Places&Faces 144 - November 2022

A Very Norfolk Christmas

WELCOME TO NOVEMBER'S PLACES&FACES®

Happy

Birthday to... everyone here at Places&Faces HQ. This issue marks 12 years in production; and what a 12 years it has been. We have been in print and online through three lockdowns, four World Cups and six Prime Ministers! So charge your glasses and raise a toast to the wonderful team we have here and all of the contributors that work tirelessly to create such a fabulous magazine each month. November sees the clocks change along with the weather and the first signs of Christmas start to peak on the horizon. There... I did it! I mentioned the ‘C’ word. You can’t hold back the festive tide, so why not embrace it. Our 12th anniversary issue does just that; from entertainment to gift ideas, we have got you covered as we ease into the most wonderful time of the year.

Andrew Hirst EDITOR

online

Mark

offered. The prizes are not transferable. Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice. Winners will be chosen at random, from all entries received. The winner will be notified by email, telephone or social media. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 1 month of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent. Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.

CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Hirst, Jade Soanes, Mel Cook, Polly Coleman, Rachel Gilbert, Chantel Heath, Tom Strowlger, Adam Gunton, Emily Sparkes, Sarah Hardy, Francesca Armour-Chelu, Charlie Smith-Knight, Melissa Speakman and Atlas the Dog

Event

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Whether you are updating one room, renovating your whole house or planning a new build, you’ll find an unrivalled choice of quality, comfort and value. Full of designer brands throughout all departments, including over 10,000 luxurious flooring options, 200 stylish sofa collections and hundreds of fabulous fabrics.

Our grand showrooms in Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich include our well-loved restaurant, The Place to Eat, which delights customers with delicious homemade lunches, fresh cakes and bakes, so you can take time browsing the latest home furnishing fashions.

We offer a truly special shopping experience, with inspirational room sets and invaluable expert advice, including a professional Interior Design service. Make Glasswells your first choice and immerse yourself into a world of home furnishings, with everything you need, all under one roof.

Treat the home you love to a new look for less at the largest home department stores in East Anglia!

IN Staying

with Adam Gunton

What's on? Best of

Can you believe Amazon started off by selling books?

It’s where I got all my A-Level textbooks. But now I use it for just about anything, including streaming some great telly. There’s so much to choose from so I’ve picked some of my favourites to help get you started.

The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power

Before there was one ring to rule them all, there was a bunch of other rings. An excellent series set before the beloved trilogy. A slow-burn full of fantasy fun.

Hunters

Set in the seventies, Hunters tells the story of a ragtag group of Nazi killers. They track down Nazis hiding in America and bring them to violent justice. A brilliant cast led by Al Pacino.

The Boys

If superheroes were real we’d hope they’d be like Superman but in reality, they’d be more like Homelander, the cruel, image obsessed, psychotic ‘hero’ that Billy Butcher and the boys want to take down. This extremely adult show holds a mirror up to society today.

Good Omens

Michael Sheen and David Tennant play an Angel and a Demon teaming up to prevent armageddon.

Based on the genius works of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Oscar-winner Remi Malek stars as Elliot, a skilled hacker who’s suffering from a schizophrenia-like condition. A mysterious man named Mr Robot wants to use Elliot’s skills.

Clarkson’s Farm

The title says it all really. Jeremy Clarkson has a go at being a farmer. But what starts as Jezza finding it tricky to plant crops turns into an honest and hearfelt look at the difficulties facing famers today.

Beloved Patrick Stewart returns to screen as Jean-Luc Picard, former captain of the Starship Enterprise. This science-fiction epic brings back some favourite Star Trek characters while exploring Picard’s next chapter.

Who doesn’t love a police drama? Titus Welliver plays Harry Bosch who has nothing to do with washing machines. Instead he’s a detective trying to solve th murder of a thirteen year old boy while he stands trial for murdering a serial killer.

The Marvellous Mrs Maisel

From the creator of Gilmore Girls , this show follows Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel, a mother of two who’s just been left by her husband. Following this shift in her life she finds she’s got a talent for stand-comedy. This award-winning show is sure to get you smiling.

The Legend of Vox Machina

Animation for adults. This hilarious and heartfelt series is about a group of adventurers for hire. These aren’t your typical heroes but they get the job done. Usually. The plot follows them trying to take back the home-town of one of their group from the villainous couple who murdered his parents and placed the town in eternal terror. Series two is due in February!

Mr Robot

Star Trek: Picard

Bosch

What's on? Best of

Ted Lasso

I’m not a fan of football but I’m a big fan of Ted Lasso. This show is so feelgood it almost feels medically prescribed. Jason Sudeikis stars as Ted Lasso, an American coach drafted in to help AFC Richmond, a struggling English football team. His positive attitude starts to have an effect on the team, the owner and the whole town. Believe the hype. Believe in Ted. Believe in believe.

IN Staying

It wasn’t enough for Apple to dominate the computing world. They had to revolutionise phones, convince us tablets are an essential piece of kit and make watches remind us to stand up every hour. Now they’re taking on the entertainment world and with these TV shows, they’re doing a pretty good job.

Severance

A group of employees undergo a procedure to mentally seperate their homelives from their worklives. What could go wrong? Adam Scott leads this mysterious drama which was created by Ben Stiller.

Schmigadoon!

Josh and Melissa are on a backpacking trip and find themselves in a magical town where all the residents act like they’re in a musical. I’d struggle here. I don’t like people singing and making eye contact with me.

Slow Horses

Gary Oldman is hilarious as cantankerous Jackson Lamb, leader of the so-called “Slow Horses,” a group of spies put in a dumping ground department due to their mistakes. The spies still have a lot to prove as they become entangled in a extreme-right-wing terroist plot. Series two is due at the end of the year.

The Shrink Next Door

Will Ferrell stars as a patient who’s therapist (played by Paul Rudd) starts inserting himself into Ferrell’s life and then taking it over. This black-comedy dream is shockingly based on real events.

This period piece tells the story of famed poet, Emily Dickinson (played by Hailee Steindfeld). It drops the stuffy restraints of the genre and explores the paradigms of society, gender and family.

Mythic Quest

Shining Girls

Elisabeth Moss plays Kirby Mazrachi, a victim of a brutal attack that’s left with a reality that seems to be constantly shifting. Things escalate when she discovers her attacker was a time traveller, who gains his super-natural abilities from killing “shining girls.”

The Morning Show

Jennifer Anniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell star in this story about a breakfast news show in the wake of a #MeToo scandal. With careers on the line and ambition clouding judgement, these newcasters and their colleagues will stop at nothing to make sure they’re the ones that come out on top.

Dickinson

Charlie Day and Rob McElhenney from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia created this show about the owner of a popular video game company and his staff trying to keep their game at the top.

Pantomimes

Get ready the are here!

...Oh yes they are

Snow White

King’s Lynn Corn Exchange, King’s Lynn, 7-31 Dec

Journey to meet Dame Dotty, Herbie Vore the (vegetarian) Huntsman and the magnificent seven on a magical adventure for the whole family.

Peter Pan

St. George’s Theatre, Great Yarmouth, 10-31 Dec

Suffolk

Cinderella

The Regal Theatre, Stowmarket, 3-11 Dec

For their Centenary Year SODS are celebrating with everyone’s festive favourite, packed with toe tapping musical numbers, plenty of corny jokes and all the well known characters, it promises to be fun for all the ages!

Jack & The Beanstalk

You certainly know that the festive season is upon us when you here the immortal words “it’s behind you!” or “Oh no it isn’t”. Love them or loath them they are a part British tradition and no Christmas is complete without a trip to a panto. So fear not my intrepid explorers we have rounded up the best on offer this season... oh yes they are!

Norfolk

A Christmas Carol Gorleston Pavillion Theatre, Gorleston, 17-19 Nov

Dusmagrik Young People’s Theatre Company bring the atmosphere of Victorian Christmas traditions to the stage in this vibrant and joyous musical.

Cinderella Princess Theatre, Hunstanton, 3 Dec-1 Jan

This magical pantomime features great songs, dazzling dance routines, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and amazing special effects. It will be an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.

The Wonderful Wizard of OZ Gorleston Pavillion Theatre, Gorleston, 7-31 Dec

Enjoy songs like Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Follow the Yellow Brick Road and also laugh at the pantomime scenes, the ghost gag, the song sheet and all the traditional panto gags.

Join Peter Pan who will, with the help of Tinkerbell’s pixie dust, fly you across the sea to Neverland. A magical place, home to lost boys, mermaids and the most villainous pirate of them all; Captain Hook!

Jack & the Beanstalk

Norwich Theatre Royal, Norwich, 10 Dec-7 Jan

The show will be jam-packed full of slapstick comedy, laugh-out-loud gags, outrageous costumes, dazzling song and dance numbers and plenty of chances to cheer, boo and hiss.

Sleeping Beauty

The Corn Hall, Diss, 17-31 Dec

Join Princess Aurora, Muddles, Dame Victoria Sponge, Fairy Lights, King Bumble and the evil Carabose for an actionpacked show, full of dazzling costumes, glittering scenery, special effects and traditional pantomime slapstick.

Marina Theatre, Lowestoft, 13 Dec-1 Jan

This classic story comes to life with fabulous costumes, stunning sets, brilliant song and dance numbers, and a giant’s handful of panto frivolity. Expect laughs, cheers and plenty of participation! Terry Gleed will return as Simon Trott.

Goldilocks & the Three Bears

New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, 15 Dec-2 Jan

Dame Belinda Bigtop’s circus troupe has fallen on hard times. But her ringmaster, Tommy Topper, Bobo the Clown and Ali the Aerialist have stuck by her and she is determined that the show must go on.

Cinderella

Beccles Public Hall & Theatre, Beccles, 17 Dec-2 Jan

Packed with all of the traditional pantomime ingredients. Cinderella features laugh out loud comedy, stunning scenery, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses.

Gorleston Pavillion Theatre

Beccles Public Hall

King’s Lynn Corn Exchange

MONDAY-

10.30-5PM

HOLIDAYS 9-5PM

OPEN MONDAY-

9-5PM

HOLIDAYS

OPEN MONDAYSATURDAY 9-5PM SUNDAY 10.30-5PM BANK HOLIDAYS 9-5PM

InspiringwomenWendyEllis

Indeed Wendy is immensely proud of all the theatre is trying to do, to establish itself as a cultural hub, saying: ‘It is doing a phenomenal job, really leading the way as to how theatres should be.’

Wendy has worked in several different fields over the course of her career including as a teacher and a youth worker, and even taught abseiling in France. ‘But drama and the Arts have been a constant thread,’ she says. ‘I have a passion for creatively and like to make sure that people have a voice, that their opinions count.’

She is also very appreciative of the support given to the Norwich Theatre by its various audiences, especially post-pandemic.’ We have enjoyed really loyal support,’ she says. ‘We are indebted to people who have continued to attend shows.’

All the world’s a stage

Wendy Ellis, by her own admission, has a big job. The brief is really quite astonishing because, as creative programmes director, she is in charge of everything from booking in the shows at three venues (the Theatre Royal, Norwich Playhouse and Stage 2), to overseeing digital events as well as educational and community activities.

She is passionate that they are each just as important as the others - whether it is negotiating a leading West End show such as Les Miserables to come to the Theatre Royal for an extended run, or thinking about unusual exercise classes such as the Friday morning adult ballet classes at Stage 2, a learning and participation centre next to the theatre.

‘I’m also interested in taking productions to new venues, say our parks - it’s our Theatre Beyond programme - and I am always looking at artist development and the origination of new work,’ she says.

She explains that, as a charity, the theatre has to measure the ‘impact’ each project has, and that this is just as important as any financial success. ‘I’m acutely aware of the role the theatre has to play in the community. That it should be at the centre, reflecting every aspect of what people are interested in.’

What she is interested in and, in turn, thinks her audiences will be interested in, is ‘good story telling’. She says: ‘Whether it is dance, opera, musical theatre; happy, sad, challenging or educational, it has to say something - have a story of interest to other people - and be of good quality, of course.’

She is always looking for new shows or ideas to try, perhaps visiting the Edinburgh Festival to see what is up and coming. ‘Yes, I know I am incredibly lucky

and it is a very enjoyable part of my role. I genuinely love going to the theatre and I always have. It has that dual aspect - that it is real but still fiction. It is an individual experience but you are sharing it with others. It is very special.’

Wendy oversees a team of 12 full time employees and also uses various freelancers when required. She spends her time working on both future activities, perhaps lining up a show for as far away as 2026, as well as more immediate tasks, say building partnerships with local businesses and communities such as schools and charities. ‘I work with other venues, too, such as the RSC,’ she adds.

Wendy, in her early 50s, has been at the Norwich Theatre for six years, joining as learning and participation manager, becoming learning and participation director and then, she explains: ‘As many of us discovered, our jobs have changed because of the pandemic. I became creative programmes director, bringing all the various strands together.’

She is reassuring in saying that the popular shows such as the whodunnits and big musicals will continue to be booked in at the Theatre Royal, plus the popular comedy nights at Norwich Playhouse. ‘But they will be interspersed with new pieces - new names,’ she says. ‘We want to introduce people to new things and that is such a joy: to know that nothing is impossible!’

She is looking forward to a Suffolkbased company called Gecko which is bringing its production, Kin, to the Theatre Royal next year, explaining: ‘It is a very different piece; it is physical theatre and it is the first time they have visited us. I’m really proud that we have them coming to Norwich.’

Her love affair with theatre began as a young girl when she first appeared on stage at primary school in Drayton, near Norwich. ‘I was Charlie in Charlie and Chocolate Factory, and I just remember the magic and the pleasure of being in a show with others - of us all working together.’

Wendy lives in Norwich and enjoys the great outdoors when not working. ‘I love to be by water, that’s how I unwind, how I download,’ she says. ‘It could be visiting the coast, or walking by a river - we are lucky to have such a varied landscape here in Norfolk.’

Now Wendy is looking forward to this year’s pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, which starts next month and has been written by and also stars Richard Gauntlett as Dame Trott. ‘I’m producing it and it is great fun. It is the one time of the year, when the whole theatre works together on the same thing. It just takes us over for a couple of months and we become like a family,’ she says. ‘It brings a bit of sparkle and joy to people’s lives, and we know that people return year after year, that it is a big part of their Christmas celebrations.’

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk are now on sale. For these and all other shows and activities, visit

Wendy Ellis tells Sarah Hardy why she believes

Theatre is leading the way nationally

Inspiringwomen TrottDame Dame

Dame Trott is, indeed, an inspiration to us all - from running her own thriving business, to being a single parent and pioneering an outstanding fashion sense, she is a woman with it all. Dame Trott, who we will meet in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal in Norwich this Christmas, runs Trott’s milk emporium, Trott’s Dairy, in Norwich and, with the help of Pat the Cow, supplies all of the city with its milk needs, from full fat to semi skimmed, and skimmed, ‘for those that are body minded,’ as Dame Trott says.

She adds: ‘I really like our ice-creams, you can’t beat them, especially in a float. Simply delicious!’

She lives above the shop, as she says, in Norwich’s prestigious Golden Triangle district of the city and remains fiercely proud of her home town. ‘It’s a marvellous place, isn’t it? Prince of Wales Road is so inviting, I love to go out there.’

She is fulsome in her praise of Pat the Cow, which she has raised since she was a calf. ‘She’s a bit naughty, has her own mind, but is hard working. She is going to have to be even more hard working as things are going to get tough this winter. She will need to buckle down.’

Dame Trott, whose age remains something of a mystery, says that her son Jack has a special relationship with Pat the Cow, explaining: ‘Well, you see they grew up together, they have spent a lot of time together so they know each other very well.’

She adds: ‘I’m a widow, you know, so there won’t be any more children. It’s just Jack. But he’s a lovely boy. He fetches me our water every day without fail.’

But Dame Trott, showing a little bit of uncharacteristic candour, did hint of a special someone who had caught her eye. ‘Well, yes, I am single and ready and certainly open for love. It has been a long, long time. I have seen someone, but I can’t say too much - not yet.’

But she goes on to talk about our very own king in very, you know, glowing terms, saying: ‘Isn’t he wonderful, so lovely, so kind. I do like having royal friends.’

Certainly the king could be forgiven for falling for Dame Trott, who has a superb figure and sophisticated dress sense. ‘I’m lucky, it all comes very naturally to me. I can eat what I want, when I want. I never seem to put on weight - I still have the figure of an 18-year-old,’ she says.

For exercise, she attends two origami classes a week which help to keep her trim, and she obviously works hard in the dairy. ‘And it’s a glass or 10 of milk every day that keeps me so wonderful,’ she says.

When pressed she also admits to enjoying singing and dancing, too. ‘Oh, yes! They say that I’m a triple threat, you know. I can do it all.’

Dame Trott is just as modest about her extensive and elaborate wardrobe. ‘I love fashion and it loves me. I tend to set the fashion pace in Norwich and people are always excited to see what I’m wearing. I make everything myself, I always have and I’m self-taught, too - it’s a natural gift.’

She adds: ‘I’m not one of those people who thinks less is more. I like more is more. But then, don’t we all?’

She has lots of dramatic outfits lined up for the festive period but isn’t prepared to reveal too many details. ‘I have to keep a few surprises, don’t I? I like to keep you

guessing what might be next.’

But there is, however, one cloud on Dame Trott’s horizon - the local giant, the scourge of Norwich. ‘Oh, he’s a brute. He is steadily putting up all our rents and making life very, very tricky for everyone. I don’t know how we will manage or what we can do. It has been a trying year and we just have to hope for better times.

‘He is fine, of course - he lives in the clouds above Norwich. He’s got a very nice detached house, it’s very Newmarket Road.’

Dame Trott is keeping herself happy by looking forward to Christmas and a lovely holiday period, spending time with her nearest and dearest. ‘We always have a turkey,’ she says. ‘We keep it traditional, you know. I’m not sure who will be round the table this year. We do like a crowd.’

Dame Trott is played by actor and comedian Richard Gauntlett who has been a mainstay of the Norwich Theatre Royal’s hugely successful panto for more than 20 years, nearly always playing the Dame and wearing in excess of 10 dazzling outfits per show. He also writes the panto, bringing that very special mixture of childish slapstick humour and a few risque jokes for the parents thrown in, too. Look out for quips about Ipswich Town Football Club, and he likes to throw in a few digs at Norwich City Council.

This year’s panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, also stars Joe Tracini as loveable Jack, Rufus Hound as King Nigel of Norwich and Casualty’s Amanda Henderson as Pat the Cow.

It runs from December 10 until January 7 and tickets are now for sale.

More details at: www.norwichtheatre.org

Sarah Hardy gets the scoop of her life... an interview with Dame Trott!

There is nothing like a Dame

A Wonderful

With tours of Holkham Hall by candlelight, craft and art workshops, our festive market and not forgetting the Big Man himself, Christmas at Holkham is looking truly wonderful this year.

Explore events and book at holkham.co.uk

Christmastime

Going out What's on?

Wild Oak Workshops

Christmas Wreathing at West Acre Theatre Sunday 11 December, 10am-12pm | £65 per person

Katie from Wild Oak Workshops brings her gorgeous wreath making magic to West Acre Theatre this winter.

Hal Cruttenden

30 Nov 7.30pm

The Apex, Bury St Edmunds

It’s Best You Hear It From Me: After 21 years and 224 days Hal’s back being single. But it’s all going to be fine. Instead of getting the therapy he clearly needs, he’s made a cracking show about it...

www.theapex.co.uk

Norfolk Lights Express

The Railway’s ever popular Norfolk Lights Express returns from 11 November, with passengers able to enjoy the beautiful North Norfolk countryside in a whole new light! Equipment mounted to the outside of each carriage shines onto the scenery in a series of changing colours and 10 lit-up dioramas help tell an intriguing story brought to life by on-board narration and music. The journey breaks with an intermission at Holt, giving passengers the opportunity to visit the on-board bar or take photos with the illuminated train.

A warm, inviting, festive wreath making experience with your friends, or simply treat yourself to some time away from all the Christmas madness. A relaxed couple of hours using armfuls of locally harvested spruce, pine cones foraged from the forest floor, hedgerow teasels, deliciously scented cinnamon sticks and dried citrus fruit slices. A dusting of snow and Jack Frost sparkles will be an additional touch at the end of the creative session. Plus a gorgeous choice of ribbon to make the final decision of ‘Bow… or no Bow!’ Your wreath will be created from a natural Willow wreath base and Katie will guide

you through this immensely therapeutic creative process of winter wreath making as you savour all the divine scents of Christmas to get you in the Festive Spirit. For an extra £5 on the day you can add a little extra sparkle by adding battery operated fairy lights to your wreath. Warming mulled wine and homemade mince pies are all included in your ticket and West Acre Theatre will also be offering extra Tea and Coffee on the day. Christmas jumpers are highly encouraged to be worn as well as any sparkly accessory!

For lots more Christmas Wreathing all over Norfolk, please see website and book online: www.wildoakworkshops.com

Santa Special trains operate on weekends from 26 November–18 December and daily from 19–23 December. Families can enjoy a magical Christmas journey aboard a traditional steam-hauled train as they steam non-stop from Sheringham up the whole length of the line to Holt, before travelling back to Weybourne to meet Santa himself and receive a special gift. Passengers can sit back and relax with complimentary refreshments served to the table and elves to keep them entertained!

Sunday lunches can also be enjoyed aboard the North Norfolkman dining train, running on 13 & 20 November and 1, 8 and 15 December. The Railway will conclude its 2022 running with its traditional Mince Pie Specials, running from 27 December–2 January. Advance booking is essential. Further details can be found at www.nnrailway.co.uk

Going out

Royal Norfolk Show Charity Ball

Saturday 26 November Norfolk Showground

It’s the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s biggest night of the year, and they want you to be there to celebrate the work of the RNAA Charity; Norfolk’s leading charity supporting food production, farming and the countryside; hosted by Karl Minns, part of the Nimmo Twins. On the evening they will be fundraising to enable grants and bursaries to be awarded to Norfolk’s aspiring farmers and producers for training, education and professional development by launching their Opportunities Fund. After enjoying a delicious three course meal by Brasted’s guests will dance into the evening with music from Night Train and there will be several fundraising initiatives on the night including a Charity Art Auction. The event is sponsored by Loveday & Partners.

Book your tickets at www.rnaa.org.uk

Kiri PritchardMclean: Home Truths

28 November

Norwich Theatre Royal Kiri Pritchard-McLean ( Have I Got News For You?, Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie to You? ) is back with a brand new tour.

It’s been a big few years for most of us and Kiri is no different. She’s moved back to her home island of Anglesey, struggled with lockdown and got herself some rescue chickens. You can expect jokes about skinny jeans, learning Welsh and white supremacy –something for everyone.

www.norwichtheatre.org

Sara Pascoe: Success Story

13 November

Norwich Theatre Royal Sara decided she wanted to be famous at 14 years old. Since then, she has auditioned for Barrymore, scared Pete Burns and ruined Hugh Grant’s birthday – but look at her now… (please look, she needs you to look. And clap. And laugh. And then clap again). The star of BBC2 stand-up special Sara Pascoe: LadsLadsLads is back with a brand-new stand-up show!

www.norwichtheatre.org

John Lewis

Come and visit in store for the ultimate Christmas experience. The Christmas Shop is now open for everything you need from baubles and lighting to the perfect tree. You might even see an elf!

NORWICH

Letters to Santa

1 November - 11 December

Have you been naughty or nice? Come and post your letter to Santa in our special red postbox located in Childrenswear on the First Floor. Make sure you include your address as Santa and his elves reply to every letter!

Wreath making workshop by Maryanne Old

1 December, 3-7pm

Enjoy a crafting afternoon making your very own traditional door wreath. All materials included, plus prosecco on arrival and warm drinks and festive treats throughout the workshop. Places for the workshop are limited, tickets are £60 and available from www.maryanneold.com

Christmas Children’s Craft Party

20 and 21 December, 10-11:30am

Make your own takeaway Christmas craft with the guys from Schoodoodle. The party takes place in The Place to Eat restaurant. Tickets are £15 and can be booked by emailing schoodoodlearts@ gmail.com, recommended for children aged 5-12.

IPSWICH & NORWICH

Thursday, 8 December, 6-9pm

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December, All day

Join in the latest series of events taking place in December for an exciting week of shopping and family fun activities. Available exclusively for new and existing My John Lewis Members. Join My John Lewis for free and enjoy exclusive rewards and benefits, such as personalised offers, member-only events and more. Visit www.johnlewis.com/our-services/myjohn-lewis to find out more.

November where Christmas begins…

In 2020

and 2021 we navigated Christmas with Covid-19 restrictions, who would have guessed we would face a third in still difficult times? Yet, this Christmas could be the first in three years where we gather together more than ever.

With us all affected by higher food and energy costs, I’m wondering if spending time dining or visiting with other households is going to become more of a thing. When you think about it, if you’re cooking and heating a home for one household, why not invite someone over and then they return the hospitality another time? Popping in and out of each other’s homes, taking it in turns to host could work. And as this time of year is about caring, sharing and socialising (probably far more than any other), it’s the ideal opportunity to make it happen.

Seasonal food and drink are things to get excited about. Roasted root vegetables, Yorkshires and lashings of gravy, glasses of full-bodied red or fragrant gluhwein, crumbles, pies and of course chocolates. Not forgetting to allow ourselves more cheese than usual. Because it’s Christmas. And whether we eat in or out, get dressed up or dressed down, go shopping at weekends, midweek or evenings, it’s all there to be thoroughly enjoyed in whatever fashion we like.

SHOPPING

Like many others I started shopping earlier than ever this year for those lovely little extras like biscuits, chocolates and books. That sort of thing. Thanks M&S for your Christmas emails in September, a reminder to start getting organised. And I’ve already made a clear (ish) list of presents I want to gift. As usual I’ll set aside some Saturday mornings where I’ll head into Norwich to browse the independent and high street shops.

Mixed with visits to Christmas markets you don’t have to spend a fortune on a small something that’s been handmade or crafted which is really special and can mean a lot to someone, even if it costs under £10. I do all my shopping with no agenda other than Christmas. Browsing and buying, soaking up the atmosphere created by pretty draped lights, decorative windows and lots of uplifting music.

I absolutely love shopping this way. It definitely makes this Christmas tradition more special and far less of a chore. I always make sure I don’t ‘pop into the bank’ or the supermarket. I’m there for one thing only, and it includes nothing which is classed as ‘my usual routine’. I also do this on my own or with a friend who understands the concept of enjoying quality seasonal time. I soak up Christmas cheer, enjoying a coffee on my way or something a bit stronger if I take the train. I’m considered, unhurried, present and not blindly shopping because ‘I just have to go home with something’. Planning time to do things this way makes the festive shopping enjoyable and certainly not a burdensome process at all.

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s taught us to appreciate our local surroundings, to support local businesses and be community minded whenever we can.”

We’ve lots of local food and drink, bricks and mortar shopping and seasonal experiences to enjoy this month says Melanie Cook of www.VisitNorwich.co.uk

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Top pick shopping locations includes:

The Norwich Lanes – particularly Upper St Giles (stop here for coffee or lunch); The Royal Arcade which has seen a host of wonderful new independent shops open – it’s going from strength to strength; Jarrold – who recently launched its revamped food hall including a larger wine bar and a cheese room. Yes. We’re back to cheese – in a room. Festive Fair at The Forum (24 –27th November); Country & Eastern on Bethel Street, Elm Hill – oh so pretty; and, a location which is easily missed, the shop at The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. This is great especially if you have someone particularly stylish to buy for. Then we have all our high street favourites in Castle Quarter and Chantry Place (who have several new openings) plus the old favourites Marks & Spencer and John Lewis.

Out of Norwich head to The Christmas Shed at Fielding Cottage; Holkham Hall, Pensthorpe and Dalegate Market at Burnham Deepdale. Where, if you have time, you can make a day of it. Check their websites for special shopping days and weekends.

FOOD & DRINK

Christmas is the time of year we make a special effort to spend time together. And dining out is hugely popular whether it’s family get togethers, meeting up with friends we haven’t seen for ages, romantic dinners or Christmas drinks.

Sir Toby’s Beers on Norwich Market is a favourite haunt for traditional glühwein with, or without a top up of rum or brandy. It’s legendary with locals and an atmospheric hang out if you are short of time or want to spend a little less.

Breakfast out is always a good call. Often less expensive than dinner but still a hearty meal with all the trimmings. Try The Ivy, The Cosy Club, The Britons Arms, Jarrold or Frank’s Bar.

For lunch or dinner head to newly opened Yalm in the Royal Arcade, Benedicts, Brix and Bones, Namaste Village, Chantry Place, Cathedral Quarter, or L’Hexagone (recently reviewed

by none other than Jay Rayner of The Guardian to much acclaim). Or Yellows and Delia’s at Norwich City Football Club. In this mix there’s a good choice of casual and fine dining.

Afternoon tea is becoming ever more popular at Christmas with many establishments theming their teas too so take a look at what’s on offer at The Assembly House, The Maid’s Head, The Britons Arms, The Ivy and The Cosy Club.

CHRISTMASSY THINGS TO DO

There’s no end of experiences to enjoy and some are free and low cost which helps to balance our Christmas finances. Norwich’s free Tunnel of Light returns 17 November to 5 January, along with the Castle projections and there’s all the usual pretty lights and talented buskers to keep us entertained. At the Sainsbury centre for Visual Arts it’s free to see the permanent collection and visit their Sculpture Park (which is great for a riverside walk too). And whilst you do have to pay to get into Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Strangers’ Hall and The Museum of Norwich, they are all good value and offer free activities during the school holidays.

Many Christmas markets offer complimentary entry and are always uplifting. Norwich has several over the weekends in the lead up to the big day itself. And Norwich Cathedral, St Peter Mancroft and the Cathedral of St John the Baptist have large programmes of music and Christmas services; some you need to pay for, some not.

ENTERTAINMENT

A Christmas show will always put a smile on your face. And whether a matinee or an evening performance it’s special.

Norwich Theatre Royal’s panto ( Jack and the Beanstalk , 10 December – 7 January) has tickets between £10 – £32.50. Whilst Norwich Puppet Theatre’s mix of shows and workshops for children is always popular. Norwich Playhouse gives us music, comedy and family shows and The Garage always puts on a ’My First’ for ages 0-5 years. In 2022 see My First: Into the Snow Globe which takes place between 15 –31 December with tickets for adults at £10.50 and for children £5.50.

Thursford’s Christmas Spectacular returns this year with Europe’s biggest Christmas Show between 8th November – 23rd December with performances at 2.00pm and 7.00pm. Prices start at £41 (weekday evenings).

SPECIAL LOCAL EXPERIENCES

A Christmas tipple mixed with an experience makes a great night out. Cheryl Cade takes festive themed tours around Norwich with her NEW for ’22 Christmas Spirit Tour. Tours cost £34.99 (selected dates, first week of December) and take you from the heart of Norwich Market to the historic Tombland with stories about Norwich’s Christmas traditions and past, along with four stops for alcoholic drinks and nibbles.

Gyre & Gimble in The Royal Arcade has a wonderful Gin Academy which is a 2.5-hour gin experience (£70) where you make your own recipe spirit whilst sipping gin cocktails. You also get to take your own distilled gin home, a full 70cl bottle which makes a great present or addition to your bar.

Whisky is a delicious spirit to enjoy at Christmas so head over to the English Whisky Distillery which has long been established as England’s oldest and most prestigious registered whisky distillery. Note: their Norfolk Nog knocks socks off Baileys – I recommend that you try it. Handcrafted, using locally sourced barley and fresh water from the Breckland aquifier running underneath the distillery, here you can take guided tours, taste the fruits of their labour and buy whisky from their shop. The English Whisky Distillery exports all around the world, yet luckily we have them on our doorstep.

Finally enjoy a glass of mulled wine and homemade sausage rolls at The Maids Head hotel whilst you create your own front door wreath following a demonstration from Hannah Jarvis of Fern Flowers. Tickets cost £48 and workshops take place 27 – 29 November. And with all those potential guests arriving what better way to welcome them into your home than with a delightful, Christmassy front door.

Full details of everything mentioned here and loads more ideas can be found at www.visitnorwich.co.uk

1

GREAT COMPETITIONS

Rumour Coffee

Rumour Coffee is an independent micro roastary based in Suffolk. They focus on seasonal speciality coffee, which means there is always new and exciting coffee just around the corner.

The coffee team consists of Ben and Dan. They have been friends for many years and share a passion for trying and chasing great coffee, so for them, roasting their own coffee was the natural path to take on their journey.

The inspiration dates back to 1977 when (quite possibly) the greatest break up album of all time was released. Neither of them were actually born at the time Rumours was released, but it is a firm favourite for them both.

When asked “Isn’t it a bad omen to name your company after a break up album about lost friendships and broken relationships?” They both replied... “Ummmmmm... fancy a coffee?”

Rumour coffee uses the Dutch Coffee Pack which are carbon neutral and as well as being recyclable. Ben and Dan know that they have a continued journey to ensure that they are being as environmentally responsible as they possibly can be. So, while they discover the best solutions, they are using eoclogi to offset their carbon footprint. Ecologi support monthly projects, many based in coffee growing nations. They also pledge to donate one tree for every bag of coffee that is purchased from from Rumour Coffee.

For more information on Rumour Coffee visit: Instagram: @rumourcoffeeco www.rumourcoffee.co.uk

How to enter?

To be in with a chance of winning a Roaster’s Selection Pack consisting of 3 x 200g cafetiere grind bags of amazing coffee complete the form with your contact details at: www.placesandfaces.co.uk/ competitions

or enter by post sending your contact details to:

RUMOUR COMPETITION Places&Faces Magazine, Micropress Printers Ltd, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Suffolk IP18 6DH.

Competition closes 30 November 2022

Prize details: 1 x Roaster’s Selection Pack (3 x 200g, cafetiere grind). See page 5 for full terms & conditions, or visit www.placesandfaces.co.uk/competitions.

Following the release of their acclaimed double album 1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love (and free hugs) and off the back of a successful year of touring in Europe and Japan, Kula Shaker are set to play 16 dates in throughout the UK starting in Norwich on Wednesday 7 December. Tickets for the Norwich show are available now onine at www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk

The ‘ Eternal Love Tour ’ will see the band playing venues from Edinburgh to Exeter and follows the announcement of a one-off special show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 8 December.

Frontman Crispian Mills said “What the world needs now is LOVE, sweet love. Affordable fuel, food, world peace and an end to debt-slavery would also be nice; so light up the incense and break out the magic mantra-cake as we’re taking the 1st Congregational Church of Eternal Love (and free hugs) on the road with some all-round good vibes.”

For more information on Kula Shaker visit: www.kulashaker.co.uk

How to enter?

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to Kula Shaker’s gig at the Waterfront, Norwich on Wednesday 7 December complete the form with your contact details at: www.placesandfaces.co.uk/

or enter by post sending your contact details to:

KULA SHAKER COMPETITION Places&Faces Magazine, Micropress Printers Ltd, Fountain Way, Reydon Business Park, Suffolk IP18 6DH.

Competition closes 30 November 2022

Prize details: 2 x tickets to see Kula Shaker at the Waterfront Norwich on 7 December. See page 5 for full terms & conditions, or visit www.placesandfaces.co.uk/competitions.

of the Paperbacks Pick

by Charlie Smith-Knight

Choose the five books of your life. What a brief. I could easily bore you to tears talking about my favourite books. But narrowing it down to a handful is quite difficult. It’s like being asked to pick the best dish from a Chinese takeaway. Or your favourite child. Nevertheless, here is this book worm’s pick of the paperbacks.

The Contemporary One: Run, Rebel

by Manjeet Mann

Amber Rai is a young girl, being raised by her traditional Indian parents in presentday Britain. Written in poetic verse, the novel is fast paced and punches its way through Amber’s coming of age story. Tackling issues of jealousy, domestic violence and arranged marriage, this story is emotive and insightful. An outstanding one off that I read it in one sitting.

The Tear-Jerker: The Storyteller

by Jodi Picoult

I should start by saying I have never read a story by Jodi Picoult that I didn’t love. She is the master of huge and unanswerable moral dilemmas, and The Storyteller is no different. Sage Singer is a young woman, carrying tremendous personal pain, who joins a grief support group and befriends a kindly elderly gentleman called Josef. The friendship takes a turn when Josef confesses, he was once a Nazi and asks Sage to assist him to die. Unbeknownst to Josef, he crossed paths at Auschwitz with Sage’s grandmother Minka, a Jewish prisoner of war. The story travels back through the stench and grit of the concentration camp with poignant and realistic details that are both harrowing but necessary to truly relay the horrors of The Holocaust. Ultimately, Sage makes her decision but as always in Picoult’s work, there is a twist that turns the story like a kaleidoscope, just when you least expect it. This book stayed with me long after I closed the cover.

The Controversial One: Gone with the Wind

by Margaret Mitchell

Perhaps this epic novel has not aged well under the scrutiny of a modern audience. It is fair to say that it’s told from the perspective of slave owners, so the characterisation of slaves has certainly been questioned over time. But if you’re looking at it as a celebration of slavery, you’re reading the room with less accuracy than Liz Truss. The story itself is set during the American Civil War and centres on the life of wilful, young Katie Scarlett O’Hara. Spanning several decades as she becomes a wife, mother, widow and wife again. We follow the drama of a spoilt, anti-hero who rebels against the social expectations of the time, set against the sweeping backdrop of the American south during the Reconstruction Era. The story encompasses themes of white supremacy, war and, ultimately, is a story of survival. Although some of the characterisation is problematic in modern society, the story still has merit to acknowledge the injustices apparent in our shared history and to recognise the positive change that have made elements of this novel outdated and jarring. I read it when I was 15 and I can still envisage the whitewashed brick and timber of Tara, who’s own evolution mirrors that of the often disagreeable protagonist.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

by Kate DiCamillo

This is a tale starting in the 1930’s of a vain, china rabbit called Edward, who is given to ten year old Abilene by her grandmother. Cherished and adored by his young owner, Edward values his appearance above all else until an unfortunate event causes him to be parted from her. From here Edward’s guardianship changes hands several times from a homeless man and his dog to a sickly young girl. With each change, Edward’s selfish behaviours are stripped away until he is finally reunited with Abilene, now a parent herself, as a more humble and grateful companion. Quite simply a beautifully succinct children’s story with solid foundations in life affirming themes of redemption and love.

The PlacesCrossing

by Elly Griffiths

The first novel of the Dr Ruth Galloway series, introduces forensic archaeologist Ruth, whose life is upended when she is asked to assist in a police case involving a child’s bones that are found on a Norfolk beach. Alongside DCI Harry Nelson and his team, Ruth aids in hunting down the killer after a second child goes missing. Being Norfolk born and bred, I enjoy Griffiths’ depictions of local villages and coastline and the way she incorporates myths and legends into the storylines. Moreover, I love this series because I was introduced to it by my Nan. A prolific reader, she bought this book for me, and we read through the series together, chatting about Ruth and Nelson as though they were our neighbours. My Nan was reading The Night Hawks when she passed last year and I will continue to read them until Griffiths’ fulfils Ruth’s ultimate destiny: with or without Harry. Engaging, crime-based dramas with real-world relationships at their heart.

The Bedtime One:

The One that was... more than a book:

The Adventures of Atlas

My name is Atlas, I’m a two year old, Fox Red Labrador and I love cuddles, training and… food, of course!

Dog care tips & advice from a very good boy

Ostrich or Venison & Turkey - though if your pawrents are easily convinced, then why not ask for both? The contents are exactly what you would expect from JR - hypoallergenic, grain and gluten free, 100% pure meat and they even come with a full size treat on the last day!

Pooch and Mutt - they are offering a festively themed Turkey and Cranberry calendar. Now not only are these treats delicious and healthy, for every calendar sold, Pooch and Mutt are donating a Christmas dinner to the dogs in the care of Woodgreen Pets Charity, so you would also have the warm fuzzy glow of someone who has done a very good deed!

Hi Friends!How soon is too soon to mention the ‘D’ word?

And by ‘D’ word I mean Dogmas! December is fast approaching and that means it’s time to educate the pawrents on all of the amazing gifts available for their favourite four legged friends. So let me share with you my Dogmas list!

First up we have a blanket by our favourite dog bed company Ivy and Duke. Now this is on the more expensive side, but you do get a lot for your money; they’re handmade, double sided with a faux sheepskin layer, are machine washable, have so many colour options and can even be personalised (for an additional fee). If I promise not to chew all my blankets, I’m hoping I can convince my pawrents to get me one to match my bed! If you’re looking for something a little on the cheaper side, then there are lots of good options out there from companies like Joules, Fat Face and Dunelm (check out the Scruffs Snuggle Blanket)!

Next is a subscription box from The Doting Dog Company. They have lots of options ranging from treat-only boxes to power chewer boxes, for us pups who need their toys to be extra durable! Depending on which you select, you can expect to receive toys, treats and enrichment tools all with a different theme each month! If you want the same great quality products without being tied into a subscription, they also have speciality boxes (which include ‘The Cuddle Box’, ‘The Golden Oldie Box’ and ‘The Rescue Pup Box’ to name a few), build your own box options and individual products to purchase.

Lastly we have advent calendars, because why should us dogs be left out of such a fun tradition just because we can’t eat chocolate? There are lots of options out there but here are some of my favourites.

Lily’s Kitchen - featuring some of their most popular treats - Cheese and Apple training treats, Rise and Shines and Bedtime Biscuits, this calendar is great as you get plenty of variety whilst still having delicious, healthy treats to enjoy each morning.

JR Pet Products - they offer two flavour options;

As much as I like to think it’s all about me, it’s also important to think about what present you will get for your dog parents! For an extra special gift, why not consider getting your dog mum or dog dad a customised item of clothing or bag with your face on it? There are lots of companies out there that offer this service and it is a truly unique gift that they are sure to treasure forever! You can find lots of great businesses on Etsy, such as FoxRedThreads and The LucyandLolaShop, and you have the added bonus of knowing you’ve supported a small business - a win win!

So until next time friends! Make sure your nice behaviour outweighs your naughty behaviour or Santa Paws might not be visiting your house!

from £13.49, JR Pet Products

Box from £18, Collared Creatures

Advent Calandar, from £7.99, Pooch & Mutt

Advent Calandar, £12, Lily’s Kitchen

The Ivy & Duke Blanket from £9.99, Ivy & Duke

@thereallife_ofatlas

by Atlas (and Melissa Speakman)

Embroidered T-Shirt from £25.20, FoxRedThreads on Etsy

Embroidered Backpack, from £45, TheLucyandLolaShop on Etsy

Looking after your Mental

Charlie Smith-Knight tells us how we all should give the gift on support to each other and ourselves in the build-up to this festive season.

I have recently

found out that I have breast cancer. Now there’s a conversation stopper! The irony of becoming aware of the fact that I have breast cancer during breast cancer awareness month is not lost on me. Suddenly the upcoming party season looks very different. And I know I won’t be the only one shelving plans or performing some expectational re-writes. Whether you’re facing treatment, have suffered a bereavement or are feeling the burden of the rising cost of... well everything, the upcoming holidays may have had some of the shine taken off. So, take a deep breath and take another look at the festive season.

Stay Connected

Although it has a wonderfully dramatic aesthetic, where is sitting in the dark, turning a lamp on and off, actually going to get you? So don’t give in to the Glenn Close energy. Yes, your plans may change and you need to accept that this is going to happen. But don’t write yourself off. You are not roadkill on the highway to Fun Town. Big parties might be off the cards but it is important to stay connected. If Lockdown taught us anything, it’s that we need human interaction and that Zoom can be used for more than just meetings in your pyjamas. Hold a quiz, have a watch party or just a gossip with a friend. No taxis home. No extra washing up. No need to wander round offering up a plate of canapes like Simba to the Pride Lands. If Zoom is not in your wheelhouse, call someone. Talking is a stress reliever

and having someone to share your concerns with may help to break them down and stop you becoming overwhelmed. Sometimes a new pair of eyes will help to find a crack in the exterior and before you

Worry is a natural part of living but should not be take over your life. Accept the things you can not control and play to your strengths.

know it, you’ve split the problem wide open and out pop solutions like a set of Russian dolls. Write to someone. Remind yourself that you are not alone. At the very least, you know there is me.

Accept Help

It can be easier said than done but let the people that want to help you in. You’ll be surprised who is prepared to go further than a

Proclaimer just to help you out. If someone offers to walk your dogs, take the kids to school or get the groceries in, be as resistant as one of Uri Geller’s spoons. Just say yes. Don’t be embarrassed of your situation, whatever it might be. The people that want to help you are the ones that care about you and allowing them to help will reinforce the ties that bind. Sometimes you need to seek out the help you need so don’t be frightened to do so. You might be surprised who could use a favour in return. Sharing is caring after all.

Retain a sense of self

It can be easy to lose yourself. Take Scrooge as the perfect seasonal example. Do yourself a favour, save yourself the midnight visits from Casper and don’t fall down that rabbit hole in the first place. Worry is a natural part of living but should not take over your life. Accept the things you can not control and play to your strengths. Set yourself a realistic task to focus your energy on. Create something, gift it to someone for Christmas. Bake a cake, knit a hat, paint a picture. Set realistic boundaries for yourself with your social time and prioritise. On the days that feel like they’ll never end, treat yourself. Take a long bath, eat the cake you were going to gift for Christmas, stand outside in the fresh air and swear about the kids by the bins. Personally, I like to dress up for the Strictly Come Dancing final and toast the winners from the comfort of my living room. Continue to be you.

Whether your plans are big or small, as Gandalf the Grey would say, “this too shall pass”. Maybe you’re taking a back seat, maybe you’re driving the sleigh, however you spend this holiday prepping season, never forget that you’re the life of the party, the party isn’t your life. Your presence is always the greatest gift so remember to be present.

The Street Cafe

On occasion our travels take us to places we do not normally go, even locally. I recently headed to an appointment in Norwich and arriving early I had time to spare. Exploring the area I discovered an absolute gem; The Street Cafe. A quick coffee swiftly turned into an early lunch. Good honest food served in an great cafe. This is well worth the detour.

147 Magdalen St, Norwich @norwichstreetcafe96

Giffords Hall Sparkling Suffolk Pink NV

This English sparkling is on the dry side but balanced by a smooth mouthfeel and length. It has a pale pink rose colour, with a delicate floral nose. A creamy soft mousse, alongside raspberry and redcurrant fruit notes, make up this elegant sparkling wine. Suffolk Pink is named after the county’s heritage. In the late 14th century, dyers added elderberries, to produce a carmine red, or Blackthorn or sloe juice for geranium pink, to limewash the surrounding cottages and buildings.

£27.50 | ABV

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Winner: World Jam Awards

Alice Talbot is an expert in all things chutney and jam and recently was the overall winner of the World Jam Festival in Helmsley.

Alice said, “It was a new international Jam Festival with the theme of Alice in Wonderland. The festival truly was international as it included entrants from Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It was a glorious day where I had a very warm welcome by all. I met the Michelin Starred Chef Andrew Pern who judged my Bananaruma to be Best in Show. Many thanks to Anna Lupton the organiser and to everyone involved for such a magical day! I really enjoyed the experience, and I truly was “Alice” in Wonderland. Looking forward to The World Jam Awards 2023!”

Make sure you head along to one of the many markets listed on Alice’s website so you can sample of these amazing jams... you won’t be disappointed.

www.artscraftkitchen.co.uk

Eclipse

It takes passion, persistence and a little bit of magic to create showstopping meals for family and friends. Hours spent dedicated to mastering techniques and developing flavours, always striving for perfection. The Stellar Eclipse collection is where passion meets performance. Crafted from three separate metals to offer exceptional efficiency and controllability. Available from £66.

www.stellar.co.uk

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Castle Social

The exciting new independent-led street food hall and entertainment venue at Castle Quarter in Norwich launched on 4 November.

The food hall is centred around a stunning bar, called ‘Pinker and Green’, evoking memories of traditional gin palaces. With plate glass windows, metalwork and greenery transforming the former food court, with its stunning domed glass roof, into an urban oasis, Castle Social will be serving a fantastic range of drinks and food, with as focus on local suppliers, growers, brewers and distillers.

Open seven days a week, from lunchtime until late, Pinker and Green will serve drinks, cocktails, charcuterie and cake grazing boards plus desserts and is surrounded by independent, local, specialist street food kitchens offering an eclectic mix of high-quality food.

Alongside Pinker and Green’s Drinks Palace and Dessert Emporium, the other independent street food kitchens at Castle Social are Hanks Dirty Norwich, offering a fully vegan menu that includes everything from fried ‘chicken’ to burgers along with an exciting vegan breakfast menu. Italian Street Food company Mamma Mia will be serving a range of traditional Italian dishes including pizza and pasta dishes as well as arancini balls and fried vegetables. The Street Food Box, who specialise in ‘dirty’ burgers and loaded fries.

Also joining the line-up is local business, Curry Box, with a great Indian street food offer, opening within the next few weeks.

Castle Social is the brainchild of Hayden Ferriby and Raymond Linch of Market Asset Management (MAM), a leading market and food hall operator which runs successful award winning venues across the UK.

Hayden Ferriby, Commercial Director at MAM said: “Our aim is to create an amazing social and dining experience with the best independent street food in Norfolk. We are creating an iconic food and drink destination that will span out onto the Castle Gardens with an incredible view of Norwich Castle. Our passion is raising awareness of the country’s amazing independent food and drink businesses, whether by working with them as suppliers or by welcoming them into our kitchen. Creating hospitality venues which allow the public to sample and enjoy the exciting food and drink with their friends and family. And like our other venues, Castle Social will offer a full programme of live entertainment including music, quizzes and family events.”

Kin Knives

Mr Itou Petty 130mm, Light Brown Bone - £695

This handmade, Damascus Petty by Mr. Itou is ideal for small vegetables and fruit. For someone who does not like using a large knife it can be used for the preparation of boneless meats and fish too. These beautiful knives are one off pieces and stock can be limited. But what a knife to add to your collection.

So why buy a knife for £200 when you can buy one for £10? The answer is the same reason that one would buy any expensive product... you get what you pay for. Kin Knives represent the finest quality kitchen knives constructed in several different ways resulting in a superb cutting implement.

Visit their website to see a fantastic range of quality bespoke Japanese kitchen knives. www.kinknives.com

Christmas Food, Drink & Gift Market

10-11 December | Free | 10am-4pm

Perfect for some Christmas shopping, or well-deserved treats for yourself, the Holkham Christmas market will see the best local producers showcasing their seasonal food, drink and gifts. Epect to see Dedham Fudge Company, Susie Who, Norton’s Dairy, The Norfolk Cookie Company, Leigh’s Bee’s, Cobble Hill and Stokes Sauces to name but a few. A £5 parking charge is redeemable with a £30 spend in the gift shop. www.holkham.co.uk

Al Dente is an independent Italian restaurant specialised in fresh handmade pasta.

Conveniently located right next to St. Giles multi storey car park, Al Dente is the perfect place for any occasion.

All our pasta is freshly handmade by our pasta artisans on site and paired with the freshest ingredients combining Authentic Italian products and the best of local produce.

In Al Dente we also have a small deli shop where you can nd a wide range of premium Italian products and of course our freshly handmade pasta to enjoy at home.

November:

17th Ely on Market day - £11

20th Sandringham Christmas Fair - £23 (includes entry fee) 24th Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market - £30

December:

4th Lincoln Christmas Market - £26

8th Thursford Christmas Spectacular (evening

- £60 (SELLING FAST)

11th Stratford Victorian Christmas Market & Gin Tasting (Shakespeare Distillery) - £32 19th Thursford Christmas Spectacular (matinee) - £60

Ask the Expert

www.jarrold.co.uk

Taste Impeccable

Cheese and wine is one of the foodie world’s greatest partnerships with a wonderful mix of classic pairings and modern surprises. Selecting the perfect wine and its accompanying cheese can elevate any evening and add in the joy of good company, it can make those darker evenings just a tad brighter.

The installation of the Jarrold Cheese Room on the Lower Ground Floor has led to many cheese lovers rejoicing throughout the county. Dedicated to the artisanal and handmade, the specially equipped space presents an aged-to-perfection array of local, as well as further afield cheeses. Knowledgeable experts will be on hand to help you curate your perfect cheeseboard and will then cut exactly what you need and wrap your choice to take home.

Along with this, the curated selection of wines on offer from the finest winemakers

Sharing their insider knowledge, the Jarrold experts provide an abundance of information about everything delicious; from feasts, suppers and all the decadent delicacies.

Norfolk Garden Preserved Hot Apple & Marrow Chutney 370g, £3.90

and artisan producers will make the decisions all the easier, but if you are still in need of advice, Jarrold wine connoisseurs are on hand to make suggestions and offer advice. While we’re not averse to serving up pure, unadulterated cheese, accompaniments such as crackers, olives and pâté make a proper meal out of the evening. A chutney could be a welcome addition to your cheeseboard and this one from Norfolk Garden is deliciously sweet while offering a hint of mild spice to awaken your tastebuds.

Sweet dreams are made of cheese... and wine

Our top pairs for a fantastic spread this season. All cheeses are available at the Delicatessen counter in the Jarrold Food Hall.

Loupart Sauvignon

Blanc

Alc 12% | £12.70

This fresh, citrussy white wine from Loire Valley is fabulous served with Baron Bigod Brie from Fen Farm Dairy, Suffolk.

Les Vignerons De Buzet Sulphites Ajoutes

2020 Alc 13.5% | £11.50

A full-bodied red wine from the region of Buzet, France pairs well with the St. Jude, a semi-soft raw milk cheese, from Fen Farm Dairy, Suffolk.

Ricasoli, Antico Feudo Della Trapolla

2019

Alc 14% | £14.70

This smooth red wine from Tuscany and a slice of Berkswell, a hard ewe’s milk cheese form Neal’s Yard Dairy, is the perfect fireside treat.

Black Shuck Sloe Gin

70cl, 27% vol, £37.50

Enjoy life in the sloe lane

Whether you are person of distinctive taste or just enjoy a good drink, a tipple at Christmas certainly makes the season jolly. And what is more festive than the rich berry red of Black Shuck’s Sloe Gin?

The Norfolk countryside, and in particular its hedgerows, are an abundant source to pick and gather from and to make wonderful gastronomic goodies. A few of the local producers in the Jarrold Food Hall draw inspiration and ingredients from the local areas and it makes Norfolk a wealth of amazing small food businesses and artisans.

Steeping real Norfolk sloes in Black Shuck’s smooth gin, this is the perfect winter warmer when served with ginger ale or add a touch of sparkle by topping up your glass with prosecco.

Due to the sweetness and syrupiness of Sloe Gin, it makes a welcome addition to a variety of festive cocktails which could be the toast of your dinner party or Christmas catch-up.

Sandfire Chutney MiniMuffins

METHOD:

- Prepare mini muffin trays: fill with pretty paper liners. Preheat oven to 190–200°C.

- In a large bowl, stir together well with a fork: flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in sugar and grated cheese (remembering to set aside some of the cheese for topping).

- In another bowl, beat egg with a fork. Add the Southwold Sandfire Chutney and mix. Stir in milk, followed by the oil or the melted butter.

- Pour all of the wet ingredients into dry. Stir until just combined. Batter will be lumpy, but make sure no dry flour is visible. Do not over-stir.

- Spoon into lined tins, filling each case about half-way. Sprinkle tops with extra cheese. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and spring back when pressed gently.

- Optional: Sprinkle lightly with paprika for extra warmth and visual excitement.

- Cool for a few minutes to make removal easier. Can be eaten cold, but best served warm with seasonal party drinks.

Alice Rebecca Talbot

of

– Craft Kitchen

Brie & Pickle Pastry

Wreath

serves 6

• 320g ready roll puff pastry

• 6tbsp Cottage Delight Perfect Party Pickle (320g jar)

• 200g brie cheese, sliced

• 2 tbsp pistachio nuts roughly chopped

• 1 egg, beaten

METHOD:

- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

- Roll the pastry and cut a large circle out of the pastry.

- Lay the large pastry circle on the prepared baking sheet.

- Mark an inner circle with a medium-sized bowl, don’t press all the way through the pastry.

- Cut four cuts into the centre circle, this will create 8 triangles.

- Spread the Perfect Party Pickle around the outer circle then top with the brie and pistachios.

- From the four cuts, bring one triangle of the centre outwards over the filling as well as bringing the outer edge of pastry inwards. Press the two together and continue all the way around with the remaining 7 triangles until you have a wreath.

- Brush with beaten egg then place in the oven and allow to bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

- Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5 minutes then slice and serve.

Delight

flour

Mince pieBundt Cake

- Preheat the oven to 175ºC/150ºC fan/gas 3.

- Grease the bundt pan with melted butter and dust with flour.

- In a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.

- Add the eggs one at a time and mix together.

- Mix the plain yoghurt and Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat together and add to the mixer.

- In a separate bowl, measure and sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and all the ground spices.

- Sieve in the flour to the wet mixture gradually. Stop when evenly mixed in.

- Pour the mix into a greased and floured tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

- The cake will pull away from the edge of the tin when it is ready.

- Leave the cake to cool fully before removing from the tin.

While waiting to cool, make your icing sugar drip. Place icing sugar, egg white and lemon juice into your mixer. Beat on med-high for around 5-7 minutes until it forms soft peaks and is loose enough to drizzle. Pour over and allow to cool/set. Finish with sliced oranges or frozen festive berries (your preference!).

CheesecakeMulled Orange & Chocolate

For the Biscuit Base

- Melt the butter in the microwave on short bursts until fully melted.

- Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a small crumb or in a bag with the end of a rolling pin. Add the butter and mix until it is combined well.

- Tip into a 20cm deep springform tin and press down firmly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

For the Cheesecake Filling

- Melt the 300g chocolate orange in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring gently or microwave in short bursts until fully melted.

- Mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar until thick and whip up the double cream in a separate bowl. Fold the mixtures together and then fold through the melted chocolate with 2 heaped Tbsp Mulled Orange All

Butter Curd. Zest in the orange.

- Evenly spread 6 heaped Tbsp Mulled Orange All Butter Curd over the chilled biscuit base.

- Pour the cream cheese mix on to the curd layer, smooth over, cover, and chill in the fridge for 6 hours or preferably overnight.

- Top with sliced oranges, orange zest and crème fraîche in the centre.

Biscuit Base

serves 12

• 300g bourbon Biscuits

• 150g unsalted Butter

Cheesecake Filling

• 600g cream Cheese (full fat)

• 300ml double Cream

• 75g icing Sugar

• 300g Terry’s Chocolate Orange

• 1 x 305g jar Cottage Delight Mulled Orange All Butter Curd (8 heaped tbsp)

• 1 orange zest

Decoration

• Orange zest

• Orange slices, thinly sliced

• 2 Tbsp crème fraîche

- Put pears into a non-stick frying pan with 2 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp water. Cover, then cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes until tender, stirring every so often. There shouldn’t be juice once the pears are cooked. Add the spice; leave to cool.

- Heat oven to 160°C. Butter, then line the base and sides of a 20cm round, deep cake tin. Put butter, sugar, vanilla and ¼ tsp salt into a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand whisk until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and flour, beat until smooth, then fold in the almonds.

- Remove 85g batter and put into a small bowl, add the plain flour and chop into the mix with a cutlery knife to make a soft, crumbly-looking mix.

- Spoon half the cake mix into the tin, top with half the pears, dot over half the Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat, then dollop the rest of the cake mix on top. Scatter with remaining pears, Luxury Tipsy Mincemeat, then the crumble mix. Sprinkle with final 1 Tbsp sugar. Bake for 1½ hours, covering with foil after 1 hour, until golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then cool on a rack.

Crumble

& Mincemeat Cake

salted

caster

flour

flour

giftsGreat

Jarrold

Tom

Rituals,

Joules, Meredith Herringbone Scarf,

Pale Grey Fleece Oversized Blanket Hoodie, £27.99, New Look

Cream Stripe Bee Fluffy Socks, £9.95, Joules

Rosie Reindeer Beige Mule Slippers, £29.50, FatFace

Cozies November

Whether you're thinking ahead for Christmas gift ideas or just fancy treating yourself or a loved one to some new soft and comfy PJs, here's my top selection of some lovely brand new items hitting highstreet stores.

Satin Sleepwear Long Sleeve Shirt, £39.99 & matching Sleepwear Pant, £39.99, both Superdry

Rita Creme Floral Dressing Gown, £49.95, Joules

Left: Off White Satin Collared Long Sleeve Shirt, £24.99, Missy Empire Black Leather-Look Straight Trousers, £29, Gold Chunky Chain Necklace, £6.99, 3 Pack Gold Textured Hoop Earrings, £8.99, all New

Top picks November

Black Feather Crossbody Bag, £45, ACCESSORIZE at Chantry Place

Above: Caspian Frosted Bead Drop Earrings, £18, Oliver Bonas at Chantry Place

Above: Silver Trousers, £60, River Island at Chantry Place

Above: Layered Ring Pendant Necklace in Gold, £20, Lisa Angel

Above: Graceland Black Stiletto Heeled Ankle Boots, £29.99, DEICHMANN

Silver Sutton Strappy Block High Heels, £35, schuh

FORTHEKIDS

Luxury LuxuryAdvent Advent

Are you after something a little different this year... a little bit special?

Perhaps you need a gift idea for someone who seems to have it all or is ridiculously hard to buy for? Then look no further than one of these gorgeous luxury advent calendars!

Don't get me wrong... traditional chocolate advent calendars are wonderful, but these extra special ones could very well be a gift in themselves and offer something a little more exciting and special to open each day in the run up to the festivities!

Here we have a lovely selection of some of the best ones out there - for both the adults and the kids and suitable for varying budgets.

The

Marshmallow

Marshmallow

Joe

Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn

Playmobil Christmas

LEGO Harry Potter Advent

John Lewis

PAW Patrol 2022 Advent Calendar

Smyths Toys Superstore

Disney Storybook Collection Advent Calendar, £10, B&M

Mr Men & Little Miss Advent Calendar,

FORTHEADULTS

Deck

decking

jolliest

general

general

general

Brunswick spruce

John lewis

John

Football fan or

Football ban?

by Andrew Hirst

So the world cup is upon us. For some it has been a long wait and for others it may as well not happen at all; disrupting your regular telly schedule and causing the age old row of who takes control of the remote. Well fear not, if you want to give the world cup the swerve but still feel sporty here are some great ways to keep active without a Ronaldo or a Harry Kane in sight.

There are plenty of local sports facilities and clubs you can look at joining; and most of them have have plenty of advice on where to start. But here I am going to look at the biggest and best in the area - Sports Park UEA. What sports do they cover? Where do I start? They have everything from athletics, badminton, basketball, climbing, fitness, gymnastics, hockey, netball, pickleball, squash, table tennis, volleyball; I may have missed one or two because they literally have the lot. I will be honest I don’t know what pickleball is... but they have it. They obviously have plenty of football... but I kind of promised not to mention the ‘F’ word.

The fitness programs have a huge range of activities as Sportspark offers a 130+ station state-of-the art newly refurbished Fitness Centre, personal training sessions led by highly qualified and experienced fitness professionals and a timetable of over 70 group exercise classes to suit all abilities including zumba, pilates, indoor cycle, circuits, yoga and many Les Mills’ classes including BodyPump and BodyBalance.

To ensure you get the most out of the Fitness Centre, new users need to book an induction. Inductions are available throughout the day every day. If you are a Gold or Silver member your induction is free! The staff can prepare you with an individual

workout programme to meet your needs, which is included in the Gold membership. If you find it difficult to keep motivated and need extra support, why not book a one-to-one or small group session with a personal trainer.

Want to dive on the deep end? Sportspark offers a world-class pool, offering some of the finest swimming facilities in Britain. With a timetable featuring public swimming sessions, swimming lessons, Aquafit classes, family splash sessions and Swimfit, Sportspark’s 50m pool is perfect for both lane swimmers and fun seekers alike, so there really is no excuse get in those laps. www.sportspark.co.uk

Playing sport not really your thing? Want some help getting in to shape? Then you need to speak to Places&Faces very own fitness expert Chantel Heath (see page 63). You will soon be in the tip-top condition under her excellent fitness coaching.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

If you do want to catch all of the football action here are the fixture dates for England’s group stages. Just be prepared for football fever should we make it into the knock-out stages.

England v Iran Mon 22 Nov - 4pm local/1pm UK

England v USA Fri 25 Nov - 10pm local/7pm UK

Wales v England Tue 29 Nov - 10pm local/7pm UK

Chantel Heath INSTAGRAM @ChantelHeathFitness www.chantelfitness.co.uk

I'm a 41 year old mother of two & Personal Fitness coach. I work one to one, in person & online with clients aged 18-80. My specialisms include pre & postnatal training, cancer rehab, pilates, & GP exercise referrals. I run fitness classes online and in person in the Suffolk Coastal area. I am also a Mental Health First aider.

If you are someone who is trying to lose body fat, either for health or aesthetic reasons, you will no doubt have come across many calorie restricted weight loss plans. You may also have come across the phrase ‘Calorie deficit’.

But what does it all mean? Do you have to count calories in order to lose fat?

Let’s start at the beginning. Numerous factors influence the ease with which someone can lose body fat, but here is a simplified explanation.

A calorie is simply a unit of energy. In nutritional terms, calories are the energy we get from the food and drink we consume, and the energy we expend when doing physical activity. Every person will have a different daily

Fitness

Do you really need to count calories?

calorie requirement based on their individual circumstances. This figure is known as our TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). TDEE is made up of the calories needed by our bodies in order to perform essential functions to keep us alive, plus the calories needed to carry out all the additional physical activities we do in a day.

If the calories we consume from food each day are equal to the TDEE (the amount of calories we use each day), then our weight will stay the same. If our calorie intake is greater than our TDEE (a calorie surplus), our body will store the excess calories as fat. If our calorie intake is lower than our TDEE (a calorie deficit), our body will have to use stored calories in order to make up the deficit. This is how we begin to lose body fat, as the body dips into the stored energy (fat).

Now, I’m not against calorie counting per say, everything has a time and a place. However, for the average person who wants to lose a little body fat, it can be unnecessary and often quite stressful to count, weigh and measure every morsel of food and drink you consume. There are much easier ways to create a calorie deficit.

It takes approximately 3600 excess calories for someone to gain 1lb of body fat. The NHS recommends weight loss of 1-2lbs a week to be safe and sustainable. Studies have shown that people who lose weight gradually at this rate are much more likely to sustain their results in the longterm when compared with people who go on crash diets, or join weight loss programmes where they are rewarded for losing as much weight each week as possible.

So what does this mean? It means that to begin to lose weight you should aim to create a deficit of around 3600 - 7200 calories per week (500-1000 calories per day).

While on the face of it this may seem a lot, it can be easily achieved without causing major stress and disruption to your life.

Easy ways to create a calorie deficit. Cut out, or reduce habits that you know are unhelpful.

You know what I’m talking about! Instead of 2 glasses of wine with dinner, have just 1. That alone could save you 200 calories per day! Fond of choccy biccies? Instead of 4, have 2, which could save you around another 160 cals per day. That’s already a daily saving of 360 calories, while still getting to enjoy wine and chocolate!

Eat what you love, but just tweak the serving sizes.

While starchy carbs like rice and pasta are delicious, and provide our bodies with essential nutrients, they are also very calorie dense, meaning we can take in a large amount of calories from a single serving. A good way to moderate your serving size is to aim to have a serving size no larger than a quarter of your plate. Make the other quarter a serving of protein which will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, and load the remaining half of your plate with delicious, nutrientrich veg.

Increase your TDEE through movement. The more we move our bodies throughout the day, the more energy (calories) our bodies will use. How you move is up to you, but do something you enjoy so that you’re more likely to stick at it, whether that’s going to the gym, a pilates class, going for a walk, or dancing while you do the housework! Every little helps! Walking for just 30 mins each day could see you use another 200 cals. Add that to the reduced wine, biscuits and smaller carbs serving, and you’ve easily created a 500 cal per day deficit and are on your way to that sustainable 1lb per week fat loss.

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY

Why are Lasting Powers of Attorney so important?

It is a common misconception that a spouse/family member has an automatic entitlement to make decisions for you if you lose mental capacity short or long term, but that is not true. To protect you and your loved ones against a short or long term situation where your husband, wife, partner, children cannot make decisions for you, we highly recommend that you contact us to book a FREE FIRST APPOINTMENT to discuss putting Lasting Powers of Attorney in place

There are 2 different types of Lasting Powers of Attorney one for financial and property decisions and the other for health and care decisions Setting up Lasting Powers of Attorney can be likened to the purchase of a home insurance policy. You hope that your house won’t burn down, but if it did, then knowing that you have house insurance in place can make a real difference in putting your mind at ease We are all living longer and statistics show that 1 in 3 of us will develop dementia. Covid and lockdowns have made Lasting Powers of Attorney even more important, especially if you become housebound or are isolating It is vital to release the burden from loved ones to allow them to access your money and pay for your care. Banks can freeze accounts if capability is lost, even if in joint names

A Lasting Power of Attorney negates these issues and gives you and your loved ones peace of mind.

Gardening with Tom Strowlger

It is time for some lawn grass care in readiness for the depths of wintertime. We should edge our lawns as it will make our borders and beds neat and tidy and easier to maintain into springtime. The lawn will need to be aerated at this time of year, to allow air in amongst the roots. Simply forking the lawn by hand and creating as many holes as you can, the healthier the lawn will be. The lawn should be cut on the highest setting at this time of year as longer grass is healthier grass, and should not be cut anymore after the first winter frost.

At this time of year, we can get amongst shrubs and plants to turn the topsoil with a spade.

Tom Strowlger @garden_with_tom

November is upon us, meaning we are in the last month of meteorological autumn and one month from wintertime. The clocks have recently changed meaning our gardens now have less sunlight and reduced temperatures, we should use this month to get our gardens winter-ready. So let’s put on a warm jumper and get our gardening tools out, as a nice tidy up in the garden is on the cards.

The garden has a slower feel about it now, it is lacking in colour, is damper, feeling cooler and is shadier than we have come accustomed to in the months gone by. That said, we can add some seasonal floral colour to brighten up our gardens a little, the best plants for some late autumn and winter floral colour are cyclamens, winter pansies and primroses. They are winter hardy and can be planted into pots, tubs, beds and borders. To plan ahead, we can plant out tulip and allium bulbs this month for beautiful flowers in springtime.

The garden will have its fair share of brown leaves settling tightly into corners, borders and beds and on the lawn grass. The fallen golden leaves look amazing as a feature but unfortunately if they are left to lay over winter they can cause the lawn to go very patchy and plants to become smothered, so we should rake the leaves up and compost them to be used as future mulch on the beds and borders.

The soil in borders and beds can become compacted and a turn of the topsoil can bring a fresh look back into them. You can also put a nice thick layer of mulch over the topsoil to suppress any weeds and very importantly protect plant roots from the cold and freezing weather of wintertime.

A gardening day in November can easily be spent clearing out greenhouses, sheds and garages and brushing old cobwebs and leaves off fences, gates and walls. We can make the garden look very presentable by giving it a general tidy up. The gardening tools can be maintained or replaced if needs be and the lawnmower can be cleaned, maintained and stored away ready for springtime.

There is something about feeling cosy this month, summed up by me as being outside in the cooler air, gently gardening away a few hours and then enjoying a hot drink and a few chocolate biscuits as a reward. November feels like a defining line in the gardening calendar; we look back on what we have grown and now we can plan what we want to plant next year. So while the sun is setting that much earlier, grab a pencil and notepad and get drawing, writing and planning the future garden.

Please do follow me on Instagram @garden_with_tom for more seasonal gardening advice and tips.

October

TOP

Check the bonfire for any hibernating wildlife

Plant out tulip and allium bulbs

Move outdoor pots into sheltered areas of the patio and garden

Stay off rain soaked and frosty lawns

Simply forking the lawn by hand and creating as many holes as you can, the healthier the lawn will be.

Able Community Care has been in the same family for nearly four decades and now provides live-in care services throughout the UK.

Since 1980 we have provided care and have met with thousands of families who are seeking an alternative to moving into a residential care home.

Meeting people inevitably leads, either at the time of an assessment or even years later, to questions for which people are looking for answers.

Information around all aspects of care is available but the road to fi nding out, especially at a time of crisis, about specifi c factors can be diffi cult and stressful. Able Community Care receives calls and emails on a regular basis with people asking if we can help with their search for information.

Recently these questions have been asked of us...

Ask Angela

Answer: This information comes from the Age UK website: Your GP practice must allocate everyone a named, accountable GP. This GP will oversee your care and take responsibility for evaluating your current physical and psychological needs. Though this doesn’t mean the named GP is the only doctor at your practice who will or can provide care.

Question: I have some unwanted disability equipment, e.g., wheelchair, Zimmer frame, etc. which I would like to donate to a charity. Do you have details of any charity, not a charity shop, which not only would like them but would collect from my home?

Answer: Physionet is a charity based in Norfolk which collects items such as mobility aids and sends them in large batches to countries which include Africa and Asia. If they have some damage, they will refurbish them and they also offer, if necessary, to collect the donated items.

The charity website for further details is: www.physionet.org.uk

are a few websites which offer to locate properties for senior living but perhaps the easiest way to get an idea re the information you are seeking is to visit a charity accommodation website such as Anchor. This charity has a national, housing presence, with varied housing properties, varied rental costs and will give a good base for you to start forming an opinion of what you would like.

Question: I have Power of Attorney for both of my older parents and sometimes I have to get in touch with the local surgery on their behalf. Each time I seem to be routed to anyone who is available who can respond to my phone call. Is it possible anymore to have a GP allocated to patients?

Question: I would like to move and rent a property where there is some support, such as a warden, 24-hour helpline, etc. Currently I am independent but looking towards my future. Where can I find out details of what accommodation is like, available and how much it costs?

Answer: There is a shortage of private rentals in the over 55’s age group and often there is a waiting list for Council owned properties. There

Angela Gifford, Managing Director of Able Community Care, answers your questions...

EVALUATION

WHAT NEEDS

Great

STARTS WITH