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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

Weston-super-Mare & ALL of BS23 postcode

FREE • February 2022 • Issue No. 8

CHURCH – page 4 GARDENING – page 6 HISTORY – page 9 COMMUNITY – page 10 PUZZLES – page 14 KIDS – page 24 BOOKS – page 26 RECIPES – page 27 BUSINESS A-Z – page 29

• Three and Four Wheeled Walkers • Wheelchairs • Bath Lifts • Rise and Recliner Chairs • Stairlifts • Mobility Scooters • Electric Wheelchairs • Cosyfeet Slippers and Shoes

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WELCOME TO LOCALREACH

Welcome… Welcome to the February edition of LocalReach Weston. I hope everyone has gotten over the long month that is January and have your New Year resolutions in full swing. With the typical cold February weather, the temptation could be to stay indoors. Hopefully this issue of LocalReach will tempt you to step outside. There is lots going on in the area that can get you out and about this month, so have a read, wrap up warm and try something new. Please remember, if you have any local events coming up or any news that we can publish, please send them onto me at sarah@ localreach.co.uk before 1st February 2022. Take care

Sarah

Editorial deadline for the March issue is 1st February LocalReach Community Editor: Sarah Venn

sarah@localreach.co.uk

Advertising & Enquiries:

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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 2021.

WESTON-SUPER-MARE LocalReach Community Magazines are delivered by ROYAL MAIL every month. Your local postman delivers 17,978 copies door to door to all of Weston-super-Mare/BS23 postcode area.

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CHURCH

Barriers and boundaries Well, it’s happened again; some of my fencing that surrounds our back garden has blown down in high winds exposing the one bit of the garden that I wanted to hide away. An accumulation of rubbish from renovation and change tucked away out of sight for an opportune moment where I could be bothered to go down to the tip with it. But now it’s on show. The barrier torn away by an invisible force of rapid air movement of a storm has revealed it to the public viewing. But this gaping hole rips not just my garden apart for all to see but challenges me personally on a level I hadn’t expected. As I look down the street where I live, every garden is fenced off with 6ft barriers that cut us from the community around us. Protection, privacy, the English man, and his castle keep people at arm’s length if they get too close and steal our stuff. I wonder if there is an alternative to take down our barriers and put in boundaries instead. Boundaries are different from barriers. Boundaries can be mutual agreements between people that

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promote community and connections that know where the line is drawn. Boundaries are where you can turn off notifications on your phone so that you can put in quality time with family and friends without distractions. What about planting hedges instead of building fences that encourage wildlife, better for the environment, and foster friendships with neighbours? Barriers exclude people, create division, and promote the ability to say ‘no’ to some things and ‘yes’ to others. Boundaries give us the chance to ask for help or offer help to others who are struggling with their rubbish hidden behind the walls and barriers we put up. Past hurts, broken relationships, old wounds, and the like. The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesian church that Jesus is our peace. He is the one who breaks down our walls of separation, who can bring healing between people and groups, making them one. Storms of life can expose many things, who we are, we can put up barriers to fend off people from the real us. The wind always comes along and blows these barriers down; boundaries are the way forward to heal division and enable healthy boundaries to be made that foster healing rather than division. Kindly provided by Revd Andy Pearce, Associate Minister at Locking Castle Church & Community Pastor for Church @ St Anne’s, West Wick.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Don’t let declarations of love go unheard Ah February. It’s the month of romance, love and whispering sweet nothings into our loved ones’ ears. I’m sorry……what did you say? Pardon, what was that? I just can’t hear you! Don’t let declarations of love go unheard. Being able to hear someone declaring their love for you is heart-warming and a reminder that we are loved and cherished. It’s one of life’s most simple and easiest pleasures. If you are struggling to hear those declarations of love then why not get your ears checked with me? If there’s an excess of wax or skin cells, I can clear this for you and you can hear all those loving words… pitch perfect. Words to cherish and remember. Keeping on top of ear health can make all the difference to your hearing. If there’s too much wax then I can deal with it. If it’s more complex than that I can refer you on to other healthcare experts. Ears are technically self-cleaning. The wax spirals outwards from deep within the ear canal, picking up dead skin cells and any other debris before simply falling away, usually while showering and often without you noticing it. Some people need a little helping hand with the wax removal from time to time and that’s where I can help. Using just 1 hour of your time I can conduct a full consultation, examine both of your ears and perform microsuction if it’s required. Clearer ears and peace of mind within an hour….what’s not to love?! If you keep a regular check on your ear health then you will be able to hear your loved ones’ declarations of love and sweet nothings all year round…..not just on Valentine’s Day. Use the contact details below to book an appointment with me. As always, I look forward to meeting you and your ears soon!

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GARDENING

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Garden View This month – Contain your excitement garden centre. Yes its more expensive but it might be worth it in time and energy saved. The patio is a great place to indulge your creativity. Do you want a brilliant chaotic colour palate or a cool tranquil colour scheme, or maybe even monochrome calming greens in many textures of foliage. I think of patio pots like soft furnishings in the house…changing things up can transform the mood. While containers are conventionally planted in autumn and late spring, they can actually be planted at any time of year, and I like to get a couple planted up in February so they can become really established and give me a running a start. For me February marks the real beginning of the gardener’s year. Seed sowing starts in earnest, and we can begin to plan to bring the patio pots alive. As a gardener I do raise a lot of my plants from seeds in cold frames and greenhouses. But there is no right way to approach this. If you’re super busy and time in the garden is short, wait until late February and purchase fresh, well grown young plants from the

FREE OF CHARGE PUBLICITY FOR SMALL, LOCAL CLUBS, GROUPS & SOCIETIES. LocalReach Community Magazines provide FREE OF CHARGE publicity for your local events. The ROYAL MAIL delivers 17,978 copies each month to all of BS23. As you can imagine we ARE inundated each month so we try to limit the wording to 50100 words. Plus you can send a good quality photo &/or logo. So if you are organising a cake sale, jumble sale, garden fete or similar, we would like to hear from you. Email your event details for inclusion in our Whats On pages to our community editor sarah@localreach.co.uk before 1st of each month.

I use containers of all sizes but generally the large ones provide more impact. If they are to large and heavy to move easily, plant them with hardy bulbs or permanent shrubs or trees. You can then add seasonal geraniums and pansies etc around the core planting. Small, moveable containers can be planted with bright bulbs and specimen plants that can be brought to the front as they reach their peak with flowers or foliage. If you have a sheltered frostfree area for a cold frame or poly cover you can plant early, keep safe from the worst of the winter weather, and then bring them out when the frosts have finished. Good trees for larger containers are conifers. There is such a huge variety of shapes and colours to choose from. For patios its best to choose more compact, well-groomed shapes in bright greens or yellows. Groups of three or five pots containing contrasting shapes and colours work very well together. Alternatively go for similar shapes in a variety of sizes and colours. Because February tends to be quite wet drainage can be an issue. As a guide, patio and decking surfaces should be dry, or only wet if it’s rained recently. If a patio or decking is constantly wet it’s likely that algae and moss will start to grow which can look unsightly and make the surface dangerously slippery to walk on. Use a strong yard brush and approved detergent to keep hard surfaces clean and safe. As anticipation in gardening provides much of the pleasure take the garden furniture out of storage this month and clean it up…then you can enjoy a cup of tea on sunny days and watch your patio begin to wake up.

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It may do “exactly what it says on the tin” but let’s face it, treating a timber fence can never be called fun! In fact, owning a timber fence isn’t much fun either with costly, time consuming maintenance and repairs almost every year. Finally, the alternative to timber fencing…our fence goes up and stays up, resisting wind gusts of up to 130mph! Colourfence fencing solutions are made from innovative Colorbond steel, virtually maintenance free with an occasional wash down with water to keep it looking as good as new - so you never need to pick up that paintbrush again!, Guaranteed not to rot, warp, chip or peel for 25 years. Available in a variety of heights and colours with or without trellis, our skilled installation team will make short work of transforming your garden. The best news is the pricing is just as attractive, starting costs are in line with comparable traditional systems but offer the ongoing peace of mind that your investment will continue to save time and money year after year. For those of us who want a low maintenance garden, Colourfence promises a lifetime of hassle-free enjoyment.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Are your stairs a struggle? Enjoy independence in your home… Do I need a Stairlift? – If you have difficulty getting up and down stairs you are not alone. The decision to install a stairlift is sometimes a difficult one to take but, when compared with the alternative of moving or living on only one level of their home, many people have found a stairlift to be their preferred solution. Why choose us? – Suttons Stairlifts aim to provide a reliable and prompt service to their valued customers. Thanks to personal recommendations from satisfied customers referring us to their friends and relations Suttons Stairlifts is now a wellestablished company committed to providing expert advice with a no-pressure selling policy, guaranteed! Our Products and Services – We offer a range of new or refurbished Handicare stairlifts for either straight or curved stairs throughout the West Country, from Bath & Bristol right down to South Devon. We also offer a rental option for straight stairlifts as well as annual services and safety checks, repairs and removals. What happens next? – We will visit you to survey the staircase and conduct a user assessment leaving you the leaflets and prices so you can make the decision in your own time. Once you’ve made your decision we aim to install your lift within the week, or even the next day subject to availability. With our comprehensive 12 or 24 month warranty and 365 day coverage you can be assured of a firstclass and personal service from Suttons Stairlifts. Call us on 01749 346 900 for more information.

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LOCAL HISTORY

Shrove Tuesday and Pancakes Playing games was also frowned up during Lent and in many towns in England, games of football were played on Shrove Tuesday, a practice which probably dates back to the 12th century and which continued until the passing of the 1835 Highways Act which banned the playing of football on the public roads. In an interesting precursor to the “trick and treat” custom on Halloween, children apparently went round houses on Shrove Tuesday demanding the following: We be come a-shroving, For a piece of pancake, Or a bite of bacon, Or a little truckle of cheese Of your own making

In Anglo-Saxon Britain, the 40 days before Easter, known as Lent, were fast days and on the Tuesday before this started, Christians would go to church to confess their sins. This became known as Shrove Tuesday derived from the word “shrive”, meaning to be absolved from sin. The “shriving” bell would be rung on this day to call people to church. Obviously before 40 days of fasting, various foodstuffs needed to be eaten up. Meats would be consumed on what was known as Collop Monday, a collop being a slice of meat, and on Tuesday eggs, butter and flour would be turned into a pancake. Recipes for pancakes are mentioned in cookery books as far back as 1439, although the cooking of basic mixtures of ground grain and water was certainly done in Roman and Ancient Greek times and probably far earlier than that. Of course, Lent didn’t only mean fasting, it also meant a time for quiet reflection and prayer and so medieval Britons made sure that they spent the few days before Lent enjoying themselves. One of the results of this was the beginning of pancake races which, according to legend, began in 1445 in Olney, Buckinghamshire when a woman reputedly heard the shriving bell when she was making pancakes and rushed to the church in her apron clutching her frying pan. Pancake races are still held today in many places. The practice of tossing pancakes is also an old one and, in a book published in 1619 called Pasquil’s palinodia, it says “and every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Panckes up for feare they burne”

Apparently, they sometimes took shards of crockery or stones with them to throw at householders who refused to give them anything. Thankfully this custom seems to have died out! Enjoy your pancakes! Kindly provided by Elizabeth Friend, Axbridge Archaeological and Local History Society. www.aalhs.co.uk

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE BUSINESS IN 2022? LocalReach is delivered every month by ROYAL Mail to 83,000 homes & businesses. You can advertise in LocalReach Community Magazines from only £3+vat per week! 100% guaranteed delivery by ROYAL MAIL 95% of our advertisers rebook every month 30% of our pages given free to the community Call us now on 01934 312171 or email hello@localreach.co.uk

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

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COMMUNITY

NHSRF Tuesday 1st February: Please note our next meeting of the NHSRF Fellowship a coffee, chat and raffle will be on Tuesday 1st February in the Scouts Hut, Windwhistle Lane, BS23 4PR from 10.30 - 12.30 all are welcome including family and friends whether NHS staff or working in the social care sector. Our speaker’s subject will be “War on Plastic” which should be interesting. Further information can be found on the web:‘Branch Finder NHS Retirement Fellowship Weston super Mare’

Weston Organ and Keyboard Club Thursday 3rd February: The Club meets on the first Thursday of every month in the Somerset Suite of Weston Football Club, WSM, BS24 9AA at 7.30 -10.00pm. Top Artists entertain us using today’s state of the art instruments. They play music from shows, musicals, films the big band era, 1960’s and more. Entry fee is £7.00 at the door with free parking. During a thirty-minute interval, there is a licensed bar, food and tea & coffee available. For more information, please visit the websites www.westonorganclub.20m.com www.organfax.co.uk/clubs/weston or call Jo (Chairman) on 01934 812759. Our next Concert is February 3rd Steve Hubble: www.organfax.co.uk/players/stevehubble/

Weston-super-Mare Conservative Club Forthcoming events Saturday 5th February: 3:00pm6:00pm - Beverllyn, a popular female singer Saturday 12th February: 3:00pm-6:00pm - Just Jed, a new act at the club, not to be missed Saturday 19th February: 3:00pm-6:00pm - Tony B, a well-known local artist Saturday 26th February: 2:30pm-5:30pm Stephen Cesari, bring your dancing shoes Every Tuesday: 3:00pm - 4-00pm - Bingo session For more information visit www.wsmconservativeclub@co.uk

Monday Sing-a-Long Monday 7th February: On the 7th February and every other Monday, irrespective of 5-week months, from 2pm until 3.45pm, St Peters Hall, St Peters Church, Baytree Road, will be hosting a singing group for those who love to sing just for the joy of it! No musical ability whatsoever is required. 10 | www.localreach.co.uk

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A donation of £2 is requested, but shouldn’t be a deterrent to joining us, to cover the refreshment costs. Email jo.coates1@gmail.com

Weston-super-Mare & District Family History Society. Wednesday 9th February: The next meeting will be on Wednesday 9th February 2022 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, Baytree Road, Milton, W.S.M. BS22 8HQ from 2-30pm to 5pm. The speakers are Peter & Jenny Towey on “DNA & Family History”. New members & visitors are welcome. Entrance fee is £1-50 for members & £2 for visitors. Coronavirus precautions are in place.

Live Music at 49 Social Club Sunday 13th February: Live at the 49 Social Club Sunday 13th February from 4:00pm International Star Karla returns to the club with all the classic hits. Not to be missed. Non members and guests over 18 are all welcome.

Dorothy House Men’s Walk To Support Sunday 13th February: Join Dorothy House on 13th February 2022 for the ‘Men’s Walk To Support’. This 8-mile walk is an opportunity for guys to join together in solidarity, share their life journeys together, and raise vital funds to help Dorothy House provide end-of-life care for our local community. The walk starts at 12 noon from Dorothy House, Winsley, and participants will set off on the route that follows the canal and finishes at Bath Pavilion - just in time to watch the Six Nations England v Italy match at 3pm. Sign up today by visiting dorothyhouse.co.uk and search ‘Men’s Walk To Support’!

Worle Community Centre is a community space for community use Sunday 13th February: Based in Lawrence Road, just 200 yards from Worle High Street. Our first event in 2022 will be a massive book sale on February 13th where we will have 100s of books along with some items of jewellery. We urgently need volunteers to help us run the many events and activities we are planning for 2022.

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For more information, please visit our new website at worle.community, or call 01934 515681 or email - enquiries@worle.community

Weston Woodturning Circle Thursday 17th February: Will meet on the 17th February, being the third Thursday of each month commencing at 7.00pm at: Weston AFC, Winterstoke Road, Weston super Mare. This meeting programme is to be confirmed. Should covid restrictions mean that we are unable to meet in person, then members will be invited to a Zoom meeting. Visitors who are interested in our craft are welcome to join us by just turning up on the night, with the first two monthly meetings being free of charge. For more information about our friendly welcoming club contact us by visiting our website www.weston-woodturning-circle.co.uk

Friends of The Playhouse Coffee Morning Saturday 19th February: Join The Friends of The Playhouse for their next Coffee Morning on Saturday 19th February 2022 from 10am being held at The Playhouse Theatre. On sale will be a selection of hot drinks and biscuits. The Friends of The Playhouse will be continuing their fundraising efforts and adding to the £260,000 that has been raised by The Friends over the last 30 years. Social events planned for 2022 will be announced in the New Year for those that wish to join in. Run by a team of dedicated team of volunteers the coffee mornings take place monthly at The Playhouse Theatre on WsM High Street. So if you are passing the theatre on Saturday February 19th, please call in to the theatre and have a cup of tea or coffee! (Open for both members and non-members )

COMMUNITY

Curry & Conversation Monday 28th February: The next free Curry & Conversation lunch will take place on Monday 28th February from 11am to 2.30pm at Weston-super-Mare Football Club, Winterstoke Road. This month we will discussing fast fashion and the circular economy and how we can change our buying habits to help the environment. Come along and enjoy the conversation with a free curry. North Somerset residents and businesses all welcome. Spaces are limited so booking is essential at www. cleanercoastlines.org.uk/events or telephone/text Debbie on 07974 190660 Funded by the Quartet Community Foundation Megawatt Community Energy Fund

The Stable Games Room Upcoming Events Every Wednesday: 10:00am – 3:00pm Sensory Sessions Every Thursday: 3:00pm – 10:00pm (Buy one, get one free on Pizza + kids free play Family Thursday 1st Thursday of the month: 3:00pm – 10:00pm Chess Clock Jenga Every Friday: 3:00pm – 8:00pm = Free Pizza Friday 2nd Thursday of the month: 10:00am – 1:00pm Bridge Club Last Sunday of the month: 10:00am – 10:00pm Screwball Scramble Sundaes Last Thursday of the month: 7:30pm – 10:00pm = Board Game Designer Meet up Contact thegamesroom@thestableweston. com or call 01934 315305.

Live Music at 49 Social Club Sunday 27th February: We have Andrea Hirthe live on Sunday 27th February from 4:00pm with her first appearance back at the club in a number of years. Not to be missed. Non members and guests over 18 are all welcome.

Over 600 board games for all ages Loads of great weekly events FREE Pizza Fridays

D&D Nights

Bridge Club Social Gaming Sensory Sessions 129 High St. WsM BS23 1HN Opposite The Playhouse Theatre

www.thestableweston.com @thestablegamesroom

www.localreach.co.uk | 11

LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

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Sleek, Strong & Secure: Garolla Garage Doors For high-quality, handmade electric Garage Doors look no further than Garolla! Revolutionising the Garage Door industry, Garolla are the UK’s largest Roller Garage Door installers across the country with hundreds of garage doors being installed every single month. A company with nationwide power combined with local know-how, your local Garolla installer is right around the corner. Manufactured from strong aluminium, every electric Garage Door is made from the highest quality materials to ensure a strong, long-lasting foundation. From there, skilled craftsmen create bespoke electric Garage Doors to your home’s exact measurements. Once complete, these Garage Doors are rigorously tested and must pass a series of quality control tests before making their way to be fitted by your local installer. From measuring to installation and beyond, you will only ever work with your own local installer. They will be on hand to answer all of your questions and help guide you through the process of updating your garage door. Not only does a Garolla Garage Door improve your home’s aesthetic, it will also help to keep it safe and secure. Utilising a patented auto-locking system and twin-walled slats, Garolla Garage Doors keep the contents of your garage out of the hands of criminals and acts as a powerful deterrent for potential burglars. Gone are the days of heavy, outdated swinging doors. With Garolla, you can access your garage without taking a single step out of your car. Using one of two remotes provided you can quickly and easily open your Garage Door and park. And thanks to Garolla’s ingenious octagonal barrel system you can now park even closer to the door, allowing you to utilise every inch of your floorspace. Low-maintenance, these garage doors just need the occasional wipe down to continue looking as good as the day you bought them. Available in a stunning selection of 18-colours, you can now match your home’s exteriors with your own personal style. Whether you’re looking for Classic White or an adventurous Moss Green, Garolla has the perfect design to suit you. For an instant quote including measuring, fitting and VAT you can call Garolla’s friendly customer care team on 01934 660140 or visit their website at www.garolla.co.uk for more details.

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12 | www.localreach.co.uk

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Candlelight Dance Club Sundays: Come and join us on a Sunday for an evening of social ballroom, latin and sequence dancing. We dance every Sunday in the wonderful ballroom at The Grand Atlantic Hotel on Weston super Mare seafront. We are a social and informal dance club and welcome all ability dancers, in a friendly atmosphere. Although we are based in Weston, dancers come from Bristol, Bath, Wells Cheltenham, Bridgwater and surrounding areas. We dance from 8.00 pm 10.00 pm. £5.00 per person. Bar available and free parking. For full details: www.westonsocialdancing.co.uk

Junior Park Run Sundays: Every Sunday 9am from Walford Avenue for 4-14 years old. To find out more go to: www.parkrun. org.uk/westonsupermare-juniors/

Caroline Barlow School of Dance

COMMUNITY

511808 for more information. All walks are under an hour in duration and is suitable for many who wish to get more active in a supportive and friendly environment. For more information: North Somerset Walking for Health | Walking for Health www. walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder/nor thsomerset-walking-for-health

Vocalise Choir! Mondays: Do you love singing and want to be part of something special? VOCALISE is a friendly, all-inclusive ladies’ choir that meets in St George’s Community Centre on Mondays at 7.30pm. No auditions, no experience needed. Lots of different music, so something for everyone, along with fun and laughter. Try us for free by ringing Ann on 01934 627709, email ann.clewlow@btinternet. com, find us and more information on Facebook, or vocalisechoir.wordpress.com. Please ring or register before coming as we have strict Covid measures in place

The Lions Club of Weston-super-Mare Mondays: St.Judes Hall Tap - 9.30am - 10.15am Tap - 10.15am - 11.00am Dance fit - 11.00am - 11.45am Beginners Tap - 11.45am - 12.30pm Thursday: Lady of Lourdes Church Hall Over 50’s/Beginners Ballet - 9.30am - 10.15am Over 50’s Dance Fit - 10.30am - 11.30am Friday: Lady of Lourdes Church Hall Over 50’s Dance Fit - 12.00pm - 1.00pm Children’s Classes: Wednesday - Saturday, St.Judes Hall 2.5 years to - 18yrs, Ballet RAD, Tap, Modern, Jazz and Tap ISTD.

North Somerset Wellbeing Walks Mondays: Walks in and around Weston at 2pm on Mondays, at various locations. Call or email John Western on 01934

Mondays: WsM’s Lions Club has a mix of men and women who work together to support the local community - through fund raising and working in partnership with local charities. Additionally, the Club meets socially once a month. We welcome new members and invite you to get in touch to see how you can get involved – ‘Ordinary People doing Amazing Things’. Contact our membership on johnﬁeldholland575@gmail.com and follow our Facebook page @TheLionsClubofWeston-superMare to keep up to date with all that we get up to!

Women Of Weston-super-Mare Womens Institute (WoW WI) Tuesdays: WoW WI meets monthly, on the third Tuesday of every month. Meetings are held at The Vintage Church Centre, 25 Hughenden Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23 2UR. Meetings start at 7.30pm and finish up about 9:15pm. We usually have a speaker or activity, and Guests are always welcome. The first meeting is free. If you need any more information please contact us at WeAreWOWWI@gmail.com www.localreach.co.uk | 13

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HEALTH AND BEAUTY PUZZLES

Crossword

Across 1 Spectacles (7) 5 Foot joint (5) 8 Apologise, redeem (5) 9 Die (7) 10 Surveying method used to calculate distance (13) 11 Sound reflections (6) 12 Petrified prehistoric remains (6) 15 Sweets and chocolates (13) 18 Heathrow or Gatwick (7) 19 Common blood pressure medication (5) 20 Layers (5) 21 Captures, seduces (7) Down 1 Enormous, colossal (5) 2 Eradicate, prohibit (7) 3 American name for canine guides for the blind (6, 3, 4) 4 Element with symbol Na (6) 5 Person who excavates historic remains (13) 6 Brownish-olive (5) 7 Without pause, endless (7) 11 Bewitch, enthral (7) 13 Rainbow (7) 14 Effigy, figure (6) 16 Courage, fortitude (5) 17 Slang name for US citizens (5)

Word Search

Mindbenders

Aristotle Bell Bohr Boyle Copernicus Crick Curie

Darwin Edison Faraday Feynman Fleming Franklin Galileo

14 | www.localreach.co.uk

Goodall Hahn Hawking Hubble Kepler Linnaeus Maxwell

Newton Nobel Pasteur Planck Rutherford Tesla

Solutions: Turn to page 28

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HEALTH LOCAL EXPERT AND BEAUTY PAGE

Browns…still keeping things simple! Each month we really want to do our best for you our valued customers. In the ever increasing difficulties of the world we live in we aim to keep our service as simple as possible. With energy prices rocketing we are keenly watching the energy ratings on the machines we sell. It is even more important to choose appliances that use the least energy whilst giving you the best results possible. When appliances break down we are here to help you choose the best way forward. And we believe you can rely on us. Browns Domestic Appliances has been established in Weston since 1985, a family run business, repairing your domestic appliances. That includes washing machines, washer dryers, tumble driers, dishwashers, electric cookers, ovens, hobs and hoods, fridges and freezers. We also sell new appliances, and although we do not have a showroom can advise customers on the best machines for their needs or to meet their desires, even visiting you in your home to discuss and advise. We aim to give an excellent service, and each customer is very important to us. Our service includes delivery and installation to your existing connections, and we take your old machine away. However, unlike our competitors, we always go the extra mile to overcome problems and accessibility. One of our specialisms is integrated appliances, and we are often able to come up with solutions to many of the problems associated with replacing old with new. We work alongside a brilliant electrician and an equally brilliant gas safe engineer and a skilled carpenter. We believe our service is second to none. With the cost of living soaring we are doing all we can to keep our charges as reasonable as possible. We appreciate these are difficult times for us all. Don’t forget we are here to help - call us on 01934 517657 - our aim to keep things simple!

Browns Domestic Appliances Ltd Making things simple! Your complete local domestic appliance specialist for sales and repairs We sell and repair washing machines, washer dryers, tumble dryers, dishwashers, ovens, hobs and hoods, cookers, fridges and freezers. We are specialists in Freestanding and integrated appliances Local family business established 36 years All work insured and guaranteed No hidden extras. We keep things simple!

01934 517657

www.brownsdomestics.co.uk www.localreach.co.uk | 15

COMMUNITY

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St Mark’s Community Café Tuesdays: Mark’s Community Café opened in 2018. It’s built steadily until forced to close in March 2020 due to lockdown. We reopened in July and are so pleased to see people coming back. We meet Tuesday afternoons 2.30 to 4.30pm. We offer tea, coffee, cakes, and a listening ear. There is no charge, but a donation cup is on each table. We take all precautions to keep you safe – hand sanitisers are readily available, masks are not mandatory, the choice is yours. Please join us, you will be sure of a warm welcome from Gill, Denise, Brenda, and Chris. St Mark’s church, Worle,BS22 7PW

Respite Care Day Centre Tuesdays: Our Day Centre provides respite care for people who need time out from looking after a loved one or just companionship for lone people. We now have some great entertainment coming back in which is great. We have a Ukulele band and a singer coming along soon to entertain. Each session will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, Milton on Tuesdays 10.30-1.30pm. For more information call Nikki on 07879018384 / 01934 429519 or email nikkidight@gmail.com

Lynne Castell’s Adult Art Groups Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Always wanted to learn to draw and paint; develop your skill; or start using that set of paints you were given? (All in a friendly environment!) Lynne teaches a wide range of subjects in Watercolours 1.00pm to 4.00pm on Tuesdays and Oils, Acrylics and Pastels from 10.00am to 1.00pm on Wednesdays. All at Greenways Farm, 2 Lyefield Road (behind the Crematorium), Worle BS22 9NX. Plus, seasonal outdoor painting and indoor Workshops. For more details contact Lynne on 01934 628760 / 07519 109002 or online at www.lynnecastell.co.uk

LGBT+ Support Groups Wednesdays: North Somerset LGBT+ Forum offer some fantastic support groups to the LGBT+ which take place 16 | www.localreach.co.uk

between 6:00pm and 8:00pm on Wednesdays each month. 1st Wednesday of the Month: Trans+: North Somerset’s support group for transgender, nonbinary and gender-questioning people aged 18+. 2nd Wednesday of the Month: Colours: A safe space for 13-17 year olds who are LGBT+, questioning or allies, to socialise and meet new people. 3rd Wednesday of the Month: Family+: A free social group for parents, guardians and relatives of LGBT+ individuals to ask questions, get support or just pop along for a chat! 4th Wednesday of the Month: 50+: A safe space for members of the LGBT+ community who are over 50 to meet new people and socialise. For more information please email: support@ nslgbtforum.com or find us on social media through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok

Petanque Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays: Play Petanque at the Clarence Park Bowling Club. We are a small friendly group who meet all year round. Use of Clubhouse and boules are included in your annual subscription. Just come along to the club on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon at 1 pm or Sunday morning at 10.30 am. Weather permitting. Come to the main gate to the bowling greens and if locked just call across to the Petanque players in the far corner.

Vocalise-Lite Thursdays: Vocalise-Lite is a ladies’ community choir meeting on Thursdays 1.15pm to 2.45pm. No auditions, no experience necessary, no pressure! Ideal if you love singing, but dislike being out after dark or you have commitments in the evenings. We finish in time to collect children from school. The venue, Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, WSM has its own car park. A chance to make friends and socialise over a cuppa before singing a variety of songs. Contact ann.clewlow@btinternet.com, tel. 01934 627709 or find more information and sign up on our Facebook page. Please ring or register before coming as we have strict Covid measures in place.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Carpet & Upholstery Stain Protection. Does It Work? The simple answer is yes it does. Stain protection on carpets and soft furnishings form an invisible protective coating on fabric and fibre. It helps repel liquid spills and prevents staining, allowing liquids to sit on the surface for longer giving you time to blot them up with an absorbent cloth. Most new carpets and some soft furnishings come with manufacturers stain protection and some offer a warranty. However It is always worth checking with them.

Untreated

Unfortunately, over time this protection will lose its effectiveness due to normal wear and tear and the build up of soils. Everyone knows that carpets benefit from regular professional cleaning but did you know that the original stain protection can be reapplied in conjunction with a fresh carpet/upholstery clean to prolong the life of your carpet and soft furnishings. Copper Beech Cleaning offer a friendly free survey and 6 months stain warranty on any freshly cleaned and protected carpet and upholstery cleaned by us…

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

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Whether to upgrade or replace your computer – considering the recent release of Windows 11 Is your computer over 5 years old? Sooner or later, older computers are expected to run into issues. There are recommended steps that can be taken to slow down the degeneration of computer health, such as routine servicing and decent antivirus protection. Regular backups are also worth performing to protect from sudden data loss. On average, computers older than 5 years are more expected to produce issues, and the question of upgrading or replacing often poses a conundrum for people. A common error we see is the assumption a slow or problematic computer is non-repairable, which concludes a new replacement computer as the sole resolution. In such scenarios, people often struggle on for months with problems, or simply stop using the computer altogether, because a replacement is not an affordable option. We want to let readers know that more often than not, computers with corruption, slowness, freezing, and many other issues, are repairable at a cost much cheaper than a new computer. For example, the common issue of extreme slowness is often resolved in an hour’s work replacing one internal component. However, with the recent release of Windows 11, there are new hardware requirements to meet. These requirements play a delicate role in the evaluation of whether investment in repairing or upgrading older computers is worthwhile. Investing in an old computer then being forbidden from upgrading Windows is not ideal. The “PC Health Check” found in the Windows 10 start menu list provides a quick way to tell if your hardware supports the latest Windows iteration. If not, a new computer becomes more justifiable over the upgrade route. For assistance with matters like this, or for general help, please see our advert on this page.

Neil Buzzard, Director, Computer Problem Solutions Ltd, Tel: 07973 536299

Computer Problems?

We come to you or remote appointments available! Services include:

• 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.

Engineer: 07973 536299 Office: 01934 853107 E-mail: sales@e-cps.co.uk www.e-cps.co.uk

SHORT NOTICE VISITS OFTEN POSSIBLE • EVENINGS & WEEKENDS ALSO AVAILABLE 18 | www.localreach.co.uk

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The Wee Cannae Dance Club Fridays: Held at St Georges Community Centre, BS23 1HS on Fridays from 1pm-3pm. A weekly session of chat, music, dance, fun and refreshments. People with 2 left feet especially welcome! With a wide range of music to enjoy with a mix of social dance types. Fee per member for a 2 hour session is £3 and includes tea, coffee and biscuits. You don’t have to dance; you can just enjoy the music and chat! You also don’t need to bring a partner. This is not a dance school, it’s social, just for fun! Contact Tony on 01934 260347

Badminton Club Fridays: We are a small friendly social Badminton Club who play badminton every Friday evening. We now play in the Sports Hall at this brand new location, Winterstoke Hundred Academy, Beaufighter Rd, Weston-super-Mare BS24 8EE. If you have played before you are most welcome to join us, as we are always looking for new members. Our membership has a good mix of both male and female players. Your first visit is free of charge. Plenty of free parking. 6.30pm - 8.30pm www.ﬁrstbadmintonclub.co.uk

COMMUNITY

The Curious World of Babies launch Baby Massage Classes What is Baby Massage? Baby massage is the gentle, rhythmic stroking of your baby’s body using your hands. It is a lovely way to connect and bond with your baby. Bonding is a feeling of unconditional love and attachment between you and your baby. Some parents feel it the moment their baby is born, while others can take weeks or months. Baby massage supports the bonding process, it’s a great way to show their love and care for the baby through touch.

What are the beneﬁts of Baby Massage? - Helps both Parent and Baby relax and enjoy quality time together, connecting and bonding. - Helps Baby feel secure and promotes positive interactions between parent and baby. - Builds confidence in handling your baby and well as learning and responding to your baby’s cues. - Can help baby sleep longer and deeper. - Can relieve the pain caused my colic and constipation. - Can ease teething.

Weston Super Mare Bridge Club Saturdays: Weston Super Mare Bridge Club is a long-established club offering friendly bridge to players of all levels of experience. The Club is based at the Haywood Village Academy, 20 Whitney Cres BS24 8ES on Saturday afternoons, 1.30pm arrival with play starting at 1.45pm. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Further details contact Daphne 01278 555897 or email daphnegreat@sky.com or view Club website

Weston Ukelele Players The Weston Ukelele Players have been entertaining the guests at Pontins in Sand Bay during their Tinsel and Turkey celebrations. They presented a cheque for £484.37 to Emma Parker from Children’s Hospice South West which was collected at 3 recent performances by themselves and the Beachd Buoys Shanty Band.

- Massage can have a positive impact on those babies who have had a traumatic birth or surgery.

When can I start Baby Massage? There is no set guidelines regarding the minimum age to start Baby Massage, however in a class setting I would recommend after their 6 week check. E: bookings@thecuriousworldofbabies.co.uk

Baby Massage and Postnatal Support Group Haywood Airfield Leisure Enterprise Wednesday’s 1.30-2.30pm £28 per month (4 sessions) bookings@thecuriousworldofbabies.co.uk www.localreach.co.uk | 19

COMMUNITY

Help your local Scouts! We still need to boost our incredible collection of leaders, tea makers, activity planners, tidyuppers and helpers. We would really value your help for as little or as much time as you can spare. Axe District Scouts need enthusiastic volunteers to help our young people get going, get thinking and get stuck into all kinds of things to give them skills for life. Every now and then that may well mean using a compass, but more often than not it’s about confidence, speaking up, thinking on their feet and going for it. Can you help? Sign up here: www.axescouts.org.uk/volunteer/

Weston-super-Mare celebrates achieving Fairtrade status Following weeks of hard work and commitment by councillors, businesses and private individuals, Weston-super-Mare is now celebrating becoming accredited as a Fairtrade community. In March 2021 Weston Town Council voted overwhelmingly to apply for Fairtrade status and our application was officially accepted on 15th December. Fairtrade status means that Weston is working towards ensuring that producers of everyday goods, such as tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar receive a fair, guaranteed price for their produce. Additionally, a small premium attached to Fairtrade goods is used to provide services such as education and sanitation in the producers’ villages. Goods bearing the Fairtrade symbol can now be found on sale in at least 22 local shops, cafés and supermarkets, and Weston Town Council uses Fairtrade tea and coffee for all its refreshments. There is no difference in quality between Fairtrade and non-Fairtrade products and the prices are comparable. Farmers around the world face many challenges ranging from unfair trading practices to poverty and climate change. Fairtrade has paved a way for fairer, ethical trading. Currently it works with 1.66 million farmers and workers in poorest nations to enable them to earn a sustainable income and the Fairtrade Premium that they can invest in community, business and environmental projects. 20 | www.localreach.co.uk

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Councillor Pete McAleer, Chair of the local Fairtrade group commented: “We are really proud to see Weston becoming a Fairtrade town. It just shows what can be achieved when businesses, local people and politicians of all parties work together to make lives better for other people.” Sarah Brazier, Communities Campaigns Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation said: “We all have huge power to change things for the better through our shopping choices and business practices. With the support of campaigners such as the Fairtrade Weston-super-Mare group, the Fairtrade movement has helped to transform the lives of millions of farmers and workers, their families and communities in the world’s poorest countries. Trade is not working for everyone and so we need to keep driving change for more farmers and their families. I hope the group will continue their muchneeded work and I wish them many more years of success.” The Fairtrade Town campaign started in 2001 in Garstang, Lancashire, to promote Fairtradecertified goods in the town. The Fairtrade network currently includes over 600 Fairtrade Communities in the UK, and over 2,000 worldwide. To find out more please contact Pete McAleer at mcaleerpete@gmail.com or 01934 412461 and join our FaceBook group Fairtrade Weston.

Kenya Hope Charity During the covid pandemic, Weston-based Kenya Hope Charity began two tree nurseries in Kenya to provide jobs and a purpose for youths, to teach them about caring for creation, and to help fight global warming. To date, 36 schools have had 25 trees planted in their school compounds (mainly fruit trees) and during a planned mission in February, chairman Brian Humphreys hopes to plant the 1,000th tree and oversee the completion of two newly constructed schools. Brian said, “although we are only 4yrs old, thanks to our great supporters, we are supporting 14 villages through covid and changing lives both now with our child sponsorship programme at only £15a month, but changing lives for future generations of pupils by providing a fruit supplement to future school meals with our fruit tree planting programme.” To view videos of the charity’s work and for more details, please log on to www.kenyahopecharity. org, email brianandirene@sky.com or telephone/ txt Brian on 07879 847657

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

OvenGleamers Top Tips for Loving Your Cooker This February 1. Invest in a non-stick oven liner. They help to catch all of those annoying drips that stick to the bottom of your cooker, which later can become a burnt-on mess. Easy to wash or pop in the dishwasher.

2. Do not use harsh chemicals inside your cooker. Instead, try a safer homemade option using items found around your household. For an all-purpose cleaner and deodorizer, mix together 4 tablespoons baking soda with 1 litre warm water.

3. Get the wiping habit! Wipe away any spillages immediately with a damp cloth. Don’t give the mess a chance to stay. I know this sounds easy and as hard as you try it is a chore, the oven can still be hot and some of the stuff just doesn’t want to come off but stick with it. Get a microfibre cloth and use it wet with washing-up solution. 4. Cover your roast! You need to stop the grease spitting all over your lovely clean oven. To do this just put a lid on your roast tin or cover with foil or try a roasting bag. This way the inside of your oven and your grill (if its inside your oven) won’t become completely coated in grease when you are cooking. This grease, if left in the oven, becomes burnt on carbon in the long term and is very difficult to get off. 5. Get a professional in to Gleam It! If you really can’t get all the dirt and grime out of your oven yourself then maybe call and book someone that can. A newly cleaned cooker will be sparkling and clean and if you follow our other tips you will keep it clean, won’t you? Need some professional help? Then call Graeme at OvenGleamers on 01934 440032 or go to www.ovengleamers.com for more details.

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COMMUNITY

Adopt-a-Street’ litter picking scheme Want to help keep your local area clean and litter free? Why not join the North Somerset Council, Adopt-a-Street scheme? Adopt a street or road/s near to where you live, and the council will provide you with litter picking equipment and safety guidelines. There are already over 100 volunteer litter pickers working across the district, who complete such valuable work helping to keep their local environment litter free. Adopt-a-Street was established to complement and enhance the great work that’s already happening. North Somerset council recognise the amazing dedication of our volunteers and that together we can all make a difference. If you’d like to apply to become a volunteer, or find out more, please check our website www.nsomerset.gov.uk/adopt-a-street or email adopta-street@n-somerset.gov.uk

The Beach’d Buoys The Beach’d Buoys, Weston’s acclaimed shanty band, have been playing to audiences all across Somerset and the Southwest for a number of years and due to the increased workload are looking for singers and musicians to join the Buoys. The ladies are particularly welcome! Payment is zero as all proceeds are in aid of the Wraxall Childrens Hospice. We take nothing out for expenses and have even been known to perform for a tin of biscuits at Christmas. In other words all you will be receiving will be the satisfaction of performing for an excellent cause. The Buoys are sponsored by the Captains Cabin and practice there Sunday evenings and Thursday afternoons. You will receive a hearty welcome as well as an excellent choice of ale. If shyness abounds and you would like an informal chat, please contact Peter on 07734 055808 and leave a message. I’ll get back to you by return.

Weston Whippets Weston Whippets returned from their festive break back to normal club sessions for our adult, youth and child teams. We are now delivering sessions 7 days a week, thanks to our fantastic team of coaches and leads. Our club now caters for all from age 4 up. If 22 | www.localreach.co.uk

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you’d like further information on how to get involved with the club please email us at WestonWhippetsrc@ gmail.com. If you’re interested in getting your little ones involved in athletics, please have a look at funetics.co.uk where you will find lots of information about the sessions we offer for age 4 to 11 years.

Weston Whippets Annual Challenge Weston Whippets is currently delivering an annual challenge through 2022, built and delivered by one of our team leads, Becci. This year we are raising funds for Great Western Air Ambulance in memory of one of our members Lu, who sadly passed away in 2021. Through January, February and March we are having fun adding clues from Cluedo to every run. We’ve seen lots of imaginative runs with various results. Having fun and raising money for a special cause.

Big Worle – Community Organisation Big Worle are a lottery funded organisation, working in a specific area of Worle and have been granted £1.1 million to spend over a 10-year period to improve the lives of residents in the area. We run events, activities, courses and are welcoming new ideas from local people in this community. We are also looking to expand our steering group and volunteer base so if you are someone who wants to make a positive difference in your community, you can get in touch via our social media pages by searching for ‘Big Worle’ or email chair@bigworle. org.uk

Students who help the homeless, charities and the community have been celebrated as real-life heroes By Josh, 15 Students received Hero Awards for their incredible feats of kindness helping the homeless, charities and the community. Students at Worle Community School Academy in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset were awarded with prizes after superb acts of kindness and outstanding character. The students were honoured for a range of amazing achievements including helping the homeless, charities and people in the community. The students were winners in the ‘Do You Know a Hero’ campaign at Worle Community School Academy. The Priory Learning Trust initiative

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COMMUNITY

saw them rewarded with prizes sponsored by the Grand Pier including a free rides pass. Principal Jacqui Scott said: “These students are real life heroes and we are so thrilled at the way they have helped people in the community.”

Students’ Christmas Book reaches no.3 on Amazon chart alongside Matt Haig and Enid Blyton By Tamsen and Mia, 13 Students reached Number 3 in the world for their Christmas-themed stories, photography and artwork in the 6th edition of the Priory Community School Academy Christmas Stories series. The book reached no.3 in the top free Christmas ebook charts and number one for ‘hot new releases’ on Amazon! Their stories included White Walkies by Anika Cencora, The Festive Season By Megan Sargent, Just perfect by Aisha Jarju, Runaway by Aisha Jarju, Giselle by Sydney Smith and Three Christmases by Emelia Frisby. There was also The Transylvanian mountains in the snow by Edward Dutu, Lulu’s first Christmas by Kiera Wilton, Robin art by Daisy

Fielding, A tale of Christmas by Noah Bradley, Poem by Holly Coleman, Evie’s Christmas sketchbook by Evie Aylott and Merry Christmas illustration by Ethan Cook. James Wilmot, Director of Careers at The Priory Learning Trust wrote the foreword and helps publish the book annually. His foreward states “In the future I want our students to look back on their work and remember when they let their creativity out the box”. England teacher Sarah O’Gorman said, “Every year this is a real joy to create and read: it allows students to showcase their writing and gain recognition.” The festive publication was up there with the biggest literacy greats like JR Tolkein and Raymond Briggs, entering at number 30 in the top 100 Children Christmas eBooks on Amazon and climbing to reach number 3! A special book launch was held on Thursday 16th December to celebrate the authors and recognise the remarkable chart topping edition! Kiera, 16, was highlighted as a yearly contributor of amazing literary work and author Daisy gave a beautiful reading of Aisha (age 12)’s wintery poem ‘Just Perfect’. You can download the Christmas book here: www. amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Stories-StudentsCommunity-Academy-ebook/dp/B09L4VDD55/

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To Valentine, or not to Valentine? February 14th is Valentine’s Day

LOCALREACH

Movie marathon - The Die-Hard films might not be everyone’s idea of romantic film fodder, but we love them and every so often we have a day where we watch all of them back-to-back and buy in lunch and supper. Sometimes we do the Star Wars Trilogy (four, five and six...were there any others?), or the Lord of the Rings series (extended version), or the Bourne films. The point is, it’s an event. We set aside time to do it. Recreate a date - One of my favourite dates from before we were married was when my husband took me stargazing on a clear night. He was an amateur astronomer in his teens and knew his way around the night sky. We lay on top of his car, covered in blankets clutching binoculars while he told me stories about the constellations and encouraged me to look for shooting stars and the International Space Station (ISS)! Sometimes we recreate that, and I still get a buzz when I see the ISS moving swiftly across the sky. What favourite date could you recreate?

My husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. There, I said it. Before you dismiss us as a couple of old cheapskate cynics, whose relationship is on the rocks, we’re both in our late thirties, have been married for twelve years, we rarely argue, and we laugh a lot. We just don’t feel the need to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Five years into our marriage we realised that fancy restaurants, or weekends away mean less when everyone else is there doing exactly the same thing at the same time just because its February 14th. So, we stopped. We do like to do something romantic during February, but to be honest we like to do something romantic at least once in every other month too. Here are our favourite ideas, not restricted to February. We cook a meal. Not just a run of the mill, any night of the week meal. We each choose something from one of our cookbooks (main course and dessert) and we set aside an evening to create it. We arrange it around the kids’ sleepovers with grandparents or friends. It’s our night and we buy good wine, dress up and enjoy each other’s company and the process of creating (and eating) a delicious meal. Write a poem…or a song. My husband writes bad poetry...I’m not joking, it’s terrible and stems from him insisting that poetry is not poetry unless it rhymes! I love poetry and once joked that if he loved me he’d write me an ode. So, he did, and it was awful...but it did rhyme. Periodically he repeats the process, and the results are always hilariously bad. I stick them in a scrap book because as dire as they are, they hold a great deal of meaning for me.

If you love Valentine’s Day then you do you. But ask yourself, do you make Valentine plans with your partner just because that’s the thing to do? If so, perhaps it’s time to make a change. By Kate McCarthy

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

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BOOK REVIEW

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A Good Read

All the Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure is blind. She lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris forcing father and daughter to flee to the home of MarieLaure’s reclusive great uncle, carrying what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. Werner Pfennig, is an orphan, growing up in a mining town with his younger sister, learning about the world through a crude radio they find. Werner’s expertise in fixing radios makes him a valuable asset to the Nazis as they track down the resistance. Doerr deftly interweaves the lives of these two youngsters, and along the way shows us how against all the odds, people mostly do try to be good to one another. This book is built on beautiful imagery. Both in the literal sense - vividly evoking 1940s Paris and Germany - and the metaphorical as it’s woven through with scientific and philosophical references to light, to seeing and not seeing, and the differences between the two. It’s the beautiful and harrowing story of two childhoods torn apart by war. We learn how Mari-Laure and Werner are both forced along paths they did not choose due to their desperate personal circumstances. There is a running theme of interconnectedness, of invisible lives running parallel to one another yet sometimes coming together in the strangest of ways. Marie-Laure and Werner are from different worlds, yet each influences the other. All the Light We Cannot See is a haunting novel. The elegant prose and engaging, heart-breaking stories will remain with you long after you’ve reached the final page. The title hints at the fact that just as we only see a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, so we are only ever aware of a fraction 26 | www.localreach.co.uk

of the spectrum of history. But if we could look deeper, we’d see the untold stories and they would be beautiful and strangely luminescent in their own right.

The Invisible

By Tom Percival This is another book about untold stories and human connections. Tom Percival has blended gorgeous illustrations with his simple, clear prose in this picture book which is perfect for bedtime reading. Isabel is a happy child whose parents love her and each other but the family is struggling financially. They slip through society’s cracks and descend into poverty. Isabel discovers that poverty brings a cloak of invisibility. No-one seems to see her, though she can see more than ever before. She begins to notice the other invisible members of society, and she begins to understand that alongside invisibility poverty brings something else...loneliness. Isabel decides that she will do something to tackle the problem. The book has modern social themes, but rather than being unremittingly grim, or alternatively, ridiculously upbeat and positive, Percival uses his light touch to show us the humanity and love that exist between people everywhere in society, and how we can all make a difference, whoever we are. The beautiful, heart-warming ending doesn’t rely on a lottery win, or a fairy godmother but on Isabel herself showing the way. The author has drawn on his own experiences growing up in poverty to create a gentle and thought-provoking window into a world that for many of us goes entirely unnoticed. This is another book that will stay with you and one which children will delight in hearing again because it has the magic of a fairy tale with none of the schmaltz. By Tash Donovan

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Irish Coffee Chocolate Cheesecake

RECIPE

Method: Line the base of a 20cm springform round cake tin with greaseproof paper and brush the sides with oil. Place the chocolate chip cookies in a polythene bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat then add the crushed cookies. Press the resulting mixture into the base of the prepared tin, and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Place the broken plain and milk chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients: Base Vegetable oil, for oiling 175g chocolate chip cookies 55g unsalted butter

Place the sugar and cream cheese into a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream, then the melted chocolate, and finally the coffee cream liqueur.

Filling 225g plain chocolate (at least 70%), broken into pieces. 225g good quality milk chocolate (at least 45%) broken into pieces 55g golden caster sugar 350g cream cheese 425ml double cream, lightly whipped (this means that it’s no longer liquid, has increased in volume and just holds its shape when the whisk is removed). 3tbsp coffee cream liqueur

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin on top of the biscuit base. Smooth the surface and place in the fridge to chill for two hours. When it’s firm transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with more melted dark chocolate if required, Serves: 8 Preparation time: 30 minutes plus cooling and chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes

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The Winter Olympics February 4th – 20th

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reins attached to a wooden harness, fitted to a horse. Then in 1932 at the Lake Placid Winter Games, sled dog racing was showcased. I rather wish they’d kept that one in, don’t you? Of course, a Winter Olympics relies heavily on snow. In 1964 in Innsbruck, Austria, there wasn’t enough of it and the games nearly didn’t go ahead! Fortunately, the Austrian army came to the rescue, transporting 20,000 blocks of ice from the mountains to the bobsled and luge track, and 40,000 cubic meters of snow to the Alpine skiing courses. Then as soon as the Winter Olympics ended (of course) Innsbruck received one of its heaviest snowfalls for years!

The modern Olympics first took place in 1868. Five years later Sweden decided to stage the first international competition for winter sports. It was called the Nordic Game, and only Scandinavian countries competed. Like the Olympics, it was staged every four years, but it always took place in Sweden. Then in 1908 figure skating was featured at the summer Olympics…sort of. It was actually showcased three months after the main event! In 1911 the international Olympic Committee (IOC) proposed a separate winter competition but initially the Swedes were not keen, then the First World War forced the cancellation of all Olympic events.

Norway is the country that really punches above its weight at the Winter Olympics. It only has a population of five million (London alone has nearly nine million!) but to date has won 368 medals (132 gold, 125 silver, and 111 bronze) – way ahead of their nearest rivals, the United States, who have 305 medals and a population of 329 million! Whether skiing, bobsleighing or the figure skating is your winter sport of choice, pour a hot chocolate or a gluhwein and curl up under a blanket and enjoy all the action. By Tracey Anderson

Puzzle Solutions

In 1920, figure skating featured in the summer Olympic schedule again, and was joined by ice hockey, which proved very popular. Soon after, the Scandinavians agreed to stage an IOC-sanctioned International Winter Sports Week in Chamonix, in the French Alps. 16 nations took part, and it was so successful that in 1925, the Winter Olympics were formally recognised as a separate international event, effectively making the competition at Chamonix the first ever Winter Olympics. The original nine sporting events were: bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping, and skating (both figure skating and speed skating). More events have been added over the years and today there are fifteen: Alpine skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey, luge, Nordic combined, short track speed skating, speed skating, skeleton, ski jumping, and snowboarding. An event that never made the final cut was Scandinavian skijoring. This event appeared as a demonstration in the St Moritz Winter Olympics in 1928 and involved competitors on skis clutching 28 | www.localreach.co.uk

Mindbender: 1: Cars 2: Jungle Book 3: Tangled

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z DRIVEWAYS

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A local company for people denaelcRUGS CLASSIC &local ORIENTAL • Professionally• and reliably cleaned ylbailer dna yllanoisseforP • • We take prideproducts in the service we provide RESTORATION • Family safe and EcoLEATHER friendly stcudorp yldneirf ocE dna efas ylimaF • All work fully • All work fully •guaranteed andguaranteed insured and&insured derusni dna deetnaraug ylluf krow llA • CURTAINS BLINDS Family safe and Eco friendly products • We Professionally take pride• in the service we provide e d ivor•pFamily ew ecivresafe s eht nand i edirpEco ekat eW • and reliably cleaned • Professionally and reliably cleaned elpoep lacol rof ynapmoc lacol A • • A local company for local people friendly products • All work fully guaranteed and insured • CURTAINS & BLINDS Wetoday! take pride in the service we provide Call for a free quote !yadot etouq eerf a rof llaC

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Specialising in… Resin bound & bonded driveways Stone Paving • Block Paving • Tarmac Drop kerbs • Landscaping • General building

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We come to you or remote appointments available! Call for a free quote today! Engineer: 536299 Tel: 01934 23507973 855 www.copperbeechcleaning.com Office: 01934 853107

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Domestic Appliance Sales and Repairs

01934 517657 Freestanding and integrated appliance specialists Local family business established 36 years All work insured and guaranteed

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Browns Domestic Appliances Ltd

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z ELECTRICIANS

GAMES ROOM

D Durnan

Electrical

All works undertaken Fully certified Testing and inspecting Rewires • Small jobs

Over 600 board games for all ages Loads of great weekly events FREE Pizza Fridays

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129 High St. WsM BS23 1HN

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Opposite The Playhouse Theatre

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Total Garden Solutions

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C K FENCING & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Fencing Gates Decking Assembly of sheds/summerhouses and cabins 24hr call out and repairs 07738684979 / Ckhandyman72@gmail.com

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Quality Cut Gardens Hedge Trimming • Lawn mowing Lawnmower Servicing • Turf Laying Herbicide Weed Control • Licensed & Insured

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NEED A MAN WITH A VAN? “Hi, I’m Nigel and I’m available to help clear houses, sheds, offices and garages of all rubbish.

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01749 600387 01934 265358 01749 600387 01934 265358 COVID 19 – We are currently working and practising social distancing of 2m.

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