Recipes, Puzzles, Book Club, What to Watch, Looking Back, Gardening tips plus much more.
As we step into 2025 we are excited to bring you brand new features and to continue working with regular advertisers and welcome new ones.
The next issue March/April will be delivered/ available week commencing 4th March 2025.
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Tracy Editor
Disclaimer
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Views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers.
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Local Life Mag
Thou shalt not pass!
Learning to drive is a significant milestone for many, but test success rates vary widely across different age groups. Fear not though, if you’re concerned about an upcoming exam, there are ways to lean the experience in your favour.
The stats
According to DVLA data, and in data that may surprise, younger drivers tend to have the best chance of passing – they are keen, often conscientious, and as a result of being in education, have a propensity to learn and retain information.
Indeed, it’s at the age of 17 where pass rates are highest, and as candidates grow older, their likelihood of passing decreases, with notable drops in success rates for all learners over 26.
At that youngest age, the pass rate in the UK is an impressive 56%. However, this declines immediately, with 18-year-olds almost 8% less likely to get their licence at the first time of asking.
After this drop-off, the trend becomes steadier, with the 19-26 bracket generally sitting around the national average of about 48% pass rate. Beyond
this, pass rates gradually deteriorate and by the age of 43, have dropped to 35.4%.
For learners aged 60 and above, pass rates drop fur ther, with 60-yearolds having the lowest success rate at just 32%. The reasoning? It’s thought that while we tend to become more cautious with age, this can sometimes hinder per formance during driving tests, with minor faults clocked up for excessive hesitation.
the roads, which can result in carelessness once driving independently
And yet, despite lower pass rates, older drivers are involved in fewer accidents and pay considerably less for insurance compared to their younger counterpar ts.
Fur ther facts behind the fail
The most common reasons for failing a driving test include inadequate obser vations at junctions, improper mirror use, steering problems and failure to respond correctly to signs or traffic lights
Some younger drivers are said to have an excess of confidence on
Steering your course to a pass
If you are sitting your driving test for the first time, or looking to pass after failing, here are some key tips:
Before the day
• Choose where you want to take your test and learn the roads
On the day
• Ensure you arrive on time
• Have a lesson beforehand
• Take your instructor along
• Use your instructor ’ s car
During the test
• Exaggerate mirror checks
• Don’t be afraid to ask your examiner to repeat something
Food & Drink
French Onion Soup
Serves 4
Method:
1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 mins until soft.
2. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 mins more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
3. Add the garlic cloves for the final few minutes of the onions’ cooking time, then sprinkle in the plain flour and stir well.
4. Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the beef stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 mins.
5. To serve, turn on the grill, and toast the bread. Ladle the soup into heatproof bowls.
6. Put a slice or two of toast on top of the bowls of soup, and pile on the gruyère. Grill until melted. Alternatively, you can cook the toasts under the grill, then add them to the soup to serve.
Ingredients:
• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg onions halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1.3l hot strongly-flavoured beef
stock
• 4-8 slices baguette (depending on size)
• 140g gruyère finely grated
Lemon & Lime Chicken With Egg Fried Rice
Serves 2
Method:
1. To butterfly the chicken breasts, lay them on a board and use a sharp knife to make a cut parallel to the chopping board three-quarters of the way through each breast. Open each chicken breast out so you have two large, thinner chicken breasts.
2. Place them in a bowl with one tablespoon of the sesame oil, the vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the honey with the remaining sesame oil.
3. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat until smoking then lay the chicken on the griddle and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, brushing it once or twice with the honey and sesame mixture. When it’s done the chicken should be chargrilled on the outside and completely cooked through (the juices should run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the chicken). Leave to rest for 2-3 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, for the rice, heat a wok over a high heat then add the groundnut oil and one teaspoon of the sesame oil. When the oil starts to shimmer add the eggs and cook, stirring all the time, for 1-2 minutes or until they’re scrambled.
5. Push the eggs to the side of the pan and add a little more sesame oil, the soy sauce, spring onions and peas and cook for one minute then add the rice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring continuously, for 3-4 minutes, or until warmed through. Stir through the coriander.
6. To serve, spoon the rice onto plates. Cut the chicken on the diagonal into thin strips and place on top of the rice. Top with a wedge of lime.
Ingredients:
For the chicken:
• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ lemon, grated zest and juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp clear honey
For the rice:
• 2 tbsp groundnut oil
• 2-3 tsp sesame oil
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• splash soy sauce
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 50g/2oz fresh peas or frozen peas, defrosted
• 150g/5oz long-grain rice, cooked according to packet instructions
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander
• lime wedges, to serve
John Whaite’s Chocolate Chiffon Cake With Salted Caramel Buttercream Food & Drink
Great British Bake Off champ John Whaite has created an unbelievably moist and decadent cake that con only be described as ‘a show-stopper’
Method
1. Heat oven to 160°C /140°C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 25cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment. In a large bowl, mix the oil, egg yolks, vanilla paste, caster sugar and water until well combined. Sift in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
2. Sift in the flour, bicarb and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks Fold into the batter with a large metal spoon and mix until ever ything is well combined.
3. Gently pour the mixture into your cake tin, then bang it on the work sur face twice to expel any large air pockets Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until the cake springs back when gently prodded and an inser ted skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil after 1 hr if the cake star ts to get too dark
4. While the cake bakes make the salted caramel icing. Heat the brown sugar, salt and cream in a saucepan until the
sugar has dissolved. Bubble for a few mins, then leave to cool.
Beat the butter until smooth, pour in the cooled cream mixture and continue mixing until softly whipped. Chill until needed.
5. When the cake is baked remove it from the oven, cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a large wire rack and peel off the parchment. Leave until completely cool.
6. To make the ganache, heat the cream until just boiling. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Leave to stand for a few mins until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth sauce consistency
7. To finish, slice in half and fill with the salted caramel buttercream. Spoon the chocolate ganache over the top and decorate with the sea salt cr ystals.
Ingredients :
plus oil, owerflsun 125ml • extra for greasing
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 375g golden caster sugar
• 50g cocoa powder
• 300g plain flour
• 200ml water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
For the salted caramel icing
• 250g light soft brown sugar
• 150ml double cream
• 140g butter, softened
• ½ tsp salt
For the ganache
• 250ml double cream
nelyfi chocolate, dark 250g • chopped or grated
• Sea salt cr ystals
Small Steps for Big Gains
How making minor, consistent adjustments to your wellness routine can result in major, long-term health benefits.
Sometimes the key to achieving meaningful, lasting rovements in health and ellbeing lies in making small, manageable changes. Rather than tr ying to transform your outine overnight, incorporating minor adjustments can lead to positive results
Diet
Firstly, instead of focusing on what to cut out, think about what you can add. Introducing more fruit and vegetables into your meals is a slight change that can make a significant difference.
Complementing your morning smoothie with spinach or an extra vegetable por tion at dinner can help increase your intake of vitamins and minerals It feels less restrictive and can lead to better eating habits without the stress of eliminating entire food groups
Exercise
Getting fit doesn’t require hours at the gym – small, consistent effor ts can be just as effective. Tr y incorporating shor t, high-intensity workouts into your day
A 10-minute walk during your lunch break, or a quick set of bodyweight exercises in the morning, can improve cardiovascular health, boost your mood and increase energy levels
Over time, these small effor ts build up, creating a habit of regular movement that can lead to significant fitness gain
Mental health
Daily journaling can have a profound impact Taking just five minutes at the end of the day to jot down your thoughts, list things you’re grateful for, or set intentions for tomorrow, can reduce stress and improve mindfulness
This process encourages self-reflection, whereby you can help identify patterns in your emotions or triggers, promoting a better understanding of your mental health. It’s an easy habit that can lead to major improvements in how you process and manage stress
Sleep
Improving your sleep quality doesn’t require drastic changes Tr y going to bed just 15 minutes earlier than usual to help regulate your pattern over time, allowing you to feel more rested and refreshed in the morning.
Coupled with reducing screen time in the evenings, this can lead to better sleep hygiene and a noticeable boost in energy levels throughout the day
Hydration
Finally, instead of aiming for drastic increases in water intake, star t by drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning which can aid digestion, improve concentration and boost your mood.
Over time, you’ll likely find yourself drinking more throughout the day, reaping the benefits of proper hydration without forcing it
Incorporating these small steps into your daily routine can lead to noticeable improvements in your overall wellness. It’s all about consistency and making achievable changes that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle.
Coffee break
Love & Romance Wordsearch
Affection Cherish Crush Desire
Embrace Faithful Fantasy Flirt
Heart Intimacy Kiss Loyalty Passion Romance Serenade Soulmate
Sudoku
The rules for sudoku are simple. The 9×9 square must be filled in with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in each line, horizontally or vertically. To challenge you more, there are 3×3 squares marked out in the grid, and each of these squares can’t have any repeat numbers either.
Please see page 20 for the answers.
Find all the words from the list. Ignore spaces, dashes and diacritics, if any. Words go horizontally, vertically and diagonally. They may intersect, overlap or go backwards but do not bend.
SUDOKUWEB
What’s on TV
Departure
Netflix
Departure is a high-octane conspiracy series that follows the mystery of Flight 716 - a passenger plane that vanishes over the Atlantic Ocean.
Following the mysterious crash, recently widowed, brilliant aviation investigator Kendra Malley, played by Emmy® Award-winner Archie Panjabi, is called in to investigate by her former boss and mentor Howard Lawson, played by Christopher Plummer.
With the whole world watching, Kendra and her team race to pinpoint the missing aircraft and locate possible survivors. They must battle through a host of suspects and motives, from pilot suicide and terrorism, to politically motivated murder and systems failure to determine what really happened to Flight 716 - and to stop it from happening again.
Out There itvX
The drama depicts the surreptitious invasion of the land our farmer cherishes, with devastating consequences, as his livelihood, homestead and family life are threatened by local urban gangs and drug dealers using the British Countryside.
A single parent to teenager Johnny, Nathan is uniquely placed and possesses enough pent-up energy to take on the gangs that threaten to engulf his son.
Now Nathan must accept that the rustic atmosphere of his childhood is long gone, replaced by something altogether more perilous. And the only way for Nathan to survive in this brave new world is to learn the rules and fight back.
Playing Nice itvX
Set against a sweeping Cornish landscape, two couples discover that their toddlers were switched at birth in a hospital mix-up, and face a horrifying dilemma: do they keep the sons they have raised and loved, or reclaim their biological children?
Living a waking nightmare, Pete (James Norton) and Maddie (Niamh Algar) are thrown into the world of the other couple; Miles (James McArdle) and Lucy (Jessica Brown Findlay). At first it seems all four are agreed on a solution, but it soon becomes clear that hidden motives are at play.
How far can each couple trust the real parents of their child – or even each other? As Pete and Maddie are stretched to breaking point, they realise they will stop at nothing to keep their family together.
Squid Game: Season 2
Netflix
Netflix’s Squid Game returns with its highly anticipated second season, delivering seven gripping new episodes. It’s been three years since the original Korean drama became the most-watched series on Netflix, captivating global audiences with its highstakes, fictional competition and thought-provoking social commentary. Season 2 promises to delve even deeper into creator Hwang Dong-hyuk’s powerful themes of wealth inequality, desperation, and the human cost of survival. This time, last season’s winner, Seong Gi-hun, shockingly reenters the deadly games, seemingly determined to dismantle them from within.
With a fresh round of games and a thrilling new cast, including K-pop stars T.O.P. and Joo Yuri, the stakes have never been higher, and the danger more personal.
Until I Kill You itvX
Until I Kill You is a four-part British true crime miniseries based on Delia Balmer’s autobiographical book Living with a Serial Killer, the shocking story of one woman’s traumatic battle to stay alive and get justice against the odds.
Anna Maxwell-Martin delivers the “performance of her career” as Delia Balmer, an agency nurse at the Royal Free Hospital in London. When she meets carpenter John Sweeney in a local pub, it sparks an unexpected romance. However, she had no idea of his dark past and, as their relationship develops, she begins to suspect a darker side to him.
The series tells of Balmer’s relationship with Sweeney, how chances were missed to protect her and get him convicted, and how Balmer was poorly treated by police.
Red Notice Netflix
An Interpol agent successfully tracks down the world’s most wanted art thief with help from a rival thief. But nothing is as it seems as a series of doublecrosses ensues.
When an Interpol-issued Red Notice--the highest-level warrant to hunt and capture the world’s most wanted--goes out, the FBI’s top profiler, John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), is on the case. His global pursuit lands him smack-dab in the middle of a daring heist where he’s forced to partner with the world’s greatest art thief, Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds), in order to catch the world’s most wanted art thief, “The Bishop” (Gal Gadot). The high-flying adventure that ensues takes the trio around the world, across the dance floor, trapped in a secluded prison, into the jungle and, worst of all for them, constantly into one another’s company.
18:15 - 19:15 G2/G3 Ballet & Tap 19:30 - 20:15 Pre-Teen Modern & Acro
10:00 - 10:45 Baby Ballet & Tap
11:00 - 11:45 Primary Ballet & Tap
12:00 - 12:45 Glee Cub 1
13:00 - 13:45 Glee Club 2 14:00 - 15:00 Grade 4 Ballet & Tap
Looking Back
Take a step back in time with us as we look at a series of past events to have occurred in the month of January.
1 year ago
Cat Deeley as new permanent presenters of This Morning, and Prince William plans to build 24 homes on Duchy land combat homelessness
5 years ago
A British Air ways 747 sets the fastest-ever subsonic New York to London record of 4 hours 56 minutes riding the jet stream of Storm Ciara. Meanwhile, Coronation Street celebrates its 10,000th episode.
10 years ago
London’s population reaches 8.6 million, a record high since 1939, with 11 million forecast by 2050, wins ‘Best Programme of the Last 20 Years’ at the Broadcast Awards, and BBC One is named Channel of the Year
15 years ago
Julie Etchingham becomes the of the Year at the Royal Television Society Awards,
and Cadbur y is acquired by American rival Kraft Foods for £11.5billion.
20 years ago
Ellen MacAr thur sets the solo around-the-world sailing record. The Hunting Act, banning hunting with dogs in England and Wales, comes into force, and on Question Time, an audience member proposes to his girlfriend.
25 years ago
The Royal Bank of Scotland wins the hostile takeover of NatWest Bank, defeating Bank of Scotland’s offer; and EastEnders marks its 15th anniversar y on BBC One.
30 years ago
Fred Perr y passes away at 85 and Barings Bank, the UK’s oldest merchant bank, collapses after rogue trader Nick Leeson incurs $1.4billion in losses
35 years ago
The Cr ystal Maze debuts on Channel 4, and as storms hit Britain, Towyn, in Nor th Wales, endures huge waves that smash open a 200-yard hole in the sea wall,
their homes
40 years ago
EastEnders makes its debut, Miami Vice is also seen on computer-generated graphics replace magnetic weather maps in all BBC weather forecasts
50 years ago
Author and humourist PG Wodehouse dies of hear t failure at 91, a month after receiving a Knighthood. Meanwhile Britain’s coalminers agree to a 35% pay increase proposed by the government
60 years ago
Stanley Matthews plays his and will eventually become the and Pizza Express launches its 75 years ago UK general election results is broadcast on the BBC. The Conser vative Par ty, fronted by Winston Churchill, returned to power after six years in opposition
Book
club There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book.
Six Years
Harlan Coben
Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding his heartbreak by throwing himself into his work. Six years of keeping his promise to stay away. But when Jake stumbles upon Todd’s obituary - the man Natalie married - he can’t resist attending the funeral. There, he sees Todd’s widow, but it isn’t Natalie.
Determined to uncover the truth, Jake’s search quickly takes a dark turn. Friends of the couple have disappeared or refuse to acknowledge him, and every clue raises more questions. As Jake digs deeper, he discovers layers of secrets that suggest his past with Natalie may not have been what it seemed. The deeper he goes, the more his own life is put at risk. Caught in a web of lies and danger, Jake must face the unsettling reality that finding Natalie could mean confronting truths he’s not prepared to handle - and losing everything he’s built along the way.
Lies He Told Me
James Patterson
An attorney and mother of two discovers her husband has a secret life – and it might cost them all their lives.
Everyone in the town of Hemingway Grove knows David and Marcie Bowers.
David owns the local pub, Marcie is a former big city lawyer who practices law.
When David jumps into Cotton River to save a drowning stranger, he’s celebrated as a hero and his daring actions and broadcast on every news outlet.
For most people, new found fame is a lifeline, for David Bowers it’s a death sentence, for Marcie Bower’s it’s a test.
A wife knows the difference between a loving family man and a cold-blooded assassin, right?
Never Enough Pete Wicks
Behind the humour, swearing, dogs and nonsense, Never Enough is a no-holds-barred account off camera, raw, honest and without the bravado.
He shares his mental health challenges and approach to life - starting with his journey as a 16-year-old who had the words ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ tattooed across his body, a marker of a time of anger and sadness, but also of his struggles with self-worth.
Still very much a work-inprogress, Pete reveals the lessons he has learned: the good, the bad and the ugly. He calls time on toxic positivity, the damaging impact of social media, the pressures of masculinity and our desire to remain relevant - opening up about grief, love and friendship along the way.
The Waiting Michael Connelly
Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago.
The arrested man is only twentyfour, so the genetic link must be family: His father was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.
Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun, and ID are stolen - a theft she can’t report without giving her enemies in the department ammunition to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her mission draws her into unexpected danger.
The Confession John Grisham
In John Grisham’s The Confession, the countdown to injustice intensifies.
An innocent man awaits execution while a guilty one grapples with dark secrets.
Travis Boyette, a released convict, holds the key to the truth. In 1998, he kidnapped, raped, and murdered a local cheerleader, but watched as police wrongly condemned Donté Drumm, a nearby football star, to death row.
Nine years later, paroled and terminally ill, Travis feels compelled to confess. With only days left before Donté’s execution, revealing the truth proves as challenging as hiding it once was.
The Confession is a gripping race against time that exposes the flaws of the justice system and the weight of redemption.
Two Women Matina Cole
Danger and violence have always been a part of Susan Dalston’s East End upbringing, but being locked up with another murderess will have consequences that no one could have predicted.
Two Women, by Sunday Times number one best seller Martina Cole, tells the unflinching truth about prison life and how far one woman will go for justice.
Susan Dalston killed her husband in a final act of desperation, believing it was the only way to protect her children from his relentless abuse. Now, banged up in Holloway, she clings to the thought that her kids are finally safe. But life inside is no sanctuary, and the bonds Susan forms with fellow inmates bring unexpected challenges, forcing her to confront her own past while navigating a brutal world of survival.
New Year New Garden
Want to be in the know with the garden trends for 2025? Look no further...
Gardening is evolving to meet modern needs and aesthetics. In 2025 expect a fusion of sustainability, practicality and creativity in garden design. There are key trends to watch out for.
Sustainable Gardening Practice
With growing climate change concerns and resource depletion, gardeners will increasingly adopt ecofriendly practices such as rainwater, harvesting, composting and using organic fertilisers.
Wildlife friendly gardening including planting native species and creating habitats for pollinators, will also be a priority.
Carnivorous Plants
With unique appeal and practical benefits these fascinating varieties – think Venus Fly Traps and Pitcher Plants – naturally control insect populations reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Striking appearance and unusual behaviour make them captivating additions.
Moon gates
Inspired by traditional Chinese architecture Moon Gates are elegant structures that add a touch of mystique and tranquillity to gardens
creating a sense of enclosure and guiding visitors towards a focal point.
They can be made from a variety of materials, such as stone, wood or metal and are perfect for framing views or creating a sense of passage between areas. They are set to be popular in 2025.
Resilient Gardens
As weather patterns become more unpredictable, resilience will be a key theme in garden design with a focus on creations that can withstand extreme weather conditions, such as heavy rainfall, strong winds and prolonged droughts. This includes hardy, drought, tolerant plants,
Minimalist
Characterised by clean lines, uncluttered spaces and focus on quality over quantity, minimalist gardens offer a calming retreat from busy lives.
The trick is to emphasise a careful selection of a few key plants, often with a focus on ever greens and architectural forms.
Hard landscaping materials like stone and gravel also play a significant role creating a serene, low maintenance environment.
