Winchester Gazette - July 2023

Welcome...

Dear Residents,

It is with great pleasure that we deliver your July issue of the Winchester Gazette. As always, we have reliable trades people and businesses that would love to hear from you. We are here for you to connect with your local business owners and help the local economy thrive. Helping each other has been an intention of mine from a very early age and I love what we do here at Modern Magazines.

There are editorials and articles for you to read which we hope you enjoy, all in the comfort of your own home. We also have a Facebook page, and this magazine can be viewed online at: www.modernmagazines.co.uk

In addition to that we now have a fully interactive Hampshire E-Magazine (only online) and if that is of interest, please email me at: debbie@modernmagazines.co.uk and I will add your details for a free subscription to that magazine which has online games, competitions, local trades and much more.

With the summer holidays about to begin we wish you the best of summers with time to spend outside with family and friends.

data Issue No. 90 July 2023 Printed on Carbon Balanced Paper by Pensord Press Ltd. Certified by the World Land Trust. Helping the planet one page at a time...

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Top tips for a sustainable summer from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

From barbecues to ball games, every outdoor summer activity can impact the environment in some way. Here are some easy ways from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to help you, help nature this summer.

Using reusable or recyclable plates and cutlery

Everyone loves a good picnic or barbecue –little brings more joy than a delicious meal accompanied by the sounds and sights of nature. Disposable plates and cutlery are an attractive option compared to lugging your entire dinner set to your desired dining spot. However, these items are often designed for single usage, a fact which does not do the environment justice given the contribution of trees and fossil fuels to their manufacture. Instead, try using reusable, lightweight alternatives such as travel-friendly cutlery and bamboo plates. These last much longer than their disposable counterparts, meaning you save money and the environment!

Eco-friendly cooking

Whether big or small, barbecues are what make summer great. However, some outdoor cooking methods can release harmful pollutants into the fresh surrounding air and damage nearby wildlife. Charcoal, though seemingly a natural and sustainable fuel for barbecues, is often made from hardwood of tropical rainforests which are already vanishing at an alarming rate. The solution? British lumpwood charcoal from sustainable sources such as coppiced trees or managed forests.

Reduce your electricity consumption

Summer days are brighter, hence we can use less electricity for lighting. Not only will this reduce our reliance on unsustainable fossil

fuels, you can also save a great deal on your energy bills! You can also save energy by opening windows to ventilate your house or workplace instead of blasting the air conditioners at full power. Window shutters or blinds also help block strong sunbeams from blazing through windows and intensifying the summer heat.

Ditch the car

With summer comes sunshine. This means that travelling between places offers the perfect opportunity to get some vitamin D and muchneeded fresh air by walking or cycling. It’s been proven that exercise and being outside can both boost physical and mental wellbeing. On top of that, walking and cycling are safer for wildlife and have a much less detrimental effect on the environment than cars.

There’s a plethora of simple actions we can take to reduce our impact on the environment. While reducing waste production and saving energy are important throughout the year, our connection with nature through summer walks, seaside visits, or evenings lounging in the garden is particularly evident during summer, strengthening the motivation to do everything we can to protect the irreplaceable beauty of nature.

Photo: Go green with eco-friendly and re-usable alternatives on your next summer picnic © John Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

SILENT WATERS

By L.V. Matthews

14th September 2023 | Welbeck | £8.99 | Paperback Original

For fans of Gillian McAllister and Lisa Jewell, a powerful haunting novel exploring family bonds, dark secrets and murder featuring a female police diver – a woman in a man’s world. At 5am one summer morning, police diver Jen Harper wakes to find herself submerged in the silt of a river with no memory of how she got there. Forty-eight hours later, she’s called to dive in the same river to search for a missing woman, Claudia Franklin. But for Jen, this is no ordinary job. She and Claudia were childhood friends and their families were entangled for decades. But Jen hasn’t seen Claudia for twelve years. Or has she?

Praise for Silent Waters

“A thrillingly murky tale of tainted love and betrayal, an edge-of-the-jetty read. I dare you to jump in!”

Janice Hallett, author of The Twyford Code

“Terrific, memorable suspense writing that draws you in. Silent Waters is a real up-all-night thriller.” BP Walter, author of The Dinner Guest

“Silent Waters is a brilliant, beautifully written thriller with an unusual premise and shocking twists. I loved it! Her best yet!”

Claire Douglas, author of The Couple at Number 9

“Brilliantly plotted, utterly compelling and where nothing is as it seems. Add to that some whip-smart dialogue and you have everything you could possibly want in a thriller.”

John Marrs, author of The Marriage Act

About the Author

L.V. Matthews was born in rural Essex but now lives in Winchester. She is the author of The Prank and The Twins, a Richard & Judy Book Club pick (Spring 2022.) Before pursuing a career in writing she worked in domestic and international sales for major UK publishing houses. As research for the book, she undertook extensive research into the little-known world of police divers.

Puzzle Page Quick Crossword

2. Inn (3)

5. Relating to nature (6)

7. Associate (6)

9. Situation (11)

10. Scramble (6)

11. Comfortable position (6)

13. Take off (6)

Down Clues:

1. Frédéric (6)

2. Upper part of a woman’s dress (6)

3. Recover (6)

4. Relating to a state (6)

6. Writing in shorthand (11)

8. Not necessary (11)

16. Republic in Central America (6)

18. Rich country controls others (11)

19. Colour again (6)

20. Empty (6)

21. Humid (3)

10. Large Australian bird (3)

12. Seventh letter in the Greek alphabet (3)

14. Unpleasant sound (6)

15. Die (6)

16. Small nuts, under the ground (6)

17. Animals (6)

Word Ladder

Make

History Quiz

1. What year was the Battle of Hastings?

2. In which year did World War 2 start?

3. When was the Great Pyramid built?

4. What year was the Declaration of American Independence?

5. When was the formation of the League of Nations?

6. In which year was the Twin Towers attack?

7. What year was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?

8. In what year did the Black Death outbreak start?

9. What year was the invention of the phone?

10. When did the Coronavirus pandemic occur?

Whitchurch’s Silk Mill: Preserving Industrial Heritage

Set in the idyllic Hampshire town of Whitchurch, the Silk Mill, built in 1813, is a gem of industrial heritage, located on the River Test.

A Silk merchant, William Maddick purchased the Mill in 1817, and began extensive alterations. Today your visit helps our charity to ensure that we can continue to teach the endangered Silk weaving skills to future generations.

Visitors can rest a while in our riverside café and gift shop and learn about the intriguing process of silk weaving as you explore the fascinating museum building.

Throughout this summer our ‘Whitchurch Play Town’ will be located on the 1 st Floor, where you will find imaginative role play areas such as vets, doctors, shop, café plus a willow den and play activities outside.

T: 01264 772416

M: 07525 421104 jaguaretype@hotmail.co.uk

Everything, Everywhere...but not all at once

Even at the age of 60, the 2023 Academy Award win may be the start of something big for Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh.

Multiverse sci-fi brain-wrecker Everything Everywhere, All At Once, starring Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh – who scooped the coveted Best Actress gong – is a movie that’s divided opinion. There are those who enjoyed it for what it is and how it was intended… a far-reaching film about love and acceptance, fun, creative, hilarious and unique; while others found it difficult to locate that necessary suspension of disbelief required for such a complex piece of theatre.

Either way, the main star of the mindbender, Michelle Yeoh, gave a virtuoso performance, deservedly won her nominated category (one of seven awards the film scooped at the prestigious event), in the process becoming the first Asian and only the second woman of colour to do so.

“When I was young back home in Malaysia, I never ever dreamt of being where I am today,” says the actress, who is now in her fifth decade of performing.

“There wasn’t a huge movie industry there and when I looked up at the screen to see stars mainly from the Western Hemisphere up there, shining

bright and looking so amazing, it was never

in my mind to think I could emulate them or.

“I appeared in an advert with Jackie Chan for Guy Laroche watches, but even then I thought that was the furthest I would venture, and that my life and my career was destined to remain back at home.”

Quickly though, Yeoh began to realise she had much more in common with the martial arts legend Chan than a simple timepiece, given she performed most of her own stunts in films such as Yes, Madam and Magnificent Warriors, as her career began to blossom.

she soon

The actress worked hard at refining the way she went about acting, and soon global acclaim arrived when she appeared alongside Pierce Brosnan in the Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies.

Big projects arrived in the form of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, then a slew of Hollywood projects, including Memoirs of a Geisha, Reign of Assassins, The Lady and Last Christmas.

“My biggest piece of advice is to listen to everyone and anyone!” she laughs. “It’s sometimes very easy to be precious about who you are and to what extent you want to bend and flip for the industry.

“We all go in with ideas of people loving us for being us, where really we are all products of everyone else’s influence, and we should be proud of that. You can never stop taking in the enrichment of others, no matter where you are in your career.”

England Expects

After winning the 2022 European Championships – the first major-tournament win in the Three Lions’ history, England go into the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand with confidence, unity and a weight of expectation.

England’s women are on a high. Their sensational Euros success has driven a new wave of British Bulldog belief, and it would be a mistake not to believe our Three Lions can repeat the incredible successes from 2022 and, in the process, continue to inspire a nation of female footballers.

Plus, with England’s Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman recording an 81% win ratio –her team scoring 138 goals in just 31 matches, with only one single defeat in that time, against Australia in a friendly in April – optimism is at an alltime high.

Wiegman’s players will commence their campaign by facing minnows Haiti in Brisbane on July 22nd, with the games against the other sides in Group D seeing them encounter Denmark on July 28th in Sydney and Asian

champions China in Adelaide on August 1st.

Winning Group D, as they should, may well land England a toughlooking second-round game against Canada, who ended Wiegman’s long winning run on a cold night in January 2022, in a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough. Beyond that, Germany looks the likely opposition in the quarter-finals.

While the majority of the personnel from the Euros triumph is set to go Down Under, Ellen White and Jill Scott retired on a high after the Euros win, so new heroes will be sought, particularly as the squad will be missing captain Leah Williamson, who was ruled out with an ACL injury in April.

Thankfully, there is much competition for

Williamson’s centre-back berth, and considerable versatility elsewhere with players able to adapt to new positions, something typical of Wiegman’s Dutch ‘Total Football’ roots.

Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze are mainstays, with Maya Le Tissier’s addition to the England fold a huge bonus due to her ability in playing right across the back line. Lotte WubbenMoy is another utility player, as are Lucy Parker, Jess Carter, Esme Morgan and Niamh Charles.

Keira Walsh and Georgia

Stanway look to have cemented their places in midfield, while Jordan Nobbs and Ella Toone are sure to be on the plane. The rest of that part of England’s squad is harder to call.

Alessia Rousso is looking more and more like the number nine, and with Beth England and Ebony Salmon pushing into contention, the squad looks competitive and should go close to that elusive World crown.

Harnessing Solar Energy: The Economic Advantages

Solar panel installation is more than an eco-friendly choice; it’s a financially sound decision with substantial long-term benefits. As renewable energy gains traction, property owners are recognising the significant monetary advantages of solar power.

Why should you consider installing solar panels?

Energy Cost Reduction: Solar power can significantly decrease dependence on the power grid, leading to lower monthly energy bills. According to the Energy Saving Trust, solar power can potentially cut energy costs by £610 annually!

Profitable Investment: Solar panels, while initially costly, promise attractive returns. Property owners can often recover their initial investment within 5 to 10 years and then enjoy years of free or drastically reduced energy expenses.

Enhanced Property Value: Properties with solar energy systems command higher prices. Solar panels not only provide potential energy savings to future homeowners but also signify a commitment to sustainability, making your property more attractive in the real estate market.

Shield against Rising

Energy

Prices: Solar panels offer protection against escalating electricity prices.

Once operational, your energy expenses become more predictable and less susceptible to market volatility.

Durability and Minimal

Maintenance: Solar panels are robust and require little maintenance. They usually come with warranties spanning 20 to 25 years, translating to long-term financial savings.

Affordability and Energy Security: The cost of solar panels has been decreasing, making them more accessible. Paired with battery storage, solar power systems can provide power even during power outages.

Versatility in Various Climates: Solar panels only need sunshine to generate electricity, making them viable even in areas with longer, colder winters.

STAR GAZING

WRITTEN BY KATE EARL kateearlastro@gmail.com

Welcome to the July Stargazing Page. Highlights this month include seeing Venus at its brightest before it moves to our morning skies, and the hunt for noctilucent clouds.

International Space Station

The ISS is visible daily until the 28th, with overhead passes starting in the early morning, gradually switching to the late evening by month end. To establish exact timings please refer to www.heavens-above.com or a similar webpage for up-to-date information, remembering to set the location to your observing area.

Events

The Earth is furthest from the Sun on the 6th, a distance of 152,000,000 km away. This is called aphelion (Greek for ‘from the Sun’).

Mercury

The innermost planet can be seen low in the southwest just after sunset from the 15th, but it will be really tough to spot in the evening twilight.

Venus

Venus is dazzling away low in the west, and although at its brightest, it will rapidly drop out of our evening skies, only to return as the ‘morning star’ in late August. If you have a small telescope it is worth taking a look at Venus this month, as it will appear as a beautiful, tiny crescent. Another challenge is to try and spot your shadow by Venusian light. You need a really dark sky with no moon or light pollution. Use a sheet or white card to help see the shadow cast, as the planet is too faint a source of light to be able to easily detect your shadow on the ground. It’ll be tough, but worth it if you manage it!

Mars

Mars continues to get dimmer each night. During July it moves towards and then passes Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation of Leo the Lion (see figure). It is now quite far away from the Earth, a consequence of which is that it has become very faint, and its red colour is hard to distinguish.

Jupiter & Saturn

Jupiter is visible from around 1am low in the east, but is dazzlingly bright and for early risers it cannot be mistaken for anything else. Saturn appears earlier, around 11pm.

Moon

July’s full moon occurs on the 3rd.

Try to spot...

The early summer months are the best time to try and spot a rare and beautiful cloudtype: noctilucent clouds. If conditions are favourable, these blue-white illuminated clouds are visible an hour or so after sunset in our northern skies (if you’re up early, they can sometimes be seen an hour or so before sunrise, too). Although the exact cause of their formation is unknown, we know they are composed of tiny water-ice crystals and form about 80km up in the atmosphere.

Noctilucent clouds

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Southern Voices: Music for a Summer’s Evening

Winchester based Chamber Choir, Southern Voices present a fabulous, light, summer concert in St Peter’s, Stockbridge SO20 6HF at 7.30pm on 8 July.

The programme is a summer fizz of madrigals, folksongs and toe-tapping jazz – including : Little Jazz Madrigals by Bob Chilcott; Songs & Sonnets from Shakespeare by George Shearing and Three Elizabethan Part Songs by Vaughan Williams.

Two very special musicians provide accompaniment: Nicholas Sawley (Head of Keyboard, Winchester

College) and Alastair

Hume (found member of the King’s Singers).

The choir’s brilliant new conductor Jamal Sutton will be in charge.

Jamal opens the concert with four well known Elizabethan madrigals : ‘Now is the month of Maying’; ‘Weep, O mine eyes’; ‘O that the learned poets’ and ‘Fire! Fire!’. Later in the programme these madrigals are exactly repeated … but this time arranged by Bob Chilcott to some very modern jazz vibes ! A perfect programme for a summer’s evening light entertainment.

The choir are well established in Winchester and the South and 2024 marks their 40th Anniversary year. See the choir’s website: www.southernvoices.co.uk for information on this and more details about becoming a member, a friend and much more.

Tickets £16 (Concessions £1 age 18 and under)

ticketsource.co.uk/southern-voices

Telephone 0333 666 3366 (booking fees apply); or at the door.

General Knowledge

Across Clues:

5. Changing to a new situation (11)

9. Indiscernable (9)

10. Speed (5)

11. Creativity (3)

12. Prize or certificate (5)

13. Small brown animal (5)

15. A nuclide that exhibits isomerism (6)

17. The upper surface (6)

19. Idea (5)

20. Stove producing strong heat (5)

21. A poem (3)

23. Finding pleasure (5)

24. Unaware (9)

26. Disruption (11)

Down Clues:

1. Strong fabric, used for upholstery (5)

2. Simple needlework (9)

3. Pigsty (3)

4. Grey material that does not burn (8)

6. Large flat teeth (6)

7. Final version of a legal document (11)

8. Obsolete form of brilliant (11)

14. Teams fighting against each other (9)

16. Tree with pink, yellow or purple flowers (8)

18. Middle Eastern language (6)

22. Trained to fly (5)

25. Bombard (3)

8. Splendidous, 14. Duellists, 16. Magnolia, 18. Arabic, 22. Pilot, 25. Ply.

Down: 1. Scrim, 2. Plainwork, 3. Sty, 4. Asbestos, 6. Molars, 7. Engrossment,

24. Oblivious, 26. Dislocation.

13. Otter, 15. Isomer, 17. Upside, 19. Image, 20. Grill, 21. Ode, 23. Enjoy,

Across: 5. Acclimatise, 9. Invisible, 10. Tempo, 11. Art, 12. Award,

Answers:

Green ngers… the Alan Titchmarsh column

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses the holy grail of ensuring flowers and plants flourish to their full potential – soil quality!

I get asked a lot what the best way to bolster soil quality is, and the truth is there are a variety of methods. Naturally, keeping soil well-watered is important, but not overwatered. Instead, water deeply and less frequently than you would expect. To water deeply you need to keep the soil light and uncompacted too. I’ve even gone to the extent of walking on wood planks if I need to cross over soil, as this spreads the weight and avoids interrupting good soil structure with big clumsy boots.

To actually enrich the soil, I try to regularly add organic matter. Compost, obviously, is key, with well-rotted manure. This helps with boosting drainage, adding fertility, and encouraging beneficial microorganisms.

In a similar way, if you’re looking to capitalise on what’s already in the soil, consider the benefit of crop rotation, and the fact that plants or flowers can feed o the nutrients left behind from whatever was present before.

Changing the location of specific plant families each year also helps to prevent the build-up of pests and diseases, and maintains soil fertility. Finally, it’s always worth applying a layer of mulch – such as wood chips or straw – around plants. It helps to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, regulates soil temperature, and adds organic matter to the soil. It also looks good!

To determine how good your soil is, or isn’t, why not invest in a soil-testing kit? This will help you determine the soil’s pH and nutrient levels, and with that information you can construct an accurate plan for amendments to improvements to your soil quality.

Ultimately, don’t expect change overnight, as good things come to those who wait; but do take comfort in the fact you are doing all you can to move forward the health of your garden.

tax and help protect their share from care fees

The Property Protection Trust Will package is based around how you hold the ownership of your home. All good estate planning nowadays considers the difference between owning your home as joint tenants or as tenants in common.

If you own your home as Joint Tenants; when one of you dies the ownership of the home passes by the Law of Survivorship and not by your Will. Therefore, the surviving partner will automatically own 100% of the property. This sounds right to most people. BUT should the surviving partner need care in the future, the Local Authority can take everything they own (including their home) to pay for the care fees, leaving just £14,250 to be inherited by children and grandchildren.

There is an alternative.

Nowadays many couples choose to own their home as Tenants in Common where each partner will own 50% of the family home. This provides for many benefits.

Firstly, it allows you to legally leave your share of the property in your Will to whoever you wish. A properly written Will can ensure that your half of your house will eventually pass to your children even if your widow re-marries.

Unmarried cohabiting couples or relatives living together can also use this means of ownership as a way of minimising their Inheritance Tax exposure.

It can also help with long-term care costs. If one of you is still living in your home the Local Authority can’t include its value in the means test if one of you has to go in to long-term care. This also applies if the husband or wife still living at home dies while the other is in care as their share will go into the trust.

Dorset and Wight are your local experts in Property Protection Trust Wills.

Increasing numbers of homeowners are choosing to hold their properties as tenants in common to reduce inheritance

The Adventures of Daichi The Modern Magazines Camper

Making the most of where we live…. Young, old, history, contemporary. Daichi loves them all. Wherever we look around us there is history alongside new, contemporary and sometimes controversial. Have you ever taken a look to see where new meets old and bygone days live next to the future, where you live? Are you a philosopher who prefers the distant past and long-lost customs, or are you a person of state-of-theart décor and new ways?

For Daichi, living here in Weymouth, a seaside town dating back to the 12th Century, it is easy to see the many shifts in time. Punch and Judy came back to our beach this year. Apparently, the original shows first appeared in Italy in the 16th Century where the characters were marionettes. Then in 1662 on May 9th the very first performance in England was enacted. It is a more modern feature of the

Van

show today, that the audience is encouraged to shout out and warn the characters in the ‘box’ of the dangers. Certainly, watching the excited children on the beach recently, the eager spectators really enjoyed screaming out, “he’s there!” at the top of their voices. What fun. Some characters like the ghost, the hangman (probably a blessing) and Pretty Polly may have disappeared, but the show remains to entertain its guests, centuries after it began.

A few weeks ago, “El Galeon”, a replica of a 17th century Spanish Galleon glided into our waters here on the Jurassic coast and opened its decks to the general public, for around a week on Weymouth Harbour. These Galleons were used to transport cargo from America, Spain and the Phillipines between the 16th and 18th Centuries. Walking on board now I almost felt the rocking of the ship and the huge waves sweeping over the high ship sides. I could almost feel sea-sick… and we were in very flat waters! Impressive indeed is this

Debbie & Stephen by El Galeon

Traditional Punch & Judy on the beach

ocean sailing vessel. Built between 2009 and 2010 it has now sailed to hundreds of ports worldwide and had thousands and thousands of visitor gaze in awe at its miles of rope, and its magnificent decks. Daichi loves history, and imagining sailing across massive expanses of sea surrounded by scores of people, some running up and down all of those extremely high poles, was quite an experience. In the 1600’s many did not make the journey, with scurvy and other untreatable diseases in abundance due to the lack of hygiene. There were less bottles of hand sanitizer in those days! It would have been very different to any cruises we sail on today.

That brings me to the subject of seaweed which has attracted so much attention and controversy recently. Our Blue Flag Beach with its wonderful fine sand has been encroached in certain parts, by sea kelp driven in by storms and heavy winds. Daichi’s first reaction was indeed one of “Oh No! Our beautiful beach has been destroyed…” However, he has had a change of heart. Our ecosystem on this planet has had much interference from us, the ‘intelligent species’ on this planet, and we may not have always got it right. Nature has a profound way of correcting itself, and in fact creating certain situations in order to survive. So, we

have continued to go to the beach, lie on the gorgeous fine sand of which there is a huge abundance and swim in our amazing ocean. Rubber shoes protect the feet if needed, but there is a lot of space and much enjoyment to be had, despite a little natural interruption. One of Daichi’s bug bears is the press and its sensationalism.

So, what about what’s new? We live in a ‘coffee culture’ where having a coffee and cake (or even a waffle and ice-cream…) have become part of our daily lives. Daichi loves this and will go for a coffee at the drop of a hat, especially with a friend for a good old chat. The Theatre is also still popular, centuries later and we believe we should make more of this. The atmosphere is great, the entertainment can lift the soul and we get to go out with family and friends. Similarly, the cinema. What great block busters there are! “Top Gun” with Tom Cruise was a must for us. Hayden loves ‘Dungeons and Dragons’, so we all went to see “Honour Amongst Thieves” recently with Hugh Grant, Chris Pine and John Francis Daley. Myself, being of the older generation and Hayden being nearly forty years younger, yet we all enjoyed it and had a great evening out!

So, whether it is an old tradition, history to soak in, or a coffee and waffle with a friend, there is so much to do right on our doorsteps. Daichi would love to know what you like best about your area. You can write to him at:

daichi@modernmagaiznes.co.uk

By Debbie Corney

Weymouth’s beautiful beach, winner of both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award

Family & friends having a “waffle”

A Design for Life… e Kevin McCloud Column

Designer, writer and television presenter, Kevin McCloud leapt into our consciousness with his vastly successful Grand Designs show on Channel 4. This month, the affable architectural business owner talks about getting back to the basic elements of how a home should make us feel.

I was in conversation with someone the other day and they asked me what sort of feeling I thought they should give to a new home interiors project of theirs.

What I found interesting about the question is the fact it’s an almost impossible one to answer, for the main reason that you can’t force anyone to feel any way about something that they don’t naturally, instinctively, unintentionally feel themselves.

If a person dislikes something with a passion, it’s very likely

there is no positive slant you can put on things that will encourage them to change their mind. This is just who we are.

My answer was instead to think about stimulating positive feelings in the way the house was designed. In essence, to realise the things we want to feel, then style and create in order to fulfil those emotions. So, for example, it’s always important to create a sense of place and belonging in our homes. These homes are not just physical structures, but also repositories of our memories, emotions and personal identities, and should be designed to reflect our values, personalities and lifestyles.

Most people know I am a big fan of authenticity in home

design, so that comes into it; and I also believe in the importance of creating space that is functional and practical, rather than simply beautiful, perhaps with references given to the environment or sustainability.

Mostly though, above all those things, a home should be a place that feels safe, comfortable, and happy. Only then will it feel ’right’, and it may take several failed attempts along the way to finally get to that place where you are content.

And then prepare for the point a decade down the line when your evolving tastes talk you into ripping it all up and starting again!

Honouring Nursing Heroes: A Resident’s Gratitude to the NHS

I feel strongly that the nursing profession are not always appreciated and rewarded for their devotion to the very demanding work they do. The following is my recent tale which I think would be at least of interest in the Romsey & Wellow Gazette

Awaking at three-thirty in the morning, with heart palpitations and tightening chest pains, was not the start to the day that I expected. When it had continued an hour I dozed off and I remember waking a little later feeling like rubbish. I then used my blood pressure machine to find low pulse readings and taken again half an hour later they had not improved. A little while later with no improvement I visited my doctors surgery where I was told that there were no doctors available, to return home and to call 999, which I did.

A First Responder arrived after just a few minutes and soon after that an ambulance arrived with a crew of three, making four checking me, including ECG and blood pressure. They worked on me for best part of an hour and then transported me to Southampton General Hospital without any further delay from Romsey, with flashing lights and sirens through the traffic and with intravenous help to me, as demanded by the monitor screen in the ambulance.

Arrival in the hospital started with more checks including an X-ray of my chest, then to a cardiac ward and continued checks. After that it was decided that a pacemaker was required.

The next three days were spent having numerous checks and as it was then a weekend it was the Monday to have the surgery. That was done and I was told by the surgeon that the procedure to fit the pacemaker took forty-five minutes, during which time I was awake, it being done with a local anaesthetic. Then back to the ward for more checks including another X-ray. The following day I was allowed to go home.

I am in my eighty-eighth year and so grateful that the emergency staff did their work, with precision and humanity, giving me every confidence in all that they did. I must express my gratitude to the incredible hospital nurses who managed to put a smile on my face through a very worrying and painful time. They are working thirteen hour shifts at a time, doing an important job confidently and cheerfully. I spoke to many from other European countries and parts of the world. Where would we be without them all? The other staff, cleaning and transporting as well as dealing with the food, with which I was really impressed, were all delightful. The food was excellent, a good choice and quality. Not an easy task with which to deal, but they pulled it off. Thank you the people in the NHS.

Yours faithfully

Dennis Terrett

Puzzle Page Answers

Quick Crossword

Solution #029

Answers:

Across: 2. Bar, 5. Physio, 7. Equate, 9. Predicament, 10. Encode, 11. Nestle, 13. Unwrap, 16. Panama, 18. Imperialism, 19. Redyes, 20. Unload, 21. Hot.

Down: 1. Chopin, 2. Bodice, 3. Regain, 4. Statal, 6. Stenography, 8. Unessential, 10. Emu, 12. Eta, 14. Noises, 15. Perish, 16. Peanut, 17. Mammal.

1. 1066

2. 1939

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Rachel Khoo’s Ice Box Cake

When summer comes around, it feels somewhat incongruous to be putting the oven on; yet baking isn’t all about putting up the heat and expecting something to prove or rise. And who in this weather wants to build up a sweat in the kitchen?! Instead, why not whip up this delicious ice box cake with just a stove top and a freezer. This decadent dessert with a crunchy hazelnut praline rippled through it makes a crowd-pleasing finale.

Ingredients

(10 to 12 servings)

• 35g dark chocolate, cut into small pieces

• 50g unsalted butter

• 100g digestive biscuits, crushed to crumbs

• 3 medium eggs

• 2 medium egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• 180g sugar

• 500ml double cream

Hazelnut praline

• 50g blanched hazelnuts

• 75g sugar

• 2 tbsp water

Method

1. Prepare a 20cm cake tin by lining with baking paper.

2. To make the praline, line a baking tray with baking paper. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry saucepan until they are golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Put the sugar and water in the pan and heat gently

until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high (avoid the temptation to stir it). When the caramel begins to turn a dark golden brown, remove from the heat and quickly stir in the hazelnuts. Pour immediately on to the lined baking tray and spread out evenly. Leave to cool. Once the caramel is cool and hard, blitz to a fine powder in a food processor.

4. Make the biscuit base by melting the butter and chocolate together in a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of just-simmering water. Add the crushed biscuits and stir to combine. Press into the prepared cake tin to form a crust and place in the freezer.

5. Place the eggs, extra yolks, vanilla and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. You want the bowl to just be resting over the

saucepan – don’t let the bowl touch the water. Whisk the mixture continuously for six to eight minutes or until it becomes thick and pale. If you have a handheld electric whisk, opt for that. When the whisk leaves a ribbony trail in the mixture when you lift it up, it is ready. Remove from the heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.

6. Whip the cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold through the cooled egg mixture until well combined.

7. Stir two-thirds of the praline into the ice-cream mixture and pour into the cake tin over the crumb base. Scatter the top with the remaining praline and leave to chill until frozen (at least four hours). Slice and serve.