Villages in Focus February 2025 by InFocus

VILLAGES IN FOCUS

13 The Square, Barnham, Bognor Regis, PO22 0HB

Dear All,

To me February feels like one step closer to Spring, with incredible sunrises and days that feel just that little bit lighter and longer. I hope you are feeling that sense of optimism too.

This month I would like to do a shout out for Sarah Boote-Cook who is the Chair of Bognor Regis Armed Forces Day, an event held every year to honour our servicemen and women, past, present and future.

This year, the event will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWll, and take place on Saturday 21 June 2025 on the Esplanade, Bognor Regis in front of the pier.

Sarah and her ‘Poppy Army’ are creating a stunning wall of knitted and crocheted red and purple poppies which will also host the names of 216 local men and women who lost their lives, and they need hundreds of poppies.

So, if you are a knitter or crocheter or know someone who is, please contact sarahbootecook@hotmail.com as she would love to hear from you.

Please let me know if you are organising a special event to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII so we can feature it in all our In Focus magazines. We have a very special community and I love hearing from you all and sharing your stories.

Best wishes, Kate

Copies of Villages in Focus are available to collect from Barleys Hardware store in the centre of Middleton village.

office@infocusmagazines.co.uk Tel: 07729682245

MARCH

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ISSUE DEADLINE – WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY

THE CHEMISTRY OF LOVE BY LOUISE ADDISON

Ah, love – poets write about it, singers croon about it, and casting directors are obsessed with finding actors with the right ‘chemistry.’ But did you know that love actually (see what I did there) does have its roots in the cold hard sciences? Beneath the roses, chocolates, and moonlit serenades, love is fundamentally a biochemical rollercoaster powered by brain chemicals and hormones. So, let’s dive into the delightful chemistry of love.

Attraction – It all starts with a spark – when your eyes meet across a crowded room, and suddenly, there’s an inexplicable pull. That’s your brain being hit with a dopamine surge. Dopamine, often called the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, makes your heart race and your palms sweat, triggering that euphoric high. Add norepinephrine to the mix, and it’s like drinking three cups of coffee. Suddenly, you’re energised and hyper-focused on your crush.

And those butterflies in your stomach? That’s the adrenaline, kicking in as your body shifts into overdrive. Love, quite literally, keeps you on your toes.

Hormones – Enter testosterone and oestrogen. Though traditionally linked to physical attraction, they’re really the backstage crew orchestrating the initial stages of lust. These hormones make you notice someone’s smile, or laugh, or the way their head tilts and nose wrinkles when they’re embarrassed.

But there’s even more at play. Have you ever wondered why certain people just ‘smell right’? It’s down to pheromones; sneaky little chemical signals that influence attraction at a subconscious level. Your nose knows more about chemistry than you think!

Attachment – Once the whirlwind of attraction settles, love deepens into attachment. This is where oxytocin and vasopressin step into the spotlight. Known as the ‘cuddle hormones,’ they’re released during physical touch, whether it’s holding hands, hugging, or even cuddling with your pet (yes, dogs count).

Oxytocin promotes bonding and trust, turning infatuation into a lasting connection. It’s also the reason you associate fond memories with your loved one – your brain is hardwiring you to stick together. Vasopressin, on the other hand, is linked to loyalty and long-term commitment, ensuring that love doesn’t just fizzle out like a chemistry experiment gone wrong.

Toxicity – Of course, love isn’t always smooth sailing. Heartbreak and rejection trigger cortisol, the stress hormone, making you feel low. But fear not – time and endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers, come to the rescue, slowly but surely.

Magic – While love can be reduced to neurotransmitters and hormones, its magic lies in its unpredictability. Chemistry may explain the science, but the poetry of love is all yours to write After all, who wouldn’t want to believe in a little mystery, even if science has a formula for it?

Valentine’s Day is Friday 14 February.

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LOCAL HISTORY BY

SYLVIA ENDACOTT

Let us look at Bognor railway which in the 1840s the station was situated at Woodgate, which then involved a walk between the station and Bognor, a journey of approximately three miles.

Following many years of planning the railway finally arrived in the town in 1864 amid much excitement. On the lst June the branch line from Barnham was opened, these first passengers had the choice of either 1st, 2nd, or 3rd class coaches. Communications between the two stations proved difficult, as the telephone link was not established for another 35 years. However, the arrival of the railway was not without incident. The first station wooden structure fell victim to a hurricane and later a serious fire resulted in today’s building being constructed in 1902.

Over the years the number of trippers using the railway to the seaside has changed dramatically. Around 1907 the number of visitors to the town on a Sunday could exceed five thousand, at a time when the population of the town was only 2,000. At this time, the lines were doubled between the two stations. The most important visitor to the town was King George V who travelled to the town on the 22nd of January 1929 by train from London, when he came to recuperate.

The station has seen also an increase use by local traders. In the 1930s Olby’s took over part of the goods yard for their wood-receiving depot to accommodate their increasing trade. Lec Refrigeration also used the line to enable them to receive and despatch their fridges.

ARUN & CHICHESTER (AIR) ENTHUSIASTS SOCIETY

AirACES www.airaces.org.uk

Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Retd) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot

Sqn Ldr Rod Dean RAF (Ret’d) – ex Hawker Hunter Pilot and Display Pilot Monday 24 February – 1845 for 1930 hrs

'Controlling 9/11’ – The story of the US Air Traffic Control on this tragic day Presented by Mr Phil Holt

It was the day that changed our world forever. Everyone will remember what he or she was doing, when they heard of the attacks on New York and Washington D.C.

Phil Holt was an Air Traffic Controller for nearly 40 years, and was on duty on the 11th September 2001. In this fascinating presentation, Phil will tell the story of his colleagues at the Boston, New York, Washington D.C. and Cleveland Air Traffic Centres.

Phil’s experience as a controller, instructor, examiner and human factors specialist, gives an unprecedented insight into the most fraught four hours in the history of Air Traffic Control.

AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.

VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, PO18 0EE 6.45pm for 7.30pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10 and under 16s FREE. Doors open at 6.45pm no pre-booking, no reserved seating. For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk, or call David Batcock on 07502 400657.

THE RIGHT ADDRESS BY

KIM LESLIE

To that colossus of snobbery, novelist Evelyn Waugh, outward signs of lifestyle mattered. ‘Brideshead Revisited’– of palatial grandeur and social climbing – gives the clue to the world of the 1920’s and ’30s he so admired. Growing up in the unfashionable London suburb of Golders Green, Waugh refused to post letters from his more local pillar box. He’d walk to Hampstead to gain its postal frank, deceiving friends into thinking that he lived in its far more prestigious neighbourhood. Estate agents are in on the same game, ramping up desirability, manipulating local geography with more up-market locations. A property in Pagham was recently located in Chichester. Maybe Bognor Regis should be rechristened Chichester-on-Sea?

Just over a hundred years ago, a new place was created along the Sussex coast, branded with an address stolen from its neighbour. This was Angmering-on-Sea, not in the parish of Angmering at all, but an intruder, purely a builder’s development dropped onto its neighbour, East Preston. The dream of a Finchley builder called William Hollis, he saw the potential of its seaside fields. To obliterate the name East Preston from his shoreline part of the parish was crucial to his plans as the village was dominated by its monstrous Victorian workhouse. East Preston was The Workhouse. A huge, forbidding building, completely out of scale with the rest of the village, it catered for the poor and out-of-work from some

Angmering-on-Sea's first-time appearance on an OS map, 1922.

twenty local parishes. If you were destitute and needy then East Preston was your destination, a place of shame, tainting East Preston’s name until finally demolished in 1969. No wonder William Hollis wanted no association with its name. His new luxury homes for the affluent were far removed from the workhouse horrors up the road.

From 1916, Angmering-on-Sea was marketed as ‘the Garden of Sussex…where the Sea and Country meet: where the pure breezes of land and sea dispense abundantly God’s medicine for the benefit of all mankind … Greater Angmering-on-Sea … represents the supreme achievement in modern seaside town creation … [and] is entirely for the residence of ladies and gentlemen’. ‘Greater’, even a ‘town’. Presumption indeed!

Despite protests from Angmering Parish Council about stealing its name, Hollis, the smart businessman, won through: Southdown buses showed their destination as Angmering-on-Sea and its name appeared on Ordnance Survey maps for the first time in 1922. Official recognition at last. But now, according to the UK’s national address database, its name has vanished, although residents, keen to maintain their exclusivity, still find their own private ways of maintaining William Hollis’s dream address – the right address when showy social symbols matter.

The Wrong Address: East Preston Workhouse.

Wills, Probate & Estates Specialists

to take

VALENTINE’S VALUE

BY FELPHAM FASHION GURU VICKY BOOKER

Love is in the air! Want to treat your loved ones, but it’s a tricky time of year as often the coffers are low following the Christmas period. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a lovely gift that shows you care. Forget the tired trope of supermarket red roses, chocs and undies and go for something different that shows you’ve given it some thought.

Vicky Booker.

Here are my picks of great value, but beautifully stylish valentines’ gifts. As ever, I like to support our local businesses, and there’s even the chance to give back to charity too!

Have a Heart

Heart Plant

Red roses a bit cliché? Go for a heart plant instead (or Hoya Kerrii). This will be sure to last way beyond Valentine’s Day. You’ve probably heard of Little Botanical, but did you know it’s another local company? Check out their shop at Runcton Farm as well as the website below.

(left) Single Plant from £7.50, Double heart from £16.50 –www.thelittlebotanical.com

Valentine hearts are everywhere, but buying your loved one a t-shirt from the British Heart Foundation means you’ll be helping towards saving human hearts! With designs for both ladies and gents, these logo t-shirts could be styled up to wear with jeans or maybe worn to do some heart-pumping exercise! Choose from the mini heart icon, or heart logo designs - £15 www.giftshop.bhf.org.uk/

Wear your heart on your … sock …

Socks as a valentine’s gift? A bit boring perhaps – well I know people who say there’s nothing better than the feel of new socks! These bold pair from quirky shoe and accessories brand, Embassy London are a fun and reasonable gift choice. They come in both ladies and gents’ sizes so suitable for all.

Soulmates - Black Red - Men's cotton crew socks size UK 6 to 12 in black red Heart socks - £14 – www.embassylondon.co.uk

Kissable Lips

Red is THE colour for Valentines’, so what better gift than one of the gorgeous red lipsticks, or glosses from my colour me beautiful makeup range. These give great coverage and are infused with hydrating ingredients to ensure smooth lips throughout the day. I can help with choosing the best shade (it doesn’t have to be red!) for you or your loved one.

J4rming Candles

Scented candles were given a bad press over Christmas for being boring gifts. But I think they are a great luxury item which we wouldn’t often buy for ourselves. These candles are hand poured in small batches locally by Jazz using only premium coconut and rapeseed wax (rather than paraffin, soy or palm oil) making them an eco-friendly option. Jazz uses wooden wicks which give a gentle crackle and with nine scents to choose from these will create a cosy romantic ambience!

Sustainable candles £16.50 by www.j4rming.co.uk

With Love this Valentines Day, Vicky X Want personalised advice? Book a Style Consultation with me. Vickybooker.com or contact me for info – vicky@vickybooker.com

ARTIST OF THE MONTH: JANE FOWLER

I have lived in Middleton-on-Sea and now Aldwick for 36 years. In 1999 after attending an evening class in stained glass I discovered the perfect way to combine my new found interest in glass with the love of crafting things by hand. I had previously spent any creative time I had designing and making clothes, but I found glass an exciting new medium.

I use the copper foil method made famous by Louis Tiffany, which involves cutting glass, grinding, copper foiling and then soldering. This enables me to make anything from small delicate objects to larger 3D art pieces and many functional things such as lamps, jewellery boxes and decorative holders for spectacles and phones.

After retiring from a career in the music business, working here and abroad, I can now concentrate fully on my glass work.

Everything I make is original and I am often inspired by the beautiful markings on the glass itself. It is a fairly labour-intensive process, and I enjoy all the different stages, particularly planning how a design will work, both visually and structurally.

I am lucky to have a lovely studio looking out into my garden, which is also always an evolving and pleasurable work in progress.

I open my studio to visitors as part of the Bognor Coastal Art Trail which is the last two weekends of July every year. I also open my studio independently for a long weekend each November. Do contact me if you would like to see more of my work. Telephone: 01243 837556 or email: jane.fowler54@yahoo.com

A GOOD READ

BY NATASHA DONOVAN

THE PORPOISE by Mark Haddon

Mark Haddon’s The Porpoise is a sweeping and imaginative novel that weaves together contemporary narrative with ancient myth. Known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Haddon ventures into different territory here with a story that explores trauma, survival, and transformation.

The novel begins with a tragic plane crash, which leaves wealthy Philippe without his beloved wife. Their newborn daughter, Angelica, survives, but her life is overshadowed by Philippe’s controlling and abusive behaviour. In her isolated and troubled existence, Angelica finds herself retreating into the world of her mind— and this is where Haddon’s novel takes an unexpected turn.

The narrative splits between Angelica's plight and a parallel retelling of the ancient tale of Pericles, Prince of Tyre. The novel then moves between the modern and the mythical, with the story of Pericles embarking on a sea journey that mirrors Angelica’s emotional and psychological journey. As the characters cross between worlds, the boundaries of time and space blur, and Haddon’s lush, often poetic prose gives life to rich landscapes and deep emotional currents.

The Porpoise is an intense, complex novel. Haddon’s storytelling is both adventurous and reflective, drawing readers into a world where myth and reality intersect in fascinating ways, yet the thread of the central story remains strong.

Please

SNOWDROPS AND SPRING FLOWERS

BY KATE HARRISON, WEST SUSSEX NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME PUBLICITY OFFICER

Four inspirational snowdrop gardens will be opening their gates in West Sussex this February and Crosslands Flower Nursery, Walberton will be holding two-hour tours of their 3 acres of glasshouses filled to the brim with Sussex grown alstroemeria. And this is just the beginning: 81 fabulous West Sussex gardens will welcome you over the next nine months including nineteen opening for the first time.

To find your perfect garden or to find out more about the gardens featured below, visit ngs.org.uk, download the National Garden Scheme app or pick up a free copy of The Sussex National Garden Scheme Booklet available from February in many local stores, garden centres and libraries.

THE OLD VICARAGE, WASHINGTON

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/ garden/21793/the-old-vicarage

Every Thursday 6 Feb to 2 Oct (10-4).

The National Garden Scheme season gets off to a wonderful, bejewelled start with Snowdrop and Spring Flower gardens. From swathes of snowy white blooms to colourful mixtures of aconites, hellebores, iris and crocus under early blossom there is a garden visit to lift your spirits as the year begins.

Admission £8, children free. Prebooking essential, please visit the NGS website for information & booking. Self service light refreshments on Thursday (cash only) and picnics welcome. Monday, 21 April, Monday 26 May, Sunday 27 July, Monday 25 Aug (10-5). Admission £8, children free. Purchase ticket in advance or at the gate on the day. Home-made teas. Visits also by arrangement 17 March to 2 October for groups of 12 to 30. No private group visits on Thursdays.

SANDHILL FARM HOUSE, ROGATE

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/19183/sandhill-farm-house Sunday 9 February (12-4), Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 April (1-4) and Sunday 27 April (2-5). Admission £8, children free. Pay on the day. Home-made teas.

HIGHDOWN GARDENS, WORTHING

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/6351/highdown-gardens Thursday 13 February (10-4.30), Thursday 1 May (10-8). Admission by donation.

THE MANOR OF DEAN, PETWORTH

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/3616/manor-of-dean

Sunday 2 February (2-4), Sunday 9 March (2-5) and Sunday 27 April (2-5). Admission £5, children free. Book in advance on the NGS website or pay on the day. Teas. Visits also by arrangement 3 February to 18 May for groups of 20+.

CROSSLANDS FLOWER NURSERY, WALBERTON

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/45634/crosslands-flower-nursery

Thursday 20 February, Tuesday 4 and Tuesday 11 March (10-12) Admission £10, children free. Book in advance on the NGS website (essential). Visits also by arrangement 3 February to 28 March for groups of 10 to 30.

THE UNMISTAKABLE HERON

BY Alice McD ougall

Could there be a more iconic bird of the British waterways than the grey heron? Often seen lurking statuesque and solitary at the side of lakes, rivers and estuaries; with its long legs, curvaceous neck, bright yellow bill and striking grey, white and black plumage - the heron is unmistakable. Herons are the tallest bird in the UK with a wingspan of almost two metres. Witnessing the slow, steady beat of these huge wings reveals the graceful and majestic side to these birds, yet while hunched in shallow waters they can seem somewhat prehistoric.

Herons have a wingspan of almost two metres.

We spot them, motionless and silent, waiting for an unexpecting fish to swim by as a quick, deft movement from their long necks and dagger sharp beaks secures them some dinner. The construction of the vertebra in their necks forms a hinge which allows this impressively swift action and their reputation as efficacious hunters.

Herons are ‘apex’ predators of the aquatic ecosystem, which means they play an important role in maintaining ecological balance among smaller species of fish, amphibians and insects. But it’s not just fish they eat, chicks, and small mammals such as voles are also on the heron’s menu.

Although herons do not generally have predators, their eggs and young can be a little more vulnerable, which is why they often build their nests high up in the treetops. These nest communities, called heronries, can have up to 150 nests in them.

Herons return to their heronry year after year, often finding the same nest they used in the previous breeding season. From February onwards, while the trees are still bare, you have a good chance of seeing them go about their business of nest building and rearing their young. At Pagham Harbour there is a heronry on the North Wall which is home to grey herons, cattle egrets and little egrets. (And if you didn’t know, herons are part of the Ardeidae family species along with egrets and bitterns).

To find out what is going on in February at Pagham Harbour and Medmerry RSPB, including half term activities for children, take a look here: https://events.rspb.org.uk/paghamharbour

Image by Jürgen from Pixabay

A NEW ROUTE ACROSS GOODWOOD

BY SIMON BAKER IRONS

This month, take a walk with a difference along a new route between the villages of Halnaker and Lavant. Thanks to Goodwood and Rolls Royce, a permissive path now connects two existing public rights of way, enabling better connectivity between these villages. This 5km (3mi) path is also part of a broader scheme to link wildlife corridors from Chichester Harbour. Previously, getting between these villages required either a lengthy walk following public footpaths around the estate or a risky walk along the roads.

I started the walk by parking in Boxgrove and heading north out of the village along a well-trodden track across the fields. After crossing the A285 the public footpath continues northwards. However, a sign marks the beginning of the permissive path as it diverges southeast, following the field's edge, the border of the South Downs National Park and a small section of 'Stane Street’, which is a 57-mile Roman road that connected London to Chichester and was in use by the Romans around 70 AD.

After about half a mile, the path turns east and continues along the field edge, aligning with the Lavant Straight. Except for a slight detour around houses in Strettington, the path remains straight all the way to Lavant.

Along the route you will notice that the area between the path and the road has been planted with many trees, creating a crucial habitat for rare mammals like bats and dormice, as well as a diverse range of plants, birds, and invertebrates. In some places dead wood has been left beside the path. As it decays, it returns nutrients to the soil, nourishing the trees and supporting new growth.

Along the path as you pass through the fields, keep an eye out for the herds of Goodwood’s Southdown sheep and lambs, especially if you visit in spring. As the path reaches East Lavant, it merges with the road and accesses the many public footpaths that link Chichester, the Downs and beyond. To return to Boxgrove, retrace your steps along the permissive path. However, for a change of scenery, head north from Strettington towards the Goodwood Hotel. This provides an excellent opportunity to stop for some refreshments.

After passing the hotel, rejoin the permissive path as it passes through Sandpit Copse. On reaching the flint wall, cross the road and walk alongside the fields where Saddleback and Gloucester Old Spot pigs are raised. The path leads to the road by two flint cottages that are typical of the Goodwood estate. You can take a short detour along the track to visit the Goodwood Farm Shop, where you can purchase produce from the farm. Otherwise, follow the route back to the start of the permissive path.

Note: A permissive path means the landowner has granted the public permission to use it, but there's no legal right of way. If the landowner decides otherwise, the route would no longer be accessible.

To see more photos and walks please follow me on Instagram @piertopiertrekking

Please

Down

2. Enmity, contempt (6)

3. Infused, fermented (6)

4. Appreciate, enjoy (6)

5. _______ West, Dalton and Spall (7)

6. Bystander, spectator (7)

7. Explanation of how the universe began (7)

CROSSWORD

Across 1. Herbaceous perennial with edible stalks (7)

8. Itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka dot ______ (6)

9. The Moor of Venice, Shakespeare play (7)

10. Type of biscuit (6)

11. About-face (7)

12. Picked, selected (6)

16. Composer of FantaisieImpromptu (6)

13. Astronomical event, can be solar or lunar (7)

14. Beloved, favoured (7)

15. Innovator (7)

17. Anne ______, second wife of Henry VIII (6)

20. Sang A Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side (3,4)

21. Tropical lizard (6)

22. Andalucian town (7)

23. Pollen-producing part of a flower (6)

24 Aerial, signal receiver (7)

18. Contusion, blemish caused by injury (6)

19. UK's smallest bird of prey (6)

Please

SUDOKU

How to Play Sudoku

It’s simple! Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box, contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

@gm_repointing_ • All aspects of brickwork undertaken • • Contact us today for a free quote •

gary@gmrepointingspecialist.co.uk 07368 510500

FEBRUARY HOROSCOPES

BY LOCAL ASTROLOGER LETICIA PARMER

Good news for this, the final winter month of the year. Jupiter, planet of luck and helpfulness will come back into full power at the start of February, then later in the month you can start to feel your energy, vitality and resistance restored. Not Just because the sun is rising higher in the sky, but also because Mars returns to full power from the 24th.

ARIES

Your words and small journeys bring you joy. Perhaps a new vehicle is coming your way! Later in the month you might even consider moving home.

TAURUS

Lately you've had to be more cautious about money, but Jupiter starts to refill the coffers at last. You'll be surprisingly chatty and witty too.

GEMINI

You can expect some personal luck with Jupiter in your own sign. Later in the month you may decide to go on a spending spree.

CANCER

Dreams and imagination are your best friends this February. Then, as the month wears on, you find the energy to make these into reality.

LEO

Friends at last become more of a help than a hinderance. This opens the floodgates to your incredible creative talent.

VIRGO

Help is at hand from a boss or father figure. You will have increasing energy for friends and socialising as the month progresses.

LIBRA

Travel and dealing with other cultures at last runs smoothly. Career matters that seemed to have stalled regain momentum.

SCORPIO

Your love of investigating will be rewarded, as you finally uncover some great treasures. Later in the month you feel energised to travel.

SAGITTARIUS

Partnership matters take on a more joyful energy. So, you will be very romantic and fired up with passion for the month of February.

CAPRICORN

You will enjoy getting down to the detail and precision in your work. Teaming up to achieve this will energise you more.

AQUARIUS

Children become less of a duty more of a joy now. Later in the month Mars brings more vitality and health benefits.

PISCES

Your domestic arrangements are looking up! Perhaps you are moving to the house of your dreams where you can be truly creative.

The perfect way to rest and restore, recharge your winter batteries come to my exquisite SOUND BATH GUIDED MEDITATION on Thursday 27 February, 7:30pm in theJubilee Hall, Middleton, PO22 6DZ call: 07956 155105 or email: leticiaparmer@yahoo.com

Please

MUSHROOM

STROGANOFF

A creamy but light and delicious supper

Preparation time: 10 mins

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped.

1 tbsp sweet paprika

2 garlic cloves, crushed.

300g mixed mushrooms

Method

Cooking time: 20 mins. Serves: 2.

150ml vegetable stock

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp sour cream

Small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped.

• Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onions and soften for about 5 mins.

• Add the paprika and garlic, then cook for 1 minute more. Roughly chop and add the mushrooms, then cook over a high heat, stirring often, for about 5 mins.

• Pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens (5-10 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir through the soured cream and most of the parsley.

• Serve with rice (it goes particularly well with brown or wild rice) stirring through the remaining chopped parsley just before plating the dish.

PLANKTASTIC

BY KIM HUSSAIN

WHY THE PLANK IS SUCH GREAT EXERCISE

Planking is one of the simplest yet most effective exercises you can do to strengthen your core muscles. It’s a bodyweight exercise where you hold your body in a straight line, supported only by your forearms and toes (or hands in the high plank variation). It looks deceptively easy, but maintaining proper form requires serious focus and strength.

Why is planking so effective? The plank targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including your abdominals, back, shoulders, chest, and legs. This makes it a comprehensive workout for your core, which plays a crucial role in stability, balance, and overall strength. A strong core not only enhances athletic performance but also improves posture and reduces the risk of lower back pain. One of planking’s key benefits is its accessibility. You don’t need any equipment or much space, making it a perfect addition to home workouts. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned fitness enthusiast, planking can be modified to suit your level by adjusting the duration or trying variations like side planks or plank jacks.

The science behind the burn. Unlike crunches or sit-ups, planks engage your muscles isometrically, meaning you hold a static position instead of moving through repetitions. This sustained contraction builds endurance and strengthens stabilizing muscles, which are crucial for everyday movements and preventing injuries.

How to start. Start small, aiming for 15-30 seconds, and gradually increase your time as you build strength. Focus on keeping your body straight—no sagging hips or arched back! With regular practice, planking is an efficient, time-saving way to build a rock-solid core and improve overall fitness. So why not try it today?