GARDENING – page 4
COMMUNITY – page 7
PUZZLES – page 8
RECIPE – page 15
BOOKS – page 19
BUSINESS A-Z – page 19
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Garden View
This month - Aquilegia
There is something quite lovely about Aquilegias, bobbing in the breeze. They provide exquisite flowers, which a great for cutting, in May and early June, and come in a variety of colours. Even the foliage is attractive.
If you want to plant seedlings rather than seeds, sow thinly on to moist compost in a seed tray. If they are slow to germinate, they may need stratification, the posh word for subjecting seeds to a cold - warm cycle to trick them into thinking they have been through a cold winter. Cover the seed tray with polythene and put in a fridge at 0-5°C for two to three weeks. Remove the tray and place in a greenhouse or on a windowsill at approx. 18-21°C. Remove the polythene when the seeds start to germinate. Transplant the seedlings into 7cm pots and allow to grow on into sturdy plants. Plant out in the border about 45cm apart in groups of three – five plants for a more naturalistic look. However, at this time of year I just sow directly outdoors, where I want them to flower.
If you are planting established plants from a garden centre, remove the packaging and stand the pots upright in a bucket of water for 20 minutes, to give
the roots a good drink. Then plant in prepared ground in small groups.
Once the aquilegia plants have established, they shouldn’t need additional watering. You might want to cut back the foliage after flowering if the leaves are beginning to look scruffy. Give the plant a drink and a mulch of compost, and it will reward you with a fresh flush of foliage in a few weeks.
Aquilegias need very little after care once they are established. They will self-seed and although offspring rarely look like their parents, they will still be very pretty. I personally like the naturalistic look.
To collect the seeds from your aquilegia plants, wait for the flower to die back to an attractive papery seed head. Use a paper bag to hold over the stem and tap until all the seeds land in the bag. Alternatively cut the stems and hang upside down inside a large paper bag to dry and catch all the seed in the bag. Store in a paper envelope once they are completely dry and label carefully, noting that they are toxic if eaten.
Aquilegias are quintessential cottage garden favourites with nectar-rich flowers that are attractive to pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, and moths. This makes them a fantastic, easy-to-grow wildlife-friendly choice.
Happy gardening,
By Rachael Leverton
Are you tired of the same old cooking playlist?
Want to spice up your kitchen with some fresh tunes?
Well, Better Kitchens has got you covered!
We’re putting together a kitchen-themed Spotify playlist and we want YOUR song ideas. Whether it’s about cooking, cleaning, or just hanging out in the kitchen, we want to hear your suggestions.
Think you’ve got the perfect song to jam out to while chopping vegetables? Or maybe a catchy tune about the joys of baking? Whatever your kitchen-related song idea is, we want to hear it.
Simply head over to our Facebook page and leave a comment with your song suggestion. We’ll be compiling all of the best songs into a playlist that will be sure to have you dancing around your kitchen in no time.
And that’s not all - we’ll be randomly selecting one lucky commenter to receive six bottles of wine to enjoy while cooking up a storm in their newly inspired kitchen.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get those kitchen-themed songs flowing!
www.facebook.com/BetterKitchensUK
A company like Better Kitchens can help you bring together all aspects of buying your own kitchen - measuring, 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!
The Better Kitchens Showroom, 12 Beaufighter Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS24 8EE
Have you got your Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”) in place yet?
Did you watch The Martin Lewis Show a few weeks ago talking about the importance of preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney (“LPAs”)?
If you need further information or advice, please do not hesitate to contact us. We can also help you choose the right attorneys, explaining some do’s and don’ts along the way.
Preparing LPAs may not be at the forethought of your mind during these difficult financial times, but by not having LPAs in place, the alternative process of making an application to the Court of Protection is more expensive.
There is a registration fee of £82 per document payable to the Office of the Public Guardian but did you know that you may qualify for a reduced fee? We can discuss this at a face to face appointment in the comfort of your home and make the whole process easy and simple for you.
Call Karen on 07498 948580 or email info@grovewills.com
Change across Clevedon’s church scene! - Could it really happen?
PRAYER 4 CLEVEDON - Sat 29th April, 08.30-10.00 @ 44 Old St, (Town Council Offices). Christians from a range of Clevedon’s churches will gather to hear Rev Clive Jennings, (Christchurch), sharing his overview of the church and the town, and then those present will pray for the town to enjoy steadily improving work, family, home, and social life etc.
Info, including our regular Tues and Fri 08.0008.30 Zoom prayer link: prayer4clevedon@ gmail.com, or phone Tim Simpson, (9 am – 9pm), on 01275 872 618 / 07766 110718.
Clevedon Flower Show Plant Sale
Saturday 13th May, 9:00am - 1:00pm. Queens Square, Clevedon. For further info visit www.clevedonflowershow.uk
Cruse Bereavement Support. There is no time limit on grief
If someone close to you has died, talking to our trained volunteers and listening to one another, can help you make sense of your feelings.
Our next monthly ‘walk and talk’ is on Wednesday 10th May. To register please ring Bristol Cruse on 0117 926 4045 and leave your contact details. Alternatively, please come to our drop-in support group, which will be held at Clevedon Community Centre, Princes Road, 10:00am to 12noon on Friday 19th May, where you will be most welcome.
All Cruse services are free.
RNLI Winscombe Plant & Garden Items Sale Saturday 13th May
RNLI Winscombe & District Branch Plant & Garden Equipment Sale is on Saturday 13th May at 10:00am at Winscombe Community Centre, Sandford Road, Winscombe, BS25 1HP. Selling a full range of greenhouse plants; runner and French beans; courgettes; bedding plants; garden fillers; Acers; shrubs; garden jumble; patio items; tubs; garden & domestic tools; and guest stalls all at ‘Give-Away’ prices.
Contact Allan Cooper e-mail allan.coop@tiscali. co.uk or tel 01934 842954 or Tina Joyce e-mail meejlfh@gmail.com or tel 01934 842304 for more details.
Crossword Across
7 Severe mental or physical pain (6)
8 Bowed (6)
9 Lease, tariff (4)
10 Wash, cleanse (8)
11 Inscription (7)
13 Fossilised tree resin (5)
15 Caustic, stinging (5)
17 Nicotine-rich leaf (7)
20 Dwellings, (8)
21 Blanched (4)
22 Forbid, ban (6)
23 Improve, embellish (6)
Down
1 Zealous, fierce (6)
2 Flat-bottomed boat (4)
3 Wreath (7)
4 Ambiguous (5)
5 Scholarly world (8)
6 Unit of measurement (6)
12 Most unshaven (8)
14 Bragged (7)
16 Church (6)
Word Search
18 Unbleached cotton cloth (6)
19 Type of farm (5)
21 Hum, murmur (4)
Puzzle Solutions
The Top Five Things Your Never Wanted To Know About BBQing
#1. Is it BBQ or Barbecue? Barbecue derives from the word barabicu found in the language of the Taíno people of the Caribbean and the Timucua of Florida, and entered European languages in the form barbacoa. The word translates as “sacred fire pit.” The word describes a grill for cooking meat, consisting of a wooden platform resting on sticks. Traditional barbacoa involves digging a hole in the ground and placing some meat (usually a whole goat) with a pot underneath it, so that the juices can make a hearty broth. It is then covered with maguey leaves and coal and set alight. The cooking process takes a few hours.
#2. The first commercially produced barbecue sauce was made by the Georgia Barbecue Sauce Company in Atlanta, Georgia. Its sauce was advertised for sale in the Atlanta Constitution, January 31, 1909. Heinz released its barbecue sauce in 1940. It now comes in three varieties: Classic, Sweet and Sweet & Spicy.
#3. Each year Environmental Health officers see a characteristic rise in the number of food poisoning cases through the summer period. When investigated, there is often one common factor - the barbecue!
#4. SAFETY TIP: In recent years there have been a number of fatalities and injuries as a result of people bringing BBQs into enclosed spaces and being overcome by carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a highly poisonous substance which is created when fossil fuels such as gas and solid fuels like charcoal and wood fail to combust fully due to a lack of oxygen. You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but it can kill quickly with no warning.
#5. In a recent survey of our clients 98% of them had never cleaned their BBQ! But don’t worry your BBQ can be restored to its clean, non-grease laden state in 2 – 2 ½ hours without you having to lift a finger – well not true – you have to pick up the phone and call Graham Rogers at OvenGleamers on 01275 370571
Why can’t I hear my TV clearly?
“The sound and music are 50 per cent of the entertainment in a movie” so said Star Wars creator George Lucas! It’s unlikely that he was thinking about the television in your front room when he said it though. The problem, is flatscreen TVs themselves. We all want a nice new telly to be as elegant as possible – but that makes the job of getting great sound out of it almost impossible. There’s just nowhere in that big, flat, glass-and-plastic frame to fit worthwhile speakers of a decent size – and so the sound your TV makes is weedy and thin in 95% of makes and models
Nowadays some TV manufacturers have started fitting bespoke audio systems to their sets, though these TVs tend to come at quite a cost!
So, what can we do to help ourselves hear TV more clearly?
1) Check the settings. Most TV settings will have an audio menu where you can adjust the sound quality, I would advise that selecting the “Speech” or “Clear voice” setting in the audio menu will often make a big difference.
2) If you have the option, then turn down the bass and raise the treble. This will give a cleaner, sharper sound.
3) Consider the placement of the set, too close or too far from a wall will often impact the sound quality.
4) I am a big fan of soundbars to improve clarity! If you have the space, then a sound bar can be expected to deliver the sound of the show in the way it was planned.
By trying out these adjustments you should have improved your listening experience greatly!
If you still find that you are struggling to hear TV clearly then I would love to welcome you for a free hearing screening at one of my clinics. A 15-minute check will give you better understanding of how well you are hearing many sounds, not just TV.
Toby Meadows, Audiologist & Managing Director of Meadows & Wood Hearing Care Centre
Anyone for Tennis? At Clevedon’s Grass Court Tennis Club
We are holding an Open Day on Saturday 13th May to welcome new members of all ages and abilities to join our friendly club. We run regular sessions on Monday mornings, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Members can also play at any time.
Our Strawberries & Cream Tournament is in August, and we have social events which include non-playing partners. Our courts in Herbert Gardens are between Hill Road and Linden Road, BS21 7NE. 25% off fees for new members. Please contact Sue 01275 341743, Keith 07768 835344.
Learn a new hobby, A Different topic each month
Create and Craft for beginners, a different topic each month. All materials and instruction provided. Meet at The Poacher Inn, High St, Portishead (in the Conservatory) on May 15th, June 5th and July 3rd more dates to follow. Cost £5 per session + cost of materials. For more information please contact Donna 07508297162 or Brenda 07896633900.
G & S The Sorcerer. 25th to 27th May
Clevedon Gilbert and Sullivan Society, together with our new musical director, Richard Lennox will be pleased to present The Sorcerer, at clevedon Community Centre on Thursday 25th May to Saturday 27th May. Doors open at 19.00.
A couple in love want the whole village to feel as happy as them, they employ a Sorcerer to create a potion for the villagers, come and see the results.
Tickets are £12.50 and are available on www. ticketsource.co.uk or visit Clevedon Music Shop, 17 Alexandra Road or phone Karen on 01275 873902.
The Great Big Green Week 10th - 18th June
Clevedon is hosting their 3rd Great Big Green Week from 10th - 18th June, 2023. The Great Big Green Market starts the week at Sunhill Park on Saturday 10th June, 10:00am - 4:00pm. During the week a wildflower walk, litter picks, freecycle day, bat walk, beach clean and other events will be taking place across Clevedon, to highlight the need to protect our local environment. More details from wdc42em@gmail.com
We clean your black and green wheelie bins as well as recycling boxes and food caddy’s.
Prices start from £3.50 per bin.
We visit after the bins are emptied to jet clean, mop out, Dettol sanitise and deodorise leaving them looking and smelling great inside and out.
Excellent customer focused service and great feedback.
Two, Four, Eight Twelve weekly options available. One off cleans can be booked.
A local company servicing both Clevedon, Portishead and surrounding areas.
Fully insured and certified - SafeContractor accredited.
Gordano Bin Cleaning was established in 2021 when Fred and Ruth relocated to Portishead to be near family.
Whilst bin cleaning was an established service back in the Midlands it did not appear to be a frequent service offering in either Portishead or Clevedon and the family run business was born.
Since establishing ourselves we have grown strongly in North Somerset and are proud to visit regular customers each month who really do appreciate what we do and the service provided.
Gordano Bin Cleaning was founded on a professional approach to our work and a
customer focused orientation with pretty much all of the clients remaining with us after signing up.
Quite a few like to have a personal chat when we visit and we are more than happy to integrate into the friendly neighbourhoods of both Clevedon and Portishead.
Whilst Fred and Phil are seen about town with our specialist machinery both Ruth and Becky work in the office answering all enquiries and keep the business running smoothly.
Gordano would be delighted to visit once your bins are emptied to clean, sanitise and deodorise your bins, you won’t be disappointed.
PremTech Furniture Repairs – Your furniture specialists offering a wide range of domestic and commercial repairs
This month, we would like to showcase one of our most popular and effective repairs to one of the most used types of chairs in our home - the dining chairs!
Do you have dining chairs that look a bit worn or don’t match the colour scheme? Or do they have sentimental value and you don’t want to part with them but they don’t fit the style of your home anymore? Instead of buying a whole new dining set which can be costly, allow PremTech Furniture Repairs to work with what you have already got and give your dining chairs a new lease of life.
Whether you would choose a similar material to retain your chairs original look or opt for a new material to completely change them, we have an extensive range of fabrics, leathers and vinyl’s available from our suppliers for you to choose from. We keep a range of fabric samples in stock or we can steer you towards our suppliers website where you can view their entire range. Any samples that we don’t have in stock, we can arrange to have sent to you so you can see them in your own home before making your final choice.
As well as recovering dining chairs, we can also replace tired seat foams, repair loose joints, recolour existing frames (respray or stain) and carry out cosmetic wood repairs.
Our services will enable you to bring a new style or splash of colour to your dining chairs in a way that is personal and unique to you.
So don’t send your chairs to landfill…. Lets help save the environment, save money and give your dining room a new look! For more information about the types of repairs we provide and the repair products which we stock, please visit our website www.ptfr.co.uk
Bombay Potatoes
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: Up to 20 mins for boiling potatoes, 10-12 minutes to fry.
Method:
Boil a large pot of salted water. Add the potatoes and boil until just tender, Allow to cool a little.
Ingredients:
900g Jersey Royals
Thumb-sized piece of root ginger, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 large ripe tomatoes
4 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2/3 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½-¾ tsp chilli powder
Large handful of chopped coriander leaves
Salt, to taste
Quarter one tomato then blend together with the ginger and garlic. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan, then add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the cumin starts to darken, add the onion. Cook for one minute then add the ginger and garlic mixture, the ground spices and salt.
Sauté gently for one to two minutes until the garlic smells cooked but is not burnt.
Slice the second tomato into thin wedges and add them to the frying pan. Stir well and cook the mixture for three to four minutes. Tip the potatoes into the pan and cook for three to five minutes allow the flavours to be absorbed. Season to taste and finally stir in the chopped coriander before serving.
Great Big Green Market at Sunhill Park, Saturday 10th June
The Great Big Green Market is proud to be celebrating with Clevedon Literary Event “More than Words” on the main day of its Festival on Saturday 10th June. Clevedon Community Centre and adjoining Sunhill Park will be the venue for these events, aiming to celebrate and promote a greener and cleaner Clevedon. The market will run from 10:00 - 4:00pm, with stalls and activities in the park, for adults and children. If you would like more information, want to run a stall, or help in some way, please contact wdc42em@gmail.com
Why not keep dancing with Age UK Somerset?
Local charity Age UK Somerset has launched a brand-new dance-based exercise session in Clevedon called Strictly Seniors. This fun and dynamic class is designed for people over 60 and combines dance moves from salsa, rhumba and more. The twice weekly class is held at Kenn Road Methodist Church, Thursdays at 2-3 or 3:15-4:15, £5 per class. Pre-booking is advised to guarantee your place. No partner required,
loose comfortable clothing and sensible footwear recommended, sequins optional! For more information or to book contact 01823 345624 or ageingwell@ageuksomerset.org.uk
Join Woodspring u3a to make friends and try new activities
Woodspring u3a has many different activities for people to join. Clevedon hosts a very popular selection of games groups, so well supported in fact that there is scope for volunteers to set more up. Information about all the groups and the Woodspring monthly speaker can be found on their website u3asites.org.uk/woodspring/home
Prickles Hedgehog Rescue
Prickles Hedgehog Rescue can be contacted if you discover a hedgehog wandering in the daytime, especially if it appears to be injured. The earlier warm spell meant the end of hibernation for some and then of course this was followed by a further cold snap. In particular, please check before strimming during your garden tidy.
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.
Let’s talk about bladder weakness…
Incontinence affects literally millions of people around the world – and there’s every chance that it will affect 1 in 3 of us as we get older. So why do we feel embarrassed or ashamed about talking about it?
It is an awkward topic, for sure. When our bladder is letting us down, we feel less able to do things that we may have previously taken for granted, whether that’s exercising, travelling or even leaving the house. And as a consequence our quality of life can suffer. If we don’t talk to anyone, then it can impact our mental health, and if we ignore it, potentially our medical health. So how do we overcome this stigma around bladder weakness? How do we normalise incontinence and make it a subject we’re all less fearful to talk about?
It’s great to see ‘celebrities’ starting the conversation – actors Kate Winslet has recently spoken about her stress incontinence, as has Samuel L Jackson who developed incontinence in his late 40s.If celebrities can chat openly to the media about their bladder weaknesses, perhaps that will give you the confidence to do the same with those closest to you.
Sharing your worries with a friend, family member or health professional should feel like a weight off your shoulders. And if you talk with a medical professional, they will have seen time and time again how overwhelming and upsetting incontinence can be – they will understand it, and they really can help. In fact, people often say they wish they’d sought treatment sooner. If you need to have discussion about the best products to use, do consider giving us a call or drop us an email. We talk about bladder and bowel weaknesses all day long, so you can be assured we don’t consider it embarrassing, humiliating or awkward – but we definitely understand how distressing it can be, and we are here to help you discreetly, confidentially and kindly.
The more we have conversations about incontinence, the closer we are to ending the shame around experiencing bladder weakness. So let’s talk about it.
