Henlow May 2020 by Villager Mag

VILLAGER The

Issue 138 - May 2020

and Town

Life

LOCAL NEWS • LOCAL PEOPLE • LOCAL SERVICES • LOCAL CHARITIES • LOCAL PRODUCTS

In this issue Victory in Europe Day Celebrations

Britain's Oddest Pubs Choose your

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Inside this issue... Bathroom Style for 2020

Victory in Europe Day......................................................................... 4 Britain’s Oddest Pubs.......................................................................... 8 Dubrovnik...............................................................................................10 National Book Club goes Online - School Readers................ 12 Get your Kids into Electronics........................................................ 15 What can I use instead?....................................................................16 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.......................................................19 Dine in Style - Kahani......................................................................... 21 How stress can make you eat everything or nothing........... 22 What we wear can influence mood............................................26 Beauty Discoveries.............................................................................29 Self Help for Sore Knees..................................................................30 Get your Business Online now...................................................... 35 Good News from Local Therapy Centre.....................................37 SADA Contract Renewed in North Herts..................................38 Samaritans appeal to North Herts residents...........................40 Should you choose a Challenger Bank?..................................... 42 Gardening from scraps..................................................................... 47 There’s no escaping the garden this month.............................48

Choosing the Right Pet - Wood Green...................................... 52 Thinking of Buying a Kitten?..........................................................54 Quarantine without Yoga..... it can be done!........................... 57 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal................................................................60 RSPCA Hertfordshire East News................................................... 63 Safety First - Family First Aid..........................................................65 Take Better Photos............................................................................ 67 Brain Aging............................................................................................68 Children’s Page.....................................................................................70 Familiarity can breed contempt.....................................................73 Wordsearch...........................................................................................73 Bathroom Style for 2020................................................................. 74 Choose your Ideal Bathroom Flooring....................................... 76 ECO Anxiety......................................................................................... 78 Fun Quiz................................................................................................. 78 Puzzle Page...........................................................................................80 Breakdown Cover Explained...........................................................82 Villager Crossword.............................................................................86 Summertime Tech..............................................................................89 Getting in Training - Short Story..................................................90 Book Review......................................................................................... 93

Get your Kids into Electronics

Wishing all of our advertisers and customers all the very best through these difficult times. We look forward to bringing you the full printed version of the magazine as soon as we possibly can. Editorial - Catherine Rose, Kate McLelland, Solange Hando, Bob Grant, Nick Coffer, Trevor Langley, Jennie Billings, Kate Duggan, Dr Daisy Mae, Ann Haldon, Rachael Leverton, Pippa Greenwood, Tracey Anderson, RSPCA, Tom Hancock, Iain Betson, Katherine Sorrell and Jackie Brewster

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Front Cover Photography - Adam Edwards Design and Artwork - Design 9 Tel 07762 969460 • www.design9marketing.co.uk

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Publishers Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP Tel: 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com www.villagermag.com

Disclaimer - All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however, Villager Publications Ltd can not take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher. 3

History By Catherine Rose

Victory in Europe Day This month sees a three-day celebration that will take place throughout Europe and beyond for VE 75 – the diamond anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Following six years of suffering under Nazi terror, the liberation was summed up by the words of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill when he said: “My dear friends, this is your hour”. Even the young Queen joined the exultant crowds. 8th May 2020 will mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the unconditional surrender of Germany to the Allies, the date when war in Europe finally ended. Although the Second World War wasn’t to finish completely until August 1945 with victory against Japan, millions of people nevertheless took to the streets to express their joy and relief. Hitler had committed suicide in his bunker on 30th April 1945 during the Battle of Berlin, having first killed his dog and executed his wife Eva Braun. The short-lived Flensburg Cabinet formed under Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz was put together hastily in the aftermath. The cabinet negotiated terms and authorised their surrender, which was to lead to the division of Germany.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother stood shoulder to shoulder with Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as thousands of people filled the Mall. In an unprecedented move, the Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, who had been devoted to the war effort throughout, was allowed to wander undetected amongst the crowds with her sister Princess Margaret. A film was made in recent years about their fictional exploits and the Queen has described that time as “the most memorable night of my life”. People had been prepared for Germany’s surrender following Hitler’s death, so when the BBC interrupted its broadcasts late on the evening of 7th May to announce that the following day was Victory in Europe Day and would be a public holiday, it didn’t come as a huge surprise. However, it was certainly a most welcome one following the widespread destruction and casualties of millions during the course of the war. After the years of blackouts and bomb shelters, celebrations were very much centred outside on the

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streets. Trafalgar Square heaved with around fifty thousand revellers, many of whom kissed strangers and jumped into the fountains (a tradition that was to subsequently feature on New Year’s Eve until it was stopped in 2002 and New Year celebrations moved to the Embankment). Communities in many towns and villages throughout Britain quickly organised family street parties with paper hats, Union Flags and long communal tables. The government decreed that red, white and blue bunting could be purchased without having to use ration coupons and the Ministry of Food managed to ensure that there was enough beer available for the hundreds of pubs whose opening hours were extended (although many still ran dry by 10.30pm). Rationing continued until 1954 so on VE Day people had to make do with the ingredients they had available. With party staples like sweets and sugar, cake, chocolate, eggs and butter in short supply, cooks had to be creative. Wartime food would have included things like dripping sandwiches, potato and leek pie, Spam, corned beef and faggots made using ground up offal. However, there is no doubt that many a celebratory

cake was made using the family’s sugar and powdered egg ration for VE Day. The enduring wartime community spirit meant that everyone pulled together to ensure this was not just a community but a country-wide celebration. Manufacturers even managed to produce commemorative mugs in time for the event. Abroad, in places like New York, hordes of revellers filled Times Square, and on the Champs Elysée, Parisians sang the First World War classic ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’. As well as street parties, there were parades, dances, bonfire gatherings and commemorative church services. Thousands of people had endured hardship and lost loved ones during the war and no one was forgotten. In London, St Paul’s Cathedral, which had famously survived the Blitz, held ten consecutive thanksgiving services. All were packed. It is hoped to capture some of that wartime spirit in the celebrations this month and pubs have been granted an extended licence on Friday 8th May. For further information on events in your area for this year’s special May Day Bank Holiday, search VE 75 online.

VE DAY

75th Celebration 6

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Quirky Britain

By Kate McLelland

Britain’s Oddest Pubs Some British pubs are just a little different. Maybe that’s because they have a funny name, or a fascinating backstory. Here are some bizarre British boozers that take ‘different’ to a whole new level. The Pack o’ Cards Combe Martin Everything in this popular North Devon pub – from the plot on which it was built to the number of floors and windows – reflects the numbers found in a pack of cards. The pub has four floors, matching the number of suits in a pack, and there are thirteen doors on each floor, matching the number of cards in a suit. Before the window tax came into effect in 1696, the number of windows equalled the sum of all the playing cards found in a pack. The Pack o’ Cards has been a Grade II* listed building since 1953. The Nutshell Bury St Edmunds The Guinness Book of Records confirms that The Nutshell is officially the smallest pub in Britain. With a bar measuring just 15ft by 7ft, it’s a wonder that this pub has any room for drinkers, never mind the array of curious objects – including a mummified cat – that adorn the walls and ceiling. The Nutshell’s quirky history began with the Stebbing family, who took over the premises in 1873, reopening as a ‘Museum of Art and Curiosities’. After the building was sold to a brewery, the landlord took the decision to retain the museum’s quirky charm by retaining some of the artefacts on display. The Crooked House Dudley Don’t be surprised if you start to feel a bit unsteady on your feet before you’ve even walked through the door of The Crooked House. The building leans dramatically to one side, giving the impression that the pub itself has had one too many. To confuse things even more, visitors settling down with a pint and a pie may encounter optical illusions – such as drinks glasses

that apparently defy gravity by sliding uphill. One side of this beleaguered building dips 4ft (1.2m) lower than the other, which is probably why it was condemned and scheduled for demolition during the 1940s. Thankfully, Wolverhampton and Dudley breweries stepped in to rescue it, using buttresses and girders to safely retain its lopsided look. The Hatchet Inn Bristol This Grade II listed inn has a colourful reputation as a haunt of tooled-up woodsmen (who gave the pub its ‘hatchet’ name) and terrifying pirates. In fact the infamous Blackbeard – scourge of shipping in the West Indies – is said to have supped ale on the premises. In the eighteenth century the pub was renowned for cock fighting and bare-knuckle boxing, but its bloodthirsty history didn’t stop there. Legend suggests that beneath layers of black tar and paint on the pub’s front door lies a flayed and tanned human skin, reputedly that of a hanged convict. The pubs listed above are certainly unusual, but there are many more eccentric alehouses to be explored in the UK. So if you fancy a leisurely drink at a public house where strangeness is celebrated and weird legends abound, put on your walking boots, grab a map and get ready for the strangest pub crawl ever.

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Travel

Dubrovnik Clinging to the southern tip of Croatia, Dubrovnik is a lovely medieval jewel lapped by the blue waters of the Adriatic. Framed by hills fragrant with rosemary and thyme, the old town is enclosed by fortifications where red roofs, spires and domes mingle their reflections in a glistening harbour. Byron called it the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ and graced by a sprinkling of emerald islands just offshore, it feels almost like a dream. Dubrovnik long prospered on maritime trade, ruled in turn by Byzantines and Venetians until it became the Republic of Ragusa in 1358, reaching its golden age in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake, it lost its freedom under Napoleon then was taken over by the AustroHungarian Empire until 1918. Upheavals continued in the former Yugoslavia and in 1991-92, the city was besieged and heavily damaged during Croatia’s war of independence. But today, finely restored and listed by UNESCO, the old town fills you with delight. Steps and cobbled lanes climb up the slopes, sunflowers bloom in hidden courtyards and church bells ring all around. Main highlights are easy to find, from Gothic and Renaissance buildings to Italian fountains, monasteries and churches. The Franciscan monastery boasts one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe (1316) while the Baroque church of St Blaise displays the patron saint holding a model of the city. The cathedral claims a rich treasury of relics and paintings

and a connection with Richard the Lionheart. Caught in a storm on his way back from a crusade, he promised to build a cathedral where he reached land. And so he did, though what we see today was rebuilt after the earthquake. Other cultural sites include the Sponza Palace, housing 7,000 volumes of the city’s archives, and the Rector’s Palace, former home of the Republic’s figurehead and now the History Museum. Time to relax? Watch the world go by on a café terrace, stroll along the Stradun (the main pedestrian street between the city gates), explore the morning market or head for the harbour and city walls. The walls are two kilometres around and up to six metres thick on the land side. Never breached, they bristle with fortresses, bastions and towers, such as the sturdy Minceta dating to 1464, when every visitor to town had to bring a stone. There are steep steps and spectacular views over harbour and town, while high above an orange cable car glides up to the panoramic hilltop. Beaches stretch along the coast or you can sail or kayak to the nearby islet of Lokrum, full of chirruping crickets. Draped in lush vegetation, it’s a peaceful nature reserve and the perfect escape for romantic couples. Look out for the salt water lake known as the Dead Sea, the exotic botanical garden and the Port Royal tower looking back to Dubrovnik and its old harbour. Tempted? Just follow George Bernard Shaw for “If you want to see paradise on earth,” he said, “you By Solange Hando must come to Dubrovnik.”

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Schoolreaders

National Book Club Quiz Goes Online for Lockdown Britain Schoolreaders, the Children’s Literacy Charity, takes its popular quiz online Supported by best-selling author Sophie Kinsella Schoolreaders, the charity that aims to give every child the chance to read well, is taking its annual Book Club Quiz online in 2020 for the first time, and is inviting book clubs or other groups of friends to reach out to each other and set up virtual meetings to take part in a fun book quiz. Best-selling author, Sophie Kinsella, whose novels have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, is the author headlining the Schoolreaders’ Book Club Quiz for 2020 and comments: “At this strange time, reading is even more of a solace, an education and a way into the world. I’m so glad that the Schoolreaders Book Club Quiz will still be running, virtually. We are all adjusting to new ways of communication and we can still connect, and have fun with our shared love of books. Good luck!”. Teams should enter online at www.schoolreaders. org and Schoolreaders provides clear guidance on how groups can set up a virtual meeting. Jane Whitbread, Founder of Schoolreaders comments: “Britain’s online quiz craze has become a popular and heart-warming way to reconnect and keep in touch with friends and family in locked down Britain. We really want to encourage book clubs, groups of friends and families to sign up and take part in our annual fun book quiz – this time online! There are some amazing online platforms which enable groups to come together and enjoy virtual get togethers which can really lift people’s spirits in this difficult and isolating time. “Our quiz is free to join - but if participants are able to support our work we would be hugely grateful! Schoolreaders’ reading support for primary school children will be needed more than ever once schools return to normal as many

Sophie Kinsella (Photo credit: to John Swan)

children who may struggle with literacy will not be getting sufficient reading practice whilst schools are closed. In addition, school budgets to help those with reading difficulties are likely to be very tight due to the inevitable economic impact of the Coronavirus.” Schoolreaders recruits volunteers to provide weekly one-to-one reading support to children in primary schools across the country and is unique in being the only nationwide charity to provide this service to schools for free. This means that all children have the opportunity to benefit from this vital reading support, irrespective of a school’s financial situation. Schoolreaders is funded entirely through charitable trusts, fundraising events, legacies and private donors.

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Electronics

Get Your Kids into Electronics

There’s a maker revolution going on at the moment. You might not have noticed but there is. More kids (and adults) are tinkering with electronics and computers. Not to play games, but rather to design and build their own devices and machines. This resurgence in hobby engineering has been growing for a while but took off with the development of very low cost, single circuit board computers that anyone could program, and build into their projects. The Raspberry Pi and Arduino boards are two of the most popular, but there is now a vast range depending on your budget and requirements. You can even get full powered PCs as single board computers. Where to Start? Hobby engineering is great fun for people who like to learn by doing rather than reading. Yes, you’ll need to do a bit of research and head-scratching to get projects to work, but that’s part of the challenge and fun of building your own machines. The easiest place to start is with an electronics kit from a toy shop or online store. These remove the hassle out of getting something up and running. The parts connect easily, and each set has a number of circuits to build and test, usually with full explanations of how they work. They teach the basics of electronics in a fun and rewarding manner. Most sets can be expanded to build more complex designs, and many let you connect to a computer so you can program your machine.

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Next Steps Once you’ve got the bug it’s time to get your hands dirty with some larger projects. Here the internet is king. There are thousands of projects online for you to copy, modify and build. Whatever you’re looking to make someone out there has built something similar, so you’ll know where to start. You’ll learn how to connect electronics to your SBC (single board computer), how to program it and how to get it to ‘see’ the real world through its sensors and control your devices through its drivers. Build for Free Of course, buying electronic components can add up. If your budget is negligible there are still plenty of resources for you to use. Online circuit simulators like TinkerCad let you to build circuits on your computer screen. All the components and test equipment are there at the click of a mouse. You can wire them together and plug your circuit into a virtual Arduino computer board. Then upload your programs and run your machine right in your browser. All the components and circuit boards you use can be bought from any electronics store. So you can test your designs, work out what you need and order them to turn the digital version into the real-life machine when finances allow. Give your kids a head start in the modern digital world and get them making today! By Bob Grant

Food & Drink

What can I use instead of…?

Empty supermarket shelves require some kitchen creativity It’s frustrating when you want to bake but don’t have some of the ingredients. You don’t want to make an unnecessary trip out to the supermarket at the moment, and you’re not sure they’ll have what you need when you get there anyway! Or maybe you’re in the supermarket and they don’t have exactly what’s on your shopping list. Here are some substitutions you might be able to make. Buttermilk – You can substitute plain yoghurt. If you only have thick yoghurt you can think it with a little milk, or water. If you don’t have yoghurt you can use 240mls (1 cup) of milk mixed well with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Butter – If your cake calls for butter and there is none, use coconut oil or vegetable oil instead. Dark brown sugar – Use ¼ cup of treacle to 1 cup of granulated sugar, or 1 tablespoon of treacle to 1 cup of light brown sugar. Double Cream – Evaporated milk can be substituted 1:1, or use 120mls milk + 80mls melted butter. Caster sugar – If you have granulated sugar you can blend it in a mini-blender, but it’s best reserved for

muffins and coarser textured cakes rather than fine sponges. Eggs – amazingly you can get away without eggs in some cakes. Try substituting ¼ cup of mashed banana or ¼ cup vegetable oil. If substituting two eggs I would mix the banana option with the vegetable oil option. You can also use 1 tablespoon of ground or milled linseed /flax seed to three tablespoons of water to replace one egg. Mix together and leave to stand for a few minutes. This is a well-known vegan substitute for eggs which can come in useful if you keep a pack of ground linseed on standby. Baking powder – mix ¼ teaspoon baking soda with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar to make 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Vinegar – replace the vinegar with the same amount of lemon or lime juice, or double the amount of white wine. Yoghurt – sour cream and buttermilk are interchangeable when baking.

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Baking

Tarte fine aux pommes (traditional French apple tart)

Just in case you’ve been thinking, throughout the course of all these recipes in this magazine from the Weekend Kitchen, that all I do is sit and eat what is cooked for me, I’ve made this recipe myself this month**! As with so many of the recipes from my show, it’s simplicity personified. Puff pastry, a lovely apple puree, topped with sliced apples and a sweet glaze. Perfection, in a traditional sense. The recipe was originally made on my show by a lovely, erudite and passionate Frenchman called Jean-Claude Blanc. A talented chef, he has now made the French Horn in Steppingley his home, serving the kind of French brasserie dishes which would take you back to when life was a lot simpler… (**in fairness, much of the show is indeed spent with me eating lovely food!) Ingredients A pack of puff pastry 4 Granny smith apples (or similarly tart apple) 2 cooking apples Unsalted butter 4 tbsp apricot jam 3 tbsp caster sugar 1. Begin by peeling and coring the apples. 2. Chop up the cooking apples and gently cook them with a little butter in a saucepan until they go very soft. 3. Cut the Granny Smiths in half and slice them very finely into equal sized segments. 4. Roll out the pastry. You can either do one large tart or several small round ones, cut out using a bowl as a template. 5. Prick the base and spread a thin layer of the apple puree. 6. Arrange the apples on top in a pretty circle

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 5 (for small round tarts), or in long lines if you’re making a large version. 7. Dot a few bits of butter, sprinkle some sugar and place in the oven. Cook for around 15-20 minutes. Watch the tarts carefully and remove them as soon as you feel the base has crisped up and the apples have taken on some colour. 8. Remove from the oven and cool. 9. Meanwhile place the apricot jam in a saucepan, adding four tablespoons of water. Mix well. 10. Bring to the boil and sieve the liquid jam to remove any lumpy bits. 11. Put the jam back on the heat and reduce gently until it coats the back of a spoon. 12. Using a pastry brush,“paint” the glaze onto the pastries. This will create a lush professional finish. 13. Serve with dollops of vanilla ice cream, or double cream.

Hear wonderful recipes on Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen every Sunday morning on BBC Three Counties radio at 11am. You can also join Nick every weekday afternoon at midday for brilliant local guests with great stories to tell and all the music you want for your early afternoon.

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Food & Drink

Dine in Style: Kahani Chelsea, Belgravia and Knightsbridge are just three of the affluent areas of London. These districts, in central and South West London, have high - quality residential and retail properties of outstanding build and character. Many designer outlets offer exclusive, grand and very impressive products. Numerous top hotels and restaurants are located in these areas, too.

Award-winning Kahani, Indian fine dining restaurant, offers cuisine of an exceptional standard. Chef Peter Joseph opened this restaurant during 2018 and gained a lot of interest and praise from the outset. Peter was raised in Chennai, India and has taken great influence from those earlier days. His surroundings and mother’s culinary skills became ‘engraved’ in his mind. Peter continued his knowledge and expertise, gaining experiences in Britain’s kitchens. Traditional Indian methods of cooking are used at Kahani., utilising the very best ingredients – with Peter’s signature, modern twist – offering authentic dishes from many areas of India. Starter dishes and small plates can include Spiced Chickpeas with sweetened yoghurt, mint, tamarind chutney, papdi and Soft Shell Crunchy Crab (Mangalorean spices, kachumber, smoked tomato chutney), amongst an impressive array. My selection of Beetroot, with peach, apple, baby leaves, pine nuts and mustard, proved to be an excellent commencement to the dining occasion, being flavoursome and with eye-catching presentation. Choices for mains offer Kahani Klaasik, Specials and Kahani Dawat. With meat, game, vegetable and seafood options available, certainly there is something for all tastes. I opted for Trio of Chicken Tikka (Tandoor grilled chicken supreme with cream cheese, mint and pickling spices). The complementing flavours in this dish were ‘outstanding’. Tender, succulent, this definitely warranted ‘Compliments to Chef’. Other options include sirloin, lamb, prawns, bass, lobster tail and more. Desserts are excellent and impressive, too. Medley of Kulfis (Salted caramel, rose malai, pistachio) makes a perfect ending to the experience. Parties, events and occasions can all be arranged and accommodated. The Cadogan Hall is very close, with fabulous events throughout the year. Menus include Tasting, Vegetarian, Vegan and more. Certainly, all tastes can be (very) pleased. Gift vouchers are available – now there’s a thought! Private dining is available, too. Many thanks to Manuel, for knowledge of cuisine and exemplary service, throughout. Highly recommended. Kahani, 1 Wilbraham Place, Belgravia, London SW1 9AE Tel: 44 (0) 20 7730 7634 E-mail: reservations@kahanirestaurants.com www.kahanidining.com

As always, Enjoy! To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

ey Trevor Langl

Health

How Stress Can Make You Eat Everything…or Nothing We’re currently living in a time of collective anxiety. The COVID-19 virus, empty shelves at the supermarkets, concerns about job security, all while trying to home-educate our kids. We’re all dealing with elevated stress levels right now and we’re all affected in different ways. One obvious way many of differ is in our approach to food. There is a definite connection between stress and our appetite, and it isn’t the same for everyone. For some of us (myself included), stress causes us to ignore our hunger cues and we often don’t eat for long stretches. For others, like my friend Jess, stress turns them into emotional eaters, who mindlessly munch their way through mountains of snacks. Those of us in the ‘stop eating’ group are so focused on our stress that we either ignore, or fail to tune into, our hunger cues. Those in the ‘can’t stop eating’ group are generally attempting to distract themselves with food. Human beings have a highly developed ‘fight-orflight’ response system that helps us deal with perceived threats in our environment. The ‘fight-orflight’ response is a system of cues our brains send to our bodies when we’re under stress. As part of this response our bodies send out cortisol, which

is known as the stress hormone. Cortisol can make us crave sugary, salty and fatty foods, because our brain thinks it needs fuel to leap into action against whatever threat is causing the stress. Jess says, ‘Whenever I’m anxious, which is all the time at the moment, I turn to crisps and chocolate. I know I’m not doing myself any favours and I’m pretty sure that half the time I don’t even taste the food. It’s as if putting food in my mouth distracts my body from all the unpleasant sensations of stress.’ Bizarrely the fight-or-flight response which causes Jess to binge, is the same one that causes me to stop eating altogether. In more primitive times anxiety was the result of a response to situations, such as being chased by a predator, or a rival human. Some people’s response to a predator would be to run, some might freeze, hide, or play dead, others might tackle the threat head on. In evolutionary terms I am a runner; so consumed by the source of my stress or anxiety that I can’t do anything else, including necessary tasks like eating. But the physical sensations of stress, such as nausea, tenseness and a knot in the stomach, can also suppress appetite, making it difficult to tune into

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hunger cue. Feeling nauseated tends to override sensations of hunger. And the cortisol which sends Jess in search of chocolate also increases acid production in the stomach. This was originally meant to help the body digest food quickly in preparation for fight-or-flight can produce the side effect of suppressing the appetite. If experienced over a long period, this increased acid can lead to an ulcer. So, what can Jess and I do about our individual stress responses? Identify our stressors - Probably fairly easy right now. It’s hard not to worry about the virus, money, elderly relatives etc. Focussing on anything positive you can do may make you feel more in control: ring the bank or the mortgage company; set up regular phone calls with relatives; make sure everyone the house follows stringent hygiene procedures. When we feel more in control there tends to be a decrease in the physical symptoms of stress. Be aware of physical sensations - If you can trace your nausea or ‘hunger’ to stress it’s likely you’ll be better placed to realise that you need to eat in spite of it feeling uncomfortable, or conversely that you don’t need to eat the plate of junk food to make you feel better. Consider eating on a schedule - Hunger and fullness cues only regulate when a person eats consistently, so whether you are eating too little or too much right now, it might be useful to eat at prescribed

times by setting a timer for meals and snacks. It’s useful to prepare healthy snacks which will nourish your body, because a well-nourished body is in a better position to combat stress. Be kind to yourself - If you do eat the whole packet of hobnobs or skip two meals in a day, take a deep breath and simply resolve to be more aware next time. This is an unprecedented global situation, but it is a temporary one. It will pass and when it does there will be time for healthy eating. For now just take it one day at a time. Try to get enough sleep - Sufficient restful sleep is crucial for combating stress. But ironically being stressed about not getting enough sleep can make us even more stressed and less likely to be able to get the quality sleep we need. Try taking a warm bath before bed. The drop in temperature after a bath prepares the body for rest. Also, even though normal timetables are disrupted right now it helps to try to stick to a regular wake and sleep cycle, so your body knows what to expect when. Gentle exercise - If you can get out for a walk it has both physical and mental health benefits. There are also lots of YouTube exercise videos catering for all levels. Yoga can help you to stay focused and centred. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits exercise will also help to improve your sleep, which will help bring stress levels down to more manageable levels. Stay safe.

By Helen Smalley

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House of Colour

What we wear can influence mood and performance Maybe activewear (or pyjamas) all day isn’t the right long term approach working from home? It’s true. Two studies have shown that what we wear can affect our mood and how well we perform (and even the amount of money we make!). Northwestern University’s study on the ‘psychological and performance -related effects’ of wearing specific items of clothing found that different items of clothing changed thought patterns. In an experiment half the participants were given doctors lab coats to wear, the others kept to their own everyday clothing. Those dressed in lab coats paid more attention to detail and made fewer mistakes than those in everyday clothing. A Yale study in 2014 used 128 men between 28 and 32 had participants take part in a mock negotiation of buying and selling. Those dressed poorly (in tracksuits and plastic sandals) scored a theoretical profit of $680,000 while those dressed in suits amassed an average of $2.1m. According to the researchers the dressed down participants even deferred to the suited participants. Those that were suited sensed this and backed down less than they might have done. Clearly clothing carries meaning for us and can tell our brain how we can respond. Here are some simple tips to help you maintain a work dress code while working form home. • Dress with intention. Consider what you are going to wear each day, beyond pyjamas or a

tracksuit. This is telling your brain that you matter. Even if people can’t see you, you will sense more self-confidence when you look at yourself in the mirror. • Dress with authenticity – another study found those who added an element of their personality to their clothing upped their self-confidence. You are dressing for you, and you aren’t a player in someone else’s movie. Is it a quirky brooch or an interesting necklace? • Attention to detail – the lipstick, earrings, necklace scarf all lift our look. They send out signals about our status to those around us (if not ourselves too) so wear them! If you’re on a video call they’re even more important. • Confident with one particular colour? Put it on! Colours that we love can give us a confidence boost too whether we’re seeing people or not. If you’re on a call with multiple participants ensure you’re visible by wearing some colour near your face – it’s more likely that you’ll remembered amongst a sea of black and grey. By Jennie Billings, Colour and Style Consultant, House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/jenniebillings e:jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk

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Beauty

Beauty Discoveries

Try something new this month to recharge your skincare routine If you enjoy a good old soak in the bath and fancy a treat, try NEOM’s Bath and Shower Drops (www. neomorganics.com). They’re fragranced with essential oils and smell divine. They’re also good for your skin as they contain nourishing safflower seed oil. Prefer showers to baths? Apply the drops to your décolletage and breathe in the aromatherapy oils. At £40 a bottle, the Bath and Shower Drops are a tad pricey, so keep an eye out for sales. I picked mine up for £16 from TK Maxx. I was put off pressed powder for years by memories of the mask-like finish it gave people when I was a child. Thankfully, it’s come on leaps and bounds in the last decade. PÜR’s 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Powder Foundation (£29) is my go-to daily base. It offers buildable coverage, so I can choose to just minimise imperfections or create a flawless finish, depending on my mood. There are eleven shades to choose from (I go for golden medium) and there’s a mirror built into the compact, which is handy for travelling. It also has an SPF of 15. While I wouldn’t rely on it for sunscreen on warmer days, it’s handy for cooler months. See www.purcosmetics.co.uk. Traffic fumes and pollution aren’t just bad for your health. They can also leave your skin feeling parched, inflamed and just plain ‘meh’. If you need some extra protection to deal with the commute, try Skyn Iceland’s Glacial Spray Lotion (£32). It

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hydrates skin while helping to protecting it from car fumes, cigarette smoke and other pollution. It’s also packed with natural antioxidants, amino acids and vitamins to leave skin feeling refreshed and energised; see www.marksandspencer.com. If you’re a fan of supersimple, all-natural skincare, Douvall’s Argan Oil Moisturiser should be right up your street. This 100% organic argan oil is rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids to soften and nourish skin. It’s also a great multitasker. I like to use it as a body oil, straight after a bath or shower. You can also use it as a face oil, hair treatment and cuticle oil, and to soothe super-dry, itchy patches and sunburn. It absorbs quickly so won’t leave your skin feeling greasy. It’s £45 from www.douvalls.com. Speaking of super-dry skin, Malin +Goetz’s new Meadowfoam Oil Balm is definitely one to try if you’re suffering from rhino heels, cracked elbows or itchy skin. It’s a blend of seventeen botanical oils and butters, including meadowfoam, jojoba, safflower and avocado. Together, these ingredients work to repair, soothe and moisturise. The balm is gentle enough for sensitive skin but powerful enough to work. Try it on lips, knees, elbows and anywhere else that needs some TLC. I keep it by my desk to use instead of hand cream. It costs £38 from www.malinandgoetz. co.uk.

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Health

Self Help for Sore Knees Ten million UK residents currently suffer from osteoarthritis (OA), and half of these have arthritis in their knees. Osteoarthritis is a serious and disabling disease and with an increasingly elderly population and the huge increase in obesity, numbers of OA sufferers are set to rise. What is osteoarthritis? When you bend a joint, the two bone surfaces rub against each other. Cartilage pads on the ends of your bones cushion the movement. With OA, there is gradual joint destruction, the cartilage becomes thinned, the joint surface is roughened and debris collects within the joint space. Weakened muscles and ligaments mean the joint is not adequately supported. OA causes OA is a ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, associated with your genetics, ageing and obesity. It’s more common in females and is associated with other chronic diseases such as diabetes. An accident such as damage to or a ruptured cruciate ligament will also increase the risk of developing OA. OA treatments Exercise - Exercise is very important, even when your knees are hurting. Keeping the joint mobile reduces stiffness and improves the circulation. Not using your knees worsens the problem as it encourages the cartilage to thin and soften. Exercise reduces chronic inflammation – a metabolic process that exacerbates cartilage breakdown. Medical studies confirm that weight loss and exercise produce significant benefits. These have been proven to reduce pain, improve knee function and mobility. Lose weight - Losing weight may seem an impossible task. However, it can be done and studies prove this often leads to a significant improvement of symptoms. Much can be achieved by losing small amounts. Aim for 5% of your current body weight. Pain relief - Paracetamol can be taken with non -steroidal anti-Inflammatory (NSAID) drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen. NSAIDS reduce inflammation in the arthritic joint. Take them regularly – don’t wait for the pain to build-up. An NSAID gel rubbed into the joint may be helpful. Take advice from your GP if you suffer with gastritis. Your GP will discuss other medication options with you: By Dr Daisy Mae, Freelance Health Writer

• Drugs called COX-2 inhibitors, such as celecoxib, are very effective anti-inflammatories. Sometimes opiates such as co-codamol are advised. • Capsaicin cream can be applied to the knee joint. • A steroid can be injected directly into the joint. Steroids are powerful anti-inflammatories and can be very effective. • Alternatively, try Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). • The efficacy of hyaluronic acid injections has not been substantially proven but may have benefits for some. Alternative therapies Glucosamine, curcumin, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids all appear safe, but there is a lack of medical evidence for their efficacy. Surgery The NHS no longer recommends arthroscopy for arthritic knees. Research studies found this failed to improve symptoms for most patients. However, you may be referred for a knee replacement if your symptoms are severe. Knee replacement surgery is highly effective and greatly improves symptoms, mobility and quality of life. https://healthcarewriterdr.com/

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Business

Get Your Business

Small businesses are under pressure right now. If your business relies on people visiting your shop or premises you’ve probably seen a large portion of your custom disappear. Yet these customers still need your products and services, and many of them are going online. If your business can’t sell online you’re missing out. Below is a quick-start guide to get your business online fast. eBay - eBay is not just the ultimate car boot sale, it’s also a great place for companies to sell their products. It’s easy to get started. Follow eBay’s tutorials and you can have your first listings up within minutes. Don’t forget that you’ll probably have quite a bit of competition, and people will be looking for the best prices. You’ll also have to factor in postage costs and eBay’s commission charge, so make sure you cost it all out beforehand. But if you’re careful you’ll get your products in front of thousands of potential customers within a very short time frame. Amazon - Amazon Marketplace lets companies list their products on the main Amazon website. You get access to thousands of customers, but as with eBay you’ll be listed alongside your competitors. It’s a bit trickier to get an account set up but Amazon walks you through the process to make sure you meet all their criteria. You’ll need to convince Amazon that you can deliver your products on time and to the correct quality and they will even provide you with warehousing and postage services (at a cost) if you need them. As with eBay they charge a commission

Online Now per sale so make sure you factor this into your selling price. Your own website - If you want to sell direct to your customers through a website it’s fairly easy to set one up these days. There are a range of ready-made stores such as Shopify, from which you can ‘rent’ a website. You upload your products, connect up to their payment system and you’re good to go. For these systems you pay for the site rental and a payment charge per order, which is similar but a bit more than a normal credit card charge. The other option is to have a web design company (like mine!) build the site for you. Here you’ll get professional help and support setting everything up correctly, and once you’re connected to a bank or PayPal you’ll only be charged normal card fees. You will need to get people to visit your site. The best way to do this is to contact every customer whose email address you already have and send them your web address. Then use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to target people in your area. Within these platforms you can even target specific types of people to make sure your advertising spend gets maximum return. Your web designer will be happy to help you get all this sorted out. Act now. If you’re not selling online, you’re missing out.

By Bob Grant Web Consultant at get.uk.com

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Local News

Good News From Local Therapy Centre A charity in Letchworth has made big changes to its Oxygen Therapy service to keep helping local people with serious and long term health challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. Oxygen Therapy helps many people reduce pain, fight infection, boost energy and heal faster. It can help people with cancer, fibromyalgia, ME, neurological conditions and leg/feet ulcers. During these extraordinary times, this support remains available thanks to the dedication and bravery of the Herts MS Therapy Centre’s team, including volunteers and staff. The benefits offered are truly essential to many clients. Roger Devereux, Oxygen Operator, explains: “The people who come here for Oxygen Therapy really need it. Some are absolutely reliant upon it. I just want to help them – it’s as simple as that. One lady said her oxygen sessions are the only thing keeping her going. I’m determined that, with our strict safety measures in place, we should stay open and help people for as long as we can.” A reduced number of sessions are available as part of these safety measures. New and existing customers from any location are welcome. 01462 684 214 One client said: “I would really notice a big difference if I could not come. So I’m really grateful that the centre has managed to keep running oxygen sessions and appreciate the necessary safety measures they have put in place.” The Centre intends to stay open and help people for as long as it can do so safely. If you would like to know more, please call 01462 684 214.

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Local News

SADA contract renewed in North Herts Stevenage Against Domestic Abuse (SADA) is renaming outside of Stevenage, following the renewal of the service in North Herts and launch in East Herts. SADA – an initiative headed by Stevenage Borough Council – will now be known as Survivors Against Domestic Abuse when operating outside of Stevenage. The service offers one to one support for victims, survivors and their families by working co-operatively with partners, including Stevenage Borough Council, North Herts District Council, East Herts District Council, police, various housing associations and children’s services. The contract has been renewed for another year in North Herts, meaning the service will continue until April 2021. The renewal of the contract brought together Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Councillor Sharon Taylor; Leader of North Herts District Council, Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb; and Gavin Cansfield, CEO of settle housing association. SADA has won numerous local and national awards, and has supported 243 victims in the last twelve months. Councillor Sharon Taylor, Leader of Stevenage Borough Council and Chair of SADA, said: “It is fantastic news that the service has been renewed for another year in North Herts and launched in East Herts last month. “I am extremely proud of the work of SADA, and its expansion means even more victims and survivors of domestic abuse can get the right help and support.

“SADA will still be known as Stevenage Against Domestic Abuse when operating in Stevenage, but given the service has expanded it will be known as Survivors Against Domestic Abuse when operating in other areas of Hertfordshire.” Cllr Martin Stears-Handscomb, Leader of North Hertfordshire District Council said: “Since SADA’s launch in North Herts during the summer of 2018, we have nurtured and developed a close working relationship with them to help victims and survivors of domestic abuse in our district. SADA’s work provides a vital lifeline to those living with the awful reality of domestic abuse and we are pleased to continue this essential work with them, helping more individuals and families to break free from very distressing situations. We look forward to referring to SADA with their new name - Survivors Against Domestic Abuse, when working with them in the North Herts area.” Gavin Cansfield, chief executive of housing association settle said “As a housing association, our role at settle goes beyond being a landlord. Our social purpose drives everything we do, and for some residents that means providing extra support to help them live comfortably in their homes. We are really proud to work with SADA and make sure our residents can come to us if they are experiencing domestic abuse and access the support and services they need.” For more information on SADA in North Herts, visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/community/ community-safety/domestic-abuse-support

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WORDWHEEL

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

TARGET Excellent: 90 or more words Good: 77 words Fair: 65 words

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Local News

Samaritans of North Herts and Stevenage Appeal to North Herts Residents for Support Samaritans of North Herts & Stevenage is appealing for donations from local residents to help ensure its volunteers can continue to support people struggling to cope during this crucial time. Following Government’s confirmation that Samaritans volunteers are critical to supporting vulnerable people, Hitchin Samaritans is making every effort to ensure that they are able to provide emotional support to anyone in crisis. Volunteers that are able to carry out shifts at the Hitchin branch are following strict guidelines on hygiene standards and social distancing. The situation will be continually monitored to ensure that volunteer safety is prioritised. Branch Director at Samaritans of North Herts & Stevenage, Hilary Ashley said: “For over 50 years, our branch has provided a listening ear to anyone who needs support, which has been possible through the public’s kind donations. “Now more than ever, we need the public’s continued support. Due to the cancellation of our upcoming fundraising events, we are facing a significant loss of funding, so we are calling on North Herts residents to help us ensure that we continue to

be here for anyone who needs support.” A donation as little as £5 will help volunteers to answer a call for help from someone struggling to cope and be there when people need support the most. To make a donation and find out other ways you can support Samaritans of North Herts & Stevenage please visit: https://www.samaritans.org/branches/ hitchin/ Those worried about their own mental health or someone else during the coronavirus outbreak can find some useful online resources and advice here on Samaritans website.

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Finance

By Ann Haldon

Should You Choose a Challenger Bank Over One of the Big Four? The Big Four banks, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds, have been on our high streets for hundreds of years. They’re steeped in history and tradition, with some customers remaining loyal to them throughout their lives. New banks, known as ‘challenger banks,’ have shaken up the industry, however, providing digital banking services that are accessed by telephone, online and through mobile apps. Challenger banks use modern IT systems to offer purely digital banking, although a couple also have a presence on the high street. So what services can you access at a challenger bank, and why might you decide to switch? What services do challenger banks provide? Services typically include current accounts and savings accounts, debit cards and credit cards, personal loans and mortgages, mobile, online and telephone banking, and accounts for small businesses. Other features might also include: • Tools for budgeting, setting spending goals, and tracking spending • Fee-free cash allowances when travelling abroad, typically up to a specified limit • The ability to temporarily freeze your debit card through the app if you lose it or it’s stolen What are some of the benefits of challenger banks? • Ease and convenience of banking on-the-go • More control over your finances using their budgeting and tracking tools • State-of-the-art technology for quicker banking transactions and faster services Are there any downsides of switching to a challenger bank? Few physical branches The majority of challenger banks don’t have a physical presence on the high street, so you wouldn’t be able to meet a member of staff face-toface in most cases. Trust Trust is a big issue that challenger banks need to overcome, as they’ve only been operating for a short

time compared with the Big Four. Compensation scheme If you’re considering switching to a challenger bank, you should check whether they’re covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). This is the scheme that covers you up to £85,000 if the bank becomes insolvent. Traditional banks vs challenger banks – which should you choose? Traditional banks If trust and familiarity are key issues it’s understandable if you want to place your trust in a large institution with a centuries-old track record – a high street bank. Face-to-face service may also be important, especially if you need to discuss a loan or a problem with your account. Challenger banks If you believe the older banks are outdated in the way they offer their services, are hampered by unwieldy and clunky technology, and you’re happy to contact customer services online or by phone, switching to a challenger bank might be an obvious step. Challenger banks have certainly disrupted a once stagnant industry. They’ve made the Big Four and other old-established financial institutions sit up and take notice, but there’s no rush to choose or switch. Challenger banks are here to stay, so you can take your time, weigh up the pros and cons, and make the decision that’s right for you.

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TEMPLARS CROSS LODGE www.templarscrosslodge.co.uk Close to Baldock town centre in spacious surroundings this motel style Bed & Breakfast offers off road parking. • • • • • • • •

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Garden View

Gardening from scraps! By Rachael Leverton

It’s a difficult time right now and lots of gardeners are taking solace in their plot. But we’re seeing a whole new group of people coming to gardening by an unusual route. With more people quarantined at home right now, trips out to garden centres falling under ‘unnecessary journeys’, and empty shelves at the supermarket, people are wondering if there’s anything they can grow easily at home with limited specialist supplies. The answer is yes, and it’s possible with minimal equipment to set up some home-grown produce on a windowsill or balcony. It’s something fun to with the kids too. You don’t need flowerpots; yogurt pots and ice-cream tubs will do. For something deeper chop the tops of 2 litre milk cartons. Be as creative as you like – just punch a couple of drainage holes in the bases. Garlic – If you can spare a couple of cloves of garlic you can plant them and grow your own garlic bulbs! Put the pots of planted garlic in full sun. They will sprout and send up a stalk. Chop this off and the bulb will then put all of its energy into growing large bulbs. Potatoes - Cut about one-inch of a chunk from a potato that includes 1-2 eyes. Let it dry out for a day or two then plant with the eyes facing upwards. Pumpkins and squashes – these grow fairly easily from seeds found in the centre of the gourd.

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Scallions / Spring onions - Cut off the last couple of centimetres of each onion leaving the bulb and roots. Plant in a pot, leaving a portion of each stem sticking out above the soil. Water regularly, and the onions will start growing. Harvest the green portion of the plant, and it will continue to regrow more greens. You can do this 2-3 times before needing to plant more bulbs. Carrots – Carrot tops can be placed in shallow water in a saucer and will sprout tasty greens. You can use these to make a carrot-top green pesto. You can also regrow the plant by cutting a couple of centimetres from the top of a carrot. Stick a toothpick into either side of the carrot stump and balance it on top of a small glass. Fill the glass with water so that the liquid barely touches the bottom edge of the stump. Set this glass on a windowsill out of direct sunlight. Add water as it evaporates, and roots will sprout from the carrot edge. Plant it out in a pot. Romaine – This lettuce has narrow leaves that form a tall head. Cut off a couple of centimetres from the bottom of the romaine stalk, place it in water and after a week or so roots will form. When they are slightly longer than the leaves growing from the top you and plant it out. To harvest, pick the outer leaves leaving the inner leaves. It should keep producing for months.

Happy Scrappy Gardening! 47

Gardening

There’s no escaping the garden this month…as if you’d want to!

By Pippa Greenwood

With two bank holidays, this is a great month for tackling jobs in the garden, so here are my suggestions for what you can be doing. First, mow the lawn, and not too short if this is one of the first cuts this season. You can cut it again in a week or so. Drain the water from your water butt if it’s a little smelly and scrub it using a brush with fairly rigid bristles, then flush it out with water. Pot on vegetables sown in the last month or so that need planting out towards the end of the month when the frosts should be over. Get kids to sow pumpkin seeds to make great lowcost Halloween lanterns later in the year. Place each seed in a 7.5cm (3”) pot of multi-purpose compost and keep them moist in a tray on a sunny window sill. If you’ve a greenhouse or suitable pop-up or rigid frame for growing tomatoes, make sure you get the plants into large pots or the greenhouse borders now. Insert a cane 5cm (2”) from the main stems and tie the young plants to it using a loose loop of twine. Tie in the plants further up the canes as they grow. Empty water features full of brown, scummy water. Scrub the sides and base, clear the pump of debris and fill with fresh water. Consider potting up some summer bedding if you’ve space in a greenhouse or porch, but wait until frosts are over before planting out. Plant any new shrubs, trees or climbers as soon as possible, even though they should be container grown at this time of year, it is easier for them to get properly

established if given a bit of time to produce new roots before it gets warmer. Water well and top the soil with a 5-7.5cm (2-3”) mulch to keep moisture in. Prune shrubs which have just finished flowering, as this encourages the plant to produce new shoots that will bear next year’s flowers. Remove faded flowers from spring flowering bulbs, this helps conserve energy so they perform well next year. Apply a good feed either to the roots or the foliage. Vigorous climbers like clematis, roses, hops and vines should grow rapidly now, so tie them into their supports regularly with flexible ties. Clip box shrubs with shears regularly to keep them dense and prevent having to cut them back hard. The clippings can go on the compost heap. Trees, shrubs and climbers planted last autumn or earlier this spring will not have properly established roots yet, so keep them well watered during dry or gusty weather. Unless you’re in colder areas of the country, remove all bubble wrap and other protection wrapped around pots and containers to protect plant roots from frosts. If there are frosts still to come, they are unlikely to be too harsh. At Pippa’s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) you’ll find stylish cloches, practical and pretty plant supports, Nemaslug and other great ‘green’ controls, the fantastic SpeedHoe, gardening tools, Grower Frames, signed books and more. Or book Pippa for a talk at your gardening club.

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Local News

Wood Green shares advice for choosing

the right pet

Wood Green, The Animals Charity is an advocate for new legislation called ‘Lucy’s Law’ that came into force in April, which means that puppies and kittens can no longer be sold by third-party sellers such as pet shops and commercial dealers. Instead, anyone looking to bring home a puppy or kitten under six months old must deal either directly with the breeder or with a rehoming centre such as Wood Green. Lucy’s Law will not only improve pet welfare by ensuring they are born, reared and sold from a safe environment, but also protect the public from being tricked by unscrupulous sellers. This much-needed change has fallen at a time when many people are spending more time at home than usual, and Wood Green has experienced a significant increase in people who are looking to rehome pets and seek advice about puppies. Wood Green rehomes thousands of dogs, cats and small pets every year, as well as providing free pet advice to anyone who needs it. The charity’s 95-year history of caring for pets, and expertise in matching pets with potential owners, means their team is a trusted source of advice. What to think about before choosing a pet Owning a pet is one of the most rewarding things you can do in life, and also a big commitment, and so there are a number of factors to think about: • Whether they will get on with everyone in your home, including children and other pets. Wherever possible, everyone in the household should meet a new pet prior to them coming home. • Whether you have enough time (both now and in the future) to dedicate to your new family member for things like walking, grooming, playing and socialising. If not, would another pet species be more suitable?

• The cost of pet care. Consider set-up costs like bedding and equipment, day-to-day costs like food and treats, as well as additional costs such as flea and worming treatments, veterinary care and pet insurance. • Where to get the pet from. If you’re looking for a new pet, Wood Green will help you to find out what type of pet would suit your lifestyle best and what questions you should be asking – whether it’s from a rehoming centre or breeder. Supporting pet owners Wood Green, The Animals Charity also offers free pet advice to anyone who needs it and can guide you at every step of your journey – whether you’re considering getting a new pet, or need help with an existing pet. Find out more at woodgreen.org.uk/pet-advice. For additional information about acquiring puppies and kittens, two available tools are The Puppy Contract (www.puppycontract.org.uk) and The Kitten Checklist (www.thecatgroup.org.uk). Supporting pets in need In a year Wood Green has helped around 7,000 pets, from urgent veterinary treatment and care through to behavioural training and support for pet owners. More than ever, Wood Green needs your support to continue their work caring for vulnerable pets. You can help by making a donation - it will make a big difference. Please find out more at woodgreen.org.uk.

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Pets

Thinking of Buying a Kitten? If you’re thinking of buying a kitten, you’ll want to make sure they’re in good physical condition and can grow into a strong and healthy cat. So how do you check their health before you bring them home? Here are three areas you can focus on. Eyes Healthy eyes are bright and clear with no signs of discharge or puffiness. The lining of the eyelid should be pink rather than red or white, and the area surrounding the eyeball is typically pure white. Also look out for the ‘third eyelid,’ which can appear when a cat or kitten is ill. Coat and skin The kitten’s coat should be glossy and smooth with no signs of dandruff or hair loss – bald patches typically indicate a health problem. A healthy kitten will usually have pink or black pigmented skin with no red patches or signs of soreness.

Ears Look out for black marks and specks inside the kitten’s ears, as they could be ear mites. The lining of their ears should be pink and clean with no smell or discharge – excessive scratching or rubbing of the ears could signal discomfort, and that something is wrong. It’s important to check a kitten thoroughly before you buy or adopt them, and make sure the breeder/ seller is reputable. Poor health manifests in various ways in kittens, and these are just three initial areas to focus on to make sure your potential new pet is fit and healthy. www.purina.com.au/kittens/health/checklist www.catster.com/cat-health-care/what-is-your-cats-thirdeyelid-what-to-do-if-your-cats-third-eyelid-is-showing

By Ann Haldon

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Special Report

Quarantine without Yoga… it can be done! These suggestions are not mind-improving, but right now some of us are struggling just to stay sane, without being guilted into learning Latin, lacemaking or limbo dancing. Dig out a jigsaw Your most complicated one. The one bought for you by an aged aunt that is a view of the lakes comprising eleventy billion pieces, 90% of them blue or green. Leave it set up on a table or a board or a spare bit of floor and watch how people end up congregating round it for a chat. *Caveat – if you have toddlers completely ignore this one or you will be finding pieces of Windermere in odd cupboards, the dog’s bed, and down the loo when quarantine is a distant memory. Start a journal or blog Begin that hilarious novel you always promised you’d write, or blog about your hobby collecting bottle tops, or just vent your spleen anonymously about your family and friends.

Have a movie day Binge watch every single Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or StarWars movie etc. Or watch all your favourite Tom Hanks films. Dress up and have themed snacks, or just stay in your PJs. Have a spa day Use face masks and moisturiser and dig out some nail polish. Don’t stop at the females. Shop your wardrobe Have a total wardrobe clear out. Put together new outfit combinations. Photograph them. Laugh at your mistakes. Create a playlist for a friend Get them to do the same for you. Make a note of why you love the songs and what they mean to you. Have a Pinterest challenge Have a family competition to recreate a ‘simple craft project’ you find on pinterest. Photograph the results and post them to FaceBook so your friends can judge the winner. Then rope the same friends into the challenge.

By Tracey Anderson

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Pets

Rehoming Appeal Merlin

This is Merlin, a Chihuahua cross. He is around 9 years old and very energetic for his age. He was found as a stray so we know very little about him. He seems good with most dogs but we do not know if he has lived with children, so an adult only home would be preferable for Merlin. He will make and ideal pet for an older person/couple. Merlin is neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. If you can offer this lovely boy a home, please contact Julie on 01763 289827 Please note that due to the current lockdown restrictions, we are suspending all adoptions at the moment but you can still register your interest in any of our animals by phoning the appropriate number or emailing Philippa on info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry on to the team. The enquiries will be dealt with as soon as we are able to do so safely. You can view other dogs, cats and small mammals currently in our care for re-homing on our website: www.rats-animalrescue.co.uk or facebook: www.facebook.com/ratscharity.

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Pets

RSPCA Hertfordshire East News Registered Charity No. 208244

Covid-19 Update Due to the UK Government announcement, our national Society animal equine and wildlife Hang in there centres must close to the public. No animal can be sent out on adoption or fostering. No animal can be admitted from the public, this includes wildlife. The RSPCA is continuing to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home during this difficult time and our priority is always to help animals in need. The only animals that can now be admitted are from our Inspectorate, hospitals and networking. The charity is already experiencing strain in our centres and frontline due to Covid-19 and this will worsen in the weeks ahead. To help the RSPCA to keep rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing through this challenging time, please visit www.rspca. org.uk/give or call our donation line on 0300 123 8181. Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion. Top priority is keeping our staff and volunteers safe. This is why our offices and charity shops have had to close, because many of the staff and volunteers are over 70 years of age, some with underlying health problems and therefore venerable. Sadly this means a loss of the generous donations from the general public, which has a knock-on effect to treating and re-homing unwanted or abused animals. Pets and Corona virus – Protecting each other There is no evidence that pets can get sick from Covid-19. Just like human hands, pet fur could carry the virus from one person to another. Wash hands well with soap after touching any pets or their belongings and avoid pet kisses – them and you! If your pet is sick or injured, call your vet before going to the surgery. Pets provide invaluable companionship. Practice social distancing Each person in the household can walk your dog once a day, but keep you and your dog at east two metres from others. Avoid contact with other people’s pets. Ensure your pet’s normal supplies for 14 days; make only essential trips to the pet shop. If you are self-isolating Think how you can provide for your pet’s needs. Dogs can be let out into your garden, or just outside your home to toilet, but keep your distance from others and minimise time outside. Can anyone else care for your pet is you are sick or in hospital? If your cat is used to staying in then keep them inside and clean their litter tray regularly. If an outdoor cat, try to minimise interactions with them. Helping each other Can you safely help a vulnerable person in your community with their pet? Could you donate pet food to your local food bank? Can you offer remote help to your local animal charity? All animal charities will be impacted by this crisis – please consider donating to support their work. Thank you and keep safe. In the event of an emergency or cruelty, please call 0300 1234 999 Branch Office: 01462 672278 Why not follow us on Facebook:- www.facebook.com/hertfordshireeastbranch or on our website:- www.rspca-hertfordshireeast.org.uk

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Parenting

Safety First – Family First Aid Every year, more than two million children are rushed to A&E after getting hurt at home. While some childhood bumps and scrapes are inevitable, most serious accidents can be prevented. At home It’s a good idea to do an audit of your home to see if there are any safety precautions you need to take. Most of these don’t cost a thing, such as checking smoke alarms work and moving dishwasher and laundry capsules to a high cupboard (these capsules are highly toxic and often brightly coloured so rather appealing to toddlers). Some safety measures could involve a small cost. Depending on the age of your child, you might want to buy brackets to secure freestanding cupboards to the wall. (My daughter pulled a bookcase on top of her when she was three.) Check out The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ website, www.rospa.com, which has a wealth of information about preventing common household accidents. In the garden Don’t forget your garden when you’re childproofing. If you have young children, you may need to keep garden tools locked away, cover or fence off any ponds, add a lock to your gate, and so on. Trampolines are a leading cause of accidents, so if you have one, do regularly check that the safety net is secure and that children know to fasten it before they bounce. Out and about One of our family mottos is “A scabbed knee is a sign of a good childhood”. Cycle helmets and knee/elbow protectors are a must for some activities, but some bumps and scrapes are just part of childhood. A travel-sized first aid kit is handy for days out, and will save you having to root around in your bag for a (grubby and scrunched up) plaster. The Mini First Aid Kit comes in a polka dot pouch. It’s small enough to pop in a handbag but contains a whopping fifty-

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one first aid essentials, from burn gel and tweezers to bandages and plasters. It’s £11.99 from www. minifirstaidshop.co.uk. First aid courses If the last time you did a first aid course was at school, it might be time for a refresher. The Red Cross hold short courses across the UK, including at evenings and weekends. A four hour course on first aid for babies and children costs from £45 and covers everything from choking to fevers. Find out more at www.redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk. Can’t get to a course? Future Learn offers free online first aid courses. You won’t gain the practical hands-on experience that you’d get with an offline course, but should still gain useful skills. See www. futurelearn.com for details of upcoming courses. St. Andrews also runs online first aid courses. They cost £18, but can be taken whenever you want. They’re also CPD-certified and you’ll have access to the training materials for a full twelve months. Find out more at www. firstaid.org.uk/ online-courses.

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Photography

Take Better Photos By Tom Hancock

Being stuck at home with your family gives you plenty of time to photograph them. Here’s how to make sure your quarantine photos are the best they can be. Frame your subject properly - Don’t cut off half their head, or if the whole person is in the frame, don’t chop off their feet! Train yourself to check for distractions, like a lampshade that seems to grow out of someone’s head, or a sink-full of washing-up nearby…unless you’re going for social realism, in which case go for it. Focus - Take time to focus on your subject before you take the picture. If you are photographing a person, focus on their eyes. Be steady - The secret to a crisp, sharp photo is steady hands. Hold the camera or phone firmly and press the shutter button gently, don’t jerk, pull away or move for a second or two after you’ve pressed the button. Use Natural Light if possible - If you have the option to take a picture outdoors do it. If you are indoors, pick big windows, bright rooms or rooms with good lighting for your shots. Time of day - The best times for a great photo are usually at early mornings (dawn) or twilight (dusk) as the light then is warm and golden. Another good time to snap a picture is after a rain shower, the colours and contrast on wet damp objects can be very striking.

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Life Begins...

Brain Aging:

By Kate McLelland

What are the signs to look out for? Lost your keys again? Feeling accident-prone? Does it seem harder to concentrate these days? While these signs could just be indications that you’re unwell or feeling stressed, they are also symptoms of an aging brain, and some scientists believe that evidence of neural decline may reveal itself from the age of just thirty. Invisible changes While grey hair, stiff joints and laughter lines are signs that our bodies are aging, these subtle neural changes can’t be seen. Here are three signs that may indicate an aging brain: Wandering attention An older person taking a test or doing a job that requires concentration will probably be more easily distracted than someone younger. Youngsters have more ability to ‘zone out’ when they are doing an important task (think about the teenager who does homework while listening to music and using social media). It’s all linked to our reduced ability to handle emotional arousal, which means the more important the task is to us, the more we find ourselves distracted by outside noises and interruptions. Clumsiness If you’ve been more accidentprone than usual recently, or have found it harder to deal with fiddly tasks like fitting a key into a lock, that could be due to brain aging. Research carried out in America suggests that as we age, we become less able to judge distance when we encounter nearby objects. We concentrate more on the objects we are interested in and less on any obstacles that lie

in the way of our goal: typically that might mean reaching for the pepper grinder and knocking over a glass of wine on the way. Forgetfulness You may have noticed that as you age, it becomes harder to remember names, or recall something that you have learned. The ability to remember learned facts, life events and the names of people you have met is called ‘declarative memory’, while remembering how to tie a shoelace or ride a bike is part of your ‘procedural memories’, which don’t tend to fade as quickly. Another aspect of brain function affected by age is ‘working memory’: the ability to solve problems or hold information such as phone numbers, or where you have parked, in your head. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle A study of over two thousand people, published in America last year, reported that signs of

brain aging were more obvious in participants who smoked, had thicker waists or who had health issues related to cardiovascular disease or inflammation. It’s clearly important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but this research also suggests that symptoms of brain aging could arise from a medical condition, either a current illness or one that is yet to be diagnosed. If your symptoms came on quickly or are causing you distress, it may be advisable to see a doctor. Thankfully it’s not all a downhill spiral for our brains. Neuroscientists are discovering that even old brains have ‘plastic’ qualities that allow us to reroute neural connections so we can adapt to new challenges. It’s good to know that a healthy lifestyle, paired with activities that keep your brain alert, can boost cognitive abilities and ward off the signs of aging.

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Driving

Familiarity Can Breed Contempt Insurance company data suggests you are most likely to have an accident within two miles of your home, on roads you know well. I had some experience of this last winter. Driving on a country lane on a chilly morning I crested the brow of a hill. I noticed the tyres go silent and the steering go light: a sure sign of ice in shady parts of the road. Driver training has taught me to take my foot off the throttle, drop a gear and be light on the steering, edging the car to where I could see damp patches, not ice. Back in control, I checked my mirrors to see a high-powered saloon crest the hill and experience the same difficulties. Except the driver went for the middle pedal, with predictable results: the back wheels started to catch-up with the front and he slid sideways down the hill. Fortunately he came to a shaky stop across the road, so I continued my journey. The following day, in the same weather conditions, I drove exactly the same route, but being forewarned, I eased off as I reached the top of the hill. But this

time there were two groups of cyclists, either side of the road, taking a break. Twenty-four hours before and this would have been disastrous for both them and the saloon driver. Makes you think: take care even on roads you know well. By Iain Betson

Actors Bloom Bogart Clooney Connery Cruise Dench Depp Eastwood Firth Gable Garland Hepburn Hurt Knightley

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Home Interiors

Bathroom Style for 2020 Whether you are planning a renovation or simply looking to add some new accessories, we examine some of this year’s hottest trends for bathrooms.

If a huge slab of marble is beyond the budget, why not try a made-to-measure wallpaper mural and create a eyecatching statement? ‘White Marble’ mural, from £29 per square metre, Wallsauce.com

Duravit’s Viu and XViu series combine the durability of ceramics with the elegance and precision of aluminium for a striking post-industrial elegance, and the mirror integrates LED lighting, operated via a sensor control.

Inspired by Mediterranean cliff landscapes, these large-format, stoneeffect tiles offer a light texture and a rustic feel. The tonal variances create an earthy, natural ambiance. Mediterraneo Grey tiles, from £49.95 per square metre, Original Style.

Plants love the humid atmosphere of a bathroom – why not make yours a botanical sanctuary? Range of pots, vases, baskets and other accessories, all Dobbies.

The knurled control and sleek column body of this basin mixer tap have an industrial/ modern aesthetic. In rose gold it has a highly luxurious look, especially against black marble. Swadling Engineer 8920 mono basin mixer in brushed gold, Matki.

The geometric shapes of the Rhomba™ range can be combined in unique laying patterns for an ontrend design statement. Rhomba™ tiles in Blush Gloss, Charcoal Gloss and marble effect, from £1.24 each, Topps Tiles.

Update your bathroom with these

key looks and new technology BACK TO BLACK - Touches of smart black are very ‘in’ right now. Look out for black brassware, towel rails, painted woodwork and accessories such as plant pots or storage baskets. If you are doing a whole-room-revamp, you might consider a black-framed shower panel or metal ‘Crittall’ window. BOTANICAL BEAUTY - You can hardly have missed the trend to include plants in every corner of the home... it’s time to add them to your bathroom, too. Most plants will thrive on the humidity; just be careful of light levels.

PURE AND NATURAL - Keep things on the simple side with colour schemes that focus on whites, creams and ivories, plus the natural textures of wood, ceramic, sisal and rattan. This natural minimalism will create a calm room that is perfect for de-stressing. COLOURFUL SANITARYWARE There may be a micro-trend for avocado bathrooms (not for the faint-hearted), but there is certainly an overall trend for sanitaryware in other colours, ranging from pink to blue to lemon yellow. It’s quirky, fun and definitely eye-catching.

SMART TECHNOLOGY - High tech solutions aren’t only for the rest of the house; the bathroom is getting smarter, too. Pre-programme the temperature of your shower or bath, demist your mirror and play music through a Bluetooth speaker – it’s all at your fingertips. LARGE-FORMAT TILES - Oversized tiles are really striking and, thanks to minimal grout lines, make your space appear larger. It’s time to go big. MARBLE AND METAL - Classic, timeless marble (or marble look-alikes) continues to be a big trend in bathrooms. Combine it with gold or brass taps and shower fittings for a sumptuous and upmarket style that emulates that of a five-star hotel.

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James Cullip

Painting & Decorating

• interior/exterior - all aspects • wallpaper hanging • coving • general household maintenance • plastering services available • free estimates • fully insured

References available t: 01462 817 122 m: 07899 888 545 e: go_on_james@hotmail.com www.cullippaintinganddecorating.co.uk 10 Mill Lane, Campton, Shefford, Beds

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WALL COATING

ALL REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN BREATHABLE COATINGS WEATHER PROOF SMOOTH OR TEXTURED SELF CLEANING PROTECTS YOUR WALLS CLEAN & TIDY INSTALLATION SUITABLE FOR MASONRY OR RENDER • COLOUR MATCH AVAILABLE • 10 YEAR GUARANTEE • • • • • • • •

Before After

0800 046 1080 hello@thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk www.thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Interiors

Choose Your Ideal Bathroom Flooring

By Katherine Sorrell

Cool ceramic or resilient rubber? Patterned vinyl or engineered wood? Durable stone or natural cork? There’s an endless choice of bathroom floorings that are affordable, practical and wonderfully attractive. As well as looking good and working with the overall scheme, bathroom floorcoverings must, first and foremost, be supremely practical: non-slip and resistant to water and humidity, easy to clean and comfortable underfoot. A key consideration is who will use the room, as a family bathroom will have different requirements to a guest bedroom’s en suite, for example. We outline a range of different possibilities. Vinyl and luxury vinyl tiles Quick and easy to lay, vinyl is warm underfoot, durable, stain-resistant,

water-resistant and easy to mop. Many types work with underfloor heating, but check this with the manufacturer. Some sheet vinyls are very affordable, while luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs) are more costly, but come in exciting, fashionable patterns and finishes. Either way, the range of patterns is impressive, some of which replicate the appearance of natural materials such as wood, stone or ceramic tiles. Buy the most cushioned version you can afford, as they are more comfortable to walk on. Ceramic and porcelain tiles Often the go-to when it comes to bathroom floors, tiles are infinitely variable – in size, shape, pattern and price. They have every quality necessary, except that they are cold and hard underfoot – and hence are often combined with

underfloor heating. And, unless they have a matt or textured surface, they can be slippery when wet. Size-wise, they vary from tiny mosaic, laid in intricate patterns, to large-format tiles – very on-trend at present. Porcelain tiles can imitate the look of wood or stone incredibly well, without some of the drawbacks of those materials, and so make a great choice if you love the natural look. Bear in mind that floor tiles are thicker and more expensive than wall tiles but can otherwise look identical; make sure you get the right ones. Stone Stone – like ceramics and porcelain – tends to be cold and hard underfoot. It’s also really heavy, and it may be necessary to consult an expert before installing, to ensure your floor joists can safely

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take its weight. That said, stone is tough, durable and possesses an incomparable natural beauty, with a wide variety of finishes and patterns. Natural stone can be quite porous, and is likely to require sealing before and during installation, and careful cleaning afterwards. Marble, because it is so smooth, tends to be slippery, while limestone and sandstone have a more matt surface, and granite and slate can be given a non-slip finish. Use an experienced installer, as stone is tricky to lay and any mistakes can be costly. Engineered wood Solid wood floorboards are not advised in a bathroom, as they tend to shrink, swell and/or warp with wetness and humidity. The alternative is engineered wood, made from real wood layered at right angles and glued, making it extra strong and stable. Another bonus is that it is usually suitable over underfloor heating. Choose a water-resistant finish such as oil or lacquer and, to ensure the durability of a wooden floor, ventilate the room well to minimise humidity, place mats in front of the bath and basin, and ensure you mop up any spills as quickly as possible.

3 Cork Warm, quiet and resilient to water, cork tiles are easy to fit and extremely sustainable. Cork is now available in a range of fashionable shades, rather than just the Seventies-style orange-brown you may remember. It comes pre-finished with a durable wear layer and, if property laid, is very durable – although, as with LVTs and rubber, cork tiles must be butted up very close to avoid water seeping between them. Rubber Warm and shock-absorbent, durable, stain-resistant and – obviously – incredibly waterproof, rubber is both child-friendly and ultra-stylish, coming in an array of colours from pale neutrals to dramatic brights. Available in tile or sheet form, it is generally low maintenance, but smooth surfaces can be very slippery, so the best choice for a bathroom is a textured design (rubber tiles often feature round ‘dimples’), which may need occasional careful cleaning.

1 Andira™ Rural Oak wood-effect parquet floor tiles, £1.87 each, Topps Tiles: 0800 783 6262; www.toppstiles.co.uk. 2 Selina stone resin bath, £1,960; and Metro limestone floor, from £68.04 per square metre; both Indigenous: 01993 824 200; www.indigenous.co.uk. 3 Olympus Pierrot Vinyl, £20.99 per square metre, Carpetright: 0330 333 3444; www.carpetright.co.uk. To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Environment

Eco Anxiety

Most of us try really hard to be environmentally conscious. We recycle vigilantly, cut down on water usage, don’t take the car, avoid food wastage, and yet we still see the evidence of modern day living in our bins and our spending history. Convenience and time-saving is almost always going to have an influence on our behaviour. It’s much quicker to take the car or a plane and less hassle to just throw all your rubbish into the household waste. A long shower isn’t going to bankrupt you and if you’ve been brought up on a meat-based diet, it’s a challenge to change your cooking to plant-based meals that usually need more ingredients, and fresh ingredients at that. The truth is unless you are prepared to live totally offgrid, foraging for your food and completely detaching yourself from the modern world, you are impacting the environment. But knowing that can lead to eco-anxiety that you aren’t doing enough. But we can really only do our best. If we all at least try to do the right thing as often as practical, the collective effort will have a positive impact. Finally, you’ll want to encourage friends, family and colleagues to be eco-conscious too. But doing it in a way that mocks or belittles their efforts will just cause animosity. Better to just lead by example and hope those around you follow.

The Birds And The Bees 1. Which company was founded in 2006 and took its name from a word that is defined as both “a short burst of inconsequential information” and “chirps from birds”? 2. Are worker bees male or female? 3. The Alfred Hitchock film The Birds is loosely based on a short story by which famous author? 4. What were the first names of the three Gibb brothers that made up the Bee Gees? 5. In the Netherlands and Belgium, what type of egg is known by a name that means “little bird’s nest”? 6. Which US state is nicknamed the Beehive State?

7. In golf, how many shots would you have taken in total if you got a birdie on a par three, an eagle on a par four and an albatross on a par five? 8. In a short story called His Last Bow, it is revealed that which well known fictional character has retired to a small farm on the Sussex Downs and has taken up beekeeping? 9. According to the Bible, what two types of bird did Noah send out from his ark to see if the waters had subsided? 10. In which horror film is the title character the ghost of an artist who was set upon by a lynch mob, cutting off his painting hand, replacing it with a hook, and smearing him with honey, causing him to be stung to death by bees?

1. Twitter 2. Female 3. Daphne Du Maurier 4. Barry, Maurice and Robin 5. A Scotch egg 6. Utah 7. 6 (2 + 2 + 2) 8. Sherlock Holmes 9. A dove and a raven 10. Candyman

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SHIRON

Domestic Appliances Repairs of

Washing Machines Tumble Dryers Dishwashers Electric Ovens Electric Cookers Electric Hobs VAT Registered Specialist in Hotpoint, Indesit, Ariston, Creda and Whirlpool appliances.

Contact RONNIE Tel: 01438 720 304 Mobile: 07396 579717

Email: rohintoncooper@hotmail.com

IAN SIMPSON Carpentry and Joinery All aspects of carpentry work undertaken Kitchens, Bedrooms, Doors, Windows 25 years experience Free estimates Please call 01462 851695 or 07967162448 E-mail ij_simpson@hotmail.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Codeword 1

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Suduko

Hard Suduko

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. 80

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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 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Motoring

Breakdown cover explained: What is it and how can I get it cheaper? Available from a number of providers, having breakdown cover means you can motor on without the fear of suddenly becoming stranded should your car give up the ghost while out on the road — and helps prevent unexpected costs. But what is covered exactly, and how can you get an affordable deal on your policy? We explain. What is breakdown cover? Should your car break down while on the move, holding a breakdown cover policy with any of the variety of providers in the UK will mean you have an on-demand recovery service to either help you get back on the road quickly or take your car to a garage without fear of unexpected fees. What exactly is covered? Cover varies depending on the type you have and who your provider is. Typically, a basic breakdown cover policy will ensure you’re covered for simple

roadside repairs (commonly known as roadside assistance) or to be towed to a garage without having to pay extra over your annual or monthly fixed rate (note that paying monthly is sometimes more expensive than paying annually). Many providers also offer optional extras. Examples of these include: at-home cover, which allows you to call upon assistance if your car fails to start at home; onward travel cover, which allows you to be taken to your originally planned destination if your car cannot be quickly fixed; and European cover, which allows you to take advantage of similar privileges while driving on the continent. Optional extras vary by policy types and provider, so it’s worth cross-checking companies when looking to take out breakdown cover. Who offers breakdown cover, and how can I take out a policy? There’s a range of breakdown cover

providers in the UK, with popular choices including the AA, RAC and Green Flag, amongst others. Taking out a policy can be as easy as contacting a provider and looking through your options with them. It’s also common for insurance providers to offer breakdown cover as an additional extra when taking out a new policy, while some banks provide it as part of premium account offerings. How can I get cheap breakdown cover? The easiest way to get a low-cost breakdown policy is to use an online comparison tool. Much like an insurance comparison site, these can take your details and return quotes from a number of providers to find the best price for your particular needs. If you’re still not happy with the price, don’t be afraid to pick the phone up and directly contact providers to try and bring it down. Our tip would be to make a note of any cheaper quotes if you have a preferred provider, and see if they can match or beat it. Is it illegal to drive without breakdown cover? Unlike an insurance policy, there is no legal requirement for your car to be covered under a breakdown policy. However, your wallet may thank you should you have a policy and do have an unexpected breakdown.

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Alan George Painter & Decorator Interior and Exterior Work Wallpapering and Coving Reliable and Local Specialist City & Guilds trained with 30 years experience Sole trader No VAT Free estimates Call Alan on 01582 454604 Mob:07760198256 or E-Mail: george-a6@sky.com

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Electrician

I D Decorating

www.hertsandbedselectrical.co.uk

Painting & Decorating Services

Do you find it difficult to get someone to come and do a small job?

Painting – Interior & Exterior

Fault finding/repairs Extra lights and sockets New fuse boards Electrical testing and certificates

Decorating Coving No Job Too Big Or Too Small Fully Insured & Free Estimates Telephone: Ian Dunklin 0790 508 3799

Qualified electrician  Fully insured Reliable service  Tidy work Free quote  Satisfaction guaranteed

Call Nigel on: 01462 506076 / 07941295883 Email: nigelrooney@hotmail.co.uk

N O T YO U R AV E R A G E H O M E I M P R OV E M E N T C O M PA N Y

INSULATING SPRAYFOAM • BBA APPROVED SPRAYFOAM • CAN GREATLY REDUCE ENERGY BILLS • UPGRADE YOUR PROPERTIES ‘U’ VALUE • ELIMINATES DRAFTS OR ‘DRAW’ FROM THE ROOF SPACE • MESS & HASSLE FREE • QUALIFIES AS AN ESM • FIRE SAFE • SUITABLE FOR MOBILE HOMES

0800 046 1080 30% OFF ORDERS PLACED IN MAY hello@thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk www.thehomeimprovementproject.co.uk 84

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Crossword Solution for The Villager April Edition

Aprilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Codeword and Suduko Solutions

Easy

Hard

Advertising in The Villager is easy. To find out more call Nigel on 01767 261122 or email nigel@villagermag.com To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

The Villager Crossword

Across 1 Sketch (7) 5 Naval map (5) 8 Expel (5) 9 Womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holdall (7) 10 Promotional literature (13) 11 Informal (6) 12 Thick-set (6) 15 Used to cool food (13)

18 Conclusions (7) 19 Perfect (5) 20 Sea rising and falling (5) 21 Medicinal syrup (7) Down 1 Musical drama (5) 2 Robbers (7) 3 Worldwide (13)

4 Pertaining to cultural group (6) 5 Deep thinking (13) 6 Saunter (5) 7 Firmly (7) 11 Right (7) 13 Nearest (7) 14 Receptacle (6) 16 Dimmed (5) 17 Bottom of the feet (5)

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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

Loft Conversions

Extensions Open Plan Living

Garage Conversions

Garden Rooms & Landscaping

Refurbishments

Architect drawings and planning applications catered for Estimates and ideas FREE

www.hertfordshirebuilders.co.uk Call Richard on 07818 061505 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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

www.premierpd.co.uk

RELIABLE ROOFING COMPANY ESTABLISHED FOR OVER 35 YEARS BUILT UP FELT ROOFING SPECIALISTS & GENERAL ROOF REPAIRS • SLATE & TILE • REPLACEMENT FASCIAS/ SOFFITS, UPVC OR TIMBER • GUTTERING MAINTENANCE & REPLACEMENT • GUARANTEED WORKMANSHIP AT REALISTIC PRICES PROPRIETOR R.S. CROW F.I.O.R. • FREE ESTIMATES

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Automated Gate Systems & Ancillary Components Remote Access Intercoms Commercial Automated Barriers Swing & Sliding Gate Automation

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email: info@smpgateautomations.co.uk

Sales Service Repair Call Outs Automation of Existing Gates Residential Commercial

MUSCLE

& MOTOR Jumbo van with up to 3 men. Helpful, efficient and friendly service for all your moving, carrying, and domestic disposal needs, including house and garage clearance.

Call Richard on: 01767 317387 or 07968 787496 Email: muscleandmotor@gmail.com www.muscleandmotor.co.uk

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Technology

Summertime Tech

Top tech to make your outdoors great

It’s that time of year when we’re hoping for a nice summer, though unfortunately it’s also time to get your outdoors into shape. The good news is that technology can help with that. Our annual question – can we afford a robot lawnmower yet? – is almost a yes this year. Prices have fallen dramatically and you can pick up a good quality robot lawnmower such as the Robomow RX12U from John Lewis for £499 and there are various budget models for £299 to £329. Even the high-end models are coming under the £1,000 mark – still a lot more expensive than a basic mower, of course, but maybe worth the investment if you hate mowing the lawn. If a top-end robot is still too expensive, cordless lawn mowers have come a long way in recent years. Bosch’s 36V cordless rotary mower is seriously powerful for a battery-powered mower, and at £299 it’s not too expensive. Because there’s no power cord to accidentally cut, it’s a lot safer than a wired one too. You can pick up

rival models for about half that price but you may find you need to charge them more often. Look for the number marked ‘A-h’: that’s how many amp-hours the battery delivers between charges. Bigger is better. You’ll find that almost every kind of garden power tool now comes in an electric version. Even chainsaws: for example, Mountfield’s MC48LI delivers serious cutting power without the noise and smoke of petrol power, and you’ll find similarly impressive models from the other big-name power tool companies. Expect to pay around £150 for a good quality electric chainsaw and £80 to £150 for a good battery depending on capacity; cheaper models are available with batteries included but they’re considerably less powerful and won’t last as long between charges. If you like to use lots of flowering plants to make your outdoors great, technology can help with them too. Even the humble hose can be made smart these days: Hozelock’s automatic watering

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kit (RRP £127 but often available for half that) has a built-in timer to automate your daily watering for up to twenty-five pots, and if you like the idea of controlling everything with your smartphone the company also makes a Cloud Controller (around £110, but again often available for less) that you can operate remotely from an Apple or Android phone. The app doesn’t just enable you to control your watering: it warns you if the weather’s about to change so that you can adjust the schedule accordingly. It needs to be connected to Wi-Fi, though, so if you live in an old house with really thick walls or if your outside tap is far from your Wi-Fi router you may need to move the router closer to make it work. Would you rather do everything by hand? Technology can still help make your outdoors more pleasant. Our favourite outdoor gadget isn’t a chainsaw or a cloud controller; it’s a portable Bluetooth speaker so we can hear our favourite songs when we’re weeding.

Short Story

Getting in Training “Bev, I’ve got to stop for a moment.” Alison bent over gasping for air. “I’m getting a stitch!” It was a beautiful crisp morning – perfect, the two friends had thought, for a healthy run along the tow path. They were already regretting this decision. “We can’t stop yet.” Bev was just as breathless. “That Lucy from the running club will catch us up and try to make us sign up for her triathlon again.” “She’s persistent, isn’t she?” Alison sighed. “I can barely manage the running bit, never mind swimming and cycling. Hold on, what’s this this up ahead?” A large mute swan was standing right in the middle of the tow path. “He’s a big boy isn’t he?” Bev said. “Whatever you do, don’t make eye contact with it.” “Why’s that?” Alison asked. “It’s just a bird.” “Haven’t you heard?” Bev frowned. “A swan can break a man’s leg.” “Don’t be daft,” Alison laughed. “He’s probably more scared of us than we are of him.” As they approached the swan stretched out its neck and hissed. Both women jumped back. “Well that’s rude,” Alison said. “Two can play at that game.” She began waving her arms at the bird. “Shoo, you big bully!” she shouted. “Get back in the water where you belong.” The swan squared up to them and opened its wings. It seemed to become almost as tall as them. “Now you’ve just made it cross,” Bev said. “Look over there in the rushes.” She pointed at a large untidy nest where five grey cygnets were playing. “It’s just trying to protect its babies.” “We’d just like to get past you Mr Swan,” Alison reasoned with the bird. “We mean no harm to you and your family.” The swan began angrily striding towards them. The two ladies clutched each other and screamed. “What are we going to do?” Alison whined. “I’ve got an appointment at half-past.” Bev looked down at the clear canal water. “You know, it doesn’t look very deep here,” she said. “We could cross over to the other side.” “You’re kidding me, right?” Alison said. “You want me to climb into the canal? Do you know how much these trainers cost?”

“Just take them off,” Bev said. “That’s what I’m going to do.” She sat down on the tow path and began unlacing her shoes. The swan flapped its wings and hissed menacingly. “I think he’s going to attack.” Alison panicked and leapt into the water with a splash. Bev slid in after her, gasping as the cold water reached up to her waist. Holding hands, the two women strode awkwardly across the slippery floor of the canal while the swan paced up and down the bank watching them. They were halfway there when they saw Lucy running along the path. “Well this is embarrassing,” Bev said. “Do you think we should warn her?” To their amazement, without even breaking her stride, Lucy pulled a handful of breadcrumbs out of her pocket and scattered them onto the grass verge. The swan waddled off after them while Lucy just carried on running. Bev and Alison watched in disbelief. “Let’s hope she doesn’t see us,” Bev whispered, but standing in the middle of the canal there was nowhere to hide. “Hi, you’re keen!” Lucy waved at them. “Practising for the swimming part of the triathlon?” “Of course!” Alison waved back. “Why else would we be in the canal?” “That’s dedication!” Lucy grinned, jogging on the spot. “I’ll put your names down.” “Triathlon?” Bev turned to Alison and groaned. “Looks like we’d better get in training.” By Jackie Brewster

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ROGERSONS

REMOVALS

Man with Van

Removals • Clearances • Deliveries Pick-Ups • Items disposed of Flat pack assembly Anything Considered Friendly and reliable at a cost you can afford

Tel: 01462 627074 Mob: 07867 531368

Speak to Matt • No job too big or small

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Books

Book Review

Accountants

By Kate Duggan

Clean sheets, a mug of hot chocolate, a new book… Bliss. Body Positive Power by Megan Jayne Crabbe

The strapline for this book is ‘How to stop dieting, make peace with your body and live’, which is exactly what it sets out to do. Megan recounts her own struggles with eating disorders and experiences with weightloss clubs, while delving into diet culture and the Western world’s obsession with the ‘perfect body’. If you’re fed up of the endless dieting cycle and ready to try something different, this book could be just what you’re looking for.

Coming up for Air by Sarah Leipciger

Three very different stories, three different eras, one common thread. First we meet a young woman, driven to end her life on the banks of the River Seine in 1899. Years later, Pieter, a toymaker by trade, is called on to create the prototype for a resuscitation doll. And then there’s Anouk, who wages a daily battle against cystic fibrosis in present day Toronto, while finding a sense of freedom in open-air swimming. Vividly real characters, beautiful writing and engaging plot lines make this a book you’ll want to share with anyone who’ll listen.

Can You Hear Me? By Jake Jones

If you enjoyed Adam Kay’s This is Going to Hurt, then this memoir needs to be next on your reading list. Jones reveals some of the cases he’s dealt with in his career as a paramedic, interspersing the stories with his own life events, musings and challenges. Humorous and sobering in equal measures, Can You Hear Me? will give you a new-found appreciation for the people on the front line of medicine.

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Appliance and Electrical Repairs Appliance and Electrical Repairs All makes of washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, hobs and hoods repaired, serviced and sold. No call out charges on accepted quotes Member of DASA 30 years 35 years local work experience Used as expert on BBC Watchdog

01525 753547 or 07836 242122 G.J. WATKINSON

Domestic Appliance Repairs

Solo Appliances Domestic Appliance Repairs • • • •

Washing machines Tumble Dryers Dishwasher Electric Cookers/Ovens

Established over 30 years All work guaranteed

Tel: 07966 229085/01767 261847

Domestic Appliance Repairs

Domestic Appliance Repairs Guaranteed Repairs To:

Washing Machines • Tumble Dryers Electric Ovens/Cookers • Dishwashers No Call Out Charge!

JB Domestic

Tel: 01767 680621 or Mob: 07778 891490 93

Classifieds Property Maintenance

Fencing QUO FR TAT EE ION S

Fencing Services, Security Fences, Gates, Garden Fences, Repair & Restoration Call 01767 316901 or 07927 748460 Email: rsfencingservices83@gmail.com Web: www.rsfencingservices.co.uk

R. CHAPMAN

Home & Garden Services

Patio’s Driveways Fencing Brickwork Painting & Decorating Tiling 20 Years Experience - No Job Too Small!

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Property Maintenance

Garden Specialist

Dave Mortby

Hillier Garden Services All general garden maintenance jobs undertaken Over 20 years experience For all your gardening needs call Steve

Plastering, Decorating & Refurbishment

Free Estimates Given

07722 128189

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James Geekie Plastering All types of plastering - big or small Interior/Exterior Work Undertaken Re-skim Rooms, Walls, Artex & Ceilings Dry Lining and Screeding Tel: 07792 415356 or 01462 490598 Email: james.geekie@hotmail.co.uk

Plumbing and Heating

Helping to keep Hertfordshire Cleaner and Greener Waste carrier no. CBDU172513 We have Public Liability Insurance

H&M Rubbish Clearance

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23/02/2018

16:31

Prices from £5 5.00 per bin, cleaned every 4 weeks To book visit our website

www.scrubbish.co.uk or call our office on

01462 416565 94

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

USEFUL NUMBERS

VILLAGER The

and Town

Life

Alcoholics Anonymous...................... 0845 769 7555 Al-Anon Family Groups..................... 0800 008 6811 Anglian Water................................... 08457 145 145 Bedford Hospital................................01234 355122 Lister Hospital....................................01438 314333 Addenbrooks Hospital........................01223 245151 Benefits for people with Disabilities.... 0800 882 200 Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue.............01234 351081 Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue............01438 729041 Carers Line........................................ 0808 808 7777 ChildLine..................................................0800 1111 Citizens Advice.................................. 0344 245 1292

Bringing Local Business to Local People Your local full colour A5 monthly magazine delivered free of charge to 1000s of homes and businesses in your local area. The Villager and Town Life is dedicated to promoting local businesses, charities, community groups and everything else in your local area.

Cocaine Anonymous................................0800 689 4732 Crimestoppers..................................... 0800 555 111 Cruse Bereavement Care................... 0333 252 9152 Floodline........................................... 0845 988 1188 Frank-Drug Advisory........................... 0800 776 600 National Debt Line............................ 0808 808 4000 Gas Emergency.................................... 0800 111 999 NHS Direct................................................0845 4647 National Rail Enquiries..................... 03457 48 49 50 Non Emergency Police Line.................................101 NSPCC............................................... 0808 800 5000 Relate................................................. 0845 48 49 50 RSPCA Cruelty Line............................ 0300 1234 999 Samaritans...................................................116 123 Tax Credit Helpline............................ 0345 300 3900 Victim Support................................. 0845 30 30 900 To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

For more information or to reserve your space please contact Nigel on:

Tel: 01767 261122

Email: nigel@villagermag.com Web: www.villagermag.com 95