Village People Bungay, Harleston & Long Stratton edition – December & January 2021 (Winter) by Village People Magazines Ltd

DELIVERED TO 61,000 HOMES IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

AWARD WINNING

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

RECIPE FOR MIXED PLUM TARTE TATIN

Memories of Pulham Market RIVER WALK

at Hardley Staithe

Falcon Meadow wildlife spotting challenge A festive giveaway with Norfolk Gin Cosy chic fashion for the chilly season

Bungay, Harleston & Long Stratton Edition - December / January 2021

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After

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Contents

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2021

Good news from our region

12 Animal Welfare plea from the Carmelite Monastery of Quidenham

14 Rural History - from Denton

farmer Ed Winter

17 Bungay Bitesize - trimming the Christmas tree

29 Help from YANA for isolation in rural communities

31 Canine communication with Julia Collins

33 Elliotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantastic Fressingfield challenge

43 Fashion - cosy capes and ponchos

45 An in-depth look at skin with Geraldine Walters

47 The health benefits of Echinacea

34 On your plot - frosty beauty

49 Memories of Pulham Market

37 Where do you keep your

52 Find a local business or

Village People magazine?

service in our directory

41 WIN ÂŁ100 M&S Voucher

54 Exercise your brain cells with our crossword

14 19 WIN a bottle of Norfolk Gin plus a cocktail recipe for Norfolk Bluey

20 Bird spotting this winter 23 Falcon Meadow winter wildlife spotting challenge

24 Walking for health around Hardley Staithe at The Broads

27 Recipe for mixed plum tarte tatin

27 Are you looking for a particular product or service? Check out our Local Business Directory on pages 52 & 53 5

now incorporating

Janette: a key part of the Howards team, now a haart partner agent. Janette, is well known in the town having worked for Howards for 25 years. Throughout lockdown Janette has continued to support her local clients and seen first-hand the benefits of being able to work flexibly from home. “Now is exactly the time to be responding to our customer’s needs,” explains Janette. “For me this means not being tied to an office, but being out in the area meeting my clients when it suits them. “I’ve been selling houses in this area for a quarter of a century and now I’m selling houses for my clients’ children as well. I’m not going anywhere, so my reputation depends on me delivering an outstanding service at all times and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!” Janette will now be trading under the haart of Long Stratton brand. So if you want to sell in Long Stratton think haart, and call Janette. Same person, same great service, just a different logo.

Janette Churchill

Partner & Long Stratton Property Expert T 01508 532 244 E janette.churchill@howards.co.uk haart.co.uk

LONG STRATTON

Welcome WIN

’Tis th he seasson n of goodwiilll and we hav ve plenty to sharre witth you in the forrm of competitions and giveaways. Ou ur usu ual sea arch is on for Bella a the Beag gle, who is hidden in the magazine, so settle down with a cuppa, have a good The VP team in read from cover to co over and happier times you miight be the lucky one to win a £100 M&S voucher. Clue, she could have her Christmas hat on!

ADVERTISE WITH US!

We’ve teamed up with fellow locall businesss Norfolk Gin to give away four tote bags filled with gin! So hop onto our website and enter your details to be in with a chance of winning. The Norfolk Bluey cocktail looks delicious too.

TWO BOTTLES OF NORFOLK GIN Reliably delivered by Royal Mail, reaching 61,000 homes every two months. Four editions of Village People provide unrivalled coverage of Norfolk and Suffolk, reaching more homes than ANY other local magazine. For more information, call our friendly team on 01284 788623 or send an email to editor@village-people.info

And there’s another great competition to WIN a Happy Hippodrome Christmas, with two family tickets on offer for the legendary Hippodrome Christmas Spectacular in Great Yarmouth. Check your diary, as we have a short closing date for this one. We also bring you the inspirational story of a new local business that was born out of lockdown, Botanical Forrest. Four of their scentsational amber candles are up for grabs as a giveaway, so get onto our website today and enter your details. I’d like to say a very big thank you to our regular financial expert Andrew Hagger, who writes his final editorial prior to starting a long and happy retirement. We’re on the lookout for a local financial expert to take over, so if you know of anyone please ask them to contact me by email. So, as we wave goodbye to 2020, with hope for a very different 2021, I’d like to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas. Stay safe, look after each other and roll on a fresh New Year.

Lily

DELIVERED TO 61,000 HOMES

River Walk at Hardley Staithe MEMORIES OF

Pulham Market RECIPE FOR MIXED PLUM TARTE TATIN

Falcon Meadow wildlife spotting

DELIVERED TO 61,000 HOMES

IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

AWARD WINNING

Memories of Pulham M Market arket Recipe for Mixed Plum Tarte Tatin RIVER WALK AT HARDLEY STAITHE

challenge

6 January

Lily Goulder editor@village-people.info 01284 788623

Visit our website to find out more www.village-people.info

AWARD WINNING

NEXT DEADLINE

Falcon Meadow wildlife spotting

challenge

February / March (Early Spring issue)

DELIVERED TO 61,000 HOMES

IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

AWARD WINNING

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

RIVER WALK

at Hardley Staithe

Recipe for Mixed Plum Tarte Tatin

MEMORIES OF PULHAM MARKET

F l

DELIVERED TO 61,000 HOMES

IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

AWARD WINNING

IN NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

RECIPE FOR MIXED PLUM TARTE TATIN Memories of Pulham Market RIVER WALK

at Hardley Staithe

Falcon Meadow wildlife spotting

WINNER of five National Publishing Awards

challenge

Good News from our region COLO SADDLES UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH A Norwich man is undertaking an incredible 5,000-mile charity cycle ride, aiming to journey through every village in Norfolk to raise money and awareness for mental health causes. Matt Colley, known as Colo, launched his campaign in September after cycling 500 miles during August for charity. “I’ve lived with depression and anxiety for much of my adult life,” said Colo, “and during lockdown my mental health deteriorated significantly. I started my own business last year, but coronavirus wiped

out most of my custom. I was drinking too much, eating too much and not getting enough exercise.” In August, Matt decided to take to the saddle. “I had a road bike in the garage gathering dust, so I decided to start cycling. One month later I’d raised almost £4,000, lost a stone in weight and improved my mental health significantly. I figured that if I could ride 500 miles in a month, I could ride 5,000 in a year. I thought about which Norfolkbased causes were important to me and set about creating my

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#5000colo campaign. “So far I’ve cycled 900 miles and visited more than 250 villages, and I’m keen to meet people anywhere in the county with an interesting story to tell. If you’re doing something charitable or communityfocused, I’d love to ride out to meet you.” You can email Colo at colofivethousand@gmail. com, visit his website and blog at www.edidit.co.uk/5000colo or connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @5000colo. Donate at tiny.cc/5000colo

Good News

GRANT A HORSE’S CHRISTMAS WISH

All the rescued horses and donkeys of Redwings Horse Sanctuary want this Christmas is the chance to continue living a life free of fear and neglect. Christmas shoppers can help make their wish come true by sponsoring a Redwings ‘Adoption Star’ as a truly unique gift for a loved one. Every penny goes towards their care and that of their 1,500 fourlegged friends at the Sanctuary. Sponsorship costs from just £15 a year, and there are more than 20 adorable Adoption Star horses, ponies and donkeys to choose from, each with their own moving story to tell. To sponsor a Redwings Adoption Star this Christmas, head to www.redwings.org.uk/adopt or call 01508 481000.

A SUFFOLK LITERARY FIRST Suffolk’s first literary agency has opened its doors in Laxfield, and will provide representation for authors in both Suffolk and Norfolk. Emma Shercliff, who has launched Laxfield Literary Associates, started the business partly in response to a report which highlighted the lack of literary agents outside London. Emma says: “There are no other literary agencies in Suffolk or Norfolk, despite the fact that Norwich is a UNESCO City of Literature and home to the National Centre for Writing and the prestigious Creative Writing MA course at the UEA. Both counties are full of great

writers, from Anthony Horowitz to Melissa Harrison. Accessing an agent can be a huge challenge for an author. I really want to do things differently, and for us at Laxfield Literary to be seen as open and accessible.” To celebrate the opening, the agency is launching the New Anglia Manuscript Prize, a competition looking for the best new writing from Suffolk and Norfolk in the form of a Debut Novel from an unpublished writer. For further information about Laxfield Literary Associates or the New Anglia Manuscript Prize please visit www.laxfieldliterary.com.

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WIN

A HAPPY HIPPODROME CHRISTMAS!

Christmas is just around the corner, and now is your chance to add some ‘WOW’ to your holidays. Village People is offering a chance to win 2 family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) for the legendary Hippodrome Christmas Spectacular in Great Yarmouth, which runs from the 12 December 2020 - 10 Jan 2021. The Hippodrome Christmas

Spectacular is one of Europe’s largest festive shows and brings together a truly unique combination of awe-inspiring elements; world class circus acts, swimmers, acrobats, aerialists, stunning effects and the heart stopping Wheel of Death. Seating will be social distanced and masks are to be worn unless exempt.

If the show is cancelled due to Covid-19, vouchers will be issued for use next year. Tickets exclude 19 – 31 December.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply visit www.village-people.info and follow the links to the competition page. Closing date is 8 December 2020 and the usual Village People rules apply.

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Good News

SCENT-SATIONAL! A new Suffolk-based business, producing a range of therapeutic scented candles, has been launched during the pandemic to help people’s wellbeing at home. Botanical Forrest is the brainchild of Clare Forrest who, like many, has had a difficult year. After two decades of commuting to London, she was made redundant on the day the Prime Minister announced lockdown in March, and decided it was time to work in Suffolk and leave the city world behind. At th hat poiint I started d look king “A for ways to contribute to people’s emotional wellbeing, including my own, because this

period has been so hard for everyone,” says Clare. “Many of us associate burning candles with calm and relaxation, so I started making candles during lockdown. Botanical Forrest was born out of my love of scented candles – the sense of wellbeing they create and the memories they invoke. “All our products are made by hand in Suffolk in small batches using 100% soy wax and natural cotton wicks. We use plant-based soy wax, made from soybeans, as an alternative ditiionall petrolleum-b based d to trad paraffin candles. The soy wax is vegan-friendly and has not been genetically modified.”

WIN

Village People has 4 Botanical Forrest amber candles to give away. To enter, simply visit www.village-poeple.info and follow the links to the competition page. Closing date is 14 December and the usual Village People rules apply.

IF YOU HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TO SHARE EMAIL US AT editor@village-people.info

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Animal Welfare

A SECOND CHANCE at life Sister Nicola Di Mino, from the Carmelite Monastery of Quidenham, makes a plea for local wildlife rescue charities

ver the past few months, our appreciation of wildlife in our local area has seen a real surge, possibly because the restrictions imposed on us have highlighted the freedoms enjoyed by the natural world.

The listless days of lockdown were brightened by the sight of birds visiting our gardens, parks and roof tops. If you were lucky you might have even seen hares, owls or deer. These animals have always been there, of course, but we have had much more time to notice and appreciate them. But stop for a moment and consider that the barn owl, hedgehog or fox is only there because someone has helped it to survive. I’m talking about the dedicated staff and volunteers at animal rescue and sanctuaries across our region. An outstanding example is PACT at Hingham, but there are many others across East Anglia, all of whom do magnificent work with minimal resources. They are, quite literally, lifesavers, and give animals a second chance at life.

What a great vocation for any human to embrace! Sadly, the current crisis has seen the funding of these amazing charities plummet. Remember how confined and restrained you felt during the endless weeks of lockdown, trying to live in an area that was too small and resource poor to provide quality of life over a long period. This is the reality for many wild animals today, forced into smaller and smaller pockets of suitable home habitat. Wildlife is perfectly capable of looking after itself, given enough room. Every living creature needs its own space in which it can find suitable food, water and shelter. That’s all they need — wild animals ask for very little. But by simply being there they give so much back to us. Their beauty, simplicity and sheer joy in life, living for the moment, all lessons that we need each day to be happier in our own lives. So it’s time to support the wonderful organisations that help wild creatures to survive in a very difficult landscape. Please consider supporting PACT animal sanctuary, or another animal rescue and care unit in your local area. Donations and volunteers are always desperately needed. We all deserve a second chance at life. www.pactsanctuary.org

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Rural History

FROM SCYTHE TO Satellite Denton farmer, Ed Winter, marvels at the changes he has seen in his 90 years

s I recently reached my 90th birthday, I couldn’t help looking back on the changes that have happened during my lifetime, which seem to me quite astounding. During the second World War, our family was evacuated to North Wales, where we lived in a very small village in the Conwy Valley. As an eleven-year-old boy, I witnessed the local farmer cutting around the headland of their oat field with a scythe, and I actually helped tie the corn into sheaves using the straw knotted together before the binder came in to finish cutting the field. What a contrast to the present day when a satellite-controlled combine harvester could probably finish the field in two passes! I came to Darrow Green Farm, Denton, in 1957. My greatest shock when I started to cultivate the fields was the overwhelming abundance of wild oats – no spray to control them at that time. So I decided to go for dairying, working up to 130 cows with predominantly grass cropping using wheat as a break crop. This gradually broke the cycle, but by the time we decided to change from dairying to arable and beef farming, sprays had solved the wild oat problem.

This change of farm practice left us with a lot of surplus buildings, so we filled the barns with a turkey rearing enterprise. Eventually, as the market for catering turkey production decreased, we reduced this in size and continued with a smaller free-range turkey, mainly for the Christmas trade. We find this much more satisfying, especially for the welfare of the birds. So the milking parlour and dairy has been adapted to process our oven-ready turkeys and some of the Lincoln Red beef which we market on a retail basis.

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TRIMMING THE Christmas ma tree Local Historian Christopher Reeve steps back in time to explo ore Bungay’s history

“

o to sleep NOW,” shouted our mother up the stairs, for the third time. “Or Father Christmas won’t come, and there will be no stockings filled, and no presents under the tree!”

As children, growing up in the 1950s, we didn’t see the Christmas tree until Christmas morning. Our parents did all the decorating late on Christmas Eve, so it would be a magical surprise for us on the following day. They must have been exhausted by the time they retired to bed, because they also had the stockings to fill and presents to wrap for five children. Our Dad always dressed in a bright red Santa outfit, with curly white beard, then he’d tiptoe into our bedrooms and attach the stockings to our bedposts. This was to ensure that if we were still wide awake it was Santa we saw, not Dad! We were living in the war and post-war era, a period of ongoing austerity, which meant that attractive toys and Christmas decorations were in short supply. Dad made various toys himself; wooden lorries and trucks, animals, jigsaws, and a wonderful array of furniture for a second hand dolls house for my sister Jasmine, which she greatly treasured. The Christmas tree decorations were also mainly homemade. They consisted of colourful fairies and goblins and nursery rhyme characters cut out of books or magazines and mounted onto cardboard backed with silver paper from cigarette packets. But there was also some prewar silver tinsel, which became Children’s Christmas Annual 1952 increasingly

A children’s Christmas party in the 1950s

tarnished and skinny, as it couldn’t be renewed. We always had real candles on the tree, long after most families preferred new fangled electric fairy lights. Candlelight is so atmospheric; the scent of the candle wax, and the flames warming the pungent dark green needles of the fir tree thrills me all over again as I write! The candle holders were special, as they were Victorian ones passed down through my mother’s family, made of metal in decorative leaf shapes. Although white tallow candles were easy to buy in any local store, essential in times of power cuts, Christmas tree candles were much scarcer. We managed to get some slender red ones and then, later on, as the war ended, packets of attractive colours with spiral moulding. The fairy on the tippy top of the tree was a skinny pink plastic doll with thinning blonde locks, crumpled wings and an alarmed expression. Not surprising with all those candles burning around her! Her special moments were on Christmas night, and when the family came to visit to exchange gifts. The candles were lit at about 6.30pm, the lights switched off, and we gathered around to sing carols. A favourite was The Twelve Days of Christmas, for which each of us sang a solo, from the youngest to the oldest. It was an enchanting way of ending Christmas Day.

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Competition

CHEERS TO A HAPPY CHRISTMAS WITH NORFOLK GIN! To mark the season of goodwill, Norfolk Gin is generously offering four lucky Village People readers the chance to win two bottles of their utterly delicious herbaceous gin. Enter below. Plus, they are sharing a recipe for a colourful cocktail that is sure to set your festive season aglow! Simply answer the question and we will pick four winners at random from all correct entries received. Each winner will receive a large bottle of Norfolk Gin (70cl) and a small bottle (10cl) of Norfolk Gin (worth £61) delivered in a very cool tote bag. To be in with a chance of winning, simply visit www.village-people.info and follow the links to the competition page. Closing date is 16 December 2020 and the usual Village People rules apply.

QUEST TION:

Norfolk Gin n began in which year?

Norfolk Gin is a small-batch, botanical gin, with each bottle filled and sealed by hand. Buy online or in person from a range of retailers throughout Norfolk, including Jarrold’s Food Hall, Bakers and Larners of Holt, The Norfolk Deli in Hunstanton and Thetford Garden Centre. www.norfolkgin.co.uk

NORFOLK BLUEY COCKTAIL

Despite the vivid neon blue colour of this cocktail – reminiscent of a bad 1980s mix – the orange flavour of the blue Curaçao with the cardamom rich Norfolk Gin produces a tasty long drink much more subtle and sophisticated than its colour would suggest. If the colour really bothers you, use triple sec instead.

Photo Credit: Sue Telford @4theloveofgin

Glass: highball Ingredients: • 30ml / 1oz Norfolk Gin • 10 to 15ml / 1/3 to ½oz blue Curaçao or triple sec, depending on your colour preference • 7.5ml / ¼oz freshly squeezed lemon juice • Soda water Method: 1. Pour the gin into a highball filled with crushed ice. 2. Add the lemon juice. 3. Top with soda water leaving space for the Curaçao. 4. Drizzle the blue Curaçao over the top. 5. Garnish with a slice of orange and a small paper umbrella if you are feeling nostalgic for the 80s!

Nature

WINTER Visitors

By Helen Baczkowska, Conservation Officer at Norfolk Wildlife Trust

s I write, the leaves are turning from green to brown and gold, and the hawthorn bushes in the Clayland’s hedges are full of small scarlet berries. When winter comes, these berries will be vital food for many birds and are a reminder that, despite the short days and sometimes gloomy weather, winter brings with it a host of visiting bird life. Hawthorn berries are a favourite food for fieldfares, a large member of the thrush family. Fieldfares are handsome birds, with a grey head and rump, a black tail and chestnut-red back and wings. Like many other thrush species, they have a speckled chest. They often descend on hedges in big flocks a day or two ahead of cold weather, as they migrate south in search of food. Look closely among the flocks of fieldfares and you might well spot a few redwings. These are also a species of thrush, but are smaller than fieldfares and lack the striking grey and black plumage. Instead, redwings are mostly brown, but have a distinctive red patch beneath their wings and a creamy-white stripe above the eye. Both fieldfares and redwings breed in northern Europe and Scandinavia, and while some will over-winter in the UK they will keep moving south when the weather is cold. Arable fields, especially those left fallow over winter, can also be good places for spotting birds, including lapwings, which migrate into Britain from early September. In really cold weather, lapwings will tend to head for coastal estuaries, where food is easier to find, but on milder days they can gather in great flocks on inland fields.

Lapwings are easy to spot, with their plumed heads, broad rounded wing tips and distinctive twisting flight. From a distance, lapwings look black and white, but up close their backs have an iridescent green sheen – this gives them one of their other names, ‘green plover’, while their other common name, ‘peewit’, is the call they make. Winter is also a good time for watching birds in the garden and a wide range of different feeders and feed will attract different species. Seed feeders (transparent tubes) will suit tits, greenfinches and siskins, while niger seeds, which need a special feeder, are popular with goldfinches. Halfcoconuts filled with fat and specially made ‘bird cakes’ or fat balls can be hung and will attract a wide range of birds, from sparrows to blue tits.

A flock of fieldfare enjoying a feast of berries, credit Elizabeth Dack

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Nature

Fieldfare, credit Chris Gormserall

Redwing, credit Chris Gomersall

Lapwings like to nest on millet stubble

Peanuts in a mesh feeder are also popular, and in cold weather even shy species like woodpeckers and nuthatches will venture into gardens to feed from them. It is important to give all of these feeders a good wash once in a while and avoid a build-up of food in them, as mouldy food is a health hazard to small birds. Seeing birds close to home can brighten up even dull winter days, and watching flocks of fieldfares devour a hedge full of hawthorn makes it worth putting on a warm jacket and venturing into the lanes of the Claylands. www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk

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Coal & Blue Tit on feeder, credit Alan Price

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Falcon Meadow

I Spy on FALCON MEADOW

Here is a winter wildlife spotting challenge, from the Falcon Meadow Community Trust As the days get shorter, it’s more important than ever to get outside for some fresh air and a bit of bonus Vitamin D. Falcon Meadow, in Bungay, provides the perfect doorstep adventure and green retreat – so take a thermos of tea, a pencil, and head out to see how many of the following you can spy:

TOTAL SCORE

1.Falcon (10 points) The wooden falcon sits proudly on the gatepost at the Ditchingham end of the meadow. Thanks to our lovely volunteers, he’s been freshly painted for the winter and is looking particularly splendid.

2. House Sparrows (15 points) You might hear sparrows before you see them! These cheeky little birds make a lot of noise, and love to hide in dense foliage – so we’ve left plenty for them to enjoy on the meadow.

3. Black Poplar (20 points) Falcon Meadow is lucky enough to have its very own black poplar – Britain’s rarest native tree. Find it at the far end opposite the Scout Hut, to pay your respects and earn some points!

4. Kingfisher (50 points) A sure sign that conditions are good on the meadow – kingfishers are regular visitors to the river. Look out for a dazzling flash of blue travelling at speed – one of the most beautiful sights to see in nature.

5. Kestrel (25 points) Turn your eyes to the skies and look out for the distinctive hovering silhouette of this bird of prey. They will be hunting for voles in the tussocky grass that we have cultivated on the meadow for this very reason.

6. Barn Owl (40 points) You’ll need to walk in the early morning or at twilight to see one of these, but well worth setting your alarm for. A barn owl before breakfast (seen, not eaten!) makes for a magical day.

7. Otter (100 points) Again, an early start is best. Distinctive large ripples on the surface of the water and a stream of bubbles as tell-tale signs. A good place to position yourself is the far end of the meadow, on our beautiful curved bench, which gives excellent views up and down the river.

8. Grey Heron (30 points) The Nicholas Lyndhurst of the bird world, this gangly and slightly self-conscious looking bird of prey (remember it’s a predator) can be spotted standing motionless in the water waiting to strike, or flying (awkwardly) overhead.

9. Mallard Ducks (15 points) The unsung hero of the Waveney River. You can have 15 points for each one you spot – which could make your score much more interesting!

10. Robin (25 points) Robins are famously bold and curious, which makes them easy to spot; and they are particularly visible during the winter months, thanks to their characteristic red breast.

If you enjoyed this, or saw something exciting that we didn’t mention here, we’d love to know about it. Get in touch at info@falconmeadow.org.uk or find us on Facebook. Falcon Meadow is there for you to get a bit muddy and enjoy nature on our doorstep. We hope it gives you a natural boost this winter. With best wishes Falcon Meadow Community Trust If you’d like to make the meadow even better for wildlife, please visit www.falconmeadow.org.uk and click on ‘Support Us’.

Local walks

WALKING FOR Health HARDLEY STAITHE Reviewed by Dougie Dingwall, Volunteer Co-ordinator at Central Norfolk Walking for Health

Walk Information Meeting Place

Hardley Staithe

Wheelchair/ Buggy Friendly

Grid Reference

OS Map OL40 TG 38842 01172

Walk Length (Miles / Km)

3.5 miles / 5.6 km

Approx Time Required

1 hour 15 minutes

Footpath Type / Quality

Grass Pathways. Two small stretches of road. Approx 85% soft surface, 15% roads. This is part of the long distance Wherryman’s Way footpath and information and signage can be seen along the route.

Gradients

Minor

Steps/Stiles

Yes 1 set / No stiles

Seating On Route

Toilet Facilities

None

Specific Hazards For This Walk

Uneven ground and path runs near to water. Small amount of traffic on one rural road.

Parking / Parking Charges

Free at Hardley Staithe, Hardley Staithe Road, NR14 6BU. To get there: at the crossroads in Chedgrave, drive all the way down Lower Hardley Road to St Margaret’s Saxon Church. Drive past the church and take the left hand fork into Hardley Staithe Road.

Nearest facilities

Loddon

Additional Information

This route can be flooded during winter or high tides. Check for weather warnings.

DIRECTIONS At Hardley Staithe car park, take the steps on the right side (which run along the east side of the dyke) and continue on the riverside path with the River Yare on your left. This walk always veers right. After about one mile you will come to the Hardley Cross monument on this side of the riverbank. Continue to veer right, this time with the River Chet on your left. Pass through two wooden gates and a final third gate at the end of the riverside path. At the end of the riverside path turn right through an iron gate and onto a track. Look out for a Wherry ryman’s y Way signpost.

Local walks At the end of the track, where it meets Hardley Hall driveway and a road, turn right onto this road, which is Hardley Hall Lane. At St Margaret’s Church, bear right onto Hardley Staithe Road and walk back to the car park. We have restarted our group walks, with limited numbers of walkers allowed. Please check our Facebook page Central Norfolk Walking for Health to see what’s available and to book onto a walk. Route Instructions, Rhona Shuttleworth Photography, Dougie Dingwall Mapping ©️Ordnance Survey

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Coastal | Rural | Woodland

Recipe

MIXED PLUM Tarte Tatin

This delicious tart can be made with several different fruits, including the traditional apple. Try pears, apricots or nectarines, or mixed plums as we have done here. You need enough fruit, when halved or sliced, to fit really snugly in the base of your tin.

Tip:

Make tin w sure to u ith a s fixed e a or yo base u’ll lo , se caram your el!

Serves 10 378kcal/41g carbs per slice INGREDIENTS 70g plain flour 60g ground rice (not rice flour) 140g softened butter, diced 50g caster sugar 1 large egg, beaten Topping: 120g butter 120g granulated sugar Roughly 8 plums, 8 greengages and 8 mirabelles, all halved and stoned, or other fruit METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/170ºC fan. Have ready a 23cm round baking tin or ovenproof dish. Put the flour, ground rice and butter into a large bowl, and rub together with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir through the sugar, then add the egg and squidge the mix with your hands into a ball. Pop into the fridge while you make the topping. 2. In a large pan, melt the butter and add the sugar. Let it bubble over a low to medium heat, stirring rarely,

until it begins to caramelise and turn light brown. Take off the heat immediately and pour into your tin. Arrange the halved plums in the caramel, skin side down. Take care not to touch the caramel with your fingers, it’s very hot! 3. On a floured board, roll out the pastry into a circle to fit the pan snugly — about 1cm thick. Place on top of the fruit in the tin and press down lightly. Bake in the oven on a baking tray for about 30 minutes until nicely golden. 4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes,

then carefully turn out onto a large plate. Perfect served warm with thick cream. It also reheats well, even with a zap in the microwave. Keeps for four days in a cool place. The Pennoyer Centre’s volunteer BakeForce make delicious cakes for sale in the café, which won the EDP Norfolk Food & Drink “Best Baking” Award. The café, in Pulham St Mary, is open Mon-Sat, currently from 10am to 2.30pm. www.pennoyers.org.uk 01379 676660 The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary, IP21 4QT

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Mental Health

YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN Rural Communities

A Norfolk charity offers mental health support for farmers

he impression of farming and rural businesses is invariably the jolly figure, rolling acres, the lovely farmhouse and a four-wheel drive vehicle. The reality is that those in farming are at high risk of depression and, tragically, suicide, with one person in farming in the UK taking their life every week.

A Norfolk-based charity has made a great impact on reducing the stigma and increasing the discussion about mental health, and becoming a major influence in providing exactly the support needed by rural communities. YANA (You Are Not Alone) provides confidential support and counselling and builds a better understanding of mental health. A call to the confidential helpline on 0300 323 0400 can result in fast-track access to fully funded sessions with professional counsellors who understand rural life and the pressures of working in farming and countryside businesses.

YANA invests in Mental Health First Aid training and to date has trained nearly 100 people, providing them with the skills and confidence needed to support colleagues, family and friends. The charity also runs a compelling suicide prevention campaign, Seven Tractor Facts to Save A Life, encouraging those who are concerned about someone to act. If you are in any rural business and suffering from depression or anxiety, please remember You Are Not Alone: it is not unusual and good support is available. For more information visit www.yanahelp.org Confidential helpline: 0300 323 0400. If you would like leaflets, car stickers or suicide prevention cards, or if you are interested in the Mental Health First Aid courses, please email admin@yanahelp.org

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Canine Behaviour

Parlez Vous POOCH?! Blogger and qualified ‘Dog Listener’ Julia Collins looks at how our canine companions can teach us to relax and live in the moment.

e humans spend an awful lot of time and effort — both physical and mental — teaching our dogs to behave in the manner we desire. Yet, we have all come to realise ewh hat that ‘Dog Training’ is a some outmoded concept. Understanding how to effectively communicate with our canine friends is really the way to a wonderful relationship with them. Pursuing this realisation further – how about us learning even more from utine. them? Take the morning rou Your dog wakes up – that’s that, job done! Same little furry suit, always a perfect fit, nose to tail, suita able for most weather, no accessories, make-up orr deodorant required. Customary check around while visiting the garden before a reassuringly predictable breakfast – no need of toothbrush, mouthwash, lipstick touch up. Hopefully, and THIS IS IMPORTANT – a walk, but, apart from the importance of sniffing as much as possible within a given time limit, stress is kept to a minimum. Even office pooches, who accompany owners unable to carry out their daily jobs without canine supervision, do not stress over traffic or parking spaces. So, what can we learn from these slightly wardrobelimited but common sense rich companions? Accept, keep your body loose, expect the best, do not catastrophise. Why fill your head imagining all the worst case scenarios you might, only might, experience? How much better smoothing along, (sticky wet nose pressed to the window if commuting office pooch) gliding through the day, expecting that all will be well. In the absence of genuinely serious, negative indicators, it does make sense.

If you notice, animals are amazingly quick to react to situations but, unless there is an unnatural stressor evident, they remain remarkably relaxed. There is no ego to defend, energy is not wasted on anything as human as ‘what if’, ‘I should’, or ‘I oug ght to’. Our dogs’ behaviour re elates to the moment, exactly the place we humans are increasingly informed we should be mindfully experiencing in our lives. As with all truly wonderful natural things, the concept is beautifully pure and simple. For our cluttered, anxiety riddled d human brains, it is a modus operandi we find very challenging to adopt. How many times have you worried and fretted your way through a situation only to look back on it and realise that, having decided upon and taken the relevant action you had at your disposal, the outcome sorted itself out. The coating of fuzzy, brain addling worry you felt compelled to add, contributed absolutely nothing, except fatigue, an inability to concentrate on other matters and, most likely, a thumping headache. A dog’s mind doesn’t endlessly hop between regret over the past and fear about the future. Whereas, honestly, if we just stop for a moment, that is exactly what we do an awful lot, isn’t it? So, next time you cuddle, scratch or stroke your remarkable canine companion, feel how relaxed he is and pinch a little bit of his nonchalance for yourself. He won’t mind one bit. In fact you will both be the better for it! To find out more, or contact Julia, go to www.walksoflife.co.uk or Instagram walksoflifessuffolk.

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Fressingfield

ELLIOT’S FANTASTIC challenge for new scout HQ

Elliot Walker (pictured), a cub at 1st Fressingfield Scout Group, is celebrating the completion of his fundraising challenge, which saw him awarded a County Commissioner’s Commendation for his efforts.

His self-set challenge was to run, walk, ski, swim and cycle 100km in a month, and in doing so he raised £850 towards the new scout HQ that has planning permission in Fressingfield. Elliot is a very active member of the Fressingfield Group and at seven years old is one of the youngest members of the Scout Association to have been awarded the Commendation. He said: “I have made a lot of new friends. I have also gained my international badge where I made things from different countries. I am currently doing another challenge where I sleep in a tent for one night every month.” Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, Group Scout Leader, added: “We are really proud of what Elliot has accomplished. We have been fundraising now for over three years to achieve our new HQ, because we are currently based in a hired hall with no running water, toilet facilities or disabled access. Despite this we have 120 young people aged 6-18 learning vital skills that will equip them for life. “Unfortunately we had to close traditional scouting with lockdown and we now can’t use our previous building as we don’t meet the minimum hygiene

standards. This is devastating, because scouting has such a positive impact on the mental health of young people, which is so important at this time.” The Scout Group secured planning permission at their new site in Fressingfield and having raised £180k of funding is just £60k short of the amount needed for the modular building they want to install. “Many planned fundraising activities have been halted by the pandemic,” Andrew said,” and many funders have also put tight eligibility criteria on their applications, which means we are no longer able to apply for the funds. This is having a really detrimental impact on our Scout Group and our ability to provide the exciting programme our communities deserve.” Anyone willing to pledge their support should visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/new-hqor or email Dawn Carman-Jones at dawn@dawncj.co.uk

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Frosty Beauty

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PROTECT YOUR BEST BUDS! Wh hile plants generally survive harrd winter freezes, blossoms on win nter-flowering plants such as camellias and plum and cherry tre ees aren’t so lucky. When buds arre swollen and blooming is im mminent, a hard freeze can damage d the buds, showing up in n the form of brown spots on t petals. the To avoid this, cover plants that have buds and open flowers with an old sheet or a frost cover. Don’t use plastic, it can quickly create an oven

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WINTER GARDEN DOS Continue to plant – as long as the ground is soft enough to dig a hole.

Be sure to hydrate aboveground shoots as well as the roots.

Add mulch – it will help keep root temperatures stable.

Bring in houseplants – Spray both sides of the leaves with an insecticidal soap and water thoroughly with an insecticidal drench that’s safe for people and pets, to kill hitchhiking critters. Position plants indoors where they will receive indirect, bright light for at least five hours a day. Keep them away from drafts and heating vents and water sparingly; most houseplants don’t actively grow in winter.

Add compost – it delivers organic nutrients into the soil, but no more than three inches thick. Water – Watering before a freeze helps plants, especially potted plants and annuals, because it allows them to take up moisture before the ground is frozen and prevents water from reaching the root zone.

WINTER GARDEN DON’TS Fertilise – Over winter, garden plants go dormant and rest. Forcing them to start new growth before the ground warms in the spring not only interrupts this period when they are rejuvenating, but hard frosts will kill tender new growth. Skip your regular watering cycle – During dry periods when the ground isn’t frozen or covered with snow, a once-a-week deep watering is beneficial. New plantings especially need to be watered in. Worry about bulb foliage – Leaves of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs should be just fine during temperature dips. Forget to give container plants extra protection tection – Cover with frost cloth or other heatt retentive blankets, and move pots and othe er containers close to the foundation of the house h or under eaves.

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WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR copy of Village People… …the kitchen, bedside cabinet, next to the phone, the downstairs loo?! We know many of you like to keep each issue of Village People until the next one lands on your doorstep. And a mighty fine idea this is too, because it’s a very handy mag for finding hundreds of local traders that can help in your home and garden over those two months. Plus, you can check that last clue in the crossword that got you stumped, or look back and find the tiny picture of Bella the Beagle you thought we’d forgotten to add in!

We’d like to see where you keep your Village People, so we’re inviting you to take a photo of wherever it lives. Please do include yourself, a family member or even a pet in the photo as well. Hop onto Instagram and tag us @vpmagazine We’ll share it with our readers, and we might even print a few of the most creative photos in a future edition of the magazine. Maybe there are a few of you out there with lots of back copies, so grab your phone and let’s see who has the most!

You can always email your photo to Lily our Editor if Instagram isn’t your thing! editor@village-people.info

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Health

Skin…more than just fancy wrapping paper! Skin, skin is a wonderful thing, keeps the outside out and the inside in. Anon

t’s obvious from the complex structures of the skin that it’s not there simply to hold all the other bits of the body together. It carries out some amazing functions: regulating body temperature, providing immunological functions, protecting against the entry of toxic chemicals, helping us make Vitamin D and protecting against UV radiation — that’s what’s happening when you get a tan. Good skin also plays its part in sexual attraction and social interaction. Ask anyone who has suffered from severe acne or psoriasis and they will tell you how debilitating a bad breakout can be. But y do your skin is so much more than that, so why we take it for granted and treat it badly y? This is probably because it’s greatly ignored, until we can see ‘something nasty’. Who rememberss learning the e valves of functions of the skin at school when the the heart were so important?

all their lives. Sometimes even the soap is missing… and the water! Would we say the same of eating only mashed potato for sixty years? Or eating only lard, except on Fridays? Perhaps one of the problems is that skin damage takes years to show itself. It remains hidden under a cloak of youth and is only revealed with age — although the rate of skin cancers is still growing year on year and with many younger sufferers. So what should you do about it? There is no one answer for everybody. Your skin is as individual as you and the way you live. But treat it well. Don’t ig gnore it. It’s doing g a great job and keep ping g you alive. If there was ONE tip I’d give you it’s this: for the cost of a half-decent meal you should invest in a high factor sun protection cream, and you’ll already be well on your way to a healthier future.

One of my favourite analogies is that yo our skin is the icing on the anatomical cake. It’s the e decorative wrapping paper and without it we woulld look rather unappealing — like an uncooked sausage — and this remarkable organ is absolutely vita al for our survival. Most people will not even be aware that the skin is an organ of the body, just as much as the heart, the liver, kidneys and lungs. But it’s surprising how many people tak ke pride in saying that they have never putt anything other than soap and water on their face

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Find us on Facebook 8 Cobbs Yard, Diss IP22 4LB

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Health

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id you know that we spend 3-5 years of our lives suffering from colds and flu? There are over 200 of these viruses in existence, and you only have to be one metre from someone to be infected by droplets from a sneeze! With this being such a big problem, it’s important to treat the symptoms of this type off virus quickly and effectively in order to minimisse disruption to daily life. ea – a colourful One way to do this is with Echinace plant that has more to offer than just a pretty pink flower! So what is Echinacea and how does it work? Echinacea is a plant native e to America, but now widely cultivated in Europ pe. It is part of the daisy family, well-known forr its bright flower, and can grow to 1.8 metres in height. As shown by lots of careful researcch, Echinacea works by strengthening g the immune system so that you arre better able to fight an infection. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that Echinacea is anti-viral and anti-inflammatory, and reduces the risk of recurrent respiratory tract infections and complications.

The root of Echinacea purpurea has been found to be strongly anti-inflammatory, while the aerial part demonstrates antiviral activity. So, when using an Echinacea product, it’s important to make sure it uses both parts of the plant, and to always choose an organic product such as the Swiss Bioforce Vogel range to avoid any unnecessary contaminants. Echinacea is definitely the go-to product for a healthier winter!

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LOCAL HISTORIAN

MEMORIES OF PULHAM MARKET Local historian, Dennis Cross from Diss, shares with us his fascinating collection of old postcards, focusing on a different village in every issue. This time, we take a walk down memory lane in Pulham Market.

In 1911, the Post Office was in The Street. Mr C A Garrard was the Postmaster.

A 1910 view taken from the ch hurch h tower, look king toward ds Long Stratton.

This 1910 view shows the green with the Crown pub and church in th background. the b k d

In the post-WWII period, The Street had a Barclays bank and a petrol station, where you can see a car being attended to here.

Pu ulham Market Great Eastern Railway Station opened with a line to Harleston in 1855, and then to Bungay and eccles in 1860. Passenger trains Be ran until 1953 and goods trains to arleston until 1966. The stationmaster Ha at the time of this 1912 postcard was Frrederick Wright. The station is now a prrivate house.

Pulham Market school, school with masters mastersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; esidence, was built in 1852 and re enlarged in 1910 for 180 children. William Pumfrey was headmaster at he time of this 1920 postcard. th Station Road looking towards the village in 1934. You can just see the church tower in the distance.

The Norfolk Postcard Club meets regularly in Trowse in Norwich and new members are very welcome. Meetings have currently been suspended. Dennis is also the author of several local history books that can be purchased by contacting him direct.

Aldrich & Bryant Stores in 1920 overlooking the village green. It was later the Post Office, serving an ever-growing village.

If readers have any local postcards of Diss or the surrounding villages, please get in touch with him after 7pm on 01379 651897. ÂŠ

IF YOU CAN CATCH A COLD YOU CAN CATCH CORONAVIRUS The viruses that cause colds and ï¬&#x201A;u are spread in the same way as coronavirus. This means that the things that protect us from one virus can protect us from other viruses too.

Are you doing everything that you can to protect yourself and others? Wash your hands regularly Wear a face covering in enclosed spaces Keep your distance

PROTECT OURSELVES. PROTECT OTHERS. PROTECT NORFOLK. 51

STOP PRESS very limited space left in the

LOCAL DIRECTORY

AERIAL SERVICES Telly Stream 18 Warnes Aerials 34 ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING Andrew P R Love 42 John Putman 37 Keith Day Architects 30 CARE & MOBILITY P & C Personal Care 10 Purely Care 22 CARPORTS, GLASS VERANDAS & AWNINGS R G Cabins 36 CARS, CARAVANS & GARAGES BCR Garage Services 12 Hillside Garage 40 St Mary’s Garage 46 CHARTERED BUILDING SURVEYORS McCallum Project Management & Surveys 16 CLEANING Crystal Clean 35 Gutter Pro Norfolk 44 Home Maid Domestic Cleaning 4 Mr Kleen 35 Oven Clean 26 COMPUTER, WEB & GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES Centiflex 30 LPD Electronic Services Ltd 30 Philippa Green Web Design 18 DAYS & NIGHTS OUT, TRAVEL, HOLIDAYS Wingfield Barns 11 ESTATE AGENTS, LETTINGS & PROPERTY Spicerhaart Group Services Ltd 6 FOOD & DRINK Just Truffles 14 FUEL MERCHANTS Outney Meadow Caravan Park 32 Watson Fuels 28 FUNERALS Barker Family Funeral Services 22 Rosedale Funeral Home 42 Susan Whymark Funeral Services 32 FURNITURE & RESTORATION Bespoke Handcrafted Furniture 22 Dovetail 3 Philip Hodge 11

GARAGE DOORS, GATES, SHUTTERS & AWNINGS The Doors Group Limited 46 GARDEN SERVICES Evergreen Garden Services 44 GLS Online 32 Lake and Pond Aquatics 18 Tree Fellas 18 GROUNDWORKS, DRAINAGE & SEPTIC TANKS Rory J Holbrook Ltd 30 HAIRDRESSERS Hairline Studio 8 Kim Wakefield, Mobile Hairdresser 22 HEALTH & BEAUTY Diss & Harleston Chiropody & Podiatry Clinic 34 Geraldine Walters 44 Goddess Beauty 47 Ruth Walters 45 HEALTHCARE Contact Care Lifelines 47 HM Government 51 JOBS Home Cleaning Vacancies 41 KITCHENS Kitchen Sense of Harleston 26 KMM kitchens 16 LOCKSMITHS Protect A Lock 12 OPTICIANS & EYE SPECIALISTS Cecil Amey Ltd 38 Ocuplan Ltd 25 PAINTERS, DECORATORS & STOCKISTS Ted Meadows 30 PEST CONTROL GG Evans Pest Control 46 The Verminator 48 PLUMBING, HEATING, BOILERS & DRAINAGE Gasworks South East 44 Kevin de Waal 20 Parkers Plumbing and Heating Ltd 18 Pat The Plumber 30 Paul Harvey Plumbing & Heating 33 PUBLISHER Mediamedica Ltd 39

Village People is a trading name of Village People Magazines Ltd. Village People accepts no liability for loss, damage, or difficulties resulting from contracts made through the magazine, nor from errors, omissions or claims made by advertisers. Publication of any entry does not imply a recommendation. Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry. Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content Copyright © Village People Magazines Ltd. 2008-2021

next issue to feature local businesses REMOVALS Van and a Man RESTAURANTS, PUBS, HOTELS, CATERING & FUNCTIONS Momiji The Apiary Harleston The Good The Bad & The Hungry The Queens Head RETIREMENT HOMES Tingdene ROOFING PAC Roofing R G Leverett Ltd SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, EDUCATION & CHILDREN Homeopathic College Norfolk County Council Community Learning Stepping Stones SECURITY Malthouse Security Ltd SHOPPING, BUYING & SELLING John Doe Carpets & Furniture Ltd Peter Beales Garden Centre

21 42 42 9 40 26 21 28 46 42 13 15 56 13

Redwings Horse Sanctuary Thornham Gift and Eco Shop SKIP HIRE / RUBBISH REMOVAL Yorjunk SPORT, FITNESS & RECREATION Fitness Superstore STONE MASONRY J S Hollington Stone Mason STORAGE Local Self Storage Diss STOVES & FIRES Norfolk Woodburners THEATRE & CINEMA The Fisher Theatre WATER SOFTENERS, SALT & SOLUTIONS Clarity Water Solutions WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORIES Cloudy2Clear Windows D H Glazing DG Repair Centre Green Warm Roofs Quayside Conservatories Windows Plus

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Crossword

Exercise your brain cells

CLUES ACROSS 6 Earlier, in the past, preceded by unspecific duration (3) 8 One’s own interests could be the principle possibility (4, 6) 9 Tediously uninteresting but subtle with it (3) 11 Dishonourable discharge from the teller’s desk (7) 13 Uncle Tom could be found inside one that’s cheaper than those outside (5) 14 The general meaning of a high pitched voice (5) 15 On which a high performer passes through the air (6, 7) 16 Pill for a swift passage (5) 18 Bundle of wires to hold a bridge or lift a car (5) 19 Vengeful Dane’s suggested destination for his girlfriend (7) 20 Make a pea change to imitate a human cousin (3) 23 Giving grounds for a session in court (10) 24 Luminous discharge between two conductors in a portion of a circle (3)

CLUES DOWN 1 Small demon found in Lincoln (3) 2 Not quite the full quid, in short (3) 3 Would this canoe turn turtle in a big sea? (5) 4 Money placed on a metal fixing — instant payment (4, 2, 3, 4) 5 Group of eight playing together in concert (5) 7 Medusa with Emile and a blue Italian cheese (10) 10 Change a reply paid envelope into a journal (5, 5) 11 Title of a French revolutionary (7) 12 Sprayer turns a tatty car into something almost new (7) 17 Two of these precede double D, a bit on the side of 2D (5) 18 Fly with prodigious long legs (5) 21 A steady flow in tidal fall (3) 22 Energy provided by a special talk (3)

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 7) Care, 8) Ethereal, 9) Well-to-do, 10) Gear, 11) Twirl, 13) Neutron, 15) Algebra, 17) White, 20) Trot, 21) All in all, 23) Last word, 24) Exit DOWN: 1) Date, 2) Cellar, 3) Venom, 4) Whoopee, 5) Bright, 6) Gad about, 12) Well read, 14) Creator, 16) Estate, 18) Hinder, 19) Glade, 22) Lair