RH Uncovered Haywards Heath Edition December 2016

HAYWARDS HEATH EDITION - DECEMBER 2016 Delivered to 21,000 Homes and Businesses- Issue 45 www.rhuncovered.co.uk

IN THIS ISSUE Reader Competition WIN tickets to Reigate on Ice HOMES Big ideas for small living rooms HEALTH De-stressing christmas MOTORING Must have gifts for petrol heads

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WELCOME

Hello...

Oh my goodness…in less than four weeks Christmas will be here!

Are you ready for your guests descending? Have you got your Christmas shopping sorted?

We might be able to help! In this issue we’ve got some ideas to make extra room for houseguests, strategies for getting through the Christmas shopping with the kids in tow, must-have gifts for petrol heads and advice on choosing the perfect tree! If that wasn’t enough we round all that off with tips on how to look good the morning after a festive party!

Of course we have our usual round up of fabulous goings on and people from our local neighbourhoods too, along with a delicious Christmas recipe for Baileys Crème Brulee – don’t mind if I do!

Merry Christmas! The RH Team

Contents

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4 COMMUNITY Community News What’s on

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9 PET CARE Christmas and pets 12 REIGATE ON Get your skates on!

ICE

14 HEALTH The most wonderful stressful time of the year 18 STYLE How to look good the morning after!

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19 FOOD & DRINK Baileys Crème Brulee 20 CHILDREN De-stressing the christmas shopping experience with children 22 GARDENS Choosing a christmas tree

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Heather Porter, Nadine Lindsay,

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David Arnold, production@mantramagazines.co.uk

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26 HOMES Big ideas for small living rooms 30 MOTORING Must have gifts for petrol heads

ADVERTISING SALES Nikki Relffe-Arnold, nikki@mantramagazines.co.uk

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ART & PRODUCTION

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ARTICLE WRITERS Jacob White, jacob@mantramagazines.co.uk Shelly Welti, shelley@mantramagazines.co.uk Nikki Relffe-Arnold nikki@mantramagazines.co.uk

COMMUNITY WRITER Georgia Lambert Featuresdesk@mantramagazines.co.uk

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COMMUNITY

Cuckfield Christmas Tree Festival Cuckfield Christmas Tree Festival is the perfect event to get you into the festive spirit. Every year the Holy Trinity Parish Church in Cuckfield hosts the festival in order to reach out to the community and welcome people of all ages to join them in celebration while giving to charity.

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he first festival was held in 2003, proving to be a tremendous success and is now held annually. Each year the committee supports a different charity, raising a staggering £56,035 for Sussex charities - with the hard work of the committee and volunteers.

The 2016 event will be the festival’s fourteenth year and is in partnership with the MidSussex branch of Parkinson’s UK. It will be a jam-packed weekend with entertainment and poignant sermons and it will take place from Friday, December 9 to Sunday, December 11.

Each year, local schools, shops, businesses, clubs and societies are invited to decorate a Christmas tree that will be put on display in the church throughout the weekend and it is a fabulous way of promoting themselves in a festive and creative way.

The standard of decorating is high, with people contributing beautifully intricate and handmade adornments and dedicating their time to ensure that their tree stands out from the rest. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult because each tree is a sight to behold.

This year, Sussex Crafts based in Cuckfield have decorated their tree to give the public a preview of the products, so expect a very crafty looking tree!

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By Georgia Lambert The church will be home to 72 beautifully decorated Christmas trees and an array of smaller trees that have been decorated by skilful flower arrangers and they are works of art in their own right.

Suzanne Reid, a member of the committee said: “Last year, the church was filled with the comforting smell of pine and gingerbread; the festival appeals to every sense.”

This year’s artwork which will be featured on posters, the front page of the brochures and throughout the festival was painted in watercolour

by Pam Maslin, who lives with Parkinson’s disease.

The painting is called ‘Footprints in the Snow’ and which has evoked many reflective and personal interpretations from people. An active member of Parkinson’s UK who will be leading a sermon on the Sunday is Martin King - poet, musician and artist who lives with the condition.

Throughout there will be live music performances by soloists, choirs and an array of instrumentalists. Some of the acts include: The Good Vibrations choir, ‘In the Pink’, ‘No Strings Attached’, an organ and piano performance by Ken Sagar and classical guitar recital by Michael Ellis.

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Refreshments will be available in the Old School opposite the church and a quintessentially British afternoon tea will be served all weekend.

There is an admission charge of £4.00 per person. Children under 16 can enter for free but they must be accompanied by an adult.

The profits made by the festival will be shared between the Holy Trinity Church and Parkinson’s UK.

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COMMUNITY

Shopping locally this Christmas We Brits are a nation proud of the communities we live in, and there is no better way to support our towns and villages than by choosing to shop local this Christmas.

By Georgia Lambert

TOP TIP 6

Choosing to buy from local farmers is an ethical choice. Buying out of season strawberries in December lowers your

green-credentials.

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Lindfield is a pleasure to shop in, as it is teeming with shops on either side of the High Street. Tuffnells has two boutiques in the village and sells a variety of home and garden ware and gifts for men and women.

Alternatively, head into Haywards Heath and visit Calliope, a great shop selling well-known brand names such as ‘Happy Jackson’ and ‘Emma Bridgewater’ combined with an eclectic range of products.

In Haywards Heath when it comes to food the farmer’s market in the Orchards Shopping Centre is an easy way to fill up your kitchen cupboards with organic fruit, vegetables and freshly made bread.

However, if you switch to buying components of your

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Christmas dinner from local butchers, bakeries and farm shops, you’ll not only receive produce with less packaging, it will be fresh and more wholesome.

If you’re buying for a plant lover, De Novo Flowers is an incredible flower shop selling traditional and unusual flowers focusing on British and locally grown blooms, including a selection of roses and, lilies.

For the food lovers, Fellow’s in Ardingly is not only an independent bakery, but it has introduced exquisite bread rings that are perfect for sharing with cheese on a Christmas afternoon.

Also available is a deli-style range of locally-sourced gifts for foodies, such as Cartwright and Butler fudge, a selection of chocolates and cheese boards.

TOP TIP

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rom best-selling novels to the latest gadgets, there is no denying that the internet is an easy way to get our hands on pretty much whatever we want. However, there are benefits to buying from local businesses.

By choosing to spend locally, it’s guaranteed to boost the local economy. According to research, with every £1 spent in a small business, 63p stays in the local economy, compared to only 40p in a large business.

In Sussex, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to independent shops and businesses. The Brighton Lanes are a hub of quirky and unique shops - from vintage to Moroccan to music shops and quaint boutiques.

However, in the last few years I have been trying to shop even closer to home and by doing this, I have stumbled across some fail-safe gift shops that I can always rely on to find the perfect present.

By buying locally this Christmas, you are not only supporting smaller businesses, you are contributing to the local economy.

Among the inevitable stresses of Christmas, it’s a pretty great feeling to know that you are giving something back to your community. Merry Christmas!

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COMMUNITY

Haywards Heath and District Probus Club

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n October, Haywards Heath and District Probus Club held a lunch to celebrate the life of former member Geoff Lewis (1921 -2015) who left the club a legacy in his Will.

Geoff was an important and popular member who served as President from 2004 – 05 and during which time he presided over the third Inter-Probus lunch at Ardingly Show Ground restaurant.

Special guests at the memorial lunch were his son David Lewis and his wife Veronica.

Graham Cloake presided over the gathering of 63 members, wives and friends at Lindfield Golf Club.

As well as monthly members' lunches, the club holds events during the year including day trips to Runnymede and Windsor, Arundel Castle Open Air Theatre and wine and cheese tasting.

Membership of the club is open to retired or semi-retired professional or businessmen.

If you are interested in joining, visit the club’s website: www.haywardsheath-probus.org.uk.

COMMUNITY

The Life of a Bomber Boy Haywards Heath resident, Harry Hacker, has recently received the Legion of Honour, Chavelier medal for his military services during the Second World War and wears it proudly with the rest of his medals.

By Georgia Lambert

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orn in 1923 in Liverpool, Harry had a happy childhood, but as war clouds gathered he found himself working in an aircraft factory building Blenheim Bombers and at the Post Office Engineering Department.

Later, he joined a fire-watching unit and took on duties with the Local Defence Volunteers which later became the much celebrated ‘Home Guard’ during the ‘Blitzkrieg attack by the German Luftwaffe.

They risked their lives by fighting any paratroopers to slow down possible invasions.

The city was a blazing inferno; fires were raging everywhere under the rain of incendiary bombs and high explosives.

Upon reaching the age of eighteen, Harry successfully volunteered for aircrew duties and learnt to fly Tiger Moths and was posted to South Africa to complete his training with the Empire Air Training Scheme.

After his training in South Africa, Harry gained his ‘wings’ and was posted to the Middle East where he undertook operational training in Palestine, converting onto the infamous Wellington Bomber.

Soon he posted to the 40 Squadron, Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force, operating out of Italy. Harry and his crew left the Italian base to fly to Romania with the mission of bombing the county of Ploiesti.

The RAF had designed a strategic plan to cut off Nazi Germany’s main oil supply by bombing the oil refineries which provided Germany with 60% of natural oil.

This mission was extremely dangerous, and they were met by the Nazi’s deadly defensive mechanisms. However, they managed to starve Germany of vital sources of raw materials.

Their second successful mission was to detonate mines underneath the River Danube, used to transport oil into Germany. Harry and his

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Harry, centre accompanied by his crew. crew were among the 16 surviving officers after starting out as a group of 64.

Harry said: “You learn to live with fear, I lived amongst war for seven years and mentally you condition your mind to cope. I became a part of a determined team of fighters and you are only as weak as the strongest man, so we strived to do the job as well as we could and became great friends in the process.”

A well-known, archetypical wartime pilot song sang regularly to respect the inevitability of death - “Lift up your glasses steady, here’s to the dead already and here’s to the next man to die!”

After experiencing the atrocities of war, Harry and his crew survived unharmed and Harry returned to Africa where he met his future wife, Patricia, in the WAAF and they fell in love.

The next 25 years were in Harry’s words ‘a boy’s own adventure’ - he moved to Kenya with his wife, and they set up a safari camp that became popular with royalty including Prince Michael and his family.

Harry never forgot about his time in the war, describing it as ‘the biggest adventure of one’s life’ however, life was for living and settling down in Africa was going to be a different adventure peppered with its own danger but for the most part it allowed Harry to live a happy life with nature.

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PET CARE

Christmas and Pets – What you can do to keep them safe If you are the owner of a cat or a dog, there are some ways for making sure your home is safe for your four-legged family members this festive season.

We spoke to Head of Training at Pets Corner, Lucy Ross for her advice.

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hristmas may be very exciting for humans but for many animals it can be a source of anxiety and can present dangers with research showing that Christmas Eve typically shows a 20% increase in emergency referrals to veterinary practices compared to other days across the rest of the year.

Keeping decorations out of reach – cats and dogs can be very inquisitive animals and often want to explore new and exciting things.

The dazzle of decorations attracts many pets and animals may be tempted to chew on electric cables attached to lights and glass tree baubles can cause paw injuries.

Lucy, says: “Make sure any loose wires are tucked well out of the way – with special

By Jacob White cable hideaways or appropriate tape. Make sure all decorations are firmly secured and out of the reach of pets – use tree ornaments that won’t break easily like wood.”

Keeping an eye on Christmas treats – our furry friends might like to join us as we fill-up on our fancy festive gastronomic goodies this Christmas but chocolate, nuts, grapes and raisins are all extremely highly toxic to animals and can cause serious digestive issues.

Lucy, says: “Avoid the temptation to feed your pets with human treats and keep an eye on them to ensure they

TOP TIP: Some plants and flowers including mistletoe, ivy, holly and poinsettias can be toxic, so avoid these if you have pets.

aren’t sneaking a snack behind your back. Keep pets healthy with their regular diet and feed times.”

Protecting pets from the cold winter weather – as the temperatures drop at night make sure your pets are kept warm and given plenty of extra blankets to sleep with.

Lucy, says: “Invest in a goodquality animal coat that is fitted to your pet’s measurements.

This will help protect your pet outdoors.”

You can find further tips, advice and information on the Pets Corner website in the Petopedia section: www.petscorner.co.uk/petopedia

CANINE HYDROTHERAPY

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COMMUNITY Saturday, December 3, 9.30am - 12.00pm, Crawley Down Guides, Brownies and Rainbows Christmas Fair - The Glebe Centre, Crawley Dwon

All Saints Church, Turners Hill Road, Crawley Down, Crawley RH10 4JJ. A Christmas fair to include a visit from Santa and stalls including crafts, jewellery and children's activities as well as a tombola and raffle. A brunch will also be served.

Saturday, December 3, 12.00pm - 3.00pm, Friends of Halsford Park Winter Wonderland Halsford Park CP School, Manor Rd, East Grinstead.

Christmas fair featuring an ice rink, Father Christmas and a carol sing-along as wel as food stalls and a raffle.

Entrance for adults is £2.00, children free.

Saturday, December 3, 12.00pm - 3.00pm, Sullivan's Heroes charity Jewellery and Gifts Sale Dormansland School Christmas Fair,

Clinton Hill, Dormansland RH7 6PE. All proceeds going to Sullivan’s Heroes to provide ongoing grants for local disabled children.

Sunday, December 4, 3.30pm, St Catherine's Hospice Tree of Light K2 Crawley, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley RH11 9BQ.

The Tree of Light service offers a moment to reflect and remember friends and family who are no longer with us. Visitors are invited to dedicate a star in memory of someone special on the tree. For more information, call St Catherine's Hospice on: 01293 447355 Monday, December 5, 7.30pm, Orpheus Carols St Mary the Virgin Church, Church Lane, Bletchingley

The perfect opportunity to start the season off with a captivating celebration of Christmas - this concert features carols by candlelight with mince pies and mulled wine to follow. Tickets cost £10.00 (concessions £5.00) and can be purchased by calling: 01883 741414, or by emailing: marketing@orpheus.org.uk Tuesday, December 6, 2.15pm - 4.15pm, Lindfield Afternoon WI

King Edward Hll, High St, Lindfield, Haywards Heath.

All visitors and new members are warmly welcome. For more information, email: la16wi@gmail.com Wednesday, December 7, 10.00am - 12.00pm, Heatherley Christmas Fair

Heatherley, Effingham Lane, Copthorne RH10 3HS. The Heatherley Christmas Fair is your chance to buy Christmas gifts and cards with various stalls open.

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Wednesday, December 7, 7.15pm for 7.45pm, East Grinstead Flower Club - St John's Church Hall,

Felbridge, East Grinstead RH19 2QT. Demonstrations of floral arrangements, a raffle and refreshments. For more information, call: 01342 328176 Saturday, December 10, 11.00am 3.00pm, Sullivan's Heroes charity Jewellery & Gifts Sale

Lingfield Notre Dame School Christmas Fair, Lingfield Notre Dame Senior School, St. Pier's Lane, Lingfield RH7 6PH. All proceeds going to Sullivan’s Heroes to provide ongoing grants for local disabled children.

Saturday, December 10, 7.30pm, Mid Sussex Choir Annual Christmas Concert St Wilfrid's Church, St Wilfrid's Way, Haywards Heath.

The concert will include excerpts from Brahm's Requim and Charpentier's Messe de Minuit as well as the traditional mix of Christmas songs and carols for an audience sing-along. Tickets are £12.00 if bought in advance from choir members or at Carousel Music and £15.00 on the night. Children under 16 are admitted free with a paying adult.

Monday, December 12, 7.45pm, East Grinstead Natural History Society

St Barnabas Church Hall, Dunnings Road, East Grinstead.

Christmas social evening. Visitor's fee is £4.50, which includes refreshments. For more information, call Terriss Bacon on: 01342 315051 Wednesday, December 14, 8.00pm - 10.00pm, Mid Sussex Franco-British Society Soiree amicale

For members and invited guests.

Friday, December 16, 2.00pm - 4.00pm, Singing for Pleasure Concert, Jubilee Community Centre

Charlwoods Road, East Grinstead RH19 2HL. A concert in aid of Macmillan Cancer UK, Entrance is £5.00, which includes refreshments.

Friday, December 16, 7.30pm Crawley Keyboard Music Evening

Charis Centre, West Green Drive, Crawley RH11 7EL. An evening with Ray Campbell. Visitors welcome at £6.00. For more information, call: 01293 784166 Friday, December 16, 7.30pm, East Grinstead Society Talk -

East Court Mansion, College Lane, East Grinstead, RH19 3LT. A walk from Felbridge to College Lane in 1952.

A talk by Peter Pollard who was born and brought up in East Grinstead. Members £1.00 and Non-Members £3.00.

Wine and mince pies will be served.

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London Temple Garden Tours

West Park Road, Newchapel, Surrey RH7 6NB | Phone: 01342 837 952 Tuesday - Friday from 9am - 7pm • Free Guided Tours • Free Entrance • Free Parking • Free Buffet Lunch For Groups of 10+ Reservations Necessary Open all year round

During 2016 hundreds of visitors have enjoyed our gardens and complimentary lunches. We wish all of our visitors a very happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

“Thank you once again for your hospitality, for lunch and for the opportunity to look around your beautiful gardens.

The Trees are magnificent and the grounds are very well kept!” - East Grinstead Horticultural Society

We are still open for tours during the Winter months so you can experience the beautiful change of seasons whilst visiting these wonderful grounds. The tours are wheelchair friendly along well maintained pathways to explore the many trees, shrubs and plants etc.

“We all found the morning very informative about the Temple, your faith and the gardens. The lunch, which was delicious, just finished the morning off ” - Forest Row Women’s Institute

Upcoming Events at the London Temple Visitors Centre Sunday, 4th December 6.00pm: London Brittania Ward Young single Adult choir Saturday, 10th December 1.00pm & 4.00pm: ‘Enchanted’ Quartet Sunday, 11th December 6.00pm: Manna Road Gospel Choir Sunday, 18th December 6.00pm: Nigel Rogers - Readings & Choir Monday, 19th December 7.00pm: The Nabrotsky Family

Find us on the web www.lds.org/placestovisit Follow the London Temple Visitor’s Centre on Facebook

COMMUNITY

Get Your Skates On!

What better way to celebrate mid-winter than getting your skates and taking to the ice? Back once again for this Christmas season is the annual Reigate on Ice and it is bigger and better than ever!

By Jacob White

D

o you fancy yourself as the next Jayne Torvill or Christopher Dean?

The duo that melted hearts on St. Valentine’s Day in 1984 at the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo has inspired millions to get their skates on and to take to the ice.

Whether it was their perfect performance 32-years-ago set to Ravel’s Boléro or through their involvement in the hugely popular Sunday evening ITV reality TV show Dancing on Ice which ran for nine series between 2006 and 2014.

Well, don’t worry you needn’t be either an Olympian nor be ready to appear on national television to have fun at Reigate on Ice.

Back for 2016 with new features and the return of old favourites the event is bigger and better than ever!

Officially opening on Thursday, December 1 with a visit from the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead. This is followed by a public launch party two days later including a spectacular firework display and a performance by Shane Richie’s band.

If you’re looking for a wintery wonderland look no further!

Besides the ice, there will be entertainment from magicians, singers, fairground rides and – new for 2016 Santa’s Grotto.

So, whether on ice on not get set for full-on family festive fun!

To enhance the Christmassy atmosphere there are plans

A date for your diary!

Join the party on Saturday, December 3 at 6.30pm for an evening of festive fun as the ice party warms up!

Following a day of activities across Reigate which will see Santa land by helicopter in Priory Park and the town’s Christmas Fayre. for a Disco Roadshow each weekend of the event which is great if you’re planning a nightout with friends or a workplace do – and if you’re feeling chilly after your skate, there’s plenty of festive food and drink to warm you up!

Competition Time!

We’ve teamed-up with Reigate on Ice to offer you the chance to win family tickets to the event.

For more information on how to win, visit our website: www.rhuncovered.co.uk

Ice, ice baby!

If you’re not lucky enough to win the family tickets we have up for grabs don’t worry, the ice rink is open until Monday, January 2. For more information about tickets, visit www.reigateonice.co.uk Reigate on Ice, Priory Park, Bell Street, Reigate RH2 7BA

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HEALTH

Christmas

The most wonderful stressful time of the year?

Let’s be honest, even for those of us that love the Christmas season, it can become so stressful, that by mid-December we wish it was all over!

By Nikki Relffe-Arnold

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or many people who already suffer from anxiety and depression, Christmas only serves to make matters worse - with the expectations to be the perfect host or hostess, families being thrown together for days on end, not to mention the never-ending Christmas shopping.

Christmas adverts on TV show happy families, laughing and joking while they meander from shop to shop, piling their arms full of beautifully wrapped gifts, before arriving home to the perfect house made all the warmer by the obligatory log fire.

At home, in front of the fire adoring parents’ cosy-up without a care in the world, having deposited all the gifts which were bought in one trip, under the perfectly decorated tree. Sound familiar in your house? No, mine neither and therein lies the problem.

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We can get disappointed that life isn’t like it is made out to be in the adverts. Christmas shopping trips are fraught with frequent arguments, screaming kids, and hordes of people also stressed to the eyeballs - unless you are organised and shop online weeks ahead.

Imagine, feeling stressed or anxious all of the time, let alone just at Christmas, when all it does is make you feel worse because you know that you really should be enjoying this time of the year.

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What can you do to get through without things getting out of control?

Most importantly and top of the list, keep appointments with your therapist, counsellor or doctor – yes it’s a busy time, but your treatment and wellbeing should still be at the top of your gift list to yourself.

Try to minimise stress by shopping online where possible - do this throughout the year, or in periods when you are feeling less anxious or stressful.

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Better still – opt for gift cards from stores that your family and friends love. Order them online, plus they don’t need gift-wrapping!

Send greeting cards online either electronically or physical cards from www.moonpig.com or similar – the great thing about these sites are that you can often ‘organise’ your cards months in advance and just book the date in when they should be sent.

Don’t offer to ‘do’ Christmas for the family ~be honest and tell them you don’t feel up to it. This can also help alleviate the pressure on decorating the house. If you feel like doing the decorations then fine, but if you don’t no one is going to be disappointed.

If you are celebrating elsewhere and are expected to contribute food, buy it, don’t stress yourself further by making dishes. If you want to see family and friends, make arrangements under your terms – if you only feel up to an hour or so,

arrange to have morning coffee or a walk.

A good idea is to get out of the house, rather than have people visit you; this puts you in control of when you arrive and leave.

Finally, make sure you also treat yourself. Have a massage, manicure or pedicure, take walks in the fresh air, or buy a new book to treat yourself.

Hopefully some of these suggestions might ease some of the pressure we all feel at this time of year, helping to control those things we can, and getting extra help with those things we can’t.

Gift vouchers available

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ADVERTORIAL

Pre-Paid Funeral Plans – Peace of mind for you and your loved ones It goes without saying that losing a loved-one is an incredibly stressful and emotional time, with considerations such as funeral expenses often causing further concern and stress.

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ver recent years there has been huge coverage in the media about funeral costs, which, for the last two decades, have consistently risen far in excess of the annual rate of inflation. Average funeral costs have increased from £1,230 in 1997 to over £4000 today – an increase of over 225%*.

Taking out a pre-paid funeral plan fixes the cost of the funeral director’s fees and services at today’s prices, meaning whatever they cost in the future, there will never be anything additional for your family or estate to have to pay towards them.

In the current period of low interest rates, many people now see the huge benefit in ‘investing’ capital into a pre-paid funeral plan instead of conventional savings accounts, given they’re a far more effective and robust means of budgeting for what is, alongside taxes, life’s only inevitable expense.

In addition to helping your loved-ones in the financial sense, taking out a funeral plan also allows you to dictate the precise format of a funeral, thus alleviating any uncertainty amongst those left behind as to what you’d like the service to include.

At Good Wills, we work in partnership with Safe Hands – one of the UK’s leading providers of pre-paid funeral plans.

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Figures taken from Sun Life Cost of Dying Report 2013.

Endorsed by the National Federation of Funeral Directors, Safe Hands Funeral Plans combine affordability with outstanding levels of service and care.

Safe Hands Funeral Plans offer a range of five different plans to suit different tastes and budgets.

Ranging in price from £1695 to £3700, all can be tailored for either cremation or burial. Safe Hands also offer a host of affordable payment terms, with interest free options available if you spread the cost over 12 or 24 months.

In common with all funeral plans, the monies you pay for your Safe Hands Funeral Plan are held securely in a ring-fence trust fund, where, over the course of your lifetime, they are invested by independent, specialist, trust fund managers.

Then when you pass away, the monies (including interest generated) are released from the trust and paid to a local, reputable, funeral director who then will conduct your funeral in accordance with the instructions contained within your plan.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information, or call Safe Hands Funeral Plans direct on 0800 917 7099 quoting Good Wills.

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STYLE

Post-Christmas Party Beauty Tips & Tricks Feeling as tired as Santa? Skin as red as Rudolph’s nose? We spend a long time beautifying for Christmas get-togethers, only to feel (and look!) a little worse for wear the day after. Here’s how to get your festive fabulousness back – even if you’ve only had a few hours’ sleep…

By Shelley Welti Cleanse, Tone, Moisturise It’s a skincare regime that women (and men!) have sworn by for centuries and for good reason too! After all, what makes you feel more refreshed than cleansing, toning and moisturising? Okay, so we can’t be angels ALL of the time (especially after a mix of late nights and a few glasses of wine), but we can get back on track the morning after.

Give your skin the TLC it needs by cleansing away last night’s make-up, toning and putting that much-needed moisture back into it. If you have time for a face mask, use the flesh of an avocado, add a tablespoon of honey and make a face paste with it. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes, then rinse away with water. Your glow will be back in no time!

Water Wow After a late night, many of us crave a mug of coffee – but actually, we need to step away from the caffeine. Not only does it not sober us up, but also leaves our bodies more dehydrated. That’s why upping water intake after a night out is so important, to keep us hydrated and get us back to our normal selves!

Deep Clean Scrub Party fake tan now looking streaky or flaky? Scrub away the streaks with a deep cleansing exfoliator made using products from your kitchen cupboard!

Mix half a cup of coconut oil with half a cup of brown sugar and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, then head to the shower to beautifully buff your body!

Backcomb Beauty If last night’s ‘hair do’ has turned into today’s ‘hair don’t,’ it’s easy to sort in a few minutes. Just comb and de-tangle ends and matted areas then put into a ponytail. Using your already volumised, backcombed roots, roll the ponytail to your roots, tuck under backcombed hair and pin in place. Alternatively, just leave in a full ponytail for a relaxed, natural look.

Soothe Me Smoothie When feeling tired or hungover, it’s so easy to reach for stodgy carbs or sweet treats, but unfortunately, they’ll just lead to us feeling worse. Going for green is the way to inject energy back into post-party slumps.

Our Soothe Me Smoothie recipe is perfect for giving your body the potassium, antioxidants and detox it needs: What you’ll need: • Small banana • Cup of berries • Handful spinach • Half a small avocado • 150ml of water • A squeeze of lime Simply add to a blender and mix for two glassfuls of green goodness!

FOOD AND DRINK

Baileys Creme Brûlée Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com Preparation time:10 minutes + chilling Cooking time: 40-45 minutes Total time: 50-55 minutes + chilling Serves: 6

COOK’S TIP

Ingredients 600ml double cream 200ml semi-skimmed milk 6 medium Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Egg yolks 30g caster sugar 4 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream 3 tbsp demerara sugar If you have a cook’s blowtorch, use it instead of the grill to melt the sugar on top of the brûlées as it’s much easier to control the heat.

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 150ºC, gas mark 2.

Pour the cream and milk into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling.

Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together with a balloon whisk until combined.

Stir in the cream mixture and Baileys and pour into 6 small ramekins.

Remove from the tin and leave to cool, then chill for 2 hours.

3. Put the ramekins in a 4. Preheat the grill to hot. roasting tin and add Sprinkle the demerara enough cold water to sugar in an even layer the tin to come two over the brûlées and thirds of the way up the grill until the sugar sides of the ramekins. has melted, about 2 Carefully put the roasting minutes. Leave to cool tin in the oven and until the sugar has cook for 30–40 minutes, set, then serve or until just set. straight away.

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CHILDREN

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Shop It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but with so much to do; we can easily get stressed out. I am sure many parents would agree that the activity which tops the list of most stressful festive experiences has to be shopping with the kids in tow.

By Shelley Welti

S

tores and supermarkets heaving with frantic shoppers, combined with overexcited and tired children is a mix which leaves most of us feeling completely frazzled and more no no no than ho ho ho.

So, before you embark on this year’s Christmas shopping trips, read our top tips for making the experience as frazzle-free as possible!

Start EARLY We all know that as the big day creeps closer, the shops become busier with those looking for ‘last minute’ must-haves – so if you’ve been putting it off; you need to simply get going.

Arm yourself with a list, get the kids ready and hit the High Street as soon as well-stocked stores open. This means that you can have bought most of your pressies by early afternoon (even when taking a well-deserved stop for breakfast or lunch) and then all relax on the sofa, watching a festive film while other shoppers battle it out!

Get The Kids Involved If children are involved in the process, they’re more likely to stay engaged and happy throughout their trip to the shops. As you write your trusty to-buy list; ask for their ideas on what to buy grandma, their school friends or their teacher; then when it comes to finding it, they can ‘help’ you look for it and feel a sense of accomplishment!

Create Christmas Experiences Sadly, we all know that Christmas shopping is not like the scenes in our favourite festive family films, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be inspired by them! After a trip to the shops, make that magical visit to Santa’s grotto, or for bigger kids; a hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows.

The mayhem of the hours before will soon be forgotten!

Don’t forget that many of our beautiful towns have shopping days and activities happening (including East Grinstead’s T’was The Sunday Before Christmas) which is not only a brilliant way to support local, small businesses but also get in the community Christmas atmosphere.

Swapping Shopping If Christmas shopping with the kids is just not possible (after all, most of the gifts you’ll be buying will most likely be for them!), schedule ‘swapping’ or ‘shopping’ dates in with other parents! Organise a time to look after a friend’s children too while they pop to the shops and then swap over, so you can get your pressies sorted without having to worry about keeping

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the kids busy. The kids will be kept occupied, and you’ll have most of your shopping done – happy days all round!

Shop online One of the easiest ways to avoid the hassle and hustle and bustle of the shops with the kids is by shopping online. Last Christmas alone more than £25 billion was spent while we shop from our sofas, making it an ideal way of getting our gifts without even having to leave our homes.

However, as you can imagine, many retailers are inundated with online orders and some can take longer than expected.

To combat waiting in for parcels to arrive, many retailers offer click and collect options, allowing you to pick up your shopping at a convenient time to suit you!

GARDENS

Choosing a Christmas Tree

Practical advice on choosing your real Christmas tree, tips on how to look after it, and how to recycle once the festivities are over.

By Jacob White

I

t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas but in most homes Christmas really starts when the tree goes up.

So, if you love the idea of a real tree, but don’t know where to start we’ll take you through the options.

This is now a time for choosing, you’ve dreamt of your ideal Christmas tree, now it’s time to make those dreams a reality!

We’ve picked a fab four of trees which you might like to consider and which will tick your festive boxes: Norway spruce The most traditional looking Christmas tree from Scandinavia with a mid-green colour and fine, delicate foliage and a distinctive ‘Christmassy’ scent.

Lodgepole pine Historically used by Native Americans to hold up tipis, this tree is a cheerful green colour, tinged slightly with yellow, and a sharp fragrance.

Nordmann fir A popular Christmas tree because the needles aren’t sharp and don’t drop as much as other trees with bold green needles with whitish underside.

Scots pine This one is Scotland’s national tree, it’s got a rich fragrance and is easy on the eye, this lovely conifer has bluey-green foliage and soft needles.

Caring is sharing Caring for your Christmas tree and ensuring it looks its best for the festive period really is sharing!

It’s all about sharing the colour, fragrance and also a beautiful centre piece for your decorations!

When you get home, stand your new tree in water and keep it in a cool place - a garage is a good place before you’re ready to take it indoors.

When you’re ready to move the tree indoors, cut off around one inch (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the trunk and shake gently to remove loose needles.

Use a special stand which are available from most garden centres to pot the tree with the trunk in water, but not with soil as this will stop water being absorbed.

Now, it’s down to location, location, location – place your tree in the coolest part of the room, ideally next to a window and don’t forget to water daily.

Post-Christmas recycling

Some councils will collect and recycle your real Christmas tree for you at the same time as they collect your rubbish, if you put it out for collection on your usual bin day from mid-January.

However, with others you cannot leave it on the kerbside, but there are special recycling sites where you can take your real tree for recycling during the month of January.

For up-to-date information on council recycling, visit: Surrey: www.surreycc.gov.uk | West Sussex: www.recycleforwestsussex.org | East Sussex: www.eastsussex.gov.uk

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HOMES

Big Ideas for Small Living Rooms If you long for more space (who doesn’t at Christmas with all those houseguests?), but lack the funds for a move or extension, there’s still plenty you can do to create space in your living room.

By Nikki Relffe-Arnold

W

hether you have just moved and are finding your belongings just don’t fit, or have gradually accumulated too much furniture and too many accessories to fit comfortably into your space, there’s plenty you can do to regain that light and airy feel to any room with a little bit of effort.

Try to use objects and ornaments that will reflect light, so anything made of metal, glass or other light reflecting materials will only help to enhance the feeling of space.

Windows There are two schools of thought when it comes to windows – either do away with curtains and use simple blinds to fit with your existing décor, or to maximise the illusion of space by hanging curtains at ceiling height and the whole width of your wall, no matter what size your window.

Surprisingly, both give an illusion of more space!

Flooring To create maximum light reflection, take up carpeting and replace with wooden or laminate flooring – this will allow more light to bounce around the room giving a sense of more space.

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Walls Instead of using small pictures on walls, go BIG. A piece of art (covering around 70% of the wall) will instantly make the wall look bigger.

Light wall colouring will also help create an illusion of space, as will hanging large mirrors, particularly opposite windows and doorways, as these will reflect the space outside of windows and through open doorways.

Finally, if there is any possibility at all, hide that huge 50” TV screen, perhaps in a unit with doors, or maybe ‘hidden’ in among other pictures on the walls. That way, at least if Coronation Street or EastEnders gets boring on Christmas evening, your guests can admire your art!

TOP TIP:

TOP TIP:

De-clutter Firstly, before you start on anything, have a declutter. Only keep accessories or pictures that you love and add to the style and ambience of your room. A few beautiful pieces will add interest and not clutter up your surfaces, creating the feeling of more space in the room.

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If you can’t do without some comfort, use rugs instead of carpets.

Particularly effective is a rug beneath a dining room table and chairs.

It helps define the eating space and keeps your toes warm while eating!

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MOTORING

Must have gifts for petrol heads

By Ben Morley

H

Car Accessories Nothing says ‘I Love You’ quite like a decent set of alloy wheels, but trying to second guess exactly what style, size, or type, would be nothing short of a nightmare. So maybe you are better off buying something like some good quality floor mats.

aving trouble thinking of things to buy the petrol head in your life? Well you needn’t worry too much, there are plenty of cool things out there for Santa to bring them.

Assuming of course that they have been good this year.

Obviously it depends upon how much you want to spend, but anything from a Matchbox version of their favourite car or a supercar experience in one at a racetrack, you’ll not struggle to find something to please them.

Something for the garage You can get some cool neon signs, or even just straightforward tin signs. This is the sort of thing that no selfrespecting petrol head would be without in their garage/man cave/spare room.

Driving Experiences Brands Hatch is your nearest circuit, and it’s a cracker, there are a number of experience days for the petrol head in your life, from Rallying to driving a BMW M4 on the legendary tarmac.

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Slot Cars Because everyone who likes cars is a big kid at heart, there is no way that unwrapping a Scalextric set won’t bring a smile to their face. The slot cars themselves are highly detailed these days, almost too good to use, let alone smash off of the skirting boards in your front room.

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Tickets to a car show There are plenty of car shows to attend during the course of the year, many being large indoor ones that aren’t affected too much by the weather. Of course it depends what your tame petrol head is into, but the show season starts at the NEC with Autosport International in January and finishes in November with the Classic Car Show.

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ANNIVERSARY

Christmas Must Haves Of 2006 Continuing our year of tenth birthday celebrations, this month we’re remembering the must haves for Christmas in our first year of publishing back in 2006!

By Jacob White

T

en years ago there were two top selling items that children were after – one was a technological revolution which would get us all up on our feet, the other was a retro revival from outer space!

Nintendo Wii (From £129.99 to £169.99) Back in 2006, everyone was up off the sofa, mums, dads and grandparents alike with the children swinging and swiping their way around their lounges with their handheld Wii remote controlling their on-screen sporting antics.

Just how many breakages can be attributed to it, we’ll never know!

Cyberman Mask (From £12.50) A decade-ago, the Doctor Who revival was kicking-off with a new generation of Doctor Who fans emerging as Christopher Eccleston took on the role of playing the dapper-dressed Time Lord. This mask stormed the market along with a full-range of Whovian merchandise aimed at children.

Others on children’s lists to Santa back in 2006…

Dora The Explorer accessories, Sony Playstation 3 and timeless favourite Monopoly saw strong sales.

INDEX Bathroom Restoration, Renubath, 25

Heating Services, Storaheat, 25

Builder & Landscaping, Archers Build, 29

Kitchen and Bathroom Services, Dream Doors Interiors Ltd, 28

Canine Hydrotherapy, Pampurr your Pets - Canine Hydrotherapy Ltd, 9

Locksmiths, Lees Locks, 28

Carpentry & Joinery, Hayter and Smythe, 25

Opticians, Dolphins Optometrists, 34

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Bliss Cleaning, 25

Oven Cleaning, TLC Oven Cleaning, 25

Charity, Cats Protection, 10

Plumbing and Heating, Tim Burberry Plumbing & Heating, 27

Conservatories, Icon Roofs Ltd, 24 Dental Practice, Riverview Dental Practice, 15 Domestic Appliances, Carters Direct, 32 Double Glazing, As Good As New, 28 Driveways, Vintage Driveways, 23 Garage doors, G.M Garage Doors, 25

Property Refurbishment & Construction, Baileybridge Property Refurbishment & Construction, 27 Religious group, London Temple Visitor Centre, 11 Roof & Gutter Cleaning, Tilley & Co, 29 Satellite/TV, Norsat, 29

Garden Maintenance, Ian Goodrich, 24

Scaffolding, Sussex Chimneys (East Grinstead Scaffolding), 29

Gift Shop, Heyland & Whittle, 5

Taxi Services, AV Cars, 1

Handyman, Blue Local Handymen, 25

Tree Care, Bartlett Tree Experts, 23