Moving a Loved one Living with Dementia into a Care Home

Jo Crossland, Head of Dementia Care, has developed ReConnect, a comprehensive memory care strategy, which includes a bespoke, 5-stage training pathway for staff and works with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that best practice in dementia care is reflected in all areas. Here, she talks about her PhD research.

Dementia Care Research Project Background

I began my caring career as a teenager in the local nursing home in the Yorkshire Dales where I grew up, going on to qualify as a registered nurse, always with the intention of returning to the care home sector. During this time, my grandad also developed dementia, and although it’s over 28 years since he passed away, I have never forgotten the devastating effect that dementia had on our family. Although I don’t think I ever had a formal plan, my family’s experience has largely shaped and guided my career for over 30 years in various roles in the field of dementia care across the health and social care sector and in higher education. I believed that my academic learning was complete after studying a BSc and an MSc in dementia studies over a decade ago. However, an ongoing need to understand more about how we can support families, particularly during the transition to a care home, led me to finally admit that a PhD was the next natural step for me.

Although care for people with dementia has improved significantly over the last few years, family members caring for a relative with dementia at home still don’t always receive the help they need. When a decision has been made that a person with dementia can no longer safely remain at home, families are tasked with finding a suitable care home, often at short notice and frequently amid a period of additional stress, for example, due to further deterioration in their relative’s health. With support particularly lacking during this time, there is little wonder that families frequently report this being a period of immense emotional strain. Before we can understand the type of interventions that care homes could put in place to support families during this period, we must first understand much more about how different family members experience this time of transition. This includes understanding the type of support individuals within a family unit believe would be most beneficial to them and understanding whether support needs change at different times during this trajectory.

Jo Crossland, Head of Dementia Care

Approach to Dementia Care Research Project

Existing research identifies that many family members feel unprepared for their relative moving to a care home. Research also identifies that families can experience a range of emotions, from a sense of relief that their loved one will receive the care and support they now need to feelings of guilt. Previous research studies that have explored family member experiences leading up to a relative with dementia moving into a care home universally recognise the need for information and support at this time. Reflecting on this existing body

Research identifies of research, my study that families can focuses on identifying the type of information experience a range and support that family of emotions, from a members identify that sense of relief that they need during the moving-in period and their loved one will in the early weeks and receive the care and months of their relative support they now living in a care home. need to feelings of I am focusing my study guilt. within three care homes in the Avery group. For the past six months, I have been interviewing staff and families to understand their first-hand experience. Although my role as the Head of Dementia Care involves me having regular contact with staff working in our homes and, in some instances, with families, to make sure that my research is as unbiased and impartial as possible, I am following well defined and very clear ethical guidelines to separate my two roles; employee and PhD researcher.

Dementia Care Research Project - Initial Findings

I have been fortunate that all of the participants I have interviewed for my research study to date have been very generous in sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences. Staff members that have been interviewed also recognise the huge impact that pandemic Covid restrictions have had on family members.

As one staff participant commented:

“I try so hard to allay their [family members] fears because they are often so worried and even frightened about leaving their loved one with us. And during the pandemic, it was even worse because visiting was restricted. It was just awful.”

A number of staff also talked about some of the preconceptions that family members can have about care homes:

“I know that we had to restrict visiting during the pandemic, but it’s surprising how many [new] family members believe that we have all sorts of rules and regulations that they have to follow. We spend a lot of time reassuring new families that they can visit whenever they want to and that their relative can continue to do what they’ve always enjoyed doing, even if we have to adapt stuff a bit.” “The guilt was awful… I mean they always said, ‘don’t you put “It felt a bit unreal, you know? Like us in a home’, and yet we were on this journey that we’d never made before, and we didn’t here I was.” know where it would end.” “The guilt was awful… I mean they [participants’ parents] always said, ‘don’t you put us in a home’, and yet here I was.”

Family members who have agreed to take part in my study have spoken about the mixture of emotions that they have experienced during the period of their loved one moving into a care home:

“I hope that the intervention that I develop at Avery will go at least some way into making, what is often a very obscure path, clearer and less arduous.”

It has been very clear from the interviews that I have undertaken so far that staff are committed to wanting to support families in the best way possible during what they recognise is often a very emotionally challenging time.

Intended Outcomes of Dementia Care Research Project

As well as analysing my existing research data, I plan to continue collecting more data during interviews with both existing and new participants over the coming year. Once this data collection part of the research study is complete, with support from my PhD supervisor and the Director of Studies at Leeds Beckett University, I will continue to analyse the evidence to identify important topic areas and themes. From this, I will use my findings to make recommendations about how care homes can improve the support offered to family members when a relative with dementia is moving into a care home.

Once my PhD study is completed, I will work with a group of colleagues and, where possible, with family members at Avery Healthcare to develop an intervention that staff can access in our homes to support families during the period of their relative moving into their new home. A number of key points are already emerging from listening to participants in my study that will be crucial in making sure that any intervention or supportive resource has the best chance of meeting the needs of families during such an emotionally challenging time:

It must be easy for staff to access and use without needing significant additional training

It must take into account that different family members often have different needs and preferences for support

It must not assume that family members understand how a care home works or the support that is offered.

As one family member that I spoke to commented:

“I wanted to care for them [participants’ parents] forever, you know? And here I was, moving them into a care home. And I had no idea how things worked. You know, it was all very new to me. They [the staff] were so good and said whatever questions you have just ask. But that was just it. I didn’t know what I was supposed to ask. I was totally in the dark.”

I hope that the intervention that I develop at Avery will go at least some way into making, what is often a very obscure path, clearer and less arduous.

Meaningful Activities

At Avery Healthcare, each care home is run with a real sense of family within the care communities. Residents create strong friendships with not only their peers but also with the care team surrounding them. This enables staff to discover more about individuals’ likes, interests and life stories from earlier in their lives.

The rich, strong bonds between staff mean they gain a genuine interest in what makes their residents happy and what they enjoy doing. The dedicated Avery wellbeing teams passionately make meaningful activities and incorporate them into the fun-packed weekly activities calendars.

Meaningful activities, referring to physical, social and leisure activities, are tailored to the specific needs and abilities of each person in a care home setting. This can range from cultural pursuits, crafts and day trips to light exercises such as walking and gardening.

On 15th September, five residents from Aran Court in Birmingham visited the Royal Air Force Museum located in Cosford to discover incredible stories of those who have served in the RAF, along with a fantastic display of aircraft, including the world’s oldest Spitfire, iconic cars, models, tanks, and exhibits, all housed in wartime hangars.

One resident was particularly excited about the trip. Getting up earlier than usual he was ready and waiting to go before anyone else. Edwin, aged 101 years old, worked as a flight engineer from 1938 to 1945, flying Wellington and Lancaster planes. Many of the items on show at the museum brought back memories that Edwin happily shared with the group, including detail about the uniform he wore. He couldn’t stop smiling when they were invited behind the scenes to look at a Wellington plane currently being restored.

Katie Griffin, Aran Court’s Well-being Co-ordinator, is hoping to take him back to see the aircraft once the restoration has been completed in October following his 102nd birthday. When asked his thoughts on the outing, Edwin said, “I’ve had an amazing day. I am so grateful to you for taking me and giving me the opportunity to see those planes. I’m glad I got to share part of my life with you and my friends. I am looking forward to returning when the Wellington is finished.”

Sticking with the aircraft theme, over at Droitwich Mews in Worcester, resident and Concorde enthusiast Anne, often shares her stories about the aircraft with her fellow residents, regularly expressing, “A dream of mine would be to go and see a Concorde up close.” The topic especially excites her as her brother was an engineer who built one of the planes in the 1960s.

With Anne’s birthday in May, a memorable trip to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford was the perfect surprise, allowing her to board a Concorde and learn more about the fascinating aeroplane. As she stepped foot inside, she breathtakingly said, “I never thought I would be doing this after all these years!”

Back on the ground, resident Audrey, from Edenbridge Manor in Kent, expresses her passion for floristry as she possesses a flair for the skill. She is a keen member of the home’s Flower Arranging Club and will often produce some beautiful pieces which are proudly displayed throughout the building.

The team at Edenbridge Manor have been supporting their residents to give back to their local community. On 30th September, Audrey was pleasantly surprised to find out that she would be volunteering at a local florist, Lucie Mason Flowers, for the day.

The day involved Audrey crafting some beautiful bouquets for customers’ special occasions, and it’s fair to say that the team at Lucie Mason Flowers were incredibly grateful for her help and were blown away by Audrey’s amazing skills. They even offered her a full-time job!

ALFAHOLICS GTA-R 290

The Italian Job

By Ian Kuah

They say you should never meet your heroes. When I finally got to drive a 105 Series Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV in the early ‘80s, I realised that maybe there was more than a little truth in this old adage.

My first GTV drive left me torn between joy and angst. The bark of the charismatic 1,962cc twin-cam motor up front and the gurgle of its two Weber 40 DCOE carburettors was pure aural delight, while the 130 lusty horses pushed this pretty little Italian coupe along as rapidly as I had expected.

“To maintain our quality standards we never undertake to restore and build more than 10 cars a year.”

However, even driving with due respect for my friend’s cherished machine, it was clear that the Alfa’s mechanical grip on the tarmac was not in the same league as its punchy motor.

And then one day in 2016 whilst trawling through various used car ads for 105 Series Alfa Romeo GTVs, I noticed the ‘Alfaholics’ name coming up frequently in relation to suspension upgrades. I Googled Alfaholics and found their comprehensive website.

The name of their founder, Richard Banks, rang a bell. On making contact I realised that we were both students of the same Police Class One driving instructor, the legendary John Lyon, and that Richard and I had met on a High Performance Club event in the early ‘80s.

In the interim, Richard bought, sold, tuned and raced 105 Series Alfas, and in 2000 he set up a company specialising in their revival and improvement. The same bug subsequently bit his two sons, Andrew and Max, who later joined him in a family business motivated by their shared addiction for classic Alfa Romeos. The ‘Alfaholics’ name is thus wholly appropriate.

The cornerstone of Alfaholics is a mail order business selling OE parts for Alfa Romeo models. But as tuning and racing these cars became a serious hobby, bespoke improvements for the classic Alfa Romeo models slowly found their way into their growing mail order catalogue.

The restoration and road and race tuning of customer cars to concours standards followed, but as Max explained, “To maintain our quality standards we never undertake to restore and build more than 10 cars a year.”

Engine tuning parts for the Nord twin-cam, which powers all the 105-Series cars in 1300, 1600, 1750 and 2000 form, follow traditional lines. But while Alfaholics still provides OE and tuning parts for clients all over the world, their more recent conversions focus on the later TS Twin Spark motor.

There is a good reason for this. The classic Alfa Romeo parts bin is pretty comprehensive, and some later components are a relatively easy swap for owners on an upgrade path. In this case the Twin-Spark motor from an Alfa 75 is a relatively easy upgrade path for a 105 Series car, and offers far more tuning potential.

By 2015 Alfaholics was extracting a reliable 225hp from the 8v 2.0 litre Twin Spark motor in GTA R 240 guise. However, the next step was going to be the critical one in terms of output, cost and complexity.

Displacement was increased to 2.3 litres using lightweight forged high compression pistons married to a bespoke billet steel crankshaft by Carrillo rods. The single mass flywheel is half the weight of the original.

Alfaholics have their own CNC machined single throttleper-cylinder intake manifold and throttle bodies with integrated fuel injection rail and carbon-fibre intake trumpets, with combustion controlled by a MOTEC ECU.

On the other side of the ported, polished and gasflowed big valve cylinder head the engine spent gases exit through a lovely set of long tube headers crafted from marine 304 grade stainless steel and mated to a free flow sport exhaust. The result is a 240hp at 6,950rpm, with 199 ft-lb of torque at 5,000rpm.

At this point, the eagle eyed will be asking why the car wears a GTA-R 290 moniker? The 290 refers to the horsepower-per-ton of this 830kg flying machine, which was previously dubbed GTA-R 240 when powered by the 225hp 2.0 litre.

The Alfaholics lightweight parts consists of bespoke carbon-fibre bonnet, boot and doors, and lightweight interior. Other parts to emerge from this weight reduction fetish are the lightweight door cards, bespoke drilled boot hinges and drilled door catch plates. This car even has titanium front suspension wishbones, wheel nuts and bolts, which slice around 3.0kg off each front corner.

Bodyshell stiffening is always good for handling, especially when the car wears grippy modern rubber. To this end the GTA-R 290 benefits from the bespoke Safety Devices bolt-in 6/8-point full roll cage with removable sidebars, which significantly bolsters structural rigidity and provides occupant safety during its regular racetrack testing sessions.

Alfaholics also commissioned 20% thinner 4.0mm glass to save a total of 2.5kg high up in the car. An added plus is the fact that the new laminated front windscreen has an integral heating element.

Max lapped the Nürburgring in 8 minutes 15 seconds with the car in GTA R 240 form, and weighing 890kg. This time already puts it on par with much more powerful modern machinery, and in its latest lighter and more powerful 290 guise it should be significantly quicker.

And of course it helps to see where you are going at night in a car this fast, so while the 7.0-inch Wipac headlamps look stock from the outside, they throw modern high intensity xenon beams down the road.

A nice set of alloy wheels always makes a car, but when you are dealing with a classic you have to be very careful to keep things looking period. Alfaholics decided that the factory 14-inch GTA style was optimal and so had it re-cast in 7.0J x 15-inch diameter to suit modern rubber. On Max’s car, these are shod with 195/55R15 Yokohama Advan Neova AD08R rubber. pressed aluminium 1967 Homologation GTA rear bubble arch flares for clearance, which allow an increase of up to 15mm in the rear track.

The Alfaholics lightweight parts consists of bespoke carbon-fibre bonnet, boot and doors, and lightweight interior.

Keeping the much more powerful car tied down nicely are the most extreme components from Alfaholics menu of suspension upgrades. Unsprung weight is significantly reduced by swapping out the big, heavy factory springs for bespoke small diameter coils that mate to the OE wishbones with an adaptor. The previously mentioned titanium wishbones further lower unsprung weight.

The key to curing the Alfa’s wayward handling lies at the rear. The Alfaholics modifications replace the factory cast iron upper reaction arms with their own aluminium ones fitted with spherical bearings that allow the axle to articulate properly over bumps.

Rose joints allow the axle to move vertically but not laterally, which all but eliminates the “will it, won’t it?” sideways movement that saps driver confidence in fast bends, especially ones with bumps. In conjunction with an aluminium T-bar, lightweight trailing arms, adjustable dampers and bespoke camber and toe settings these alterations transform the Alfa’s handling and grip. A lightweight propshaft and rifle-drilled half shafts take power from the gearbox to the rear wheels via a mechanical copper sintered plate limited slip differential.

A corollary of the larger wheels was the space to fit modern brakes with a twin master cylinder and no servo to rein in the performance of an engine producing nearly twice the power of a factory fresh 2000 GTV.

These consist of 300mm vented floating front discs clamped by Alfaholics bespoke billet aluminium four-pot callipers for road use or a six-pot version for the track. For fanatics of low unsprung weight, the Superleggera version features an even lighter version of these six-pot callipers, mounting bells and brackets that save a further 1.5kg per corner.

At the rear, 267mm discs are clamped by new alloy billet callipers each 1.5kg lighter than the stock iron ATE item, while the Superleggera version shaves off a further 0.4kg per corner.

Blip the lightweight aluminium accelerator and the revs rise and fall rapidly. The positive gearshift action tells you that the long lever in your hand is the window to a piece of precision machinery, requiring just a deft finger and wrist movement to find each ratio.

With its low weight and strong torque the GTA-R 290 can be driven around in a fairly high gear without protest from the drivetrain, while the strong torque curve allows you to make good progress with the rev counter needle never exceeding 5,000rpm.

When you want to get a move on the long stroke motor is happy to sing for its supper. The lightweight internals and lightweight flywheel help the engine soar to 7,000rpm with gusto, the rich, multi-layered soundtrack and old school mechanical feel of the controls conspiring to deliver a driving experience that is deeply satisfying on several levels.

On narrow country lanes the classic Alfa’s petite size compared to obese modern cars is a revelation, and you can place the car with room to spare. In the first sequence of bends the rear axle of the Alfaholics car felt properly tied down, working nicely in concert with its incisive front end. The updated chassis ensures that handling, grip and the powerful engine are all reading from the same page.

The original Alfa GTV did not fully live up to my expectations 40 years ago. However, by merging ‘70s character, feedback and communication with 21st Century levels of precision and dynamic ability, Alfaholics has created a modern classic to covet.

STUCK ON YOU

Everybody has a hard-to-buy-for person in their lives. How can you be sure that a teenager is pleased with their present, or how do you make a child’s face light up? Luckily, Avery Life has a few ideas up its sleeve. The gift options are out there; you just need to know where to look. Happy shopping!

What do you Meme? Card game based on internet culture; for that meme-mad teen (try saying that after a couple of sherries!).

Oliver Bonas or Menkind £30.00

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Palette You cannot go wrong with one of these. There are plenty of choices from the ever-popular classic Naked palette range to collaborations with Robin Eisenberg for more adventurous colours. Vegan palettes available.

House of Fraser, Boots. From £26.00 to £46.00

For Teens

Smiley Face Slippers

These fluffy mule slippers come in a range of colours. They are so cute and cool that a teenager will relish wearing them, especially with the ultra-soft wool lining and rubber sole.

Etsy.com £15.97

Sony PlayStation Official Multi-Coloured Icons Desk Light Micro-USB or battery powered, 3 different lighting modes (standard, colourphasing, and music reactive). Great for gamers.

Smyth’s Toys £14.99

Available at other outlets but prices vary

Space and Stars Discovery Kit This educational gift has five science and craft activities to help children learn about the solar system. There are 16 fun fact cards to help nurture the career of the next generation of astronauts.

yippeeadventures.co.uk £15.95

Personalised Wish Story Book This is a unique gift for little ones to treasure as a keepsake. The character is based on your grandchild or whomever, and there are rhyming verses with beautiful illustrations. It comes in a hard or soft cover. You can even personalise the message on the inside of the front cover. There are various skin tones and hair colours to choose from, and they will be followed on their adventure by either a unicorn or a dragon. It also makes a nice Christening present.

Letterfest, notonthehighstreet.com £23.00 + £6.00 for a hardcover version

Martin Small Dog Toy Martin is knitted from organic cotton, wears a striped top, and has stitched features. He has soft floppy ears, so is very tactile and is suitable for the age of 0+ months.

merimeri.co.uk £34.00

An Interactive Glow-inthe-Dark Dream Cloud Pillowcase Children can get creative at night by drawing on their pillowcases with no mess! It comes with a Glow pen, and the pillowcase is machine washable. As the glow fades, so does the artwork, leaving a blank canvas to start again. T-shirts are also available. This should keep them amused and concentrating quietly for a few hours. Illuminated Apparel,

notonthehighstreet.com £15.95

Personalised Animals Hooded Cotton Towel The 100% cotton towel with a hood is available in various animal styles. Choose from a pastel bunny with floppy ears, a lion with a looping mane, a cute panda, a cuddly bear, or a cheerful wide-mouthed frog. Their name is embroidered in a fun font, and there is an option to have it neatly presented in a gift box. Suitable from newborn to 3 years.

Studio Hop, notonthehighstreet.com £25.00 + personalised from £8.00

This festive season, treat your loved ones to an affordable spa experience – right from the comfort of your home! The brilliantly British 7th Heaven products are herbivore to the core and creature kind – and have been for over 35 years - as certified by the Vegetarian Society and Cruelty Free International. Relaxing in a Winter Wonderland

Festive-up your skincare with the 7th Heaven Winter Wonderland sheet mask range. Whether you prefer a soothing reindeer, nourishing elf or hydrating penguin, these masks are suitable for the Christmas-obsessed aged 8+. The perfect accessory while you watch your favourite movie, put up the decs or to pop into your Christmas Eve box.

Available in-store at ASDA, £2.99 each

‘Tis the season for gifts

If you can’t decide which mask to choose, this Pamper Hamper of essential beauty treats is just what you need. Includes some of 7th Heaven’s most popular mud and easy peel-off masks to provide your skin with endless pampering. Grey felt cube and soft blush cleansing cloth included.

Available at Argos, £11.00

Everything you need for a pore-fect pink pamper

Combining classic 7th Heaven masks with the new Barbie™ collection with all the accessories for the ultimate pamper night! The Barbie™ Pamper Hamper includes 6 face masks, pink applicator, cleansing face cloth, headband and exfoliating brush packaged into a felt cube.

Available at Very, £19.99 With Barbiecore sweeping the globe, there is no better time to Be Good to Yourself with the latest 7th Heaven x Barbie™ collection. With Pink Chocolate, Pink Neon, and Pink Rose masks to choose from - embrace your best you, with a radiant complexion!

Available in-store at ASDA, £2.99 each

Give the gift of relaxation

The 7th Heaven x Barbie™ Gift Set includes the full 7th Heaven x Barbie™ collection, with three vegan face masks suitable for ages 8+, an applicator and cleansing cloth – all presented in a beautiful pink cosmetics bag!

Available at Argos, £12.00

Mumsnet is the UK’s biggest network for parents, with around 7 million unique visitors per month.

115 Mumsnet users tested the Radiate Friendship Pink Rose Clay Mask, 89% would recommend. 114 Mumsnet users tested the You’ve Got this Pink Chocolate Cream Mask, 82% of testers would recommend.

115 Mumsnet users tested the Strong Girls Make Waves Pink Neon Peel Off Mask, 80% of testers would recommend.

that won’t break your Resolve

By Rachel Carr

Everyone has heard of the adage ‘New Year, New You’. It is starting to grow old and tired. Every January, millions of us vow to change an undesirable behaviour or break a bad habit. Usually, this wears off after a few months or less. Then, we feel as if we’ve failed when in reality, we are putting pressure on ourselves to achieve goals just because of the date. What is preventing us from putting good habits into practice at any time of the year? The new year is, traditionally, a time for reflection and contemplation, which leads us to wonder how we can improve our existence. It is also the right side of Christmas to begin something new, as the festivities bring on bouts of overindulgence with money, food and drink; it is the wrong time for a change. The 1st of January seems like an arbitrary date, but psychologically we see it as a fresh start.

The tradition of resolutions has religious roots. The Romans would make promises to their two-faced (literally, it wasn’t because he was one for gossip) god Janus, from whom the month of January gets its name. One of those faces was for reflection, and the other was for looking forward to new beginnings. The Romans would offer sacrifices to be granted a good year ahead of them. Throughout history, resolutions have adapted depending on the era and society. In Medieval times, knights took the ‘peacock vow’ to reaffirm their commitment to chivalry. In the 1940s, people promised to change their disposition or go to church more. However, the origins of new year’s resolutions go back over 4,000 years. The ancient Babylonians would make vows to their pagan gods. They were an agricultural society, so they would promise to return borrowed farming equipment and pay their debts, not in January, but in mid-March when the crops were planted during a massive 12-day festival known as Akitu. They wanted the gods to look upon them favourably for the rest of the year. Not only were they different resolutions from our own, but they were also made for other reasons; in today’s societies, they are more about self-improvement.

Rather than stick to clichéd resolutions and make promises to yourself because you feel obliged to for the sake of the date, maybe it is time to come up with more manageable ideas. Something that you won’t find tedious and that you don’t necessarily have to start immediately. That way it will relieve the pressure and give you something to look forward to. Joining a book club to help you meet new people, and read more, is always a worthwhile pursuit; you can be as involved as little or as much as you like. You could vow to send more handwritten letters by snail mail. People tend to forget that it is a pleasure to be able to write on a beautiful piece of paper with a quality pen. If you haven’t got a writing set, put one on your Christmas list! The anticipation of a return letter arriving beats the instant gratification of a text message. Another idea is to try a new food every week. It will broaden your palate and help you discover new recipes, bringing a bit of excitement to an everyday necessity. New experiences can start at any time of the year.

The Romans would make promises to their twofaced god Janus(...) One of those faces was for reflection, and the other was for looking forward to new beginnings.

Goal setting has greater success in smaller measurements.

The most popular resolutions are giving up smoking, losing weight, joining a gym, and eating healthily. All of those things are important to our health and general well-being. Others include sorting out finances, taking up a hobby, spending more time with friends and family, and travelling more. Sometimes multiple combinations of these. They are valuable uses of time, of course, and can aid our emotional state, but goal setting has greater success in smaller measurements. Although losing weight or getting fitter are excellent choices, the same goes for quitting an unwanted habit or cutting back on overindulgence; the trick is to think about what you want to achieve long-term and to manage expectations. That way, there is more chance of successfully reaching your goals. Setting up a realistic routine by outlining a plan will help you keep track of your progress. Writing it down will encourage you to begin the lifestyle change. Just not necessarily at the stroke of midnight on the 31st of December, but you will feel empowered by setting the thoughts in motion. It is also important to remember that if you have a bad day, for example, you have an extra glass of wine or you don’t make it to that exercise class, you haven’t failed, and you should not give up. It doesn’t mean you have to throw away the whole year because of a slip-up. Don’t think of it as starting again; pick yourself up and carry on.

Going the Extra Mile

Arriving earlier than usual this year, the Care Workers’ Charity (CWC) Going the Extra Mile week was celebrated in true Avery fashion between 18th – 22nd July. The festivities challenged people to complete as many miles as possible to raise funds and awareness that will support the financial, professional, and mental well-being of social care workers by making grants, signposting to resources, and providing access to services. Mileage can be racked up in any way imaginable, and throughout the years, we have seen some clever ways of doing this by our residents.

This year was certainly no exception. As proud gold sponsors of the CWC, Avery is delighted to announce that they raised £4,500 by the efforts of residents and staff once again ‘going the extra mile’. Astbury Manor in Bracknell chose an alternative way to complete mileage by crafting a mile-long paper chain. They took to Facebook to show off their impressive creation and asked visitors to help by adding to it during their visit.

With temperatures reaching a scorching 40°c in some parts of the UK on the second day of the celebrations, donning bright orange clothing, chefs Robbie and Suzanna went above and beyond to provide thirst-quenching drinks, juicy fruit platters and delicious ice cream sundaes for Hertfordshire’s Acacia Mews staff and residents, to raise funds for the worthy cause.

At Alder House in Nottingham, staff members stuck to tradition as they wheeled out the bike machine and brought out their inner Chris Froome, to cycle 100 miles between them. Although they had very tired legs by the end of it, there was a great sense of relief and accomplishment to have completed their goal whilst raising money.

Hawthorns Aldridge in the West Midlands collected money from an array of activities, including raffles with excellent prizes up for grabs, hook a duck and a 15km bike ride plus 5km run from Well-being Coordinator, Steve. What really topped their efforts was staff members braving the stocks to be foam pied by residents.

Avery is delighted to announce that they raised £4,500 by the efforts of residents and staff once again ‘going the extra mile’.

The two groups have collectively raised an impressive £1,517 towards the group’s donation.

Continuing the fundraising fun on the 16th of September, Head of Culinary and Hospitality, Simon Lawrence and a team of six enthusiastic chefs, aptly named ‘Scrambled Legs’, took on this year’s trek in the Peak District to fundraise for the Care Workers Charity.

Dressed in chef whites and hats, kindly donated by partners, Fair Kitchens, Scrambled Legs set off from Hope Valley to begin their 25km foot-slog through the

beautiful scenic route of the Peak District. Joining them along the way was eager Home Trainer, Aga and Wellbeing Co-ordinator, Katie, from Darwin Court.

In good spirits, the teams had lots of fun throughout their trek, including hiding in bushes to capture the perfect photo. Together the two groups have collectively raised an impressive £1,517 towards the group’s donation. Reflecting on the challenge as they crossed the finish line in Castleton with very fragile legs and a glass of fizz in hand, Simon said, “It was a very proud day with a great sense of achievement and friendships formed. We have all enjoyed representing Avery as OneFamily and are ready for the next challenge. Perhaps Kilimanjaro next!”

Avery Avery Recognised Within Recognised Within

TOP 100 TOP 100

Apprenticeship Apprenticeship Employers 2022 Employers 2022

We are delighted to share that Avery Healthcare has been featured in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers for 2022. Developed by the Department for Education in partnership with High Fliers Research, the national league table recognises England’s leading apprenticeship employers for their overall commitment to employing apprentices, their creation of new apprenticeships, the diversity of their new apprentices and the progression of their apprentices onto further apprenticeships and employment.

Avery’s Learning and Development Director, Shelley Parker-Wain, spoke of the recognition: “We are proud to welcome and support individuals into new apprenticeships, helping them build knowledge and skills in a number of different roles, which reflect our #OneFamily values.”

To attain the ranking, data shows that 7.3% of Avery’s employees were apprentices in March 2022, and 225 individuals began apprenticeships with us between 1st April 2021 and 31st March 2022.

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is designed to enhance an individual’s confidence, developing their existing skills and knowledge. Combining practical workplace training with study, apprenticeships lead to industryrecognised qualifications, as you learn at a pace suited to your individual needs, with support from a mentor and experienced staff members.

Avery Partners with Qube and The Prince’s Trust

At Avery, we are pleased to partner with Qube Learning and The Prince’s Trust to participate in the Health and Social Care Futures scheme funded by the Government’s Health and Social Care Department.

The Prince’s Trust helps 11-30-year-olds build their confidence and skills to support them in jobs, education and training. The Health and Social Care Futures Fund offers a variety of interventions for young people as part of the recruitment programme, ranging from interview preparation and short courses to helping to build knowledge and skills in a range of health and social care roles.

Through this partnership, many Avery care homes offer opportunities for individuals up to the age of 31 years to join the scheme, with support from a dedicated tutor throughout the application process.

Successful individuals help our teams deliver care to Avery residents in a safe, caring, supportive and inclusive environment for both residents and staff. There is a range of apprenticeship vacancies available, including Sous Chef, Head Housekeeper, Well-being and Activities Assistant and Kitchen Assistant roles.

Avery Healthcare

Poetry Workshops

Dilys, Beryl, Pauline and Ruth, residents at Hempstalls Hall in Newcastle-under-Lyme, enjoyed a Poetry Workshop on the 4th of August with Birmingham poet Mandy Ross and Terry Heath from Staffordshire Libraries.

Mandy brought along a range of household objects and asked each resident to choose the one they felt was of interest to them. Beryl picked up the paintbrush and spoke about her time as a pottery painter. Dilys chose shoe polish as it reminded her of helping her father polish her brother and sister’s shoes when she was younger – there were six of them! Dilys also spoke about working in a nursery, where she taught children English as a second language.

Ruth chose the cotton reel as it reminded her of her love of cross-stitching in her spare time, and reminisced about her time working as a Primary School teacher, singing along to some of the songs she taught the children. Pauline went for the measuring cups as she enjoyed cooking for her husband and two sons.

Mandy made notes throughout the discussion and put together a poem with a verse, including words from each resident. Have a read of the poem below:

The Sounds of Memory

by Beryl, Dilys, Pauline and Ruth - after reading Pleasant Sounds by John Clare Quiet concentrating work of the freehand paintress decorating plates with colourful flowers, leaves, trees and grass. The soft clink, one by one, of a dozen plates, carefully stacked to dry, then one by one, onto the wheel, the quiet scraping slap, mixing a little pot of precious paint. Dipping the human hair paintbrush for a gentle slosh in the turps, then sh-sh-shhh, rubbing it dry between your palms, ready to paint black around the edges, till into the roaring kiln, it’s fired to gold. The clock on the desk ticks the time, sponging and knifing the pots to smooth the seams, lifting the big board onto your shoulder, a pile of sample pots for costing, how long they took on the floor, the girls laughing, ‘Don’t go so quick, Pauline!’ Imagine the clatter and smashing if you dropped them! Never! It’d come out of your wages. The owl and the pussycat… Silent discipline in the classroom. The look. They knew. Very strict. So it was a quiet classroom? Not really. We sang folksongs, hymns, Morning has broken, like the first morning, Blackbird has spoken… And at home, the hush of embroidery and cross-stitch, quiet needlework framed on the wall. Small children in the nursery school, with lots of opinions, and all worth listening to. Songs and chanting to learn counting and English for new arrivals speaking Urdu. And longer ago, the swish of the brushes and smell of the polish, sitting on the floor, shining all the shoes with Dad, a big family, lots of shoes, and talking all the while.

at Hempstalls Hall

Looking back through the poems they had created together proved to be an emotional experience for residents...

The group also read an ancient Chinese poem titled: ‘My Old Friend Prepared a Chicken with Millet’. Mandy asked the residents what they thought a similar poem about Hempstalls Hall would contain. They discussed the variety of food they have, their beautiful gardens and the surrounding local area. These ideas inspired the following additional poem:

Terry and Mandy

Here at Hempstalls

by Beryl, Dilys, Pauline and Ruth - after reading My Old Friend Prepared a Chicken with Millet -

On Saturday, we look forward to Sunday, when Dave the Chef prepares a lovely roast with creamy mash, and there’s always a choice; here at Hempstalls, where the red-brick six towns – seven really – girdle the walls, and the green Staffordshire countryside stretches beyond.

We look out of the window to inspect the summer garden, remembering the Jubilee garden party and a visit from Elvis. He did his best, singing Tom Jones. Wait until Christmas. There’ll be singing around the big tree. And we look ahead to next spring when we’ll enjoy the daffodils, flowering again like old friends.

Berni Williams, Well-being Co-ordinator at Hempstalls Hall, described the poetry workshop as an invaluable experience. Residents recalled memories of their careers through discussion, laughing at each other’s anecdotes. Working in a smaller group helped to increase their confidence, and Pauline was praised for her reading voice. Remembering all they had achieved over the years made them realise how important their roles were, increasing their self-esteem.

Looking back through the poems they had created together proved to be an emotional experience for residents, as Beryl proudly showed her verse to her daughter, who took a copy away to be laminated. Ruth felt an immense sense of achievement, and Dilys looked forward to sharing the poems with her family. When she received her copy of the poem, Pauline was moved to tears, saying it was “beautiful”. She was rereading it the next morning! Berni also noted how the workshop was helpful as a part of Life Story Work with residents who are living with dementia.

Utilising everyday household objects has the potential to unlock many memories for people living with dementia

At Avery, Life Story Work is central to our ReConnect strategy. Knowing more about a resident’s life story can help team members engage with them in a meaningful way. By understanding previous interests, hobbies and routines, staff members can create and maintain opportunities for positive engagement.

Jo Crossland, Head of Dementia Care, said: “The poetry workshop was a fantastic experience for residents with dementia living at Hempstalls Hall. Utilising everyday household objects has the potential to unlock many memories for people living with dementia, and as seen in this example, can lead to very powerful creative outcomes that have a range of positive impacts on well-being.”

Berni and the Well-being team at Hempstalls Hall look forward to working with Mandy again, using poetry and literature as a basis for meaningful engagement.

AVERY’S CHEF ACADEMY:

The Key to Chef Success

At Avery Healthcare, we are proud to offer chefs the opportunity to join our Chef Academy and enrol via an apprenticeship route in partnership with Hospitality Industry Training (HIT). The content of these courses offers everything required to gain skills, confidence and growth.

Our Head of Culinary and Hospitality, Simon Lawrence, explains: “The development and building of career pathways are key in strengthening, rebuilding and recruiting a brigade of talented chefs. We are also keen to develop the Head Chefs of tomorrow – our Sous Chefs and Commis Chefs, whilst also offering advanced learning courses for experienced Head Chefs.”

As the leading specialist training and apprenticeship provider for the UK’s hospitality and catering industry, we are delighted to have partnered with HIT, who provide support with a range of workshops and training days to offer interactive learning, networking, team building, food tasting and live demonstrations. The courses will help build confidence and develop knowledge and skills relevant to chefs’ career paths through various practical sessions.

Fire Up Your Chef Career with an Apprenticeship

To carve out a successful career as a chef, you will benefit from both culinary experience and industryrecognised qualifications. An apprenticeship provides invaluable real-world experience and the skills and knowledge you need to climb the career ladder, opening a wealth of career opportunities.

Why enrol on an apprenticeship with Avery’s Chef Academy? Specially designed by experts in the industry, chef apprenticeships aim to create a generation of culinary stars. You will earn a wage whilst you learn, boosting your career potential as you progress from an entrylevel position, and guiding you through the core elements to become a fully qualified and capable Head Chef.

Enrolling on an apprenticeship with Avery’s Chef Academy will give you real-world experience as you learn from experts first-hand in a working kitchen environment. You will learn the best ways to communicate, work around others and develop your skills with an industry-recognised qualification reflective of your experience.

Opportunities to meet and engage with industry experts and professionals will allow you to share ideas and boost your understanding of key areas, including preparation and cooking, flavour profiling, dish composition and seasonality.

Top of the hierarchy

Our chef academy offers a range of apprenticeships and training workshops to supplement the programme. Whether you are a trainee, intermediate or experienced chef, there is always an exciting opportunity to expand your skills.

Level 2 Apprenticeships

The Level 2 Commis Chef and Production Chef apprenticeships are extremely popular amongst chefs who are in the early stages of their careers. These apprenticeships provide first-hand experience working in a professional kitchen environment, learning new skills, and gaining confidence in your abilities.

Level 3 Apprenticeships

Aimed at more experienced chefs looking to progress into a more senior position, the Level 3 Chef de Partie and Senior Chef in Production Cooking apprenticeships can help to hone your skills, increase your knowledge, and take on additional responsibilities in roles such as Head Chef or Sous Chef.

Level 4 Apprenticeships

Even those at the top of their game can continue to learn! The Level 4 Senior Culinary Chef apprenticeship has been developed for experienced chefs who wish to move into a role focusing on developing dishes.

Group Five-Star Hygiene Rating Achievement

How do I apply?

To apply, please complete an apprenticeship application form, which can be obtained from your Regional Training Officer if you are already an Avery chef. If you would like to come and work for us, let us know when you apply. Avery has achieved a five-star rating from the Food Standards Agency across all our care home locations for the second time.

Environmental Health Officers from the Food Standards Agency are responsible for carrying out measures to protect public health and support health and safety. Based purely on unannounced visits, a five-star award from Environmental Health is the highest achievable level.

Led by Head of Culinary and Hospitality Simon Lawrence and Regional Culinary Manager Gareth Cartledge, a first-class hygiene and food safety culture has been instilled alongside a benchmark for highquality dining within the care sector.

Simon stated: “It is paramount that a consistently high level of food hygiene and safety is maintained when working alongside our residents. At Avery, this is delivered through leadership and teamwork. Our Culinary Team have done a great job to achieve this, and we are immensely proud of them all.”

From cosy crumbles to retro roulades, we all like a bit of comfort food this time of year, and what is more comforting than a bit of nostalgia in cake form?

Dessert, pudding, afters, second course or sweet treat, call it whatever you like; our culinary lives would be dull without them. Certain puddings will remind us of our childhood, maybe yours is a Swiss roll or jam rolypoly, an apple pie, or it might be a rhubarb syllabub or the dreaded semolina or tapioca from your school dinner days. Desserts from yesteryear are back, but with a contemporary twist. It may be the difficult period that we are living in at the moment, the politically unstable, pandemic-fatigued, strike-stricken times that are making us turn to food which evokes feelings of nostalgia, so where best to turn than to the seasonal flavours of desserts just like Granny used to make.

One of Britain’s oldest recorded desserts is the bread and butter pudding, dating back to the 1700s. It has endured the test of time, with restaurants putting it on their menus and supermarkets stocking ready-made versions on their shelves. Then we have the humble crumble, which became popular during World War II. Rationing was in full effect, and a lack of ingredients meant a compromise and no pie crusts, so the pie was modified into a crumble. Like pies, crumbles can be sweet or savoury, and there are so many fruits and endless combinations that can make the perfect crumble. Treacle tart is Cockney rhyming slang for sweetheart, and sweet it is. It makes your teeth hurt just by looking at it! It fell into favour at the end of the 1800s. The original recipe predates golden syrup; in the 1600s it was made with black treacle, considered medicine and thought to be good for the blood and used in antidotes for poison. Its predecessor is a sweetmeat cake made with candied fruit, or crystallised peel, and roasted hazelnuts.

A trifle is an easy layered dessert to make, and it also comes with options. Boozy, chocolate, zesty or fruity, there is a flavour for everyone. Although it is an English dessert first made in the 1500s (the word coming into the vernacular a couple of centuries later), the name derives from the French for truffle, meaning something of little importance – which is not how we would describe trifle! It was popular during Victorian times and a cultural staple of the 1970s. Although it is not without its controversies, trifle snobs will not include jelly or ready-made custard; there are also heated debates around the alcoholic varieties, connoisseurs swear by sherry, but others like to deviate with brandy, port or Amaretto.

These types of desserts don’t have to be dated or passé, as their flavours and ingredients are continually evolving. Why not add some ginger to rice pudding or ice cream and make it into an Artic roll, or create a pumpkin trifle for a more autumnal feel?

Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding with Bailey’s Ingredients

1 brioche loaf or rolls

300ml of milk

300ml of double cream

100g sultanas (or dates)

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

40g caster sugar

20g demerara sugar

6 tbsp Bailey’s

Preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.

Butter an oven-proof dish

Tear the brioche and spread it with butter, overlapping with the sultanas in the dish.

Beat the egg yolks, eggs and caster sugar until creamy, and mix in the cream, milk and Bailey’s or Irish cream liquor.

Submerge the bread with the mixture, and allow 20 mins for it to soak in.

Sprinkle the demerara sugar and bake for 35-40 mins, after putting the dish in a baking tin half filled with water (bain-marie) for a smoother texture.

Avery Healthcare

NUTRITION IN Winter

Throughout November, Avery Healthcare focused on Nutrition in Winter, sharing tips and ideas for healthy eating during the colder months. Emilio Pascucci, Head Chef at Astbury Manor Care Home in Bracknell, and Tomasz Milewski, Head Chef at Droitwich Mews Care Home in Droitwich Spa, shared some of their favourite winter recipes, including a range of delicious vegetarian

options. We also shared some top tips and ideas, including the benefits of batch cooking, how to incorporate beans and pulses into winter dishes, and the importance of winter-warmer recipes.

Head of Culinary and Hospitality at Avery Healthcare, Simon Lawrence, enjoys the seasonal variety, “Autumn and winter are a perfect opportunity to prepare fresh and wholesome meals to support your immune system to help fight any winter colds and viruses and keep our energy levels up. There’s an abundance of versatile, seasonal produce available at this time of year for main courses and, of course, desserts and plenty of opportunities to get creative and revive or spice up some old classics.”

Continuing to eat a range of well-balanced, healthy meals during the winter months ensures we have the essential nutrients to support our immune system and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many seasonal fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, plums, parsnips, mushrooms, leeks, and courgettes, can be combined with a range of carbohydrates, such as whole-grain bread, sweet potatoes, rice and pasta.

Eat Your Way to a Warmer Winter

As the winter months are now upon us, you may wonder how to keep warm besides snuggling into a cosy blanket. Evidence suggests that foods that take longer to digest can help to raise your body temperature due to the heat produced as food metabolises. To aid this process, try to eat foods high in healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as these are more complex and take longer to digest.

Foods to Eat to Stay Warm

Begin your day with cereal for breakfast, such as oats, wheat or porridge, a great source of fibre. Little ones can enjoy warm milk on their cereal.

When it comes to lunch, soups are an excellent option for a winter warmer, especially if they can contain a range of pulses and vegetables.

If you fancy a snack, fruits such as bananas, kiwis, apples, and plums are all in season during the winter months. Bananas are a good source of magnesium, which can help to maintain your body temperature. Other foods to consider incorporating into your meals include red meats, a source of iron, and vitamins, which help support a strong immune system. Sweet potatoes or roasted butternut squash are also packed full of nutrients and can be added as an accompaniment to various dishes.

Batch Cooking

Batch cooking involves larger amounts of food and storing it for later use, ensuring you have healthy and nutritious meals ready when needed.

Less Time Spent Cooking Batch-cooking meals allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and reduce the number of times you need to use the oven or other kitchen appliances, helping to keep energy costs down.

Minimal Waste To batch cook doesn’t mean smaller portions. It’s a great way to minimise food wastage and maximise the nutrients in fresh produce as you’re cooking and storing vegetables straight away instead of allowing them time to wilt before cooking.

You’re also more likely to buy only the required ingredients rather than extra items you may not use, saving money in your weekly food shop.

Reduced Cost of Meals Buying ingredients in bulk is often cheaper, particularly if you can make use of supermarket deals and discounts. You can use these in batch cooking or prepare individually, store, and later defrost for use within various meals, such as the starting ingredients for chilli, spaghetti bolognese and cottage pie.

Increased Variety Not all meals lend themselves to being frozen, but many hearty and traditional meals work for batch cooking, such as curry, slow-cooker meals, stews, pasta sauce and pies. Whilst you may not have the

Top Tips for Batch Cooking

Portion food into appropriate sizes, single servings or enough for the whole family to avoid waste.

Note the date of your prepared meal on the storage container. Most soups and stews ought to be eaten within three months, but cooked meat can last up to six.

Ensure the meal is thoroughly cooled before freezing.

You can defrost the meals in the microwave before cooking, but try to plan ahead and defrost them in plenty of time by putting them in the fridge the night before serving.

time or energy to cook each evening, setting aside some time each week for meal planning ensures you have a variety of meals to enjoy. There’s nothing more satisfying than a nutritious, pre-prepared meal with minimal effort!

Cooking with Beans and Pulses

Whether you are cooking on a budget or looking to try something new this winter, pulses, including beans, peas and lentils, can be a great choice to help you bulk out your meals, eat healthily and save money. They are also a great meat substitute and can be added to a range of vegetarian dishes, ensuring those of us who are vegetarian or vegan or want a meat-free meal maintain a balanced diet.

What are pulses?

Pulses include beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas and can be enjoyed on their own or as an accompaniment to other items within a dish. Not only are they high in protein and fibre, but they also contain vitamins and minerals, as well as other antioxidants, which help to boost our immune system.

As one of the highest-fibre foods, pulses contain a mix of proteins and fibre, which are digested slowly, helping you feel fuller for longer.

How can I incorporate beans and pulses into my winter dishes?

There are many ways to cook with beans and pulses, as these can be added to a range of soups, chilli and curry dishes. These winter warmer dishes are packed full of healthy vegetables and beans, giving us the nutrients needed to sustain us throughout the colder months.

As part of our Nutrition in Winter Campaign, Emilio, Head Chef at Astbury Manor Care Home in Bracknell, and Tomasz, Head Chef at Droitwich Mews Care Home in Droitwich Spa, also shared some of their favourite vegetarian recipes: Roasted Red Peppers Soup, Italian Tricolour Salad, and Star Anise Plum Sesame Crumble with Chantilly Cream.

riends orest

By Ian Greenland

For clarity (largely my own!), it’s good to point out that mushrooms are the fruiting bodies or reproductive structures of a larger fungus, typically representing a very small percentage of the organism as a whole, like pears on a tree.

It’s the fungus’ underground mycelial network, consisting of millions of nutrient-absorbing, threadlike hyphae which support the sprouting, sporespreading mushrooms we instinctively yank the dog away from on Autumn walks. So vast can these underground networks grow that fungi are amongst the largest life forms on Earth, with a honey fungus in the Malheur National Forest of Oregon considered the world’s largest organism by area. Spread over an incredible 2384 acres, this record-breaking Armillaria Ostoyae, discovered in 1998 is estimated from its size to be 2400 years old, but could well be more than three times as ancient. Though this particular shroom causes Armillaria root disease, responsible for killing large tracts of conifers in North America and Canada, mycorrhizal fungi can be incredible symbiotic partners to our arboreal friends, interacting with plant and tree roots and providing nutrients. Their mycelial network even facilitate the sharing of nutrients and information between different species of flora, warning interconnected trees of droughts, diseases and other imminent natural threats and allowing their hosts to redistribute resources for the greater good. Dubbed “The Wood Wide Web” in 1997, this extraordinary network may not boast the connection speeds we’ve become accustomed to online but it’s undoubtedly more wholesome.

As we ease into November, memories of one of the driest, warmest UK summers on record fog around the edges like the condensationcovered windows we now stare wistfully

through. Light levels drop, temperatures plummet, tans fade and spirits sag. Whilst millions of us silently commiserate, figuratively tightening our belts against soaring energy bills, whilst preparing to literally loosen them again come Christmas, our diminutive cousins rejoice, embracing the cold and the damp and the dark like tiny Fungi are more genetically Gollums as they raise their heads similar to humans than above a mulchy parapet and invite a downtrodden populous battling plants, consuming nutrients a cost of living crisis to spin the through organic matter, not wheel of chance - eat a handful photosynthesis, absorbing and you may receive a totally free, tasty, nutritious hit... of course you oxygen and expelling CO2. might critically poison yourself, or spend the next six hours seeing faeries whilst really connecting with some early Pink Floyd.... The organism in question is the humble mushroom, and whilst “cousin” may have been a stretch, fungi are in fact more genetically similar to humans than plants, consuming nutrients through organic matter, Speaking of which, mushrooms (those which don’t kill not photosynthesis, absorbing oxygen and expelling you) are a relative super food, free from fat, cholesterol CO2. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some glow and gluten and, due to their high water content and in the dark, others reproduce more after lightning and low energy density, low in calories. With more than some were even worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, 2000 varieties of mushroom classified as edible, they though let’s face it, they loved a good worship. range from “Yum! - That’s actually better than a real burger” to “Get it away from me. That’s not food. What the heck?!...”

Wherever you fall, they form a cornerstone of many a healthy diet and are the only non-animal food product with high levels of vitamin D, a potential primary dietary

So vast can these underground networks grow that fungi are amongst the largest life forms on Earth.

source for vegans and vegetarians and something the British population at large desperately needs come the gloomier months.

Mushrooms can lay claim to the “fifth primary taste”, going beyond the more familiar sweet, salty, bitter or sour as they bring “umami” into the mix. A taste described as savoury or meaty, though generally characterized as mild or subtle, it is both lingering and quite literally mouth-watering in its promotion of saliva. Research studies with umami revealed its addition to low-salt soups increased their popularity and taste rating amongst participants whilst lowering the resultant salt added by up to 25%. As such, the umami taste, and by virtue our mushroom friends, have been recommended as potentially beneficial to certain demographics, such as the elderly, whose taste and smell sensitivity may have been adversely affected by age, an effect often exacerbated by medications. Where this impairment can lead to poor nutritional choices and subsequent ill health, umami may have the answer, evidence suggesting it not only promotes appetite but may contribute to satiety.

Furthermore, research shows mushrooms may be particularly useful in the fight against age-related illness, containing as they do extremely high levels of ergothioneine and glutathione, important antioxidants which help our bodies battle oxidative stress. This form of tissue damage degrades and destabilizes cells, causing ageing and increasing the likelihood of cancers, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. The study, conducted at Penn State and headed by Robert Beelman Ph.D. concluded mushrooms contain these vital antioxidants in exponentially higher levels than any other food in the chain, suggesting around five button mushrooms daily would provide the body its recommended dose of ergothioneine.

So there you have it. Even if, like my ironically vegetarian fiancé, you wouldn’t previously let a mushroom past your lips, perhaps you’ll now consider one in your shopping bag... or even, as your shopping bag. Companies such as Ecovative are already growing 100% compostable packaging from mushroom mycelium and agricultural byproducts. Whilst similar to styrofoam in application, it takes just 45 days to compost, rather than 500 years to biodegrade - and it feeds, rather than poisons its environment as it does so.

Their mycelial network even facilitate the sharing of nutrients and information between different species of flora, warning interconnected trees of droughts, diseases and other imminent natural threats and allowing their hosts to redistribute resources for the greater good.