LocalReach Clevedon March 2023

Community Notices are back!

Due to popular demand we are bringing back Community Notices to LocalReach as of the April issues. So if you are a local; club, group, school, church, association etc and want to advertise your event or just make people aware of what you do, we want to hear from you. We will place this free of charge for you.

Simply go to our web site www.localreach.co.uk and fill in the form on the Community page or email editor@localreach.co.uk. We want to help as much of the community as possible, especially the groups that have very little income and no budget for advertising.

Are you looking for more business?

Advertising in LocalReach is a fantastic way to reach all your existing, and potentially new customers. LocalReach is delivered by Royal Mail to all homes & businesses in your postcode area every month. It is packed with community notices, interesting articles and local businesses. A massive 98% of our advertisers rebook every month so we must be doing something right!

So, if you are looking for more business then contact us now. To advertise just go to our web site www.localreach.co.uk and fill in the contact form or email hello@localreach.co.uk

Community Notices are free of charge editor@localreach.co.uk or www.localreach.co.uk

Deadline is 1st March for the April issues

Business advertising from only £22+vat pm hello@localreach.co.uk or www.localreach.co.uk

Deadline is 1st March for the April issues

Disclaimer. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this magazine, we make no guarantee that the content will always be current, accurate or complete. We do not approve any of the services or products provided by advertisers in this magazine. Anyone using the products, services or advice from advertisers will need to carry out normal checks to make sure businesses are trustworthy and reliable. LocalReach Ltd 2023.

DO YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF LOCALREACH EACH MONTH?

LocalReach is delivered each month by ROYAL MAIL to ALL of the Clevedon, BS21 postcode area, including all towns and villages within the postcode areas, to every resident and business, totalling 11,680 copies each month.

We take non deliveries very seriously and in the event of a non delivery being reported to us we follow the Royal Mail’s complaint procedure.

If you are not getting your monthly copy by the end of the first week of any month please send us an email to royalmail@localreach.co.uk with the full address of the non delivery and we will ask Royal Mail to investigate and report back.

Walton Bay

Kingston Seymour

Kenn

Tickenham

Walton-inGordano

Good company and a good lunch!

PORTISHEAD PROBUS CLUB (formerly Probus73) will hold their March meeting at Clarence House in Portishead’s High Street on Wednesday March 15th. Doors open at 12 noon when we enjoy an hour of convivial conversation in the bar followed by an excellent two course lunch at 1pm. Elizabeth Rhodes will then entertain us with a fascinating talk on “Dyrham and Mr Blathwayt”. If you would like to give Probus a try please ring DAVID JAMES on 07926 994614 or speak to any club member to find out more.

Bristol branch of the British cactus & succulent society

Most months we hold a meeting at the Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Bristol BS34 7PS starting at 7.30 with a £3 admittance. We have on March 21st a talk with Prof. Frank Sengpi about the Canary Islands and the succulent plants of these islands. Also, we will have available cacti & succulents plants for sale with any members of the public able to

attend. Advice is freely given on any other questions concerning the welfare of them. People find mixing with like-minded growers helps with caring for them. Further information from Tony Irons 07742 821875.

NSPCWT - the local parent carer forum

We are the local forum for parents and carers to children/young people with additional needs and disabilities (no diagnosis needed). We have a range of fully funded training this month and coffee meet ups. You can see the upcoming plans on our calendar at: www.nspcwt.org/calendar

Our next large event is the popular ‘Social Communication and Autism Fayre’ held at The Tropicana on Weds 22nd of March 9.30am2.30pm. It is free entry & includes topical presentations alongside stalls to help visitors discover the support available from local networks, professionals and charities.

Portishead Choral Society presents “The Creation” by Haydn

Portishead Choral Society invite you to a performance of Haydn’s The Creation on Saturday 25th March 7.30pm in Portishead Methodist Church. A wonderful and popular work, conducted by Jonathan Palmer and accompanied by Richard Lennox on the newly installed organ. Soloists include Eloise Routledge (soprano) Paul Badly, (tenor) and Marcus Evans (bass). Tickets £12.00 available from Choir Members or Nortech Computers in Portishead High Street. Also available through our website. See posters for more details.

Community Notices are back!

To advertise simply go to our web site www.localreach.co.uk and fill in the form on the Community page or email editor@localreach.co.uk

Top 10 Kitchen Buying Secrets Exposed!

Weston based kitchen supplier, Better Kitchens, shares some great insights into the potential pitfalls when buying a kitchen…

1. Interest free finance isn’t free - You may find prices from outlets that offer “interest free” are much higher than a “cash” price elsewhere. Because interest free finance is not free to the retailer, they will often inflate their prices to cover their costs for including the finance.

2. Why are some sales staff so pushy? - Most Sales staff work on commission, so they’re incentivised to sell you the most profitable lines, not the best option for you. Items that you don’t need can also be included. The higher your price, the larger their commission fee!

3. Trade prices are not always the cheapest - Always look at the bottom line price. Retailers who advertise themselves as “Trade Suppliers” like to give the impression that “Trade Prices” mean cheap prices. This may have been the case in the past, but now large Trade sheds use this “common knowledge” to their advantage and have raised their prices hoping you won’t realise.

4. Kitchen fitting shouldn’t cost as much as your kitchen - Bundled prices for fitting through a retailer can be inflated to include a margin for the supplier. The price could also include VAT, whereas a private installer may not be VAT registered, saving you 20% on the fitting.

5. You don’t have to sign up on the day!High pressure sales tactics include things like making you put a deposit down on the day of visiting the showroom. If you do this, you’re locked in to that supplier, stopping you from shopping around to find a better price.

6. Trade supplier prices are not always what they seem - Your local trade supplier’s prices are determined by the tradesman who’s buying the kitchen. The price they share with you may not always be the price they get charged by the supplier!

7. Why can’t some appliances be price matched? - Larger retailers will often negotiate specific models of appliances with their suppliers. These are often the exact same model as the ones available elsewhere, just with minor or inconsequential differences. But because they’re an exclusive model, they can no longer be price matched!

8. Half price sales are a myth - If you see a 50% reduction on a kitchen, ask yourself whether you think anyone has ever paid “full” price. Don’t assume that a “50% reduction” can’t be beaten elsewhere, they often can! Don’t be taken in.

9. Some suppliers use tricks to make shopping around difficult - If you buy into the wrong supplier’s kitchens, you can run the risk of locking yourself into their ecosystem, often for the life of the kitchen. Common tricks include using non-industry standard sizes, forcing you to buy their matching components. This can mean re-facing doors or worktops later in your kitchen’s life forces you to return to that same supplier again.

10. Organising the purchase and installation of your own kitchen can save you a small fortune - Buying online has never been easier. By measuring up yourself, then selecting and buying your own kitchen units, you can save yourself much of the additional costs associated with a full kitchen purchase like commission for sales staff, time for measure-ups and design. Even if you source your own fitter rather than doing it yourself, thousands can be saved!

A company like Better Kitchens can help you bring together all aspects of buying your own kitchenmeasuring, designing, planning and buying. Feel free to ask us for help at every step. If you’re looking at a new kitchen, give Better Kitchens in Weston-s-Mare a look. We’re the largest independent online kitchen supplier in the South West. Go to betterkitchens.co.uk/get-a-quote today, or visit our 28 display showroom in Weston to find out how much you could save on your existing kitchen quote from any other supplier!

Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”)

Have you prepared yours yet?

Most people believe that their spouse or relative will automatically be allowed to make decisions about their health care needs if they were to be incapacitated; or their property and financial affairs if unable to act. This is not the case!

If you do not have a LPA in place and were mentally incapacitated:

• Your spouse/family will be denied access to your bank accounts and they will have to apply the Court of Protection to access your finances, including any pension or insurance payments which is costly and can take a year to put in place.

• The Local Council will make decisions on your health care needs, including end of life care; whereas a Health & Welfare LPA will give your attorneys some “power” to speak as if they were you regarding your care

• Your spouse/family will not be able to sell your property to pay for care fees or if you needed to downsize. Again, they would have to apply to the Court of Protection.

We can prepare new LPAs for you at very reasonable rates or carry out a free review of your current documents to ensure they meet your needs.

Call Karen on 07498 948 580 or email info@grovewills.com

Declutter Your Home

have used it or worn it in the past year. If the answer is no, consider getting rid of it.

Sort items into piles - As you declutter, sort items into piles such as “keep,” “donate,” “sell,” or “throw away” This can make it easier to decide what to do with each item.

Use storage solutions - Invest in storage solutions, such as bins or shelves. This can help you to keep your home organized and clutterfree BUT declutter first. It’s easier to organise stuff when you have less of it!

Spring is a time when we often get the urge to clean and declutter our homes.

If you have the urge, here are a few useful strategies:

Start small - It can be overwhelming to try to declutter a whole room or house at once. Instead, start with a small area, such as a closet or a single shelf, and work your way up to larger areas.

Follow the “one year” rule - When deciding whether to keep something, ask yourself if you

Let it go - It can be difficult to get rid of things, especially if they have sentimental value. However, it’s important to remember that keeping things that you don’t use or need can add unnecessary stress to your life.

Finally - be patient and take breaks when needed. Decluttering can be a time-consuming process, but the end result of a more organized and clutter-free home is worth the effort.

By Sarah Davey

Green Tree Surgery

Sofa So Good

So, you want a new sofa. What are the factors you need to consider?

might fall in love with a sleek ultra-modern purple number, but if you live in a cottage with original period décor, you have to consider whether you love it enough to change your entire interior scheme. If you want something to fit into your existing home, consider how the colour, fabric, and design will complement it. Then consider any additional features you might want, such as reclining seats or a pull-out guest bed.

Comfort - Sounds obvious but sit on the sofa in the store to get a feel for it. Consider the depth of the seat, the height of the back, the angle of the backrest, and the density of the cushions.

Durability - Look for a sofa that is well-constructed and made of durable materials. Check the frame, springs, and legs to ensure they are sturdy.

Size matters - Measure the space where the sofa will go, including doorways and stairways, to make sure the sofa will fit. It sounds obvious but it’s an incredibly common oversight! Also consider the scale of the room and the other furniture in it, and choose a sofa that is appropriately sized.

Style - Think about the overall decor of the room and choose a sofa that complements it. You

Maintenance - Consider the ease of cleaning and care the sofa might need. Some materials, such as leather, are easier to care for than others.

Budget - Work out your budget and stick to it. Keep in mind that a higher price does not always equate to better quality. Look for sales and discounts. You can also get a great deal if you’re prepared to buy a used sofa.

By Gemma Peters

OvenGleamers Recipe of The Month - Meringue Kisses

With Mother’s Day coming up, we’ve got a delicious recipe for you this month that are perfect to treat the ones you love.

Ingredients (serves four)

3 large egg whites

About 200g caster sugar

Pink food colouring

50g white chocolate, chopped

For the filling:

300ml double cream

1tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

About 4tbsp cherry jam

To serve: 8 fresh ripe cherries

Method

1: Preheat the oven to 110C. Drawing freehand or using a 6.5cm heart-shaped cutter as a template, draw eight hearts on to two sheets of baking parchment. Turn them over and lay on to two baking sheets. Don’t grease the paper as meringue will be used to secure the corners. Weigh a spotlessly clean bowl, then weigh the egg whites in it. Calculate their weight, double it and weigh that quantity of caster sugar into a separate bowl.

2: Whisk the egg whites until they stand in soft peaks and the fluffy mixture doesn’t slip around in the bowl. You should be able to turn it upside down over your head without the mixture falling out.

Whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, making sure each spoonful dissolves before adding the next. Dip a cocktail stick into the food colouring and add it to the meringue until you reach the depth of colour you want. Dot a little of the meringue under the corners of each piece of parchment to secure it to the baking sheet.

3: Spoon the rest of the meringue into a piping bag with a 1cm round nozzle and pipe inside the heart templates. Bake for about 1.5 hours, until they come away easily from the paper. Leave to cool in the oven.

4: Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Melt the white chocolate in the bowl, then spoon it over the base of each meringue and leave to set. Whip the cream and icing sugar in a bowl until thick and glossy. Swirl in the cherry jam. Take two meringue hearts and sandwich them together with the sweet jam cream. Serve dusted with a little extra icing sugar and a couple of ripe cherries.

Meringue is renowned for being difficult to make, and we would love to see a great selection of success and fail photos! If you can, please post a photo on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/OvenGleamersBristol

3 ways to save money on your incontinence products

We know that right now everyone is feeling the effects of the increased cost of living. As a small family business based in Somerset, we are keen to help our customers make their purchasing with Arelle as cost effective as possible. So this month we are reminding you of the different ways you can do this, and save money on your incontinence products when buying online or over the phone with us:

1. Sign up to our e-news

The easiest way to save money on a one-off purchase is to sign up to our monthly e-newsletter. As soon as you do this, we’ll send you a unique discount code for your next order, giving you 10% off whatever you buy. But you can only use this code once – so shop wisely! You can sign up on our website or by giving us a call.

2. Shop with multi-buy for the lowest prices

If you are able to buy your incontinence products in bulk, you can save up to 15% off our standard prices, and usually get free postage as well. We offer multi-buy on a wide range of products, including washable pants, stretch/fixation pants for pads, disposable pants and pads and bed and seat protection. Look for the multi-buy section on our website or in our catalogue (you can order this free, on our website).

3. Subscribe and save 10% on all disposable products

If you regularly buy a disposable incontinence product, why not subscribe to a monthly delivery service and get 10% off every time? It’s simple to set up and means you don’t have to worry about placing an order or running out of your products. And if it doesn’t suit you, you can easily cancel at any time. Give us a call or take a look at our website. Not sure which way to save money on your incontinence products is best for you? Then give us a call or drop us a line. We are here to help – Monday to Friday 0800 389 3597 – or email info@arelle.com

Crossword Across

1 Nightclub entertainment (7)

4 Strange and frightening (5)

7 System for detecting aircraft (5)

9 Vertical, erect (7)

10 Passivity, paralysis (7)

11 Emperor, king, monarch (5)

12 Tyrannical dictator (6)

14 Priest or religious leader (6)

18 Plentiful (5)

20 Gaunt, exhausted (7)

22 Scottish pouch worn with a kilt (7)

23 Ceremonial headdress (5)

24 Item in a diary, or notebook (5)

25 Spiny Australian egg-laying mammal! (7)

Down

1 Supported, sustained (7)

2 Decorative breast pin (5)

3 Tropical bird with large colourful beak (6)

4 Mistake (5)

5 Constant, uniform (7)

6 Go inside (5)

8 Relative size of two values (5)

Word Search

asteroid black hole

comet

Earth

eclipse

Europa

galaxy

Ganymede

Hubble

Io James Webb

Jupiter Mars

13 Assist financially (7)

15 Strict reason (5)

16 Intricate musical solo (7)

17 Become different (6)

18 Passage in supermarket (5)

19 Before the expected time (5)

21 Keep away from (5)

Mindbenders

Solutions: Turn to page 16

Designing and fitting kitchens in North Somerset for over 13 years

Have you been thinking of a new kitchen?

Save 50% on a new kitchen by simply replacing doors, drawers and worktops.

Dream Doors North Somerset would like to thank past and current customers for their support and referrals.

Our Checkatrade rating 9.8/10 is thriving and we believe it’s down to the authenticity of your local Dream Doors Kitchen experts based in Congresbury.

We cater for all sizes of kitchens and budgets, including apartments. A recent installation gained fantastic feedback from Mrs Ware “I love my little flat and what we’ve done with the kitchen is the icing on the cake. Ed and Carl, what a lovely pair of lads; I’m over the moon.”

Covering the whole of North Somerset, we have delighted over 1000 homeowners, and we love making a difference to our customers’ lives, by refurbishing their now sociable areas within their home.

Often a chat or a drink or two can be held in your kitchen and it creates a lovely social area for your friends and family.

Dream Doors North Somerset can talk through what your vision is and ensure that a cost-effective solution is available. Our locally based project & fitting teams are always on hand to ensure 100% satisfaction is achieved.

Call Kay and the team at the showroom on 01934 832361 or email n.som@dreamdoors.co.uk to realise your kitchen vision.

Spring time – spring clean

It’s that time of the year again when we start to think about spring cleaning. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that a good spring clean makes us all feel better.

Your sofa is one of the main features of your living room and has no doubt had some serious use over the winter months. It’s where you and your family sit and relax at the end of a day and where we entertain guests throughout the year.

Whatever we use our sofa’s for, they are prone to daily wear and tear, spills, stains, body oils and scuffs.

Leather is a natural product with a grain. Over time this grain can fill with natural household dusts which is very abrasive, especially to skin.

Leather, being a skin, reacts to the build up of dust in the grain and this can give way to premature cracking and colour loss. If this issue sounds familiar, PremTech Furniture Repairs are here to help! We’ve restored hundreds of items of leather,enabling them to be used and enjoyed for many more years.

However, we believe prevention is better than cure and we are excited to now sell everything you need to keep your leather furniture looking clean, fresh and new as well as prolonging its life. Our favourite products are available to buy from our online shop via our website (www.ptfr.co.uk) where you can find prices, product descriptions and guidance for use. If you have any questions about your leather and how to protect it, please do not hesitate to contact us for free advice!

Happy Balance… Supporting your busy life

We are passionate about re-cycling, re-housing and re-using items, working with many local charities we distribute your unwanted items on your behalf. We always offer a FREE 1hour consultation to introduce ourselves and to discuss how we can help you.

Our clients know that allocating time to work alongside Happy Balance provides the impetus they need to make a start. Through experience we understand the importance of working with you at your pace, listening to you and helping you put into action what you want to achieve.

These are all scenarios from clients we have worked with:

• ‘I don’t want to leave it for the kids to sort’ – Feeling mindful that you need to get your home in order? You don’t want the family having to sort through everything when you are gone? We will work with you to streamline your home, recycle unwanted items and organise belongings you may wish to distribute to family and friends.

• My partner/parent has died – You’re not only dealing with grief but also thinking about how you clear the house? We are NOT house clearance. We work with you sensitively, practically and confidentially to organise their affairs and clear the house for sale or other.

• I am embarrassed – It’s all got on top of me and I just feel overwhelmed – Are you buying too many items, storing them away and feeling like you may be hoarding? Claire and SJ are non judgemental and through experience can help you declutter and regain control.

• I’m moving and need to downsize – I can’t physically or emotionally cope with my move and I need help. We are hands-on in preparing your belongings ensuring that when your removal firm comes to move you that you have already sorted through, de-cluttered and made sure all your items, big and small will fit into your new home giving you peace of mind.

• ‘Our family space isn’t working for us’ –Who can help us? Happy Balance will give you guidance, ideas and hands on support to make the changes to make your home a living space and not a storage space.

Garden View – Delightful dahlias

I’m a fairly recent convert to the delights of the Dahlia. When I first began gardening seriously, I considered them a bit vulgar and blousy…not to mention needy. Then I saw a fantastic display in my friend’s garden and in a Damascene moment I suddenly saw the light, and I’ve been growing them ever since. With just a little knowhow, they are actually easy to grow and care for. When choosing Dahlias consider the size and type of flower head you want, as well as the height of the plant. Dwarf varieties are great for patio pots, but there are also varieties tall enough be used as a centrepiece in a border. They are planted as tubers right about now. Look for strong, healthy tubers and check the labels carefully to make sure they are suitable for your climate and soil type. They should be planted after the last frost, in a well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. By well-drained I mean soil which allows water to percolate through it reasonably quickly and not pool. If your soil is too heavy, or alternatively too free draining (so nutrients wash away), the best remedy is to dig in lots of organic matter such as compost, well-rotted farm manure, or shredded leaves

Puzzle Solutions

This will condition the soil so it maintains the right amounts of water and air for better plant growth and increased biological activity

Dig a hole about 10-15cm deep and position the tuber, with the eye (the little dip) facing upward, then cover with soil. Water well and mulch around the base of the plant to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

Dahlias are quite thirsty plants so require regular watering, especially during dry spells, and they should be fed every two weeks with a highpotash fertilizer. Pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushier growth and more flowers. Stake tall varieties to prevent them from falling over in windy weather. This sounds needy but they will repay this attention handsomely with their glorious blooms. Deadhead by removing the faded blooms regularly to encourage even more flowers. Cut the stem back to just above the next pair of leaves.

Unfortunately, Dahlias are not frost-hardy, so it’s important to lift the tubers in the fall before the first frost and store them in a cool, dry place. Leave the stems and foliage to die back, then carefully lift the tubers, brushing off any soil, and let them dry out for a few days. Store them in a frost-free place, such as a shed or garage, until the spring when you can plant them out again.

My absolute favourite is Dahlia ‘Chimborazo’ which is a pretty collarette dahlia, bearing deep crimson-red outer petals around an inner collar of pale yellow. It is about a metre tall so will need to be staked and is suited to growing in a mixed, herbaceous border. It also makes an excellent cut flower.

If you are after a dwarf plant try ‘Figaro’ which is a dwarf “landscape” dahlia with semi-double flowers in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white. It works well as bedding and in containers, and blooms from planting time until the first frosts.

By Rachael Leverton

Dangerous new Microsoft scams on the rise – keep informed, stay alert!

Although we have written about this recently, we are still getting a large number of calls from customers who are reporting being scammed or telling us that “Microsoft” recently cleaned their computer. This new wave of scams imitates Microsoft support and is catching people off-guard at a higher rate than normal, and tricks victims into spending hundreds, sometimes thousands, on fake protection software which serves no purpose. The scammers also gain full control over the computer, putting user data and passwords at risk.

Unlike traditional scams, this can pop up whenever it pleases, even when all programs are closed, and after computer restarts. As a result, these pop-ups seem like legitimate messages from Microsoft, explaining the increasing number of new victims. Traditional scams take the form of malicious emails or dangerous websites, which most remain vigilant against, but these deceptive pop-ups utilise the Windows notifications system, slotting themselves in amongst genuine notifications, so keep alert. These emerge from the bottom right corner. The user often clicks “allow” to “notifications” from a dangerous website, which starts off this process. The popup messages claim to be security alerts from Microsoft and provide a number to call. Those who fall for it wind up giving the scammers full control over the computer and making one or more online payments for fake protection services.

For those who fall victim to this scam, first power off the computer, and if you have paid for services or given payment details, call your bank immediately to inform them of this. Your bank should refund any money stolen from you as a result of fraud. Remember that when making payments either online or over the phone, credit cards have fraud protection, while debit payments offer less protections. We specialise in resolving issues caused on the computer by such scams, so if either recently or in the past you have paid somebody to “fix” your computer after a pop-up message, please get in touch, as we can visit to ensure that your computer is secure.

Neil Buzzard, Director, Computer Problem Solutions Ltd. Tel: 07973 536299 or email sales@e-cps.co.uk

• Problem Solving & Repairs

• Virus/Spyware Removal

• New PC Systems

• Broadband/WIFI Problems

• Performance Improvement

• Wireless Networking

• iPhone/iPad help

• Upgrades

• Websites

• Help & Tuition

We have Mobile Engineers in your area or with your permission we can access your computer remotely.

YOUR LOCAL, TRUSTED COMPANY

Engineer: 07973 536299

Office: 01275 849622

E-mail: sales@e-cps.co.uk

www.e-cps.co.uk

A Different Kind of Mothers’ Day

Could you be a foster mother?

loving environment for them. Fostering provides opportunity to make a difference in their lives and help them reach their full potential.

Children in the care system have often experienced significant trauma or upheaval in their lives, and foster families provide children with a sense of stability and security, creating an environment in which they can heal and grow and learn to form positive relationships with others.

Sunday 19th March is Mothers’ Day. Many of us will wake up to our offspring proudly offering us a wobbly tray of breakfast. But for the 400,000 children in the social care system there may be no-one in their lives to appreciate their efforts of burned toast and soggy cereal.

This is where foster parents are invaluable. Fostering is an opportunity for individuals and families to make a positive impact on the lives of vulnerable children who are unable to live with their biological families, by providing a safe and

There is currently a shortage of foster carers, leading to long waits to place children. The basic requirements for fostering are that you are at least 21 years old (there is no upper age limit as long as you are fit and healthy), have a spare bedroom, and have permanent leave to remain in the UK.

Foster carers receive an allowance for each child they foster and training is available.

If you feel that you have what it takes to be a foster mother there are resources and information available at www.fosteringpeople.co.uk

By Jamie Maxfield

A Good Read

My Name is Lucy Barton

by Elizabeth Strout

It’s Mothers’ Day this month and in spite of all the saccharine cards in the shops we know that mother and daughter relationships are often not straightforward. Lucy Barton is both a mother and a daughter. She has a floundering marriage and is in hospital with complications following what should have been a routine operation. Her husband who dislikes hospitals and declines to visit, arranges instead for her estranged mother to sit with her.

Strout’s novel is about a mother and daughter relationship steeped in sadness. Lucy spent her childhood craving maternal love, while her mother seemed incapable of providing it.

This poignant and deeply moving novel explores the complexities of family, love, and forgiveness. Told from Lucy’s viewpoint, the story takes us on a journey through her childhood and into adult life, as she reflects on events in her past and her relationship with her mother.

The novel is written in a simple and straightforward style that somehow belies the emotional depth of the story. Strout’s writing is evocative and powerful; she’s a master of capturing the nuances of human emotion. The characters and their relationships are richly drawn, and relatable. Lucy’s relationship with her mother is at the core of the novel, and Strout explores its dynamics with sensitivity and insight.

Themes of family, love, and forgiveness are woven throughout and Strout’s writing reflects on the passage of time, the power of memory and the strength of the human spirit. There is much in this novel that is not stated explicitly. The reader is left to do some work and the result is a wise, thought-provoking book.

By Tash Donovan

FOXALL BUILDING

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