Stubbington Choice Magazine April Edition

ALL ABOUT THE WALLFLOWER

WHAT’S ON

CAKE RECIPE

VEGAN

April is my absolute favourite month! It’s my birthday month! I’m chuffed to be reaching another level! And I’m all for celebrating this!

The evenings are lighter, days feel longer and sunshine makes an appearance! It feels more like the start of the year, I’m invigorated with new energy! I’ve got more ‘oomph’ to do things! If you’ve got more ‘oomph’ to get that house project going or shed those extra pounds, contact that run club, join that gym, move house, get swimming, remortgage or get in the garden then this months magazine is ready to help! Use our advertisers and your energy to make things happen!

TRY OUT BOWLING!

At Crofton Bowling Club’s FREE come and try day! Don’t worry if you don’t have all the gear! All equipment is provided and all ages and abilities are very welcome. Check out page 10 for more details!

SPRING OFFERS

Fancy 10% off beauty services,10% off a dog groom, £10 off gel nails, 10% off tanning? All these offers and more are inside!

Rita talks about the wallflower in this months article. Did you know they are related to

mustard, cabbage and broccoli? A fascinating read as always!

You’ll also find the gardening guide inside, along with what is on locally, plus the sudoku. You’ll also find lovely advertisers, news and more!

Louise Courtney talks about nettle in this months edition. She tells us about it’s benefits and includes a recipe for nettle soup.

Don’t forget to follow us on our socials too!

NEED MORE CUSTOMERS?

Why not try an advert in the May edition? Get your business in front of thousands of lovely local residents! Get in touch! Details below or scan the QR code.

I hope you enjoy this months edition. I also hope you have a lovely April! See you next month!

Read me, keep me or pass me on!

CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE VEGAN

The perfect cake for the chocolate lover in your life! And it’s vegan! Recipe by Anna Jones. Serves 10 (if you’re happy sharing it!)

For the icing

• 100g olive, coconut or vegetable oil

• 65g dark muscovado sugar

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 200g dark chocolate finely chopped

For the cake

• 200g plain or light spelt flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

• 75g cocoa powder

• 250g dark muscovado sugar

• 75g olive, coconut or vegetable oil plus extra for greasing

• 1 ½ teaspoons vinegar (I use cider vinegar)

Method

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 20cm round springform cake tin with oil and line the base with baking paper.

Put all the icing ingredients except the chocolate into a saucepan with 60ml cold water. Heat until everything is melted, making sure the mixture doesn’t boil, then turn off the heat, add the chocolate at once and leave it to sit. After about a minute, the chocolate should have melted. Whisk until you have a thick icing and set aside. It should be cool by the time the cake has baked and cooled.

For the cake, whisk the flour, bicarbonate of soda, a good pinch of sea salt and the cocoa together in a bowl. Make sure there are no lumps of bicarbonate of soda.

In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, 375ml of just-boiled water, the oil and vinegar. Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients, then pour into the prepared tin (it will be quite a wet batter). Bake for 30-40 minutes.

When it is ready, the cake should have pulled away from the edges of the tin and a skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spoon over the icing and decorate as you like. As you can see I used fruit and more chocolate!

Find more about Anna Jones at: annajones.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

CROFTON BOWLING CLUB COME AND TRY DAY

Saturday 20 April 10am-1pm

9 Stubbington Green, Fareham PO14 2PP

See page 40 for all the details!

LEE CHORAL SOCIETY SPRING

CONCERT Saturday 27th April 7pm.

St Faith’s Church, Lee on the Solent

See page 41 for all the details!

STUBBINGTON AND HILL HEAD HISTORY SOCIETY

Monday 8th April 7.30pm

Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington, PO14 2PL

A Walk with Fareham’s Man of Iron. George Cantrill. New members and visitors welcome. merrieldixonhistory@gmail.com shhhs.co.uk

CROFTON WI

10th April 2pm at the Stubbington Baptist Church, Jay Close. Our speaker will be John White from the Lee on the Solent Residence Association visitors are always welcome.

STUBBINGTON VILLAGE WI

Meet on the second Thursday of each month Methodist Church Hall in Mays Lane 7.30pm. We have a wide range of speakers or activities, which keep us engaged and interested. Chris on 07970 826044.

ST EDMUNDS (CROFTON OLD CHURCH)

Services 9.30am every Sunday. The 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month are Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer. Morning Prayer is on the 2nd and 4th Sunday. Teas and coffee available after. Church is open 18th April 10am12noon for visitors or for private prayer.

INTERNATIONAL FOLK / CIRCLE DANCING

April 9th, 23rd 10am-12noon

RC Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington £6.50 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

CROFTON GARDENING CLUB

April 15th 2024 7.30-9pm Roman Catholic Church Hall, Bells Lane, Stubbington. Tonight is our popular Fish and Chip Supper, members only with a pre-paid ticket. There will also be a Fun quiz. Join us for an interesting and informative evening. Refreshment provided.

CROFTON PROBUS CLUB

Lunch Meeting last Wednesday of the month. Are you a retired professional or businessman? Would you like to meet others in a social atmosphere? Why not join us. We meet at Leeon-the-Solent at 12 noon for 12:30 for a threecourse meal, followed by a speaker. Info: 023 9235 9365 or email timaus29@gmail.com

STUBBINGTON STITCH AND KNIT GROUP

Every Friday, (except Good Friday,) in the Foster Room, 2-4 pm. We make knitted and sewn goods and make craft items to sell to raise funds for the local Hampshire charities. Next sales: Saturday 30th March St Columba’s Church, 10am-12pm, Saturday April 6th, at Stubbington Library, 9.30am-12pm and St Columba’s Church Saturday 27th April . Please come and support us, we have some beautiful gift items, to suit all ages.

adverts@stubbingtonchoice.com

Could your swimming skills do with a brush up?

Are you a complete beginner? Scared of the water? Do you feel you just sit and watch while your family have fun in the water?

Whatever your level or requirements, we are here to help.

With all of us starting to get our annual holidays booked, why not join us for some specialist 1:1 sessions to improve you stroke ready for your break? If you can’t swim at all, we can get you started on the path to being confident and happy in the water. No one should feel they have to miss out when it comes to enjoying the pool or sea.

Beautiful

pool in Stubbington

Here at The Swim People we only teach from our beautiful private pool in Stubbington. All lessons are private and with no spectators, leaving you free to focus on learning and relaxing in the lovely warm water. We have over 25 years of experience in teaching adults of all ages and abilities.

We teach water phobic, beginners, improvers right through to competitive and technique refinement. Our adult specialist teachers are ready to get you started on your swimming journey.

So don’t delay, give one of our friendly team a call or email today.

01329 802208

Email info@theswimpeople.co.uk

Website www.theswimpeople.co.uk

APRIL IN CRESCENT GARDEN

Wallflowers are familiar plants to many people, bringing colour and perfume to gardens in late winter and early spring. Those we have in Crescent Garden are the perennial version, Erysimum mutabile, which continue growing and blooming for many years. Those under the old tulip tree have been there for at least 20 years and have long woody stems hidden under the surrounding ivy and usually continue to flower from March through to early summer. Wallflowers are popular plants as they are easy to grow, so there have been many modern varieties introduced, but in Crescent Garden we limit ourselves to old varieties known in Britain before 1850. Erysimum mutabile is native to Morocco and was being grown in Britain by 1777. Erysimum chieri is the wild wallflower of

southern Europe and has been grown in British gardens for centuries and has now naturalised on stony waste ground and field walls in Devon and Cornwall, hence the common name. Wallflowers grow well in poor soil and enjoy hot dry sunny conditions. If given too rich a soil they will produce large leafy plants, but no flowers.

Wallflowers belong to the family Brassicaceae and are, therefore, related to mustard, cabbage and broccoli. All produce flowers with four petals arranged in a cross shape, hence the old name for the family, Cruciferae. The flowers are nectar rich, have a delicate perfume and, therefore, attract a wide range of pollinating insects; bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies etc. The small leaves are lanceolate, grey-green and remain on the plant all year round, so making an attractive sight for twelve months of the year when the dead flowers have been removed. In the Victorian language of flowers, wallflowers stood for faithfulness, no doubt because of their faithful growth and blooming year after year.

Rita Rundle alverstokecrescentgarden.co.uk Crescent Garden, Crescent Road, Alverstoke

Photo credit: Rita Rundle

New Styles & Colours for Spring

Get out and about and maintain your independence

WHO ARE WE?

We are a growing family church who meet in Crofton Community Centre, Stubbington every Sunday at 10.15am. Everyone welcome. Coffee is served before and after the meeting. We also have various small groups who meet during the week in homes and the community centre. We are non denominational and welcome people from all denominations and none. Our Sunday meetings are fairly informal with modern worship and bible based teaching.

Every Sunday Crofton Community Centre 10.15am - 11.30am.

Starting with worship in the main hall, followed by Art, craft, music, games and chat! Explore the Bible, learn about Jesus and take part in lots of fun activities.

Waves is our children and young people’s work. They have a separate session every Sunday during the adult talks, in room 1 of the Community Centre. They also meet midweek every fortnight and have social outings during school holidays. (All our children’s workers have up to date DBS checks)

www.shorelinechristianchurch.com juliestares@hotmail.co.uk Julie 07531 856465

Rise & recline chairs, adjustable beds, mobility scooters, bathroom and kitchen aids, wheelchairs & walkers.

LASER TREATMENTS

Our state of the art Laser IPL treatment machine includes the safe removal of hair, pigmentation, vascular and acne reduction.

Our Lynton excelight machine uses an intense pulse light that helps to reduce signs of ageing, lighten darker patches of skin, port wine stains and improve the appearance of spider veins, age spots, rosacea and other vascular lesions.

To experience long term benefits, book in for a consultation and patch test today.

5 Stubbington Green, Stubbington 01329

CURL ME

Our in-house Curl Specialists, Jen and Wendy, have developed their ‘Curl Me’ technique based on the famous Curly Girl method.

They have perfected their own method to maintain your curly locks at home.

With an in-depth consultation we will help you create a lifestyle for your haircare routine at home. With the help of professional products and aftercare advice, you’ll be sure to find the perfect haircut and style for you.

LASER FOR FACIAL VESSELS

before after

LASER FOR ACNE

before after

LASER FOR HAIR REMOVAL

MESH INTEGRATION HAIR REPLACEMENT

Our mesh integration is designed using a breathable netting which is placed over the thinning or balding scalp. This netting mimics your scalp, acting as a ‘second skin’ which is then used to fit and colour-match the desired colour to human hair extensions.

Prices start from £550

Please contact us for a free private consultation.

EXPRESS NAILS

are the latest nails to hit the market by storm. They are a full tip applied with a gel base.

The nails come in all shapes and sizes with minimal prep and shaping.

This is the latest salon trend with minimal fuss a different technique to the traditional method.

IN THE GARDEN

• Pick off horrid lily beetles that start to emerge

• Mow the lawn

• Now is a good time to lay a new lawn

• Sow grass seed to fill gaps in the lawn

• Divide clumps of hardy perennials

• Prune forsythia once it finishes flowering

• Plant summer bulbs and dahlia tubers

• Trim & tidy wall-trained winter jasmine

• Sow sweet peas directly outside

• Pinch out fuschias

• Sow sunflowers outside

• Sow hardy annuals

• Tie in climbing and rambling roses

• Start staking delphiniums and tall perennials

• Top dress containers with fresh compost

GREENHOUSE

• Open doors and vents on warm days

• Sow herbs; basil, chives, parsley, fennel, coriander

• Start feeding young plants (3-4 weeks after

potting up) and your citrus plants

• Pot on tomatoes and plant cucumbers

• Give the greenhouse a good clean

VEG PLOT

• Thin out leek seedlings

• Thin carrot seedlings

• Harvest asparagus spears when they’re no more than 18 cm tall

• Plant dwarf french beans or sow directly now.

• Plant out potatoes, onion sets & shallots

• Sow broad beans, brussels sprouts, kale, beetroot, cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce, mangetout, pak choi, parsnips, peas, rocket, spinach, spring onions, turnips, radish, squash, pumpkins, carrots, kale, salad crops

• Pick off faded and yellowing leaves from Brussels sprouts to stop disease spreading

• Order late-fruiting strawberry plants

• Give your fruit a feed to boost crops

• Water in dry weather

• Plant asparagus and artichokes

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!

JEWELLERY REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN

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

REVERSE PARK

MODERN TECHNOLOGY - OLD FASHIONED SERVICE

PARKING SENSORS WITH AUDIBLE WARNING FITTED

Rear set colour coded: from £160

Front set colour coded: from £190

Both Front & Rear Sensors: from £290

Metatrack insurance approved vehicle trackers fitted from £265

Rear view cameras for Cars £190

Vans from £225 & Motorhomes from £245

Dash cameras starting at £145 fully fitted or FRONT & REAR cameras for just £275

We fit the amazing iroad Fx series dashcams, probably the best value dash cam for sale google it and be amazed iroaduk.com

Mobile Service - We Come To You!

Tel: 01489 449020

Mobile: 07979 353696 www.reversepark.co.uk

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.

Christine Davies Solicitor

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.

Evenings/Weekends:

STUBBINGTON £760,000 EPC B

• Detached 4 bedroom home

• Cinema room

• 4 bathrooms

• Parking for several cars

• Gym

• Garage & car port

This individual detached home offers three floors of accommodation to include a lounge, 2nd living room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room and wet room on the ground floor, 3 bedrooms, 2 en-suite and family bathroom on the first floor and utility, cinema room, gym and hobby room on the lower floor.

Outside, the garden includes a patio, decking area, lawn, flower and shrub borders.

The property has ample parking found behind an electric gate accessed via a private side road. A driveway to the front of the property is currently under construction.

Contact Dimon Estate Agents for more information or to arrange a viewing.

Crown reductions, thinning and lifting

Hedge cutting

Stump grinding/removal

Dead wood removal

Fully

All

All

Complete tree removal

Tree planting

Pollarding

Tree inspections

Site and garden clearance

Dangerous tree removal Tree felling

Specialist pruning (flowering & fruiting) TPO applications undertaken

GOSPORT TO GLOUCESTERSHIRE FOR LOCAL AVIATION GROUP

Members of the Daedalus Aviation and Heritage Group (DA&HG) in Gosport went on a fascinating trip to Cotswold Airport near Cirencester this month.

The fifteen members visiting the airfield set off on a breezy but sunny day with cameras at the ready. Their tour guide at the airfield, Jim and his team, explained how they care for a beautifully restored Bristol Britannia which they’ve kept in the distinctive markings it flew whilst serving in the RAF.

The airport was originally RAF Kemble and the Red Arrows aerobatics team were based there until 1983. Since 2000, it’s been used for the storage and recycling of retired airliners, as well as flying schools and clubs who enjoy the facilities. The site was renamed Cotswold Airport in 2009.

Chair of DA&HG, Terry Coombes, said “We were given a thorough grounding on the history and restoration process for the Britannia, including videos, photographs and many models. We were treated to a seat in the cockpit, noting how times have moved on, no computer screens etc, all very 1950’s technology!”

Several baseball caps were procured, and literature for display in our clubhouse on return, which members and guests can enjoy at the Group’s regular meetings.

On departure from Cotswold Airport it was decided to visit the Gliding Club at Aston Down. One club member there used to glide from Daedalus many years ago and gave us a tour of the hangars noting many vintage/historic gliders amongst the more modern competition examples.

It was a great day and we encourage anyone interested in military and general aviation to visit and join us. We meet monthly on the fourth Wednesday and welcome visitors. www.daedalusaviation.org

NOURISHING NETTLES & A SOUP RECIPE

Nicholas Culpeper, the esteemed 17th century Sussex herbalist, proclaimed that nettles “they may be found by feeling in the darkest night” and if they are found, boy do they sting! This time of year, stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are cropping up everywhere, and now is the perfect time to harvest the young leaves prior to flowering. The leaves can simply be washed and then steeped in hot water for 10-15 minutes for a refreshing, cleansing, antiinflammatory and nutritive tonic tea; especially beneficial for those in need of extra protein and iron. Nettle leaves are also a traditional remedy for hay fever and asthma support (being antihistamine), and can nourish the kidneys to aid elimination of toxins. This is particularly useful for people suffering from arthritis or gout, and for those suffering with skin conditions. However, it is not just the young leaves that have medicinal benefits. Nettle root, combined with other herbs, is one of the go-to herbs for the treatment of an enlarged prostate or other urinary symptoms, whereas

nettle seed is used to help enhance kidney function. Also, you don’t have to only take them as a tea, you can use the leaves in a pesto or make a nettle soup (see recipe below). Of course, you can pick the young leaves and freeze to use throughout the year. You will often find cleavers (the sticky one!) growing near nettle, so pick some of this too and combine with nettle for a refreshing spring clean tea! So go on, grasp the nettle, just don’t forget your gloves!!

• Approx 150g nettle tops

• A good knob of butter (or vegan alternative)

• 1 large onion peeled and chopped

• 1 litre of veg stock

• 2 celery sticks chopped

• 1 large potato, peeled and cut into cubes

• 50g peas (added towards the end)

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp crème fraiche (or vegan alternative)

• A few drops of extra-virgin olive oil to finish I would wear gloves to sort through the nettles, discarding anything you do not like and any thick stalks. Wash the nettles and drain in a colander. Melt the butter, add the onion and cook gently for 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the stock, nettles, potato and bring to a simmer until the potato is soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Purée the soup with a blender and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and add a teaspoonful of creme fraiche on top and then add a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil to top.

Follow Louise on instagram @wildsidehealth for photos, tips, research information and all things plant medicine!