LocalReach Worle December 2022

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES Issue No. 18

CHURCH – page 4 COMMUNITY – page 6 RECIPES – page 10 GARDENING – page 13 KIDS – page 18 BOOKS – page 22

Christmas Services and events at St Martin’s Church, Worle - page 8 • Three and Four Wheeled Walkers • Wheelchairs • Bath Lifts • Rise and Recliner Chairs • Stairlifts • Mobility Scooters • Electric Wheelchairs • Cosyfeet Slippers and Shoes

PUZZLES – page 23 BUSINESS A-Z – page 29

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WELCOME TO LOCALREACH

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 £24+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.

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Deadline January Issues 1st December

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 2022.

DO YOU RECEIVE A COPY OF LOCALREACH EACH MONTH? LocalReach is delivered each month by ROYAL MAIL to ALL of the Worle/BS22 postcode areas, including all towns and villages within the postcode areas, to every resident and business, totalling 16,955 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.

Wick St Lawrence

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CHURCH

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‘The wonder of Christmas’ I can remember this feeling one time. I am walking on a calm but chilly night in Bristol. The sun was just setting, the stars were stirring, rubbing their eyes as they awake to the cool air of the gathering night. Christmas tree lights twinkled in the windows as family members returned home with bags bulging with just-bought presents and wrapping paper. I had this overwhelming sense of sheer joy in the moment, a tingling of excitement, a feeling of Christmas wafted through the air. A perfect moment, but as soon as there was awareness of it when you tried to focus on the feeling it evaporated, as though startled by your consciousness. It left you longing for more, thirsty, and alone, emptied, yet full of anticipation for something more. That experience has not left me, though it happened many years ago, it is still vivid, but allusive.

C. Lewis had experienced something similar which helped him to move from atheism to becoming a Christian, he called it ‘Being surprised by joy’.

Reflecting on this moment of ‘joy’ it felt like it was a glimpse of the Kingdom of God, another world that we all long to experience, like eternity that is written on the human heart wanting something better than the current reality we live in.

I would like to redeem many aspects of Christmas that may have been considered an enemy of the true meaning of Christmas. These are, to name but a few, gifts, Father Christmas, parties, and the like. Now, of course, the birth of Jesus is central to the Christmas story, hence why the tradition still stands today. However, the way we can alienate many qualities with such terms as ‘don’t take the Christ out of Christmas’ or ‘there is only one reason for the season’ in a defense of the faith. We have an opportunity to point people to Jesus, by redeeming the familiar motifs of Christmas. In the book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe we see Father Christmas portrayed as a solemn and more significant character than say Santa was. Lewis’ Father Christmas gave gifts that were needed; not based on being good enough, but on grace. This simple but transforming version of the man clothed in red redeems something for the faith we love and believe in. What other things can we buy back, what creative ways could ooze love and grace? What could transport us and others into the wonder of His kingdom and be surprised by joy once again?

Have a great Christmas everyone. Merry Christmas!

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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A Festive Evening of Folk Songs for Ukraine Holy Trinity Proudly Presents

RICHA RD LENNOX IN CONCERT

Saturday 10th December: Two highly acclaimed and popular singing groups Mendip Folk Choir and shanty group High & Dry are joining forces to put on an evening of seasonal folk songs and sea shanties in aid of the Ukraine War Appeal. The concert will be held on Saturday 10th December, Cheddar Baptist Church, Lower North Street. Doors open 6.30. Concert 7 - 10pm. Tickets in advance only - £5.

Join us for an evening of wonderful songs, and rousing choruses you’ll find impossible not to join in with. Enjoy a glass of mulled wine, or coffee and cake (donations) in this stunning venue to get you in the Christmas spirit, and raise much needed money for the people of Ukraine.

For tickets and further info. contact: Issy Emeney: issy@emeney.com, 01934 741551.

James Barattini: winscombe.folk@gmail.com, 07703 538861.

Friday 2nd December 2022 7.30pm — Tickets £10 Advanced Booking advised Tickets also available on the door Includes Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Holy Trinity Church, Hamp Street, Bridg water

Contact Coral on 07786438339

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RNLI Winscombe Branch Reindeer Run Sunday 4th December: The Branch is organising its first ever “Reindeer Run” on Sunday 4th December that will be open to everyone that wishes to run and support the RNLI. There will be two trails, a shorter 2 Km trail and a longer 5 Km trail, both starting from and ending back at Winscombe Cricket Club Car Park, BS25 1AZ. The 2 km trail is open to all ages whereas the 5 Km trail is open to anyone aged over 11 years old but anyone under 15 years for either trail must be accompanied by an adult over 16 years. This is intended as a “Fun Event” as both trails will be off-road allowing participants to “Stroll, Walk or Run” the trail and “Fancy Dress” will be welcome; all Finishers will receive a souvenir medal.

To take part please register in advance on the RNLI Winscombe Branch Facebook page www. facebook.com/groups/831976350849360.

Puzzle Solutions

Entry fees will be £10 per adult, £5 for those under 16 and free for all under 5 years; there is also the opportunity to secure sponsorship through a “Just Giving” Page. Participants will be able to assemble and confirm registration at the Cricket Club Car Park from 1:00pm while the “Runs” will start at 2:00pm. Spectators will be welcome and Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Full details are available on local websites and the RNLI Winscombe Branch Facebook page: www. facebook.com/groups/831976350849360 To contact the local organiser e-mail: Tim@moransonline.com

Mindbender: 1: Three wise men 2: Holy night 3: Naughty list

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Live the life you deserve If you thought bathing safely and stylishly wasn’t possible, think again Picture the scene, it’s the end of the day. Your body feels tired and your mind is ready for some downtime. You imagine what it would feel like to climb into a warm, soothing bath and let you cares melt away. Then a niggling doubt takes hold. Last time you had a bath you had to call your partner to help you get out.

Maybe it won’t happen this time. So, you run a bath anyway thinking this time you’ll be ok. But can you enjoy your bath with those doubts in your mind?

We know that going from a ‘normal’ bathroom to one with mobility aids feels like a step in a direction you don’t want to go. But it depends how you look at it. It’s very common for people only to seek help with their bathroom as a result of a fall, accident or near-miss. Should you wait that long, or are there changes you could make now? Just because you’re adding grab rails or a raised toilet in your bathroom for example, doesn’t mean it will look like a hospital bathroom. You could see it as an opportunity to refresh and update one of the most important rooms of your house.

Updating your bathroom with AHM We guide you through the whole process of updating your bathroom. If you’re in immediate need of a solution, we do our best to make it happen quickly. If you prefer taking time to think through the options, that’s fine too.

We’re a small, family-run firm with a background in caring and mobility, so we’re flexible and we know what it’s like. We visit customers at home, for free, to get a full understanding of their needs and there’s always a real person at the end of the phone.

We don’t employ salesmen. Our experienced surveyors visit you to discuss your needs. We also pride ourselves in employing courteous and trustworthy fitters to install every bathroom.

We use specialist bathing products which come with a manufacturer’s warranty, plus our own 12-month installation warranty.

If you’re ready to seek help with your bathroom, call us on 01934 318438.

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p resistant safety flooring • Charity work and grants Call for friendly advice and forfree our survey friendly advice, ab rails,Call shower seatsand & raised toilets 02382 543308 quote free survey and quote

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RECIPE

Festive Terrine

Ingredients:

A delicious and easy terrine that looks impressive but is easy to adapt to ingredients you have available

1 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra to brush 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp. brandy, (optional) 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon (optional) 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (about 1cm) 500g minced pork or turkey.

50g frozen peas OR 50g roughly chopped pistachios OR 50g chopped walnuts 50g dried cranberries OR 50g chopped dried apricots OR 50g chopped dried prunes ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg leaves from two sprigs of fresh thyme.

Plenty of seasoning.

Method: Cook the onion gently for 10 minutes until softened and translucent. Pour in the brandy if using and cook for 30 seconds. Empty the onions into a large bowl and allow to cool.

Serves: 8 Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 2 hours plus chilling time

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Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4.

If using the bacon, line a 2lb loaf tin with 10 of the rashers making sure you leave part of the rashers hanging over the edge of the tin. To the cooled onion in the bowl, add the chopped chicken, minced pork or turkey, and the rest of the chosen ingredients, with the thyme leaves, nutmeg, and a generous amount of seasoning. Mix thoroughly.

Press the resulting mixture into the loaf tin, levelling off the surface. If you’re using bacon fold the overhanging rashers over the filling. Fold any overhanging bacon over the filling and cover with the remaining rashers. Press down again. Cover the top with a lightly oiled sheet of cooking foil and press this down on top of the loaf tin. Then wrap the tin securely in a double layer of foil and place put into a roasting tin.

Boil the kettle then half-fill the roasting tin with boiling water and carefully transfer to the oven.

Cook for 90 minutes until the terrine feels solid when the top is pressed. Lift tin out of the water, remove the outer layers of foil, leaving only the greased foil layer in place. Then carefully pour out any liquid from the terrine to prevent it setting as jelly. Leave to cool. Place a weight on top of the foil layer (tins of beans or even a house brick will do) and chill overnight.

Remove the terrine from the fridge and release it from the tin a couple of hours before serving, to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve with chutneys, and warm crusty bread.

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RECIPE

Last-minute Christmas Gift Cake Traditionally Christmas cakes are made well in advance but if you haven’t had time try our last-minute version. Because it makes two you can also give one away as a gift, and solve two problems with one recipe!

Makes 2 cakes, each serving 8 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1-1¾ hours depending on oven.

Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except the cherries. Beat with a hand-held electric whisk for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Fold in the soaked dried fruits and any whisky, the blitzed ginger and the cherries.

Spoon into the baking tin and level off. Bake for 1-1¾ hours (this depends very much on your oven. My fan oven is super-quick whereas my mother’s aga is slower). If you’re unsure I recommend you check after an hour then every fifteen minutes after that, until the cake is firm and golden brown. To check, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean the cake is cooked. You can cover it loosely with foil after 1 hour if the centre needs more time. This prevents the surface darkening too much. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool.

Remove a thin slice from all sides of the cake and discard. Cut the cake in half to make 2 rectangles.

Top with marzipan and white fondant icing and decorate with a sprig of holly.

Ingredients: 600g good-quality mixed dried fruits 150ml whisky, warmed 150g stem ginger, drained, plus 8 tbsp ginger syrup from the jar 200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 300g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp mixed spice 200g soft light brown sugar 4 large free-range eggs 2 tbsp milk Finely grated zest of 2 small oranges and 2 lemons 50g ground almonds 150g whole glacé cherries

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Method: Put the dried fruits in a bowl and pour over the whisky. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the fruit to plump up.

Briefly blend the ginger and its syrup in a mini food processor until finely chopped. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.

COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

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LOCALREACH

Sock it to Them

Socks are actually the perfect Christmas gift. They are great for stocking fillers, brilliant for Secret Santa, and just the thing for those awkward relatives and friends.

Everyone needs a pair of socks in the winter, particularly now we’re all trying to use the heating less. Bed socks and Hygge-style lounge socks are making a big comeback this year as we all try to keep warm.

And socks wear out, they also have a propensity for disappearing. It’s a rare person who can claim to have too many socks!

They are affordable too. Even if you have a friend who favours designer brands, a pair of socks is usually within budget. Admittedly cashmere socks are super-expensive, but the recipient will love you forever.

As a child growing up in the Seventies, I thought socks were the most boring Christmas gift possible until the year my Aunty Glenda bought me a rainbow-striped over-the-knee pair with individual toes. She was the coolest aunt and they were the coolest socks. I was the envy of my friends and my obsession with socks began.

And there’s a sock for everyone: witty, pretty, glittery, bright, pastel, practical, and luxurious. The choice is endless.

And every time the recipient wears your gift, they’ll think fondly of you.

So, sock it to everyone this Christmas.

By Kate McCarthy

Quality Cut Gardens Hedge Trimming Lawn mowing Lawnmower Servicing Turf Laying Herbicide Weed Control Licensed & Insured 07803 582150 12 | www.localreach.co.uk

qualitycutgardens@gmail.com

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GARDENING

Garden View… This month - Magical Poinsettias

In the UK, poinsettias have become as entwined with Christmas as holly and mistletoe. Yet poinsettias are actually sub-tropical plants, native to Central America and Mexico, requiring temperatures of between 10 and 21 degrees centigrade to survive.

The bright red ‘flowers’ are really bracts, surrounding the real flowers, which are tiny and insignificant.

They are notoriously difficult to persuade to flower again so it is with some pride that I tell you my current poinsettia is seven years old, huge, and flowers every year.

If you want to try this, fertilize the plant once a month then cut back the stems in February to promote new growth. In May repot it to a larger container.

From late September to 1st December cover the plant between 6pm and 8am as poinsettias need long periods of darkness in order to persuade the bracts to turn red. Around December 1st you should have a beautiful flowering poinsettia.

But if this sounds too much like hard work...well, you can always buy another one!

As it’s the festive season I thought I’d finish with a traditional Christmas story, explaining how the poinsettia came to be associated with this time of year.

If you buy a poinsettia for someone this year it might be nice to tell them the story when you give them the plant: In Mexico, there once lived a little girl called Pepita who came from a very poor family.

Every year, she and her brother Pablo looked forward to the big Christmas festival in their village.

A manger scene would be set up in the church and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. On Christmas Eve the whole village would attend church and all the children would place a gift for the baby Jesus next to the manger.

One year Pepita’s family had no money at all to buy such a gift so it was with a sad heart that Pepita walked to the church that Christmas Eve and as they drew closer she began to weep.

“Little Pepita, why do you cry?” asked her older brother Pablo.

“Because I have no gift for the Christ child,” she answered.

“Oh Pepita, even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be accepted by him,” said Pablo, comforting her.

Pepita considered this for a while then gathered a handful of weeds from the roadside verge and fashioned them into a small posy. But as she entered the church her heart felt heavier than before.

With her head bowed she approached the altar and knelt to lay her posy before the manger.

Suddenly the tiny bouquet burst into blooms of brilliant red starry flowers and all who saw them were sure they had witnessed a Christmas miracle.

The flowers are known as Flores de Noche Buena in Mexico which translates as Flowers of the Holy Night.

Happy Christmas,

By Rachael Leverton

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Christmas Jumper Day! Thursday 8th December 2022 is Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day!

With the rise of consumer advertising in the fifties and sixties, jumpers had always featured heavily in Christmas adverts. The models’ usual suits and dresses were replaced with cosy knitwear to encourage consumers to buy seasonal goods.

These were more conventional woollies though. As Christmas became ever more commercial, ‘novelty’ jumpers appeared decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, Santas, and popular cartoon characters dressed in festive attire.

In the film Bridget Jones’s Diary, Colin Firth’s character sported a classic ‘ugly’ Christmas jumper with a giant reindeer’s head emblazoned on the front, and the ugly Christmas jumper entered British consciousness. Almost everyone from celebrities to politicians own at least one item of silly festive knitwear.

The charity Save the Children started Christmas Jumper Day in 2012. Every year since then, millions of people don gaudy festive knitwear in their school or office and donate £2 to a good cause.

The Christmas jumper has grown in popularity, going from ‘hideously misjudged gift’ status to a desirable festive fashion statement. Some 12 million Christmas jumpers are sold in the UK in the run up to Christmas every year.

From

£895

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for a fully fitted electric garage door.

There’s a Christmas jumper to suit every taste, from ‘techno-knits’ covered in fairy lights, which connect to your phone and play musical clips, to jumpers bearing whimsical dachshunds in Santa hats, through to elegantly beautiful sparkly numbers that wouldn’t look out of place at a cocktail event.

Pull on your Christmas pullover on December 8th and help raise money for a good cause.

By Sarah Davey Garolla garage doors are expertly made to measure in our own UK factories, they’re strong and solidly built. The electric Garolla door rolls up vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside your garage, maximising valuable space. Our expert local installers will fit your new door and they’ll take away the old one too, so there’s no mess.

Give us a call today and we’ll come and measure up FREE of charge.

CALL US TODAY ON:

01934 660 140 MOBILE:

07537 149 128 *Offer valid for openings up to 2.4m wide & including 2 remote controls, 55mm white slats, internal manual override.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

ColourFence Fencing, built to last for at least 25 years!

ColourFence is becoming increasingly popular across the UK with homeowners fed up of losing their garden fences to winter storms and the hassle of replacing them. Equally, timber fences decay rapidly and require regular treatment with paint and chemical cleaners.

Unlike standard timber fences, ColourFence is designed to resist harsh weather conditions and will withstand wind gusts of up to 130mph!

The weatherproof and durable ColourFence range has a number of core benefits that appeal to homeowners, it’s guaranteed not to warp, crack, rot, peel or colour fade for the next 25 years.

When fencing maintenance costs are high, you want an option that is easy, low maintenance and cost-effective; and ColourFence is all those things and more, not least the 25-year guarantee. No painting, preserving, repairs or harsh cleaning chemicals, just an occasional hose down to keep it looking as good as new.

There’s a choice of colours available, green, brown, cream and blue – to harmonise and enhance your garden’s design. Choose a trellis in the same shade or contrasting colour.

Both sides of the panels are the same colour meaning both you and your neighbour have a stunning fence to look at year after year, helping you build good neighbourly relations.

The panels are 2.35 metres wide compared to 1.8 metres wide for standard timber panels (so you need fewer panels like for like) and can be cut on-site to custom fit your garden, whatever the size and the natural contours of your land. Our traditional metal garden gates are ideal for front gardens or driveways. With the ability to choose from simple drop bolts to key operated deadlocks we can guarantee the safety of your garden.

Call Jordan or Courtney on 01823 792029 today for a free no obligation visit or for further information visit colourfencetaunton.co.uk

ly High itive t pe com wood with PLUS all s ! price benefits e h t

For a free no-obligation site visit, please call Jordan or Courtney.

ANCE INTEN LOW MA

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HEALTHEXPERT LOCAL AND BEAUTY PAGE

Browns …. Wishing you a happy Christmas The year is drawing to a close, and I am sure that many of us will wonder how times have changed since last December. The world is certainly a different place again, and so we look in hope for better days to come in 2023. However first we have Christmas and in this month of preparation we hope that you will find some light and laughter and festive cheer.

Here at Browns this is usually a busy time for ovens and cookers. We repair all makes of electric ovens and cookers. So, if you have a problem then please don’t hesitate to give us a call. One of the main problems is blown elements and unlike other spares, we do tend to keep a selection of the more popular elements in stock. Other spares can usually be sourced quickly. But please don’t leave it too late, as we are always extra busy at this time of year. We also sell new ovens and cookers and can help you choose one that is just right for you.

And don’t forget that we also repair and sell washing machines, washer dryers, tumble dryers, dishwashers, hobs and integrated appliances. We also sell fridges and freezers both freestanding and integrated. We include delivery and installation* in our prices and so you don’t get a list of extra charges once you’ve chosen your appliance and we will also take away your old appliance for recycling. We have to charge for refrigeration appliances as there are special rules for the recycling of those, but for everything else that is included. As everything is costing more, we aim to do our best to keep our prices affordable - as a local family business we know how important it is to watch out for each other in these difficult times.

So now we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and to thank all our customers for their business over the past year. *installation is to existing connections. Charges may apply for extra work.

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 38 years All work insured and guaranteed No hidden extras. We keep things simple!

01934 517657

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Our Daily Bread A bread maker means you’ll never be without fresh baked bread again If there was a Top Twenty for aromas then surely the smell of freshly baked bread would be number one. Top three at least.

But how many of us have the time to bake our own bread? Enter the bread maker. I bought one twenty years ago and have never regretted it. It’s still working, but I’m tempted recently to upgrade, and bread makers have moved on light years since my initial purchase.

My old Panasonic is a bit of a behemoth. It takes up a lot of counter space, and I was surprised that some newer models are even larger! But there are compact appliances available now too.

So, what do modern bread makers have to offer?

Well, they will all cook standard white and wholemeal loaves, and if that is all you require, a basic model is all you will require. Why pay more for features you won’t use?

HEALTHLOCALREACH AND BEAUTY

French (though not baguettes obviously because of the shape!). Some have even mastered glutenfree, though some models manage this better than others (The Tefal PF240E40 Bread Maker has many GF fans). Some bread makers make a great pizza dough and /or fresh pasta dough (Gastroback 62823 Automatic Bread Maker Advanced, Morphy Richards 48281 Bread maker, Sage the Custom Loaf Bread Maker). I love making pizzas and I do love fresh pasta, but find it a faff to make the doughs by hand, so they would be bonus features for me.

Yoghurt - I learned to make yoghurt in a thermos over lockdown. Apparently it’s a similar process in a bread maker but how useful it would be for me I’m not sure.

Jam - Some models promise to cook the sugar and fruits at the right temperature to make jam, so that it can be decanted straight into jars. If you’re into jam-making as well as bread-making it’s something to consider.

If you’ve always wanted to have a go at making your own bread but never have the time, try putting a bread maker on your Christmas list this year. It’s the gift that will keep on giving.

By Louise Addison

But if you’re interested…

Automatic ingredient dispenser - I paid a premium for this feature twenty years ago but it’s more common now and I would definitely recommend it for adding dried fruit and nuts easily.

Alarm – You can’t add moist ingredients like cooked onions of grated cheese or ingredients that might melt like chocolate chips, into the automatic dispensers of most bread makers, so an alarm to let you know when to do it manually is useful.

A delay timer – My delay timer is now a bit temperamental, which is one of the reasons I’m looking to upgrade. A delay feature means you can add ingredients to the mixing bowl several hours ahead, so you have freshly baked bread at a time to suit you – in the evening with supper, or first thing with your coffee.

Viewing window - A few new models offer this. I managed for 20 years without one but it’s a cool feature for checking on the progress of your loaf.

Keep-warm - This setting keeps your freshly baked bread warm for up to an hour after the programme has finished. Handy if you’re delayed.

Speciality breads - Modern bread makers have mastered brioche, rye, sourdough, Italian and

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The Twelve Days of Gleaming!

On the first day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the second day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Two Clean Roasting Tins and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the third day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: 3 New Oven Liners, Two Clean Roasting Tins and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the fourth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Four Gleaming Glass Doors, 3 New Oven Liners…and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the fifth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Five Sparkling Racks, Four Gleaming Glass Doors…and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the sixth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Six Shiny New Bulbs, Five Sparkling Racks… and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the seventh day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Seven Seals Degreased, Six Shiny New Bulbs …. and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers

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Gingerbread Run, run, fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!

LOCALREACH

Quite why gingerbread became associated with Christmas is also unclear but is probably due to a number of factors. Christmas markets were big ‘whole town’ events, and gingerbread is easy to make, and keeps well, so it’s ideal for selling on a stall. It’s likely that the combination of white icing and foil decoration was easily adaptable to create miniature snow-covered dwellings which provided pretty centrepieces for the festive dinner tables of middle-class households.

The longevity and structural integrity of gingerbread also lends itself well to creating edible decorations for hanging on trees or giving as gifts. Historically diets of ordinary people were simple and bland because sugar was an expensive luxury. People could only afford to splash out on ingredients for cakes, biscuits, and sweets occasionally, and Christmas was the time when even less well-off people spent a little extra on fancy food and drink.

Who hasn’t eaten a festive gingerbread man? You may even have attempted to make a gingerbread house. Gingerbread is strongly associated with Christmas but how did that happen?

Ginger root originally came to Europe via the Silk Road, which was an ancient trade route, and in the Middle Ages it was used for medicinal purposes and in the preserving of meats.

By the late Middle Ages, Europeans had begun to bake sweet gingerbread biscuits. These were shaped like animals, kings, and queens, and were sometimes gilded with gold leaf. They were a staple at Medieval fairs across Europe, particularly in England, France, Holland, and Germany. Queen Elizabeth I is even said to have had some made to resemble the dignitaries visiting her court.

So popular was gingerbread that the fairs became known as Gingerbread Fairs, and the gingerbread biscuits were named ‘fairings.’ As the fairs took place throughout the year the shapes of the gingerbread changed with the seasons: flowers in the spring and leaves in the autumn.

The gingerbread houses we know today originated in Germany during the 16th century. Bakers created elaborate buildings were decorated with foil and white icing in addition to gold leaf. The Brothers Grimm penned the story of Hansel and Gretel, who discover a house made entirely of sweet treats, deep in the forest, but it’s unclear whether the popularity of gingerbread houses were a result of the fairy tale, or whether the fairy tale borrowed from an already established tradition.

Whatever its history, gingerbread is now firmly entwined with the festive season, from sweet little gingerbread reindeer to gingerbread lattes, the sight, smell, and taste of gingerbread is synonymous with Christmas.

By Sarah Davey

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BOOK REVIEW

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A Good Read

A Boy Called Christmas One Day in December

by Josie Silver

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 chick-lit 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.

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by Matt Haig, illustrated by Chris Mould This enthralling tale tells the story of Father Christmas as a boy. It’s touching, funny and packed with memorable characters Nikolas and his lumberjack father Joel are poor.

Miika (a mouse) is his Nikolas’ only friend. In his whole life Nikolas has only received two Christmas presents: a sleigh and a turnip doll.

Then Anders the Hunter comes to recruit Joel to work on a mission for the King. If they can prove the existence of Elves they will be rewarded handsomely.

Keen to improve their circumstances, Joel heads off, leaving Nikolas to be looked after by his horrible Aunt Carlotta.

When Joel doesn’t return Nikolas begins to worry and eventually sets out with Miika on the long and treacherous journey to find his father.

Along the way there is Elf Village, a kidnapped elf, a naughty Truth Pixie that likes to watch people’s heads explode, and an unpleasant Troll named Sebastian. There is also of course, a flying reindeer.

Haig does not disappoint with the ending, explaining how Nikolas finally finds his purpose, by becoming Father Christmas.

A Boy Called Christmas is the perfect festive story to read to children on the run-up to Christmas. As a bonus it is beautifully illustrated by Chris Mould. One you will return to each Christmas.

By Tash Donovan

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PUZZLES

Crossword

Across 2 Santa’s helpers (5) 5 _____ Christmas! (5) 6 _____ ____ fairy (5,4) 8 Frozen rain (4) 9 Circular decoration (6) 12 Santa’s means of entry (7) 13 Tree decoration (6) 16 Striped sweet (5,4) 19 Tree topper (4) 20 Film starring Martin Freeman (8) 21 Santa’s lead reindeer (7) 22 Kris _______ (7) 23 Dr Seuss’s green Christmas villain (6) 24 Little _______ Boy (7) Down 1 ______ Bells (6) 2 Traditional dairy drink (6) 3 Charles Dickens’ anti-hero (7) 4 The Holly and the ___ (3) 5 You might get a kiss under this (9) 7 Three Kings Day (8) 10 A girl’s festive name (5) 11 The Christmas ballet (10) 14 Used to build festive houses (11) 15 Famous snowman (6) 16 Christmas song (5) 17 Where Santa lives (5,4) 18 Santa’s transport system (6) 19 Hung over the fireplace or at the end of the bed (8)

Word Search

Mindbenders

apples brie broccoli carrots cheddar chocolates crackers

crisps grapes gravy ham mince pies mints nut roast

olives parsnips red cabbage roast potatoes sausage rolls sprouts stilton

stuffing tangerines trifle turkey

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

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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.

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LOCALREACH

Give us a kiss for Christmas…

Mistletoe is a parasitic plant which attaches itself to a tree by means of something called a haustorium, and through this it extracts water and nutrients from the host plant. So how did it become associated with romance?

Mistletoe’s medicinal uses can be traced back to Ancient Greece, where they used it as a cure for everything from menstrual cramps to spleen disorders, and the Romans used as for epilepsy, ulcers and as a poison. No obvious romantic overtones there!

Enter the Celtic Druids around 1st century A.D. Mistletoe thrives during the coldest winters, so the Druids adopted it as a sacred symbol of vivacity, and used it in both humans and animals in the hope of restoring fertility.

So goes the vintage Pinky and Perky song. A kiss under a sprig of mistletoe is a well-known festive tradition. But why?

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Then there is the Norse myth of Odin’s son Baldur, who was prophesied to die, so his mother Frigg, the goddess of love, went to all the animals and plants of the natural world to secure an oath that they would not harm him. But she forgot to ask the humble mistletoe, so the god Loki cunningly made an arrow from the plant and used it to kill the otherwise invincible Baldur. But the gods were able to resurrect him, so (somewhat counterintuitively perhaps) Frigg declared mistletoe a symbol of love and vowed to plant a kiss on all those who passed beneath it.

Mistletoe’s associations with fertility and health continued through the Middle Ages, and by the 18th century it had become entwined with Christmas celebrations. Unusually the kissing tradition spread upwards from the lower classes of servants to the middle classes.

The old custom was that men were allowed to steal a kiss from any woman caught standing under the mistletoe, and refusing was viewed as bad luck.

Some versions have the men pluck a single berry from the mistletoe with each kiss, and to cease their amorous intents when the mistletoe was bare.

Do you love or hate the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe?

By Tom Hancock

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LOCALREACH

All Change for Christmas

Things we missed about Christmas last year:

Things are different now

Singing in the church carol service (my husband) Ice skating (everyone) Going to see The Nutcracker (ballet-mad ten-yearold) Attending the Christmas lights switch-on (everyone) Family tobogganing night in the snow dome (everyone) New things we’d like to try this year: Go to a local stately home to see the lights (everyone) Go to a German market (husband and me) Make a gingerbread house! (the kids)

I spent Christmas 2019 working hospital shifts until Christmas Eve. Using logistical planning worthy of the British military I shopped, attended two concerts and a Nativity play in three different schools (on the same day of course), bought and wrapped gifts, decorated the house, attended two work parties, entertained my extended family, offended my mother over our choice of food, and my aunty over allowing our 17-year-old to have a beer, and I cried myself to sleep on Christmas Night.

We’re still hosting immediate family for a couple of days between Christmas and New Year, and extended family are invited to visit for one of those days. Not everyone is happy about this state of affairs but I’m not going back to the pre-2020 madness of festive martyrdom, trying to be all things to all people and stressing over whether everyone else’s Christmas is perfect at the expense of my sanity.

I spent Christmas 2020 working on the front line in COVID care. My family celebrated the day without me or a turkey and I cried myself to sleep on Christmas Night.

If Covid showed us anything, it’s that life is precious, fragile, and unpredictable. It forced us to make decisions about who we wanted to spend our time and energy on. The pandemic was a catalyst for change for our family, and I suspect it might be the same for other folk too.

Last year, in early December, while discussing how much of a ‘normal’ Christmas might be possible, my husband announced, ‘I don’t want to go back to normal Christmases.’ And suddenly I loved him more than ever.

Last year we kept Christmas small, just us and the kids and a small twinkly tree. We ate chocolate for breakfast, played board games, went for a walk, watched a film, ate my husband’s amazing sticky Chinese chicken wings for lunch, read books, played cards, then ate Christmas pudding for supper followed by marshmallows toasted on the fire...I relaxed completely and shed no tears.

This year I asked what everyone wanted to do. The consensus was that last year was great but there were some aspects of our previous Christmases that my kids and my husband missed. So, we took the chance to recalibrate the festive season, and this is what they came up with.

Things we loved about Christmas last year: NO HOUSE GUESTS (everyone) Playing board games (everyone) Toasting marshmallows (the kids) Long walk (me and husband)

Will Christmas ever be the same? I don’t know, but different doesn’t mean worse. We can make new traditions that are more personal and meaningful than before and may even look back and wonder why we didn’t shake things up earlier.

Merry Christmas,

By Tania Brown

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LOCALREACH

Countdown to Christmas The Origins of the Advent Calendar

I loved the arrival of the Advent Calendar when I was growing up. Every year we had a cardboard one from Woolworths, printed with a Christmas scene, each little door opening to reveal a tiny picture such as a teddy, a reindeer or a bauble. My brother and I would take it turns to be ‘odds’ or ‘evens’. I always wanted to be ‘evens’ so I could open the Christmas Eve door which was always slightly larger and had a picture of the Nativity or Santa on the roof of a snow-covered house. When some of the kids at school started boasting about their ‘chocolate’ Advent Calendars we begged my dad for one and eventually he gave in. We were disappointed when we realised that once the chocolate was removed there was no picture, just an empty space where the chocolate had been. The ‘open’ chocolate Advent calendar had all the charm of a mouth with missing teeth. We never asked for another one.

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The Advent calendar originates from Germany. It began with German Protestants marking the days of Advent either by burning a candle or marking a wall with chalk. This morphed into the practice of hanging a devotional image every day and ultimately to the creation of the first known wooden Advent calendar in 1851. The first printed calendars appeared just after 1900. Small doors were added in the 1920s. Often short bible verses were hidden behind the doors alongside the picture. During the World War ll cardboard rationing put a stop to advent calendars but when hostilities ceased Richard Sellmar of Stuttgart obtained a permit from the US officials to begin printing and selling them again. He designed a calendar based on a German winter town scene. By the 1950s, they were massproduced and affordable and exported across the world.

Chocolate Advent Calendars might seem like the new kids on the block but they have been around longer than you might think. Fry and Son produced the first chocolate Advent calendar as early as 1958 and Cadbury popularised them in the Seventies.

Lego got in on the action in 1998 with a set that contained a Santa Claus minifigure and simple brick-made structures, which could be finally reassembled into a bigger model or scene. They’ve produced at least one every year since. My oldest teen begs me for their Harry Potter one every year.

Over the past decade Advent calendars have gone ‘luxury’ and become a key marketing strategy for many companies. This started around 2010 when Selfridges department store launched a beautythemed Advent calendar with the cosmetics giant L’Oréal. It was filled with product samples from fragrances to body creams. There is now a advent calendar catering for pretty much every taste, most of them marketed at adults rather than children.

There are advent calendars for gin-lovers, tealovers, and nail-polish addicts; there is even one for pets, and they are not cheap! Some cost upwards of £150!

It’s all a worlds away from Sellmar-Verlag, now run

by Richard’s grandchildren, which still produces traditional card Advent calendars to this day. The company’s most popular advent calendar is still Richard’s original design, called Little Town.

A few years ago my husband (knowing my love of traditional Advent Calendars) bought me a wooden one which is reusable and is a beautiful Christmas decoration in its own right...in fact my teens actually argue over which one of them will inherit it when I die (that’s the festive spirit guys!).

However you choose to mark the occasion...Happy Advent!

By Kate McCarthy

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z DRAINAGE

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