Village People South Norwich edition – October / November (Autumn) by Village People Magazines Ltd

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October / November 2021

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Contents

October/ November 2021

Norfolk Wildlife Trust listening for bats in the Claylands

WIN £100 M&S voucher

Falcon Meadow shows how sporting prowess can be found in any green space

Gospel from The Saints

HEALTH, STYLE, FASHION & BEAUTY 58

NEW! building sustainability into our everyday beauty routine

Beauty - we review the best natural, sustainable and ethical beauty products in Norfolk and Suﬀolk

OUT & ABOUT

Refreshing Waters - how a Norfolk author is changing children's lives

Good news from our region

Village Notice Board

Wildlife - a perfect dawn chorus

Walking for health around Wymondham & Silﬁeld

Health - a beginners’ guide to homeopathy

Autumn fashion for warmth & style

Style Counsel with Chrissi Rix

Smart Money Secrets - what’s your retirement game plan?

Find a local business or service in our directory

Exercise your brain cells with our crossword

JOBS, MONEY & BUSINES SS 75

Legal - preparing your home e for a property valuation

HOME & GARDEN 21

Canine communication with Julia Collins

Garden jottings from The Garden Enclosure

On your plot - falling into Autumn

WIN tickets to see Queen legend Roger Taylor at the UEA

Poetry Corner - Dee Len from Attleborough

Gluten free recipe for Lime, Courgette & Poppy Seed Cake

Sport - join a fun syndicate with a passion for horses

Memories of Gislingham

Our restaurant reviews are back - The Walnut Tree in Thwaite

Art - Suﬀolk sculptor Alice Ewing

Looking for a particular product or service? Check out our Local Business Directory on pages 80 & 81 5

WELCOME

WELCOME TO THE AUTUMN ISSUE Advertise with us! Reliably delivered by Royal Mail, reaching 62,000 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

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @vpmagazine Read all our magazines issuu.com/villagepeoplemag Visit our website to ﬁnd out more www.village-people.info

NEXT DEADLINE 27 OCTOBER December/January (Winter issue)

THE AWARD WINNING LOCAL L IF ESTYLE MAGAZINE

October / November 2021

WIN! TICKETS

TO SEE QUEEN LEGEND ROGER TAYLOR

ell it’s a big Happy Birthday to us here at Village People, as we celebrate 13 years of independently publishing our magazines and promoting hundreds and hundreds (probably thousands) of amazing local businesses! There are several local companies who were in the very ﬁrst issue of Village People back in 2008 — and they are still advertising with us today. How’s that for an amazing testimonial?! We celebrated our wonderful anniversary with a team night out in Norwich, and it was so good to be together again as we have all been working from home. We also said a fond farewell to Karen, who starts her retirement after a brilliant eight years working with us at VPHQ. We wish her a long and happy retirement and can’t wait to hear all about her adventures!

Our local and lifestyle content continues to improve, and we have another new feature for you in this issue, where local beauty expert Madeleine White shows us how we can build sustainability into our beauty routines. Our competitions are always popular, and as well as our usual ﬁnd ‘Bella the Beagle’ page where one lucky reader will win £100 M&S voucher, we also have tickets to give away to see Queen legend Roger Taylor at UEA. Plus, we have a delightful festive afternoon tea for two to give away at Barnham Broom. As usual, competition winners are announced on our Instagram, so do follow us today if you don’t already @vpmagazine. Look after each other, and we’ll see you again with our last issue of the year at the end of November.

Lily

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WINNER of ﬁve National Publishing Awards R E S TAU R A N T R E V I E WS A R E B AC K !

Lily Goulder editor@village-people.info 01284 788623

South Norwich Edition

Discoveries The spaces and support girls need to explore every possibility. Open Day 2nd October

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GOOD NEWS FROM OUR REGION: Hurray for Harleston!

ver wondered what’s going on in Harleston? This charming town has been voted Norfolk Town of the Year several times, and it’s no wonder. The beautiful architecture along narrow streets and quaint alleys reveals a rich history, and you can download a free audio trail app to get a fascinating insider’s view, as told by locals. There is something for everyone in Harleston; a menagerie of shops, cafes, restaurants, a free museum, and a busy calendar of events live up to the town motto ‘Time for Everyone’. And with free parking you can do just that, and take your time to enjoy everything Harleston has to oﬀer. Take a look at the superb range of specialty shops, including clothing boutiques like Daisy & Co, Sue Read Shoes with a men’s clothing department, and antiques aplenty at Cornucopia at the Corn Exchange. Mrs Clarke’s General

Store stocks unique interiors alongside home décor and gifts, and features a gourmet, fully-licensed coffee bar. Stop at The Green Cupboard and All Things Greener to refill cleaning products and stock up on nuts, seeds, spices and more. When you’re ready for a rest, let your tastebuds guide you to an array of eateries including the vegan / vegetarian Hungry Cat Cafe, newlyrefurbished The Cap (Ampersand Brew Co’s first pub), and Momiji Japanese Restaurant. Take home Harleston’s finest from The Tudor Bakehouse, Adnams, DA Browne & Son butchers, and local fishmonger The Fish Box. Harleston has a wonderful community spirit, and offers some great events all year round, such as the annual pancake race, antiques fair, Christmas tree lighting festival, and the upcoming Food and Drink Festival on 2 October. You’ll always have a reason to return to Harleston.

Fantastic New Romantic Suspense Novel by a local author set on the Norfolk Broads and in the fine City of Norwich. AvailableinpaperbackandeBookfromonlineretailers and your local bookshop. For updates on 'Meet The Author' events and competitions go to www.mon-a-johnson.co.uk Happy Reading 10

GOOD NEWS

Still on The Ball

new Still on The Ball Walking Football Club, run by Age UK Norwich, has just kicked oﬀ at Framingham Earl Sports Centre, and any men and women over the age of 50 who fancy a game are invited to join in. Walking football is a fast-growing sport which lets those who are less mobile, injured or older take part at a slower pace. It’s exciting to both play and watch.

Community and Neighbourhood Support Manager Sam Apeh said: “The sessions are aimed at helping older people with various physical health levels enjoy the beautiful game. We support everything, including those with long-term health conditions, individuals who have never tried football before and those who may consider themselves to be slowing up or frail.”

As no tackling is allowed and players can only play at walking pace, the risks of injury or postmatch aches and pains are reduced. As well as helping people keep active, walking football is sociable and a great way to meet new people and stay connected.

All sessions are free and take place at 9-10am every Saturday morning at Framingham Earl Sports Centre, Framingham Earl High School, Norwich Road, Poringland NR14 7QP. For more information, contact Heather Stabler on heather.stabler@ageuknorwich.org.uk or 07435 984683.

CELEBRATE THE GREATEST CHRISTMAS

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GOOD NEWS

Big C needs you

Leave them certain

Organ Donation Week — 20-26 September

Specialist Organ Donation Nurses - Norfolk team

n May 2020, the law around organ donation in England changed to an 'opt out' system. What this means is that unless you have already expressed a decision not to donate, either in conversation with your family or on the NHS Organ Donor Register, it will be considered that you are willing to be an organ donor. However, it’s important to know that your family will always be consulted before organ donation goes ahead, and clinicians would never proceed

if your loved ones object. So it's crucial to talk to your family so they know what you want to happen in the event of your death. 'Leave Them Certain' is this year's call to action.

ig C Cancer charity are excited to announce that building work has begun for its new Norwich Cancer Support & Information Centre on Dereham Road, Norwich. Big C sees ﬁrst hand the impact cancer has on individuals, families, friends and communities across Norfolk & Waveney. Since 1980, the charity has been dedicated to the ﬁght again cancer, and today helps thousands of people across the county and beyond. The new centre, working with the other centres across Norfolk, will provide: counselling and support groups, specialist nurse support, welfare rights advice, individually tailored health and

Visit www.organdonation. nhs.uk to register your decision or ﬁnd out more. Users of the NHS app can also use it to make, check or update your organ donation decision.

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GOOD NEWS ﬁtness programmes, bereavement and palliative care support, a light, calming central seating area, private rooms for one-to-one counselling, a bright space for group activities, and a sensory well-being garden. The new build will take around six months with opening planned for March 2022. An incredible £640,000 has already been raised towards the build, but there’s still a way to go to the completion target of £750,000. This will see the building ﬁnished, furnished and ready to open its doors! Can you help Big C to raise the remaining £110k? Donate via: www.nearertohome.co.uk or Just Giving: Big C Nearer to Home Appeal or contact fundraising@big-c.co.uk, 01603 964492.

The greatest Christmas at Barnham Broom

WIN

arnham Broom wants to help you celebrate Christmas in style this year, and as part of that is oﬀering the chance to win a delightful festive afternoon tea for two. But that’s not all — the beautiful hotel, golf course and spa is the perfect place to get away from it all and enjoy a blissful four-night stay with loved ones this Yuletide, with Barnham Broom’s luxury activity break. Where better to relax and cherish quality time together?! Or why not feast on exceptional food with a festive meal, come together with friends and family to

enjoy one of their Greatest Christmas parties, or indulge in a decadent afternoon tea with a favourite tipple? There are plenty of festivities to get everyone in the spirit. To enter the competition, visit www.village-people.info. To ﬁnd out more about Christmas at Barnham Broom, visit www.barnham-broom. co.uk/christmas. Barnham Broom, Honingham Road, Norwich, NR9 4DD | 01603 759393 | events@barnham-broom.co.uk Ts & Cs apply. We will be choosing one lucky individual's email address as our winner on 31 October. By entering the competition, you will be consenting to sign up to receive emails and special oﬀers from Barnham Broom.

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WHAT'S ON THIS MONTH

Village Notice Board DANCING Thursdays, 7.30pm Scottish Country Dancing St George's Hall, Long Lane, Stoke Holy Cross NR14 8LY Come and try a new activity to keep your mind and body healthy and active! All welcome, no experience necessary. Come on your own or bring a friend. £4 including light refreshments. For more, call Hilary on 07501 837761, or email scottishdancingthursdays@ gmail.com

ART

25 September to 10 October Open Studios across Norfolk More than 320 artists will be taking part across 267 venues to share and sell their work, opening up their studios, garages, spare rooms, garden rooms, community spaces and schools. www.norfolkstudios.org.uk

MUSIC Tues 12 Oct, 7.30pm Spiers & Boden ‘The Comeback Tour’ The Cornhall, 10 St Nicholas St. Diss IP22 4LB Described by The Guardian as

“the finest instrumental duo on the traditional scene”, Spiers & Boden first rocketed onto the music scene in 2001, quickly winning a clutch of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and becoming one of the best loved duos on the English folk scene and beyond. Contact: boxoffice@thecornhall. co.uk, 01379 652241, www. thecornhall.co.uk

EXHIBITION Sat 16 to Fri 22 Oct, 10-4pm Iceni Botanical Artists – Floral Art Reawakening The Guildhall, Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1PR The Iceni Botanical Artists are an East Anglian based group specialising in depicting the wonderful world of plants in a variety of mediums, with a majority favouring watercolour. Their styles vary from classical, botanically accurate plant portraits to broader interpretations of botanical forms and landscapes. Free entry and all works for sale. Contact 01284 247037.

EVENT Sat 16 Oct, 6.30pm Denham Ploughman’s Supper & Auction The Red Feather Club, Denham Raising money for the restoration of our WWII guard room/village hall. A massive variety of auction items to interest everyone, from a sack of local potatoes

to a weekend away in a Suﬀolk holiday let. All tickets include a ploughman’s supper from locally sourced suppliers. Ticket only event. Contact Jane Gilmore: janegilmore@rocketmail.com, 07793 047986.

DRAMA Wed 27 to Sat 30 Oct, 7.30pm Waiting for God Archbishop Sancroft High School, Harleston Harleston Players present the much-loved BBC comedy. Tickets online at www. harlestonplayers.co.uk

CRAFT FAIR Sat 6 November, 10.30am Pennoyer’s Christmas Craft Fair The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary A welcome return of this popular craft fair event. Over 20 craft stalls from local crafters and artisans, giving you plenty of ideas for Christmas gifts and stocking ﬁllers. Free Entry. Parking available. Contact Kath Jones, admin@pennoyers.org.uk / 01379 67666 www.pennoyers.org.uk

WA NT TO ADVERTISE YOUR LOCAL EVENT? List your event for FREE by submitting details directly to our website www.village-people.info

For more information on all events including ticket purchase please see www.village-people.info/whats-on 14

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LOCAL WALKS

Walking for Health Wymondham and Silﬁed REVIEWED BY DOUGIE DINGWALL VOLUNTEER CO-ORDINATOR AT CENTRAL NORFOLK WALKING FOR HEALTH Route by Ruth Burn/Sarah Lidington Route checked and photography by Dougie Dingwall

02. Keep right to pass through some metal bars and enter a wooded area (Lizard Lane) with a well defined footpath. Follow this through the trees and exit to the left of a wooden gate onto a metalled path. Turn left and walk over the A11 on a pedestrian bridge. 03. On reaching a small parking area, turn left onto a footpath through a kissing gate, then left through another kissing gate into Silfield Nature reserve. Walk past a pond on the left and continue with the hedge on your right to leave the reserve, with a wooden fence on your left, though a hedged area on your right. 04. Walk ahead through a grassed area to rejoin the main footpath (marker post here) and continue ahead on a field edge path with a hedge on your right. Where footpaths divide, continue ahead to walk across a field on a well worn path, then continue, initially with a hedge on your right, and keeping right to follow the field edge. 05. On reaching Burnthouse Lane (finger post), turn left and walk to the Y-junction, passing a windmill on your right. Turn right into Compass Road and walk to the end. At the T-junction, turn right into Silfield Street. Walk almost to the road junction, but turn right onto a driveway with a faint footpath marker on a telegraph post. Keep on the right hand driveway, and then left to walk on the path to the left of the house, past an old telephone box. Pass through a gap in the hedge and walk on a grassy path between a hedge and wooden fence.

Starting Point: Wymondham Station Pay & Display Car Park, Cemetery Lane, Wymondham NR18 0JX Grid Reference: Map 237: TG112011 Walk Length (Miles / Km): 4.4 / 7.08

Directions 01. Turn left out of the car park and walk along Cemetery Lane and Station Approach. Cross Station Road with care and walk along The Lizard (metalled road) with the Railway Pub to your right. Continue along this road until the end, then through the gate (ﬁngerpost here) into the grassed area. Keeping the hedge on your right, walk through The Lizard (it can be very wet away from the hedge). 16

06. Exit through a wooden gate to walk on a grassy path across a field. Keep right at the trees and walk ahead with trees on your left and a hedge on your right, stepping over an ivy covered log. Continue along the field edge. Turn right at the hedge (finger post) and walk between wooden fencing (marker) to reach the parking area (arrow at entrance). 07. Turn sharp left and cross the A11. Walk forward on Rightup Lane, passing some housing on your left. Turn right down a rough track, and walk back to The Lizard. Turn left on the metalled road and continue to Station Road. Cross Station Road with care and continue up Station Approach and Cemetery Lane to reach the Car Park.

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CANINE BEHAVIOUR

Parlez Vous POOCH?! Blogger and qualiﬁed ‘Dog Listener’ Julia Collins looks at how fun and play with your four-legged chum can be very instructive.

t is said that half an hour’s constructive play / ‘training’ with a dog, is as tiring as an hour’s brisk walk. Good to know when the weather is horrible and a walk doesn’t feel very inviting. A dog deﬁnitely needs one good walk a day, but the second one can be replaced, when really necessary. Try telling your dog to sit and wait while you hide a favourite toy just out of sight. Then, return to your dog and quietly tell them to ‘ﬁnd it’. Most dogs love this and you can expand the game to hide several articles at once. Make sure the pace is gentle – not too much skidding over shiny floors and loose rugs. Remember – only a calm pooch receives a reward. Tryy also telling your dog to sit and wait while you move away

and then out of sight. He will delight in finding you and, once the idea has taken hold, someone else can hide and you can then send the dog to find them. He will understand this variation based on the previous experience. Stashing treats around the house also goes down a storm. Just place a little ‘reward’ behind chair legs, curtains or room entrances. Now you’ll see some high-speed concentration! Having tried it once, reduce the number of locations and make them less obvious, thus obliging the dog to refine his search. Adding detail to your usual routine is a good idea too. You can stretch time by making the period available intensely packed with requests. Sitting quietlyy while you put on your boots, hat and coat is all good practise. Moving from ‘sit’ to ‘down’ and back again from a distance, followed by a little walk around at heel, a ‘wait’ then ‘come’, all refine attention, centre the dog on you – the leader, and use up ‘thinking energy’! ‘Good waiting’, ‘good no tearing around the hall’, no squeaking – you can see all this is demanding from a cerebral point of view, and all before anyone sets foot

outside the door. In addition, if ‘good paying attention’ and ‘carrying out’ have taken place beforehand, the walk might be a slightly more casual aﬀair, dedicated to running around and letting oﬀ steam, rather than incorporating the usually recommended recalls, change of direction and play. When you carry out a ‘pre-walk’, don’t feel hurried. Don’t think ‘let’s get this over with before we hit the actual walk’. It is part of the exercise regime and a valuable one at that. A smoothly enriched few minutes concentrate the canine mind, calm the household and emphasise an important and rewarding discipline for everyone concerned. Parlez Vous POOCH?! articles are also available on the Oracle, an audio o information magazine for visuaally impaired listeners, which iss part of Wymondham and Attleborrough Talking Newspapers. To accesss all the Talking Newspaper recordings, go to ww www ww.wa w atn.org.uk

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GARDENS

The Garden Enclosure Jottings

ow that autumn is upon us, your spring-planted hanging baskets and pots are probably looking a little tired and shabby, but just because the days are drawing in there’s no need to go short of a cheery splash of colour in the garden. Instead of taking down your baskets and hiding them in the shed (or worse still, leaving them on show!) try replanting them, and not only will you brighten up the dull months to come, you’ll also discover how much easier they are to maintain than summer displays. Winter pansies and violas can hardly fail to lift the heart with their colourful ‘faces’, and although their flowering performance slows down during the harshest weather, the show returns given a couple of better days. Available in either mixed or single colour packs, they give

incredible value, plant them into fresh compost, add slow-release fertiliser, pop in a couple of ivy plants and you have a fully refreshed basket. Mini cyclamen perform remarkably well in a sheltered position, they look great on their own or combine well with small evergreens such as bugle, house leeks, and small airy grasses. If it’s a tasty combination you’re after, take one purple or green sage, a variegated thyme, some rosemary (upright or creeping) and golden marjoram — a winning recipe for just outside the kitchen door! Pots, troughs and other containers oﬀer amazing scope for winter planting. A single evergreen shrub will provide structure and interest, for instance a winter-flowering viburnum, a sweet-smelling sarcococca, or a variegated dwarf pittosporum. If

your container is of a generous size, make up an arrangement; try skimmia, a coloured-stemmed cornus (dogwood), creeping variegated euonymous and Helleborus niger (Christmas rose). You could even tuck in some dwarf bulbs for that extra zing in the spring! The plants can be removed and added to the garden borders if you need your pots back for summer bedding, or left to grow on with a little care for another couple of seasons. Conifers (don’t automatically think leylandii!) come in a beautiful range of textures, shapes and colours — gold, bronze, yellow, green and even blue, and not all grow to an enormous size. Try planting one with mixed winter heathers which flower for weeks and are loved by bees, plant in ericaceous (acid) compost or choose ‘Erica’ types which will thrive in most soils. Autumn isn’t the end of the gardening season, it’s the beginning of a new one…so pick a bright day, polish your trowel and be creative!

Cheers Ken,

The Garden Enclosure, Banham making autumn colourful!

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GARDENS

ON YOUR PLOT Falling into autumn JOBS FOR OCTOBER & NOVEMBER n

Harvest apples, pears, grapes and nuts

Prune climbing roses

Renovate lawns and turfed areas

Clear up fallen leaves

Raise containers onto pot feet

Don’t forget to feed the wildlife

Art class!

ven the best gardens can be improved with a little creative thinking. Garden art is on the rise, and adds interest and colour to your outdoor spaces. Here are some great ideas to get you going: Sharp focus – A focal point, such as a statue, draws attention to an area you want to showcase. Place it in front of a pond to create a reflection. Mimic nature – Position animal art somewhere that looks natural. Metal or wood looks particularly good, as it ages over time. A touch of whimsy – Adding some witty and whimsical art to your garden will make you smile every time you see it. Something that looks a little out of place!

Drip-drop – Rain chains are functional and decorative. They help to direct water away from your house and look beautiful too.

Sound it out – A wind chime in your garden will create a beautiful relaxing sound and look good at the same time. Focus on unique or unusual designs.

Perfectly round – A sphere is an easy way to add interest. Display them on columns to add height, or create a collection of them on the ground.

LITTLE SHOOTS

elping kids to understand and be part of the changing seasons can be fun for everyone. The ere are plenty of things to engage young minds this autumn.

Collecting seeds is a great way to teach kids about gardening, as they will be able to see how the plant reproduces, the wide variety of shapes and sizes, and d how they are dispersed. Try making a wind spinner; beau utiful to look at and super easy to make — with a little adu ult supervision. Seed bombs are messy fun, and if you d don’t have a garden of your own you can plant them in areeas of woodland or river walks and see what pops up! Fairy doors are magical portals that can be found in n woods all over the world, and making them is a lovelly activity for youngsters. Use old pieces of wood, twigs,, buttons, pebbles and beads, and then place your doo or against a tree in a nearby wood, or in your own gardeen.

GARDENS

Tropical Taste If you want a jungle feel in your garden, it is possible to create a tropical style without having to swathe your plants in bubble wrap when the weather turns colder! Focus on these hardy tropicals and you can enjoy them all year round.

Chusan Palm – This lovely plant with fan-shaped leaves is incredibly robust in very cold winters, but it's a good idea to bubble wrap the top.

Bean Tree – A slow-growing tree with big leaves that form an umbrella shape. Great for giving a small garden a shady, jungle-like feel.

Ginger Lily – Abulb-like plant with gorgeous orange flowers, it will push up through the soil in early summer to produce red flowers late in the season.

Bamboo – The perfect plants for a tropical look. Reliably hardy, evergreen and they don't take up too much space. Choose a clump-growing type like black bamboo.

Fatsia – Along with its climbing relative fatshedera, this has big, glossy, evergreen leaves, giving a perfect exotic backdrop to the garden.

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GIVEAWAY

He will rock you!

Village People has four pairs of tickets to give away to see Queen legend Roger Taylor at the UEA on 9 October

ock icon Roger Taylor has made the surprise announcement that he will play a UK solo tour this autumn, introducing brand new material and revisiting some of his very own Queen classics. With the pandemic putting Queen + Adam Lambert’s epic UK and European tour on pause until 2022, the acclaimed drummer has decided to hit the road for a set of intimate shows. The upcoming concerts will showcase his distinctive percussive, vocal and song writing talents that have been integral to Queen’s live and recorded output since 1970. As the songwriter of many of Queen’s biggest hits and much-

loved tracks including A Kind of Magic, Radio Ga Ga, I’m In Love With My Car, Sheer Heart Attack and These Are the Days of Our Lives, while also being one of rock’s most distinctive vocalists, Taylor promises a solo tour with an enthusiastic foray into Queen and his own classic catalogues, while also including new songs written in lockdown that feature on the multi-instrumentalist’s new Outsider album. “This is my modest tour, I just want it to be lots of fun, very good

musically, and I want everybody to enjoy it,” says Taylor. “I’m really looking forward to it. Will I be playing Queen songs too? Absolutely!”

To be in with a chance of winning, visit www.village-people.info and follow the links to the competition page. Closing date is 3 Oct 2021 and the usual Village People rules apply.

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POETRY

Poetry Corner

This moving poem commemorating Remembrance Day was written by Dee Len, from Attleborough. THE LAST POST The clock moves With endless rhythm Tick tock, tick tock They wait in silence Where the air is heavy It is a restless wait But time never fails to make her mark As our men stand ﬁrm Guns aimed and ready Awaiting their orders to be given The clock moves With endless rhythm Tick tock, tick tock They wait in silence Where the air is heavy vyy A signal is made And guns start ﬁring Bullets propelling whistling, whirling The noise frightening Whilst the battles rage The clock moves With endless rhythm

Tick tock, tick tock Where the air is thick And the ﬁghting heavy All around, lights flash, men fall While still, more orders are exchanged Now time has no consideration As the world spins And confusion wins The clock moves With endless rhythm Tick tock, tick tock Where the air is thick And the ﬁghting heavy vyy

Are you a poet from Norfolk or Suffolk? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email a selection of poems and a bit about you to editor@village-people.info for the chance to be featured in a future issue.

Nearby a bugle blows The end is near A cease ﬁre raised Their weapons yield The Last Post proclaimed The clock moves With endless rhythm Tick tock, tick tock As they wait in silence Where the air is heavy vy. y

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CAKE RECIPE

Lime, Courgette & Poppy Seed Cake (gluten-free) This is a delicious way to use up a late season surfeit of courgettes, even the larger ones. Courgettes are not just for savoury dishes, here they add a sweet moistness. Serves 14-16 501kcal 51g carbs per slice

Tip:

INGREDIENTS

If you don’t need gluten-free, substitute ordinary ﬂour and omit the xanthan gum.

Cake: 340g courgettes 4 large eggs 170ml vegetable oil 200g caster sugar 300g gluten-free self-raising ﬂour 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon xanthan gum 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional) Zest of 3 limes, grated 2 tablespoons lime juice Syrup (optional): 75g caster sugar 50ml water 1 lime, sliced, plus any juiced remnants Frosting: 275g spreadable butter, very soft 250g mascarpone, at room temperature 275g icing sugar Zest and juice of 1 lime

METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan). Grease and baseline 3 x 20cm sandwich tins. Grate the courgettes into a bowl lined with

strong kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. We grate about 75% roughly, 25% ﬁnely. Squeeze out all excess liquid then leave to drain further. 2. To make the lime syrup (if using) dissolve the sugar in the water over a medium heat, then add the lime, mash it down to extract all juice and boil for ﬁve minutes or so. Leave to cool. 3. Whisk the eggs, vegetable oil and sugar until creamy. Sift in the flour, bicarb, baking powder and xanthan gum and beat well. Add the poppy seeds, lime juice and zest and beat through, then add the drained courgette and combine thoroughly. 4. Divide between the cake tins and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, run a knife around the edge and leave in the tin. If using, brush each cake with lime syrup, or skewer and pour on for a stickier cake.

5. For the frosting, beat together the butter and mascarpone until light and fluﬀy. Add the icing sugar in three batches, then whisk for about ﬁve minutes on a high speed. Add the juice and zest and beat in thoroughly. ₁ 6. Use ⁄⁴ of the frosting between each layer of cake, then cover the top and sides with the remainder. Decorate as you wish – we use more lime zest and fresh sliced lime. Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. 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 is open Mon-Sat from 10am to 3pm. www.pennoyers.org.uk 01379 676660 The Pennoyer Centre, Station Road, Pulham St Mary, Norfolk, IP21 4QT

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SPORT

The ‘fun’ syndicate with a passion for horses By Colin Burr, BDR Syndicate Joint Partner & Racing Manager

f you want to be part of an exciting, friendly and sociable group for racehorse owners, then BDR Syndicate could be for you. We are formed from all kinds of backgrounds and trades, retired folk and millennials, all with a shared passion; the thrill of seeing our horses win! The sport pulls all these people together to form, in their words, 'The Fun Syndicate’. We are a nationwide group, and a local syndicate has recently been set up from a group from Diss Golf Club. We jointly own eight horses, and our growing organisation has seen ple enty of winners and places. But itt's not just about that; we have a shared goal of horse welfare and boast two highly regarded and extremely successful train ners; Graeme McPherson, who is also a top London QC, an nd Caroline Bailey, whose fam mily

is steeped in racing — her father won the Grand National in 1982 on Grittar. I run the group alongside my business partner Stewart Dudwell, and we decided to form BDR after doing something similar with a group of friends. We wanted to take on the big commercial syndicates and win in our own right. Our aim is simple; the ﬁnancial beneﬁts of the business stay in the group to keep costs low, to spend on hospitality and enhance the experience of BDR members. Stable open days are an important part of our social activity, and we enjoyed a wonderful event in June with trainer Graeme McPherson n. The whole stable mo orning experien nce is a huge part off owning a horse. The behind the scen nes love, care

and attention with race planning goes unnoticed by some who just prefer a day at the races. But the journey to actually getting the horses to the track is all part of the fun of horse ownership, and when your horse actually wins, the sheer emotion from that is magical. Sharing the costs, the thrill, the fun and forming new friendships only enhances the experience. New BDR members are most welcome, so if horses are your passion and you’d like to be part of a friendly and winning team, please get in touch. bdrsyndicates.com

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LOCAL KNOWLEDGE | LOCAL PEOPLE | LOCAL PROPERTY

CITY | COUNTY | COASTAL 34

*Texts are charged at your standard network rate. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.easytodonate.org. Big C is the working name of The Big C Appeal Ltd. Registered charity, number 281730 and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, number 1521441. VAT registration number 688 7342 76. Registered ofﬁce: Centrum, Norwich Research Park, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UG.

LOCAL HISTORY

Memories of Gislingham 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 Gislingham. This 1915 postcard shows the Gislingham Six Bells pub at the end of the high street. Charles Knott was landlord at the time. The pub is still open today, but the buildings on the left have been converted into houses.

Gislingham War Memorial was erected in 1920 and unveiled in the churchyard. This postcard shows the rector, soldiers and Boy Scouts at the ceremony. The high street in 1949, featuring an old village cottage. Both sides of the street have since had new cottages added, so the village looks very diﬀerent today.

St Mary’s Church, seen here in 1911, was built in the 15th century and contained six bells. The Rev Daniel Bennett was rector at the time.

LOCAL HISTORY

A noveltyy postcard from 1910,, which was popular at the time. John Kerry’s Post Oﬃce, in 1908, was also a grocer and draper, selling everyday items. He also made door-todoor deliveries with a horse and cart. Gislingham tower mill, in 1912, on Mill Street, run by Nathan Finch. It was put up for sale in 1928, along with the miller’s house, and demolished in 1930. The house still remains.

Mill Street, in 1928, featuring the United Methodist Chapel, which was built in 1860 along with a meeting room. The population at this time was 450. Many new houses have now been built along this street.

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.

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

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FOOD

T O P TA B L E

The Walnut Tree, Thwaite

t’s so good to be out reviewing our fantastic local eateries again, and we couldn’t have made a better start with The Walnut Tree, at Thwaite. This imposing Grade II listed building on the A140 was in The Times last year as one of the 30 best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the UK, so we had high hopes. Looking at the menu, it’s clear that this is veggie and vegan food with a difference; creative, innovative choices, lots of world food dishes and enough options to get our mouths watering. I would put it firmly in the good gastro pub category. There are also vegan drinks on offer, including beers, wines and soft drinks. But on with the food, to start with I chose chickpea and apricot tagine, which came with a wonderful spiced carrot chutney, toasted sunflower seeds, and very

moreish deep fried beetroot flour tortilla triangles. A beautifully cooked and presented dish, with sweet, savoury, spicy and tart all working together perfectly. My partner started with vegetable gyozas, crispy deep-fried parcels of shredded vegetables, coriander root and chives, drizzled with plum sauce, topped with toasted sesame seeds, and served with Asian slaw. Again, very tasty, innovative and gorgeous to look at. On to mains, and for me a mushroom and walnut polpette, with roasted mushroom and walnut ‘meatballs’ served on a bed of pasta, with a creamy roasted red pepper and sun dried tomato sauce, and Italian hard cheese. This was proper pasta, those meatballs were divine, not heavy but ‘meaty’, and the sauce was fresh and packed with Mediterranean flavours.

For my companion, it was baked brie, spinach and butternut squash risotto, made with pearl barley. This was a great combo of rustic and modern, the risotto al dente and very tasty. Like my dish, it also came with some superb crisp garlic bread and salad, so generous portions too. And equally lovely presentation. We had very little room for desserts, but they looked so good. For me, an apple, date and cinnamon crumble, with an almond and oat topping and custard; and for my partner, blackberry and sherry trifle, with fresh blackberries and homemade sponge in a sherry spiked jelly, custard and fresh cream. Both delicious and beautiful to look at — the perfect end to a truly memorable meal. It’s clear that The Walnut Tree knows their way around good veggie and vegan food, it’s created and presented with so much care, flair and attention to detail, using our fantastic local produce. And superb warm and friendly service, too, especially from our waiter Zak. A must for vegans and veggies, and even for those who just love really good food! Three-course dinner for two, including drinks - £59.55. The Walnut Tree, Norwich Road, Thwaite, Eye IP23 7ED. Open Wednesday to Saturday: 11am to 3.30pm and 5.30pm to 10pm, and Sunday: 12pm to 4.30pm. Tel: 01449 766003 W: thewalnuttreethwaite.com walnuttreethwaite 39

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ART

A stunning local cast! In her ﬁnal article for Village People, art writer Kristy Campbell interviews Suﬀolk sculptor Alice Ewing, who’s work reflects the local scenery

utumn is upon us. Once again, the leaves on trees are beginning to turn and the cold weather is spurring on the fruit to fall. The days no longer measure quite as long, and we greet our woollen wears with open arms. This harvest season I have had the pleasure of interviewing accomplished and distinctive Suﬀolk sculptor Alice Ewing, whose work flourishes at the turn of each season with new and beautiful decorative items commemorating the organic and changing scenery of the countryside. Alice is a Cambridge University History of Art master’s graduate. She owns and runs a foundrystudio with her partner Freddy, in Brandeston, which they started in 2016. The pair practiced under

Laurence Edwards, who facilitated their learning of the casting process. Alice tells us of the freelance career trajectory within a rural arts scene, and issues meaning to the stunning exclusive designs created in their Riggle Street studio. Practice “The origins of my own foundry began whilst training in that atelier context. Myself and Freddy built a curious little foundry set-up out of an abandoned shopping trolley and an old steel bin — as soon as we clocked oﬀ in the main studio, we’d switch over to our own, running mini pours out the back in the evenings. “Sculpture isn’t a tremendously ‘portable' process. The studio is full of moulds, there are physical and

material ideas sat around waiting to be cast. A sense of rootedness and of place tends to come about quite naturally. You literally have to ground part of yourself to see an idea all the way through in this material. There’s a great quote by Roger Deakin which has always stayed with me in this respect, he describes it as ‘freewheeling around a fixed point.’ “I’ve gradually developed different ‘areas’ within my practice as some ideas or projects have taken on a life of their own. My series and now second design-studio, Pomarius, as an example. This studio began as a residency project; I was working with a heritage garden, casting the produce in bronze as a way of celebrating the longevity and dedication to the site. The work and the concept took on a life of its own, recreating itself in different locations. “I’ve since collaborated with fashion brand Loewe with Pomarius and it’s wonderful to still have a reason to visit beautiful gardens as part of this series. My other sculpture focuses on landscape and place too, but with a very different aesthetic in the outcomes — linear, ‘drawn’ works in bronze. Alongside my work, we continue to operate as foundry casting for other artists and running the occasional educational programme via The Portable Foundry Project…so, I’ve developed many hats to wear!”

ART

Commissions “The project with Loewe has been incredibly exciting. I’ve produced a jewellery series for their SS21 collection, in addition to sculptures for a still life series as part of the same collection under creative director Jonathan Anderson. It was peculiar working on this under the pandemic — I was casting works and sending them off via UPS, all discussion and signing off happening remotely or over the phone. Then, suddenly, these works sent out in little brown boxes from deepest dark Suffolk were appearing in fashion photoshoots or being worn by people and tagged on Instagram! A recent commission to cast a full-size lobster in bronze was also pretty challenging, on a par with the pig’s head cast, now at the Unruly Pig, a few years ago!” Community projects “Most recently, I’ve had a couple of projects responding to lockdown and the dramatic increase in loneliness that this has caused in rural communities locally. The Portable Foundry Project ran a residency with Suffolk Art Link in

Eye, supplying free sculpture kits to families and the local care home. The outcomes of the kits created a collection of coins we cast in bronze. People were able to spend these in town; an opportunity to meet up and enjoy a slice of cake or a snack together, as well as taking part in the sculpture kit activities. I also collaborated on a project in Woodbridge for new parents during lockdown, repurposing a container to allow for creative workshops to happen there for mums and babies who’d otherwise lost access to local parent groups.” Upcoming projects “I’m currently working on a collection of cast mushrooms through the Alde Valley Festival (Galloper Sands Gallery). It’s technically a year-long residency through Pomarius, documenting the wonderful 'fungi consequences' of the re-wilding there. Locally, I’ll have pieces with the Art for Cure show in September (25th-29th), at Merchants Table (Woodbridge) and Cambridge Contemporary.”

Managing the freelance journey “Create some space. I’m realising that more and more. There are always things to do, to generate, to ﬁnish. But I’m not sure that constant ‘directness’ is necessarily the best energy to nurture all the time. I think you need to have a working ‘structure’ and I think there needs to be some way of creating a bit of undesignated space within that. “I feel quite lucky that this last year or so hasn’t been as disrupted as it has been for other freelancers. I’ve still been able to get to the studio safely and continue to work. I suppose my workplace doesn’t necessarily keep its boundaries; it is the studio/foundry, but it’s also home and anywhere I’m thinking about a project or a piece.” Artist: Alice Ewing www.aliceandreaewing.com @aliceandreaewing www.pomarius-collecitons.co.uk @pomarius_collections Writer: Kristy Campbell www.axisweb.org/p/kristycamp @kristycamp

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NATURE

Going bats in the Claylands By Helen Baczkowska, Conservation Oﬃcer at Norfolk Wildlife Trust

n a warm summer evening in the Norfolk Claylands, I am standing in a meadow with my friend Mick. He has his bat detector ready and as he presses a button, the black box emits a chugging sound at around 45 kHz. “Pipistrelle,” says Mick. This is Britain’s smallest bat, no bigger than my thumb and I spot it, for a moment, twisting as it hunts moths across the meadow. I tell Mick that I’m sure I could hear bats when I was a child, and he says this was probably the social calls of pipistrelles. Sadly, human hearing diminishes as we age and I can now no longer hear the high-pitched squeaks and instead have to rely on the detector to pick up the echo location the bats use as they hunt and navigate at night. As the evening darkens, there are a couple more pipistrelles – possibly the same ones returning – then a noctule bat flies high along the hedge before diving as it closes in on its prey. I am a novice in the world of bats and excited to be here, learning about creatures we usually only glimpse

Barbastelle bat, credit Mnolf

as flitting shadows in the dusk. We are hoping for a barbastelle, Britain’s rarest bat and recorded on a few sites in the Claylands. These are mediumsized bats, around four or ﬁve centimetres long and with broad wings. Close up, their noses are pug-shaped, their ears wide and although the wings and head are mostly black, the body is tinged with ginger-brown hairs. If we had been lucky enough to pick one up on the detector, it would have been a series of short clicks like castanets and slower pulses at around 32 kHz.

In summer, up to 20 females gather together in maternity roosts, often in the darkest parts of woodland, in cracks and old trees. When the young are ready to fly, at around three weeks old, they follow their mothers out of the woods to hunt for moths and lacewings along hedges and over grassland. The males are more solitary creatures in summer, moving frequently between daytime roosts, from joints in old timber barns to flaking bark on dead branches or trees. In winter, the bats will hibernate in similar spots, but they are hardy

NATURE

Barbastelle bat, credit Charlotte Packman

Common Pipistrelle, credit Tom Marshall

Hedge landscapes in South Norfolk are great for bats, credit NWT

Bat surveyor, credit Tom Marshall

compared to other species and occasionally move between roosts on mild days. As it grows dark, I can no longer see the bats, only hearing them when the detector picks up their sounds. I try to imagine the landscape as they see, or more accurately, hear it at night. There seems so much that is vital for them, especially grasslands where moths and other insects thrive, as well as hedges, woodlands,

commons and churchyards, wildlife gardens, trees with dead or dying branches, playing ﬁelds and ponds. Most of all, I realise it’s having a landscape where these habitats not only exist, but are connected, allowing the bats to move between feeding sites and roosts.

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FALCON MEADOW

Create your own MEADOW-LYMPICS! Laura Myatt, from Falcon Meadow Community Trust, shows how sporting prowess can be found in our favourite green space!

ast your mind back to the summer when the Olympics brought entertainment, excitement, and perhaps even inspiration for many of us. If you’re looking to recreate that buzz, why not visit Falcon Meadow and enjoy some lighthearted Olympic-style challenges in beautiful surroundings? These ‘events’ below are designed for all ages and physical abilities, and the combination of exercise, fresh air and nature will give you a boost as the weather turns colder. Make it as competitive or experimental as you like, but do have fun! White Water Pooh Sticks Gather a selection of ergonomic sticks from the selection freely available, launch them into the water from the bridge and watch as they embark on a white-knuckle course over the weir. Gold medal to the ﬁrst stick to appear (in any state) on the other side of the bridge.

Stick Javelin Find a long stick that looks like it might be aerodynamic. Choose an open area of the meadow with no people or dogs. Take your position at an agreed point (a molehill could serve as a good marker) and launch your ‘stick javelin’ as far as you can. Measure the distance thrown by pacing. Furthest distance wins.

Steeplechase (Note - this event requires recent rainfall for maximum authenticity) Begin at the Falcon Gate. Aim to run / wheel the entire length of the meadow, jumping in – or driving through if you are in a wheelchair or buggy – as many puddles as possible along the way. The winner can be the fastest time (traditional) or the wettest / muddiest participant (possibly more fun).

Rhythmic Gymnastics Choose a leafy branch (make sure it’s dead, detached and down) or a wavy reed. Competitors must aim to move across the meadow demonstrating speed, skill and flexibility, while waving – or ideally throwing – their prop into the air and catching it in a graceful manner. Judges can award points for agility and / or self-expression.

Olympic Charades Choose a quiet area of the meadow for your ‘stage’. Athletes must take it in turns to ‘act out’ an Olympic event – while audience members guess which one it is. Medals to most convincing actors! Finally – make your medals! Look carefully on the meadow for gold, silver and bronze leaves and enjoy an outdoor awards ceremony in recognition of your eﬀorts. Most importantly – Falcon Meadow is there for everyone to enjoy. Make sure your version of fun doesn’t aﬀect other people’s; and use your judgement wisely to avoid slips, trips or falls. Good luck! If you’d like to support our work, please visit www.falconmeadow.org.uk

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VILLAGE LIFE

Gospel from The Saints By Julia Collins, who lives in Saint Nicholas

e are entering that lovely golden part of the year when everything softens, mellowing in colour and texture. The harsher brightness we’ve enjoyed from the sun becomes more rounded, giving us warmth slightly later every day and, likewise, tucking itself away that bit earlier each afternoon — especially when the day’s brought a surprise sample of wintery weather. Now is the time to check the log store, pull out thicker jumpers and reintroduce woolly gloves to our daily sorties. Honing awareness that may well have already been sharpened (or perhaps awakened) during preceding months, we can again gorge our senses with all the delights nature has to oﬀer. From the visual feast to the satisfaction of gathering from the hedgerows — bounty we can take home to process into delicacies to brighten the darker, wintery months. Cobnuts, sloes, rosehips, all available to those in the know. We can then savour the season’s gifts inside, ﬁlling shelves with jewelled jars of jellies and cordials. Interesting to make, beautiful to look at and wonderful to consume or bestow as a gift. Hallow’een creates an entertaining focus. An excuse for a party, and outside is ideal. Pumpkins enjoy their annual attention, and nowadays this event spans several weeks. Chubby, orange faces gurn from doorsteps and front gardens well before and after the special day. Coinciding with half term,

hallow’een begs some dressing up, scary masks at the very least, ghoulish face paint and terrifying talons almost de rigeur. Just a week later we celebrate Guy Fawkes, that unmistakeable signpost heralding winter. With the garden at least partly ‘put to bed’ it’s an excellent opportunity for a bonﬁre, perhaps a barbecue, and even more (by now well rehearsed and expertly executed) outdoor cheer. Gently but surely the daylight alters, but this year we will probably continue to meet up with friends more, and perhaps take long awaited holidays well

into the actual winter. We have learned to expand our ideas, appreciating and exploiting opportunities wherever they exist. ‘Seize the day, it might be taken away’ could be the theme resulting from the hampering lockdowns we endured. Now we realise that you really don’t know what is round the corner, procrastination is doubly unwise. Battening down the hatches, we’ve had plenty of that! Open the doors and windows when meeting up inside and certainly keep safe, but let’s stretch everything that the autumn has to oﬀer. 55

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BEAUTY

he beauty industry is responsible for producing over 142 billion units of packaging every year worldwide. Unfortunately, the vast majority of this packaging isn’t recycled, and many products contain microplastic ingredients in the formulas themselves, which are causing terrible damage to marine life — and they are not good for our bodies either! Beauty packing waste is a serious problem, but there are ways you can minimise your beauty footprint, while also enhancing your wellbeing and appearance. Here are some of my favourite ways to indulge in some low cost, low waste beauty rituals.

Enjoy an Epsom Salt bath

Look Good Feel Good Do Good

Madeleine White, ex-model, make-up artist and founder of award-winning local ethical beauty brand, Juni Cosmetics, shows how we can build sustainability into our beauty routine. junicosmetics.co.uk

Practice facial massage Incorporate facial massage ge into your daily skincare routine, either while cleansing or applying your favourite oil; it’s one of the best ways you can instantly brighten, tone and de-puﬀ your face. There’s a plethora of tutorials and guides available online showcasing various techniques – I sometimes like to use a gua sha or jade roller, but the key takeaway here is consistency.

Epsom Salts dissolve in the bath to leave skin soothed and toned. It relaxes the muscles while providing a pampering, sensual experience. A 20-minute soak can support a good night’s sleep and make you feel ultra-relaxed.

Eat more fermented foods

We all know the importance of diet and, of course, the basics need to be covered; fruit and veg, healthy fats, protein, etc, but it’s also good to feed the gut with fermented foods. G Good bacteria = a happy gutt = clear, glowing skin. My favourites include M sauerkraut, coconut keﬁr, apple cider vinegar and miso.

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A good haircut is so underrated! Finding a stylist who can enhance your hair texture and create a style that suits your face shape and lifestyle can reduce the need for hair products and tools. Once you’ve found your signature style, all you’ll need is a gentle shampoo and conditioner and a good hair brush and you’ll be good to go. Eﬀortless, easy hair at its best.

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Brooke House, Brooke Gardens, Brooke, Norwich NR15 1JH. Oaklands, Norwich Road, Scole, Diss, IP21 4EE. The Depperhaugh, Chickering Road, Hoxne, Nr Eye, Suffolk, IP21 5BX. Thorp House, Church Road, Griston, Norfolk IP25 6QA. Yaxley House care home, Church Lane, Yaxley, Eye, Suffolk, IP23 8BU.

Our residents and staff have been vaccinated against Covid.

With the continuous vaccine roll-out and regular Covid testing we are safely welcoming new residents. To discuss the care needs of your loved one call 01502 322 277 or visit www.kingsleyhealthcare.co.uk.

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BEAUTY

SOP Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, Face Scrub Bar A body care brand inspired by the Norfolk landscape and lang guag ge. Organic, vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly aluminium m bottles.

his is a very elegant range; understated style with a compelling story to go with it. I loved the recyclable aluminium bottles, too. Each product has a fragrance ‘identity’ relevant to Norfolk, which uses ingredients such as bergamot, black pepper and ylang ylang to revive and invigorate. That certainly worked for me; those gorgeous scents really helped to perk me up ﬁrst thing! Bars to

replace plastic botttles are the way forward as a susstainable alternative, and th his face scrub bar melted into my skin and left it really soft. A A great local brand with impec cca able naturenurturing credenttia als. Tip: All orders come with a sachet of wildﬂower or sunﬂower seeds — a great touch! sop.life

YOU

Beauty!

More reviews of the best natural, sustainable and ethical beauty products in Norfolk and Suﬀolk…the ones that really do work! LOUISE YOUNG COSMETICS 100% vegan make-up brushes, high-performance

f you want to create a truly professional make-up look, these vegan cruelty-free brushes are the ones to choose. Designed by a local make-up artist who works on major ﬁlm productions worldwide, the brushes use synthetic hair that mimics the performance of natural hair, like sable, but performs better and is longer lasting. You can buy the brushes separately, but I was lucky enough to try the 11-brush set, which really does

oﬀer everything you need for cheeks, eyes, lips and face. The e brushes are beautifully soft, ho old colour well, and enabled me to o apply and build product very accurately for a flawless look. Tip: Long-handled brushes also available.

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BEAUTY

NORFOLK NATURAL LIVING Body Cleanser, Hydrating Face Wash, Soothing Body Lotion, Hand Cream Handmade in Norfolk, natural plant-based ingredients, vegan, ideal for sensitive skin

nother luxury local brand inspired by Norfolk sights, smells and places, and designed to improve wellbeing using the power of natural ingredients. The ethos of Norfolk Natural Living is to bring beauty and pleasure to our daily rituals, and this range certainly ticked that box for me. The Face Wash and Body Cleanser were a cut above the average ‘shower gels’, delicately fragranced, rich and luxurious — a little went a long way — and the

Body Lotion added a gorgeous layer of lemon and frankincense scented hydration to my skin. The whole eﬀect was to make me feel really pampered…lovely! The little aluminium pot of hand cream was the perfect handbag size for moisturising on the go. Tip: Look out for their home cleaning and laundry products too

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MASSAGICAL Gold Salt Scrub, Massagical Cream, Soap, Lip Balm Made by hand in Suﬀolk using 100% natural ingredients; rapeseed oil, elderflowers, shea butter, Himalayan rock salt, natural oils. Vegetarian and mostly vegan.

or me, the star of this range was the combo of the Gold Salt Scrub and Massagical Cream. I used the delicious lemonscented scrub all over my body in the shower twice a week during the summer months, moisturising afterwards with the Cream. The result was supe er smooth, wonderfully soft, supple skin…and I tanned more easilyy then ever before. I also tried the Lip Balm, which left my lips soft and hydrated, and the luxury lathery handmade

soap was a lovely touch of class. Check out their website for some delicious elderflower recipes too. Tip: Use Massagical Lip Balm on any dry areas of skin on your body.

Products reviewed by Village People Sub Editor Lucy Ohsten. If you are an ethical, natural Norfolk or Suffolk beauty brand and you would like Village People to review your products, just email

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Melton House Care Home is a place to live

happy

We pride ourselves on having a happy home where residents and their families can enjoy spending quality time with each other and develop friendships along the way. Our care team offers Residential Care, Residential Dementia Care and Respite Care.

Call our friendly team on: 01953 828199 Melton House Care Home 47 Melton Road, Wymondham, Norfolk, NR18 0DB

Face-to-face visits available!

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CARLETON HOUSE FAMILY OWNED AND MANAGED RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE WE OFFER:

En-suite/part en-suite private room with TV l Full laundry service l Home cooked meals prepared daily with fresh produce l Fully inclusive activities and entertainment programme l Visiting hairdresser l Beautiful surroundings overlooking the countryside l Couples welcome l

Come and visit us and speak to our care manager to make an informed decision about your care.

At Carleton House, we are able to offer long-term residential care for older people including low-needs dementia care in a safe and welcoming environment.We are a trusted family run care home provider with over 30 year’s experience.

For all enquiries please call 01508 570451, email manager@carleton.house or visit our website www.mintoncare.co.uk. Carleton House Care House, Rectory Road, East Carleton. Norwich NR14 8HT 62

9.7 RATING

RETAIL

Two become one to boost customer experience

t is well known that the pandemic has moved shopping increasingly online, and two long established Norfolk electrical retailers have taken the step to serve local and national customers better, with the launch of a new, dual-branded e-commerce website. Award-winning independent retailers, Snellings, based in Bloﬁeld Heath, and Gerald Giles, based in Norwich, are trusted family businesses with over 73 years of retail innovation. Although the businesses merged in 2011 under the ownership of the Snelling Group, led by managing director Paul Giles, they have had separate websites – until now. The new advanced website, which can be found at www. geraldgiles.co.uk, allows customers to enjoy the convenience of online shopping, with comprehensive product, brand information and advice at their ﬁngertips. Both shops have seen a big

increase in online sales in the last 15 months, particularly Gerald Giles, whose previous website allowed customers from across the UK to purchase a wide range of Small Kitchen appliances such as Food Mixers, Processors, Fryers, Kettles, Toasters & Vacuum Cleaners, plus a wide range of accessories. Mr Giles says: “We have been planning one website for both brands for some time and the recent increase in online traﬃc and sales success meant we learnt a lot about how people are shopping and what they are looking for. We have used these experiences to update the website functionality and our ranges online to meet this demand. “In addition, merging our websites will provide customers with a wider product range from leading well-known brands, plus there is an extensive range of services for customers to choose from and highly competitive

prices. It makes sense to bring this together on one website. “We created our first Gerald Giles website in 1999 to provide information to local customers, and this longstanding experience of e-commerce has subsequently benefitted Snellings and our overall business. We decided to use the Gerald Giles website address as it receives the most website visitors and it’s well established on Google. People who search for Snellings in the future will automatically be forwarded on to this new website.” The new website contains 1000’s of products from top electrical brands such as Sony, Miele, Samsung, Bosch, Panasonic, Neff, Bose, Siemens and more, with free UK delivery on orders over £100. The business services 1000’s of customers every year and a new distribution centre in Norwich has been created to efficiently store and distribute products. Mr Giles adds, “Our focus is electrical innovation, taking technology to customers and providing excellent customer service, which builds on our successful heritage. Our business has a strong tradition of being forward-thinking and following the latest trends. Our founders, Roy Snelling and Gerald Giles, were quick to adapt to, and embrace, new technology and had a perpetual drive to improve their businesses. We are keeping this tradition alive.” www.geraldgiles.co.uk

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Corton House is a not for proﬁt care home with a Christian ethos, providing excellent, loving care and support. We offer a Covid Secure environment and assured CQC in all 8 areas of a recent Infection Prevention and Control Audit. Enjoy newly refurbished communal spaces as well as secure gardens and spacious en suite rooms.

Get in touch to arrange a tour with our home manager: 01603 620119 manager@cortonhouse.co.uk visit www.cortonhouse.co.uk

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GREAT LOCATION IN THE HEART OF NORWICH CLOSE TO TRAIN/BUS STATION 64

REAL LIVES

Changing the Lives of a Million Orphans Norfolk journalist, Sandie Shirley, spotlights the inspiring stories of men and women from the region and beyond that have seen them reach for victory. For more stories visit Facebook: Refreshing Waters Christian Media.

former footballer from Norwich has won the hearts of the Chinese Government to change the fortunes and lives of a million orphan children. Robert Glover (OBE) who experienced near death on a Royal Navy submarine, cemented an unsurpassed alliance between UK and Chinese Governments, vowing to give his all to serve the country. Robert founded the Norwichbased charity Care for Children, and as a result, orphan children are living with families as an alternative to institutions. His remarkable story can be heard in Attleborough on 29 September during a two-course meal at various venues, as an introduction to the Alpha course at Christ Community Church. It tells of a former social worker who, 23 years ago, gave away his possessions and burnt the mattresses from the family beds, before boarding a one-way flight to Shanghai with his wife and six young children, after leaving the rural idyll of their Guernsey farm. “I had been a believer all my life, but God broke my heart and called me to China. I wanted to give 100% or nothing,” says Robert, who has seen far-reaching miracles and blessings.

They moved to the wealthiest city in China and embraced its people, including a family with a disabled child. “We involved them with the church and the community were interested in what we did, so we invited the whole village to our house for Christmas trifle, cakes, turkey, ham and mince pies,” says Robert. “One little orphan girl, all skin and bones, went to live with a family and needed an operation on her heart as she made a health comeback. When the surgeon came to do the operation, he wiped a tear away when he found nothing wrong with her heart. It became national news in China with the story: ‘Miracle baby healed by the love of a mother’.” Robert, now an adviser at international conferences, events and consortia, continues: “We are all orphans before God takes us into his family. One ﬁve-yearold orphan said she was like a caterpillar, but she became the butterfly she was always meant to be when she lived with a family.” Now, 85% of the children in state-run Chinese institutions have been fostered or adopted by families. Children of Shanghai documents the turnaround stories of the 90s orphans who have flourished through family living. Overcoming prejudice and serious development diﬃculties, they have made their mark in the

arts, ﬁnance, technology, tourism, and sport (as an Olympian medallist) in the fast-paced economy of Shanghai. The video can be seen on Sky TV, or www. childrenofshanghai.com where the full documentary is available on Vimeo on Demand.

‘As many as the Stars: a story of change for the children of China’ is published by Hodder and Stoughton. (www.careforchildren.com info@careforchildren.com) To book the Christ Community Church Attleborough event contact: admin@ christcommunitychurch.co.uk (01953 452865).

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Do you want to make tomorrow better than today? If you had the opportunity to wake up happier, feeling better, coping and achieving more, would you take it? Hypnotherapy can help with:

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WILDLIFE

A perfect dawn chorus A

wildlife enthusiast from Norfolk, who made a name for himself with his perfect 70-minute recording of an entire dawn chorus, has released a digital version to appeal to modern-day listeners. Andrew Flintham, a musician, music producer, voice-over artist and actor from Newton Flotman, hopes the new release will encourage listeners to appreciate and protect their natural surroundings, and says the birdsong recording, which is completely unsullied by noise pollution, oﬀers a rare opportunity to feel completely immersed in nature. “Brecklands Dawn Chorus is a unique recording that was made in just one take, very early one morning in beautiful woodland in Norfolk,” he explains. “You can hear an array of birds, within an uninterrupted whole chorus, and for many of us who spend much of our time in front of computers, it oﬀers a unique escape from our busy and stressful lives.

“Now the track has been digitalised, every moment of birdsong, from the blackbirds to the robins, is even sharper and clearer than it was before. You can even hear the sound of a muntjac deer in the vicinity and a bumble bee flitting past.” The track, which is available to download, will appeal to those who have felt drawn to nature during the pandemic, as well as others seeking stillness and calm during these stressful times. Even back in 1993, when the recording was ﬁrst made by Andrew, capturing the pure sound of the dawn chorus without inadvertently picking up extraneous sound was challenging. "It took about nine takes before we ﬁnally achieved it. But it would be completely impossible to make a recording like this

today because there is just too much noise pollution. I have even spent time recording up in the Scottish Highlands, but on every occasion, when I listened back afterwards, I could hear a road or an airplane far away in the distance.”

*To download Brecklands Dawn Chorus visit brecklandsdawnchorus.bandcamp.com

Are you living with pain that is ruining your enjoyment of life? 4 Have you ever been told that your pains are just part of getting older? 4 Are you tired of being told to just “ ...rest and take pain killers”? 4 Do you worry about your long term health & activity? If you’ve answered ‘YES’ to any of these questions you’re not alone. Specialise in helping people ages 50+ enjoy a pain free life.

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HEALTH

A beginners’ guide to homeopathy E

veryone has heard of homeopathy – but how much do you really know about it and what it’s used for? Homeopathy is a holistic medicine which uses specially prepared, highly diluted substances (given mainly in tablet form) that trigger the body’s own healing mechanisms. A homeopath will prescribe treatment according to the patient’s specific set of symptoms, individually tailored to how they experience them, and taking into account their overall level of health. Homeopathy is based on the principle of ‘like treats like’ – which means a substance that can cause symptoms when taken in large doses can be used in small amounts to treat similar symptoms. For example, drinking too much coffee can cause sleeplessness and agitation so, according to this principle, when made into a homeopathic medicine it could be used to treat people suffering from sleeplessness and agitation. This concept is sometimes used in conventional medicine; the stimulant Ritalin is used to treat patients with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and small doses of allergens, such as pollen, are sometimes used to de-sensitise allergic patients. An important difference with homeopathy, however, is that the medicinal doses (known as remedies) are so small that toxic side-effects are completely avoided. Homeopathic principles date back to Hippocrates (460-377BC), but in its current form homeopathy has been widely used worldwide for more than 200 years. Britain’’s Royal Family have enjoyed homeopathic care from the 1830s to the present dayy. George VI was so impressed with its po ositive effects that he named his prize racehorse Hypericum after a populaar homeopathic remedy for nerve injury. The Queen, who rarelyy takes time off due to illness, is a strong believer in homeopathy, ass was her mother before her. Tod day, Prince Charles is an outspoken supporter of homeopathy and natural medicine and our former Prime Minister,, 68

Tony Blair, has gone on record to say that he used homeopathic remedies for his children. Homeopathy is very popular in Europe, and an integral part of every day healthcare. In France, 67% of medical practitioners believe that homeopathic medicines offer effective treatment. In England, 42% of physicians refer patients for homeopathic treatment, as do 45% of Dutch practitioners. Many major Hollywood stars use homeopathy to maintain their health and speed recovery. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Pamela Anderson, Tina Turner, Jane Fonda and Sir Paul McCartney to name just a few! Sports personalities like David Beckham, Martina Navratilova and Boris Becker have treated their injuries using homeopathy for a rapid recovery. When this system is chosen by professionals, it makes sense for everyone to use it – young and old alike! Sports injuries vary from minor sprains during a family game, to a major injury preventing professional sports people continuing their career. We can all use homeopathy to alleviate physical pain and injury, here’s how. Bumps and bruises Arnica – an excellent remedy for trauma, falls and bruising, and for both physical and emotional injury. Cuts and lacerations Calendula – to heal wounds quickly, reduce pain and d prevent infection. Dilute in waterr, apply to a piece of gauze and used as a compress over an open injury. Nerve damage Hypericum m – quickly relieves intense pain in areas rich in nerve en ndings. Remember this when you trap your fingers in a door! Hypericum can even n be used where an am mputee suffers from sevvere neuralgia.

Broken bones Symphytum (comfrey) – used to ease pain and swelling if there has been a fracture, and to accelerate the healing process. Strains and sprains Rhus-Tox and Ruta – these have many uses, particularly where pain is felt on ﬁrst movement, but improves after warming up or continued motion. Ruta is for deep pain from injury to the periosteum of the bone, for wrenched tendons or where muscles have become tight and stiﬀ. Use for conditions like Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and repetitive strain injuries.

Professional Homeopathic Training Online – to become a Registered Practitioner Join us online at times to suit you during the month then on each of ten weekends per year, we provide live tutorial sessions to support and guide your learning process.

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Fever Belladonna – if the patient is hot to the touch with ﬁery cheeks. Extremities may be cold and pain will be a throbbing. Children respond very quickly to Belladonna if they have a fever or delirium. Can be used for sore throats, headaches, boils, mastitis, and sunstroke.

CREATIVE COURSES AT WENSUM LODGE & ONLINE

Teething Chamomilla – for problems associated with teething, such as being tearful or moody. It can be given to a baby suﬀering with colic when stools have the appearance of chopped spinach or grass. Fear and panic Aconite – restores calm for those who are usually anxious, fretful, fearful and who suﬀer from panic attacks.

For more information, or to train as a professional homeopathic practitioner, email enquiries@homeopathic-college.com

We oﬀer a range of creative courses and experience days – including silversmithing, ceramics, stained glass, painting and drawing – as part of Norfolk County Council’s Adult Learning programme. Courses are delivered by expert artists and makers. Find out more: www.norfolk.gov.uk/creativecourses 0344 800 8020 (option 5) 69

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FASHION

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Looking Good!

STYLE

How to be a Jean Genius!

Style Counsel Style Guru Chrissi Rix answers your questions, to help you dress with conﬁdence I love wearing jeans, but always struggle to ﬁnd ones that are right for my shape. Can you help? Judy, Bungay

i Judy, many people have at least one pair of jeans they never wear, and I bet you’re the same! Why, because they just don’t fit right? But with autumn upon us, jeans are core staples that can take you anywhere during the cooler months. They are timeless, adaptable, sustainable and cost effective! There are so many brands out there, and each has its own signature. The key is finding the perfect fit for your personal body shape. Balancing proportions is the secret to jeans becoming your best friend and finding that feel good factor!

Know your Rise Jeans come in short, mid, or high rise. Your Rise is the length from crotch to tummy button. Tall, curvy, or pear ladies tend to need a high rise jean. This has a curved rise at the back and will fit over the bottom and up to the waist, holding everything in, in a figure flattering way. Generally, top heavy, apple and rectangular ladies can opt for a mid rise, which will sit well on their lower rise body. Discover your Curve Your Curve is the relationship from waist to hip. Hourglass or pear shapes tend to have smaller waists and fuller hips and require brands that have fabric in the hip area and a tighter waistband. V-shape, apples and rectangles tend to have less waist and narrower hips. Look for jeans with a wider waistband and less fabric in the cut of the jean around the hip. Decide on your Denim It should go without saying that you pay for what you get with jeans. Good quality denim will stretch less, fade more gradually and above all, fit much better. Choose some with around 2% Lycra for best fit and comfort. Pick your Pockets Aim for fuss free pockets. Back pockets that are small will make your bum look bigger. Choose larger pockets, set closer together rather than far apart, to reduce butt size!

Choose your Cut Opt for skinny, bootcut, or slim straight if you have narrower hips than torso. Alternatively, if you are bottom heavy, or have a curved hourglass shape, go for straight, flared, or a ‘curved’ skinny, worn with a balancing jacket or long top. Curvy girls can wear skinnies – it’s just all about balancing those proportions! If you have a style question for Chrissi Rix, email editor@village-people.info Chrissi Rix has been a Style Consultant for over 30 years. She owns Style Show, a personalised shopping experience in her boutique on Unthank Road, Norwich. styleshow.co.uk

Local. Legal. Personable.

Outstanding advice and legal expertise for the region Specialists in: - Agriculture - Commercial Property - Wills, Tax, Probate & Trusts - Litigation & Disputes - Family - Residential Conveyancing - Landlord & Tenant - Employment - Corporate & Commercial

LEGAL

Prepare your home for a property valuation An essential guide from Spire Solicitors LLP

he Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have meant most of the population has been spending a lot more time at home. This is set to continue, as many businesses are encouraging staﬀ to work from home permanently. This extra time in the house, and the additional space and facilities needed, means that many people are looking to sell their current home and look for another. What is a property valuation? A property valuation is an estimate of the value of your home, if you were to sell it. Usually, this is the ﬁrst step in the process of selling a house. As a seller, you will want to do everything you can to maximise the value of your home and bring extra spending power for your next home purchase. There are a few simple things you can do to get your home ready for your property valuation and maximise its value.

your home. Ensure the painting is done to a high standard and the appropriate type of paint is used, for example use bathroom paint in a bathroom to avoid mould.

Clean This may be an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how much added value a deep clean can add to your home. Make sure you clean interior cupboards, skirting boards, corners of ceilings and any other places you may usually overlook.

Maintenance Many of us have a list of small home improvements that we have just never got around to doing. That dripping tap, the faulty cabinet, or the lightbulb that never got changed. Well now is the time to ﬁx them, and present your home in the most positive light.

Paint A fresh coat of a neutral colour paint, such as white or cream, can really brighten up the look of

Beneﬁts It’s also important to let your property valuer know about all the beneﬁts and features of your

home they may not be aware of. For example, if you have just refurbished the kitchen or upgraded an appliance that will stay in the property, make sure you mention these. Instructing a solicitor for the sale of your home After ensuring your home value is maximised and you are ready to sell, make sure you contact an experienced residential conveyancing team that can guide you though your property sale and purchase. 01603 677077 spiresolicitors.co.uk

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

What’s your retirement game plan? By Michael Duale, Principal of MD Wealth Management

fter the introduction of Pension Freedoms in 2015, retirement choices fundamentally changed. Restrictions around access to defined contribution pensions were lifted and retirees gained more flexibility. You can choose to stay invested, decide your own level of income, or even withdraw the entire pot. Purchasing an annuity is now another choice, rather than a necessity. Greater freedoms also bring greater responsibility to ensure retirement savings last. Nobel Laureate William Sharpe describes turning your retirement savings into income as “the nastiest, hardest problem in finance.” And it’s no wonder, when you consider how many options are now available. The cliff-edge idea of stopping work at 60 or 65 and ‘being retired’ are fading into obscurity. People today are adopting a phased approach, transitioning from working and saving, and moving towards leisure and spending over a period of years. This is all done on their terms, in line with their own life plans, rather than restricted by a pension scheme, or an employer. Ask yourself, what does retirement look like? How can I make it a reality? If you’re ‘retired’ already, is it as you imagined? Being ‘in retirement’ is much more than simply drawing an income. You’ll need to think about an efficient home and use for your tax-free cash (considering how poor savings rates are), create

a sustainable income that will last your lifetime, and manage your retirement capital. Many people find that the countless choices at retirement are overwhelming With no definitive retirement age any more, and different pressures on supporting older and younger generations, a rethink is needed on how to make best use of your retirement savings. This means considering other assets and sources of income alongside your pension, so you can adapt to your changing needs over time. This new found flexibility is not without its risks. Accessing your pension pot can present very different issues compared with building your pension wealth. If you have chosen to remain invested in retirement, there will be challenges that you will need help and advice to navigate. For example, stock market volatility can potentially bring with it a sequence of returns risk and reverse pound cost averaging when drawing an income, which is an added layer of complexity when establishing a retirement income strategy. A real problem in retirement is underestimating how long your money needs to last. The 100-year life is fast becoming normal, with more of us living much longer, more active lives than ever before. The value of advice comes from building a strong relationship over time, to understand you and your family’s needs. Our expertise in understanding the intricacies of a modern retirement means you

can worry less and focus on the important things in life. The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select, and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested. Equities do not provide the security of capital which is characteristic of a deposit with a bank or building society.

To contact Michael call 01379 415511 or go to www.md-wealthmanagement.co.uk MD Wealth Management Ltd is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The 'St. James's Place Partnership' and the titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives

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LEGAL

Law for the community The Coronavirus pandemic has made many of us reflect on the way we work and do business, as well as how we connect with our wider community. Laura van Ree and Trina Worden are two local solicitors who have been doing just that. Having risen through the ranks at local law firms, with over 30 years’ experience between them, Laura and Trina have both long reflected on a more philanthropic legal model. The pandemic has prompted them to put these musings into action, and the end result is Not for Profit Law. Through Not for Profit Law, Laura and Trina offer their legal expertise at lower rates than traditional law firms, feeding the profits they make back into the local community — rather

Laura van Ree (right) and Trina Worden

than into the pockets of a few wealthy partners at the top of the legal hierarchy. To do this they partner with Norfolk Community Foundation, a charitable organisation which has been pivotal in providing support to charities and community groups

across Norfolk throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Claire Cullens, CEO of Norfolk Community Foundation, says: “Many of the problems we need to tackle in the post-pandemic world have been here for a long time: coping and growing back stronger needs out of the box thinking. Laura and Trina are leading the way with their new business venture.” Not for Profit Law offer free Will Review and free Probate Advice services, and also advise on Inheritance Tax, Powers of Attorney, Court of Protection and Trusts. For more information contact Laura and Trina on 01603 555440, enquiries@ notforprofitlaw.co.uk or go to www.notforprofitlaw.co.uk

Village People South Norwich edition – October / November (Autumn)

Articles inside

Exercise your braincellswith ourcrossword

Smart MoneySecrets -what’s your retirement gameplan?

Legal -preparing your home e forapropertyvaluation

StyleCounselwith ChrissiRix

Beauty-wereviewthe best natural,sustainable andethical beautyproductsin Norfolkand Suffolk

Wildlife-aperfect dawn chorus

NEW! buildingsustainability intoour everyday beautyroutine

Gluten free recipe forLime Courgette&PoppySeedCake

Our restaurant reviewsare back -The Walnut TreeinThwaite

Good newsfrom ourregion

Caninecommunication with Julia Collins

Sport -joinafunsyndicate with apassion forhorses

Walking forhealtharound Wymondham &Silfield

Falcon Meadow shows howsporting prowesscanbe foundinany greenspace

Art -Suffolksculptor Alice Ewing