LocalReach Weston January 2023

Are you looking for more visitors to your event or more customers for your business?

LocalReach is an excellent way to promote your event or gain more leads for your business. Prices start from only £34+vat per month. We are the ONLY magazine delivered every month to ALL of your postcode area by the ROYAL MAIL

We now deliver 111,130 copies each and every month to ALL homes and businesses to ALL of: Westonsuper-Mare, Worle, Portishead, Burnham on Sea, Glastonbury, Street, Clevedon, Wedmore, Cheddar, Axbridge, Winscombe & Wells.

A massive 95% of our advertisers rebook their adverts every month and we don’t hold anyone to a long contract. Readers say they love LocalReach and read it every month cover to cover, they keep it on their coffee table for 3-4 weeks and keep referring back to it, they then recycle LocalReach in the knowledge the new monthly issue will drop through their door. Readers tell us they love LocalReach, trust LocalReach and use the services of the businesses inside.

If you are interested in gaining more visitors to your event or more customers for your business go to www.localreach.co.uk for more info or email sales@localreach.co.uk

DO YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF LOCALREACH EACH MONTH?

LocalReach is delivered each month by ROYAL MAIL to ALL of the Weston-super-Mare/BS23 postcode areas, including all towns and villages within the postcode areas, to every resident and business, totalling 18,147 copies each month.

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

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

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

What do cuticles do?

The cuticle is the layer of clear skin located along the bottom edge of your finger or toenail. The function of a cuticle is to protect bacteria from entering at the nail root.

Our nails are made from keratin protein that is secreted by a layer of living tissue called the nail matrix situated at the base of the fingernail. The pale pink half-moon shape that pokes out from under the flesh of your finger is called the lunula and part of that matrix. It’s most clearly visible on the thumbs but isn’t visible on everyone.

Cuticles are delicate and they can get dry, damaged, and infected. Caring for the nail area and keeping it clean will ensure that your nails stay healthy. The easiest way to do this is to soak your hands and feet in soapy, warm water for around 10 minutes every few days. This helps to soften the cuticle and keeps your nails clean. Applying a moisturiser will help prevent dryness and cracking.

Because of their protective function it is inadvisable to cut cuticles as it makes it easier for bacteria to get inside which can lead to an infection. A better approach is to push the cuticle back gently and only and trim loose skin and hangnails.

It’s tempting to pick at cuticles, but this should be avoided, as should using harsh nail polish removers. Stick to an acetone-free formula.

If you use a nail salon, ask the technician not to cut your cuticles, and make sure that they sanitize their instruments.

If you notice signs or symptoms of infection at the base of your nail, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.

By Kate McCarthy

Garden View

This month – Winter Scent

has an extremely long flowering season, starting in mid-autumn and going right through until early spring.

All of the above flowers can be cut, and will last for several days in a vase in the house. But January is also the perfect time to enjoy gardening indoors. My teenage son collects cacti and was gifted a striking, ornamental cactus with funky foliage a couple of years ago, called Epiphyllum anguliger. The wavy-edge leaves which oscillate along the stem give rise to its more common name, the Fishbone Cactus. As well as looking handsome all year round it has the delightful bonus of producing large creamy white flowers in winter which emit a wonderful scent in the evening, just one bloom can fill a room with a sweet fragrance.

I love a garden planted for winter. There are so many plants with wonderful shape and interesting evergreen foliage. But the thing that draws me out into any garden is scent, and fragrance is particularly uplifting in the depths of winter.

Getting outdoors into natural daylight, even on a cold, dank day is a mood booster. If you need an excuse to don woolly hat and gloves then what better than winter-flowering shrubs. Even better if you can cut a few sprigs to take back indoors. Chimonanthus praecox, known as Wintersweet is the type of shrub that looks rather unexciting in spring and summer, but in winter once established (which may take a couple of years) the bare branches erupt with lovely waxy yellow flowers which have an intense sweet and spicy scent.#

For a little spot near the front or back door, think about Daphne bholua, a shade-loving, tiny, evergreen shrub which produces delicate pink or white blooms that look like they are made from fondant icing. They have a rich floral, oldfashioned scent.

If space is limited you also try Sarcococca hookeriana. This is also a shade-lover and produced a very powerful jasmine-like scent which carries well on the breeze.

If you have more space and would like something more robust then plant Viburnum x bodnantense. It produces pom-poms of flowers in pastel pink or white which smell of warm vanilla and lilac. It also

You don’t have to be deprived of scent in the winter months. Make a New Year’s resolution to bring some fragrance into your garden, and your home.

Happy gardening.

By Rachael Leverton

Relationship Resolutions

It’s that time of year again. What’s your resolution? The top three people usually make are:

Lose weight Get organised Save more (or spend less)

Most resolutions fail even before the turkey leftovers run out. So, for 2023 why not make a resolution or two with your partner that will enhance your relationship? The major benefit of doing it together is having a readymade accountability partner. Here are our suggestions for the best relationship resolutions.

Communicate authentically – Make time to talk about the best bits in your relationship, and then talk honestly about any resentments you have been holding on to. Don’t be accusatory, make a pact to be constructive and resolve any problems as a team.

Together time – Schedule it in the diary if you have to. Have lunch or supper together without the

kids at least once a week. If money is tight you don’t have to go to a restaurant. Cook together or just have a sandwich and a chat. When our kids were young, we created ‘our time’…lunch once a week on a Wednesday because this was the only time we were ‘together alone’. Even If I we hadn’t managed a proper chat all week, we knew Wednesday would come round again.

Date Night – If you can, take ‘together time’ to the next level and set aside a ‘date night’ once a fortnight, even once a month can make all the difference. Go to see that new film or play, or hit the bowling alley,

Take note – I used to put little post its in the kids’ lunchboxes when they were at primary school, along with a little treat. One day on a whim I did the same for my husband and he loved it, so I kept doing it. He then started to leave the odd post-it in my car or took the time to send me a sweet text message. The experts call these little gestures daily love habits and they help to create a loving atmosphere in a relationship.

The thrill of the new – Go roller skating, or take a ballroom class, or learn to paint together. Maybe visit a local museum you’ve never been to, a nearby stately home and garden. It doesn’t really matter what the activity is, it’s about having fun and creating a good memory together. It counts as a date too!

Say thank you – Yes he might usually clean the loos or put the bins out. You might always clean out the rabbit, do the grocery shopping and put the laundry on. Maybe you take turns to cook. We all tend to have chores that are ‘ours’ but try making the effort to say ‘thank you’ to each other. It will probably feel a bit odd or unnecessary at first, but everyone likes appreciation for the little things. A few words of thanks can mean a lot. It might be the only appreciation anyone has shown all day.

Laughter is the best medicine – Laughter is serious stuff! When life gets serious, we often forget to have fun. Tell your partner a joke, or an amusing story from your day; watch your favourite comedy show together or go to a comedy club. Laughter brings people together. It’s also a great aphrodisiac! Was there ever a better reason to make a relationship resolution?

By Kate McCarthy

How safe is your data?

We often get called out by customers who have a broken device in their hand, such as a phone or tablet. Often these devices were setup years ago and sometimes using an obscure email address that is not the customer’s main address. We found that certain large computer retailers tended to setup a new email account for computers, phones and tablets on behalf of their customers, and often this account email address and password gets lost over time. The problem arises once a fault occurs and the device cannot be turned back on, or even fixed. In particular for Android devices, we would recommend that you check that you have the Google (usually gmail) address and password that has been linked to the device, as this is needed to be entered in a new device in order to retrieve photos and so on, that is stored. Most of these devices use “the cloud” to store photos and without the username and password for the device, it can be hard or impossible to get the data back.

Computer data also needs to be considered – photos and documents going back years are often not stored anywhere else. Having a local backup drive is a good way of storing a copy of such important items, and often the process of backing up can be automated, so that this happens in the background without you having to worry.

Be prepared for “2FA” – 2 Factor authentication is coming to a variety of organisations, in particular when you buy something online. “2FA” means that you will have to receive a code by text message, sent by your bank, prior to completing your purchase online.

If you are concerned that your data may not be safe, please see our advert on this page. We come to you at your home or office and can make sure that everything is setup correctly to protect you in case of a faulty device.

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

Win While You Save

The history of Premium Bonds

Do you own any Premium Bonds?

More than 21 million of us own at least one, and their history dates back to the 19th century.

By 1861 the British Empire was wealthy but ordinary citizens were not. They had little opportunity to save. A Huddersfield banker called Charles Sikes wanted to change this. He proposed a scheme to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Gladstone. Gladstone approved and decided there should be a savings bank within, “...an hour’s walk of every working man’s fireside.”.

The Post Office Savings Bank was established to provide cheap funding to the Government, and the Ordinary Savings Account was born. Because the funds were secured by the Government people felt it was a safe way to invest so the project was a success with 2500 branches opening within two years.

During the First World War, the Government needed to borrow more money, so in 1916 it launched War Savings Certificates in 1916 and followed those with National War Bonds in 1917. These raised £433m (around £24 billion based on today’s values).

During the Second World War there was a similar National Savings campaign and deposits rose from £509m to £1,982m between 1939 and 1946.

After the war the Government wanted to encourage people to save again and on

Lynne Castell’s Adult Art Groups

November 1st 1956, Premium Savings Bonds went on sale. These didn’t earn interest, instead each £1 bond received a unique number and had an equal chance to win a prize in a monthly draw. £5 million worth of bonds were sold on the first day (about £121 million today).

So that each £1 bond had an equal chance of winning a prize, the draw needed to be truly random. Because of the complexity of the task, the Government used the team behind the Second World War code breaker, Colossus, to build a piece of Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment, dubbed ERNIE. This machine generated bond numbers based on the signal noise created by gas neon diodes. The original ERNIE was the size of a van and took 10 days to complete a draw. Over the past several decades ERNIE has been through several iterations the current machine is ERNIE 5, which was introduced in 2019. ERNIE 5 is powered by quantum technology which uses light rather than thermal noise to generate random numbers and takes just 12 minutes to complete a draw.

Back in 1956 you had to own a bond for six months to be entered into the draw, now it’s one full calendar month. Initially you could only invest £500 maximum, and the biggest prize was £1000. In a time when the average weekly pay was £10 per week, and average house prices were just under £2000, it must have seemed like a huge sum.

Today, you can hold up to £50,000 worth of Premium Bonds, and the maximum prize is £1 million with two chances to win the jackpot each month. There are also many smaller prizes down to a modest £25. 82 billion bonds go into the draw each month so the odds of any individual bond winning a prize (no matter how small) is 24500 to 1. More than £350 000 of bonds from 1956 are still active today and eligible for entry into the monthly draw.

Believe it or not, even in the present economic climate there are currently over 1.6 million prizes worth more than £63 million which have not been claimed. Perhaps now might be a good time to check to see whether you have any old Premium Bonds in your name, which have been forgotten about. You might get lucky!

By Jamie Maxfield

NOTE: Before making any financial decisions you are advised to consult a professional, financial adviser.

Living with Teens

The teen years are a time of body changes, brain rewiring, social pressures and exam stress. Parenting a teen can be hard work.

Conflict - Conflict is completely normal. Teens have to learn to become independent. They are hard-wired for it. Try to remain calm, listen and choose your battles. Decide what is worth taking a stand on and what isn’t.

Boundaries – Teens will test boundaries which is a source of conflict (see above). Set out clear guidelines about what is acceptable. Tell your teenager where you’re going, who with and when you’ll be back. Explain that this is for your safety and so they don’t worry. Tell them you expect the same in return, so that they are safe, and you don’t worry. Boundaries show you care. You teen knows this even if they choose to argue over them.

Individuals – Your teen is not an extension of you. Don’t expect them to agree with everything

you say or believe. Teenagers should and will test opinions and people. Agree to differ. Your teenager is more likely to respect your views if you respect theirs.

Interest – Show an interest in your teen’s day, whether at home or at school. Offer support and guidance with homework or revision. But please note that genuine interest is neither pressure nor prying. Just keep channels of communication open so they know they can talk freely to you about anything.

Family time - Your relationship with your child will change as they progress through their teens. Makes sure you spend some time together doing everyday things…sweeping up the leaves in the garden, sorting laundry, preparing supper. Don’t assume they won’t appreciate a family outing to the cinema, bowling or mini-golf now and then, or even a country walk. They may approach the event ironically as though they are humouring you but if they come it’s because they want to be there.

The work you put in to your relationship with your teen will pay dividends as they get older.

By Heidi Leonard

Shakshuka

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp cumin seeds

½-1 tsp cayenne pepper

800g tinned tomatoes (use the best quality you can find)

2 tsp soft brown sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

4-8 eggs, depending on hunger

Small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan (with a lid) and add the onion. Fry gently until golden, then add the peppers and cook until they are soft. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook for another minute or two.

Pour in the tomatoes and mash roughly. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Taste and season. Add a little more cayenne if you like your dishes spicier.

Make 4-8 hollows in the sauce and break an eggs gently into each one. Season lightly, and turn the heat down as low as possible, cover the pan with the lid and cook for about 10 minutes until the eggs are just set. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with crusty bread.

Serves: 4 with bread

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

A happy new year from all at Browns

Domestic Appliances

As we stand at the door of a new year, we can’t help but wonder what 2023 will hold for us all. I like to think we will see some real positivity and hope in amongst the doom and gloom we have become so accustomed to. Although 2022 had many challenges for small businesses, as I write this, we are happy to say that so far, we have weathered the storms and we are so thankful to all our customers throughout the year who chose to use us. As with all small businesses, our aim is to provide a friendly and professional service, with the emphasis on keeping things simple. Recently we have noticed that the charges for services have been going up quite dramatically, even charging for unpacking your new appliance. Our prices include delivery and installation to your existing connections, and we will take away the packaging and your old machine too. The only exception is refrigeration which we do have to charge a recycling fee for.

But its not just new machines we offer. Our repair service is a busy part of the business, and we can offer repairs on most makes of washing machines, washer dryers, tumble dryers, dishwashers, electric cookers and ovens and hobs, both freestanding and integrated. If we need to order a spare part then we have great suppliers who can deliver to us quickly and we do keep some popular parts in stock.

Its always great to have feedback from our customers, we are very thankful for all those who take the time to ring or write or post on Google or social media. We still maintain our 5-star status which is a great encouragement to us.

So, as we commence a new year, we hope that you will remember us when you need a domestic appliance repair, or when you need a new appliance. As we approach our 39th year in this business we would like to wish all our customers both past, present or yet to be a happy and hope filled 2023!

Scottish plaid (6)

Entice, coax (6)

Shape with many sides (7)

Circulate, deliver (5)

Grovel (5)

Spiky plant (7)

Calendar, schedule (6)

Despot, bully (6)

Touchable (7)

Scrutinise (5)

Pretended (5)

Teeming, jammed (7)

Victim, prey (6)

Delicate, fragile (6)

Subject matter (5)

Let go (7)

Seraph, cherub (5)

Nimbleness (7)

Beginning (5)

Essential feature (7)

Coalesce (5)

Captivate, fascinate (7)

Ebb, fade (7)

Kept away from (7)

Instruct (5)

Provide for (5)

Leave bread to rise (5)

Sea-dwelling duck (5)

I Want a Divorce

It’s good to talk

A divorce will be quicker, cheaper and less destructive if both parties co-operate and behave with maturity. Even if you can’t agree everything, try to remain civil because if you fall out and the divorce become acrimonious and prolonged, savings and any equity in your house will get eaten up very quickly.

Discuss things like who will petition who for the divorce and what grounds they will cite e.g. infidelity, unreasonable behaviour, or separation. Having a clear, uncontested plan will keep costs down.

Christmas is often a time when problems already present within a marriage come to a head. January is often when people decide they want to make a break. Divorce is a scary word, but if approached correctly the outcome can be positive for both parties.

What do you want from your settlement?

Think about your children, the house, and any shared finances. Try to remove emotion from the equation and be clear and realistic. Courts are not interested in why a relationship broke down and will try to be fair to both parties regardless. The fact your partner cheated will not mean that you get more money.

Consider mediation

Mediation is not marriage counselling. It is there to help both parties agree on the key issues such as childcare arrangements, what happens to the house, what happens to savings, pensions and investments. If you can agree on these matters than all the lawyers really have to do is draw up the agreements. In this way and the need for an expensive court hearing is avoided.

Mediation works best if both parties commit to find a solution that works best for everyone. It is not always free, but it is much less expensive than legal fees.

By Louise Addison

Yes You Can!... Lose Weight, Eat Food, Have Fun!

Successful slimmers from Weston have transformed their lives by losing over 9 stone and are opening more groups to support people who are struggling with their weight and ultimately their health. Suzy and Jenny run Slimming World groups at Weston Cricket Club and are delighted to announce that they are extending their services to help more people. Latest government figures reveal that over 60% of the population are overweight or obese and that the pandemic has created a huge surge in inactivity and unhealthy habits.

Suzy says: The last 2 years have had an impact on so many and, for people wanting to join us, knowing that they are not alone is crucial. I couldn’t have lost weight without the support and understanding of my Consultant and group. I know the challenges people face and along with the group, I will be there to support every one of my members all the way to their chosen target weight.

Jenny explained “Like a lot of slimmers, I had tried to lose weight many times but these methods were never sustainable. I’d get tired of restricting what I ate. I was destined to struggle with my weight for the rest of my life. I came to Slimming World and it was different. I never felt like I was on a diet. The eating plan encourages you to eat lots of tasty, filling foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat and fish. I couldn’t believe I’d found a way to lose weight without starving myself. Being in a group surrounded by people who care about your success and support you is exactly what you’ll find at Slimming World. Research says this support makes all the difference when you’re trying to lose weight – in fact 93% of Slimming World members felt more committed to their weight loss.

MONDAY

TUESDAYS

5.30 & 7pm With Suzy 07875 466864

WEDNESDAY - NEW 8am SESSION ADDED 8.00, 9.30 & 11am 7.30pm With Suzy 07875 466864

THURSDAY - NEW SESSION ADDED

5.30 & 7pm from Jan 5th

With Jenny 07950 105148

WORLE Worle Baptist Church Rawlins Ave BS22 7FN

WEDNESDAY

5.30pm With Tracey 07540 311898

On January 1st, 1660 Samuel Pepys began to write his diary. He had no idea that it would become one of the most important documents for historians studying the English Restoration period, which coincidentally also began in 1660.

Pepys’ diaries are special because he recorded every day mundane events. He was also socially

well connected because his cousin, Edward Montagu, was a high-ranking naval officer who found a position for Pepys at the Navy Office in the City of London. Pepys was talented and worked hard so was promoted quickly, being invited to important events, all of which he recorded in his meticulous shorthand.

For example, Pepys was aboard one of the ships which sailed to Holland to bring Charles II back to England and he attended the coronation. He recorded everything in his diary, giving vivid accounts of the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. Through his entries we are also able to relive the theatre of the period, as well as fashion and popular food and drink. His diary has been of invaluable assistance to historians and has given much pleasure to its many readers

If you were given a diary this year, or have a desire to start a blog in 2023, what would you want readers in the distant future to know? What would they find interesting, or odd? Maybe one day you will be as famous as Pepys!

By Tom Hancock

Normal People

by Sally Rooney

It’s the time of year for a feel-good romantic novel, one that can be enjoyed curled up under a blanket with a nutmeg-spiced hot chocolate.

Laurie is unlucky in love and stuck in a career rut. One day she is sitting on a bus when she spots a man reading at the bus stop. He looks up, their eyes meet and somewhere there is a spark. Laurie can’t stop thinking about him, wondering if they will ever meet. Her best friend and roommate Sarah is Laurie’s opposite. She introduces Jack, her new boyfriend to Laurie, anxious that they will hit it off except... her boyfriend is the man from the bus, the guy that Laurie has been dreaming about. No surprises here...classic romantic chicklit so far.

Cue heartbreak and hiccups, and the quest not to hurt a friend while pursuing your own ‘happily ever after’. But this novel actually spans a decade (unusual for a romance) of friendship, fate, unrequited feelings, forgiveness, heartache, and love. It’s not a typical love story...there’s good character development. It’s told both from Laurie and Jack’s perspectives, with the reader privy to their thoughts and feelings. It has all the nostalgia

(and a few of the cliches) of a Richard Curtis film, but the trio of central characters clearly care deeply about each other. Their friendship feels genuine, which in turn makes us care about them and gives the story its heart.

If this book doesn’t get made into a film at some point, I’ll be surprised.

Escape Room

by Christopher Edge

Ami is a clever, thoughtful girl who is gifted an escape room experience for her birthday. She’s excited arriving at The Escape, eager to solve puzzles and to make new friends. But Ami and the children who enter the escape room with her, never have anticipated the dangers ahead or how far their strengths and fragile new friendship bonds would be tested. It seems that far from playing simply to win the escape room, they are fighting for the continuation of the entire planet! The novel is aimed at ages 8-12. It’s short, fast paced, and full of twists and turns, so is particularly ideal for more reluctant readers, and the ending has quite a twist.

By Tash Donovan

Oven Cleaning – The Job We ALL Hate!

Are you embarrassed by the state of your oven? Do you hide your cooker door with a tea towel folded over the handle? Is your food being contaminated by past cooking? You’re not alone – the vast majority of us hate cleaning our ovens – it’s a messy job with dangerous chemicals and it seems to take forever. But the benefits of cleaning it really are worth the effort to get it clean. If your oven is greasy then each time you heat it up, the grease already caked on in your oven will start to vaporize and permeate and taint your lovely fresh food. You’ll also find that your oven takes longer to get up to temperate as the grease forms a blanket-like layer which has to be heated first before the cavity of your oven gets heated. Keeping that oven door glass clean not only looks nice but also gives you the chance to check your food whilst it’s cooking without having to keep opening the oven door (letting the heat) to see how it’s doing.

Feeling exasperated about the thought of cleaning your oven? Then let OvenGleamers help you - we offer a professional deep cleaning service of your cooking appliances and are the only local oven cleaning company that does not use harmful chemicals within your home. Give us a call and get your oven looking “as new” again.

Once your cooker’s clean again here are OvenGleamers 5 top tips for keeping your oven looking good between cleans:

1. Wipe up spills on the inside of the oven and oven door whilst the spills are still in liquid form.

2. Use an Oven Liner on the base of your oven or on the bottom rack to catch drips. These liners are non-stick and wipe clean easily or you can pop them in the dishwasher. (AGA clients can use these liners as non-stock liners in their roasting tins or baking trays)

3. Do not clean the exterior of an oven if it is hot. The heat will quickly evaporate the cleaning solution and leave a residue.

4. Soak the burner racks in warm, soapy water.

5. For stoves with flat top hob – simply spray with a gentle cleanser and wipe dry.

Graeme Robertson is your local OvenGleamer and can be reached on 01934 440032.

See our website www.ovengleamers.com for more details or check OvenGleamers’ Facebook page:

@OvenGleamersWestonSuperMare

Peak Heart Rate

Demystified

So, a relatively unfit 40-year-old should aim for 90-126 BPM.

This doesn’t apply if you are taking part in HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, because for these you’ll spike your heart rate to high levels during your working intervals for very short periods, then allow it to partially drop while you’re resting between sets.

To make the most of your workout you need to pay attention to your heart rate.

A heart-rate monitor, which notifies you when you reach your maximum predicted heart rate, is useful. To calculate this number during your own workouts, simply subtract your age from 220; so, for a 40-year-old, that would be 180 BPM (beats per minute).

You do need to take your fitness level into account. If you’ve never worked out before and your fitness levels are low aim to achieve 50 to 70 percent of your maximum predicted heart rate. For highly trained athletes, the goal is to hit 90 percent.

Continue to pay attention to your heart rate after your work out is finished. Watch how long it takes for your heart rate to return to baseline after completing aerobic exercise. It should drop by about 20 beats within the first minute of stopping exercise. As you become fitter though and exercise at peak heart rate for longer, it may take longer for your heart rate to return to normal. If your goal is to improve your cardiovascular fitness aim to stay between 60 and 70 percent of your maximum predicted heart rate. To improve endurance, aim to hit 70 to 90 percent.

IMPORTANT If you have any medical condition you should check with your GP before starting a new exercise regime.!

By Louise Addison

Gardens

How to Style it

The Black Skirt

Whether its maxi, knee length or mini; A line, flowy or slinky, most women possess at least one black skirt. If you’re anything like me, you mostly pass over this humble item of clothing when choosing what to wear. But when challenged to write a series on ‘how to style it…’ I thought it would be as good a starting point as any. My black skirt is a thick Ponte jersey and hits just above the knee but the following combinations can be adapted for any length or style of black skirt.

Black skirt + Black blazer

Channelling my inner Parisian I styled my black skirt with a camel-coloured top, my favourite black blazer, sheer tights, gold jewellery, red lipstick and high heeled nude court shoes.

Black skirt + Sweatshirt

I paired a faded slightly oversized wine-coloured

Puzzle Solutions

Mindbender:

1: So far, so good 2: You can say that again

3: The last straw

sweatshirt with black opaque tights and chunky black boots, then swapped out the boots and tights for white trainers. Both looked good.

Black skirt + White blouse

It’s a classic combination but can look like waitress attire or school uniform. The trick is to choose a blouse in a luxe fabric like silk or satin, that’s embellished with a frill, or cut away shoulders or a low back, and pair it with nude, black or metallic heels and classy jewellery.

Black skirt + Denim jacket

This is a great casual look when paired with a white or grey T shirt and trainers. Logo T shirts look particularly good, and if you’re more of a boot person, those chunky boots look great with this outfit.

Black skirt + Patterned tights

I haven’t worn patterned tights since school and now I’m 44 and I still think of patterned tights as being for teens. My daughter (who is very much a teen) persuaded me to try her black sheer polka dot tights and actually they did look very nice when I paired them with a plain V neck red jumper and black flats. Perhaps if your style is a bit more edgy you could try pairing a brighter patterned pair with military style boots, and add chunky jewellery.

Black skirt + Animal print

I am wary of animal print. I own a pair of leopard print flats and one dark leopard print V neck jumper, so I paired the skirt with the jumper and added opaque black tights and knee-length midheeled black boots with simple jewellery. I was surprised how classy it looked…and how long my legs looked!

Black skirt + Party top

I would normally consider my black skirt too boring for a party, but I tried pairing it with a sleeveless purple sparkly top, nude tights and some pretty gold party shoes I found in a charity shop. I added my black blazer and a black evening bag with a gold chain strap and felt quite sophisticated as I headed off to a 21st birthday dinner.

I hope I’ve encouraged you to pull out your black skirt and get imaginative with styling.

By Lorna Chalmers