LIVErNEWS No 84 - Autumn 2023

Autumn 2023

Glossary of terms

Here are some frequently used terms and acronyms you may come across in this magazine and elsewhere in healthcare.

A&E Accident and Emergency

AIH Auto Immune Hepatitis

ALD Alcoholic Liver Disease

ALF Acute Liver Failure

APEX Advising on the Patient Experience

ARDS Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

ARI Acute Respiratory Infection

ARLD Alcohol Related Liver Disease

BP Blood Pressure

CCG Clinical Commissioning Group

CHB Chronic Hepatitis B

CRESTA Clinics for Research and Service in Themed Assessments

CQ Chloroquine phosphate

CQC Care Quality Commission

CT Computed Tomography

EHIC European Health Insurance Card

FLI Fatty Liver Index

GHIC Global Health Insurance Card

GIT Gastrointestinal Tract

GP General Practitioner (doctor)

HAV Hepatitis A Virus

HCC Hepatocellular carcinoma

HCQ Hydroxychloroquine

HCRG Hepatobiliary Clinical Reference Group

HCV Hepatitis C Virus

HDU High Dependency Unit

HE Hepatic Encephalopathy

HEV Hepatitis E Virus

HIV Human immunodeficiency virus

HPB Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary

HRCT High-Resolution CT

ICP Integrated Care Plan

ICS Integrated Care Scheme

ICU Intensive Care Unit

ITU Intensive Therapy Unit

LFT Liver Function Test

LFT Lateral Flow Test

LSM Liver Stiffness Measurement

MRC Medical Research Council

MRHA Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging

NAFLD Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

NASH Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

NFIB National Fraud Intelligence Bureau

NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

NHS National Health Service

NHSBT NHS Blood & Transplant

NIHR National Institute for Health Research

NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

PALS Patient Advice and Liaison Services

PBC Primary Biliary Cholangitis

PHE Public Health England

PPE Personal Protective Equipment

PPI/E Patient and Public Involvement/Engagement

PSC Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

RAT Rapid Antigen Test

RFT Rapid Flow Test

TED technology, entertainment, design

TX Transplant

T2DM Type 2 Diabetes

UIOLI Us It Or Lose It

URSO Ursodeoxycholic acid (we update this glossary every issue)

LIVErNORTH is a registered charity (No. 1087226) with no paid employees

Patron: George Maguire

President: Professor OFW James MA BM BCh FRCP FAMSci, Chairman: JE Bedlington MBE MSc MIFE MIoL

Medical Advisors: Professor Quentin M Anstee BSc(Hons), MB BS, PhD, MRCP(UK), FRCP, Professor David Jones OBE MA BM BCh PhD FRCP, Professor Derek Manas FRCS BSc MBBCh Mmed (UCT) FRCSEd FCS (SA), Professor Fiona Oakley PhD BSc, Dr Anand V Reddy MD, FRCP, Professor Helen Reeves BM BS BMedSci FRCP PhD, Mr Colin Wilson MBBS FRCS PhD

(cover photo footbridge and ford in Ousbrough Woods, near Beamish, Co Durham DH9 0RT)

Contents

2 Glossary OfTerms Used

4 Chairman’s Report

5 LivernorthTalks OnYouTube

6 Diary Dates for 2023 - Join us via ZOOM - email for links

7 Report on the presentation by Mr John Hammond on 22nd June

8 Report on the presentation by Dr KateAllsworth on 1stAugust

9 Disability LivingAllowance (DLA) & Personal Independence Payments (PIP)

11 ASocial History in a Shoe Box - Liz Bennett

14 Memories from Joyce Widdis (AProud ‘Geordie’now living in Kent)

15 2023 LIVErNORTH Charity Draw Prizes

16 Dawn Goodfellow - Kodo

17 AChange InTheAir? - Fiona Gray

19 Walks for Liver Patients, their Carers & Families - WALK 3.

20 Walk 3 Map & Route (Leazes Park, RVI Newcastle)

22 Cappuccino Cake Recipe - Liz Bennett

23 The Magic of the English Language Part 3, Collective Nouns -Alf Bennett

24 Letters

26

PSC Support Oxford Information Day 2023

Where has the LIVErNEWS been seen this year? 28

27

29

33 The Pub Quiz (or, If you prefer,The Barista Café Quiz) Number 5.

34 Investment Ideas (It’s Mr Dim BackAgain)

36 Uioli SudokuAutumn 2023 & Summer 2023 Solutions

37 Insurance Matters

38 Livernorth Information LeafletsAvailable

Contact Numbers - inside back cover

Helpline Numbers - on back cover

Circulation 2,500 print, 300 email + Social Media

Please feel free to detach, copy, photograph or scan any pages and share

LIVErNORTH National Liver Patient Support

Registered charity no. 1087226 (Oct 2000)

Run entirely by unpaid volunteers

Address for all correspondence:

freepost livernorth

Tel & Fax: 0191 3702961

NIHR Non-commercial Partner

LIVErNORTH Governors:

John Edward Bedlington MBE MSc MIFireE MIoL Chair, Debbie Lovell, Sian O'Dea MSc BSc (Hons) Cert Ed, Marian Godwin-Clifford, Alf Bennett BSc DipEd PGCE, Yvonne Gray B.Ed (Hons) CRS, Dawn Goodfellow, Fiona Hale MA BA (Hons) PG Dip, Linda Turnbull LL. B (Hons), LL. M (Dunelm), Reverend Nigel Goodfellow MA, Jeremy French BMedSci, MBBS, MD, MRCS, FRCS, PGCert Clinical Leadership, Alan Rochelle, Joan Bedlington MBE BSc (Hons) Treasurer, Peggy Oliver, Sarah Murphy Minutes Secretary

Chairman - John Bedlington

Welcome to our Autumn 2023

LIVErNEWS. In the last issue I started by telling you that our normal meeting room at the Freeman was being refurbished and we are still waiting for an update. The Lockdown protocols meant that we had to change the way we do almost everything and our virtual meetings seem to be working so we will continue with them for now. Let me know your thoughts on this please - do you prefer live meetings at a hospital or webinars using zoom/teams?

Our next webinar is from Professor Derek Mann on Liver Cancer Immunotherapy. It is via Zoom as usual starting at 7.00 p.m. on Tues 3rd October. Don’t miss it. Everything Prof Mann does is ground breaking as he leads a team of top researchers in our region. Their work is phenomenal and world class. See it here first!

On the subject of working from home, don’t forget to take some exercise. We have added another ‘wellness walk’ from Alan Curry. It’s printed in this issue - a lovely walk around Leazes Park near the RVI in Newcastle. Please check it out. Sunderland Royal is next on the list and as with all of our leaflets, colour, printed copies are freely available on request. If you have a suggested walk near you, please let us know. Also in this issue on page 9 is a very clear and concise guide on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) written by

LIVErNORTH governor (and Barrister)

Linda Turnbull. Another leaflet recently published and proving to be very successful is ‘short guide to scanning’ (No 19). We are currently in discussion with a senior consultant to try and expand this leaflet to include health care (blood) tests, hopefully taking away some of the concerns and confusion caused by ‘out of range’ results. While we’re on the subject of advice, do look at the latest from Mr (not so) Dim on page 34. You might think his advice is not for you but read it before you judge. You could be losing out on investment income even if you don’t have much to invest.

Our annual charity draw tickets should be with this LIVErNEWS and if not, please get in touch and we will send you some. If you have got them and you want more, just let us know and we will oblige. It’s early days but we already have some excellent prizes (Pg 15). There could be more and if you would like to donate a prize, please let us know.

Many thanks to all of the contributors for their informative and interesting articles (Alf & Liz Bennett, Dawn, Fiona G, Joyce, Linda, Alan Curry, Mr Dim et al).

The nights start setting in soon so make the most of every day and look after yourselves.

Best wishes, John

LIVErNORTH on

You can access lots of our talks and videos on YouTube. Go to YouTube in your browser (https://www.youtube.com/) and type livernorth into the search bar. When it loads, click on ‘videos’, and you will see the 30+talks and videos that are currently available.

RECORDED BRIEFINGS, TALKS & WEBINARS

Sept 2015 Dr Quentin Anstee NAFLD

Oct 2015 Prof Derek Manas Liver Transplantation

March 2016 Dr Peter Littler Interventional Radiology

Oct 2016 Mr Jeremy French A Case to Remember

March 2017 Dr Robert Samuel ITCH in PBC and other liver diseases

July 2017 Dr Kate Hallsworth NAFLD Lifestyle Interventions

Sept 2017 Mr Colin Wilson Liver Perfusion

Oct 2017 Dr Ko Oppong Endoscopy in Liver Disease

March 2018 Dr Lin Lee Wong UK-AIH Study

May 2018 Prof David Jones The Revolution Moves On (PBC)

June 2018 Prof Dave Talbot The Effect of the Media on Transplantation

Sept 2018 Mr Jeremy French Human Factors in Surgical Crisis

March 2019 Rahul Bhugra

The Yellow Card Scheme

March 2019 Prof David Jones PBC

March 2019 Dr Anand Reddy QE Hospital Liver Services

May 2019 Prof Derek Manas Transplant Matters

June 2019 Mr Colin Wilson Liver Perfusion Update

July 2019 Dr Steve Masson Research Update

Sept 2019 Dr Jess Dyson

AIH/PBC/PSC clusters & ndings

Oct 2019 Mr Jeremy French Training Transplant Surgeons

April 2020 Prof Matt Wright

Environmental chemicals and PBC

Nov 2020 Prof Quentin Anstee NAFLD

Dec 2020 Prof David Jones PBC - Where We Are In 2020.

March 2021 Dr Jess Dyson

April 2021 Mr Colin Wilson

What’s New in AIH?

What’s New in Transplantation?

June 2021 Organ Donor Team The Organ Donation Journey

July 2021 Prof David Jones PBC, The Vaccine and the Immunosuppressed

Sept 2021 Mr Aiman Amer A King’s Fellow Returns

March 2022 Mr Colin Wilson The Geordie Hospital TV series.

May 2022 Prof David Jones

PBC - Is The Fog About to Clear?

Dec 2022 Mr Aiman Amer ERAS - Enhanced Recovery After Surgery.

March 2023 Dr Stuart McPherson. Progress towards Elimination of Hepatitis C

April 2023 Prof John Sayer. Identification of a new inherited cause of liver & kidney disease’

August 2023 Dr Kate Hallsworth Physical Activity and Exercise for NAFLD Patients

TEDx TALK A patient’s perspective | Tilly Hale | TEDxNewcastle

DVD (not interactive) A Patient's Guide to PBC

scan here for the link to our YouTube videos.

Zoom Diary Dates for 2023

Tues 3 October: Prof Derek Mann. ‘Liver Cancer Immunotherapy’

Start time 7pm.

Wednesday 22 November: Cathy Beresford Experiences of care for people with end-stage liver disease, what do we know and what next?*

Start time 7pm.

Zoom meetings for the presentations are publicised using our social media outlets - facebook & twitter (and via email to online subscribers), with around 30 people joining each meeting. Just email us at info@livernorth.org.uk for the link to join. No-one will be admitted without the link being sent from us.

You can watch the recorded presentations later by searching for YouTube then typing ‘LIVErNORTH’ - the full list of presentations recorded, including the latest ones, is shown on the previous page.

Presentations are only recorded once the speaker and the audience have given their permission. To ensure anonymity on the internet, Q&A sessions following the presentations are not recorded but anyone can submit a question to ask any of our speakers during the session.

WE ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON OUR HELPLINE, ONLINE, ON OUR WEBSITE, VIA EMAIL, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, HEALTH UNLOCKED & ISSUU.

Contact details on the back cover

*subject to ethics approval (currently being sought)

Join on a smartphone, computer or tablet. Email us for the link, click it at the time shown and you are in the meeting. You can chose to have your camera on or not and you can ask questions.

Take time to talk about organ donation

Many people don’t realise that their family’s support is needed for organ donation to go ahead.

LIVErNORTH Presentations

Two further excellent presentations have taken place since the last Newsletter. The presentations provide up to date information on a wide variety of topics related to the liver by experts in their eld plus the opportunity for questions and answers.

For those who missed them here are some brief notes on the two presentations.

Surgery in patients with chronic liver disease

Presentation given by Mr John Hammond at the LIVErNORTH meeting on the 22nd June 2023.

The talk focused on “improving outcomes from surgery in patients with chronic liver disease”. John Hammond is the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery from Surgery) Lead for the Newcastle Trust and gave an incredibly thought provoking talk on the issues involved.

New equipment such as the Medistim VeriQ which combines ultrasound imaging and blood ow measurement in a single package has greatly improved monitoring during operations. The Newcastle Medistim VeriQ has now been used in over 100 complex operations including liver transplants.

There is a rising incidence of cirrhosis/chronic liver diseases in western populations. Patients with chronic liver disease may also have to have procedures on ailments other than the liver. However, because of the patient's condition this poses additional problems when undergoing surgery. With current research and the range of evidence available, it is now possible to be more accurate as to which patients with liver disease will do well when undergoing operations.

It is now possible to look at the factors which increase the chances of poor outcomes in operations. It was stressed that patients with chronic liver disease are made aware of the risks involved in surgery, in order to make informed choices regarding specic operations. The fact that there are clear protocols in place helps to minimise risk and maximise success.

Following the presentation, the question and answer session resulted in a wide ranging set of questions from those attending.

Physical Activity and exercise for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Presentation given by Dr Kate Hallsworth at the LIVErNORTH meeting on August 1st 2023.

Kate is a Senior Research Physiotherapist and Clinical Lecturer working in the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals. The talk focused on how lifestyle interventions can help people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Currently, there is no approved drug therapy to target NAFLD, lifestyle changes can offer help. Clinical guidelines suggest lifestyle changes in physical activity (which incorporates many normal activities) and exercise (involves structured and repetitive movements) will reduce liver fat.

Information was presented on the normal exercise levels of people with NAFLD and those who do not have the condition. Typically, NAFLD patients undertake less activity than normal, up to 1700 steps less per day. Increasing physical activity/exercise can have other benets apart from reducing liver fat. It can improve blood pressure, increase energy levels, help improve mood, increase muscle strength and improve self condence.

It was emphasised that any increase in activity should be individual to that person. One size does not t all. To get started you need to think about where you are and how you can motivate yourself. It's important that you nd something you enjoy. Aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week. There are lots of resources which you can use. The NHS website is a good source of information (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease/). LIVERNORTH's leaets on NAFLD Lifestyle Guide, Exercise and Osteoporosis and the “new” Walks for Liver Patients plus the British Liver Trust's information on Physical Activity and Exercise are very informative.

The talk concluded with the key take home messages:

Ÿ Physical activity and exercise are key.

Ÿ Try to do activity that ts with your daily routine.

Ÿ Move more, sit less.

Ÿ Some exercise is good, more is better.

(Alf Bennett)

DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE (DLA) & PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENTS (PIP)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has now been replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Completing these application forms can be rather daunting and very time consuming. Take your time when completing the forms and if necessary, get someone to help you. Ideally you should focus on one or two pages at a time and take a break before you attempt to complete another page. Make a photocopy of your completed form. This may be useful if you need to appeal a decision.

Personal Independence Payments are NOT means tested. So it does not matter if you live alone or with someone else. It does not matter what other income you have or what savings you have. Your eligibility to receive PIP is judged solely on whether or not you satisfy the entitlement criteria.

You must have satised the eligibility criteria for at least 3 months and expect to continue to satisfy the criteria for a further 9 months at least, unless you are terminally ill. Special rules apply if you are terminally ill, which means that it is not necessary to satisfy the 3 months period. Applications for PIP can be made until you reach state pension age. If you are over state pension age, an application should be made for Attendance Allowance rather than PIP. However if at the time you reach state pension age, you are already in receipt of PIP, payments may continue after you reach state pension age providing you

still meet the eligibility criteria. There are two parts of PIP: the Care component and the Mobility component. You may be eligible for one or both components. Each component has various levels. The Care component has 3 levels: low, medium and high. The Mobility component has two levels: low and high.

Eligibility for the Care Component:

you may need help from another person to do any one or more of the following:

Ÿ washing yourself and/or your hair, showering, dressing and/or undressing, eating, using the bathroom;

Ÿ communicating your needs;

Ÿ supervise you to make sure that you are safe;

Ÿ ensure that you take the correct medication on time;

Ÿ prepare a cooked meal for yourself if you have all the ingredients ready.

Eligibility for the Mobility

Component: you may need help from another person because of any one or more of the following:

Ÿ you cannot walk unaided or you can only walk a very short distance before you experience severe pain or discomfort;

Ÿ you need someone with you when going outdoors due to being blind or severely deaf;

Ÿ you need supervision when going outdoors.

Ÿ Help from another person may

include things like:

Ÿ prompting you to do certain things at specic times i.e take medication, eat and/or drink;

Ÿ supervise you whilst showering or walking outdoors;

Ÿ assist you when cooking or getting dressed/undressed;

Ÿ cooking you a main meal.

The questions regarding what assistance you need focus on the following categories:

Ÿ preparing a simple main meal for yourself if you have all the ingredients ready;

Ÿ eating and drinking;

Ÿ managing your health condition and any therapy or medication;

Ÿ washing, showering and/or taking a bath;

Ÿ managing personal toilet/lavatory needs;

Ÿ getting dressed and undressed;

Ÿ communicating verbally – on telephone or in person;

Ÿ engaging with other people in person;

Ÿ reading and understanding written information;

Ÿ making decisions;

Ÿ planning journeys and following a route;

Ÿ walking outdoors.

Personal Independence Payments are paid to enable you to pay someone else to help you to do the personal daily living tasks that you are unable to do or cannot do without help. It is not sufcient to state that you have a serious medical illness. The individuals

considering your application are not medically qualied.

In order to properly answer each question on the application form, you must explain:

Ÿ what tasks you can and can't do;

Ÿ what help you need from another person to complete those tasks;

Ÿ how long you need help to do a certain task each time.

The application form requires you to state how long it takes you to complete each task or how long you need the help from another person. Do NOT guess the time it takes! Use a clock or timer to determine exactly how long it takes. Fatigue affects the time it takes to complete daily tasks. Fatigue reduces motivation. So it may be that, whilst you can do certain tasks, you need prompting and/or it takes you a long time.

In the event your application is successful, your payments will be paid every 4 weeks. Usually your eligibility will be reviewed from time to time. If your circumstances change at any time, for better or worse, you must inform the Department of Work & Pensions.

Linda

(Correct as of July 2023)

A SOCIAL HISTORY IN A SHOE BOX

I was recently given 7 large boxes of photographs from a cousin, when she was clearing her mum's home. Having had numerous conversations with her mother about our ancestors, she said have a look, take or copy what you want. So 2 days after looking and getting sidetracked on the contents of the boxes, not only did I nd photographs of this cousin who died before Christmas at 93, but also documents of hers and previous generations. What I found were keepsakes giving a glimpse of social history in a small group of people, some of which should be shared.

So who are the people and the link to me? The 93 year old cousin was actually my mum's cousin but was always just “our Elsie”. She was an only child, her mother Babs, was a half sister to my grandmother. Both Elsie and Babs, were very much into maintaining family history, a lot of which was verbal, passed on down the generations. I found information on Babs, who was one of the founder members of the Women's Institute in Silksworth. There were hand written accounts of the time, starting off with just a cup of tea at the meetings and progressing to a socially caring group. The headings of the committee meeting minutes were as follows: owers for the sick, wreaths for bereaved, children's outings, yearly concerts and/ or pantomime, the latter I remember fondly when Elsie had taken over from her mum. Sadly, Elsie was the member, who had to close the branch due to lack of interest. What happened to the social caring?

Babs had a close friend, Elsie, who was an unmarried school teacher who lived with her father Thomas in the village. They became absorbed into the family group and were included in all family occasions.

This is where the shoe box came in; for in it was their past, including Elsie’s early life going to college and the details of her teaching qualication. There were hand written notes about her life as a teacher, then a headteacher, keeping a track of salary and taxes. There were reports from the college and a testimonial from a school where she did her probationary training. Then further back again, her father's life and studies. A far cry from current modern life. All neatly packaged into the box, no actual family to pass onto, and far too important to be discarded by Babs or Elsie. Now Elsie’s daughter is the caretaker.

The documents related to Elsie and her father Thomas. Elsie was born in the early 1900, did well at school and went to Edinburgh University to train as a teacher. She did her probationary teaching at Eaglescliffe school, qualifying in 1928. Below is the last hand written paragraph of her report, “ Her manner is kind and considerate, and the class is very fond of her. Her

lessons are well prepared and her notes thereon are always up to time”.

One document, her Teaching Certicate from Edinburgh, detailed the specic training and subject areas she had to qualify in;

They were broken down into :-

Professional Subjects

1. School and Personal Hygiene, Physical exercise, 2.Psychology, Ethics, Logics 3. Methods of practical skills in teaching. 4. Theory and History of education 5. Phonetics and voice training.

General Subjects

1. English, 2.History, 3.Mathematics (including arithmetic) 4. Nature study 5. Geography 6. Singing.

Special Subjects

1. Drawing, 2.Educational handiwork to include needlework.

2. Pianoforte

They also had to have prociency, as determined by the appropriate Church authority, in Religious Knowledge . All were given the standard of prociency achieved, in each of the subjects. She achieved this in two years and one term, having achieved the required prociency. How many teachers now would have to cover so broad a number of subjects? Now they would specialise in one, maybe two.

Next we come to Thomas; in the box is his indentured apprenticeship. Thomas I believe was born in Blyth. His apprenticeship was as Joiner and Collier Enginewright. This started in 1896 and was for 7 years. The document states that he will receive all instruction throughout the period, in addition to one suit of annels, annual lodging and all other Necessaries. His remuneration was ve shillings a week in the rst year, rising by one shilling each year up to the seventh year where it was to be 12 shillings.

He was required to faithfully serve his master and keep his secrets. In addition, he had to ‘refrain from doing damage to his master and he shall not waste the goods or lend to others.’. Also he could not contract Matrimony within the said time, nor play dice tables or any unlawful gambling and he ‘shall not absent himself from his masters service day or night.’

Thomas married as soon as his apprenticeship ended and went on to have 2 daughters, both of whom went to College and became teachers. The elder did marry but had no children.

Thomas fullled his apprenticeship and worked in the mining industry. He went on to develop his engineering skills. He was successful in improving and designing the belt-conveyor and supports in the coal mines and as such was granted a patent for this in 1935. This new system was widely used throughout the UK coaleld.

Another aspect to this social history were the letters of thanks to Babs, her husband Tristram and Thomas thanking them for their service as special constables throughout the war. In the above mentioned photographs from Elsie and Babs, was a photograph of my great, great grandfather. There was also a card sent to Schools signed by the King after the end of World War ll (pictures below). This was to be read out to all pupils. On the back of this card were listed the major battles of the War.

I just wonder how many families have such a shoe box somewhere in the loft which would provide a fascinating window into the life of their ancestors and the lives they led. It's certainly worth investigating.

Liz Bennett

Memories of Joyce Widdis a Proud Geordie Living in Kent)

THE TAPESTRY OF A TYNESIDE CHILDHOOD.

My Southern grandchildren are fascinated when I tell them stories about my High Howdon childhood.

How, in the summer holidays, us kids as young as 6 and 7 would go off all day, completely on our own, unsupervised, no mams or dads, with a bottle of tap water and a jam or sugar sandwich, having adventures and only come home for tea when we were hungry. I tell them about picking blackberries down the side of the railway line on Blackberry hill, climbing the bank to let the train go slowly passed to the Rising Sun Colliery and then climbing back down again to carry on picking those 'blackas'.

Sitting on the back doorstep, dipping a stick of rhubarb into a cone of sugar, your jaws aching...Shelling fresh pea squabs and eating them.

Howking willicks out of their shells with a darning needle and using the black eye cap for a beauty spot.

Swopping scraps, writing on the back of your favourites, 'No swop...’

Plodging in streams, catching minnows and tiddlers or scooping up frogs spawn and tadpoles in a jam jar with a string handle..

Playing jacks and chucks and skipping and two ball songs, they're impressed at my juggling learnt through hours of playing two balls.

Catching cabbage butteries and holding caterpillars..

None of us had a slide or swings in our garden so hours and hours were spent in the local park..

Going swimming with your gang to the local baths with your rolled up towel and cossie, or plodging in the paddling pool in the park, ruched swimsuits or frocks tucked in your knickers..

It was rare to own a car so we walked everywhere.

Walking through the elds to the Wheatsheaf pub at New York and sitting outside on the wall with a packet of Smiths crisps and a pineapple juice while your mam and dad were in the pub, no kids allowed (in them old days)..

Going on the bus to school aged 8 or walking to school and back on your own aged 5 or 6 .. (seems unbelievable now but we just did it)

'Playing out' in all weathers, Gathering under the street light as it got dark. Having a bath once a week, sharing the water ..

No central heating, just a coal re to heat the whole house in the winter and frost patterns on the inside of the windows, being able to see you breath in the air in the bedroom, no tted carpets, just cold lino..

A bath no shower.

Some houses with no bathroom just a tin bath that had to be lled with hot water from the kettle. As well as having an outside toilet in the backyard, (their grandad still had that in 1973, his house had a bath in the kitchen with an old door on top for a worktop)

Getting the leather belt at school and chalk and the blackboard rubber thrown at us - (they're incredulous to this) …

Camping out in the back garden in a little ridge tent that always sagged in the

middle and the ground sheet (if you had one) smelt of wet grass..

Shining your torch in the dark on the tent wall and making patterns with your hands.

No duvets on our beds, a hot water bottle in the winter, an army blanket or Aztec blankets or Bri Nylon sheets that made your hair stand on end and gave you static shocks!

No fridge freezers, just two bricks in the pantry and a bucket of cold water in the summer to stand the milk in to stop it from going sour..

Putting on 'shows' in the garden with a sheet on the line as the backdrop of the stage.

Playing in the road as there were no

cars in our street.

No one had a phone either in our street only the District nurse..

And only two channels on the tele and no remote control.

Never going abroad on holiday.

…and telling them about the Ragman giving you a balloon or goldsh for your rags.

They said, 'What are rags?'. 'Old clothes' I said.

'Couldn't you just take them to the Charity shop Nanna or sell them on Vinted

You couldn't make it all up could you!……..

..and do you know what, I wouldn't change my childhood for the world…

2023 LIVErNORTH Charity Draw Prizes

To be drawn online via Zoom in December

Prize: Donated by:

1. £500 Cash

2. Barbour Quilted Jacket Voucher (The Barbour Foundation)

3 £250 Cash (anon)

4. £100 Cash (anon)

5. £50 M&S Gift Card (Joan Bedlington)

6. £50 John Lewis/Waitrose Gift Card (John Bedlington) ++++ More prizes to come!++++

If you have not received Charity Draw tickets with your newsletter and you would like to purchase or sell some, please contact Joan Bedlington by calling 01913702961 or emailing livernorth@hotmail.com

Dawn Goodfellow (LIVErNORTH Governor)

I retired in November 2019 after 40 years as a nurse in the NHS. 37 of those involved with heart surgery etc., rstly with adults but then the majority with children.

Nigel took semi-retirement at the same time, and we were lucky enough to be able to spend 3 weeks in Japan, which included walking part of a pilgrimage trail called the Kumano Kodo.

The following year after much research and planning, we got a puppy. A blue roan working cocker spaniel that we called Kodo. It seemed tting to call him that as we enjoyed our time in Japan very much, and loosely translated Kodo means 'heartbeat' in Japanese. Suitable after my career we thought.

Talk about coincidence! Aged 12 weeks Kodo was diagnosed with a heart condition. Something called “Moderate Pulmonary Valve Stenosis”, which means the valve on the right side of his heart, which allows blood to get to the lungs to pick up oxygen, wasn't opening properly. We were referred to a cardiologist in Cramlington who checked Kodo out every few months and pronounced him t. However, in April this year we went for his routine check and our cardiologist decided that as Kodo WAS t and young (he was 2 ½) that now might be a good time to sort out the problem. He consulted his colleagues in Edinburgh, at The Royal (Dick) School of Vetinary Studies who agreed.

So, in May off we went for 2 nights so Kodo could have the procedure done. I now have a vague idea of what the parents at work used to feel, when they handed their child over for surgery. A week or so after we got home, we received the 'bill', itemised so we could see where our money had gone:

Blood Pressure x 1 = £41.99

Laboratory Sampling x 1 = £32.62

Anaesthetic = £529.01

Elastoplast = £10.88

Paracetamol = 200g x 15 = £15.60 and so the list went on for 1 full A4 side! Thankfully we have insurance to cover Kodo, but if the procedure hadn't been a success (it can be redone) it would have had to come out of our pocket next time.

Why am I telling you all of this? Luckily, we don't need health insurance for ourselves because the NHS is and always should be, as

Nye Bevan said “free at the point of contact”.

Can you, or your relatives imagine the bills for hospital care received, an operation redone or a GP appointment, if we too had to pay for our treatment other than the National Insurance contributions we make now? The NHS should not be for sale by this or any government. We should take pride and be proud of it. Next time you hear someone complain about it please gently remind them that it may not be perfect, but it IS free. By the way Kodo is doing really well. We had a checkup in Edinburgh at the end of June, thankfully less expensive than the previous trip.

A Change in the Air? (Fiona Gray)

Do you feel the change in the air? Perhaps it is because the summer is turning out to be a bit of a wash out, or perhaps it’s the passage of the longest day, and the nights are creeping in a little earlier, but I am getting excited for the autumn.

The rst few days of summer are exciting, there are long days and nights on the beach, dining outside, beer gardens, and summer holidays. You get that feeling of wellness and sleepiness after a long day in the sun, where your skin is warm, you can almost feel your body working better as it gets the vitamin D and the sunlight that it needs to work at its best.

The air eventually does start to turn as the summer closes. There are long pink and orange dusks that display the bittersweet beauty of the changing season. I have a memory of being in the city one beautiful evening in early September, there was a busker playing Spanish guitar, the light was pink, and the weather was warm. This was the mindfulness I am encouraged to enjoy, noticing these changes, taking the time to feel the change, remembering we are part of this world that dies, sleeps, and is born again through our seasons.

Many major celebrations happen in August and Winter, perhaps our ancestors knew that these dark and sparse days would need the twinkle of Christmas, the connection with the spirit world through Halloween, the sparks of Bonre night,

and the optimism of a New Year that allows us to start anew after the excesses of Christmas.

My partner is from Iran. It is an Islamic country with an Islamic government, but the Persian culture is older than Islam, indeed it is among the oldest in the world. The regime may prefer that the people didn’t celebrate and observe the non-Islamic traditions of old, but they see that the Iranian people will not dismiss these practices in totality, and society accepts and observes them still. There is a correlation between popular Iranian celebrations and the shifting of the seasons.

Persian new year (Nowruz) takes place on the Spring equinox and celebrates new life and the waking up of the world, they adorn tables (known as Haftsin) with seven items (‘haft’ means seven in the Persian language) all starting with the letter ‘s’ (pronounced ‘seen’) to represent nature. This will include sprouting wheat/barley/lentils (sabzeh, symbolising new growth), apples (seeb, symbolising beauty), and hyacinth (sombol, a traditional spring ower). It can even include painted eggs as seen in our Easter celebrations.

As the summer departs, another lesser-known celebration is referred to as ‘Yalda’, or ‘Shab’e Yalda’ (shab’e meaning night). This is celebrated on the 21st December, which we also refer to as the winter solstice. It is a time when the day is short and the night is longest, and the Persian people gather as a family to eat together and read poetry for most of the night for protection and to keep each other safe through the night. My partner bought me a translation of collection of poems by the poet Hafez, he is one of the most common poets used for this celebration. Elders of the family may use the poetry to inform those gathered of their future and fortune. They eat nuts and other foods to help heal the body, as well as red fruit, especially watermelon and pomegranate to promote their health throughout the longer days to come. The red symbolises the colour of the sky as the sun rises.

In our own celebrations, and in those of cultures all around the globe, the seasons are celebrated and marked with traditions that feel ancient, they tap into our moods, our wellbeing, and our history.

I don’t feel sad that the summer is ending, the summer only shines and blaze bright once the world has rested.

Fiona Gray

Walks for Liver Patients, their Carers & Families - WALK 3.

We are working with a friend of the group, Alan Curry (who is a keen rambler and expert walker) to create walks to encourage gentle outdoor exercise. In collaboration with Dr Kate Hallsworth, Senior Research Physiotherapist at Newcastle University, LIVErNORTH contributors and Alan Curry we have come up with walks that are interesting, have places to rest, easy to get to and benecial for health.

None of the walks are strenuous or require special equipment but you must judge for yourself how much you want to do, when is the right time for you and who you take with you. With all of the walks, you can simply turn round at any time and return to the start.

The third of these walks (WALK 3, Leazes Park, RVI Newcastle) is overleaf and this walk is also available as a full colour leaet if required. For a printed copy of the leaet, just email us: asking for info@livernorth.org.uk the Walk 3 leaet. Look out for more walks which will be published in due course. The next walks will be from Sunderland Royal Hospital and if you have any suggestions for future walks, please let us know.

Leazes Park is a traditional Victorian park in the centre of Newcastle. In the shadow of St James’ Park and opposite the Royal Victoria Inrmary (RVI), this mature, well kept green space is a rare gem that’s full of history and perfect for a stroll. The park ofcially opened in 1873 and has Grade II listed status. It has a lake (which was originally intended for ice-skating and boating). It’s stocked and shed by Leazes Park Angling Association. With meandering tree-lined paths that change throughout the seasons, it’s an all-round great place to relax. There are lots of benches to sit and read a book or enjoy some lunch and watch the world go by. The ornate gateway to the park built in 1886 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee was refurbished in 2002.

Only a very small number of people die in circumstances that make organ donation possible. Your family will always be asked about your wishes. This is why it's so important to talk about it.

CAPPUCCINO CAKE

Oven 180C.

Base

150g sugar

150g ground almonds

50g grated dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa)

4 Eggs

50g SR our

I jar or tin of sharp fruit e.g black currents or cherries ( drained)

Topping

500g whipping cream

2 teaspoons of icing sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

5 desert spoons of cappuccino powder or Mocha (the ones which come in sachets for making a cuppa)

Chocolate buttons for decoration.

Method – grease and line tin ready

Mix together the nuts, sugar, our and grated chocolate. Beat eggs and add to the mix making sure it's combined. Pour into tin, bake about 30 mins, cover if you think it's burning at edges. Turn on to rack to cool.

Whip cream with sugar and vanilla till it starts to thicken then add the cappuccino and continue until stiff. Split the cake, spread fruit over base, top with1/3 of the cream. Put the top on the cake and spread over the rest of the cream, decorate with chocolate buttons and light dusting of cocoa.

Allow to settle – the fruit will soften the base and the cream absorb the coffee avour.

Liz Bennett

The Magic of the English Language - Part 3, Collective Nouns (AB)

These are words which refer to a collection of things taken as a whole. They are used for people, animals and things in general. We have all used comments such as, a band of musicians, a choir of singers, a bouquet of owers or a hive of bees. All these descriptions add to the richness of the English Language, be it spoken or written. I well remember being taught some these in Junior School. The one I most remember is, “a murder of crows”, with the explanation that they were called a murder because they were in medieval times considered as, “omens of death”.

So where did the idea of collective nouns come from? The evidence probably goes back to a 15th Century Benedictine Prioress called Julianna Bernard from the Priory of St Mary near St Albans in Hertfordshire. Her major pastime was falconry and hunting. She is mentioned in part of the, “the Book of St Albans”, a serious best seller of its time. This book was also called, “the book of Hawking, Hunting and Blasing of Arms, a title which reected the pleasure pursuits of the local landowners. It was published in 1486 to meet the demand for a book to coach gentlemen in the art of hunting, falconry, shing sports and heraldry. A major chapter, entitled in Medieval English, “the Compaynys of Beestys and Fowlys” is thought to have been written by Juliana. It contained 160 examples of collective nouns, the rst such collection of nouns which were recorded. Examples reect life at that time and include:

A skulk of foxes

A murder of crows, or in the English of that time, a murther of crowes

A melody of Harpers

A ock of lice

A charm of nches

The book proved so popular that it went through many editions in the 16th century. It is even available today. Once the rst list had been published new collective nouns were added to the English Language. Shakespeare made use of them, with, “a sack of Falstaffs” and “torrent of Lears”. The Chronicles of Narnia by C S Lewis, came up with, “a Parliament of Owls”. Today, there are many examples of several collective nouns for the same animal. A collection of cats can be known as a clowder, cluster, clutter, glaring or pounce. While dogs can be, a kennel, pack, cry or cowardice (don't ask me how someone came up with that description). Even distinctive breeds can have a collective term. A group of Pugs is known as a “grumble” and a group of Collies is a “mayhem”.

New collective nouns are still being developed today. In 2007, Some of the best suggestions created by the Public following a daily newspaper request included;

A gazump of estate agents

A heckle of stand up comedians and best of all, a wafe of MP's Which just goes to show there is still a lot of mileage left for the development of collective nouns to enrich further the English Language.

Hello there,

I have come across you by chance after joining a PBC facebook page (also by chance) Briey I wonder if you have come across other people who have been diagnosed with PBC and wish to travel specically from UK to USA or the Caribbean and how have they managed to nd travel insurance.

I have spent DAYS trying to nd travel insurance. Pre Covid days I was able to go through medical screening with Nationwide bank and just pay a relatively small supplement to cover my medical conditions. Since Covid they have a change of underwriters and now will not cover me. For last year I arranged world wide multi trip cover with Staysure for £824.04. This year I tried again but because I have provisionally booked to go on a 65 night cruise to USA and the Caribbean (hubbies 70th birthday) Staysure wont do multi trip as this single trip is more than 50 nights. Ok quote me a single trip cover I said. Luckily I was sitting down when they quoted me £4.5k. Avanti quoted £3988. This, if my math is correct is over a 450% increase! Is my math correct? Well they are surely exploiting me. I have tried Allclear, Age concern (recommended by my travel agent but sadly they do not offer Any insurance at the present) SAGA, et all and none of those would offer me cover because of the PBC.

Life with PBC was no different than before a diagnosis, found by 'accident' after a blood test for something else threw up an anomaly which upon further investigation and after a visit to a liver consultant ended in a PBC diagnosis and prescription for Urso. Which is still the only thing I take in respect of PBC and has had very little impact on my family lifestyle. Now it seems I either have to nd extortionate costs for insurance or be left behind on family holidays. I really am feeling very victimised by this reality especially as I have no problems from this illness.

Apologies, I have rambled on and probably lost you two paragraphs ago. If you have stuck with me so far, Thank you. If you are able to give me any current advice on this matter I would be very grateful.

Regards, FB

Thanks for your help.

I did try a few on your list but had no luck. In fact when you need medical screening several just take you to the same site I enclose one such example from Sainsbury Which takes you to Freespirit which ends up in silly money. Nearly £11k!! For a single trip!!

I have actually decided to go back to Nationwide Flexi plus (other banks also have

travel insurance), declare everything as usual and when denied have asked them to not cover my three medical conditions (migraine, menieres and PBC). As we will be on a cruise in and out of Southampton there is no issue with ying and as I have not seen a consultant since 2015 nor even my GP regarding my PBC in all that time just regular three month blood tests which have always come back within normal ranges so have no reason to believe there will be a sudden catastrophic change. This being so I will still have insurance for accidents not connected to any pre-existing medical condition so for example should I be unfortunate to have a fall and break an arm or trafc accident my bank insurance will cover me for medical costs, repatriation etc So for £480 my husband and I now have Annual world wide cover including all his medical issues, cruise cover, cancellations etc and an extension as it covers 83 days. It is a shame I could not nd cover for my PBC and I can only hope the situation is different for many others suffering from a minimal form of a potentially critical illness.

Age concern do not offer Any travel insurance. Best wishes, FB

Hi, just letting you know I got a very good 10 day holiday Insurance deal with Admiral.com

MH

Hi John,

It was lovely to meet you all this morning for our little photo shoot on the orchard, I think all the photos are great and I will also be forwarding these on to the news and star.

It has been a pleasure raising the money for LIVErNORTH and we are so pleased to be able to send £400 to both yourselves and to Eden Valley Hospice's Jigsaw charity.

We weren't expecting so many lovely bears and wanted to do our best for John in memory of Lesley.

We had a rafe for some of the bears to gauge the interest from our nursery parents and although we sold a few tickets we decided that opening it up to the wider public would raise more funds and interest. We launched our Teddy Bear Auction and were able to advertise this on our social media platforms and Facebook market place. This proved to be very successful with all of the bears nding new homes and raising a signicant amount of money for both charities.

My Lucy Bear has pride of place in a glass cabinet at home and this might be the start of a new collection.

I wish you all the best, Jenni

Stone Eden Nursery Aglionby, Carlisle

Many thanks to everyone who supported this fundraising event and gave so generously...a fitting tribute to the memory of Lesley Little, a much loved and respected lady

PSC Support Oxford Information Day 2023

Listen to talks from PSC experts and patients, take part in Q&A sessions and connect with others. For anyone affected by PSC. (by PSC Support)

Sat, 30 Sep 2023 09:45 - 16:30 BST

voco Oxford Spires, an IHG Hotel, Abingdon Road Oxford OX1 4PS

PSC Support Information Days give you the chance to hear from some of the UK's leading PSC experts as well as people living with PSC.

PSC Support Information days are free events, open to anyone affected by PSC, including family and friends of those living with the condition. We want to give you the chance to hear from leading PSC experts, as well as creating a relaxed and informal environment for you to meet and chat to others affected by PSC. Our Oxford Information Day will start with a general session for all attendees. There will then be smaller sessions for you to choose from in the afternoon (please choose your sessions when you register). All sessions will include the chance for you to ask questions related to the topic. We'll nish the day with a general Q&A with all of our experts.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided throughout the day. This event is free of charge but donations are very welcome to help us continue our work. www.pscsupport.org.uk/donate

Anyone who is interested in attending can also nd out more and register via LIVErNORTH facebook page or use this link (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pscsupport-oxford-information-day-2023-registration694070843577?aff=oddtdtcreator)

Pictured Lto R: John Bedlington John Little and Jenni Reeves.

Where has the LIVErNEWS been seen this Year?

Before ‘lockdown’ that essential holiday reading, namely, the LIVErNEWS was much travelled and we had regular updates from readers from different locations. Well, we would like to resurrect this feature. Send us any pictures of the Newsletter on its latest travels, together with a few notes on its location.

This summer has seen the Newsletter in Wittenberg, also known as Lutherstadt, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. This is the town where Martin Luther had a major impact on religion throughout Europe. He was lesser known for the impact he had on developing the German Language. By translating the Bible into a standardised language, he effectively developed German as we know it today.

Top photograph is of Liz in the garden of the Martin Luther Museum.

Bottom Photograph is the main square with the statue of Martin Luther. This was taken at 8 o'clock in the evening, no one around.

(Excellent post! Let’s see where the LIVErNEWS goes on it’s travels again. If anyone would like copies of the LIVErNEWS for patients, family members, clinicians, nurses or carers please let us know and we will ensure they get their own copies of every issue we publish. As you probably already know, there is no charge for this or for anything we provide as we are run entirely by unpaid volunteers like Alf & Liz - Ed)

JOIN OUR LOTTERY AND SUPPORT OUR WORK

Every penny raised goes to liver patient support - we have NO paid employees

£250 every meeting

8 draws a year

£2500 Annual Jackpot aJust£1 week

To join the 2023/24 lottery please complete the form on the next page If you use . online banking and would prefer to set up your own standing order please email: info@livernorth.org.uk or phone 0191 3702961

£1.3 million so far given to liver disease research and funding trials of drugs, equipment and techniques. The lottery income is used solely for prize money and for liver patient support & research.

£250 prize winners this year:

-oOo-

*JH of Cramlington with number 30 drawn on 9/5/2023*

-oOo-

*EA of Chester-le-Street with number 111 drawn on 22/6/2023*

-oOo-

*AG of Great Lumley with number 141 drawn on 1/8/2023*

-oOo-

-Registered under the GAMBLING ACT 2005 with the city of Newcastle upon Tyne

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Helens Howlers

Most of the funnies you see in these pages are sent from friends and colleagues (like Billy Venus) or are freely circulating via the internet. I am constantly on the look out for more material so please send in anything you have or have heard whilst out and about. It doesn’t have to be ‘professional’– your witty observations on life are always welcome. If you’re feeling a bit low - read on...As they say, laughter is the best medicine! Thanks for this issue go to my many facebook friends, LIVErNORTH colleagues and ‘the internet’.

Just heard that Halfords are recalling 2,000 bikes sold last year because of 'wheel alignment problems'....

....according to a spokesman

A guy sat down next to me on the train, pulled a photo out of his wallet and said, ‘I’m going to meet this girl, isn’t she beautiful?’ I said. ‘If you think she’s beautiful you should see my sister’ and he said ‘Wow is she even better looking that this chick?’ So I said ‘No, she’s an optician’

3 Samurai held a contest to see who was the best. The rst Samurai walks into the arena. On a table is a small box, which he opens. A y zips out and--SWISH!--he draws his sword and cuts the y in two. The second Samurai walks in, opens a new box and--SWISH! SWISH!--the y falls in 4 pieces. The third Samurai walks in. SWISH!--the y ies away.

"You did not kill the y!" The judges say. “True," the swordsman replies, "but he will never have children again.”

Little known fact: Richard Gere’s dad, Gottler, was a famous Swedish ventriloquist.

Apparently, Julius Ceasar never once said ‘thank you’ in his entire life. This is possibly due to the fact that he couldn’t speak English.

If I ever win a lot of money on the pools, I can promise you that no-one around me will be poor. The rst thing I’m going to do is buy a house where rich people live.

A cowboy walked into a bar and ordered a whisky. When the bartender delivered the drink, the cowboy asked, "Where is everybody?" The bartender replied, "They've gone to the hanging".

"Hanging? Who are they hanging?" he said. "Brown Paper Pete" the bartender replied. "What kind of a name is that?" the cowboy asked. “Well......", said the bartender, "........he wears a brown paper hat, brown paper shirt, brown paper trousers and brown paper shoes".

"Weird guy....", said the cowboy, ".....but what are they hanging him for?

Rustling...............

Will transparent cofns catch on? Remains to be seen.

I'm on a diet so I'm spending the same amount but buying all my groceries in local shops.

To save money on a cofn, buy a pen from Amazon and use the box it came in.

I wonder if people in Spain sit and watch A Place in The Rain?

WARNING - SOME JOKES UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN - YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD!

I saw a man eating chicken today - scary sight!

Tried calling the Tinnitus helpline... ...no answer. It just kept ringing...

So this bloke came up to me and said, ‘Do you think your wife knows which is the most northerly America state?’ I said, ‘I’ll nd out.’

To the person that stole my anti depressants, I hope you are happy now.......

One armed waiters..... They can take it, but they can't dish it out.

I need a break after waiting hand and foot on my wife and I've heard Romania is nice. I think I'll book a rest.

Man walks into a bar with a hairpiece on. ‘'pint of bitter please''

Barman serves him but the man just walks off with his pint and sits down. ‘'Oh, sir, you have to pay''.The man says, ''Oh sorry, I forgot.''

My friend has designed an invisible aeroplane. I can't see it taking off.

People who use German words in conversation really annoy me. I wish they'd keep Shtum.

My mate said that he's booked a luxury holiday in India. I said "Mumbai?", he replied......

"No, my Dad paid for it”

Looking for a lightning rod installer who doesn't charge the earth. Tia.

Found out my 1st girlfriend was a ghost. To be honest, I had my suspicions the moment

she walked through the door!

Just asked an Electrician friend to come round and have a look at a small problem with the electrics , and he’s refused….

Time ies like an arrow. Fruit ies like a banana.

More bad news today, my obese parrot has died, well I suppose it’s another weight off me shoulder.

The man selling charity magazines on the street corner keeps trying to get me to buy larger footwear. I don't need biggish shoes

I said to my daughter, how come all your cakes are £2 except that one that’s £3 ? She said “ that’s Madeira cake.

“Working at the Jobcentre has to be a tense job - knowing that if you get red, you still have to come in the next day.

If anybody has left £3000 rolled up & secured in elastic bands on the train travelling from Newcastle to Whitley Bay today please

GET IN TOUCH ASAP.

I have your elastic bands

While many complain about life in general and the cost of living etc., I am sitting on a sofa that costs £5,000, lovely and cool in front of an air con unit costing £2,300, watching the latest lm on a smart 70" smart TV that costs £4,000. Right now, I'm so happy, with no worries and not a care in the world. Not even the staff at John Lewis, who keep asking me to leave, can spoil my day...

Teacher told me not to worry about spelling

because in the future there will be autocorrect for that I am eternally grapefruit

When I was little, I didn't care about what I wore. I just went along with what my parents chose. When I look at the old photo albums, I realize that they didn't care either.

Hired a handy man and gave him a list. When I got home, only jobs 1, 3 & 5 were done. Turns out, he only does odd jobs!

My friend went bald years ago but still carries an old comb around with him. He just can't part with it!

I said to my partner "My new shoes hurt”. She said “You've got them on the wrong feet”. I said, “Don't be stupid, these are the only feet I've got”. Honestly I do wonder about the the intelligence of some people! Tried to book tickets for Oppenheimer but it's fully booked all week they must be making a bomb.

News just in...

Another case for Inspector Corner of The Yard. A local artist was found dead in his home last night. The police are holding an investigation but details are sketchy.

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Mark Twain

Yes - I know the jokes are worse than ever but I bet you are reading some of them out right now?

If you know a joke that could bring a smile to someone’s face, please send it in to me by email to or post info@livernorth.org.uk to freepost livernorth.

Somewhere out there is the funniest joke ever so let’s find it and brighten someone’s day. (Ed)

Only a very small number of people die in circumstances that make organ donation possible. Your family will always be asked about your wishes. This is why it's so important to talk about it.

The Pub Quiz or if you prefer the Barista Café Quiz No 5 (AB)

1. What is the capital of Qatar?

2. Which British buttery has the same name as a punctuation mark?

3. In which city does the Welsh Parliament sit?

4. What name is given to an Australian bushman's bundle of belongings?

5. What are Quern stones used for?

6. The Latin name Ferrum relates to which metal?

7. What year in the 1970's was Value Added Tax introduced in the UK? ( yes, it was that long ago – just think how much revenue must have been collected in that time)

8. Which singer who died in July, “left his heart in San Francisco”.

9. What gives the unique avour to Earl Grey tea?

10. According to the United Nations there are 195 countries in the World, but which is the smallest? – clue, it is in Europe.

11. Which joint in our skeleton can be affected by a Potts fracture?

12. What name is given to a female donkey or ass?

13. What is the name of Boris Johnson's old Constituency?

14. What name which comes from German meaning “Trash” do we give to art, fashion or design which is considered tasteless or vulgar?

15. Which city does the renowned artist called “Banks” come from?

16. What name is given to the blank pages at the beginning and end of a book?

17. What country became the 31st member of NATO in April this year.

18. What name is given to a form of Pasta shaped like grains of barley or rice?

19. A common form of Pizza is named after former queen of Italy. What is it?

20. Which group recorded “Needles and Pins”in the Sixties?

20. The Searchers.

Margherita of .Savoy

19. Margherita. It was invented in 1889 by the chef Raffaeale Esposito in honour of of the Queen of ,Italy

18. Orzo.

17. Finland.

16. Fly leaves.

15. Bristol.

14. Kitsch.

13. Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

12. Jenny

1.1 Ankle. It was named after the English Physician Percival Pott who actually experienced this injury in 1765.

(Answers below)

The answer is to be found in the piece in the Newsletter on Countries of the orld.W

10. The aticanV City or Holy See.

9. Bergamot. It is the oil from a fragrant citrus fruit which is a blend of sour orange and lemon.

8. onyT Bennett.

7. 1973.

6. Iron.

5. They are used for grinding grain.

4. Matilda, hence the song altzingW Matilda, which means to carry or walk with such a bundle.

3. Cardiff.

2. Comma.

1. Doha.

INVESTMENT IDEAS (It's Mr Dim back again)

I hope it was by popular demand but I remain the eternal optimist!

Since my last article, the bank rate has increased to 5.25% (at the time of writing). So the interest rates should also have increased. Sadly all the best deals seem to be online and even in this technological age there are a lot of folks not well versed in internet matters. I've no problem admitting that I fall into that category. I have a few ideas but please remember: this is NOT advice or recommendations. The world's greatest investor (in my opinion) stated that “the only person who should be looking after your money is YOU”. I will answer a couple of questions that I have received.

Can you take out a one year Bond by telephone?

Apparently Tesco Bank currently pay 5.7% gross\monthly interest on their 1 year Bond. As I understand it, the minimum investment is £2,000 (two thousand). The contact number quoted on their web page is 0345 678 5678. This Bond is widely reported to be fully covered by FSCS scheme, which guarantees that your money is safe up to 85 thousand pounds for a single account holder and 170 thousand pounds for a joint account. Perhaps worth investigating?

Alternatively if you have an internet connection but are not condent in completing an online application, Hargreaves Lansdown have a help desk that will attempt to guide you through the online application. They have several cash investments in banks and building societies. I've found the process to be very helpful. HL contact number is 0117 900 9000.

Even in these difcult times some folks have a little spare cash (say £100 above their emergency contingency fund) and are prepared to be a little more adventurous to stick a toe in the nancial markets. Now this is a huge mineeld. The question is: do you buy company shares, Open Ended Investment Company (OEIC) funds, Unit Trusts, Investment Trusts, Exchange Traded Fund (ETF's) and a few more “gobble de gook” types of investments that all come with terms and conditions as thick as a novel. From what I have read, over a long period of time, holdings in shares have returned more prot than holding cash. Of course there have been stunning market collapses but recovery has happened over the long term. Not for you? Read no further.

What do the experts say?

Well for me the greatest investor of all time, Warren Buffet, was once asked what investments he intends to leave to his wife when he passes away? Reportedly the great man said he will leave 90% of the investments in a cost effective Standard & Poors (S&P) 500 fund and 10% in US treasury bonds.

What is the S&P 500?

It is an index of the top 500 US public traded companies compiled by the nancial company Standard & Poors and computers rearrange the shares 4 times a year to try and keep a balanced portfolio. The one that caught my attention was Vanguard Funds plc S&P 500 UCTS EFT US (GBP), which has low buy/sell costs through Hargreaves Lansdown, but they might not be the cheapest. Another investment that has caught my eye is Legal & General US Index class C accumulation (GBP). This investment through Hargreaves Lansdown has no buy or sell costs. Therefore this would be my investment of choice should I nd a have a small amount (minimum investment of £100 - yes one hundred) to put into the market. Very handy to sell when an unexpectedly high energy bill drops through the letterbox!

Both investments are similar in their company holding strategy with the Vanguard fund holding 504 top US stock, and the L&G fund holding 592 top US stocks (at time of writing). The big difference is how the funds are Legally regulated. One is an Exchange Trade Fund and the other is a Unit Trust. Both framework documents make riveting reading should you suffer from insomnia.

I'm sure you realized some time back that I could go on forever on these nancial matters but I'll thankfully sign off with the disclaimer that this article does not constitute any advice or recommendation of any investment or company and I derive no benet, nancial or otherwise, from any company that I have mentioned. Any investments made in companies listed above could result in you losing money. I can conrm I have had dealings with Tesco Bank, Hargreaves Lansdown, Vanguard Funds and L&G.

Now wasn't that a really exciting read?

Mr Dim

e Urgent care dial 111

You should call NHS 111 if:

You need medical help fast but it’s not a life-threatening emergency

You don’t know who to call for medical help or you don’t have a GPto call

You think you need to go toA&E or another NHS urgent care service but are not sure which one is most appropriate or closest

You require health advice or reassurance about what to do next

You have medication enquiries

UIOLIAutumn 2023

SUDOKU... With the kind permission of the creator (Wayne Gould of Pappocom). You don’t need to do any arithmetic or be good at maths - all it takes is logic so please have a go - it will help to keep your brain active. Just fill in the missing numbers in every square, row & column using 1 to 9 without repeating any.There is strict copyright so they may not be redistributed in any way whatsoever although you can of course photocopy the page if you don’t want to spoil your copy of LIVErNEWS. Good Luck!

TRYTHE DIFFICULT ONE - IT CAN BE DONE!

SU DOKU

‘Single Digit’ (Japanese) As featured in the Times

Monday to Saturday

©Puzzles by Pappocom

www.sudoku.com

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