may 2018 Middlesbrough by My Local Magazine Middlesbrough & Stockton on Tees

My Local Magazine ®

Issue 84 | May 2018 | The BEST of Middlesbrough’s Business, News, Reviews and To-Do’s

CARRY ON CAMPING PAGE 12

INFINITI QX5 PAGE 22

GARDENING PAGE 26

distributed by GPS Leaﬂet Distribution

Keep Me for 2 Months

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Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we The company, based locally, say and make sure the house offers homeowners the opis spotless when we leave, portunity to maximise their and Value in that we offer storage space with a loft our services at a price people ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding can afford. Our business and a light all fully fitted in relies on referrals and we got less than a day from just a huge amount of our calls £277 + VAT. But it’s not just from people who have been the affordability of the pack- referred to us by our existing age the company offers that customers - that simply makes Yorkshire Loft Ladwouldn’t happen if we didn’t ders stand out as manager adhere to our overriding Mark Hodson explains: principles. These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in.

‘Our watchwords are Quality, Integrity and Value.

lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’ So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however

big or small, call Mark on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers

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Care for our elderly that’s good enough for the Queen! You’re never too old to try something new, whether it’s joining a local exercise class, learning a language or making new friends – age is just a number! Social connections promote positive health and wellbeing, all of which help combat social isolation and loneliness and enhance wellbeing. Home Instead Senior Care is a local company who are specialists at providing exemplary care and support to older people who want to remain happily, safely and independently at home. Their award winning care model is centred on companionship, ensuring older people have someone to talk to who genuinely cares about them and who spends quality time with them. The company is very proud of its dedicated, passionate Caregivers who provide companionship and care to their clients every day. Home Instead does this so well that they have been

are there as a friend and you spend time talking to a getting to know the client; you develop a relationship and become a friend. And it is for that that you have an award for innovation – relationship care, matching the carer to the client and of course making sure that the same person sees the same client over a long period.”

awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise for their endeavours! The Queens official representative, Lord Lieutenant David Briggs, MBE, K.St.J. saying “The Queen has been so impressed with your single minded determination to give the elderly what they want – to cherish, or dare I say to love and truly care for them. You have also understood that one of the biggest killers in old age is loneliness and so you are not just there to clean or cook or to change the person being cared for, but you

Genuine care for the elderly is only ever as good as the people employed to deliver that support and so that’s why the best care providers use ‘value based’ recruitment practices. This makes sure that people employed are genuine, true and honest people, many of whom the company finds have never had formal care experience with another organisation but have looked after a family member for example; they know from the heart what it takes to provide and receive that support. Home Instead then provides its bespoke, award winning training to the right candidates. Alison P. joined Home Instead recently and had this to say … “I believe there is a difference between needing a job and wanting a job! I want this job. I’ve been so full of enthusiasm about it since I left the initial interview. I’ve done all the humdrum jobs, had my self-conﬁdence knocked out of me by motherhood and now I believe it’s my time to shine, not just my time, but for the people whom I feel I have so much to offer. . I’ve always had so much to give and feel this would be the vocation in life that I have always aspired to. I don’t want to ‘care’ for people in an environment that doesn’t allow the operative word. I want to make a difference to both the client and the relatives who are putting their faith into outside care, usually due to outside commitments of their own.Therefore they must have complete conﬁdence / reassurance that the care for their loved one is second to none” …. Are there anymore ‘Alison’s’ out there …?

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EDITOR’S LETTER

May 2018 Last month, I had to say was a little bit hectic. As my dear Mother in Law would have said “ I don’t know whether I was Arthur, Martha or George” We were, to say the least struggling to keep up with customer enquiries and taking on new people to help us with our businesses. We did not have a clue how to cope with the level of enquiries we were getting.We tried different things to get us on track. New technology, better email systems, multiple telephone numbers to handle incoming calls more efficiently. All failed.

What a brilliant idea for keeping everything in one place and easily accessible. I have concluded that regardless of what technology comes our way, it is going to be challenging to replicate paper. All this technology with its fingerprint recognition, downloading a fancy app to try and decipher your working and daily life on a seven inch screen just doesn’t cut it. Somethings in life I think will never be superseded by technology. Good old-fashioned paper and pen can’t be beaten in my view.

CONTENTS

The only way we could get back on track was to revert to a fantastic eighties product called the Filofax. Some of you may have owned one.

@mylocalmag /mylocalmagazine

Features Recipe

What’s wrong with a little rose-tinted nostalgia?

Carry on Camping

Top Travels

Brilliant Bathroom Lighting

Super stylish children’s rooms

Jeremy Middleton Managing Director T: 01642 924847 M: 07533 265 475 E: jeremy@mylocal-magazine.co.uk W: www.mylocal-magazine.co.uk My Local Magazines Ltd, Office 4, Walker House, 3rd Floor, High Street Stockton on Tees TS18 1BG My Local Magazine does not endorse any advertisement with in this publication. My Local Magazine cannot be held responsible for breach of copyright arising from publication artwork supplied. It is the advertisers responsibility to ensure conformity with the Trades Description Act 1975 Business Advertisement Disclosure Order 1977 and The Consumer Act 1974. Reproduction of this magazine is in anyway is strictly prohibited. If you wish to use any of the advertisements or content within this publication please contact Jeremy Middleton 01642 924847 Whilst we, the publisher take great care to be accurate, no liability will be accepted under any circumstances should any of the contents of this publication be incorrect.

WASPI stands for Women Against State Pension Inequality 22 Helping Your Dog Deal with the Heat of Summer

Iconic Routes: The North Coast 500

Infiniti QX50

Striking Sunflowers

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how to save £1,000s and get a new kitchen in just 48 hours Buying a a new Buying new kitchen kitchen can can be be aa stressful experience. Highpressure stressful Highsales are sales followed lengthyby pressure are by followed lengthy delays, onemost of the delays, then onethen of the used most used rooms in is the homeout is rooms in the home totally totally out of week or of bounds forbounds a weekfor oramore. more. But customers customers in in the thenorth northeast east But have another option. option. A welcome welcome have alternative that that isis half half the the cost cost of of alternative an new kitchen, kitchen,can canbe be an average average new delivered delivered within withinthe themonth, month,and and fitted fittedininas as little littleas asaa day. day.

and complete if required appliances andkitchens complete kitchens all fitted –byallapproved local if–required fitted by approved local installers. A family-run installers. It is also part of a business owned by network Kevin andof national franchised Katrina it is also partthat of a Dream Clarke, Doors showrooms national network of stretchesfranchised all the way down to Dream Doors showrooms that Cornwall. stretches all the way down to Cornwall. “Major home improvement

From its showroom in Yarm, From its showroom Yarm, Dream Doors Teesideinsupplies Dream Teeside supplies time andDoors money-saving kitchen time and money-saving makeovers – as well as kitchen

“Major home improvement projects always seem daunting. projects always seem daunting,” But there's far less upheaval says Kevin. “But there's far less with our kitchen makeovers. For upheaval with our kitchen a door swap we're in and out makeovers. For a door swap in a day, and out for in a facelift, withfor we're in and a day, and worktops andworktops a sink, we'll anew facelift, with new and need an extra day.an aprobably sink, we'll probably need extra day.

makeovers – as well as appliances

Dream Doors asks for just a 50

Quality Kitchen Facelifts

percentDoors deposit from Dream asks for customers just a 50 on order, and guarantees all its percent deposit from customers on order, and guarantees all its doors and work free of charge. doors and work free of charge. Customers Customersalso alsobenefit benefitfrom from dealing dealing with withlocal localbusiness business owners who are also part of a owners who are also part of a national brand. “Dream Doors is national brand. “Dream Doors is the UK's biggest name in kitchen the UK's Katrina biggest says. name “But in kitchen facelifts,” unlike facelifts. But unlike other other national companies, national companies,buy customers customers from us buy – thefrom us – the business and business owners –owners and we–know we know we'll the best we'll deliver the deliver best customer service.” customer service.” Contact kevin or katrina on Contact Jackie on 01642 924956 or visit 01642 918984 or visit www.dreamdoors.co.uk

www.dreamdoors.co.uk

A fresh new look this winter

Why replace when you can reface?

• The whole process managed from design to completion • Huge choice of doors, first hour is worktops, appliances, free parking in Yarm sinks and taps • UK’s leading kitchen facelift expert www.dreamdoors.co.uk

Est. 1999

Call Kevin For a Free Estimate:

01642 918984 ts@dreamdoors.co.uk Dream Doors Teesside, Yarm, Stockton on Tees, 21 High Street, TS15 9BW

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COCONUT SEAFOOD CURRY Full of flavour, this speedy curry is great for a summer supper. Replace the asparagus tips with green beans or sugar snap peas, if liked. Serve with boiled noodles or steamed Thai jasmine rice. Serves 4 Ready in 50 minutes 1tbsp vegetable oil 8 shallots, peeled and halved 2-3 tbsp Thai green curry paste (see Tip)

225g new potatoes, scrubbed and halved 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced 400ml can reduced fat coconut milk 150ml vegetable stock 2tbsp light soy sauce 450g cod fillet, skinned and cut into chunks 175g fine asparagus tips Juice from 1 lime 200g cooked tiger prawns, thawed if frozen

2tbsp freshly chopped coriander Salt and freshly ground black pepper Chopped red chilli and fresh coriander leaves, to garnish 1 Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat and fry the shallots for 5 minutes until golden. Stir in the Thai green curry paste and cook for 1 minute. 2 Add the potatoes, carrot, coconut milk, stock and soy sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender. 3 Add the chunks of cod and asparagus tips to the pan. Cover and simmer gently for a further 6-8 minutes until the fish is just cooked and beginning to flake. 4 Gently stir in the lime juice, tiger prawns and chopped coriander. Simmer for 5 minutes until the prawns are piping hot, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve in warmed bowls garnished with chopped chilli and coriander leaves.

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What’s wrong with a little rose-tinted nostalgia? “When I was young ...”; “In my time …”; “The good old days …” Be honest. How often do you use expressions like this to talk about the past? Of course, there’s no harm in a little nostalgia; thinking back to the experiences we’ve enjoyed in our lives helps us hold on to our identities in this fast-changing world. But some would argue that constantly reflecting on the past makes it harder for us to appreciate the present or look forward to the future. What is nostalgia? The word ‘nostalgia’ – combining the Greek words nostos (homecoming) and algos (pain) – was coined in 1688 by Swiss physician Johannes Hofer

when he studied a group of soldiers suffering from depression. But Hofer’s idea of ‘nostalgia’ was very different to the meaning we give the word nowadays. These men, fighting far from home and family, were actually suffering from what we would call ‘homesickness’. Today the term ‘nostalgia’ is used to describe a wistful longing for the past. Hearing a song, visiting a place linked to your youth or seeing an object that reminds you of happier times can result in a flood of positive emotions so strong that you can almost see, smell and touch the environment recalled. Keeping it real

Of course, not everyone dons rose-tinted glasses when they reflect on the past. Joan Fraser – contributing to a forum discussion on the SilverSurfers website (www. silversurfers.com) writes: “Thinking back to freezing bedrooms, one bath a week, and times when we couldn’t travel so widely, and women faced such a number of ridiculous restrictions, makes me appreciate the home comforts and freedoms I have”. But even Joan admits that she indulges in a little nostalgia from time to time

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Tea Time Specials

Swaledale sausages

Monday to Wednesday 3.30pm to 7.00pm Tea time special is not available on any bank holidays or Christmas eve

Spaghetti alla carbonara

Mash potato, onion gravy and peas

Sunday lunch

With pancetta, mushrooms, red onion, cream and parmesan

1 Course £7.95 2 Course £10.95 3 Course £13.95

Chef’s own home-made spaghetti bolognese

Starters

Pizza al funghi

Chef’s home made using Yorkshire beef mince

1 courseHam£8.95 and mushroom With balsamic and olive oil Pizza Pollo 2 course £11.95 Chicken, tomato and mozzarella with onion Deli terrine 3 course Roasted £14.95 Home-made ham and chicken terrine wrapped in Parma Red pepper & goats cheese pizza (v) Bread and olives (v)

Sunday lunch Starters

ham served with grape and apple chutney and crusty bread

Topped with rocket

Garlic Mushroom crostini

Desserts

1 course £8.95 | 2 course £11.95 | 3 course £14.95 Sticky toffee pudding Chunky potato skins with garlic, sweet chilli or BBQ sauces With crisp pancetta & leaf salad

Bacon & black pudding salad

Fruit crumble

Rashers of bacon and black pudding sat on salad leaf topped with a poached egg

2 scoops of Ryeburn of Helmsley ice cream

Chocolate sundae Avocado & prawn stuffed tomato with granary bread Starters

Homemade soupwith of the day withchilli warm ciabatta Hotsweet Chocolate fudge and ice cream Chunky potato skins garlic, or cake BBQ sauces Soup of the day Chapters Deli terrinestuffed with grapes redgranary onion bread chutney Avocado & prawn tomato&with

Children’s

Served with crusty bread

Moules mariniere £1.50of extra Bread & olivessoup with warm rustic bread (v) Homemade the day withartisan warm ciabatta 1 course - £4.95 2 courses - £6.95 Steamed mussels with white wine, cream, parsley and

Chapters Deli terrine with grapes & red onion chutney Main Courses Main courses

garlic served with crusty bread

Bread & olives with warm Margherita rustic artisan bread (v) pizza Main Courses Roasts of the day (please ask) with homemade Yorkshire puddings, Fish goujons Chapters chicken Main courses mash, seasonal vegetables, roast potato &a gorgeous gravy! creamy Homemade using our prime haddock fillet with Chapters Chicken breast with a cream and tarragon sauce, chunky chips and salad or peas or beans Roasts thewithday (please ask) with homemade Yorkshire puddings, mushrooms andof onions a creamy mash potato Fillet of salmon baked in herb butter creamy mash, seasonal vegetables, roast potato & a gorgeous gravy! sausagevegetables Crayfish andwith springglazed onion linguine new potatoes Swaledale & seasonal Served on a bed of creamy mash, garden peas and In a nantua sauce Fillet of salmon baked in herb butter with glazed chef’s gravy Butternut squash & lentil curry with a timbale of rice (v) (gf) Scampi & chips £3 extra new potatoes & seasonal vegetables Chef’s own traditional spaghetti bolognese Using langoustine & a tartare sauce Butternut squash & lentil curry with a timbale of rice (v) (gf) Pie of the day (please ask your server)

Desserts

Chef’s home made chicken goujons using 100% chicken breast in a light batter

Served Chapterssauce chunky chips Sticky toffee Desserts pudding &with toffee

Homemade chips, seasonal vegetables & gravy

Homemade beef lasagne

Sticky toffee & toffee sauce 3 scoop ice cream onpudding a meringue Desserts with seasonal fruits

Homemade chips,salad & coleslaw

3 scoop ice cream on a meringue with seasonal fruits 2 scoops of ice-cream with freshly prepared

How about adding a side order of garlic slices?

Homemade vegetable lasagne Chips, salad & coleslaw

sauces Fruit crumble

please ask for our current flavours Hot or cold chocolate fudge cake

Hot or cold chocolate fudge cake

How about adding a side order of garlic slices?

Salmon fillet

Fruit crumble

Pancakes Banoffee pie with vanilla ice cream and hot

Banoffee pie sauce chocolate

orvanilla vanilla ice cream) (all(all served custard servedwith witheither eithercream, cream, custard or ice Crème caramel with fresh fruitcream)

Simply grilled with a herb butter, new potatoes and seasonal vegetables

CHAPTERS DELI BISTRO & WINE BAR (next to the police station, Stokesley) www.chaptersbistro.co.uk tel: 01642 714692

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Carry on Camping Campfires, bike rides, toasted marshmallows, bug hunts, star gazing … there’s a lot of fun to be had on a family camping trip. Camping on a budget While camping is one of the most wallet-friendly ways to holiday, the equipment doesn’t always come cheap. Try searching Ebay, Gumtree and Facebook for second-hand tents.You’ll often find people selling a full camping package, including tent, airbeds, gas stove and chairs. Do you have Tesco points to spend? You can pick up a 4-man tent from Tesco Direct for around £50. Rent a tent Love the idea of camping, but don’t have space for all the equipment, or just don’t fancy pitching a tent in the rain? Why not rent a tent? Your tent will be put up for you and you can even hire all the equipment to go with it. All you need to do is turn up, unpack and head to the beach. Search online for companies or ask your chosen campsite for recommendations. If you want a few more mod-cons, you could look into hiring a campervan or caravan.Try www.camperbug.co.uk for retro VW campervans.

Where to go We really are spoilt for campsites in the UK.There are literally hundreds to choose between, from tiny farm fields to entertainment-filled holiday parks. The National Trust has lots of smaller, peaceful sites on offer, including in the Lake District, Cornwall and Snowdonia; see www.nationaltrust.org.uk. Camping festivals Kids entertainers, live music, food and drinks stands, craft tents … some festivals are fun for the whole family. Check out:

see www.discoverthebluedot.com. Camp Bestival (26th – 29th July):This Dorset festival includes onsite camping in the ticket price.There are craft workshops, a circus school, live shows, a 50 foot inflatable whale to explore, demos by Mister Maker and other popular presenters, and a lot more besides; see www.campbestival.net.

Cornbury (13th – 15th July):The line-up for this year’s festival includes Alanis Morrisette, Amy Macdonald and Pixie Lott.The Oxfordshire festival also boasts a kids’ area, with discos, yoga, den building, circus skills, live shows and craft activities; see www. cornburyfestival.com.

Farmer Phil’s Music Festival (10th – 12th August):With a week’s camping included in the £80 ticket price and tickets for under-12s priced at just £2, this is a great festival for families on a budget. It’s a much smaller festival than many of the others, but there are plenty of bands and lots of activities for children.

Bluedot Festival (20th – 22nd July): Set in the grounds of a deep space observatory in Cheshire, Bluedot offers children’s areas, live shows, hands-on activities, animations, interactive experiments, and a lineup that varies from The Chemical Brothers to The Halle Orchestra. Science lovers will be in their element;

Beautiful Days (17th – 19th August): With a huge children’s area, handson workshops, live entertainment, bushcraft, story-telling, a free shuttle bus to and from the local train station and a car-free camping field reserved for families, Beautiful Days is ideal for a weekend away; see www.beautifuldays. org.

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Top Travels New sandals and a bikini aren’t the only holiday essentials you’ll want to add to your shopping list this month. We’ve found plenty of travel-friendly health and beauty goodies to tempt you, whether you’re planning to backpack through Thailand, sightsee in Italy, or go camping in Cornwall. Towels, bucket and spade, Kindle, water, snacks…beach bags can get pretty heavy. Try decanting your suntan lotion into a smaller bottle, or pick up a travel sized one. Green People’s Scent Free Sun Lotion has an SPF of 30 and is gentle enough for all the family to use. It’s waterresistant and packed with skin-loving natural ingredients such as green tea, olive oil and avocado extract. The full size 100ml tube is £14.50, while the 30ml travel size is £6.50 from www. greenpeople.co.uk. Marks and Spencer’s also have lots of travel sized products to choose from, including this Nature’s Ingredients Lemon Shower Gel. The 50ml size costs just £1.50 and is perfect for a short break away. Planning a longer

break? A bar of soap takes up less space in your suitcase than a bottle of shower gel. Check out TK Maxx for luxury bars at a budget price, or treat yourself to the gorgeously scented Geranium,Ylang Ylang & Neroli Soap by Cole & Co, which costs £4 plus delivery from www. coleandco.com. Hotel bathrooms never seem to have enough cupboard space. Keep the clutter at bay with a wash bag that can be hung on the back of a door. This floral one from Paperchase is £15 and has three separate compartments. Pop cosmetics in one, pills and plasters in another, and lotions and potions in the third. See www.paperchase.co.uk. Hot and sticky days at the beach call for a hydrating spray. Make your own by adding a few drops of essential oil to pure rose water or a cup of green tea. Or just pick up a bottle of Crabtree & Evelyn’s La Source Refreshing Body Mist (£16). It’s cooling, revitalising and smells amazing. Think cool ocean breeze with a hint of citrus. Rich in antioxidants, it leaves skin feeling

softer and more hydrated. Bliss. See www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk. If you’re catching a 4am flight, or have a packed itinerary, you might benefit from Tisserand Aromatherapy’s Little Box of Energy. For £11.95 you get three pulse point rollerballs, each of which contains a 10ml blend of pure essential oils. Energy High, for example, is a refreshing citrusy blend of lime, grapefruit and orange leaf. Holiday still weeks away and feeling a bit stressed? There’s also a Little Box of Sleep and a Little Box of Relaxation, see www.tisserand.com. Kate Duggan

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Sping SellingOffer Fee

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Advertising Feature

The Care Home with a Difference Living alone in later years, particularly when you are less able to get out, can often lead to feelings of loneliness. Whether it’s lost friendships or no longer socialising, the isolation can be difficult.

For residents at Anchor’s Middlesbrough Grange care home in Ormesby, this is no longer a problem they face. They are now able to enjoy laughs and each other’s company in their brand new pub “The Netherfield Arms”, created out of a former lounge within the home. Bev Grimes, the Home Manager smiles, “It has become a hub where residents can socialise and have a drink. It is very important for residents to be able to relax with each other in a venue where they feel comfortable.” She proudly adds, “We have a lovely home with caring staff. Our residents will also benefit from activities at the bar including one-to-one reminiscence sessions. We want our residents to have a happy time at Middlesbrough Grange.”

The residents are clearly at home in the pub. Olga Hutchinson smiles, “It has a great atmosphere. I like to sit and chat and play a game of dominos.” Sandra Brown, also a resident adds, “I like the pub because you can enjoy seeing your friends and getting together.” Middlesbrough Grange care home, which offers residential and dementia care, is a purpose built home with 45 spacious en-suite rooms. It sits in the heart of the community with local shops nearby. It is operated by Anchor, who have been established for 50 years and were voted one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Not-for-Profit Organisations to work for in both 2016 and 2017.

For more details about Middlesbrough Grange care home in Ormesby, please call free on 0808 102 5987 or visit www.anchor.org.uk Middlesbrough Grange care home, Fosdyke Green, Middlesbrough TS3 0RY.

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Brilliant Bathroom lighting Use a range of light fittings for a flexible scheme, for brisk morning ablutions to leisurely evening baths. In the morning, you’ll need bright, efficient light in the bathroom but for a soak in the tub you’ll want soft, relaxing lighting. A lighting scheme for a bathroom requires careful consideration and should be planned at the same time as the plumbing, considering the availability and direction of natural light, who uses the bathroom, what for and when, and the overall style you require. It should be flexible and combine directional task lights with adjustable general background light – and using fittings suitable for wet and steamy conditions. For washing, shaving and putting on make-up, it’s useful to install bright, ‘working’ lights above the bath, shower and basin areas, with additional lighting for any remaining dark areas. Use mirrors to reflect light around the room and make it seem brighter. All-purpose downlights set into the ceiling are neat, and small, directional lights on tracks are useful, too, and come in a range of

inexpensive styles. Mirrors and mirrored cabinets with integral lighting are a great two-in-one solution; alternatively light a conventional mirror with theatre-style bulbs all around or wall lamps on either side. When placing lights make sure the lights is even, and avoid a single, very bright light from above. Supplement ceiling lights with LED strips behind baffles or panels. Other ideas include: storage units incorporating lighting; uplighters in flooring; a remote control LED colour-changing lamp; basin taps with a water-activated LED light; illuminated rainfall shower heads; and low-level lighting that comes on automatically when someone enters the room – great for night-time toilet visits. For real luxury, install two bathroom lighting circuits – one for everyday lights, and the other for ambient dimmable lights. Finally, candlelight is ideally suited to relaxing in the bathroom. BOX Bathroom lighting regulations Bathroom lighting regulations are

strict. The lights you choose must have a suitable IP (ingress protection) rating, which relates to how close to water the fitting will be. Typically, the room is divided into three zones. Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower, so fittings must be immersion-proof, rated at least IP67 and low voltage. Zone 1 is the area above the bath or shower, to a height of 2.25m from the floor, and a minimum rating of IP45 is required (though most shower lights are rated at IP65). Zone 2 is outside the bath and shower, reaching 60cm on either side and 2.25m from the floor; any area within 60cm of a tap is also considered within zone 2. Here, a rating of at least IP44 is required. Outside these areas there are no specific IP requirements, though experts recommend fittings with a minimum rating of IP20.You should always consult a qualified electrician.

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Super stylish children’s rooms Rooms for little ones should be highly practical and also full of fun. Make your kid’s room great • Start by considering how much space is available, who will use it and how often. How old are your children? What are their likes and dislikes? What is your budget? Sketch a floor plan on graph paper, including positions of doors, windows, radiators and light fittings, plus bed(s), perhaps seating and clothes storage, and space for books, toys, games, art and craft activities. • The key to designing a child’s room is flexibility. Keep the basics plain and simple and theme the less expensive and easily changed items (such as blinds, cushions or storage boxes) to whatever colour or character fascinates your child that particular month. • Soft carpet may be tempting but, ideally, floors should be non-slip, easily cleanable and durable, as well as not too hard underfoot. Wooden or laminate boards plus a soft rug (with an anti-slip mat beneath) are great, and you could also consider vinyl, linoleum, cork or rubber. • When it comes to lighting, inset 1

ceiling lights and high-up wall lights are better than floor or table lamps that could get in the way of games and be knocked over. • Brighten up walls with framed pictures (your child’s own, maybe), removable stickers, or perhaps something more inventive such as artists’ canvases painted in bright blocks of colour, a camouflage net, flags, maps, blackboard or magnetic paint, or an entire wall of goodlooking storage. 1 Transform your little one into an astronaut in their sleep. Rocket single duvet set by Snurk, £49, Beaumonde. 2 Designed and built by hand in the Scout & Boo workshop, this versatile ‘rainbow’ cabinet could be used for books, clothes or toys. It’s made from sustainable birch ply and finished with water-based satin lacquer. £1,250 from Scout & Boo. 3 Bold and bright, this toucan wall sticker adds a touch of the tropics. It costs £10.50 from Chameleon Wall Art. 4 Three deep drawers provide plenty of storage room, while the modern, simple styling make the Oeuf Sparrow dresser a good-looking piece for any bedroom or nursery. £789 from Diddle Tinkers. 5 You can never have too much

storage in a child’s room. Släkting storage bag, £6, Ikea. 6 Banish boring bunk beds! The Scandi-inspired Linus features curved edges and a contrasting pine-andwhite finish. It’s £499 from made. com. 7 A rainbow of colours fills this ABC alphabet print (unframed) by Ingrid Petrie. Perfect for kids of all ages. £16 from Mini Maison. 8 This handcrafted, wooden toy storage box on rubber castors is made from high quality, durable and non-toxic birch plywood. Nobobobo animal storage box, £95, Mini Maison. 9 Made from child-safe polyresin, this origami dinosaur lamp is perfect as bedside light or night light. It’s £10 from Bobby Rabbit. STOCKISTS Beaumonde: 01202 707 770; beaumonde.co.uk Bobby Rabbit: 0114 321 7000; bobbyrabbit.co.uk Chameleon Wall Art: chameleonwallart.com Diddle Tinkers: 01305 458 149; diddletinkers.co.uk Ikea: 020 3645 0015; ikea.com/gb Made: 0845 557 6888; made.com Mini Maison: 07971 095 672; minimaison.co.uk Scout & Boo: 07817 503 824; scoutandboo.co.uk

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WASPI stands for Women Against State Pension Inequality Our aim is to achieve fair transitional Pension Arrangements for all WASPI women.This means a bridging pension and compensation for those affected to cover the dates between age 60 and the new State Pension Age.The 1995 Pension Act raised the Pension Age for women from 60 to 65, to be fully in place by 2020. In 2009 the Government speeded up the change by bringing the date forward to 2018.The 2011 Pension Act raised the State Pension Age further, to 66 for both men and women, to be fully completed by 2020. The WASPI Campaign opposes the unfair way changes were implemented. Many women are suffering huge financial difficulties

due to insufficient notice. Many have to wait 6 years longer than they expected. The changes lost women up to £45.000. There is a Legal Campaign of Maladministration against the D.W.P. The Government says it made £1.1 Billion available to fund transitional arrangements, or concessions. This is untrue. Shirley is a member of WASPI Middlesbrough. She is 62 and cannot claim her State Pension until she is 66. Her husband recently died. He was 68 and receiving his pension. Shirley was his carer for 15 years, looking after him at home. Shirley is not entitled to any of her husband’s pension, carer allowance stopped as soon as he died, she has no pension of her own. Up until February 2017 she could have claimed widow’s pension payable

until she received her own pension. This benefit was removed and replaced with Bereavement Support Benefit. Widows Pension provided £300.00 per month and was not means tested. Bereavement Support Allowance pays £100.00 per month for only 18 months. Shirley has been awarded £100.00 per month. She cannot claim Pension Credit because her pension has been pushed back to 66.. She has bills to pay and a mortgage and, with recent changes to the benefit system, there is nothing more she can claim for. Thousands of 1950’5 women are struggling in similar situations. Some have been able to continue working but often in unsuitable jobs given their present age and health. Many more cannot find a job at all.

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Helping Your Dog Deal with the Heat of Summer Heat stroke is a serious risk for dogs in the summer because they can’t lose heat through their skin as we do. Even on a warm day, if they can’t seek out shade or water to cool down, they can suffer irreparable organ damage, which is often fatal. So how do you prevent heat stroke, what are the symptoms, and what can you do to help? Is your dog suffering from heat stroke?

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Signs and symptoms of heat stroke include: • Rapid breathing • Heavy panting • Lethargy • Agitation or disorientation • Drooling • Vomiting and/or diarrhoea • Fitting/seizures Preventing a disaster Being aware that your dog is very susceptible to heat stroke is a major factor in preventing it.You should make sure that: • They aren’t locked inside the car on a warm day. • Your dog has ready access to shade, and plenty of cool drinking water. • You don’t over-exercise them, or take your dog out during the hottest part of the day. What to do if you suspect your dog

has heat stroke You need to cool your dog down, but without making them too cold once the panting has stopped. Seek help from a vet as a matter of urgency, even if you’re not sure whether they’re in danger. Organ failure can occur over a longer period of time, and fast action can save their life even if you think everything is fine. www.telegraph.co.uk/pets/newsfeatures/keep-dog-cool-summer-heat www.metro.co.uk/2017/06/20/ how-to-keep-your-dog-safe-in-theheatwave-6722194

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Iconic Routes:The North Coast 500 Italy has the St Bernard Pass (made famous in the opening scene of ‘The Italian Job’). America has Route 66 of course. And Scotland? Well, that has the North Coast 500. Winding for 16 miles over the 500 that gives the route its name, it was the 2015 brainchild of the North Highland Initiative to create a tourist driving loop around the uppermost part of mainland Scotland. And it’s on my bucket list to drive this year. Driven clockwise, or anti, the

accepted start/end-point is Inverness, a beautiful city and worth exploring before the drive. From there you take the A862 to Mull of Ord, before choosing clockwise and westward on the A832 to Applecross, or taking the A9 northbound to John O‘Groats if you prefer the opposite way. Either way, you will travel through some of the most stunning scenery the UK has to offer: in the southern section, looping roads with nearvertical mountains on either side, and surprisingly flat, almost East-Anglian pasture-like highways in the north around Thurso. And the beaches up there are something to behold too.

How long it takes is up to you (cyclists have ridden it in 31 hours!) but speed is not the point: it’s the journey that matters. Just writing about it makes me want to jump in the car and drive the ‘500 right now! The only detrimental thing I can see is its increasing popularity. We go to the Highlands to get away from it all, yet it could be a victim of its own success and turn into Scotland’s M25. So, let’s keep its secret to ourselves, eh? www.visitscotland.com/see-do/tours/ driving-road-trips/north-coast-500/

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Infiniti QX50 What is it? You’d be forgiven for not knowing much about Infiniti. Launched in the UK less than 10 years ago, the Japanese luxury brand is still attempting to establish itself as an alternative to the German trio and struggling to top 3,500 sales a year.

were released as it was still to be type approved for Europe.

This is the firm’s latest attempt to change that – a mid-size SUV that aims to tempt buyers away from the likes of a BMW X3 or Audi Q5.With a host of smart technology, a distinctive design and a bafflingly clever new engine, Infiniti is hoping the QX50 will rapidly become the brand’s best-selling car worldwide.

What’s it like to drive? On the road, this clever new engine generates impressive, usable performance. It’ll hit 60mph in 6.3 seconds – a whole two seconds faster than the equivalent BMW – and will go on to a top speed of 143mph.

What’s new? Built on a brand new platform – one not currently shared with any other model in the Renault Nissan Alliance – the QX50 debuts a number of worldfirst gadgets.These include dynamic noise-cancelling technology in the engine, seats designed in conjunction with NASA and a petrol engine that promises to offer sports levels of performance, but with the economy of a diesel. What’s under the bonnet? That clever new VC-Turbo engine is a world-first variable compression ratio engine. For the non-technically minded that means it offers the power of a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with the torque and efficiency of a four-cylinder diesel. Currently there are no plans to offer a diesel engine. On our early pre-production drive in America, Infiniti wouldn’t reveal how efficient its new engine is. No UK fuel economy figures or emissions details

What we do know is the 2.0-litre engine produces 268bhp and 380Nm of torque. For comparison, a petrolpowered BMW X3 20i offers 184bhp and 290Nm. It seems, then, the QX50 has quite the upper hand.

The noise it makes while doing so is an acquired taste. Much of it is synthetically generated and it precariously teeters on the edge of deeply satisfying and incredibly annoying.There’s also a CVT automatic gearbox, which is fine at sedate speeds but becomes noticeably irritatingly audible in the higher rev ranges. Sadly, Infiniti is persisting with its drive-by-wire steering, which came in for much criticism on its Q50 saloon, and is little better here. Although it allows the car to do clever things – like independently steer individual wheels, hundreds of time a second – it lacks feel and at slow speeds feels like an arcade game.Whether that’ll bother the average SUV buyer remains to be seen. The QX50’s new chassis and groundup design has certainly resulted in a quiet and comfortable ride. It soaked up the worst that America’s roads threw at it and thanks to a dynamic noise-cancelling engine mount – which actively works to stop noise entering

the cabin – it’s calm inside too. What’s more, it can even drive itself – up to a point. Hit the car’s ProPilot button and it’ll steer for you (but you’ll need to keep a hand on the wheel), speeding up and slowing down with traffic. And there’s a clever Forward Collision Warning system which bounces radar around and under cars in front to spot traffic slowing down before you do. Infiniti says it can even detect a slowing motorbike hidden in front of an HGV. How does it look? Looks wise, it’s certainly a break from the status quo.While BMW’s X3 has been labelled ‘boring’, and Audi’s Q5 ‘generic’, the QX50 has a welcome and genuinely different design.What’s also pleasing is the fact the frankly quite hard-on-the-eye look of past Infiniti SUVs has been toned down. What’s it like inside? Inside is where the QX50 really shines. Hand-stitched leather panels, alcantara and a swooping dash give it a luxury feel, and although some of the switchgear is obviously borrowed from the Alliance it’s far better packaged than early Infiniti models. What’s the spec like? The QX50 is a while off arriving on our shores, so as such Infiniti is remaining tight lipped about specification and pricing. Executives did tell us that it would undercut BMW and Audi rivals and it’s likely much of the new technology will be included as standard.The QX50 is slated to arrive either late this year or very early in 2019. Verdict Infiniti believes the QX50 is the best car it has ever made – and we’d find it hard to argue with them.The clever new VC-Turbo engine is impressive, the ride quality and interior finish excellent and we even like the looks. Quite how Brits will react to a petrol-powered SUV with no diesel option remains to be seen, though, and its success will hinge on just how much it undercuts established rivals from the German brands.

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These 3 steps will create the foundation on which the new design for my garden will be based on and it will take into account that I now have very little time to look after it, so here are some of the things I will be thinking about:

• How can I cut down on the amount of watering required in the summer? • How can I avoid spending time on staking? • What will make mowing the lawn less time consuming? I’ll let you know what I do in the coming months. In the past few months, I have

striking sunflowers They’re bold, they’re brash, they’re larger than life and they’re gorgeous! Yes, sunflowers are one of the most stunning and impressive flowers you could have in your garden – and one of the easiest to grow too. If you get your skates on you can sow them this month and achieve a fantastic flowery display in just a few months’ time. So which ones should you choose and how do you go about getting the best crop of flowers? There are some fantastically fastgrowing and potentially very tall varieties such as ‘Russian Giant’ and ‘Titan’. The latter is exceptionally tall, reaching a potential height of up to 360cm or 12ft and having heads of anything up to 60cm (2ft) in diameter! If space is limited, or you simply prefer you flowers lower to the ground, there are some delightful miniature or dwarf varieties available. The F1 variety ‘Little Dorrit’ grows to about 60cm (2ft) and has rich yellow flowers with very dark centres, and looks great as a border

• How can I cut down on the amount of weeding I need to do?

b a f t E y y a

plant of the month – geranium The leaves, covered in their unmistakable Geranium ‘fuzz’, may have a slightly smell about‘Velvet edging. Another favourite is ‘Little including theodd orangey-brown but the burst of colour emitted Queen’, ‘Black Velvet’ and the biLeo’ at just 45cm (18in), which makes them fromcoloured the flowers shoot forth(great ‘Magicthat Roundabout’ lots of impact with golden yellow from these little plants more than for those who suffer from hay fever heads on multi-branching stems. make up for its shortcomings. as this variety is pollen-free). Forget the idea that sunflowers These are pretty tough plants and If yougrow wantthrough some inany containers, are yellow and ring the changes – usually off the that oddisproblems they‘Pacino may get suchisas also possible: Colada’ nowadays there are many other or vine weevil compact mildew variety growing to just colours readily available. One of the lateasummer are planted 40cmMake (16in)sure and they has 10cm (4in) richest shades I know is ‘Black Magic’, larvae. in good and protect wide sunlight golden-yellow flowers,from making which has maroon flowers and is a wonderful plant for a colourful multi-branching, reaching a height of cold. Geraniums containerare on happy a sunnyboth patio,as sheltered about 180cm (6ft). indoor or outdoor plants as balcony or in the flowerand beds. Grow yourself a few for cutting too, they root easily from cuttings you stillagot a fascination tall and you’ll have a vase or more full of canI’ve keep good supply ofwith plants sunflgo! owers, and I’ve never met a flowers that would cost a fortune in on the child who doesn’t enjoy a sunflower the shops. Many varieties are suitable,

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competition. The really sturdy and tall varieties like ‘Russian Giant’ and ‘Giant Single’ are perfect for smaller gardeners, and as they reach heights of about 180cm (6ft) will soon dwarf them! Sunflowers make a cheap and cheerful addition to a garden boundary, adding splashes of colour to even the most dreary fence line or helping to mask the ugly appearance of a garage or decrepit garden shed. They’re a lot faster growing than Leylandii but these colourful beauties won’t get out of hand. The seeds of sunflowers can be sown right now – in fact you should get a good crop of blooms if you sow them anytime between March and May, depending on the weather and where you live. You can sow them straight into the soil or into pots of compost. I like to use RootTrainers as these encourage really well-developed and deep roots to develop, and make it easy to plant out the sunflowers with minimum root disturbance; see www.pippagreenwood.com/ products/grow-great-crops for more information.

individual pots and then plant them out when they’re a few inches tall. It may sound like I’m pampering them, but it means they’re bigger and tougher and better able to resist attack. As an added precaution, put a ring of slug-deterring material around the base of each one – crushed shells, crushed eggshells, coco-shell or pine needles for instance. If you’re growing sunflowers on anything other than a protected site, it may be necessary to give the taller varieties a bit of extra support in the form of a sturdy bamboo cane or slim stake, just in case the wind blows too strongly!

As their name suggests, sunflowers love, indeed need, plenty of sunshine to thrive and put on their best possible show of blooms. The great thing is that although many are pretty tall, each plant does not actually take up much space at ground level. Slugs and snails love sunflowers and can literally eat them to the ground, especially if the weather is damp. I always grow sunflowers in small

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