Choice Magazine for Stubbington & Hill Head - December 25
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Christmas Opening Hours
Monday 22nd 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 23rd 7.30am - 6pm
Christmas Eve 7.30am - 4pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Saturday 27th Closed
Sunday 28th 10am - 4pm
Monday 29th 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 30th 8am - 6pm
New Year’s Eve 8am - 6pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Friday 2nd Jan 9am - 2pm
I hope you like the new look? We’re hitting 18 years young in February so it felt like the right time for a change.
This month it’s all about food! It’s the annual Mince Pie Taste Test results! The Team and their taste buds were summoned once again to work their way through these festive pies! Did the fancy Harrods one come out on top or did the more modest Lidl lead the way? Find out which came out top on page 32.
This months recipe is something you can make and enjoy yourself or make and give as a gift. It’s for Chocolate Amaretti Cookies. I’ve tweaked a much loved and frequently used recipe to make it chocolatey! May I advise making twice the amount as these are delicious and very moreish! You’ll find it on page 10.
We’re taking our health into our own hands. I fully embrace this, I’m a ginger tea drinking, tongue scraping, meditate when I can, yogi! If you’re wanting to take your health into your own hands you may want to head to Wildside Health. Medical Herbalist Louise Courtney’s new location is nestled in picturesque South Street, Titchfield. Just entering the village feels lovely. So imagine a dedicated space where you can have personalised herbal prescriptions, learn about herbs, drink delicious teas, move your body with yoga and purchase lovely natural
products for yourself and your home. Do you have an ailment? Struggling with lack of sleep or just want to invest and do the best for your body, get yourself there; all the details are inside.
Lot’s of Christmas events inside plus what to do in the garden and the suduko. Rita is back this month talking about the blue cedar tree. If you’d like to become a Friend of Crescent Garden check out the article, you’ll receive a regular newsletter and have the opportunity to join in various activities they organise.
Are you feeling the cold indoors? Is your roof properly insulated? If not, Stanton & Lincoln can help and you can get £50 off if you mention us! Check out page 11 for more info.
Are you a local business? Want to start the year strong? Book an advert in the next edition get in touch! We’d love to help!
Thank you for another year of your support! Have a good December. I wish you a lovely Christmas time. Enjoy the perfectly, imperfect moments!
These cookies are everything you want them to be and more. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and chocolatey.
Makes 22
You’ll need:
• 300g ground almonds
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 120ml aquafaba, from 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 50g icing sugar, for rolling Method
In a large bowl, whisk the almonds, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. In a second bowl, and using an electric whisk, whip the aquafaba for eight to 10 minutes, until it forms semi-stiff peaks.
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line two oven trays with baking paper (mine’s reusable). Gently fold the aquafaba, lemon zest and vanilla into the almond mix.
CHOCOLATE AMARETTI COOKIES
Now set up a biscuit rolling station: shake the icing sugar into a shallow bowl or lipped plate, and put the dough to one side of it and the trays to the other.
Pinch off a walnut-sized, 25-30g piece of the biscuit mixture, gently roll it into a ball, then put in the icing sugar and repeat until you have about six in the bowl. Keeping the bowl on the countertop, gently shuffle it around in a circular motion so the amaretti roll around and get covered in a thick coat of icing sugar. Carefully place them 10cm apart on one baking tray, and repeat until you’ve used up all the dough.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the amaretti are golden on top, then remove and set aside to cool.
The biscuits will keep for at least a week in an airtight container. To wrap, put them in a gift box/bag of your choice and tie with ribbon.
HIDDEN TREASURES HIDDEN TREASURES
51-53 HIGH STREET LEE ON THE SOLENT
We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques.
Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!
PRE 1947 COINS (SILVER) WANTED
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
At the Eastern end of Crescent Garden is a large, spreading coniferous tree; it is the blue cedar, Cedrus atlantica Glauca. What’s in a name? The name Cedrus is derived from the Greek word for resinous (which most conifers are); atlantica tells you from where the tree comes. It is native to the Atlas Mountains in Algiers and Morocco, facing the Atlantic; and Glauca is derived from the word ‘glaucous’, which means ‘having a dull bluish/grey colour due to a waxy covering’, which exactly describes the needles on this tree. They are short and arranged in clumps of about 45 at intervals along the branches which have upturned ends. The waxy covering is waterproof and enables the tree to retain its needles throughout the year as, indeed, do most other conifers.
The blue cedar arose as a mutation in the early 19th century, was first introduced into UK in 1840 and was planted out extensively by 1845. It has since been planted in parks and gardens all over the world. Not only does it make a lovely sight in these places, but once established where the conditions suit it, the tree grows well. It is best planted in warm areas, though it is hardy to -20*. It is unsuited to areas of high rainfall, but is very tolerant of drought and is not fussy about the soil in which it is planted. So ideal for southern England and does well in Crescent Garden
Unfortunately it is listed as endangered in its natural habitat due to over use for its timber and the extraction of essential oils from its resinous branches. The tree produces very fragrant and durable wood and is much used in furniture making, especially that for storing clothes as its fragrance repels moths and makes
Crescent Garden
DECEMBER
the clothes smell good. Cedarwood oil is used in perfumes and medicinally as an antiseptic and a fungicide. Numerous other uses are claimed for it including cures for ulcers, chest infections and dandruff!
In October the tree produces male cones which are small finger shapes sitting upright on the branches and produce copious pollen which, with the slightest breeze, drifts in clouds across the garden and coats the cars parked along Crescent Road in a fine yellow dust. The remains of these male cones can be seen on the ground beneath the tree. The female cones are very small, but when fertilised produce barrel shaped cones which take 2 or 3 years to develop and then disintegrate to let loose their winged seeds.
If you have enjoyed reading this article and have even enjoyed a stroll through Crescent Garden, how about finding out more about the garden by joining ‘Friends of Crescent Garden’.
You can do this by visiting our website alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk or by contacting our membership secretary, Guy Sitwell, at membership@alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk There is a small membership fee which helps with the cost of running the garden such as buying plants, paying water and electricity bills, but also gives you the opportunity to join in various activities and receive a newsletter about the garden.
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
Shoreline Church meets every Sunday, 10.15am, in the main hall at Crofton Community Centre, Stubbington
Please join us, everyone is welcome
Visit shorelinechristianchurch.com for more information or phone
Kevin Stares on 07462 066104 or Julie Stares on 07531 856465
Waves meet every Sunday in Crofton Youth Project 10.45‐11.45am (adjoined to Crofton Community Centre)
Waves plus are aged 13 to 19 meet every fortnight on Thursdays 6.30‐8.30pm from Thursday 6th November.
Come along to our Christmas Mingle
Shoreline’s Christmas nativity and carol service on Sunday 21st December starting at 10.15am at the Crofton Community Centre.
Lots of fun for all the family, come along dressed as your favourite Nativity characters if you wish. There will be drinks served with mince pies and Children’s goodie bags after the service.
Recent Acquisitions
Pictures from the 18th to the 20th centuries
All exhibits for sale
As we approach our 46th year in business, all of us at the gallery would like to thank our many clients, near and far, for their continued support. We wish you all a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year!
December 6th until Christmas Eve
The gallery is happy to offer its expertise, free of charge and without obligation, to appraise paintings, etchings and antiquarian books brought in for framing, restoration, valuation or potential purchase.
Thomas Bush Hardy (1842-1897) - Indian Troop Ship HMS Jumna in Portsmouth Harbour. Watercolour. Signed and dated 1894. Overall measurement with original frame: 66 x 126 cm
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Nash, our Centre Manager doing diagnostic work
Jake our Apprentice
If you’ve got all the bulbs in, congratulations! It’s well worth the effort come springtime. If you haven’t planted your tulip bulbs yet, there’s still time! If like me, you’re desperate to sow seeds you can sow sweet peas now if you didn’t manage to in autumn just keep the seedlings frost free. Mine will be on a sunny windowsill.
Here’s a few suggestions of what you can be doing to keep the garden in check throughout the winter and everything just ticking over.
Around the garden
• Hang bird feeders near roses to attract hungry birds that will also pick off any overwintering pests
• Continue collecting leaves from borders, paths and lawns. I’m aware this is boring & neverending! but it will stop the snails and slugs hiding under them.
• Raise potted plants off the ground to prevent them becoming waterlogged.
• Regularly wash and disinfect bird baths and feeders.
• Winter prune large fruit trees, such as apples and pears, to control their shape and size, and to increase their productivity
In the Garden
DURING DECEMBER
In the greenhouse
• Check that greenhouse heaters are working. Remove leaves from greenhouse gutters.
• Wash greenhouses, cold frames and cloches to let in more light.
• Water overwintering plants sparingly to avoid the risk of rot. Try not to wet the leaves when watering to avoid fungal diseases.
• Pinch out the tips of autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage bushier growth
On the vegetable patch
• Sow broad beans and onion seeds
• Plant out garlic sets
• Keep kale, winter cabbages and other brassicas covered with netting to protect them from hungry pigeons
House plants
• Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating
• Water house plants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills at night.
• Repot moth orchids after flowering
Grinding
Shrubs:
REVERSE PARK
CROFTON BOWLING CLUB, STUBBINGTON. COFFEE MORNING WITH RAFFLE Sat 13th Dec 10am-12noon. All welcome. Mince pies, mulled wine, a drink included in entry price. £2.50 non members, £1.50 members.
STUBBINGTON AND HILL HEAD HISTORY SOCIETY
Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, 1st Dec 7.30pm AGM plus a local history photo quiz. Complimentary mulled wine, mince pies sausage rolls. For info www.shhhs.co.uk
CROFTON GARDENING CLUB 15th Dec 7.30pm.
Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane
Christmas Party and quiz. Members are invited to bring along some food to share. Drinks provided by the club and the Rose Bowl for the Flower of the Month competition will be presented.
STUBBINGTON & HILL HEAD WI 17th December 2pm. Baptist Church, Jay Close, Cuckoo Lane. We will be entertained by Jane Glennie "Jane Austen and her friend Martha" . Visitors can come to two meetings before deciding to join.
CHRISTMAS AT ST EDMUNDS
Carols in the Churchyard, 19th Dec 4.30pm
Nine Lessons & Carols, Sun 21st Dec 4pm Nativity Service, Wed 24th Dec 5pm for Children and the Young at Heart BCP Holy Communion Thurs 25th Dec 9.30am
Read more events and news at stubbingtonchoice.com
Local Events
STUBBINGTON STITCH AND KNIT GROUP
Meet Foster Room, next to Holyrood Church, 5th & 12th Dec 2-4.30pm. Our next sale is at Stubbington Library, Mon 1st Dec 2-4.30pm. All craft and Christmas items we have, so a great opportunity for last minute gifts & decorations.
INTERNATIONAL FOLK/CIRCLE DANCING
December 2nd 10am-12noon, RC Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington. No Partner required & all dances are taught. New members welcome. £7 Contact Bob & Mary 01329 609589, 07748009838 neal.bob61@gmail.com.
STUBBINGTON LIBRARY FAIR Every Friday 9:30 11:30am Wwonderful selection of home baked cakes, jams, chutneys. Order your Christmas goodies! Christmas cake, puddings, mince pies. Dairy gluten & wheat free available by request. Unique handmade crafts & seasonal treats. Last market 19th Dec returning 16th Jan.
CHRISTMAS AT HOLY ROOD
Carols by Candlelight, 14th Dec 6/8pm
Daytime Carols Mon 15th Dec 2pm
Family Fun Christingle Sat 20th Dec 2/3.30pm
Scratch Nativity Sun 21st Dec 10am
Midnight Communion Wed 24th Dec 11.30pm Christmas Day Service 10am
STUBBINGTON BELLES WI 8th Dec1.30-3.30pm. The Crofton Club, Titchfield Rd, Stubbington Members only Christmas Social. More info stubbingtonbellessec@hampshirewi.org.uk
Is your conservatory too hot and bright? Speak to us about solar film!
Christmas cannot commence until the Mince Pie Taste Test has been completed! In November all the pies were packaged up and sent off to our very experienced Taste Testers once again. Did the fancy Harrods one come out on top or did the more cheap Tesco ones lead the way?
Tesco looked good, lovely decoration, as you’d expect a mince pie to look. But the pastry was far too thick. Some found the taste to be ok and fruity, others found them to be very bland and claggy!
Lidl’s looked ok but very pale! The overall comment was the pastry was far too thick. Too much pastry and not enough filling. Very sugary and lacking in taste compared to the others.
Harrods came fourth last year and are at the same position this year. People are put off by them not looking like a mince pie, they always look more like a fairy cake. Some testers would have liked a little bit more filling. But the pastry
Mince Pie
TASTE TEST
was once again lovely and flaky with the perfect amount of sugar on top.
Waitrose looked homemade in a good way. But the overall thoughts were they weren’t very tasty, described as ‘uninspiring’ and ‘claggy’.
You can always rely on Marks’s. With a generous and tasty filling, good pastry and a very festive look they are deserved of their 2nd place. Only 1% away from joint first.
Asda was the overall winner! Festive and traditional looking with lots of fruit. A great taste and lovely, crumbly pastry.
If you’re watching the pennies then get yourself a clubcard and head to Tesco otherwise get yourself to Asda or M&S .
We hope this helps! The Team are all mince pied out! As always, any mince pie warmed up and with lashings of cream will taste good!
Until the next Taste Test.
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 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
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.)
The Weary World Rejoices?
When we look back at the 2020s, I wonder what we’ll say?
It’s easy to feel there’s so much uncertainty in our world at the moment. The cost of living has gone up sharply, we see conflicts in the world around us and anxiety about the future, especially with our changing climate.
Our Christmas theme in Crofton Parish this year is ‘The Weary World Rejoices’. It’s a line from the beautiful Christmas carol O Holy Night:
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
The words are a reminder that we are not the first generation to be wearied and anxious by the times in which they live. For 2,000 years, the Christmas story has spoken hope to people in all situations of life. It’s a reminder that we are not alone and that the God who sent Jesus at Christmas loves us, is for us and with us in our lives and our world.
We celebrate Christmas at midwinter for precisely this reason: in the darkest time of year,
Local News
CROFTON PARISH
there is light and there is hope. Even in the most difficult times of our lives and in our world, there is light and there is hope because Jesus –Immanuel, God with us – has come and we are not alone.
I hope that this Christmas for you will be a time of celebration and joy in whatever circumstances you find yourself and your loved ones. You are welcome to join us in Crofton Parish at any of our services and events. As usual, there will be events for young and old, some more traditional – like Nine Lessons and Carol at St Edmund’s – and some more raucous – like the Scratch Nativity at Holy Rood (no rehearsing required – just show up!).
Despite the weariness of our age, we’ll be rejoicing at Christmas this year. Because Christ has come and is with us today. We’d love for you to join us.
Rev Canon Richard England Vicar, Crofton Parish Area Dean, Fareham croftonparish.org.uk Office: 01329 661154
