Barry Magazine November 2020

Issue #8 Magazine 1 Barry

ISSU E # 8

November 2020 N O VEMBER 2020

B ACK TO B USI NESS

CROESO So here we are, our final edition of Barry Magazine for 2020!

What a year it’s been. We won’t bring out all the overused cliches you might have heard the last few months (unprecedented times anyone?) but we’re ready for some good news now. Bring on Christmas shopping and the chance to help our brilliant local businesses.

Speaking of business, this is our ‘Back to Business’ edition supported by Barry Town Council. After a few months of being closed, we’re really grateful that BTC have helped us to showcase some of the amazing shops in this edition just in time for the Christmas rush.

Enjoy this festive edition of Barry Magazine and we’ll see you in 2021!

Thank you, Hannah, Tom, Bernie & Tilly

@BarryMagazine barrymagazine.co.uk

Sadler Jones Sommerin 4 04James What's Occurrin'?

Occurrin’?

10 10What’s What's Online Gift Guide 14 13Christmas Stay Local 14 18 Where to Eat this Winter ShowBurgers Racism the Red Card 22 18Bashed Think Global 20 24 Craft Republic Act Local & Lolo Days of Shopping Locally 26 2230Annie Goodwash Company 26 28 Box Edit Boutique 28 Box Edit Boutique 30 Annie & Lolo 31 Craft Republic 32 The Natural Pet Pantry 34 VHS Barry 34 Beyond Barry 36 Life During Lockdown 40 Sophie Potter 42 Celebrate Community 44 The Big Bad Vegan 44 The Big Bad Vegan 48 Barry Island Coffee 47 Cadog's Corner 50 Oh Doggo 48 Budding Designs on the Gram 54 52Barry Social Media Tips Communications 58 54HI Sky Spa Home Workout & Vale Well-being 60 57Cardiff Bro Radio Business 62 58Barry Craft Corner Covid Support Resourcing 64 62Prince Wynter Isabelle Big Bocs Bwyd 66 64The Barry on the Gram Education Barry 67 66Home Barrybados 68 70 72 73 74

Rat Pack Dog Training Cardiff & Vale Well-being The Sunflower Project Glamorgan Music School Barry Noticeboard

Editor: Hannah Isted hicommunications.co.uk Cover & Design: Tom Collins tcols.design

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F E AT U R E

JAMES SOMMERIN WE SPOKE TO THE CO-OWNER OF BARRY’S NEWEST FINE DINING RESTAURANT ‘THE SHED’ ABOUT HIS NEW VENTURE AND WHAT HE’S BEEN WORKING ON DURING LOCKDOWN.

James Sommerin

I WA N T U S TO B E T H E N E I G H B O U R H O O D R E S TAU R A N T O F BA R RY. T H AT ’ S W H AT I WA N T F O R T H I S P L AC E . I T ’ S N OT J U S T A B O U T T H E F O O D, I T ’ S A B O U T T H E S E RV I C E , I T ’ S T H E W H O L E PAC K AG E .

H OW I S E V E RY T H I N G G O I NG? It’s good! We haven’t been open long and it’s been quite tough to be honest. We didn’t get a chance to soft launch. We had a launch planned but unfortunately my father passed away so it’s been really tough. But it’s been good, it’s been different.

TELL U S AB OU T T H E S HE D! We’re trying to create a relaxed atmosphere with something for everyone. We are open 5 days a week from Wednesday to Saturday where we serve an 'a la carte' menu and on Sunday, a traditional roast. It’s really important for me that it’s that restaurant that everyone wants to come to because they know they will get a good service.

We’ve used local builders and the bar and the pass are made from snooker tables.

The planks of wood on the tables came from Barry Dry Dock, the wood on these

tables is anywhere from 60-80 years old.

It’s these little key points that are really important to us.

Out of all of the full time staff that are here now there’s only one person that’s new to the team. They’ve all worked with me previously, so it’s about adapting to the style we’re doing now and the layout of the kitchen and dining room.

W IL L TH IS BE D IF F E R E N T TO YOU R PE N ARTH R E STAU R AN T? Yes, my last business was Michelin Starred, 4 Rosettes, high end, sat 40 covers and it was either a 6 or 9 course tasting menu.

We were always doing this project alongside the Penarth restaurant. We’ve been 2 ½ years trying to get this to fruition, it’s just unfortunate with COVID that the other restaurant had to close.

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WHAT M A D E YOU OP EN T HE NE W R ESTAU R AN T? I love food, it doesn’t matter what it is, what level it’s cooked at, I just adore the industry.

I was getting cheesed off going to eat in places, paying through the nose and getting fairly mediocre food.

For us as a family, my wife and three girls, on a Monday it’s religion that we will go out and eat out. We’ll sit down around the table and we’ll talk and it’s about the only day we get that we can catch up properly and have a laugh without having to worry about doing the dishes. That family time is really important to us.

We were going to different places, but it’s about consistency. I want to give people really good food consistently that’s not going to break the bank. We visit certain places every week because we’re supporting local business and you can get a decent meal.

I want us to be the neighbourhood restaurant of Barry. It’s not just about the food, it’s about the service, it’s the whole package.

S O HOW D O YOU D ECID E W H AT GOE S O N TH E M E N U? It just comes to me! The hardest thing for me and my team in the kitchen is to try and keep things simple. I just want simple food.

We buy very high end quality products, the beef has been minimum aged for 30 days and it has my specification, it comes from a certain farm and we know what we’re getting. The chicken is all Welsh, the lamb is from a farm in Penarth and then we use Ashtons in Cardiff for our fish.

We support local businesses as much as possible but what I don’t agree with is only buying because it’s down the road, it has to be a certain level, but where possible we will buy as much as we can locally.

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F O R U S A S A FA M I LY, M Y WIFE AND THREE GIRLS, ON A M O N DAY I T ’ S R E L I G I O N T H AT W E W I L L G O O U T A N D E AT O U T. W E ’ L L S I T D OW N A R O U N D T H E TA B L E A N D W E ’ L L TA L K A N D I T ’ S A B O U T T H E O N LY DAY W E G E T T H AT W E C A N C ATC H U P P R O P E R LY.

HAV E YO U ALWAYS WANT ED TO B E A CH EF? Yes, I started cooking with my grandmother and I had my first opportunity at a professional kitchen when I was 12. I used to work part time on a weekend at an Italian restaurant in Newport and I loved it.

For me, it made sense and I’ve done it for my whole career. I’m 27 years into my trade now and I’ve had the Michelin star for 14 years, but who knows. I don’t want to say that I want to bring a Michelin star here because a lot of people are worried about the Michelin side and they think it’s too high end. But pubs get Michelin stars too, and it’s all about quality. We just want to have a good quality restaurant with a relaxed feel.

H OW D OE S TH E M ICH E L IN STAR WOR K? There’s no criteria, it’s not a tick box list. I couldn’t tell you tomorrow what I’d need to do to get a star. The one thing I can tell you is that it’s all based around the food, so it doesn’t matter if you have linen napkins or table cloths or sommeliers or high end waiters, it’s purely about the food that’s on the plate. You get it if you’re good enough.

SO W H AT E L SE IS IN TH E PIPE L IN E F OR TH E F U TU R E? Nothing! We’ve got to focus on this. I have aspirations but I’m not one of these people that want to take over the world. It’s quality not quantity. I just want to make a success of this so this has got my 100% attention.

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I just urge the public to do as much as they can when they come. We’ve tried to do as much as possible to make it safe. We’re sticking to all the COVID guidelines but without trying to make it too obvious or scary for people who are coming in the door. When you come in here we want you to feel relaxed. There’s a balance.

TELL US A B OU T T H E NHS PRO J ECT That was a mammoth task. There was myself, my wife and my daughter and we cooked 27,000 meals in 10 weeks which nearly broke us, but it was something we wanted to do and it was amazing.

We also launched a book which was my wife’s idea called ‘A Little Help From Our Friends’ and the proceeds go to the NHS Trust and Hospitality Action. It’s on sale now and it includes the meals that we produced

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I J U S T U R G E T H E P U B L I C TO DO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WHEN T H E Y C O M E . W E ’ V E T R I E D TO D O A S M U C H A S P O S S I B L E TO M A K E I T S A F E . W E ’ R E S T I C K I N G TO A L L T H E C OV I D G U I D E L I N E S B U T W I T H O U T T RY I N G TO M A K E I T TO O O BV I O U S O R S C A RY F O R P EO P L E W H O A R E C O M I N G I N THE DOOR.

James Sommerin

for the hospitals during lockdown. If we can sell all of the copies we will hopefully raise around £10,000. We felt that we could do more, so that’s what I wanted to do.

YO U C A N B U Y T H E B O O K O N L I N E H E R E

We felt we could do more for the industry.

They help to deal with everything from mental health issues to drug abuse, alcoholism and people who fall on hard times. Having gone through some issues this year myself, we want to support them 110%.

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I D O N ’ T K N OW A N Y B O DY T H AT I S N ’ T D E S P E R AT E TO G E T BAC K TO S O M E S O RT O F N O R M A L I T Y. E V E RY B O DY I S D E S P E R AT E TO H AV E A L AU G H A N D A J O K E A N D G E T T H O S E R E S TAU R A N T S V I B R A N T AG A I N W I T H T H AT E N J OY M E N T.

On our menu we sell ‘Invisible Chips’ which are 'Fat and Vat Free'. The customer orders and the £3 goes directly to the charity so you don’t actually get them, they are invisible!

DO YOU H AVE AN Y ADVICE F OR OTH E R B U SIN E SS OW N E R S IN TH E IN D U STRY TO GE T TH R OU GH TH IS? Knuckle down, watch your costs and look after your staff. Unfortunately we had to close our last business but we’ve managed to maintain 5 jobs to bring them here. I vowed to them that I would look after them.

All we want to do is come out of it and that’s it. I don’t know anybody that isn’t desperate to get back to some sort of normality. Everybody is desperate to have a laugh and a joke and get those restaurants vibrant again with that enjoyment.

This project has received funding through the Rural Business Investment – Micro and Small Business Fund of the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government and a loan from the Development Bank of Wales.

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C O M M UNIT Y

WHAT'S OCCURRIN'?

THE LATEST GOOD NEWS AND

UPDATES FROM AROUND BARRY!

CLEAR OUT TO HELP OUT Tŷ Hafan are encouraging people to have a clear out over lockdown and donate to their shops when they reopen on 9th November. There’s some great advice on what you can donate over on their Facebook page.

SHOP LOCAL, SHOP SAFE The Vale of Glamorgan Council has launched its Vale Town Centres campaign, calling on people to continue supporting independent businesses. Council research said that 55% of businesses said the pandemic had a serious impact on them, and over half believe their high street won’t recover. Our local high streets are completely prepared to help everyone shop safely so let’s support them this Christmas!

What's Occurrin'?

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BARRY ROUND TABLE Barry Round Table are raising funds to provide much needed Christmas cheer to vulnerable and isolated older people in Barry, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Help them make sure that the elderly and vulnerable people who attend their annual Christmas Lunch still get a hot meal, gifts and some festive cheer by donating to their fundraiser .

#THEGLOVESAREON An amazing Barry mum has been nominated for the Hello magazine ‘Star Mum’ award and she needs your votes!

Soraya runs #UniteForYouth to divert young people in Wales away from drugs and violence and support their mental health using sport, education and paid work or training. Diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer three years ago, her campaign The Gloves Are On promotes early detection. Vote online here.

MENTAL HEALTH SWIMS A new mental health outdoor swimming group has started up for The Vale, with their first swim taking place on Whitmore Bay! There are so many benefits to swimming outdoors in the sea, so visit their Instagram page to find out when the next event is taking place.

DRAGONS DEN IN OUR PARK Lewis Kempsy (Kempsyart ) was at Porthkerry Country Park last month as part of the ‘Dragons in Our Park’ project – funded

by Welsh Government’s Landfill Disposal Tax Community Scheme grant. Lewis is a local stone carver who has been busy carving a number of animals found at Porthkerry onto the new stone spiral seating area for schools and visitors.

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DONATE BLOOD, SAVE LIVES The Welsh Blood Service are asking anyone who is able to donate blood to help support them. Donating blood is safe and the team are trained in infection control to support donors. You can find your nearest hub here.

PHOTOBARRY COMPETITION The winners of the first Photomarathon event organised by Barry Making Waves in October have been announced! There were two versions, 12 hours and 6 hours with prompts shared on Twitter to take pictures around the town.

UNIT 17 MENSWEAR Local Rhoose residents Sean and Abby are opening a new menswear store ‘Unit 17 Menswear’ in Goodsheds on 18th November. They’re bringing a range of clothes to Barry featuring independent clothing and footwear multi-brands and celebrating classic and contemporary menswear.

SPECTRUM NOMINATED FOR BEAUTY AWARDS Spectrum Brushes have been nominated again for 3 fabulous categories at this year’s Asos beauty awards! The Barry based makeup brush business are nominated for Most Grammable, New Sustainable Innovator and New Beauty Accessory! Vote online here

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CHRISTMAS Gift Guide

AMAZING W EBARRY S P O KISE FULL T O TOF HE C O - O WINDEPENDENT N E R O F B A RSHOPS, R Y ’ S PERFECT NEWEST BUYING YOUR CHRISTMAS GIFTS. WE’VE PICKED A F I N EFOR DIN ING RESTAURANT ‘THE SHED’ ABOUT HIS FEW THAT WE’VE VISITED RECENTLY TO GIVE YOU SOME NEW VENTURE AND WHAT HE’S BEEN. INSPIRATION FOR PRESENTS THIS SEASON.

Christmas Gift Guide

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1. BUDDING DESIGNS WREATH KIT If you’re looking for a way to mix up your Zoom calls with friends and family this Christmas, why not send them a wreath making kit through the post that you can do together? Starting at £25 there’s 3 styles to suit every house.

2. GIGGLES For all the little ones in your life, Giggles is the place to go! With a huge range of toys, books and games for all ages, if you want to shop local for children we’re lucky to have local toy store on our High Street.

3. AWESOME WALES After the year we’ve had who needs an excuse for cake? Awesome Wales have launched their very own Merry Barry Christmas Cake Kit. In it is all the dried ingredients you need for an amazing Christmas Cake.

4. MATTHEW JONES CERAMICS The moment you find the perfect mug, tea drinking changes forever. Matthew Jones Ceramics is moving into their new home at Goodsheds soon but for now you can buy all of their products including vases, jugs and plates on the website too.

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5. BEAUTY TREATMENTS If you know someone who finds it hard to make time for themselves, why not give the gift of a special beauty treatment this winter? We are lucky to have such a range of beauticians here in Barry. My picks are Sky Spa for a massage and facial, Aura for brows and a dermaplane and Beauty Retreat for nails!

5. COCOA THERAPY 6.

If you’re stuck on what to get someone, here’s a clue. Almost everyone loves chocolate (and if they don’t there’s bound to be someone in the house that does!)

Vicky’s chocolates are the best and there is always something delicious to treat yourself to while you’re there.

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7. BOX EDIT BOUTIQUE 6.

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7. YNYS CANDLE

The best gift you can give is the gift of getting snuggly! The Box Edit Boutique have a range of the softest knits around featuring their secret ingredients, alpaca or organic cotton.

Don’t know what to wear this winter? If in doubt, get your jumpers out.

Louise has created a range of beautiful

9. FOOD VOUCHERS 8.

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BARRY ISLAND 9. BARRY ISLANDGIN GIN

Gift the gift of a delicious meal this Christmas by treating your loved ones to a voucher for their favourite restaurant or cafe. We treated ours to Mrs Marcos last year and the tea and cake was perfect for a chilly autumn day!

Check out Paletta for an Italian feast and tasty hampers too!

What could be better than a bottle of Barry Island Gin? Whether you’re a local or sending it to someone who’s moved away, these make a brilliant gift. We went through the difficult task of testing the gin and we have to say, it’s delicious, light and refreshing. It comes in a full sized or miniature bottle.

candles right here on Barry Island. Ynys Aroma are made with natural wellness and home remedies and they smell amazing. The Nadolig Llawen wax melts filled our house with the smell of Christmas and lasted all day long.

Christmas Gift Guide

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11. LABYRINTH

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11. IN RAINBOWS

There’s just something about listening to music on vinyl. Labyrinth Records at Goodsheds have got a great selection of records, from classics to new hits. Get your hands on the latest Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard album and support some local Barry boys!

Why stick to traditional red and gold when you could have a lobster, dinosaur or taco on your tree? Local maker Becci runs In Rainbows and creates amazing tree decorations, toppers, tea towels, car buddies and more! They are the perfect keepsake for little ones.

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13. ANNIE AND LOLO

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14. GOODWASH

This box of treats is full to the brim with gifts and cards for every member of the family. From candles to cushions, books to bags and plants for every room, you’re guaranteed to find a present they’ll love.

It’s definitely been the year of washing hands, so we might as well wash them in something delicious. Goodwash is now open at Goodsheds and they have plenty of soaps and washes to give as gifts this Christmas.

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WHERE TO

EAT

THIS

WINTER WHEN IT’S RAINING OUTSIDE AND YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE

COOKING, WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN GOING OUT FOR A WARMING BREAKFAST OR DELICIOUS DINNER, AND NOT HAVING TO WASH THE DISHES AFTER!

We have lots of amazing places to eat in Barry, but here’s a few of our favourites. If you’ve got more to add let us know on social media, we love to see everyone’s reviews.

BAY 5 Bay 5 is back open after a refurbishment at their restaurant on Barry Island! We love their takeaway pancakes and hot chocolate after a long walk, it’s the perfect way to spend a sunny morning by the sea.

PALETTA PIZZERIA Nothing is better than a pizza and an aperol spritz on a chilly winter evening!

There’s always a warm welcome at Paletta and we love ordering a take away too.

Where to Eat this Winter

JAMES SOMMERIN Also newly opened at the Goodsheds site is The Shed by James Sommerin. We loved our visit here, the food was delicious and it felt like a real treat. They have just released their Christmas Day boxes which are available to order now.

WHITMORE AND JACKSON For breakfast in Barry, we love visiting Whitmore and Jackson. There’s something about their buttery toast that keeps us coming back and on a sunny day it’s nice to sit outside and watch the world go by.

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THE LITTLE OLIVE On the corner of Broad Street is an Italian gem, The Little Olive. They have a huge range of delicious Italian food including pizza, pasta and mains which are available for delivery too!

FINNEGANS FISH BAR For those evenings when only fish and chips will do, Finnegans have opened a new Fish Bar on Barry Island. Crispy fish, delicious chips and rotisserie chicken for the whole family to enjoy. The feedback on their new shop has been great!

GOODSHEDS Goodsheds has now opened with lots of choices to eat for lunch and dinner! Our favourite is the chicken and chips from Tukka Tuk washed down with a Barry Island Gin and followed by a Grumpy’s Gelato.

Where to Eat this Winter

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HANG FIRE IS A MUST VISIT I F YO U L I V E I N BA R RY. T H E I R SOUTHERN STYLE BBQ FOOD

VEMANS JUNK FOOD (THE BOROUGH) The Borough on Barry High Street now have a vegan burger menu! We popped down to try the new Veman’s Junk Food and it was delicious. We both had a bacon cheeseburger with mac and cheese and fries to share, the fries were a huge portion for just £2.60. Definitely one to visit!

I S F U L L O F F L AVO U R A N D F U L L O F S O U L . I T ’ S P E R F EC T F O R G E T T I N G T H E FA M I LY TO G E T H E R A N D G E T T I N G YO U R H A N D S D I RT Y T U C K I N G I N TO S T I C K Y WINGS AND RIBS.

HANG FIRE Hang Fire is a MUST visit if you live in Barry. Their Southern Style BBQ food is full of flavour and full of soul. It’s perfect for getting the family together and getting your hands dirty tucking into sticky wings and ribs. Their cookbook is a great gift idea this Christmas and you can catch them on ‘Sam and Shauna's Big Cookout’ on BBC iPlayer!

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BASHED BURGERS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A THRIVING LOCKDOWN BUSINESS IS BASHED. BASED IN BARRY, THE NEW BURGER COMPANY WAS CREATED BY EMMA AND MARCUS WITH THE HELP OF THEIR TWO CHILDREN.

When Marcus was 19 in LA he had his first experience of the famous In-N-Out Burger.

Coming home he realised there was nothing like it back in the UK, so he practised for 10 years to create the perfect recipe. He tested them on his kids and family (aren’t they lucky!) but never thought it would turn into a business.

During lockdown he was asked to cater for a friend’s birthday and cooked delicious burgers, fries and dips. The response, he says, was insane! Since then, they have created their famous burgers every week.

The first week they served 5 families and now every weekend their collection slots are fully booked.

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Bashed Burgers

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BA S H E D H A S C O N T I N U E D TO G R OW A N D T H E C O U P L E A R E N OW I N T H E P R O C E S S O F R E N OVAT I N G A U N I T AT T H E PA L M E R S TO N WO R K S H O P S . T H E Y ’ R E B OT H R E A L LY E XC I T E D TO G E T O U T O F T H E FA M I LY K I TC H E N .

Their first taste of an outdoor event was at Academy and they had queues for 4 hours with amazing feedback from their customers.

It was just the reassurance they needed and they have since served their burgers at Depot in Cardiff with a great response.

Bashed has continued to grow and the couple are now in the process of renovating a unit at the Palmerston Workshops. They’re both really excited to get out of the family kitchen and have the potential to cater for more people and include a whole new

menu featuring pancakes, waffles and milkshakes. In the future they would love to open somewhere that customers can come in to sit down, so watch this space!

In the meantime their brand new burger, the buttermilk crispy fried cauliflower burger is already popular with their customers.

They use a local company for their vegetables and everything apart from the bun is homemade including their famous secret Bashed sauce. The sauce is really special and they’ve been making it for years, eventually they would love to bottle the sauces to sell.

The business has been advertised through Instagram but it has grown completely from word of mouth. They really have made the best out of a bad situation and hope to bring more people to another part of Barry.

Finally, did you know the name comes from the final bashing at the end and while it’s cooking? We can’t wait to eat our next Bashed burger!

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CRAFT REPUBLIC IT’S A CHALLENGING TIME TO BE IN OUR

INDUSTRY BUT THE SUPPORT WE’VE HAD FROM OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

WORDS BY CLAIRE AND TIM

As such a new business, we continue to feel very humbled by the lovely messages and feedback we receive. We never get tired of hearing that, for our local audience, they’re coming to us to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, cancelled graduations and date nights. We’ve even had our first proposal.

As well as sharing these celebrations, our bar has become a place to escape to. Somewhere to hide from the ‘real world’ and enjoy a book, or play a board game or built into dog walking plans. Being a safe and welcoming place that our community comes to has always been something we aspired to.

Craft Republic

Knowing that we get to help people celebrate large and small life moments, especially during these strange and difficult times, makes us incredibly happy. As local residents and Real Living Wage employers, community focus has always been at the heart of Craft Republic. We know that our customers share our values and want not only great quality, but to know they’re supporting producers who are passionate about their craft and their surroundings.

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O U R BA R I S S O M E W H E R E TO H I D E F R O M T H E ‘ R E A L WO R L D ’ A N D E N J OY A B O O K , O R P L AY A B OA R D G A M E O R B U I LT I N TO D O G WA L K I N G P L A N S .

This is one of the reasons we go to great lengths to source and stock products from producers that share our values. Our Lemony Lemonade has been a huge hit with customers of all ages – not only does it taste delicious but it uses organic lemons and Fairtrade organic cane sugar so that the farmers get a fair deal for their crop.

Our Flawsome! fruit juices are produced in Wales using imperfect fruit that would have gone to landfill. We’ve chosen our white rum and vodka based on their exceptional quality, and also because they donate a percentage of their profits to turtle conservation and dog welfare causes respectively. Our wines come from independent vineyards and our range of mixers come from Llanllyr water

- an independent Welsh business working towards becoming the world’s first carbon neutral water company.

Whatever challenges this crazy world throws at us next, and however we need to adapt, we’re not willing to compromise on our values. As we move towards the festive season we hope we’ll help people – both those who visit us and those we buy from create happy memories.

For our part, we’ll continue working hard to make sure our drinks not only taste great, but give a little back. Hopefully you’ll join us soon to raise a glass to our community because we think it’s definitely something worth celebrating. Cheers!

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30 DAYS OF SHOPPING LOCALLY 1

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Be a tourist in your own town

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8 Buy your fruit, meat or store cupboard essentials locally

Share a picture of a business and don’t forget to tag them!

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17 Arrange a dinner for you and a friend

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Mention oth in your ow news

Buy a Christmas decoration from a small maker

Buy a greetings card from them

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Buy your Chr Year’s Eve

Recommend them on local Facebook groups

27 Comment on a social media post

Go for a lo get a ho

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Leave the

Ask them how they’re doing, Christmas can be hard for everyone

Treat yourself to local breakfast

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Buy a take coffee and you

Like and share a post on social media

Ask for local recommendations rather than going straight to Amazon

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Save their Instagram a to the

30 Days of Shopping Locally

W E 'V E C OM E UP WI TH 30 WAY S TO HEL P Y OU SU P P ORT L O CA L B US IN E SSES I N BAR R Y THI S CHRI ST MAS!

4 Tell a friend about a local business they would like

eaway tea or d don’t forget ur cup

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Buy a few small stocking fillers

10 Buy a gift card to use next year

em a review

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Sign up to their newsletters, read them and reply

15 Send a Christmas card to your favourite business

ong walk and ot chocolate

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Buy one big present from a local business

20 Take them a treat to keep them going when it’s busy!

her businesses wn posts and sletters

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ristmas or New outfit locally

r products on and come back em later

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Add your favourite product to your Christmas list

25 Tell a business what you love about their products

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Visit a charity shop and support them

30 Visit your High Street on Small Business Saturday (5th Dec)

Make a New Year's resolution to shop local!

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THE CHANGING FACE OF FASHION HERE AT THE BOX EDIT BOUTIQUE WE ARE ONLY TOO AWARE OF THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY. BUT, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR

SHOPPING HABITS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CONTRIBUTE

POSITIVELY TO THE IMPACT OF FASHION ON THE ENVIRONMENT? HERE’S A FEW SUGGESTIONS FROM US!

WORDS BY ASHLEY & HELEN

SUPPORT INDEPENDENTS Our Independent Edit aims to support labels based in the UK, showcasing high quality items which are ethically made from spare bedrooms and studios across Britain. This slow fashion process means there is as little waste as possible. Our Edit allows us to buy in small quantities and rerun popular lines quickly.

We strive to source independent labels which are of exceptional quality and not widely available, so you can add statement pieces to your wardrobe that you will wear year after year.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? If you don’t have the funds to purchase from independent labels, think about sharing or commenting on their social media accounts. Behind the screen is a real person who it means the world to!

Box Edit Boutique

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OUR INDEPENDENT EDIT AIMS TO S U P P O RT L A B E L S BA S E D I N T H E U K , S H OWC A S I N G H I G H Q UA L I T Y I T E M S W H I C H A R E E T H I C A L LY M A D E F R O M S PA R E BEDROOMS AND STUDIOS AC R O S S B R I TA I N .

R E D U C I N G FA S T FA S H I O N Q U O TA

WHAT WE DO: Every item in store is handpicked to reflect our core values. We spend considerable time curating a range of clothing that you’ll wear year on year to help us reduce our fast fashion quota. A selection of our garments are constructed using a range of sustainable fabrics including cotton accredited by the Better Cotton Initiative & recycled textiles. It’s this simple – garments which use better fabrics last longer and that’s good for all of us.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Buy better quality ‘wardrobe staples’. Take denim for example, a considered purchase and one to invest in,

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denim produced using better credited cotton will not only feel more luxurious and last longer but is far more sustainable too.

C O N S I D E R E D PA C KA G I N G WHAT WE DO: We value every purchase you make, and we want you to know it.

Each purchase is hand wrapped in acid free tissue and placed in a fully recyclable rope handle bag. All of our labels, hangtags and packaging are fully recyclable.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Next time you shop, think about taking a tote bag with you!

B U Y I N G V I N TA G E / S E C O N D H A N D Elevating your wardrobe with a vintage one off is always a winner. We love nothing more than pairing our fire running denim and jackets with vintage blouses.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? How many times have you had clothes envy for your friend’s most recent buy? Consider a clothes swap and get the best of both worlds!

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ANNIE & LOLO

HOW TO GET COSY THIS SEASON WO R D S BY A N N I E & LO I S

AUT U MN IS AL L A BO U T GE TTING R EADY TO CO SY IN FO R T H E W IN T E R !

Dig out your winter clothes and introduce them to your summer ones, shut out the dark nights earlier in the evening and make the most of staying and ‘cwtching’ in!

Annie & Lolo

Here's our guide to get you autumn ready!

CANDLES Smells evoke so many emotions and memories. We LOVE our Thornbush Hill candles and the scents we have chosen for you. Along with our signature Eucalyptus and Peppermint, our seasonal scents have just arrived too.

Don't be fooled that the descriptions sound ‘Christmassy’.....if smells were a season these would be right now!

CUSHIONS Don't just make a sofa more comfortable they make a sofa more inviting! We have a gorgeous collection of cushions made by us to compliment any sofa and they’re perfect for cwtching in with!

BOOKS Not just for summer holidays! Lose yourself or find yourself with our new collection from ‘The School of Life’ whose ethos is to help you understand yourself better, so you can make optimally reliable decisions, find calm and resilience.

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W E LOV E O U R T H O R N B U S H HILL CANDLES AND THE S C E N T S W E H AV E C H O S E N F O R YO U. A LO N G W I T H O U R S I G N AT U R E E U C A LY P T U S A N D P E P P E R M I N T, O U R S E A S O N A L S C E N T S H AV E J U S T A R R I V E D TO O.

For more perfect accompaniments for the season see our website or visit us at our new home at Goodsheds.

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THE NATURAL PET PANTRY F IL L E D WI T H T R EATS, TOYS AN D RAW FO O D, BAR RY HI GH ST R E E T ' S N E W P E T SHO P I S A HEAVEN FO R D O GS A N D CATS A N D H AS A HUG E VARI E T Y.

The Natural Pet Pantry

If you follow us on social media you’ll know that Bernie often comes with us when we’re exploring around Barry! You might also have spotted that we’ve had another new addition, Tilly who is also a rescue Chocolate Labrador and a little bit older (although we could never reveal a lady’s age!)

Feeding them with the best natural treats has been important so we were so happy when The Natural Pet Pantry opened on Barry High Street.

We love getting their natural treat boxes for the gang and we’ve recently bought Tilly a Ruff and Tumble drying coat which is perfect for rainy days in Barry.

I WA N T E D TO S H A R E M Y K N OW L E D G E A N D H E L P OT H E R S H AV E M O R E T I M E W I T H F U R A D D I T I O N S BY H E L P I N G T H E M P R O M OT E T H E H E A LT H A N D WELLBEING OF THEIR PETS T H R O U G H A N AT U R A L D I E T A N D SUPPLEMENTS AND KEEP THE C O S T O F V E T S B I L L S D OW N .

We’ve had lots of great advice from the owner Caroline, so we asked her about what made her open up The Natural Pet Pantry.

‘My love and passion for animals has always been a huge part of me but my journey of how I got here was all down to our beloved golden retriever Joey. We lost him 2 years ago from cancer. Upon diagnosis I began to research what was the best diet to feed him with hope of remission.

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During my research I discovered that there were different elements that could have led to his unfortunate prognosis. Obviously, food played a huge part and I quickly realised what was going into the processed foods could have been the leading factor of the cause.

Before the first kibble was manufactured in 1957 dog’s average lifespan was 17 years old, now the average today is 11 years old, we lost Joey at 11 years old.

Today I do everything naturally, from a raw diet to natural worming, and flea treatments.

I’ve almost completed a diploma in canine health and nutrition and by opening this shop I wanted to share my knowledge and help others have more time with fur additions by helping them promote the health and wellbeing of their pets through a natural diet and supplements and keep the cost of vets bills down.’

FIND THE NATURAL PET PANTRY AT 98 HIGH STREET.

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OF ALL THE PLACES WE COULD GET STUCK IN LOCAL LOCKDOWN, WE’RE LUCKY TO BE HERE IN THE VALE! WE’RE SURROUNDED BY BEACHES, COUNTRYSIDE AND PLENTY OF LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SUPPLY EVERYTHING WE NEED.

Earlier this month we decided to swap Spain for St. Donats, passports for coastal paths and a holiday for Hide, a glamping site just 20 minutes down the road in Tresilian Wood.

We might not have been able to travel far but we can still take a break in the local area and explore everything that the Vale has to offer.

Here’s a few places we visited.

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O N S U N DAY M O R N I N G W E PAC K E D U P A N D D R OV E TO O G M O R E F O R B R E A K FA S T AT C O B B L E S K I TC H E N . LU C K I LY I T ' S C L A S S E D A S T H E VA L E S O W E C O U L D T RY O U T T H E I R FA M O U S B R E A K FA S T S ( I F IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR JOE WICKS IT’S GOOD ENOUGH F O R U S !)

STAY HIDE Luckily our accommodation wasn’t cancelled as we were still staying in the Vale of Glamorgan. We managed to get a booking at Hide at St. Donats and we were upgraded to the Walden Lodge, it was beautiful. It’s based at Tresilian Woods and it's surrounded by forest so you feel like you could be anywhere! We loved the log fire and waking up in the morning to see the wildlife out of the window. There are lots of lovely touches throughout such as their own make of coffee and Paula the owner was so helpful with her recommendations for places to eat and a walk for us to enjoy.

VALE COASTAL PATH It was VERY wet when we stayed, but that didn’t stop us getting out and about. We explored part of the Vale Coastal Path and finally made it to Nash Point Lighthouse which was the perfect place to stop and eat our shortbread from Forage. We’d love to go back and take the dogs and explore more of the Vale’s walks. We have plenty of local walks nearby and if you’re interested in finding out more you can find them all on the Visit the Vale website.

EAT HARE AND HOUNDS Once we’d dried off and warmed up it was time to head out for dinner. We followed the recommendation on the Hide website and booked a table at the cosy Hare and Hounds pub in Aberthin. The restaurant uses the very best local produce from the Vale of Glamorgan and the food was delicious. The roaring fire in the corner almost made you forget about the weather outside! The menu was lots of tasting plates but they were all a really great size. We shared them between us and got the best of both worlds with this menu. If you’re looking for a cosy winter pub, book a table here for Christmas.

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COBBLES

FORAGE One of the places that has been on our list for awhile is Forage in Cowbridge. We popped in for breakfast and ended up taking home a few treats for our walk later that day including sausage rolls and millionaire shortbread. It’s such a beautiful location surrounded by fields and perfect for picking up some Christmas presents. They work with lots of local producers who have a variety of products including fresh food, drinks, cheese and oils. We picked up a couple of bits to put away for Christmas but we’ll definitely be heading back there to stock up again in November!

On Sunday morning we packed up and drove over to Ogmore for breakfast at Cobbles Kitchen. Luckily Cobbles is classed as the Vale so we could try out their famous breakfasts (if it’s good enough for Joe Wicks it’s good enough for us!) It was the perfect end to a weekend exploring the Vale and seeing what we have right here on our doorstep. The breakfast was great and the venue is stunning. We’d love to go back and have a table in a different part so we can explore it all!

VALE PICK YOUR OWN A few weekends ago we booked a space at Vale Pick Your Own which has newly opened this year. It was brilliantly organised with plenty of precautions and we’d never seen so many pumpkins in one place. There’s all shapes, sizes and colours and you can

Beyond Barry

K E Y W E C O U L D N ’ T R O U N D U P O U R FAVO U R I T E P L AC E S I N

WE COULDN’T ROUND UP OUR FAVOURITE PLACES IN THE VALE T H E VA L E W I T H O U T I N C LU D I N G T H E N E W AW E S O M E WA L E S WITHOUT INCLUDING THE NEW AWESOME WALES SHOP IN S H O P I N C OW B R I D G E . N E W LY O P E N E D T H E Y N OW H AV E T WO COWBRIDGE. NEWLY OPENED THEY NOW HAVE TWO FLOORS F LO O R S O F Z E R O WA S T E G O O D N E S S I N C LU D I N G A V I N TAG E OF ZERO WASTE GOODNESS INCLUDING A VINTAGE CLOTHING C LOT H I N G R A N G E W I T H J E S S F R O M BA R RY A N D LOT S O F RANGE AND LOTS OF AMAZING PLASTIC FREE GIFTS. AMAZING PLASTIC FREE GIFTS.

explore the field looking for the perfect one before popping them in your wheelbarrow to take home. We ended up with a few different varieties and had so much fun finding them.

It’s great for children too and although they are closed now for this year we’ve heard they have already started planning 2021!

AWESOME WALES We couldn’t round up our favourite places in the Vale without including the new Awesome Wales shop in Cowbridge. Newly opened they now have two floors of zero waste goodness including a vintage clothing range with @JessRoseVintage and lots of amazing plastic free gifts. If you're heading over to Cowbridge High Street make sure you pop in and see them.

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Beyond Barry

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Sophie Potter

W O R D S B Y S O P H I E P OT T E R

WITH SO MANY PEOPLE NOW WORKING FROM HOME IN

THE UK, WE THOUGHT WE’D TAKE A PEEK INTO ONE OF THE SPACES OF A LOCAL BUSINESS IN BARRY! HERE’S SOPHIE T E L L I N G U S M O R E A B O U T H E R ‘' W F H ' S P A C E .

Sophie Potter

I ' M S O P H I E P O T T E R , A N I L L U S T R AT O R A N D PA I N T E R W H O ' S B E E N W O R K I N G F R E E L A N C E FOR JUST OVER 2 YEARS. I DESIGN WORK F O R A R A N G E O F C L I E N T S - F R O M C H O C O L AT E PA C K A G I N G , I L L U S T R AT I N G A R T I C L E S , T O WORKING WITH BRANDS FOR WEBSITE I L L U S T R AT I O N S .

P H OTO S B Y A L E X S E D G M O N D

I'm Sophie Potter, an illustrator and painter who's been working freelance for just over 2 years. I design work for a range of clients, from chocolate packaging, illustrating articles, to working with brands for website illustrations.

I also create work for my own range of prints and cards (sneaky plug, my print shop reopens Saturday 7th November at 6pm).

I've been working from home since I started working freelance, and all in all it has been pretty dreamy for me. In the past I've found office environments super distracting so working from the comfort of my own home has been sweet.

This year I've started to get a little bit stir crazy, so I now also have a tiny studio space at Meanwhile House in Cardiff to break up the working week.

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M O S T I M P O R TA N T LY, M A K E I T S O M E W H E R E YO U E N J OY B E I N G ! I N V E S T I N S O M E N I C E P R I N T S , A FA N C Y P E N , A C U T E P L A N T P O T. W H AT E V E R M A K E S YO U F E E L J OY W H I L E W O R K I N G .

My home working space is a big airy and bright room at the front of the house. I have two desks (one for computer work and writing, one for messy activities like painting), a beautiful but uncomfortable sofa, and loads of shelf space for prints, cards, packaging materials, and inspirational art books.

I COULDN'T WORK WITHOUT A plug in heater (it's freezing in winter!), noise cancelling headphones (if I can hear my partner or cat I'm instantly distracted and want to hang out with them), and loads and loads of plants.

I'm a very visual person and botanical themes feature heavily in my work so it's nice to be surrounded by plant pals!

TIPS FOR MAKING A GOOD W O R K I N G S PA C E Have a dedicated working space where that's all you do (if possible), even if it's a tiny little desk in a corner. If you're trying to set a new habit, like concentrating more while working from home, it helps to link your new habit to a particular space (very good advice from James Clear, who wrote Atomic Habits). I think environmental design really affects productivity so I recommend having everything you need to hand in that one area, make it really easily accessible.

And most importantly, make it somewhere you enjoy being! Invest in some nice prints, a fancy pen, a cute plant pot. Whatever makes you feel joy while working.

Sophie Potter

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PROS OF WORKING FROM HOME:

2.

Distractions - the cat.

1.

If you're introverted it's the dream, nothing like your own company!

3.

2.

I get to hang out with the cat more.

3.

No commute!

4.

At quiet work times you can make

Sometimes you end up painting bathrooms instead of doing something more productive with your time.

I've worked really hard and spent heaps of time on my workspace, so it's already pretty dreamy! If it was completely soundproofed and I could frame lots more artwork to hang, and add a few more plants I think it would be perfect!

the most of housework (I thoroughly enjoyed repainting our bathroom on a whim last week!).

CONS OF WORKING FROM HOME: 1.

The house can start to feel like the inside of your brain (lockdown hasn't helped with this!).

4.

A huge shout out to Alex Sedgmond for all the glorious photos of my studio.

He's the best.

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THE BIG BAD VEGAN

VEGAN CORNED BEEF PIE FO R TH E PE R F E C T W I N T E R W AR M E R THI S SE A SO N, SCO TT HA S SE NT

U S A D E L IC IO U S R E C I P E F OR VEG AN ‘ C O R NE D BE E F P I E ’ A ND W E CA N C O N FIRM, I T ’ S R EAL L Y T AS T Y . I T U S ES LO TS O F I NGR E D I E NTS Y O U

H O PE FU L L Y HAVE AT HOM E I N YOU R CU P BO A R D , Y O U CA N F I ND I N Y O UR L OC AL AL D I OR AW ES OM E W A LE S O N HO LTO N R O A D .

The recipe produces a large batch of Vegan ‘corned beef’ hash which you can fry in small batches and eat on its own, use a pie dish for one monster ‘corned beef’ pie, or use a muffin tin to create a couple of tiny ‘corned beef’ pies.

My favourite way to serve this ‘corned beef’ pie is with mashed potatoes, peas, and a big jug of my favourite gravy! Let me know how you serve and enjoy this perfect-for-autumn vegan ‘corned beef’ pie via @thebigbadvegan on socials!

Vegan Corned Beef Pie

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp onion granules 1 tbsp garlic granules 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp black pepper Salt to taste 1 tbsp smoked paprika 1/2 tbsp celery salt 2 tbsp mixed herbs 2 oxo cubes 2 tbsp miso or ‘beef’ gravy granules mixed

1 Start by peeling and chopping the potato and carrots into small cube sized chunks.

Boil until tender with a little firmness to them and drain the boiling water. Pop these back in the pot you boiled them in for later.

2 Dice the large onion and add it to a hot nonstick pan with a little bit of water, allow the water to steam and soften the onion (use a lid if you can!) - you may need to add a little water bit by bit to ensure it doesn’t burn. Once the onions are slightly caramelised and transparent add the potato/carrot mixture along with a glug of oil and a sprinkle of salt. Allow them to fry up together and slightly crisp the potato and carrot. Add in onion powder, garlic powder, mixed herbs, pepper and soy sauce.

Remove from heat and decant into a bowl.

with 2 tbsp boiling water 1 large potato A small bowl of alternative milk 1 large onion 3 carrots 2 cans jackfruit, drained 2 boxes room temperature Aldi Plant Menu No Beef Burgers 2 rolls room temperature shortcrust or puff pastry

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3 Drain the jackfruit from its water and add it to the same hot pan you previously used for the onion. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the jackfruit in the pan until it starts to look shredded - there should be no large pieces left. Turn up the heat and add a glug of oil to fry the jackfruit until caramelised - you may need to add a little water bit by bit to ensure it doesn’t burn.

4 Crumble the defrosted burgers into small chunks and add to the pan with the jackfruit.

Add in the smoked paprika, celery salt, crumbled oxo cubes, and miso (or gravy granules). Fry, adding oil if necessary, until both the burgers and jackfruit are browned and caramelised. Add the potato/carrot/ onion mixture to the pan and mix. Continue frying until the mixture becomes less wet and everything has a good caramelisation to it, adding oil where necessary. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

5 Meanwhile grease a pie dish with some vegan butter, lay the shortcrust pastry sheet over the pie dish and trim the edges with a knife to fit the dish. Pierce the bottom and sides with a fork and cook for 10-12 minutes allowing it to firm up slightly but not go too brown.

Remove from the oven and add in the “corned beef” hash mix. Cover the top with more pastry, crimp the edges together, make some small air holes and brush with a little alternative milk. Cook the pie in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes until the top turns a light brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool. If the bottom or sides are slightly under cooked remove from the pie dish or muffin tins and place directly onto and oven shelf for a further 4-5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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BARRY ISLAND COFFEE FROM CRANE SUPERVISOR TO COFFEE MAKER, GARETH,

THE CREATOR OF THE BARRY ISLAND COFFEE COMPANY HAS TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY LOCKDOWN HAS GIVEN HIM TO BUILD A NEW BUSINESS.

When lockdown hit Gareth realised he wanted to spend more time with his family, change his lifestyle and become his own boss. Within 3 weeks of having the idea for the Barry Island Coffee Company it was set up and done, he couldn’t believe that no one had done it before.

After being a lifeguard for 7 years and growing up in Barry Gareth knows the Island well and wanted to create something unique for the town to enjoy.

As a lover of coffee himself, he only wanted to make something he would choose to drink and local businesses would want to stock.

He’s currently working with a roaster who’s teaching him how to roast and get the flavours right. There’s a real art to roasting and he wants the flavour to be great for the brand.

Barry Island Coffee

A S A LOV E R O F C O F F E E H I M S E L F, H E O N LY WA N T E D TO M A K E S O M E T H I N G H E WO U L D C H O O S E TO D R I N K A N D LO C A L B U S I N E S S E S WO U L D WA N T TO S TO C K .

T H E R E ’ S A R E A L A RT TO R OA S T I N G A N D H E WA N T S T H E F L AVO U R TO B E G R E AT F O R T H E B R A N D.

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It’s taken a long time to find the perfect coffee, but after trying over 40 flavours he’s now settled on 7 flavours for the 7 bays on Whitmore Bay. When you think of Barry you often think of the beach huts which is why they are such a big feature on the logo and packaging.

We bought our own pack and it's great to support an independent business. It can be purchased on the website or at various shops on Barry Island including Coffee Cove and Barrybados.

So far the coffee has been really popular as Gareth says his customers are keen to buy local and buy Welsh. We think these are going to make great Christmas presents, Tom is already a fan!

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O H D DOOGGGGOO OH

WINTER, WALKING, WINTER, WELLBEING IITT’ 'SS BBEEGGI N I NNNI NI NGGT TOOL LOOOOKKAAL LOOTTL LI KI KE …E .. . .

NLALLYLY TTHHEE EENNDD OOFF 22002 2 00 , ,F IFNI A ! !

This year has been a challenge for everyone.

While the collective struggle has meant that we know we aren’t alone in finding things difficult, I have probably felt the most alone with my thoughts and feelings this year.

In the spring and summer when everything was beginning to unravel, I committed myself to getting outside every day, and it was easy!

The days were longer, the weather was lovely and taking a walk outside was a pleasure.

The lack of human contact has really taken its toll at times, and I have come to realise how much I value those little throw away chats you have day to day. They lift your mood, give you new perspective, and allow you to off load niggles or worries.

But I, Emma Rees, lover of blankets, tea, naps and Netflix, am here to tell you why it’s really important now more than ever, to put down the remote, grab the dog lead and get out for a nice long, wet, muddy, walk with the dog.

Oh Doggo

I hate the rain. Yes, I know, I’m a Dog Sitter whose job requires a lot of outdoor work and I HATE the rain. The thought of getting wet and cold makes me want to hide under the duvet, but like a lot of stuff in life, a day out in the rain walking dogs always does me and my mind the world of good.

Going out on a dog walk at anytime of the year has a whole range of benefits (proven by science and EVERYTHING!) that include:

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B UT I, EMMA REES, LOVER OF BLANKETS, TEA, NAPS AND NETFLIX, AM HERE TO TELL YOU WHY IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT NOW MORE THAN EVER, TO PUT DOWN THE REMOTE, GRAB THE DOG LEAD AND GET OUT FOR A NICE LONG, WET, MUDDY, WALK WITH THE DOG.

1. BEING MORE ACTIVE Research has indicated that people who walk their dogs are likely to walk half an hour more than people who don’t have dogs. If you’re a dog walker, research suggests that you’re more likely to be physically active in general than those who don’t own dogs.

Some evidence has suggested that being around a dog may lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Walking is also known to be a therapeutic form of exercise, so it makes sense that having a dog by your side makes you feel more positive and relaxed.

2. RELAX AND DE STRESS Talk to any dog lover and I promise you’ll hear them talk about dog walking relieving stress and having a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing. They aren’t wrong!

3. MUTUAL MOTIVATION I’m a very lazy person and if it’s cold and dark outside I won’t be going out without a good reason. Knowing that a pupper needs me to get out and go for walkies is the best motivation when it’s hailing outside.

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Think of it a bit like going for a run or booking an exercise class with your friends. You’re far more likely to get out if you know someone’s depending on you to be there!

4. SHARED HAPPINESS Have you ever watched the sheer joy in your dog’s eyes while they do zoomies up and down a field/beach/park and felt all warm and happy inside? That’s because when your dog has fun, you do too. It makes you feel good, whatever the weather.

5. SOCIAL CONNECTION Being sociable is good for your wellbeing.

Being out and about with dogs you tend to naturally strike up conversations with other dog walkers about the best places to let the furries roam free, or a shared love of breeds.

It allows you in these difficult times to have some kind of human connection again, which can make you feel less isolated and lift your mood.

6. MINDFULNESS Walking, especially in nature, gives you a chance to be in the present and notice the scenery and wildlife around you, it’s the perfect antidote to endless news stories and social media that has consumed this year.

Need I say more?! Dog walking is amazing and to cure the pandemic autumn/winter blues it’s so important to do your best to get outside, whatever the weather.

I promise, the cuppa after a big wet, muddy walk makes everything worthwhile.

If you don’t have a dog, getting out and about is still a really beneficial thing for your mental health. If you find it hard to peel yourself off your sofa, why not plan a time to go for a walk with the people in your household? You might even see some puppers doing zoomies along the way. Walking is an amazing medicine.

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BARRY ON THE GRAM HERE ARE A FEW OF THE PICTURES WE

LOVED THIS MONTH. DON'T FORGET TO TAG US @BARRYMAGAZINE IN A POST!

@robert.gold

@walk4lifegonordic

@chesterkingcharles

@mikejbills_photographer

Barry on the Gram

@n_anitaphotography n_anitaphotography

@husky_mum_and_daenerys

@psychicmaiden.travels

@mickellecourtney

@aunty_caca

@mochynddu

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Photography: Scott Jones PHOTO BY SCOTT JONES | @SJUK

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GETTING YOUR BUSINESS READY FOR CHRISTMAS This year we all want to shop local and support our high streets. But if you’re a small business owner you might be feeling overwhelmed with all the news, advice and guidance on how to run your shop this winter.

There are plenty of ways to get prepared for Christmas and help make sure that your customers can buy your amazing products and support you at the most wonderful time of the year!

Tell your customers what you have for sale and who it would be perfect for As much as we love it, Christmas shopping can be stressful and time consuming, trying to think of the perfect gift. There are always those awkward presents to buy like stocking fillers, secret Santa or gifts for your boss, so if you have great products in your shop that will help make shopping easier, tell us! Take a picture and put it up on your social media pages with details of how we can buy it.

HI Communications

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Don’t make life harder for yourself Christmas is a busy time of year so the last thing you need is to make marketing harder for yourself. Many people assume that when you post on social media, everyone who is following your page will see it, but unfortunately that isn’t true.

The good news is that you can repurpose your content to make things easier throughout the festive season. A Facebook post becomes a newsletter, a newsletter is then a blog, a blog is an article for a magazine, an article is a post on Instagram, a post on instagram gets a good reaction and becomes a youtube video. The list goes on!

“

...YOU CAN REPURPOSE YOUR CONTENT TO MAKE THINGS EASIER THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVE SEASON. A FACEBOOK POST BECOMES A NEWSLETTER, A NEWSLETTER IS THEN A BLOG, A BLOG IS AN ARTICLE FOR A MAGAZINE, AN ARTICLE IS A POST ON INSTAGRAM.

Prepare for questions Do you get asked the same questions from your customers? Get ready this year and free up the time you spend answering them by making sure everything on your website is updated. You could even add FAQs and pin them to the top of your social media.

People will want to know...

How to order Your opening times Contact details Delivery options What products you have Where you are!

If you’d like more marketing tips for small businesses, sign up to my weekly newsletter here!

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AROUND THE WORLD CARDIFF & VALE WELL-BEING

IN 10 WELLBEING TIPS WELLBEING TIPS FROM

AROUND THE WORLD

WORDS BY CARDIFF & VALE WELL-BEING

The global pandemic has changed the way WORDS BY CARDIFF & VALE WELL-BEING we look at self-care. With local and national lockdowns, we have explored (virtually for The global pandemic has changed the way now) how other parts of the world view and we look at self-care. With local and national improve well-being! lockdowns, we have explored (virtually for now) how other parts of the world view and In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil, improve well-being!

‘Mate’ {MAH-tay] is a herbal tea made from the leaves of the yerba mate plant and is In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil, shared amongst friends. Yerba tea has many ‘Mate’ {MAH-tay] is a herbal tea made from benefits and is said to also soothe the soul – the leaves of the yerba mate plant and is but the best part is being with friends. shared amongst friends. Yerba tea has many benefits and is said to also soothe the soul – Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for but the best part is being with friends. a mood of cosiness with feelings of wellness

and contentment. Recreate it at home with Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian wordwinter for simple dishes, hot mugs of tea and cosy aclothes. mood of cosiness with feelings of wellness and contentment. Recreate it at home with simple dishes, hot mugs of andother cosy ‘Ubuntu’ {oo-BUNN-too} liketea many winter clothes. is about togetherness and folk philosophies showing humanity towards others by putting ‘Ubuntu’ {oo-BUNN-too} many the community first. Therelike have beenother a lot of folk philosophies is about togetherness examples of this during this global pandemic and showing towards others byafter where groupshumanity have come together to look putting the community first. There have our community. been a lot of examples of this during this global pandemic where groupsmeans have come In Greece the word “Mesimeri” midday together to look after community. and describes the timeour between 2 -5 pm.

It also has another meaning: quiet time.

Cardiff & Vale Wellbeing

Mesimeri it’s time to be quiet In Greece basically the wordmeans “Mesimeri” means and takeand a nap. midday describes the time between 2 -5 pm. It also has another meaning: quiet Ho’oponopono is about offering reconciliation time.

Mesimeri basically means it’s time to andquiet forgiveness be and taketoafind nap.a balanced harmony and make things right for yourself. It is about making changesinon the inside and offering reflecting Ho’oponopono Hawaii is about them in your interactions with others. reconciliation and forgiveness to find They a believe that harbouring balanced harmony and resentment make thingstoward right others mostly ourselves. for yourself.

It harms is about making changes on the inside and reflecting them in your Meditation and yoga are They greatbelieve for spiritual interactions with others. that and stress-reducing benefits.

But they’re also harbouring resentment toward others known harms to be equally effective on a cellular mostly ourselves. level in your body. Practising yoga and meditation and helpsyoga withare attention, memory and Meditation great for spiritual creativity and even shows a slowing of ageand stress-reducing benefits.

But they’re related shrinkage of to thebebrain. also known in India equally effective on a cellular level in your body. Practising Ikigai and is a Japanese concept that attention, means 'a yoga meditation helps with reason for being'.

The word refersshows to having memory and creativity and even directionof orage-related purpose in life, that makes a slowing shrinkage of your the brain.

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YO U C A N F I N D A P I EC E

MEDITATION AND YOGA ARE GREAT O F ‘ F R I LU F T S L I V ’ H E R E FOR SPIRITUAL AND STRESS-REDUCING

BY F I BUT N D THEY’RE ING AN AREA BENEFITS. ALSO KNOWN BEUEQUALLY O F NTOAT R A L LEFFECTIVE AND AND ONRAEC CELLULAR LEVEL IN O N N EC T I N GYOUR W I BODY. TH PRACTISING YOGA AND MEDITATION T H E E A RT H .

HELPS WITH ATTENTION, MEMORY AND CREATIVITY AND EVEN SHOWS A life worthwhile, so you can take spontaneous SLOWING OF AGE-RELATED SHRINKAGE and willing actions to get satisfaction and a OF THE BRAIN. sense of meaning to life.

Cycling common concept mode ofthat transport in'a Ikigai isisaaJapanese means the Netherlands.

If you combine the physical, reason for being'. The word refers to having mental and or wellbeing of exercise a direction purposebenefits in life, that makes your and physical activity, along with benefits life worthwhile, so you can take the spontaneous of being immersed in green space and and willing actions to get satisfaction and a connecting with thetonatural sense of meaning life. environment - then you have 'green exercise'.

‘Friluftsliv’ [Free-luft-sleev] literally means ‘Friluftsliv’ literally free air life[Free-luft-sleev] in English and refers tomeans spending free air life in English and refers to time outdoors to become one withspending the natural time outdoors withwith the natural world.

Norwaytoisbecome a huge one country a tiny world.

Norway is ano huge country with population, so it’s wonder they likeatotiny population, it’s noYou wonder theya like to of get out andso about. can find piece get out and about.

You can find a piece of ‘friluftsliv’ here by finding an area of natural ‘friluftsliv’ here by finding an area of natural land and reconnecting with the earth. land and reconnecting with the earth.

Cardiff & Vale Well-Being is a non-for-profit Cardiff & Vale Well-Being is a non-for-profit community interest company set up in 2015 community interest company set up in to 2015 to allow people from all backgrounds gain to allow people from all backgrounds to gain access to mental health services in a better, access mental services inpoint a better, quickerto and fairerhealth way at a single of quicker and fairer way at a single point of access. access.

Our new base The Well-Bean Café at Golau Our new is base The Well-Bean at Golau Caredig a project aiming at Café reducing Caredig is a project aiming at reducing social isolation. Contact us at hello@ social isolation. Contact us at hello@ cardiffandvalewellbeing.wales cardiffandvalewellbeing.wales

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Barry Barry Magazine Magazine

BARRY BUSINESS COVID SUPPORT B A RRY TOWN COUNCI L HAS ASSI GNED £ 1 5 0 ,0 0 0 FOR THE COVI D- 19 R ESTORAT I O N FU ND T O SUPPOR T ''BAR R Y MOR E RESI L I ENCE' .

In a meeting of the Full Council held on 29 July 2020, the councillors agreed unanimously to launch the COVID-19 Recovery Grant fund which is aimed at independent traders, local businesses and community groups in Barry.

The Independent Traders Fund will see an increase in the normal Small Business Grant of £3,000 to a new grant allocation of £50,000 which was assigned to help traders across Barry with the additional costs COVID-19 restrictions put on businesses.

Barry Covid Town Support Council Barry Business

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IT WILL HELP SUPPORT

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N E W WAY S O F W O R K I N G AITNWILL D C AHELP N BSUPPORT E U S E DNEW TO WAYS OF WORKING AND CAN I N C R E A S E C O N F I D E N C BE E USED TO INCREASE CONFIDENCE AMONG SHOPPERS AND AMONG SHOPPERS AND ANY A N Y O T H E R I D E A S T H AT OTHER IDEAS THAT TRADERS HAVE TTHAT R A DWILL E R SBOOST H AV ETHE WECONOMY ILL BAND O O THEIR S T T HOWN E E BUSINESS. CONOMY AND THEIR OWN BUSINESS.

It will help support new ways of working and can be used to increase confidence among shoppers and any other ideas that traders have that will boost the economy and their own business. Applications are still welcome of up to £1,500 to cover things like marketing and equipment.

Gemma from Crafted Arts is one of the businesses that has benefitted from the grant.

She COVID recovery recovery grant grant helped helped She says: says: ‘The ‘The COVID our business, Crafted Arts to purchase our business, Crafted Arts to purchase a a silver silver engraving engraving machine. machine. We We make make sterling sterling silver silver jewellery and during the first lockdown we closed because of government guidelines. government guidelines.

When we opened things were very slow for our online business. We saw the COVID recovery grand advertisedon onsocial socialmedia media grant advertised and applied for it. The response from our customers has been amazing and business has really picked up since we have introduced the option to make personalised jewellery and sentimental pieces.'

The fund is also available to help community groups across Barry who have suffered the effects of the pandemic.

The grant can be used to help keep the groups going or restart in a safe environment.

Voluntary organisations and community groups that applied in the past are being encouraged to make another application if they wish to submit their ideas in different ways.

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the grant and the application process, please email info@ barrytowncouncil.gov.uk.

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Barry Magazine

PRINCE RESOURCING

5 TIPS FOR JOB HUNTING WORDS BY HARRY DRISCOLL

W E ’ V E Aall L Lbeen B E E Nthere.

T H E RThe E. TH E We’ve search

for Sa EA R C in H Ftoday’s OR A JO B I N TO D AY ’ S is job working society aOdifficult W R K I N G Sone, O C I Ecompetition T Y I S A D I F Fis I Cfierce U LT and degrees are flying around left, ONE, COMPETITION IS FIERCE AN D Dright E G R Eand E S Acentre.

R E F LY I N G A R O U N D L E F T, R I G H T A N D C E N T R E .

Through a combination of experience and sector knowledge, Prince Resourcing are able to provide a specialist service to recruiters and candidates alike, placing the right people in the right roles, at the right time.

We've recently relocated to the Goodsheds so come and find us if you need any support.

Prince PrinceResourcing Resourcing

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T H E O L D S AY I N G ‘ O N E D O O R C LO S E S A N D A N OT H E R O P E N S ’ P R OV E S I T S WO RT H IN THE HUNT FOR A JOB. YO U N E V E R K N OW W H AT O P P O RT U N I T I E S A R E WA I T I N G A R O U N D T H E CORNER.

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Job vacancies are posted on here every day and LinkedIn even has a function that helps you write that winning CV. 4. MINDSET Perhaps the most important tip of all – be open minded. It’s perfectly normal to feel disheartened after a job rejection, we’ve all been there. The old saying ‘one door closes and another opens’ proves its worth in the hunt for a job. You never know what opportunities are waiting around the corner.

Just keep being persistent, follow up after meeting someone new, and chase up job applications you are waiting to hear from!

5 . C O N TA C T U S

Here's a few helpful tips that could help you get that dream job.

1 . U P D AT E YO U R C V It sounds obvious but making sure your CV is updated and relevant to each job you apply for is essential. Keeping your CV updated is a little bit more effort but trust us, it pays off.

Employers can tell if you are just sending out a general CV. Make sure your CV highlights your skills that are relevant to the job (and company) you are applying to!

2. CONNECTIONS Connections are key. Think about the people you know - friends, family, friend’s families, family’s friends. Let the type of job you are searching for be known and let your family and friends do the talking. Your uncle Bob’s best mate could be director of your dream company and has a vacancy that’s perfect for you!

3. LINKEDIN LinkedIn is the social media platform for business professionals to connect and expand their list of contacts, make sure you’re on LinkedIn and keep your profile up to date.

Don’t forget to remain in contact with the team at Prince Resourcing, our job is to support you and provide you with the opportunities you deserve. Prince Resourcing firmly believes that the right job can change a person’s life, and the right employee or colleague can transform a business.

THE BIG BOCS BWYD A NEW FOOD SHOP IS NOW OPEN FOR PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU CAN ‘PAY AS YOU FEEL’.

As you walk to the site of Ysgol Gwaun y Nant and Oak Field School in Caldy Close, Barry, you’ll see a large blue shipping container.

Inside is a new shop, The Big Bocs Bwyd, which is open to serve the parents of Ysgol Gwaun y Nant, Oak Field School and our local community.

The group have signed up to the FareShare scheme, an organisation which distributes surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, to help address the hunger issue the UK currently has.

Fresh and dry food will be delivered on a weekly basis and the local Morrisons will also be donating quality food to the shop.

The shop runs a ‘pay as you feel’ scheme for the products and all the money collected will go towards paying the weekly cost of the food from FareShare, to purchase more items for the shop and to continue to make improvements to it.

The team are really excited to bring this to the community and look forward to welcoming everyone to The Big Bocs Bwyd!

The shop is open to parents on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 8.309.30am and 2.30-3.30pm.

The shop is also open to the wider community on Thursday mornings between 10am-12pm.

Home Education Barry

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HOME EDUCATION BARRY HOME EDUCATION BARRY (HEB) BEGAN ITS JOURNEY IN JUNE 2017 FOUNDED BY TREASURER DONNA RAPLEY AND RUN BY CHAIR TAMARA JAMES.

They offer help and support to home education families that live in Barry and the surrounding areas. HEB was a finalist for the Bro Radio Community Awards in 2018 and became a registered charity in October 2019.

They were given a community start up grant in 2019 and awarded lottery funding in 2020.

The group have been involved with Barry Community Gardens and attend several activities together. Since the start of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, home education has risen, and they would like to let you know that there is a community out there that is happy to guide you along the way.

They have a range of ages that join in with the activities and they also team up with other charities to host and share activities

such as a session that was hosted at Fluidity in Cardiff, shared with the Awen project. As a charity they feel it’s important to help your local charities and work together, particularly during these hard times.

Their treasurer will be stepping down from the role in the new year, so they are seeking an enthusiastic person/s to plan and organise activities, set up meetings and manage the accounts.

If you would be interested in getting involved with your local home education charity. Get in touch: homeeducationbarry@yahoo.com.

Charity no.1164016

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Barry Magazine

Barry Magazine

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ISSUE #8 NOVEMBER 2020 Thank you to all of our contributors for making this issue special.

www.barrymagazine.co.uk IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN FUTURE ISSUES PLEASE CONTACT US:

info@barrymagazine.co.uk