Life in Buckingham Dec/Jan 2022 issue

Dec/Jan 2022 FREE

lifeinbuckingham.c o.uk

BUCKINGHAM IN BUSINESS

Life iinn

BUCKINGHAM S

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Domestic Commercial

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OLEV Approved Installers Free quotes and estimates Friendly, fast, and effective service Fully Qualified, Fully Insured, NICEIC Registered Installers 01280 474 200 www.gocarcharge.co.uk office@gocarcharge.co.uk Buckingham Industrial Estate, Buckingham

Fully qualified qualified Fully 25 years years experience experience 30 No job job too too small small No

Fully insured insured Fully Local tradesman tradesman Local All building building work work undertaken undertaken All

Brickwork •• Stonework Stonework •• Garage Garage Conversions Conversions •• Kitchens Kitchens •• Bathrooms Bathrooms •• Brickwork Tiling •• Patios Patios •• Landscaping Landscaping •• Fencing Fencing •• Roofing Roofing etc etc •• Tiling For your your free free no no obligation obligation quotation quotation call: call: 01280 01280 423847 423847 or or 07701073720 07701073720 For www.homefixbms.webeden.co.uk e: homefixbuilders@googlemail.com www.homefixbuildingandmaintenance.co.uk e: homefixbuilder@googlemail.com

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DEC/JAN 2022 ISSUE Christmas is nearly here, lots of decorations to hang and presents to buy but most of all lots of kind words to wish everyone. I would like to say that I am extremely proud and thankful to all my team of distributors who have delivered the magazines I produce through the pandemic and wish them a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2022. Keep safe!!

Mandy Johnson x

The aim of the monthly Life in buckingham Magazine is to support businesses in order that the local community can flourish.

Next issue FEBRUARY Copy Date 19th January Office:

07899 75 74 73

Email: lifeinbrackley@gmail.com Website: www.lifeinbuckingham.co.uk

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WINTER WARMERS MULLED W

Wander through any high street or Christmas market and you’l delicious waft of something undeniably festive – the sweet, sp fragrance of mulled wine. It’s the perfect warming winter drink the chills and add a little festive cheer, and the fragrance is so e found in scented candles and room diffusers - it always makes Christmas!

The recipe for mulled wine was first brought to Britain by the the 2nd century they used the hot, sweet and spiced alcoholic b tonic to revive exhausted messengers, after they had run huge arduous conditions. The warming combination of sugar, alcoho continued to be popular as a winter pick-me-up, although it ma evolved a little over time. The drink as we know it today hasn’ much since the mid-19 th century, when Mrs Beeton added her of the recipe to her famous Book of Household Management, w appeared in all the best Victorian homes.

Whether you choose to make a non-alcoholic version with app main ingredient, or prefer a mulled cider to red wine, the basic same – to every 750ml bottle, add 200ml water, 100g sugar, 10 juice and spices - cinnamon, cloves and grated nutmeg - and h mixture frequently as the aromas increase and you’ll help all th sweet enough for your liking, just strain the bits out and serve infusing bags can come in handy – no need to strain the mixtur

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Cloudy2Clear, A Local Family Service With A Smile I think we can all agree that as the weeks and months go by and we move further away from a disastrous 2020, that we can once again start to feel optimistic about the future. Now we are hopefully ready to take on the remainder of 2021 both safely and positively. One thing is for sure though, there have also been some heart warming positives that we can take out of last year. It has often been said that we can only really get to know one another and realise what is truly important in times of crisis. I think few would argue that in this case what has proven to be important is local community and family spirit.

When talking to Trevor & Wendy Skidmore the

owners of Cloudy2Clear Northampton & Oxford it became clear that these values have been held for over 13 years. Since buying the local franchise in 2006 they have remained true to their core values of supporting the local community whilst introducing their 2 sons Lloyd & Ross into the family business along with Dan, Mark & Jo as demand for their service has grown.

be made in using our service. Unfortunately we might be going through something similar again soon and the public can rest assured that we will be there to help once again”.

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C h o o s i n g a Fa m i ly L aw ye r Few people consult a family lawyer before they need to do so and, for that reason, the process of choosing one to support and represent you at a difficult and stressful time can feel rather rushed.

Many of our clients come to us through recommendation from a family member, friend or work colleague, but a significant number will look for a family lawyer through local publications, organisations or the internet.

Divorce, separation and issues around children are often emotional, complex and can take time to resolve. This is why it is vital to choose a solicitor that you feel will provide you with the best level of service and support and one who understands your situation.

When choosing a family lawyer, we would recommend looking for one who can demonstrate experience and expertise of your specific circumstances, provide a clear indication of the likely costs involved in your matter, and be relied upon to communicate well and give regular updates on the progress of your case.

Spratt Endicott Solicitors offer clients a fixed fee initial meeting at £95 (including VAT) at any of our four offices in Banbury, Brackley, Bicester or Buckingham.

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Health & Beauty Section

Self-Care It can come in many different forms & is unique to the person as we all have different ideas of what we consider self-care to be.

Self-care is the practice of taking an active role in protecting our own wellbeing & happiness.

We can often put ourselves at the bottom of the list & forget we are important too. Lack of self-care can lead to resentment of others, compassion fatigue & mental health issues.

We all live busy lives, but it does not have to involve taking a huge time commitment to keep your self-care tank topped up.

Some ideas you could try are:• Go for a walk – take in what’s around you • Listen to your favourite music

• Snuggle up on the sofa with a film • Feel productive by getting some jobs done Self-care can also be:• Setting healthy boundaries with the people around you • Seeing a therapist • Being more aware of any negative unhelpful thoughts you may be having Self-care is giving people the best of you not what’s left of you

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Grow Your Hobby With A Greenhouse Garden sheds are the essential must-have for many people; however, Buckingham Garden Centre’s Chris Day thinks it’s time the greenhouse made a comeback to help you grow even more in 2022!

This is the perfect season to turn your

Specialists in Landscape Design and Construction, from an idea to your Dream alfresco living space, where you work rest and play.

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gardening greener. Choose a crisp, frosty day, and go for a neighbourhood ramble.

Keep your eye out for the glint of sun on glass, and make the most of gaps in fences and hedges. There are lots of empty greenhouses looking for love, and all you need do to is have a chat and ask its owner if they still want it!

If you feel less bold, check the classifieds on one of the social media platforms such as Facebook car boot, Preloved or Gumtree where you might find a bargain located

close to you. You might chance upon a “free to dismantler” or pick up a bargain for a fraction of the price of a new one.

However, a new greenhouse, if funds allow, is likely to be one of the best investments you will make.

My first greenhouse, in the 1970s, was a wooden 6ft x 8ft structure, purchased mail-order from The Daily Express. It was glazed with I quote “the latest corrugated rigid plastic sheeting technology!”

Suffice to say, it cost me £30 and it was the catalyst to some epic growing adventures.

Since then, I’ve had a couple of aluminium glasshouses (Halls and Eden) and today a wooden potting shed with a built-in lean-to greenhouse, a cosy haven, which gives you the best of both worlds.

However, the best bit about acquiring a preloved, second-hand greenhouse isn’t just the bargain element. By reusing it, you’re reinvigorating all the energy used to make it in the first place. And if you’re

Email: lifeinbuckingham@gmail.com

17

concerned about locating spares and doing repairs, an online search for “greenhouse spares” reveals a cornucopia of suppliers for every bit and bob imaginable.

PROPAGATION When I gave up heating my greenhouse, I did invest in a windowsill electric propagator complete with 7 mini propagator trays and lids. There are plenty of propagator options available on the shelves at the Garden Centre. Many seeds germinate quite readily, albeit more slowly, in the fluctuating temperatures of a sun-powered, unheated greenhouse.

My propagator, despite being petite, is perfect for sowing small quantities of seeds starting from early January with Pelargonium (Geranium)

seeds.

Seeds that need a warm and constant temperature can come indoors for a bit of pampering. A windowsill in your most inhabited room or your boiler/airing cupboard is ideal (evict those towels!).

Check regularly for signs of life then get them into the light as soon as they germinate. Every other day turn the trays around to ensure well balanced growth rather than lanky, leggy, leaning growth.

FIVE TO SOW NOW Winter isn’t just for gazing at seed and plant catalogues. The following are best sown in pots or trays and, unless the weather is mild, brought indoors to germinate. There’s no need to thoroughly soak the compost after sowing (which we tend

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indoors and will be ready, depending on the weather, in around six weeks.

Mangetout peas ‘Oregon Sugar Pod’ stands low temperatures better than others.

Sow four seeds to a 10cm (4in) pot inside.

Pot on into 30cm (12in) pots when around 15cm (6in) tall, or plant in soil beds. Support with 1.2m (4ft) long twiggy sticks. to do for spring and summer sowings), just moisten it lightly. Once germinated, move seedlings back to the greenhouse, only bringing them indoors on very cold nights.

Don’t expect them to romp away as they would in spring; growth, depending on the weather, will be slow but steady.

Salad leaves I aim to sow at least one 12cm (5in) pot of salad leaves every week and get two or maybe three cuts per pot.

Right now, I use the hardier oriental brassicas, green in the snow, mizuna and red mustard which can be germinated

Sweet peas I never get around to sowing in October, but I’ve often caught up by sowing in November, December or January/February.

You’ll still get flowers weeks ahead of springsown plants.

Broad beans Sowing now produces young plants for early spring, planting either in beds within the greenhouse or polytunnel (near the door so bees will find and pollinate them) or outdoors. Sow one seed to an 8cm (3in) pot.

The variety ‘Aquadulce’ is good and reliable. cont...

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Early-pull carrots ‘Amsterdam Forcing’ and ‘Nantes 5’ do well from late-winter sowings in a 30cm (12in) pot. By late spring you’ll have tender young roots to pull.

YEAR-ROUND GROWING Winter Bring pot-grown Strawberries into the greenhouse in January (they flower and fruit best after being frosted). Remove dead leaves and repot in fresh peat-free compost.

You will need to be their pollinator: dust pollen between the flowers with a small brush, then enjoy the rewards from early May. Spring It’s all systems go as your greenhouse captures increasing amounts of sunshine.

Slugs will thrive in ever-wetter summers, so start plants in pots or multi-celled trays to give them a head start when planted outdoors, aided by some organic slug pellets. Regularly check under pots or trays for slugs and remove any found. If in the autumn you sowed Schizanthus the aptly named butterfly or poor man’s orchid, you will be reaping the rewards in the spring.

Summer Make the most of warmth-loving crops. Indoor Tomatoes (opt for the blight resistant varieties like ‘Ferline’, 20

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‘Losetto’ and ‘Red Alert’), Peppers, Aubergines, Cucumbers and Melons all need the raised temperatures of a greenhouse to succeed.

Autumn Use the warm, rain-free space of your greenhouse to store/ripen onions, pumpkins and winter squashes. Lay trays in full sun so skins bake and ripen fully.

Bring in a few spring flowering shrubs such as Viburnum bodnantense, Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’, Forsythia or pot up some spring bulbs, such as Tulips, to force into early flower for the house.

KEEP WARM Don’t forget to insulate your greenhouse, especially if you are planning to get those newly sown plants off to the best possible start. Bubble insulation can save you up to 50% on heating costs and potentially ‘frost proof’ an unheated greenhouse. The bubble insulation, which should be UV stabilised and double laminated for strength, can be fixed and secured easily but do make sure any louvre and roof vents are left clear so air can circulate freely. Mild winter days in the greenhouse will see increases in condensation if you don’t vent sufficiently. cont...

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‘DIG IT’ Catch our latest ‘Dig It’ podcasts on your usual podcast platforms, including topical monthly advice, specialist expert growers sharing their plant passions and most recently a podcast discussing Trees for Small Gardens with top nurseryman Nick Dunn.

HOUSEPLANTS A FREE Masterclass talk on Growing Houseplants will be held on Wednesday 1st December at 4pm in the Restaurant talks area. Seats are limited and booking is recommended.

Call our Customer Service desk on 01280 822133 to secure a seat.

WIN A Buckingham Garden Centre Gift Voucher worth £25 Here’s your opportunity to win a garden voucher to treat your garden to some winter-interest plants, bulbs or maybe a treat for yourself from our Christmas shop!

To win, simply answer the following question and TWO lucky readers will have the chance to win a Buckingham Garden Centre voucher, worth £25 - perfect for giving the garden a much-deserved treat or two!

Question: What is the name of the popular manufacturer of seed and propagation kits we sell in the shop?

A: Sankey B: Ward C: Garland Pop your answer A, B or C together with your name and address to: competition@buckingham-nurseries.co.uk or by post to: Buckingham Garden Centre, Tingewick Road, Buckingham, MK18 4AE. www.buckinghamgardencentre.co.uk Tel: 01280 822133

The closing date for entries is 31st January 2022 www.buckinghamgardencentre.co.uk www.facebook.com/BuckinghamNurseries Open 7 Days a Week

Email: lifeinbuckingham@gmail.com

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To advertise at a price that’s right for you call 07899 757473

01295 597484

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Friendly Local Business Greens & Thickens the Lawn Controls Weeds & Moss Pay as you go - No Contract Safe for Children & Pets

The Lawn Care Company You Can Really Rely On

Let us transform the quality of your lawn!

FATHER CHRISTMAS IS COMING TO BUCKINGHAM OLD GAOL ON SUNDAY DEC 5TH, 12TH & 19TH. 11AM - 3PM £5 PER CHILD

(Must be accompanied by an adult)

Peer Support Groups

Allotment (starting September) Walking Group (starting September) Activities Events our website is www.mentalhealthfriends.co.uk Email:- admin@mentalhealthfriends.co.uk Mobile:- 07840959349 This is the link to our closed Brackley Facebook Community group. https://www.facebook.comgroups/2278024829136675/ We also have a national chat and support group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2442714289123922/

Sew 'n' Sews Quilting Group

welcomes new members to join us in Towcester for our varied programme of guest speakers, projects and workshops.

For more information contact Gina Scull on 01327 857892.

Buckingham National Women’s Register (NWR)

Are you interested in topical discussions, books, history, science etc? Would you like to meet friendly like-minded women in your community? NWR may be for you! We meet on first and third Thursday evenings, currently on Zoom, but hoping to resume face to face meetings soon.

Contact Jane Wardale (jswardale@gmail.com tel 07342 264666) for the current programme.

Second Wednesday of the Month (excluding August and December) Maids Moreton WI Ladies, think you know the WI, think again!

Come and see for yourself, all women 18+ welcome. Maids Moreton Village Hall, 7.15 for 7.30. For more details check our Facebook page or call 01280 812929

Email: lifeinbuckingham@gmail.com

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