Hitchin August 2021

VILLAGER The

Issue 39 - August 2021

and Town

Life

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

Inside this issue

Camping with kids

Recalibrate

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Inside this issue...

A Long Hot Summer.......................................................24 Liquid Gold.....................................................................27 RSPCA New Summer Campaign.....................................28 Wood Green: Pet Owners’ First Port of Call......................30 Nick Coffer’s Weekend Recipe.........................................33 Techy Tips to Make Life Easier.........................................34 Puzzle Page....................................................................36 Villager Prize Crossword.................................................42 Book Review..................................................................44 Useful Numbers.............................................................47

Forest Holidays

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Forest Holidays in North England and Scotland................4 Camping with Kids...........................................................8 Recalibrate your Life......................................................10 The Best Tech for Healthy Living.....................................12 Wines from Germany: Kloster Eberbach.........................15 If you go down to the woods today................................16 Dressing your Shape and Style.......................................19 Make the Switch............................................................22

A Long Hot Summer

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Get your business off to a flying start this year

Advertise with the Villager Magazine... prices start from just £25.00 +VAT per month Editorial - Kate Duggan, Kate McCarthy, Trevor Langley, Jennie Billings, Caroline Knight, Wood Green, Nick Coffer, RSPCA and Tom Hancock

Advertising Sales/Local Editorial Nigel Frost • Tel 01767 261122 nigel@villagermag.com Photography - ivonnewierink Design and Artwork - Design 9 • Tel 07762 969460

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

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

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Staycation

Glen Affric, Inverness, Scotland

Forests holidays in north

England and Scotland From the starry skies of Galloway Forest Park to the wildlife-rich woodland of Northumberland’s Kielder Forest, there’s no denying that some of our country’s most magical forests can be found in northern England and Scotland.

Forests are a vital part of our planet’s ecosystem, even giving us the oxygen we breathe. So it’s not surprising that they’re places we head to when we’re craving a sense of calm – somewhere to escape to and catch our breath.

There’s no better place to lose yourself in nature for a little while. Whether you’re into hiking, cycling, kayaking, or just drinking in the scenery, the forests in northern England and Scotland have it all. With so many to choose from, we’ve put together three of our favourites, perfect for your next day trip or staycation.

Galloway Forest, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland Where better to start than with the UK’s largest forest? At 297 square miles, Scotland’s Galloway Forest is a sprawling playground of dramatic ancient woodland, magnificent scenery and an astonishing range of local wildlife. Designated a Forest Park in 1947, it’s fondly referred to by the locals as ‘the Highlands of the Lowlands’.

Many of its 800,000 yearly visitors are drawn to

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its remoteness. Light pollution is so low here that it’s been recognised as a Dark Sky Park – meaning that its skies are on par with those hanging above Arizona’s Grand Canyon. In short, it’s perfect for stargazing.

After a night camping out under the stars, it’s time to explore. The park’s three visitor centres are good places to start. Kirroughtree is your gateway to more active adventures, including the award-winning 7stanes mountain bike trails. If wildlife spotting is more your scene, look out for roe deer and rare red squirrels. Or why not visit the park’s Red Deer Range to get close to some of Galloway’s resident deer?

Galloway isn’t just woodland either; there are around 250 lochs to discover too. No doubt you’ll stumble upon a few while you’re exploring the park’s scenic walking and cycling trails.

Kielder Forest, Northumberland, England When it comes to size, Northumberland’s Kielder Forest is also a front runner. Spanning 235 square miles, it’s the largest forest in England – and the second largest in the UK as a whole.

If that wasn’t enough, Kielder is also home to the biggest man-made lake in Northern Europe, making it a popular spot for water sports enthusiasts. Hire a pleasure boat, go fishing, or try your hand at

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water skiing or sailing. With miles of beautiful trails, including forest walks for all the family and adrenalineboosting mountain bike tracks, Kielder is perfect for anyone looking to have their own mini adventure.

The forest is a haven for wildlife too, with around 50% of England’s native red squirrels calling it home. If you’re quiet, you could also spot rare wildlife including ospreys, pipistrelle bats, roe deer, salmon otters and water voles.

Just like Galloway, Kielder is also famous for its dark skies. The forest’s remote location in Northumberland means it’s virtually unaffected by light pollution, making it a stargazer’s idea of heaven. Don’t miss a trip to Kielder Observatory, where you can book ahead to attend a number of fascinating astronomical events.

Glen Affric, Inverness, Scotland A medley of native woods, glittering lochs, snow-capped mountains and dramatic moorland, Scotland’s Glen Affric could easily have been plucked straight out of Canada.

With over 30 miles of ancient pinewoods, the forest is home to one of the largest ancient Caledonian pine woods in Scotland. In fact, the woodland is so treasured, it’s become part of the Scottish government’s regeneration project, with a target of 25% forest cover to reach by 2050.

Wander amongst the pine trees to the sound of woodland birds, looking out for ospreys, otters and

Galloway Forest, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland

red deer stags. Or tackle some of Affric’s challenging hiking trails, punctuated with thundering waterfalls and jagged canyons. This is Scotland at its most spectacular; you won’t be able to put your camera away.

Dog Falls are a must-see, and provide a good starting point for several walking trails. Climb the gradual ascent to the spectacular viewpoint overlooking Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin or picnic beneath the pine trees by Coire Loch.

What’s great about Glen Affric is that it’s also a mere hour’s drive from the famous Loch Ness. Surely it would be a crime not to tick off both in one trip?

Kielder Forest, Northumberland, England

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Parenting

Camping with kids

Top tips to making sleeping under the stars a whole lot more enjoyable…

By Kate Duggan Fly the flag - If, like me, you have the navigation skills of Nemo’s best friend Dory, you may find yourself getting lost occasionally. A telescopic flag pole and windsock is a useful marker, particularly if you’re planning to give the kids a bit more freedom.

To wee or not to wee - No one enjoys a 3am trek to the loo, so a portable toilet is your friend. A potty is fine for younger children, but you’ll need something a bit more substantial for older kids (and adults). If you have room, a bucket style loo is ideal. Otherwise, try a collapsible toilet. We recently bought the Bivvy Loo, which folds down small, supports up to 23 stone and comes with biodegradable bags and powder to transform liquid to gel.

Let there be light - You’ll need headtorches to find your way around after dark. A rechargeable camping lantern is also useful for evenings (and those 3am toilet breaks). And a string of solar fairy lights around your door will help you to identify your tent at night.

(They also look rather pretty.)

A decent night’s sleep - If you’re only planning to camp occasionally, air beds are usually fine. However, they do tend to deflate somewhat overnight and don’t exactly have the longest lifespan. While camping beds are more expensive, they can work out far better value in the long run. And you’re likely to get a much better night’s sleep.

Dress for the occasion - Even the hottest British summer’s day can turn cool at night. Close-fitting PJs (or leggings and a T-shirt) will help to keep the warmth in.

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Make sure you pack plenty of layers. You’ll appreciate a fleecy jumper when you’re huddled up sheltering from the rain. Speaking of rain, it can be difficult to get dry in a tent, so waterproofs are a good idea.

Eat, drink and be merry - A camping stove is essential for anything longer than a weekend break, even if you’re planning to mainly barbecue or eat out.

Stick to easy-to-cook meals, from breakfast fry-ups to fajitas. Don’t have an electric hook up? A cool box with ice blocks makes a useful fridge. You’ll need to refreeze the blocks each day, which you can usually do in the site shop.

My kids love ‘camping cereal’ (aka mini variety packs).

Pour the milk directly into the cereal bag. No bowl = less washing up.

Ideally, start collecting condiment sachets a few weeks before your holiday, so you have plenty of ketchup, mayonnaise, vinegar etc. to see you through.

And what camping trip would be complete without toasting marshmallows?

Other essentials worth packing include: • Washing line – string it between your tent and a tree to dry swimming costumes on • Baby wipes – handy no matter how old the kids are • Dustpan and brush • Doormat • First aid kit • Extra-thick thermal socks (Heat Holders are ideal) • Gaffer tape for tackling leaks • Travel games, a ball and a frisbee

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Time of Year

By Kate McCarthy

Recalibrate Your Life What will your new normal look like?

Be honest, before the pandemic did you ever think, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to start over? If I had a fresh start I’d do things so differently.’?

As we exit the 18-month period during which life’s ordinary patterns paused, it’s a good time to ask, before a more ‘normal’ life kicks back in, what would I like ‘normal’ to look like for me?

My friends and I often talk about pre-pandemic life in a pretty sentimental way. We speak in general terms: we miss visiting family, hanging out, travelling.

More recently I’ve been trying to work out what specifically my friends and I don’t miss: toxic friendships, endless commutes, arrogant bosses, rude customers, and irritating co-workers came top.

Pre-pandemic life how often did you hang out with that friend who makes you feel bad about yourself?

How often did you avoid conflict at work, even when you knew your boss or co-worker was being unreasonable? How often did you feel ‘guilted’ into attending a family dinner? It’s a human trait to avoid rocking the boat...then COVID came along and rudely capsized everyone’s boats!

I’m not making light of the past year. I lost my grandfather to COVID. It was a truly awful time, and no-one ever wants to return to the huge death counts of last summer. But most of us have been looking forward to a relaxation of the restrictions on our lives while at the same time secretly dreading a few things about ‘the return to normal’.

So how can we make some permanent positive changes.

Write these two specific questions down and underneath, write your answers.

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What did I dislike from my life before the pandemic and haven’t missed?

What do I like from the pandemic times that I will miss when normality fully returns?

Be particularly honest about the first question. Be specific about toxic friendships, and unproductive habits and behaviours.

Make a list of things to leave in the pre-pandemic era Some things you may feel you can’t change, like a commute, a job, or a friendship/relationship. But if you examine them closely you might find you have more control than you think. If the pandemic has been a welcome break from any of the answers you wrote, ask yourself whether you could make that break permanent. What would it take?

Make a list of what you want to keep Did you find you liked spending more time at home and discovered a love of gardening or reading? Did you take up running, cooking, painting, or singing?

Think about how about how you might be able to re-engineer your life to include fewer business trips, fewer meetings, and more time for your hobbies.

I’m not suggesting that you abandon your family and run off to a retreat in the Outer Hebrides or resign from your job and announce you’re a writer, with no thought for how you’ll support yourself. This is an exercise in recalibrating and making a few adjustments to your course through life.

2020 and 2021 have been unrelentingly grim, but human beings are amazingly resilient and most of us have experienced glimpses of ‘happy’ here and there.

The trick going forward will be to scrape of the grim while holding on tight to the happy.

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Cloudy2Clear, A Local Service With A Smile.

I think we can all agree that seeing the back of 2020 was a welcome event for each and every one of us, and we can now hopefully march into 2021 with renewed positivity and optimism.

One thing is for sure though, there have also been some heart warming positives that we can take out of last year. It has often been said that we can only really get to know one another and realise what is truly important in times of crisis. I think few would argue that in this case what has proven to be important is local community spirit.

When talking to the Manager of Cloudy2Clear windows Stephen Moon it became clear that these values have been held dear for a number of years. Since starting

the business some years ago Cloudy2Clear have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community by providing a service that saves the public money.

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

All C2C employees operate a strict social distancing policy.

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Technology

The best tech for healthy living From fitness to fat monitoring, smart trackers and smart tape Health technology is big business: we all want to live healthier, happier lives, and gadgets range from the relatively simple, such as smart scales, to all-singing devices such as the Apple Watch with its built-in heart rate monitor, blood oxygen monitoring and fitness tracking – tracking that can include dancing as well as more traditional forms of workout. There’s a wide range of stand-alone health devices too, such as Omron’s blood pressure monitor, and a whole host of infrared thermometers that give you instant results.

You don’t need to be an athlete in training to benefit from a fitness tracker: a dedicated tracker such as a Fitbit is a great way to motivate yourself to walk more, and the kid-focused Fitbit Ace 3 has our young ones charging around the garden trying to beat each others’ step counts. More advanced models for the grown-ups, such as the gorgeous Fitbit Luxe, include a wide range of healthtracking features including sleep tracking, menstrual cycle tracking, GPS route recording and blood oxygen saturation monitoring.

Smart scales can be a useful way to monitor your progress, because weight alone is a terrible indicator: if you start working out you’ll often find you put on weight because muscle is heavier than fat. Eufy’s Smart Scale C1 connects to your phone and to fitness apps, enabling you to measure and track your body composition over time – and with support for sixteen different users you can use it for the entire family. And you can team it up with a smart measuring tape such as Bagel Labs’ Pie, which you can use to measure and track the size of biceps, bust, calves, hips, thighs, waist and shoulders. It’s not cheap – it’s around £70 – but it’s clever and there are similar, cheaper alternatives that do much the same thing. As with smart scales, smart tapes connect via Bluetooth to an app on your phone, so you can track changes over time as you become more buff.

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Anker Eufy Smart Scale C1 Eufy comes from electronics giant Anker and the C1 is a typically wellmade product that does exactly what you’d expect and does it really well. It’s great for tracking body composition. £29, shop.bt.com

Apple Watch Series 6 The Apple Watch has evolved into an elegant, powerful and very useful health tracking device thanks to its mix of sensors and a world of health-related apps. It looks great too. £379, apple.com

Fitbit Luxe Not all Fitbits are plasticky: the Luxe is gorgeous and looks great with a formal outfit as well as when you’re in activewear. It’s a superb fitness tracker. £169, fitbit.com

Pie Smart Tape The Pie is no ordinary tape. It’s a Bluetooth tape with an app designed to track changes in specific bits of your body, such as your biceps or your thighs. £70, amazon.co.uk

Omron H4 Blood Pressure Monitor If you need to monitor your blood pressure at home, Omron’s products are affordable, easy to use and deliver accurate results very quickly. £66, currys.co.uk

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R FO Y R s!

NT 16 E R E EE FR UND

VINTAGE WEEKEND SATURDAY 4 & SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2021

Enjoy our first Heritage Steam event at the Shuttleworth Collection immersed in the atmosphere from a bygone age!

The weekend will encompass a full day of vintage steam and working vehicles and entertainment on both days, accompanied by a Flying Display at our annual Vintage Air Show on the Sunday.

Enjoy working demonstrations, steam engines, agricultural exhibits including the Shuttleworth Collection’s Clayton & Shuttleworth exhibits, vintage vehicle parades, and try & buy traditional crafts.

Saturday just £15! Kids go free! See website for Air Show prices

ALL RIDES FREE!

WWW.SHUTTLEWORTH.ORG/VINTAGEWEEKEND Shuttleworth, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, SG18 9EP | 01767 627933

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Food & Drink

Wines from Germany: Kloster Eberbach

Weingut Kloster Eberbach is a multi award-winning wine producer, located in the Rheingau district and has global recognition, for their high-quality wine productions. Very attractively furnished, comfortable accommodations, are also offered, plus regular, on-site events. The monastery at Eberbach dates from 1136 and was founded by Cistercian monks. The monks had a wine cellar (Cabinetkeller) where they kept their very best wines. Weingut Kloster Eberbach produces exceptional white and red wines and has an excellent range.

Riesling wines are aromatic and grace countless dining tables often, pairing with fish, seafood and white meats superbly, as well as being enjoyed on their own regularly, too. Crescentia Premium Wines are produced utilising grapes from the very best vineyards. Kloster Eberbach Crescentia Steinberger Riesling trocken (12.0% vol) and Kloster Eberbach Crescentia Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling trocken (12.0% vol) are both extremely popular, dry white wines. The respective bouquets have the typical riesling aroma of apples and other fruits, being displayed for the nasal pleasures. The anticipation and further enjoyments are continued, for the mouthfeel and palate.

The Kloster Eberbach range of wines also has Cabinetkeller productions. Highly praised and very much appreciated for their fine qualities, this section includes Kloster Eberbach Cabinetkeller Berg Roseneck Riesling feinherb (11.5 vol). Again, superb quality prevails and this production is regularly found to be on ‘top’ dining tables. Certainly, a popular selection, for many. Kloster Eberbach Cabinetkeller Steinberg Riesling (13% vol) is a further choice, favoured by numerous lovers of white wines. The bouquet can, again, be classed as elegant, with citrus fruits enticing to the following delights. Welcoming and expressive, the sensations of fruits continue throughout, with an excellent, lengthy palate.

Other Kloster Eberbach Cabinetkeller productions include Berg Schlossberg Spätburgunder trocken (13.5% vol). This splendid, very impressive dry red wine has a ‘wealth’ of dark fruits and pairs with red meat dishes, wonderfully.

If visiting the Eberbach area there are wine tours of the estate available and tastings. The Kloster Eberbach wines can be ordered easily online, also. The Eberbach Monastery regularly has the most memorable weddings, with personal requirements, including banquets and receptions, being meticulously planned.

Please visit the website for all details. www.kloster-eberbach.de joy!

As always, En

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

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Local News

If you go down to the woods today…

The children of Wymondley JMI School in Little Wymondley, near Hitchin, have been making up for time spent inside during lockdown with a special day out to Wymondley Wood. Throughout June, each pupil had the opportunity to visit the outdoor activity centre with their class for a Mental Health Day. Designed to boost their mental health and wellbeing, the occasion allowed the children to get moving and interacting with their peers, as well as express their feelings, in a beautiful natural setting away from the pressures of the regular curriculum.

“Lockdown has undoubtedly been tough for children, many of whom have spent much more time inside, not been as physically active as usual and missed out on vital opportunities to develop their social skills,” said headteacher Mr. Plunkett.

The Mental Health Days aimed to address these lost experiences with a schedule of den building, creating art with nature, scavenger hunts, toasting marshmallows around the fire, team hide-and-seek games in the woods and free choice games on the field. The older pupils also walked the two miles from the school to the woods to challenge their physical fitness.

“Even though they haven’t travelled that far, the woods feel like a world away. It’s a magical environment for the children to explore their creativity, express their feelings and socialise with one another,” said Mrs. Burningham, classroom assistant for Years 3 and 4.

Through all these activities, the children were encouraged to listen, talk and collaborate with each other, while connecting with their own mental health and wellbeing.

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“We are a collaborative school and if pupils are struggling with their social skills or mental health, it has a knock-on effect on academic progress. We feel it is important to talk to our pupils about mental health in a child-friendly way and support them to learn what they can do to be well and help others too,” Mr. Plunkett added.

Meyer, 8, said: “I really enjoyed being in the woods and making a den,” while Charlie, also 8, said: “I liked helping my friend make a den. It was so much fun.”

With glowing reviews such as this and beaming smiles all round, it is clear the Mental Health Days had a positive impact intended.

About Wymondley JMI School Wymondley Junior Mixed and Infant School is a mixed primary institution in the village of Little Wymondley, near Hitchin, built around the core values of being respectful, responsible and remarkable. The school has capacity for 105 pupils, aged 4-11, who are taught in four mixed-age classes. It provides a nurturing and collaborative environment, where all staff know every child and support them to develop the creative, social and technological skills they need to become confident, well-rounded young people. Facilities include a wellstocked library, large hall with a built-in stage, and spacious grounds, where children are encouraged to explore interests from sports to music and gardening in lessons as well as in numerous lunchtime and afterschool clubs.

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VISIT US AND CL AIM YOUR £20 M&S GIFT * CARD

It’s so much more than a retirement apartment It’s time to focus on enjoying your retirement to the fullest with no worries. A Churchill retirement apartment means safety and security with like-minded neighbours and no worries about building and garden maintenance. You’ll join an active community and be fully independent, but with friendship and support on hand should you need it.

Join many Owners who have already made the move and start making memories in your brand new apartment sooner than you might think.

HITCHIN Dovehouse Lodge, Wratten Road West SG5 2AU

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churchillretirement.co.uk/dovehouse-lodge *T&C’s apply. Visit our website to find out more.

O U R H E R ITAG E • YO U R F U T U R E B U I LT O N I NTEG R IT Y A N D TR U S T

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House of Colour

Dressing your Shape and Style •

•

•

• Hourglass figures look best when they show off their waist. Those curves look better in pieces that follow their waist and add in their natural curve. There is often a desire to hide shape by wearing straighter clothes that cover up but this doesn’t flatter curves.

• Use fabrics that have some weight, ie that aren’t too flimsy and clingy but naturally drape across the figure are the most flattering. Know your style to understand the best fabrics that are going to work for your shape and look.

• Wearing great colours that suit your complexion is flattering. The urban myth that black is slimming is only going to work on those for whom black is actually a good colour. On the wrong person it dominates and draws attention.

Primary red suits us all…

• If you suit classic, dramatic, sporty or natural clothing, then choose items to fill your capsule wardrobe along those lines. For example, tailoring continues to gain momentum offering the ultimate smart casual look particularly for classic and gamine style personalities. Natural style personalities should choose relaxed skirts

•

•

with movement. Structured or asymmetric outfits can add edginess for the dramatics amongst us.

Professional bra fitting is a must. Clothes look much better when our underwear is giving us the right support, and is invisible. It is a worthwhile investment if you are in doubt.

Wear clothes that fit you – I know this sounds obvious but we can sometimes get it wrong.

Check in with someone you trust or your stylist to understand if your clothes fit you properly.

Baggy and poorly fitting clothes are never doing us a favour. It can be tempting to buy clothes is a different size for a ‘future you’. This only adds pressure to be something else and sits in your wardrobe reminding you.

When shopping always try on. Now that we can try clothes on again in shops take advantage of it. Try on a few things you wouldn’t always pick up and try a few brands you haven’t to understand what might suit you.

Dressing for your shape is all in the details. We all suit different hemlines, necklines, trouser lengths, lapels and sleeves, not to mention of course colours, fabrics, structure, patterns and details.

Your best style is the one that looks right on you regardless of size. Knowing your proportions (not size!) means you can understand how to flatter your shape. Clothes are made in a standard metric while our bodies are all going to differ but the secret is to understand how they differ so we can understand which areas to emphasise. If you aren’t sure contact your nearest stylist for advice.

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

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A FREE WILL for Homeowners Protect your home and legacy for your children • • • • • •

Keep your hard-earned wealth within the family Stop your home from being sold to pay for long term Care Fees.

Prevent the courts from making your financial and healthcare decisions.

If you already have a Will … Is it up to date?

Several thousand outdated wills are legally challenged every year.

Ensure your parents’ home and property is also protected.

DON’T PUT IT OFF – Don’t let your home and money disappear, make sure your estate goes to your family… leaving “what you want” to “who you want”.

CALL 01767 660250 or email info@willandestateplanning.com for more information or to book a free meeting with one of our Will and Estate Planners either in your own home or at our offices.

Baystrait Ltd t/a Will & Estate Planning, Baystrait House, Station Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8AL

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Finance

1

Make the Switch

We’re increasingly comfortable with switching insurers or energy suppliers to get the best deal, yet many of us stick with the same bank for decades.

Switching isn’t as tricky as it used to be and it can be well worth your time.

Nearly all major banks are part of a programme called Current Account Switch Service, launched in 2013, that guarantees a simple switch. It works in a similar way to switching energy suppliers but is much smoother and quicker.

To use it you simply open a new account, tell your new bank that you want to use the service, sign a couple of forms, and choose the date you want to switch. This must be at least seven days after you open the new account and can’t be a weekend or bank holiday.

The new bank will switch over your regular payments, standing orders and direct debits automatically from that date. Any manual payments made to your old account are automatically ‘redirected’ to the new one for at least three years, and your new bank will tell the sender you’ve moved.

The only thing you need to change manually is any continuous payment authorities for subscriptions where you’ve given a seller your card number, rather than your account number and sort codes. Credit cards aren’t affected by a bank account switch and any direct debit you have to pay the minimum or full amount each month will transfer over.

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Glitches with the transfer are rare, but the Current Account Switch Guarantee means that your new bank will refund any charges or interest caused by problems with the switch.

So why bother switching anyway? You could get higher interest rates on your balance, lower overdraft fees and interest, or better offers such as discounts on some purchases. Check whether it’s a ‘permanent’ rate or a time-limited introductory offer.

Often the main reason to switch is a cash bonus, with some banks offering £100 or more. Check for any conditions though: you may have to pay in a certain amount to qualify. Amounts vary, but usually the idea is to make sure you’re using it as your main bank account.

Remember that when you apply for an account, the bank will usually run a credit check. This is only likely to be a problem if you have a very poor credit history, and even then some banks will offer an account with a low overdraft or no overdraft at all.

The credit check itself will appear on your record but this is only likely to raise eyebrows if you have a lot of checks in a short period. It may be safer to hold off switching accounts just before a big loan or mortgage application.

One big myth is that you can’t switch accounts if you are in your overdraft. This isn’t the case, as the new bank can transfer over a negative balance when you switch, though it’ll need to be inside any limit on the new account.

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Wellness Coaching is for everyone!

We can all learn to live happier and healthier by setting realistic goals.

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Wellness Coaching can help with:

Weight Concerns Eating Habits Poor Sleep Patterns Living with a long term condition or the stress of a busy life Learn to rethink old habits and look better, feel better, think better and live better.

For life!

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Registered Nurse, Personal Trainer and Qualified Wellness Coach @janecaseycoach T: 07814 965509 E: janecaseywellness@outlook.com

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23

Special Report

A Long Hot Summer

Soothe aching limbs or just relax with family or friends in your very own hot tub Hot tubs are brilliant things. They’re great for massages, hydrotherapy and relaxation; they can help ease aches and pains after exercise or from conditions such as arthritis; they’re fantastic stress busters and sleep helpers; and big ones are brilliant for socialising with friends and family.

How much do they cost?

The cheapest hot tubs are inflatable ones, running from around £300 to £1,500. Inflatables are usually but not always circular and they have a padded base and a fairly basic heating and inflation system.

Like hard-shell hot tubs you’ll need a solid, level place to put them. Inflatables are a great option for occasional use but they’re not designed to be used constantly or left outside all year round.

Hard-shell tubs cost more but are much tougher and generally bigger too. Prices start at around

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£3,000 and go up depending on the materials you prefer and the features you want: some have more entertainment technology in them than the average house. Hard-shell tubs are usually insulated, making them more energy efficient, and you’ll generally get a better selection of jets, lights and other features. Hard-shell tubs are permanent structures designed to sit outside all year long and aren’t easily moved or stored.

Should you rent or buy?

This question is rather like asking whether you should rent or buy a car: it depends on how often you’ll use it. Renting means you’re only paying for the time you’ll actually be using the hot tub, so if you only think you’ll need it for a few weeks in the summer that’s obviously much cheaper than buying the hot tub outright. Many hire places

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will hire you a hot tub for periods as short as a weekend. But longer term hire starts getting expensive. For example, a six-seater hot tub that’s £4,200 to buy may be around £900 a month to hire. You’ll find many rental firms offer repeat customer discounts but if you and your family or friends are water babies, buying is often the more cost-effective option.

You’ll find that some retailers offer hire before you buy schemes, particularly for more expensive models. It’s effectively a hot tub test drive, enabling you and your family to put a particular tub through its paces before you commit to buy.

How do I make a hot tub safe for kids?

Hot tubs are perfectly safe for kids over 5 – experts strongly advise against letting under-5s use hot tubs, even for a short time – but there are a few things to remember. First of all, don’t leave young children without adult supervision, even for a moment, and if any children have long hair tie it back or up so it can’t get caught by the filter system. Secondly, turn the temperature down and don’t let them stay in too long: little bodies can’t tolerate hot water as well or for as long as grownups, so don’t go beyond 35ºC and 15 minutes at a time. And thirdly, make sure the cover is secure when the hot tub isn’t in use, so that younger children can’t open it when you’re not around.

The single most important thing you can do for safety is to ensure that you use the correct amount of chlorine and clean it regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s or supplier’s instructions.

What maintenance is involved?

Generally speaking, permanent hot tubs with automatic filtration need very little maintenance; if the filtration isn’t automatic you should run it a couple of times a day to keep the water circulating. If it’s covered you should open the cover daily to let gases escape, and you’ll want to use pH strips weekly to ensure the water isn’t getting too acidic or alkaline. If your hot tub is in regular use you should rinse the filter(s) weekly and clean them monthly with a hot tub filter solution, and the water should be fully drained and the lines flushed several times a year. None of these things are particularly time-consuming but it is important that you do them to keep bacteria at bay.

I’m sold. What do I do now?

To find out what’s available in your area, Hot Tub Chooser (www.hottubchooser.co.uk) is a comparison site specifically for hot tubs. Tell it what you’re looking for and it’ll show the available options from retailers near you.

Miami Spas Excalibur 7 Seater Hot Tub, £6,999 from miamispas.co.uk

Lay-Z-Spa Vegas inflatable hot tub. £830 from amazon.co.uk

Cambridge 6-person 34 jet hot tub, £5,995 from therange.co.uk

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Gardening

Liquid Gold

Water conservation and management in the garden Caroline Knight: Gardendesignideas.co.uk As you swivel the magic turnkey that releases a gushing stream of clean and sparkling water into your can, pause for a moment. Marvel at the luck of the draw that finds us living in a part of the world where water is available for us to use and to misuse. The water that you pour into summer hanging baskets and sprinkle liberally on your beds and borders was once excreted by huge reptiles. Your café latte contains dinosaur pee.

Indeed, water on Planet Earth has been here for almost five billion years and the total amount is just about the same as ever. It represents the ultimate success story in terms of recycling. So, what’s the problem?

Portability is the problem. Gardeners will be familiar with the weight of a big can of water – bringing in water where it’s needed isn’t always easy. And when crops fail in Africa, knowing there’s ample water in the world for everyone is no help.

Climate change is causing a warmer atmosphere. We either have too much water or too little; Goldilocks would rarely judge things to be ‘just right’. What we all need to do is our bit, so what ‘bit’ is best in a garden, and how can gardeners help?

• Creating space for water within a garden can be life-enhancing. Aim to slow rainfall down – allow some of it to be absorbed in vegetation, then catch and retain some more. Provide a pond that collects water run-off, then enjoy watching the biodiverse-rich habitats that develop. Surround your pond with plants that can cope with flooding and drought. They will help to absorb some of the

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excess during times-a-plenty, but they won’t die of heat exhaustion during a prolonged dry spell.

Some examples are: Acanthus, Astilbe, Brunnera, Cornus, Eupatorium, Hemerocallis, Iris, Kniphofia, Miscanthus, Persicaria, Rudbeckia, Scabious and many more. Experimentation is all part of your gardening fun.

In places that require hard materials, choose porous options through which the rain can drain.

Divert your downpipes into water butts – these can be surprisingly beautiful if you shop around. It means you capture some of the rainwater for use when you need it the most.

Choose drought-tolerant planting for the driest parts of your garden. These plants will generally have silvery-coloured leaves or foliage that is covered in fine hair, which reduces evaporation.

Once established, they should survive the hottest, driest weather that they are ever likely to get, without needing to be watered. Surround them with gravel, pebbles or boulders as this will conserve what little moisture there is in the soil, plus it looks great too.

Use plants to help your plants. One species can prop up another and provide shade if they are planted close together. Avoid bare patches of soil that will dry out in hot weather.

Consider adding structural reinforcement to your shed roof so that you can add plants. It’s such a great look and captures water as it falls. Sedums and wildflowers will give you butterflies and bees all spring and summer long.

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27

Pets

Our New Summer Campaign The RSPCA are launching a new Summer campaign.

Now that the tennis and football have finished, this is something that the whole country can get behind. #CancelOutCruelty Did you know, summer sees animal cruelty at its absolute worse? This year we are shining a light on cruelty and what we can all do to help stop it.

So what is animal cruelty?

Most of us can’t imagine how anyone could be cruel to animals. Here at the RSPCA, we believe that animals, from crustaceans to cows, are sentient beings with feeling and emotions. Animal cruelty is when someone causes harm to an animal, whether it’s intentional or not. Since cruelty is on the rise in the summer, we are calling on EVERYONE to take a stand. Last year, between June and August, we received 2,053 reports of cruelty to dogs. That’s almost one dog every hour beaten, neglected or deliberately harmed - often by the person meant to protect them.

How can you help?

1) Join our campaign – many supermarkets including Aldi, Tesco, Morrison’s, Coop, Sainsbury’s and Lidl have all launched a line of RSPCA assured chicken in response to our campaign. M+S have recently announced that they will switch ALL of their fresh chicken to RSPCA assured. This means meeting the commitment next year – four years ahead of time.

We are also campaigning to: • Raise awareness for the welfare needs of our nation’s pets and helping pet owners to ensure the welfare needs of their pets are being met.

• Improve the welfare of as many farm animals as possible, at every stage of their lives.

• Ensure wild animals are protected from human activity and unnecessary suffering.

• Reduce the use of animals in experiments and reduce their suffering with a constructive and practical approach.

2) Sign our petition – We currently have a petition for animal welfare to be taught in schools. Prevention is the most important word in our name. Educational experts believe that teaching children to care for and respect animals from an early age can bring about positive change. Encouraging empathy and compassion for living being is important for young.

3) Be part of an event - If you’re into challenging yourself and want to raise money for a good cause, why not take your pick of one of our running events?

There are around 15 charity races this year that you can choose from including; the London Marathon, Great North Run and the Bournemouth Half Marathon.

Should you choose to be a charity runner for us you’ll be helping to make a difference to the lives of thousands of animals around England and Wales.

4) Become a volunteer – as you may be aware from our previous articles, volunteers make a huge contribution to the work we do to prevent cruelty, promote kindness to and alleviate the suffering of animals. There is now such a wide range of volunteer roles available that there is bound to be a suitable opportunity near you.

5) Buy a t-shirt – our online shop has a wide range of items for men, women and children like t-shirts and tote bags.

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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www.acs-aggregates.com

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Local News

Wood Green: Pet owners’ first port of call Have you ever had difficulty with a pet? If so, you’re not alone. Each month, around 500 people contact Wood Green, The Animals Charity seeking guidance about their pet. The charity can help at every step of the way, with a range of services available: Access online advice and workshops - As a pet owner, you’ve probably turned to Google about their diet, health or behaviour. For trusted advice on all aspects of pet care, at any time of day, visit Wood Green’s website to browse informative articles, how-to videos and a regularly updated schedule of workshops.

Speak to a behaviourist for free - Pets are individuals, which means training isn’t one-size-fits-all. The charity’s qualified behaviourists are available to provide free support that’s bespoke to you and your pet, with a proven and force-free approach. With more than 100 years’ combined experience in cat, dog and small pet welfare, the team have seen it all before and will never judge your situation.

Get help covering the cost of pet care - Sometimes, the unexpected happens.

If you’re faced with a veterinary bill you can’t afford or find yourself unable to access the basics for your pet, Wood Green can help by contributing towards veterinary care or supplying essentials like pet food and flea treatment*.

Don’t wait to ask for help - If you are struggling or feel unable to continue caring for a pet, for any reason, the charity will work with you to discuss your options and find the right solution for your pet. Whatever you’re going through, talk to Wood Green first.

Simply call the team on 0300 303 9333 or visit woodgreen.org.uk. * Subject to assessment.

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Food & Drink

Guinea fowl stuffed with curry leaf butter

with corn and coconut puree and chilli popcorn Serves 4

• Stuffing the breast: Using your finger, create an air pocket between the skin of the fowl and the breast meat. Evenly pipe about 2 tablespoons worth of butter inside the cavity and place in it the fridge to set for 1 hour.

• Season the supremes and heat a little oil in a pan.

Cook them skin side down for 2-3 minutes, to get a golden skin. Flip them over and pop them in an oven at 180C/ Gas Mark 4 to finish them off for 6-8 minutes. You want them to feel moist and slightly bouncy, not rock hard.

One of the things I love most about the cooking I’ve done on the radio is the colorful character of my guests. To put it bluntly, you don’t get to be a top chef by being a shrinking violet. You need charisma, creativity, passion – and eyes wide open to the world around you. Cat Ashton fits this bill.

She is originally from Australia and has travelled extensively honing her craft at Michelin starred restaurants. She is also a brilliant character and her vibrant and comforting food reflects her personality and this fancy looking – but easy to execute – dinner party dish is her creation.

You’ll need: 4 large Guinea fowl or chicken supremes (skin on) Curry leaf butter 250g butter, softened 1 clove garlic, finely grated 1 tablespoon fried curry leaves ½ teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon sea salt • Place all the butter ingredients into a food processor.

Whip until light and fluffy (note: this recipe makes much more than needed but can last in the fridge for a few weeks and be used for all sorts of dishes).

Corn and coconut puree 1 shallot, diced 1 clove garlic, chopped 25ml olive oil 250g corn kernels (tinned or fresh) 200ml coconut milk • Heat the oil in a pan and sweat off the shallots for 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and continue to cook for a further minute.

• Add the corn and mix well. Fry for 2 minutes and add the coconut milk. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until softened. Puree in a blender until smooth. Serve warm Popcorn 50g corn kernels 10ml rapeseed oil Salt Garlic powder Chilli powder • Cook the popcorn as per the packet instructions.

Then dust with salt, garlic powder and chilli powder to your desired spice level.

To serve; Serve the puree on the plate, topped with the guinea fowl and finish off with the popcorn around the plate.

This goes particularly well with spiralised raw yellow courgette, served just between the meat and the puree.

Add a few final corn kernels on the plate for decoration.

BBC Three Counties Radio presenter and cook, Nick Coffer To advertise in The Villager and Town Life please call 01767 261122

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Technology

Techy Tips to Make Life Easier

1. Put your USB drive in the right way the first time Why do we get it wrong on the first try so often? Get it right first time, every time. Here’s the secret: Grab any USB cable sitting around your house. Find the symbol on one side? It’s not just for decoration.

That symbol will point up if you’re plugging in horizontally and if you’re plugging a cable vertically, the USB symbol will face you. Now you know.

2. Reopen a closed browser tab It happens all the time. You have a dozen tabs open in your browser and accidentally close the wrong one. I know you can open up your browser’s history and reopen the tab from there, but did you know you can do it with a couple of keystrokes.

Hit Ctrl+Shift+T on your PC or Command+Shift+T on your Mac to automatically reopen the tab you just closed.

Simples.

3 Share a YouTube video at a precise point You find a brilliant YouTube video but the bit you really want to share is 3 minutes and 24 seconds in. If you want to share it at that exact point, you can get a link that takes people directly to the moment. Simply click the Share button below the video. Look for a little box below the link. This automatically displays the time at which you currently have the video stopped. You can stick with this time or pick any time you like. Then when you copy the link and share it, whoever views the link will view it from point you chose.

4 Search WhatsApp chats WhatsApp chats can be fast-moving, and messages accumulate over time. When you want to find the address of the party, or the joke someone told you two weeks ago, you don’t have to scan back through every conversation, you can search for it. On IOS there’s a search bar, and on android device there’s a search icon.

By Tom Hancock

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Codeword 1

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Easy Sudoku

Hard Sudoku

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

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

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Crossword Puzzle Solution from our July Edition Last Month’s Crossword Winner - Rose Hunt from Stevenage

July’s Codeword and Sudoku Solutions

Easy

Hard

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The Villager Prize Crossword Prize

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Across 7 Take away (6) 8 Irish lochs (6) 9 Couch (4) 10 Wraps around (8) 11 Disregarded (7) 13 Hard, strong alloy (5) 15 Hints (5) 17 Supply (7) 20 Easy going (8) 21 Ashen (4) 23 Heavy mass (6) 24 Woken up (6)

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

16th August 2021 Prize Crossword, Villager Publications Ltd 24 Market Square, Potton, Beds SG19 2NP The winner will be drawn at random from the correct completed entries.

Down 1 Nothing (4) 2 Vegetable (6) 3 Umpire (7) 4 Drudge (5) 5 Type of fish (6) 6 Tends sheep (8) 12 Ran very fast (8) 14 Authors (7) 16 Power, stamina (6) 18 Gas (6) 19 Prickly plants (5) 22 Untruths (4)

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Books

Views on Life

Biographies, memoirs and life lessons…

Who the Hell is….?

Various Authors

Academic books aren’t always the easiest of reads. They can feel inaccessible to anyone without a degree in the subject.

This series aims to put that right – each book is written in plain, jargon-free English. The series covers key historical intellectuals such as Plato, Rousseau, Marx and Nietzsche. You’ll learn about the events that shaped each person and where they got their ideas from, and take a closer look at three of their key theories.

Slug Hollie McNish

As you’d expect from this hugely popular poet, there’s plenty of humour, honesty and straight talking in Slug.

No subject in McNish’s life is out of bounds it seems – she covers everything from birth, periods and motherhood to sex and death. Slug is not a typical poetry book – it’s sprinkled with prose and short stories. If you offend easily, it may not be for you, but if you want to dip into a book that feels like a private conversation with your best friend, Slug is out now.

More Than a Woman Caitlin Moran

Caitlin Moran’s second memoir picks up where the first left off.

Moran brings her trademark wit as she explores what it means to be a middle-aged woman in modern Britain. She also lets us in on some of the most difficult challenges she’s had to face over the past few years, including helping her teenage daughter battle an eating disorder. It can feel a little smug at times, but on the whole More Than a Woman is well worth a read.

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By Kate Duggan

Choose Your Own Autobiography Neil Patrick Harris

The clue to this one is in the title – rather than a straightforward ‘the whole truth and nothing but the truth’ memoir, this one gives the reader the chance to choose what to read about next and, in some cases, in which direction Harris should have headed. Will you end up starring in Doogie Howser MD or eaten by piranhas? Only you can choose. Hilarious, insightful and original, this is a great holiday read.

Captain Tom’s Life Lessons Captain Tom Moore and Wendy Holden

In 2020, Captain Tom set out to raise money for the NHS. He soon became a household name. A number one single followed, as did his bestselling autobiography, Tomorrow Will Be A Good Day. In Captain Tom’s Life Lessons, he shares some of the things he learned over his 100 years.

There’s no preaching or lecturing, just bucketloads of warmth, humility and quiet humour.

Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet Kate Pankhurst

Kate Pankhurst has written several children’s books about fantastic women in history. This one focuses on environmental heroes. You’ll read about Jane Goodall and Anita Roddick, alongside lesser-known figures such as Wangari Maathai and Ingebord Beling. Each minibio is accompanied by full-colour illustrations.

Fantastically Great Women Who Saved the Planet may be aimed at young children, but parents, grandparents and teachers are sure to enjoy it just as much.

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Alcoholics Anonymous....................... 0845 769 7555 Al-Anon family Groups....................... 0800 008 6811 Anglian Water.................................... 08457 145 145 Bedford Hospital................................. 01234 355122 Lister Hospital..................................... 01438 314333 Benefits for people with Disabilities..... 0800 882 200 Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue............. 01438 729041 Carers Line......................................... 0808 808 7777 ChildLine................................................... 0800 1111 Citizens Advice................................... 0344 245 1292 Cocaine Anonymous..................................0800 689 4732 Crimestoppers...................................... 0800 555 111

Bringing Local Business to Local People Your local full colour A5 monthly magazine delivered free of charge to 1000s of homes and businesses in your local area.

The Villager and Town Life is dedicated to promoting local businesses, charities, community groups and everything else in your local area.

Cruse Bereavement Care.................... 0333 252 9152 Floodline............................................ 0845 988 1188 Frank-Drug Advisory............................ 0800 776 600 National Debt Line............................. 0808 808 4000 Gas Emergency..................................... 0800 111 999 NHS......................................................................111 National Rail Enquiries.......................03457 48 49 50 Non Emergency Police Line..................................101 NSPCC................................................ 0808 800 5000 Relate...................................................0845 48 49 50 RSPCA Cruelty Line............................. 0300 1234 999 Samaritans.................................................... 116 123 Tax Credit Helpline............................. 0345 300 3900 Victim Support.....................................845 30 30 900

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