ALVERSTOKE
November 2020 | Issue 180 | £1.50 where sold
Your local community magazine
Voice
Inside... The ‘virtual’ marathon
Happy Birthday Big Voice!!!!
Don’t change, be a tree!
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Voice
Smalltalk
It’s a Big Voice Birthday! As I was putting together this month’s Big Voice, I realised that the Alverstoke magazine was edition number 180. I have been lovingly creating these magazines for just over four years now but, 180 editions mean the Big Voice is officially 15 years old! If you are a regular follower of the ‘Small Talk’ and have been reading this magazine for some time, you may remember the lovely Coralie. Coralie ‘borned’ (her word!) the first edition of Big Voice in Alverstoke way back in 2005. She gradually grew the distribution and covered more areas (including Lee on Solent and Stubbington) and after 11 years of successful ‘magazin’ing’ Coralie, who by then had recruited her partner in crime Sean, was ready to move on to new and exciting challenges. They passed their ‘baby’ to me (not long after I had an actual baby) and since then I have continued to nurture and grow this fantastic community link. 15 years is a massive achievement for any small business and it shows how very valued this magazine is to the community and local businesses who advertise with us. I thought it would be fun to dig out the very first copy and see how things had changed over the years. Back then, the cover was in colour but the rest of the magazine was in black and white and Coralie sported a David Bowie pixie ‘barnet’ but apart from that, it was clear to see why the Big Voice has always been a popular choice for businesses to advertise in and residents to read. Even then, it was still jam packed with interesting articles and relevant information which has remained central to the philosophy of the business. Aside from reflecting on the magazine, it’s good to know that some of the businesses in this first edition are still around and as successful as ever. That must be the Big Voice effect! It’s also great to see Coralie’s recent reappearance in the magazine with her regular ‘Chat with Coralie’ article, which can be found on page 21. Just like fashion, if you wait long enough all the good things come back around again… except for the pixie hair that is, haha!
Peach Publications 01329 630630/07909 627177
Editor
Gemma Harvey-Guttridge editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk
Advertising Sales
editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk
Distribution
This Big Voice Bigazine is delivered to residents and businesses in Alverstoke. For distribution enquiries please give me (Gemma) a call. Two other editions are also published in Stubbington & Hill Head and Lee on Solent. Whilst Big Voice Directories aim to provide a quality publication for local reference, it cannot be held responsible for the services, reputation or cost of any of the advertisers, and content of adverts or editorial herein. Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the Publishers. The magazines are produced on paper sourced from FSC approved paper mills and printed using vegetable based inks. They love being recycled but please pass to a friend first! Magazine, adverts, design, layout and content ©Copyright Peach Publications Ltd.
Happy Birthday Big Voice, I’m off to eat some cake! Much Love,
Gemma x 4
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NOVEMBER ISSUE 2020
Recipes, community, charity, properties and more
CONTENTS 8
Get Puzzled
19
Wish List
10
Recipe of the Month
21
Chat with Coralie
12
Mum’s the Word
24
Keep On Running
14
St Mary’s Church
Test yourself with this month’s crossword
A spicy, cajun, classic. Jambalaya
Outdoor, autumn fun
Some local, autumn ‘must haves’
Don’t change, be a tree!
There was still many marathons
A time for everything
Advertise with us!
Reliably delivered by our local teams, reaching over 15000 homes each issue. THREE editions of Big Voice provide exceptional monthly coverage of our area every single month. Call Gemma now on 01329 630630, jump on our website or link up with us on Facebook.
Visit our Facebook page @bigvoicedirectories Visit our website www.bigvoicedirectories.co.uk
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Get Puzzled Clues Across 1 Fifty percent (4) 4 Happened again (8) 8 Immobile (6) 9 ___ ___ to help out! (3,3) 10 Medicine (4) 11 Goodies given to guests at the end of birthday celebrations (5,3) 13 Unpleasant (13) 16 Saviours (8) 19 Curse (4) 20 Guarantee (6) 22 Inclined the head (6) 23 Weirdos (8) 24 Information (4) Clues Down 2 Can be changed (9) 3 Tiredness (7) 4 Go over information again (5) 5 Bye! (7) 6 Attempt again (5) 7 Large flightless bird (3)
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12 Plot of land for growing veg (9) 14 Item of warm underwear! (7) 15 Steered clear of (7)
17 Scale (5) 18 Ballads (5) 21 Craze (3)
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Recipe of the month
Jambalaya A spicy cajun classic
Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 50 mins + 10 mins resting time. Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: ½ tsp white peppercorns, ½ tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne (or more if using a very mild sausage), 1 tsp dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, ½ tsp salt, 2 tbsp neutral oil, 2 smoked pork sausages e.g. Chorizo, 4 bone-in chicken thighs, 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 red pepper, finely chopped, 1 celery stick, finely chopped, 4 spring onions, chopped, green and white parts separated, 3 garlic cloves, crushed 800ml chicken or pork stock, 1 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce, plus extra to serve, 300g long grain rice 300g large raw prawns Method: Turn the heat to high and in a small dry pan toast the peppercorns, paprika and cayenne. Grind them in a pestle and mortar until smooth. Add the thyme, bay leaves and salt, then set to one side. Lower the heat to medium and heat the oil in a lidded frying pan. Add the sausage slices and cook until golden. Remove to drain on kitchen paper. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, remove and place with the sausage. Add the onion, green pepper, the white parts of the spring onions, and garlic to the pan. Cook until soft and translucent, then stir in the spice mix and cook for another couple of minutes. Return the chicken back into the pan and pour stock and Tabasco over everything. Lower the heat to allow the mixture to simmer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is tender. Stir in the rice and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Stir everything once then cover with a tight lid, reduce the heat and steam gently for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken. Add the prawns and sausage, stir again, then replace the lid and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken then fold into the rested jambalaya, season to taste with salt and more Tabasco. Garnish with the spring onion greens.
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Mum’s the word
Covid-19 has caused so many events to be cancelled during 2020 and firework displays are the next in line. My children love wrapping up warm and going along to watch one (or more) local displays. Normally in the November edition I will list all the venues, prices and times and I’m yet to find one that hasn’t been cancelled. So instead I thought I would remind you to stay safe if you choose to do a mini display at home and suggest some autumnal activities you can enjoy with the children instead. Go for a walk in the forest: We love pulling on our wellies in the autumn and going for a woodland walk. This time of year is brilliant as there are plenty of fallen leaves to crunch under your boots or collect for art activities. It’s also a pretty good time to capture some great family pictures, throw some leaves into the air and snap at the right moment! Titchfield Haven, Holly Hill, Alver Valley and the Forest of Bere near Wickham are all fab! Toast marshmallows: We actually love to do this all year, inside and outside. We toast them on the barbeque, over a fire pit or sometimes just over the hob (always being careful!) The children love to create our own version of a s’more and pop them between two biscuits with a piece of chocolate. Go on a conker hunt: If you have a competitive family like me this is bound to get everyone involved. Firstly, see who can collect the most, then teach the kids how to play ‘conkers’. Two players each thread a conker on to an old shoelace or a piece of string. Then you take turns, one holds theirs out at arm’s length and the other tries to hit it. The winner is the person who smashes the other person’s conker. If the conker comes off but isn’t smashed, you are allowed to reattach it! You could also try making one of these amazing conker caterpillars. The little ones will love keeping this and apparently, they keep the spiders away. Go bat spotting: We have been lucky enough to spot bats in our garden in both our new home and the previous one. In our old house we actually put a bat house in the tree. They are mainly active for 2-3 hours after dusk whilst they look for food. It is also mating season for bats, ahead of winter hibernation. If you get really interested, you could try looking up some bat facts. Watch a sunset: Lots of people were enjoying getting up super early during lockdown to watch the sun come up but this isn’t always possible when you have little ones in tow. An autumn sunset is totally achievable though. The beach is a great place to watch the sunset, as the nights draw in check the sunset time and head to the coast. Take a flask of hot chocolate with you too. Fly a kite: It’s been super windy lately, which is perfect kite flying weather. Geocaching: If you are a regular reader you will have heard me mention this many times before. There are millions of geocaches hidden around the world, there are probably some near you right now. Get the free Official Geocaching app and start finding ...
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Mum’s the word
Top Tip! Looking for a super easy and fun craft to do with the children to celebrate Fireworks Night, then give this a whirl! You and the kids can make these cool fork firework prints which require practically no preparation. All you need is a fork, a few colours of paint and some paper. Pop the different colour paints into some small containers and ask the kids to dip the bottom of their fork into a colour and press it down on the paper so it shows the lines. Suggest they go round in a circle to make a firework shape. Wipe off the fork and dip it into another colour and press it down on to the paper over the top of the first colour. Easy peasy fireworks! You could also use black paper and add white paint too!
I saw this on Facebook! Kids love sparklers but the metal part can become extreamly hot, very quickly. So stick the end of your sparkler into a carrott! This makes them easier to hold, does not conduct heat and the sparkler can be held futher away from the body. Genius :)
Many parents and caregivers are struggling to find toddler and baby groups that are still being run under the current restrictions. If you are one or know one, please get in touch so we can help spread the word! Call or text Gemma on 07909 627177
to adverstise call Gemma 01329 630630 / 07909 627177
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St Mary’s Church
We find ourselves in a time when our hearts are heavy, our minds are anxious and our bodies are weary. We find ourselves philosophising about our current circumstances, our community and our world. The writer of the ancient book in the Bible called Ecclesiastes (chapter 3) pondered such things in their generation with the famous words, ‘There is a time for everything’ including: “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” How we know the truth of those words at this time and look forward to the return of laughter and dancing. The writer was even in a context where human touch was restricted saying: “a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.” They could be describing society today and the pain felt by many families and among friends. One sense of the passage is to call the community to remember the story of times past. To recount whether in ‘up or down’ times, ‘light or dark’ ones, that the journey through the times and seasons of our lives is a journey which God seeks to walk with us. Remembering is important. November is a time to Remember. All Souls (31st October) and All Saints Day (1st November) call us to remember those whom we cherish and who have died, that in sharing
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their story we may journey towards hope. May the season of our weeping souls find laughter again, that we may arise through mourning towards dancing, even as we cherish our loved ones and entrust them to God. Among the long list of times Ecclesiastes also adds: “a time for war and a time for peace.” Remembrance Sunday (8th November) calls us to the shared act of telling the story of wars past so that we may be reminded to strive for peace. As we seek to remember and honour individuals, it is through them what we recognise the cost, nightmare and terror of war and all that they gave up and faced for our peace and freedom today. A remembrance with thankfulness and honouring of them. We pray for all who continue to suffer as a result of war, their families and those who continue to ‘serve’, whilst committing themselves to work for peace in our world today. In Alverstoke, our parish war memorial in St Mary’s church names 200 souls who perished from this community alone in the two world wars. This November, “We Will Remember Them.” Revd Andrew Norris Rector for Alversoke Parish St.Mary’s, St.Francis’ & St.Faith’s www.stmarysalverstoke.org.uk
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November WISH
LIST
Darwin Grey Velvet Chair £399.99. Lulu Loves Home, Stubbington
Vintage Art Deco Sapphire Blue Czech Glass Brooch £ 5.00. Voluptuous Vintage, Alverstoke
Deep Red Black nail varnish in Noirberry £ 5.00. Nailberry
Rubberised Rolltop Backpack £45.00. Marks and Spencers
A5 Beautiful Mind Notebook £ .00, Paperchase
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CHAT WITH CORALIE
Don’t change
be a tree
I’m going to start this article with a quote (which was my little quirk when I used to write our Smalltalk every month!). It’s by a chap called Ram Dass and goes like this “When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.” How many times have you found yourself judging someone by their voice, or by the way they look, or their clothes? Do you have an unconscious bias towards people and so you inadvertently treat them a certain way? I’ve begun to feel that it’s often only with time and patience that we learn that actually human beings are a complex lot and to take someone on face value is to miss out on the beauty hidden inside. True, gut feelings are worth listening to, and I’d like to think my intuition is good when it tells me someone isn’t right for my energy. But that rarely happens and I know I have been guilty in the past of making assumptions about people based on the obvious ‘signals’ in front of me. For example, I remember being a bit mean once to a lady who stepped into my job whilst I was on maternity leave. She was kept on in another role after I came back and I was a bit miffed that some of the things I had put in place had been changed, or added to.
I got annoyed at the fact she chose to wear a ‘uniform’ to work and thought she was a bit nit-picky. With my more mature head on I can see now that she was exceptionally good at what she did and some of the things she’d implemented were better than the way I had done them. Instead of recognising that, I transferred my frustration onto what I thought was her issue, not mine. What a twit! I could have learned so much from her! And I look back now sadly thinking that parking too close to her mini so she couldn’t actually open the door was pathetically silly and not amusing as I had thought at the time... (disclaimer - I was probably sleep deprived, hormonal and too young!) My mum is a paraplegic and it would be easy to think things about her that are incorrect. The amount of people who come up to her and speak as though she were deaf is incredible. Or who ignore her completely and talk to her partner like she’s stupid. Out of all my family members my mum is probably by far the most intelligent and, whilst her legs may no longer work, her brain most certainly hasn’t given up the ghost. If her grandchildren perceived her in the way that some strangers do, they would miss out on all the knowledge built up over decades of gardening, being one of the first Navy Wrens to deploy to the Far East, fixing parts of an old car with a pair of old stockings and doing the Telegraph crossword at epic speed making most Oxford Graduates look like they were still at kindergarten. She may know her way around the Skybox controller better than I do and knows how to cook although she now sends instructions across to the kitchen so it’s still done in ‘her way’, albeit without her hands doing it all... but does her disability render her worthy of judgment? It would be a shame if it did. So whilst we often say to people ‘you can change, don’t be a tree’ remember that the reverse is also really important. BE a tree - you never know what you might find if you bother to sit and listen. Until next month
Coralie x
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Keep on running
The Virtual Marathon... At the time of writing this article, October is proving to be somewhat soggy! Corona virus is still causing us grief and my running is on hold until a troublesome knee can somehow be fixed. For others, however, October offered a muchneeded opportunity for them to find their running mojo and attempt the ‘virtual’ London Marathon. Sunday 4th October saw Gosport ‘awash’ with hardy souls either running or supporting the 26.2 mile challenge. I confess to being mildly jealous of those who chose to take part in the first ever ‘virtual’ version of this iconic event and have enjoyed reading the many stories on social media. Life goes on and runners will always find a way of making use of their expensive kit and so 2020 has seen many running events go ‘virtual’. Another local one for us is the ‘virtual’ Gosport Golden Mile. Having had to cancel our annual promenade race due to Covid-19, we decided that we would still make use of the measured mile and raise a few quid for GAFIRS, our chosen charity. In place of the usual 500 to 600 runners, we limited the event to 100 entries and have given participants the whole of October to choose a day and record a personal best mile. The entry fee was £5, and runners received a specially produced race bib. Nice Work Events have very kindly supplied the numbers free of charge and once again, local businesses RUNR, Bayside Cabin and Alton Sports have stepped up and offered spot prizes to keep the community feel to the event. So far a fantastic £500 has been raised and we would like to thank everyone who entered or contributed towards the event.
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My friend and one-time nemesis (before he became too good), Steve Crook, really has set the tone early on when he recorded a 5 minute 56 second mile on October 2nd. Well done Steve, this is a fantastic time and, on another day, would have probably won the Vet 55 age group category! There are many more wonderful stories from people who have raised lots of money in doing different things and these stories will inspire someone to have a go at something at some point. Also, on a very wet and windy Wednesday in October, our 545 RunClub runners were joined by Portsmouth Hash Runners at the Fallen Acorn. These guys really talk our talk as they are all about the more social aspects of running. They love to find locations more off the beaten track and so we were chuffed that they chose to join us for our weekly 5K. New friendships have definitely been forged and it looks like the Hash Runners will have some new faces from GosVegas joining them at their runs very soon. Have you been inspired to take up a sport or take on a new challenge? If so please do let us know, we would love to hear from you! How has COVID effected your day to day routines? Let us know and we can share your stories. In the meantime, stay safe and stay positive. Nick GosVegas Running
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The Difference Between Care Homes and Live-In Dementia Care When deciding between care homes or live-in dementia care, how do you choose the right option for you? When a loved one starts developing dementia, it can be a very scary, uncertain time for all. Not only do you have to deal with the confusion that comes with the disease, but you are now also faced with the daunting task of finding the right care and support. At this point, we would like to reassure you that help is always at hand. Moreover, if you are trying to decide between moving your loved one to a care home or finding live-in dementia care, we can tell you there are benefits to both options. However, before we look at the differences between live-in dementia home care and care homes, let’s first understand what these two terms mean. What are care homes? Care homes are residences that your loved one can move into. They are specially designed to provide care and support to people coping with dementia. These can be of two types: • Residential care homes • Nursing homes Residential care homes - offer assisted living, where residents get personal care and support with tasks like washing and dressing, taking medicines on time as well as supervision around the clock. Nursing homes - provide all the facilities of a residential care home, but they also have qualified nurses available to provide medical assistance if needed.
What are the advantages of a care home? Multiple members of staff available 24/7: One of the biggest concerns many have when looking for dementia care is wanting to know that support is available around the clock. A care home can alleviate that worry by having multiple members of staff available 24/7. No matter if it’s an emergency or just a pair of eyes to make sure everything is okay, care homes can alleviate a lot of this concern. Monitored environment: The reason why there are multiple members of staff available in a care home is that different residents have different needs, with some requiring more attention than others. Whilst your loved one might be entirely independent, there may be others who need roundthe-clock supervision. Therefore, care homes can be the right choice for these people. The staff at a care home will be aware of the medical needs of every resident, and they will ensure that medications are taken on time or provide proper nutritional care. No housework: As well as providing support, care homes are also responsible for delivering meals and housekeeping services. This can be a significant advantage for older or physically weak residents. Since this service is part of the fee, residents don’t need to worry about paying any additional bills or maintenance costs either. Socialising opportunities: Since a care home is a facility with more than one resident, your loved one has the opportunity to meet other people and socialise. Whilst there is a separate bedroom and bathroom for each person, residents can meet up in shared communal areas like gardens, living and dining areas. What are the advantages of live-in dementia care? As we can see, care homes offer many benefits. So, how does live-in dementia care compare?
What is live-in dementia care? Live-in dementia care, care at home or home care are all different ways of saying the same thing – your loved one can stay at home and get the support they need from a live-in care assistant. The care assistant provides all the support and care that would be available in a care home, except within the comfort of the customer’s own home. 28
Independence: Many people suffering from dementia value their independence. However, whilst a care home can provide several amenities within the residential facility, the freedom for your loved one to live life the way they want to may not be one of them. Now, this is irrelevant if the resident is incapable of managing on their own. Even if they may want to be independent, their physical or mental condition may not allow it.
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However, unless the disease has progressed substantially, most people with dementia only need some additional support at home. Live-in care allows this to happen safely whilst providing companionship and support they need. Familiar surroundings: People living with dementia find their memories affected, so they can find life bewildering and disorienting at times. However, if they are in their own home, the familiar surroundings filled with items that are associated with memories can help ease some of the confusion. Studies have shown that, if people with dementia live at home they tend to have a better quality of life and much higher activity levels. With a live-in care assistant, they can continue living in the home they love whilst getting the care and support they might require. No rules or restrictions: Depending on the care home, residents may need to adhere to a set of house rules for the benefit of the other members and employees. For example, most care homes don’t allow pets, which can be extremely distressing for those that have animals they love and care for. Similarly, others may have a rule about only one resident per room. As a result, couples who both need care have to be separated. With live-in care, the only rules are stipulated by the customer or their family. As a result, they can have their pets living with
them, which can be immensely beneficial to their physical health and mental well-being. Couples, and even families, can remain together, all helping to take care of each other. Affordable care: A lot of people are under the misconception that live-in care is prohibitively expensive. However, the truth is entirely different. With home care, you only pay for the time the care assistant spends with your loved one. On the other hand, in a care home, you would need to pay for the living space, food, amenities, overheads, bills and maintenance costs, all of which would be included in the fee. In fact, you are looking for care for a married couple, home care or live-in-care is more cost effective than moving both to a care home. In this case, they will be paying the fee twice over, whereas in their own home, their living cost would be much less. The only possible expense that comes with home care might be if you need to alter the setting to make it safer or more practical for your loved one. As you can see, there are many differences between live-in dementia care and care homes that could help you decide which one’s the better choice for your loved one. If you require live-in dementia care service for a family member, please contact us, we will be happy to discuss our services with you.
Contact us on 02393 233922 or email gosport@blubirdcare.co.uk
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GOSPORT £137,500 2B FF, Parking, No Chain, Kitch & Bath With Window EPC C
GOSPORT £152,500 2B, FF Bath, PVCu DG, Lnge/Diner, GCH, No Chain EPC D
GOSPORT £180,000 2B, Lnge/Diner, FF Bath, Conserv, DG, No Chain EPC D
BRIDGEMARY £210,000 3B, 2 Recep, FF Wet Rm, Cul-De-Sac, No Chain, DG EPC D
GOSPORT £219,995 3B, Lnge/Diner, FF Bath, Kit/B’fast Rm, GF Cloaks, EPC C
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BRIDGEMARY £245,000 2B, Wet Rm, Parking, DG, Lge Gdn, GCH, No Chain EPC D
GOSPORT £265,000 Ext 3B, Lnge, Kit/Dinner, FF Bath, Pk’ing, GCH EPC C
GOSPORT £275,000 4B, Spac Lge, FF Shwr Rm, Kit/B’fast Rm, Utility, Gge EPC D
ALVERSTOKE £310,000 3B, Lge/Diner, GF Cloaks, Gge & Pking, FF Bath EPC C
ALVERSTOKE £375,000 Ext 2B, Lge, Kit/Fam Rm, Study, P’king, GCH, No Chn EPC C
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