Henlow November 2022

Best Christmas Markets in Europe

With Christmas now just around the corner, if you find yourself fantasising about mulled wine, festive coffees, mouth-watering cheeses and steaming chestnuts – you’re not alone. Christmas market season is upon us, the perfect time to wrap up warm, fill your belly and hunt for gifts you wouldn’t find anywhere else. While we have plenty of world-renowned markets to visit on our doorstep

By Solange Hando

– Winchester, Edinburgh, Bath and Cambridge to name a few – nothing quite compares to Europe’s fairy-tale, festive spirit. Wooden chalets in thirteenth-century towns, snow-capped cathedrals, powdery spiced stollen, and of course, all the mulled wine you can drink. The likes of Germany, Estonia, Hungary and Austria, to name a few, take Christmas markets to another level. From Hamburg’s regional specialities and the dazzling lights of Vienna, all the way to Tallinn’s picturesque cobblestone streets dusted with snow, you’re spoilt for choice on where to go. To make your decision easier, we’ve pulled out five of the best Christmas markets in Europe, and what makes each one so magical. Vienna, Austria - From the middle of November until Christmas Day, Vienna’s prettiest squares transform into a mesmerising maze of Christmas markets, adorned with fairy lights. There are over

twenty to choose from, but wherever your feet take you, you can expect to see everything from artisanal handicrafts and traditional wooden toys to ice rinks, Ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds. This is Christmas at its most traditional. Oh, and did we mention the food? Warm the cockles of your heart with a mug of mulled wine while inhaling the smell of roasted chestnuts and freshly baked pretzels. Divine!

Tallinn, Estonia - Part of what makes Tallinn’s Christmas markets so magical is their setting.

Nestled in the heart of this beautiful, medieval city, where everything in sight is dusted with snow, each December the markets fill with sellers of local arts and crafts and delectable festive treats. And if that wasn’t enough, they’re also joined by brass bands, bell ringers and endless dance troupes – not to mention Tallinn’s very own Santa, who arrives at his winter grotto on an authentic reindeer sleigh.

The highlight, though, is its Christmas tree, which the city has been displaying in front of its town hall since 1441, making it the first Christmas tree to ever be displayed in Europe.

Budapest, Hungary - Officially hailed as Europe’s best Christmas market in 2022, Budapest’s Advent Feast at the Basilica is a delight for the senses. Centred around the impressive backdrop of St Stephen’s Basilica, the market is home to more than 160 artisan vendors. Shop for unique gifts and sample local Hungarian specialities from friendly food sellers. Goulash and flódni are must-tries!

There’s even an ice rink in the heart of all the action, circling a nine-metre-tall Christmas tree. Be sure to hang around for the real star of the show though – a

spectacular laser light show projected on the facade of the magnificent St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Nuremberg, Germany - Home to more than 150 towns and cities with established Christmas market traditions, Germany is synonymous with the festive season. Berlin and Cologne are world-renowned, and for good reason, but most visitors will agree that Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt just about comes up trumps.

One of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets, dating back to around 1530, Christkindlesmarkt is a foodie’s paradise. Grilled sausages, crackling pork, mulled wine, sweet gingerbread – every festive food fantasy can be fulfilled here. It’s also known for being one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly Christmas markets, thanks to its reusable cup system and regenerative energy power source.

Prague, Czech RepublicPostcard-worthy Prague was made for the festive season, so it’s no surprise its capital’s market is one of the favourites in Europe. This is part and parcel down to its magnificent setting. On one side, there’s the fourteenth-century spires of Our Lady Before Tyn, on the other, the city’s famous fifteenthcentury astronomical clock.

Czechs are famously heavy drinkers, so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to booze too. Along with hot mulled wine, you’ll also find mead, punch and grog, a concoction of rum, lemon, sugar and hot water.

The market is family-friendly too. If you’ve got little ones, shepherd them over to the Old Town Square where you’ll find a petting zoo complete with sheep, goats and donkeys.

Football Crazy

Get your World Cup footie facts here

It can’t have escaped your notice that we are in the midst of the World Cup Fever! So here are a few World Cup facts for footie novices and experts alike.

The first World Cup took place back in 1930. Jules Rimet, a French football administrator who was the third and longest serving President of FIFA, wanted to create an international competition between men’s football teams. The first World Cup tournament consisted of thirteen invited teams and took place in Uruguay, who won the competition.

The World Cup has been played every 4 years since this inaugural tournament except in 1942 and 1946 when it was suspended because of World War II. Hence it has been held 21 times and 2022 will coincidentally be the 22nd World cup.

In 2018 Russia automatically qualified as the host country, with the remaining 210 nations competing for the remaining 31 places during 872 matches.

Following the international condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russians were banned from the 2022 World Cup. Their scheduled opponents in the playoffs at the time of the ban were Poland, who were given a bye through to the final — where they beat Sweden to book their ticket to Qatar 2022.

The Russian football authorities did appeal the decision, but their case was thrown out by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Brazil has won the most World Cups with five, while Italy and Germany are close behind with four each.

The World Cup is usually held in June and July but the host this year are Qatar. The subtropical desert climate there results in extremely hot summers, with highs averaging between 32-27 degrees. As the temperature often exceeds these averages, the authorities felt it would be too dangerous to play soccer. So as part of their winning bid for hosting the World Cup, Qatar agreed to stage the tournament in November and December, where typical temperatures are a more comfortable 21-26 degrees. The winning team is awarded the World Cup Trophy. Although team gets to enjoy celebrating and being photographed with the trophy after the final, they don’t get to take it away with them. They are sent home with a replica. The current Jules Rimet trophy has been presented to winning teams since 1970. It is made of 18-carat gold and weighs in at 13.5 pounds (just over 6Kg). At the inception of the tournament in 1930 FIFA decided that if any nation won three finals, they would be given the trophy to keep. In 1970 Brazil achieved this feat when they defeated Italy in the final in Mexico, so the trophy was presented to the Brazilian Sports Confederation. It was placed on display on the third floor of the CBF offices in Rio. 13 years later on the night of 19th of December, the security guard was overpowered by a group of thieves and the trophy disappeared. It has never been found.

By Nicky Gray

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

Bonfire Night is an annual commemoration of a failed assassination attempt in 1605.

In 1603, Protestant James I became King of England. Despite being the son of the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots, he carried out persecutions against those of the faith, much as his predecessor Queen Elizabeth had done.

This lead one unhappy citizen – Robert Catesby – to devise a plot to kill the king and his establishment. With the help of a team of other sympathisers, including soldier Guy Fawkes, barrels of gunpowder were placed in a cellar under the House of Lords with a plan to ignite them on the opening day of Parliament – the fifth of November.

Fawkes was given the job of guarding the vault on the previous evening, but the plot was rumbled and just after midnight Fawkes and the gunpowder were found.

As news spread of the incident, Londoners began lighting bonfires in celebration of the fact James I was still alive and in 1606 the Observance of Fifth of November Act was passed, enforcing an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure. The Act was repealed in 1859.

As for Fawkes, tried and found guilty of his crime, he was to be executed opposite the Parliament building in January 1606, but he fell or jumped from the gallows ladder and died of a broken neck.

The commemoration eventually lost its religious and political undertones and is now more likely to be an organised bonfire and fireworks display, just for fun.

For the love of: Sherry

The ABV (Alcohol by Volume) of sherry is usually between 15% and 20% (perhaps a little higher, in some instances), being fortified during production. Fino and Manzanilla sherries have dry styles, as do Amontillado and Oloroso productions. Sweeter options include Pedro Ximénez, which is great to pair with many desserts, at a dining occasion.

DON LUIS FINO DEL PUERTO (16.5% vol) I found refreshing, with excellent flavour. This crisp production utilises the grape varietal to great advantage (100% Palomino grapes). Following fermentation, in stainless steel tanks, the wine then has 48 months in old American oak barrels. An impressive pre-dining drink, that also accompanies fish and paella dishes, extremely well.

EL BENITO MANZANILLA (17% vol) spends 48 months in old American oak barrels, following fermentation in stainless steel tanks (100% Palomino grapes). A most pleasant bouquet entices to the mouth’s pleasures, evoking thoughts of apple-orchard fruits. Perfect to greet guests with and to have with tapas delectations, for example.

DON GASPAR AMONTILLADO (18.5% vol) is produced with fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks (100% Palomino grapes). Then, the wine has120 months in old American oak Jerezana barrels, to give this very impressive fortified wine its full and rich flavour. A delight for predining experiences, with friends and/or family. Also, splendid with foods, such as tapas dishes, etc.

TORRE DEL ORO PALO CORTADO (19% vol) commences its journey from a vineyard with vines having an average age of 25 years. Stainless steel tanks are used for the fermentation process (100% Palomino grapes) and, after fortification, enter into the solera system for approx 4 years, to commence their ageing element. Selections are made by the winemaker, for the Palo Cortado classification. Following a further 8 years of ageing, the sherry is then bottled and released, with flavours hinting at orange and nutty notes. This, I consider, to be a superb example.

I located these sherry productions at Waitrose, in their No.1 range, which is produced in partnership with the eminent sherry house of Lustau. I found Waitrose to have an excellent drinks section, with something for all tastes and palates. www.waitrose.com

Trevor Langley

Letchworth Educational Settlement

Letchworth Educational Settlement is a unique centre of learning and creativity which has been serving the people of Letchworth Garden City and nearby villages for over 100 years. We’re located in a beautiful Arts and Crafts building close to Letchworth town centre and train station. It’s a stimulating environment where you can meet with like-minded people, a lifelong learning centre for North Hertfordshire and South Bedfordshire.

Our talented tutors provide an outstanding quality of teaching in a huge range of subjects from arts and crafts to foreign languages and creative writing, humanities and popular culture. And in the next couple of months we are running a series of one-off workshops – many with a Christmas crafting theme. These include decorative fused glass workshops (such as Christmas lantern making), crafting Christmas cards, weaving tapestry Christmas tree hangings, and crafting a traditional Christmas wreath from natural materials under the direction of our expert tutor, who is a professional florist. Try a workshop or two, and if you enjoy them then

look at the longer courses that we offer. These courses can help you to develop new skills or dive more deeply into the subjects that interest you. What the Settlement excels at is leisure learning, courses that enrich your life and bring pleasure from creativity. Another reason to visit us in November is the Settlement Christmas Fayre. This takes place on Friday 25th November, from 3pm until 8pm. The fayre will feature local artisans selling unique gifts, a raffle showcasing local creatives and retailers, and mulled wine and mince pies to get you in that festive mood. You can always be assured of a warm and friendly welcome at Letchworth Settlement.

Find us at: 229 Nevells Road, Letchworth Garden City, Herts SG6 4UB

Find us online at: www.letchworthsettlement.org.uk Find us on social media: follow our facebook, instagram and twitter accounts

Contact us: by email at info@letchworthsettlement. org.uk; or by phone during office hours on 01462 682828.

By Gemma Brown

Shrunken! Sweater rescue

As the days became colder I pulled out my supersoft wool sweater and wore it for a while. Then I popped it in the wash basket with the intention of freshening it up before wearing it again. Then I fell victim to COVID (again) for a few days. During this time, my lovely husband and teenage daughter looked after me. One evening 15-year-old Elise appeared nervously by my bed. “Um. You know your turquoise sweater, it wasn’t like, your favourite or anything was it?”

Yup, she’d shoved my nicest cosiest knit in the tumble drier and shrunk it. “Never mind love,” I said through gritted teeth as I looked at my now diminutive pullover, which was too small even for her, “I’ll put one on my Christmas list.”

But I reckoned without the resourcefulness of teenagers. The next day, as I was attempting to get out of bed on wobbly legs for the first time in a week, she reappeared with my sweater, now apparently magically regrown. “How did you do that?” I asked. She looked pleased with herself, “YouTube!” she replied. “There’s a tutorial for most things. I looked up ‘shrunken sweater solutions’ and followed the instructions.”

And here are those instructions for anyone else who has ever accidentally ruined their knitwear. Wool items shrink because there are scales on the surface of the wool that react to the combination of heat, moisture and agitation in a washing machine or tumble drier. The scales stick to each other and interlock like Velcro, so you end up with a jumper that’s several sizes too small. Any rescue attempt is

101aimed at relaxing and separating the fibres. Fill a sink with lukewarm water and 50ml of hair conditioner. Soak the sweater thoroughly, make sure it’s completely wet and leave it for ten minutes. This helps to relax the fibres and release the scales. DON’T wring it. Instead let the water out of the sink and press out the excess water.

Then spread a large towel out on a firm surface and lay the sweater out on top of the towel. Place another large towel over the sweater and press out as much water as possible. Elise apparently used a rolling pin for this bit!

Then gently (so you don’t break any fibres) stretch the sweater out to pull the now unlocked fibres away from each other and back into the desired shape. Finally, allow it to air dry. This may take a couple of days.

Unfortunately, this method doesn’t always work. Elise also shrank my husband’s sweater in the same wash load, and it ‘felted’ quite badly and sadly was beyond rescue. His sweater was a looser knit lambswool while mine was a tight knit cashmere. The looser knit and shorter fibres of his jumper meant the heat and moisture had more of a ‘shrink’ effect because there was more ‘room’ for shrinkage to occur. The fact my sweater is a tighter knit and is probably made from longer fibres meant it was easier to relax them again.

So, while not a fool proof solution Elise scored a 50% success rate, learned a valuable life lesson in the process, and has promised her dad a new sweater for Christmas.

Grey is the New BlackGoing grey gracefully

A few years ago, I noticed that younger women were dying their hair grey. As a 45-year-old woman the irony was not lost on me. There I was paying to dye my hair back to its original chestnut while the 23-year-old sitting at the next basin was paying the same to achieve my silver locks. WHY was I doing this?

One of the many downsides of colouring hair is that you have to repeat the process every 3-8 weeks. I was closer to three weekly and was planning my life around my roots. Then there was the expense. In spite of Davina McCall’s exhortations home dying did not look professional and my bathroom needed a deep clean afterwards. Finally, I was beginning to notice that dyed hair just didn’t look authentic on me. My skin looked just a little bit ‘off’ next to my hair colour. So, I decided to embrace the grey. Why do we go grey anyway?

Each hair grows from a follicle which contains cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce two types of pigments: eumelanin (dark brown or black), and pheomelanin (reddish yellow). In combination they are responsible for our hair colour. As we age the melanocytes in the hair follicle start to die and the hair becomes more transparent. Gray hair still has some melanin, but not enough to give us back our youthful hue. White hair has no melanin. The process of going grey Lots of people opt for a shorter haircut but it’s not essential. I didn’t. I decided I’d grow mine to shoulder length and brazen it out. My hair is still fairly thick, so I wanted to make the most of it. My hairdresser recommend a textured cut to give it volume and movement. I still hated it for the first three months, as my roots came in, and I wore hats a lot. I nearly caved at one point but my wonderful

hairdresser talked me off the ledge. By six months I was loving the changes. My hairdresser recommended that I used products with a bit of shine. Grey hair loses its natural shine and can look less healthy. I love to use a hair oil from about halfway down my hair, which softens and moisturizes it. I don’t use it all the way up the roots because it does weigh the hair down a little. One bonus of being grey is that I have to wash my hair less. Grey hair is naturally drier so whereas before I was washing it every day or every other day, now I usually wash it every three or four days.

Another good recommendation was a specialist ‘purple’ shampoo and conditioner. ‘Don’t freak out when you first see it,’ my hairdresser warned me. ‘It’s very purple, but it will brighten your grey hair and remove yellow tones.’ Then she added, ‘Only use it once a week though or you’ll end up lilac!’ It works like a charm. I love how silver my hair looks when I use it but I’m mindful of her warning.

My biggest concern was about looking ‘old.’ It didn’t take me long to realise that if I didn’t embrace more colour in my wardrobe that is exactly what would happen. I switched to a brighter lipstick and added some jewel-coloured tops and statement earrings to my previously all black wardrobe. I even updated my spectacles to a bright coloured frame. In addition, I keep my hair in a modern, more youthful cut and I love the fact that the colour now compliments rather than competes with my skin tone.

Four years on I’m nearly fifty but I no longer worry about my roots, and I’m saving a fortune at the hairdresser. It’s not for everyone but I’d definitely recommend going grey because of the freedom it brings.

By Charlotte Harris

Style and Warmth?

I know on my own account that it’s easy to pile on layers and find yourself feeling and looking like a giant ball of wool (on me, beginning to unravel) when it becomes seriously cold. We can easily lose any sense of style in the effort to stay warm. However, there are some tweaks we can add into our look and prevent us looking too trussed up. Plus some elements that are on trend to factor in too. Necklines – a high neckline roll neck can foreshorten you adding to a ‘bunched up’ effect so find layers including jumpers that sit lower if this applies to you (if you’re not sure talk to your House of Colour consultant to find out). Us a softly draped scarf to fill in the area if you feel the cold and then you can adjust where it sits to be the most flattering. It’s better if we can avoid cluttering shorter areas. Scarf – a great place to add a pop of WOW colour particularly if your coat is a dark neutral. This will also break up silhouette and add interest. Try not to be a sea of neutrals, use your palette of colours. Those who struggle to wear a larger woollier scarf (not all of us can take the larger scale or sometimes the slightly messier look that accompanies it) try rolling it in half (so not as bulky) and creating a neater tie such as a ‘no knot’ tie. Sparkly embellishments – this is a trend were seeing across most accessories in some form. Think sequins, details with sparkle, and embroidery. Think about gloves, adding brooches/embroidery to hats. There are shapes and details that suit every individual look whether sharp and angular or small and pretty. Add those into your accessories to update your look and draw the eye to your best features!

Proportion Play – if you have a large puffer coat or

a giant scarf think about using it with some smaller scale elements. Let that one bigger piece be you ‘hero’ and allow the other elements to play second fiddle.

Footwear – there are lots of funky walking and winter boots around with waterproofing and style to them. Check out Clarks and look online. Lots of colour around too in a traditionally limited space. Layers – it’s not news but lighter layers add up to great warmth. So if you struggle in this colder weather add in your base layers – silk and merino wool (not the super itchy variety but the base layer engineered) seem to perform very well. I love Patra Selections silk thermals. Natural fibres do seem to perform best but M&S ‘heatgen’ range which is a blend gets great reviews so is worth trying.

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

Mobile Foot Health Practitioner

Lucy E. Hobbs-Morris

BA (hons),

01462 641113

07795 030774

hobbs lucy@hotmail.com

Some

How Oxygen Therapy Can Help Dementia

The term ‘dementia’ refers to a group of symptoms caused by different diseases that damage the brain. There are currently around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to rise sharply in the coming years. (Alzheimer’s Society).

The symptoms progressively worsen and described by the NHS as:

• memory loss

• difficulty concentrating

• finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks

• struggling to find words or follow conversations

• being confused about time and place

• mood changes

Some people with dementia, or their relatives, have reported that Oxygen Therapy (also known as Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) has helped them.

Oxygen Therapy for people with Dementia - Research is underway to consider new approaches to treating dementia, including neurogenesis (creating new brain cells). One approach to neurogenesis is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

A 2021 study published in Aging journal reports that six people with an average age of 70 carried out a series of oxygen therapy sessions. Each person showed signs of memory loss. Results revealed that “… the changes in pressure and rising and falling oxygen levels increased blood flow to their brains by around 20%, with an average 16.5% improvement in memory score.”

Try Oxygen Therapy - Herts MS Therapy Centre welcomes anyone with any long-term condition, including dementia. People from widespread locations visit our Letchworth Centre to try Oxygen Therapy. Our friendly, qualified team supervises your session and answers any queries you may have. Arrange your Trial Session by calling 01462 684214 or emailing oxygen@hmstc.net.

Dental care: looking after your teeth and gums

We all know that regular dentist appointments are a key component of healthy teeth and gums. However, with the NHS still catching up with its backlog of appointments post-pandemic, not to mention the cost-of-living crisis making private dentistry unaffordable for many, there’s never been a better time to prioritise preventative dental care. So what are the different measures you can take to protect your teeth?

Brush daily

Brushing your teeth daily is simultaneously the easiest and most important element of preventative dentistry.

The NHS recommends brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for about two minutes to stop plaque build-up. Most of us will have got into the habit of brushing our teeth morning and evening since childhood. But did you know that the best time to brush in the morning is before you eat breakfast? This is because plaque-causing bacteria multiply in our mouths while we sleep.

What about the toothbrushes themselves? Contrary to popular belief, manual toothbrushes are just as effective as their electric counterparts – when used properly. However, many people find electric toothbrushes easier to use, which is why they’re often recommended by dentists. Remember to replace your toothbrush (or toothbrush head) three to four times per year to keep the bristles rough.

Floss regularly

In addition to brushing daily, dentists also recommend flossing regularly to clean areas of your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach. Flossing is also believed to reduce the risks of gum disease, by

removing plaque that forms along the gum line. If you have gaps between your teeth, swap floss or dental tape for interdental brushes; they come in sizes to suit everyone.

Use mouthwash

Commonly used to keep our breath minty fresh, mouthwash can also reduce the amount of acid in the mouth, clean hard-to-brush areas in and around the gums and even remineralise teeth. With so many brands on the market, from products made for children to mouthwashes designed for those with sensitive teeth, speak to your dentist to find the perfect mouthwash for you. Reduce your sugar intake Sugar is your teeth’s arch nemesis. This is because it causes tooth decay by reacting with the bacteria found in plaque. Every time you consume sugary food or drinks, the enamel in your teeth is softened and your teeth become exposed to decay-causing acids.

Thankfully, this damage is somewhat reversed by minerals from the enamel of your teeth and your saliva. Saliva generates minerals like calcium and phosphates, both of which are beneficial for strengthening teeth. It’s an important process, but it can only do so much. To keep your teeth healthy, you’ll still need to limit your sugar intake. Sugary drinks are the main culprit, but what about sugar-free drinks? Surprisingly, even your favourite sugar-free fizzy drinks can be bad for your teeth due to their acidity levels. To be on the safe side, stick to water, unsweetened tea, milk, plain sparkling water and diluted juice – with sugary drinks as an occasional treat.

Space Invaders

How technology developed for space has appeared on Earth Space has been in the news a lot recently. From the Mars Rover to the James Webb telescope, we’ve marvelled at amazing images. In the 50th year since man last walked on the moon NASA is once again preparing a Lunar mission. It all seems far removed from our everyday lives, but did you know that some 2000 or more inventions that we use on Earth every day were actually invented by NASA? Here are my favourites:

Memory foam - Oh how I love my memory foam mattress and bike seat, and development of the ‘Tempur’ material used was NASA-funded. Engineers wanted to create better shock-absorbing aircraft seats for test pilots.

Infrared thermometers - Ubiquitous throughout the first COVID outbreak, the technology was developed by the space agency, to gauge the temperature of distant cosmic objects.

Mobile phone cameras - The image sensors used in just about every modern digital camera come directly from NASA. They were looking for better, cheaper, more efficient cameras for spacecraft, but

By Matthew Carter

the technology was quickly licensed and harnessed by camera and phone companies and is now used all over the world.

Scratch resistant lens coatings – These were around before NASA got involved, but they were a bit ‘meh’. NASA developed a diamond-like carbon coating and used it to improve the scratch-resistance of sensitive instruments by as much as 10 times. RayBan then decided to apply the technology to their lenses to create tough and super cool sunspecs.

Comfortable running shoes - After inventing a rubber moulding process for astronaut helmets, NASA engineers applied the same technology to shoes. It allowed for the creation of shock absorbers in the soles, and these have now become a common feature in running shoes.

Self-driving cars - Not mainstream yet but give it time. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Quantum Sciences and Technologies group, invented something with the intriguing name of the “whispering gallery mode optical resonator.” This was a spherical resonator for light waves, but no-one could think of a practical use for the technology until it was integrated into General Motors’ LiDAR systems for self-driving cars.

I’ll Do It Later!

How to stop procrastinating

Charles Dickens famously said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.”

Procrastination is intentionally delaying completing a task despite knowing it will have negative consequences. It’s a form of self-sabotage, which reduces the time available to complete the task, while increasing stress levels. So why do we do it?

Amygdala hijack - The amygdala is the part of the brain which moderates our fear response. When we are distressed the rational part of our brain (the pre-frontal cortex) shuts down leaving the amygdala in charge. If we feel negative towards a task and our brain interprets this as distress, the amygdala steps in to persuade us NOT to do it.

Instant gratification - Humans tend to repeat tasks when our brain rewards us with a dopamine hit.

Procrastinating by watching cat videos on YouTube feels good in the present, like a reward, so we keep delaying tasks until procrastination becomes a chronic habit.

Present bias - We are more focused on who we are and how we feel today, than for our future self. We don’t dwell on how our current decisions will impact us in a few weeks or months. We actually process information about our current self and future self in separate parts of the brain. Functional MRI scans reveal that we view our future-self in the same way we view a stranger. So it’s easier for us to defer tasks and decisions that favour our future self, and instead choose instant gratification which provide pleasure right now.

Stopping procrastination

There is not a one size fits all solution but there are some tools which might help. Choose the ones that resonate with you.

By Tracey Anderson

Focus on the why - Will the task benefit someone else? Extrinsic motivation can sometimes be a powerful tool. ‘If don’t do this I will be letting them down.’ If it’s you who will benefit try writing down why you’re doing the task. A written reminder will help keep you focussed.

Eat the frog - If you knew you had to eat a live frog, you’d want to get the task finished first thing, then get on with your day knowing nothing else was going to be that bad. Eating the frog suggests that if we tackle an unpleasant task early in the day, everything else will seem easier.

Eat the Elephant - It’s an old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time? Break a task down for small easy wins. That way you build momentum gradually, and don’t feel overwhelmed.

The 3/5/10 Minute Rule - Tell yourself you only have to do the task for three, five or ten minutes. Most likely, when the timer goes off you will have the built enough momentum to want to continue.

The pressure cooker method - If you feel like you need a sense of urgency to complete tasks give yourself a certain amount of time to get all or part of the job done. Set a timer, or download a productivity app.

Body doubling - Ask someone to sit with you while you complete the task. Studies show that having someone else in the room while you are working (even if they are just doing their own thing), really helps some people focus.

Reward - Promise yourself a reward when you complete your task. Be specific: a scented bubble bath; an episode of your favourite sit com; a jam donut...whatever works for you.

Procrastination is a human trait. We can’t eradicate it, but we can learn to manage our time better.

A gift that keeps giving

For many of us, our Will is the final message we send to our families, friends and wider community about who we are and how we want to be remembered.

After taking care of loved ones, consider leaving a gift to charity in your Will. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, now more than ever charities rely on income from legacies. In fact, many charities would not survive without such donations and a gift in your Will costs you nothing and ensures the good work of your chosen charity lives on.

Where to start

The pandemic has helped many of us to realise the importance of charities to our lives and the willingness of so many to help in a crisis.

• First decide to whom you’d like to leave a legacy. It can be a cause close to your heart, such as a local hospice, youth organisation or branch of an animal welfare charity, or one of the national/ international organisations such as Save The Children, UNICEF or Cancer Research UK.

• You do not need to write a new Will to include a gift to a charity. A codicil allows for you to make minor alterations to your Will without the need to rewrite the original document. However, if you have more than one or two minor changes, it’s generally recommended that you write a new Will. A codicil follows a certain format and has the same strict execution requirements as a Will – it will need to be witnessed and signed in the same way as a Will.

It pays to remember a charity Legacies can reduce the amount of inheritance tax that will need to be paid on an estate. For example, those giving away 10 per cent of their net estate can benefit from a discounted inheritance tax rate of 36 per cent (from 40 per cent) across the remainder of their estate.

• Another option could be to consider creating a charitable trust, which would ensure your money is dispensed over an extended period of time. The trust will be registered with the Charity Commission, and the trustees will distribute income and also capital to charities following your directions, by way of a ‘letter of wishes’. There will be fees involved in setting up a trust. Contact a law firm/solicitor that specialises in this area for more information.

How your gift is used

Your gift could help your chosen charity in many ways, but if there is a specific way you would like it to be used it is best to talk to them about it first, as it might not always be possible for the charity to use it in the way you wish.

• You are under no obligation to tell your chosen charity you are leaving them a legacy – in fact, many people prefer not to say anything.

For more information, visit the Charities Aid Foundation (www.cafonline.org) and Remember a Charity (www.rememberacharity.org.uk).

Money on my Mind

The Martin Lewis column

He’s the UK’s leading money saving expert - a journalist and presenter who has kept millions of pounds in people’s pockets as well as lifting the lid on the threats and dangers we need to be aware of as consumers.

In this month’s column, Martin Lewis looks at the current energy crisis, and the fact no real solution appears close.

Our energy sector is in a mess, and there is little doubt about that. For too long we have experienced this continual up and down shift of prices and supply and tariffs and everything else that, as consumers, drives us bonkers.

The reality of what we have and what’s going on right now has been brewing for a long time. A perfect storm of situations, from Brexit to covid to the conflict in Russia, effectively means we are being throttled in our desire to heat and light our homes, ensure water comes through our taps and more.

You may say we have been unlucky to find these factors all colliding in together at one time, yet it is the job of the government – and any sort of decent opposition – to put fail safes in place so that when something catastrophic like this happens, the end result isn’t the sort of bewildering increase in bills that really may move a greater quantity of people into poverty than we have ever seen before. It’s a disastrous combination and we are praying for short- and medium-term solutions that will see not just the most vulnerable through the winter, but

everyone else besides, because this is a national problem coming at a time of huge inflation and cost of living emergency.

Let’s just go to a basic summary of what we have here – in the UK we’re talking about having privatised energy firms, but we effectively now have restricted competition and regulated prices in the form of a price cap. You have to ask yourself, what is the benefit of privatisation if you work in that marketplace?

The next price caps – they’re going to be in January and April – will reveal where we go from here. All I can say right now is energy bills will go down – they will be lower in April than they will be in January, but higher than they are now. And while we wait for a solution, we will need to ride this out – we have no choice. Yet rest assured the consumer has been sold down the river and the lessons of this will resonate with both current and future governments, as they should.

Choosing the right radiators for your home

By Katherine Sorrell

1An upgrade to your central heating radiators will not only improve the comfort of your home, but also its looks.

Radiators are one of those often-overlooked essentials of the home, conveniently forgotten about for as long as they do their job. However, over time, rust, corrosion and blockages can build up, resulting in cold spots or an inefficient system.

Chemical ‘flushing’ and regular bleeding will help but, unfortunately, central heating radiators won’t stay in perfect condition forever. Sometimes they need replacing because a new boiler, with increased pressure, causes leaks, or you may even be installing an entirely new home heating system. A heat pump, for example, may require larger radiators in order to heat your home efficiently.

Extra efficiency

The good news is that, thanks to improvements in technology and manufacturing, modern radiators heat up more quickly and can be 50% more energyefficient than old models – especially if yours were installed before 2000. What’s more, today’s radiators are no longer a necessary-but-boring feature; in an array of sizes, shapes, materials and colours, they can

be a good-looking as well as functional focal point of a room. This is your chance to complement your design scheme and even add a dash of style.

Where to start Start by calculating the heat output required for each room. This is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units); you can use an online calculator or ask your plumber to work it out for you. You can achieve the same heat output with a long, low radiator (horizontal) as with a tall, thin one (vertical), or increase the heat with a double panel rather than single (though it will stick out from the wall more) – so the next task is to look at each space and work out what size and shape of radiator you want to install. You may even like the look of the traditional column radiator, while in a bathroom a heated towel rail is a great choice – though bear in mind that it gives off less heat than a panel radiator.

A choice of materials While older radiators were made from cast iron (slow to heat and cool down, and very heavy), the vast majority of modern radiators are made from mild steel. Other options include stainless steel

(more expensive, but less prone to rust build-up) and aluminium, which is the most expensive option but also the best in terms of efficiency, and the greenest to manufacture. Stone, glass and brass radiators are also available, and offer opportunities for unusual and eye-catching designs.

Positioning your radiators

In terms of where to position each radiator, unless you are replacing an existing system like-for-like, there are options. They are best placed in the coldest part of the room, which always used to be under a single-glazed window, where the incoming cold air creates a circulation of warm air within the room. In modern, well-insulated homes, however, this principle is less important, and you can put radiators wherever you wish, depending on the positions of your furnishings, and on whether your aim is for them to blend in and be almost unnoticed, or to stand out as designer features. Just don’t block them with long curtains or bulky furniture, and in period houses it’s a good idea to aim for symmetry, with radiators placed centrally on a wall.

Design possibilities

Once you have worked out your required heat output and decided where each radiator will go, you’ll know how the size of radiator required corresponds to the floor footprint and wall space available. In many cases it’s then a simple case of choosing the material you prefer and deciding on a style and colour, though where space is limited or awkward you may need to research a few different solutions. It could be a corner radiator (around the outside or inside), a curved one for under a bay

window, one that’s completely flat, one with a mirror finish, or one that includes a bench seat. Where you wish to make a statement, there is an intriguing range of radiators that are shaped like abstract wall art and, increasingly, radiators are available in a wide variety of powder-coated colours, both off the shelf and bespoke. No longer do radiators have to be an unseen necessity – both attractive and efficient, they may well be the new heroes of your home.

1 This steel radiator incorporates a wooden seat and is made to order in a choice of four, five and six columns and 218 colours. Ancona Bench Seat Vertical, from £1,312.80, The Radiator Company.

2 A copper finish gives this mild steel towel radiator a luxurious and timeless look. Terma Jade curved heated towel rail in True Copper, from £154.99, Only Radiators.

3 Patented horseshoe-shaped tubes are designed to provide a high heat output from this steel radiator, available in white, dark grey or your own colour. Cirque horizontal, from £305.76 in a colour, Feature Radiators.

STOCKISTS

Feature Radiators: 01274 567 789; featureradiators.co.uk Only Radiators: onlyradiators.co.uk

The Radiator Company: 01342 302 250; theradiatorcompany.co.uk

Gardening

Caroline Knight: Gardendesignideas.co.uk

Filling the garden with golden light

The main thing to remember in November is that everything outside is transient. Think back to the heady days of summer when the garden was parched and the air felt fiery hot. Time passes and the weather moves on. We don’t always manage to process this fact when it’s actually happening. You might like the changing seasons or perhaps you loathe them. But the fact is, you can’t alter them. The best you can do to help yourself through is to find the positive in each month – indeed with every passing day.

Even on an overcast November day, the garden can be bathed in light… if you have planned it this way. If not, it’s never too late. The time to start is now. Autumn is a great planting month. Winters tend to be much milder than they used to be, hence roots can often continue to establish and grow throughout the entire season. Light in a garden doesn’t need to come from the sky. Plants can provide a golden glow that looks as warm as sunshine. The stars of the autumn garden are not only spectacular leaves, turning shades of crimson, orange and yellow before they fall from deciduous trees, but ornamental grasses that send spirits soaring. They quietly grow in stature throughout the summer, then burst forth in full glory during autumn and winter, filling borders with joy once most other plants have faded. When teamed with structural, solid elements such as clipped hedges and perhaps some topiary or cloud-pruned evergreens, grasses reach a peak of visual perfection. They soften the understorey in a cloud of luxuriant waves. These are plants to excite and stimulate the senses. The sound of rustling in the autumn breeze cuts through the stillness in the air, evoking memories of the turning tide and, indeed, of passing time.

The secret of successful planting lies in repeating

forms and patterns throughout the space. One or two specimen grasses are certainly worth having, but it’s not until you repeat the theme across the garden that you create an unforgettable sea of beauty.

Top tips for using ornamental grasses in the garden

• Aim for contrast. Think about the backdrop against which your grasses will be seen. An evergreen yew hedge, for example, will make your golden autumn grasses look brighter and bolder than a background of mixed deciduous shrubs. A black wall or fence will provide a similar effect.

• Place taller grasses at the back of the border, such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘Ferner Osten’ (Chinese silver grass), which can reach heights of 1.5m, and mounded forms of slightly lower grasses in the middle. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ (another variation of Chinese silver grass) is a particularly easy grass to grow and it changes colour as winter progresses. Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ (fountain grass) is a rather beautiful smaller grass, and the evergreen or semievergreen Anemanthele lessoniana (pheasant’s tail grass) looks magnificent when placed towards the front of the border, spilling slender foliage and airy flowerheads onto paths.

• Plant most grasses in multiples of odd numbers, if possible. It creates a balanced composition that feels harmonious.

• Consider incorporating structural elements amongst grasses to provide an anchor. Topiary such as tall cones of evergreens, pillars of

hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), cloud-pruned trees or multi-stemmed trees can look highly effective.

• Don’t expect all grasses to stay where you put them! Some tend to seed themselves around and the parent plant might eventually fade away. Aim for an informal look that allows this natural transition to take place.

• Research your grasses so that you know how to care for them. Deciduous grasses can look stunning during winter, with their seed and flowerheads giving movement and interest throughout the entire season. The old stems should be cut down to the ground in very early spring or late winter. Evergreen and semievergreen grasses generally need a comb through with a gloved hand in order to remove dead stems. The harder-leafed evergreens sometimes benefit from a very light pruning, just removing damaged stems.

Did you know?

The Miscanthus genus gets its name from the Greek word for stem (miskos) and flower (anthos).

Many ornamental grasses mix very well with flowering perennials. Verbena bonariensis is a particularly good planting partner for taller grasses.

Try Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’, crocosmia and even taller sedums.

The majority of grasses like free-draining soils in full or partial sun. There are some, however, than can cope with even dry shade, including Carex ‘Ice Dance’.

GreenFingers

The Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses the next generation of green-fingered gardeners. You’ll find me talking quite a bit about the new breed of gardener coming through. For me, it’s a natural evolution that presents to me two different things – firstly, the art of gardening is much more interesting and much cooler than it ever was in my day; and secondly, it seems as though I am becoming more and more aware of my own mortality!

Percy Thrower was the one who inspired me most when I was a kid. I watched him on Gardening Club on the box, and as the years have gone by, I have been lucky enough to work with a number of the horticultural greats. Christopher Lloyd was a friend, Beth Chatto is a friend who I really value and whose work I really admire.

After a while you realise you have progressed from the student to the teacher, and I’ve always been very proud to be that person. Ultimately, I want to inspire everybody to get into the garden, because I think there are so many benefits.

When I am presenting, I never have a set section of society or type of person in mind. I guess, in a

way, I am presenting to myself - I want anybody and everybody to start thinking about getting into the garden. We need to show people that it isn’t difficult or boring, that is it is exciting, and that most of it is just common sense.

And I do admit, the likes of James Swift, James Wong, Annemarie Powell, Katie Rushworth and Frances Tophill all have a knack of conversing to young audiences that I probably don’t have… and that’s great.

We have to keep evolving what we say and who we want to position it to, because as I have said before there are so many other distractions for young people these days.

I want to see our gardens and our outside spaces continue to flourish over the decades to come, despite the noise and appeal of doing other things elsewhere; and you know what, I’m sure they will.

Feeling Fruity

Autumn is well advanced and following some brilliant colour, the trees and shrubs have shed most of their leaves. Many of us will have been busy tidying our plots in preparation for winter. However, if you’ve ever fancied growing your own fruit then now is the perfect time to put in a little extra effort. From now until spring is the best window to plant fruit trees because now is the time that nurseries are selling bare-root trees. ‘Bare-root’ simply means without pots or soil. Bare root trees are cheaper than those grown in pots, but they are quick to establish providing you follow a few simple steps.

Before you plant the tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for at least two hours, so it gets a good drink.

Prepare a large enough area, at least 1 metre diameter. This means that if you are planting in a lawn you’ll need to remove an area of turf to the same diameter to stop the grass competing with the new tree for nutrients and water. Wherever you plant, make sure you dig in lots of organic matter, this could be garden compost, leaf mould, or well-rotted manure. Make sure you dig it all around the area where the hole will be, rather than just into the hole itself, because this will encourage the new tree to put roots out into the surrounding soil, helping it to establish quickly. The hole for the new tree needs to be roomy enough so that the roots will not be crammed together.

Drive a stake into the ground to a depth of at least 60cm. This will provide support for your fledgling tree.

If you are planting a grafted tree, there will be a clear join where it was grafted on to the rootstock This join should remain above the soil level when planted. It’s easier if there are two of you; one to hold the tree at the correct level, and one to backfill the hole around the roots. The person holding the tree should shake the trunk gently as the hole is filled, so

By Rachael Leverton

that soil gets in between all the roots. Once you’ve filled the hole, firm the soil gently with your foot. Don’t compact the soil too much. The drag more soil over the compressed area. Use a soft rubber tie to secure the tree to the stake at a height of 60cm. Too low and the tree won’t be secure; too high and the tree won’t flex enough in the wind. Allowing the tree to flex a little encourages more root growth and results in a stronger tree. Finally, water in well and apply a 5cm layer of organic mulch over the area but NOT touching the trunk, because it might rot. The mulch helps to suppress weeds, provide insulation, and retain moisture. Your tree should now be fine until spring when we’ll talk about ongoing care.

Happy Gardening

The Icknield Way Association

Over the past couple of years it has become increasingly apparent that the great outdoors is of immense benefit for our mental and physical health – and is, largely, free! With walking being an increasingly favoured leisure activity (with associated family, health ansd social benefits) it is no surprise that people are looking to find what public footpaths and walking organisations are in their locality.

The Icknield Way is a set of rights of way that makes up the oldest known long-distance path in Britain –and it’s on your doorstep!

Formed in 1984, the Icknield Way Association seeks to make the Icknield Way a National Trail and to promote knowledge and use of it. It is a well-established long distance footpath (110 miles) that runs from Ivinghoe Beacon to Knettishall Heath, passing through South Eastern Bedfordshire and North Hertfordshire towns and villages (Ickleford, Letchworth, Baldock, and Royston, to name but a few), and passing places acquainted by people from prehistory as well as Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and others up to the present day.

We are seeking new members, wardens (who take on a stretch of the Icknield Way to walk and monitor), and officers. We also sell guides of the walk, and information on all these can be found on our website at www.icknieldwaypath.co.uk. Anyone who is interested in seeking further information and/or joining us in any capacity may e-mail our Publicity Officer, Doug Landman, on doug.landman@ntlworld.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

The best e-book readers for every kind of reader

Why e-readers are perfect presents – and great gadgets too

E-readers are brilliant things, especially for avid readers or travellers: they can store hundreds of books in a single slim case, they run for weeks without needing recharging, they’re much easier to read in sunlight than shinyscreened phones or tablets, and they can read e-books from all kinds of places, not just their manufacturers’ online shops. Some are made for kids; others for book-obsessed adults. The most popular e-reader is Amazon’s Kindle, which is available in multiple versions for different kinds of user. Amazon regularly updates and replaces different models in the range, and it often offers huge discounts on the RRP: we wouldn’t recommend paying full price for any Kindle because Amazon cuts their prices so frequently. For example, at the time of writing Amazon has dropped the price of its Kindle Kids from £99.99 to £54.99.

The current Kindle range starts with the most basic Kindle, at £69. It’s a nice little device with a decent screen and weeks of battery life between charges, and the Kids edition is the same but with a kid-friendly protective case and a year’s free access to Amazon’s Kindle Kids subscription service.

The pick of the range is the Kindle Paperwhite (RRP £129 or £99 for the Kids edition). That has a larger, much higher resolution screen for paper-like print quality, it’s waterproof for beach or bath reading, and it has a warm light that’s much easier on the eyes when you’re reading after dark. An extra £50 gets you the Signature edition, which has wireless charging. The top of the range Kindle is the Kindle Oasis, which is bigger still and has more storage. However it’s also the most expensive option, at £229.

The main UK rival to Amazon is Kobo, with options ranging from £89 to £249. The flagship is the Sage, which is great for notetaking, but all models have good displays, plenty of storage and excellent battery life. It’s worth pointing out that you don’t need a Kindle to read e-books: the Kindle and Kobo apps are available for all kinds of phones, computers and tablets. Apple has a rival service, Books, and Google Play offers e-books. But reading on a computer isn’t as nice as on a dedicated e-reader.

Apple Books

You can turn any smartphone, tablet or computer into an e-book reader with apps such as Apple Books, Kindle or Kobo – although reading on a screen isn’t as comfortable as on the e-ink display of a dedicated e-reader. But it’s handy for occasional reading. Free, apple.com

Kobo Sage

Kobo’s e-readers start at £89 but the money-no-object option is the excellent Kobo Sage (£249), which enables you to annotate books with a stylus. If you’re a margin scribbler and phrase underliner that alone makes the Sage a must-buy. £249, uk.kobobooks.com

Amazon Paperwhite Kids

If your kids are bookworms, this slightly more expensive Kindle Paperwhite Kids (£99 compared to £54.99 for the basic Kindle Kids) has a warm white display that’s much less tiring for latenight reading sessions when they’re supposed to be sleeping. £99, amazon.co.uk

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

This is the best Kindle for most people. It’s a nice size, it’s waterproof, it has a really nice warm white light that won’t tire your eyes and it lasts for weeks between charges. As with all Kindles, keep an eye out for discounts and don’t pay full price. £129, amazon.co.uk

Amazon Kindle Oasis

The Kindle Oasis is Amazon’s biggest and most powerful Kindle, but for most people we think the Paperwhite is the better buy: that model is £100 cheaper before any discounting and isn’t significantly smaller or less powerful. £229, amazon.co.uk

Rabbits in Rescue Care

In recent years the number of rabbits coming into rescue has been increasing, with last year alone seeing a jump in rabbit intake of 28 percent. This year is already superseding that with all local and national rabbit rescues full and with waiting lists. Rabbits come into rescue care for all kinds of reasons. They may come in as stray rabbits, have been abandoned or dumped by previous owners, or owners can simply no longer care for them. Rabbits are incredibly social creatures and should mostly be homed with as a pair, so commonly if one half of that partnership passes away, the other often ends up in rescue due to single rabbits needing much more care and attention.

A pair of rabbits we have at RSPCA Bedfordshire North Branch at the moment are Scooby and Scrappy. They came into our care after they were taken to a local vet by a member of the public who found them as strays. They were advertised as found and the owners were eventually tracked down, only to advise the vet practice they no longer wanted the rabbits. They have now been with our foster carer for almost two months, in which time both boys have been neutered, vaccinated and litter trained. They are beautiful little rabbits with very big personalities, and although a bonded pair are very much chalk and cheese! Scooby is the bigger of the two with a shiny, soft coat and black markings on his face. He is definitely the more timid of the pair and relies on Scrappy’s confidence, preferring to let him have the attention than get any himself, however he absolutely loves to run around the garden and is

Scooby

often caught doing his big binky’s across the lawn. Scrappy is just as his names suggests! He is much smaller than Scooby and always has a scruffy, fluffy looking coat. He is a very cheeky little rabbit that has to explore every tiny nook and cranny he can find, and also likes to dig. He generally doesn’t have any fear and unlike Scooby, is quite happy to be picked up, hand fed treats or the odd head rubs. One thing they do have in common though is their love of food. They come running to the door each morning to get their breakfast and love nothing more than getting their daily veggies.

Scooby and Scrappy are looking for a new loving home to go to where they have secure shelter and plenty of outdoor space to enjoy. They are currently living as outdoor rabbits, but could also easily be rehomed as house rabbits. Please be aware the minimum size requirement for a sheltered enclosure is 6ft x 2ft x 2ft with additional, accessible exercise space of 8ft x 4ft.

For more information about adopting Scooby and Scrappy or any other animals in our care, please contact our Branch by emailing adopt@rspcabedfordshirenorth.org.uk or phoning 01234 266965. We are a local Branch of the RSPCA working within North Bedfordshire.

The Poignant Poppy

Why do we wear the poppy? - Scarlet poppies grow wild all over western Europe wherever the soil has been disturbed. The battles of the First World War churned up such vast areas of earth that millions of poppies germinated and bloomed, often around the bodies of the fallen soldiers.

A Canadian surgeon called John McRae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields, which many of us study in school. The poem is a haunting memorial to those soldiers who have died in any war and the imagery of the poppies is used to symbolise the deaths of those who fought.

Why do we hold a two-minute silence? - On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the guns of World War I fell silent. Four years of fighting and devastation finally ended. The following year ceremonies of remembrance took place on what was known as Armistice Day. An armistice is an agreement for the cessation of active hostilities between two sides in a war.

An Australian journalist, Edward George Honey first proposed a respectful silence to remember the dead. He wrote a letter to the London Evening News which was brought to the attention of King George V. The king issued a proclamation which called for a two-minute silence. These days Armistice Day is more usually known as Remembrance Sunday and is a chance to honour the fallen soldiers of all conflicts.

In the light of the atrocities going on Ukraine this year, I hope you’ll think even more about your poppy and all it stands for.

By Nicky Gray

1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 NOVEMBER

Craftea

10.30am-12pm Baldock Library

A great way to meet new people, get craft advice, chat and relax or just bring your current crafty project. www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

2 NOVEMBER Aircraft Enthusiasts’ Group

1pm Shuttleworth ‘X-Planes - US Military Projects’ by Ray Hankin. Meets first Wednesday of every month. Email to book free entry ticket. Email: 99aegr@gmail.com Web: www.a-e-g.org.uk

2 NOVEMBER

North Herts Association of the National Trust 7.30pm Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin Non-members £3 on the door ‘In the Footsteps of a Wedding Master’ with James Higgs who joined the world of ‘Toastmastering’ in 2005. Tel: 07831 111062 Email: colettehouse@gmail.com www.facebook.com/nhertsant/

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 NOVEMBER

Hinxworth Art Society

10am-12pm Hinxworth Village Hall Drawing, painting, coffee and chat. Email: 99aegr@gmail.com

3 NOVEMBER

The Arts Society North Herts Doors open 10.15am, 11am-12.15pm Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Eastcheap, Letchworth ‘The Divine Sunflower in Art and Culture’ by Twigs Way. theartssocietynorthherts.org.uk

3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24 & 28

NOVEMBER

Retired Persons Table Tennis Club Mondays 11am-1.30pm, Thursdays 1.30-4pm

Memorial Hall, Stotfold Play both doubles and singles. Monthly subscription payable. Vacancies for new members (but not beginners).

Email: terrygriffiths50@gmail.com

ON IN NOVEMBER

3, 10, 17 & 24 NOVEMBER

Hitchin Thursday Art Club 9.30am-12pm St. John’s Community Centre, St. John’s Road, Hitchin We meet every Thursday for painting and drawing, etc. Tel: Mike 07977 347707

4 NOVEMBER

Concert by Coull Quartet 8pm Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin Tickets £20, under 27s free The Coull Quartet will be performing an exciting programme of string repertoire. Web: https://benslowmusic.org

6 NOVEMBER

Fun Charity Quiz 8pm Five Bells, Henlow Village £2.50 per person Teams of up to 6 members. Prizes for the first two teams and last place. In aid of Wilson Larkins Charity. Tel: John 07511 631045 quizzesforcharity@outlook.com

7 NOVEMBER Monday Meet Up Social Group

10.30am-12pm Baldock Library Meets first Monday of the month with a different theme every month. A talk and Christmas project from Icknield Quilters. for conversation, speakers and refreshments.

7 NOVEMBER Lego Club

4-5pm Letchworth Library £3 per child. First Monday of the month. For children ages 5-12 years. Booking essential at the library.

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER Monday Painting Group 9am-12pm

Letchworth Corner Sports Club, Whitethorn Lane Meets every Monday. Each term we choose a selection of subjects to paint. If you are interested, you are welcome to try it for £5 per session.

Tel: Valerie Williams 01462 624439 Email: mondaypainting@lalg.org.uk

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER

Baby Rhyme Time 10.30-11am Letchworth Library Fun half hour sessions of songs and rhymes. www.hertfordshire.gov.uk

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER Stevenage Singers 7.30pm for 7.45pm

The Music Centre, The Nobel School, Mobbsbury Way, Stevenage Stevenage Singers are welcoming new voices! They are so confident that you will enjoy it that they are giving you the first month FREE. Tel: Heather 01438 365769 Email: Info@stevenagesingers.org.uk Web: www.stevenagesingers.org.uk

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER Staplers Folk Dance Club 8-10pm St Johns Community Hall, St John’s Road, Hitchin Members £3, guests £4.Dance a wide variety of styles from dances written in the 1600s to modern American Contras and Squares. Web: www.staplers.org.uk

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER

Branch Out Social Club

8.30-10.30pm. Cromwell Bar, The Sun Hotel, Hitchin Medium-sized social club for single people aged 50 upwards. Tel: Lorna 01438 233657 Web: www.branch-out.org.uk

7, 14, 21 & 28 NOVEMBER

Stevenage Choral Society

7.45pm Stevenage Music Centre, Mobbsbury, Stevenage Meets every Monday during term time. No audition necessary. Try out a wide range of music. Tel: 01438 365769

Email: info@stevenagechoral.org.uk Web: www.stevenagechoral.org.uk

9 NOVEMBER

Letchworth Music Concert

7.45pm Howgills, 42 South View, Letchworth Tickets £15, under 18/students £7.50 Gamal Khamis on piano. Tickets available at the door.

IN NOVEMBER

11 NOVEMBER

Unicorn Ceilidh Doors open 7.30pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Church Street, Baldock With The Cock and Bull Band and caller Fee Lock. Baldock Midnight Morris in the interval spot. Ceilidh dances are great fun, easy to learnTel: Alan Creamer 07946 439095 Web: www.unicornceilidhs.org.uk

12 NOVEMBER

Pirton Village Craft Fair

9.30am-4.00pm Pirton Village Hall Entry £1. Craft fair with a wide variety of stalls selling high quality homemade crafts, Christmas wreaths, decorations, and much more. Refreshments. Profits go towards upkeep of the village hall.

12 NOVEMBER

Grease Sing-Along

Doors open 7.00pm, film 7.30pm Shillington All Saints Church Tickets £15. With supper and a glass of prosecco. Pre-booked tickets only. Tel: Sabine 07867 632 033

12 & 26 NOVEMBER

Sabbath Service 11am & 7pm Stevenage Liberal Synagogue welcomes members and visitors to their sabbath services on the second Saturday morning and fourth Friday evening of the month. Tel: 01438 300222 stevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail. com www.stevenageliberalsynagogue. org.uk

13 NOVEMBER

Not Strictly Jazz

5-7pm Tickets £20, 10-18 years £10 Fairfield House, Fairfield Road, Biggleswade

Live music performed by exceptional musicians. Refreshments included. Call or email for tickets. Tel: 01767 312176 Email: sarahwiggs@hotmail.co.uk

14 NOVEMBER

Icknield Quilters 7.45pm Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock Meets second Monday of the month. Visitors welcome.

15 NOVEMBER

Stevenage RSPB Local Group

7.30pm The Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage Members £3, non-members £4, accompanied under 16s 50p Talk by Michael Hooper entitled ‘Antarctica’. Tel: 01438 236310 Email: trevorstorey54@gmail.com

17 NOVEMBER

Hitchin Friendship Club

2.15-4.15pm St Michaels Mount Community Centre Meets third Thursday of the month. Interesting talks, pub lunches, day trips, coffee mornings, holidays and much more. Refreshments, book exchange, raffle and quiz. Tel: 07974 374106

19 NOVEMBER

Christmas at Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery 10am-5pm

Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, SG4 7DP

Join us for the launch of our brandnew extension with a celebratory day of festive drinks and nibbles, free jewellery cleaning and the chance to get behind the bench yourself in aid of the Garden House Hospice. Web: hkjewellery.co.uk

19 NOVEMBER

Weston Concerts

7.30pm

St Nicholas Church, Rectory Lane, Stevenage Tickets £20, age 25 and under £5

The Maggini Quartet - one of the finest British string quartets - twice nominated for Grammy Awards. Web: westonmusicsociety.org.uk

20 NOVEMBER

Stevenage RSPB Local Group Trip to Lackford Lakes Meet 10.00am

All-day visit to Lackford Lakes; a Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserve with a mixture of habitats to ensure a good variety of species. Meet in the reserve carpark at grid ref 155/TL 801706 postcode IP28 6HX. Leader Graham Beevor. Email: trevorstorey54@gmail.com

23 NOVEMBER

Hitchin Flower Club

7.30pm Church House, next to St Mary’s Church Churchyard, Hitchin Visitors £8. ‘Magic and Sparkle’ a Christmas floral demonstration by Emily Broomhead.

24 NOVEMBER

Stevenage RSPB Local Group Trip Meet 9.30am

Morning visit Amwell Nature Reserve; this old favourite for resident and winter visiting birds. Meet at the viewpoint at grid reference 166/TL 376128, postcode SG12 9SS. Leader Trevor Storey Email: trevorstorey54@gmail.com

3 & 10 DECEMBER

Aladdin the Pantomime

3pm & 7.30pm STMA Digswell Hall, 10 Hitchin Road, Shefford

Tickets £10 & £5. The Players at STMA Present Aladdin the Pantomime, a fun for all the family show. Doors open 30 minutes before show. Tickets on sale now. Tel: 01462 816336 Web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ themeppershallpllayers

UNTIL 16 APRIL

Changing Times: A Century of Modern British Art Exhibition

The Higgins, Bedford Sculpture, paintings and works on paper by some of the best-known and well-loved names in British art. Web: www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

Can you help?

Lower Stondon Village Hall, Hillside Road SG17 6LQ is a community, volunteer-run hall. The Management Committee is in need of new members to support with the running and upkeep of the Hall, so that it continues to be a valuable asset for the community. The hall currently hosts Stondon’s Pre-School, a number of weekly children’s and adult’s exercise and social groups and is available for private party/event hires.

The Committee is currently made up of just 4 volunteers. We all live in Stondon and hold a meeting on the first Monday of every month. We also communicate regularly via our WhatsApp groups. We enjoy organising our annual show with Lamphouse Theatre and would love to do more community events like this with more members to help us.

We have an online bookings portal and calendar that our existing Bookings Clerk handles the day-to-day administration of. We need help with the following: • Attending monthly meetings. Inputting to decision making / idea creation / problem solving

• Covering party bookings at weekends (on a rota basis). Iincludes showing the hirer around, taking a deposit, end of hire inspection/cleaning

• Helping out at our annual Christmas Show

• Occasionally meeting trades people to allow access for repairs/service checks

• Posting content to our Facebook Page and keeping our website information current If you feel you are able to offer your time or expertise to join and support us in any way, please do get in touch with us. Thank you. Email: enquiries@stondonvillagehall.org.uk www.facebook.com/LowerStondonVillageHall/

First drive: Mazda CX-60 Motoring

Jack Evans tries out Mazda’s new range-topping CX-60, with the brand’s first plug-in hybrid setup.

What is it? The CX-60 is Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid and indicates a new direction for the firm, so let’s take a closer look.

What’s new?

Apart from the plug-in hybrid setup there are touches such as facial recognition to automatically adjust your seat position.

The CX-60 will also be available with straight-six petrol and diesel engine options, for those who don’t want a plug-in hybrid.

What’s under the bonnet? The plug-in hybrid CX-60 combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for a total output of 323bhp. The 17.8kWh battery should give up to 39 miles of EV-only range, with a full charge taking around four hours via a 7.2kW home wall box.

Performance is punchy, with 0-60mph achieved in 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 124mph. Efficiency is impressive, with Mazda claiming 188mpg and extremely low CO2 emissions of 33g/km. The CX-60 is also rated to tow 2.5 tonnes.

What’s it like to drive?

The pre-production CX-60 model we tested drove very well. The steering is spot-on, with decent weight and accuracy. The suspension is both supportive and comfortable and the car is well insulated from external sounds.

The seven-speed automatic gearbox felt a little jerky on downshifts, however, while the brakes needed more bite – but we expect these to be resolved in the production car.

How does it look? The CX-60 is definitely recognisable as a Mazda and stands out with touches such as the ‘PHEV’ logos on the flanks and the large, imposing grille.

It’s physically quite large and the whole car has also been designed to showcase the predominantly rear-driven setup, though it does run in four-wheel-drive too. What’s it like inside? Mazda has applied new materials to its CX-60 and offers a choice of specifications. It’s spacious up front with nice seating positions; however, despite great rear head and foot space, knee room is compromised.

There’s decent 570 litres of boot space or 1,726 litres with the rear seats folded down.

What’s the spec like? Although the CX-60 represents quite the premium compared to other Mazdas, it still does well for equipment. Prices start from £43,950, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights and a variety of safety assistance systems.

The 12.3-inch infotainment system incorporates both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s decent, but lacks touchscreen control – utilising a rotary dial instead – which can be annoying when using the smartphone integration systems.

Verdict - The CX-60 feels like a sign of good things to come from Mazda and paves the way for a new era from the firm. In terms of the powertrain it elevates things considerably over cars like the CX-5, and should appeal to those who can take advantage of the cost savings that an efficient plug-in hybrid brings.

The lack of rear space does limit its appeal practicality-wise. However, it’s definitely a fitting addition to the Mazda range.

Hard Flooring Made Easy

For many years, carpet reigned as the favourite flooring throughout our homes. It is still the most popular choice for stairs and bedrooms, but homeowners are much more likely to opt for hard floors in ground-level rooms, although some still prefer carpet in the living room.

The practicality of a hard floor makes it an obvious choice. Furthermore, as the climate heats up, hard floors help to keep the house cooler. This is a guide to the most popular options available.

Sheet vinyl flooring - This has been around for years. It is sold on fixed-width rolls and you just order the length you need.

Pros: Easy to fit, inexpensive, water and stain resistant, warm, vast range of colours and styles available.

Cons: Doesn’t look or feel ‘real’, difficult to repair if you scratch it, colours will fade so not suitable for sunny rooms.

Laminate flooring - A fibreboard base is overlaid with a photograph of the finished surface (for example woodgrain or stone) and then finished with a clear protective layer. Typically designed for each plank or tile to click together.

Pros: Suitable for DIY, inexpensive, forgiving of floors that aren’t completely smooth, durable.

Cons: Often not waterproof, won’t pass for the real thing, easy to damage while fitting, you may need to trim doors to allow for the extra height.

Solid hardwood - The 100% natural flooring option, this is supplied as planks of wood, each one being unique. Fairly obviously you can only have a wood finish, although with different grains and stains.

By Sarah Davey

Pros: The most aesthetically pleasing, has a lovely feeling underfoot, can be sanded down and refinished many times so will really last, environmentally friendly.

Cons: Swells in damp conditions and shrinks in dry ones, requires regular maintenance, needs an expert for installation, expensive.

Engineered hardwood - Layers of inexpensive wood are glued together to form a plank base, then it’s finished with a final layer of real wood.

Pros: Looks like hardwood but more resistant to heat and moisture, durable and long-lasting.

Cons: It can be every bit as expensive as solid hardwood, needs a professional to fit it.

LVT (luxury vinyl tiles) - One of the most popular choices for hard flooring. There are two main options: loose-lay click system, which is rigid planks similar to laminate flooring, and glue-down systems requiring specialist LVT glues. Although this doesn’t really pass for real wood, the finish is close and still aesthetically pleasing.

Pros: Endless choices of style – wood, tiles, stone, concrete, waterproof, warm underfoot, very durable.

Cons: The subfloor must be completely level, which may mean having a floor levelling compound installed first.

Ceramic tiles - Yes, the same as you put on the walls – ceramic tiles can also be used on the floor.

Pros: Withstands the heaviest household traffic, waterproof, easy to clean, a high-gloss finish available.

Cons: Cold (underfloor heating can overcome this but adds to the cost), anything dropped will break easily, not a DIY install.

Books to Gift Books

It’s Christmas Everywhere Hannah Barnaby and João Fazenda

Looking for a Christmas Eve book for pre-schoolers? You’ve found it. This tree-shaped board book introduces children to global festive traditions, from stencilling apples in China to making paper boats in Greece. With its brightly coloured illustrations and simple rhyming Christmas countdown, this is sure to become a new family favourite.

Get Changed Kat Farmer Kat Farmer (who you may know better as @doesmybumlook40) is on a mission to help people express their identity through their clothes. This book is for people who’ve fallen out of love with their wardrobe. For people who loathe clothes shopping but want to look good again. And for those who just want some helpful tips for creating outfits and accessorising. Full-colour illustrations, down-to-earth writing and straightforward advice make Get Changed a winner.

Do Earth Tamsin Omond

The thirty-first book in the Do series aims to empower people to take action on the climate crisis. Tamsin Omond talks through her own relationship with climate activism and offers advice on the small steps we can collectively take to heal the planet. It’s easy to feel paralysed by the scale of the climate crisis, but this book is hopeful and uplifting. The perfect antidote to climate anxiety.

Whether you’re searching for the perfect Christmas present or a book to curl up with yourself on Boxing Day, we’ve got you covered…

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