The Lancashire & North West Magazine | March 2021

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March 2021

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Towneley Hall

Game of Thrones Was it based on the War of the Roses?

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Reasons why your skin might be sensitive at this time of year and what to do about it

biohack your body

with Anita Graham-Bateson of Well-NES & Nutrition

The scandal of Whittingham Hospital

Spring has sprung

What to look out for now spring is here It Climbed up to my Room.

It Had Fanged Teeth

The Hunger Hill Gorilla

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Contents...

24

66

102

Cartmel

Gt Eccleston

Ulverston

Features

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8

8

Game of Thrones or War of the Roses

14

March Hares

20

Your spring garden

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Services Archaeology and Heritage Association

34

Blackpool Zoo

42

Nature Reserves stay open

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Whttingham Hospital

72

Blackpool 6th Form wins award

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Morecambe Bay

80

DIY during lockdown

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An interiors company with a 150 year history

108 Maintaining healthy habits 114 A profile of music legend David Bowie 118 Age exclusive retirement apartments available to rent

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124 Chapel Howe - The company with skilled craftsman creating windows and doors 128 Sand lizards 132 How to make a vegan chocolate sundae 152 The company that had an unexpected boom during lockdown 160 The possible benefits of drinking tea

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162 Bio Hack your body

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168 The Blackbird’s spring melodies

166 4 reasons your skin is sensitive at this time of year 172 The RSPB Mothers Day gift guide 180 Peoples choice wine awards 190 What your front door says about you

180 www.lancmag.com

196 What to look out for when Spring has sprung

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Contents Regulars 82

Deborah Hatswell

85

Subscribe to our magazine

March 2021 • Volume 44 Number 3

100

130

100 Books 130 PT Health 134 Our food critic 140 Nicola Parker - Herbalist 151 Peter Rutt 158 The life of Di 182 Colour me beautiful 192 Film Reviews 208 Horoscope 210 Business index

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March 2021

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Managing Director Natalie Christopher natalie@lancashiremagazine.co.uk

Towneley Hall

Game of Thrones Was it based on the War of the Roses?

The scandal of Whittingham Hospital

Editorial 01253 336588 editorial@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Sales Enquiries • 07918 685673

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Reasons why your skin might be sensitive at this time of year and what to do about it

biohack your body

with Anita Graham-Bateson of Well-NES & Nutrition

Spring has sprung

What to look out for now spring is here It Climbed up to my Room.

It Had Fanged Teeth

The Hunger Hill Gorilla

COVER: Towneley Hall

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In this issue...

Most people I know have watched Game of Thrones. In our issue this month, Lucy Bullough takes a look at the story to see if the fantasy drama could have taken its inspiration from our Lancastrian conflict.

When you dig a little deeper, parallels start to be seen with a certain major event known as The Wars of the Roses.

You can read the article and make up your own mind.

A building constructed almost 150 years is almost certainly rife with stories of intrigue and mystery. But if that building was a psychiatric hospital, steeped in scandal before being completely abandoned, then you can almost guarantee these stories are even more interesting and maybe based in a little fact, rather than just the stuff of local legend.

The history of Whittingham Hospital in Goosnargh near Preston makes for an interesting read.

Spring is not far away now, and is probably the most interesting of all our seasons. It is a time when the natural world seems to shake off the cold and darkness of winter and new life literally springs forth. It is often referred to as ‘the child’ as it is the first, and youngest of the seasons, and a time of growth and development.

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Game of Thrones or War of the Roses?

Above: Cameron House Division, Whittingham Hospital Geograph-189600-by-Saul-Beeson

Inside we look at four reasons why your skin might be extra dry and sensitive this time of year - and what to do about it check the list and see if any apply to you, if so, we have a few products and diet advice that should be able to help fix the problem.

We take a look at Morecambe Bay. Stretching from the South West coast of Cumbria to Fleetwood in Lancashire.

Quite a few rivers drain into the bay and it is host to quite a selection of wildlife.

From the 16th Century there have been royally appointed ‘Queen’s guide to the sands’ to help people cross. From 1963 – 2019 the guide was Cedric Robinson MBE who was the 25th guide.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

What does your front door colour say about you? It seems most of the population of Lancashire took to doing some DIY in 2020. Colour Psychologist and therapist, Suzy Chiazzari explains how colour shows how we express ourselves and convey messages about our lifestyle, personality and view of life.

You might look at your front door a bit differently now.

So what is the secret ingredient in your British cuppa? Turns out it is something called ‘thearubigins’ – a polyphenol found only in black tea. Due to a recent study that argues thearubigins have powerful health benefits, and Brits have the largest intake in Europe, 50 times more that the intake in Spain. I wonder if a good dunked Hob Nob has a similar effect.

And as usual - our regulars. The towns this month are, Cartmell, Gt Eccleston and Ulverston. Deborah Hatswell has a couple of stories to tell about the ‘Hunger Hill Gorilla’. Nicola Parker has a more natural remedy for skin infections. Suri Krishnamma reviews the latest film releases for us, and as always, book reviews, fashion, food, and more, all in this March issue.

Hope you enjoy the magazine. www.lancmag.com

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Game of Thrones –

a tale of Lancastrian conflict?

Sorcery, dragons, ice walls, zombies... they don’t exactly bring images of our beautiful county to mind. However, beyond the fantasy and the drama that the incredibly popular Game of Thrones series had in abundance, there is apparently a very real basis to the story and it’s one which is rather close to home.

If you have been avoiding any kind of popular culture for the past ten years, you might be forgiven for questioning exactly what Game of Thrones is all about. For the rest of the population, it will be known all too well. Game of Thrones, or GoT as it is commonly abbreviated to, is a TV series which first aired in the United States in the spring of 2011. Labelled as a fantasy-drama, like so many other programmes it originated on the pages of a series of novels. This one in particular was founded upon ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’; five books by American novelist and screenwriter George R.R. Martin. It initially gained a cult following when it was released in TV format, but it wasn’t long before word got around this series which was unlike anything that preceded it. Gory, exciting, scary, sexual; the intrigue came from not only the atrocities and wanton morals it portrayed, but also the sheer diversity that was found within each precious episode.

There was an ever-present threat that ‘Winter is coming’ that was not to be taken lightly, after a

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By Lucy Bullough

summer ‘season’ which had lasted many years. It would jump from brothel to battlefield, royalty to witchcraft, the living to the undead and at the end of each installation, you’d be left wanting more.

What was not only evident but was central to the whole production, was the power struggle that raged through the kingdoms. Ultimately, the story was based around who was the rightful claimant of the Iron Throne, the seat which governed the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Spread over eight series, there are three clear plotlines and a total of nine families battling amongst each other.

The first is the civil war which sees the different ‘houses’ (Baratheon, Lannister and Stark) battle within Westeros itself, each fighting for their seat on the Iron Throne. The second shows the rise of Daenerys Targaryen, who comes as an outsider from Essos to challenge the incumbent ruler and the third focuses on the Night’s Watch who live in the north of Westeros, guarding ‘The Wall’ which keeps out the nefarious creatures which live beyond it.

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So far, so unlike anything we might have heard about our own history of Lancashire. However, when you dig a little deeper, parallels start to be seen with a certain major event known as The Wars of the Roses.

This was a series of grave and bloody battles, a civil war between the House of Lancaster, represented by a red rose, and the House of York, represented by a white rose. Hence the ‘wars of the roses’. It raged on for 30 years, from 1455 to 1485, and was essentially a battle for the throne of England.

There is some debate as to what started it in full but the dispute essentially came from the houses both believing that they had a right to the throne as they were both descendants of King Edward III. Add to this a ruling King (Henry VI) with mental health problems encouraging the challenger to launch a campaign, and anarchy reigned supreme.

Martin himself admits that Game of Thrones was inspired by the events of the Wars of the Roses that he learned about when reading the four-volume series about the history of the Plantagenets by Thomas B Costain. Martin has tried to emulate the juicy nature of this series by Costain and wanted to honour his fictional Targaryen family in the same way. So if it is indeed based in some fact, where exactly are the parallels between a mythical, fantastical story and one of the most challenging civil wars in British history? Well, almost everywhere it would seem. Here are a few of the key likenesses...

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Above: King’s Land Dubrovnik

Left: George R.R. Martin at the Primetime Emmy Awards Press Room at the Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, CA

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The Baratheon family Cersei Lannister, widow of King Robert Baratheon, is based on the wife of Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou.

Both utterly ruthless and beautiful, they were the real driving force of power behind their sovereign, but weak, husbands. Henry VI had come to power as an infant, after his father Henry V died. It was Henry V who retook power from Richard II in 1399 and before that, the story emulated the Baratheons even more. King Edward III died in 1377, and given his oldest son was already dead, his grandson (Richard II) succeeded him at just ten years old, trumping all three of Edward’s other sons. This caused a great deal of discontent, particularly in Edward’s third son, the head of the Lancaster family and his fourth son, of the York family and it was this discontent which ignited the flame of battle.

Robb Stark

Ned Stark

Robb is thought to be based on Edward IV, as they both withdrew consent for an arranged marriage, which undermined their family’s success. Alienation ensued and the power was overthrown, reinstating Henry VI again before it all switched back once more and Henry ended up imprisoned where he subsequently died.

Whilst Ned never appeared to want the throne for himself, he did pose a threat to Cersei as queen and it is this which parallels the feelings Margaret of Anjou had towards Richard of York. He had been Henry VI’s closest adviser (as had Ned been to King Robert Baratheon) and was still harbouring his desire to take the throne for himself. Ned lost his head thanks to the risk he posed whereas Richard found himself, somewhat more moderately, banished to Ireland.

Henry VI’s breakdown (the inspiration of the Mad King in the series) enabled Richard to become the protector of England but once his power was revoked, he launched an attack. Despite his death, it was ultimately a success as one of his sons became Edward IV and regularly defeated the Lancasters.

Joffrey The petulant, cruel, ill-tempered character of Joffrey is said to be based on the son of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, Edward of Westminster.

Edward’s parentage was in question, like Joffrey’s (it was intimated he was the son of his mother’s twin brother as a result of their incestuous relationship, rather than the son of her deceased husband, King Robert Baratheon), and apparently, Edward had a certain penchant for removing the heads of his adversaries akin to Joffrey’s brutality.

Daenerys Targaryen

Left: Marble statue of Marguerite of Anjou statue in Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France.

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Game of Thrones has several strong female characters, and arguably the strongest is Dany, or Khaleesi, as she is otherwise known. Her character is first seen in Essos, where she is married to Khal Drogo, the chieftain of a Dothraki khalasar.

Upon his death, she becomes the leader and heads to Westeros to reclaim the Iron Throne as she believes it is her birth right, and she had been living in exile. Whilst the gender may differ, Daenerys mimics Henry Tudor who came from across the English Channel (or the ‘Narrow Sea’?) to challenge Richard III’s reign. Henry Tudor was raised in exile and was a direct descendant of the first Duke of Lancaster so had to return from afar for the challenge too. In a further likeness, it seems as though Daenerys and Jon Snow will unite (he’s actually her nephew – but that’s another story!), bringing together two of the opposing houses, as happened when Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York, thus making him Henry VII. This united the previously warring houses of Lancaster and York, and effectively ended the last War of the Roses.

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Theon Greyjoy

The Wall

George Plantagenet, the 1st Duke of Clarence, was the brother of the Edward IV of York and when the Wars of the Roses broke out, he was firmly on the York side of the battles. Theon started the war of the Five Kings on the side of Robb Stark, with whom he had been raised as a ward of Robb’s father, and was even a trusted adviser to Robb. However, when Theon saw his own father, he turned and betrayed his former ally, Robb.

George did the same, betraying his brother and defecting to the Lancastrians, but they were reunited again later down the line. He was found drowned in a vat of wine, apparently for no reason but this was certainly preferable to some of the torture Theon was subjected to within the programme!

This inanimate object plays a crucial role in the film, more so than you would perhaps expect any wall to play. But this isn’t any wall, this is a wall made of solid ice, standing 700 feet tall, 300 feet thick and stretching right across Westeros’ northern border. Oh, and it’s there to stop an invasion of the White Walkers, an ancient race of formerly-human ice creatures. Now, whilst no one is suggesting that there needs to be this kind of barricade to stop the Scottish from descending south, there are obvious similarities between this wall and Hadrian’s Wall. Martin has admitted he got the idea for his wall when visiting that of Hadrian and the reality is that whilst it is only needed as a tourist attraction today, there was a real function for it historically.

Hadrian’s Wall was built to guard the most northerly frontier of the Roman Empire. At only 20 feet tall and 73 miles wide, it’s not really a patch on the one made of ice that only falls when an undead dragon breathes his fiery breath on it but still, the symbolism is there.

Roman Wall near Caw Gap, or Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site in the beautiful Northumberland National Park. Popular with walkers along the Hadrian’s Wall Path and Pennine Way.

Other influences found in Game of Thrones The Dothraki The Mongol Empire who existed across Asia and Europe in the 13th and 14th century were horse-loving nomads who were also no strangers to fighting for their territory. They roamed vast areas and seem, quite clearly, to be the inspiration for the Dothraki people with whom

Daenerys Targaryen was first associated in the series. But the Mongol Empire was not solely responsible for the modelling of the Dothraki; Martin admitted to taking inspiration from the Turks, Huns, Alans and also some Native American tribes too.

Below: Mongolian warrior statues in Mongolia, Asia.

where so much blood was spilled had there been any vampires in the show, they’d have been in a frenzy

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The Red Wedding One of the most iconic and horrifically brutal scenes of all the episodes was that of the Red Wedding, where so much blood was spilled had there been any vampires in the show, they’d have been in a frenzy. This devastating event, nay, massacre, sadly had its origins in reality too and is based around what is thought to be two historical events in Scotland. The Black Dinner in 1440 saw the Earl of Douglas beheaded at the tender age of 16, as well as his younger brother, whilst at this dinner with King James II who was just ten years old himself at the time.

There was a massacre a couple of centuries later too, the Massacre of Glencoe in 1691, when many of the MacDonald clan where murdered whilst asleep by soldiers showing loyalty to King William of Orange. The inspiration could even have come from as far away as Japan, where a tale tells the www.lancmag.com

story of political rivals being murdered at a feast hosted by Emperor Jimmu. In these cases, it seems real life can be even more barbaric than fiction.

So whilst not exactly an accurate account of the Wars of the Roses, and not anything students could use as revision material for history exams, there is certainly a real-world basis to some of the characters and key moments in Game of Thrones. If you’re one of the many millions of fans who have already watched the series’ in full, it might be quite easy to see the parallels. And if you struggle, you could always start it from scratch, just make sure you have a few hours to spare...

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Mad as a March hare

By Mark Bateman We’ve all heard the expression ‘mad as a March hare’, and if you’re really lucky you may have seen hares chasing each other madly in March or standing on their hind legs and boxing each other.

But just why do these normally calm, and timid creatures behave this way in March and what else can we learn about these fascinating mammals?

Above: Hares Boxing

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The hare, or ‘Jackrabbit’ as it is sometimes known is a member of the Leporidae family of rabbits and hares which includes over sixty different varieties and is found all across the world. Although in the same family as rabbits hares have longer ears and much longer and more powerful hind legs.

Hares are also unique amongst mammals for having a jointed skull known as a ‘kinetic skull’. This means there is a degree of movement between the skull bones (which are fused in all other mammals) especially between the skull and the upper jaw bones.

Another notable difference is that rabbits have been domesticated and, depending on where you are in the world they are often kept as pets or raised for food. In some countries, such as France hares are eaten in dishes such as ‘Jugged hare’ but the chef will have to catch the hare first.

In the United Kingdom the most common type of hare is the Brown hare which is thought to have been introduced to the country possibly during Roman times and is now a naturalised species. Hares prefer grassland habitats and the edge of woods where they graze on vegetation and the bark of young trees and shrubs.

They have adapted to many areas of the U.K. and now total as many as 700,000 individuals spread across East Anglia, the West Country, and Wales. In Scotland, the brown hare has given way to the mountain hare.

Above: Brown Hare

The male rabbit is known as a ‘Jack’ and the female as a ‘Jill’ and they live either solitarily or in pairs as opposed to in large numbers in an underground warren like rabbits. Hares live above ground and generally build a nest of ‘grass’ to live in known as a ‘form’.

Hares are admirably adapted to the dangers of living on the surface such as that faced from foxes. Firstly, their eyes are utterly amazing. Large and bulbous, they are mounted high on the sides of the hare’s head giving them almost 360-degree vision.

When they spot danger, they are well

camouflaged and tuck their ears right in and hunker themselves down low to the ground. It is only if a predator gets within a few metres that they will break cover and unleash those mighty legs. ‘Swift as a hare’ is a well- deserved expression. Although hares normally lollop around slowly, they are capable of running up to 45 miles per hour, in a zig zag pattern to evade predators.

Hares are prolific breeders and can raise 2-4 litters of young, known as leverets each year. They are born exposed and above ground, but they are what is known as ‘precocial’ which refers to a species that gives birth to relatively mature young. In the hare’s case this means they are born fully- furred with their eyes open and are able to fend for themselves from shortly after birth. This contrasts with rabbits whose young are born blind and shielded underground.

The breeding season lasts from February to September, but it is around March that we witness the strange behaviour that has led to the expression ‘mad as a March hare.’ It is then that these normally shy and timid creatures seem to lose their reserve and charge around after each other madly.

Above: Brown Hare

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It is also mainly in March that hares have been known to ‘box’. If you witness it this is not something you will ever forget. Two hares rise up on their back legs and strike at each other with their front paws. It used to be believed that these bouts were between males seeking breeding rights, but it is LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 15

Going back to the time of the ancient Greeks Aesop wrote the still well- known fable, ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’.

Above: Brown Hare

now known that the contest is usually between a male and a female and is the result of an over- amorous male trying it on with an unreceptive female!

The idea of the mad March hare has been around for centuries, but it seems to have been the mad March hare in Lewis Carroll’s 1865 book, ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ that popularised the phrase. This character was obsessed with not being late and getting up to mischief at the Mad Hatter’s tea party.

But in fact, hares have long featured in folklore and mythology. Going back to the time of the ancient Greeks Aesop wrote the still well- known fable, ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’. Although in this fable it is the Hare’s cocky belief in his swiftness that proves to be his undoing.

Below: Hares Boxing

In African folklore the hare is a tricky character, scornful of authority and survives on his wits and cunning. These tales were handed down orally through generations of slaves when they were taken to America. This rebellious figure became known as ‘Br’er Rabbit’ and was made popular in the 20th century folk tales of Joel Chandler Harris who wrote nine ‘Uncle Remus’ books featuring the exploits of ‘Br’er Rabbit.’

More recently in 1979 the author Kit Williams published his best seller ‘Masquerade’ which gave a series of clues leading treasure seekers to try to discover the whereabouts of a jewelled hare he had hidden in the English countryside.

But the hare has not always been seen as a light-hearted character. Irish folklore has long associated the hare with the Sidh (a type of fairy) and told tales of terrible consequences befalling anyone who harms a hare.

This is continued in popular 2019 novel ‘Starve Acre’ by Michael Andrew Hurley in which a grief-stricken couple, living on a farm, unearth the bones of a hare beneath an ancient hanging tree. Suffice to sat things do not go well for them.

So, the next time you’re lucky enough to spot one of these timid creatures lolloping through the grassland just remember to stop and take a longer look as there’s more to this fascinating creature than meets the eye.

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Take a leaf out of Veganuary The number of people following a vegan diet has risen in recent years and this month, many people are challenging themselves with ‘Veganuary’. A vegan diet contains only plant-based foods, such as grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

It is generally accepted that a vegan diet can offer benefits for the environment, animal welfare and your health.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip,

by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

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The benefits of the vegan diet for your heart depends on which foods you choose and what else you do with your lifestyle. People who cut animal foods out of their diets tend to benefit from more fruit, veg and fibre and less saturated fat, with favourable blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Why not try out some of our Vegan inspired Healthy Heart Tips: Try a new recipe You can find lots of tasty vegan recipes online, such as on the BBC website: www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/ vegan.

Look for reinforcements To make sure your body isn’t missing out on essential nutrients, a vegan diet needs to be wellplanned and you might need to top up on some vitamins. This time of year when sunlight exposure is limited, everyone in the UK should consider taking a vitamin D supplement. This is especially important if you’re cutting out animal products. You’ll also need to supplement on vitamin B12 as you can’t get this from plant-based foods. Check food labels for the word ‘fortified’- most vegan spreads, breakfast cereals and soya products have vitamin D, calcium and B12 added to them.

The Vegan Society provides information about good

Oil up Rapeseed oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts, green leafy vegetables and soya products contain omega-3 fat which, when swapped for foods high in saturated fat, like fatty meats and cheese, could help to protect your heart and arteries. To cut down on animal fats, why not try swapping minced beef in your recipes for lentils, beans or chickpeas.

nutrition for people following a vegan diet. Take a look at: www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutritionand-health/nutrients The vegan diet isn’t the be all and end all to good health, but taking a leaf out of the vegan way could set you off in the right direction when it comes to heart health. So why not give it a go, start with one meal a day or one day a week and see how you like it. www.lancmag.com

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 19

The Spring Garden

By Mark Bateman

Above: first spring flowers, snowdrops in the garden

N

ow that March and April are arriving it’s time to throw on a warm jacket and get back out into the garden. Even with the best will in the world most people leave their gardens to fend for themselves over winter but now it’s time to get those green fingers moving again.

March is widely seen as the first month of Spring and the garden will start to come alive. Bulbs such as Snowdrop and Daffodils will in flower bringing much needed colour to the garden.

March and April weather can be tricky as it tends to encompass a bit of everything from mild sunshine to cold rains, and even a hard frost so be prepared for anything. It is important for the garden, and our mental health, to make the most of any bright, dry days and get out into the garden. As an added bonus, on the 28th of March the clocks ‘Spring forward’ giving us an extra hour of daylight perfect to spend outside.

There is plenty to be done in the garden during the Spring months. It’s time to get back to taking care of the lawns again. Stay off the lawns if they

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are covered in frost first thing but on frost- free days it’s important to get out and rake up leaves.

Now is the time to start mowing the lawns again (not too close at first) as well as re-seeding any bare patches. By April it will hopefully be dry enough to give the lawns a weekly mow. It’s also time to neatly edge the lawns to re-establish that crisp dividing line between lawn and borders.

The borders will also now be crying out for some attention, gently prune back plants that have finished flowering and dead head Daffodils and winter Pansies before they can set seeds. Remove any weeds that have started to show their heads.

However, be very careful when pruning to make sure you don’t cut off what will be this year’s flowers. April is also the last chance to gently prune and shape rambling rose bushes. March is also the time to cut back the bright woody stalks of plants such as Cornus (Dogwood) to ensure the plants grow new shoots in Spring.

This is a great time to apply an organic mulch such as woodchip or fertiliser. This will add nutrients www.lancmag.com

back into the soil and provide a barrier which slows the growth of most weeds while still allowing bulbs that flower in the spring and summer to push through. It also neatens up the borders and makes them look much more presentable.

Any seedbeds or raised vegetable beds will need a good digging over to break up any clods, aerate the soil and prepare it for vegetable planting. If you’ve not already done so now is the time to dig in well- rotted manure, compost, or organic fertilisers. It is a good idea to do this every year to keep nutrient levels high. Make sure not to harm any worms you find in there and don’t leave them exposed where opportunistic robins and the like can get at them. Worms are your friends they will pull manure etc down into the soil and help break it down for you. So called ‘Green manures’ such as clover have also become quite popular. These need planting in late summer and early autumn then the plants are simply dug back into the soil at this time of year to return more nutrients to the soil.

It is a good time to start on sowing veg which can be kept in a warm greenhouse or heated propagators to start them off. Sow lettuce, cabbage, globe artichokes and cauliflower in inside trays before planting them out later. In April sow sweetcorn, marrows, pumpkins, and squashes. These can be started inside to plant out at the end of June. It seems ruthless but as seedlings come up (flowers and veg it’s important to thin them out either by removing (pricking out) stronger seedlings into their own pots or remove and discard smaller, weak seedlings.

This is to ensure the stronger seedlings flourish.

Once your seed beds are prepared then early salad veg such as radish, salad onions, peas, as well as spinach, cabbage and turnip can be sowed directly outside. Plant in rows with sufficient gaps to hoe any weeds in between them. It’s also a good technique

Above: Nesting Blue Tits

Worms are your friends they will pull manure etc down into the soil and help break it down for you.

to sow in short lines and in ten- day gaps to ensure a rolling succession of delicious veg. It’s important to closely follow the growing guides on the seed packs to ensure maximum growth and success.

Open seed packs containing any unused seeds will need to be stored carefully. Packs should be carefully sealed and kept somewhere, cool, dry, and dark, in the fridge is a great place, or in a metal tin in a cold shed.

When your seedlings are growing it’s important to ‘harden off’ any veg plants before they are planted outside. This involves putting them outside during the day (in trays) and moving them back inside at night. This gets them used to colder temperatures so that it will not be a shock to them when they are eventually planted outside.

If it wasn’t on your winter jobs list, then March or April is the time to give any greenhouses and sheds a really good clean and scrub down. Clean windows will mean more light getting through to help grow healthier plants. Clean surfaces inside will also deter pests and bugs. If you have a large, or several greenhouses to clean it may be worth investing in a power washer as these make easy work of cleaning outside. As we move into warmer April days it’s a good idea to ventilate your greenhouse and if it particularly warm ‘dampen it off’ by pouring water onto the floor and the wooden surfaces. This keeps a damp atmosphere encouraging plant growth and deterring pests.

Now is also the time to put any nest boxes back out that you’ve taken in and cleaned over winter. It’s important to take them down and clean them out late each year as you can remove any old nesting materials along with mites and bugs which feed on eggs and young chicks.

Birds need time to become used to nest boxes before they will build a nest in them, so March is the best month to put them back out.

Above: Daffodils

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That’s just a few ideas to spark your enthusiasm and get you started on March and April, have a look at websites such as the Royal horticultural society (www.rhs.org.uk) for more complete jobs lists. Get out into the garden, get busy, get muddy and most of all, enjoy yourself!

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Planning Application – Leverhulme Estates APP/20/01665, Care Village Thornton Hough Leverhulme Estates has submitted an amended application to Wirral Council, following our successful campaign to have a previous one refused in 2019.

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s a community we find ourselves once again trying to ensure we do not see another area of special landscape value, a conservation area and greenbelt turned into yet another building site.

Background

This time the application is for a reduced development although the total site area indicated is exactly the same as previously, presumably leaving room for additional applications should this be successful.

The last application had a majority of land used for residential units making a closed care village with a care home and various facilities connected.

This time the application is for the care home, dementia care unit and other facilities. Such facilities are already approved on the Wirral Waters development.

The site is Hill Top Farm, right next door to the Primary School (which is graded OFSTED outstanding), sited on the brow of the hill, on the right, as you enter the village close to the Seven Stars pub and busy crossroads. As you approach the village this development would be the first thing you would see clearly effecting the openness of the green belt and of the conservation area.

We all appreciate that business is business, our community has many farms, liveries and a number of hospitality venues all of which have applied for expansion or development over the years and a majority have been fully supported by the community. In this case, it is not expansion or diversification it is a complete redevelopment of a site that is fully active and operative with a number of tenants. None of the buildings are in danger or disused, the field is used for crops. This location has been chosen purely to make the developed units or care rooms more expensive to sell.

Leverhulme Estates owns a huge amount of land on Wirral in many communities, some of whom would actually benefit from a development such as this.

If planning permission were to be granted this development would potentially increase the population of the heart of the village by at least 36% bringing with it associated difficulties to infrastructure.

Thornton Hough Community Trust Ltd is a charity established in 1999 just prior to the death of the last Lord Leverhulme , it was created in conjunction with his Lordship to preserve and enhance his legacy of the model village of Thornton Hough. The Trust now finds itself embarking on protecting that legacy with more and more developments encroaching into the heart of the village.

Recently a housing development was approved for eight luxurious, but out of character, houses to be built. This was approved by the planning committee without a site visit, they stated the openness of the green belt would not be affected.

Now they are built they can be seen from all aspects of the village and fields beyond affecting the openness for ever.

As a nation we should be looking to protect our beautiful countryside for all to use, ensuring only sympathetic and necessary projects are approved especially while there are brown field sites needing development.

For further information please contact Geoff Dale, Chairman Geoff@thctrust.co.uk

The closing date for comments is the 29th January.

Please see our website for developments thctrust.co.uk

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Cartmell

By Lucy Bullough

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hen thinking of Cumbria, thoughts of the Lake District immediately spring to mind with the area well-known for its natural beauty, quaint villages, charming enclaves and a pace of life which encourages relaxation and mental well-being. There are towns big and small dotted all across the region, each with something a little different to offer. For the most part, many of them are centred around the walking-lifestyle, being located right near large lakes or at the foot of steep mountains, in the Lake District National Park itself. But then there are some delightful anomalies which don’t quite fit the usual Lakeland bill.

They are unusual, some sitting just outside of the National Park, but most of all, they are completely unique and that’s where the real attraction lies.

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Take, for instance, Cartmel. Famous for a variety of things, none of which you might ordinarily associate with Cumbria or the Lakes. Horse racing, the finest of dining and not a lake in sight, you’ll instantly feel a whole other vibe when you choose this beautiful village as one of the places to see on your travels. Situated at the very bottom of Cumbria, very much in the South Lakeland and not in the actual Lake District National Park itself, if you’re heading north up the M6, you certainly won’t have to journey all that far. It is within easy reach of many other stunning towns and attractions so you don’t have to make it the only location you visit either. Grange-over-Sands, Haverthwaite and Newby Bridge are all very close and you needn’t travel particularly far to get right into the heart of the Lake District or to any of the much larger and better-known places which attract visitors.

Above & right: Cartmel Priory

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But there is something to be said for staying in the south of the region. Firstly, you’ll avoid the huge crowds which descend whenever the opportunity presents itself. Secondly, you’ll see a different side to this beautiful part of the world and will have a slightly different tale to tell of your trip. So keep reading and you’ll soon see why you should add picturesque Cartmel to your holiday (or day trip) hit list.

The Priory and a Mediaeval marvel Standing proud in the village, Cartmel Priory is one of the most famous sights to see when you pay a visit here. This ancient building has been a place of worship for Christians for 800 years, dating it back to the Mediaeval times having been built between 1190 and 1220 by Augustinian canons. But the story of Cartmel long precedes the addition of the www.lancmag.com

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Priory. In fact, the first references to it are made in 677AD when the area (and its residence) was gifted to St Cuthbert after King Ecgfrith of Northumbria conquered it. The Priory was founded and the land was owned by Lindisfarne monks until it was passed on to William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke,

by King Henry II. Divine worship was encouraged throughout the region after it was canonised and this tranquillity was to continue for many years.

It was much later in 1316 and 1322 when Scottish raids were to upset the village, with damage and disruption rife. This came after the Scots were actually defeated in Carlisle in 1315, but the further raids were highly lucrative for them as English locals paid them to avoid attack. The raids continued until 1322 when Cartmel was struck again, peace only being confirmed when Scottish independence was declared in 1328.

More upset came two centuries later during the Northern Rebellion of 1537, where English Roman Catholics in Cumberland and Westmorland rebelled against King Henry VIII and the English Parliament. Sadly, this rebellion saw cannons and laymen alike executed for treason in the area. A large portion of the monastery’s buildings was destroyed but the gatehouse, built in 1330, survived and it took a petition from the villagers to stop the king destroying the Priory in its entirety. The problems caused the Duchy of Lancaster to take over the Lordship of Cartmel, with it being overseen by the Bishop of Chester.

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The history of horse racing in the area is not fully known but it is likely it dates as far back the 16th century when monks raced mules for pleasure

Over the years, more changes took place at the Priory with the roof being replaced in 1630, destruction of the organ in 1643 when Cromwell and his men camped there and a new vestry was built in 1667. It fell once again into a poor state from 1827 due to a simple lack of attention but today, it is in good order thanks to ongoing restoration projects which maintain it.

If you decide to visit Cartmel, you can now see the Priory in all its glory and there are even occasional events held, such as a festival marking the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta which took place in 2015. It has beautiful stained-glass windows, mass arches of the nave, fine Renaissance screens, modern sculptures and it still also has the ancient choir stalls for you to see. Although most of the other buildings are gone thanks to the Dissolution of Monasteries, the main church remains as it is still the parish church.

The Priory Gatehouse is now a Grade II listed building and heritage centre where visitors can see the history of the monastery and the wider village itself, well worth a trip if you are in the area.

Below: Cartmel Racecourse

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A picture-perfect setting Below: The Labyrinth, Holker Hall country house near Cartmel

Cartmel is perhaps one of the quaintest villages in the area, with unique shops and pubs surrounding the central square. Narrow streets wind away from the centre and you can wander them to take a closer look at yet more ancient buildings which can be found there. Trees overhang the River Eea, along whose banks you can stroll to soak up the peace which permeates every part of this haven from daily life. As you enter the centre of the village, you’ll see a market cross and fish slabs, evidence (if you needed any) as to the long history of trade in the area. Of course, trade still plays an important role in daily life here which is how the village supports its local retailers.

The great outdoors (and indoors too!)

As you head out of the village centre, you’ll happen upon the very famous racecourse, as it’s just a few steps away. There are certain key events throughout the year which draw those with a love of horses, as well as those with a love of a great day out, and include the steeple chase meetings held at the spring and summer bank holidays. The history of horse racing in the area is not fully known but it is likely it dates as far back the 16th century when monks raced mules for pleasure. The official records state that the more modern horse racing as we know it today started in 1856 and now as many as 20,000 people head to the village for the various meets. The racecourse itself is owned by the Cavendish family, the most prominent in the area, who also own Holker Hall and some 18,000 acres of surrounding lands within the Cartmel Peninsula. The racecourse itself is one of the most picturesque on the horse racing circuit, befitting this beautiful hamlet.

Racing is not the only activity worth heading to Cartmel for, indeed there are a variety of other events and so on to take part in. The racecourse isn’t used exclusively for horse meets, it is also used for music concerts, festivals and more. Holker Hall is host to the Holker Garden Festival on Spring Bank Holiday too where you can wander the grounds of this property dating back 400 years. Still exclusively owned by Lord and Lady Cavendish, the house has

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beautiful antiques and art and parts of it are open to the public as well as its grounds. A fire devasted the home in 1871 so take a moment to spot the Victorian stylings of the restorative work. See the ornate dining room, elegant drawing room and library, and even see where Queen Mary slept during her visit of 1937. Keep an eye out for the other events hosted here so you can plan your visit around what’s on.

Below: Sunken Garden, Holker Hall country house near Cartmel

If you’re looking to see a little of the surrounding area of Cartmel but don’t fancy walking for miles, why not see it a different way with a Segway tour?

Situated right in the heart of Cartmel, there is a little training ground for you to become acquainted with your chariot – it’s easier than you might think. You’ll soar safely around this stunning part of the world and take in more of it than you might otherwise do on these guided adventures where explanations of what you’re seeing will be given along the way. It’s a fun day out for all the family and certainly a novel way to see the stunning countryside around this pretty village.

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Gastronomic excellence An ancient Priory, cobbled streets, excellent pubs, racing events, stunning countryside and a beautiful stately home are certainly reason enough to visit Cartmel. However, something that absolutely should be a key focus of any trip here is the gastronomic excellence that abounds.

There are several establishments offering exquisite fare to tempt you as well as a sweet treat you simply must indulge in. From Michelin stars to the ultimate comfort food, eating out here is an experience for all. The options include: L’Enclume – opened in 2002 by Simon Rogan, L’Enclume boasts not one, but two Michelin stars. Rogan loves the area and maximises the local produce in his menus with a seasonallychanging farm-to-table philosophy, benefitted by the finds of the in-house forager. Choose from an à la carte or a more indulgent tasting menu to really see the quality and skill on offer or even dine in the development kitchen, Aulis.

Above: L’Enclume Cartmel - Geograph5102688-by-BillBoaden

Rogan & Co – Rogan’s empire continues into his slightly less formal, bistro-style restaurant, perfect for dining à deux or perhaps with family.

The plates on offer here are refined yet with more body; they aren’t the same haute cuisine, heartier, whilst still being absolutely delicious.

Cartmel Village Shop – quaint, some might even say tiny, this delightful shop and café is the home of the infamous Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding so where better to try it? It’s the perfect dessert or even

Below: Cartmel sticky toffee pudding shop

afternoon snack to warm your soul after exploring the beauty of the area. Cartmel STP is sweet yet doesn’t feel heavy or stodgy, it’s light yet indulgent and is perfect served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

The Pig and Whistle – arguably the best pub in the area, you’ll also find this place in the heart of Cartmel. Again focused on locally sourced produce with an ever-changing menu, you can complement your meal with a real ale, craft beer, wine or spirit in front of a cosy log fire in winter or in the beer garden when the sun shines.

But these establishments are not the only way of enjoying some delectable delights in Cartmel. Head to Unsworth’s Yard and you’ll see artisan producers of food and drink selling their wares, including Cartmel Cheeses. Enjoy a glass of something at Hot Below: A selection of three different cheeses on a platter in Cartmel at the cheese shop garden

Wines or watch cask beers brewed at Unsworth’s Yard Brewery before tasting a sample. Alternatively, you can stock up for home in one of the farm shops or local butchers. For such a small place, it makes for a very tasty visit however you look at it!

Cartmel is one of those gems that is widely-known about, often mentioned but remains sitting on the list of places to visit by potential day trippers.

However, with so much here, there should be nothing left to hold you back. Head to this village and make the most of everything it has to offer and you most certainly won’t be disappointed.

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Services Archaeology and Heritage Association

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ervices Archaeology and Heritage Association (Part of We Dig Heritage) was formed in 2016 based on work done in London Schools by Diarmaid Walshe who used heritage-based projects to address various social issues within the school population.

Above: Participants sorting finds from an excavation

It was seen in this initial project working with young people suffering from emotional and behavioral issues which had resulted in excluded from mainstream schooling, that taking part in interesting activities helped address some of the underlining issues. The process focused on outdoor activities mapped on to the national curriculum dealing as well as supporting core skills like problem solving, working with others and developing appropriate social skills It improved social interaction, communication skills, group cohesion and helped rebuild selfesteem, all core factors in their exclusion.

SAHA was set up to take this process and use it to focus on a group that has similar social 30

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Right: Participants drawing the wall of a Roman building

economic and social connections with this group of young people. This group was individuals from a veteran’s and an emergency services background.

Most military veterans come from areas of social deprivation, have low educational attainment, and many join as under 18 year old with little life experience which does not equip the with both the soft and hard skills when they leave service.

When some individuals leave service, they struggle to readjust to civilian life and this can result in both social and medical issues that hinder their integration back into society.

When we think of veterans, we are inclined to consider issues of PTSD, mental health and combat related injuries as the main issues affecting this population. However, this could not be further from the truth. The rate of metal health issues is lower than the civilian population and the main issues we have found are substance abuse, depression, social anxiety and issues connected with isolation. www.lancmag.com

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The main affected subgroup is not individuals from the era of Afghanistan or Iraq but the over 55 population or early service leavers (under 4 years of service) who make up over 91% of veterans who present requiring support.

The site of Hampole in Doncaster is one we that we run exclusive under our control for the past 3 years (2 of which was in partnership with Solider On). This is a community-led project with the focus on Hampole Priory, which is believed to be one of the earliest monastic communities in the Yorkshire (c 12th century) and one of the few that was set up for nuns in the medieval era. While little remains above ground, the site can still be traced in the remains of stones in nearby buildings, and the substantial remains still preserved under the village. The projects bring specialists and the local community together to explore and protect this valuable national site, created opportunities for people to be directly involved and to learn more about their heritage as well as the many ways it can be better protected and shared. Large amounts of pottery, animal bones, building material and metal artifacts were uncovered during the excavations including a 16th century sliver Jetton. With over 20 people day on site each day from a variety of social backgrounds per day, it created a strong community spirit, teamwork and friendship groups that have endured once the project ended for the year. The project proved so successful that we have now secured substantial funding to continues the project for the next 3 years.

One of our new partnerships is with Petuaria Revisited which is a community led project based in Brough on Humber working with the University of Hull in the exploration of the Roman town of Peturna which dates to the Roman era and dates to the late 1st to the mid-5th century AD. The opportunities on site are varied from showing the public around the site, taking part in the actual excavations, sorting the artifacts and helping to carry out the Geo Physis to enable the project to see what may be preserved under the grass of the site. The wealth of artifact uncovered was stunning and our participants were both engaged and invigorated, not just with the archaeology but how welcoming everyone was. One of our participants social worker stated in a post project report that the effect on the individual was startling and because of the progress made they were now going to put him forward for a substance abuse course, that previously they did not believe the individual would have engaged successfully with.

We as an organisation were proud to help support this ground breaking community project and to help the Petuaria Revisited use the project to assist community cohesion, signpost individuals that required help and support in addition to helping 32

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Above: excavating a Roman building

measure the benefit that heritage projects can bring to local communities. We hope to continue with this partnership next year with a particular focus on measuring the benefits that projects can bring to disadvantaged and marginal groups who normally do not get the chance to engage with heritage.

We mention this research because as time goes on we believe as an organisation that outcome transparency and independent validation will become increasingly important to demonstrated that our type of projects bring benefit, does not cause harm and provides good value for money.

In this area we are prescient and ahead of the game in getting independent research to validate our approach. In practical terms our unique working model is seen to bring benefit to individuals and groups that in the past have been neglected. Its gratifying that our approach is looked upon as best practice in this area. While this acknowledgement is truly gratifying the real reward is the growing evidence that our approach brings real benefits to our participants.

It is only because of our amazing staff, volunteers and participants that we have been able to achieve this success.

One of our new approaches is to ensure all our projects are at minimum, carbon neutral or www.lancmag.com

where possible carbon negative. To achieve that target we encourage all our participants to travel by public transport, to car share or cycle to site.

Where possible, we buy from local producers for ingredients for our meals, so reducing packaging and the carbon caused by its transport. We also provide two meat free menu days a week to meet targets to reduce meat consumption. In addition, we get participant to assist in the preparation of meals so teaching our participants basic cooking skills. We employ a full recycling process during the projects and plant trees to offset the carbon footprint generated by our project.

The feedback from participants is nearly always positive with lasting friendship groups been formed. Mike who has taken part in 2 projects said “I was a bit skeptical taking part, but my partner forced me to take part as I had become reclusive suffering from social anxiety. However, any fears I had disappeared by the end of the first day and I felt part of a team. Having my dog with me helped and she became the focus of attention and helped me make friends quickly�.

While COVID has prevent us from running or normal program of projects we expect to run four projects next year, Hampole near Doncaster, Chester, Bridlington and continuing to assist with www.lancmag.com

Petuaria Revisited at Brough on Humber If people would be interested to taking part they can contact us by email at admin@wdhuk.com or on our Facebook pages We Dig Heritage or Services Archaeology and Heritage Association.

Above: Participants carrying out a Ground Penetrating Radar survey

Left: The amount and type of finds we have to deal with

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Blackpool Zoo reflects on an extraordinary year A

s the sun sets on a challenging 2020 the staff and keepers at Blackpool Zoo are reflecting on the positives and looking forward to a brighter 2021.

The year started just like any other with the annual animal head count and planning for events, school visits and everything else for an action-packed 12 months.

raging while her mum was giving birth to her.

As news of Covid-19 intensified in March, it soon became clear that the nation would be entering an unprecedented time and staff watched, along with the rest of the UK as the Prime Minister announced the first national lockdown.

In January massive wild fires devastated Australia and the wildlife casualties were enormous, so the zoo launched a fundraising campaign to send money to the hardest hit areas.

A raffle of ‘money can’t buy’ prizes as well as the proceeds of the Rainbow Landings Lorikeet feeding activities on Australia day raised more than £3500.

February marked the arrival of a beautiful Bactrian camel calf, who was named Ciara after the storm that was

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Catering, office, education and customer service staff left the zoo with heavy hearts on furlough while keepers kept on keeping to take care of more than 1000 animals and a small team of management, maintenance, grounds and cleaning staff remained to plan for when the doors could open again.

Apart from the absence of visitors, life went on as normal for the animals.

Keepers shared pictures of life in a closed zoo on social media for all to see and everyone was able to keep up to date with what their favourite animals had been getting up to.

Spring is birthing season, pandemic or not, and lots of cute newbies made their entrance into the world during lockdown.

Top: Bactrian Camel Left: Sitatunga

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Visitors were required to follow social distancing guidelines, onsite signage and make regular use of the additional hand sanitation points. A new Visitor Services Hub and Visitor Services Team was set up to help with queries and questions and there was enhanced and increased cleaning and disinfecting of all areas.

Above: Capybara

First up, an adorable porcupette arrived on a sunny April morning and, as the weather warmed up the zoo’s youngest elephant, Esha, enjoyed daily showers and playtime. Yet, during the Easter weekend, when the zoo should be teeming with happy families celebrating the school holidays, the gates remained locked.

The sun seemed to shine for the whole of May and while the trees and flowers were at their best, the zoo welcomed some young capybara to its group. The zoo is usually only closed on Christmas Day so seeing it empty during the lovely Spring weather was a first for keepers.

Toilets were open and manned by attendants to manage numbers within the facilities. Short podcasts replaced the suspended daily talks, feeds and displays.

The summer that followed looked very different to years gone by, but people still enjoyed spending time at the zoo and catching up with their favourite animals.

New babies including Red titi monkeys, rhea chicks, a sitatunga and the zoo’s first ever parent reared Caribbean flamingo all made their debuts during July and August and as summer faded to autumn people continued to flock to the zoo and enjoy the great outdoors.

October saw the one-year anniversary of Emmet the elephant’s

The ingenious idea infused the historic site’s past and present to produce a spine-tingling tale of a missing pilot. A plane, donated by Blackpool Airport, was the stunning centre piece.

Sadly, as another national lockdown was announced the gates closed once again, with staff taking on the same stoic attitudes of keeping calm and carrying on.

When the zoo reopened again, all indoor animal houses were closed and cafés remained takeaway only to comply with the Tier 3 restrictions.

However, visitors have put their wellies on, dug out their woollies, wrapped up warm and enjoyed plenty of fresh air as they explore the zoo.

With Christmas upon us, it remains business as usual for keepers as they work 365 days a year feeding, cleaning out and caring for more than 1000 residents.

That includes giving them suitable festive treats including mash potato snowmen and Christmas trees for the primates, carrots and hay for the reindeer, donkeys and other herbivores and meaty treats for the carnivorous creatures.

June saw the arrival of another, not so little, bundle of joy – a baby giant anteater alongside the welcome news from a delighted keeping team that the elephant herd was fully integrated!

As the country slowly started to unlock, the news came that zoos could finally welcome people back - the staff then put the final details in place to make it Covid-19 Secure.

arrival at Blackpool Zoo and as the school holidays once again approached staff devised two spooktacular ‘socially distanced’ trails that captured the imagination of people of all ages!

Darren Webster, Director at Blackpool Zoo, said: “It has been an incredibly difficult year for people across the world and I am hugely proud of the entire team here at Blackpool Zoo.

Above: Porcupette

All the pictures show some of the new babies that arrived in 2020

“Their attitude throughout the pandemic has been exemplary and while it was sad not seeing visitors, they supported each other throughout the year.

“As 2020 draws to a close, we are feeling positive that 2021 will be different and that normality will start to return.

Above: Rhea chick

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Above: Red titi monkey

“In the meantime, we would all like to thank everyone that has visited us this year, it’s been great to welcome you back once again and we hope that you enjoy your time at the zoo in the coming weeks.”

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The Hidden Health Benefits of not drinking for a month Not drinking for a month is a popular way to embark on a new year health kick – but did you know that alcohol is linked to more than 60 health conditions… and the wellbeing benefits of a month without it go much further than you may think?

“Heavy drinking could affect absorption of vitamins, leading to a vitamin deficiency which could in turn affect your eyesight.

“While the above symptoms are usually associated with regular heavy drinking over a long period of time, it’s still important to keep an eye on your alcohol intake and what effect it might be having on your body.

Dry January can give you an opportunity to reset your health, including the health of your eyes.

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o with another national lockdown now in place – instead of following the previous trend where alcohol consumption rocketed – it’s maybe time to really review the benefits of staying off the booze.

Research by The Royal Free Hospital, showed that a month off alcohol could achieve the following health benefits: Lower blood pressure Reduced risk of developing diabetes Lower cholesterol Reduced levels of cancer-related proteins in the blood But excessive amounts of alcohol can also affect a number of body parts - beyond our liver health, weight gain, cholesterol and blood pressure – including our eyesight, both in the

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short and long-term.

Dr Andy Hepworth from the UK’s leading corrective optical lens manufacturer Essilor. co.uk, explains some of the more unknown health implications of excess alcohol: “When you drink, your reactions naturally slow down and reflexes become slower. This affects your pupils too, making it more difficult to distinguish between objects based on lightness and darkness.

You will also experience blurry vision, because alcohol can cause a delay between the

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“When you drink, your reactions naturally slow down and reflexes become slower brain and the eyes.

“While symptoms like the above will usually disappear once you stop drinking, there are some more detrimental consequences to your eye health if you drink excessively in the longterm. In some cases, overconsumption can also be a contributing factor to increased cataract formation.

“By reducing your alcohol intake, you may reduce blood pressure which is great for reducing your risk of a heart attack, but can also reduce your risk of hypertensive retinopathy; a condition that damages the blood vessels in your eye.

Alcohol is a diuretic which means it can make you dehydrated. In some cases, dehydration can lead to dry eye syndrome.

“Giving up alcohol, if only for a month, can also have a positive impact on your sleep, your waistline and your wallet. It could change your drinking habits, even when the 31 days are over.”

For more information please visit www.essilor.co.uk www.lancmag.com

Hall, Park and Gardens

OPENS SPRING 2021

RAINBOWS, ANGELS, & SUNRISES...

Join us for this beautiful exhibition of Evelyn De Morgan’s paintings looking beyond crisis towards brighter days ahead FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK YOUR VISIT: www.towneley.org.uk

Towneley Hall Museum, Towneley Park, Burnley BB11 3RQ

Awards ‘best of’ five star status to Liverpool homes TWO of Redrow’s Liverpool properties - including a show home in Allerton – have been given top honours at the 2020 UK Property Awards.

Highgrove kitchen area at Allerton Gardens

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edrow scooped nine awards in total at the virtual ceremony, including the top five star awards for The Highgrove show home at Allerton Gardens, which was named Best Residential Interior Show Home in the North West; and The Heyworth at the now completed Regency Manor, in West Derby, which won the Best Residential Property in Merseyside.

Alysha Alli, who led the team that designed the showstopping five-bedroom Highgrove show home at Allerton Gardens, said: “We knew we had to design something particularly special when it came to the Highgrove show home. It is a super-spacious family home so we wanted to maximise on this space and highlight some of its most desirable features.

“We incorporated opulent wallpapers, bespoke abstract artwork, a blend of sumptuous textures and fabrics, plus statement pendant lighting, to ensure the Highgrove oozes luxury and sets the scene for the lifestyle on offer at this sought-after development. It’s fantastic that its interior design has now been named the best in whole of the North West.”

Highgrove show home main bedroom

The Heyworth at Regency Manor, West Derby, is a threebedroom property that’s one-third of Fremont House, a Grade II listed building conversion that sits on part of the 38

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Highgrove show home at Allerton Gardens site of the former Holly Lodge Girls’ College. Originally built around 1830 the historic property has been returned to its former glory. Its period features have been blended seamlessly with modern features to provide a home that’s now been recognised as the best in Merseyside.

James Holmear, Redrow’s group sales director, said: “What a great way to end the year, to find out we have been awarded the top status on two of our homes in Liverpool.

“The Highgrove show home is a window into the lifestyle that Allerton Gardens provides for residents. It shows off the full potential of this particular house design and promotes specification choices and optional extras available in all of the homes.

“It is a truly exceptional home and our interior design team has successfully created the impression of a genuine and aspirational family home while also making potential purchasers relate to and / or aspire to the lifestyle that’s been displayed.”

The UK Property Awards are judged by an independent panel of over 80 industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability. The judging panel is chaired

by Lord Caithness, Lord Best and Lord Waverley, members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament. www.lancmag.com

The Awards are in their 27th year and cover over 45 different residential and commercial categories. Regional heats are staged for the UK as well as Arabia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Central & South America, the Caribbean, USA, and Asia Pacific.

Allerton Gardens, in one of the most sought-after areas of South Liverpool, combines two neighbouring outlets, Allerton Gardens itself and The Groves.

Allerton Gardens features the largest and most luxurious four and five-bedroom homes, with current prices from £846,000 for a five-bedroom, three-bathroom Blenheim.

The Groves has three and four-bedroom detached homes that currently start from £460,995 for an Oxford Lifestyle, which features three larger than average bedrooms, each one with its own en-suite.

All photo’s show Redrow’s Highgrove show home at Allerton Gardens, a 5-star winner at the UK Property Awards Visit www.redrow.co.uk/allerton or www.redrow.co.uk/thegroves for more information.

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Nature reserves to benefit visitors during lockdown Nature has been essential in helping us to cope with the lockdowns and restrictions caused by the Coronavirus.

Brockholes in the snow by Alan Wright

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nd the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside will work to keep its nature reserves open to provide a natural escape route from the lockdown.

Campaigns Manager Alan Wright said: “Nature is an essential service for the wellbeing of millions of people. It is critical that we continue to deliver essential conservation work and we also feel it is essential to keep our reserves as accessible as possible for the local communities in which they sit.

“This won’t be an easy task, as we have seen many of our vital fundraising activities put on pause due to the restrictions, meaning we have a real uphill battle to fund the opening of these reserves.

“Our work must continue because we need to restore

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Greylag goose at Lunt Meadows by Alan Wright

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Brockholes in the snow by Alan Wright

fantastic habitats for plants and creatures in time for spring and summer. And, hopefully, that spring wildlife will raise spirits among our visitors during this difficult time.

“I definitely think we were able to cope with the lockdown better last year when the weather was better and birds were singing their hearts out.”

Brockholes car park will be open seven days a week between 6am-7pm. Toilets and takeaway catering will be available Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Mere Sands Wood will open its car park every day, with toilets available in the Visitor Centre or the classroom all week between 10am-3pm. There will be takeaway catering on Saturday and Sundays from 10am-3pm.

In Merseyside, Lunt Meadows will open its car park between

Meadow pipits and other birds have raised our spirits

by Dave Steel

Mere Sands Wood

by Tom McKibbin

9.30am and 4.30pm. The restricted Seaforth reserve is closed during lockdown.

Alan said: “While region has been in various stages of lockdown it has been heartening to see many local people using our reserves. We have been able to speak to them – at a safe distance – and they have told us about some of the wonderful things they have seen.

“We would ask that people stay within the guidelines when visiting our reserves, by staying local and within their household or support bubble.

“It would be great if our members and friends continued to keep in touch with us on social media so we know they are doing well along with the wildlife.”

Anyone thinking about visiting a reserve can find their local reserve on the Wildlife Trust’s websites www.lancswt. org.uk or www.brockholes.org or on its social media pages.

Openings may change, so it is best to check before visiting.

Opening reserves and keeping in touch with nature lovers means Wildlife Trust staff have continued to work through the lockdown.

Alan said: “We would like to thank all of our members and supporters who have stood by our side throughout the pandemic.”

If you want to help the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside to provide wonderful homes for nature, you can support them at www.lancswt.org.uk/support-us.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers.

To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129. For more information about Cheshire Wildlife Trust call 01948 820728 or go to cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk.

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From left to right: Lauren Townson, Lyndsey Kiley & Amanda Long.

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arsden Rawsthorn Solicitors have decades of experience and historic roots within the local community. We have a well-established team of highly qualified and skilled solicitors with a firstclass reputation and offer a wide range of services in most areas of law.

The Family Team in particular are sensitive to the difficult circumstances you may face. We recognise your needs are unique and our aim is to achieve the very best conclusion for you. We will first and foremost try to ensure communication is open and easy between you and your former partner, however if this is simply not possible, we understand and are happy to take the responsibility and stress over for you.

Our focus is on finding the best outcome to help you move forward.

Here the Team seek to answer your questions.

Frequently Asked Questions -Child Arrangements Order What is a Child Arrangements Order?

A Child Arrangements Order is an Order of the Court which regulates who a child is to live with and the amount of time the child is to spend with the non-resident parent.

Who can apply for a Child Arrangements Order?

Child Arrangements Orders are most commonly applied for by a child’s parent if there is a dispute as to the arrangements in respect of the child. In some exceptional circumstances, a grandparent, stepparent or other party can apply for a Child Arrangements Order; however, they may need permission of the Court to do so.

Do I have to apply for a Child Arrangements Order?

If following the breakdown of your relationship you and your former partner are able to reach agreement for the arrangements in relation to your child, then it may not be necessary for you to apply for a Child Arrangements Order as you and your partner are simply able to put into practice the arrangements as agreed.

However, if there is a dispute as to what the arrangements should be, it is likely a Court application commencing Children Act Proceedings will be required.

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What should I do if my former partner and I are in dispute as to the arrangements for our child?

If you and your former partner are in dispute as to the arrangements for your child, it is advisable for you to seek legal advice and explore your options with a specialist family lawyer. There are a number of options available in order to try and resolve the dispute including:1. Engaging in correspondence with your former partner with a view to negotiating and reaching an amiable agreement; 2. Referring the matter to Mediation whereby an independent, expert Mediator can assist you and your former partner in trying to resolve the matter; or 3. If correspondence and/or Mediation are not successful, there will be little option other than to commence Children Act Proceedings and seek the intervention of the Court.

Is it necessary to refer the dispute to Mediation?

commencing Court Proceedings. There are certain situations however whereby you may be exempt from referring the matter to Mediation, for example, if you have been the victim of domestic abuse and your former partner (the child’s other parent) is the perpetrator.

If I commence Children Act Proceedings, what will the Court take into account?

The child’s welfare and their best interests is the Court’s paramount consideration during Children Act Proceedings. The Court will make an Order which the Court considers to be in the best interests of the child.

Every child is unique and every family is different, and the Court will take into account the circumstances of the case, individual child and their needs.

There is a presumption that a child has a right to a relationship with both parents, as long as it is safe and appropriate for the child to do so. The Court will want to ensure that the child is not going to suffer, or be at risk of suffering, any harm whilst in the care of a parent.

Before Children Act Proceedings can be commenced, it is a pre-requisite that a referral to Mediation is made, to ascertain whether the matter is capable of resolution without the need for 48

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The Court has to consider what is known as the ‘welfare checklist’ during Children Act Proceedings, which is as follows:1. The child’s wishes and feelings in light of their age and understanding; 2. The child’s physical, emotional and educational needs; 3. The likely effect on the child of any change in circumstances; 4. The child age, sex, background and any other characteristic which the court considers relevant; 5. Any harm that the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering; 6. How capable each of the child’s parents, and any other person in relation to whom the court considers the question relevant, is of meeting the child’s needs; and 7. The range of powers available to the court.

Who are CAFCASS? The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) is an independent body which assists the Court to resolve dispute regarding the arrangements for a child. As soon as Children

Act Proceedings are commenced, CAFCASS are notified and receive a copy of the application to enable them to complete safeguarding checks.

What this means is that CAFCASS will speak to both parties (separately) about the application and any concerns they have, as well as carrying out checks with the Local Authority and Police to identify any safeguarding concerns. CAFCASS thereafter produce a letter for the Court summarising the discussions they have had with both parties, and informing the Court of any safeguarding concerns.

CAFCASS may also be instructed to prepare a detailed Report for the Court as the Proceedings progress, in order to provide the Court with recommendations as to what arrangements they consider should be in place and why they consider this to be in the best interests of the child. Again, as with the Court, the child’s best interests and welfare is the primary concern of CAFCASS. Ultimately, at the conclusion of the matter, the Court will make a final Order setting out the arrangements either agreed or as ordered by the Court, which provides clarity in respect of the arrangements.

Please contact our specialised Family Law Team on 0800 294 4410 or info@mardsenrawsthorn.com to arrange a free confidential appointment, either at one of our clinics at your convenience or via a phone or virtual meeting.

Marsden Rawsthorn Solicitors Ltd Faraday Court Faraday Drive Fulwood Preston - PR2 9NB

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Westmarch House 42 Eaton Avenue Buckshaw Village Chorley - PR7 7NA

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Customer is king with new head of customer service Michelle DOING right by the customer and building valuable relationships is the primary aim of Redrow Lancashire’s new head of customer service, Michelle Bentley.

Redrow Lancashire’s head of customer service, Michelle Bentley

Michelle has returned to where her passion lies; a consumer facing customer service role, and one for which that she has spent more than 26 years developing the necessary skills.

Previous roles saw Michelle lead highly effective customer and stakeholder teams across a broad range of UK infrastructure sectors, including construction, housing, water and energy.

At Redrow’s Buckshaw Village based Lancashire division, Michelle will lead a team of 13 people, including customer service managers, technicians and coordinators.

“In my previous roles, I have successfully transformed the customer experience process. I continuously look for ways to improve customer journeys and become more efficient. In my new role at Redrow I aim to develop excellent communication channels between my team and our customers while also creating a sense of team spirit,” says Michelle, 42, from Leyland.

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“It is my role to ensure we deal with customers in an effective and consistent way.”

Michelle says the appeal of working for a forward-thinking company paired with the fact that she is now based just two miles from her home is also a massive plus.

“I’d worked in national roles previously and so was away from home a lot. Now my quality of life and work/life balance is so much better and I’m really looking forward to helping my team develop in their roles,” adds Michelle.

Mum to a teenage son, Michelle has always tried to set a good example and instil a good work ethic in her son, who is a keen basketball player for Preston Pride Community Club.

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Claire Jarvis, managing director at Redrow Lancashire, says: “Michelle’s experience in delivering fantastic customer service will put us in excellent stead to ensure our customers’ journeys are positive ones. She is a real asset to the business and I’m sure will help us to retain our HBF five-star status for customer satisfaction.”

Michelle has been highly commended as manager of the year and employee of the year with previous employers and was also part of a team that won a Customer Frontline Award at the National Housing Federation Awards.

To find out where Redrow is building in Lancashire visit: www.redrow.co.uk/lancashire To find out more about Redrow careers visit: www.redrowcareers.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 51

Whittingham Hospital –

support and scandal in a Lancashire landmark

By Lucy Bullough

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ny building constructed almost 150 years is almost certainly rife with stories of intrigue and spooky mystery. But if that building was a psychiatric hospital, steeped in scandal before being completely abandoned, then you can almost guarantee these stories are even more interesting and maybe based in a little fact, rather than just the stuff of local legend. In Lancashire, you need not look far to find your perfect subject as Whittingham Hospital in Goosnargh, near Preston, will fit this bill to a tee.

The Whittingham story began long ago, back in 1869, when the three asylums already present in Lancashire were

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full and more capacity was required.

A stunning, red brick building was subsequently designed by Henry Littler of Manchester, who was Architect to the Lancashire Asylums Board. It took four years to build and the bricks used in the construction were made using clay from the very ground on which the hospital was to be situated.

In 1873, the Fourth Lancashire County Asylum was officially opened to receive up to 1,100 patients. However, out of necessity, as many as 115 patients had already been admitted in the previous year, some of whom helped with the building work of the hospital.

Above: Whittingham Hospital Geograph-303616by-anonymous

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A hospital with a difference Whittingham was different from the outset, thanks to the amenities that you would not usually come to expect from the average institution.

Firstly, both an Anglican church and Catholic chapel were found on site to serve the key religious beliefs of those staying there. In addition to that, there was also a large recreation hall or

ballroom for patients to have some kind of entertainment and spend some happier moments. But what was perhaps more pioneering, is the fact there were farms within the grounds to help feed those residing there.

Some of the patients were involved in farming the lands themselves to not only provide the food but

In addition to that, there was also a large recreation hall or ballroom for patients to have some kind of entertainment and spend some happier moments

to give them a purpose whilst staying at the hospital. The benefits of the healthier meals provided, in addition to the treatment given, were evident in the physical differences seen by patients between their admittance and discharge.

St John’s Church, Whittingham Hospital Geograph-2315764-by-Peter-Bond

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These were not the only amenities to be found at the Fourth Lancashire County Asylum. Indeed, the years saw huge developments occur and over the course of its lifespan, many additions were made.

Just five years after opening in 1878, building work on a new annexe was started north of the original site and built on a 68-acre plot. Finished in 1880, the new space could accommodate a further 700 patients and this new size allowed the hospital to have special dispensations. So special, in fact, that the Postmaster General agreed for the Fourth Lancashire County Asylum to have its very own post office.

The hospital also became involved in a local scheme, operated by Fulwood Urban District Council, that would see water extracted from nearby Beacon Fell. A contribution of ÂŁ15,500 was made and in return, 90,000 gallons of water were provided to the hospital daily, free of charge, under the governance of the Fulwood and Whittingham Water Act of 1882. More change came in 1884 when the grounds saw a sanitorium established. This was specially built in order to house patients suffering from infectious diseases to stop them spreading through the other patients as would likely be the case in such close confines. External electricity came next with electric lamps added to illuminate outdoor spaces and by 1894, the work was completed.

Below: Water Tower, Whittingham Hospital - Geograph3354995-byRude-Health-

So special, in fact, that the Postmaster General agreed for the Fourth Lancashire County Asylum to have its very own post office

Below: Cameron House Division, Whittingham Hospital Geograph-189600-by-Saul-Beeson

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More and more annexes continued to be added, from Cameron House in 1900, to the latterly named St Margaret’s House Division in 1912. By 1939, Whittingham Mental Hospital (as it was now known) was accommodating a record number of patients, 3,533 to be exact, as well as 548 staff and it officially became the largest mental hospital in Great Britain and the second largest in Europe.

The sheer size of the establishment and volume of its residents meant that it could support a great deal of other amenities and activities and it benefitted from these. They included its own railway in order to receive coal and goods as well as providing free transport for staff and patients, a telephone exchange, gas works, brewery, reservoirs, orchestra, brass band and butchers’ shop. This was all in addition to the farm, post office and ballroom previously mentioned. It was more akin to a small town than a hospital and was in many ways, entirely self-sufficient.

Over the years, there had been a huge number of remedies attempted, many of which sound questionable at best and barbaric at worst today

Pioneering treatments Not only was Whittingham different in the sense that it included far more than any other hospital of its type in terms of amenities, it also pioneered the use of certain treatments for patients. One in particular was the use of electroencephalograms, or EEGs. These machines are a powerful diagnostic tool used in patients with mental health problems, as they are placed on the scalp to measure the electrical activity within the brain. In particular, these are of great use in those suffering from epilepsy.

The 1970s saw the attitudes towards mental health begin to change and new therapies, drugs and treatment styles were introduced at Whittingham in order to better serve the needs of the residents. Over the years, there had been a huge number of remedies attempted, many of which sound questionable at best and barbaric at worst today. They included lobotomies, the use of LSD (which DID cause hallucinations in those on the receiving end!), induced insulin comas and hydrotherapy. In the early 1900s, hydrotherapy had been one of the more popular ways to treat mental illness. This is fundamentally because of the way water could be heated or cooled to different temperatures, causing different effects when applied to the patient. Potentially violent or suicidal patients would be treated with a continuous warm bath, as would those suffering from insomnia. Manic-depressive psychosis or increased motor activity was apparently best treated with cold water as it slowed down the blood flow to the brain, thus reducing the mental and physical activity. With water temperatures ranging from 8°C to 21°C, this treatment would no doubt be considered cruel today!

Electro Convulsive Therapy, or ECT, had also been used at the hospital, primarily to treat depression and anxiety. It worked by passing high voltages of electricity across the brain of the individual which resulted in massive bodily convulsions. Sedation www.lancmag.com

was administered prior to the treatment but the purpose of this was simply to ensure that no major damage (such as torn muscles or broken bones) was caused whilst the patient convulsed. Initially, it was thought to be effective as the symptoms the sufferer faced were eased for several days after treatment. But this could simply have been the time lapse it took for the brain to recover from such a barbaric attack of the frontal lobes! Fortunately, this type of treatment was finally exposed for what it really was and became wildly unpopular in the treatment of mental health problems.

Above Epilepsy brain graph

The war years and more As with all areas of life, the two World Wars forced change at Whittingham and the exclusivity of mental health treatment went. In 1918, St Margaret’s Annexe was used solely for the treatment of war casualties. The patients who died within the hospital’s care were even buried in the private cemetery which was located at the edge of then northern part of the grounds. It wasn’t long, however, until the hospital was returned to civilian use – all military patients were discharged within a year after the conflict ended. The outbreak of World War II saw several of the wards being used by injured soldiers, and even civilians, with the former mental health patients relocated to other institutions across the county. The first of the victims of the war to be treated there were in fact evacuees from Dunkirk. Once again, the end of the conflict saw the hospital return to its former use for mental health patients only.

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Between the wars, there was a shift change in the attitudes towards mental health as a whole, and the Mental Treatment Act 1930 was implemented.

This cemented the ‘open door’ policy that certain wards had already been practising and voluntary patients started to admit themselves from 1930. This is one of the causes of the huge growth in patient numbers which saw it become the largest mental hospital in Britain by 1939. After the wars, more changes were to come. The creation of the National Health Service in 1948 saw the asylum renamed as Whittingham Hospital and it acquired a former workhouse, Ribchester Hospital.

Throughout the 1950s, the pioneering treatments which were used were also part of certain experiments, particularly in the field of encephalography and its use on patients. There was an article published in The Lancet (an international general medical journal) and even the American Department for Space Medicine took an interest in the findings of Dr C.S. Parker and Mr Charles Breakall.

The darker side of Whittingham As with many great stories of pioneering breakthroughs, revolutionary treatments and advanced facilities, there is sometimes a tale that tells a sadder side. In the case of Whittingham, there is indeed a scandal which served to damage what had otherwise been a great reputation. Sadly, the issues which became rather well known. This undermined much of the hard work and successes achieved by many over the 120 years it operated as a hospital.

It was in the 1960s where the problems really came to light, and this period seemed to be an all time low in the conditions within the walls. The student nurses who worked at the facility, perhaps seeing the place with new eyes, had a meeting in 1967 and a number of complaints soon arose. Accusations of cruelty, abuse, ill treatment of the residents and even fraud within hospital staff were all made to management.

In the first instance, the complaints were covered up and the students were even threatened with slander and libel action. But the complaints kept coming and finally, an enquiry into the allegations was launched by the hospital management committee.

The complaints were of patients being left untreated, improper food served (bread and jam or ‘slops’ only, 56

for example), patients had been locked outside regardless of the conditions and some were said to have been locked in cupboards or washrooms.

In terms of violence towards them, one patient was seen being dragged by their hair whilst others had been punched and locked in storerooms. ‘Wet towel treatment’ was apparently administered, whereby nurses would twist a cold and wet towel around a patient’s neck causing them to pass out. Perhaps one of the most alarming of the complaints was towards two nurses who allegedly poured methylated spirits into the slippers of one patient and the dressing gown pocket of another before setting them on fire. Wards with vermin or damp and extreme temperatures were also recorded, and fraud and embezzlement within the admin teams too. All in all, it was a damning account of life within the hospital and resulted in the Head Male Nurse and the Matron taking an ‘early retirement’, two nurses being convicted of theft and one being jailed for manslaughter after the patient he had assaulted died.

A hospital to remember

It was in the 1960s where the problems really came to light, and this period seemed to be an all time low in the conditions within the walls

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Despite the scandal which pervades the memories of Whittingham, it is important to remember the good it did, which far outweighs the negative.

The majority of patients were said to be very happy in the care of the team and the headstones in the cemetery will reveal many octogenarians and nonagenarians lived there, meaning their life expectancy was not compromised. One headstone in the cemetery shows a life lived at Whittingham until the patient reached the grand old age of 112!

Above: Cemetery, Whittingham Hospital Geograph-2374925-by-Peter-Bond.jpg

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The hospital eventually closed its doors for the final time in 1995 after the new drugs and therapies in circulation improved the treatment of many suffering with mental health problems. The progressive ‘Care in the Community’ policy also facilitated the return of many patients to mainstream life and as such, the number of residents continued to decline necessitating its closure.

The site of this great Lancastrian institution fell into rack and ruin soon after and it is now being redeveloped for housing

Below: Patients ward inside Whittingham Mental Asylum, the largest abandoned hospital in Europe

The site of this great Lancastrian institution fell into rack and ruin soon after and it is now being redeveloped for housing. But one thing is certain; no one can take away the incredible stories that were written at this previously impressive place. It will always be worth remembering and despite the issues publicised, it is a landmark of old that should be remembered holistically to include all the good it did for those when they needed it most.

Left: Operating theatre inside Whittingham Mental Asylum, the largest abandoned hospital in Europe

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Fylde Soroptimists raise £1300 to bring Christmas cheer!

Fylde Soroptimists have been selling Christmas hampers full of homemade and locally sourced products to raise much needed funds for their charities including Fylde Coast Women’s Aid and Mary’s Meals.

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embers came up with the idea of producing 100 hampers, to celebrate the centenary of the organisation, at the end of November. Since then, they have been busy producing home-made jams, chutney, piccalilli, sweet treats and miniChristmas cakes whilst the knitters amongst them have made crackers filled with sweets and festive cosies for Terry’s chocolate oranges. Local companies including Foxes Biscuits, McAdams Rock, Fishermen’s Friends and Lancashire Magazine have also been very

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supportive and donated goodies to be included in the hampers. Once assembled in a Covid safe area, the hampers were kept stored for over 72 hours prior to delivery to ensure the guidelines were adhered to.

Sales were via Facebook and word of mouth on a first come, first served basis with hampers in three sizes – the largest being “Rudolph”, then “Prancer” and the smallest “Dasher”.

Amazingly these all sold out within 20 days of the first posting.

The hampers raised the magnificent sum

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of £1300. This will go a long way to help support our good causes and we are so grateful for every penny.

Thank you to the team of members who produced the goodies, sourced donations, packed and delivered the hampers and gave their time and their garage space to the effort which was all completed within a month.

Thank you also to the local companies who donated goodies for the hampers. www.sigbi.org/the-fylde fyldesorops@gmail.com www.lancmag.com

Around the region New fund to support to future development of Blackpool Airport Blackpool Council has been successful in its bid for expert help and support with the future development of Blackpool Airport awarded through the Airfield Development Advisory Fund The Airfield Development Advisory Fund (ADAF) provides eligible UK airfields and associated businesses access to professional and business advice to support their future development. The advice offered will include bespoke, specialist assistance on activities such as planning and conservation policy, accountancy, business model development and innovation.

The advisory fund is managed by the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority and administered by ICF, a global consulting and digital services provider. Blackpool will receive up to five days professional guidance and advisory services across a range of disciplines, by UK based experts pre-selected by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Blackpool Council applied for consultancy advice to assist with commercial marketing activity to help secure new business, assessing and identifying viable routes, potential operators and partner airfields.

Cllr Gillian Campbell, Chair of the Airport Board (BAOL) said, “The masterplan for

the airport has identified a range of viable potential business streams for the airport over the next few years and we are currently exploring various avenues of activity that would secure a long term, sustainable future for Blackpool Airport. Additional expert advice to assist us with our strategic business planning will be hugely beneficial in helping

Fundraising Appeal for Vintage Leyland Leopard Bus: £14000 Needed

The vehicle, once part of a fleet of buses operating in East Lancashire, was put into service with its unique paint job in honour of the East Lancashire 11th Battalion, called the Accrington Pals.

The council also seeks support with virtual aircraft control and tower operations and technology, airspace modernisation strategy, alternative power generation and electric aircraft operations.

A rare blue and red 1975 Leyland Leopard bus is the subject of a £14000 fundraising appeal by the Accrington Heritage Trust.

Pals Bus as it is today

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The heroic Accrington Pals are known for the part they played in the Battle of the Somme. Fought in 1916, it was one of the deadliest battles in human history with 56,000 casualties in just the first day. Many of the Accrington Pals were killed or injured serving their country during the battle.

The deeds they did that day will never be forgotten: there is a memorial to those great men, made of Accrington bricks, on the historic battle field where they fought for their country. The Vintage bus is itself a memorial to the Accrington Pals.

us to realise both our limitations, and our ambitions for the airport.”

Advice will be given to the airport before March 2021 and will help to shape the airport’s business plan over the next 12 months.

The Leyland Leopard is an important piece of motoring history. Once a common sight on British roads, the Leyland Leopard will remind many readers of school days in the second half of the 20th century.

This particular example has the added historical importance of it’s homage to the brave soldiers of the 11th East Lancashire Battalion: the Accrington Pals.

Anyone wishing to support the appeal can do so by visiting www.amazingaccrington. co.uk/palsbus. Donations of £100 or over will receive a special, framed certificate from the Accrington Heritage Trust.

The bus is owned by Accrington Heritage Trust, a local charity, and the plan is to restore the bus to a modern safety standard at a cost of £14,000, so that it is available to tour local historic sites and for use by schools and other local organisations. It is currently housed at the Town & District Transport Trust in Great Harwood, East Lancashire.

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Curtain call for Chadderton Homes WITH just seven homes remaining at Redrow’s Fox Meadows in Chadderton, buyers have limited chances to secure a home at this attractive development that gives them everything they need.

The Stratford - kitchen

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he sought-after development, off Foxdenton Lane, has just seven homes left including six four-bed detached homes and one three-bed semi detached home.

In November, Redrow polled 2,000 UK adults to understand their views on their homes post pandemic and their desires as they enter 2021. Results showed that homes with good infrastructure (high broadband speed and an area that can be used as an office) so owners can work from home, along with private outdoor space, were some of the top requirements.

Sales director at Redrow Lancashire, Sian Pitt, says: “All of the remaining homes at Fox Meadows are already wellsuited for home working, however our customers now have the option of adding bespoke-designed built-in-desks and storage to their new home to enable more comfortable and functional home working.

“Homes at Fox Meadows have their own private gardens plus the luxury of having the Pennines and the Peak District just a short drive away if you want to escape and explore the outdoors.”

One of the remaining homes is the Stratford priced at £344,995. This home includes a spacious lounge and openplan kitchen/dining and family area. There is also a separate laundry area and cloakroom offering extra convenience.

All four bedrooms are generously sized, with the main bedroom benefitting from an en-suite, while the others are served by a stylish family bathroom.

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The Stratford - lounge

Chadderton is only seven miles from Manchester city centre and commuters will appreciate the excellent road and rail links – with Moston train station providing services to Manchester in around nine minutes and junction 21 of the M60 Manchester Orbital just a few minutes’ drive away.

While all residents will value its proximity to shops and services, parents will benefit from a number of schools close by to choose from.

“Chadderton is home to a number of restaurants including a steakhouse as well as a good selection of local shops. Plus, Oldham town centre is just a few minutes’ drive away, so it is definitely not without plenty of amenities,” adds Sian.

For those who have an existing home to sell, Redrow’s own Help to Sell incentive can help homeowners to sell up and move on.

Through Help to Sell Redrow and their estate agent partners will do a lot of the work to market and sell a customers’ current property, with Redrow contributing to the selling fees.

For more information about Fox Meadows and the homes available visit www.redrow.co.uk/ foxmeadows or call 0161 825 9099. www.lancmag.com

BOOKS Our roundup of this months literary delights

The Monkey with no Bum

Hi, Im Asa Murphy, I have been a professional Big Band Swing singer for 18 years and have performed all over the world. Also Sold out Ronnie Scott’s in London and The philharmonic Hall Liverpool plus top of the Bill at the famous Liverpool Empire, I have also had my own Radio show on BBC Radio Merseyside for 4 years.

During lockdown, as with all the entertainment world my bookings and theatre dates all went, I had also just written three stage musicals due to go on tour - Buddy Holly Lives, Mack The Knife and Irish Annies all had to be cancelled. So I decided to write a children’s book based on a story I told my son Shea when he was little ( he is now 15 and 6ft).

The story was called The Monkey with no Bum and it was all about Charlie the monkey learning that he is perfect in every way just like all children are, it was released in December in conjunction with the children’s Charity Liverpool Heartbeat ran by Robin Baynes MBE and a donation from every book sold will go to the charity.

On release the book sold incredibly and the demand was amazing! Book shops in Liverpool sold out and online it was selling amazingly, this year the book is now to be made into a stage musical for children 2-10 staring Liverpool actress Lindsie Germain and features five songs which take the kids on a journey to learn that they are all special and unique.

Also it will be the first of five books all with valuable lessons for children, The Monkey with no Bum stories. After losing the world of live performances it was tough both mentally and financially for myself and my family so the book was literally The Monkey that saved Christmas. The Monkey with no Bum, it is now in the hands of an American Publisher to 64

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be distributed in outlets across the USA including Walmart and Target, also CBEEBIES have expressed an interest in the book. A huge thank you to all who supported me on this journey...watch this space. www.asamurphyauthor.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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Great Eccleston

By Lucy Bullough

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ach of the multiple villages dotted around Lancashire have a very real reason to feature on the pages of any magazine, thanks to the individual personalities they boast. But when it comes to Great Eccleston, a civil parish on the coastal plain of the Fylde, its personality is found in quiet corners, local establishments and in the hearts of its residents.

A picturesque village with just a few winding lanes leading in and out, it is quite a surprise that Gt Ecc (as it is fondly known by the locals) isn’t overrun by

tourists during the sunnier months. It’s easily accessible from major road networks, just a few miles off the M55 and off the A585, so you would be forgiven for thinking more holidaymakers should visit. Whether it’s the prevalence of so many other quaint towns in Lancashire, or it’s as a result of Gt Ecc still remaining under the radar, who knows. Visitors only seem to make a beeline for the village at a certain time of the year when the infamous ‘Gt Ecc Show’ is hosted. But more on that later.

Thatched cottage, Gt Eccleston Geograph-4264534-by-JThomas

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This charming spot with dainty cottages and grander residences in the heart of the Lancastrian countryside, it has more than you would expect from a sleepy hamlet. As someone who grew up in one of the multiple neighbouring villages, I’ll be taking a moment to let you into a few of the local secrets which really help to put the ‘great’ into Great Eccleston.

Right: Road sign, Gt Eccleston - Geograph3762762-byBarbara-Carr

A historic place, rich in amenities With records of the village dating back as far as 1066, it has certainly stood the test of time. You can find mention of Great Eccleston in the Domesday Book of 1086 where its nomenclature was a little more olde worlde, and saw the village listed as ‘Eglestun’. This name of course didn’t stick, and documents from the 13th-century saw it labelled as ‘Ecclisto’ and ‘Ecleston’, before the name we know it as today finally cemented itself. Of course, Great Eccleston passed back and forth between different royals and ‘owners’ included Tostig Godwinson (the brother of King Harold II) and Roger de Poitou (am AngloNorman aristocrat). In 1974, the district merged with those of Fleetwood, Poulton-le-Fylde, Preesall and Thornton Cleveleys

to form Wyre Borough Council.

Today, it is governed by a local parish council as part of this.

Below: The Black Bull, Gt Eccleston - Geograph5875790-by-IanGreig

With a long history as a market town (once even referred to as ‘Little London’), it is fitting that local traders and shoppers of Great Eccleston still congregate in the centre on a Wednesday for the weekly market. Suppliers of local produce, artisan fare and a variety of other goods can be found on the square, with stalls filled with their wares. This is a place which still very much has

a village centre and the locals most certainly make the most of it! Surrounding the square are many of the local amenities such as the bakery, a café, dental surgery, community centre, newsagent, chip shop and two bulls – the Black and the White Bull pubs! Time was, a police station was also situated right in the centre too, but that has long since been used as a private residence. Around the corner is a larger convenience store and two primary schools (one Catholic, one Church of England) are within the boundaries.

There is also a fantastic health centre serving not only the ailments of Great Eccleston, but those of the wider area too.

The greatest show of all For anyone local to Gt Ecc, the annual agricultural show will be one of the events that makes it into your diary every year. Taking place on a weekend, usually in mid-July, The Great Eccleston Show attracts huge volumes of visitors to the area who will wander the showground and take in all the sights and sounds.

Marquees are erected for the weekend to house all manner of displays, from flowers to fruit, cakes, cheeses and chutneys. There is also a large food hall where if you’re

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Above: Goat handlers showing livestock

Right: Generic tractor pull - Geograph5497641-byEvelyn-Simak

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lucky, you can try some of the local produce before you buy. Stands also feature all around the grounds, selling a range of items from cooking utensils, to hand crafted items, local arts, artisan produce and so much more besides.

But if you’d rather take your time learning more about the livestock and other animals which are used across the rural lands of Lancashire, you can watch one of the many show classes throughout the weekend. The Fylde is home to an impressive quality of breeders and you will be treated to some of the finest animals of their kind. With classes for sheep, poultry, pigs, cows, goats and Shire horses, you will see some beautiful beasts.

And for dog lovers, why not make time for the companion dog shows that are on offer too?

One of the most iconic parts of the whole weekend, however, is the tractor pulling event at which you will find a large crowd. Known as the world’s most powerful motor sport, tractor pulling is a lot more exciting than you might think – I speak from personal experience!. You’ll see some impressive machines which tour the circuits of Europe pull incomprehensible weights along the track that is created each year. You’ll find your favourites and root for them and hopefully your chosen engine will reign supreme at the end of the weekend. Be warned, it’s a somewhat noisy event and the tractors can easily be heard from miles around. But on the plus side, it takes place right in front of the ‘beer tent’ so there is plenty of opportunity for refreshment, especially if the sun makes an appearance.

There are plenty of other things on display and at the show you can not only be entertained, you might learn a thing or two! As advocators of traditional rural practices, the agricultural society who manage the event are sure to include other disciplines too.

Depending on the year you attend, you might see traditional rural craftsmen at work, see a sheep sheared in real life (and more quickly than you might think!), watch how sheep get herded and even learn a little about bee keeping. Then there is the incredible display of technical equipment required to run a farm which you’ll get to see and learn about. And of course, no show is complete without a little drama and fun so you might enjoy stunt riders, Cumberland wrestling and have the chance to go on Victorian fun fare rides too.

The Great Eccleston Show is a fantastic weekend and is suitable not just for families but for all.

There’s an awful lot to see and do so regardless of your interests, you could have a lot of fun!

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Gastronomic delights abound For such a small village, it might be surprising that there are so many delectable treats awaiting your visit there, but there really are. Right in the very centre of the village you will find family run (and licensed!) café, The Courtyard Caffe Bar. Serving a variety of sandwiches, wraps, breakfasts, hot meals, homemade cakes and more, it’s the perfect place to stop and watch a little of the world go by. If it’s hot chips you’re after, look no further than Bellamy’s Fish Bar, which serves

For such a small village, it might be surprising that there are so many delectable treats awaiting your visit there

Below: River Wyre at Gt Eccleston Geograph-1759550-by-Bob-Jenkins

up one of the best chippy teas (or lunches) in the local area.

Almost directly opposite The Courtyard Caffe Bar is frankly one of the best bakeries in the North West, if not the country.

Pebby’s was established over 30 years ago, is still family-run and is a reason to visit Great Eccleston in itself. It’s a tiny shop, with a long counter displaying the most delicious pies, cakes and other delights, all made by their own fair hands. The bread is worth stocking up on and when used in the sandwiches they offer, makes for a real treat.

You can fill your freezer with other items too, such as the homemade lasagnes and other meals. Pebby’s also offer outside catering too and they will create a spread perfect for your gathering with roast meats, sandwiches, pies and sausages rolls of your choice, all finished by a dessert table to make your mouth water.

Trust me, if you venture even close to Gt Ecc, make a quick detour here for a bite to eat.

Above: Cartford toll bridge, Little Eccleston - Geograph1208132-byBob-Jenkins

Over the years, Great Eccleston has been home to a variety of other eating establishments of a decent calibre. Some will remember Ferrari’s, again right in the centre, others will remember The Smithy on the outskirts.

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its doors. For such a small place, there are certainly plenty of places of a high quality to eat and none moreso than if you were to head a little out of the village to the Cartford Inn in Little Eccleston.

This award-winning establishment is a hotel, bar and restaurant boasting incredible views over the surrounding countryside. On a clear day you can see as far as the Bowland Fells. It’s a 17th century coaching inn located at the foot of a toll bridge which crosses the River Wyre and offers uniquely charming dining areas. In the summer, enjoy an aperitif outside to take in the views and if you need a bed for the night, you can make use of one of the 15 luxurious rooms on offer. Whilst dining, you will be treated to a showcase of the finest Lancashire produce available. Meat is locally sourced thanks to the abundance of excellent farms in the area. Seafood comes direct from the fishermen in Fleetwood.

Locally shot game will be served and throughout the year, you’ll find the menu adapts with whatever is in season in the region too. The Cartford Inn is so popular with locals that it was recently named ‘Pub of the Year 2020’! Sawday’s Pub Awards, the awarding body, are voted for in their thousands by readers of the Telegraph and The Cartford Inn was selected for its authenticity, warm welcome and quirky take on a countryside inn. Quite an accolade indeed!

The Cartford Inn is so popular with locals that it was recently named ‘Pub of the Year 2020’!

Great Eccleston might seem tiny when you first visit, but it’s a village with an awful lot to offer to both locals and day trippers alike It’s closer than you think Situated a few minutes from M55 motorway and just off the A585, Great Eccleston is not only easy to get to as a destination in its own right, it is also within easy reach of many places. Blackpool, Poultonle-Fylde and Preston are all a short drive away if you wish to visit some larger towns. But there are other places to take up some of your time too. You could head to Guy’s Thatched Hamlet and indulge in a drink, pub fare or a hearty Italian meal on the banks of the Lancaster Canal. With regular activities suitable for families in school holidays (inflatables, ice rinks and so on), reasonably priced rooms and much more besides, it’s a great location to try.

Look out for events at Myerscough College which is an agricultural college just a few miles down the road. Travel out to Bond’s of Elswick if you fancy some locally produced and simply delicious ice cream or head up to the market town of Garstang.

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Great Eccleston might seem tiny when you first visit, but it’s a village with an awful lot to offer to both locals and day trippers alike. There are increasingly few unspoilt locations such as this around Lancashire so when you have the opportunity, pay a visit there and see what it has to offer. You never know, you might fall in love with the place and keep coming back for more!

Above: Gt Eccleston milestone - Geograph6044302-by-CMarcus

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College at top of social media charts

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lackpool Sixth has come fourth out of 485 colleges in the UK and Ireland for its social media output and engagement in 2020. The Edurank league table for college social media, run by the education marketing consultancy Net Natives, shows that the college was the highest ranked sixth form college in the country on this measure last year. It was also the highest ranked college in the north of England and was pipped to the top spot only by two very large further education colleges and the English National Ballet School.

For several years the college has put a strong emphasis on growing its social media presence in order to communicate with current, prospective and former students, parents/carers, staff and the wider community. The college’s Facebook and Instagram feeds are used extensively to share news, educational and wellbeing content and to celebrate student achievements. They are also important means of two-way communication, ensuring that we respond to feedback and important developments. The long ‘lockdown’ in 2020 and ensuing restrictions on visits to the college site provided an extra impetus to ramp up the college’s digital output.

The college’s marketing team backed by input from across the college launched a series of new initiatives during the year. These included musical projects, virtual art exhibitions, online open events and Q&A sessions, and several high-profile competitions such as the one to 72

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choose the college’s new Christmas card which had over 2,400 likes or loves! There was also a very popular series of posts introducing college staff, a ‘toilet roll challenge’ and a special video Christmas Advent calendar. However, it has been the posts celebrating student success and contributions to their communities which have been a particular highlight, especially those featuring former Blackpool Sixth students who now work in the NHS.

Above: Nicola Kelly, Marketing Officer

A further notable achievement was being the only college shortlisted for a national university and college award for promoting equality and diversity through social media. The college was praised for its innovative use of social media to celebrate students’ achievements on the A level and vocational results days in August 2020.

Marketing Officer, Nicola Kelly said, “Lockdown, and the world taking a shift digital provided us with an opportunity to use our social platforms to keep our college and wider community connected, uplifted, informed and inspired. We have loved sharing content that has been so well received and that has also been able to make a difference, with wellbeing and raising vital funds and resources for our community. A huge thank you to the students and staff that have contributed to our content and to our followers for engaging with what we do. So incredibly proud to have been recognised for such a great achievement, especially considering the size of our establishment.” www.lancmag.com

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The shifting sands of Morecambe Bay

By Mark Bateman

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orecambe Bay is a large coastal estuary in North West England and is the largest area of intertidal mudflats and sand in The U.K. covering an area of 120 square miles. It stretches from the South West coast of Cumbria to Fleetwood in Lancashire.

On the way it encompasses several coastal towns including Grange over Sands, Morecambe and Heysham.

The sand flats and mudflats of the

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Bay are the remains of a vast sandur which is an outwash plain caused by melting glaciers at the end of the last ice age. This occurs when the glacier grinds underlying rock service and carries the debris along with it and the meltwater from the base of the glacier.

The rivers Leven, Kent, Keer, Lune and Wyre all drain into the bay and their estuaries have formed a number of

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Below: the mudflats of Morecambe Bay

peninsulas within the bay.

The action of the various rivers has shaped the bay by forming mudflats which are coastal wetlands that formed when sediments were deposited by the passage of tides and rivers.

Within the bay there are seven Islands located to the north. These are Walney, Barrow, Sheep, Piel, Chapel, Foulney and Roa. Walney is the largest and measures 11 miles

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from tip to tip and has two villages on it Vickerstown and Biggar.

Sheep, Peel, Chapel and Foulney Island are tidal and can be walk to at low tide, but local guidance should always be sought due to fast moving tides and quicksands. The bay is notoriously treacherous as when the tides are moving, they run very quickly and leave large areas of quicksand. These are areas of loose

sand that are agitated by movement e.g., by a person walking on them.

It has been scientifically proven that drowning in quicksand is the stuff of fictional movie horror as quicksand is denser than the human body meaning, unless people thrash around excessively, they will only sink up to their chest. However, it is then extremely difficult to get out of and leaves the victim at the mercy

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of hypothermia and incoming tides.

The tides move in and out exceptionally quickly and it is easy for inexperienced people to become cut off from the shore. In February 2004 over 20 immigrant Chinese cockle pickers were cut off and drowned by incoming tides.

Navigating across the bay is possible but dangerous.

In medieval times the monks of Furness at Cartmel Priory provided guides to cross the sands. Then from the 16th Century there have been royally appointed ‘Queen’s guide to the sands’ to help people cross. From 1963 – 2019 the guide was Cedric Robinson MBE who was the 25th guide. Cedric has described the sands as ‘the most dangerous highway in Britain.’

Michael Robinson, a local fisherman has taken up the mantle since Cedric’s retirement.

These days crossings usually take place fortnightly from Spring to autumn and are popular with charity walkers. The crossing is approximately 8 miles from Arnside to Kent Bank. But until the Furness railway, which skirts the edge of the bay, was built in 1857 it was a major transportation route from the Bay to the Lake District.

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a bridge across the bay. This would be a ‘green bridge’ flanked with wind turbines and creating tidal barriers to harness wind power. It remains to be seen if this will become reality but until then Cedric and his successors will have a vital role in guiding people safely over the bay.

The whole of the Bay is rich in natural resources.

In 1974 the 2nd largest gas field in the U.K. was discovered in the bay 40 kilometres west of Blackpool. The field was developed and at its peak was supplying 15% of Britain’s natural gas.

However, as the gas reserves dwindle, and we move away from relying on fossil fuels the Bay has an important part to play in the future of renewable energy. It is home to several of the UK’s offshore wind farms located west of Duddon Sands, Burbo Beck, Walney, Barrow and Ormonde. In total there are about 50 of the majestic turbines and their role is likely to increase in the future.

The whole of Morecambe Bay is a Special area of conservation and is brimming with wild and marine life. The rich mudflats support large populations of cockles, mussels, shrimps, and lugworms. Although the bay was once well known for fishing it is

Above: Morecambe Bay from above

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perhaps the delicacy ‘Morecambe Bay potted shrimps’ that is its most enduring legacy.

The flora and fauna of the bay includes wild grass lands and is home to many endangered species of butterfly and the rare great crested newt. The whole area is a birdwatchers paradise. Along the promenade you can see waders on the mudflats and further along at Hest Bank you will find, Oyster catchers, Curlews, Redshanks as well as over – wintering ducks and geese. At nearby RSPB Leighton Moss in Arnside, you will find woodland birds as well as ducks, geese waders and gulls.

The Bay is also popular as a leisure site. The newly developed prom offers gentle cycling, walking, and running. As well as being the start of longer routes such as ‘The Way of the Roses’ running from Morecambe Bay to Bridlington.

It is also a popular area for sports including windsurfing. Sailing, kite surfing and horse riding.

The Morecambe Bay area is not standing still, and after a long period of decline the area is being seriously re-developed with a beautiful new promenade and stunning buildings such as the re-developed Art Deco Midland Hotel. There is also an exciting proposal to build the ‘Eden of the www.lancmag.com

A Curlew in the Bay

Morecambe Bay Potted Shrimps

North’ in the Bay. This would be a similar, but smaller, version of the Eden Project in Cornwall.

At the moment it is at the planning stage, but if approved it would create hundreds of jobs in the area and millions of pounds in tourist revenue.

The Bay is a delicate ecosystem providing delight and beauty to thousands of tourists and locals each year. If you’re in the area it definitely needs to be on your ‘to visit’ list.

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Das Geht Nicht! By Kate Gostick Language binds us together, but also identifies us as from one tribe or another.

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rowing up in my village, a bread roll was a teacake, but in the adjoining village it was an oven bottom or a barm cake. When it crossed over the bleak moorland of the Pennines and took its place in a Sheffield baker’s window it became a breadcake, but if it was bought by a Midlander, the same piece of bread would sit on his tea table to become a cob. Your word for a bread roll, your language, defines your history, your roots.

It is important because it allows you to belong or to be alien. It decides the level of acceptance you will receive and therefore creates your sense of security.

When I moved to America I was reminded that America and England were two lands divided by a common language. At times this commonality identified me as the right type of immigrant who should be accepted and valued, but at others it separated me from those around me, identifying me as alien and threatening. This inconsistency is a battle I have fought ever since arriving in the land of the free where your thoughts can feel imprisoned by a tongue that can bring social ruin in a single stroke. Americans avoid confrontation at all costs. They are raised on the whole to question very little and to accept certain rules and conventions as set in stone. This allows a nation of immigrants to bind as one for the common good.

It has purpose, a positive purpose. However, coming from a country with a constitution that is unwritten and fluid, where buses and queues in the supermarkets are filled with total strangers debating and questioning everything in order to evolve and improve, it was very difficult to move to a land so devoid of argument and counterargument. Here the first amendment may allow for freedom of speech, but woe betide anyone who chooses to stand in line at Dunkin Dognuts and use that free speech to suggest the second amendment, may be robbing the children in our schools of the domestic tranquility, general welfare, and Blessings of Liberty also promised by the Constitution. Any debate over the right to bear arms was likely greeted with, “You can’t say that! It’s against the Constitution”. In the land of contradictions the right to speak freely comes with a gagging order that allows you to only use that right to say what is uncontroversially accepted.

As I longed for the new adventures and headed off for the new experiences of Germany, this lack of confrontation and interpretation would become something I missed as the Germans corrected me at every opportunity and with little concern for 78

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my opinion. However, the language barrier which had once terrified me was now a new source of amusement and an exciting new challenge.

Growing up my home had been filled with the sound of German, be it in the melodic repetitive tones of a language tape or its contrived sentences being echoed back in my father’s deep, broad, Lancashire accent. Occasionally, the tape was replaced by the hard vowels of my uncle’s even broader Lancastrian brogue, as he and my father used their newfound language of freedom to discuss whatever they liked, much to the annoyance of my mother and aunt. Here language strengthens the strong bond which united two brothers already bound by the poverty of their www.lancmag.com

humble beginnings and, as my skills grew, I knew my newfound understanding would have been my window into those conversations, peppered with laughter and free from judgment. Sadly they are no longer with us, but it still made me feel a connection, a feeling of a new bond with my roots, cemented my love for this harsh language devoid of tenderness. It also became a language that was to bring frustration, perseverance and most of all laughter.

Do you know that the German words for jockstrap and turtle are remarkably similar?

Suspensorium and Schildkröte. You don’t think they sound anything alike? No neither did the lady in the sports shop but, for some reason, they had been filed away in the same mind drawer in my brain and it was totally hit and miss which one I would pull out at a particular moment in time.

When James and I went to buy Henry a jockstrap we were unable to find them so asked the shop assistant in my best German, “My son will play rugby so I need to buy him a turtle.”

“Ein Schildkröte?” she queried.

“Yes, a turtle. He needs a turtle to protect his penis when he plays rugby.” “We don’t sell turtles that protect penises” “You do! My friend bought a turtle from here to protect his son’s penis this very week. It was white and like a cup that fits over the penis.” www.lancmag.com

She took me to the jockstraps and hopefully, if not desperately, asked if this would be more suitable. She showed me the adult version, but Henry was only five and they were huge so I took a deep breath and said, “No this will not work. I need a very, very, small turtle to protect his penis”.

The woman looked towards James’s nether regions with an “Oh dear!” look and pointed at the jockstraps telling me these would be perfect and she had no small turtles.

“No!” I said emphatically. I had learnt by now that to get what you wanted in Germany you needed to be very insistent and refuse to leave until they took you seriously. If all else failed you threw in the odd, “Das geht nicht!” in a stern voice basically telling them that this will not go and then scowl and give them a Paddington Bear stare. It was a foolproof method.

“Das geht nicht! They are big and my son has a very small penis.” She looked at James again and must have thought, however, that he did not need a very, very small one because she again directed me to the very, very big ones and then walked away desperate to escape the mad foreign woman who wanted a Schildkröte. I was about to embark on a chase across the shop floor to go back and tell her again that these were far too big and I definitely needed an extremely small one, but the look on James’s face showed me his dignity had been damaged enough so I picked up the smallest one I could find and stitched Henry into it, which made him look like a very big boy! It was only several months later when I discussed with a German friend how I had been walking the dogs and had seen hatchlings in the reeds on the edge of a pond, that I was excited to see them grow into jockstraps that I realised language could be a very big barrier to communication!

If I were to survive I could not be the kind of foreigner who shouted at the locals in English assuming volume was the main barrier to their understanding. Whilst persistence and a well placed “Das geht nicht” may get me what I wanted, it was not going to help me be accepted and embraced by the community so I enrolled in a German Language school where every morning from 9-12.30 a group of immigrants and national stereotypes would pile into the classrooms finding their way, not only to a grey desk, but also through the maze of communication problems that lay ahead of them in their newfound land of opportunity. It was here that I learnt in those first few months that being understood is more than sharing a common language. It is about sharing experiences and most of all struggles.

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Denise Mullen is a journalist, writer and entrepreneur. She is chair of www.ladiesofacertainageassassinsclub.com: ‘Life in the Crosshairs’, an online gentlemen’s club for ladies - which also welcomes gentlemen. The Club, which is free to join and launches later this year, is for discerning 40+s who love a spot of wit and repartee and find themselves just a little bit bored with Instagram fakery and Facebook fluff.

I may have gone a little Real Housewives of Wolverine – hair-wise

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o my colleague is sitting in her house, I’m in mine. We are both in our home offices trying to work. We’re on the phone. We both have loud drilling coming at us from an outside wall.

Her builders are harmonising – very poorly – to some Elvis, we think, mine are just shouting to each other.

She and I are now shouting at each other down the phone and moving from room to room … and eventually outside to talk strategy, well yell it actually.

I run my hand through my hair as I walk and talk. I take a moment to disentangle my hand from my hair and realise my hair has stayed exactly where I pushed it. I look in the mirror in the conservatory. I have matching Wolverine ‘wings’ of hair framing my angry face.

Brick dust – the ultimate volume and hold product apparently. FYI - No good for zoom meetings.

Her bed, she tells me, is wrapped in some sort of cling film and this has to be unwrapped every night for her and her husband to get in.

The family labradoodle (who’s bed is also shrink-wrapped) is prematurely grey with plaster and won’t leave the sanctity of her mistresses’ slippered-feet under the desk. She’s also wary of her new bed arrangements.

Another big honking blast of ‘burning love’ and we bring our high-level strategy conference to a close.

As I disconnect the husband hoves to, builders’ boots on, funny hat, big red pencil behind his ear.

His opening line: “I’ve had a brilliant idea.”

The frown I’m sporting deepens as I prepare myself for another eye-opener on practical housebuilding.

Thing is, I don’t want a practical house, I want a beautiful house, a radiant house, one I can smooth and caress and slide along the surfaces of.

One I can dress up, accent and ‘colour pop’ – one I can hermetically seal from ingress by cement, old render and some sort of – WHAT IS THAT SMELL (coming of his buildery fleece) – I think sump oil??

My very clever husband isn’t put off, he plunges on: www.lancmag.com

“Why don’t I make a heated towel rail for the new ensuite out of plumbing scrap. It will look really steam-punk? I’ll include the old-fashioned valves on the end of the brass pipe and I’ll bend the pipe to suit. What do you think?” he asks, beaming.

I do the eyebrow thing.

“And it would be more practical to have a washing machine in the bathroom upstairs,” he says. This, apparently, is because we waste time carting clothes down to be washed, only to cart them back upstairs again to be put away. Also, we can simply rig up a washing line from the tree outside to the bathroom window and ‘hey presto’.

Muttering joins the eyebrow thing. He opens his mouth again - I cut in.

“No, No to everything, Not any of that, No.” He’s crestfallen.

I pipe up again.

“If we have to live in the extension while we do the rest of the house I don’t want it practical or easy, I want it irritating as hell and twice as inconvenient. Do I want the bathroom of my dreams to be enjoyed during a spin cycle? No. No this has to be so inconvenient you (by now I’m also jabbing a finger) don’t get comfortable in a microclimate that you crag rats (mountaineers), hobos and hibernating bears feel right at home in. I want the house finished while the bitter beige anorak, first-hand issues of People’s Friend (sic), Wednesday morning shampoo and set and the Honda Jazz years are still just a darkly brooding presence beyond the horizon.

“I understand you have to make the kitchen cabinets ‘properly’ out of Marine Ply (in case we have to sail around the world in them), I know you want to do everything properly and you are totally brilliant, and I know that the toddler tantrum I’m having right now is inappropriate for a woman of my age – but.”

My husband is a maker of things. He will proudly announce that it is ‘all made out of scrap’ and indeed I have assured him that that is what will be going on his headstone.

I have no more, there is nothing. I want beautiful and gorgeous; I don’t want a kitchen (nor the trousers in the laundry room for that matter) designed by Wallace and Gromit. I flounce off to locate a copy of Homes and Gardens for later – fully intending to add to my consolation stash of pointless scatter cushions, in bin liners…… to keep out the dust.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 81

The Hunger Hill Gorilla

It Climbed up to my Room.

It Had Fanged Teeth

The M6 motorway is one we all know well. Most of us have driven along it, not giving much thought to the homes we see as we drive by.

Ordinary homes in ordinary Lancashire towns. In the early evening most people are relaxing after a long day at work. Watching TV

or catching up on housework while the kids are upstairs.

Each person going about their everyday life oblivious to what stalks the night.

During my years of collecting encounters and experiences from all across the UK, I have branched out into Radio shows and Podcasts. One of the things people find popular is our weekly Live show on Youtube.

During the pandemic it has allowed me to bring lots of people together in one place for a chat with friends, a catch up on new cases and each week we have a new guest talking about their strange experience.

It was during one of these Live shows on New Years Eve that this report came in.

the edge of Greenbelt land.

They both saw the Creature through their window.

I lived in the Hunger Hill area at the time. The house we lived in was close to the M6 motorway and my bedroom window was facing the main road, looking out towards the roundabout.

I was contacted by a young man called Lee who lives in the Hunger Hill Bolton Area of Lancashire. Lee wanted to know where my own encounter with an ‘Ape-like Thing’ happened and how old I was at the time. ‘Lee’ then went on to explain that he had also seen something he was struggling to explain in the North West of England when he was much younger. His experience instantly reminded me of another report I had taken three years ago from another young man in the Springwell Area in the North East of England who also saw a ‘strange Gorilla’ in his Grandparents garden. Both of these Child witnesses describe an ‘Ape-like Creature’ that they saw when they lived in New Build homes situated on 82

Our witness from Hunger Hill makes it clear that he does not feel what he saw was a Bigfoot Creature, he describes something with the appearance of a Gorilla. He is not alone in this. Many of our witnesses report Ape or Gorilla like Creatures, they are often described as being down on all fours in that typical Gorilla stance. One witness who saw a reddish coloured Creature on two occasions a few miles away from Lee’s experience described the Creature as standing on its knuckles in an Ape like fashion.

Witness Report, Lee: “Hi Deborah, I heard you speaking about your encounter on Youtube and I got in touch because I saw something strange not too far away from your house when I was a kid. The experience I had was very close up and personal. I could not mistake what I saw for something else. When people describe Bigfoot type Creatures there is a similarity to what I saw but I’m not sure exactly if what I saw was a Bigfoot, because It looked like a Gorilla. I was around 7 yrs old and

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On the day this happened I was in my bedroom standing looking out of the window and I saw something I couldn’t understand. It was early evening and I could see it clearly.

There was something out there in the garden and from what I could see I can only describe this thing as very Ape-like. It was very much similar to a Silverback Gorilla. It ran across a very small grass area and easily hopped over the front fence and proceeded to climb my drainpipe and It was coming up towards my window. Outside my window is a small ledge from the Bay Window. It must have been standing on that which is impossible. So I think what I saw was Supernatural in origin rather than a flesh and blood Creature.

I couldn’t believe what had just taken place. The ‘Thing’ made straight for me, like ‘It’ knew that I saw it. It came across the grass, over the fence and up the drainpipe in seconds. Then it just looked at me through the window. I took a few steps back in shock.

It was looking in at me, hanging onto the drainpipe while grinning. It was showing me all Its teeth. It just kept looking at me and I could see that the www.lancmag.com

teeth were pretty big and the fang like teeth (its canines) were a lot larger than the others. I couldn’t move or run away. I was just frozen to the spot looking at It. It was almost smiling at me or grinning, I can’t really describe Its expression. I remember regaining myself and being able to move finally so I ran downstairs and told my Mum and Dad about what I had just seen.

I basically told them there’s an Ape at my bedroom window baring its teeth.

I asked my Dad if he would come upstairs with me and see it for himself.

Which if I remember correctly I don’t think they ever did.

I have always remembered this experience to what I know and

believe I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t imagining it. It definitely happened and I know it sounds crazy but this Thing was real. l have always remembered that day. I don’t know what to call It. I can describe It though, It was very black in colour and the hair almost had a silver sheen to it. I must have been 3ft or 2ft away from It when It came up the drainpipe.

I saw this Thing directly, I was looking straight at It. I could make out so much detail. I can remember It like It was yesterday. I know it’s a long time ago but it’s never really left my mind and I always wondered what It was that I saw that day.

It’s pretty hard to talk to people about what happened because I know how it sounds. This Thing looked like a silverback Gorilla. I saw It run across the grass and It was moving very fast towards the fence. It moved with a sway and It had very long arms that were muscular. I always think back to that time and I start doubting myself but I know exactly what I saw and it’s never really left me. I can remember everything about It and just the whole sequence that happened, it’s really ingrained in my memory.

Thing was down on all fours, It wasn’t walking on It’s back legs, It was swaying like how a Gorilla moves.

If I had to guess its height I would say if It did stand up straight It would

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have been around 6ft or maybe 7ft.

It was pretty large but It was also more bulky and stocky. I could see It’s muscular formation from where the grass patch was in front of the house. It had thick black greyish hair that had a sheen to it. It was in the shape of a buzz cut but with very long spiking hair if you know what I mean.

It was very characteristic of an actual Silverback’s face and the teeth seemed very large and It seemed to have a quite a large head. The thing I’ve often thought about the most is how could a drainpipe support Its weight? It was climbing up very quickly. I would say from the moment I spotted It to the moment It climbed the drain pipe must have been under 10 seconds, maybe 7 at the most. It was up at my window peering through at me while I stood there traumatised, it makes me wonder what the hell these things are or what’s going on exactly?

After reading this Deb do you have anyone who has had any sort of similar experience to mine at all? I hopefully would like to get some sort of clarification into what It could have been or what It was” I didn’t have to look hard to find reports from people here in the UK who have seen a similar type of Creature. There is one case in Springwell Washington which is very similar to Lee’s.

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A Young Boy Sees a Peeping Gorilla Watching Him Through the Window - Witness Report: J.M. - “Deborah do you have any accounts in the Springwell Area in the North East of England? The reason I ask is when I was younger I would sleep over at my Grandparents house a lot during the weekends and school holidays and one night when I was staying over I saw what looked like a Gorilla’s head peeking out from behind a tree in the garden. It was looking through the trees at me from outside my window, I think It was watching me in bed and I remember being so scared I hid under the covers for the rest of the night worried this “Gorilla” would climb in the window and get me. If I had to describe it I would say, the face kind of just looked like a Gorilla, this “Thing” had a short stubby nose, with massive eyes that looked black. The hair around the face and head looked dark brown/black.

I only really saw the head peeking around the tree” before I quickly made sense of what was happening

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and hid. I used to spend every free moment at my Grandparents home in Springwell village, Washington before this happened. And I can remember that night well although I was fairly young at the time. I had stayed up late watching TV with my Grandparents and when I finally did go to bed I was lying in bed and I did not have the curtains closed, there were no houses at the back of us and the house looked out onto greenbelt land.

That night I was just lying there in my bed and I moved around a little to get comfy. I was just daydreaming and looking outside thinking and all I could see was the conifer trees my Grandfather had planted a few years before. As I lay looking out the window I noticed two eyes looking at me, as my eyes adjusted to the surrounding trees I noticed what looked like a Gorilla’s face peeking through the leaves watching me.

Being gripped by Fear I hid under my blanket until I fell asleep, as I said the face just looked like a Gorilla, it had a short stubby nose, two massive eyes

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that looked black. The hair around the face and head looked dark brown/ black. I only really saw the head of this thing clearly not the body before I hid.

I drove up to Hunger Hill to view the area and the house itself. It’s an ordinary house, with a mock Tudor front. A typical box shaped new build. Beyond the back garden there is greenbelt land that runs for miles and miles. So what did these boys experience. A living breathing 300 lb live Gorilla. Or something far more Supernatural in Origin?

If you have experienced anything like this or know of someone who has, please get in touch via debbiehatswell@gmail.com

Until next time...

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 87

Market partnership providing high quality food to children through collaboration brings praise markets in Lancashire have joined forces to support struggling from Marcus Rashford Two families with children eligible for free school meals. Blackburn Market and Darwen Market have been at the forefront of the initiative which has seen hundreds of vouchers issued to local families to buy high quality fresh foods direct from the markets.

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he vouchers were issued by Blackburn with Darwen Council to families with children eligible for free school meals. It means that families can make healthy choices from a vast array of locally sourced vegetables, bakery, meat, fish and dried goods and at the same time support the small businesses that are a vital source of essential supplies to the local community.

Marcus Rashford, the Manchester United player and food poverty campaigner recently recognised the partnership on Twitter: “Love that Blackburn and Darwen has mobilised local business into their hunger-related schemes.

Well done.”

Scott Stewart, who runs the Fruit & Veg stall on Blackburn Market said: “It’s been great to support this scheme and see people discovering the wide range of fresh food available in the market at the same time. Seeing families leaving with fabulous fresh produce to help get them through the time when school meals would normally be available is really satisfying.

We’ve been really proud to be part of it.”

The vouchers can be used for food at any of the fresh food stalls including fruit & veg, butchers, fishmongers, bakeries, delicatessens and grocery 88

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stalls. With vegetables picked the same day, meat sourced from local farmers and fish direct from the docks, this solution is supporting children in a sustainable and healthy way. The participating traders have been advising parents on healthy meal ideas, recommending a range and variety of choices and giving tips on how to make the vouchers go further with money saving ideas. This personal service, quality produce and value for money has won many parents over and keeping the spend in the local economy has helped local businesses in challenging times for the high street.

Above: Scott Stewart with £15 food selection from Blackburn Market

Phil Riley, Executive Member for Growth and Development at Blackburn with Darwen Council said: “Supporting children and local businesses at the same time is a great solution to the challenges that are facing families during the latest round of restrictions. Rather than pre-packed boxed food, families are able to choose high quality produce and make a vital contribution to small businesses and the local economy at the same time.

“This type of community support is the essence of what we are aiming to achieve in Blackburn and Darwen.” www.lancmag.com

New homes across Lancashire How very Redrow We pride ourselves in building quality homes throughout Lancashire

Images typical of Redrow homes. Details correct at time of going to press.

Discover more about the new homes in Lancashire

Visit: redrow.co.uk/lancashire

Redrow strive to create environments that will stand the test of time, where people can appreciate and enjoy their surroundings. We create homes that are designed for the way we live today, yet are rooted in the time-honoured traditions of craftsmanship and care.

Helping hand for Hartford causes REDROW launches new £5,000 community fund for Hartford to help charities and community groups impacted by Covid.

Megan Evans received help towards the cost of travelling to netball tournaments

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he homebuilder has previously shared more than £20,000 amongst good causes in and around Hartford via a series of voluntary community funds.

Recognising that charities and community groups have been under extra pressure and often unable to carry out their usual fundraising activities this year, Redrow is offering a new community fund.

Redrow area sales manager Caroline Thompson-Jones explained: “Over recent years we’ve hosted a Happy Hartford Christmas event for the local community, helping to raise thousands of pounds for charities. Because of Covid this hasn’t been possible this year and we’ve thought about how else we can celebrate the community spirit of the area.

The result is a fresh round of funding for good causes.

Redrow Men in Sheds Hartford - Eddy Fallows

“Community has become more important than ever before in recent months and there have been lots of heart-warming stories about people coming together to support one another. We’re also aware of the extra pressures charities and community groups have faced this year because of Covid.

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Redrow Hartford Badminton - Olivia Frankland “We know from previous funds there are lots of projects locally for people of all ages – from Men in Sheds supporting mental health, to sports teams keeping residents fit and active, to schools and youth groups helping young people.

We very much want to hear from good causes in the Hartford area, near to our Weaver Park and Water’s Reach developments, to find out how we can help them make a difference locally.”

Redrow’s previous Hartford funds have helped provide volunteer training, craft sessions, sports kits, a table saw, tables, construction toys and a defibrillator amongst others.

The latest Hartford Community Fund is linked to new homes being built at Weaver Park and Water’s Reach and is in addition to Redrow’s statutory investment in the neighbourhood.

Homes at Weaver Park are currently available off plan, with prices from £287,995. Sales for homes at Water’s Reach are expected to launch over the coming weeks.

Redrow’s Hartford Grange is now a thriving community, with the final homes on phase 3 of the popular development now on sale. www.lancmag.com

Redrow Men in Sheds Hartford - Steve Jackson

For more information about the homes see www.redrow.co.uk/hartford To find out more about Redrow’s £5,000 Hartford Community Fund and to download an application form visit: www.redrow.co.uk/hartford-communityfund The deadline for completed applications is midnight on January 17th, 2021.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 91

Rossendale Interiors

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fter a spending so much time in our homes throughout 2020, there was a huge increase in the interest in home improvements. Many indulged in DIY projects on a small scale, some launched grander projects in all their extra time and others started full-on remodelling projects to completely change the look and feel of their living spaces. So it is no wonder that whilst there was (and still is) a lot of corporate difficulty, there were certain companies who actually survived the difficult course of the year.

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One such company is Rossendale Interiors.

Based right in the heart of Bacup, this is an interiors company with a difference. In the first instance, you won’t see Rossendale Interiors touting for business in the far reaches of the UK. No, they have always had a very clear focus as to where their loyalties lie, and they are within our very own Red Rose County.

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The Rossendale Interiors story Launched in 2002 with the opening of its showroom on Newchurch Road, Rossendale Interiors has a lot of experience in fitting out the different rooms of your home to perfectly suit your taste. But their history goes much further back than that – over 150 years in fact. That’s because they are part of JJ Ormerod, who specialise in manufacturing kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture. JJO had an almost humble start in ironmongery and the fabrication of coffins of all things but fortunately for the home improvements world, they didn’t stay limited to this!

Of course, their expertise over the years allowed their services to evolve and today they focus exclusively on domestic furniture manufacture.

JJO sell their furniture to the trade all across the UK, with Rossendale Interiors acting as the only official retail outlet. It was the Greenhalgh family who set the business up all those years ago and within the family it remains, loyal to their commercial morality and continuing to grow and evolve with the passage of time. The residents of our fabulous county of Lancashire have been showing their appreciation of this ethos by letting Rossendale Interiors improve their homes for the past 18 years. And as a result of their service and dedication to providing the best, the business has simply thrived.

Rossendale Interiors is a business which is fiercely loyal to its roots and focuses on giving the very best service to the locals who shop there.

This company is Lancashire-based to its very core, with all of the products manufactured literally just up the road in the JJO factory. So when you buy from them, not only are you buying British, you are literally helping to support your local economy – something we have all been a lot more conscious of lately and we can all get behind.

An exemplary service A showroom, retail sales, brochures; all standard sales tools and you’d be forgiven for thinking this company is all about the hard sell, but that could not be further from the truth. The reality is that Rossendale Interiors is actually in the customer service industry; the objective is to work with the customer to create the perfect living environment for their individual needs.

The rooms Rossendale Interiors have typically always focused on have been kitchens and bedrooms, again with all the furniture made locally in Bacup.

This clear proposition has allowed them to become experts in the house so you can be safe in the knowledge that you will be fully informed and properly advised to buy the right units and make the most of your space.

The range of kitchens is inspired with real-life in mind and can be tailored to suit anything specific to your particular situation. There is such a broad range to choose from that you will find all tastes, habits and budgets are catered for, and you can put together combinations of all the elements as you desire as well as appliances too. Upon your enquiry, you’ll receive a ‘site’ visit to measure up and you’ll then receive full design plans with your ideas put down on paper. But even at this point, there is no pressure placed upon you as there’s

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no obligation to proceed. It’s much the same process with the bedrooms. High quality units will be designed to suit your tastes, your budget, your home and the lifestyle you lead within it.

You’ll be able to pick all the finishing touches to make it look perfect and review the comprehensive designs when they come through. Once you’re happy with it all, it’s only at this point when you start to commit to getting the room of your dreams.

At Rossendale Interiors, they don’t like to rest on their laurels and have always had an ethos of adaptation and innovation. It is that which carried them from coffin-making to coffee-machine installation and 2020 has proven yet again they have the ability to move with the times by adding additional services. A newer area of the home which Rossendale Interiors have started to focus on is that of the home office.

The fundamental shift-change in all our lives throughout 2020 saw so many avoid the office and start to work from home instead. With no clear view as to how long this would be necessary for, there were makeshift desks set up in the corner of other rooms.

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inappropriate seating and desks that were just fine for the odd day at home when the plumber was due, but that didn’t go the distance when weeks stretched into months. The extended duration of home-working enabled businesses to realise that their teams could be just as effective when working remotely and in fact, it revolutionised the work-life balance for many. It had a profound effect and caused a lot of senior managers to evaluate the need for such large office spaces going forwards and to also consider a more flexible working week which would see many employees spend at least part of their time at home indefinitely. This is a move supported by the workforce and has encouraged many to kit themselves out properly at home. As a result, the new Rossendale Interiors home office service was born and they have been kitting out those make-shift areas properly to provide the right environment for those spending more time at their home desk.

High quality units will be designed to suit your tastes, your budget, your home and the lifestyle you lead within it out service which includes installation, and can also include plastering flooring and more, with after care provided too. This is by far and away the most popular way of engaging with them because Rossendale Interiors work with fitters who understand their products and will do an excellent job. The

In terms of the installation process, you can simply purchase your units and accessories by themselves and have them fitted by someone of your choosing. However, Rossendale Interiors also offer a full end-to-end fit

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with Rossendale Interiors, it became apparent that the ones who make the biggest difference are those at grassroots level and they are respected as the key workers they are. Take a look at two of the key departments who set Rossendale iNteriors apart from the rest:

team at Rossendale are much more comfortable with this as it means they are involved until the project is finished so they can ensure it has been completed to their exacting standards every time.

When working with Rossendale Interiors, you’ll notice the difference in their service from the outset. Not only that, you’ll also have the peace of mind knowing all your new furniture was carefully and expertly fabricated right on your doorstep.

None of this would be possible without their loyal and hardworking team.

The Welcome Team

Your first port of call when calling or visiting the showroom is the Welcome Team with whom you will start your customer journey. The Welcome Team are heavily involved in the buying process as they understand that such personal purchases are actually steeped in emotion and they aim to facilitate a pleasurable experience for the customer.

The team that make it all happen

The company might still be owned by the Greenhalgh family, but its size means they have had to recruit from far and wide in order to provide the service they are known for throughout Lancashire. But these additional team members are simply part of a larger family who all work together to ensure the customer is at the heart of the whole process. Indeed, everyone at Rossendale has the same customer service focus which is really what makes all the difference.

When introducing a team, it is quite common for the original employees or the most senior employees to be focussed on. But when speaking

Employee in focus: Mike Skelcher, Retail Sales Manager

Above: Mike Skelcher, Retail Sales Manager

A new addition to the team, Mike joins after a long history in the interiors world, bringing with him a wealth of experience. The official title he holds isn’t really a just representation of all that he is tasked with in his new position, as he will be doing much more for the company than simply managing sales! He will also be modernising internal processes and will be looking after

marketing activities too in order that the company is positioned in the right way – as exceptionally unique and service-oriented.

The Design Team

In another twist on the norm, the designers at Rossendale actually form relationships with the customers themselves. It makes perfect sense really; the customers need to articulate their www.lancmag.com

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desires in order for the rooms to be designed in the way they want and adding a middle-man into the process just means things get lost in translation.

The designers are who bring an idea to life so it is important for them to buy into the vision of the customer so they can create their perfect space. They directly influence the high levels of customer satisfaction which is why this team of five are invaluable assets.

Employee in focus: Sophie Clayton, Designer

Having joined Rossendale Interiors in 2013, Sophie has quickly developed into a creative designer who has designed hundreds of kitchens and bedrooms for her customers. Sophie has an extremely professional approach when it comes to the delivery of all aspects of her customer service but what really sets her apart is how she makes sure she really understands her customers’ needs. This is the difference between an average service and an excellent one, and it means she receives consistently 96

good feedback from everyone she works with. Sophie even won an award at the 2020 Fusion Inspiration Awards within the Decorative Cloud Category in 2018. Well done to her!

Results that speak for themselves

Of course, anyone can make bold claims as to the superiority of their service, but with Rossendale Interiors, it is the customers who do this on their behalf. Over 50% of the enquiries they receive are actually referrals from previous customers who have been so thrilled with the service they received that they practically shout it from the rooftops to their friends and family.

And if that isn’t enough, there are many fantastic reviews left as well – almost too many to keep track of – but Rossendale Interiors try their best!

Read a couple for yourself here: “Just a quick note to thank you all, our new kitchen is awesome, it’s been over a week now since you fitted it and we can’t help standing at the hallway door and looking at the finished article. I would not hesitate to recommend you.”

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“Many thanks for all your hard work and patience in helping us to refurbish our new bungalow. The kitchen and bedrooms are looking excellent and have provided us with lots of storage space.”

So if you’re thinking about any home improvements in the Lancashire region, then isn’t it time you contacted Rossendale Interiors?

www.rossendaleinteriors.net 352-358 Newchurch Rd, Stacksteads, Bacup. OL13 0LD. Tel: 01706 252122 Oswaldtwistle Mills, Colliers Street, Oswaldtwistle. BB5 3DE. Tel: 01254 304068 Colne Market Hall, Market Street, Colne. BB8 0HS. Tel: 07785 426319 Showrooms open 7 days per week with over 60 displays to see www.lancmag.com

Ch ec k k op en i ng g ti me s du g Cor on a riinng vi re str ic ruuss t ionnss

What friendly Mancunians want from their homes this year – good neighbours, independent shops, more green space – but less chat over the fence!

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ew research has been released, showing what people want from their neighbourhoods in 2021, with Mancunians placing a desire for friendly communities and access to local shops, independent cafés, green space and places for children to play at the top of their wish lists – but chats over the fences are taking less of a priority.

Commissioned by the modern housebuilder, House by Urban Splash, a survey of 2,000 respondents gauged what people want from their homes this year. 45% of Mancunians stated they want to live in a strong community of friends and neighbours – but just a third (31%) currently enjoy this where they live.

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Showing the North West’s friendly character, the survey found that 44% of respondents in neighbouring Liverpool also ranked a strong community high on the agenda; conversely, over the Pennines in Leeds, just a third of people cited this as a priority, while Londoners put access to green space first (44%).

Other surprising results were that just 13% of Mancunians feel there is a safe space in their community in which children can play – less than half of what’s available in Liverpool where almost 27% of respondents claim to have this; Mancs also said that poor quality housing is their most likely driver for moving home (32%).

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As a company, House believes that successful neighbourhoods fulfil more than people’s housing needs, and that neighbourhood design can create great places to live But while Mancunians have shown they’re a friendly bunch in some respects, respondents in the city have cut down their chats with neighbours to less than half. 70% of people say they know their neighbours well, but the number of people who are no longer speaking

with their neighbours since the pandemic began has trebled from 4% to 12%!

Toby Brown who looks after the House by Urban Splash portfolio of homes in Manchester, comments: “We know that people in the North have a great reputation for being friendly and approachable and it’s really encouraging to see that a great, connected and friendly community is high on the agenda for people looking for a new home in Manchester.

“We are all about creating communities – such as New Islington in Manchester and Wirral Waters in Merseyside – in which people can ‘Live Well by Design’; communities with green space and shared areas that encourage people to get out and meet the neighbours – it’s obvious from these results that’s what Mancunians want and we’re proud to be creating it.”

New Islington, with the award-winning Pollen Bakery, Cotton Field Park and Ancoats’ General Store on the doorstep, is an exemplar of the kind of neighbourhood people need and are hunting for.

“We must focus on design beyond the home itself, creating neighbourhoods with generous shared gardens, playgrounds, water and green space.

It’s abundantly clear that’s what people want.”

The survey also found that 72% of Mancunians are eco-conscious, but 41% of them think that cost is a barrier to adapting their homes to be more sustainable; Toby continued: “Buyers today are www.lancmag.com

quite clearly ecoconscious, with this year compounding their need for homes that are built sustainably and are cheap to run and good for the planet. Using Modern Methods of Construction we build homes that are green by default.”

For more information about the new Live Well by Design manifesto by House by Urban Splash, visit https://www.housebyurbansplash.co.uk/live-well-by-design

The research has fed into House by Urban Splash ‘s new manifesto, called ‘Live Well by Design’, that sets out ten principles for successful future neighbourhoods focusing on design, wellbeing, choice and sustainability.

House by Urban Splash is creating the final homes at New Islington in Manchester with customisable homes and green spaces on the edge of the canal and New Islington Marina. Toby continued: “Our ethos is ‘Live Well by Design’, and people can really do that at New Islington; there’s green space and shared areas that encourage community – it’s obvious from these results that’s what Mancunians want and at places like New Islington we’re proud to be creating it.”

As a company, House believes that successful neighbourhoods fulfil more than people’s housing needs, and that neighbourhood design can create great places to live. A sustainable neighbourhood offers balance – community when it’s wanted, but also privacy when needed.

A housebuilder can’t build a ready-made community, but good design can create the perfect conditions for people to grow their own.

Right: New Islington Live Well By Design

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BOOKS Our roundup of this months literary delights

A Discovery of Witches – The Hellion by Harriet Young Pendle Hill is a hulking wedge of land which has long been revered. It only takes one trek up to the bleak, windswept top to understand why the hill has drawn people since the Bronze Age. There is a mysticism to the place – it has a silence and stillness, yet there is also energy crackling under the surface.

People who have lived in the area around Pendle Hill have always had their lives shaped by it. Today, there is a pride and love that you can feel as soon as you arrive – I have always noticed the fierce, protective affection when talking to anyone from close by. Of course, this is understandable. The Hill is as breathtakingly beautiful as its history is tragic.

Because, as is well known, most of those convicted during the notorious 1612 Pendle Witch Trials had lived in the shadow of the Hill.

Daemonologie and the Witch Trials The trials were the result of an appalling range of circumstances that led to the execution of ten men and women. A new king, a magistrate desperate for attention and applause, a tumultuous religious history.

It was well known that the king, James I, had a deep fear of witches. He had written all about it in his book, Daemonologie, which was published in 1597, back when he was James VI of Scotland. Part of this fear came from a visit to Denmark, where James married Princess Anne, the sister of Christian IV of Denmark. On their return to Scotland, they were halted by violent storms which forced them to shelter in Norway for several weeks. Astonishingly, the admiral of the Danish fleet suggested that the storms were the work of a woman that he had insulted, and witchcraft trials took place in Denmark based on this testimony – leading to two women being burnt as witches.

James, on hearing about this, decided to set up his own trials in Scotland. The North Berwick Witch Trials of 1590 were a sign of what was to come in Lancashire. Many women and men admitted, under torture, to cursing the king and asking the devil to sink his ship.

After this, James threw himself into the hunting of witches – even carrying out interrogations (read, torture) of witches himself. This resulted in the writing of Daemonologie.

In 1603, following the death of Elizabeth I, James became King James I of a unified Scotland and England.

Unsurprisingly, his new subjects clamoured to discover all they could about their new king, a task which was made much easier due to the book that he had published. It was quite clear to everyone that James would show preference to those who stamped heavily on witchcraft and heresy.

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Catholicism and Protestantism. From the upheaval of Henry VIII’s reign to the bloodshed of Mary I’s, England had experienced a century of uncertainty, where practicing the wrong religion could be a death sentence. Those with wealth and influence were quick to realise that, with James I being a devout Protestant, Catholicism was out. Those without either carried on practicing the religion they knew which is why, as around Pendle area, there would be pockets of Catholics. And to a magistrate like Roger Nowell, Catholicism was heresy, heresy was witchcraft, and witchcraft was a handy way to make sure his name was heard at court.

It is unfortunate that James I had peddled back on the fervent beliefs he had held when he wrote Daemonoligie by the time the Pendle Witch Trials took place. Later in life he shied away from his theories and questioned his own wisdom, but it was far too late for the Pendle Witch Trials and all of the other witch trials that took place in the following years. www.lancmag.com

Whispers of Witchcraft It is simplistic to say that those convicted during the trials were Catholics and that is the only reason why they were accused. There were many reasons: patriarchy – the families were headed by strong women who earned their own money and thus attracted fear, animosity – there was a rift among those accused and they incriminated one another, and belief – there is no doubt that at least one of the accused truly believed that they had powers given to them by the devil.

The Pendle Witch Trials resulted in the deaths of eleven people (ten by execution, one died in imprisonment while awaiting trial) and each of those eleven people had their own intricate, vibrant life story which was cut short by their arrests.

The Hellion focuses on one family in particular; the Device family. The Devices lived in Malkin Tower, an ill-famed dwelling near Pendle Hill.

It is thought that Malkin Tower was razed after the trials, though every few years there are reports that it has been found.

Despite its name, the building was likely to have just been a small cottage, perhaps earning the name through sarcasm.

It was at Malkin Tower that a so-called witches coven took place on Good Friday in April 1612, after some of the arrests had taken place. Testimony from the trials suggests that those in attendance were planning to free the people who had been arrested by blowing up Lancaster Castle with gunpowder.

Eight more people were jailed as a result of the gathering, and it was here that Jennet took the stage.

witnesses throughout England. Now, they could be used, and trusted. A ten year old boy named Edmund Robinson was a witness at another witch trial in Lancaster in 1634. The name of one of those charged with witchcraft? Jennet Device.

Times had changed and, this time around, the child eventually admitted that he was lying. The people who had been arrested were saved from the gallows but, in a cruel twist of fate, at that time you would have required a hefty sum of money to pay fees for being held in prison – even if you were found innocent. If you couldn’t afford to pay the fees? You weren’t allowed to leave. It is more likely than not that those involved in the trials died in prison anyway.

It isn’t possible to tell whether that was the very same Jennet Device, but it is certainly possible. The reverberations from Pendle Witch Trials had continued even until then, two decades later and under a different king.

It wasn’t until 1735 that the hunting of witches was outlawed with the introduction of the Witchcraft Act. This made it a crime for a person to claim that anyone – including themselves – had magical powers or practiced witchcraft. The last person to be executed for the crime of witchcraft in Great Britain was Janet Horne, in Dornoch in 1727.

The Hellion I wrote The Hellion after becoming fascinated by the story of the Devices, including Jennet. I knew that theirs was a story – however brutal – that needed to be told. Against the backdrop of political and religious upheaval, these were real people doing what they needed to do in order to survive.

Perhaps, today, we would judge some of their choices and decisions. However, there were very few options available to the poor, and particularly to poor women.

I am a firm believer that stories do not always need to have a happy ending, but they should have a voice. The Hellion is my attempt at giving a voice to these women.

Of course, with historical records as they are (and always written by the rich and powerful) I have had to use a hefty dose of poetic licence. The result is a work of fiction which focuses on the women – about whom little is known – rather than the men who orchestrated the trials.

Harriet Young Jennet Device, The Child Witness Jennet was just nine years old at the time of the trials.

Several of her family members were accused. Yet she became the star witness in this highly publicised trial. Jennet’s role in the trial is well-documented, but what happened afterwards was even more interesting.

No one knows exactly what became of Jennet, but it is a fact that the use of her testimony changed the standards for child www.lancmag.com

The Hellion will be released by Unbound Publishers on 4th March 2021 and is available to preorder as a paperback through all major online booksellers, such as Waterstones, Book Depository and Blackwell’s and as an ebook on Amazon. It has also been snatched up by audio-heavyweights W. F. Howes, who will be publishing it as an audiobook.

You can find out more about The Hellion on my blog, www.thesenovelthoughts.com and on my Instagram, www.Instagram.com/thesenovelthoughts

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Ulverston

By Lucy Bullough

Above: Sir John Barrow Monument with evening light on the drystone walls of Hoad Hill

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he Lake District is one of those magical places with so many things to see and do. As such, you can almost be forgiven for continuing on past Ulverston which sits just south of it, heading straight into the area itself for better-known locations such as Coniston, Windermere, Keswick and so on. However, there are a great many reasons to head off the M6 and make your way to this charming Cumbrian town.

Not only is it not too overrun with other tourists, there is plenty on offer here which differs from the norm of hiking up hills and marvelling at great expanses of water. You’ll spot it when you get close thanks to the infamous Hoad Hill and the monument which stands proudly atop it.

Prizes for whoever in the car sees it first!

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Locals say it is the sense of community which sets it apart, and the fact there is still very much a beating heart at the centre of it all. It has a ‘small town vibe’ which is supported by the very people who keep Ulverston as unique as it is and one which is welcoming to all. Initiatives such as the free-cycle project throughout the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrate this perfectly. It has seen food collected from supermarkets and distributed to those when they have needed it the most. There is also a shop dedicated to reducing waste output to better the environment for all.

When a town has this much care for each other, it’s hard not to fall a little bit in love with it. Let’s take a closer look at this charming location and all it has to offer.

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A history as old as the hills ‘Since the Dark Ages’ is a term most of us will be familiar with but did you know Ulverston has been around since the Dark Ages?

This time period was ‘dark’, with no records made then and today, still very little is known about it.

However, we do know this was the time when Ulverston’s story began. The Dark Ages were when the Saxons took over from the Romans, who were on their way out, sometime around 430AD and it’s when Ulverston started in an early form. It was, of course, listed in the Domesday Book in 1086, and went by the name ‘Ulvrestun’ back then. This derived from Úlfarr, an old Norse family name meaning wolf warrior and tun meaning farm or homestead.

The name is how a wolf ended up on the town’s coat of arms but over the years, it saw different variations including Oluestonam in 1127 and Uluereston in 1189.

Above: The dining room at Swarthmoor Hall

In these early years, Ulverston was a part of Lancashire, only becoming part of Cumbria in 1974 – much later than many realise. But regardless of its whereabouts, in the mid-1500s, it became the capital town of the area thanks to its position on the trade routes from the Cartmel Peninsula to Barrow and the towns on the west

In these early years, Ulverston was a part of Lancashire, only becoming part of Cumbria in 1974

coast. It is a town steeped in religious prominence too, as it is seen as the birthplace of the Quaker movement. George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, established a base there at Swarthmoor Hall. It was the home of Margaret Fell whom he married in in 1667, and was used as an early meeting place for local Quakers.

A prosperous market town Ulverston has always been known for its trade and was granted its market charter on the 11th

September, 1280, by King Edward I. As with other market charters, this allowed one to be held weekly (in Ulverston’s case on a Thursday) and also gave the town permission to hold an annual fair in September. This event is still acknowledged today with during Ulverston’s the Charter Festival, held each September.

The market charter allowed the town to thrive, bringing with it economic growth and prosperity.

There were a few setbacks along the way – targeted by Scots and burnt to the ground not once but twice in the 14th century being one – Ulverston continued to boom and still does today. The Market Place (or market hall) is still at the heart of the town with its indoor market open five days per week, only closing on a Wednesday and a Sunday. There are also two street markets held each week on Thursdays and Saturdays. With such a focus on local trades, artisans and produce, they are the perfect place to pick up some tasty treats whilst also supporting the local community.

Left: Market Street with the Saturday open market in progress. The open markets take place on Thursdays and Saturdays and were established in 1280 by a royal charter.

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The home of legends In addition to George Fox, there have been other famous folks hailing from Ulverston. Sir John Barrow, an English statesman and writer was born here and he went on to explore previously uncharted waters in the Arctic. He discovered the Magnetic North Pole and was also the first to see volcanoes in the Antarctic. A monument is dedicated to him at the entrance of the town, atop the Hoad Hill, built in 1850 and restored in 2009.

Proud suffragette, Selina Martin, was born here too and played an active role in the Women’s Social and Political Union, even finding herself in prison from time to time. The broadcaster Bryan Russell Martin also hails from Ulverston, and he became a Senior BBC Radio 4 newsreader. His most notable reports were announcing Elvis’s death and breaking the news of the Iranian Embassy siege in 1980.

Bill Haley’s mother, Norman Gifford the cricketer, Lord Birkett and several war heroes also called Ulverston home at one point or another.

Perhaps the most famous of all the legends borne of this town is Arthur Stanley Jefferson, known as Stan Laurel and one half of the incredible comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy. Born on 16 June 1890 at 3 Argyle Street, a bronze statue of the pair stands proud in County Square after being installed in 2010 as part of the area’s regeneration. It was commissioned and paid for by a fan club known as the Sons of the Desert and pays a fine tribute to their genius.

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Statue of Laurel and Hardy leaning on a lamp post outside the Coronation Theatre.

Ulverston, the ‘Festivals Town’ A moniker to be proud of, since the 1980s and 90s Ulverston has had an identity as Furness’ premier ‘Festivals Town’. This is thanks to a socially engaged art movement where everyone is encouraged to get involved and create art for themselves. Today it manifests itself in a variety of events held throughout the year which draw visitors from far and wide. They include: Ulverston Lantern Festival – in 2020, it was necessary to hold this virtually, but that didn’t extinguish its fiery spirit.

Participants in 2020 displayed their lanterns outside their homes and the first ever dragonfly was spotted! In more ‘normal’ years, the beastly and incredible lanterns light up the streets as crowds gather to see the glowing artistic genius in all its glory before a huge fireworks display lights up the night sky.

The Dickensian Festival – around 20,000 visitors are attracted to the town for this weekend of fun just before Christmas. You’ll spot Scrooge

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wandering the streets and you can enjoy the fantastic Dickensian atmosphere which is created in this traditional market town. Free entertainment for children and adults alike is laid on and there are plenty of Christmas stalls for you to do some gift shopping or treat yourself to a tempting bite.

Enjoy a brass band, Victorian helter skelter, horse drawn carriages, hog roast and much more besides.

Perhaps the most famous of all the legends borne of this town is Arthur Stanley Jefferson, known as Stan Laurel and one half of the incredible comedy duo, Laurel and Hardy

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Another Fine Fest – this annual festival hosts a broad spectrum of artistic activity, comedy and music from a variety of different genres, ensuring there is something for all. It started in 2014 and has grown rapidly to ensure that the organisers are still able to bring you a great deal of entertainment which also centres around creativity, well-being and the local community spirit. Not only that, it also raises funds for two local charities; Ulverston MIND and St Mary’s Hospice.

This is just a small selection of the incredible events on offer, there are plenty more to choose from. So it really isn’t a surprise that Ulverston is known far and wide for its festivals!

Food & drink to tempt you If you’re the tourist who loves a great local find, then you won’t be disappointed when you travel to Ulverston. It has fantastic pubs serving excellent fare, a lot of which is sourced locally and of course you can wash it down with a nice cask ale or two. www.lancmag.com

For a town of its size, you might be surprised at how many great pubs it is home to but when you see how they form part of the soul of the place, it’s not hard to understand. Each one has its one personality too. The Mill offers casual fine dining and has the original water mill feature, and you can enjoy a drink or meal in different sections including a terrace, Cask Bar and even a cocktail bar. The Farmer’s is an awardwinning pub, wine bar and restaurant and if you’re lucky enough to secure a table outside on a sunny day, it offers the perfect spot for people watching at the top of the cobbled street and opposite the market cross. The Rose, The Sun Inn, The Swan...there are so many you’ll be spoilt for choice.

If you’re looking for somewhere with a little more cachet, then you have some other options too. Ulverston is nothing like the sleepy backwater towns you might be picturing, instead it is quite cosmopolitan and cutting edge in its offerings. If you’re really into your ales, then head to the comparatively

Above: The Dickensian weekend preChristmas festival brings thousands of visitors to the historic market town of Ulverston each year.

new Beerwolf, a craft beer shop and bar where you can try before you buy for home! Or if you’re more of a vinolover, have a glass or two at Capitola, the local wine bar. When it comes to a meal that takes your tastebuds well out of Cumbria to much sunnier Mediterranean climes, pay a visit to L’al Churrasco, an award-winning tapas bar. Offering food not just from Spain, but Portugal and the wider south Mediterranean too, you will note their focus on flavour and be able to enjoy it with a unique cocktail too.

Just because Ulverston is a quaint Lakeland town, doesn’t mean it compromises anything in terms of gastronomic or alcoholic delights. In fact, you’ll most likely be pleasantly surprised by what gems you can find right in the heart of the town.

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A more traditional exploit Obviously, the majority of people heading to the Lakes want to strap on their boots and take to the hills. So if that’s your idea of a great day out, you’ll be pleased to know you can still achieve this from Ulverston too, albeit not up to quite such heady heights! You can, however, take a walk up the Hoad Hill and have a look at the monument to Sir John Barrow which adorns it. Or why not head to the beach at Bardsea? You could enjoy a sweet treat from Roy’s Ices whilst taking in the fresh sea air. Although if it’s ice cream in general you’re after, you might also want to pay a visit to Cumbrian Cow, as they serve some of the best locally throughout the summer

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season. More walks can be had in Birkrigg and here you’ll see views of the lakes and bay beyond. Of course, if it’s hard core walking you’re after, then you’re in a great position to explore the wider Lake District so you aren’t limited in anything you can do.

Ulverston really is a town with a lot to offer to everyone. Quaint shops on cobbled streets, artisan produce and local delicacies, great pubs, food, music, scenery and so much more besides will suit all the family. So when you next want a day trip out, instead of heading to the places that are always on the beaten track, head to Ulverston and you won’t be disappointed.

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Right: Narrow street in the market town of Ulverston

A sunset overlooking Birkrigg.

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Maintaining Healthy Habits New Year’s resolutions can be a good starting point for making longer term health and lifestyle improvements, but most people who set New Year’s resolutions do not stick to them.

Reasons for quitting include a lack of time, a lack of support from other people and feeling daunted by unrealistic targets. This tip is aimed at helping you to succeed in maintaining your healthy goals in 2021.

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Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip,

by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

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Setting achievable goals The first thing to consider is whether your New Year’s resolutions is achievable and realistic.

Often, goals are unachievable because they are too difficult, or they do not allow enough time for you to make gradual changes. There is nothing wrong with aiming high and being ambitious, but it is important that your goal is not too difficult or time-consuming as this could leave you feeling daunted.

When setting a goal, ask yourself the following questions: • Is the goal too ambitious?

• Is the timeframe for the goal realistic?

• What specific changes do I need to make to achieve my goal?

• Can I fit my new healthy behaviour around my other commitments?

Plan for success Make a plan of how you will achieve your goal and what changes you will make to ensure you stick to it. There are online resources available to help you plan your healthy activities, such as the NHS’ couch to 5km programme or the NHS’ programmes for stopping smoking, cutting down alcohol and losing weight: • Couch to 5km: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/ • Stopping smoking: https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/quit-smoking/ • Cutting down on alcohol: https://www.nhs.uk/ live-well/alcohol-support/tips-on-cutting-downalcohol/ • Losing weight: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/

Break down your goal Breaking large goals down into smaller goals can make them feel more achievable and less daunting. For example, if you are aiming to lose weight, the NHS recommends that you aim to lose around 1 to 2lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week. You should be able to achieve this by cutting down your calorie intake by about 500 to 600 calories each day. It might take you longer than you originally planned to lose the weight, but you are more likely to stick to it and not give up.

Don’t expect immediate results The effects of your New Year’s resolution may take time to appear. Try to be patient and don’t expect the results from just one or two weeks of dieting to show on the weighing scales, as it may take longer.

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Involving other people

Do not beat yourself up

A really good way to motivate you to stick to your goal is to involve other people. If you know someone who has a similar goal to yours, try to involve them as a “buddy� to provide mutual support for each other. They may even be able to push you a little bit harder, helping you to achieve your goals and resolutions sooner. You can also look for groups on social media who share your goal.

If you miss a fitness session, have an alcoholic drink, cigarette or bar of chocolate, try not to feel guilty about it. Think about what might have triggered the deviation from your goal and try to avoid it in future. Forgive yourself and aim to get back to achieving your goal as soon as possible.

Make changes that will last long term On average, it takes between 21 and 28 days for something to become a long-term habit. Make goals that you want to be able to stick to long term, such as improving your overall fitness, stopping smoking or maintaining your weight. If you can make it through these first few weeks, you will notice that things will become much easier.

If you need help with your drinking you can get support by visiting: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/

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DREAMED ABOUT OWNING YOUR OWN HORSE? Want to extend your knowledge and gain a certificate?

THEN THIS IS FOR YOU! THE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO HORSE & PONY CARE PART 1 Online learning, in your own time.

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VISIT WWW.HAPPA.ORG.UK www.lancmag.com

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Memorial to the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment finally installed at the national memorial arboretum

After a nine-month delay forced by the Coronavirus emergency, an imposing memorial to Lancashire’s last single-county regiment has finally been installed at the National Memorial Arboretum, the nation’s year-round centre for remembrance.

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he memorial, the result of an extraordinary and monumental fund-raising effort which raised over £180,000 in just four years, commemorates The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment, and those that served in the fine and proud county regiment.

It was due to be unveiled in March before the largest gathering of former members of the Regiment since it was amalgamated in 2006, but the Coronavirus outbreak forced a delay in completion and postponement of the unveiling.

Installation has now been completed ready for a re-organised official dedication ceremony, hopefully to be held later in 2021 once it is safe to do so.

The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment was formed by the amalgamation of The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) and The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Volunteers) at Connaught Barracks in Dover on the 25th March 1970. Both these great Regiments have a place on the memorial. It became Lancashire’s only county Infantry Regiment and held the record of having the most Battle Honours of any line infantry regiment in the British Army, two of these being 112

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Quebec and Waterloo where predecessors of The Queen’s Lancashire’s fought with great distinction.

The Regimental family included previous units from the North, South, and East of Lancashire and its history can be traced as far back as 1689. It was the only English infantry regiment to have Her Majesty the Queen as Colonel-in-Chief, an honour now inherited by the successor Regiment, the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment

Above: The finished Memorial.

After the amalgamation in 2006, and feeling strongly that the years of service of their muchloved Regiment should not be allowed to disappear into history without commemoration, a group of Regimental veterans conceived the idea of a permanent Queen’s Lancashire Regiment memorial at the National Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire.

Starting in 2016 with a bank balance of precisely zero, the group raised funds over the years through donations, auctions and various sponsored events which, through the enthusiastic and generous support of the Regimental family and the people of Lancashire, raised a sum which is now approaching £180,000, for the design, construction and maintenance of what will be one www.lancmag.com

Left: Work begins on the Memorial at the National Arboretum

of the most impressive memorials at the Arboretum.

“This memorial has been made possible by the amazing generosity of not only our own Regimental veterans, but also the people of Lancashire,” said Joe Horvath, Chairman of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment Veterans Charity.

“It just shows how fondly the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment is remembered.

The support has been overwhelming.

Words cannot express how grateful we are.”

Some 650 members of the Regimental family, many travelling from abroad, were due to attend the unveiling on 25th March 2020, the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Regiment. But with only 10 days to go, the outbreak of the pandemic forced its postponement.

With the pandemic showing no signs of abating, the organising committee then decided to go ahead with installation of the memorial, so that it is there for all to see when visiting the Arboretum. This was completed in early December 2020.

The memorial design is simple, consisting of the Regiment’s flag and the cap badge worn by its soldiers.

The time capsule arrives from Preston on 13 Sept. 2019

The badge of the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment mounted on the 2-metre glass Regimental Flag

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The beauty however is in the materials used in its creation. The flag in full blazing colour is made out of glass and stands a full 2 metres in height.

It is 3 metres wide and in its centre is the regimental crest, the red rose of Lancaster charged with the royal crown. with gold leaf used to further add to its splendour. The badge is 12.8 times the size of the original cast in solid bronze and mounted on a 1 tonne plinth. The foundation base is a 5-metre perfect square, which recalls the formation used by infantry regiments in defence during the Napoleonic wars.

The Committee which organised the extraordinary four-year fund-raising effort raise a glass to the completed Memorial, December 2020.

Main picture (l to r): Steven Stout, Joe Horvath (Chairman), Stan Bamber, Andrew Burke, Tom Rigby Absent members (Inset – l to r): Linda Stout, Neil Whittaker and Alan Jones

The words ‘The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment 1970-2006’ are inscribed in large lettering in front of the regimental flag with the regimental motto ‘Loyally I Serve’ being inscribed on the leading edge. Along the left and right edges of the foundations the two antecedent regiments, ‘The ‘Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)’ and ‘The Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Volunteers)’ are inscribed along with their respective mottoes.

A time capsule of regimental artefacts is entombed in the foundations of the memorial. The time capsule was carried on foot from the Regiment’s traditional home at Fulwood Barracks, Preston, to the Memorial site at the Arboretum, in September 2019, a distance of approximately 130 miles.

The entombing was planned to coincide with one of the Regiment’s major battle honours, The Battle of Quebec. It was conducted on the 13th September 2019, the 260th anniversary of the battle. A list of artefacts and a short regimental history is available to anyone with a smartphone device by simply clicking on the Quick Response (QR) code that is situated on the front of the plinth.

The Memorial stands proudly at the foot of the Arboretum’s central Armed Forces Memorial and has a magnificent backdrop. It can be clearly seen from most if not all angles of approach. It is a truly superb and befitting memorial to a much-loved county regiment whose soldiers served their county and country honourably.

The time capsule in its tomb.

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David Bowie the man who fell to earth and saved a generation from boredom

By Sharon Henry

David Bowie at Vanity Fair Party for the 6th Annual Tribeca Film Festival, New York State Supreme Courthouse, New York, NY, April 24, 2007

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I

t’s difficult to believe that it is 5 years since we lost probably one of our biggest rock icons of our time.

David Bowie was an English rock star known for dramatic musical transformations, including his character Ziggy Stardust. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

David Robert Jones was born in Brixton on 8th January 1947 and became interested in music as a child and could play the saxophone by the time he was 13. He went on to study music, along with art and design at Bromley Technical High School.

After graduating at 16, Bowie started working as a commercial artist. He also continued to play music, hooking up with a number of bands and leading a group himself called Davy Jones and the Lower Third. David was fearful of being confused with Davy Jones of The Monkees and changed his last name to Bowie, a name that was inspired by the knife developed by the 19th-century American pioneer Jim Bowie.

Eventually, Bowie went out on his own. But after recording an unsuccessful solo album, Bowie exited the music world for a temporary period. Like so much of his later life, these few years proved to be incredibly experimental for the young artist.

For several weeks in 1967 he lived at a Buddhist monastery in Scotland. Bowie later started his own mime troupe called Feathers.

It was around this time he met the American-born Angela Barnett. The two married on March 20, 1970, and had one son together, whom they nicknamed “Zowie,” in 1971, before divorcing in 1980. He is now known by his birth name, Duncan Jones.

His first hit was the song “Space Oddity” in 1969 with Mercury Records having returned to full time music.

Bowie’s next album was The Man Who Sold the World in 1970 and further catapulted him to stardom. The record offered up a heavier rock sound than anything Bowie had done before and included the song All the Madmen, about his

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brother, Terry. In 1971 he released Hunky Dory which featured two hits, the title track that was a tribute to Andy Warhol, the Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan. The second was Changes which came to personify Bowie himself.

In 1972 during the Glam rock era, Bowie became an outlandish, flamboyant sci-fi character for his The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust album. It was at this point he claimed he was gay and created an image of a doomed rock star and his backing band, The Spiders from Mars. This was spearheaded by the success of the single “Starman” which won him widespread popularity.

But just as quickly as Bowie transformed himself into Stardust, he changed again. He incorporated his celebrity and produced albums for Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. In 1973, he disbanded the Spiders and shelved his Stardust persona. Bowie continued on in a similar glam rock style with the album Aladdin Sane, which featured “The Jean Genie” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together,” his collaboration with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Around this time, he showed his affection for his early days in the English mod scene and released Pin Ups, an album filled with cover songs originally recorded by a host of popular bands, including Pretty Things and Pink Floyd.

In 1975, Bowie’s style shifted towards a sound he characterised as “plastic soul”, initially alienating many of his UK fans but he co-wrote “Fame” with John Lennon, which became his first American no 1 single for the album Young Americans. Bowie had undergone a full-scale makeover. Gone were the outrageous costumes and garish sets.

The album featured backing vocals by a young Luther Vandross.

An accomplished actor, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth in 1976. In 1980, Bowie starred on Broadway in The Elephant Man and was critically acclaimed for his performance. In 1986, he starred as Jareth, the Goblin King, in the fantasy-adventure film Labyrinth, directed by Jim Henson and produced by George Lucas.

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Left: David Bowie star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California on Dec. 6, 2016.

Bowie, now living in New York, released Scary Monsters in 1980, a much-acclaimed album that featured the single “Ashes to Ashes,” a sort of updated version of his earlier “Space Oddity.”

Three years later Bowie recorded Let’s Dance, an album that contained a bevy of hits such as the title track, “Modern Love” and “China Girl,” Over the next decade, Bowie bounced back and forth between acting and music, with the latter especially suffering. Outside of a couple of modest hits, Bowie’s musical career languished. His side project with musicians Reeve Gabrels and Tony and Hunt Sales, known as Tin Machine and Tin Machine 2, which both proved to be flops. His much-hyped album Black Tie White Noise in 1993, which Bowie described as a wedding gift to his new wife, supermodel Iman, also struggled to resonate with record buyers.

Bowie was greatly influenced by his half-brother Terry, who was nine years older and exposed David to the worlds of rock music and beat literature. But Terry had his demons, and his mental illness, which forced the family to commit him to an institution, haunting Bowie for most of his life. Terry committed suicide in 1985, a tragedy that became the focal point of Bowie’s later song, “Jump They Say.” In 2004, Bowie received a major health scare when he suffered a heart attack while on stage in Germany. He made a full recovery and went on to work with bands such as Arcade Fire and with the actress Scarlett Johansson on her album Anywhere I lay My Head in 2008, a collection of Tom Waits covers.

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In 2006, he was the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He kept a low profile for several years until the release of his 2013 album The Next Day, which skyrocketed to number 2 on the Billboard charts. The following year, Bowie released a greatest hits collection, Nothing Has Changed, which featured the new song Sue. In 2015, he collaborated on Lazarus, an Off-Broadway rock musical starring Michael C. Hall, which revisited his character from The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Bowie released Blackstar, his final album, on January 8, 2016, his 69th birthday. New York Times critic Jon Pareles noted that it was a “strange, daring and ultimately rewarding” work “with a mood darkened by bitter awareness of mortality.”

Only a few days later, the world would learn that the record had been made under difficult circumstances.

Rolling Stone placed him among its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and named him the “Greatest Rock Star Ever” following his death on the 10th January, 2016 after a battle for 18 months with cancer. He was survived by his wife Iman, his son Duncan Jones and daughter Alexandria, and his step-daughter Zulekha Haywood. Bowie also left behind an impressive musical legacy, which included 26 albums. His producer and friend Tony Visconti wrote on Facebook that his last record, Blackstar, was “his parting gift.”

During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at over 100 million records worldwide, made him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. In the UK, he was awarded ten platinum, eleven gold and eight silver album certifications and released eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and nine gold certifications. www.lancmag.com

“Having made so many new friends, I feel relaxed and secure knowing my assured tenancy means I can stay in my new home for life!“

Discover the freedom of renting...

Enjoy all the benefits of retirement living without the burden of property ownership.

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Are you looking at moving to a retirement property?

Have you considered renting?

Renting gives you the flexibility to live and move where and when you want. All development service charges and maintenance costs are the Landlord’s responsibility, so you don’t have to worry about any surprise bills!

Girlings are the UK’s leading specialist in renting retirement properties. We can help you find the ideal home for your next move, leaving you to enjoy the independance and freedom of renting in later life.

Register with us to find your new home today...

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Feel secure to rent your home for as long as you wish!

Girlings offer many properties on assured ‘lifetime’ tenancies which provide additional peace of mind and you can leave when you wish with just one months’ notice.* *After an initial 12-month tenancy term.

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Why renting in a retirement development can be a great lifestyle choice Enjoy all the benefits of retirement living without the burden of property ownership.

Retiring is an exciting new chapter in people’s lives - the chance to spend more time on holidays and hobbies and have the freedom to do as they please.

For some, it’s an opportunity to move. People may want a complete change and fresh start when they retire, or to downsize to a smaller home that will be more manageable as they get older.

Girlings Retirement Rentals, a specialist agent for retirement properties, says more retirees are making a lifestyle choice to rent in retirement rather than buy.

Most of Girling’s retirement rental properties come with Assured Tenancies – giving people the same security of tenure as home ownership and allowing people to stay as long as they wish, which is a major attraction.

In the Private Rental Sector, the standard tenancy is usually a shorthold tenancy and people can be asked to leave at short notice.

Retirement developments also offer safe and secure living environments where people can live independently, but also be part of a community of likeminded people.

There are communal areas where people can meet up, plus many developments organise social events such as fish and chip suppers, as well as outings and activities.

Register with us to find your new home today...

call: 0800 525 184 visit: www.girlings.co.uk

Benefits of renting in a retirement development...

Most developments have an onsite manager to take care of any issues residents have, plus there is a 24- hour emergency careline in every apartment to provide additional support if needed.

There are lifts for easy access to apartments and many developments have a guest suite available for family and friends who want to visit.

The rent includes all these benefits that people don’t get with a private rental, plus it includes buildings insurance, maintenance

Why renting in a A CGI decorated bedroom in 12A St Peters Court, Bournemouth retirement development can be a great lifestyle choice

and repairs, and often water rates are included too. This makes it much easier for people to budget and not have any expensive surprises such as unexpected repairs.

Girlings has lovely retirement developments all over the UK, including several across Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, North Wales and West Yorkshire. There are apartments to suit all budgets and requirements, whether someone is after a city pad close to shops and restaurants, a coastal location or somewhere quieter in a small market town.

One resident who lives in a retirement apartment in Poplar Court in Lytham St Annes is Avril Sweeney who moved in five years ago at the age of 60. At the time, she was working in the civil service and renting an apartment through a private landlord. She came across her current home while visiting friends in Poplar Court.

A CGI decorated lounge in 32 Homefylde House

Lancashire developments

Homefylde House, Blackpool

Spinners Court, Lancaster

Homebreeze House, Morecombe CGI is for illustrative purposes only

Making the transition from work to retirement Avril says, “Some good friends moved into Poplar Court and I couldn’t understand why. I said to them, ‘Why are you moving in there? It’s for old people!’

However, when I visited, it wasn’t what I expected, the building is modern and their apartment really nice - I soon realised the appeal.

“On one visit I noticed a ground floor apartment available to rent. I thought it would be ideal for me and my two dogs, as it had French doors opening onto an outdoor seating area and is only five minutes’ walk from the seafront.”

Avril enquired and checked if her dogs would be allowed, which they were, so she soon moved in.

She says, “I have now retired and living here has made the transition from working to retirement a lot easier. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise that I moved into a ‘retirement’ development before retiring!

“I really enjoy the social side of living here now which I wasn’t thinking about when I moved.

Retiring from work can mean worrying about how to fill your days but there’s so much going on here that it’s made that transition much easier. My days are so full I don’t know how I ever had time to work!”

“I retired in November and living here has made the transition from working to retirement a lot easier!“

Another resident who moved into a retirement development last summer is 80 year old Jackie Corrigan who, after living in a private rental after her husband died, decided it was time for a change. She was lonely and there were few retired people living close by.

Although she wasn’t specifically looking to move into a retirement community, during her search she came across a two-bedroom flat through Girlings Retirement Rentals.

The flat is in Homemoss House, a retirement development in Buxton. After going to see it she decided to move in. She absolutely loves living there and has quickly made friends.

Age e xcl retire usive m apart ent availa ments ble natio to rent nwid e.

Beating loneliness Having a community of people around you is a great way to help feel less lonely.

Jackie says, “Since moving here I’ve been much happier. I’ve made new friends and a few of us regularly meet for a natter and cup of tea. There is a communal lounge where activities such as afternoon teas, bingo and quizzes take place, and it is very safe and secure, which gave me confidence in my choice of moving here.”

“I highly recommend moving into a retirement community. As a woman living alone it’s really reassuring to know I have people I can speak to and socialise with, plus the development manager is wonderful.”

Jackie Corrigan with her new friends outside Homemoss House

Renting can be a great option for people aged 55 plus in 2021. To find out more about renting a home in a retirement development visit: www.girlings.co.uk

Lancashire developments

Homebreeze House, Morecombe

Lemon Tree Court, Lytham St Annes

Sandbriggs Court, Garstang

Keerford View, Carnforth

Burey Court, Preston

Ribblesdale Court, Morecombe

LISTED AND CONSERVATION PROPERTIES

CONVERSIONS

NEW BUILD AND EXTENSIONS

TRADITIONAL AND EXISTING

LODGES

SHAPES

A family run business based in Cumbria, where skilled craftsmen combine the latest technical innovations with skills& techniques handed down over generations. www.ajdchapelhow.co.uk E: enquiries@ajdchapelhow.co.uk T: 01931 585101 or 01931 714289 LING PARK • CLIBURN • PENRITH • CUMBRIA • CA10 3AL

A family business with traditional charm

Since 1961 AJ&D Chapelhow (Cliburn) Ltd has been creating fine crafted timber windows and doors for homes and businesses throughout Cumbria and beyond. The team of over 23 Skilled craftsmen combine the latest technical innovations with traditional tools, heritage skills and techniques handed down over generations.

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Right: 3 Pane Oak Door

Below right: Bolection Mould Door and Shaped Fan Light

A

true family business founded by Chairman Alan Chapelhow, Alan’s daughter Helen is General Manager and Granddaughters Sarah and Lisa joined the company as Office Manager and Office Administrator at the end of 2018. Alan is on site every day and his wealth of knowledge is instrumental in guiding the 3 apprentices in the techniques he himself learned when he was just a boy!

The workshop is vast and the beautifully crafted timber windows, sliding-sash, doors,

We believe that Timber windows and doors have a traditional charm that can’t be found with any other material

patios and bi-fold doors are produced to customer’s specification with the company catering for both modern and traditional styles. The skilled team of craftsmen work with the customer throughout every stage of the build or renovation to ensure that the windows and doors are perfect for project needs, offering a specialist shape service for arch, bay, bow, circular, raked and peaked configurations.

As Helen says: ‘We believe that Timber windows and doors have a traditional charm that

Sliding Folding Doors for a spectacular sun room www.lancmag.com

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Peaks, Patios and French Doors for New Build

can’t be found with any other material. They provide a natural insulation, keeping the heat in, and the cold out, helping to reduce your energy bills. We see our products as a longterm investment, they are able to withstand the most severe of weather and help to increase the security of your home. All our windows and doors come preservative treated and fully finished. We support businesses close to us as much as possible and we go out of our way to purchase timber from local sources that hold either the FSC®or PEFC™ chain of custody certification schemes.’

We see our products as a long- term investment, they are able to withstand the most severe of weather and help to increase the security of your home Picture Window in the Lake District

Putty Pointed Arched and Square Sliding Sash Windows for Old Vicarage in Conservation Area and Listed Town House

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With such a long history, the company has worked with numerous architects and builders and encountered a wealth of listed building and planning legislation laws. ‘We are more than happy to help with advice regarding the installation of our windows and doors for listed buildings’ says Helen. ‘We also offer a free quotation service and a measuring service for Supply and Fit projects . We can work from either detailed plans or a sketch with estimated sizes and are more than happy to send one of our installation team to any job that requires on-site measuring. This all helps to give the customer peace of mind and ensure the quality of service for which we are known.’

Recent projects have included the creation of 127 windows of varying shapes and sizes together with over 20 doors for listed building “Coo Palace’ located on the South West of Scotland. Windows for ‘The Cork House’ in London an extension designed by NimTim architects were shortlisted for Architect’s Journal small project awards 2019 as well as featuring in Elle Decoration. ‘We have created the largest of sliding folding doors for a new build to the smallest of ‘Hobbit’ oak doors for a listed building. Whatever the customer asks for we try to provide – this

Christmas we were even asked for a number of ‘snowmen’ shapes so one of the local villages could be turned into a winter wonderland. I am sure some of the guys here think I am mad – but we made them anyway’!

‘We have created the largest of sliding folding doors for a new build to the smallest of ‘Hobbit’ oak doors for a listed building

Hobbit’ Door for listed property

External stable door

For more information contact: AJ&D Chapelhow (Cliburn) Ltd Ling Park, Cliburn, Penrith, CA10 3AL Tel: 01931 585 101 or 01931 714 289 Email: enquiries@ajdchapelhow.co.uk Web: www.ajdchapelhow.co.uk A Christmas order of snowmen

Glass to Glass Corner Window

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Stable Door from the inside out

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Lancashire lizards play a vital role in marine revival The return of the sand lizard to the Fylde Coast is one of the highlights of the Wildlife Trusts UK Marine Review for 2020 published today.

The review reports exciting news for the seas and coasts around the country but is warning that there is much work to do. While some sightings suggest healthy marine conditions, others may indicate more worrying environmental problems according to President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts, Sir David Attenborough.

On the Fylde Coast, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has actually been helping to increase diversity by taking part in a sand lizard reintroduction with Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Fylde and Blackpool Councils. Nearly 400 lizards have been released in the past three years and they are doing very well.

LWT’s Fylde Sand Dunes Project Officer Jessica Newman said: “England can now boast sand lizard populations from our southern counties all the way up to Fylde Sand Dunes in Lancashire. It may still be our rarest lizard, but this bright green jewel of a creature deserves to be back home in the north.

“This daring dunes project sparks hope for conservation across the country. Their reintroduction goes to show that big conservation ideas work, given enough funding, enthusiasm and expertise on the ground.”

In May, thousands of sea gooseberries were washed up at Blackpool. To see so many was a rare occurrence according to Senior Marine Conservation Officer Emily Baxter. Dr Baxter said: “We often get reports (or find them ourselves when out surveying) of the occasional sea gooseberry but we’ve never seen them washed up or in the water in such great quantities! They most likely ended up on the beach due to strong winds. Everyone’s first question ‘is do they sting?’ The simple answer is no. These delicate, jelly-like creatures are not actually true jellyfish, so they do not have stinging cells.”

While they don’t sting, sea gooseberries are voracious predators, eating up to 10 times their own body-weight a day, including other sea gooseberries.

The Wildlife Trusts’ Director of Living Seas, Joan Edwards said: “In 2020 people flocked to the sea as soon as lockdown restrictions were lifted – they needed the coast as never

before. The wonders that people are reporting have been taken for granted for too long and it’s vital we recognise that the future of life on earth is inseparable from the health of the sea.

“Our oceans are in trouble and the UK will not achieve its climate and environmental targets without restoring marine habitats. That’s why The Wildlife Trusts are appealing for £30m to help put 30 per cent of land and sea into recovery for nature by 2030.”

President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts, Sir David Attenborough, said: “The seas around the UK are home to the most extraordinary wildlife. We’re fortunate that our seas are protected by a blue belt of marine protected areas but sadly this does not prevent damaging activities still occurring in these special places. Bottom-towed dredging and trawling destroys fragile sea fans and soft corals on the seabed, while dredging to install cables to offshore wind farms changes the seabed and its wildlife forever.

“For too long we have taken from the sea with little regard for the consequences. We are all aware of the problems presented by plastic litter, but some pollutants and impacts are hidden from view, beneath the surface of the waves. Our Government needs to tackle these problems but we can all do our bit too.”

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers.

To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129. For more information about Cheshire Wildlife Trust call 01948 820728 or go to cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk.

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The sand lizard reintroduction has been a success

To find out more about the marine conservation work in and around the Irish Sea or to make a donation go to https://www.livingseasnw.org.uk/ www.lancmag.com

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Hi, I’m Paul, Your Resident Health Coach...

Paul is a successful and multi-award nominated health coach working for PT Health Coaching, based in Darwen. With over 15 years experience in the field of health, fitness and wellbeing, Paul takes a holistic approach to helping people make positive lifestyle changes.

Sleep – it’s a biological essential!

March is coming and with that comes one of the biggest changes to our internal body clock: Daylight Saving Time. This year, it is on Sunday the 28th of March at 2am and it represents when Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) moves to British Summer Time (BST) – also known as Daylight Saving Time.

Why do we change the clocks?

American politician and inventor Benjamin Franklin first came up with the idea. He suggested that if people got up earlier, when it was lighter, then it would save on candles. But it arrived in the UK after Coldplay singer Chris Martin’s greatgreat-grandfather, a builder called William Willett, thought it was a good idea too. In 1907, he published a leaflet called The Waste of Daylight, encouraging people to get out of bed earlier.

Willett was a keen golfer and he got cross whe his games would be cut short because the Sun went down and there wasn’t enough light to carry on playing! Thankfully most smart phones, computers, and other devices connected to the internet, normally update the time automatically.

However, our bodies need a bit of time to adjust. In fact, it can have a catastrophic impact on our health: Every year on the Monday after the springtime switch, hospitals report a 24% 130

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spike in heart-attack visits. Just a coincidence? Probably not.

Doctors see an opposite trend each Autumn: The day after we turn back the clocks (gain an extra hour in bed), heart attack visits drop 21%.

Let’s start with the facts…

• Lack of sleep is the second highest health complaint reported after pain.

• The number of people not getting enough sleep is now around 4 in 10.

• The annual cost of sleep loss to the UK is £30 billion • 200,000 working days lost in the UK each year due to insufficient sleep • 1 in 3 people in the UK are affected by insomnia A lack of sleep is clearly having an impact on us as a society. So why is it so important to us and what is sleep used for? Sleep is critical for recovery and tissue repair. www.lancmag.com

Depending on our age and activity levels, we will require different amounts of sleep:

Researchers found that if you deprived subjects of sleep by 4 hours, there was a 70% drop in immune cell activity.

It’s one of the reasons we are encouraged to stay in bed when unwell; the extra sleep helps you to recuperate.

It is also essential for maintaining cognitive skills, such as communication, remembering key information and being creative and flexible in thought. This means a late night trying to revise for an exam the following day is likely to be counterproductive!

My top tips for a good night’s sleep Drugs aren’t the cure!

Sleeping tablets only mask the underlying problem. Try to deal with that first before resorting to medication.

Keep it cool Our core temperature needs to drop slightly to fall asleep. So, a warm bedroom is not conducive for sleep. In fact, a bedroom temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius has been found to be optimal.

Be regular

Sleep helps to rebalance hormones and boosts our immune systems. Feeling anxious, low in mood or stressed? It could be a lack of sleep that is contributing. Also, during this global pandemic a boost in our immunity can only be beneficial!

Regular bedtimes and wake up times help get your body into a routine. The more of a routine your body clock attains, the easier it will be for you to fall asleep and naturally wake. Try to maintain regularity at weekends too.

Those who consistently fail to get enough sleep face increased risk of a variety of health problems, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, metabolic abnormalities, weight gain and mental health problems.

Natural daylight sends cues to your body to make it easier to understand the difference between daytime and night-time. It is more likely to release the sleep hormone melatonin which helps you to drift off to sleep.

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Get some natural daylight

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Avoid naps If you struggle to sleep at night-time, there are no need for naps. The more tired you are at the end of the day, the more likely you are to get a good night’s sleep.

Deal with underlying issues When you head hits the pillow, do you find your mind racing? Thinking about the things you need to remember? Worrying about things you have no control over? Wite them down. Keep a pad and pen next to your bed and write those things down when they crop up. It’s a subconscious message to your brain to say ‘you don’t need to worry about that now, deal with it tomorrow’. Just make sure you deal with that thing tomorrow!

Be active During the day, not too close to bedtime. If you’re physically tired, you are more likely to get a better night’s sleep.

Avoid eating too much and eating late If food is our fuel, but we are planning to not move, then why eat late at night? It’s counterintuitive and is a sure fire way to wake you back up. So, try to avoid eating in the few hours before bed.

Cut down on alcohol Alcohol helps you get to sleep (because it’s a depressant), but it disrupts the quality of your sleep and is one of the reasons people feel groggy after a night on the booze.

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Avoid caffeine onwards

from

early

afternoon

Caffeine has a half life of four hours. If you have a strong cup of coffee at 2pm, it may still be in your system at 10pm. As caffeine is a stimulant, it’s best to avoid it from early afternoon onwards.

Sort your bedroom out Keep it clear and clean. This should be your sanctuary; your place of peace and calm. Keeping it clean and clear helps make it feel this way. Also, it’s best to have low light or complete darkness in your bedroom to help you drift off naturally.

Avoid blue light Blue light is given off from tablets and mobile devices. Blue light reduces the production of melatonin (our sleep hormone), so compromises our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Also, the things we watch or read on our devices have a greater chance of raising our emotions and stimulating our brains. Instead, try a different routine before bedtime, like listening to a sleep story or sleep sounds, reading or listening to some calming music. The best thing you can do for sleep… is leave your phone downstairs.

Why not give some of these tips a try for March and see if your sleep improves? Sweet dreams!

Paul

Paul is a Health and wellbeing coach and consultant for individuals and organisations and is Lancashire Magazine’s resident Health Coach. To find out more or to get some support contact him on: Tel: 07495 89298 Email: paul@pthealthcoaching.com

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Vegan Double Chocolate Sundae with Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark Chocolate Time: Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Total time: 40 min

Ingredients: 200g Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark Chocolate 2 scoops of vegan ice cream (vanilla, chocolate or caramel) 200g sugar 50g cacao powder 200g flour 200g apple sauce 100ml coconut oil 200ml plant-based milk Handful almonds

Method: 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C and mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl.

2. Melt the dark chocolate in a water bath or microwave. Save yourself a few spoons for the Sundae drizzle.

3. Add the melted chocolate, plant-based milk, apple sauce and oil into the big bowl to the dry ingredients. Mix well until you get a smooth texture.

4. Lightly oil your muffin pan (20x25cm), sprinkle some cocoa powder all over the pan. Fill pan with brownie dough.

5. Bake for 25 minutes (time will depend on the height of your brownies).

6. For the Sundae you’ll need: 2 Brownies, 2 scoops of vegan ice cream (vanilla, chocolate or caramel, use one or two different flavours) and some extra squares of Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark Chocolate.

7. For toppings you’ll need: toasted almonds and melted Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark Chocolate for drizzle.

8. Assembly: Serve in a glass or bowl of your choice. Top your brownie with 1-2 scoops of your favourite non-dairy ice cream. Drizzle generously with melted Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark chocolate. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and add 3 squares of Ritter Sport 61% Chocolate on top. Enjoy!

Ritter Sport 61% Fine Dark Chocolate is available for purchase from selected NISA & Spar Stores for £1.79. www.lancmag.com

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Meet the critic!

As a new series for the Lancashire and North West Magazine, Barrister-turned-food-writer Richard Sagar takes us through some of the finest culinary venues our historic county and surrounding areas have to offer. Keep an eye out for Richard’s reviews in each edition as he quite literally eats his way through the North West!

The Fence Gate - Fence

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he rural village of Fence, nestled at the foot of Pendle Hill, boasts its fair share of pubs and restaurants – one can enjoy anything from a great pint of real ale in Ye Olde Sparrowhawk, to a Michellin starred meal in The White Swan. None, however, has stood the test of time quite like the renowned Fence Gate – an 18th Century Inn, which has served its lucky locals and discerning visitors for over three decades in its current guise.

As we walked into the sophisticated entrance area of this historic landmark, it became glaringly obvious why The Fence Gate has enjoyed such a successful run – after all, longevity such as this doesn’t simply occur for no good reason.

The décor was absolutely on point, the staff dressed in crisp, stylish attire, and

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all-embracing was that effortlessly welcoming atmosphere that is just so difficult to achieve.

To my left was a busy bar area filled with an abundance of well-heeled patrons, enjoying anything from a glass of fine wine to a flight of exotic cocktails, and to my right, a more formal dining area, affectionately referred to as ‘the brasserie’. Don’t let the humble name deceive you however – the food to be enjoyed in here is simply outstanding.

Perusing the extensive starter menu, I couldn’t resist plumping for the sweet chilli tempura king prawns, with my dining partner Charlotte opting for the king scallops with pea puree and black pudding. When both dishes arrived, we were stunned by just how aesthetically pleasing they were – and the eyes weren’t the only sensory organ to enjoy this treat – the respective taste of both dishes was truly memorable. My king prawns were sweet and meaty – handling the robust chilli and spring onion flavours admirably. The king scallops similarly displayed all the characteristics we’ve come to expect from this most exquisite of sea foods, and were beautifully complemented by the earthy black pudding and fresh pea puree.

When both dishes arrived, we were stunned by just how aesthetically pleasing they were

Whilst reflecting on the most delicious starters, I found myself staring out of the windows onto the outdoor seating area, dreaming of warm summer afternoons sitting out in the beautifully maintained beer garden at the head of the carpark. The situation of the Fence Gate at the foot of Pendle Hill lends itself to this kind of leisurely activity – and in brighter times is certainly somewhere I plan to return to and take full advantage of the hospitality and vista. www.lancmag.com

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the boisterous lemon grass, ginger, chilli, lime and garlic coated the chunks of chicken and really brought the plate to life!

Back to the matter at hand however, the main menu gave a large choice of appetising options – several of which took my fancy. Having had prawns to start, I decided to go for fish and chips for my main to keep the fish theme throughout, and I must say – despite it being a relatively simple dish, it was executed beautifully. The batter was crisp, and the white cod inside was truly delicious. Charlotte was a little more adventurous and ordered the red Thai curry, which was a sensory sensation. A true taste of the orient – the boisterous lemon grass, ginger, chilli, lime and garlic coated the chunks of chicken and really brought the plate to life!

Interestingly, I discovered that the owner of the Fence Gate, Kevin Berkins was in fact a very successful butcher in his early days – given that, I will definitely try some of his meat products when I return to the Fence Gate as I understand his sourcing is exemplary.

Not only a successful butcher, landlord and restauranteur, Kevin also opened The Fence Gate Lodge recently, and has proved himself a successful hotelier too! Situated just a 2-minute stroll from the Fence Gate, the Lodge provides the perfect opportunity to make a special occasion out of your visit. With 24 rooms offering 5-star luxury to their residents, this, when combined with the exceptional bar and brasserie makes the Fence Gate package a truly unmissable experience.

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As is so often the case with me towards the end of a great meal, despite the plethora of enticing desserts on offer, I simply couldn’t manage a full one – but fortunately with Charlotte by my side we could manage to share one between us. Sticky toffee pudding, butterscotch sauce and clotted cream ice cream – wow! I’ve always considered myself more of a savoury man but this sweet dessert was so indulgent and so flavourful it had me questioning the validity of this preconception!

This is a truly special establishment, managing to successfully juggle its various facets and excel in each.

We enjoyed a lovely meal here, and it is somewhere I am looking forward to returning to – and perhaps stopping over too. I hope the residents of Fence realise just how lucky they are to have this place right on their doorstep!

The Fence Gate Wheatley Lane Road, Fence, Nr Burnley, Lancashire BB12 9EE Telephone: 01282 618 101 Web: www.fencegate.co.uk

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BOOKS Our roundup of this months literary delights

The latest novel by Lancashire writer Suzanne Snow was inspired by her love for historical gardens.

The latest novel by Lancashire writer Suzanne Snow was inspired by her love for historical gardens.

At a hen party on the remote Scottish island of Alana, Flora is dared to ask a handsome stranger to be her plus-one for the wedding. When the gorgeous Mac accepts her invite, she assumes he’s joking and thinks nothing more of it … until he turns up at the church on the wedding day.

But Mac has an agenda. He wants to hire her skills as a garden historian to restore the gardens at Róisín House, his home back on Alana. Flora knows she should refuse – Mac has ‘heartbreaker’ written all over him – but she can’t resist uncovering the tragic truth behind the garden at Róisín. And when Flora meets a little girl on Alana living with devastating loss, a strong bond is created between them when Flora shares her passion and belief in the ability of a garden to heal.

Transported by the beauty of the island, Flora can’t help but fall in love with Alana, and the man who brought her there.

But for love to grow, Flora will first have to dig up the past.

The Garden of Little Rose is a heart-warming romance for fans of Victoria Walters, Trisha Ashley and Julie Houston.

Author Suzanne Snow is not very keen on surprises. But the time her husband arranged for them to spend a weekend in Scotland to view a house and its garden to help with her research was one she absolutely loved. The house and garden she pictured when she was writing The Garden of Little Rose were inspired by Hill of Tarvit, a beautiful Edwardian house in Fife. She chose the property because it was created in the Arts & Crafts style and this period of design in horticulture is her favourite.

The Arts & Crafts movement began in the mid to late nineteenth century as a reaction against the mass production then becoming popular in design and manufacture. Some of the leaders of the movement were architects and examples of their work can still be found today. Blackwell in Cumbria, by Mackay Hugh Baillie Scott, is an internationally significant Arts & Crafts house and well worth a visit when rules permit.

The garden was designed by landscape architect Thomas Mawson, whose work is a particular favourite of Suzanne’s, and can be found in other Cumbrian properties, including Rydal Hall. Gertrude Jekyll is a recognisable name to many gardeners, and she included Arts & Crafts principles in the gardens she designed, working alongside the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.

But what makes these gardens so special to Suzanne? They are indeed romantic, as the formality of structure created from natural materials is balanced so beautifully by exuberant planting. Picture a ruined garden, its history lost over time and waiting to be rediscovered by someone who understands 138

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Cottage of New Beginnings

it. Imagine those old roses planted by a gardener who loved them, unable to pass by without pausing when they were in full bloom. Or the pergola framing a view of the landscape beyond the garden, draped in honeysuckle with lavender beneath, a shallow rill rippling with sound nearby.

The Language of Flowers, or Floriography, is the use of floral arrangements to communicate a meaning through the giving of flowers. Its popularity soared during the 19th century when senders were able to express meanings in arrangements they weren’t able to speak out loud in Victorian society.

Suzanne is interested by the different interpretations and often uses forget-me-nots and yellow roses to represent her writing; their meanings within the Language of Flowers being true love and memories, and friendship. www.lancmag.com

The Garden of Little Rose is Suzanne’s second novel in the Welcome to Thorndale series. She writes romantic, uplifting fiction with a strong sense of setting and community connecting the lives of her characters, finding inspiration in beautiful views, old houses and abundant gardens.

After working in financial services and then spending several years as a stay-at-home mum, Suzanne was ready for a change. Her interest in horticulture led her to study for RHS qualifications at agricultural college in Yorkshire, enabling her to pursue a new career planting redesigned gardens.

Suzanne has sung in a choir, trained as a worship leader and raised money for charity by making huge volumes of soup for anyone she can persuade to buy it. She is an infrequent horse rider after years competing in dressage, and a ranch holiday in Montana is top of her bucket list.

She lives in Lancashire with her family and loves to read, particularly historical crime and biographies of writers.

She also enjoys walking, cooking for family and friends, and watching movies, especially if they have a happy ending.

Suzanne is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. Her first novel, The Cottage of New Beginnings, is also published by Canelo.

Garden of Little Rose

The house in Suzanne’s novel is named ‘Róisín’, and as the main character of Flora uncovers the history of the house and its remarkable garden, she finds a story of love and loss still reaching down the years. Suzanne set the novel on the fictional Hebridean island of Alana, which was inspired partly

by Gigha, off the Kintyre peninsula. Visiting Gigha was also a delight for her, and the clear waters warmed by the Gulf Stream and white sands are just a couple of reasons why she’d love to return.

Suzanne Snow

The Garden of Little Rose by Suzanne Snow is published in eBook on 15th February and paperback on 25th March by Canelo. www.lancmag.com

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Skin problems are some of the most common and most complicated issues I see in my clinic. From irritating rashes, to itching or weeping sores that can be severely debilitating.

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ne of the interesting things about helping people manage skin disease is how different the herbal approach is to that of conventional medicine. My university degree involved clinical observation alongside both herbalists and dermatologists on a dedicated dermatology ward. Me and my fellow students would sit with the herbalist in the morning and sit with the dermatologists in the afternoon.

Watching the different approaches to common conditions like eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis was fascinating. The thing that struck me most was how orthodox medicine would use a similar approach for all patients, with moisturisers, topical steroids, anti-histamines and immune suppressants.

My approach and that of a herbalist, is very different. Instead of treating what we can see, we look deeper at the underlying influences. People with skin problems often benefit from supportive herbs for the kidneys, liver and bowel. During my training at the hospital, I didn’t see a single person leave the herbalist with the same medicine as another, despite them walking in with very similar complaints.

Despite this, I still keep a small arsenal of herbs that can be useful for most of the iconic symptoms associated with skin problems. For hot, red conditions, I recommend calendula. Calendula is anti-inflammatory and it helps to improve the health of your lymph. Lymph is responsible for moving fluid around the body and taking immune cells to the places they need to be. If your lymph is sluggish, the skin tends to suffer, with swelling and

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redness. You might notice that the affected areas of your skin are slightly raised compared to the rest. This, along with redness, is a sign that your skin has become inflamed.

I use calendula as a default skin remedy if someone comes into my shop to ask for a quick recommendation. It works for most skin problems, due to its anti-inflammatory action, but in stubborn conditions, it works slowly.

A couple of years ago, I was visited by a lady requesting help with her skin, which was hot, red and itchy. Calendula seemed like the most obvious choice and since it’s cheap and simple to use, I suggested she try it. It worked, but it did take some time. Eventually, we became impatient and

Drink water to hydrate the bowel and ensure the kidneys are getting the water they need to function healthily

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blended her some of my own calendula with herbs that acted on the liver, histamine levels and her kidneys. Her skin cleared up rapidly.

This is one of the reasons that a one size fits all approach, isn’t really appropriate for treating skin problems. If you call me and I get the impression that you won’t mind a few questions, here’s some of the information I’m likely to ask about.

How often do you poo? Not exactly a conversation for polite company, but a person’s bowel habits tell me a lot about what’s going on behind the scenes. Bloating, constipation and a history of IBS type symptoms, all tell me that we need to work on the gut to get your skin to clear up.

Asthma, hay fever, hives or various allergies or intolerances, direct me to work on reducing the histamine response and trying to balance out the immune system. Herbs like nettle have a natural anti histamine action and it blends brilliantly with calendula to make either a tea or a medicine that can be used safely and regularly for most people.

In traditional herbal literature the skin is described as the third kidney. It’s believed that if your body is not getting rid of waste through the usual exit routes, (like the liver, bowel and the kidneys) your skin will take up the slack.

Drink water to hydrate the bowel and ensure the kidneys are getting the water they need to function healthily. I use dandelion for supporting the liver and kidneys. The root helps with liver function and bile flow, acting as a gentle laxative to support all your eliminatory functions related to digestion. The leaf helps the kidneys, supporting the eliminations of waste through the bladder and

if calendula isn’t enough, dandelion can often fill in the blanks.

So if you’re tired of a one size fits all approach, consider contacting a herbalist who can help you look at the underlying issues affecting your skin.

Herbal medicine can be used safely alongside conventional treatments and a qualified herbalist can work with your GP or dermatologist to ensure this is done safely and effectively.

Above: Dandelion root can be used to support the liver & kidneys

Nicola Parker MNIMH has a herbal medicine clinic located on the picturesque coast Morecambe Bay where she offers face to face and virtual appointments. For more information on the topics she writes about or to book an appointment, contact her clinic on 01524 413733 or via email at helpmebehealthy@gmail.com.

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Welcome to The Avenues an exclusive brand new development by Watkin Jones Homes

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his winter sees the first sales release for The Avenues, providing a range of 2,3,4 and 5 bedroomed homes off Sandy Gate Lane, Broughton. The development will appeal to first time buyers, professionals and families with wide, tree lined streets, flanked by stunning family homes making The Avenues a wonderful place to call home.

A truly unique development, The Avenues combines sustainability and a respect for the natural surroundings at the core of its design. The range of properties are designed to be sympathetic with its rural location, combining traditional detailing and materials with the benefits of modern construction techniques.

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Special consideration has been given to green open spaces, helping to provide a more peaceful and tranquil environment for homeowners to enjoy and wildlife to benefit.

The landscaping will form a cohesive relationship with the surroundings, including the retention and improvement of ponds, hedges and trees. There is also a large public open space to allow the community to come together and enjoy collectively.

The development comprises of a range of properties - from affordable starter homes for those looking to get onto the property ladder, to three and four bedroom family homes for those looking to move up, through to our luxury five bedroomed executive homes - The Avenues really does provide something for everyone.

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Internal images are typical of a Watkin Jones home www.lancmag.com

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The Guild Wheel, Preston’s cycling hub runs around the perimeter of the site and new cycle paths will form part of the scheme and link into the existing routes.

The site is also only a few minutes away from Broughton roundabout, providing easy access to the M55 and M6.

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Two stunning show homes are scheduled to open in late Spring 2021

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Whilst new to the Preston area, Watkin Jones Homes are no newcomer to the property development market. The company are part of the Watkin Jones Group, one of the UK’s leading construction and development companies, building homes acclaimed for their quality, style and innovation.

Their residential property

portfolio, ranging from executive and family homes to contemporary apartments is designed to reflect modern lifestyles.

Two stunning show homes are scheduled to open in late Spring 2021. The Rostherne and The Prestbury are two of our four bedroomed detached family homes, www.lancmag.com

each will be finished to the highest standard and designed to provide the practical space perfect for modern family lifestyles.

Phase one of The Avenues is now released for sale with reservations already taken. Early bird reservations also assist you in securing www.lancmag.com

later plots – please speak with the Sales Advisor for full details.

The Marketing Suite on site, is now open and visits to the site are available, but strictly by appointment only and in-line with current Covid 19 guidelines.

For more information about The Avenues or to book an appointment please speak to our Sales Advisor, Pauline, by telephoning 07917 206813, visiting our website or email avenues@watkinjones.com.

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Tackling Our Winter Lockdown Fatigue If you feel like you’re in a constant state of lockdown fatigue — bogged down by the news cycle, uncertainty around the pandemic, and staying at home — you are far from alone.

“Feeling apprehensive/hopeful/exhausted/ hitting that pandemic wall. You?” is something commonly written on social media, summing up our collective mood these days. As we near month eleven of social distancing in the throes of winter, the burnout is all too real. While nothing changes the current realities of the pandemic, gaining a deeper understanding of what’s at play with this gradual, paralysing feeling of lethargy — and how best to cope with

Lee Chambers

it — can be helpful in powering through. Here, our resident psychologist Lee Chambers, whose practice focuses on wellbeing at work, breaks down what lockdown fatigue is, what the symptoms are, and how best to treat it.

What is lockdown fatigue?

“While it manifests itself in various ways, lockdown fatigue is the impact of experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings, combined with underlying anxiety, future uncertainty and a lack of control over part of our lives,” explains Chambers. The main reason it’s become so prevalent is because the pandemic has impacted our wellbeing in a

multitude of ways and we have no choice but to adjust at a dizzying pace. “We’ve had to adapt and acclimatise to an evolving situation with speed while there’s an infectious disease out there that has the potential to end our lives,” explains Chambers. “Routines have been interrupted, schedules have been changed, and many individuals are working from home, working on the front lines, and educating differently.” Moreover, wellbeing is also heavily affected by difficulties such as financial struggles, which requires having to learn to change and do things differently. “It takes cognitive flexibility and emotional balance, of which are in short supply,” says Chambers. Add to this anxiety, which disrupts our sleep quality and quantity, he says, and a feeling of constant fatigue is increasingly common.

What are the symptoms of lockdown fatigue?

The impact of lockdown fatigue on our mental and physical wellbeing presents differently in different people, but the overarching feeling is one of “exhaustion, lack of focus, and lower motivation,” says Chambers. Some describe these symptoms as “brain fog” and others have noted that their short term memory has decreased. These things are only heightened by anxiety, which was already on the rise pre-pandemic. “Anxiety is [even more] prevalent as worries over our health and others’ health, finances, and future security are amplified,” explains Chambers. “Stress and cortisol levels are increased as many of us juggle responsibilities, struggle to sleep or feel isolated and lonely.”

With the increase in psychological stressors comes an increase in physiological response. With all that we’ve experienced during the lockdown and pandemic, many of us are in what Chamber calls a “higher arousal state” for longer, which is having a negative impact on our energy levels. “This can cause physical tiredness, muscle tension and headaches, leaving us feeling agitated and irritable,” he says. Then, mentally, there’s the inherent sadness of missing physical interaction, the anger at a lack of control of the situation, and the frustration of a lack of clarity on what freedoms we do have.

“With many people’s sleep disrupted, our emotional regulation is even harder to keep in harmony,” he adds.

What are the best ways to treat lockdown fatigue?

How are recent Covid-19 spikes and political upheaval impacting those experiencing lockdown fatigue?

“Stress is a critical part of the human experience, allowing us to channel a physiological response to respond to threats effectively, but this continual triggering amplifies lockdown fatigue due to continued activation of our sympathetic nervous system,” explains Chambers. “Because health and political stability are two of the significant pillars that human beings value and that are constantly reported on, we are constantly stimulated and anxious about what the future may hold.” What’s more, says Chambers, is that this uncertainty reduces our resilience towards future stressors, leaving us struggling to activate our parasympathetic nervous system.

Start with sleep

When it comes to combatting lockdown fatigue, starting with sleep is often beneficial

When it comes to combatting lockdown fatigue, starting with sleep is often beneficial. “Improving our sleep-wake cycle by aiming for a consistent sleep routine is a great start,” explains Chambers.

“It provides an anchor in our day and allows us to honour our circadian rhythmicity, positively impacting our energy, emotional balance and hormonal regulation.” Before bed, he recommends setting a curfew on things that affect sleep quality, such as alcohol, caffeine and big meals, to increase the regenerative aspect of sleep. Additionally, because stress and anxiety can cause sleeping problems, it’s also important to cultivate an evening routine that allows you to disconnect from technology, media, and high-intensity activities, and embrace more mindful activities that help you destimulate and relax.

Follow a schedule When fighting fatigue, don’t underestimate the value of creating a routine. “We all know the feeling of aimlessness when we have a day with no structure,” explains Chambers. “By creating a schedule for our sleep, eating, work and relaxation, we have a structure to operate in and a level of certainty and control that helps us to feel less anxious and more stable. And while a little bit of flexibility goes a long way, we need a routine when in lockdown as it gives us some psychological separation between parts of our day, which is essential when we are staying in our domestic environments.” When plotting out your day, he encourages scheduling time outdoors, which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve sleep. Another helpful tip for bookending your day is to set a firm stopping time. “It’s very easy to fall into living at work, rather than working from home without a scheduled endpoint,” says Chambers, who also believes in creating a “digital sunset” by shutting down devices and putting them away at the end of the workday.

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Stay active and eat mindfully From tech neck to increased muscle tension, staying put during lockdown has put our bodies to the test. This is why the benefits of dedicated exercise, which reduces body’s stress hormones and stimulates the production of endorphins (aka the body’s natural painkillers), can’t be underestimated. “While exercise may tire you out in the short term, it is both mood-boosting and boosts our resistance to stressors, both valuable tools in combatting fatigue,” says Chambers. To further tap into exercise’s stress-melting benefits, add in some uplifting music, which can act as a tool of emotional contagion, he says. Needless to say, working out goes hand in hand with a healthy, nutrition-packed diet. “Ensuring you eat nutritious meals will give you the energy you need and you will feel better equipped to navigate your emotions,” he says.

Better yet, cooking for yourself can serve as a robust creative outlet. And just as important as eating mindfully is staying hydrated, which is essential to health and bodily well-being.

Create a work from home space

Stay connected While there’s no question that technology is a double-edged sword, the ways in which it can help us stay connected to each other, from Zoom to virtual support groups, makes it a helpful tool —especially now. “Lockdown is a shared human experience we are going through together, and it’s crucial that we don’t feel like it is just us who are fatigued,” explains Chambers. To combat loneliness, he advises his patients to find intentional ways to interact with others and invest in some self-care that’s meaningful to them, while also finding ways to be kind and helpful to others. After all, doing nice things for others has been found to boost serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that gives us the feeling of satisfaction and well-being.

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Simply put: staying motivated and productive while working from home is a challenge. Firstly, Chambers suggests implementing anchors of a typical workday such as getting dressed for work (taking advantage of the enclothed cognition), and simulating a commute by taking a walk and returning to your home as if you’re entering work.

These things will help you build a framework that bakes in recovery time and honours circadian rhythms. In addition to instructing his patients to focus on creating psychological separation and boundaries through a healthy working schedule with regular short breaks, Chambers encourages optimising a dedicated workspace. “We all have different challenges, but try and find a place that isn’t high traffic, gets plenty of natural light, and has as much partition from your domestic life as possible to minimise distraction,” says Chambers.

The fact is, prioritising work-life balance has never more important.

To find out more about Wellbeing Lancashire, events you can take part in, and how we can help you, visit https://wellbeinglancashire.org.uk or email team@wellbeinglancashire.org.uk.

Lee Chambers MSc MBPsS is our resident psychologist and founder of Essentialise Workplace Wellbeing. As a director of Wellbeing Lancashire, he will be keeping us updated with the work they are doing across the region. Have a question or topic you would like Lee to cover in a future issue?

Email him on info@leechambers.org and he will include you where possible. www.lancmag.com

Welcome to The Wonderful World of Ruby and Daisy We offer a personal shopping service in store along with refreshments, reserved items, loyalty cards and regular special offers.

Our brand new website delivers a helpful shopping experience, as do our Facebook & Instagram Pages.

Shop online to build loyalty points and join our friendly community via our Facebook V.I.P page to receive exclusive discounts and offers.

Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for videos, competitions and much more!

Come and see us or get in touch for a first-hand ‘Ruby & Daisy Experience’ As a special Ruby & Daisy treat we are giving you 20% off your purchase with code LANCSNWR&D20.

Simply apply the code at the checkout on our website www.rubyanddaisy.co.uk or present this magazine feature in store. *T&C’s apply.

www.rubyanddaisy.co.uk 331 Burnley Road, Novak Mill, Crawshawbooth, Rossendale, BB4 8LA

Call Us On: 0808 196 2216 Follow us on Facebook & Instagram! Facebook: Ruby&Daisy / Instagram: rubydaisy1

Redrow gifts £10,000 to the West Cheshire community A SPECIAL delivery of afternoon tea for care home residents is among numerous gifts to the West Cheshire community from Redrow.

Redrow’s Kelly Chandler pictured delivering afternoon tea to Kristy McDermott and residents of Thornton House

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espite activities for young carers, kit and equipment for sports team and funding for schools are some of the other recipients announced just in time to bring some preChristmas cheer.

The homebuilder is sharing £10,000 via a voluntary West Cheshire Community Fund linked to new homes being built at The Pastures, in Backford Cross, and the nearby Ledsham Garden Village development.

It means that Redrow’s North West business has now voluntarily gifted more than £140,000 to the communities it operates in since 2016. This funding is in addition to statutory investment from Redrow linked to planning consents.

Redrow area sales manager Amanda Hollins said: “The importance of community has really come to the fore in recent months and we were really heartened by the response to our West Cheshire Fund. There was a real mix of applications and the panel faced tough decisions when deciding how to allocate the funding. In sharing the funds we’ve tried to support a range of projects, while also being mindful of the additional pressures fundraisers, charities and community groups have faced this year because of Covid.

“For example, we’ve worked with Bring Life to Little Sutton to provide care packages for the vulnerable and have used local businesses to provide these, including afternoon tea for residents of Thornton House Residential Home. We’ve also pledged to provide some fun activities for 30 young carers and will be supporting a number of schools and sports teams too.”

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Beneficiaries of the latest fund include: • Brookside Primary School – to improve the outdoor environment garden to enable children to learn more about nature, wildlife and growing produce • Groves Athletics Under 9s FC – for beanie hats and base layers to keep players warm in winter • Capenhurst Junior Rugby – for kits for the new junior section • Cheshire Young Carers – to facilitate respite activities for 30 young carers • Ellesmere Port Club of Gymnastics C.I.C – for a new trampette • Hope Farm Hotspurs JFC U8’s – for rain jackets for players • Ellesmere Port Youth Netball Club (EPYNC) – for kit and equipment for junior platers • Positive Action for Little Sutton (PALS) & Little Sutton Sapphires WI – to restore an iconic red phone box for community use • Bring Life to Little Sutton – to provide care packages for the vulnerable • Little Sutton C of E Primary School – for books for the library Julie Aldcroft, founder of Bring Life to Little Sutton, said: “We were aware of people who have had a very challenging time in 2020 and wanted to give something back to help those most in need, helping reduce isolation, aid mental health and lift spirits. Working with care home staff, the community frailty team from the Countess of Chester Hospital and inviting nominations from the wider community, we identified recipients for the care packages. We also wanted to support local businesses so that the money received from Redrow is invested in the neighbourhood economy.”

The West Cheshire Community Fund is linked to two current Redrow new homes developments, The Pastures, in Backford Cross, and nearby Ledsham Garden Village.

The Pastures is a 100-home development that will also see almost £250,000 invested in local education, healthcare amenities and towards sports pitches in the area.

Ledsham Garden Village is a much larger scheme of circa 2,000 homes set amid 100 acres of open space, with Redrow having committed to investing £13 million to support the growth of the neighbourhood. Seven fully furnished show homes are already open and an eighth will open next month at Hawthorn Court. www.lancmag.com

A catch up with Peter Rutt Our monthly coloumn by Peter Rutt.

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artyears 1 of 3.

Regular readers will our ago in early February know I love weird and wacky I had a laptop in my right hand stories, even if they and some equipment in are mynot lefttrue.

So imagine my pleasure when I hand. One of the two dogs satcame two acrossdown the sensation of top alleged steps from the step.time As slips I in Liverpool. approached I said “Move Lottie.”

Various people claim they slipped Eventually she did.

I stepped down back in time, usually to the or and lost my footing on the1950’s carpet 1960’s.

One claimed he slipped back because it was old and rumpled. I to early 1900’s.

Heabout said aseight he walked crashed down steps down on Bold Street the sky went very dark and my back while still holding items in what had been that year in the decade both hands. When I came to a stop I of the 1990’s changed to early 1900’s threw the items on the hallway floor judging by the fashion he spied. Also as an enormous enveloped the shops were oldpain fashioned.

Gonemy lower back.

I passed out as pain were the modern day stores asthe were was well beyond my threshold.

My modern day cars, replaced by horse wife came and said my eyes were drawn carriages. There was air there open but not anything.

While was sound andseeing if he felt more confident Ihewas unconscious there was no pain would have interacted with a person. just peace.

My wife tipped my head Imagine whipping out your smartphone forward to get the blood back1900’s! to to show someone from the early this area.

The serene quickly Or go a step further andfeeling take photos disappeared andsee.

I was back in the or film what you What would your phone record? real world and in enormous pain.

There is the storywas of acalled. man who An ambulance When walked near to two Boldparamedics Street and hesaid it arrived the alleges asishenothing turned awrong corner,with wasyou” “There faced with a dead end.

An old wallup as they attempted to stand me that wasn’t there the previous day had but I was unable to walk. suddenly appeared. Like the previous While waiting at Royal Preston man he said the sky became suddenly hospital with darker prior to the this addicts, obstacle drunks being there. and dementia patients I was and He even touched the construction eventually an x-ray. it was solid. whisked Confused,offhefor headed back The lady hours later said there the way hetwo came. was swelling but nothing broken.

Most of the stories centre on a An orderly came up to me in the period of 1993-1997 apart from the waiting area said “You need one in the nextand paragraph.

They mayto stand up as there is nothing wrong well be Urban Tales and tall ones at with you.”

I tried but the that. But it isAgain thought provoking.

Butpain was could feelstories the muscle theresearing. are threeI particular I will pulse centre in on.my lower back.

Seven hours lateroccurred I was sent for This one allegedly in 2006 awhen CT ascan and hey presto, they lad called Sean admitted he found twoanfractures myoutspine shoplifted item andinran of the both in the area ripped Guard. my muscle. shop pursued by aISecurity As It took three (and months for went the Sean gotabout to a corner the sky dark) he turned on running fractures to go and andcarried three years for but when heto looked he but noticed the muscle fully back repair, it was www.lancmag.com

now weakened. I was not able to lay his pursuer was nowhere to be seen. down for six months. I had to sleep Relieved, he stopped and took in his in the Mother-in Law’s spare chair. surroundings. Everybody was wearing I took physio and she clothes from the 1960’s andsaid carsthat were familiar line. old fashioned from this era. Starting to worry he brought out his modern Two days after Christmas last mobile phone, but it displayed nosome year I reached over to pick up signal.from As hethe walked backin past store nails tool box thethe garage he robbed he noticed it wasn’t athe one after a storm had damaged fence enteredto earlier. heIlooked ahead Ihewanted shoreAsup. felt a twinge he could see the modern world. in my lower back. It got worseWhen to he took a look behind himtoitwalk was still the point I was unable by the 1960’s.

Frightened by his in experience the time I reached a chair the he caught a (modern) bus to get away. living room. My wife said “There is The Security Guard that chased him nothing wrong with you, stand up!” asserted that he was only a few paces Ibehind like tothe think she was joking as she thief but as he got to that had been with mevanished. in the hospital corner, the lad had He was four years previous. bemused by this.

This time I was poleaxed for The other two stories appear in three days. I saw the New Year in May’s edition and a plausible answer to with pain. I would not take any pain the conundrum. But going back to an killers.

I discovered this time round earlier point, which is of interaction, II was able things pondered to ondo this.normal If you talk to but I did it differently.

For instance someone from a long ago era andsitting in the passenger seat awith a cushion influence them to take different course behind me to take the shock to one they historically did take,out would of roads, whileonstill thatuneven have ramifications the sitting, here and closing theifcar with my foot, now? Also youdoor collect an item from shower differently etc. with It made the 1950’s, does it travel you back me realise those to the present day?that have a daily struggle with not being able to do what we take for granted, they do it differently because it is better for them. I say I love and respect you for this.

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Luxury Spas Direct

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S

omething strange happened across the nation throughout 2020. Yes, there were devastating effects of the global pandemic we faced, but beyond that were some positive changes that no one could have predicted. Forced to stay at home, work from home, school from home and more, eyes were opened to the living spaces we occupied and possibilities were seen. For so many, if we had to stay at home, we were going to do it in style and as such, there was a boom in many different industries.

DIY and general home improvements, large scale renovations and moving house in some cases were on the list. Thanks to the unbelievable weather we had, many of us started to focus outdoor living. It was, after all, the only escape we could enjoy from the four walls of our abodes.

As such, there were certain companies which saw a huge boom, one of which was Luxury Spas Direct. As a comparatively new company, a great deal of growth was expected anyway, so it is very difficult to specify exactly how much was contributed by the advent of people staying at home for the summer. But regardless of the reasons behind it, Luxury Spas Direct has gone from strength to strength and is looking forward to a very busy 2021 and more new ventures too!

Based on the outskirts of Preston in Bamber Bridge, whilst the brand name of Luxury Spas Direct is fledgling, the company who owns it has a long history. Contact Packaging was set up 40 years ago in 1980 by Colin Lynch, and is today run by his son, Jonathon Lynch. In true entrepreneurial spirit, Contact Packaging has started to branch out into other areas, one of which is supplying these incredible, high-quality hot tubs all around the North West region.

For so many, if we had to stay at home, we were going to do it in style

I spoke with Andy, who runs the operational side of Luxury Spas Direct, and he was keen to tell me their story. “It is true that we only opened the doors of our showroom in May 2019, but the team in place has worked together for many years. Those responsible for all the installs have lots of experience in this type of work and the machinery we use been tried and tested too!

It’s how we manage to offer such excellent customer service at all times,” he told me. Andy went on to add, “We have a very professional operation here. Our warehouse is within the well-equipped Contact Packaging HQ where we have a great set up. Then we also have a separate showroom which is of an excellent standard and welcoming to customers, when we’ve been able to let them visit us! We’re hoping that we will be able to open the doors for as much of 2021 as possible so potential customers can see the high-quality hot tubs we sell.”

Spas of exceptional quality And what high-quality they are. Luxury Spas Direct focus purely on selling one brand of hot tubs, those made by the Las Vegas based company, Artesian Spas. They are the only retailer in the whole of the North West who are able to offer this brand and after chatting with Andy, they certainly seem worth the extra money. Not only do the Artesian Spas have innovate features and a sleek and stylish design, they have other benefits too when compared with lower cost models. For example, the insulation included within them keep the temperature of the water higher, thus reducing your energy requirements to maintain your preferred level of heat. Furthermore, poorer quality spas have piping which restricts the flow

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of water meaning the pumps have to work much harder. Not only will this make those spas far less economical to run, the pressure on your mechanics will also be greater, requiring more maintenance, repair and replacement of parts.

Artesian also come with a class leading warranty which includes 12 years for the structure!

Artesian Spas have patented Helix Jets on certain models within their range which provide a highly relaxing and therapeutic hydrotherapy massage, and one which you won’t find anywhere else in the area. These spas promote wellness for all, as well as providing a haven to escape from the stresses of daily life. Just the names of them such as ‘Artesian Elite’, ‘Garden Spa’ and ‘South Seas Spa’ is enough to inspire a feeling of relaxation and escapism. Currently offering in excess of 40 different models, Luxury Spas Direct can offer something for everyone with prices starting as low as £3,500 for a cosy, two-person tub, up to almost £20,000 for the grandest and most luxurious affair. Andy says of the product range “these hot tubs do cost a little more than some other models that can also be imported. However, having taken a very close look at the inner workings of other, as well as the service on offer, we are absolutely confident our pricing is great value for money. In terms of quality, Artesian Spas parallel to all the other American manufacturers, however ours cost less making them extremely competitive.

Anyone who has a chat with us, particularly in the showroom, will soon understand the differences. However, we are realistic and we do know that a budget is a budget! We will be sure to showcase everything within the specified price range so can see exactly what you will get.”

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A level of customer service to match Price will always play a key factor in purchases of this nature and size, but there are two key differences with Luxury Spas Direct. The first is that the price you see will be the price you pay, without having to worry that a load of extras will start to pile on top. Added to the already favourable pricing of such great quality products and this transparency can help you make a decision more easily.

Secondly, when they say everything is included, they mean everything. When purchasing a hot tub online, the chances are you will be left to your own devices to fit it and work out the instructions regarding the chemicals required, cleaning and maintenance. When your purchase your hot tub from Luxury Spas Direct, you’ll be in receipt of a different level of customer service completely. The price you are quoted will include all of the following: • The purchase of the actual spa itself including cover, cover lifter, steps & chemicals.

• The installation into the desired location (the quote will already take into account whether you need additional groundworks adding, but if it’s being placed on a robust patio, this might not be required).

• Full connection of the hot tub to ensure everything is functional.

• Filling of the and ‘balancing’ whereby the right chemicals are added.

• Training on how to operate the spa and how to care for it including chemical management.

• After care support in the event of queries later down the line.

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From time to time, a crane might be required to hoist the spa into your garden but that is only in the very rare cases where access is limited.

The Luxury Spas Direct installations team will not leave your premises until you’re absolutely happy that everything is working as it should and you know exactly what to do. They won’t be able to wait around until the water has heated up to watch you jump in, of course, but for everything else, you’ll be looked after!

Once your hot tub is up and running, should you have any further questions or in the unlikely event of any issues, the phone lines are always manned. This even covers out of hours such as on weekends, thanks to call diverts!

That way, an engineer can be booked in to see you as soon as possible if so required.

Creating a one-stop-shop Contact Packaging has seen the potential in the aspects of outdoor living that many of us have wanted whilst confined to our homes and the hot tub side of the business is just one way for them to branch out. In fact, the goal is to offer a much broader range of services overall to support the change in behaviour of homeowners all over the North West. In fact, Luxury Rattan Direct has just launched in early 2021 and is offering excellent quality, extremely stylish rattan furniture is quite simply a must-have for any time spent outdoors.

If your lounging and dining options need an upgrade, visit their new website, www.luxuryrattandirect.co.uk to have a browse.

Adding a luxury spa and smart, good quality furniture to your property is one way to improve your outdoor space, but many customers are also looking to revamp the whole area. This of course requires additional services and expertise such as landscape gardening. Fortunately, Andy has recently added two people qualified and experienced in this field to his team. Andy talks of their vision; “the goal is to offer help and support for more aspects of outdoor living, now we have seen a more stable trend in this area.

We’ve started quoting to develop the whole area surrounding the hot tub, as well as its installation too in order to create a space that is both fit for purpose and looks great too. We’re really excited to work on bigger projects such as this to create the type of exterior ambience meaning people won’t want to spend too much time away from home even when they can!”

The Luxury Spas Direct installations team will not leave your premises until you’re absolutely happy that everything is working as it should and you know exactly what to do

The first stage has already started with the incredible automated gazebos that can also be included with your spa, known as Covanas. They are essentially a lid for your hot tub with the primary function of creating a water-tight seal to minimise evaporation and provide excellent insulation to keep the water warm and reduce the running costs as much as possible and a supporting structure which can automatically be lifted, creating a protective cover over the hot www.lancmag.com

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tub – perfect for the somewhat inclement weather we suffer from in the North West! A spa is often best used to warm up in the chiller weather so it makes sense to put some measures in place to make this a possibility. The Covanas can have screens added too, whether that might be for additional protection from the elements or to maintain your privacy from those who might be able to see in and you could leave a side open if there is a view you wish to enjoy. The screens can be made from mesh or even be fully opaque dependent on your preference; the set up can be flexible to ensure yours is right for you.

Why you should choose Luxury Spas Direct With so many years of experience, a passion for excellent service and only the highest quality hot tubs on offer, they are the perfect company for you to work with. If you’re in two minds about getting a hot tub in the first place, a quick chat with Andy will soon have you sold on the idea!

Not only do they offer the perfect way to destress, they can even add value to your home or can be moved with you. Andy says, “we have such a broad range of customers wanting a hot tub for a variety of reasons but what we do know is that they allow couples and families to have a bit of quality time together, or are the perfect place to get a bit of solitude. They’re a great addition to any home, and help to ensure you spend more of your time outdoors which is always a good thing!”

With summer not long away, now is the perfect time to order one too, as you’ll have yours in time to enjoy the nicer weather But don’t forget, they are perfect in the rain and cold too for you to warm up!

Luxury Spas Direct Unit 12, Old Mill Industrial Estate, Bamber Bridge, Preston, PR5 6SY Phone: 01772 364400 Email: enquiries@luxuryspasdirect.co.uk Web: www.luxuryspasdirect.co.uk Opening Times Monday to Thursday 09.30 to 16.00 • Friday 09:30 to 14:30 Saturday 10:00 to 16:00 • Sunday 12:00 to 15:00 (Open Sundays During British Summer Time Only) Bank Holidays - By appointment only.

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The life of Di A monthly column by Di Wade, the author of ‘A Year In Verse’

I

’ve always been perversely fond of winter. Well I know! When it’s not soaking either you or your livingroom carpet, (via that ruddy great unsuspected hole in the roof), it’s freezing the balls off your proverbial brass monkey and/or sending you crashing to your face or behind via an unwanted foray into Dancing on Ice. It’s not even as if I don’t like summer, (excepting the frying in an office by day and swelteringly tossing and turning by night bit). There’s something wonderful about being able to play golf at ten o’clock at night – and just as soon as I CAN play golf, I’ll be out there like a shot. I’m always disappointed when I first discover I’ve to put the light on before the ten o’clock news, only gradually recalling that the lights are one of the many selling points of autumn and winter. I mean you CAN put your six million lamps and candles on in the middle of summer, only why would you? Yet a living-room never looks cosier than when darkness falls and you draw the curtains and switch on your lava lamp, glitter lamp, light-up dragon, cactus, and mulberry bush, and that fibre-optic ornament resembling Fleetwood Lighthouse. Even if you don’t have those sort of things, (possibly because you yourself are not a lights freak), there’s something incomparably warming about a lamp-lit living-room against a long dark night. It’s also a delight to return to, when you’ve been out wrestling polar bears, while turning into an ice sculpture: As a keen walker, my absolute favourite conditions for 158

getting out for a brisk one are the crisp, bright, crystalline days of winter, when there’s surely snow on the distant hills, ice lingering in sheltered spots, and the air is a thrilling, breath-taking tonic and invigoration, calling to mind polar bears, penguins, and huskies frolicking in the snow.

The start of this winter, I.E. December represented for me the worst month of lockdown so far , as it felt totally alien not to be arranging to meet friends for pre-Christmas coffees, lunches and evening meals, going to Barton Grange to check out their fabulous Christmas displays, and generally getting sociably festive. I and my support bubble, (my awesome mum and dad), had a walk down Starr Gate way in early December, and it was so strange to see the Velvet Coaster all dark and shut up when it should ordinarily have been full of patrons already getting in the festive spirit. However, as regards Christmas proper, the three of us resolutely donned our Christmas jumpers, had an invigorating stroll on the prom, (where everyone was yelling merry Christmas to each other in most convivial, if physically distant fashion), before tucking into a traditional Christmas lunch, (of prawn curry with all the trimmings). Actually, aided and abetted by long-familiar cheery decorations, comfortingly dire cracker jokes, and lashings of festive André Rieu on Sky Arts, we managed a level of chilling which, with the best will in the world, just isn’t possible with a mad houseful of 97, so emerged wonderfully relaxed.

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Then the season delivered in other ways. On Christmas Eve, I was enchanted first to witness the sun sinking, fiery balloon-like into the sea, then later the moon, clear as a luminous icy football, hanging magically in the heavens, Meanwhile, fairyland formed below after dark via the unprecedented stops pulled out by so many households with regard to outdoor Christmas decorations. Utterly wonderful.

New Year, unfailingly as flat as a pancake sat on by a herd of elephants, has obviously provided little to write home about in 2021. For my part, I seem to have spent an inordinate time swearing dementedly at such things as bin-liners, the cellophane on teabags, and most especially my phone, whose seeming inability to copy the simplest bit of dictation now regularly has me shrieking like a fishwife, and undoubtedly endangering the air colour. Meanwhile, I’m eating my hair again, and keep forgetting there’s a world beyond North Shore. However, on the plus side, I spent the gloomy mid-January day that was yesterday cosily hunkered down in my livingroom watching first Andrea Bocelli, (singing love songs in Portofino; tough, but someone had to do it), then the new series of Dancing on Ice, and Ski Sunday. So what can I say, stuff could be worse, and, certifiably or not, I just love winter.

Happy New Year again..

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Based in the rural village of Goosnargh, Laurel Farm Kitchens has been recognised as one of only a few truly bespoke kitchen manufacturers in the North West receiving a reputation, second to none, on quality and craftsmanship over the past 25 years.

“Our aim, through the creativity of our kitchen designers and their ability to bring out the best in our client’s ideas is to create the most imaginative and workable kitchens from the canvas supplied.”

The secret ingredient in your british cuppa New research review highlights the health benefits of thearubigins – a polyphenol found only in black tea

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hether it’s clean eating, superfood diets or rapid ways to lose weight, green tea is lauded for its health credentials; with regular black tea – enjoyed by millions of Brits every day – often forgotten.

“New research review highlights the health benefits of thearubigins – a polyphenol found only in black tea” All this could change with the publication of a new scientific review, in the journal, Nutrition & Food Technology, which argues that the little-known polyphenols found in black tea – called thearubigins – have equally powerful health benefits.

Not only this, Brits have the highest thearubigin 160

intake, in Europe with the average tea drinker taking in 327 mg daily – more than double the European average of 156 mg and 50 times higher than the intakes in Spain.

The new review, undertaken by the Tea Advisory Panel – www. teaadvisorypanel.com, examined the results from five human studies and 17 laboratory studies looking specifically at thearubigins, one of the flavonoid group of polyphenols. The main areas of health which could be influenced by thearubigins were gut health, blood pressure, and anti-cancer effects, in part due to their powerful antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects.

Lead author and tea expert, Dr Tim Bond, comments: “Research

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Brits have the highest thearubigin intake, in Europe with the average tea drinker taking in 327 mg daily on thearubigins is at an early stage in comparison with the wealth of data we have on the benefits of drinking green and black teas. However, it’s clear from laboratory studies that thearubigins are important antioxidants and appear to have anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as regulating gut function.

Thearubigins could be key to understanding the mechanisms behind the well-known health benefits of black tea

and the identification of actives that are responsible for these.

We now need to build on this work with clinical trials in human populations”.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Tea Advisory Panel, adds: “Health features are often full of good news about green tea and our much-loved British cuppa can be overlooked. This new review is great for people who prefer a regular cup of black tea and adds to the considerable evidence on tea’s role in maintaining heart health, cognitive function and gut health”.

Check out: www. teaadvisorypanel.com www.lancmag.com

Biohack your body I

f 2020 taught us any lessons at all, they would be that there are certain things we cannot control and that our personal health should be our utmost priority. Fortunately, when it comes to our own well-being, we can actually have more control over this than we might realise. I learned this very quickly after my chat with Anita Graham-Bateson of Well-NES & Nutrition.

With a huge number of letters after her name, denoting the multitude of qualifications she boasts, Anita’s official title is Naturopathic Nutritionist & BioEnergetiX NES & Healy Practitioner. If, like me, you understand only part of that but are intrigued, then you’ll no doubt be fascinated to learn what the rest of it means! Anita focuses on natural health to allow clients to ‘biohack’ their bodies, and her surgery focusses on the individual’s personal wellness journey, tailored to suit them. Whether you have any specific ailments to address or just want to become the healthiest version of yourself, Anita will look at the whole person, to ensure full care and attention is paid. One key contributing factor that many suffer from is oxidative stress (an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body) and this can start to make us ‘rusty’ from the inside out. Nourishing the body in the way it needs is of primary importance in either preventing, or treating, issues faced. But, of course, certain ailments can arise that do need treatment and that’s where Anita’s experience as a BioEnergetiX NES & Healy Practitioner comes in.

As I started to understand what all of this means, I couldn’t help but keep Anita talking. Here’s what she had to say…

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Anita’s story In today’s world of information-overload from sources both trustworthy and questionable, it can be extremely difficult to know who to listen to. One thing you can be sure of though, is that if the expert in question was driven to this vocation as a direct result of their own health, it is likely they have taken a greater interest in the field. And that’s exactly what can be said of Anita; her journey to wellness actually started at aged 11, when her health was compromised in ways that were not understood by anyone around her. Having the TB vaccination was the trigger to a downturn in her general wellbeing and a raft of physical issues ensued. These were coupled with severe emotional distress as a result of multiple family bereavements and within three years, Anita was under the care of the mental health team and prescribed a cocktail of drugs. Bloating, pains, IBS, and menstrual problems were just some of the problems and her health continued to deteriorate throughout her teens and twenties.

impact on her body as a whole and the effects on her mental health were staggering. Sensitivities to light, noise, injections, medications, foods. A body toxic with metals and chemically sensitive. Enough was enough.

Throughout everything, Anita had tried to stay positive and open-minded about the treatment she was being prescribed and even started working within the healthcare industry in order to better understand it. She believed that becoming part of the system would help, so she could see the inner workings of the NHS and have faith that she was being treated in the best way possible. However, as time wore on, her scepticism only increased.

Every area she came into contact with seemed to disregard the overall health and well-being of patients, instead looking at only isolated problems and treating them with medication.

“After being a very healthy child, I was aware of the changes which had happened to me and deep down, I felt something wasn’t right. All I wanted was to feel well again but no one seemed to be able to help me and being so young I was a little powerless to understand it all and influence a positive change,” admitted Anita.

A severe bout of Bells Palsy followed and Anita was plied with yet more medication as her other symptoms worsened. Eventually, she started to question the effects all these chemicals must be having on her body and took charge of her health by discontinuing the use of all medication, visiting a herbalist and overhauling her diet. Her health improved drastically, apart from her digestion with stomach ulcers and inflammation noted as symptoms. Of course, the recommended course of action was again more medication. In and out of hospital, Anita’s health problems increased.

This time they included fibroids, endometriosis, cysts, lumps and skin complaints such as eczema, ringworm and warts. That’s not to mention the emotional effects the constant illness had on her.

And Anita was trying to hold down a high-pressured professional job whilst dealing with all of this – an almost impossible feat.

Becoming pregnant meant that Anita again stopped all her medication and started to feel holistically better. Not working also allowed her to heal but at the point at which she reignited her career on a different path, the new forms of contraception she tried started to negatively impact her once more. With her body riddled in pain, more diagnoses came in the form of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, adrenal fatigue, migraines…the list was getting longer and more serious with the passage of time. Even wearing creams or make up had an www.lancmag.com

After so many years of suffering with nothing ever resolved, Anita started to make positive changes herself. Parasite cleansing, a diet which removed potential inflammatory ingredients, addressing a candida overload; the process was very long and ongoing and required a huge amount of learning by Anita. Of course, there is much more to the story but the overall message from Anita was that the second she really listened to herself and took control, she was able to improve her situation.

Even with the stringent care taken, the body’s cells can sometimes betray us and Anita had to fight a larger battle just a few years ago when cancerous cells were found in her breasts. Before succumbing to more well-known treatment paths, Anita worked with the Budwig Medical Centre in Spain, had thermal imaging of her body conducted and used her own research and expertise. A bespoke care plan was designed for her and at later scans, there was no longer any trace of these potentially deadly cancerous cells – a joyous time.

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so my philosophy is to help others learn how to really listen to themselves. That way, you will be able to heal and be the happiest, healthiest ‘you’ possible.” On the more emotional and mental side of it all, Anita told me, “I have to work on my health every single day to safeguard my immunity and feel the best I possibly can. In the past, I have been in darker places, where the pain has been so significant it has made me question my place on this earth. I am thankful that I found the strength to address my problems and feeling so much better keeps me motivated to continue doing exactly what I need to in order to stay well physically, and therefore mentally too.”

Knowledge is power Anita knew that she had to understand her body, how it works, the problems we can all face and much more besides. And so, her lengthy education commenced whilst she was suffering.

Her qualifications range far and wide, covering the whole spectrum of naturopathic healing and nutrition. “I started with an intensive 3-year course in anatomy and physiology, nutritional healing, nutritional therapy and nutritional science at the Nutritional Healing Foundation College in Liverpool. The science challenged my body, mind and spirit and I finally began to find answers about my own health,” explained Anita.

Whilst studying, Anita was still suffering but was on her healing journey. “Fortunately, the College were accommodating to me and allowed me to work at my body’s own pace. This helped with the psychological side of my healing and allowed me to learn everything I needed to in order to become well and be able to start my new career.”

Throughout this time, Anita was working with her naturopath to learn about her health problems and heal them accordingly. One of the methods used was ‘NES’ body scans, conducted once a month to track progress and amend remedies to suit Anita’s needs. Soon, she started to feel periods of wellness and saw the benefits of the NES machines before learning more about them to be able to use this form of treatment on her patients.

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All in all, Anita’s own health concerns and illnesses led her onto a path of discovery, education and training which has resulted in her gaining capabilities as a Naturopathic Nutritionist & BioEnergetiX NES & Healy Practitioner. Her primary function is to educate patients to enable them to really understand their own bodies and find the treatments which will make them be the healthiest and happiest version of themselves.

NES health, Healy and naturopathy working in harmony The mention of ‘NES’ scans may well have posed some question in your mind, which is understandable – they aren’t exactly widely spoken about! So what exactly does it mean? NES health uses a ‘Total Well-NES System’ to scan your whole body and detect problem areas and correct the patterns of energy within you.

Firstly, the body’s electrical currents are scanned – hundreds of wellness points are measured in just a few seconds with a high degree of accuracy. Secondly, a NES miHealth™ device is used that combines PEMF therapy (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy) and proprietary signals to enhance the flow of energy through the body, which is essentially a magnetic stimulation.

This is the first stage to healing the issues. The next step is the use of remedies (known as NES Infoceuticals™) which will allow the body to begin its self-restoration. They work on a cellular level, helping your body return to its natural functions. www.lancmag.com

This is a medically certified device with treatment only administered by trained professionals such as Anita.

But if you’re looking for something that can help more regularly, and for use in your own home, a Healy will be perfect. It operates under a similar guise, using quantum sensors to analyse your bioenergetic frequencies before offering solutions to address all the imbalances you are suffering from. This is quantum physics and is founded firmly in proven science to combat the energy imbalances of the body. The investment in your health starts at £485 pounds, you can use it on up to five people and of course you’ll have it for years. It’s even easy to use, controlled via an app on your smart phone so there are no technological barriers either. Anita extolled the virtues to me, “when I discovered the Healy, I couldn’t believe there was something so similar to the Total Well-NES System that people could have at home. I spoke to everyone I had treated with NES health and every single one of them has gone on to purchase one of these machines, that’s how beneficial they are. They allow you to uncover

The remedies which improved my health and mental well-being would not be right for everyone so my philosophy is to help others learn how to really listen to themselves

Finding your path to the healthiest version of you It feels a disservice to Anita’s extensive experience and understanding of the human body and the issues we face to imply this is the extent of her ability in treating individuals. The methods she uses are not as widely known as other types of more traditional treatment but they are extensively proven – you only need to understand a fraction of Anita’s recovery to see that. Of course, not everyone’s health needs such a dramatic overhaul and in fact, just a few months can radically improve yours. One of Anita’s programmes is ‘Renew Your Health in 90 days’, where you’ll benefit from personal consultations, coaching, a full review and planning for how to improve your general health and well-being. Right now, she’s offering reductions on this programme so it’s well worth finding out more.

Understanding and education are key to unlocking your best health, so why not take advantage of a free, 20-minute consultation with Anita herself? Whether it’s to treat a known-issue, a chronic condition or you would just like to refocus your personal health, you can have a chat with Anita and get started on your journey to becoming the healthiest version of you yet.

the root cause of the problem and target it to restore the natural balance. I can’t recommend them enough.”

If these wonders of science have piqued your interest, then you should also know that Anita uses them in harmony with naturopathic nutrition.

Again, this type of therapy treats every element of the body at a cellular level by addressing the root cause of dis-ease rather than just treating symptoms. It’s the most natural and least toxic way of overcoming issues and helps with factors that will influence your health too. It covers a broad spectrum of areas from the way you process nutrients, to selecting and preparing foods. It also covers detoxification in a traditional sense and looks at your lifestyle in order to optimise your dietary therapy. www.lancmag.com

Web: www.well-nes.co.uk Tel: 07855 524273 Email: anita@well-nes.co.uk LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 165

Four reasons why your skin might be extra dry and sensitive this time of year - and what to do about it

Wondering why your skin is worse than everat this time of year. According to wellness entrepreneur and the founder of The Beauty of Eczema™ Camille Knowles there’s a perfect storm going on that’s playing havoc with our complexions.

#1 Winter weather

Left: 200ml Warrior Wash Tube

Cold weather, biting winds, central heating and a lack of natural sunlight and vitamin D can all be contributing conditions for problem skin. Dryness, skin flare ups, redness and irritation – all of these things are exacerbated in the winter months and the inability to get outside during lockdowns.

My mantra is and always has been – moisturise, moisturise, moisturise and over the winter I ramp this up even further. Your skin needs some extra TLC right now. It needs to be nourished, protected and pampered with the hardest working ingredients, such as natural butters and omega 3 and 6, which will soothe and strengthen your skin’s defences.

Look out for products which contain a prebiotic, which can also provide some vital support in the winter.

Dermatologically tested and developed especially for people in need of some extra hydration, The Beauty of Eczema™ Calming Cream contains BioEcolia®, a pre-biotic which encourages the development of beneficial skin flora - to help to grow good bacteria that leads to a healthy balance on the skin.

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Left: 200ml Calming Cream Duo

Pamper Me Bathing Oil features the perfect combination of these crystal extracts as well as those all-important natural oils, omega 3 & 6 and oat lipids which will give your skin a moisture boost.

#3 Wearing face masks

Although extremely important, face masks can create a hot, humid environment around the skin which leads to sweat, oil and bacteria build ups – not good for anyone with skin conditions or prone to flare ups. First and foremost, good mask hygiene is incredibly important – make sure that you are washing your mask after every wear and consider investing in one which is designed especially for people with sensitive skin. For example, breathable fabrics such as silk can help to reduce irritation.

When you can, use a sensitive skin wash for your hands. complaints. You may not know this but when we are stressed our body produces the hormone cortisol, which can impact on our physical health – affecting the immune system, causing insomnia, impacting our appetite and knocking our general approach to wellbeing.

Ultimately when we are feeling anxious or stressed we often turn to negative coping mechanisms such as junk food, alcohol and hours mindlessly scrolling on social media – rather than doing things that could have a positive impact on our mental health (such as healthy eating, exercise, and reaching out to friends). Over the years I have learnt to manage stress in my life with plenty of time spent outdoors in nature, journaling, meditation and dosing up on sleep. The key really is to focus on whatever works for you – whether that be a socially distanced walk in the park with a friend, dancing round your bedroom or a relaxing bath.

I’m also a huge lover of crystals and how crystal extracts in skincare could benefit to the mind, body and soul. When I was developing my own skincare range adding products and ingredients into the mix that could help with stress were very much-front of mind. Smithsonite and Rhodochrosite extracts are secret stress-busting and self-loving tools that I have added into my products to give you that extra helping hand.

Long understood as the stone for tranquillity, Smithsonite is used to help create serenity and calm. Rich in Zinc, it is thought to be a powerful healing stone, particularly important for calming and soothing in times of stress. Beautifully pink in colour, Rhodochrosite is associated with the rose, a symbol of love. Used through history to help emotional healing, encourage self-love and compassion.

If you need to take a step back and unwind whilst nourishing your skin, The Beauty of Eczema™ www.lancmag.com

The Beauty of Eczema™ Skin Warrior Wash has been designed for people with sensitive skin (for face, hands and body) – it also contains Rhamnosoft® a fermented sugar-based ingredient which protects and soothes. It is scientifically proven to boost skin comfort, with data to show that it stimulates pleasure molecules through a chemical reaction.

#4 Eating the wrong things (and drinking too much) in Lockdown

Numerous surveys show that lockdowns and the winter months increase our propensity to ‘overindulge’ – but it’s important to be mindful, even when we’re feeling out of routine. What we eat and drink plays a huge role in how our skin looks and feels and a few weeks of over-indulgence can really take its toll. Your skin will thank you for a little bit of balance. Eating a Mediterranean diet is the best way to nourish your skin from within, so if you’re in need of a reboot then think about upping the amount of green vegetables, oily fish, lean chicken, pulses and good fats that you are eating.

Left: 200ml Pamper Me Oil Tube

For more information and advice from Camille, and to shop The Beauty of Eczema™ skincare range, visit www.thebeautyofeczema.com LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 167

Rejoice at the blackbird’s spring melodies A rip-roaring dawn chorus is sign that spring is upon us and one of the stars of that early morning choir is the blackbird. The Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Alan Wright celebrates this wonderful bird.

Over the past year there has been little to rejoice, but nature has a way of making us smile during the worst of times.

And the song of the blackbird is the most welcome sound as winter slowly closes its eyes and spring awakens.

Waking on a spring morning and listening to a blackbird’s flute-like song certainly makes me want to get up and out into the sunshine.

A blackbird is like one of those people who is happy every morning just because, well, it’s the start of another day.

This page: Ready for launch by Alan Wright.

Inset: Male blackbird on telegraph pole

by Alan Wright.

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I

f you look on the web you will see the blackbird described as the Beethoven among birds and they certainly don’t disappoint with their beautiful symphonies. They perform their mellow tunes best in the early morning and in the evening just before dark. Songs are around three seconds long and there is a wide variety but we know it’s the blackbird when they start.

Some naturalists have apparently discovered regional accents in the blackbird song. It means a Northern blackbird might struggle to understand one from the South. So do they have problems when their numbers in the region double in the winter, when we are invaded by birds from the Continent?

Above: Blackbird on the lawn by Alan Wright

Most of the winter birds have now returned with their exotic Scandinavian accents. In winter they double the number of blackbirds, by adding to our native birds. It is estimated we have around 35,000 to 40,000 in and around Lancashire in summer and 100,000 in the winter.

That obviously means there are bound to be lots of blackbirds in your patch but some will be heading back to the Continent now.

Left: Blackbird on ground feeder by Alan Wright

Right: The melodious blackbird song by Alan Wright

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Blackbirds have a stable population in the region by Alan Wright

Every year, we certainly see fledglings after a busy period for the male and female. Dad is completely black with his stunning yellow bill, and a yellow ring around the eyes. Mum is dark brown with streaks on the chest and throat. Juveniles are dark brown but more gingery and streaky.

Blackbirds will come to your bird table but are happier feeding on the ground, they will wander onto lawns with their head cocked to the side, listening for earthworms. What kind of noise does an earthworm make? Does it hum a little song as it burrows?

They will seek these worms in the soil and they love taking berries from bushes and trees. I always ensure there are plenty raisins on my bird table for the resident blackbirds.

While they don’t tend to hang off bird feeders like other garden acrobats, we spotted a clever female blackbird

Fledgling blackbird by Leila Parkinson

Female blackbird by Emma Sharples

sitting on the clothes line eating from an overhanging fat ball container. You are more likely to see them waiting for food dropped onto the floor by squabbling starlings on the feeder.

They are certainly characters in your garden and will demand food when they are hungry or feeding. We even had a male that used to come in the back door and into the kitchen to ask when his breakfast was coming.

Now is a really important time to feed your garden birds as they will be looking after fledglings and building up their own strength.

And by doing your bit to help, you will ensure that your local blackbirds will be around this spring to serenade you from trees and telegraph poles. Maybe they are telling us that good times are just around the corner. Now that is a reason to rejoice.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is dedicated to the protection and promotion of the wildlife in Lancashire, seven boroughs of Greater Manchester and four of Merseyside, all lying north of the River Mersey. It manages around 40 nature reserves and 20 Local Nature Reserves covering acres of woodland, wetland, upland and meadow. The Trust has 27,000 members, and over 1,200 volunteers.

To become a member of the Trust go to the website at www.lancswt.org.uk or call 01772 324129. For more information about Cheshire Wildlife Trust call 01948 820728 or go to cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk.

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UCLan childbirth research team is one of five worldwide to receive prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates research award on appropriate use of cesarean section

Mother and baby with support

$80,000 to develop multi-media education programme for lawyers and judges who work on medical litigation related to childbirth

R

esearch academics at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are celebrating today having received a prestigious grant worth $80,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

UCLan’s Research in Childbirth and Health group (ReaCH) led by Soo Downe, Professor of Midwifery Studies, was one of only five teams worldwide be awarded the funding under one the Foundation’s ‘Grand Challenges’ research themes related to appropriate use of cesarean section in low and middle-income settings.

The UCLan team and its research partners will develop a multi-media programme for lawyers and judges based in India who work on medical litigation related to childbirth. The aim is to help ensure they understand the evidence on risks and benefits of the procedure as well as respecting the legal rights of service users.

Commenting on the research initiative Professor Downe said: “In some hospitals in India, as in other low and middle-income countries around the world, cesarean section rates are as high as 80%. Our previous studies have shown that this is partly associated with a fear of litigation.

“Alongside our research partners we will develop an educational package for judges and lawyers that will go some way to ensuring that any cesarean section that is undertaken is based on clinical need, human rights, and medical evidence. www.lancmag.com

“The World Health Organisation, the Lancet medical journal, and many international and national medical and midwifery organisations around the world have said that both underuse and overuse of medical interventions should be addressed. Overuse drives up costs in health care systems, meaning that there is less funding for those that really need interventions to have them.

It also affects quality of care, including respect for women’s’ dignity and choice, and worse clinical outcomes for mother and baby in the short and longer term.”

The Re-JUDGE study will be developed by the UCLan team and its research partners in India at the University of Hyderabad and the Fernandez Foundation. Additional input will be made by the World Health Organisation and extended research team members based in Canada and Brazil.

Once completed the multi-media programme will be issued to judges and lawyers in four Indian states to evaluate feasibility and usability and its effect on legal decision making.

Professor Downe added: “In the long-term the

Right: Professor Soo Downe

impact of this work could be far reaching. We hope it will address challenges related to safe, timely and appropriate cesarean section in low and middle-income countries around the world.”

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giving nature a home New! Puffins collection

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Everything you need for Mother’s Day Our pages are packed full of treats, beautiful home gifts and toiletries, and a range for the birds and wildlife in the garden - something for everyone!

Mug £9 Tea towel (cotton) £6.99 Cushion (cotton) £19.99 Glasses case £8.99 Coasters (ceramic with cork base) £7.99 Wash bag (vegan friendly) £14.99 Sling bag £24.99 Coin purse (vegan friendly )£6.99

www.lancmag.com

New! Free as a Bird collection This new collection from our partner Half Moon Bay. See the whole range online.

Coasters (ceramic with cork base) £7.99 Egg cups £6.99 Tea towel (organic cotton) £6.99

www.lancmag.com

Lunch bag £12.99 Bottle (glass and FSC certified bamboo) £16.99 Mugs £9

Bird-shaped mugs £11.99 Coin purse £6.99 Pouch £9.99 Sling bag £24.99

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New! ‘In the Shallows’ range Artwork by British artist Rachel Toll, all made in the UK. Uses fine bone china and cotton textiles.

Re-usable bottles

Tea towels £6.99 Heart bowl £9.99 Tea infuser £13.99 Mugs £9.00

Bottles £27.99

Exclusive artwork by Elizabeth Grant. 500ml, stainless steel, triple-layered construction keeps liquids colder or hotter for far longer than many conventional products!

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New! ‘In the Shallows’ range Organic and Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified meeting environmental and social standards. See the whole range online!

www.lancmag.com

One scarf £15 Two scarves for £20

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Organic medium roast coffee This wildlife friendly coffee combines chocolate and floral aromas. The packaging is now also recyclable one of the first domestically recyclable brands in the UK! Espresso blend £3.79 Instant coffee £4.99 Medium roast coffee £3.79

Gola rainforest chocolate Grown in Gola and handcrafted in Cornwall, this chocolate is made of cocoa beans, sugar and milk. That’s it!

Milk chocolate £3.49 Dark chocolate £3.49

New! Dairy-free fudge This dairy free, palm oil free, vegan friendly fudge is hand made in the UK. It’s also certified from the Soil Association, and comes in home compostable packaging! Comes in sea salted or chocolate flavours. £3.50

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RSPB Victorian flora range With scents inspired by the RSPB’s Victorian heritage, these toiletries are vegan, and free of palm oil, parabens, and phosphates! Full range available online.

Hand therapy set £11.99

St David’s Seaweed Welsh dry gin This seaweed infused gin gives a sweetness combined with alluring spices. All seaweed is hand foraged from St Justinian’s. A donation from the sale of each goes to the RSPB 500ml - £39.95

www.lancmag.com

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New! Hedgehog sculpture A whimsical addition to any garden! Bronze effect resin £14.99 sculpture. 11cm tall.

New! Wooden paper pot press Create your own seed pots from disused newspaper! Say goodbye to plastic pots. Made in the UK. £10.99

New! Prop it ‘n’ crop it All the tools you need to grow those plants that might need a bit of support.

Seeds, twool twine, and twine cutter!

Sweet pea, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds available. £5.99

Spotlight series These gorgeous spotlight books we see the lives and behaviours of UK wildlife shown alongside beautiful imagery. Learn about everything from frogs and toads to bumblebees!

Full range available online.

Ranging from £9.99 to £12.99

Wooden ornaments This hand carved, hand made collection will be welcoming three new members at the end of January the wren, chaffinch and great tit! The entire range is suitable for indoor or outdoor use. £14.99 178

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New! Wooden seed chute

£8.99

Made in the UK, this vibrating chute helps sow fiddly seeds with ease.

Reduces seed waste and the need to prick out seedlings. www.lancmag.com

Solitary bee home

Favourite suet cakes

This home is fit for a queen bee! It’s designed for solitary leafcutter and red mason bees, so you can give nature a home and know it comes from FSC certified pine. £24.99

These suet cakes mix favourite flavours of sunflower hearts, suet, and mealworms.

6 - £12.99 12 - £23.98

RSPB Avocet compact binoculars Puzzles

All our puzzles are FSC certified, and plastic and cellophane wrap free.

1,000pc - £12.99 • 500pc - £9.99 World puzzle and poster 200pc - £12.99

The perfect balance between power, performance, size and weight. Upgraded for an even better experience! £115

Stationery Rediscover the joy of snail mail with these envelope less letters!

Six beautiful designs on FSC paper, all made in the UK. made in the UK. Packet of six £6.99

RSPB Handbook of British Birds A lovingly illustrated, accessible field guide to more than 300 bird species.

Now in its fifth edition! £12.99 www.lancmag.com

More RSPB gifts can be found at - www.shopping.rspb.org.uk

Kylie and Graham Norton make it to the shortlist of the 2021 people’s choice wine awards Celebrity wine labels among the finalists as Britain’s favourite lockdown tipples revealed after popular vote

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ith pubs and restaurants again closed across the country, the People’s Choice Wine Awards is aiming to bring a bit of much-needed cheer by going ahead with a virtual awards ceremony after a socially distanced judging process.

Above: Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc

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Now in their 4th year, the People’s Choice Wine Awards are judged by enthusiastic everyday wine drinkers with the assistance of expert tasters. This year’s awards are being conducted via online tastings and socially distanced judging. www.lancmag.com

The shortlist includes new celebrity labels from Kylie Minogue and Graham Norton plus a huge range of wines that are widely available from supermarkets, online and independent retailers.

New for 2021 is the People’s Choice Sprits Awards – with just eight categories this year covering gin, rum and whisky.

The PCWA categories reflect real world ‘drinking moments’ – when everyday wine drinkers are most likely to enjoy a glass or two with friends or family. This year’s 26 categories include Reds for Easy Weekday Meals, Whites for Aromatic and Asian Cuisine, Mindful Drinking (reduced alcohol wines) and – somewhat poignantly in the current context – Big Night In. More than 120 wines made it to the shortlist – including new wines launched by Kylie Minogue, Sarah Jessica Parker, Graham Norton and Sir Ian Botham.

The shortlisted wines range from Bargain Buys under £7 to a £35 English fizz and a luxurious £80 Australian Cabernet Sauvignon to mark those special occasions or family celebrations.

The shortlist is available online here: https://peopleschoicedrinksawards.com/ pcwa/2021-finalists/ The PCWA are judged by hand-picked, enthusiastic wine consumers chosen via an online application process alongside qualified industry experts in the first round of judging. Although many of this year’s sessions took place online – with the wines shipped to judges around the UK – physical judging sessions were conducted within strictly socially distanced environments over two days.

important to go ahead with the awards ceremony and look ahead to times when we can meet up and enjoy a drink together again.

Above: Kylie Minogue Ice Bucket

“We hope everyone in the hospitality industry will join wine enthusiasts at home to enjoy a glass or two in front of their laptop, tablet or Smart TV as we reveal the winners.”

Hosted by BGT Finalist Steve Royle and wine presenters The Three Drinkers, the online awards ceremony will take place on Monday, February 8.

The winner of the PCWA’s special ‘Wine Passion’ video award will also be judged and revealed on the night. This category highlights the sheer hard work, dedication and passion which goes into creating every bottle of wine.

Enthusiastic wine drinkers can get involved in this year’s awards by nominating their favourite wine retailer with categories for Best Supermarket Retailer, Best Independent Retailer and Online Retailer with online voting open now at: https:// peopleschoicedrinksawards.com/pcwa/vote/ PCWA director Janet Harrison said: “We have had to think creatively this year! Most of our sessions have been smaller in number and spread over many days (normally we have around 100 people in one room over two days.) We’ve also had to run virtual judging sessions over zoom with samples being delivered to groups of judges.

“With more than double the number of entries this year and so many events in the hospitality sector cancelled over the last year, we felt it was www.lancmag.com

Left: Kylie Minogue Chardonnay

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Colour and Style

www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

Our section on Colour and Style with Sarah Harris from ‘Colour Me Beautiful’

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t’s March already and we are almost in Spring , winter is slipping behind us and with this in mind let’s talk colour!

The catwalks at the S/S21 London Fashion Week collections were awash with spring time garden shades and colourful bouquets, from pretty pinks, delicate purples, herby greens and lemon in illuminating shades that brought light and warmth into the atmosphere! Then there was an influx of bold blues, marigold’s, vibrant fuchsia and red alongside the neutrals.

The new pantone colours for this year are Illuminating yellow and Ultimate Grey, it is the first time pantone have included a neutral shade in their headline colours, which is great! CMB also announced their choice for Spring /summer 2021 as being Orchid and Olive Grove, chosen from their 10 new shades.

I’m Sarah Harris and I’m a Colour and Style Consultant who trained with Colour Me Beautiful the world’s leading Image consultants. My background is in fashion and after leaving school at 16 I travelled to London to work as a Fashion/photographic model, I enjoyed the life and it allowed me to travel the world, during my career I also worked in wholesale/retail within the fashion industry. I learnt all about fabrics, business, international companies and trying all those clothes on – the quality, cut and fabric. I took a break from the business when I married and had our two children. I retrained as an Image consultant with Colour Me Beautiful who have been changing the lives of women and men for over 35 years.

I’d like to inspire you with Colour, Style and skincare tips every month, I’m hoping to give you an interesting read.

If there is something that you would like to know about please email me and I will do my best to help.

Email: sarah@sarahharrisstyle.co.uk www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk

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Orchid is perfect for anyone with cooler skin tones and Olive Grove for those with warm undertones, these two shades are very wearable and compliment the pantone colours.

Sustainable fashion is receiving more credibility than ever and purchasing from local businesses is on the up! With what has been a very hard year there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel. This month I’d like to look at the season’s new colours along with the CMB make-up colours for S/S21 and let’s find a skincare routine that will have our skin looking its best.

At Colour Me Beautiful

‘we show people how to wear colour’, Everyone can wear colour but it is the shade of colour that matters and with Illuminating yellow heading this seasons trends and all the ‘Cools’ wondering what to do! Don’t worry, you can wear it but keep it away from your face! Why not try it in a skirt and team it with a pink top for the perfect combination! Or if you don’t feel so daring add it as an accessory (but not near your face) and you’ll be current this season. www.lancmag.com

This season’s pantone colour – illuminating yellow

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Make-up Colours of the season

The colours we wear on our face are as important as those of our clothes!

Did you know that you might be wearing the wrong colour make-up? Did you realise that the Peach lipstick you have been wearing for years might be the wrong colour for you?

The advice I give to my clients when they come for a colour consultation isn’t only about their clothes but their make-up.

A peach lipstick looks great on a warm, however, on a Cool it is out of place! Colour as with style should work in harmony with you and your style personality. With a warm I’d be recommending the peach or melon eyeshadows, whereas, cools will look better in Opal or lavender bliss! And please don’t wear a Black mascara or black eye pencil if you are Warm, Light or Soft it’s not in your palette!

Your best make-up colours for this season with Colour Me Beautiful Lights: - Melon eyeshadow, peppermint eyeshadow, teal eye pencil, natural lip pencil, Lipsticks: Spiced peach (warm/soft) or red velvet (warm/clear) ; dusty rose (cool/soft) or cerise(cool/clear)

This Yellow Ochre suede tassel bag from Kettlewell is a good way to introduce this seasons colour. www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

The season’s Neutral Ultimate Grey •

Use your neutrals as your basics and add pops of colour to create impact

•

Tone-on-tone and colour blocking are totally acceptable – but choose which one best suits your style personality

•

Bold or brighter shades add excitement - use wisely, follow your personality and ensure that you select shades within your palette

Deeps: - Peach, Arabian Nights, Bayleaf, Intense Espresso or Intense Olive eyeshadow, moss eye pencil, spice or rose lip pencil Lipsticks: Soft Mauve (Cool/ soft) Sheer Fuschia (Cool/clear); Sheer Rum(warm/ soft) Mango lip gloss (warm/clear) Warm: - Melon, peach, Intense Olive, Intense Damson eyeshadow, moss or aubergine eye pencil, natural or cantaloupe lip pencil, Spiced Peach or Coral lipstick.

Cool: - Opal, silver touch or steel eyeshadow, pink Lace, Rose berry, peppermint eyeshadow, teal or granite eye pencil. Natural or Posie lip pencil, Soft Mauve or Cerise Lipstick.

Clear: - Gold Whisper, Peach, rose berry, Intense storm, Steel eyeshadow, amethyst or teal eye pencil.

Posie or cantaloupe lip pencil, Cerise or red carpet lipstick (cool) or red velvet lipstick and coral (warms).

Soft: - Peach, Dusk, steel, Intense olive eyeshadow, moss or granite eye pencil. Natural or cantaloupe lip pencil, soft mauve or dusty rose lipstick (cool) or chiffon or spiced peach (warm).

To freshen up your make-up bag I would recommend you clean it out – take everything out even those old lids and dried up make-up! I know what your make-up bags are like !! There are more germs in a make-up bag than on the floor!! You need to clean it monthly. I only use a make-up bag when I’m travelling. I have a stand on my dressing table with everything at hand which I clean weekly; you’d be surprised how much dust it collects. Try to keep make-up clean as you are putting it on your face daily (well for most of us).

If you have had make up for years please throw it out! It really isn’t good and will be collecting bacteria. Think of it as food you wouldn’t keep an open block of cheese for years!

French Grey Lottie dress with purple scarf

Lauren Jersey trousers in grey

Clothes and accessories from www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk

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All the make-up is from the Colour Me Beautiful range if you need any advice on your best colours email me at sarah@ sarahharrisstyle.co.uk or visit my website: sarahharisstyle.co.uk www.lancmag.com

With fallin the Win ter gb sprin ehind us why g on the and w no skinc t refresh ay a y prep re routin our are y e and ou summ r skin for er!

Hiding behind a mask and in our homes with the heating on has caused our skin to become more dehydrated. If your skin has been dry and chapped then it needs nourishment inside out. So along with eating well, drinking water and getting fresh air you need to exfoliate weekly. The skin naturally sheds skin cells every 30 days or so, however, it doesn’t always shed completely and this can causes dry, flaky patches and clog the pores. If you exfoliate and apply a face mask every week it will help your skin breath, look fresher and help improve the efficiency of the products that you put on to it, allowing facial serums and moisturisers to work to their optimum.

A Healthy Skin care routine will keep your skin looking and feeling at its best.

Enjoy the colours of the season and look after yourselves and each other.

Warm wishes, Sarah x

www.sarahharrisstyle.co.uk www.lancmag.com

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Don't be afraid to go in the red Red is the colour of the brave and the risk takers. To wear red is to know that once you have stopped looking at yourself in the mirror (after you have changed into something less dramatic and safe countless times before you took the plunge) take one last sharp intake of breath - there is no going back.

We know the colour is related to danger, passion, power, excitement and countless other extrovert related doing words and emotions, that sometimes all it takes is one small red accessory to an otherwise bland outfit to pack a punch.

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matching lipstick, nails and bag, a nice touch...

No

matter what, red is a head turner. From holding onto your crimson bag to just bright red lipstick with an otherwise understated outfit in the office, red will stand out. A sensible suit worn with a red pair of shoes just becomes a lot more exciting.

Going red all over is a bold move, daring fashion icons have pulled the look off, but as we have said, full on red from accessories to your main outfit can be overwhelming and spoil the look, so it's all in the balance. Just wearing white nail varnish

with a red dress can create the ideal synergy that stops the whole outfit from tipping over the edge.

A white pair of shoes, with red pants or skirt, a black or white top or jacket, or even a striped one will still have the desired effect.

You could just concentrate the red to the lower half of your body, just throw a red skirt or red pants into an otherwise monochrome outfit and it will create a not too overt fashion chic look.

Red nail polish is the look of glamour, confidence and shows the daring side of you. A courageous statement that, as we have said, will show your confident side. Here is a useless fact, according to a Cosmo poll, 40 percent of men like women wearing cherry red nail varnish.

Tied for second came sheer pink and plain clear.

Your nail colour can reveal your personality, well, with red, we do not need to say anymore.

Sometimes all it takes is a red pair of sunglasses and lipstick.

It doesn't need to be a full red outfit, A bright red coat will do the job.

As long as it is red, or a shade of red, that will still do the job to offset a mundane outfit.

Even on a casual day, that warm, comfy red jumper will is enough.

What does your front door colour say about you?

2020 has been the year of home improvements, with a recent study1 finding that 85% of UK residents have undertaken home improvement activities since the beginning of lockdown.

Yet with home renovations still a hot topic heading into the new year, many homeowners are guilty of ignoring the entrance to the home: the front door. The front door is a key feature of any home, but did you know that the colour of your door can tell others a lot about your personality?

Windows and doors specialists, Quickslide have partnered with expert Colour Psychologist and therapist, Suzy Chiazzari to reveal what bright, bold, and understated door colours say about you.”

“Colour is a universal language that we can all use to express ourselves and to convey messages about our lifestyle, personality and view of life”, explains Suzy, “our home is one place over which we still have control, and our front door can give out a special welcome to you, the householder, and your guests. So, the colour you choose for your front door not only reveals who you are but can enhance your well-being and feeling of connection to your home.”

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Chartwell Green This neutral, cool tone is a brilliant alternative to white for homeowners looking for a fresh look whilst keeping the space understated. Green tones represent nature and connection, making it perfect for families and family-orientated people.

What the expert says: “This tone is representative of loving people who are close to their family. This colour also means that the homeowner feels close to nature and loves their home.”

Walnut Brown One of the most popular and classic colours that are used for doors around the home, walnut brown is

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an earthy and grounded tone which represents resilience and strength.

When used in fengshui, this colour gives an energetic, nurturing quality. Brown can bring feelings of warmth and comfort to visitors and members of the home, while also looking sophisticated and classic, however, it should be used sparingly to avoid being overbearing.

What the expert says: “Brown tones mean you are dependable, trustworthy and a homebody. Those with brown doors believe that their home is their nest and somewhere they can feel comfortable and protected.”

Midnight Blue Known to be a colour of calm, there are so many shades of blue to

consider for your exterior and interior fixtures to give an impactful look and compliment your homes. www.lancmag.com

So, the colour you choose for your front door not only reveals who you are but can enhance your wellbeing and feeling of connection to your home

What the expert says: “Blue means ‘I am a quiet, caring and thoughtful person’, and is a colour that shows that the home is a quiet retreat where you feel calm and centred away from the bustle and noise.

Blue is typically used by introverted, creative types as it creates a statement without being too bold.”

Fresh White Chosen by millions of homeowners, a white door can give a home a fresh and bright look with minimal effort. It is a great choice for those who like a clean and monochromatic, modern aesthetic and comes as standard with many new and preloved homes alike.

What the expert says: “Black means you generally have strong opinions and like to know where you stand with people. It also shows a bold side to you, showing that your home is your fortress that gives you strength to face the challenges of life.”

well as adventure, it is perfect to create a lasting impression on your home.

What the expert says: “Red shows visitors that you are an energised and outgoing person and that your home is welcoming, full of life, activity and fun.”

What the expert says: “White shows independence and freespiritedness, as well as showing the home to be relaxing space that allows you to be yourself.”

(1) www.diyweek.net/homeimprovements-thrive-inlockdown

Bright Red Classic Black A strong and bold yet understated choice, black is a great front door colour option to give your home a modern upgrade. It is a top pick from strong-minded people, entrepreneurs, and outgoing, confident homeowners. www.lancmag.com

A bright and bold red is rarely seen as a front door colour, but its connotations show it as a fun and lively colour to choose if you are hunting for an alternative look for your home. A classic red will add a pop off life into any home, old or new, and as red is the colour of passion and love, as LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 191

February

reviews

by Suri Krishnamma

nomadland

B

ased on Jessica Bruder’s 2017 book Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century, about how a section of American society, discarded and largely forgotten after becoming victims of the 2008 economic crash, Nomadland paints a raw, realistic portrait of a community coming together on the road in the aftermath of loss. It tells the story of a woman who finds herself joining the group of latter-day travellers, while grieving for the loss of her husband and suffering insurmountable financial ruin.

Frances McDormand plays Fern who, having seen her community torn apart by factory closures, is offered a way out, and joins the ever-growing band of similarly affected, similarly aged Americans on their humble quest for survival. These aren’t the ‘new age’ travellers who have rejected conventional living structures for purely ideological reasons, they are middle and old-aged Americans seeking casual work, forced into living this way in the absence of adequate social

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security. Despite the radical lifestyle changes, the Nomads of this story have taken to their caravan-dwelling lifestyle, as if there were something fundamentally natural about it, suggesting that the organised, capitalist world that crumbled before their eyes was in fact a barrier to finding something more intuitively acceptable as a way of living.

We enter the highly credible and authentic world created

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by director Chloe Zhao with McDormand’s Fern who, like us, is an outsider on this strange new world, and enjoy her discoveries as if they were our own, as the layers of preconceptions peel away, and the distance from conventional, bricks and mortar living gets greater.

Photo: Searchlight Pictures

In addition to McDormand’s smouldering, confident performance, the most impressive aspect of this cinematic treat is how it www.lancmag.com

A Promising Young Woman

Photograph: Focus Features

successfully weaves two visual storytelling worlds together – that of documentary and fiction – without one ever being compromised by the other.

Indeed, so well conflated are these worlds that it’s hard to imagine how the story could have been as effectively told any other way; we believe the modern nomads because they truly are modern nomads, mostly playing themselves in a fictionalised account of their actual lives.

The relaxed pace of this film belies its inherently compelling nature, and it is refreshing to see a filmmaker so confident and at ease with their work that they often allow moments to last in real time. And if there are some sequences where a jump in time makes you feel something is missing, as when something seems to have occurred off screen that should have been onscreen, you forgive this because it enhances the feeling of watching something real unfolding – slices of real life that aren’t always neatly connected up by a dramatist’s over development of plot.

For those who seek the political edge of a campaigning film, such as fans of Ken Loach’s work, this might fall short, choosing to observe rather than persuade in all but a few well chosen moments. Nevertheless, this is an important film that makes an essential contribution to the discussion about how, as a world, we navigate economic crises that are likely to become commonplace as a global system continues to haemorrhage, driven by the insatiable appetite in some to make money at all costs.

Nomadland is due to be released in the UK on 19 March www.lancmag.com

A

Promising Young Woman charts the journey of Cassie Thomas who, having dropped out of medical school to look after her friend who is attempting to recover from being brutally raped by one of their classmates, now faces a future without her when her friend takes her own life. Played

by Carey Mulligan, Cassie plots her elaborate and unique form of revenge, luring a succession of men into traps by pretending she is drunk and can easily be taken advantage of, before revealing she is stone-cold sober in an attempt to terrify them into changing their predatory ways.

At times this is a black comedy, at others a crude and blunt reminder of why the #metoo movement came into being.

Mulligan is the best thing about this film, rising to the challenge of creating a truthful, authentic and memorable character in a plot that is heightened by the filmmaker’s desire to be as entertaining as possible while delivering a simple, single message. And it is Mulligan’s ability to shift the tone and energy of her performance suddenly, sometimes in single moments, as when her character’s pretence of being drunk switches to a dark, and to the men in her sights, a terrifyingly sober version of the vulnerable

woman they were about to take advantage of, that powers this film. Other characters and performances sometimes plod painfully along a narrow corridor between character and caricature but seem to be kept in check by Mulligan’s refusal to sink to an easily reachable two-dimensional interpretation.

As entertainment, the film will work well for those wanting an unambiguous response to the often-accepted dangerous behaviour of some men. But for others, they may feel the overarching objective is undermined at times by an over-elaborate plot riddled with implausible content that creaks awkwardly under the strain of forced invention, squeezing performances to sometimes quite shallow depths. That said, the film is well paced, and tension is held throughout, delivering a strong and surprising denouement, but there is an unnerving sense that the level of anger raging through the film like a burning fuse cannot, ultimately, be enough to satisfy those wanting more insight into both the abusive behaviour and the psychological damage it causes.

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another round

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n order to avoid depression and function at our best, at least according to Norwegian psychiatrist Finn Skarderud’s theory, we need a certain level of alcohol in our systems at all times. Dropping lower than the optimum level reduces our performance in a range of directions, including having a negative effect on mental health.

Having recently come across this theory, a group of Danish teachers set out, with adolescent enthusiasm, to test it, using their own bodies, and occasionally those of their students, for the experiment. What follows, inevitably, is a race to the bottom where ever increasing quantities of alcohol mean shattered lives along the way go either unnoticed or noticed so late that irreparable damage is done. Although presented to an English-speaking audience with the title Another Round, a literal translation from the Danish title ‘Druk’ would be ‘Drunk’, and it seems that this signposts the fear the distributors may have had of how to attract an audience for a film about men getting inebriated.

Mads Mikkelson leads the cast in a film that navigates elegantly 194

between the humorous side of excessive drinking and the social and domestic consequences of a destructive lifestyle brought on in large part by the mens mid-life crises. But this is also an ensemble piece, where each of the group of teachers is given their own strong sub-plot with enough screen time to feel the presence of their decaying lives throughout. The other teachers are Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen), Peter (Lars Ranthe) and Nikolaj (Magnus Millang) but it is Mikkelson’s Martin who we spend most time with and who provides the ticking clock that is counting down to a world about to collapse, despite the early promise that the venture has helped him inspire his students in a way his former faded persona could not.

And yet, despite seeing the once dull but ordered lives of these men quickly descend into chaos, where concerns about hygiene and behaviour are gone due to their incapacitation, there is something compelling about the desire of these men to escape their present realities. It’s much harder than it may seem to the casual moviegoer to play drunk, and it is to the credit of all the

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Photograph: Samuel Goldwyn Films

cast that they achieve this at a level it is hard to imagine could be bettered.

There are, at times, comic consequences, at others sickening ones, and it might be that we are being asked to filter those we want to ignore in favour of those that appeal as a challenge to our own fragile desires.

Another Round is due for release in March 2021 in the UK.

For those who want to understand why alcoholism is appealing, as well as for those who can’t quite see the damage it does through their altered states, its simply brilliant execution delivers a memorable cinematic experience. It’s hard to imagine a persuasive argument in favour of excessive alcohol consumption.

As with any recreational drug, legal or otherwise, overuse will only lead to destructive behaviour and consequences, not just for the individual, but for anyone in their orbit. And yet, Another Round presents a world that, although ruptured, contains enough uplifting moments that we can, at least, connect with the desire to escape, if only to reconnect with reality later, albeit hungover! I did, I confess, want to pour myself a large glass of wine as the credits rolled. www.lancmag.com

What to look out for Spring is probably the most interesting of all our seasons. It is a time when the natural world seems to shake off the cold and darkness of winter and new life literally springs forth. Spring is often referred to as ‘the child’ as it is the first, and youngest of the seasons, and a time of growth and development.

The name Spring is believed to have evolved from the Christian tradition of Lent. In the 14th Century the end of lent was referred to as ‘Springing – forth’ which in the 15th

Century was shortened to ‘spring – time’ and then in the 16th Century shortened again to simply, ‘Spring’.

In the Christian calendar Easter is the first of the Spring festivals (others include May Day) and is still celebrated by people giving each other chocolate eggs, the egg being the ultimate symbol of new birth and growth at the end of Lent.

In the Northern hemisphere Spring is usually defined as beginning in March and ending in May. It begins on

the vernal equinox (vernal meaning Spring) when day and night are equal in length and usually falls around the 20-21 March and runs up to the Summer Solstice which is the year’s longest day on either June 21-22nd.

During early Spring, as part of its rotation, the Northern hemisphere of Earth tilts slightly closer to the sun.

This leads to the days lengthening by increasing the amount of sunlight the Northern part of the earth is exposed to.

However, talk to any keen gardener

when Spring has sprung

By Mark Bateman and you’ll find out that often they don’t define the beginning of Spring in such strict terms. They will define the beginning of Spring by biological, or ecological indicators such as the blossoming of plants and flowers, increased activity amongst bird and animal life and a fresh, new smell to the soil which indicates a temperature rise and the growth of new microflora in the soil.

The best way to tell whether Spring is springing is simply to take a look

out of your window or to take a walk in the countryside. It is likely that after the cold and frost of Winter there will be more rain in Spring.

This is a good thing hence the saying, ‘April showers bring May flowers.’

The first heralds of Spring arriving are usually beautiful little Snowdrops.

These delicate white- headed flowers can poke through the soil as early as January or February.

Next to arrive are Daffodils waving their golden crowns at the world. Like

Snowdrops, Daffodils emerge each year from bulbs that have lain dormant beneath the ground each winter. They are one of the most popular flowers with gardeners as they will produce gorgeous flowers year after year.

These flowers are just the harbingers of Spring. Over the next few weeks and months great swathes of flowers will appear including Spring Crocuses, Hellebores, Camelias, Tulips and may others. If you have access to woods have a walk through them in April and

May where if you’re lucky you’ll see great blooms of eye-catching bluebells. You may even smell the strong scent of wild garlic growing as well.

It’s not just flowers but trees that seem to jump into life at the arrival of Spring. Trees and bushes lose their leaves over winter as a way of conserving energy and resources. Nutrient and sugar- rich water which is stored over Winter in their roots now begins to rise up the trees hence the expression ‘sap rising’. This nutrient soup flows up the tree out into the branches and forms new twigs and leaves, blossoms such as cherry or Magnolia blossoms and catkins on trees including Hazel, Alder and Silver birch.

Animal life also becomes more active as Spring takes hold. Frogs and toads emerge from hibernation in ponds and beneath logs and stones.

Take a look in any still ponds, or slow-moving streams when you’re out on a walk and you may spot huge clouds of frogspawn with tiny black dots (tadpoles) beginning to grow and wiggle inside them. It’s also likely you’ll spot more ducks and

birds feeding on the frogspawn at this time.

In the early mornings, before it gets light, you may be lucky enough to hear the amazing ‘dawn chorus’ which is where amorous birds give burst to lusty song in an attempt to attract a mate. As food sources increase birds will start to pair up and mate, and in March Blackbirds will begin building their nests.

Spring is traditionally associated with the arrival of frolicking lambs and calves in the fields.

Although breeding is usually controlled on farms by when animals are mated it still matches nature’s pattern as temperatures are warmer and food is

Above: Daffodils

Nutrient and sugar- rich water which is stored over Winter in their roots now begins to rise up the trees hence the expression ‘sap rising’.

Left: Blue Tit sat on blossom

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The big clean or ‘Spring clean’ has long been a tradition more plentiful for young born during this time.

With all this new activity to see and do the most important thing to do in Spring is get out amongst it. Signs of new life are everywhere and if you’re feeling adventurous this is the time many keen foragers are out picking edible greens such as dandelions and wild garlic. This is a great activity to get kids involved but it’s important to ask the landowners permission to forage and be careful to only pick things if you definitely know what they are. Stick to foraging common species and just take what you need leaving plenty for others and wildlife.

Spring is not just about what goes on outside the home but also what happens within it. The big clean or ‘Spring clean’ has long been a tradition.

It is believed to have originated in 19th rural America, before the advent of vacuum cleaners, when March was the first month warm enough to throw open the shutters to air the house, while dusting it and giving it a good clean out.

So, remember when Spring approaches it’s time to shake off that winter lethargy and get busy, whether it’s a walk, run or bike ride outside or time to get the house cleaned Spring is a time to get busy!

www.lancmag.com

Snowdrop

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Aiming Higher

You can donate to Aiming Higher using the following methods Website | www.aiminghighercharity.org.uk/get-involved/donate/ Just Giving & PayPal | Found on Aiming Higher website

Post | Aiming Higher. 231 – 233 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire FY1 3PB. Please ring 01253 206447 further information

Do you work as an interior designer and want to give something back to your local community? Have you always dreamed of becoming a designer but haven’t been able to find a project? Or do you enjoy creating calm, comfortable spaces at home and are looking for something to keep you busy during lockdown?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then Aiming Higher for Disabled Children & their Families, the Blackpool based charity that supports hundreds of local children and their families could use your help.

Although families have not been into the centre for almost a year, work has continued and the team have faced every challenge head-on to continue supporting families through these difficult times. As we reported last month, 200

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Pictured: children and families enjoy using the play space on the centre’s ground floor before lockdown and the recently renovated “Green Room”. the charity is developing the building and creating a suite of rooms where the team can deliver individual support and counselling to families, children and young people in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. The charity would love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved with ideas for designs for these rooms.

The charity already has two rooms that are used for similar work - the Blue Room and the Green Room so a colour theme could be a starting point or perhaps something Blackpool themed? The most important things www.lancmag.com

for the two new rooms are that they are relaxed, tranquil spaces with plenty of storage for resources and possibly a small area where children can play with sensory toys while their parents speak with their family support worker. Seating should be informal (sofas etc) with possibly a small desk for if computer work is needed. The rooms which are currently being used as offices are approximately 5m square with two large windows on one wall and a doorway centred in the wall opposite them. The other two walls have no openings.

Charity Manager Hayley Kay said: “We are very excited about the developments for the centre and the opportunities to help even more local families.

We would love to get the community involved in designing these rooms and look forward to seeing some fresh ideas. We are likely to be able to offer 1:1 work before we can reopen for groups in the centre’s playspace so these rooms will be vital to providing post lockdown support.”

Like all charities, Aiming Higher saw fundraising activity decrease in 2020, so if you can support them in any way possible, be that by designing a room, volunteering, or by donating, any assistance will be gratefully received. Please send your ideas to: heatherholt@aiminghighercharity.org.uk

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Pendleside Hospice There’s a place that strikes happiness into the hearts of the community it serves – and it’s a place you would least expect to have such an effect.

Above: Pendleside Hospice has now been serving the Burnley and Pendle communities for 31 years

P

endleside Hospice, which sits on the boundary of Burnley and Pendle in the leafy suburb of Reedley, has year by year expanded the palliative care services it has provided throughout its 31 years of being in existence.

It is such an intrinsic and indispensable part of the landscape thesedays that to be without it is as unimagineable as flattening its namesake Pendle Hill which stands gloriously in sight of the hospice’s windows.

Pendleside Hospice is a community. From its usual 10 inpatient beds, its hundreds of day care and hospice-at-home patients, its 130 staff, its army of more than 600 volunteers and its thousands and thousands of local fundraisers – who relentlessly contribute more than £3.5million pounds to the £4.5million running costs each year.

Below: Pendleside’s chief executive Helen McVey

Above: Pendleside ambassador Jordan North with nursing staff

families both during their visits to loved ones and afterwards through counselling sessions to help them overcome their grief. It looks after around 1,500 people a year.

Even during the coronavirus pandemic, when its own resources were stretched to their limits, it created an area of eight new inpatient suites, funded by the East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group, to ease the pressure on NHS hospital beds.

Left: Pendleside depends on its army of volunteers including its gardening team

Not only does Pendleside make end-of-life care as relaxed and as comfortable as possible in its inpatient suites – that match any private hospital’s accommodation – it also tends to the needs of 202

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Pendleside Hospice

During the crisis Pendleside increased its number of hospice at home nurses to around 40 to give compassionate clinical care in the community to end-of-life patients who had preferred to stay at home.

1988 Burnley solicitor Muriel Jobling and friends launch an appeal for hospice care in Burnley and Pendle. Lord Shuttleworth agrees to be President at public meeting at Burnley Mechanics

And, in normal circumstances, dozens of day care patients suffering various life-limiting illnesses not only cancers, but dementia, heart issues and other life-limiting conditions, richly enjoy the pastime

1989 Home care volunteers come forward to help people in their homes 1990 A telephone helpline set up and essential equipment bough and loaned to patients to use at home 1992 Charity opens its first day-care centre in a building at Marsden Hospital in Burnley. It has a staff of two part time nurses and a part time cook.

Volunteer medical, nursing and admin staff still the backbone of the operation 1993 Charity opens its first shop in Burnley.

Other shops quickly followed in Colne, Padiham, Barnoldswick and Nelson 1990s Campaigns raises £1.3million and a site is acquired in Colne Road, Reedley. Pendleside Hospice comes in to being 1996 In April the foundation stone was laid

activities from art and craft sessions to discussion and games groups.

Pendleside’s chief executive Helen McVey says: ““The demand for our services grows every year.

We have seen a change in the care and support we provide as we now help people with more diverse needs and medical conditions ranging from cancer to chronic respiratory disease, neurological conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson’s and more recently supporting people with dementia and frailty.”

In the last few years its celebrity ambassadors have played a leading role in raising Pendleside’s profile.

Radio 1 DJ and the star of the latest I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Jordan North, Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez, radio broadcaster Albia Begum and cabaret singer Josh Hindle have all contributed to not only raising awareness but also to raising sizeable amounts of money.

The T-shirts Burnley FC created and sold in aid of Pendleside and Burnley Football In the Community’s food bank in response to Jordan screaming ‘Happy Place, Happy Place Turf Moor’ whilst in the castle raised £20,000 for the two charities. And throughout lockdown Jordan hosted sponsored monthly ‘pub quizzes’ on facebook live stream in aid of the hospice. www.lancmag.com

Above: Inpatient clinical staff rose to the challenges posed by Covid-19

1997 The building becomes available to patients and is officially opened by the Duchess of Norfolk on October 2 1998 The hospice at home service is launched 2004 The hospice expanded its day service provision including the addition of complementary therapy, physiotherapy and psychological support services 2009 The hospice at home service expanded further to be able to provide 24 hour care in patients home at end of life and times of crisis 2017 Hospice President Muriel Jobling MBE dies ages 93 2018 Pendleside celebrates 30 years of palliative care in Burnley and Pendle 2019 Pendleside crowned best health care business in Lancashire at the prestigious Red Rose awards 2020 Pendleside extends its inpatient beds from 10 to 18 and hospice at home service to ease the pressure on NHS beds during the Covid-19 pandemic. Family support and day services are converted to virtual services to further support people during the pandemic particularly those isolated as a result

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Above: Dr Abigail Page marries her partner of 20 years Mark at Pendleside

When he was invited to be an ambassador in 2019 Jordan said: “Hopefully, I can encourage young people to get involved with Pendleside. I seriously got a buzz walking around the building. It really is a fantastic place. Everyone in Burnley and Pendle knows someone who has been affected by the hospice. That’s how important a place it is.”

Donna Broadley, who lost her husband Iain last April at the age of 55, is typical of people who have been affected by the hospice. She has shown the gratitude aplenty for the care Iain, herself and family received from Pendleside.

Throughout several years of illness Iain was given extended support both as a day-patient and inpatient.

Donna says: “After Iain passed I questioned myself how I would ever repay Pendleside for everything they had done for him, for me and my children.”

Iain’s sister Debra raised £1,600 the week after he died and Donna raised £1,060 through donations on her 50th birthday.

Iain’s sons Robin and Sam are now hoping to host a fundraiser this year by walking the full length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Donna remembers walking into Pendleside when Iain was first ill in 2015. She says: “I felt emotional, nervous and overwhelmed. The nurses soon put

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Above: Light Up A Life raises more than £100,000 for the hospice each year

Pendleside strives to be part of the whole community and has struck up partnerships both with the business community and education establishments. www.lancmag.com

Iain and I at ease and showed us to our private room which had a lovely view of the garden.

“This was to become our home for the next few months. And by home, I mean Iain treated it exactly like his home as he filled the room with books, DVDs, Lego sets, artwork and all sorts of things.”

Like several others Donna and Iain, after 17 years of being together, married at the hospice.

As did Dr Abigail Page, who aged 37 married her sweetheart from her teenage years Mark Clegg in December 2019. Eight weeks earlier Abigail, who suffers acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, had been given only hours to live by doctors at The Christie Hospital.

But after an eight-weeks’ stay at Pendleside she continued her palliative care at home.

Abigail says: “Our wedding day was so special.

Everyone at Pendleside made sure we had a fairy tale ceremony. If I had all the money in the world I wouldn’t have changed it for a wedding at St Paul’s Cathedral or some exotic location. It was so wonderful.”

Pendleside strives to be part of the whole community and has struck up partnerships both with the business community and education establishments.

Above: Entertainer and ambassador Josh Hindle has raised tens of thousands of pounds for Pendleside

It is an active member of Burnley Bondholders and the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and has working relationships with UCLan and Burnley and Nelson and Colne Colleges.

And its most successful fundraiser of the year is the Pendleside Corporate Challenge when around 40 businesses compete against each other to see who can raise most money during the summer. The last challenge raised a staggering £150,000.

Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle, as Pendleside was first known, came after initial prompting from the Burnley Council of Churches and the Burnley Soroptimists’ Club with no short measure of input and guidance from Burnley solicitor Muriel Jobling MBE, who passed away aged 93 in March, 2017.

It is understood the disturbing lack of care Miss Jobling saw her terminally ill cleaner receive in hospital prompted her to create a call to arms for a revolution in palliative care in the Burnley and Pendle area.

Left: Donna and Iain Broadley

Above: Burnley football star Jay Rodriguez is an active ambassador for Pendleside

And so, the decision to launch an appeal for Hospice Care was made in October, 1988, when Lord Shuttleworth, who had agreed to be president, attended the first meeting at Burnley Mechanics when the public was asked to find money with which to get the service started.

The newly formed charity set itself three initial objectives: Home care, day care and the ultimate provision of inpatient facilities. All of which in the proceeding 31 years it has demonstrated in abundance.

And as Miss Jobling said at the time: “The hospice was built by the community, for the community.” Her words still ring true today.

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LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 205

UCLan to provide rebate for students holding a UCLan accommodation contract

A

s part of its ongoing plan to support students during the coronavirus pandemic, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has approved a seven-week rebate for students with a UCLan accommodation contract.

The rebate applies to students who have not returned to the University in compliance with Government advice to stay at home and study on-line as part of the latest national lockdown restrictions.

Students who hold a UCLan accommodation tenancy, which also 206

includes a proportion of those in the UCLanleased IQ Kopa residence, and the new Burnleybased accommodation at Sandygate, will also receive the rebate.

In total, the University has in the region of 1700 places within its halls accommodation, while over 50 percent of students live at home, choosing to commute into campus when permitted.

Other students live in private halls and while the University cannot make rent rebate decisions on their behalf, it has pledged to update students with an understanding of the

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE

private provider position.

UCLan Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Baldwin said: “We fully understand the disruption which the latest national lockdown has created for student accommodation arrangements. We have decided to issue a rent rebate equivalent to seven weeks for all students with a University halls contract who have not made use of their accommodation since the commencement of the national lockdown.�

University unveils latest initiative to help students

accommodation contract, regardless of whether they qualify for the rebate or not. This would extend current tenancy contracts to 1 August 2021 enabling students to complete extended work placement options or take up possible parttime work opportunities.

As a goodwill gesture UCLan is also offering a free four-week extension to all students with a University www.lancmag.com

HEARTS FOR HOMES THE QUAINT SHOP IN THE LOVELY TOWN OF RAMSBOTTOM The concept of Hearts of Homes is to bring affordable yet charming home décor and gifts to our customers.

R

amsbottom gift shop Hearts for Homes celebrates it’s four year anniversary this April as owner and busy mum of three boys’ Kerry Khan reflects on how life has changed since she opened.

When Kerry first launched this beautiful, unique gift emporium back in 2016, little did she know

that within two years she would be outgrowing the original premises on Bolton Street and moving into a shop with three floors right on the corner of Bridge Street.

This prime spot formerly the Bridge Street News is now well established as Hearts for Homes and it’s pretty pink window display keeps the crowds coming

MADE IN THE UK, LARGE SELECTION OF COLOURS...

STOCKIST OF THE ORIGINAL ARTISAN RANGE • NEW & IMPROVED LABY RANGE • AL FRESCO INSIDE OUTSIDE RANGE • CHALK WALL PAINT • TRIM PAINT • EASY GRADE WAXES • BRUSHES • FRENSLEEN • FINISHING COAT • FRENCHIC SUGAR COAT • STENCILS • ACCESSORIES & OTHER

w www.heartsforhomes.co.uk e kerry@heartsforhomes.co.uk 47 Bridge Street l Ramsbottom l BL0 9AD t 01706 560462 www.lancmag.com

in as it opens seven days a week in peak seasons.

Kerry’s passion for upcycling furniture snowballed into a gift and homeware boutique packed with treasures from floor to ceiling including gifts for mum, dad, baby and even mum to be.

From stunning silver jewellery made with real flowers ideal for Mothers Day to elegant scarves

by Shruti. Books, Manchester Bee unique giftware, wedding gifts, homewares from the Just Slate Company. From clocks to cushions, pebble frames made to order, quotes on cards by Claire, The Mudlark local pottery by Lynn and artwork by another Ramsbottom artist Julian Cohen.

“We have an incredibly loyal local customer base but our customers come from as far as Cheshire to shop here, we source all our suppliers individually and we’re proud to showcase local craftspeople and talent. I am delighted that we have already started holding craft workshops on our newly refurbished top floor too. Local artists have offered their services by popular demand including furniture painting and stained glass craft” adds Kerry.

One of the newest additions to the Hearts for Homes range is the environmentally friendly ‘Frenchic’ furniture paint. A firm Pinterest favourite, Frenchic is a chalk and mineral paint, toxin and solvent free with no odour with a creamy and rich coverage.

Designed not to peel or chip, the paint can be used literally anywhere including nursery furniture and in bathrooms.

“Frenchic has been so popular since we started to stock it” says Kerry. We have sold so much, the colour palette is fantastic and prices start at £8 for a small tin”.

LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE 207

Your star horoscope

Manish Kumar Arora is a renowned KP Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Reader & Vastu Consultant. He has been rendering professional advice to clients with a reasonable degree of success. He has been conferred with the title of ‘Jyotish Varahamihir’ and ‘Jyotish Aryabhatt.’ He has been writing monthly astrological columns for many international magazines.

Aries: Mar 21 – Apr 19 You can make your biggest steps forward in your career this month if you pay special attention to opportunities provided by a partner or mate. Your communication abilities are at a peak and will help you to get to the next step at work. Money should be improving this month.

Work carefully to keep your relationship in balance.

You will enjoy social activities that may arise spontaneously. If you have children, be sure to take time to find out what they are up to.

Favourable Dates: March 2, 5, 11, 14, 20, 23 Favourable Colours – Red & Purple

Leo: Jul 23 – Aug 22 The financial tendency should be towards increase. You may even come into some unexpected money. Work finds you doing the same old thing, and it’s a grind, but you are at least comfortable with it. The middle of the month is a time of change and growth. It is a good time to share your dreams, and to make plans together with your mate for the future. Towards the end of the month you get a chance to escape and have some fun, but don’t forget work because it will be there waiting for you when you return.

Favourable Dates: March 1, 7, 10, 16, 19, 25 Favourable Colours – Red & White

Sagittarius: Nov 22 – Dec 21 There is a lot of energy for work and health programs in the coming weeks, even if today it’s more about the world of feelings. You are gathering big ideas and may feel a strong sense of building excitement for upcoming projects. Put your energy into something constructive so you don’t antagonise people. Keep your relationships balanced. Events cause you to focus more attention on your mate, or on looking for one. It might also be a good time to move ahead with some of those major home projects you’ve been planning.

Favourable Dates: March 1, 4, 10, 13, 19, 22 Favourable Colours – Red & Purple

Taurus: Apr 20 – May 20 This month is great for your creative passions to be unleashed.

Join with friends to pursue some unusual entertainment. You might get an intense feeling of nostalgia - it could be that you start thinking about the path not taken. Some new ideas are brought into your personal romantic arena as well as some inspiring new people. At the same time, an old issue in your love life could revive itself, to your consternation. Don’t forget to learn from the experiences of those around you, and don’t forget to maintain forward motion.

Favourable Dates: March 4, 8, 13, 17, 22, 26 Favourable Colours – Red & White

Virgo: Aug 23 – Sep 22 Your finances are looking up, and you are feeling more positive and idealistic.

Money comes from unexpected sources, but there may be unexpected expenses too so watch your budget. Friendships are changing and new friends can bring new opportunities for travel and social experiences. Enjoy them. If a romantic test comes your way in, you’ll pass with flying colours, and exciting new energy enters into your love life. Be open and let it in no matter what unusual form it may take, and be ready for almost anything to happen.

Favourable Dates: March 2, 9, 11, 18, 20, 27 Favourable Colours – Blue & Yellow

Capricorn: Dec 22 – Jan 19 Motivation levels continue to increase, and you can be filled with ideas and plans. There is promise or a hint of something big to come. You can feel hungry for new feelings and experiences, and at the same time feel confident that opportunities are opening for you, although there may be some balancing work that needs doing if you’ve overcommitted. There is also excitement building on business and practical fronts. Home, career, relationships, all seem to be going well and moving along at a fast pace.

Favourable Dates: March 6, 9, 15, 18, 24, 27 Favourable Colours – Yellow & Blue

Gemini: May 21 – Jun 20 Your luck will be amazing. More often than not, you’ll end up in the right place at the perfect time.

Things at work are beginning to take off in a big way and you may feel like you are a bit over your head. Work should be very fulfilling though, and this is a good time to get some recognition there. It is a highly social time for you, and may involve some travel by yourself. You will have the opportunity to connect with a soul-mate or a situation which elevates and energises you.

Favourable Dates: March 2, 7, 11, 16, 20, 25 Favourable Colours – Red & Purple

Libra: Sep 23 – Oct 22 This is a time of work, and if you are willing to put the time and effort in, you can accomplish a great deal and get both financial and social recognition. Finances should be improving. Your intuition, especially relative to career matters, is high. Pay attention to the details, and don’t get caught in a web of complexities. It’s your chance to be in the front lines where you can show yourself off. You may also be involved in family matters, either yours or your mates, and you will be required to make some decisions, and some choices.

Favourable Dates: March 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22 Favourable Colours – Blue & White

Aquarius: Jan 20 – Feb 18 You may need to straighten out areas of your life where you’ve overcommitted or poured too much of your energy to the detriment of other life departments. There is nevertheless a sense that you’re going somewhere and that big opportunities are emerging. A soul-mate helps you to make a decision that may be life-altering. You might achieve especially good results in meditation or charity during this month as well. Follow your gut and let your intuition guide you. You will be rewarded if you do so.

Favourable Dates: March 2, 7, 11, 16, 20, 25 Favourable Colours – White & Green

Cancer: Jun 21 – Jul 22 It may be your time to shine. Your teaching and counselling skills are at a peak now. You’ll have a new attitude toward your co-workers and your management style will be well regarded. Money is improving, although there can be some major expenses that soak up the excess. You will need to make some financial decisions, but you have to make them on instinct. This is an excellent time for social activities with friends or lovers. It would be filled with lots of opportunities for short trips.

Favourable Dates: March 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favourable Colours – Red & Yellow

Scorpio: Oct 23 – Nov 21 Career opportunities are there if you reach for them. You can shine all through the month. Your personal skills receive recognition. You and your partner are likely keeping your activities and plans secret. You’ll be after true intimacy on all levels, and you won’t stop until you have it. Your partner’s finances are likely to be fluctuating and you may find yourself needing to help. The end of the month is a good time to travel or move your residence or expand your social activities at home.

Favourable Dates: March 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favourable Colours – Red & Yellow

Pisces: Feb 19 – Mar 20 You are more courageous and adventurous now, with a tendency to act before thinking. You find yourself doing all sorts of different things during the course of this month. This may introduce you to some new fields of opportunity.

Exercise patience and selflessness where possible, but embrace courage and directness. There is a building feeling of excitement when it comes to relationship opportunities and fulfilment through partnerships with you now. You can feel that you’re growing and improving, and that your relationships are evolving as you do.

Favourable Dates: March 1, 7, 10, 16, 19, 25 Favourable Colours – Yellow & Grey

Manish Kumar Arora, 91-9871062000 | K.P. Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Card Reader & Vastu Consultant www.facebook.com/manishastroconsultant | manish@manishastrologer.com

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ADVERTISER INDEX 80|20 Health Bar and Kitchen AJD Chapel Howe Adam Partridge Ambassador Care Home Ambassador Blackpool Sixth Form College Anatolia BE Chocolate Astley Bridge Blinds Bank BMW View Smile Studio Beaver ofChemist Bolton Cowpers Beetham Nureries 80|20 Health Bar and Kitchen Crystal Leisure Pools Brinscall Interiors Adam Partridge Davenport Originals Charles Louis Homes & Mortgages Ambassador Feng Shui CKR Anatolia Retirement Rentals Girlings Deacon Scott Blinds Astley Bridge Happa Hey Farm ESP Bank View Smile Studio

111 123 135 209 186 72 188 137 105 47 17 111 117 131 111 63 135 617 125 186 IBC 8 188 118 209 105 51/117 148 47

Global Interiors 58 Luxury Spas 125 Direct Globeworks Marsden Rawsthorn Grand Theatre 147 Moshinas 211 Hearts for Homes Pad Hope Menswear 173 HW Audio PT Health 135 Joseph and Co 181 Redrow Lindeth Howe 60 Global Interiors 58 Rockform Lowlands Farm Alpacas 81 Globeworks 125 Rossendale Interiors Midland Hotel 71 Grand Theatre Ruby & Daisy147 Moshina’s 81 Hearts for Homes 211 Thai Spice Paradise Pad 23 Hope Menswear 173 Towneley Hall Redrow 77 HW Audio 135

Rochdale Recycling 152 Rockform Limited 45 Rossendale Interiors 210 Ruby and Daisy Scafell Hotel 5 Si Belle 61 Stokers Limited 89 The Grapes Hotel Rochdale Recycling 7 Wells and Limited Hewitt Rockform 92 Wilsons PiesInteriors Rossendale 149 Wren Ruby Living and Daisy

47 57 29 157 81 2 5 191 47 212 57 191 29 15 157

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Scafell Hotel 37 Si Belle Hearts for Homes 207 Vincents Solicitors IFC Beaver of Bolton 111 Stokers Limited Joseph and Co 181 Honister Slate Mines 71 Watkin Jones Homes 111 Beetham Nureries with us please 131 The Grapes Hotel 60 To advertise call Lindeth Howe Hedges House 597 Well-NES Nutrition Wells and Hewitt 161 Brinscall Interiors Lowlands Farm Alpacas 81 Joseph & Co 195 Wells & Hewitt Charles Louis Homes & Mortgages 125 Wilsons Pies OBC Midland Hotel 71 Land 298 Wren Kitchens81 CKR Rover Wren Living 40 Moshina’s or email: info@lancashiremagazine.co.uk Laurel Farm Kitchens 159 Deacon Scott 209 Pad 23 ESP 148 Redrow 77

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Hearts for Homes began in 2016 when we opened our quaint shop in the lovely town of Ramsbottom.

The concept of Hearts of Homes was to bring affordable yet charming home decor and gifts to our customers. We also offer a selection of locally handmade crafts and work by local artists and are stockists of Frenchic furniture paint

We pride ourselves on offering a friendly welcome to all of our customers who visit us from far and wide.

Hearts for Homes began in 2016 when we opened our quaint shop in the lovely town of Ramsbottom.

The concept of Hearts of Homes was to bring affordable yet charming home decor and gifts to our customers. We also offer a selection of locally handmade crafts and work by local artists and are stockists of Frenchic furniture paint

We pride ourselves on offering a friendly welcome to all of our customers who visit us from far and wide.

47 Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, BLO 9AD I 01706 560462 I www.heartsforhomes.co.uk

47 Bridge Street, Ramsbottom, BLO 9AD I 01706 560462 I www.heartsforhomes.co.uk

BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED KITCHENS DESIGNED JUST FOR YOU

BEAUTIFUL BESPOKE KITCHENS & BEDROOMS Showroom:

6 Kingsway, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 1PJ www.wellsandhewitt.co.uk

0161 279 1670