Henlow October 2020 by Villager Mag

VILLAGER The

Issue 143 - October 2020

and Town

Life

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

In this issue Coping with

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Inside this issue... The History of Whisky

The Angels’ Share - A History of Whisky..................................... 4 A Scented Home................................................................................... 8 Sleep - Should we worry about quantity or quality?............ 12 Dine in Style: Sam’s Riverside..........................................................14 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.......................................................16 Is Halloween cancelled?....................................................................19 Get a Flu Vaccine................................................................................. 21 Wordsearch........................................................................................... 21 A Walk to Remember....................................................................... 22 A New Trend... Going into the Office?....................................... 25 The Art of Self-Care..........................................................................26 Obesity and COVID 19 - What is the link?.................................. 31 Coping with Arthritis.........................................................................33 20 Years Together - EAAA............................................................... 35 Love Thy Tailor....................................................................................36

The Money Pandemic.......................................................................38 Setting Boundaries............................................................................ 42 Beautiful Berberis...............................................................................45 Who’s Cloning Now?.........................................................................46 R.A.T.S. Rehoming Appeal................................................................49 Inspiring Kindness...............................................................................50 Sustainable Beauty and Hygiene.................................................. 53 Andorra..................................................................................................54 Grandmillennial Style........................................................................56 Puzzle Page...........................................................................................60 An Arcade in your Pocket!..............................................................64 Prevent Tech Horrors this Halloween......................................... 67 Fun Quiz.................................................................................................69 The Ten Cars with the Biggest Boots..........................................70 Villager Prize Crossword.................................................................. 74 Book Review......................................................................................... 77 Useful Numbers.................................................................................. 79

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Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £35.00 +VAT per month Editorial - Catherine Rose, Maggie McKeown, Trevor Langley, Nick Coffer, Sarah Davey, Louise Addison, Jennie Billings, Kate Duggan, EAAA, Tracey Anderson, John Lister, RSPCA, Pippa Greenwood, Rachael Leverton, Kate McLelland, Solange Hando, Katherine Sorrell and Bob Grant

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History

By Catherine Rose

The Angels’ Share A History of Whisky Whisky (or whiskey) is the tipple of connoisseurs. It is made from fermented grain mash distilled in either copper or Coffey (patent) stills, depending on the type of whisky being produced. Barley is normally used, although rye, wheat, and corn (the base of American bourbon) are also suitable. The grains can be malted for flavour by steeping them until they start to germinate and then drying them. This not only locks in enzymes helpful to the fermentation process but also brings out the grain sugar known as maltose, which gives malt whisky its characteristic caramel taste. After distilling, whisky is then traditionally aged in oak casks for a minimum of three years. The word whisky comes from the Gaelic for ‘water’ – uisce (Irish) or uisge (Scottish) (pronounced oosh keh). Short for ‘water of life’, this term originated from the Latin for alcohol – aqua vitae. But is it whisky or whiskey? Technically, both are correct. Whiskey is the spelling used by the Irish whereas in Scotland it is Scotch whisky, or simply Scotch – a term popular in the United States. There are three different types of whisky: malt whisky (which can be single or blended), grain

whisky and blended whisky. The champagne of whiskies – single malt – comes from one distillery, while a blended malt will be the product of more than one. Grain whiskies are made using grains that have not been malted, while blended whiskies can be a mix of grain whiskies or of grain and malt. Blended whiskies tend to be the least expensive (and the brands you would probably use for a whisky mac). The earliest evidence of whisky distillation can be found in ancient Mesopotamia, where it was used not as a drink but as a base for making perfumes. There is subsequent evidence that the ancient Celts distilled whisky as a beverage. Northern Europe did not have the climate to grow grapes, so people who lived in these colder areas had to use more readily available sources to make alcohol. By the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Christian monks in Ireland and Scotland were distilling whisky, which they used as a health tonic. The first written record of whisky making was in 1494 when Friar John Cor “received eight bolls of malt to make aqua vitae”. This would have been enough to make around 1,500 bottles. During this time, whisky was not being left to age in casks as its primary use was as medicine, so it had not yet been discovered that ageing improved the flavour.

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With the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in 1541, banished monks set up their own distilleries which increased whisky’s consumption and popularity. The oldest surviving distillery is in Ireland - Old Bushmills Distillery - founded in 1608. Whisky became Scotland’s national drink after King James IV of Scotland was said to have visited Islay in 1493 to see distilling there. He popularised whisky drinking, and when Scotland was made a part of Great Britain in 1707 it quickly became synonymous with the alcoholic beverage. Whisky has also been at the heart of conflict. In 1725 England introduced a higher tax on malt, along with legislation that dictated the minimum size for a still. The Scots saw this as a direct attack on their heritage, which consisted mainly of cottage distilleries. There were bloody riots and as a consequence, it is estimated that nearly half of the whisky production across Scotland went underground after people refused to pay the tax. Across the North Channel, the old Irish ballad Whiskey in the Jar (made famous by Thin Lizzy in the 1970s) was originally about Irish Highwayman Patrick Fleming, who was hanged in 1650. Although a violent criminal, he became a folk hero for robbing and killing the English gentry after Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of Ireland. In 1823 the British Government was petitioned to

make whisky production both profitable and legal, so The Excise Act was passed and whisky smuggling, which had been rife for around 150 years, died out. The whisky market took off. Up until then, whisky had continued to be drunk fresh from the still, but now, thanks to increased storage and overseas shipping, it was discovered that whisky tasted better when left longer in the barrel. Seven years after The Excise Act was passed, Aenas Coffey invented a process to make blended whisky in higher volumes. This lighter drink proved so popular that widespread consumption grew. Along with the Coffey still came the art of the whisky blender – Johnnie Walker, a grocer from Kilmarnock, being one of the first. Today whisky has never been more popular. There are over a hundred working distilleries in Scotland. Stills on the Scottish island of Islay still use water from the peat-rich streams there to make their distinctive-tasting malt whiskies. And after a decline in Ireland there has been a recent resurgence in whisky making, with twenty-five distilleries operating in 2019 and a further twentyfour planned. And for those of you who don’t already know, ‘the angels’ share’ is the evocative term given to the amount of whisky lost through evaporation during distillation.

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Home Products

Hand poured in London, The Pure Scent’s candles are made from organic soy wax, giving a pure, clean and lasting burn, with natural essential oils for an irresistible scent. Scented candle in a tin, £12.50; scented candle in a glass, £25; both Know & Love.

A Scented Home

A home that smells delicious is a great pleasure, and some people swear that the right fragrance will also help you feel relaxed, refreshed, more focused, calm, clear-headed or invigorated. It makes ‘scents’ to give it a try… A delicate blend of jasmine and tuberose harmonises with nuances of orange flower, carnation and ylang ylang, with opulent musk adding a subtle warmth to the heady floral of this reed diffuser, which lasts for up to nine months. Jasmine and tuberose reed diffuser 500ml, £30, Ashleigh & Burwood.

This gift box set fits through the letterbox and contains a pack of four tealights and six melts, all made from vegan soy wax. Each fragrance is unique, and once melted it releases a heavenly scent to revive your senses and your home. Make Your Dreams Happen gift pack, £12.95, Chalk and Cheese.

This pretty glass contained a eucalyptusscented candle with a burn time of twenty hours. Small eucalyptus garden boxed candle, £6.99, Gisela Graham London.

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Wax Atelier’s candles are the ultimate in elegant craftsmanship. Hand dipped in their East London studio using beeswax, they each have a burn time of around ninety minutes. Set of eight green tea and beeswax ‘Celebration’ candles, £22, Know & Love. Giving forty hours of burn time, this paraffin/vegetable wax-blend candle releases a crisp scent of juicy fig. Made in Provence by Bastide’s master candlemakers, it is fragranced with top notes of fig leaf and sweet cassis, followed by delicious fig milk and white cyclamen petals, and paired with warm woods and soft musk, all presented in a hand-blown A blend of delicate white amber bubble glass. Bastide figue nectarine and fresh spring d’eté candle, £48, Curated Living. flowers on a base of luxurious manuka honey, this candle is made of soy wax and pure essential oils. White nectarine and honey medium tin candle, £10.50, Marmalade of London.

A refreshing, sweet citrus sorbet of lemon, peach, mandarin and rhubarb, the base of this scent is reminiscent of endless summer days by the coast. With a soy base for six months’ enjoyment, the set includes a reusable bone china jug. Cadgwith reed diffuser, £30, Cream Cornwall. With a unique, hand-painted lid, this hand-poured soy wax candle is specially made to melt evenly and burn for fortyeight hours. The citrus notes of grapefruit and mandarin are designed to invigorate. Fresh ginger and green tea candle and wax melt set, £24, The Good Aura Company.

STOCKISTS Chalk and Cheese: 01256 780 491; chalkandcheese.biz Curated Living: 07802 598 234; curatedliving.co.uk The Good Aura Company: thegoodauracompany.com Marmalade of London: 01242 257 509; marmaladeoflondon.com

Tips for a beautifully scented home • Using a reed diffuser is an ideal way to provide safe, continual, all-over ambience. If you don’t like the container, simply pour the liquid into one of your own (it’s best if it has a relatively narrow neck). Turn the reeds over every two or three weeks to refresh them. After a while, though, they may become clogged with dust and will need replacing. • Candles provide a more intimate setting, with pretty, flickering light. But there are safety issues, of course. Be careful where you place them, keep them away from draughts, and don’t leave them unattended. • When burning a candle, allow the wax on top to liquefy right to the edges before extinguishing the flame – otherwise you may find ‘tunnelling’ of the wax as the wick burns down. Extra-wide candles should have more than one wick to avoid this effect. Always keep the wick trimmed short to avoid smoke (especially important on glass-jar candles), and remember to dust your candle as necessary (use rubbing alcohol or a hand sanitiser wipe) so you don’t end up burning dirt next time you light them. • Soy wax candles tend to burn for longer than paraffin ones, emit fewer chemicals, and come from a renewable source. • Wax melts are an alternative to candles and diffusers – they’re scented cubes or bars of wax (sometimes called ‘tarts’), but without a wick. Place them in a special warmer and they will melt and release fragrance safely and without evaporating. Once all the scent has gone, throw the melt away (soy melts are biodegradable) and start again.

Ashleigh & Burwood: 01932 267 060; ashleigh-burwood.co.uk Cream Cornwall: 01326 563 367; creamcornwall.co.uk Gisela Graham London: 020 7708 6396; giselagraham.co.uk Know & Love: 07515 889 906; knowandlove.co.uk Stitched: 0330 133 1455; Stitched.co.uk

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Cloudy2Clear, A Local Service With A Smile. I think we can all agree that the sooner we see the back of 2020 and this dreadful corona virus the better. That said, there are also some heart warming positives that we can take out of this situation. It has often been said that we can only really get to know one another and realise what is truly important in times of crisis. I think few would argue that in this case what has proven to be important is local community spirit. When talking to the Manager of Cloudy2Clear windows Stephen Moon it became clear that these values have been held dear for a number of years. Since starting the business some years ago Cloudy2Clear have remained true to their core values of

supporting the local community by providing a service that saves the public money. The Cloudy2Clear service only requires the glass to be replaced and not the whole window once the unit has failed. Stephen commented “Cloudy2Clear were able to assist our community through the last financial crisis in 2008 due to the savings that can be made in using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help again”.

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Health

Sleep

Should we worry about

quantity or quality?

During Lockdown, my sleep suffered. Like everyone else my anxiety levels rocketed, and I tossed and turned for hours. I dug out my Fitbit which I hadn’t worn since the start of Lockdown and began tracking my sleep again. I realised that my sleep score which had previously been 87-92 (good-excellent), was now languishing around 6164 (bottom end of fair) occasionally dipping into the 50s (poor). No wonder I felt tired and tearful. Something needed to change. To optimise sleep health, we need to balance how long we sleep with how well we sleep. For years, researchers recommended eight hours of sleep each night as optimal. Now professionals consider sleep quality to be of equal importance in reaping all the benefits of sleep. In fact, sleep quality is probably a better indicator of overall mental health, mood, and energy levels than sleep quantity. Prior to lockdown I’d been a 10:30pm-6am sleeper, Occasionally 11pm-6:30am. Although that was 30 minutes shy of the perfect 8 hours I always woke just before my alarm, feeling rested. During Lockdown bedtimes had become later and later, and although I was ‘sleeping’ for longer, and not setting the alarm, my sleep was clearly not of the quality I was used to. Fitness trackers like the Fitbit monitor the quality of our sleep by looking at how much time we spend in the various stages. We cycle through the various stages each night and we each have a unique cycle. During light sleep our body unwinds and relaxes. This is always the first stage of sleep

and we spend most of our time asleep in it. It’s important to our mental and physical health that we get enough light sleep. Deep sleep typically occurs within the first few hours of sleep. Our breathing is slower, our muscles relax fully and we’re harder to wake during this stage. Typically, we spend about 13% of our night in deep sleep, and this is when our body repairs itself. Deep sleep aids learning, memory, and it supports our immune system. Finally, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when we dream. Our heart rate increases, and our breathing becomes more irregular. We also experience a form of paralysis (so we don’t start acting out our dreams!). REM sleep is important for mood regulation, learning and memory. It’s when our brains process and consolidate our experiences from the day. A regular bedtime is an important factor in sleep quality. Avoiding stimulants like the blue light from electronic devices, or the caffeine in coffee are also a factor, as is making sure we have enough gentle exercise during the day. I decided to take an hour-long walk every day and moved my bedtime back to 10:30pm. I avoided checking my phone for 30 minutes before bed and didn’t drink coffee after 7pm. I noticed improvements almost immediately and within a week my sleep had more-or-less reset to normal. Within a fortnight my sleep score was back up in the 80s and hasn’t dropped since. If you’re feeling stressed and tired or are struggling with a low mood its worth looking at both the quality and quantity of your sleep.

By Maggie McKeown

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Food & Drink

Dine in Style: Sam’s Riverside Hammersmith is located in west London. Kensington borders the district to the east and Chiswick to the west. Shepherd’s Bush is found to the north and Fulham to the south of Hammersmith. The original definition of Hammersmith was a place with a hammer smithy or forge. Architecture and culture feature as further attractions to this area. The world-famous Hammersmith Apollo Concert Hall and Theatre, plus other entertainment venues, attract many visitors, too.

Sam’s Riverside is Sam Harrison’s restaurant and is located by the River Thames, adjacent to the Riverside Studios and close to Hammersmith Bridge. Opened 2019, Sam’s Riverside has attracted much interest (and recommendations) since commencement. Whether pre theatre, lunch, dinner (maybe romantic) or the ever- popular Sunday Lunch event is of interest, Sam’s Riverside certainly does not disappoint in any way – ambience, cuisine, food, drinks, service and the genuine, warm welcome from Arianna. Starters offer oysters and seafood, including salmon and crab, plus other favourites of beef tartare, quail egg and game terrine. My selection of Roast Butternut Squash, Goat’s Curd, Spinach and Pumpkin Seeds arrived perfectly cooked and presented. Certainly a good indication of the qualities that were to follow. Main courses have fish options, plus pork, steak, partridge, duck and more. I opted for Brick Chicken, Black Cabbage, plus Poor Man’s Parmesan, with selected sides of brussels sprouts, nutmeg brown butter and creamed spinach. This proved to be an excellent choice, being succulent, tender and very flavoursome. The complementing flavours were ‘exceptional’ – not a word I use lightly. Desserts list indulgent delectations, including Queen of Puddings and Rum Baba. Chilled Chocolate Pudding, Milk Ice Cream, Honeycomb, absolutely ‘hits the spot’ and, with the flavours coming through, brings the dining experience towards a (reluctant) close. The wines and drinks offer beverages from worldwide origins, with something for everyone. The wines showcase countries, regions and varietals that are most excellent and very popular, be it a red, white, sparkling, fortified or other. Gift vouchers are available, too – now, there’s a thought! Thank you to the brigade of very talented chefs and kitchen personnel and to Krystian for knowledge of the cuisine and exemplary service, throughout. Highly recommended. Sam’s Riverside, 1 Crisp Walk, London W6 9DN Tel: 44 (0) 20 8237 1020 E-mail: sam@samsriverside.co.uk www.samsriverside.co.uk

As always, Enjoy!

ey Trevor Langl

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Food & Drink

Classic French Chocolate Mousse I’m all for innovation and doing things differently. But some things just need to stay true to their classic routes. For example, I love making fresh pizza, and a true Napolitana pizza base only uses yeast, water and flour. No new-fangled additions of sugar, honey or semolina. The same goes for the classic French version of chocolate mousse. No need for whipped cream or any flavourings – this is strictly just chocolate, eggs and a touch of sugar. Perfectly simple and simply perfect. This recipe works on a per person basis, just make it as big or as small as you need, although a minimum batch for two people is best… Ingredients per person: 1 egg 35g quality dark chocolate (70% is best) 1 teaspoon caster sugar 1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a gently simmering pan of water (the bowl mustn’t touch the water). 2. Meanwhile. separate out the egg white and egg yolk. 3. Whisk the egg white until firm and stiff. Whisk in the sugar. You’ll get a lovely silky mix.

4. Once the chocolate is melted, add in the egg yolk and stir well. The mix will go a little thick. 5. Stir in one third of the beaten egg whites to loosen the chocolate mix. 6. Now you need to fold in the remaining egg white. Pour it onto the chocolate mix. Using a metal spoon, fold the egg white using a swirling “figure of eight” motion. Turn the bowl as you do it too. The combination of the figure of eight and turning the bowl will mean the egg whites fold in beautifully. It’s important to fold and not stir – if you stir too hard, you will take all of the air out of the egg. 7. Pour the finished mix into either several small ramekins/ glasses, or one large one bowl, and chill in the fridge for at least four hours. 8. You can decorate with a little grated chocolate and serve.

BBC Three Counties Radio presenter and cook, Nick Coffer 16

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By Sarah Davey

Time of Year

Is Halloween Cancelled? Trick-or-Treat is either a fun chance to dress-up and claim free sweets from neighbours, or it’s an antisocial American travesty which has infiltrated these shores. I happen to fall squarely in the latter camp, my kids, the former. They start planning their outfits in March. I don’t want to rain on their scary parades, but what should we do about Halloween in the face of a global pandemic? It’s not certain that any of our neighbours will actually welcome my young visitors (or plaguebearers as I’ve come to think of them of them since their return to school) to their doorsteps, no matter how cute their costumes or beguiling their manners. And frankly I’d freak out about them grabbing handfuls of potentially COVID-coated Crunchie bars, so I’m not exactly devastated that I won’t have to accompany them door-todoor and smile apologetically as they beg for treats. But neither am I a total killjoy, so I’ve come up with some ideas

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for alternative activities: Hang a spooky piñata for your children in your own back garden. Create a haunted house for your kids at home. Let them dress up and be scared in a fun-but-safe way. Create a spooky scavenger hunt inside and out. Leave clues, or a trail of blood, or spiders. Snuggle up and watch a ‘scary’ movie...something like Monsters Inc or The Corpse Bride (depending on age). Read age-appropriate ghost stories in the dark in front of the fire, or if the weather is favourable, go outside, snuggle under blankets, light pumpkins and toast marshmallows on a camping stove or fire pit. That’s the sort of trick-ortreat night I could get behind. I suppose we should also leave a bowl of Quality Street and bottle of hand sanitizer on the doorstep and wave at the hardcore trick-or-treaters from the safety of the upstairs window. Whatever you decide, have a Happy COVID-safe Halloween

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Get a Flu Vaccine

Health

Some people believe that it’s not worth having a flu vaccination. But it’s actually one of the most important things you can do for your health and others, especially in the middle of the global coronavirus pandemic. Health professionals always advise the ‘at risk’ groups to get vaccinated. People eligible for the free flu jab include: people aged 65 and over; pregnant women; primary school aged children, two and three-yearolds; and people with medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart failure. But most experts are recommending the flu vaccine for almost every demographic this year. Although the flu vaccination does not prevent Coronavirus, both of the viruses have an impact on the respiratory system. A combination of both viruses, or one after the other, may mean bad news for your health, respiratory health, and overall ability to recover. Health professionals suggest that this year we should have our shots as early as September. Even though typical flu season begins in October and peaks between December and February, the changes brought on by COVID-19 mean that it’s important to get organised early because you will probably need a formal appointment, even at a pharmacy. Winter is a particularly busy time for GPs and hospitals. Vaccinating to protect against flu could help reduce the risk of the NHS becoming overwhelmed with cases of both flu and COVID-19. Cut your risk of respiratory infection. Get a flu vaccine. By Louise Addison

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Local News

Celebrate the lives of loved ones

with a Walk to Remember People across Bedfordshire are putting their best foot forward this October and walking in honour of their loved ones to raise money for a local hospice. Walk to Remember 2020 will see people walk a route that means something to them to remember the life of someone special. It’s being organised by Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in Moggerhanger near Bedford, which cares for people with life-limiting conditions as well as supporting their families. The hospice had to postpone its annual night-time walk Starlight Hike due to Coronavirus, but is hoping local people will don their walking boots and Walk to Remember at a time and location that suits them. A Walk to Remember is what friends Carrie Irvin, Sharon Kane and Tracey Slevin did in tribute to their best friend Suzanne Sharp-Bayliss, who was cared for at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in 2016. In 2018, the trio did a 26.2 mile walk in her memory and raised more than £4,500 for the hospice. Now, the group of friends, who call themselves ‘The Jellybabes’ due to their love of jellybabies while out walking, are hoping that others will follow in their footsteps. Carrie shares, “Our walk was really special and along the route we felt really close to Suzanne. We planned the route carefully to take in places we had been with her, starting from the baby clinic where we all met in Sandy. “We finished at the pub in Carlton where Suzanne’s wedding reception was held and where her funeral wake was held. “We also visited the boat at Star Rowing Club in Bedford which was named after her.

“We chose to walk a marathon length because Suzanne had been involved in the first marathon the Jellybabes did and supported us in the marathons we sadly did without her. “We did the walk to remember Suzanne and to raise funds for Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice who looked after her so well.” Ellie Burke, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “Our new event for 2020 – Walk to Remember – gives people the chance to celebrate the life of someone special and walk in their memory. “You can choose a 5K or 10K distance and a route that means something to you. It could be somewhere you enjoyed walking with your loved one, or a route which has a special meaning. “You can walk any day throughout October or join hundreds of others across the country for our official walk day on Saturday, 17th October. “You can encourage your friends, families and colleagues to join you. Even if you can’t walk together physically, you can start at the same time and share your photos and special moments with one another. “Entry is free, but it’s your donations and fundraising that will make all the difference to patients and families needing our expert care. Sign up today at: sueryder.org/walktoremember” Contact the hospice’s fundraising team on 01767 642 412 or stjohnsfundraising@sueryder.org for more information about the Walk to Remember 2020.

The Jellybabes, who organised a marathon walk to remember their friend Suzanne and raise funds for Bedfordshire’s Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, who cared for her. 22

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House of Colour

A new trend…going into the office? Plus the trendy trends in the shops... As some of us are venturing back into the office, manufacturers designers are considering what we are going to be prioritising in terms of our clothing requirements in this new era. Given many of us have been living in ‘athleisurewear’ aka loungepants, pyjamas etc. for a while how many of us want to compromise on comfort even if we know we are going to have to smarten up to venture to work? Many manufacturers are looking at how fabrics can become softer, smoother but still perform. I’m all for comfort in clothing. On average we wear an item three times if it’s uncomfortable before we stop wearing it altogether. That average is possibly on it’s way down! Do check how comfortable any new purchases are before you commit. Tricky if you can’t try them on at the shop but be prepared to return them if you won’t want to sit in them for long… The shops are luring us back out with new Autumn looks after a tricky summer season.

Some looks to consider: Elegant Comfort: The designers have heard and offer something to bridge the need for smarter clothing with ease. Following the new minimalism trend of last season natural materials brushed materials and soft fleece are incorporated into looser fitting dresses and jackets. Cosying up the winter the shearling jacket will make an appearance. Chain detailing features heavily and can be found on bags jewellery and belts. Look for cut out detailing. Those with Natural and Classic in their clothing personality will enjoy. Femme Dress Code: Celebrating traditional feminine silhouettes and contemporary styling. Slightly dressier look, focussing on the waist and softer A-line shapes. The shirt dress, tailored skirts are also popular. Volume in the sleeve and the pencil skirt is key. Look for hammered silk, recycled synthetic sheers for soft draped blouses. Some graphic and geometric prints and a dramatic edge to the look. A structured belt is a good investment to create shape here. Soft Retro: Following on from the heritage styles of last season the 1970s looks are featuring heavily in this trend. This is something you might be able to redefine from existing pieces in your wardrobe. Tweed, suede and corduroy all feature heavily in this trend and give it a relaxed look. Vintage prints feature paired with easy classic pieces cardigan, crew and poloneck. Some clothing personalities will want to add lace collars and vintage accessories. You might even see a penny loafer… New Historics: Taking forward the Victoriana of last season with corsetry and fit and flare styles. Look at taking pieces from last season and adding in different accessories to keep them on trend. Voluminous sleeves paired with lace and leather are making themselves felt in this trend. Statement jewellery, inspired by the Crown jewels, large scale are key to this look. Prints take their inspiration from baroque interiors. The kitten heel also makes an appearance. Romantics and Dramatics will love playing around with this look. House of Colour has a network of stylists to help you update your look – find your nearest at houseofcolour.co.uk

By Jennie Billings, Colour and Style Consultant, House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/jenniebillings e:jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Beauty

By Kate Duggan

The Art of Self-Care

Show yourself some extra kindness this autumn Many of us have been inspired to exercise more this year. Exercise can boost your mood and ease anxiety, as well as help to keep you healthy. But as the days grow shorter and colder, it’s all too easy to let those good habits slip. If you need some extra motivation to keep up (or increase) your activity level, why not try: • Exercising with a friend or family member. • Giving a different kind of exercise a go, such as martial arts or an online dance class. • Downloading the Couch to 5K app by Public Health England (I recommend choosing Sarah Millican as your personal trainer). • Treating yourself to some new fitness togs. While you can don’t need expensive gym gear, it’s important to at least be comfortable while you work out, and you’ll need decent trainers for outdoor high-impact work. • Setting yourself achievable goals, e.g. being able to jog/swim/cycle/row/walk a certain distance, gaining the next martial arts’ belt, or just perfecting a new dance routine! Ideally, set small goals that you can reach within the next few weeks, as well as a more ambitious long-term target if you fancy pushing yourself. • Write down why you’re doing this and stick your note somewhere prominent, like the fridge. Keep it simple, such as “I’m going to exercise three times a week to keep myself mentally and physically healthy” or “I’m going to swim every week because I know I feel calmer afterwards” or “I’m going to do Pilates twice a week to keep my body flexible and to enjoy better sleep.” Know someone who could do with a helping hand to unwind? Meditation app Headspace has launched a series of new gift cards with Boots. Each one gives the recipient a six-month subscription to guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, videos and calming music. There are four themed meditation collections to choose from: Mind, Health, Sleep and Focus. (They all give full access to Headspace and are £30 at www. boots.com.) A good hair day can put a real spring in your step. My new favourite hair product is Percy & Reed’s Smoothed, Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil (£15, www.percyandreed.com). A couple of drops smoothed through damp hair helps to reduce frizz, boost shine and add volume. You hair will look healthier and bouncier with minimum effort. If you’re worried about using an oil, don’t be. This one is non-greasy so it won’t turn your hair into an oil slick. As an added benefit, it helps to nourish hair and protect it

from heat-related damage. (I do love a multi-tasker.) Cha Vøhtz’s Age Defy+ Pure Luxe Body Oil is designed to lock in moisture to leave skin feeling softer, smoother and more radiant. More importantly, it smells and feels lovely. As the name implies, this is a luxury product. It’s packed with natural active ingredients, including neroli, pomegranate oil and safflower. And at £25 for 50ml, it’s not cheap. But, if you fancy a treat for your skin and your senses, the oil is available from www. greenpeople.co.uk.

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holisticreflexhelen Tiny Toes Henlow Bedfordshire classes are run by a fully qualified reflexologist and share a unique combination of reflexology and baby massage. Our small cosy classes help you to communicate, connect with and comfort your baby. Courses are suitable for babies from 6 weeks to crawling. Prefer a 1:1? I can teach in the comfort of your own home. You will learn gentle, effective techniques for Colic, Reflux, Constipation, Teething, Cough & Colds, Sleep Your baby will receive a relaxing reflexology treatment. @helentinytoes

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@tiny_toes_henlow_bedfordshire 27

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Local News

Let’s Fight Pain & Fatigue! Extreme fatigue and chronic pain can result from lots of conditions, including Cancer, Stroke, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, ME – and many others. If you, or someone you know, lives with long term pain or fatigue – from any health challenge – Oxygen Therapy may help you gain more energy and feel less pain. It helps people with a wide range of conditions – and is also used by many professional sports people, including world-famous footballer Cristiano Ronaldo! The Herts MS Therapy Centre is here for everyone. We welcome people with any challenging health condition. We’ve been helping as many people as we can for over 30 years. Many people find that Oxygen Therapy gives them: • More energy • Reduced pain • Clearer thinking • Faster healing • Decreased swelling and inflammation The Herts MS Therapy Centre in Letchworth has the only Hyperbaric Oxygen chamber in Herts. Oxygen Therapy means the delivery of pure oxygen under gentle pressure. It can help people with neurological conditions including MS, Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME, also Cancer, Diabetes and stubborn infections and ulcers. Inflammatory conditions like Arthritis, Autism and Cerebral Palsy can also respond well to Oxygen Therapy. “The day after my treatment I feel so much better. I’m walking faster and I can think more clearly. Plus – I’ve met some great people.” Sharon H Anyone is welcome to come along to try Oxygen Therapy. Would you like to know more? Search online for ‘Oxygen Therapy Herts’ or email oxygen@hmstc.net for full details. We’d love to try to help you.

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We are a Multi-Disciplinary Physiotherapy Clinic based at Biggleswade United Football Club offering individualized health care to people of all ages and lifestyles in and around the Biggleswade area

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COVID-19 Preventative Measures In Place

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Health

Obesity and COVID-19 - What is the link? COVID-19 and its effects have scared us all, health professionals and public alike. We’re still learning about the virus, but one fact has been all over the news in the past couple of months. Obese people (people with a BMI over 30) are more at risk of complications. Why is this? Most of my friends with BMIs close to or greater than 30 seem perfectly healthy individuals. Should they be worried? In order to answer this question, we need to look at the immune system: When we catch a virus our body’s defence system is triggered, and inflammation occurs. This is due to our all-purpose innate immune response, which serves as the first wave against foreign invaders. Blood flow increases to the infected area causing redness and swelling. When your nose blocks and becomes red when you catch a cold, that’s inflammation. This reaction is caused by white blood cells called macrophages and the proteins they produce called cytokines. It’s the cytokines which trigger inflammation. Usually this inflammation is a simply a sign that our body is releasing the hormones and proteins which activate our white blood cells to kickstart the recovery process, and ultimately defeat the infection. No inflammation means no defence… and that’s bad. So far so good; so why is obesity a problem? Well it turns out that white blood cells aren’t the only type of cell that have the ability to produce those inflammation-inducing cytokines. Fat cells (adipocytes) can also do this. Scientists have learned that fat is an active endocrine organ, one that can secrete a whole host of proteins and chemicals,

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including inflammatory cytokines. When your body keeps adding adipose tissue (fat) cytokines are released by your fat cells, triggering inflammation. Researchers even characterised obesity as ‘…a state of low-grade, chronic inflammation.’ This means that an obese body has its immune system permanently switched on and is therefore in a constant state of inflammation. Over time this can lead to the development of both minor and major illness and conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. How does this relate to COVID-19? Back in 2009 the H1N1 Swine Flu was at its most virulent, doctors in Spain noticed that overweight and obese patients were being admitted to intensive care units in disproportionate numbers and took longer to recover than non-obese or overweight individuals. Their increased risk was attributed to the excess number of pro-inflammatory cytokines in their bodies. Researchers in Canada then analysed the flu records for the previous 12 years and found that people who were obese were statistically more likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory diseases than those whose BMI was in the normal range. They concluded that obese people were an “at risk” population during flu seasons due to their compromised immune response. As we go into the winter and the risk of a second wave of coronavirus, if you have a BMI over 30 it makes sense to try to bring it down and minimise your risk. Talk to your GP. By Louise Addison

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Health

Coping with Arthritis Put simply, arthritis means inflammation of the joints and can be due to numerous causes. Although it is thought of as a disease of the elderly, it can affect people of all ages, even children. There are more than a hundred different types and over 10,000 people in the UK live with the disease. Arthritic symptoms can be very debilitating, with joint pain, stiffness, loss of movement, swelling and bone deformity. Two of the commonest are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect the knees, hips, spine, and fingers. It occurs when cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between the joints wears away or becomes damaged through illness or injury. It can also have a hereditary factor. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack its synovium – the soft tissue around joints that produces lubricating synovial fluid. Over time, this damages the joint. It can also lead to systemic symptoms such as generalised fatigue, loss of appetite and even anaemia.

By Catherine Rose

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Sadly, arthritis is not curable but there are treatments that can help alleviate symptoms. The first step is to go and see your GP, who can check your joint condition and range of movement and refer you to a specialist for assessment. Treatments for arthritis aim to reduce pain and swelling and to help with movement. They can include medication, physiotherapy, walking aids, steroid injections into the joint, or in severe cases, joint replacement. Targeted exercises that strengthen the muscles around the joint will help alleviate pressure and reduce pain. A relatively new and effective treatment for osteoarthritis is AposTherapy®, which works to realign your joints and improve your gait or walking pattern through the daily wearing of special customised footwear. Treatment can take several years but results over time have shown greatly decreased levels of pain in patients. Applying heat pads or ice packs can also help temporarily relieve pain and/or swelling. The most important thing is to keep the joint moving as much as possible. Although your instinct may be to rest, this will be detrimental in the long term. Your doctor may recommend you for surgery – usually a hip or knee replacement. Currently knee replacements do not last as long as hip replacements, so consultants are not as willing to carry them out on younger people. Losing weight will help as it reduces pressure on the joints. You may find that certain foods exacerbate your arthritis, so choosing a diet rich in antioxidants can be beneficial. Avoiding fatty, processed and sugary foods can make a difference. There are also supplements available over the counter that reduce inflammation and support joint health, such as curcumin and glucosamine. It is now believed that some people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis are sensitive to gluten, so cutting this out of your diet may be worth trying. Living with arthritis is not always easy, but do not despair as there is help available.

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Local News

20 years together

East Anglian Air Ambulance This Autumn EAAA has marked its 20th anniversary. After a short trial in 1996, the charity was officially established in September 2000, kicking off with a fundraising appeal with jockey Frankie Dettori to fund the first helicopter. By early 2001, the charity had enough funds to start flying one day a week out of Norwich on a shared police helicopter, with one paramedic. This was the start of the important lifeline for many local people, which we know today by its large yellow helicopters and yellow rapid response vehicles, which operate across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Nofolk, 365 days a year out of Norwich and Cambridge. Initially it was AA funding which meant EAAA could start flying seven days a week, which is why its helicopters have always been yellow! Today, every EAAA mission takes the A and E department as well as a highly-skilled doctor and critical care paramedic to the people in the most lifethreatening or life-changing situations, to give those patients the best possible chance of survival. In the early days, the service wasn’t much more than a flying road ambulance, but now the teams provide the very best critical care at the roadside or bedside and quickly get that patient to the most appropriate hospital for their needs. Over the last 20 years, the charity has flown almost 30,000 missions and helped almost 20,000 patients,

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all thanks to the generosity of local people. At a time of so much uncertainty, the charity, which needs to raise £13 million a year to develop and deliver its service, and is aiming to start flying 24/7 for the first time next year, is deeply grateful for the public support which has enable it to pass this milestone. CEO Patrick Peal said: “EAAA is a unique life-line for anyone in East Anglia; we are incredibly proud to be here today, having kept flying throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and to see such a high need for our crews over the last few months. We know we’re providing an essential service for local people and we’re so, so thankful for all the support we have received over the last 20 years. We really couldn’t be here without the community that funds our life-saving work. A huge heart-felt thank you from all of us to everyone who has supported us over the years.” To thank the community which keeps it flying and saving lives, EAAA has released a short film which explores some of the charity’s key achievements and explains how the service has grown so quickly while showcasing some of the people it has helped. To watch the film, go to www.eaaa.org.uk/20years

Tailoring By Tracey Anderson

Love Thy Tailor Most people think tailors are for rich gentlemen who frequent Saville Row, but tailoring is not as expensive as you might think, and it will save you money in the long run because if you love an item of clothing you’re far less likely to replace it. At the low-price end are simple fixes such as hemming a dress or trousers; at the more expensive end will be adjusting the shoulders of a jacket. Tailoring opens up possibilities because it allows you to buy high-quality second-hand items, or designer items on the sale rack, knowing you can get the fit altered. Most importantly it helps your clothes look better than they did when you bought them. A slight change in fit can make a huge difference. Unless you habitually buy ‘bespoke’, clothing is sized in a ‘good enough’ way to fit most people well enough. Tailoring is the difference between an item that fits ‘well enough’ and one that fits perfectly. Simple Hemming - You can get skirts, trousers, jeans, dresses, and too-long shirts hemmed. When you get rid of the excess fabric at the base, you get clean lines for a sleek look. Wash new jeans before you take them in though as they nearly always shrink a little in the wash. Shortening Shoulder Straps - The way the shoulders fit is crucial to making an item look nice overall. If the shoulder straps on a shirt or dress won’t stay up, get them shortened. Anything sleeveless, or with straps is typically easy to alter.

Zip Replacement - Buy exactly what you want from the haberdashery section of a fabric store and ask the tailor to replace it. Taking in - The straight seams that run down the sides of shirts and dresses are easy to take in. A common alteration to blouses and dress shirts is darting, a process where extra seams are placed in the back or sides of a shirt to remove baggy fabric. If you find that you frequently have to size up a blouse to fit your chest properly - leaving extra fabric around your waist - darting is an inexpensive way to reshape the garment. Sleeves also tend to have straight seams running down their lengths, which a tailor can easily take in. The same works for trousers that are too loose in the leg. There is a limit though: if something is several sizes too big the alterations will throw the proportions out of balance, but a size or two is doable. When shopping: Clothing sizing for women is so variable as to be useless. Try things on, find the best fit, then have them tailored. Buy clothes that fit the biggest or widest part of your body, and then have them tailored down If you are between sizes, size up and tailor down. Ask for a recommendation. Social media is a great tool. If you admire the way a friend dresses, they may well have a tailor and will be flattered that you asked. High-end and designer shops may be able to recommend tailors too.

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Finance By John Lister

The Money Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic has already had a mighty short-term impact on personal finances, but the effects could be here for many years. It’s a fool’s errand to try to make financial predictions, but we can certainly make some educated guesses about what happens next. Tax rises of some kind seem almost inevitable after the public spending deficit exploded with furlough pay and other measures. It is true the government has explicitly committed to no rises in the rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT until the next general election. That said, a cut in personal allowances or the 40% rate threshold would mean a bigger tax take without breaking the letter of the pledge. It’s also getting harder to see the famed pension ‘triple lock’ surviving. It currently guarantees the state pension will rise each year in line with average earnings, inflation, or 2.5%, whichever is highest. One possibility is to ditch the 2.5% figure and simple go with the higher of earnings or inflation. It seems many of us have got the taste for avoiding the commute and there’ll certainly be some permanent shift away from office working. That could affect the housing market, with the commuter belt become less of a mandatory destination for some. Meanwhile, city centre offices could be less in demand by business and potentially repurposed as apartments. Some effects have already been felt, with traditional two-bed buyers now looking to three-bed properties, earmarking the extra room as a home office.

The mortgage market has already absorbed the initial shock of COVID-19 with a period where few lenders were interested in anyone with less than a 40 percent deposit. Fortunately that seems a short-term measure, but it certainly appears 95% mortgages will get rarer while rates and availability will become even more favourable to those with bigger deposits. Even the practicalities of day-to-day spending have been changed by the coronavirus, with the upper limit for contactless payments rising from £30 to £45. With few signs of increased fraud, this is likely to be a permanent switch. Once overseas trips become more normal again, reading travel insurance policies in full will become more important. Many insurers put in a hard deadline after which new policies didn’t cover losses stemming from COVID-19. Until that changes, holidaying could be a more risky proposition, while it’s possible COVID cover could become an optional extra. Finally, investors and those with non-state pension plans will continue to be somewhat at the mercy of markets. Stocks have certainly taken a huge hit during the pandemic, though many analysts hope they’ll recover in the medium-term given that this is ultimately a financial hit stemming from a health crisis rather than a fundamental economic failing. As always, it’s important not to panic when markets fall and remember that losses aren’t ‘real’ until you sell. John Lister (www.johnlisterwriting.com) is a freelance writer based in Bristol, specialising in technology and personal finance.

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Gardening

By Pippa Greenwood

Setting Boundaries Garden boundaries mark the borders between properties, can help divide a garden into different areas, or can hide an eyesore or the garden from view. They can form an interesting and attractive part of the garden, so what are the options? Stylish Pleaching - Pleaching creates a living boundary whilst minimising the space the boundary takes up at soil level. You pleach by removing all side growths up to the desired height, thus forming clear stems. The developing shoots higher up can be trained into a system of wires, forming a fan-like display of branches. The gap between the trunks could be left unfilled, or a more densely clipped hedge or a fence can be installed, increasing privacy while allowing space for ground-level planting. Classic Walls - A wall made from good quality bricks in the same colours as those from which the house is constructed will be long-lasting, sturdy and look great. Brick walls can help to keep garden plants warmer, so make use of this for more tender plantings. Attach galvanised straining wires, held taut between vine eyes, to make a support system for plants. Blooming Boundary - Many roses can be grown as hedging and look stunning, as well as helping to fill your garden with a magical perfume whilst they are in bloom. They can be grown next to another boundary, such as a short retaining wall. Hurdles - Hazel hurdles are popular for a rustic look. They can be bought as ready-made panels or a hurdle maker can construct the fence in situ. They usually

have one pale face where the hazel stems have been split to reveal their woody insides, whilst the other face is darker and still bark-covered. A good filter for wind in a gusty site, their disadvantage is that they are not long lasting. Dry Stone Walls - A truly classic look, dry stone walling is a specialist skill giving a lovely boundary, especially within the garden, perhaps around the edge of a raised bed or to create a seating area. Small plants such as the fleshy-leaved Sempervivums or houseleeks can be grown in gaps between the stones. Cheerful Colours - Less-than-attractive concrete blocks or similar materials look better if painted with masonry paint. Clean and thoroughly dry the area beforehand and use a suitable paint for the surface. Classic Hedging - A well-planted and well-maintained hedge is timeless, though it needs a few years to establish. For a dense effect, plant two staggered rows of hedging plants, with plants about 45cm (18in) apart within the rows. Keep the young hedge well-watered and fed during the first couple of years, pruning as necessary for a dense green boundary. Added Interest - Break up a long expanse of boundary by including a feature, perhaps a garden seat or an arbour, with hedge plants behind and trained into a roof above the seat. This provides a great place to sit and relax. Visit Pippaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) to book Pippa for a gardening talk at your gardening club or as an after-dinner speaker.

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By Rachael Leverton

Garden View

Beautiful Berberis Berberis thunbergii are deciduous shrubs which look particularly fabulous at this time year, producing highly coloured leaves, and often berries which last well into winter. These berries are actually edible and rich in vitamin C, though because they are very acidic, they are not widely consumed by people. They are an important food for many small birds though. They get their other name of ‘barberry bush’ because of their vicious spines. This makes them useful as an impenetrable barrier hedge and may be another reason why the berries aren’t harvested much! Like the colourful Japanese Maple, they originate from Eastern Asia. Berberis vary in colour according to the cultivar and variety. The common Berberis thunbergii have green leaves in spring and summer which turn rich burgundy in autumn. If you’d like the purple colour all year round choose Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea, which has purple leaves in spring that turn rich mahogany in autumn. Though Berberis are generally grown for their autumn colour, they are a hard-working shrub, and produce a mass of tiny yellow flowers in spring, providing interest at either end of the year. There is a Berberis for most gardens: They can grow to a maximum height and spread of 1.5m, but there are now dwarf forms which grow to just 50cm, try ‘Tiny Gold’ or ‘Lutin Rouge’. They grow best in full

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sun but also tolerate partial shade. They do well in most soil types, and even do well in drought, but will thrive particularly well in well drained moist soil. Their easy-going nature extends to aftercare, as they are generally pest-free and require little attention, other than a trim to tidy them up periodically. If you don’t have much space or mainly grow in containers on a balcony ‘Lutin Rouge’ does very well in a pot. Mid-September to October, and mid-March to April are the best times to plant so now is the perfect time. Dig a hole double the width of the root ball. Sprinkle in a handful of blood, fish and bone and work into the ground. Place the plant into the hole, fill in with soil around the root ball and firm the soil down gently but firmly, finish by watering well. They will appreciate being mulched with well-rotted organic matter in late spring, but they aren’t fussy; grass cuttings will do fine. My absolute favourite is Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Admiration’. This lovely plant has extremely attractive orange-red foliage, edged with yellow, and forms an attractive mound shape. Its masses of small yellow flowers in the spring followed by purple-crimson berries in autumn make it the most perfect Berberis in my opinion.

Happy Gardening! 45

Animal Tales

Twenty-five years since Dolly the Sheep: Who’s cloning now?

Do you remember Dolly the Sheep? Next year it will be twenty-five years since the world-famous ruminant became the first mammal to be created by cloning, a scientific process designed to generate a genetically identical copy of an animal. What’s involved in cloning? The process starts with cultured cells taken from the animal that is to be cloned. Scientists then remove fertilised eggs from the fallopian tubes of another, unrelated, animal. The next step is to suck out the fertilised nucleus using a thin needle, or by treating the egg with ultraviolet light. What is left is essentially a ‘blank slate’, which is filled with the cells from the target animal. In a final twist reminiscent of those old Frankenstein movies, the egg is hit with a blast of electricity that fuses the host and the inserted cells together and jumpstarts cell division. If the process is successful and the cells begin to multiply, the next stage is to surgically implant the modified egg into a surrogate mother animal, which is then treated with hormones to ensure the pregnancy remains stable. Who clones their pets? The huge costs involved in creating a genetic copy of an animal tend to make pet cloning the preserve of the very wealthy. A few years ago the singer Barbra Streisand caused shockwaves when she announced that she had cloned her recently deceased dog Samantha. In 2016 fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg paid $100,000 (£75,700) for a clone of her Jack Russell dog and music producer Simon Cowell recently told a tabloid newspaper that he intends to clone his beloved dogs Squiddly, Diddly and Freddy. Pet lovers have also been keen to clone their

cats. The first commercially produced cat clone was ‘Little Nicky’, born in 2004. The cat’s owner, a woman from Texas named Julie, refused to disclose her surname after paying $50,000 dollars for the service. The pros and cons of cloning It’s easy to understand why owners might want to clone a much-loved family pet after years of companionship, but anti-cloning campaigners point out that creating just one clone can lead to unnecessary suffering for the other animals involved. During the cloning process these animals are subject to repeated invasive procedures in order to harvest and transplant the eggs, and not all attempts end in success. During a recent attempt to clone a pet cat in China, forty cloned embryos were implanted into four surrogate mother cats. These implants produced three pregnancies, two of which ended in miscarriages. There’s clearly a conflict between owners’ expectations of a happy ‘reunion’ with a nearidentical copy of their pet and the views of animal rights campaigners, who say that it’s unacceptable to exploit animals for pet cloning. In the end it seems that the commercial drive to make money is likely to win out over any scruples we may have about animal welfare. A recent newspaper interview with Wang Chuduan, a professor at the China Agricultural University in Beijing, sums the situation up neatly. The professor told the New York Times that cloning ”satisfies the owner’s spiritual needs and increases happiness,” adding: “There is a market demand. So what’s the problem?”

By Kate McLelland

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Pets

Rehoming Appeal

Billy

This is 9 year old Billy. He has always lived in a flat, but since coming into our cattery he has shown quite an interest in the world outside. We think that after he has settled into a home in a quiet location (not a town) his owner may be able to gradually introduce hm to the garden etc. Billy is a friendly, affectionate boy who likes attention from adults and will make a good companion for someone. He can be a little nervous at times and can be easily frightened, so he will need an understanding adult only home where he is the only pet. He has been neutered, microchipped and vaccinated and is just waiting for that special person to give him the love that he craves. If you would like to find out more about Billy, please contact Liz on 01767 681157. Alternatively, please e-mail Philippa at info.rats@gmail.com who will be pleased to forward your enquiry on to the team. View the 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. You can also see photographs and details of the animals in our care in our charity shop in Hitchin Street, Biggleswade SG18 8AX. Open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm.

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Pets

Inspiring Kindness One of the key values that has enveloped the country during lockdown is kindness. Kindness in all of its forms, to all people. Acts of kindness towards our neighbours, strangers and loved ones have rippled across the country, gaining momentum, gathering energy. As we ease our way out of lockdown and into the ‘new normal’ we are invited to continue with this mindset. Being kind even has its own hashtag, its own branded t-shirts. But how does the RSPCA promote kindness? The RSPCA have been inspiring kindness amongst young people for decades, working alongside teachers, parents and youth justice professionals. With a wide range of free lesson plans and accompanying resources, we work in partnership with hundreds of schools nationwide. Through the ‘Generation Kind’ project, we are ramping up our efforts to inspire kindness in the classroom. It is important for children to learn about animal welfare from a young age. ‘The Great Debate’ project gives young people an exciting forum to understand all aspects of animal welfare and the importance of participating in political processes. Children enjoying healthy relationships with animals and is something the RSPCA help to promote in schools via the ‘Compassionate Class’ programme. Through our education work we can help children and young people to develop empathy and compassion for all living beings. We have found that talks in school assemblies are an engaging way to inspire a

future generation. Our volunteer speakers are often retired teachers. These sessions can be booked by primary schools across England and Wales. “When this generation of children get older, they’ll be far more empathetic towards the needs of animals and they’ll be more willing to contact the RSPCA when they suspect that an animal is being mistreated. Our hope is that this will reduce animal suffering for generations to come.” David Allen, RSPCA, Head of Prevention and Education Tips for Fostering a Love of Animals 1) Explore the great outdoors. Take time to observe animals in the wild. Look under rocks to find centipedes and wood lice. Watch how squirrels interact with each other. Sit as still as possible and see what wildlife you can see and hear. 2) Become a member of your local library. Promote an interest in all animals by reading books about them. 3) Have the opportunity to be responsible for caring for an animal. This could be a class pet, a family pet or helping a neighbour with their animals. 4) Visit a local animal shelter. They are great places to get close to animals and learn more about how to protect them. It is easy to assume that all children will naturally be kind and loving to animals. It is something that needs to be taught, nurtured and modelled. As with adults. Not everyone has an instinct for being gentle and compassionate towards animals. Encouraging young people to respect animal habitats is also included in the work we do with schools. By protecting the environment you are also protecting animals. If you need to contact our Branch (North Bedfordshire) for any reason we can be reached by the details below, or for an animal welfare issue or emergency, contact; 0300 1234 999. Lines are open 7 days a week 24/7. Email: info@rspcabedsnorth.org.uk Tel: 01234 266965 / 01234 930304

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Environment

Sustainable Beauty and Hygiene There are two aspects to consider when trying choosing more eco-friendly products for personal hygiene and beauty: the product itself and the packaging in which it is supplied. The product The ‘ingredients’ in your product must be free of nasties such as palm oil and microbeads. If they say they are vegan, it means they will neither contain animal products nor have been tested on animals. The packaging Source products with compostable or recyclable packaging, and make sure the manufacturing process itself doesn’t cause climate damage. Check the supply chain too – if you can choose lotions and potions that come from social enterprises or benefit charities you are going one step further. Narrowing the choices It may take a little more work than buying the latest product you’ve seen advertised in a magazine or on TV. But we are creatures of habit and once you’ve made the effort to read the labels, if you like the product it’ll be as easy as everything else you buy. These are the things to look for: • Is it cruelty-free? (Look for the cruelty-free marks.) • Does it have any other certifications? (For example, Soil Association or Eco Cert marks to signify organic ingredients.) • What are the ingredients in a specific item? (Check the ingredients list and look up any that you’re unsure of.) • What is the packaging made from? (Check for recycling symbols.)

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Travel

By Solange Hando

Andorra Enclosed by the Pyrenees in a narrow valley between France and Spain, the principality of Andorra is one of the smallest states in Europe at just 15 by 18 miles. On the right bank of the Gran Valira, at over 3,000 feet, Andora la Vella is the highest capital, its tall buildings making the most of limited space. But beyond the duty-free shops of Escaldes, mountains and valleys spread across the land, so peaceful and unspoiled, it is nature at its best. Imagine seventy-two peaks in this mini-country, dozens of lakes glistening blue, rivers and wetlands and, for those in the know, fabulous ski slopes in winter and in the bright summer sun wonderful trails rambling from Mediterranean to Alpine zones. Family walks or challenging hikes, this is a well-kept secret, and with so much to explore in summer the only problem is knowing where to start. Rambling, climbing, horse riding, canyoning, fishing, the scenery unfolds all along the trails, catering for different abilities and sometimes joining the long-distance footpaths dotted with mountain shelters. In the south-east, close to the capital, MadriuPerafita-Claror is the country’s second most important river basin and a UNESCO site listed for its cultural landscape. Rising up to 9,530 feet at Portelleta Peak, the park stretches over seven miles and, with no traffic allowed, boasts 70% of Andorra’s 1,500 species of fauna and flora, including rare and endangered specimens. It’s sheer

delight for nature lovers: here a lonely mountain goat perched on a rock, there a family of boars scrounging in the shadows, marmots twittering in the sun, bearded vultures gliding overhead or a tiny goldcrest, ‘King of the Birds’ in local folklore. There’s a wealth of medicinal plants, mushrooms, flowers, trees and shrubs, thriving in their own microclimates according to altitude and soil, on sunny slopes or in the shade. Among the many trails is the ‘Mountain Path’ climbing up the Madriu valley, ‘the Mother River’, towards the distant peaks tackled by mountaineers. But even a morning trek from the capital is full of rewards, though steep in places. First there are fabulous views of the town far below, framed by peaks draped in eternal snow, then beyond the old bridge and foaming rapids is a nostalgic mule trail winding its way up through stones and rocks, as it has done for hundreds of years. At over 5,300 feet, the forlorn settlement of Ramio nestles among pastures and fields dotted with remnants of dry stone walls and huts. Lizards bask on the stones, butterflies flutter here and there then all is quiet until a thunderous roar sends shivers down your spine, the Madriu crashing through fallen branches and trees. But further up, beyond the conifers, the landslides and barren ridges, the valley opens out and the Fontverd refuge greets trekkers with flower meadows, rivulets and pools plus the young Madriu where they can dip their feet in freezing water. At 6,151 feet, it feels like a dream.

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Interiors By Katherine Sorrell

Grandmillennial Style This comfortable, colourful, chintzy look could also be called ‘granny chic’ – and it’s the style of the moment for youngsters and the young at heart. They say that if you wait long enough, all fashions will come around again. And for the Millennial generation (roughly speaking, those in their twenties and thirties now) the trend du jour harks back to the cosy style of their mothers and even grandmothers – a look that has been dubbed ‘granny chic’ or ‘grandmillennial’. Could it be that this cohort is seeking familiarity and security in an uncertain world? That wouldn’t be so surprising. It is certainly a trend that, however old you are, is a welcome change from the cold, monochromatic, minimalist looks that we have seen in recent years. Grandmillennial is definitely nostalgic (and not in an ironic way), but it’s timeless rather than outdated, combining a more-is-more approach with a careful edit of traditional elements alongside modern touches. It’s fun, pretty, happy and approachable; all in all an invigorating expression of individuality. Furniture Essentials Dark wood furniture is having a moment once again. Good quality, polished walnut, mahogany or rosewood, for example, all work with this look. On the other hand, wicker, rattan and cane pieces

will also fit right in – think headboards, occasional chairs and small tables. When it comes to relaxing, choose the super-comfortable Victorian style of deeply buttoned upholstery, in the form of sofas, armchairs and ottomans – or even (think back to your nanna’s house) a pouffe. Velvet or chenille are both great fabrics to use, with a desirably soft, tactile and warmly traditional feel. Embellishments Ever since the Modernists decried the use of ornamental additions, interiors have become more and more pared down and unadorned. Not with this style! Extravagant embellishments are your goto for perfecting the grandmillennial look. Tassels, fringes, gathered skirts, pleats, scalloped edges, ruffles, braids and ribbons. These are the little extras that make this look interesting and different. Can you have too many? Maybe, but why not give it a try anyway? Pattern and Colour Pattern and colour are the heart of this design style, and while it’s true to say that they can be bolder and more layered than in the average

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Electrician

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home, that doesn’t mean they can be a complete free-for-all. Colours might be bright but they are also fresh rather than overpowering, with designs often on a white or pale background, or at least carefully controlled so they don’t clash (or at least, only clash tastefully). Wallpapers are a big feature in the grandmillennial room, but if an entirely papered room is not for you, a good alternative is a framed panel – and cheaper, too. Favoured colours are classic blue and white, pink, green and yellow (imagine a bouquet of summer flowers from a country garden), with specific patterns to look out for including chinoiserie, chintz or blowsy florals, toile de jouy and trellis. Accessories Few accessories could be as appropriate for the grandmillennial room as a hand-embroidered cushion in traditional style but bearing a sarcastic modern slogan: the ultimate in traditional with a twist. A selection of colourful, not too-wellmatched cushions in general is a good addition, as well as charming displays of collections such as blue-and-white china, Staffordshire dogs or milk glass. Finish it all off with some block-printed or monogrammed napkins, botanical prints, an ornate mirror and – for their scent as well as beautiful

looks – a cut-glass vase of hydrangeas, peonies or roses. The Rise of the Grandmillennial The term ‘Grandmillennial’ was coined by Emma Bazilian in an article for American House Beautiful in October 2019. A self-confessed grandmillennial herself, she identified a set of Instagram influencers who might post photos of themselves wearing floral maxi dresses or with dining tables carefully laid with block-printed napkins and white hydrangeas. “Grandmillennials have an affinity for design trends considered by mainstream culture to be ‘stuffy’ or ‘outdated’ – Laura Ashley prints, ruffles, embroidered linens,” she wrote. “Unlike that of the late-aughts hipster, their taste for the antiquated isn’t ironic, it’s less twee than timeless.” She interviewed several young interior designers about the trend, who described the rise in interest in ‘old-school’ design, with layers of bolder colours and patterns and a highly individual approach. And as Manhattan-based designer Ariel Okin explained, grandmillennials “appreciate the staying power of good, well-edited design, while putting their own fresh spin on it to make it feel updated and unique.” If you want to find out more about the style, look at these Instagram feeds: @grandmillenniallifestyle; @grandmillennialshop; @grandmillennialdecor; @amyberryhome; @clarybosbyshell; @arielokin; @lilsemckenna; @emilycbutler; @lycettedesigns and @grand.millennial.

1 Colour and pattern – if you’re going for a granny chic bathroom, this is the way to do it! Shells And Pearls Wallpaper in lilac, £65 per roll, Catherine Rowe: 07969 845 703; catherinerowedesigns.com. 2 Pile on the cushions and the blowsy, oversized, flower-print textiles. Add a buttoned sofa or armchair for good measure. Liberte chair, £899; Isabella velvet scatter cushions, £30 each; all Sofology: 03444 81 81 81; sofology.co.uk. 3 This playful lamp contrasts deep fringing with the soft glow of a spherical bulb. Atmosfera fringe table lamp by Slamp Lighting, £386, Chaplins: 020 8421 1779; chaplins.co.uk. To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

Codeword 1

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Hard Suduko

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Gaming

An Arcade in Your Pocket!

Retro-gaming has gone miniature Do you like to play games on the go? Mobile phones are great and there are some fantastic games out there, but sometimes only a classic arcade or console game will do. So how do you fit a full-sized arcade cabinet or games console into your pocket? Introducing the game emulator. Retro gaming is a big thing these days. Lots of talented programmers have created software that lets you play all the arcade machines and classic games consoles on modern hardware such as your phone or laptop. These are not games based on the originals. These emulators run the actual code from the classic machines. So, you’re playing the REAL THING. So how do you get hold of these emulators? There are two main routes: The emulators and games are all available on the Internet. Whether you’ve got a laptop, a phone, a tablet, or anything else you will be able to find an emulator to turn it into the arcade machine of your choice. You’ll also need to get hold of some game ROMs and then install everything onto your device. My best advice is to search YouTube for some tutorials on how to do it. If you’re using a laptop or computer, you can connect any game controller to make playing the game easier. If you’re on a phone or tablet you can buy game controllers that clip onto your device so you can use both hands to control the

game without having to hold your phone. All of this does take a bit of technical knowledge or research to get everything working. But it’s worth the effort as you achieve gaming nirvana for free, or at least for the cost of a decent game controller. The second, and easiest option is to simply buy a portable, retro games console. If you can remember back to the original Game Boys and PSPs, you’ll be familiar with the look and feel of these devices. They basically involve a box with a screen and joysticks and buttons positioned around it and on the edges. These devices range in price from around £30 to about £200 depending on the range of consoles they can emulate and the number of games they include. The lower-priced models will cope with older consoles and arcade machines. The more you pay the more powerful the devices will be so they can emulate the more advanced systems, Nintendo 64, GameCube, PlayStation, etc. All of these ready-made consoles will come with a number of built-in games, but most allow you to download and install other games from the Internet. So, if you fancy a trip back in time to a 1980s arcade, a Super Nintendo game fest, or an hour playing your favourite original PlayStation game stick one of these in your pocket. Then the next time you step on the train or sit back in the car you’ll be set for some retro gaming fun.

By Bob Grant www.bytesnbits.co.uk

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James Cullip

Painting & Decorating

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Technology

Prevent tech horrors this Halloween October means Halloween, a time for scares and horror – but one horror you don’t want is for something to happen to your precious hardware or your precious data. Unfortunately computers, tablets and phones are a lot easier to destroy than zombies or vampires, so it’s wise to take some precautions. One of the simplest things you can do to protect your hardware is to put it in a case. It’s not something you really need to do with a laptop, but it’s a very sensible move for smartphones and tablets because they’re mobile devices that are much more likely to be dropped. You can also get cases for smartwatches. If we’re honest they’re not exactly pretty, but neither is the £286 we were quoted to repair the smashed glass on our Apple Watch. For watches and phones, you can get goodquality screen protectors for less than £10 that will absorb most impacts and usually leave the screen undamaged. For extra peace of mind, consider gadget insurance. Your home insurance may well cover gadgets already but the excesses are usually high, so if you’re worried about regularly having to replace smashed screens it can be a worthwhile investment. Multi-device policies start at under £10 per month, rising to about £17 for policies that cover an entire household. Hardware isn’t the only thing you should consider protecting. Think about all those priceless and irreplaceable photos you’ve taken and videos you’ve shot. Unfortunately computer storage can and does break, and of course devices can be stolen. That’s why it’s really important to have multiple copies of anything important like precious family photos. For copying large libraries, such as years of family photos, an external hard disk is a relatively cheap way to do it; you might also like to try online storage services like Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. The more it matters to you, the more copies you should have of it.

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Native Union CLIC Leather Case for iPhone Fancy something premium that’s a bit different from Apple’s own cases? The CLIC offers stylish design in genuine leather and a range of attractive colours. £49.95 from Apple.com

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Casetify Apple Watch Case With screen replacements costing almost as much as the entire watch, it’s wise to protect your Apple Watch with an inexpensive but effective wrap-around case. £12 from Casetify.com

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Bam Bino Space Suit This rugged iPad case for kids isn’t just cute; with a shoulder strap, screen protector and rugged plastic bumpers it’s convenient, kid-friendly and extremely tough. £19.95 from Amazon

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1. On which TV show were the main characters often seen drinking at a pub called the Nag’s Head? 2. What name is used to refer to the tail fin of a fish?... a) the dorsal fin; b) the caudal fin; or c) the pectoral fin? 3. The song Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head won an Oscar for Best Original Song after featuring in which 1969 film? 4. Nicknamed Tails, Miles Prower is the sidekick and best friend of which fictional character?

Heads and Tails

5. First broadcast in 1988 and remade in 2020, Talking Heads is a series of monologues written by which playwright? 6. “Camel tail” is an anagram of which rock group? 7. In Greek mythology, the Minotaur had the head of what type of animal? 8. In the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice, who cut off the tails of the mice with a carving knife? 9. In cricket, what is signalled by the umpire raising both hands above his head? 10. Which well known company features a twin-tailed siren on its logo?

1. Only Fools And Horses 2. b) the caudal fin 3. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid 4. Sonic the Hedgehog 5. Alan Bennett 6. Metallica 7. A bull 8. The farmer’s wife 9. A six 10. Starbucks

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Motoring

The ten cars with the biggest boots Practicality is an important factor when buying a car, so we’ve brought together examples with cavernous boots from a variety of segments.

Skoda Fabia - 30 litres with the rear seats up / 1,150 with the rear seats down Skoda’s ethos is to build the most practical cars and that’s particularly true of the Fabia, which offers cargo capacity similar to much bigger cars. The estate has even more room – 530 litres with the rear seats up and 1,395 with them down. Volkswagen Tiguan - 615 litres / 1,655 litres The Tiguan is an upmarket, stylish and super-practical SUV. Looking perhaps a little dull in lower trims and more expensive than many rivals, it offers excellent build quality, a wide variety of engine choices and a huge boot. Peugeot 3008 - 591 litres / 1,670 litres A compelling rival to the Tiguan, the 3008 is packed full of character. The interior feels premium but with the practicality to make this both a head and a heart purchase. Skoda Superb Estate - 660 litres / 1,950 litres Another Skoda, the Superb has a simply massive boot. If you do a lot of city driving the Superb’s sheer size might be an issue, but for long-distance drivers who need space above all else, there can be few better options. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate - 640 litres / 1,820 litres With similar levels of practicality to the Skoda but more badge appeal, the E-Class might be pricier but has a much nicer cabin with only a small compromise on space. Ford Galaxy - 300 litres / 2,339 litres There’s still a place for MPVs like the Ford Galaxy. Its seats down space isn’t hugely impressive because of that extra row of seats, but without people in the back it can expand to a van-like 2,339 litres. Mercedes-Benz GLS - 355 litres / 2,400 litres The GLS can do it all, being a genuine seven-seater with a lovely interior, though it’s certainly not cheap. To make the most of the boot you’ll need to fold the third row down, but do so and few can match it for practicality. SsangYong Tivoli XLV - 720 litres / 1,440 litres The XLV is an enticing prospect based on affordability and practicality alone. It might not be quite as nice inside or to drive compared with rivals, but it has loads of space, is cheap to buy and run and comes with great kit. Land Rover Discovery - 258 litres / 2,406 litres The Discovery’s seven-seat boot capacity is unimpressive, but with almost endless seating configurations available you can find space for just about anything. Fold all the seats behind the driver down and you get that hugely impressive 2,406-litre capacity.

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Crossword Solution for The Villager September Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Rose Habberley – Catworth

September’s Codeword and Suduko Solutions

Easy

Hard

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The Villager Prize Crossword

Complete the crossword, fill in your details below, cut out this page and send to the address below before

16th October 2020 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The winner will be drawn at random from the correct completed entries.

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ÂŁ25

Across 1 Fog (4) 3 Travellers (8) 9 Table support (7) 10 Entrance (5) 11 Clarifications (12) 14 Epoch (3) 16 Sphere (5) 17 To drink (3) 18 Uses camera (12) 21 Large sea (5) 22 Lawn game (7) 23 Mixing (8) 24 Steak (4) Down 1 Mumbled (8) 2 Snooze (5) 4 Poem (3) 5 Ice-box (12) 6 Proverbs (7) 7 Painful (4) 8 Untangled (12) 12 Amid (5) 13 Alcoholic appetiser (8) 15 Accomplish (7) 19 Dwelling (5) 20 Grave (4) 22 Tin (3)

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Books

By Kate Duggan

Inspiring Children’s Books This month we’re looking at children’s books that inspire, educate and open minds.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World

The latest instalment in the popular Rebel Girls series reveals the stories of athletes, entertainers, business women, activists, creators, scientists, politicians and other inspiring women. Each one is an immigrant and many of them have had to overcome significant challenges to succeed. The mini-biographies only take a few minutes to read and each one is accompanied by an illustration, so it’s a good book for dipping in and out of.

Wonder By R. J. Palacio

Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Rauf

There’s a new boy in class. Ahmet is shy, scared and doesn’t speak much English, but the nine-year-old narrator is determined to make friends with him. And when it turns out that Ahmet could be forever separated from his family due to changes to the refugee laws, the narrator hatches a plan to help. A great book for both children and adults, The Boy at the Back of the Class gently introduces readers to subjects such as refugees, bullying, racism and fairness. My eleven-year-old and I loved it.

Spy Toys By Mark Powers and Tim Wesson

While some children want to be the centre of attention, Auggie is desperate just to fit in. But his facial disfigurement attracts stares, taunts and even screams. We meet Auggie as he’s about to start school for the first time, after years of being home-schooled. Above anything, Wonder is about friendship, families and acceptance.

The Raggy Dolls meets Toy Story in this action packed adventure. When three toys are rejected as not being fit for purpose, they’re soon recruited for a new mission – protecting the prime minister’s son. From a short-tempered doll to a less-than-cuddly teddy bear, these characters help to prove that differences can be strengths. My eight-year-old will find any excuse not to read, but he happily devoured all three books in the series.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Dr Seuss

Matilda By Roald Dahl

Oh, The Places You’ll Go! is a rousing, rhyming call to the reader to follow their ambitions, forge their own destiny and do it all with a spring in their step. While it’s very optimistic and upbeat, there are also a few reminders that life doesn’t always go according to plan and that sometimes you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try another path.

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Matilda has been pushed around and kept down her whole life. Her parents openly dislike her. Her headteacher is a sadistic bully. But what they don’t know is that Matilda is a genius, and has unlocked a part of her brain that allows her to do some pretty miraculous things. Roald Dahl’s much-loved tale has been entertaining and inspiring children for generations.

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Henlow October 2020

Articles inside

Book Review

The Ten Cars with the Biggest Boots

Prevent Tech Horrors this Halloween

Grandmillennial Style

An Arcade in your Pocket

Andorra

Sustainable Beauty and Hygiene

Beautiful Berberis

Love Thy Tailor

Inspiring Kindness

Setting Boundaries

Who’s Cloning Now?

The Money Pandemic

20 Years Together - EAAA

Coping with Arthritis

Dine in Style: Sam’s Riverside

Is Halloween cancelled?

A Walk to Remember

Obesity and COVID 19 - What is the link?

A New Trend... Going into the Office?

Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe

The Angels’ Share - A History of Whisky

Sleep - Should we worry about quantity or quality?