Choice Magazine - Stubbington & Hill Head - May edition
STUBBINGTON & HILL HEAD • DELIVERED MONTHLY
LOCAL EVENTS LISTED INSIDE
Helping girls’ ambitions takke e off Summer Drop-in Morning Saturdaay y 14 June 10am to 12 noon
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It’s Crescent Garden Plant Sale time! But it’s not all about the plants. There are delicious cakes and copius amounts of tea to purchase too! It is the most wonderful thing to do on a Saturday afternoon, purchase plants and then sit in the beautiful gardens with a cuppa and cake. The Garden take part in the National Garden Scheme. Details are listed inside.
Grab your picnic blanket, the wonderful Picnic in the Park is back this year. The weather has been booked! It’s always a great community fun filled day. More details inside.
Strawberries are my favourite fruit. Even my wedding cake was a strawberry tart! You cannot beat English strawberries, and are you even a Brit if you haven’t gone strawberry picking?! So, with it being strawberry season I’ve found a delicious recipe to use them in. May I suggest buying far more starwberries than you need because if you are like me I can’t resist a few whilst working my way through the recipe! The recipe is for quite simply a Strawberry Cake by Meera Sodha.
Did you know the first record of the game of “conkers” was, apparently, in 1848 on the Isle of Wight? Me neither! This is just one of the fascinating things you’ll learn from Rita’s
wonderful article inside. She also talks about the red horse chestnut tree. Read about it on page 14 and then check it out in person at the Crescent Garden Plant Sale!
Does your home need a good spring clean? Are you in need of a massage? Are you wanting to get fitter? We have local advertisers that can help with all of the above and more. You’ll also find great offers, sudoku, more great advertisers, local news and much more inside!
Louise Courtney talks all about the benefits of the hamble dandelion on page 36. Often not a favourite amongst most of us but I think you will change your mind once you read the article!
Loads to do in the garden this time of year. With the nicer weather it feels like a joy! The gardening guide is inside.
ARE YOU A LOCAL BUSINESS?
Let us pound the streets and get your advert through 11,000 homes a month and sent out to our growing number of subscribers too! Get in touch! Details below.
English strawberries are in season and tasting delicious! This cake is equally perfect for a birthday or a Sunday afternoon treat!
You’ll need:
• 175ml whole oat milk
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• ¾ tsp fennel seeds, ground
• 200g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra for sprinkling on top
• 250g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• 125ml rapeseed oil
• 600-700g ripe strawberries, halved (plus more for nibbling whilst you bake!)
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Grease and line a 22cm x 32cm baking tray (ie, a standard American nine-inch x 13-inch baking sheet) with greaseproof paper.
Pour the oat milk and cider vinegar into a medium bowl and put to one side.
Make some spiced sugar to top the cake by mixing the ground fennel seeds and two tablespoons of caster sugar, then set aside.
Put the flour, bicarb, 200g caster sugar and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
Stir the vanilla paste and rapeseed oil into the oat-milk-and-vinegar mix, then pour into the flour mixture and mix well. Spoon on to the lined tin, shake the tin, then give it a couple of sharp taps on a work surface to settle the batter and release any air bubbles.
Place (rather than push) the strawberries on top of the batter, arranging them toe to toe and trying to fit on as many as you can. Sprinkle over the spiced sugar, then bake for 30 minutes, until the sponge is golden and a sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean (it’s OK if it has some strawberry juice on it).
Serve with ice cream, yoghurt, cream or custard!
Recipe is by Meera Sodha meerasodha.com
REVERSE PARK
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MAY IN CRESCENT GARDEN
The red horse chestnut tree, Aesculus carnea, is a cross between the familiar white flowered horse chestnut, A. hippocastanum, and the red buckeye, A. pavia, a native of the southern states of USA. Like its near relative, the conker tree, A. hippocastanum, it can grow into a stately tree, up to 12 metres high with a spread 5 to 10 metres. The bark is smooth and pinky grey when young but darkens and develops scaly plates when older. The horse chestnut is native to the Balkans and first came to Britain in the sixteenth century. The hybrid, A. carnea, appeared in Germany in the early nineteenth century and was in Britain by 1818. Like its parent, the conker tree, the red version has the familiar palmately compound leaves with five toothed leaflets and the familiar sticky buds. They are not so sticky as those on the horse chestnut, but are usually larger. Another similarity with A. hippocastanum is the horseshoe shaped leaf scar, though the scar is rather flattened and not quite so much like a horseshoe. The fruit of the tree is also very like that of the conker tree, with an outer rather rubbery casing, less prickly than its parent and the seeds inside it are small and no good for playing “conkers”. The first record of the game of “conkers” was, apparently, in 1848 in the Isle of Wight!
In Crescent Garden there was a red horse chestnut tree growing next to the railings in the eastern part of the garden, near where the new mulberry tree has been planted. Unfortunately,
this tree died some years ago, but before that fate befell it, a seed, quite likely buried by a squirrel, germinated among the bushes and trees along terrace walk, not far from the young tulip tree. This seedling was carefully nurtured and has now grown into a fair sized tree whose lovely blooms can be admired by anyone walking across the grass in the eastern end of the garden. It can never grow into the stately tree it would be in a more open place, as it is rather over shadowed by the large, spreading and very beautiful strawberry tree on one side of it and a large bay tree on the other. Neverthe-less, it is well worth having for its beautiful flowers, standing out amongst the greenery.
Each individual flower is very small with pollen filled stamens projecting beyond the petals, but the flowers are arranged in a vertical cluster called a panicle which makes them very obvious and attractive to pollinators especially as they also produce copious amounts of nectar. The pollen and nectar together make the flowers especially attractive to bees. In the parts of the American continent where these trees have been introduced the flowers are often pollinated by humming birds.
The wood from the red horse chestnut tree is a pale creamy-white to light brown with a smooth, soft fine texture. It not very much used commercially as it is soft and very weak, but is ideal for carving and turning to make attractive ornaments. The one commercial use to which it is sometimes put is to make fruit racks and storage trays. Because of its absorbent nature it helps to keep the fruit dry and prevent rotting.
The red horse chestnut is widely planted in parks, gardens and streets, but not often in woodlands or forests. They are not very long lived trees, but some of the oldest are in Hyde Park.
It is probably not a very suitable tree for a small garden as it can grow to a considerable size, but do come and admire the blooms on the one in Crescent Garden.
Ideal for front gardens as statement pieces, or for smaller rear gardens where you want the sound of water without the footprint that a pond requires. There are a multitude of fountain designs to choose from and the configurations are endless. These are also really good for attracting birds to drink and wash.
ECOSYSTEM POND
PONDL
Ideal for and stre a hidden water is
Ideal for people wanting to enjoy it as a fishpond, and/or to use it as a recreation pond if the space allows, where your family sit and relax in the summer, but still enjoy the visual of a beautiful natural looking pond all year round. This is the oppos swimming pool which remains a covered over rectangle for most of the year with our English weather! Using the Ecosystem basis for natural chemical free filtration, underwater jets and larger wetland filtration systems can be incorporated to ensure and circulation. Waterfalls, streams and decorative fountainscape elements can be incorporated into the pond to suit your s ultimate outdoor living lifestyle.
I can also create and incorporate Rainwater Harvesting systems to use with any of the water features mentioned. All ponds and water features will periodically lose water due to evaporation, splash and wind. Manual top up is the simplest solution but requires regular checking for levels. Creating an underground water reservoir from collected rainwater for your feature to draw upon is the most environmentally friendly way
Contact Craig to arrange a consultation and design visit: 07787 562490
All other landscaping, pond cleaning and garden maintenance also carried out.
LESS WATERFALL
people wanting the impressive visual and sound of a waterfall am, but without the want for fish or pond maintenance. Using n water reservoir to give the illusion of disappearing water, the then pumped back up to the start of the waterfall to recirculate.
All water features can be enhanced with lighting to ensure 24 hour enjoyment of them.
y and friends can swim or site to a standard garden m Pond philosophy as the the highest water quality space and budget, for the
W L S
Do you have important legal documents in place to protect your interests and make life easier for you and your family, whatever the future brings?
If you have received a diagnosis of dementia, or are concerned about becoming ill and unable to cope with paying your bills, wouldn’t it be helpful for a family member to be able to step in and deal with your finances? If your family member needed to make decisions for you, instead of just acting on your instructions, they would need your formal written authority to do this.
Formal authority can be given by creating a Lasting Power of Attorney. This document will allow your family member to take over managing your money, either temporarily or long term.
You can also create a Lasting Power of Attorney which allows your family member to make decisions for you about medical treatment, if you are unable for any reason to make your own decisions. This is not the same as an Advance Decision, which is a document which sets out your decision to refuse medical treatment in the future, under specific conditions.
If you are caring for an elderly relative, or are likely to be doing so in the future, a Lasting Power of Attorney will mean that you can provide the support your relative needs and access services on their behalf, without the difficulties, stress and resistance you would otherwise encounter.
Having a Will gives you peace of mind that your money, property and personal possessions will be going to the people you have chosen to benefit. An out of date Will can cause problems within the family or mean that a chosen beneficiary receives nothing.
If you have any unanswered questions about Wills or Lasting Powers of Attorney, Christine will be pleased to help, so do please get in touch for a free, no obligation, chat.
Call Christine Davies
Solicitor
on 07860 772274 or email: christine@winterbornelegal.co.uk
Christine is a Fully Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend. Christine will visit you in your own home and aims to provide a warm personal touch to every meeting.
Christine Davies Solicitor
With 3 sites in the local area, all of our Garages are high ranking members of ‘The Good Garage Scheme’ and ‘Checkatrade’. Our Garages provide onsite MOT testing. Mon - Fri: 8.30 - 5.30 Sat: 8.30 - 12.30
All Makes and Models catered for.
0333 3585 999
Solent Airport MOTs, Unit il1-3, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX (Stubbington Motors is now at Solent Airport MOTS) Elkins Motors, 99b Mays Lane, Stubbington PO14 2ED Locks Heath Garage, 212 Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath PO14 4PG
HVR CUSTOMS
Specialists in VW’s, we also cover many other makes and models in the full or part conversion of camper vans, kombi vans and caddy’s. We manufacture and design custom built camper interiors for Volkswagens and other makes.
Full & Part Conversions
VW Transporters, Campers, Kombi’s and Caddy’s
0333 3585 999 (Option 3)
HVR Customs, Unit il3-4, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX
CARS AND VANS ALWAYS IN STOCK FOR SALE!
Specialising in transporters and small low mileage cars. (The cars are ideal for first time drivers.)
IN THE GARDEN
• Harden off dahlias
• Prune Clematis montana after flowering
• Divide congested irises
• Support tall perennials
• Plant out sweet peas
• If you didn’t trim lavender plants after flowering last year, do it now
• Plant out brassicas and leeks in their final positions
• Sow sweetcorn from mid-May onwards
• Remove raspberry suckers
• Prune grape vines
• Support your runner beans
• Spray fruit to prevent attack by mildew
• Harden off outdoor tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins for planting early next month.
Grinding
Shrubs:
HIDDEN TREASURES HIDDEN TREASURES
We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques. Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!
PRE
WANTED 51-53 HIGH STREET LEE ON THE SOLENT
1947 COINS (SILVER)
WANTED gold - silver - jewellery of all kinds medals (any militaria) - cuff links - studs - tie pins pocket watches - wrist watches antiques - moorcroft - clarice cliff - old postcards
WANTED - rolex, breitling, omega etc
Please call in to see us. Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm. Alternatively, call to arrange a home appointment
TELEPHONE: 023 9255 3428 MOBILE: 07767 304495
Picnic in the Park
Sunday 8th June 12noon - 4.30pm
Stubbington Recreation Ground
FREE EVENT
ZORBS
FACE PAINTING TIN CAN ALLEY TUG OF WAR KIDS RACES AND LOTS MORE!
An afternoon of fun! Bring a picnic!
Organised by THE CROFTON LIONS
BEETLE DRIVE WITH FOCOC
Sat 17th May Parish Centre, Holy Rood, 6.30pm. A fun evening with FOCOC (Friends of Crofton Old Church). Admission is free, tea and coffee is available and plus a raffle. BYO snacks and drinks. Donations go towards upkeep of St Edmunds. Everyone is welcome.
LEE PLAYERS - INTERACTIVE MURDER MYSTERY
Fri 18th & Sat 19th July. Doors 7pm curtain 7.30pm
Crofton Hall Theatre, Crofton Community Centre
Tickets £10 from 01329 662128 or the Crofton Community Centre. Three elderly ladies join the 'Twilight Dating Agency' and each meets the man of her dreams...
ENJOY PLAYING BADMINTON
Tuesdays 6.30-8pm Crofton Community Centre. A social crowd of all standards and welcome anyone to join us (we cannot accommodate complete beginners). First session free. For info Jan Hooper 07501126196.
ALPHA AT HOLYROOD CHURCH
7pm every Wednesday from 30th April - 2nd July
Alpha is a series of group conversations that freely explore the basics of the Christian faith in an open, friendly environment. Everyone’s welcome. No matter your background or beliefs, you’re invited. You can sign up here: croftonparish.org.uk/new/alpha/ or email alpha@croftonparish.org.uk
ST EDMUNDS (CROFTON OLD CHURCH)
Services 9.30am every Sunday.
1st & 3rd Sunday of month is Holy Communion (BCP). 2nd & 4th Sunday is Morning Service. Coffee served after. 5th Sunday Communion Service, with hymns, in the Common Worship style. Coffee served after.
18th May 10am-12pm The Church will also be open on for visitors/private prayer. We look forward to seeing.
INTERNATIONAL FOLK/CIRCLE DANCING
May 6th, 20th 10am-12pm
RC Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington £7
Dances to beautiful music from around the World. No Partner or experience is required & all dances are taught. New members welcome. Contact Bob & Mary 01329 609589 Mobile: 07748009838 neal.bob61@gmail.com
CRESCENT GARDEN PLANT SALE
Saturday 17 May 10am-4pm Crescent Road, Alverstoke, Gosport PO12 2BB
Our famous Plant Sale in the Regency Crescent Garden plus even more magnificent home made cakes & teas!
CROFTON GARDENING CLUB
Monday 19th May 7.30-9pm
Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington. Plant Bring and Buy Sale
STUBBINGTON BAPTIST CHURCH
Jay Close PO14 3TA
Sunday 10am Morning Service with Sunday School
Tuesday 1.15pm Baby & Toddler Group (Term time)
Tuesday 7pm Evening Life Group
1st Wednesday of the month U3A Gardening group
1st Thurs of month 12:30 Snack ‘n’ Chat £2
Thursday 15th May 10.30am Coffee and Cake
Tuesday 27th May 10.30am Half term Special. Fun morning for children & grown ups of all ages. Craft, Puzzles, Games – Table Tennis. Suggested Donation £2 Please book 07775687767. douglasfleming612@gmail.com Premises available to hire, ring Douglas on number above.
CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP
STUBBINGTON GROUP Meets on the second Thursday of the month at 2pm at the Catholic Church Hall on Bells Lane in Stubbington. All retirees are welcome. For more information contact Peter Cornish 023 9234 5457 or visit csrf.org.uk/group/stubbington
CROFTON PROBUS CLUB
Monthly social lunch at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. For retired and Semi-retired professional/businessmen. If you miss the camaraderie and social connection of the workplace come along to a trial meeting before joining? 07508711299 or email: morton.wouter@gmail.com
STUBBINGTON BELLES W.I.
2nd Monday of the month 1.30-3.30pm at The Crofton Club, Titchfield Road, PO14 2JH
Our May and June meetings are for members only. We welcome visitors to other meetings. stubbingtonbellessec@hampshirewi.org.uk
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. WHAT DO I DO?
Do you ever have questions about Jesus or the Bible? Or how you might come to church? Or do you want to be baptised? At some point in life we might ask one of these questions or something similar but we’re not sure what to do about it. Sometimes coming to church on a Sunday, such as our main 10am service at Holy Rood, can be a daunting step. Emailing the church or contacting us through social media is a great starting point. But what else can we do?
The Alpha Course is a great way to dip your toe in and connect. At Holy Rood we run the Alpha Course about once a year on a Wednesday evening for 10 weeks. What is it? According to the Alpha website (alpha.org), ‘Alpha is a series of group conversations that freely explore the basics of the Christian faith in an open, friendly environment. Everyone’s welcome. No matter your background or beliefs, you’re invited’. On the course each week a member of the Holy Rood team will introduce a topic such as Who is Jesus? or Why did he die? We then chat
about it in small groups with refreshments. It’s really simple, relaxed and free.
The Alpha website says: ’Alpha now runs all across the world. Millions of people have experienced Alpha in over 100 countries and over 100 languages around the globe’. I’ve been pleased to be involved with Alpha for over twenty years, and every time I’ve been part of a course wherever I’ve lived people have left pleased that they came. In fact I’ve never met anyone who wished they hadn’t. You don’t have to commit to anything by the end of the course and it may just satisfy what you’re looking for.
Sometimes people ask me ‘what next?’ once the course has finished. I like to think we have something for everyone here in Crofton Parish. For some, coming to church on a Sunday or Thursday morning at Holy Rood might become a regular thing. But we also have groups people can join: our Community Groups provide a space to connect with others at different times in the week. Each group is facilitated by a small team overseen by the staff. Community Groups are a helpful way to continue our journey of faith and to keep asking those questions.
The next Alpha Course at Holy Rood starts on Wednesday 30th April and runs until 2nd July. You can sign up here: croftonparish.org.uk/new/alpha/ or email alpha@croftonparish.org.uk
Revd Dan Greenfield Associate Vicar Crofton Parish
Holy Rood Church
Gosport Road
Stubbington PO14 2AS
FRIENDS OF CRESCENT GARDEN PLANT SALE
SATURDAY 17 MAY 10AM-4PM
CRESCENT ROAD, ALVERSTOKE
It’s that time again when two of my favourite things combine! Plants and cake! What a combo! You’ll find both of these at the annual Crescent Garden Plant Sale.
If you got a gap in your garden, can’t resist a plant sale or a lovely cup of tea and cake in a beautiful garden this is for you!
You’ll find flowering plants, seedlings, climbers, vegetable plants, herbs and houseplants too. Plus gardenalia, books and pots!
The refreshment tent will once again be fully stocked offering tea, coffee and homemade cake.
Proceeds from the plant sale are split, part going towards the upkeep of the Crescent Garden and part to the National Garden Scheme (NGS) charities, the most significant funder of nursing charities in the country.
Beneficiary charities include: The Queen’s
Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, Parkinson’s UK and other guest charities.
So, what can be better than to purchase some lovely and often unusual plants, eat homemade cake, sip tea in beautiful surroundings and do your bit for charity.
If you would like to donate any plants too then bring them on the morning. Gardeners and plants are both welcome! And people who just enjoy homemade cake and teas and coffees too!
If you’d like to know more about the Garden or become a Friend and enjoy the events they organise then visit: www.alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk or email The Membership Secretary, Guy Sitwell membership@alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk or speak to one of the Friends on the day.
If you enjoy gardening or just love plants and would like to help keep the gardens looking beautiful you can do so by becoming a volunteer gardener. Volunteer gardeners meet at the Garden each Wednesday morning. You can chat to a member on the day of the plant sale, pop along on a Wednesday or email Ginny Whelan whelanvirginia@gmail.com.
DANDELION THE PLENTIFUL PLANT WITH LION’S TEETH!
Dandelions - Dandelions! I used to pass you by;
Beneath my feet your yellow stars I crushed without a sigh; I used to gaze upon your blooms with but a careless eye, And if of you I thought at all, knew not the reason why. (Franklin Stanwood)
I believe Stanwood’s poem above epitomises most people's relationship with the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis). We are very familiar with this bright and colourful spring/summer plant, that is often sadly maligned by lovers of a perfectly green lawn!
Hopefully, this article will lead to a newfound appreciation of this wonderfully versatile and medicinal plant.
Dandelion derives its common name from both the Latin ‘dens lionis’ and the French ‘dents-delion’ which both mean ‘lion’s teeth’ due to the shape and of the plants’ jagged green leaves. The other commonly heard name is ‘piss-en-lit’ (French for pee-the-bed) which reflects the herb’s diuretic qualities and contributes to the myth that you will wet the bed if you pick them; I remember hearing this as a child!
Taraxacum broadly translates from Greek as ‘medicinal cure’ and the whole plant can be used for a whole range of medicinal purposes. This is one of the most frequently used herbs in my practice. It is a liver stimulant, bitter tonic and diuretic with an affinity for the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, stomach and gut. The uses and benefits will depend on the part of the plant used. The young spring leaves are diuretic and are a gently stimulating kidney tonic that can be a tasty addition to a spring salad. The leaves can also be dried and taken as a tea as part of a spring cleanse along with Cleavers (see last month) or taken as a tincture (alcohol extract) to help to remove excess fluid
(without depleting potassium) and to improve the elimination of toxins from the body, especially useful for skin conditions.
The root of the Dandelion is a liver restorative with bitter properties that promote bile flow and stimulate the digestive cascade. This helps to improve bowel function and gut health, relieving constipation and improving digestion, absorption and elimination of toxins. The root contains Inulin (more so in the autumn) which is a starchy substance found in many fruits and vegetables, that acts as a prebiotic in that it encourages the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Both the root and leaf can also be effective constituents of a herbal prescription addressing joint inflammation and pain.
The flowers can be used to make wine and syrups (remember to remove the sapcontaining stem) and an infused flower oil can be applied to relieve joint pain and stiffness. The sap from the stem can also be used topically for warts and benign skin lesions.
I’m hoping this article has gone some way in changing the perception of Dandelion from a problematic common weed, to a nutritious and beneficial tonic herb.
Louise Courtney wildsidehealth.co.uk
Nb. While Dandelion is a gentle herb, it should be used with caution during pregnancy, especially in the alcohol form, and avoided in the first trimester. Please consult a qualified medical herbalist before internal use (especially with the tincture and if you are taking other medications), for use with children and if you have gallstones.
