products. The Co-op is also committed to supporting Fairtrade. www.coop.co.uk www.infofairtrade.net
As always, Enjoy!
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Food & Drink
Restaurant style Japanese miso noodle soup My favourite recipes are those which look great, taste amazing, and require little or no effort to make. This noodle soup meets all those criteria. It’s healthy, full of goodness and will bring a smile to your table during the darker months. The vegetables are fully interchangeable - feel free to use whatever you can get your hands on. The dish also still works without miso paste, even though it does add a lovely richness to the flavours. Ingredients 1 litre good quality vegetable stock 1 tbsp miso paste 200g fine dried noodles or similar (I often cheat and just chuck in the precooked ones you find in the fresh aisle in supermarkets) 2 filets of salmon, skinned and sliced diagonally into three pieces 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped 1 thumb of ginger, peeled and grated Handful sugar snap peas Handful mushrooms finely sliced 1 small leek, finely sliced Vegetable oil Light soy sauce
Serves 2 people
1. Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions then drain and chill them. If you are using pre-cooked noodles, there’s no need to cook them again. 2. Place the noodles in the base of two large round serving bowls. 3. Boil up your vegetable stock and stir through the miso paste. You want to keep this stock hot and ready to serve. 4. In a hot pan, drizzle in some vegetable oil and quickly fry the vegetables, garlic and ginger. Leave them with a good crunch, you don’t want to overcook them. 5. Add in a few drops of soy sauce, mix the vegetables one last time, and then share the vegetables between the two bowls, placing them on the noodles. 6. Pour a little more oil into the pan and fry off the salmon pieces. Give them a bit of colour but, again, don’t overcook them as they will continue to cook in the serving bowls. 7. Pop the salmon on top of the vegetables and divide up the vegetable stock into both bowls. 8. Leave the bowls sit for a minute, just for the boiling stock to heat through the noodles and serve, accompanied by chilli oil or chilli sauce, for a bit of extra optional kick.
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Local News
East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) – Meet Dr Jo Stevens EAAA is still responding to emergencies and providing critical care 24/7 in the region, as well as supporting hospitals with critical care transfers to help manage capacity in intensive care units during the pandemic. In December, EAAA hit a significant milestone of being tasked 30,000 times since the charity was started, 20 years ago. Although not something to celebrate, as it marks 30,000 times someone’s life has been in danger, and the EAAA teams have been needed, it shows what a significant impact the charity is having on critical care across East Anglia. For this issue of The Villager, we got to know one of the life-saving team, Dr Jo Stevens. How long have you been with EAAA and what do you like most about it? I’ve been with EAAA since February 2020, so coming up for a year now. It has certainly been an interesting introduction to the Helicopter Emergency Medicine Service (HEMS) during the Covid-19 pandemic! But one of the highlights of working for EAAA is working alongside a brilliant and dedicated team, who have, over the last year, taken on the roles of teachers, friends and fellow tea-drinkers. I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received from the crew and pilots as I’ve learnt to do this job during these challenging times. When I’m not working at EAAA I’m a trainee in Emergency Medicine at West Suffolk Hospital. What do you do in your spare time? I like being outdoors. The garden is my solace and gives me a chance to be creative and enjoy watching things slowly change, which is a lovely change from this fast-paced job. My husband and I like to camp and have an old 4x4 with roof-top tent that we can
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happily live out of for weeks at a time (as long as there’s a decent supply of wine). What’s your favourite part of being a doctor? I once had a lady in her 90s sing to me at 5am in her room in a very busy Emergency Department. It was a minute of peace during a difficult shift. Every so often you are privileged to get an amazing insight into the person you’re treating, and you remember that we’re hopefully a very temporary part of their life, and that our job is to get them back to it. You can support EAAA by donating online, playing in its weekly lottery from just £1 per play or deciding to leave the charity a gift in your Will. For more info, go online to www.eaaa.org.uk or call 03450 669 999 to speak to one of the team about how you could help keep the yellow EAAA helicopters flying.
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Local News
A lasting tribute to those no longer with us
A new tribute site from Wood Green, The Animals Charity gives pet lovers the opportunity to celebrate the life of a beloved friend, family member or pet by creating a space to come together, share anecdotes and keep the memories of loved ones alive. Giving a gift in someone’s memory is a wonderful way to commemorate their life, whilst also supporting Wood Green’s work to care for thousands of vulnerable pets every year. Jensen Calleemootoo, from Wood Green’s In-Memory Giving team, said: “Losing someone is never easy and we understand how painful it can be. Although nothing can replace them, we know that many people find a great deal of comfort and purpose by creating a tribute fund in their name, for a cause close to
their heart. By donating or fundraising around key milestones such as birthdays and anniversaries, those loved ones stay with us forever – and help Wood Green be there for even more pets in need.” For Len, a gift to Wood Green was the perfect way to honour his late wife, Val: “Leaving a lasting tribute to Val means her love for animals lives on through the care Wood Green gives to homeless pets. Supporting a cause which brought her so much joy and happiness gives me comfort. I have something positive to focus on, despite the pain I felt since losing her.” To find out more about setting up a tribute fund for a loved one, please visit inmemory.woodgreen.org.uk or contact Wood Green’s In-Memory Giving team on 0300 303 9333 option 3.
009011NC0121
Setting up a tribute fund is a wonderful way to commemorate a life whilst making a difference to pets in need.
Wood Green, The Animals Charity, Registered Charity No. 298348
Celebrate the memory of a loved one
Visit www.inmemory.woodgreen. org.uk or call our In-Memory Giving team on 0300 303 9333 option 3 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
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Gardening By Pippa Greenwood
Get Planting Although autumn is viewed as the best time for planting, trees, shrubs, climbers or herbaceous plants will have enough time to get established if planted now. Plan a shopping trip to fill garden spaces with colour, shape or perfume. Start by digging or forking the soil over and removing pernicious weeds or debris. Measure the available spaces so that the chosen plant does not outgrow its new home too quickly, and make a note of how sunny or shaded the spot is. There should be a good selection of shrubs to choose from right now that will provide springtime colour – perhaps a flowering currant with flower trusses in red or pink, a star magnolia, Magnolia stellate, with white or palest pink star-shaped flowers, or, if you have space, an amelanchier, great value because they have tiny, very pretty white flowers with foliage in fiery shades come autumn. On acidic soils or in a goodsized pot of ericaceous compost, camellias perform well and their large flowers in reds, pinks, yellows and white look great. There is also Exochorda macrantha, ‘The Bride’, with delightful arching stems studded with tiny white flowers; the list goes on and on. Plant your purchases as soon as possible. Dig a goodsized hole for each, making it several inches wider than the root ball all round, and fork the base and sides of the hole over thoroughly, especially in clay – where you should prepare the soil with a fork, as this causes less compaction of the soil than using a spade. If the soil is either heavy clay or extremely light and sandy, dig a bigger hole, gradually incorporating more
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of the ‘natural’ soil into the compost or planting mix as you near the sides of the hole. Before planting, remove the pot and firmly tease out the roots – soaking the root ball in a bucket of water for an hour or two helps if they are quite congested and is essential for the plant to get properly established. Prune out any really large, woody roots encircling the root ball to release the remainder of the roots. The plant should be planted at the same depth that it was in its pot, with just the roots, and no part of the stem, below ground level. Watering in helps settle the soil around the fine roots, even if it is fairly moist. Finally, stand back and check the stem is upright. Make a note of the plant’s precise name and details, or remove the label and keep it somewhere safe, so you know how to look after your plant and how big it may grow! At Pippa’s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) you’ll find stylish cloches, practical and pretty plant supports, the fantastic SpeedHoe, gardening tools, Grower Frames, signed books and the ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa’ system. Or book Pippa for a gardening talk at your gardening club.
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Garden View By Rachael Leverton
Heavenly Hellebores I fell in love with Hellebores a few years ago after an early spring visit to the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge where there are some beautiful displays. They provide a spring garden with elegant colour, and I admit to being quite excited when they appear. They are poisonous plants so are probably best avoided if you have young children. They have a somewhat magical history. A mythological physician named Melampus was said to have observed the cathartic effect of hellebore on goats who munched on the plants. Melampus allegedly then used the milk of the same goats to cure the daughters of the King of Argos of their madness. The plant was used for its purgative properties into the Middle Ages and beyond. Personally, I would recommend growing them only for their attractiveness! The original species originated in the northern parts of Greece and Turkey, but they grow incredibly well in British gardens. Having said that, I was disappointed when my first hellebore plants didn’t thrive initially. They seemed to succumb to disease quite easily. I subsequently learned this this was black rot. Then I heard Alan Titchmarsh’s advice to carefully cut the large fingered leaves from the plant at ground level in January, taking care not to damage the buds. This somewhat brutal treatment has worked a treat and my hellebores are now flourishing. Hellebores like well-drained soil in sun or dappled
shade. My clumps are happily increasing in size year-on-year. The stems shoot up to 25-30cm high between late January and February and the flowers appear at the top. Colours tend to be subtle: greentinged white, yellow, oxblood red or dull purple but they glow in the more subdued light at this time of year. They would certainly appear washed-out in the bright sun of late spring and summer. The flowers are rich in nectar so provide food for early bees. There are many varieties of hellebore, with single or double flowers. Just note that not all of them are easy to grow. I have struggled to get the Christmas Rose Helleborus niger to survive, never mind flower, but I’ve had much more success with the Green hellebore, Helleborus viridis, the pretty pink Lenten rose Helleborus x hybridus, which self-seeds quite nicely, and also the Helleborus x hybridus Ashwood Garden hybrids, which come in a variety of colours but don’t seem to self-seed as freely, at least in my garden. Dig in plenty of mushroom compost before planting, and mulch after you’ve cut the leaves off. Dust with a blood, bone and fishmeal mix after flowering and mulch again with well-rotted leaf mould or compost. Dig up any small self-seeded plants and use them as gifts, or to increase your own colony.
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Happy Gardening 29
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Pets
Show Them You Care This
Valentine’s Day grooming session. Just the thing for dogs who love to be pampered, they’ll come away looking and feeling fresh and fabulous. Most groomers offer extra services, like a deep conditioning treatment or nail clipping. I’ve yet to meet a cat who enjoys having a bath, so this could be one to skip for your feline family members! 6) If you do not have your own pet to spoil this Valentine’s Day, why not sponsor a dog or cat through the RSPCA, and spoil them instead. More details can be found on our website or by contacting our Bedford team. 7) Show how much you love animals by becoming a foster carer for the RSPCA. This is such a rewarding role and one that is. More details can be found on our website or by contacting our Bedford team. So, whatever you choose to do and whoever you choose to spoil, enjoy your Valentine’s Day. If you need to contact our Branch (North Bedfordshire) for any reason we can be reached by the details below, or for an animal welfare issue or emergency, contact; 0300 1234 999. Lines are open 7 days a week 24/7. Email: info@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk Tel: 01234 266965 / 01234 930304
Valentine’s Day is traditionally the day when people show their affection for another person or people by sending cards, flowers, or chocolates with messages of love. But what about receiving one from your pet? Or maybe even sending your pet a Valentine’s Day card, to let them know you care? The card company Moonpig says it has seen a big increase in the number of cards bought for favourite pets. So, apart from exchanging cards, how else can you show your treasured pet you really care for them this Valentine’s Day. 1) Make some healthy treats for your much-loved pet. There are a growing number of recipes online, for a range of skill sets. So, don’t worry if you are not a very confident chef. You could even make them into heart shapes to add a personal touch. 2) Give their bedding a good clean. Some of it may need a bit of a sort out and spring clean. Perhaps make a small list of anything they may need over the next few months. A new blanket perhaps. 3) Locate all of their toys and give them a really good wash in the bath. Leave them to completely dry before returning them. Some fabric toys may even need mending with a handful of stuffing or just few stitches. You could use a spare box or basket to store them in. They could all get arranged neatly inside, as if they were brand new. 4) Buy them a special present. Treat your special friend to something new and personal; collar, lead, toys, treats, bed, coat. 5) Pamper your pup by taking them to a local dog groomer. More and more dog-friendly spas and/ or grooming parlours are opening each year. So why not book Buster in for a bath, shampoo and
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Local News
Age UK Hertfordshire are here if you need them…. The latest lockdown has come as a blow to all of us, but particularly for older people, many of whom live alone and have been unable to see family or friends for months. ‘It’s been such a challenging and confusing time for everyone’ says Roz Wyllie, Head of Engagement at Age UK Hertfordshire, ‘Many of our clients were already isolated and lonely and this means more days alone. For many that will have an impact on their mental and physical wellbeing, so we are doing what we can to help.’ The local charity have been creating comfort parcels, distraction packs and activity packs to keep their clients mentally and physically agile. ‘We’ve had such a positive response to the distraction packs’, Roz adds. ‘Our clients tell us that they are really enjoying the gifts and puzzles that we are sending them, and we’re so grateful to the businesses and individuals who have donated or helped us to raise funds to keep our clients occupied and connected.’ ‘We’re still providing all our vital support,’ agrees Mark Hanna, the charities’ Director of Operations,
‘All our services are still running, albeit in a different form. We can provide emotional and practical help to anyone who needs us, and we have a range of services including Information & Advice, emotional support, our Help in the Home cleaning service and our very popular Befriending Service.’ ‘It’s great that some of our clients are now starting to receive their vaccine,’ says Roz, ‘And we’re hopeful that soon we can reopen our clubs and our volunteers can get back to face to face visits, but in the meantime we can still provide support over the phone and on-line.’ Age UK Hertfordshire are still open to continue to support older people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Contact them on 0300 345 3446 or visit them online at: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/hertfordshire/
Broth ers and Sisters 1. Which two comedians played the title roles in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers? 2. Which well known fictional character has a sister called Rose Red? 3. In the video game Super Mario Brothers, what is the name of Mario’s brother? 4. Which two characters from the TV show Friends are brother and sister? 5. Which planet in the solar system is sometimes referred to as “Earth’s sister” due to it being of similar size and mass?
6. What is the surname of the brothers who wrote, produced and directed the 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? 7. What were the first names of the three Brontë sisters? 8. In a fairy tale first published by the Brothers Grimm, which brother and sister discover a gingerbread house inhabited by a witch who eats children? 9. “He loved Big Brother” is the final line of which famous novel? 10. By what name are identical twin sisters Gabriela and Monica Irimia better known in the music world?
1. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd 2. Snow White 3. Luigi 4. Ross and Monica 5. Venus 6. Coen (Joel and Ethan) 7. Charlotte, Emily and Anne 8. Hansel and Gretel 9. Nineteen Eighty-Four 10. The Cheeky Girls
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HERTS OVEN CLEAN Herts Oven Clean is a domestic oven cleaning specialist in Hertfordshire. Non-caustic, fume-free solution individually prepared for each customer. Ovens, Hobs, Grills, Extractors, Agas, Microwaves and Gas Barbeques. Call Richard on 01438 813492 Bring a sparkle to your kitchen today.
Your Perfect Loft Access and Storage Solution Our services include: Loft Ladders Loft Hatches Insulation Loft Boarding Loft Lighting Balustrades We are a family run business who comply to building regulations, where our fitters are fully insured and all of our work is guaranteed. Covering Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex.
01438 211302 info@eastanglianloftladders.co.uk eastanglianloftladders.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122
Call now for a free, no obligation quotation 33
Premier Painters and Decorators
Premier Painters and Decorators are a professional, punctual and hard working company delivering outstanding quality of work to our clients in and around Stevenage From wallpaper hanging, feature walls, coving and cornice work. We even clean facias, soffits and guttering. (PVC or Wood) If you would like to take advantage of our services, require a quote or advise please do not hesitate to contact us. Be assured when Premier quote a job there are NO HIDDEN EXTRAS. Private and commercial, exterior and interior painting services.
For a free quotation please contact Gary on Tel: 01438 353793 Mob: 07733 227961 Email: info@premierpd.co.uk
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Time of Year By Sarah Davey
World Book Day
Thursday 4th March is WORLD BOOK DAY
and this year the focus is on libraries Every Saturday morning after we’d endured the weekly shop my mother took me and my brother to the library. We’d flop down in the children’s section and skim the titles, our heads tilted at ninety degrees. Our card limit was three books each and it never seemed enough. My mother was an avid reader and instilled in both of us the love of a good story. It’s why I’m delighted that World Book Day is here again, and that it’s working even more closely with libraries. For the first time in our lives libraries are seriously under threat. Yet libraries level the playing field for families who can’t afford to buy books. They are gateways to a world of information and imagination. World Book Day is the annual event supporting books and reading in the UK. Schools, libraries and bookshops will be holding book related events, activities and parties. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get involved. The aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to explore the pleasure of reading. Your child will be given a book token which can be exchanged for one of ten specially published World Book Day books. The theme this year is story-sharing. Research has proven that keen readers: • Read, write and concentrate better • Process new information more easily • Have many interests and do well in a wide variety of subjects
• Are more flexible thinkers and are more open to new ideas • Deal with personal problems better without their schoolwork being affected. • They are also well equipped to deal with the explosion of constantly changing information available through the internet and social media. TV and computer games take up so much of our children’s leisure time that the simple pleasure of reading can be overlooked. Yet reading is the only entertainment medium which is also a life skill and it’s one of the best gifts you can give to your child. So let’s all support World Book Day and...celebrate the power of a story. Share a few of your childhood favourites with your own children. If your memory needs a jog here are a few to start you off… Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Grandpa’s Great Escape by David Walliams How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler Visit www.worldbookday.com
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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
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. 36
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Mansfield Bathrooms Ltd
A family run business, based in Great Ashby, offering a comprehensive bathroom fitting service
Plumbing 路 Tiling 路 Electrics Plastering 路 Carpentry 路 Decorating We can supply and fit all sanitaryware or fit only.
Tel: Aven on 07973 489527 Email: avenmansfield@btinternet.com Web: mansfieldbathrooms.wixsite.com/home
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I D Decorating Painting & Decorating Services Painting – Interior & Exterior Decorating Coving No Job Too Big Or Too Small Fully Insured & Free Estimates Telephone: Ian Dunklin 0790 508 3799
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Bathroom Showroom ...With more than 50 displays of bathrooms, furniture & fittings Free in-house 3D design service Quality products from leading manufacturers Experienced staff offering impartial advice Free delivery within a 20 mile radius of our showroom
01438 725309
bathrooms@stevenageplumbing.co.uk www.stevenageplumbing.co.uk
Caxton House, Caxton Way, Stevenage, Herts. SG1 2XS 40
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January’s Puzzle Solutions and Winner Last Month’s Crossword Winner Cheryl Subocz - Potton Easy
Hard
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Prize The Villager Prize Crossword
ÂŁ25
Across 1 Hint (4) 3 Contrary (8) 9 Error (7) 10 Frolic (5) 11 Eager (12) 13 Informal (6) 15 Titbit (6) 17 Alphabetical reference books (12) 20 Propose (5) 21 Produces lava (7) 22 Vacations (8) 23 Wagers (4)
Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before
16th February 2021 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The winner will be drawn at random from the correct completed entries.
Down 1 Business (8) 2 Distressed (5) 4 Lyrical (6) 5 From time to time (12) 6 Suggests (7) 7 Acquire (4) 8 Produced (12) 12 Flowers (8) 14 Talented (7) 16 Carry (6) 18 Picture (5) 19 Weapon (4)
Name:
Address:
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Tel:
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“Quality is not expensive, it’s priceless”
Extensions, Refurbishments, Loft and Garage Conversions, Landscaping and General Building Internal and external work with many local references View our testimonials at www.hertfordshirebuilders.co.uk
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Books
Books to dip into Sometimes we just can’t face a whole novel or autobiography. With these books, you can dip in and out whenever you have a spare five minutes. By Kate Duggan Dear NHS: 100 Stories to Say Thank You By Adam Kay
Adam Kay brings us a series of essays and musings from a range of household names, from Malala Yousafzai to Dame Julie Walters and Johnny Vegas. Each tale is about how the NHS has stepped in to help the writer. There’s a story of a suspected heart attack that turned out to be trapped wind, several about household accidents (often involving kitchen knives) and plenty of sentimental stories to boot. Plus, all profits go to charity.
Encounters: A Photographic Journey By Levison Wood
Award-winning reportage photographer Levison Wood has travelled to more than 100 countries over the last ten years. Encounters brings together 140 of his images, along with text about each one. You’ll meet a young shepherd girl in Ethiopia, resourceful teenagers in the Congo, stranded nomads, fishermen in Yemen and families surviving in war-torn regions.
The Repair Shop: Tales from the Workshop of Dreams
If you love the TV series about expert craftspeople restoring much loved family heirlooms, you won’t want to miss the accompanying book. It goes into more detail about some of the most interesting items shown in the series, from a rusty miner’s helmet to a circus performer’s dress. It’s the book version of a mug of tea and hot buttered crumpet.
SHIRON
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WINDOW REPAIRS
Serving all of Herts - Based in Stevenage Specialising in replacing misted units
BEFORE AFTER email: info@jmlwindows.co.uk website: www.jmlwindows.co.uk 07977 911 926 / 01438 906300 • Misted/broken double glazed units • Sticking doors or windows adjusted • Broken/loose handles • Leaded or Georgian units replaced • Hinges for gapping windows • Leaks fixed • All types of locks replaced • Energy saving Planitherm glass • Cat/dog flaps in glass or panels • Door re-alignments Visit our website for over 30 customer reviews 46
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